QATAR | Page 20 SPORT | Page 12 Barshim, Francis

INDEX the main DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 ARAB WORLD 3, 4 BUSINESS 1-12 Ooredoo sponsoring attractions 16,430.55 9,967.25 30.67 INTERNATIONAL 5-16 CLASSIFIED 9 -23.28 +152.73 +0.01 ISLAM 17 SPORT 1-12 annual Al Khor Fly-In -0.14% +1.56% +0.03% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXVI No. 10003 February 19, 2016 Jumada I 10, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Minister inaugurates Al Khor Park Boeing to In brief help QU QATAR | Offi cial Emir condoles with Turkish president HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday expressed HE Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi inaugurated yesterday Al Khor Park after college his condolences for the victims of it was being renovated according to the highest international standards. HE the Minister toured the park facilities at Al Khor Wednesday’s terrorist explosion in Municipality. He praised the employees for carrying out the project, noting that the State has allocated a big budget for the Ankara. This came in a telephone park to provide best services for the people. Al Khor Park, which was opened in 1983, covers an area of about 240,000sq m call with Turkish President Recep and features vast green areas with large trees. Tayyip Erdogan. HH the Emir supplicated the Almighty Allah to have mercy upon the victims and to build UAVs grant the injured a speedy recovery. The Emir strongly condemned the oeing, the world’s largest aero- ongoing eff orts to develop partnerships terrorist act which was perpetuated space company and leading with international leading institutions to destabilise security and terrorise Bmanufacturer of commercial from the fi eld of science and technol- people, and which is considered jetliners and defence, space and se- ogy, and enrich its students’ experience a crime against humanity. He curity systems, will provide technical to become the next generation of pro- confirmed Qatar’s support to Turkey support to Qatar University College of fessionals equipped to handle scientifi c in face of all acts of aggression and Engineering (QU-CENG) to build Un- challenges, in line with Qatar National its backing for the measures it takes manned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for air Vision 2030.” to maintain security and stability. quality monitoring. Boeing Middle East, North Africa A group of 24 undergraduate stu- and Turkey president Bernard Dunn dents from the college will benefi t from said the company is a strong supporter EUROPE | Confl ict the collaboration with Boeing. During of Qatar’s national development goals Turkey blames Kurds the project, which runs until May 29, including skills development. they are required to build a fi xed-wing “We are keen to interest the next gen- for Ankara bombing UAV to be fi tted with air quality health eration of Qataris in science, technol- Turkey yesterday blamed Kurdish monitoring sensors. ogy, engineering and math education militants based inside the country Technical overview of the UAV de- fi elds and careers such as aerospace. and in Syria for a car bombing sign will be provided by Boeing as well Projects like this help Qatar University targeting a military convoy in as technical support and mentorship. students build those types of skills and Ankara that killed 28 people and The UAVs will be tested and evaluated passion, while also addressing a critical risked a new escalation of the Syrian in May by a panel of judges from Boe- environmental concern.” conflict. The massive blast struck ing and industrial partners at Al Khor CENG dean Dr Rashid Alammari five buses carrying military service airfi eld. Students will be assessed on described the project as every bud- personnel when they stopped at the aircraft’s fl ight performance and ding engineer’s dream and support and a traff ic light in the centre of the its ability to accurately gather environ- mentoring by experts in the fi eld is an capital on Wednesday evening. It mental data. The fi nal testing will be invaluable opportunity that will en- was the latest in a string of deadly followed by an awards ceremony at QU hance the students’ career aspirations. strikes that have rocked Turkey in May. “At CENG, we continue to provide since last summer. Page 10 QU vice president and chief aca- our students with experiences and op- demic offi cer Dr Mazen Hasna said the portunities that heighten their skill, partnership with Boeing will benefi t creativity and enthusiasm as they pre- BRITAIN | Politics QU engineering students in strength- pare themselves towards future excit- Cameron urges ‘live ening their skills and help them design ing and fulfi lling professional roles and build UAVs. and responsibilities in the engineering and let live’ approach “This collaboration underlines QU’s fi eld.” Page 20 Prime Minister David Cameron urged EU leaders at a crucial Palestinians welcome Brussels summit yesterday to take a “live and let live” approach to securing a reform deal to keep Britain in the bloc. Cameron said Nakilat’s profi t rises 10% the issue of Britain’s place in Europe French peace plan “has been allowed to fester for too long” and that there was now AFP we should not go to the UN Security succeed, we are deciding in advance QNA The board recommended distribut- a chance “to settle this issue for a Jerusalem Council over settlements,” said Zom- what the consequence will be - we Doha ing a cash dividend to the sharehold- generation”. lot, who is a senior offi cial in Abbas’s shall recognise a Palestinian state,’” ers equal to 12.5% of the nominal value Fatah party. he told reporters during a visit to Ber- of its capital, which is equivalent to he Palestinians yesterday wel- France’s ambassador to Israel, lin. akilat, the shipping arm of QR1.25 per share. It was also decided to LATIN AMERICA | Diplomacy comed an initiative put forward Patrick Maisonnave, met Israeli of- “This of course ensures in advance Qatar’s liquefi ed natural gas invite the ordinary general assembly to Obama announces Tby France to hold an interna- fi cials this week to outline the ini- that a conference will fail, because if N(LNG) sector, has announced convene on March 7, 2016. tional Middle East peace conference, tiative, which proposes setting up a the Palestinians know that their de- its fi nancial results for the year ended Nakilat’s Board of Directors com- historic Cuba visit a proposal which Israeli Benjamin support group of the permanent Se- mands will be accepted... they don’t December 31, 2015. mended the company’s strong fi nan- US President Barack Obama will Netanyahu has dismissed. curity Council members, some Arab need to do anything,” he said. The company recorded an underly- cial results, which clearly refl ect the meet with dissidents when he makes “We defi nitely welcome the French and European states and international The rightwing leader restated his ing net profi t of QR984mn compared strength and stability of the company’s a historic visit to Cuba next month, initiative, we see it as a major possi- organisations. position that peace could only come to QR895mn achieved for 2014, which commercial position. the White House said yesterday, but bility for challenging the status quo,” It would work in two stages, meet- through direct negotiations between is 10% higher than the previous year. This improvement was primarily Republicans complained that the Hossam Zomlot, an adviser to Pal- ing fi rst without the confl icting par- the two sides. Nakilat’s operations have achieved driven by the company’s tactical strat- trip would only lend legitimacy to estinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ties and then bringing them into the Palestinian offi cials have long ar- a higher profi tability level by growing egy on capitalising profi table business the island’s Communist government. told reporters. conference. gued for an international process to business streams through the addition consolidations and risk assessment In the first US presidential trip to the Zomlot, however, said the Pales- Netanyahu called it “mystifying” end Israel’s occupation and bring of three new LNG vessels to Nakilat’s management which reinforces Na- Caribbean nation since 1928, Obama tinians insisted on their call for a UN and counterproductive, arguing that about a two-state solution. LNG fl eet during 2015, full operation of kilat’s position as a global leader in the will meet Cuban President Raul resolution against Israeli settlement the proposal gives Palestinians no in- US-brokered peace talks collapsed vessels acquired during 2014, optimi- LNG transporting industry. Castro, entrepreneurs, and people building ahead of any renewed peace centive to compromise. in April 2014 and the prospects of sation of operating expenses and lever- The Board of Directors said that Na- from diff erent walks of life during process. “It says, ‘We shall hold an inter- fresh dialogue have appeared increas- aging lower fi nance costs, the company kilat is in a favourable position due to the trip on March 21 and 22. Page 13 “Nothing will convince us that national conference but, if it doesn’t ingly remote. said in a statement. the stable cash fl ows. Saudi ground forces would target IS in Syria: minister

AFP against IS its priority, despite Riyadh’s Saudi Arabia has backed rebel forces fi nd out if Bashar al-Assad and his al- territory,” Jubeir said. enough pressure on the Houthis and Riyadh fi erce opposition to President Bashar fi ghting Assad in the country’s nearly lies are serious about a political process “The support for the legitimate gov- Saleh for them to seriously consider a al-Assad. fi ve-year civil war and insists he must or not,” Jubeir said. ernment will continue until the objec- political process”. “Saudi Arabia has expressed its read- leave offi ce for the confl ict to be re- Saudi Arabia has been part of the tives are achieved or until an agreement He dismissed claims that Saudi Ara- audi forces participating in any iness to send special forces to Syria as solved. US-led coalition bombing IS in Syria is reached politically to achieve those bia was mired in the confl ict. US-led ground operation in Syria part of the coalition, with the goal of As regime forces assisted by Russian and Iraq since late 2014. Its participa- objectives.” “A very, very small part of our to- Swould focus on fi ghting the Is- eliminating Daesh. This is the mission air strikes made major advances, As- tion declined after it launched strikes Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Arab tal military is involved in Yemen and it lamic State militant group not the Da- and the responsibility,” he said, using sad told AFP last week that his eventual against Iran-backed Shia Houthi rebels allies began air strikes against the is not bogged down,” the soft-spoken mascus regime, the kingdom’s foreign an Arabic acronym for IS. goal is to retake all of Syria. in Yemen last March. Houthis after they seized control of Jubeir said. minister told AFP yesterday. “If they enter Syria, these forces will Jubeir responded that Assad “said Some analysts said the kingdom large parts of Yemen and forced Presi- Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have In an interview in Riyadh, Adel al- work in the framework of the interna- many things since the start of the crisis would not be able or willing to send dent Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s gov- accused Iran of interference through- Jubeir also said separate Saudi-led mil- tional coalition to fi ght Daesh, there in Syria. A lot of what he said is unre- many forces to a possible US-led op- ernment to fl ee the capital Sanaa. out the Middle East and Riyadh cut ties itary operations in Yemen would carry will be no unilateral operations,” he said alistic.” eration in Syria because it is mired in The Houthis have also been sup- with Tehran in a major diplomatic row on until the country’s government is in the interview at his ministry. The UN has begun delivering aid to the nearly year-long eff ort supporting ported by forces loyal to ex-president earlier this year. fully restored to power and that the Asked if the mission could be ex- besieged Syrian cities under an inter- Yemen’s government. Ali Abdullah Saleh. “If Iran wants to have good relations kingdom would not cut oil production panded to include operations against national deal struck last week that also “It’s a matter of time before the Jubeir said the coalition had helped with Saudi Arabia there is a need for Iran despite falling prices. Assad’s forces, Jubeir said: “This would hoped for a ceasefi re within seven days. international coalition in Yemen suc- the government reclaim more than to change its behaviour and to change its On Syria, Jubeir said any Saudi force be something the international coali- “It’s a very delicate situation and ceeds in restoring the legitimate gov- three-quarters of Yemeni territory, policies. Mere words will not do the job,” on the ground would make the battle tion would have to make a decision on.” we’re watching it day by day. We will ernment... in control of all of Yemen’s open up supply lines for aid and “put the minister said. Pages 3 & 4 Gulf Times 2 Friday, February 19, 2016 QATAR

PM meets CEO of Moller-Maersk Group Qatar-UK ties reviewed Official

Independence Day greetings sent to Gambian leader

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent cables of congratulations to President of Gambia Alhaji Yahya Jammeh on HE the Minister for Administrative Development and Labour and Social Aff airs, Issa Saad al-Jafali his country’s Independence Day. HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani holding al-Nuaimi meeting a delegation from the UK Parliament in Doha yesterday. Talks dealt with bilateral talks with the chief executive of AP Moller-Maersk Group Nils S Andersen in Doha yesterday. They relations between Qatar and the UK and means of enhancing them, in addition to topics of common FM receives reviewed co-operation between Qatar and AP Moller-Maersk Group and ways to enhance them. interest. British parliament delegation

HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met a joint delegation of members of the House of Lords and House of Commons of the UK Parliament in Doha yesterday. Talks during the meeting dealt Mideast can draw lessons in with means of enhancing and promoting the British- Qatari relations in addition to a number of issues of mutual concern, especially the latest developments in the region. human rights ‘from Europe’ Civic Minister 2-day scientifi c forum on man rights and promoting hu- meets envoys ‘Human Rights and Pri- man values. Avate Law: Unity in Diver- “The economic and human HE the Minister of Municipality sity,’ hosted by Qatar University development in Qatar cannot and Environment Mohamed (QU) concluded yesterday. be achieved without the pro- bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi held The event was organised by motion of human rights. It is separate meetings yesterday with the French Legal Culture Club worth mentioning that achieve- ambassadors of Singapore and at College of Law (LAWC) in ments in Qatar and worldwide Russia, Wong Kok Bonn and Noor collaboration with the French in the last few decades refl ect Mohamed Julov, respectively. embassy in Qatar, the Legal Re- the diversity of nationalities and Talks during the two meetings search Institute at the Univer- partnerships which reinforce the dealt with means of enhancing sity of Paris 13 Sorbonne Paris importance of dialogue on the co-operation in the areas and the Laboratory of Law and responsibilities of government of municipal aff airs and Freedoms at the University of and private sectors to preserve environment. East-Paris Créteil. human rights”. Qatar’s Attorney General HE He also highlighted the Col- Mall of Qatar Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri was lege’s pioneering role to provide in attendance along with the quality legal education in Qatar. to open in French ambassador Eric Cheva- “The College is cognisant of the August this year lier, LAWC dean Dr Mohamed importance of the rule of law and al-Khulaifi , QU leaders, law fac- the principles of human rights”, ulty and students. Qatar Attorney General HE Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri. French ambassador Eric Chevalier he said, and pointed to the es- The Mall of Qatar, described The forum was aimed at tablishment of a Masters’ pro- as ‘one of the largest shopping highlighting the link between that the issue of human rights is cause of their religion or ethnic- “I hope that we do not pay exchanges are symbols of the gramme in Public Law last year malls in the world,’ will be opened human rights and private law quite absent in the Middle East. ity. It is stated clearly in Islam the high price Europe has paid unique relationship that exists that he said addresses a range of in August this year, a senior and its branches - civil law, “We should attend the Eu- that religion is between the wor- in maintaining its independence between Qatar and France. perspectives on the concept of off icial of UrbaCon Trading family law, commercial law, la- ropean experience of the First shiper and his/her God without and peace. In the Middle East The envoy noted that the fo- human rights. & Contracting announced bour law, and the civil and com- and Second World Wars. We see any mediation, and no one has peace cannot be achieved with- rum addressed an issue of ex- He also noted that the College yesterday. mercial codes. now that hundreds of confl icts the right to be in confl ict with out raising the issue of human treme importance. established an integrated legal “The Mall of Qatar will open in There were presentations by and disasters are happening in another due to his/her religious rights and implementing it. Our “This is a subject that needs clinic to provide students with August,” stated Qatar-based legal experts and speakers from our region. The concept of hu- background.” diversity is our power that can for each of us to advance a fruit- invaluable experiences in the UrbaCon’s CEO Moataz al- LAWC and several academic in- man rights will ensure that we HE Dr al-Marri was of the help us overcome all confl icts in ful dialogue based on the univer- fi eld of human rights. Students Khayyat. stitutions in France on a range of do not experience a third World view that the European experi- this region”. sal nature of human rights.” who completed the French Legal The Mall of Qatar site is related topics. War. ence can teach those in the Mid- Ambassador Chevallier stated Dr al-Khulaifi pointed to the Terminology Training were hon- surrounded by one of the Speaking on the occasion, HE “We need to understand that dle East region many lessons in that the proximity of the le- forum’s importance in light of its oured by the ambassador and upcoming stadiums for the FIFA Dr al-Marri said it is regrettable we cannot exclude others be- terms of human rights. gal cultures and the richness of theme that speaks fostering hu- LAWC dean. 2022 World Cup, he explained, referring to the importance of the location. “The Mall of Qatar will attract visitors from the other Gulf states as it is also located next to Ooredoo and Cisco Top youth aff airs offi cial meets CNA-Q students the railway project that will link Qatar and the GCC in 2019,” he observed. he director of the De- students about what they need The 450,000sqm Mall report high demand partment of Youth Af- from the State of Qatar in or- of Qatar will have 7,000 Tfairs at the Ministry of der to grow as future leaders,” parking spaces, a premium Culture and Sports has visited said al-Hajri. “CNA-Q already Carrefour hypermarket, a College of the North Atlantic – has extensive extra-curricular family entertainment area for Cloud services Qatar (CNA-Q) to discuss the programming, from cultural to of 16,500sqm, Salam luxury upcoming Qatar Youth Forum, recreational activities, tailored department store, over 100 which will be held next week in toward engaging Qatari youth restaurants, 500 stores, an oredoo is reporting high Yousuf Abdulla al-Kubaisi, Doha. on their campus. The ministry indoor streetscape with double demand for its Cloud chief operating offi cer at Oore- Abdulrahman al-Hajri spoke looks forward to partnering in height flagship stores from OVoice and Collaboration doo Qatar, said: “As well as be- to a room full of Qatari students the future to grow these estab- across the globe as well as Suite, as more companies look to ing able to share information to personally invite them to the lished programmes and off er a Cinemacity complex of 19 be connected to smart commu- and interact with customers, forum and hear about their ex- new ones as well.” cinema screens including the nications 24/7. partners and colleagues in real pectations and needs from the “There is a shared vision and largest IMAX laser 3D in the Based on Cisco’s Hosted Col- time – saving on cost and travel ministry, as a State organisation strong bond with the Ministry of world, two signature restaurants laboration Solution, Ooredoo’s time to meetings – Ooredoo’s with a mission to improve the Abdulrahman al-Hajri addressing the gathering. Culture and Sports,” said CNA- and a 5 star Fashion Hotel with Cloud Voice and Collaboration Cloud Voice and Collaboration lives of youth. Q president Dr Ken MacLeod. 210 rooms operated by Curio Suite delivers “next-generation Suite makes it possible to replace Al-Hajri also met college ture and sport, according to a leadership workshop series, “As the State’s premier techni- Collection Hilton. voice telephony services for Qa- existing IP Telephony platforms executives to establish a part- statement. dozens of sports leagues and cal college, we believe in shaping The family entertainment tar’s businesses”, according to a with a next-generation service nership for youth events going Through the Department of teams, Arabic poetry events, the future generation to be stew- area is to feature KidzMondo, statement. to off er enhanced features and forward, as CNA-Q and the Student Aff airs, CNA-Q of- wellness seminars and women’s ards of Qatar National Vision an impressive scaled-down The solution delivers immer- better reliability for our custom- ministry have a shared vision fers over 100 student-centred leadership sessions. 2030. This means helping youth miniature city, providing role sive video conferencing, instant ers.” to improve the lives of youth in events and activities each year, “I was pleased to visit the col- grow as citizens, both within playing real life experience for messaging, intelligent voice- The service was designed Qatar through education, cul- including a Qapco-sponsored lege to speak with these bright and outside of the classroom.” children. mail and many other features as to allow businesses to expand standard. their communications services One of the key benefi ts of the with on-demand scalability solution is that it is hosted in and off ers businesses collabo- the “cloud”, so that companies rative technologies delivered as require minimal in-house IT secure and reliable cloud serv- resources and no on-site equip- ices. Philippines push to attract GCC tourists ment to manage the services. Ooredoo is planning a series of “The fl exible, scalable and se- initiatives with Cisco in Qatar in cure solution is increasingly be- the coming months as the com- By Joey Aguilar Manila, Davao, Cebu, and Bo- In Doha, the Philippine em- The DoT wants to further in- than just cultural,” Jimenez said. ing used by companies looking pany looks to enhance the range Staff Reporter racay, a renowned beach resort bassy has been working inten- crease visitor arrivals by target- Dot will collaborate with to reduce travel time and man- of next-generation business in the Visayas. sively to attract more tourists by ing the Muslim travel market, CrescentRating and its sis- age IT costs more eff ectively,” services available for companies Tourism off erings will also promoting Filipino dishes with now considered as a key growth ter brand HalalTrip to launch the statement notes. in Qatar. he Philippine department include Muslim-friendly holi- the launch of the ‘Kulinarya Qa- tourism sector. a dedicated “Muslim visitor of tourism (DoT) will day experiences for frequent tar’ brand. Jimenez cited the Philippines’ guide” and promote tourism Tbuild the required facili- travellers. edge over other Asian countries packages through online cam- Poor visibility due to fog ties and launch a series of initia- Jimenez said they receive “This forms our base saying it off ers a wide range of paigns. tives to attract Muslim visitors nearly 566,000 visitors from market to extend Halal unique tourism off erings for Part of the strategy is to tap Poor visibility is again expected in some parts of the country early from Asean and GCC countries the Middle East, some Asean services and to move visitors especially families. social media infl uencers in the today due to fog, the Qatar Met department has said. including Qatar, DoT secretary countries, India and Israel. forward. Halal is not only He expressed confi dence that region to entice travellers. DoT Visibility may drop to 1km or less in these places, according to the Ramon R Jimenez Jr has said. “This forms our base market a religious matter but a improving the Halal industry in will also use CrescentRating weather report. The department, in an earlier report, had advised In partnership with Cres- to extend Halal services and to nation’s concern” the Philippines will help spur services to accredit hotels and people to remain cautious in view of the sharp drop in visibility. Today’s centRating, world’s leading au- move forward. Halal is not only economic growth, a move that restaurants in the major cities forecast for inshore areas says it will be misty to foggy in some places thority on Halal travel, the DoT a religious matter but a na- Ambassador Wilfredo Santos will attract more tourists and with its rating system. at first, followed by moderate temperature during the day with some will invest in making Halal food tion’s concern,” he said, adding said they recorded an increas- provide better opportunities for CrescentRating CEO Fazal clouds.Hazy to misty conditions are expected in off shore areas, along and mosques more available that they also want to position ing number of Qatari visitors Muslim Filipinos. Bahardeen echoed the state- with some clouds.The minimum and maximum temperatures in the across the Philippines. the Philippines as one of the to Manila and other parts of “Hence the impetus in the ment of Jimenez citing the Phil- country today are expected to be 13C and 27C, respectively, with the Initially, these services will be world’s preferred destinations the Philippines mainly to spend development of the halal in- ippines’ huge potential to be a forecast for Doha being 16C and 26C. available in major cities such as for Muslim tourists. holiday with their families. dustry must be economic rather top destination for Muslims. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Tunis urges Europe to Loyalists seize town review travel warnings AFP Tunis

unisia has called on European governments to revise travel warnings for the country, highlighting its eff orts to boost Tsecurity after deadly militant attacks hit its vital tourism near rebel-held Taiz sector last year. “Showing solidarity with Tunisia in this period requires (Euro- AFP Reporters Without Borders and Intervention will continue until government restored : Saudi minister pean) states to review their warnings to citizens against travelling Aden the Committee to Protect Journal- to Tunisia, which will help the tourism sector regain its normal ists condemned Shaibani’s killing Saudi Arabia’s military interven- control of large parts of Yemen pace,” Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui said in a statement re- and urged all parties in Yemen’s tion in Yemen will continue and forced President Abedrabbo leased overnight yesterday. emeni pro-government confl ict to respect the lives of ci- until the country’s legitimate Mansour Hadi’s government to European countries such as Britain and Ireland advised their forces yesterday seized a vilians, including journalists. government is fully restored to flee the capital Sanaa. nationals to leave Tunisia and avoid “all but essential travel” there Ytown overlooking the be- A Saudi-led coalition has been power, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel The Houthis have been backed after a July attack killed 38 tourists - including 30 Britons - in a sieged city of Taiz after weeks of backing pro-government forces al-Jubeir told AFP yesterday. by forces loyal to ex-president Ali beach resort near Sousse. deadly fi ghting with Iran-backed fi ghting the Houthi rebels and “It’s a matter of time before the Abdullah Saleh. That attack followed another on the National Bardo Museum in rebels in the area, military sourc- their allies since March last year. international coalition in Yemen Jubeir said the coalition had Tunis in March that killed 21 tourists and a policeman. Both were es said. To the west, the rebels have succeeds in restoring the legiti- helped the government reclaim claimed by the Islamic State militant group. The capture of Al Misrakh advanced in the Dhubab coastal mate government... in control of more than three-quarters of Yemeni An IS-claimed suicide bombing on a bus in Tunis in November comes as part of an off ensive loy- area of Taez province near the all of Yemen’s territory,” he said. territory, open up supply lines for aid killed 12 presidential guards. alists launched in November to strategic Bab al-Mandab strait “The support for the legitimate and “put enough pressure on the Jhinaoui, Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub and Tourism Minis- break the siege on Yemen’s third following two days of clashes that government will continue until the Houthis and Saleh for them to seri- ter Selma Elloumi Rekik on Wednesday spoke about revising the city, where some 200,000 civil- left 12 pro-government fi ghters objectives are achieved or until an ously consider a political process.” travel advice when they met ambassadors of European Union ians are caught up in the fi ghting. and eight insurgents dead, loyal- agreement is reached politically to He dismissed claims that Saudi countries. The town is south of the pro- ist military sources told AFP. achieve those objectives.” Arabia was mired in the conflict. “The police and army stand” ready to confront any threats, Ma- vincial capital, where two days Clashes continued yester- Saudi Arabia and a coalition of “A very, very small part of our jdoub said. earlier a rebel sniper shot dead a day in the area as coalition jets Arab allies launched air strikes total military is involved in Yemen He presented measures to “improve the security situation and cameraman working for the gov- pounded rebel positions. against Iran-backed Shiite Houthi and it is not bogged down,” he secure ports, airports and touristic places” at the meeting, the ernment-run Yemen TV chan- UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh rebels last March, after they seized said. Al-Jubeir … focussed statement said, without providing further details. nel, drawing condemnation from Ahmed told the Security Coun- Tunisia lost more than a third of its tourism revenues in 2015, international media watchdogs. cil on Wednesday that Yemen’s the central bank said last month. Yemen’s National Union of warring parties have so far been The UN envoy said the par- not willing to off er suffi cient extensive ground fi ghting,” said The number of tourists from Europe fell by more than half from Journalists said in a statement unable to agree on terms for a ties were divided on “whether guarantees that a truce would the envoy. 2014 - and by nearly two-thirds compared with 2010, the tourism that Ahmed al-Shaibani was new round of peace talks, two a new round of talks should be hold. More than 6,100 people have ministry said. killed on Tuesday while he was months after holding their fi rst convened with or without a new “Many parts of Yemen are been killed in nearly a year of con- The 2011 revolution that ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abi- covering clashes in the city. face-to-face meeting. cessation of hostilities” and were again witnessing air strikes and fl ict, about half of them civilians. dine Ben Ali also dealt a blow to the tourism sector.

Cairo approves Obstacle course Palestinians bail for April 6 stab 2 Israelis youth activists AFP Jerusalem

AFP Cairo wo Palestinians stabbed and wound- ed two Israeli men yesterday in a su- Tpermarket near Ramallah in the oc- he public prosecutor’s offi ce yesterday ordered cupied West Bank before being shot by a the release on bail of four leaders of the now civilian, police said. Tbanned April 6 youth movement that spearhead- A 21-year-old victim was in a serious ed Egypt’s 2011 revolution. condition in Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hos- Sherif al-Rubi, Mohamed Nabil, Ayman Abdel Megid pital, and a moderately wounded 36-year- and Mahmud Hesham were arrested on December 28. old was being treated in the city’s Hadassah They were accused of “inciting violence” and “call- hospital, the facilities said. ing for protests” - banned unless sanctioned by police Medics said the two Israelis sustained - in the run-up to the fi fth anniversary of the uprising stab wounds to their torsos. that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak. “Two Palestinians entered the Rami The Cairo prosecutor’s offi ce authorised their release Levi (supermarket) in Shaar Binyamin on a bail of 2,000 Egyptian pounds (around 230 euros), and stabbed two Israeli civilians,” a police its head Mohamed Badawi said. statement said. “The two terrorists were Their lawyer Mohamed Eissa el-Sarawi said they shot and neutralised by an armed civilian would pay the bail and hoped procedures for their re- at the site.” lease would be completed quickly. The Hadassah spokeswoman said one of The authorities have cracked down on all opposition the assailants, said to be around 14 years- since the army in July 2013 toppled Islamist president old, was in a moderate to serious condition Mohamed Mursi, Mubarak’s successor. and was being treated at the hospital for In November 2013, Egypt passed a new law banning gunshot wounds. protests that do not have prior authorisation from the There was no indication as to the condi- police. tion of the second assailant. The following month, April 6 leader Ahmed Maher The supermarket is located in an indus- was sentenced to three years in prison for violating the trial zone frequented by Israeli settlers. law. Since October 1, Palestinian knife, gun In April 2014, an Egyptian court banned the April 6 and car-ramming attacks have taken the youth movement. lives of 26 Israelis, an American and an Eri- Since summer 2013, authorities have launched a bru- trean, according to an AFP count. tal crackdown on Mursi’s supporters that has seen hun- At the same time, 172 Palestinians have dreds killed and thousands jailed. Fourteen-year-old Ahmed Ayman, who lives in a small village in northern Egypt’s Nile Delta, trains his donkey, Rihanna, to jump been killed by Israeli forces, most while Secular activists who took part in the 2011 revolt have obstacles in the town of Mansoura. carrying out attacks but others during also been imprisoned. clashes and demonstrations. Campaigning starts for crucial Iranian elections

AFP over who can stand - was criti- took seven weeks while offi cial ily restricted. Would-be law- Tehran cised by Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s campaigning for parliament will makers are not allowed to make moderate president whose nucle- last just seven days. speeches in the street, and at ar deal with world powers stands Ruhollah Salahshoori, a can- venues where they are permitted ranians yesterday got a fi rst to open Iran up to the West. vasser at the downtown Tehran to address voters or supporters, taste of the campaign for next After he and government min- event where candidates from the placards, posters or use of outside Iweek’s elections, pitting re- isters intervened, an extra 1,500 Aref-Rouhani slate appeared, loudspeakers are forbidden. Only formists and moderates against candidates were allowed to run. said the elections “must bring 15cm by 20cm posters of their conservatives in polls that could But grievances remain, partic- about a fundamental change”. credentials or policies are allowed shape the country’s future over ularly because of the exclusion of “I’d like us to make a step for- to be put up or distributed. the next decade. many prominent reformists. ward the same way our govern- Although 290 seats - 30 in Te- Voters will take part in two A pro-Rouhani coalition of re- ment and foreign minister did,” hran alone - are up for grabs in ballots - one to elect members of formists and moderates is play- the 36-year-old engineer said, parliament many see the Assem- parliament and another to pick ing up the nuclear agreement’s referring to the historic nuclear bly of Experts election as having the Assembly of Experts, a pow- long-term economic potential agreement that was fi nally im- much greater importance. erful committee of 88 clerics who and is seeking to swing the bal- plemented last month. Its current task is to monitor supervise the work of supreme ance of power in parliament away “We want our people to have Khamenei’s work. But should leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, from conservatives. economic growth and develop- the 76-year-old supreme leader, Iran’s ultimate authority. Should the bloc - the Alliance ment, we want them to have cul- who underwent prostate surgery But the run-up to voting day of Reformists and Government tural development. If that change in 2014, die during the next as- on February 26 has been domi- Supporters - succeed, Rouhani happens it can have an impact sembly’s eight-year term its big- nated by controversy over who may be able to pass legislation on the destiny of every citizen in ger role would be in choosing his will be allowed to contest the that delivers at least modest po- this country.” successor. elections rather than actual de- litical changes and social reforms. The nuclear deal has partly Assembly hopefuls were also bate of the policies that candi- Referring to the group’s cam- ended Iran’s isolation but it has cut drastically by vetting. Of dates support. paign slogan “Second Step”, Mo- been followed by warnings from the 800 who applied only 161, All those seeking public offi ce hamed Reza Aref, its number one Khamenei that the military must all men, were approved by the in Iran are vetted for their loy- candidate, told AFP the fi rst step guard against economic and cul- Guardian Council. alty to the Islamic republic and had been Rouhani’s election vic- tural “infi ltration” by foreign Rouhani is seeking re-election almost half the applicants seek- tory in 2013. actors who aim to damage the to the assembly and is allied in ing to become lawmakers were “That approach won and we Islamic republic’s revolutionary two 16-member lists for Tehran excluded. want to continue that approach principles. headed by himself and former In the initial round of vetting, now in these elections,” said Although parliamentarians two-term president Ayatollah reformists suff ered the heaviest Aref, whose decision to stand backed Rouhani on the nuclear Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. blow, with thousands of candi- aside three years ago helped Rou- deal they did so less out of a sense The two have become increas- dates being rejected. hani to a landslide victory. of support for the president than ingly close since the build-up to That decision - taken by the Emphasising the regime’s because Khamenei made it clear the presidential election in June Iranian women attend a campaign for reformists in the upcoming parliamentary elections at the Hejab Guardian Council, a constitu- tight control of elections, appli- he wanted sanctions lifted. 2013 that saw Rouhani voted into hall in downtown Tehran. tional watchdog with veto power cations and vetting procedures Electioneering in Iran is heav- offi ce on Rafsanjani’s backing. Gulf Times 4 Friday, February 19, 2016 ARAB WORLD

UN prepares Boutros-Ghali laid to rest food drop AFP to besieged Cairo Syrian city gypt’s political and religious elite turned out yesterday for Ethe funeral of former UN secre- Reuters tary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Geneva who steered the world body through several global confl icts during one of its toughest periods. he UN plans to make its fi rst The Egyptian diplomat, who be- air drops of food aid in Syria, to came the fi rst African secretary-gen- TDeir al-Zor, an eastern town of eral in 1992, died in Cairo on Tuesday 200,000 besieged by Islamic State mili- aged 93. tants, the chair of a UN humanitarian He was given an elaborate military task force said yesterday. send-off attended by President Abdel UN aid agencies do not have direct Fattah al-Sisi. access to areas held by Islamic State, in- The ceremony in a prominent Cairo cluding Deir al-Zor, where civilians face mosque was also attended by Sheikh severe food shortages and sharply dete- Ahmed al-Tayib, the head of Sunni riorating conditions. Islam’s seat of learning, Al Azhar, and Jan Egeland, speaking to reporters Coptic Pope Tawadros II. in Geneva a day after UN aid convoys Boutros-Ghali’s coffi n, draped in reached fi ve areas, some besieged by the Egyptian fl ag, was later carried to government forces and others by rebels, the city’s main cathedral for a Chris- said the UN’s World Food Programme tian service led by the Pope and at- (WFP) had a “concrete plan” for carrying tended by Egyptian, European and out the Deir al-Zor drop in coming days. African diplomats. He said the WFP hoped to make His tenure as UN chief began in progress reaching “the poor people in- 1992 but ended abruptly in 1996 when side Deir al-Zor, which is besieged by Is- the US vetoed his second term. Egyptian scouts carry the coff in of Egypt’s former UN secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali during his funeral in the Abassiya district of Cairo yesterday. lamic State. That can only be done by air Following his death, UN Secre- drops,” said Egeland. tary-General Ban Ki-moon described lia, Rwanda, the Middle East and the sions but a retreat from Rwanda ahead sanctions against the regime of Sadd- which the US has long been a laggard - “It’s a complicated operation and Boutros-Ghali as a respected statesman former Yugoslavia. of the 1994 genocide and from the am Hussain in Iraq, which had invad- and for condemning Israeli actions in would be in many ways the fi rst of its and scholar of international law who After a series of clashes with the US Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica a year ed and was ejected from Kuwait a year southern Lebanon. kind,” Egeland said, giving no details of brought “formidable experience and in- administration, Washington turned later were seen as dismal failures. before Boutros-Ghali took up his post. Boutros-Ghali was born on No- the air operation, which is far more cost- tellectual power” to the top UN job. against Boutros-Ghali and decided to Relations with the US began to sour When his candidacy for a second vember 14, 1922 into a Coptic Chris- ly than land convoys. A former Egyptian foreign minister, back Ghanaian Kofi Annan for the top in late 1993, when a US-led opera- term was vetoed, Boutros-Ghali felt tian family in Cairo. He was educated Egeland, who is head of the Norwe- the veteran diplomat headed the world post in late 1996. tion in Somalia led to major casualties that he was being punished for push- at Cairo University and in Paris, where gian Refugee Council, later told Reuters body during one of its most diffi cult Under Butros-Ghali’s tenure, the among American troops. ing UN member states to pay their he established a lifelong connection in Oslo: “It is either airdrops or nothing. periods marked by crises in Soma- UN expanded its peacekeeping mis- There was also friction over UN membership arrears - an issue on with France. Airdrops are a desperate measure in des- perate times.” A WFP offi cial was not available to comment on where cargo planes would depart from or what they would carry. UN Syria envoy Staff an de Mistura suggested air drops could also relieve ci- Libya neighbours brace for Western strikes vilians in other besieged areas. “Air drops in Deir al-Zor has become a very concrete proposal,” he said. “But Reuters Italy’s defence minister has said the but is still awaiting parliamentary ap- to fi ght with Islamic State and other “We hope that the Libyan government not only there, even eastern Aleppo, Algiers/Tunis West cannot aff ord to let spring come proval, and has yet to establish itself in militant groups in Iraq and Syria, but and the Libyan army ... will come out even in fact in Daraya in Eastern Ghouta, and go without intervening, though the capital Tripoli. Tunisian security sources say they be- with something that will exclude the many other places including Kefraya and most offi cials say they are pushing for Western offi cials and diplomats say lieve many are returning to Libya. possibilities of intervention.” Foua, where people are in need of help.” ibya’s neighbours are again pre- a united Libya government fi rst to ask air strikes, special forces operations Along the Libyan frontier, Tunisian With its own bloody history from It was unclear if the Syrian govern- paring for possible Western in- for help on the ground. are possible as well as an Italian-led authorities have built a 200km barrier. a war with armed Islamists in 1990s, ment would allow such fl ights over Alep- Ltervention in Libya, tightening North African offi cials back inter- “security stabilisation” plan of train- Hospitals in Gafsa, Tataouine, Med- Algeria has been a key partner in the po or close to Damascus, areas where its border security and sending diplomat- national attempts to bring Libya’s ing and advising. nine and Gabes are prepared to receive Western campaign against Islamist air force and Russian jets are operating. ic warnings about the risk from hurried factions together, but they worry they US and European offi cials insist wounded, and authorities have stock- militancy in the Sahel, but it is also Deir al-Zor is the main town in a action against Islamic State that could will pay the price in instability, refu- Libyans must invite help through piled supplies, offi cials say. keen to maintain its traditional policy province of the same name. The prov- force thousands refugees to fl ee. gees and militant counter attacks if an a united government, but say they “These Tunisian fi ghters left here of non-interference. ince links Islamic State’s de facto capital As Islamic State has expanded in intervention happens without a gov- may still carry out unilateral action if illegally and they know ways to cross Algerian border security was al- in the Syrian city of Raqqa with terri- Libya - taking over the city of Sirte and ernment on the ground. needed. The US and its allies are al- back,” a Tunisian security source said. ready tight since Islamist fi ghters tory controlled by the militant group in attacking oil ports - so too have calls “Those countries who are envisag- ready carrying out air strikes against “We are vigilant for when they try to crossed over from Libya to help in a neighbouring Iraq. increased for a swift Western response ing a military intervention in Libya Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. escape here if the coalition attacks on 2013 attack on Algeria’s In Amenas gas Egeland chaired a three-hour meeting to stop the group establishing a base should before anything take into con- Political delays in Libya are test- Islamic State start.” fi eld, where 40 oil workers were killed. of the humanitarian task force on Syria, outside its Iraq and Syria territory. sideration the interests of the neigh- ing patience, however, and worrying Egypt has long urged the interna- Last month, Algerian forces ar- where he said that many member states For Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, bouring countries,” Tunisian Presi- North African governments. tional community to help fi ght Islamist rested seven Libyan militants near pledged support for the attempt to reach sharing borders with Libya was al- dent Beji Caid Essebsi said. “The people who wanted to fi rst militancy in Libya. But Cairo has also the border close to In Amenas, and Deir al-Zor. ready a security challenge as the Tunisia’s parliament speaker trav- form a government, are now the same been more circumspect about a full- the army frequently stops weapons In the past 24 hours, 114 UN trucks de- country slipped into war between ri- els this week to Brussels to express people in a hurry for intervention,” blown Western military intervention. smuggled from Libya. Citing security livered life-saving food and medical sup- val factions and allowed Islamic State the country’s concerns over Western one North African diplomat said. Over the past 18 months, Egypt has concerns, Algeria last month also sus- plies to 80,000 people in fi ve besieged ar- to thrive fi ve years after Nato strikes military action to his counterparts in “You need a unifi ed action. If you are ramped up border security and aerial pended fl ights to Libya. eas, enough for one month, Egeland said. helped defeat Muammar Gaddafi . the European Parliament. just planning air strikes, it won’t get surveillance and also carried out air “A major war in Libya would have These were Madaya, Zabadani and Exactly what Western intervention In the years since Gaddafi fell in the results.” strikes itself on Libyan militants. It a negative impact, more refugees and Mouadamiya al-Sham near Damascus, is possible is still under discussion. 2011, Libya has slipped deeper into Tunisia and Egypt face the most has also relied on Bedouins whose fa- security risks,” said Smail Djouhri, an which are under siege by government But President Barack Obama has or- chaos with two rival governments risk from Libya’s crisis. Last year, Tu- milial links allow them to act lookouts ex-colonel and lecturer in security forces, and the villages of al-Foua and dered security advisers to look to halt each backed by competing factions of nisian jihadists who trained in Libyan on the border. at Algiers University. “Less Daesh in Kefraya in Idlib province, surrounded by Islamic State, and US offi cials say air former rebel brigades. camps carried out two major attacks “This is a Libyan decision that no the region is also good news. A blow rebel fi ghters. strikes and special forces operations A UN-backed government of na- on foreign tourists in Tunisia. one should interfere with,” said Egyp- to them reduces their recruitment in But some “vital medical items” were are options. tional accord is trying to win support, More than 3,000 Tunisians have left tian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. North Africa.” not delivered, he said.

Egypt struggles to get subsidised food to the poor

Reuters The smartcards are accepted at a shortages has been cooking oil, with issues were compounded in recent Cairo network of government-run super- payment problems putting suppliers weeks by a change in the rules sur- markets as well as 26,000 privately off bidding in state tenders. rounding unclaimed bread rations. owned grocers and grant each family Egypt’s state importers have can- Participating grocers source most ny rice?” asks the woman, member 15 Egyptian pounds ($2) of celled three cooking oil tenders in of their goods from the state-run leaning into a shop in Cai- credits a week plus fi ve loaves of bread the last three months alone after not Food Industries Holding Company Aro and brandishing a green a day from participating bakeries. receiving enough off ers or because (FIHC) but until this month would smartcard that carries her family’s The Supply Ministry also over- prices were too high. receive cash from the Supply Min- food credits. sees a network of stores and kiosks Traders say they now have to istry equivalent to any unclaimed The shopkeeper shakes his head: off ering subsidised food outside the factor in the cost of expected de- bread credits. They would then use “Only sugar.” smartcard system. lays, particularly after the govern- the cash to buy other goods on the Behind him, more than half the Goods of all kinds are available at ment brought in measures which open market to meet the demand. shelves are empty. Rice and cooking ordinary supermarkets not partici- mean they are not paid for up to six Since February 1, they have been oil are nowhere to be seen. pating in the smartcard scheme but months. refused cash and been off ered goods Tens of millions of Egyptians rely poor consumers would have to fork “You are talking millions of dol- supplied by the FIHC instead. on state subsidies provided as credits out market prices that many can ill- lars here. These delays are costly,” But grocers say the FIHC is unable on smartcards they redeem against aff ord. said one trader. “They make you feel to meet demand. household staples each month. But even at the discount shops, like a beggar when you chase your “The issue is not one of oil and But in recent weeks, imported stocks are low. money, not answering calls, not re- sugar. We used to buy 100 products commodities like cooking oil have At a kiosk, emblazoned with the sponding.” and now we can’t fi nd 10 ... More been in short supply as a dollar Egyptian fl ag and the words “to- Egypt has struggled to revive than 50% of the supply stores are shortage makes it harder for state gether against high prices” in a his- its economy since the 2011 Arab empty and there are no goods,” said importers to secure regular supplies. toric part of Cairo, a shelf labelled Spring uprising drove away tour- Majed Nadi, spokesman for the Shortages persist across the capi- “local rice, 3.25 per kilo” is bare. ists and foreign investors. Foreign General Grocers’ Syndicate. “They tal and in cities from Alexandria in “Oil is in short supply. The sup- exchange reserves have more than expected to be able to meet all the the north to Minya in the south. plies of oil aren’t stable,” said the halved since then, leaving Egypt needs but they couldn’t.” “When we ask the grocer he says manager of the kiosk, which opened with scarcely enough to cover three- Supply Minister Hanafi said 2,000 there’s nothing but sugar. Every day in December as part of a government months’ worth of imports. tonnes of rice and 2,500 tonnes of oil he says, tomorrow, tomorrow, but eff ort to ease food infl ation. “Some- Pressure has mounted on the cen- were being supplied daily to replen- we are half way through the month times we are short of rice, some- tral bank to devalue the pound but it ish stocks in addition to goods in- now and it’s not resolved,” said Sa- times sugar ... Sometimes people has resisted a major adjustment for cluding pasta, tea, and canned tuna, mia Mohamed, a housewife, at a don’t like the variety. We don’t get fear of stoking infl ation. Instead, it which have not been in short supply. grocery in southern Cairo. “Prices enough.” has imposed strict limits on dollar FIHC bought 42,000 tonnes of elsewhere are expensive. We don’t Supply Minister Khaled Hanafi deposits and transfers, making it sunfl ower and soy oils on Wednes- know what to do.” said yesterday that stocks at state harder to clear shipments. day. A previous shipment is due to Aff ordable food is an explosive food companies were being replen- A lack of clarity on rice policy has arrive by tomorrow. issue in Egypt, where millions live ished with dozens of products which also caused confusion in the market. Supply Ministry spokesman Mah- a paycheck away from hunger and would be available to smartcard- Egypt banned rice exports in 2008 moud Diab said the change was in- economic discontent has helped un- holders in March. but lifted the ban in October after a tended to reduce prices because FIHC seat two presidents in fi ve years. Though essential foods are high bumper harvest. It issued a rice im- could secure economical bulk deals The dangers are not lost on Presi- on the priority list, a foreign ex- port tender last month only to can- that individual grocers could not. dent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose change shortage has made it more cel it again and grocers say there is “The idea is to bring citizens government has sought to protect diffi cult for Egypt’s state food im- not enough rice in state stores. higher quality goods at lower pric- poor Egyptians from the worst ef- porters to pay promptly over the Occasional shortages have been es,” he told Reuters. “It is for the fects of double-digit infl ation. past year. Worst aff ected by the the norm for the past year, but supply good of the people.” Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 5 AFRICA

Bus-truck collision kills 71 in Ghana Subdued Zuma calls A bus hit a cargo truck north of Ghana’s second city Kumasi overnight, killing 71 people in the for S African unity West African country’s deadliest road crash for years, authorities Delays, tear gas said yesterday. AFP The head-on crash, which left Cape Town 13 people seriously injured, occurred 420km (260 miles) north of the capital Accra when subdued President a Metro Mass Transit coach Jacob Zuma has called bound for the northern town of Afor all South Africans to Tamale from the city of Kumasi work together to boost the ail- at Uganda vote hit a truck loaded with boxes of ing economy and beat resur- tomatoes, regional police chief gent racism, as calls mount for AFP be “put in the freezer” to cool Maxwell Atingane said. him to step down. Kampala down. “Many of the passengers on the After taking a battering in a The strongest among Musev- bus died on the spot,” Atingane series of rowdy parliamentary eni’s seven challengers is Kizza told Reuters. sessions, during which he was Zuma: We can still succeed if gandan police fi red tear Besigye, 59, who is making his A witness said the scene was told that he was unfi t to lead we work together. gas to disperse furi- fourth run at the presidency and “pathetic and gory” with the nation, Zuma’s reply was Uous voters in the capital ended his campaign by claiming passengers trapped in the bus unusually restrained and som- tion speech last Thursday, Kampala yesterday as the elec- the election would be neither wreckage. bre. when he was prevented from tion commission apologised for free nor fair. “There were human bodies He admitted the econo- speaking for more than an hour hours-long delays in delivering Besigye’s Forum for Demo- strewn around,” said George Blah. my was in trouble and called by interruptions from opposi- ballot papers in some areas. cratic Change (FDC) party Atingane said initial reports on the private sector to help tion parties. Voting in Uganda’s nation- meanwhile said that the candi- suggested a mechanical failure the country avoid a looming Two major climb-downs al elections was due to begin date has been arrested after he on the bus caused the accident downgrade of its debt to junk recently have weakened a man at 7am (0400 GMT) but was went to check on reports of an but police were investigating. status. formerly dismissive of the op- stalled for several hours in some illegal tally centre in his home Bismark Owusu Fosu, medical “We can still succeed if we position. polling stations in parts of the district manned by the ruling director at the Kintampo hospital, work together,” he said, calling He was forced to reverse a city and the surrounding Wakiso National Resistance Movement said some of the injured had been for consensus across political decision after appointing a district, where ballot boxes and (NRM) party. evacuated by air for treatment in party lines. lawmaker seen as a stooge in papers did not arrive on time. “He walked in and saw them Kumasi, Ghana’s second city. “We have solved major place of a respected minis- The capital traditionally pre-ticking ballot papers. They problems no one thought we ter of fi nance, after the move shows strong support for the Electoral off icials count votes at a polling station in Kampala as arrested him and took him to would solve, because we are a plunged markets into chaos. opposition. voting closes. an unknown place,” said senior unique nation,” a reference to And his lawyers admitted “There has been a delay in FDC offi cial Shawn Mubiru. Shebaab spy chief the peaceful ending of the rac- in a constitutional court case delivery of polling materials in pers in the national polls would day although Internet-savvy There was no immediate po- slain, says Kenya ist system of apartheid. that he was obliged to repay some parts of Wakiso district not “inspire trust”, with some Ugandans dodged the apparent lice confi rmation, but Besigye “We can make a visible dif- some of the millions of dollars and Kampala capital city. The frustrated voters and the oppo- shutdown using virtual private has been repeatedly detained by Kenya’s armed forces have ference and make progress ... of taxpayers’ money spent on Electoral Commission regrets sition accusing the authorities networks. police in the past, and is com- killed the intelligence chief and together we can move South his private residence – some- the delay,” the commission said of deliberately stalling the vote. Government regulator the monly released without charge second-in-command of Shebaab Africa forward,” he added. thing he had resisted for two in a statement. “The polling “A delay of an hour or two is Uganda Communications Com- hours later. in Somalia, as well as 52 other It was a change in tactics by years. materials have now been deliv- excusable. Delays of three, four, mission said that the attempted More than 15mn Ugandans members of the Islamist group, a president who recently said Despite his more concilia- ered to all these places and poll- fi ve and even six hours, espe- shutdown was for “security rea- were registered to vote, cast- the Kenyan interior ministry his fi rst loyalty lay with the tory tone, the opposition re- ing has commenced in most of cially in Kampala, are absolutely sons” without giving details. ing ballots in more than 28,000 tweeted yesterday. ruling African National Con- turned immediately to the at- the places.” inexcusable and will not inspire President Yoweri Musev- polling stations for both a Shebaab, however, denied that gress (ANC). tack. Some frustrated voters ac- trust and confi dence in the sys- eni is widely predicted to win a president and members of par- Mahad Mohammed Karatey had Zuma also called for solidar- “President Zuma (is) so cused the authorities of deliber- tem and the process,” Olusegun fi fth term, with the 71-year-old liament, with 290 seats being been killed. ity in the battle against racism, out of touch with the country ately stalling the vote. Obasanjo, the head of the Com- former rebel fi ghter who seized contested by candidates from 29 Kenya said Karatey was killed which he described as “an en- and its dire economic real- “People are quite angry and monwealth Observer Group in power in 1986 entering his political parties. in a major operation against a emy of humanity”. ity that his presidency must be everybody is believing that there Uganda, told AFP. fourth decade in power. More than 150,000 police, Shebaab camp situated between Nation building was as im- brought to an end,” said Mmusi is something wrong behind this The election commission After casting his vote in the soldiers and other security forc- Buale and Sukow in southern portant as economic renewal Maimane, leader of the main because of the way they are de- meanwhile appealed for pa- west of the country, the 71-year es have been deployed to ensure Somalia on February 8. to “heal the scars of apartheid”, opposition Democratic Alli- laying things,” said Moses Omo- tience, saying that it “calls on old incumbent said he was going tight security, according to elec- The strike also left dead 10 other he said. ance (DA). ny, a motorbike taxi driver. candidates, their agents and to have a rest. tion offi cials. middle-level commanders, as The tanking economy and A motion of no-confi dence “We know this has been done supporters, to be calm and toler- “I have not been sleeping,” he Initial results are expected well as 42 recruits who were to regular eruptions of public in Zuma will be heard in par- intentionally,” said Marius Nka- ant as always during the polling said. “Tomorrow I will go for my as early as tomorrow afternoon be part of Shebaab’s intelligence racism have dominated South liament on March 1, but is un- ta, a builder. process”. cross-country walk to exercise with the leading candidate re- operations, according to the Africa’s politics for months. likely to succeed as the ANC International election ob- Social media, including Fa- and then go to my cows.” quiring more than 50% of votes printed statement shown in the Zuma was replying to the hold an overwhelming major- servers warned that hours-long cebook and Twitter, were He added that anyone threat- cast to avoid a second round tweet. debate on his state of the na- ity of seats. delays in delivering ballot pa- largely inaccessible on voting ening election violence would run-off . Gulf Times 6 Friday, February 19, 2016 AMERICAS Trump ‘not’ Christian, Republican race now says Pope a four-way slugfest Reuters/AFP “If and when the Vatican is at- Aboard The Papal Plane tacked by the ISIS, which as eve- Reuters ryone knows is ISIS’s ultimate Charleston/Sumter, South Carolina trophy, I can promise you that S Republican presidential the Pope would have only wished candidate Donald Trump and prayed that Donald Trump he Republican race for the Uis “not Christian” be- would have been president,” party’s 2016 presiden- cause of his views on immigra- Trump said in a speech in South Ttial nomination erupted tion, Pope Francis said on his way Carolina, using an acronym for into a four-candidate crossfi re back to Rome from Mexico. the Islamic State (IS) militant on Wednesday over who has the The Pope said, however, he group. proper experience and is the did not want to advise American On his last day in Mexico, most conservative, days before Catholics on whether or not to Francis said a Mass on the US South Carolina voters put their vote for Trump. border, where he railed against stamp on the campaign. In a freewheeling conversation immigration policies that force In TV interviews and cam- with reporters on his fl ight back many underground and into the paign events, front-runner Don- from a visit to Mexico, Fran- hands of drug gangs and human ald Trump threatened to sue US cis was asked about Trump and smugglers. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas over a some of his statements, such as Trump has also said he would negative TV ad, while US Senator vowing to build a wall between deport millions of illegal mi- Marco Rubio of Florida accused the United States and Mexico if grants if he wins the November Cruz of lying about his record, Above: Trump holds up a photo of himself he becomes president. US election. and former Florida governor Jeb with pop star Michael Jackson that a “A person who thinks only Last week he told Fox Business Bush questioned Rubio’s experi- member of the audience asked him to about building walls, wherever television that Pope Francis did ence to serve as president. autograph after Trump addressed South they may be, and not building not understand the Mexican bor- Amid the squabbling, South Carolina voters in Walterboro. bridges, is not Christian,” Francis der issues. Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said in answer to a specifi c ques- “The Pope is a very political endorsed Rubio as the Republi- Left: Cruz speaks during a campaign event tion about Trump’s views. “This person. I think he doesn’t under- cans’ best hope for winning the at the First Baptist Church in North is not in the gospel.” stand the problems our country White House on November 8, a Spartanburg, South Carolina. Asked if American Catholics has. I don’t think he understands big boost to Rubio and a blow to should vote for someone with the danger of the open border Bush, who had lobbied hard for former reality TV star, saying he Trump’s views, Francis said: “I that we have with Mexico,” he her to pick him. was “very pro-choice” on abor- am not going to get involved in said. Bush had a tough day, learning tion. that. I say only that this man is Asked about being called a of Haley’s endorsement right be- Cruz said that Trump sent his not Christian if he has said things “political person”, Francis said: fore a town hall meeting in Sum- campaign a “cease and desist let- like that. We must see if he said “Thank God he said I was a poli- merville, South Carolina, where ter” demanding that it drop the things in that way and in this I tician because Aristotle defi ned four members of the audience ad. give the benefi t of the doubt.” the human person as ‘animal po- second-guessed his campaign At the CNN town hall, he said Trump said the remarks by the liticus’. So at least I am a human strategy and off ered tips on how he laughed out loud when he got Pope were “disgraceful”. person.” to have a greater impact in the the letter threatening what he “For a religious leader to ques- Trump has taken a more than state that holds its Republican called a “frivolous lawsuit”. tion a person’s faith is disgrace- 20-point lead over US Senator primary tomorrow. “In any defamation case, truth ful,” Trump said in a statement. Ted Cruz in the Republican race Much of the debate took place is a complete defence,” Cruz said. “I am proud to be a Christian for the presidential nomination, over the television airwaves, as Cruz reveled in an NBC/Wall and as president I will not allow with his campaign seeming to Trump lobbed charges at his ri- Street Journal poll that said Re- Christianity to be consistently thrive off the endless controver- vals on an MSNBC town hall, and publicans nationally now put him Rubio addresses his supporters as South Carolina Governor Bush speaks to voters yesterday at the attacked and weakened.” sies that he has generated. Rubio and Cruz battled in back- ahead of Trump, 28% to 26%. Haley applauds during a campaign event in Greenville. She Pee Dee State Farmers Market in Florence, to-back appearances at a CNN The latest national Reuters/ has endorsed the candidate. South Carolina. town hall in Greenville, South Ipsos poll, however, showed Carolina. Trump taking a more than have supported “amnesty” for il- about the world,” Bush said in “If we elect Marco Rubio, Trump fumed about a TV ad 20-point lead over Cruz in the legal immigrants, which his rival Summerville. every day will be a great day in put out by the Cruz campaign Republican race. denies. At the event, Bush sounded America,” Haley said, with Rubio that brought up Trump’s past Trump had 40% support in the “If you say something that frustrated at frequent criticism at her side at an event in Chapin, position in support of a woman’s poll conducted from Saturday to isn’t true and you say it over and of his campaign by TV pundits. South Carolina. right to an abortion. Wednesday, compared with 17% over and you know it’s not true, it “The pundits have made it all – Some analysts have said Haley Trump says he has evolved into for Cruz, 11% for Rubio, 10% for must be a lie,” Rubio said. it’s all decided. We don’t have to could be picked as the Republi- a conservative and is now against retired neurosurgeon Ben Car- Bush, running fourth in South go vote, I guess. It’s all fi nished. I can vice-presidential nominee. abortion. son, and 8% for Bush. Carolina and behind Rubio, should stop campaigning, may- A Bush aide said Haley called “You look at a guy like Ted Rubio, hoping to overtake Cruz questioned Rubio’s level of expe- be, huh? It’s all done,” he said. Bush to inform him of her plan to Cruz, he’s a nasty guy,” Trump for second place in South Caro- rience after Rubio said Bush did “No,” shouted people in the endorse Rubio. said. “He doesn’t have one Re- lina, where Trump leads in the not have foreign policy experi- crowd. “Disappointed” was Bush’s re- publican endorsement from the polls, accused Cruz of spreading ence. Haley’s endorsement gave Ru- sponse. Senate and he works with the falsehoods with an ad attacking Rubio counts his time on the bio, 44, a valuable ally to try to “She’s a very good governor Senate. Think of it. Hard to be- Rubio over his position on im- Senate Foreign Relations Com- sway voters in South Carolina, and should I win the nomina- lieve.” migration. mittee as valuable experience. the third contest after Iowa and tion, there’ll be a role for her in Cruz dared Trump to sue him Rubio backed a 2013 Senate “It’s hard for me to be lectured New Hampshire to pick a party the campaign,” Bush, 63, told re- over the campaign ad, which fea- immigration reform eff ort that to by a gifted young guy who nominee for the November elec- porters after a campaign event in Pope Francis gestures during a meeting with the media onboard the tured a 1999 video clip of Trump, collapsed. thinks going to committee hear- tion to succeed Democratic Pres- Summerville. “Trust me, she’s a papal plane while en route to Rome. a billionaire businessman and Cruz says that Rubio would ings means you know something ident Barack Obama. great person.”

Oscars boycott gets thumbs down TED crowd gets a taste University allows from Americans Diversity – or the lack of it – among Academy Award fi rearms in class nominees has overshadowed this year’s Oscars, but 44% of virtual reality future of Americans do not support AFP Gun rights activists have the idea of boycotting the Chicago responded to a series of more movie industry’s biggest night, AFP week during a demonstration recent campus shootings by according to a Reuters/Ispsos Vancouver of its “Orion” product, a hard- arguing that students can- poll. ware-software combination for he University of Texas not trust the police to protect Yet that does not mean people to interact with virtual at Austin begrudgingly them from random acts of vio- Americans are happy with the lad in virtual reality environments using their hands. Tagreed on Wednesday lence and should be able to arm way Hollywood portrays people headgear and computer- “It is a seminal point where to allow students to carry guns themselves. of colour, or that it makes enough Cised vests, intrepid ex- technology is just another ma- into classrooms, months after Lawmakers in the politically movies that appeal to minorities, plorers at the annual TED event terial in the world; there are at- state lawmakers passed a bill conservative state with a cow- the poll showed. headed into a temple adventure oms and electrons and then bits outlawing gun bans at public boy ethos and frontier history The findings come a month after reminiscent of a scene from and bytes all just one thing, and universities. agreed with the activists and a furore over the omission of Indiana Jones – and billed as that is pretty awesome.” “I do not believe handguns passed a bill in August prohib- any actors of colour among the a major entertainment break- Virtual reality is among the belong on a university cam- iting gun bans on public col- 20 lead and supporting acting through. top technology trends of the pus, so this decision has been lege campuses. nominees for a second straight Attendees at the conference moment, with Facebook-owned the greatest challenge of my Fenves noted that the presi- year, and the absence from the in Vancouver were among the Oculus taking pre-orders for presidency to date,” university dents of every large private in- best picture contest of critically fi rst to sample a pulse-raising eagerly-awaited Rift headgear president Gregory Fenves said stitution in Texas – including acclaimed hip-hop movie Straight new breed of immersive virtual and Sony poised to fi eld a rival in a statement. Baylor University, Southern Outta Compton. reality (VR), pioneered by a star- device that works with PlaySta- “I empathise with the many Methodist University and Rice The omissions prompted tup company from Utah called The Void-developed ‘Rapture’, a head-mounted display with a wide tion video game consoles. faculty members, staff ers, stu- University – have exercised directors Spike Lee and Michael The Void. field of vision, is pictured during the TED Conference in Vancouver. While video game players dents and parents of students their right to continue to ban Moore, along with actors Will “Think of it as a futuristic have been natural early targets who signed petitions, sent e- guns on campus. Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, movie theatre,” said Ken Bret- out in the room, with actual proved a hit at TED was an early for virtual reality, the technol- mails and letters, and organ- “The presence of handguns to declare that they would stay schneider, the fi rm’s founder walls, chairs, torches or other prototype. ogy is being put to use for edu- ised to ban guns from campus at an institution of higher at home on the night of the and chief executive. “When touchpoints in place to match The startup has developed a cation, medicine, sports, por- and especially classrooms,” his learning is contrary to our mis- February 28 Oscars ceremony in you go to a movie, you go into a the fantasy. “Rapture” head-mounted dis- nography and more. statement said. sion of education and research, protest. screening room; in our case, you In a publicity coup for the play with a wide fi eld of vision, Most virtual reality gear dem- Some faculty members have which is based on inquiry, free The Reuters/Ipsos poll, however, go into a virtual stage and you startup, a photo posted online at along with the vest, tracking onstrated thus far has immersed threatened to quit rather than speech, and debate,” he said. showed that just 23% of the 2,423 live the movie.” website roadtoVR.com showed system, and software. people in fi ctitious worlds as allow students to carry guns in “However, as president, I have people polled online agreed with Intrepid “tedsters” entered a a smiling Harrison Ford, of In- The Serpent’s Eye gear also spectators or used hand-held their classrooms, saying that an obligation to uphold the an Oscars boycott over the issue. room in the convention centre – diana Jones fame, heading into incorporated fi nger-tracking controllers for interacting with the presence of such weapons law.” The same percentage had no transformed into the “Serpent’s the virtual temple adventure at from San Francisco-based Leap fantasy environments. is too threatening in an envi- Guns can still be banned opinion, and 44% disagreed. Eye” – wearing virtual reality TED. Motion, but the Utah company “You need your avatar to in- ronment that is meant to en- at sporting events, in univer- The survey was conducted headsets and “haptic” vests that The Void has relationships was also working on a glove for teract with people and objects in courage debate. sity bars and medical facilities, about three weeks after the use sound and vibration to ramp with developers and theme park that purpose. the world,” Bretschneider said. The issue is particularly certain laboratories and college largely white, male-dominated up the sense of realism for ex- operators and envisions build- Leap Motion specialises in “The technology, we feel, has sensitive given that the Uni- dorms. Academy of Motion Picture Arts plorers. ing “experience centres” around using computer tracking of reached a state that we can do versity of Texas at Austin was The University of Texas and Sciences, which votes on A demonstration showed that the world, according to the chief hands and fi ngers to let people this now.” the scene of one of the nation’s at Austin is one of the larg- the Oscars, announced it would wearers imagined themselves executive. manipulate objects in virtual A video posted on YouTube by fi rst mass shootings on a col- est public institutions in the double the amount of women transported to the entrance of “We can take you to a Jurassic environments with the kind of The Void had logged more than lege campus. United States with more than and minorities among its ranks in an ancient temple, explored by world; to a fantasy world, to an dexterity they have in the real 3.7mn views by mid-day on Former Marine Charles 51,000 students and a stellar the next four years. solving puzzles, taking fi re from educational experience where world. Wednesday. Whitman killed 14 people and academic reputation. The Reuters/Ipsos poll was a god, and even facing off with a you go back in time and visit the “I’m not just being shown a “The Void is pioneering a new wounded some 30 others after It is the fl agship of the Uni- conducted from February 8-16 giant serpent. Great Wall of China,” Bretsch- digital space, I am actually in a form of cinematic virtual real- opening fi re from an observa- versity of Texas system, which and has a credibility interval of The plot once inside was neider told AFP. digital space,” Leap Motion co- ity,” said TED’s Katherine Mc- tion platform on the univer- educates more than 214,000 plus or minus 2.3 percentage carefully choreographed to play The demonstration that founder David Holz said last Cartney. sity’s clock tower in 1966. students. points. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 7 ASEAN

Construction in Kuala Lumpur Indonesia threatens to block Tumblr

DPA ness of blocking it during the Jakarta visit. “Imagine you’re @jokowi in Silicon Valey and you have to ndonesians were up in arms explain to @jack and especially online after the govern- @marissamayer that Indonesia Iment threatened to block just blocked Tumblr,” tweeted popular blog-hosting website user Gita Putri, referring to the Tumblr over pornographic im- president, Twitter’s chief ex- ages posted by some of its us- ecutive Jack Dorsey and Yahoo ers. chief Marissa Mayer. “Internet service providers “Why busy banning tools can’t block particular accounts like Vimeo and (almost) Tum- so we have asked Tumblr to blr and pushed all [social me- adjust its content in line with dia] to adjust to us. Why not [Indonesian] regulations and busy developing our people, values,” the information min- Mr @Jokowi?” another Twitter istry said yesterday. user said. It said it would otherwise Facebook chief execu- consider blocking access to the tive Mark Zuckerberg posted site in the Muslim-majority a photo of him playing a zero A view of a building site beneath the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. country, where downloading gravity game with Joko after pornography is punishable by their meeting on Wednesday up to four years in prison under at the social network’s head- a 2008 law. quarters. The ministry’s warning Indonesia has blocked hun- came as President Joko Wido- dreds of websites for “negative do met chief executives of US content”, including popular tech giants in San Francisco as video-sharing service Vimeo. part of his push to make Indo- com and social network plat- nesia a technology and e-com- form Reddit.com. merce hub. Indonesia is one of the Tumblr does specifically world’s biggest markets for Dissidents fearful as tolerate explicit material, social media services such as duly flagged, but it is also a Facebook and Twitter, with leading mainstream image- Jakarta being the most active sharing website, leading some Twitter city in the world in Thais favour China to question the appropriate- 2012. Dissidents have disappeared from Western governments have expressed United States and other countries down- ed for illegally entering Thailand, which Thai king recovers Thailand and reappeared in China concern over China’s apparent extra-ter- graded political and military ties, the gen- offi cially doesn’t recognise refugee status. ritorial reach, as President Xi Jinping in- erals forged closer ties with Beijing. Men in cars often follow her through Reuters tensifi es a nationwide crackdown on hu- China and Thailand held their fi rst joint Bangkok, she says. “We have no protection from fever Bangkok man rights lawyers, journalists and labour air force exercise in November. The fol- here,” said Liu. activists. lowing month, the two countries agreed Liu arrived in Thailand by plane. But China considers many dissidents to to build a $13 billion railway line from the other Chinese, too fearful to use their Reuters received treatment for various ne night last month, Liu Xuehong be criminals, including those who fl ee Thai-Lao border to Bangkok. passports, travel overland through ill-po- Bangkok ailments. He was last seen in stood weeping outside the gates abroad. A record 7.9mn Chinese visited Thai- liced borders from neighbouring countries public on January 11, when he Oof the United Nations headquar- Panitan Wattanayagorn, a top Thai gov- land last year, or more than a quarter of the with the help of human smugglers. left hospital briefl y to visit his ters in Bangkok, begging the guards to let ernment advisor, said police were “still total number of tourists. Last July, Thai- Song Zhiyu, 43, from Hebei Province, is hailand’s 88-year-old Bangkok palace for a few hours. her in. checking” how the two Chinese dissidents land’s deported 109 Uighur Muslims to a member of Falun Gong, a religious group King Bhumibol Adulya- Nervousness over his health The Chinese dissident had received had vanished from the country, and said an uncertain fate in China in what the UN banned as a cult in China. Tdej is recovering from a and the succession has formed a threatening call from an anonymous it was possible one of them had “disap- called “a fl agrant violation of international He left China on a smuggler’s motorbike fever but is still being treated the backdrop to more than a Chinese offi cial, and feared that she, like peared (by) himself”. law.” until reaching the Myanmar town of Mon- for an infection, the palace said decade of political crisis in other asylum seekers in Thailand, would As for the two deportations of Chinese Dissidents like Liu say the disappear- gla. In Mongla, Song telephoned a Thai in a statement yesterday. Thailand, where the military be snatched away by agents of China or refugees in November, ances and deportations are part of a dip- man known only as “the tour leader” who, The bulletin on the king’s took power in a coup in May deported by a Thai junta increasingly al- Panitan said the Thai government lomatic and security squeeze by China to in return for 20,000 yuan ($3,000), drove health from the Royal House- 2014. lied to it. would work more closely with the UNHCR fl ush them out. Aiding them in Thailand, him towards the Thai border. hold Bureau, the palace’s The heir to the throne, The UN guards refused her entry. “I felt “to prevent this kind of problem”. He said she believes, are Chinese agents posing as Then Song was spirited across a river second this week, said King Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, so frustrated,” she said, tears streaming China had not applied any pressure. asylum-seekers. into Thailand and hidden in the luggage Bhumibol, the world’s longest does not command the same down her face. “We still live in fear here.” “Thailand decides on its own,” he said. Liu, 55, was jailed for a month in Bei- hold of a Bangkok-bound bus. He spent reigning monarch, was being devotion as his father. Liu is one of hundreds of Chinese who Among those who disappeared in Thai- jing in 2014 for “disturbing social order,” the next 10 hours bent double. “I thought administered antibiotics and In a statement on Tuesday have fl ed for Thailand, say human rights land was Gui Minhai, one of fi ve Hong a catch-all charge often used to suppress I would die,” he said. oxygen. the palace said the king had a groups. It was long considered a refuge, Kong booksellers who have gone missing human rights activists. But she contin- About 160 Falun Gong refugees and “His Majesty’s temperature fever, was suff ering from fa- but not anymore. since late last year. ued her work until last June, just weeks asylum-seekers are in Thailand, Song is lower and his breathing has tigue and an infection whose Two Chinese dissidents recently disap- China’s Foreign Ministry declined to before the Chinese authorities began said, and in the past, authorities had rarely slowed down. His Majesty’s cause was being investigated. peared from Thai soil, only to reappear a comment on the disappearances, but has arresting hundreds of lawyers, legal as- bothered them. pulse is slower,” the palace said News about the royals is few weeks later in China in police custody. said its law enforcement offi cials would sistants and activists in a nationwide But more than 29 practitioners have in its statement. tightly controlled in Thailand, Thailand deported two others late last never do anything illegal, especially over- crackdown. been arrested on immigration charges un- “There is still some infec- where harsh laws protecting year despite a UN plan to resettle them in seas. It said the November deportations “Almost all the people around me in der the military junta, he said. tion in the body,” it said, add- the royal family from insult Canada. were handled “in accordance with the China have been arrested,” she said. “The Thai and Chinese governments ing that antibiotics were being make it a crime to defame, “Thailand is no longer a safe haven for law”. Liu fl ew to Thailand, where she is now a now have a very close relationship,” he administered intravenously. insult or threaten the king, Chinese dissidents,” said a senior Western The Thai junta’s seizure of power in UN-registered refugee awaiting resettle- said. “We are all afraid. Every day is dan- The king has been in hospital queen, heir to the throne or diplomatic source based in Beijing. 2014 strained ties with the West. As the ment. She can still be arrested and deport- gerous for us.” since the end of May and has regent. Rouge leader says he Thai bomb attack fought for ‘justice’

AFP to chief leader Pol Pot, did not exercise his right to Phnom Penh make a statement. Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea were the fi rst high-ranking leaders to be jailed from the Khmer Rouge regime, which ruthlessly disman- ne of the Khmer Rouge’s top surviving lead- tled Cambodia’s modern society in pursuit of an ers Wednesday challenged his life sentence agrarian Marxist utopia. Ofor crimes against humanity and said he had But their lawyers quickly appealed the ruling, ac- only fought for “social justice” in Cambodia, in rare cusing the court of a string of errors and the judges comments made to a UN-backed court. of failing to remain impartial due to their personal The brutal regime’s former head of state Khieu experiences under the regime. Samphan, 84, raised his voice to a chamber in The pair are also currently facing a second Phnom Penh that will decide whether to accept trial on charges of genocide for the killings of an appeal on the guilty verdict handed down to ethnic Vietnamese and Muslim minorities, as him and another senior leader, 89-year-old Nuon well as for their regime’s use of forced marriage Chea. and rape. The men were convicted of committing crimes An estimated 100,000 to 500,000 Cham Mus- against humanity in 2014 for their pivotal role in the lims and 20,000 Vietnamese were killed during the communist government that oversaw the deaths of Khmer Rouge’s brief but brutal reign. up to 2mn Cambodians from 1975-1979 -- nearly The court, located on the outskirts of the capi- one-quarter of the population. tal, was set up in following an agreement between “What I want to say today and what I want Cambodia and the United Nations to prosecute the my countrymen to hear is that as an intellectual Khmer Rouge leaders “most responsible” for the re- I have never wanted anything other than social gime’s crimes. justice for my country,” Khieu Samphan told the The case against Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan court’s seven judges on the final day of the appeal was split into a series of smaller trials in 2011 for The mother of a soldier who was killed in a bomb attack on a patrol the day before cries during his funeral ceremony in Thailand’s hearing. reasons including their advanced age and the large restive southern province of Narathiwat yesterday. A roadside bomb killed a 22-year-old Thai soldier on Wednesday and critically “I shall shout loudly that I never wanted to agree number of accusations. wounded another member of a patrol team providing security to teachers in the country’s insurgency-torn southern tip. The to any policy that is against the Cambodian people,” Many key Khmer Rouge leaders have died with- Muslim-majority region borders Malaysia and has seen a decade of near-daily violence claim more than 6,500 lives, as the he said. out facing justice, including “Brother Number insurgents seek greater autonomy from the Thai state, which annexed the region more than a century ago. Nuon Chea, known as “Brother Number Two” One” Pol Pot who died in 1998. Gulf Times 8 Friday, February 19, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Australia denies dragging its feet US quadruples troops on Syria refugees

Reuters Washington for South Korea drill ustralian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton yesterday rejected charges his country was AFP Adragging its feet in resettling refugees from Seoul Syria and Iraq, having resettled just 26 in the same time it took Canada to process 26,000. Former prime minister Tony Abbott last September our times as many US troops pledged to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria on top of as originally planned are to Australia’s current humanitarian intake programme Ftake part in a joint military of 13,750 people. exercise with South Korea next Dutton said the pace of resettlements was deter- month following nuclear and mis- mined on national security grounds. sile tests by the North, Seoul said Border security is a hot-button political issue in yesterday. Australia, which is scheduled to hold a national elec- The US will send 15,000 troops tion later in the year. to the annual computer-simulated “The Australian public demands that the govern- “Key Resolve” exercise, the Yonhap ment does everything possible to make sure that fi rst news agency quoted Defence Min- and foremost our national security is protected and ister Han Min-Goo as saying, up secondly to make sure that we’re bringing the right from 3,700 last year. South Korea people into our country so that they can start a new would also increase the number of life,” he told reporters in Washington. troops it sends, he said. At an Australian Senate estimates hearing last week, Key Resolve, which ran for 10 days immigration offi cials said just 26 Syrian refugees had last year, usually kicks off simulta- arrived since the 12,000 intake was announced in neously with a fi eld exercise known September. as Foal Eagle, another joint military According to the Canadian government’s main drill that lasts around 50 days. website, 21,313 refugees have been resettled since No- Foal Eagle is also expected to be vember, while a further 4,687 have had their asylum the largest ever this year, attracting applications approved but not yet arrived. key US strategic assets such as an The Refugee Council of Australia noted that neigh- airforce combat brigade, marines, a bouring New Zealand had resettled 82 of 200 Syrian naval fl eet led by an aircraft carrier refugees it agreed to accept last year under a similar and nuclear-powered submarines, programme. Yonhap said. “Our government is dragging its feet while the rest North Korea regularly ratchets up of the world is acting much more quickly to meet their its hostile rhetoric around the time promises,” refugee council chief Paul Power said in of the joint US-South Korea mili- Sydney. tary exercises, which usually spark “It is a shame for all concerned that the Australian a sharp surge in tensions on the di- resettlement programme is so bogged down in bu- vided peninsula. South Korean K-2 tanks take part in a live-fire drill in Yangpyeong district yesterday. reaucratic delays, when the governments of Canada As the double exercises began and New Zealand have proven that it is possible to last year, North Korean leader Kim North threat pushes tough ‘terror’ law move much more swiftly.” Jong-Un urged his army to prepare The Australian decision to accept 12,000 people for war with the US and its allies. Seeking to push through a sweeping leads that point to a possible attack. according to a transcript provided by dialogue and confidence-building. fl eeing Syria and Iraq came in response to a call by the The reclusive state also fi red two “anti-terrorism” law that has been The proposed law would give the party. “The possibility of North Korea’s UN for more cohesive asylum policies to deal with the short-range ballistic missiles into blocked by opposition parties, South South Korea’s intelligence agency Kim was speaking after a briefing anti-South terrorism becoming real- growing numbers of refugees fl ooding into Europe to the sea at the start of the exercises. Korea’s government yesterday cited authority to monitor private com- for his committee by top national ity is rising to an ever-higher level,” escape the four-year-old Syrian confl ict. Last month, North Korea con- the heightened risk of North Korea munications. security off icials. Park’s public aff airs secretary, Kim The number of asylum seekers trying to reach Aus- ducted its fourth nuclear test de- instigating “terror attacks”. The bill has met with resistance South Korean off icials have said Sung-woo, said in a statement. tralia is small in comparison with those arriving in Eu- spite international condemnation The call from President Park Geun- from the country’s liberal opposition authorities lacked legal power to “We ask again that parliament rope, but under its tough immigration policies, any- and followed it with a long-range hye’s off ice for parliament to pass the parties, which say the spy agency is monitor and defend against possible swiftly pass the anti-terrorism law so one intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is rocket launch on February 7. The new security bill follows a week of not politically impartial. attacks from radical groups, and the that we have the legal and systematic sent for processing to camps in Nauru and Papua New launch was widely condemned as a tough comments and action by her Building its case for more over- legislation was not designed specifi- foundation to protect the lives and Guinea’s Manus Island. ballistic missile test banned under government in response to North sight, the National Intelligence Serv- cally to defend against threats from property of the people.” They are never eligible to be resettled in Aus- UN resolutions. Korea’s test launch of a long-range ice (NIS) said yesterday it believed North Korea. The spy agency has been involved tralia. The US and South Korea have rocket this month and its fourth North Korean leader Kim Jong Un South Korea has been on height- in a series of political scandals over Australia’s High Court this month rejected a legal responded with a series of military nuclear test last month. had ordered his military to prepare ened alert for possible actions by the the years, and has struggled to shed test case that challenged its right to deport 267 refu- muscle-fl exing activities. The ongoing tension with the acts against the South, including pos- North, including cyberattack. a reputation for being used as a gee children and their families who had been brought On Monday, the USS North North is looming as an election sibly kidnapping or attacking people Last week, Seoul suspended opera- political tool by sitting presidents. from Nauru, about 3,000km northeast of Australia, Carolina attack submarine arrived issue ahead of parliamentary polls or targeting subways or power tions at the Kaesong industrial complex Park’s father, Park Chung-hee, who for medical treatment. at the southern port of Busan for in April, when Park’s Saenuri Party is utilities. run jointly with the North as punishment ruled the country after taking power joint training with the South Ko- expected to retain its majority. “(It) reported that Kim Jong Un for Pyongyang’s recent rocket launch in a 1961 coup, was assassinated in rean navy. The security bill proposes to ordered stepped up anti-South opera- and nuclear test, both of which violated 1979 by his disgruntled spy chief. And four US F-22 stealth fi ghters establish a new anti-espionage unit tions and that the level of threat of UN Security Council resolutions. The intelligence service has since were deployed to an air base near that would report to the spy agency terrorism has never been higher,” President Park has pledged then undergone two name changes Seoul on Wednesday. chief and will co-ordinate surveil- said Kim Jung-hoon, chairman of further measures against the North, and numerous organisational Japan MP under South Korea and the US are also lance, analysis and investigation into the ruling party’s policy committee, reversing her earlier policy seeking reforms. set to begin talks this week on the possible deployment of an ad- fi re for Obama vanced US missile defence system, rights regarding this issue and in mak- Geun-Hye on Tuesday signalled complex, where South Korean fi rms spokesman Cho June-Hyuck said despite opposition from China. ing decisions”, Moon told journalists. a tough new approach to derail- operated factories that employed yesterday that Seoul is also seeking The US Terminal High Altitude “Nothing is more important than ing North Korea’s nuclear weapons North Korean workers, arguing international co-operation to curb ‘slave’ comment Area Defence System (THAAD) taking measures to protect the peo- programme and indicated the South hard currency from the symbol North Korean immigrant workers. would fi re anti-ballistic missiles into ple and their assets from the in- would lead eff orts to bring about re- of cooperation with the North is Some 60,000 North Koreans are the sky to smash into enemy rockets creasing nuclear and missile threats gime change in the Stalinist state. believed to have been diverted to working in China, Russia, the Mid- AFP during their fi nal fl ight phase. from North Korea”, he said. Seoul last week abruptly with- weapons development. dle East and Southeast Asia, Yon- Tokyo “We will exercise our sovereign South Korean President Park drew from the Kaesong industrial South Korean foreign ministry hap said.

Japanese lawmaker who said US President Barack Obama carried the “blood of ... slaves” A was under pressure yesterday to explain him- ‘Lucky’ dust self after his remarks sparked uproar. ‘Missing’ HK booksellers Kazuya Maruyama, a legislator from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party, was attempting to highlight the dynamism of US society while speaking in parlia- get international support ment in Tokyo when he made the remarks, which in- stantly backfi red. “Now in the US, a black man serves as president,” AFP sion of freedom of expression in Maruyama told lawmakers on Wednesday, adding that Hong Kong Hong Kong,” it added. Obama “carries the blood of black people. This means The letter urged Hong Kong “to do slaves, to put it bluntly.” everything in its power to investigate He then described as “unthinkable” at the time of ublishers from around the these cases and demand the release” the founding of the US more than two centuries ago world have urged Hong Kong of the men. the idea that a black man could become president. Pauthorities to demand China Britain, the US and the EU have all “It is a nation that transforms itself in dynamic release five of the city’s book- expressed concern over the case. ways,” he concluded, praising the power of the coun- sellers, in a case that has fuelled Last week the UK issued its strong- try to change. growing fears over disappearing est comments yet over the case of Lee Obama is not a descendant of slaves but rather the freedoms. Bo - the only one of the fi ve publish- son of a white mother from Kansas and a black Kenyan Four of the men are under criminal ers to have disappeared from Hong father who went to US as a student. investigation on the mainland and Kong. Lee is a British passport holder Maruyama, when approached by reporters shortly the fi fth has said he is “assisting” au- and was last seen at a Hong Kong after the parliament hearing, apologised and said he thorities there. book warehouse in December. would ask for his remarks to be omitted from the of- All fi ve worked for Hong Kong’s British foreign secretary Philip fi cial records. Mighty Current publishing house, Hammond said Lee had been “in- He said he was trying to argue that Japan must learn known for often salacious titles criti- voluntarily removed” from Hong from the US and had not been aware of the tone of his cal of the Beijing government. Kong in a “serious breach” of the comments, according to local media. Publishing associations, booksell- joint agreement to protect the city’s His clumsy eff ort to praise the US drew widespread ers and advocacy groups from the US freedoms, signed before the hando- condemnation and the fallout continued yesterday. and Europe penned the joint letter ver of the city from Britain to China The remarks made national headlines and caused to Hong Kong’s leader Leung Chun- in 1997. opposition lawmakers to submit a motion to the up- ying, saying the case sent a “terrify- That agreement promised Hong per house of parliament pressing Maruyama to re- ing message” to the semi-autono- Kong’s way of life would be protected sign. mous city’s literary world. for 50 years. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, the gov- Signatories included the PEN The Chinese authorities have not ernment’s top spokesman, said that Maruyama “must American Centre, which campaigns said Lee is under investigation. fulfi l his obligation to explain himself” in comments for freedom of expression in litera- In letters purportedly written by at a regular briefi ng. ture, the Association of American him, Lee has said he is on the main- The case served as the latest headache for Abe, who Publishers and the Federation of Eu- land helping with investigations. has seen a score of embarrassing scandals involving ropean Publishers. Beijing hit back at Hammond, ruling party members. “This case has sent a terrifying slamming London for making Akira Amari, a key ally who served as the chief ne- message to writers, publishers, and “groundless accusations against gotiator for the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership trade deal, booksellers in Hong Kong that tack- China” and meddling in Chinese do- left his ministerial post last month over a graft allega- ling politically sensitive topics can mestic aff airs. tion published in a magazine. imperil an individual’s freedom and Mighty Current publisher Gui Min- And just last week, junior ruling party parliamen- safety,” the letter, dated Wednesday hai failed to return to Hong Kong from tarian Kensuke Miyazaki, who had wanted to become and published in full on PEN Ameri- a holiday in Thailand in October. the fi rst national lawmaker to take paternity leave, an- can Centre’s website, said. The other three publishers disap- Ethnic Miao men, wearing traditional masks, smear dust on a woman’s face to wish her good luck nounced he was resigning his seat after an aff air with “These developments off er chill- peared while in southern mainland during Lunar New Year celebrations in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. a bikini model while his wife, also a lawmaker, was ing confi rmation of the steady ero- cities. pregnant. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 9 BRITAIN

TRAGEDY LEGAL CRIME DIET INDUSTRIAL ACTION Three dead as bad Jilted soldier cleared of Teenager on hoverboard is Starbucks, Costa promise Tube controllers issue new weather hits Scottish hills kidnapping ex-girlfriend stabbed in face and neck action after sugar report strike threat over safety

Three people have died while mountaineering A soldier has been cleared of kidnapping his Two men are being hunted by police after a Coff ee chains Starbucks and Costa promised to Senior Tube control staff are threatening to pull in Scotland and two more are missing in three ex-girlfriend after she dumped him for a new teenager riding his hoverboard was nearly stabbed come up with healthier drinks after a campaign the plug and bring the entire network to a halt separate incidents caused by a bout of freezing man while he was away on a tour of duty. Alvon to death in a daylight attack. The 19-year-old group found “dangerously” high sugar levels in a row over safety. About 140 controllers, who weather and strong winds, police said. Two Montgomery Tobias, 32, a Royal Engineer based was riding the gadget along a pavement in east in some of their hot flavoured beverages. Out earn up to £50,000 a year to operate the service, hillwalkers in their 70s had died and a third who at Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Essex, always London when he was followed down an alleyway of 131 drinks analysed by Action on Sugar, 98% warn of strikes - saying bosses plan to “impose” was also airlifted to hospital. A climber also died in maintained he simply gave his ex-partner, Monika and stabbed in the face and neck, with the knife were found to have high enough sugar content drastic and additional duties in defiance of an avalanche on a mountain south of Loch Ness Mikalak, a lift to work. However Mikalak told the narrowly missing his jugular vein. The victim was to merit a red nutritional label, which in Britain agreed procedures. Such a move, claim the staff , in the Highlands. Rescuers described struggling Kingston crown court jury that he dragged her rushed to hospital where doctors said that it was indicates food that consumers “should cut down would endanger people’s safety by giving them against “very challenging conditions,” in the to his car and refused to let her out. The trial only good luck that one of the blows did not kill on”. US chain Starbucks’ extra-large Grape with too many responsibilities. They say it would put search for a couple in their 20s who went missing earlier heard the couple had known each other him. The teenager has since been discharged Chai, Orange and Cinnamon Hot Mulled Fruit them in charge of track access and force them to at the weekend on Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest for nearly a year, but Mikalak told Tobias she had from hospital. Yesterday detectives released CCTV contains 99 grams (3.5 ounces) of sugar per make decisions on whether lines are safe to open mountain. “Sadly conditions on Ben Nevis are met someone else while he was serving in Jordan images of the two men, one described as black and serving - the equivalent of 25 teaspoons, the when work is finished. A senior source connected preventing us from going out to look” for the pair, Tobias was found not guilty of kidnapping her in the other Asian, running along an alleyway close to charity said. Costa’s large Chai Latte was found with the dispute said: “These are many changes the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said. Valley Mews, Twickenham, on April 7 last year. the scene in Stamford Hill. to contain 20 teaspoons of sugar. involving the safety of both passengers and staff .” Scramble to buy Royal couple visits RAF Valley meningitis B vaccine as stocks dwindle

London Evening Standard Demand has also been fuelled London by the department of health’s decision last year to restrict the meningitis B vaccine to two- arents were yesterday rac- month-old babies, with boosters ing to buy dwindling sup- at four and 12 months. “I think Pplies of the meningitis B people thought it’s an infants’ vaccine, as the number of names disease, and it’s not,” Mac- on a petition demanding that it Sweeney said. “It’s also a disease be off ered more widely neared of toddlers as well. The NHS de- record levels. cision to introduce a cut-off point High Street pharmacists and created a surge in demand last private clinics were inundated year that probably swept up a lot with requests after horrifi c pic- of vaccines. tures of two-year-old Faye Bur- “The death of this child has dett hours before her death were raised awareness and demand released by her family. even further. There is now a bot- Children older than one are tleneck within a bottleneck.” not eligible for the vaccine on the After Faye died on Valentine’s Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend a reception after a ceremony marking the end of RAF search and rescue operations at RAF Valley NHS, and a worldwide shortage Day, her mother Jenny, from on Anglesey in Wales yesterday has sparked a frantic scramble Maidstone, Kent, published pho- from parents seeking to protect tos of her daughter lying in her their toddlers. Children are con- hospital bed covered in a rash. She sidered at highest risk up until the said: “We campaign for change in age of fi ve. her memory. There needs to be a A petition to Parliament call- roll-out programme to vaccinate ing for the vaccine to be off ered all children, at least up to age 11.” free on the NHS to children aged Former England rugby cap- up to 11 yesterday broke records tain Matt Dawson urged people and gained more than 500,000 to sign the petition after posit- signatures. Only one other gov- ing pictures of his son Sami be- Murder law ‘applied ernment e-petition has passed ing treated for meningitis at Great the 500,000 mark — the call for Ormond Street Hospital. He said Donald Trump to be banned from he was also indebted to staff at the UK. Chelsea and Westminster hos- Boots said it had run out of pital for spotting the seriousness supplies and CityDoc, the largest of the two-year-old’s condition. supplier of the vaccine outside of Sami has recovered. wrongly for 30 years’ the NHS, said it was unable to of- Meningitis is an infl ammation fer it to new patients. of the lining of the brain and spi- Reuters at issue played a part should be Britain’s common law system, it The point of law does not the fatal stabbing in 2011 of Paul Yesterday other clinics were nal cord. About 1,000 people a London overturned. was enough to prove that a sus- only apply to murder but can Fyfe by another man, Mohamed suspected of increasing their year, mainly babies and children, The court was ruling on ap- pect foresaw the possibility that also arise in cases of fraud or Hirsi. Jogee and Hirsi had spent prices as demand soared to “cra- contract meningitis B. About one peals against murder convic- the main culprit would commit other criminal ventures. How- the previous hours together zy” levels. Supplies are not ex- in 10 will die and one in three he Supreme Court yes- tions by two men serving life the crime. ever, its most controversial drinking and taking drugs, and pected to return to normal until suff er debilitating side-eff ects. terday ruled that a key sentences in separate cases. The But the Supreme Court ruled uses over the years have been in both men were involved in an June. Supplies of the drug — Bexsero, Tpart of the law often appeals were considered to- unanimously that those two murder cases. angry confrontation with Fyfe. Dr Eoghan MacSweeney, com- which is manufactured by Glax- called “joint enterprise”, which gether because both hinged on judgements had taken a “wrong The Supreme Court set aside At one point, Jogee threat- mercial director of CityDoc, said oSmithKline — began running allows people to be convicted the joint enterprise issue. turn” in law, and that in fact the two murder convictions that ened to smash a bottle over it was getting hundreds of calls a out last month, although Public of murder even if they did not The crucial question that the what had to be proven was in- were being appealed, but did not Fyfe’s head, but it was Hirsi who day but was unable to take on new Health England said the NHS strike the fatal blow, had been fi ve judges had to consider was tent to assist or encourage the quash them. There will be fur- killed him with a kitchen knife. patients. He compared it to the vaccination programme was not misinterpreted for three dec- what is the mental element that main culprit to commit the ther legal argument on whether Jogee’s lawyers said the joint panic caused by now-discredited aff ected. ades. has to be proven in order to con- crime. there should be re-trials or enterprise law, as applied before concerns about a link between the DoctorCall, which has a Harley The ruling could lead to a rush vict a person of a crime actually The judges cautioned that in whether the convictions should yesterday’s ruling, had “over- MMR vaccine and autism, when Street clinic and charges £195 a of appeals, although the court committed by someone else. many cases, the result may well be converted to manslaughter. criminalised” secondary par- parents sought single measles dose, has had to set up a waiting warned that its decision did not Since two landmark judge- have been the same, since fore- The fi rst case concerned a ties and they were glad to have and rubella vaccinations for their list. Depending on their age, chil- mean that all past convictions in ments from 1985 and 1999 that sight could potentially be used man called Ameen Jogee, who played a part in correcting “this children. dren need two or three doses. which the specifi c point of law were binding on all judges under as evidence of intent. was convicted of murder over unjust law”.

Police offi cers ‘being taken Music awards Filipino’s extradition sought over teen death off beat to handle demos’ Agencies with many others as part of an op- London eration by British and Filipino po- London Evening Standard months police had been taken a “passionate” supporter of lice into organised gangs involved London from boroughs to reinforce neighbourhood policing and in alleged cyber-crime. the number of firearms offic- said: “He has put an addi- rosecutors have launched The extradition move is thought ers in London after the Paris tional 2,600 officers into lo- a bid to extradite a Filipino to be the fi rst since a new extra- undreds of police beat terrorist attacks, as well as to cal roles since 2012, kept of- Pman over the death of a dition treaty came into force be- officers are being rou- aid investigations into a rising ficer numbers high at 32,000 Scottish teenager who took his tween the UK and the Philippines. Htinely taken off bor- number of sexual offences. into the next financial year own life after being blackmailed by A Crown Offi ce spokesman ough patrols each month to McCartney said local wards and increased the percentage strangers online. said: “A warrant has been issued deal with protests and major had also lost PCSOs (police of officers in visible frontline Daniel Perry, 17, from Dunferm- for the arrest of Archie Gian Tolin events in central London, new community support officer) roles.” line in Fife, died in July 2013 after in connection with the death of figures show. and a total of 3,500 posts had Commander B J Harrington allegedly falling victim to a ‘’sex- Daniel Perry. Steps are now being The statistics reveal that been axed in recent years. from the Met’s Specialist tortion’’ attempt, in which Inter- taken to enforce that warrant and an average of 2,000 “officer “When officers are being Crime and Operations sec- net users are lured into webcam secure his extradition from the shifts” a month are being lost removed from boroughs 2,000 tion said there were over 3,500 chats and then blackmailed with Philippines.” from policing neighbourhoods times a month it’s incredibly public order events a year, the footage. After the initial operation in to “plug gaps” dealing with misleading of the mayor to including protests, football Daniel was said to have believed the Philippines, Police Scotland large-scale events and dem- claim they are local bobbies.” matches and ceremonial oc- he was talking to an American warned there was “no hiding onstrations. Labour’s London she said. The figures show casions. girl online but was told by black- place” for those involved in extor- Assembly policing spokes- that in 2014 officers were re- He added: “By using po- mailers that the conversations tion and blackmail. man Joanne McCartney, who moved from their local beat lice drawn largely from across had been recorded and would be Yesterday, detective chief in- obtained the figures, said they for 111,684 shifts. In the first London’s boroughs we do not shared with friends and family un- spector Gary Cunningham said: exposed a decline in neigh- nine months of 2015, the latest need to hold a large reserve of less he paid up. Inquiries by detec- “Following the death of Perry, bourhood policing in London period for which data is avail- officers waiting for operations tives from Police Scotland revealed Police Scotland has continued its in recent years. able, 78,640 neighbourhood to happen. It also ensures that an electronic online trail, which inquiries along with a number of She said there used to be six policing shifts were lost, with officers who are deployed in led to the Philippines and links to other agencies including Inter- officers in a council area ward some boroughs losing over public order understand the organised crime groups there. pol and the authorities within the “and now there is only one. 100 shifts a week on average. communities they police.” A warrant has now been issued Philippines. Londoners want neighbour- Boroughs such as Westmin- In 2014, officers were de- for the arrest of Archie Gian Tolin “A 20-year-old man is now hood police to be visible in ster, Lambeth and Southwark ployed to incidents such as in the Philippines, and the Crown subject to an international arrest their communities, not pulled have been hardest hit by the pro-Palestinian protests and Offi ce want to see him face trial in warrant in connection with this off the beat to plug gaps in re-deployments. the hunt for 14-year-old Alice Australian singer Kylie Minogue poses on arrival at the NME Scotland. investigation and it would be in- other parts of London”. But a spokesman for Mayor Gross from Hanwell, who was music awards in London. In 2014 he was arrested and appropriate to comment further at She added that in recent Boris Johnson insisted he was later found murdered. bailed in the Philippines along this time.” Gulf Times 10 Friday, February 19, 2016 EUROPE

Blast at Turkish cultural centre in Stockholm An explosion damaged a Turkish cultural centre in a Stockholm suburb on Wednesday night, the police said, highlighting growing tensions with the local Kurdish community. Police said no one had been injured in the blast, which took place around 9.30pm (2030 GMT) in the southwestern Fittja neighbourhood, where a man was shot four days ago at a pro-Kurdish rally. Syrian Kurds blamed The explosion came the same day that 28 people were killed in a bomb attack in the capital of Turkey, which has been targeted by Islamist and Kurdish groups since it started fighting them in neighbouring Syria. Local media said the explosion hit the Turkish Cultural Association of Botkyrka, the name of the local municipality. “The windows were blown out and smoke was escaping from the premises,” police said in a statement, confirming that no one was hurt. The incident comes four days after a man was seriously wounded by for Ankara bombing gunshots on the sidelines of a pro-Kurdish rally in the same district of Fittja. The perpetrator has not been apprehended. AFP region of southeastern Turkey “held responsible” if such at- Davutoglu said 27 of the dead He told AFP that the group had Police off icial Lars Bystroem told public television on Wednesday that Ankara blamed on Kurdish militants, se- tacks continued. were military staff and one was a “never heard of this person Salih it had been a “mistake” to allow protesters to pass underneath the curity sources said. “This game of terror can come civilian. Necar”. windows of the Turkish association at a time of heightened tensions Prime Minister Ahmet Davu- back and hit them like a boomer- Reports said she was Gulsen Turkey considers both the PKK between the two communities. urkey has blamed Kurdish toglu and President Recep Tayyip ang,” he said. Yildiz, a journalist specialising in and YPG to be terrorist groups, in militants based inside the Erdogan both said the Ankara at- Erdogan said 14 people had agriculture. a rare rift with the United States Tcountry and in Syria for a tack was a joint operation of the been detained in nationwide Eighty-one people were which only classifi es the PKK as a In a bid to up the diplomatic northern Syria stretching from car bombing targeting a military outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ raids across Turkey and that the wounded, seven of whom are still terrorist outfi t and works closely pressure on world powers to the Iraqi border almost to the convoy in Ankara that killed 28 Party (PKK) in co-operation with number was likely to rise. in intensive care, the health min- with the YPG as an eff ective force condemn the YPG, ambassa- Mediterranean. people and risked a new escala- the Syrian Kurdish People’s Pro- The attack struck the heart of istry said. fi ghting Islamic State militants in dors from the fi ve permanent Ankara is concerned that the tion of the Syrian confl ict. tection Units (YPG). power in the Turkish capital in Hours after the attack, Tur- Syria. UN Security Council members Kurds will now take a “corridor” The massive bomb blast struck “It has with certainty been re- an area where the headquarters key’s air force launched new “This process will help our plus Germany were “invited” to east of the fl ashpoint border fi ve buses carrying military serv- vealed that this attack was car- of the army, the parliament and strikes on PKK targets in north- friends – who we could not con- the foreign ministry to receive a town of Azaz – currently still in ice personnel when it stopped at ried out by members of the ter- prime minister’s offi ces are in ern Iraq, acting on intelligence vince so far – better understand briefi ng on the bombing, an of- control of rebels – to link up two a traffi c light in the centre of the rorist organisation in Turkey in close proximity. that there were dozens of fi ghters how strong the links are between fi cial told AFP. Kurdish-held areas. capital on Wednesday evening. co-operation with a YPG mem- Pictures showed at least two including top rebel leaders in the the PYD and YPG in northern Hitting out at foreign support A monitoring group said at It was the latest in a string of ber who infi ltrated from Syria,” of the vehicles reduced to burnt- area, the army said. Syria with the PKK in Turkey,” of the YPG, Deputy Prime Min- least 500 rebels on Wednesday deadly strikes that have rocked Davutoglu told reporters. out wrecks, and the massive blast The YPG and its political wing said Erdogan. ister Yalcin Akdogan lashed out crossed the Turkish border head- Turkey since last summer and He said that the bomber was a was heard from all over the city, the Democratic Union Party Turkey has in the last months at the “hypocrisy of those who ing for Azaz. one of the deadliest assaults tar- Syrian national named Salih Ne- causing panic among locals. (PYD) deny being PKK branches waged an all-out assault on the send weapons to terrorist organi- “They want to help the insur- geting the military in the Nato car. Ankara was already on alert and argue they have no interest in PKK, which launched an insur- sations and message of condo- gents in the face of gains made member state in recent years. Davutoglu warned Russia – after 103 people were killed on attacking Turkey. gency against the Turkish state in lences to us”. by Kurdish forces in the north of Also yesterday, at least six sol- who Turkey accuses of actively October 10 in a double suicide PYD head Saleh Muslim re- 1984, fi ghting for greater auton- Turkey fears the Syrian Kurds the province,” the Britain-based diers were killed in an attack on backing the YPG in Syria’s civil bombing blamed on the Islamic jected any responsibility for the omy and rights for the country’s want to carve out an autono- Syrian Observatory for Human their convoy in the Diyarbakir war – that Moscow would be State (IS) militants. Ankara blast. largest ethnic minority. mous region across the border in Rights said.

Austria slammed over plans to cap asylum claims Night image of baby

AFP will have a friendly discussion,” migrant wins award Brussels Juncker told a news conference. Mikl-Leitner said her govern- ment had no choice but to in- AFP 2015 was a very harsh year on us, he EU told Austria yes- troduce the measures taking ef- Amsterdam Syrians, we lost many of those terday to reconsider its fect from today because Austria whom we love and those close to Tplans to limit asylum is among the EU countries most us.” claims which it warned would be under strain from the unprec- haunting black-and- “When I heard the news that I “plainly incompatible” with Eu- edented migrant infl ux and is white image of a refugee won, I felt like my work and ef- ropean Union laws. “reaching breaking point”. Apassing a baby under a forts had not gone to waste, at The clash came as European The move came a day after barbed wire fence won the pres- least I was able to send the mes- Union leaders meeting in Brus- Vienna said it would step up tigious World Press Photo Award sage of suff ering of my people to sels yesterday piled pressure on controls at existing checkpoints yesterday, highlighting Europe’s the world,” he said. Turkey to curb the fl ow of mi- along its southern frontier with worst migrant crisis since World AFP’s veteran lensman Rob- grants to Europe under a deal Italy, Slovenia and Hungary to War II. erto Schmidt won second prize, signed last year. curb the infl ux of migrants and Snapped by Australian free- Spot News stories, for dramatic European migration commis- refugees trekking up through the lance photographer Warren Ri- shots of the deadly avalanche on sioner Dimitris Avramopoulos Balkans. chardson, the picture titled Hope Mount Everest triggered by last complained in a letter to Austria’s The daily limit on asylum for a New Life captured the dra- April’s Nepal earthquake. Interior Minister Johanna Mikl- claims is broadly in line with ma of a border crossing between Turkey-based Bulent Kilic Leitner after she said Wednesday Austria’s announcement last Serbia and Hungary as more won third prize in the same cat- that the country would cap the month that it would only take in than a million people made their egory for his pictures of Syrian daily number of asylum claims 37,500 asylum-seekers this year way to Europe’s shores in 2015 – refugees on the Turkish border. at 80. – sharply down from the 90,000 nearly half of them fl eeing Syria’s This year’s competition drew “Such a policy would be plain- it accepted in 2015. brutal civil war. some 82,951 entries from 5,775 ly incompatible with Austria’s Since January, the country of “I am humbled by being photographers from 128 coun- obligations under European and nearly 9mn has already received awarded this prize. I never would tries. international law,” Avramopou- 11,000 asylum claims, or around have thought I’d be chosen,” said Judges called Richardson’s los said in a copy of the letter ob- 250 a day. This picture released yesterday by the World Press Photo, taken by Australian freelance photographer Richardson, 47, who originally grainy picture, taken in the dead tained by AFP. Separately the police chiefs of Warren Richardson on August 28, 2015 in Roszke, Hungary, shows a migrant passing a baby under a hails from Melbourne but now of night without a fl ash, “incred- Avramopoulos cited the Eu- Austria and four other countries barbed wire fence at the Hungarian-Serbian border. Titled Hope for a New Life, the picture won the lives in Budapest with his part- ibly powerful visually” and a ropean Convention on Human on the migrant route through prestigious World Press Photo Award yesterday, highlighting Europe’s worst migrant crisis since World ner and three-year-old son. “haunting image”. Rights, the Geneva Convention southeast Europe announced an War II. “This picture continuously Richardson had camped with and the Charter of Fundamental agreement yesterday for a joint make me think: ‘What if this a group of migrants for fi ve days Rights of the European Union. refugee registration point at the In Brussels, the EU added to Sea could make a diff erence. around 1,500 to 2,000 a day. was me? What if this was my on the border near Roszke in “Austria has a legal obligation Greek-Macedonian border. pressure on Ankara, as EU offi - The latest draft summit con- Under the action plan, the EU own son?’,” he told AFP in an Hungary when he snapped this to accept any asylum applica- Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, cials say thousands of migrants clusions, a copy of which was will give Turkey €3bn to aid refu- telephone interview. “I also see group as they slipped through tion that is made on its territory Slovenia and Austria will jointly are still crossing the Aegean daily obtained by AFP, calls for “the gees on its territory and Turkey hope. Hope for this man and his the boundary fence. or at its border,” the letter said. “I profi le and register migrants from Turkey after more than one full and speedy implementation” will crack down on people smug- child.” “We played cat-and-mouse would urge you to reconsider the from war-torn countries and million made the perilous jour- of the plan agreed by the EU and glers and co-operate with the EU Agence France-Presse scooped with the police the whole night,” unilateral measures which you then organise their “controlled ney last year in the continent’s Turkey in November last year de- on the return of people who do four awards including fi rst prize Richardson said. are proposing.” transport” through to Austria, worst such crisis since World spite some progress by Ankara. not qualify as refugees. for Syrian-based Sameer al- “It was around three o’clock European Commission Presi- Croatia’s police director Vlado War II. Central European countries Turkey will meanwhile get its Doumy in the Spot News stories in the morning and you can’t dent Jean-Claude Juncker also Dominic said. Netherlands Prime Minister said on Wednesday that they wish for the acceleration of its category, for his images taken use a fl ash while police are try- criticised the proposal. Sweden said it plans to house Mark Rutte, whose government would push for further border bid for membership of the EU, just after air strikes ravaged the ing to fi nd these people, because “As far as Austria is concerned nearly 1,800 migrants on a luxury holds the rotating presidency restrictions in Europe’s pass- with only one of 35 so-called city of Douma near Damascus. I would just have given them I have to say I don’t like this deci- cruise ship, as it struggles to cope of the EU, said he hoped Nato’s port-free Schengen zone unless “chapters” in the accession “I am very happy to have won away,” he said, adding he shot his sion, we are questioning whether with its share of the huge migrant announcement last week that it they see results from Turkey cut- process completed in a decade of this prize through which I hope picture using just the light of the it is within European law, and we infl ux into Europe. would start patrols in the Aegean ting from the present number of stop-start talks. I’m able to portray the truth of Moon. what’s happening in my country, Richardson told AFP that he Syria, to the outside world,” he was unsure whether the man Ukraine coalition said in reaction to the award. handing the baby through the His AFP Syrian colleague Abd fence from Serbia into Hungary loses majority Doumany won second prize in was in fact the child’s father, but Walesa a communist spy: secret police fi le the General News stories catego- hoped that the man could even- Ukraine’s pro-Western coalition, ry for his harrowing depiction of tually be traced. headed by Prime Minister Arseniy children killed and wounded in AFP photo director Francis AFP The IPN published a sum- General Czeslaw Kiszczak. the agent,” he said, adding that Yatseniuk, lost its legislative similar strikes over Douma. Kohn, who chaired this year’s Warsaw mary of its fi ndings on its web- He helped orchestrate a bru- some reports bore the “Bolek” majority in parliament yesterday Syria’s nearly fi ve-year war jury in Amsterdam, said that site. tal 1981 crackdown on the Soli- signature. when the Samopomich (Self- has claimed more than 260,000 Richardson’s picture “had such Walesa was quick to blast darity movement and died last Communist-era dissident Reliance) party declared it was lives, and al-Doumy added he power because of its simplicity, olidarity freedom hero the allegation in a social media year. Krzysztof Wyszkowski told pulling out. hoped he would soon not have to especially the symbolism of the Lech Walesa was a paid post yesterday, saying: “There Experts have consistently public broadcaster TVP yester- The party said it could no longer take “such painful photos” and barbed wire”. Ssecret agent who collab- cannot be any materials writ- raised doubts about the cred- day that he believed the secret be a part of an “oligarch coup that they would help “to encour- “We thought it had almost orated with Poland’s commu- ten by me.” ibility of communist-era secret police had roped Walesa into in parliament”, according to a age the world to really move to- everything in there to give a nist regime, according to new- The 72-year-old Nobel police fi les, arguing that they working with them, but quickly statement carried by state news wards ending this confl ict”. strong visual of what’s happen- ly-found documents revealed Peace laureate who as Solidar- could easily have been manu- dropped him when they real- agency Ukrinform. Doumany added: “The year ing with the refugees,” Kohn said. yesterday – triggering an angry ity leader in 1989 negotiated a factured to frame opposition ised that he was feeding them Yatseniuk told Ukrinform that he denial from the man himself. bloodless end to communism activists like Walesa. lies. “can only sympathise” with those Poland’s fi rst post-com- in Poland also vowed to prove But historian and former IPN “It’s not Lech Walesa who who have left the coalition. Erdogan’s son under probe in Italy munist president has long in- his innocence in court. chief Andrzej Paczkowski told quit working with the SB (se- Earlier this week President Petro sisted that such allegations are The allegations against reporters in Warsaw yesterday cret police); the SB dropped Poroshenko suggested that Italian prosecutors are investigating the son of Turkish President Recep “absurd” and a special vetting Walesa fi rst surfaced in 1992, that the new-found fi les could him because he was mak- Yatseniuk resign. Tayyip Erdogan for money laundering amid accusations he smuggled court cleared him in 2000. two years after he was elected put an end to the “Bolek” con- ing false reports,” said Wysz- Yatseniuk then narrowly survived large amounts of cash into the country, a judicial source told AFP But rumours persist that he president. troversy once and for all. kowski, a long-time Walesa a parliamentary motion for a vote yesterday. covertly fed the communist re- It was then that former in- “Up to now we’ve been in critic. of no confidence. A probe was launched into Bilal Erdogan after Italian authorities were gime information while leading terior minister and current possession of photocopies ... In January, Walesa had called On Wednesday, a party controlled petitioned by Turkish businessman Murat Hakan Uzan – an exiled the freedom-fi ghting Solidar- Defence Minister Antoni Ma- but if now we have the com- for a public debate at the IPN so by former prime minister Yulia political opponent of Erdogan – to investigate a purported “getaway ity, the Soviet bloc’s only inde- cierewicz published a list of plete fi le of original docu- that he could take on his crit- Tymoshenko – the Fatherland operation” from Turkey to Italy. pendent trade union. 60 suspected agents, including ments, the matter will fi nally ics face-to-face and clear his party – announced that it was Erdogan’s son moved to Bologna in August to complete his doctoral A newly-found secret po- Walesa as “Bolek”. and defi nitively be closed,” he name. exiting the ruling coalition. studies, but was accused by anti-government parties of fleeing his lice fi le contains “a collabora- Although Macierewicz and said. But he later called off the The departures leave homeland after being implicated in a corruption scandal. tion agreement signed by Lech Jaroslaw Kaczynski – the IPN chief Kaminski con- debate amid confl ict with the Poroshenko’s Solidarity party Bilal now lives in the north Italian city with his wife and two children. Walesa (codename) ‘Bolek’”, powerful head of the govern- fi rmed that there are 279 docu- IPN, which said he had refused and Yatseniuk’s People’s Front as The 35-year old was one of the main protagonists implicated in said Lukasz Kaminski, head of ing right-wing Law and Jus- ments in the fi le of an agent his critics the right to speak at the only two parties in the ruling corruption allegations that exploded in December 2013 against the the Institute of National Re- tice (PiS) party – worked with codenamed “Bolek”, dated the planned debate. coalition. president’s inner circle and were bitterly denied by Erdogan, then membrance (IPN) which pros- Walesa as dissidents during 1970-76. Poles have mixed feelings Poroshenko has become premier. ecutes Nazi and communist era the communist era, they be- Experts believe the docu- about Walesa. significantly unpopular as Leaked tapes emerged in February 2014 of Erdogan allegedly telling crime. came his sworn enemies during ments are authentic, but their His boldness in standing up Ukrainians increasingly believe Bilal to dispose of some €30mn ($37mn) in cash. Apparently dating from the Walesa’s presidency. contents still must be fully ex- to the communist regime is that he has failed to fulfil the goals Erdogan has dismissed the recordings as a “vile montage”. 1970s, the documents also The new-found documents amined, he added. still widely respected, but the of a protest movement that swept Uzan’s petition stated that Bilal flew into Italy with a “large sum of contain payment receipts are from a cache the IPN re- “There are many reports combative and divisive tone of him to power two years ago, money” and a team of armed bodyguards who were denied entry signed by “Bolek”, Kaminski cently seized from the home of and records of meetings be- his later presidency earned him US-based pollster Gallup said in before swiftly being assigned Turkish diplomatic passports, according told reporters yesterday. the widow of Communist-era tween secret policemen and scorn from many quarters. December. to Italian media reports. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 11 INDIA Goa’s oysters have high cadmium traces, say scientists

IANS genic and teratogenic (ability to in some instances up to fi ve times levels from 3.2mg per kg up to a from Panaji, and other villages of plankton, while automatically ing carried out by Chakraborty’s Panaji impede development of an em- the permissible level, in oysters dangerous 11.8mg per kg. in the vicinity, the oyster’s sta- draining out the rest of the water. team on the same subject could bryo or foetus) and has a ten- harvested at the Zuari river mouth, “Our study shows that cad- tus as an item of culinary fetish “Such unstable cadmium hold some hope. dency to accumulate in lungs one of the most popular sources of mium levels in oysters sam- is clearly in peril. complexes have higher bio- The scientist said his research races of cadmium, a and kidneys over time. There- salt-water oysters, which are re- ples sourced from the Zuari According to Chakraborty, availability, which in turn makes team is in the process of estab- chemical found in car bat- fore, its presence in the popu- garded as a local delicacy. bay are between 3.2mg per kg the accumulation of cadmium it more possible to accumu- lishing whether there is a par- Tteries and used in nuclear larly consumed shellfi sh could While the acceptable level of to 11.8mg per kg,” Parthasarthi in oyster fl esh is directly linked late in the fl esh of the oysters,” ticular time of year when oysters fi ssion processes, are showing have ominous repercussions for cadmium according to the US Chakraborty, a lead researcher at to bio-availability. Oysters like Chakraborty said, adding that sourced from the Zuari bay could up in edible salt-water oysters in oyster lovers. government regulations is 2mg NIO, said. other shellfi sh have unique fi l- the NIO research team was yet be safe to eat and whether the Goa, a tourism-oriented coastal Research conducted by the per kg in oysters, samples col- Given the level of cadmium ter-feeding ability, in the sense to establish the exact source of cadmium content in oysters var- state known for its beaches as Goa-based National Institute of lected by a research team of the found in the shellfi sh sourced it takes in water through its gills, cadmium found in the oyster ies with seasonal changes. much as its seafood. Oceanography (NIO) has found an central government-run re- from Chicalim village near the which then fi lters it for nutri- samples studied by them. “We are awaiting the results of Cadmium is toxic, carcino- alarmingly high level of cadmium, search institute shows varying Zuari river mouth, located 25km ents like suspended fragments But the next bit of research be- the study,” the scientist said. Make in India gets pledges of $222bn in investments

Agencies have signed many memoranda Mumbai of understanding with several companies across sectors to the tune of Rs8 lakh crore during the week-long “Make in In- Make In India week,” he said. dia” fair closed yesterday The Maharashtra government Awith $222bn in invest- has signed pacts worth Rs6tn, ment pledges, but thin attend- which included large commit- ance by foreign fi rms at the event ments from Mahindra and Mahin- launched by Prime Minister dra (Rs80bn), Mercedes (Rs42bn), Narendra Modi means many are Panchshil (Rs50bn), JSW Jaigarh unlikely to actually happen. Port (Rs60bn) and RCF Chemicals The Mumbai jamboree was (Rs62bn), among others. the biggest in India, but earlier The event saw many corporate events such as the “Vibrant Gu- houses announce their plans to jarat” launched by Modi when make in India, notably, Mahindra he the chief minister of the state and Mahindra, the Sajjan Jindal have only seen 13% of deals im- Group, Mercedez-Benz, Godrej, A demonstrator waves the Indian national flag as she takes part in a protest demanding the release of Kanhaiya Kumar, a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student union plemented, according to inde- Posco, Vedanta, Ikea and Tatas. leader accused of sedition, in New Delhi yesterday. pendent research. Several central ministers made Amitabh Kant, Secretary of their pitch for investments at India’s Department of Industrial the event, with Power Minister Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Piyush Goyal saying his sector told reporters investment com- needed $1tn. mitments had reached Rs15.2tn Research commissioned by the ($222bn). free-market Friedrich Naumann The commitments fell some and Cato institutes has found the way short of the Rs25tn an- rate of conversion of such pledges Universities told to fl y nounced at the three-day Vi- into real investments in India has brant Gujarat event a year ago. typically been far lower - with no Kant said he expected 80- state exceeding 20%. 85% of the pledges to convert Among investments signed in into serious business, much of the last seven days were a com- it from foreign investors. It can mitment by Oracle Corp for take 18 months to three years for $400mn to set up nine business fl ag amid sedition row a memorandum of understand- incubation centres. ing to yield a fi nal investment, he Though some participants Over 5,000 people marched anonymity, adding that the dump them in jails,” protester Staff at the university have and harass those with divergent added. lauded the event, several com- through the centre of New directive, issued to 20 leading Avik Devdas said. condemned his arrest. Many opinions”. “This was the biggest multi- plained about a lack of foreign Delhi in one of the biggest public universities, was not a Yesterday’s protest march went on strike this week in pro- Sedition carries a maximum sectoral event ever done across involvement. student protests in the binding order. came a day after Kumar was at- test at what some said was an penalty of life imprisonment al- Asia,” he told a briefi ng, describ- “The response is overwhelm- country It came as an estimated tacked by rightwing lawyers as attempt to defame JNU. though convictions are rare. ing the event as a success. ing, but mostly from Indians. 5,000 people, chanting “release he was escorted into a hearing There were also some counter But police have defended “Maharashtra will become the There are Indians everywhere. AFP Kanhaiya Kumar” and “down by police, prompting an inter- marches by the student wing of their actions and say they are gateway of India,” he said. Usually in Germany, in events New Delhi with state terrorism”, marched vention by the Supreme Court the ruling Bharatiya Janata Par- still searching for other JNU Maharashtra Chief Minis- like these, stalls are thronged by through the centre of New Delhi which had ordered police to en- ty (BJP), which the opposition students who they say chanted ter Devendra Fadnavis said over foreigners,” said Ingo Eibbeck, a in one of the biggest student sure his safety. Congress Party has accused of anti-India slogans at last week’s half of the investment commit- representative of German manu- ndia’s government yester- protests India has seen in years. Journalists covering his case orchestrating the violence. rally. ments were for his state. “We facturer Schneider International. day told top public universi- Police arrested the 28-year- have been attacked and a panel And in Chennai police ar- It was held to mark the 2013 Ities to fl y the country’s fl ag old head of the JNU student of Supreme Court lawyers sent rested Kovan, a folk singer, and hanging of Kashmiri separatist on campus to promote national union last Friday over a rally at to investigate were heckled, with 47 members of a leftwing stu- Mohamed Afzal Guru over a Groom dies from celebratory gunfire unity, as thousands protested in which anti-India slogans were one describing an “atmosphere dent group for staging a protest deadly 2001 attack on the In- the capital’s streets against the chanted. of terror” in the lower court. in front of a state government dian parliament. A groom was hit and killed by off icer in Sitapur district where arrest of a student for sedition. Kumar denies he was among Kumar was remanded in cus- building. A second scholar, the former a bullet apparently fired by the incident occurred, said. The The university at the centre those chanting the slogans and tody until March 2, but his law- Yesterday Congress vice- Delhi University professor S celebrating members of his off icer said the groom, who fell of the storm, Jawaharlal Nehru has apparently condemned the yers have asked the Supreme president Rahul Gandhi met A R Geelani, was arrested on wedding party in Uttar Pradesh, a from his horse after being hit, University (JNU), was among incident in a letter released by Court to intervene and release President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday on the same charge in police off icer said yesterday. Amit was taken to hospital in the state those directed to “fl y the tri- police. him on bail. That case will be to express concern, saying the connection with another event Rastogi, 28, was fatally struck late capital Lucknow where doctors colour on a high mast”, said an But he had publicly criticised heard today. scenes in court were an “aff ront marking Guru’s death. Wednesday while leading the party declared him dead. Although offi cial at the human resource rightwing nationalism, and many Students in several other cit- to the democratic ideals of this Protests against Guru’s exe- to his bride’s house. “He was hit by outlawed in India, celebratory development ministry, which of the protesters saw his arrest as ies including Chennai, Kolkata country”. cution have regularly been held a bullet in the head apparently fired firing at weddings and other includes education. an attempt to stifl e dissent. and Bengaluru also held pro- Rights group Amnesty Inter- in Kashmir, where many believe by someone from the marriage events is common in the country, “The fl ag will symbolise the “We are today standing for tests yesterday in solidarity national has called for Kumar’s he was not given a fair trial. party but we are looking at other across South Asia and in other unity of the nation under which human rights and freedom of with Kumar and JNU, which has immediate release, accusing the Guru always denied plotting the angles, including murder,” Uma regions, although fatalities are our education system can fl our- speech. The government can’t a long history of leftwing activ- government of using the Brit- attack, which was carried out by Shankar Singh, the investigating relatively few. ish,” she said on condition of dub people anti-national and ism. ish-era sedition law to “silence Kashmiri militants. Farmers to get benefi ts Rafale deal stuck of ‘Digital India’: PM on price: Parrikar IANS limit the time frame,” he said. New Delhi Asked about a time frame, IANS farmers, Modi said the national month, will be a panacea for all Parrikar said it may take a “few Bhopal agricultural market will provide a problems faced by the farmers. months”, but quickly added he platform so that the farmers get the “Farmers did not believe in the rice was the only issue did not want to put a “restric- maximum price for their produce. crop insurance policies of the pre- left to be negotiated in tion on the timeline”. rime Minister Narendra He said the prices of various vious United Progressive Alliance Pthe Rafale fi ghter jet deal “Price is the only issue left Modi yesterday said the farm produce varied in diff erent government. It is the main reason with France, Defence Minister now,” he said, adding that an Pgovernment aimed to pro- markets in the country but the that not even 20% farmers in the Manohar Parrikar said yester- agreement on 50% off sets has vide the benefi ts of the ‘Digital farmers sold their yield at the country opted for crop insurance. day. been reached. India’ initiative to the country’s nearest available market. We have now come up with this “Price is the problem which India signed an inter-gov- farmers, for which a virtual plat- This resulted in unremunera- scheme keeping in mind the lack has to be resolved. We have ernmental pact with France to form of a national agricultural tive prices to the farmers, which of interest among farmers,” resolved all other issues,” the buy 36 Rafale fi ghters but the market is in the works. was sought to be redressed by Taking a dig at the previous minister told India Today TV price negotiations are still on. Plans were also underway to the virtual platform of national UPA government, the prime min- channel. France is said to have quoted connect 550 farmer markets in agricultural market, Modi said. ister said the earlier insurance Asked about the agreement around $9bn for the 36 jets. the country through the use of The prime minister said the schemes benefi ted the companies signed during French Presi- The deal will include two technology, Modi said while for- ‘Digital India’ initiative would also and not farmers. He said the new dent Francois Hollande’s visit types of missiles and bombs, mally launching the ‘Pradhan help the farmers by giving them crop insurance scheme will defi - to India, the defence minister training of pilots and base fa- Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’ at a access to information on the best nitely benefi t the farmers. said: “It is valid and meaning- cilities for the planes. farmers’ rally in Sherpur in Si- price off ered for farm produce on Modi honoured Madhya Pradesh ful to the extent that the pro- The defence minister also hore district of Madhya Pradesh. their mobile phones in an instant. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh cedure has been laid. said he was “hurt” by the US Giving details of the pro- He said that the Prime Min- Chouhan with ‘Krishi Karman’ “If I am buying something, decision to sell F-16 jets to Pa- grammes and schemes launched ister’s Crop Insurance Scheme, award. Modi was also felicitated on Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a farmers’ rally in Sherpur in I cannot hurry on the price; kistan, a move which India has by the central government for the launched by the government last behalf of the state’s farmers. Sihore district of Madhya Pradesh yesterday. the agreement also does not vocally opposed. Gulf Times 12 Friday, February 19, 2016 INDIA

EVENTS TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY APPEAL MYSTERY Prophet Muhammad Seafood firm launches Delhi Street Food Bikers to shed Maid found hanging seminar in Hyderabad app for home delivery Festival starts today leather jackets in employer’s flat

An international seminar on the life and ways of A leading seafood exporter in Kerala has From mouth-watering street foods like aaloo Bikes are cool, leather riding jackets are not. A 17-year-old girl, working as a domestic Prophet Muhammad will be held in Hyderabad launched a smartphone app for those who tikkis and golgappas to kebabs of the city’s old That’s the message PETA is trying to send help, was yesterday found hanging at her from February 21 to 23. Eminent Islamic scholars want doorstep deliveries. For home deliveries, quarters, along with migrant dishes like momos across at the India Bike Week, which kicks employer’s flat in Gurgaon, police said. from across the country and also from countries people can either place online orders at www. and noodles, dal batti and littis, dosas and the off in Goa today. Women bikers along with Khushboo, daughter of Sulendra and who like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and dailyfish.in or by downloading the Daily Fish bhelpuri will an integral part of the three-day representatives of the People for the Ethical hailed from Nalanda in Bihar, was found dead Bangladesh will participate in the three-day India app, Baby Marine Group (BMG) said in Delhi Street Food Festival that begins in the Treatment of Animals (PETA) will be doling out in the servant’s room of the flat in Magnolia seminar. All India Muslim Personal Law Board Kochi yesterday. The company has been in the national capital today. “There will be around free helmet stickers, bike tail flags, anti-leather Apartments in Sector 42. Police off icer president Maulana Syed Mohamed Rabey Nadwi seafood business for four decades with their 50 street food vendors from all over the city buttons and literature asking riders to “Ride Kailash Kumar said prima facie it seemed will inaugurate the seminar being organised products reaching across the globe. Alex K selling a vast variety of food,” Sangeeta Singh Without Hide” and show some compassion Khushboo committed suicide but it was not by Al Mahadul Aali Al Islami (Institute for Thomas, managing director and CEO of Baby of the National Association of Street Vendors of for animals. “Bikers are in a position to make clear why. The girl’s family had been living in research and specialisation in Islamic sciences), Marine Seafood, said they have had a huge India (NASVI) said. It comes on the heels of the a diff erence for animals and the environment Sikanderpur area on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Hyderabad. Maulana Mohamed Khaled Saifullah response to this concept and hence decided to National Street Food Festival held last year. Its every time they choose to leave leather out of road for the last decade. Police said she was Rahmani, who heads the institute, told reporters take it forward. “We began today in Kochi and popularity has encouraged NASVI to take the their passion for riding,” said PETA India Youth working at her employer’s house for about that Telangana Deputy Chief Minister A in four months we will reach other major cities event to Bengaluru and Mumbai by the end of Outreach Adviser and biker Neha Singh, who is a year. No suicide note was found, the police Mahmood Ali will also address the event. of Kerala,” said Thomas. the year. co-ordinating the campaign. off icer added. Survey sees LDF victory as scandals hit the UDF People wait in front of the off ice of Ringing Bell to buy its newly launched Freedom 251 smartphone yesterday. C-fore survey predicts BJP will (Marxist) strongman Pinarayi Vi- believe it will fi nally open its ac- open account jayan, who is also in the race. count this time. LDF leaders said they expect a While it could garner only By Ashraf Padanna bigger win while others dismissed 6.06% votes in the 2006 elec- Gulf Times Correspondent the survey as premature saying tions, its vote share rose to 10.33% Thiruvananthapuram the agency had miserably failed in in the 2014 parliamentary elec- gauging the mood in the past. tions, when it established a lead Website crashes amid huge In the 2011 elections in which in four assembly segments in the erala’s opposition Left the UDF scraped through by state capital, and 13.28% in the Democratic Front (LDF) of just two seats, the C-fore for the civic polls last year. Kcommunist will return to Asianet on March 9, 2011, pre- Though the UDF had estab- power if elections were held now, dicted 77 to 87 seats for the UDF, lished a lead in 80 assembly seg- demand for $4 smartphone an opinion poll has suggested. 53 to 63 seats for the LDF and 0 to ments in the 2014 elections, The state will hold assembly 5 seats for the BJP. against the LDF’s 56, the vote Agencies initiatives such as ‘Make in In- ing in front of the offi ce were such as a reseller agreement.” elections later this year. In the second round survey, on share diff erence between the New Delhi dia’ and ‘Clean India’. angry for not being able to get Several attempts to speak to The survey with some 15,000 March 31, the UDF improved its domineering fronts narrowed “Let us see what can we do to their hands on the cheap hand- senior Ringing Bell executives samples from half of the state’s tally to 80 to 90. Some others even down to 0.13% in the civic polls bring about a real liberation of set. on this controversy went in vain. 140 constituencies conducted by gave the UDF up to 102 seats. when the CPM-led front swept ndian phone maker Ringing Freedom to all our brothers and “The smartphone is for farm- India is Asia’s fastest grow- the Centre for Forecasting and In the post-poll/exit-poll most of the villages. Bells launched a $4 smart- sisters,” he said in a speech, re- ers and fi shermen but how can ing smartphone market with Research (C-fore) for Asianet tel- studies also, most of the research The two now rule an equal Iphone yesterday, with huge ferring to the name of the new they expect them to register on- 103.6mn smartphones sold in evision early this month gives the agencies failed to get their num- number of districts but the LDF customer demand promptly phone to make a play on words. line? Neither of us has Internet 2015. Most Indians still buy communists 77 to 82 seats win- bers right. has a slight advantage in cities. crashing the little-known com- In its notice to customers the access nor do we know how to cheap smartphones that cost ning 41% of the popular votes. The C-fore predicted 72 to 82 Kerala goes to polls in April or pany’s website hours after the company said it was receiving operate a computer. We cannot less than $200. The ruling United Democratic seats for the UDF, 58 to 68 for the early May along with West Ben- phone went on sale. 600,000 hits per second on its order it online so we are here for Although the company didn’t Front (UDF) government led by LDF and up to two seats for the gal, Assam and Tamil Nadu. The Freedom 251 was unveiled website, although it did not say a unit or two,” a local resident discuss the economics behind the Congress Party will get only the BJP after the votes were cast. The LDF hopes the scandals in- a day ahead of the launch and is how many of those hits convert- said. the operation, analysts ques- 37% votes and 55 to 66 seats as Chandy came back to power af- volving UDF ministers will help it being sold for Rs251 ($3.66) - a ed to real orders. Another local resident said tioned the business model. the respondents were concerned ter a gap of fi ve years with 72 seats while the Congress-led front ex- price that sceptics said was far For comparison, Google he was willing to pay double the “It looks like it’s highly sub- by corruption and sleaze charges, against the LDF’s 68 while the BJP pects its development initiatives lower than what its components processes an estimated 40,000 announced price for the smart- sidised by the company and it’s the survey says. repeated its history of drawing a creating thousands of jobs will would cost. search requests per second. phone but complained that no not clear how they plan to sus- Only 14% of those interviewed blank in every assembly and par- help retain power. The smartphone went on sale There was utter chaos at the one from the company was pay- tain this,” said Tarun Pathak, said they would vote on the de- liamentary elections in Kerala. Analysts say qualifi cations, in the morning but the com- company’s head offi ce yester- ing any heed to him. an analyst with Counterpoint velopment initiatives, in which But the BJP’s vote share has clean image and track records of pany later stopped accepting day. Earlier, the photos of the Technology Research. the present government has made been on the rise since and many candidates hold the key. orders after its website crashed. There were also reports of smartphone in newspaper ad- Previous attempts at frugal unprecedented achievements, but “We humbly submit that we are copyright infringements. vertisements released by the engineering in India have not half of them believe corruption is At 92, VS ready for another poll battle therefore taking a pause,” it said The scene at the head of- fi rm showed that all the icons of been very successful. the biggest issue before the vot- in an apology to customers. fi ce was somewhat chaotic as a the built-in app were almost a In 2008, the government an- ers. Marxist leader and former Kerala election in 1967. He faced a shock Ringing Bells, based in the crowd of nearly 100 people, in- replica of Apple’s iOS icons. nounced a $10 laptop that ended The survey also says the chief minister V S Achuthanandan defeat in 1996, attributed to Delhi satellite city of Noida, cluding locals, was screaming to According to the information up costing over $100 before it Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime said yesterday he was ready to infighting in his party. A hugely was set up only last year and the be given the smartphone. Some available on Apple website, “You made it to market. A $20 An- Minister Narendra Modi will open contest assembly elections due popular leader, he was the chief launch event for the new phone even off ered to pay double the may not use the Apple Logo or droid tablet sold by local com- its account this time with 18% later this year. “Yes, I will contest minister from 2006 to 11 and has on Wednesday night was at- price for booking one. any other Apple-owned graphic pany Datawind through a gov- votes and three to fi ve seats. if the party wants me to contest,” been the opposition leader since tended by a senior leader from Company offi cials did not symbol, logo, or icon on or in ernment subsidy scheme failed A whopping 73% of respond- the 92-year-old Communist Party 2011. If the Left wins the assembly Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s come out and the access points connection with websites, prod- to capture signifi cant market ents wanted 93-year-old opposi- of India (Marxist) veteran told elections, Achuthanandan may party. were locked from inside. De- ucts, packaging, manuals, pro- share. tion leader V S Achuthanandan to reporters in New Delhi. A six-time be pitted against Pinarayi Vijayan, Company president Ashok spite several attempts, no access motional/advertising materials, First deliveries of the Free- contest the elections. But the sur- legislator, Achuthanandan - now another Marxist leader who is Kumar Chadha said the Android was allowed to any company of- or for any other purpose except dom 251 phone are not expected vey is silent on the popularity of the leader of the opposition in the also a contender for the chief smartphone would have pre- fi cial. pursuant to an express written before the middle of the year, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy assembly - won his first assembly minister’s post. installed apps that tie into Modi Hundreds of people crowd- trademark license from Apple, according to Ringing Bells. and Communist Party of India

Digest of progress Losses mount as protests Summons issued to by Jats spread in Haryana Hanuman over temple AFP A local offi cial in Rohtas said Patna the summons had been errone- IANS Bhiwani, Kaithal and Jind dis- Sampla road, Rohtak-Panipat ously addressed to Hanuman, Chandigarh tricts. The Rohtak-Delhi railway road, Rohtak-Bhiwani and other and would be soon corrected. track has also been blocked. No roads were blocked by protesters court has served a Hindu “The summons was meant for state roadways buses are able to at several places. god with a summons for the temple management and not rotests by members of the leave or reach Rohtak town. Paramilitary forces have been Aillegally encroaching on the god,” Hashim Khan, Rohtas Jat community in support People in Rohtak faced incon- deployed in and around Rohtak government land in eastern In- deputy development commis- Pof their demand for reser- venience as essential supplies to and other districts. dia after a roadside temple was sioner, said. vation continued to aff ect life in the town were disrupted. Stu- “Loss to the railways due to the built in his honour, offi cials said Encroachment of public land various districts of Haryana for dents were unable to attend class- cancellation of over 25 trains and yesterday. is rampant in India, including the fi fth day yesterday. es due to blockades. Some schools diversion of others can run into Photos in local media showed by religious groups who con- As the protests spread to a more and colleges have been shut since several crores of rupees daily,” a the summons, addressed to Lord struct temples, shrines and areas, losses continued to mount Monday. Even the road in front of senior railway offi cial of Ambala Hanuman, pasted on an idol of other places of worship on pub- for the railways, roadways, trans- Maharishi Dayanand University’s division said. the monkey god, worshipped for lic walkways, roads and vacant porters and other private opera- main gate in Rohtak was blocked The protesters in Hisar district his courage and strength, at the land. tors due to road and rail block- by Jat protesters. blocked the NH-10 (Delhi-Hisar) temple in Bihar state. On February 1, a lawyer in the ades. “At several places, the protest- and the Hisar-Chandigarh high- “The summons was issued af- Bihar’s Sitamarhi district com- The Jats are demanding res- ers blocked highways and roads by way. Commuting to Bhiwani, ter the public works department plained against Lord Ram and his ervation in jobs and educational parking trucks and other vehicles Fatehabad, Ludhiana and Chan- fi led a case against the temple for brother Laxman. institutions. and putting up make-shift barri- digarh has become diffi cult for encroaching on the road,” a court Chief Judicial Magistrate Rash Talks between Jat leaders and cades of cut trees and big stones. people. Students of the Jat Col- offi cial in Rohtas district, who Bihari rejected the case as ‘not Haryana Chief Minister Manohar It seems the Haryana government lege in Hisar have blocked the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley releases India 2016, the refused to be named, said. maintainable’ and ‘beyond logic Lal Khattar on Wednesday failed and police are mere mute specta- Matka chowk area in Hisar town, annual digest of the country’s progress in diff erent The department petitioned and facts’ as the petition that to resolve the deadlock. tors as people continue to suff er,” 240km from Chandigarh. fields, published by the government, at an event in New the local magistrate’s court to sought the registration of a case Road and rail routes were Rohtas Kumar, a college student They have blocked railway lines Delhi yesterday. The digest contains vital information on have the temple removed for ob- against Lord Ram and his brother blocked around Rohtak town, in Rohtak, said. in the area also, including the various projects and progress India is making in various structing traffi c, but local Hindu Laxman for banishing Sita into 75km from Delhi, and at other The Rohtak-Jhajjar road, Ro- Hisar-Bhiwani and Hisar-Ludhi- fields, the minister said. groups have protested against exile ‘without proper justifi ca- places in Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar, htak-Sonipat highway, Rohtak- ana tracks. the legal action. tion”. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 13 LATIN AMERICA

DECISION PEACE COMMENT CRIME ECONOMY Venezuela opens graft Colombia, UN create fund to Zika-linked birth defect Dismembered bodies Mexico unveils probe against UN envoy help implement Farc deal forecast too high: Bogota found in Colombian jails surprise rate hike

Venezuela’s opposition-run legislature opened Colombia’s government and the United Colombia, seen as a key test case for the impacts Remains of at least 100 dismembered prisoners Mexico launched an assault on speculators who an investigation into UN envoy Rafael Ramirez, a Nations have set up a multilateral fund to of a Zika outbreak, is reconsidering its own forecast and visitors have been found in drain pipes at have battered the local peso by unleashing a former head of state oil giant PDVSA, for alleged help implement a possible peace deal with of babies likely to be born with a rare birth defect a jail in Colombia’s capital that houses drug surprise interest rate hike, a new intervention ties to at least five corruption cases involving Farc rebels to end decades of bloodshed. linked to the mosquito-borne virus, indicating that traff ickers, Marxist rebels and paramilitaries, policy and budget cuts. Mexico’s peso surged billions of dollars. “We have off icially opened With $8mn in starter funding, it will be run it may be too high. In an interview, Health Minister investigators said. Body parts were found at nearly 3% after the central bank off ered dollars a probe of Rafael Ramirez” in the National by the Colombian government, the United Alejandro Gaviria suggested the Andean nation La Modelo jail in Bogota, one of the Andean directly to banks, and then unexpectedly raised Assembly, said accounts auditing committee Nations, Colombian private sector and may revise downward its projection of 500 to 600 nation’s biggest penitentiaries, as well as in its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to chair Freddy Guevara, referring to graft cases at civilian partners and international supporters, cases of Zika-linked microcephaly, as the condition, jails in the cities of Popayan, Bucaramanga and 3.75%. It was the first time it has moved without home and abroad. Ramirez led PDVSA for almost President Juan Manuel Santos’ office said. Six marked by an abnormally small head, has not yet Barranquilla, said Caterina Heyck, an investigator advising the market the board was meeting a decade until 2014, placed there by late socialist million dollars of the initial funding is from shown up in fetal ultrasounds. “We’re doubting at the attorney general’s off ice. “The number of since introducing a reference rate in 2008. The president Hugo Chavez as one of his right-hand Sweden. Colombia’s biggest rebel force, the that figure. We’re analysing what’s happening victims is unknown, but we know it’s over 100 finance ministry also announced cuts to the 2016 men. Chavez was in power from 1999-2013. The now 7,000-strong Farc, has been fighting the in Brazil, but between when we released the and could be considerably higher,” she said budget in a bid to shore up confidence in Mexico’s opposition’s majority in the assembly means it is government in Bogota for five decades. Peace estimate and now we haven’t found a single case of in Bogota. “Remains of prisoners, visitors and economy following a collapse in oil prices that able to remove top government off icials. talks are under way in Havana. microcephaly,” Gaviria said. others were thrown in the drainage system.” hobbled government revenue from crude sales. Drought ends Brazil workers protest in Sao Paulo but future still uncertain

Reuters to halt some factories in 2014 due Sao Paulo to low river levels. Rationing in in- terior Sao Paulo forced the world’s largest beef producer, JBS SA, to ater levels at the main furlough 800 workers. reservoir in Brazil’s Rains brought relief late last Wlargest city of Sao year and water in Sao Paulo’s Paulo have more than doubled largest reservoir, Cantareira, since the El Niño climate phe- which provides for nearly 6mn nomenon ended a two-year people, rose above pump level for drought, although industrialists the fi rst time in a year-and-a- and activists warn fresh short- half. Sabesp therefore no longer ages may be just a matter of time. has to rely on muddy technical Suffi cient rains since late last reserves to supply South Amer- year have eliminated fears of im- ica’s business hub. minent water rationing but com- Restrictions on irrigation were Unionists and workers of Nissan Brazil, supported by the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) and IndustriALL Global Union, demonstrate against the company panies and activists say Brazil’s lifted in November and record outside the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (COI) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. The demonstrators lodged a formal complaint before most populous region missed an sugarcane and coff ee crops in the the COI against Nissan, which is sponsoring the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and which they accuse of not respecting the workers’ right worldwide. opportunity to shield the popu- southeast are forecast this year. lation from future droughts by With above-average rainfall curbing consumption and im- in January, water levels in Can- proving effi ciency. tareira have more than doubled The epic drought caused panic from 20% capacity on December in South America’s largest city. 1 to 48.6% yesterday. Crimped farm and factory out- But the state that accounts for put threatened an ailing econ- one-third of Brazil’s economy omy while residents hoarding remains vulnerable to a new rain water in canisters spurred crisis because of several fac- an outbreak of mosquito-borne tors. Water or energy rationing dengue and possibly the more is considered a long-term risk in Obama announces recent scare of Zika. a country that relies mostly on Utility Sabesp, owned by Sao hydro-power for electricity. Paulo state, is piping in wa- Sao Paulo, a metropolitan area ter from other reservoirs and is of 20mn people, was criticised keeping pump pressure low in the by UN experts for losing 31% morning, leaving some residents of its treated water to leaks and with dry taps. It also is consid- theft, compared to an average ering higher fees for industry to 16% in the US. That is still below historic visit to Cuba fund infrastructure investments. the 40% national average in Bra- But industries, which use 30% zil. Home to the world’s largest Reuters the March 21 and 22 visit, the human rights in Cuba, it has from Florida, but wants to pres- painter. “These are two coun- of Sao Paulo’s water, are turning fresh water supply, Brazil has not Washington/Havana White House said. First lady already made significant sure the US Congress to remove tries who have confronted each to private wells, recycling water previously had much reason for Michelle Obama will join him progress in renewing relation- the longstanding trade embargo other for fi fty something years, and capturing rainwater to avoid conservation. on the trip. ships. with Cuba. and on this occasion the visit relying on the network, according Now, climate experts say S President Barack “Next month, I’ll travel to “We still have diff erences The Havana visit will reso- of the US president to Cuba is to Anicia Pio, head of Sao Paulo droughts and other extreme Obama yesterday an- Cuba to advance our progress with the Cuban government nate in the campaign for the reason for happiness and rejoic- state industry association Fiesp’s weather are more likely because Unounced a historic visit and eff orts that can improve that I will raise directly. Amer- November 8 US presidential ing,” he said. environmental department. of climate change, pollution and to Cuba next month, the fi rst US the lives of the Cuban people,” ica will always stand for hu- election. Two candidates in “We are going to give him a “Industry works on the mid- to deforestation of Brazil’s Atlantic presidential trip to the country Obama wrote on Twitter. man rights around the world,” the Republican race, Ted Cruz box of Habanos,” for a real taste long-term ... We do not believe and Amazon rain forests. in nearly 90 years and a dramat- After decades of animosity, Obama said. and Marco Rubio, are con- of Cuba, said Luis Fernandez, a (Sabesp’s) actions are suffi cient to “We need to prepare ourselves ic symbol of the thaw in hostili- the two nations made a surprise Obama had previously said servative sons of Cuban im- retired cigar roller, referring to a achieve water security,” she said. for more drastic situations,” said ties between the former Cold announcement in December he would visit the neighbouring migrants and have criticised Cuban cigar brand. “This is cyclical. It happened in Samuel Barreto, manager of wa- War foes. 2014 that they would move to Communist-ruled nation if he Obama for renewing ties with Obama will also travel to Ar- 2004, it happened in 2014. We ter strategy at the non-profi t Obama, now in his fi nal year reopen ties, a diplomatic feat were able to meet with political Cuba. gentina on March 23-24 to meet don’t have a crystal ball to know The Nature Conservancy in Sao in offi ce, will meet with Cuban that is a highlight of Obama’s dissidents. But news of the trip was new President Mauricio Macri when it might happen again.” Paulo. “We must learn to use President Raul Castro, entre- presidential legacy. His administration has taken praised in Havana. to discuss his reforms and hu- Chemical fi rm Rhodia, control- water in a more rational, intel- preneurs, and “Cubans from Obama said that while the steps to expand commerce with “Peace reigns in this hemi- man rights, the White House led by Belgium’s Solvay, was forced ligent way.” diff erent walks of life” during US still has concerns about the island nation, only 145kms sphere,” said Jorge Felix, a home said.

Bolivia tragedy Rousseff bolstered Venezuela gasoline by allied whip victory

Reuters the survival of the country’s prices rise 6,000% most unpopular president in Brasilia three decades. AFP tests in a volatile country where from 6.3 to 10 bolivars to the The victory helped soften a Caracas citizens are struggling with dollar. resident Dilma Rouss- new blow to Rousseff ’s cred- soaring infl ation and shortages Under the other new rate the eff ’s main coalition part- ibility. Standard & Poor’s on of basic goods such as cooking bolivar will be allowed to fl oat Pner, the fractious Bra- Wednesday downgraded Bra- enezuela’s President oil and toilet paper. freely on the open market. That zilian Democratic Movement zil’s credit rating deeper into Nicolas Maduro has A similar gasoline price hike in prompted scepticism from some Party (PDMB), has re-elected a junk territory due to its failure Vramped up gasoline pric- 1989 sparked deadly riots. analysts. key ally of hers as its leader in to plug a growing fi scal defi cit. es for the fi rst time in two dec- “This is a necessary action, for “The key to the new system will the lower house of Congress, Rousseff ’s opponents want ades, from $0.01 to $0.60 per which I take responsibility,” Ma- be to see how many dollars get enhancing her chances of to impeach her for allegedly litre, and devalued the bolivar duro said in a televised address. changed” at the new rates, said blocking impeachment. juggling government accounts currency in a bid to salvage the “The time has come to es- economist Miguel Angel Santos. Leonardo Picciani was con- to increase public spending in economy from crisis. tablish a system that guarantees “The government does not fi rmed as PMDB house whip in the run up to her re-election in The oil giant’s socialist leader access to hydrocarbons at a fair have enough dollars to sell them a 37-30 vote, defeating a rival October 2014. said the pump price of premi- price but that also guarantees at 200 bolivars, so it will not be backed by Rousseff ’s arch-en- Brazil’s Supreme Court, most um gasoline would jump from the funding of investment in able to meet demand at that rate.” emy Speaker Eduardo Cunha, of whose members were ap- just under 0.1 bolivars per litre producing that gasoline.” Until now the alternative rate who took up an opposition re- pointed since Rousseff ’s Work- to six bolivars - an increase of Maduro also announced the was about 200 bolivars to the quest to impeach the president ers’ Party fi rst took offi ce in roughly 6,000% from the cur- “simplifi cation” of the country’s dollar, but on the black market in December. 2003, came to her aid in De- rent super-low level. Under the complex exchange rate regime. the US unit costs nearly 1,000 Picciani’s re-election cember by reducing the role of new exchange rate gasoline will The current three-tier system of bolivars. brought some relief for the the lower house in the impeach- cost the equivalent of $0.60 per exchange rates has been slimmed Maduro admitted the system embattled president because ment process and increasing the litre - still the cheapest fuel in down. of currency controls introduced he is expected to pick pro- authority of the senate, where the world. From yesterday there were by his late mentor and predeces- Rousseff PMDB members to sit she has more support. Venezuela has the biggest just two rates: a protected of- sor Hugo Chavez was “worn out.” Demonstrators carry debris during a protest outside the on a committee that must de- The attempt to unseat Rous- known oil reserves in the world fi cial rate for food and medicine Maduro hopes that by weak- City Hall in El Alto, Bolivia yesterday. Six people died from cide whether there are grounds seff was weakened by corrup- and has been practically giving imports and a parallel “fl oating” ening the currency he will boost smoke inhalation when a crowd set fire to a city hall in Bolivia for her impeachment. tion allegations that threaten gasoline away at the pump over rate for other transactions. Venezuela’s exports by making on Wednesday in a dispute linked to a corruption scandal, The vote showed Rousseff to bring down Cunha, who is recent years. But it has suff ered Under the rate for food and them cheaper. off icials said. The mayor of El Alto, near the capital La Paz, can muster crucial support fi ghting for his own survival from the plunge in world oil medicine, the reference rate in He said the move aimed to said demonstrators burst in to destroy evidence linked to among the ranks of the PMDB, since prosecutors accused him prices since mid-2014. the state-controlled economy, spur production in the reces- controversial lawsuits against her predecessors. Brazil’s largest party, that will of having secret bank accounts The move risks sparking pro- the bolivar will weaken by 37% sion-hit nation. have a central role in deciding in Switzerland. Gulf Times 14 Friday, February 19, 2016 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Eff orts to get close to India futile, says Abida Hussain

IANS India relations,” Abida Hussain “Despite his good gestures, from India?” she asked. “If we take a very cool view of Abida Hussain also opposed Islamabad told The Nation newspaper. Modi is not going to encourage Abida Hussain said there was the current situation, we should open trade with India which she She urged the government to progress on the bilateral talks. little chance of any breakthrough adopt the policy of ‘live and let believed was not benefi cial for improve relations with other So long as he is in power there on the resumption of composite di- live’ with India,” she said. Pakistan. eteran Pakistani politi- neighbouring countries, par- would be no improvement in re- alogue between New Delhi and Is- “We should not be unduly “We should have limited trade cian Syeda Abida Hussain ticularly Iran, rather than wast- lations,” she said. lamabad. “Frankly, I don’t think we enthusiastic in our desire to im- with India to protect our indus- Vhas urged Islamabad not ing time “on futile eff orts to get “As things stand today, Indi- will get anywhere with the talks.” prove relations. try and agriculture.” to get into a bear hug with India close to India”, the daily said. ans are not going to concede an She added: “It is a reality that We should not get into a bear hug Abida Hussain has at various as long as Prime Minister Naren- The politician disagreed with inch on Kashmir and we are also establishments on both sides of with India which does not in any times held the portfolios of edu- dra Modi is in power. the perception that Modi and not going to concede much be- the border are not much enthusi- way promote Pakistan interests.” cation, science and technology, “Modi is distinctly anti-Mus- Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz cause of our water interests in astic to normalise the relations.” Nonetheless, Pakistan should agriculture and environment. lim and more particularly anti- Sharif would like to record their Kashmir and our commitment Abida Hussain served as Pa- ensure that hostility between In April 1999, she resigned as Pakistan. He is not going to let names in history by resolving with Kashmiris. This being the kistan’s ambassador to the US India and Pakistan does not in- minister following allegations of any progress made on Pakistan- their outstanding disputes. case, how can we expect much from 1991 to 1993. crease, she added. power theft. Syeda Abida Hussain

DIPLOMACY ‘India must fix dates for foreign secretary talks’

‘Afghan forces’ Islamabad yesterday urged New Delhi to finalise the dates of for- eign secretary-level talks as early as possible following the Indian policy statement “not to link talks with the progress on Pathankot attack”. Both the sides are in raid Swedish contact on the issue, but no date has yet been fixed, Foreign Off ice Spokesperson Mohamed Nafees Zakria said in Islamabad. On Janu- ary 14, India and Pakistan agreed to reschedule talks between their foreign secretaries while an charity’s clinic investigation into a deadly attack on a military base in Pathankot AFP could not confi rm the infor- strongly condemned what it said was being carried out. India has Kabul mation and told AFP they were happened. demanded action against the looking in to the report. “This attack constitutes a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohamed Wardak provincial governor gross violation of humanitar- that it suspects of carrying out the Swedish charity accused Hayatullah Hayat said that the ian principles and the Geneva Pakistani tribesmen off er funeral prayers for a policeman who was killed in twin attacks by Taliban January 2 attack on the Pathankot Afghan forces yesterday area was under Taliban control, Convention that all actors of a militants in Mohmand district yesterday. air base. Aof storming one of its making information diffi cult to confl ict have to respect,” Jorgen clinics in the central province verify, and said the raid may have Holmstrom, the charity’s coun- CONTROVERSY of Wardak, killing three people been carried out by police in- try director said in the state- in what it what it said was a po- stead of the army. ment. Pakistan airs tential violation of international “There was an operation by “We will further investigate concern over humanitarian law. the Afghan forces, possibly po- this violation and let those re- Pakistani Taliban kill nine The Swedish Committee for lice, in the area which targeted sponsible be held accountable.” JNU arrests Afghanistan (SCA) said the raid a group of enemy fi ghters, but it The attack came as the Inter- on its clinic in the Tangi Saidan was not close to any health facil- national Red Cross said yester- Pakistan yesterday reiterated its area of the province on Wednes- ity,” he said. day it had suspended its activi- security forces personnel concern over the arrest of Kash- day night appeared to have been Four insurgents were killed, he ties in Ghazni province after fi ve miri students involved in a contro- carried out by members of the said. Another senior Afghan of- of its local staff there were taken versial debate at the Jawaharlal Afghan National Army. fi cial confi rmed a raid had taken hostage by what it described as a Reuters the most recent begun in 2014, claimed responsibility for the Nehru University in New Delhi. Two patients and one staff place but said it was nowhere “local armed group”. Peshawar have reduced the number of attack. Foreign Off ice spokesperson member were killed in the at- near a clinic. In a statement the charity said large-scale militant attacks in “Jamaat-ur-Ahrar accepts Mohamed Nafees Zakria said tack, it said in a statement. Wardak, southwest of the it was working to get the team the region, but security forces responsibility for both attacks the Kashmiri people have never However Afghan offi cials capital Kabul, was the scene of released. akistani Taliban mili- and civilians are occasionally with this vow that until the im- accepted the “unfair” trial of Afzal gave confl icting accounts of the some of the most violent bat- “ICRC’s activities are cur- tants yesterday shot still targeted. position of sharia our attacks Guru, a Kashmiri who was hanged raid yesterday, saying it had not tles between Nato forces and the rently suspended in Ghazni Pand killed at least nine Two members of the Khasa- will remain ongoing, God will- on being convicted for the Indian been carried out near a clinic Taliban. province. Security conditions security forces personnel dar paramilitary force on guard ing,” spokesman Ehsanullah Parliament House attack in De- and that the casualties had been The SCA, which runs health, are being reviewed in other ICRC in two separate attacks in a duty were shot dead, followed Ehsan said in an email state- cember 2001. insurgents rather than patients education and other develop- offi ces, but activities are pres- volatile northwestern region, by an attack on a village check- ment to Reuters. He pointed out that Pakistan has or staff . ment programmes in almost half ently ongoing,” the statement security and government of- post in Akar that killed seven, Last month, militants killed adequately and appropriately A Ministry of Defence offi cial of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, said. fi cials said. said Naveed Akbar, a senior at least 20 people, mostly stu- raised the Kashmir dispute at all Since 2007, the Pakistani government offi cial in Mohm- dents, at the Bacha Khan Uni- the international fora. Taliban have been waging an and. versity, about 48 km (30 miles) insurgency in the area around Another government offi - distant from the sites of yester- SECURITY Mohmand, about 177km from cial, Khyal Nabi, confi rmed the day’s attacks. Islamabad, the capital, to de- death toll, saying the bodies Pakistan’s northwestern Mo- Bomb hoax at Afghan military to fl y fi rst mand imposition of a strict in- were being handed over to their hmand region has been the tra- Karachi University terpretation of sharia, or Mus- families for burial. ditional home of ethnic groups lim religious law. The Jamaat-ur-Ahrar fac- such as the Mohmand, Musa sparks panic Several military operations, tion of the Pakistani Taliban Khail and Shalizi. unmanned aircraft in March A bomb hoax at the Karachi University caused panic on Pakistan jails street vendor for selling anti-Shia CDs Wednesday, leading to its Reuters ternational forces in 2014, have preparing sites. The pieces and evacuation, Dawn reported. Police Kabul struggled for months to hold parts are coming in now.” found no bomb or explosive. back a Taliban insurgency. The fi rst drones to be operat- An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced a “He was given a 10-year jail sentence and a Rs- The police came to know that The Nato-led military alliance ed by the Afghan National Army street vendor to 10 years in prison for selling CDs 100,000 ($1,000) fine,” Ahmed said. three bombs were placed in the he Afghan military is ex- will provide the remotely piloted will be rolled out in the coun- containing speeches attacking Shias, off icials A police off icial said that the CDs contained campus premises after which the pected to fi eld its fi rst ScanEagle aircraft, and will train try’s north and south, which said yesterday, in a rare prosecution for selling speeches by an anti-Shiite cleric, Maulana bomb disposal squad was called, Tspecialised surveillance Afghan soldiers to operate the have seen some of the heaviest hate material. Mulazim Hussain Dogar, who is a member of Superintendent of Police Gulshan drones as soon as March, a US system, said Major General Gor- fi ghting in recent months, Davis Saifullah Saifi, 26, was arrested with the CDs in a banned sectarian group, Ahle Sunnat Wal Farhad Ahmad said. After the commander in Kabul said yes- don Davis, commander of the said. May from Jhelum in north-eastern Pakistan and Jamaat. The cleric is wanted in other cases, but attack on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s terday, as the Asian nation slow- unit that procures new equip- Afghan offi cials have asked tried by a court in Rawalpindi near the capital remains at large, according to police. Bacha Khan University on January ly expands its own air force. ment for the Afghans. the alliance for additional re- Islamabad, court cleric Naveed Ahmed said. Pakistan launched crackdown on hate material 13, educational institutions in Paki- The boost in military hard- “We are just getting the fi rst sources in air support and re- Judge Rai Ayub Marth announced the verdict after the December 16, 2014 attack on a school in stan have been on high alert. The ware comes as Afghan secu- drones that will be deployed by connaissance, both areas that late Wednesday, declaring Saifi guilty of “wilfully the north-western city Peshawar, which killed at university has more than 27,000 rity forces, fi ghting largely alone the corps,” Davis told Reuters remain heavily reliant on its selling hate material.” least 150 people, mostly students. students and over 4,000 teaching since the withdrawal of most in- in an interview. “We’ve been aid. and non-teaching staff . ‘Wall of Help’ comes to life outside school in Karachi

Internews 8am,” said Roshan, who looked their job every morning is to fi x Karachi at the space, which now con- the wall. tained only a pair of men’s “We don’t want any contact boots. with the person who is donating hilanthropy seems to know It took Roshan and Ali a cou- it and the person who is taking no bounds when it comes ple of hours to create the wall on it,” he said. Pto the people of Karachi. Saturday and hang the clothes. Roshan said that they plan to After the ‘Wall of Kindness’ set “Our target is needy people,” extend the project. They plan on up at Sea View, two Advanced said Roshan. putting shelves for shoes, books Level students have taken up an “As only three items had gone and other things, not only out- initiative to serve the city’s poor from the wall till Wednesday side their school, but in other for free. morning, we had to get the word parts of the city as well, he ex- The wall outside Gate 3 of across so I asked my driver in plained. Saint Patrick’s High School pre- the morning to spread the word. Abdul Samad, the dean of the sented a diff erent look yesterday, Maybe that’s why it’s all gone.” ‘A’ Levels section, was all praise with hooks drilled next to the “We took [the] school’s per- for his students and their cause. words ‘Wall of Help’ and ‘Dee- mission and the dean was really “When we fi rst heard the idea, war-e-Zaroorat’. helpful,” said Ali. “We even used we thought it was good but our The initiative was taken up the school’s electrician to help prime concern was if this facility by the students after watching a us fi x the hooks in.” is going to be misused and, sec- video of a similar initiative un- The two students fi rst started ondly, security,” he said. dertaken in Peshawar and later by spreading the word in school According to Jude Lobo, a in Defence Housing Authority regarding donations. But it math teacher at the school, the (DHA), Karachi. The green and wasn’t long until others started freshmen were planning to add brown ‘Wall of Help’ came to life to help. on it. on Saturday. “We just started this on Satur- “There’s a lot of food that is Preet Roshan and Imdad Ali day and, today, we saw someone left over from the canteen that were in shock when they came had hung a big plastic bag full doesn’t get transferred to the out of the gate at 11am to see the of clothes,” said Ali, adding that next day,” he said. wall completely empty. they had no idea who it was. “As the school gets over at “There were about fi ve pairs They said that the clothes had 1pm or 2pm, they plan to buy it of clothes on each hook and to be removed from the bag for at a very cheap rate and put it out A man takes clothes from a wall of kindness in the in Hayatabad locality of Peshawar, . The wall of kindness social movement aims at helping some shoes when we saw it at security reasons, adding that as well.” the poor by asking people to leave what they do not need or to take what they need. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 15 PHILIPPINES Upscale mall Broadcast reporter is shot dead at home

Agencies plosion in a remote Philippine Manila region where the army and Muslim rebels have engaged in sporadic fi ghting for days, po- unmen have shot dead lice said yesterday. a local radio reporter in Muslim insurgents booby- Gthe south of the Phil- trapped a highway to target ippines, one of the most dan- military convoys, but it det- gerous countries for media onated when a van with six workers in the world, police people aboard drove through and an industry watchdog said late Tuesday, according to a Wednesday. report from the provincial Elvis Ordaniza, 49, of the police office that was sent to DXWO radio station, became AFP. the fi rst journalist killed this Three of the van’s passen- year in the country, according gers were killed while three to the National Union of Jour- others were wounded, accord- nalists of the Philippines. ing to police in nearby Datu He became the 31st jour- Saudi Ampatuan town. They nalist or media worker to said they were also verifying have been killed in the Phil- reports one of the fatalities was ippines since president Be- a young boy. nigno Aquino came to power The military has been bat- A resident walks past Alabang Town Center, an upscale mall in Ayala Alabang Village, in Alabang, Metro Manila, Philippines. in mid-2010, according to a tling a Muslim rebel faction union tally. near farming villages in the “He is a former communist area since last week, regional guerrilla who surrendered and military spokesman Major went to work in the media in- Filemon Tan told AFP. dustry,” the union’s deputy secretary-general Fred Villar- Just 10 suspects have eal told AFP. been convicted of attacks “He had been reporting on journalists across about illegal drugs, although the country over the we do not know if either was a three decades since Anxiety over growing motive,” he added. the country embraced Two unknown gunmen democracy in 1986, barged into Ordaniza’s home during which time more in Pitogo town on Mindanao than 170 media workers island, about 825km south of have been killed Manila late Tuesday, and shot him dead, regional police di- He said about 300 soldiers Mindanao ‘instability’ rector Miguel Antonio said in a had been providing protection written report. for a fl ood control project in the More rebels are joining the ranks of the “Hassan has been involved in several sario who used to be an OFW from Saudi Aquino’s government in 2014 to end its The island is a hotbed of area after the Bangsamoro Is- insurgency bombing incidents in Central Mindanao, Arabia. struggle for independence, which began in Islamic militancy, which has lamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) notably the August 2013 bombing in Ca- Among the deadly attacks carried out the 1970s. claimed over 100,000 lives set fi re to the private contrac- Manila Times gayan de Oro City that was attributed to by the RSM along with the ASG was the Four decades of fi ghting in the south there since the 1970s. tor’s dredging equipment last Makati the Khilafa Islamiya Movement (KIM),” bombing of Superferry 14 on February 27, have left 100,000 people killed according Known for its outspoken week. said the source. 2004 in which more than a hundred were to offi cial estimates. press, the Philippines is among Two air force helicopters It added that Hassan is also involved killed and scores of others injured. Most political analysts say Aquino lost the world’s most dangerous also fi red rockets as well as ntelligence authorities yesterday said in the planning and bombing of power The head of the Philippines’ main Mus- lawmakers’ support for the autonomy bill places for reporters, where machine gun rounds at BIFF they foresee a new wave of potential transmission lines of the National Grid lim rebel group yesterday urged his fol- after 44 police commandos were killed powerful fi gures reckon on be- positions on Tuesday, he said, Iinstability in the restive Mindanao re- Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in lowers to maintain a ceasefi re with the during a raid into MILF territory last year. ing able to kill critics with im- but there were no confi rmed gion where government troops have been Mindanao. government despite failure to pass a bill The commandos killed a Malaysian punity. casualties. fi ghting extremist groups for decades. The same source said that Mauwiya is a implementing a peace accord. bomb maker on the United States’ list of Just 10 suspects have been The clashes followed a ma- This surfaced as intelligence opera- Singaporean national and member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) most-wanted “terrorists” but they were convicted of attacks on jour- jor setback in eff orts to end tives received information from sources in Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a regional terror chairman Murad Ebrahim made the appeal attacked by armed Muslims including nalists across the country over decades of fi ghting in the re- Mindanao that over 100 fi ghters belong- group based in Indonesia with the goal of in a statement carried on the group’s Fa- MILF fi ghters. the three decades since the gion, when parliament earlier ing to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom establishing a pan Islamic State in South- cebook page. THE Philippine National Police (PNP) country embraced democracy this month failed to pass a law Fighters (BIFF) have recently completed east Asia. “In spite of the non-passage of the yesterday identifi ed the six policemen in 1986, during which time granting the country’s Muslim their training in bomb making in Central Mauwiya has been reportedly hiding (bill), the MILF will continue to uphold the from the Regional Public Safety Battalion more than 170 media work- minority wider autonomy. Mindanao. in Mindanao for several years since his peace process and ensure that all the gains (RPSB) who died in an ambush by sus- ers have been killed, Villareal The BIFF is not party to the The BIFF, along with the Abu Sayyaf arrival in the country in 2003, almost will be preserved,” his statement read. pected members of the New People’s Army said. peace deal, which the govern- Group (ASG), is among the local extrem- simultaneously with Indonesian terror “Our military forces will at all times (NPA) in Cagayan on Tuesday. While many of the victims ment signed in 2014 with the ist groups in Mindanao that have pledged suspect Omar Patek and Malasian Dul- maintain its defensive posture,” he added. Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, PNP spokes- had angered powerful fi gures, larger Moro Islamic Liberation allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and matin. Lawmakers this month failed to pass man, named the slain RPSB members as police say some of the killings Front (MILF). Syria (ISIS) that have taken swaths of ter- The source added that Mauwiya is also a bill that would have implemented a police offi cers 1 Derel Pillos Sunico, Ryan were motivated by quarrels Four decades of fi ghting in ritories in the Middle East. a known associate of Zulkipli Bin Hir alias peace agreement forged between the Gaspar Annang, Arjay Allauigan Batusta, over personal or business mat- the south have left 100,000 The intelligence report said that BIFF ‘Marwan’ who was killed last year when 10,000-strong MILF and the government, Rogelio Carag Alfonso, Julius Nitura Sori- ters. people killed according to of- recruits trained in bomb making for about elite troops of the PNP Special Action which raised fears of fresh violence. ano, and Jaypee Pedroso. One of the world’s deadli- fi cial estimates. The setback 45 days in Liguasan marsh near Tacurong Force (SAF) launched “Oplan Exodus” in Philippine President Benigno Aquino, The victims were with 63 RPSB person- est attacks against journalists in parliament derailed the City in South Cotabato. Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The infa- whose six-year term ends in June, had lob- nel, led by superintendent Juan Aggasid, took place in the Philippines peace timetable, including the “The school for bomb making was mous raid resulted in the death of 44 SAF bied hard for the passage of the bill, which who were dispatched to Barangay Santa in 2009, when 32 journalists disarmament of an estimated headed by Salahudin Hassan and Mau- troopers in January last year. would have granted the nation’s Muslim Margarita in Baggao to check on the re- were among 58 people killed 10,000 MILF fi ghters. wiya, and the recruits are now ready for Intelligence offi cials said they are not minority an autonomous southern home- ported burning of government equipment by a warlord clan intent on After the collapse in 2008 their test mission,” the intelligence opera- discounting the possibility that these land. by the NPA rebels. stopping a rival’s election of the last attempt to seal a tive added. newly-trained recruits could launch more But he was unable to muster enough However, their vehicles hit a landmine challenge. peace deal with the MILF, Another source from the intelligence terror attacks even in Luzon with the help support in the lower house of Congress and were fi red upon with grenades by the More than one hundred peo- hardline rebels raided Chris- community said that Hassan is a former of the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM). to secure a vote before the legislature ad- rebels on stake out some three kilometers ple are on trial for the massa- tian farming villages, trig- member of the Pentagon Group headed by The RSM is a group of former Overseas journed this month ahead of national elec- away from the burning site. The team en- cre. gering fighting that left more Tahir Alonto and later joined the Al-Kho- Filipino Workers (OFW) who converted to tions in May. gaged the rebels in a fi ve-hour gun battle Three civilians were than 400 people dead and bar extortion gang. Islam. It was founded by Hilarion del Ro- The MILF signed a peace accord with until reinforcements arrived. killed in a roadside bomb ex- 600,000 displaced. VP to improve business Competing for fish climate, create jobs

Manila Times our micro, small and medium enterprises to succeed. We Makati need to extend to them the assistance they badly need, par- ticularly in terms of fi nancing and access to research and de- velopment materials. We will promote SME development and nited Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer encourage our countrymen to be entrepreneurial in order to and vice president Jejomar Binay yesterday vowed to achieve fi nancial independence,” he added. Uembark on programmes to create a business-friendly The vice president cited his experience as mayor in devel- environment to attract more investors and generate jobs to oping Makati City from an almost bankrupt local government promote inclusive growth. to the richest city in the country “per capita.” “We will revisit the existing legal frameworks for doing Binay said the Makati experience can be replicated all over business, which include the Corporation Code, certain provi- the country to achieve inclusive growth. sions of the Civil Code, the National Internal Revenue Code, “This is my only qualifi cation to be a President], and this is the Investment Company Act, the Securities Regulation experience. When I arrived in Makati, the government was al- Code and other relevant rules and regulations,” Binay said at most, or veering to bankruptcy. We only had P240mn. When I the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce left in 2010 when I ran for vice president, the P240mn became and Industry Inc Leadership Forum. P11 billion. I told my constituents in Makati that I will make the “We will also regularly conduct a comprehensive review city fi nancially stable. Makati became the richest local govern- and audit to identify legal provisions that hamper business ment in the whole country on a per capita basis,” he narrated. needs. A menu of incentives should be formulated for our Binay said poverty is the “most serious moral issue” and market to gain the attention of domestic and foreign inves- scored the administration of president Benigno Aquino 3rd tors. All this can be possible if government periodically meets anew for failing to fulfi l its promise in 2010. and consults the business sector, to listen to your thoughts “The fi rst truth is that poverty is the most serious moral is- and insights,” he added. If elected, Binay said his administra- sue aff ecting the nation today. tion will encourage the growth of micro, small and medium The other truth is that this administration has failed to de- enterprises, noting that MSMEs have a higher multiplier ef- liver on its promise made almost six years ago to end poverty, fect than big business when it comes to employment. with the poor growing in number in spite of the rosy econom- A man catches fish in a shallow pond in Cavite city, south of Manila, Philippines. “We should bring about an environment that will enable ic fi gures,” he added. Gulf Times 16 Friday, February 19, 2016 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Picture wins award Nepal PM will try to mend ties with India

Reuters adopted in September, aimed Kathmandu to weaken its role in the power structure. Analysts say Oli will hope epali Prime Minister his meeting with Modi shows K P Oli begins a state political rivals back home that Nvisit to giant neigh- he too commands India’s sup- bour India today, looking to port, considered crucial to repair ties damaged by a row keeping his administration in over the Himalayan republic’s power, but a rapprochement fi rst democratic constitution. with Delhi alone would not Nepal had accused India of end his domestic woes. imposing an economic block- “The fi re raging in Madhes ade in support of a protest will not end by merely keep- against the charter by ethnic ing India happy,” said Chandra minorities, many of whom Kishore, a Madhesi analyst. share close ties with Indians “The problem has to be ad- across the border. The four- dressed in Kathmandu seri- month blockade was lifted this ously and not in New Delhi.” month. Nepal amended the consti- Oli will meet his Indi- tution to boost participation an counterpart, Narendra of the Madhesis in parliament Modi, and president Pranab but community leaders said Mukherjee, among other of- the changes failed to address fi cials. His trip will focus on their central fear over the re- mending fences, but he did drawing of the provincial bor- This photo by AFP photographer Roberto Schmidt on April 25, 2015 shows rescuers carrying an injured person after an avalanche triggered by an earthquake flattened not expect to sign any new ders in a way that would divide parts of Everest Base Camp. Schmidt yesterday won second prize at the prestigious World Press Photo Award in the Spot News stories category, for his dramatic shots long-term agreements, he told them. of the deadly avalanche on Mount Everest triggered by last Apri’s Nepal earthquake. reporters in Kathmandu. The desperately poor coun- “We all know that in the last try, home to Mount Everest, few months there have been serves as a natural buff er be- many misunderstandings be- tween India and China, which tween our two countries,” Oli jostle for infl uence with aid said in the Nepali capital. “We and investment. now want to get our relation- Nepal will press India for ship back on track.” early completion of projects Ties with India soured fol- such as construction of feeder lowing the protests in Nepal’s roads and cross-border elec- Tarai-Madhes lowlands after tric transmission lines, Fi- the region’s ethnic Madhesi nance Minister Bishnu Paudel Dhaka to send 1.5mn community said the charter, said. workers to Malaysia By Mizan Rahman regulations of the International Labour In 2012, Bangladesh and Malaysia ices, parliament members, principal staff Dhaka Organization (ILO), a United Nations signed a MoU under G2G agreement in or- offi cer of the armed forces division, prin- agency dealing with labour issues. der to restart the recruitment process and cipal secretary to the prime minister, and Nurul Islam said the minimum monthly in 2014 both countries signed a protocol other high civil and military offi cials were Memorandum of Understanding salaries will be 900 MYR (Malaysian ring- under the MoU. present. (MoU) was signed between Bang- git) while in some cities like Sarawak the However, Bangladesh and Malay- Bangladesh is contributing 11,501 Aladesh and Malaysia yesterday to salary range will be minimum 800 MYR. sia signed a new MoU under a G2G plus peacekeepers to 11 countries which is the Premier Oli send 1.5mn Bangladeshi workers to the According to the deal, non-government agreement following the failure of the pre- highest number of troops from one coun- county under a government-to-govern- recruiting agencies will also send workers vious G2G agreement. try deployed in such a role. ment plus (G2G plus) agreement. to Malaysia, the minister said. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday About the Bangladesh Armed Forces’ Expatriates’ welfare and overseas em- However, during the recruitment proc- warned that poor conduct by Bangladeshi role, she said they are contributing signifi - ployment minister of Bangladesh Nurul ess, a deal will be signed between the em- peacekeepers deployed in UN peace- cantly towards restoring democracy, social Islam and human resources minister of ployers and the workers which will be at- keeping missions will not be tolerated. development, health and education in dif- Malaysia Dato Seri Richard Riot signed tested by the high commission of Dhaka in She was addressing the graduation cer- ferent countries under the emblem of UN emony of ‘2015-2016’ course of Defence missions. Their success has further en- Internet the MoU on behalf of their respective Kuala Lampur. countries at a ceremony at the ministry in Replying to questions of the report- Services Command and Staff College hanced the image of Bangladesh, she said. Dhaka. ers, Malaysian minister Dato Seri Richard (DSCSC) at Sheikh Hasina Complex at Since the start of UN peacekeeping mis- After the signing of the deal, Nurul Riot said the total process — from applying Mirpur Cantonment. sions in 1988, Bangladesh has taken part in Islam said Malaysia will recruit Bangla- for visas to getting visas — will be imple- Sheikh Hasina said her government 45 missions out of 66. wants to preserve Bangladesh peacekeep- According to UN secretary general Ban balloon deshi workers in all sectors, including in- mented online in order to ensure fairness frastructure, agriculture, plantation and and transparency in the whole process. ers’ image in UN peacekeeping missions Ki-moon, Hasina said, Bangladesh is now manufacturing, adding the recruitment On February 8, the cabinet approved the across the world. “We don’t want our leading in providing UN peacekeepers. process will start very soon. draft of a memorandum of understanding armed forces’ to lose credibility.” Apart from protecting the country’s in- The total cost for going to Malaysia from (MoU) with Malaysia to send 1.5mn Bang- The prime minister’s warning came dependence and sovereignty, the armed in the wake of recent four new child sex forces are also making signifi cant contri- ‘crashes’ Bangladesh through working visa has been ladeshi workers there in three years while fi xed at 34,000-37,000 taka per person the Malaysian cabinet approved the MoU abuse cases in Central African Repub- butions to the fi elds of natural calamities, while the majority portion of the cost will on December 20, 2015. lic involving UN troops and police from she said. be borne by the employers, the minister Earlier on 2009, the Malaysian govern- Bangladesh, Congo, Niger and Senegal. They are showing their capability in added. ment postponed recruitment of Bangla- Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed performing special development activities certifi cates among the graduating offi cers. and massive infrastructure construction in Lanka Answering a question about salaries of deshi workers because of several irregu- the workers, the minister said the wages larities and corruption in the recruiting Ministers, the leader of the opposition as well as aiding the civil administration, will be fi xed according to the rules and process. in parliament, the chiefs of the three serv- she said. AFP balloons entered Sri Lankan Colombo air space on Monday after being launched from South America. The launch is part Google balloon, part of of a planned joint venture be- the company’s high- tween the US Internet giant Aspeed Internet serv- and Colombo to deliver high- Bangladesh opens immigration ice known as “Project Loon”, speed Internet access powered crashed in a Sri Lankan tea by helium-fi lled balloons. plantation during its maiden The government announced test fl ight, local police said earlier this month it would yesterday. take a 25% stake in the joint check-post on Indian border Villages found the defl ated venture with Google. Sri Lan- balloon with its electronic ka is not investing any capital, equipment in the island’s but will take the stake in re- By Mizan Rahman movement of goods between the two After the inauguration, passport holders bandha and Bhutan will be 60kms. central tea-growing region of turn for allocating spectrum Dhaka countries and the sub-region. can move between countries. Also travel between Kolkata in India and Gampola on Wednesday night, for the project. The inauguration of the immigration Earlier, there was an opportunity to Chittagong in Bangladesh via Benapole- an offi cer told AFP. A further 10% of the venture check-post fulfi lls a long-pending de- use the border route for transportation of Jessore-Dhaka will be eased, while com- “Tea plantation workers would be off ered to existing n what offi cials said was a great leap mand of the people of the region. goods between India and Bangladesh. But munication between Chittagong in Bang- found it crashed in the plan- telephone service providers forward in bilateral relations, Bangla- India shares a land border of approxi- now, the citizens of another two countries ladesh and Thimpu in Bhutan will become tation. They picked up the on the island. It promises to Idesh’s home minister Asaduzzaman mately 4,100kms with Bangladesh. like Nepal and Bhutan will get a chance to possible. pieces and brought it to the extend coverage and cheaper Khan and Indian state minister for exter- The Banglabandha land port was in move throughout the land port. Siliguri in India, around 10 kms away station,” the offi cer, who is not rates for data services. nal aff airs general (retired) V K Singh yes- fact reopened to establish road, trade and from Banglabandha land port, is a corri- authorised to speak with me- The balloons, once in the terday jointly inaugurated the Phulbari- commerce links between the four neigh- The Phulbari immigration check- dor for entrance into the states, known as dia, told AFP by phone. stratosphere, will be twice as Banglabandha immigration check-post. bouring countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, post will connect people from Seven Sisters. It is easy to move anywhere However Sri Lanka’s Infor- high as commercial airlin- West Bengal ministers Goutam Deb, India and Nepal. It will ease the movement Rangpur and Dinajpur districts of in India from Siliguri by rail, air and high- mation and Communication ers and move with the wind Firhad Hakim and Indian high commis- of passengers and goods. Bangladesh and Jalpaiguri, Cooch way and there are several opportunities Technology Agency, which is using algorithms that tell sioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Additional secretary (security & immi- Bihar, Darjeeling, Dinajpur districts including commercial and tourism in Sil- co-ordinating the tests with them where to go. Google has Shringla were also present. gration) of the Bangladesh home ministry of Northern West Bengal and iguri. Google, described the landing said the balloons will have a The Phulbari immigration check-post Mostafa Kamal Uddin told newsmen that Sikkim and Assam The decision to open the Banglabandha as controlled and scheduled. lifespan of about 180 days, but will connect people from Rangpur and it would help travelers wishing to visit the land port was taken in a meeting held at “Google loon balloon safely can be recycled. Dinajpur districts of Bangladesh and Jal- neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bhu- Meanwhile, a deal has been signed be- Dhaka between secretary-level offi cials of landed under standard oper- Less than one quarter of Sri paiguri, Cooch Bihar, Darjeeling, Dinajpur tan by road. tween the four countries giving approval home ministries of Bangladesh and India ating procedures in #lka as a Lanka’s more than 20 million- districts of Northern West Bengal and Sik- “The land port could emerge as an eco- for plying of transport vehicles. It is be- on November 16-17 last year. part of the test,” ICTA chief strong population has regular kim and Assam. nomic corridor for Bangladesh, India, Ne- lieved that communication between the Many tourists from diff erent countries Muhunthan Canagey said on access to the Internet. This is the 28th land port between India pal and Bhutan,” he said. four countries will become easy. visit Nepal and Darjeeling every year. With Twitter. Sri Lanka, the fi rst coun- and Bangladesh, offi cials said yesterday. “Such land ports in Bangladesh, India, The distance to Siliguri in India from the Banglabandha land port operational, The ICTA declined to com- try in South Asia to introduce They said the check-post is part of sev- Nepal and Bhutan will help increase sub- Banglabandha will be 10kms, while the many tourists will also be interested in vis- ment to AFP on details of the mobile phones in 1989, was eral measures being taken by the govern- regional co-operation, regional trade, distance to Nepal from Banglabandha will iting the beaches of Bangladesh, including landing which had not been also the fi rst in the region to ments of India and Bangladesh to increase commerce, business, tourism and other be 40 kms. Cox’s Bazaar, Patenga and Kuakata, which previously announced. unveil a 4G network two years people-to-people contact and facilitate sectors if we use them properly,” he added. Similarly, the distance between Bangla- will boost earnings through tourism. The fi rst of three Google ago. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 17 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Avoid shirk – setting up rivals in worship with Allah

llah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, “Those who desire this life and its we find such shaykhs gaining account for his deeds: “Go back to sent the prophets and glitter, to them We shall pay the price popularity. They are described to be the ones whom you showed off your the messengers with glad of their deeds in this same life in full the ones who are moderate, who are deeds for their sake and see if they tidings and warnings to measure. They are those for whom understanding, who can deal with the can reward you.” A requirements of modern life when in Umar Ibn al-Khattab said that humanity. Their main duty has there is nothing in the Hereafter but been to call people to worship Allah the Fire. Vain are their designs and fact, they are following the desires of he heard the Messenger of Allah, Alone, ie to the faith of tawheed, of no effect are their deeds,” (Qur’an the people. sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and warn them against shirk, or 11:15-16). In many communities, we find saying: “Actions are judged by their associating partners with Allah. The third category of major shirk people who are very eager to follow intentions and every person shall This monotheistic creed is what is “association in loving Allah.” That Qur’an when it talks about striving have but that which he intended. distinguishes between Islam and is to love someone or something to gain worldly provisions in such Thus, he whose migration was for kufr, between a believer and a non- else more than or as much as one verses as, “Walk through the earth the sake of Allah and His Messenger, believer, between entering Paradise loves Allah. Allah says: “There are and enjoy the sustenance which his migration was for Allah and His and entering Hellfire. Indeed, Allah men who take others besides Allah Allah furnishes,” (Qur’an 67:15). They Messenger. And he whose migration and His messengers have placed as equal with Him. They love them would exert efforts and spend much was to achieve some worldly benefit great emphasis in warning us against as much as they should love Allah. energy to gain more money and it or to take some woman in marriage, falling into shirk; which has two But the believers have more love for will never cross their minds to sit at his migration was for that which he categories: major and minor. Allah,” (Qur’an 2:165). home without working and Allah will migrated.” (Related by Al-Bukhari Major shirk itself divided into There are people who recognise provide for them – and they are right and Muslim). Allah says in warning four types: shirk in supplication, in Allah as the Creator, the Owner and in this respect. But when it comes to us against spoiling our deeds, “O you intention, in loving and in obedience. the Sustainer of the universe, and working for the Hereafter, such as who believe, cancel not your charity The first category of major shirk is yet love others more than Him. Some avoiding sins, increasing their faith by reminders of your generosity or by “association in supplication” ie, shirk people love money more than they with righteous deeds, they would harming; like those who spend their al-du’a. This involves directing one’s love Allah and for this reason, they say: “This is the destiny of Allah” to wealth to be seen of men,” (Qur’an supplications to other than Allah do not pay zakat or they gain their justify their failure for performing 2:264). as a means of gaining provisions money from unlawful sources. They their duty towards Allah. They would Furthermore, the Prophet, or being cured from a sickness or are the slaves of Dirhams and Dinars, hope that Allah will guide them to sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, told obtaining help during a crisis or for or in today’s terminology, the slaves the straight path, while unwilling to us about those who will be thrown any other purpose. Allah says: “Do of dollars. The Prophet, sallallaahu make any effort for getting guidance first into Hellfire on the Day of not call on any other than Allah. Such ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “He who to it. What if somebody comes and Judgment. Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu can neither profit you nor hurt you. became the slave of the Dinar or the begins beating a person, would he anhu narrated in Sahih Muslim: And if you do, you shall certainly Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” say this is the destiny of Allah or “I heard the messenger of Allah be of those who do wrong,” (Qur’an (This is part of a hadith related by would he defend himself and take saying: ‘Among the people who 10:106). Allah also says: “Now, if they Al-Bukhari). the necessary precautions to protect will be punished first on the Day embark on a boat, they call on Allah, Some people love their desires himself? Thus, relying on Allah of Judgment is the martyr (ie, one making their supplication sincerely more than they love Allah. means that one should exert his/her who died while fighting in jihad). and exclusively to Him Alone. But Consequently, they would follow effort to the utmost while at the same He will be brought before Allah and when He has delivered them safely their desires even when they lead to time expecting the support and help reminded of the bounties of Allah to land, they associate others in their disobeying Allah: “Do you see the of Allah. and he will acknowledge them. Then worship,” (Qur’an 29:65). one who is taking as his lord his own Some of these people would say he will be asked; ‘What did you do desires?” (Qur’an 25:43). Therefore, that some of the companions of the with them?’ He will reply: ‘I fought Today in many loving Allah and His Messenger more Prophet such as Uthman Ibn Affan, for Your sake until I was killed.’ It communities, there are than anything is a precondition for Abdulrahman Ibn Awf, and Sa’ad Ibn will then be said to him: ‘You lied, tasting the sweetness of faith. It has Abi Waqqas were wealthy. However, you fought so that people will say people who get close to been narrated in an authentic hadith the comparison stops there because you were a brave man and they have and even fall into one that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi they want to be like them only in said so.’ Then he will be taken on of these types of shirk, wa sallam, said: “There are three the aspect of being rich. They do his face and thrown in Hellfire. The qualities whosoever has them will not ask themselves: How did these second is a man who acquired sound especially the shirk of taste the sweetness of Iman: loving companions earn their wealth? How knowledge of the religion, taught it, obedience Allah and His Messenger above all did they spend it? How were their read it, and memorised the Qur’an. else, loving someone solely for the manners? How was their worship, He will be brought before Allah and It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari sake of Allah, and hating to return to their piety, their fear of Allah? How reminded of the bounties of Allah and that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi disbelief after Allah has rescued him were their homes? How were their he will acknowledge them. Then he wa sallam, said: “Whoever dies from it, as much as he would hate wives and children? What were their will be asked: ‘what did you do with while supplicating to someone other being thrown into Hellfire.” (Related interests? Whom did they mix with? them?’ He will reply: ‘I have learned than Allah whom he considers equal by Al-Bukhari). The companions never negotiated the knowledge and taught it to people to Allah, will enter Hellfire.” In Allah has put two criteria to test part of their religion to gain their and read the Qur’an for Your sake.’ another verse of the Qur’an, Allah whether one’s love for Him is more worldly life, but that is precisely what Then it will be said to him: ‘You lied, says: “Say: Call upon the other gods than the love of anything else. The most Muslims are doing today. you did it so that people will say you besides Allah whom you pretend. first is following the Sunnah of the In Sahih Muslim, Jabir, radhiallahu are a knowledgeable man and they They have no power, not even the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. anhu, reported that a man came to have said so.’ Then he will be taken weight of an atom in the heavens or Allah says: “Say (Muhammad), if you the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa on his face and thrown into Hellfire. on earth. Nor do they have a share do love Allah, follow me, Allah will PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil sallam, and said: “O Messenger of The third is a man whom Allah has in them, nor is any of them a helper love you (in return) and forgive your Allah, what are the two essential given a lot of wealth. He will be to Allah. No intercession can avail sins,” (Qur’an 3:31). Thus, following Prophet reciting this verse, he said sallam, and he fears Allah as much matter?” the Prophet sallallaahu brought before Allah and reminded with Him, except for those who He the Sunnah in all aspects of our lives to him: “But they did not worship as he could but did not find the ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever of the bounties of Allah and he will has granted permission,” (Qur’an is absolutely essential. The second them (their priests)!’ The Prophet, truth, he will not be punished for his dies without associating any partner acknowledge them. Then he will be 34:22-23). In this verse Allah has criterion to know if one’s love of sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: mistake but he will be rewarded for with Allah will enter Paradise and asked: ‘What did you do with them?’ closed four avenues of shirk, namely: Allah is more than anything else is ‘Didn’t those priests make lawful his ijtihad, ie. the effort he exerted whoever dies associating anybody He will reply: ‘I never left any means owner besides Allah, sharer with through jihad for the sake of Allah: some of the things that Allah has in searching for the truth. However, with Allah will enter Hellfire.” to spend my wealth for Yours sake.’ Allah, helper for Allah, intercessor “Say: If it be that your fathers, your made unlawful and didn’t they make the scholar or a Muslim who knows The second category of shirk Then, it will be said to him: ‘You lied, without Allah’s permission. It has sons, your brothers, your wives or unlawful some of the things that what the rule of Allah should be in besides major shirk is minor shirk. you did it so that people will say you been narrated that the Prophet, your kindred, the wealth that you Allah has made lawful? And didn’t the matter under consideration but This means showing off, or having are a generous man and they have sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said in have gained, the commerce in which they follow them in that respect? nevertheless chooses otherwise, has the desire to be praised about said so.’ Then he will be taken on his his advice to Ibn Abbas, radiallahu you fear a decline or the houses in That is how they worshipped them!’” fallen into “the shirk of association in one’s actions. Minor shirk does face and thrown into Hellfire.’” anhu: “Know that if the people were which you delight, are dearer to you So whoever obeys scholars or obedience” especially if he has been not take a person out of the fold It must be noted here, that their to gather together to benefit you than Allah or His Messenger, or the rulers when they legislate these following his desires and has been of Islam, but it is nevertheless a entering Hellfire is not an everlasting with anything, they would benefit jihad for Allah’s sake; then wait until kinds of laws while knowing that propagating his ideas with the means grave sin for which there is severe one. Rather, they will be punished for you only with something that Allah Allah brings about his decision; and they are changing the religion of at his disposal. punishment. Imam Ahmad Ibn their lack of sincerity and will then has already prescribed for you, and Allah does not guide the rebellious,” Allah and still believers that they Today in many communities, there Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on be allowed to enter Paradise. that if they gather together to harm (Qur’an 9:24). have the authority to do so, is in are people who get close to and even him, related on the authority of We ask Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala you with anything, they would harm The fourth category of major shirk fact committing an act of disbelief. fall into one of these types of shirk, Labeed that Jabir, radhiallahu anhu, to let our actions be directed by you only with something Allah is “association in obedience” which However, if he does not believe that especially the shirk of obedience. narrated that the Messenger of sincere intention which is done solely had already prescribed for you.” is to obey people when they make they have the authority to do so, If the rule of Allah coincides with Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam for His pleasure, and not to let our (Authentic hadith related by Al- unlawful things lawful, and to believe but still follows them in disobeying their own desires, they will rush to said: “The thing I fear most for you good deeds be destroyed by lack of Tirmidhi). that it is permissible to follow those Allah, he is committing a sin for apply it. But if it does not, they will to fall into is minor shirk”. They good intentions. We also ask Him to The second category of major shirk who make such legislations. Allah which he may be punished according shop around for a fatwa (legal ruling) (the Companions) asked; ‘What is let our deeds be in accordance with is “association in the intention.” says: “They take their priests to be to the gravity of the sin. As for the that suits their whims. Eventually minor shirk?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi the directives of the Qur’an and the That is, to perform deeds that may be their lords beside Allah,” (Qur’an scholar who makes this judgment they may find a shaykh who will wa sallam, replied: Ar-riya’”, ie Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu good themselves but which are done 9:31). A hadith of the Prophet, while trying his best to find the give them the fatwa they desire even ‘showing off’. Allah will say to the ‘alaihi wa sallam. May Allah accept for the sake of this worldly life and sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, relates truth with the intention of following though this does not legalise what people who commit it on the Day our deeds and guide us to the Right not for the sake of Allah. Allah says: that when Adiyy Ibn Hatim heard the the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Allah has forbidden. Unfortunately, of Judgment when every one will Path. How to achieve humbleness

By Shaykh Salmaan al-’Awdah him, came to Khuraassaan [in Persia] Imaam noticed that this Mutazahhid importance, accusing him of defects mentioned that a man said, “By Allah, of the Salaf (predecessors) said, “If I and went to a person who was known (devoted pious person) possessed a kind or exaggerating his faults; faults that Allah will not forgive so-and-so,” and knew that Allah accepted one Tasbeeh for his Zuhd and Wara’ [asceticism of arrogance, conceitedness and feeling may have come to light when seeking that Allah said: “Who is swearing by (saying “Subhaanallah”) from me, I slam highly commends and cautiousness in piety], so when of superiority over others. advice, or correction. In reality this is Me that I will not forgive so-and- would have wished to die right now!” humbleness and simplicity and he entered where the man was, he (the This disease sometimes envelops called jealousy. so? I surely have forgiven so-and-so The arrogant person never gives reckons that as one of the traits man) did not turn around nor give him pious people; this is why he was Humility is to humble oneself to one and nullifi ed your deeds.” [Muslim]. credit to anybody or mentions good Iof a true believer. The Prophet, any consideration at all. off ered advice that was easy for him. who is below you. If you fi nd someone Therefore, do not act in arrogantly about someone, and if he needed to do sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Al- When ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak Many times we fi nd this characteristic who is younger than you, or of less towards anyone. Even when you see so, he would also mention defects of Kibr (proud and arrogance) is rejecting left, some of the people who were in some pious people, as well as some importance than you, you should not a sinner, do not show superiority that person. But if he hears somebody the truth and looking down upon inside with the man said to him, callers to Islam. But when it reaches despise him, because he might have a towards him, nor treat him with reminding him about his own defects, people.”[Muslim, At-Tirmithi and Abu “Don’t you know who he was?!” He the small students who misbehave better heart than you, or be less sinful, arrogance and domination. If you feel he will not be fl exible nor comply due Daawood] said, “No.” He was told, “This is the with their scholars and teachers, or closer to Allah than you. Even if that the sinner may perform some to his inferiority complex. This is Humility is for one who is important ‘Ameer of the believers...`Abdullaah this really hurts inside! There is no you see a sinful person and you are acts of obedience which you do not, why it is among man’s moral integrity and signifi cant and he fears to gain Ibn Al-Mubaarak.” So the man was objection if you diff er in opinion or righteous, do not act with arrogance and that you may also posses some to accept criticism or comment notoriety or to become too great astonished and came out to ‘Abdullaah judgment with a scholar as long as you towards him, and thank Allah that He defects which the sinner may not, without any sensitivity or discomfort among people. As it was said, “Humble Ibn Al-Mubaarak in a hurry apologising are qualifi ed to do so. The problem saved you from the tribulation that then deal kindly with him, and gently or feelings of shame and weakness. yourself, you will be as a glimmering and absolving himself from what occurs when this diff erence of opinion He put him through. Remember that give Da`wah which will hopefully Here he is, the ‘Ameer of the Believers star to the viewer on the surface of the happened, saying, “O Abu ‘Abdur- becomes a destructive element to the there might be some Riyaa’ (showing be the cause of his acceptance and `Umar, may Allah be pleased with water even if it is lofty.” We don’t say to Rahmaan! Forgive me and advise me!” scholar’s dignity, diminishes his value, off ) or vanity in your righteous deeds remembrance. him, raising the fl ag and lifting the an ordinary person, “Humble yourself.” Ibn Al-Mubaarak said, “Yes... whenever disregards and disrespects him. that may cause them to be of no avail, Your deeds also should not become motto, “May Allah have mercy on But it is said to him, “Know the value you come out of your house and see One should humble himself with and that this sinful person may be too great in your eyes. If you do a good a person who informed us of our of yourself, and do not place it in the someone, assume that he is better his companions. Frequently when regretful and fearful concerning his deed, or attempt to get closer to Allah defects.” wrong place!” than you!” He knew that the man was the spirit of competition and envy is bad deeds, and this may be the cause of through an act of obedience, your deed Article source: http://www. It was narrated by Al-Khattaabi, conceited. When ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al- agitated between companions and forgiveness of his sins. still may not be accepted. Allah Says islamweb.net/emainpage/ may Allah have mercy upon him, in Al- Mubaarak inquired as to what the man’s rivals, a person may feel superior over According to Jundub, may Allah be what means: “…Indeed, Allah only Uzlahthat Imaam `Abdullaah ibn Al- profession was, he found out that he his companion, he may be pleased by pleased with him, the Messenger of accepts from the righteous [who fear Mubaarak, may Allah have mercy upon was a weaver!! Therefore, this educated harming him, degrading his value and Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, Him].” [Qur’an 5:27] This is why some Gulf Times 18 Friday, February 19, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: Amjad Khan Why warships can’t

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] solve refugee crisis Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Attempts to curtail more than 1mn people arriving across billion in spending on deportations mobility. And fourth, beyond the Fax 44350474 migration by simply policing the Mediterranean in 2015 alone they alone since the early 2000s. And it’s European sphere, by working towards can no longer pretend the border not just upfront security costs: Europe a fully global approach to migration a borderline and launching security approach has worked. Faced has long used development aid to that strengthens shared refugee deterrence policies will solve with this failure, European leaders help convince African states to roll responsibility under the UNHCR have no explanations or alternatives out measures to deter migration. Yet umbrella while also crucially involving nothing if the root causes to off er their electorates; worse, they counting the cents is not enough – we other forms of migration. If European remain unaddressed are now applying the same destructive also need to assess the larger social, leaders get their house in order – a GULF TIMES approach to policing their countries’ political, environmental and economic big if – they would be able to act as By Ruben Andersson own borders in a race to the bottom, costs. Closed legal routes and beggar- credible partners in this year’s UN London with not a shred of Union in sight. thy-neighbour border security have deliberations, generating goodwill for Yet we also need to recognise how put enormous pressure on border more responsibility-sharing by other failure resembles ‘success’ for the areas across Europe, resulting in rich states. Women in Latin nother week, another project many actors that have come to feed off dented tourism, trampled crops and 4. Build broad coalitions for change scrawled on the back of a the punitive approach to migration – social unrest – not to mention the Chances are slight that the very napkin to try to solve the European politicians keen to present thousands of lives lost to the waves. European leaders who have so far Arefugee crisis. This time it’s a tough image to their electorates; Politically, the costs are rising too. only agreed on the border security America defenceless ‘send in the warships’. border agencies; defence and security Schengen is now at risk of rupturing; model will shift away from it by their The panicky decision to involve companies; and states bordering the external states on key migration own choice. To push for change, Nato is not only an unprecedented EU, which have used migrants as a routes have gained huge leverage we can learn from coalitions forged step in the militarisation of Europe’s cash cow, bargaining chip and even a from Europe’s sense of panic; and the in other contentious fields. Much against Zika virus borders but also fi ts into the long- ‘weapon’ launched against a fearful rest of the world looks on askance as as in fossil fuel-burning or in the term trend of viewing refugees and Europe. advanced economies let people perish destructive drug wars, the risks migrants arriving by boat as an So, what to do? on their front porch. A full evaluation generated by the ‘fight against Now that researchers have identifi ed a tangible link emergency that can only be addressed 1. Learn from other failed ‘wars’ of border security costs including migration’ have been distributed between the Zika virus and foetal brain deformation, with increased border security. Just as the ‘fi ght against migration’ its fi nancial, social, political and unevenly. While a large industry has Ever since Europe’s Schengen has largely failed to contain human humanitarian consequences would been forged around border security, pregnant women and those of childbearing age in the agreement on free movement was movements across frontiers, the ‘war help build momentum for a shift – and those most affected by its negative Latin American countries hardest hit by the mosquito- rolled out in the 1990s, governments on drugs’ is now acknowledged to be sensible politicians should push for it. outcomes – border communities borne virus will have to make tough decisions about have rallied around the task of an immensely costly, destructive and 3. A global strategy for mobility as well as frontline workers and their reproductive future. securing Europe’s external borders as ultimately futile exercise. We can draw This entails treating migration volunteers dealing with the mess; a substitute for a genuinely common on the concept of ‘harm reduction’ not as an emergency and a threat, European and non-European states In reality, women in many Latin American countries EU approach to migration and that has started to be applied (albeit but as a perennial feature of human that have taken in more than their are subject to rampant sexual violence, have received asylum. There’s only one problem: modestly) in relation to drugs, for life that can – if we treat it right – fair share of asylum seekers; and little or no sex education and may have limited it has never worked. As researchers example by cutting some of the most hold signifi cant opportunities. A origin countries and communities (including myself) have explained counterproductive security measures strategic shift can take place through that have seen their citizens perish access to birth control. When they do get pregnant, time and again, attempts to curtail that now put people at risk – including four interlocked steps: fi rst, by de- – could become the drivers behind abortion is illegal in most countries, though some migration by simply policing a mass detention, pushbacks and escalating the debate and tempering a motley coalition for mobility. In have exceptions in cases of rape, foetal impairment borderline and launching deterrence fencing – while bolstering humane the emergency talk, which has only this coalition, migrants and refugees or danger to the life of the mother. In El Salvador the policies will solve nothing if the alternatives through targeted EU served to bolster the security model. themselves must play a key role. root causes – from deepening global funding. The biggest harm reduction Second, by forging a diff erent kind of People fleeing barrel bombs to bring strictures are particularly harsh. There are no legal inequality to labour demand at measure of all is simple, and already collaboration with states neighbouring their families to safety, or hiding abortions, and women may go to jail for the “crime” of destination, and from cross-border within member states’ reach: the Europe, scrapping the destructive from Libyan militias before setting suff ering miscarriage. kinship networks to violence and introduction of legal pathways, ‘fi ght against migration’ and instead off for Europe, have enormous skills, repression – remain unaddressed. allowing for safe, organised arrivals exchanging expertise in fi elds such ambitions and insights to offer. These realities make the paltry governmental Instead, they just make the situation rather than chaotic and dangerous as healthcare and education. Third, None of this is a quick fi x, and response in El Salvador and like-minded countries worse – more chaotic, more deadly, entry methods. by applying a genuinely normalised neither is addressing the major – warning women not to get pregnant until the Zika more predatory. 2. Assess the true costs of the treatment of migration within Europe drivers of the global refugee crisis, A vicious cycle has ensued, as ‘border security model’ via responsibility-sharing of a more namely brutal wars and repression. crisis is over – all the more ludicrous. Just how does politicians have administered more of Taxpayer spend on border security positive kind than ‘mandatory quotas’, Yet this lack of a silver bullet should it help to scare women while off ering no tools or the same toxic medicine in response to and migration controls is extremely while shifting migration issues away be welcomed in our political debate, information? It’s unrealistic, and even irresponsible, to each new ‘crisis’ at Europe’s borders, hard to assess at present, but a from ‘Home Aff airs’ towards other since the opposite – the quick fi x of expect women to somehow stave off pregnancy when from Lesvos to Lampedusa. For a long recent cross-European journalistic directorates-general in Brussels border security – has proven to be no time they got away with it, but with investigation unearthed some €11 – or even creating a new one for solution at all. – IRIN birth control isn’t an option and rape is widespread. The World Health Organisation declared Zika an international public health threat on February 1 based on its “explosive” spread throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. At the time, medical experts strongly suspected that the virus was implicated in microcephaly in more than 4,000 newborns in Brazil and feared that might be related to an uptick The WHO has in another neurological declared Zika condition, Guillain- Barre syndrome. an international Since then, the public health evidence connecting Zika to microcephaly threat has mounted. Last week researchers in Slovenia confi rmed microcephaly, brain injury and the Zika virus in the brain of a foetus whose mother had gotten pregnant while in Brazil. This week, researchers in Brazil said they found the virus in the brains of two infants with microcephaly who died just hours after birth. Complicating the unfolding crisis is the assertion by a group of Argentine physicians that the rash of microcephaly cases is due to a larvicide, pyriproxyfen, used to control mosquitoes. Though there’s not a shred of scientifi c evidence that this is the case, the Brazilian government has stopped spraying, which may only worsen the Zika epidemic in that country. Even before this new evidence came to light, the Nato warships: an unprecedented step in the militarisation of Europe’s borders . United Nation’s Offi ce of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Latin American countries to repeal their policies restricting reproductive rights and give women the help they need to avoid pregnancy if they wish. It fell on deaf ears. Doctors and public health authorities have a duty to Seventy years of the United Nations appeal to their countries’ leaders to give women access to birth control and abortion – at the very least until a This is one of the last Security Council took place, and their promote international peace and Zika vaccine has been created or researchers rule out articles written by former mandate to me was clear: develop security. the virus as the cause of brain defects. the next generation of peacekeeping We need a new Agenda for UN secretary-general operations. Out of that mandate came Peace. We also need to build on the Left unsaid is that the inability of women to control An Agenda for Peace. I wish we still tremendous movement for human their bodies in a most basic way has a direct impact on Boutros-Ghali who died in heeded the messages of that proposal. rights, and to help ensure that they their economic situation – and that the Zika epidemic Cairo on Tuesday, aged 93 Another great moment for the are universally adopted. It took the United Nations was the declaration same courage to state the universality could make things even worse for them and their of human rights, at the start of our of these principles in the Declaration families. By Boutros Boutros-Ghali organisation’s history, and the World and in Vienna, and apply it to the Cairo Conference on Human Rights held at new attacks on the most basic human Vienna in 1993. There have been many right: the right to life. To Advertise conferences setting world agendas Furthermore, we need courage and o highlight the achievements and goals before and after Vienna, vision to reach a global consensus in [email protected] of the United Nations in the but for the world to come together an agreement on defi ning the scourge Display past 70 years would fi ll many to defi ne human rights, and to state of terrorism, and a strong global Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Tvolumes, and I’m afraid clearly a global commitment to their commitment to fi ghting this evil. I am that writing about my wishes for achievement, was an important confi dent that the United Nations, Classified the United Nations in the next seven moment in history. our United Nations, will continue to Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 decades would fi ll even more books. Boutros Boutros-Ghali: We need a new So what do I wish for the future? lead in innovation so that we reach the But perhaps two moments stand Agenda for Peace My wish is that we build on past aim of the Charter for life “in larger Subscription out in the proud history of our achievements and update them for freedom”. [email protected] organisation: the fi rst is the invention unique in the history of international the modern world. Just as the United of peacekeeping that allowed the relations. Nations invented peacekeeping, we zBoutros Boutros-Ghali is former United Nations to truly foster world When I became secretary-general, now need to modernise the practice, secretary-general of the United 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved peace through a mechanism we the fi rst-ever summit meeting of and the Security Council’s use of Nations, having served from January take for granted today, but which is heads of state and government of the the instruments at its disposal to 1992 to December 1996. Gulf Times Friday, February 19, 2016 19 COMMENT Kurds in Syria: a geopolitical headache

The Syrian Kurds appear Worse, the Syrian government - to be on the ascendency, which Turkey wants overthrown - is preparing to place rebel-held eastern angering Turkey. However, Aleppo under siege. as the Kurds seize new Starving out the opposition fi ghters could take months or even years, but territories and prepare for the fall of the city would be symbolic fresh assaults on Islamic for al-Assad and would free up troops for other battles. State, they must also worry Emerging as a second symbolic point about ruling a potentially is the town of Azaz, near Aleppo and hostile Arab population just south of the Turkish border. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has promised that he will not let Azaz fall to By Shabtai Gold and the advancing Kurds. Pol O Gradaigh/DPA “I don’t think Turkey can do Istanbul much,” cautions Howard Eissenstat, an associate professor of Middle East history at St Lawrence University. yria’s main Kurdish militia has With Russia fl ying over Syria, Turkey the distinction of being the will not risk a ground operation. only faction in the war-torn Turkey downed a Russian plane Scountry to have the backing of in November, infuriating Moscow, both Russian and US airstrikes. and there seems to be no appetite However, its advances against in Ankara for another direct rebel forces in the north of Syria have confrontation. rankled Turkey and complicated The YPG may in fact pass on Azaz, matters for Washington. which shelters tens of thousands of Analysts say the Kurdish People’s Arab civilians fl eeing the increasingly Protection Units (YPG) have managed lethal Russian airstrikes which have to manoeuvre cleverly amid the also hit hospitals and schools. political turmoil of Syria, battling “The Kurds might be able to live Islamic State and carving out a self- with that situation where Azaz proclaimed autonomous territory. becomes almost de facto part of The group has a long-standing An injured northern Syrian child is carried on a stretcher at the southern Turkish border town of Kilis hospital, as bothTurkey and Russia have stepped up their Turkish territory,” says Pierret, noting detente with the Syrian government bombardments in Syria. Turkish artillery has struck at Kurdish militia targets in Syria over the past few days, putting Ankara at odds with the US which supports the that the YPG can still attack Islamic and recently has been able to capitalise Syrian Kurds fighting Islamic State militants. State and connect its own territories on Russian airstrikes against rebel without holding the town. factions in Aleppo, in northern Syria. an analyst at the Atlantic Council ally in Ankara and the Kurdish militia. comfortable working with the Kurds, Advanced Study of the Arab World at Turkey has long sought a buff er In the north-east, the US has been think-tank. “Turkey is reacting and “The Americans are very upset who are not making claims on territory the University of Edinburgh. zone in the area, in part to stem to fl ow backing the YPG with airstrikes not setting the tempo.” about what is going on because of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sees With the air support the YPG has of refugees to the country. against Islamic State since late 2014 Turkey’s leaders have grown geopolitical headache this is causing,” as essential. been getting, taking this territory from Not having to rule an Arab and shows no sign of abating. increasingly worried about the gains of Stein says. The current objective of the YPG Islamic State might yet be in reach, population that has largely supported Meanwhile, the YPG - which the YPG, which has ties to the armed But US policy is focused on seems to be to link up its canton of he adds - although the amount of the rebels could in fact be “a net espouses a leftist, communitarian Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group defeating the Islamic State group. As Efrin, in the far north-west, to its main fi repower needed could also drive out benefi t” for the YPG, Pierret says. ideology - steadily advances across enmeshed in a confl ict with Turkish long as the Kurds remain a capable territory stretching across northern all the area’s civilians. The other lands the Kurds seek to northern Syria, claiming large swathes security forces for more than 30 years. ally in that fi eld, there is no sign Syria along the Turkish border. Turkey is not only watching the take from Islamic State are inhabited of territory it dubs Rojava, meaning President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has Washington will abandon its only “The only remaining obstacle is the Kurds gain, it is seeing the Syrian rebel by many tens of thousands of Sunni western Kurdistan. vowed Turkey will continue to shell reliable ground force in the fi ght part of the border that is controlled by groups it supports, including Islamist Arabs and it remains unclear how they “The Kurds are now dictating the YPG positions in Syria and demanded against the extremists in Syria. Islamic State,” says Thomas Pierret, factions, collapse in Aleppo, largely would govern - assuming the civilians course of events,” says Aaron Stein, that the US choose between its Nato Moscow too seems to be the director of the Centre for the because of the Russian airstrikes. are not driven out by airstrikes. Weather report Green Climate Fund feels the heat Three-day forecast TODAY High: 26 C By Lou del Bello climate fi nance is organised, but has fi nance expert at the World Resources to speed. “There has been a lot of yet to clarify what “transformation” Institute. “You have to demonstrate project development on readiness, Low : 16 C London Misty to foggy at places at first means in practice. that you have the right policies and the but the disbursement of fi nance and becoming moderate temperature This is particularly important commitment to manage money in an implementation has been really slow,” during day with some clouds t’s just three months since world because it will determine the way eff ective and socially appropriate way. she noted. leaders reached an agreement in in which funds are managed, how And that’s a tall order.” Civil society organisations complain SATURDAY Paris to commit billions of dollars potential partners are approached, The GCF channels money only to about a lack of transparency and High: 27 C towards curbing and adapting and the GCF’s risk appetite – namely, accredited “partners” who are invited engagement with local activists at Low: 17 C I Sunny to climate change. But the UN body to what extent donors and project to pitch projects on behalf of developing the national level, which they believe responsible for ensuring the money is implementers are willing to absorb the countries. The partners are typically hinders the programme. spent eff ectively is facing some critical risk of investment failure. established international, regional The GCF is overseen by a board questions. One major challenge the GCF faces and national institutions such as made up of representatives from SUNDAY The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has is a perceived north-south divide. development banks or NGOs. They are developed and developing countries, High: 28 C so far focused on building a framework The projects currently in the evaluated in terms of their track record and operates independently from Low: 18 C to approve its fi rst batch of projects. pipeline range from resilience- on project management and fi nancial the UN. It receives the bulk of its Sunny The fund set itself the tough goal building in Peru’s wetlands to a new stability. They are also expected to donations from developed countries, of distributing $2.5bn by the end of energy effi ciency green bond in Latin have some core funding of their own to but also involves the private sector 2016, a quarter of the $10bn currently America and the Caribbean. But enable a quick project start up. in supporting and scaling up the Fishermen’s forecast pledged by countries in support of the the list is short of the locally driven, Some of the most vulnerable investments it helps roll out. OFFSHORE DOHA climate cause. small-scale initiatives that are key to countries, such as Kiribati and other Its objective is to transform the way Wind: NW-SW 05-12 KT But with December’s summit over building grassroots resilience. small islands, struggle with the countries and investors engage in the Waves: 1-3/4 Feet and with a pipeline of only eight Although the majority of projects complex bureaucracy that comes with climate economy – providing support INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-SE 03-10 KT investments totalling $168mn, the are located within least developed a project pitch. for the reduction of greenhouse Waves: 1-2 Feet GCF also fi nds itself without a clear countries or small island states, “There remains the challenge of gas emissions and adaptation to vision or long-term strategy – and programme selection still suggests accessibility and the translation the impacts of climate change. The Around the region faces criticism from partners as well as a top-down approach to climate of these pledges into what and to current agreed overall fi nancing target Weather Weather developing countries struggling with fi nancing. where it matters the most,” Makurita is $100bn a year from public and today Max/min tomorrow Max/min its red tape. “Large scale projects are obviously Baaro, Kiribati’s UN permanent private sources by 2020. Abu Dhabi P Cloudy 27/12 P Cloudy 28/12 At the beginning of February, a important, but there is a need for representative, said ahead of the Paris Climate action is related to each Baghdad P Cloudy 28/14 Sunny 26/12 Dubai P Cloudy more national and subnational summit. country’s broader development goals, Sunny 24/15 26/15 meeting was held in Cape Town, South Kuwait City Sunny 26/16 Sunny 29/15 Africa, to address some of the most based initiatives,” said Neha Rai, The UN Environment Programme, like poverty alleviation and economic Manama Sunny 24/16 Sunny 26/17 pressing issues. Labelled by some as a climate change researcher with the UN Development Programme and growth. But Audrey Rojkoff , GCF co- Muscat Sunny 25/16 Sunny 27/17 a “crisis” gathering, the event was the International Institute for the World Resources Institute have ordinator at the African Development Riyadh Sunny 26/12 Sunny 28/13 only open to board members and four Environment and Development. started a “readiness programme” to Bank, believes an “important point Tehran Sunny 16/07 Cloudy 17/06 external observers. “Ultimately, local people know help countries access funding and to clarify is the diff erence between Liane Schalatek, an international better what works and what doesn’t transition to a new climate economy. adaptation measures and the fi ght trade expert with the Heinrich Böll in a given community, and their “Readiness encompasses three against poverty”. Foundation North America, who involvement is important to design main phases,” said Amerasinghe. Clear defi nitions and priorities attended as a civil society observer, successful interventions.” “First, the planning stage, then the are needed for both objectives, as believes the crisis label was a One reason why no small-scale, accreditation, and fi nally the project muddling the two makes it harder to “misrepresentation”. But, “there subnational-led projects appear in the design and implementation.” This design eff ective programming. are certainly a number of essential list so far – and this may not change should help countries develop their “If you want to meet the temperature strategic policies that have been in the immediate future – lies in the own local initiatives in accordance goals [approved in Paris] you will overlooked in the run-up to Paris and structure and accreditation process of with international standards and their need a real change in how you look now have to be discussed.” the GCF. own internal needs. at sustainable development and how The GCF vowed to have a “Getting accredited to the Green But Schalatek of the Heinrich economies are run,” said Amerasinghe. transformative impact, enabling a Climate Fund is a tough challenge,” Böll Foundation believes that the “And that’s going to require thinking “paradigm shift” in the way global said Nira Amerasinghe, climate readiness programme is far from up outside the box.” – IRIN Live issues

Around the world Keeping your kids safe throughout the house Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens Sunny 22/11 Sunny 21/11 from the table’s edge. Use non-slip voice to alert residents to smoke and Beirut M Sunny 26/16 S Showers 20/15 By Alan J Heavens Bangkok M Sunny 35/24 M Sunny 35/25 Tribune News Service placemats instead of tablecloths if also to the specifi c location of the Berlin P Cloudy 07/-1 Showers 07/05 toddlers are present. hazard within the home. Studies show Cairo Sunny 28/14 Sunny 26/13 zNever drink or carry hot liquids that children age 6 to 10 are wakened Cape Town Rain 24/16 P Cloudy 26/18 y father used to say that while carrying or holding a child. more readily by voice. Colombo S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 31/24 Sunny M Sunny 35/23 you never put your hand zKeep fi re extinguishers close at zKeep all appliance cords – Dhaka 34/22 Hong Kong Showers 16/12 P Cloudy 16/12 on a hot stove more than hand, and within easy reach of the especially for items such as irons – Istanbul Showers 11/06 P Cloudy 12/07 once. cooking area. coiled and away from counter edges. Jakarta S T Storms 31/24 T Storms 32/24 M Karachi P Cloudy 31/17 Sunny 32/15 It’s one of those “learn from What about the rest of the house? zEstablish a “kid zone” out of experience” adages that I have never Glad you asked: the high-traffic areas near the London P Cloudy 11/07 Showers 14/11 Manila M Sunny 33/21 M Sunny 33/22 agreed with, especially when it puts a and fi re extinguishers for homes. zCheck smoke detectors regularly, stove, cords, and appliances, where Moscow M Cloudy -1/-6 M Cloudy 0/-6 child at risk of serious injury. Here are some tips to keep the little and replace the batteries every six children can safely play and still be New Delhi Cloudy 29/19 S Showers 26/14 About 350 children age 19 and ones out of harm’s way in the kitchen: months. If you can’t remember the supervised. New York M Cloudy 04/02 P Cloudy 12/15 under are injured as a result of fi re or zCook on the back burners when last time you replaced an alarm, Coincidentally, I just replaced the Paris P Cloudy 09/04 Showers 13/11 T Storms T Storms 30/20 burn-related causes every day in the young children are present, and keep change it. Smoke alarms should be smoke alarm in our bedroom because Sao Paulo 29/19 Seoul M Cloudy 07/-4 P Cloudy 07/-6 US, according to the National Fire pot handles turned back, away from replaced every 10 years. a battery change didn’t seem to make Singapore T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 Protection Association – a statistic the stove’s edge. zConsider switching to voice it work properly. The replacement Sydney P Cloudy 30/21 S T Storms 26/20 reported by First Alert, which makes zDuring mealtime, place hot items alarms, which use a loud, pre- alarm cost about $13, and it took just Tokyo Clear 16/01 Rain 11/05 smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the centre of the table, at least 10in recorded and tamper-proof human 15 minutes to install. Gulf Times 20 Friday, February 19, 2016 QATAR

HMC’s Neurosciences ‘Stroke incidence in Qatar Institute to establish more programmes is extremely worrying’ By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter fter establishing the stroke and epilepsy pro- Agrammes, Hamad Medi- amad Medical Corpo- cal Corporation (HMC) is ready ration (HMC) is focus- to set up additional programmes Hing on treating stroke, and bring more medical experts epilepsy and brain tumour due to to serve the increasing number of the growing number of cases in patients in Qatar. Qatar, neurosurgery chairman Dr Speaking on the sidelines of the Ghanim al-Sulaiti has said. fi rst annual Qatar Neuroscience “Stroke is the second leading Conference, HMC Neurosciences cause of death globally and its Institute director professor Ash- incidence in Qatar is extremely faq Shuaib explained that they worrying,” he noted, stressing will also establish neuro-muscu- that stroke patients in Qatar are lar, chronic back pain and multi- almost 20 years younger than in ple sclerosis programmes, among the US or the UK. others, soon. Dr al-Sulaiti was speaking on “About 1,100 to 1,200 stroke the sidelines of the fi rst annual cases and many epilepsy cases Qatar Neuroscience Conference, are handled annually at Hamad Professor Ashfaq Shuaib which opened yesterday in Doha. Hospital,” he said. The institute While between 3% and 4% of Conference delegates attend a session. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil receives about 10,000 to 15,000 It tripled the number of experts Qatar’s population have epilep- neurology cases on an average in neurology, doubled those in sy, Dr al-Sulaiti said the coun- will see discussions on certain HMC’s senior consultant and every year and about half of these neuro-radiology and increased try also has highest incidence of types of neuro-diseases, particu- Radiography Scientifi c Commit- are neurosurgical cases, accord- the number of neurosurgeons. brain cancer in the GCC region. larly epilepsy, brain tumours and tee chairman Dr Ahmed Own. ing to professor Shuaib, who Besides the current Qatari ex- Hamad Hospital now handles stroke. The event is organised by “We are thrilled to be able to was the chair of neurology at the perts working in all departments about 1,100 to 1,200 stroke cases HMC’s Neuroscience Institute as provide our clinicians with the University of Alberta in Canada of the institute, professor Shuaib and many epilepsy cases annu- part of the Academic Health Sys- chance to collaborate and learn for 10 years. said they would like to see more ally. tem programme. from leading experts in the fi elds In the Mena region, professor to be part of their team in the fu- Out of 15,000 neurology cases “The main objective is to in- of neuro-radiology, neurology Shuaib said HMC is the only hos- ture. recorded by HMC, he said they crease co-operation between and neurosurgery, which is a fi rst pital that has a Joint Commission “We have the chief of neuro- conducted more than 800 brain neurology, neurosurgery and for HMC,” he said in a statement. International stroke programme surgery, who has come back af- surgeries last year, including neuro-radiology,” Dr al-Sulaiti Dr Own noted that each of the accreditation. ter training in Canada. There are those who were involved in road said. “The second thing which is neuro-specialties held separate HMC also recruited the cur- three in neuro-radiology and two traffi c accidents. very important is updates on new events earlier but the Neuro- rent chair of University of Ala- in neurology,” he added. International guest speakers innovations, new treatment, and sciences Institute helped in com- bama’s neuro-muscular pro- “We have a fairly robust fel- from 15 countries have joined new investigation and diagnosis.” ing up with a combined confer- gramme, who is expected to lowship programme in neurol- local experts to present a series The conference also provides ence platform. arrive in the next three weeks, to ogy, neurosurgery and neuro- of lectures, case studies, pres- close collaboration between in- “A joint neuroscience confer- be in charge of this programme in radiology,” the director said, entations and workshops at the ternational and local experts to ence makes sense from a col- Qatar. adding that HMC is also creating three-day event. provide a suitable learning en- laborative point of view, and also HMC has combined neurol- a network of experts, three of Around 500 participants are vironment for neuroscientists makes sense from an economic ogy, neurosurgery and neuro-ra- whom have been invited to the attending the conference, which working in Qatar, according to point of view,” he said. HMC’s neurosurgery chairman Dr Ghanim al-Sulaiti. diology together in one institute. conference. Ooredoo sponsoring ninth annual Al Khor Fly-In

oredoo is sponsoring the ninth annual Al Khor OFly-In, which will take place at Al Khor Airport today and tomorrow. This is the third year running that Ooredoo has sponsored the event, which attracts a large crowd of families and aviation fans. The Al Khor Fly-In is an open event organised by owners of light aircraft, which promotes the sport of fl ying to the general public and welcomes pilots from Qatar and across the GCC. At the event, which began in 2008, promoting aviation as a hobby for young people, visitors can see a range of light aircraft on display and interact with the pilots. Al Khor Airport is located 31km north of Doha, to the east of the Al Khor coastal road. The event will be open to the public The Al Khor Fly-In promotes the sport of flying to the general public and welcomes pilots from Qatar from 8am to 5.30pm and en- and across the GCC. trance will be free of charge. As part of its sponsorship, Hala top-ups and giveaways for opening event today, said the “This fun-fi lled aviation Ooredoo will host a booth at the children. Ooredoo chief opera- company continues to support event is a great example of a Dana Shell Smith with other dignitaries. event, off ering information and tions offi cer Yousuf Abdulla al- sports and hobbies that moti- community initiative with a services such as Mobile Money, Kubaisi, who is set to attend the vate and engage young people. message,” it was observed. Qatari and American 24 QU students to benefit from Boeing collaboration designers celebrate cultural ties at event

panel discussion and fashion design at Virginia Com- director of Ooredoo; and Dana fashion show took place monwealth University in Qa- Alfardan, CEO of DNA Records. Arecently at The Amphi- tar; Razan Suliman, owner and “We were so delighted to have theatre, The Pearl-Qatar, as part founder of Fanilla Couture; and this amazing event as part of of the second annual Discover moderator Maryam al-Subaiey, Discover America Week. Fashion America Week celebrations. founder of Q-Talent. truly is a bridge that unites cul- “The Bridge that Unites Us” “It’s truly impressive and in- tures and a $1.7tn industry creat- event was opened by Carmen spiring to see the level of passion ing more than 75mn jobs world- Haddad, CEO of Citibank Qatar and entrepreneurial spirit that ex- wide,” the US ambassador said. and American Chamber of Com- ists in Qatar, which was on full dis- The forum was followed by a merce (AmCham Qatar) board of play during the panel discussion fashion show, presenting collec- governors member. featuring Qatar’s young talent,” tions from Debaj Collection, Qa- The panel made up of promi- said Theresa Backus Dunn, execu- tar; D’Oro, Qatar; Citizen by Azin, nent fashion industry leaders in tive director, AmCham Qatar. US; Papillon Jewellery, Qatar; and Qatar and internationally then In attendance and showing The Closet, which showcased two took the stage to discuss the their support were Dana Shell American designer brands. delicate task of bringing art and Smith, US ambassador; Ibti- “It was truly an honour to take fashion together. haj Alahmadani, chairperson of part in this event and the Design Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defence, space and security The panel featured Jawaher al- Qatar Businesswomen Forum; Creationz (DCz) team is humbled systems, will provide technical support to Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG) to build unmanned aerial vehicles Kuwari, board member of Qatar Sheikha Noor bint Jassim al- and thankful for the opportu- (UAVs) for air quality monitoring. A group of 24 undergraduate students from QU-CENG will benefit from the collaboration with Women’s Association; Azin Valy, Thani, vice-chairperson of the nity given to us,” said Michelle Boeing. During the project, which runs until May 29, they are required to build a fixed-wing UAV to be fitted with air quality health designer/architect/global ex- Qatar Businesswomen Forum; Denenjon Smethurst, owner and monitoring sensors (see page 1). plorer; Sandra Wilkins, chair of Buthaina al-Ansari, senior HR international GM for DCz.