COMMENT | Page 18 SPORT | Page 1 Tributes pour in for

INDEX NZ legend DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 4, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 ARAB WORLD 5 BUSINESS 1-12 Self-driving cars may be Crowe 16,904.48 10,136.57 34.58 INTERNATIONAL 6-16 CLASSIFIED 9 +7.16 +122.14 -0.08 ISLAM 17 SPORT 1-12 more lethal than we think +0.04% +1.22% -0.23% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10017 March 4, 2016 Jumada I 24, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Danish Crown Prince

In brief Signifi cant progress QATAR | Weather Poor visibility due to fog expected Poor visibility is expected in some parts of the country early today due to fog, the Qatar Met department in labour has said. Visibility may drop to 1km or less in these areas. The forecast for inshore areas says it will be misty to foggy in some places at first, followed by moderate temperature during the day and partly cloudy HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Emiri Diwan yesterday morning with HRH the Crown Prince of the housing conditions. Off shore areas will Kingdom of Denmark Frederik Andre Henrik, his wife HRH Princess Mary and their accompanying delegation on the occasion remain hazy to misty and see partly of their visit to the country. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them and exchanged cloudy conditions by the afternoon. views on a number of topics of common interest, especially in the investment and economy sector. Page 20 There is also a weak chance of rain. The minimum and maximum temperatures today are expected to be 15C and 27C, respectively, with the expected forecast for Doha being 17C and 26C. By Ramesh Mathew ARAB WORLD | Confl ict More evidence that aspirin Staff Reporter ‘Visible’ progress in Syria ceasefi re here will be a signifi cant im- lowers risk of cancer: study provement in the labour housing The UN’s Syria envoy said yesterday situation in Qatar over the next that visible progress was being T few years on account of the ongoing re- screening and 9,800 among the al- made on the country’s landmark AFP cer screening are lacking.” forms, a noted academic has predicted. Previous research has shown that most 30mn who are not screened.” ceasefire, after a sharp drop was Miami “The international teams that vis- regular aspirin use can help prevent However, when researchers looked reported in the number of civilians ited the new residential facilities for dying every day. France and Britain colorectal cancer. specifi cally at common cancers such the workers in the Labour City in Me- said further eff orts were needed, eople who take aspirin regularly However, the wider eff ect of aspirin as breast, lung and prostate cancer, saimeer and Barwa Al Baraha over the calling on Russia to halt attacks on have a signifi cantly lower risk on all cancers was less clear. they found no risk reduction from as- last few months have expressed their moderate rebel groups in Syria as of cancer, particularly involving So the researchers looked at 32 years pirin use. P appreciation,” Dr Rajai Ray Jureidini the country suff ered an hours-long the colon and gastrointestinal tract, worth of data from nearly 136,000 The research was based on observa- nationwide blackout, evidence of the according to US research published nurses and health professionals who tional studies, so it is not as strong as a pointed out. damage nearly five years of war has yesterday. answered health surveys. randomised controlled trial. The senior member of the Qatar Fac- inflicted. Page 5 The fi ndings in the Journal of the People who took either a regular Aspirin also carries certain risks, ulty of Islamic Studies at the Hamad Dr Rajai Ray Jureidini American Medical Association (JAMA) aspirin or a low-dose aspirin at least such as bleeding and stroke, and can- Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) was de- Oncology suggest that aspirin use twice per week showed a 3% lower risk not be tolerated by everyone. livering a public lecture on ‘Limitations The introduction of the Wage Pro- REGION | Confl ict should complement - not replace - al- of any type of cancer than those who The US Preventive Services Task of Migrant Labour Reforms in Qatar’ tection System and the decision to set UN mulls resolution ready established preventive screen- did not report regular aspirin use. Force recommends aspirin to prevent on Wednesday. up three exclusive hospitals for workers ing measures such as colonoscopies. The protective benefi t of aspirin colorectal cancer and cardiovascular “The ongoing initiatives to improve in the Doha Industrial Area, Mesaieed on situation in Yemen “We now can recommend that “appeared after fi ve years of continu- disease among many US adults. the working conditions and housing Industrial City and Ras Laff an In- The UN Security Council is many individuals consider taking as- ous use at dosages ranging from 0.5 to According to Ernest Hawk of the facilities of workers are in line with the dustrial City too are some of the good considering a resolution demanding pirin to reduce their risk of colorectal 1.5 standard tablets a week or one low- University of Texas MD Anderson recommendations of the International initiatives meant to improve the living humanitarian access and an end cancer - particularly those with other dose tablet a day,” said the study. Cancer Center, the study “is impor- Labour Organisation and requirements conditions of the country’s expatriate to indiscriminate attacks in Yemen, reasons for regular use, such as heart Aspirin use reduced the risk of tant because it suggests that aspirin of such entities as the Supreme Com- workers. Ismael Gaspar Martins, Angola’s disease prevention,” said senior author colorectal cancer by 19% and the risk use may complement colorectal can- mittee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar “The transfer of workers’ sala- ambassador to the UN, said yesterday. Andrew Chan of the Massachusetts of any gastrointestinal cancer by 15%. cer screening,” he wrote in an accom- Foundation, Qatar Rail and Ashghal,” ries through banks would ensure that The council expressed “grave General Hospital. Regular aspirin use “could prevent panying editorial. he explained. workers are paid on time by their em- concern” over the humanitarian “Our fi ndings imply that aspirin use close to 30,000 gastrointestinal tract Aspirin also “may have an abso- The professor of Migration, Ethics ployers,” the academic noted. situation in Yemen, where violence would be expected to prevent a sig- tumours in the US each year,” said the lute benefi t regardless” of whether and Human Rights at HBKU recalled While deliberating on the law per- has continued in the conflict between nifi cant number of colorectal cancers study. patients have been screened by tra- that after conducting a host of on- taining to the entry and exit of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the above and beyond those that would The team also calculated that aspi- ditional methods, “a critical insight the-spot studies on the conditions of workers, Dr Jureidini said the sponsor Yemeni government. be prevented by screening and may rin use could “prevent an additional that few other studies have provided the expatriate workers, particularly or his representative is bound to issue have even greater benefi t in settings in 7,500 colorectal tumours among US thus far,” added Hawk, who was not construction labourers, in the last few exit permits to expatriate employees which the resources to devote to can- adults over 50 who have endoscopic involved in the study. years, the teams from the QF had made within 72 hours after submitting the INDIA | Unrest some invaluable and signifi cant rec- request for the exit permit. “If the exit Student arrested for ommendations to the labour and social is not granted in the stipulated time, sedition released welfare authorities. the sponsor is liable to explain why the “The decision to set up residen- exit is not granted to the employee,” he An Indian student leader walked tial facilities of superior standards as said. out of prison yesterday, nearly those in Mesaimeer and Barwa Al Ba- The migration expert also explained three weeks after he was arrested Romney leads anti-Trump raha project on the south eastern side that the sponsor is expected to return on a controversial sedition charge of Doha Industrial Area is the result the passport of his employee immedi- that sparked major protests and a of such recommendations. The study ately after completing his mandatory nationwide debate over free speech. teams had reported the deplorable con- residential permit procedures. If he Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on charge as conservatives stew ditions of some of the labour camps, continued to retain the passport, the February 12 over a rally at Delhi’s especially those in the Industrial Area, sponsor could attract a fi ne of up to prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru to the authorities and actions were ini- QR50,000. University (JNU) at which anti-India AFP bearer, some party leaders, operatives fully against Barack Obama in 2012 tiated against the operators.” While explaining the procedures of - lambasted Trump as unfit to be slogans were chanted. Page 13 Oxon Hill and voters have begun to panic at the Dr Jureidini was of the view that the the no objection certifi cate for those prospect of nominee Trump, while president. recent decision to appoint more labour seeking to change sponsorship and others are saying it’s time, for better or Romney said if Trump were to be the inspectors to oversee the activities at employment, the speaker said as per AFRICA | Court merican conservatives faced worse, to rally around the man leading nominee, it would enable a Democrat- the work sites as well as to monitor the the provisions of the new labour law a wrenching decision yester- the pack. ic victory for the party’s presumptive Pistorius faces facilities at the residential accommo- day about their party’s future: The last-ditch eff ort to halt Trump, candidate Hillary Clinton. no permission is required to change A dations too has gone down well with the job for one who has completed fi ve return to jail embrace Donald Trump’s divisive but some say, threatens to rupture the “Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud” the visiting teams and international Oscar Pistorius yesterday faced a winning Republican presidential bid, Grand Old Party. Trump himself ac- lacking the temperament and judg- years (if there is a written contract be- organisations. return to jail after losing a final bid or take former nominee Mitt Rom- knowledged as much yesterday, telling ment to be commander-in-chief, tween an employee and employer) un- “When the labour reforms are fully to appeal his murder conviction ney’s advice and fi nd a way to derail MSNBC that “we have a party that’s Romney said in a speech in Utah, as der the same sponsor. for shooting girlfriend Reeva the billionaire’s victory march. stagnant and dying.” he urged voters to rally around one of implemented by the end of this year, as “However, for contracts to be issued Steenkamp. Pistorius’s lawyers had With the controversial real estate In some of the bluntest criticism the remaining candidates: Senator Ted announced by labour authorities late from December 2016, when the new applied for leave to appeal to the tycoon apparently on a glide path to yet from the party establishment, Cruz, Senator Marco Rubio or Ohio last year, the country’s workforce is ex- labour reforms are expected to be in Constitutional Court. Page 6 becoming the Republican standard- Mitt Romney - who ran unsuccess- Governor John Kasich. Page 7 pected to experience more changes in place, the period may go up to 2022, he their work scenario.” added.

Decent housing for citizens, resident s Boeing developing a ‘self-cleaning’ toilet system The State of Qatar attaches special on adequate and decent housing as a importance to the provision of decent component of the right to an adequate housing as a component of the right to an and decent standard of living”. AFP room in just three seconds after it is “We’re trying to alleviate the anxi- UV light once a person exits the lava- adequate standard of living for citizens Al-Marri pointed out that Qatar had New York vacated by shining ultraviolet lights ety we all face when using a restroom tory. This sanitising even helps elimi- and residents. issued Housing Law No. 2 of 2007, which on bathroom surfaces, killing 99.99% that gets a workout during a fl ight,” nate odours.” This came in a speech delivered by the regulates access to appropriate housing of germs. said Jeanne Yu, Boeing commercial Boeing said the system will require third Secretary of Qatar Permanent and the right to an adequate and decent eeking to restore the sheen to the The toilet seat would open and close airplanes director of environmental further study before it can be deployed Mission to the UN Offi ce at Geneva housing as follows: including ‘Housing in-fl ight bathroom experience, by itself so that all surfaces get a once performance. by commercial airlines. The aero- Ghanem Ali al-Marri before the 31st Loan’ for those whose fi nancial resources SBoeing is developing a “self- over. A hands-free door latch and “In the prototype, we position the space giant has fi led for a patent on session of the UN Human Rights Council, enable them to repay the value of the cleaning” toilet system to boost sani- hands-free faucet are incorporated lights throughout the lavatory so that the “clean lavatory” concept, and the under the item (3) titled: “Interactive loan, and housing for the needy who are tation and battle unwelcome odours. to further fi ght mounting bacteria in it fl oods the touch surfaces like the toi- idea has been nominated for a Crystal Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur covered by the social security scheme.” The system can disinfect a bath- overtaxed airplane loos. let seat, sink and countertops with the Cabin Award, an industry prize.

Gulf Times 4 Friday, March 4, 2016 QATAR

Emir receives new envoys’ credentials In brief

Emir sends cable of congratulations to Bulgaria leader

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent cable of congratulations to Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev on his country’s National Day. Economy Minister meets Saudi delegation

HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani yesterday met a delegation from Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Industry, currently on a visit to Doha. The meeting reviewed means of co-operation and exchange of expertise between the two countries, particularly in the fields of commerce, consumer protection, foreign trade and information technology. Qatar-Paraguay ties reviewed

HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met the Paraguayan Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga in Doha yesterday. They reviewed relations between Qatar HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received the credentials of four new ambassadors to Qatar yesterday. The ambassadors of the Kyrgyz republic, Indonesia, Serbia and Turkmenistan – Nuran and Paraguay and means of Niyazaliev, Mohamed Basri Sidehabi, Jasminko Pozderac, and Charyev Orazmuhammet Atajanovich, respectively – presented their credentials to the Emir at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. The ambassadors were developing them and discussed accorded an off icial reception ceremony at the Emiri Diwan. regional and international issued of mutual concern. Separately, HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment, Mohamed bin Cabinet chief Abdullah al-Rumaihi, also met the Foreign Minister of Paraguay, meets ILO Eladio Loizaga. delegation Qatar has 1.7mn-strong Qatar-Ecuadorian HE the Cabinet Secretary ties reviewed General Hamad bin Ahmed al-Mohannadi holding talks Minister with a high-level delegation HE the Minister for Administrative from the International workforce, says expert Development and Labour and Labour Organisation (ILO) Social Aff airs, Issa Saad al-Jafali led by ambassador Misako al-Nuaimi, met the ambassador Kaji, in Doha yesterday. The By Ramesh Mathew Indians, accounting for almost the four years from 2011 to of Ecuador to Qatar Qublan Abi meeting reviewed means Staff Reporter 31.7% (452,578) of the country’s 2014. More than 53% of those Saab yesterday. of developing co-operation calls for labour force, as per November deaths were from heart at- Talks dealt with bilateral relations between Qatar and the 2015 fi gures. tack, and many were in the age in areas of common interest and ILO, Qatar’s significant atar has a workforce of Nepalese (339,901 or 23.5%), group of 35-40. means of enhancing them. achievements in labour about 1.7mn, based on Filipinos (165,447), Bangaldesh- More than 57% of the deaths legislations and protection of Qthe population fi gures is (130,630) and Arab expatriates from heart attack in the Nepa- QC gives aid to labour rights. of November 2015, an expert on (146,577) are the other dominant lese community were between migration, ethics and human workers groups. The fi gures do the months of April and Septem- Kyrgyz orphans judicious rights has said. not include families and children ber, when the region experiences “While the population was from the expatriate communi- summer conditions. A ceremony was held yesterday 2.46mn in November 2015, it ties mentioned above. Of the 1.7mn expatriate work- in Bishkek to distribute payments went up to 2.54mn by end of Among the Arab expatriate force in the country, as many as to orphans sponsored by Qatar February this year, according to workers, 72,478 are Egyptian 37% are engaged in the construc- Charity in Kyrgyzstan. the data from the Ministry of and 18,474 are Syrians. Su- tion sector. Retail and wholesale The event was attended Development Planning and Sta- danese (14,147) and Lebanese sector (13%), household (10%), by Qatar’s ambassador to water use tistics,” explained Dr Rajai Ray (10,200) are the other major manufacturing (8%), mining Kyrgyzstan Mohamed bin Arar Jureidini. Arab expatriate workers groups. and quarrying (6%) and public al-Nuaimi who in his speech QNA The senior member of the Nepalese community, which administration (6%) and admin- praised Qatar Charity and its Doha Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies has large numbers of construc- istration and support services eff orts, adding that the Charity at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Uni- tion workers, is the single largest (3%) are the other major sectors is sponsoring 700 orphans versity (HBKU) was delivering a group of low income workers, of employment. from diff erent provinces of E the Minister of Energy public lecture on ‘Limitations of the academic pointed out. “It was also found that of all Kyrgyzstan. and Industry Dr Moham- Migrant Labour Reforms in Qa- On the basis of the fi gures the GCC countries, Qatar has The ceremony was attended Hed bin Saleh al- Sada has tar’ on Wednesday. made available by the Nepa- least number, 9.6%, of nation- by Kyrgyzstan Minister of urged citizens and residents to co- The single largest community lese embassy, there were 705 als on its territory,” Dr Jureidini Labour and Social Development operate in the rationalisation of among the migrant workers is deaths in the community in added. Kudaibergen Bazarbaev. water consumption. Speaking on the occasion of Arab Water Day, which falls on March 3 every year, al-Sada said it HE al-Sada was the common moral, national and religious responsibility of eve- Corporation (Kahramaa) seeks to Tamuq hosts workshop for oil and gas industry ry citizens and residents to main- strengthen the culture of ration- tain the source of life and to ensure alisation of water consumption a decent livelihood for the present through the national programme ore than 60 people practising engineers working in illustrates the importance of nary lectures and presentations, and future generations. of energy conservation and ef- working in the oil and the country’s oil and gas indus- working together with indus- while the second day featured Al-Sada said that Qatar, un- fi ciency which was launched in Mgas industry in Qatar try as well as researchers, faculty try, government and academic short courses and tutorials on der the wise leadership of HH the April 2012 under the patronage have attended the 2016 Inter- and graduate students who are partners to develop the highly software used in the oil and gas Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad of HH the Emir. national Workshop on Compu- working on oil- and gas-related skilled workforce that Qatar industry. al-Thani, has encouraged and In his speech on the occasion of tational Methods with Applica- research problems in Qatar. needs to drive its future, and to Key speakers included Dr J N supported the means to reduce the Arab Water Day, President of tions to Oil and Gas, hosted by The workshop also gathered develop scientifi c solutions that Reddy, university distinguished the water consumption rates and Qatar General Electricity and Wa- Texas A&M University at Qatar stakeholders and local and inter- have a direct impact on the world professor at Texas A&M Univer- the steps taken to provide, sustain ter Corporation Engineer Essa bin (Tamuq). national experts from academia around us.” sity (US) and a member of the US and maintain water sources. Hilal al-Kuwari pointed to the de- The two-day workshop was and industry to discuss recent Dr Sami El Borgi from Ta- National Academy; Dr Normand The Minister said that Qatar at- fi ciencies in daily water consump- held at the Hamad Bin Kha- research and trends in the com- muq’s Mechanical Engineering Mousseau from the University of taches great importance to raise tion, a matter which leads to waste lifa University Student Centre in putational aspects of mechanics Programme and Dr Othmane Montreal (Canada); and Dr Andreas awareness about rationalisation and exhausts this vital resource. Education City. and materials science with ap- Bouhali from the Texas A&M at Polycarpou, professor and head of of water, and the need to main- He stressed that the aim of the It consisted of lectures, short plications to the oil and gas in- Qatar Advanced Scientifi c Com- the Department of Mechanical En- tain the country’s water resources occasion is to stress the need to ra- courses and software tutorials dustry, and their role in tackling puting group jointly organised gineering at Texas A&M University which form a basis of its develop- tionalise the use of drinking water given by leading academicians complex problems. the workshop, which featured 19 (US). Other presenters came from ment and progress. He said the in light of the increasing pressures and experienced practising en- Dr Eyad Masad, vice-dean of speakers in 24 sessions. Qatar, US, Australia, UAE, UK, Arab per capita consumption of faced by freshwater resources in gineers. Attendees included Tamuq, said: “This workshop The fi rst day consisted of ple- Canada and France. water is among the highest in the the Arab world, which make it es- world. sential to adopt solutions that en- He said that this year Qatar sure the achievement of sustain- marks the Arab Water Day un- able development. der the motto “We rationalise Al-Kuwari added that wa- in water to achieve sustainable ter has a special value and sig- development”.... “as water is of nifi cance in the Arab region as utmost importance in our lives”. it faces many challenges, most The Minister revealed that Qa- notably accelerated depletion of tar is working according to a clear groundwater, increase of its sa- policy as part of its strategy for the linity, scarcity of rainfall and the management of natural resources, steady increase in demand for which constitutes a roadmap for water due to population growth achieving sustainability and pres- and accelerated economic de- ervation of the future generations’ velopment, thus threatening the rights. sustainability of the growth, de- Al-Sada said that the Qatar velopment and even the contin- General Electricity and Water uation of life. Dr J N Reddy More than 60 people attended the workshop. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 5 REGION/ARAB WORLD Tunisia raid Art attack! on militants ‘foiled attack from Libya ’

AFP Morocco fears biological attacks Tunis Morocco said yesterday that the alleged members of a militant cell it arrested in mid-February, includ- ive militants killed by Tunisian forces near ing a French national, were plotting to carry out the Libyan border had slipped across with “biological” attacks in the kingdom. Fthe aim of carrying out “terrorist attacks”, “Some of the seized substances (from the sus- Prime Minister Habib Essid said yesterday. pects) are classified by international organisations Essid, in a statement on his offi cial Facebook which specialise in health issues as falling within A man looks at a 3D shark display at the Dubai Mall. page, praised the army and national guard units the category of biological weapons dangerous for who had eliminated the “terrorist cell sent in from their capacity to paralyse and destroy the nervous Libya”. system and cause death,” the interior ministry said. Their killing in a raid on Wednesday evening “Members of the terrorist cell had prepared had “foiled the terrorist operations the cell was these deadly substances with a view to using them planning”, the prime minister said. in their terrorist projects inside the kingdom,” it At least four of the infi ltrators were Tunisian said in a statement. nationals, the interior ministry later said, while On February 18, the ministry announced it had ‘Visible’ progress in Syria truce the fi fth was still to be identifi ed. dismantled a “terrorist cell” of 10 people suspected One civilian was killed by a stray bullet during of having links to the Islamic State militant group the assault on a house outside the town of Ben and planning attacks in the North African country. Guerdane near the border. An army commander The suspects, including a Frenchman, were was also wounded. arrested in several towns, it said, without giving but success ‘not guaranteed’ Explosive vests, improvised grenades and a further details on their identities. large quantity of munitions were recovered from Morocco has been on guard against deadly the slain militants, the interior ministry said. attacks like those claimed by IS in Tunisia last year AFP is that incidents of fi ghting “have weekend, aid workers were hop- Six foreign passports were also found, it said that killed 59 foreign tourists. Geneva been contained”. ing to have reached another three without elaborating. Rabat says 152 “terrorist cells” have been busted As a result of the relative calm, or four areas in Kfar Batna in the Defence Minister Farhat Horchani, questioned since 2002, including 31 over the past three years aid workers have been delivering Eastern Ghouta region, which are in parliament, said a gunbattle between security with ties to militants in Iraq and Syria. yria’s ceasefi re has shown desperately-needed assistance to home to another 20,000 people. forces and the suspects lasted more than an hour. A study by the US-based Soufan Group said clear signs of progress, the besieged areas where nearly half De Mistura has said a new Troops had been on alert after receiving reports in December that at least 1,200 Moroccans had Stop UN envoy for the war- a million people are trapped. round of peace talks will resume that militants had been slipping across the border travelled to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria in ravaged country said yesterday, Another 4mn people are living in Geneva on March 9, after his this week following a US air strike on an Islamic the past 18 months. but warned there was no guaran- UN Syria envoy Staff an de Mistura in hard-to-reach areas. fi rst attempt to engage the war- State (IS) militant group training camp in Libya tee it would succeed. gestures while speaking to the Following a meeting of the ring parties in indirect negotia- on February 18 targeting a senior Tunisian com- “The situation... on the ground media yesterday in Geneva. task force overseeing the deliv- tions fl oundered last month. mander. that the strike probably averted a mass shooting could be summarised as frag- ery of humanitarian aid, de Mis- He had been hoping to get Tunisia has built a 200km barrier that stretches or a similar attack in Tunisia. ile. Success is not guaranteed, His comments came shortly tura’s special advisor Jan Egeland started on March 7, but acknowl- about half the length of its border with Libya in an Britain announced on Monday it was sending but progress has been visible,” before entering a meeting of a voiced hope that the ceasefi re edged that logistical problems, attempt to keep out militants. a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train Staff an de Mistura told report- UN-backed international task would “lead to a big leap for- such as fi nding hotel rooms for Deadly attacks by IS on foreign holidaymakers troops patrolling the border with Libya. ers in Geneva as the cessation of force co-chaired by Moscow and ward... in reaching many hun- participants as the Swiss city last year, which dealt a devastating blow to the Thirty Britons were among 38 foreign holiday- hostilities entered its sixth day. Washington that is overseeing dreds of thousands more people.” hosts one of the world’s biggest country’s tourism industry, are believed to have makers killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach The ceasefi re brokered by the the truce. “Considering how it has been, car shows, had forced him to been planned from Libya. resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse last June. US and Russia came into eff ect “In general, the cessation has we are obviously making great push the talks back. Last month’s US strike on the IS training camp And last March, militant gunmen killed 21 tourists on Saturday but does not include been holding,” he said, while ac- progress, but there is a lot left to Since the talks would consist outside the Libyan city of Sabratha targeted the and a policeman at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. territory controlled by the Islam- knowledging that “there are still be done,” he said. of indirect “proximity talks”, suspected mastermind of two of the attacks, According to a UN working group on the use of ic State group or Al Nusra. a number of places where fi ght- In the last three weeks, 236 participants would not all need to Noureddine Chouchane. mercenaries, over 5,000 Tunisians, mostly aged “The level of violence in the ing has continued,” including in trucks had been sent out to arrive by March 9, with some ex- Washington has said Chouchane was likely from 18 to 35, have travelled abroad to join mili- country is being reduced. Ask the parts of Damascus and Homs. 115,000 people in besieged ar- pected to arrive as late as March killed along with dozens of other militants, and tant groups, especially in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Syrian people,” de Mistura said. But the good thing, he stressed, eas, he said, adding that by the 14, he said.

Palestinian teen stabs Israeli cop ‘Alarming’ rise in South Sudan Egypt reaches deal teenage Pales- tinian girl yes- over payments to Aterday stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli policeman wildlife slaughter , say activists foreign airlines in the occupied West Bank before being ar- rested, Israeli author- AFP Reuters pany separately and the ities said. Juba Cairo transfers are made using The policeman the official dollar exchange was directing traf- rate for today,” he told Sau- fi c after a tree fell and ll sides in South Sudan’s civil gypt’s civil aviation di-owned Al Arabiya tel- blocked a road in the war have slaughtered wild- ministry said yester- evision. town of Auja, in the Alife including elephant, gi- Eday the central bank Local media had reported Jordan Valley north of raff e and antelope, conservationists had reached an agreement that British Airways stopped Jericho, when he was said yesterday, warning huge eff orts over payments to foreign accepting payment from stabbed in the shoul- must be made to protect the surviv- airlines who have struggled customers and tour compa- der, police said. ing animal population. to repatriate earnings, due to nies in Egyptian pounds due The girl ran off but In a report released on World foreign currency shortages. to problems converting pay- was caught and ar- Wildlife Day yesterday, conserva- Import-dependent Egypt ments into hard currency. rested by her victim. tionists said gunmen had devas- has faced a worsening dol- BA said in a statement this Israeli police gave tated one of Africa’s largest animal lar shortage since the 2011 issue had been resolved. It her age as 14. Pales- migrations, yet another victim of an uprising and subsequent gave no more details. tinian security sourc- ongoing civil war marked by atroci- turmoil drove away foreign “These issues were be- es said she was 16. ties in which tens of thousands of investors and tourists. yond our control, but we are A wave of violence people have been killed. The crash of a Russian pleased that this has now in Israel and the Pal- The US-based Wildlife Conser- airliner over Egypt’s Sinai in been resolved and as of to- estinian territories vation Society (WCS), which backs late October, killing all 224 day, customers can book via since October has government eff orts to protect its people aboard, has further the trade in local currency, killed 180 Palestinians natural resources, warned of an hit tourism in the Red Sea, on ba.com, or through our as well as 28 Israelis, “alarming expansion of illegal ex- and with it Egypt’s dollar call centre,” a spokeswoma an American, a Suda- ploitation and traffi cking”. earnings. said. nese and an Eritrean, It said there had been a “sharp Last week Air France- Meanwhile Germany’s according to an AFP rise” in recent months of commer- KLM said it had been unable Lufthansa thanked the gov- toll. cial bush meat poaching of ante- to repatriate any earnings ernment for resolving the Most of the Pales- lopes, elephant killing, ivory smug- A Wildlife Conservation Society handout photo of a herd of Rothschild giraff es at a National Park in South Sudan. since October and was owed problem without giving de- tinians who died in the gling, logging of trees, charcoal more than 100mn Egyptian tails on any payments plan. violence were killed production and gold mining, dam- area of intact savannah eco-system the warring sides “dragging their chief, General Philip Chol Majak has pounds but the civil avia- “Lufthansa will continue by Israeli forces while aging formerly pristine forests. left in east Africa, and in terms of feet” in implementing an August said he “fears that hundreds” of el- tion ministry said yesterday to take all necessary meas- carrying out knife, Elephants have been slaughtered numbers, the circular migration of peace deal. ephants have been killed. that the airlines would be ures to mitigate the eff ects gun or car-ramming for their tusks, while giraff e and an- animals rivals that of Kenya’s iconic Previously, animals - and people The survival of South Sudan’s paid what they are owed in of the current foreign cur- attacks, according to telope have been mowed down with Maasai Mara and Tanzania’s Ser- - have survived in the remote marsh wildlife was once a rare cause for foreign currency over “the rency crisis in Africa and the Israeli authorities. machine guns for meat to feed the engeti ecosystems. areas of the Sudd, the world’s larg- hope in a land left in ruins by the coming period.” Middle East,” a Lufthansa Others were shot tens of thousands of soldiers and “There is cause for great concern for est freshwater swamp, in the Upper decades of confl ict that paved the Gehad al-Ghazali, an ad- spokesman told Reuters. dead by Israeli forces rebels battling each other since De- many vulnerable species in the coun- Nile and Unity regions. way for its independence in 2011. visor to the tourism minis- Air France-KLM did not during clashes or cember 2013. try, particularly elephant, giraff e, and For the fi rst time in South Sudan’s Before civil war broke out, the ter, also said yesterday that immediately respond to re- demonstrations. “The various armed forces across tiang populations,” WCS said. confl icts, government troops how- government said there were some the central bank contacted quests for comment. Many of the attack- the country have been implicated in In a gloomy assessment, it said ever now have amphibious tanks, 5,000 elephants, although WCS’ some of them on Wednes- The Egyptian pound has ers have been young cases of large-scale wildlife poach- ongoing surveys had confi rmed able to enter previously isolated estimation was far lower, at around day, agreeing in the case of come under pressure as for- Palestinians, includ- ing, both for consumption and “that some of these wildlife popu- swamp zones to hunt down opposi- 2,500 animals. British Airways to transfer eign currency reserves have ing teenagers. commercial traffi cking,” WCS said, lations have managed to survive in tion. Last year WCS sad that almost a 50% of funds owed with the dropped but the central bank Israeli forces have adding that “international actors” some areas”. Last month, 19 government sol- third of elephants fi tted with its sat- rest to come in instalments. is reluctant to devalue for been accused of us- were also believed to be involved. “There is still hope to protect diers and 11 civilians were arrested ellite monitoring collars were miss- Egypt also agreed to fear of further fuelling infl a- ing excessive force Eastern regions are home to giant these populations and halt the ex- for commercial bush meat poach- ing. transfer 30mn pounds to Air tion and has rationed dollars in some cases, which herds of antelope - including tiang, panding poaching and traffi cking ing and traffi cking by government Ongoing detailed surveys have France-KLM, out of a to- available for non-essential they strongly deny. white-eared kob and reedbuck - as pressures,” WCS added. wildlife rangers, with sacks of dried been hampered due to the confl ict tal 120mn pounds owed, he imports to give priority in- No shots were fired well as giraff e, lion, cheetah and The report comes a day after the meat of more than 60 antelope, with low fl ying aircraft at risk, with added. stead to food, fuel, medi- in yesterday’s inci- vast bird populations. UN warned that the country’s hu- WCS said. even UN helicopters having been “The negotiations are cines and manufacturing dent. The wilderness is the largest manitarian crisis is worsening, with South Sudan’s wildlife service shot down in the war. going on with each com- components. Gulf Times 6 Friday, March 4, 2016 AFRICA

Congo agrees to Report sees spike in LRA extradite genocide kidnappings this year suspect to Reuters/AFP for, said the new Crisis Tracker Congo and South Sudan. sacres of civilians, kidnappings Rwanda Dakar report called The State of the Despite a US-backed re- of villagers to be used as labour- LRA in 2016. gional eff ort and the fact that ers, sex slaves and child soldiers. The LRA has targeted the the group’s ranks are believed to One of Kony’s former depu- Reuters ore than 200 people former French colony, which is have dwindled to several hun- ties, Dominic Ongwen, was Kinshasa have been kidnapped reeling from years of inter-reli- dred fi ghters, the LRA has con- caught last year and is currently Min eastern Central Af- gious bloodshed. tinued assaults on civilians. imprisoned in The Hague facing rican Republic this year, already In January, the group killed a The LRA fi rst emerged in trial for war crimes and crimes he Democratic Republic nearly double last year’s level, villager and abducted dozens of northern Uganda in 1987, the against humanity. of the Congo will extra- in a wave of abductions blamed others during two weekend raids year after current President The LRA has killed more than Tdite a suspect in Rwanda’s on the Lord’s Resistance Army in a remote diamond-producing Yoweri Museveni seized power, 200,000 people and kidnapped 1994 genocide, Congo’s justice (LRA), an organisation tracking area of the country. but remnants of the rebel force more than 60,000 children, fi rst minister said yesterday, retreat- the rebel group said yesterday. The abductions occurred and its elusive leader have been in the north of Uganda and then ing from an earlier demand that A quarter of the 217 abducted despite the presence of troops driven out of the country and in neighbouring countries, ac- Rwanda fi rst respond to the were children, 41 of whom are in a UN peacekeeping mission operate abroad. cording to the United Nations. Congo’s own extradition re- still missing or in captivity, LRA in CAR, MINUSCA, as well as Key leaders have been cap- Rebel activity has displaced quests. Crisis Tracker said in a state- an African Union military task tured or defected, but the move- tens of thousands of people in Ladislas Ntaganzwa, a former ment. force and soldiers from the Unit- ment has not been crushed. the DRC, where many attacks Rwandan mayor under indict- The kidnapped children may ed States, the report said. “The LRA is one of the most in 2015 were aimed at support- ment for his alleged role in the be as used as soldiers, sex slaves This file photo taken in 2006 shows Joseph Kony answering LRA Crisis Tracker said the resilient rebel groups in modern ing an LRA operation to collect slaughter of some 800,000 Tut- or labourers, it said. journalists’ questions in Ri-Kwang-Ba, southern Sudan. Rebels in rebel group has been responsi- history,” Ronan said. dozens of tusks from elephants sis and moderate Hutus by eth- The LRA, run by warlord the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have kidnapped more than 200 ble for attacks and abductions in The Resolve is part of a broad- slaughtered in Garamba Nation- nic Hutu militias, was arrested in Joseph Kony, is known for mas- people this year in the Central African Republic, a quarter of them eastern Congo too, but those had er US-based project gathering al Park, the report said. eastern Congo in December. sacring and mutilating civilians children, human rights groups said yesterday. slowed since August. detailed information and lobby- “A holistic approach to pro- He was one of nine high-pro- as well as abducting children to Uganda led a crackdown ing for an end to the insurgency. tecting people, wildlife, and fi le fugitives wanted in connec- use as soldiers or slaves. those most vulnerable to Kony’s that bet has paid off .” against the rebel group about Kony was indicted in absentia natural resources in the region is tion with the genocide who are “The LRA is once again ab- forces,” said Paul Ronan, direc- Those snatched from their 10 years ago, at which point its by the International Criminal urgently needed to end this on- still at large. ducting children in central Afri- tor of The Resolve, one of the homes this year included 54 fi ghters began to roam portions Court in The Hague in 2005 for going cycle of violence and ex- Rwanda has accused him of ca, betting that the international organisations behind the crisis children, 41 of whom are cap- of the Central African Republic, crimes against humanity and ploitation,” said Invisible Chil- genocide, direct and public in- community will fail to protect tracking project. “So far in 2016, tives or otherwise unaccounted the Democratic Republic of the war crimes after numerous mas- dren president Lisa Dougan. citement to commit genocide, intimidation, murder and rape. Justice Minister Alexis Tham- bwe said that he had promised a Ban at play delegation from the Mechanism for International Criminal Tri- Heightened security bunals, a UN body charged with overseeing prosecutions related to the genocide, on February 19 at Lagos schools that Ntaganzwa would be extra- dited within a month. “I confi rmed to them on that AFP “The governor is not happy occasion that we agreed to ex- Lagos about the security situation in tradite Ladislas,” he said. “At the the school where the kidnap- moment, there are just a few for- ping took place. He is very dis- malities to take care of. It could uthorities in Nigeria’s turbed by the incident. happen at any moment.” largest city have ordered “As a parent, he is sad and Congolese offi cials said after Asecurity to be increased has ordered security agents the arrest that Rwandan au- at schools after heavily armed to ensure that the girls are re- thorities should extradite in- gunmen abducted three girls, leased without delay.” dividuals wanted in the Congo the state governor’s spokesman School kidnappings are rare fi rst, including Laurent Nkunda, told AFP yesterday. in Lagos, Nigeria’s sprawling the former leader of a Rwandan- Unidentifi ed gunmen seized megacity of 20mn people and backed insurrection in eastern the teenagers from their dor- the country’s commercial hub. Congo from 2006-2009. mitory at the Babington But abductions by armed crim- Nkunda is under house arrest Macaulay Junior Seminary inals are common in southern in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, School in Ikorodu, an eastern states. according to the United Nations. suburb of Lagos, late on Mon- In northeastern Nigeria, But Thambwe said yesterday day. Boko Haram Islamists have ab- that reciprocity did not apply Local media said the kidnap- ducted several thousand wom- in Ntaganzwa’s case as he is the pers had made a ransom de- en and young girls since the object of a UN-backed interna- mand of 200mn naira ($1mn) start of their insurgency nearly tional arrest warrant. although police have refused to seven years ago. comment on the reports. In April 2014, 276 schoolgirls “(Lagos State) Governor Ak- were seized from the town of Three aid workers inwunmi Ambode has ordered Chibok triggering worldwide that security should be beefed outrage. abducted in Congo up in schools across the state Fifty-seven escaped in the to prevent a recurrence of this days that followed but 219 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon plays with children during a visit yesterday to the Nutrition and Rehabilitation Unit for Children at Three employees of interna- sad incident,” his spokesman schoolgirls are still being held the Schipra Hospital in Ouagadougou. Ban is on a two-day visit to Burkina Faso as part of his west Africa tour. tional charity Save the Children Habib Aruna said. by the Boko Haram. were kidnapped on Wednesday in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the organisation said yesterday, as insecurity in the region continues to hamper humanitarian eff orts. Top court throws out fi nal Pistorius appeal bid The staff members were taken at 3pm (1300 GMT) in North Kivu province, Save the Children AFP “The court dismissed the ap- October to live under house ar- of an action – which has been fi cial permission, but not travel said. Johannesburg plication for leave to appeal be- rest at his uncle’s property in at the crux of the long-running further than 20km. It declined to comment further cause there are no prospects of Pretoria after serving one year of case. Pistorius denied killing or share the identity of the ab- success,” NPA spokesman Lu- his fi ve-year prison sentence for But most experts had dis- Steenkamp in a rage and, during ductees, but said it was working scar Pistorius was pre- vuyo Mfaku told AFP. culpable homicide – the equiva- missed his chances of success in his trial, sobbed and occasionally to resolve the situation quickly. paring yesterday to re- Mfaku said the court’s deci- lent of manslaughter. the Constitutional Court. vomited in the dock as details of North Kivu province, which bor- Oturn to jail for 15 years sion had been made on Wednes- The SCA judges in December “The court has exercised its his lover’s death were examined ders Rwanda and Uganda, was after South Africa’s Constitu- day. described his testimony at his power not hear this matter – that in excruciating detail. ravaged by regional wars that tional Court rejected his last- The former Paralympic cham- trial in 2014 as “untruthful” and means that they considered it to “I was overcome with fear,” he killed millions between 1996 and ditch attempt to appeal his mur- pion, 29, will attend a sentencing delivered a damning indictment have no merit,” Stephen Tuson, told his trial. “Before I knew it, 2003. der conviction for shooting his hearing in Pretoria on April 18. of the original verdict. criminal and constitutional pro- I’d fi red four shots at the door.” Dozens of armed groups remain girlfriend. The minimum 15-year jail They found him guilty of fessor at Wits University in Jo- He has since lost his glittering there, often preying on locals, Pistorius’s lawyers had ap- term for murder may be reduced murder, overruling the culpable hannesburg, told AFP. “The trial sports career, lucrative contracts exploiting the area’s natural plied for leave to appeal to the due to time he has already spent homicide conviction. court now will take into account and status as a global role model Pistorius reacts in the dock at resources and stopping key aid Constitutional Court, the high- in prison. Legal papers fi led at the Con- his personal circumstances and for the disabled. the North Gauteng High Court from reaching the region. est court in South Africa, argu- The double-amputee killed stitutional Court by Pistorius’s decide on a suitable sentence.” Steenkamp’s family was not in Pretoria for a bail hearing, At least 175 people were kid- ing that the Supreme Court of Reeva Steenkamp, a model and lawyers contended that the SCA Pistorius was last seen in pub- immediately available to com- in this December 8, 2015 file napped for ransom in eastern Appeal (SCA) had wrongly up- law graduate, on Valentine’s Day had “acted unlawfully and un- lic at a bail hearing in December, ment. photo. Pistorius cannot Congo last year, according to graded his conviction to murder. three years ago, saying that he constitutionally”. after which he was fi tted with an They previously welcomed challenge his conviction for Human Rights Watch. But the National Prosecuting mistook her for an intruder when They also accused the SCA of electronic monitoring tag. his murder conviction and de- the murder of girlfriend Reeva Many of the kidnappings ap- Authority (NPA), which opposed he shot four times through the making “errors of law” over the Under his bail conditions, he scribed his Constitutional Court Steenkamp, a spokesman for peared to be carried out by the application, said that the ap- door of his bedroom toilet. principle of “dolus eventualis” – has been allowed to leave his un- appeal as a “delaying tactic” to the prosecuting authorities former and current members of peal bid had failed. He was released from jail in awareness of the likely outcome cle’s house at set times with of- keep him out of jail. said yesterday. armed groups. Journalist sentenced to die for assisting Shebaab kill former colleagues

DPA/AFP/Reuters and the witnesses show that he turned up to court to see Hanafi country since 1992, according to Hanafi arranged news con- Mogadishu had key roles in the mastermind- sentenced. the Committee to Protect Jour- ferences in the years when the ing and execution of the murder “It is a historic day for the me- nalists. militants controlled the capital of several journalists.” dia community in Somalia to- Shebaab rebels have carried Mogadishu. Somali military court has The court said that Hanafi had day,” journalist Burhan Diini said out repeated attacks in Soma- The Al Qaeda-linked Shebaab sentenced a former jour- confessed to the killings and to about the trial in Mogadishu. lia and neighbouring Kenya as was pushed out of Mogadishu Analist to death for helping being a member of the Shebaab, Hanafi was arrested in Kenya part of their fi ght to overthrow by African Union peacekeeping the Shebaab terrorist militia kill but that he may still appeal the in 2014, after reportedly travel- the country’s internationally- forces in 2011 but has remained other journalists. sentence. ling there for medical treatment. backed government, as well as a potent antagonist in Somalia, The court said that it had “Shebaab killed many journal- He is due to be executed by a the African Union troops sup- launching frequent attacks in its found Hassan Hanafi Hanafi Hanafi awaits his sentence yesterday at the Mogadishu courthouse. ists but personally I killed only fi ring squad. porting it, which include Kenyan bid to overthrow the Western- guilty of involvement in the kill- one,” Hanafi said after the sen- Global media watchdogs con- soldiers. backed government. ings of at least fi ve journalists be- He was accused of threatening death, after the court has found tence was announced. “But I am sider Somalia one of the most The Shebaab operate their Somalia was plunged into an- tween 2007 and 2010. journalists who reported critical- him guilty of all charges against indiff erent if you kill me. You will dangerous countries to work as a own radio station and regularly archy in the early 1990s follow- Hanafi had joined the Islamist ly about Shebaab and of helping him,” judge Hassan Ali told the see if killings will stop even after journalist. release propaganda videos, and ing the toppling of military dicta- group in 2007 and worked for its the Islamists target them. military court. “All the evidence my death.” More than 60 journalists have were active on Twitter before tor Mohamed Siad Barre, and has radio station Andalus. “Hassan Hanafi is sentenced to brought in support of the case Dozens of former colleagues been killed in the Horn of Africa their accounts were shut down. been struggling to rebuild. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 7 AMERICAS Canada gets down to climate business

AFP rising more than 1.5° Celsius. Trudeau put the premiers on But neighbouring Saskatch- a provincial jurisdiction – the Vancouver The target was agreed to at the notice, reminding them: “We ewan, which experienced a shale environment. Paris climate summit late last will be working together to de- oil and gas boom in recent years, “A national carbon price would year. velop a vision and a plan to keep is wary about taking any meas- be a very bad idea and we’re anadian Prime Minis- Going into the meeting, the our international commitments, ures that would “kneecap” the staunchly opposed to it,” said ter Justin Trudeau faced premier of Newfoundland prov- something that all premiers ac- fragile Canadian economy reel- Quebec Premier Philippe Couil- Cantagonistic provincial ince, Dwight Ball, highlighted cepted in Paris.” ing from the oil rout. lard, at a news conference with leaders at climate talks yesterday some of the divisions. Backed by strong public sup- “Now is not the time, and I’m Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne. over his plans to set a national The chair of the Council of port, the prime minister was ex- not sure the time is going to be There are many ways each of carbon price in order to meet an the Federation – a grouping of pected to push for a national car- right anytime soon,” Saskatch- us are fi ghting climate change international commitment to provincial and territorial lead- bon price fl oor, reportedly about ewan Premier Brad Wall told and “they must be allowed to slash CO2 emissions. ers – said: “Carbon management C$15 per metric tonne. reporters on Wednesday after proceed,” Couillard said. Ten provinces and three ter- mechanisms (on the table) range British Columbia introduced meeting with other government Trudeau does not want to sow ritories are represented at the from the use of new technologies a C$30 per metric tonne carbon leaders. divisions between Canada’s re- table, each with vastly diff erent that mitigate or capture and store tax eight years ago. In the east, Ontario and Que- gions, notably east versus west. economic circumstances and carbon, to policies that encour- Alberta province, which is the bec have joined a fl edgling conti- However, addressing climate objectives, pushing their own age the market place to reduce or nation’s largest oil-producing nental cap and trade system with change, he said, “is one of the tailored approach to reducing eliminate emissions. That would region, has pledged to impose a the US state of California. great global projects of our time”. Trudeau presenting a gift to Aboriginal Elders who blessed the greenhouse gas emissions to help include setting a price on car- 20% carbon tax on large emitters Here too leaders are circum- “I know Canada is ready to opening of the First Ministers Meeting in Vancouver yesterday. keep global temperatures from bon.” and scale it up as needed. spect about Ottawa meddling in take it on,” he added. Key Republicans slam Trump Reuters usually swears by Ronald Rea- tinged rhetoric and unorthodox that he can unify and grow the disavow support from Ku Klux Detroit/Washington gan’s “11th commandment” – past will lead the party to elec- party. Klan leader David Duke. “Thou shalt not speak ill of any toral oblivion. “I think we’ll be more inclusive “I’m going to speak out for who fellow Republican”. Romney warned that “if we and more unifi ed. I think we’ll I am and what I believe and what ormer US presidential can- Trump has made his party’s Republicans choose Donald be a much bigger party. I think we as House Republicans believe, didate Mitt Romney gave a mainstream uneasy with his po- Trump as our nominee, the pros- we’re going to win in November,” and what conservatism is as we Fblistering rebuke of 2016 sitions on trade and immigra- pects for a safe and prosperous Trump said in Florida after vic- understand it,” he told reporters. Republican front-runner Donald tion, including his calls to build future are greatly diminished”. tories on Super Tuesday. Ryan, who was Romney’s Trump yesterday, leading an at- a wall between the United States Romney was quick to nix sug- Earlier, more than 70 Repub- vice-presidential running mate tempt by the party establishment and Mexico, deport 11mn illegal gestions that he would use the lican national security leaders in their failed attempt to unseat to halt the rise of the outspoken immigrants and temporarily bar speech to back a rival or throw his signed a scathing open letter op- Obama, said that he did not know New York billionaire. Muslims from entering the coun- hat into the ring. posing Trump and his stance on the content of Romney’s speech Romney, a Republican elder try. “I am not here to announce my many foreign policy issues. in advance. statesman and the nominee four But Romney’s strategy risks candidacy for offi ce,” he said. “I Senator John McCain, the Re- “Mitt Romney is one of our years ago, urged Republicans backfi ring by further energis- am not going to endorse a candi- publican presidential nominee party leaders. He cares deeply in states that have not yet held ing Trump’s supporters, who are date today.” in 2008 who has sparred with about the future of the Repub- nominating contests to back angry with a party they see as Diplomatically, Romney listed Trump, joined the wave of criti- lican Party and the country,” Trump’s opponents to stop his not representing their views on Cruz, Rubio, and Kasich and said cism of the billionaire who took he said. “These are the kinds of march to the nomination for the illegal immigration, trade and “one of these men should be our a step toward securing the nomi- This February 2, 2012 file picture shows Trump, Romney and things that happen in a competi- November 8 election to succeed America’s role in the world. nominee”. nation when he won most of the Romney’s wife Ann during an event at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. tive Republican primary.” President Barack Obama. “If you’re Trump, this is like Members of Romney’s inner Republican contests on Super Trump endorsed the former Massachusetts governor Ryan said his role as House “Here’s what I know. Donald getting the good kind of Kryp- circle have been among Trump’s Tuesday this week. candidacy for president. Romney gave a blistering rebuke of 2016 speaker and chairman of the Trump is a phony, a fraud,” said tonite,” Republican strategist most vocal critics, openly urging “I would also echo the many Republican front-runner yesterday, leading an attempt by the party Republican presidential nomi- Romney, 68, in a hard-hitting Doug Heye said. all candidates to stay in the race concerns about Mr Trump’s un- establishment to halt the rise of the outspoken New York billionaire. nating committee would be to speech. “He’s playing the mem- The real estate mogul dis- and deny Trump the 1,237 del- informed and indeed dangerous provide a bold Republican pol- bers of the American public for missed Romney in television in- egates needed to win. statements on national security in his home state, and Senator On a day when his former icy platform capable of off ering suckers. He gets a free ride to the terviews and posts on Twitter, They hope that would prompt issues,” said McCain, chairman Ted Cruz from Texas, where he is presidential running mate Rom- voters substance on important White House and all we get is a calling him “a failed candidate” the party convention in July to of the Senate Armed Services strong. ney denounced Trump, Ryan said issues including jobs and the lousy hat.” who had “begged” him for an en- consider another candidate. Committee. Romney’s speech came hours that he “laughed out loud” this economy. Romney said his party’s lead- dorsement in 2012 when he even- That is a long shot, and there Romney pointed to Trump’s before Trump and his rivals share week when Trump warned that He said he would reach out ing White House candidate “has tually lost to Obama. are increasing signs that some refusal to release his tax returns a stage in Detroit at 9pm EST the speaker could pay a big price to each Republican presiden- neither the temperament nor the “Mitt Romney is a stiff ,” Trump establishment Republicans are and initial reluctance to disavow (0200 GMT today) for a debate for not getting along with him if tial candidate to talk about the judgment to be president”. told NBC’s Today programme. willing to back Trump. an endorsement from a former hosted by Fox News. he becomes the party nominee. agenda. Romney off ered a litany of pe- On Twitter, Trump pointed Conservative New Jersey gov- leader of the Ku Klux Klan white Meanwhile, US House of Rep- “Here’s what I can control. If I But Ryan said he does not jorative descriptions of Trump, out: “I am the only one who can ernor Chris Christie recently supremacist group. resentatives Speaker Paul Ryan see episodes where conservatism know Trump. painting him as greedy, dishon- beat Hillary Clinton. I am not a endorsed Trump, and a trickle of Romney, who did not endorse vowed yesterday to speak out is being disfi gured, if I see com- “We’re going to obviously get est, vulgar, reckless, bullying and Mitt Romney, who doesn’t know party strategists have argued it’s anyone, suggested that Repub- against Republican presidential ments that mislead the people as to know each other if he gets misogynistic, with policies that how to win.” time to coalesce behind and train licans vote for candidates with campaign rhetoric that could to who we are as Republicans, I’m the nomination. And we’ll cross would prompt a recession and “Why did Mitt Romney BEG fi re on likely Democratic nomi- the best chance against Trump mislead voters about the party going to speak out on those,” said those bridges when we get to it,” spook allies. me for my endorsement four nee Clinton. in states still to hold nominat- and its conservative principles, Ryan. the speaker said. “I’m a good- Romney’s stem-winder is years ago?” he added. Trump has recently moved to ing votes: Senator Marco Rubio but stopped short of criticising The speaker has already ad- natured guy, so I get along with highly unusual in a party that Many believe Trump’s racially fuel that trend, making the case in Florida, Ohio Governor Kasich front-runner Trump directly. monished Trump for failing to everybody.”

Immunity granted to Clinton staff Obamas to headline who set up e-mail server: Post South by Southwest

Reuters/AFP the US government will vindicate on whether Pagliano had been tech and music fest Washington her. granted immunity, and his law- She has also apologised for yer did not respond to questions. what she said was poor judg- Last month, a federal judge AFP change,” the festival said in a he US Justice Department ment. overseeing a civil lawsuit against Washington statement. has given immunity from In 2014, Clinton returned the State Department ruled that Obama has been a long-time Tprosecution to a State De- about 30,000 e-mails to the department offi cials and aides to champion of new technol- partment employee who helped State Department, but said she Clinton could be questioned un- S President Barack ogy, with his 2008 presidential set up and manage the private e- “chose not to keep” thousands of der oath about whether her use Obama and fi rst lady campaign considered ground- mail server that Hillary Clinton others that her staff deemed not of a private e-mail system was an UMichelle Obama have breaking in its embrace of bur- used for her work as secretary of to be work-related. eff ort to skirt open records laws. been announced as headlin- geoning social media sites. state, the Washington Post re- Her staff have acknowledged The FBI is likely to ask Clinton ers of South by Southwest, But more recently his ad- ported on Wednesday. that other work e-mails were not and her aides in coming months the celebrated showcase of ministration has been em- A senior US law enforcement handed over, without explaining how the server was set up and cutting-edge technology and broiled in a row with Apple offi cial said the Federal Bureau why. whether they knew they were music. as the FBI tries to force the of Investigation (FBI) had se- More than 2,000 of Clinton’s sending classifi ed information in Obama will be the fi rst sit- technology giant to unlock an cured the co-operation of Bryan work e-mails contain classifi ed emails, the Post reported. ting president to appear at iPhone in the San Bernardino Pagliano, who worked on Clin- information that could harm Pagliano has declined to testify the closely watched annual attacks probe. ton’s 2008 presidential campaign national security if exposed, ac- to lawmakers, citing a constitu- conference in Austin, Texas, His appearance comes before joining the State Depart- cording the State Department, tional right against self-incrim- famous for providing early ex- two years after the headliner ment with her and setting up the including 22 classifi ed as “top se- ination. posure to platforms such as at South by Southwest was server in her New York home in cret”, the highest level. Republicans have called for Twitter, Foursquare and Meer- former government contractor 2009, the newspaper reported. The government forbids send- Clinton’s prosecution. A girl holds a poster of US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary kat as well as numerous bands. turned privacy activist Edward The Post described the inves- ing or storing classifi ed e-mails “This terrible error in judg- Clinton as she arrives for a post-Super Tuesday rally in New York. The president will speak be- Snowden, whom the Obama tigation as a criminal inquiry, a through unsecured, non-gov- ment coupled with Clinton’s fore the creative audience on administration wants to pros- label Clinton and her staff have ernment channels, and has pros- arrogant and dishonest claims nomination on Tuesday dur- When it emerged last year that March 11 about “civic engage- ecute for his leaking of intelli- resisted as they seek to reassure ecuted people for breaches. shows she can’t be trusted with ing primaries across 11 states, in she had used a private server and ment in the 21st century”. gence secrets. voters that the frontrunner to Brian Fallon, a Clinton the presidency,” Reince Priebus, which she racked up seven wins, non-offi cial address for all her e- “The president will call on Michelle Obama will speak become the Democratic Party’s spokesman, said in a statement the Republican National Com- trouncing rival Bernie Sanders. mail while in her former post as the audience to apply their separately on March 16 during nominee in November’s presi- that Clinton’s campaign was mittee’s chairman, said. Clinton snagged those states secretary of state, her Republican ideas and talents to make tech- South by Southwest’s music dential election is not in legal “pleased” that Pagliano was co- Clinton, the Democratic front- and has gained recent momen- rivals cried foul. nology work for us - especially session where she will push jeopardy. operating. runner in the 2016 US presi- tum despite the cloud of the e- This, they said, suggested she when it comes to tackling the “Let Girls Learn” initiative Clinton has said she did noth- The Justice Department and dential election, took a big leap mail scandal still looming over may have been illegally covering big challenges like increasing that aims to bring education to ing wrong and that she believes the FBI declined to comment toward clinching her party’s her campaign. something up. participation in the political some of the 62mn girls around process and fi ghting climate the world who go unschooled.

US declares ban on use of electronic Pentagon chief wary of technological ‘back doors’ cigarettes on commercial flights The US Transportation Department announced on Wednesday that AFP The Pentagon chief’s views is a complex and complicated The FBI has said it does not to a slew of similar requests. it has banned the use of electronic cigarettes on commercial flights. Washington come amid a legal battle between problem,” Carter said to applause want a back door, but needs Ap- Apple’s refusal to help the FBI The rule applies to all scheduled flights by US and foreign carriers Apple and the Federal Bureau of at a tech event in San Francisco ple’s help cracking the iPhone’s has set off an intense political de- involving transportation in, to and from the United States, the Investigation (FBI), which is try- on Wednesday, according to a passcode. bate about encrypted devices. department said in a statement. S Secretary of Defence ing to force the tech giant to help transcript. Apple has argued that the FBI The iPhone in question be- “This final rule is important because it protects airline passengers Ashton Carter has said unlock an iPhone used by one of “There isn’t going to be one is eff ectively asking the company longed to Syed Farook, a US citi- from unwanted exposure to aerosol fumes that occur when Uthat he opposes high- the shooters in the San Bernardi- answer,” he added. “I don’t think to hack its own devices and cre- zen. electronic cigarettes are used onboard airplanes,” Transportation tech “back doors” that would al- no attacks last December. we ought to let one case drive a ate a back door that malicious Along with his Pakistani wife Secretary Anthony Foxx said. low the government access to en- “Just to cut to the chase, I’m general conclusion or solution. ... actors could exploit, and many in Tashfeen Malik, Farook gunned The Transportation Department said it took the action to eliminate crypted data on people’s phones not a believer in back doors or a We have to work together to work the technology industry are con- down 14 people in the Califor- any confusion over whether its existing ban on smoking on flights and other devices. single technical approach to what our way through this problem.” cerned that the case would lead nian city of San Bernardino. includes electronic cigarettes. Gulf Times 8 Friday, March 4, 2016 ASEAN Protest over Spratlys Tsunami warning buoys ‘not working’

AFP been damaged by vandalism, Jakarta and a there is a lack of funds for maintenance,” disaster agency spokesman Sutopo series of early-warning Purwo Nugroho told reporters. buoys deployed after “This situation makes it Aa 2004 tsunami dev- diffi cult to confi rm whether a astated parts of Indonesia’s tsunami has occurred or not,” western Sumatra island were he added. not working when a huge The buoys were part of a quake rocked the same area on sophisticated, multi-million- Wednesday, an offi cial said. dollar warning system, con- The 7.8 magnitude, shal- structed with help of foreign low undersea quake hit late donors following the 2004 Wednesday off Sumatra, tsunami that occurred when sending panicked residents a magnitude 9.1 earthquake fl eeing for the hills and briefl y struck off Sumatra. triggering a tsunami alert. It sent a huge tsunami bar- But a tsunami was not gen- relling into Aceh province, on erated and there have been no Sumatra’s northern tip, and reports of casualties or major to countries around the In- damage, with life largely re- dian Ocean, leaving around turning to normal in aff ected 220,000 people dead. areas yesterday. A series of strong after- However, the national dis- shocks continued to rock aster agency said the process Sumatra Thursday but the of confi rming that a tsunami Meteorology, Climate and had not occurred was hindered Geophysics Agency, which because none of the country’s monitors earthquakes, urged Filipino students step on replicas of Chinese maritime surveillance ships as they shout anti-Chinese slogans during a rally near Malacanang Palace in Manila, to denounce 22 early-warning buoys were people to remain calm. reported Chinese vessels dropping anchor near a South China Sea atoll also claimed by the Philippines. working. “Based on data from these The early part of the warn- aftershocks we do not believe ing process ran smoothly, with there will be an earthquake of a tsunami alert quickly sent greater strength,” the agency out to communities across said in a statement. Sumatra, which led to sirens Calm had returned to the sounding and people heading city of Padang in western Su- to higher ground. matra, where the quake had But without the working bu- been felt strongly. oys, which can detect changes A team of military personnel in water movement and relay and search and rescue offi cials the data back to offi cials, it were also dispatched yester- Malaysia: Wreckage took authorities around three day to the remote Mentawai hours to confi rm that destruc- Islands, the closest land to the tive waves had not been gener- epicentre, to check on com- ated and to call off the alert. munities that had not been probably from a 777 “The tsunami buoys have contacted since the quake. This would if confirmed be only the he had mentioned on Wednesday. That was the fi rst proof that the plane sandbank in Mozambique told AFP that Graphic warnings second piece of MH370 wreckage ever MH370, which was carrying 239 pas- had met a violent end, but otherwise shed experts must be “cautious” about identi- recovered sengers and crew when it vanished on little light on what caused the disaster, and fying the piece. March 8, 2014 on an overnight fl ight from the search could cease by mid-year. “We don’t know what it is, which plane enforced on cigarettes AFP Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was a Boeing 777. Liow said offi cials from Australia’s it is from,” said Blaine Gibson, a lawyer Kuala Lumpur Transport minister Darren Chester of embassy in Mozambique had been dis- from Seattle who has travelled the world to Australia, which is leading a vast oceanic patched to retrieve the new object. Ma- try to solve the mystery. DPA grened foot, a mouth with search for wreckage, said the debris would laysian civil aviation experts and repre- Theories of what caused MH370 to van- Manila cancerous sores, a stroke vic- ustralian and Malaysian offi cials be transferred to Australia to be examined sentatives of the airline also were en route ish include a hijacking, rogue pilot action, tim and a gaunt man with were moving to retrieve and ex- by offi cials and experts, including from to Mozambique. or sudden mechanical problem that in- emphysema or throat cancer, Aamine suspected aircraft wreckage Boeing. “We would like to get hold of the debris capacitated the crew, but there is no evi- he Philippines yester- among others. found on the east African coast to deter- Mozambique aviation authorities dis- as soon as possible, so that’s why we are dence yet to support any particular theory. day brought into force a Nearly 30% of Filipino mine whether it came from missing fl ight played the recovered fragment for the fi rst working with Australia in the fastest man- Voice370, an international next-of-kin Tlaw requiring all tobac- adults and more than 13% MH370, Malaysia’s transport minister said time yesterday in Maputo and said they were ner,” Liow said. network, issued an emotional appeal yes- co products to bear gruesome of students aged between 13 yesterday. communicating with Malaysia and Australia The latest fi nd comes just days before terday for the search to be continued be- photographs depicting the ill years and 15 years are smok- The one-metre long piece of debris over sending the piece for analysis. the disaster’s two-year anniversary. yond the expected mid-year shutdown. eff ects of smoking. ers, according to data from the found on a Mozambique beach could pro- The painstaking search eff ort has Liow said a Malaysian-led team of in- “We believe that they should not throw “What is expected is to World Health Organization. vide fresh clues into the mystery of the scoured the seabed in the remote Indian ternational investigators probing MH370’s in the towel, close this case and simply convey the visual message At least 240 Filipinos die Malaysia Airlines fl ight, which disap- Ocean, where the plane is believed to have disappearance — a separate eff ort from the chalk it up as an unsolvable mystery,” the that this can happen to you if every day from tobacco-relat- peared two years ago. gone down. Australian-led search — will issue a state- group said in a statement. you continue smoking,” said ed diseases, according to the “From the pictures shown, there is high If confi rmed to be from MH370, the ment Tuesday on the anniversary. Many next-of-kin accuse the airline health secretary Janette Garin. country’s health department. probability the plane debris is from a Boe- debris would be only the second shred of He did not say whether the statement and the Malaysian government of letting The Graphic Health Warn- “What we expect to hap- ing 777 plane,” Malaysian transport minis- physical evidence in one of aviation’s great would contain new revelations. the plane slip away through a bungled re- ing Law signed in 2014 bans pen is to deter the children ter Liow Tiong Lai told reporters in Kuala mysteries. International agreements require annu- sponse, and of wanting to end the search all tobacco products manufac- and the youth from smok- Lumpur. Last July, a wing fragment was found al updates from investigators in accidents so the truth about what happened remains tured in or imported into the ing when they see the graphic While cautioning that this needed washed ashore on the Indian Ocean island where aircraft cannot be found. hidden. Philippines that do not have health warning,” said Maricar to be verified, his comments appeared of Reunion and later confi rmed to be from The American amateur investigator The airline and government strongly the pictures. Limpin, a director of the Phil- to be firmer than the “high possibility” MH370. who found the washed-up debris on a deny the accusations. The photos include a gan- ippine College of Physicians. Founding ‘Popcorn gunman’ Cleric’s shooting father of captured on fi lm Asean jailed in Thailand

AFP of the shooting.Investigators are looking at the dies at 101 AFP “The court ruled the defendant guilty of mur- Manila possibility that the attack was infl uenced by IS, Bangkok der and handed down life in prison. But because but there was no evidence to show that yet, said his confession during the investigation was use- chief inspector Helen Galvez, Zamboanga police DPA ful, the sentence was reduced by one third to 37 failed attempt to assassinate a prominent spokeswoman. Bangkok hai gunman who gained national notoriety years and four months,” a judge said. Saudi cleric in the Philippines was caught “As of now, we don’t have any conclusions on for fi ring an assault rifl e concealed inside Thailand has suff ered a decade of turmoil as Aon television, showing the hooded assail- their group affi liations,” Galvez told AFP. Ta popcorn bag during political clashes in pro-democracy activists and rural supporters of ant fi ring at the preacher from close range. A special police unit investigating the case has hanat Khoman, the last of the fi ve 2014 was sentenced to 37 years in prison yester- the Shinawatra family vie for power with Bang- The gunman walked toward Sheikh Aaidh al- asked for a month to determine the affi liation of “founding fathers” of the Associ- day for killing a bystander. kok’s arch-royalist elite and their allies in the Qarni’s car on Tuesday night as he was leaving a the suspects, who live on the outskirts of Zam- Tation of South-east Asian Nations Wiwat Yodprasit, known as the “popcorn military. packed auditorium in the southern port city of boanga, a southern Philippine port city that is (Asean) died yesterday at age 101, news gunman”, was arrested two years ago after police The 2014 protests, in which 28 people were Zamboanga, where he had given a lecture. frequently targeted by Islamic extremists. reports said. identifi ed him as the masked man seen aiding killed, sought to replace Yingluck’s administra- The assailant hid behind a crowd seeking self- Qarni was in Zamboanga for a speaking en- The Bangkok Post quoted his daugh- anti-government protesters during a broad day- tion with an unelected “People’s Council” to en- ies with a smiling Qarni as his vehicle slowly gagement at a state university organised by local ter-in-law, Sirilaksana Khoman, as light shootout with government supporters. act reforms to tackle corruption. rolled out of the venue, footage on local station Muslim leaders. saying the former senior diplomat died The clash in northern Bangkok was one several Their wish was largely granted when the Mensahe TV showed. Mensahe TV footage showed him speaking on yesterday afternoon at Bangkok’s Ram- violent outbreaks during months-long protests military, led by general Prayut Chan-O-Cha, Qarni, who was on an Islamic State hit list, a table strewn with red and white fl owers before a athibodi Hospital, two months before his seeking to oust an elected government that was launched its coup, its twelfth successful takeover survived the attack with wounds to his right packed and sweltering crowd. 102nd birthday. later toppled in a military coup. since 1936. shoulder, left arm and chest, according to police. Islamic State militants who control vast swathes As Thai foreign minister in 1967, At the time, the “popcorn gunman” was hailed Shortly after his arrest, Wiwat told reporters A shocked crowd scampered for safety cover- of Iraq and Syria had called on “lone wolves” to Thanat signed the treaty establishing as a hero by anti-government supporters, with he was paid $9 a day to act as a guard for the pro- ing their heads as the shots were fi red. attack Qarni and several other Saudi clerics whom Asean along with the foreign ministers images of his green and yellow popcorn sack ap- testers. His companion in the car, Saudi Arabia’s re- they accused of apostasy in the latest issue of Da- of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines pearing on t-shirts and other protest memora- He said the popcorn bag was used to collect ligious attache to the Philippines, Sheikh Turki biq, their monthly online magazine. and Singapore. bilia. spent bullet shells and hide an M-16 assault rifl e Assaegh, was also wounded in the attack. Saudi media outlets described Qarni as a sen- Asean has grown to include 10 coun- Yesterday he was convicted of killing a by- given to him by the head of the movement’s se- Qarni’s police escorts shot the assassin dead. ior Islamic scholar and he has more than 12mn tries and is a key regional political and stander during the gunfi ght that broke out after curity team. Identifi cation cards found on his body indicated followers on Twitter. economic bloc. anti-government demonstrators sought to inter- At the time vast swathes of downtown Bang- he was a 21-year-old student though police said In his book Awakening Islam, the French aca- Thanat served as chairman of Thai- fere with an election in their quest to take down kok were controlled by the anti-government they were not ruling out forgery. demic Stephane Lacroix included Qarni in his list land’s Democrat Party from 1979-82 and then prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s ad- protesters, some of whom set up checkpoints Two other suspects were arrested at the scene of “the most famous” Saudi preachers. deputy prime minister from 1980-82. ministration. with armed guards. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 9 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Defi ant N Korea fi res off missiles AFP tightened and governments will Seoul be required to ban fl ights of any plane suspected of carrying con- traband destined for North Ko- orth Korea yesterday rea. fi red six short-range “These are among the tough- Nprojectiles into the sea in est measures we have agreed a show of defi ance just hours af- against any country in the world, ter the UN adopted the toughest certainly the toughest ever sanctions to date on Pyongyang against the DPRK,” said British over its fourth nuclear test and ambassador Matthew Rycroft, rocket launch. referring to North Korea by its Limited displays of military offi cial acronym. fi repower have become a rou- A total of 16 individuals and tine response by North Korea to 12 entities were added to a UN international pressure over any- sanctions blacklist, including Australian Cardinal George Pell speaks to journalists outside the Quirinale hotel in Rome. thing from its nuclear weapons North Korea’s NADA space agen- programme to its human rights cy and its spy agency. record. South Korean President Park South Korea’s defence minis- Geun-Hye said she hoped the try said the six projectiles - ei- “unprecedentedly tough” sanc- ther rockets or guided missiles tions would push Pyongyang into Evil was done, cardinal says after - fell into the sea around 100km fi nally abandoning its nuclear to 150km off the North’s eastern weapons program. coast. The resolution sends “a strong China’s foreign ministry re- message from the international sponded by urging all parties community seeking peace on the meeting Australian abuse victims to refrain from any actions that Korean peninsula,” Park said. might see tensions escalate still Japanese Prime Minister further. Shinzo Abe urged Pyongyang to Reuters satisfi ed that the encounter took place on travelled to Rome and those who attended ment, which was seized upon by victims The launches came after the refrain from any fresh provoca- Rome/Sydney “a level playing fi eld”. in Australia. and the Australian media as evidence of UN Security Council unani- tions, while Tokyo’s ambassador Pell, who has denied the bribery accu- At the last, seven-hour hearing, which what they said was the Catholic Church’s mously passed a resolution late to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, sation, told reporters that the goodness of ended at 4am in Rome, Pell said he should uncaring attitude. on Wednesday imposing new stressed that “the heart of the ardinal George Pell, under fi re for the people of Ballarat, where much of the have done more to stop the sexual abuse “I was very confused, I responded sanctions after seven weeks of matter now is implementation” his handling of sexual abuse of abuse took place in the 1970s when Pell of children in the Catholic Church, ac- poorly ... it was badly expressed,” he said. arduous negotiations between of the sanctions by China, North Cchildren by priests in Australia, was a priest there, “was not extinguished knowledging that he had been told of at Pell told the inquiry that the Church had the US and China, Pyongyang’s Korea’s largest trading partner, yesterday acknowledged “the evil that by the evil that was done”. least one priest “misbehaving” with boys made “enormous mistakes” and “cata- sole major ally. and other countries. was done” and vowed to work with survi- “One suicide is too many, too many,” at an Australian school in the 1970s. strophic” choices by refusing to believe All eyes are now on China and Power also called for a “ro- vors to enact better protection measures. Pell said. “With the experience of 40 years later, abused children, shuffl ing abusive priests Russia to see if they fully enact bust and unyielding” follow-up Pell, who gave four days of evidence via The hearings were attended by Antho- certainly I would agree that I should have from parish to parish and over-relying on the sweeping measures. to ensure the sanctions bite and video link to an Australian government ny and Chrissie Foster, whose two daugh- done more,” Pell said. counselling of priests to solve the problem. North Korea off ered no imme- singled out Russia and China as commission, made the comments after a ters were raped by the same priest. One of Given Pell’s high rank at the Vatican, He said he was deceived and lied to by su- diate statement on the sanctions, key players. nearly two-hour meeting in a Rome hotel the daughters killed herself. “I am com- the questioning over cases involving periors as a young priest in the 1970s. which break new ground, requir- Chinese ambassador Liu Jieyi with about a dozen Australian survivors mitted to work with these people from hundreds of children in Australia from The victims have called for a meeting ing all countries to inspect cargo said the resolution should “be a who had fl own to Rome for the hearings. Ballarat,” Pell said. the 1960s to the 1990s took on wider with Pope Francis before they leave for destined for and coming from new starting point and a step- Pell, now the Vatican’s treasurer, and Pell testifi ed from Rome because he implications about the accountability of Australia tonight. the North, in all airports and sea ping stone” for renewed talks on the survivors met for nearly four times as said he could not travel home for health Church leaders. The abuse crisis broke into the open ports. dismantling North Korea’s nu- long as scheduled. Both the cardinal and reasons. A crowdfunding campaign in There were audible gasps when Pell was in 2002, when it was revealed that US They also ban or restrict ex- clear program. a spokesman for the survivors said it was Australia raised the money for the group asked during an exchange this week about bishops in the Boston area moved abusers ports of coal, iron and iron ore Russia echoed that view, with highly emotional. to travel to Rome to be in the same room abuse by Ridsdale’s uncle, Gerald Ridsdale from parish to parish instead of defrock- and other minerals from North ambassador Vitaly Churkin say- David Ridsdale, a survivor who alleg- with Pell. - who was later convicted of 138 off ences ing them. Similar cover-ups have since Korea, and prohibit the supply ing the resolution is designed to es that in 1993 Pell tried to bribe him to Throughout the hearings, Pell’s failure against 53 victims - and said: “It’s a sad been discovered around the world and of aviation fuel including rocket “shut down as much as possible keep quiet about abuse by Ridsdale’s now to remember the details of many individ- story and it wasn’t of much interest to me.” tens of millions of dollars have been paid fuel. the fi nancing” of North Korea’s jailed priest uncle, said survivors were ual cases angered both abuse victims who Pell later said he regretted the com- in compensation. But analysts have pointed to weapons programme to push several possible loopholes, in- Pyongyang back to the negotiat- cluding interpretations of what ing table. Pandas get rock star welcome in South Korea constitutes a proper cargo “in- During the weeks of negotia- spection” and a provision that tions, China had been reluctant A pair of giant pandas, a state gift pandas from China in 1994 to excludes mineral exports if their to endorse harsh sanctions out of to South Korea from Chinese Presi- mark the second anniversary of revenues are not deemed to be concern that too much pressure dent Xi Jinping, arrived yesterday diplomatic ties. destined for military use. would trigger the collapse of the in Seoul to a red-carpet welcome. But when the Asian financial North Korea earns about $1bn pariah regime, creating chaos on Ai Bao (lovely treasure), a two- crisis hit in 1998, the country had per year in coal exports - a third its border. year-old female, and Le Bao (pleas- to return the pair, citing the high of all export revenues - and about Andrea Berger, a Korea spe- ant treasure) a three-year-old male, cost of keeping them. $200mn annually from iron ore cialist at the London-based flew in from the western Chinese Xi announced the new gift dur- sales, US ambassador Samantha Royal United Services Institute province of Sichuan to Incheon ing his state visit in July 2014. Power told the Security Council. for Defence and Security Stud- international airport on a specially South Korean President Park US President Barack Obama ies, said China’s enforcement of chartered flight, accompanied by Geun-Hye has made closer rela- welcomed the measures as “a the new sanctions was likely to vets and a handler. tions with China - the South’s larg- fi rm, united, and appropriate be piecemeal at best. Transported in a special cage, est trade partner - a cornerstone of response” to the January 6 nu- “It is diffi cult to foresee broad the animals received repeated her administration’s foreign policy clear test and February 7 rocket and consistent implementation health checks during the three- and is understood to have formed launch. of the new resolution, especially hour flight, the amusement park a good working relationship with “The international communi- from players such as China, to that will house the pandas said in a Xi. ty, speaking with one voice, has create barriers that North Ko- statement. However, ties remain troubled sent Pyongyang a simple mes- rea cannot fi nd its way around,” They then rode to the park by diff erences of opinion over how sage: North Korea must abandon Berger said. south of Seoul in a vehicle with to deal with North Korea’s nuclear these dangerous programs and The latest resolution ushered advanced suspension to minimise weapons programme, with Seoul choose a better path for its peo- in the fi fth set of UN sanctions jolts. favouring sanctions over Beijing’s A South Korean handler feeds a panda named Le Bao (pleasant treasure) during a welcoming ple,” Obama said. to hit North Korea since it fi rst South Korea received its first preference for dialogue. ceremony at a cargo terminal of the Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. Banking restrictions will be tested an atomic device in 2006.

HK activists insist protests were ‘peaceful’ Turnbull deputy calls for unity in govt

AFP but the city’s Public Order Ordinance 2014 protest. “Every person in Hong Kong Reuters together as one, we’ve got to go to trepreneur needs a decisive elec- Hong Kong criminalises gatherings of three or more should have the right to organise protests, Canberra the election unifi ed there will be an tion victory to quell ongoing dis- who conduct themselves in a disorderly, marches or public assembly,” he said. election this year,” Joyce told re- sension within his Liberal party. intimidating, insulting or provocative A total of 955 people were arrested porters in Canberra. An election is due by January wo pro-democracy activists took manner, intended to cause fear. throughout the Occupy movement, ac- ustralia’s deputy leader “Quite obviously honeymoons 2017, but Turnbull who does not the stand yesterday in Hong Kong Wong and two other prominent student cording to authorities. Hundreds were yesterday called for gov- don’t go on forever,” Joyce said of control the upper house Senate has Tover charges relating to mass pro- leaders, Alex Chow and Nathan Law, have injured in clashes between police and pro- Aernment unity as Prime Turnbull’s leadership. hinted he may go to the polls early, democracy rallies in 2014, defending the been charged with taking part in such an testers. Wong was charged nearly one year Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s polls Turnbull’s conservative Liberal within fi ve months, in the hope a movement as “peaceful”. “unlawful assembly” and inciting others after the event. plummet amid party divisions government was on course to for new Senate will present an easier Joshua Wong, 19, was the teenage face to join it. All three have pleaded not guilty. Law, another student leader, said resi- and ahead of a critical budget and an easy election victory, but polls path for legislation. of the Occupy Movement, which brought The charges referred particularly to dents’ calls for free elections were “ig- looming election later this year. have tightened in early 2016 and a Critical for an election victory is parts of the semi-autonomous Chinese an incident leading up to the mass rallies nored”. “We needed to take action,” he said. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby tie with opposition Labor is a now Turnbull’s fi rst budget due in May, city to a standstill for more than two when protesters climbed over fences to David Leung, the government pros- Joyce said the honeymoon was over possibility according to a Newspoll but the end of a decades-plus min- months when protesters called for free enter a restricted area in front of govern- ecutor, said protesters threatened public for Turnbull, who became leader last week. ing boom in resource-rich Aus- elections for the city’s next leader. ment headquarters. order. “Violence was defi nitely involved,” in a party room coup in late 2015 Turnbull’s ascension last Sep- tralia and plummeting commod- The protests tapped into concerns “We gathered there to express our desire he said. and is now under pressure on sev- tember was seen as possibly end- ity prices has left the government about Beijing’s growing infl uence in the for democracy... I have always followed the The three could theoretically face up to eral policy fronts and facing party ing an era of political instability in struggling to raise revenue. former British colony, despite a guaran- principles of peacefulness, rationality and fi ve years in prison if convicted, although instability blamed on the man he Australia, with fi ve prime ministers Government spending has in- tee that its civil liberties should be main- non-violence,” Wong told the magistrates the magistrates court where they were toppled, former prime minister in eight years. creasingly become an area of di- tained for at least 50 years. court where the spectacled university tried would only impose a jail term of Tony Abbott. But political analysts say the vision within Turnbull’s Liberal Hong Kong laws allow peaceful protests student was tried for the September 26, three years at maximum. “I think we’ve got to all get to get multi-millionaire former tech en- party. Gulf Times 10 Friday, March 4, 2016 BRITAIN/IRELAND

EXHIBITION JUSTICE JUSTICE REALTY DISPUTE Match.com rapist Ex-political aide jailed for House price growth New strike ballot gets life in prison preying on young girls accelerates in February over Night Tube

A “sexual predator” who raped five women and A former parliamentary researcher who toured House price growth picked up speed in annual A union leader yesterday warned that the Night attacked two more after meeting them on internet the country to film himself touching young terms last month as investors sought out Tube dispute was not over as it prepared another dating site Match.com has been jailed for life. girls in toy shops has been jailed for 18 months. buy-to-let properties before the introduction strike ballot on the 24-hour weekend service. Jason Lawrance, 50, of Liphook, Hampshire, used Robert Grant, 62, used a pen camera to film of a new tax, mortgage lender Nationwide In a long-running dispute separate to the pay two profiles to meet his victims from five English the attacks and compiled the footage on a DVD said yesterday. House prices were 4.8% higher deal accepted this week by thousands of RMT counties, Derby Crown Court heard. He must serve labelled “The Project”. Grant, who previously in February compared with the same month members, the union rejected a deal involving up at least 12 and a half years before being eligible worked as a researcher for South Derbyshire last year, a bigger increase than a 4.4% gain in to 1,500 maintenance staff employed by Tube for parole. Judge Gregory Dickinson, said he was Tory MP Heather Wheeler, was caught when he January. In month-on-month terms, house price Lines, which maintains the Piccadilly, Northern and “devious, manipulative and highly dangerous was spotted following children in Hamleys toy growth remained steady at 0.3%, Nationwide Jubilee lines, all of which will be part of the Night to women”. Lawrance committed three attacks shop in 2014. Grant, from Derby, was jailed for said. Economists taking part in a Reuters poll had Tube. Tube Lines was a private company taken An employee looks at the split glove from the months after marrying his wife. The assaults two years for the Hamleys off ences last June and expected prices to rise by 0.5% in monthly terms over by LU in 2011. However, terms and conditions fight in 1963 between Mohamed Ali and Henry took place between June 2011 and November was given another 18 months yesterday after and by 5% on an annual basis. Bankers have said for staff are diff erent from those of other LU staff . Cooper, at the “I Am The Greatest” exhibition at 2014 in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, police discovered a stash of perverted DVDs at they have seen growing demand for mortgages The RMT said the deal for Tube Lines employees the O2 in London yesterday. Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. his home dating back to 2006. in recent weeks. was inferior to that off ered to other staff . Entrepreneur Queen visits school dies as bicycle hits pothole

London Evening Standard He went on to become CEO of London hospitality giant Dolphin Square before joining Richmond-based corporate software fi rm Book- technology entrepreneur ingTek as chief fi nance offi cer. died after being thrown TCC colleagues paid tribute to Afrom his bicycle when he a “safe, conscientious and power- apparently hit a pothole that had ful” cyclist who had raised thou- not been repaired despite repeat- sands of pounds for children’s ed warnings. and cancer charities in sponsored Father-of-three Ralph Bra- challenges in the UK and over- zier, 52, was on a group ride with seas. Twickenham Cycling Club mem- He joined TCC last month, bers when he came off on a main having been a long-time member road. of amateur club Dittons Velo — Paramedics fought to keep him with whom he had spent the pre- alive at the roadside as he lay in- vious weekend on a cycle break to jured on the outskirts of Wey- Majorca. bridge, Surrey. He was rushed to David Marsden, 46, who was St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey with him on the Majorca trip, but was pronounced dead after told the Standard: “Everybody going into cardiac arrest. is extremely upset and wants to His devastated wife Karen, 53, understand what has happened and their three teenage sons were and why. Ralph was a well-loved yesterday being comforted by rel- friend of the club, an enthusiastic Queen Elizabeth arrives for a Queen’s Trust visit to the Lister Community School in London yesterday. atives at the family home in a cul- cyclist, and will be deeply missed. de-sac at Thames Ditton. He was such a lovely man. He was A relative told the Standard a strong, safe and competent cy- Brazier had no known medical clist. He was an inspiration to condition, adding: “There was the younger guys of what they’d a hole in the road, that’s all we love to be like in their fi fties. Our know. He has left three lovely thoughts are with Karen and the children and a wife.” boys and all of his extended fam- Residents near the accident ily. We love him and miss him.” scene told the Standard they had Surrey Police and the Health repeatedly complained to council and Safety Executive have Parties discuss options chiefs about the pothole, which launched an investigation into had been marked with red paint the crash. for repair. A TCC team vest was attached Within 24 hours of Brazier’s to a low wooden railing at the death the three-inch-deep hole scene of the crash, where bou- alongside a storm drain had been quets have been placed in Bra- covered with fresh Tarmac. zier’s memory. amid Ireland poll limbo The tragedy is the latest cycling One note read: “No words can accident to be linked to potholes. possibly provide any comfort to DPA Micheal Martin were expected The Irish Independent re- ment, as Willie Penrose in the introduced controversially in Olympic gold medal-winning the poor family at this distressing Dublin to set the terms for any negotia- ported that senior members of midlands constituency of Long- 2014, is set to be a major sticking cyclist Dani King was left in in- time. tions with other parties. Fine Gael had begun “actively ford Westmeath clinched the point in any negotiations. tensive care with broken ribs and “It’s an utter tragedy and a Speculation continues over discussing the future of (Ken- last unfi lled seat. Many left-leaning independ- a punctured lung after hitting a hopeless waste of a precious life. he leaders of Ireland’s two whether the two centre-right ny’s) leadership”. The newly-elected member ents and alliance members cam- pothole near Cardiff in 2014. His family and friends must be largest political parties, parties, who have dominated Kenny, who has led a Fine of parliament said that Labour paigned for the abolition of the In January this year triathlete devastated.” TFine Gael and Fianna Fail, Irish politics for decades, will Gael coalition government with would not be participating in unpopular charge. and mother-of-three Kate Van- Harry Turner, 81, who lives op- met with their respective par- eventually form a grand coali- Labour for the last fi ve years, government. Weeks of uncertainty could loo, 52, died after her bike hit a posite the scene, said the pothole liamentary members yesterday tion despite the rivals having has rejected speculation that he Nationalist party Sinn Fein, lie ahead and the fi rst test of pothole and she was thrown into was “like a ditch”. He added: “The to discuss options for forming dismissed the prospect before could resign after some observ- the third-largest party with 23 whether a government can be the path of a car on a lane in Nap- road just there is full of potholes. a government after last week’s the election. ers criticised his party’s election seats, has ruled out supporting formed will be March 10, when ton, Warwickshire. They did a temporary job last election returned a hung parlia- While there is little policy performance. either of the centre-right parties the newly-elected deputies are Brazier graduated in physics year but, if you don’t do it prop- ment. diff erence between Fine Gael Fine Gael won 50 of the 158 in a coalition. to meet in parliament and try to and qualifi ed as a chartered ac- erly, once you get a frost the water As Labour fi lled the fi nal and Fianna Fail, their historic seats in parliament, followed by Kenny has said Fine Gael appoint a prime minister. countant, specialising in tech freezes, expands and holes appear seat in Ireland’s Dail, or lower rivalry born out of Ireland’s Fianna Fail with 44 seats. would work with smaller parties Former prime minister Bertie start-ups, before launching a pi- again. It’s a fast road, the main house of parliament, outgoing civil war more than 90 years ago Labour reached the vital and independents to restore po- Ahern has predicted there is “not oneering internet fi nance agency one out of Weybridge, and it’s prime minister Enda Kenny of makes them unlikely bedfel- number of seven seats required litical stability. a chance in hell” of a deal before in 1997. dangerous.” Fine Gael and Fianna Fail leader lows. for full speaking rights in parlia- But the issue of water charges, Easter, at the end of March.

On the campaign trail ‘Extractive’ banking sector Sunderland ‘should needs reform: Corbyn have banned Johnson’ AFP serious off ence and needed to be London properly investigated.” Reuters tive industry treating consumers, cies were seen as anti-business. During the trial, the court London entrepreneurs and businesses as Corbyn, whose election was heard that Johnson had admit- cash cows,” Corbyn told the British seen as a shift back to the left for underland should have ted to kissing the girl during a Chambers of Commerce confer- Labour, said there needed to be a suspended Adam Johnson meeting with Sunderland chief he banking sector needs to ence in London. “new settlement” with the corpo- Sif they knew he had kissed executive Margaret Byrne in be reformed to stop it treat- He said public stakes in banks rate sector which put the interests a 15-year-old girl, the National May last year. Ting businesses and con- such as Royal Bank of Scotland of the public and workforce ahead Society for the Prevention of Sunderland suspended John- sumers as “cash cows”, the leader should be used to “drive lending of short-term shareholder inter- Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) son following his arrest on of the Labour Party said yesterday, and investment and rebuild supply ests. said yesterday. March 2 last year, but he was words which may further distance chains” and a national investment One audience member, who Johnson, 28, was convicted of allowed to return to action a companies from the opposition bank should be created to boost worked for a bank but declined to sexual activity with a child on fortnight later and continued party. areas such as infrastructure. be named, said the Labour leader Wednesday. He was acquitted of playing for the club until the In his fi rst address to a business seemed out of touch with the another charge and had already weekend before his trial began audience since taking on the lead- “The banking sector business community and should admitted one count of grooming last month. ership role in September last year, has to be reformed, engage with companies more to and one count of sexual activity In a statement released after left-wing lawmaker Jeremy Cor- fi nance must support the better understand the real issues with a child. Wednesday’s verdicts were de- byn said the government had out- economy and not be an they are facing. Sunderland sacked John- livered, Sunderland said they sourced economic policy to Lon- extractive industry treating “You may not like everything we son after he admitted to those were stunned when Johnson don’s fi nancial centre and called consumers, entrepreneurs say but when it comes to big deci- charges, but the NSPCC said pleaded guilty to two off ences the way banks treated small- and and businesses as cash sions on the economy, infrastruc- that he should not have been on the opening day of his trial. medium-sized businesses as a cows” ture, skills and investment,” said allowed to continue playing for The Premier League club said “textbook of failure”. Corbyn, who did not take ques- them during the police probe if that, had they known he was in- Almost a year since Labour suf- “We need a national investment tions from the audience after his the club knew about the inci- tending to plead guilty to any of fered a crushing defeat at a nation- bank at the heart of economic speech. dent. the off ences, he would have been al election on concerns it could policy to target investment on key “We are actually natural al- “If they had known he had sacked immediately. not be trusted with the economy, public and economic priorities lies because Labour is committed kissed a girl prior to his guilty They also “refuted in the Corbyn pressed his argument that not just for very quick returns,” he to what is needed for business to plea, then we think they should strongest possible terms” the there should be more investment said. expand and succeed. We expect have suspended him pending suggestion that they had known by the state to spur growth. Labour was criticised for lack- businesses to put more back into London mayor Boris Johnson (left) campaigns with the ongoing investigation,” a Johnson would change his initial “The banking sector has to be ing economic credibility in the run the economy but we will do more Conservative London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, spokesman for the charity said. not guilty plea to guilty at the reformed, fi nance must support up to the parliamentary election in to give the economy a strong fu- in Sidcup. “It would have sent the right last minute in order to play for the economy and not be an extrac- May last year, and many of its poli- ture.” message to people that this is a the club for as long as possible. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 11 EUROPE Istanbul police kill two female militants in stand-off

AFP as saying by the offi cial Anatolia at the riot police headquarters In the last year, there were four However, many of its assaults Istanbul news agency. and also attacked a passing po- deadly bomb attacks blamed on have been small in scale and Two police offi cers were lice bus. Islamic State (IS) militants, in- sometimes even amateurish in slightly wounded. Security footage broadcast on cluding the deadliest in Turkey’s nature. urkish police killed two The women were named as television showed them bran- modern history that killed 103 It claimed the hostage-taking female leftist militants Cigdem Yaksi and Berna Yilmaz, dishing weapons they pulled out people in Ankara in October. on March 31 of prosecutor Me- Twho hurled grenades and both members of the DHKP-C of their handbags. But there have also been spo- hmet Selim Kiraz at his Istanbul opened fi re at an Istanbul police and aged 27, Anatolia said. Offi cers returned fi re, injuring radic attacks by radicals from the offi ce that ended with the killing station yesterday, offi cials said. It said Yilmaz had previously one of the attackers before they DHKP-C, which seeks a Marxist of the captive and both hostage- The two women – members of been jailed after a protest against fl ed to the nearby building. revolution in Turkey among the takers during a police raid. the outlawed ultra-leftist Revo- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkey has been on a state of working classes but also espous- One of its most high profi le lutionary People’s Liberation in 2010 while he was still premier. alert for months since a series of es a fi ercely anti-Western and crimes was the killing of the bil- Party-Front (DHKP-C) – had In a statement on its website deadly attacks on its soil. anti-Nato agenda. lionaire head of one of Turkey’s taken refuge in an apartment and social media channels, the Last month, 29 people died Known until the mid-1990s largest industrial empires Oz- after their attack in the Bayram- DHKP-C claimed the attack and in a car bombing that targeted a as Devrimci Sol (Revolutionary demir Sabanci in January 1996. pasa district. acknowledged the death of the military convoy in Ankara, which Left), the DHKP-C has claimed Last month, Turkey arrested Turkish police personnel take cover during clashes with the two Police then launched an as- pair, describing the women as was claimed by the Kurdistan a string of attacks in Turkey in alleged DHKP-C member Ismail female assailants yesterday in the Bayrampasa neighbourhood in sault on the apartment, and the “warriors for justice”. Freedom Falcons (TAK), who recent months, including a gun Akkol over the Sabanci assassi- Istanbul. The police launched an assault on the apartment where the two were “neutralised”, Istanbul The two women had thrown have been linked to the outlawed attack on the US embassy in Is- nation and accused him of plan- women were hiding and killed both. governor Vasip Sahin was quoted several grenades then opened fi re Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). tanbul last year. ning a suicide attack.

Iranians in ‘Jungle’ Do not come to Europe, sew their mouths economic migrants told in protest Reuters/AFP tral and northern Europe. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Right: Tusk listens during a AFP Ankara/Athens “At Monday’s summit, Greece that Turkey must ensure the joint press conference with Calais will demand that burden shar- numbers drop towards zero. Turkey’s prime minister ing be equitable among all coun- “If there were to be a target fi g- following their meeting at U Council President Donald tries in the bloc, and sanctions for ure, it would be zero,” one EU offi - Cankaya Palace in Ankara. He group of Iranian migrants Tusk told illegal economic those that do not,” Prime Minister cial said, noting that 1,000 people said after talks with Prime sewed their mouths shut Emigrants yesterday not to Alexis Tsipras said after meeting a day would mean an unsustain- Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Ain a disturbing protest at risk their lives or money to make a Tusk. able 350,000 people a year arriv- that ‘we agree that the refugee the ongoing demolition of the perilous trip to Europe “for noth- “We ask that unilateral actions ing in Greece. flows still remain far too high “Jungle” migrant camp in the ing” but said unilateral actions stop in Europe,” Tsipras said in a Tsipras said that Greece would and that further action is French port city of Calais yes- by European Union states to deal view echoed by Tusk. continue to do whatever it could needed’. terday. with the crisis must stop. Austria and countries along the to ensure no migrant or refugee AFP journalists said at least The ultimate aim was to elimi- Balkans migration route have im- was left helpless. But he added Below: An exhausted child nine Iranians had stitched their nate the illegal sea transit of mi- posed restrictions on their bor- Greece could not bear the burden sleeps on the ground nearby mouths shut in the southern grants from Turkey to Greece, ders, limiting the numbers able to by itself. the border gate as her family half of the camp, which is being Tusk said after meeting Turkish cross. “We will not allow Greece or waits to cross the gradually demolished by French Prime Minister Ahmet Davu- The border restrictions have any other country to be turned Greek-Macedonian border, near authorities. toglu in Ankara and Greek Prime left Greece with a huge bottleneck into a warehouse of souls,” Tsipras the Greek village of Idomeni, One carried a sign, reading: Minister Alexis Tsipras in Ath- of people as Macedonia lets only a said. “We are at a crucial moment yesterday, where thousands of “Will you listen now?” ens, although he said no specifi c trickle through. for the future of Europe.” people are stranded. It follows a similar protest by numbers had been agreed with Many of the migrants hope to Yesterday the EU unveiled a Iranian refugees the night be- the Turks. reach Germany. €700mn ($760mn) emergency fore. “It’s not about numbers, it’s Macedonian police fi red tear aid plan to help Greece and other In a statement, Calais town about the ongoing and permanent gas to disperse hundreds of mi- countries in the fi rst time hu- hall said the unsettling protest process ... which means for me, grants who stormed the border manitarian aid has been used had aroused “deep emotion”. the total reduction and the total from Greece on Monday. within Europe instead of outside “But at the same time, noth- elimination of this sad phenom- The European Commission the bloc. ing justifi es such extremes when enon,” he told a joint news con- will present today a list of neces- The United Nations has warned the state has done everything to ference with Davutoglu in Ankara. sary steps to lift emergency bor- of a looming humanitarian crisis take the migrants out of these Tusk was on a trip through der controls that are currently in on the Greek-Macedonia border, undignifi ed conditions,” it said. Balkan states and Turkey to try place inside the Schengen zone where aid agencies have report- France has off ered the evicted to drum up support for cohesion and restore the proper function- ed a lack of food and tents and migrants places in heated con- on how to deal with hundreds of ing of the free-travel area, offi - warned that the wintry weather tainers next to the Jungle, or in thousands of migrants – a cri- cials said. is taking a toll on people’s health. one of 100 accommodation cen- sis that threatens to tear the bloc European Commission Presi- Greece has been the main point tres around the country. apart – before an EU summit on dent Jean-Claude Juncker told of entry for the 1.13mn migrants But many are reluctant to give Monday. a lecture in the Hague yester- who have arrived in the EU over up their dream of smuggling Speaking earlier in Greece, day that Austria had been wrong the past 14 months, and has asked themselves across the Chan- which has been a primary gateway to close its border with another for around €480mn ($520mn) to nel to England, where they have of migrants fl ooding into Europe Schengen country. help shelter 100,000 migrants. family or community ties, or see for more than a year, Tusk said “That has nothing to do with The EU aid package, which greater hope of fi nding work and that anyone who was not a refu- protection of external borders. must be approved by member education. gee should stay away. Restoring borders between two states and the European Parlia- French authorities began de- “I want to appeal to all poten- Schengen countries will destroy ment, was unveiled just days af- molishing the southern half of tial illegal economic migrants the common market,” he said. ter German Chancellor Angela the camp on Monday, and by wherever you are from: Do not EU offi cials have told Reuters Merkel said that debt-hit Greece yesterday they were still razing come to Europe. Do not believe that European governments, and must not be allowed to plunge makeshift shelters under heavy the smugglers. Do not risk your particularly Germany, are looking into refugee “chaos”. police protection, drawing ever lives and your money. It is all for to Turkey to reduce the number of The crisis has raised fears for closer to one of the main food nothing,” Tusk said. migrant arrivals in Greece to be- the EU’s Schengen passport-free distribution centres, which Up to 30,000 refugees and low 1,000 a day at most as an ini- zone as more states bring back serves around 1,000 meals a day. migrants have been stranded in tial condition for discussing tak- border controls, with both Swe- The camp, built on a former Greece from progressive border ing some Syrian refugees directly den and Denmark announcing toxic waste dump, is a magnet restrictions and closures fur- from Turkey. another temporary extension of for people hoping to reach Brit- ther up the “Balkan corridor”, the Ahead of Monday’s meeting of border identifi cation checks yes- ain and many have refused to route that is taken to get into cen- EU and Turkish leaders, Dutch terday. leave.

Civil servant stuns Cyprus with ‘overpaid, underworked’ letter of protest to president A civil servant in bailed-out Cyprus has done the unthinkable: he has Nanny who beheaded child cites revenge for Syria written to the president to complain about being handsomely paid to do nothing for the past year. Marios Droushiotis revealed that he has yet to do a single day’s work Reuters gave her fi rst detailed explana- peared in court on Wednesday. Russian passenger plane above group” had been found among since he was made “point of single contact” at the energy, commerce Moscow tion of an incident that state TV A Kremlin spokesman said her Egypt on October 31, killing all her contacts. and tourism ministry in February 2015. channels chose not to report. remarks should be regarded as 224 people on board, in revenge However, publicly, investiga- Not a single file had crossed his desk and he had not been assigned “I took revenge against those those of someone who is men- for Russia’s Syria campaign. tors were quick to raise the pos- any work by superiors. woman who brandished who spilled blood,” Bobokulova tally unwell. Bobokulova, who was working sibility that Bobokulova was “I find it unacceptable that an employee on a pay scale of A13+2 is the severed head of a four- told someone asking her ques- “You need to regard anything as a nanny for a Moscow family, mentally ill and have made no obliged into inertia,” the civil servant wrote in a letter to the Greek Ayear-old girl in her care tions off camera. “Putin spilled that such a deranged woman says wandered around a street hold- mention of suspecting her of any Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades – first published on the website of outside a Moscow metro station blood, planes carried out bomb- accordingly,” Dmitry Peskov, the ing up the girl’s head and shout- terrorism-related off ence. leading daily Phileleftheros. has said she beheaded the child ings. Why are Muslims being spokesman, told reporters. ing Islamist slogans. Russian investigators played “In my opinion the state would have made savings if I was told to stay to avenge Muslims killed in the killed? They also want to live.” The Kremlin launched its cam- One witness told Reuters he down her words yesterday, sug- at home and my salary was sent to me. The state would also save the Kremlin’s air strikes in Syria. She also said she had wanted to paign of air strikes in Syria on heard her screaming about the gesting in a statement that she costs of heating and lighting my off ice.” In video posted online yes- go to live in Syria but did not have September 30 in support of Pres- murder of children in Syria. was schizophrenic and that the Civil servants on his pay scale earn around €5,000 ($5,400) a month, terday and circulated by several the money to do so. ident Bashar al-Assad, an inter- A police source told the Inter- motive off ered by people suff er- compared to average gross monthly earnings in the small EU mem- prominent bloggers, 38-year-old It was not clear when the video vention that altered the course of fax news agency on Wednesday ing from the condition often dif- ber state of just over €1,500 in the third quarter of 2015. Gulchekhra Bobokulova from was fi lmed, but Bobokulova wore the confl ict there. that the details of two men linked fered from the real reason they Contacted by AFP yesterday, Droushiotis declined to comment Muslim-majority Uzbekistan the same clothes as when she ap- Islamic State said it downed a to an “international extremist had acted. further. With the economy now back on track and Anastasiades champion- ing a reform agenda to make the Mediterranean holiday island’s Putin drops controversial election commission head ‘Dirty money’ not wanted, says Pope bloated and unwieldy public sector more eff icient, the government is expected to exit the bailout programme within weeks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dropped Peskov said Putin’s candidates represented a range Pope Francis issued on Wednesday a stinging rebuke to rich “I’m sure your vision of upgrading public service is very diff erent to the controversial chief of the country’s election of political opinions but refused to comment on who patrons who off er the church dirty money gained through this,” Droushiotis said in the letter to the president. commission as the country heads towards would take over as head of the commission. exploitation, telling them to take back their cheques and burn them. With the letter stirring shock on social media and in local coff ee parliamentary elections later this year. Churov – who has headed the election commission “I think of some benefactors of the church that say ‘take this off er shops, the commerce ministry has defended its corner, accusing Putin failed to include Vladimir Churov – known by since 2007 and whose tenure expires on March for the church’, and it is profit from the blood of those abused, Droushiotis of “unjustly slandering public off icials”. Russia’s marginalised opposition as “the magician” – 27 – has been accused by critics of manipulating treated as slaves, workers with poorly-paid jobs,” he told the faithful His new post was key to attracting foreign investors and cutting red on a list of five nominations for members of the body elections to ensure victories for the Kremlin. on Saint Peter’s Square. tape, it said in a statement. that oversees elections in the vast country. Russia is due to hold parliamentary polls in “I say to these people: ‘Please, take back your cheque, burn it’. The The argument that “moving Mr Droushiotis to this post is a waste of “This is the choice of the head of state,” Kremlin September of this year with presidential elections to people of God, the church, does not need dirty money,” he said at money just does not stand up”. spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. “This is a come in 2018. the end of his weekly general audience at the Vatican. The public widely regards civil servants in Cyprus, which has endured completely normal and natural process of rotation.” Putin enjoys a popularity rating of some 74%, despite The Argentine has repeatedly denounced those who profit from three years of austerity and high unemployment since the March Putin instead included Russia’s rights ombudsman the country suff ering a prolonged economic crisis slavery, corruption or exploitation. 2013 international bailout, as over-privileged, overpaid and work shy. Ella Pamfilova – whose parliament-appointed role is due in part to the fall in oil prices and Western In 2014 he expelled all unrepentant mafia members from the monitoring rights abuses – on the list of candidates. sanctions over Ukraine. church in a move which sparked fears of retaliation. Gulf Times 12 Friday, March 4, 2016 INDIA

INVESTIGATION CRIME FREEDOM EXTORTION PEOPLE Salman asked to Man held for killing 49 fishermen freed Manipuri filmmaker Forward Bloc veteran appear in Jodhpur court daughter, infant son by Iran reach India critical after attack Ashok Ghosh dead

A Jodhpur court has summoned Bollywood A man was arrested on charge of killing his Forty-nine Indian fishermen who were Manipuri film producer-director M Raghumani Freedom fighter and West Bengal’s most senior superstar Salman Khan to record his statement minor daughter and infant son in Lucknow detained by Iran in December last year have was in critical condition yesterday after an attack Left leader, Ashok Ghosh died in Kolkata yesterday. on March 10 in a case related to the Arms Act. yesterday, police said. Avneesh Bajpayi been freed and reached India yesterday, a by suspected militants seeking protection money Ghosh, 94, who was the state secretary of the All “Prosecution evidence has finished. The court first beat up his daughter Divyanshi, aged senior government off icial said. “On December left him half dead, police said. Raghumani, a India Forward Bloc (AIFB) since 1951, had been on of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Jodhpur two, and 10-month-old son Chhotu before 1, 49 Indian fishermen who are employees of former general secretary of the Film Forum ventilator support since last month. His condition district has set March 10 as date for recording smothering them with a pillow at their house Al Shamshi Al Ajman, a UAE-based company, Manipur, was found bleeding at Iroishemba hill became very critical on Wednesday night. Joining of statement of the accused,” Khan’s lawyer in Tilaknagar locality of Bazarkhala. The were detained while they were unknowingly near Imphal before dawn yesterday. His left arm India’s freedom movement in the 1940s, Ghosh Hastimal Saraswat said. Khan and his Hum children were crying for food when he beat fishing between the UAE and Iranian waters was fractured, police sources said. His entire was deeply inspired by Netaji Subhas Chandra Saath-Saath Hain co-stars including Saif Ali them up and murdered them in a fit of rage, in the Kish island,” external aff airs ministry body bore injury marks. Hospital sources said Bose’s political philosophy and revolutionary ideals. Khan were accused of poaching black bucks the police said. He later walked into a police spokesman Vikas Swarup said. “These 49 he was in critical condition. Two underground In 1948, Ghosh became the national convener of on the night of October 1-2, 1998, during the station and surrendered. He was arrested fishermen have now been released by the groups had allegedly served extortion notices to AIFB, founded by Bose, and took over as its West shooting of the movie. Khan is accused of and charged with murder. Avneesh’s wife Iranian authorities. They left Iran yesterday the Film Forum Manipur to collect money from Bengal unit secretary in 1951 - retaining the post till carrying and using illegal arms and was also died 10 months ago during delivery of their (Wednesday) for Chennai via Dubai and have actors and other film personalities in the state. his death. One of the founding members of the Left alleged to have been carrying arms with an son. He was living with his brother and his arrived in India this morning,” he said. Of the Unable to pay the huge amount, the Forum had Front in West Bengal, Ghosh played a prominent expired licence. A case under the Arms Act was wife, who were not in the house when the 49 fishermen, 44 are from Tamil Nadu and five suspended the screening of films, shootings and role in formulating the policies of the coalition registered against him thereafter. crime took place. from Gujarat. other film related activities for weeks. which ruled the state from 1977 to 2011. Mani’s party Art exhibition splits again over ‘secret’ talks with BJP

By Ashraf Padanna All other eight legislators are Gulf Times Correspondent with the offi cial faction. Thiruvanathapuram The immediate provocation for the split is said to be Man’s failure to accommodate all of them on erala Congress (M) led by the list of probable candidates. K M Mani, who famously Joseph distanced from the dis- Ksaid his party splits and sidents but chose not to criticise grows, has suff ered another split them. ahead of state elections less than Chief Minister Oommen two months away. Chandy dismissed it as an insig- Three prominent leaders of the nifi cant event which is “no way party, including former lawmaker going to aff ect our edge in the Francis George, whose late father elections”. was the party’s founder president, “I respect all of them, and I Visitors admire a work at an art exhibition called Nature of Bengal in Kolkata yesterday. said they were planning to join wouldn’t speak ill of them,” he the opposition alliance led by the told reporters in Kozhikode. “We Communist Party of India (Marx- are in the process of fi nalising ist). seats to be shared among part- George said they were leav- ners, and it’s going smoothly. ing the party in protest against We’ll win elections on our per- Mani’s the secret parleys with formance during the past fi ve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s years.” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to There are already three KC fac- make his son Jose K Mani a federal tions with the LDF - led by former minister after the state elections. ministers R Balakrishna Pillai Mallya objects to SBI Mani quit as fi nance minister and V Surendran Pillai, besides last year following corruption George. charges. The trio, who said they were Former legislators K C Joseph reviving KC (J), has ensured LDF and Antony Raju are the other nominations before deciding to prominent leaders planning to part ways with their mentor. contest the election with the sup- Besides KC (M), there is one demand for his arrest port of the Left Democratic Front faction led by Food Minister (LDF) led by the CPIM. Anoop Jacob in the Congress-led Bank approaches Debt severance package British liquor nal a day after seeking a directive registered a case of cheating and George and Raju also quit plum ruling coalition while the revived Recovery Tribunal seeking major Diageo and its Indian arm to Mallya for paying the amount fraud against Kingfi sher and its posts at two state-run fi rms they KC (S) faction led by T S John had action against the UB Group United Spirits Ltd (USL) signed Diageo and USL agreed to pay erstwhile management involving received as party nominees. made it clear that he would stay promoter for defaulting on with him on February 25. him over the next fi ve years, in- allegations of defrauding banks All three were part of the Kerala with the Congress. loans Tribunal judge R Benkanahalli cluding $40mn this year and the up to Rs7,800 crore, borrowed as Congress (J) led by Water Resourc- Another faction led by former said he would hear the case today balance $35mn by 2020. loans/advances by the bankrupt es Minister P J Joseph, which left federal minister P C Thomas, the Agencies and issued a notice to Mallya for The Debt-ridden Kingfi sher airline during 2004-2012,” Sinha the LDF and merged with the KC son of legendary party leader P T Bengaluru fi ling objections, if any. Ltd owes the consortium Rs78bn recalled at the day-long confer- (M) ahead of the 2011 elections. Chacko whose loyalists left the “The quasi-judicial tribunal as combined loans, including ence, organised by the CBI in One of KC (M)’s nine legisla- Congress Party after his death in is meant to facilitate banks and Rs16bn from lead bank SBI that partnership with Indian Banks’ tors, P C George, had also left the 1964 to fl oat a regional party of ndustrialist Vijay Mallya yes- fi nancial institutions recover Mallya: problems mount were raised from 2004 to 12. Association (IBA). party last year to revive his Kerala farmers, is a part of the BJP-led terday objected to the State speedily outstanding loans and The defunct airline suspended Observing that there was a Congress (Secular), which also National Democratic Alliance IBank of India’s demand seek- avoid procedural delays in civil solve Mallya of all liabilities over operations in October 2012 due to growing sense of anguish among split later. (NDA). ing his arrest in the Kingfi sher courts,” Mallya’s lawyer said. alleged fi nancial lapses at the a staff strike over non-payment the public over increasing bad Airline’s multi-billion rupee loan SBI’s lawyer said he had fi led company founded by his family. of salaries and other dues and loans as non-performing as- Natesan’s party joins NDA default case. four IAs before the tribunal for Last year Diageo auditors had the civil aviation regulator DGCA sets, Sinha said while banks were “We have fi led our objections Mallya’s arrest, impounding his found that Mallya had diverted terminated its licence subse- strict on retail borrowers, the big Hindu Ezhava leader Vellapalli the BDJS entry into the NDA fold against the bank’s IA (interlocu- passport, inventory of his assets Rs72bn of United Spirits Limited quently. borrowers and large-scale fraud- Natesan’s Bharath Dharma Jana in the presence of BDJS president tory application) on the ground in India and other countries and (USL) funds to the airline, which The SBI-led consortium sters were able to not only evade Sena (BDJS) yesterday joined the Tushar Vellapally, who is Nate- that it (Debt Recovery Tribunal) fi rst right over Diageo’s sweet- was again diverted elsewhere. moved the tribunal after Ced- the law, but also enjoy the fruits Bharatiya Janata Party-led Na- san’s son, at a press conference in is not the forum to seek a de- heart deal in lieu of his resigna- Mallya, who is also an inde- ntral Bureau of Investigation of crime. tional Democratic Alliance (NDA) New Delhi. “To bring changes in faulter’s arrest or impound his tion as chairman and non-exec- pendent lawmaker from Kar- director Anil Sinha expressed “Undue delay in identifying ahead of assembly elections in the Kerala politics, the BDJS has passport,” Mallya’s lawyer said. utive director of USL. nataka in the Rajya Sabha, is re- concern over its delay in acting and reporting such a fraud has Kerala. Federal minister Jagat joined the NDA unconditionally. The IA also sought a directive As part of a deal, Diageo said it portedly in New Delhi to attend against Mallya at the seventh jeopardised the cause of justice Prakash Nadda, in charge of the We expect more nationalist forces from the tribunal to the authori- would pay $40mn immediately the budget session of parliament. CBI conference on combating fi - to the off enders benefi t, giving Bharatiya Janata Party’s election will join us in the future,” Nadda ties for impounding Mallya’s to Mallya with the balance being An SBI-led consortium of 17 nancial crimes on Wednesday in them an opportunity to divert campaign in Kerala, announced said. passport, evaluate his assets and payable in equal instalments over state-run and private banks fi led Mumbai. funds and destroy evidence,” claim on the $75mn (Rs5.16bn) the next fi ve years. It will also ab- an application before the tribu- “We had recently (July 2015) Sinha added. US plans naval drills with Blast in Panjim ‘Govt studying TN India, Japan in Philippine Sea plea on Rajiv killers’ IANS must not be released - to uphold Reuters in the northern Philippine Sea and fighter jets in the Paracel New Delhi the integrity of the country for New Delhi and that Japan will take part. Islands. which Rajivji gave his life,” he Freedom of the seas was a fun- Along with China and the Phil- said. damental right of all nations, he ippines, Brunei, Malaysia, the he government is exam- The Tamil Nadu government ndia, the US and Japan will told a security conference in New Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam ining a Tamil Nadu gov- decided to release all seven con- hold naval exercises in waters Delhi, adding some thinly veiled also have claims on the waters, Ternment’s plea seeking victs in the Gandhi assassination Ioff the northern Philippines criticism of Beijing. through which about $5tn in the release of those linked to the case now in jail and on Wednes- near the South China Sea this “While some countries seek trade is shipped every year. assassination of former prime day sought the views of the cen- year, the US military said, a move to bully smaller nations through Harris said the US wished to minister Rajiv Gandhi, Home tral government. likely to further raise tensions intimidation and coercion, I note expand the naval exercises it held Minister Rajnath Singh said yes- In a letter to union Home with China. with admiration India’s example with India each year into joint terday. Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil The announcement comes a of peaceful resolution of disputes operations across the Asia-Pa- “We have received the letter Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnan- day after the US warned China with your neighbours in the wa- cifi c, which could draw India into yesterday and the government adesikan said the state govern- against militarisation of the ters of the Indian Ocean,” he said. the row in the South China Sea. is examining it. The Supreme ment had received petitions from South China Sea, where Beijing Asked about the drills, Chi- The two countries have held Court has already given its de- the seven convicts requesting is locked in a territorial dispute nese Foreign Ministry spokes- talks on joint naval patrols and cision on the matter. Now it is their release as they had spent with several countries, saying man Hong Lei said: “We hope the last month a US defence offi cial the constitutional and moral re- over 24 years in jail. there would be consequences. co-operation of relevant coun- told Reuters that these could in- sponsibility of the government to The seven convicts are V Sri- Last year, India and the US ex- tries will benefi t regional peace clude the South China Sea. abide by the decision of the apex haran alias Murugan, T Suthen- panded their annual naval drills and security, and not harm the Both India and the US later said court,” Singh told the Lok Sabha. draraja alias Santhan, A G Perar- in the Bay of Bengal to include interests of third parties”. these patrols were not imminent Earlier, the issue was raised ivalan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Japan after a gap of eight years, Tensions in the South China after Beijing warned that interfer- by Congress leader Mallikarjun Ravichandran and Nalini Sriha- in a move seen as a response to Sea have risen recently, with ence from countries outside the re- Kharge, who urged the govern- ran, wife of Murugan. China’s growing assertiveness in the US and others protesting gion threatens peace and stability. ment not to entertain the letter All seven have been in prison the region. against Beijing’s land recla- Harris said it was up to the Police carry out investigations at Kamat Complex in from the Tamil Nadu govern- since 1991, the year a woman Admiral Harry B Harris, head mations in the Spratly islands, leaders of India and the US to Caranzalem, Panjim where an explosion took place ment. Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew of the US Pacifi c Command, said along with the recent deploy- decide where to hold the joint yesterday. Off icials said no one was injured. “The letter should not be en- up Gandhi at an election rally the naval exercise will be held ment of surface-to-air missiles operations. tertained at all. The assassins near Chennai. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 13 INDIA JNU student arrested for sedition released from jail

Agencies chanted. He had been in judicial nies he was among those chant- until India is destroyed” and could be found implicating Ku- allegation against Kanhaiya Ku- “In those doctored versions, New Delhi custody in the capital’s Tihar jail ing the slogans at the rally that “Death to the Indian army”. mar, the role of Khalid and other mar,” Sanjay Kumar said in the video has been edited and voices since February 17. was held to mark the 2013 hang- “They are enjoying this free- students at the rally “must be in- report. But he said that “anti- added,” he said. “Kanhaiya was released from ing of Kashmiri separatist Mo- dom (of speech) only because vestigated further”. India slogans were indeed raised Kumar’s arrest sparked a ma- Jawaharlal Nehru Uni- the jail at around 6.30pm after hamed Afzal Guru over a deadly our borders are guarded by our “I have submitted the report in the campus. There is no doubt jor row over freedom of expres- versity student leader his bail bond and release orders 2001 attack on the parliament. armed and paramilitary forces,” to the Delhi government,” New about it”. sion in India, bringing thou- Awalked out of prison yes- were properly scrutinised,” Tihar Two other students, Umar Judge Pratibha Rani said in her Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay “The university administration sands of students, teachers and terday, nearly three weeks after spokesman Mukesh Prasad said. Khalid and Anirban Bhattach- order. Kumar, who conducted an in- has identifi ed a few faces clearly activists onto the streets. he was arrested on a controver- On Wednesday, the Delhi arya, are accused of being among “I consider this as a kind of quiry, said. heard raising anti-India slogans. Some rights campaigners say sial sedition charge that sparked High Court granted Kumar six the organisers of the JNU event infection from which such stu- “Umar Khalid was visible in Their whereabouts should be the Bharatiya Janata Party gov- major protests and a nationwide months’ interim bail while the and have been arrested on the dents are suff ering which needs many videos. His support for found out and their role investi- ernment is using the British-era debate over free speech. police conduct an investigation same sedition charge as Kumar. to be controlled/cured before it Kashmir and Afzal Guru is gated further,” the report said. sedition law to clamp down on Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested into the case, directing him not The Delhi High Court’s order becomes an epidemic.” known and he was the organiser The offi cial said seven videos dissent. on February 12 over a rally at the to participate in “anti-national” listed some of the slogans shout- A Delhi government report of the event,” the report said. were sent to Truth Labs in Hy- Sedition carries a maximum prestigious university in Delhi at activities. ed at the February 9 event which published yesterday said while “No witness or video (made) derabad, of which three were penalty of life imprisonment al- which anti-India slogans were The student union leader de- included “Our war will continue no witness or video evidence available to me could support the found to be doctored. though convictions are rare.

Academics hit out at govt over Modi slams interference

IANS opposition New Delhi

enowned academics yes- terday slammed the cen- Rtral government for what they called its unwarranted in- over deadlock terference in central universities and autonomous educational in- stitutes. “Universities are places for di- alogue where people from diff er- ent ideologies are free to express their opinion based on ideologies in parliament they concur to. In any case, de- pleting education system over the Let’s walk shoulder-to- legislations, including the Goods then prime minister Manmohan year has turned most of the state shoulder and do something and Services Tax (GST) bill. Singh was visiting the US. universities to cheerleaders of the for the country, the prime Modi said the opposition was “The ordinance was torn apart respective governments,” Satish minister tells opposition suff ering from an “inferiority when the then honourable prime Deshpande of the Delhi School of complex”. “Some people want to minister was in the US to meet Economics said at a seminar here. Agencies oppose for the sake of it. There (Barack) Obama. Please learn “Central universities were still New Delhi are such bright MPs in the oppo- to respect elders,” Modi said as managing to hold their position sition, but they are not being al- Gandhi listened. but the series of recent events lowed to speak. Nobody in the op- MPs from the Bharatiya Ja- have shaken their autonomy to a rime Minister Narendra position must look stronger and nata Party and its allies thumped huge extent.” Modi yesterday reached this is the inferiority complex.” their desks in appreciation even “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Pout to the opposition for However, at the end of his as the opposition booed follow- Sangh map of India begins from its support to run the govern- speech, the prime minister toned ing Modi’s remarks. Afghanistan and goes up to Myan- ment smoothly and invoked late down his aggression and sought Parliament has managed to mar across Pakistan and Bangla- Congress stalwarts and prime the support of the Congress and pass just one bill since the current desh. Is it not distortion of the ge- ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, In- other opposition parties to run session began on February 23 due ography, as the actual Indian map dira and Rajiv Gandhi for peace- the government for the sake of to rowdy protests in the house is a lot diff erent,” said Burra Srini- ful functioning of parliament. the people and the country. over the controversial arrest of a vas of the South Asian University. In his over an hour-long “Let’s walk shoulder-to- JNU student leader last month. “There has been a complete speech, Modi, however, didn’t shoulder and do something for The BJP swept to power in 2014 distortion of Indian history under speak about raging issues like the country. I am new, you are promising to revive the economy the present regime. Recently, the crackdown on Jawaharlal Nehru experienced,” Modi said. and create much-needed jobs, Sanskrit department of our uni- University (JNU) students and “We need to make an atmos- but has been unable to enact versity organised a seminar on the the death of Dalit scholar Rohith phere of improving trust. If you many of its promised reforms. Indian history. When I asked them Vemula in Hyderabad University have suggestions, please do of- Although India is the world’s about the historians and evidence that had stalled parliament for fer. I would like the government fastest-growing major econo- provided by the Archaeological two days earlier this week. to adopt these habits. The gov- my, experts say gross domestic Survey of India on the topic they “Parliament is a forum where ernment also needs to improve product is still not increasing were discussing, they told us that diff erent view points are put for- and this would not happen with- at a fast enough pace to provide Western powers have wrecked ward, where questions are being out your support. I need your employment for a burgeoning our history. We will re-establish asked to the government, where support. I need you people, your young population. it through our Sanskrit scholars,” the government is made ac- experience.” India’s parliament is notori- University Grants Commission countable and nobody is spared,” In an obvious attack on Rahul ously rowdy, and Modi’s BJP em- fellow Vikram Soni said. Modi said. Gandhi, Modi returned the barbs ployed similar tactics to disrupt Concurring with his views, “And in doing so, it would be the Congress vice president had the former Congress-led gov- Sunil Kumar of Delhi University great if we uphold parliamentary hurled at him on Wednesday in ernment. said that “certain forces wish to traditions” and let the Lok Sabha the Lok Sabha over the prime Last year more than 20,000 saff ronise the entire history, de- and Rajya Sabha function “peace- minister’s reluctance to take the Indians, including prominent molishing its factual perspective fully and responsibly”, he said. opposition on board over various business leaders, signed an on- completely”. Modi noted this was “not issues. line petition urging lawmakers to “Ambedkar fought for the ex- a sermon” but the “words of “Some people learn with age end weeks of rowdy protests that istence of the Dalits in higher former Congress prime minister but some don’t,” Modi said. had paralysed parliament. education. Today, there is a class Rajiv Gandhi”. He didn’t name Rahul Gan- Just 24 bills have been passed which is challenging this very He also recalled the state- dhi but recalled how he had in since Modi took over in May existence. Anyone dissenting ments of Nehru, Indira and In- 2013 torn before reporters a 2014, according to PRS Legis- with their view is labelled with a dia’s fi rst president Rajendra controversial ordinance of the lative Research, a New Delhi- range of adjectives,” Rukmini Sen Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is escorted by security off icers as he arrives at the parliament Prasad and urged the opposition then Congress government on based think-tank. Another 30 of the Ambedkar University said. yesterday. for its support to pass crucial convicted lawmakers when are stuck at the voting stage. Uber, Ola launch Three rebels killed in Kashmir gunfi ght motorbike taxis IANS eration against guerrillas near Srinagar the Line of Control in Kupwara district, police said. Agencies offi cer of Ola, India’s biggest drivers on its platform and re- Meanwhile, Border Secu- Bengaluru taxi-hailing app. coup expenses for their trips. ecurity forces yesterday rity Force yesterday unearthed Ola plans to scale up the Ride-hailing apps have risen killed three separatist a tunnel near the international service in the city in the coming rapidly to become a multi- Sguerrillas in a gunfi ght in border in RS Pura sector. ber and its Indian ri- weeks, he said. billion industry in India’s con- south Kashmir’s Pulwama dis- “BSF personnel have discov- val Ola yesterday “We are very excited to pi- gested cities, but have faced trict. ered an underground tunnel at Ulaunched pilot taxi lot UberMOTO in Banga- controversy over safety. “Following specifi c informa- Allah Maie Kothay area in RS motorbike services within lore - pairing our on-demand An Uber driver was con- tion that a group of militants was Pura sector of the international hours of each other, as com- technology platform with mo- victed in October of raping a hiding in Mir Mohalla (Charsoo) border in Jammu district,” police petition between the two taxi torbikes... UberMOTO will 25-year-old passenger in late village near Tral town of Pulwa- sources said. apps ramps up. off er another aff ordable mobil- 2014, a case that sparked ac- ma district, security forces sur- Initial inspection revealed Both start-ups are running ity option that will help peo- cusations the California fi rm rounded the area on Wednesday that the tunnel was over 50ft in the motorbike taxis on a trial ple save time and money while failed to conduct adequate evening,” a senior police offi cer length. basis in the traffi c-clogged city helping cut congestion in our background checks. said. Chairman of the moderate of Bengaluru, seeking to grab a cities over time,” Uber India Uber was offi cially barred “As forces closed in on the faction of Hurriyat Conference greater share of India’s ultra- president Amit Jain said in a from New Delhi, but the ban house where the militants were Mirwaiz Umer Farooq blamed competitive ride-hailing mar- statement. has not been well enforced and hiding, they came under heavy the government for pushing tal- ket. Both UberMOTO and Ola its cars continue to operate in fi ring. Three militants have been ented and educated youth to pick The American fi rm’s Uber- Bike have made arrangement the capital. killed in the resulting encoun- up the gun. MOTO will start at Rs15 per to provide helmets to pillion Uber, the world’s most ter. We have recovered three AK “Stifl ing of dissent and demo- ride while Ola’s Bike Taxis will riders and put safety measures valuable start-up, set up its rifl es from them,” the offi cer cratic expression is now forcing start at Rs30, but have a lower like driver details displayed up- India operation in September added. talented and educated Kashmiri fare per kilometre. front, SOS, GPS tracking, two- 2013 and now does business A search is underway at the youth to the wall,” Farooq said. “This will help users get to way feedback and the ability to in more than 25 cities in the encounter site. The exact iden- He released a documentary where they want to be within share trip details with family country. Villagers shout slogans during the funeral of Ashiq Hussain, a tity of the slain guerrillas is be- titled “Children in confl ict-torn minutes, especially in traffi c- and friends in place. Last week it launched its fi rst suspected militant, in Charsoo village in south Kashmir yesterday. ing established, the offi cer said. Kashmir” to highlight the trag- prone cities like ours,” said Uber also said that two- motorbike taxi off ering in the Three suspected militants including Hussain were killed in a gun Also yesterday, two soldiers edy of children aff ected by the Pranay Jivrajka, chief operating wheeler owners can become Thai capital Bangkok. battle with security forces. were injured in an ongoing op- turmoil. Gulf Times 14 Friday, March 4, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

DECISION LEGAL MIGRATION CRIME COMMENT Govt approves Farc chiefs’ Judge lifts Argentina debt Eight Cuban rafters reach El Salvador homicides soar Haiti ‘poll body to decide visits to rebel troop areas payments injunction Florida Keys after risky trip in first two months of 2016 if vote deadline viable’

Colombia’s government has re-authorised A New York judge has removed injunctions Eight migrants travelling from Cuba on a rickety Worsening gang violence led to a surge in Provisional Haiti President Jocelerme Privert visits by rebel peace negotiators from the preventing Argentina from making payments raft have landed safely in the Florida Keys, US homicides in the first two months of 2016 in El said a new election council would determine if a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) on its debt, opening the way for a resolution of off icials said. Frank Miller, a spokesman for Salvador, which last year became a contender delayed runoff could be held by an April deadline, to guerrilla encampments in the country, the a decade-old dispute with hedge fund creditors. the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to be the world’s most murderous country, as concerns grow that a political standoff would government’s negotiating team said yesterday. Judge Thomas Griesa said Argentina’s eff orts agency, confirmed the refugees’ arrival. More off icial police data showed. Murders in the small, again scupper eff orts to hold the vote. Privert The government suspended visits by rebel to reach deals to settle the drawn-out legal case than 2,200 Cubans have fled to the US by boat impoverished Central American nation jumped took off ice last month for a 120-day term after leaders two weeks ago after it said Farc over billions of dollars in defaulted bonds merited or raft since October, and under America’s “wet in January and February by 117.6% from the 643 a botched runoff vote meant former president negotiators violated the terms under which the lifting of the injunctions he had placed in foot, dry foot” policy, any Cuban who makes it to reported in the same period of 2015, according Michel Martelly left off ice without a replacement. they were allowed to return from Havana, 2012. The injunctions were laid down by Griesa US territory is allowed to remain permanently. to figures released by police off icials at a news Martelly’s party accuses Privert of bias in favour where peace talks have been taking place to force Argentina to pay the holdouts before Thousands of Cubans continue to make the risky conference. “In these two months we have a of the left-wing Fanmi Lavalas movement. The since 2012. The rebels will only be allowed to it made payments on any of its other debt. The 145km voyage despite the restoration last year national average of 23.3 homicides (a day) which election has already been delayed three times meet with their own troops for the purpose of government of Cristina Kirchner had refused to of ties between Washington and Havana, which continues to be a major challenge for police over allegations of fraud in the first round, and explaining progress at the talks, the government pay the holdouts, and so the court’s block on other many believe will lead to greater international operations,” Howard Cotto, director of national Privert called on opponents to support his eff orts negotiating team tweeted. debt payments forced the country to default in ’14. trade and improved quality of life on the island. police in El Salvador, told reporters. to quickly hand power to an elected successor. Drug lord seeks Anti-Maduro protest to speed up US extradition

Agencies the drug lord’s hope that the ac- Mexico City tress would produce his biopic. Authorities say Guzman’s obsession with Del Castillo, aptive Mexican drug lord who played a drug capo in La Joaquin “El Chapo” Guz- Reina del Sur, helped lead to Cman is attempting to ac- his recapture in January, three celerate his extradition to the US months after he met with her in the hope that he will be treated and Penn. better in prison there, his law- But Guzman sought out a slew yers said. of other people to ghostwrite Guzman, who has twice es- his story before getting in touch caped from Mexican maximum with the screen stars. security prisons, was captured His desire to tell his side of his in Mexico in January, six months criminal life appears to have in- after his last jailbreak. The Mexi- tensifi ed when he was in prison can government quickly said it between February 2014 until his would initiate extradition pro- Hollywood-like escape through ceedings for him to the US. a massive tunnel in July. The world’s most notorious Andres Lopez Lopez, a former drug kingpin undertook legal member of Colombia’s Norte steps to block his extradition, del Valle drug cartel, said he was but his lawyers said he was so fed among the people contacted by up with his treatment in Mexico Guzman’s associates during that Students run away during clashes with the police during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government in San Cristobal, Venezuela. that he was looking to move. time. “He asked me to do whatever In 2014, Lopez said, “I started we could to put a stop to the sit- receiving 80,000 messages on uation he’s in, ‘I just want them Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, to let me sleep,’ he kept saying WhatsApp, phone calls, you and told me ‘try to get the quick- name it. It was Chapo Guzman’s est extradition possible for me, people, his lawyers.” try and see about speaking to Lopez is now a renowned au- the US government,’” one of the thor and scriptwriter for TV lawyers, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, shows about drug traffi ckers told local radio. such as El cartel de los sapos Senator’s plea bargain Guzman has also complained (The Cartel of Toads) and El se- about the amount of commu- nor de los cielos (The Lord of the nication he is allowed with his Skies). family, being excessively cooped Lopez was surprised because up in his cell, and that his cell is he had received threats after he too cold, the lawyers said. had tried himself to interview ‘implicates Rousseff , Lula’ A second lawyer, Juan Pablo the Sinaloa drug cartel honcho Badillo, said the process would in 2012 for a book he wrote on still take time. Guzman. Reuters ecutors outlining what he could yesterday were unsuccessful. February, complaining that he tigating it, according to IstoE, “Since I was able to speak to “It was almost a death sen- Brasilia reveal if granted leniency in a The public prosecutor’s offi ce had come under undue pressure which said it had access to his (Guzman) from February 15, he tence if I had the stupid idea of formal plea bargain. declined to comment. from the ruling Workers’ Party testimony. said he would analyze how we writing his story,” he said. O Estado did not identify Weekly magazine IstoE also to interfere in the corruption Lula’s foundation said they could start this process. It would Lopez panicked, but he de- razilian ruling party sena- sources for its information but said yesterday that the senator scandal and investigations into would not comment on the defi nitely need to be subject to cided to write the book anyway, tor Delcido do Amaral, said Amaral had named Lula testifi ed in his plea bargain that Lula. press reports. “We do not know an agreement with the US,” Ba- speaking to former law enforce- Barrested in November on and said he could outline shady Rousseff had used her infl uence IstoE said Amaral had ac- if this plea bargain even exists,” dillo said. ment offi cials who chased Guz- obstruction of justice charges, dealings with the purchase of to keep directors suspected cused Rousseff of appointing a Lula Institute spokesman Jose Meanwhile, Mexican au- man and “very close” relatives has agreed to a plea bargain im- the Pasadena refi nery in Texas of corruption in positions at favourable Supreme Court jus- Chrispiniano said. “(IstoE) has thorities revealed Guzman was of the world’s most powerful plicating President Dilma Rous- by Petrobras. Petrobras. tice to help avert conviction of exaggerated in the past.” so obsessed with telling his life narco, whose nickname means seff and ex-president Luiz Ina- The state-run oil company, The presidential palace said it some directors and states- Federal prosecutors pre- story that he pursued an ac- “Shorty” and who rose from cio Lula da Silva in the Petrobras formally known as Petroleo had no comment. men under investigation sented formal charges tress, journalists and a former selling oranges as a child to run- graft scandal, local media re- Brasileiro SA, has been the cen- Rousseff had also tried on for bribes and kickbacks against Amaral on De- Colombian traffi cker who be- ning a drug empire. ported yesterday. tre of a nearly two-year corrup- three occasions to use the jus- at Petrobras. cember 7, along with bil- came a writer. But later Lopez met with Guz- The online version of Brazil- tion scandal that prosecutors tice ministry to release suspects Amaral also said Lula lionaire fi nancier Andre His contacts with Mexican- man’s lawyers, who voiced con- ian paper O Estado de S.Paulo are investigating. in the graft investigation from had full knowledge of a Esteves, accusing American star Kate del Castillo cern that an upcoming TV series said Amaral, who was released Amaral’s lawyer had previ- prison, a clear abuse of powers, massive graft scheme them of obstruct- became famous after Hollywood based on the book would portray from jail in February with some ously said his client would not IstoE said Amaral testifi ed. in Petrobras and ing a criminal in- legend Sean Penn wrote about a darker side than the infamous restrictions, had given prelimi- give a plea bargain. Attempts to Justice Minister Jose Edu- tried to block pros- vestigation into his meeting with Guzman and criminal wanted. nary testimony to public pros- reach his offi ces for comment ardo Cardozo resigned in late ecuters from inves- Petrobras.

Mission accomplished Brazil on course for worst $1mn payout for recession in century wartime sex slaves Reuters “We are very happy with to- Bogota day’s decision about the repara- AFP the bottom bracket for Latin nancial meltdown, hitting tions awarded and the sentencing Brasilia America, where Venezuela is 7.5% growth in 2010, 3.9% in of these men,” said Carmen, one the worst performer with a 10% 2011, 1.9% in 2012 and 3% in Guatemalan court has of victims who testifi ed at court. plummet in GDP, according to 2013. ordered two former mili- “It’s been a long search for razilian GDP fell 3.8% the IMF. The leftist government’s Atary offi cers convicted of the truth. It’s very important for in 2015, the government Leading the slide was the generous spending pro- holding indigenous women as Mayan women to get justice,” Bsaid yesterday, indicat- industrial sector, which was grammes were credited with sex slaves during the nation’s she said. ing the Latin American giant is down 6.2% in 2015. In the last lifting millions out of se- civil war to pay their victims just About 200,000 people died headed for its worst recession quarter of 2015 the all-impor- vere poverty and the coun- over $1mn in compensation. and 45,000 others disappeared in at least a century. tant mining sector was down try’s mineral and agricultural The 11 Mayan women, many in during Guatemala’s civil war The latest gloomy news from 6.6%, reflecting the world- riches were in hot demand in their 70s and 80s, testifi ed dur- that lasted from 1960 to 1996. Brazil was no surprise, but the wide slump in commodity China. ing the historic trial about being A United Nations-backed severity underlined the depth prices and demand for Brazil’s The party has now come to a raped at the Sepur Zarco military Truth Commission set up under of problems facing President iron ore and other raw materi- brutal end and Rousseff - beset base, where they were forced to the 1996 peace accords con- Dilma Rousseff ’s government als. by an impeachment attempt cook and clean for the soldiers. cluded that the military was re- as it battles both declining eco- Services were down 2.7% for and a huge, volatile corrup- Esteelmer Reyes Giron, a lieu- sponsible for more than 85% of nomic output and 10.67% in- the year. tion scandal that has sucked in tenant colonel, and Heriberto human rights violations during fl ation. Brazil’s ugly GDP picture is many top political and business Valdez Asij, a civilian with links the war, many of them against The state statistics offi ce said only part of a wider economic fi gures - appears to have few to the army, were sentenced last Mayan Indians. 2015 registered the worst single and political mess amounting options. Friday to a total of 360 years in But until now, no members of annual fall in GDP since 1990, to a stunning fall from grace. On Wednesday, the central prison for holding the women as Guatemala’s armed forces had when the economy dipped The country of 204mn peo- bank maintained its bench- sex slaves at the military base as been convicted of wartime rape 4.3%. ple was only recently being mark interest rate at 14.25%, well as murder and forced dis- or ordered to pay compensation With the International touted as the emerging markets but that has not stopped infl a- appearances dating back to the to victims of sexual slavery. Monetary Fund predicting a giant that had fi nally found its tion hitting double digits, while early 1980s. Paula Barrios, a Guatemalan further 3.5% shrinkage this feet - with the Olympic Games unemployment is now at 7.6% The court in Guatemala City lawyer involved in bringing the year, Brazil appears to be well due to take place in Rio this and rising. ordered Reyes, former com- case to trial, said the court also into a recession of record August symbolising that new All three main credit rat- Cuban migrants arrive in El Paso, Texas, after travelling mander of the base, to pay ordered state authorities to build length and depth. status. ing agencies have downgraded from Panama to Mexico and then to the US, as part of a pilot $65,000 to each victim, and Val- a school, health clinic and give The GDP results condemn GDP grew steadily through Brazil to junk status, warning programme agreed by Central American countries to allow dez to pay $32,000 to each vic- land titles in the names of the Brazil, currently the world’s the 2000’s, except for a dip of slow recovery and political the migrants to continue towards the US. tim and to the families of seven victims and also to investigate seventh biggest economy, to after the last 2008 global fi- uncertainty. men who had disappeared. forced disappearances. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 15 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Women’s protection Protest march law ‘un-Islamic’ : top Pak religious body

Reuters have denounced the new law as It also sets punishments of up Islamabad being in confl ict with the Holy to a year in jail for violators of Qur’an, as well as Pakistan’s court orders related to domestic constitution. violence, with that period rising powerful Pakistani reli- “The whole law is wrong,” to two years for repeat off enders. gious body that advises Mohamed Khan Sherani, the Fazlur Rehman, the chief of Athe government on the head of the Council of Islamic one of Pakistan’s largest reli- compatibility of laws with Is- Ideology said at a news con- gious parties, the Jamiat-i-Ule- lam yesterday declared a new ference, citing verses from the ma Islam, said the law was in law that criminalises violence Qur’an to point out that the law confl ict with both Islam and the against women to be “un-Islam- was “un-Islamic.” constitution of Pakistan. ic.” The 54-year-old council is “This law makes a man inse- The Women’s Protection Act, known for its controversial deci- cure,” he told journalists. “This passed by Pakistan’s largest sions. law is an attempt to make Paki- province of Punjab last week, In the past it has ruled that “This law makes a stan a Western colony again.” gives unprecedented legal pro- DNA cannot be used as primary man insecure,” he told In 2013, more than 5,800 cases tection to women from domes- evidence in rape cases, and it journalists. “This law is an of violence against women were tic, psychological and sexual supported a law that requires attempt to make Pakistan reported in Punjab alone, the violence. women alleging rape to get four a Western colony again” province where yesterday’s law It also calls for the creation of male witnesses to testify in court was passed, according to the Au- a toll-free abuse reporting hot before a case is heard. man rights activists. rat Foundation, a women’s rights line and the establishment of The council’s decision this The new law establishes dis- advocacy group. women’s shelters. January to block a bill to im- trict-level panels to investigate Those cases represented 74% But since its passage in the pose harsher penalties for reports of abuse, and mandates of the national total that year, Punjab assembly, many conserv- marrying off girls as young as the use of GPS bracelets to keep the latest for which data is avail- ative clerics and religious leaders eight or nine has angered hu- track of off enders. able.

Dutch fi rm to Supporters of Pakistan’s Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) shout slogans during a protest against Afghan Taliban leadership the execution of convicted murderer Mumtaz Qadri in Karachi yesterday. Though Qadri’s funeral on March 2, drew some 100,000 supporters to the streets of the capital and its twin city Rawalpindi acquire Pak – it passed, incredibly – without major incident thanks in large part to a nearly unprecedented media blackout some analysts said showed Pakistan’s key institutions were finally working instep to is in Pakistan, says Aziz food giant influence the narrative.

AFP tank’s website. the threat of expulsion to force Islamabad The remarks confi rm what has the Taliban into the fi rst round AFP Pakistan’s former become an open secret in diplo- of talks. Karachi matic circles, particularly since “We already — before the 7th telecom monopoly top Pakistani offi cial has Pakistan began brokering direct July meeting last year — we had Uber car-sharing service appoints new CEO said for the fi rst time peace talks between Kabul and to use some of these levers and Dutch dairy co-operative Apublicly that the Afghan the Taliban last summer. restricted their movements, is set to buy out a Paki- Pakistan Telecommunication Co Taliban’s leadership enjoys a safe The negotiations faltered after restricted their access to hos- Astani food giant with an launches in Pakistan (PTCL) has appointed a senior haven inside his country, which Afghan intelligence leaked the pital and other facilities, and investment of around $460mn, executive from parent firm Etisalat Islamabad uses as a “lever” to news the group’s founder Mullah threatened them that if you do in what would amount to the as its new CEO, the Islamabad- pressure the group into talks Omar had died in 2013. not come forward and talk, then largest private sector takeover DPA ship with US-based Uber. based former monopoly said with Kabul. The Taliban later confi rmed obviously we will at least expel by a foreign fi rm in the country’s Islamabad The import of cars is re- on its website. Daniel Ritz, who The admission by Pakistan’s they lied about Omar’s death you,” he said. history. stricted and heavily taxed in according to his LinkedIn profile foreign aff airs adviser Sartaj for two years, sowing divisions Aziz said Pakistan’s role was FrieslandCampina Inter- the country, making owner- had been Abu Dhabi-listed Etis- Aziz comes after years of offi cial among the militants and anger as a “facilitator” and it was up national Holding BV intends ar-sharing service Uber ship a rarity. alat’s chief strategy off icer since denials by Islamabad that it of- at his successor Mullah Akhtar to Kabul to make negotiations to acquire a 51% stake of En- launched in Lahore yes- Most people use overfi lled, January 2012, has become PTCL’s fers shelter or exerts any infl u- Mansour for leading the cover- fruitful. gro Foods Limited, one of the Cterday, with a few key elderly public buses, where chief executive with immediate ence over the Taliban, and amid up. “We are not the actual nego- largest listed companies at the modifi cations for the market. inadequate service provokes eff ect, according to the website a fresh push for direct peace Most of the group’s leaders tiators. So I hope as we go along benchmark Pakistan Stock Ex- Users will be able to sum- regular demonstrations, espe- statement. Ritz replaces Walid talks. are believed to be residing in the our sincerity in this task will be change (PSX), a notifi cation on mon a driver and car by phon- cially in the large cities. Irshaid, who had been PTCL’s CEO The Taliban’s 14-year-insur- southwestern city of Quetta, recognised, and with the hope the bourse’s website said yes- ing in, not just by using an app, Uber has said it is hoping to since March 2007 and whose gency against Afghan and Nato with others in northwest Pesha- that Afghan government will terday. and drivers will accept cash, be popular in particular with tenure saw a sustained decline forces has claimed tens of thou- war and southern Karachi. play a more active role for the The deal would bring in a min- not just card payment. women, who complain that in the company’s fortunes. It has sands of civilian and military Pakistan, Afghanistan, the success of these talks.” imum investment of $460mn With less than a third of mo- men do not give up the re- made losses in four of the past six lives. United States and China held A Foreign Offi ce spokesman based on the Pakistani fi rm’s bile users having smartphones, served seats on public trans- quarters, while its annual profits Speaking at the Council on their fourth round of talks aimed said he could not comment on present stock value. and a signifi cant share of the port and harass them. fell 92% from 2006 to 2015, Foreign Aff airs in Washington at reviving direct peace talks be- Aziz’s remarks at a regular press “Yes, it is the largest ever deal population not functionally The car-sharing service says according to Reuters data. An on Tuesday, Aziz said: “We tween Kabul and the Taliban late briefi ng yesterday. in the private sector,” analyst literate, the move intends to it has been training drivers in Etisalat-led consortium acquired have some infl uence on them last month. “Aziz said whatever he had to Faisal Shaji, head of research make the service available to as courtesy to women and has 26% and management control because their leadership is in The four-country group in- say and we do not comment on at Standard Capital Securities, many of the city’s 10mn people been screening its candidates, of PTCL for $2.6bn in 2005. The Pakistan and they get some vited Taliban representatives statements made by our leader- said. as possible. Malik said. company’s market capitalisation medical facilities, their families to return to negotiations by the ship,” Nafees Zakaria told re- Citibank Pakistan is the fi nan- Around 200 Uber cars have Uber will charge Rs13.7 per is now $494mn, Reuters data are here. fi rst week of March, though a porters in Islamabad. cial adviser. been deployed, and up to 5,000 kilometre, around 10 cents. shows, while Etisalat still owes “So we can use those levers to spokesman for the militants lat- There is no confi rmation yet Shahji added the deal would be are planned, according to Na- Some media reports said all Pakistan’s government $800mn pressurise them to say: ‘Come er said they had not yet received of a date for peace talks with the closely watched by international heem Malik, of the Pubjab In- rides would be free during an from the original deal, withholding to the table’,” he added, accord- an invitation. Taliban, Zakaria added, adding investors eyeing the emerging formation Technology Board, introductory marketing period this amount as part of a property ing to a transcript on the think Aziz said Islamabad had used that “eff orts are on”. South Asian economy. which is working in partner- until Sunday. dispute. Seeking a miracle on Pakistan’s Qur’an mountain

AFP disposed off in accordance with Is- more tunnels, but have no resources,” Quetta lamic teachings, leading scholar Mufti he explains. Muneeb-ur-Rehman says, “then you Lehri’s passion for protecting the can use those pages to reproduce or words of the Qur’an began in 1956, he eep inside the dry, biscuit-col- manufacture cardboards or anything”. tells AFP during an interview at his oured mountains surrounding Existing plants in Pakistan do not home in Quetta, surrounded by medi- DPakistan’s southwestern city recycle Qur’ans because of the restric- cines and newspapers. of Quetta lies an unexpected treasure: tions involved, Irfan Qadir, secretary of He spotted a newspaper with a large a honeycomb of tunnels bursting with the Punjab Qur’an Board, which moni- picture of the Kabba lying on the fl oor cases of Holy Qur’ans, hidden safe tors the collection and disposal of pag- of a friend’s car, he says. Picking it up, from desecration. es of Qur’anic verse, tells AFP — such he vowed to make it his mission to for- The hill known as Jabal-e-Noor, or as only Muslims being allowed to take ever safeguard holy images and words. “Mountain of Light”, has been visited part in the work. In 1992, he says, he and his brother by hundreds of thousands of people “However,” he adds, “we have au- Abdul Rashid were running a stone- since two brothers turned it into a thorised a private foundation to recy- crushing business on a property leased shrine for Islam’s holy book, some cle torn out pages of the Qur’an on very in the hills outside Quetta. copies of which are up to 600 years old, limited scale.” But they were only using a small offi cials who run it say. The foundation, he says, puts water portion of the space leased. So, he says, “We have buried at least 5mn sacks and the pages of the Qur’an in a barrel “I decided to bury them (the pages) in- of old Qur’ans,” says Jabal-e-Noor ad- together, where the words are washed side this mountain”. ministrator Haji Muzaff ar Ali. away. As the fl ow of pilgrims to Jabal-e- But the mountain’s labyrinth of tun- After, “the water goes in a well dug Noor increased, many began leaving nels is steadily nearing capacity. Hun- in the ground and they use the pulp to messages scribbled on the walls of dreds of sacks packed with copies of Haji Abdul Sammad Lehri cuts verses A Pakistani devotee visiting a tunnel where ancient copies of the Qur’an are make a very soft cardboard.” the tunnels — graffi tied prayers, most the holy book now lie exposed on the of the Holy Qur’an from a newspaper preserved in Jabal-e-Noor on the outskirts of Quetta. A honeycomb of tunnels in The board has proposed a recycling seeking love, for God to grant. hillside as administrators struggle to at his residence in Quetta. the mountain burst with cases of Qur’an, hidden safe from desecration. plant for Qur’ans, he says, but no action “Oh God, may I get a marriage of create space for them. has yet been taken by the government. my choice,” pleads one, while others The problem is especially thorny their old Qur’ans with great respect. realised, would prove both risky and But, perhaps surprisingly, scholars At Jabal-e-Noor, named after the are more specifi c: “God, please break in Pakistan, where any disrespect to Religious scholars approve of two revolutionary: building one of Pa- in Pakistan say it could work. mountain in Saudi Arabia where the Amina’s engagement and rid her of the Qur’an can infl ame accusations of ways: by wrapping the book care- kistan’s fi rst-ever Qur’an-recycling “The scholars... approve recycling of Prophet is said to have received the Hamza”. blasphemy, punishable by death. fully in a cloth and burying it in the plants. Qur’ans and if a recycling plant is re- fi rst verses of the Qur’an, the idea ex- Those who run the mountain are Islam’s holy text is believed by ground, as at Jabal-e-Noor, or placing The move could turn Lehri’s shrine using the pages of Qur’ans, there is no ists only in the minds of Lehri and his now also praying for a miracle. Muslims to be the word of God spo- it in fl owing water so the ink is washed into a target. harm,” says Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi , team for now. “I’ve asked some (rupee) billionaire ken through the Prophet Muhammad away from the pages. An angry mob torched a factory in Pun- chairman of the Pakistan Ulema (reli- Visitors to the mountain can leave friends to help” fund the recycling directly to mankind. For that reason But the man behind the mountain, jab province in November 2015 after one gious scholars) Council. donations but pay no fee to enter, and plant, Lehri says. the words themselves are held sacred, affl uent 77-year-old businessman Ab- of its employees was accused of burning So long as the words are removed, Lehri says they need the funds. “We “They initially agreed — but now meaning Muslims must dispose of dul Sammad Lehri, has an idea that, if pages from the Qur’ran in the boiler. and the solution used to remove it want to install the plant and dig out they are not responding,” he says. Gulf Times 16 Friday, March 4, 2016 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL World Wildlife Day Public-pvt projects to draw $14bn investment

By Mizan Rahman Speaking at the meet- Dhaka ing, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the impor- tance of expediting the pace orty-three projects, of development saying: “We now in the pipeline as want to accelerate the pace Fpart of a Public-Private of development in the coun- Partnership (PPP) initiative in try, but this is not possible Bangladesh, are expected to the government alone… draw some $14bn investment. there’s also need for PPP This was revealed at the initiatives.” fi rst board of governors meet- Sheikh Hasina cited that ing of the PPP Authority held the private sector had played at the prime minister’s offi ce a key role in the development yesterday with board of gov- of South Korea. ernors chairperson and Prime Highlighting the bright Minister Sheikh Hasina in the prospects of PPP projects in chair. the country, she said many PM’s press secretary Ih- projects have so far been im- sanul Karim briefed reporters plemented under PPP, and after the meeting. asked the authorities con- He said the meeting re- cerned to keep the country’s viewed the implementation, interests in mind while mov- progress of PPP activities ing ahead with PPP projects. in the country for the last The meeting decided that couple of years, and was in- the prime minister as chair- formed about the develop- person of the board would ment of the PPP projects, look after the policy issues, selecting private partners, while the PM’s principal A Sri Lankan leopard at a zoo in Dehiwala near Colombo yesterday, on World Wildlife Day. possible time for signing the secretary, as the chairman fi nal agreements and the pos- of the PPP Authority, will sible amount of overall in- ensure that obstacles to vestment. project implementation are The meeting was also in- removed. The chief execu- formed that the fi nal agree- tive officer of the PPP Au- ments on six projects have thority will look after opera- been signed while the feasi- tional aspects. bility studies for 18 projects Finance Minister AMA have been completed spend- Muhith, Road Transport and ing 770mn taka from the Bridges Minister Obaidul PPP technical fund which is Quader, Housing and Pub- Dhaka to probe coup expected to attract around lic Works Minister Engineer 100bn taka investment. Mosharraf Hossain, Civil Besides, 11 projects are Aviation and Tourism Min- at the fi nal stage of select- ister Rashed Khan Menon, ing private partners which Railways Minister Muzibul are expected to draw invest- Haque, state Minister for ment of around $1bn while Finance and Planning MA 10 projects are at the stage of Mannan and state Minister by military in 2007 feasibility study with an ex- for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak, pected investment of around among others, attended the By Mizan Rahman cal changeover who are now staying in the good relations, no one would have dared to “We won’t go to Suhrawardy Udyan. $5bn. meeting. Dhaka country to prove her commitment. capture power. Now we’ll start our preparation soon to Khaleda said those behind the January 11 Khaleda alleged that the government hold our council at the Engineers’ Insti- changeover including Masududdin Chow- has continued its repression and sup- tute,” he added. senior ruling Awami League dhury and Hasan Mashud Chowdhury are pression though there is no movement The BNP leader said their party’s leader and a close aide of prime now in Bangladesh. She asked why they in the country now. ‘The country isn’t sub-committees formed for holding A minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday are not being arrested. in a good shape. People are getting ar- the council will visit the IEB on Friday Nepal hands out disclosed that a probe commission will ‘If she (Hasina) meant it then she would rested regularly. Our leaders and activ- morning. be constituted to bring those involved in prove that she meant it truly by arresting ists are arrested as they leave jail in new The last and fi fth council of the party the army- them,’ Khaleda said at a programme at her cases after they are freed on bail. I want was held on December 8, 2009 at Banga- free SIMs to tourists led takeover of government in 2007 Gulshan offi ce. to say this administration is worse than bandhu International Conference Centre (usually called the 1/11 episode) to justice. Ziaur Rahman Foundation, Chittagong the January 11 regime. They will be ac- (BICC). Awami League joint general secretary unit, organised the programme to dis- countable someday for their misdeeds.’ On January 23 this year, the National AFP ism Board spokesman Sharad Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif announced this tribute fi nancial assistance to the family The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Standing Committee, the highest policy- Kathmandu Pradhan told AFP. at Kushtia district headquarters yester- members of BNP leaders and activists who fi nally going to hold its 6th national coun- making forum of the BNP, decided to hold “The cards will be helpful day. were killed and maimed during the past cil at the Institution of Engineers, Bangla- the party’s 6th council in March 19. in tracking trekkers and car- “An investigation commission will be movement against the incumbent govern- desh (IEB) in the capital on March 19 as it Days later, the party applied for the al- epal has begun dis- rying out rescue operations formed to take actions against those in- ment. has fi nally got permission to use the venue. location of Suhrawardy Udyan or the Engi- tributing free mobile immediately.” volved in the 1/11 political changeover. ‘She (PM) herself said about minus-two BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir neers’ Institution auditorium or the BICC NSIM cards to newly The SIM cards are the latest Those who’ll be found guilty to be brought formula. The people involved in the Janu- Rizvi announced this at a in Dhaka for the council. arrived visitors in a bid to at- measures designed to jump- to justice,” he said. ary 11 couldn’t dare to do anything (against press briefi ng at the party’s Nayapaltan Later, the party also sough permission tract tourists and allay safety start tourism after last year’s The ruling party leader was replying to us) had we been united… Hasina had even central offi ce yesterday. from the authorities of Bashundhara Con- fears after last year’s devas- quake that sparked a deadly a question from reporters during a views- gone to their oath-taking ceremony and “We’ve sought the permission from the vention Centre. tating earthquake and ava- avalanche at Everest base exchange meeting with party men at his said the regime was the result of her move- authorities for three venues to hold our Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia and her eldest lanches, an offi cial said yes- camp and destroyed the pop- PTI Road residence in the district town. ment, which means she created the ground council. The authorities at the Engineers son Tarique Rahman are set to be elected terday. ular Langtang trekking route. Hanif said those involved should be for it. So, she can’t be excluded (from the Institute on unopposed BNP chairperson and senior The quake last April ripped The cards are being handed tried so that no evil power can grab power list of January 11 masterminds),’ Khaleda Wednesday night informed us in writing vice chairman respectively as no one else through the Himalayan na- out ahead of the main April- to destroy democracy. “Their collabora- said. that we can use their venue fi led nomination. tion, killing nearly 9,000 May spring mountaineering tors should also be tried so that no one for our council,” he said. In the BNP’s fi fth council, Khaleda Zia people and triggering ava- season to help track trekkers dares repeat the same in the future.” Khaleda said those who had staged The BNP leader said though earlier they was elected chairperson unopposed while lanches and landslides that travelling to remote areas and Meanwhile, Bangladesh National- January 11 political changeover are un- got permission from the public works de- her eldest son Tarique Rahman was made destroyed trekking routes and aid in any emergency rescue ist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia asked touched. partment to use Suhrawardy Udyan to hold senior vice chairman. trapped tourists in isolated operations. prime minister Sheikh Hasina to arrest She said if the major political parties their council, they will withdraw their ap- Khaleda Zia has been holding the party areas. Trekking groups in Nepal the actors behind January 11, 2007 politi- particularly BNP and Awami League had plications in this regard. chairperson’s post since 1984. Offi cials on Wednesday are required to have a guide started handing out the pre- with them, although inde- activated SIM cards loaded pendent hikers are permitted with 50 rupees (50 cents) to to travel alone. The impover- all tourists arriving at Kath- ished country relies heavily mandu’s international air- on tourism for revenue. port. Kathmandu this week an- Woman confesses to killing her “Since the tourism indus- nounced it was extending the try has suff ered in the after- climbing permits of moun- math of the earthquake... we taineers forced to abandon need to tell the world that Everest following last year’s Nepal is still a safe destina- avalanche that killed 18 peo- two children in Bangladesh tion for visitors,” Nepal Tour- ple at base camp.

By Mizan Rahman Later, Mahfuza informed her husband, after eating refrigerated Chinese restau- A RAB-3 team from Dhaka went to Lanka backtracks on site registration Dhaka Amanullah, over mobile phone that their rant food. Iqbalpur of Jamalpur district, where the children died after eating refrigerated Chi- However, the autopsies conducted on children were buried on Tuesday night, Sri Lanka rowed back on a decision to force all websites nese restaurant food. their bodies by the forensic department and headed back around 11:10am tak- to register with the government yesterday, a day after the he mother of the two siblings, who The RAB suspected that Mahfuza might of Dhaka Medical College Hospital found ing with them Mohamad Amanullah and announcement triggered claims of a return to media censorship. were found dead at their apartment have killed her children out of insan- injury marks on the throat of Urmi and on Mahfuza Malek Jasmin and the children’s The government, which came to power last year promising Tin the capital’s Banasree area on ity, resulting either from a family or social that of Alvi and his leg. maternal aunt Afroza Malek Nila. to end censorship, had said it would make it mandatory for Monday, has “confessed” to killing them, problem, extramarital relationship or over Police detained four people-- Pintu Before that, the RAB men had in- websites to register and threatened any that failed to do so with said elite security force Rapid Action Bat- wealth. Das and Shaheen, caretakers of the house, terrogated them for about a couple of prosecution. talion (RAB) yesterday. However, the RAB director said, “We’re victims’ relative Ferdous, Obaidul Islam, hours at the Iqbalpur house of Jasmin’s Sri Lankan media reacted angrily to the move, saying it appeared Briefi ng reporters at the RAB headquar- now sure Mahfuza killed her two children cousin of Mahfuza, and house tutor Sheuli parents, said Solaiman, uncle of the two aimed at intimidating anti-government sites by forcing them to ters on the grisly murders that have sent as she was worried over their future and Akter -- the following day for question- siblings. disclose details of news contributors. shockwaves across Bangladesh, RAB di- education”. ing. Earlier, a team of RAB-14 stayed at the “We have not taken a final decision,” Parliamentary Reforms and rector (media) Mufti Mahmood Khan said RAB on Wednesday detained Amanul- Besides, a court asked the Criminal In- house from 8pm to 11pm on Tuesday night, Media Minister Gayantha Karunaratne told reporters yesterday. the mother, Mahfuza, during interrogation lah, Mahfuza and Afroza Malek, the father vestigation Department (CID) to conduct said Jasim Uddin, commander of the RAB “We will have discussions with all stakeholders and work out a said she strangled her daughter and son to and mother, and maternal aunt of the two chemical tests on the food and water taken unit’s Jamalpur camp. new system. The intention is not to censor websites.” death with a scarf as she was worried over siblings, from Jamalpur district. by the two siblings and permitted police He said they got ‘some information’ The government of President Maithripala Sirisena came to their future and education. Nusrat Jahan Urmi, 14, a seventh grad- to conduct DNA tests of the evidence, in- from the parents. power in January promising to ensure media freedom, and Narrating the incident, Mahfuza said er at Viqarunnisa Noon School, and her cluding pillow-cover, bed-sheet, tissue Once in Dhaka, the three were taken to quickly lifted bans on several pro-opposition websites. she first strangled her daughter, Urmi, younger brother Alvi Aman, 6, a nursery paper and blanket,collected from the room the Banasree fl at, where the two kids were Under the 10-year regime of former president Mahinda with a scarf when her son, Alvi, was student at Holy Crescent School in Banas- of the two children. found “unconscious” before being de- Rajapakse, local Internet service providers were ordered to block asleep on Tuesday afternoon, and she ree area, were found dead at their apart- Subsequently the RAB picked up the clared dead on Monday, to see if they could access to anti-government sites. later strangled her son in his sleep, Mah- ment on Monday night. parents and a relative of the two siblings, recall anything that could aid the investi- Over a dozen Sri Lankan journalists and media employees were mood said. The family fi rst claimed that they died two days after their death. gation. killed and radio and television stations were bombed. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 17 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Daughters in Islam

llah Almighty says (what means): “To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens Aand the earth; He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males. Or He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent.” [Qur’an 49:50] Allah is the One, based on His ultimate wisdom, who grants whomever He wills sons and daughters; He grants sons only to whomever He wills, and grants daughters only to whomever He wills, and if He so wills, He makes whomever He wills infertile. We notice in the above verse that the mention of daughters preceded that of sons, and the scholars commented on this saying: “This is to hearten daughters and encourage kindness towards them, because many fathers feel burdened by receiving a daughter. The common practice of the people during the pre-Islamic era was to hate receiving daughters, to the extent that they would bury them alive; therefore, it is as if Allah is saying to people: ‘This inferior child in your estimation takes precedence in My scale.’ He also mentions daughters fi rst to indicate their weakness, and that they are therefore more deserving of care and attention.” Such honouring of daughters is the complete opposite of how people were accustomed to dealing with females in the pre-Islamic era, when they would degrade women and consider them a part of their wealth, and if news of a baby girl would come to any of them, it would be as if he was hit by a thunderstorm; Allah says (what means): which means: “And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is An aerial view of the Grand Mosque and the Makkah clock tower. what they decide.” [Qur’an 58:59] It is said that some enemies of used to kill their daughters: reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu Pay close attention to wording of of Judgement) whereas one will be parents than their brothers? How Qays ibn ‘Aasim At-Tameemi, who O At the time of the delivery of the ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who raises the following narration: the Prophet held accountable for blessings.” many times has a son been a source of was a pre-Islamic Arab, attacked his child, a man would order his wife to two daughters until their puberty said: “He who is tested by (the Thus, it is incorrect to believe that grief for his parents, to the point that premises and captured his daughter. give birth next to a hole dug in the will be with me in Paradise like this”, guardianship) of daughters….” Why one has been humiliated by being they wished he was never born? Later, one of these enemies married ground; if the newborn was a male, and he symbolised the proximity by did he use the word: “…tested…”? granted a girl; rather it is an honour, Why do we raise this topic now? her. After some time, the clan of Qays she would return home with him, showing two of his fi ngers with a He said it because raising them is a a bounty and a gate towards Paradise. It is due to the vicious attacks on and that of his enemies reconciled, otherwise, she would throw her into slight gap between them.” (Muslim) responsibility and a test from Allah to Daughters are a great responsibility to the Muslims under the pretext of so they gave this daughter of his the the pit and bury her alive, or: ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha, see how His slave would act: Will he rear, and entail greater expenditure, defending ‘women’s rights’ which freedom to go back to her father or O When the daughter reached six related: “A woman by the name of be kind to them? Will he raise them and this is why the reward for raising is in reality an evil attempt to play remain with her husband, and she years of age, the man would tell his Jameelah came to me with her two correctly? them correctly is greater than that for on the emotions of women so that preferred to stay with her husband. At wife to adorn and perfume her, then daughters. She asked me for charity The nature of this responsibility a son. they will become rebellious towards that point, Qays took a pledge upon he would take her to a well in the but found nothing with me except a was further clarifi ed in other Once, one of the leaders of the their fathers and husbands, and to himself to bury alive any new daughter desert and tell her to look down into date, which I gave her. She divided narrations, such as: “If he patiently believers was receiving people when encourage them to leave their homes that he would receive, and the Arabs the well; when she would do this, he it between her two daughters and feeds them and endows them with a small daughter of his entered the and demand their ‘freedom’. This is imitated him after that. It was, would push her into it from behind. ate nothing herself; then, she got up clothing …” (Ibn Maajah)., and: “… room, so he kissed her; a Bedouin a gate towards evil and immorality therefore, this man who introduced There were some men among and left. After this, the Messenger of Provides for them and marries them was also in attendance and saw this, which gradually attracts women this evil practice, and thus he will these people who would forbid such Allah came, so I narrated this story off …” (At-Tabaraani)., and: “… so he mentioned daughters in a very and then traps them in prohibitions. shoulder his own sin as well as the sin acts, such as Sa’sa’ah ibn Naajiyah to him; he said: “He who is involved Properly raises them and fears Allah evil manner. A wise man who was One cause of girls falling into this is of all those who did it thereafter. At-Tameemi, who would go to those (in the responsibility) of (nurturing) in the manner in which he deals with also present witnessed all of this people neglecting their daughters One of the companions who had attempting to kill their daughter daughters and is generous to them, them.” (At-Tirmithi) and therefore said: “O leader of the and undermining their rights, which killed his daughter in the era that off ering money to ransom their lives. will have them as a fortifi cation This is what is required when believers! Do not listen to him. I swear makes them easily fall into the traps preceded Islam narrated his story: There are people nowadays who for himself against the Hellfi re.” dealing with daughters: kindness, by Allah, that it is they (i.e., girls) of the hypocritical writers and “We would worship idols in the pre- share these same pre-Islamic beliefs; (Al-Bukhari & Muslim) In another which results in Paradise, as the who stay up to care for the sick in the columnists, male and female, who Islamic era and kill our daughters. I if they are granted only girls, which is narration of this incident, ‘Aa’ishah Prophet said: “Whoever Allah has family, who show mercy towards the wish to see corruption prevail. had a daughter, who, when she was of course something decreed only by related: “A poor woman came to me given two daughters and is kind elders, and who stand next to men It is enough of an honour for girls old enough to comprehend and talk, Allah, they become angry, discontent with her two daughters. I gave her towards them, will have them as a during hardships.” that the Prophets, may Allah exalt would rejoice whenever she saw me and grieved. three dates; she gave each of them a reason for him to be admitted into A man was granted a baby girl, so their mention, had daughters and that and would immediately respond. One With the advent of Islam, the date and was about to eat the third Paradise.” And: “Whoever Allah he became angry and isolated himself most of the children of our beloved day, I called her and told her to follow darkness of that era vanished and one when one of her daughters asked has given three daughters and he from his wife for a long time, and after Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, me, so she did, until we reached a well Allah enjoined kindness, love and her for it, so she divided it between perseveres through raising them, will few months, he overheard his wife were daughters, namely: Zaynab, that belonged to my tribe. I then took compassion towards girls. Taking her two daughters and ate nothing have them as a shield for him from the reciting the verse (which means): “… Ruqayyah, Umm Kalthoom and her by her hand and threw her in the good care of girls was encouraged, herself, and I liked what she did. After Hellfi re on the Day of Resurrection.” But perhaps you hate a thing and it is Faatimah. well, and the last thing I heard her as was giving them special attention this, the Messenger of Allah came, so A daughter is a great bounty and good for you; and perhaps you love a Article source: http://www. cry was: ‘O father! O father!’” (Ad- in the process of their upbringing. I told him what she did, and he said: an honour granted by Allah, Imaam thing and it is bad for you…” [Qur’an islamweb.net/emainpage/ Daarimi) In fact, Islam has designated a ‘Allah obligated Paradise for her due al-Hasan said: “Girls are a source 2:216] During the era that preceded Islam, special reward for raising them that to this date, and (also) freed her from of reward and sons are a blessing; How many girls have been far there were two methods that people is not granted for raising sons. Anas Hell.’”(Muslim) rewards are in one’s favour (on the Day more merciful and benefi cial to their Reward for raising daughters righteously

he fruit of raising daughters again, so she answered: “First, he Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, did what he did due to Faatimah being with the love they need from the hearts between men and women; they righteously is reward in this informed me that his death was near, streamed with tears as a result of the daughter of a messenger, which is a of their merciful fathers, lest evil men demand that women leave their homes life before reward in the so I cried. After that, he told me that compassion that Allah had placed in his special case, since no one is permitted do this instead to achieve their vile and ‘prove their ability’. Why do these THereafter; this is proved I will be the leader of the ladies of heart. Due to this, Allah caused the boy to harm the Messenger. objectives. hypocrites wish to eradicate our by the fact that Allah rewarded the Paradise, so I laughed.” (Al-Bukhari & to be cured, as Imaam Ibn Hajar stated. Faatimah was courageous and We must also give the same level honour? This mandates even more care righteous man who raised his two Muslim) The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa proud of Islam. In the incident when of attention to our sons in this and attention towards our daughters; daughters virtuously, the result being ‘Aa’ishah said: “I have not seen sallam, would carry Umaamah during her father was praying in front of the regard, because the problems we hear we must raise them upon obedience Him facilitating the marriage of one anyone closer in physical appearance prayer whilst standing, and place her Ka’bah and the disbelievers placed regarding our young men are due to Allah and His messenger and upon of them to the honourable Prophet and character to the Prophet than on the ground before prostrating. (Al- the guts of a camel on his head whilst to the negligence of their parents. adherence to the Hijaab; we must not Moosaa. his daughter Faatimah … Whenever Bukhari) he was prostrating and then laughed What is our role? It is, as Allah says wait till they reach the age of puberty The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa she would enter into his presence, Once, Faatimah complained to and mocked him, it was she who (what means): “O you who have to instruct them wear it, because it sallam, would express his love for his he would stand up and seat her in his him about suff ering due to strenuous came, by herself, and screamed at the believed! Protect yourselves and might then be too late for them to daughters by, for example, making place, and whenever he would enter housework, and that it was causing her disbelievers and then removed the your families from a Fire whose fuel accept it. statements like “(My daughter) into her presence, she would stand up, hands to roughen and develop marks; guts. (Muslim) is people and stones, over which are Some parents allow their daughters Faatimah is a part of me, so whoever kiss him, and seat him in her place.” he therefore taught her to mention This is how the life of the Prophet [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; to wear dresses that are revealing and angers her angers me.” (Al-Bukhari & This is how he cared for his Allah before going to bed by uttering was regarding dealing with his they do not disobey Allah in what He which leave them naked, or almost Muslim) daughters. Zaynab who was another ‘Subhaan-Allah’ (i.e., glory be to Allah) daughters, so let us make it a guideline commands them but do what they are naked, and this is a far cry from correct ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha, daughter of the Prophet sent for him and ‘Al-Hamdulillaah’ (i.e., all praise by which we live. commanded.” [Quran 66: 6] We must cultivation. It is not a refl ection of love recounted that Faatimah, radhiallah due to her child being close to death, but be to Allah) 33 times each, and 34 Some people are truly hardhearted, soften their hearts with a warm smile or mercy to our daughters to allow ‘anha, once came walking in a the Prophet sent the messenger back to times ‘Allahu Akbar’ (i.e., Allah is the to the point that they do not express whenever we see them, and speak to them to have their own mobile phone, manner identical to that of the her, telling him to tell her: “Whatever Greatest); he told her that this would any emotions toward their children. It them with merciful words. or to have a satellite receiver in their Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam; Allah takes away or gives, belongs to be better for her than the assistance of is a disaster when a daughter is raised If we do not pay attention to this rooms. It is not a sign of love or mercy When she arrived, he stood up and Him, and everything with Him has a a servant. in such an emotional vacuum, because issue, a day will come when our to allow them to go to places where exclaimed: “Welcome, my daughter!” limited fi xed term (in this world); and Also, when the family of Abu Jahl it is easy for any evil person to then communities will be just like the immorality is spread, or to parties, Then, he seated her to his side and she should therefore be patient and requested ‘Ali to marry their daughter, aff ect her with his deceptive words immoral and dissolute ones. or salons where they pluck their whispered into her ear, and what anticipate Allah’s reward.’’ She sent for he refused and said: “Never will the and entice her into his trap, and this is A British survey of found that: eyebrows, adorn themselves and then he had said caused her to cry; then, him again, pleading with him for the daughter of the messenger of Allah and how the calamity of fornication occurs. “Forty per cent of fathers feel lonely go out like that. he then whispered to her again, and sake of Allah to come. Therefore, the the daughter of the enemy of Allah be This is why we need to pay close and depressed. They miss their sons, We must convince our daughters she laughed. ‘Aa’ishah later asked Messenger of Allah went, accompanied under (the guardianship of) one man. attention to the issue of daughters and but miss their daughters a lot more.” that these matters are prohibited and her: “What made you weep and then by Sa`d bin `Ubaadah, Mu`aath bin Faatimah is a part of me, and whoever grant them their due consideration, Some contemporary hypocrites who that they must refrain from doing laugh?” She replied: “I will never Jabal, Ubayy bin Ka`b, Zayd bin Thaabit saddens her has harmed me.” He later especially when we live in an era where write in newspapers and magazines them, but in order to convince them, expose a secret that the Prophet and others . The child was lifted up to stood up and explained to the people everything evil is available and within state that our daughters do not need they must experience our love and see entrusted me with.” After the death the Messenger of Allah while breathing that he was not making unlawful reach. guardians. They oppose to the Law it in our dealings with them. of the Prophet ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah heavily, in the last moments before his what Allah made lawful, nor was he It is indeed a great responsibility to of Allah in general, and specifi cally Article source: http://www. ‘anha, asked her the same questions death. Upon seeing this, the eyes of the forbidding polygamy, but rather, he satiate the emotions of our daughters the ruling that prohibits intermixing islamweb.net/emainpage/ Gulf Times 18 Friday, March 4, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Self-driving cars may be Production Editor: Amjad Khan

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar more lethal than we think [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Technology is usually a good car without the driver even touching lethal when it happens at 75mph on An even bigger problem with 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) thing, but problems arise the brakes. the freeway. autonomous cars is how to programme Fax 44350474 Next year, GM’s Cadillac division And it’s probably more likely to them to disregard traffi c laws when it’s when technology is no longer will debut vehicle-to-vehicle, or happen with an autonomous car, necessary to do so in order to avoid an under human control V2V, communications in some because the computer that controls accident. models. it – unlike the computer on your desk For example, it’s illegal to cross the By Eric Peters The system makes it possible for – will be subjected to extremes of heat double yellow line – but what if a child Tribune News Service cars so equipped to have electronic and cold, vibration and moisture, etc. runs into the car’s path and the only conversations among themselves – to Over time, something’s likely to way to avoid hitting her is to swerve GULF TIMES be aware of one another’s relative go on the fritz. If the human driver out of the way? o one likes a backseat position and velocity – in order has become a mere passenger – no It’s illegal, technically, to cross driver. Nagging, nannying. to anticipate and hopefully avoid longer expected or perhaps even able the double yellow – but it’s the right Questioning every decision, potential collisions such as might to actually drive the car – what will thing to do. And a human driver would Nconstantly attempting to otherwise happen when, for instance, happen? do it. An autonomous car wouldn’t. US presidential polls: correct what he or she considers to be car A runs a red light because its driver And who will be responsible? Because it is programmed to obey the your errors of judgment. wasn’t paying attention and strikes Legally speaking, the driver is law. Unlike humans, it cannot use How about an it doing the same car B. currently responsible for the safe judgment; does not do nuance. thing? One you can’t kick to the With V2V, the driver of car A operation of his vehicle. Also, how will autonomous cars rejection of extremes curb? would be safety-netted by his car. It But how can we hold him deal with cars not autonomous, and The it in question being the would brake for the light and so avoid responsible when he’s no longer the what about the reverse? Will people backseat computer. Under the dash striking car B. driver? who own human-controlled cars be a traditional pattern somewhere, actually. The one that These are some of the elements of Will the manufacturer of the self- required to turn their cars in or no will in the not-far future take over the fully autonomous, self-driving driving car be liable in that case? longer be allowed to drive them? the driving and not just second-guess car. And some of it sounds good – and How will car insurance Technology is usually a good thing, A US presidential election in which the dominant yours. may well be. But taking the driver out requirements and costs change? but problems arise when technology fi gure is a blustery billionaire developer who never before It’s the self-driving or autonomous of the equation entirely – or relying If the driver no longer is a driver, why is no longer under human control, as sought public offi ce can hardly be called normal. car. And it’s no longer science fi ction. too much on technology – can have its should he be required to buy insurance could happen here. In fact, it’s already here. Bits and downsides, too. at all? Or have a licence, for that matter? Technology that assists human Still, one traditional pattern of presidential politics – pieces of it, anyhow. Many new cars As anyone who owns a PC When you ride the bus you are not drivers _ that’s a great idea. But rejection of ideological extremes – is likely to be part of can park themselves, for instance. knows, computers develop glitches required to have a special permit – or technology that pre-empts them and the outcome, even in this most untraditional year. In both Others have collision avoidance sometimes. It’s annoying when it carry coverage. Why wouldn’t the same dumbs them down – that could be a parties, voters are choosing more centrist contenders over systems that can completely stop the happens at your desk. But it could be principle apply here? very bad idea, indeed. their more ideological rivals. It might not always seem that way – Republican front- runner Donald Trump has spouted the campaign’s most extreme rhetoric. However, his positions on Obamacare and Planned Parenthood are less doctrinaire than those of his two main rivals, even as he confounds some GOP conservatives by winning so many conservative votes. Meanwhile, the most outspokenly conservative contender, Sen. Ted Cruz, has largely failed to expand the evangelical support he used to win Iowa caucuses into the broader backing needed to be nominated – just like Mike Huckabee in 2008 and Rick Santorum and 2012. Despite winning his home state of Texas, along with Oklahoma and Alaska, and fi nishing second in four other states on Tuesday, he failed to score the Southern breakthrough he once counted upon. Cruz actually helped Trump by keeping Marco Rubio from doing better while remaining almost as unacceptable to party leaders as Trump. Now, it’s on to turf less favourable to Cruz in the North. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton’s overwhelming victories over Bernie Sanders in seven of the 11 states make clear that, barring a self-infl icted wound or some legal barrier, Democrats will reject the Pied Piper of Burlington and his eff ort to mobilise the young, the left and the disaff ected with Voters are his message of free choosing education, free health coverage and other more centrist governmental goodies. In the past, rejection contenders over of extremes has enabled more ideological both parties to win presidential elections. It’s rivals why Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton succeeded where George McGovern and Walter Mondale failed, and why Richard Nixon won just four years after Barry Goldwater lost. Cruz has cited Ronald Reagan as an example of how an avowedly conservative candidate can win. But Reagan brought to his presidential campaign a patina of pragmatism from eight years as California’s governor. The philosophically fl exible Trump is clearly a less- rigid conservative than Cruz. But the contrast between the tone of the Democratic and Republican campaigns Google driverless car. might off set any potential benefi t as we look toward the summer and fall. The respectful way with which Clinton and Sanders have focused on issues diff erences should enable the Americans ready for driverless former Secretary of State to preside over a united party at this July’s Democratic convention. On the other hand, the way Trump has denigrated his rivals in highly personal terms, attacked such groups as Mexicans and Muslims and mishandled such matters cars since the buggy days! as last week’s stumble over repudiating Ku Klux Klan support has created havoc within the GOP that will The National Highway Traffi c vast majority of injuries and deaths. Indeed, in many respects, self- shadow his campaign, even as the party’s nominee. By Robert W Peterson Tribune News Service Safety Administration estimates Self-driving cars also deliver a driving cars are already here. You At a time when Republicans need to broaden their that between 93% and 95% of these number of broader social utilities. may be followed by one. Some of the appeal, Trump could win even fewer votes from non- accidents are caused by human error. These range from far more effi cient use most recent safety improvements will white Americans than the candidates who lost the past re Americans ready for In addition to deaths, vehicle of our present land and infrastructure virtually drive the car. Adaptive cruise two elections to the nation’s fi rst African-American autonomous cars? They have accidents send about 2.5mn people per to more overall productive lives. control, lane keeping, traffi c jam and been ready for more than a year to emergency rooms. The NHTSA Americans have dreamed of parking assist are just the most recent president. century. estimates the US economic and social driverless, horseless carriages since developments in a clear trajectory Once again, the American people seem to be heading A The horses that pulled buggies were costs of vehicle accidents, excluding the ‘30s, but their advent had to toward self-driving cars. for a choice between two more centrist courses – even autonomous, capable of fi nding their the cost of car ownership, at $871bn await the development of cheap and Of course, self-driving cars will not though the rhetoric indicates otherwise. way home with little or no help from a year. convenient computing power. Let’s create utopia. There will still be some their drivers. So, autonomous travel is Take a simple test. In your local look at a few interesting facts. accidents, although far fewer. There nothing new. It’s just better. newspaper, carefully read each Young people today seem far less will be some people who will never At the beginning of the 20th account of a person killed or injured enamoured with driving than in the give up their cars. There will be some century, as the number of vehicles by vehicles. Then ask, would this recent past. If they license at all, many who live in areas diffi cult to serve with To Advertise increased, the rate of deaths and tragedy have been avoided, or the license much later and drive fewer self-driving cars. injuries caused by vehicular accidents injury mitigated, if one or more of the miles. Rather than driving to see Some regulators may stall because [email protected] likewise jumped. Although modern vehicles had been self-driving? friends, they may opt to text or call. they fear criticism after the fi rst Display technology and safer construction We tolerate this carnage because Smartphones rather than cars may be unfortunate fatality. And there will Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 has helped decrease the number of cars bring great utility and freedom. today’s status symbol. be some who will argue self-driving fatal crashes in recent decades, the Self-driving vehicles deliver even In addition, car ownership is a cars are unsafe because they see them Classified numbers remain staggering. greater utility by freeing driving major expense. Using fl eets of on-call as a threat to their business. One can Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 In the US alone, vehicular accidents time for other things – be it texting, vehicles saves not only the cost of a hardly expect emergency rooms and have killed more than 32,000 people working or just relaxing. depreciating asset that spends 95% funeral parlours to argue they need Subscription annually for the past fi ve years for Self-driving cars also deliver of its time idle, but also saves on the more business. [email protected] which data is available. That’s as if fi ve huge benefi ts to the disabled and other major cost of a car: insurance. Self-driving cars off er such a wealth 737 jets crashed every week. It is more the elderly who would otherwise When polled about self-driving of advantages that it makes little than double the number of people lose their licenses. At the same time, cars, potential customers cite higher diff erence whether Americans are 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved who have died worldwide in the recent self-driving cars remove much of the safety and lower insurance costs as the ready. Americans need to get ready. Ebola epidemic. human error that contributes to the two most persuasive factors. Just look in the mirror. Gulf Times Friday, March 4, 2016 19 COMMENT Calais ‘Jungle’ turns into a war zone

The police are using they would not be evicted. Less than As I write, the evictions continue, disproportionate force to a year later, that promise is being and the authorities continue to broken. insist there’s plenty of room for the clear the camp, and now the The French authorities are refugees elsewhere. That’s simply not majority of its inhabitants determined to close the Jungle as fast true. Although the offi cial fi gures are as they can, whatever the human cost. around 1,000 people in the south, have nowhere to go A fresh wave of refugees is expected the Jungle actually has (or had until to reach Calais in April or May. This very recently) around 3,500 there, By Clare Moseley is the last chance to get rid of a huge plus another 2,000 in the north. Guardian News and Media political embarrassment before it gets According to the authorities, those even bigger. who are displaced can move to Once the wrecking crews have dormitories that have been set up in t’s now four days since the Calais fi nished in the southern half of the converted shipping containers, or to “Jungle” turned into a war zone. camp, they will move north, leaving accommodation centres scattered The police arrived around dawn thousands of refugees homeless yet across France - but there are fewer Ion Monday, between 200 and again. than a hundred places left in the 300 of them, followed by bulldozers It’s shameful and tragic, and having containers, and the accommodation and workmen with sledgehammers seen how brutally the evictions have centres are nearly all set to close at the and axes. After doing their best to been handled, I don’t have much hope end of this month. seal off the refugee camp to keep for the future. The only thing that According to the French, the observers outside, they began to move might help is the attempt to get an camp clearance is a “humanitarian from shelter to shelter, ordering the urgent ruling from the European court operation” designed to improve living inhabitants to leave within the hour or of human rights. conditions. But if that were the case, face arrest. The refugees in the Jungle are not offi cials would be coming in, speaking According to charity workers monsters or spongers. They didn’t to people, taking them to alternative who, like me, managed to sneak leave their homes because they wanted accommodation, then coming back past the police, anyone who refused a better lifestyle; they left because A bulldozer dismantles shelters on February 29 in the “Jungle” migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais. later to bulldoze the camp. That’s not was marched away by up to a dozen they had no choice and because what we’re seeing. offi cers. The minute the homes were something truly terrible happened of France will so far have been pretty does everybody hate me?” because away on a stretcher - and that was just What we’re seeing is a massive empty, they started demolishing them. to them. They’re fl eeing war or grim. whenever they leave the Jungle they the charity workers. There may be a panic to get people out of their In some cases the residents took persecution. Many are traumatised. In Over a third of the Jungle’s residents get beaten up. “I’m a good boy,” they dozen or so trouble-makers among homes then to destroy those homes to the roofs with placards in an my work with Care4Calais, I’ve talked have family in the UK; others served say, “I work hard, I’m good at school. the refugees, but there are more as quickly as possible. This is not attempted protest, and refused to to people who have been jailed for the British army in Afghanistan Why will nobody help us?” than 5,000 other residents, many of about rehousing refugees; it’s about come down. Within hours at least their political beliefs, or seen family and were forced out of their homes Monday’s stone-throwing involved them families with young children. getting rid of the camp. Meanwhile, one home was on fi re, set alight by members killed by extremists and because of that. Many have English a small group of Afghan boys who have Turning their communities and homes the inhabitants settle where they unknown hands. Stones were being militias. One man told me he had seen as their second language. And a really been brought up to be used to violence into a war zone is unforgivable and can. Some have gone to the shipping thrown. The police were fi ring teargas his own brother beheaded by Islamic saddening number of them actually and have serious behavioural issues. dangerous. containers; others have moved to and water cannons. State and feared he had become so believe in Britain. They believe that That was terrible, and the police There was no need for the police the northern part of the camp, or to This is not the first time that desensitised to horror that he was no Britain is the home of democracy, that shouldn’t have to put up with it, but to go in in such numbers, or to use Dunkirk (although the camp there’s refugees have faced eviction in the longer human. They come thousands Britain is where people are treated I would have expected more restraint so much force. I’d see them standing already overcrowded and has its Calais area. Since 2002, “jungle” of miles to get here, and end up in a fairly, and that if they get to Britain from them. I saw them turn water there in their rows and rows, with own eviction date set for next week). after “jungle” has grown up and been tiny shelter where they’ve got nothing, and work hard and behave well they cannons on people who weren’t doing full body armour, helmets and visors, Many are moving into smaller camps cleared. But this latest settlement and then someone destroys that home will put their suff ering behind them. anything wrong, and the amount of shields and batons, and I’d think, throughout northern France - in fi elds, might have been expected to last. In in front of their eyes. If people in Britain understood tear gas that was fi red was just crazy. “This is crazy. I walk among these in parks, sleeping rough. March 2015 the French authorities If you’re wondering why they’re not more, I dearly hope they’d be more Load, point, aim, fi re; load, point, people every day; I’m not scared of Not that those behind the evictions created it to house the refugees they claiming asylum in France, it’s not so compassionate. aim, fi re; load, point, aim, fi re … it was them.” Standing in the middle of seem to care. As soon as a home is had kicked out of a string of smaller hard to understand. France has one of The tension and the despair in almost like a training exercise. the crowd earlier this week, the only empty, they demolish it and cart away camps in the region. At that time, the lowest asylum acceptance rates the camp are horrible. When you On Monday one of my fellow thing I was afraid of was the police. the rubble. They don’t even wait to the refugees were promised that in Europe, and terrible conditions talk to young people, they say to volunteers was hit by a teargas Yet all the media want to talk about is see in which direction the refugees are if they moved to this piece of land for applicants. And their experience you, “I’ve done nothing wrong; why canister, and I saw another being taken “migrants rioting”. walking. Weather report Live issues Three-day forecast TODAY Google High: 26 C Low : 17 C Misty to foggy at places at first becomes moderate temperature during the day and partly cloudy tests digital

SATURDAY High: 27 C wallets that Low: 22 C M Sunny can stay

SUNDAY High: 28 C Low: 21 C in pockets P Cloudy

AFP Fishermen’s forecast San Francisco OFFSHORE DOHA Wind: NE-SE 04 -15 KT Waves: 2-3/4 Feet oogle has said it is testing INSHORE DOHA ways to let people use digital Wind: E-SE 03-13 KT Waves: 1-2 Feet wallets without having to Geven take smartphones out Around the region of their pockets. Weather Weather The Internet colossus is dabbling today Max/min tomorrow Max/min with ways to make its Android Pay Abu Dhabi M Sunny 31/18 Sunny 33/21 system for smartphones hands-free, Baghdad M Sunny 28/14 Sunny 26/12 with verifi cation by facial recognition, Dubai M Sunny 29/20 Sunny 28/21 Google product manager Pali Bhat Kuwait City Cloudy 26/18 Sunny 27/18 Manama P Cloudy 26/19 M Sunny 26/21 said in a blog post. Muscat P Cloudy 28/21 Sunny 29/23 “Imagine if you could rush through Riyadh P Cloudy 32/18 P Cloudy 33/18 a drive-thru without reaching for your Tehran P Cloudy 22/12 Sunny 22/12 wallet, or pick up a hot dog at the ball- park without fumbling to pass coins or your credit card to the cashier,” Bhat said. “This prompted us to build a pilot app called Hands Free that we’re now in the early stages of testing.” Hands Free became available for smartphones powered by Apple or Android software and was being rolled out at a small number of Silicon Valley area eateries, including McDonald’s and Papa John’s, according to Google. The digital wallet uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections alone with location sensing capabilities in smart- phones to detect when someone is near a store enabled with Hands Free payment technology. “When you’re ready to pay, you can simply tell the cashier, ‘I’ll pay with Google,’” Bhat said. Around the world “The cashier will ask for your Weather Weather initials and use the picture you added today Max/min tomorrow Max/min to your Hands Free profi le to confi rm Athens S T Storms 18/10 Sunny 20/11 your identity.” Beirut M Sunny 18/14 Showers 21/12 At some locations, Google is M Sunny 33/26 Bangkok 35/26 M Sunny experimented with using cameras in Berlin P Cloudy 09/02 M Cloudy 09/03 Cairo Sunny 24/13 Sunny 26/12 stores to recognise people with Hands Cape Town Sunny 32/19 P Cloudy 28/19 Free digital wallets so they could pay Colombo P Cloudy 34/24 M Sunny 33/24 without even pausing. Dhaka Sunny 34/22 Sunny 35/23 Since Android pay was launched in Hong Kong P Cloudy 21/15 M Cloudy 20/16 Istanbul Showers 14/08 P Cloudy 12/08 September, an average of 1.5mn accounts Jakarta S T Storms 31/25 T Storms 31/24 have been registered monthly in the US Karachi P Cloudy 32/19 Sunny 32/19 and the number of locations accepting it London M Sunny 08/-1 Showers 07/01 has topped 2mn, according to Google. P Cloudy M Sunny 34/23 Manila 33/23 “We’re busy working to bring the Moscow Showers 03/01 Rain&Snow 03/01 New Delhi Sunny 34/17 M Sunny 31/17 convenience of Android Pay to more New York S Showers 03/-1 P Cloudy 06/01 countries and a growing list of stores Paris Rain 08/02 S Showers 08/01 and apps,” Bhat said. Sao Paulo S T Storms 26/18 P Cloudy 28/18 Google’s mobile wallet competes Seoul M Cloudy 17/08 Rain 13/03 Singapore T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 with Apple Pay and others as people’s Sydney P Cloudy 28/19 Sunny 29/19 reliance on smartphones expands to Tokyo Clear 15/04 Cloudy 16/06 using handsets to make payments in real-world shops. Gulf Times 20 Friday, March 4, 2016 QATAR Danish royals visit Qatar institutions rince Frederik and Prin- cess Mary Elizabeth of PDenmark, in Qatar on a state visit, were welcomed by Qatar Museums chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to the Mu- seum of Islamic Art (MIA). The Danish royals and their accompanying delegates toured the MIA, accompanied by HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al- Thani and Qatar Museums acting CEO Mansoor bin Ebrahim al- Mahmoud. Denmark’s Minister of Health Sophie Løhde receiving a memento The tour gave them an oppor- from QU president Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham. tunity to see the masterpieces of Islamic art, and the Danish Prince students at every stage of their Denmark’s Minister of Health and Princess expressed their ad- academic lives, was discussed in Sophie Løhde visited Qatar Uni- miration for the collections and HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in a meeting HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani with Princess Mary Elizabeth of detail, highlighting the organisa- versity yesterday and met with objects on display at MIA. with Prince Frederik and Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark at MIA. Denmark during the latter’s visit to Education City. tion’s overarching endeavour to president Dr Hassan Rashid al- Princess Mary Elizabeth was unlock human potential. Derham, College of Medicine welcomed yesterday by Qatar The visiting dignitary toured and chief executive offi cer HE to QF through a comprehensive munity development. After the presentation, the vice-president and founding Foundation for Education, Sci- Qatar Academy as well as the Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al- presentation detailing the organ- During the visit, QF’s unique Princess also learned more about dean Dr Egon Toft, a number of ence and Community Develop- new QF headquarters, where she Thani. isation’s three pillars: education, and comprehensive education QF’s master plan, including fu- other offi cials, faculty members ment (QF) to Education City. met with QF vice-chairperson The Princess was introduced science and research, and com- cycle, which aims to engage ture expansion plans. and students. Sport Page 9 DFI’s Qumra gets Winners of eighth Robotics support from local, Competition for Boys named

inners of the Qa- tar University (QU) international entities Weighth Robotics Competition for Boys were an- nounced at the closing ceremo- Second edition of Qumra, a recalled that the fi rst edition of to the development of emerging ny recently. six-day initiative of Doha Film Qumra received an overwhelm- voices in cinema, with a special Abu Baker Al Siddiq Prepara- Institute, begins today ing response from all the key focus on fi rst- and second-time tory School for Boys was named stakeholders, who supported fi lmmakers, alongside a series of the fi rst Qatar champion, while he second edition of Qum- the new regional development screenings for Doha audiences Khalid bin Ahmed Preparatory ra, a Doha Film Institute initiative. featuring fi lms by international School for Boys was the second T(DFI) initiative that seeks “This show of solidarity by masters and recipients of sup- Qatar champion. to provide mentorship, nurtur- local and international entities port from the institute. Winners in the Robot Design ing and hands-on development Qumra 2016 will present 33 Award category were the Little for fi lmmakers from Qatar and The primary motive of this projects from 19 countries at Engineer Team (fi rst), Hamza bin around the world, has received international gathering of various stages of production, to Abdulmutalib Preparatory School support from leading local and creative fi lm professionals benefi t from the experience of for Boys (second) and Mesaieed international organisations. is to contribute to the international fi lm industry pro- International School (third). The six-day event, which development of emerging fessionals in bespoke mentor- The Project Award category begins today, will see the voices in cinema, with a ship labs and meetings designed winners were Ali bin Jassem Sec- Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar special focus on fi rst- and to propel their projects to the ondary School for Boys (fi rst), Museums and Souq Waqif pro- second-time fi lmmakers, next stage. Khalifa Secondary School for vide vibrant venues as cultural alongside a series of Nearly 200 delegates rep- Boys (second) and Al Razi Pre- partners. screenings for Doha resenting all facets of the film paratory School for Boys (third). Supported by Culture Pass, audiences featuring fi lms industry will participate in the Ibn Khaldoon Preparatory the Qatar Museums community by international masters programme, including pres- School for Boys won the fi rst membership programme, Qumra and recipients of support ence from international film place in the About Core Values 2016 also has on board Sony and from the DFI festivals, funding bodies, sales, Award category, followed by FNAC Qatar as the offi cial elec- production and distribution Omar bin Al Khattab Prepara- tronics partners, MAC Cosmet- highlights the tremendous value companies along with devel- tory School for Boys (second) ics as makeup sponsor and Souq that Qumra off ers in strengthen- opment specialists and script and Doha Preparatory School for Some of the winners with off icials. Waqif Boutique Hotels as hotel ing Qatar’s reputation as a cul- consultants. Boys (third). partner. tural hub. The event also includes a pro- The competition, organ- CENG dean Dr Rashid Alamma- Awadi, as well as CENG faculty suing studies in science and en- Other supporters of Qumra “The commitment of our gramme of public screenings fea- ised annually by QU College ri, MEHE Schools Offi ce direc- and students. gineering.” include Northwestern University partners plays an integral role in turing fi lms by the Qumra Mas- of Engineering (CENG) and tor Khalifa al-Derham, CENG In his remarks, Dr Alammari Al-Derham said, “The minis- in Qatar and the Translation & hosting this inspiring event and ters – James Schamus, Joshua Qatar’s Ministry of Education associate dean for development said: “This national competi- try is honoured to partner with Interpreting Institute at Hamad contributes to the development Oppenheimer, Naomi Kawase, and Higher Education (MEHE), and industrial relations Dr Saud tion underlines QU’s mission to Qatar University in running this Bin Khalifa University. Friends of a strong culture of fi lmmaking Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Aleksandr drew the participation of more Ghani, CENG computer science engage high-school students in competition with the aim to of Qumra include Sarajevo Film in Qatar and the region.” Sokurov, alongside new voices in than 200 students from 26 na- and engineering department innovative projects, reinforce raise the students’ knowledge Festival and the French embassy The primary motive of this in- cinema selected from fi lms sup- tional and international schools, head Dr Summaya al-Maadeed, their skills in teamwork and of robotics. I am pleased to see in Qatar. ternational gathering of creative ported by the DFI’s grants and and included over 30 projects. and MEHE National Robots leadership, and motivate and the huge number of participants DFI CEO Fatma al-Remaihi fi lm professionals is to contribute co-fi nancing programmes. Attending the ceremony were Committee head Mariam al- encourage their interest in pur- this year.” Exhibition of Qatari artist’s Some of the works displayed at the exhibition. works opens at Katara

he fi rst solo exhibition by “Once again, I’m glad to see Qatari artist Maryam al- Katara presenting to its public a TSulaiti, titled “A Trans- new, inspiring exhibition by giv- parent Look”, has opened at Ka- ing the opportunity to a Qatari tara – the Cultural Village. artist to share her artistic and The exhibition was inaugu- cultural vision.” rated by Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, general manager of The fi rst solo exhibition by Katara, on Wednesday. Maryam al-Sulaiti is titled The 30 paintings displayed at ‘A Transparent Look’ the exhibition depict the artist’s “relentless quest to envisage - The exhibition displays paint- through transparent contempla- ings that “celebrate beauty from tion - remarkable global land- Qatar and around the world scapes and landmarks, refl ecting through initiating an artistic dia- the silent beauty of powerful na- logue with touristic destinations ture and architecture”, according from Souq Waqif in Qatar to the to a statement. city of Mostar and its old bridge in The exhibition runs until Bosnia and the castles of Norway; March 15. and from the lakes and lochs in Dr al-Sulaiti said: “Katara at- Britain to the Sultan Abdul Hamid taches great importance to host- Palace in Turkey, and the breath- ing the Qatari artist and present- taking beauty of Maldives”. ing her experience. The cultural, On her part, the artist said: artistic and national messages of “The exhibition took nine years Katara, building on a deeply-root- to be accomplished, and it por- ed tradition, are aimed at support- trays a mix between the trans- ing artistic Qatari talents in terms parent beauty of landscapes and of recognition, appreciation and architecture and the purity of meeting fi nancial needs. water colours.”