QATAR | Page 24 SPORT | Page 1 Fakhar, Amir sparkle as Pakistan INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-8, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 REGION 9 BUSINESS 1-6, 10-12 demolish 21,333.00 9,188.09 44.74 ARAB WORLD 9 CLASSIFIED 7-9 Initiative launched to +1300 -69.81 +0.28 INTERNATIONAL 10-21 SPORTS 1-8 +0.06% -0.75% +0.63% support local industry India Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10489 June 19, 2017 Ramadan 24, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Opportunity to In brief boost sales of

REGION | Crisis Kuwaiti emir hopes local products to resolve row soon Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad By Peter Alagos markets. Even after the embargo, they al-Jaber al-Sabah has said he hopes to Business Reporter can still benefi t because Qatari and expa- resolve the diplomatic dispute between triate customers are now aware of these three Gulf states and Qatar during the local products. Defi nitely this will boost last 10 days of Ramadan, aljazeera.com emand for Qatari products will sales of local products,” he stressed. reports. “In this great month and its continue even after the ongo- “For Qatari products, we make sure holy nights, we hope to overcome the Ding economic blockade on the we have them in LuLu whatever is avail- latest developments in our Gulf home country is over, with local farms and able. There are farms that provide qual- and ... fix the rift through dialogue and food manufacturers transforming the ity produce, which we are getting from communication,” he said. “We should crisis into an opportunity to boost sales them. And this is also part of our eff orts do this based on the deeply rooted and expand to wider markets, industry to support local farms in Qatar,” Shana- Turkish troops start their first military exercise yesterday at Tariq bin Ziyad battalion camp in Doha. historical ties, family relations and sources have said. vas noted. shared interests that gather the states of “They will be encouraged to produce A staff of a poultry farm in Qatar said the GCC and their peoples.” more to keep up with the growing market prior to the Gulf crisis, the company’s Cholera death demand. Those who are in the industry daily average for chicken was 33,000 toll in Yemen QATAR | Energy will defi nitely fi nd a market, which could heads, which are delivered to major First group of Turkish help their businesses grow and expand,” hypermarkets and other stores in the rises to 1,100 QP chief: Qatar does Qatari businessman Farhan al-Sayed country. The company also supplies the not politicise trade told Gulf Times yesterday. local market with 360,000 eggs per day. The death toll from a cholera epidemic Qatar does not politicise trade, Saad “Increased demand of local products “We are expecting demand to grow troops arrives in Doha in Yemen has risen to 1,100 since the Sherida al-Kaabi, the chief executive of also translates to increased awareness because there is now a vacuum in the outbreak of the disease on April 27, the Qatar Petroleum, has said while referring in the market. The diplomatic crisis has market following the blockade on Qa- QNA aim to develop a plan to implement World Health Organisation (WHO) said. to the supply of natural gas to the UAE. served as a wake-up call because now tar,” he noted. Doha wide joint operations, where the fi rst Health reports indicate that more Speaking to Al Jazeera , he said Qatar we have to put more emphasis on food Al Meera Consumer Goods Company of these exercises began with a pres- than 159,000 cholera cases have will not cut off gas to the UAE despite a manufacturing and growing local pro- is also promoting local farm produce entation from the forefront Turkish been registered in 20 of the country’s diplomatic dispute and a “force majeure” duce,” he pointed out. in its stores as part of a programme irst group of Turkish troops ar- ground military vehicles inside the provinces and that humanitarian and clause in its contract. Dolphin Gas Al-Sayed’s view was echoed by launched in January by the Ministry of rived in Doha yesterday to partic- battalion. health organisations must work to pipeline pumps around 2bn cubic feet of Shanavas P M, LuLu Group Internation- Municipality and Environment (MME) Fipate in joint exercises, as part of This comes a few days after the tackle the epidemic, the WHO off ice in gas per day to the UAE. Business Page 1 al regional manager (Qatar and Egypt), Agriculture Aff airs Department to mar- the signed agreements between Qatar Turkish parliament decided deploying Yemen said in a press release. who said “there will be a switchover to ket “excellent” Qatari vegetables. and Turkey. Turkish troops to Qatar and the rati- The statement pointed out that the EUROPE | Politics support Qatari products.” “Many Qatari products have been The Ministry of Defence’s Direc- fi cation of President Recep Tayyip Er- capital Sana’a recorded the highest “Now is a good time for local food available in our stores for a long time now. torate of Moral Guidance announced dogan, to the decision. incidence of the disease followed by Macron marches to suppliers because they have realised By placing these products on our shelves, that the forces started their fi rst mili- The exercises, which have been the province of Hodeidah, west of the massive election win that they should utilise the situation and this is our way of showing Al Meera’s sup- tary exercise yesterday at Tariq bin planned for some time, come within country and then the provinces of French President Emmanuel Macron’s maximise their presence in the hyper- port to Qatari products,” a source said. Ziyad battalion camp in Doha. The the framework of the joint defence Amran and Hajjah / north of the country. centrist party was on course for a exercises aim to raise the Qatari and agreement signed between Doha and WHO has confirmed earlier that massive majority in parliamentary Turkish fi ghting effi ciency to develop Ankara, which aims to raise the defence cholera is spreading in Yemen at an elections yesterday. Macron’s year-old a joint plan in order to fi ght extremism capabilities of both sides through joint unprecedented speed and that there Republique en Marche (Republic on the and terrorism, as well as peacekeeping exercises in order to strengthen eff orts are expectations that the number of Move, REM) and their allies were set to operations before and after military to combat terrorism and maintain se- infected people will reach 200,000 in win between 355 and 403 seats in the Economy strong enough to operation. In addition, the exercises curity and stability in the region. the next six months. 577-seat National Assembly. Page 15

RAMADAN THOUGHT withstand crisis: minister Be conscious of Allah wherever he Qatari economy is strong that used to arrive by land, sea or air.” you are, and follow up a bad deed enough to withstand any shock He expressed surprise at the per- with a good deed, and it will eradi- Tor crisis because of its diversi- formance of some entities that pro- cate it, and treat people in a kind fi cation, competitiveness and strong mote themselves as free zones or re- manner. [At-Tirmithi] position, HE the Minister of Economy gions. “Qatari-owned containers were and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jas- seized suddenly. This puts a question Prayer times sim bin Mohamed al-Thani has said. mark on the credibility of the move- Fajr....3.14 Zuhr....11.35 Asr....2.58 In an interview with Qatar TV, the ment of goods between the Gulf coun- Maghrib.....6.29 Isha.....7.59 minister said the blockade imposed tries, and a question mark on the cred- by some Gulf countries against Qa- ibility of these zones.” Fasting times tar was surprising and unjustified, HE the minister said all the infra- Iftar today ...... 6.29pm but was dealt with quickly. “We have structure projects and the works re- Imsak tomorrow...... 3.04am found alternatives, in less than 24 lated to World Cup 2022 are going as hours, for products and materials planned.

More global liners expected to call on Hamad Port this month

By Ramesh Mathew and India connects Hamad Port with One of the company’s vessels could Staff Reporter the Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports in not be routed to Doha from a port in India. Another new direct service be- Saudi Arabia and had to be rerouted tween Hamad Port and Sohar Port in through Iraq’s Umm Qasr. Eventually, further improvement in cargo Oman is expected to provide a boost to it unloaded its shipments in Doha last movement to and from Qatar is food imports into Qatar. Wednesday. Also, a 9,000-TU ship ar- Aexpected in the coming days as Hamad Port has also announced that rived from Mundra port while another new maritime services are launched it will launch and add new service lines vessel is expected to come to Doha from and global shipping fi rms ramp up op- with Europe and Southeast Asia in the Nhava Sheva in a few days’ time, the of- erations, it is learnt. coming days. fi cial added. The eff orts come in the wake of the Arrangements are also being made blockade imposed on Qatar by some zMore than 350 to resume - in full swing - key exports neighbouring countries a couple of from Qatar to a Chinese port and more weeks ago. The row initially aff ected containers are being than 350 containers are being brought traffi c to Hamad Port but, as reported brought from Salalah in from Salalah in Oman to Hamad Port, in Gulf Times recently, the situation Oman to Hamad Port. he points out. Besides, an MSC ves- improved soon after. sel from the Far East, covering at least Now, sources say cargo traffi c at Ha- three Chinese ports and Singapore, mad Port is expected to see a further Interactions with the representatives among others, is also expected to call improvement as the parties concerned of some international shipping fi rms in on Hamad Port by end of the month - port offi cials and shipping compa- Doha revealed that they were working and it will carry exports from Qatar on nies - look to seal new transport deals round the clock to facilitate the arrival of its return voyage. that will help improve direct services to a number of vessels, carrying shipments The shipping circles are optimistic and from Qatar. More global liners are to meet the country’s requirements. that the ongoing cargo-handling op- reportedly keen to call on Hamad Port, A senior offi cial of Mediterranean erations will further improve business looking to utilise its infrastructural fa- Shipping Company (MSC), a leading through Hamad Port. cilities, according to the sources. global player, said at least fi ve vessels According to a Reuters report pub- The shipping fi rms are buoyed by the of their company would call on Hamad lished by Gulf Times recently, the recent launch of new maritime services Port until the end of this month. Ef- world’s biggest container line, Maersk between Qatar and countries such as forts were also on to bring more of the of Denmark, had said it would accept Oman and India. For instance, a new company’s ships to Qatar beyond that new bookings for container shipments shipping line opened between Qatar as well, he added. to Qatar from Oman. Gulf Times 2 Monday, June 19, 2017 QATAR

Emir receives message from Rouhani FM meets Armenian counterpart In brief

Emir sends National Day greetings

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent cables of congratulations to the President of Seychelles Danny Faure on his country’s National Day. HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met the Foreign FM holds phone Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian in Doha yesterday. Talks covered bilateral relations and His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday received a verbal message from ways of enhancing them, as well as the latest regional and international political developments. The conversation with Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Aff airs Armenian foreign minister was also briefed on the latest developments in the Gulf crisis, the siege Boris Johnson Hossein Jaberi Ansari conveyed the message, during a meeting with HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh imposed on Qatar and the illegal measures taken by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Doha yesterday. Bahrain. HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani yesterday received a phone call from the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. They discussed issues of mutual concern in addition to the latest developments between the GCC FM ‘surprised’ at reaction of countries. Zakat Fund urges Muslims to pay countries blockading Qatar Zakat al-Fitr Zakat Fund at the Ministry of QNA meetings were friendly, the For- are strong eff orts by the broth- wonder whether they were taken Awqaf and Islamic Aff airs called Doha eign Minister added. ers in Kuwait, led by Emir of to change Qatar’s policies or to on all Muslims to pay Zakat He also said that it was sur- Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed impose guardianship over it”. al-Fitr which is obligatory on prising that the response to the al-Jaber al-Sabah, and there are As for the diplomatic steps every Muslim, male or female, E the Foreign Minister hacking came in the manner it continued visits by the Kuwaiti taken by Qatar, the Foreign big or small. In a statement Sheikh Mohamed bin did. brothers to the countries that Minister said: “We relied on the issued yesterday, the Fund said HAbdulrahman al-Thani Especially, he added, that Qa- have taken those unfair meas- diplomatic solution and stat- that the amount of Zakat al-Fitr expressed surprise at the reac- tar noted that there were pre- ures. ed that the solution should be for Ramadan this year is QR15, tion of GCC members putting recorded tapes of analysts who However, no demands have through dialogue. In addition, stressing that it must be paid Qatar under siege following the defamed Qatar. been put forward, the Foreign Qatar’s citizens and residents before Eid al-Fitr prayer with hacking of Qatar News Agency’s On investigations into the Minister said adding: “This is refused to be dragged to the low enough time to be distributed to website. hack, the Foreign Minister said why we are confused about the level of abusive rhetoric against the beneficiaries before the Eid. Speaking during a televised that there was an initial report statements of offi cials in these Qatar.” The Fund noted that Zakat al-Fitr interview on Qatar TV, the For- released a few days ago but they countries, who sometimes say The Foreign Minister said that can be paid at the off ices and eign Minister said that contact were still waiting for a detailed they will hand over their de- Qatar’s diplomatic moves were collection points of the Fund was made with GCC foreign one from the entities that dealt mands to the State of Kuwait and aimed at explaining the Qatari which are spread throughout the ministers requsting them to dis- with the Ministry of Interior. sometimes say that the list of point of view, especially after country. regard what had been transmit- He noted that there will be a demands has not yet been pre- some parties sought to interna- ted. However, that communi- detailed report presented on the pared.” tionalise the dispute and started cation did not get any response matter. This uncertainty is evidence foreign visits to convince others Pakistan PM’s except from the ministers of Ku- On the allegations directed at of the fragility of the basis of the to follow the measures against adviser meets wait and Oman. Qatar from the countries putting actions against Qatar, he added. Qatar. They expressed their solidari- it under siege, HE Sheikh Mo- On postponing the speech of “In Qatar we went to those Qatar’s envoy ty and requested Qatar not to es- hamed bin Abdulrahman al- His Highness the Emir Sheikh countries to explain our point calate the situation by respond- Thani said that the problem Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the of view because of our common Adviser to the Prime Minister on ing to the actions of the media in was the lack of “accurately- Foreign Minister said that the interests, their keenness on the Foreign Aff airs of Pakistan, Sartaj the UAE and Saudi Arabia. determined accusations” by the Emir wanted to address Qatar’s stability of the region and be- Aziz, met Qatar’s ambassador to The Foreign Minister added countries in question. people and residents, explaining cause they are aware of Qatar’s Pakistan, Saqr bin Mubarak al- that Qatar for its part responded The Foreign Minister said that that he responded to the desire standards in handling political Mansouri, in Islamabad yesterday. to this request. they accused Qatar of support- of the emir of Kuwait on giving and counter-terrorism issues,” Talks dealt with bilateral relations The Foreign Minister said that ing and fi nancing political foes, an opportunity for the media- HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul- and means of enhancing them things are moving along natu- but added that Qatar is betting on HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani tion eff orts. rahman al-Thani said. as well as matters of common rally with other GCC member- the awareness of the Arab street during his interview with Qatar TV yesterday. Regarding Saudi Foreign Min- There have been positive po- concern. countries. which became capable of distin- ister Adil al-Jubeir’s statement sitions supporting the contain- He added that there were reg- guishing between what is right, mined its credibility. text and undermining its cred- that Saudi Arabia is working on ment of the dispute and lift- Qatar-Serbia ular meetings before the hacking and what is being exaggerated. He added that there was Qa- ibility. a list of complaints, the Foreign ing the blockade on Qatar, he incident, at the GCC and at bi- The Foreign Minister said that tari mediation to stop the blood- The Foreign Minister ex- Minister said that the demands added. ties reviewed lateral levels. cases should be built on logic shed, done with the knowledge pressed his belief that they have were not clear, adding that that On the contacts made by The Foreign Minister noted and so far, nothing of what has of Saudi and Bahraini authori- not succeeded with that accu- “the matter started with talks the three Gulf states, the For- First Deputy Prime Minister and that there was even a visit by been presented has any of it. ties. sation because the conversation about demands that will be re- eign Minister said that they Minister of Foreign Aff airs of His Highness the Emir Sheikh He added that Qatar, for its He stressed that media was makes it clear that Qatar was not solved within the Gulf states, moved in different directions Serbia, Ivica Dacic, met Qatar’s Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to part, does not want to slip into discussing those mediation ef- involved in an act of incitement, then it was changed to demands towards African countries and ambassador to Serbia, Sheikh Jeddah that involved discussions responding to such allegations forts, but making such an accu- but rather looking to calm the that will be handed over to the the countries that need to be Mubarak bin Fahad al-Thani in related to the GCC and bilateral as they answer themselves. sation now refl ects that they are situation. US....and then they became pushed to take positions and Belgrade yesterday. ties. On the recording televised by relying on the short-term atten- On the Kuwaiti mediation, complaints.” measures against Qatar. “There Talks dealt with bilateral relations No side discussed any diff er- Bahraini television, The Foreign tion span of the receiver. HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh “These contradictions and are those who followed them,” and means of enhancing them ences of any kind and there were Minister said that the timing It was also taking the conver- Mohamed bin Abdulrahman accusations are evidence of the he said adding: “But Qatar besides matters of mutual no signs of diff erences as the of airing that recording under- sation out of its historical con- al-Thani pointed out that there fragility of the actions, which we knows its friends well.” concern.

Minister briefs IMO chief on violations Qatar-US joint defence exercise ends

QNA Moral Guidance of the Minis- joint special forces represent- by Commander of the Joint Doha try of Defence announced yes- ed by the special mobile force, Special Forces Brigadier Gen- terday. special operations and special eral Hamad Abdullah al-Fe- The exercise, held under navy, in conjunction with the tais al-Marri, representative atari joint special forces the patronage and presence Qatari Emiri Air Force repre- of the US embassy Brigadier have concluded their of HE the Minister of State sented by the transport wing, David Parr and high-rank- Qjoint defence exercise for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid the helicopter squadron and ing officers from the Qatari with the US forces in Al-Ga- bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, was US special forces. Armed Forces and the US layel fi eld, the Directorate of conducted by three units: the The exercise was attended forces.

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Ki Tack Lim has received a message from Qatar’s Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti pertaining to the violations of the international maritime agreements by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain through the embargo they imposed on the Qatari navigation in contravention of maritime conventions and treaties, in particular the 1982 Convention. The HE the Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Joint Special Forces message was handed over by Qatar’s ambassador to the United Kingdom Yousef bin Ali al-Khater Brigadier General Hamad Abdullah al-Fetais al-Marri and representative of the US embassy Brigadier during a meeting with the IMO Secretary-General yesterday. David Parr watch the joint exercise being conducted by Qatari joint special forces and the US forces in Al-Galayel field yesterday. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 3 QATAR Air fares set to rise to key destinations AZF representatives at the forum. ir fares are set to rise for Economy class fares Paris, which is another fa- in the promotion and availed of key destinations mainly vourite holiday destination for the free transit facility to en- AZF holds Ain the subcontinent as z Return economy class fare to Thiruvananthapuram will be residents, is now available for joy Qatar’s various touristic many residents prepare to fl y out nearly QR5,000 for outbound travel on June 25 and inbound on nearly QR3,200 (return fare) in attractions. during their summer break from September 1. economy class. Qatar’s gateway to the world, June-end. z For Kochi, economy class passengers will have to cough up The return economy class Hamad International Airport Travel industry sources said nearly QR5,100 for round trip. fares to New York in the US have (HIA), has already geared up for annual forum the air fares will more than dou- z Economy class passengers to Colombo will have to pay in been quoted at around QR4,800 a surge in passengers in the com- ble to certain sectors by June- excess of QR3,000. during this timeframe. ing days as many of the country’s end as most schools, colleges z Karachi tickets in economy class have been priced in excess of Many frequent fl yers have residents prepare to travel in spire Zone Foundation forum to provide an opportu- and other educational institu- QR1,750. benefi ted from an online pro- connection with Eid al-Fitr and (AZF) has held the fi rst nity for current and potential tions in Qatar have been sched- motion of discounted tickets, summer vacation. Aannual forum on its students to engage with each uled to close for summer holi- launched to these destinations Until June 28, Qatar Airways National Development team’s other and AZF professionals, days by June 22. bound travel on June 25 and in- Karachi tickets in economy by the national carrier, Qatar passengers will be able to check scholarship and sponsorship providing a forum where they The peak summer travel sea- bound on September 1. class have been priced in ex- Airways, a travel agent said. in 12 hours to four hours prior programmes, which aims to can share expertise and help son normally starts in the last Until a few days ago, it was cess of QR1,750 during this Also, there have been many to departure, subject to certain give Qataris a chance to con- address any concerns.” week of June and extends until available for half this price, an timeframe. takers for the ‘+Qatar Stopo- terms, the airline has said in an tinue their education locally or Abdullah Saeed al-Mohan- September, depending on the industry source said. Industry sources, however, ver’ package launched by Qatar SMS message. abroad. nadi, who is studying for an Eid holidays’ schedule. Similarly, for Kochi in south In- said fares to Europe and the US Tourism Authority (QTA) and This will help passengers Off ering opportunities in MSc Public Health on a schol- Travellers to certain destina- dia, economy class passengers will have not gone up this year due to Qatar Airways, inquiries reveal. avoid rush during the period, the fi elds such as public health, arship from Aspetar, an affi li- tions will have to open their wal- have to cough up nearly QR5,100 the current situation across the The +Qatar Stopover Package national airline said. fi nance, human resources, ate of AZF, thanked the human lets wide this summer, inquiries during the same timeframe. GCC region. off ers transiting passengers a Flights to and from the UAE, marketing and engineering, resources department for be- reveal. To fl y direct to Colombo in Economy class seats are avail- free night’s stay in a 5-star or Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt the programmes contribute ing supportive during the ex- For example, a return economy Sri Lanka and back during the able for London in the UK for 4-star hotel in Doha, including a have been suspended since June to their professional develop- citing and challenging period. class fare to Thiruvananthapuram period, economy class passen- fares starting from QR3,800 for free, 96-hour transit visa. 5 as these countries had imposed ment and, in turn, increase Launched four years ago, the in the south Indian state of Kerala gers will have to pay in excess of outbound travel on June 25 and Many long-haul passengers land, sea and air blockade on their employability and pro- National Development pro- will be nearly QR5,000 for out- QR3,000. inbound on September 1. have clearly seen an incentive Qatar. ductivity when they eventually grammes help Qatari nationals enter the world of work. interested in continuing their At the forum, AZF represent- education abroad with the atives introduced interested necessary entry requirements, students and employees to the examinations information, programmes and explained the submission dates, and visas. Tamuq names alumnus of the year admissions process. AZF rep- Representatives from the de- resentatives from the human partment also keep in touch resources department were with students for the duration ousef M al-Jaber, deputy director, Al-Jaber’s professional honours in- 2030 in Social and Environmental sectors also on hand to answer ques- of their time studying abroad Total Research Centre at Qatar, has clude an appreciation award from HE from 2011-2016. tions from individuals already to help them maintain a strong Ybeen named Texas A&M University the Minister of Energy and Industry “Being awarded the Alumnus of the studying on the programmes. academic performance. at Qatar’s (Tamuq) second recipient of its Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, for Year award by Tamuq is a great honour; Ahmed al-Hassan, man- Given the positive im- Alumnus of the Year award. his role as deputy head of social re- I was part of the fi rst graduating class in ager, Learning and National pact this programmes has on Al-Jaber was nominated and chosen for sponsibility at 20th World Petroleum 2008 and since then Tamuq has gradu- Development in the Human the Qatari economy and the the award for his workplace success and Congress. ated more than 800 Aggie Engineers,” Al- Resources Department at AZF, country’s realisation of Qa- contributions to Tamuq. He was a mem- He is the recipient of the excellence Jaber said. “I didn’t expect that I will one Yousef M al-Jaber receiving the award. said: “We were very proud to tar National Vision 2030, ber of the fi rst graduating class at Tamuq. award from Centrica PLC UK and most day receive such a reward, but this is what have seen 21 students – our the National Development He is a current member of the Industrial recently an Oryx GTL student award at makes this award special; it came when it 140 faculty, staff and former students. biggest ever batch – graduate Programmes are widely cel- Advisory Board of Chemical Engineering Qatar Industry Water Security Forum. was not expected.” The event aimed to encourage graduates to from the programmes recently. ebrated as an excellent exam- at Tamuq, as well as a representative of Also, he was a member of the directorate Al-Jaber was recognised at Tamuq’s connect and stay involved with the branch To build on this success, we ple of AZF’s commitment to alumni on Dean’s Development Council. review team for Qatar National Vision alumni Suhoor, which was attended by campus. decided to host this annual developing local talent. Gulf Times 4 Monday, June 19, 2017 QATAR QIB launches career initiatives for Qataris atar Islamic Bank (QIB) tion of where they would best in the process of creating a new the Islamic banking industry. has launched two fast- fi t within the banking system. generation of fi nancial experts It will enable the graduates to Qtrack career develop- Upon commencement of the who will further evolve Qa- acquire the required knowl- ment programmes for fresh training, QIB’s mobile applica- tar’s banking system. The pro- edge and profi ciency for a fu- Qatari graduates. tion accompanies and supports grammes will also strengthen ture career within banking, the The programmes are sup- the participants as they steer QIB’s pipeline of talented Qa- statement adds. ported by the mobile applica- through the diff erent modules of tari professionals by develop- The Future Banker Pro- tion that QIB launched last year the programme. ing their skills and establishing gramme is an 18-month inten- for training nationals. The ini- “A key priority of Qatar Na- eff ective succession planning sive programme for high school tiative works towards identify- tional Vision 2030 is to invest within the bank,” the statement and diploma graduates through Programme participants with QIB officials. ing local talents and equipping in people by providing them noted. customised career planning as them with a fast-track learning with high-quality educational The Management Associate well as development opportuni- made important achievements skills and knowledge base.” QIB department and functions. journey to accelerate their ca- and training opportunities ap- Programme is a 12-month fast ties tailored to each participant’s in raising Qatarisation rates and The two programmes’ cur- Lectures are supported by on- reer path, the bank has said in a propriate to their abilities and track development programme individual strengths. we will continue to do so in the ricula include areas such as the-job training and mentoring statement. aspirations. Accordingly, QIB’s for fresh university graduates. It “QIB is proud to play an im- coming period,” said Khalefa al- principles of Islamic banking, sessions. The mobile application pro- board of directors and execu- will nurture banking operations portant role in attracting tal- Mesalam, head of Human Capital anti-money laundering and The programme participants vides holistic feedback on each tive management is aligning and management capabilities, as ented Qatari nationals to the Group at QIB. “We aim not only compliance, Islamic banking will get further classroom train- programme participant ini- its Business and Human Re- well as provide an in-depth un- banking and fi nancial sectors. to attract top talents but also to products and services, banking ing by diff erent specialised insti- tially, facilitating the identifi ca- source strategies to contribute derstanding of concepts within During the last years, we have work on further developing their operations and the role of each tutions that partner with QIB. Vodafone, QC team up to spread joy Majority believe in healthcare quality

odafone and Qatar Char- atar stood out among staff across clinics, EY said in 11% personal experience. rea Longhi, EY Middle East and ity (QC) are teaming the Gulf Co-operation a report. EY found that 56% of cus- North Africa Healthcare Advi- Vup throughout the holy QCouncil (GCC) states in It found that a higher 90% tomers in Qatar believe that sory Services Leader, said. month of Ramadan to spread joy the healthcare system with 21% of customers in Qatar were of quality of care is the most im- In Qatar, a higher 70% of cus- with four volunteering visits to of Doha’s consumers fi nding the view that there should be portant aspect of healthcare, tomers agreed that they should hospital patients, children, and the country’s healthcare serv- greater investment in health- followed by 22% on healthcare be involved in making health the elderly. ice providers are doing enough care technology. outcomes and 14% patient decisions, while 23% remained Vodafone employees visited to improve patient experience On trust in the healthcare engagement. neutral. Another 39% said they Hamad General Hospital and compared to the Gulf average system of the country in which “Inconsistent quality of care are being informed about health handed out boxes of dates and of 15%, according to Ernst and customers live, EY said 29% has been a uniform challenge and 32% were neutral. recharge cards to accident pa- Young (EY). each of the respondents agreed across the GCC. Establishing The report said with the dig- tients to help them contact their The patient experience and were neutral. patient experience manage- ital revolution, patients are be- families abroad. At Hamad Al comprises various interac- The report also found 39% ment functions will help im- coming more aware, expecta- Wakra Hospital, children cel- tions that patients have with of respondents in Qatar believe prove accessibility to patients, tions are rising and demand to ebrated Garangao night with a Vodafone volunteers who visited beneficiaries of the company’s a healthcare system and is that healthcare professionals in quality of service, consistency be involved in every step of the magic show, face painting, and partnership with QC for Ramadan. a key component of overall the country were qualifi ed and and affi nity. It will help patients treatment is increasing. Sixty- lots of Garangao sweets. healthcare quality. A positive another 35% remained neutral. appreciate the value of what nine per cent of respondents Mothers at Hamad Women’s “Empowering employees to do Vodafone Qatar’s employee patient experience focuses On the main source for they are paying for, improve from across the GCC agreed Hospital with newborns were good and supporting employee volunteering programme ‘Kafu’ on the whole delivery of an healthcare information, it loyalty and medical outcomes that digital and mobile health- greeted with fl owers and gifts, charity initiatives is one of our core was launched in 2015 and has since interaction, from booking found that 45% of respondents as healthcare providers recog- care is the future with 78% ea- while at the Seniors Rehabili- beliefs at Vodafone,” said Dana seen many of their employees put timely appointments to hav- sourced it through Internet, nise the importance of going ger to use new health technolo- tation Centre, the elderly were Haidan, head, corporate social re- in hundreds of volunteering hours ing their medical history eas- 24% through physician, 15% beyond exemplary medical care gies to empower themselves in greeted with dates and gifts. sponsibility at Vodafone Qatar. both in Qatar and abroad. ily accessible to healthcare through family and friends and to engage with patients,” And- making health decisions. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 5 QATAR

Some of the motorists receiving Iftar boxes from Ooredoo. Iftar boxes distributed at Umm Ghuwailina

oredoo volunteers recently the company, distributed the boxes to part of the spirit of Ramadan and we distributed Iftar boxes to the workers, and then broke their fast can’t wait to continue this spirit as the Oworkers and people on their with them as part of the company’s holy month comes to an end and the way home from work at the petrol sta- ongoing Hand-in-Hand Ramadan festivities of Eid begin.” tion in Umm Ghuwailina. campaign. Ooredoo still has a host of impor- The food packages, which con- Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, direc- tant community initiatives planned tained a drink, fruit, and a sandwich, tor, PR and Corporate Communica- this holy month. Customers can fol- were distributed to hundreds of work- tions at Ooredoo said: “We’re proud low Ooredoo’s Ramadan Hand-in- ers during the weekend. to have shared a meal with the workers Hand campaign via its Facebook, The Ooredoo volunteers, who rep- who have helped build Qatar. Giving Instagram, or Twitter page and the resented business units from across back to those who are in need is a huge hashtag #ShareAMoment.

WHO award for Dr Mulla

he World Health Disease Control, head the rest of the Middle Organisation of the Hamad Medical East through a number T(WHO) has con- Corporation’s Smoking of awareness, treat- ferred the World No Cessation Clinic and ment and research ac- Tobacco Day Award adviser to the Minister tivities. for the Middle East for of Public Health. The award ceremony 2017 on Dr Ahmed al- He is being honoured will be held later in the Mulla, senior adviser for his eff orts to combat presence of the WHO for Public Health and smoking in Qatar and Director General. Dr Ahmed al-Mulla Gulf Times 6 Monday, June 19, 2017 QATAR Microplastics found in waters

QU Research Vessel Janan. off Qatar

he fi rst evidence of prevalence of microplastics in Gulf seawater, specifi cally in the marine waters off TQatar, has been documented through a research study conducted by senior researchers from Qatar Univer- sity Environmental Science Center (QU-ESC). “Polypropylene microplastics were the most common type of plastic polymer found with most particles being ei- ther granular or fi brous in shape, with sizes from 125μm to 15.98mm”, said team leader and ESC’s former director and professor Dr Jeff Obbard. Such microplastics are commonly associated with general plastic packaging waste, and marine fishing nets. He noted that the levels of microplastics found in Qatar’s marine waters are still relatively low compared to some other locations around the world, but vigilance is needed. “Over time, plastic ultimately results in the generation of microplastics – tiny pieces of plastic typically less than 5mm in diameter. Microplastic particles can contaminate marine water and sediments, and are increasingly found in the marine food chain with the potential to contaminate fi sh and other types of marine seafood. “The impact of plastic pollution in the marine environ- ment is of increasing global concern. As plastic is durable and degrades slowly in the environment, plastic debris is now widespread in the world’s oceans. Approximately eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in the oceans every year, and it is predicted that by the year 2050 the amount of plastic waste in the world’s oceans could exceed the amount of fi sh present, on a weight-to-weight basis. “Qatar’s coastline is susceptible to marine debris due to the county’s rapid urbanisation and economic devel- opment. Plastic can also affect Qatar’s coastline from further afield, as it drifts long distances on ocean cur- rents and tides. The study highlights the need for con- tinuous monitoring of microplastics in Qatar’s coastal seawaters in order to safeguard the marine environment and its ecology.” The study team included ESC associate professor Dr Ib- rahim Maslamani and laboratory technician Azenith Cas- tillo. They developed an optimised and validated protocol for the extraction of microplastics from plankton-rich samples in Qatar’s seawater. The study has been pub- lished in the prestigious scientific journal Marine Pollu- tion Bulletin. The team collected surface seawater microplastic sam- ples from 12 stations during a research cruise in Qatar’s coastal waters on QU’s research vessel (RV) Janan. Then, the number of microplastic particles in seawater was counted and characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared Spec- troscopy to determine the plastic polymer type. The study showed that microplastics were found in sea- water of 10 over 12 of the marine water stations sampled, at an average concentration of 0.71 particles per cu m of sea- water (range 0-3 particles m-3). Director Dr Hamad al-Kuwari said the research study re- fl ects ESC’s commitment to conduct fundamental and ap- plied research in the environmental sciences, including the marine, atmospheric, and terrestrial environments, in line with the Environmental Development pillar of Qatar Na- tional Vision 2030.

A sample of microplastics found in waters off Qatar. Albania allows Qataris entry without pre-visa until Nov 15 n offi cial source at the Department of Consular Af- fairs, the Ministry of Foreign Ministry said that the AAlbanian government recently issued a decree al- lowing citizens of the State of Qatar to enter the Republic of Albania during the summer season “without a pre-visa” from May 31 to November 15, 2017, and that Qatari nationals can stay in the Albanian territories for a period of 90 days during this period. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 7 QATAR/RAMADAN Keeping up the good work Qeeri shows off n Ramadan, people pray, fast, per- of rewards, and that their balance is form ‘Umrah (the minor pilgrim- therefore very high. This makes them Iage), spend in charity, supplicate become arrogant and they may start and recite the Qur’an, yet the question slackening in their worship. remains: have any of these good deeds However, if one recalls a single verse been accepted? Allah The Almighty from the Qur’an, such thoughts and Says (what means): {…Indeed Allah feelings would immediately cease. It research progress only accepts from the righteous [who is the Saying of Allah The Almighty fear Him].} [Qur’an 3: 27] (which means): {And do not confer esearchers from the Qatar En- several key achievements of Qeeri’s In the fi eld of Solar PV, Qeeri has Fudhaalah Ibn ‘Ubayd would say, “If favour to acquire more.}[Qur’an 74: 6] vironment and Energy Research diff erent research portfolios. developed unique capabilities and I knew that Allah had accepted from How can anyone possibly confer fa- RInstitute (Qeeri), one of Hamad Within the Smart Grid Portfolio, know-how in the region that enable me (something) as minor as a seed’s vours upon Allah The Almighty? How Bin Khalifa University’s three national Qeeri has been working closely with it to design and produce solar cells of weight of good deeds, then that would can one dare feel this way, simply be- research institutes, gathered last week several stakeholders including Kah- high performance for the desert envi- be more beloved to me than possess- cause they performed a good number to present their research progress at ramaa, Qatar Electricity and Water ronment. ing this world and all that it contains, of deeds – as if they have bestowed a Qeeri’s second quarterly portfolio re- Company, Qatar Petroleum, and Qatar This has enabled Qeeri researchers because Allah Says: [the above-men- favour on Allah The Almighty by doing view workshop. Meteorological Department to help the to join international forums and com- tioned verse].” them? With this verse, Allah The Al- The three-day workshop highlight- nation achieve its renewable energy mittees to come up with new standards Our righteous Salaf (predecessors) mighty addressed the Prophet, sallal- ed key areas of scientifi c discovery by targets, and increase the eff ectiveness and procedures to eff ectively test and would exert extra eff orts in worship laahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, warning him Qeeri, within its recently consolidated and safety of its power grid structure. assess PV panels under desert environ- and then rebuke themselves and doubt from being deceived with the worship six research portfolios – Water Secu- Researchers have developed several ment. that their deeds were even accepted he was performing, so that he would rity, Photovoltaics, Smart Grid, Energy power system solutions that enable the With a unique outdoor solar test- by Allah The Almighty. They were not become arrogant. If one should Storage, Energy Effi ciency and Value integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) ing facility and a team of dedicated described by Allah The Almighty as ever feel that they have performed Added Products, and Air Quality and systems into the power distribution scientists working on developing solar (what means): {And they who give plentiful acts of worship, then they Climate Change. system in a reliable and effi cient man- PV technologies, Qeeri has three fi led what they give while their hearts are should compare their deeds with those Dr Marwan Khraisheh, acting ex- ner and made tremendous progress in patents and an inventions disclosure fearful} [Qur’an 23: 60] They would be of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa ecutive director at Qeeri, said: “Our creation of tools that map and forecast on their novel materials and solar cell far more concerned about the accept- sallam. In order to clarify the matter research agenda is committed to meet- solar resources to support the develop- design in the recent months. ance of the deeds than the amount of in people’s minds, the Prophet, sallal- ing the needs of Qatar, in alignment ment of PV systems at residential and Qeeri has also achieved signifi cant good deeds they performed. laahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If a man with the country’s energy and water utility scales. Signifi cant advance- milestones in its energy storage port- What good is left for those who miss was to be dragged on his face from the security grand challenges. We con- ments have been made in establishing folio. The Institute has successfully out on the virtue of Ramadan? What day he was born until he died, for the solidated our research activities in an a database of electricity demand pro- developed systems that evaluate the greater disaster is there for them, than sake of pleasing Allah, he would belit- eff ort to optimise our core competen- fi les to promote the design of measures operating conditions of a large-sized being deprived of the mercy and for- tle his deeds on the Day of Resurrec- cies that led to the development of six aimed at empowering consumers to battery for grid support in the solar test giveness of Allah The Almighty in this tion.” This means that one would fi nd well-defi ned and integrated research reduce or shift their electricity usage facility. This battery is based on the month? Moreover, the pious people all he did insignifi cant and worthless portfolios.” during peak periods in response to fi - high energy density lithium ion battery from whom Allah The Almighty ac- in comparison to a single favor be- The review workshop showcased nancial incentives. technology. cepts righteous deeds have one dis- This may be the reason why it was leg- stowed upon him from his Lord, like, tinctive trait, which is refraining from islated for us to fast six optional days for example, the favour of eyesight. sinning after the end of Ramadan. in the month of Shawwaal (which di- Therefore, we should realise that Many people think that since they rectly follows the month of Ramadan) people are not granted Paradise due have performed scores of good deeds and this was made equivalent in re- to their own good deeds, but because they can rely on these deeds, believing ward to fasting for the whole year, be- of the mercy of Allah The Almighty. Aspire team visits patients as part of Ramadan outreach that they have enough good deeds in cause the reward is multiplied tenfold. People’s deeds are not the price for their record. However, the genuine pi- Therefore, the 30 days in Ramadan are Paradise; they are a means to gain delegation from Aspire to brief them on what the hospi- ous people are those who continue to equal to 30 days, while the six that fol- the mercy of Allah The Almighty, by Zone Foundation (AZF) tal off ers to kidney patients and be devout worshippers even after the low in Shawwaal are equal to 60 more which one is admitted into Paradise. Ahas visited patients at the to meet the patients themselves. conclusion of the month. When Allah days – which constitutes a full year, in To conclude this point, we remind the Fahad Bin Jassim Kidney Cen- Hussain al-Qahtani, Media The Almighty describes the devout terms of reward. Muslims that despite the obligation tre in partnership with Hamad and Communication manager believers and worshippers, He does Many people are deceived by the of continuing upon obedience and Medical Corp (HMC). of AZF, said: “This visit refl ects not restrict their devotion and obedi- acts of worship they perform during the performance of good deeds after This was the last stop on AZF’s AZF’s values and emphasises our ence to a limited period; rather, He de- Ramadan. They exert great eff orts in Ramadan, one should not overburden Ramadan community visits commitment to social responsi- scribes them to be this way always, not completing the whole Qur’an once in himself by attempting to do more good agenda, which reaches out to so- bility. only during Ramadan. Ramadan – with some even complet- deeds than he can bear. cial institutions and health pro- “We aim to support all mem- He Says (what means): {Certainly ing it several times – and praying the There are great benefi ts for those viders during the holy month. bers of the community in keep- will the believers have succeeded: Taraweeh (voluntary night prayers). constantly striving in obedience and Abdullah al-Hajri, Public Re- ing active given the clear health They who are during their prayer Others might wait in the Masjid after worship. One cannot necessarily be as lations manager at HMC, wel- benefi ts physical activity off ers, humbly submissive. And they who the end of one prayer till the time of the keen in doing acts of worship after Ra- comed the AZF delegation and and we are especially grateful to turn away from ill speech. And they next one, and be engaged in mention- madan as they were during it, because, took them on a tour around the be able to support those in need Members of the AZF delegation with a patient at who are observant of Zakaah. And ing Allah The Almighty from the Fajr Ramadan is a magnifi cent and unique hospital’s various departments this holy month.” Fahad Bin Jassim Kidney Centre. they who guard their private parts.} (morning) prayer until sunrise (the re- period, and there is none other like it. [Qur’an 23: 1-5] ward for which is like that of perform- However, one should have acquired Muslims are commanded to be ing a Haj and an ‘Umrah). However, suffi cient training during Ramadan to devout worshippers until death. Al- although they perform all these deeds, carry on the good work. lah The Almighty Says (what means): they are not inwardly sincere and their Article source: http://www.is- {And worship your Lord until there intentions may become corrupted and lamweb.net/emainpage/ comes to you the certainty [i.e., impure. Shaytaan (Satan) may whisper death].} [Qur’an 15: 99] One must to them, making them feel that, hav- persevere in worshipping Allah The ing performed all these good deeds, Almighty and being obedient to Him. they have accumulated mountains Gulf Times 8 Monday, June 19, 2017 QATAR GCC and international accolades enhance Qatar Charity reputation

QNA ity yesterday reviewed the most neering development projects in Haytham Arab Media Award of Competition in Kuwait in 2015. Al Ahmad Al Sabah International nition of its contribution to fur- Doha important of these awards at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the United Arab Media Council Qatar Charity has received the Award for Charitable Work in ther strengthening international the Gulf, Arab or international its project in Sudan on “Promot- (UAMC) in the Kingdom of Jor- Excellence Reward for Caring Kuwait in 2011 and was honoured humanitarian and development levels, including the winning of ing Voluntary Return and Peace dan. Orphans in the GCC Countries by the ruler of the Emirate of Aj- assistance from a technical and ver the past ten years, the fi rst place in the world in the Building in Darfur”. Qatar Charity has also received (KAFEL) awarded by the Regional man in the United Arab Emirates principled perspective. Qatar Charity has re- relief of the Syrian, Palestinian In addition, Qatar Charity re- the Sanabel Award for Communi- Network for Social Responsibility (UAE) in recognition of its role in Qatar Charity also received a Oceived a large number of and Somali people at the level of ceived fi ve awards from the Bah- ty Responsibility in Orphan Care in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the the fi eld of social work in 2010. number of decorations, includ- awards, certifi cates of honour humanitarian non-governmental rain Technical Innovation Con- Institutions of the Gulf Co-oper- year 2014; the Sicily International In 2009, Qatar Charity re- ing the Islamic Educational, Sci- and points of excellence at the organisations in 2013, 2014 and ference in Bahrain, placing fi rst in ation Council (GCC) in the King- Prize in Italy in 2013 for its eff orts ceived the Best Card Product entifi c and Cultural Organization international, regional, GCC and 2015, according to the Financial Best Website Award, Best Tech- dom of Bahrain for the category to support the coexistence be- Award for 2009 for designing a (ISESCO)’s Medal in recognition Arab levels in recognition of its Tracking Service (FTS) managed nology Initiative Award, Best So- of Community Initiatives in the tween Muslim communities and bank card designed for families of its eff orts to promote Islamic professional performance in the by the United Nations Offi ce for cial Media Campaign Award and Field of Orphan Care at the GCC communities in Italy along with receiving monthly assistance solidarity and support the cul- fi elds of humanitarian and devel- the Co-ordination of Humani- Best Media Application Award level in 2015 and the “Best Smart the Award of Pioneering Projects instead of coupons and cash as- tural message of the organisation opment work and its excellence tarian Aff airs (OCHA). and ranked second in the Elec- Applications” Award for the cat- in the fi eld of social work from sistance beside a certifi cate of in its fi elds of competence and in the fi eld of programmes and Qatar Charity received eight tronic Initiative Award. egory of Community bodies in the Council of Ministers of Social appreciation from the Dubai In- the Chevalier de l’Ordre National projects it carries out, the serv- awards in 2016 at the GCC and In 2016, the “Safari Charity” Qatar from the Academy of Excel- Aff airs in the Gulf Co-operation ternational Humanitarian Aid from the Republic of Burkina Faso ices it provides and the initiatives Arab level as it won the fi rst prize Programme produced by Qatar lence in the Arab Region, the ad- Council in Saudi Arabia in 2012. & Development Conference & on Independence Day in recogni- it launches. for the Arab Gulf Programme for Charity and broadcast at Qatar ministrative and regulatory arm The leading charity also won Exhibition (DIHAD) from the tion of its eff orts in humanitarian A report issued by Qatar Char- Development (AGFUND) for pio- TV won two gold awards of Al of the Smart Government Shield the third prize for Sheikh Fahad United Arab Emirates in recog- and development activities.

HMC pharmacy department holds medication management campaign

he Pharmacy Department sure and blood sugar levels of to patients, particularly those at the Hamad General visiting patients during patient with chronic diseases, advis- THospital (HGH) recently education sessions. ing them on the optimum use of organised a medication aware- Dr Noora Malallah, acting as- medications. ness campaign for patients, high- sistant director of pharmacy at Patients were urged not to lighting medication management HGH, highlighted that the event change medication timings during Ramadan. was aligned to HMC’s commit- without a proper consultation. The two-day event at the ment to delivering the safest, The team explained to patients Outpatient Department Build- most eff ective and most compas- the signifi cance of taking medi- ing, HGH, was supervised by Dr sionate care to each and every cation at the prescribed timings, Muna al-Bakri, acting director of one of its patients. noting that specifi c timings cor- pharmacy at HGH. She said it aimed to educate relate to the physical and chemi- The campaign focused on edu- patients on how to arrange the cal properties of the medications. cating patients who fast during timings of medications and opti- Dr Malallah cautioned patients Ramadan about the proper use mise their use during the month with chronic conditions, partic- of their prescribed medications of Ramadan, especially for pa- ularly those with diabetes, not to during the holy month. tients with chronic and acute ail- haphazardly change the timings The second day of the event ments. of their medications, noting that saw a nurse from the Endocrinol- A team of HGH pharmacists, doing so could cause hypogly- ogy Unit check the blood pres- together with volunteers, spoke caemia and other complications. Pharmacists educate patients on the proper use of prescribed medications during Ramadan. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 9 REGION/ARAB WORLD

24 killed in air raid Iraqi forces storm IS-held city on Yemen Reuters fl ee on foot or by boat across the Mosul Tigris River, as part of a tactic to keep civilians as human shields, market the United Nations said on Fri- raqi forces began storming day. the Islamic State-held Old “The operation now is about AFP ICity of Mosul yesterday, in street fi ghting. Air and artillery Sanaa an assault they hope will be the strikes will be limited because last in the eight-month-old the area is heavily populated campaign to seize the militants’ and the buildings fragile,” CTS t least 24 civilians were stronghold. spokesman Sabah al-Numan killed in an air raid yester- The historic district, and a told Al Hadath TV in Dubai. Aday on a market in north- tiny area to its north, are the Iraqi government forces re- ern Yemen, a medical offi cial and only parts of the city still under gained eastern Mosul in January, witnesses said. control of the militants. then a month later began the of- Most of the casualties worked Mosul used to be the Iraqi fensive on the side located west in the Mashnaq market in the capital of the group, also known of the Tigris, which includes the rebel-controlled Saada prov- as ISIS. Old City. ince on the border, an offi cial at “Iraqi forces early this morn- The fall of Mosul would, in a nearby hospital said on condi- ing breach into old Mosul, the eff ect, mark the end of the Iraqi tion of anonymity. fi nal ISIS-held district in the half of the “caliphate” that Is- Witnesses said the market city,” Brett McGurk, the US en- lamic State leader Abu Bakr al- was a centre for traffi cking in voy to the international coali- Baghdadi declared in a speech qat, a leafy stimulant plant that tion fi ghting Islamic State, said from a mosque in the Old City is widely used in Yemen but il- on Twitter.”We are proud to three years ago and which once legal in many other countries in stand with them.” covered large areas of Iraq and the Middle East. The Iraqi army estimates the Syria. One of the witnesses said number of Islamic State fi ghters The group is also retreating some of the casualties had “just at no more than 300, down from in Syria, mainly in the face of a returned from a trip across the nearly 6,000 in the city when US-backed, Kurdish-led coali- border”. the battle of Mosul started on tion. Saada itself has come under Oct 17. Its capital there, Raqqa, is be- heavy bombing since 2015, when But the Old City is a densely- ing besieged. the coalition intervened to sup- populated maze of narrow al- An Iraqi military tank advances towards the Islamic State militants’ positions in the Old City in western Mosul, yesterday. Baghdadi has left the fi ght- port the government of Abd- leyways and the fi ghting is slow, ing in Mosul and Raqqa to fi eld Rabbu Mansour Hadi in its fi ght bloody and house-to-house. A US-led international coali- Kanaan Jiyad Abdullah, also Islamic State is using suicide Hundreds of civilians fl eeing commanders, becoming eff ec- against the Houthis. About 100,000 civilians are tion is providing air and ground known as Abu Amna, was killed car and motorbike bombs, boo- the Old City have been killed tively a fugitive in the border The coalition claimed respon- trapped, with little food, water support to the campaign. in the morning clashes, said by traps and sniper and mortar in the past three weeks, as Iraqi area between Iraq and Syria. sibility for a deadly attack on or medical treatment. Several air strikes during the Hisham al-Hashimi, who ad- fi re against the troops. forces could not fully secure exit US air strikes have killed sev- the rebel-held capital Sanaa in “This will be a terrifying time day hit a medical complex just vises several Middle East gov- “The buildings of the old corridors. eral commanders of the group October 2016 which targeted a for around 100,000 people still north of the Old City, alongside ernments on Islamic State af- town are particularly vulnerable “An estimated 50,000 chil- over the past two years, includ- gathering of mourners at a fu- trapped in Mosul’s Old City... the western bank of the Tigris fairs. to collapse even if they aren’t dren are in grave danger as the ing Abu Omar al-Shishani, a neral ceremony, killing more now at risk of getting caught up river, a Reuters TV reporter said. A high-ranking Islamic State directly targeted, which could fi ghting in Mosul enters what top military commander, chief than 140 people. in the fi erce street fi ghting to Armoured vehicles were fi gure in charge of intelligence in lead to even more civilian deaths is likely to be its deadliest phase propagandist Abu Mohamed The Houthis have also ac- come,” the International Rescue heading toward the front line Mosul, Shakir Mahmud Hamad, than the hundreds killed so far yet,” Save the Children warned al-Adani and Abu Ali al-Anbari, cused the coalition of a raid last Committee (IRC) said in a state- north of the Old City, and shell- was captured by the advancing in air strikes across the rest of in a statement. the former top civilian adminis- month that killed 23 civilians, ment. ing and gunfi re could be heard. troops in the Old City, Hashimi the city,” the IRC said. “We expect thousands of trator. including women and children, “This is the fi nal chapter” of The medical complex, hous- told Reuters. “We are trying to be very families to escape from the Old About 200,000 people were in the southwestern city of Taez. the off ensive to take Mosul, said ing the two biggest hospitals The Iraqi government ini- careful, using only light and City. We have made all prepara- estimated to be trapped be- The coalition — which ac- Lieutenant General Abdul Ghani of Mosul, is still held in part by tially hoped to take Mosul by the medium weapons...to avoid tions to evacuate them from the hind Islamic State lines in Mo- cused the rebels of using civil- al-Assadi, senior commander in the militants who are using its end of 2016, but the campaign casualties among civilians,” front lines,” army colonel Salam sul in May, but the number ians as “human shields” — has Mosul of the elite Iraqi Counter buildings as sniper outposts. took longer as militants rein- CTS divisional commander Faraj told Reuters. has declined as government not claimed responsibility for Terrorism Service (CTS) units Islamic State’s security forced positions in civilian areas Major General Maan Saadi told Islamic State snipers are forces have thrust further into that attack. spearheading the assault. services chief in the Old City, to fi ght back. Iraqi state TV. shooting at families trying to the city.

Ramadan tradition Man’s death sentence Iran, China conduct commuted in Kuwait naval drill in Gulf

AFP for Iran and hiding large Reuters warships as they pass through the Kuwait City quantities of arms, explo- Beirut Strait of Hormuz. sives and ammunition in An Iranian destroyer and two underground warehouses. Chinese destroyers are among uwait’s Supreme Ali was also found guilty ran and China began a joint the vessels that will participate Court yesterday of having been an operative naval exercise in the Gulf yes- in the exercise, which will take Kreduced the death of Hezbollah movement Iterday, the Islamic Republic place in the eastern portion of sentence of a citizen con- since 1996 and of smug- News Agency (IRNA) reported. the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea victed of forming a pro- gling signifi cant amounts The military drill comes at a of Oman. Iranian cell and of plotting of arms and explosives time of heightened tension be- Some 700 Iranian navy per- attacks to life in prison. from Iran into Kuwait. The tween the Iranian and US military sonnel will be participating in Hasan Abdulhadi Ali Supreme Court judges, in the Gulf and is likely to be a the drill. Two Chinese warships was sentenced to death whose rulings are fi nal, cause of concern for Washington. docked at Iran’s Bandar Abbas by the lower and appeals sentenced 20 other mem- In recent months, the US navy has port to take part in a joint exer- courts last year after he bers of the cell to between A man sells traditional juice during the holy month of Ramadan in Cairo, yesterday. accused the Iranian navy of send- cise in the Gulf for the fi rst time was convicted of being fi ve and 15 years in jail and ing fast-attack boats to harass in 2014. “the mastermind of a cell” acquitted two. of 26 Shias accused of The cases of the remain- links to Iran and of plot- ing three members were not ting attacks. taken up by the Supreme Members of the cell had Court because they remain been charged with spying fugitives. Roadside bomb kills policeman

AFP side of the road exploded” Egypt is fi ghting a long- Cairo as the vehicle drove by running insurgency by a in the early hours of the local affi liate of the Islamic morning, the ministry said State group in North Sinai roadside bomb yes- in a statement. province, in which hun- terday killed an There was no immediate dreds of soldiers and po- AEgyptian policeman claim of responsibility, but licemen have been killed. and wounded four others militants have carried out In past months, another on a highway on the south- many attacks on the police militant group called Hasm ern outskirts of Cairo, the and army since the 2013 has claimed responsibility interior ministry said. army toppling of president for attacks in Cairo and the “A bomb buried by the Mohamed Mursi. Nile Delta.

Saudi Arabia bans imports of Egyptian strawberries

Saudi Arabia is banning imports of Egyptian The main fruit exports include oranges and strawberries due to pesticide residues, said strawberries. A series of bans of Egyptian Abdel Hamid al-Demerdash, the head of exports however has hurt the image of an Egypt’s Agriculture Export Council, the lat- import-dependent country seeking to step est such ban to hit Egypt as it struggles to up exports and curb imports in an eff ort to revive its economy. narrow its trade deficit. The temporary ban comes into eff ect on Exports could also help bring in desperately July 11, Demerdash told Reuters yesterday, needed foreign currency that has been adding that the memo received from Saudi low in supply as a result of the 2011 Arab Arabia did not specify the levels of residues Spring uprising that drove away tourists and detected or name the companies that have investors. committed violations. Sudan banned imports of agricultural and “Egypt will not face large losses due to the animal products from Egypt last month. ban as the exporting season for strawberries The United Arab Emirates also banned im- ended on April 10,” Demerdash said. ports of peppers from Egypt a month earlier He added that strawberries represent 5-10% “I expect the crisis of Egyptian agricultural of the country’s total agricultural exports. exports to Arab countries to be resolved be- Since a currency float in November, which fore the beginning of the new export season roughly cut the pound’s value in half, Egyp- which begins mid-November,” Demerdash tian exports have been welcomed in new said. markets due to their increased competitive- Egypt exports about 1.2mn tonnes of agri- ness. Exports of Egyptian vegetables, fruits cultural produce to Arab countries annually, and legumes amounted to $2.2bn last year. he added. Gulf Times 10 Monday, June 19, 2017 AFRICA Tensions fl are Cricket for conservation! up in Zambia as critics see slide to ‘dictatorship’

By Obert Simwanza, AFP they recognise Lungu’s legitimacy. Lusaka The government has also increased pressure on media outlets that support the opposition, further eroding Zambia’s early a year after coming to power longstanding reputation as a stable de- in a contested election, Zambian mocracy. NPresident Edgar Lungu is facing Tensions are mounting even as the a growing chorus of criticism over his government battles slowing economic government’s moves to clamp down on growth after prices plunged for copper, dissent. the country’s key export, leading to soar- “Zambia eminently qualifi es to be ing infl ation and unemployment. branded a dictatorship,” the country’s “We have to see the violent arrest and religious leaders said in a rare statement subsequent detention of Hichilema, and over the weekend, the latest sign that op- the suspension of the 48 opposition law- Maasai warriors pose with Sudan, the only male of the last three northern white rhino sub-species on the planet, following a charity cricket match position to Lungu’s authority is spread- makers, in a much wider context,” said played yesterday in the wilds of Laikipia county’s Ol-Pejeta Conservancy, at the foot of Mount Kenya, and home to the last three northern white rhino ing. Sishuwa Sishuwa, a politics lecturer at sub-species on the planet. The two-day tournament dubbed ‘Last Male Standing’ is an annual charity event that aims to raise awareness of the plight At the heart of the tensions is the arrest the University of Zambia. of the northern-white rhino and creates funding to continue ongoing research into ways to save the sub-species from extinction. and continued detention of opposition “One that has seen the critical free leader Hakainde Hichilema, a wealthy press stifl ed and eventually shut, a businessman who has run for president number of nonstate actors such as trade fi ve times, and narrowly lost out to Lungu unions and religious organisations co- last August. opted or muted, and free speech eff ec- His United Party for National Devel- tively suppressed,” he said. opment (UPND) unsuccessfully tried to The government has dismissed the contest what it called a stolen election, claims. and in April Hichilema was arrested on “What crisis? There is no crisis,” Lun- treason charges after his convoy alleged- gu told journalists after the church lead- ly refused to give way to the presidential ers’ statement. ‘Half of food aid never motorcade. Earlier in the week, government He has since been moved to a maxi- spokeswoman Mulenga Kampamba told mum security prison and it is unclear AFP: “Who tells you the country is slid- when he will return to court. ing into a dictatorship? We are a demo- In the meantime, the authorities have cratic country where state institutions kept up pressure on his supporters, in- are operating without any interference.” cluding blocking a prominent South Af- But such claims have failed to sway reached Boko victims’ rican opposition leader from attending many outside observers, with Amnesty Hichilema’s trial last month. International’s Southern Africa direc- Reuters Buhari is in Britain on medical leave, curbed under the new distribution bombings and shootings in the “Hakainde’s arrest for treason was at tor Deprose Muchena warning in April Lagos to distribute grain to 1.8mn people matrix.” northeastern city of Maiduguri on fi rst dismissed as an intimidatory gim- that Hichilema and his aides were “vic- still displaced by the insurgency, Akande said 1,376 military per- June 7, in a large-scale attack quelled mick by president Lungu,” said Teles- tims of longstanding persecution” by the many of whom live in camps. sonnel and 656 armed police would by the army after several hours. phore Mpundu, the archbishop of the authorities, facing charges that are de- t least half of Nigerian govern- “Over 1,000 trucks of assorted guard the food as it was moved from A UN offi cial said this month the Lusaka diocese, but “outrage over Hich- signed to “harass and intimidate”. ment food aid sent northeast grains are now on course, delivering warehouses and distributed to dis- World Food Programme had scaled ilema’s arrest and incarceration is grow- For Lungu’s critics, his intentions of Afor hungry people driven from the grains intact to benefi ciaries since placed people in Borno, Adamawa back its emergency plans in the ing.” silencing Hichilema have been made their homes by Boko Haram has been the commencement of the present and Yobe — the three states worst hit northeast because of lack of funds, Treason is a non-bailable off ence in brutally clear. “diverted” and never reached them, a programme as against the reported by the insurgency. now aiming to supply food to 1.4mn Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 Earlier this year, a senior offi cial in government offi cial has said. diversion of over 50 trucks in every Boko Haram controlled an area of people instead of the 1.8mn previ- years and a maximum sentence of death. Lungu’s Patriotic Front party hinted that Some 1.5mn people are on the brink 100 trucks sent to the northeast,” said the northeast around the size of Bel- ously intended. And Lungu himself did not mince the government was losing its patience. of famine in the northeast, where the Osinbajo’s spokesman Laolu Akande gium in early 2015 but has since been The UN says it needs $1.05bn this his words during last year’s campaign, “He should take note that we will treat jihadist group has killed more than in an e-mailed statement late on Sat- pushed out of most of the territory year to deal with the crisis in north- warning political rivals and activists that him the way a rat is treated if you want to 20,000 people and forced 2.7mn to urday. by Nigeria’s army and troops from east Nigeria — which, along with “if they push me against the wall, I will catch it, for those of us who eat mbeba fl ee during its eight-year uprising to “The issue of diversion of relief neighbouring countries. Somalia and South Sudan, is one sacrifi ce democracy for peace.” (rats) we know how to catch a rat,” said create an Islamic caliphate. materials, including food and relat- But the Islamists continue to car- of three humanitarian emergencies Last week, parliament suspended 48 deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri. A programme was launched on ed matters, which has dogged food ry out attacks in the northeast and unfolding in Africa — but has only UPND lawmakers who boycotted Lun- “It is time that we confi ned him to the June 8 by Yemi Osinbajo, acting pres- delivery to the IDPs (internally dis- neighbouring Cameroon and Niger. received about a quarter of that gu’s address to legislators in March, de- dustbins of political history.” ident while President Muhammadu placed people) would be signifi cantly Boko Haram killed 14 people in sum. priving them of pay while demanding Days later Hichilema was arrested.

13 dead in eastern DR Congo clashes Suspended Tanzania newspaper editor ‘threatened’ soldier and 12 militants were killed The army is now in control of the area, late Saturday in clashes in DR which civilians have fl ed, he added. ACongo’s restive eastern North- Kabasha lies 24km south of Beni, a city AFP President John Magufuli, estimated sion, I have received three phone It blamed fl awed contracts unfa- Kivu province, the army said yesterday. that has suff ered a wave of violence since Nairobi that 75bn euros ($84bn) had been calls threatening me,” he said in a tel- vourable to the state. “Twelve Mai-Mai and an offi cer from 2014 with nearly 700 civilians killed, lost in tax evasion arising from min- ephone interview over the weekend. Magufuli accused Canadian min- the Armed Forces of the Democratic Re- many of them hacked to death. ing operations since 1998, but did not “One of them, a male voice, asked ing giant Barrick Gold of “stealing public of the Congo died in fi ghting that Those killings have been blamed on he editor-in-chief of a Tanza- mention the former heads of state. me if I attached any value to my life. I from us” in a live televised address last nearly all of Saturday for control the Allied Democratic Forces, a shadowy nian newspaper suspended last Despite warnings, Mawio last week asked him who he was but he cut off . this week, but welcomed discussions of the Kabasha area,” army spokesman rebel group dominated by hardliners who Tweek after linking two former reported comments by opposition “The call did not show a number. when the fi rm’s CEO John Thornton Lieutenant Jules Tshikudi told AFP. were initially focused on overthrowing presidents to controversial min- MP Tundi Lissu, who told parliament So I could not call the person back,” fl ew to Tanzania last week. The Mai-Mai are vigilante groups that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni. ing contracts said he has since faced that Kikwete (2005-2015) and Mkapa he added. Mawio has already faced a govern- run along ethnic lines. Six days ago, more than 900 inmates threatening anonymous phone calls. (1995-2005) were mainly responsible Mkina said he has informed both ment ban for its coverage of a political During the brutal Second Congo War escaped during an attack on Beni’s cen- Tanzania’s information ministry for the controversial contracts and the board of the newspaper and the crisis after elections late in December between 1998 and 2003, numerous tral prison by armed assailants who have on Thursday imposed a two-year that both should be summoned be- police who told him it would be dif- 2015 in the semi-autonomous Zanzi- groups were armed by the government to yet to be identifi ed by authorities. suspension on the Mawio weekly, a fore an enquiry commission. fi cult to act as they were anonymous bar islands. That ban was lifted by the fi ght against Ugandan or Rwandan forc- The eastern DR Congo has been rocked frequent critic of the government, Simon Mkina, editor-in-chief of calls. courts. Despite alleging threats, Mki- es, and some of them never disarmed. by more than 20 years of armed confl ict after it linked former presidents Ja- the suspended publication, told AFP The government panel found that na said he plans to go to court to chal- Saturday’s clashes broke out when among both domestic and foreign armed kaya Kikwete and Benjamin Mkapa to he has received threatening, anony- the losses were primarily due to the lenge his newspaper’s suspension. Mai-Mai fi ghters attacked the army’s po- groups, fuelled by struggle for control dubious mining contracts. mous phone calls in the days since failure of foreign companies oper- “We are just negotiating with a sition in Kabasha, Tshikudi said, without of lucrative mineral resources as well as A recent investigation into the the suspension. ating in Africa’s fourth largest gold good lawyer. We should get to court indicating their ethnicity. ethnic and property disputes. mining deals, ordered by current “After the newspaper’s suspen- producer to declare earnings. next week,” he said.

New militants threaten Niger Delta oil war — in Latin Diplomacy at work

By Tife Owolabi, Reuters “We are going to do this through nied the group’s accusation that he said, although Reuters has been un- Yenagoa, Nigeria bloody attacks and destruction of oil was “showing nepotism and favour- able to confi rm the destruction of any assets in the creeks and upland areas itism in the sharing of government facilities by the Niger Delta Marine so as to disrupt and eventually cripple resources”. Force. triking self-assurance, a pen- oil prospecting and production op- The state government was not in a The New Delta Avengers warned chant for hyperbole and a work- erations in the state.” position to ascertain the credibility of the Delta state government that “Op- Sing knowledge of Latin — these Many groups issue similar state- the New Delta Avengers’ threats, the eration Cripple Oil and Gas Produc- are the hallmarks of the latest group ments and never act on their words. spokesman said. tion” would start on 30 June unless of militants to emerge in Nigeria’s oil- But some, like the original Niger The old Avengers suspended their it held talks to ensure funding for in- rich Niger Delta. Delta Avengers and the Movement for campaign last year to give peace talks frastructure and other development The New Delta Avengers are named the Emancipation of the Niger Delta a chance after a string of attacks on oil reaches the region. in a nod to the Niger Delta Aveng- (MEND), did so to devastating eff ect. facilities, blowing up even an under- “This campaign shall be bloody, ers who last year crippled Nigeria’s At the height of violence last year, water Shell pipeline. destructive and vengeful against the oil production in a fi ght for a greater Niger Delta militants’ attacks cut Ni- MEND fought an insurgency until enemies of our people,” the group share of the proceeds for the region, geria’s oil production by as much as a 2009, when it agreed with the previ- said. impoverished, like much of the coun- third. ous federal government on a ceasefi re “Like a goat pushed to the wall we try, by endemic corruption. That set the economy reeling, as and amnesty off ering salaries and job have grown teeth and we will prove The new group’s inaugural state- lower crude exports meant less mon- training for its fi ghters. our ability to bite.” ment was signed by a Corporal Oleum ey in government coff ers, especially Some of its commanders became Oil companies’ rule of thumb is not Bellum, a Latin phrase that loosely the US dollars Nigeria needs to import millionaires with contracts to pro- to comment on militant threats to fa- means “oil war”. essential products and keep business- tect the same pipelines they had been cilities in Nigeria. It and others, like the Niger Delta es running. blowing up. The security forces say they have no Marine Force led by one General Be- The New Delta Avengers say their Many of the militants have a taste idea who is behind the latest threats, nikeme Hitler, have formed even as main grievance is with the governor of for the dramatic. but with Nigeria about to bring back the government holds peace talks Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, who they There was General Busta Rhymes, its oil exports to full capacity for the with Niger Delta communities to try accuse of diverting funds from pro- named for the New York rapper fi rst time in 16 months following to end violence that has brought the grammes meant to benefi t Delta state. known for his frenetic fl ow, before pipeline repairs, they will not take any economy to its knees. “Like the biblical Pharaoh, only Corporal Oleum Bellum and General chances. “By this declaration, we are resur- extraordinary undertakings can sof- Benikeme Hitler, who issued an inau- “We are not aware of such a group recting the spirit of insurgency to de- ten his devilish and hardened heart gural statement in January. but are on the ground to do our job,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi poses for a picture with South African mand for a better deal for our people,” towards the oil producing areas of the Oil facilities belonging to major said Abubakar Abdullahi, spokesman Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse the New Delta Avengers’ statement state,” they said of Okowa. international oil companies would be for the joint military task force which in Beijing yesterday. said. A spokesman for the governor de- destroyed after March, Hitler’s group polices the Niger Delta. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 11 AMERICA Sheriff Clarke withdraws acceptance of DHS job

Agencies land Security, US newspapers reported in a more aggressive role,” the newspa- on Clarke had been made. President Transportation Security Administra- the Republican National Convention in Washington on Saturday. pers quoted Peterson as saying. Trump and Clarke met in Wisconsin tion and the Secret Service. Cleveland last July. Clarke notifi ed Secretary of Home- Neither the agency nor Clarke’s of- on Tuesday and discussed other roles Clarke has come under fi re for com- Critics have faulted Clarke for his land Security John Kelly on Friday of fi ce immediately responded to requests in which Clarke could help advance ments he has made about the Black management of a Milwaukee County ilwaukee County Sheriff David his decision, Craig Peterson, an adviser for comment. Trump’s agenda, the Washington Post Lives Matter movement, which grew jail where a mentally ill man died in Clarke, an African-American to Clarke, said in a statement, accord- Clarke’s decision comes a month af- reported, citing Peterson. out of protests over a number of police 2016 of dehydration. Mwho became a staunch critic ing to the Washington Post and other ter he told radio station WISN in Mil- The Department of Homeland Se- killings of unarmed black men in vari- An inquest jury recommended that of the Black Lives Matter movement newspapers. waukee that he would leave his post as curity — created after the September ous parts of the United States. seven employees of the jail be crimi- and a supporter of Donald Trump’s “Sheriff Clarke is 100% committed sheriff in June to join the Department of 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Clarke has labelled members of the nally charged. presidential campaign, has withdrawn to the success of President Trump and Homeland Security. Pentagon — includes agencies that movement “subhuman creeps” and Democratic Senator Kamala Harris his acceptance for a job as assistant believes his skills could be better uti- At the time, a spokeswoman for handle customs, border protection called for its eradication. of California called Clarke’s appoint- secretary of the Department of Home- lised to promote the president’s agenda the agency said no announcement and immigration, the Coast Guard, the Clarke spoke in support of Trump at ment “a disgrace”. AI and the coming revolution in health

AFP treat lung, breast and other types Washington of cancer. — Google parent Alphabet’s life sciences unit Verily has joined our next doctor could very Apple in releasing a smartwatch well be a bot. And bots, or for studies including one to iden- Yautomated programs, are tify patterns in the progression of likely to play a key role in fi nd- Parkinson’s disease. ing cures for some of the most Amazon meanwhile off ers diffi cult-to-treat diseases and medical advice through applica- conditions. tions on its voice-activated arti- Artifi cial intelligence is rapidly fi cial assistant Alexa. moving into healthcare, led by IBM has been focusing on some of the biggest technology these issues with its Watson companies and emerging start- Health unit, which uses “cogni- ups using it to diagnose and re- tive computing” to help under- spond to a raft of conditions. stand cancer and other diseases. Consider these examples: When IBM’s Watson comput- — California researchers de- ing system won the TV game tected cardiac arrhythmia with show Jeopardy in 2011, “there President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and son Barron make their way to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on their way to Camp David. 97% accuracy on wearers of an were a lot of folks in healthcare Apple Watch with the AI-based who said that is the same proc- Cariogram application, open- ess doctors use when they try ing up early treatment options to to understand healthcare,” said avert strokes. Anil Jain, chief medical offi cer of — Scientists from Harvard Watson Health. and the University of Vermont Systems like Watson, he said, developed a machine learning “are able to connect all the dispa- tool — a type of AI that enables rate pieces of information” from Trump lawyer insists computers to learn without being medical journals and other sources explicitly programmed — to bet- “in a much more accelerated way.” ter identify depression by study- “Cognitive computing may ing Instagram posts, suggesting not fi nd a cure on day one, but “new avenues for early screening it can help understand people’s and detection of mental illness.” behaviour and habits” and their — Researchers from Britain’s impact on disease, Jain said. there is no inquiry University of Nottingham cre- It’s not just major tech compa- ated an algorithm that predicted nies moving into health. The president’s lawyer said there was Sekulow was referring to a report in the versations in which the ex-FBI chief says lady’s parents, according to a White heart attacks better than doctors Research fi rm CB Insights this no probe only a report Post this week that said Special Counsel the president pressured him for his loy- House press pool report. using conventional guidelines. year identifi ed 106 digital health Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian alty. It was the Trumps’ fi rst visit to the re- While technology has always startups applying machine AFP interference in November’s presidential Sekulow said that Trump would ad- treat since the president took offi ce. played a role in medical care, a learning and predictive analytics Washington election was now also trying to determine dress the issue of the tapes — whose very Since becoming president in January, wave of investment from Silicon “to reduce drug discovery times, whether Trump obstructed justice. existence have been the source of much Trump has preferred to travel to his Mar- Valley and a fl ood of data from provide virtual assistance to pa- Trump’s fl edgling presidency has been speculation — in the “week ahead.” a-Lago resort in Florida or the Trump connected devices appear to be tients, and diagnose ailments by resident Donald Trump angrily de- battered by allegations — under investi- Senator Marco Rubio, who lost the Re- National Golf Club in Bedminster, New spurring innovation. processing medical images.” cried as a “distraction” the “witch gation both by Congress and the FBI — publican primary election to Trump, called Jersey, on weekends he did not spend in “I think a tipping point was Maryland-based startup In- Phunt” against him yesterday, as his that Russia interfered to sway the 2016 for a “full and credible investigation”. Washington. Camp David, which is man- when Apple released its Research silico Medicine uses so-called lawyer insisted the US leader was not un- election in his favour, in possible collu- “If we want to put all this behind us, aged by the US Navy at an estimated an- Kit,” said Forrester Research an- “deep learning” to shorten drug der criminal investigation in the sweep- sion with Trump’s campaign team. let’s fi nd out what happened, put it out nual cost of some $8mn, is located in the alyst Kate McCarthy, referring testing and approval times, down ing probe of Russian meddling in Ameri- Yesterday, Trump again referred to the there, and let’s not undermine the cred- wooded hills of Catoctin Mountain Park to a program letting Apple us- from the current 10 to 15 years. can elections. probe, but dismissed it as a “distraction.” ibility of the investigation, and so my near Thurmont, Maryland, some 100km ers enable data from their daily “We can take 10,000 com- The contradictory messages came after “The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN view on it is that is the best thing that north/north-west of the capital. activities to be used in medical pounds and narrow that down Trump fi rst answered — and seemingly agenda is doing very well despite the dis- could happen for the president and for It has been used by many US presidents studies. to 10 to fi nd the most promising confi rmed — reports that he is person- traction of the Witch Hunt. Many new the country,” he told CNN. since Franklin Delano Roosevelt inaugu- McCarthy said advances in ones,” said Insilico’s Qingsong ally being investigated for obstruction of jobs, high business enthusiasm, massive Rubio sits on the Senate Intelligence rated the retreat in 1942, including John F artifi cial intelligence has opened Zhu. justice when he tweeted on Friday: “I am regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills Committee, which is conducting its own Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, George W Bush up new possibilities for “person- Insilico is working on drugs being investigated for fi ring the FBI Di- signed, great new S.C. Justice, and In- probe into Russian election meddling. and Barack Obama. In 1978, Middle East alized medicine” adapted to in- for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis rector by the man who told me to fi re the frastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in “The president has strong feelings peace talks were held there. dividual genetics. (ALS), cancer and age-related FBI Director! Witch Hunt.” works!” he wrote. about it and (what) I would communi- Set in lush countryside, the remote “We now have an environment diseases, aiming to develop per- But Jay Sekulow, who is part of Trump’s Sekulow, however, said his legal team had cate to the White House and to the world location and simple, rustic charm of the where people can weave through sonalised treatments. legal team, said Trump was in fact writing not received notice of any investigation. through this broadcast is, let this thing cabins at Camp David stand in stark con- clinical research at a speed you Artifi cial intelligence is also about reports of an investigation, not an “There has been no notifi cation from work its way through, let it be thorough trast to the more lavish style exhibited in could never do before,” she said. increasingly seen as a means for actual probe. the special counsel’s offi ce that the presi- and complete so no one will have any Trump’s private membership clubs or his AI is better known in the tech detecting depression and other “The tweet from the president was in dent is under investigation. doubt,” Rubio added. dazzling gold-laden, three-story 66th- fi eld for uses such as autono- mental illnesses, by spotting response to the fi ve anonymous sources In fact, to the contrary,” he told CBS’ US President Donald Trump fl ew to fl oor New York penthouse apartment in mous driving, or defeating ex- patterns that may not be obvi- purportedly leaking info to The Washing- Face the Nation, pointing to recent tes- Maryland on Saturday with his wife Mel- Trump Tower. perts in the board game Go. ous, even to professionals. ton Post,” Sekulow told NBC television’s timony by sacked FBI director James ania and youngest son Barron to spend “Camp David is very rustic, it’s nice, But it can also be used to glean A research paper by Florida Meet the Press. Comey who said the president had not the Father’s Day weekend at the presi- you’d like it,” the Washington Post quoted new insights from existing data State University’s Jessica Ribeiro “He’s not afraid of the investigation been the target of an investigation. dential retreat at Camp David. Trump as telling a European journalist in such as electronic health records found it can predict with 80 to — there is no investigation...there is not Trump fi red Comey in early May. The Trumps set off on the 30-minute an interview just before taking offi ce in and lab tests, says Narges Razavi- 90% accuracy whether someone an investigation of the president of the Trump has hinted that he may have journey by helicopter from the South January. “You know how long you’d like an, a professor at New York Uni- will attempt suicide as far off as United States, period.” taped conversations with Comey — con- Lawn of the White House with the fi rst it? For about 30 minutes.” versity’s Langone School of Med- two years into the future. icine who led a research project on Facebook uses AI as part of a predictive analytics for more than test project to prevent suicides by 100 medical conditions. analysing social network posts. “Our work is looking at trends And San Francisco’s Woebot and trying to predict (disease) six Labs this month debuted on Fa- US destroyer almost foundered after collision: admiral months into the future, to be able cebook Messenger what it dubs to act before things get worse,” the fi rst chatbot off ering “cogni- Razavian said. tive behavioural therapy” online Reuters found at this time,” Aucoin told less than a year. You will see naval hospital for identifi cation, room, he said. There were 285 — NYU researchers analysed — partly as a way to reach people Yokosuka a news conference. The search the USS Fitzgerald back,” Au- it said. The Fitzgerald collided crew onboard, the spokesman medical and lab records to accu- wary of the social stigma of seek- at sea had ended, Aucoin said. coin said. with the merchant vessel more said. Benson took command of rately predict the onset of dozens ing mental health care. The USS Fitzgerald could have Multiple US and Japanese in- than three times its size some the Fitzgerald on May 13. of diseases and conditions in- New technologies are also of- he bodies of missing sail- foundered, or even sunk, but for vestigations are under way on 56 nautical miles southwest of Japanese authorities were cluding type 2 diabetes, heart or fering hope for rare diseases. ors were found in fl ooded the crew’s desperate eff orts to how a ship as large as the con- Yokosuka early on Saturday. looking into the possibility of kidney failure and stroke. Boston-based startup FDNA Tcompartments of the USS save the ship, he said. tainer could ram into the war- Three people were medically “endangerment of traffi c caused The project developed soft- uses facial recognition technol- Fitzgerald, which came close to “The damage was signifi cant. ship in clear weather. evacuated to the US Naval Hos- by professional negligence”, ware now used at NYU which ogy matched against a database sinking after a collision with a There was a big gash under the Aucoin was asked if damage pital in Yokosuka after the colli- Japanese media reported, but may be deployed at other medi- associated with over 8,000 rare container ship off Japan tore a water,” Aucoin said at Yokosuka on the starboard side indicated sion, including the ship’s com- it was not clear whether that cal facilities. diseases and genetic disorders, gash under the warship’s wa- naval base, home of the US Sev- the US ship could have been at manding offi cer, Bryce Benson, might apply to either or both of — Google’s DeepMind division sharing data and insights with terline, the US Navy’s Seventh enth Fleet, the docked Fitzgerald fault, but he declined to specu- who was reported to be in stable the vessels. is using artifi cial intelligence to medical centres in 129 countries Fleet commander said yester- behind him. late on the cause of the colli- condition, the Navy said. The Japan’s Nippon Yusen KK, help doctors analyse tissue sam- via its Face2Gene application. day. “A signifi cant portion of the sion. other two were being treated for which charters the container ples to determine the likelihood Lynda Chin, vice chancellor Vice Admiral Joseph P Au- crew was sleeping” when the Maritime rules suggest ves- lacerations and bruises. ship, ACX Crystal, said in a that breast and other cancers will and chief innovation offi cer at coin declined to say how many destroyer collided with the Phil- sels are supposed to give way The Fitzgerald limped into statement on Saturday it would spread, and develop the best ra- the University of Texas System, of the seven missing sailors had ippine-fl agged container ship, to ships on their starboard. The port on Saturday evening, list- “co-operate fully” with the diotherapy treatments. said she sees “a lot of excitement been recovered, but Japanese destroying the commander’s Seventh Fleet said in a state- ing around 5 degrees, a US Navy Coast Guard’s investigation of — Microsoft, Intel and other around these tools” but that media said all had died. “Out of cabin, he said. ment earlier on Sunday: “Divers spokesman in Yokosuka said. the incident. At around 29,000 tech giants are also working with technology alone is unlikely to concern for the families and the The Fitzgerald is salvage- were able to access the space and The fl ooding was in two tons displacement, the ship researchers to sort through data translate into wide-scale health notifi cation process, I will de- able, he said, but repairs will found a number of bodies.” berthing compartments, the ra- dwarfs the 8,315-ton US war- with AI to better understand and benefi ts. cline to state how many we have likely take months. “Hopefully They were transferred to a US dio room and auxiliary machine ship. Gulf Times 12 Monday, June 19, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Shots fi red in Australia’s battle against food waste

AFP simply remarkable that in pros- this here, why is this surplus”, she quantities of food that farm- ops it to handle millions of trans- Sydney perous, modern-day Australia told AFP as she pointed to bread ers and manufacturers strug- actions. “Because it’s a piece of we produce enough food to feed donated by a bakery. gle to offl oad, or which is due to technology, there are no barriers 60mn people a year but every Long queues have formed out- expire, in a 500 sq m kitchen in to scaling it,” she said. ustralia’s fi rst recycled su- month more than 600,000 peo- side the shop since it opened in Melbourne before freezing and With Canberra stepping into permarket is giving food ple — one-third of them children late April, with the unemployed, storing it for distribution to the the fray, waste warriors are opti- Adestined for landfi lls a — seek food relief from relevant single mothers, and students disadvantaged at a later date. mistic that incentives including second chance, as the govern- charities,” Environment Minister among those who leave with Also reducing waste at a tax breaks could reduce excess ment embarks on a major push Josh Frydenberg said in April. bulging bags of groceries. What wholesale level is Yume, an on- in supply chains and encourage to cut down on waste costing the The government is drawing up we eat or throw away is just the line platform connecting suppli- businesses to keep surplus food economy A$20bn (US$15bn) a an ambitious plan to halve food tip of the iceberg in the produc- ers and buyers for hard-to-sell still fi t for consumption away year. waste by 2030 and is convening tion process, conservation ex- surplus produce at signifi cantly from landfi lls. The outlet run by food rescue a national summit later this year perts say, with huge amounts of discounted prices, chief Katy Even public institutions such organisation OzHarvest in Sydney involving the private sector and resources such as fertilisers, fuel, Barfi eld said. as schools, hospitals and prisons takes surplus products normally non-profi t organisations. Glo- land and water used to grow and “It (the unwanted food) can be could make their procurement of thrown out by major supermar- bally, one-third of food produced Products displayed at OzHarvest Market, a recycled food package food. cancelled orders, it can be mis- food more sustainable by buying kets, airlines and other suppliers, for humans — about 1.3bn tonnes supermarket, in Sydney. “When food’s wasted, and all labelled, it can be brand refresh, surplus products through plat- and gives them away for free. costing around US$1tn — is lost of those resources are wasted as it can be export orders that get forms like Yume, Barfi eld added. It is an attempt to tackle the or wasted annually, according emphasise appearance”, the UN will raise awareness about sus- well, what’s incumbent upon us cancelled, it can be specifi ca- “It would save food going to mounting waste problem in to the Food and Agriculture Or- body added. tainable living. Besides the needy, is to make the most of the food tions ... that are not what the re- waste, it would be good for the Australia, home to 24mn peo- ganisation (FAO). Such wastage That’s where supermarkets like “there are people (at the super- that we produce in those instanc- tailers want,” Melbourne-based environment, it would be very ple, where consumers toss out is particularly conspicuous in OzHarvest come in, said founder market) who want to take part in es, rather than producing more Barfi eld told AFP. Barfi eld, who good for the taxpayers’ pockets some 20% of food they buy with retail, where “large quantities” Ronni Kahn, a leading voice in this sharing economy... taking and more,” said Marcus Godinho previously headed up food rescue because we would be paying less more than 4mn tonnes ending of food are thrown away “due Australia’s food rescue commu- produce and understanding why of charity FareShare. FareShare charity SecondBite, wants to take for the food, and I think it’s a win, up as rubbish each year. “It is to quality standards that over- nity, who hopes the pop-up store this produce was rejected, why is tackles waste by cooking large the platform global as she devel- win, win,” she said. Indonesia deploys Sukhoi jets to guard Abe’s support slumps against militants

Reuters such as Indonesia and Malay- amid school scandal Tarakan, Indonesia sia, and defence and army chiefs from the three countries are due Reuters friend as Kotaro Kake, the di- to commit terrorism and other to meet in Tarakan today for a Tokyo rector of the Kake Educational serious crimes, with 42.1% in ndonesia has deployed Su- ceremony to mark the launch of Institution, which wants to favour and 44% against the leg- khoi fi ghters at a base in patrols in the seas between the open a veterinary department. islation, Kyodo said. Inorthern Borneo to beef up countries. upport for Japanese The government has not ap- The government says the new security in case militants who A port town, Tarakan is just Prime Minister Shinzo proved new veterinary schools legislation is needed so Japan overran a town in the Philip- south of the Malaysian side of SAbe slumped more than for decades because of concern can ratify a UN treaty aimed at pines try to fl ee southwards, an Borneo and looks out across the 10 points to 44.9% in a public about a glut of veterinarians. global organised crime and pre- air force colonel told the Antara sea to Mindanao in the southern opinion poll published yes- Nearly 85% of voters re- vent terrorism in the run-up to news agency. Philippines, a sprawling island terday, amid opposition party sponding to a Kyodo news the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The head of the air base in that has been plagued by insur- suspicions he used his infl uence agency survey said they did not Opponents say it will allow po- Tarakan, a town in the Indone- gencies and banditry for decades. unfairly to help a friend set up a think the government probe lice to trample on civil liberties sian province of North Kaliman- Indonesian naval authori- business. had uncovered the truth of the by expanding the scope for sur- tan on Borneo, said three Sukhoi ties had also asked local people Abe has repeatedly denied aff air and almost 74% were not veillance. jets that arrived on Friday would including fi shermen in border abusing his authority to benefi t persuaded by the government’s The ruling coalition pushed remain for a month in case radi- areas facing the Philippines to his friend. His grip on power insistence that there was noth- the law through parliament cals fi ghting the Philippine mili- report any suspicious people, is not in danger, given his rul- ing wrong with the approval last week, taking the rare step tary in Marawi City sought to es- Antara reported. ing coalition’s huge majority in process. of skipping a vote in commit- cape to Indonesia. A police mobile brigade corp parliament, but the aff air looks Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. The institution has said it had tee and going directly to a full “The militants might fl ee the had also been sent to northern unlikely to fade away. acted appropriately. session of parliament’s upper Philippines and be forced to areas on Sulawesi island to pre- The education ministry un- nary school run by a friend to be the documents but reopened Voters were split over last house. cross the border to Indonesia,” vent militants from crossing the earthed documents last week approved in a state-run special the probe under public pres- week’s enactment by parlia- Almost 68% of voters ex- the Indonesian state news agen- border, it said. that the opposition said sug- economic zone. The ministry sure. Opposition politicians and ment of a controversial law pressed dislike of that rarely cy cited Colonel Didik Krisyanto Today, Indonesia will inaugu- gested Abe wanted a new veteri- had earlier said it could not fi nd the media have identifi ed Abe’s that will penalise conspiracies used tactic, Kyodo said. as saying. rate a maritime command centre The Philippine military said on in Tarakan and also hold a cer- Friday that some of the Islamist emony on an Indonesian warship N Korea accuses militants who stormed Marawi with Malaysian and Philippine City in the south of the country offi cials to launch patrols. Singa- Serving it up US authorities of last month may have mingled pore and Brunei will be attending ‘mugging’ its with evacuees to slip away dur- as observers. ing the battle that has raged for The commander of Tarakan’s diplomats at almost four weeks. naval base, First Admiral Ferial NY airport The military says that up to Fachroni, told Reuters the other 200 fi ghters, most of them from countries would also establish local insurgent groups that have command centres to help in the North Korea accused US pledged allegiance to Islamic sharing of information. authorities yesterday of State but also some foreign Fachroni said the army, navy “mugging” its diplomats at the fi ghters, are holding out, using and air forces would be involved John F Kennedy airport in New civilians as human shields and in patrols but more discussions York, forcibly confiscating a mosques as safe havens. were needed to pin down wheth- diplomatic package which it The devastating collapse in er they would be joint or co-or- said raised questions about security has alarmed neighbours dinated. the city as the seat of the United Nations. The North’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Former special UN adviser becomes said a delegation of the North returning from a UN conference S Korea’s first female foreign minister on the rights of persons with disabilities “was literally South Korea has appointed a former special adviser to UN Secretary mugged” at the John F Kennedy General Antonio Guterres to become the country’s first female foreign airport in “an illegal and heinous minister. Kang Kyung-hwa, 62, is an experienced diplomat and off icially act of provocation.” took up her post yesterday in the cabinet of new President Moon Jae-in. “Diplomats of a sovereign state Moon took power in May, in the wake of the impeachment of former are being robbed of a diplomatic president Park Geun-hye in a corruption scandal that will see her package in the middle of New face criminal charges. Moon had said that he wanted to make the York where the headquarters appointment quickly so that Kang can prepare for key events such of the United Nations is located as the G20 summit in Hamburg in July and Moon’s own visit to and that serves as the venue for Washington at the end of June to meet President Donald Trump. The international meetings including appointment, coming four weeks after Moon first nominated her, was, A chef places plates with food onto the tray of a robot waiter in a restaurant in Xianyang, China. the United Nations General however, delayed by political opposition. Some opposition lawmakers Assembly,” the spokesman said. had accused Kang of tax avoidance. One party had threatened to boycott parliament if she was appointed against their wishes. In common with many Asian countries, South Korea has a low but increasing proportion of women in parliament. Women currently make up less than a fifth of the seats in the current National Assembly. Surrogacy remains a lure for Cambodia’s poorest despite ban

Black box from crashed army AFP my Davis-Charles on charges average annual income of just free them because the payments “I want to be a surrogate Takeo, Cambodia of running an illegal surrogacy $1,150. Nine months of surro- are mostly frittered away. But mother again so I can build a plane retrieved in Myanmar business has shone a spotlight gacy might bring in as much as he also recognises it is hard for home,” she said, adding that on Cambodia’s role in the rented nine years’ salary. women to turn down the off er of other women from her village Search teams retrieved the cockpit voice recorder and flight data eeling a mango inside her womb trade. The village of Puth Sar, where such large sums. were also surrogates. Romduol, recorder from a Myanmarese army plane that crashed into the rickety wooden shack, It is a little-regulated industry Chhum Long and her daughter “I just want them to be fully 35, makes just $200 a month as a Andaman Sea in early June with 122 soldiers, family members and crew PChhum Long explains how that pairs wealthy foreign cou- hail from, is a typical target. Its paid and cared for,” he said, sug- garment factory worker in Kam- on board, the Myanmar military said yesterday. The Chinese-made Y-8- her daughter’s decision to nur- ples desperate for a child — pay- bucolic charm — wooden hous- gesting careful regulation is bet- pong Speu province. 200F transport plane disappeared on June 7, while flying at 18,000ft ture a Western couple’s baby in ing as much as $50,000 — with es surrounded by green paddy ter than an outright ban. No sur- She heard about surrogacy (5,485m) on a weekly flight from several southern coastal towns to her womb helped her family buy some of the world’s most vul- fi elds an hour south of the capi- rogate mother in Puth Sar was through her colleagues and Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. The cause of the crash has yet to be two desperately needed items: a nerable women. The enterprise tal — belies an entrenched pov- willing to speak when AFP vis- gave birth to a baby girl for a determined. Since then, the military has recovered 92 bodies during metal roof and a motorbike. has sparked a regulatory game of erty. Village chief Ouk Savouen ited. But two recent surrogates gay Australian couple before the its search operations and has found the personal belongings of some Last year a broker appeared cat and mouse as poorer nations said brokers fi rst appeared two from other Cambodian villages ban. “The Australians were so passengers and crew, as well as several pieces of debris. outside the 60-year-old’s house move to halt the trade only to years ago. At least 13 women agreed to talk on the condition happy with the baby,” she said. in Cambodia’s southern Takeo see it resurface or appear across have agreed to be surrogates that only their nicknames were “I still consider her my child. I province and off ered her daugh- their borders. since then, some after the ban used. miss her because she had been Plane hits turbulence in China, 26 hurt ter $10,000 to be a surrogate One-by-one countries that came in. Both were driven by poverty in my womb for more than nine mother for a wealthy foreign had been popular surrogacy “There are now four surro- but said they had broadly posi- months.” At least 26 people were injured, four of them seriously, when a China couple. “My daughter immedi- destinations like India, Nepal gates who are currently preg- tive experiences. Champei got She used the money to pay off Eastern Airlines flight from Paris hit turbulence yesterday over ately agreed with the off er be- and Thailand have banned the nant but they keep it quiet,” he pregnant before the ban, giving debts. “But I have not fulfi lled southwest China, state media said. The incident happened when cause we are very poor,” she told trade. Cambodia did the same said. “They were recruited in birth in April to a boy for a Dutch my dream yet. If possible I want Flight MU744 from Charles de Gaulle Airport was descending to land at AFP. “They took the baby away in November. But interviews February and March.” couple. She was paid $10,000, to be a surrogate mother again Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan province, Xinhua as soon as he was born, she did conducted by AFP suggest the The village chief dislikes the which was used to purchase a because I need a house,” she news agency reported. Passengers are being treated for bone fractures, not even see his face.” industry remains, albeit in the trade, saying it is exploitative plot of land. said. Cambodian government scalp lacerations and soft tissue injuries caused by falling baggage or An ongoing trial in Phnom shadows. Cambodia is one of and rarely provides families with “This is a lot of money for offi cials, however, say the ban collisions with overhead lockers, it cited local hospitals as saying. Penh of Australian nurse Tam- Asia’s poorest countries with an the kind of riches they think will me,” she said. was necessary. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 13 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Experts warned govt against cladding material used on Grenfell

Guardian News and Media of communities and local govern- Investigations are also focused “a completion certifi cate was is- which is fl ammable. tion and expansion of the damage It is unclear if that approach was London ment on fi re investigations, said on gas pipes in the stairways and sued” instead. According to the As detailed on the planning ap- area”. taken and Max Fordham did not attempts to innovate with insula- lobbies recently installed by Na- government’s website, a full plans plication, fi re barriers were due to Geoff Wilkinson, managing di- return request for comment. tion were leading to an “increase tional Grid, which residents had decision notice is “the most thor- be inserted between the cladding rector of Wilkinson Construction The cladding contractor, Har- he government’s building in the volume of potentially com- complained had not been boxed ough option”, but this was not tak- on each fl oor to limit the spread Consultants, said the hole could ley, declined to comment on how safety experts had warned bustible materials being applied” in with fi re retardant material de- en. Neither the borough nor the to small melt out areas. But Dr be relatively modest in size, add- the system was built out – cit- Tlast year that the drive for to buildings. spite assurances they would be. cladding contractor, Harley, re- Jim Glocking, technical director ing: “Even a drill hole of four inch- ing the forthcoming investiga- greater energy effi ciency meant Construction and fi re experts There is also uncertainty over sponded when asked to comment at the Fire Protection Associa- es in diameter can be enough.” tion and public inquiry. But it is more and more buildings are being increasingly fear that the cladding how the project’s adherence with on why this route was not taken. tion, said its own tests on external During planning in 2012, the understood the design diff ered to wrapped in materials that could go system applied to Grenfell Tower building regulations was scru- The Reynobond cladding ap- thermal insulation cladding sys- building service engineering that which was detailed in plan- up in fl ames. may have been instrumental in tinised. The Royal Borough of plied to the Grenfell tower last tems showed that if these barriers company Max Fordham advised ning documents. Investigators are In a report compiled before spreading the fi re. The system was Kensington and Chelsea, where year as part of a £10mn refurbish- are breached by a vent or a pipe, that one option in the refurbish- likely to want to quickly establish the Grenfell Tower disaster, the installed to improve the thermal Grenfell Tower is situated, said ment is made from powder-coat- “a chimney eff ect may quickly ment was to remove “fi re stop- whether details such as cavity fi re Building Research Establishment, effi ciency of the building and im- a “full plans decision notice was ed aluminium panels that are usu- develop that will cause the very ping” systems temporarily in or- barriers, which appeared in plan- which works for the department prove its appearance. not required in this case” and that ally fi lled with plastic insulation, rapid consumption of the insula- der to install new heating pipes. ning drawings, were included. House seizure laws ‘could ease Grenfell Tower crisis’

Guardian News and Media sory purchase it, requisition it – London there’s a lot of things you can do,” he said. “But can’t we as a society just abour has urged the gov- think, all of us, it’s all very well ernment to consider putting our arms around people Lemergency legislation to during the crisis but homeless- ensure property can be requi- ness is rising, the housing crisis sitioned to house the families is getting worse and my point made homeless by the Grenfell was quite a simple one. In an Tower fi re. emergency, you have to bring all John McDonnell, the shadow assets to the table in order to deal chancellor, said councils already with that crisis and that’s what I had the power to requisition think we should be doing in this property, using compulsory pur- case.” Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, speaks after meeting victims and volunteers of the Grenfell apartment tower fire in north Kensington, London, yesterday. chase orders, to fi nd places for Meanwhile, the Labour MP people to live. David Lammy, who lost a friend Last week Jeremy Corbyn, the in the fi re, urged the police to Labour leader, suggested these ensure that all records relating to powers should be used in Ken- the building were seized straight sington following the fi re trag- away to prevent them being de- edy. stroyed. In an interview on Sky’s Ridge “Within the community, on Sunday, when it was put to trust in the authorities is falling Tower fi re tragedy due McDonnell that this process through the fl oor and a suspicion could take time, he said parlia- of a cover-up is rising,” he said. ment could legislate to speed “The prime minister needs to things up. act immediately to ensure that “In emergency measures, as all evidence is protected so that we saw in wartime periods as everyone culpable for what hap- well, you can requisition prop- pened at Grenfell Tower is held to to years of neglect: Khan erties. You will need powers to account and feels the full force of do it. We have got those powers,” the law.” Agencies disaster, with residents com- tions from a probe into the trag- time when complicated talks to sington and Chelsea region. McDonnell said. He said it was particularly im- London plaining that offi cials had pro- edy. leave the European Union are be- Corbyn, who unlike May was “I would have convened par- portant to seize records relating vided little support or informa- Prime Minister Theresa May, ginning. quick to meet local residents and liament immediately to push to the refurbishment and man- tion. under pressure for keeping a dis- “If something needs to be done was praised for showing empa- more legislation through within agement of the building. “When he Grenfell Tower fi re was Council leader Nick Paget- tance from angry residents on a to make buildings safe, it will be thy, led calls for the government 24 hours, if that was neces- the truth comes out about this a “preventable accident” Brown said there had been offi - visit to the charred remains of the done,” Finance Minister Philip to drop its cuts — demands that sary. We cannot be in a situation tragedy we may fi nd that there is Tcaused by “years of ne- cials on the ground “very soon” 24-storey block last week, said on Hammond told the BBC’s Andrew Hammond said he was listening where we have people who have blood on the hands of a number glect” by the local council and after the fi re broke out. He said Saturday the response to the dis- Marr Show. to. lost their homes struggling to of organisations,” he said. successive governments, mayor council offi cials had been work- aster was “not good enough”. “Let’s get the technical advice “In the wake of (the) Gren- fi nd alternative accommodation “At this stage, it is my grave of London Sadiq Khan has said. ing “around the clock” since Both May and her ministers properly evaluated by a public in- fell fi re we have to recognise that and we have properties standing concern that the families of Speaking after attending a local Wednesday. have said they will do all they can quiry and then let’s decide how to something has gone badly, badly empty.” Grenfell Tower will not get jus- church service in memory of the Khan said: “People are angry, to help those left homeless af- go forward.” wrong in this country, that pre- McDonnell said that putting tice if documents are being qui- victims, he said the fi re was “a not simply at the poor response ter the blaze and make sure other May has announced a public in- dominantly poor people die in a the families made homeless into etly destroyed and shredded and national disaster that requires a in the days afterwards from the high-rise buildings, usually home quiry into the fi re which would be towering inferno because possibly hotels was not always suitable e-mails are being deleted.” national response”. council and the government, but to poorer people, are checked and fast-tracked. in the long term (there had been a) and he said that, in at least one The police have powers to seize The government has sent in at the years of neglect from the safe. But on the streets, there is anger lack of public investment,” Cor- case, a Grenfell Tower resident all documents, but Section 35 of some of its staff to bolster the council. But with Jeremy Corbyn, leader over whether the block’s renova- byn told ITV’s Peston on Sunday had been put into an old people’s the Public Inquiry Act, which relief eff ort. “There’s a feeling that the of the opposition Labour Party, tion project purposefully did not programme. home, which was “completely makes the destruction of any Kensington Council said it council and government don’t emboldened by a better-than- include safety devices, such as “Somehow or other it seems inappropriate”. documents a criminal off ence, would fully co-operate with the understand their concerns and expected result in an early election sprinklers, or used banned fl am- to be beyond the wit of the public Corbyn made the same point does not apply until a chairman public inquiry. don’t care.” that wiped out the Conservatives’ mable materials to clad the build- services to deal with a crisis facing in an interview on ITV’s Peston is appointed and the terms of The council has been widely Meanwhile ministers said Brit- majority, May’s government has ing and make it more attractive for a relatively small number of peo- on Sunday. “Occupy it, compul- reference set. criticised for its handling of the ain will act on any recommenda- been forced to justify cuts at a neighbours in the upmarket Ken- ple in a country of 65mn.” Premier to face revolt ‘if No doubt over leaving EU, says David Davis

Brexit stance softened’ Agencies ing her ruling Conservatives’ London majority in a botched snap elec- tion and over her response to a Reuters senior ministers and two former not want to leave the EU in the devastating fi re that killed at least London Conservative prime ministers fi rst place. rexit Minister David Davis 58 in a London apartment block, have called for a rethink. The Sunday Times said min- heads to Brussels today says she wants a clean break with “If we had a strong signal isters within May’s cabinet had Bto open divorce talks with the EU — a strategy some in her rime Minister Theresa that she were backsliding I ‘let it be known’ they would the EU with a message that there party have challenged as risking May will face an immedi- think she would be in major dif- oust the prime minister if they should be “no doubt — we are economic growth. Pate leadership challenge ficulty,” the newspaper quoted thought she could not pass the leaving the European Union”. Davis, a prominent ‘Leave’ from eurosceptic lawmakers in one unidentified former minis- government’s legislative pro- Days after a suggestion from campaigner in the referendum, her party if she seeks to water ter as saying. gramme in a vote expected on French President Emmanuel said he was approaching the down her plans for Brexit, the “The point is she is not a uni- June 28. Macron that Britain could still talks in a “constructive way”, Sunday Telegraph reported, cit- fying fi gure any more. She has The Times also reported that choose to remain, Davis said knowing they will be “diffi cult ing senior Conservative sources. really hacked off the parliamen- party members who had cam- there would be no backtracking at points”. May, who won the top job in tary party for obvious reasons. paigned to keep Britain in the EU from Prime Minister Theresa “We are not turning our backs the wake of last year’s vote to So I’m afraid to say there is no were likely to have a candidate May’s plan to deliver on Brexit, on Europe,” he said in the state- leave the European Union, had goodwill towards her.” lined up to replace May, with In- for which Britons voted in a ref- ment. “It’s vital that the deal we in January set out her plans for The newspaper quoted an- terior Minister Amber Rudd the erendum almost a year ago. strike allows both the UK and the Brexit, saying Britain would other former minister as say- likely option. “As I head to Brussels to open EU to thrive, as part of the new leave the single market so it ing: “If she weakened on Brexit, Having lost a majority in par- offi cial talks to leave the EU, deep and special partnership we could control immigration. the world would fall in...all hell liament, May is in talks with there should be no doubt — we want with our closest allies and But May’s failure to win a ma- would break loose.” Northern Ireland’s Democratic are leaving the European Union, friends.” jority in last week’s election has May called the election in a Unionist Party to secure the and delivering on that historic Scottish Conservative leader weakened her position badly and bid to increase her majority and support of its 10 lawmakers to referendum result,” Davis said in Ruth Davidson, who is newly reopened the debate around the strengthen her hand within her win any kind of vote, includ- a statement. infl uential after winning a cru- Brexit strategy just days before party ahead of the Brexit talks. ing on the pieces of legislation “Leaving gives us the oppor- cial 13 seats in Scotland, has said the country opens its divorce But the unexpected weak needed to enact Britain’s divorce tunity to forge a bright new fu- Britain should prioritise “free- talks with Brussels on Monday. performance has plunged Brit- from the EU. ture for the UK — one where we dom to trade and our economic Prompted by her poor election ain into a political crisis and DUP leader Arlene Foster has are free to control our borders, growth”. But Finance Minister showing, particularly among left May battling to unite both said she wants a “sensible Brex- pass our own laws and do what Philip Hammond confi rmed yes- pro-EU young people who fear wings of the Conservative Party it” that works for the United independent sovereign countries terday that Britain would still be losses of jobs and opportunity — those who want a so-called Kingdom and the Republic of Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Phillip leave after a do.” leaving the EU, the single market from Brexit, some of her most “hard Brexit” and those who did Ireland. church service in Sonning yesterday. May, under pressure after los- and the customs union. Gulf Times 14 Monday, June 19, 2017 BRITAIN Britain’s strictest school gets top marks from Ofsted

Guardian News and Media fi rst inspection since opening they feel part of a close-knit They follow the school’s conduct ative party conference in 2010. tion to open Michaela under the for grimacing at teachers or for London in 2014, with Ofsted inspectors family,” the inspectors wrote. guidelines conscientiously so “All of us involved at Michae- free school policy championed talking in corridors when mov- praising the school’s “lively and The school’s tough behaviour that lessons run very smoothly la – staff , pupils, parents and by Michael Gove as education ing between lessons. engaging teaching” and “ex- policy, which includes discipli- and without interruption. The governors – are united in our secretary. But it was not until The Ofsted inspectors were ichaela Community emplary” attitudes to learning nary action for even minor in- school is an extremely calm and determination and aspiration September 2014 that Michaela impressed with the progress School – a contro- among pupils. fringements of school rules, was safe learning environment.” for our school. It is always great opened its doors in a converted they saw among the pupils at all Mversial free school re- “Since the school opened, also highly praised. The Ofsted rating will come to receive feedback like this offi ce block close to Wembley levels. nowned for its “no excuses” be- leaders and governors have “The behaviour of pupils is as a relief for the school’s head about what we are doing and football stadium. “Disadvantaged pupils make haviour policy – has been judged worked very eff ectively together outstanding. Pupils are polite, teacher, Katharine Birbals- I’m very proud of everyone at The school prides itself on its substantial progress and achieve outstanding in all categories by with staff , pupils, parents and well mannered and very respect- ingh, who left a job as a deputy Michaela,” Birbalsingh said in “no excuses” disciplinary ap- as well as other pupils. Leaders Ofsted inspectors. carers to establish a strong sense ful,” the report notes. head after criticising school response. proach, with pupils given de- and teachers have equally high The school in north-west of community at the school. Pu- “Pupils behave responsibly behaviour policies in a high- Birbalsingh was given approv- merits or detention for forget- expectations of all pupils,” the London won top marks in its pils typically commented that and are highly self-disciplined. profile speech to the Conserv- al by the department for educa- ting to bring a pencil or pen, report said.

‘Great Get Together’ event Hammond pledges NHS ‘plans to spending cuts rethink sell majority Agencies London

inance Minister Philip Hammond said he was “not Fdeaf” to signs of weariness of Charing among voters about the country’s near decade-long grip on public spending which has come under renewed criticism after a deadly fi re in a London tower block. Asked in an interview with BBC television whether he Cross hospital’ would push ahead with planned cuts of £3bn for funding of local Guardian News and Media department was earmarked for they have in fact not lost their authorities, Hammond said he London closure. The health secretary, house – because they’ll be given would look again at the govern- Jeremy Hunt, echoed the claims. a new garden shed which will be ment’s proposals in the light of However, in the internal NHS called their ‘local house’,” said the general election result. lmost all of a central Lon- documents the apparent down- Cowan. Hammond added the govern- don hospital is to be sold grading of Charing Cross is out- He said NHS chiefs had re- ment will not announce a summer Aand its services diverted lined in great detail. branded the urgent care centre Budget “or anything like that”. to already stretched facilities The plan is to axe 10 major for minor injuries and would be He said: “There will be a regular around the capital under plans services at Charing Cross – 24/7 run by GPs and nurse practition- budget in November as we had for NHS modernisation seen by A&E, emergency surgery, inten- ers as a local A&E. always planned. “In that Budget, the Guardian. sive care and a range of complex “That still constitutes the we will set out our future plans for Charing Cross hospital, a fl ag- emergency and non-emergency demolition and closure of Char- public spending, for taxation, for ship NHS facility in the heart of medical and surgical treatments. ing Cross hospital in its current fi scal balance and everything else London, is to be cut to just 13% The remaining services would form. No one would see what is that needs to be clear.” of its current size under propos- be a series of outpatient and GP left as a hospital in any generally Hammond said he already had als contained in sustainability clinics, X-ray and CT scans, a accepted defi nition of the word,” wriggle room in his existing tax and transformation plans pub- pharmacy and an urgent care Cowan added. “A ‘local hospital’ and spending plans and stressed lished last year in 44 areas across centre for “minor injuries and is a clinic. A class 3 A&E is an ur- he would not abandon the overall England. illnesses”. Around 300 acute gent care clinic.” thrust of the ruling Conservative Many of the offi cially pub- beds will be lost. A spokeswoman for North Party’s approach to fi xing the lished plans lacked precise detail The internal documents state: West London Collaboration of public fi nances. The government about how local services would “The signifi cant impact of recon- Clinical Commissioning Groups is seeking to turn Britain’s budg- change, but internal supporting fi guration on inpatient activity said: “We are still committed to et defi cit, which was equivalent documents seen by the Guardian will be the movement of activity taking forward changes as agreed to 2.5% of gross domestic prod- reveal the scale of the closures at from Charing Cross and Ealing.” by the secretary of state in 2013. uct in the last fi nancial year, into the London site. Imperial College Health- We have been clear that we will a surplus by the mid-2020s. The proposals claim much care Trust, which runs Charing have local services in place to “We will look at all these of the care currently off ered at Cross, stressed that the plans meet demand and deliver the things. Obviously, we are not Charing Cross can be transferred had not been taken forward since necessary services for patients deaf. We heard a message last to “community settings” such they were fi rst drawn up because before we make any changes to week in the general election. We as local GP services, but health the hospital has seen the demand Charing Cross. need to look at how we deal with campaigners and clinicians say for patient care there continue to “Our current focus is on de- the challenges that we face in the the transformation could en- grow in the meantime”. livering those new and improved economy,” Hammond said. danger patients. The plans have sparked a row services for local people. We “And I understand that peo- The documents include a map between the borough where have been clear that no changes ple are weary after years of hard detailing how 13% of the current Charing Cross is based – Labour- will be made before 2021 and work to rebuild the economy hospital site will remain, with the controlled Hammersmith & Ful- that for Charing Cross we will from the great crash of 2008- rest of its prime real estate in cen- ham council - and the NHS North bring forward a strategic outline 09. But we have to live within tral London sold off . The plan is to West London Collaborative of case in the future which sets out our means. And more borrowing introduce the changes after 2021. Clinical Commissioning Groups, the capital requirement for mak- which seems to be Jeremy Cor- NHS chiefs have stated as re- which is driving the changes. ing these changes and that re- byn’s answer is not the solution.” cently as March that “there have Stephen Cowan, the leader mains our intention. Opposition Labour party lead- never been any plans to close of the council, has accused the “As we look at changes to er Corbyn attacked the govern- Charing Cross hospital”, and NHS chiefs of deliberately mis- Charing Cross hospital we will of ment’s tight controls on spend- Members of the public symbolically tie ribbons onto a piece of netting during a ‘Great Get in March 2015 the then prime leading the public about the course continue to work closely ing ahead of the election which Together’ community service and picnic in memory of Jo Cox, marking the first anniversary minister, David Cameron, said Charing Cross plans. with the council and value their saw Prime Minister Theresa May since her killing, in the grounds of All Saints Church in Batley, northern England, yesterday. it was “scaremongering” to sug- “It’s like demolishing some- important input into these dis- lose her parliamentary majority. gest that the Charing Cross A&E one’s house only to tell them cussions.”

Number of under-18s on Film premiere Diane Abbott back anti-depressants rises 12% in shadow cabinet Agencies with just a few minutes’ notice Guardian News and Media young people are experiencing as comprehensive as is it for London as unconfi rmed reports circulat- London mental health problems. “It is drugs for other conditions.” ed that some in the party leader- important that they can access Guidance from the National ship had lost confi dence in her. the treatment and care they Institute for Health and Care iane Abbott has returned Just 48 hours before poll- ens of thousands of young need. Anti-depressants have Excellence (Nice) says anti-de- to her role of shadow ing day, Labour said Abbott was people in England, in- a role to play, but are not the pressants should only be given Dhome secretary after dia- taking a period of sick leave and Tcluding children as young whole solution,” he said. to teenagers and children with betes led to her missing the end would be replaced “indefi nitely” as six, are being prescribed anti- Bush said he was extremely moderate or severe depression of the general election campaign. by Lyn Brown. depressants by their doctors. worried at the prospect of chil- when psychotherapy has failed. It Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn After the election she told the The fi gures have prompted dren under six being prescribed also advises that such medication said his close ally was back in the Guardian her condition was “out concern that medics may be an anti-depressant. “It feels should be taken alongside other shadow cabinet after suff ering of control” during the campaign. overprescribing strong medi- quite diffi cult to comprehend support, such as counselling. “a great deal”. cation because of stretched and given what we know about the Fluoxetine, which is sold un- Abbott was briefl y replaced by “Diane suff ers from type underfunded mental health impact of pharmacology on der the trade name Prozac, is Lyn Brown and later she revealed 2 diabetes and suff ered services. people’s development,” he said. the only drug recommended for she had been diagnosed with the a great deal during the Data obtained by the Guard- Experts fear that some chil- youngsters, but other medica- condition in 2015. Corbyn told latter part of the election ian shows that 166,510 under- dren and young people are tion can be used as second-line ITV’s Peston on Sunday she was campaign” 18s, including 10,595 seven to given the drugs because there treatment if fl uoxetine does not “getting all the support necessary”. 12-year-olds and 537 aged six are such long waits for psycho- work. During the election campaign, The Hackney North and Stoke or younger were given medica- therapy on the NHS. David Taylor, the Royal Phar- Abbott faced criticism for her Newington MP, who increased tion typically used to treat de- Dr Antonis Kousoulis, a clini- maceutical Society’s spokesman performance after she stumbled her majority in the June 8 election, pression and anxiety between cian and assistant director at the on mental health medicines and several times during interviews said she struggled after facing six April 2015 and June 2016. Mental Health Foundation, said director of pharmacy and pa- and appeared unable to give de- or seven interviews in a row with- The fi gures, released by NHS the fi gures show “we are failing thology at the Maudsley hospital, tailed answers. out eating enough food - vital to England under the Freedom of to provide a choice of age-ap- said: “Anti-depressants are only In one interview with LBC Ra- managing her blood sugar levels. Information Act, also show a 12% propriate psychological treat- used in children in circumstances dio, she mistakenly said plans to Corbyn said: “Diane suff ers rise in the numbers taking the ments at the point of the need”. where there is clear support from boost police numbers by 10,000 from type 2 diabetes and suff ered drugs over the same time period. “GPs overprescribe anti-de- robust clinical trials. Adolescents would cost £300,000. It led to a great deal during the latter part Dr Marc Bush, a senior policy pressants often because of the with anxiety, obsessive compul- a barrage of criticism from the of the election campaign. I had a adviser at the charity Young long-waiting lists for special- sive disorder and post-traumatic Actor Josh Duhamel arrives for world premiere of Conservatives who said she chat with her during that period Minds, said the statistics were ist services,” he said. “But the stress disorder may be prescribed Transfomers, The Last Night, at a cinema in central could not “add up”. and we felt that it was right that “substantial” and underlined evidence that these medicines anti-depressants, and fl uoxetine London, Britain, yesterday. She also pulled out of an inter- she took a break from intensive the fact that large numbers of are eff ective in children is not is used in depression.” view with BBC’s Woman’s Hour campaigning at a national level.” Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 15 EUROPE

Macron party wins massive majority in French parliament More than 60 die in

AFP Offi cial statistics showed Paris turnout at a near 60-year low, revealing a high degree of elec- tion fatigue after four votes in rench President Em- under two months. Portugal forest fi re manuel Macron’s cen- “People are tired of always Ftrist party won a mas- seeing the same faces,” said Reuters sive majority in parliamentary Natacha Dumay, a 59-year-old Pedrogao Grande, Portugal elections yesterday, early pro- teacher voting in the north- jections showed, dominating eastern Paris suburb of Pantin the country’s traditional forces where Socialist former justice huge forest fi re raging in a dramatic re-drawing of the minister Elisabeth Guigou was since Saturday in central political map. voted out a week ago. APortugal has killed at least Macron’s year-old Republic “Even if we don’t know the 62 people, most of them dying in on the Move (LREM, La Repub- new faces it’s not important. their cars as they tried to fl ee, the lique en Marche) and their al- We’re not voting for individu- government said yesterday. lies were set to win between 355 als but for a programme,” Du- “The dimension of this fi re was and 425 seats in the 577-seat may added. such that we don’t have memory National Assembly, accord- Turnout will be closely of such a human tragedy,” Prime ing to partial results after the watched after it hit a near Minister Antonio Costa said in second round of an election in 60-year low in the June 11 Pedrogao Grande, the mountain- which many high-profi le fi g- fi rst round of voting, leading ous region about 200km north- ures were thrown out. some to warn Macron that his east of Lisbon. The result, if confi rmed, mandate is not as strong as he Most victims were caught in would give 39-year-old Ma- thinks. their vehicles on the road while cron one of France’s biggest LREM won 32% of the votes fl eeing fl ames that were destroy- post-war majorities, strength- cast in the fi rst round, but this ing their homes. ening his hand in implement- represented only about 15% of The prime minister said the ing his business-friendly, pro- registered voters. death toll could rise as fi refi ght- EU programme. “Go and vote!” Prime Min- ers inspected charred remains But turnout was estimated ister Edouard Philippe urged of some buildings in remote vil- to be extremely low, at around on Thursday, calling it both “a lages. 44%, giving his critics grounds right and a responsibility”. Police said a lightning strike to claim that he has no ground- Around half of LREM’s can- on a tree probably caused the swell of support. didates are virtual unknowns blaze on Saturday in a region hit The assembly is set to be drawn from diverse fi elds of by an intense heat wave and dry, transformed with a new gener- academia, business or local ac- gusty winds, which has fanned ation of lawmakers – younger, tivism. the fl ames. more ethnically diverse and They include a mathemati- The prime minister said the with far more women than the cian, a female bullfi ghter and a emergency services acted as fast outgoing parliament. former Rwandan orphan. as they could but acknowledged The scale of the change is The other half are a mix of that some of the eff orts like alert- forecast to be so large that centrists and moderate left- ing the population might have some observers have compared and right-wing politicians been hindered because the blaze Exhausted firefighters rest the overhaul to 1958, the start drawn from established parties had ruined phone lines and com- metres away from a wildfire of the present presidential including ally MoDem. munications towers. at Penela, Coimbra, central system, or even the post-war Le Pen’s victory was a rare “What happened was cables Portugal. rebirth of French democracy in bright spot for Le Pen’s nation- and communications towers 1945. alist and anti-EU party which were destroyed by the fi re, even sage: “Solidarity with Portugal, Just months ago, Macron was once hoping to emerge their fi rst replacements melted,” hit by terrible fi res. Our thoughts was given little chance of be- as the principal opposition to he said. “But nothing compro- are with victims. France makes coming president, never mind Macron but is now expected to mised the fi refi ghting eff orts.” its aid available to Portugal.” dominating parliament, but he have only a handful of lawmak- Most communications have In one village of Nodeirinho, and the movement he founded ers. been restored, but Costa called where 11 residents died, state 16 months ago have tapped into The hard-left France Un- on residents listen to the radio television RTP showed burnt out widespread desire for change. bowed is also struggling to and heed any offi cial advice. cars and blackened houses. His party dominated maintain the momentum it had The government declared Shocked residents said a whole France’s traditional parties, during the presidential elec- three days of mourning and sent family that was trying to fl ee their the right-wing Republicans tion. two army battalions to help the home in a car had been caught in and Socialists, but also the Jean-Luc Melenchon, the emergency services. “a tornado of fl ames”. far-right National Front (FN) fi rebrand leader of the move- The European Union said it “It does not seem real, it is out of defeated presidential candi- ment, is running for election in would provide fi refi ghting air- of this world ... it is a real infer- date Marine Le Pen which fell the southern city of Marseille craft. no, we have never seen anything far short of its target. on a promise to lead resist- France has off ered three planes like that,” the mayor of Pedrogao The Socialists were the big- ance to Macron’s radical labour and Spain has sent two, authori- Grande Valdemar Alves told re- gest losers of the night, pun- market reforms. ties said. porters, adding that more than ished by association with years Apart from loosening la- Speaking in the Vatican, Pope 20 villages had been aff ected. of high unemployment, social bour laws to try to boost em- Francis, who visited Portugal last Alongside 62 confi rmed dead, unrest and lost national confi - ployment, Macron also plans month, mentioned the victims in another 54 people have been in- dence. measures to deepen European his weekly address. jured and taken to hospitals. The party lost around 200 integration and an overhaul of “I am close to the dear people Four are in a serious condition. A police off icer walks on a road past burnt cars in Figueiro dos Vinhos. seats after fi ve years in power the social security system. of Portugal, hit by a devastating More than 600 fi refi ghters under former president Fran- He has vowed to take on fi re which is raging in the forests were still battling the fl ames yes- helicopters and fi re planes from He said that “it was not pos- fi ghters for hours as their homes cois Hollande, leaving them French unions by creating a around Pedrogao Grande, caus- terday. dropping water on the fl ames ef- sible to do more than what has burned. with only around 27 to 49 seats. system of “fl exi-security” in- ing many victims and injuries. Several local highways were fi ciently for most of the day. been done” in prevention and re- Many blamed poor forestry re- The Republicans hung on spired by Scandinavian coun- Let us pray in silence,” he said. shut for safety reasons. President Marcelo Rebelo de sponding to the fi re. serve planning and depopulation to between 97 and 130 seats, tries which combines a solid French President Emmanuel The authorities said that very Sousa visited the site at night and Some local residents said that of remote villages that left many down from over 200 in the last state-funded safety net with Macron said in a Twitter mes- low smoke clouds prevented expressed his condolences. they had been left without fi re- wooded areas untended. parliament, and remain the company-friendly legislation. main opposition party. His confi dent start at home, Le Pen’s FN were only ex- where he has concentrated on pected to win four to eight seats trying to restore the lost pres- but she was elected an MP. tige of the president, and his But despite the zest for po- decisive action on the interna- Nato holds war game around litical renewal, the vote failed tional stage has led to a host of to generate much excitement. positive headlines. defence of Baltic weak spot

Reuters fence of the potential fl ashpoint. Russia’s 2014 annexation of Suwalki Gap, Polish-Lithuanian “The gap is vulnerable because Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in Border of the geography. It’s not inevita- the Black Sea has changed Nato’s ble that there’s going to be an at- calculations, seeing Russia in- This picture taken on June 17 shows US army soldiers take part in tack, of course, but ... if that was creasingly as an adversary. Suwalki gap defence exercise in Mikyciai, Lithuania. S and British troops have closed, then you have three allies Before then, no forces from carried out the fi rst large- that are potentially isolated from other alliance members were be needed in case of a real at- said Lieutenant Colonel Steven Uscale Nato defensive drill the rest of the alliance”, US Lieu- stationed in the Baltic states; tack, but it is important for us Gventer, who leads the US bat- on the border between Poland tenant General Ben Hodges told now four battlegroups total- because it shows that allies share tlegroup in Orzysz. and Lithuania, rehearsing for a Reuters. ling just over 4,500 troops have our worries”, said Brigadier Gen- Nato offi cials believe Moscow possible scenario in which Rus- Russia denies any plans to in- been deployed in Estonia, Latvia, eral Valdemaras Rupsys, head of will hold its own exercise in Rus- sia might try to sever the Baltic vade the Baltics, and says it is Lithuania, and Poland. Lithuania’s land forces. sia and Belarus on a much greater states from the rest of the West- Nato that is threatening stability The Poles have been pushing Simulating a covert insertion scale in September, possibly in- Macron casts his ballot at a polling station in Le Touquet, ern alliance. in Eastern Europe by building up other Nato allies to use some of of forces, three American heli- volving 100,000 troops, under northern France, during the second round of the French The frontier runs for 104km its military presence there and these troops to secure the vul- copters landed in a fi eld in rural the codename “Zapad” (West). parliamentary elections. (65 miles) through farmland, staging such war games. nerable Suwalki corridor and de- Lithuania on Saturday, startling Baltic offi cials believe Moscow woods and low hills, in an area But Hodges, who commands ter potential Russian aggression. grazing horses and cows, in an will also rehearse an attack on the known as the Suwalki Gap. US forces in Europe, said it was But while 1,500 troops took area several hours’ drive from Suwalki Gap during Zapad. Four missing after Greenland tsunami If seized by Russia, it would cut crucial for the alliance to show it part in this weekend’s exercises, where a US battalion is stationed “I think it’s important for the off Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. was ready. a Lithuanian commander cau- at Orzysz base in Poland. soldiers to train on land that they Four people were reported missing after an earthquake off Over two days, US helicop- “We have to practice, we have tioned that it would take more to “The training helps present a may have to defend some day,” Greenland’s west coast triggered a tsunami, police in the Arctic ters and British aircraft took part to demonstrate that we can sup- defend the gap in the event of a credible defence force that hope- said Major General John Gronski, island said yesterday. in exercises that also involved port allies in keeping (the Gap) genuine confl ict. fully will deter aggression, but deputy commander, US Army The four missing were in one of 11 buildings hit or swept away troops from Poland, Lithuania open, in maintaining that con- “This is only a small-scale if not, we’ll be prepared to move Europe, observing the exercise in by the tsunami, which hit the island of Nuugaatsiaq on Saturday and Croatia in a simulated de- nection,” he said. drill compared to what would to defend the borders of Nato,” Lithuania. evening, following the earthquake, Greenland police chief Bjorn Tegner Bay said. “I cannot confirm any fatalities,” Tegner Bay told a news conference in the capital, Nuuk, Greenland broadcaster KNR reported. Seven people were injured, two seriously, according to police. Turkey detains 21 workers over army food poisoning Smoke break separates mum and son AFP The soldiers at the barracks in tained, Manisa chief prosecutor alarming for the army because “We don’t see a signifi cant As she took a quick puff on her cigarette, the train carrying her six- Istanbul the western Manisa province ate Akif Celalettin Simsek said in a less than a month ago, the same problem, just some of our sol- year-old son puff ed out of sight. a meal of soup, rice, chicken and statement, according to the Ana- barracks was struck by food poi- diers are being kept in for ob- Police in Rome reported yesterday that a mother travelling with her yoghurt but hundreds were then dolu news agency. soning, in which one soldier lost servation,” he said. “No one is in son on a Milan-to-Naples express train decided to step out onto the urkey has detained 21 em- rushed to hospital with stomach Local opposition MP Tur his life. intensive care or has their life in platform in the Italian capital for a cigarette break. ployees of a catering fi rm pains and dizziness. Yildiz Bicer posted pictures on In a sign of the authorities’ danger”. However, the doors of the train suddenly closed and the train left. Tafter more than 700 sol- A total of 731 soldiers required Twitter of soldiers slumped on concern, Defence Minister Fikri Isik said 200 soldiers had been The passenger managed to alert staff at the station in Tiburtina to diers required medical attention medical attention while 21 work- benches in the hospital and oth- Isik visited the sick soldiers in hospitalised after the May food her blunder and was reunited with her son at the next station down in an outbreak of food poisoning ers with the catering contractor ers on a drip. hospital overnight, saying that all poisoning incident, which was the line. in the west of the country. who supplied the food were de- The situation is all the more were set to make a full recovery. caused by salmonella bacteria. Gulf Times 16 Monday, June 19, 2017 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup India vows to eradicate child slavery By Umaima Shafiq Reuters ists say millions more are at risk of work and prohibit using mi- we don’t have child slavery and with more than 40% of its 1.2bn These children are easy prey New Delhi due to poverty. nors in areas like armed confl ict, was hesitant to admit the worst people below the age of 18, ac- for traffi ckers, who promise a Customers pay Minister of Labour Bandaru prostitution or drug traffi cking forms of child labour exist here, cording to its 2011 census. better life but often end up sell- Dattatreya said in a statement re- – means nations must adopt the but now this government has An economic boom in the last ing them into forced labour or medical bills of ndia has ratifi ed two key cently the ratifi cation reaffi rmed standards and have their progress agreed that this is a problem and two decades has lifted millions debt bondage. eatery owner global agreements on eradi- the country’s “commitment to a reviewed every four years. that is why we are ratifying the out of poverty and progress has More than half of India’s child Icating child slavery, com- child labour free society.” Activist said successive gov- conventions,” he said. been made in curbing child la- workers are employed in agri- Javed Khan, a roadside vendor mitting the country to adopting The International Labour Or- ernments had resisted ratifi ca- The ratifi cations would mean bour with the introduction of culture and more than a quarter of fried snacks who had to shut international labour standards ganisation’s Convention on the tion due to a general denial of increased government spend- social welfare schemes and laws in manufacturing – embroider- shop due to a gangrenous leg, on the employment of minors Worst Forms of Child Labour the existence of child labour in ing on children, and also provide to protect minors and ensure ing clothes, weaving carpets or was stunned when his customers and allowing it to be subjected to and the Minimum Age Conven- India. a strong legal tool for charities education. making match sticks. pooled in to pay his medical scrutiny by other nations. tion form the bedrock of global Nobel Laureate and child seeking to strengthen policy Nonetheless, India is home to Children also work in restau- bills at Kottaimedu area of India’s census found there guidelines for countries to legis- rights activist Kailash Satyarthi on child labour in the country’s more than 30% of the world’s rants and hotels and as domestic Coimbatore recently. were more than 4mn labourers late nationally. called the ratifi cations a para- courts, Satyarthi added. 385mn most impoverished chil- workers. Khan had many customers for his aged between fi ve and 14 in 2011 Ratifying the conventions – digm shift. India has one of largest popu- dren, according to a 2016 World Many girls are sold to brothels mincemeat fries particularly during out of 168mn globally, but activ- which specify a minimum age “For years, India was saying lations of children in the world, Bank and Unicef report. for sexual slavery. the month of Ramadan. Among them was filmmaker Aravind, who first visited him to make a documentary on the 1998 bomb blasts in Coimbatore. Aravind and his crew visited the shop every day and became friendly with Javed, his wife and two children. On a recent visit he was shocked to hear that Javed had shut shop Presidential and left for Kerala to amputate his leg. Aravind immediately put a charity alert online that got nearly 4,500 donations from India and abroad. The money collected helped Javed pay his medical bills and loans. Some election: BJP multinational companies have even promised professional help besides educating his children. Wild elephants spark fear in woos allies, Coonoor town

Tension gripped Coonoor after five wild elephants strayed into the town in the Nilgiris hill resort from the adjacent forest last week. other parties The five pachyderms including a calf wandered into Kotagiri IANS BJP president Amit Shah yes- spoken to leaders of the Trina- road and damaged the gate of a New Delhi terday met its sulking ally and mool Congress and Biju Janata house and settled down inside a Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thack- Dal. tea estate near Kannimariamman eray and his son Aditya in Mum- The BJP, which has an edge in Street. They remained there he Bharatiya Janata Party bai to ensure the Sena’s crucial the electoral college, is seeking to during daytime but visited the yesterday stepped up its support in the July 17 presidential muster maximum support for its town’s pond to bathe in the Teff orts to gather support election. nominee to ensure a comfortable nights. The district forest off icers for its unnamed presidential But the BJP’s oldest ally has victory. have begun to chase them back nominee, with its top leaders been pitching for the candidature This is why it has reached out into the forest reserve using talking to allies Shiv Sena and of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to parties like the BJD, which is domesticated elephants. Lok Janshakti Party as well as the chief Mohan Bhagwat as the opposed to the Congress. But the Meanwhile, forest off icers also opposition Trinamool Congress “fi rst choice” and eminent agro- Trinamool is part of the opposi- rescued a two-year-old spotted and Biju Janata Dal. scientist M S Swaminathan as a tion on the presidential election. deer that had fallen into a The party also disclosed that second preference. Both Bhag- On the opposition side, there 50ft-deep well at Ettimadai in the National Democratic Alliance wat and BJP have already ruled are hints that the non-BJP parties Madukarai town in suburban candidate will fi le the nomina- out fi elding him. may announce their candidate by Coimbatore. tion before June 24. It was not clear what Sena’s re- Wednesday if the BJP does not The BJP and allied MPs are sponse was to Shah’s plea. In the come out with its nominee. being called to New Delhi by to- last two presidential elections, Communist Party of India Two engineers morrow to sign the nomination the Shiv Sena did not support the (Marxist) general secretary Si- among 3 held papers. Each nomination paper NDA candidate. taram Yechury reportedly sug- has to be signed by at least 50 Information and Broadcasting gested on Saturday that the op- for robbery proposers and an equal number Minister M Venkaiah Naidu yes- position should announce its of seconders who can also be terday held discussions with fed- candidate by June 21. He had de- Three men, two of them state legislators. eral minister Ram Vilas Paswan, scribed the government consul- engineers who were also The BJP-led NDA’s attempt is who heads the Lok Janshakti tations as a “PR exercise”. brothers, were arrested for to fi le at least three-four sets of Party. Naidu also met Samajwadi The Left parties are pitching stealing jewels and vehicles at nominations of its candidate so Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav and for a contest because they feel Srirangam in Tiruchi last week. that all allies can get to sign. Naresh Agrawal. the presidential election was in a Following complaints, police BJP sources said the nomina- Informed sources said Naidu way an ideological battle and the caught the brothers during a tion will be fi led before Prime briefed Shah about his discus- Rashtrapati Bhavan’s occupant routine check at a traff ic island. Minister Narendra Modi leaves sions. should be a person with impec- They found that Jamukeshwaran on his three-nation foreign tour. Paswan said his party will cable secular credentials and one and Aksharajan were using a Modi will visit Portugal on June stand by the prime minister’s who can uphold the Constitution. stolen two-wheeler. The police 24, before his trip to the US on decision while the Samajwadi They are said to be considering also recovered two chains from June 26 and the Netherlands on Party is understood to have fa- the name of Gopalakrishna Gan- them. Later the men surrendered June 27. voured a politician as the new dhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson about 55 sovereigns of gold By then, the opposition par- president. and a former West Bengal gov- jewellery besides helping trace ties will be told about the NDA Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, ernor. The name of JD-U leader Hariharan, the third suspect. candidate. The last date for fi ling part of a three-member panel set Sharad Yadav has also cropped The three suspects come for of nominations is June 28. The up by Shah to evolve a consen- up as a presidential contender on upper middle class families and prime minister is set to return sus among ruling and opposition grounds that he is a veteran po- took to robbery for quick money. BJP chief Amit Shah being welcomed by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai yesterday. home a day before that. parties on the presidency, has litical personality. Petrol stations in Jaya’s name Food and Civil Supplies Minister R ‘India wants to deepen Kamaraj has announced that the ‘Locked up’ land enough to Tamil Nadu government will soon open petrol stations under their strategic ties with China’ late leader Jayaram Jayalalithaa’s political moniker Amma at ten places across the state. build housing for all: experts IANS mutual respect and mutual co- However unlike other Amma Beijing operation,” he said. services off ering products at On Friday, China said the for- subsidised prices, the petrol Reuters ing land is the biggest problem “India has suffi cient land for plan for its use,” A A Rao told eign ministers of Brazil, Russia, stations will trade at prevailing Mumbai for aff ordable housing, but the all uses, including housing, if the Thomson Reuters Founda- ndia looks forward to more India, China and South Africa oil prices. government is sitting on so we use our existing resources tion. mutual dialogue with China, would have a candid discussion Most of these will be located much land that is lying idle,” with prudence,” Lahiry said. “Aff ordable housing will be IMinister of State for External on terrorism. on national highways in ndia should use excess land said Shivani Chaudhry, ex- “We need to evaluate land a priority.” Aff airs V K Singh said yesterday India might raise the issue of collaboration with oil marketing held by government agen- ecutive director at New Delhi- use and take stock of land that A quarter of India’s urban as he met Chinese Foreign Min- China blocking the ban on Paki- companies, said Kamaraj. The Icies to meet its goal of pro- based advocacy group Hous- is locked up with PSUs. Using population lives in informal ister Wang Yi on the eve of a stani militant Masood Azhar at expected locations are at Salem, viding housing for all by 2022, ing and Land Rights Network. idle land for vital civic infra- housing such as slums, ac- Brics foreign minsters’ confer- the UN. Chennai, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, experts and activists said, as “PSUs could easily work structure such as hospitals, cording to social consultancy ence. Azhar, head of the Jaish-e- Tiruvarur, Vellore, Nagapattinam, the country struggles with with the ministry of housing roads and aff ordable housing FSG. India also wanted to deepen Mohamed (JeM) terror group, is Madurai, Villupuram and Karur. rising confl icts over land for to see how best to address this is important, given the con- That number is set to rise strategic ties with China, the vis- wanted in India for the January industry, infrastructure and issue, but they would rather tentious nature of land acqui- as tens of thousands of people iting minister said. 2016 terror attack at the Indian its citizens. monetise the land in other sition.” leave their villages to seek bet- Ties between the two coun- Air Force base at Pathankot in 6 held for duping The government recent- ways.” Some of these surplus gov- ter prospects in cities. tries have taken a hit over a host Punjab. diamond merchant ly launched a long-delayed ernment-held lands have been The government’s Hous- of issues which range from In- China has also blocked India’s process to sell 2,000 acres of “PSUs could easily work encroached upon by the urban ing for All plan aims to cre- dia’s objection to the China- bid to enter the NSG. Six men including a notorious unused land belonging to un- with the ministry of poor struggling with a lack of ate 20mn new urban housing Pakistan Economic Corridor to The factor of Pakistan, China’s gangster were arrested for duping profi table state-owned en- housing to see how best aff ordable housing. units and 30mn rural homes. Beijing’s continuous opposition “all-weather ally”, comes into a Kerala-based diamond merchant terprises – known in India as to address this issue, Government committees Availability of land to meet to New Delhi’s membership of play in both issues. of Rs700,000 of jewellery at a public sector undertakings but they would rather over the years have failed to this goal is a challenge. the Nuclear Suppliers Group. China argues that if India can lodge in Periamet area of Chennai (PSUs). monetise the land in sell off these lands because of Confl icts over land have “India looks forward to be let in the NSG without being last week. The railways, ports, avia- other ways” a lack of clear guidelines, in- risen as demand grows for strengthening and deepening its a signatory to the Nuclear Non- Sooraj told police that two gang tion and defence ministries adequate records and a lack of industrial and infrastructure strategic partnership and mutual Proliferation Treaty, why not Pa- members led him to their leader S also hold vast tracts of surplus India’s state-owned en- co-ordination between vari- projects to drive growth and dialogue,” Singh said at the Di- kistan. Shyam Sundar Singh, at a house in land. terprises hold more than 1mn ous ministries. boost development for India’s aoyutai State Guesthouse. On Azhar, China says evidence Vadapalani where he was forced A portion of this land held acres of surplus land, accord- A spokesman for the min- 1.3bn citizens. He called the meeting between produced against the Pakistan- at gunpoint to surrender his by the government must be ing to some estimates. istry of housing said plans to Earlier this year, the Su- Prime Minister Narendra Modi based terrorist is not enough. jewels. Shyam Sundar, a native of given to states to build hous- Government enterprises create a land bank are on track. preme Court asked seven and Chinese President Xi Jinping At last year’s Brics summit in southern Tirunelveli district, is a ing for poor and low-income themselves are unsure how “The government has asked states why land bought for at the Shanghai Co-operation India, China was non-committal wanted man in murder, robbery, groups to meet India’s goal of much land they have, said Sa- PSUs how much unused land special economic zones is ly- Organisation Summit in Astana on including the names of terror kidnappings and extortion. Police Housing for All by 2022, ex- mar Lahiry, a former adviser they have. Once there is a clear ing idle, after an advocacy as “fruitful and constructive”. groups like JeM and Lashkar- traced the gang’s location based perts and activists said. to the government’s planning idea of how much land there is, group said about 80% of such “They laid down directions e-Taiba (LeT) in the Brics’ Goa on their cell phone records. “The government says fi nd- commission. the government will draw up a land is unused. for us and for both countries for Declaration. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 17 INDIA

OFFBEAT CRIME INVESTIGATION SCAM POLITICS Woman gives birth Woman off icer gets death Man held in Delhi for Nagas demand probe into File case against CM, on Jet Airways flight threat from mining mafia running fake call centre ex-police off icial’s wealth ministers: Stalin

A Kerala woman gave birth to a healthy boy A woman Indian Administrative Service (IAS) A man has been arrested on charges of running The Naga Hoho, the apex body of all Naga Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K while flying at a height of 35,000ft on Jet off icer of Madhya Pradesh has received a a fake job call centre and duping 200 jobless tribes of Nagaland, yesterday demanded a Stalin yesterday criticised the “delay in filing Airways’ Dammam-Kochi flight yesterday death threat from the state’s mining mafia people from north Delhi’s Azadpur area, police said Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe over the an Election Commissioned-recommended” morning, off icials said. Both mother and child following which her security has been beefed yesterday. Narender Gaurav, who allegedly duped alleged unaccounted wealth of former state criminal case against Tamil Nadu Chief are in “stable condition”. Jet’s 9W-569 flight, up, off icial sources said yesterday. Sonia Meena young men by promising them jobs in a well- police off icial M K R Pillai. “We appealed to the Minister K Palaniswami and other ministers with 162 passengers on board, was diverted to is the Additional District Magistrate and Zila known ayurveda company in Delhi, was arrested state government to take appropriate steps to and warned that his party will go to courts if Mumbai for handling the medical emergency as Panchayat Chief Executive Off icer in Umaria on Saturday night from his Azadpur residence, ensure that all the ‘illegitimate’ activities of Pillai this was not done. The Election Commission the 29-year-old C Jose, who was travelling alone, district. Earlier, she was posted as Sub-Divisional the police said. “We received a complaint from allegedly carried out during both his active career had ordered the Tamil Nadu chief electoral went into premature labour when the plane was Magistrate in Rajnagar in Chhattarpur district, a Patanjali Ayurved Limited’s off icial that a fake and as consultant to the Police Department are officer to get a criminal complaint registered flying in Pakistan airspace. The flight crew made where she had impounded sand-laden trucks call centre is active in various parts of Delhi fully exposed. He is to be brought to justice for against Palaniswami and five ministers on an announcement to find out if there was any of sand mafia boss Arjun Singh Bundela. He and the National Capital Region and many job- his actions,” said Naga Hoho president Chuba charge of attempting to bribe voters during doctor on board, but there was only a trained then allegedly threatened her. In a letter to seekers were duped in the company’s name,” Ozukum. Tax oficials in Kerala’s have unearthed the R K Nagar assembly by-election, Stalin paramedic who stepped forward to help. Upon Chief Secretary Basant Pratap Singh, Meena Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijayanta Arya unaccounted money worth Rs4bn from the said in a statement. He said the poll panel had landing, the mother and child were rushed to sought adequate security since she has to travel said. Gaurav told the police he earlier worked in Sreevalasam Group owned by Pillai, who was also sent a 34-page report by the Income Tax the Holy Spirit Hospital in Andheri east where to Chhattarpur district to submit documents/ a consultancy firm but later set up his own fake working as a consultant for the Nagaland police’s Department to the state chief electoral officer their condition was reported to be “stable”. evidence in court about the seizures. firm and cheated people to make easy money. motor transport wing after his retirement. and the chief secretary. Govt to allow late fi ling in fi rst two months of GST, says Jaitley

Agencies have already signed up for the New Delhi GST, Jaitley said, more than four-fi fths of those already reg- istered to pay India’s old busi- ndia will launch a new na- ness taxes. tional Goods and Services At yesterday’s meeting, offi - ITax (GST) as planned on July cials also agreed on several sets 1, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of GST rules, including anti- said yesterday, but will let com- profi teering guidelines intended panies fi le late returns for the to prevent traders exploiting the fi rst two months so that they can reform to ramp up prices. adapt to a new online fi ling sys- “We want to keep it as a deter- tem. rent and hope we are not com- The GST, the biggest tax re- pelled to use the APA (anti-prof- form in India’s 70-year history, iteering authority),” the fi nance will require fi rms to fi le three minister said. GJM supporters take part in a rally with the bodies of protesters that they had been killed during clashes with security forces a day earlier, in Darjeeling yesterday. online returns each month. Adhia said that under the pro- Some business lobby groups posed APA, a company can be have urged a delay to the rollout asked to roll back the price and to allow more time to get ready. also refund an amount equal to Jaitley, speaking after a meet- what it has made through the ing of a GST co-ordination pan- hike in prices. el, said there would be “a slight “It will have a sunset clause of relaxation of time” covering two years,” Adhia said. July and August before the strict The GST council also decided Dead paraded as unrest GST fi ling timetable would apply on a two-slab structure for tax- from September. ing lottery tickets, which Jaitley Companies would be able to said proved to be a contentious fi le simplifi ed, aggregate returns issue. in July and August, with a dead- While state-run lotteries will line of the 20th of the following be taxed at 12% under the GST, month, said Revenue Secretary state-authorised private lotter- continues in Darjeeling Hasmukh Adhia. ies will attract tax at the highest Once fully up and running, the rate of 28%. Agencies West Bengal Director Gen- A spokesman for GJM said Internet services in riot-aff ect- Tension has been mounting GST would require companies The council deferred a deci- Darjeeling eral of Police Anuj Sharma said the body of the third alleged ed areas. in the region since the govern- to fi le a complete return of their sion on e-way bills due to lack of the dead man appeared to have victim was in a hospital await- Terming the situation in the ment announced it was mak- sales invoices by the 10th of the consensus, which means states been shot but the circumstanc- ing postmortem. hills as “very very volatile”, GJM ing Bengali mandatory in state following month, with a second which have an e-way bill struc- undreds of protesters es were still unclear. State police strongly denied leader Amar Singh Rai claimed schools – angering the state’s of their purchase invoices by the ture in place can continue with yesterday paraded with Police have denied using live the charge that live rounds were a separate state was the biggest Gorkha population, who speak 15th. it, while others are exempt. Hcoffi ns containing the ammunition. used. priority for them and rebuff ed Nepali. A third return would calculate “Till a consolidated rule is bodies of two men they claimed But supporters of the Gorkha “The police did not open fi re. any possibility of discussions Gorkhas have been agitating their tax bill. framed by consensus, the tran- were killed in clashes with se- Janmukti Morcha (GJM) – a Gunshots came from the other with the West Bengal govern- for decades for a new state within “Relaxation for fi ling transac- sient rule will continue,” Jaitley curity forces in Darjeeling, as separatist movement that has side,” Sharma said. ment. West Bengal, claiming Bengali- tion-wise returns in July, August said on the e-way bill issue. the hill resort reels from separa- long called for a separate state The upswing in violence “The situation is still very vol- speaking outsiders have exploited will provide relief to the indus- E-way bill is an electronic tist unrest. for ethnic Gorkhas in West Ben- began when police raided the atile. A dialogue has to be opened. their resources and imposed their try,” said Harishanker Subrama- way bill for movement of goods Nearly 50 people, mostly gal – dispute this, saying three homes and offi ces of GJM mem- But I know that our party will not culture and language. niam, head of indirect tax at EY which can be generated on the police, have been injured in ri- of their comrades were shot bers, prompting authorities to have a dialogue with the state A similar uprising in 2007 India. GST Network (GSTN) portal. ots and arson attacks that have dead by police in the clashes. deploy troops and riot police to government alone,” Rai said. saw Gorkhas granted some ad- The GST marks a technologi- Movement of goods of more rattled the picturesque hill sta- “Three of our comrades were patrol the streets of the famed “We will seek a discussion ministrative powers. cal leap forward for India – it will than Rs50,000 in value cannot tion for more than a week and killed and fi ve were critically tea-producing resort in West with the central government. Many groups in India have be driven by an IT back end that be eff ected by a registered person caused thousands of tourists to injured in police gunfi re yes- Bengal. But only on one agenda – which waged similar campaigns to can process up to 5bn invoices a without an e-way bill. pack their bags and fl ee. terday,” GJM’s general secretary The troubles have dealt a is a separate state of Gorkha- break away from larger states, month. Briefi ng reporters earlier dur- As the violence escalated Roshan Giri said. major blow to the crucial tour- land,” he added. mostly on linguistic and ethnic It also poses a huge challenge ing a pause in the meeting, And- sharply on Saturday, police said Hundreds of mourners yes- ism industry, leaving the nor- The hills are famous for Dar- grounds or in hope of economic for larger companies to remodel hra Pradesh Finance Minister one man died and 35 policemen terday silently escorted the cof- mally busy destination deserted jeeling tea whose production is benefi ts. their business process, while Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said were hurt as protesters torched fi ns of the two men through the as shops, schools and banks jealously guarded. The last successful cam- many small-time traders lack the he has requested that textiles cars and set upon security forc- streets of Darjeeling, waving closed. It is also famed for its “toy paign saw the state of Telangana technological know-how to cope. and fertilisers be exempted from es with knives, who responded India’s tricolour fl ag and post- Authorities yesterday ap- train” – a 78km uphill ride from carved out of Andhra Pradesh in More than 6.5mn businesses the GST. with tear gas and baton charges. ers calling for peace. peared to have blocked mobile New Jalpaiguri. 2014.

Quality healthcare not a luxury Congress blames Kerala but a necessity, says Mukherjee govt for dengue outbreak IANS ahead of rains in the state. No Thiruvananthapuram measure was taken to do clean- IANS our requirement stands at,” He also spoke against attacks ing operations that generally take Udupi, Karnataka Mukherjee said, stressing that by patients’ relatives on doctors, place before the arrival of mon- the shortage of doctors requires calling for co-operation between ongress leader Ramesh soon rains,” Chennithala said. immediate intervention and em- doctors, medical personalities Chennithala yesterday “The temporary cleaning staff resident Pranab Mukher- phasised on more focus and in- and patients, their friends and Cmet Kerala Chief Minis- were terminated and hence no jee yesterday said quality vestments in the fi eld of preven- relatives. ter Pinarayi Vijayan to brief him proper sanitation programme Phealthcare was a necessity tive healthcare. “Sometimes we fi nd that if a about the “health department’s was conducted,” the Congress for every individual and under- Mukherjee called for ample patient dies, the angry mob led failure” to contain a dengue out- leader added. lined the need to ensure better infrastructure at the district and by their relatives vandalises the break in the state. Chennithala also said there infrastructure in rural areas so other rural areas and to encour- hospital, beats the physician On Saturday 19,000 patients was a shortage of medicines and that doctors serve there. age doctors and practitioners to or surgeons. This is not good. were admitted to various hos- health professionals to tackle the At the foundation of the serve there. The president also No civilised society can toler- pitals with fever; 680 of them fever. Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji emphasised on the need to in- ate it,” he said. “Yes, doctors can were suspected dengue cases, of “We are not going to launch any Abdullah Super Speciality Hos- crease engagement of the cor- try, medicines can do wonders, which 138 tested positive. Also, sort of protest. Instead, we have pital here, the president said porate sector in public-private but at the same time one has to 11 people died on Saturday, tak- directed all our legislators to see quality healthcare was not a partnership in the fi eld of public keep in mind that there would be ing the dengue toll in the state to that they take the lead and on June luxury but a necessity and noted health, especially in rural areas. deaths. This type of vandalism 115 this year. 20, start massive cleaning opera- that against the international “Though advances in mod- should be condemned.” According to reports, the worst tions in their constituencies.” norm of one doctor per thousand ern medicine and investment Karnataka Health Minister aff ected districts are Thiru- “The health department, in- population, India had one doctor in health infrastructure have Ramesh Kumar and Bengalu- vananthapuram, Kozhikode and cluding the health minister, has for 1,700 people. made many diseases like chol- ru Development Minister K J Palakkad. Figures provided by the been a total failure and I have “The situation is more alarm- era, smallpox, plague and tuber- George were among the digni- health department indicate that asked Vijayan to see that he im- ing in rural India where the culosis curable, there is a huge taries present on the occasion. so far this month over 10,000 mediately takes corrective steps. shortage of surgeons is 83.4%, gap in our country for access to Later, the president visited people have visited hospitals eve- He has promised to intervene by obstetricians and gynaecologists medicine and healthcare, which the famous Sri Krishna temple in ryday with fever. calling a meeting of top health 76.3%, paediatricians 82.1% and is skewed in terms of infrastruc- this pilgrim town in coastal Dak- After meeting Vijayan, Chen- offi cials,” added Chennithala. general physicians 83% at the ture and personnel,” he said. shina Kannada district. nithala, who is also Leader of Op- However, Health Minister K level of the community health Asserting that only a healthy Ahead of the president’s visit, position in the Kerala Assembly, K Shylaja defended her depart- centres,” he said. mind and healthy body can be shops around the temple and said “the situation is very grave”. ment’s initiatives and said “its “This is compounded by the the abode of God, the president along the Car Street were shut Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah drapes a shawl on “This peculiar situation has work before the rains is unprec- fact that we educate and train said access to aff ordable health- by the district administration for President Pranab Mukherjee as Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai risen because the health depart- edented but the results appear about 50% less doctors than care should be the objective. security reasons. Vala looks at the HAL airport in Bengaluru yesterday. ment failed to rise to the occasion diff erent”. Gulf Times 18 Monday, June 19, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

Break the silence on Three killed in blast at femicides: Dominican upscale mall in Bogota minister AFP Reuters Bogota Bogota

hree people including he discovery of a dismem- a young Frenchwoman bered body of a woman Twere killed and nine Tthis week in the Domini- wounded on Saturday when an can Republic has put the spot- explosion rocked an upscale light on high levels of femicides mall in Bogota, as Colombia’s in a country where one woman only active guerrilla group con- has been killed every two days in demned the blast. June alone. President Juan Manuel Santos The victim was Dominga said there were “no clear indica- Bautista Lora, 35, whose body tions” who was behind the ex- parts were found last Monday in plosion, emphasising that those a bag dumped in a ravine in the responsible would be captured President Santos addressing the media inside the shopping centre. province of Sanchez Ramirez. and held accountable. Her suspected killer has been “Terrorists are not going to “a device” was placed “behind The peace deal was initially arrested, according to local press change our ways,” he said at the one of the toilets in the women’s narrowly rejected by Colombi- reports. scene of the attack, urging Co- bathroom”. ans in a referendum, with critics The wave of femicides – the lombians to continue “normal Witness Andres Bermudez, saying it had been too lenient on killing of a woman by a man life” and enjoy the Father’s Day his hands still trembling after the Farc. because of her gender – in the holiday yesterday. the attack, said people were cry- A redrafted agreement from Caribbean nation is “terrifying”, Colombia’s leaders and main ing at the scene. Santos and the Farc has since said Janet Camilo, the country’s rebel groups pledged yesterday “It’s a miracle I’m alive,” he been pushed through congress. minister for women. that the mall bombing would told AFP outside the mall, which “Terrorists are not going to So far this year, 43 women not disrupt the country’s peace he was visiting to pay some bills. change our ways,” Santos said, The main entrance of the have been killed in gender-based process. The explosion comes at a deli- urging Colombians to continue Andino shopping centre is killings and six femicides have The victims – two Colombi- cate time for Colombia’s historic their normal lives and enjoy the seen after an explosive device been reported this month alone, ans and a Frenchwoman – per- peace process. Father’s Day holiday, though he detonated in a restroom on according to latest police fi gures, ished when a device exploded The country’s biggest rebel did not identify who could be Saturday. Camilo said. in a ladies’ toilet in the crowded group, the Revolutionary Armed behind Saturday’s attack. “We can’t continue to protect Andino shopping centre in Bo- Forces of Colombia (Farc), is A security council meeting – known as Timochenko – also these terrifying fi gures under the gota. scheduled to complete its disar- will take place “to discuss fur- denounced the explosion. mantle of silence, a silence that President Santos called the mament tomorrow. ther steps to ensure calm in Bo- “This act can only come from makes us accomplices of humili- incident a terrorist attack. The last active rebel force, gota”, he added. those who want to close the ation, harassment, beatings and Rebel groups condemned the the National Liberation Army Bogota Mayor Enrique Pena- roads of peace and reconcilia- murders,” Camilo told reporters blast and said it was an attempt (ELN), meanwhile, has started losa called Saturday’s incident tion,” he wrote on Twitter. this week. “I ask myself, what to undermine their steps along talks with the government, “a cowardly terrorist attack”. The blast was the second ma- kind of society are we becom- with the government to end Co- though confrontations with He said the Frenchwoman jor attack this year in the Co- ing.” lombia’s half-century civil con- state forces have been continu- who died, aged 23, had spent six lombian capital. Femicide largely stems from fl ict. ing. months working in a school in a In February the ELN claimed the Dominican Republic’s “ma- Police said that the explo- “Those who want to rain on poor neighbourhood. responsibility for a bombing at a cho” culture, which tends to sion occurred about 5pm (2200 the peace parade will not suc- The leftist ELN said on Twit- bullring in Bogota, which killed a blame women for the violence GMT) on Saturday, leaving peo- ceed,” said Santos, who won a ter it “condemns this deplorable police offi cer and wounded more infl icted on them and to condone ple to run for their lives in panic. Nobel Peace Prize last year for incident”, noting that the attack than 20 people. A woman is escorted by a medic following the explosion inside the it, campaigners say. “There was a strong boom sealing an accord with Farc lead- was “against civilians”. Colombia’s civil confl ict shopping centre. Victims of femicide usu- and the fl oor shook,” said shop ers. “We share the pain and stand erupted in 1964 over land rights. ally have a history of suff ering worker Milena Carcenas. “There “If this (bombing) is that kind in solidarity with the victims,” It has drawn in leftist guer- either of the leftist groups in- sponsible for killing civil leaders domestic violence and killers was smoke coming out of the of gesture, then rest assured that the group wrote. “The state rillas, right-wing paramilitary volved in the peace drive would and for actions against the peace are often the victims’ current bathroom. People were coming we will pursue those enemies of should investigate thoroughly to groups and state forces. have carried out the attack. eff ort.” or former partners, sometimes out of there covered in ash.” peace without rest and without identify those responsible.” Analyst Victor Currea-Logo But he told AFP: “There are Eff orts to disrupt the process, motivated by jealously or be- National police chief General quarter,” he said, speaking at the The leader of the communist- of Colombia’s National Uni- some far-right paramilitary- however, is unlikely he said, cit- cause a woman has refused to go Jorge Nieto told reporters that site of the blast. inspired Farc, Rodrigo Londono versity said that it was unlikely style groups who have been re- ing public support for peace. back with an ex-boyfriend, ac- tivists say. Latin America has the highest femicide rates in the world, ac- cording to UN Women. The Dominican Republic, along with 15 other countries in From hotels to slums, Haiti Latin America, has passed laws in recent years that defi ne and punish femicide as a specifi c crime. Earlier this month police re- puts used soap to good use ported another victim of femi- cide – Maria Cesarina Melo. She was strangled to death by By Amelie Baron, AFP kids to school and let them “eat Bottinelli, a company head at the distribute part of its own pro- a rope at the hands of her part- Port-au-Prince every day”. tender age of 28. duction to partner schools in ner, who then committed sui- The project, simple but eff ec- While some employees do not Jacmel. cide. tive, has had a remarkable im- know how to read the contracts The small company, still in the “What we have been seeing in Haitian programme to pact. Anacaona gives them, “we have development stage, is also play- recent years is shocking fi gures recycle used soap bars Laure Bottinelli discovered explained to them what a work ing a part in reducing water- in the Dominican Republic in Afrom luxury hotels has the idea of soap-recycling while contract means, that there are borne disease in Haiti, the poor- terms of violence against women proven a win-win-win propo- spending time in Southeast Asia. rules to be respected but also est country in the Americas. and girls, including femicide, An Anacaona staff er cleans used soap collected from a hotel in sition, reducing waste, helping Inspired to try something rights protecting them”. With 72% of Haitians lacking and the lack of appropriate re- Port-au-Prince. fi ght water-borne disease, and similar in Haiti, she and two as- In a country where informal- indoor toilets, the cholera epi- sponse from the authorities,” giving employees like Magoiana sociates in January 2016 created ity is the norm, she likes to point demic that started in 2010 has Robin Guittard, Caribbean cam- Below: Packaged recycled soap on display at Anacaona’s facilities. Fremond the chance to send her the Anacaona company, Haiti’s out that her company is properly spread across the country, kill- paigner at rights group Amnesty fi rst and only soap-recycling registered with commercial and ing nearly 10,000 people. International, told the Thomson enterprise. tax authorities. The lack of potable water has Reuters Foundation. They have already enlisted 25 The new soaps are made using made diarrhoeal diseases a lead- hotels in the plan, in both Port- only natural Haitian products ing cause of infant mortality, au-Prince and Jacmel, a week- and are wrapped in biodegrad- according to the World Health Chances fade for end destination for many for- able paper: the small company Organisation. eigners living in the capital. aspires to social responsibility Anacaona works with its part- rescuing trapped “In Haiti, nothing is ever and prefers hiring single moth- ner schools to be sure they teach miners in Chile wasted: Poverty is such that ers. basic hygiene rules to their stu- everything is recovered, reused dents. The chances of rescuing alive two in one way or another,” said Mai Anacaona has convinced And in the Cite Soleil, the miners trapped underground in Cardozo Stefanson, part of the 25 hotels in Haiti to take Caribbean’s most densely popu- southern Chile looked slim this management team at Montana, a part in the plan to recycle lated slum, the company pays weekend as the mine appeared to luxury hotel in Port-au-Prince. used soap community workers to spread be flooded, off icials said. “Normally, the staff saves the that message. A probe found water when it soap for their own use. But now “I can’t deny it, the Good Lord With questionnaires in hand, reached the lowest point of the they collect used bars and give brought us this job,” said Magoi- these “hygiene ambassadors” mine in Chile Chico, near Aysen them to Laure. In return, they ana Fremond, carefully wrap- criss-cross their neighbour- about 1,600km south of the receive clean, reconditioned ping a soap bar. hoods, knocking on the doors of capital, according to the head soap bars.” Before, she couldn’t aff ord to every rusty sheet-metal shanty of the rescue operation, General Plus, she added, “with the send her fi ve kids to school, pro- they encounter to fi rst assess the Fernando San Cristobal. cholera crisis we’re facing, there vide them food and pay the rent. inhabitants’ sanitary habits and “The mine is believed to be is the aspect of hygiene educa- And now? then share the essential rules of completely flooded,” he told tion”, another part of the work “Anacaona helps the coun- good health. reporters. done by Anacaona. try, and me, a lot: my children “Now, every time people see The accident took place June 9 Used soap bars collected from are in school, they eat every day. me in the neighbourhood, they as the two miners were working hotel rooms are shredded and Before, I rented an apartment, think about the advice I gave with heavy machinery following melted before being recondi- but now I’ve started building a them,” said Judeline Joseph, 25, flooding in the Delia II pit of tioned, jobs Anacaona’s three house,” she added with a proud with a laugh. “Sometimes they the Cerro Bayo mine, operated employees divide among them- smile. don’t have the money to buy by Canadian firm Mandalay selves. While the fi rst orders for Hai- what you need to treat the water. Resources. “I didn’t come back to Haiti to tian soaps were sent to French But some of them simply forget There has been no contact with set up just one more non-gov- beauty label Yves Rocher, the to take precautions – so we are the trapped miners. ernmental organisation,” said recycling project now is able to really doing something useful!” More than 60 mine-rescue specialists have been working around-the-clock to reach the Bus crash in Brazil leaves at least 10 dead, dozens injured Fierce storm in Chile kills four, wreaks havoc trapped miners, under what the authorities say are extremely A bus travelling on a notoriously dangerous stretch The accident happened in the northwest state of A storm packing fierce winds and torrential rain people, and more than 230,000 residents were left diff icult circumstances. of road in Brazil overturned on Saturday in a crash Piaui on a road that has come to be called “the killed four people in Chile as it wrecked homes, without power, the agency said. Some of the 60 were involved that left at least 10 people dead, off icials said. route of death”. flooded streets and left nearly a quarter million Some streets were flooded on Saturday in the in the dramatic rescue eff orts Highway police said it was apparently a tourist The news website GP1 said that on that section of people without electricity, the government said. capital Santiago, while traff ic lights were out and in 2010 after a mine collapse in bus and it was not immediately known how many the road, more than 30 people have died this year. The violent weather that began on Thursday some neighbourhoods still had no power. northern Chile left 33 workers people were on the vehicle. More than 6,400 people lost their lives in road slammed nine regions of central and southern The National Weather Service said the weather trapped 600m below the surface. The police said dozens were injured when the bus accidents last year in Brazil, according to highway Chile, the National Emergency Off ice said. was expected to improve somewhat over the They were successfully rescued flipped over and skidded along the highway. police figures. The storm damaged the homes of nearly 3,000 weekend. after 69 days below ground. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 19 PAKISTAN Two Pakistani diplomats missing in Afghanistan Pakistan reopens Reuters foreign office said yesterday. crime to justice,” the foreign min- “Pakistan has requested the based within its borders and of busy trading hub about 70km Islamabad Islamabad did not speculate istry said in a statement Islama- Afghan Government that supporting the militant group, from the main border cross- who may be behind the disap- bad said Afghanistan had formed all eff orts may be made to something Islamabad denies. ing with Pakistan, from which Afghan pearances but various Afghani- three diff erent investigating ensure early recovery of Islamabad has claimed that landlocked Afghanistan imports wo Pakistani diplomats stan-based Islamist groups have groups to probe the incident. our offi cials and bring the Kabul is not doing enough to much of its goods. based in a consulate of- targeted diplomats in the past. Relations between Islamabad perpetrators of this heinous tackle Pakistani Taliban mili- The province is home to vari- border Tfice in the eastern Af- “Pakistan has requested the and Kabul have been tense in re- crime to justice” tants who have been driven out ous Islamist groups, including ghan city of Jalalabad have Afghan Government that all ef- cent years, with both countries of Pakistan, but who still carry Pakistani and Afghan Taliban. been missing since Friday, forts may be made to ensure early accusing each other of not doing Afghanistan has accused Pa- out attacks across the border. In recent years the Islamic crossing when they set off by road back recovery of our offi cials and bring enough to tackle Pakistani and kistan of turning a blind eye to Jalalabad, the provincial capi- State has also established a pres- to their homeland, Pakistan’s the perpetrators of this heinous Afghan Taliban militants. Afghan Taliban commanders tal of Nangarhar province, is a ence Nangarhar. IANS Islamabad

akistan has reopened an- other border with Afghan- Pistan that was closed in February after a series of attacks Pakistan to back from across the border killed over 100 people, the Foreign Ministry announced. “The decision refl ects Paki- stan’s continued eff orts for facil- itating Afghan transit and trade. Kuwait’s eff orts This is not a pedestrian cross- ing, but is meant for facilitation of trade and transit vehicles,” The Nation daily quoted the ministry as saying on Saturday. Two major crossings — for amity in Gulf Torkham and Chaman — were already opened earlier. Internews Government sources said the Islamabad decision to open the Kharlachi crossing for trade was part of the confi dence-building measures akistan has decided to of Islamabad to make Afghani- support Kuwait’s eff orts stan realise that Pakistan wanted Pfor defusing the crisis in to see stability in the country. Gulf and continue to maintain During a meeting with Af- its diplomatic contacts with the Afghan security forces inspect the exterior of a car after a suicide bomb blast in Gardez, Paktia ghan President Ashraf Ghani on countries of the region without Province, Afghanistan, yesterday. the sidelines of the SCO summit taking any initiative on its own last week, Prime Minister Nawaz for the time being. Sharif had reiterated his com- A message of solidarity has mitment to support the Kabul been conveyed to the emir of government in bringing peace to Kuwait for his initiative to check the country, reports The Nation. escalation and bringing normal- 5 killed as Taliban storm Pakistan and Afghanistan cy in the area. share a roughly 2,500km-long Highly placed diplomatic border, which runs through a sources said that the visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah mountainous terrain and re- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Sharif. al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah. police base in Afghanistan mains largely unmanned. and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) In February, Pakistan com- to Saudi Arabia last Monday of Kuwait for long before assum- said only a force majeure event pletely sealed the border cross- helped Pakistan in making bet- ing the incumbent prestigious that is beyond the control of the AFP “One (attacker) blew up his night, in the southern province ing with Kabul for over a month ter understanding of the situa- offi ce. two parties and international Kabul vehicle at the entrance of the of Kandahar alone around the after the attacks. tion. Sources brushed aside the sanctions, particularly on gas headquarters, opening the way end of May. They had meeting with Khad- impression that Prime Minister sales, could aff ect LNG imports for... The insurgents are also COMMERCE im-e-Hurmain Sharifain King Nawaz Sharif would be visiting from Qatar. aliban attackers stormed others who opened fi re on targeting the international Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown any capital for the purpose for “There are no such apprehen- a regional police head- the security forces,” regional coalition supporting Afghan Pakistan’s mango Prince Mohamed bin Naif and any new initiative in the matter sions on both counts,” he said. Tquarters in eastern Af- police commander, Asadullah forces. exports expected Deputy Crown Prince Mohamed anytime soon. He said Pakistan was import- ghanistan yesterday, killing fi ve Shirzad, told AFP. Seven US soldiers were in- bin Salman who is also Defence He was leaving for Umrah ing 2.7mn tonnes of LNG where- offi cers and injuring 22 people The head of the police hos- jured on Saturday in an insider to increase Minister of Saudi Arabia. and offering prayers at Masjid- as neighbouring India was im- in an assault launched by a sui- pital, Dr Shir Mohamed, con- attack by an Afghan soldier Finance Minister Senator Mo- e-Nabvi (Peace be upon Him) porting 9mn tonnes and South cide bomber. fi rmed the fi ve fatalities. who turned his weapon on his Pakistan can potentially earn $68- hamed Ishaq Dar was also ac- in Madina Munawwarah yes- Korea, Japan and China were Of the seven attackers in- Taliban spokesman Zabihul- instructors and advisers. 70mn through mango exports companying the dash by Prime terday. importing 60mn tonnes of LNG volved, one blew himself up in lah Mujahid claimed responsi- The Taliban did not directly to Western and Middle Eastern Minister to Jeddah and he had an The prime minister will be from Qatar. a car at the entrance to clear the bility for the raid. claim the attack but described markets this year, according to important meeting with Saudi returning home in the first He said the imported way for the others to rush into “Around 6:20 this morn- the soldier, who was killed, as a Federation of Pakistan Cham- Arabia ambassador-designate week of next month since he 600mmcfd of LNG, which was the building, the offi ce of the ing a martyr attack was con- “patriot.” bers of Commerce and Industry for Pakistan Admiral Nawwaf will be proceeding to London being supplied to the industry, Paktia provincial governor said ducted by our mujahideen On June 11 the insurgents (FPCCI) Regional Chairman of bin Said Almalki here in Islama- on Eid day for his routine medi- captive power plants, Independ- in a statement announcing the against a special forces base claimed responsibility for a Horticulture Exports Committee bad yesterday. cal check-up. ent Power Producers (IPPs) and end of the raid. in Gardez, Paktia,” he said in similar attack in which an Af- Ahmad Jawad. “I think mango The ambassador-designate On Thursday Pakistan said CNG sector. Special forces killed four of a statement. ghan soldier killed three US exports this year should be equal has just returned from the King- the diplomatic crisis would not He said Pakistan used to im- the insurgents but two held out “First a car bomb detonated soldiers and wounded a fourth to, or even greater than, last year’s dom. aff ect its Liquefi ed Natural Gas port 1mn tonnes of fertiliser be- for several hours, it said, adding then our mujahideen entered in the eastern province of Nan- due to higher demand from the Diplomatic sources are hope- (LNG) imports from Qatar. fore the import of LNG. that nine police and 13 civilians the building, opening fi re on garhar. Far East and our traditional Middle ful that Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Speaking at a news confer- The country will export were wounded in addition to police.” The Pentagon is set to an- Eastern and Western markets,” Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al- ence, Minister for Petroleum 0.6mn tonnes of fertiliser this the dead. Since they launched their nounce it is sending another Jawad predicted. Mango exports Sabah’s mission would yield and Natural Resources Shahid year due to the supply of LNG to The attack on the base in the spring offensive in late 4,000 US troops to the country from India made their maiden some positive result as he had Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan the fertiliser industry. centre of the city of Gardez — April, the Taliban have been to counter the increasingly ag- entry into South Korean market short visit to Saudi Arabia early was currently importing 600mn He said that Pakistan was part of the Taliban’s all-out mounting lethal assaults on gressive insurgents. but received poor reception this month where he held talks cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of building deeper relations with assault during the Muslim holy positions of the Afghan army US troops in Afghanistan due to complaints of quality with the Saudi King Salman bin LNG from Qatar. many countries through oil and fasting month of Ramadan — and police, who have lost currently number about 8,400, and packaging. Complaints over Abdulaziz on ways to defuse an “This is a commercial con- gas deals on a government-to- was launched at 6am. several dozen men in recent with another 5,000 from Nato India’s Alphonso variety were also escalating crisis between Arab tract. It is binding and will not be government basis after the suc- The base houses both regular weeks. allies. raised in the European Union (EU), countries and Qatar. aff ected” by the ongoing tension cessful model of oil imports from policemen and police special About sixty soldiers were They mainly serve in a train- which can further boost sales of The emir was foreign minister between Riyadh and Doha. He Kuwait. forces. killed on their bases, mostly at ing and advisory capacity. Pakistani mangoes. Islamabad concerned at EU World body satisfi ed with resolution over death penalty rights progress in Pakistan Internews man Rights Rabiya Javeri Agha is confronted with numerous Islamabad and Foreign Offi ce offi cials re- challenges and endowed with Internews the AGP, adding that the human acts such as narcotics and adul- preferential trade status that had sponded satisfactorily to ques- immense opportunities. Islamabd rights action plan was being im- tery. seen Pakistan’s exports rise by tions raised by the committee “Our experience informs us plemented with full speed. Moreover, the EU expressed 22% to 5.5bn euros in 2014, mak- he Committee on Eco- members. that revival of economy and In response to the European its dismay over cases of execu- ing it one of the largest countries nomic, Social and Cul- They said the report was sustainable economic develop- ndia is using every trick in Parliament’s resolution, he said, tions reportedly being carried to reap benefi ts from the GSP Ttural Rights (CESCR) has prepared through an inclusive, ment is intrinsically linked with the book to help out its RAW “The law of Pakistan on death out “while appeal mechanisms Plus status granted to it. expressed satisfaction with the participatory and consultative the prevailing security environ- Iagent Kulbhushan Jadhav penalty should be respected by were still underway.” In fact, Pakistani exports un- implementation of the Interna- process in which the federal and ment, both within and without. sentenced to death by a military all countries, including the Eu- Last year, two brothers on der the GSP Plus scheme in- tional Covenant on Economic, provincial departments as well We have introduced a number court in Pakistani on April 10 ropean Union.” death row were acquitted by the creased to 6.2bn euros from Jan- Social and Cultural Rights in as all stakeholders, including of legal as well as administrative this year over spying and stok- Recently, the European Par- Supreme Court only to fi nd out uary to December 2016. Pakistan. civil society organisations and measures to counter terrorism ing violence in Baluchistan and liament had expressed ‘deep that they had been executed the The resolution stated that Established under the NGOs, were involved. and extremism in a comprehen- Karachi. concern’ over the ‘alarming rate year before, while their appeals “the granting of GSP Plus sta- ECOSOC Resolution 1985 to The state delegation suc- sive manner,” he added. After exhausting nearly all its of executions’ based on ‘fl awed were still pending. tus is conditional and that the carry out the monitoring func- cessfully responded to the Kamran Michael stated that resources in doing so, New Delhi trials’ in Pakistan, and strongly It is learnt that the European eff ective implementation of in- tions assigned to the United questions and observations of the government of Pakistan approached the International called on the government to Parliament’s resolution came ternational conventions is an Nations Economic and Social the committee members. under the guidance of Prime Court of Justice (ICJ) in the end restore the moratorium on the under discussion in the govern- essential requirement under the Council, the CESCR, a body of Addressing the session, Minister Nawaz Sharif is fi rm- of April and got a stay over the death penalty, “with the longer- ment circles. scheme.” independent experts, monitors Kamran Michael said we ly committed to the welfare execution of the death penalty in term objective of full abolition of The AGP, as head of Treaty Failing to comply with these implementation of the ICESCR strongly believe that strength- of poor masses and had taken the third week of May. the death penalty.” Implementation Cell, will be requirements can put these by its states parties. ening of democracy, rule of measures, which have resulted Now in June, a resolution has In its resolution, the Euro- holding debriefi ng sessions economic advantages at risk, All states parties are bound law, culture of accountability, in decrease in number of those been passed by the European pean Parliament issued a strong with the Pakistani ambassador and deprive Pakistan’s business to submit regular reports to the unprecedented freedom of me- living below the poverty line. Parliament against the execution statement calling for a ban on at Brussels in Belgium and with community of lucrative trading committee on implementation dia, emergence of a vibrant civil He said we are working on a of convicted persons in Pakistan, the execution of minors and per- envoys in other EU- member opportunities. of rights by them. society and vigilant citizenry medium term vision 2025 road- and India is being seen as insti- sons with mental disorders. countries. However, it is pertinent to During a meeting in Geneva, would further bring economic map to transform Pakistan’s gator of the move. It urged the government of Later, the AGP will submit a mention that the Supreme Court the committee reviewed Paki- prosperity and social equality economy and address our prob- “A lot of disinformation has Pakistan to bring the provisions report to the prime minister and on April 21, 2015 had heard a stan’s initial report on the ICE- in Pakistan. lem of energy shortage which been spread by India to hurt the on death penalty in national cabinet members for considera- similar case challenging the SCR submitted by a Pakistani He said implementation of would lead to sustained econom- standing of Pakistan in the in- legislation in line with the in- tion. award of death sentence in 27 delegation led by Federal Min- any Convention is an ongoing ic revival and development. ternational community,” said ternational law and standards, Meanwhile, Pakistan ratifi ed diff erent off ences. ister for Human Rights Senator incremental process; our gov- He said the government of Attorney-General for Pakistan including “a halt to executions a number of international hu- The three-judge bench of the Kamran Michael, and showed ernment is consistently making Pakistan has been making ef- Ashtar Ausaf Ali. for any off ence other than inten- man rights treaties including apex court, headed by Justice satisfaction with the implemen- all endeavours to enforce this forts through a number of “Pakistan is a frontline state tional killing.” the Convention Against Torture Mian Saqib Nisar, had dismissed tation of various provisions of important Convention. legislative and administra- suff ering from the onslaught of Currently, there are 27 crimes and the International Covenant the petition fi led by a represent- the convention in the country. He said Pakistan is a demo- tive measures for realisation of terror and disruptive elements that are punishable by death in on Civil and Political Rights to ative of the Qaumi Watan Party, The delegates including Sec- cratic, moderate and progres- economic, social and cultural from across the borders,” said Pakistan, including non-lethal qualify for its GSP Plus status, a Barrister Zafarullah. retary of the Ministry of Hu- sive state added that Pakistan rights of the people of Pakistan. Gulf Times 20 Monday, June 19, 2017 PHILIPPINES

NPA rebels seize arms from Iloilo police station

Agencies fi ve were at the police station Iloilo City when the incident happened as the 10 others were moving around the town. Before the round 50 alleged mem- incident, Palomo said a wom- bers of the New Peo- an approached the women’s Aple’s Army (NPA) at- desk of the police station and tacked the police station of pretended to report an inci- Maasin, Iloilo yesterday. dent until she declared “attack Police Chief Inspector or raid.” Aaron Palomo, Iloilo Po- These alleged rebels did their lice Provincial Office (IPPO) operation “very quick” and spokesperson, in an inter- sped away in a police patrol car, view, said the alleged rebels Palomo said. Residents who left their homes to avoid the intense fighting between the government forces and insurgents from the Maute group, are seen inside the evacuation centre in Iligan city, attacked the police station The alleged rebels also used at around 11am and took an a truck covered with tarpau- undetermined number of lin but not owned by the police firearms from the policemen station. Palomo said they im- on duty. mediately co-ordinated with He said the policemen were the Philippine Army, Regional not harassed nor harmed but Public Safety Battalion, police were only handcuff ed by the forces and other concerned rebels. Palomo said there were agencies to respond to the VP’s offi ce reaches out 15 policemen on duty but only incident. to Marawi evacuees Counterfeit goods By Llanesca T Panti ed the water fi ltration device. more food aid, as well as doctors staff were earlier briefed by Lt. fi refi ghts and bombings. “There worth billions seized Manila Times “The vice president has al- so that the evacuees’ health can Col. Jo-ar Herrera, also military is a need for solidarity among ready visited Marawi before the be assessed,” Hernandez added. spokesman, and Lanao del Sur peoples amid these crises to en- Marawi (clashes), and we are She said the OVP is mulling Vice Governor Mamintal Bombit sure that people’s human rights By William Depasupil Tabe, Guiguinto. CIIS director he Offi ce of Vice President looking at providing them (evac- sending sewing machines since Alonto Adiong Jr to discuss relief are upheld especially that rural, Manila Times Neil Estrella disclosed yester- (OVP) Maria Leonor Ro- uees) livelihood through weav- fi ghting between government eff orts and plans for rehabili- Moro and indigenous peoples are day that the warehouse was a Tbredo over the weekend ing. We already raised funds troops and the bandit group tation led by local government displaced and further victim- virtual manufacturing plant turned over a water fi ltration to help in weaving production forced those displaced to leave units during their meeting at the ised,” Beverly Longid of IPMSDL ounterfeit products equipped with machines and device for evacuees staying at a and we were supposed to turn in haste, preventing them from Lanao del Sur provincial capitol. said in a statement. worth billions were other equipment used in the temporary shelter in Saguiaran, (them) over but the Marawi in- bringing enough clothes to the Also over the weekend, inter- “We appeal for a stop to this in- Cseized over the week- production of various fake Lanao del Sur. cident happened. While we are evacuation centre. national rural and indigenous discriminate aerial bombardment. end by the Bureau of Customs goods. The evacuees came from Ma- proceeding with that aid for “They thought they would peoples’ groups from Peoples’ These bombs do not discern from (BoC) in Guiguinto, Bulacan “The machines might be le- rawi City, Lanao del Sur, which livelihood, we’ll ensure the basic only be staying in the evacua- Coalition for Food Sovereignty the Maute attackers and the in- province, north of Manila. gally imported but eventually has been under attack by the needs fi rst,” Robredo’s spokes- tion centre for two days. That’s (PCFS) and International In- nocent peoples still in the area. Customs Commissioner found being used for illegal Maute Group since May 23, man, Georgina Hernandez, said why they are very emotional digenous Peoples’ Movement These bombings might as well be Nicanor Faeldon, with agents activities,” Estrella said. prompting President Rodrigo in an interview. right now, and they need sewing for Self-Determination and directed against the indigenous of the Customs Intelligence Found inside the warehouse Duterte to declare martial law “We already sent food aid but machines to sew their clothes Liberation (IPMSDL) joined the and Moro peoples as government and Investigation Service were counterfeit items like and suspend the writ of habeas the feedback we got is that the and hopefully in time for Eid National Interfaith Humanitar- forces do it indiscriminately and (CIIS), uncovered the ille- soaps, shoes, shampoos and corpus that allows warrantless food supply is still not enough. al-Fitr. We want them to have a ian Mission in Marawi City to have also directed their nozzles at gal goods in an early morning cigarettes. Also found were arrests in Mindanao. We will co-ordinate with the semblance of normalcy through express grave concern on the sit- lumad (indigenous people) com- Saturday raid on the Richard candies, lubricants, motor oils, The OVP’s Angat Buhay part- Department of Social Welfare sewing,” the spokesman added. uation of the mostly Moro peo- munities in other parts of Mind- Isagani Sandy (RIS) 5 Indus- used clothing, medicines, in- ner Physicians for Peace provid- and Development in sending Hernandez and other OVP ple in the area amid continuing anao,” Longid added. trial Complex in Barangay sect repellent and deodorant. Brothers who brought death and ruin to a city

AFP small rag-tag group around 2012 from ties have said the arrest of the mother Marawi a decades-old separatist rebellion in was particularly important, describing Mindanao, which makes up one third her as a fi nancier of the group. All her of the predominantly Catholic Philip- seven sons are believed to be involved wenty years after obtaining pines. in the Marawi confl ict, according to Christian educations, broth- As the main rebel organisation — the Banlaoi. However Jones said the mother Ters Omarkhayam and Abdullah Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was not the driving force of radicalism, Maute returned to their southern Phil- — sought to broker peace with the gov- rather she and the other family mem- ippine city with the black fl ags of the ernment, the Maute and other small bers had been led by Omarkhayam and Islamic State group and set fi re to their hardline groups fi lled a vacuum for fa- Abdullah. alma mater. natics as they took inspiration from IS’ Their main ally is Isnilon Hapilon, a Hundreds of gunmen, many of them atrocities in Iraq and Syria. leader of another hardline group called young locals recruited by the Maute “I think what transformed the Mau- the Abu Sayyaf who is on the US gov- brothers, destroyed Dansalan College tes from a small band of siblings to a ernment’s list of most-wanted terror- in a rampage across Marawi city last real serious military threat was the ists. month as they launched a brutal off en- emergence of ISIS in the Middle East,” IS named Hapilon as its leader in sive to stamp their credentials as Phil- security analyst Sidney Jones said, us- the Philippines in recent years, and he ippine leaders of IS. ing an alternative acronym. is believed to be in Marawi with the It turned the siblings, aged in their But the brothers were radicalised Maute brothers. mid 30s, into the most infamous much earlier: while pursuing studies in However Jones, director of the Ja- high school alumni of the Protestant the Middle East after college, accord- karta-based Institute for Policy Analy- church-run institution. ing to Jones and Rommel Banlaoi, head sis of Confl ict, said leadership had ef- The brothers have since remained of the Manila-based Philippine Insti- fectively shifted to the Maute brothers holed up in parts of Marawi, using tute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism because they were controlling events their local knowledge of tunnels and Research. in Marawi. bomb-proof basements, to withstand Banlaoi said they returned to Mind- Regardless of whether the Maute a military off ensive that has left entire anao after about a decade overseas to brothers are driven out of Marawi, they neighbourhoods in ruins and claimed be mentored by a fugitive Indonesian have established the Philippines as a more than 300 lives. militant, Ustadz Sanussi, who in turn successful new base for IS, according “We do not understand where that put them in touch with other South- to Jones, pointing to foreign fi ghters hate is coming from,” said Zia Alonto east Asian militants, notably the Ma- who have been reported killed in the Adiong, a member of the regional laysian bomb-maker Zulkifl i bin Hir. confl ict. The military has said that parliament in a self-ruled area in the With an engineer father and a mother slain fi ghters have come from coun- southern Philippines’ Mindanao re- involved in construction and property tries or regions including Chechnya, gion that includes Marawi. development, the Mautes are part of Libya, Indonesia and Malaysia. Duma Sani, an ex-dean of Mindanao Mindanao’s elite. They also have blood “Everybody has been concerned State University whose daughter also ties to one of the top MILF leaders, ac- up till now about the threat of foreign went to school with one of the Maute cording to Banlaoi. fi ghters coming back from Syria and brothers, said most locals did not sup- “These connections gave the group Iraq.Suddenly, the bigger threat (is) port their radical brand of religion, a measure of protection,” Banlaoi said. foreign fi ghters who never set foot in under which non-believers must be Since the confl ict erupted, the mother the Middle East going to Mindanao,” killed. The Maute group emerged as a and father have been arrested. Authori- Jones said.

Damaged buildings and houses are seen as government forces continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Indian fishermen arrested by Lanka Five fishermen from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan navy, India’s off icial broadcaster – All India Radio (AIR) – said yesterday. Lanka arrests policeman, The fishermen were arrested off the coast while fishing off Neduntheevu in international waters. “Five Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested and their boat impounded by the Sri Lankan navy today for allegedly fishing in monk over hate crimes their territorial waters,” AIR said. The broadcaster, quoting state AFP “They were taken after ana- daatte Gnanasara, a Buddhist Gnanasara maintains close The government has vowed fishermen association president Colombo lysing CCTV footage which extremist who heads a group ties with Wirathu, an extremist to protect Muslims in the Bud- N Devadoss, said the fishermen showed them setting fi re to a of radicals blamed for a slew monk in Mandalay whose hate dhist-majority nation and pre- from Mandapam had put out to mosque and a Muslim-owned of arson attacks against Mus- speech has galvanised religious vent the violence from escalat- sea in a boat early yesterday. ri Lankan authorities yes- book shop at Panadura last lim businesses, cemeteries and tensions in Myanmar. ing. Legislators have promised “They were fishing off terday arrested a police month,” Jayakody told reporters mosques. Wirathu visited Sri Lanka as tougher laws to crackdown on Neduntheevu, when Lankan naval Soffi cer and a Buddhist in Colombo. An arrest warrant has been a guest of Gnanasara in Sep- hate speech. men surrounded and took them monk accused of leading an ar- The arrested policeman, issued for Gnanasara, who tember 2014, shortly after an- Earlier this month, foreign to Kangesanthurai port in Sri son attack against a mosque and a constable stationed at Co- went underground in May after ti-Muslim riots at the tourist diplomats urged Sri Lanka to Lanka,” Devadoss said a Muslim business amid a wave lombo, was accused of stoking police linked dozens of alleged resort of Aluthgama left four take action to stop the violence Fishermen of the two countries of religious violence. racial and religious tensions, hate crimes against Muslims to people dead and hundreds of from escalating. are often jailed for accidentally Deputy Inspector-General Jayakody added, describing the his radical Buddhist Force, or Muslim homes destroyed. In a video message released crossing into each other’s Priyantha Jayakody said the po- arrests as a “breakthrough” in BBS. The arrest warrant issued for last week, the BBS denied any territories. The fishermen traverse liceman, a monk and two others eff orts to curb the outbreak of Police have warned that any- Gnanasara dates back to April involvement in the attacks, but Controversial Sri Lankan poorly defined boundary in the were caught on camera torching violence. one harbouring or aiding the fu- 2014, months before the out- accused the government of al- Buddhist monk Galagodaatte international waters as most the buildings in Panadura just Police say the four accused gitive monk in any way will face break of violence, when he was lowing Islamic extremism to Gnanasara speaks during a fishing boats lack technologies to outside the capital Colombo. are close associates of Galago- prosecution. accused of insulting the Qur’an. fl ourish in Sri Lanka. news conference in Colombo. locate exact positions. Ride for Refugees Four dead, hundreds fl ee after fresh landslides hit Bangladesh

AFP killed 158 and destroyed roads heavy, causing this landslide,” Bangladesh, eclipsing a death Dhaka and critical infrastructure. he said, adding no one else was toll of 127 from a similar event a Fearing further deadly land- missing. decade ago. slides amid a fresh deluge, au- Two people were also buried Experts have blamed un- resh landslides killed four thorities in Khagrachhari hill in their home in the northeast- regulated construction and the people and sent hundreds district evacuated hundreds of ern town of Borolekha on Sun- large-scale felling of trees in Ffl eeing in Bangladesh civilians from disaster-prone day, district police chief Mo- Bangladesh’s hill districts for yesterday, police said, just days areas, said district police chief hammad Shahjalal said. loosening earth and exacerbat- after the worst mudslides on Ali Ahmad Khan. The latest casualties come ing the scale of the disaster. record left more than 150 dead It was too late for two sib- a day after authorities raised The disaster agency has be- amid a heavy monsoon. lings, aged eight and 13, who the death toll from last week’s gun assessing the full extent of Two children were buried in were killed early Sunday in the landslides to 158 after the dis- the damage in the hills around their sleep while two other vic- district’s Ramgarh town when covery of two bodies in the Chittagong, which cover one- tims were killed in a separate their home was struck by a worst-hit district of Rangmati, tenth of Bangladesh’s land- incident when their home was wave of mud. local administrator Manzurul mass, following last week’s struck by an avalanche of mud “The siblings were sleeping Mannan said. incessant rain. and rock. when a segment of the hill bur- The vast majority of those The monsoon deluge came The twin tragedies followed ied their bedroom,” local police killed were in Rangamati, where just a fortnight after Cyclone renewed rainfall in Bangla- chief Shariful Islam said. 2,500 people are still being Mora smashed into Bangla- desh’s hill regions on Saturday, “There has been rainfall in housed in government shelters. desh’s southeast, killing at least the scene of its worst landslides the region over the last fi ve The landslides were the eight people and damaging tens in living memory that last week days, but last night it was very deadliest in modern times in of thousands of homes.

Tight security for Dhaka during Eid vacation

By Mizan Rahman to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with crimes have come down signifi - ily notices it, said Khandaker Dhaka their families. Our main aim cantly due to awareness of the Enayetullah, secretary general, is to protect the empty house- city dwellers. road transport association. holds and other organisations “RAB has strengthened its He was talking to report- he elite Rapid Ac- from any kind of incidence like activities in co-ordination with ers after a meeting on the law tion Battalion (RAB), burglary, stealing and looting,” other forces to ensure highest and order situation and traffi c Talong with other law RAB Director General Benazir security for the city dwellers,” management at Mohakhali bus enforcement agencies, has Ahmed said. he added. terminal. decided to take foolproof se- He was talking to report- A special vigilance team, Enayetullah said the associa- curity measures in the Bang- ers after visiting Kamalapur comprising police, RAB, and tion is trying to ensure a smooth ladesh capital Dhaka during railway station in Dhaka. transport owners and workers, journey of those who want to the upcoming Eid vacation The RAB chief said the elite has been formed to monitor the celebrate Eid with their families as 2mn households and busi- force together with other law bus terminals in Dhaka to check in villages. ness offi ces, trading houses enforcers has been providing charging of additional fare from Dhaka Metropolitan Police and shopping malls will security to the homebound pas- the homebound people ahead (DMP) Commissioner Asaduz- remain empty. sengers to ensure their safe and of Eid. zaman Mia called on bus opera- Cyclists participate in a cycle rally titled “Ride for Refugees” organised by UNHCR to mark World “A large number of city comfortable journeys. A chart of regular bus fares tors not to charge over the nor- Refugee Day 2017 in Lalitpur, near Kathmandu, yesterday. dwellers will leave Dhaka for He claimed that theft, rob- must be hanged at every bus mal fare from the homebound their respective village homes bery, mugging and other petty counter so that everyone eas- passengers. 3 Nepali Five injured in blast at Nepal poll offi ce traffi cking Agencies The election commission Kathmandu (EC) said the registration of victims candidacy for the second phase of election has concluded bomb went off yesterday smoothly. rescued at an election offi ce in Workers of Rastriya Janata ANepal’s Kapilvastu dis- Party-Nepal in Rupandehi dis- trict, injuring fi ve people ahead trict have fi led nomination in IANS of the second phase of the cru- the second phase as independ- Siliguri, India cial local body elections which ent candidate. are being held after a gap of 20 Rastriya Janta Party-Nepal, years, a local media report said. the major political grouping hree women from Nepal The bomb exploded at the belonging to the Madhesi com- were rescued from human election offi ce in Vadganga Mu- munities, did not fi eld candi- Ttraffi ckers and one ac- nicipality of Kapilvastu district dates for the fi rst phase of elec- cused arrested in near the India- when a joint panel of Nepali tion held on May 14. Nepal border in West Bengal’s Congress and CPN (Maoist Election offi cer Kamal Panthi Darjeeling district, an offi cial Center) was returning after fi l- said they had received inde- said yesterday. ing their nomination for the pendent nominations for all the “On specifi c information, a team second phase of local level elec- 37 positions in the council. of Border Outpost Panitanki, under tion to be held on June 28. The local level election is tak- the command of Reena AC, appre- The injured are being treated ing place across Nepal after a hended one traffi cker and rescued at a local hospital. No one has gap of 20 years. three victims from Quarter more claimed responsibility for the The local body elections near Panitanki at 10am,” said Ra- explosion so far. should have been held in every jib Rana, commandant, Sashastra The process of fi ling nomina- fi ve years in Nepal. Due to po- Seema Bal’s 41st Battalion. tion papers by candidates for litical instability, they have been According to him, the three the second phase of elections in halted since May 1997. women victims were being re- 334 local units of provinces 1, 5 The agitating RJP-N has an- portedly taken to Delhi and fur- and 7 completed yesterday. nounced to disrupt the local ther to Kuwait by the traffi cker. The government has stepped level polls on June 28. All the victims were from eco- up security at the election offi c- Some Madhes-centric par- nomically poor background. es in various districts of south- ties have opposed the elec- “The victims and traffi cker ern Nepal to prevent any un- tions until the constitution is have been handed over to the Ne- toward incident in the wake of amended to accommodate their pal police in the presence of the agitating Rastriya Janata Party views: more representation in representatives of an NGO,” the Nepal’s declared programme to parliament and redrawing of Nepali Madhesi protesters, a marginalised group in the southern plains, shout slogans during a torch rally in Janakpur, as they protest offi cial added. disrupt the polls. provincial boundaries. against forthcoming local elections. Gulf Times 22 Monday, June 19, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Monsoon rains little comfort Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko

P.O.Box 2888 for despairing Indian farmers Doha, Qatar [email protected] Farmers are a powerful the government will face in the coming will be also under pressure to waive “They are all angry,” said P. Telephone 44350478 (news), years – in both these areas very little loans,” especially in those states where Chengal Reddy, chief adviser to 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) voting bloc and an angry has been done in concrete terms.” elections are due in next two years. the Consortium of Indian Farmers Fax 44350474 rural sector will increase About two-thirds of the country’s While high levels of household Associations. “If the prime minister agricultural debt of Rs9.5tn is in debts have been recognised as a doesn’t do anything the country will demand for Modi to states where a debt waiver has been signifi cant cause of farmers’ distress, go into fl ames. The government’s provide more incentives to announced or promised or in states the use of unconditional debt relief policy to control food infl ation curbs that will go to the polls in the next is controversial. India’s central incomes of farmers. This is wrong.” farmers two years, Nomura Holdings Inc bank governor, Urjit Patel, called for In the last three years the analysts Adarsh Parasrampuria governments to reject loan bailout government has increased its budget GULF TIMES and Amit Nanavati said in a June 13 programmes, saying in April that allocation for agriculture, launched By Pratik Parija and Bibhudatta Pradhan note. “Increasing expectation of a “waivers engender moral hazard.” programs such as a health card to test New Delhi debt waiver could possibly lead to About 800mn of India’s 1.3bn people soil quality, revamped crop-insurance worsening of debt servicing in states count on agriculture for a living, with a low-cost premium and created where debt waiver package has not while 52% of farming households are a digital platform to connect farmers s monsoon rains move across been announced.” indebted. directly to customers. It’s also New study paints Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Farmers from across the country emphasised low-cost organic farming India – usually a boom time for the agriculture sector – states will have to generate their own including the states of Madhya and taken some steps to make country Afarmers have left their land resources for the loan waiver. Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, self-reliant in pulses and oilseeds. and taken to the streets amid growing Keeping a key election promise, the Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand The minimum price of rice set by alarming picture anger over plummeting food prices newly formed state government in will join the June 15 protest in Delhi to the government for the 2016-17 crop and unmanageable debts. Uttar Pradesh decided to waive farm demand a federal investigation into was 6.7% more than the production With protests spreading around loans worth Rs363.59bn ($5.6bn) for the shootings in Madhya Pradesh, said cost, according to the farm ministry. the country, the government of more than 21.5mn farmers at its fi rst Bharatiya Kisan Union. They will also The government-set price of wheat of global obesity Prime Minister Narendra Modi is cabinet meeting in April. demand higher crop prices and loan was 35% more than its production under pressure. A drop in food prices Following the Uttar Pradesh waiver, said the group’s senior leader cost. In its election manifesto the spurred deadly clashes last week, announcement, Maharashtra last week Dharmendra Malik. ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had Much has been discussed about the need to combat while India’s food infl ation fell into decided to waive crop loans worth “The government was just reminded promised cost plus 50% return. obesity, but a new study paints and even more alarming negative territory, sliding to a drop of about Rs300bn taken by small and about their promise and they replied Prices of soybean, mustard and picture. More than 2bn adults and children globally 1.05% from a 0.61% rise in April, data medium farmers. This may prompt with bullets,” Malik said. “We were peanuts have dropped to a five-year showed. other state governments to bail out assured of 50% profi t over cost and we low after output rebounded in 2016- are overweight or obese and suff er health problems Farmers are a powerful voting loans to appease farmers throughout want that.” 17 on normal rains. Wholesale prices because of their weight, it has been revealed. bloc and an angry rural sector will the country. Bumper harvests helped by normal of food grains including rice, wheat This equates to one-third of the world’s population increase demand for Modi to provide Farmers in Uttar Pradesh and rain last year after back-to-back and pulses fell for four straight carrying excess weight, fuelled by urbanisation, poor more incentives to farmers. This Haryana protested while others in droughts pushed down prices of months through March and were comes at a time when the government Madhya Pradesh continued to demand some crops including oilseeds and about 10% lower compared with diets and reduced physical activity. The US has the is being criticised for its failure to loan waivers and higher crop prices. pulses. This, combined with a lack November, according to government greatest percentage of obese children and young adults, make signifi cant progress towards its Demonstrators last week blocked of government-assured purchases, data. at 13%, while Egypt led in terms of adult obesity, with promise of doubling farmers’ income roads and vandalised property in the prompted farmers to agitate. “Loan waiver is not a solution to almost 35%, among the 195 countries and territories by 2022 and ensuring a 50% profi t over state ruled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Small landholdings and uncertain bailout farmers – they need local value the cost of production of crops. Party after fi ve farmers were killed monsoonal rain make India one of the addition and assured market for their included in the study, published last week in the New “There will be tremendous pressure when police fi red on protests. world’s most expensive places to farm, produce at their doorstep,” said Kishor England Journal of Medicine. on the Modi government from “The whole question of loan waiver while the country’s rural economy Tiwari, head of Vidarbha Jan Aandolan While 2.2bn people were obese or overweight in 2015, farmers and young people looking for and higher prices are soft measures. provides few other job opportunities. Samiti, a Maharashtra-based farmers’ more than 710mn of them were classed as obese, with employment,” said political scientist What is needed is a very clear, Rising costs of fertilisers and seeds, lobby group. “After waivers the and pro-vice chancellor of Bengaluru’s comprehensive policy which addresses along with the lack of an assured government won’t have money to 5% of all children and 12% of adults fi tting into this Jain University, Sandeep Shastri. the long term concerns of the viability market for farmers’ produce, add to spend on other development projects.” category. An increasing number globally are dying from “These are the two biggest challenges of agriculture,” Shastri said. “States their burden. – Tribune News Service health problems linked to being overweight, such as cardiovascular disease, said the study. Almost 40% of the 4mn dying as a result of their higher body mass index were not yet obese, highlighting that deaths are occurring almost as often in those considered overweight as those considered obese. Body mass index is the ratio between a person’s weight and height; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while anything over 30 is obese. People who shrug off weight gain do so at their own risk – risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions, according to Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, who worked on the study. The researchers analysed data from 68.5mn people between 1980 and 2015 to explore trends as well as fi gures regarding overweight and obesity rates. Data were obtained from More than 2bn the most recent Global Burden of Disease adults and study, which explores children globally all major diseases, conditions and injuries are overweight globally by age, sex and population. Indian farmers have taken to the streets amid growing anger over plummeting food prices and unmanageable debts. The data revealed that the number of people aff ected by obesity has doubled since 1980 in 73 countries, and continued to rise across most other countries included in the analysis. Obesity levels were higher among women than men across all age groups, which correlates with previous fi ndings on obesity. A magic wand for France? In terms of numbers, the large population sizes of China and India meant they had the highest countries – Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, France could aff ord to reduce its The situation appears even worse numbers of obese children, with 15.3mn and 14.4mn, By Anders Aslund Washington, DC Spain, and Greece – have higher profi t tax rate to 25%, as Macron has for French universities. According respectively. Despite a smaller population, the US had unemployment rates. proposed, without losing signifi cant to the Times Higher Education the greatest number of obese adults, with 79.4mn (35% During Macron’s fi rst fi ve-year tax revenues. Supplement, which ranks universities of the population), followed by China with 57.3mn. ast month, Emmanuel Macron term, therefore, he should focus on On nearly every fiscal metric, worldwide, France’s top university, the pulled the proverbial rabbit raising France’s GDP growth to an France is an outlier (along with Ecole Normale Supérieure, ranks just The lowest obesity rates were seen in Bangladesh from the electoral hat. Against average of at least 2% a year, and Finland and Belgium, which have 66th in the world. Without reform of and Vietnam, at 1%. In addition to highlighting the Lthe odds, the independent reducing unemployment to below 6%. also underperformed in recent higher education, France cannot be scale of the global obesity epidemic, the researchers centrist won the French presidency The easiest way to achieve both goals years). And given that France, it now remotely competitive with British and hope to raise awareness of the diseases linked to being by a decisive margin, beating the would be to focus on where France is seems clear, has not benefited from American institutions. far-right populist Marine Le Pen – underperforming relative to other EU loose policy, Macron should be able The French government can carry overweight that can prove fatal. Almost 70% of deaths and vanquishing the old guard of the countries. to forge a consensus on cutting taxes out all of these reforms unilaterally, related to an elevated BMI in the analysis were due to French establishment along the way. Part of the unemployment challenge and expenditures. Indeed, reducing without the EU. But the EU could cardiovascular disease, killing 2.7mn people in 2015, Now, for his latest trick, Macron looks is tied to hidden costs. France has the fiscal burden on the economy help France’s economy by promoting with diabetes being the second leading cause of death. set to secure a huge majority in the some of the highest labour costs for will be the key to turning things various markets. Free trade in French National Assembly. hourly employees in the EU, and a around. services is one of the original four EU It was reported in March this year that as many as But whether Macron, a political natural consequence is tepid hiring. But France also needs more freedoms; today, however, the single 70% of the participants of the Qatar Biobank were newcomer, is more than an electoral With inequality also growing, many complex structural reforms, the market for services works poorly. diagnosed obese. This was based on a study of 6,475 wizard will depend on the success, or French are rightly upset that labour is most urgent one being liberalisation France has much to gain from further participants, including almost 80% (5,136) Qataris. It failure, of the economic programme taxed much more than capital gains. and simplifi cation of the country’s liberalisation in its domestic services that his government enacts. Indeed, France’s payroll taxes amount complex labour code, which makes it market. And the EU’s digital market said Qatar as a nation has some of the highest levels Friends of France, and of a united to 19% of GDP – far exceeding the EU too diffi cult to hire and lay off workers. is a bonanza waiting be won, though of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes Europe, were no doubt relieved by average of 13%. This is a particularly The most vulnerable are often those France’s participation is surprisingly mellitus within the region. Urgent action is needed. Macron’s victory. And in the early days pernicious tax, because only who are the least integrated into the limited. Improved access to venture of his presidency, the French public employers are aff ected by it. It should economy, especially the young and capital, which liberalisation of is behind him, too; recent polling therefore be the fi rst tax Macron immigrants. Most European countries fi nancial services would facilitate, puts his approval rating at 62%. Yet moves to cut. suff er from this problem, but France’s could help. To Advertise goodwill can dissipate quickly, which Likewise, government spending, youth unemployment rate, at 26%, Macron’s victory – and the likely is why Macron must move to capitalise at 57% of GDP – is the highest in the is signifi cantly higher than the EU parliamentary landslide for his LREM [email protected] on his early mandate by implementing EU, where the average is 47%. This average of 19.6%. The simplifi cation of – has presented France with a great Display reforms of fi scal policy, taxation, the burden is excessive, and signifi cantly the labour code should be negotiated opportunity. But, given the scope Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 labour market, and education, to name hinders economic growth. The with social partners to mitigate or and scale of the needed reforms, the but a few areas where change is long government should work to reduce even avoid strikes and protests. president’s political honeymoon will Classified overdue. these expenditures (its bloated social- Finally, France’s education system be short. He must deliver results Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 France’s most immediate problems protection programmes in particular) needs major attention. The OECD quickly, or his magic will soon fail are anaemic growth and inadequate by at least one percentage point a year. rates French high school students as him – and French voters will make him Subscription job creation. For the last 12 years, Corporate taxes are another area just about average among the world’s disappear. – Project Syndicate [email protected] France’s GDP has increased by barely ripe for reform. With its rate of 33%, developed economies. France, like 1% a year, less than the mediocre France has one of the highest profi t many other European countries, zAnders Aslund is a senior fellow at uptick in the European Union as a taxes on corporations in Europe. But has much room for improvement in the Atlantic Council in Washington. He 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved whole, while unemployment currently its revenues from these taxes, 2.6% of preparing its young people for the job is the author, with Simeon Djankov, of hovers just above 10%. Only fi ve EU GDP, are in line with the EU average. market. Europe’s Growth Challenge. Gulf Times Monday, June 19, 2017 23 COMMENT Trumping the dollar

By Jim O’Neill On the other hand, the eurozone London could maintain its amazing ascent; and the Trump administration may continue to disappoint. Moreover, ne of the more fascinating Trump’s proposed policy framework developments in the might very well deserve to have a seven months since US rising risk premium. It is still too early OPresident Donald Trump to know for sure, given that the stock was elected has been the trajectory of market continues to reach new heights, the US dollar, relative to other major while US bond yields have softened. currencies. After soaring in the wake But if the Trump administration does of Trump’s victory, the dollar’s value indeed pursue a deliberate policy of began to slide in April. isolationism, high risk premiums on the There are various explanations dollar will have been justifi ed, especially for this. One is that Trump’s much- when one accounts for the persistently anticipated economic-growth agenda low US domestic savings rate and high has not materialised, and stands no dependency on net foreign capital. chance of making it through Congress. Some economic observers have Another is that the rest of the world, long believed that the US cannot not least the eurozone, has performed sustain an economy in which personal better than expected since Trump’s consumption constitutes 70% of election. GDP. And for a brief period in 2008- I spent decades immersed in the 2009, it looked as though the US intricacies of the foreign-exchange economy could be on the verge of a market, so I know that it is foolhardy major structural adjustment, some to assume that one can ever know of which could have been helpful, everything that is going on. Still, if it reduced consumer dominance. beyond the cyclical explanations for Fortunately, the worst was avoided. today’s trends, a third explanation has But almost a decade later, US domestic become increasingly clear: markets consumption once again accounts for have built in a risk premium for the more than 70% of GDP. dollar, to account for the uncertainties There are good ways and bad ways that Trump’s presidency has to shrink the consumption share of introduced. After soaring in the wake of Trump’s victory, the dollar’s value began to slide in April. GDP to a more appropriate size. The In the course of estimating the good way is for the US to import less underlying equilibrium value of the rate can be calculated in terms of a that, in a perfect world, also refl ects economic cycle, by accounting for this suggests that the dollar is actually and export more, and to increase its dollar and other currencies, I have currency’s so-called purchasing power the balance-of-payments and full- factors such as the real interest-rate around 6% weaker than it should be. domestic savings and investment. The developed a process for approximating parity (PPP): if the same basket of employment equilibria. But when I diff erential between the US and Now, of course, 6% is not a bad way – particularly for American where a currency “should” be trading, goods can be purchased with the same was at Goldman Sachs, I developed the eurozone. Which interest rate particularly signifi cant diff erence, and consumers – is for the US to pick all things being equal. This process has number of euros as dollars, then the my own very simple version of this is best for making comparisons is a this fi nding may not mean anything at fi ghts and retreat from the world. generally served me well, insofar as exchange rate is 1:1. But in the early framework: the Dynamic Equilibrium matter of debate, as are the eff ects all. Those who are bullish on the dollar Trump and his advisers would do well anything can serve one in the world of 1990s, I came to regard this approach (Real) Exchange Rate (GSDEER). Right of quantitative easing; but I see no (and who probably have plenty of to act accordingly. – Project Syndicate foreign exchange. And assuming that as insuffi cient, because it failed to take now, the GSDEER for the euro-dollar good reason not to use the ten- underlying biases) would tell you that it is at least vaguely accurate, we can into account that the underlying real exchange rate is around €1:$1.20, year government bond diff erential, now is an ideal time to buy dollars, as zJim O’Neill, a former chairman of conclude that any resulting deviation (infl ation-adjusted) exchange rate which would suggest that the dollar is adjusted for infl ation expectations. the value is sure to rise. They may be Goldman Sachs Asset Management in the actual value of a currency could itself vary. overvalued against the euro by about Accordingly, the Adjusted GSDEER right. The US economy could start and a former UK Treasury minister, represents some kind or premium or Bela Balassa, Paul Samuelson, 6-7%. for the euro-dollar exchange rate, to grow at a faster rate; Trump might is Honorary Professor of Economics discount. and John Williamson were among I also developed what I called the as of June 7, was €1:$1.0590. Given somehow get some of his growth- at Manchester University and former According to conventional the earliest economists to estimate Adjusted GSDEER, which corrects the that the dollar was trading at around boosting policies enacted; and chairman of the British government’s economic theory, the exchange the real exchange-rate equilibrium “equilibrium” rate for the ongoing $1.1250 against the euro on that day, Europe’s growth may taper off . Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. Weather report Global needs on mental health still unmet Three-day forecast TODAY High: 47 C By Dr Cesar Chelala pervasive and has been found in all cause of the global disease burden, mortality, increasing life expectancy, countries surveyed in a World Health and it is estimated that they will rank and lowering the burden of infectious Low : 39 C New York Inshore: Very hot daytime with Organisation (WHO) study. The most second by 2020, lagging behind only diseases will be off set by the growth slight dust to blowing dust at places pressing need, however, is found in ischaemic heart diseases. of mental and behavioural problems. at times. n a global scale, the several developing countries. Out of In spite of this, on a global scale, Both international agencies and magnitude of undiagnosed the 191 surveyed, almost 25% do not about 70% of people have access national governments must now TUESDAY and unaddressed mental have a national policy or legislation on to less than one psychiatrist per invest in mental health services as a High: 43 C health problems continues mental health issues. 100,000 people, 55% of people have signifi cant part of their development Low: 34 C O Cloudy to be high. It is estimated that As indicated by the WHO, the access to less than one neurologist strategies. 330mn people globally suff er from situation is worse among the poorest per million people, and 44% of Policymakers are often depression, 50mn from epilepsy, 37mn sectors of the population whose “lack people have access to less than constrained by competing demands from Alzheimer’s disease and 24mn of access to aff ordable treatment one psychiatric nurse per 100,000 for financial assistance in dealing WEDNESDAY from schizophrenia. makes the course of the illness more people. These are general figures with mental health issues. They must High: 41 C Depression is a major contributor severe and debilitating, leading to a that do not take into consideration take into account that some mental Low: 33 C of suicide. About 1mn people vicious circle of poverty and mental significant regional, national and health disorders can be prevented; Cloudy worldwide commit suicide every health disorders.” local variations. that most mental and behavioural year, and about 20mn unsuccessfully Although treatments are available The services and resources disorders can be successfully attempt suicide. In the US, suicide for many mental health problems, available are one-tenth to one- treated; that not treating them Fishermen’s forecast is the eighth leading cause of death almost two-thirds of sufferers never hundredth of what is needed. will lead to high economic and OFFSHORE DOHA - every 17 minutes another person seek help from a health professional. Despite wide differences between social costs; and that much of this Wind: NW 15-25/34 KT ends their life. In many cases this is the result mental health care in industrialised prevention, treatment and cure is Waves: 4-7/9 Feet According to a World Bank study, of a lack of economic means, and and in developing countries, both affordable. And, most importantly, INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW 08-18/25 KT mental health problems are a major in others it is a reflection of the share a common problem: Many it should be stressed that through Waves: 1-2/4 Feet cause of lost years of quality life. stigma frequently associated with people who could benefit from them appropriate treatment many of In spite of that, allocations to treat mental illness. According to WHO, do not use available psychiatric those who suffer from mental illness Around the region mental health problems in national stigma, discrimination, and neglect services. Even in countries that have can resume normal, fulfilling, and Weather Weather health budgets are disproportionately prevent care and treatment from adequate services less than half of productive lives. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min small in relation to other diseases and reaching people affected with mental the people needing care make use of Abu Dhabi Sunny 38/32 Sunny 37/31 the serious health consequences they disorders. them. zDr Cesar Chelala is a public health Baghdad Sunny 43/27 Sunny 42/27 Dubai Sunny Mental health disorders are among The need to implement proper consultant for several UN and other Sunny 39/31 41/30 pose. Kuwait City Sunny 47/33 Cloudy 47/33 Despite these eff orts, the lack the main causes of disease and policies is urgent. Unless we do so, international agencies. He has carried Manama Sunny 42/33 Cloudy 41/33 of eff ective mechanisms to deal disability in the world. Depressive signifi cant gains made over the last 40 out health-related missions in more Muscat Sunny 36/32 Sunny 36/32 with mental health issues remains disorders are now the fourth leading years in reducing child and maternal than 50 countries worldwide. Riyadh Sunny 46/29 Sunny 45/29 Tehran Sunny 37/25 Sunny 38/26 Live issues More than 10% of young teens are smokers

By Lisa Rapaport 32% in Uruguay to a high of 90% in Reuters Health the Philippines. Limitations of the study include the reliance on teens to accurately oughly 11% of youth aged recall and report on their smoking 13 to 15 around the world behaviour, the authors note. It also use tobacco products like only included students enrolled Rcigarettes and cigars, a global in school, which might not fully survey of students suggests. represent smoking behaviour in these Tobacco use is the world’s leading countries. Around the world cause of preventable death and serious “I was surprised to see that most Weather Weather illness, killing an estimated 6mn of the countries were in the 10 to today Max/min tomorrow Max/min people each year, researchers note 20% range; I would have thought the Athens M Sunny 26/17 Sunny 29/17 in the youth tobacco report from the numbers would be higher, but they Beirut Sunny 27/23 Sunny 26/22 Bangkok S T Storms 34/26 I T Storms 34/27 US Centres for Disease Control and either are similar or slightly higher than Berlin P Cloudy 29/17 S Showers 27/11 Prevention (CDC). Most smokers take rates in the US which are around 10 Cairo Sunny 39/24 Sunny 36/22 up the habit in their teens. to 15%,” said Dr Maher Karam-Hage, Cape Town Rain 16/10 P Cloudy 14/07 For the current study, researchers associate medical director of the tobacco Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 T Storms 31/26 examined data from surveys of teens treatment programme at MD Anderson Dhaka 30/26 T Storms Hong Kong T Storms 31/29 T Storms 31/29 in 61 countries conducted from 2012 Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas. Istanbul T Storms 22/18 Showers 26/18 to 2015. Half of nations had a smoking likely than those who start at older For boys, the lowest smoking A variety of policies at the country Jakarta P Cloudy 32/24 P Cloudy 32/24 rate of at least 15% for boys and at least ages to develop long-term nicotine prevalence was 2.9% in Tajikistan and level can infl uence whether young Karachi Cloudy 33/30 S T Storms 33/29 8 percent for girls, they found. addiction,” Arrazola said by e-mail. the highest was 61.4% in Timor- teens will smoke, Karam-Hage, who London M Sunny 32/18 P Cloudy 28/16 Manila T Storms 33/27 T Storms 33/26 “Smoking has been shown to “Therefore, eff orts to prevent youth Leste. For girls, the lowest rate - 1.6% wasn’t involved in the study, said by Moscow Showers 22/12 M Sunny 22/14 harm nearly every organ of the tobacco use are critical to prevent – was seen in Tajikistan and the e-mail. New Delhi M Sunny 37/27 S T Storms 36/27 body, and science shows that most another generation of adults who highest - 29% - in Bulgaria. “Cultural values and norms in their New York T Storms 30/22 P Cloudy 30/20 adult smokers fi rst start smoking smoke and suff er from smoking- In the majority of countries, individual countries are most critical, Paris Sunny 34/18 M Sunny 34/21 Sao Paulo S Showers Showers 17/14 during adolescence,” said lead study related death and disease.” at least half of current tobacco followed by the economic factors 23/14 Seoul P Cloudy 31/17 M Sunny 32/19 author Rene Arrazola of the Offi ce on Across all of the countries in the study, smokers said they wanted to quit, (prices and taxes), age restrictions and Singapore S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 Smoking and Health at the CDC. the lowest prevalence of teen smoking the study also found. The proportion policies such as whether they have Sydney P Cloudy 17/11 P Cloudy 18/07 “Young people who begin to (1.7%) was seen in Sri Lanka. The highest of student smokers who said they clean indoor air (laws) or not,” Karam- Tokyo Clear 26/18 Cloudy 28/18 smoke at an earlier age are more prevalence (35%) was in Timor-Leste. desired to quit ranged from a low of Hage said. Gulf Times 24 Monday, June 19, 2017 QATAR Steady demand for Qatar envoy responds to UAE, Saudi charges

By Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad al-Thani dering money to terrorists, and that Emiratis, Qatar’s Ambassador to the US not Qataris, were among the hijackers who fl ew Filipino workers planes into the Twin Towers. Ambassador Otaiba calls upon Qatar “to return to the community of responsible na- tions,” and criticises television news channel Al Jazeera for inciting violence, though he fails to mention that the UAE financed the military coup that overthrew Egypt’s first democrati- despite Gulf crisis cally elected government, and that the UAE allegedly bankrolled the coup plotters who at- tempted to overthrow the elected government By Joey Aguilar als and skilled workers have been in Turkey. Staff Reporter deployed to Qatar early this year The ambassador writes that the UAE did not and in the previous months, ac- act “in haste” against Qatar, yet the UAE never cording to Dicang. brought any of its complaints to the responsible he Philippine Overseas He said many companies from n his June 13 op-ed “Qatar Cannot Have It entities at the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Labour Offi ce in Doha has various industries in the country Both Ways”, United Arab Emirates (UAE) am- before launching aggressive diplomatic and eco- Tcited a steady demand prefer Filipinos because of their Ibassador Yousef al-Otaiba demanded that nomic measures against us. Instead, as leaked for Filipino workers and pro- competence, positive attitude Qatar be “all in” in the fi ght against terrorism. I e-mails show, the ambassador and the UAE gov- fessionals in Qatar despite the and skills. can assure him that we are. The better question ernment privately conspired against Qatar in the current diplomatic crisis in the With the increasing number of might be, where do the UAE and the other nations shadows. region. Speaking to Gulf Times, medical facilities such as hospi- currently boycotting Qatar stand on this existen- It has become clear that the current campaign Philippine labour attache David tal and clinics in Qatar, Dicang tial threat? against Qatar is not about terrorism, Al Jazeera Des Dicang said they continue noted that the demand for nurses Ambassador Otaiba must certainly be aware or any of the other issues highlighted by the boy- to receive several manpower and other medical staff is also that the United Nations and the US Treasury De- cotting nations. It is about Qatar’s independ- requirements from diff erent expected to rise. In general, he partment list 10 times as many suspected terror- ence, which some apparently view as a threat. We recruitment agencies in the stressed that “there is a continu- ists and terrorist fi nanciers from the boycotting would like our brothers in the GCC to know that country just like in the previous ing demand for nearly all cat- countries as from Qatar. Surely his excellency we are a threat to no one. But they should also months. egories of workers,” from skilled, also remembers that the UAE was singled out in understand that Qatar is a sovereign nation, and “We see a good demand for semi-skilled, low-skilled and the 9/11 Commission’s report for its role in laun- that we will not be bullied. Filipino workers especially in professionals. the service sector,” he noted. Meanwhile, in his advisory “For household service workers to DOLE, Dicang said the Qa- All PHCC health centres are operating normally (HSWs), the demand has always tari government guaranteed been there.” the safety of around 240,000 The Primary Health Care Cor- shortages of medical supplies, vision of our wise leadership, Apart from hotel staff , cus- Philippine labour attache David Des Dicang. Filipino expatriates in Qatar and poration ( PHCC) has confirmed rejecting the notion that the cur- PHCC is committed to providing tomer service representatives, “affi rmed that they have the that it continues to provide all rent political climate will have an excellent primary healthcare and restaurant employees, pine Department of Labour and Philippine International School ability to withstand any possible the health services for both impact on the health services services to all of our communi- among other categories, Dicang Employment (DOLE) also paved in Qatar. economic shocks from the dip- citizens and expatriates of all of Qatar. Delivery and access to ties, regardless of nationalities. added that more nurses and oth- the way for the smooth process- Citing the strong bilateral re- lomatic impasse with its neigh- nationalities and there are no medical supplies and medicines We will continue to perform our er medical staff , school teachers, ing of applications and the send- lations between the Philippines bouring Arab countries.” changes following the economic continues as usual. moral and humanitarian obliga- doctors, dentists, accountants, ing of newly hired workers to the and Qatar, the labour attache According to the Philippine blockade imposed by some In a statement, Dr Mariam Ali tion to provide healthcare to all engineers, architects, and other country. expressed optimism that the de- Overseas Employment Admin- neighbouring countries. PHCC Abdulmalik, managing director the residents of Qatar should professionals are also expect- DOLE’s move is also expected mand for Filipino professionals istration, the number of Filipino confirmed that there are no of PHCC said, “In line with the they require.” ed to be recruited in the com- to see the deployment of 28 new and several categories of work- expatriates deployed to Qatar in ing months. The recent lifting teachers and 20 bus drivers of ers will substantially increase 2016 substantially increased es- of deployment ban on Filipino Philippine School of Doha be- in the coming months. A “good pecially during the fi rst quarter workers to Qatar by the Philip- sides the 51 new teachers of the number” of Filipino profession- compared to the record in 2015. Qatar sure of European support in standoff : report

Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s the Emir as an expression of loyalty to the home- ambassador to Germany, has said the ongoing land, al-Sada said. In turn, Qatari artist Mariam “conflict has to be solved within the GCC, but Youssef al-Mulla said that the exhibition shows we need a strong message from our friends in the creative eff orts of participants, noting that Crisis could Germany and Europe, that everybody has to sit each work is unique in its own way. Legal action planned down at the table,” according to aljazeera.com be resolved “Students from Qatar had to leave Saudi Arabia Demonstrators in Istanbul and the UAE two weeks before the exam. Due to march in support for Qatar the closure of the border to neighbouring coun- through tries, families are separated from each other,” he Turkish demonstrators took to the streets of against TV series told DPA news agency. “You should not forbid Istanbul on Saturday to express their solidarity people to travel.” with the State of Qatar against the blockade and dialogue: He pointed out that the UAE gets 40% of its severing of ties by some Gulf states. The group atari lawyers have an- barak al-Sulaiti told the daily. Qatari lawyers specialised in gas from Qatar. “But we haven’t closed the gas gathered in front of Qatar’s general consulate nounced their plan to According to Arrayah, the prosecuting criminals inter- Turkish FM pipelines because we don’t want the situation to in Istinye in the European side of the city. Fatih Qtake legal action against TV series featured scenes on nationally has been formed to deteriorate.” Kaya, head of the Public Special Operations As- the producers of the Arabic TV how the ISIS conducted their follow the case. Currently, the sociation, expressed strong condemnation of the series Gharabib Sood, telecast operations and recruited their committee is studying and re- urkish Foreign Minister Qatar artists pledge charges levelled by the countries imposing the recently on the MBC satellite followers, in addition to their viewing all the related legal Mevlut Cavusoglu reiter- loyalty to the Emir blockade. He praised Qatar’s eff orts and support channel. The show depicted Is- ideology and abuse of others. viewpoints and international Tated yesterday that the for Turkey during “diff icult times,” adding that this lamic State (ISIS) characters as The daily said in a scene of the treaties and conventions re- current Gulf crisis could be re- The opening of Qatar Fine Art Exhibition 2017 on calls for solidarity with Qatar and “returning the using Qatari and Kuwaiti pass- programme, Qatari and Kuwaiti lated to the issue, in prepara- solved through dialogue and mu- Saturday was far from an ordinary occasion that favour.” ports, local Arabic daily Ar- passports were shown to be held tion for taking legal action. “In tual respect. “The solution to this features the staple ribbon-cutting and routine rayah reported yesterday. by some ISIS members, causing our case, we would focus on the problem is really simple,” Anatolia tours through the artworks on display. Instead Palestinian Scholars Association “We would not spare any ef- great anger in the two countries. issue that the producers of the news agency quoted Cavusoglu it was the signatures of participant artists as hails Qatar’s support for Gaza fort to take all the necessary Al-Sulaiti pointed out that the TV series spent around $10mn as saying during a joint press well as media personalities, Kuwaiti artists and a legal procedures to sue those producers of the series wanted to communicate their poison- conference with his Macedonian crowd of citizens and residents whose collabora- Chairman of the Palestinian Scholars Association, producing abuse against Qa- to communicate wrong messag- ous ideas about Qatar in one of counterpart Nikola Dimitrov. tion culminated in a mural titled “Loyalty and Dr Marwan Abu Ras, yesterday hailed the role tar which is part of a false and es to the viewers through such the episodes.” He noted that his recent tour, Obedience to You, Tamim” in a show of solidarity being played by the State of Qatar and its sup- fabricated media campaign a scene, using it as a political It is believed that the series which included Qatar, Kuwait during the blockade imposed on the country by port for the Palestinian people and the besieged in some sections of the media propaganda platform. was cut short and concluded and Saudi Arabia, was helpful,” a number of Gulf states. Gaza Strip. Dr Abu Ras urged scholars to say a that target Qatar using lies and He pointed out that a com- prematurely, due to the unease stressing that his country would As many as 60 Qatari plastic artists from diff er- word of truth and stand by Qatar, which sup- fabricated news,” Lawyer Mu- mittee comprising prominent it has caused among the viewers. continue its eff orts “to resolve ent generations took part in the exhibition with ports the people of Palestine, besieged Gaza and the crisis at the international nearly 100 artworks. The event is organised by Jerusalem, praising the contribution of Qatar’s level as well as at the level of the Qatar Fine Arts Society and lasts for a month. charitable societies and its humanitarian role. Organization of Islamic Co-op- Yousif al-Sada, president of the Qatar Fine He called on the Arab and Islamic nation to eration, which we chair the cur- Arts Society, said the idea of the mural was to unite. “We, the scholars of Palestine, pay tribute rent session.”, he added. highlight the loyalty and obedience of Qatari fine to all who stood with our people in Gaza and Pal- QA releases video on air blockade Cavusoglu underscored the artists and exhibition visitors to His Highness the estine,” he said, saluting on their behalf the State importance of co-operation, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, noting of Qatar, which entered every street spreading unity and brotherhood among that His Highness the Emir has always been a joy in hearts of Gaza’s people. In this context, Dr atar Airways has re- The video “showcases how line has said in a statement. the Gulf states and with Turkey supporter of culture and artists. Abu Ras highly appreciated the eff orts being leased a new televi- the skies are for everyone, The video can be viewed and the region as a whole, call- A number of artists will participate in workshops exerted by the State of Qatar aimed at develop- Q sion and social me- should be free of restrictions at https://www.youtube. ing for action to resolve all the organised everyday through Thursday, with ing the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure and hospitals dia commercial, titled ‘No and that this world is all of com/watch?v=0mA7v_ problems that were plaguing the each of them painting a portrait for His Highness as well as providing continuous support. Borders, Only Horizons’. ours to explore,” the air- qFAeI&feature=youtu.be region. UAE and Saudi fi rms Qatar Chamber, Tawar Mall launch face massive losses he daily losses of a consider- companies’ capital in Qatar is esti- initiative to support Qatari industry able number of Saudi Arabian mated to be QR1.23bn. They are also Tand UAE companies con- taking part in a good number of stra- tinue to escalate due to the unfair tegic infrastructure projects in the atar Chamber and Tawar which is scheduled to hold its includes halls events and exhi- blockade imposed on Qatar by their country, in addition to important Mall have announced a soft opening in September. bitions, which can also be used governments, local Arabic daily Ar- projects for the preparation of FIFA Qjoint initiative to sup- Al-Sharqi praised the ini- to promote the Qatari products. rayah reported. Some economists 2022 World Cup. Again, the block- port Qatari industry through tiative of Tawar Mall, which he “At least 60% of the total space and business experts affi rmed that ade is considered a serious threat to a strategic partnership target- described as “unique”. He also is booked and the soft opening the Qatari economy is gaining more stop the operations and business of ing entrepreneurs and small assured that it would strengthen will be in September,” al-Kuwari strength against the blockade, while such companies due to the political and medium-sized enterprises eff orts to support SMEs in Qatar said. many companies in Saudi Arabia and stands of their country of origin. (SMEs). and that it would have “a posi- He emphasised that Qatar’s the UAE are under the risk of closure. “Similarly, there are many UAE The announcement was made tive impact” on the Qatari mar- economy “is robust and resilient “These companies are suff ering companies working in Qatar and in the presence of Qatar Cham- ket and the economy. “There is a to crises,” and noted that Tawar great losses due to the blockade they are under the threat to close ber director general Saleh bin great interest from mall owners Mall had signed many contracts imposed on Qatar, which put them down their business, only because Hamad al-Sharqi and Tawar to develop local products. The before the Gulf diplomatic crisis in a signifi cantly critical situation of their government’s stand. Their Mall chairman Jassim bin Ja- mall includes a host of interna- started. resulting from the unstudied de- contracts are worth millions of bor Tawar al-Kuwari during tional brands alongside Qatari Al-Kuwari said Tawar Mall cision taken by their government,” dollars. The UAE banks could also a Suhoor held recently at Ta- products,” said al-Sharqi, who “is honoured to co-operate with the daily explained. face the risk of losing substantial war Mall. The initiative sup- added that Qatar Chamber will Qatar Chamber” and noted that According to experts, the losses of deposits and loans. ports Qatar Chamber’s eff orts promote Tawar Mall locally and there are “numerous new ideas” the Saudi companies would be more “The blockade also undermines to enhance social responsibil- internationally. to be implemented by both sides than the ones in the UAE as there the fame of Jebel Ali Port, which ity and to support “productive The products of “productive “in the near future.” He also paid are 315 Saudi companies working in the UAE prides of being a free in- families in Qatar.” The initia- families” will be displayed in the tribute to the Chamber’s role in Qatar with 100% Saudi capital while ternational hub for trade and the tive also aims “to patronise and mall at a dedicated space called supporting and developing the there other 303 Saudi companies largest sea port in the Middle East,” promote” the products of “pro- ‘Old Market’, which will be built Qatari trading institutions “to Qatar Chamber director general Tawar Mall chairman Jassim bin with Qatari partners. “The Saudi Arrayah added. ductive families” at Tawar Mall, with an antique design. The mall achieve growth and continuity.” Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi. Jabor Tawar al-Kuwari.