BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Qatari shooters win gold INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-10, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 and bronze REGION 10 BUSINESS 1-7, 13-16 China pledges $124bn 20,848.00 10,061.50 47.84 ARAB WORLD 10-12 CLASSIFIED 8-13 -22.00 -49.30 +0.01 INTERNATIONAL 13-25 SPORTS 1-8 for Silk Road projects in Baku -0.11% -0.49% +0.02% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10454 May 15, 2017 Sha ’baan 19, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir says In brief refugees

QATAR | Offi cial Emir gets message from Swaziland king HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad victims of al-Thani has received a written message from King Mswati III of Swaziland, pertaining to bilateral relations and means of boosting and developing them. The message was received by HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani addressing the opening session of the 17th Doha Forum yesterday. ‘terrorism’ Abdulrahman al-Thani, during his meeting yesterday with the Foreign iving asylum to refugees is not a must also be a clear distinction between Minister of Swaziland Mgwagwa cause of terrorism, but the po- terrorism and the legitimate right of Gamedze. Glitical and social backgrounds of peoples to struggle for freedom and in- terrorism are the breeding ground that dependence,” he said. triggers the displacement of millions, “We fi rmly believe that dialogue is QATAR | Visit HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad the optimum way to settle disputes Armenian president Cyberattacks: security al-Thani said yesterday, offi cial Qatar and resolve regional and international arrives in Doha News Agency reported. crises and confl icts. Today, our world Addressing the opening session of the is in dire need of concerted eff orts and President of the Republic of Armenia two-day 17th Doha Forum, being held serious work to deepen the concepts of Serzh Sargsyan arrived in Doha under the topic ‘Development, Stabil- dialogue and promote a culture of peace, yesterday evening on an off icial visit experts advise caution ity and Refugees Issues,’ the Emir noted tolerance, equality and rejection of vio- to the country. The president and that a refugee is the victim of the same lence and extremism. In this respect, we his accompanying delegation were environment that produces terrorism, seek through this forum to consolidate welcomed upon arrival at Hamad By Joseph Varghese and may himself be a victim of it. In the the principle of dialogue and support International Airport by HE the Minister Staff Reporter end refugees are helpless and desperate. the values of joint action and collective of Economy and Commerce Sheikh “Terrorism and extremism are a glo- building of the future,” he explained. Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al- bal phenomenon that is not linked to any Earlier in his address, HH the Emir Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to Armenia yber security experts in Qa- particular society, people or religion. pointed out that the topic of this year’s Ali bin Hamad al-Sulaiti, and Armenian tar and the region have advised It is posing a serious threat to security Doha Forum is crucial for millions of ambassador to Qatar Gegham Ccaution and not to access any and stability in the Middle East and the people and an urgent one for the inter- Gharibjanyan. e-mails or other information from un- world,” HH the Emir emphasised. national community in general. known sources, following the recent He believed that the “eradication of “Historically, millions of people have wave of cyberattacks across the world. this abhorrent phenomenon requires fl ed their countries to escape oppres- EUROPE | Politics Qatar National Information Secu- international co-operation and an ob- sion, persecution, natural disasters or Macron takes power rity Centre (Q-Cert) at the Ministry of ligatory strategy to confront the cir- in search for a better life, and they have as French president Transport and Communications has cumstances and causes of terrorism and found for themselves new homelands, issued a directive suggesting “All enti- the ideologies that justify and legitimise and great nations and civilisations have Emmanuel Macron became France’s ties and institutions in Qatar should be it in any way. The provisions of interna- emerged from these migrations.” youngest ever president yesterday, aware of a ransomware malware, which tional law and tackling the roots and real “We distinguish refugees’ issue from promising at his inauguration to restore has hit over 99 countries in the last two Dr Marc Dacier Ghareeb Saad causes of this blight must be taken into these problems because it is the result of the country’s lost confidence and days and is set to continue proliferat- account in fi ghting terrorism.” political action, whether wars or proc- relaunch the flagging European Union. ing.” Ghareeb Saad, senior security re- mised. Hadn’t the worm be stopped “The ideal environment for the activ- esses of forced uprooting and displace- Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, took the The Q-Cert statement said: “A searcher, Kaspersky Lab, told Gulf in its expansion by the activation of a ity of those who adopt radical ideologies ment,” the Emir stressed. reins of power from Socialist Francois number of proactive steps were adopt- Times that the Kaspersky Lab’s re- “kill switch” by a security researcher, to recruit young people is the widespread The forum’s opening session also in- Hollande at the Elysee Palace a week ed, and a team of specialists at the cen- searchers have confi rmed the detection it is reasonable to assume that some of anger because of the inability to act cluded remarks by Sudan’s President after his resounding victory over far- tre is on alert to contain or eradicate any of at least 45,000 infection attempts in machines in Qatar would have been against the injustice and humiliation, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Mali’s Presi- right leader Marine Le Pen in an election reported infections by the malware. Q- the last few days. compromised, just like in the rest of the and the ingrained feeling of inequity that dent Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Lebanon’s that was watched worldwide. In his first Cert provides nationwide cyber secu- “The ransomware infects victims by world,” explained Dr Dacier. is coupled with despair and deadlocked President Saad al-Hariri, Somalia’s speech as president Macron said his first rity response services and they can be exploiting a Microsoft Windows vul- “The worm appears to be contained vistas. I do not also exclude people who Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre, and priority would be “to give back to the reached by e-mail: incidents@qcert. nerability. Once inside the system, the for the time being but little eff ort would are violent by nature,” HH the Emir said. the UN Deputy Secretary-General Ami- French people the confidence that for org or Q-Cert hotline: 44933408.” attackers install a rootkit, which ena- be required from the attacker to launch “Factors such as psychological and na Mohamed. Pages 2, 3 too long has been flagging”. Page 19 Speaking to Gulf Times, Dr Marc Da- bles them to download the software to an updated version to contaminate the physical violence exercised by tyranny cier, research director - Cyber Security encrypt the data. A request for $600 in vulnerable machines that haven’t been or foreign occupation, social, econom- Qatar’s support at Qatar Computing Research Insti- Bitcoin is displayed along with the wal- infected yet,” the offi cial cautioned. ic and political distortions, as well as QATAR | Weather tute under Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- let – and the ransom demand increases “Every company should have a se- blocked prospects for change are push- During the Doha Forum, it was Advisory on how sity said: “A new worm that breaks over time,” explained Saad. curity policy in place to enforce timely ing some people to join movements that announced that Qatar has entered to avoid sunstroke into Windows machines is spreading. “Kaspersky Lab experts are currently deployment of patches, to make sure put forward violence as a way out,” he an agreement with the Brookings Microsoft has published a patch - eve- trying to determine whether it is possi- that every machine facing the Internet maintained. Institution to establish an institute for US The Qatar Met department has ryone should update their machines ble to decrypt data locked in the attack – is protected by a fi rewall. All machines In this context, the Emir stressed the relations with the Islamic world. issued an advisory on how to avoid immediately. Services using shared with the aim of developing a decryption within the corporate network are also need to confront extremist ideologies The Qatar Fund for Development has sunstrokes and what to do if a person servers should not be exposed to the tool as soon as possible,” added Saad. to be protected by a desktop fi rewall and their advocates who exploit such an signed an agreement with the UN Offi ce suff ers from one due to the rise in Internet. Desktop fi rewalls should be “The latest ransomware attack, and every machine should run an up environment to push a small number of for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian temperature and humidity. The advice used by everyone, together with pro- namely wannacry, is a classical worm to date anti-virus system, and that in- young people into this path. Aff airs (OCHA) to provide a multi-year comes as hot daytime conditions fessional anti-virus products.” spreading by scanning IP addresses trusion detection systems are in place “We should neither forget the envi- generous fi nancial contribution of are expected to continue around The patch is available at https:// for machines that can be remotely at- inside and outside the perimeter of the ronment itself, nor the ‘state terrorism’ $40mn to support the offi ce. Qatar the country, with the weather report technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ tacked. If there are machines in Qa- enterprise. These are some of the most exercised under the pretext of combat- ranks second in the list of countries that forecasting a maximum of 42C in Doha security/ms17-010.aspx, according to tar that are vulnerable and if they are basic security best practices,” he sug- ing terrorism, which in turn leads to its support humanitarian aff airs. today. Page 10 Dr Dacier. scanned, they will likely be compro- gested. Page 10 spread and redoubling its size. There Khalifa International Stadium to host Emir Cup fi nal

By Anil John several Emir Cup and Heir Appar- Last month Aspire Zone Foundation national Stadium was a priority for Sports Editor ent Cup fi nals in the past and was also (AZF) and the Supreme Committee for Qatar. the main arena used during the 2006 Delivery & Legacy (SC) set a new world “The eight stadiums will be in diff er- Asian Games and the Asian Cup foot- record for by re-turfi ng the Khalifa In- ent stages of construction, and we’re atar’s iconic Khalifa Interna- ball tournament in 2011 before it was ternational Stadium in just 13-and-a- also aiming for the fi rst stadium, Khalifa tional Stadium will host the earmarked as a World Cup stadium and half hours. International Stadium, to be delivered QEmir Cup football fi nal be- redeveloped by the Aspire Zone Foun- The new world record smashed within 2017 to host the Emir Cup fi nal. So tween Al Rayyan and Al Sadd on May 19 dation. AZF’s previous best which it set when it you’ll fi nd signifi cant construction going marking a momentous occasion in the Built in 1976, the stadium earlier re-turfed the Al Sadd Sports Club sta- on next year,” al-Thawadi had said. country’s rapid progress leading up to underwent massive renovation for dium in 14 hours and 40 minutes. The Al Wakrah and Al Khor stadiums the FIFA World Cup in 2022. It will also the Asian Games but FIFA’s exacting Located at the centre of all the are expected to be up and ready for ac- host the opening match and fi nal of the standards for World Cup host venues 2022 venues, it will play a pivotal role tion by the end of 2018 followed by the Gulf Cup in December. meant it had to be dismantled and to- in the World Cup and is scheduled to Al Rayyan and Qatar Foundations are- “We are happy that the Khalifa Inter- tally redeveloped. host a few matches up to the quar- nas in 2019. Other venues will be com- national Stadium will again host foot- It now boasts an ultra-modern shape ter-final stage of the tournament. It pleted by 2021 with Qatar eager to get ball matches in Qatar. The stadium has with dual arches that represent conti- will have a capacity to seat 40,000 all facilities ready much ahead of the been witness to the most prominent nuity and embracing fans from all over spectators and is one of at least eight mega event. sporting achievements of Qatar and is the globe. Inside the stadium, all seat- venues that will be used for the FIFA The Khalifa International Stadium is a venue that is closest to Qatari hearts,” ing areas will be protected from the ele- World Cup. part of the sprawling Aspire Zone com- Qatar Football Association President ments by a canopy, with further climate In an interview in December last plex which hosts several world class Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed control delivered by advanced cooling year Supreme Committee chief Has- facilities such as the globally renowned al-Thani said yesterday. technologies. It also boasts several hos- san al-Thawadi had stated that host- Aspire Academy and Aspetar sports The stadium has played host to pitality and VIP suites. ing the Emir Cup at the Khalifa Inter- medicine hospital. Sport Pages 1, 8 A view of redeveloped Khalifa-Stadium. Gulf Times 2 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR Refugee crisis is a product of confl icts, not poverty: Emir he asylum crisis is the and legitimacy, or by the inter- HH Sheikh Tamim asserted product of regional con- vention of external forces trying that development and stability Tfl icts, civil wars and dis- to impose their control and ex- are interdependent and inter- placements on racial, ethnic or tend their infl uence, and crimes twined; there is no development other sectarian backgrounds, committed by terrorist groups. without stability, and no stabil- some of which date back long ago All this has led to an increase in ity without development. such as the Palestinian refugees’ the number of refuge seekers “Development in its broad- displacement in 1948 during the and displaced people who have est sense aims at uplifting the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe), resorted to neighbouring coun- humans and realising com- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin tries, before proceeding in mil- munal stability. Development Hamad al-Thani said yesterday, lions to Europe, and were cut can achieve its objectives only according to a report by the of- off and stranded. The situation through good governance, the fi cial Qatar News Agency. of the refugees is further aggra- rule of law, combating corrup- “This is why it is true to say vated by the lack of commitment tion and injustice, promoting that the Palestine issue started to implement the relevant inter- and consolidating human val- as a cause of people who have national conventions,” the Emir ues, achieving social justice and been uprooted from their land; emphasised. equality, in addition to non- other cases are relatively recent, In fulfi lment of its humani- marginalisation or exclusion in such as the situation of displaced tarian obligations as a member terms of faith or sect. Iraqis fl eeing the siege and war, of the international community “The absence of develop- while some of them were dis- and being aware of the magni- ment and stability triggers placed on sectarian cleansing tude of the tragedy suff ered by trans-border influx of refu- background,” he told the open- the refugees, Qatar has done and gees, therefore national com- ing session of the two-day 17th continues to do all in its power mitment to achieve them Doha Forum, being held under to participate with the inter- should not be separate from the the topic ‘Development, Stabil- national community in provid- international commitments on ity and Refugees Issues.’ ing all forms of support to the this issue. This could be done “We recall here with deep re- refugees through humanitarian by means of realising global gret the displacement of Iraqi and relief assistance, HH Sheikh peace, justice in lieu of tyranny Christians, not only because of Tamim said. and where wars are waged by the suff ering and tragedies in the “It is certain that in the end regimes against their own peo- aftermath of the displacement, the solution must be politi- ple. The international commu- as Muslims were also victimised, cal that achieves justice for the nity is therefore in need of new and millions of them, but be- Syrian people who have passed forms of co-operation and the cause they changed the plural- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and other dignitaries attending the opening session of the 17th Doha Forum yesterday. through an unprecedented ex- building of partnerships that istic nature of deep-rooted Arab perience only because they have transcend national identity to societies and impacted their cul- to international statistics, the regions or countries to protect as the repressive behaviours of talking about has not resulted dared to aspire to freedom and human identity. In this context, tural richness.” number of Syrian refugees has their children from the indis- some radical movements that from poverty and lack of means justice,” the Emir said while Qatar attaches great impor- HH the Emir noted that the reached 5mn since the outbreak criminate bombing by the re- have imposed themselves on the of livelihood. It is the product of pointing out that the Syrian re- tance to achieving economic, war launched against the Syrian of the crisis, while the displaced gime’s aircraft, the collective Syrian people’s revolution ren- oppression, repression, absence gime has decided to displace social and human development people continues to take its toll people inside Syria itself have punishment, the reprisals per- dered just by its legitimate de- of justice and racist practices its people and change their de- that are in line with the agreed on them in terms of devastation reached nearly twice this fi gure. petrated by its forces and the mands. carried out by sectarian militias mographic structure instead of global development goals,” the and displacement. “According “People have resorted to other militias allied with them, as well “The problem of refugees I am acting against the rule of law changing itself. Emir added. Plenary session sheds light on refugee crisis

QNA Doha

he fi rst Plenary Session of the 17th Doha Forum, Theld under the theme “The Changing Global Politi- cal Landscape” has discussed a number of issues aff ecting the international arena today, the most important of which is the refugee crisis. At the beginning of the Ses- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting Sudanese sion, Vice-President of the president Omar Hassan al-Bashir on the sidelines of the Doha Forum European Parliament Ryszard yesterday. Kazzynski said that the world is currently witnessing excep- tional moments, which may represent a major turning point due to the situation of refugees Participants attending the plenary session of 17th Doha Forum yesterday. around the world, calling on the Sudan president international community as a sent an exceptional global phe- crisis and support local com- ditional funding and humanitar- their current plight. whole to contribute to resolving nomenon. munities. ian assistance, which reinforces The current confl ict in the the refugee crisis. The changes taking place in With regard to the United Na- the role and status of Qatar as a Arab region stems from three If the refugees crisis is not the world are occurring at a rapid tions, the British offi cial stressed leader in global relief eff orts. projects aimed at dividing the hails Qatar’s role resolved, it will lead to ma- pace, he said, pointing out that that it was important to under- The world needs more hu- region, which are: The Iranian jor changes that will aff ect the the bodies and organisations re- take reforms within the inter- manitarian assistance to support expansion, which is based on whole world, he said. sponsible for decision-making national organisation so that it nearly 100mn people in need of two pillars: sectarian tension Europe has played a vital role are working slowly and unable to could play its role eff ectively. aid and rescue around the world, and support of sectarian mili- in Darfur peace in the world, but has now given keep up with changes. In this context, Stephen O’ Br- he said, adding that a large tias; religious extremism and it up to the United States, he Brexit must not mean isola- ien, the Under-Secretary-Gen- number of refugees are fl eeing re-dividing the region, Dr Hijab stressed, urging rich countries, tion of Britain from the rest of eral and Emergency Relief Co- wars and armed confl icts in their stressed. he huge numbers of asy- his thanks to the brotherly coun- in particular, to participate more the international community or ordinator at the United Nations countries and are now in desper- Dr Hijab said that Syria needs lum seekers in the world, tries that deal with his country in actively in resolving the refugee end its role in solving the crisis, Offi ce for the Co-ordination of ate need of help and support. a political solution to end the Twith the number of refu- the issue of refugees and provide issue. he said, stressing his country’s Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA) For his part, General Co- deteriorating humanitarian gees today reached about a quar- assistance to them, adding that For his part, British Foreign commitment to its role in the in- thanked the government and ordinator of the Supreme Ne- situation, urging the interna- ter billion people, have a clear the state of Qatar is at the fore- and Commonwealth Offi ce ternational arena. people of Qatar for organising gotiations Body of the Revolu- tional community and the new impact on the stability and de- front of these countries. (FCO) Minister for the Middle Elwood called on the inter- this important forum. tionary Forces and the Syrian American administration to take velopment of societies in the The Sudanese President also East and Africa Tobias Elwood national community to focus He also praised Qatar’s ongo- Opposition Dr Riyad Farid Hijab a fi rm stand against the Russian host and source countries, Su- praised Qatar’s leading role in said that the exchange and trade on countering extremism and ing eff orts to support the Offi ce thanked the leadership and peo- and Chinese veto, which hinders danese president Omar Hassan achieving peace and stability in interdependence between coun- terrorism, adding that it was of the UN High Commissioner ple of Qatar for the continuous every UN resolution aimed at al-Bashir said yesterday. Darfur through the Doha Docu- tries at the present time repre- important to focus on post- for Refugees (UNHCR) with ad- support to the Syrian people in helping the Syrian people. “The issue of asylum is now ment for Peace in Darfur. He also one of the most important issues highlighted Qatar’s contribution on the world,” he told the open- in this fi eld which ended the cri- ing session of the 17th Doha Fo- sis on the internal and external rum, offi cial Qatar News Agency levels. UN lauds Qatar’s key role in supporting fragile societies reported. The Sudanese presi- In a related context, President dent hailed the issues of security al-Bashir called on the inter- and stability tabled on the Fo- national community to play its QNA ability to deal with such issues. with factors of stability in the On bilateral relations between tar’s great role in support of hu- rum’s agenda. humanitarian role in providing Doha These challenges faced by the world. Qatar and Pakistan, Abbasi said manitarian issues in general, and In his speech, al-Bashir ex- assistance to this group and ad- world feed each other and repre- Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Minis- that bilateral ties were growing the refugees issues in particular, plained that the number of refu- dressing the root causes of the sent major threats to human life, ter of Petroleum and Natural Re- and has recently seen a signing at regional and international lev- gees in Sudan now exceeds 2mn, crisis politically, economically E Deputy Secretary- she said, urging the international sources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of an agreement allowing Qatar els. and they enjoy full rights, equal and socially, stressing that Su- General of the United Na- community to establish a secure said that the Doha Forum 2017 to supply Pakistan with LNG. President Ibrahim Boubacar to that of the Sudanese citizens. dan will co-operate with every Htions Amina Mohamed society that deal equally with all covered all issues that concern He noted that the number of Keita also highlighted the relent- He noted that Sudan is the fi rst humanitarian eff ort seeking for yesterday praised Qatar’s pivotal its members and protect them on the world’s agenda in a spe- LNG shipments increased from less eff orts exerted by Qatar to country to enact a law to regu- this purpose. role in supporting and assisting from violence. cial way. three a month to fi ve. The fi g- resolve many humanitarian cri- late asylum since 1974, followed President al-Bashir reiterated the United Nations in promoting Qatar is aware of the serious He added that the forum sup- ure equates to 4bn tonnes a year, ses in various parts of the world. by similar laws in 2014 and 2015, his thanks to the State of Qatar fragile societies, combating pov- problems plaguing the planet like ports communication by provid- worth $1.5bn in current market Lebanese Prime Minister Saad which deal on combating human for its interest in such important erty, human traffi cking and other climate change, she said, prais- ing an opportunity to everybody prices. al-Hariri thanked Qatar, HH the traffi cking targeting these vul- issues, which are confi rmed by issues that remain the biggest ing its commitment and ongoing to take part in a conversation on He noted that Pakistan is Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad nerable groups. the continuation of this impor- challenges for the world. eff orts to combating this issue issues that concern the global looking forward to enhancing al-Thani, the government and Sudan’s experience in this area tant forum. Addressing the plenary session by relaying on renewable energy public opinion. co-operation with Qatar by at- people of Qatar for their con- was pioneering in the sense that Meanwhile, Sudanese For- of the 2017 Doha Forum, the UN and developing an infrastructure, Speaking to Qatar New Agen- tracting investments to Pakistan tinuous support of the right- refugees in co-operation with eign Minister Dr Ibrahim Ahmed offi cial welcomed Qatar’s soli- which is consistent with the pur- cy on the sidelines of Doha Fo- in the fi eld of energy. ful causes and for standing by the United Nations High Com- Ghandour, speaking to report- darity with the United Nations in suit of the United Nations devel- rum 2017, the minister said that He added that Pakistan has Lebanon in good and diffi cult missioner for Refugees (UN- ers on the sidelines of Doha Fo- working to reduce confl icts and opment agenda. the wide-ranging participation a number of opportunities that times. Addressing the 17th Doha HCR) had a chance to rely on rum, lauded Qatar’s support for fi ght climate change, unemploy- She praised the agenda of this of personalities representing the Qatari side can benefi t from. Forum, Hariri said Doha Forum themselves as well as its imple- peace, stability and develop- ment among youth, violence, na- year’s edition of Doha Forum government authorities and ac- Those opportunities were es- is proving its importance year mentation of voluntary repatria- ment in Sudan. “The State of tionalism, populism, xenophobia discussing the most urgent re- ademic institutions was positive pecially evident in agriculture, after year in discussing the most tion programme or resettlement Qatar supported Sudan in all its and inequality, stressing that gional and international issues, as it allows for an exchange in infrastructure, and real estate. urgent political, economic and in other countries. circumstances,” the Sudanese many people have lost confi dence including the situation of refu- opinions on topics like refugees, President of Mali Ibrahim social issues in the region and President al-Bashir expressed minister told reporters. in governing regimes for their in- gees and displaced persons along the economy, and terrorism. Boubacar Keita also hailed Qa- the world. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 3 QATAR

FM holds talks Sheikha Moza meets ex-Sudan president with Doha Forum Emir meets delegates delegates HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani held to 17th Doha Forum separate meetings yesterday with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda Sam Kahamba QNA Kutesa, Minister of Foreign Doha Affairs of Costa Rica Manuel Gonzalez Sanz, and Second Deputy Speaker of the Senate H the Emir Sheikh Tamim of Jordan Samir Rifai, who are bin Hamad al-Thani met currently visiting Qatar to take Hseveral global leaders at part in the 17th Doha Forum. Doha Sheraton Hotel yesterday Talks during the meetings dealt morning on the sidelines of the with bilateral relations and means 17th session of Doha Forum. of enhancing them, as well as HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim a number of issues of common bin Hamad al-Thani received interest. Sudan’s President Omar Hassan HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser met former Sudanese president and Chairman of the Islamic Dawa HE the Foreign Minister also met al-Bashir. Organisation in Sudan Abdel Rahman Suwar al-Dahab at her off ice at Qatar Foundation (QF) the President of the National During the meeting, the Emir yesterday. The meeting was attended by the Governor of North Kordofan state of Sudan Ahmed Assembly of Serbia Maja reviewed with the president of Haroun and Governor of River Nile state Maj Gen Hatim al-Waseela. During the meeting, a number Gojkovic. The meeting dealt with Sudan bilateral relations and of projects of Silatech and Education Above All in Sudan were discussed, besides ways to enhance bilateral relations and the means prospects of developing them, in co-operation between the two institutions and Sudan in the areas of education and job creation to enhance them, in addition to addition to the important topics for young people. PICTURE: AR Al-Baker/HHOPL discussing a number of issues of on the agenda of the Forum. joint interest. HH the Emir also met the Pres- ident of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Lebanese Prime Minister HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Lebanese Prime Saad al-Hariri and Prime Minis- Minister Saad al-Hariri on the sidelines of the 17th Doha Forum. ter of Somalia Hassan Ali Khayre, who handed over a written mes- by HE the Prime Minister and of Costa Rica Manuel Gonzalez sage from President of Somalia Minister of Interior Sheikh Ab- Sanz, Foreign Minister of Malay- Qatar to provide $40mn for Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, dullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- sia Hanifah Aman and Executive pertaining to bilateral relations Thani and a number of ministers. Vice-President of the Brookings and ways of enhancing them. Earlier in the morning, HH the Institution Martin Indyk. During the meetings, HH the Emir met the participants in the During the meetings, they Emir reviewed bilateral relations 17th session of Doha Forum. reviewed a number of topics UN humanitarian eff orts in addition to important topics HH the Emir met the former on the agenda of the forum and tabled on the agenda of the Forum. president of Kosovo Atifete Jah- exchanged views on matters of The meetings were attended jaga, Minister of Foreign Aff airs mutual interest. QNA ment Director-General Kha- Doha lifa bin Jassim al-Kuwari, and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Aff airs and atar, represented by Qa- Emergency Relief Co-ordinator tar Fund for Develop- Stephen O’Brien, on the side- Qment (QFD), has signed lines of the 17th Doha Forum. an agreement with the UN Offi ce Qatar ranked second in the list for the Co-ordination of Humani- of the ten countries that support tarian Aff airs (OCHA) to provide humanitarian aff airs according a multi-year generous fi nancial to the United Nations statistic contribution of $40mn to sup- for 2016. port the offi ce, in the presence of Qatar Fund for Development HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs underlined that signing an agree- Qatar Fund for Development Director-General Khalifa bin Jassim Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrah- ment with the UN Offi ce for the al-Kuwari and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani meeting man al-Thani and the Deputy Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator Stephen O’Brien sign Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on the sidelines of the 17th Doha Forum yesterday. HE the Secretary-General of the United Aff airs (OCHA) to provide a con- the agreement on the sidelines of the 17th Doha Forum as HE the Prime Minister also met Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, and Prime Minister of Somalia Nations Amina Mohamed. tribution of $40mn demonstrates Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Hassan Ali Khayre, among others. Talks during the meetings covered topics listed on the agenda of The agreement was signed Qatar’s confi dence in the role car- al-Thani and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations the 17th Doha Forum, as well as issues of mutual concern. by Qatar Fund for Develop- ried out by OCHA at all levels. Amina Mohamed look on. Gulf Times 4 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR

Chief learning officer Dr Kholode al-Obaidli speaks at the launch of National Development Strategy 2.0. New Sidra strategy to focus on learning

idra Medical and Research Cent- collaboration course that provides an er (Sidra) has launched its Na- opportunity for managers to leverage Stional Development Strategy 2.0. their skills through on the job project- The strategy – ‘To inspire and cul- based activities, coaching and project tivate the development of Qataris and reporting. It will also explore interna- the development of the healthcare tional and local partnerships for work sector in Qatar’ – is a clear affi rmation placements. to support Qatar’s National Vision Peter Morris, chief executive offi cer 2030 and the country’s national health at Sidra said: “ National development strategies. remains an integral part of our short- Under the new strategy, national Sidra CEO Peter Morris to long-term focus. Our national de- development as well as learning and velopment programmes are strategic development programmes at Sidra and that they have clear learning and interventions that will contribute will ensure that nationals at all levels development paths mapped out.” towards Sidra’s overall success. Sidra – students, graduates or skilled em- The career development oppor- is committed to providing excellent ployees – are given access to the right tunities under the strategy include developmental opportunities for our training tools and mentorship to ad- ‘Lead Yourself’, an accredited develop- national graduate associates.” vance their careers in healthcare. ment programme from the Institute of Sidra has identifi ed students as a Dr Kholode al-Obaidli, chief learn- Leadership and Management, UK, to key future talent pool – with active ing offi cer said: “The healthcare sector provide nationals with the knowledge, measures taken to encourage and in- in Qatar has undergone major progres- skills and capabilities to succeed in the spire more students to consider ca- sive changes. We must ensure that our workplace. reers in science and medicine. Train- nationals adapt to these changes and Other elements of the strategy are ing and scholarship programmes have are ready to bring further progress and ‘Leadership Behaviours’ – to promote also been streamlined to position Sidra innovation in the fi eld. This applies to and support behavioural expecta- as an employer of choice. Sidra is cur- clinical, scientifi c and medical admin- tions of all employees; ‘Fursati’, a de- rently off ering scholarship opportu- istration roles.” velopment programme to support all nities in nursing, medicine and allied “With a national workforce of near- nationals achieve their full potential; health. ly 27%, we are putting in place strate- ‘Coaching as a Management Style’ In addition to its academic partner- gies and programmes to further grow which demonstrates the eff ectiveness ship with Weill-Cornell Medicine in the number of Qatari’s joining health- of coaching as a tool to guide perform- Qatar, Sidra has also established affi li- care. The key driver to rolling out the ance and development conversations. ations with the University of Calgary national strategy at Sidra is to ensure Another feature of the strategy is in Qatar, Qatar University and Hamad that people are the right fi t for the role ‘GE Healthcare Leadership’, a joint Bin Khalifa University.

Gulf Times 6 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR

Barwa Bank names Renad Academy welcomes Thara’a scheme draw winners

arwa Bank announced holders the chance to ben- the names of the efi t from cash rewards up World Autism Ride bikers Bmost recent round of to QR1,000,000. Based on draw winners for Thara’a, several criteria, Thara’a ac- atar Foundation’s (QF) for Qatar, we’re ready to go its Shariah-compliant sav- count holders are eligible for a Renad Academy hosted through the ultimate test by ings account, at the bank’s number of periodic draws for Qa group of Doha-based travelling the world on mo- headquarters. cash prizes. fathers who are to drive around torcycles. We believe that Mohamed Abdulla H A Totalling QR3,000,000, the world by motorcycle to pro- helping people comes fi rst, al-Ali, Sania Mansour Bakri Thara’a cash rewards mote and raise funds for autism especially those who can’t Yamani, Fahad Salman are distributed on both a awareness. and will never ask for help. Kh S al-Mamari and Joud monthly and biannual basis Renad Academy, part of They need us to stand up for Mohamed Khaled Kreik to customers holding a min- QF’s Pre-University Educa- them and to raise awareness each won a cash prize of imum balance of QR10,000. tion (PUE), held a coff ee morn- about autism.” QR10,000. On a monthly basis, there are ing where members of the The World Autism Ride team Also, a cash prize worth seven winners per draw for World Autism Ride initiative brought one of their custom- QR5,000 was awarded to the cash prize of QR5,000 spoke about the challenges ised motorcycles to Renad Abdelkarim Zekak, Mo- as well as four winners per they would face during their Academy for the event, where hamed Sultan A Y Sorour, draw for the cash prize of 28,000km charity drive across children and staff were able Noora Jabir M J al-Jabir, QR10,000. three continents – Asia, Eu- to view with the equipment Sayed Sweada, Rasha Yousif Additionally, twice a rope, and North America. the riders will use on their Hassan Mohamed, Ahmed year, there are four winners Jassim al-Maadeed, who 26-country journey. Majid M A al-Suwaidi per draw for the cash prize founded World Autism Ride, Sherri Miller, director, Re- and Izzeldin Ismail Bashir of QR25,000, two winners and whose son attends Renad nad Academy, said: “We con- Adam. per draw for the cash prize Academy, said: “Nine out of 10 stantly strive to meet the in- The May draw was con- of QR50,000 and one win- families don’t know how to deal dividual needs of each learner ducted under the supervision ner per draw for the grand with autistic children. Most in our diverse community by Renad Academy staff members with Jassim al-Maadeed. of a representative from the prize of QR1,000,000 – people look at autism as a dis- providing personalised edu- qualitative licence and mar- rewarding 102 winners ease or some kind of sickness cational opportunities. We are worldwide, as part of our mis- ance throughout the wider of PUE, is dedicated to helping ket control department at in total with cash prizes rather than a condition that can delighted to learn about this sion under PUE is to educate community.” children who have been diag- the Ministry of Economy and up to QR3,000,000, the be dealt with. ambitious initiative to raise the public about autism and Renad Academy, an educa- nosed with mild to moderate Commerce. bank has explained in a “As autism ambassadors awareness around autism to open new paths of accept- tional facility under the umbrella autism spectrum disorder. Thara’a off ers account statement. Vaccination service providers honoured Workshop highlights best practices to ensure workplace accessibility

atar Assistive Technology Cen- Qtre (Mada) hosted a workshop during its partnership with the The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has honoured institutions and health organisations in the country that have recently held Acces- provided vaccination services in both the government and private sectors, making the national vaccination programme sible Qatar Conference a success. The institutions have been thanked for providing routine vaccination services as well for their contribution at Doha Exhibition and to national vaccination campaigns such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) initiative held during October and Convention Centre. November 2017. The workshop included an educational session on ‘Strategies and Best Prac- tices for Creating Acces- sible Work Environments’ in line with its “eff orts to A discussion in progress at the workshop hosted by Mada. empower persons with dis- abilities (PWDs) through with diff erent disabilities. Our workshop and partner- mote smart technologies, assistive technology”, it Discussions also included ship with Accessible Qa- which enable and foster said in a statement. the importance of e-Ac- tar allowed us to showcase universal accessibility,” said The Accessible Qatar cessibility when it comes how inclusion can be made Maha al-Mansouri, CEO of Conference was the “fi rst to creating accessible work possible through accessi- Mada. of its kind” in the region environments and the social ble work environments and Mada believes that pro- and provided knowledge- impact of employing people the use of e-Accessibility. viding access to workspaces sharing in order to create with disabilities in mean- Employment is one of the empowers people with dif- awareness and explore the ingful and inclusive roles. main areas we believe can ferent disabilities to over- importance of accessibility Speakers during the ses- empower persons with dis- come social, economic and for all patrons. sion included a number of abilities and we are com- cultural barriers that have On May 9, during the Mada employees. mitted to ensuring inclusive traditionally marginalised conference, the educa- “At Mada, we aim to edu- and professional communi- them. The importance of tional workshop highlight- cate the wider community ties are created, to welcome the right to employment ed the best practices and about the importance of as- people with various disabil- is in fact enshrined in the strategies for ensuring that sistive technology and how ities in all sorts of environ- United Nations Convention a workplace is accessible much it can change the lives ments. The conference was on the Rights of People with to employees and visitors of persons with disabilities. a great opportunity to pro- Disabilities.

Malabar Gold and Diamonds presents prize

Malabar Gold and Diamonds presented a prize of 1/2kg gold to the latest raff le draw winner of its ‘Win up to 30 kilos of gold in 18 days’ campaign. The winner, S Sankar, is seen receiving the prize from Malabar Gold and Diamonds regional head Santhosh T V, deputy branch head Raju T Jhony and other off icials.

Milaha launches door-to-door service

ilaha, a Qatar-based mari- The frequency of the service would give our clients and partners seamless time transport and logistics initially be weekly, and it will allow solutions at very competitive prices,” Mconglomerate, has launched customers to track their cargo online said Abdulrahman Essa al-Mannai, a door-to-door shipping serv- from point of origin to destination. president and chief executive, Milaha. ice between Qatar and the UAE and The service is part of the company’s Milaha’s new service is ideal for vice versa. strategy to be a one-stop shop for SMEs as it provides a quick delivery Mainly targeting small and me- its partners’ shipping and logistics time with regular departures be- dium enterprises (SMEs) in the au- requirements. tween Dubai and Doha, and a sin- tomotive spare parts, fashion retail, “This new service is a great exam- gle rate which covers pickup, ocean and the fast-moving consumer goods ple of the advantage of our presence transport, customs clearance, and sectors, Milaha would use its own across the supply chain, and how we delivery within the two cities, the marine transport assets and logistics can leverage the synergies among our spokesman said, adding the fi rst con- infrastructure to fulfi l the service, its business units – in this case, our logis- solidated shipment of the service is spokesman said. tics and container shipping units – to expected in May 2017.

Gulf Times 8 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR QIB off ers fi nancial Minister meets Swedish official services for pensioners

he General Retirement & ful result of our customer-centric The agreement covers all Qatari Social Insurance Authority strategy. We have tailored a host of pensioners and will be applied for T(GRSIA) has signed a partner- exclusive products and services tak- new transactions only. Qatari reti- ship agreement with Qatar Islamic ing into consideration the diff erent rees can also apply for a free credit Bank (QIB) to off er “preferential fi nancial needs of the Qatari pen- card for the fi rst year and the possi- pricing and services” to pensioners sioners segment. This agreement bility of paying a minimum percent- in Qatar. is a tribute to all the hard work and age a month of total outstanding on The agreement supports GRSIA’s eff orts of the pensioners who con- the credit cards. latest discounts initiative ‘Khuso- tributed to the nation’s growth and QIB’s ladies banking services, up- HE Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari met yesterday with State Secretary for EU Aff airs and Trade mat’, which was launched in June development.” dated last year with a series of spe- in the Kingdom of Sweden, Oscar Stenstrom, who is currently visiting the country. During the meeting, they discussed 2016. The new package off ers “at- “Retired Qatari customers will re- cial products and services target- ways of enhancing co-operation between the two countries especially in the health sector, and a number of issues of tractive” profi t rates for obtaining ceive preferential profi t rates on long ing women will also provide female mutual concern. personal fi nancing and for savings term deposits with the choice to earn pensioners with exclusive privileges on fi xed deposits to Qatari pension- the profi t on the deposits through in addition to access to more than 12 ers who are registered with GRSIA. fl exible payment options (upfront, dedicated ladies centres across Qatar QIB general manager (Personal monthly, quarterly or at maturity), and dedicated call centres to address 2016 Skoda Octavia, Rapid recalled Banking Group), D Anand expressed as well as discounted fi nancing rates all their needs in complete privacy. his appreciation to GRSIA for giving for personal and auto fi nance. Addi- GRSIA said the agreement with The Ministry of Economy and framework of its ongoing eff orts to out. The MEC has urged all customers QIB the opportunity to take part of tionally, pensioners can now receive QIB is an “important partnership” Commerce (MEC), in collaboration protect consumers and ensure that car to report any violations to its Consumer servicing the Qatari pensioners. a comprehensive auto takaful with that gives pensioners valuable fi nan- with Ibin Ajayan Automobiles, has dealers follow up on vehicle defects Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud He said: “We remain committed special rates.” cial services and additional privi- announced the recall of Skoda Octavia and repairs. The MEC will co-ordinate Department through the following to provide all our customers with a Enrollment only requires present- leges. The off er covers all pensioners and Rapid 2016 models over a potential with the dealer to follow up on the channels: Hotline: 16001, e-mail: info@ superior customer experience and ing their pensioner card to the Bank’s under General Retirement & Social defect in the additional child lock maintenance and repair works and mec.gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, to off er them tailored solutions. personnel at any of QIB 29 branches Insurance Authority (GRSIA), who on the rear doors. The MEC said the communicate with customers to ensure Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app Today’s agreement is the success- across Qatar. wish to bank with QIB. recall campaign comes within the that the necessary repairs are carried for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar

Drive against street vendors in Sheehaniya

he Al Sheehaniya The three-day cam- Municipality has paign resulted in the issu- Tconducted, over three ance of 23 violation reports days, an intensive inspec- for individuals and seven tion campaign targeting violation reports for vehi- unregulated markets and cles transporting foodstuff street vendors in the area. in unhealthy conditions. The campaign was con- In addition, samples of ducted in co-operation the seized food items were with the Al Sheehaniya sent to laboratories of the police station and Minis- Ministry of Public Health try of Interior’s Criminal to verify if they are fi t for Investigation Department. human consumption. Di- The initiative covered rector of the municipality, violations of the public Mohamed Saif al-Hajiri, cleanliness law and en- said they would continue croachment of state prop- implementing such in- erty, as well as selling food spection campaigns. Two items that had been kept in similar drives had been unhealthy conditions. conducted earlier.

The initiative covered violations of the public cleanliness law and encroachment of state property.

Mercury at ‘greatest elongation’ on May 18

he planet Mercury will be at the “greatest elon- gation point” with the sun over the eastern hori- Tzon on Thursday (May 18), “arriving at its highest point” on the eastern horizon at 2am local time in Doha, Qatar Calendar House has said. Residents of Qatar and other Arab countries need to be far from places with environmental and light pollution in order to observe Mercury – with an astronomical tel- escope – after its rise over the Doha sky. It will rise over the Doha sky at 3.34am, according to a statement by noted astronomer Dr Beshir Marzouk. The phenomenon is important because people can observe the planet at its highest point above the eastern horizon over the Doha sky during the mentioned time, he notes. The elongation is the angle between an object and the sun as seen from Earth. When a planet is at “great- est elongation” (east or west), it is at its furthest distance from the sun. It is generally diffi cult to observe Mercury because its orbit is closer to the sun than Earth’s, the statement ex- plains. Chances of viewing the planet improve when it “arrives at its greatest elongations”. After the planet “arrives at its greatest elongation”, the distance between Mercury and the sun will decrease each night. Mercury had reached its “greatest elongation” over the eastern horizon on January 19, and this would occur again on September 12.

Mercury Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 9 QATAR

HBKU conducts its fi nal Science Majlis of the year

amad Bin Khalifa Uni- investigator at HBKU’s Qatar versity (HBKU) hosted Environment and Energy Re- Ha discussion on space search Institute and a mem- exploration and its impor- ber of Nasa’s and ESA’s space tance for understanding both missions to explore subsur- climate and water resources face water on bodies in the variability in the Arabian Pe- solar system. Dr Heggy said: ninsula and in Qatar at its fi nal “Science plays two funda- Science Majlis for this aca- mental roles in our society; demic year. the fi rst is exploring new sci- Held on a monthly basis, entifi c frontiers of our planet Science Majlis sessions aim as well as for our universe, to address the general public, and the second is fi ghting exploring how science can misconceptions and igno- improve an individual’s life rance that can be detrimental and tackle societal challenges. to human development. The Off icials at the event. This month’s session ad- informal setting of HBKU’s dressed a question on “how Science Majlis sessions ena- groundwater mapping in bles us to consider relevant Qatar contributes to bet- and contemporary issues ter formulation of new space while engaging the audience missions dedicated to map in a lecture-free and friendly fossil aquifers in Earth desert environment.” environments and beyond on Recurring Science Majlis planets”. events are a part of HBKU’s Forum of QU ExxonMobil The conversation presented public lectures, workshops, several facts regarding space and sessions to raise aware- exploration and dispelled ness among the local com- many rumours that are com- munity on innovative research mon in the public sphere. conducted at HBKU to sup- The discussion was led by port the goals of Qatar Na- Teachers Academy held Dr Essam Heggy, principal tional Vision 2030. he National Centre for National Development man- QUEMTA’s achievements in the implementation of activi- instrument in educational de- Educational Development ager Abdullatif al-Naemi and training teachers, which adds ties to promote education and velopment.” T(NCED) at Qatar Univer- more than 200 teachers from value to NCED’s success. “Our identify the challenges that The Qatar University Exx- sity College of Education (QU- schools in Qatar, as well as QU collaboration with ExxonMobil students face in order to over- onMobil Teachers Academy CED) held the 3rd Forum of Qatar faculty and staff . Qatar Limited contributed to come them.” is a week-long intensive pro- University ExxonMobil Teachers The programme agenda advancing the education sector ExxonMobil Qatar Limited fessional development pro- Academy (QUEMTA) in Doha re- featured a presentation on in Qatar. Designed in line with president and general manager gramme led by a group of edu- cently. QUEMTA, success stories of ExxonMobil Teachers Acad- Alistair Routledge added: “The cation experts from Doha and Organised in collaboration the academy, successful ex- emy in the US, QUEMTA is the Qatar University ExxonMo- the US. with ExxonMobil Qatar, the periences for the development fi rst of its kind beyond the US,” bil Teachers Academy alumni The programme is designed event was attended by CED of the academy’s concepts, ‘5 he said. network is a powerful plat- to help teachers from Qatar’s dean Dr Ahmed al-Emadi, E’ concept-building session Dr Abu-Tineh noted: “This form for further professional independent schools build on NCED director Dr Abdullah M and innovative applications in event refl ects the signifi cant development, and experience their expertise, enhance their Abu-Tineh, ExxonMobil Qa- lesson analysis and ‘5 Es’. The role of QUEMTA in training exchange between Qatar’s understanding of math and tar Limited vice-president and event also included the distri- teachers and serves as a bridge educators. The exchange of science content, and acquire Public and Government Af- bution of awards to academy between various schools. It ideas and experience with col- interactive teaching tools that fairs director Saleh al-Mana, teachers. also focuses on many out- leagues is an invaluable source will ignite their students’ pas- ExxonMobil Qatar Limited Dr al-Emadi highlighted comes such as the design and of learning, and an eff ective sion for math and science. Dr Essam Heggy speaks at the Science Majlis. Gulf Times 10 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

Precautions issued to avoid sunstroke Human rights award he Qatar Met depart- from direct sunlight, drinking ment has issued an ad- plenty of fl uids and wearing Tvisory on how to avoid lightweight, light-coloured sunstrokes and what to do if clothing to refl ect sunlight. a person suff ers from one due On the steps to be taken if to the rise in temperature and somebody suff ers from a sun- for Al Jazeera’s 101 East humidity. stroke, the advisory said the The advice comes as hot person should be taken to a 101 East’, Al Jazeera’s weekly and government officials that daytime conditions are ex- cool place or one with a shade. Asian current aff airs pro- allows this business to con- pected to continue around the “Remove unnecessary clothes, ‘gramme, has been named a tinue. country, with the weather re- spray cold water on the body, winner at the 21st Annual Hu- “This award keeps the spot- port forecasting a maximum of try to give the person water or man Rights Press Awards in light on the issue and highlights 42C in Doha today. juices,” it added, stressing that Hong Kong for the second year the importance of sustaining In a post on social media medical assistance should be running. law enforcement against the il- yesterday, the Met department sought immediately. Malaysia: Babies for Sale, a legal trade.” noted that sunstroke occurs Meanwhile, today’s detailed fi lm by 101 East senior reporter/ Malaysia: Babies for Sale when the body is unable to forecast says hazy to misty con- producer Chan Tau Chou and went viral on 101 East’s social cool itself. “Chances of sun- ditions are expected in some producer Sarah Yeo, won the network platforms and at- stroke increase when humid- places in the early hours, fol- English broadcast category tracted widespread press cov- ity rises in hot weather condi- lowed by a hot day with slight award at a ceremony in Hong erage, both in Malaysia and tions,” it said. dust. Off shore, slightly dusty Kong on Saturday. around the world. It has played The advisory listed some of conditions are likely at times, Another 101 East fi lm, Maid in a vital role in raising awareness the symptoms of sunstroke, according to the weather report. Singapore, a programme about of baby selling, according to a such as a sudden rise in body The maximum temperature domestic workers from My- press statement from Al Jazeera temperature, tiredness, weak- today is expected to be 42C in anmar by Lynn Lee and James Media Network. ness and feeling dizzy, heavy Doha and Al Khor, followed Leong, won a merit award. This is the second film by sweating, diffi culty in breath- by 40C in Wakrah, Abu Samra Malaysia: Babies for Sale was Chan and Sarah that has been ing, fast pulse and losing con- and Mesaieed. Yesterday, a the result of an undercover in- honoured at the Human Rights sciousness. maximum of 42C was record- vestigation into the world of Press Awards. Last year, they The department also high- ed in Sheehaniya, Batna and baby selling, where infants are won the English Broadcast lighted that a sunstroke could other places, while in Doha it sold to the highest bidder. Grand Prize for The Invisible be avoided by staying away was 40C. The exclusive film, which Children of Sabah, Malaysia, a exposed how babies are ad- film about the struggles faced vertised online and buyers can by stateless children. Quake kills two, injures hundreds in Iran customise a baby based on Chan, a multilingual jour- gender, race and skin colour, nalist from Singapore who A 5.7 magnitude earthquake near Iran’s border with Turkmenistan sparked a Malaysian police in- joined Al Jazeera in 2005, has killed two people, injured hundreds and caused widespread dam- vestigation that resulted in the won numerous awards for his age, state media reported yesterday, citing the country’s seismo- arrests of a number of doctors investigative documentaries logical centre. The quake, which struck at 1800 GMT Saturday in and traffickers involved in the Malaysia: Babies for Sale’is a film by 101 East senior reporter/producer Chan Tau Chou and producer Sarah Yeo. and special reports. and around the city of Bojnurd, North Khorasan province, killed a underground trade. Malaysian journalist Sarah 54-year-old woman and a teenage girl, ISNA news agency reported. The award was presented to tive year that 101 East has won Chan said. “When we started shocked by the brutality of the has produced many award- It left more than 370 people injured and damaged as many as 40% Chan and Sarah at the Foreign the award. this investigation, we wanted traffickers who exploit women winning socio-political docu- of houses in the area, it said. Correspondents’ Club in Hong “It’s an honour to be includ- to find out the extent of baby and children for profit, and by mentaries for Al Jazeera since Kong. It is the second consecu- ed in these prestigious awards,” selling in Malaysia. We were the corruption among doctors joining the team in 2008. Music contest to shine spotlight on local talent

oving Young Artists than 18 years and registra- In each category, three win- (MYA), a Qatar-based tion details can be accessed on ners will be awarded medals. Mnon-profi t founda- www.qnmc.org. Every participant will receive tion, will host the Qatar Na- The categories are sub-di- a certifi cate of merit for their tional Music Competition vided according to the partici- performance. The Grand Prize, (QNMC), in October. pants’ age: 11 and under, 14 and for the best performance in the Held under the patronage under, and 18 and under and in- entire competition, will be pro- of Qatar National Commis- strument of choice; solo piano, vided by Vodafone. A special sion for Education, Culture solo winds, solo strings, solo award for best performance by Some of the participants in the third Qatar National Obstetric Ultrasound Training Course. and Science, MYA seeks to cre- vocal, percussion/harp/guitar a Qatari artist will be provided ate a competitive platform that and composition. by the Qatar National Commis- would encourage the fi nest in Featuring both Arabic and sion for Education, Culture and music creativity and perform- Western music categories, Science. ance in Qatar. QNMC will throw open the Three winners of the con- Sponsored by Vodafone Qa- stage for both performing mu- certo category will be granted HMC’s latest technologies in tar and in collaboration with sicians and young composers. an opportunity to perform in Katara and the Qatar Philhar- There will also be a Special a concert with QPO, as a solo- monic Orchestra, the competi- Needs category for diff erently- ist. Some of the chosen few will tion will be a signifi cant artistic abled children. also be invited to record in the event on the national and inter- Joris Laenen, co-founder, state-of-the-art Katara Stu- foetal medicine showcased national stage and will show- MYA, said, “Our vision for dios. case the best of Qatar’s musical QNMC is to play its part in pro- Several embassies including talent. pelling Qatar onto the inter- Switzerland, Singapore, Spain, ore than 300 health- post-delivery recovery period. ciently understand and perform Hospital performed around The event will be held from national music festival stage. Germany, France, Russia, the care professionals at- “By providing specialised ultrasound examinations. Dr 8,000 exams, where they man- October 15-19 at the Katara Since Qatar doesn’t yet have a UK, Republic of Korea, India, Mtended the third Qatar workshops and training to ob- Sawsan al-Obaidly, course co- aged pregnant women as early Drama Theatre, with a gala long history of music educa- The Netherlands, Sweden, In- National Obstetric Ultrasound stetricians, radiologists, fam- chairperson and co-ordinator, as 11 weeks, providing them concert and felicitation of the tion, QNMC would like to also donesia and Kazakhstan have Training Course, hosted by the ily physicians and sonographers and consultant in Maternal- with proper diagnosis through winners on October 19, at the off er adult Qatari musicians pledged their support by hand- Women’s Hospital – a member across Qatar, we are enhancing Foetal Medicine, commented: non-invasive and invasive test- Katara Opera House. The com- this opportunity to present ing out a long line of signature of Hamad Medical Corporation the quality of ultrasound per- “By organising this annual ing as well as counsel parents petition is open to all younger their talent.” awards. (HMC), to highlight the latest formance. This enables clini- event, we have seen the number regarding expected outcomes technologies and techniques in cians to provide early detection of early referrals to Women’s and the developmental status of pregnancy-related ultrasound of foetal abnormalities through Hospital’s FMU increase. This is their unborn child. scans. the eff ective use of ultrasound almost certainly due to a com- Approximately 30% of wom- The participants were from modalities, which could have bination of better screening en in the country may have a HMC, Sidra Medical and Re- life changing eff ects on a baby’s quality at the referring hospitals high-risk pregnancy, involving search Center, Primary Health development,” she added. and increased awareness among obstetric, medical, surgical, or Care Corporation, and other The two-day course was healthcare workers on detection genetic complications. Qatar-based private healthcare organised by the FMU, a divi- techniques.” The highly-skilled special- organisations. sion of the Obstetrics and Gy- “If an early detection dur- ists in the unit complement Dr Najat Khenyab, course naecology Department at the ing an ultrasound is not picked obstetrical care providers and chairperson and senior con- Women’s Hospital and featured up by a clinician, an unborn co-manage complex conditions sultant, Foeto-Maternal Med- state-of-the-art lectures by baby could be at risk of foetal before or during pregnancy. icine Unit ( FMU) at Women’s local and international guests abnormalities. This could have Using advanced imaging Hospital, said ultrasounds along with live demonstrations devastating eff ects on the out- techniques, clinicians in the are very integral to helping from distinguished experts in come of a pregnancy. By holding FMU are able to accurately di- clinicians monitor foetal de- foetal medicine.The course pro- this course, we are mitigating agnose babies with birth defects velopment and screen for any vided a platform to participants this negative outcome,” Dr al- prenatally and then connect problems during a woman’s who were able to gain advanced Obaidly explained. parents with a neonatologist Featuring both Arabic and Western music categories, QNMC will throw open the stage for both pregnancy, childbirth and the knowledge and skills to effi - Last year, FMU at Women’s and a paediatric subspecialist. performing musicians and young composers.

Advisory on avoiding risks of malware

The Ministry of Transport and Communications’ Qatar National Fatah leads local polls 115 dead in Yemen cholera outbreak Information Security Centre (Q-Cert) is guiding all entities and institutions in Qatar to be aware of a ransomware malware, which has hit over 99 countries in the last two days and is set to continue in West Bank cities AFP operations at the International national organisations to scale proliferating. Sanaa Committee of the Red Cross up their assistance urgently to In order to avoid the risks of the malware, Q-Cert has published several at a news conference in Sanaa limit the spread of the outbreak advisories and security tips as well as necessary actions to take in the AFP the two movements were not yesterday. and anticipate potential other case of malware infection, calling on all entities to instantly execute Ramallah able to reach an agreement. Ha- cholera outbreak has Citing fi gures compiled by ones,” it said in a statement. advisory actions associated with precautionary measures. mas did not present candidates rapidly spread in Yem- the Yemeni health ministry, This is the second outbreak Q-Cert explains that a number of proactive steps were adopted and under its party label in the vote. Aen, killing 115 people in Stillhart said 115 people had of cholera, a bacterial infection a team of specialists at the centre is on alert to contain/eradicate alestinian president Offi cial fi gures showed turnout two weeks in the impoverished died of cholera between April contracted through ingesting any reported infections by the malware. Q-Cert provides nationwide Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah at 53.4 %, or nearly the same as country where hospitals badly 27 and Saturday. contaminated food or water, in cyber security response services and they can be reached by e-mail: Pparty was ahead in most local elections in the West Bank damaged by more than two More than 8,500 suspected less than a year in Yemen. [email protected] or Q-Cert hotline: 44933408 of the West Bank’s main cities in 2012, electoral commission years of war can barely cope. cases of the waterborne disease Yemen is witnessing a dev- Ransomware is malicious software that can lock the user out of his/her after municipal elections, re- chief Hanna Nasser told jour- Patients with cholera symp- were reported in the same pe- astating war between the coa- computer and the data stored on it, demanding a ransom to restore sults showed yesterday. nalists in Ramallah. toms have fl ooded the run-down riod in 14 governorates across lition-supported government access to the data again. Voting took place on Satur- However, turnout was far medical facilities, as interna- Yemen, Stillhart said, up from and Iranian-backed Houthi The message appears on the computer display in the form of a warning day only in the occupied West lower in large cities than in sur- tional relief agencies warned of a 2,300 cases in 10 governorates rebels, and less than half of the window: “Wana Decrypt0r 2.0”, stating that important files including Bank, controlled by Fatah, and rounding communities, with the catastrophic humanitarian situ- last week. country’s health facilities are documents, photos, videos, or databases are encrypted and no longer not in the Gaza Strip, which is lowest in Nablus, the main city in ation and urged citizens to exer- Doctors Without Borders functioning two years into the accessible. run by the Hamas. the northern West Bank, where it cise hygiene precautions. (MSF) expressed fears yesterday confl ict. The warning message may change according to the geolocation of the Attempts to hold the fi rst was less than 21%. Ramallah, the “We now are facing a serious that health authorities alone “The humanitarian situa- victim, and using the victim’s IP address, the malicious software will joint elections in the West Bank Palestinian political capital, saw outbreak of cholera,” said Do- will not be able to deal with the tion in Yemen is catastrophic,” contact the central command and control server to get the appropriate and Gaza since 2006 failed after turnout of less than 40%. minik Stillhart, the director of outbreak. “MSF calls on inter- Stillhart said. message for the victim’s country. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 11 ARAB WORLD

Tunisian potters Rachid and Wajib carry clay pots in a century-old pottery workshop in Guellala on the southern Mediterranean resort island of Djerba. Tunisia seeks Unesco status for Djerba island

AFP Djerba

unisia plans to seek Unesco World Heritage status for the Tisland of Djerba, site of Africa’s oldest synagogue and an annual Jew- ish pilgrimage, its culture minister said yesterday. Speaking on the last day of the pil- grimage to the Ghriba synagogue, Mo- hamed Zine El-Abidine said the island was important for its “cultural and re- A baby camel stands by its mother in the town of Guellala on the southern ligious uniqueness”. Mediterranean resort island of Djerba. He said the application to add Djerba to the World Heritage List would high- year’s Jewish pilgrimage to the island, Before that the event attracted as light the rich religious heritage of the which ended yesterday under tight se- many as 8,000 pilgrims a year. island, which is home to centuries-old curity following a string of militant at- Believed to have been founded in mosques, churches and synagogues. tacks in Tunisia. 586 BC, the Ghriba synagogue has long He did not give a specifi c time frame “There has been a real increase com- been a destination for pilgrims. for the application. pared to the past two years,” Tourism Many of today’s pilgrims came from The cultural agency of the United Minister Selma Elloumi said. Europe, the United States and Israel. Nations already lists eight sites in the “It is an important sign for the start Prime Minister Youssef Chahed was North African country, including the of the tourist season,” she added. in Ghriba yesterday to deliver what he old cities of Tunis and Sousse and the The number of pilgrims visiting the called “a double message”. city of Carthage, once the capital of synagogue has fallen sharply since a “Firstly...Tunisia is a country several the Mediterranean-wide Phoenician suicide bombing claimed by Al Qaeda thousand years old, with a deep-root- empire. struck Ghriba just before the 2002 pil- ed history of openness to all religions,” Some 3,000 pilgrims attended this grimage, killing 21 people. he said. Gulf Times 12 Monday, May 15, 2017 ARAB WORLD

Syrian government forces look at a damaged street in Damascus’ northeastern Qabun suburb yesterday. Syrian government forces inspect a destroyed tunnel in Damascus’ northeastern Qabun suburb. 2,200 evacuate rebel-held district

AFP women embraced and wept as bombardment and clashes, for six months,” he said. Damascus they faced the prospect of part- were visible all around with “We would not have been ing ways. rubble from partly and com- able to succeed without con- Suad, 22, was leaving behind pletely destroyed buildings trolling the network of tunnels. ore than 2,200 civilians her friend Mona, also 22, to fol- strewn across the roads. We found more than 10 tunnels and rebels evacuated an low her family to Idlib province, Tanks sent up clouds of so far, and there are still more.” Mopposition district in a rebel-held area in northwest dust as they manoeuvred over The deals for Qabun, Barzeh Damascus yesterday, state media Syria.“I didn’t want to leave, mounds of debris, and dirt and and Tishrin neighbourhoods said, bringing the government but I have to stay with my fam- black smoke rose from fires still follow a pattern of agreements closer to cementing its control ily, and they prefer to go to Idlib burning in the neighbourhood. under which the rebels agree to over the Syrian capital. after my uncle left with the “A few days ago we couldn’t surrender in exchange for safe The evacuations from the group from Barzeh,” said Suad. be here. The road was too dan- passage to opposition-held Qabun district in northeast “I never thought one day I’d gerous,” said one soldier. territory elsewhere. Damascus follow similar de- be in this position,” she added, Others showed off a tunnel The government says the partures from the Barzeh and sobbing heavily. they had discovered, one of deals are the best way to end Tishrin neighbourhoods earlier “I can’t describe how I feel.” many that rebels used to con- the six-year war, but the oppo- this week. Those evacuating carried nect besieged neighbourhoods. sition says it is forced into the “The fi rst phase of the agree- small bags with them as they “This tunnel is ten metres agreements by regime bom- ment in the Qabun district has boarded the buses, while others deep, and connects Qabun with bardment and siege. been completed with the evacu- who had decided to stay regis- the town of Arbin” in rebel- Two groups of evacuees left ation of 2,289 people, including tered their names at a military held Eastern Ghouta, one sol- Barzeh neighbourhood this 1,058 armed men,” Damascus post. dier said. week, with one leaving from governor Beshr Assaban was The evacuation deal came on “It was used by militants to Tishrin. quoted as saying by the offi cial Saturday night after govern- smuggle weapons and food.” All three headed to Idlib SANA news agency. ment forces advanced inside He said another tunnel had province. He said the aim of the evacu- the neighbourhood. been discovered between the Damascus has been insu- ation was to “end the presence “The Syrian army yesterday Barzeh and Qabun neighbour- lated from some of the worst of armed forces in the neigh- managed to encircle dozens of hoods and destroyed on Sat- violence of Syria’s war, which bourhood”. An AFP correspond- armed elements inside Qabun urday. “It was the width of two has killed more than 320,000 ent inside Qabun saw around a neighbourhood, forcing them cars.” people since it began with anti- dozen white buses carrying out to surrender and hand over A lieutenant, who declined to government protests in March residents and fi ghters, after a their weapons,” a source from give his name, said the capture 2011. deal for the neighbourhood was the pro-regime National De- of Qabun had been months in But the government has announced late Saturday follow- fence Forces militia said. the making. made securing control of the ing heavy fi ghting. The signs of the recent fight- “This battle lasted for 15 days last remaining rebel districts in At the edge of the district, two ing, as well as years of prior but we have been planning it the capital a key priority. A still image taken from a video uploaded by the Syrian Army shows smoke rising from Qabun. Egyptian colonel killed Hunger and fear in in bomb attack on vehicle Tabqa after IS defeat

Reuters curity forces have been battling the tribe, the Tarabeen, which has been AFP Cairo local affiliate of Islamic State, which armed by the army, and killed 12 of Tabqa authorities say has killed hundreds them, according to security and trib- of members of the security forces. al sources. colonel in the Egyptian military The militants have also extend- Islamic State said yesterday a hen Dalal Ahmad heard that was killed and three recruits ed their campaign to other parts member of the group drove a mo- the fi ghters who expelled the Ainjured yesterday when their of Egypt, most recently attacking torcycle packed with explosives into WIslamic State group from the armoured vehicle was hit by an explo- churches in Cairo and other cities a gathering of the tribesmen and Syrian town of Tabqa were distributing sion in the Sinai peninsula, security with the loss of dozens of lives. detonated it, killing 15 and damaging food, she began to run, desperate for sources said. In a further escalation of the con- military equipment. any scraps. The attack in the northern Sinai flict in Sinai, militants last week No immediate comment was avail- After more than a month of heavy was the latest in an area where se- opened fire on members of a Sinai able from the army. fi ghting, and a siege that left the city in Raqqa province cut off from supplies, Ahmad and others like her in Tabqa are hungry, exhausted and afraid. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and other fi ght- A Syrian woman walks down a street in the town of Tabqa. ers, seized the town of Tabqa and the nearby dam on Wednesday after fi erce ing discarded sandwiches and plac- man Shakrushi. “There are flies and fi ghting. ing them in a box. “The situation in dirt everywhere, which is affecting The city has been ravaged by the the town is very difficult, particu- our health.” clashes, and trash and dead bodies larly because of the major food short- Abdel Rahman said hundreds of were visible on the streets 48 hours age caused by the fighting and the people were still missing in the town, after the SDF announced Tabqa’s severing of supply routes after the with the bodies of many people killed capture. town was surrounded by the SDF,” in air strikes still believed to be under So when one of her neighbours told said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of rubble. Ahmad that the SDF was distributing the Syrian Observatory for Human IS militants seized Tabqa in 2014, food in Tabqa’s central market, she Rights monitor. and the town was a key prize for the rushed over as fast as she could. On another street, residents wait- SDF as they press an operation to re- But on her arrival, she found the ed to fill bottles at a water tank, their capture the extremist group’s Syrian “distribution” was nothing more supply cut by the fighting for the bastion of Raqqa, 55 kilometres to the than a few SDF fighters sharing their nearby Tabqa dam. east. meals with local residents. Around them was evidence of the The SDF operation was backed by “We’re so fed up and disgusted fight for the town, including dam- heavy air strikes from the US-led with ourselves,” she said, her disap- aged buildings and the body of a sus- coalition, and civilians trapped in the pointment clear in her voice. pected IS fighter lying in the street. fighting were terrified. Some were “There’s no water to wash or to Uncollected rubbish sat in small able to escape, and made their way clean with. piles along the road, attracting clouds towards the SDF fighters, but oth- Everything has been cut off: water, of flies. In the market, shopkeepers ers like 20-year-old Muhannad Haj electricity, food,” she said. worked to clean the street in front of Omar moved around the town look- “We want humanitarian groups to their businesses. ing for safety. help us out before we die of hunger “There is a lot of illness spreading “We were going from place to and disease.” because of the bodies that are still place, from house to house. We didn’t Nearby, a woman combed through scattered about, which are starting to even know where we were any more,” the remains of an SDF meal, gather- smell,” said 40-year-old Abdel Rah- he said. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 13 AFRICA

CULTURAL FESTIVAL ‘REVENGE’ AMBUSH RELIGION POWER PLAY AU troops in Somalia Moroccan soldier injured Nigerian archbishop is ANC wants minister to accused of killing 20 in Central Africa attack elected LWF president reverse Eskom decision

A Somali regional legislator yesterday accused A Moroccan peacekeeper was injured early Nigerian archbishop Musa Panti Filipus was elected South Africa’s ruling African National Congress wants African Union (AU) troops of killing at least 20 yesterday in a fresh attack on a UN base in the president over the weekend of the Lutheran World the public enterprises minister to reverse her decision people in the centre of the country in revenge deeply troubled Central African Republic. UN Federation (LWF), an organisation representing the to re-appoint Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe for having been ambushed by the radical Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed majority of Lutheran churches. Filipus was elected five months after he was implicated in a report into Islamist group Shebaab. The killings took “outrage” and called on the authorities “to by the 12th assembly of the LWF meeting in the corruption allegations, two newspapers reported place in an area located between Halgan and investigate the attacks in order to swiftly bring Namibian capital, Windhoek. He became the 13th yesterday. Minister Lynne Brown has been summoned Beledweyne in Hir-Shabelle state on Saturday, those responsible to justice”. The overnight assault person and the second African to hold the off ice since to appear at the ANC’s headquarters today, where she said Abdirahman Mohamed Gure, a member of on the camp in the southeastern city of Bangassou, the LWF, which represents 145 churches with 74mn must defend Friday’s decision to re-appoint Molefe, People from midwest Nigeria perform the state’s parliament. Quoting local sources, which is near the Democratic Republic of Congo, members, was founded in 1947. “My dream would be which was heavily criticised by opposition parties during a carnival over the weekend in Lagos. Gure said Ethiopian AU troops were ambushed was staged by the mainly Christian anti-Balaka that the LWF remains a relevant and key international and unions. “The only moral thing we were expecting A carnival was held with captivating cultural by Shebaab. “The troops then rounded up and group, the UN mission in the country (MINUSCA) diaconal player in addressing human tragedy,” Filibus and we’re still expecting is to rescind and reverse displays, traditional costumes and folk music shot and killed several local nomadic people in said. “The MINUSCA base was targeted at night and said. He comes from north-eastern Nigeria, where that decision,” ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa told to showcase the state rich cultural tradition what seems an act of revenge,” he added. “We the soldiers returned fire,” a statement said. “One of many dioceses have had to suspend activities to the Sunday Times newspaper, the comments also at the event. cannot watch such unacceptable accidents.” them was wounded. His life is not in danger.” avoid attacks by the radical group Boko Haram. being carried in the City Press newspaper.

Nigerian economy Ivory Coast troops move eyes end of tunnel

AFP Lagos

uff ering from rampant infl ation, stalled investment to undo mutineers’ block and mass layoff s, Nigeria is still gripped by one of Sthe worst economic crises in its history. But for the Reuters fi rst time in months, the West African economic giant is Abidjan fi nally looking to exit its fi rst recession in decades. Last Thursday, parliament approved the government’s ambitious 7tn naira ($23bn) budget to “pull the economy oyalist soldiers were advanc- out of recession as quickly as possible”. The plan, bol- ing yesterday towards Ivory stered by improved output in oil production and a po- LCoast’s second-biggest city, tential $1bn World Bank loan, aims to kick-start growth Bouake, raising the prospect of through rail, ports and power projects. clashes with renegade troops who In January, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said have staged a three-day nation- it expected Nigerian growth to hit 0.8% for 2017 and 2.8% wide mutiny over bonus payments, in 2018. a witness and a military offi cer Others are more optimistic. “Growth of 2% (in 2017) said. is totally possible,” said Moody’s analyst Aurelien Mali At least fi ve protesters were shot at the ratings agency’s annual West Africa conference in and wounded in Bouake earlier in Lagos last week. the day when the renegade soldiers “Import fi gures suggest that after declining for two used gunfi re to break up a march years, domestic demand picked up at the turn of the year,” against their mutiny, as popular John Ashbourne, economist at Capital Economics, said in opposition to the revolt gathered a recent note. momentum. Ashbourne added that there were also encouraging So far the government has shied “signs of life in Nigeria’s non-oil sector”. away from confronting the muti- The new fi gures are far from the boom time in Nigeria, neers with force. which over the past decade had enjoyed average annual But a large military convoy ar- growth of 8%, according to Bloomberg. rived in the town of Tiebissou, “Compared to other oil powers, Nigeria didn’t prepare about 60km south of Bouake, yes- for rainy days,” said Douglas Rowlings, an analyst with terday afternoon, the witness told Moody’s. Reuters. Saving for a worldwide crash in commodity prices A soldier with the convoy, con- wasn’t under the control of President Muhammadu Bu- tacted by Reuters, said it was stop- hari, who only came into power in 2015. ping only for a short time before But his tough talk towards rebel groups in the Niger continuing to Bouake. Delta only served to deepen the recession, said emerging The uprising by the soldiers, market analysis fi rm BMI Research. most of them ex-rebel fi ghters who As a result of attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the fought to bring President Alassane oil-producing swamplands last year production fell to a Ouattara to power, began in Bouake low of 1.4mn barrels per day (bpd) and Nigeria’s growth on Friday before quickly spreading contracted to 1.5% in 2016. to other cities and towns, mirror- Ongoing talks with the rebels and money in the form of ing an uprising by the same group amnesty payments solved the problem. in January. It helped that junior oil minister Emmanuel Ibe “We know that the Special Kachikwu succeeded in securing an exemption for Ni- Forces, Republican Guard and gen- geria from a global agreement to reduce oil production. darmes are arriving here, but we’re Meanwhile, Buhari’s overseas medical trips have left waiting for them,” said Sergeant the more conciliatory and collegiate Vice-President Yemi Seydou Kone, a spokesman for the Osinbajo in charge of handling negotiations with the mutiny. rebels. After allowing traffi c to circulate Now production has once again risen over 2mn bpd, earlier in the day, the mutineers giving Nigeria access to foreign currency and supplying again closed off Bouake, which banks and businesses who were unable to pay suppliers sits on the main axis between the A supporter of the ruling party Rally of the Republicans holds a placard during a demonstration against the mutiny close to the military headquarters for much of 2016. commercial capital Abidjan — one in Abidjan. The placard reads: ‘Mutineers: it’s enough’. Structural reforms will be needed to improve the busi- of the region’s largest ports — and ness climate. But if, how and when legislators will loosen landlocked neighbours Mali and 5mn CFA francs ($8,371) each in or- But that decision was rejected by “The population rose up, but Another protest was also broken currency controls put in place by Buhari remains a ques- Burkina Faso. der to end the January revolt. some of the soldiers. the mutineers quickly dispersed up yesterday by the mutineers in tion, keeping investors at bay. Ivory Coast has emerged as But the government has strug- “We just want our money. We’ll the march with shots,” said Bouake the northern city of Korhogo, par- Then there is the issue of Buhari’s health. one of the world’s fastest growing gled to pay remaining bonuses of stay here until the president pays resident Simon Guede. “Every- ticipants said, though there were The president was away for almost two months at the economies following a decade- 7mn CFA francs, with a budget hit our money,” Kone said. thing is closed.” no immediate reports of casualties beginning of the year and left the country again last week long political crisis ended by a 2011 by the collapse in the price of co- The defence minister has vowed A witness saw fi ve people who there. for treatment of an undisclosed ailment. civil war. coa, Ivory Coast’s main export. not to negotiate with the renegade had been taken to the city’s main Similar rallies and marches were The 74 year old’s failing health “threatens to paralyse But deep divisions persist, par- On Thursday, following a meet- troops, however, and public anger hospital with bullet wounds fol- held in the western cocoa hub of Nigeria’s government”, Ashbourne said. ticularly in a military assembled ing with authorities in Abidjan, a at the mutineers is growing. lowing the aborted demonstra- Daloa and in Abidjan on Saturday. Compared to 2016, it won’t take much for Nigeria to from former rebel and loyalist spokesman for the group said they The soldiers used gunfi re to break tion. Three people were shot and rebound. How much it grows depends on the price of oil, combatants. would drop demands for the re- up a march against the mutiny in Other protesters, who had been wounded by the mutineers on Sat- which the country depends on for the bulk of its foreign The 8,400 mutineers received maining money. Bouake’s city centre yesterday. beaten, were also being treated. urday. exchange. Ethiopian honey farmers struggle with sticky traditions

By Chris Stein, AFP Apiculture Board, an umbrella The outside world is waking “I’m not able to sell as much Zaena, Ethiopia group for the honey industry. up to the qualities of Ethiopian as I can because the price is not Equipped with the right mod- honey, too. competitive, especially here ern techniques, honey produc- In 2008, the European Union from Tigray,” said Daniel Ge- he beehives of Ethiopia, tion has the potential to pull offi cially gave the green light to bremeskel, managing director of Africa’s top honey pro- thousands of poor farmers out of imports of Ethiopian honey. Comel, a honey processing and Tducer, make about a quar- poverty, experts say. However, nearly a decade later, export company based in Mekele. ter of the continent’s honey, but Alem Abraha is one such farm- the country is still only export- “We are not making as much as travellers who come to sample er. ing at the most 800 tonnes of the we expect. We are working at low the liquid gold often fi nd there He was previously living from 50,000 tonnes it produces annu- capacity because of supply prob- isn’t enough to go around. hand to mouth as a subsistence ally. lems,” Gebremskel said. In a country where 85% of all farmer, but took up beekeeping Alem Abraha says he travels There is also a grey market for jobs are in agriculture, industry full time about 10 years ago. regularly to Italy to show off his Ethiopian honey, with people experts say the beekeeping — or “My life has been completely wares and honey merchants in smuggling it across the border apiculture — sector is still a long changed,” he says, as bees circle Tigray say they are noticing more to Sudan or in their luggage in way from harvesting its full po- his head in the village of Zaena, and more interest from buyers Mekele’s airport to avoid paying tential, hampered by outdated, situated in Ethiopia’s northern- from Ethiopia and beyond. export taxes, said Greiling of the low-yield techniques, periodic most region of Tigray. “Tigray’s honey has a lot of Ethiopian Apiculture Board. droughts and uncompetitive It is on Tigray’s high-altitude customers all over Ethiopia,” said The regional government, prices. mountain slopes that the yellow Haile Gebru, who sells honey alarmed at the lost export tax Honey traditionally plays a big Adey Abeba fl ower grows, a key from a shopping mall in Tigray’s revenues, is seeking to curb the role in Ethiopian life — where component in making the unique capital of Mekele. “But produc- undercover trade by introducing its delicious white, red and yel- white honey that is one of Ethio- tion is low.” limits on the amount of honey low varieties are used in cooking, pa’s most prized exports. The low yields of Ethiopian that can be taken in checked bag- for medicinal purposes and as a “If you train farmers to have beehives, along with periodic gage. key ingredient in the local mead modern training like I’m doing droughts that can disrupt sup- Despite the challenges fac- known as tej. here, that would transform pro- plies of water to colonies and ing Ethiopia’s apiculture sec- The problem is that the major- duction,” Alem says. shrivel trees that insects need for tor, Gebremeskel is undeterred ity of farmers use outdated styles Tesfamariam Assefa, a coordi- pollen, have caused honey short- and is currently remodelling his of beehives that are stored in nator at the Tigray regional agri- ages. processing facility and seeking trees or clay jars. culture bureau, said the govern- These shortfalls drive up pric- to woo buyers abroad, some of And these do not produce as ment aimed to boost the region’s es to as much as 450 birr ($20) whom frequently mistake the much honey as modern wooden honey exports from 50% to 80% per kilogramme, eff ectively pric- white honey for cream. boxes, says Juergen Greiling, a of output by teaching farmers ing honey exports to Asia and “We’re getting more demand Honey farmer Alem Abreha smokes a beehive on his honey farm outside Wukro in the Tigray region senior adviser at the Ethiopian better beekeeping techniques. Europe out of the market. than before,” Gebremeskel says. of northern Ethiopia. Gulf Times 14 Monday, May 15, 2017 AMERICA Tennessee Mother’s Day community colleges free for adults

Reuters ter spent on only the neediest Tennessee students. Tennessee’s new programme will pay leftover tuition costs ennessee will become after accounting for federal and the fi rst state in the state grants, and scholarships. Tcountry to off er free Tuition averages about community college to all adults $4,000 a year at the state’s 13 without a degree under a community colleges. measure Republican Governor The state’s share of the esti- Bill Haslam is likely to quickly mated $11.2mn annual cost will sign into law, a spokesman said be funded by lottery proceeds, Friday. according to the Tennessee The legislation will expand Higher Education Commission. on a previous law passed in Tennessee offi cials say the 2014, when Tennessee began 2014 “Tennessee Promise” off ering recent high-school programme has helped 33,081 graduates two years of tuition- students enroll at community free community or technical colleges, fuelling a 30% in- college. crease in full time students. “If we want to have jobs About 63% re-enrolled the ready for Tennesseans, we following year, according to Children play with a bubble on Mother’s Day in Central Park, New York City. have to make sure that Ten- state fi gures. nesseans are ready for jobs and The expanded “Tennessee there is no smarter investment Reconnect” measure is meant than increasing access to high- to help meet a state goal of quality education,” Haslam, raising the percentage of resi- who championed the measure, dents with postsecondary de- said in a statement celebrating grees to 55% by 2025 from 39% its passage on Tuesday. last year. The idea of tuition-free col- Studies show that people lege has gained traction across with degrees earn higher in- the United States in recent comes over time and are less Democrats maintain years. Oregon and Minnesota likely to face unemployment. have free community college To participate in Tennessee’s programmes for recent gradu- expanded adult programme, ates. In February, San Fran- students must have been a cisco said it would do the same. state resident for at least a New York lawmakers in April year, not already have a degree, approved making tuition free maintain a 2.0 GPA, enroll in pressure on Trump at state schools for families enough classes to be a part- making less than $125,000 by time student and complete a 2019. federal student aid application. President Barack Obama in An estimated 20,000 are ex- 2015 proposed a $60bn plan pected to enroll in the fi rst year, based on Tennessee’s 2014 law. said Mike Krause, executive di- Some critics argued govern- rector of the Tennessee Higher over Comey’s fi ring ment resources would be bet- Education Commission. Democrats want an investigation into of the doubt, saying that “as far as I’m the existence of any tapes aware, he is fully co-operating and he is willing and eager to see this investigation” AFP through. Washington Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Fifth auto auction said that the Judiciary Committee, of which he is also a member, needs Comey emocrats kept up the pressure on to appear before it to “clear the air”. crash victim dies Donald Trump yesterday over his “You can’t be cute about tapes,” he told Dfi ring of FBI director James Comey, NBC. “If there’s tapes of this conversa- as members of both parties said the presi- tion, they need to be turned over.” Trump’s Reuters family and friends,” said Ryan, dent must turn over any secret recordings tweet, he added, was “inappropriate”. Massachusetts whose offi ce is investigating of the two men’s conversations. Graham said he was “1,000 percent” the collision. Two women and Trump tweeted Friday that “James sure that Russia had attempted to interfere a man died on the day of the Comey better hope that there are no with the election and he wanted Moscow fi fth person has died crash and 10 people were in- ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he to be “punished.” But while he had no evi- from his injuries fol- jured. Elliott Rowlands Jr, 50, starts leaking to the press!” dence of Russian collusion with the Trump Alowing a crash at a Mas- died on Wednesday, and was White House spokespeople later refused team, “the president needs to back off and sachusetts auto auction earlier the fourth fatality, Ryan said. to say whether the president’s conversa- let the investigation go forward.” this month, when a SUV be- The district attorney’s offi ce tions were in fact being secretly taped. James Clapper, the director of nation- ing readied for sale smashed is investigating why the 2006 But Democrats appearing on Sunday al intelligence under former president through a concrete wall and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which talk shows said the abrupt fi ring of the Barack Obama, was asked on CNN wheth- into a crowd of bidders. was being moved by an auction man leading an FBI inquiry into possible er he knew if Trump’s White House was in Ruben Espaillat, 55, died at employee, suddenly acceler- Russian meddling in the 2016 election and fact secretly recording conversations. a local hospital on Saturday, ated and ploughed through a the Russia links of several Trump associ- “I can’t say,” he said. But he expressed 10 days after the crash at the concrete wall into a warehouse ates amounted to obstruction of justice. deep concern about the events swirling Lynnway Auto Auction in Bill- where hundreds of bidders They called the president’s tweet a clear around the Russia inquiry. erica, about 35km northwest of gathered. A preliminary inves- attempt at intimidation. U.S President Donald Trump arrives from Andrew’s Air Force Base aboard Marine One “I think in many ways our institutions Boston, on May 3, Middlesex tigation indicated the incident If the current administration did make on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington. are under assault externally, and that’s County District Attorney Mar- at Lynnway was an accident, tapes, Senate Democratic leader Charles the big news here, is the Russian interfer- ian Ryan said in a statement. Ryan and the Massachusetts Schumer told CNN on Sunday, “the presi- ecute people for violations of law.” ing a Fox News interviewer that it is “prob- ence in our election system. And I think, “Our thoughts our with his State Police have said. dent should turn them over immediately, Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat ably inevitable” that any tapes would have as well, our institutions are under assault of course. To destroy them would be a vio- on the intelligence committee, said that as to be turned over. internally.” lation of law.” his panel continues to investigate the Rus- “If, in fact, there are such recordings, I “Internally from the president?” he was In a separate appearance on NBC, he sia matter, it wants to “make sure those think those recordings will be subpoenaed asked. argued that it is important for the Justice tapes, if they exist, are preserved”. and they will probably have to turn them “Exactly,” Clapper replied, adding that Department to appoint a special pros- Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most over,” said Lee, a member of the Judiciary the constitutional system of checks and Hostage-taker ecutor in the case because such a person conservative Republicans in the Senate, Committee. balances was “under assault and is erod- shot by police would have “the ability to actually pros- Mike Lee of Utah, supported that call, tell- However, Lee gave Trump the benefi t ing”.

Reuters an e-mail that police ended Chicago the standoff by fatally shoot- ing the male inmate at Delnor US govt settles Russian money Hospital, in the suburban city olice shot and killed a of Geneva, Illinois. county jail inmate re- Media reports had said ear- Pceiving treatment at a lier that no one was injured hospital near Chicago after he during the incident. laundering case for small sum grabbed his guard’s gun and The inmate held the em- took a female hospital employ- ployee in a room near the hos- ee hostage on Saturday, the pital’s emergency ward for Reuters Manhattan US Attorney Joon H Kim said bank accounts from Prevezon and related beating delivered by guards and medical sheriff ’s offi ce said. several hours, according to the Washington in a statement. companies prosecutors had claimed were neglect. Patrick Gengler, a spokes- Chicago Tribune. Kimberly The settlement comes after Prevezon used to launder money stolen by corrupt Russian authorities have said Magnitsky man for the Kane County Waterman, a hospital spokes- was hit with key setbacks last week: US Russian tax offi cials. death was caused by heart failure, not foul Sheriff ’s Department, said in woman, declined to comment. Russian-owned group of com- District Judge William Pauley denied a Under the settlement, none of the com- play. In 2012, at the urging of Magnitsky’s panies has agreed to pay nearly summary judgment motion by the defence panies admitted wrongdoing. The settle- former employer, Hermitage Capital CEO A $6mn to settle US civil allegations and granted a government motion to admit ment brings an end to a case that raised William Browder, Washington passed a Ex-guard convicted in jail death that the firms laundered proceeds of a evidence from a Russian criminal case. many of the elements of distrust between law freezing any US assets of Russian in- $230mn tax fraud, ending a politically In a statement Prevezon portrayed the Moscow and Washington, such as eco- vestigators and prosecutors said to have A former Kentucky jail guard was convicted of beating an inmate charged case days before it was set to go settlement as a victory, saying that the nomic sanctions and allegations of politi- been involved in the accountant’s deten- and leaving him lying with blood on his face, until another jail to trial. deal was struck without it admitting guilt cal corruption. tion. employee saw the victim and he was rushed to a hospital and Federal prosecutors in New York an- and that the payment represented less US authorities said the elaborate tax In retaliation, Moscow barred Ameri- pronounced dead, off icials said on Friday. A federal jury deliberated nounced late Friday the surprise settle- than 3% the amount initially sought by the fraud and money laundering allegations cans from adopting Russian children. for an hour and a half before returning the verdict late on Thursday ment between the US government and US government. were fi rst uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky, In the settlement agreement, prosecu- against William Howell, a former deputy jailer at Kentucky River Russian businessman Denis Katsyv, the “It’s almost an admission that they Russian accountant for investment fi rm tors stated that none of the defendants had Regional Jail in the town of Hazard, the US Department of Justice owner of Prevezon Holdings, as both sides shouldn’t have brought the case,” Katsyv’s Hermitage Capital. a role in the death of Magnitsky. said in a statement. The panel found Howell guilty of excessive were preparing to bring the three-year attorney, Faith Gay of Quinn Emanuel Ur- After accusing Russian offi cials of the Katsyv’s attorney Gay said the current force and of ignoring the inmate’s injuries and he faces a maximum case to trial next week. quhart & Sullivan LLP, told Reuters. “The $230mn tax fraud, he was arrested on tax controversy over allegations of Russian sentence of 10 years in prison for each criminal count when he is “We will not allow the US fi nancial sys- settlement is the amount it would have evasion charges and died in prison a year meddling in US elections had likely moti- sentenced on August 16 at a federal court in London, Kentucky. tem to be used to launder the proceeds of cost to try the case.” later, prosecutors said. vated both sides to settle before trial. “It’s Howell, 60, and another guard beat inmate Larry Trent, 54, on July crimes committed anywhere – here in the US authorities had sought to seize more The Kremlin’s human rights council such a heated political environment right 9, 2013, after he was booked on a charge of drunken driving. US, in Russia, or anywhere else,” Acting than $20mn in Manhattan condos and found that Magnitsky likely died from a now,” she said. “I’m sure that was a factor.” Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 15 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

FESTIVAL CRIME CONSERVATION TRANSPORT HEALTH 9 ‘drug smugglers’ killed in Indonesia rangers remove 1,000th China-European Bawling babies face off in Thai Golden Triangle traps to save wildlife freight train heads to Spain Japan’s ‘crying sumo’

A gunfight between Thai security forces and a In the depths of Indonesia’s dense Leuser rain A Sino-European freight train loaded with clothing More than 100 Japanese babies faced off band of Golden Triangle drug smugglers left nine forest, a group of rangers are searching for traps and small commodities chugged out of a station yesterday in a traditional “crying sumo” ring, an traff ickers dead, a senior off icial said yesterday, set by poachers which are endangering rare in east China’s Zhejiang province late on Saturday annual ceremony believed to bring infants good the latest clash sparked by the booming regional wildlife. Scientists and conservationists consider for Madrid. Departing from the manufacturing health. In the sumo ring at the precinct of the trade in narcotics. Narongsak Osotthanakorn, the Leuser Ecosystem, which falls mostly within city of Yiwu, it was the 1,000th freight train linking Kamegaike Hachimangu shrine in Sagamihara governor of northern Chiang Rai province, said Aceh province on Sumatra island, to be among the China and Europe this year, Xinhua news agency west of Tokyo, two hulking wrestlers held up the firefight broke out on Saturday evening 2km most important forests left in Southeast Asia. It is reported yesterday. From January 1 to May 13 this toddlers wearing tiny sumo belts and aprons inside Thailand from the border with Myanmar. the last place of suff icient size and quality to support year, the number of Sino-European freight trains to try to make them bawl. Wrestlers sometimes “Authorities told them to halt but they refused viable populations of rare species like orangutans, increased by 158%, compared with the same shake the babies gently to encourage tears. “My and started shooting. The two sides exchanged Sumatran tigers, rhinoceroses, elephants, clouded period last year, according to China Railway Corp. boy was crying from the very beginning and I Parishioners carry a portable shrine into the fire for about 10 minutes leaving nine smugglers leopards and sun bears. “The rangers are trained “Freight train services are safe, convenient and felt a little bad,” Tomoyo Watanabe, the mother Kanda Myojin Shrine during the Kanda festival, killed and the rest fled,” he told AFP. Some to track signs indicating that there were poachers environmentally friendly,” said Yang Xingqiang, of Zentaro, told AFP. “But as I watched my baby one of the three major Shinto festivals in Tokyo 700,000 methamphetamine tablets were found in the area,” said Rudi Putra, head of the local general manager of supply chain operator Geodis crying, I was praying for him to grow up healthy yesterday. alongside semi-automatic rifles, he added. conservation NGO forum Conservation Leuser. (China), one of the service’s major clients. and strong after this event.”

Jakarta warns N Korea fi res missile that of even more cyberattacks

Reuters lands in sea near Russia Jakarta

Reuters he Indonesian government said yes- Seoul terday the global cyberattack that Ttakes computer data hostage is likely to cause more havoc when offi ces reopen efying calls to rein in its weap- today for business. ons programme, North Korea A large hospital in Jakarta was struck by Dyesterday fi red a ballistic mis- the “ransomware” unleashed on Friday, but sile that landed in the sea near Russia, there has been no evidence so far to suggest days after a new leader in South Ko- that Indonesia was one of the worst-hit rea came to power pledging to engage countries. Pyongyang in dialogue. Communication and Information Min- The US military’s Pacifi c Com- ister Rudiantara urged companies to update mand said it was assessing the type of their security before connecting computers missile that was fi red but it was “not to local area networks when the week starts. consistent with an intercontinental “This is crucial for businesses when reo- ballistic missile”. pening on Monday, please beware and an- The US threat assessment has not ticipate, and take preventive steps against changed from a national security the WannaCry malware attack,” Rudiantara standpoint, a US offi cial said. told a news conference. Japanese Defence Minister Tom- Cyber extortionists tricked victims into omi Inada said the missile could be a opening malicious malware attachments to new type. spam emails. It fl ew for 30 minutes before drop- The ransomware encrypts data on com- ping into the sea between North Ko- puters, demanding payments of $300- rea’s east coast and Japan. $600 to restore access. North Korea has consistently test- The attack, which leverages hacking tools fi red missiles in that direction. believed to have been developed by the US A US offi cial, speaking on condi- National Security Agency, has infected tens tion of anonymity, said the missile of thousands of computers in nearly 100 landed 97km south of Russia’s Vladi- countries. vostok region. Globally, hospitals, companies, and uni- US Ambassador to the United Na- versities have been aff ected, with the most tions Nikki Haley called the launch disruptive attacks reported in Britain, a message by Pyongyang to South where hospitals and clinics were forced to Korea after the election of President turn away patients after losing access to Moon Jae-in. computers on Friday. “You fi rst have to get into Kim The Indonesian minister advised those Jong-un’s head — which is, he’s in hit by the malware against paying ransoms a state of paranoia, he’s incredibly to regain access to encrypted data, as there concerned about anything and every- was no guarantee the virus spreader would thing around him,” Haley told ABC’s South Koreans watch a news programme showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch at a railway station in Seoul yesterday. decrypt fi les. This Week programme, referring to On Saturday, an offi cial at his minis- North Korea’s leader. The missile fl ew 700km and Trump has vowed not to let that Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard The launch, at 5.27am Seoul time try said that at least two Jakarta hospitals, Haley added that the United States reached an altitude of more than happen. Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, came two weeks after North Korea Dharmais and Harapan Kita, were aff ected will “continue to tighten the screws,” 2,000km, according to offi cials in Experts said the altitude reached referring to the estimated altitude of fi red a missile that disintegrated min- by the attack. referring to sanctions and working South Korea and Japan, further and by the missile tested yesterday meant more than 2,000km. “It is defi nitely utes into fl ight, marking its fourth Harapan Kita later denied it had been af- with the international community to higher than an intermediate-range it was launched at a high trajectory, concerning.” consecutive failure since March. fected. put pressure on Pyongyang. missile North Korea successfully which would limit the lateral distance Speaking in Beijing, Dmitry Peskov, South Korea’s new president Moon In Dharmais, a nurse reported at 5am on The White House mentioned Rus- tested in February from the same re- it travelled. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s held his fi rst National Security Coun- Saturday that a computer unit was display- sia in its earlier statement about the gion of Kusong, northwest of its capi- But if it was fi red at a standard tra- spokesman, told reporters Putin and cil in response to the launch, which he ing a message demanding $300, according launch. “With the missile impacting tal, Pyongyang. jectory, it would have a range of at Chinese President Xi Jinping had dis- called a “clear violation” of UN Secu- to a hospital staff member, who only gave so close to Russian soil — in fact, closer An intercontinental ballistic mis- least 4,000km, experts said. cussed the situation on the Korean rity Council resolutions, his offi ce said. his name as Willy. to Russia than to Japan — the president sile is considered to have a range of Kim Dong-yub of Kyungnam Uni- peninsula, including the latest mis- “The president said while South An hour later, many more computers cannot imagine that Russia is pleased,” more than 6,000km. versity’s Institute of Far Eastern sile launch, and expressed “mutual Korea remains open to the possibil- were found to be infected and hospital staff the White House said, referring to US North Korea is widely believed to Studies in Seoul said he estimated a concerns” about growing tensions. ity of dialogue with North Korea, it is said that data was locked on about 400 President Donald Trump. be developing an intercontinental standard trajectory would give it a Putin is in Beijing for a conference only possible when the North shows units in all at the hospital. The launch served as a call for all missile tipped with a nuclear weapon range of 6,000km. on a plan for a new Silk Road. Delega- a change in attitude,” Yoon Young- The attack has not aff ected critical health nations to implement stronger sanc- that is capable of reaching the United “The launch may indeed represent tions from the United States, South chan, Moon’s press secretary, told a services but has caused bottlenecks in pa- tions against North Korea, it added. States. a new missile with a long range,” said Korea and North Korea are also there. briefi ng. tient admissions process, Willy said.

Australia puts own national Dragon boat race interest fi rst in Beijing meet

Reuters summit on the new Silk Road. Beijing “We see much merit in the Belt and Road Initiative, we see opportunities for collaboration, but we take decisions ustralia is receptive to exploring about initiatives in Australia on the basis commercial opportunities Chi- of what is Australia’s national interest.” Ana’s new Silk Road presents to the He added that infrastructure invest- country’s businesses, but any decisions ment across the region required “a level would remain incumbent on national in- playing fi eld based on market principles terest, Australian Trade Minister Steven and adherence to international best prac- Ciobo said yesterday. tice in fi nancing.” Unlike New Zealand, which has signed Paul Goldsmith, New Zealand minister a memorandum of understanding on for science and innovation and his coun- cooperation, Australia and other major try’s representative, told Reuters that Western economies have so far resisted New Zealand was keen to be involved in overtures from Beijing to formally sign the new Silk Road. up to what is offi cially called the Belt and “From our perspective, we’re here pri- Road initiative. marily to listen, to learn, to get a good un- The plan is Chinese President Xi Jin- derstanding and to put up our hand and ping’s signature foreign and economic say New Zealand wants to be part of the policy espousing billions of dollars of discussion,” Goldsmith said. infrastructure investment linking Asia, China and Australia have close eco- Europe, Africa and beyond. nomic ties, but Beijing is suspicious of Australia’s reluctance to commit stems Canberra’s close military relationship at least in part from reservations against with Washington. linking, at Beijing’s request, an exten- On Friday, Australia’s most senior de- sive Northern Australia infrastructure fence department offi cial said China is development plan directly with China’s conducting extensive espionage against Silk Road, sources with knowledge of the Australia. matter have previously told Reuters. Some Western diplomats have ex- Ciobo said there were a lot of oppor- pressed unease about both the summit tunities for Australian businesses to be and the plan as a whole, seeing it as an at- involved in China’s new initiatives. tempt to push Chinese infl uence globally “Although the Northern Australia ini- and worried about a lack of transparency tiative is separate to the Belt and Road in the Belt and Road projects. Initiative, there are clearly complemen- Opening the summit yesterday, Xi Competitors prepare to take part in dragon boat races in Hong Kong yesterday, part of a multi-million dollar programme of events organised to celebrate taries there,” he told reporters in Beijing, pledged $124bn in funding toward the Hong Kong’s 20th handover anniversary from Britain to China, which falls on July 1. where he is representing Australia at a initiative. Gulf Times 16 Monday, May 15, 2017 BRITAIN Call for action on pledge to let more chefs into Britain

London Evening Standard by politicians that quitting the not bring in the “talents and the Johnson, as well as Michael Gove, They have actually used us to win restaurateurs voted Out on the don’t think they have delivered yet London EU would allow more workers in skills” from other parts of the has come to nothing. the referendum.” 23rd. but I believe they will.” He wants a from South Asia to address staff world to support the economy. Celebrity chef Oli Khan, sen- On Patel’s “save our curry But Bajloor Rashid, president three-year visa scheme for chefs as shortages. Just weeks before the “By voting to leave we can take ior vice-president of the Bang- houses” pledge, he added: “That of the UK-Bangladesh Catalysts soon as possible. The government wo Cabinet ministers were referendum vote last year, now- back control of our immigration ladesh Caterers Association is what she promised. I believe of Commerce and Industry, said: can only start to limit EU migration under fi re over the Leave International Development Sec- policies, save our curry houses (BCA), which represents 12,000 it’s a false promise. Where is she “ Patel and other people said we once Britain splits from the Euro- Tpledge to allow more chefs retary Priti Patel launched an ap- and join the rest of the world,” restaurants and takeaways in the now? She is not giving us any would have people to work in the pean Union. But its failure to meet and waiters into Britain if the peal for voters to support Brexit, she added. UK, said: “It’s still early days but back-up. Where are Boris and the restaurants. They did not honour the curry industry’s demands has country backed Brexit. saying it would help “save our But almost a year on, curry nothing is happening. We are other Leave leaders?” it. We feel very let down.” echoes of Leave chiefs backtrack- Curry house bosses told how curry houses”. She argued that bosses now feel the promise by very worried that they have given Hundreds of restaurants across Enam Ali, founder of the British ing so brazenly over their promise they felt “used”, “let down” and “uncontrolled” immigration the Leave campaign headed by us a false hope. We feel really be- Britain took part in a “Save Our Curry Awards and owner of Le Raj to boost NHS spending by £350mn may have been given “false hope” from the EU meant the UK could now-Foreign Secretary Boris trayed by the Leave campaigners. Curry Day” last June and many restaurant near Epsom, added: “I a week by Brexit.

Stunning Scotland Police probe fi rm over ex-Nigerian warlord deal

Guardian News and Media appeared to be moribund. The London fi rm could not be reached for comment. The Norwegian authorities are nti-corruption investi- prosecuting a civil servant, Bjorn gators in four countries Stavrum, over allegations that Aare examining a British he was paid $154,000 by Cas- firm’s links to a multimillion- Global to help secure the sale of pound defence deal involving a the naval vessels. Stavrum de- former Nigerian warlord. nies the claims. Investigators in the UK, the According to the indictment, US, Nigeria, and Norway are Stavrum, who was responsible scrutinising Cas-Global after it for the sale, was paid the money was alleged that the fi rm paid a directly into his bank account in bribe to a Norwegian offi cial as two instalments in 2013. part of the sale of seven decom- “The payments were im- The Forth Bridge dominates the background as the Flying Scotsman steam train travels through the Fife countryside, during a tourist trip to the Scottish region and a visit missioned naval vessels. proper, among other things be- to Edinburgh, Scotland, yesterday. The case has not yet been re- cause of Stavrum’s position, the solved but is set to take a sig- amounts involved, and because nifi cant turn tomorrow when they were kept hidden from his the verdict in the fi rst court case employer,” the indictment al- arising out of the allegations is leges. due to be announced in Oslo. Prosecutors allege that the In the UK, Cas-Global has payments were designed to dis- been the subject of an investi- guise how the vessels were be- gation since 2014 by the City of ing sold to a former Nigerian London police’s specialist anti- warlord – a purchase that would corruption unit. have needed an export licence Independent Scotland may The investigation is part of an from the Nordic authorities. eff ort by the UK to improve its The City of London police said record on prosecuting compa- its detectives “continue to ac- nies who are said to pay bribes tively investigate the suspected to foreign offi cials and politi- bribery of a Norwegian public cians to land contracts overseas. offi cial in connection with the not rejoin EU: Sturgeon For many years, the UK has been purchase of ex-naval vessels castigated for failing to pros- from 2012 onwards. The joint in- Guardian News and Media reentry to the EU after independ- before Brexit takes place. seeking EU membership later, face vehement opposition from ecute fi rms for this type of cor- vestigation with the Norwegian London ence after all, confi rming specu- Asked by Andrew Marr on Sturgeon replied: “Well, it may the vocal Scottish fi shing indus- ruption. authorities has led to the arrest lation she could instead propose BBC1 on Sunday whether joining be by necessity but we don’t want try, which opposes rejoining the In a report to be published of four men.” Scotland takes the “Norway op- Efta would be an acceptable com- that. We have to set that out at the common fi sheries policy (CFP). yesterday, campaigners from The City of London police icola Sturgeon has said tion” by joining the Efta free trade promise, Sturgeon said a “phased time because there are still some In a clear hint she is leaving her the UK anti-bribery group, Cor- added its detectives “are also Scotland may not rejoin area instead. approach” to rejoining the EU uncertainties, many uncertain- options open on EU member- ruption Watch, also criticise the liaising with the American and Nthe European Union if Sturgeon also indicated that may be needed. ties, around the Brexit process.” ship, she has repeatedly stressed British government for failing to Nigerian authorities in respect she wins a second independence even if she chose to recommend “My position is I want Scotland Despite implying a delay in EU that her main goal is to rejoin the spot what they believe are signs of enquiries connected to fi nan- referendum but could instead Scotland immediately seeks to be in the EU. Now we have to membership could be forced on single market. That would be of potential corruption when cial transfers”. apply to join the European free membership of the EU, it could set out if we’re in an independ- her by the terms of the UK’s Brex- achieved if Scotland joined Efta Cas-Global was given an export The export of the vessels has trade area. Even though most be forced to reapply from scratch ence referendum, and we’re not it deal, Sturgeon’s problems with instead, allowing Scotland to also licence in the deal – claims re- been investigated by Corrup- Scottish voters oppose a referen- after independence and after the in that right now, the process for her Europe strategy are chiefl y remain outside the CFP. jected by ministers. tion Watch which has used the dum before Brexit, the fi rst min- UK leaves the EU. regaining or retaining, depending domestic. The European com- Sturgeon has tried to downplay The nature of Cas-Global’s freedom of information act to ister has insisted another vote on In her reference to Scotland where we are in the Brexit proc- mission has also made clear Scot- the referendum question during business is not apparent from obtain documents about the independence is needed because “regaining” membership, Stur- ess, EU membership. land can only apply to join once the general election campaign, its accounts fi led at Compa- case. The campaigners say that Scotland has been taken out of the geon confi rmed previous hints “Now it may be that we have a it is independent. About a third insisting that last year’s victory nies House since it was set up in the case demonstrates the need EU “against its will” after 62% of she accepts she may have to re- phased approach to that by ne- of SNP supporters voted to leave in the Holyrood elections gave 2008. Last month, Companies to strengthen anti-corruption Scots voted to remain. treat from her preferred timescale cessity.” the EU last June, and some would her party the mandate she needs House declared that it was in- measures when export licences Sturgeon has now indicated of staging a referendum between Asked by Marr to confi rm that oppose independence if it meant to call for a second independence tending to dissolve the fi rm as it are being awarded. she may not seek immediate autumn 2018 and spring 2019, meant joining Efta fi rst and then rejoining. Sturgeon would also vote.

Ukip chief admits poll Britain is gearing up victory prospects slim for EU rows: minister Agencies sisted it did not mean the party London was spent as a political force. “This is a unique election, and Reuters rights, the border between to argue against allowing the I said I would talk to our branch- London Northern Ireland and the Re- European Court of Justice to he Ukip have unveiled es, that there wouldn’t be a top- public of Ireland and a fi nancial oversee the rights of EU citizens their campaign battle bus down decision as to where we settlement before starting dis- living in Britain after the coun- Tin Lincolnshire, as party would and we wouldn’t stand,” he government is gear- cussions on a future relation- try left the bloc. leader Paul Nuttall defended the said the Ukip leader. ing up for rows with the ship, Davis said the sequencing “There will be arguments decision to fi eld far fewer candi- “We want to get as many Brex- TEU over the structure of was “illogical”. over fi ne detail...like whether dates than in previous elections. it MPs into the House of Com- divorce talks and the future role the European Court of Jus- Nuttall is standing as a can- mons as possible... Many of our of the European court, fuelling “There will be arguments tice oversees these rights after didate in the Boston and Skeg- branches see this as a second run an increasingly bitter war of over fi ne detail...like we’ve left,” Davis said. “We’ll ness constituency and plans of the referendum, and what we words before negotiations be- whether the European have an argument about that... to use the purple bus plastered want to ensure is that we get the gin. Court of Justice oversees The simple truth is that we are with the party’s key election kind of Brexit that we voted for David Davis, Brexit minis- these rights aft er we’ve leaving, we are going to be out- pledges as he campaigns in the on June 23rd,” he added. ter in Prime Minister Theresa left ” side the reach of the European area. In 2015 Ukip came second in May’s government, described court.” But, speaking in Boston town Boston and Skegness, increasing the EU’s position on the talks’ “How on earth do you re- Davis again said that leaked centre, he acknowledged his its vote share by nearly 25% and format as “illogical” and said he solve the issue of the border details of an encounter dubbed chances of winning the seat were receiving 4,336 votes fewer than took “slight off ence” to sugges- with Northern Ireland and the the “disastrous dinner” be- slim. “Well I’m certainly not the the Conservative candidate. tions that European courts were Republic of Ireland unless you tween May and EU offi cials was favourite, let’s be clear about The area is seen as the most better than those in Britain. know what our general borders “designed to be as disruptive as that,” he said. pro-Brexit part of the UK - with The atmosphere between policy is, what the customs it could be” — echoing May’s “However, this is the most more than 75% of people voting London and Brussels has soured agreement is, what the free comments that she has used to eurosceptic constituency in the to leave in the referendum. in recent weeks as battle lines trade agreement is, whether bolster her calls in an election country, I’m the leader of the Ukip are seeking to exploit are drawn before the complex you need to charge tariff s at campaign to say only she can most eurosceptic party, so if you the fact Matt Warman, the negotiations for Britain to leave the border or not?” he asked on win a good deal with Brussels. really want to back the Brexit Conservative who is defending the European Union are due to ITV. “The raw truth is that we candidate, you go out and vote the seat, campaigned to remain start next month, a year after “You can’t decide one with- want to see the whole deal to- Ukip.” in the EU, claiming he is out of June’s referendum vote to quit. out the other, it’s wholly illogi- gether,” he said. “They love Ukip will only field candi- touch with the constituency. Asked about the EU’s stance cal... That will be the row of the saying ‘nothing is agreed until dates in 377 seats nationally However, Warman said he that the two sides should fi rst summer.” everything is agreed’ and that is in this election, around 40% was confident voters would not make progress on citizens’ He also said Britain was ready our view on this.” David Davis: EU’s position on the talks’ format “illogical”. down on 2015, but Nuttall in- see it as a reason to vote Ukip. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 17 BRITAIN Group to fi ght law over surrender of passwords at border control

Guardian News and Media Cage, which campaigns on is- at least 20 times over the past dec- and he was allowed to go. posals by the Trump administra- over passwords is inappropriate,” nalist Glenn Greenwald, who London sues such as torture, discrimina- ade when entering the UK, under But there was a new twist this tion to require travellers to the US Killock said. mounted a successful court chal- tion and wrongful imprisonment, schedule 7 of terrorism legislation time: when he refused to reveal his to hand over social media account The police should have a spe- lenge last year after being held at is planning to fi ght the issue as a that provides broad search pow- passwords, he was arrested under passwords as a condition of entry. cifi c reason to acquire a password. Heathrow under the same terror- he human rights group surveillance versus privacy test ers, but this was the fi rst time he schedule 7 provisions of the ter- The FlyDontSpy campaign is “Investigations should take ist legislation in 2013 in the wake Cage is preparing to case. had been arrested. rorism act and held overnight at backed by a host of groups, includ- place when there is actual suspi- of the Edward Snowden whistle- Tmount a legal challenge The move comes after its inter- Rabbani said he had co-oper- Heathrow Polar Park police sta- ing the American Civil Liberties cion, and the police should be able blowing story. to UK anti-terrorism legislation national director, Mohamed Rab- ated as usual and handed over his tion before being released on bail. Union and Amnesty International. to justify their actions on that ba- Rabbani, who said he is pre- over a refusal to hand over mobile bani, a UK citizen, was arrested at laptop and mobile phone. He expects to be charged on Jim Killock, executive direc- sis, rather than using wide-rang- pared to go to jail, said: “Forcing and laptop passwords to border Heathrow airport in November On previous occasions, when Wednesday. tor of the UK-based Open Rights ing powers designed for border someone to hand over their pass- control offi cials at air terminals, for refusing to hand over pass- asked for his passwords, Rabbani The case comes against the Group, expressed sympathy for searches,” Killock said. words is like a digital strip-search. ports and international rail sta- words. said he had refused and eventually backdrop of a campaign gathering Rabbani. “Using general terrorism The issue raises parallels with It is more pervasive than a physi- tions. Rabbani, 35, has been detained his devices were returned to him momentum in the US against pro- powers to compel people to hand David Miranda, partner of jour- cal strip-search.”

Nurses Victoria Baths come back to life to stage Police ‘in protests over poor pay rises business

Agencies London of murder urses will stage a summer of protests across the UK Nover seven years of poor pay rises they say spell disaster for the NHS. The Royal College of Nursing has warned that unless the next suppression’ government drops the 1% cap on pay it will hold a ballot on indus- London Evening Standard to do something about this issue. cational measures delivered at trial action later this year, threat- London We have had massive amounts of schools — the fi rst visits by com- ening the fi rst ever strikes by its contact with communities. The munity offi cers start when chil- members. public are giving us a much clearer dren are fi ve — and it is encourag- Members yesterday voted in senior detective fi ght- picture of where cops should be ing role models to engage young a consultative ballot by nine out ing knife crime in London operating from a geographical men with an anti-violence mes- of 10 to support action short of a Awarned police are engaged perspective and also, crucially, in- sage. strike, while almost four out of fi ve in the “business of murder sup- dividuals that we should be work- Gallagher said interviews with backed strikes. pression” as they battle to contain ing against.” young people had also revealed Another ballot would have to be the rise in the number of stab- He said offi cers had seized a there is a need for more black role held before any action takes place. bings. record 300 knives in seven days of models in society, in particular in If nurses did vote to walk out it Detective chief superintendent action last week, partly as a result politics and policing. would see patients facing another Michael Gallagher said the knife of people telling them where to The violence has led to calls year of NHS industrial action dis- crime issue had become broader look. for more police action, including ruption following last year’s junior than simply gangs and postcodes, Sceptre is being expanded, with from families of victims who have doctors’ strikes. saying that in some cases: “We are operations being run by borough- urged the Met to increase stop- The RCN says nurses have suf- talking about almost random as- based offi cers instead of the Tri- and-search activity. fered a 14% real terms pay cut saults.” dent gangs command. In response, the Met has since 2010 because of the govern- He added: “We are in the busi- The change has been prompt- launched a full-time 100-strong ment cap on public sector pay. ness of murder suppression, pro- ed by statistics that show only taskforce to tackle outbreaks of RCN general secretary Janet tecting young people and pre- a quarter of knife carriers are violence across the city, and now Davies said low pay has had a dis- venting them from killing each now linked to gangs. Police be- runs week-long blitzes against astrous eff ect on the NHS and was other.” lieve more young people are knife crime each month, instead responsible for tens of thousands However, he spoke of a new now carrying knives for diff er- of just twice a year. of nursing posts going unfi lled. “mobilisation” of Londoners and ing reasons, including status, Gallagher said: “We are up- Jon Skewes, director of policy communities shocked by the lat- criminality and increasingly for ping the tempo because the public at the Royal College of Midwives, est round of 11 knife murders in self-protection. wants us to.” The tactics will con- whose members went on strike in less than a fortnight — with more There is also growing aware- tinue “until we absolutely turn the 2014 for the fi rst time in its history, people coming forward to tell po- ness of how the nature of the tide”. said: “We want to use the oppor- lice about what was happening threat changes in diff erent areas. Activities include weapon tunity of the general election to in- and who was carrying blades. In Croydon knife attacks are of- sweeps to fi nd blades hidden by fl uence the government to address Gallagher, head of the Opera- ten linked to teenagers gathering gangs, and focusing on those the staffi ng crisis in the NHS and tion Sceptre knife crime taskforce, at transport hubs at the end of known to be habitual knife car- work to retain existing NHS staff spoke to the Standard after the the school day — but in Lambeth riers. A cohort of suspects — in the service. two-week spate of murders and a more assaults are linked to the thought to number several hun- “We want the government to 24% rise in knife off ences in Lon- night-time economy and off end- dred — are targeted with the show all NHS staff they are val- don last year. ers are older. “Achilles Heel” or “Al Capone” ued by allowing the NHS Pay Among the victims was Ma- Senior offi cers have held talks approach — looking for any way Review Body to make an unfet- hamed Hassan, 17, killed by with offi cials from YouTube and possible to prosecute them. tered recommendation on NHS masked youths as he cycled home Google about gangs taunting “It is about fi nding their weak pay. Investment in NHS staff is from a party in Battersea, and El- each other in videos on social spot and exploiting it,” said Gal- an investment in high quality, safe ijah Dornelly, 17, stabbed to death media, though police accept this lagher. “That could be for road care.” in Walthamstow after attending is an international issue. Police traffi c off ences, an outstanding Four in fi ve of the 50,000 RCN an anti-knife crime rally. are also collecting data on how warrant, anything at all.” members asked voted in favour of Gallagher said: “It is absolutely young people’s behaviour is af- The disruptive tactics are also strikes and the union will discuss tragic what is going on here. But I fected by issues such as fam- intended to make suspects toxic to the next move at its annual confer- People swim for the first time in over 20 years inside the partially restored historic Victoria am also encouraged — I think we ily break-ups, mental health and be associated with, so other gang ence in Liverpool later. Baths in Manchester yesterday. are at a point where Londoners drug-taking. members or criminals will shun are feeling we have got to mobilise The Met is engaged in edu- them. Graduate in £400mn deal Cavalry Sunday Fruit shortage feared ‘spurned huge inheritance’ due to April cold snap Guardian News and Media sets, which is the point when it London becomes clear how much fruit London Evening Standard father Harpinder Singh Narula — underpin Improbable in a barn has stayed on the trees. However, London known as India’s ‘Mr Construc- on the estate. I think there is enough evidence tion’. He said: “We drew in a huge old weather in April could there will be less English fruit Narula told Forbes magazine: pool of talent from old class- lead to a shortage of Brit- this year.” he London tech entrepre- “It was a bit of a shock. Indian mates and college friends. For Cish apples, pears and The driest winter period in 20 neur who has landed the families are tightly knit. You get all of us games and virtual reality plums, farmers have warned. years is also causing problems Tbiggest ever funding deal dispossessed if you don’t con- had always been a fascination.” Alison Capper, chairman for arable and livestock farm- for a British start-up turned his tribute.” They spent £20,000 of their own of the National Farmers’ Un- ers. Growers in the Stour Marsh back on a safe career in his fa- The decision meant he had money before Narula borrowed ion horticulture board, said she and Romney areas of Kent have ther’s successful construction given up an inheritance that just over £1mn from friends and feared her own apple harvest, started irrigating their crops six business and a huge potential in- could have been worth hundreds family. The business that grew which includes varieties such as weeks earlier than usual, while a heritance. of millions of dollars. from the barn now employs 180 Gala, Braeburn and Red Windsor shortage of grass could push up Cambridge graduate Herman and has attracted talent from apples, could drop by 70-80% as animal feed costs. Narula, 29, who grew up in High “We drew in a huge pool of Silicon Valley. a result of the cold snap. Decent rains in May and June Barnet, signed a £400mn capital talent from old classmates It has developed an operating English winemakers have al- could put many crops back on injection with Japan’s SoftBank and college friends. For system called SpatialOS that al- ready reported “catastrophic” track but the NFU says fi elds that will value his pioneering all of us games and virtual lows interaction on a huge scale crop damage after the worst planted with spring barley, virtual reality business Improb- reality had always been a in a virtual reality world. frost in a generation wiped out wheat and sugar beet are strug- able at more than $1bn. fascination” Narula has described his am- at least half of this year’s grape gling to develop, which could Narula founded the Far- bition as creating the “Google harvest. lead to lower yields. ringdon-based company with a He was born in Delhi but grew of simulation” and has said the Capper, who grows apples and Capper said last month’s Liverpudlian friend from Cam- up at the Grade II-listed Hyver technology would allow a gamer hops in Worcestershire, said fruit plummeting temperatures bridge, Rob Whitehead, after Hall, on the fringes of the Hert- to have “a Call of Duty experi- farmers were playing a waiting would not only aff ect the size of leaving university. But he was fordshire countryside, and went ence with an entire army”. game after last month’s Arctic fruit growers’ harvests but that originally destined to follow his to Haberdashers’ Aske’s school, The fi rst external investor blast damaged fruit blossom at a homegrown apples and pears two brothers into family empire where he was a talented fencer. in the business, David Rowan, crucial stage of development. would look less perfect as frost DS Constructions. He taught himself to write code founding editor of the UK edition “There’s damage to both top can cause skin damage, an eff ect In 2012, just months be- at 12. of tech magazine Wired, said he and stone fruit, which includes called russeting. fore he was due to graduate in Narula met Whitehead just backed Narula as it seemed “he Cavalrymen take part in the Combined Cavalry Old apples, pears, plums and cher- “We will need our retailers computer science from Girton weeks before they were due to had something to prove” after Comrades Association 93rd annual parade and service in ries,” she said. and customers to be less fussy College, Narula dropped the graduate and they began work- refusing to join his father’s busi- Hyde Park in London yesterday. “But it’s diffi cult to know what this year if they want beautiful- bombshell with his billionaire ing on the software that would ness. this means until we see the fruit tasting English apples,” she said. Gulf Times 18 Monday, May 15, 2017 EUROPE Portugal hails Eurovision win

AFP written in Portuguese this contestants had made Sobral, a and bring music back,” Sobral to win because he was simply Lisbon evening at Eurovision. Bravo Sal- fan of trumpeter Chet Baker, a added. “too good”. vador! Bravo Portugal,” Prime long shot to win. Thrust to fame in 2009 with The Portuguese press ampli- Minister Antonio Costa tweeted. Sobral’s heart condition means the Portuguese television show fi ed the singer’s victory in his ortugal heaped praise yes- The singer stirred the profes- he cannot go anywhere for more Idolos, the country’s equivalent country, which has never man- terday on the country’s sional judges and the public in than two weeks without his med- of American Idol, Sobral strug- aged to improve on its 1996 sixth Pfi rst Eurovision song con- the 60-year-old contest with a icine, and he did not attend ear- gled with the sudden media ex- place ranking. test victor Salvador Sobral, who melancholic rendering of Amar lier rehearsals in Kiev because of posure, even halting his singing On an otherwise thin news suff ers from a serious heart con- Pelos Dois (For the Both of Us), health worries. career for a while. day, Sobral made a front-page dition but triumphed with a mel- sung in his native tongue rather But he plays down his heart Eight years later, and following splash yesterday alongside a visit ancholy ballad. than English which is unusual for ailment, even though he is still a spell of heavy drug use, Sobral by Pope Francis to the Catholic “When we are very good, we’re Eurovision, which draws around waiting for a transplant. captured the hearts of scores of site Fatima that drew a crowd the best of the best. Congratula- 200mn television viewers. “The disease is a small prob- fans with a victory that surprised of 500,000 and the Benfi ca Lis- tions Salvador Sobral,” President Sobral’s quietly sensitive per- lem, really, certainly the only one many, even if it was predicted by bonne football club’s 36th vic- Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa wrote formance set it apart from more I have in my life.” bookmakers. tory in the country’s national in a message to the 27-year-old fl ashy displays like bookmak- The singer hailed his win as a Hundreds of Portuguese and championship. crooner. ers’ favourite Italian Francesco “victory for music”. fans around the world used the As Benfi ca fans celebrated the The singer was scheduled to Gabbani and his “dancing naked “This is a vote for people who hashtag #Salvador or #Salva- team’s fourth consecutive win arrive at Lisbon airport later in ape”, as well as Azerbaijan’s entry actually mean something with dorable, expressing admiration on Saturday night, the jubilant the day accompanied by his older featuring a man on a stepladder their music,” he said following for the “simple” and “talented” scenes were briefl y interrupted Salvador Sobral holds the trophy as he celebrates with his sister Luisa sister Luisa Sobral, who wrote his wearing a horse’s head. his victory in Ukraine on Satur- singer. by Sobral singing on the gigan- on stage after winning at the 62nd edition of the Eurovision Song winning song and is also a suc- His decision to forgo the elab- day night. Before the end of the compe- tic speakers set up in the heart Contest 2017 Grand Final at the International Exhibition Centre in cessful singer. orate choreography and heavy “Music is not fi reworks, music tition, Brazilian singer Caetano of Lisbon, the Eurovision cham- Kiev. “A page of history has been dance tempos favoured by most is feeling. So let’s try to do this Veloso had said Sobral deserved pion’s home town. German artist wins Venice Golden Lion Pope doubts AFP Rome sightings erman contemporary art- ist Anne Imhof won the in Bosnia GGolden Lion for best Na- tional Participation at the Ven- ice’s Biennale on Saturday for her Reuters provocative Faust, a dark refl ec- Aboard the papal plane tion on modern society. Black-clad performers in low-ceilinged symbolic glass ope Francis has voiced cages writhe around under the serious doubt about the transparent fl oor as visitors walk Pauthenticity of alleged above them. continuing apparitions of the Jury president Manuel Borja- Madonna in Medjugorje, a once- Villel praised the show, which obscure village in Bosnia boosted makes up the entirety of Ger- by the pilgrim business. many’s pavilion and opened to “These presumed apparitions the public on Saturday, as “a don’t have a lot of value. This powerful and disturbing installa- I say as a personal opinion,” he tion that poses urgent questions told reporters on his plane re- about our time”. turning on Saturday night from Doberman dogs stand guard Portugal. as the troupe crawls to musical Six children fi rst reported vi- beats amid scattered sex cuff s Actors perform in Faust by German artist Anne Imhof during the press preview yesterday of the 57th sions of the Virgin Mary in 1981 and chains, or industrial sinks International Art Exhibition Biennale in Venice. in a scenario reminiscent of fa- and hoses, in a performance with mous apparitions in the French a hint of sadomasochism and a Left: A visitor looks at his mobile town of Lourdes in the 19th cen- sharp odour of hospital disin- phone at the Proper Time tury and 100 years ago in Fatima, fectant. installation by Lee Wan, at the which Francis visited on Friday Imhof, born in Giessen in 1978 Korean Pavilion. and Saturday. and based in Frankfurt, shot to In the following years, the fame in Germany in 2013 with Right: A visitor takes a picture Bosnian village became a major her fi rst solo exhibition, a live at the installation called Folly pilgrimage site, giving many vis- performance with donkeys and by Phyllida Barlow, at the British itors a renewed sense of spiritu- actors hemmed into an invisible Pavilion. ality and locals a steady source of enclosure. much-needed revenue. Described by the Frankfurter Below: Italian artist Lorenzo Some of the alleged visionar- Allgemeine Zeitung daily as the Quinn’s installation Support ies, now adults, say they still ex- “fi nd of contemporary art”, she is seen on Ca’ Sagredo palace perience apparitions regularly, is regularly invited to the Ham- during the 57th La Biennale of and that the Madonna tells them burger Banhof in Berlin, one of Venice. ahead of time when she will ap- Germany’s largest museums of pear to them. contemporary art, and has ex- “gang”, whereby actors form a Former pope Benedict XVI set hibited in both Paris and Mon- compact group, which can in- up a commission of theologians treal. clude or exclude the public. and bishops to study the situa- The pavilion’s curator Susanne Germany was also represented tion. Pfeff er said the work, which at the Biennale by fellow con- Its report has not been pub- featured Imhof’s partner Eliza temporary artist Franz Erhard lished but was given to Pope Douglas, explored the theme of Walter, 77, and the country’s Francis in 2014. power, exclusion and contempo- foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel “The (commission) report has rary life. was quick yesterday to congratu- its doubts. I personally am more “The bodies are subjects in an late the pair on work that “helps nasty. I prefer the Madonna as eternal battle with their objecti- think diff erently about social mother, our mother, and not a fi cation ... they seem to be always spaces”. Madonna who is the head of a on the point of transforming into The 57th Biennale art festival telegraph offi ce, who every day consumable images; they aspire runs in the northern Italian city sends a message at such-and- to become digital merchandise,” until November 26. such an hour,” he said. “Who she said. Among those exhibiting are thinks that the Madonna says, Imhof’s performances are no- pioneering US fi bre artist Shei- ‘Come tomorrow at this time, table not only for their length – la Hicks, West German-born and at such time I will deliver a each lasting several hours – but American Kiki Smith, and Dan- message to that visionary?’” also their exploration of move- ish-Icelandic artist Olafur Elias- But Francis acknowledged ment and the eff acement of son, the man behind the vast sun that some people who go to boundaries between performers at Britain’s Tate Modern in 2003 Medjugorje experience a spirit- and public. and the New York waterfalls in ual renewal and “encounter God, One recurring theme is the 2008. change their lives”.

Thousands rally in Moscow against city plan Putin plays piano before Xi meet

AFP envoys from the offi ce of the 38, whose home is in one of the 3.5tn trillion roubles ($61bn, Reuters Moscow mayor, a staunch supporter of buildings slated for demolition. €56bn), would allow the city Beijing President Vladimir Putin who “I felt anger, and that’s putting to replace the small, worn-out had served as his chief of staff . it lightly.” buildings with high-rise hous- housands of people pro- “Let us keep our hous- Moscow and most other Rus- ing in the fast-developing capi- ussian President Vladimir tested in central Moscow es!” fumed Svetlana Ilyina, a sian cities have thousands of tal of 12mn, which faces a hous- Putin played piano while Tyesterday against the 59-year-old engineer. “It’s So- the prefab fi ve-storey buildings ing crunch and rising rents. Rawaiting Chinese leader Xi city’s plan to tear down Soviet- byanin who should be demol- built in the 1960s and 1970s A relevant bill passed parlia- Jinping for bilateral talks in Bei- era apartment blocks as part of a ished. This is in the interest of under Soviet leader Nikita ment in a fi rst reading but stalled jing yesterday. controversial urban redevelop- developers and the authorities Khrushchev. after the outcry from apartment Putin spoke earlier yesterday ment programme. who will receive huge kick- The city’s previous admin- owners, which quickly escalated at a summit on China’s new Silk The measure, announced in backs.” istration had overseen a pro- into a political issue. Road plan. February by Moscow Mayor Police said 5,000 people at- gramme to move people from Many opposition fi gures have He later arrived at state Diaoy- Sergei Sobyanin, prompted an tended the protest, while organ- the most worn-out “khrush- supported the protest against utai residence for talks with Xi outcry from many residents who isers said 30,000 had gathered. chevkas”, as the buildings are the bill, with Alexei Navalny, a and other leaders. see a ploy to funnel state funds White Counter, an unoffi cial known, to more modern hous- leading Putin critic who is cam- While waiting for his bilateral into construction companies. citizen group which places vol- ing. paigning for the presidency, vis- with Xi to begin, Putin played It would also ride roughshod unteers with counters at rally But the current mayor is iting the rally yesterday before several chords. over property rights, they say, entrance points, put the turnout pushing for a more sweeping he was led away by police as the According to TASS news agen- while forcing many homeown- at just over 20,000. renovation programme that crowd shouted: “We’re with you cy and state Russian television, Putin plays the piano before meeting Xi. ers to move to neighbourhoods “Me and my girlfriend live in would require extensive amend- Navalny!” Putin played passages from Sovi- with lower property values. a quiet, leafy neighbourhood, ments to current zoning restric- Rossiya 24 state TV aired a et-era songs about Moscow and on the piano in the past although in Siberia, piloting fi refi ghting Muscovites yelled “Hands and now they want to deport us tions and other laws. programme touting the mayor’s Saint Petersburg. he has mostly cultivated a macho planes, and diving in submersible off Moscow” and “No to demo- to a less prestigious neighbour- Supporters say the extensive plans, while making no mention The 64-year-old former KGB image. into the depths of Lake Baikal and lition” while shouting down hood,” said Pavel Kuznetsov, project, initially valued at some of the protest. spy has demonstrated his skills That included riding a horse Black Sea off the Crimean coast. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 19 EUROPE Macron is president AFP Paris

mmanuel Macron has be- come France’s youngest State premier Kraft has said that she would stand down as the Epresident, promising at his SPD’s local leader. inauguration yesterday to restore the country’s lost confi dence and relaunch the fl agging European Union. Macron, a 39-year-old cen- Merkel’s party trist, took the reins of power from Socialist Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace a week after his resounding victory over far- clinches victory right leader Marine Le Pen in an election that was watched world- wide. After a private meeting with in key state vote his former mentor Hollande and his fi rst speech as president, Ma- cron headed up the rainy Champs Reuters “This is a great day for North Elysees in an army vehicle, wav- Dusseldorf Rhine-Westphalia,” said local ing to small crowds of wellwish- CDU leader Armin Laschet, ers who gathered along the famed who will most likely become avenue. erman Chancellor An- state premier. “We accom- Macron said his fi rst prior- gela Merkel’s conserva- plished our two goals: defeat- ity would be “to give back to the Gtives defeated the rul- ing the SPD-Greens coalition French people the confi dence ing Social Democrats (SPD) in and becoming the strongest that for too long has been fl ag- a key state election yesterday, party in the state.” ging”. exit polls showed, boosting SPD state premier Han- “I will convince our compa- their hopes of retaining power nelore Kraft quickly conceded triots that France’s power is not in September’s national vote. defeat and said she would in decline, but that we are at the The Christian Democrats stand down as her party’s local dawn of an extraordinary ren- (CDU) saw a strong surge of leader. aissance because we have all the support in Germany’s most “It’s sad we lost so many dis- qualities which will make ... the populous state of North Rhine- tricts. I take personal respon- great powers of the 21st century,” Westphalia (NRW), which is sibility for this defeat,” Kraft he said. home to one in fi ve German said. While France’s place was in Macron poses with his wife Brigitte at the Elysee presidential palace after the handover and prior to the inauguration ceremony. voters and has often been a The SPD’s national leader the European Union “which pro- national trend-setter in elec- and its candidate for chancel- tects us and enables us to project major economic reforms, won Chateaubriand. “You are now the ployment, fi ghting Islamist-in- help the bloc overcome the im- tions. lor in the September election, our values in the world”, the around 50% of the fi rst-round man of your time ... and by the spired violence and healing divi- minent departure of Britain. The CDU won 34.5%, up Martin Schulz, was equally 28-member bloc needed to be vote. sovereign choice of the people, sions exposed by an often vicious He also intends to press for from 26.3% in 2012, according gloomy. “reformed and relaunched”, the The former investment banker you are now, above all ... the man election campaign. the creation of a parliament and to an exit poll on public broad- “This is a diffi cult day for the president said. was proclaimed president by of our country.” Hollande’s fi ve years in power budget for the eurozone. caster ARD just after polls SPD and a diffi cult day for me Macron also suggested that he Laurent Fabius, president of the Security was tight, with were plagued by a sluggish econ- Merkel welcomed Macron’s closed. personally. It’s my home state would press on with his ambi- Constitutional Council, at the around 1,500 police offi cers de- omy and bloody terrorist attacks victory over Le Pen, saying he The SPD, which has ruled where we suff ered a bitter de- tious agenda to reform France’s 18th-century presidential palace ployed near the presidential pal- that left more than 230 people carried “the hopes of millions of NRW for most of the past half feat. We lost an important state rigid labour market and mod- in central Paris where Macron ace and on the Champs Elysees, dead. French people and also many in century, fell to 30.5% from election,” he told reporters. ernise the social security system and his wife Brigitte will now re- and surrounding roads blocked He leaves offi ce after a single Germany and across Europe”. 39.1%. Merkel, whose re-election despite the fi erce resistance he is side. off . term. Further ahead, Macron will It was the third straight state hopes earlier this year seemed likely to meet. Brigitte, a 64-year-old who At the end of the formalities, a Macron’s fi rst week will be need to win a majority in parlia- defeat for the SPD since March, to be uncertain due to the ini- “I will not reverse course on was his high school drama teach- 21-gun salute rang out from the busy. Today he will name his mentary elections in June to en- casting a shadow over their tial popularity of Schulz when any of the commitments taken er, wore a light blue Louis Vuitton Invalides military hospital on the prime minister, rumoured to be act his ambitious reform agenda. once bright hopes of deny- he took over the SPD leader- in front of the French people,” outfi t for the ceremony. other side of the River Seine. Edouard Philippe, a conservative His 13-month-old politi- ing Merkel a fourth four-year ship, managed to revive her he said, adding that “France is Her three children from her Macron then headed to a hos- MP and mayor of the northern cal movement “Republique en term in the national election fortunes over the last two strong only if she is prosperous”. previous marriage were also pital outside Paris where soldiers port city of Le Havre. Marche” (Republic on the Move, on September 24. months with a victory in Saar- Some analysts and opponents present along with VIPs from wounded in military operations Macron will then fl y to Ber- REM) intends to fi eld candidates It was not clear whether the land on March 26 and an up- have questioned the strength of France’s political scene and the are treated. lin to meet German Chancellor in virtually every constituency in liberal Free Democrats (FDP), set defeat of the ruling SPD in Macron’s mandate after he won young team of advisers behind He also headed to the capital’s Angela Merkel, maintaining a the country. the CDU’s preferred partners Schleswig-Holstein. just 24.01% in the fi rst round of Macron’s sensational rise. town hall for the traditional visit French presidential tradition of It unveiled 428 of its 577 can- projected to win 12%, had The CDU unseated the SPD the presidential election on April “In order to be the man of made by each new president to making the fi rst European trip to didates this week. enough votes for the two allies in NRW in May 2005, prompt- 23 before his landslide victory one’s country, one must be the his “host city”. the other half of the EU’s power Half have never held elected to form a majority in the state. ing a snap federal election. over Le Pen in the second. man of your time,” Fabius told The new president faces a host couple. offi ce, including a retired female What was clear is that the The conservatives won the His rivals on the far-right and the new president, quoting the of daunting challenges including The new president wants to bullfi ghter and a star mathemati- ruling SPD-Greens coalition national election, giving Mer- far-left, opposed to the EU and Romantic-era French writer tackling stubbornly high unem- push for closer co-operation to cian, and half are women. fell far short of a majority as kel her fi rst term as chancellor. the Greens won about 6%, The SPD has ruled NRW for down from 11.3% in 2012. 46 of the last 51 years. The nationalist Alternative The CDU only ruled in NRW for Germany (AfD), which has for fi ve years during that half no coalition allies, won 7.5%. century, from 2005 until 2010. Three die as train Italy rescues 484 migrants from sea slams into house Rescuers saved 484 migrants from boats in the Mediterranean on Saturday and found the bodies of seven men who had died in the attempt to get to Europe, Italy’s coast guard said. AFP reporters that he managed to More than 45,000 people have reached Italy by boat from North Thessaloniki jump off a balcony to safety just Africa this year, a more than 40% increase on the same period of before the crash. 2016, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says. Search and rescue operations The new deaths add to a toll of 1,222 on the route as of May 10, n express train that ended in the evening. compared with 966 by the same date last year, according to IOM slammed into a house af- Most of the 70 passengers calculations. Ater derailing near Greece’s were safely evacuated within The migrants were rescued from four separate rubber boats by the second city Thessaloniki killed three hours of the accident which Italian coast guard and navy, an aid group and two private vessels, three people and seriously in- happened near the station at the coast guard said in a statement. jured two others, the train’s op- Adendro, about 40km (25 miles) erator said yesterday. from the northern city of Thes- Trainose had initially reported saloniki. Court rules teen can refuse chemo four deaths from the accident The cause of the derailment which occurred at 1640 GMT on was not immediately known, po- A Dutch court has ruled that a 12-year-old boy suff ering from a brain Saturday, with fi ve people suf- lice said, and Trainose said it had tumour had the right to refuse chemotherapy, rejecting his father’s fering serious injuries. opened an investigation. plea to order him to have the treatment. It then revised the toll to just But a regional offi cial, Voula Known only as David, the boy was diagnosed with the tumour in two dead, but one of the injured Patoulidou, said the train might November which was operated on and removed. later died. have been travelling too fast as He was given radiation treatment and declared “clear”, the court The company did not iden- it shuttled between Greece’s two said in a statement. tify the victims, but said the train biggest cities. Doctors then recommended he should also have chemotherapy driver was among the injured af- Photos showed at least one “but David did not want any follow-up treatment ... and was ter all fi ve carriages of the express carriage on its back. supported in this by his mother”. train travelling from Athens left A senior national railway offi - Dutch media reported that the boy, whose parents are divorced, the track and the engine carriage cial, who arrived at the crash site, wanted instead to try alternative medicine. ploughed into the house. said there had been no problems His father lodged a case against the local child services, arguing A train is seen on its side after derailing and crashing into a house in the town of Adendro, northern A 24-year-old male who lived or incidents reported on that that his son should be forced to have further treatment. Greece. in the house which was hit told stretch of the railway line. Austria heads for snap election as coalition shatters

Reuters The FPO is leading in opinion election, I assume in the coming Kurz said on Friday that he “I have diffi culty picturing a that has marred the centrist coa- now prevailed within the OVP,” Vienna polls and the two centrist par- autumn,” Kern said in an inter- wanted a snap election but that scenario in which we could put lition. Kern said. ties that have dominated post- view with ORF TV. he would only accept the OVP’s together a stable minority gov- That package included a series Although his party has been war politics in Austria are now at He had resisted the idea of a top job if it came with sweeping ernment,” Kern said. “It would of law-and-order measures such moving towards lifting a self- ustria is heading for a snap daggers drawn. snap election, calling for the coa- powers on issues including staff - possibly have a numerical major- as a ban on Muslim face-covering imposed ban on national coali- parliamentary election af- But surveys suggest the con- lition to keep working until its ing. ity but probably not a political veils in public places. tions with the FPO, Kern would Ater the centre-left chan- servative People’s Party (OVP) term ends in more than a year’s The OVP leadership was due to majority.” Kurz has made a tough line not be drawn on whether it might cellor said yesterday that the rul- would leap from third to fi rst time. meet to pick Mitterlehner’s suc- Kern took over as chancellor on immigration one of his hall- go into government with the far- ing coalition had been shattered place, and support for the FPO Kurz, 30, is a star of Austrian cessor. and head of the Social Democrats marks, to the point that the FPO right, as it already has in one of by his ambitious young foreign and Chancellor Christian Kern’s politics who is widely seen as his “The OVP ended the coalition (SPO) a year ago. has accused him of stealing its Austria’s nine provinces. minister, who is poised to take Social Democrats would fall, if party’s best hope of reviving its on Friday,” Kern said, referring to Kern accused the OVP and ideas. “A working relationship with over the main conservative party. Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz fortunes. Kurz’s speech. Kurz of failing to honour the “It was the case from the fi rst the Freedom Party would be a An election will give the far- took over as OVP leader, as he is The current OVP leader, Rein- Calling a snap election would commitment they made in Janu- day onwards that there was a novelty for the SPO and we will right Freedom Party (FPO) a good expected to do. hold Mitterlehner, announced on require a majority vote in parlia- ary to a package of measures that group within the OVP that want- therefore now discuss that in- chance of entering national gov- Forming a government in Aus- Wednesday that he was stepping ment. was aimed at breathing new life ed to work with us constructively ternally in a sensitive way,” Kern ernment less than a year after tria usually requires at least two down, partly because of his in- The FPO supports the idea – it into the coalition and eroding ... and then there were some who said, alluding to a deep split its candidate lost a presidential parties. ability to stop in-fi ghting among and the OVP are three seats short support for the FPO, but which were less interested in this gov- within his own party on the mat- run-off . “There will defi nitely ... be an his ministers. of a majority. failed to put an end to squabbling ernment succeeding. They have ter. Gulf Times 20 Monday, May 15, 2017 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup Did Parrikar government just survive a coup?

By Umaima Shafiq IANS the government is stable, Goa’s Minister Vijai Sardesai and two to Digvijay Singh, who was un- and Faleiro has even off ered to on an anti-BJP pitch, now claims Panaji politics appears primed to replay Independent legislators in a bid ceremoniously sacked a few surrender his rank for the health his support to the BJP and Parrikar its mercurial and unstable edge to win him over. weeks back. of the party. is unequivocal and he would never Govt contractor of the 1990-2000 decade – when “His condition to joining a Faleiro, a two-time chief min- “I am ready to quit any position betray the chief minister. oa Chief Minister Mano- the state saw 14 chief ministers. Congress-led government con- ister, led the Congress campaign for the party... If even one MLA “Parrikar gave up his ministry commits suicide har Parrikar may have just The fresh developments, dur- tinues to be the same as it was in the February 4 polls. But his feels that we can form a govern- in Delhi on our word. I will never over probe Gmanaged to quell a coup. ing which the Congress claimed before he joined the BJP-led coa- running feud with Sardesai could ment and that it (my resignation) let him down. This government The Congress, fresh from its to have been in touch with several lition in March. He wants Faleiro have cost the Congress the op- will help and facilitate that, then I is stable and it will last its full sacking of Digvijaya Singh as BJP legislators and the BJP coun- out of the decision-making hi- portunity to stake claim to form am ready to quit,” Faleiro said. term,” he said. A 58-year-old government a central overseer, made fresh ter-claiming that 10 Congress erarchy. He wanted our MLA the government despite the party With Congress legislator Vish- The BJP too has strongly re- building contractor, alleged overtures to allies in the Bharati- legislators were in touch with its Digambar Kamat (former chief emerging with 17 of the 40 as- wajeet Rane resigning on March futed reports of a coup, with its to be an associate of minister ya Janata Party-led ministry in a leadership, have, however, ended minister) in charge of negotia- sembly seats. 13 and becoming the health min- state president Vinay Tendulkar Vijayabhaskar, was found dead bid to topple the Parrikar govern- with some egg on the face of state tions and as the coalition leader,” Sardesai is known to have more ister in the Parrikar cabinet, the insisting that it is the Congress at his farmhouse at Mohanur in ment. Congress president and legislator a senior party leader said. than cordial relations with Ka- Congress needs fi ve MLAs to ob- which is in turmoil. Namakkal district last week. While both the Goa Forward Luizinho Faleiro. The party leader also said that mat. Both politicians have suc- tain a simple majority and there- “This government will contin- Police confirmed it was suicide and Maharashtrawadi Goman- Faleiro’s leadership has again eff orts to topple the BJP-led cessfully partnered together in fore the support of Goa Forward ue full-strength and last its full after finding traces of poison in R tak Party (MGP), which have been challenged by a section of coalition government had been the municipal elections in Mar- with its three MLAs and two In- fi ve year term,” Tendulkar said. Subramaniam’s stomach. However three seats each in the 38-mem- Congress legislators. intensifi ed following A Chella- gao, a major South Goa township. dependents helps the party make Asked if the Congress had tried his wife, son and daughter alleged ber (one legislator each from the Congress sources said they had kumar’s promotion as Congress The loyalty of Congress legis- the numeric cut. to poach ruling alliance partners, foul play and demanded a probe. BJP and Congress have resigned) re-established contact with Goa general secretary in charge of lators appears to be split between But Sardesai, who led the poll he said: “As many as 10 Congress Subramaniam came under have rejected reports of a coup Forward founder-member and Goa. Kamat and Faleiro although the campaign and canvassed for votes MLAs are in talks with us. They the scanner after the April 7 and the BJP on Saturday claimed now Town and Country Planning He was earlier an understudy party formally has denied any rift in the Catholic-dominated areas are willing to join the BJP.” income tax raids on Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar’s properties in Chennai. Off icials found Subramaniam’s name on Vijaybhaskar’s payment list and Protest against killing began monitoring his business contracts, savings, property investments in India and tax havens abroad. They repeatedly interrogated him and he became Red tape puts depressed, said his family. Vijaybhaskar’s name was also found in sand mining baron Sekar Reddy’s diary. Sekar Reddy is currently in jail for money laundering and bribing ministers for government contracts. Police brakes on have widened their probe to cover Vijaybhaskar’s other associate Anbunathan, a businessman from Karur for his overseas investments. Several political leaders have also demanded a proper investigation. ‘Make In Ramco Cements chairman dies

P R Ramasubramaneya Raja, the India’ push chairman of Ramco Cements, died in his hometown of Rajapalayam In the World Bank’s most dian manufacturing are also that’s why we have liberalised in southern Virudhunagar district recent chart ranking struggling. FDI and that’s why we’re try- on May 11. countries for their ease of The printer that Ahuja did ing to improve the ease of doing He was 82 and survived by his doing business, India came eventually manage to import business,” Sinha, principal econ- wife, son, three daughters and five 130th out of 190 from China to build everything omist at Fitch India, said. grandchildren. from drones to robots had nearly “But the crucial component Raja inherited two businesses AFP 300 parts. is what’s happening at the state from his father, a textile mill and New Delhi He fi rst had to submit a sheaf of level, at the local level. Ramco Cements at the age of documents, including details of “Anyone setting up a factory or 27. He went on to expand it to the exporter and the product cat- business needs water and elec- cover software, roofing sheets, hen Saurabh Ahuja alogue to offi cials at Delhi airport. tricity connections and various education and spinning mills. The tried to import a $600 He was then told each part permissions and annual regula- Ramco group owns around eight W3D printer for manu- would have to be tested before tory fi lings to diff erent govern- colleges in Rajapalayam today. facturing drones in his Delhi being let through. ment watchdogs. Raja was a philanthropist. workshop, he ended up spending Three months and Rs150,000 Those are the major stumbling His business contemporaries another $900 in taxes and bribes ($2,250) in warehouse charges blocks and there are no signifi - like TVS group chairman Venu and waited three months for it to later, he got his consignment cant changes at that level. Srinivasan and India Cements vice clear customs. only after he coughed up a bribe, “Many of the large companies chairman N Srinivasan praised “We lack in technology and in- he said. have special access to the corri- Raja’s humility and acute business dustry to make the smallest things, Offi cials at the airport did not dors of powers, but for the small sense in modernising his factories so we have to import,” Ahuja said respond to an e-mailed query for guy no one will even answer his and providing the best for his as he listed the frustrations entre- comment. call so he has to strike a deal with employees. preneurs still encounter since the Ahuja, 29, launched his com- whoever is the hurdle.” The Ramco groups have never government launched its “Make In pany Nuts and Boltz six years ago Ahuja was reminded of how faced labour strikes. Throughout India” project. from a basement in northwest onerous it was to manufacture at his life, he donated generously “If my business grows, the Delhi to provide other budding scale when the government last for many charities irrespective of country grows with me. But the entrepreneurs a place to experi- year banned the imports of lith- religion. government won’t let me grow.” ment with product ideas. ium polymer batteries, needed to Businesses and shops were closed Since coming to power in 2014, For an hourly rental fee, clients power the drones. for a day in Rajapalayam as a mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi have access to equipment such as He now buys the batteries of respect. has been looking to overhaul In- 3D printers and circuit boards. from Mumbai from someone dia’s image as an awkward coun- But while the prototypes can who smuggles them in and then try in which to do business and be crafted in India, nearly all the charges $300 a go, double the ac- Four killed in instead emulate China by becom- manufacturing ends up being tual cost. apartment fire ing a global manufacturing hub. outsourced overseas. “Since the parts are not easily In September that year, the “Maker spaces are great be- available, we’ve put on hold our premier unveiled “Make in In- cause you can quickly launch a classes to teach people how to Two women and two children of dia” as a fl agship initiative which prototype and get credibility,” make drones,” Ahuja said. a family died of suff ocation when would have an “unprecedented said Navi Radjou, co-author of His complaints fi nd echoes fire broke out at a four-storey overhaul of out-dated processes the book Frugal Innovation. among large-scale manufactur- apartment complex at Vadapalani and policies” at its core. “But then you open a Pandora’s ers such as Rajiv Bajaj, head of in Chennai last week. The government has tried to Box because if a customer asks the Bajaj Auto conglomerate. The pre-dawn fire reportedly woo investors by promising to for 2,000 units of your product, A long-established motorbike caused by an electrical short simplify the tax regime and lib- you’re screwed since you can’t manufacturer, Bajaj wants to in- circuit started at a fuse box on the eralise rules on foreign direct in- make it at that scale and that troduce a quadricycle but has basement parking lot and spread vestment (FDI). leads to a lot of frustration.” encountered multiple obstacles. upwards. Several bikes parked But in the World Bank’s most While India’s big business “If your innovation in the nearby caught fire and the acrid recent chart ranking countries houses are among Modi’s loud- country depends on government smoke and flames woke up the for their ease of doing business, est cheerleaders, economist Su- approval or the judicial process, residents. Activists of the Rashtriya Sawayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party stage a India came 130th out of 190. nil Sinha said making things at it will not be a case of ‘Made in Many jumped from their balconies demonstration near Kerala House against the death of RSS worker Choorakad Biju, in New While much of the focus has home remains a fraught process India’, but ‘Mad in India’,” Bajaj using saris and bed sheets Delhi yesterday. Biju was hacked to death allegedly by Communist Party of India (Marxist) been on the travails of foreign for smaller fi rms. said in a speech this year, using a because the lone stairway was activists in Payyanur town of Kerala. fi rms, local entrepreneurs who “It’s one thing to say we want twist on the government’s cam- blocked by the fire. Some even should be the poster boys of In- to focus on manufacturing and paign slogan. dropped their children to the ground floor, while some firemen fainted during the rescue. Police have called building owner E Vijayakumar for inquiry. Meanwhile at Royapuram area of Chennai, five fishing boats were Maoist who killed former burnt in a mysterious fire while docked near a hamlet. minister, cop surrenders Chitrai festival celebrated IANS Rs1.5mn on his head, Ranchi ed from Khuti. He was then be- Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police headed, triggering terror. Chitra Pournami or the advent Kuldeep Dwivedi told reporters. Kundan joined the Maoists in of the first full moon in the first He was involved in the kill- 1999 at the age of 16. He became month called Chitrai of the Hindu senior Maoist com- ing of former minister and then a member of the Regional Com- calendar was celebrated in many mander involved in the legislator Ramesh Singh Munda mittee in the outlawed Com- temples of Tamil Nadu. Akilling of a former minis- in 2008, the beheading of police munist Party of India-Maoist in The Madurai Meenakshi temple, ter and the beheading of a police inspector Francis Induwar and 2006. In 2012, he became secre- the Brihadeeshwarar temple offi cial surrendered in Ranchi, in the loot of Rs50mn from an tary of the committee. in Thanjavur, Srirangam in Jharkhand yesterday. ICICI cash van. A total of 128 Speaking on the occasion, Tiruchi, the Arunachala temple Kundan Pahan, who was a cases were lodged against him police offi cer Mallik said Mao- in Tiruvannamalai and the shore synonym for terror in three dis- in the state, said Dwivedi. ists have an opportunity to sur- temple at Kanyakumari organised tricts of Jharkhand, gave him- Kundan was notorious in render in 2017. “Otherwise they cultural programmes, special self up in the presence of Addi- Ranchi, Khuti and Seraikela- will face consequences in 2018.” prayers, holy dipping in the tional Director General of Police Kharswa districts. Ranchi and Jharkhand police have nearby waters, taking the deities R K Mallik and Central Reserve Jamshedpur districts were un- launched a new programme un- on heritage wooden chariots Police Force Inspector General der his operational control. der which Maoists are encour- and finally immersing idols in the Anand Latkar among others. On his orders, Special Branch aged to surrender. Till now, 107 waters. Kundan carried a reward of Inspector Induwar was abduct- Maoists have surrendered. Maoist leader Kundan Pahan is seen with police after he surrendered in Ranchi yesterday. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 21 INDIA

TRANSPORT CONTROVERSY POLITICS ELECTION ALLEGATION Underground stretch of Police file complaint Yet to decide on Lalu’s BJP woos AIADMK ahead Modi event will cost Chennai metro opened against BJP legislator August rally, says JD-U of presidential battle Rs1.25bn: MP Congress

Metro rail service between Thirumangalam and Hyderabad police yesterday registered a case Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United is yet to Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu At least Rs1.25bn will be spent on ensuring an Nehru Park Chennai was inaugurated yesterday against Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Raja Singh decide on attending Rashtriya Janata Dal met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami impressive crowd at a ‘Namami Devi Narmada by Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Lodh, who described the old city of Hyderabad chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rally against the in Chennai yesterday in an apparent bid to woo Sewa Yatra’ event, which will be attended by Naidu. The 7km underground stretch will as “mini Pakistan” and made some other Baharatiya Janata Party in Patna in August, a the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress have seven stations - Thirumangalam, Anna objectionable remarks. Singh, who is a member JD-U leader said yesterday. The rally is aimed ahead of presidential election. Naidu’s meeting Madhya Pradesh unit claimed yesterday. The Nagar Tower, Anna Nagar East, Shenoy Nagar, of Telangana state assembly from Goshamahal at showcasing the unity of non-BJP parties at comes only days after BJP’s Tamil Nadu leader event to be held today at Amarkantak will mark Pachaiyappa’s College, Kilpauk Medical College constituency in Hyderabad, told a television the national level, state JD-U president Vasisht Vanathi Srinivasan met the chief minister in the end of the Madhya Pradesh government’s and Nehru Park. The first stretch between channel in an interview that the Constitution and Narain Singh said. “There is enough time for Coimbatore. According to AIADMK sources, pet project. This sum will include expenditure Alandur and Koyambedu was completed in the law currently in force are not his priorities. The it,” Singh said. He is considered close to Chief the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to get the on ferrying people to the event in over 5,300 June 2015 and the second between Chennai controversial MLA also stated that he is preparing Minister and JD-U president Nitiish Kumar. chief minister’s support for its candidate in the buses and providing them food and training, Airport and Little Mount in September 2016. a private army and training the youth with lethal Ahead of the proposed rally, the JD-U appears presidential election. The AIADMK group led besides on the security paraphernalia, the Both these stretches are over ground. The new weapons to fight with others. “His interview is reluctant to announce its support or say if it by Palaniswami has the support of most of the state Congress unit said. A target has been metro route is expected to serve more than provocative, promoting enmity among the public will attend the event. Both parties along with 122 members in the state assembly. In addition, set for authorities in each of the 51 districts on 20,000 commuters daily, with the fares set to and leading to the disturbance of peace,” Deputy the Congress are constituents of the ruling many MPs including Rajya Sabha members the number of people to be sent for the event, be capped at Rs70. Commissioner of Police V Satyanarayana said. Grand Alliance in Bihar. also back Palaniswami. Congress leader Ajay Singh claimed. ‘Tallest’ rail bridge to be a boon for Kashmir

IANS lowed to pass over the bridge. Katra The mountainous terrain has entailed the construction of about 200km of approach roads rail bridge over the Chen- and this will prove useful in ush- ab river which, at 359m, is ering in tourism. Aclaimed will become the “This project will bring a lot of world’s tallest, will signifi cantly prosperity to the area. We have improve Kashmir Valley’s con- already employed over 500 local nectivity with other parts of the youths. Construction of more country and also create tourism than 200km of approach roads facilities that are expected to will provide connectivity to far- boost local employment. fl ung villages,” railways spokes- The construction work on the person Anil Saxena said. “engineering marvel” – set to The railways has also provided Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra faints during a press conference in New Delhi yesterday. Mishra, who is on a hunger strike since Wednesday demanding that Chief be completed by 2019 - has al- permanent jobs to one member Minister Arvind Kejriwal reveal the source of funding of the foreign trips of five Aam Aadmi Party leaders, fainted while making a presentation on the irregularities ready provided employment to of each family whose land has about the financial transactions of the party. over 1,000 local residents and been acquired to the extent of the railways has plans to turn the 75%. Jobs have been given to 768 area into a major tourist hub with people so far, said an offi cial of facilities for adventure sports, the Konkan Railway, which is ex- including bungee jumping. ecuting the project. The 1,315m-long bridge will be Project manager Rajendra 35m taller than the Eiff el Tower Kumar said the place will be a and will complete the miss- big tourist destination with wa- ing rail link between Kashmir’s ter sports, diff erent sightseeing AAP lied to poll panel summer capital Srinagar with points, hotels and other tourism the rest of the country. It will infrastructure. join Bakkal in Katra town of Rea- “The rail line will help bring si district in Jammu region with tourists from diff erent parts of Kauri in Srinagar district. the country. While the bridge The bridge, with a 14m-wide will be a tourist attraction, tour- dual carriageway and a 1.2m- ists will also visit other parts of on donations: Mishra wide central verge, is part of the state. The bridge will also Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar- signifi cantly improve intra-state Party says BJP is using the EC sent a notice to the party repeats it. What the BJP says, in cash from Health Minister His condition was stated to be Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) connectivity and boost econom- sacked minister asking for details of the de- Kapil Mishra repeats,” AAP Satyendar Jain. “stable”. project of Indian Railways. ic development,” he said. clared Rs9 crore, the party leader Sanjay Singh said. He said the AAP used ha- Countering Mishra, AAP The bridge, with a lifespan The roads along JUSBRL have IANS clarifi ed they had Rs30 crore,” He said the central govern- wala route to get black money leader Sanjay Singh questioned of about 120 years, has unique connected several villages which New Delhi Mishra said at the press con- ment and the BJP were out to through shell companies, whose the authenticity of the “fake safety features. It can withstand were linked only by sheep paths ference held at his offi cial resi- crush the AAP and defame directors are connected to its cheques”. an earthquake of high magnitude and foot trails. The roads have dence here. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. leaders. “Anyone can do this. Even and also high wind speeds. Sen- also proved benefi cial to school uspended Aam Admi “Out of this Rs30 crore, the “I ask BJP leaders to stop “Most of the black money I can make such a cheque for sors will measure the speed of children, patients and farmers Party leader Kapil Mishra party did not reveal the details shooting from Mishra’s shoul- was routed through Krishna Rs70 crore in BJP’s name,” he wind and if this exceeds 90km looking for better markets for Syesterday accused the of Rs15 crore to the EC.” der.” Nagar branch of Axis bank... said. per hour, trains will not be al- their produce. party of lying to the Election He alleged that during 2014- Mishra said since 2013, the Today, people have come to Sanjay Singh said the BJP Commission (EC) about dona- 15, the party had around Rs65 AAP has been converting its know why Kejriwal was so op- and the Congress never made tions and laundering money crore in its account but dis- black money into white through posed to demonetisation as he declarations of about 70-80% Two militants killed in firefight through shell companies, before closed only Rs32 crore whereas foreign trips of its senior lead- was involved in black money of their donations totalling he fainted midway through a the fund details on AAP website ers - Durgesh Pathak, Ashish transactions,” Mishra said. “Rs1,000 crore in the last 10 Two militants were killed in a including a 13-year-old girl were press conference and was hos- showed Rs27 crore. Khetan, Satyendar Jain and Ra- The sacked minister said he years... received from unknown shootout with security forces in killed in heavy cross-border pitalised. “I have all the documents ghav Chaddha. would go to the Central Bureau sources”. Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, shelling which India blamed on The AAP dismissed the pertaining to the party’s fi nan- He said these trips were of Investigation today and sub- “You (the BJP) are the same the army and police said. Acting Pakistan. Rebels have repeatedly charges as a “conspiracy” by the cial transactions which include funded through black money. mit all documents pertaining to party whose (then) national on a tip-off , government forces attacked government forces Bharatiya Janata Party which it 461 bogus entries in their ac- Mishra, who was fi rst sacked party funding. president (Bangaru Laxman) surrounded a thickly forested and banks in recent weeks. Last said was using him. count books,” Mishra alleged. as Delhi water minister on May “I will go to the CBI with the was caught on camera accept- area near the northern town of week suspected insurgents Mishra alleged that the AAP The AAP denied the allega- 6 and later suspended from evidence. After all this is inves- ing bribe in a defence deal. You Handwara, 70km from Srinagar, abducted and killed a military had over Rs 45 crore in its ac- tions and said it had followed the party, began his indefi nite tigated, he (Kejriwal) will go to readmitted (former Karnataka triggering the clash. The bodies off icer who was home on leave count in 2013-2014, but in its rules in maintaining its books. hunger strike on Wednesday, jail,” Mishra said. chief minister) Yeddyurappa of the dead were recovered for a wedding in Shopian district. declaration to the poll panel it “It is a conspiracy to de-rec- questioning who funded these As he brandished some after sacking him on corruption along with their weapons, Clashes have become more showed only Rs9 crore, thereby ognise and de-register the AAP foreign visits. cheques before reporters, charges. Despite 54 deaths in army spokesman Rajesh Kalia frequent following widespread concealing around Rs36 crore. and the BJP is totally involved. Earlier, he claimed to have Mishra fainted and was taken to the (Madhya Pradesh) Vyapam said. On Saturday two civilians unrest last year. “Three years later, when the What Kapil Mishra says, the BJP seen Kejriwal accept Rs2 crore Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. scam, the BJP is silent,” he said.

Abbas arrives India skips China summit Filmmaker found dead, over ‘sovereignty’ concerns posts ‘suicide note’ on FB IANS backed him, his wife Priyanka Agencies Parts of the 3,000km-long “We are of fi rm belief that con- Pune allegedly harassed him. New Delhi CPEC are to run through the Gilgit nectivity initiatives must be based Tapkir said his wife threw him and Baltistan regions of Pakistan- on universally recognised interna- out of their home, and he was administered Kashmir. India also tional norms, good governance, Marathi fi lm producer living out for the last six months. ndia yesterday boycotted a criticised the initiative, warning rule of law, openness, transpar- was found dead at a lux- He was also upset as she al- summit on China’s plans to of an “unsustainable debt bur- ency and equality,” he said . Aury hotel in Pune yester- ienated their children from him, Ibuild a massive trade and in- den” for countries involved. As well as the corridor through day morning, police said. Atul B apart from making allegations frastructure network, in a new One of the criticisms of the Silk Pakistan, India is worried more Tapkir was 35. against him, defaming him in the rift between the neighbours. Road plan is that host countries broadly about China’s econom- A post on Tapkir’s Facebook neighbourhood and abusing him. New Delhi reiterated its op- may struggle to pay back loans ic and diplomatic expansion page indicates he was disturbed Tapkir’s post - written in position to the China-Pakistan for huge infrastructure projects through Asia, and in particular over fi nancial loss in fi lmmaking Marathi – said his wife got her Economic Corridor (CPEC), a being carried out and funded by across countries and waterways and a troubled family life. “so-called” brothers to threaten fl agship project of the multi- Chinese companies and banks. that it considers to be its sphere Police broke open the hotel and beat him up. billion dollar One Belt and One “Connectivity initiatives must of infl uence. The initiative aims room and found Tapkir’s body. He said some days ago when Road (OBOR) initiative that is follow principles of fi nancial re- to link China with Asia, Africa A case of accidental death has he called her, she abused him slated to pass through Pakistan- sponsibility to avoid projects and Europe through a network been registered by the Deccan and his family and lodged a po- ruled Kashmir. that would create unsustainable of railroads, highways and ports. Gymkhana Police Station, and lice complaint against them. “Connectivity projects must debt burden for communities,” India-China relations have the body has been sent for an au- Tapkir has urged Maharashtra be pursued in a manner that re- Baglay said. been strained in recent months, topsy, a police offi cial said. Chief Minister Devendra Fad- spects sovereignty and territorial Baglay said India supported with India claiming that Beijing One of the last ‘suicidal’ mes- navis to tell the police that they integrity,” External Aff airs Minis- greater connectivity across the is blocking its attempt to become sages posted on Tapkir’s Face- “must listen to a man’s side of try spokesman Gopal Baglay said region and listed the initiatives a member of the Nuclear Sup- book page on Saturday suggests the story too when a woman late Saturday night in a state- it was involved in, including pliers Group. Beijing also op- he was depressed over the fi nan- lodges a complaint”. ment. “No country can accept a highway projects and the North- posed UN action against Masood Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas waves as he walks cial losses he suff ered by produc- He said his last wish was that project that ignores its core con- South corridor in Central Asia, Azhar, a Pakistan-based militant with off icials after arriving at Palam Air Force Station in New ing the Marathi fi lm Dhol Taashe. since his wife cannot look after cerns on sovereignty and territo- but he said these had to be de- leader accused of mastermind- Delhi yesterday. Abbas is on a four-day state visit to India. In the lengthy post, he claimed their children, his father should rial integrity,” Baglay said. veloped in a transparent manner. ing attacks in India. that while his father and sisters raise them. Gulf Times 22 Monday, May 15, 2017 LATIN AMERICA Barrick faces sanctions for Argentina cyanide spills: judge

Reuters deadlines on three orders from tina’s San Juan province, where normal production in June. rent and former Barrick execu- separate the gold from ore. the repeated Veladero spills may San Juan, Argentina local authorities, including re- Veladero and Jachal are located. Barrick has followed estab- tives accused of negligence after In September, all operations at result in a fi ne higher than the placing pipes, before the March The fi ndings “will eventu- lished regulatory procedures to Barrick’s fi rst spill in 2015, could Veladero were temporarily shut $9.8mn Barrick paid after the 28 spill, said Pablo Oritja, the ally end in sanctions against the comply with the requirements is- also levy more charges if he de- down, adding to Barrick’s trou- fi rst spill, when a United Nations arrick Gold Corp failed to judge overseeing cases related to company,” said Oritja, judge at sued by San Juan authorities fol- termines cyanide posed harm to bles in South America, where agency said 1mn litres of solu- complete improvements Veladero in the nearby town of the Judicial Court of Jachal. lowing the recent spills at Vela- people or the environment. its Pascua-Lama project on the tion containing cyanide spilled Bto the Veladero mine in Jachal, where “Barrick out” graf- The investigation into past dero, spokesman Andy Lloyd said San Juan’s government sus- Argentine-Chile border has into a river providing drinking Argentina that could have pre- fi ti lines the streets. negligence, along with the pro- in response to Oritja’s comments. pended the addition of cyanide been on hold since 2013 due to water. vented the third spill of cyanide “If they had changed pipes as vincial government’s review of Sanctions would come from to Veladero’s gold processing environmental issues, political The spills in September 2016 solution in 18 months, leading to ordered, the decoupling (of pipes) Barrick’s mine improvement the San Juan government and facility after the latest spill, and opposition, labour unrest and and March of this year were eventual sanctions for the world’s would not have occurred,” Oritja plan, could delay the Canadian could include a fi ne and restric- gave the mine an ultimatum to development costs. smaller and contained in the biggest gold miner, a judge said. said, after meeting the head of the company’s goal of restoring one tions to operating Veladero. overhaul safety and environmen- San Juan province Mining mine site, Barrick and the San Barrick appears to have missed mining police in western Argen- of its top fi ve mines worldwide to Oritja, who indicted nine cur- tal operations. Cyanide is used to Minister Alberto Hensel says Juan mining police said. Venezuelans Floods wreak havoc in Miami join in fi ght against Maduro govt

AFP fi lled with paint or excrement. Miami Liquid antiacids — the kind sold at corner pharmacies — are good to treat gas-caused skin enezuelans living abroad burns. For eye protection, swim are collecting box loads of goggles and over-the-counter Vitems — including safety eye drops are popular. helmets, gas masks and fi rst- Also in demand are walkie- aid kits — to support the crowds talkies, hydrogen peroxide to marching in their homeland clean superfi cial wounds, neck against the socialist government braces, anti-biotic cream, and of President Nicolas Maduro. leather gloves for protesters to Increasingly violent near-daily pick up and hurl hot gas canis- protests that began April 1 have ters back at the cops. left a toll of 38 dead, and hun- Jose Colina is a Venezuelan dreds wounded and under arrest. ex-National Guard lieutenant A man wades through waters in a flooded area of Cali, Colombia after heavy rains caused the overflowing of the Cauca river. Flooding and mudslides in Colombia have In Miami, often referred to as who heads a group called the killed at least 19 people this week, government disaster relief authorities said, causing alarm in a country still recovering from recent mudslides that killed hundreds. the “capital of Latin America” Organisation of Persecuted Ven- and a city with a large Venezue- ezuelans Living in Exile (VEP- lan community, meet-ups where PEX). He said he hopes to collect donations are collected are in- 100 boxes of donations over the creasingly common. weekend. Last week he said he The gatherings are advertised collected 1.4 tonnes of supplies. among community members on The items are sent to the Whatsapp, Instagram or Twitter, Green Cross, a group of fi rst re- and identifi ed with Venezuelan sponders from the Universidad fl ags and signs like “Solidar- Central de Venezuela that rush ity” or “SOS Venezuela.” Lists of in to aid wounded protesters. Mexico soldier caught preferred items are also posted “This is a way of doing some- online. thing, to show that we may be “I did what I could to buy eve- far away but we are not absent,” rything that was on the list and Colina said. contribute my grain of sand to He described the support from support these people who are Venezuelans and sympathetic fi ghting for my country,” said Latin Americans in Florida im- on tape executing man Michelle Lewin, a 31 year-old fi t- migrants as “exceptional.” ness model who lives in Miami. Recently the Green Cross vol- Tribune News Service to two other men seen dragged be regarded as less corrupt than ruling party to pass the so- are believed to have connec- Lewin dropped two large bags unteers were blasted as a “para- Mexico City from the car and off -camera. local and state police forces, called Law on Internal Security. tions to Mexico’s drug cartels, of supplies on a table at a Co- military group” on a state-run The video, recorded on May some of whom collaborate with The National Human Rights attacked military forces who lombian restaurant where dona- VTV television show in Venezuela. 3 and made public by the news the cartels. Commission, the government’s were responding to reports that tions were being accepted. Medical supplies, almost all exican soldiers were agency Diario Cambio, sparked Angelica de la Pena, chair- independent watchdog, said thieves had breached a pipeline. Half of the 225,000 Venezue- imported, are especially hard to caught on video car- outrage in Mexico, where law- woman of the Senate Commis- it was already investigating The day after the clashes, lans living in the US reside in fi nd in the cash-starved Ven- Mrying out what appears makers are debating several sion on Human Rights, said in claims of human rights viola- state offi cials told reporters at Florida, mostly in the greater ezuela, where the oil-dependant to be an extrajudicial killing. versions of a law that would le- a statement that the video is tions by soldiers in the same least 10 people were killed, in- Miami area. economy is in a free fall. In security camera images in galise and expand the military’s further evidence that Mexico’s area on the same day and had cluding four soldiers and six Most donations are geared “We’re trying to help the he- Puebla state, a group of Mexi- enforcement of domestic secu- armed forces should be focused already examined the video. “presumed criminals.” Federal towards protecting demonstra- roes that are fi ghting for the can military offi cers fi re on a rity across the country. on foreign threats and not on The shooting appears to offi cials announced that they tors from tear gas, pepper spray freedom of our country,” said car carrying suspected gasoline For a decade now, Mexican policing local communities. be part of a broader series of were sending at least 1,000 and other crowd-dispersal gases Gloria Mora, who heads a group thieves. soldiers and naval offi cers have “There was already concern deadly clashes that night in the more soldiers to fi ght gasoline used by Venezuelan riot police. of Venezuelans living in Miami The soldiers then drag a man been embedded in local com- about the use of excessive force town of Palmarito Tochapan theft. Police also use high-pressure and is also gathering supplies. from the car who appears badly munities as part of the govern- by the military, and now this between authorities and sus- Offi cials accused the smug- blasts of water from water can- Much of the donation work is injured and lay him face-down ment’s strategy to fi ght drug video seems to give us proof,” pected fuel smugglers known as glers of using women and chil- nons to break up the crowds. done anonymously. in the street. A few moments cartels. Despite previously she said. “huachicoleros,” who specialise dren as human shields during Hooded protesters, some- Organisers are often wary of later, a soldier fi res a single bul- documented cases of soldiers De la Pena, who belongs to in pilfering fuel from pipelines the altercations. But civilians times carrying home-made interviews, fearing retaliation on let into the back of the man’s engaging in torture and carry- the opposition Democratic Rev- belonging to the state-owned protesting the military actions shields, respond by throwing relatives and friends still in Ven- head. ing out execution-style killings, olution Party, has been a vocal oil company Pemex. Authorities blamed the army for the clashes rocks, fuel bombs and bottles ezuela. It’s unclear what happened Mexico’s armed forces tend to opponent of eff orts by Mexico’s said the thieves, some of whom and casualties. No Cuban migrants 22 inmates fl ee intercepted in April: US Honduras prison Reuters security jails and they don’t Tegucigalpa want to go to those places,” Tribune News Service administration in negotiation “Many times we encoun- Gudiel told a press conference. Miami with the Cuban government: the tered boat loads with migrants: She did not say why au- elimination of an immigration it’s their fourth, fi fth, sixth at- ome 22 gang members thorities did not disclose the policy for Cubans known as “wet tempt, we would apprehend escaped from one of jailbreak earlier. or decades, dramatic im- foot, dry foot.” them and we would send them SHondura’s most over- Honduras has been trans- ages of Cubans trying to The policy, implemented by back,” Zukunft said, referring crowded prisons this week ferring imprisoned members Freach the US on decrepit president Bill Clinton in 1995 to Cuban migrants intercepted ahead of a transfer to a higher- of the Barrio 18 and Mara Sal- boats made of all kinds of ma- following a massive exodus by at sea before the end of the wet security facility, defying the vatrucha gangs to higher-se- terials shocked many within the sea known as the “balsero crisis,” foot, dry foot policy. “They military guards tasked with curity prisons in a bid to curb South Florida community. On allowed most Cubans to stay in fi gured maybe one of these bringing order to the prison the extortion, killings and drug the island, families waited des- the US if they touched land. days they’d win the lottery and system, an offi cial said. deals they often co-ordinate perately for news on whether they’d go ‘feet-dry.’” The inmates, who had been from behind bars. loved ones had made it to shore. “April was the fi rst month All of that changed on January locked up in the special “Scor- Just north of the capital No more. in seven years where we 12, when Obama announced the pion” unit for members of the Tegucigalpa, Marco Aurelio In April, the Coast Guard did didn’t have one Cuban end of that policy. notorious Barrio 18 gang, made Soto is one of the most over- not intercept a single vessel fer- migrant, not one” “Clearly it was the repeal of their escape from the medi- populated prisons in Hon- rying Cuban migrants – the fi rst the wet foot, dry foot policy with um-security Marco Aurelio duras, where some 17,000 time in seven years this has oc- Since then, thousands of is- Cuba,” that brought an end to in- Soto prison late on Thursday, inmates are held in a system curred. landers fl ed by sea to try their luck, terdictions at sea, Zukunft said. said Rosa Gudiel, the head of designed to hold 8,000. “April was the fi rst month in a number that increased after “With that policy being re- Honduras National Peniten- In recent weeks the govern- seven years where we didn’t have former president Barack Obama moved,” he said, even if mi- tiary Institute. ment has transferred some 740 one Cuban migrant, not one,” and Cuban leader Raul Castro an- grants land on a remote US is- The jail’s director and sev- inmates to higher-security Admiral Paul F Zukunft, Com- nounced the restoration of diplo- land, “you’re going on a boat and eral guards have been put on prisons. mandant of the US Coast Guard matic relations in December 2014. you’re going back to Cuba.” leave as authorities look for Authorities are planning told The Wall Street Journal. “On In 2016, as many anticipated a The trend is similar on the the prisoners and investi- to move inmates from Marco a typical day at this time last change in US immigration poli- border with Mexico. In April, gate the escape, the biggest in Aurelio Soto to a new prison in year, we would probably pick up cy, 5,396 Cubans were intercept- only 191 Cubans arrived at the more than a decade in crime- eastern Honduras soon. anywhere from 50 to 150 Cuban ed by the Coast Guard and more border and were considered ravaged Honduras, said Gud- In 2014, the government of migrants.” than 56,000 Cubans arrived in “inadmissible” by the Customs iel. President Juan Orlando Hern- The remarkable change is due US territory through diff erent and Border Protection (CBP) of- Relatives of inmates arrive at the National Penitentiary in Tamara, “The prisoners fl ed because andez ordered the military to to a drastic measure taken dur- routes – mainly across the bor- fi ce. In February and March the north of Tegucigalpa, after 22 prisoners, all members of the Barrio arrangements are being made supervise the country’s biggest ing the last days of the Obama der with Mexico. number was even lower, 86. 18 gang, escaped from the facility. to transfer them to new, high- prisons. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

SECURITY Pakistani leaders review security after attacks

Senior Pakistan civilian and mili- tary leaders on Saturday reviewed security situation in southwestern Baluchistan province following two terrorist incidents, which have claimed the lives of 37 people. Off icials in Baluchistan’s Gwadar said that unidentified gunmen attacked labourers in two diff erent locations on Saturday and killed at least 10 of them. Several others were injured. All the slain labour- ers belonged to Sindh province and were engaged in road con- struction. No group has claimed responsibility. But provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti blamed “agents of foreign hostile agen- cies” for the terrorist attack. Local authorities said the gunmen fled on motorcycles after the incidents. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his wife Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif pose with Chinese President On Friday a suicide bomber struck Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan during a welcome ceremony for leaders attending the Belt and Road a convoy of the Deputy Chairman Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif delivers a speech at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing yesterday. Forum, in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People yesterday. of the Senate Abdul Ghafoor Haid- ery in Mastung area and killed 27 people and injured over 30 more. Haidery was injured in the attack that was later claimed by the Islamic State. The military said that a high level security co-ordination conference was held in the military head- quarters in Quetta, the provincial OBOR a tool to overcome capital in which senior civil and military off icials took review of security situation in the province. “Participants discussed challenges and expressed their resolve to bring enduring peace and stability in the province through a comprehensive and co-ordinated terrorism, poverty: Sharif joint response,” an army state- ment said. Geo-economics must take CPEC, which connects Paki- made for the implementation of that integrates infrastructure, the OBOR as a powerful tool for As many as 28 heads of state Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz precedence over geo-politics: stan to East and West Asia, has the CPEC. energy, trade, telecommunica- overcoming terrorism and ex- and government, over 50 leaders Sharif strongly condemned the Sharif not only made the country a des- Hailing China’s One Belt One tions, investment and indus- tremism. of international organisations, tragic incident of indiscriminate tination for cross-regional trade, Road (OBOR) initiative, Pakistan trial development. Such a broad “Pakistan believes that the over 100 ministerial-level offi - firing targeting innocent labourers Internews/Agencies but also a channel through which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sweep and scale of interlocking most powerful impact of OBOR cials, as well as over 1,200 dele- working on a road in Gwadar, the Beijing such trade fl ows, the prime min- yesterday called Beijing a “close economic partnerships and in- will be on the lives of poor and gates from various countries and prime minister’s off ice said. ister said. friend and trusted ally” of Is- vestments is unprecedented in marginalised people, who would regions are participating in the The prime minister said that all He added that eff orts must lamabad. history. We stand at the cusp of have higher incomes, better ed- Belt and Road Forum for Inter- eff orts will be made to maintain akistani Prime Minister be made to resolve confl ict and Sharif congratulated China a geo-economic revolution. In ucation and more health facili- national Co-operation summit. peace in the province at all cost. Nawaz Sharif yesterday transcend diff erences. for hosting the “Belt and Road fact, this is the dawn of a truly ties. It would help in eradicating OBOR is a Chinese initiative “We will ensure all necessary Paddressed the plenary Nawaz Sharif said that “with Forum for International Co-op- new era of synergetic intercon- poverty and achieving Sustaina- that focuses on connectivity and measures to fully realise our session of the Belt and Road the help of our Chinese friends eration” and for choosing a very tinental co-operation,” he said. ble Development, leaving no one co-operation among countries dream of a developed and pros- Forum (BRF) for International an environment had been creat- apt theme for this Summit: “Co- behind,” he said. primarily China and the rest of perous Baluchistan,” he said. Co-operation in Beijing, where ed for the China-Pakistan Eco- operation for Common Prosper- “This is a historic event. It Sharif is leading a high level Eurasia, which consists of two he stressed that geo-economics nomic Corridor to take off and ity”. will build critical pathways delegation along with four pro- main components, the land- MILITANCY should take precedence over ge- has started to create new entre- “This is a historic event. It will in the years to come for vincial chief ministers, Finance based “Silk Road Economic Belt” Five Afghan opolitics, a statement said. preneurs, jobs and businesses.” build critical pathways in the economic and fi nancial Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning and (SREB) and ocean-going “Mari- Prime Minister Sharif, who “CPEC is owned and nurtured years to come for economic and co-operation, business-to- Development Minister Ahsan time Silk Road” (MSR). children killed had arrived in the Chinese capi- by all of Pakistan,” the prime fi nancial co-operation, busi- business collaboration, and Iqbal, Railways Minister Saad “The CPEC is a core compo- tal on Friday to participate in minister said during the confer- ness-to-business collaboration, people-to-people contacts” Rafi que, Commerce Minister nent of your visionary initia- in mortar attack the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) ence. and people-to-people contacts,” Khurram Dastagir and IT Min- tive of the One-Belt-One-Road forum, said the China-Pakistan He added that it is compat- he said. Sharif added that Pakistan ister Anushay Rehman, among project. We sincerely appreciate Five children were killed when a Economic Corridor (CPEC) must ible with the country’s vision Sharif told the gathering that views the OBOR initiative as a others to attend the internation- your commitment and leader- mortar shell allegedly fired by the not be politicised, adding that for 2025, where investment is Pakistan admires and commends conscious and humanistic en- al forum to highlight the Chinese ship for the realisation of CPEC Islamist extremist Taliban landed the corridor remains open to all undertaken in diff erent sectors China’s vision and ingenuity in deavour to take humankind to a initiative of “One Belt One Road. projects,” he said during a meet- in a field where children were countries. such as energy, industry, trade developing corridors across re- higher level of prosperity, peace During his six-day visit, Prime ing with President Xi on the playing in Afghanistan’s eastern He said that CPEC is at the and transport. gions; in building supportive fi - and stability through connectiv- Minister Sharif is scheduled to sidelines of the BRF. Laghman province yesterday, an core of China’s One Belt, One He also said that eff orts were nancial institutions such as the ity and close contact. meet several Chinese leaders. The BRF which is part of the off icial said. Road initiative, which has fos- being made to bridge the gap Silk Road Fund and the Asian Noting that peace and devel- Chinese President Xi Jinping ‘Silk Road Economic Belt and Two other children were injured tered inclusion and tolerance in between economic growth and Infrastructure Investment Bank opment go hand in hand, Sharif on Saturday met Prime Minister the 21st Century Maritime Silk by the mortar that hit the Omarzai the region. social development through and in launching China Railway added that nothing can pave the Sharif and asserted that China- Road’ initiative launched by area in Mehtarlam, the provincial “We are not striving to merely a focus on education, gender Express trains that construct path for peace and security more Pakistan relations remain a pri- President Xi Jinping in 2013. capital of Laghman, the spokes- leverage geography for economic mainstreaming and health. a new bridge on the Eurasian than economic development ority for Beijing. The May 14-15 forum is being man for the provincial governor prosperity; we are also trying to build A day earlier, the PM told Chi- landmass. achieved through regional col- The two sides also signed sev- attended by 29 heads of state and Sarhadi Zwak told DPA. a peaceful, connected and caring nese President Xi Jinping that “One Belt-One Road” is an laboration. eral memoranda of understand- government, besides delegates The children were between the neighbourhood,” the PM said. extensive eff orts were being inter-continental mega-project He added that Islamabad sees ing (MoU) on Saturday. from around 130 countries. ages of 7 and 12, he said. Islamabad protests Record of Hafi z Saeed’s detention sought Indian bid to change Internews dullah Ubaid and Qazi Kashif charges, Hafi z Saeed told the ing till May 15 and directed the ministry took a stance that it is- Lahore Niaz before the board at the La- board that the allegations lev- interior ministry to present the sued the notifi cation in exercise Kashmir demography hore registry of the apex court elled by the government had record and give reasons for de- of powers conferred by Anti- under strict security arrange- never been proved by any state tention of the JuD leaders. Terrorism Act, 1997 and placed federal review board of ments. institution. Justice Ayesha A Malik of the JuD and Falah-i-Insaniat Foun- Agencies in held Kashmir,” the statement Pakistan yesterday di- Additional Attorney General He said the apex court had Lahore High Court and Justice dation (FIF) in second schedule Islamabad said. Arected the interior min- Naseer Ahmad Bhutta and As- also set aside his detention in Jamal Khan Mandokhail of the of the Act. “These eff orts are being made istry to submit complete record sistant Advocate General Sattar 2009, rejecting the govern- Baluchistan High Court were It said the JuD and FIF had to try to convert the Muslim regarding detention of Jamaa- Sahil assisted the ministry’s of- ment’s stance. other members of the federal been placed under observation dviser to the Prime Min- majority in Jammu and Kashmir tud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafi z Mo- fi cials before the board. Saeed claimed that he and his review board. on the basis of a report sent by ister on For eign Aff airs into a minority to preempt the hamed Saeed and his four aides. The ministry told the board organisation had been victim- A Lahore High Court division foreign aff airs ministry. ASartaj Aziz has written results of the (proposed) UN ad- The three-member board that Hafi z Saeed and others had ised for raising voice for free- bench had recently expressed In the light of that report, the a letter to the United Nations ministered plebiscite,” said the headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal been detained for spreading ter- dom of Kashmir and for criti- its concern over extension in federal government had reasons Secretary General highlighting statement. Khan of the Supreme Court also rorism in the name of Jihad. cising the government’s ‘weak’ detention of Hafi z Saeed and his to believe that the JuD and the alleged Indian attempts to bring Aziz has stressed that the sought personal appearance of They said the government policy on the issue. aides without their appearance FIF were involved in certain ac- demographic changes to Jammu non-implementation of the UN the attorney general of Pakistan detained the JuD leaders on He further said his organisa- before a review board. tivities which could be prejudi- and Kashmir, a Foreign Offi ce Security Council resolutions is on the next hearing. pressure of United Nations and tion worked for social welfare The bench is seized with a cial to peace and security and in statement said on Saturday. leading to a grave human tragedy Earlier, ministry offi cials pro- other international organisa- and its accounts were regularly petition challenging detention violation of Pakistan`s obliga- “The letter specifically in the Valley, added the state- duced Hafi z Saeed, Prof Zafar tions. audited. of the JuD leaders. tion to the United Nations Se- points out the issuance of per- ment. Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid, Ab- When asked to defend the The board adjourned hear- Before the bench, the interior curity Council resolution. manent residence certificates “It is only by the implementa- to non-residents, allotment tion of the UN Security Council of land to retired Indian army resolutions that we will be able personnel, issuance of land to to end the immense suff erings of non-Kashmiris, the establish- millions of Kashmiris in Jammu ment of separate townships for and Kashmir and bring pe ace Zardari hints at moving court to ensure fair polls Kashmiri pandits and settle- and stability to South Asia,” the ment of west Pakistan refugees report quoted the letter. Internews “We will move the court He advised other political to the wishes of the people. Mughal king, but the PPP would Islamabad but [we] will not allow ROs to parties to set aside their per- He said every citizen of the hold him accountable. Uber to invest $500mn in Pakistan by 2020 snatch our mandate from us. We sonal agendas and work for the country had a constitutional “When we came to power, the had won the last elections but country and to strengthen the right to live their life with lib- country was importing wheat Ride-hailing behemoth Uber East and Africa, Pierre-Dimitri akistan People’s Party gave a sacrifi ce and accepted the democratic process. erty and no one was allowed and sugar and now it has the will invest $500mn in Pakistan Gore-Coty said, “We will co-chairperson Asif Ali results in the larger interest,” he “We will not cede space to to deprive anyone of their due capacity to export these items to grow its operations in the continue to work closely with PZardari said here yester- said. anyone and will raise our voice rights. but government chooses not to country, the company said the government as Pakistanis day that his party had unwill- The PPP leader is on a three- at all platforms for the rights Zardari also stressed the need do so. [Our government] always yesterday. benefit from reliable, aff ordable ingly accepted the results of the day visit to Peshawar where he of people and development of for cordial diplomatic relations took decisions for the welfare of The announcement came after and safe transportation like last general elections so that is expected to meet provincial the country,” he vowed, and with neighbouring states, say- poor people,” he claimed. the Uber team met with the Uber.” they could save democracy, and leaders of the party, members of warned that his party would not ing that there was tension on The PPP leader later visited Chairman Federal Board of Pakistan is a key market warned that they would not let parliament and district heads, succumb to pressure but would the borders and the government the residence of Haji Muham- Investment, Dr Miftah Ismail, on for Uber which is why we returning offi cers fi x the coming and also address a Fata grand take a fi rm stand on holding fair, was duty-bound to take eff ec- mad Adil, former senator of Thursday, to discuss expansion are channelling significant general elections. jirga. impartial and transparent elec- tive steps to solve core issues at the Awami National Party, and of the company in the country. investment to the country, he While speaking to reporters Zardari said the PPP believed tions. the earliest. former PPP provincial minis- They said they planned on added. at the residence of provincial in democracy and its leaders had He urged other parties to raise He said the government had ter Iftikhar Jhagra, and off ered investing $500mn to help The ride-hailing service made PPP president Engineer Mo- rendered sacrifi ces for it. their voice for fair polls. proven itself to be unable to Fateha for the souls of the de- expansion by 2020. inroads in the Pakistani market hamed Humayun Khan, Zardari He said his party had always On the merger of the Feder- maintain peace along three bor- ceased leaders. Talking about Uber’s back in 2015 and is now said the elections were barely fought against undemocratic ally Administered Tribal Areas ders. He recalled the services they investment plans for Pakistan, operational in six cities across eight or nine months away, but forces and would continue their with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he Referring to the prime minis- had rendered for the well-being Uber’s Head of Europe, Middle the country. no system to hold the elections struggle to save democracy in said the issue needed to be re- ter, the PPP co-chairperson said of people and to strengthen de- had been announced. the country. solved at the earliest according the country was being ruled by a mocracy. Gulf Times 24 Monday, May 15, 2017 PHILIPPINES Napoles wants court Robredo to host weekly to quash graft charges radio show By Ma. Reina Leanne Tolentino In a separate motion that ity, evident bad faith or gross Manila Times Manila Times sought the dismissal of the cas- inexcusable negligence. Manila es, Cagas’ camp said he could Napoles’ camp also said that only make recommendations to “if the legislator with whom anet Lim-Napoles, the al- the Technology and Livelihood the petitioner (Napoles) is ac- ollowing a decline in her leged mastermind of the pork Resource Centre (TLRC) as to cused as an alleged conspirator approval ratings, Vice Jbarrel scam, has asked the which NGO to give the money is not legally liable for mal- FPresident Maria Leonor Supreme Court to dismiss the to, and that he never ordered the versation, the petitioner as a “Leni” Robredo will host a graft and malversation charges TLRC to choose the Country- consequence is also not legally weekly radio programme. fi led against her and former wide Agri and Rural Economic liable for it. Robredo will co-anchor the Davao del Sur representative and and Development Foundation “As defi ned, the petitioner by one-hour “Biserbisyong Leni” now Governor Douglas Cagas Inc. (Cared) nor the Philippine herself alone cannot be made li- radio programme with broad- and several others, in connection Social Development Foundation able for malversation. She is a caster Ely Saludar in the pilot with the Priority Development Inc. (PSDFI) to be the recipi- private individual and malversa- episode. Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, ents. tion can be committed only by a “On this show, they will be claiming the witnesses had ped- Cared and PSDFI are NGOs public offi cer.” discussing topics on public dled hearsay. that were allegedly run by Na- It also argued that lawmakers service and legal advice when In a petition for review fi led poles. The defence argued that cannot be held liable for malver- needed. Both anchors will be before the high tribunal, the de- Napoles “cannot give unwar- sation because they do not have interviewing key persons de- fence challenged the Offi ce of ranted benefi ts, advantage, or custody or control of the funds pending on the agreed-upon the Ombudsman’s issuance of preference to any party having by reason of their offi ce’s duties, topic for the week,” the Offi ce a consolidated resolution that transactions with the govern- alleging that “it is the imple- of the Vice President said in a found basis to fi le the charges, ment” because she is not a public menting agency which has cus- statement. Robredo: new venture and of the consolidated order offi cer, adding that “there is no tody or control of public funds or For the pilot episode, Ro- that denied Napoles’ motion for iota of proof showing any overt property and has the power, re- bredo and Saludar will inter- and Naga City. In the latest reconsideration. act that could constitute her sponsibility and accountability view Dyan Rodriguez of Nutri- Pulse Asia survey, Robredo’s Her camp argued that the Napoles: seeking acquittal participation in any conspiracy to the government.” tion in the Philippines, as well approval rating slid to 58% in ombudsman “committed grave to commit the same.” Cagas’ camp added in its mo- as Lorna Tambaoan, a solo the fi rst quarter, from 62% in abuse of discretion amount- the defence said in the petition, es before the Sandiganbayan in Under Section 3(e) of Re- tion that the ex-lawmaker “had parent from Quezon City. December 2016. ing to lack or excess of jurisdic- a copy of which was furnished to March, alleging that Cagas “uni- public Act 3019 (Anti-Graft no hand” in the project imple- “Topics to be covered will be Her net trust rating plunged tion, when it issued the assailed the Sandiganbayan. laterally chose” two supposedly and Corrupt Practices Act), mentation which “was solely on the state of nutrition in the by 15 points in the fi rst-quarter Consolidated Resolution and Napoles’ camp asked the high “unaccredited and unqualifi ed” public offi cials are prohibited between the TLRC and Cared Philippines and Mothers’ Day,” poll of the Social Weather Sta- Consolidated Order based on tribunal to set aside the om- non-government organisations from causing undue injury to and PSDFI.” Robredo’s offi ce said. tions, to +30, from +45 in the hearsay, self-serving and totally budsman’s consolidated resolu- (NGOs) as “project partner” in any party, or giving any private It also said that “the releases The show will be aired on fourth quarter of 2016. inadmissible evidence.” tion dated June 2, 2016 and con- implementing a PDAF-funded party any unwarranted ben- of the funds to Cared and PSDFI the Radio Mindanao Network Robredo left the Duterte “The allegations of the wit- solidated order dated November livelihood project in Davao del efi ts, advantage or preference were likewise beyond the au- (RMN) Facebook page and ra- Cabinet late last year after a nesses in their various sworn 17, 2016 “for being issued with Sur’s fi rst district. in the discharge of their offi cial thority of the accused (Cagas). dio station dzXL, as well as disagreement with the presi- statements, aside from being grave abuse of discretion.” The project turned out to be administrative or judicial func- Accused’s PDAF funds never RMN stations in Cebu, Ca- dent over the burial of the late contradictory, are inaccurate,” The ombudsman fi led the cas- non-existent. tions through manifest partial- passed through his hands.” gayan de Oro City, Davao City strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

American arrested for Playtime uploading sex videos

By Eugene Y Adiong pect’s laptop and cellphone, Manila Times which contained several videos of him with diff erent partners, both female and male, in “ex- peratives of the National plicit acts,” Baldovino said, add- Bureau of Investigation ing that Colglazier told them O(NBI) have arrested an that it is not a crime to upload American sexagenarian at his intercourse videos online in the home in Barangay Taculing here US. “I told him that ignorance for allegedly uploading sex vid- of the law excuses no one. Here eos of himself and his multiple in the Philippines, it is a crime,” partners on the Internet. he said. Renoir Baldovino, NBI-Ba- Charges are being fi led against colod agent-in-charge, identi- Colglazier for violation of the fi ed the suspect as Lee David anti-traffi cking in persons law Colglazier, 62, who had been and the Anti-Photo and Video travelling back and forth to the Voyeurism Act. He is detained Philippines with a tourist visa. at the NBI offi ce in Bacolod. This is the second incident involving “I told him that ignorance sex videos in Bacolod City. of the law excuses no Earlier, the Philippine Nation- one. Here in the al Police, with the Department Philippines, it is a crime” of Social Welfare and Develop- ment, City Department of Social Baldovino said a woman Services and Development and sought the NBI’s help last month Inter-Agency Council Against after she found out that Colgla- Human Traffi cking, rescued four zier had uploaded online, with- young girls exploited for “cyber- out her consent, some videos of sex” and arrested three female them having intercourse. suspects in two barangay (vil- According to him, the woman lages) in Bacolod. was paid on several occasions The rescued girls were eight, to engage in intercourse with nine, 10 and 11 years old. Colglazier for P1,000 for every In the fi rst operation, the session. mother of the three girls was The NBI put the suspect under discovered off ering one of her surveillance for several weeks. daughters to a sex show online Armed with a search warrant in exchange for payment from a issued by Bacolod Regional Trial customer in Australia, while the Court Branch 52 Judge Raymond second operation led to the res- Joseph Javier, the NBI opera- cue of a 10-year-old girl whose tives swooped on the American’s mother also allegedly made her house around 10am last Friday. daughter expose herself to an Children play beside a street in Manila yesterday. Agents confi scated the sus- online voyeur in the US. De Lima fi les bill to protect female detainees

Agencies the latter’s ability to withhold “Because of the inherent bal- De Lima’s bill also mandates Manila privileges,” De Lima said. ance of power between women the presence of female security “The abuses, including rape, inmates and their custodians, personnel during interrogation inappropriate sexual touching, females in jails and correctional of women detainees; prohib- etained Senator Leila beatings, excessive pat-downs facilities are faced with an even its the contact between male de Lima has fi led a bill and strip searches, and the worse punishment of being security personnel and female Dseeking to protect female use of sexualised language, is subjected to diff erent forms of detainees and prisoners, unless prisoners from sexual harass- a crude example of the power abuses,” the senator said. done in the presence of female ment. imbalance between security De Lima expressed alarm that security personnel; prohibits Senate Bill (SB) 1438, or the personnel and women inmates,” the abuses remain unreported male security personnel and in- Women in State Custody Act of she added. “due to the widespread fear of mates to stay in the premises al- 2017, proposes that all females Citing the 2001 Human retaliation by the perpetrators, located for women during night shall be held separately from Rights Advisory of the Com- aggravated by the lack of a strict time. male detainees, and that sepa- mission on Human Rights, De and concrete grievance or in- It also allows female detain- rate cells and facilities for wom- Lima said 10% of women in- vestigatory procedure, which ees and prisoners to communi- en shall “form part of the stand- mates at the Correctional Insti- gives detention and prison of- cate freely and in full confi den- ard design in the construction tute for Women (CIW) admitted fi cers and employees impunity tiality with persons who visit and improvement of jails and they had sexual contact with to continuously perform such and inspect places of detention its facilities,” Philippine Daily their jailers prior to their trans- abuses.” or imprisonment; and allows Inquirer reported. fer to the CIW. “This unfortunate situation female detainees or prisoners “This imbalance of power is Data from the Bureau of Jail may have been avoided if the to fi le complaints regarding the manifested in the easy use of Management and Penology also government at least complied violation of her rights, whether direct physical force and indi- showed that there are only 58 with Rule 53 of the United Na- through her counsel, fam- rect force given the detainee or female dormitories under the tions Minimum Rules for the ily member or any other per- prisoner’s total dependency on BJMP throughout the country, Treatment of Prisoners,” she son who has knowledge of the offi cers for basic necessities and De Lima added. added. violations. De Lima: championing prisoners’ rights Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Lanka sees 17% Nepalis cast their vote in jump in revenue

Reuters fi rst phase of local polls Colombo AFP election things will change,” Kathmandu housewife Shova Maharjan, ri Lanka’s government 41, said after casting her vote revenue rose 17% in the in the capital. Sfi rst quarter compared to a epal held local-level With nearly 70% of the pop- year ago, surpassing Colombo’s polls yesterday, the fi rst ulation aged under 35, many expectations, due to higher tax Nsince 1997 and a key were voting for their local collection, Finance Minister Ravi step in its rocky road to democ- representatives for the fi rst time. Karunanayake said yesterday. racy more than a decade after a Polls opened at 7am (0115 The government raised its civil war ended. GMT) and closed at 5pm, value-added tax from November Around a third of registered with each voter casting a bal- last year, while implementing voters across three provinces lot for seven local representa- measures to help make it easier were eligible to vote, with the tives: mayor, deputy mayor, to pay taxes. rest of the country due to do so ward chairman and four ward Tax revenue rose 9.2% to in a month’s time. committee members. 1.66trn rupees ($10.89bn) last The Election Commis- The ballot paper in the capital year, with the island nation sion estimated turnout of at Kathmandu – one of the largest achieving its 5.4% of the gross least 71% as preliminary data constituencies – was around domestic product (GDP) budget trickled in yesterday evening. 1m-long (3ft) to accommodate defi cit target from 7.4% in 2015. The vote has been split into the 878 candidates. Karunanayake said total net two phases because of un- Nearly 50,000 candidates borrowing fell by 22.3% last year rest in the southern plains were standing for election due to higher tax collection. bordering India, where the across 283 local municipalities The fi nance minister also said minority Madhesi ethnic in the fi rst phase. Many regis- a new tax revenue proposal, group is refusing to take part tered as independents or with a which has yet to be approved by until an amendment to the number of small reformist par- the parliament, would further constitution is passed. ties hoping to grab some votes increase government coff ers in Local representatives were from the traditional political the coming years. last elected in 1997 and their heavyweights. “The new tax structure is an fi ve-year terms expired at the While the youth vote is incentive for investors,” he said. height of the brutal Maoist seen as key in undermining “Unlike earlier, the more you insurgency. the grip of the three main po- invest, the more concessions The 10-year war ended in litical parties, the elderly were you get.” 2006 and the country began a also out in force, including an The International Monetary fraught transition from a mon- 105-year-old man who cast Fund (IMF), which approved a archy to a secular federal re- his ballot in Gorkha, the epi- $1.5bn loan last year, urged the public, which has seen it cycle centre of the 2015 earthquake, government earlier this month to through nine governments. according to the Election submit to parliament a new In- The long gap between polls Commission. A man drops his vote into a ballot box at a polling station in Thimi, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, yesterday. land Revenue Act, as a prior ac- has left an institutional void There were sporadic reports tion to disburse a third tranche of at the local level and graft has of violence yesterday, with party in Bhaktapur, 15km east of infl uence the outcome of the drawn-out peace process. boycott the local polls unless the aid in June. become a way of life in Nepal, one person killed when police Kathmandu. It was defused. second. But the constitution sparked constitution is amended. This hampering the delivery of ba- opened fi re on a group attempt- The remaining four provinces, As part of the deal that ended protests by the Madhesi com- forced the government to split sic services as well as the re- ing to raid a polling station in considered potential fl ashpoints the civil war, a new constitution munity – who say the document the vote into two phases. covery from a devastating 2015 Dolakha district, 180km (110 for election-related violence, was written and fi nally adopted leaves them politically margin- The government has prom- earthquake. miles) northwest of the capital will vote in the second phase on in September 2015. alised – and led to a months- ised a vote on an amendment to “It is diffi cult to expect Kathmandu, police said. June 14. The charter mandated that long blockade of the India-Ne- the constitution after yester- Bangladesh much from our politicians – A bomb was also found early But with results expected local elections, followed by pal border in 2015 that caused day’s election, but the fragile they have always been selfi sh yesterday outside the house from yesterday’s vote later this provincial and then national a crippling shortage of goods ruling coalition is struggling to and not worked for the peo- of a mayoral candidate for the week, observers have expressed elections, be held by Janu- across the country. get a majority in parliament to mulling ple – but I hope that with this main opposition CPN-UML concern that the fi rst phase will ary 2018 – the fi nal step in the The Madhesi threatened to pass the bill. cost-free Zia’s plea Nepal in talks with China to remittance IANS for change Dhaka of trial court build cross-border rail link n the wake of weaker remit- tance infl ows, Bangladeshi IFinance Minister Abul Maal accepted Khaleda Zia ... court woes Reuters days ago to be part of President tries had been in discussions into Nepal and to start a fea- Abdul Muhith yesterday said the Beijing Xi Jinping’s ambitious plan to for the past fi ve months about sibility study for a free trade government is all set to unveil a Corruption Commission in 2010. build a new Silk Road, he said the project, which could cost agreement with impoverished, plan to make remittance sending By Mizan Rahman On April 16, Zia fi led a peti- on the sidelines of the Belt and $7-8bn and take up to eight landlocked Nepal, which has free of cost in order to boost in- Dhaka tion to change the trial court cit- epal is in talks with Road Forum in Beijing. years to complete. been trying to lessen its de- fl ow of one of the key sources of ing lack of confi dence in Dhaka’s China to build a cross- He said Nepal planned to pendence on its other big foreign exchange for the nation. senior special judge Kamrul Nborder rail link that “Now we are a member start preparing a detailed neighbour India. “We’re taking measures in ust a day before former prime Hossain Molla. may cost up to $8bn, and of (the initiative) we can project report for the railway, Pandey declined to com- this regard so that NRBs (non- minister and BNP chief Justice Shawkat Hossain and Jus- funding could be expected af- get some specifi c project and that they had yet to decide ment about India’s opposi- resident Bangladeshis) can send JKhaleda Zia is to appear in tice Nazrul Islam Talukder of the High ter Nepal formally signed up to assistance from China’s how much funding they will tion to parts of the Belt and their remittances free of cost,” a special court today, the High Court granted her plea yesterday. Beijing’s Belt and Road initia- government. We expect it seek from China. Road initiative, in particular Muhith said at a pre-budget dis- Court once again granted her Earlier, the special court tive, a Nepali fi nance ministry for the railway” The railway will travel over an economic corridor China is cussion meeting with a group of petition to change the trial court warned Zia that it would record offi cial said yesterday. 400km in China to the Nepal building in Pakistan. economic journalists in Dhaka. for a graft case that involves Zia her self-defence statement over Yug Raj Pandey, an under- “Now we are a member of border, and then about an- China has touted what it The remittance infl ows from Orphanage Trust. Zia Orphanage Trust corruption secretary at Nepal’s ministry (the initiative) we can get some other 150km from the Nepali formally calls the Belt and nearly 10mn Bangladeshis, living The former prime minister case unless she submits a High of fi nance, said the proposed specifi c project assistance border to Kathmandu, he said. Road initiative as a new way and working in over 100 coun- stands accused of embezzling 21mn Court order on May 15 allowing 550km-long railway would from China’s government. “Our fi rst priority is railway, to boost global development tries, in the last 2015-16 fi nancial taka from funds meant for Zia Or- adjournment of the hearing. connect China’s western Ti- We expect it for the railway,” and second will be hydropow- since Xi unveiled the plan year fell about 2.55% to $14.93bn. phanage Trust, which reportedly Special judge Mollah passed bet region to Nepal’s capital he said. “Once we connect by er projects and cross-border in 2013, aiming to expand Muhith had earlier said the came from a foreign bank. the order after Zia’s lawyer of Kathmandu and will carry railway then we can increase transmission lines between links between Asia, Africa, government will request a record The court is now hearing Zia’s Jamiruddin Sircar submitted a goods and passengers. our trade and invite more Nepal and China,” he said. Europe and beyond under- 4.20tn taka (around $51bn) na- statement defending herself in petition seeking adjournment of The Himalayan nation offi - tourists to Nepal.” China last year agreed to pinned by billions of dollars in tional budget for the next 2017- the case started by the Anti- the hearing. cially signed an agreement two Pandey said the two coun- consider building a railway infrastructure investment. 18 fi scal year beginning in July. UN conference wraps with Around 1,250 Bangladeshis plea for a farewell to arms repatriated from Lebanon By Mizan Rahman “The process is still going hundred formal requests for Dhaka on. The embassy is working help in solving problems per- DPA Minister Narendra Modi and closely with the directorate taining to non-payment of Colombo closed yesterday by Nepa- of general security of Leba- salary, over work, termination li President Bidhya Devi he Bangladeshi embassy non for their repatriation,” the from work, and physical and Bhandari. in Lebanon has repatri- letter read. mental abuse. three-day UN-spon- The nations also resolved Tated around 1,250 un- A considerable number of The mission has been able to sored conference con- to collaborate with each other documented Bangladeshi na- Bangladeshi workers were also solve 90% of those problems Acluded in Sri Lanka and international agencies to tionals till March this year as arrested by Lebanese police through repatriate negotiation, yesterday with a declaration work toward achieving peace they remained stranded in the during the last year, mainly for the ambassador claimed. against the production and and harmony, Sri Lankan Arab state for years, according violating the immigration law. Around 100 workers who distribution of weapons of Justice Minister Wijayadasa to offi cials in Dhaka. A few hundred workers were were suff ering from various mass destruction. Rajapakshe said. The workers were in a dif- also arrested on theft charges diseases or became injured “Measures shall be taken to The conference was titled fi cult situation and they re- and other crimes, the letter had been sent back home from ward off such production and “Buddhist Teachings for Social peatedly appealed for their stated, adding that the mission Lebanon in 2016 with the distribution as a matter of great Justice and Sustainable World repatriation to home country, had arranged early deportation help Overseas Workers Wel- urgency,” a declaration agreed Peace” and had more than 400 ambassador Abdul Motaleb of the workers from the Leba- fare Programme, a local non- to by representatives of 72 representatives in attendance. Sarker informed the expatri- nese jails in co-ordination with government organisation, countries said. In 1999, Sri Lanka’s former ates welfare and overseas authorities concerned. to get admission into hospi- The talks coincided with foreign minister Laksh- employment ministry. As per available statis- tals in Bangladesh, the letter Vesak Day celebrations, the man Kadirgamar put for- In a letter on April 7, he in- tics, the Bangladesh embassy mentioned. most important day on the ward a resolution in the UN formed that around 2,400 repatriated 300 detainees According to the bureau of Buddhist calendar, marking to have Vesak Day recognised undocumented Bangladeshi during 2016. manpower, employment and the birth, enlightenment and internationally. Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, left, speaks with Sri Lanka’s workers were registered with About addressing problems training, some 150,000 Bang- death of the Buddha. He was assassinated by President Maithripala Sirisena as they attend the closing ceremony of an the embassy in April-May of the expatriate workers, the ladeshis had gone to work in The conference was opened Tamil rebels in Colombo in international Buddhist Conference at The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, 2016 for coming back to Bangladesh embassy informed Lebanon and 70% of them were on Friday by Indian Prime 2005. some 116kms from Colombo, yesterday. Bangladesh. that it had received several female. Gulf Times 26 Monday, May 15, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko How federalism can

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] Trump populism Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Fax 44350474 By Laura Tyson the public’s trust in government the fi ght against carbon emissions by There have been several legal fi ghts and Lenny Mendonca institutions and elected offi cials. expanding mass transit and making recently between city governments Berkeley This is why most Americans have government buildings more energy and state legislatures over the maintained their confi dence in state effi cient. principle of preemption, which and local governments, even as their California is leading the way in holds that state laws override local merica remains deeply trust in the federal government has these eff orts. It has implemented the laws. According to Preemption divided on many economic reached all-time lows. strictest CO2 emissions standards Watch, in 2016 alone, at least 36 GULF TIMES and political issues. Just as State and municipal offi cials are in the US, and it is a leader in the state governments – most of them AUS President Donald Trump often responsible for implementing Under U2 Coalition, a group of 170 Republican-led – preempted cities was touting the accomplishments of federal policies – concerning national and subnational governments by introducing laws on a wide range his fi rst 100 days in offi ce, a federal healthcare, education, employment, (representing 37% of the global of issues, from minimum wage to court, responding to a legal complaint law enforcement, and environmental economy) that are committed to environmental protection, gun Caution urged when brought by several jurisdictions, protection – that directly aff ect achieving the Paris agreement’s control, fracking, immigration, and temporarily blocked his executive people’s lives. And the federal emissions targets. anti-discrimination ordinances. And order to strip federal funding from government, for its part, uses a variety In addition to pursuing their own 42 states have set limits on the taxes “sanctuary” states and cities. of tools to encourage innovation environmental policies, state and and expenditures of their cities. prescribing or taking According to the ruling, Trump’s among state and local governments, local governments can also resist The political struggle between red order violates the Constitution’s including waivers, pay-for- or undermine federal policies. For states and blue cities will continue separation of powers clause, due- performance contracts, and challenge starters, they can simply abstain to play out in judicial and legislative process guarantees, and the Tenth grants. Waivers and state fl exibility from taking action, as we have seen battles, while giving rise to new citizen- common painkillers Amendment, which states that, in Medicaid are at the heart of the with some states’ reaction to federal led initiatives. A new movement of “The powers not delegated to the fractious political showdown over education reforms. Or they can grassroots progressive federalism, United States by the Constitution, healthcare. withhold the state-level resources refl ecting the powers conferred on Common painkillers or nonsteroidal anti- nor prohibited by it to the States, are During the past decade, many state needed to enforce federal laws, as citizens by the Tenth Amendment, infl ammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are available reserved to the States respectively, and local governments have focused states that have decriminalised has already begun to emerge. It is over-the-counter and widely used across the world, or to the people.” In other words, their attention on environmental marijuana have done, and as sanctuary apparent in huge citizen marches, and states and cities may co-operate policy. In 2006, 12 states sued the states and cities are now doing. in co-ordinated civil-society initiatives has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, with the federal government by Environmental Protection Agency for The immigration showdown will advocating for a national popular vote, according to a new study published by the BMJ, one of carrying out federal policies; but its failure to classify greenhouse gases ultimately be adjudicated in the court congressional redistricting, automatic the most of the infl uential general medicine journals. the Tenth Amendment provides as pollutants, and to regulate them system; and Trump has already lost his voter registration, and a higher The likelihood of experiencing a heart attack was the constitutional basis for them to accordingly. In 2007, the Supreme fi rst battles there. minimum wage. challenge or resist federal policies Court issued a 5-4 decision, siding Under federalism – whether co- Trump did not accomplish much calculated to increase by an average of 20% to 50%, that confl ict with their own goals (in with the states; and in 2009, the EPA operative or “unco-operative” – it in his fi rst 100 days. But he did compared with someone not taking the drugs, this case, shielding undocumented concluded that certain greenhouse is often assumed that state and local unwittingly remind many Americans regardless of the dosage and amount of time the immigrants from arrest and possible gases endanger public welfare. That governments are pursuing the same that the US Constitution delegates medications are taken. deportation). fi nding provided a basis for the goals. In fact, there is a deep divide substantial political authority to The fi ndings are observational and based on an Citizens’ needs vary widely across Obama administration’s new auto- between left-leaning “blue” cities states, cities, and individual citizens. the country, and federalism helps emissions standards and Clean Power and the right-leaning “red” states And his administration has only association, however, with the drugs not proved to be a to ensure that they are addressed. Plan, which were established to help where many are located. And there further highlighted the importance of direct cause of heart attack. State and municipal governments can America meet its commitments under are many ways that state governments an independent judiciary, where the NSAIDs includes ibuprofen, diclofenac, celecoxib implement policies more effi ciently the 2015 Paris climate agreement. can thwart progressive federalism at coming years’ battles among local, and naproxen, which are available over the counter when they are free to source local ideas Trump has now signed an executive the municipal level. Cities, for their state, and federal government entities and enter into local partnerships with order to roll back the Clean Power part, often lack the information and will be fought. – Project Syndicate or by prescription for higher doses, to relieve pain or non-governmental actors. Plan, claiming, ironically, that he resources necessary for developing fever resulting from a range of causes, including fl u, Local-level pilot programmes and wants to weaken federal regulations and implementing eff ective policies. zLaura Tyson, a former chair of the headaches, and back pain. policy experiments also accelerate as a way to return power to the states. A number of organisations have now US President’s Council of Economic All common NSAIDs shared a heightened risk of heart innovation, with authorities able Still, many states are already on emerged to strengthen the policy- Advisers, is a professor at the Haas to close ineff ective programmes track to meet the plan’s emissions making capacity of city governments School of Business at the University attack, said Dr Michele Bally, an epidemiologist at the quickly and expand those that targets, and have established their including Michael Bloomberg’s of California, Berkeley, and a senior University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, who work. And, because a federalist own standards for emissions and Government Innovation Programme, adviser at the Rock Creek Group. led the research. approach encourages transparency renewable energy, as well as their own Fuse Corps, Results for America, Lenny Mendonca, Senior Fellow at the The overall fi nding was that taking any dosage of and accountability in how policies cap-and-trade systems. And many Social Finance, Third Sector Capital Presidio Institute, is a former director NSAIDs for one week, one month or longer was linked are implemented, it also bolsters municipal governments have joined Partners, and USAFacts. of McKinsey & Company. to an increased risk of a heart attack. The risk appeared to decline when these painkillers were no longer taken, with a slight decline one to 30 days after use and a greater decline, falling below 11%, between 30 days and one year after use. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organisation, with 80% of all deaths in this category due to heart attacks and strokes. Previous research has showed that NSAIDs Cardiovascular could increase the risk of having a heart attack. diseases are the Bally and her team number one reviewed all available studies in this area from cause of death Canadian and European databases, analysing the globally fi ndings from 446,763 people, with 61,460 of them having had a heart attack. When using NSAIDs for one week, the greatest risk Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building in Washington, DC . During the past decade, many state and local governments have focused their attention was associated with rofecoxib, followed by diclofenac, on environmental policy. ibuprofen and then celecoxib, respectively, though all except celecoxib had similar levels of risk, hovering around 50% increased odds of a heart attack, at any dose. At higher doses, typically needing a prescription, some The right to agricultural technology drugs had an even greater risk of heart attack between one week and one month of use. For example, naproxen showed a 75% increased By Henry I. Miller environmentalists are more likely to and frequently collaborates with months alone, has devastated maize Stanford condemn these developments than Greenpeace and other radical crops across much of Sub-Saharan likelihood of a heart attack within one month with they are to embrace them, promoting environmentalists. Africa.) Developing countries are doses of 1200mg per day or more, and naproxen instead a return to ineffi cient, low- Much of Elver’s new UNHRC particularly vulnerable to radical showed an 83% increased likelihood of a heart attack n the 1960s, when biologist yield approaches. Included in the so- report parrots the delusional regulatory regimes, because foreign with doses greater than 750mg per day when taken for Paul Ehrlich was predicting called agroecology that they advocate musings of organic-industry-funded aid is often contingent on compliance mass starvation due to rapid is primitive “peasant agriculture,” nongovernmental organisations. with them, though they can also one week to one month. population growth, plant breeder which, by lowering the yields and It blames agricultural innovations reshape agriculture in the developed But the level of risk declined, on average, when the I Norman Borlaug was developing resilience of crops, undermines food like pesticides for “destabilising the world, not least in the EU. drugs were used for longer than one month. the new crops and approaches to security and leads to higher rates of ecosystem” and claims that they are Millions of smallholder farmers The researchers stress that the fi ndings are purely agriculture that would become starvation and malnutrition. unnecessary to increase crop yields. in the developing world need crop mainstays of the Green Revolution. Promoting that lunacy, the United This all might be dismissed as protection. When they lack access to observational, as they used readily available data about Those advances, along with other Nations Human Rights Council simply more misguided UN activism. herbicides, for example, they must certain populations. innovations in agricultural technology, recently published a report by Special But it is just one element of a broader weed their plots by hand. This is Not all potentially infl uential factors could be taken are credited with preventing more Rapporteur on the Right to Food and more consequential eff ort by literally backbreaking labour: to weed into account, they say. than a billion deaths from starvation Hilal Elver that called for a global global NGOs, together with allies in a one-hectare plot, farmers – usually But while waiting for more clarity on the true level of and improving the nutrition of the agroecology regime, including a new the European Union, to advance an women and children – have to walk billions more people alive today. Yet global treaty to regulate and reduce agroecology model, in which critical 10km in a stooped position. Over time, risk and its cause, experts still advise caution when some seem eager to roll back these the use of pesticides and genetic farm inputs, including pesticides and this produces painful and permanent prescribing or taking these painkillers. gains. engineering, which it labelled human- genetically engineered crop plants, are spinal injuries. Indeed, that is why the Beyond saving lives, the Green rights violations. prohibited. That agenda is now being state of California outlawed hand- Revolution saved the environment The UNHRC usually satisfi es itself promoted through a vast network weeding by agricultural workers in from massive despoliation. According by bashing Israel. But in 2000, at the of UN agencies and programmes, 2004, though an exception was made to a Stanford University study, since Cuban government’s urging, it created as well as international treaties and for organic farms, precisely because To Advertise 1961, modern agricultural technology the post of special rapporteur on the agreements, such as the Convention they refuse to use herbicides. has reduced greenhouse-gas right to food. The fi rst person to fi ll on Biological Diversity, the Codex Depriving developing countries [email protected] emissions signifi cantly, even as it has the position, the Swiss sociologist Alimentarius Commission, and the of more effi cient and sustainable Display led to increases in net crop yields. It Jean Ziegler, was the co-founder and a International Agency on Research on approaches to agriculture relegates Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 has also spared the equivalent of three recipient of the Muammar al-Gaddafi Cancer. them to poverty and denies them food Amazon rainforests – or double the International Human Rights Prize. The potential damage of this eff ort security. That is the real human-rights Classified area of the 48 contiguous US states – For her part, Elver has, according is diffi cult to overstate. The UN’s Food violation. – Project Syndicate Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 from having to be cleared of trees and to UN Watch, cited works that claim and Agriculture Organisation (which ploughed up for farmland. Genetically the September 11, 2001, terrorist hasn’t yet completely succumbed zHenry I. Miller is Wesson Fellow Subscription engineered crops, for their part, have attacks were orchestrated by the to radical activists) estimates that, in Scientifi c Philosophy and Public [email protected] reduced the use of environmentally United States government to justify without pesticides, farmers would Policy at Stanford University’s damaging pesticides by 581mn kg its war on Muslims. Elver’s position lose up to 80% of their harvests to Hoover Institution. He was the (1.28bn lb), or 18.5%, cumulatively on food refl ects the same paranoid insects, disease, and weeds. (Consider, founding director of the Offi ce of 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved since 1996. mindset. She opposes “industrial food for example, the impact of the fall Biotechnology at the US Food and Drug Surprisingly, many production” and trade liberalisation, armyworm, which, in the last 18 Administration. Gulf Times Monday, May 15, 2017 27 COMMENT Is Germany unbalanced or unhinged?

By Barry Eichengreen less than they produce, and the Some will object that infrastructure Hamburg diff erence necessarily shows up as net and public services are nontraded exports. goods, so more spending on them Germany has a high savings rate won’t boost imports or narrow the or US President Donald for good reason. Its population is current-account balance. But if the Trump, the measure of a ageing more rapidly than most. Its government, in a fully employed country’s economic strength sensible people are sensibly saving for economy, redirects resources toward Fis its current-account retirement. They are accumulating the production of nontraded goods, balance – its exports of goods and assets now so they can de-accumulate households and fi rms will have to fi nd services minus its imports. This them later, when old-age dependency other ways of satisfying their demand idea is of course the worst kind of ratios are higher. for tradables. The only sure way of economic nonsense. It underpins This is why the advice German doing that is by purchasing additional the doctrine known as mercantilism, leaders receive from White House imports, spending on which will which comprises a hoary set of beliefs advisers and even from some German inevitably increase. discredited more than two centuries economists – that Germany would The question, ultimately, is why ago. Mercantilism suggests, among be better off abandoning the euro Germany should seek to reduce its other things, that Germany is the and letting its currency appreciate current-account surplus. One answer world’s strongest economy, because – makes little sense. Changing the is to get out of Trump’s sights. A better it has the largest current-account exchange rate would not diminish the answer, off ered by the International surplus. incentive for Germans to save. Monetary Fund, is that doing so In 2016, Germany ran a current- Moreover, allowing the exchange would be good for a world economy in account surplus of roughly €270bn rate to appreciate would discourage which investment is in short supply, ($297bn), or 8.6% of GDP, making it investment in capital-intensive as evidenced by record-low interest an obvious target of Trump’s ire. And traded-goods sectors. To be sure, rates. It would be good for Southern its bilateral trade surplus of $65bn a stronger currency might increase Europe, which needs to export more, with the United States presumably investment in services by raising the but can only do so if someone else, makes it an even more irresistible relative price of nontraded goods. like the largest Northern European target. Never mind that, as a member But the incentive to invest in services economy, imports more. of the eurozone, Germany has no would have to be boosted massively, Most of all, more investment in exchange rate to manipulate. Forget given that the sector is not capital infrastructure, health, and education that Germany is relatively open to US intensive, to off set lower investment would be good for Germany itself. exports, or that its policymakers are in export industries. Well-targeted public investment can subject to the European Union’s anti- Better than fi ddling with the raise productivity and boost living subsidy regulations. Ignore the fact currency would be to address saving standards, ameliorate concerns about that bilateral balances are irrelevant and investment directly. Here is where inequality, and address Germany’s for welfare when countries run the two principal parties vying in economic weaknesses. For example, surpluses with some trade partners Germany’s upcoming election diff er. there are exactly zero German and defi cits with others. All that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian universities in the top 50 globally. matters for Trump is that he has his Democrats suggest cutting taxes. This More public funds would make a scapegoat. makes sense insofar as the German diff erence. “The world’s strongest Back in the real world, the government is a massive net saver; the economy” can do better. — Project explanation for Germany’s external 2016 budget surplus was €23.7bn, a Syndicate surplus is not that it manipulates its record high. currency or discriminates against The problem is that there is no zBarry Eichengreen is a professor at imports, but that it saves more than guarantee that German households, the University of California, Berkeley, it invests. The correspondence of being voracious savers themselves, would be politically problematic in public spending, by investing in will crowd out private investment. and the University of Cambridge. savings minus investment with will spend the additional income. a country where labour’s share of infrastructure in particular. In the And Germany has massive unmet His latest book is Hall of Mirrors: exports minus imports is not an Extending investment tax credits to national income is already declining. current European environment of needs in healthcare, education, and The Great Depression, the Great economic theory; it’s an accounting German fi rms might be more eff ective Martin Schulz’s Social Democrats, near-zero interest rates, there’s little communication and transportation Recession, and the Uses – and identity. Germans collectively spend in boosting spending, but doing so on the other hand, favour raising risk that additional public investment infrastructure. Misuses – of History. Weather report Cancer early warning hope Three-day forecast TODAY High: 42 C Its head, Professor Martin Changes in hormone levels, picture of the role that hormones, Low : 29 C London Evening Standard Inshore: Hazy to misty at places London Widschwendter, won €2.5mn EU which can be detected from cervical genes and lifestyle play on the at first becomes hot daytime with funding for his novel approach to smears, as well as smoking and development of these cancers. Once slight dust. cracking one of the “holy grails” of obesity are known to contribute we’ve decoded this, we can make octors are close to creating medicine. Financial backers believe to the risk of cancer. Professor more personalised risk predictions TUESDAY the world’s fi rst early he is “on to something” due to his Widschwendter said: “We take a and provide more targeted prevention. High: 40 C warning system for four diff erent approach. cervical smear, we do this mainly Women with cancers such as Low: 28 C Dwomen’s cancers, the The research involves using epigenetic analysis, and then we endometrial or ovarian cancer, where Sunny Standard can reveal. They aim to use epigenetics — the study of say to the woman: you have this there’s currently no test and no routine smear tests to predict the mechanisms that switch genes on and risk of developing breast cancer, screening available, are desperate to risk of breast, ovarian, cervical and off — to search for indicators of future you have this risk of developing see something developed that will stop WEDNESDAY endometrial cancers up to fi ve years in cancer. ovarian cancer, you have this risk women of the future going through the High: 39 C advance. Professor Widschwendter told the of developing endometrial cancer brutal treatment and facing the grim Low: 28 C Crucially, the test would work on Standard: “If we are able to establish and you have this risk of developing prognosis that they face today.” Sunny healthy women — giving them the this for women-specifi c cancers, cervical cancer — all from one He also hopes to detect which chance to change their lives or take it can be expanded to any kind of specific sample. That is the vision women carry a BRCA genetic preventative measures before the chronic disease, such as diabetes. we have. mutation. Half of carriers have no Fishermen’s forecast family history and will only discover cancer develops. It will change medicine very, very “The rationale of this is: Are we able OFFSHORE DOHA The potential breakthrough could substantially.” to identify a read-out that actually they have the mutation when they Wind: W-NW 05-15/18 KT transform the treatment of cancer He said he hoped his research captures all these diff erent factors that develop cancer. Waves: 2-4/5 Feet worldwide by moving the focus from would deliver early results from the contribute to cancer on an individual Women with a family history of INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 04-14 KT early detection to prevention. This “low hanging fruit” — improved basis? That is the core of the work we BRCA mutations, such as Jolie, know Waves: 1-2/3 Feet has been compared to the impact of testing for cervical cancer and are doing.” they have a far higher risk of breast statins on slashing Angelina Jolie-type BRCA mutations Athena Lamnisos, chief executive and ovarian cancer and many take Around the region cardiovascular disease. It would also — before claiming the ultimate goal of the Eve Appeal women’s cancer preventative action. However, 90% of Weather Weather create the fi rst “risk test” for ovarian of cancer prediction in two to five charity, which helps fund the research, women who will eventually develop today Max/min tomorrow Max/min cancer, which causes the death of years. said: “The success of this programme breast or ovarian cancer do not have Abu Dhabi Sunny 38/27 Sunny 39/26 4,300 UK women a year. Scientists have learned that key would mean women could undergo such a BRCA mutation — highlighting Baghdad Sunny 42/25 Sunny 41/24 Dubai The “blue sky research” is being changes happen in the DNA of cells one simple cervical smear test to the need for a predictive test. Cloudy 38/27 Sunny 37/25 Kuwait City Sunny 39/27 Sunny 42/30 carried out at University College before they become cancerous. The identify the risk of developing any of The research also involves the Manama Sunny 39/28 Sunny 40/28 London, which has Europe’s biggest challenge is establishing how best to the four cancers. Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Muscat Sunny 38/29 Sunny 39/31 research centre into women’s cancers. spot these changes and assess the risk. “We’re compiling a complete Riyadh M Sunny 41/27 Sunny 42/27 Tehran Sunny 32/19 Sunny 33/19 Live issues Are frozen fruit, vegetables as good as fresh?

By Luisa Dillner comparing nutrients in eight diff erent London fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables (corn, broccoli, spinach, carrots, peas, green beans, strawberries and hen you are shopping blueberries), found no consistent for juicy strawberries or diff erences between fresh and frozen. fresh greens, you may Vitamin C was higher in frozen Wnot stop at the frozen corn, green beans and blueberries than food aisle. Frozen fruit and vegetables in their fresh equivalents. There was often don’t look the part once more ribofl avin (a B vitamin) in frozen Around the world defrosted, and you may think that rather than fresh broccoli, though Weather Weather the freezing process depletes them of fresh peas had more than frozen ones. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min some nutritious value. Nothing is as In another paper, the researchers Athens M Sunny 29/17 P Cloudy 26/16 good for you as fresh – right? On the looked at fi bre and levels of minerals Beirut Sunny 27/21 Sunny 25/21 S T Storms 31/27 other hand, frozen is often cheaper such as magnesium, calcium, zinc Bangkok 31/27 S T Storms Berlin P Cloudy 20/09 P Cloudy 21/12 and is there all year round. And fresh and iron and found no big diff erence Cairo Sunny 39/20 Sunny 36/20 is a relative term; fruit and vegetables between the frozen and fresh forms of Cape Town Sunny 28/13 M Sunny 20/13 can be in transit, sit in stores or wait the same eight fruit and vegetables. Colombo T Storms 31/27 T Storms 31/26 in your fridge for some weeks. But can Fans of frozen fruit and vegetables Dhaka S T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 Hong Kong T Storms 27/24 S T Storms 28/24 you get the same nutritional benefi t (and there are many in the food Istanbul P Cloudy 19/12 M Sunny 21/12 from your frozen fi ve a day? industry) argue that freezing stops Jakarta P Cloudy 33/25 S T Storms 33/25 Many had a go at perfecting the the rotting process in its tracks. Karachi Sunny 35/28 Sunny 34/28 freezing process before Clarence Frozen fruit and vegetables, if kept London Showers 18/14 P Cloudy 21/14 Manila P Cloudy S T Storms 36/27 Birdseye (the captain himself) came undisturbed in a good freezer, will 37/27 Peas … no big diff erence nutritionally between fresh and frozen. Moscow M Sunny 15/08 Rain 11/03 up with “quick-frozen” technology have been captured and preserved in New Delhi Sunny 44/29 M Sunny 43/28 in the early 1920s. He copied Inuits once harvested, rapidly lose moisture, about frozen fruit and vegetables their prime and retain their minerals New York Cloudy 19/12 Sunny 25/16 in Alaska, who preserved their fi sh are attacked by microbes and degraded losing nutrients, then remember that and vitamins. Issues such as preferring Paris M Cloudy 23/14 P Cloudy 27/15 by freezing them quickly, meaning by enzymes. fresh ones lose them too. Green peas the taste of fresh are more subjective. Sao Paulo P Cloudy 23/14 P Cloudy 21/14 Seoul P Cloudy 23/11 Sunny 25/12 that large ice crystals didn’t form to Nowadays, newer techniques are lose just over half their vitamin C in And, of course, frozen peas are much Singapore S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 31/27 damage cells and destroy the taste used, such as blanching vegetables the fi rst 24 to 48 hours after picking. better than fresh ones for applying to Sydney S Showers 18/11 Sunny 19/09 of the food. Fruit and vegetables are before fl ash freezing. There are no A study by Ali Bouzari and colleagues minor bumps on the head. – Guardian Tokyo Cloudy 24/16 Cloudy 22/15 between 70% and 90% water, and, chemicals involved, and, if you worry at the University of California, News and Media Gulf Times 28 Monday, May 15, 2017 QATAR Commercial Bank opens its 30th branch at Mall of Qatar By Peter Alagos tar branch demonstrates Com- Business Reporter mercial Bank’s commitment to meeting our customers’ needs at this prime location and is in line ommercial Bank offi cially with the bank’s strategic direc- opened its 30th branch at tion of building the ‘Best Bank in CMall of Qatar yesterday, Qatar’ and being the ‘Qatari Bank off ering full-fl edged personal of Choice’ through an enhanced banking and ATM services. client experience,” Abraham Located at the mall’s West added. Gate 3 entrance, the new branch In a statement, Commercial provides extended banking Bank said that its branches “re- hours, Saturday to Thursday main integral to how the bank from 9am to 2.30pm and 3.30pm delivers its services to custom- to 9pm, and on Fridays from ers”. 3.30pm to 9pm. The bank said it understands The opening ceremony was customers’ preferences for per- held in the presence of Commer- sonal and face-to-face interac- cial Bank chairman Sheikh Ab- tions with staff and relationship dullah bin Ali bin Jabor al-Thani, managers. vice-chairman Hussain Ibrahim At the same time, digital Alfardan, managing director technology allows customer of Omar Hussain Alfardan, chief Commercial Bank to carry out executive offi cer Joseph Abra- everyday transactions online or ham, senior bank management, via their mobile devices at their and a number of dignitaries and convenience, saving them time VIPs. and allowing branch services The branch opening follows a to concentrate on their fi nan- two-week campaign, which in- cial planning and more complex cluded a competition and free transactions. vouchers. The Mall of Qatar branch Members of the public who is part of the bank’s strategic won a puzzle competition via branch network that includes 30 Commercial Bank’s website also full-service branches and 173 au- attended the launch event, as tomated teller machines (ATMs) well as Mall of Qatar visitors. conveniently located across Commercial Bank chief ex- Qatar, in addition to the digital ecutive Abraham said: “Since banking channels. the bank opened its doors for Commercial Bank recently re- business over 42 years ago, our ceived the “Best Retail Bank in branches have always been a Qatar” award at the Asian Bank- strategic channel for us. er’s International Excellence in “Our goal is to enable our Retail Financial Services 2017 Commercial Bank chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin customers to bank in a simple, Awards Ceremony, in recogni- Jabor al-Thani and vice-chairman Hussain Ibrahim seamless, and secure way across tion of its strong personalised Alfardan lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the the channel of their choice at approach to banking, with high opening of the bank’s Mall of Qatar branch yesterday. anytime, anywhere.” levels of customer service and PICTURES: Jayan Orma “The launch of our Mall of Qa- innovation. Commercial Bank eyeing Doha Festival City branch

s part of its expansion plans in lines of the opening ceremony of the quarter, which is actually faster than the 2017, Commercial Bank is expect- bank’s Mall of Qatar branch yesterday, market,” he said. Aing to open another branch at the the offi cial also said Commercial Bank He added: “Since we have a clear fi ve- Doha Festival City “later this year”, an experienced loan growth in the fi rst year strategy in place, and with the full offi cial has said. quarter of 2017. support of the board, we have raised “We will look at selective opportuni- During the same period, Commercial capital. We are also looking at our proc- ties to open new branches. Our target Bank chief executive Joseph Abraham esses, which focus on client experience. is to basically open branches where our said the bank also witnessed growth in Our focus is also on digital and digitisa- customers are,” said Amit Sah, executive the bank’s customer base. tion, as well as new products. general manager of Consumer Banking & “We are continuously growing our Qatar is our home market and we must Sheikh Abdullah and vice-chairman Hussain Ibrahim Alfardan are assisted by dignitaries during the cake-cutting Retail Banking at Commercial Bank. customer base. In the wholesale bank continuously expand our customer base ceremony for the bank’s Mall of Qatar branch yesterday. Speaking to Gulf Times on the side- side, we grew almost 7% during the fi rst both on the corporate and retail side.”

Calligraphy exhibition opens at QM Gallery Al Riwaq

atar Museums (QM) is holding a major exhibi- Qtion, titled “Contempo- rary Calligraphy – Mehmet Cebi Collection”, at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq. Taking place until June 17, the exhibition brings together a se- lection of intricate calligraphic artworks dating from the 1960s to the present day. A VIP opening event was held yesterday. Presented by Qatar Museums under the leadership of its chair- person, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the exhibition – “one of the fi nest collections of its kind” – features more than 200 works, collected by renowned Turkish expert Me- hmet Cebi. “Contemporary Calligraphy – Mehmet Cebi Collection” focus- es on two traditions renowned for their glorifi cation of the beauty of Islam through art. The fi rst is an assortment of Hilye-i Serif (the Noble Hilye), a form of classic calligraphic art. The second is a collection of tesbih (prayer beads), used for Ali Kar’avi, Hilya ruminative prayer. in Thuluth and Hilye-i Serif is a form of the Naskh, no date, tradition of calligraphic expres- ink and sion that originated in Turkey. watercolour on It is believed that the art of Dignitaries at the VIP opening event yesterday. paper (105 x hilye fi rst emerged in Istanbul in 137cm) – the 17th century under the infl u- various smaller rectangular or phy is a major form of artistic importance of Cebi’s vision in maniye-Istanbul, and has been Mehmet Cebi ence of the great Ottoman callig- circular panels. expression in Islamic culture and developing the collection, which developing his collection related Collection, rapher Hafız Osman. QM chief strategic planning history, and highlights our com- is to deepen understanding and to classical calligraphy and Noble Istanbul. Such artwork is usually char- offi cer Khalid al-Ibrahim said: mitment at Qatar Museums’ to appreciation for the art form Hilya with a contemporary ap- acterised by panelled structures “We are excited to showcase one educate and inspire visitors and around the world. proach since the 1990s. Right: Prayer featuring the main text of the of the fi nest collections of cal- develop engaged cultural audi- Cebi is the founder of the His collections have been ex- beads – coral, prayer or exaltation in a circular ligraphic art in the world at the ences and creators.” world’s fi rst Noble Hilya and hibited in more than 30 venues in gold, silver, set central medallion surrounded by QM Gallery Al Riwaq. Calligra- The exhibition refl ects the Prayer Beads Museum in Suley- Turkey and abroad. of two pieces.