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SATURDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10186 August 20, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 17, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Equestrian jumping final at Rio Ooredoo In brief customers

SYRIA | Confl ict Incendiary bombs dropped on hospital warned over A Syrian army helicopter dropped incendiary “barrel bombs” on the only hospital in besieged, opposition-held Daraya early yesterday, putting it out of action, rebels said. Around 25 people who scam calls were in the hospital at the time were evacuated and no one was hurt, The modus operandi of the away valuable personal information a spokesman for the Free Syrian scammers is commonly known as so it can be used in fraudulent activity Army Southern Front groups said in caller ID “spoofing” or sold illegally,” according to the FCC an e-mailed statement, but all the website. hospital’s medical equipment was By Peter Alagos The ICC-ID contains information destroyed. The army has dropped Business Reporter about the wireless carrier and the sim up to 45 barrel bombs on Daraya, owner’s account. The ICC-ID has up to launched dozens of rockets at the 22 digits and consists of several parts, area and shelled it heavily since ith many Qatar residents and is used to identify the SIM globally. midnight, the Syrian Observatory complaining of receiving The ICC-ID contains details like for Human Rights, a UK-based war Qatar’s Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani on his horse First Devision competing in the individual jumping event during the Rio Wcalls from scammers who industry code, country code, Issuer monitoring group, also said. Page 3 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. Britain’s Nick Skelton won gold after a fast and penalty-free jumpoff . He went use “Ooredoo” as their caller ID, the Identifi cation Number, year and month clear on Big Star in 42.82 seconds. Sweden’s Peder Fredricson took second as the only other rider in the jumpoff to jump clear, telecom service provider has advised of manufacturing, switch confi gura- AMERICA | Diplomacy though at a slightly slower pace. Canada’s Eric Lamaze took bronze. As the final rider to go, he jumped a quick round on Fine customers “to be vigilant and not to tion code, the six/seven digits of the Lady but knocked a rail over. Six of the world’s top show jumpers competed in the jumpoff to determine medals after no clear trust calls from numbers displaying the SIM number and the checksum digit. Kerry to meet winner emerged from the two scheduled rounds. London 2012 defending champion Steve Guerdat of Switzerland had one caller ID Ooredoo”. “I was asked by the caller, who iden- GCC ministers rail down. Sheikh Ali, part of Qatar’s first-ever Olympic show jumping team, and Kent Farrington of the United States each had “Ooredoo will always call you from tifi ed himself as a representative of US Secretary of State John Kerry multiple rails down. Sport Pages 1-5, 8 the number 4420 0000 and all calls Ooredoo, to list down a six-digit code. will visit Jeddah on Wednesday to registered under the caller ID ‘Oore- He also asked me to shut down my meet with his counterparts from doo’ are fake,” Ooredoo’s director for phone and retrieve the ICC-ID, which the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Community and Public Relations, Fa- I will provide to him once he calls back Council (GCC) as well as British tima Sultan al-Kuwari, told Gulf Times after a few minutes,” the resident said. Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and in a statement. Another Doha resident, who received UN special envoy to Yemen Ismail A Doha resident who spoke to Gulf the same instructions via the Viber app, Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the State Times said he received a call from said the scammers go to great lengths Department said in Washington. ‘Greatest’ Bolt wants to “Ooredoo” via the mobile application to make the call sound convincing aside While in , Kerry will also Viber and was told that he won a cer- from using a fake caller ID. focus on the conflict in Yemen as tain lottery. To claim the prize, he was “These scammers will make it ap- well as the war in Syria and the fight asked to provide the ICC-ID (Integrat- pear, judging from the background against the Islamic State group, the ed Circuit Card - ID) found at the back noise, as if they are working at a call State Department said. ‘be among Ali and Pele’ of the SIM card. centre,” he said. In reply to a query from this news- Ooredoo’s al-Kuwari, stressed that RUSSIA | Tension who was the greatest Olympian. paper, al-Kuwari clarifi ed that any the telecommunications company AFP number displayed as “Ooredoo” via “never asks for a payment or details Rio de Janeiro “I can’t say, swimming and track Putin visits Crimea and fi eld are totally diff erent events,” third party caller display apps is not such as personal bank details over the amid war games he shrugged. “He’s proved he is one Ooredoo, and any request from the phone”. flew into annexed istory-maker Usain Bolt said of the best without a doubt. He’s won callers should be ignored and reported. “Due to third party caller ID ap- Crimea yesterday a day after he deserves to be among so many medals, he’s dominated the The modus operandi of the plications and their ability to change staging war games there, and sport’s all-time greats after sport. We’re great in our own diff erent scammers is commonly known as caller profi le names, international fraudsters H are using the Ooredoo title in order to said he hoped would see romping to a third straight Olympic fi elds.” ID “spoofi ng”. “common sense” when it came to 200m gold. In an era when the spectre of dop- Independent US government agency ring customers and ask for credit card resolving a diplomatic crisis over With a third consecutive sweep ing in sport looms large and one of his Federal Communications Commis- and account details or top-up credit the peninsula. Two years after of the 100m and 200m, the world’s biggest rivals, American Justlin Gatlin, sion (FCC) says spoofi ng occurs when a details in order to release a fake “prize,” Russian troops seized the peninsula, fastest man argued he should be in is a two-time drug cheat, Bolt took a caller deliberately falsifi es the informa- warned al-Kuwari. it is again the focus of international the pantheon of sporting heroes swipe at dirty athletes. tion transmitted to the caller ID display She also urged customers to report tension, after the Russian president with Pele, Mohamed Ali and Michael “I’ve just proven to the world that to disguise their identity. any scam numbers via the 111 call cen- accused Kiev last week of sending Phelps. you can do it clean, with hard work “Spoofi ng is often used as part of an tre, and to block suspicious numbers saboteurs who clashed with Russian “I am trying to be one of the great- and determination,” he said. “I’ve attempt to trick someone into giving via their selected caller ID apps. troops. Pages 9, 14 est. Be among Ali and Pele,” he de- Usain Bolt competing in the Men’s made the sport exciting, made people clared in the seconds after the win. 200m final during the athletics event want to watch the sport. I’ve just put | Crackdown “I’ve worked all my career, all my at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the the sport on a diff erent level and put on life for this moment,” the sprint king Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on it a diff erent pedestal.” President rejects said at a later press conference. Thursday. Bolt looked annoyed as he crossed Oil posts strong weekly gains criticism over killings “Hopefully you can read about me the line in 19.78 seconds, well ahead of Philippine President Rodrigo as one of the greatest people in sport, “I can’t prove anything else. To be Canada’s Andre De Grasse (20.02) but members of the Organisation of the Duterte yesterday rejected criticism that’s my focus.” eight-time Olympic gold medallist some way off the world record of 19.19 New York Petroleum Exporting Countries will from the United Nations about a Bolt, who has now won a staggering now is a big deal, it’s shocking. I’ve he set in Berlin seven years ago. agree next month to a production surge in killings of suspected drug 19 Olympic and world titles, insisted pushed myself to be the best, there’s “I wanted to run a faster time,” he freeze deal with non-Opec producers traff ickers and denied government he had run his fi nal individual Olympic nothing else I can do.” said. “I knew it was going to be hard to il prices settled steady to higher led by Russia. responsibility. About 900 suspected race. Bolt’s achievements rank with break the world record because when yesterday, with US crude post- US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) drug traff ickers have been killed “I’ve proven to the world that I’m swimmer Phelps – the most success- I came off the corner, my legs decid- Oing its biggest weekly gain since crude settled up 30 cents, or 0.6%, at since Duterte came to power after the greatest and that’s what I came ful Olympic athlete ever – who signed ed: ‘Listen, we’re not going to go any March after surging nearly 25% in a lit- $48.22 a barrel after reaching $48.75, winning a May election on a vow here for,” he said, sounding for a mo- off with fi ve more gold medals in Rio to faster’. tle over two weeks. its highest since July 5. to wipe out drugs and warning ment like Ali himself. extend his record tally to 23. “I wasn’t fully happy but the key Crude futures have risen almost $10 Brent crude closed just a penny lower traff ickers they risked death if they “That’s why is why I said it’s my last But Bolt, who turns 30 when the Rio thing is that I won and that’s what I a barrel since early August on specu- at $50.88 a barrel, after scaling a two- did not mend their ways. Page 12 Olympics,” added Bolt. Games close tomorrow, refused to say came here for. I’m not 21 anymore.” lation that Saudi Arabia and other month high at $51.22. Business Page 1 Trump’s embattled campaign chairman resigns

AFP porters call a new era in the Trump But the Clinton campaign pounced on vention – a situation that did not ulti- “Trying to fi nd that sweet spot where New York campaign following the appointment Manafort’s resignation in an attempt to mately arise. Donald could be Donald, but you can on Wednesday of a right-wing news fan accusations of nefarious pro-Krem- It was his fi rst return to top-level also put together the formal structures executive as CEO and the promotion lin infl uence on the Trump campaign af- Republican politics in 20 years - hav- and the professional aspects of the cam- onald Trump’s campaign chair- of a respected pollster to campaign ter the outgoing chairman was named in ing been reportedly passed over in 2008 paign was a lot tougher for one person to man, Paul Manafort, resigned manager. a Ukrainian corruption probe. by John McCain, who was allegedly do,” he said. Dyesterday under fi re over pro- On Thursday, Trump shocked many “You can get rid of Manafort, but that alarmed by his unsavoury cli- A series of controversies, including a Kremlin ties and after being sidelined in by expressing “regret” for the fi rst time doesn’t end the odd bromance Trump entele. protracted row with the Muslim Ameri- a reshuffl e as the Republican nominee for past mistakes and yesterday the has with (Russian leader Vladimir) Pu- But it seems it was an appointment can parents of a soldier killed in Iraq, saw battles to reverse sinking poll numbers. campaign began airing its fi rst televi- tin,” said campaign manager Robby that both Trump and Manafort came to Trump tank disastrously in the polls. The departure of the smooth-talking sion ads in a desperate attempt to chip Mook. regret. Clinton now leads 47.2% to Trump’s seasoned strategist, who has advised giving a thumbs up as his into Democratic rival ’s “Trump still has to answer serious Manafort sought to turn the brash- 41.2%, according to an average of na- Republican presidential candidates go- campaign manager Paul Manafort and yawning lead in both national and cru- questions hovering over his campaign talking 70-year-old New York billion- tional polls from Real Clear Politics, and ing back to , follows weeks daughter Ivanka look on during Trump’s cial swing-state polls. given his propensity to parrot Putin’s aire, who has never previously held is ahead in virtually every swing state. of Trump missteps that have fl ung his walk through at the Republican National “The early signs are that, you know, talking points.” elected offi ce, into a fi gure more palat- But as the US press published story campaign into crisis. Convention in Cleveland last month. Donald Trump 3.0 is going to work a lot Manafort, who formerly advised able to the general electorate as well as after story of staff tearing their hair “(On Friday) morning, Paul Manafort better than it has in the past,” former Ukrainian ex-president Viktor Yanu- build up a traditional campaign struc- out with their boss’s seeming inabil- off ered, and I accepted, his resignation work” and proclaiming him a “true pro- Republican National Committee chair- kovych and lobbied for foreign dictators, ture. ity to stay on message, Trump batted from the campaign,” Trump said in a fessional”. man Michael Steele said on MSNBC tel- was initially hired in March to avert a Trump “was not a candidate that aside suggestions that he should statement, thanking him for “his great Manafort’s exit coincides what sup- evision. then-feared contested Republican con- could be corralled,” Steele told MSNBC. change tack. Pages 5, 14 Gulf Times 2 Saturday, August 20, 2016 QATAR

Bosnia becoming Demand remains high popular travel destination for tyres and services among Qataris By Joey Aguilar hope the shipment will come The demand for tyre services Staff Reporter soon because customers come has also surged with many mo- to us to buy tyres and replace the torists opting for regular main- By Joey Aguilar of exploring new and safe des- old ones outright,” he said. “We tenance and tyre checks. Staff Reporter tinations such as Bosnia, ac- ales of tyres in Qatar have do not want to disappoint them An employee of a tyre service cording to the employee. remained high this sum- by just saying we don’t have outlet on Salwa Road told Gulf “Besides Bosnia, they have Smer, with some dealers stocks.” Times that they have been get- osnia and Herzegovina also started visiting its neigh- saying the fi gures have been par- While business has been good ting a number of job orders for is becoming a popu- bouring European countries ticularly impressive since July. in the summer months, he noted wheel alignment, wheel balanc- Blar travel destination such as Croatia and Serbia,” The demand for various tyre- that the store had received even ing and wheel rotation, among among Qataris, according to the staff member said. “We related services is also high, as more customers in the same pe- others. travel agencies in Doha. expect more people to book many people carry out essen- riod last year. “We tell our customers, par- Speaking to Gulf Times, an their fl ights in the coming tial works or change old tyres to A manager of another tyre ticularly new drivers, about employee of a leading travel days.” avoid problems during the peak store on Salwa Road, too, ob- the importance of proper tyre agency said they have record- Some travel agencies are summer months, it is learnt. served that the demand for new maintenance to make their tyres ed an increasing number of also off ering a wide range of An employee of a leading tyre tyres and various related services last long so that they save more bookings to the southeastern tour packages to woo more distributor in Doha told Gulf Times goes up during the hot months. money,” he said. European country. Qataris to travel not only to that they have been receiving He said they take advantage of Visiting tyre service centres He noted that a number of Bosnia during the Eid al-Adha “quite a large number of motorists, the season to increase their rev- for wheel alignment and wheel Qatari families are set to travel holidays but also to destina- who look to replace their old tyres enues and make up for the off - rotation every 10,000km or to Bosnia in the coming Eid al- tions such as Georgia, Arme- with new ones, almost every day peak season, which usually takes 15,000km help prevent quick Adha holidays. “While places nia and Azerbaijan. since the onset of summer”. place during the winter. wear-and-tear, according to one like London, France and Swit- He said they recorded a nearly Further, the manager pointed of the staff members. zerland remain on top of their “While places like London, 40% increase in sales last month out that many shops off er pro- According to a Gulf Times re- list, Bosnia is steadily emerging France and Switzerland over June, with the numbers in- motions to woo customers and port last month, the Qatar Gener- as another favourite,” he added. remain on top of their creasing further in the fi rst two beat competition during the al Organisation for Standards and The employee said vaca- list, Bosnia is steadily weeks of August. This applied to busy summer months. Metrology issued a circular ex- tioning Qataris usually book emerging as another almost all tyre sizes and brands. Some stores have reduced tending the warranty period from fl ights via Istanbul as there is favourite” The shop ran out of stocks of their prices (per tyre) between six months to one year for all types no direct service from Doha some popular brands and high- 15% and 20% while some brands of tyres sold in Qatar. The decision to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The weather in Sarajevo in performance tyres this month, off er vouchers or freebies for has given customers ample time to Travel time to Sarajevo, the the summer is pleasant, add- according to the employee. “We buying a certain number of tyres. detect tyre defects. capital and largest city of Bos- ing to its attraction as a holi- nia, is around eight hours 20 day destination during this minutes and above from Doha time of the year. depending on where the tran- It is learnt that the city is sit point is. enhancing its transportation Many Bosnia-bound travel- system and tourism infra- lers usually spend a few days structure to attract more visi- in Istanbul before fl ying to tors from various parts of the Sarajevo, he said. Sarajevo is world, including Qatar and known for its rich history and other GCC countries. culture as well as religious di- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim versity. bin Hamad al-Thani made A staff member of another an offi cial visit to Bosnia and travel agency in Doha aired Herzegovina early this year similar views, saying they have and met with top government booked many Qatari families offi cials. The visit was aimed to Bosnia over the past few at enhancing bilateral ties on days. Qataris like to travel to all fronts, including trade and diff erent places and are fond investment.

Emir greets Afghanistan president

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Demand has remained high for tyres and related services this Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables of congratulations to Afghan summer in Doha. A tyre shop operator pauses for a moment during a President Mohamed Ashraf Ghani, on his country’s Independence A new tyre being prepared for installation at a store in Doha. busy day. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam Day. 70 students attend Tamuq workshops on 3-D printing

exas A&M University at objects, create shapes using Au- nology, engineering and math) retical but we bring them here to Qatar (Tamuq) hosted 70 todesk 123D design software and outreach initiatives to prepare get them involved in hands-on Tstudent participants for model various parts of LEGO young students for future stud- activities that are more related two weeklong workshops on 3-D blocks. Building the LEGO parts ies in STEM topics, which are to real-life engineering experi- printing technology as part of was the most intensive day as critical to Qatar’s future success. ences.” the Teach for Qatar initiative, a the students were asked to use Ziyad Shafi k, the camps’ chief An important partner to Qatar partner of Qatar Foundation. the LEGO parts in a competition facilitator and a postdoctoral re- Foundation, Teach for Qatar is a The camps, which conclud- that challenged them to use their search associate at Tamuq noted non-governmental organisation ed earlier this month, aimed to 3-D printed LEGO parts to build that the whole point of STEM is dedicated to reaching the goals introduce the students — aged a bridge. to encourage students to become set by the Qatar National Vision 10 to 14 — to the world of 3-D A basic bridge design was engineers. 2030. printing, including how 3-D given and students were di- “Not all of them are exposed to The principle aim is to help printers function, the differ- vided into small groups to work engineering so they do not really solve some of the challenges that ent types of 3-D printing tech- together on building their own know if they would be interested Qatari students face and give nologies, and the Autodesk bridges. The winning team was in it. Here, we are giving them a them more confi dence in their 123D design 3-D modelling the one that created the most chance to be involved in scien- educational pursuits. Teach for software. durable bridge. tifi c activities that are diff erent Qatar is the most recent member Students were asked to ap- The summer camps are part of from what they do in school. In of the 32 members in the global ply Boolean operations to 3-D Tamuq’s STEM (science, tech- school, it is much more theo- “Teach For All” network. Some of the participants during the workshop. QC inaugurates summer programme for girls

atar Charity (QC) has Management prioritises edu- pressed all and made painting a inaugurated its summer cational and entertaining pro- beautiful and easy thing to do. Qprogramme ‘Pearls and grammes, and courses to help In association with local insti- Coral 7’ for girls. More than 70 develop the society. In addition, tution Aspire Katara Hospital- girls from primary, preparatory the Management always organ- ity, cooking and nutrition work- and secondary schools are par- ises campaigns and national shops were held. The courses ticipating in the programme. programmes that address all helped raise awareness among Ali al-Ghareeb, Director of groups of the society and shed girls about healthy eating and Programmes and Centers Man- light on essential community is- taught them how to cook simple agement at the Executive Man- sues. meals. agement of Local Development The events and activities of The girls also received a train- at QC, said: “On its seventh edi- the project include educational ing course on Photoshop. The tion in a row, Pearls and Coral programmes, technical work- lecturer was Hanan al-Thibyani Programme aims at reinforcing shops, and entertaining and who taught the girls the basics of QC’s role in local development training activities. QC focuses Photoshop, a skill necessary for through the investment of the on voluntary work, one of the modern life. girls’ summer vacation. The most important fi elds, through To add more fun activities, programme busies the girls with utilising girls’ potentials. QC the girls learned how to recycle, activities that are useful and involves students, from high make dolls, frames, fl owers and fun. Such events help achieve school and university, in volun- others. The girls were also sent partnerships between the gov- tary work. on weekly trips. ernment’s public and private Among the events and work- QC’s Rayyan Branch for institutions; especially those shops organised are a paint- Women intends to off er a beauty that share same interests and vi- ing workshop by graphic artist care workshop for the girls in co- sions”. Shaimaa al-Yaf’i. The excellent ordination with the Sudanese QC’s Local Development briefi ng made by al-Yaf’i im- embassy. The participants learning to make dolls. The painting workshop in session. Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Yemeni forces advance against Houthis in Taiz

DPA Coalition ‘regrets’ MSF decision to evacuate staff Sanaa The Saudi-led coalition groups operating on the expressed deep regret over ground in Yemen where a orces loyal to the Yemeni a decision by Medecins Sans 16-month civil war between government said yesterday Frontieres (MSF) to evacuate a Gulf Arab coalition and an Fthey had advanced against staff from northern Yemen Iran-allied militia has killed rebels in the strategic city of and said it was trying to set more than 6,500 people and Taiz where both sides have been up “urgent meetings” with the brought one of world’s poorest fi ghting for months. medical aid group. countries close to famine. The government forces “liber- MSF said on Thursday it was Dozens of shells launched by ated” positions from the Houthi evacuating its staff from six the Houthis have hit civilians in rebels on the northern side of hospitals in northern Yemen Yemen since the Arab coalition Taiz yesterday, a day after they after an air strike hit a health began military operations in regained western access to the facility operated by the group March 2015 to restore President central city, said Mansour Saad, killing 19 people. Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to a spokesman for the self-styled “The coalition to support power. Members of Palestinian security forces search old houses during a raid following clashes with Palestinian gunmen in the old town of the Taiz Military Council. the legitimacy in Yemen MSF said many of these attacks West Bank city of Nablus, yesterday. “The army troops and [allied] expressed its deep regret over had struck health facilities, popular resistance are chasing MSF decision to evacuate putting patients and staff in the rebel militias and infl icting its staff from six hospitals in danger and displayed a failure heavy casualties on them,” Saad northern Yemen and asserts its by warring parties to control said on his Facebook page.”The appreciation for the work the the use of force. Four killed in Palestinian police raid confrontations are still going group is undertaking with the UN Secretary-General Ban on,” he said. Yemeni people in these diff icult Ki-moon has called for a The advances were backed by circumstances,” the coalition investigation, which the Reuters tle with Palestinian police in an eff ort to crack down on crime, Ad- several other suspects are still airstrikes from a Saudi-led alli- said in a statement carried by coalition said it would conduct. Ramallah, West Bank arrest raid in the town of Nablus nan al-Damiri, a Palestinian secu- being sought, Damiri said. ance, according to Saad. Saudi state news agency SPA. MSF said it had met with in which two offi cers also died, rity spokesman said. Although Israel has overall secu- There was no immediate com- The coalition said it was off icials from the Saudi-led offi cials said yesterday. The operation in Nablus, by rity control, Abbas’s PA has partial ment from rebels. committed to respecting coalition and shared GPS wo Palestinian men Palestinian security forces have forces of the Western-backed control in some areas in the West Located some 275km south international humanitarian law co-ordinates of the hospital sought for possession of arrested over 100 suspects in the Palestinian Authority (PA) Bank, territory the Palestinians of the rebel-held capital Sanaa, in all its operations in Yemen it operates in with parties Tweapons and other of- past two months in the Israeli-oc- headed by President Mahmoud want for a future state along with Taiz is a major battleground be- and had set up an independent involved in the conflict but fences were killed in a gun bat- cupied West Bank in a heightened Abbas, began on Thursday and the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. tween forces of Yemeni Presi- team to investigate incidents in aerial bombings had continued. dent Abd-Rabu Mansour Hadi which civilians are killed. “The decision to evacuate and the Iran-allied rebels. “The coalition is seeking to hold the staff from a project is RELIGION Taiz is strategically impor- urgent meetings with MSF to never taken lightly but in the tant due to its location on a road find a way on how to jointly find absence of credible assurances 250 Palestinians leading to the southern city of a solution to this situation,” the that parties will respect the Syrian Kurds evacuate city as travel from Gaza Aden, Hadi’s power base. statement said. protected status of medical The Saudi-led coalition, MSF is one of handful of facilities there may be no other to Al-Aqsa mosque which has been bombing international medical aid option,” said the statement. Yemen since March last battle with Assad intensifi es More than 200 Palestinians from year, has intensified its air- the besieged Gaza Strip travelled strikes in the Yemen since Kuwait earlier this month. Aden, prompting Saudi Arabia to occupied East Jerusalem to at- the suspension of peace Yemen’s conflict has intensi- and fellow Sunni allies to start Reuters while the regime escalates in had gained ground in the south- tend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa talks between the Hadi gov- fied since March 2015, when the an air campaign against the Beirut this way,” he said. ern part of the city. Mosque, according to Palestinian ernment and the rebels in mostly Shia rebels advanced on group. The YPG and Syrian gov- Rami Abdulrahman, Observ- liaison off icials. ernment have mostly avoided atory director, said the fi ghting The off icials told Palestinian Ma’an yrian Kurdish authori- confrontation during the mul- began this week after pro-gov- news agency that 250 Palestinian ties evacuated thousands ti-sided war that has turned ernment militiamen detained worshippers, all above the age Sof civilians from Kurdish Syria into a patchwork of areas a number of Kurdish youths, a of 50, travelled to Jerusalem via areas of a city in northeastern held by the state and an array of step that had followed advances the Erez crossing between the Syria on a second day of gov- armed factions. by Kurdish security forces to- besieged enclave and Israel to at- MSF: We have not turned ernment air strikes yesterday, a Assad, backed by Russia and wards government-held areas. tend prayers, before immediately spokesman for the Kurdish YPG Iran, has focused mostly on fi ght- Naser Haj Mansour, a Kurd- returning to the Gaza Strip. militia said. ing rebels who have been battling ish offi cial in the YPG-affi liated The number of Palestinians per- This week’s fi ghting in Hasa- to oust him in western Syria. Syria Democratic Forces alli- mitted to worship at Al-Aqsa was our back on Yemen ka, which is divided into zones The Syrian and Russian air ance, said Kurdish forces had reduced by Israel in recent weeks, of Kurdish and Syrian govern- forces are routinely deployed in taken some additional positions as Israeli authorities have typically ment control, marks the most the war in western Syria. including an economics college. permitted 300 elderly Palestinians DPA providing humanitarian help in violent confrontation between The YPG, or People’s Protec- The Observatory said many from the small Palestinian territory Paris this bombarded region. the YPG and Damascus in more tion Units, has meanwhile pri- civilians were fl eeing areas af- to travel to Al-Aqsa every Friday. DPA: The Saudi-led military than fi ve years of civil war, YPG oritised carving out and safe- fected by the fi ghting to safety, alliance wants to meet with MSF spokesman Redur Xelil said. guarding predominantly Kurdish and hospitals in Kurdish areas DIPLOMACY deadly airstrike on a hos- to fi nd a common solution. Dozens of civilians have been regions of northern Syria. of the city did not have enough pital in Yemen prompted What do you say to that? killed in the last 48 hours, he The group has ties to the blood and medicines to treat the Turkey FM ADoctors Without Borders Defourny: We have met with told Reuters. Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) wounded. in surprise (MSF) to fully withdraw from the the Saudi coalition twice, in The YPG is at the heart of a in Turkey. Meanwhile, two Russian country’s volatile north. February and in July. US-led campaign against Is- While the YPG controls ships in the Mediterranean Iran visit Isabelle Defourny, the medi- They made assurances to us. lamic State in Syria, and con- most of the northeast, the Syr- yesterday launched long-range cal charity’s head of operations, We gave them the GPS co-ordi- trols swathes of the north ian government has maintained cruise missiles against targets Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut speaks to DPA about the deci- nates of our hospitals. where Kurdish groups have set footholds in the cities of Hasaka in Syria as part of Moscow’s Cavusoglu has made a surprise sion. We discussed the identifi ca- up their own government. and Qamishli at the border with bombing campaign in support visit to Tehran for talks on “region- DPA: What is your impression tion of our medical facilities. We The Syrian military could Turkey. of the Syrian regime, the de- al issues”, Iranian state television of the situation on the ground? noted all trips taken when our not immediately be reached for The YPG has controlled most fence ministry said. said yesterday. Defourny: The situation in teams were on the move. comment. of Hasaka city since last year. Russia’s navy fi red the mis- Cavusoglu’s short trip follows a Yemen in awful. The healthcare DPA: What now? The government, which op- It is the second major erup- siles yesterday morning in meeting last week with Mo- system is destroyed. We will deliver medicines Defourny: We have not broken poses Syrian Kurdish autonomy, tion of fi ghting between the its fi rst use of cruise missiles hamed Javad Zarif in Ankara, an Access to medical treatment is to Yemeni staff and off the dialogue with the Saudi has yet to speak about this week’s YPG and Syrian government against Syria since December Iranian foreign ministry off icial was extremely diffi cult. The cost of hospitals, provided they coalition; we are prepared to fi ghting during which it has used fi ghters this year. last year. quoted as saying. living is very high. are willing to continue speak to them. We have several the air force against Kurdish In April, the sides fought It said two of its Buyan-class Thursday’s meeting “dealt with The fact that we are leaving running medical services specifi c questions to ask. groups for the fi rst time. several days of lethal battles in corvettes including its new Zely- consultations on regional issues will reduce access to medical We have no idea where the Most of those evacuated were Qamishli, north of Hasaka city. ony Dol patrol ship staged three and bilateral relations”, foreign treatment even further. and hospitals, provided they errors lie [regarding the most women and children. “Whoever It is also mostly YPG-held. launches of Kalibr cruise missiles ministry spokesman Bahram DPA: What are your next steps are willing to continue run- recent hospital strike]. We can bear arms is fi ghting the re- The Syrian Observatory for against targets in Syria linked Ghassemi said. for the north of the country? ning medical services. We have aren’t stopping permanently. gime and its gangs,” Xelil said. Human Rights, which reports to the former Al-Nusra Front Iran and Turkey back opposing Defourny: We will deliv- reached a point where we can no We are interrupting our activi- “Our situation is so far de- on the war using an activist group, which has renamed itself sides in the war in Syria, but Cavu- er medicines to Yemeni staff longer see how we can continue ties. fensive but it will change all the network, said Kurdish forces Fateh al-Sham Front. soglu’s visit comes after high-level talks between Iranian and Turkish off icials and a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Russia.

POLITICS Just like Omran, children bear brunt of Syria war PM-designate of Tunisia to name new AFP there have been hundreds of Others lost their lives in gas smuggle images of prison abuse finance minister Beirut thousands of children killed, attacks. out of Syria, 100 of those mal- maimed and traumatised by the According to the Save the treated were boys aged under 18. relentless violence. Children charity, children rep- They included 14-year-old Tunisia’s prime minister-designate he haunting image of Some 3.7mn children have resent 35 percent of victims in Ahmed al-Musalmani, arrested plans to retain the current Omran, a little boy mutely been born since Syria’s war the besieged northern city of in 2012 when Syrian soldiers defence, foreign and interior Tcaked in blood and dust started in March 2011, according Aleppo. found a song on his mobile ministers but will name a World following an air strike, has be- to the UN’s child agency Unicef. phone criticising the regime of Bank off icial to take on the finance come the latest symbol of Syria’s They have grown up knowing Some 3.7mn children have President Bashar al-Assad. portfolio, sources close to coalition war and its devastating impact nothing but fi ghting, fear and been born since Syria’s war He died in prison. negotiations said yesterday. on children. upheaval. started in March 2011 In March, Unicef said that Youssef Chahed, named premier Footage of the shell-shocked A total of 8.4mn children – 2.1mn children within Syria after his predecessor was ousted four-year-old made headlines 80% of all Syrian children – have According to Unicef, half of could no longer go to school. in a no-confidence vote last around the world and Omran been aff ected by the confl ict, the nearly 600,000 Syrians In neighbouring countries, month, has been in talks with the was dubbed by Washington as whether in Syria or as refugees, under siege are children, some where Syrians have taken ref- two main governing parties, the “the real face” of the confl ict. Unicef says. forced to eat animal feed and uge, more than 700,000 Syrian secularist Nidaa Tounes and Islam- Only in September 2015, According to the Syrian Ob- leaves just to survive. children do not have access to ist Ennahda, over cabinet posts. Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old servatory for Human Rights, a Human Rights Watch says at education, especially in Turkey Chahed, a member of Nidaa whose tiny body washed up on monitoring group, more than least 1,433 children have been and where schools are Younes and ally of President a Turkish beach after a desper- 14,700 children have been killed jailed since the start of the war, overwhelmed and lack means. Beji Caid Essebsi, has promised ate attempt by his Syrian fam- since 2011. of whom only 436 have been In Lebanon, many children are a cabinet capable of delivering ily to reach Europe by boat, Most died in bombardments. freed. forced to work or beg and most economic reforms that have focused global attention on the Dozens have also died of hun- Among the thousands of tor- go without schooling. evaded past prime ministers, crisis faced by refugees fleeing ger or due to a lack of access tured detainees photographed by Syria’s war has left more than An artist from Doha has tweeted this powerful cartoon showing but opponents say he may not Syria. to healthcare in regions under “Cesar”, an anonymous Syrian 290,000 people dead and driven Aylan Kurdi and Omran Daqneesh, side by side, with his text saying, have the political capital to For every Omran and Aylan, siege. photographer who managed to millions from their homes. “Choices for Syrian children”. deliver. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, August 20, 2016 AFRICA Third Kabila Opposition takes term would control of Pretoria ‘doom’ Congo By Nicolas Revise, AFP AFP Mandela suff ered its worst result families and their friends”. Washington Johannesburg in 22 years in the municipal vote, A staunch Christian and father garnering less than 54% of bal- of two, Msimanga started off in lots cast – an eight percentage the DA’s marketing department, he United States warns outh Africa’s ruling African point drop from the last local poll working his way up over the of further violence in the National Congress (ANC) in 2011. years. Talready war-wracked Slost control of the capital The municipal elections were In an interview with local the Democratic Republic of the Pretoria for the fi rst time since largely seen as a referendum on Afrikaans-language daily Beeld, Congo should President Joseph the end of apartheid two decades President Jacob Zuma, whose Msimanga said that he never Kabila hold on to power after ago, as an opposition councillor rule of Africa’s most advanced dreamed of becoming a mayor as his mandate expires in Decem- was elected mayor yesterday. economy has been dogged by he was growing up in Pretoria’s ber. Solly Msimanga, 36, of the scandal. Atteridgeville township, one of Kinshasa, meanwhile, liberal centre-right Democratic Of the country’s six most the hotbeds of pre-election riots. speaks of “chaos” if foreign Alliance (DA), was elected unop- populous cities, the ANC won “The dream of becoming may- countries meddle in the crisis. posed at a city council meeting an outright majority in only or was as far-fetched as that of For months, Washington has following nationwide municipal one: Durban, Zuma’s traditional becoming an astronaut, so I nev- kept a close eye on the Congo, ballots earlier this month. stronghold. er even considered it,” he said. where tensions are running ANC councillors, aggrieved Msimanga vowed to end the “Today I’m proud and grate- high ahead of the December at their loss of power, heckled patronage that he said had left ful for the opportunity to be the 20 deadline for the end of the Msimanga as he addressed the the capital in the red. leader of this city.” president’s second term. council. “This city is technically bank- Pretoria was the second major He is barred from running “The people decided which rupt right now because of greedi- city the ANC lost. again under the constitution. Kabila: barred from running way they want the city to go, and ness and because of people who On Thursday, the symbolical- The opposition and West- again under the constitution. it was not the direction that it has decided to put themselves fi rst,” ly-named coastal town of Nelson ern powers worry that Kabila is been taking in the last ... years,” he said in a speech repeatedly Mandela Bay also went to the DA pulling strings to keep his post pressed, unsuccessfully, for Msimanga said in his inaugural drowned out by chants and sing- when its candidate Athol Trollip as head of state, and may try to Burundi President Pierre Nku- speech. ing from ANC councillors. “No was elected mayor. delay the vote. runziza and Rwanda President It is the fi rst time since the end more will our people suff er under It remains unclear which way Kabila took over after his fa- Paul Kagame to respect the of white-minority rule in 1994 the hands of the ANC.” the mayoral vote will swing in the ther Laurent was assassinated laws in place in their respective that Pretoria is not headed by a Msimanga said that the resi- economic hub of Johannesburg, in 2001, before being elected in countries to leave power when mayor from the ANC. dents of the capital, which is also where the ANC won most coun- 2006 and 2011. their time is up. The DA topped the August 3 known as Tshwane, were “tired cillor seats, but fell short of an In May, the constitutional As for Kabila, “it’s not based municipal election in the capital, of corruption, they are tired of outright majority. court ruled that Joseph Kabila on personal animosity against taking 93 of 214 council seats to , they are tired of cro- The DA now runs three major could stay in power in a care- a leader but based on a belief Msimanga waves to his supporters after being off icially installed as the ANC’s 89. nyism ... they are tired of work cities, including tourism hub and taker capacity if elections are that a great product of Presi- the new mayor for the City of Tshwane (Pretoria). Nationally, the party of Nelson only given to members of certain legislative capital Cape Town. not called by September 19 in dent Kabila has been to estab- accordance with the constitu- lish a constitutional democra- tion, which requires a vote 90 cy, and this is an opportunity to days before the end of a presi- turn the corner,” Perriello said. dent’s mandate. The Congo – which gained At this point, staging elec- independence from Belgium Army Zambia court challenge fi led tions on time looks unlikely. in 1960 when it was previously “Sadly, the situation has known as the Belgian Congo, only deteriorated. The Congo and later became the Republic offi cers today is roughly one month of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 – has against Lungu’s re-election away from a full-fl edged con- suff ered brutal wars, namely on stitutional crisis,” said An- its eastern front with Rwanda. fl eeing thony Gambino, who used to Balumuene, the ambassador, Reuters tion of the election,” Gilbert an economist and businessman head the US Agency for Inter- pointed to the repeated eco- Lusaka Phiri, a for Hichilema’s and an old rival of Lungu, says national Development offi ce in nomic and security challenges Burundi United Party for National De- that the president did not win Kinshasa. Kabila has faced, including velopment (UPND), told report- the election legally as he failed Thomas Perriello, the State the fi ght against the Rwanda- ambia’s main opposition ers. to score more than the number Department’s special envoy backed M23 Tutsi rebels who DPA leader has fi led a court pe- Lungu and the electoral com- of votes required to be declared to the Great Lakes region of were defeated in late 2013. Bujumbura Ztition challenging Presi- mission, an independent state the winner. Africa, warned that “in coun- He called for an “extension” dent Edgar Lungu’s re-election agency set up by the constitu- To win, a presidential can- tries where incumbents try of Kabila’s mandate to address at the helm of Africa’s second- tion, who are among the re- didate must garner 50% of the Lungu: won 50.35% of the vote. to change the rules to stay in the country’s crisis. en Burundian army and largest copper producer, saying spondents named in the peti- valid votes cast plus at least one power, those countries are fi ve “We need time after Decem- police offi cers have de- that the vote was rigged. tion, have rejected Hichilema’s additional vote. the general election to ascertain times more likely to face vio- ber 20, almost a year, to pre- Tserted the security forc- The southern African na- accusation that fraud discred- “The fi rst respondent did not the real winner. lence and instability”. pare the elections,” Balumuene es since the beginning of this tion’s economy is buckling ited the August 11 vote. receive more than 50% of the He also says in the petition “The good scenarios get less said, promising that the outgo- month, an army spokesman said under weakened commodity Lungu’s inauguration has total votes cast. The voter regis- that the number of ballots cast likely as we get closer to these ing president would not run for yesterday. prices, mine closures, rising un- been postponed because a rule ter was not credible and its non- in favour of Lungu was infl ated deadlines, and the bad sce- a new term. Security expert Gratien Ru- employment, power shortages introduced in January says the availability before the elections by fake, pre-marked ballots, narios get more likely. We see “The opposition and cer- kindikiza put the number at 13 and soaring food prices that winner of a presidential vote compromised the transparency and asked that the court nullify this next month as crucial,” he tain foreign backers” are try- and said that they feared repres- Lungu’s rival, Hakainde Hich- cannot be sworn in if the vote of the electoral process,” the pe- Lungu’s victory. added. ing to “use the street, trigger a sion for their ethnicity or for be- ilema, blames on the current is contested in a court, which tition says. Lungu won 50.35% of the vote Perriello, like Gambino, was mass revolution to oust Presi- ing perceived as opposition sup- administration. will have two weeks to decide on In the petition, Hichilema de- against 47.63% for Hichilema, speaking at the Brookings In- dent Kabila”, the ambassador porters. “We have fi led the petition. such a petition. manded a recount, verifi cation according to the electoral com- stitution this week alongside charged. The offi cers, who have report- We are asking for the nullifi ca- In the petition, Hichilema, and scrutiny of the votes cast at mission. the Congo’s ambassador in “Then, no one would be able edly gone into exile, include sev- Washington, Francois Balum- to manage the chaos and its eral senior ones. uene. aftermath,” he added, speak- Their departure followed US President ing in French. “We must avoid that of Colonel Adolphe Mani- has pressed for improved dem- at all costs an implosion of the rakiza, a former spokesman for Rights demand ocratic transitions in Africa. DRC ... we do not need another the UN peacekeeping mission in “Africa’s democratic Libya in Central Africa.” the Central African Republic, in progress is also at risk when Gambino retorted that the April. leaders refuse to step aside country’s constitution must be In May, a court handed life when their terms end,” Obama followed. sentences to 21 people, including said in July 2015 at African “Any solution of what to do senior military offi cers, who had Union headquarters in Addis after the 19th needs to respect been implicated in a failed coup Ababa. the constitution,” he said. attempt against President Pierre Noting that he himself is “Second, if one does that, that Nkurunziza in May 2015. limited to two terms under the requires the holding of presi- Dozens of soldiers have been US Constitution, he stressed dential elections if not in 2016 arrested since on charges of sup- that “the law is the law”. as early as possible in 2017. De- porting the armed opposition, Washington has also lay beyond that is impossible.” Rukindikiza said. Many of the detainees belong to the minority Tutsi ethnic group. But army spokesman Gaspard Congo 24 Baratuza denied that the desert- ers acted out of ethnic or secu- rity motives and said they were people considered being manipulated by the op- position. Burundi has been in turmoil political prisoners since Nkurunziza announced last year that he would seek a third term in offi ce despite a Reuters a news conference. constitutional two-term limit. Kinshasa Those liberated include His election victory in July youth activists arrested in 2015 unleashed a wave of politi- what the United Nations and cal violence in which hundreds he Democratic Republic human rights groups said was have been killed. of the Congo’s govern- a growing crackdown on free- Human rights activists say Members of the Oromo, Ogaden and Amhara community in South Africa burn placards as they demonstrate in Johannesburg on Tment announced par- dom of expression ahead of the that the Hutu-dominated gov- Thursday against the ongoing crackdown in the restive Oromo and Amhara regions of Ethiopia. A massive deployment of police in dons yesterday for 24 people election. ernment is increasingly tar- Ethiopia’s restive Oromo and Amhara regions prevented fresh anti-government protests over the weekend of August 13 and 14, an considered political prisoners They include Fred Bauma geting Tutsis in an attempt to opposition leader said this week. Small-scale protests were however reported over the weekend in at least three locations in Amhara by the opposition, in a bid to and Yves Mawkambula, de- foment ethnic hatred and to de- region in the north and one in the central Oromo region. Ethiopian opposition parties have been decimated by the arrests of leaders and ease tensions ahead of a presi- tained on charges of plotting viate attention from the political members in recent years, often under a broadly-applied anti-terrorism law. dential election set for Novem- against Kabila since their ar- confl ict. ber. rests at a March 2015 workshop Opposition leaders had de- to promote youth participation manded the release of 26 pris- in politics. Man with 10 rhino horns arrested in S Africa Rwandan police kill 3 suspected Islamist militants oners as a precondition for The two men not freed are participation in talks on the political party leaders accused A Chinese man with 10 rhino horns and rhino horns from Maputo, Mozambique,” Rwandan national police said they killed militants,” the statement said. election with President Joseph of sexual assault and real estate scores of carved ornaments worth over police said in a statement. three suspected Islamist militants and It did not give further details such as the Kabila, who is due to step down fraud respectively. $100,000 was arrested in South Africa as South Africa is battling a rhino poaching arrested three others in the western district name of the suspected militant group, after two terms in offi ce. The African Union facilitator he tried to board a flight to Hong Kong, crisis, with nearly 1,200 animals killed for of Rusizi yesterday. where it was based, or whether any attacks “The government ... has de- of those talks, former Togolese police said yesterday. their horns last year. A police statement said the three who were might have been planned in the small, cided that we can lift the meas- prime minister Edem Kodjo, The 48-year-old was detained on Thursday Most of the animals are poached from the killed had turned violent in resisting arrest. central African country. ures (against them) to allow applauded the government’s at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo international Kruger National Park. Police found the suspects had barricaded On Thursday, national police said they had these people to be immediately decision and said the talks airport and will appear in court on Monday South Africa is estimated to host 80% themselves inside a house for two weeks. been investigating “individuals suspected liberated with the exception would begin next week. on charges of traff icking in rhino horns. or around 20,000, of the world’s rhino “Initial findings indicate they were in a of being radicalized and linked to foreign of two cases,” Justice Minister There was no immediate “The suspect claimed to have acquired the population. radicalisation campaign aimed at recruiting terrorist organisations” since last year. Alexis Thambwe Mwamba told comment from the opposition. Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 5 AMERICAS Wife of bear hunter is dumped by sponsor

Reuters 26, though his name appears Toronto alongside his wife’s on sev- eral sites online in connection with the “Ridge Reaper” truck nder Armour Inc, the tour to display “concealment athletic clothing com- technology,” designed to keep Upany, has ended its prey from becoming aware of sponsorship of the wife and nearby hunters. hunting companion of a US “Under armour and the hunter who sparked outrage Bowmars broke up today. over a video showing him killing I’ll do a blog post in a few a bear with a spear in the woods days when I am no longer cry- of Alberta in western Canada. ing,” Sarah Bowmar wrote on The video, which shows Josh . “At least I can wear my Bowmar impaling the animal lulu leggings again.” with a spear with a camera at- Spear hunting is banned in tached to it, prompted the Al- parts of Canada, including in Two Donald Trump supporters wait to get into a campaign rally in Dimondale, Michigan. berta government to say it will Ontario and Saskatchewan, outlaw spear hunting as of this but allowed in British Colum- fall. bia and the northern territory Offi cials are also considering of Nunavut. fi ling charges against Bowmar. Impaling a bear with a spear A spokeswoman for Under struck many people as a par- Armour, the No. ticularly inhumane form of 2 US sportswear maker, said hunting and they reacted in while the company is “dedi- online forums. cated to the hunting commu- “Sadistic piece of human GoP candidate tours nity”, spearing the bear may trash Josh Bowmar stabs a bear have been a step too far. with a spear — then smiles and “The method used to har- laughs about it dying in pain,” vest this animal was reckless tweeted Bill Madden, @activ- and we do not condone it,” said ist360. Danielle Daly in an e-mail on Bowmar, a javelin thrower Thursday evening. and hunter, uploaded the video Social media users have in June, local media reported. fl ood-hit Louisiana called for a boycott of Under “I drilled him perfect,” Bow- Armour products because of mar jubilantly tells the camera Trump is revamping his campaign Some 40,000 homes were damaged and away some time from the response and the Manafort, who fi rst joined the cam- its association with the Bow- in the video, which was taken off ice as the final stretch looms at least 13 people died in Louisiana after a focus on” saving people. paign in March, had presided over a period mars, who run a fi tness busi- down but has since been up- deluge of more than 2-1/2 feet in what has Fugate has said he talked with Obama in which Trump had formally sealed the ness in Ohio. loaded to other YouTube ac- Reuters been described as the worst storm since this week about the response. Republican presidential nomination after Josh Bowmar and his wife, counts. Baton Rouge Superstorm Sandy in 2012. In 2005, then-president George W seeing off 16 rivals. Sarah, did not respond to re- In a statement earlier this Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Bush, a Republican, drew criticism for Clinton leads Trump by 8 percent- quests for comment. week, he defended spear hunt- Indiana governor Mike Pence, joined him fl ying over extensively damaged New Or- age points among likely voters, according The terms of their sponsor- ing as a humane way to hunt S Republican presidential can- in Baton Rouge, the capital city of a state leans, Louisiana, and then giving a speech to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released ship of Sarah Bowmar are un- because the spear penetrates didate Donald Trump and his that is typically a Republican stronghold in in the still-fl ooded city following Hurri- yesterday. The August 14-18 online poll known. more deeply, causes more Urunning mate toured the flood- presidential elections. cane Katrina. showed that Clinton was supported by Daly said the company has damage and kills more quickly damaged city of Baton Rouge yester- Trump’s campaign team was changed Although waters have receded in many 42% of Americans who are expected to never sponsored Josh Bowmar, than a bullet or arrow. day, despite the Democratic Louisiana again yesterday when Paul Manafort re- deluged parts, some areas around Lafay- vote, compared with 34% for Trump. governor’s urging not to make political signed as chairman days after the candi- ette, in the southwestern part of the state, Some 23% would not side with either stops in areas affected by recent deadly date eff ectively demoted him in a leader- are now experiencing major fl ooding as candidate. rains. ship shake-up. the water moves, according to the National On Wednesday, Trump overhauled his Trump’s motorcade drove past piles of Hillary Clinton, Trump’s Democratic Weather Service. campaign team, hiring the head of con- possessions and building materials that rival in the November election, said on Some 86,500 people have already fi led servative website Breitbart News, Stephen 17,000 fi refi ghters had been ripped out of fl ooded homes en social media that she had spoken with the for federal aid following the historic levels Bannon, as chief executive of the cam- route to Greenwell Springs Baptist Church governor by phone and the fl ooding was of rainfall. paign in a move that bolstered his combat- in a fl ood-ravaged portion of East Baton worse than expected. Thousands of people must now contend ive image. battle monster fi res Rouge Parish. “My heart breaks for Louisiana, and with fl ood-hit homes and about 4,000 Trump also promoted adviser Kellyanne “You’re all going to be fi ne, you’re going right now, the relief eff ort can’t aff ord people were in shelters, according to state Conway, a data-driven political analyst, to to be fi ne,” Trump told several dozen sup- any distractions,” she said on Facebook, offi cials. campaign manager. AFP 37,000 acres in three days and porters gathered outside, many asking for directing people to support organisations The Red Cross has said recovery eff orts “You can get rid of Manafort, but that Los Angeles is just 26% contained. autographs and selfi es. providing assistance. will cost at least $30mn. doesn’t end the odd bromance Trump has More than 82,500 people are Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards’ Some people in Louisiana have urged Paul Manafort resigned as chairman of with Putin,” Robby Mook, Clinton’s cam- under evacuation warnings, offi ce had said Trump had not called to President Barack Obama to cut short a Trump’s campaign, no longer enjoying the paign manager, said in a statement. ore than 17,000 fi re- and 34,500 homes are aff ected discuss plans for his visit, but said the New vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in New full confi dence of a Republican candidate Although the hiring of Bannon was tak- fi ghters struggled in the evacuation zone. York businessman was welcome to volun- England to visit and view the fl ood devas- who is trying to boost his fl agging White en as a signal that Trump would not hold Myesterday to contain “There is imminent threat teer or make a sizeable donation towards tation. Obama’s vacation is due to end on House bid. back in his aggressive, unorthodox cam- dozens of large fi res that have to public safety, rail traffic helping victims. Sunday. Trump said in a statement he had ac- paign manner, Trump off ered rare words burned huge swaths of land and structures in the Cajon “We welcome him to (Louisiana), but Edwards said he urged the president cepted Manafort’s resignation, but did not of regret on Thursday for causing off ense and destroyed hundreds of Pass, Lytle Creek, Wright- not for a photo op,” the governor’s offi ce to wait a few weeks before visiting as the off er an explanation for the departure. with his take-no-prisoners style. buildings across 10 US states, wood, Oak Hills and sur- said in a statement.”Instead we hope he’ll huge presidential security undertaking Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said unfl at- Reading from a teleprompter, he told with parched California espe- rounding areas,” the NIFC’s consider volunteering or making a sizeable involved would interfere with recovery ef- tering headlines about Manafort were tak- supporters in North Carolina that he cially hard hit. InciWeb said. donation to the LA Flood Relief Fund to forts. ing a toll. had sometimes misspoken. “I regret it,” On Thursday alone, 31 fi res “Please follow the evacua- help the victims of this storm.” “It is a major ordeal,” he told MSNBC “I think my father didn’t want to be, he said, “particularly where it may have burned nearly 400,000 acres tion instructions, as this is a Yet Kellie Michelli, who lost her home in late Thursday, the same day homeland se- you know, distracted by, you know, what- caused personal pain.” in the aff ected areas, includ- very quickly growing wildfi re.” the fl ood and was also at the church to pick curity secretary Jeh Johnson met with Ed- ever things that, you know, Paul was In recent days, Trump’s son-in-law, ing seven blazes in California Authorities say 96 homes up food with her family, beamed as she wards to see the emergency response. dealing with,” he told , while , had been searching for and six in Idaho, according to have burnt, along with 213 ad- showed off an autograph on a Trump hat Federal Emergency Management Agen- also praising Manafort’s work for the someone to join the campaign whom both the National Interagency Fire ditional buildings. from an earlier rally in Baton Rouge. cy administrator Craig Fugate defended campaign. he and Trump could agree was trustwor- Center (NIFC). No victims have yet been “He took time out of his busy schedule Obama’s decision not to visit. Questions have arisen about Manafort’s thy, according to a person close to the In California, the Bluecut reported, but search dogs are to come here,” Michelli said. “I don’t care “We still have response operations go- previous work for the political party of the campaign. Fire in the mountains of the being deployed to search for if he gives a nickel, he showed he cared by ing on,” Fugate told CNN. “To move the Kremlin-backed former Ukrainian leader, Both had grown uncomfortable with Angeles National Forest near possible bodies in burned-out coming here.” president into a disaster area actually takes Viktor Yanukovich. Manafort, the person said. Los Angeles has swallowed up buildings. Zika cases in Miami Final stretch

Miami Beach pregnant women to stay out been cancelled in the past 10 AFP of that part of town in Miami days and cancellations were Beach and in the Miami neigh- running through September bourhood of Wynwood. and October. ive new cases of Zika In most people, Zika causes Among them was a circus be- have been found in tour- only mild symptoms but in ing brought in by a brewery, he Fist hotspot Miami Beach, pregnant women it can cause said. signalling that local transmis- microcephaly, a deformation “The biggest worry is Art Ba- sion of a virus blamed for birth in which babies are born with sel, which means a lot of mon- defects is spreading, Florida of- abnormally small brains and ey,” the mayor said of the inter- fi cials said yesterday. heads. national art show in Miami that “This means we have a new Offi cials had previously said is scheduled in early December. area” of local transmission, Zika was spreading in a one- “People eat in high-end res- governor Rick Scott said at a square-mile zone north of taurants, stay in high-end ho- press conference. downtown Miami called Wyn- tels.” The Florida health depart- wood, where more than two On Thursday, the governor ment said fi ve individuals had dozen people were believed to called on state business and been confi rmed as cases of local have been infected by mosqui- health associations to work Zika transmission in a section toes carrying the virus. with the tourism industry on of Miami Beach. Zika has also been linked to Zika prevention and education. Florida now has 36 cases of a disorder known as Guillain- He also called on the state locally transmitted Zika virus, Barre syndrome, which can lead department of health to off er which is typically spread by to nervous system problems mosquito spraying to hotels, mosquitoes but also by sexual such as weakness and paralysis. restaurants and attractions in contact. The spread of Zika in the Mi- Miami-Dade County at no cost. The size of the zone in Miami ami area has raised alarms that The United States reported Beach where active Zika trans- visitors may avoid the popular its fi rst locally transmitted cas- An immigrant mother and child from Honduras wait to take a bus to Florida from McAllen, Texas. After crossing the Rio Grande from mission is occurring is just un- tourist resort. es of Zika in Florida in July. Mexico into Texas, the families are taken into custody by the US Border Patrol, given temporary legal documents and then sent by bus to der 3.9sqkm. Yesterday, Miami Mayor To- Florida is so far the only state their destination city in the United States, where they apply for political asylum. Many receive assistance from the Sacred Heart Catholic The Centers for Disease Con- mas Regalado told AFP that 15 in the mainland US where that Church Immigrant Respite Center in McAllen before continuing their journey. trol and Prevention warned public events in Wynwood had has been reported. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, August 20, 2016 ASEAN

UN condemns ‘mounting’ Thai junta rights restrictions Singapore

AFP dorsement of their two years in straints on the democratic space Shamdasani said at least 115 bouring “malicious intent”. all general elections since 2001 detains Bangkok power. in Thailand, and call for a prompt people were arrested or charged “All these interferences have by promising greater wealth and Some 61% of voters approved return to civilian rule,” Ravina for expressing views about the inevitably led us to have con- opportunity to ’s poor, the document although inde- Shamdasani, spokeswoman for constitution ahead of the refer- tempt for the sentiments of especially in the long neglected two men he United Nations has pendent campaigning and open the UN High Commissioner for endum. those who claim to be ‘friends’ north and northeast. condemned “mount- debate was curbed ahead of the Human Rights, said. She urged Thailand to “drop of Thailand,” the statement read. But his parties were loathed Ting” rights restrictions polls and turnout was subdued The UN’s statement echoed all charges” and release from Thailand has been bitterly by a Bangkok elite and by south- bound in junta-ruled Thailand, call- compared to general elections at similar criticism by the United jail those being punished for ex- divided ever since the military ern voters – backed by the mili- ing on the kingdom’s generals to 59%. States and the pressing an opinion. launched a coup in 2006 that tary establishment – who ac- quickly return power following The UN said restrictions on since the vote. Prayut has previously hit out toppled Thaksin Shinawatra as cused him of corruption. for Syria the passing of a new military- freedom of expression and po- Former army chief turned at foreign criticism of his gov- prime minister. The military say they have crafted constitution. litical assembly put in place Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O- ernment, the most authoritarian Years of competing protests restored stability and that their Thai voters cast ballots in since the 2014 coup “actually Cha has promised to hold fresh Thai administration in decades. and instability followed, result- constitution will curb civilian Reuters favour of a new charter – the increased” ahead of the referen- elections at the end of 2017 but In a terse message released ing eventually in the 2014 coup political corruption. Singapore country’s twentieth – in a ref- dum. only if conditions are calm. through the prime minister’s of- that ousted the government of Critics say it will further en- erendum earlier this month that “We are very concerned about His previous election dead- fi ce after the vote he accused un- Thaksin’s sister Yingluck. trench the military’s hold over was hailed by the junta as an en- the continued, mounting con- lines have slipped. named foreign elements of har- The Shinawatra clan have won future governments. wo Singaporeans who the government says intended Tto travel to Syria to fi ght for Islamic State (IS) have been detained under a colonial-era law that allows suspects to be held without . Singapore has been on height- ened vigilance since Indonesian police arrested a group of men 15 held in Thailand ‘not they believed were plotting a rocket attack on the wealthy city-state with the help of a Syr- ian-based Islamic State militant. A major fi nancial centre and the most Westernised society in Southeast Asia, multi-ethnic Singapore is increasingly seen as linked to tourist bombs’ a target for radicalised religious militants, authorities say. AFP Yingluck denies role in bombing attacks Rosli bin Hamzah, a 50-year- Bangkok old car washer, and Mohamed Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has denied that she or Omar bin Mahadi, a 33-year- her political allies were responsible for last week’s deadly bomb attack old waste truck driver, received group of 15 suspects de- after accusations by analysts and on social media. two-year detention orders this tained by the Thai mili- Speaking to reporters Yingluck maintained that neither she nor her month, the ministry of home af- Atary investigating last brother Thaksin played “any part in last week’s attacks” and called for a fairs said in a statement. week’s deadly tourist resort at- speedy investigation into them. Both had been radicalised, tacks was not involved in the “We consider this slander and our legal teams will be pursuing legal ac- the ministry said, adding they blasts, police said yesterday, tion against those making such claims,” she said. were prepared to die as martyrs adding to confusion surround- After attacks across the country last week which left four people dead in Syria. ing the case. and over 30 injured, supporters of the military junta had pointed fingers Singapore, which has not suf- The junta said on Thursday at Yingluck and her brother. fered a militant attack in dec- that the detainees had been held Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and national police chief Chak- ades, deploys extensive surveil- during their investigation into thip Chaijinda both gave cryptic interviews asking rhetorically which lance and is largely seen as one of the bombing spree, which hit group “would have the most to gain from weakening the economy and the safest countries in the world. tourist towns in the south, kill- national security”. But some critics say security ing four and wounding dozens, “The people responsible for [the bombings] were against the constitu- comes with a cost to civil liber- including Europeans. tion,” said Chakthip. ties. But yesterday police offi cials Yingluck’s government was ousted by a military coup in 2014. The Internal Security Act, un- said that the group – many of Over the last several months she had campaigned against a military- der which the two were held, has whom are elderly – had instead drafted constitution which was approved in a referendum at the begin- been criticised by rights groups set up an illegal network aimed ning of August, calling it undemocratic. for allowing detention without at overthrowing the regime and trial. were unconnected to last week’s Authorities have detained or attacks. But Major General Chayaphol “accumulate arms ... and over- repatriated dozens of people in Thailand’s deputy junta chief Chatchaidej, a senior offi cial at throw the government” but the past year, most of them mi- also appeared to back that as- the Offi ce of Police Strategy who made no reference to last week’s Detainees accused of breaching the Thai junta’s ban on political gatherings and for being a member of grant Bangladeshi workers, for sertion. was at the police station to re- bomb attacks. an unlawful secret society are escorted through a building at the Crime Suppression Division in suspected links to militant fund- The bombs were highly unu- ceive the suspects, told reporters The statement said they cur- Bangkok. raising or other “terrorism-re- sual in a country where foreign- that they were not involved. rently face one charge of breach- lated activities”. ers and tourist towns are rarely “There is no evidence linking ing the junta’s ban on political Ahama Lengha from southern marks of the southern insur- have often led national security caught up in the country’s fre- them to the bomb attacks in the gatherings and another of be- Narathiwat province. gents – who never claim their investigations before handing quent bouts of political violence. seven southern provinces based longing to an unlawful secret “It’s clear that he is involved operations – including co-or- the task of charging over to po- Investigators have been under on our investigation, although society. in that incident,” he said. dinated multiple strikes and the lice. Storm Dianmu pressure to make quick arrests some of them are involved with Thailand’s deputy junta leader The name is Muslim and type of devices used. Previous bomb probes – in- to hit Vietnam given tourism is so crucial to the lese majeste (royal defamation) General Prawit Wongsuwan was Narathiwat is one of Thailand’s But the junta leadership has cluding an attack on a Bangkok economy. and arms traffi cking,” he said. later asked by reporters whether three southernmost Muslim been adamant that the deep shrine last year that killed 20 – Tropical storm Dianmu is bearing The group appeared at a Instead he described them as the group had links to last week’s majority provinces where a local south confl ict has not spread have been marred by confusion down on northern Vietnam and is Bangkok police station yester- a splinter faction of the anti- attack. but brutal insurgency has raged north. and confl icting statements from expected to bring rainfall of up to day, escorted by soldiers – the junta Red Shirt movement loyal He replied with a one word: for years. Instead their focus has been the authorities. 300mm and possible mudslides fi rst time they have been seen to ousted Thai premier Thaksin “No.” Police and the military have on domestic political groups Paul Chambers, a Thailand- and flooding, local authorities in public – to hear the charges Shinawatra, who was toppled by No arrests have been made for ruled out international terror- who are opposed to their rule. based expert on the military, said yesterday. against them. the military in 2006. people directly responsible for ism for last week’s attacks, say- The Red Shirts have denied said that police and the military The storm was set to hit northern Two are women and many of He said the network called it- the blasts. ing that the perpetrators were any involvement and accused “seem to be at cross-purposes coastal provinces around 2pm the men are in their 60s and 70s. self the Revolutionary Front of However one arrest warrant “local saboteurs”. the junta of using the bombs as regarding this investigation”. local time yesterday (0700 Thai media had run multiple Democracy party – a previously for a wanted suspect has been A number of analysts say the an excuse to further crack down He said that while police GMT), according to a statement reports quoting anonymous in- unheard of group. issued. most likely culprits are ethnic on opponents. were “steadfastly looking for from Vietnam’s National Centre vestigators as saying the group A police statement handed to Yesterday deputy police Malay militants from the deep Thailand’s police and military evidence, the military appears for Hydro-Meteorological helped co-ordinate the recent reporters listing the suspects’ spokesman Krissana Pattana- south. have a history of rivalry. quick to presume the guilt” and Forecasting, with winds peaking attacks. details said the group aimed to charoen named the suspect as The attacks bore many hall- Since the coup, the military links to the Red Shirts. at 60-90kph.

China’s Xi pledges to support Myanmar talks Indonesia issues haze warning

AFP ing the government for decades AFP Beijing – simmer across Myanmar’s Jakarta poor and militarised border- lands, hampering eff orts to hinese President Xi Jin- build up the country’s economy ndonesia warned yesterday ping promised to support after the end of junta rule. that haze from forest fi res CMyanmar’s peace proc- Some of the groups have Iwas fl oating over a key water- ess yesterday as he met with the ethnic and cultural links to the way towards its neighbours, and country’s de facto leader Aung neighbouring Chinese prov- that the number of blazes was San Suu Kyi in Beijing ahead of ince of Yunnan, and the porous rising. historic talks with armed groups border is notorious for trade The fi res and resulting smog near the countries’ troubled in drugs, arms and precious are an annual dry season problem joint border. stones. in the archipelago, when blazes During the sit-down between “If you ask me what my most are started illegally to quickly and the leaders Xi pledged to “play important aim is for my coun- cheaply clear land, typically to a constructive role in promot- try, that is to achieve peace and make way for palm oil and pulp- ing Myanmar’s peace process”, unity among the diff erent peo- Suu Kyi and Xi Jinping lead their delegations in a meeting at the wood plantations. the offi cial Xinhua news agency ples of our union,” Suu Kyi said. Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing yesterday. But last year’s haze outbreak reported. “Without peace, there can be no was among the worst in memory, “China attaches great impor- sustained development.” seen as emblematic of Beijing’s said in an editorial that Suu Kyi’s shrouding Malaysia, Singapore tance to developing relations However, Suu Kyi’s fi rst ma- economic dominance over My- visit showed she was a “political and parts of Thailand in acrid with Myanmar,” Xi said, accord- jor foreign trip since her civilian anmar. realist” who realises the impor- smoke. ing to an offi cial statement. administration took power in The state-run Global Times tance of “reassuring” China. The crisis forced school clo- Myanmar will hold a long- March has been dominated by acknowledged that a “real Suu Kyi insisted that she sures and caused thousands to A helicopter from the Indonesian National Disaster Management planned conference with armed the $3.6bn Beijing-backed My- breakthrough” on the dam was would pursue the same “non- fall sick across the region. agency (BNPB) drops water on a fire in Ogan Ilir, near Palembang, ethnic groups later this month, itsone dam, on hold since pro- unlikely during the visit, but aligned” foreign policy as her While this year’s fi res have yet South Sumatra, on August 11 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. with Suu Kyi targeting peace as tests in 2011. insisted: “It is only a matter of predecessors. to reach the levels of 2015, the a prelude to rebooting the econ- China has been pressing for time before the project will be Domestically, job creation number has been rising in re- palm oil and pulpwood industry, provide helicopters for water- omy after her party won a land- its resumption ever since. resumed.” and agricultural development cent weeks as Indonesia heads and many fi res occur there every bombing and “cloud-seeding”, slide election victory. Suu Kyi confi rmed that My- The newspaper, which is close were top priorities following her towards its peak dry season in year. or chemically inducing rain, said “As a good neighbour, China anmar had set up a committee to the ruling Communist Party administration’s fi rst 100 days September. He also said the number of Nugroho. will do everything possible to to review the project, without also chided people in Myanmar in offi ce, she said. Disaster agency spokesman “hotspots” detected by satellites Indonesia has faced intense promote our peace process,” saying whether it would be re- who have claimed that Beijing She vowed to follow a diff er- Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned – areas of intense heat that are criticism from its neighbours and Suu Kyi told reporters in Beijing sumed. is exploiting the country’s re- ent development strategy than that smoke had started fl oating either already on fi re or vulner- the international community ahead of meeting China’s Presi- Beijing was instrumental in sources. the export-led model favoured across the Malacca Strait, which able to going up in fl ames – had over its failure to halt the annual dent Xi Jinping. shielding Myanmar’s former “The misguided thought is by China and other East Asian runs between Indonesia, Malay- increased in West Kalimantan smog outbreaks. China’s goodwill was par- junta rulers from international the result of people’s impulse at countries. sia and Singapore. province, on Indonesia’s part of Jakarta has promised tougher ticularly important as the two sanctions while Suu Kyi, now the initial stage of democratisa- “There are many people who “Smoke from forest and land Borneo island. action. countries share “a very impor- State Counsellor, languished for tion and the manipulation of the still think that the way to eco- fi res in Riau (province) has start- A total of 158 hotspots were It has announced a plan to stop tant border along which there over a decade under house ar- Western media,” it said. nomic development is through ed to enter the Malacca Strait,” he detected in the province yester- granting new land for palm oil are many ethnic armed groups”, rest as a democracy activist. Myanmar has drawn closer garment factories,” she said. tweeted. “Let’s prevent and put day, up from 106 a day earlier. plantations, and established an she added. At the time Myitsone – origi- to the United States during its “But I sometimes wonder if that out the fi res.” The governor of the province, agency to restore millions of hec- Several complex ethnic con- nally designed to supply most transition to civilian rule. is very 20th century, and we’re Riau, on western Sumatra is- a centre of the palm oil industry, tares of carbon-rich peatlands fl icts – with some groups fi ght- of its electricity to China – was But the state-run China Daily now in the 21st century.” land, is a major centre of the had asked the disaster agency to susceptible to fi res. Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 7 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

China’s Japan aims for navy record defence holds Queensland to drills budget: reports

AFP defence of Japan’s remote Reuters Tokyo southern islands, the reports Beijing said. seek more time Those include populated he Japanese govern- ones as well as the uninhab- hina’s navy has carried ment will be requesting ited Senkaku chain, which is out drills in the Sea of Ta record defence budget claimed by China which calls CJapan, the Chinese mili- next year amid growing wor- it Diaoyu. tary’s offi cial newspaper said ries over North Korea and ten- The top-selling Yomiuri yesterday, describing the exer- sions with China, reports said Shimbun daily reported ear- cises as routine and done in ac- yesterday. lier this week that Japan plans to protect Reef cordance with international law The defence ministry has to develop a new land-to-sea and practice. decided to seek ¥5.168tn missile with a range of 300km DPA amount of sediment fl owing An “in danger” rating could able rate now; almost 300,000 The Chinese navy has increas- ($51.5bn) in spending for the (190 miles), far enough to reach Sydney into the ocean. signifi cantly hurt tourism and was cleared in the last fi nancial ingly been exercising in waters fi scal year starting April 2017, the vicinity of the disputed is- Scientists and advocates say jobs. year,” she said. far from home as it seeks to hone up 2.3% from this year’s ini- lands. the increased sediment can kill “What’s at stake here is very, The rejected bill would have its operational abilities. tial budget, Jiji Press reported, Yesterday’s reports come ustralia’s Queensland coral and seagrass by blocking very substantial,” Miles said. forced local farmers to prove Last year, fi ve Chinese ships citing unnamed government two days after Japan lodged government will have to out sunlight. “Studies show World Heritage that there had been no illegal carried out exercises in interna- sources. a fresh diplomatic protest Aask Unesco for more time The vegetation management listing can increase tourism by clearing on their land. tional waters in the Bering Sea If approved by parliament, against China, accusing it of to introduce measures to protect bill, aimed at combatting the in- about 25%.” On Thursday, David Thomas, off Alaska. the budget package would again sending coast guard the Great Barrier Reef, offi cials creased pace of tree clearing in The reef is one of Australia’s the country’s biggest environ- The People’s Liberation Army mark the fi fth straight increase ships into waters surround- said yesterday after a key con- the region, failed to pass by one main tourist attractions, gen- mental philanthropist, said pri- Daily did not say exactly where and a new record, the news ing the disputed, but Tokyo- servation bill was rejected by the vote. erating A$5bn ($3.9bn) per year vate investment to restore the the latest drills took place, de- agency said. controlled, islands in the East state government. The government now wants and providing some 70,000 Great Barrier Reef would dry up scribing it only as a “certain part Top business daily Nikkei China Sea. Queensland is under pressure Unesco to wait until it can se- jobs. if the bill for tighter land clear- of the Sea of Japan”. and other media also carried The two countries are locked from the global heritage body cure a hoped-for parliamentary Queensland’s deputy premier, ing failed. Drill commander Xu Haihua similar reports, which a de- in a long-running dispute over to protect the world-famous majority in 2018 elections so it Jackie Trad, told local broad- In 2014, the Australian gov- said the exercises were part of fence ministry spokesman said the islets and ships of the two reef better, or have it placed can scrap the current frame- caster ABC that “the Queens- ernment successfully lobbied routine annual arrangements he could not confi rm. countries regularly play cat on Unesco’s “in danger” list as work, which is more relaxed land parliament as it is, with a the Unesco’s World Heritage and were meant to help improve The budget plan includes and mouse in the waters. soon as next year. about tree cutting. hung parliament, is not up to the Committee not to include the the fl eet’s ability to fi ght far out strengthening Japan’s bal- China is also involved in The northeastern state’s mi- “Our intention is to plead challenge of enacting laws that Great Barrier Reef on the in- at sea. listic missile defence system, maritime disputes in the South nority Labor government failed with Unesco to give us more will save the Great Barrier Reef”. danger list of sites. The paper said some of the following missile launches by China Sea and it reacted an- on Thursday to pass a law crack- time,” state Environment Min- She said the government In return, Australia was sup- ships involved were on their way North Korea this year, the re- grily last month to a United ing down on tree clearing, which ister Steven Miles said. would continue to use adminis- posed to report on the progress back from the US-hosted Rim of ports said. Nations-backed tribunal rul- is linked to reef protection. The World Heritage Com- trative powers to crack down on of conservation at the reef the Pacifi c exercise, or RIMPAC, It also includes plans for a ing that its claims over most of Tree clearing leaves the re- mittee is set to decide next year tree clearing, despite the bill. by December, including pro- held in . new land-to-sea missile as the vital trade artery were not maining soil more vulnerable whether the reef should be on “Clearing in Queensland is grammes that are funded and “Exercises far out at sea in in- part of moves to beef up the valid. to erosion, which increases the the “in danger” list. happening at an unsustain- implemented. ternational waters are common- ly done by navies of the world, and this year our navy has many times organised fl eets to carry out exercises far out in the West- ern Pacifi c,” the newspaper said. Hollywood poster blunder “This deep sea exercise is part of annual training arrangements, is not aimed at any specifi c country, region or target, and ac- sparks off HK backlash cords with international law and practice,” it said. The Sea of Japan is a strategic AFP mark, prominently featured in So-called localist groups are waterway bordered by Japan, Hong Kong the foreground. pushing for more autonomy for Russia, South Korea and North “Please remove this ugly tower Hong Kong, characterising it Korea. from Victoria Harbour,” Face- as culturally separate from the poster for upcoming Hol- book user Chin Chiu-man com- mainland. lywood movie Arrival mented, while another angry A fl edgling independence 5.3 magnitude Amistakenly featuring a user said: “Why don’t you put a movement is calling for a break Shanghai landmark on Hong pyramid in New York.” from the mainland after mass quake off Japan Kong’s skyline was taken down The poster was still displayed pro-democracy rallies in 2014 from the fi lm’s offi cial Facebook on the offi cial Facebook page on calling for fully free leadership A magnitude 5.3 undersea page yesterday after sparking Thursday but was replaced by elections ended without conces- earthquake struck Japan outrage and ridicule. a message yesterday blaming a sions from Beijing. yesterday off the coast of Hong Kong is deeply divided contractor for the gaff e. The idea of independence is Ibaraki prefecture, just south of over mainland China’s govern- “An error in one in a series of dismissed as illegal by Beijing Fukushima, though there were no ance of the city, with many an- posters for Arrival was made by a and Hong Kong authorities, and immediate reports of damages. gered by what they see as Bei- third party vendor,” the message was a taboo subject until recent The quake struck about 9.07pm jing’s tightening grip, and the read. “We are disappointed to months. (1207 GMT) at a depth of error sparked a torrent of com- have not caught the error.” Arrival stars actors Amy Ad- some 37km (23 miles), the US ments on social media under the Hong Kong was returned to ams, Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Geological Survey (USGS) said. hashtags #HongKongisnotChina China by former colonial ruler Renner and is directed by Cana- Buildings in Tokyo were shaken and #HongKongindependence. Britain in 1997 under the agree- da’s Denis Villeneuve. by the jolt, but there was no Others called for a boycott of ment that its freedoms would be It opens in the United States threat of a tsunami from the the fi lm, due for release in No- guaranteed for 50 years. and other major markets in No- quake, the Japan Meteorological This photo illustration taken yesterday shows a smartphone user holding up his device displaying the vember. But there are growing con- vember. Agency said. theatrical release poster for the film Arrival, which depicts a giant spaceship over Hong Kong’s The poster showed a giant cerns Beijing is no longer adher- The Oriental Pearl Tower and The crippled Fukushima Daiichi Victoria Harbour with Shanghai’s landmark Oriental Pearl Tower in the poster’s right foreground, as vertical spaceship over the semi- ing to the deal and critics accuse the Hong Kong skyline are not nuclear power plant, battered the harbour skyline is seen from the observation deck of a skyscraper in Hong Kong’s Wanchai autonomous city’s harbour with it of interference in a wide range thought to have featured in any by a massive 2011 earthquake- district. The poster for the upcoming Hollywood movie mistakenly featured the Shanghai landmark the Oriental Pearl Tower, perhaps of areas, from politics to the me- of the fi lm’s trailers so far re- generated tsunami and now on Hong Kong’s skyline, sparking outrage and ridicule. Shanghai’s best known land- dia and education. leased. undergoing decommissioning, has shown no irregularities in radiation levels, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP. Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences ‘Burqini’ about inclusion a number of relatively violent quakes every year, but rigid building codes and their strict enforcement mean even strong tremors often do little damage. not division in Australia But the massive undersea quake that hit in March 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into AFP of her home in the multicultural The violence shocked Aus- protect themselves from Aus- Japan’s northeast coast, leaving Sydney southwestern Sydney suburb tralians and sparked eff orts by tralia’s harsh sun. more than 18,000 people dead of Bankstown more than a dec- Surf Life Saving Australia to re- Fitness instructor Fatma or missing, and sending three ade ago, her fi rst thoughts were cruit Muslim lifeguards to patrol Taha, who runs women-only reactors into meltdown at the art bikini, part all-cov- about how it could help girls play beaches. aqua aerobics classes at local Fukushima nuclear plant. ering burqa, the burqini sports while respecting their They also commissioned Zan- swimming pools in Sydney’s In April, two strong earthquakes Pswimsuit (also spelled faith as Muslims. etti to create a burqini in their west, regularly trains Muslims hit southern Japan’s Kumamoto burkini) has sparked huge con- “Australia has a lifestyle of iconic red and yellow colours. and told AFP the arrival of full- prefecture followed by more troversy in France, but in Aus- beach, surf and sun and sporting For Siham Karra-Hassan, the body swimwear made it easier than 1,700 aftershocks, leaving tralia where beach culture is a activities and I felt that when I burqini – which she describes for them to head to the water. 50 dead and causing widespread national obsession, it’s seen as a was growing up I missed out on as “like a second skin” – was Zanetti claims the trademark damage. symbol of inclusion, says its de- a lot of the activities,” Zanetti her opportunity to return to the on the name burkini and burqini signer Aheda Zanetti. told AFP, adding that the idea swimming pool, two decades and says her designs are the fi rst The light-weight, quick- stemmed from watching her after she was chased out of the to be streamlined into two-piece drying two-piece swimsuit niece play netball. “I just didn’t water by a lifeguard for wearing swimwear that have a head cov- Woman dies in NZ which covers the body and hair want anyone to miss out on any cotton clothes. ering. gastro outbreak has been banned from French sporting activities like we all did But she is frustrated the words beaches by several mayors in because of our modesty restric- ‘They (French politicians) have taken on negative connota- A coroner’s investigation has recent weeks following deadly tions.” have taken the word of tions in France, where Islamic been launched into the death of attacks linked to Islamist mili- Zanetti – who was a house- burqini to symbolise it as dress has long been a source of an 89-year-old woman during a tants. wife with three young children an Islamic term in a bad tension. major outbreak of gastroenteritis While Australia is grappling at the time – opened her fi rst way’ France already bans the full- in New Zealand, local media with a rise in anti-Muslim sen- shop in Sydney in 2005. face veil in public places, and reported yesterday. timent after a series of assaults Since then, she has sold some “When the burqini came out, friction over religion has grown More than 4,000 people by radicalised youth, the burqini 700,000 suits, with the multi- things changed very quickly,” the following attacks claimed by in the North Island town of has not attracted strong criti- million-dollar business also ex- mother-of-six told AFP, adding the Islamic State (IS) group – Havelock North have become cism in a country where people porting to wholesalers in coun- that her 25-year-old daughter including the killing of 86 peo- ill, and 17 people remain in regularly cover up at beaches to tries such as Bahrain, Britain, was a burqini-wearing swim- ple after a truck rammed into a hospital after the town’s water protect their skin from the harsh South Africa and Switzerland. ming instructor. “I’m extremely crowd celebrating Bastille Day supply was contaminated with sunshine. The burqini came to national active ... so the more I can exer- in Nice. campylobacter bacteria. The swimsuit is rather seen prominence after the Cronulla cise, the more I can get into that “They (French politicians) Zanetti with one of her burqini designs. Test results have confirmed the as allowing more people to par- riots in Sydney in December water, the more I can throw this have taken the word of burqini elderly woman who died last ticipate in the outdoor lifestyle 2005, when a drunken white (burqini) on, I’m happy.” to symbolise it as an Islamic going to create terrorists from suit is a modest type of dress for Saturday had a campylobacter Australians celebrate as part of mob attacked Arab-Australians Other swimmers initially term in a bad way, when it’s re- it,” she said. “They are not ad- a specifi c event ... and we still infection. their national culture. in a bid to “reclaim the beach” stared at Karra-Hassan but since ally just a word. It’s a word that dressing anything except hatred. wear bikinis underneath it, if However Coroner Peter Ryan said When Australian-Lebanese after two lifesavers – viewed as then she has been approached by I created to suit a product that A garment is just there to suit that counts.” it was not clear if the infection Zanetti, 48, was designing the national icons – were beaten, people, including non-Muslims, I make ... we’re not hiding any the need of that specifi c event. It had contributed to her death. outfi t on the lounge-room fl oor and retaliatory attacks spread. who want to wear the burqini to bombs underneath it, we are not just so happens a burqini swim- „ See also page 9 Gulf Times 8 Saturday, August 20, 2016 BRITAIN Wheel of fortune ‘Lookalike’ defrauded banker out of £120,000

Guardian News Morning and The One Show — London to fi nd out who she was. “The name on the ID card was Mary Winifred Gloria loria Hunniford, pre- Hunniford, and sorry to be senter of the BBC1 stereotypical but this lady Gconsumer show Rip looked like a Mary,” she told Off Britain, was defrauded of jurors. “I had to Google Gloria £120,000 by an impostor, the Hunniford and even if I passed Old Bailey has heard. her on the street I wouldn’t The broadcaster’s bank ac- recognise her because she’s not count was emptied of the sum from my time.” days after the impostor arrived Sheilagh Davies, prosecut- at a Santander branch with ing, said: “But she’s pretty fa- two people whom the woman mous.” claimed were her daughter and Jurors giggled when the de- grandson. fendant replied: “In your opin- Aysha Davis, a personal ion.” banker who was accused of Handing Dowie an being part of the plot but was 18-month term of detention, acquitted, said the woman told suspended for two years, the her she had “a few bob” in the judge Timothy Pontius said he bank and had come to add her accepted the teenager had been teenage grandson as a signa- a “dupe” in the scam. tory because she had been ill. Pontius told him: “You were A general view of the city of London. Davis helped them complete the supposed grandson of the the paperwork, including pho- Gloria Hunniford lookalike — or tocopying their driving licenc- look-not-very-much-alike.” es, at the Croydon North End He added: “You are not go- branch in south London. ing inside today. Police are still hunting for I don’t think it would be the impostor and the supposed right to deprive you of a golden daughter. opportunity to go to univer- Alan Dowie, 18, from Ox- sity, get a degree and pursue a ted, Surrey, who pretended to productive, honest life in your be Hunniford’s grandson, was chosen career.” Corbyn refuses to say given a suspended sentence. A Santander spokesperson Reyon Dillon, also 18, who said: “Santander takes fraud laundered some of the cash extremely seriously. As soon from the scam, is due to be as we identifi ed this fraudulent sentenced next month. activity we alerted the authori- The court heard that ties as well as Ms Hunniford Santander had reimbursed the herself. he’d defend Nato ally £120,000 stolen from Hunni- We are very sympathetic to ford’s account. the distress caused to Ms Hun- Corbyn has held ambivalent views on see him as “the only path forward to a La- Giving evidence, Davis said niford for being the victim of Nato’s role bour government.” she had never met Dowie be- a scam and, as is our normal They also warn of “militants in both fore he walked into the bank, practice in a case like this, we Reuters wings of our party who are determined to and had to Google Hunniford — have reimbursed her fully for London carry out a civil war against each other, who regularly appears on This her fi nancial loss.” whether it harms working people or not”, and say a unifying leader was the only so- he leader of Britain’s opposition lution. Labour Party has refused to say “We have intimidation and bullying in Twhether he would defend a Nato constituency Labour parties up and down ally if one was invaded by Russia. the country,” the letter states. “We have Man who raped Jeremy Corbyn was asked several times those who seem to prefer perpetual divi- at a leadership debate in Birmingham, sion to the job of winning power for the central England, on Thursday if he would good of those we represent.” pensioner sentenced support the military alliance’s key princi- It adds: “Our country faces an existen- ple of “collective defence” where any at- tial threat from nationalists and poor- tack on one member country is considered bashing Tories. Evening Standard leave her garden so he walked an attack against all members. A new Scottish referendum is on the ho- London around the property and Corbyn declined to give any assurances rizon. knocked on the front door. that he would do so if he won power. In- This is no time for Labour to keep fi ght- The woman opened her stead he stressed the need for diplomatic ing itself. man who raped a pen- door slightly to ask him what solutions, saying he wanted to achieve The next general election has already sioner in a “horrifi c” at- he wanted, at which point he a world where there was no need to go to begun. Atack after barging into her placed his foot in the doorway war. “ Owen Smith, with his experience, es- home has been jailed for 12 years. and forced his way in. “You’d obviously try to avoid that hap- Jeremy Corbyn is facing a challenge from Owen Smith. pecially as shadow secretary of state fi ght- Jason Batchelor, 46, of Wal- Police were able to identify pening in the fi rst place, you would build ing austerity, has a fi rm grasp of the issues lington, south London, barged Batchelor after the woman de- up a good dialogue with Russia to ask them commitment that comes without any shire councillor Michael Payne and the and will be prepared to lead our party from through the front door of his scribed tattoos on his neck and and support them is respecting borders,” “conditions or caveats”, British defence Westminster councillor Tim Roca. day one.” elderly victim’s home and chest and when police arrested he said. secretary Michael Fallon said last month. There are about 6,000 Labour council- Smith said: “Labour councils are the punched her in the face before him at his home in May he said: “We would try and introduce a de-mil- lors in the UK. fi rst-line of defence for communities raping her. He then stole cash “I’m sorry I never done any- itarisation of the borders between Russia, More than 1,000 Labour councillors Payne said the support came from which are being hardest hit by this right- from the victim, aged in her thing like this before, I swear to Ukraine and all the other countries down have signed a letter of support for the La- councils in a wide variety of areas, wing Tory government. 70s, before fl eeing the scene. God I’ve messed up, I’m sorry.” in the border between Russia and eastern bour leadership candidate Owen Smith, urban and rural. We need to elect more Labour coun- He was sentenced to 20 Detective constable Richard Europe.” representing more than 200 local authori- It includes councillors from tradition- cils and councillors, but that will only be years, with eight years to be Scott, said: “I would like to pay The Labour Party has been in turmoil ties. ally leftwing areas such as Brighton and achieved if we are a radical, credible party served on licence upon release, tribute to the victim who has since Britain’s June 23 vote to leave the The letter, signed by representatives Hove, Glasgow and Liverpool. which people trust.” after pleading guilty to rape, been extraordinarily robust European Union, with veteran left-winger from England, Wales and Scotland, Payne said: “Corbyn’s weak leadership Corbyn won local party nominations by attempted rape, sexual assault, throughout the investigation. Corbyn’s position being challenged by fel- says the councillors do not have faith in risks condemning Britain to a generation a landslide in the Labour leadership con- actual bodily harm and tres- “I would also like to thank low lawmaker Owen Smith. Jeremy Corbyn’s “weak leadership”, warn- of destructive Conservative rule. test, with 84% of constituency nomina- pass with intent to commit a all the witnesses that came Smith said he would go to the aid of a ing that the country faces an existential Labour councillors are supporting tions from those who chose to nominate. sexual off ence. forward and gave valuable evi- fellow Nato member. threat from the vote to leave the EU with Owen Smith because only he can unite La- Smith took just 53 nominations com- On May 11 the woman was dence which, along with the In the past Corbyn has backed Britain’s a potential second Scottish referendum bour against the Tories, and lead us back to pared to 285 who backed the Labour preparing breakfast in her kitch- DNA evidence, resulted in an withdrawal from Nato though more re- looming. power where we can transform the lives of leader, who took support from CLPs who en when Batchelor, who is un- overwhelming case against cently he has talked of a more restricted The letter, which follows a separate working people for the better.” nominated all three other candidates in employed, tapped on her win- Jason Batchelor, who was left role for the alliance. piece from 246 councillors endorsing Cor- The letter says the councillors will be 2015 — Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and dow at the back of her house. with little option but to plead Nato’s mutual defence guarantee is a byn, was organised by the Nottingham- casting their votes for Smith because they Liz Kendall. She indicated for him to guilty today.” London to run fi rst all-night tube for 150 years

DPA out,” Khan said in a statement. and consultants EY said in a report. London Friday and Saturday night serv- London transport commissioner ices on the London Underground, Mike Brown said the Night tube will popularly known as the tube, will be ondon started the fi rst all- begin on two lines: the 74km-east- “a massive benefi t for our half a night underground rail serv- west Central Line; and the 21km mn and more customers who use the Lices for 150 years yesterday, Victoria Line, which snakes through tube after 10pm on Fridays and Sat- as analysts forecast that the move central London from Brixton in the urdays”. could support thousands of new south-west to Walthamstow in the “Its introduction is a historic step jobs and add tens of millions of north-east. in the modernisation of the Under- pounds annually to the city’s econ- All-night services are sched- ground and our continuing work omy. uled to open on several more lines to make life easier for Londoners “The launch of the Night tube this this autumn, Transport for London and to support London’s economic evening will provide wonderful ben- said, while fi nancial analysts pre- growth,” Brown said. efi ts to London,” said London Mayor dicted the new services could boost The extra underground services Sadiq Khan. the city’s economy by up to £77mn will be supported by more police and “It will support thousands of annually and support tens of thou- linked bus services, Transport for workers who have to travel to or sands of new jobs by 2029. London said. from work at night, it will provide “At a time of economic uncer- “Passengers on the Night tube huge economic benefits to our vi- tainty — particularly following the must be able to travel with the tal night-time economy and it will Brexit vote — this is a welcome boost same confidence they are used to help Londoners get home quickly to London’s economy,” during the day,” Khan said earlier and safely after a night government-backed London First this week. London started the first all-night underground rail services for 150 years yesterday. Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 9 EUROPE

Danish Turks quitting schools with Gulen ties Turkey police arrest AFP The parents “do not dare let Copenhagen their children go to a school that Erdogan has labelled a terrorist school”, Skaastrup explained to undreds of Danish Turks AFP. have withdrawn their While the parents he had spo- Hchildren from Dan- ken to had told him that “they ish schools with alleged links to know they are not being brain- dozens of academics the US-based Islamic preacher washed”, some had received Fethullah Gulen, accused by threats from family members in AFP A large majority of the suspects have been dismissed and almost Thursday in the commercial hub “My son-in-law will receive Ankara of masterminding last Turkey and were afraid of not be- Istanbul in the nationwide raids were 80,000 others suspended, he Istanbul and 18 other provinces the punishment he deserves if month’s attempted coup, Danish ing able to travel there, or of hav- from Selcuk University in Konya, added. into companies with suspected he had acted contrary to his tes- media reported yesterday. ing property confi scated, Skaas- central Anatolia – a conservative Gulen, a former Erdogan ally, ties to Gulen – the biggest crack- timonies,” he wrote. “I have a A document circulating on Fa- trup said. urkey has detained dozens bastion of the ruling Justice and has a powerful network of infl u- down on business since the failed clear stance as someone who has cebook listed 14 private schools Gulen’s Hizmet movement of academics suspected of Development Party (AKP) – in- ence in institutions such as the putsch, with prosecutors order- walked shoulder to shoulder for in Denmark as being linked to has affi liated schools around the Tbacking Fethullah Gulen, cluding the university’s former judiciary and police and has long ing their assets to be seized. 42 years with our president Mr Gulen and urged parents to “Save world. the alleged mastermind of last rector, Professor Hakki Gokbel. been accused of running a “par- Dozens were detained includ- Erdogan.” your children from Fethullah Most of the Danish schools month’s failed coup, while press- To the alarm of its Western allel state” in Turkey. ing Omer Faruk Kavurmaci, chief Dogan reported that yester- Gulen’s terror organisation’s on the list “confi rmed being in- ing ahead with raids on busi- partners, Turkey has pressed The reclusive cleric, who has executive of the Aydinli Group day’s raids targeted the Turkish schools”, according to a transla- spired by Gulen’s ideas ... on ed- nesses linked to the US-based ahead with a vast crackdown on lived in self-exile in the United clothing retailer and son-in-law Confederation of Businessmen tion from Turkish by broadcaster ucation”, but denied having any Muslim preacher. alleged coup plotters in the wake States since 1999, strongly de- of Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas, and Industrialists (Tuskon), TV 2. direct links to him or including Turkish prosecutors have is- of July 15 military action seeking nies he was behind the coup at- an AKP member. which has 55,000 members. A total of 366 students had his ideas in their teaching, ac- sued warrants for 84 academics to oust President Recep Tayyip tempt. Police found books written Prosecutors were already seek- been pulled out of the schools af- cording to TV 2. nationwide, the private Dogan Erdogan from power. Yesterday police widened by Gulen during a search of Ka- ing its president, Rizanur Meral. ter the summer break, the broad- Skaastrup said that “on a per- news agency reported, while the Prime Minister Binali Yildirim their probe into alleged Gulen- vurmaci’s offi ces, media reports The suspects are accused of caster said. sonal level there are of course state-run Anadolu agency said said this week that more than linked businesses, issuing ar- said. “membership in a terrorist or- At the Hillerod Private School teachers among the Turkish staff Istanbul police were hunting 62 40,000 state employees had rest warrants for 18 more sus- In a series of tweets posted on ganisation” and “fi nancing the 35km (22 miles) northwest of Co- who are inspired by Gulen”. from the city’s main university. been detained in the purge, with pects, bringing the total number his offi cial account, Topbas said activities” of Gulen. penhagen, 45 out of around 180 “It is in no way whatsoever A total of 74 scholars had been more than 20,000 remanded in of those being searched to 205, that the judicial process would Erdogan has vowed to cleanse students had left, according to its included in the school’s curricu- detained so far in both opera- custody. Dogan reported. reveal whether his son-in-law the state from the “cancer” of deputy head Jorgen Skaastrup. lum, goal or values,” he added. tions, media said. More than 5,000 civil servants Police launched mass raids on was guilty. Gulen’s infl uence.

Istanbul ad targets Sweden as ‘country of rape’ Man detained over

AFP stabbing of Jewish Istanbul man in Strasbourg billboard at Istanbul’s international airport ac- Acused Sweden of having AFP In 2010, he was hospitalised the highest rape rate worldwide, Strasbourg for psychiatric problems after state media reported yesterday, attacking another kippa-wear- just days after Stockholm ac- ing Jewish man in Strasbourg, cused Ankara of legalising sex mentally disturbed beating him with an iron bar in with children. man shouting “Allahu a public square. Printed in English and Turk- AAkbar” stabbed a Jew- Prosecutors at the time said ish and displayed at the inter- ish man in the northeastern the aggressor believed himself national departures section of French city of Strasbourg yes- to be “the victim of a Jewish Ataturk airport, the huge banner terday, police and Jewish com- ” which he blamed ad reads: “Travel Warning! Did munity sources said. for “all his misfortunes”. you know that Sweden has the The victim, a 62-year-old Condemning the latest at- highest rape rate worldwide?” retiree who was wearing a tack, the chief rabbi said it “in Anadolu news agency reported kippa skullcap, was stabbed in no way refl ects the prevailing alongside a picture of the ad. the abdomen outside his home climate in Strasbourg”, which Alongside it was an enlarged in the city’s Jewish quarter by is home to around 15,000 Jews. copy of the front page of pro- a man with a record of anti- But he also called for action government newspaper Gunes Semitic violence, Strasbourg’s to prevent the attacker reof- with a headline declaring: “Swe- chief rabbi Rene Gutman told fending. den, a country of rape.” AFP. “If this person can go back A Turkish offi cial, who de- The victim was admitted to onto the street, and stabs any clined to be named, said: “It’s an hospital but Gutman said his man in a kippa he meets, that’s ad for Gunes newspaper and not injuries were not life-threat- a problem,” he said. an offi cial notice.” ening. Mendel Samana, another Anadolu said billboard adver- Several witnesses said the rabbi who came on the scene tisements at the airport were op- attacker shouted “Allahu Ak- shortly after the stabbing, said erated by a private company. bar” as he set upon his victim the victim was “very shocked The advertisement was largely A woman walks past a billboard advertisement reading ‘Travel warning – Do you know that Sweden has the highest rape rate worldwide?’ with with a knife. and feels he had a lucky es- seen as a tit-for-tat move after an enlarged copy of the front page of pro-government newspaper Gunes with the headline saying ‘Sweden, a country of rape’, at the The local prosecutor’s offi ce cape”. Swedish Foreign Minister Mar- departures section of the Istanbul Ataturk International airport. confi rmed the alleged attack- Samana said the victim, a got Wallstrom caused a storm er’s arrest and said an investi- father of three, had told him through a tweet saying the ganda against Sweden” while tems “does not describe reality court annulled a criminal code aff ected by the court ruling. gation had been launched. he had managed to escape after “Turkish decision to allow sex others agreed with it. correctly”. provision punishing as “sexual But it sparked outrage among Police have not commented receiving a single stab wound with children under 15 must be One Twitter handle @Asb The embassy said Sweden has abuse” all sexual acts involving activists worried it would open on the motive for the assault, and sought help in a nearby reversed”, following a controver- Ogrenci wrote: “Sweden, a coun- a broad judicial defi nition of acts children under the age of 15, re- the way for unpunished child but said the suspect, who is bar. sial ruling by the Turkish consti- try of rape #DontTravelToSwe- that are considered as rape, and sponding to a petition brought by sexual abuse. in his forties, has a history of “I hope this remains an iso- tutional court. den” while another, @ceeean, uses a broad defi nition when cal- a lower court. In a similar spat with Aus- mental health problems. lated act,” Mandel said. Her Turkish counterpart Mev- said: “There are much more cases culating crime statistics. The top court has given parlia- tria over a news ticker at Vienna lut Cavusoglu blasted her remark of rape in (Turkey) than Sweden.” “Every single off ence is for ex- ment a six-month period to draw airport about the age of con- as “unacceptable”, saying that In response, the Swedish em- ample recorded separately and all up new rules based on its ruling. sent controversy, Ankara also Death toll in Nice attack rises to 86 Wallstrom should have acted bassy in Turkey posted a state- reported events are counted as The lower court that brought summoned the Austrian charge “responsibly” while Sweden’s ment on its website entitled crimes even if some of them later the petition was worried there d’aff aires at the weekend. A man hurt in last month’s massacre in the French city of Nice has charge d’aff aires were summoned “misconceptions on rape statis- are found not to have constituted was no distinction between cases The news ticker – supplied by died of his injuries, taking the death toll in the Bastille Day attack to to the foreign ministry. tics”, which said that comparing criminal off ences,” it added. of sexual acts involving a young mass-circulation daily Kronen- 86, the government said yesterday. The airport ad sparked storm reports of rape in Sweden with The controversy with Stock- teenager or a toddler. Zeitung – said in German: “Tur- The latest victim leaves behind a wife and two children, the on social media, with several us- reports in other countries with holm erupted earlier this week The legal age of consent in key allows sex with children un- department in charge of assisting victims of attacks said. ers hitting back at the “propa- diff erent legal and statistical sys- after Turkey’s top constitutional Turkey remains 18 and was not der 15.” The attack on France’s national holiday came eight months after 130 people were killed at a Paris concert hall and other nightspots in the capital in November by Islamic State (IS) gunmen and suicide bombers. On top of the 86 killed in Nice, more than 400 people were injured when Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a truck into crowds German interior ministers call for partial burqa ban leaving a fireworks display on Nice’s waterfront on France’s national holiday. IS claimed the carnage as the work of one of its “soldiers”. DPA Bavarian Premier and CSU Nice becomes latest French city to ban burqini Berlin chief Horst Seehofer called for the swift introduction of the in- Nice has become the latest French seaside resort or wearing a full-body costume to go to the beach is France expels Tunisian man terior ministers’ agreement. to ban the burqini (also spelled burkini), the body- not in keeping with our ideal of social relations”. nterior ministers from Ger- The accord was “a milestone concealing Islamic swimsuit that has sparked heated Valls came under fire after saying on Wednesday that France expelled a Tunisian man on Thursday, the interior ministry man Chancellor Angela Mer- for more public safety”, said See- debate in secular France, city off icials said yesterday. the burqini was “not compatible with the values of said, citing a “severe threat” to public safety as the country Ikel’s conservative political hofer, whose Interior Minister Using language similar to bans imposed in a string France and the Republic”. remained on high alert a month after Nice attacks that killed 86 bloc have called for a ban on bur- Joachim Herrmann attended the of other towns on the French Riviera, the city barred The Socialist premier cited the tensions in France after people. qas in parts of public life. talks in Berlin. apparel that “overtly manifests adherence to a religion the Islamist militant attacks to justify his support for A ministry statement gave no detailed reason for the expulsion of “We reject the full-face veil,” Violations of such a ban, which at a time when France and places of worship are the the mayors who barred a garment that he said was Tunisian national Mohsen M’Hadi, which brought the total number Federal Interior Minister Thomas includes all full-face veils such as target of terrorist attacks”. “founded on the subjugation of women”. of deportations of this kind to four in August. de Maiziere said in Berlin after a the burqa and niqab, should be The wording of the ban in Nice refers specifically to France’s Human Rights League accused Valls of A spokesman for the interior ministry was not immediately two-day meeting of state interior punished as a misdemeanour, last month’s Bastille Day truck attack in the city that “participating in the stigmatisation of a category of available for comment. ministers from Merkel’s Chris- said Lorenz Caffi er, the interior claimed 86 lives as well as the murder 12 days later of a French people who have become suspect by virtue of tian Democrats (CDU) and their minister from the eastern Ger- Catholic priest near the northern city of Rouen. their faith”. allied Bavarian party. man state of Mecklenburg-Vor- Fifteen towns in the southeast, as well as others Burqinis are a rare sight on French beaches, where a OSCE: Ukraine fighting has surged “The obligation to showing a pommern. elsewhere in France, have already banned the burqini small minority of Muslim women can be seen bathing person’s face is fundamental to Both France and Belgium have including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where in ordinary clothes and wearing headscarves. Fighting in eastern Ukraine has surged in the past week, the living together in our society,” taken action to ban the full veil in three women were each fined €38 ($43) under the ban Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said said de Maiziere. all public places. at the weekend. France, which was the first European country to ban yesterday, amid mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The ministers said they be- However, De Maiziere has re- Nice’s deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, from the centre- the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after The number of blasts in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region has lieve being able to see a person’s jected a general ban on the face right Republicans party, wrote in a letter to Prime outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous reli- nearly doubled in recent weeks from 420 in the first week of face was essential in public serv- veil. Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday that “hiding the face gious symbols in state schools. August to 780 from August 8-14, the OSCE, which independently ice, driving vehicles, in kinder- “From my perspective, women monitors the conflict, told DPA. gartens, schools, universities, wearing the full veil in Germany On Sunday alone the OSCE recorded more than 500 blasts in in courtrooms as well as during have little chance to integrate,” De Maiziere has already set out term,” Caffi er told yesterday’s states from the right-wing na- Ukraine’s neighbouring Donetsk region, the organisation said in a controls for passports and at Merkel told the media group a package of measures aimed at press conference. tionalist Alternative for Germa- post on Twitter. demonstrations. Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutsch- beefi ng up the nation’s security The meeting of the conserva- ny, which has attacked Berlin’s Ukrainian President said on Thursday that there Their call to restrict the gar- land on Thursday. services and increasing the num- tive ministers came ahead of two policy on refugees. was a record-high number of shellings the previous night in eastern ment worn by some Muslim Ensuring public safety and al- bers of police offi cers. key state elections next month The conservative ministers Ukraine. women still has to be agreed to by laying fears about terrorism have “We need more police, not only – in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also want to review the existing Hostilities between Russia and Ukraine escalated last week as the other parties that form coali- moved up the political agenda on the roads but also on comput- and the city-state of Berlin. rules on holding dual citizen- Russia alleged that special forces from its post-Soviet neighbour tions with Merkel’s CDU at the in Germany after the nation was ers and in the special forces,” said The established parties in- ship in Germany with de Mai- attempted to blow up critical infrastructure in Crimea, which Russia state and national levels before shaken last month by a series of de Maiziere. cluding the CDU as well as the ziere saying that dual citizenship occupied and annexed from Ukraine in 2014. it can be implemented by the na- incidents, including two Islamic “We want to make Germany left-leaning Social Democrats should only be granted in excep- Ukraine responded by putting its forces on combat alert on the tion’s parliaments. State (IS)-inspired attacks. even more secure in the long are facing a challenge in both tional cases. border with Crimea and in Ukraine’s two eastern-most regions. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, August 20, 2016 INDIA

World Photography Day ‘Queen mother’ of royal Bengals dies

Guardian News vival of Ranthambore, but Delhi her legend was sealed when an amateur video captured her wrestling a 14ft Indian he “Queen mother” of crocodile. royal Bengals, thought But such battles took their Tto be the oldest surviv- toll, injuring Machali’s teeth ing tiger in the wild, has died and compromising her ability in a northern Indian national to hunt. park. In her fi nal years, park au- Machali, aged about 20, was thorities would reportedly tie the star attraction of the Ran- calves and other prey to trees thambore national park and to feed the animal, one of the most photographed whose celebrity is thought tigers in the world. to have generated $10mn Local media had been re- (£7.6mn) in tourism for the porting on the animal’s de- national park, according to clining health in recent days conservation group Travel Op- after she was discovered semi- erators for Tigers. conscious and starving on the Another iconic Indian fringes of the Rajasthan nature tiger, Jai, is feared to have reserve. been poached after disap- “We were trying to pro- pearing on 18 April from the vide her treatment but she Umred Karhandla wildlife died. sanctuary near Nagpur in It was a natural death linked central India. to her age,” Ranthambore tiger Two suspected poachers project director Yogesh Ku- were detained from near where mar Sahu told Agence France- the seven-year-old was last Presse. spotted, according to the Hin- About half the tigers in dustan Times. Ranthambore are descended Bengals, an endangered spe- from Machali, named after cies, usually live between 10 A worker fixes a 18th century field camera, in front of a replica of an 1899 Mammoth camera on display in Chennai yesterday, on World Photography Day. the Hindi word for fish for and 15 years in the wild. her distinctive facial mark- Conservation eff orts since ings. the 1990s have stabilised the Her exact age is unknown, fall in their numbers and more but she was fi rst spotted in than 2,500 are thought to sur- 1997 and quickly became vive across south Asia and popular among tourists for China. her serene bearing and domi- Poaching has recently re- nance among the park’s tigers, emerged as a serious threat to which offi cially number about India’s tiger populations, an 61. April census reporting that Wounded overwhelm The “Lady of the Lakes” 28 of them had been killed featured on postage stamps this year so far — more than and wildlife documentaries the entire number poached in hospitals in and helped spark the re- 2015. Security forces have been accused of Dozens of volunteers received the in- 16 cow vigilantes held beating people inside in their homes jured at the hospital as ambulances brought them in from rural areas. Reuters Paramedics and ambulance drivers said DPA Balakrishna said by tel- Srinagar government forces attacked them on the New Delhi ephone. way. The activists may have The curfew restricts movement, severe- thought Poojary was taking the ore than 40 days of clashes be- ly disrupting daily life. olice in southern India cows to the slaughterhouse, tween protesters and security “India and Pakistan are fi ghting over have arrested 16 peo- NDTV news channel reported Mforces have overwhelmed the my homeland but in the end it is only our Pple in connection with citing police sources. main hospital in Indian-administered blood that they manage to secure,” said the killing of a man who was Transporting cows is legal Kashmir, where some patients with severe Faizal Wani, 24, whose father was being transporting cattle, an offi cer across India, but their slaugh- injuries said they had been beaten in their treated for pellet wounds suff ered in the said yesterday. ter in prohibited in most homes by troops. clashes. Many Hindus regard the cow states. House-to-house searches continued Another doctor said patients had been as a holy animal and this is the Poojary was a shopkeeper in yesterday, authorities said, for suspected brought in with abdominal injuries from latest in a series of incidents Kajike town. ringleaders of street protests set off by the rifl e bullets.”Our operating theatres are of cow protection activists at- He was a Hindu and a mem- killing on July 8 of a popular fi eld com- working non-stop,” the doctor told Reu- tacking people transporting ber of the local unit of India’s mander of a Pakistan-based separatist ters. cattle in various parts of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, group. Troops have resorted to fi ring rifl es and country. NDTV reported. At least 65 people have been killed and shotguns to quell stone-throwing protests Praveen Poojary, 29, and He had hired out his van for 6,000 injured in the ensuing clashes, sparked by the death of Burhan Wani, a his friend Akshay Devadiga, transporting the cows. many of them wounded by shotgun rounds fi eld commander of the Hizbul Muja- 22, were attacked while they Most of the people attacked fi red by security forces enforcing a curfew hideen separatist group. were transporting three by cow vigilantes so far have across the Muslim-majority region. India’s Central Reserve Police Force, cows in a van in the Udipi been Muslims and Dalits. Pictures taken by a Reuters photogra- Two women and a girl make their way along a street littered with rocks thrown by which deploys a large contingent of par- district of Karnataka state Karnataka Home Minister pher at Srinagar’s main SMHS Hospital protesters in Srinagar. amilitaries in Kashmir, told a regional late Wednesday, district G Parameshwara did not re- on Thursday showed men with wounds court that more than 100 people had been police chief KT Balakrishna fer to the incident as a cow across their backs and buttocks they said Army denounced the beatings and ordered Human rights activists say those respon- partly or completely blinded by shotgun said. vigilante attack, but said it had been caused by beatings. an inquiry. sible for excessive violence are rarely brought pellets. They were severely beaten was “a cattle trade-related Another showed a crying boy, his head “These actions are absolutely not sanc- to justice. Hospital doctors were exhausted, Kashmir is at the centre of a decades- with iron rods and Poojary dispute”. Last week, Prime swathed in bandages, being comforted by tioned. with one saying they had performed more old rivalry between India and Pakistan. died in hospital. Minister Narendra Modi his family, who said he had been wounded These actions are absolutely not toler- eye operations in the past month than they A UN human rights offi cial has ex- Sixteen members of a local criticised the so-called “gau by shotgun pellets. ated,” lieutenant general DS Hooda told a had over the last three years. pressed “deep regret” at the failure of both Hindu right-wing organisa- rakshaks” who have attacked The Indian army has apologised for the news conference in Srinagar yesterday. “We are in physical and mental stress,” India and Pakistan to grant access to the tion Jagaran Vedike had been civilians for transport- death in custody of Shabir Ahmad Man- India’s security laws grant wide discre- said Nisarul Hassan, senior consultant at separate parts of Kashmir that each runs arrested on suspicion that ing cows, and asked states goo, a 30-year-old college lecturer. tion to the armed forces in “disturbed” ar- SMHS Hospital who was forced to use an to investigate allegations of serious human they assaulted Poojary and to prepare dossiers on such The commander of India’s Northern eas such as Kashmir. ambulance to get home. rights violations. his friend, groups. Sick throng Indian capital’s high-tech clinics

AFP But a consultation with a private GP New Delhi can cost 1,000 rupees ($15), a huge sum for millions living on less than $2 a day. More than 60% of the population’s or asthma suff erer Mohan Lal, out of pocket expenses goes on medi- regular visits to the Indian capi- cines and healthcare, the government Ftal’s hospitals were a nightmare of estimates. waiting in endless queues in sweltering “I have four daughters and one or the corridors that swarm with mosquitoes. other always keeps falling sick. But a spotless and air-conditioned I simply can’t aff ord private treat- clinic boasting innovative diagnostic ment,” said Kamta Devi, who does laun- technology and sharply-dressed doctors dry for a living, as she waited her turn at has just opened in Lal’s neighbourhood, another of the clinics in south Delhi. bringing healthcare into the 21st century. “Here I don’t even need to spend any For Lal, who needs regular treatment money on commuting as it is so near my for his asthma, the sparkling free clinic house,” said the 50-year-old, who lives and 100 others developed by the New in a nearby slum. Delhi government in mostly low-in- Although doctors working at the come neighbourhoods are a revelation. clinics say they are making a diff erence, Like most of the city’s millions of Doctor Shoebul Haque checks a patient as others wait at a ‘Mohalla clinic’ (neighbourhood clinic) in New Delhi. Right: Indian biomedical engineer Kanav Kahoi they also concede to a range of teeth- poor, he was used to the traditional holds his invention a device called “swasthya slate” at his home in New Delhi. ing problems, including dealing with state-run hospitals, often stretched Delhi’s patchy infrastructure. to breaking point, where patients face bourhood clinic is a newly invented de- “IT (information technology) does that what we had developed for India, ing,” the doctor said, as the 62-year-old “Sometimes the internet is slow or long delays for even minor treatment vice that conducts 50 common medical make a pretty signifi cant diff erence,” people all over the world were actually grinned sheepishly. there is no electricity. and are forced to share beds. tests from a single blood sample, in- said Indian biomedical engineer Kanav looking for,” the 37-year-old said of the Lal then goes for his regular treatment Some patients insist on handwrit- “The hospital is far from my house, I cluding sugar levels and cholesterol. Kahol, who developed the device that device called the swasthya (health) slate. — inhaling steam through a nebuliser ten prescriptions as they are not used had to walk quite a bit and then I had to In a city where diabetes, dengue, he hopes will soon be installed in all of “Even in places like England and the to decongest his lungs — before mov- to computers and tablets,” said doctor wait in long queues for hours in smelly, hepatitis, typhoid and other illnesses the other new clinics. US, we’ve seen a demand for technol- ing to the clinic’s pharmacy to collect Alka Choudhary. sweaty hallways,” he said, grimacing at are common, the small, rectangular de- It was originally aimed at easing In- ogy like this.” free asthma medication. India spent just “Also at the moment the clinics are the memory. vice provides swift diagnosis — thereby dia’s overburdened public health sys- At the clinic in western Delhi, a doc- 1.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) not digitally linked with the big hospi- The Delhi government allocated an allowing for early treatment. tem, whose basic medical services are tor admonishes Lal after examining his on healthcare in 2014, according to the tals so the medical records of a patient initial $790mn in this year’s budget for Results of most of the tests are known provided free of charge. test results, which have been uploaded World Bank, lower than neighbouring cannot be retrieved if he is admitted the clinics, after promising at the 2015 within two minutes and are uploaded But Kahol said other countries have to his digital medical records kept at the war-torn Afghanistan on 2.9%. there in a case of emergency. elections to improve healthcare and onto an IT cloud for access by patients also expressed interest in the machine, centre. As a result, Indians avoid the state- “It’s still early days. It is not a per- ease the burden on its ageing hospitals. and their doctors on their smart phones which costs about $1,000 to buy. “Your blood report is not good. You run system if they can, with many fect system but at least we have made a The crowning glory of Lal’s neigh- and the clinic’s tablets. “We were very surprised by the fact must cut down on smoking and drink- fl ocking to private clinics and hospitals. positive start.” Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 11 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Norway FM in Pakistan Boxer Amir visits drought-hit Thar

Internews Karachi

oxer Amir Khan visited drought-hit Thar area in BPakistan’s southern Sindh province yesterday, along with his wife Faryal Makhdoom Khan, and said he was shocked when he heard news about unabated deaths of children in the area be- Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende with Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz after cause of malnutrition and out- a joint press conference at The Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on Thursday in Islamabad. break of diseases. The British boxer of Pakistani origin vowed to make all-out ef- forts to provide clean drinking water to every village in Thar to curb fatalities among children and pregnant women. Sharif call Pakistan to allow He urged Tharis to send their children to schools and said his charity organisation the to speed “Amir Khan Foundation” UN body to visit would raise funds to provide more facilities to the people of Amir Khan, accompanied by his wife and provincial off icials, inaugurates a water facility in Thar. up CPEC the area, especially relating to health and education. about the region and was happy facilities to the area, but said a mous boxer on his arrival. Kashmir areas He said he found the Tharis to to be among the Tharis who, de- lot more was needed. Children sang folk songs to projects be a peaceful and patriotic peo- spite facing droughts and lead- Amir Khan and his wife also accord a warm welcome to the ple and their hospitality was un- ing diffi cult lives, were very sim- visited the Jurito Bheel village, boxer when he arrived in the Agencies An all-party meeting in New matched even though they lived ple and peaceful people. near Islamkot Town, where he do- village to inaugurate the water IANS Islamabad Delhi presided over by Prime in miserable conditions. He appealed to international nated a water pump and solar sys- pump. Islamabad Minister Narendra Modi last “Thar is the most beautiful organisations to help Tharis so tem and announced that he would Additional Deputy Commis- week dismissed the UNHRC’s desert in the world and every Pa- that they could lead a happy and build a modern hospital there. sioner of Thar Mohamed Hus- akistan said yesterday request to visit Kashmir. kistani should come forward to healthy life. He said the water pump would sain Baloch, who accompanied akistan Prime Minis- it will allow the UN to Pakistan’s Foreign Minis- help its people in their diffi cult “It is painful to see that chil- cater to the need of safe drinking the boxer, said that Amir Khan ter Nawaz Sharif told the Psend a team to its part try spokesman Nafees Zaka- times.” dren are dying because of hunger water for about 800 people who had promised to help the gov- Pcabinet on Thursday that of Kashmir, days after India riya told a weekly briefi ng that Amir Khan also urged the gov- and malnutrition here.” were forced to fetch water by ernment in its eff orts to provide the projects in the China-Paki- turned down a request by the Pakistan welcomes “Any UN ernment to make sincere and The boxer said he would ask travelling 3km from their village. maximum facilities to Thar. stan Economic Corridor (CPEC) UN rights council to travel to team that the UN High Com- concerted eff orts to mitigate his fans and friends to visit the Khan observed that there In a Twitter message, Amir were the top priority of the gov- Jammu and Kashmir to in- missioner for Human Rights the miseries of Tharis and pro- desert to see its rich culture and was a need to save Tharis from Khan thanked Chief of Army ernment and concerted eff orts vestigate alleged rights viola- may wish to send to AJK (Azad vide them with more facilities historical places and help the lo- snakebite and said his founda- Staff General Raheel Sharif for should be made to ensure timely tions. Jammu and Kashmir)”. of healthcare, education and cal people. tion would work on the issue. his support as army offi cers also progress. Pakistani Prime Minister The spokesman said Kash- drinking water. He praised the government for Hundreds of people had gath- accompanied the boxer during The cabinet was given a de- Nawaz Sharif had written to mir area governed by Pakistan He said that he had read a lot its eff orts to provide maximum ered in the village to meet the fa- his trip to Thar. tailed briefi ng on the progress of UN High Commissioner for “is an area open to everyone the CPEC projects and the prime Human Rights (UNHRC) Zeid and is frequented by foreign minister directed the Ministry Ra’ad al-Hussein to “end the tourists and members of the of Planning, Development and persistent and egregious vio- diplomatic community in Pa- Reform to ensure completion of lation of basic human rights of kistan, including representa- the fi rst batch of projects in en- the Kashmiri people”. tives of the UN”. Over 99% calls on anti-terror helpline ‘hoaxes’ ergy and infrastructure sectors by 2017-18. Sharif told the ministers Internews The meeting was attended by The meeting was also apprised also decided to make an ap- that speedy progress on these Man takes ‘revenge’ on women by stabbing 17 Islamabad members, directors general and of the performance of the 1717 peal to the people not to make projects was necessary for ad- directors of the authority and helpline – operated and man- hoax calls to the all-important dressing the existing short- A Pakistani man has stabbed 17 women,” Hussain said, dealt with progress on Nacta- aged by Nacta round the clock – helpline, which was not only a falls and future demands, a 17 women this year, killing adding that Ali had used a looded by ‘hoax calls’, the driven initiatives. and the problems it faces. waste of precious resources, but statement from the PM House one, in a misogynistic spree knife. “One of them was a National Counter- Ter- The only action taken against Participants of the said meet- could may result up in the irrep- said. because he wanted “revenge” hospital nurse, who died this Frorism Authority’s (Nacta) this mischief was the identifi ca- ing were told that despite a arable loss of life for many inno- “The completion of early har- for a cruel stepmother, week.” anti-terrorism helpline in Paki- tion of 75 most frequent callers, shortage of resources, including cent people, which may include vest projects will go a long way in police in the garrison city of Ali told off icers his mother stan has become something of who had made more than 50 calls offi cers and trained staff , the au- members of the pranksters’ own elimination of load shedding by Rawalpindi said yesterday. had died when he was young a joke as the widespread misuse each; their mobile phone SIMs thority continues to operate the family or friends, he added. summer of 2018,” the statement Mohamed Ali, 22, targeted and his father married again, of a service meant to tackle the were blocked after the matter helpline which can respond to The authority has decided to quoted Sharif as saying. women in the streets at but that the second wife had menace of terrorism continues was taken up with the Pakistan any possible threat of terrorism make the names and numbers of He noted that signifi cant random from late January mistreated him. to go unpunished. Telecommunication Authority country-wide, through the rel- such irresponsible persons public, progress was being made on until this month, police He has been charged with According to data on calls re- (PTA). Undeterred by the inter- evant law enforcement agencies. in order to make them account- the western route of the CPEC investigator Malik Zulfiqar murder and attempt to ceived in just the fi rst 20 days of active voice response (IVR) mes- Ghani, taking serious notice of able to society so they are embar- project. Hussain said. murder, Hussain added. July 2016, only 41 out of a total sage, which warns callers that the situation, reiterated Nacta’s rassed by their family and friends Employment opportunities “He told police, ‘I hate women, A second police off icial 8,305 calls were found to be le- “legal action can be initiated for ambition to minimise the suf- for making hoax calls to the 1717 would be generated for the local I was taking revenge,’” confirmed the account. gitimate and actionable. providing the wrong informa- fering of the traumatised nation, helpline. The helpline was estab- populace which would generate Hussain said. Ali said his only target was This was revealed during a Nac- tion”, a large number of people which has been the victim of a lished in Dec 2014, just days after economic activity and enhance “He has confessed to injuring women of any age. ta meeting with its national co- continue to indulge in the prac- long war on terrorism. the ghastly attack on the Army national wealth. ordinator Ihsan Ghani yesterday. tice of making prank calls. The national co-ordinator Public School in Peshawar. Funding cuts, insurgency hamper Afghan mine clearance

Uncleared minefields deter vestment, and tourism, hurt erations are limited to fewer are- for demining, out of $65.9mn re- investment, hinder economic livelihoods and cause psycho- as, and deminers face more risks. quired. recovery; International logical fear that cannot end until In the fi rst six months of 2016, Afghan and UN offi cials fear funding for landmine they are gone.” they faced 25 security incidents, that this year’s total may not be clearance decreasing; Nearly 600 square km of old with six people killed and nine enough, as international atten- Conflict makes clearance minefi elds and battlefi elds re- wounded. tion and spending shifts to other operations more diff icult; main to be cleared, encompassing Another 67 were kidnapped confl icts like those in Syria and Landmines and bombs take more than 3,000 known sites and and eventually released. Iraq. biggest toll on children aff ecting 1,570 communities, ac- In 2015, 35 incidents were re- “If these concerns continue, cording to the United Nations. corded, with eight killed, 34 there is a risk we won’t be able Reuters One such area lies near the wounded and 63 kidnapped. to attain our goal of clearing the Salang Pass, Afghanistan Salang Pass, some 80km north “Security is an increasing country by 2023,” Yosufi said. of Kabul, where earlier this problem,” Yosufi said. The United States, the largest month mine clearers dressed in Offi cials said there were re- contributor to demining pro- fghanistan’s campaign bulky blue kevlar armour and corded minefi elds or other haz- grammes, said it was commit- to clear millions of land- protective face masks lumbered ardous areas in at least 26 of Af- ted to maintaining support of Amines left by the Soviet slowly across fi elds waving metal ghanistan’s 34 provinces that are around $20mn per year, but that invasion and ensuing civil war detectors before them. now too dangerous for clearance work was needed to encourage is in danger of stalling, as inter- When they hear a warning operations. others to do the same. national aid slumps and mili- beep, they painstakingly scrape In some cases, insurgents or “The United States has ac- tant violence makes more of the layers of soil and rock away by criminals have targeted dem- tively worked in diplomatic country inaccessible. hand until the metal object is re- iners. channels to re-energise other The mammoth task, vital to vealed. In others, Taliban fi ghters international donor nations to the country’s economic recov- Sometimes it is an old drinks have respected them. keep this eff ort moving forward,” ery, was to have been completed can. Ghulam Dastigir, a team lead- said David McKeeby, a spokes- by 2013, and nearly four-fi fths of Here it is more likely to be a er, said his demining identifi ca- man for the US Department of the country is now considered rusty mortar shell or old Soviet tion card may have saved him State’s Bureau of Political-Mili- mine free. land mine. when militants pulled him and tary Aff airs. But slowing progress means “I choose this profession to Members of a demining organisation collect their items after their search for unexploded ordnance in other passengers off a bus. Representatives of some pre- the deadline set by the interna- serve my country and feed my Salang district of Parwan province, Afghanistan August 1, 2016. International funding ear- vious donor nations that have tional community was pushed family,” said Abdul Wakil, a marked for demining in 2016 is reduced or ended funding for back 10 years, and even that deminer working for a company $22mn, a fraction of the $85mn demining in Afghanistan did not looks a tall order in a country contracted by the government. wire to a grenade. by a US-led military operation. government and demining or- United Nations offi cials say is respond to requests for com- that remains one of the most Standing on a hill where any From April to June, at least But it is an increase over the ganisations, as he dropped a needed. ment. heavily mined in the world. step could be his last, Wakil 28 people were killed and 53 same period last year, when 38 shattered hunk of metal back Donations have plunged since McKeeby added: “The United “The longer these minefi elds shrugs off the risk. wounded by landmines and civilians were killed or injured. into a pile of grenades, mortar 2011, when donors provided States, together with our many last, the higher the human cost,” “There are dangers, but we other unexploded ordnance in Nearly 80% of casualties from shells, and bullets that testify $97mn for demining. international partners, has said Mohamed Shafi q Yosufi , have to cope with it to provide a Afghanistan, according to the landmines and other explosives to ferocious battles that haunt At the same time, yearly fund- helped Afghanistan make sig- chief of the Afghan govern- better environment for our peo- government. this year were children, the these hills. ing needs have increased, partly nifi cant progress. Despite this ment’s Directorate of Mine Ac- ple.” That is sharply down from United Nations said. Demining has always been a due to more minefi elds being progress, much work remains tion Co-ordination. Recently the crew made a po- the average of 507 casualties per “It is like one war on top of an- dangerous job, but increasing discovered and partly because of before Afghanistan reaches its “They kill and maim people, tentially deadly fi nd: a 30-year- quarter recorded in 2001, when other,” said Abdul Qadir Halimi, insurgent violence around the the shortfall in past years. goal of becoming mine free by prevent economic growth, in- old landmine connected by trip the Taliban regime was toppled a liaison between the Afghan country has meant clearance op- Last year $38mn was provided 2023.” Gulf Times 12 Saturday, August 20, 2016 PHILIPPINES

House leaders seek Manila tells UN: Duterte probe into drug trade

By Llanesca Panti Bilibid Prison (NBP). Manila Times “The House should direct the appropriate Committee to immediately conduct com- ouse allies of President prehensive investigation on not committing crime Rodrigo Duterte yes- the proliferation of drug syn- Hterday sought a probe dicates in the NBP, including AFP to co-operate with the cam- into illegal drug activities in the involvement and account- Manila paign.” Duterte’s spokesmen the national penitentiary in a ability of the authorities man- have said his statements are resolution that zeroed in on dated to exercise control and just hyperbole but police have Senator Leila de Lima, who su- supervision over the national he Philippine government reported killing more than 600 pervised the prison as Justice penitentiary, under the lead- yesterday criticised as people since he took office. secretary under the Aquino ership of then Secretary of the T“baseless and reckless” The nation’s largest broad- administration. Department of Justice Leila de a UN statement that President caster ABS-CBN has put the Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez Lima, and such other heads of Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on death toll at over 1,100, which of Davao del Norte, House law enforcement,” the resolu- drugs amounted to a crime under includes reported vigilante Majority Leader Rodolfo Fa- tion said. international law. killings where bodies turn up rinas of Ilocos Norte, Deputy De Lima, a former human Duterte’s chief legal counsel on streets with card board signs Speaker Raneo Abu of Ba- rights lawyer who is a leading Salvador Panelo said the ad- branding them as drug pushers. tangas, Davao City repre- critic of Duterte’s anti-drug ministration was not behind Panelo insisted police only sentative Karlo Nograles and campaign, was linked to illegal the extra-judicial killings tar- killed suspects in self-defence House Minority Leader Dani- drug syndicates and labelled an geting alleged criminal sus- while other deaths were the work lo Suarez of Quezon, among “immoral woman” by the presi- pects, challenging UN human of drug syndicates who feared others, filed House Resolu- dent. Duterte accused the law- rights experts to visit the Phil- their members would surrender tion 105 seeking an investi- maker of having an aff air with ippines and investigate. and co-operate with authorities. gation “in aid of legislation” her driver-bodyguard, who al- Two UN rights experts said “How can you stop the killing on why drug syndicates were legedly collected campaign do- Thursday that Duterte’s direc- of members of the syndicates? allowed to operate at the New nations from drug syndicates. tives calling on law enforcers You cannot be guarding them and the public to kill suspect- all the time,” Panelo said in re- ed drug traffickers “amount sponse to the UN experts’ call. CRIME to incitement to violence and International and local rights Indonesians held over fake passports killing, a crime under interna- groups, some lawmakers and tional law”. church leaders in the mainly A big group of Indonesians were stopped by immigration authorities “When you are in New York Catholic nation have con- from boarding their flight to Saudi Arabia yesterday morning after they or somewhere else, 10,000 kil- demned the killings. were caught using Philippine passports, Manila Times reported. ometres or miles away from the The Philippine Senate is set An immigration off icer at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Philippines and then you make to launch an investigation next Airport said the Indonesians were able to check in for Philippine Airlines such judgments, that’s reck- week into possible rights viola- flight PR8689 bound for Madinah, Saudi Arabia, allegedly to attend the lessness,” Panelo said. tions in police operations. annual Haj pilgrimage. Of 185 passengers supposed to be on that flight, “Those statements are mis- Still, Duterte’s police chief only eight were Filipinos, and the rest were Indonesians. The Bureau of placed and baseless, and they A recent photo shows the body of a man, shot dead by unidentified gunmen, lying on the ground in Manila. Ronald Dela Rosa said yesterday Immigration said the foreigners were dressed like Filipinos when they better come over and see for law enforcers would not be de- lined up for passport clearance.Immigration off icers thought the group themselves the real situation.” the Philippines from becoming When he took office on parents to do it would be too terred and the campaign was just was composed of Filipinos because they were carrying genuine Philip- Duterte, 71, won May elec- a narco-state. June 30, Duterte told a crowd painful.”However, Panelo said starting. pine passports, allegedly issued by the Department of Foreign Aff airs in tions in a landslide on a prom- He has offered security offi- in Manila: “If you know of the UN should not take such “It’s a low (point) when we Manila. However, when the off icers greeted them in Filipino, no one was ise to kill tens of thousands of cials bounties for the bodies of any addicts, go ahead and kill statements seriously. are being investigated but we go able to reply in the same language. This prompted immigration off icers suspected criminals to prevent drug dealers. them yourself as getting their “He is just asking the public on...we never back down.” to put all passengers on hold including the eight Filipino citizens. Domestic help dies Baby girl born on Cebu Pacifi c after alleged rape

By William Depasupil showed that she sustained lac- fl ight to fl y free for lifetime Manila Times erations in her private parts. She also had multiple bruises on her face and body.The victim ar- he baby girl, born on a Filipina domestic helper rived in Saudi Arabia on July 28 Cebu Pacifi c (CEB) fl ight in Saudi Arabia who went or barely a month before the al- Thalfway from Dubai to Ainto a coma after she was leged rape happened. Manila last Sunday, has been allegedly raped by her employer Bello said one of the nurses awarded 1mn GetGo points, has passed away. narrated that Edloy’s employer which would allow her to fl y free Labour and Employment Sec- went to the hospital and ap- with the airline. retary Silvestre Bello said Irma peared to be very tense and GetGo is CEB’s lifestyle re- Avila Edloy, 35, died at the King afraid. wards programme. The baby’s Salman Hospital in Riyadh be- When the nursed asked the points have no expiry, and may be cause of severe injuries. victim if she was mistreated, the shared with her family. This is the “The latest news is she passed woman pointed to her employer. fi rst time a baby has been deliv- away. When I visited her at the “Before she went uncon- ered onboard a CEB aircraft. hospital, she did not look good. scious, the nurse told me that Baby girl “Haven” was born I even raised my voice to the at- the employer went there which approximately four hours after tending nurses because based elicited a reaction from Irma. the departure of fl ight 5J015 from on what I saw she was not taken The employer allegedly ap- the Dubai International Airport. well of. She was attached to a peared tense and left. And CEB cabin crew, along with respirator and the bandage on when the nurse asked her if she two registered nurses who were her lips was not clean,” said Bello was maltreated, she pointed also passengers on the fl ight, as- in a radio interview from Jeddah. to her employer. She cannot sisted with the delivery. “I tried to talk to her. I intro- speak, she just pointed,” the The fl ight diverted to Hydera- duced myself and whispered to Labour chief said. bad, India, to ensure the mother her to move her fi ngers if she But Bello voiced suspicion and baby received medical assist- can hear me but there was no re- that Edloy may have been a ance. Both mother and baby, who GetGo is CEB’s lifestyle rewards programme. sponse,” he added. victim of gang rape because of was born premature at 32 weeks, The nurse who took care of the extent of the injuries that are being assisted by CEB’s Cus- well, and would like to com- effi ciency.We also express our said Lance Gokongwei, CEB over 100 routes on 36 domestic Edloy said the Filipina died at she suffered. “It might be a gang tomer Care team. mend our fl ight and cabin crew sincerest gratitude to the two president and CEO. CEB, the and 30 international destina- 11.45pm on August 18. rape although these are all spec- “We are happy that both for handling the situation with volunteer nurses who helped Philippines’ largest airline, of- tions, spanning Asia, Australia, Medical reports of Edloy ulation,” he said. mother and daughter are doing utmost professionalism and ensure the baby’s safe delivery,” fers fl ights to a wide network of the Middle East and the US. Communist leaders vow to return home from peace talks

Reuters among them.Hours after the government Manila set free two top Communist Party leaders, the Maoist-led New People’s Army, the military arm of the rebel movement, de- eventeen captured communist clared a seven-day unilateral ceasefire as guerrilla leaders in the Philippines, a sign of goodwill. Sgranted bail by the courts to attend Jorge Madlos, a rebel spokesman, said peace talks next week in Norway, prom- all guerrilla units would cease offensive ised yesterday to return home after the actions against military targets on Sunday five-day negotiations rather than flee. morning until Saturday night to give way President Rodrigo Duterte, who came to talks scheduled to start on Monday. to power seven weeks ago, is seeking to Talks brokered by Norway between the negotiate an end to two long-running in- government and the Maoist-led rebels’ surgencies. National Democratic Front stalled in Security forces feared rebels could take 2012 over the government’s refusal to free advantage of the talks to stay overseas or communist leaders who had been in jail rebuild their guerrilla army. for decades. “We will return home after the peace In 1987, the founder of the communist talks in Oslo,” , the high- party, , went to the Neth- est ranking leader of the Communist Par- erlands months after being freed from ty of the Philippines, told a news confer- nine years of detention, but never re- ence hours after he and his wife, Wilma, turned.He sought asylum in Utrecht and were freed from a police prison house. has lived there for nearly 30 years. “We were released from jail to take part “This is the first and only time we have in the peace talks and we are serious about a president determined to push genuine it,” he added.” reforms,” said Tiamzon, adding that this The negotiations in Oslo are only one gave the communists confidence that part of the process and there are other current talks have better prospects to end talks happening in other venues.” nearly 50 years of conflict that has killed Five rebel leaders still in detention hope more than 40,000 people. to join the 17 travelling to Oslo for the He said the two sides hoped to negoti- talks. ate a ceasefire in talks, which begin on All have been in prison for several years. Monday, and will discuss political, eco- More than 500 political prisoners are nomic and constitutional reforms, among Communist rebel leader Benito Tiamzon (front left), his wife, Wilma (centre) along with other rebel leaders raise clinched fists during a press conference in Manila still in detention, Muslim rebel leaders other issues. yesterday, hours after they were freed from detention at the police headquarters, ahead of the Oslo peace talks between the government and rebels. Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Festive gathering Sri Lanka to off er housing for displaced families

Agencies For the 936 IDP families in Colombo the welfare camps in Jaff na, Cabinet approval has been granted to construct perma- he Internally Displaced nent houses. Accordingly, 100 Persons (IDPs) cur- houses are being constructed Trently living in welfare in Kankasanthurai, Keerama- camps in northern Sri Lanka lai area with the support of the will be resettled in permanent Sri Lanka Army on a fast track houses soon, an offi cial of the basis and will be completed in Ministry of Prison Reforms, September 2016. Rehabilitation, Resettlement Another104 housing units and Hindu Religious Aff airs are under construction in has said. Palaly North under an owner- According to the Govern- driven concept and is sched- ment Information Depart- uled to be completed in Oc- ment, there are 31 welfare tober 2016 while 250 plots of centres in Jaff na District with lands have been identifi ed in 936 families and one wel- the cement factory area to re- fare centre in Poonthoddam, settle 250 landless IDP fami- Vavuniya with 97 families, lies. Participants of a procession to mark the Gai Jatra festival in Kathmandu yesterday. Families who have lost a relative during the year parade a cow through the city ColomboPage online newspa- A further 452 families in during Gai Jatra. per reported. the welfare camps need to be The Ministry of Prison Re- resettled to fully address the forms, Rehabilitation, Reset- housing needs of the IDPs in tlement and Hindu Religious the welfare camps, the Minis- Aff airs in collaboration with try Secretary said. Ministry of Defence and Dis- On the instructions of trict Secretaries has taken President Maithripala Sirise- action to resettle the IDPs na, Ministry of Defence has on the direction of President already taken action to re- Maithripala Sirisena. settle these families who are China to assist Bangladesh For the IDPs in the living in welfare camps and Poonthoddam, Vavuniya with friends and relatives. Welfare Centre, 66 houses It is learnt that 450 acres of are being constructed in Sin- land in Kankasanthurai West, nadamban, Vavuniya North South and Centre, Palai, Ve- and 31 houses are being con- mankamam North and Thai- with major infra projects structed in Puliyankulam, Va- yyiddy are under discussion vuniya North covering all 97 for release which will reduce By Mizan Rahman (JEC) on Monday with focus on Zone in Chittagong and Gar- retary Mohamed Mejbahuddin recently reached a consensus IDP families. These houses are the families in the welfare Dhaka specifi c issues relating to bilat- ment Industrial Park, the offi - co-chaired the 13th Session of on the eighth China-Bang- scheduled to be completed by camps by further 100. eral trade, economic assistance, cials added. China- Bangladesh Trade and ladesh Friendship Bridge and September and October 2016 The government has given investment and mutual co-op- Apart from evaluating the bi- Economic Joint Committee in China-Bangladesh Friendship respectively. higher priority to release pri- hina is set to come up in eration. lateral economic and trade rela- Kunming, Yunnan Province. Exposition Centre. The houses are being con- vate lands under State Au- a big way to help Bang- Bangladesh and China will tions, the Chinese side will also As the second biggest econ- China will also provide as- structed by Gnanam Founda- thorities to enable the IDPs Cladesh improve trade discuss ways to have further discuss economic development omy of the world, China is keen sistance for the renovation of tion, a voluntary organisation, to be resettled and in this and investment environment concrete measures to bolster of China. to share its experience and ad- BICC under a MoU signed between regard, a special team head- and address the ‘concerns’ of bilateral trade, widen economic The Bangladesh side will dis- vanced technology with Bang- (Bangabandhu International the Ministry of Prison Re- ed by Secretary, Ministry of Chinese corporations operat- co-operation and boost invest- cuss ways to close the trade gap ladesh, to provide fi nance, tech- Convention Centre) and donate forms, Rehabilitation, Reset- Defence Karunasena Het- ing in the country in the ensu- ment fl ow, eying mutual benefi ts between the two countries and nology and training personnel to a batch of medical, disaster tlement and Hindu Religious tiarachchi is working with ing meeting of Bangladesh and by reducing the bilateral trade will highlight investment op- Bangladesh without reservation relief and agriculture instru- Aff airs and Gnanam Founda- district secretaries to release China on Monday. imbalance. portunities in the country. to expedite industrialisation ments to Bangladesh and is tion. Therefore, for all 97 fam- the private land for IDPs re- The Chinese side will raise Chinese Vice Minister of Issues related to export and here, said a diplomatic source. working on a comprehensive ilies in Poonthoddam, Vavuni- settlement. seven specifi c issues, including Commerce Gao Yan will co- import, duty-free market ac- China is also willing to help plan of flood prevention and ya camp, permanent housing The Cabinet of Ministers negotiations on China-Bang- chair the 14th JEC meeting with cess to China, Chinese govern- improve the skill of the labour promoting hybrid rice technol- solution has been found, said at the last cabinet meeting ladesh Free Trade Agreement, her Bangladesh counterpart ment loans, ongoing and future force in Bangladesh so as to ogy, according to the source. V Sivagnanasothy, secretary, granted approval for the Na- strengthening co-operation on Economic Relations Division projects, create more jobs and strength- During the 13th JEC meet- Ministry of Prison Reforms, tional Policy on Durable So- major projects, according to the (ERD) Senior Secretary Moham- Preferential Buyers Cred- en the inner impetus of Bang- ing, the two parties also had Rehabilitation, Resettlement lutions for Conflict Affected meeting agenda. mad Mejbahuddin, an ERD offi - it (PBC), limited tender for ladesh’s sustainable develop- in-depth discussions on jointly and Hindu Religious Aff airs. Displaced Families. China will also discuss ways to cial said in Dhaka yesterday. projects under Chinese govern- ment, the source added. building the Silk Road Eco- strengthen Chinese assistance Referring to the agenda pro- ment loans will also be discussed China has provided nu- nomic Belt and Marine Silk to Bangladesh, its future expan- posed by the Chinese side, offi - in the JEC, ERD offi cials said. merous assistance to support Road, financing co-operation, sion, promotion of China-aided cials said China wants to review The meeting will review the Bangladesh’s economic and economic and technologi- projects and co-operation on the implementation progress of progress of implementation of social progress, including sev- cal Co-operation and specific human resources. economic and trade agreements the decisions of the last JEC en China-Bangladesh Friend- projects. President pays tributes at Both sides will hold the 14th agreed by the leaders of the two meeting held at Kunming in ship Bridges and Bangabandhu According to available sta- session of the Bangladesh-Chi- countries earlier. China on June 4, 2014. International Convention Cen- tistics, the trade volume be- na Joint Commission on Eco- China will also discuss Chi- Vice Minister of Commerce tre, ERD officials said. tween the two countries Bangabandhu museum nomic and Trade Co-operation nese Economic and Industrial Gao Yan and ERD Senior Sec- Bangladesh and China have reached $14.7bn in 2015.

By Mizan Rahman Mujibur Rahman inside the Dhaka museum and stood in solemn silence as a mark of respect to the architect of Bangladesh. resident Abdul Hamid A special prayer was off ered Body of missing French tourist found in Nepal visited Bangabandhu seeking divine blessings of PMemorial Museum at Bangabandhu and his family Dhanmondi in the capital yes- members who were assassi- AFP thorities that the body of Ms Guerin, who fore being reported missing. Police began police superintendent for Syangja, Bir Ba- terday afternoon. nated on August 15 in 1975. Paris went missing in Nepal on August 13, has searching for her after a bag containing hadur Pulami, said. Her body was taken to Curator of the museum President Hamid also went been found,” the foreign ministry said, con- her passport, clothes and notebook was the capital Kathmandu for an autopsy to Nazrul Islam Khan received round diff erent areas of the fi rming Melanie Guerin’s death. discovered near a highway last week in determine the cause of death. the president when he reached museum. Bangabandhu Mu- 35-year-old French tourist who dis- “An investigation is under way in Ne- Syangja, 150 kilometres west of the capital “Our investigation is ongoing,” Pulami the museum premises at seum President Hashem Khan appeared in Nepal last week has been pal,” the statement said, adding that For- Kathmandu. said.Guerin had travelled to the Himalay- Dhanmondi Road No 32 along and member- secretary of the Afound dead, the French government eign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was in Yesterday, the police announced that an country to volunteer on organic farms. with his two sons and grand- Bangabandhu Memorial Trust said yesterday, adding that an investigation touch with Guerin’s family. villagers had found a decomposed corpse. She is believed to have last been seen in children. He placed fl oral Sheikh Hafi zur Rahman ac- into her death was under way. Guerin, from the western city of Guerin’s friends identifi ed her by her Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, close wreaths in front of the por- companied President Hamid “We have been informed by Nepalese au- Nantes, had been in Nepal for a month be- hair, clothes and jewellery, the deputy to the southern plains of Siddharthanagar. trait of Bangabandhu Sheikh during the visit. Govt to ban illiterates from working as maids

By Mizan Rahman Other recommendations in- mendation for not selecting necessary as many of the female “We will not send any un- subjected to abuse, excessive takes the steps as suggested by Dhaka clude introduction of a com- uneducated women to be sent workers become homesick. qualifi ed female to Saudi Arabia workload, indecent work and the Bangladesh team. prehensive training course with abroad with jobs,” he said. They want to come back so that the rate of rejection can torture while many were feel- But along with Bangladesh, residential facility, proper medi- He said, illiterate women home after some days in Saudi come down signifi cantly”, he ing homesick and could not Saudi Arabia also has to be made angladesh, on the basis of cal checkup and adequate moti- workers also cannot understand Arabia. said adjust to the food habit and accountable for security and a recommendation by an vation etc. lectures at the training course “So, we have to introduce Ahmed said they will empha- culture. safety of Bangladeshi maids, he Boffi cial inquiry team that The recommendations will be and other tasks. So, the course proper motivational sessions sise on quality, not quantity. The Bangladesh delegation said. visited Saudi Arabia recently, is submitted to the Ministry of Ex- remains meaningless to them. during training courses,” he also He admitted making a mistake also requested the Saudi labour Bangladesh Association of In- set to bar illiterate housemaids patriates’ Welfare shortly, said added. by sending domestic helps ran- ministry offi cials to take stern ternational Recruiting Agencies from getting jobs in the kingdom head of the team, Jabed Ahmed, “We will suggest Most of the medical cer- domly to the labour- receiving action against a section of em- (BAIRA) president Benjir Ahmed citing illiteracy as one of main additional secretary to the Min- recruitment of women tifi cates, provided to many country. ployers involved in abusive ac- said, if quality is to be ensured, reasons for their abuse. istry of Expatriates’ Welfare and workers having minimum women workers, are not So far, 1,000 Bangladeshi do- tivities, he said. the number of women workers The inquiry team will recom- Overseas Employment (EWOE). primary or secondary genuine.“Women are going mestic helps were rejected by Ahmed said, Saudi Arabia going abroad might fall for the mend a series of steps to lessen Presently, a signifi cant number school certifi cates” abroad with serious diseases like their employers in Saudi Arabia should impart special education time being. abuse and avoid their rejection of Bangladeshi domestic helps, cancer, diabetes etc. Sometimes, due to lack of proper training to the employers regarding their But, he said, after some time, by employers, offi cials, involved employed in Saudi Arabia, are il- “We will suggest recruit- pregnant women also are get- and effi ciency, he said, adding behaviour towards domestic the number will increase as rates in the process, said in Dhaka yes- literate. ment of women workers having ting medical fi tness certifi cates, that domestic workers have been workers. of literacy of women are increas- terday. Despite undergoing a 30-day minimum primary or secondary “Jabed Ahmed said. facing such types of problems as Victim support centres should ing gradually in the country. They also said, currently the training course, they cannot un- school certifi cates,” he said. Such wrongdoing also has they are sent without ensuring also be set up by the Saudi au- And when they will see that rate of abuse and rejection is derstand many things due to lack He also said, existing skill to be stopped in the migration their quality and skills. thority for the workers, the team female workers are safe abroad, high because the uneducated of literacy, he said. training is non-residential and process to ensure safe migration Besides, during the visit, members suggested. they will feel encouraged, he Bangladeshi women working as Such workers are more vul- it is also not eff ective. So the of women, he said. the Bangladesh team members Shakirul Islam, chairman of added. Earlier, the Bangladesh domestic helps in Saudi Arabia nerable to abuse as they cannot courses should be more vigorous The ministry’s additional sec- identifi ed a number of problems Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Pro- Embassy in Riyadh also sent sev- are not well-trained to do their perform their work properly, he than what the existing ones are, retary said they are considering which the Bangladeshi women gramme (OKUP), a rights or- eral letters to the EWOE Minis- jobs and face workplace chal- mentioned. he said. women’s migration issue seri- are facing, he said. ganisation for migrants, said, it try seeking proper measures to lenges. “So, we have made recom- Adequate motivation also is ously. Domestic workers were will be good if the government help women workers. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, August 20, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran Educational campaign

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar vital to defeat radicalism [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Muslims should work to the underlying ideological basis that Since most of the time the parents peace and love that the true Islam 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) drives it and similar ones. had also received similar training brings, should be explained. Fax 44350474 develop an understanding Most of the time, the members of in their youth, their actions do not It’s clear that we are facing an that only takes the Qur’an these radical groups choose a lifestyle necessarily clash with the education ideological and intellectual problem. that can be defi ned as radical bigotry. their kids are receiving. This further Therefore it can be countered only as a guide Some people wrongly think that cements those bigoted beliefs in young with a counter-education and bigots have certain ideas that they minds. For this reason, a child who is ideology. Military operations alone By Harun Yahya follow blindly without giving any raised in a radical family usually has cannot defeat ideas. For every IS Istanbul thought to it. However the situation little choice but to develop a similar member killed, scores of new ones GULF TIMES often is the complete opposite. It mindset. will arise with stronger feelings of is true that in some cases radical This understanding that considers vengeance. IS can be stopped only with xplosions, fi rst at Istanbul’s and deeply reactionary ideas are the Qur’an to be insuffi cient and which education, with the pure Islam found Ataturk Airport in Turkey, adopted due to ignorance and lack of argues that religion can be learned only in the Qur’an and a thorough-going then in Saudi Arabia, education, but sometimes they are from certain scholars and their books, education based on that. Need for ‘common EBangladesh and Baghdad, deliberately adopted after years of creates a life full of hatred. The biggest duty, no doubt, falls on the deadliest bombing in Iraq in 13 training. It is very wrong to think that such Muslim countries and their respective years, have moved the fi ght against hatred can be stopped just by heavier leaders. It is obvious that such an Islamic State (IS) to the forefront of security measures and more heavily- eff ort will require serious changes in sense’ in Russia the international agenda. They also It’s clear that we are armed police or soldiers at shopping educational systems. Furthermore, prompted lengthy discussions on malls, airports and borders. a grassroots educational campaign security measures and comprehensive facing an ideological There is only one eff ective method fi rst and foremost targeting children airstrikes in Syria. and intellectual to stop this threat resulting from and their families, accompanied by and Ukraine crisis However, many people seemed to hatred and anger; using the Internet, seminars, would be extremely helpful. have forgotten the fact one of the problem TV, radio and other mass media outlets When all Muslims, Sunni or Shia, Ukraine says it thinks Vladimir Putin is planning a biggest coalitions the world has more eff ectively than the bigots do adopt true Qur’anic moral values ever seen has already been fi ghting The radical bigots that receive this and off er a more comprehensive and embrace everyone with a spirit new invasion, and from Kiev’s point of view, it’s not the radical organisation of IS. Many kind of training have the unswerving counter-ideological education. If the of friendship, love, brotherhood, hard to see why: the Russian leader has built up troops didn’t even mention the fact that belief that what they have been bigots have, let’s say, 1,000 websites respect and solidarity, the separation large-scale bombardments have been taught is, in fact, the most accurate preaching hatred and violence, between diff erent Muslim sects will on its border and resumed the hostile rhetoric that underway to reclaim the areas of Syria interpretation of life and they start we should have at least tens of be eliminated. Leaders of the Islamic preceded his annexation of Crimea two years ago. and Iraq captured by IS. Maybe if to deliberately and willingly espouse thousands of websites spreading love, world, setting examples with their these facts were also discussed, many these ideas. In other words, radicalism brotherhood and unity. loving, embracing, democratic, just But despite appearances, some experts say Putin could have realised that security- does not always stem from a lack of Muslims should work to develop attitudes and with a particular focus is more likely seeking advantage through diplomacy oriented solutions cannot really be the education; it can often be obtained an understanding that only takes the on love and brotherhood, should work than on the battlefi eld, at least this time around. solution. through a deliberate and conscious Qur’an as a guide. For this, large- together to build a common language IS is retreating at particular points; educational choice. scale educational programmes, works of love. This will be the beginning of a For two years, Russia has been under US and EU but even a military defeat of IS simply People with this ideology pass on to purify Islamic books of fabricated new and peaceful era when problems sanctions over its annexation of Crimea and support lays the foundations for the next their traditions in a highly disciplined hadiths and superstitions and a are solved not through military group of extremists, just as surely as manner, with education in the family, broad-based education of the people methods, but through policies of love. for the separatists in eastern Ukraine. European Al Qaeda in Iraq laid the foundations at school, etc; in other words, the with the true solutions based on leaders say the sanctions cannot be lifted unless the for what is now IS. Defeating a militant indoctrination of superstitious bigotry the Qur’an are required. In schools, zHarun Yahya may be followed at group, regardless of whatever moniker begins at childhood and proceeds in a social media, press, on TV, the perils @Harun_Yahya Minsk peace deal is implemented, but for now it looks it is going by, does nothing to defeat systemic manner. of bigotry and the importance of the and www.harunyahya.com moribund, with fi ghting occasionally fl aring and both sides blaming each other for failing to implement truce terms. Over the last few days, tension escalated dramatically after Putin threatened to take unspecifi ed counter-measures against Ukraine to retaliate for what his spies say was a plot to bomb targets across contested Crimea. Putin said two Russian servicemen were killed in a clash with Ukrainian saboteurs sent to Crimea. Kiev says the incident never happened, and was concocted to create a phoney pretext for a new invasion. The Some experts say United States and Putin is more likely European Union also say there is no seeking advantage evidence it took through diplomacy place. Whether the than on the plot is real or battlefi eld imagined, Moscow has cranked up its military activity in Crimea at the same time as holding a series of what it says are pre-planned war games and missile deployments in the area. Putin, who fl ew into Crimea yesterday in a show of support, convened his Security Council and cancelled the next round of international talks meant to turn the shaky ceasefi re in eastern Ukraine into a lasting peace. But his response – deliberately refocusing international attention back on eastern Ukraine and the lack of progress in implementing a peace deal A man driving his motorcycle on a street in the northern Syrian town of Manbij as civilians go back to their homes on August 14 more than a week after the Syrian there – suggests Putin is trying to milk the latest Democratic Forces (SDF) pushed the Islamic State (IS) group out of the city. The last remaining IS fighters abandoned the city of Manbij near the Turkish border on August 12. Crimean crisis as part of a diplomatic power play he hopes will eventually kill Western sanctions. European talks between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany meant to ensure the peace deal’s Trump wouldn’t pass his own extreme vetting process implementation have so far run into the sand. And talks between Victoria Nuland, US assistant secretary By Fabiola Santiago guaranteed by the Constitution not and INS district director in Miami. anyone as “exceptional”, the category of state, and Vladislav Surkov, a Russian presidential Miami Herald/TNS standing in his way. “He would be rejected because of under which her employer would have He has cast Mexican immigrants as his statements,” Rivkind said. “He’d had to apply for Melania to obtain the aide, have not generated a breakthrough either. rapists and drug dealers, and inspired never be accepted into any other necessary visa to legally work here, he In the meantime, pro-Kremlin separatists continue osing in the polls by widening wholesale anti-immigrant hatred all position. I’m not sure he could get said. margins - his unhinged over the land. an appointment because he couldn’t “It raises questions as to what her to control two self-declared republics in Donbass, behaviour and alarming pass a security check. He could not get status was when she came in,” Rivkind eastern Ukraine, where low-level fi ghting with Lcampaign ties to Russia into a US government job based on his said, adding that, as aspiring fi rst no longer acceptable across party People were turned statements on Russia, his attacks on lady, Melania Trump should open her Ukrainian government forces continues, sometimes lines - Donald Trump tried to regain people. He couldn’t get any clearance. immigration fi le to public scrutiny. fl aring up in a big way, despite the ceasefi re. momentum by, once more, stoking down for character He couldn’t have access to classifi ed “The media has a right to know. That’s Putin yesterday said he hoped Ukraine would American paranoia. material.” not top secret.” No issue serves the purpose better fl aws less detrimental Rivkind should know. He was an The vetting system for immigrants see “common sense” when it came to resolving a than immigration. than Trump’s insider who vetted candidates at the is so strict that the photographs of diplomatic crisis over the peninsula. But that should So out of his bag of crowd-rousing Justice Department. Melania holding a gun and wearing a tricks, Trump pulled out a call for People were turned down for mask should’ve been cause to put a apply to all parties involved in the confl ict. “extreme, extreme vetting” of In fact, if voters hadn’t catapulted character fl aws less detrimental than review hold on her permanent status, immigrants seeking entry into the him to the GOP nomination and Trump’s. Rivkind said. United States. the party sealed the deal, there’s no He was sent to Miami by the And the false college degree claimed To Advertise “Those who do not believe in our other way the millionaire real estate Reagan administration and used his on her now-removed website, if listed Constitution, or support bigotry magnate would’ve made it through the discretionary powers to grant refuge in her immigration applications, also [email protected] and hatred, will not be admitted for background and security-clearance to immigrants he didn’t want to send would be grounds for visa revocation Display immigration into our country,” Trump checks required of a high-ranking back to wars in Central America. or residency denial. said last week in Ohio. “Only those federal employee or political Many Hispanic Republicans voting But it was smooth sailing for Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 who expect to fl ourish in our country appointee, says a former immigration for Trump can thank Rivkind for their Melania Trump through the Classified and to embrace a tolerant American chief. citizenship. immigration system her husband society should be issued visas.” Trump and his Slovenian wife, The INS director he replaced, whose wants to overhaul for others. Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 By those standards, Trump wouldn’t Melania, wouldn’t pass the multi- tactics were despotically Trumpian, Maybe Republicans ought to start Subscription be fi t to call himself an American. level government screening in would’ve sent them packing. “extreme vetting” their presidential [email protected] He has banned media he doesn’t place now and even those if he were Rivkind, now retired in Arizona, candidates. like from campaign events, First in charge, says Perry Rivkind, a also questions how Melania was able Amendment be damned. Reagan appointee who was associate to obtain a work visa and travel a zFabiola Santiago is a columnist for the 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved He has singled out Muslims commissioner of the Immigration and speedy road to citizenship. A fl edgling Miami Herald. Readers may e-mail her for exclusion, religious freedoms Naturalisation Service in the 1980s modelling career doesn’t qualify at [email protected] Gulf Times Saturday, August 20, 2016 15 COMMENT The lessons of Japan for China

In the end, success or foreign investors that often triggers None of this is a dark secret in crises. Beijing. On the contrary, an interview failure will hinge on the With China’s saving rate double that in early May with an “authoritative willingness of the Chinese of Japan’s since 2007, that conclusion insider,” published in China’s fl agship is all the more pertinent for its debt- offi cial newspaper, People’s Daily, leadership to confront the intensive economy. The China scare of underscored an increasingly open and powerful vested interests early 2016 – stoked by hand-wringing intense debate among senior offi cials over capital fl ight and currency risk – over how to avoid ending up like Japan. resisting reform missed this point altogether. Fears of a The insider, purportedly close to hard landing stemming from a Chinese President Xi Jinping, highlighted the By Stephen Roach debt crisis are vastly overblown. insidious connection between China’s New Haven Zombie fi rms – the economic debt and zombie problems that might walking dead – are also a topic of well culminate in a Japanese-like intense discussion in China. Key actors “L-shaped” endgame. espite deepening concerns in Japan’s fi rst lost decade during This gets to the heart of the China- about China’s economy, the 1990s, zombie corporates were Japan comparison. Two and a half lost the country is not heading kept alive by the “evergreening” of decades (and counting) is simply an Dtoward “lost decades” of subsidised bank lending – masking an unacceptable outcome for China. Japanese-style stagnation. And yet outsize build-up of nonperforming But knowing what it doesn’t want a worrisome ambiguity clouds this loans (NPLs) that ultimately brought is not enough to guarantee that China verdict. down the Japanese banking system. won’t fall into a Japanese-style trap of Japan’s fate was sealed by its Signifi cantly, the insidious interplay its own. reluctance to abandon a dysfunctional between zombie corporates and Reforms are the decisive growth model. While China’s embrace zombie banks clogged the arteries of diff erentiating factor. Japan’s failure of structural rebalancing distinguishes it the real economy – sparking a sharp to embrace structural reforms was from Japan, it is struggling to implement slowdown in productivity growth that a hallmark of the 1990s, and it is that strategy. Unless the struggle is won, Japan has yet to reverse. an equally serious impediment to the endgame could be similar. In recent public statements, the the current “Abenomics” recovery The same conclusion emerges from Chinese leadership has made explicit programme. By contrast, China’s a seminar on “The Lessons of Japan” reference to zombie SOEs. But, unlike strategy emphasises the heavy lifting that I have taught at Yale for the past Japan, which remained in denial over of structural change and rebalancing. six years. The course is primarily one in this problem for close to a decade, In the end, success or failure will forensic macroeconomics – distilling Chinese authorities have moved hinge on the willingness of the Chinese key lessons from the rise and fall of the relatively quickly to rein in excesses leadership to confront the powerful modern Japanese economy and then in two key industries – steel and coal vested interests resisting reform. fi guring out the relevance of those – while hinting of more to come in Interestingly, of the 13 students in lessons for other major economies. A Chinese delivery courier using a mobile phone as he drives his delivery vehicle across a street in Beijing. cement, glass, and shipbuilding. my seminar who chose to consider The seminar culminates with China’s deteriorating loan quality is China as the next Japan, two-thirds student research papers aimed at An academic setting provides a 150% of GDP in 2008 to 255% today, role that bank credit has played in also reminiscent of Japan’s experience. ultimately rejected the comparison. assessing which candidates might be wonderful intellectual laboratory. But with two-thirds of the increase funding China’s investment boom. The offi cial NPL ratio of 1.7% for listed They argued that the lessons of the next Japan. As recently as 2012, the a couple of quick trips to China after concentrated in the corporate sector, The Japan comparison is especially banks is only the tip of the iceberg. modern China – especially the reforms United States was the top choice, as it the end of the spring term gave me a largely state-owned enterprises instructive in assessing the risks of Beneath the surface are “special and opening up spearheaded by Deng struggled to regain its footing in the diff erent perspective. (SOEs). As the world’s largest saver – debt-intensive growth. At nearly 390% mention loans” – where borrowers Xiaoping – are more important than aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis In extensive discussions with with gross domestic saving averaging of GDP in late 2015, Japan’s overall debt are in the early stages of repayment the lessons of Japan. And they got good of 2008. Chinese offi cials, business leaders, 49% of GDP since 2007 – surging debt ratio is about 140 percentage points diffi culties – along with bad credits grades. — Project Syndicate Not surprisingly, by 2013, the focus academics and investors, I found hardly comes as a surprise. High- higher than China’s. in the shadow banking sector, both of had shifted to crisis-battered Europe. great interest in the lessons of Japan saving economies are prone to high But, because Japan has such a which could raise China’s fully-loaded zStephen S Roach, a faculty member at But this year, more than half of the and how they might bear on China’s investment, and the lack of capital- high saving rate – averaging 24% of NPL ratio to around 8%. In that case, Yale University and former chairman students in the seminar (13 of 23) chose conundrum. market reform in China – exacerbated GDP since 2007 – it basically owes the authorities will eventually need to of Morgan Stanley Asia, is the author to examine whether China might be The topic du jour was debt. China’s by the bursting of the equity bubble in its debt to itself. That means it is not inject capital into the Chinese banking of Unbalanced: The Codependency of the next Japan. nonfi nancial debt has risen from 2015 – reinforces the disproportionate vulnerable to the capital fl ight of system. America and China. LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 40 C Intentional injury and compensation Low : 34 C Hazy to misty at places at first becomes hot during day with some local clouds and relatively humid by night. The compensation shall A: Under the Civil & Commercial payable considering the loss of the personal problems between them. Procedure Code, the courts have company? Now the police have charged a SUNDAY not be payable if the injury power to issue a precautionary case against him for making a false High: 38 C is attributable to serious attachment up to the value of the IJ, Doha allegation. What is the law and what Low: 32 C claimed debt. The attachment order is the punishment for such acts? Sunny and wilful misconduct by freezes the debtor’s bank accounts, A: No-objection certifi cate (NOC) CZ, Doha the worker properties etc. without prior warning. is issued at the sole discretion of the As per Article 514, if the judgment current employer and the employee A: According to Article 190 of the MONDAY debtor abstains from the execution has no legal right to claim. Article 4 Penal laws, any person who knowingly High: 40 C Low: 32 C By Nizar Kochery of judgment issued against him, the of the prevailing Entry & Exit Law of and falsely submits written or oral Sunny Doha judgment creditor may request the foreigners prohibits the granting entry report alleging a criminal off ence imprisonment of the judgment debtor. for work to one who earlier resided in requiring a judicial penalty to a The court may order the the country to work for two years after public offi cer empowered to act upon QUESTION: One of our employees imprisonment of the judgment debtor the date of departure unless otherwise the information shall be punished Fishermen’s forecast working at a construction site if it is established that judgment supported by written consent of the with imprisonment for a period not OFFSHORE DOHA sustained some injury because of debtor is able to fulfi l his obligation previous/current sponsor. exceeding three years or a fi ne not Wind: NE-NW 03-12/15 KT his negligence. Is the management based on the issued order. Such However, as per the Labour exceeding QR10,000 or both. Waves: 1-3/4 Feet imprisonment period shall not exceed Law, employee will be eligible for INSHORE DOHA liable for the injury? Does the law As per Article 191, any person Wind: NW-NE 05-15/20 KT exempt the management from three months. gratuity and other leave benefi ts on who disturbs any public authority Waves: 1-2 Feet sanctioning the compensation? completion of one year in service. Any by making statements about Can we initiate any action against release, compromise or waiver of the catastrophes, accidents, off ences or Around the region the employee for such negligent No-objection entitlements prescribed for the worker dangers which are nonexistent and Weather Weather act? certificate by the labour law shall be deemed void in such cases, the court may decide today Max/min tomorrow Max/min VY, Doha to compel the accused to pay the Abu Dhabi Sunny 44/31 Sunny 44/31 Baghdad Q: Do employees have the right expenses, which resulted from the Sunny 46/27 Sunny 47/27 A false Dubai Sunny 41/31 Sunny 42/32 ANSWER: As per Article 109 of the to get NOC when a company false statements, and shall be punished Kuwait City Sunny 45/32 Sunny 44/32 Labour law, the worker who sustains a terminates them because of complaint with imprisonment for a term not Manama Sunny 42/32 Sunny 42/32 work injury shall be entitled to receive fi nancial crisis or fi nancial loss? exceeding fi ve years. Muscat Sunny 32/27 M Sunny 34/28 medical treatment appropriate to his Our company is terminating many Q: My colleague made a complaint Riyadh M Sunny 42/29 M Sunny 43/30 condition at the cost of the employer of its employees because of market to the police against a person but zPlease send your questions by Tehran Sunny 32/22 Sunny 32/22 in accordance with the decision of conditions. Can the employer later it was found the complaint e-mail to: [email protected] the competent medical authority. reduce the end-of-service benefi ts was false which is made after some (Mobile:55813105) The company or the employer is not responsible for the injury sustained due to wilful misconduct of the LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR worker. As per Article 111, the compensation According to Article 110, the company company therein. If the company is shall not be payable if the injury is shall not provide any monetary loans under liquidation, the liquidator shall attributable to serious and wilful of any kind to any board member fi le the court action by virtue of a misconduct by the worker and or provide security for any contract resolution by the general assembly. which shall include such an act concluded by the member with third Every shareholder may bring a legal committed under the infl uence of party. Notwithstanding, the banks or action individually if the company fail alcohol or drugs; that the worker other credit companies have the right to initiate an action, if the error caused violated the instructions of the to lend to the board members, open him damage as a shareholder, provided employer concerning the preservation a letter of credit or provide security that he shall notify the company of his of vocational health or safety or for any contract concluded with third intention to bring such an action. Any committed a gross negligence in the party, subject to the same terms and term in the article of association to the carrying out of these instructions; that conditions specifi ed by the Qatar contrary shall be void. the worker without a genuine cause Central Bank. Any transaction made As per Article 117, any decision refuses to subject himself to the check- in breach of this provision shall be by the general assembly absolving up or adopt the treatment prescribed to void, without prejudice to the right of from a decisions made by the members the board of directors from the him by the competent authority. company to claim compensation from unanimously. responsibility shall not result in Around the world If it is proved that the worker the defaulter. But, for the decisions made by the the dismissal of the lawsuit fi led Weather Weather injured himself deliberately in order The company shall be bound by majority, members objecting to the against the board members for errors today Max/min tomorrow Max/min to receive compensation or medical acts done by the board of directors such decision shall not be responsible committed during the execution of Athens Sunny 35/23 Sunny 35/24 leave, the employee would be liable within the limits and shall be liable to if their objection was recorded in the their function. If the act causing the Beirut Sunny 31/27 P Cloudy 31/27 Bangkok S T Storms 34/27 S T Storms 34/27 to face criminal charges. compensate third parties for damages minutes of meeting. liability has been presented before Berlin P Cloudy 28/16 S Showers 23/13 resulting from illegal acts done by the Absence from the meeting could general assembly and was approved, Cairo Sunny 37/23 Sunny 37/25 board members. not be considered an excuse for being the court action shall expire after fi ve Cape Town Sunny 21/11 Rain 16/09 Precautionary As per Article 113, the chairman exempted from responsibility unless years from the date of such general Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 P Cloudy T Storms 31/26 and board members shall be it is proved that the absent member assembly. Nevertheless, if the act Dhaka 34/27 attachment Hong Kong P Cloudy 30/28 T Storms 31/27 jointly liable for compensating was not aware of the decision, or that attributed to the board members is Istanbul S T Storms 29/23 P Cloudy 31/22 Q: I have obtained a judgment in the company, the shareholders, he could not object it after becoming a criminal off ence, the court action Jakarta S Showers 31/24 S Showers 31/24 my favour from the civil court in a and third parties for the damages aware of the decision. shall only expire upon the expiry of the Karachi Cloudy 31/27 P Cloudy 32/27 case against a national. The court resulting from any fraudulent According to Article 115, the criminal claim. London Showers 21/14 P Cloudy 23/16 Manila T Storms 30/26 T Storms 31/26 has ordered him to pay certain acts, or any abuse of power, or any company may fi le the civil suit against The general assembly may dismiss Moscow Showers 24/16 S Showers 26/16 sum. I have made a case for the violation of provisions of this law the board members for errors resulting the chairman of the board of directors New Delhi S T Storms 33/27 P Cloudy 34/26 verdict’s execution and have also or any acts not in conformity with damages to all shareholders within a or any of its members on the basis New York P Cloudy 29/24 S T Storms 29/21 sought travel ban on him. But I article of association, or any error period of fi ve years of occurrence of of motion passed by the absolute Paris S Showers 25/14 P Cloudy 22/14 S T Storms Rain 18/08 such error or negligence. majority of the board of directors, or Sao Paulo 24/18 still haven’t received the money of management, and any term to the Seoul P Cloudy 33/25 P Cloudy 32/24 due to me. Could we get any other contrary shall be void. The ordinary general assembly upon a signed request by a number Singapore S T Storms 31/26 T Storms 32/26 orders from the court to make him All the board members shall be liable resolve to bring such a legal action of shareholders holding at least one Sydney M Sunny 17/07 Sunny 19/08 pay the amount due to me. to compensate if the fault resulted and appoint a person to represent the quarter of the subscribed capital. Tokyo Cloudy 31/24 Cloudy 32/24 DR, Doha Gulf Times 16 Saturday, August 20, 2016 QATAR Expat artists hail ‘positive impact’ of Souq Waqif Art Centre Mohamed Rageh works on a charcoal portrait. PICTURES: Peter Alagos By Peter Alagos nated with charcoal portraits. Many Europe- from other clients outside,” he pointed out. Business Reporter ans, on the other hand, are attracted to land- Both Seena Anand and Rajeesh Ravi are scape paintings and abstract art,” he added. artists from India. The two agree that their Thai national Sinchai Zonputh displays his connection with the centre has created a xpatriate artists in Qatar have lauded works at the centre every Thursday and Fri- positive impact in their careers as artists. the Souq Waqif Art Centre for the as- day evenings. The senior human resources Since she started with the centre in April Esistance the facility provides in terms offi cer said he is thankful to the centre, which 2016, Anand was able to sell more than 10 of of work space, exposure, networking and ex- provides him a venue to showcase his mixed- her works. Her clients are usually Europeans tra income, among others. media paintings and paper mache artworks. who buy paintings as souvenirs. Only recent- Having been to other countries in the Gulf Zonputh is also a member of QatArt ly, she was able to sell three of her works. like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Eugene Es- Handmade Community, and is active in the “I like the Qatari culture so, I usually go pinosa said Qatar is “incomparable” when it group’s training workshops and handmade around and take photos and integrate the comes to government support for artists, and market held at Katara’s Building 19. details into my paintings,” Anand said, when the state’s thrust to promote Qatari culture “The Souq Waqif Art Centre has helped asked how she gets her inspiration to paint. and arts. expand my network, allowing me to reach Meanwhile, Ravi said he has been painting “Based on my work experience in the Gulf, out further to those who want to learn more for more than four years at the centre. Qatar provides the most support for artists about art through trainings and workshops,” “I usually do portraits, which had helped compared to other GCC countries. In return, he said. me get some freelance work. In my free time, I also support the centre’s thrust to promote Mohamed Rageh, an artist from Yemen, I can do my own paintings and sell them at Qatari culture through art,” said the Filipino told Gulf Times he fi nishes a charcoal sketch the centre,” he said. artist, who has been with the centre for the roughly within one hour, and completes He added: “Qatar is a good place for art- past eight months. some three to four portraits in a day. ists; and I am very happy to work at the Souq Espinosa said the opportunity to work at “Aside from the visitors who buy my Waqif Art Centre. For a long time, I used to the centre has improved his people skills due works at the centre, I am thankful that the work as a graphic designer but I did not feel to the throngs of tourists that interact with management has provided me the oppor- satisfi ed with what I was doing. But since I him while visiting the area. tunity to expand my clientele base because, started working here, it was the fi rst time I “Among other Arabs, the Saudis are fasci- like other artists here, I also get some work felt happy with what I was doing.”

Qatar provides a lot of support for artists, according to Filipino painter Eugene Espinosa.

Rajeesh Ravi with some samples of his works. Seena Anand derives inspiration from daily scenes at Souq Waqif. QSF’s fun-fi lled activities and games promote healthy lifestyle

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

un-fi lled activities and games at the Entertain- Fment City are helping in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle among children, a number of visitors have said. “After spending more than four hours at the Doha Exhibi- tion and Convention Centre (DECC), my son Andrew now wants to play basketball regu- larly,” said Fred, a Filipino father who brought his family to the venue yesterday. With a VIP entry ticket, An- drew was given an all-access pass to all the rides, games and activities at DECC, the main Fun-filled games have been attracting a large number of children to venue of the Qatar Summer Fes- QSF 2016. tival (QSF) 2016. Fred said his son chose to play boxing, summer run and Go Karting, other than the amuse- ment rides, than going for the video and virtual reality games at the venue. A friendly boxing match for children at the Entertainment City attracts spectators. PICTURES: Joey Aguilar This was also Indian expatri- ate Puneet’s observation. He ercise and physical activities, prompted to walk more to see all 40,000 visitors in the fi rst six GCC visitors especially those said his two children preferred Puneet hopes there will be more the 11 zones, which off er more days since its opening on August from Saudi Arabia. the physical games than other similar indoor games and mini than 100 games, attractions and 1, according to Qatar Tourism At least one more Jaguar car is attractions at DECC. sporting activities in future fes- rides. Authority (QTA), the organiser at stake for the last weekly raffl e “This is our second time here tivals in Doha. The size of the Entertainment of the annual festival. draw set on August 25 at 7.30pm and my children have always He said his daughter Anita has City has nearly doubled from From 200,000 visitors at the at Lagoona Mall. been very excited to play,” he also been actively participating about 15,000sqm to 29,000sqm City last year, QTA expects the Shoppers are entitled to get stressed. “The activities at the in most of the activities at the at the new entertainment facility number to further increase this one raffl e coupon for every festival have been keeping them Entertainment Stage, together at West Bay, which many resi- year, including those coming QR200 purchase at participating away from their smartphones, with other young children. dents said was more accessible from other GCC countries. malls and The Pearl-Qatar. which I believe is good for them.” With a bigger and spacious to them. QSF’s shopping promotions QSF 2016 concludes on A visitor aims for a good shot. Citing the importance of ex- venue this year, visitors are The venue received more than have also been attracting many August 31.