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SATURDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11431 January 18, 2020 Jumada I 23, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Al-Attiyah wins final stage Al Sadd lift Qatar Cup with 4-0 win for Dakar second place QATAR | Charity QRCS provides aid to 250 needy families Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in co-operation with Jordan National Red Crescent Society, with the support of Qatar Airways, provided aid to 250 Syrian and Jordanian needy families in the Ashrafieh area in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The head of QRCS mission in Jordan, Nihal Hefni, said that the distributed- aid was part of the Warm Winter Campaign carried out by QRCS, in co-operation with its humanitarian partners, to alleviate the suff ering of the Syrian refugees and their host communities, by providing all forms of assistance to them. She explained that they distributed food parcels and heaters to 250 families. Page 2 ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Erdogan: Syrian regime violating Idlib truce Turkish President Recep Tayyip Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (right) and his French co-driver Mathieu Baumel pose Erdogan said that the Syrian regime with their runner-up trophies after the Dakar Rally 2020 in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia, Al Sadd players Gabi (second from left) and Hassan al-Haydos (right) receive the Qatar Cup trophy from Qatar has proven that it is not committed yesterday. The defending champion won the final stage to see off the challenge from Football Association president HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Thani at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to a ceasefire in Idlib, adding that 13-time champion Stephane Peterhansel for the second spot. Spaniard Carlos Sainz yesterday. Al Sadd defeated Al Duhail 4-0 in the final. At extreme left is Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb. this issue will be discussed at won the title for the third time in his career. (Red Bull Content Pool) Sport Page 1 PICTURE: Anas al-Samaraee. Sport Page 4 the Berlin Conference on Libya, especially after the systematic military campaign by the Syrian regime forces and the Russian forces in clear violation of the ceasefire agreement announced on Qatar scores high in food January 12. “Idlib is clear proof that Education ministry may the regime does not comply with the steps we have taken regarding aff ordability, availability the cease-fire,” Erdogan said. The Turkish president added that he intends to have a detailed discussion he agriculture and fi sheries to advance agricultural production restructure work hours on this issue with his Russian sectors at the Ministry of Mu- to achieve the desired food secu- counterpart Vladimir Putin in Berlin Tnicipality and Environment rity, the offi cial Qatar News Agency tomorrow. Page 3 (MME) saw great achievements in (QNA) reported. These contributed zGovt entities present proposals to address traff ic congestion the fi eld of food security and self- to supporting the agricultural sector BRITAIN | Diplomacy suffi ciency as a result of the imple- towards realising great success in the he Ministry of Education and Brexit throws up foreign mentation of a number of strategic recent period, indicating that the ag- Higher Education intends to end national projects during the past ricultural sector made great strides Tworking hours before the peak policy balancing act year, an offi cial has said. towards achieving food security in hours to reduce traffi c congestion at Prime Minister Boris Johnson This was represented by a sig- fi elds covering plants, livestock and those times, a senior offi cial has said. appears torn between the United nifi cant increase in agricultural pro- fi sh. This is in addition to the ministry’s States and the European Union as duction, which in turn contributed He said in 2019, the ministry eff orts to include traffi c awareness in he tries to chart Britain’s course on to raising the self-suffi ciency ratio launched several initiatives and school curricula and extracurricular the international stage weeks before across a number of commodities, projects for private sector investors. activities so that students are nurtured Brexit. From the fraught situation Sheikh Dr Falih bin Nasser al-Thani, Ten projects to grow vegetables in in an environment that contributes to in Iran to controversy over Chinese Assistant Undersecretary for Agri- greenhouses were presented with an the promotion of a traffi c culture, ac- telecoms giant Huawei, Johnson culture and Fisheries Aff airs at the annual production capacity of about cording to Dr Ibrahim Saleh al-Nuai- Dignitaries at the event. has been accused of trying to avoid MME, noted. 21,000 tonnes. These were in addi- mi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of aggravating Britain’s historic ally He made the observation while tion to four projects concerned with Education and Higher Education and sible for this management and defi ne The opening of the workshop was and US President Donald Trump. At addressing a recent press conference the production of green fodder with member of the National Traffi c Safety its tasks, the negative impact of traffi c attended by HE the Minister of Trans- the same time the British premier, , where he highlighted the strategic treated wastewater, having an annual Committee (NTSC). congestion at the health and economic port and Communications and First who wants future trade deals with projects launched in Qatar to sup- production capacity of about 17,000 He made the observation while ad- levels; ways to improve the effi ciency Deputy Chairman of the NTSC, Jassim both Washington and Brussels, has port food security and how “great tonnes. dressing the fi rst workshop on traffi c of public transport, develop a vehicle Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Ashghal Presi- stopped short of breaking from the achievements” were seen in this Two projects were also launched congestion management, which was parking system and increase the ca- dent and member of the NTSC Dr Saad European bloc’s positions on key regard - as refl ected by Qatar main- for the production of concentrated held in Doha recently under the pa- pacity of road networks, as well as the Ahmed al-Muhannadi, and a number global issues. taining the fi rst position in the Arab feed with an annual production ca- tronage of HE Sheikh Abdullah bin relation between road accidents and of heads and representatives of the au- world in the Global Food Security In- pacity of about 50,000 tonnes. For Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Prime congestion and the poor behaviour and thorities concerned with traffi c issues To our readers dex for 2019. organic fertilisers, two projects were Minister and Minister of Interior, and habits of some drivers, the offi cial Qa- and road projects. Also, Qatar jumped nine spots to launched with an annual production Chairman of the NTSC. tar News Agency reported (QNA). Addressing the event, Dr al-Nuaimi On account of a power outage 13th globally in the index compared capacity of about 12,000 tonnes for The workshop was organised by the The workshop also highlighted the role emphasised that traffi c congestion is that lasted several hours, Gulf to 2018, as reported in Gulf Times on the two projects. NTSC in co-operation with the Public of police personnel in controlling move- one of the most important challenges Times could not include a full Thursday. Regarding dairy production, Works Authority (Ashghal). ment, the speed and pedestrian manage- that developed countries face today selection of news in today’s Sheikh Dr Falih reviewed the most Sheikh Dr Falih said two projects Various entities concerned in the ment system, city planning systems, the due to the growing population den- edition. The inconvenience is important achievements and ini- were launched to produce camel milk state took part in the workshop to dis- impact of economic growth, the growth sity, modern lifestyle and the conse- regretted. - Editor tiatives that were taken during the with an annual capacity of about cuss ways to manage traffi c congestion of population and the number of vehi- quent increase in the number of vehi- past year through the state’s eff orts 3,000 tonnes . To Page 2 and determine the authorities respon- cles, and other related topics. cles. To Page 2 Foreign powers to push Libyan rivals for truce in Berlin

Reuters ker power-sharing between the peace,” said Aisha Ali Saleh, a ers have again been the drivers of been deployed, diplomats say. Berlin/Tripoli eastern-based forces and the mother-of-eight in an apartment the aftermath, supplying drones, “Berlin is an opportunity to internationally-recognised gov- on an abandoned building site guns and ammunition to the fac- restart the political process and ernment in Tripoli, said diplo- with no power or running water. tions. build on the pause in fi ghting,” ermany and the United mats briefed on preparations. Haftar and Serraj are both Haftar is backed by the United said a Western diplomat. Nations will push rival The summit will put pressure due in Berlin - along with lead- Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, A six-page draft communique GLibyan camps and their on Khalifa Haftar and his east- ers of Russia, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, Sudanese and Chad- seen by Reuters calls for “cred- foreign backers fi ghting over the ern Libyan National Army (LNA) other Western and Arab powers ian fi ghters, and most recently ible, verifi able, sequenced and capital to agree today to a truce to halt a nine-month off ensive - in the latest bid to stabilise the Russian mercenaries. France has reciprocal steps” starting with a and monitoring mechanism as against Fayez al-Serraj’s govern- Opec member nation in turmoil also given some support. truce to be monitored by techni- fi rst steps towards peace, dip- ment in the coastal capital after a since the 2011 fall of strongman On the other side, Turkey cal committees. lomats and a draft communique week-long lull in fi ghting. Muammar Gaddafi . has rushed to Serraj’s rescue by That could involve beefi ng up said. About 140,000 people have Members of the transatlantic sending troops to balance out the existing UN mission in Libya But the meeting in Berlin at been forced out of their homes. alliance Nato and Arab countries recent gains by Russian snipers. or deploying troops from Russia, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s A displaced family warms up their hands at an unfinished apartment in “I hope the war ends and we were instrumental in removing Hundreds of pro-Turkey fi ght- Turkey or other states, the dip- headquarters will not try to bro- Tripoli, Libya. have our country back to live in Gaddafi then, and foreign pow- ers from Syria’s war have also lomats said. Page 3 Gulf Times 2 Saturday, January 18, 2020 QATAR Seminar Book fair enhances discusses media’s role Qatar’s cultural scene seminar entitled “Me- “Even though workers dia and Valuable Con- in the media fi eld are By Ayman Adly Acepts” was held on subject to the policies of Staff Reporter Thursday evening, within the institutions, they should framework of the cultural pro- not be absent from logic gramme of the 30th Doha In- and reason, and to have a n increasing number of ternational Book Fair (DIBF) at professional conscience visitors have been fl ock- the Doha Exhibition and Con- as a ruler in their visions Aing to the 30th edition vention Center. and ideas” of Doha International Book Fair During the seminar, Pro- 2020, which is set to conclude fessor of International Rela- or ethics of media work, and today at Doha Convention and tions at Qatar University Dr that the spectator must search Exhibition Centre. Mohamed Noemi al-Hajri and scrutinise to reach the Children’s books and edu- discussed the concept of me- truth and leave this medium. cational toys from more than dia, its development and the A dialogue session was held 72 participants from diff erent great impact that media have for Chairman of the Board of countries have attracted a large on societies at the beginning, Directors of the Qatar Press number of families to the event. noting the importance of the Centre Saad al-Rumaihi in the A variety of diverse cultural media being the general hu- presence of a large number of and intellectual activities have manitarian principles and media professionals, intel- also received a good turnout. positive values, despite the lectuals, and the exhibition’s Offi cials from 797 pavilions existence of editorial policies audience. representing various countries for media institutions. The dialogue was moderat- and international and local pub- A view of the crowd at the book fair yesterday. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam He stressed that even ed by media presenter Tayseer lishing houses have praised the though workers in the media Abdullah. excellent organisation and lo- experimental edition of his ency- regional related issues, stressed tors said that they have made sayed El-Azab, a visitor to the fi eld are subject to the policies Al-Rumaihi praised the gistic preparations of the fair, clopaedia on Arab poets since the the importance of the fair as an good sales during the fair and the fair, pointed out the need to in- of institutions, they should high level of the Doha Inter- describing it among the best of pre-Islam era until the modern excellent platform to introduce Qatari people are willing to learn troduce more specialised scien- not be absent from logic and national Book Fair, as it has its kind worldwide. times. visitors to key stages of Qatar and explore new things. tifi c and technical books. reason, and to have a profes- become an important cultural Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Dr al-Buainain pointed out history, in particular the works They pointed out that they He felt that such books were sional conscience as a ruler in demonstration, that contains al-Buainian, a Qatari author, that the concept of experimental of the Founder Sheikh Jassim have started to make further dis- very few in this edition of the their visions and ideas. other artistic and cultural as- stressed the book fair this year edition is meant to take feedback bin Mohamed bin Thani includ- counts on their items as the fair fair. Dr al-Hajri said that thanks pects, appreciating the distin- has featured some excellent fo- from readers and modify the next ing some of his documents and comes to conclusion. However, he said the book fair to the information network guished presence of the Qatari rums and book discussions that editions accordingly, as the ulti- manuscripts. Chen Kai, an exhibitor from is an excellent opportunity to and social media, the receiver publishing houses and the have further enhanced the cul- mate purpose of any author is to Besides, Dr Ghazi said that China selling educational toys, enhance professional knowledge can distinguish between ob- high content they off er, and tural scene in the country. deliver the message eff ectively to people have expressed interest rated the fair as outstanding by and help people improve their jectivity, bias, and propagan- the high production of Qatari He also launched some books the readers. in the issue and wanted to know all yardsticks. skills, as Qatar has become a hub da, noting that the recipient literature that promises of a on the Arabic and Islamic cul- Dr Ali Afi fi Ghazi, managing more about the various stages of He said the sales were very of distinguished events in diff er- has an important role in con- generation of young inventors ture. editor of Rewaq history, a maga- the history of the country. good. ent fi elds including technology fronting false media, which in the fi eld of literature and In particular he launched an zine, which deals with Qatari and In the meantime, the exhibi- However, engineer Ehab El- and construction. does not adhere to the charter media. (QNA) QRCS and Education ministry may restructure working hours Jordan Red From page 1 school students to use school- He said the state has paid great rior said in a press statement. the development of an eff ective sible for drawing traffi c policies buses to limit the use of private attention to deal with traffi c con- Meanwhile, Ashghal’s Direc- system for the use of modern in the State, places traffi c con- Crescent He said this has prompted cars, by providing transporta- gestion through the launch of tor of Projects Aff airs Yousef al- technology, the implementa- gestion at the top of its priori- the developed countries to look tion means with best inter- the National traffi c Safety Strat- Emadi said the second executive tion of the ‘black points’ system ties due to the damage it causes for solutions to the ill-eff ects of national standards, as well as egy 2013-2022 in addition to the plan of 2018-2022 includes ma- to determine the locations that to the national economy. provide congestion, including air pollu- ensuring that students are en- second development plan, which jor projects related to sustaina- witness repeated traffi c acci- He urged all State institu- tion , which refl ects negatively rolled in government schools aims to reduce traffi c accidents ble transport and reducing traf- dents, developing pedestrian tions to intensify their eff orts on the climate and health of in- located near their residential and build a safe and secure trans- fi c congestion, such as building services to provide facilities for in preparation for the 2022 FIFA aid to 250 dividuals. areas, and by taking into ac- portation system. a system of central control, all road users, and enhancing World Cup and ensure the read- He added that traffi c conges- count housing areas while em- He also discussed the par- traffi c signals and systems for safety by building pedestrian iness of all sectors, especially tion also has negative eff ects on ploying staff in schools to avoid ticipation of the Traffi c Depart- maintenance, traffi c accidents, crossings and bridges. the transportation sector and its families the economy, in terms of lost long transfers, according to the ment in the activities of spe- speed management and smart The projects also include de- sub-sectors, such as traffi c fl ow working hours and delays in QNA report. cialised work groups formed by transportation. veloping school districts to fa- during the event. QNA accomplishing work. He noted On his part, Director-General the NTSC, which is supervised He noted that the most im- cilitate traffi c fl ow and improv- The workshop included a Amman that Qatar has been working of Traffi c and Second Deputy by the Secretariat represented portant achievements of the ing safety, implementing the number of papers regarding traf- to address traffi c congestion Chairman of the NTSC, Ma- by the National Traffi c Safety authority include the highways smart transportation system fi c congestion with its various through the development of in- jor General Mohamed Saad al- Offi ce. The work groups include programme that includes some project and linking it with all dimensions and eff ects, current atar Red Crescent Society frastructure and legislation. Kharji, stressed that Qatar is the Speed Management Group, of the largest highway projects other new road projects. and future plans to address it, en- (QRCS) in co-operation He highlighted the Ministry facing a rise in the demand for Pedestrian Group and Incident in Qatar and the internal roads Brigadier Mohamed Abdul- hancing road safety, developing Qwith Jordan National Red of Education and Higher Edu- transportation of individuals Investigation Group, in addition programme, the operation and lah al-Malki, Secretary of the smart transportation systems and Crescent Society, with the sup- cation’s eff orts in this regard, and goods as well as an increase to the Traffi c Congestion Work- maintenance of sewage and NTSC, underlined that the other issues raised by a number of port of Qatar Airways, provided which include encouraging in traffi c congestion. ing Group, the Ministry of Inte- road networks in addition to committee, as the body respon- authorities concerned. charitable aid to 250 Syrian and Jordanian needy families in the Ashrafi eh area in the Jordanian capital, Amman. In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), head of QRCS Mis- sion in Jordan Nihal Hefni said that Qatar scores the distributed-aid was part of the Warm Winter Campaign carried out by QRCS, in co-operation with its humanitarian partners, to al- leviate the suff ering of the Syrian high in food refugees and their host communi- ties, by providing all forms of aid and assistance to them in light of the cold climatic conditions that Jordan is currently witnessing. aff ordability, She explained that they dis- tributed food parcels and heaters to 250 families. Head of QRCS Mission in Jor- dan praised the role of Qatar Air- availability ways, which has always provided Off icials at the press conference. generous support and is one of the largest supporters of QRCS and its From Page 1 accounting for about 74% in this national plan has contrib- regard to strategic storage, impor- Abdulaziz al-Ziyara, direc- and developing joint projects to humanitarian work for the benefi t terms of self-suffi ciency. uted signifi cantly to achieving tant steps have been taken to raise tor of the Animal Resources De- be able to achieve the main goals of the needy everywhere, based on Also, four projects were pro- Masoud Jarallah al-Marri, food self-suffi ciency with the the strategic stock of basic com- partment, confi rmed that the of the sector through conduct- the airline’s belief in the principle posed for the production of director of Food Security at the aim of improving the level of modities in the country in line department is working on im- ing applied plant research such of corporate social responsibility, table eggs in farms, funded by MME, stressed that Qatar was food security in the country. with what is stated in the strategy. plementing a strategy that would as the production of dates, palm and its noble orientation to sup- Qatar Development Bank, with again ranked fi rst in the Arab He said the National Food Se- Yousef Khaled al-Khulaifi , di- last for fi ve years, with the aim varieties and other pastoral wild port civil society organisations a capacity of about 180mn eggs world and jumped to the 13th curity Strategy depends on four rector of the Agricultural Aff airs of preventing transitional and plants. These are in addition concerned with humanitarian and annually, as well as two projects position globally after it was important pillars: local produc- Department, said the support of epidemic diseases aff ecting live- to applied livestock research social aff airs. for fi sh farming in fl oating ranked 22 in 2018, according to tion, internal supply chains, in- the State and the eff orts of the stock. It also seeks, in the coming through the animal research The families benefi ting from cages with a production capac- the Global Food Security Index ternational trade and logistics, private sector and farm own- period, to develop the halal num- station that conducts feed re- aid hailed QRCS’s role in imple- ity of about 4,000 tonnes and a issued last month. and strategic storage. ers have contributed to grow- bering system, and serve as an search, which contributes to the menting this charitable campaign, project for shrimp farming with He informed that the meas- The offi cial stressed that local ing quantities and types of local early warning for any epidemic development of quality livestock which refl ects the meanings of sol- an annual production capacity urement of the food security production is considered one of agricultural crops. He indicated that may aff ect animals and pre- production. idarity and co-operation, meeting of about 1,000 tonnes. index depends on three sub- the strongest pillars of the strat- that the ministry has focused, in vent it before it occurs, as well as Abdulaziz al-Dehaimi, direc- the needs of needy families and in- The offi cial touched on the indices, which are a consumer’s egy and it is witnessing growth recent years, on improving local contributing to the development tor of the Fish Wealth Depart- troducing joy in the hearts of chil- most prominent initiatives ability to bear the cost of food in line with the implementation marketing and fi nding various of the system of veterinary labo- ment, said the department has dren and women during the winter and assistance provided by the (aff ordability), the availabil- plan of the food security strat- outlets to sell the local produce ratories in a way that helps take a National Strategy (2018-2022) months. MME to local producers, in- ity of food, and the quality and egy. The pillar of internal supply through diff erent initiatives at decisions in this regard to pre- aimed at achieving self-suffi - Country Manager of Jordan at Qa- cluding the provision of con- safety of food. He explained, chains has also made satisfacto- commercial outlets. This, in serve animal wealth. ciency in fresh fi sh production tar Airways Samer Khalaf stressed centrated feed for livestock in this context, that Qatar is ry progress, as the data indicate turn, contributed to marketing Hamad al-Shammari, direc- and maintaining fi sh stocks, the importance of the co-operation breeders and livestock produc- fi rst both in the Arab world and the success of the programmes 30% of the local farm produce tor of the Agricultural Research as well as the establishment of with QRCS to implement this hu- tion requirements, in addition globally in terms of aff ordabil- adopted to boost the marketing through the projects launched Department, said the depart- a number of fi sh and shrimp manitarian campaign, explaining to supporting municipal poul- ity, while it is third in the Arab of local products in addition to over the last period. ment has developed a strategic farms. that Qatar Airways attaches great try fortifi cations in farms and world and 38th globally as far as establishing Mahaseel company, With regard to supporting lo- plan emanating from the na- He added that the MME importance to its social responsibil- supporting farms with agricul- availability is concerned. Also, which is expected to contribute cal producers, al-Khulaifi said tional food security plan for the sought to establish the Water ity programme. tural production requirements it is fi rst in the Arab world and towards strengthening the do- a number of greenhouses were agriculture and fi sheries aff airs Research Centre with the aim of He expressed the keenness of Qa- such as seeds, fertilisers, pes- 13th globally in terms of food mestic market and internal sup- set up and some of these have sector, to create harmony and supporting research institutions tar Airways to contribute to support ticides and marketing/packing. quality and safety. ply chains. begun the production process. fl uidity in work and achieve the in this fi eld at the national and the needy families and provide them Fishermen were supported by Al-Marri noted that the re- With regard to international He added that the target is 3,500 desired goals. regional levels. It is a centre spe- with assistance, through the distri- supplying them a number of re- markable jump from 22nd to trade and logistics, he said it re- greenhouses with an area of He added that the department cialising in studies and research bution of food parcels and heaters, frigerators. 13th globally in just one year, quires diversifi cation of the food 110 hectares to produce 10,000 relies on key initiatives such as related to marine science and in cooperation with QRCS, which is Meanwhile, the total fi sh pro- following the adoption of the import sources to avoid interrup- tonnes of vegetables, which will making recommendations and fi sh farming, as well as helping sparing no eff ort to help the needy in duction in the State is currently National Food Security Strat- tion, adding that a plan has been contribute to increasing food framing policies, developing re- support fi sh stocks and biodi- various parts of the world. some 15,000 tonnes annually, egy in 2018, is an indication that developed in this regard. With production by 15%. search stations and laboratories, versity. Gulf Times Saturday, January 18, 2020 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA Khamenei expresses support for Guards Reuters praise on the Guards for protect- an people are.”“The plane crash Dubai ing Iran and renewing a call for was a bitter tragedy that burned US troops to leave the region. through our heart,” Khamenei Khamenei said Soleimani’s said. “But some tried to use it ran’s supreme leader threw work of projecting Iran’s military as an excuse to overshadow the his support behind the elite infl uence abroad would continue martyrdom of our great com- IRevolutionary Guards in a and said the Quds Force he com- mander Soleimani.” rare sermon yesterday after their manded “protects oppressed Stopping short of a direct belated admission that they had nations across the region.” apology for the plane disaster, accidentally downed an airliner He said Quds Force soldiers he urged Iranians to unite and triggered days of protests on the were “fi ghters without borders”. show solidarity by turning out in Michelle Bachelet has called for an early halt in hostilities in streets. The US Department of State’s numbers for the February parlia- Syria’s Idlib province. In his fi rst Friday prayers ser- special representative to Iran, mentary election. mon in eight years, Ayatollah Ali Brian Hook, said in Washington The funeral of Soleimani, long Khamenei also told worshippers that Iranian threats risked fur- portrayed as a national hero in chanting “Death to America” ther isolating the country. Iran, had brought huge num- that the elite Guards could take But Russia lent Iran some sup- bers of Iranian mourners to the Syria truce fails their fi ght beyond Iran’s borders port over the airliner disaster, streets. after the US killing of a top Ira- saying it had been shot down Online footage during dem- nian commander. when Tehran was spooked by onstrations had shown protest- Washington said any threats reports of advanced US stealth ers being beaten and recordings as Idlib civilians would only isolate Iran further. fi ghters in the area. of gunshots. Iran’s police denied Khamenei’s address comes “I’d like to underline the edgi- fi ring at protesters. amid a deepening crisis for Iran ness that always accompanies In reaction to Washington’s as it grapples with unrest at such situations,” Foreign Minis- “maximum pressure” policy, killed daily: UN home and rising pressure from ter Sergei Lavrov said. Tehran has gradually scaled abroad. Tension has stead- Protests, led by students, back on commitments to the ily ratcheted higher since 2018, erupted in Tehran and other nuclear deal, including lifting Reuters – has yet again failed to pro- when the United States with- cities for four days over the limits on its uranium enrich- Geneva tect civilians.” Her offi ce re- drew from Tehran’s nuclear pact shooting down of Ukraine In- ment. ceived reports that air strikes with world powers and reim- ternational Airlines fl ight 752, in Britain, France and Ger- resumed on Jan 15, she said. posed sanctions. which all 176 aboard were killed, many, which have been trying nited Nations human Armed groups had also car- The standoff erupted into mostly Iranians or dual nation- to salvage the pact, have sub- rights chief Michelle ried out deadly ground-based tit-for-tat military strikes this als. sequently launched the deal’s UBachelet called yes- attacks. “People are still being month, when Washington killed As the unrest picked up, US dispute mechanism over Iran’s terday for an immediate ces- killed, many people, on both top commander Qassem So- A handout picture provided by the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader President Donald Trump sent violations, starting a diplo- sation of hostilities in Syria’s sides of the divide,” UN human leimani in a drone strike on Jan 3 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday shows him greeting the crowd tweets in Farsi and English sup- matic process that could lead to opposition-held Idlib prov- rights spokesman Jeremy Lau- and Iran launched missile strikes during prayers in the capital Tehran. porting the protesters. reimposing UN sanctions. ince, saying the latest ceasefi re rence told a news briefi ng. at US targets in Iraq on Jan 8. Khamenei said in his sermon: “These European countries attempt had yet again failed to In the tense aftermath, a days for the Guards to admit. dermine the Guards, the armed “These American clowns who lie cannot be trusted. Even their protect civilians. “It is deeply distressing Ukrainian airliner was shot “Our enemies ... were happy forces and our system,” Khame- and say they are with the Iranian negotiations with Iran are full Turkey, which for years has that civilians are down by mistake. But it took that they found an excuse to un- nei said in his sermon, heaping people should see who the Irani- of deceit,” Khamenei said. backed Syrian rebels fi ght- still being killed on ing to oust President Bashar a daily basis in missile al-Assad, agreed a truce with strikes from both Russia that was supposed to the air and ground” Sudan appoints new have taken hold in the bastion intelligence chief of 3mn people in the north- Since hostilities intensifi ed Lebanese block roads as protests continue west earlier this month. in the so-called “de-escala- Sudan’s transitional authorities has But witnesses and insurgent tion zone” in Idlib on April appointed a new intelligence chief sources said pro-Assad Rus- 29, UN monitors have verifi ed days after putting down an armed AFP ing economic crisis. demned what he regarded as parties and a multitude of reli- sian and Syrian jets have been incidents in which 1,506 ci- revolt by former agents linked Beirut No progress seemed to have eff orts to form yet another gov- gious confessions. hitting the province in a re- vilians, including 293 women to toppled ruler Omar al-Bashir, been made on a fi nal lineup, ernment representing the usual Nearby, Carlos Yammine, 32, newed assault. Moscow denied and 433 children, were killed, the sovereign council said. The which protesters demand be carve-up of power between the said he did not want yet another bombing civilians. he said. army said two soldiers were killed rotesters blocked several made up solely of independent traditional parties. “cake-sharing government”. “It is deeply distressing Around 350,000 Syrians, and four wounded in fighting late main roads across Lebanon experts and empty of tradition- “We don’t want a gov- “What we have asked for that civilians are still being mostly women and children, on Tuesday in Khartoum with Pyesterday as unprecedent- al political parties. ernment of masked politi- from the start of the move- killed on a daily basis in mis- have fl ed Idlib since early De- former members of the country’s ed demonstrations against a po- In central Beirut, dozens of cal fi gures,” the 30-year-old ment is a reduced, transitional, sile strikes from both the air cember, and sought shelter once-feared security service before litical elite accused of corruption protesters yesterday stood be- said.”Any such government will emergency government of in- and ground,” Bachelet said in a in border areas near Turkey, government forces quelled the up- and incompetence entered their tween parked cars blocking a fall. We won’t give it any chance dependents,” he said, lean- statement. “This agreement – the United Nations said on rising. It was the biggest confronta- fourth month. key thoroughfare linking the in the street.” ing against his car. Elsewhere, as with others in the past year Thursday. tion so far between the old guard The protest movement rock- city’s east and west. Forming a new cabinet is demonstrators closed roads and supporters of the transitional ing Lebanon since October 17 “We blocked the road with often a drawn-out process in including in Lebanon’s second authorities, which helped topple has resurged this week, over cars because it’s something Lebanon, where a complex sys- city of Tripoli, though some Bashir in April . delays in forming a new cabinet they can’t move,” Marwan Ka- tem seeks to maintain balance were later reopened, the Na- to address the country’s grow- ram said. The protester con- between the various political tional News Agency said. Missile attack in Iraq injured 11 US troops Talks held in Greece ahead of Libya peace meeting Reuters Asad air base in western Iraq Washington and a facility in its northern AFP tense, they don’’t even want to be in the Thursday, with Greece seeking to build aim to end foreign interference and divi- Kurdish region. “While no US Athens same room to say nothing of meeting each ties with Haftar after the GNA signed a sion over Libya.US Secretary of State Mike service members were killed other,” Lavrov said. World powers are maritime and military co-operation deal Pompeo will take part and voiced support he United States treat- in the Jan 8 Iranian attack on trying to mediate a lasting ceasefi re nine with Turkey in November. Haftar met for truce eff orts, the State Department ed 11 of its troops for Al Asad air base, several were ibyan military strongman Khalifa months after Haftar’s forces launched an Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and said on Thursday. Tsymptoms of concus- treated for concussion symp- Haftar was holding talks in Athens assault on Tripoli, sparking fi ghting that they were holding further talks yesterday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gu- sion after an Iranian missile toms from the blast and are Lyesterday two days ahead of a peace has killed more than 280 civilians and He is also set to meet Prime Minister terres called on Wednesday for fi rm sup- attack on an Iraqi base where still being assessed,” Captain conference in Berlin, which he and the 2,000 fi ghters and displaced tens of thou- Kyriakos Mitsotakis. port for the peace talks and asked for a US forces were stationed, the Bill Urban, spokesman for US head of Tripoli’’s UN-recognised govern- sands. Greece is seeking to take part in the halt in the fi ghting. US military said, after initially Central Command, said in a ment Fayez al-Sarraj are expected to at- An interim truce that came into force on Berlin talks but has yet to be invited. In a report to the Security Council he saying no service members statement. tend. Sunday has mostly held, despite accusa- Haftar agreed in principle on Thursday warned against “external interference”, were hurt. As a measure of caution, Haftar thanked Vladimir Putin, his tions of violations from Haftar’’s forces to go to Berlin after Sarraj signalled he saying it would “deepen the ongoing The attack was retaliation some service members were “dear friend”, for his eff orts to bring peace and the rival Tripoli-based Government would be there.But Sarraj, whose GNA did confl ict and further complicate eff orts to for a US drone strike in Bagh- taken to US facilities in Ger- in Libya after Moscow announced that the of National Accord (GNA). sign up to a permanent truce deal in Mos- reach a clear international commitment dad on Jan 3 that killed Qassem many or Kuwait for “follow- Russian leader would attend tomorrow’s Haftar walked away from ceasefi re cow, cast doubt over Haftar’s intentions to a peaceful resolution of the underlying Soleimani, the commander of on screening,” he added. conference. talks in Moscow on Monday, but German after he refused to sign. crisis”. the elite Quds Force of Iran’s “When deemed fi t for duty, However, Russia’’s acting foreign min- Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited his The oil-rich North African state has The conference will aim to agree six Revolutionary Guard. the service members are ex- ister Sergei Lavrov said Haftar and Sarraj eastern Libya stronghold of Benghazi on been in turmoil since a 2011 Nato-backed points — including a permanent ceasefi re, President Donald Trump pected to return to Iraq.” could not even bear each other’s presence, Thursday to persuade him to join the Ber- uprising that overthrew and killed dicta- implementation of a much-violated UN and the US military had said As many as 1,500 Americans let alone talk. lin conference. tor Muammar Gaddafi . arms embargo and a return to political ef- there were no casualties af- were deployed at the vast base “So far ties between them are very He fl ew to Athens on a surprise visit on The United Nations said the Berlin talks forts for peace, Guterres said. ter the strike on the Ain al- deep in Iraq’s Anbar desert. Burundi’s mass graves reopen old wounds

Reuters “She recognised the watch and security forces since 2015, when Nku- side lay the remains of 270 people. Nairobi clothes of her husband,” he said. “I runziza ran for a third, disputed term in The commission is preserving the haven’t been able to remember the offi ce. remains for burial, along with weap- clothes or shoes my mother was wear- The UN also warned last year that ons like hoes, machetes, hammers, wenty-six years ago, Prosper saw ing. Twenty-six years is a long time.” rights abuses are likely to spike again and knives recovered nearby, said Burundian soldiers take away his Burundi’s Truth and Reconciliation ahead of May elections. Clement Ninziza, deputy chairman Tbrother and nephew. Commission, known by its French ac- Burundi’s population is divided of the commission. Neighbours told him soldiers had also ronym CVR, told parliament this week between the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic The commission has not appor- discovered his mother in a house where that it had identifi ed more than 4,000 groups, as is neighbouring Rwanda, tioned blame for the killings, but she had been hiding. None were ever mass graves across the country. where Hutu extremists slaughtered noted in its preliminary report that seen again. The tiny East African nation has suf- 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus the site lay close to a near a former This week, the government opened fered colonial occupation, civil war and in a 1994 genocide. Much of Burundi’s military post. a mass grave in his neighbourhood. decades of intermittent massacres. The civil war - which killed 300,000 peo- Residents said many people were Families mourning long-lost loved ones government-run commission was set ple before it ended in 2005 - also had buried there after a 1994 massacre were allowed to sift through the crum- up in 2014 to investigate violence from ethnic overtones. by soldiers and a Tutsi militia. Pros- bling remains. 1885, when foreigners arrived in Bu- So far, the commission has identi- per managed to run away. Neigh- Prosper - who asked that only his rundi, until 2008, when a stalled peace fied more than 142,000 victims of vi- bours told him of his family’s fate. fi rst name be used to protect him from deal to end the civil war was fully im- olence, commission chairman Pierre “My mother was with many oth- reprisals - searched among the jumble plemented. Claver Ndayicariye told lawmakers on er women who were found hiding,” of bones and scraps of cloth, haunted by It does not cover most of the rule of Tuesday. Some may never be found. he said. “When the army officers his inability to remember his mother’s the current president, Pierre Nkurun- One of the graves that was opened came, they killed all of them, saying Reverend Noah Clement Ninziza, the deputy chair of the Burundi Truth and clothes. Suddenly a woman next to him ziza. The UN says hundreds of Burun- lies in the neighbourhood of Ka- they were sorcerers. They were then Reconciliation Commission, speaks during a Reuters interview in Bujumbura, cried out. dians have been killed in clashes with menge in the capital Bujumbura. In- brought to that mass grave.” Burundi. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, January 18, 2020 AMERICAS Legal heavyweights join Bloomberg: This is a growing crisis Trump’s defence team Bloomberg Reuters The trial in the Republi- aff air with White House intern known fi gure in US legal circles Clinton – he believes the issues ity Leader Mitch McConnell, a Washington can-led Senate will determine Monica Lewinsky served as the for decades. at stake go to the heart of our Republican, has suggested us- unveils whether Trump is removed from basis for his impeachment in the He was a long-time Harvard enduring Constitution,” the le- ing only the material amassed by offi ce. House on charges of perjury and Law School professor and was gal team said in the statement, House investigators. resident Donald Trump The Democratic-led House obstruction of justice. part of the so-called “Dream provided by Dershowitz. “He is Following a White House di- plan to cut turned to some legal heav- of Representatives voted to im- The Senate acquitted Demo- Team” of lawyers who won a participating in this impeach- rective, several key fi gures in Pyweights to help defend peach Trump on two charges crat Clinton in 1999. Starr had 1995 acquittal of former Na- ment trial to defend the integrity the Trump administration’s him in his Senate impeachment arising from his dealings with recommended impeachment on tional Football League star and of the Constitution and to pre- dealings with Ukraine refused wildfi re trial with the addition of former Ukraine – abuse of power and 11 grounds. actor OJ Simpson on charges of vent the creation of a dangerous to provide testimony or docu- independent counsel Ken Starr, obstruction of Congress – on In 2016, Starr was ousted as murdering his wife and a friend constitutional precedent.” ments in the House impeach- who paved the way for former December 18 after an investiga- president of Baylor University, of hers. Ray succeeded Starr as in- ment inquiry. losses President Bill Clinton’s 1998 tion that centred on his request a private Baptist institution in Dershowitz’s past clients also dependent counsel during the But John Bolton, the former impeachment, and prominent that Ukraine investigate political Texas, after an investigation by have included boxer Mike Tyson Clinton investigation. White House national security lawyer Alan Dershowitz. rival Joe Biden, the president’s an outside law fi rm determined and televangelist Jim Bakker. One person not added to the adviser who left his post in Sep- Reuters The team defending the Re- possible Democratic opponent that university leaders had mis- Both Starr and Dershowitz team that will defend Trump at tember after a falling out with Washington publican president will be led by in the November 3 election. handled accusations of sexual were defenders of Trump in me- the trial is his personal lawyer Trump, has said he is willing to White House counsel Pat Cipol- The Senate is expected to ac- assault by football players. dia interviews during the im- Rudy Giuliani, who played a key testify at the impeachment trial lone and Trump private attorney quit Trump, as none of its 53 Critics of Starr at the time ac- peachment process. role in the Ukraine matter. if the Senate issues a subpoena. S presidential hopeful Jay Sekulow, Trump’s legal team Republicans has voiced support cused him of turning a blind eye Trump’s legal team issued a Democrat Adam Schiff heads Democrats will need to win Michael Bloomberg on and a source said. for removing him, a step that re- to sexual violence on his campus statement saying Dershowitz a team of seven House members the support of some moderate UThursday unveiled a plan Trump adviser Pam Bondi quires a two-thirds majority. after pursuing Clinton for a sex- will present oral arguments at who will serve as prosecutors. Senate Republicans to get a ma- that he claims will halve prop- and former independent coun- Trump has denied wrongdo- ual relationship. the trial to address the consti- Schiff , chairman of the House jority in the chamber favouring erty losses and deaths from cat- sel Robert Ray will also be on the ing and has called the impeach- Both Starr and Dershowitz tutional arguments against im- Intelligence Committee, is a calling witnesses. astrophic wildfi res within four team, according to the source ment process a sham. also served as lawyers for fi nan- peachment and removal from former federal prosecutor in Los Republican Senator Susan years, as part of a suite of initia- familiar with the team’s compo- Starr is a former federal judge cier and convicted sex off ender offi ce. Angeles. Collins said in a statement on tives to combat climate change. sition. who held a senior Justice De- Jeff rey Epstein, who was found “While Dershowitz is non- Still to be determined is Thursday that “I tend to believe The media billionaire and The trial formally got under- partment post under Republican dead in his New York jail cell last partisan when it comes to the whether the Senate will al- having additional information former New York City mayor way on Thursday, though it will president George H W Bush. year where he was being held on constitution – he opposed the low witness testimony and new would be helpful” and that is would double the federal gov- start in earnest on Tuesday with Starr’s voluminous investiga- new sex traffi cking charges. impeachment of President Bill evidence or whether senators likely she would support a mo- ernment’s fi re budget to $10bn a opening statements. tive report on Clinton’s sexual Dershowitz has been a well- Clinton and voted for Hillary will decide the case as Major- tion to call witnesses. year to boost forest restoration, fi re prevention and fi refi ghting, his campaign told Reuters. “This is a growing crisis and the federal government isn’t do- ing nearly enough to address it,” Brazil sacks culture secretary Pentagon gets request to build Bloomberg said in an e-mail. His plan, one of several di- rected at the impacts of climate after video echoes Goebbels change his campaign will outline roughly 435km of border wall this week, comes as increasingly deadly and destructive wildfi res Reuters tor appointed last year by Bolsonaro, an- have plagued parts of the United Brasilia nounced the prize as music played in the Reuters States and Australia. background from a Wagner opera, Hitler’s Washington US President Donald Trump, favourite music. a Republican, has blamed poor razil’s Culture Secretary Roberto “Brazilian art of the next decade will be forest management in California Alvim was sacked yesterday after heroic and it will be national ... and impera- he Pentagon has received for massive blazes in the Golden Bposting a video in which he appeared tive because it will be rooted in the urgent a request from within the State, angering its Democratic to copy a speech by Nazi propaganda chief aspirations of our people, or it will be noth- TTrump administration to leaders. Joseph Goebbels. ing,” he said in the video. build roughly 270 miles (435km) of Most of the forests in Califor- The video, released on Thursday an- Goebbels told theatre directors during wall on the border with Mexico and nia are under federal control. nouncing national prizes to revitalise the the Nazi regime that: “German art of the is evaluating its cost and viability, a “Better forest management arts in Brazil, quickly went viral, attracting next decade will be heroic, will be wildly senior Defense Department offi cial will help to reduce the damage outrage due to its at times word-for-word romantic, will be objective and free of sen- said on Thursday. from wildfi res,” said Bloomberg, similarity to Goebbels’ speech. timentality, will be national with great pa- The disclosure of the request by the fi rst presidential candidate In a statement, President Jair Bolsonaro thos and equally imperative and binding, or the Department of Homeland Se- to lay out goals to specifi cally said Alvim’s position had become unten- else it will be nothing.” curity (DHS) sets up another show- address such fi res. “But we also able following his “unfortunate remarks”. Alvim apologised on Facebook for what down with Democrats in Congress, need urgent, bold action to ad- “I reiterate our rejection of totalitarian he said was an “unintentional error”. who oppose President Donald dress climate change and the and genocidal ideologies,” Bolsonaro said, “If I had known of the origin of the phrase Trump’s past diversion of billions hotter, drier conditions that are adding his government’s unconditional I would never have used it,” Alvim said, ex- of dollars in military spending to making fi res worse – which the support for the Jewish community. plaining the speech had been written based bolster security on the border. president has refused to do.” In the video, Alvim, a theatre direc- on ideas provided by his aides. The senior US offi cial, who spoke Bloomberg, who has advocat- on condition of anonymity, de- ed for climate policies for years, clined to speculate on the costs of last month said he aimed to slash Guatemala state of alert in two municipalities the project but noted it would be US carbon emissions – blamed paid for out of Pentagon authorities by scientists for global warm- New Guatemalan President Alejandro In a televised address three days after taking to counter drug smuggling. ing – by 50% in 10 years if he is Giammattei has declared a state of alert off ice, Giammattei gave the order imposing The Washington Post on Monday elected president in the Novem- in two municipalities on the fringe of certain civil restrictions on the municipalities reported internal Trump admin- ber vote. Guatemala City that have been plagued by of Mixco and San Juan Sacatepequez on the istration deliberations for a $7.2bn Bloomberg’s new plan is di- gang violence. west and northwest of the capital. request. rected in part at winning over The Trump administration has Californians in his campaign vowed to build at least 400 miles This picture taken on December 8 last year shows the construction site of for the Democratic presidential (644km) of wall along the border by the border wall near Donna, Texas. nomination. November 2020, when Trump will California, the most populous be up for re-election. quests by DHS for border wall con- areas, they’re not constructable state, is one of 14 states that will In his 2016 campaign, Trump struction had only been partially or it’s diffi cult to do that at certain vote in primaries on Super Tues- said Mexico would pay for the wall. fulfi lled by the Defence Depart- points,” the offi cial said. “Then day, March 3. The Mexican government has re- ment. funding decisions are assessed si- After a late entry into the fused to do so. The Trump administration multaneous with that.” presidential race, Bloomberg is Defence Secretary Mark Esper has constructed nearly 100 miles It was unclear when any con- waging a campaign to capture signalled earlier this week that he (160km) of border wall, according struction might begin, but the of- delegates in later contests, in- would not oppose some new diver- to US Customs and Border Protec- fi cial noted that any funding for it stead of focusing on early prima- sion of funds for border wall con- tion statistics current to late De- would need to be spent by Septem- ries like New Hampshire. struction, saying the border was a cember. ber 30, when the fi scal year ends. “No one should be asking for security issue and that the Penta- All of those barriers were built The military’s Joint Staff would votes in California without a gon was committed to supporting to replace existing structures, the also provide an assessment to de- serious, comprehensive strat- DHS’s mission. agency said. termine any impact the project egy for addressing wildfi res,” “If that’s what it takes, we are The Pentagon’s review of the DHS might have on military readiness, Bloomberg said. prepared to support,” Esper said. request would include a legal review presumably because of the diver- The plan would boost federal The offi cial, who spoke on con- by Defence Department attorneys sion of funds. funds to make homes more re- dition of anonymity, said the Pen- as well as a feasibility review by the Such projects are not built by sol- sistant to fi res, and provide loans tagon’s review would probably take Army Corps of Engineers. diers but contracted out to private and grants to utilities to reduce two weeks and noted that past re- “Sometimes when we get these industry. the risk of downed power lines.

US court throws out youth climate change lawsuit

Reuters astrophic climate change, and that to control the entire country’s cli- down all defences to an asteroid Washington failing to change policies could has- mate and energy policy through a barrelling toward earth. ten an “environmental apocalypse”. single court. “No case can singlehandedly Lawyers for the plaintiff s had no Hurwitz said that the case left prevent the catastrophic eff ects of federal appeals court has immediate comment. “little basis for denying that climate climate change predicted by the thrown out a lawsuit by chil- The US Department of Justice change is occurring at an increas- government and scientists,” Staton Adren and young adults who did not immediately respond to re- ingly rapid pace”, but that address- wrote. “The mere fact that this suit claimed they had a constitutional quests for comment. ing it required “complex policy deci- cannot alone halt climate change right to be protected from climate Twenty-one children and young sions entrusted, for better or worse, does not mean that it presents no change, in a major setback to eff orts adults had accused federal offi cials to the wisdom and discretion” of the claim suitable for judicial resolu- to spur the US government to ad- and oil industry executives of vio- White House and Congress. tion.” dress the issue. lating their due process right to a “That the other branches may Dan Farber, a professor of law at In a 2-1 decision, the 9th US Cir- “climate system capable of sustain- have abdicated their responsibility the University of California, Berke- cuit Court of Appeals said the plain- ing human life”, by knowing for dec- to remediate the problem does not ley, said that the ruling closed the tiff s, who were aged 8-19 when the ades that carbon pollution poisons confer on Article III courts, no mat- door on federal litigation seeking lawsuit began in 2015, lacked legal the environment but doing nothing ter how well-intentioned, the ability “courts to take bold action on cli- standing to sue the United States. about it. to step into their shoes,” he wrote. mate change on their own”. Circuit Judge Andrew Hurwitz The government argued that nei- The dissenting judge, US District The judges on the panel were said the majority reached its con- ther US law or history supported the Judge Josephine Staton, said that all appointed by president Barack clusion “reluctantly”, given “com- youth’s claim of a fundamental right the Constitution did not “condone Obama, a Democrat. pelling” evidence the government to a “livable climate”. the Nation’s wilful destruction” US District Judge Ann Aiken in had long promoted fossil fuels de- The government also called the through climate change, likening Eugene, Oregon, had allowed the spite knowing they could cause cat- lawsuit an unconstitutional attempt government inaction to shutting case to go forward. Gulf Times Saturday, January 18, 2020 5 ASIA

Man who Myanmar’s president hails claims to be king of world held ‘historic’ visit as Xi arrives olice in Indonesia’s Central Java province said yester- Reuters ship, with many in Myanmar “China always helps our Pday they had arrested a Yangon suspicious of the tremendous country when we are in crisis or man who claimed to be the king sway China holds over its small- when we face natural disasters,” of the world, accusing him of de- er neighbour, but have moved said Aye Aye Mu, a local teacher. frauding hundreds of followers. hinese President Xi Jin- closer since the expulsion of the “They always support us and Toto Santoso claimed he has re- ping fl ew into Myanmar Rohingya in 2017 was met with send donations to us.” ceived a revelation from his ances- Cyesterday for two days of international condemnation. But many in Myanmar view tors in the ancient Mataram King- talks to shore up massive infra- More than 730,000 Rohingya China warily and infrastructure dom to lead Keraton Agung Sejagat structure projects in the South- were forced to fl ee western My- projects have been deeply un- (the Great Kingdom of the World). east Asian nation isolated by anmar after a military crack- popular, uprooting thousands The man has so far attracted more the West over its treatment of down the United Nations has of villagers and wreaking envi- than 450 followers, some of whom the Rohingya Muslim minority. said was executed with “geno- ronmental damage. paid up to 110mn rupiah ($8,000) State counsellor Aung San Suu cidal intent”. China has defend- Protesters plan to gather out- after being promised positions in Kyi greeted him with a hand- ed the country on the global side the Chinese embassy in his kingdom and future monthly shake on the steps of the presi- stage and is viewed as the big- Yangon on Saturday to oppose salaries in dollars, Central Java po- dential palace after a ceremonial gest obstacle to a prosecution the “exploitation of natural re- lice chief Rycko Dahniel said. welcome by the president and a of its leaders at an international sources” in Myanmar, includ- “He promised people that if they military marching band, on the war crimes tribunal. ing the $3.6 billion Myitsone followed him they would be free fi rst day of a two-day visit, Xi’s China is the second biggest hydropower dam project, which from danger and their lives will be fi rst as leader and the fi rst of any investor in Myanmar, behind was suspended in 2011 but may better,” Rycko said, adding that Chinese president in 19 years. only Singapore, data published be restarted. Toto also created fake United Na- Win Myint, the president, by the World Bank shows. My- In one of the capital’s most tions documents and a YouTube told reporters at the palace it anmar’s exports to China, its popular teashops, 34-year- channel to propagate his claims. was a “very historic and impor- largest trading partner, were old Aung Ko Latt, a business- Toto and a female partner who tant trip”. worth $5.5bn in 2018, while im- man, said Myanmar was not acted as his queen were formally Analysts say Xi will seek to re- ports were worth $6.2 billion. equipped to evaluate Chinese detained on Thursday on charg- invigorate stalled infrastructure Hundreds of schoolchildren projects to make sure they meet es of fraud and spreading false projects central to his fl agship Belt and government staff lined the international standards and news, Rycko said. and Road Initiative described as a road from the airport on Fri- benefi t local communities. Local media reported that Toto “21st century silk road”. day, waving fl ags and chanting, “They will exploit Myanmar once lived in a slum next to a railroad The two countries have had “Chinese president!” “May his under the current circumstanc- Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Myanmar President Win Myint shake hand during their meeting in Jakarta before the shanty town a historically fraught relation- health be good!” es,” he said. at the Presidential Palace in Naypyidaw yesterday. was razed by a fi re in 2016. (DPA) ‘We can’t wait’: Maldives is desperate Thailand for funds as islands risk going under fi nds second

Reuters New Delhi case of new he tropical Maldives may lose entire islands un- Tless it can quickly access cheap fi nancing to fi ght the im- Chinese virus pact of climate change, its for- eign minister said. Reuters family of viruses that can The archipelago’s former Bangkok cause infections ranging from president Mohamed Nasheed the common cold to severe famously held a cabinet meeting acute respiratory syndrome underwater to draw attention hailand has found a (Sars). to submerging land and global second case of a new Thailand, which is on high warming a decade ago. TChinese coronavirus, alert ahead of the Lunar New Yet the Maldives, best known authorities said yesterday, Year holidays, said on Mon- for its white sands and palm- as they ramped up checks on day it had found a 61-year-old fringed atolls that draw luxury Chinese visitors, nearly a mil- Chinese woman carrying a holiday-makers, has struggled lion of whom are expected for strain of the coronavirus, the to fi nd money to build critical Lunar New Year holidays next fi rst time it was detected out- infrastructure like sea-walls. week. side China. “For small states, it is not The latest patient is from Japan reported its fi rst case easy,” Foreign Minister Abdulla China’s central city of Wuhan, of the infection on Thursday, Shahid told Reuters in New Del- which has reported 41 cases after a Japanese man returned hi. “By the time the fi nancing is of pneumonia potentially from visiting Wuhan, known obtained, we may be underwa- linked to the new type of virus, for picturesque lakes. ter.” with two deaths, as hospitals The World Health Organi- At the UN climate talks in worldwide scramble to guard sation (WHO) has said the vi- Madrid in December, the Mal- against any spread. rus could spread and warned dives and other vulnerable The 74-year-old woman, hospitals against it.. countries pushed for concrete quarantined since arriving Thai health offi cials have progress on fresh funding to in Thailand on Monday, was stepped up monitoring at four help them deal with disasters found to be infected, health airports receiving daily fl ights and longer-term damage linked In this file photo, members of the Maldives government swim to attend the first underwater cabinet meeting in the Maldives. offi cials said. from Wuhan - Suvarnabhumi, to climate change - but failed. “We’re very confi dent that Don Muang, Chiang Mai and Shahid was hopeful the next tsunami ravaged the Muslim- archipelago’s inhabited islands pensive, but we need it. We can’t Shahid did not specify where his we can control the spread of Phuket - and others that re- round of talks, slated to take majority state, causing fi nancial were already reporting erosion, wait until all of them are being government was pushing for this kind of diseases,” Health ceive charter fl ights from the place in Glasgow in November, losses of around $470mn - 62% and around 30 islands are identi- taken away.” more funding. Minister Anutin Charnvirakul Chinese city. would yield better results. of GDP - and hitting infrastruc- fi ed as severely eroded. The United Nations has cre- However, Environment Minis- told reporters, adding that the Since January 3, Thailand One of the world’s lowest- ture, including its only interna- The Maldives spends around ated a pot to help developing na- ter Hussain Rasheed Hassan said situation was under control has screened 13,624 passen- lying countries, more than 80% tional airport that was shut for $10mn annually for coastal pro- tions, called the Green Climate recently his country would have and there was no outbreak in gers. of the Maldives’ land is less several days. tection works, but will need up to Fund, which has already ap- to turn to banks given inadequate Thailand. “We’re fully alert.” Health offi cials also asked than one meter above mean Two of the country’s main in- $8.8bn in total to to shield all of proved nearly $24mn in funding funding elsewhere despite the The two Chinese patients Thai AirAsia and China sea levels, making its popula- dustries - tourism and fi shing - its inhabited islands, according to the Maldives, according to its fact small nations like his were were now safe but needed to Southern Airlines, which run tion of around 530,000 people are heavily dependent on coastal to a 2016 estimate by its environ- website. paying the price for the devel- go through a few more proce- direct daily fl ights from Wu- extremely vulnerable to storm resources, and most settlements ment ministry. Some individual nations have oped world’s pollution. dures before Thai authorities han, to halt boarding by those surges, sea swells and severe and critical infrastructure is con- “In order to protect the is- also off ered help, including Japan “We have to beg some of these could let them return home, suff ering from high fever and weather. centrated along the coast. lands, we need to start building which contributed to a sea wall (big) emitters to provide money he added. respiratory symptoms, and re- In 2004, the Indian Ocean In 2014, more than 100 of the sea walls,” Shahid said. “It’s ex- round the Maldives’ capital Male. for us. Is that fair?” he said. Coronaviruses are a large schedule their fl ights. World’s shortest man dies at 27 Lanka ex-minister held over

AFP the world’s shortest man in more than a dozen countries peak, Mount Everest. phone recording scandal Kathmandu 2010 after his 18th birthday, and made television During his stint he met other photographed holding a appearances in Europe and the short people around the world, AFP The opposition lawmaker, the clergy to encourage higher certificate only a bit smaller United States. including the shortest woman, Colombo 56, who was remanded in cus- ethical standards in society. he world’s shortest than him. “We’re terribly sad to hear Jyoti Amge, from India. tody earlier this week, has said The leaks have already led to man who could walk, However he eventually the news from Nepal that In a video released by he is being targeted for speaking the suspension of a magistrate Tas verifi ed by Guinness lost the title after Nepal’s Khagendra is no longer Guinness World Records, ri Lankan authorities have out against corruption. and disciplinary action against World Records, died yesterday Chandra Bahadur Dangi, who with us,” said Craig Glenday, Magar is seen playing a guitar arrested a former minister In some of the leaked audio a high court judge, offi cials said. at a hospital in Nepal, his fam- measured 54.6 centimetres, Guinness World Records with his brother, riding a bike Swho allegedly recorded tapes, Ramanayake is heard Both had reportedly discussed ily said. was discovered and named the editor-in-chief. and sitting at his family’s shop. 100,000 phone calls, the some- slating the leadership of his ongoing cases with Ramanayake. Khagendra Thapa Magar, who world’s shortest mobile man. “Life can be challenging when The world’s shortest non- times lewd and compromising own opposition United Nation- A senior police detective measured 67.08cm (2ft 2.41 Magar regained the title after you weigh just 6kg and you mobile man remains Junrey contents of which were leaked al Party, which has since sus- who had also had discussions inches), died of pneumonia at Dangi’s death in 2015. don’t fit into a world built Balawing of the Philippines, on social media. pended his membership. with the politician has been a hospital in Pokhara, 200km “He was so tiny when he was for the average person. But who measures only 59.93cm In what has become a major scan- Parliamentary speaker Karu suspended pending an internal from Kathmandu, where he born that he could fit in the Khagendra certainly didn’t let but is unable to walk or dal, Ranjan Ramanayake is heard Jayasuriya said the scandal inquiry. lived with his parents. palm of your hand, and it his small size stop him from stand unaided, according to discussing court cases with judges, demonstrated the moral deg- Much of the leaked conversa- “He has been in and out was very hard to bathe him getting the most out of life” Guinness World Records. police, politicians and local celebri- radation of the otherwise con- tions suggested political inter- of hospital because of because he was so small,” he said. The record for shortest living ties in some of the recordings. servative Buddhist-majority ference in cases against senior pneumonia. But this time his said his father, Roop Bahadur, Magar became an off icial face mobile man is now retained by Police, who seized hard nation of 21mn people. members of former president heart was also aff ected. He according to Guinness World of Nepal’s tourism campaign, Edward “Nino” Hernandez of drives from Ramanayake’s “Recording private conver- Mahinda Rajapaksa’s admin- passed away today,” Mahesh Records. which featured him as the Colombia, a reggaeton DJ who home, said they were investi- sations as well as broadcasting istration between 2005 and Thapa Magar, his brother, said. As the world’s shortest man smallest man in a country that stands 70.21cm tall, Guinness gating whether the recordings them (illegally) shows the moral 2015. His brother Gotabaya Magar was first declared the 27-year-old travelled to is home to the world’s highest said. had been used for blackmail or decay in our country,” Jayas- won the November presidential other criminal activity. uriya said in a statement urging election. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, January 18, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA US warship transits Taiwan Strait less than week after election

By Ben Blanchard waterway and Taiwan’s armed the Shandong, through the wa- the government also “closely yesterday, Taiwan President Tsai The top US diplomat in Tai- late; promising mutual benefi t Reuters, Taipei forces monitored it throughout, terway twice in the run-up to watched” and monitored the Ing-wen said the island would wan, Brent Christensen, told a but instead delivering extortion; the ministry said in a brief state- Taiwan’s election last Saturday. ship’s passage, urging the Unit- ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait. forum in Taipei that his offi ce’s exporting problems rather than ment yesterday, describing the Taiwan denounced that as at- ed States to “appropriately deal “As a responsible member of the theme for this year was “real solutions,” he added. US warship sailed through sailing as an “ordinary mission”. tempted intimidation. with the Taiwan issue in a way international community, Tai- friends, real progress”, and took Christensen said the United the Taiwan Strait on “People can rest easy,” it added. The US Navy said the Ticon- that doesn’t hurt Sino-US rela- wan will continue to dedicate what appeared to be an indi- States this year will seek to fur- AThursday, the island’s de- Taiwan is China’s most sensi- deroga-class guided-missile tions and peace and stability in itself to protecting peace and rect dig at China. “Perhaps this ther Taiwan’s engagement in fence ministry said, less than a tive territorial and diplomatic cruiser USS Shiloh had complet- the Taiwan Strait”. stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the concept sounds simple, but it the world, something the island week after Taiwan President Tsai issue and Beijing has never ruled ed a transit of the Taiwan Strait, Washington has no formal ties presidential offi ce cited Tsai as is important to consider its sig- has found diffi cult due to China Ing-wen won re-election by a out the use of force to bring the without giving details. The with Taiwan but is bound by law telling Catherine Nettleton. nifi cance within the current con- blocking Taiwan’s participation landslide on a platform of stand- island under its control. The nar- United States has been conduct- to provide the island with the Under the Trump administra- text,” said Christensen, director in most international organisa- ing up to China which claims the row Taiwan Strait which sepa- ing sporadic missions through means to defend itself and is its tion, the United States has made of the American Institute in Tai- tions. island. rates the island from China is a the strait in the last two years. In main source of arms. bolstering its defence and other wan. “The United States and Taiwan The ship sailed in a northerly frequent source of tension. China Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minis- Meeting the de facto Brit- ties with Taiwan a priority, in “Some use the cover of friend- are members of the same family direction through the sensitive sailed its latest aircraft carrier, try spokesman Geng Shuang said ish ambassador to Taiwan later spite of Chinese anger. ship to dominate and manipu- of democracies,” he added. Rain hits Australian fi res, but blazes still rage in many areas

AFP Sydney

eavy rain fell on bush- fi res in eastern Australia Hyesterday for a second straight day, off ering further re- lief from a months-long crisis, but dozens of blazes remained out of control. This week’s wet weather has given exhausted fi refi ghters a major boost in battling unprec- edented blazes that have been fuelled by climate change and drought. The fi res have claimed 28 lives, scorched massive tracts of pristine forests and destroyed thousands of homes. Following months of hot and dry weather that have fuelled the fi res, Friday saw the heavi- est rainfalls in nearly a decade in A supplied image shows park staff moving koalas to drier enclosures during a flash-flood at the Australian some areas close to hotspots. Reptile Park in Somersby, NSW, Australia, yesterday. “Rain has fallen across most fi re grounds over the last 24 Bushland is seen burnt by fire as rain pools in large puddles at Bilpin, in the Blue Mountains, Australia, yesterday. roughly 10mn hectares (25mn hours, which is great news,” said acres) of land – an area larger the Rural Fire Service of New tional park on the island, wiping could drive many species to ex- our animals and defend the park than South Korea or Portugal. South Wales, the eastern state out much of its koala population tinction. Much attention has fo- from the onslaught of water. “We Their massive destruction is where many of the worst blazes and threatening to completely cused on Australia’s tree-dwell- haven’t seen fl ooding like this at an example of the catastrophic have raged. eradicate bird and other endemic ing koalas, with images of the the park for over 15 years.” impacts of climate change that “Our fi ngers are crossed that marsupial species. Still, the pros- cuddly-looking animals being The heavy rain is being seen the world will increasingly face, this continues over the com- pect of more wet weather across rescued from wildfi res making as a double-edged sword. The scientists have warned. ing days.” However 30 fi res were eastern and southern Australia world headlines. water could also make it harder The past decade was the hot- still out of control in New South over the coming days off ered fur- But yesterday morning, some for fi refi ghting trucks to ven- test on record globally, the Unit- Wales yesterday, unchanged ther hope. koalas and other native animals ture deep into forests on muddy ed Nations reported this week. from the previous day, the fi re Heavy rain is expected to con- at the Australia Reptile Park tracks, authorities have warned. Australia experienced its dri- service reported. tinue throughout the weekend on the east coast of New South Flash fl oods are another concern, est and hottest year on record Dozens of other fi res were in New South Wales, expand- Wales had to be rescued from with scorched mountains unable in 2019, with its highest average also still burning in the south- ing into other fi re zones further fl oodwaters. “This is incredible, to hold the water and potentially maximum temperature of 41.9C ern state of Victoria. And the rain south in the state and in Victoria. just last week, we were having sending torrents of muddy ash recorded in mid-December. has completely missed Kangaroo Roughly a billion animals are es- daily meetings to discuss the into waterways. Famed British naturalist and Pedestrians hold umbrellas as they walk in heavy rain in Sydney’s Island, the nation’s third big- timated to have died in the fi res imminent threat of bushfi res,” Such torrents have already led broadcaster David Attenborough CBD, Australia, yesterday. gest off the southern coast of the nationwide. park director Tim Faulkner said. to huge numbers of fi sh dying warned this week the world was mainland that is famed for its With huge tracts of their habi- “Today, we’ve had the whole in rivers that were poisoned by facing its “moment of crisis” on “We have to realise that this is guments, then coming away with pristine wilderness. tats destroyed, environmental team out there, drenched, act- the muddy ash, local media have climate change and could not de- not playing games, this is not just a compromise,” he said in an in- Fires have devastated the na- groups have warned the blazes ing fast to secure the safety of reported. The fi res have burnt lay action any longer. having nice little debates and ar- terview with the BBC.

Japanese suicides Remembrance decline to lowest China says second person dies in over 40 years Suicides in Japan in 2019 fell to their lowest number in more than in Wuhan pneumonia outbreak 40 years, police said yesterday, marking the 10th straight year of declines. Though suicide has a long Reuters history in Japan as a way of avoid- Shanghai ing shame or dishonour, and its suicide rate still tops the Group of Seven nations, a national eff ort has second person has died brought Japanese suicides down from pneumonia in the by about 40% in roughly 15 years. Acentral Chinese city of The number of suicides in 2019 fell Wuhan following an outbreak by 881 people, bringing the overall believed to be caused by a new number under 20,000 for the first coronavirus strain, local health time since record-keeping began authorities said. in 1978, according to preliminary The 69-year-old man had been police data published yesterday. admitted to hospital with abnor- The suicide rate edged down to mal renal function and severe 15.8 people per 100,000, a dip of damage to multiple organs, the 0.7. By contrast, the suicide rate in Wuhan Municipal Health Com- In this picture taken earlier this week, security guards stand in front the United States, with more than mission said in a statement on its of the closed Huanan wholesale seafood market, where health twice Japan’s population, was 14 website late on Thursday. He died authorities say a man who died from a respiratory illness had per 100,000 in 2017, the latest on Jan 15. purchased goods from, in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province. People pray for victims around candles commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Great year for which data was available Though the known cases of the Hanshin earthquake at a park in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, yesterday. – although suicide is a growing pneumonia outbreak so far in- transportation hubs, while the Thursday it advises against any problem there. volve only individuals who have WHO has given guidance to hos- travel or trade restrictions based travelled to or live in Wuhan, pitals worldwide on infection on current information available, the World Health Organisation prevention and control. however. (WHO) has warned that a wider Memories remain fresh in Asia Japan on Thursday also con- outbreak is possible and warned of a 2002/03 outbreak of Sars, fi rmed a man in his 30s had been hospitals worldwide. The exact which emerged in China and infected with the virus after visit- China birth rate hits the lowest level since 1949 cause of the outbreak remains killed nearly 800 people world- ing Wuhan. The Wuhan Munici- unclear, though a seafood market wide. Thailand reported a second pal Health Commission said no in the city is suspected to be the case of pneumonia on Thursday, new cases have been discovered in AFP workforce will pile pressure on tional Bureau of Statistics (NBS) workforce continued to shrink epicentre. a 74-year-old Chinese woman the city as of Wednesday and the Beijing a slowing economy. To avoid a released yesterday. The number last year. The NBS said there WHO, China and other coun- from Wuhan who has been quar- number of known cases remain demographic crisis, the govern- of births has now fallen for three were 896.4mn people aged be- tries seek to prevent further antined. The country expects at 41. It said 12 people have been ment relaxed its one-child policy consecutive years. There were tween 16 and 59 – its population spreading of the virus ahead of nearly a million Chinese visitors discharged and 5 remain in a seri- hina’s birth rate dropped in 2016 to allow people to have 14.65mn babies born in 2019, af- of working age – a drop from the the Lunar New Year holidays next during the Lunar New Year break ous condition. The authority also last year to its lowest two children, but the change has ter 15.23mn in 2018 and 17.23mn 897.3mn in 2018. week, when many of the 1.4bn and has increased monitoring at said 644 of the 763 people who Clevel since the Com- not resulted in more pregnancies. in 2017. Still, China’s popula- This marks the eighth con- Chinese citizens will be travel- airports that have fl ights from had come in close contact with munist country was founded in In 2019, the birth rate stood tion stood at 1.4bn by the end secutive year of decline, and the ling abroad. Beijing has stepped Wuhan. known patients are no longer un- 1949, adding to concerns that at 10.48 per 1,000 people, ac- of 2019, increasing by 4.67mn workforce is expected to decline up disinfection eff orts in major WHO said in a statement on der medical observation. an ageing society and shrinking cording to data from the Na- from the year before. China’s by as much as 23% by 2050. Gulf Times Saturday, January 18, 2020 7 BRITAIN/EUROPE

Post-Brexit UK will not automatically deport EU nationals Greenpeace on UK

Reuters ening to deport EU citizens if London they failed to apply on time and would grant leniency only in exceptional circumstances. ritain will not automati- As of the end of last year, counter-terror list cally deport European more than 2.7mn of the esti- BUnion citizens who have mated 3.5mn EU nationals liv- Guardian News & Media meant to portray all the groups Commissioner Dean Haydon told not applied for the right to re- ing in Britain had applied. London that it features as extremist and the Guardian. main in the country after Brex- Earlier this week the EU ex- thus needing to be reported to Dated June last year, the docu- it, European Parliament Brexit pressed concerns over “con- them. ment was sent to doctors, schools co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt fl icting signals” on what would counter-terrorism police They said it is meant to boost and safeguarding children boards said yesterday. happen to those who fail to do document distributed to understanding of the signs and as a resource for practitioners of Verhofstadt, who met with so in time. Amedical staff and teachers symbols people may come across, Prevent. British ministers including Britain is set to leave the EU as part of anti-extremism brief- and point to a statement in the A spokesman for Worcester- Brexit minister Stephen Bar- on January 31 after agreeing a ings included Greenpeace, Peta document that “not all of the shire Acute NHS Trust said the clay on Thursday, said that he divorce deal late last year but and other non-violent groups as signs and symbols noted within documents were available for had been reassured there would will remain bound by all the well as neo-Nazis, the Guardian this document are of counter ter- staff to access as part of Prevent be a grace period for those who bloc’s rules until the end of has learned. rorism interest”. awareness. have not applied for Britain’s 2020 under an agreed transi- The guide, produced by Coun- However, on the visual guide The documents were supplied “settled status” scheme by the tion phase aimed at smoothing ter Terrorism Policing, is used the disclaimer appears to refer to the trust’s safeguarding and June 2021 deadline. its exit. across England as part of training specifi cally to a set of religious Prevent lead. “What will happen for those Verhofstadt also said that EU for “Prevent”, the anti-radicali- and historical symbols used by It is also in use in the West people even after the grace pe- citizens who are granted set- sation scheme designed to catch white supremacists including Midlands. riod? Well there will be no au- tled status want to be given a those at risk of committing ter- “Odin’s Rune”, “SS Runes” and Last week, police claimed it tomatic deportation,” Verhofs- physical document so they can rorist violence. “Thor’s Hammer”. Actress Gillian Anderson delivering a Greenpeace petition to the was an error for a guide explic- tadt told BBC Radio. “After the prove they have the right to re- Last week, police said docu- Mainstream left-wing and en- Foreign Off ice in London in 2018. itly about extremism to include grace period they will have a main. ments uncovered by the Guard- vironmental groups are not simi- Extinction Rebellion alongside possibility to apply, giving the He said Britain had told him ian that listed the environmental larly marked. no known link to terrorist vio- identify symbols that students terrorist-supporting Islamist grounds why it was not pos- it was looking into the possi- protest group Extinction Rebel- Non-violent groups featured lence or known threat to national might draw or have about them and extreme right-wing groups. sible to do it within the normal bility of this. lion (XR) alongside far-right ex- in the document were furious at security are Stop the War, the and to enable staff to make a de- They further said such an ap- procedures.” Johnson’s spokesman said he tremists and religious extremists their inclusion. Palestinian Solidarity Cam- cision about whether it is a Pre- proach in the guide meant for Asked about Verhofstadt’s was not aware of any planned were a local error. “Tarring environmental cam- paign, the Campaign for Nuclear vent concern or not.” police, teachers and other public comments, Prime Minister change. However, the list of groups paigners and terrorist organisa- Disarmament, vegan activists, “The document is extraordi- sector workers was limited to the Boris Johnson’s spokesman “The settlement scheme viewed as a potential concern tions with the same brush is not anti-fascist groups, anti-racist narily vague and leaves a great southeast of England. confi rmed that there would be will grant people a secure dig- contained in the new 24-page going to help fi ght terrorism,” groups, an anti-police surveil- deal down to the interpreta- After the Guardian revealed no automatic deportation. ital status which future proofs document includes Extinction said John Sauven, the executive lance group and campaigners tion of the individual mem- the guide’s existence, it was re- Reuters reported in Novem- their rights and links to their Rebellion. director of Greenpeace UK. “It against airport expansion. ber of staff ,” the teacher added. called. ber that Britain was threat- passport and ID card,” he said. It also includes Greenpeace will only harm the reputation Communist and socialist po- “Clustering relatively innocu- Clare Collier, advocacy direc- – among whose supporters are of hard-working police offi c- litical parties are also on the list. ous groups like Greenpeace and tor at Liberty, said the latest doc- Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, ers … how can we possibly teach They feature alongside nu- CND in with genuine extremist ument was evidence that peace- Greece due to elect country’s first Gillian Anderson and Joanna children about the devastation merous groups associated with groups seems to imply that these ful protest was under threat. “We Lumley – and the ocean pollu- caused by the climate emergency the ideology of violence of the organisations are on the radar have long warned that the gov- woman president on January 22 tion campaigners Sea Shepherd, while at the same implying that far-right, and the terrorist group of the counter-terrorism police ernment’s counter-terror agenda whose supporters include Sean those trying to stop it are ex- National Action, which is pro- and should also be interpreted as is one of the greatest threats to Greece will elect its first woman president on January 22 after Connery and Pierce Brosnan. tremists?” scribed, as well as two other such by the teaching staff coming free speech in the UK. leading opposition parties on Thursday approved the government’s Also included is “Stop the Peta’s director, Elisa Allen, banned groups. across them.” “If you are passionate about nomination of top judge Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou. Badger Cull”, which is backed by said: “This appears to be a sin- There are also a set of symbols Police said it was “unhelpful anything from climate change to Main opposition leftist leader Alexis Tsipras said that Sir Brian May, the Queen guitar- ister attempt to quash legitimate and tattoos commonly associ- and misleading” to suggest non- social justice or fi ghting racism Sakellaropoulou was an “exceptional judge” and a defender of ist. campaigning organisations – ated with white supremacy, from violent groups in the document in the UK today you risk being la- human rights. They appear alongside a something that is as dangerous a swastika and a “white pride were being smeared. belled extremist and your details The socialist KINAL party also said it would support the nomination number of extremist right-wing as it is undemocratic.” worldwide” poster to tattoos of They said it would be provided being passed to the police. of the 63-year-old current head of the Council of State, Greece’s top groups including Combat 18 and A spokesman for Extinction an iron eagle and the WWII Ger- to Prevent partners as “a guide “The UK’s counter-terror administrative court. the National Front, as well as Rebellion said: “The guidance man general Erwin Rommel. to help them identify and un- measures are designed to co-opt Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had announced National Action, which has been document makes it clear that The guide, from June 2019, derstand the range of organisa- public sector workers like teach- Sakellaropoulou’s candidacy in a surprise televised address on banned for terrorist violence. not all the signs and symbols are bears the logo of Counter Ter- tions they might come across” ers to spy on young people in Wednesday. The last page of an accompa- of counter-terrorism interest. rorism Policing on every page, and should not be viewed as their care – this guide will only “The time has come for Greece to open up to the future,” Mitsotakis nying visual guide seen by the However, if that’s the case, why and was presented in briefi ngs to suggesting that membership of add to the confusion and pres- said, emphasising that the selection breaks with tradition not only Guardian advises people to re- include them in a counter-ter- public sector workers. “non-proscribed groups would sures they face. because Sakellaropoulou is female, but also because she is not a port “any concerns identifi ed rorism document?” One senior teacher, who sup- be suffi cient to trigger a Prevent “It also reinforces long held member of a political party. via this document” using an on- Politicians were also critical ports the eff orts to thwart radi- referral”. concerns that the government’s A total of 200 votes is required to elect the new president for a line portal for reporting suspi- of the document, with Labour calisation, said that they received “Our focus is defi nitely not staggeringly broad defi nition of five-year term. cious activity that is operated by leadership candidate Lisa Nandy the document as part of Prevent on lawful protest, or legitimate extremism gives the police cover Sakellaropoulou, a French-educated expert in constitutional and Counter Terrorism Policing un- called the inclusion of peaceful training at their educational es- causes taken up by activists to characterise non-violent po- environmental law, is on track to secure over 260 votes. der the slogan: “Action counters climate crisis groups “absolute tablishment: “The document across the country,” Counter Ter- litical activity as a threat, and The president is nominally the head of the Greek state and the post terrorism”. nonsense”. was given with the guidance rorism Policing’s senior national monitor and control any com- is largely ceremonial. Police insist the guide is not Among the groups listed with that teaching staff could use it to coordinator, Deputy Assistant munity they wish.”

‘You have not seen anything yet,’ teen activist says ahead of Davos

Reuters “To the world leaders and some of Australia’s worst ever Lausanne those in power, I would like to say bushfi res. that you have not seen anything While the government there yet. has avoided making a link to cli- wedish activist Greta “You have not seen the last of mate change, the fi res have add- Thunberg and a crowd us, we can assure you that. And ed to public concern about the Sof some 10,000 protest- that is the message that we will heating of the planet. ers marched in the Swiss city of bring to the World Economic Fo- Last year was the Earth’s sec- Lausanne yesterday before many rum in Davos next week.” ond-hottest since records began, of them head to Davos next week Protesters held signs including and the world should brace itself to challenge political and busi- “Wake up and Smell the Bush- for more extreme weather events ness leaders to combat the cli- fi res” and “It is late but it is not like the bushfi res ravaging much mate crisis. too late”. of Australia, the United Nations’ The 17-year-old, who Hundreds of climate change World Meteorological Organisa- launched the #FridaysforFuture campaigners will take trains over tion (WMO) said on Wednesday. movement that has sparked glo- the weekend and then march “We are ... an alliance that is bal protests, denounced a lack of to Klosters near Davos, which organising next week in 20 coun- government action to cut heat- Thunberg is attending for the tries to say: ‘time is up’ to the trapping emissions before it is second year in a row and will take World Economic Forum in Da- too late. part in two panel events. vos. Time is up,” a Kenyan activ- “So, we are now in a new year Climate change and environ- ist, Njoki Njoroge Njehu, told the and we have entered a new dec- mental destruction top the risks crowd in Lausanne. ade and so far, during this dec- highlighted by world decision- “It is time to abolish billion- ade, we have seen no sign what- makers in a survey ahead of the aires. It is time to abolish billion- soever that real climate action is 2020 gathering of the global elite. aires, because we cannot aff ord coming and that has to change,” This year’s gathering takes them, the planet cannot aff ord Thunberg said in Lausanne. place against the backdrop of billionaires,” he said. Thunberg speaking during a demonstration of the ‘Fridays for Future’ movement in Lausanne.

Push for ‘Big Ben bong’ on Brexit Day

Eurosceptics stepped up their campaign yesterday day for the Ukraine president gives PM second chance after tape leak British parliament’s famous Big Ben bell to chime for “Brexit Day” on January 31, despite off icials appearing to rule out the possibility. Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC on Reuters knowledge of economics was cir- have not yet repaid this loan to incidents from occurring in fu- Tuesday he urged fellow Brits to “bung a bob for a Big Ben bong” Kyiv culated on messaging channels our society.” ture. at 11pm (2300 GMT) – the time that Britain off icially severs ties with this week, apparently at a meet- Honcharuk said earlier the re- Contacted by Reuters shortly Brussels. ing of Honcharuk, the fi nance cording had been doctored and after his announcement and Parliamentary off icials later suggested it would not be possible to krainian President Vo- minister and the National Bank was made up of diff erent frag- asked whether he indeed intend- use the bell in Elizabeth Tower, which is under restoration, even if lodymyr Zelenskiy has of Ukraine (NBU) in December. ments of what had been said at ed to step down, Honcharuk said: the estimated cost of £500,000 ($650,000) were met. Uallowed Prime Minister Zelenskiy is a former comic government meetings. “Do not jump to conclusions.” The StandUp4Brexit campaign had raised nearly half of the sum Oleksiy Honcharuk to keep his actor who had no political expe- “Its contents artifi cially create Under Ukraine’s previous from some 11,000 donors via the GoFundMe website by afternoon job after the leak of an embar- Honcharuk declined to say rience when he swept to power in the impression that my team and president, Honcharuk’s pred- yesterday. rassing audio recording prompt- whether he had used the resig- an election last year on the back I do not respect the president, ecessor as prime minister, Vo- Veteran Conservative eurosceptic lawmaker Iain Duncan Smith, ed Honcharuk to submit his res- nation letter as a way of testing of public anger over high-level who is our political leader,” Hon- lodymyr Groysman, also made an ally of Johnson, told the BBC that Big Ben rings on all “big ignation. the president’s confidence in corruption. charuk said on social media. threats to resign but ultimately occasions” in Britain, most recently to herald the new year. In a carefully choreographed him. “I decided to give you a chance He did not say whether it was stayed the course until last July’s “It sounded out the end of the war in Europe, it sounded out the end video of the two men sitting at a ... and a chance to your govern- his voice heard in the recording. parliamentary election which of the war in Japan, [and] when we joined the EU,” Duncan Smith desk that was released yesterday gested that he had criticised the ment,” Zelenskiy said, but added Central bank offi cials and the Zelenskiy’s party won. said. evening, in which Honcharuk president, though in earlier com- the government had to fulfi l cer- fi nance minister have declined to Honcharuk, appointed by law- “If they’ve managed to make it sound for other things, I don’t see was mostly silent, Zelenskiy said ments to Reuters he also indicat- tain tasks such as sacking minis- comment on the recording. makers last August, declined to why they can’t make it sound when we leave the EU,” he said. he would give Honcharuk and his ed that he might end up keeping ters who do not perform. Zelenskiy asked law enforce- say whether he had used the res- Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who is organising a Brexit Day government a chance. his job. Zelenskiy and the public had ment agencies to determine who ignation letter as a way of test- celebration in Parliament Square, close to Big Ben, earlier accused Honcharuk had off ered to quit A recording of a man discuss- loaned Honcharuk their trust, he was involved in making the re- ing the president’s confi dence in Johnson’s government of being “embarrassed by Brexit and not after an audio recording sug- ing Zelenskiy’s purported lack of said to Honcharuk, adding: “You cording and how to prevent such him. proud of it”. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, January 18, 2020 INDIA

Twitterati congratulate After Amazon snub, BJP ISRO for successful slams Washington Post GSAT-30 Reuters 21st century will be the Indian Chauthaiwale’s remarks. ment in e-commerce which But the event was largely launch New Delhi century and that the dynamism In Amazon’s statement on forced Amazon to rework overshadowed by comments and energy in the country was Friday announcing the job- its business structures and made by India’s trade minis- IANS “something special”. creation plans, Bezos said strained ties between New Delhi ter Piyush Goyal, who raised New Delhi ndia’s ruling BJP yesterday “I am not opposing Ama- “we’re excited about what lies and Washington. questions about the company’s slammed editorial policies zon as a company, in fact I am ahead”, but street protests this In recent months, the gov- business practices while ad- Iof billionaire Jeff Bezos- a regular customer... Jeff Bezos week by small retailers and ad- ernment has said it is concerned dressing a security conference he Indian space agency ISRO owned Washington Post, even should go home tell Washing- verse comments from politi- about issues raised by India’s in New Delhi and said Amazon earned praise from Twitter as his e-commerce fi rm Ama- ton Post what is his impression cians have made Bezos’ visit a brick-and-mortar retailers who had done no big favour to India Tusers yesterday, as it suc- zon announced plans to create about India,” Chauthaiwale told public relations nightmare for say they’ve been hit by Amazon by announcing a new $1 billion cessfully launched India’s commu- a million jobs in the country by Reuters. Amazon. and Walmart’s Flipkart which investment. nication satellite GSAT-30. 2025. “The Washington Post edito- India’s shopkeepers have fl out regulations and burn bil- Industry executives and Twitter users hailed the Vijay Chauthaiwale, the chief rial policy is highly biased and represented a core constitu- lions of dollars to off er steep their advisers said that Goyal’s achievements of Indian Space of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda driven.” ency for the BJP since the early discounts. The companies deny remarks were likely to put off Research Organisation (ISRO). (BJP) foreign aff airs depart- Washington Post’s India bu- Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, days of the party. And sources the allegations. foreign investors, denting In- Users posted congratulatory ment, said there was “a lot of reau chief, Joanna Slater, re- attends a company event in told Reuters that Modi, who India’s antitrust body this dia’s economic growth which is messages and showcased their problem” with the newspaper’s ferred a Reuters request for New Delhi. has otherwise courted foreign week launched a probe into both already projected to fall to a 11- patriotic fervour. coverage of India, without giv- comment to the newspaper’s investors, was unlikely to meet Amazon and Flipkart. year low this year. A post by ISRO on Friday’s ing any specifi c examples. spokespersons in Washington, cluding on the disputed region Bezos during his visit despite On Thursday, Bezos attended “This clearly is unbecoming, launch trended with 2.3K The swipe at the Post came who did not immediately re- of Kashmir which is claimed by repeated requests by the com- a company event in Mumbai and it will hurt how the world retweets and 12.1K likes. a day after a cabinet minister spond outside regular business both India and Pakistan, say- pany in light of traders’ con- with Bollywood actors such as views India as a destination,” “India’s communication sat- gave short shrift to Amazon’s hours. ing coverage has been biased cerns and an ongoing antitrust Shah Rukh Khan and said the said a senior executive of a US- ellite #GSAT30 was successfully investment plans for India. Chauthaiwale has in the past against Prime Minister Modi. probe. company would “double down” based company operating in launched into a Geosynchro- Bezos has praised India dur- been critical of foreign media’s Amazon did not respond to India last year enforced strin- its investments on its video India. nous Transfer Orbit by #Ariane5 ing his ongoing visit, saying the reporting on political issues, in- an e-mail seeking comment on gent rules for foreign invest- streaming service, Prime Video. #VA251. Thanks for your support !!!”, the post read. GSAT-30 derives its heritage from ISRO’s earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series and will replace Luxury train launched INSAT-4A in orbit. Vice President M Venkaiah Punjab passes Naidu wrote on @VPSecretariat: “Congratulations to ISRO for the successful launch of India’s latest telecommunication sat- ellite #GSAT30 into a Geosyn- resolution chronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)A from Kourou launch base, French Guiana. @isro.” Union Minister Jitendra Singh wrote on @DrJitendraSingh: against CAA “KUDOS! #ISRO. For the suc- cessful launch of #GSAT30, Indi- an Telecommunication Satellite.” IANS He said that there was an Former union minister and Chandigarh attempt to “change the secular lawmaker Mahesh Sharma fabric of this country”. tweeted: “My heartiest con- Slamming his rivals the gratulations to the team @isro fter Kerala, Punjab yes- SAD, he said “the Akalis have for the successful launch of high terday became the sec- forgotten the teachings of even power communication satellite Aond state to pass a reso- Guru Nanak while supporting #GSAT30 into Geosynchronous lution against the Citizenship CAA.” Transfer Orbit. Another day & Amendment Act (CAA). He said he would gift Hit- another phenomenal accom- The Congress-ruled gov- ler’s memoir ‘’Mein Kampf’’ plishment by our scientists. It is ernment moved the resolution to all the Akalis so that they a proud moment for the entire in the Assembly that got the would know how fascist ideol- nation. Jai Hind.” support of the main opposi- ogy is being implemented. “Congratulations to #ISRO on tion AAP. According to the resolution, achieving yet another milestone However, the Shriomani the CAA enacted by Parlia- with the successful launch of high Akali Dal (SAD), an alliance ment has caused “country- power communication satellite partner of the BJP in the state, wide anguish and social unrest #GSAT30. May you create many opposed the resolution, but with widespread protests all more success stories in space with protested against not inclu- over the country”. your dedication and hard work,” sion of the Muslims under the “The CAA seeks to negate wrote Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. CAA. the very secular fabric on A Tweeple remarked, “Anoth- The resolution was moved which the Constitution of In- A Railway Protection Force (RPF) member rides on ‘Segway’ past the Tejas Express luxury train at Ahmedabad Kalupur station, in er milestone, another satellite by Local Bodies and Par- dia is based. It is divisive and Ahmedabad yesterday. The first Tejas Express train was flagged off by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and travelling for regular #GSAT30. India is fl ying high....” liamentary aff airs minister stands for everything opposed passengers will start from January 19. “Saare jahan se achcha Hin- Brahm Mohindra on the last to a free and fair democracy dustan hamara,” read one post. day of the two-day special which must enshrine equality session. for all,” it said. He favoured doing away “Alongside the religion- with the CAA, saying it was based discrimination in grant- “against secular values.” ing citizenship, it is appre- AAP legislator Aman Arora hended that the CAA is also said the law was enacted to likely to endanger the linguis- Nirbhaya case: convicts hanging on Feb 1 divert attention from “bigger tic and cultural identity of issues”, while SAD’’s Sharanjit some sections of our people. Dhillon said that the Muslims The CAA also envisages can- AFP gal remedies. court, saying they were fed up the beaten-up friend on the Nirbhaya’s family said they should not be left out under cellation of the registration New Delhi Six people were originally with the delays and appeals. road. were still unsure if the convicts the CAA. of Overseas Citizens of India charged with taking part in the The Supreme Court had up- Nirbhaya died of her injuries would be hanged on February 1. Punjab Chief Minister Am- (OC) card holders, if they vio- brutal attack aboard a city bus held death sentences against the nearly a fortnight after the at- “We have struggled for sev- arinder Singh the issue of CAA late any law,” it said. n Indian court yesterday that made headlines around the four men in 2017 and since then tack - in Singapore, where she en years to get justice for our had shaken the entire country. It said: “The CAA is aimed ordered that four men world and triggered massive na- their execution has been stuck in had been fl own for specialist daughter. They (convicts) have “What is happening in this at distinguishing illegal mi- Aconvicted of the infamous tionwide protests across India. a legal quagmire. treatment. been using all sorts of delaying country? We need to learn grants on the basis of religion, 2012 gang rape and murder of One of the six convicted was re- Nirbhaya, 23, was attacked in Tens of thousands of Indians tactics. We won’t be satisfi ed from history. In the 1930s, which is not permissible un- student Nirbhaya on a New Del- leased after spending three years December 2012 while returning took to the streets in protest, and until they are hanged,” Nirb- the same happened in Eu- der the Constitution. It is also hi bus would now be hanged on in a detention centre as a juvenile home after visiting the cinema the case led to a major overhaul haya’s mother told reporters rope. First, they were against violative of Article 14 of the February 1. while another allegedly commit- with a male friend. of laws surrounding sexual as- outside the court. Communists, then they were Constitution, which guaran- The court had earlier said they ted suicide in his prison cell. Her assailants took turns to sault. Indian media reports say Tihar against Jews. This is religious tees the Right to Equality and would be executed on January The order to hang the four rape and violate her with a metal It also spawned an award- prison, where the four are incar- cleansing,” said the Chief equal protection of the laws to 22, a ruling that prompted the convicts came after the parents rod as the bus drove around the winning documentary as well as cerated, recently held a dummy Minister. all persons.” convicts to seek last possible le- of the victim approached the capital, before dumping her and a Netfl ix series. execution to test the gallows.

Villager dead ‘Missing’ Mumbai blast accused at bull-taming arrested from Kanpur

IANS term. He was on parole for 21 complaint. festival Kanpur days from the Ajmer Central The Crime Branch of the Prison, Rajasthan, and was Mumbai Police and the Ma- expected to surrender before harashtra ATS had launched a AFP nfamous “Dr Bomb’’ Jalees prison authorities yesterday. massive manhunt to trace him. Madurai Ansari, convicted in the During the parole period, he The Uttar Pradesh Police re- I1993 Mumbai blasts case, was ordered to visit the Agri- ceived a tip-off about his pres- was arrested by Uttar Pradesh pada Police Station everyday ence in Kanpur. villager was gored to death Police Special Task Force (STF) between 10.30am and 12pm to Jalees Ansari, known as Doc- during a traditional bull- from Kanpur yesterday after he mark his attendance. tor Bomb in the underworld, was Ataming festival in Tamil jumped parole and went missing. However, Jalees Ansari did allegedly connected with ter- Nadu, underlining the dangers of Uttar Pradesh Director General not visit the police station on ror outfi ts like SIMI and Indian the bloody sport. Villagers try to control a bull during a bull-taming festival, part of Tamil Nadu’s harvest festival of Pongal, of Police O P Singh said that Ansari Thursday during the desig- Mujahideen and taught terror P Murugan, 40, was trampled on the outskirts of Madurai town yesterday. was arrested while he was coming nated time and his 35-year-old groups how to make bombs. on Thursday by a running bull out of a mosque in Kanpur. son Jaid Ansari approached the He was also questioned by who was agitated by the noise of the beasts and run, as spectators the exit to a venue, the Press declared bull-taming was part of A missing person complaint police station with a complaint the NIA in 2011 in connection drums, a local police offi cial said. cheer raucously at events held Trust of India reported. the state’s culture and identity. had been fi led by Ansari’s fam- about his “missing” father. with the 2008 bomb blast in “Murugan tried to catch across the state. As many as 66 India’s Supreme Court had out- People for the Ethical Treat- ily on Thursday in Mumbai. According to the complaint, Mumbai, the DGP said. the bull but it trampled him to men were injured in the city of lawed the practice in 2014 after a ment of Animals (PETA), which The DGP said: “He had been Jalees Ansari woke up in the early On Thursday, his family mem- death,” he said. Madurai, 37 of them bull tamers plea by animal rights groups. has been campaigning for an end out on parole. His arrest is a major hours and told family members bers complained to the Agripada Bull-taming is extremely and the rest owners and specta- However, the sport was rein- to the “abusive” practice, says its achievement for the state police.” he was going to off er namaaz, but Police Station that he had gone to popular in rural pockets of Tamil tors, local media reports said. stated in 2017 after days of massive past investigations had revealed The 68-year-old convict of did not return home. off er “namaz’’ at 5am and then went Nadu where every year hundreds A female spectator was also protests following which the Tamil the bulls were treated with ut- the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts On the son’s complaint, the “missing’’, his phone switched off of men try to hold the hump of injured when a bull hit her near Nadu government stepped in and most cruelty. case had been serving a life Agripada Police registered a and no trace anywhere. Gulf Times Saturday, January 18, 2020 9 PAKISTAN

PM bans minister from appearing on talk shows Prime Minister Imran Khan has banned cabinet minister Faisal Vawda from appearing on any talk shows for two weeks. PM warns of ‘disaster’ if Vawda appeared on a talk show last week and mocked former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s opposition Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) slogan “Vote Ko Izzat Do” (respect the vote) by saying “Boot Ko Izzat Do” (respect the boot), criticising regional rows escalate the party for deviating from its stance and lending unconditional Internews Then we have Iran, with which to what is happening to some support for the military services Islamabad we have always maintained a 8mn people in Kashmir, as well chief’s tenure bills. good relationship,” the premier as to minorities in India,” he The usually loud-mouthed said. noted. minister for water startled all by rime Minister Imran Khan “Therefore, a military con- The premier also told DW that placing a shining black military has said that it is a tragedy fl ict between Saudi Arabia and Germany could play a huge role boot on top of a table in the TV Pfor the region that India Iran would be disastrous for Pa- in the Kashmir issue as it was studio during live transmission. has been “taken over” by the kistan. We are trying our best the strongest country in Europe, “I am going to bring this [boot] Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to make sure that ties between and noted that he had spoken to every talk show,” he said. “This (RSS), and warned global audi- these two countries do not dete- to German Chancellor Angela is how democratic the PML-N is. ences that the nuclear-armed riorate. It is a region that cannot Merkel, whose response had They lie down to kiss the boot.” country is being run by extrem- aff ord another confl ict,” Khan been to make a statement about When asked why he was ists. stressed. the issue in India. criticising the PML-N for In an interview with German “Then there is Afghanistan. “I think they are heading to- supporting the ruling Pakistan broadcaster Deutsche Welle Pakistan is doing its best to wards a ceasefi re. We are hoping Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government (DW), published in Pakistani bring peace to Afghanistan. It that the US-Taliban talks suc- on the Army Act, Vawda said: “It media yesterday, the premier is a country that has suff ered so ceed, as we have a new govern- was our stance. We were doing it remarked that India had been much in the past 40 years. We ment in power in Afghanistan for the Pakistani nation, and we taken over by an extremist ide- pray that the Taliban, the Amer- with President Ashraf Ghani be- stood firm [on our stance].” ology known as Hindutva, which icans and the Afghan govern- ing re-elected,” Khan said on the Special Assistant to the Prime is inspired by the German Nazis, ment achieve peace,” he main- Afghan situation. Minister for Information and and that its [Hindutva’s] found- tained. “Peace in Afghanistan would Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq ing fathers believed in racial su- In response to a question open up trading opportunities Awan, confirmed that the prime premacy. about the disproportionate cov- in Central Asia. It [Afghanistan] minister took notice of the “It is a tragedy for India – and erage accorded to protests in would also become an economic incident, banning Vawda from for its neighbours – that the Prime Minister Khan: we live in a diff icult neighbourhood and we have to balance our actions. Hong Kong as opposed to the corridor for us. If there is peace appearing on any talk shows for country has been taken over by siege of Indian-administered in Afghanistan, our people in two weeks, and demanding an the RSS, an organisation which of Kashmir by Indian troops. over by an extremist ideology attached to balancing ties with Kashmir, the prime minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, explanation from the minister for also assassinated the great Ma- “Just as the Nazi ideology was known as Hindutva. It is the ide- Beijing and Washington, while that the tragedy of Kashmir is which borders Afghanistan, will the way he behaved. hatma Gandhi. built on hatred for minorities, ology of RSS. The RSS, a politi- trying to negotiate a peace deal much greater, but commercial also benefi t,” he said. Vawda appeared the next day on “A nuclear-armed country the RSS ideology is based on ha- cal organisation founded in 1925, for war-torn Afghanistan. interests are more important for “Pakistan has played its part in Capital Talk show on Geo TV to is being run by extremists, and tred for Muslims and other mi- inspired by the German Nazis,” “It’s true that we live in a dif- Western countries. peace talks. There was a hostage reveal that Prime Minister Khan Kashmir has been under siege norities, including Christians,” he noted. fi cult neighbourhood and we “Unfortunately, commercial situation and with Pakistan’s ef- was not happy with him over the for over fi ve months,” Khan said. the prime minister said. In the interview, Khan was have to balance our actions. For interests are more important for forts, two out of three Western boot incident. The remarks came in response “I was the fi rst leader to warn also asked a series of foreign instance, Saudi Arabia is one of Western countries. India is a big hostages were released. So, we “I told the prime minister to questions about tensions in the world about what is happen- policy questions about Pakistan Pakistan’s greatest friends and market, and that is the reason are doing our best with whatever whatever he is saying is right. South Asia and the occupation ing in India. India has been taken and the importance Islamabad has always been there for us. behind the lukewarm response infl uence we have,” Khan added. I assured him that it will not happen again, and I will act responsibly,” said the minister. All in a day’s work 3-day Children’s Qureshi discusses regional Literature Festival start next week security with US lawmakers The three-day Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) will start from January 21, featuring several Internews They believe that co-opera- parallel sessions from morning Washington tion is needed to achieve each to evening, with workshops, other’s common objectives on performances, theatre, books the bilateral and regional fronts. and activity stalls, including oreign Minister Shah Me- The meeting was attended by mobile libraries, catering not only hmood Qureshi has met Republican Senator Jim Risch to children but to teachers and Fwith US lawmakers at and Democratic Senator Bob parents. Capitol Hill in Washington DC Menendez, Chair of the Senate There will be marches by children as a part of his diplomatic trip Foreign Relations Subcommit- on each day on the Right to to the US, Pakistan embassy of- tee on Asia Senator Mitt Rom- Education and Climate Justice, fi cials said. ney, and Democratic Ranking calling attention to urgent The minister in his meet- Member of the Asia Subcom- emergencies. ing with the US Senate leader- mittee Senator Chris Murphy. The last day of the festival will be ship discussed the US-Pakistan The foreign minister also dedicated to teachers. relationship, the situation in held separate meetings with The Teachers Literature Festival South Asia, the Afghan peace members of the Senate For- (TLF), packed with lively process, and recent develop- eign Relations Committee and professional development ments in the Middle East. the Pakistan Caucus of the US sessions for educators, will be He also briefed the senators Congress. Qureshi: Pakistan is for peace held from morning to afternoon on India’s ongoing lockdown in In a separate meeting with and we would do whatever we on January 23. Indian-administered Kashmir, the US Congress’s Pakistan can to promote and facilitate Educationist and co-founder, and “its implications for re- Caucus, the minister empha- peace. Baela Raza Jamil, said that this gional security”. sised that Islamabad values its year would mark the 64th CLF. “Peace and stability in relationship with Washington. tions for regional peace and “The CLF aims to promote love South Asia would remain elu- The minister also lauded the security. for reading, and the four Cs – sive until the Kashmir dispute caucus for its role in “further “They also recognised the critical thinking, communication, was resolved in accordance improving bilateral relations role of the Pakistani American creativity and collaboration,” she with international law and the between Pakistan and the Unit- community in the US, which us said. wishes of the Kashmiri people,” ed States”. contributing towards further The CLF – a non-ticketed Qureshi informed the senators, He added that the relation- strengthening bilateral linkages event – will be held at the according to a Foreign Offi ce ship has been on an “upward and relations,” said the Foreign Children Library Complex press release. positive trajectory” since the Offi ce. (CLC), a purpose-built facility of The senators also lauded Pa- last year. The event was attended by the Punjab School Education kistan’s role in the Afghan peace “The foreign minister also Chair of Congressional Paki- Department. process and requested Islama- briefed the caucus about gov- stan Caucus Congresswoman There are over 100 sessions, and bad for its continued support. ernment of Pakistan’s vision Sheila Jackson Lee, Congress- 125 resource persons. The minister assured the for socio-economic progress men Thomas Suozzi and Jim There would be performances senators that Pakistan is com- and human development in the Banks, and other members of and readings by children from the mitted to the Afghan political country as well as Pakistan’s the caucus. Special Schools, young authors, reconciliation process. eff orts for regional peace and Congressman Eliot Engel, Harsukh and Sanjan Nagar Qureshi noted that the his- prosperity including in facili- Chairman of the House Foreign students, and awards being given tory of Pakistan-US relation- tating peace in Afghanistan and Aff airs Committee, as well as to partners who have supported A labourer unloads cabbage in a store at the main vegetable market in Islamabad. ship is testimony to the value of defeating terrorism in the re- Congressman Ami Bera, Chair- the movement since 2011. working together. gion,” the Foreign Offi ce said. man of the House sub-Com- He reaffi rmed Pakistan’s re- Qureshi underscored the sig- mittee on Asia were also in at- solve to continue to play a con- nifi cance of further strength- tendance. structive role and to work with ening people-to-people and Qureshi’s visit to United the US to bring peace in the re- inter-parliamentary linkages States came amid heightened gion. between the two countries and tensions between Washington ECP suspends membership of 318 lawmakers “Pakistan is for peace and we urged the lawmakers to play and Tehran after the US killed would do whatever we can to their role. Iranian commander Qassem promote and facilitate peace,” He also briefed the lawmak- Soleimani in a drone strike in Internews ter for Religious Aff airs Noorul Ayub, Fida Mohamed, and Taj include Information Minis- said Qureshi, referring to Paki- ers on the latest situation in Baghdad. Islamabad Haq Qadri, Minister of State for Mohamed Afridi has also been ter Shoukat Ali, Faisal Zaman, stan’s role in defusing tensions Indian-administered Kashmir Iran retaliated by targeting a Climate Change Zartaj Gul, and suspended. Arbab Mohamed Waseem Khan, in the Middle East. and the continuing alleged re- US troops base in Iraq. former prime minister Raja Per- The 115 defaulting members Arbab Jehandad Khan, Shafi q The Foreign Offi ce said pression of the Kashmiri people Earlier, Qureshi visited Iran he Election Commission vez Ashraf. of the Punjab Assembly include Afridi, Bilawal Afridi, and Hafi z that the senators agreed with by the Modi government. and Saudi Arabia, where he met of Pakistan (ECP) has sus- Others prominent on the list Minister for Population Welfare Isamuddin. Qureshi on the need for contin- The Pakistan Caucus thanked the two countries’ leaders in an Tpended the membership include former federal minis- Mohamed Hashim Dogar, head The 21 members of the Balu- ued co-operation between the Qureshi for his briefi ng and ap- eff ort to ease tensions after a US of 318 lawmakers over the their ter for national health services of the chief minister’s inspection chistan Assembly suspended for two countries. preciated Pakistan’s contribu- airstrike killed Soleimani. failure to submit annual state- Aamer Mehmood Kayani, Amir team Mohamed Shoaib Idrees, failing to fi le statements of as- ments of assets and liabilities by Liaquat Hussain, Farrukh Ha- and former provincial minister sets include Noorullah, Masood January 15. bib, Raja Riaz, Chaudhry Birjees Khush Akhtar Subhani. Ali Khan, Noor Mohamed, Mir Chiefs of army’s military intelligence, media wing changed According to sources, those Tahir, Sardar Mohamed Bakhsh The 40 members of the Sindh Sikandar Ali, Sardar Yar Mo- suspended are 70 members of Mahar, Jehangir Alam Khan, and Assembly suspended for their hamed Rind, Abdul Wahid Sid- Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa has made two major Major-General Babar Iftikhar is now chief of the the National Assembly, 12 sena- Abdul Qadir Patel. failure to meet the legal require- diqui, Syed Fazal Agha, Zamarak, changes in his core team, bringing in new heads ISPR in place of Major-General Asif Ghafoor. tors, 115 members of the Punjab The 12 senators on the list in- ment include Information Min- Asghar Khan, Malik Naeem Khan of Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Iftikhar is from the armoured corps. Prior to Assembly, 40 members of the clude Law Minister Dr Farogh ister Saeed Ghani, Irrigation Bazai, Mir Naimatullah Zehri, Public Relations (ISPR). his new appointment, he was commanding the Sindh Assembly, 60 members of Naseem, former KP chief minis- Minister Sohail Anwar, Sindh Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Zabid Major-General Azhar Waqas has been appointed armoured division in Multan. the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) ter Pir Sabir Shah, National Party Assembly Deputy Speaker Syeda Ali, Sanaullah Baloch, Syed Eh- director-general of the MI in place of Major-General He was commissioned in 6 Lancers in March Assembly, and 21 members of the (NP) leader Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Shehla Raza, Federal Minister for san Shah, Abdul Rasheed, Mir Sarfraz Ali. 1990 and is a graduate of the Command and Baluchistan Assembly. and former special assistant to Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Akbar Askani, Bano, Zeenat Waqas is from infantry and has previously Staff College Quetta; National Defence University, The 70 defaulting members the prime minister Musadik Ma- Dr Fehmida Mirza’s son Hasnain Shahwani, Fareeda Bibi, and commanded 40th Infantry Division in Okara as its Islamabad; and Royal Command and Staff College, of the National Assembly in- lik. Ali Mirza, and former provincial Sham Lal. general off icer commanding. Jordan. clude Minister for Science and The membership of Senators ministers Mir Nadir Ali Magsi Under Section 137 of the Elec- Ali has, meanwhile, been appointed inspector- During Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Iftikhar commanded Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Rana Mehmood-ul-Hasan, Hafi z and Sharjeel Inam Memon. tions Act, the lawmakers will general of the Frontier Corps (South) Baluchistan. an infantry brigade in North Waziristan. Housing Minister Chaudhry Abdul Karim, Najma Hameed, The 60 members of the KP As- remain suspended until they fi le He had been the director-general of the MI since Ghafoor would, meanwhile, move to Okara as GOC Tariq Basheer Cheema, Minis- Zeeshan Khanzada, Mohamed sembly to have been suspended their statements of assets. October 2018. of 40th Infantry Division. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, January 18, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The truth about the Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor Amjad Khan Trump economy

By Joseph E Stiglitz ancy in America is what Anne Case will be less breathable, the water less males and females, while rising, has P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar New York and Nobel laureate economist Angus drinkable, and the planet more subject increased less than during the Obama Deaton call deaths of despair, caused by to climate change. In fact, losses related recovery, and is still signifi cantly below [email protected] alcohol, drug overdoses, and suicide. to climate change have already reached that of other developed countries. The 44350478 (News), s the world’s business elites In 2017 (the most recent year for which new highs in the US, which has suff ered pace of job creation is also markedly trek to Davos for their annual good data are available), such deaths more property damage than any other slower than it was under Obama. 44466404 (Sport), gathering, people should be stood at almost four times their 1999 country – reaching some 1.5% of GDP Again, the low employment rate 44466636 (Home delivery) Aasking a simple question: level. in 2017. is not a surprise, not least because Have they overcome their infatuation The only time I have seen anything The tax cuts were supposed to spur a unhealthy people can’t work. Moreo- 44350474 with US President Donald Trump? like these declines in health – outside new wave of investment. Instead, they ver, those on disability benefits, in facebook.com/gulftimes Two years ago, a few rare corporate of war or epidemics – was when I was triggered an all-time record binge of prison – the US incarceration rate leaders were concerned about climate chief economist of the World Bank and share buybacks – some $800bn in 2018 has increased more than sixfold since twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar change, or upset at Trump’s misogyny found out that mortality and morbid- – by some of America’s most profi table 1970, with some two million people and bigotry. Most, however, were ity data confi rmed what our eco- companies, and led to record peacetime currently behind bars – or so discour- celebrating the president’s tax cuts for nomic indicators suggested about the defi cits (almost $1tn in fi scal 2019) in a aged that they are not actively seeking billionaires and corporations and look- dismal state of the post-Soviet Russian country supposedly near full employ- jobs are not counted as “unemployed.” ing forward to his eff orts to deregulate economy. ment. And even with weak investment, But, of course, they are not employed. GULF TIMES the economy. That would allow busi- Trump may be a good president for the US had to borrow massively abroad: Nor is it a surprise that a country that nesses to pollute the air more, get more the top 1% – and especially for the top the most recent data show foreign bor- doesn’t provide affordable childcare Americans hooked on opioids, entice 0.1% – but he has not been good for rowing at nearly $500bn a year, with an or guarantee family leave would have more children to eat their diabetes- everyone else. If fully implemented, the increase of more than 10% in America’s lower female employment – ad- inducing foods, and engage in the sort 2017 tax cut will result in tax increases net indebtedness position in one year justed for population, more than ten Frightening amount of of fi nancial shenanigans that brought for most households in the second, alone. percentage points lower – than other on the 2008 crisis. third, and fourth income quintiles. Likewise, Trump’s trade wars, for all developed countries. Today, many corporate bosses are Given tax cuts that disproportion- their sound and fury, have not re- Even judging by GDP, the Trump world heritage area still talking about the continued GDP ately benefi t the ultrarich and corpora- duced the US trade defi cit, which was economy falls short. Last quarter’s growth and record stock prices. But tions, it should come as no surprise one-quarter higher in 2018 than it was growth was just 2.1%, far less than the neither GDP nor the Dow is a good that there was no signifi cant change in in 2016. The 2018 goods defi cit was 4%, 5%, or even 6% Trump promised measure of economic performance. the median US household’s disposable the largest on record. Even the defi cit to deliver, and even less than the 2.4% burned in Australia Neither tells us what’s happening to income between 2017 and 2018 (again, in trade with China was up almost a average of Obama’s second term. That ordinary citizens’ living standards or the most recent year with good data). quarter from 2016. The US did get a is a remarkably poor performance con- At least 80% of the Blue Mountains world heritage area and anything about sustainability. In fact, The lion’s share of the increase in GDP new North American trade agreement, sidering the stimulus provided by the US economic performance over the past is also going to those at the top. Real without the investment agreement pro- $1 trillion defi cit and ultra-low interest more than 50% of the Gondwana world heritage rainforests four years is Exhibit A in the indictment median weekly earnings are just 2.6% visions that the Business Roundtable rates. This is not an accident, or just a have burned in Australia’s ongoing bushfi re crisis. against relying on these indicators. above their level when Trump took of- wanted, without the provisions raising matter of bad luck: Trump’s brand is The scale of the disaster is such that it could aff ect the To get a good reading on a country’s fi ce. And these increases have not off set drug prices that the pharmaceutical uncertainty, volatility, and prevarica- diversity of eucalypts for which the Blue Mountains world economic health, start by looking at the long periods of wage stagnation. For ex- companies wanted, and with better tion, whereas trust, stability, and con- heritage area is recognised, said John Merson, the executive health of its citizens. If they are happy ample, the median wage of a full-time labour and environmental provisions. fi dence are essential for growth. So is and prosperous, they will be healthy male worker (and those with full-time Trump, a self-proclaimed master deal equality, according to the International director of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute. and live longer. Among developed jobs are the lucky ones) is still more maker, lost on almost every front in his Monetary Fund. The data is based on a Guardian Australia analysis of countries, America sits at the bottom in than 3% below what it was 40 years ago. negotiations with congressional Demo- So, Trump deserves failing grades areas burned in New South Wales and Queensland and was this regard. US life expectancy, already Nor has there been much progress on crats, resulting in a slightly improved not just on essential tasks like uphold- confi rmed by the NSW government. relatively low, fell in each of the fi rst reducing racial disparities: in the third trade arrangement. ing democracy and preserving our “This is totally, totally unique. As everybody keeps saying, it’s two years of Trump’s presidency, and quarter of 2019, median weekly earn- And despite Trump’s vaunted prom- planet. He should not get a pass on the in 2017, midlife mortality reached its ings for black men working full-time ises to bring manufacturing jobs back to economy, either. - Project Syndicate unprecedented,” he said. highest rate since World War II. This were less than three-quarters the level the US, the increase in manufacturing The area is renowned for the diversity of its vegetation and is is not a surprise, because no president for white men. employment is still lower than it was O Joseph E Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate home to about a third of the world’s eucalypt species. has worked harder to make sure that Making matters worse, the growth under his predecessor, Barack Obama, in economics, is University Professor at While most are fi re-adapted and can regenerate, many of the more Americans lack health insurance. that has occurred is not environmen- once the post-2008 recovery set in, and Columbia University and Chief Econo- species depend on long intervals between fi res, Merson said. Millions have lost their coverage, and tally sustainable – and even less so is still markedly below its pre-crisis mist at the Roosevelt Institute. His most the uninsured rate has risen, in just two thanks to the Trump administration’s level. Even the unemployment rate, at a recent book is People, Power, and Profi ts: “We had a very large fi re in 2013. It’s only six years after that,” years, from 10.9% to 13.7%. gutting of regulations that have passed 50-year low, masks economic fragility. Progressive Capitalism for an Age of he said. One reason for declining life expect- stringent cost-benefi t analyses. The air The employment rate for working-age Discontent. “The eucalypts can be very badly reduced in diversity if fi res come through in too short and intense intervals. Their numbers will virtually collapse.” He said the full impact on tree species and wildlife would not be known until more assessments were done as fi re grounds became accessible. But there are concerns about the eff ect on breeding and feeding habitats for species including the spotted-tail quoll Closing the SDG gap and the brush-tailed rock- “This is climate wallaby. The fi res have also burnt By Kevin Watkins change in swamp communities that Lagos release water slowly and are its most important water resources. s global business and political fundamental They fl ow into streams leaders gather in Davos for the that feed into Sydney’s water World Economic Forum’s an- form” supply and provide water for Anual meeting, they should ask wildlife. themselves one big question: Will the It was revealed this week that a rescue mission by NSW fi re world achieve the ambitious Sustain- able Development Goals for 2030? Or crews was able to save the only known natural grove of Wollemi will the SDGs – with their targets for pines, so-called “dinosaur trees” that fossil records show eradicating extreme poverty, ending existed up to 200mn years ago. preventable child deaths, expanding Merson said the fi res had entered areas that had not burnt educational opportunity, and avert- previously and the need for the rescue mission was indicative of ing a climate disaster – join the long list of enthusiastically endorsed global the intensity of the fi res in the region. pledges that go unfulfi lled? “This is climate change in its most fundamental form,” he Those suff ering from early new- said. decade SDG blues might take comfort “This is right in our face. We’re living it.” from Harvard psychologist Steven Further north, the fi res have devastated parts of the Pinker. Building on the core theme of his infl uential book Enlightenment Gondwana rainforest world heritage area, a collection of Now, and citing a familiar barrage of reserves of subtropical rainforest that span 366,500 hectares statistics on human progress, Pinker The world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are bearing the brunt of the climate change consequences, as the recent across NSW and Queensland. has off ered an upbeat assessment: droughts in Zambia and the Horn of Africa illustrate. Guardian Australia used newly released data which combines “Progress toward [the SDGs] is all burned areas in NSW and Queensland since July 1, 2019, and continuing,” he wrote. “It is unlikely to 40 seconds, can be prevented with promise of concerted international action require further investment in universal do a sudden U-turn.” vaccination and treated with basic to limit global warming, last month’s health coverage, more equitable public calculated the area of overlap with world heritage areas. He is right, up to a point. Since antibiotics (costing less than $0.50) and COP25 climate-change conference in spending and service provision, and This analysis shows 53% of the Gondwana rainforest area has 2000, there have been extraordinary oxygen. Yet, the fatality count is falling Madrid was a case study in inertia. The greater emphasis on the diseases that burned. improvements in human-development far too slowly. emissions gap between current policies kill the poorest children. Mark Graham, an ecologist with the Nature Conservation indicators. Poverty has been decreasing There is a similar yawning gap between and those needed to keep global warming Greater equity is the rocket fuel for Council of NSW, said since December there had been at historically unprecedented rates: the current trends and the 2030 targets below 1.5C is widening, and the world’s achieving the SDGs. Instead of issuing share of the world’s population living on for education. Although governments poorest and most vulnerable people are vague pronouncements about “leaving “signifi cant, additional fi re in areas that hadn’t burned” in less than $1.90 per day has fallen from have committed to ensuring universal bearing the brunt of the consequences, no one behind,” governments should Barrington Tops, and that most of the Gondwana areas have 28% to 10%. The risk of children born in secondary schooling and improved as the recent droughts in Zambia and the report on how quickly they are reducing taken a “massive hit”. Africa dying before their fi fth birthday learning, progress toward universal Horn of Africa illustrate. inequalities. “It’s heart-wrenching. It’s disturbing. It’s frightening.” has been halved, saving millions of primary education has stalled. In an This is the decade of no return for International action has a critical Graham said his area had experienced some rain in recent young lives. Out-of-school numbers increasingly knowledge-based global the climate emergency. Failure to price role to play. Later this month, Save the have fallen dramatically, and gender economy, a combination of restricted carbon out of the world’s economies, Children, Unicef, and other partners weeks but there were now concerns that sediment washed gaps in school attendance are shrinking. access to education and abysmal learning safeguard carbon sinks, and – critically will convene a global forum on into the Bellinger River has aff ected the food sources for the Over 1.6bn people have gained outcomes will leave 1bn children lacking – protect the world’s poor against the pneumonia aimed at expanding access critically endangered Bellinger River snapping turtle. access to clean drinking water. Such the skills they need to fl ourish, and that eff ects of global warming that are now to life-saving interventions. Toward the A spokesman for the NSW Department of Planning, Industry achievements refute the pessimism that their countries need to drive dynamic and irreversible will fi rst slow, and then stall end of this year, the United Kingdom and Environment said understanding the impact of the fi res on often pervades public debates about aid inclusive growth. and reverse, gains in poverty reduction, and Japan will host global summits on and international development. Likewise, for all the success in nutrition, and health. climate and malnutrition, respectively. both world heritage areas was a priority. So far so good. But here’s the catch: if combating poverty, past performance is We cannot allow these challenges’ And former UK Prime Minister progress over the next ten years mirrors no guide to future outcomes. The pace daunting scale to foster passive Gordon Brown, the United Nations that of the last decade, the world will of progress has slowed, and the goal of acceptance of the inevitability of the Special Envoy for Global Education, To Advertise fall catastrophically short of the 2030 eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 SDGs’ failure. Nor should we tolerate has developed a proposal for a new targets. is drifting out of reach. That is largely the paralysing complacency that now international fi nancing mechanism [email protected] Consider child survival. On current because of slow growth, inequality, and pervades gatherings like Davos, World that could boost education spending by Display trends, there will still be over 4mn child demographic trends in Sub-Saharan Bank-International Monetary Fund $10bn. These initiatives represent real deaths worldwide in 2030. The vast Africa, where the number of people meetings, and United Nations summits. opportunities. 44466621 44418811 majority of these fatalities could be living in poverty is increasing. Research There is an alternative. Galvanizing action on the SDGs prevented through improved nutrition by the Overseas Development Institute Nothing would do more to bring would narrow the chasm between the Classified and basic healthcare interventions. suggests that more than 300mn African the SDG targets within reach than a human condition we can achieve and 44466609 44418811 But progress toward eradicating children will be living below the concerted drive to narrow the social the world we tolerate. We need smart malnutrition, which is implicated in $1.90-per-day threshold in 2030 – and disparities currently acting as a brake politics, new partnerships, and bold Subscription half of child deaths worldwide, has these children will account for more on progress. To take one example, campaigning. Success is not guaranteed been glacial, and millions of children than one-half of the world’s poor. closing the gap in national death rates – but failure to act is not an option. – [email protected] are living beyond the reach of health The spectre of climate change threatens between children from the richest and Project Syndicate systems. Pneumonia, which is now the SDGs just as surely as it does the poorest 20% of the world’s population the single biggest infectious killer receding snow line around Davos. If the would save more than two million O Kevin Watkins is CEO of Save the © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved of children, claiming a life every 2015 Paris climate agreement held out the lives between now and 2030. That will Children UK. Gulf Times Saturday, January 18, 2020 11 COMMENT The new Davos challenge

By Alexander Friedman, Jerry Grin- could produce around $1tn in much- Last, but by no means least, urgent stein, Larry Hatheway, and Charles C. needed extra revenue in the US alone action must be taken to address climate Krulak over a decade. change in a way that shares the costs Davos Fifth, countries need to raise fairly within countries and between minimum wages and index them generations. Mitigation policies must to infl ation. In the US, a federally be made appealing. Carbon taxes he World Economic Forum’s mandated $15 per hour national are necessary, but so are subsidies. annual fl agship meeting this minimum wage would help to level According to the US Joint Committee year will focus on how to the playing fi eld, and automatically on Taxation and the CBO, a carbon tax Tbuild a more cohesive and adjusting it in line with the rising cost of $25 per ton with annual infl ation- sustainable world. As always, the topic of living would help everyone keep adjusted increases of 2% would raise is timely, but also a little abstract. To up. According to the Chicago Federal $1tn in the US over a decade. help give it more concrete form, we have Reserve Bank, these steps would also It makes sense to earmark even a few proposals to put the prevailing increase aggregate demand in the more than that amount to help those economic model on a better track and world’s largest economy. made worse off by the tax, namely focus the discussion. Sixth, in all countries an overhaul today’s coal-, oil-, and gas-producing First, it is time to overhaul the US of national income accounting is communities, as well as families on low tax code to reduce structural wealth in order. Since it was introduced in or modest incomes hit by regressive inequality. To that end, America the 1940s, gross domestic product taxation. Subsidies could take the form should get rid of the “carried- has assumed unoffi cial status as the of cash payments, re-training, new interest” loophole. A provision that primary measure of national welfare. infrastructure projects, and investment was originally intended to encourage Yet, when “progress” is equated with in alternative energy industries in long-term investment has become a GDP, policymaking becomes an exercise “coal and oil country.” Importantly, massive tax break for fi nanciers working in boosting gross national income the subsidies must be greater than the in private equity and at hedge funds. without regard to the attendant social carbon tax revenues. The resulting Although the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs or environmental costs. New metrics increase in national debt is rightly the Act placed some limitations on this are required to measure well-being net obligation of future generations, who fi nance-friendly rule, it remains in of cost. will benefi t most from the transition to place. National income should include a low-carbon economy. By the same token, America should but this is off set by higher earners. And been spent on this method of boosting between senior executives and average the costs of externalities such as In short, climate policy must have do away with the “stepped-up cost graduates who enter certain forms of reported earnings per share (and thus rank-and-fi le employees. Boards environmental degradation or tangible benefi ts today if it is to be basis” loophole, which has become public service should be off ered debt- the stock price). Corporate reporting for stakeholder-reporting standards greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Thus politically acceptable. Consider this: a key way by which the rich avoid forgiveness incentives. should be changed to explain clearly (special-purpose bodies, akin to the measured, net income would more as e-commerce reduces demand for taxation when bequeathing their wealth Third, we need to change corporate how much of a share-price movement Financial Accounting Standards Board) accurately refl ect sustainable growth. physical shopping, communities should to their heirs. As such, it has enabled the reporting to encourage more long-term, is largely attributable to buybacks, and should be created to oversee newly Moreover, all countries should agree to buy vacant malls and stores – again rich to become dynastic, undermining sustainable thinking. The fi rst step is boards and shareholders should adjust agreed worldwide conventions for non- common standards for incorporating with debt to be paid off by future America’s ostensible commitment to to end the obsession with quarterly executive compensation accordingly. fi nancial reporting. other measures of social progress. generations – and replace them with meritocracy. earnings. The pursuit of fi nancial Moreover, corporations worldwide Fourth, a global agreement to levy These could include life expectancy; carbon-capturing green spaces. - Second, the United States desperately analysts’ targets every three months should start reporting sustainability a 0.1% tax on fi nancial transactions, infant mortality; the detection, Project Syndicate needs to clean up its student-loan warps the way CEOs and boards make metrics. Corporate reporting infl uences similar to what is done in Hong Kong, prevention, and treatment of common mess – a huge burden on the young – decisions and undermines long-term corporate behaviour, but companies would help to rein in the fi nancial diseases; GHG emissions per capita; O Alexander Friedman is a co- by establishing a national trust along thinking. generally are required to report only system. A transaction tax benefi ts biodiversity; educational attainment; founder of Jackson Hole Economics. the lines of what Australia has done. In On a related note, share buybacks their fi nancial position, based on long-term investors over short-term income distribution; human traffi cking Jerry Grinstein is a former chairman and Australia, a student borrows what she deserve more critical attention. audited income and balance-sheet speculators, adds just enough friction levels; and socioeconomic achievement CEO of Delta Air Lines and Burlington needs to fund her education, and the S&P 500 companies now routinely accounting standards. This should into the fi nancial system to help reduce by gender and minority groups. The Northern Railroad. Larry Hatheway loan is repayable from a predetermined use profi ts or borrowed money to be expanded to include broader bubbles, and, most critically, better Bretton Woods institutions could is a co-founder of Jackson Hole proportion of her subsequent income repurchase their shares, instead of stakeholder metrics such as customer aligns the cost of managing the system research and develop the new common Economics. Charles C. Krulak is a former for a specifi ed number of years. investing in new factories, business satisfaction ratings, diversity scores, to those who benefi t the most from it. standards of national welfare that we Commandant of the US Marine Corps Students who end up with lower future lines, or other key capital expenditures. carbon footprints, charitable giving, According to the Congressional Budget need, and introduce them through their and President of Birmingham-Southern incomes pay less than they borrowed, Over the last ten years, around $5tn has political donations, and the pay gap Offi ce (CBO), a 0.1% transaction tax widely followed publications. College. Without question, a woman can be elected president Three-day forecast By Sun Sentinel Editorial Board It used to be said that a Roman state capitals and the vice presidency, has a male spouse. TODAY Sun Sentinel Catholic couldn’t be elected president. which are the traditional proving “Doesn’t that make them risky Then John F. Kennedy was. grounds for presidential prospects. nominees in their own ways?” Bruni Maximum Temperature : 240c Divorce was assumed to be a Since women were enfranchised 101 wrote. “If Warren and Klobuchar were Minimum Temperature : 170c es, a woman can be elected disqualifi cation. Ronald Reagan years ago, only fi ve Democratic women less polite and restrained, they might SUNDAY president of the United disproved that. and two Republicans have attained have said so last night. Instead they Maximum Temperature : 240c States. Race was the next frontier. Then enough political exposure and stature just turned in debate performances Minimum Temperature : 170c to be taken seriously as candidates that showed just how commanding Y It’s time to put that Barack Obama was elected. MONDAY nonissue behind us. In the current campaign, Sen. in the two major parties. Margaret women are.” Maximum Temperature : 240c One nearly was, and it wasn’t her Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is Chase Smith of Maine was the fi rst, It was CNN, rather than any of the Minimum Temperature : 160c gender that dealt her a loss. a formidable contender. She’d be even opposing Barry Goldwater for the 1964 candidates, that performed the worst Fisherman's forecast As Bernie Sanders pointed out in stronger if she weren’t contending GOP nomination. Clinton gave Obama in the debate. That distinction owes to the Democratic debate in Iowa on with Sanders for the same voters. strong competition in 2008 before one of the moderators, Abby Phillip, Tuesday night, “Hillary Clinton won She scored points in the Des Moines winning the nomination eight years who in eff ect called Sanders a liar after WARNING Inshore : Poor visibility expected the popular vote by 3mn votes.” debate by observing, truthfully, that later. he denied Warren’s claim that he had at some places at first Everywhere else, that would have the men on the stage had collectively But only two women have been told her a woman couldn’t be elected Offshore : Nil been enough. lost 10 elections while she and Sen. chosen as running mates, and both president. WEATHER Regrettably, the United States is Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota were tickets lost – Walter Mondale and Turning to Warren, Phillip asked Inshore : Misty to fogy at burdened with an anachronism called undefeated. Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and John her, “What did you think when Sen. places at first becomes the Electoral College, refl ecting the That Klobuchar remains in a McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008. Sanders told you a woman could not moderate temperature daytime with some mistrust of small states for large dwindling fi eld refl ects her potential Another reason is that many of win the election?” clouds, cold by night ones. A system crafted to elect George as the moderate alternative to Sanders those other nations, notably Great It was a loaded question that Offshore : Scattered clouds at Washington most recently served up or Warren if Joe Biden doesn’t do Britain and Israel, are parliamentary Sanders didn’t get a chance to rebut. times democracies that do not directly elect Poynter Institute media critic Tom someone most unlike him. well in the early caucus and primary WIND Just 77,000 more votes in three key states. There is no question that either their heads of government. Their Jones rightly called it “stunning Inshore : Southeasterly 05-15 KT states made the diff erence between of those women is a qualifi ed rival to prime ministers have generally come in its ineptitude, stunning in its Offshore : Southeasterly-South- a President Clinton and a President Trump and would make a far superior up through party ranks, showcasing unprofessionalism.” westerly 03-13/19 KT Trump four years ago; between having president. their talents. In our nation’s infancy, Warren was clearly uncomfortable. Visibility : 4-8/2 KM a fi rst man or a fi rst lady in the White Male machismo and misogyny – the it was the party caucuses in Congress “I disagreed,” she said, and sought to Offshore : 1-3/5 FT House. only reasons for even asking whether a that nominated presidential change the subject. That was so close, it could have woman could be president – are hardly candidates. So, can a woman be elected Around the region been Russia’s meddling that made unique to the United States. Yet 59 The Democratic debates should president? Weather the diff erence. Or James Comey’s other nations, spanning the globe and have put to rest the gender issue. Yes. Weather tomorrow October surprise. Or Clinton’s failure every region and ethnicity, have had As New York Times columnist Frank So can a man. today Max/min Max/min P Cloudy to campaign in three normally safe women as heads of government. Why Bruni observed, pointed questions There is no material diff erence. Baghdad Sunny 18/06 17/07 Sunny states – Michigan, Pennsylvania hasn’t it happened here? could also be raised over age – Biden What really matters is who are Kuwait City P Cloudy 23/11 21/11 P Cloudy and Wisconsin – that she had lost to One reason is that it took time to is 77 and Sanders is 78 – and over Pete qualifi ed, competent and trustworthy. Manama M Sunny 22/16 22/17 Sunny Sanders in the Democratic primaries. break the glass ceilings in Congress, Buttigieg’s identity as a gay man who – Tribune News Service Muscat Sunny 25/17 26/18 Tehran Rain& Snow 06/01 Rain& Snow 04/02 Live issues Nuts that are not nuts

By Barbara Quinn nut for saying so.” The Monterey County Herald As for lectins, these are proteins that occur naturally in most raw plants, including cashews. The good news Around the world ary from Carmel writes, is that cooking destroys the activity Weather Weather “You have helped me out in of these proteins – one reason why today Max/min tomorrow Max/min the past so thought I’d get cashews are always sold roasted or Athens Cloudy 11/06 M Cloudy 11/06 Gyour opinion on this. On steamed. Beirut S Showers 16/12 Showers 14/12 a recent show, a doctor was talking The other reason is that raw cashews Bangkok Sunny 34/25 Sunny 34/25 about which foods to eat and which are enclosed in a shell that contains a Berlin Sunny 09/03 Cloudy 08/03 to avoid. He said that you should be resin called urushiol, the same rash- Cairo S Showers 19/11 P Cloudy 17/09 eating nuts, but don’t eat cashews, as causing substance found in poison ivy. Cape Town Cloudy 22/17 Cloudy 22/17 they are not a nut, but rather a seed, Heat inactivates urushiol – another Colombo M Sunny 29/24 P Cloudy 30/24 and contain high levels of lectin. I reason cashews are always sold shelled Dhaka Sunny 27/15 Sunny 27/16 always thought that cashews were a and roasted or steamed. Hong Kong P Cloudy 18/14 M Cloudy 18/16 tree nut just like walnuts, etc. Can you Cashews are not technically a nut. One last word about nuts in Istanbul Cloudy 08/06 Cloudy 09/05 shed some light on this for me?” general, including the “not true nuts.” Jakarta S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 31/25 Dear Gary, probably comes in fi rst place, he says. plums, apricots, cherries and olives.” They are a good source of protein, Karachi Sunny 22/08 Sunny 23/11 In this case, I’m afraid my opinion “All true nuts are seeds, but not all Cashews, says the Integrative micronutrients, healthful fats and London Rain 10/02 M Sunny 08/01 would not be worth much. I needed seeds are nuts,” says Pat. Medicine Department at UC Davis, are disease-fi ghting antioxidants. And Manila I T Storms 32/24 P Cloudy 32/24 the expertise of horticulturist, Kind of like all trees are plants but technically not a nut. Although they according to the Micronutrient Moscow Cloudy 04/00 M Cloudy 01/-2 Pat Regan, who humbly describes not all plants are trees? grow on trees, they are really seeds Information Center at Oregon State New Delhi P Cloudy 17/08 Sunny 17/07 himself as “a friend who spends a lot “Absolutely.” that grow from a strange-looking fruit University, consuming a variety of New York Sunny 01/-6 Snow 04/03 of time pondering plant parts and So...a nut is a type of seed. Got it. called a cashew apple. nuts on a regular basis is associated Paris Rain 11/03 P Cloudy 08/02 identifi cation.” “Botanically,” he continues, “a nut “Incidentally,” Pat continues, with a lower risk for heart disease and Sao Paulo Showers 21/17 Cloudy 23/18 Pat explains that the names we is a dry fruit with one seed and a thick “peanuts (a legume), walnuts, Type 2 diabetes. Seoul P Cloudy 03/-7 Sunny 04/-6 commonly use often distort the hard shell. Think of acorns, hazelnuts, almonds and pecans are not true To which Pat adds, “It does not Singapore P Cloudy 32/26 T Storm 30/26 scientifi c terms for plant parts. chestnuts or hickory nuts. On the other (botanical) nuts, either. Nor are sound like eating cashew seeds is Sydney Showers 23/19 Rain 23/19 “Fruit” and “vegetable” are typically hand, cashews come from a fl eshy fruit, pine nuts, pistachio nuts and brazil such a bad idea.” Thank you, friend. – Tokyo Cloudy 09/02 Cloudy 09/01 considered the worst abused but “nut” not a hard shell. They are more like nuts, and yet most would call me a Tribune News Service Gulf Times 12 Saturday, January 18, 2020 QATAR

A moment from a folk dance on the first day of ‘A Passage to India.’ PICTURES: Jayan Orma & Nasar K Moidheen Huge turnout as Indian community festival concludes at MIA Park

By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter

large number of expa- triates attended various Aevents at the two-day Indian community festival, ‘A Passage to India’ that concluded yesterday at the Museum of Is- lamic Art (MIA) Park. The event was organised by the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) in collaboration with Indian embassy, MIA and with contri- butions from other apex bodies under the Indian embassy and various organisations under the ICC. One of the highlights of the concluding day was a police dog show organised by the Ministry of Interior. The dog show com- prised several segments high- lighting the skills of the dogs in various activities. The canine team demonstrated fi nding bags containing drugs or explosives and identifying criminal off end- ers, standing guard for children among others. The show ended with children competing with the dogs in collecting balls from a bag as well as a tug of war be- tween the dogs and children. “The show was aimed at cre- ating awareness among the peo- ple about the skills of the police dogs and how they are made use of in helping the security forces A group dance performance from the first day of the event. in various activities. We also have other programmes about the activities of Drugs Preven- tion Department, Al Fazaa Police and Coast Guard,” a MoI offi cial told Gulf Times. There were several cultural programmes highlighting the culture, traditions and diversity of India. Several Indian expatri- ate organisations presented a number of cultural items varying from folk and classical dances to musical programmes as well as written quiz competitions among others. About 25 long term residents of the Indian community, who have completed 40 years or more in Qatar, were honoured during a formal function at the event. They were recognised for their out- standing contributions to Qatar and the Indian community. Dancers in a graceful pose on the first day of the event. A demonstration of how a police dog identifies a culprit. A replica of the famous In- dian monument, Red Fort was one of the key attractions at the venue. The four-metre-high and eight-metre-long model took 15 carpenters 13 days to complete. The task was undertaken by Viswakalavedi, an associate or- ganisation of ICC. “We have had great partici- pation from all sections of the community and everyone con- tributed to the success of the festival. It was great to see peo- ple joining the event in large numbers and taking part in many of the events making it one of the most remembered Indian com- munity events in Qatar,” said ICC president, Manikantan A P. Police dogs and their trainers at a demonstration. A section of the audience at the police dog show.