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Wednesday 30 October 2019 | 2 Rabia I 1441 www.thepeninsula.qa Volume 24 | Number 8060 | 2 Riyals

Amir inaugurates QITCOM 2019

I welcome the guests of Qatar participating in QITCOM 2019 and Munich Security Conference Core Group Meeting to discuss ways to keep our planet safe amid rapid technological advancement. It seems there is a worrying legislative and technical gap in cyber security. The past years witnessed serious crises because of this, and we need to fill this gap as our contemporary life needs technology.

SACHIN KUMAR Core Grroup Meeting. THE PENINSULA The high-profile event is being organised by the Ministry Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin of Transport and Communica- Hamad Al Thani inaugurated tions under the theme ‘Safe and Qatar IT Exhibition (QITCOM Smart Cities’. 2019) yesterday at the Qatar Speaking at the inauguration, National Convention Center. Minister of Transport and Com- The inauguration ceremony munications (MoTC) H E Jassim was attended by President Paul bin Saif Al Sulaiti announced the Kagame of the Republic of adoption of Qatar’s National Arti- Rwanda; Prime Minister and ficial Intelligence Strategy, in Interior Minister, H E Sheikh cooperation with Qatar Com- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa puting Research Institute (QCRI), Al Thani; Sultanate of Oman’s with the participation of a Minister Responsible for Foreign number of senior experts from Affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi bin international universities. Abdullah; the Minister of Foreign “This strategy is the first of Affairs of the Islamic Republic of its kind to be developed in col- Iran, Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif; laboration between the gov- The President of the Kurdistan ernment and a research institute. Region of Iraq, Nechirvan It aims to adopt the artificial Barzani; the Chairman of the intelligence and harness it to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with other dignitaries visiting one of the pavilions at QITCOM 2019 after inaugurating the Munich Security Conference, secure the economic and stra- event at the Qatar National Convention Center, yesterday. Wolfgang Ischinger, and a tegic future of Qatar as is number of Their Excellencies envisaged by Qatar National countries that are aware of the quality of the Internet to become latest technologies and work community. Qatar seeks to Ministers. Vision 2030,” His Excellency importance and advantages of the first country in the world to systems that will improve the strengthen its regional and inter- H H the Amir also attended said. smart cities, where it has already launch 5G services. Ministries quality of services provided to national cooperation to provide the opening session of the His Excellency stressed that begun to strengthen its infra- and government agencies have the public and enhance the life- a safe and strong cyber envi- Munich Security Conference Qatar was at the forefront of the structure and enhance the embarked on the adoption of the style of individuals in the Qatari ronment. `P2 Kuwait Amir: GCC crisis MSC chief urges talks to end Mideast security problems no longer acceptable IRFAN BUKHARI “In my personal assessment, by everybody that volatility of transparent dialogue between THE PENINSULA all diplomatic issues at the end situation in this region different governments of the considerations, of the day also see the question demands a well-thought initi- region, this organization pointing out that this The Chairman of the Munich of face-saving, therefore a ative in order to bring eve- (Munich Security Conference) is a historical Security Conference (MSC), solution necessarily needs to be rybody on the table, and over- can make modest contribution responsibility. Wolfgang Ischinger, has said that structured in a way that is a coming non-dialogue was by providing a platform.” His Highness said end of non-dialogue between win-win situation for all sides,” urgently required. Held under the auspices of that the region is wit- important players of the region he said. Ischinger said that unre- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nessing unprece- is necessary to address serious He noted that awareness solved problems of the Middle the meeting was attended by dented difficult cir- security problems of the Middle was rising that Gulf crisis must East were one the biggest chal- high-level representatives of cumstances and there East. end because other issues were lenges for international peace governments, international are concerns and pain He was addressing a press so overwhelmingly important and security therefore they institutions and academics. over the escalation and conference after the Munich that the region could not afford should be on the top level of list The Munich Security Con- instability in a number Security Conference Core Group the speechlessness between of priorities. ference Core Group Meeting of brotherly countries, Meeting hosted by Qatar at important players of the region. Ischinger said that the provides a platform for dis- expressing hope that National Museum of Qatar He said that in diplomacy nature of the situation in the cussion between 60 to 80 high- brothers in these coun- yesterday. there was nothing impossible. region which was facing many level political decision-makers, tries enjoy security and To a question about the Gulf “Miracles in foreign policy challenges like Syria, Yemen, experts and representatives of prosperity. crisis, Ischinger said that as a happen if we are optimistic and Libya and elsewhere was also international civil society QNA KUWAIT H H the Amir of Kuwait reit- practising diplomat he had felt committed.” different on the grounds that organizations from the region erated the seriousness of the an increasing awareness by all He said that in the Core many governments were not and their counterparts from volatile situation that afflicts the sides that it could not go eter- Group Meeting there was speaking to each other. Europe and the rest of the Amir of the State of Kuwait region, and which its serious nally and must end. emerging consensus “In the absence of world. `P5 H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al repercussions and effects are felt Jaber Al Sabah (pictured) said and threaten the security, sta- that the Gulf crisis has weakened bility and the future of the the capabilities of the GCC coun- generations. Vodafone Qatar’s 5G network goes live at HIA tries and threatened their In these delicate circum- achievements, stressing that it is stances, lesson of what is hap- THE PENINSULA by Vodafone Qatar’s CEO, Sheikh by improving network response Engr. Badr Mohammed Al no longer acceptable or bearable pening around the region must DOHA Hamad Abdulla Jassim Al Thani, times and capacity. Meer said: “Hamad International for the crisis to continue. be learned and there is no choice and the Chief Operating Officer Commenting on the Airport has been a pioneer in H H the Amir of Kuwait also but to consolidate the national A memorandum of under- of the HIA, Badr Mohammed Al agreement, Sheikh Hamad adopting emerging technology called for strengthening the Gulf unity and the cohesion of the standing signed by Vodafone Meer. Abdulla Al Thani said: “Vodafone trends that deliver tangible unity and transcendence above society, as well as to renounce the Qatar and Hamad International As part of its digital strategy, Qatar is proud to support HIA’s business outcomes. `P4 differences. causes of strife and division and Airport (HIA) yesterday sets the the state-of-the-art airport is digital strategy through our 5G During the fourth ordinary incitement, His Highness said, HIA on course to become one of already investing in cutting edge network. For airports, an intel- session of Kuwait’s National adding that social media became the smartest connected airports smart technologies to transform ligent 5G enabled wireless Assembly’s 15th legislative term, one of the most dangerous tools in the world. The agreement will customer experience with an network that can power H H the Amir of Kuwait said that that destroy the national unity and see Vodafone Qatar becomes the end-to-end self-service pas- advanced technologies such as disputes between brothers in the harm the reputation of the people first operator to deploy its world senger journey enabled by bio- the Internet of Things, Artificial GCC are no longer acceptable. and their dignity. class GigaNet 5G in-building metric facial recognition. Inno- Intelligence and Big Data will be His Highness added that dif- H H also said that he has network in the airport. vative technologies are also at the heart of transforming the Special pages ferences must be overcome at the called for a serious and urgent The agreement was signed being deployed to enhance oper- passenger experience, enhancing Included with Arab level and that the supreme action to eradicate this dangerous on the sidelines of QITCOM 2019, ational excellence. The availa- safety, boosting operational effi- interests of the nation must be phenomenon and protect the the largest information and com- bility of Vodafone Qatar’s 5G ciencies and generating today’s edition placed above all other society from its deadly scourge. munications showcase in Qatar, network will help support this revenue.” 02 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Amir meets Rwandan President and visiting Ministers

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda; Prime Minister and Interior Minister, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister oforeign F Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the ministers, officials and other representatives from various countries, who all are here to participate in the Qatar IT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019), at the Qatar National Convention Center, yesterday.

H H the Amir and Paul Kagame touring the exhibition.

H H the Amir, Paul Kagame and the Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, touring the exhibition.

H H the Amir, Paul Kagame and the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, during the opening of the Munich Security Conference Core Group Meeting. Amir inaugurates QITCOM 2019 FROM PAGE 1 industry, and support entrepre- Cybersecurity Strategy to protect His Excellency added that neurs and owners of small, the national vital information Doha is honoured to host the medium and small enterprises infrastructure, promote a culture Munich Security Conference in in the digital field, and provide of cybersecurity and develop conjunction with QITCOM 2019 the necessary support through national capabilities and spe- to discuss regional and global several institutions and initia- cialized cadres. security issues and raise tives, including business incu- His Excellency added that awareness of cybersecurity issues bator in the Ministry of Transport Qatar has long been committed and their implications and and Communications. to enhancing information impacts. His Excellency pointed out security and encouraging inter- Qatar’s hosting of such events that as a continuation of these national cooperation to combat reflects the leadership’s keenness efforts and initiatives and within cybercrime whereas, H H the to support the country’s digital the framework of the Gov- Amir had called for an interna- transformation process, and the ernment of Qatar to accelerate tional conference to discuss ways creation of a digital society and the achievement of all the pillars to organise this issue in interna- enhance the ability of its of Qatar National Vision 2030 tional law. His Highness stressed members to participate in and achieve the goals of compre- the readiness of Qatar to host this building a knowledge-based hensive sustainable development, conference under the auspices of economy, in line with the great the Ministry of Transport and the United Nations. digital boom witnessed in the Communications launched Qatar Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich world, and contribution to Smart Program (TASMU), which Security Conference Chairman, advancing economic devel- will make huge investments in said: “I am honoured to attend opment, His Excellency said. the development of digital the opening of QITCOM 2019 to His Excellency pointed out infrastructure. discuss the digitization challenge that in terms of the global His Excellency pointed out from the perspective of the MSC. economy, smart cities and their that the development of the We are pleased to be here today technologies have become a concept of smart cities and their in one of the leading events in the major role in economic growth, technologies has evolved in the Middle East and to organise a where it is estimated that the use form and size of the challenges roundtable on cyber security in of 5G technologies will save about facing the application of this cooperation with the Ministry of $160bn globally, by rationalising concept, the most important of Transport and Communications energy consumption, developing which are security challenges under the headline “securing dig- security services, developing especially with the growing phe- itization in the Middle East”.” transportation and sustainability. nomenon of cybercrime and QITCOM 2019 is different He added that it is estimated that piracy at the global level and in from previous editions in that it the economic value of the the Middle East in particular, is a world-level edition featuring Internet of Things will reach adding that the State of Qatar was 104 speakers from around 30 approximately $11 trillion per a victim of cyber piracy, which countries, more than 400 local year by 2025. has been a cover for a regional and international exhibitors, His Excellency explained crisis that has increased tension around 300 innovators and that Qatar’s role is not only to in the region. entrepreneurs, and 29 local and promote the use of modern city His Excellency stated that international sponsors. More than technologies, but also to Qatar has put these challenges in 60 countries from the region and support scientific research and line with its priorities, and in 2014 beyond are participating in the innovation in the digital launched the National various QITCOM activities. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 HOME 03

PM meets ministers participating in QITCOM OFFICIAL NEWS Amir sends congratulations to President of Turkey

DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Inte- rior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Kha- lifa Al Thani sent yesterday cables of congratulations to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the occasion of his country’s The Prime Minister and Interior Minister, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al H E the Prime Minister with the Minister of Information and Communication Republic Day. QNA Thani, with the Minister of Transport of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Infrastructure of the Republic of The Gambia, Ebrima Sillah. Dagmawit Moges, at Qatar National Convention Center. Amir greets President of Mozambique We are delighted today to host the @QITCOM “Safe, Smart Cities” and DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh the @MunSecConf Core Group Meeting, under the patronage of HH The Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Amir; with the aim of enabling and developing capabilities to build a and Deputy Amir H H Sheikh distinctive and secure digital future. Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani sent a cable of congratula- QNA/DOHA the Minister of Information and Com- tions to Filipe Jacinto Nyusi munication Infrastructure of The on the occasion of his re- The Prime Minister and Interior Gambia, Ebrima Sillah; Minister of election as President of Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Posts Telecommunications and Tech- Mozambique. QNA Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani met nology of Somalia, Abdi Ashur Hassan, yesterday with a number of ministers and Minister of Transport of Ethiopia, participating in the Qatar IT Conference Dagmawit Moges. Amir congratulates H E the Prime Minister with the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019), H E the Prime Minister also met President-elect Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rossen Jeliazkov. organised by the Ministry of Transport with the Minister of Communications of Argentina and Communications under the theme and Information Technology of Iran, “Safe and Smart Cities”, and the Munich Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, and enhancing and developing bilateral relations Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, at QNCC. DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Security Conference Core Group (MSC) Minister of Transport, Information between Qatar and these countries in various HE Prime Minister hosted a dinner banquet Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, meeting at the Qatar National Technology and Communications of fields and reviewed a number of topics of in honour of Their Excellencies the partici- Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Convention Center (QNCC). Bulgaria, Rossen Jeliazkov. The common interest. H E the Prime Minister also pants in QITCOM 2019 and Munich Security Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, H E the Prime Minister met with meetings dealt with means of met with the President of the Kurdistan Conference Core Group Meeting. and Prime Minister and Inte- rior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Kha- lifa Al Thani yesterday sent ‘Theqa’ launched to boost cables of congratulations to Alberto Fernandez on the occasion on his election as Qatar’s e-commerce sector President of the Argentine Republic. QNA THE PENINSULA/DOHA quickly. To obtain Theqa’s trust mark, local The Minister of Transport and Communi- companies or e-commerce businesses Amir sends written cations (MoTC), H E Jassim bin Saif Al must fulfil a set of standards. The portal message to Sulaiti, and Minister of Commerce and will help evaluate participating company’s Industry, H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, website to check if it meets up with Theqa’s El Salvador President launched ‘Theqa’ - the new website of security and safety requirements and also SAN SALVADOR: Amir Qatar’s e-commerce gateway on the side- ensure that services on offer are according H H Sheikh Tamim bin lines of QITCOM 2019. to specifications before it is granted a cer- Hamad Al Thani has sent Following the launch, the two ministers tificate and a trust mark, which is subject a written message to the toured the pavilions of local companies to annual renewal on Theqa’s website. President of El Salvador, providing E-Commerce and certified by Theqa works to ensure that local web- Najib Abu Kila, pertaining Theqa, which so far has given its stamp of sites provide clear data and information to bilateral relations and trust to 42 companies. The launch is part to customers including consumer rights, means of supporting and of MoTCs’ efforts to enhance consumer privacy policy, terms and conditions of developing them. The mes- The Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, and confidence in the local e-commerce sector service, etc., in order to aid more public sage was handed over by Minister of Commerce and Industry, H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, during the launch and improve the quality of services pro- interest in the local e-commerce sector. Acting Charge d’Affairs of vided by local online suppliers, in addition The first phase of the project is aimed at of Theqa. the Embassy of Qatar in El to providing traders and shoppers with the encouraging increased patronisation of programs, opportunities and initiatives, as expand in the future.” Salvador, Tariq Othman Al latest updates in the sector. local e-commerce sites by the Qatari public well as best online shopping practices and The MoTC is drafting an e-commerce Othman, during a meeting The portal, http://www.Theqa.qa is a instead of using foreign sites, while the tips that ensure a secure and reliable online licensing code to organise shopping via with President of El Salva- non-profit and voluntary government pro- second phase will focus on attracting new shopping experience. social media and local e-commerce com- dor. QNA gramme, that is aimed at stimulating customers from outside the country Reem Al Mansoori, Assistant Under- panies. The aim is to protect consumers Qatar’s e-commerce sector and develop through more partnerships with trust mark secretary of Digital Society Development and regulate the work of these companies Qatar condemns local online retail sales by encouraging cit- projects from around the world. Affairs, MoTC, said: “MoTC seeks to meet and websites by providing them with com- izens and residents to trust the country’s Through the new website, the Ministry the growing needs of the e-commerce mercial licenses, legitimising their trans- attacks on e-commerce ecosystem. will provide the public and the retailers sector and keep abreast of the latest devel- actions, and protecting intellectual Mosque in France It also seeks to encourage buyers to with all information related to the e-com- opments by adopting and implementing property. use local websites and platforms for merce market in Qatar. This includes a list additional high value and high quality elec- The MoTC is also working to implement DOHA:Qatar expressed its effective and safe online shopping, and to of website providers, e-payment gateways tronic services and creating a work envi- a consumer protection initiative under strong condemnation and provide merchants with the tools, capa- and logistics providers, support, coaching, ronment with controls and follow-up which complaints related to e-commerce denunciation of the attack bilities and skills needed to succeed incubation and corporate finance mechanisms that help the sector grow and are received, followed up, and resolved. on a mosque in southwest- ern France, which left two people injured. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiter- ated Qatar’s firm stance on MoTC launches Tasdeeq and Tawasol portals rejecting violence and ter- rorism, regardless of the SACHIN KUMAR prevented, and experience the simplicity whereby staff will have access to essential motives and reasons. The THE PENINSULA of the validation process either by documents related to their roles, projects statement stressed Qatar’s checking the documents themselves or or domains, trainings manuals. The total rejection of target- The Ministry of Transport and Commu- through Qatar Government Contact Center platform will enable staff to manage their ing places of worship and nications (MoTC) yesterday launched (QGCC). Objective of this service is to meetings, upload and share documents, intimidating civilians. The Tasdeeq and ‘Tawasol’ portals, on the protect the documents that are produced and calendars. Additionally, it will provide statement also expressed sidelines of Qatar IT Conference and Exhi- by different government entities,” he employees with the latest news, related the State of Qatar’s wishing bition (QITCOM 2019). added. laws and policies, guidance, and services. for speedy recovery to the Tasdeeq is a shared service platform Documents validation can additionally “We are excited to announce the two injured. QNA which offers ratification and validation be done by calling QGCC, where infor- launch of Tawasol, a one-stop gateway services to government and corporate mation can be communicated with the for the employees in the public sector to Qatar takes part organisations in Qatar while Tawasol will agent and vice versa in a secure manner. access all wide range of information and offer a workspace where staff can set up “MoTC is proud to launch this inno- resources, and share knowledge, and in Monaco meeting audio and video meetings, chat, perform vative service which is aimed at ensuring services to help build an efficient working MONACO: Qatar partici- panel discussions, and distribute tasks. a more secured handling and accessing environment . In line with Qatar Digital pated in the 108th meeting Tasdeeq provides a collaborative envi- of documents in Qatar. Tasdeeq is a Qatar Government 2020 Strategy, Through of the Permanent Council of ronment where individuals, government Hassan Jassim Al Sayed Digital Government (QDG) initiative which Tawasol, we aim to empower government La Francophonie in the Prin- and private entities interact together comes as parts of government’s effort at employees to share information, collab- cipality of Monaco under the through a single portal to validate and of their documents anytime and any- further developing a sustainable digital orate, and create knowledge centers,” said chairmanship of Secretary- authenticate documents. The portal allows where, whether online or offline, and ecosystem in Qatar by digitalizing its oper- Hassan Jassim Al Sayed. General of the International users to share information in a secured access their personal documents in their ations. With the launch of the new portal, “Tawasol has been designed to Organization of La Francoph- manner and with a high level of confiden- privacy, which makes Tasdeeq the first the populace is assured of having their increase efficiency in productivity and onie, in preparation for the tiality, using their credentials in the citizen documents vault implemented,” documents handled and processed faster reduce overall costs. It will also help gov- Ministerial Conference of La national identification system, thanks to Hassan Jassim Al Sayed, Assistant Under- and more efficiently without any worries,” ernments achieve organisational excel- Francophonie. The delegation the encryption feature that allows only secretary of Information Technology said Al Sayed lence and improve corporate governance. was headed by Ambassador authorized or authorised parties to access Affairs at MoTC told The Peninsula on the Tawasol is a portal designed for secure Governmental staffs across all sectors are of Qatar to France, Sheikh Ali and verify user-information. sidelines of the launch event. “They can electronic collaboration between gov- encouraged to collaborate and use bin Jassim Al Thani. QNA “With the launch, citizens and resi- also enjoy more security for their docu- ernment employees. The portal will also Tawasol to perform their work more dents of Qatar can now check the status ments, with forgery and tampering act as a knowledge sharing center, effectively,” he added. 04 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Vodafone Qatar’s 5G network goes live at HIA FROM PAGE 1 unwavering commitment to extensive reach of its 5G HIA’s partnership with building a world-class infra- network covers key loca- Vodafone Qatar will be structure in support of the tions across the country. In pivotal in delivering ubiq- realisation of the Qatar parallel, Vodafone Qatar uitous ultra-high-speed National Vision 2030. Last also launched the country’s communication, providing month, the Company’s first ‘Unlimited 5G Plans’ to our passengers with con- leading role in the give mobile users the full 5G nectivity like never before.” deployment of 5G was experience, and allow them Vodafone Qatar has unveiled with the to take advantage of its demonstrated an announcement that the unprecedented speed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, and Vodafone Qatar CEO, Sheikh Hamad Abdulla Jassim Al Thani during their visit to the Vodafone pavilion at QITCOM 2019, yesterday. Qatar to participate in GCC Health Ministers’ Committee meeting QNA stockpile of medicines, vac- positions of the GCC coun- DOHA cines and medical supplies tries in the international in cases and emergency cartels in the health field, The State of Qatar will crises and the list of medical health cities, standardi- participate in the 5th supplies Guides. zation of registration and meeting of the GCC Health In addition, the agenda classification procedures Ministers’ Committee and will review the supreme for medical specialties. The the 82nd Conference Council councils decision on the 82nd Conference Council of Ministers of Health of the Unified Guide of Customs of Ministers of Health of the GCC countries to be held Procedures at GCC First GCC countries will discuss today in the Sultanate of points of Entry. Furthermore, several important issues, Oman. the agenda will highlight most notably the draft res- Qatar’s delegation to the smart card health file, med- olutions on unified pro- meeting will be led by Min- and implementations. ications, medical devices curement, central regis- ister of Public Health H E Dr The 5th meeting’s and supplies exempted from tration, expatriate Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari agenda will address value-added tax (VAT). screening and technical (pictured), The 5th meeting spectrum of topics including Additionally, the committees. of Health Ministers Com- the supreme council meeting will follow-up The State of Qatar will mittee will review a report decision on Visa Medical action plan of the GCC also participate in the GCC of the supreme council and program, as well as fol- ministers of health com- preparatory meeting of the the ministerial board deci- lowing up its decision on the mittee, as well as coordi- undersecretaries of health sions in the field of health procedures of strategic nating and unifying the ministries. RACA signs MoU for sharing oversight information QNA The MoU was signed by mechanism to implement it DOHA Director General of the RACA with regard to information Ibrahim Abdullah Al Duhaimi exchange and enhance coop- The Regulatory Authority for and Assistant Undersecretary eration in combating money Charitable Activities (RACA) for Social Affairs at the laundering and terrorism and the Ministry of Adminis- MADLSA Ghanem Mubarak Al financing. trative Development, Labour Kuwari. The MoU also included coor- and Social Affairs (MADLSA) The memorandum included dination and cooperation in the have signed a Memorandum of means of coordinating and understanding, analysis and Understanding (MoU) for exchanging information on the evaluation of sectoral and sharing oversight information licenses issued by the two national risks and the devel- in the field of supervision and parties in the field of fund- opment of basis and controls to control over private charitable raising, external remittance mitigate the risks in the law on institutions and granting licenses and relevant financial combating money laundering licenses and coordination in transactions. It seeks to and terrorism financing prom- this area. establish a joint action ulgated by law No. 20 of 2019.

Ooredoo launches Web Application Firewall

THE PENINSULA DOHA

Ooredoo, the region’s leading enabler of digital business inno- vation, announced yesterday at QITCOM the launch of Qatar’s first end-to-end Web Appli- cation Firewall (WAF) as a Service solution, which will aid customers in protecting their online assets. In the wake of increasing demand for robust web application protection, Ooredoo’s Cloud WAF provides centre services, to deliver its new incident detection and response customers with a fully managed Cloud-based managed WAF capability coupled with local and service protecting their digital service. global experts. presence from a variety of Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Al Kubaisi, added: “Our cyber-attacks. Ooredoo Qatar Chief Operations industry-leading Cloud WAF is Mission-critical applications Officer, said: “As Qatar’s organ- built upon an end-to-end cyber- can come under fire from auto- isations digitally transform, they security protection model, which mated bot attacks, injection also face a larger number of has been localised to comply attacks, as well as application- increasingly complex cyber- with Qatar’s data regulations. We layer denial-of-service. These threats. With Qatar’s first end- are combining the best-in-class cyber-attacks can in turn not to-end Cloud WAF solution, we practices and web application only lead to a loss of revenue, are helping organisations with firewall technology to ensure our but may also impact a business’ a digital presence to optimise clients and their customers reputation. Ooredoo’s Cloud their cyber-security costs, scale remain protected at all time.” WAF provides the shield to up as their business expands, Business customers can lev- counter these threats. and provide complete protection erage the Ooredoo Advantage, As the latest release under as cyber-threats evolve.” making Ooredoo “Best for its extensive managed security In order to monitor and Business”, thanks to its breadth portfolio, Ooredoo will leverage manage the cloud-based WAF, and depth of talent, best fixed its expertise as Qatar’s leading Ooredoo will leverage its state- and mobile networks, broadest digital communications pro- of-the-art Security Operations portfolio of ICT services and vider, along with its industry- Centre. This Centre collectively solutions, and trusted partner for leading connectivity and data provides next-generation 60 years. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 HOME 05 MSC chief urges talks to end Qatar, Germany review bilateral relations Mideast security problems

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during the Munich Security Conference Core Group Meeting at Qatar National Museum. met yesterday with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament, Norbert Rottgen, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference Core Group (MSC) Meeting, which is being FROM PAGE 1 held in Doha in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, bilateral cooperation Deputy Prime Minister and relations were reviewed as well as issues of common concern. H E Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Minister of Foreign Affairs H E of Foreign Affairs also met with the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, on the sidelines of the MSC Core Group Meeting. Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul- It’s a great honour to welcome everyone to #Doha for the @MunSecConf rahman Al Thani said in a speech Core Group Meeting. Through our partnership with #MSC over the past prior to the start of the meeting years, we have created a firm platform to find ways to improve security, that the main objective of hosting deepen cooperation, resolve conflicts and advance reconciliation. the meeting comes within the Qatar takes part in EU-Arab World Summit framework of the efforts made in 2013 but now situation of 2019, Minister, Dr. Mohammad Javad to reduce the repercussions of the of course, is different with severe Zarif, participated in the meeting QNA/ATHENS the State of Qatar attaches great ever, to build a strategic part- issues in the region, which afflict risks of conflict and number of in Doha and presented different importance to the peaceful set- nership, imposed by the reality of many countries of the world, as ongoing conflicts in the region.” ideas including Hormuz Peace Qatar took part in the 4th EU-Arab tlement of disputes in order to the common human destiny and well as the challenges of the Gulf He said that during the Deal in the presence of US rep- World Summit, which was held contribute to global peace the requirements of stability and in particular, QNA reported. meeting some participants had resentatives therefore the in Athens yesterday under the building, noting that Qatar has regional security of both groups, His Excellency welcomed the spoken of the risks of larger wars Munich Security Conference was slogan ‘A Strategic Partnership’. succeeded in resolving many which in turn contributes to participants in the meeting, in the region which showed the working as a bridge-builder. Minister of State for Foreign national and regional disputes achieving world peace and wishing them a pleasant stay in assessment of seriousness of sit- He said that at the end of the Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al through the development of stability. the State of Qatar, and hoped that uation in the Middle East among day every problem had to be Muraikhi led the delegation of ‘mediation diplomacy’. H E appre- He noted that the Arab world the discussions will lead to the the participants. He said that the resolved through dialogue. “In the Qatar. ciated the continuation of the and the European Union share achievement of effective solu- MSC was not a conflict resolving meeting representatives from the Minister of State for Foreign EU-Arab World Summit, and common interests and look for- tions that can benefit everyone, body like the UN but offered a European countries were present Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al praised the choice of this year’s wards to a stable and balanced it added. In the press conference, modest contribution by pro- and the European countries have Muraikhi also met with Greek slogan ‘A Strategic Partnership’. international system that reflects Chairman of the MSC, Wolfgang viding a platform to discuss dif- the experience on how to end Deputy Foreign Minister for Eco- He said that the countries of the principles of justice, peace and Ischinger, thanked Amir H H ferent international problems. dividing lines, mutual threats and nomic Diplomacy and Openness the two groups have come a long collective security. He added that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al He said that the Munich confrontations.” Kostas Fragogiannis, on the way in establishing dialogue and the Arab and the EU regions face Thani, Qatar government and in Security Conference had held a To a question, he said that in his sideline of His Excellency’s visit to provided an important asset of common, different and pressing particular Qatar’s Deputy Prime meeting in Cairo two days ago opinion Europe had missed the boat Greece. During the meeting, cooperation and coordination. challenges, which reinforces the Minister and Minister of Foreign because there were some coun- and failed in taking serious initiative bilateral relations between the However, the countries of the need to stand together to face Affairs for hosting Munich tries which could not, would not to end fighting and war in Syria or two countries as well as issues of Arab world and the European these challenges and discuss ways Security Conference Core Group come to Doha and there were find a solution. He said that looking common concern were reviewed. Union, which share common her- to address them by intensifying Meeting in Doha. also some countries which could away was not an option for Europe Addressing the 4th EU-Arab itage and distinguished cultural cooperation in various fields and “It is not the first Core Group not, would not go to Cairo. as the fallout would end on Europe’s World Summit, Minister of State communication and historical ties, coordinating common positions Meeting in Doha as we met here He said that Iran’s Foreign doorsteps. for Foreign Affairs underlined that are in urgent need, more than in international forums. Pedestrian crossings to have radars to monitor vehicles violating rules SIDI MOHAMED Speaking at the seminar, THE PENINSULA Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of the To enhance traffic safety at Media and Traffic Awareness roads, the General Directorate Department, said that the Traffic of Traffic will take new measures Awareness Department will including installation of radars launch this year an awareness at pedestrian crossing points in campaign under the slogan the streets to monitor the “Camping Without Accidents” to vehicles that violate the right of achieve a number of pedestrians at safe crossings, objectives. said a senior official at the The objectives include pro- department. moting the concept of social “The new radar would be responsibility, the need to tested soon after receiving it adhere to traffic rules during the from the company concerned. It camping season, and spreading Major General Mohammed Saad would capture any vehicle vio- awareness of traffic rules in Al Kharji, Director General of lating the rights of pedestrians order to reduce erroneous phe- Traffic. while crossing from pedestrian nomena that may cause death crossing points,” said Major more patrols this year at and injury among young people. General Mohammed Saad Al camping sites along with the First-Lieutenant Abdul Kharji, Director General of patrols of Al Fazaa and other Rahman Al Aawi, an officer at Traffic. security departments, he said. Traffic Studies and Research Speaking to reporters yes- Regarding Sealine accidents, Department, said that vast terday on the sidelines of the he emphasised that all the sta- majority of traffic accidents seminar on ‘Camping Without tistics showed decline in recorded last year in the Accidents’ held at the accident in this area but as camping areas were minor acci- department headquarters, Al people used to share photos and dents constituting an average of Kharji said that despite the videos of accidents therefore about 83 percent of the total decline in traffic accidents, they were usually discussed accidents at those sites. The injuries and deaths resulting more by the people. serious accidents fell to 12 from camping sites, the Al Kharji stressed on the percent in the same year com- department continues its importance of the role of the pared to 19 percent in 2016. The awareness drives related to the family in the follow-up of their Hamad Trauma Center (HTC) importance of adhering to traffic children in order to guide them receives around 2,000 to 2500 rules. to abide by safe driving rules. cases annually. The seminar was attended by a number of officials and stu- dents and aimed at promoting traffic awareness among the campers and preserve their lives and property. It discussed some negative violations committed at the camping sites, focusing more on safety measures which should be followed in riding motorcycles and dune buggies. Major General Al Kharji called on all those who wish to camp this year to follow the rules and traffic regulations to ensure a camping without accidents and strictly adhere to security and safety measures to preserve lives and property. Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of the The department will deploy Media and Traffic Awareness Department, speaking at the seminar. 06 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 WCM-Q symposium discusses strategies for promoting SBE THE PENINSULA Simulation-based communication (both top-down DOHA education utilizes a and bottom-up), documenting commitment for change, consid- Experts in simulation-based wide range of hi- and ering sustainability, and planning medical education (SBE) low-tech learning aids to ensure appropriate man- convened at Weill Cornell and artificially created power, space and budget. Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) to scenarios to allow The event benefited from the share their knowledge at the participation as a speaker of one college’s third annual SBE medical students to of the world’s leading experts in symposium. learn and perfect simulation-based medical edu- Medical professionals from and variety of key cation, Professor Debra Nestel, several healthcare institutions in Professor of Simulation Edu- Qatar participated in the event, practical skills in a cation in Healthcare, Monash with speakers from WCM-Q, safe environment. University, and Professor of Sur- Hamad Medical Corporation, gical Education, Department of Sidra Medicine, Qatar Univer- artificially created scenarios to Surgery, University of Mel- sity’s Colleges of Medicine and allow medical students to learn bourne, Australia. Pharmacy, Sidra Medicine, Uni- and perfect and variety of key Speaking at the event, Prof. versity of Calgary in Qatar and practical skills in a safe Nestel highlighted the impor- College of the North Atlantic environment. tance of faculty development for – Qatar. The theme of this year’s sym- the implementation of SBE and Together, these expert facil- posium was ‘Institutional Culture also discussed the critical need Experts on simulation-based education with healthcare practitioners pose during the WCM-Q symposium. itators form the multi-institu- and Academic Journeys’, with a for a framework for procedural tional Qatar Simulation Con- strong focus on helping attendees skills training. She also empha- sortium, which was established cultivate a culture of positivity implementation of SBE, such as Simulation Culture Organiza- data then analyzed in groups of sized the importance of ensuring to enhance the teaching of sim- towards simulation-based edu- limited resources, time, skilled tional Readiness Survey (SCORS) 12-14 with support from a trained that, in order to optimize the ulation-based medicine through cation in their home staffing, as well as technical skills was selected as the appropriate facilitator. learning of clinical skills, the promotion of evidence-based institutions. such as debriefing and scenario survey tool to be used in the This allowed the participants teaching strategies must incor- best practices. This was based on feedback writing, among others. workshop. In total, 86 physi- to identify the challenges they porate steps that include ele- Simulation-based education from the previous two symposia, To assist them in prioritizing cians, nurses and allied health faced and list priorities for ments to engender the devel- utilizes a wide range of hi- and in which participants noted they their needs, and in planning to practitioners completed the change, such as importance of opment of both cognitive and low-tech learning aids and faced barriers to the promote a culture of change, the SCORS survey, with the resulting transparency, open psychomotor skills. Urinary Stone and Bariatric Surgery centres at Al Khor Mall runs CSR Al Wakrah Hospital receive international accreditation campaign on breast

THE PENINSULA DOHA cancer awareness THE PENINSULA campaign and it helps to The Urinary Stone Center and DOHA increase the awareness to as Bariatric Surgery Center at Al much people as possible. Wakrah Hospital (AWH) have Al Khor Mall in association with Whether it’s a personal been successfully accredited as Al Khor Hospital and Raha health journey, a family Centers of Excellence by the Medical Center has launched member, a colleague or a close US-based Surgery Review Corpo- their CSR campaign, running friend, who is battling the ration (SRC), making AWH the first throughout the month of disease, it’s important to step up hospital in the world to receive this October, Breast Cancer and learn about the ways to award from the SRC for its Urinary Awareness month, with the aim support the cause, and Al Khor Stone Center. Five surgeons were to educate, outreach, increase Mall is doing just that as a part also recognised for their excel- awareness about the disease. To of its social responsibility lence as part of the accreditation create a very visible awareness, towards the community. process. the mall has been decorated Commenting on this, an Stressing the importance of with the pink ribbons. official spokesman of Lulu the international accreditation, Dr. As a support and solidarity Hypermarket Qatar that Abdulla Al Ansari, HMC’s Acting towards the campaigns the mall manages the Al Khor Mall, said: Chief Medical Officer, said, “This retailers will be wearing the pink “The Breast Awareness Cam- recognition is an important mile- t-shirt, which will be powered paign is a true testament to the The team from Al Wakrah Hospital’s Bariatric Surgery and Urinary Stone centres receiving the stone in the continuing growth by Lulu Hypermarket Qatar. dedication of our people, our international accreditation. and success of Al Wakrah Hospi- Al Khor Mall has partnered values and who we are as a tal’s Urinary Stone Center and Dr. Al Ansari. Divisions said, “The international As part of the accreditation with Al Khor Hospital (Member group, and most importantly the Bariatric Surgery Center, and Dr. Sabah Alkadhi, Medical accreditation of the Urinary Stone process, three surgeons from the of Hamad Medical Corporation) lives we can positively impact demonstrates the excellence of Director of AWH said, “This Center and the Bariatric Surgery Urinary Stone Center and two sur- and Raha Medical Center, Al on in Qatar. With these small our surgeons, in which we take accreditation shows our com- Center as Centers of Excellence by geons from the Bariatric Surgery Khor, together they will be con- steps Let’s try our level at the great pride.” mitment to improving patient care the SRC is the result of having Center have been awarded the ducting various activities during best to end Breast Cancer.” “The accreditation validates through the implementation of the state-of-the-art equipment and ‘Excellent Surgeon’ certificate weekends, which include Millions of women our commitment to applying the highest clinical care standards. We ongoing professional education from the SRC. The recognition of awareness classes, nutrition worldwide have been affected latest surgical techniques and are proud to have met the chal- and training programs for our these five surgeons is a testament specific sessions, symptoms of by breast cancer in one way or implementing evidence-based lenge of obtaining this interna- highly-skilled surgeons. This rec- to their dedication, expertise and breast cancer, importance of another. To be precise every 15 best practices, which will ensure tional accreditation and intend to ognition shows the enormous hard work and to their ongoing early screening and early seconds somewhere in the we continue to deliver on HMC’s consistently uphold the principles expertise we have in different commitment to using the latest detection etc. world, a woman is diagnosed commitment to providing the of quality improvement and aspects of urinary stone treatment surgical techniques, as well as As a part of the activities, the with breast cancer. That’s the safest, most effective and most patient care in the future.” and bariatric surgery and our ded- their adherence to the best inter- mall customer service staff will hard-hitting fact. Unfortunately compassionate care to each and Dr. Ahmad Shamsodini, icated approaches to patient national surgical and patient be distributing free pink ribbons making it the most common every one of our patients,” added Chairman of AWH’s Surgical safety.” safety policies and protocols. to the mall visitors, so that they cancer in women according to can become part of awareness world health organization. HBKU Press opens new bookstore at Minaretein

THE PENINSULA HBKU Press’s international DOHA initiatives were highlighted as well. HBKU Press defined the The grand opening of Hamad Bin value of participating in inter- Khalifa University Press’ dedi- national book fairs for com- cated bookstore at Minaretein mercial reasons to sell books to (College of Islamic Studies audiences abroad and also as a building) took place yesterday platform to participate in the highlighting over ten years of ‘rights sale’ of books whereby the excellence in the publishing transaction of buying and selling industry. translation rights occurs. HBKU Press’s bookstore will HBKU Press is also com- open Sunday to Thursday from mitted to alternate publishing 11am to 5.30pm. The complete options that support sustaina- Al Khor Mall staff during the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. collection of HBKU Press’s cat- bility and accessibility through alogue of works, along with ded- the publishing of eBooks and The newly-opened bookstore of HBKU at Minaretein. icated space highlighting the audiobooks to meet personal and books of other local Qatari pub- environmental market needs. lishing houses, can be found in “This is a momentous researchers around the world in Also announced at the grand MoCI recalls Can-AM the HBKU Press bookstore. achievement for HBKU Press. both Arabic and English. opening was HBKU Press’s In the morning, Qatar Acad- From our diverse portfolio of The team also presented upcoming conference in coop- Ryker Bike 2019 model emy-Sidra students were invited genres that includes award- HBKU Press’s commitment to eration with the Qatari Forum to book readings by HBKU Press winning and bestselling original publishing high quality original for Publishing and Distributors, THE PENINSULA protect consumers and ensure authors Muneera Saad Al- works and works of translation Arabic language works, accurate part of the Ministry of Culture DOHA that car and bike dealers follow Romaihi, Dr. Jabr Al Naoimi, to how we are represented on translations to and from Arabic, and Sports in Qatar: the inau- up on vehicle defects and repairs. Zoya Anjum, and Johanna the global stage, HBKU Press has and books with important moral/ gural 2020 Doha Publishing Fel- The Ministry of Commerce and The Ministry said that it will coor- Handley. always sought to redefine the cultural themes all of which lowship Program (DPFP). Industry (MoCI), in cooperation dinate with the dealer to follow Later in the day, guests were publishing landscape in Qatar.” support HBKU Press’s partici- The conference will host with SPEED MARINE Co., dealer up on the maintenance and repair invited to join members of the During the event, guests pation in cross-cultural commu- over 40 foreign publishers from of Can-AM in Qatar, announcesd works and will communicate with publishing house for an inform- were invited to explore the dif- nications. Additionally, HBKU 25 countries around the world the recall of Can-AM Ryker bike, customers to ensure that the nec- ative evening to explore the pub- ferent facets that make up HBKU Press exhibited its community in two-day forum in January model of 2019, due to potential essary repairs are carried out. lishing process and learn how Press publishing activities. Aca- outreach initiatives ranging from 2020. Scheduled activities defect in the wheel nuts that may The Ministry urges all cus- HBKU Press leads the way with demic publishing was explored a multitude of opportunities for include seminars from leading crack and result in loss of control tomers to report any violations to innovative initiatives that go with regards to HBKU Press’s writers, authors, translators, and publishing industry experts and and accident. its Consumer Protection and Anti- beyond producing books. online, Open Access publishing illustrators which serve to one-on-one professional The recall campaign comes Commercial Fraud Department, Bachar Chebaro, Executive platform, QScience.com, that further promote literacy in the exchange meetings with other within the framework of the Min- which processes complaints, Director of HBKU Press said: provides high level services to region. publishers. istry’s continuous efforts to inquires and suggestions. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 HOME 07 QA, Sky Express sign interline agreement Peruvian Ambassador Qatar Airways’ managed by the international air presents books to QNL passengers will transport rating organisation benefit from access Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best to 24 exciting new Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and destinations in Greece ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in rec- including Santorini, ognition of its ground-breaking Crete, Corfu and many Business Class experience, other destinations Qsuite. The world’s fastest-growing on Sky Express’s airline has added a number of domestic network. exciting new destinations to its growing network this year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, THE PENINSULA Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philip- DOHA A view of Mykonos. pines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; and Qatar Airways announced that Langkawi, Malaysia. The airline it has signed an interline network in Greece, this Africa. This way opening up new will add Gaborone, Botswana, in agreement with Sky Express, agreement with Sky Express sig- commercial opportunities, thus 2019 to its extensive route The Embassy of Peru in Qatar has presented Qatar National Library with immediate effect. This nificantly increases our ability offering passengers a whole new network along with Luanda, (QNL), with a number of valuable books about various topics, agreement will enable Greek to connect global travellers with range of destinations.” Angola; and Osaka, Japan, in passengers outside of Athens to iconic destinations throughout Qatar Airways has been 2020. especially the history and culture of Peru, and international law. travel seamlessly between Greece and reinforces our com- operating to Athens since June Sky Express is the fastest The books were delivered by Jose Benzaquen Perea, Ambassador Greece and Doha and onwards mitment to supporting the 2005, and in 2015 increased its growing airline in Greece today, of Peru, during a meeting with Dr. Sohair Wastawy, the Executive to destinations in Asia, the nation’s tourism industry.” service to the Greek capital from operating more than 30,000 Director of Qatar National Library. Middle East and Australasia. Sky Express CEO and Pres- twice daily to three times daily flights per year, to 32 destina- Qatar Airways’ passengers ident, Theodoros Krokidas, said: to meet growing demand. In tions throughout Greece. The will benefit from access to 24 “Sky Express is very pleased for 2018, the airline added Thessa- airline operates a modern fleet MoPH to organise ‘A Healthy exciting new destinations in this new collaboration with such loniki and Mykonos as its of ATR aircraft. Sky Express is Greece including Santorini, a well-respected carrier as Qatar second and third gateways to successfully expanding, contin- Crete, Corfu and many other Airways. This agreement allows the idyllic Mediterranean uously surprising and delighting City for Children’ symposium destinations on Sky Express’s all 32 Greek destinations nation. its passengers with its new col- domestic network. operated by Sky Express to A multiple award-winning laborations, while improving the THE PENINSULA the Kingdom of Sweden, as well Qatar Airways Group Chief connect seamlessly with Qatar airline, Qatar Airways was quality and competitiveness of DOHA as in Kuwait and Oman. Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: Airways’ global network across named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by tourism products, in a fiercely The symposium will include “With the largest domestic Europe, Asia, Australia and the 2019 World Airline Awards, competitive industry. The Ministry of Public Health two key panel discussions under (MoPH) is organising the “A the theme “The challenges of Healthy City for Children” combating childhood obesity at symposium in collaboration the city level: Reflections on with the World Innovation international experiences” and MOI takes part in QITCOM 2019 Summit for Health (WISH), an “Vision for a healthy city in initiative of Qatar Foundation, Qatar: solutions, sustainability THE PENINSULA at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and commitments” with the par- DOHA in Musheireb, Doha, tomorrow, ticipation of local and interna- with the participation of decision tional officials and experts. Fur- The Ministry of Interior takes part in the makers and local and interna- thermore, there will be two Qatar IT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM tional experts. workshops: “Health policy: 2019), organized by the Ministry of Transport The symposium showcases Polices needed for Healthy City and Communications (MoTC). key local, regional and interna- for Children” and “Health Cur- The MOI is represented by a number of tional plans, initiatives and ricula: The role of schools in departments including the General Direc- experiences for innovation and education and the provision of torate of Information Systems, Security the development of an action healthy food and drink to Systems Department, Cybercrime Security plan for a healthy city for healthy children.” The sym- Centre, National Command Center, Com- children in Qatar and focuses posium also supports the pri- munications Department and Electronic and on addressing childhood ority of “Healthy children and Economic Crimes Department. obesity in the urban adolescents” in the National The pavilions of the MoI departments environment. Health Strategy 2018-2022 . are presenting a large number of security This symposium will offi- It is worth noting that a systems and electronic services to the cially mark the start of a journey healthy city is one that is con- public to introduce the latest systems used for building a coalition of pol- tinually creating and improving for its services. The new initiatives include icy-makers, researchers, aca- those physical and social envi- the automated robot for face recognition, demics and leaders from dif- ronments and expanding those as well as the latest equipment, mecha- ferent sectors and industries to community resources which The pavilion of the Ministry of Interior at QITCOM. nisms and devices such as drone improve health and well-being enable people to mutually aircraft. based on the “Health in all pol- support each other in per- The latest systems developed at the cameras to secure various activities, and the quickly and deal with any potential icies” approach, which is one of forming all the functions of life National Command Center are also shown, robot machine equipped with a number of cyber-attacks. the National Health Strategy’s and developing to their that contribute to the response to disasters cameras that are used to serve security tasks The Economic and Electronic Crimes priorities. maximum potential. The “Health and crises, including the crime analysis in hard-to-reach areas such as confined Combating Department provides educa- The symposium will review in All Policies” approach will system. spaces and others. tional presentations on how to deal with regional and international expe- offer healthy choices and make The Security Systems Department The Cybersecurity Center at the pavilion economic and electronic crimes, and how riences in the field of healthy our cities a more child-friendly presents the use of modern technological introduces the Center’s Central Operations to protect personal devices and cities, such as those developed environment for children to live, equipment, including drones equipped with Room, which enables the Center to respond credentials. in Tirana, the capital of Albania, play, learn and grow better. UDC launches The Pearl-Qatar’s Seabed Clean-up campaign

THE PENINSULA This event falls in line spans 32 km, with a mixture of DOHA with UDC’s commitment sandy beaches, rock revetments, and sea walls. Ronautica Middle United Development Company to promoting environm- East – one of UDC’s subsidiaries (UDC), a leading Qatari public ental awareness, within – transports residents and visitors shareholding company and the framework of around the Island using electric master developer of The Pearl- the Company’s wider water taxis. It is worth mentioning Qatar and Gewan Islands, is part- strategy and previous that the diverse environment of nering with nongovernmental initiatives that are based The Pearl-Qatar is a home to over organisations and private and 98 species of aquatic animals, 23 public institutions to clean-up on national and global species of birds, and 14 species of sustainability principles. Porto Arabia Seabed at The Pearl- wildlife species. A College of the North Atlantic-Qatar official receiving the certificate. Qatar. A total area of 515,000 m2 of The Pearl-Qatar Seabed of QRCS with regards to different The Pearl-Qatar is softscape, Cleanup campaign, which marks socially beneficial activities. QRCS including 66 different species of CNA-Q receives accreditation from NEBOSH World Cleanup Day, National valued the initiative by UDC, trees, shrubs, flowers and grass. Over Cleanup Day, and World Water under the Company’s corporate 10,000 trees and 70,000 plants have THE PENINSULA aspirations” said Acting Health Certificate in Environmental Man- Monitoring Day, is taking place on social responsibility, as well as the been planted since the construction DOHA Sciences Dean Nelson Rodrigues. agement, and International Cer- November 2, in collaboration with partnership in various humani- works began on the Island. UDC also “The recognition of the out- tificate in Fire and Safety and Risk Qatar Red Crescent Society tarian projects for the vulnerable installed collection points and charity College of the North Atlantic- standing Health Sciences pro- Management. (QRCS), and other partners. The in many countries. It is worth donation boxes in strategic locations Qatar (CNA-Q) has received grams we have at CNA-Q is an Damian Hampson, NEBOSH campaign will feature professional mentioning that the volunteers are at The Pearl-Qatar. Since April 2018, accreditation for eight certificate important validation of the in- Business Development Executive, divers and is expected to attract proving the genuine spirit of the collection points have been added and award-level qualifications demand programs we offer at the presented the certificate. He said: participation from both residents Qatari society, every day, via to over 34 locations across The and achieved Silver Learning College and of the international “Great learning experiences make and visitors to The Pearl-Qatar. serving their country and pre- Pearl-Qatar, with additional col- Partner status from the National status of these credentials.” great professionals. It’s important The event’s partnership was serving the local environment. lection points being continually Examination Board in Occupa- CNA-Q has been accredited to us that accredited Learning announced on October 24 in the The event highlights UDC’s added to encourage all residents to tional Safety and Health (NEBOSH) with Health and Safety at Work Partners, like the College of North presence of representatives from multifaceted waste management re-use and recycle. in the past year. The accreditations Qualification, Environmental Atlantic-Qatar, give our learners the all participating parties. and recycling strategy and envi- As a result of UDC’s recycling were given to the Occupational Awareness at Work Qualification, skills they need to be able to know This event falls in line with ronmental initiatives. This program for its offices, over 10 Health, Safety and Environment Health, Safety and Environment and do effective health and safety UDC’s commitment to promoting includes Resident Recognition tons of paper and 4 tons of plastic (HSE) Program. Representatives in the Process Industries Qualifi- when they enter the workplace. environmental awareness, within Program, which acknowledges are recycled per year. For the from NEBOSH were on hand at cation, HSE Introduction to “Congratulations to the College on the framework of the Company’s residents who actively recycle month of August 2019, 650 kg of the College this week to recognize Incident Investigation, as well as being awarded Silver Learning wider strategy and previous initia- waste through The Pearl-Qatar’s paper and 304 kg of plastic bottles the accomplishment. International General Certificate Partner status and on achieving tives that are based on national and Community Newsletter and other cardboard were recycled. This is “These accreditations assist in Occupational Health and Safety, accreditation for its eighth NEBOSH global sustainability principles. social media platforms. the equivalent of 258 trees or students in gaining the skills nec- Certificate in the Management of qualification. Together we are The event reflects the support The Pearl-Qatar’s coastline 108,368 gallons of water. essary to fulfil their career Health and Well-Being at Work, making the world a safer place.” 08 VIEWS WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019

Qatar reiterates call for unconditional dialogue with

ESTABLISHED IN 1996 blockade countries to resolve fabricated crisis QNA NEW YORK CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI he State of Qatar renewed the call for unconditional dialogue with the blockade countries to EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tresolve the fabricated crisis, DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI stressing the failure of these countries [email protected] to provide any evidence of their claims. The State of Qatar also reiterated ACTING MANAGING EDITOR that these countries’ insistence on MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED imposing illegal unilateral measures [email protected] and unfair blockade contradicts the efforts led by the United Nations in the field of preventive diplomacy and the DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR promotion of peaceful resolution of MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI disputes, and that these illegal actions [email protected] constitute a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, interna- tional law and human rights. This came in a statement delivered by Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Ambassador EDITORIAL H E Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Ambassador H E Sheikha Al Thani at the “The Situation in the Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif AlThani speaking at the “The Situation in the Middle East, Middle East, Including the Palestinian Including the Palestinian Question” debate held at the UN Security Council meeting. Qatar, a crime-free oasis Question” debate held at the UN Security Council meeting. rime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah HE stated that the gravity of the the Arab-Israeli conflict is a prereq- legal references. bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani on Monday inaugurated situation in the Middle East and the uisite for restoring stability and About the situation in Libya, Her Pthe 19the World Congress of Criminology, which was increasing and complexity of crises peace in the Middle East gives the Excellency said that the continuation being held for the first time in the Middle East. The conference make respect for the international law, international system the responsi- of the military operations launched by was organised by the Ministry of Interior represented by the international humanitarian law and bility to end the tragedy of the Pales- militias against Tripoli and the tar- Police College, in cooperation with the College of Law at Qatar the international human rights law tinian people and enable them to get geting of the internationally recog- University and International Society of Criminology. irreconcilable, calling on the Security their rights and achieve their legit- nized legitimate government threaten During the conference academics, experts and represent- Council to shoulder its responsibility imate aspirations. the national unity and stability of ative of international organisations and security and legal insti- and to take the necessary measures to She added that after testing several Libya. tutions from 40 countries discussed ways to confront crimes and stop the violations and alleviate ten- solutions that did not lead to the goal She renewed the State of Qatar’s how to prevent them. The speakers were confident about the sions that have only had more cata- that the esteemed Council and the call for all actors to assume their outcome of the conference which woud help develop laws and strophic effects on international peace world seek, stressing that it has been responsibilities and respect the will of institutions that seek to effectively address crime in contem- and security. confirmed that the settlement of the the Libyan people for a peaceful porary societies and the establishment of criminal justice with H E the Ambassador continued to Palestinian issue will be achieved only solution, warning that the intervention full respect for human rights and adherence to the law. The event say that the insistence on imposing according to the criteria and founda- in the Libyan affairs increases the com- opened a wider horizon for cooperation, creativity and joint work unilateral illegal measures and unfair tions agreed upon by the international plexity of the crisis, prevents reaching a between researchers, legislators and relevant institutions. blockade on the State of Qatar after community, namely the ending of the national consensus and contradicts While emerging crimes such as cybercrime were focused, more than two years of the fabrication Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Security Council resolutions. She also the participants also discussed criminal justice policy in the of the crisis Arab territories, including the renewed the State of Qatar’s full era of globalisation, science, technology and teaching in crim- and the crime occupied Syrian Golan and Lebanese support for the Special Representative inology, research, investigation and prevention of crime and of electronic territories, the acceptance of a two- of the Secretary-General for Libya education on matters related to rule of law. piracy of state solution and the establishment of Ghassan Salame’s efforts. Addressing the conference, H E Major General Engineer Qatar News an independent and viable State of Regarding Yemen, HE reiterated Abulaziz Al Ansari, Chairman of Agency in Palestine on the 1967 borders, with the State of Qatar’s assertion that Qatar’s National Counter-Ter- On the Palestinian order to East Jerusalem as its capital, living side ending the conflict requires the rorism Committee called for a issue, Permanent justify the by side with Israel in peace and engagement of all parties in a dialogue holistic approach to tackle crimes. Representative of campaign of security. to achieve a political solution and He called for comprehensive the State of Qatar to disinfor- H E underlined the need for this national reconciliation, based on UN Representative of actions including addressing mation and solution to be in line with the relevant Security Council Resolution 2216, to the United Nations political, economic and social roots the UN Ambassador extortion Security Council resolutions and the preserve Yemen’s unity and achieve its Office on Drugs of crime along with security action. H E Sheikha Alya against the Arab Peace Initiative, and the need for security and stability. and Crime Bianca He reiterated Qatar’s stance of Ahmed bin Saif State of the return of refugees, halting set- She also expressed Qatar’s support Kopp said that the rejecting all forms of extremism Qatar, con- tlement, dismantling Israeli settle- for the efforts of the Special Envoy of Al Thani said that the Secretary-General, stressing the Doha Declaration of and terrorism, whatever their tradicts the ments in the occupied territories, and sources, adding that the state has the international efforts led by lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip and urgent need to secure the basic needs Integrating Crime made it clear through its diplomatic community’s the United the rest of the Palestinian territories. of all Yemenis, facilitate the arrival of Prevention and efforts, international measures and assertion that Nations in the The State of Qatar, she said, has humanitarian assistance and protect Criminal Justice 2015 not stood idly out of its concern human rights. national strategies. ending the Arab- field of pre- marked a milestone Representative of the United ventive towards achieving peace and stability Concluding the statement, HE in history as the first Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Israeli conflict is diplomacy in the Middle East, and has continued Sheikha Alya said that the challenges facing the region as a result of policies political declaration Bianca Kopp praised Qatar for a prerequisite for and the pro- tireless and concrete efforts amid the hosting the event and establishing restoring stability motion of the obstacles facing the peace process. based on disrespect for international to highlight the the foundations of criminal justice peaceful res- H E Sheikha Alya also drew will and disregard for international importance of the and strengthening international and peace in the olution of attention to the efforts exerted by the law require effective and speedy role of education in partnership in the field of com- Middle East gives disputes, State of Qatar to alleviate the humani- action to stop those policies and hold combating crime. bating crime. She said that the the international stressing that tarian situation and the positive those responsible accountable, in line Doha Declaration of Integrating system the such illegal impact of those efforts in easing with the purposes and objectives of Crime Prevention and Criminal actions con- tension towards achieving peace, the Charter and in a manner that Justice 2015 marked a milestone in history as the first political responsibility to stitute a fla- referring to Qatar’s allocation this year maintain international peace and declaration to highlight the importance of the role of education end the tragedy grant vio- of $ 480 million to strengthen the Pal- security. in combating crime. Kopp noted that they were not working of the Palestinian lation of the estinian Authority’s budget and with academics before the Doha declaration and wouldn’t have people and enable Charter of the provide humanitarian needs in the that without the support of Qatar, commending Qatar’s gen- United Gaza Strip. This allocation contributed erous support for the executive programme of Doha Declaration them to get their Nations, to the increase in the production of the and the Education for Justice Initiative. rights and achieve international Gaza Power Plant with the support of People in Qatar enjoys a very peaceful life without the their legitimate law and fuel supply, which made a difference scourge of crimes and violent behaviour thanks to the well- aspirations. human rights. in the status of electricity, she added. thought and strategically planned efforts by the wise lead- She She also noted Qatar’s support for Permanent ership. For a majority of people in Qatar a criminal incident, added that UN temporary employment programs Representative of even a minor theft, is an unheard thing. The country has already what con- in the Gaza Strip, stressing that it will put in place every means to nip any criminal action in the bud firms the bad intentions behind the continue to work with partners in the the State of Qatar to through its effective education policies, ensuring employment imposition of the blockade and cam- international community to push the UN Ambassador for all citizens, providing enough entertainment activities and paign incitement as well as the forward all efforts to find a compre- H E Sheikha Alya said sporting events. The welfare of every citizen and resident is of attempts to offend the State of Qatar, is hensive, just and lasting solution to the that the challenges paramount importance for the country. Hence Qatar is time a failure for the blockade countries. Palestinian cause and to achieve sta- and again spreading a message of peace across the world H E Sheikha Alya Al Thani bility and peace in the entire region. facing the region as through keeping internal peace and harmony. explained that the State of Qatar, in Regarding Syria, Ambassador H E a result of policies order to ensure the security and sta- Sheikha Alya reiterated Qatar’s call for based on disrespect bility of the region which is of great a political solution to the crisis in Syria, importance to the world, and in line and said that the brotherly Syrian for international will QUOTE OF THE DAY with its well-known policy towards people are still looking for their right and disregard for respect for international law and the to security, peace and a decent life international law I will do my job and resolution of disputes by peaceful through a political solution that meets require effective I think my job is to means specified by the Charter of the their legitimate aspirations in implement the mandate United Nations, continued to affirm its accordance with the Declaration of and speedy action in a manner which is readiness to resolve the crisis through Geneva and the Security Council Reso- to stop those independent, which is fair, unconditional dialogue based on lution 2254, affirming in this context policies and hold which is neutral. The work mutual respect, and in this context, Syria’s national and regional unity, those responsible reiterating the State of Qatar’s appre- sovereignty and independence. of the agency is of the ciation for the sincere efforts of the HE expressed Qatar’s aspiration at accountable, in line essence for international Amir of the State of Kuwait H H Sheikh this stage to complete the steps with the purposes peace and security. Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. towards starting the work of the Con- and objectives of On the Palestinian issue, Per- stitutional Committee and realizing the Charter and in a Rafael Mariano Grossi manent Representative of the State the expectations placed upon it, reiter- of Qatar to the UN Ambassador H E ating the State of Qatar’s continued manner that maintain New Head of UN’s Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al support to all efforts aimed at international peace Nuclear Watchdog Thani said that the international removing obstacles to peace and a and security. community’s assertion that ending political solution based on UN and WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 OPINION 09 An open mic revolution in Lebanon

s I head to a protest, dodging Some Lebanese channels have The complaints underscore a mouthpiece of the president’s roadblocks by driving the decided to cede directing entirely and pillar of the protestors’ ire: the wide party, is also present in the crowd wrong way on the shut down instead turn their programming into economic divide in Lebanon, where a but its reporters are often highways, I am overcome an open mic with virtually no cen- majority of the population survives on aggressive, interrupting and A a few hundred dollars a month, while with excitement: A revolt against the sorship. For hours on end, reporters arguing with interviewees. They politicians who rule this country is an for Lebanese TV channels such as much of Parliament is composed of disguise their affiliation by using a event we have been waiting for all our LBC, Al Jadeed and MTV stand in place millionaires. The past two prime min- generic microphone that does not HABIB BATTAH lives. But there is also an awkward at protests around the country as isters, Hariri and Najib Mikati have feature the channel’s logo. At one AL JAZEERA and somewhat uneasy feeling: where crowds of people swirl around them, been billionaires. point, some of the protestors ask is everyone? waiting for their chance to air their Both have amassed a fortune in what channel it is and the reporter The streets are full of hundreds of grievances, sometimes grabbing the the telecom industry, while Lebanese says “What’s it to you... we are thousands of people but the faces we microphone. pay some of the highest phone bills OTV.” are used to seeing are nowhere to be They tell personal, often on earth. The tax on WhatsApp calls, The crowd immediately starts found. Anyone who has ever lived in anguished stories of not being able to announced by the telecom minister, chanting the Bassil insults and give Lebanon knows how politicians pay for hospital care, school tuition, an heir to family-owned companies the cameras the middle finger. canvas our daily lives. Their posters telephone, electricity and water bills. worth hundreds of millions of They are forced to continuously cut and party logos adorn thousands of They are emotional, witty, profane dollars, is what sparked the latest to the studio, where pundits do billboards on the streets; their chest and often humorous, showcasing the protests. most of the talking, in an attempt to pounding and finger-pointing legendary sarcasm that Lebanese rely “Have you ever paid a phone bill drown out the voices of protestors speeches are all over television. on to cope with a highly dysfunctional or a hospital bill in your life?” several on the ground. Other pro-regime Many had specific From early morning talk shows state. protestors asked. channels such as NBN, affiliated to questions: How until the evening news, our physical “The rain is a blessing,” said one Many addressed politicians by the speaker of parliament, has at landscape is completely colonised by man as he set up a tent amid the gath- name, a taboo in Lebanon, where cor- times completely muted the audio much money do our them, their loyal pundits and the talk ering storm clouds. “I brought soap ruption is frequently discussed, but from live feeds, showing the pro- politicians have in show hosts that welcome them with and shampoo. I can’t afford to fill my often in general terms. The ruling tests only from a distance. But Swiss bank accounts, open arms on their programmes, water tanks at home.” class’ silence on the airwaves was managing the message is increas- several asked, often laughing and smiling. This has Others were more serious: An interrupted by a brief, recorded ingly difficult. been the case for decades, not years. older woman fainted on air while speech by President Michel Aoun, When a member of parliament demanding “we want So much so that any average Leb- describing her inability to pay for her who claimed he was already fighting affiliated to the president tried to our money back!” anese can recognise the politicians’ daughter’s surgery. A young school corruption, a key demand of address the crowds on Wednesday, Laid off employees voices if the news is on in another teacher cried as she described feeling protestors. protestors grabbed the microphone room. But over the last week, that sit- proud to be Lebanese for the first time “All you know how to do is employ and shouted in his face to resign until of companies owned uation has changed drastically. in her life. your own family,” a young man said, he was forced off stage. Such scenes by Prime Minister There are almost no politicians on Many had specific questions: How following the speech. The reference is were unimaginable a week ago. Saad Hariri screamed TV and no news of their daily wherea- much money do our politicians have to Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, It is not just the president’s into the microphone, bouts and dramas. Instead, what we in Swiss bank accounts, several asked, President Aoun’s son-in-law, who has party. A popular video circulating see on our screens are the voices of demanding “we want our money also served as energy and telecom on social media shows a crowd of claiming they had thousands of ordinary citizens, people back!” Laid off employees of com- minister. hundreds cursing the mothers of been promised we have never seen before: men and panies owned by Prime Minister Saad Bassil has spearheaded a number each member of parliament after compensation, but women, young and old, even children Hariri screamed into the microphone, of controversial infrastructure their names are read over a mega- never received it. speak to the cameras to get their 30 claiming they had been promised projects, and is widely mocked for phone. Many of their families have seconds in the national spotlight. compensation, but never received it. his unmet promises such as a pledge been in power for generations. to rebuild Lebanon’s electricity grid Another video shows a massive and ensure 24 hour electricity by crowd chanting: “Christians and 2015, while today most neighbour- Muslims together, the politicians.” hoods go dark for up to 12 hours per day. Bassil, who once proudly pro- claimed that he is a racist, has also been criticised for his treatment of refugees. He is notorious for attacking his critics, launching several defa- D-RING ROAD mation lawsuits against journalists POST BOX: 3488 and activists, despite famously DOHA - QATAR tweeting that he supports free speech. [email protected] For many protestors, it is payback time. A rhyming chant cursing Bassil EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE and his mother’s vagina (the most TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 taboo of Arabic insults) can be heard FAX: +974 4455 7758 all day long at the protest space. It begins with a low hum, “he la ho, he la MANAGING EDITOR ho” before building to the insult, TEL: 4462 7505 which has been blurted out frequently on live TV. DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Pro-government media have tried TEL: 4455 7769 Lebanese anti-government protesters celebrate the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri in the southern city of to retaliate, painting the protesters as Sidon yesterday. violent or misguided. OTV, the LOCAL NEWS SECTION TEL: 4455 7743

BUSINESS NEWS SECTION hen I was a journalist, I 2016 election, Russia’s Internet doesn’t always win. In the age of TEL: 4462 7535 loved Justice Oliver Research Agency planted false stories social media, the marketplace model Wendell Holmes Jr.’s hoping they would go viral. They did. doesn’t work. A 2016 Stanford study SPORT NEWS SECTION assertion that the Con- Russian agents assumed fake iden- showed that 82 percent of middle TEL: 4455 7745 W schoolers couldn’t distinguish stitution and the First Amendment tities, promulgated false narratives are not just about protecting “free and spread lies on Twitter and between an ad labeled “sponsored ONLINE SECTION thought for those who agree with us Facebook, all protected by the First content” and an actual news story. TEL: 4462 7501 RICHARD STENGEL but freedom for the thought that we Amendment. Only a quarter of high school students [email protected] THE WASHINGTON POST hate.” The Russians understood that our could tell the difference between an free press and its reflex toward actual verified news site and one PUBLIC RELATIONS balance and fairness would enable from a deceptive account designed to TEL: 4455 7613 Moscow to slip its destructive ideas look like a real one. [email protected] into our media ecosystem. When Since World War II, many nations Putin said back in 2014 that there have passed laws to curb the ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Why America needs were no Russian troops in Crimea - incitement of racial and religious TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 hatred. These laws started out as pro- an outright lie - he knew our media FAX: 4455 7870 would report it, and we did. tections against the kinds of anti- [email protected] a hate speech law That’s partly because the intel- Semitic bigotry that gave rise to the lectual underpinning of the First Holocaust. We call them hate speech CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Amendment was engineered for a laws, but there’s no agreed-upon def- TEL: 4455 7857 simpler era. The amendment rests on inition of what hate speech actually [email protected] the notion that the truth will win out is. In general, hate speech is speech But as a government official in what Supreme Court Justice that attacks and insults people on the SUBSCRIPTION & traveling around the world champi- William Douglas called “the market- basis of race, religion, ethnic origin DISTRIBUTION oning the virtues of free speech, I place of ideas.” This “marketplace” and sexual orientation. TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 came to see how our First model has a long history going back Let the debate begin. Hate speech FAX: 44557819 Amendment standard is an outlier. to 17th-century English intellectual has a less violent, but nearly as dam- [email protected] Even the most sophisticated Arab John Milton, but in all that time, no aging, impact in another way: It dimin- diplomats that I dealt with did not one ever quite explained how good ishes tolerance. It enables discrimi- understand why the First Amendment ideas drive out bad ones, how truth nation. Isn’t that, by definition, speech allows someone to burn a Koran. triumphs over falsehood. that undermines the values that the Why, they asked me, would you ever Milton, an early opponent of cen- First Amendment was designed to All thoughts and views want to protect that? sorship, said truth would prevail in a protect: fairness, due process, equality expressed in these columns Since World War II, It’s a fair question. Yes, the First “free and open encounter.” A century before the law? Why shouldn’t the are those of the writers, many nations have Amendment protects the “thought later, the framers believed that this states experiment with their own not of the newspaper. passed laws to curb that we hate,” but it should not marketplace was necessary for version of hate speech statutes to the incitement of protect hateful speech that can cause people to make informed choices in a penalize speech that deliberately All correspondence racial and religious violence by one group against democracy. Somehow, magically, insults people based on religion, race, hatred. These laws another. In an age when everyone has truth would emerge. The pre- ethnicity and sexual orientation? regarding Views and a megaphone, that seems like a sumption has always been that the All speech is not equal. And where started out as Opinion pages should be design flaw. marketplace would offer a level truth cannot drive out lies, we must sent to editor-in-chief protections against It is important to remember that playing field. But in the age of social add new guardrails. I’m all for pro- the kinds of anti- our First Amendment doesn’t just media, that landscape is neither level tecting “thought that we hate,” but office or mailed to the Semitic bigotry that protect the good guys; our foremost nor fair. not speech that incites hate. It under- [email protected] gave rise to the liberty also protects any bad actors On the internet, truth is not opti- mines the very values of a fair mar- Holocaust. who hide behind it to weaken our mized. On the web, it’s not enough to ketplace of ideas that the First society. In the weeks leading up to the battle falsehood with truth; the truth Amendment is designed to protect. 10 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Harvard University team wins QatarDebate’s Arabic Debating Championship 2019 THE PENINSULA Harvard University Dr. Maarafi also expressed DOHA debating team won pride that QatarDebate through this championship has marked QatarDebate’s first US Univer- the championship an achievement that will mark sities Arabic Debating Champi- after putting on an the history of Qatar Foundation, onship came to a remarkable impressive display which crossed the continents to close with awards and honours spread the Arabic language being presented to students and against University of through debate. universities who impressed Chicago debating team Dr. Ahmed Ferhadi, Clinical everyone with their Arabic in the final debate Professor of Middle Eastern & debating skills. round and the topic Islamic Studies, New York Uni- Organised by QatarDebate versity, and one of the champi- Center (QD), a member of Qatar was ‘How far are we onship’s adjudicators; empha- Foundation (QF), from October willing to go to reach sised the importance of debate 25 to 27 and hosted by the using the Arabic language. vulnerable groups, The members of the debating team of Harvard University with the memento after securing first place Harvard Society of Arab Students, He pointed out that the especially children, in in QatarDebate’s first US Universities Arabic Debating Championship. USA, around 24 teams competed Arabic language is the fastest- from 23 American universities. conflict zones’. growing language in America The closing ceremony was held because it is a meaningful com- outbreak of ignorance in America educational tool to facilitate the shown to QatarDebate, alongside at Harvard University in the doses of thought that help young ponent representing the culture regarding the Arab world, so practice and proficiency of any support intended to con- presence of VIP invitees. people consolidate the Arabic of many people around the world learning the Arabic language Arabic.” tribute to or assure success of this Harvard University debating language.” and it has a high position among through debates desires them to He added: “We were championship. Finally, he team won the championship after Maarafi said that if the signs languages; and because of its understand the reality of Arab delighted with this combination extended a special thanks and putting on an impressive display are true and the evidence is not importance, the US State and Islamic culture away from that embodied human progress appreciation to his QatarDebate against University of Chicago mistaken, the American cham- Department has classified it with the claims published in social in a championship that blended colleagues, led by Dr. Hayat debating team in the final debate pionship is the starting point international languages as a media” Dr. Ferhadi said. different cultures, nationalities, Maarafi, Executive Director of round and the topic was ‘How far towards spreading the Arabic ‘dynamic language’. During the closing ceremony, religions and forms in the Arabic QD. are we willing to go to reach vul- language as a global language of This is due to the strength of Abdulrahman Al Subaie, Head of language container and added an Recently, QatarDebate nerable groups, especially communication, the language of the language and seen as much Outreach Program - QatarDebate atmosphere of coexistence strengthened its ties with various children, in conflict zones’. dialogue and the language of by the United Nations when it in his speech said: “We conclude among the participants.” US educational institutions by Dr. Hayat Abdullah Maarafi, reason and logic throughout recognized Arabic as one of its the championship to begin a new Al Subaie extended his thanks conducting debate workshops Executive Director, QatarDebate America and the world. “QD has official languages in 1973, and a era of projects and initiatives that to Qatar Foundation for its inval- and aiding in establishing debate Center, said: “The American taken on this task and invested working language of the General encourage academics and stu- uable support and thanked the clubs as well as discussing the Championship is a new beginning the youth energies to achieve this Assembly and its Main Com- dents to activate debate in Community Development Sector introduction of debates to their for receiving useful luminous goal,” said Maarafi. mittees. “There is a great American universities as an at QF for the unwavering support educational curriculum. Korean musicians impress Katara audience with classical music concert

RAYNALD C RIVERA Kim Nayoung on piano, Lee Mikhail Glinka and Mily Balakirev Korea and the State of Qatar, and THE PENINSULA Eunhye and Shin Jihoon on flute, to the delight of the crowd. the relations of the two friendly Kim Taehyun on violin, Lee Korean compositions Nos- countries have never been Seven accomplished Korean clas- Juncheol on bassoon and Kim talgic Kumgangsan by Young Sub stronger. In January, H H Amir sical musicians captivated the Jiyeon on cello. They impressed Choi and New Arirang by Dong Sheikh Tamm bin Hamad Al Thani audience at the Katara Opera the audience with their great talent Jin Kim capped the well applauded paid a successful visit to Korea, fol- House yesterday as they and virtuosity in their interpre- show. The diverse concert reper- lowed by H E the Prime Minister performed masterpieces by tation of famous compositions by toire also included German com- Lee Nak-yon’s fruitful visit to renowned composers at a concert celebrated musicians from around poser Felix Mendelssohn-Bar- Qatar in July. The 5th Qatar-Korea presented in line with Korean the world including Korean clas- tholdy’s Song Without Words, High-Level Strategic Cooperation National Day celebrations and the sical music pieces. Kim Nayoung, Récit, Sicilienne et Rondo by Committee Meeting, which con- 45th anniversary of diplomatic Kim Jiyeon and Kim Taehyun French composer Eugene Bozza, vened in Doha two weeks ago, also relations between Korea and An Autumn Night of Classical Music held by Katara in cooperation opened the show with their pow- Carmen Fantasy by Spanish com- reflect strong bonds between Doha Qatar. with the embassy of the Republic of Korea in Qatar held at Katara erful rendition of German com- poser Pablo de Sarasate and Rig- and Seoul,” he stressed. “It is my great pleasure to Opera House yesterday. PIC: BAHER AMIN / THE PENINSULA poser Ludwig van Beethoven’s oletto Fantasie for two Flutes and He added: “In line with ever- welcome you to “An Autumn Night Piano Trio No.1 in E-flat major. It Piano by Franz and Karl Doppler. growing political and economic of Classical Music with Korean Korea to Qatar. while introducing the musicians was followed by Lee Eunhye and In his speech, Ambassador relations between our two coun- Artists.” We prepared this special “Korea is now widely known who are proving their excellence Sonja Park’s performance of Noc- Kim Chang-mo hailed the strong tries, this year, my Embassy is pre- event to share Korean culture with for its K-pop music, but at the in Qatar’s music scene. turne et Allegro Scherzando by bilateral ties that exist between senting a number of Korean cul- Qatari people, diplomatic missions same time, many Korean classical The concert held on the eve of French musician Philippe Gaubert. Korea and Qatar. tural events to the people in Qatar.” and the Korean community in musicians have long been loved the Korean National Day cele- Award-winning young pianist “This year marks the 45th He ended thanking the organizers Doha,” said Kim Chang-mo, by classical music fans around the bration featured Doha-based Mia Park Torchinsky played The anniversary of diplomatic rela- of the show as well as Katara Cul- Ambassador of the Republic of world,” said the ambassador, Korean musicians Sonja Park and Lark by Russian composers tions between the Republic of tural Village for hosting the concert. WCM-Q professor calls for more holistic Qatar ranks in MENA’s top five approach to breast cancer treatment at-risk countries

THE PENINSULA Over the last few years, Dr. Tabrizi has led a team for malicious URLs, DOHA of researchers in a study where 130 patients were malware threats provided with a more holistic treatment protocol for A breast cancer patient should not their breast reconstruction process. They were given THE PENINSULA/DOHA be defined only by the lump in her physiotherapy, massages, cosmetic minimally-invasive body. She needs to be treated breast reconstruction, and physical activities such Trend Micro Incorporated, a holistically, says WCM-Q global leader in cybersecurity professor. as trekking and rock-climbing, alongside surgery, solutions, announced yesterday “Her family, her body, her medications and radiation therapy. ahead of QITCOM that Qatar husband, her children, her sexu- ranks in the top five most at-risk ality, her friends, her career – all my colleagues feel I can’t take the other issues a woman may face at Dr. Arash Rafil Tabrizi countries in the Middle East and these are different facets of a pressure at work anymore?” home, at work or in society, and North Africa (MENA) in malicious woman with breast cancer,” says The professor at Weill Cornell you have a woman who is emo- patients’ quality of life, then our cancer chemotherapy and URLs accessed by people Dr. Arash Rafil Tabrizi, Professor Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), a Qatar tionally fragile. This affects the next step will be to discuss this treatment with more targeted in-country (407,376) and of Genetics, and Professor of Foundation partner university, overall outcome.” with health stakeholders in Qatar therapies. There is considerable malware threats detected Obstretics and Gynaecology at says such situations arise because Over the last few years, Dr. to roll out a more comprehensive interest in the area of preventive (206,563) for the first half of 2019. Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. most doctors prefer to keep an Tabrizi has led a team of treatment plan for patients across medicine with wider genetic Trend Micro also blocked 5.56 “She shouldn’t be defined only by emotional distance from their researchers in a study where 130 the country.” screening or personalized breast million email threats in Qatar that lump in her breast. She needs patients. They may smile and chat patients were provided with a The WCM-Q faculty member cancer risk assessment. In the during same time period. These to be treated holistically.” with the patient, but they cannot more holistic treatment protocol has been in Qatar for 11 years, and future, we can expect to see inno- figures are based on the Trend Dr. Tabrizi, a French national bring themselves to get to know for their breast reconstruction has seen the effects of increased vative therapies such as combined Micro report Evasive Threats, Per- who originally hails from Iran, their personal circumstances process. They were given physi- awareness among the public about targeted therapies, or genetic cor- vasive Effects: 2019 Midyear says that while research and sur- better. He points out that this pre- otherapy, massages, cosmetic the disease. And he feels that, to rection in the preventive context.” Security Roundup. gical techniques are gaining vents a doctor from being a reas- minimally-invasive breast recon- obtain better results, all three Dr. Tabrizi says that patients “Sophistication and stealth is ground in the fight against breast suring presence in a breast cancer struction, and physical activities stakeholders – medical profes- can also help doctors and the name of the cybersecurity cancer, the medical community patient’s journey – from her very such as trekking and rock- sionals, researchers, and the researchers understand the need game today, as corporate tech- often forgets that a woman is a first visit, to complete recovery or climbing, alongside surgery, med- patient community – need to work for a more comprehensive nology and criminal attacks person who has a range of needs. death. ications and radiation therapy. together. approach to treatment. become more connected and “Most physicians and surgeons “We need to be there to help They were also given the option “The medical team treating a “Every woman who has breast smarter,” said Assad Arabi, across the world still don’t cross breast cancer patients cope with of contacting their personal phy- breast cancer patient need to shed cancer should have the confidence Country Manager – Qatar, Trend over and relate to a patient beyond surgery, follow-ups and the sician whenever they wanted to their white-coat image and get to to tell her colleagues and family Micro. “Qatar ranking in the top that lump,” he says. “When they ultimate outcome,” says Dr. – not just at medical know the woman in front of them that losing a breast or her hair does five countries in MENA for cyber- discuss a procedure with a patient, Tabrizi. “One of my patients told appointments. better,” he says. “They need to give not make her any less feminine,” threats underscores that as Qatar they talk about the duration of the me that at the end of a treatment “The results in terms of both her the confidence to discuss those he said. National Vision 2030 drives digital process, how many stitches she plan, doctors told her to go home the physical and emotional issues that are important to her – “When a breast cancer patient transformation and Smart Cities will have, and so on. These are and come back for a follow-up CT recovery of the patients are highly her sexuality, her children, her job, stands up and says ‘I am a complex on the cloud, organisations are technical points. scan after three months. encouraging, and will soon be her fears. human being. I need to be treated also expanding their cyber-threat “The patient listens to the “What the doctors didn’t know published,” he explains. “Research is an important tool, as a whole. The cancer is only one landscape.” At QITCOM, Trend doctor, nods her head, and leaves was that, for those three months, “If we can demonstrate that a especially when it comes to small part of my life. I will not Micro is exhibiting under “The Art the room - with 100 other ques- she was agonizing over the holistic and personalized fighting the disease at the genetic allow it to be made bigger than it of Cybersecurity,” with six artists tions racing through her mind. upcoming CT scan session and its approach combining minimally- level. At the moment, teams across is.’ the rest of the world will fall in commissioned to process and How is this going to affect my sex- results – without being able to talk invasive processes and increased the world and at WCM-Q are line, and a more holistic approach interpret 400 million pieces of uality? Can I lift my little boy? Will to her doctor. Couple that with the doctor-patient rapport improves trying to find ways to improve will be possible.” global cybersecurity data. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 GULF / MIDDLE EAST 11 PM Hariri resigns as Lebanon crisis turns violent

REUTERS/BEIRUT

Saad Al Hariri resigned as Leba- non’s prime minister yesterday, declaring he had hit a “dead end” in trying to resolve a crisis unleashed by huge protests against the ruling elite and plunging the country deeper into turmoil. The move by the leading Sunni politician points to rising political tensions that may com- plicate the formation of a new government able to tackle Leb- anon’s worst economic crisis since its 1975-90 civil war. The resignation of Hariri, who has been traditionally backed by the West and Sunni Gulf Arab allies, raises the stakes and pushes Lebanon into an Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Al Hariri handing over his resignation letter to President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, yesterday. RIGHT: Lebanese unpredictable cycle. Lebanon men fight during clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters in the centre of the capital Beirut during the 13th day of anti-government protests. could end up further under the sway of the Iranian-backed Hez- bollah, making it even harder to towards forming a new gov- protester tents were set ablaze attract badly-needed foreign ‘Street has won’: Protesters celebrate ernment, or ask him to rethink. by Hezbollah and Amal sup- investment. It took nine months to form porters, who earlier fanned out It also defies Hezbollah, AFP/TRIPOLI government’s resignation in response to pressure the Hariri coalition cabinet that in the downtown area of the which had wanted him to stay from the street. took office in January. The capital shouting “Shia, Shia” in on. Hariri is seen as the focal With raised fists, traditional “dabkeh” dances and “What happened today is a big achievement turmoil has worsened Lebanon’s reference to themselves and point for Western and Gulf Arab broad smiles, thousands of Lebanese celebrated for the revolution,” said Mohammad, 32. acute economic crisis, with cursing anti-government aid to Lebanon, which is in dire Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s offer to resign Tuesday The main protest square in Tripoli has gained financial strains leading to a demonstrators. need of financial support after nearly two weeks of unprecedented protests. national renown as the home of protest raves, scarcity of hard currency and a “With our blood and lives we promised by these allies. Across Lebanon, demonstrators filled main following days of impromptu concerts. weakening of the pegged Leb- offer ourselves as a sacrifice for Hariri addressed the nation squares in their droves, waving Lebanese flags On Tuesday, some protesters even called on anese pound. Lebanese gov- you Nabih!” they chanted in ref- after a mob loyal to the Shia and celebrating their first major win since the members of Hariri’s Future Movement to join in ernment bonds tumbled on the erence to Parliament Speaker Hezbollah and Amal movements protest movement was launched on October 17. the festivities. Demonstrators distributed tradi- turmoil. On the streets of Beirut, Nabih Berri, head of the Amal attacked and destroyed a protest The northern city of Tripoli — a stronghold tional Arabic sweets, coffee and corn on the cob, black-clad men wielding sticks Movement. “We heed your call, camp set up by anti-government of Hariri’s Future Movement — saw one of the while some hailed the prime minister’s “brave” and pipes attacked the protest we heed your call, Nasrallah!” demonstrators in Beirut. largest turnouts, with hundreds releasing red, move. But many said their work was unfinished. camp that has been the focal they chanted. Security forces did It was the most serious strife white and green balloons -- the colours of the “This resignation is welcome but it’s not enough, point of countrywide rallies not initially intervene to stop the on the streets of Beirut since Lebanese flag. “Our revolution is not over,” they it’s only one part of a larger list of demands,” said against the elite. assault, in which protesters were 2008, when Hezbollah fighters chanted, after Hariri said he was submitting his Tima Samir, a 35-year-old mother of two. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, hit with sticks and were seen seized control of the capital in a head of the heavily armed, Iran- appealing for help as they ran, wit- brief eruption of armed conflict backed Hezbollah, said last week nesses said. Tear gas was even- with Lebanese adversaries loyal “For 13 days the Lebanese out, through which to listen to how we protect Lebanon and that roads closed by protesters tually fired to disperse the crowds. to Hariri and his allies. people have waited for a decision the voice of the people,” Hariri revive its economy.” should be reopened and sug- Hariri did not refer to the violence Lebanon has been paralysed for a political solution that stops said. “It is time for us to have a President Michel Aoun, a gested the demonstrators were in his address but urged all Leb- by the unprecedented wave of the deterioration (of the big shock to face the crisis,” he political ally of Hezbollah, could financed by its foreign enemies anese to “protect civil peace and protests against the rampant cor- economy). And I have tried, said. “To all partners in political now either accept Hariri’s resig- and implementing their agenda. prevent economic deterioration, ruption of the political class. during this period, to find a way life, our responsibility today is nation and begin consultations Smoke rose as some of the before anything else”.

Syrian and Turkish Russia: Kurdish fighters left armies in deadly Syrian border as border clash deadline expires REUTERS AFP/BEIRUT erupted for the first time MOSCOW/ANKARA between the Syrian and The armies of Syria and Turkey Turkish armies”, adding that Syrian Kurdish fighters traded deadly fire yesterday for six Syrian soldiers were killed completed their withdrawal the first time since Ankara near the key border town of from a strip of land on the launched an anti-Kurdish Ras Al Ain. Syrian-Turkish border ahead offensive in early October. “Turkish artillery fire killed of a Tuesday evening deadline The Turkish military and its five regime forces in battles on agreed between Moscow and Syrian proxies launched an the edge of the village of Ankara, Russia’s defence offensive against Kurdish forces Assadiya,” Rami Abdel Rahman, minister said. in northeastern Syria on October the head of the Observatory, A senior aide to Turkey’s 9 with the aim of creating a said. He added that Syrian President Recep Tayyip buffer zone roughly 30km deep. fighters used by Turkey as the Erdogan said Ankara would “The withdrawal of armed main ground force for the now discover through planned units from territory where a invasion had executed a gov- joint patrols with Russia Cyclone threat security corridor should be ernment soldier they had whether the Kurdish YPG created has been completed captured. forces had really pulled out of Strong waves break over a seaside promenade in the Omani capital Muscat, yesterday. Many coastal ahead of time,” Shoigu said, as Left in the lurch after US the area or not. areas of Oman witnessed high waves and seawater entering houses. Tropical cyclone Kyarr is now quoted by Russian news troops withdrew from the Under the accord clinched located about 600km off the coastline of Oman. agencies. border area, Kurdish forces a week ago between the pres- He added that Syrian border turned to the Syrian government idents of Turkey and Russia, guards and Russian military for protection. The regime’s Syrian border guards and police had been deployed in the forces moved quickly north and Russian military police were Netanyahu plans to move funds area. Earlier this month, Kurdish are now expected to deploy meant to clear all YPG forces forces agreed to withdraw from along much of the border zone. and their weapons from a 30 a 120km long, Arab-majority The Observatory said km (19 mile) band of territory from civilian to military spending segment of the 440km border Turkish and Russian military south of the border by 6 pm zone, but clashes have been units had been due to meet at a local time (1500 GMT) on REUTERS/JERUSALEM and last month. Limited in areas,” Netanyahu said. reported since. The Turkish pres- border crossing to discuss the Tuesday. power, Netanyahu’s caretaker Israel’s economy has been idency said joint Turkish-Russian upcoming patrols. “The withdrawal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin government has been unable in a holding pattern amid the patrols — also planned under the Syrian state news agency (Kurdish) armed forces from Netanyahu plans to shift funds to rein in a budget hole, political uncertainty for months, Sochi deal — would verify the Sana reported “Turkish mortar the territory where a safety designated for civilian purposes delaying a parliamentary vote and analysts believe the next Kurdish forces’ withdrawal. fire on the Derbasiyeh border corridor is supposed to be to military spending to meet any of approval on next year’s government will need to trim But the situation was com- crossing”, some 60km east of created has been completed threats from Iran, a government budget into 2020. spending to stick to fiscal targets plicated by clashes between Ras al-Ain, and said six Syrian ahead of schedule,” TASS news official said yesterday Netanyahu, who heads the but more likely, taxes will rise. Syrian and Turkish forces. civilians had been wounded. agency quoted Russian Defence Netanyahu, in a speech, did right-wing Likud party, has cited “When it comes to civilian The Britain-based Syrian It added that rounds were Minister Sergei Shoigu as not specify the amount of the growing security considerations spending to a very large extent Observatory for Human Rights fired as Russian military police saying. funds but said they needed to be in urging Gantz, leader of the his (Netanyahu’s) hands are reported that “heavy fighting were driving by. moved “now”. centrist Blue and White party, to tied,” said Leader Capital Asked about the prime min- join in a broad governing coa- Markets Chief Economist ister’s remarks, the official made lition. Israel’s president asked Jonathan Katz. “It sounds like a clear that no such shift was Gantz last week to try to put great slogan but what’s more Hamas says ready for Palestinian polls imminent. together a government after realistic in interpreting his “Until a (2020) budget is Netanyahu failed. statement is that defence AP announcement on Monday won parliamentary elections in passed, no changes can be made In his speech, Netanyahu spending will grow more rapidly GAZA CITY night after a meeting with the 2006. The following year, the to expenditure. Future budgets accused Iran of seeking the than civilian.” head of the Palestinian Central group seized control of Gaza will have to take the moving of means to turn Yemen into a He said that about 80% of Gaza’s Hamas rulers say they’re Election Commission, Hanna from the forces of President funds into account,” the official staging ground for launching civilian spending is public sector ready to hold Palestinian elec- Nasser. Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party. said. It is also still unclear precision-guided missiles at salaries and those will not be tions — a potentially significant However, there was no indi- Attempts at reconciliation whether Netanyahu or his Israel and said budgetary prior- touched. Instead, infrastructure step that could help end a cation whether the meeting and holding new elections have political rival Benny Gantz will ities needed to change. projects might be delayed while 12-year rift with the rival Pales- overcame the obstacles that have repeatedly failed, leaving the form a new government or if a “To be strong militarily, we subsidies to after-school care for tinian Authority. scuttled similar pledges in the Palestinians divided between new ballot will be needed after have to shift now money from toddlers may be suspended, Hamas leader Ismail past. two governments, one in Gaza inconclusive elections in April the civilian areas to the military along with raising taxes. Haniyah made the The Islamic group Hamas and the other in the West Bank. 12 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 13 Tunisia dismisses Populist cleric joins Iraq protests as crisis deepens AFP foreign, defence NAJAF, IRAQ Populist Iraqi cleric Muqtada Sadr joined thousands of demon- ministers strators in the holy city of Najaf yesterday amid a spiralling REUTERS/TUNIS The moderate Islamist political crisis sparked by deadly Ennahda, which won anti-government protests. Tunisia President Kais Saied more seats than any At least 240 people have died made his first major decision other party in the and 8,000 been wounded since as head of state yesterday, October 6 parliamentary demonstrations broke out on approving the replacement of election, is preparing for October 1 over unemployment the foreign and defence and corruption, before evolving ministers as the new formal negotiations with into calls for the government to parliament prepares for other parties to appoint quit. coalition talks. a prime minister and a Sadr, an ex-militiaman with Saied was elected president new government. a cult-like following in swathes in a landslide on October 13, and of Iraq, has spearheaded was invested last Wednesday as demands for Prime Minister Adel head of state, a role that in Tuni- prime minister is not able to Abdel Mahdi’s resignation and sia’s political system gives him form a government within two early parliamentary elections. direct control over foreign and months, Saied can name another Yesterday, he was spotted Demonstrators are seen at Al Jumhuriya bridge during a protest over corruption, lack of jobs, and defence policy. candidate who would also have amid thousands of anti-gov- poor services, in Baghdad, Iraq, yesterday. However, while the pres- two months to try to build a coa- ernment demonstrators in his ident is the most senior directly lition before new elections native Najaf, a holy city in elected official, most power is would be required. southern Iraq. He was seen in a a new government and a Fatah — the political branch of resignation and the new gov- held by a governing coalition Prime Minister Youssef white car in the city just after reworked constitution. the Hashed al-Shaabi paramil- ernment can receive its orders that requires a parliamentary Chahed, who will keep his job airport sources said he had After failing to meet several itary force — backs the gov- in days, if not hours,” said Abdel majority. until a new government is landed from neighbouring Iran. times, parliament on Monday ernment. Several Hashed offices Mahdi. He dismissed the idea The moderate Islamist agreed, dismissed Khemaies Jhi- Sadr himself is one of the agreed to explore early polls and have been torched in recent days of bringing forward polls, saying, Ennahda, which won more seats naoui as foreign minister and current government’s two main constitutional amendments, in southern Iraq in what “But the fate of early elections than any other party in the Abdelkarim Zbidi as defence sponsors, after his Saeroon bloc summoning Abdel Mahdi for observers say is likely an esca- would be unknown. Will its October 6 parliamentary minister after consulting with won the largest share of parlia- questioning. lation of the rivalry between Sadr results be definitive?” election, is preparing for formal Saied, yesterday’s presidency ment’s 329 seats in a vote last year. They reiterated their demand and the Hashed. The chaotic protest negotiations with other parties statement said. But he tweeted in support of an Tuesday, calling on him to Abdel Mahdi has urged Sadr movement is unprecedented in to appoint a prime minister and Karim Jamoussi, the justice initial six-day wave of protests appear at parliament head- to agree with Fatah chief Hadi Iraq, both because of its appar- a new government. minister, replaces Jhinaoui as that rocked the country early this quarters “immediately”. Al Ameri on a way forward. ently independent nature and With the parliament deeply acting foreign minister, while month and resumed last week. In footage aired on local “If the goal of elections is to the ensuing violence. fractured and Ennahda holding Sabri Bachtobji replaces Zbidi Demonstrators have so far been media, MPs from the largest bloc change the government, then there The first wave of protests only 52 of the 217 seats, as acting defence minister, the unimpressed by premier Abdel of Saeroon — tied to Sadr — is a shorter way: for you to agree starting October 1 left 157 people however, any new governing statement added. Mahdi’s laundry list of reforms, could be heard chanting, “At with Mr. Ameri to form a new gov- dead, mostly protesters in coalition will require complex Under Tunisia’s constitution, which includes hiring drives and once! At once!” ernment,” the premier wrote in a Baghdad, according to a gov- and potentially lengthy the appointment or dismissal of more social welfare. The parliament is deeply public letter to the cleric. “Once ernment probe which acknowl- negotiations. government ministers must be Instead, they have increas- divided, with Sadr backing pro- this agreement is reached, the edged “excessive force” was If Ennahda’s candidate for approved by the president. ingly pushed for early elections, tests while second-largest bloc prime minister can submit his used. IS silent on Baghdadi death, searches for successor More than 100 inmates escape Nigeria prison after torrential rain REUTERS in a state of shock probably Hassan Al Muhajir, Islamic State since then to hit-and-run guer- CAIRO trying to keep the group together spokesman and a high-ranking rilla tactics. AFP/LAGOS and agree on a successor before IS figure, in an operation sep- His last audio message was Islamic State (IS) supporters have confirming Baghdadi’s killing. arate from the one that killed in September. There has been Torrential rains in central Nigerian Kogi State allowed more than a responded with silence and “There is probably right now Baghdadi. less chatter online among sup- hundred inmates to escape from prison, a spokesman for the coun- disbelief days after the death of chaos inside what is left of the It took Al Qaeda, another porters of militant groups com- try’s prison service said yesterday. their leader Abu Bakr Al leadership. Key aides have been Sunni militant group following pared to times when militants The “perimeter fence” of the prison was destroyed by rains and Baghdadi, suggesting a killed and documents a similar ideology which were previously killed. cells flooded, forcing inmates “to break out of custody for safety,” breakdown in the command destroyed,” said Hisham al- carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, Social media platforms such Francis Enobore of the Nigerian Correctional Service said in a structure of the militant group Hashimi, an Iraqi expert on mil- attacks on the United States, as Twitter are now quicker at statement. “A torrential downpour on Monday 28th October, 2019, trying to agree on a successor. itant groups. several days before it con- deleting accounts linked to mil- caused a surging flood that overran the centre at about 0200hrs There has been no official “They will want to agree on firmed the killing of Osama bin itants, while several Arab coun- (GMT) pulling down a section of the perimeter fence,” he said, statement or mourning on a successor before announcing Laden in a US raid, said tries have stepped up online sur- “122 of them took the opportunity to escape, 105 remained on Baghdadi on Islamic State’s (IS) the death,” he said, adding that Aymenn Al Tamimi, a veillance. That forces users to the spot,” Enobore said, adding “25 of the escapees have been recap- official Telegram channel since a split of the group could delay researcher at Swansea Uni- constantly change encrypted tured leaving 97 still at large.” Nigeria, Africa’s most populous US President Donald Trump this. The group might also need versity focussed on Islamic accounts. country Africa has been particularly affected by heavy rains that announced on Sunday his killing to rebrand itself since using State. Of those Islamic State sup- have continued to fall, after the end of the rainy season. The agrarian, at the hands of special operations Baghdadi’s declared Islamic About six weeks passed porters who went online after central states of Niger, Benue, Kogi and Taraba have been affected forces in northwestern Syria. caliphate was no longer appro- before the group announced a Trump’s announcement fol- by flooding in recent months. The rains have destroyed crops in Its Amaq news agency Tel- priate having lost the swathes of successor to bin Laden. lowing an initial stunning the country’s key agricultural belt, and forced tens of thousands of egram has been continuing Iraq, Syria and Libya its fighters “Islamic State could silence, many voiced disbelief or people to leave their homes, according to the National Emergency business as usual, posting since used to control until 2017, ana- announce the death in their dismissed the news as fake. Management Agency. Sunday more than 30 claims of lysts said. Many of Baghdadi’s weekly news letter which could A Telegram account linked In the northeastern state of Adamawa, more than 40 villages attacks in Syria, Egypt, Afghan- followers were also killed, come out on Thursday if they to IS warned supporters not to have also been totally destroyed by downpour in recent days local istan and Iraq praising its Trump said on Sunday. were able to agree on a suc- believe an alleged image news reports said. fighters. Yesterday, he wrote on cessor,” said Tamimi. He said Hajj announcing the death. The There has also been less Twitter the US military had likely Abdullah, a deputy of Baghdadi, message ended with “God chatter among supporters on killed the person who likely was his likely successor, provided almighty preserve him At least 33 killed in landslide social media compared to the would have succeeded Baghdadi he was still alive. (Baghdadi)”, suggesting the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama as Islamic State leader. Trump There had been conflicting poster still believed Baghdadi in west Cameroon bin Laden in 2011 and other mil- did not specify who he was reports before whether Baghdadi was alive. Other supporters AFP/YAOUNDÉ itant leaders. referring to, but a senior State was still alive after the Islamic seemed ready to embrace his Analysts said the remains of Department official on Monday State lost its last significant ter- death, urging supporters to con- At least 33 people were killed in a landslide caused by heavy rainfall Islamic State’s leadership were confirmed the killing of Abu Al ritory in Syria in March, resorting tinue the fight in any case. in the western Cameroon city of Bafoussam yesterday, state media reported. “At least 33 bodies” have been removed from the mud, the state-run Cameroon Tribune newspaper said on its Facebook page. Mozambique’s Cameroon Radio Television gave the death toll at around 30, a number confirmed by a senior local official on the condition of ano- main oppn party nymity. “The houses that collapsed were built on the side of a hill appeals poll result in a risk zone,” said the official of the West Region, of which Bafoussam is the capital. He said the landslide was caused by the “torrential rain” that REUTERS has fallen in the country over the past few days. MAPUTO Sudan transition government Mozambique’s main opposition party Renamo yesterday orders military shake-up appealed the result of the Oct. 15 general election, calling on ANATOLIA/ KHARTOUM the country’s top court to annul incumbent President Filipe President of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan Nyusi’s victory. has ordered a major shake-up in the army, abolishing the position Nyusi and his ruling of chief of staff and establishing a system of council of staff, a Frelimo party won big in the statement issued by the military spokesman said yesterday. election, which was hoped The statement issued by the Sudanese army spokesman Brig would calm tensions in Mozam- Amir Mohamed Alhassan said that Lt Gen Mohamed Osman Alhassin bique, soon to become a top has been appointed as head of the council of staff. global gas exporter. Instead, the Burhan also appointed new commanders for the air, navy and contested result has stoked ground forces. He also promoted a number of officers to the rank divisions as opposition parties of colonel and ordered retirement of several others. have cried foul. A transitional government for a period of three years was agreed “We want the election between the civilians and the army last August. The agreement gave results to be annulled because Kenya holds primary exams powers to the transitional Sovereign Council to restructure the Sudanese they were not elections. They army. Burhan also appointed Majdi Ibrahim as deputy chief of staff, Pupils from Nairobi primary school sit for their exams at the start the Kenya Certificate of Primary were a caricature, a circus Lt Gen Munawar Othman as deputy chief of staff in management, Lt Education (KCPE) examinations in Nairobi, yesterday. A total of 1,088,986 candidates writing the show,” Venâncio Mondlane, a Gen Abdullah Al Bashir as deputy chief of staff of training, Lt Gen Khaled Renamo representative, said by tests that mark their transition to secondary schools. Al Shami as deputy chief of staff of operations, and Lt Gen Jamal Abdul phone. Majid to the General Intelligence Agency. 14 ASIA WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 European Parliament members in Kashmir in rare foreign visit AP The EU delegation’s to be part of the delegation after SRINAGAR he demanded to speak with local visit comes a day after people without a police escort, A group of European Parliament gunmen killed the the Press Trust of India news members arrived in Jammu and fourth truck driver in agency reported. Kashmir yesterday, the first the last three weeks Liberal Democrat member foreign delegation to travel to the of the European Parliament Chris disputed region since India in the region. Gunmen Davies said the decision showed stripped it of its semi-auton- have targeted apple the Indian government is trying omous status and imposed a traders and truck to hide the “reality of its actions.” harsh crackdown in early August. drivers about to drive “I am not prepared to take part The group, from 11 countries, in a PR stunt for the Modi gov- will assess the situation in away with the apple ernment and pretend that all is Kashmir, Indian officials said on consignments from well. It is very clear that demo- Monday after the delegation met Kashmir’s southern cratic principles are being sub- European Union lawmakers enjoy a boat ride at Dal Lake in Srinagar, yesterday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shopian area verted in Kashmir, and the world The delegation is the first needs to start taking notice,” the freedom” and blocking roads by Srinagar airport by the Meanwhile, the United foreign group to visit Kashmir news agency quoted Davies as burning tyres and wooden logs. authorities. Nations expressed concerns yes- since India’s surprise decision in and businesses to reopen, but saying. Protesters also threw stones The People’s Democratic terday about the human rights August to strip the region of its Kashmiris have largely stayed An official in the office of the at government forces, who fired Party, a regional party in of the people in the region. constitutional rights to self-gov- home, in defiance or fear amid Delegation of the European tear gas and shotgun pellets. Kashmir whose top leaders have The spokesperson for the UN ernment and land ownership. threats of violence. Union to India earlier said that The move to give rare access been arrested, has said it will not High Commissioner for Human The decision was accom- As the crackdown continues, the visit was unofficial and was to European Parliament be part of any “rhetoric” New Rights said the region “continues panied by a harsh crackdown, Kashmiris have quietly refused being carried out by some members has been criticized by Delhi wants to build by con- to be deprived of a wide range with New Delhi sending tens of to resume their normal lives, members of the European Par- opposition parties. cealing the “real situation” in the of human rights” and urged thousands of additional troops confounding India at their own liament in their personal Rahul Gandhi of the Con- region. Indian authorities “to unlock the to the already heavily militarised economic expense. capacity. gress party tweeted late on The EU delegation’s visit situation and fully restore the region, imposing a sweeping Earlier, India denied access The region witnessed a com- Monday: “MPs from Europe are comes a day after gunmen killed rights that are currently being curfew, arresting thousands and to the region to UN special rap- plete shutdown yesterday. welcome to go on a guided tour the fourth truck driver in the last denied.” cutting virtually all porteurs, US congressmen, Markets did not open in the of Jammu & #Kashmir while three weeks in the region. The Modi-led government communications. foreign journalists and some of morning and there was little Indian MPs are banned & denied Gunmen have targeted apple says its decision to strip Kashmir Authorities have since eased its own members of traffic on the roads. entry. There is something very traders and truck drivers about of its semi-autonomy could some restrictions, lifting road- Parliament. Protesters clashed with gov- wrong with that.” to drive away with the apple achieve greater economic devel- blocks and restoring landlines A British politician said yes- ernment forces in several parts Many Indian opposition consignments from Kashmir’s opment for the region by doing and some cellphone services. terday that the Indian gov- of Srinagar, the main city, leaders who earlier tried to visit southern Shopian area, whose away with the sense of sepa- They have encouraged students ernment withdrew with “little chanting slogans such as “Go the region were not allowed to apple industry is vital to its rateness that it says cultivated to return to school explanation” its invitation to him India, go back” and “We want do so or were sent back from the economy. the separatist movement.

Toddler stuck in well found Cong keeps watch on Shiv Sena’s moves in Maharashtra IANS Assembly election, the party is Sena yet, while asking the BJP condition of anonymity, revealed depend on the moves of NCP dead during NEW DELHI not in a position to move forward and the Sena to make the deal that there was “a back-channel supremo Sharad Pawar, whose but waiting for the right signals between them public. deliberation” with the Shiv Sena, party is the senior partner in the rescue attempt As the deadlock between the BJP from the Sena. Maharashtra Congress but it has not “kicked off”. state in terms of seats. and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra In the latest developments, spokesperson Sachin Sawant A Shiv Sena-Nationalist Con- However, Pawar has main- AFP continued, the Congress the Sena cancelled the meet with also said that “there is no pro- gress Party-Congress combine is tained that there is no chance of NEW DELHI yesterday said it could support the BJP on government for- posal from the Shiv Sena yet”. “If a scenario being floated by some the NCP supporting the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray’s party for mation. It has maintained that it they approach us, we will talk to Congress leaders in Mumbai, but bid to form a government. The body of a two-year old boy government formation. wants a written assurance from our high command in Delhi the party is wary about any such “This is not an option before trapped 26-metres down a well “We can think of supporting the BJP on a rotational Chief before taking any decision.” combinations. The Congress will us. People have asked us to sit in in southern India for more than the Shiv Sena but Uddhav Minister. The Congress high command only move ahead when Uddhav opposition. We have accepted three days was recovered Thackeray has to decide first on The Congress is questioning is, however, cautious on the Thackeray leaves the BJP offi- the mandate,” he had said. yesterday, authorities said. the issue... whether he wants to differences between friends who ongoing battle between the two cially, a leader said. Pawar’s statement has given Sujith Wilson was the break away from the BJP or not,” are now targeting each other. parties, with leaders in Delhi With the Congress-NCP some relief to the BJP, which is second toddler in four months party leader Hussain Dalwai said. Former Chief Minister Prithviraj saying that the Sena may not take combine ruling the state for 15 years at loggerheads with its partner to grab nationwide attention Having come fourth with 44 Chavan has also reiterated that the extreme step of dumping the before being swept out of power in on the issue of Chief Minister’s after falling into the 30-centi- seats in the recently-concluded there is no proposal from the BJP. A senior leader, speaking on 2014, the Congress strategy will also post. metre diameter pipe while playing near his home in Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu state on Friday. India complains to world “The body was retrieved using special equipment and he aviation body after was in a decomposed state,” district official S Sivarasu told journalists. Pakistan’s rebuff to Modi He added that a post- mortem examination would be REUTERS “In the context of the gross carried out to determine the MONTREAL/NEW DELHI Indian atrocities in occupied cause of death. Kashmir, we have decided not A thermal camera had been The United Nations’ aviation to allow him use our airspace,” used to monitor the child’s tem- agency has asked Pakistan for he said in a ministry statement perature while oxygen was sup- more information about an on Sunday. plied through a pipe. overflight request from India, it India withdrew Kashmir’s Rescuers said the toddler said yesterday, after Islamabad special status in August in order was unconscious but denied permission to Prime to tighten its grip over the region breathing until Sunday Minister Narendra Modi to cross and clamped down on public morning, but they had been its airspace on an overseas tour. gatherings, telecommunications unable to check his condition Tension has flared between and detained scores of leaders, since then as he had slipped the neighbours over Jammu and provoking condemnation from further down. Kashmir after India stripped the Pakistan. Workers used an oil drill to Himalayan region of its Islamabad previously dig a hole parallel to the well, autonomy and severed telecoms refused a request in September but the rig broke down around links for months, with flights over from Modi to cross its airspace 10 metres from the boy because Pakistan becoming the latest on a flight to Germany as tension of the rocky ground. In solidarity with tuberculosis survivors sticking-point in relations. runs high over Kashmir. Attempts to use robotic Modi, who flew to a Gulf In Montreal, ICAO devices to lower ropes to latch English actress and Ambassador for the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease country for an investors’ summit, spokesman Anthony Philbin said onto the boy’s wrist failed on (The Union), Claire Forlani (left), with children during a field visit to meet tuberculosis (TB) survivors took a circuitous route because India had sent the agency a letter Saturday. at Malakpet slum area in Hyderabad, yesterday. of Pakistan’s refusal, an Indian about Pakistan’s refusal to grant foreign ministry source said. overflight clearance. India had taken up the issue It is not clear, however, what with the International Civil Avi- action the agency could take to Four Maoists die in clash with Kerala Police ation Organisation (ICAO), the resolve the dispute between official added. Islamabad and New Delhi over IANS Kerala Police on Monday eliminated Behra was, however, tight-lipped presence of Maoists in the area. “It is a standard thing we do, such clearance. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM three alleged Maoists, including a about the matter and told media- Leader of Opposition we seek permission from the The 1944 Convention on woman, after an exchange of fire in persons here yesterday that the Ramesh Chennithala said in the countries on the route,” said the International Civil Aviation, which On the heels of the killing of Kerala’s Palakkad forest area. Crime Branch probe begins as Kerala Assembly that six Maoists official, who sought anonymity established ICAO and promotes three alleged Maoists, Kerala According to informed soon as such incidents occur as had been gunned down till date because of the sensitive diplo- cooperation between countries, Police yesterday gunned down sources, the person killed yes- per Supreme Court directives. since the time Chief Minister matic situation. only applies to the operations of a fourth extremist, according to terday was a top Maoist from “A magisterial probe will be Pinarayi Vijayan had assumed “It was done in this case too, civilian aircraft, and not to state official sources, even as the Tamil Nadu, Mani Vasakam, announced by the government today office in 2016. and it was refused.” Pakistan’s or military aircraft. Congress party and the CPI crit- while among those who died on (Tuesday) and hence I am unable to Former Kerala High Court foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Philbin said he believed icised the killings, with a former Monday, two hailed from Kar- divulge details,” Behra said. judge Kemal Pasha told the Qureshi, said Modi was being flights carrying national leaders judge also demanding a judicial nataka, Sreemathi and Suresh, The Thunderbolt team had media there is nothing in the law blocked because of his govern- were considered state aircraft, probe into the incidents. and Karthi was from Tamil Nadu. gone for combing operations inside that states Maoists should be ment’s repression in the Muslim- and so not subject to ICAO A Thunderbolt team of the State Police chief Loknath the forests after reports about gunned down. majority territory of Kashmir. provisions. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 ASIA 15 Nawaz Sharif fighting for life: Doctor AFP As his condition leader Ahsan Iqbal told repeatedly roared back to the corruption charges — and from ISLAMABAD worsened, the reporters. In addition to the country’s top office, under- 1997 to 1999, when he was minor heart attack, Sharif has scoring the unpredictable deposed by the powerful mil- Former Pakistan prime minister Islamabad High Court a low platelet count, both of nature of Pakistani politics. itary. He blamed the security Nawaz Sharif (pictured) is “crit- yesterday effectively which are being further com- A hugely wealthy steel establishment for again tar- ically unwell”, his doctor said extended his bail for plicated by “deteriorating tycoon from Punjab, Pakistan’s geting him in 2017, when the yesterday, days after the three- two months to allow kidney functions”, Adnan Khan wealthiest province, he was Supreme Court disqualified him time leader now serving a said. considered strong on the from politics for life over graft prison sentence for corruption him access to medical He said poor blood sugar economy and infrastructure, allegations, which he denies. suffered a minor heart attack. care. and blood pressure control was but inherited sagging finances He later received a seven- Sharif is currently in hos- taking its toll, adding that and a stifling energy crisis when year jail sentence. pital in the eastern city of “establishing a definitive diag- he was elected for the third His brother Shehbaz Sharif, Lahore, where he is “critically the country for the time being. nosis and subsequent man- time in 2013. formerly the chief minister of unwell” and is “fighting the Members of Sharif’s agement poses considerable Seen as a pragmatist in the Punjab, took over the lead- battle for his health & life,” his Pakistan Muslim League- risk to NawazSharif’s fragile West, he raised eyebrows by ership of the family’s PML-N personal physician, Adnan Nawaz (PML-N) party mean- and unstable health”. calling for peace talks with the party — but failed to make a Khan, tweeted yesterday. while bristled at the former The 69-year-old former Pakistani Taliban, blamed for dent against World Cup- As his condition worsened, premier’s treatment by Prime premier, known as the “Lion of killing thousands of Pakistanis winning cricketer-turned-pol- the Islamabad High Court yes- Minister Imran Khan’s gov- vengeance against the former Punjab”, was first taken to hos- since 2002. itician Khan in last year’s terday effectively extended his ernment, who had boasted of Prime Minister. Let it be known pital last week when his blood He earned a reputation for general election. Khan has since bail for two months to allow depriving his rival of basic to everyone that, God forbid, if platelet count dropped to dan- combativeness during his two launched a high-profile and him access to medical care. amenities in prison. something happens to Sharif, gerous levels. Sharif, Pakistan’s previous terms as prime min- controversial anti-corruption Sharif remains on a “stop “Sharif’s condition deteri- Khan will be responsible for the longest-serving prime minister, ister, from 1990 to 1993 – when drive that has largely targeted list”, meaning he cannot leave orated because of Imran Khan’s consequences,” senior PML-N is a political survivor who has he was sacked, also on several PML-N leaders.

Sri Lanka Pakistani traders strike over steps to boost taxes secures $480m REUTERS with most shopping centres. ISLAMABAD Traders holding banners and US grant a year chanting slogans against the gov- Markets and many businesses ernment held protests in cities after coup closed across Pakistan yesterday across the country. The gov- for a strike to protest against ernment of Prime Minister Imran AFP government measures aimed at Khan has made getting the COLOMBO meeting IMF demands to boost tax economy back on track its main revenues to bolster depleted priority. The fiscal deficit has bal- Sri Lanka will accept a $480m public finances. looned to about 7 percent of gross grant from the US to improve The International Monetary domestic product and a balance infrastructure and traffic Fund approved a $6bn loan of payments crisis is looming. management, officials said package for Pakistan in July but Pakistan has long suffered yesterday, after president warned that it would require from a weak tax base, with only Maithripala Sirisena withdrew ambitious fiscal measures and a about 1 percent of its 208 million his opposition. sustained commitment to mobilise population filing income tax “This is a great victory for tax revenue to ensure funds for returns and major industrial the government and augurs development while reducing debt. sectors dominated by powerful well for the future,” Finance The two-day strike is the lobbies paying little or no tax. Minister Mangala Samaraweera second since July called by The agricultural sector, for said in a statement after the business groups after negotiations example, dominated by politically cabinet formally approved with government on efforts to powerful landowners, makes up accepting the Millennium Chal- enforce the paying of sales tax and about 20% of the economy but lenge Corporation Grant. Men walk past the shuttered market during the countrywide traders strike in Karachi, yesterday. catching tax dodgers. accounts for only 0.22% of direct The US had withheld the “This taxation system... will taxes, according to the World funds last year after Sirisena bring death,” Atiq Mir, president Bank. The general secretary of the increased inflation, it has raised requiring anyone buying items called for the amount to be raised sacked his former ally, Prime of the All Karachi Traders Alliance, All Pakistan Association of discount rates... it has made the life worth 50,000 rupees or more to to 100,000 rupees but the gov- Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, which represents markets in Paki- Traders, based in the eastern city of the common man miserable produce identity papers, a ernment has not responded. and called snap elections, stan’s biggest city, said. All major of Lahore, said the government because of its economic policies,” measure aimed at helping author- “Why won’t they listen to us? prompting a constitutional wholesale markets in the com- risked enraging voters. Naeem Mir said. Among new ities track tax evaders. We’ll protest, protest and protest,” standoff. Sirisena’s shock move mercial hub were closed along “This government has measures angering traders is a rule Naeem Mir said traders had he said. — which followed a host of per- sonality and political clashes since they formed a coalition in 2015 — was later ruled uncon- Court blocks Sirisena’s Security up in Islamabad ahead of march stitutional by the Supreme Court, which restored Wick- AFP country were being deployed “at double-digit inflation. The remesinghe’s government. bid to resume hanging ISLAMABAD the main entry points” of the “Azadi (Freedom) March” is But tensions between the AFP/COLOMBO seeking re-election and must capital, adding that security was being led by Khan’s long-time two remained and Sirisena had leave office as soon as a winner Pakistani officials have ordered also being increased around rival Maulana Fazlur Rehman, resisted signing off on the funds, Sri Lanka’s top court yesterday is declared after the November additional security forces be main government buildings and who heads the Jamiat Ulema-e- which the government had effectively blocked a plan by the 16 election, more than three deployed to the capital the diplomatic enclave. Islam (JUI-F), one of the coun- been banking on to improve president to bring back hangings weeks before the court resumes Islamabad, authorities A senior law enforcement try’s largest Islamist parties. traffic in the congested capital for the first time since 1976 hearings. There has been a mor- confirmed yesterday, days ahead official also confirmed the Rehman has repeatedly Colombo and its suburbs. before he leaves office next atorium on capital punishment of the expected arrival of thou- deployment of reinforcements. claimed that Khan took power Sirisena is not a candidate month. Maithripala Sirisena said in the Indian Ocean island sands of Islamist protesters The march represents the following “rigged” polls in 2018, at the November 16 presidential in June that he had signed death nation since 1976. calling for the dissolution of the first major challenge to Prime and is calling for fresh elections elections and must leave office warrants for four drug offenders Sirisena told reporters on government. Minister Imran Khan’s gov- — but has remained vague about as soon as a winner is elected. — mirroring the Philippines’ June 26 that he had signed the Islamabad police spokes- ernment as his administration what tactics he and his sup- Tourist hotspot Sri Lanka is no-holds-barred anti-narcotics four death warrants and that he person Zia Bajwa said extra battles rising public anger over porters will use once they arrive heavily dependent on foreign drive — alarming rights groups expected them to be hanged police forces from across the a faltering economy and in the capital. aid and loans. and the international within weeks, or by before he community. leaves office at the latest. A three-judge bench of the Sri Lanka’s last hangman Supreme Court extended yes- retired in 2014, but officials said 15 Myanmar pilgrims dead as truck plunges off cliff terday a stay order until the they had selected two out of 26 hearing of 15 petitions filed candidates to succeed him. Their AFP blaming faulty brakes. The turn. “Fifteen people were found widely on journeys to religious against Sirisena’s bid. names are being kept secret for YANGON accident happened on Monday dead while 10 were severely festivals and pagodas during “The bench extended the fear of attacks. Sirisena justified evening in Shan state as the truck injured,” he said, adding that the summer. But poorly maintained stay order till December 9,” a his decision by saying there Fifteen Buddhist pilgrims carrying 25 people was returning steep and challenging terrain vehicles are often go-to options lawyer representing civil society were 200,000 drug addicts in including a monk were killed from a Buddhist festival. made for a risky overnight for cheap travel and the country groups, who call hanging a the country, and 60 percent of after their flatbed truck plunged Police officer Myint Soe said search for victims. lags behind others in the region “cruel and degrading”, said after the 24,000-strong prison pop- off a 300-metre cliff in eastern the cause of the crash was brake Buddhist-majority Myanmar on road construction and safety a brief hearing. Sirisena is not ulation were drug offenders. Myanmar, police said yesterday, failure as the vehicle rounded a sees thousands of people travel enforcement. Taliban should call ceasefire to prove control of forces: Official AFP obey their commands,” Mohib said. “Our them safe havens,” he said. Pakistan Afghanistan,” a US official said. Mohib KABUL suggestion is for a one-month ceasefire, denies it supports the Taliban. in March infuriated the Trump admin- followed by negotiations,” he added, The US spent the past year pushing istration by suggesting Afghan-born The Taliban should call a one-month noting that such a move should be a pre- for a deal with the Taliban. But Pres- Khalilzad wanted to install a caretaker ceasefire to prove they still control their condition for any eventual talks with ident Donald Trump cancelled talks last government and make himself “viceroy”. forces, Afghanistan’s national security the Taliban. Observers have sometimes month as Taliban attacks continued, Even though Trump has declared the adviser said yesterday, amid signs the questioned whether there is a disconnect including one that killed a US soldier. Taliban talks “dead”, Khalilzad has con- US wants to rekindle talks with the between the Taliban’s political wing and Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy tinued criss-crossing the globe to build insurgents. its military commanders in leading talks for Washington, has since international consensus on a potential Hamdullah Mohib (pictured), a Afghanistan. spoken informally with Taliban officials deal with the Taliban and an eventual strong critic of earlier US-Taliban nego- The insurgents have repeatedly in Pakistan, raising the possibility Wash- end to America’s longest war. tiations that excluded his government, rebuffed previous calls for a ceasefire, ington seeks to resume dialogue. Kha- On Monday, he welcomed a pro- said the Taliban no longer operate as a but last year they downed weapons for lilzad was in Kabul on Sunday and posal from China to host a fresh meeting cohesive body and some commanders a historic, three-day truce. visited Islamabad again on Monday, bringing together Afghan officials and may have joined the Islamic State group. Mohib, Afghanistan’s former ambas- though it was unclear if he spoke to the Taliban, and last week the US and “If the Taliban really want peace, sador to the US, said any future negoti- Taliban officials on that visit. Europe issued a joint statement saying: they should prove how much control ations should include his government, “Pakistan should provide a guarantee On his trip to Kabul he discussed “Sustainable peace can only be achieved they have over their commanders and as well as Pakistan, which has long been that they will not support the Taliban or “the status of the peace process and the through a negotiated political how much they really accused of backing the Taliban. other groups like them and not give importance of reducing violence in settlement.” 16 ASIA WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Death toll in Philippines Laos opens new Mekong dam amid protests from Thai villagers earthquake rises to 7 REUTERS BAN NAMPRAI, THAILAND REUTERS The quake, whose magnitude was MANILA initially put at 6.7 by the European- The first hydropower dam on the Mediterranean Seismological Centre, lower Mekong River began The death toll from a strong earthquake in the was the second powerful quake commercial operations in Laos southern Philippines has risen to seven, disaster yesterday amid protests from and police officials said yesterday, as aftershocks to strike Mindanao in two weeks. villagers in Thailand who say the continued to jolt many parts of Mindanao. Authorities had flagged the risk of Xayaburi Dam and several The 6.6 magnitude quake hit early yesterday, landslides after the 6.3 quake on others in the works will destroy damaging buildings, toppling power lines and trig- October 16 in central Mindanao that their livelihoods. gering landslides in the central area of the Philip- killed seven and injured more than 200. The 1,285-megawatt Xay- pines’ southern island. aburi Dam’s debut coincides A seven-year-old child and his 44-year old with parts of the Mekong drying father were among those who were killed in the school yards, Espadera said. In Magsaysay town to a trickle even at the end of the North Cotabato province after they were struck by in Davao del Sur province, rescuers were trying rainy season, though its builders a boulder, disaster officials said. Authorities said the to recover three bodies after landslides in two sep- and operators say it is not death toll could rise further because many injured arate towns swallowed parts of agricultural areas, responsible for the reduced river Activists and villagers protest against Laos dam on Mekong river were not immediately brought to hospitals. police said. The quake, whose magnitude was ini- flow. outside of Loei, Thailand, yesterday. “It was depressing to see the damage left by tially put at 6.7 by the European-Mediterranean Xayaburi, which will sell 95% the earthquake,” Abril Espadera, a disaster official Seismological Centre, was the second powerful of its power to Thailand at an in North Cotabato, said as he recalled seeing col- quake to strike Mindanao in two weeks. average rate of 2 baht ($0.066) river will change and how bad manmade ponds fed by lapsed homes and demolished buildings in the Authorities had flagged the risk of landslides per unit, is the first of at least it will deteriorate, said activist pumped-in water, said Krit province, including schools. after the 6.3 quake on October 16 in central nine more hydropower projects Montri Chanthawong. Hemarak, 39, a local fish farm Smaller tremors rattled nervous residents Mindanao that killed seven and injured more than either under construction or About 150km to the south of entrepreneur. Xayaburi’s main throughout the day and those who were afraid to 200. Earthquakes are common in the Philippines, planned on the lower Mekong in Xayaburi, the fishing village of developers, Thailand’s CK Power return to their homes set up tents to shelter near which is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Laos. Ban Namprai is having its driest PCL, blamed the dried-up Fire. Power cables The new spate of dam- year in living memory. patches of riverbed downstream swayed in Davao building is poised to turbo- Villagers say the Mekong is on late monsoon rains and an city, the home town charge already-fraught water normally at least 3 meters high upstream Chinese dam. of President and food security disputes after at the end of the rainy season, CK Power, a subsidiary of Rodrigo Duterte, years of worry about the 11 when Ban Namprai typically Thai construction company CH. where people existing Beijing-built dams on holds dragon boat races, which Karnchang Public Company rushed to open the upper Mekong in China are this year had to be cancelled. Limited, declined requests for spaces, and some choking the river on which mil- Fishermen and fish farmers interviews from Reuters and did fainted out of fear. lions depend for their livelihoods said that since March, when Xay- not respond to written questions. The quake also trig- in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and aburi first started testing their Its Facebook page features gered power cuts in Vietnam. Xayaburi Dam has turbines, they’ve seen ever-more videos of special 6bn baht nearby General been nine years in the making erratic river flow that can’t be ($200m) “fish ladders” and sed- Santos city, media and the 135bn baht ($4.47bn) explained just by a drought iment gates that CK Power says said. Some schools project, built and financed by Thai earlier in the year. will ensure the Mekong’s fragile in the area have companies and banks, has been “I think the future of the river ecosystem of fish migration and suspended classes. controversial since inception. Yes- is dire. This is just the beginning,” the sediment crucial to farming Duterte’s office terday, Buddhist monks on the said Ban Nampai’s village chief, in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will has called for calm Thai side of the Mekong chanted Sangtong Siengtid, 45, who is a not be harmed. as it mobilised all and provided blessings in a cer- fisherman himself. The company will invest in government emony for the river, which “With more dams, the once “the most sustainable manner”, agencies to activists from the Freedom powerful Mekong river will Thanawat Trivisvavet, CK undertake damage Mekong Group says is in danger become just a small creek,” he Power’s managing director, said assessment and to of dying. said. Some fish farmers in the in an article in a local news- A resident walks past destroyed houses after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit coordinate rescue “When Xayaburi dam offi- nearby town of Nong Khai have paper. Environmental groups Tulunan town, North Cotabato province, on the southern island of Mindanao, and relief cially generates electricity... we begun moving fish enclosures say the technology has not been yesterday. operations. won’t be able to know how the out of the river and into tested.

Ten ‘unlawfully A year on from Lion Air crash, Indonesians pray for victims killed’ in Indonesia REUTERS/JAKARTA district of Karawang to throw election riots: petals into the sea, a tribute they Rights agency One year after a Lion Air plane also performed last Nov. 8. crash that killed 189, relatives Yesterday’s event came days AFP/JAKARTA and friends of victims held after Indonesian investigators prayer vigils and cast flower issued their final report on the Ten people, including several petals into the Java Sea at the site disaster, setting out Boeing’s teenagers, were killed in Indo- where the budget carrier’s failure to identify risks in the nesia’s post-election riots, the Boeing 737 MAX jet went down design of cockpit software and human rights commission said beneath the waves. recommending better training yesterday, as it accused police The almost new Boeing Co for Lion Air’s pilots. of beating up protesters. aircraft had been flying from the The fatal crash, followed In its final report on the May Indonesian capital of Jakarta to within five months by another riots, the agency Komnas HAM the town of Pangkal Pinang, on at Ethiopian Airlines, led to a said four victims were underage the Bangka-Belitung islands off global grounding of the Boeing and most had been shot in the Sumatra, when it crashed within 737 MAX and a crisis for the capital Jakarta and demonstra- minutes of take-off. world’s biggest planemaker. tions in Kalimantan, Indonesia’s “This cannot be forgotten Stan Deal, newly appointed section of Borneo island. because it was such a tragic and president and chief executive of Indonesia’s rights com- unbelievable event,” said Epi Boeing Commercial Airplanes, mission called on police to find Samsul Komar, whose 24-year- attended the ceremony in the perpetrators, who it sus- old son, Muhammad Rafi Jakarta, at which he told Reuters pected were “actors trained, Andrian, was on the doomed he was there to pay his respects. organised and professional in flight, JT610. Deal’s predecessor, Kevin using guns”. It did not “Hopefully this flower-scat- McAllister, was ousted by Boeing Families praying on a navy ship on the Java sea during a ceremony for victims of a Lion Air plane elaborate. tering ceremony can heal our last week, the first high-level crash in 2018. “This is a tragedy,” commis- longing for our child,” Komar departure since the two crashes. sioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said. He was among the families In the town of Pangkal colleagues killed in the crash, the photographs of the victims in remain,” read a message near the said. “These are unlawful of victims who went by boat to Pinang, tax office employees office head, Krisna Wiryawan, happier times. “When the loved end of the video. “These mem- killings — or killings that took the crash site off the West Java held special prayers for seven said. A tribute video featured ones are gone, only memories ories will remain in our hearts.” place outside legal mechanisms -- and that violates the criminal code,” he added. Google sued by Australian Thailand poised to open ‘fake news’ monitoring hub Underground regulators over location tracking AFP/BANGKOK in a 2014 coup, muzzling dissent people and arrested hundreds construction site for several years with special for violating new restrictions. AP/CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA Thailand is set to open its first laws, but became civilian While the ban was lifted collapses in centre to combat fake news, a premier after tainted polls in advocates say freedom of China: 8 dead Australia’s consumer watchdog sued Google yesterday alleging the minister said yesterday, the March. expression has barely improved. technology giant broke consumer law by misleading Android users latest Asian country to push for Rights groups say the arch- The head of Thailand’s army AP/BEIJING about how their location data was collected and used. greater cyber scrutiny in what royalist administration is still sti- has railed against fake news and The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission accused activists fear is a smokescreen fling dissent while keeping a online propaganda, calling it a An underground car park that Google of collecting information on users’ whereabouts even after for targeting critics. close eye on public discussion of form of hybrid warfare. was under construction in they had switched off the location setting. The Anti-Fake News Center Thailand’s unassailable Buddhipongse rebuffed alle- southwest China collapsed, “You could have been walking around the city... thinking that will start work on Friday using monarchy. gations by civil society that the killing eight people and injuring your location history wasn’t being collected, when in fact it was AI and trained monitors to flag Almost 80 percent of online new centre would be one-stop- two others, official media said. being collected and it was being kept,” commission Chairman Rod posts on everything from or social media posts are false shop for monitoring dissent. State broadcaster CCTV said Sims said. healthcare to government pol- or misleading, Buddhipongse “We don’t focus only on pol- the 10 people were trapped in the An Associated Press investigation last year revealed that several icies, digital economy and added. itics and other people that rubble when the collapse Google apps and websites stored user location even if the user had society minister Buddhipongse The new centre has a oppose the government.” occurred onMonday afternoon turned off the Location History setting. Punnakanta said. Facebook page, Line messaging But Sunai Phasuk, senior in Guizhou province’s Guiyang To stop Google from saving these location markers, users had “Every country faces the group and website, where researcher with Human Rights city. Three other workers were to turn off another setting, Web and App Activity. That setting, issue of fake news... especially examples of its findings will be Watch, said it was just another able to escape, and another was enabled by default, does not specifically reference location Thai people,” Buddhipongse published and where users can tool for censorship. immediately rescued. Rescuers information. said, after explaining the initi- submit tip-offs. “A chokehold on free extricated the 10 trapped Google later clarified in a help page how the Location History ative to prime minister Prayut The former junta banned expression in Thailand is tight- workers in the early hours of works, but it didn’t change the location-tracking practice. Chan-O-Cha. Prayut took power gatherings of more than five ening even further,” he said. Tuesday, it said. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 EUROPE 17

Italy to let migrant UK oppn backs early general elections rescue ship dock REUTERS The Labour Party loves after 11 days at sea LONDON a debate but they also REUTERS love the end of the ROME Britain was heading towards its debate, and this is the first December election in almost Italy said yesterday that it a century after Prime Minister end of the debate: We would let a French charity Boris Johnson’s bet on breaking are going out there to rescue ship disembark 104 the Brexit deadlock with an early win: Jeremy Corbyn migrants after the vessel spent ballot gained support from oppo- 11 days at sea waiting for sition parties yesterday. authorisation to dock. As the European Union “Labour will back a general The interior ministry said agreed a third delay to the election,” said Corbyn, a veteran in a statement that the Ocean divorce that was originally sup- socialist campaigner. “The Viking could head to the Sicilian posed to take place on March 29, Labour Party loves a debate but port of Pozzallo, adding that the United Kingdom, its par- they also love the end of the France and Germany had liament and its electorate remain debate, and this is the end of the agreed to take in 70 of the divided on how or indeed debate: We are going out there migrants. whether to go ahead with Brexit. to win.” French charities Médecins Johnson, who had promised The first Christmas election Sans Frontières (MSF) and SOS to deliver Brexit on October 31 in Britain since 1923 would be Méditerranée, which operate “do or die”, has repeatedly highly unpredictable: Brexit has the ship, had issued an appeal demanded an election to end variously fatigued and enraged on Monday asking Europe to what he casts as a nightmare swathes of voters while eroding designate a safe port for the paralysis that is sapping public traditional loyalties to the two migrants who picked up off the trust in politicians by preventing major parties, Conservative and Libyan coast on October 18. any Brexit outcome at all. Labour. “After days stranded at sea After parliament refused Some politicians feel an Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a debate on the early Parliamentary General Election and having endured horrific Johnson his third demand for an election so close to holidays Bill: Second Reading, in the House of Commons in London, yesterday. conditions in Libya and during election on Monday, he will try could irritate voters, while cam- their journey, finally these to force a bill through parliament paigning and getting the vote out After four years of arguing Johnson, 55, and his rival Corbyn, polls this month, though pollsters people will be brought to yesterday that calls for a could be hampered by cold over Brexit, almost all British 70. underestimated the support for safety,” said Michael Fark, the December 12 election. It needs a weather. politicians now agree an When Johnson’s predecessor, Brexit in 2016 and admit that the MSF head of mission for Libya simple majority in parliament. Ultimately, voters would election is needed to break the Theresa May, bet on an early models they use are wilting and the Mediterranean. In a move that aligns the have a choice between an cycle of inaction that has election in 2017, she lost her beside the Brexit furnace. MSF said an agreement had stars for an election after months emboldened Johnson pushing for shocked allies of a country once slender majority - a failure that Both major parties face a also been reached to let 90 of Brexit discord, the opposition his Brexit deal or a socialist gov- considered a bastion of stable ultimately prevented her from fight on at least three fronts: The migrants aboard another Med- Labour Party’s leader, Jeremy ernment under Corbyn renego- Western capitalism and ratifying her Brexit deal and sank Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage iterranean rescue ship, the Alan Corbyn, said the condition of tiating the deal before a refer- democracy. her political career. will seek to poach Brexit voters Kurdi, disembark. ruling out a no-deal Brexit had endum. If no party wins conclu- An election, though, could Johnson’s Conservatives are while the Liberal Democrats will However, there was no been met so he would support sively, the Brexit deadlock will decide the fate of Brexit as well ahead of Labour by an average seek to win over opponents of immediate confirmation of this an election. continue. as the main players — PM of about 10 percentage points in Brexit. from Italy. Police hunt for brothers Polish SC rejects vote recount bid by ruling party over 39 truck deaths REUTERS dealt a blow to its bid for a some of the districts where it lost but wield a majority thanks to WARSAW stronger mandate to pursue dis- by a narrow margin there were three independent senators who REUTERS human trafficking. puted overhauls of the judiciary, a lot of ballots that were spoiled, are broadly supportive. LONDON “Finding and speaking to the Poland’s Supreme Court media and cultural institutions. not counted or left blank. The Senate has the power to Hughes brothers is crucial to our yesterday rejected one of six Supreme Court justices “The purpose of an electoral delay legislation and appoint British police were hunting for investigation,” said Detective requests for a vote recount by the rebuffed the government’s bid protest,” the court said in a some prominent figures in the two brothers from Northern Chief Superintendent Stuart ruling nationalists (PiS) following for a recount in one Senate dis- statement, “is to point out spe- state. Ireland whom they described as Hooper. “At this time we believe the October 13 election in which trict, saying the difference cific violations of law affecting Poland’s ruling eurosceptic “crucial” to an investigation into they are in Northern Ireland but they narrowly lost their majority between the candidates’ the outcome of the election...not nationalists have been embroiled the deaths of 39 people found in they also have links to the Irish in the upper house Senate. respective results was too small, to recalculate votes because of in a long-running dispute with the back of a truck near London Republic. The Law and Justice party’s and reserved a ruling on five the slight difference between the EU over its reforms of the last week. Ronan Hughes had signed the setback in the Senate, coupled other challenges. individual candidates.” judiciary and public media, The 39 victims have yet to lease papers to rent the trailer the with a smaller than hoped for PiS had said that it was Opposition parties hold 48 which critics say have eroded the be identified but Vietnam said it bodies were found in, according majority in the lower house, demanding recounts because in of 100 seats in the upper house, independence of both. was trying to accelerate the to lawyers for the owner Global process. It fears many of the Trailer Rentals (GTR). dead were its citizens. “The lease document was Russian minister The bodies were found in the signed by Ronan Hughes, who early hours of October 23 after gave an address matching that of hails military ties the container arrived in Britain the haulier, C Hughes Transport,” with Armenia from Zeebrugge in Belgium. The the lawyers said in an email. container was picked up at Pur- GTR had previously said the AP/MOSCOW fleet dock, to the east of London, container was leased out on by a truck allegedly driven by October 15 and it was unaware Russia’s defence minister is Maurice Robinson, who is from of what it was to be used for. visiting Armenia for talks about Northern Ireland. Christopher Hughes, who is military cooperation between On Monday, Robinson, 25, listed as a director of C Hughes the ex-Soviet allies. appeared in court accused of Logistics Ltd based in Armagh, Defense Minister Sergei manslaughter, money laun- said in a 2016 interview with Shoigu hailed Armenia, which dering, conspiracy to traffic Irish Trucker magazine that his hosts a Russian military base, as people and conspiracy to assist company ran a fleet of nine Moscow’s “key partner.” He said unlawful immigration. trucks, working in Sweden, after inspecting the base that it For the two latter alleged Denmark, Italy and England as serves as “the guarantor of sta- offences, the charge sheet stated well as Ireland, with six full-time bility in the Caucasus region.” he had conspired with Ronan employees. The Russian base in Hughes and others, prosecutors Police, who have said their Armenia has about 4,000 said. investigation would be lengthy, troops and air defence assets. Police leading the investi- have arrested three other people The base’s commanding officer gation said Hughes, 40, and his but later released them on police reported to Shoigu that its capa- brother Christopher, 34, from bail. Irish police have also bility has markedly increased Armagh, were also wanted on arrested a man in connection with the deployment of new suspicion of manslaughter and with the investigation. modern weapons systems. French police officers stand in front of the mosque of Bayonne, in southwestern France, yesterday. London Fire Brigade criticised for 2017 fire France probes mosque attacker’s motive

AP/LONDON The order remained in place for “actively promoted” the fire. AFP The victims, aged 74 and 78, addressed an angry letter last nearly two hours after the blaze The report concluded the fire BAYONNE one of whom was hit in the neck week to Bayonne authorities and A report on a deadly apartment broke out just before 1 a.m., and started as the result of an elec- and the other in the chest, were prosecutors, seeking to bring block fire in London condemned was not rescinded until 2.47 a.m. trical fault in a large fridge- French police were investigating in a stable condition in hospital charges against Macron for the London Fire Brigade and as the building was engulfed in freezer but noted the resident of the motives of an 84-year-old Tuesday, local authorities said. “non-application of human concluded that fewer people flames. the apartment where the fire man with links to France’s main The shooter, identified as rights”. would have died if the building “That decision could and broke out bore no blame for the far-right party who attacked a Claude Sinke, had stood as a The newspaper published were evacuated more quickly. should have been made between tragedy that killed so many mosque and shot two men in candidate for Le Pen’s National only an excerpt of the letter Britain’s Press Association 1:30am and 1:50am and would people and displaced scores of their 70s, seriously wounding Rally in 2015 regional elections, which it said contained “discrim- said the leaked report, which be likely to have resulted in families. both. but the party has since distanced inatory, xenophobic and defam- was to be published today, also fewer fatalities,” he said. Some activists said they The attack in Bayonne on itself from him. atory” statements. accused brigade Commissioner Moore-Beck said the “prin- brought fire-safety concerns to Monday afternoon, in a neigh- Neighbours described Sinke Authorities said Sinke Dany Cotton of “remarkable cipal reason” the flames shot up the local government body bourhood described by its resi- as a difficult man. attacked the mosque on Monday insensitivity” for testifying that the sides of Grenfell Tower was responsible for the building even dents as peaceful, shocked Mike Bresson, deputy mayor as two men were preparing it for she would not have done any- the presence of relatively new before the blaze. Muslims and the community at of Sinke’s home village, Saint- afternoon prayers. thing differently in the early combustible aluminum com- There was no immediate large, prompting firm condem- Martin-de-Seignanx, said he was The man “approached the hours of the June 14, 2017 blaze posite cladding with polyeth- reaction to the fire report, since nation from the government as known for his “verbal excesses”. building by car and threw an that killed 72 people at Grenfell ylene cores, which acted as a it was leaked. well as from far-right leader He said Sinke behaved “like incendiary device against the Tower. “source of fuel.” While he had not Those most directly involved Marine Le Pen. someone with a psychological side door of the mosque,” Inquiry chairman Martin planned to determine whether in the Grenfell Tower tragedy It struck just hours after disturbance. He didn’t like Bayonne mayor Jean-Rene Etch- Moore-Bick criticised a fire the building complied with fire were given an advance look at President Emmanuel Macron people from the left, nor the egaray said at the scene. department policy that led to regulations at this stage in the the document, but were forced had urged Muslims to step up the centre, and few of those on the “The two people came out, residents in the public housing investigation, Moore-Beck said to sign non-disclosure agree- fight against what he called right.” he shot at them, hitting one in building being told to stay in there was compelling evidence ments until the report is officially Islamic “separatism” in secular According to the Sud-Ouest the neck and the other in the their apartments to await rescue. that the tower’s external walls released. France. local newspaper, Sinke had chest and arm. He then fled.” 18 EUROPE WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Ukraine and separatists launch troop withdrawal AFP The rival forces also KIEV his trip to the village. need to withdraw “There will be no surrender troops from the in any case... I am sure we will The Ukrainian army and village of Petrivske succeed and Ukraine will be Moscow-backed separatists said united again.” yesterday they had begun to in the Donetsk region Putin’s aide Vladislav Surkov withdraw their troops from a key for the high-profile expressed satisfaction about the area in the war-torn east ahead summit to go ahead. move. of a high-stakes summit with “If everything works out in Russia. Zolote, similar procedures in The long-awaited pullback as Kiev’s forces and the Kremlin- Petrivske should follow imme- is a precondition for the first backed separatists have diately,” he told Russian TASS face-to-face talks between repeatedly failed to pull back news agency. Russian President Vladimir Putin troops from the frontline Political opponents were and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zel- because of exchanges of gunfire. quick to criticise Zelenskiy. enskiy, to be mediated by the Zelenskiy’s peace plan Ivanna Klympush- leaders of France and Germany. including the troop pullback has Tsintsadze, a lawmaker from “The process of troop with- been strongly criticised by many Poroshenko’s party, called the drawal began by both sides... in in Kiev, especially war veterans troop withdrawal a “capitulation Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Novo- the area of Zolote-4” in the and nationalists. on the Kremlin’s conditions”. Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, yesterday. Lugansk region, Ukraine’s army Over the past few weeks, Another opposition party said on Facebook. thousands of Ukrainians Golos condemned Zelenskiy for Monitors from the Organi- including Zelenskiy’s prede- breaking his own promise to sation for Security and Cooper- cessor Petro Poroshenko have withdraw troops only after Cuba leader hails Russia’s role in US standoff ation in Europe confirmed the protested in Kiev and other fighting stops for seven days, AFP increasing role played by Putin said Russia “has always move. cities, slamming a pullback of while there was shooting across MOSCOW Moscow to break the superiority sympathised with Cuba’s inde- “Today the sides have just troops as an act of “surrender.” the frontline as recently as the that the US is trying to impose.” pendent position” and promised resumed the withdrawal of Nationalists were set to hold weekend. Cuban President Miguel Diaz- Cuba is under pressure as US to visit Cuba. troops and arms in Zolote,” a new protest rally outside Zel- “The withdrawal of troops Canel praised Russia’s support President Donald Trump dis- Russia nearly quadrupled oil Martin Sajdik, an OSCE special ensky’s offices. without fulfilling the conditions yesterday during talks with Pres- mantles the rapprochement with exports to Cuba in the first six representative, told journalists. Various nationalist organi- of the 7-day silence regime is ident Vladimir Putin, saying ties Havana begun by his prede- months of the year, the gov- The rival forces also need to sations even deployed their own unacceptable,” the party said in with Moscow are growing in the cessor Barack Obama. ernment said earlier this month, withdraw troops from the village troops to Zolote in an effort to a statement. “Such actions of the face of US “aggression”. Washington has moved to as the island struggles with of Petrivske in the Donetsk prevent a retreat of Ukrainian president and his team are a The Cuban leader’s first trip cripple Cuba’s tourism industry, severe fuel shortages it blames region for the high-profile forces. mistake.” to Russia as president followed banning cruise ship stops on the on US sanctions. summit to go ahead. Last week, the 41-year-old In the run-up to the planned a visit by Russian Prime Minister island and most recently Medvedev has also ordered Since coming to power in Ukrainian president was forced summit, Ukrainian, Russian and Dmitry Medvedev to Havana announcing a suspension of the energy ministry to refurbish May, comedian-turned-pres- to personally travel to Zolote in separatist negotiators also earlier this month. flights to all Cuban airports three of Cuba’s power plants. ident Zelenskiy has sought to an effort to convince his nation- agreed on a roadmap that “US aggression against Cuba except the capital. Diaz-Canel earlier stopped revive a peace process to end a alist critics not to stand in the envisages a special status for the is escalating,” Diaz-Canel told The Trump administration by the Russian city of Saint five-year-old separatist conflict way of the peace process. separatist territories if they Putin in remarks translated by accuses Cuba of aiding and Petersburg where his delegation in eastern Ukraine that has “We have to look for ways conduct free and fair elections the Kremlin. abetting crisis-wracked Vene- visited a major shipyard and a claimed some 13,000 lives. and work to end the war,” Zel- under the Ukrainian He said Russia and Cuba had zuela, which is Havana’s closest nuclear plant to look for “new But those efforts have stalled ensky said on Saturday during constitution. “unfailing” ties and praised “the ally. spheres of cooperation”. Georgian police Greek migration overhaul probe massive threatens rights: NGOs cyber attack AFP to the mainland, there are over REUTERS ATHENS 34,000 people living in TBILISI “abysmal” conditions in Greek Human rights groups including island camps, HRW said. Georgian police are investi- Amnesty International and MSF Facing a huge backlog of gating a massive coordinated yesterday said a new Greek over 70,000 asylum claims, the cyber attack that took thou- migration law was “extremely government has vowed to stiffen sands of websites offline and harmful” to vulnerable asylum- its response with stepped-up could have been carried out seekers. patrols to deter migrant boats from abroad, the Interior The groups said the bill cur- and to send 10,000 people back Ministry said yesterday. rently being debated in Greece’s to Turkey next year. Thousands of state, private parliament introduces stricter “Waves of refugees and eco- and media websites were rules for receiving asylum nomic migrants are now knocked out on Monday and seekers, delays access to the besieging European countries,” their home pages made to right to work, narrows the def- Mitsotakis said earlier this display an image of former inition of family, and imposes month. Georgian President Mikheil more burdens on torture victims Yesterday, he said that Saakashvili holding a poster in being recognised as such. Greece “cannot shoulder the Helpers holding up a blanket to shield the view on German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier after he saying “I’ll be back!” Eva Cosse, Greece problems of three continents” fell from the stage during the “Digital-Gipfel 2019” summit in Dortmund, western Germany, yesterday. The attack targeted web- researcher for Human Rights in reference to migration. sites including those of the Watch, said the new law “is a Eleni Takou, deputy president’s office, local munic- German Minister breaks nose in fall from stage naked attempt to block access director of civil society group ipality offices and two private to protection and increase HumanRights360, criticised the television stations. REUTERS podium and then cut to the for by the staff at Dortmund deportations” amid increasing conservative government’s lan- “The cyber attack could DORTMUND audience applauding, before Clinic,” Altmaier later tweeted. arrivals. guage on the issue as “toxic”, have been carried out (from) they gasped and their hands “Nothing serious apart from cuts Greece has once again and claimed it incites either inside or outside the German Economy Minister Peter went to their mouths at the sight and bruises.” become the main point of entry intolerance. country,” the ministry said. Altmaier tumbled from the stage of his fall. Merkel, who spoke later at for people seeking asylum in Last week, residents of the In 2008, Georgia accused at a conference yesterday, briefly Medics, including a doctor in the same summit, said Altmaier Europe, posing a challenge for village of Nea Vrasna in northern Russia of hacking hundreds of losing consciousness and the audience, rushed to his aid had asked her to convey his the conservative government of Greece threw stones at buses Georgian websites during a suffering a broken nose, cuts and and he was taken to hospital. An greetings. “We’ve been in touch. Kyriakos Mitsotakis which took carrying nearly 400 migrants, short war between the two bruises. official said he had broken his He needs a bit of medical care over in July. forcing authorities to relocate countries over a breakaway The minister, 61, tripped while nose. but he’s doing well,” she said. According to HRW, over them hundreds of kilometres to Georgian region. descending from the podium at The official said Altmaier, a A pro-European, Altmaier 53,000 asylum seekers have the south. The Kremlin denied the the end of his speech to a con- close ally of Chancellor Angela has been a strong advocate of reached Greek islands from The northern Athens suburb hacking allegation. Diplomatic ference on Germany’s digital Merkel, would not attend today’s Franco-German initiatives to Turkey this year, compared to of Penteli has also refused to ties were severed at the time strategy in the city of Dortmund. session of the cabinet in Berlin. help Europe’s heavy industries 42,000 during the same period allow a group of unaccompanied and have not been restored Television footage showed “After the panicky moments respond to challenge from digital in 2018. minors to settle in an abandoned since. Altmaier stepping down from the of my fall I was very well cared upstarts from China and the US. Despite regular relocations hospital.

French govt calls to seize firearms to reduce domestic violence Spy chief says right-wing radicalism spreads in Germany AP/PARIS mandatory reporting by REUTERS corner’ which allows for a clear dis- the party, joined in those pluristic tendencies. A French government health professionals who BERLIN tinction between extremists and the demonstrations. Haldenwang reiterated his commission examining witness signs of domestic conservative camp, no longer Hoecke is intent on pulling the agency’s estimates that around domestic violence has called struggle, and new protocols The head of Germany’s domestic exists,” said President of the BfV party further to the right. In Thur- half of the roughly 24,100 “right on authorities to begin confis- for police officers responding intelligence agency said that domestic intelligence agency Hal- ingia, he overtook Chancellor wing extremists” in Germany were cating firearms from indi- to complaints. militant right-wingers were denwang in a parliamentary Angela Merkel’s conservatives to potentially violent. viduals following the first French gender equality mixing with less radical conserv- hearing. “We are increasingly come second in an election on He also highlighted the complaint of family violence minister Marlene Schiappa atives, blurring the lines to make dealing with mixed scenes including Sunday. increasing danger from attackers levied against them. called the recommendations extremism more acceptable and people who are open to the right — Haldenwang said individuals who are radicalised on the That proposal was among an important step toward “a harder to detect. such as at the demonstrations in belonging to the “new right” were Internet and act alone and com- 65 recommendations unveiled system of zero tolerance” for Speaking less than three Chemnitz in 2018.” becoming politically active with pared the Halle attacker to those to tackle a seemingly intrac- all forms of domestic vio- weeks after a man who had pub- Last August, Germany saw the the aim of making right-wing in Oslo and Christchurch. table problem in France, lence, including psychological lished a racist and anti-Semitic worst far-right riots in decades radical thinking, even extremist “Investigations so far indicate where government statistics and economic harassment. manifesto shot two people near a after in Chemnitz after a man was thinking, acceptable. that the perpetrator had not report a woman is killed by The recommendations synagogue in Halle, Thomas Hal- stabbed to death. “Bridgeheads are established in shared his plan for the anti-Semit- her partner every three days. now go to various gov- denwang added that lone The leader of the anti-immi- the media and attention-grabbing ically motivated attack in Halle Other proposals include ernment bodies to consider attackers were also an increasing grant Alternative for Germany forms of protest are carried out to with anyone at all up until the awareness campaigns, and codify. threat. (AfD) in the state of Thuringia, find resonance,” he said, adding that moment he carried it out,” said “The proverbial ‘right wing Bjoern Hoecke, a hardliner within ideologies often included anti- Haldenwang. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 AMERICAS 19 New impeachment witness shakes White House

AFP In explosive prepared testimony, National WASHINGTON Security Council Ukraine expert Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman said he personally A new witness in the listened to Trump pressure Zelenskiy in a July impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump rocked 25 phone call. the White House yesterday with testimony that he personally “Never Trumper” — his label for call appears to match testimony witnessed officials pressuring Republicans who fundamentally that Trump pressured Zelenskiy Ukraine to help Trump politi- oppose the president. for political reasons. cally. “How many more Never Vindman said in the pre- National Security Council Trumpers will be allowed to pared testimony that a senior US Ukraine expert Lieutenant testify about a perfectly appro- diplomat close to Trump, ambas- Colonel Alexander Vindman was priate phone call,” he asked. sador to the European Union to tell the House inquiry that he “Supposedly, according to Gordon Sondland, was the first twice reported concerns about the Corrupt Media, the Ukraine person he witnessed pressing improper White House efforts to call ‘concerned’ today’s Never Ukraine for the investigations, in get Kiev to open investigations Trumper witness. Was he on the a July 10 meeting with Ukraine designed to help Trump same call that I was? Can’t be national security official Ole- politically. possible!” ksandr Danylyuk. In explosive prepared tes- Republicans mobilised to “Following this meeting, timony, Vindman said he per- undercut Vindman’s credibility, there was a scheduled debriefing sonally listened to Trump questioning his loyalty by noting during which Amb Sondland pressure Ukraine President he immigrated to the United emphasized the importance that Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 States from the Soviet Union at Ukraine deliver the investiga- phone call. the age of three, and suggesting tions into the 2016 election, the His testimony, released late he is part of an effort by the US Bidens and Burisma,” he says, Monday, offers some of the national security bureaucracy to referring to a Ukraine energy Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, arrives at strongest evidence yet for accu- undermine Trump. company on whose board the US Capitol, in Washington, DC, yesterday. sations that Trump abused his Appearing against White Biden’s son Hunter sat while his presidential powers and broke House orders to not comply with father was vice president. government investigate a US concerns about the July 10 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi election laws to gain Kiev’s a congressional subpoena, “I stated to Amb Sondland citizen, and I was worried about meeting and the July 25 call to wrote in a tweet directed at support for his re-election effort Vindman is the first witness to that his statements were inap- the implications for the US gov- the chief attorney of the NSC. Trump yesterday. next year. have personally listened in on propriate, that the request to ernment’s support of Ukraine,” While Trump continued to “The Ukrainian President The first White House the July 25 phone call at the core investigate Biden and his son had he says. insist the call was “perfect,” asks for military aid to fend off official to appear before the of the impeachment inquiry. nothing to do with national “I realized that if Ukraine Democrats made plans to step the Russian attack, you say ‘I inquiry, the decorated Iraq war Republicans have argued security,” he says. pursued an investigation into the up the impeachment effort with want you to do us a favor veteran arrived on Capital Hill that nine previous witnesses only He said the same of the Bidens and Burisma, it would a House vote formalizing proce- though,’ and then you spend the yesterday morning in full mil- knew of the call’s contents Trump-Zelenskiy call. likely be interpreted as a partisan dures tomorrow. rest of the call asking for bogus itary dress uniform, as Trump second-hand, although a heavily “I did not think it was proper play,” he says. “Everybody has read your investigations to smear your blasted him on Twitter as a edited official “transcript” of the to demand that a foreign Vindman reported both his words on the call,” Democratic political opponents.” Prosecutors accuse former Apprehensions at Mexico border up 88% this year: CBP

Trump adviser of trying to REUTERS 52,000 in September, the lowest immigration policies rolled out of Guatemala, Honduras and El EL PASO monthly total for the year, by the Trump administration Salvador, claiming most of them walk back on guilty plea Morgan said at a news briefing have also contributed to the drop present fraudulent accounts US border officials apprehended in front of the border barrier in since May. about being persecuted back REUTERS numerous contacts between his or rejected 970,000 people at or El Paso, Texas. President Donald Trump has home. WASHINGTON campaign and Russia. near the border with Mexico in The September apprehen- made restricting immigration a Only about 15% of Central “In an extraordinary the year through September, an sions and rejections are down centerpiece of his first term and Americans who have made US prosecutors yesterday reversal, the defendant now 88% jump from a year earlier, from a monthly peak of 144,255 his 2020 re-election campaign. asylum claims in recent years accused President Donald claims that he is innocent of the US Customs and Border in May. US officials have sought to have been granted some type of Trump’s former national criminal charge in this case,” Protection Acting Commissioner Migration tends to taper off curtail the number of asylum relief or protection from US security adviser Michael Flynn prosecutors wrote in a filing to Mark Morgan said yesterday. during the hot summer months, seekers, mostly from the impov- immigration judges, according of making “an extraordinary Sullivan. Still, those numbers have but US officials and immigrant erished and violent Central to the Department of Homeland reversal” to try to undo his “He makes this claim despite dropped recently, falling to advocates say a series of strict American countries Security. sworn admission that he lied to having admitted his guilt, under former Special Counsel Robert oath, before two federal judges,” Mueller’s investigators about his the prosecutors added. South Dakota asks court to let execution proceed Air Force’s mystery contacts with Russia. Defense attorneys last week Federal prosecutors asked abruptly made fresh claims that AP pentobarbital’s performance in national group that studies space plane ends US District Judge Emmet Sul- “high-ranking FBI officials SIOUX FALLS a low-dosage setting, and that it capital punishment to call on the 2-year mission livan for the opportunity to orchestrated an ambush- works quickly enough when state to release more details oppose a bid filed by Flynn’s interview” of Flynn in 2017 for The state of South Dakota asked given in high doses. about the drug used. AP lawyers last week to have the the “purpose of trapping him a judge to reject an inmate’s The drug has been used in Rhines was sentenced to CAPE CANAVERAL case dismissed — even though into making statements they objection to the lethal drug recent executions in Georgia, death for the 1992 killing of Don- Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 - could allege as false.” scheduled for use in his Missouri and Texas. nivan Schaeffer, who was The Air Force’s mystery space because of alleged prosecutorial Flynn’s lawyers also accused execution. The state also argued that stabbed in the skull, stomach and plane is back on Earth, misconduct. Sullivan is the FBI of suppressing and fab- Charles Russell Rhines is Rhines’ objection could have back while Rhines was burglar- following a record-breaking scheduled to sentence Flynn on ricating interview notes from scheduled to die next week for been brought long ago. A South izing the Rapid City doughnut two-year mission. December 18. agents, and asked the judge to the 1992 fatal stabbing of a Dakota circuit court judge is shop where Schaeffer worked. The X-37B landed at Nasa’s The retired Army lieutenant dismiss “the entire prosecution” 22-year-old doughnut shop scheduled to hear arguments Rhines lost two other appeals Kennedy Space Center in general and former Trump cam- and hold the government in con- worker during a robbery. Tuesday. to delay his execution last week. Florida early Sunday. ‘ paign adviser has pleaded guilty tempt for failing to turn over Rhines moved last week to Pentobarbital was used last In those appeals, he argued that The Air Force is mum about to lying to FBI agents about his exculpatory evidence prior to block the execution by arguing year when South Dakota exe- he should be able to meet with what the plane did in orbit after 2016 conversations with Sergey Flynn’s guilty plea. that pentobarbital, commonly cuted Rodney Berget, who killed mental health experts to prepare launching aboard a SpaceX Kislyak, then-Russian ambas- Sullivan gave prosecutors used to euthanise animals, a prison guard during a 2011 a clemency application and that rocket in 2017. sador to the United States. until Friday to respond to doesn’t act quickly enough. His escape attempt. the state’s execution policies The 780-day mission sets a Flynn was one of several Flynn’s allegations of lawyers argue that by using the Berget was pronounced dead don’t follow the state’s rule- new endurance record for the former Trump aides to plead misconduct. drug, the state would be violating 12 minutes after the lethal making requirement. Rhines’ reusable test vehicle. It looks guilty or be convicted at trial in At a sentencing hearing in Rhines’ right to choose his injection began, and a transcript attorney did not return a request like a space shuttle but is one- Mueller’s investigation, which December 2018, Sullivan exco- manner of execution and his released afterward said Berget for comment. fourth the size at 29 feet. detailed Moscow’s interference riated Flynn for lying to inves- right to due process. asked after the injection was An exact date for Rhines’ Officials say this latest in the 2016 US election to boost tigators, and accused him of The state countered that administered: “Is it supposed to execution hasn’t been mission successfully completed Trump’s candidacy as well as selling out the United States. Rhines’ argument is based on feel like that?” That prompted a announced. its objectives. Winds whip California as 2.5 Facebook staff oppose political million people face power cuts ads policy BLOOMBERG thousands of evacuations near Los Angeles SACRAMENTO and in Sonoma County. Some PG&E cus- AP tomers have been without power for days. SAN FRANCISCO California utilities are cutting electricity “It is the weather — it’s not something to as many as 2.5 million people to prevent we can control,” PG&E utility chief Andy Hundreds of Facebook power lines from sparking fires as some Vesey said in a media briefing. employees have signed a letter of the strongest winds of the season hit California utilities have been resorting to CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the state. to mass blackouts this year after deadly other executives saying they High winds yesterday will leave nearly blazes in 2017 and 2018 were blamed on oppose the social network’s half the state’s population facing critical PG&E power lines. The fires saddled the policy of letting politicians lie fire weather conditions, the US Storm Pre- company with an estimated $30bn in lia- in advertisements. diction Center said. PG&E Corp began bilities, forcing it to file for bankruptcy in The New York Times shutoffs that may affect 596,000 Northern January. The deliberate outages are reported that more than 250 California homes and businesses. Further drawing widespread ire, and fires con- workers have signed the letter south, Edison International and Sempra tinue to spread in the driving winds. Cattles roam amidst a structure damaged by the Kincade fire at Oak Hill Angus in urging Facebook leaders to Energy may cut power to more than The most powerful winds will be in Calistoga, California, yesterday. change the policy that they say 235,000 customers. Southern California, where the Getty fire is a “threat to what FB stands The blackouts, California’s fourth this has scorched more than 600 acres and Storm Prediction Center. customers may not get their power back by for.” While that’s a small month, are intended to prevent live wires spurred thousands of evacuations around More than 3 million people were hit by the time the new outage hits. fraction of Facebook’s work- from falling into brush and sparking fires Los Angeles. Northern California will see PG&E blackouts over the weekend. By early “We want to make sure all customers force of more than 35,000, it’s as arid winds leave the region bone dry. less extreme conditions but faces gusts yesterday, the company had restored power who are able to receive power do receive a rare showing of employee At least 10 large blazes are burning across strong enough to fan the flames of wild- to more than half of those customers. Res- power,” PG&E spokeswoman Ari Van- dissent generally more typical the state, prompting hundreds of fires already burning, according to the US toration work is continuing, but some renen said. of Google and Amazon. 20 AMERICAS WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019

Pilot missing Chileans reject Pinera’s concession after small plane crashes AP Virtually none have SANTIAGO been satisfied by in New Jersey Piñera’s response to Chileans gathered yesterday for the protests, which AP a 12th day of demonstrations that WOODBRIDGE began with youth protests over includes replacing a subway fare hike and have eight ministers, A small plane crashed and become a leaderless national calling for national exploded in a residential neigh- movement demanding greater dialogue, offering bourhood in the New Jersey equality and better public suburbs of New York City services in a country long seen small increases in the yesterday morning, setting two as an economic success story. minimum wage and houses on fire and leaving the Hundreds of protesters the lowest pensions. pilot unaccounted for. marched in central Santiago by The twin-engine Cessna 414 early afternoon, including kin- crashed into a house in the dergarten teachers and health- Economic Cooperation and Colonia section of Woodbridge care workers demanding more Development group of wealthy Township at 11am, the Federal resources and better conditions nations. Aviation Administration said. at work. Thousands more were Virtually none have been sat- No one was in that home, expected to press their call for isfied by President Sebastián but flames spread to another changes to a market-dominant Piñera’s response to the protests, house, where a woman escaped socio-economic model that has which includes replacing eight injury, Woodbridge Mayor John fully or partially privatised pen- ministers, calling for national McCormac said. He does not sions, health and education. dialogue, offering small increases A man preparing to throw a speaker into a burning barricade while vandalizing a shop during a believe anyone on the ground Some demonstrators are in the minimum wage and the protest against Chile’s state economic model in Concepcion, Chile, yesterday. was injured. angry about the retirement lowest pensions, higher taxes on The flight had left Leesburg, system, which forces Chileans to the wealthy and decreases in the subway stations, saying only vio- came out in favor of reforming them to do that, making support Virginia, with only the pilot hand over 10 percent of their prices of medicine and lence will force government con- the constitution. from governing parties essential. aboard, authorities said. It had income to private fund managers electricity. cessions. The vandalism has “The idea of changing the The opposition parties were been headed to Linden Airport, and then receive pensions that “His proposals are a joke; included the arson of a building constitution, of eventually cre- holding meetings Tuesday to about 4 miles from the crash barely cover a third of most peo- they’re not really the solutions in central Santiago Monday ating a new constitution, is begin moving forward on con- site. ple’s monthly expenses. Others that the people want,” said night, along with scattered getting ever stronger, and that’s stitutional reform. The wreckage, and pre- fume about a public health Lindsay Silva, a 24-year-old breaking of windows and setting legitimate and must be dis- From afar, Chile has been a sumably the pilot, remained system that makes many wait student working on a degree in of fires in surrounding streets. cussed,” said Congressman Mario regional success story: Under lodged in the basement of the months for an appointment with physical therapy and health at Many protesters want a new Desborde, president of the democratically elected presi- house the plane hit, authorities a specialist, or seek expensive the University of Santiago. “Ine- constitution to replace the one National Renovation party. “If dents on the left and right, a free- said. There was no word on the private care. quality affects me every day that was written in 1980 under the constitution must be market consensus has driven pilot’s condition. Still others resent university because my family can’t pay its military dictator Augusto Pin- changed, it must be changed. ... growth up, poverty down and loans that they are still paying bills and has to make big sacri- ochet and that creates the legal I don’t fear democracy in the won Chile the region’s highest into their ‘40s and ‘50s, even as fices in order for me to have basis of Chile’s market-driven slightest.” score on the United Nations 19 show horses die 1% of the population earns 33 opportunities.” system. That idea began to gain Six opposition parties control Human Development Index, a percent of the nation’s wealth, Alongside mainstream pro- momentum Tuesday when the the House and Senate and favour blend of life expectancy, edu- in Georgia barn fire making Chile the most unequal testers, groups of young people leader of one of the three parties changing the constitution but cation and national income per country in the Organization for have been attacking shops and that supports Piñera in congress don’t have enough votes between capita. AP/CARTERSVILLE

Nineteen show horses died Military wants more rules for when a barn went up in flames Oil spill may be worst environmental over the weekend, fire officials turbines near nuclear missiles in northwestern Georgia said ‘attack’ in Brazil’s history: Petrobras CEO yesterday. AP/BISMARCK sitive locations,” the letter said. The barn near Cartersville, REUTERS Speaking at the same event, will be obliged to pay the gov- The Defense Department about 80km north of Atlanta, RIO DE JANEIRO Mines and Energy Minister Bento ernment a combined signing The military wants North Dakota last month asked the North caught fire on Saturday, Albuquerque said the spill should bonus of some $26bn, making it and four other states with Dakota Public Service Com- according to the Bartow County Oil slicks washing up on beaches have no impact on the upcoming the largest oil bidding round in nuclear missile arsenals to mission to consider new rules, Sheriff’s Office. When firefighters along more than 2,000km of Transfer of Rights oil auctions history, according to Brazilian consider introducing new rules including increasing the distance arrived, they found more than a Brazil’s northeast coastline could next month which are expected authorities. aimed at preventing conflicts tenfold to more than 3.2km dozen horses dead inside. be the worst environmental to attract billions of dollars of Castello Branco also said between wind turbines and heli- between a wind turbine and The owner of the stable, “attack” in the country’s history, foreign investment. Petrobras has postponed the copters that provide security at missile launch facility. The mil- Blake Carney, was out of town the chief executive of state-run Albuquerque told journalists process of selling refineries in launch facilities. itary also wants special lighting at a horse show at the time, he oil giant Petrobras said he did not see any “cause and the states of Pernambuco, Department of Defense and added to wind towers that is told WAGA-TV . But a caretaker yesterday. effect relationship” between the Bahia, Parana and Rio Grande Air Force officials outlined their compatible with night vision who was in an apartment inside Speaking at an event in Rio environmental disaster and do Sul, and could make an concerns in a letter before goggles worn by the helicopter the barn made it out with a dog de Janeiro, Roberto Castello expected bids, also adding that announcement by March next meeting with North Dakota law- pilots who patrol the 22,000sq and one pony, Bartow County Branco said Petrobras continues the government has been doing year. makers and regulatory officials. km missile field in northern Battalion Chief Darrell Aber- to work with the navy to tackle “everything it can” to minimize The deadline for bids was “Wind turbine development North Dakota. nathy told news outlets. the spill and is “doing its part”, the damage. extended due to the high interest, near launch facilities and missile The commission, which Carney said he buried the analysing the oil collected from The bidders who win explo- Castello Branco said, adding that alert facilities compromise the approves siting permits for wind horses on Monday, adding he beaches and helping mitigate the ration and production rights in more than 20 companies are use of military helicopters to farms, has not acted on the lost many of his own belongings damage. the massive November 6 auction interested. provide overhead security in sen- requests. in the fire.

Govt extends protected status for Salvadorans in US REUTERS following two devastating 2001 Security (DHS) said in a SAN SALVADOR earthquakes in El Salvador that statement. left hundreds of thousands of Additionally, the DHS and El The US government has people homeless. Salvador agreed to enhance extended temporary protection However, US President crime prevention through the for Salvadorans living in the Donald Trump has shown con- expansion of biometric data col- United States by an additional siderable scepticism toward the lection and information sharing, year, the US ambassador to El protection scheme and has it added. Salvador, Ronald Johnson, said, moved to revoke the special The accords will help Wash- in a potential sign of easing status afforded to thousands of ington and El Salvador confront tensions over migration. immigrants from a number of illegal migration and strengthen “Today in Washington, we countries including El the entire region, said DHS signed an agreement which Salvador. Acting Secretary Kevin extends the TPS (temporary Both countries also agreed McAleenan. protected status) for the Salva- to deploy agents from US The TPS program offers pro- dorans in the United States for Customs and Border Protection tection from deportation to another year,” Johnson said in and Immigration and Customs immigrants who already are in a joint video statement with Sal- Enforcement to “advise and the US, including those who vadoran President Nayib mentor” their Salvadoran police, entered illegally, from countries Bukele. border security, immigration and affected by natural disasters, Volunteers are seen removing crude oil spilled at the Pocas beach, municipality of Conde, Bahia TPS was granted to citizens customs counterparts, the US civil conflicts and other state, in Brazil, yesterday. of the Central American country Department of Homeland problems. Maduro govt slams UN-EU conference on Venezuela crisis AFP yesterday. countries and the United States from Syria, the conference put that Venezuelans and the host economy, creating suffering and BRUSSELS His response contrasted with used it to announce more than together by the European Com- communities are facing,” EU migration, stealing resources and the view of the organisers — and $110m in donations to help cope mission and the UN refugee and foreign policy chief Federica threatening to isolate and attack President Nicolas Maduro’s the US representatives who took with the crisis. migration agencies UNHCR and Mogherini told the conference. Venezuela. A sad scramble for government yesterday sharply part — who hailed it as a success. A collapsing economy under OIM was told. She said the event was an resources under the hypocritical criticised a UN-EU conference They said it raised awareness Maduro, who remains in power Despite punishing US sanc- important step in providing “an pretext of a ‘preoccupation’ for on Venezuela’s refugee crisis, not only about the millions of through the support of his tions and demands from the urgent response to the humani- migration,” he said. calling it a “hypocritical” exercise Venezuelan refugees and security forces, has prompted United States, the EU and most tarian situation that Venezuelans The United States, which has by countries seeking to isolate migrants fleeing economic more than 4.5 million Vene- Latin American nations pushing and the host communities are thrown its weight behind Vene- Caracas. despair, but also the increasing zuelans to leave, most of them Maduro to allow genuine elec- facing”. zuelan opposition leader Juan The slapdown was delivered burden being shouldered by to Latin American countries tions to choose a successor gov- But Arreaza, in his tweet, dis- Guaido as the “legitimate” leader by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Latin American countries hosting including Colombia, Ecuador, ernment, a political solution missed the conference as and Maduro as a “dictator” kept Jorge Arreaza on Twitter after the them. Peru and Brazil. remains elusive. “cynicism”. in power through support from two-day gathering — to which Even though it was meant to That outflow is expected to “In the meantime, we cannot “The EU, UNHCR and OIM Cuba and Russia, said the con- Caracas was not invited — prepare the ground for a future grow to 6.5 million in the coming avoid giving an urgent response brought together governments ference showing international wrapped up in Brussels pledging conference, several EU year, rivalling the refugee crisis to the humanitarian situation blocking the Venezuelan unity. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 HOME 21

PRAYER TIMINGS Kahramaa partners with QTerminals FAJR 04. 23 AM SHOROOK 05. 40 AM to make cranes energy efficient

ZUHR 11. 18 AM MAGHRIB 04. 57 PM THE PENINSULA DOHA ASR 02.30 PM ISHA 06. 27 PM

Within the framework of WEATHER TODAY increasing energy efficiency and diversifying its resources in the country, Qatar General Electricity and Water Corpo- ration (Kahramaa) represented by the National Program for Conservation and Energy Effi- ciency (Tarsheed) and QTer- minals are collaborating through a unique initiative to conserve and renew the use of energy resulting from the oper- ation of coastal cranes in Hamad Port to conserve elec- trical power in the port. Eng. Abdul Aziz Al Hammadi, Manager of Conservation & Energy As an initial step in this pilot project, eight cranes are being Efficiency Department at Kahramaa, and Abdul Hadi Fahad Al utilised to regenerate power. Hajri, Director of Support Services at QTerminals, with other Average 380MW·h per year of officials during a visit to the targeted cranes at the port. electrical energy can be saved from each crane with total He added that the National by setting reliability bar with saving almost 3,000MW·h per Program ‘Tarsheed’ welcomes operational excellence and year. cooperation with all sectors of sustainability development. Eng. Abdul Aziz Al the country to work to raise “We are happy to work with Hammadi, Manager of Con- energy efficiency, save the ‘Tarsheed on this initiative servation & Energy Efficiency state’s resources of electricity which while producing green o o Department at Kahramaa said: and water and diversify energy energy also helps in reducing 29 C 35 C “In the previous system, the sources in accordance with Carbon emissions,” said Al Minimum Maximum excess power is dissipated as Qatar National Vision 2030 and Hajri. heat energy. Therefore, the the global goals of To maximise the power Misty at places at first becomes relative- system is modified to reuse sustainability. generation and utilise the full ly hot daytime with scattered clouds and the excess power for other Abdul Hadi Fahad Al capacity of Hamad port three chance of rain at places by afternoon. application such as lighting, Hajri, Director of Support more cranes to be mobilized in

reefers and other crane aux- Services at QTerminals, said the year 2020, bringing the

HIGH TIDE 05:58 – 17:11 LOW TIDE 00:18 – 13:14 iliary systems within Hamad that the company aimed to be total number of regenerative Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department port.” world-class terminal operator power cranes to 11. Ooredoo showcases innovative Blockchain platform THE PENINSULA/DOHA platform and also make instant and then be used for any loyalty pro- loyalty points; instant payment as digital payments. gramme or digital wallet or be con- another option besides redemption; Ooredoo, the region’s leading enabler In Qatar, merchants of any size verted into digital payments. and make the merchants on-board of digital business innovation, or industry vertical can quickly and Ooredoo Qatar’s Chief Operating into different wallet, loyalty and announced yesterday at QITCOM the easily on-board into a safe envi- Officer, Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, reward programmes faster.” Ooredoo Exchange concept of a new ronment that allows them to accept said: “In response to feedback from Ooredoo Exchange is built on R3’s and innovative Blockchain platform different types of loyalty points and our customers, Ooredoo Exchange Corda Enterprise, a next-generation for Qatar’s end-users to exchange digital wallets. End-users can turn aims to solve three main customer Blockchain platform, and is different digital wallets, loyalty points their digital assets into programme- challenges: Lack of interoperability developed by IntellectEU, a financial and reward programmes from any agnostic digital tokens, which can among different digital wallets and technology consultancy.

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TERMINATOR: DARK FATE Terminator: Dark Fate is a 2019 American science fiction action film directed by Tim Miller, with a screenplay by David S. Goyer, Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray from a story by James Cameron, Charles Eglee, Josh Friedman. 22 WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 Why consuming organic food is good for you and the environment

he term “organic” refers to the way or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen agricultural products are grown and or go away when they eat only organic foods. processed. While the regulations vary Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. from country to country, but mostly Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insec- organic crops must be grown without ticides are widely used in conventional agriculture the use of synthetic pesticides, bioen- and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. Tgineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based ferti- Organic food is often fresher because it doesn’t lizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and Organic farming is better for the environment. dairy products must have access to the outdoors Organic farming practices reduce pollution, con- and be given organic feed. They may not be given serve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fer- antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal tility, and use less energy. Farming without pesti- by-products. cides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms. Does organic mean pesticide-free? extremely toxic poisons. Organic vegetables & fruits Organically raised animals are not given anti- As mentioned above, one of the primary ben-  Grown with natural fertilizers (manure, compost) biotics, growth hormones, or fed animal efits of eating organic is lower levels of pesticides. Does washing and peeling produce get rid  Weeds are controlled naturally (crop rotation, byproducts. Feeding livestock animal byproducts However, despite popular belief, organic farms do of pesticides? hand weeding, mulching, and tilling) increases the risk of mad cow disease (BSE) and use pesticides. The difference is that they only use Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesti-  Pests are controlled using natural methods (birds, the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic- naturally-derived pesticides, rather than the syn- cides. Peeling sometimes helps, but valuable insects, traps) and naturally-derived pesticides. resistant strains of bacteria. Organically-raised thetic pesticides used on conventional commercial nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. animals are given more space to move around farms. Natural pesticides are believed to be less The best approach: eat a varied diet, wash and scrub Organic meat, dairy, eggs and access to the outdoors, which help to keep toxic. all produce thoroughly, and buy organic when  Livestock are given all organic, hormone- and them healthy. possible. GMO-free feed. Organic meat and milk are richer in certain What are the possible risks of pesticides?  Disease is prevented with natural methods such nutrients. Results of a 2016 European study show Most of us have an accumulated build-up of Organic food buying tips as clean housing, rotational grazing, and healthy that levels of certain nutrients, including omega-3 pesticide exposure in our bodies due to Buy in season – Fruits and vegetables are diet. fatty acids, were up to 50 percent higher in organic numerous years of exposure. This chemical cheapest and freshest when they are in season.  Livestock must have access to the outdoors. meat and milk than in conventionally raised “body burden” as it is medically known could Find out when produce is delivered to your market versions. lead to health issues such as headaches, birth so you’re buying the freshest food possible. The benefits of organic food Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Mod- defects, and added strain on weakened immune Shop around – Compare the price of organic How your food is grown or raised can have a ified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered systems. Some studies have indicated that the items at the grocery store, the farmers’ market and major impact on your mental and emotional health (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered use of pesticides even at low doses can increase other venues (even the freezer aisle). as well as the environment. Organic foods often in ways that cannot occur in nature or in tradi- the risk of certain cancers. Remember that organic doesn’t always equal have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxi- tional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to The widespread use of pesticides has also healthy – organic baked goods, desserts, and snacks dants, than their conventionally-grown counter- be resistant to pesticides or produce an led to the emergence of “super weeds” and are usually still very high in sugar, salt, fat, or cal- parts and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, insecticide. “super bugs,” which can only be killed with ories. It pays to read food labels carefully. What science say about NOURISHING RECIPE age-old health adages

CARA ROSENBLOOM Carrots are good for your eyes THE WASHINGTON POST This narrative traces back to World War II. In 1940, British Royal Air Force pilots began using uestionable nutritional advice is easily radar to shoot down enemy planes in the dark. To amplified in our digital world, but older keep this new technology a secret, the Ministry of generations have always passed down Information’s propaganda was that the pilots had Qhealth adages that younger generations great visual accuracy because they ate carrots, found difficult to believe. Did your parents which improved their night vision. ever encourage you to drink fish oil to boost brain It seemed plausible, too, because carrots are power before an exam? My folks believed ginger rich in the antioxidant beta carotene, the precursor relieves nausea. I was curious whether these adages to vitamin A. Once absorbed by the body, vitamin and folk remedies could withstand the scrutiny of A helps make rhodopsin, a pigment that helps eyes science - or whether they’re bunk. So I set out to work better in low light. Carrots can help if you research a few of them. have vitamin A deficiency that causes poor night vision, but of course they can’t really help you (or An apple a day keeps the doctor away Air Force pilots) see in complete darkness. So, yes, This well-known statement is based on an 1860s carrots are good for eyesight, but other foods rich Welsh proverb that eating apples will diminish in beta carotene, such as sweet potatoes, squash doctor visits. And it has actually been put to the test and leafy green vegetables, have the same - in a 2015 April Fools’ Day issue of JAMA Internal benefits. Roasting fall fruit deepens their Medicine (while the topics were zany, the studies were real). Ginger relieves nausea Researchers investigated whether people who This remedy has strong roots. More than 5,000 flavor and nourishes the senses reported eating apples daily actually had fewer years ago, people from India and China used ginger annual doctor visits or were in better overall health. as a tonic to treat many ailments. The most common ELLIE KRIEGER Cooking oil spray or olive oil, for the pan Of the 8,399 study participants, 753 ate at least one and well-established historical use is to alleviate 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar small apple daily. The results showed that 39 percent nausea and vomiting. Today, many clinical studies medley of fresh fruit - pears, grapes 2 tablespoons honey of apple eaters avoided physician visits compared support the use of ginger for exactly this purpose. and figs - looks splendid on the table 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root to 34 percent of non-apple-eaters, which was not Research shows that ginger helps relieve nausea and is lovely served as a fruit salad. 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed a statistically significant difference. Researchers and vomiting caused by motion sickness, morning But roasted together, married with 3 firm, ripe pears, unpeeled did find that apple eaters were a bit less likely to sickness in pregnancy, during chemotherapy treat- a sweet-tangy glaze, it rises to 2 cups red grapes, sliced lengthwise require prescription medications compared to non- ments and post-surgically after anesthetic. It’s Aanother level of beauty and lusciousness entirely. 8 fresh figs, preferably Black Mission, stemmed and apple-eaters, leading the researcher to joke that thought that the constituents in ginger - including The heat of the oven softens and warms the fruit, halved lengthwise “an apple a day keeps the pharmacist away.” gingerols and shogaols - help speed gastric emp- making it juicier and deepening the flavors, Greek yogurt (full- or low-fat), for serving (optional) Of course, the doctor proverb shouldn’t be taken tying, which relieves nausea. Some people sip ginger while giving it a true comfort-food allure. literally, but the overall sentiment is true: Eating tea for relief, while others prefer to take a ginger It also concentrates and caramelizes the Method: vegetables and fruits daily does have health ben- capsule, and studies show that both options can mixture of balsamic vinegar, honey and ginger, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the efits. That’s because the combination of fiber, work. My mom used to open a can of ginger ale used for coating the fruit, ultimately resulting rack in the middle. Spray or brush a rimmed vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients may help when I was queasy. While she was on the right track, in a glorious glaze that not only adds a layer of baking sheet with oil. reduce inflammation and combat cardiovascular it turns out many soda brands use artificial flavoring exciting flavor, tying the different fruits together, In a large bowl, stir together the balsamic disease and some types of cancer. rather than real ginger, so those are of little benefit. but also gives the dish a beautiful, painterly vinegar, honey, ginger and salt to combine. Taste patina. and season with more salt, if needed. Transfer Fish is good for your brain It is a stunning, satisfying and healthful 1 tablespoon of the mixture to a smaller bowl. In his 1930 short-story collection “Very Good autumnal dessert or brunch dish, served either Quarter the pears lengthwise, then using Jeeves,” British author and humorist P.G. Wode- on its own or with a dollop of creamy yogurt. Feel a melon baller or small spoon, scoop the core house wrote: “They say fish are good for the brain. free to substitute small, pitted plums if you can’t out of each piece. Leave the stems intact if Have a go at the sardines and come back and get your hands on fresh figs, and be sure to use you’d like. Place the pears and grapes in the report.” Wodehouse was onto something! a thick syrupy aged balsamic vinegar rather than bowl with the balsamic mixture and toss to In 2016, researchers found that weekly con- the more acidic kind you might use in a salad coat, then transfer them to the baking sheet sumption of fish was associated with high volume dressing. and roast for 10 minutes. of gray matter, the dark tissue of the brain that’s in Toss the figs with the reserved glaze in the charge of processing information and controlling Roasted Fall Fruit With Balsamic- smaller bowl. Remove the sheet from the oven vision and memory. Many people have postulated and give the pears and grapes a gentle toss. Turn that the value of fish comes largely from omega-3 Ginger Glaze the pears, so that they are cut-side down, if they fats, which play many important roles in brain Enjoy it as a dessert or brunch dish by itself are not already. Add the figs to the sheet and health. Yet, interestingly, this study showed that or with a dollop of creamy yogurt. Be sure to return to the oven until the fruit has softened any fish - not just those high in omega-3 fat - had use thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar and not the but retains its shape and the glaze has begun to this positive effect. Another review study found that more acidic kind you might use for salad caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes more. fish intake may help delay cognitive impairment dressing. Let cool slightly before serving as is, or with and Alzheimer’s disease, but cast doubt as to Make Ahead: The fruit can be roasted up to a dollop of Greek yogurt. whether the omega-3 fats are the reason. That 2 days ahead. Bring it to room temperature Nutrition | Calories: 130; Total Fat: 0 g; Sat- means taking omega-3 fish oil supplements (or before serving. urated Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 25 drinking cod liver oil) for brain health may not cut mg; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; it - there’s something about eating a whole fish fillet Ingredients: (6 servings) Sugars: 29 g; Protein: 1 g. that’s more beneficial. WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 HOME 23 24 HOME WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019 IMPORTED FROM AROUND THE WORLD Promotion valid from 30.10.2019 to 03.11.2019.Purchase limit may apply. Offer valid until stocks last.

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