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SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10585 September 23, 2017 Muharram 3, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals FM meets UN peace envoy Qatar economy In brief strengthens QATAR | Offi cial Emir leaves NY aft er attending UN session His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani left New York on Thursday evening after taking part HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met on despite siege in the 72nd session of the United Thursday with the UN Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nations General Assembly. Nickolay Mladenov, on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. O The State finds During the meeting, the two sides discussed the developments of the Middle East alternative markets to the ASIA | Nuclear peace process and the prospects for co-operation between Qatar and the United siege countries to import Nations. Page 16 Trump, Kim ratchet goods and services up war of words An escalating war of words between QNA Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un New York ratcheted up a notch yesterday as the US president dubbed North Korea’s leader a “madman,” a day Russian FM calls for atar’s economy has proved its after the reclusive regime hinted it strength and resilience in the may explode a hydrogen bomb over Qface of many global challenges the Pacific Ocean. Hours earlier, in a resolving Gulf crisis which aff ected economies of the de- rare personal attack, Kim took aim veloped countries, HE the Minister at Trump, branding him “mentally of Economy and Commerce Sheikh deranged” and warning he would through negotiations Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al- “pay dearly” for his threat to destroy Thani affi rmed. North Korea if challenged, uttered “Despite the fact that more than before the United Nations General QNA acceptable to three months have elapsed since the Assembly. The verbal clash came a New York all parties and illegal siege on the State of Qatar to day after Washington announced that it is neces- undermine its position as an economi- HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin tougher sanctions aimed at curbing sary to take into cally independent and sovereign State, Mohamed al-Thani (centre) participating in the dialogue session in New York. North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic ussian Foreign Minister Sergei account their Qatar has succeeded in strengthening missile programme. Page 6 Lavrov has called on the parties concerns and its power and independence more than the economy, he said. The State suc- tion, adding that Supreme Council for Rof the Gulf crisis to sit on the ne- fi nd ways to ever,” he explained. ceeded in establishing alternative and Economic Aff airs and Investment ap- BRITAIN | Politics gotiating table to end the crisis. eliminate them The minister was participating in direct trade routes with a number of proved the second national develop- “We have discussed this issue repeat- on the basis of a dialogue session organised by the strategic venues around the world ment strategy which is characterised May seeks two-year edly,” Lavrov told a news conference in mutual ben- Business Council for International within a few days of the imposition of by a greater focus on diversifi cation of Brexit transition deal New York at the UN headquarters. Sergei Lavrov efi t,” he noted. Understanding at Harvard Club in the blockade. economic activity. British Prime Minister Theresa May “President Vladimir Putin has had The Russian New York under the title “The Qatari After the arbitrary closure of its only The IMF said that despite rising called for a two-year transition after telephone conversations with most of Foreign Minister expressed his convic- economy under the current siege and land border crossing, Qatar used Ha- transport and food costs, overall in- Brexit yesterday in which Britain the leaders of the parties of this dis- tion that “this can be done.” the future”. The event was held on the mad International Airport, one of the fl ation remained subdued 0.8% year- would largely maintain its current pute, and I recently visited the Gulf re- Qatar’s Foreign Minister HE Sheikh sidelines of Qatar’s participation in best airports in the world, to ensure on-year-basis in June and 0.2% in ties with Brussels, in a charm gion,” he added. Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Tha- the 72nd session of the UN General the normal movement of fl ights and July. off ensive intended to unlock stalled Lavrov said: “In all these talks and ni, during his meetings in New York Assembly. cargo to more than 150 destinations As for the advantages of the busi- negotiations with the European meetings, we send one simple mes- with ministers and senior officials of According to a statement issued around the world via Qatar Airways, ness environment in Qatar, the min- Union. In a major speech in Florence, sage that the parties of the Gulf crisis different countries, also stressed that yesterday by the Ministry of Economy the best airline in the world. ister noted that the huge natural May promised to meet Britain’s must sit at the negotiating table, give dialogue is the solution to the Gulf and Commerce, the dialogue session He also referred to the launch of resources built on the revenues of existing EU budget commitments up warnings, seek solutions that are crisis. was attended by elite decision-mak- Hamad Port earlier this month, add- natural gas exports contributed to until 2020 and outlined new ers, executive heads and senior diplo- ing that the cost of this project is es- the strength of the Qatari economy legal guarantees for the rights of matic offi cials. timated at $7.4bn and is capable of ac- and helped it withstand the arbitrary around 3mn EU nationals living “The State of Qatar managed, under commodating up to 7.5mn containers measures taken by the neighbouring in the UK.She also committed to the wise guidance of His Highness the a year. He pointed out that Qatar has countries, especially after Qatar an- maintaining Europe’s security, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- all the logistical capabilities needed to nounced its intention to increase its saying in a direct pitch to EU leaders: NHRC renews call for Thani, to break the siege by activating import goods directly to enhance its gas production by 30%. “We want to be your strongest friend its strategies and pre-emptive plans status as a transit point for trade in the The State has developed flexible and partner as the EU and UK thrive that have been in place for many years Middle East region. economic policies that have contrib- side by side.” Page 7 probing rights violations to address any local or global crises,” In the same context, the minister uted to enhancing the ease of doing HE Sheikh Ahmed pointed out. pointed out that the opening of Ha- business through the launch of ‘In- LATIN AMERICA | Calamity QNA their psychological, material and moral These eff orts contributed to the mad Port project comes as part of a vest in Qatar’ office, which facili- New York damage they suff ered. maintenance of the normal daily life broader strategy aimed at ensuring the tates all procedures for the foreign Mexico extends search Dr al-Marri held a meeting with Dr in Qatar by fi nding alternative markets continued fl ow of alternative consum- investor and provides support at all for quake survivors Craig Mokhiber, head of the Offi ce of the to the siege countries to import goods er goods and products to local markets stages of investment, in addition to Mexican authorities yesterday he Chairman of the National Hu- High Commissioner for Human Rights and services. at the same level as before the crisis, providing advanced electronic serv- extended a search for survivors of man Rights Committee (NHRC), in New York, and the Deputy Secretary- “The State of Qatar is working on adding that Qatar managed through ices for the establishment of busi- this week’s devastating earthquake TDr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri, has General for UN Human Rights during developing the necessary mecha- the port to reduce the direct negative nesses, in addition to economic and that killed nearly 300 people, with renewed call for the urgent dispatch of his current visit to the United States nisms to reduce costs and improve consequences of the blockade, and logistic zones that meet all the needs foreign rescue teams helping as an international technical mission to to mobilise more international human speed, time and effi ciency required that the project will make Qatar an of the investor. In this regard, HE the window for finding anybody visit Qatar and the siege countries soon rights support against human rights for the import of goods and services,” important commercial centre in the Sheikh Ahmed said that efforts are left alive was about to close. That to examine the grave human rights vio- violations caused by the siege. he said while noting that the blockade region. going on to complete the implemen- 72-hour-mark beyond which hope lations committed by Saudi Arabia, the They discussed the positions of the contributed to expediting the pace of Regarding Qatar’s economy, HE tation of logistics projects, which is all but extinguished was to expire UAE and Bahrain against nationals and High Commissioner for Human Rights launching initiatives, programmes and Sheikh Ahmed highlighted the Inter- will contribute to reduce the short- later yesterday, three days after residents of Qatar, and citizens of the on the Gulf crisis and the international laws, particularly those related to in- national Monetary Fund (IMF) report age of storage space in order to meet Tuesday’s 7.1 earthquake toppled three countries themselves, and to hold mechanisms of human rights in the vestment. which affi rmed that the Qatari bank- the need of small and medium com- dozens of buildings in Mexico City direct meetings with the victims to lis- face of human rights violations result- The measures imposed by the siege ing sector remains sound, with high panies and secure advanced logistics and nearby central states. Page 10 ten to their complaints, and document ing from the siege. countries had a positive impact on asset quality and strong capitalisa- services. To Page 2 EAA to educate 95,000 more ‘out of school’ children in Syria

ducation Above All (EAA) Foun- missioner for Refugees), UNRWA (Unit- vice president and chief development in areas suff ering from armed confl ict dation and the United Nations ed Nations Relief and Works Agency) offi cer, said, “Education is one of the and insecurity are protected, and that EChildren’s Fund (Unicef) have and the QFFD, have committed more greatest catalysts to transform the lives they shouldn’t lose the opportunity to announced a new project to enable a than $60mn in funding over seven years of the children of Syria. go to school and dream of a better fu- further 95,000 children aff ected by the to enable out of school children aff ected Getting kids aff ected by crisis back ture.” ongoing confl ict in Syria to access qual- by the Syrian crisis into quality educa- to learning is critical to restore a sense Dr Mary Joy Pigozzi, executive direc- ity education with co-fi nancing by Qa- tion. of normalcy to their lives and give them tor of EAA Foundation’s Educate A Child tar Fund for Development (QFFD). The EAA Foundation is an initiative hope for a better future. programme, said, “By enabling the most announcement was made at the United founded in 2012 by Her Highness Unicef is a global leader in delivering marginalised out of school children af- Nations General Assembly yesterday. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. education programmes to children in fected by the crisis in Syria into educa- This brings the total number of out of In a drive to reach the most marginal- emergencies. tion, we are investing in the future of the school children aff ected by Syrian cri- ised, the extended programme will enrol Through our partnership with EAA country.” sis, reached by the EAA Foundation, to out of school children living in refugee EAA CEO Fahad al-Sulaiti, QFFD CEO Khalifa al-Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of State Foundation, we look forward to con- Meanwhile, EAA Foundation and 1.2mn. camps, besieged and hard-to-reach for Foreign Aff airs HE Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, Unesco director general Irina tinuing our work to help a generation of Unesco have partnered in Pakistan to In addition, EAA Foundation has also areas where security concerns prevent Bokova, and Unicef executive director Anthony Lake at the announcement of EAA’s Syrian children realise their full poten- reach 100,000 out of school children. signed two partnership agreements them from attending formal schools. partnerships yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly. tial.” Furthermore, EAA Foundation and with Unesco and RISE International Through a comprehensive self-study Khalifa bin Jassim al-Kuwari, direc- RISE International will provide access to to promote education for out of school curriculum, children will continue their countries, almost 12mn Syrian children dren who live in hard-to-reach or be- tor, QFFD, said: “Investing in education education for 24,000 out of school chil- children in Pakistan and Angloa respec- education at home or in Community require humanitarian assistance – up sieged areas in Syria have received lim- is crucial and essential to addressing dren in Angola with a $2mn fi nancing tively. Learning Centres, in safe learning envi- from half a million in 2012, according to ited humanitarian assistance over the extreme poverty and building safe and contribution from ExxonMobil. Together, EAA Foundation, Unicef, ronments. latest Unicef reports. years. sustainable societies. The partnership will construct 25 new UNHCR (United Nations High Com- Inside Syria and in refugee-hosting Additionally, an estimated 2mn chil- Barron Segar, Unicef US executive It is important that children who live schools. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, September 23, 2017 QATAR

Emir congratulates President of Mali Al-Rumaihi meets Turkish minister His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent yesterday cables of congratulations to Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, on the occasion of the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.

Envoy to UN meets WTO chief

World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Roberto HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani participating Azevedo met with Ali Khalfan in a dialogue session organised by the Business Council for International Understanding at Harvard Club al-Mansouri, Qatar’s Permanent in New York under the title “The Qatari economy under the current siege and the future”. Representative to the UN Off ice and other international organisations in Geneva. The two sides followed up the legal HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi met with proceedings brought by Qatar Turkish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Dr Ahmet Esref Fakibaba, on the sidelines of before the Dispute Settlement the “Turkish-Qatari Agricultural Work Forum”, in Ankara yesterday. The forum was organised by Body of the WTO against the the Federation of Turkish Chambers and Bourses. During the meeting, they discussed means of violations by the siege countries enhancing co-operation between Qatar and Turkey in the fields of agriculture and food security. of the various agreements in the HE al-Rumaihi praised the strategic relations between Qatar and Turkey at highest level. New laws international trade. Researcher wins UN award for enacted to joint gender equality research

oint research by Dr Ingmar in Internet and mobile phone of data that could impact the Weber of Qatar Comput- access in real time around the empowerment of women and girls. Jing Research Institute, part world. The technology then As an example of their fi nd- of Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- combines the Facebook data ings combining both Facebook sity, and scientists from Oxford with offl ine statistics in areas and offl ine information, Dr We- stimulate and Princeton universities, has such as Gross Domestic Product ber and his scientist colleagues won a Data2X Big Data for Gen- data or literacy rates, to make found that Internet access is al- Dr Ingmar Weber der Challenge Award from the more accurate predictions about most equal for men and women United Nations Foundation. the number of women and girls in Qatar with a ratio of 0.982, data to predict gender gap ratios The winners of the awards, using the Internet, compared to where 1.0 is equal access for both in countries where there is no which aim to explore how dif- men and boys. genders. (More than 90% of peo- existing data. They found that ferent methods of collecting and The award includes a $50,000 ple living in Qatar have a Face- Rwanda, for instance, where analysing big data can monitor grant, which is to be used to de- book account.) As a comparison, there are no previous statistics, investment gender gaps, were announced velop an automatically updating the United States has a slightly has a ratio of 0.671. at an event at the UN General system to monitor gender gaps, higher ratio of 0.997. The scien- Dr Weber’s project is a joint From Page 1 the Qatari business commu- clear violation of the global Assembly recently. in collaboration with Oxford tists’ fi ndings of both countries’ work with Ridhi Kashyap, a nity, with the support of vari- trading system and have seri- The research, Using Facebook University. gender gap ratios are similar to professorial fellow at Nuffi eld With regard to the legal and ous government agencies and ous negative consequences at Ad Data to Track the Global Dr Weber said the award known “ground truths” in both College, Oxford University and legislative frameworks set by state institutions, has been the regional and global levels, Digital Gender Gap, uses Face- was important as the grant of those countries. Masoomali Fatehkia, a stu- the State to stimulate invest- able to leverage its resources he said. book advertising data to iden- would enable future research However, the researchers were dent in Operations Research at ment, he pointed out that im- to boost local production and He pointed out that the to- tify countries with gender gaps into improving the measures also able to use the Facebook Princeton University. portant laws have been enacted open new trade channels with tal volume of trade exchange which have greatly facilitated many strategic partners around between Qatar and the coun- the establishment of companies the world. tries of the world reached about in Qatar, including the issuance He stressed that Qatar, QR81bn in the second quarter of the Commercial Companies based on joint eff orts between of 2017. Law, which abolished mini- the public and private sec- Concluding, the Minister of Ooredoo teaming Graduate Open mum capital requirements for tors, has been able to protect Economy and Commerce said the establishment of limited li- the security of its national that this crisis provided Qatar ability companies. economy and enhance its sta- with an opportunity to iden- The State has provided tus as a regional and global tify and enhance its strengths with beIN Media Day at QU-CENG non-Qatari investors with the economic power. While Qatar and to address shortcomings opportunity to carry out in- has incurred additional costs in ensuring the resilience of vestment projects in specifi c in certain areas as a result of the Qatari economy and sus- he Offi ce of Research and economic fi elds, with a per- arbitrary measures, these costs tainable growth to meet the Group for Nojoom Graduate Studies at Qatar centage ranging between 49% remain insignifi cant compared various global and regional TUniversity College of En- and 100% in the sectors of to the natural and fi nancial re- economic challenges, stress- gineering (QU-CENG) recently agriculture, industry, health, sources owned by the State, he ing that the State has a stimu- organised the Graduate Open Day education, tourism, the de- said, pointing out that Qatar lating and reliable environ- promotion 2017 to provide graduate stu- velopment and exploitation of has $335bn in assets in various ment for doing business and dents with information on the natural resources, energy and countries of the world. is an important commercial masters and PhD programmes at mining. The Minister of Economy hub, calling on investors to oredoo has announced CENG and to familiarise them on The State has launched im- and Commerce pointed out take advantage of the promis- that it is teaming with the admission requirements and Prof Abbes Amira portant projects that refl ect the that the private sector in Qatar, ing opportunities provided by ObeIN Media Group to registration procedures. values of partnership between in co-operation with foreign the State in this fi eld. off er a new Nojoom redemp- This year, CENG enrolled Management, Environmental the public and private sectors investors in the country, have The Business Council for tion promotion which will en- beIN Connect subscription. 146 graduate students – 118 Engineering, and Materials and provided promising in- benefi ted from the investment International Understanding able everyone to enjoy the be- But, thanks to the promotion, masters and 28 PhD students. Science and Engineering. vestment opportunities in the opportunities available in many (BCIU) is a nonpartisan, US- ginning of the football season members can now redeem the The students had the opportu- CENG associate dean for re- logistics sector, food security, promising economic sectors, based organisation that works for less. month-long subscription for nity to meet with faculty mem- search and graduate studies education, health, tourism and contributing to the growth of to expand international trade With the new promotion, No- just 1,800 Nojoom points until bers, programme coordinators, Prof Abbes Amira said, “The sports. non-oil sectors, which record- and commerce. It does this joom members will enjoy a 40% September 25. department heads, and gradu- main purpose behind organis- The Minister of Economy ed more than 70% of nominal by helping its member com- discount on redemptions made Nojoom redemptions for beIN ate staff , and to get insight into ing this annual event is to pro- and Commerce pointed out GDP during 2016. panies engage internationally for beIN Connect subscriptions. Connect can be made through CENG graduate programmes. vide our graduate students with that these eff orts and initiatives On the measures taken by and by facilitating mutually beIN Connect is beIN’s on- the Ooredoo website or Ooredoo The college off ers seven the opportunity to gain valuable have placed Qatar in advanced the State and the steps it in- benefi cial relationships be- line service that enables sub- App. Once a member receives master’s degree programmes information on CENG graduate ranks in various international tends to take to combat the il- tween business and govern- scribers to watch content on the promo code via an SMS, the – Civil Engineering, Comput- programmes and services, and reports, as the country ranks legal blockade, he said that the ment leaders worldwide. With the go, by enjoying sports and subscription can be activated ing, Electrical Engineering, to assist them with any personal second in the world in terms of State of Qatar has lodged a for- 200 member companies, in- entertainment programmes through a dedicated Ooredoo Engineering Management, questions or issues. CENG of- providing a stable macroeco- mal complaint with the World cluding many Fortune 500 on their mobile, tablet and and beIN co-branded microsite. Environmental Engineering, fers a wide range of graduate nomic environment and eighth Trade Organisation (WTO) fi rms, BCIU delivers strategic home devices anytime, Every Ooredoo residential Mechanical Engineering, and programmes that align with the globally in the economic per- against the siege countries be- insight, worldwide connec- anywhere. customer with a Qatar ID can Urban Planning and Design – goals of Qatar National Vision formance index and eighteenth cause of their violation of laws tions and essential services Earlier this year, Ooredoo an- enrol to Nojoom, which enables and one PhD programme with 2030 and the Qatar National in the Global Competitiveness and conventions relating to the to enable businesses to pur- nounced beIN Connect as its them to earn Nojoom points 12 major fi elds – Architecture, Research Strategy.” Index 2016, pointing that Qa- trade in goods and services as sue global growth opportu- latest Nojoom partner, enabling each time they purchase an Urban Planning, Chemical “The College continues in its tar advanced fi ve points in the well as aspects of intellectual nities. The organisation also members to pay for live sporting Ooredoo service or use Nojoom’s Engineering, Civil Engineer- eff orts towards providing its stu- index of economic freedom for property related to trade. off ers government offi cials a and entertainment content with earn partners. ing, Computer Science, Com- dents with training and intern- the year 2017, from the 34th He said illegal measures forum for engaging multina- their Nojoom Points. More details can be had from puter Engineering, Electrical ship opportunities, and hands-on position in 2016 to the 29th this taken by the siege countries are tional enterprises as they pro- Normally, Nojoom mem- the Nojoom pages on Ooredoo’s Engineering, Mechanical En- experiences that will contribute to year. the fi rst of its kind in the history mote international trade and bers can redeem 3,000 No- website at www.ooredoo.qa/no- gineering, Industrial and Sys- helping them establish links with- HE Sheikh Ahmed said that of the WTO. They constitute a investment. joom points for a monthly joom. tems Engineering, Engineering in the fi eld of industry,” he added. QU holds training programme for research offi ce professionals

he offi ce of Research Support closeout and audit, as well as the Individuals who successfully com- tion. I am confi dent that the partici- and Graduate Studies at Qa- relevant compliance issues. It was pleted the training programme re- pants at this programme have gained Ttar University (QU) hosted a designed for professionals involved ceived 16.5 Continuing Education more insights and will become better training programme for research ad- in the administration of sponsored Credits, which are recognised credits administrators.” ministration professionals recently. projects at higher education and re- to provide a record of an individual’s QU research support director Dr Around 50 professionals from QU search institutions. continuing education accomplish- Aiman Erbad said, “Research ad- and other higher education institutes Speakers included California In- ments and which can be used as ministration is becoming a sub- in Qatar took part in the programme. stitute of Technology Offi ce of Spon- educational credits for certifi cation. fi eld of administration with unique Themed “Fundamentals of Spon- sored Research director David Mayo, Certifi cates were also issued to those challenges. Qatar University hosted sored Projects Administration”, the and University of Wisconsin-Mad- who completed the course. experts from NCURA to share ex- training programme was organised ison director of Research Financial QU vice president for research perience with our team and other in collaboration with the National Services, Research and Sponsored and graduate studies Prof Mariam participants from Qatar. This train- Council of University Research Ad- Programmes Robert Andresen. al-Maadeed said: “Qatar University ing allowed research administration ministrators (NCURA). It aimed to They discussed several critical has always been on the forefront to professionals to develop their skills provide the participants with an topics such as the diff erence between meet the research challenges of the and get answers to their daily op- overview of the various aspects in- grants, contracts and co-operative country and therefore we conducted erational challenges. Qatar Univer- volved in sponsored projects admin- agreements, the underlying legal this training session. It was a very sity also invited participants from istration, including preparation and framework surrounding sponsored important event for the university as diff erent research offi ces in Qatar to review of proposals, negotiation and projects, co-funding with end-users, it sharpened the skills of the admin- build a community of research ad- acceptance of awards, fi nancial and audit and compliance, and ways of istrators and provided them with new ministrators in Qatar and increase Some of the participants at the NCURA Training. administrative management, and fi nding sources of funding. tips and tools in research administra- collaboration among local entities.” Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

RIGHTS CONFLICT REVOKED REFUGEES OBIT Cleric suspended for calling US-made bomb used in Lebanese panel annuls Tunisian navy rescues Former Egypt Brotherhood women ‘quarter brained’ fatal strike on Yemen kids law raising taxes 78 migrants off coast leader Akef dies aged 89

A Saudi cleric who said women should not be A US-made bomb was used in a Saudi-led strike Lebanon’s constitutional council decided yesterday Tunisia’s navy rescued 78 migrants including Former Muslim Brotherhood head Mohamed allowed to drive because they have a “quarter” of on Yemen’s capital last month that killed 16 civil- to annul a tax law that was passed by parliament to two girls after their vessel en route to Europe Mahdi Akef, who helped turn Egypt’s Islamist the brainpower of men has been banned from ians, including seven children, and orphaned a finance a $917mn public sector pay rise, a package took on water off the coast of Chebba and was movement into a major opposition force, died preaching, the government said yesterday. Saad young girl, Amnesty International said yesterday. that had attracted concern from economists. The stranded for three days, the defence ministry yesterday in a Cairo hospital aged 89, his daughter al-Hijri was suspended from leading prayers The rights watchdog said its arms expert ana- law included increases in value-added tax, corporate said yesterday. Human traffickers increasingly said. Aliya Mahdi Akef made the announcement and all other religious activity in the southern lysed remnants of the bomb recovered in Sanaa income tax, taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, use Tunisia as a launch pad for migrants head- on Facebook, saying “my father is in the care of Al- province of Asir after he was widely pilloried on and that it “bore clear markings that matched US- lottery prizes and interest on bank deposits, as well as ing for Europe after Libya’s coastguard aided lah (God)”. Ten months before his death, Akef had social media for his comment. Hijri said women made components commonly used in laser-guid- increases in fees and fines. The council unanimously by armed groups tightened its controls. “Naval been transferred from jail to the hospital in Cairo — who normally are “half-brained” compared to ed air-dropped bombs”. “We can now conclusively decided to refer the law back to parliament because forces rescued 78 illegal Tunisian migrants for cancer treatment, Brotherhood lawyer Abdel men — “end up with only a quarter” when they go say that the bomb that killed Buthaina’s parents it had not been passed as part of the annual budget 70 kilometres east of the coast of Chebba on Moneim Abdel Maqsud said. He had been arrested shopping and therefore must be denied driving and siblings, and other civilians, was made in the process, it said in a statement. Lebanon has a debt- board a boat that was damaged and leaking and jailed in 2013 after the military overthrew licences, according to an online video identifying USA,” said Amnesty’s Middle East research direc- to-GDP ratio of 148%, one of the highest in the world, water,” the ministry said in statement, adding Islamist president Mohamed Mursi and jailed his him as a senior religious figure. tor Lynn Maalouf. and recorded a fiscal deficit of $4.9bn last year. that nobody died in the incident. supporters and fellow Brotherhood members. Civilians leave IS-area in Iraq Kurd head resists eastern Syria after deal pressure to Reuters Beirut Opposition activist, undreds of civilians left daughter scrap vote a besieged Islamic State ‘assassinated’ Henclave in central Syria AFP opposed to the referendum in after the Syrian government A veteran Syrian opposition activ- Arbil, Iraq the oil-rich Kurdish region, and Islamic State reached an ist and her journalist daughter which it has called unconsti- evacuation deal, the Syrian Ob- were found stabbed to death tutional. servatory for Human Rights said at their apartment in Istanbul, raqi Kurdish leader Mas- In 2014, after a dispute over yesterday. Turkish reports said yesterday, soud Barzani insisted yes- oil exports, Baghdad decided The Syrian army could not in a crime supporters decried Iterday that a controversial to suspend payments to Bar- be reached for comment but a as an “assassination” to avenge September 25 independence zani’s Kurdish regional gov- Syrian military source quoted their work. Friends raised the referendum for his autono- ernment of 17% of Iraq’s na- on state media later said that alarm after being unable to reach mous Kurdish region in north- tional budget. the army and its allies had cap- Aroubeh Barakat and her daugh- ern Iraq will go ahead, even Wages, including those of tured several areas in the en- ter Halla Barakat by telephone as last-minute negotiations Kurdish peshmerga fi ghters, clave. for two days, the Dogan and aimed to change his mind. were slashed after the end of An insurgent source in north- Anadolu news agencies said. Iraq’s Kurds have faced those transfers, which were western Syria said the civilians Turkish police then arrived at mounting international pres- worth around $12bn (10bn eu- — mostly shepherds — from the their apartment in the Uskudar sure, including from neigh- ros) and made up 80% of the enclave, straddling the border district on the Asian side of bouring Iran and Turkey, to region’s budget revenues. between Hama and Homs prov- Istanbul and found both women call off the referendum that “The Iranians are still push- inces, had arrived in rebel-held dead. Anadolu said the police the UN Security Council has ing for negotiations between Idlib province. investigation concluded they had warned was potentially desta- Kurdistan and Baghdad,” the The Syrian army — supported been stabbed to death. bilising. source said. by Russian air power and mili- Unconfirmed reports said that “The referendum is no Soleimani has told Kurdish tias — isolated the pocket, Is- their throats had been cut. longer in my hands, nor is it in offi cials that “Iran is pres- lamic State’s last presence in A destroyed ambulance from the Syrian Civil Defence is seen in the town of Khan Sheikun in Idlib province The Hurriyet daily said forensic those of the (political) parties suring Baghdad so it accepts central Syria, in August during yesterday, following reported Russian air strikes. investigators believed that they — it is in your hands,” Barzani Kurdish demands and solves its eastward drive against the had been killed two or three told a large crowd at a football the issues of the budget, pesh- militants. British-based monitor said. days ago and the attacker had stadium in the regional capital merga salaries and disputed The military source said the Last week, militants launched poured lime over the corpses of Arbil. areas”. army had captured the areas of an off ensive against govern- and wrapped them in blankets “We say that we are ready Iraqi Kurdistan has since Mazin al-Baqr, Al-Mushirfa al- ment-held parts of northern to prevent any smell. Since the for serious open-minded dia- 2003 been made up of the Shomalia, Rasm al-Tawil and Hama province, advancing south outbreak of the Syrian civil war in logue with Baghdad, but after three provinces of Arbil, Do- Jawra al-Nazal,. from rebel-held Idlib. The Syr- 2011, Turkey has become home September 25, because now huk and Sulaimaniyah, but The Observatory reported ian government has responded to almost 3mn Syrian refugees, it is too late,” he said of Mon- its leaders have laid claim to that the government and Islamic with strikes on rebel-held posi- many of them opponents of day’s plebiscite. other areas that are constitu- State had fi nalised the deal on tions. the regime of President Bashar Today, the veteran Kurd- tionally under Baghdad’s au- Thursday, allowing Islamic State Russia, Iran and Turkey had al-Assad. The killings unleashed ish leader is to hold a news thority, including the oil-rich fi ghters, their families and civil- previously struck a tripartite a wave of shock and mourning conference at which he is ex- province of Kirkuk. ians to leave the pocket and cross deal to deploy an observer force among the exiled Syrian opposi- pected to announce defi ni- The Iraqi Kurds would like government areas into areas held on the edge of a designated “de- tion, whose National Coalition tively whether the vote will these disputed areas to take by Islamist groups.Some crossed escalation zone” in Idlib. grouping is based in Istanbul. take place. part in the vote. to areas held by Tahrir al-Sham, The militants who hold sway “The hand of terrorism and tyr- Negotiations are still going On Thursday, the UN Se- a militant alliance that includes in Idlib rejected the diplomatic anny is the prime suspect in this on aimed at persuading Bar- curity Council warned the the former Nusra Front group, in eff ort. The Syrian army’s main heinous crime of assassination,” zani to postpone any refer- referendum was “potentially northern Hama and eastern Idlib focus has been its off ensive the National Coalition said in a endum, according to offi cials destabilising”. The council provinces, it said. against Islamic State in the east statement.“We are confident that close to the discussions. urged “dialogue and compro- Others moved to camps of the country, where the mili- the investigations by the Turkish “Nothing is defi nitive yet. mise” to address diff erences set up west of the enclave in tant group is also facing an of- A still image taken from a video footage and released by Russia’s authorities will reveal the details,” Discussions are continuing to between the Iraqi government government-held areas in ac- fensive by the US-backed Syrian Defence Ministry yesterday, shows a missile hitting a building it added. try to off er him serious guar- and the regional authorities. cordance with tribal deals, the Democratic Forces. which the ministry said was an Islamic State target in Syria. antees that will convince him It also said the vote could to change his mind,” said one weaken the military campaign offi cial who did not wish to be against the Islamic State mili- identifi ed. tant group, “in which Kurd- Clashes kill three as Bashir urges reconciliation The commander of the Ira- ish forces have played a criti- nian Revolutionary Guards’ cal role”. Baghdad this week Clashes between Sudanese ernment forces, with three resi- Forces oust militants from Sharqat foreign operations, Major launched off ensives to oust IS forces and residents of a Darfur dents killed and 26 wounded, General Qassem Soleimani, from the last two pockets it camp for the displaced killed the UN peacekeeping mission was yesterday in the Iraqi controls in Iraq. three people yesterday, the in Darfur (UNAMID) said. “I call AFP lages around it that need to be had been rocked by fi ghting, and Kurdish province of Sulaim- Despite tensions over the UN said, as President Omar upon everyone involved in this Sharqat, Iraq liberated” from IS, the source the bodies of two militants in the aniyah and headed for Arbil, referendum, Iraqi forces yes- al-Bashir urged reconciliation situation to restore calm as said. back of a pickup. a high-ranking source in the terday recaptured IS-held in the war-torn region. Bashir, soon as possible,” mission chief Residents danced in the Sharqat was the fi rst goal of province said. Sharqat on their drive to re- is touring the region ahead of Jeremiah Mamabolo said. raqi forces achieved the streets earlier to celebrate as a major off ensive launched on “It’s his last visit before the take the nearby northern town a US decision next month on Thick smoke billowed from fi rst goal of a new off ensive government troops and para- Thursday to recapture an IS- referendum to advise Kurdish of Hawija back from the mili- whether to permanently lift a inside the camp as police in riot Iagainst the Islamic State militaries entered the town cen- held enclave centred on the offi cials that Iran is seriously tants. decades-old trade embargo on gear deployed outside and UN group on just its second day tre and tore down the black fl ags insurgent bastion of Hawija, hostile to it and warn them to On the political front, Prime Sudan. Yesterday, residents of ambulances ferried the wounded yesterday, capturing the north- of the militants who had ruled it the next goal of the operation, call it off ,” the source said. Minister Haider al-Abadi said Camp Kalma in South Darfur to clinics, reported an AFP pho- ern town of Sharqat, a military with an iron fi st for more than Hawija is some 30 kilometres to Iran and Turkey fear the on Tuesday he rejected an protesting against Bashir’s visit tographer taken to Darfur by the source said. three years. the southeast and one of the last vote in northern Iraq will stoke independence referendum to the region clashed with gov- authorities to cover Bashir’s visit. “The town of Sharqat is in our AFP correspondents saw lit- pockets still controlled by the separatist aspirations. under any form, even non- hands. There are still some vil- tle damage in the town which militants in Iraq. The Iraqi government is also binding. Rouhani vows to strengthen missiles despite criticism

AFP forces...When it comes to de- agency quoted Revolutionary Tehran fending our country, we will ask Guards aerospace chief General nobody for their permission.” Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying. Criticism by the Donald Iran says all of its missiles are resident Hassan Rouhani Trump administration of a 2015 designed to carry conventional vowed yesterday that Iran nuclear deal between Iran and warheads only and has lim- Pwould boost its ballistic major powers, including the ited their range to a maximum missile capabilities despite criti- United States, has focused heav- of 2,000 kilometres, although cism from the United States and ily on Tehran’s continuing mis- commanders say they have the also France. sile programme. technology to go further. His comments came as Iran Tehran says that the missiles That makes them only medi- displayed a new missile at a are entirely legitimate under the um-range but still suffi cient to military parade marking the an- terms of the deal as they are not reach Israel or US bases in the niversary of the outbreak of its designed to carry a nuclear war- Gulf. Thus far, the UN nuclear devastating 1980-1988 war with head. But Washington says they watchdog and the US State De- Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. breach the spirit of the agree- partment have reported that “Whether you like it or not, ment as they have the potential Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sits among senior army staff as he delivers his speech during the annual military parade marking the Tehran has complied with the we are going to strengthen our to carry a nuclear warhead and anniversary of the outbreak of its devastating 1980-1988 war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, in Tehran, yesterday. Right: The new Iranian terms of the nuclear deal. military capabilities which are has imposed new sanctions over long range missile Khoramshahr is displayed during the annual military parade. But Trump, who this week necessary for deterrence,” Rou- Tehran’s continuing launches described the deal as an “embar- hani said in a speech broadcast and tests. manuel Macron said the deal would see Iran resume some ura- Iran showed off a new mis- capital. “The Khoramshahr mis- rassment”, is due to report to the live on state television. “We will There has been some sym- could be expanded to ban mis- nium enrichment from 2025. sile, named Khoramshahr after sile has a range of 2,000 kilome- US Congress on October 15 on strengthen not only our mis- pathy for the US position from sile tests and cut a sunset clause But even he insisted that the a southwestern city, at an an- tres and can carry multiple war- whether or not he believes that siles but also our air, land and sea France, whose President Em- in the nuclear agreement that core deal not be dumped. niversary military parade in the heads,” the offi cial IRNA news Iran is in compliance. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, September 23, 2017 AFRICA

Tuaregs ‘No constitutional crisis’ sign deal Reuters Bamako

ival Tuareg groups said on Thursday that they Rhad signed a peace deal in if Kenya poll is delayed northern Mali, raising hopes of an end to years of fi ghting and AFP as to what the constitution pro- of opposition parties, Moses certainty over the upcoming broken ceasefi res. Nairobi vides,” Attorney General Githu Wetangula slammed the attor- election, both Kenyatta and his Senior members of the sepa- Muigai said at a press confer- ney general as “mischievous and rival Raila Odinga have shown ratist CMA and their pro-gov- ence, called to clarify the law on dishonest”. no sign of backing down from an ernment opponents known as huru Kenyatta will re- the issue. “From the day a gener- He said Kenyatta was now increasingly toxic war of words. the Platform said they had set- main Kenyan president al election is declared to the day merely a caretaker president, “Uhuru has gone berserk. tled their diff erences in the arid Uuntil a new leader is a new president or a re-elected and if the constitutional period Like a cornered bloody-minded region, which is still reeling from sworn in, the country’s attorney president is sworn in, govern- lapsed he will no longer be con- boxer, he is swaying on his feet, a 2012 Islamist insurgency. general said yesterday, seeking ment continues without lacuna, sidered the president. rocking the country and its in- Past deals have fi zzled as to ease fears of a constitutional without any void.” The Independent Electoral stitutions (with a) sudden fl urry goodwill faded – though observ- crisis if elections are delayed Muigai said that Kenyatta and Boundaries Commission of desperate punches – with the ers said they were optimistic, further. would retain full executive au- (IEBC) faces a mammoth task judiciary as his prime target,” as the pact had been signed in Questions have mounted over thority but would not be per- in organising a fresh election in Odinga said yesterday. Bamako on Wednesday night the status of the government af- mitted to make certain appoint- a little more than a month after He repeated his threat to boy- under the watch of the United ter the Supreme Court annulled ments or dismissals. being excoriated by the top court cott the new poll. Nations, government offi cials Kenyatta’s victory in August’s “Even in the very unlikely for bungling the August vote. He said that while NASA re- and international mediators. presidential election due to event that the election wasn’t The opposition, which ac- mained prepared for a new elec- “We assure that in future we widespread irregularities. held on the 60th day, that does cused the commission of rigging tion, it appeared increasingly will respect all the commitments A planned re-run has al- not delegitimise the constitu- the poll in favour of Kenyatta, likely their list of demands “will we have made before you and be- ready been delayed once – the tional order,” said Muigai. has demanded that top offi cials Muigai: there is no room for doubt as to what the constitution not be met and so there will be fore the international commu- vote is now set for October 26 He said that there were vari- be sacked and that providers of provides. no elections”. nity,” Platform offi cial Fahad Ag – prompting fears of a consti- ous methods of expanding that election materials and technol- The botched election has Almahamoud said on state radio. tutional crisis if the polls are not constitutional time period un- ogy be changed. properly verifying the result, “coup”, saying that it had un- plunged the country into its CMA offi cial Bilal Ag Cherif held within the 60-day limit, der the guidance of the Supreme The Supreme Court said that outlining a tallying process that dermined democracy by arguing biggest political crisis since a echoed the message, saying: which expires on October 31. Court. the IEBC had announced Keny- had gone “opaquely awry”. that “numbers don’t matter, it is disputed poll in 2007, which led “All parties must respect this “I wish to state categorically A leader from the National atta’s victory over opposition Kenyatta in turn accused processes that matter”. to violence that left more than document in their behaviour and that there is no room for doubt Super Alliance (NASA) coalition leader Raila Odinga without the court of staging a judicial As the country lingers in un- 1,100 people dead. their everyday actions.” Gigaba calls for probe into KPMG

Reuters fi rm to become embroiled in factional KPMG is already being investigated Johannesburg battles within South Africa’s political by the country’s Independent Regula- establishment. tory Board of Auditors for its work for The dismissal of its top manage- the Gupta companies. outh African law enforcement ment in the country last week followed A number of South African com- agencies should investigate an internal investigation which found panies are already reconsidering their SKPMG after the global auditor work it did for fi rms owned by the use of the fi rm. sacked its local leadership over work Gupta family, a trio of businessmen The fi nance minister called on com- done for business friends of President accused by a watchdog of improperly panies and other stakeholders to join Jacob Zuma, Finance Minister Malusi infl uencing the award of government hands and “(root) out bad elements” Gigaba said yesterday. contracts, “fell considerably short” of that undermine the South African KPMG is the latest international KPMG’s standards. economy.

Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille (third right), former archbishop Desmond Tutu and Western Cape Province Premier Helen Zille (third left) prepare to cut ribbons at the grand public opening of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art in Cape Town. Cape Town gallery showcasing contemporary African art opens

AFP privilege it is for me to support these The journey to this week’s open- Cape Town artists ... today is one of the high points ing began over a decade ago when the of my life,” he said at the opening. owners of the V&A Waterfront, a pop- Anti-apartheid icon, former arch- ular tourist and shopping destination, frica’s largest museum dedicat- bishop Desmond Tutu blessed the set out to rejuvenate a neglected cor- ed to the continent’s contem- opening ceremony and the South Af- ner of the harbour. Aporary art opened to the public rican Youth choir sang and danced to At stake was the future of the hulk- in Cape Town yesterday, becoming the mark the event. ing grain elevator made up of 118 sepa- region’s most signifi cant new cultural “It’s just so fantastic. This beautiful, rate storage compartments that had space in decades. beautiful art museum,” said Tutu, 85, long since fallen into disuse and fi lled The Zeitz Museum of Contempo- who also danced with the choir. “You with pigeon droppings. rary Art Africa is housed in a clutch of warm the cockles of my heart – and I After years of extensive remodelling, abandoned grain silos at the V&A Wa- don’t know what cockles are. Thank the silos themselves are now a work of terfront that have been transformed you all of you who have made this cre- art, their bare concrete cylinders con- with honeycomb lattice windows re- ation possible.” trasting starkly with the geometric, fl ecting the ocean and Table Mountain. Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille glass-clad offi ce blocks nearby. Its main backer is Jochen Zeitz, a called for art lovers worldwide to add “They were fi lled with quantities of former boss of sportswear company the museum to their bucket lists. pigeon poo that I’ve never seen in my Puma, and many of the museum’s “From the Cape to Cairo we are all life ... there were square tubes, round pieces are from his personal collection. Africans ... this today is the confi dence tubes, cruciform tubes, all to store “Some of the greatest talents in vis- that the world is showing in Africa,” grain,” said architect Thomas Heath- ual arts come from Africa and what a she said. erwick.

Central Africa seeks more UN troops

AFP of world leaders following his election He called for an easing of a 2013 Se- United Nations last year. curity Council arms embargo to allow The “real” reason behind the re- his government to purchase military newed violence is “the plundering and equipment for his national army. he Central African Republic fi erce competition for the control and One of the world’s poorest nations, (CAR)’s president has urged the illegal exploitation of the CAR’s min- the CAR descended into war in 2013 TUnited Nations to send more eral wealth”, he said. following the overthrow of Francois peacekeepers to his strife-torn coun- More than 600,000 people have Bozize by a coalition of Muslim-ma- try and ease an arms embargo in the fl ed violence within the country and a jority rebel groups called the Seleka. way of equipping his weak army. further 500,000 have crossed borders France intervened to stop the mass Addressing the UN General As- as refugees, while 2.4mn people are in killing and last year shut down its San- sembly, President Faustin-Archange need of emergency food aid, he said. garis mission there. Touadera said a recent upsurge in vio- The United Nations has warned that Christians, who account for about lence was linked to a battle for control the fl are-up in violence was the “early 80% of the population, have organised of the country’s natural resources, warning signs of genocide” and is con- vigilante units dubbed “anti-balaka”, a implicitly rejecting the view that the sidering beefi ng up its 12,000-strong reference to the machetes used by the clashes were sectarian. peacekeeping force in the country. Muslim rebels. “The humanitarian situation has Touadera described the current While Touadera’s government re- seriously deteriorated in many areas force level as “insuffi cient” to pro- mains in control in Bangui, its author- of my country following an increase tect civilians and said the number of ity is weak outside of the capital where in violence,” Touadera said during his peacekeepers should be “revised up- former Seleka groups and anti-balaka second address to the annual gathering wards”, given the size of the country. fi ghters have clashed. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 5 AMERICAS Trump is ‘preparing’ to replace travel ban Trudeau’s Chewbacca socks are seen during his participation in a Reuters The expiring ban blocked entry “The Trump administration ban into the United States should Critics have called the policy panel discussion at a Bloomberg Global Business Forum event in Washington into the US by people from Iran, will ensure we only admit those be far larger, tougher and more an unlawful “Muslim ban”, ac- New York on Wednesday. Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and who can be properly vetted and specifi c-but stupidly, that would cusing the Republican president Yemen for 90 days and locked out will not pose a threat to national not be politically correct!” of discriminating against Mus- resident Donald Trump most aspiring refugees for 120 security or public safety,” a White The New York Times reported lims in violation of constitution- is planning to replace his days to give Trump’s administra- House offi cial said without pro- that DHS initially identifi ed more al guarantees of religious liberty Psoon-to-expire travel ban tion time to conduct a worldwide viding details of the planned or- than six countries that were not and equal protection under the Trudeau triggers ‘spat’ on people from six Muslim-ma- review of US vetting procedures der. complying with security stand- law, breaking existing US immi- jority countries with a new one for foreign visitors. Trump, who promised as a ards that could block terrorists gration law, and stoking religious tailored on a country-by-coun- The review also was intended candidate to impose “a total and from entering the United States. hatred. with Chewbacca socks try basis and aff ecting slightly to determine which countries complete shutdown of Mus- US offi cials notifi ed those gov- The March order was intended more nations, US media reported presented particular security lims entering the United States”, ernments that travel to the Unit- to address legal issues raised by yesterday. threats. said the soon-to-expire ban was ed States could be severely lim- his January order, which caused Reuters Princess Leia – in 2015 to trick- Senior offi cials from the De- The existing refugee ban ex- needed to protect the United ited if they did not toughen their chaos at airports worldwide and Ottawa or-treat on Halloween with his partment of Homeland Secu- pires on October 24. States from terrorism. security standards, the Times prompted protests in major US children. rity (DHS), the White House, the The Wall Street Journal, quot- The legal question of whether reported. cities and airports. Hamill joked that Trudeau State Department and the Justice ing people familiar with the that ban discriminates against The new rules would not have States including Hawaii, the ustin Trudeau’s choice also wears Star Wars-themed Department were due early today process, reported that the presi- Muslims in violation of the US a stated end date, with countries American Civil Liberties Union in socks sparked a light- underclothes, tweeting that to brief reporters on “enhanced dent’s forthcoming order, rather Constitution, as lower courts facing the potential of being add- and refugee resettlement agen- Jhearted Twitter compe- “Plus – I have it on good au- global security measures”. than completely banning people previously ruled, will be argued ed or removed from the list at any cies challenged the March order tition between the stars of thority exactly what he was Trump’s six-nation travel ban, from the countries on the new before the Supreme Court on time, according to the Journal. in court. Star Wars and Star Trek after wearing UNDER his suit” along laid out in a March 6 executive list, would set up restrictions October 10. The March travel ban and an The March order took eff ect on the Canadian prime minister with a photo of Luke Skywalker order that was blocked by federal that diff er by nation, based on It was not clear how many earlier January one that targeted June 26 after the Supreme Court sported Chewbacca hosiery children’s underwear. courts before being allowed to go co-operation with American countries would be listed in the the same six countries as well as allowed the ban to go into eff ect during high-profi le appear- Trudeau tweeted a reply yes- into eff ect with some limits by mandates, the threat the United new order. Iraq are some of the most contro- for “foreign nationals who lack ances in New York City this terday: “Thanks Mark. Sadly the US Supreme Court in June, is States believes each country On September 15, Trump versial actions taken by Trump any bona fi de relationship with a week. those haven’t fi t in a while...” scheduled to expire tomorrow. presents and other variables. wrote on Twitter: “The travel since assuming offi ce in January. person or entity in the US”. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill along with a “may the Force be applauded the appearance of with you” Star Wars hashtag. his Wookie comrade on Tru- The prime minister’s of- deau’s socks, tweeting on fi ce declined to comment on Thursday that it was “another whether Trudeau’s sock choice reason” he loves the prime was causing friction between Obama-era guidance on college sex crimes rescinded minister. Star Wars and Star Trek fans. But Canadian actor William Trudeau’s penchant for Shatner, who starred in the wearing novelty socks to fi t Reuters Earlier in September, DeVos, a “This interim guidance will The interim guidelines off er es to investigate complaints even rival Star Trek franchise, sug- many occasions, including Washington controversial advocate of school help schools as they work to steps colleges can take to address if there was a criminal probe. gested his feelings were hurt socks celebrating gay pride, choice appointed by President combat sexual misconduct and sexual assault complaints. Unlike in criminal cases, where by the sock choice, tweeting North Atlantic Treaty Organi- Donald Trump, had called for an will treat all students fairly,” De- Those include counselling, guilt must be proved beyond a a tearful emoji and message: sation (Nato), and the Eid fes- S Education Secretary overhaul of the guidelines imple- Vos said in a statement yesterday. changing schedules, escort- reasonable doubt, universities “@JustinTrudeau I thought tival, has garnered both atten- Betsy DeVos said yester- mented under former president “Schools must continue to ing students, restricting contact may judge students based on a we were friends? Chewbacca tion and disdain. Uday that her department Barack Obama. confront these horrifi c crimes between the parties, housing preponderance of evidence. socks?” A New York Times story in was issuing new guidelines on She said that too many stu- and behaviours head-on,” DeVos changes, leaves of absence and That guidance “may have Trudeau is a well-known fan June speculated the “sock di- how to handle sexual assault al- dents had been falsely charged said. “But the process also must more security and monitoring of been well-intentioned”, the de- of Star Wars, having dressed plomacy” symbolised Tru- legations, rescinding Obama with sexual assault and schools be fair and impartial, giving eve- certain areas of campuses. partment said, but it led to “the as Han Solo – with his wife deau’s refusal to be bound by administration rules that it said were terrifi ed about being ac- ryone more confi dence in its out- The Obama guidelines, issued deprivation of rights for many Sophie Gregoire Trudeau as antiquated mores. treated the accused unfairly. cused of ignoring accusations. comes.” in 2011 and 2014, required colleg- students”.

Republicans’ new health bill hits women hardest: experts

By Jessica Glenza from using federal funds to provide abor- Guardian News & Media tion. “The biggest issue is defunding of Planned Parenthood,” said Schubel. “In new Republican attempt to reform some areas, they’re the only game in town the American healthcare system – so to speak – that’s aff ordable for low- Awould have a disproportionate im- income women.” pact on women, experts have warned. The bill would make Planned Parenthood Republicans have pitched changes to the ineligible for Medicaid funding, which pays American health system which focus on for the care of many of the poor women who “fl exibility” for states to opt in or out of the use the clinics. coverage they believe they need. In Texas, after Planned Parenthood was But experts said funding cuts and weaker defunded, teen birth rates surged and up to insurance regulations would leave more fe- thousands of women faced gaps in health male patients worse off , hitting access to coverage. reproductive health hardest. Earlier this year, a public health expert “The Graham-Cassidy bill is an assault told the Guardian: “I hate to say it, but I on healthcare, period. But I really think think an awful lot of women just opted to go women, particularly poor women, are bear- without care.” ing the brunt of this,” said Jessica Schubel, More negative impacts from Graham- a senior policy analyst at the progressive Cassidy are dictated by demographics. Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities. Most people in America get insurance At the heart of the bill brought forward through their job, but many women receive by the Republican senators Lindsey Gra- benefi ts through their husband’s employer. ham and Bill Cassidy is a proposal to change That means if women are widowed or di- how the federal government pays for health vorced, they are at a greater risk of becom- programmes, handing over more control to ing uninsured. states through fi nite budgets called “block This risk would be even greater under the grants”. Graham-Cassidy bill, simply because of States stand to lose up to $4tn over 20 funding cuts. years, the Washington DC-based consult- There would be fewer subsidies for pri- ing fi rm Avalere health estimated. vate health insurance plans, and less money Republicans have repeatedly attempted for Medicaid, a government health insur- to undo the Aff ordable Care Act (ACA), bet- ance programme for the poor and disabled. ter known as Obamacare, as part of a push to Further, proposed cuts to Medicaid could fulfi l seven years of campaign promises and aff ect millions of pregnant women and eld- undermine a signature achievement of the erly women who rely on the programme. Obama administration that provided health Almost half of all births in the United insurance to an estimated 20mn Americans. States are paid for by Medicaid, and four of Nevertheless, despite controlling both fi ve nursing home residents older than 85 houses of Congress and the White House, are women, largely supported by Medicaid. Republicans have repeatedly been unable to The Graham-Cassidy bill would also al- do so. low states to opt out of certain insurance Republicans hope to push this latest bill regulations, such as a requirement that in- through the Senate within a week. surance companies off er maternity benefi ts. One of the most concerning provisions In that case, the annual cost to buy such in the Graham-Cassidy bill, advocates coverage could be $17,000, the Congres- said, was a push to defund the reproductive sional Budget Offi ce has estimated in its health provider Planned Parenthood. appraisal of earlier Republican eff orts to re- The not-for-profi t organisation provides shape health care. abortion services, which is why Republicans “The whole thing is egregious,” said Katie want to defund it. Martin, vice-president of health policy and However, it also provides cancer screen- programmes at the National Partnership for ings, sexually-transmitted infection tests Women and Families. and contraceptive services at 650 clinics She called the bill “an absolute disaster across the country. for women and families who rely on aff ord- Planned Parenthood is already barred able healthcare to thrive in society”.

Bill Clinton’s upcoming novel to become a TV series

Former US president Bill Clinton’s debut disappearance of a sitting US president and novel will not hit shelves for almost a year, will draw on Clinton’s knowledge of holding but it is already getting the TV treatment as the off ice. Showtime said yesterday that it would adapt It is due to be published in June 2018. the anticipated book into a series. “I’m really enjoying writing this book Clinton’s The President Is Missing, co- and working with Jim,” Clinton said in a authored with prolific thriller writer statement. “And I can’t wait to see Showtime James Patterson, will follow the sudden bring the characters to life.” Gulf Times 6 Saturday, September 23, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Bali volcano on highest New Zealand goes to polls today alert level, scores fl ee Reuters prime minister and the young- immigration, spelling ramifi ca- in and shows there is a decent be announced on October 7. Wellington est of recent times. tions for the New Zealand dol- chance of a change in govern- The new government’s make- “It’s tight,” Ardern, whose lar, the world’s 11th most traded ment, I think that could be a up will also depend on negotia- AFP so we are afraid and I have taken popularity prompted media to currency in 2016. factor weighing on the curren- tions between parties that could Karangasem, Indonesia all my family members to the ew Zealanders go to coin the term “Jacindamania”, Ardern wants to add em- cy, just from an unknown point last weeks, particularly if the re- refugee shelter,” villager I Wayan the polls today in the said yesterday. “It shows that ployment to the central bank’s of view.” sults are close. Winston Peters, Suwarjana told AFP. Nmost volatile and hard- every single vote will count infl ation-targeting mandate, Given New Zealand’s Ger- leader of the nationalist New ndonesian offi cials raised the National disaster agency fought race in recent history, and that turnout will deter- which could mean more stim- man-style proportional repre- Zealand First Party, which is highest possible alert for a spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nu- which could usher in a change in mine this election.” Labour ulatory monetary policy. She sentation system, it could take likely to become the kingmaker, Ivolcano on the resort island groho advised people to stay calm openness to migration and trade hopes to ride a worldwide also wants to cut migration and weeks to determine the compo- has declined to say which bloc of Bali late yesterday, after trem- and not to believe rumours. The and the central bank’s approach wave of change that most re- renegotiate certain trade deals, sition of the new government, of parties will get his support ors prompted thousands to fl ee airport on Bali’s capital Denpasar, to monetary policy. cently propelled France’s Em- which some worry could hurt with minority parties expected until the results become offi cial over fears it could erupt for the a top holiday destination that at- Volatile opinion polls have manuel Macron to become its two key sources of growth for to have an outsize impact. on October 12. fi rst time in more than 50 years. tracts millions of foreign tourists shown a neck-and-neck race, youngest head of state since New Zealand’s small, outward- About 986,000 ballots have With a loss in momentum in Mount Agung, about 75km every year, has not been aff ected although the ruling National Napoleon. looking economy. Election un- already been cast, says the Elec- the Labour campaign, the lat- from the tourist hub of Kuta, but airport management are Party of Prime Minister Bill English, a 55-year-old former certainty could have temporar- toral Commission, accounting est polls suggest it is more likely has been rumbling since August watching the situation closely. English has led in recent polls, fi nance minister who took over ily weighed on the economy, for almost a third of the 3.2mn that Peters will join forces with and offi cials have recommended The Australian government with two giving it a lead of after John Key’s shock resigna- by making fi rms more cautious voters enrolled. In past elec- National, said Oliver Hartwich, that people stay at least 9km put out a travel advisory yes- nearly 10 points. A change in tion last year, is making his sec- over investments and hiring, tions, advanced votes pointed executive director at the New away from the crater. Hundreds terday instructing travellers to the Labour Party leadership last ond bid to be elected leader after said Philip Borkin, a senior to the fi nal results. But “special Zealand Initiative think tank. of small tremors have rattled exercise a high degree of caution month turned what had been a failed attempt in 2002. Both economist at ANZ. votes”, from voters overseas and “It would be hard for him to the mountain this week, causing in Indonesia and follow the in- expected to be a dull campaign leaders are expected to stay the A tight outcome could weigh outside their home constituen- argue why he would give it to almost 10,000 people to leave structions of authorities. More into a nail-biting event, with course in terms of fi scal pru- on the currency as could one cies, could sway the outcome. Labour if they are really 8 to 9 their homes as of yesterday over than 1,000 people died when 37-year old Jacinda Ardern vy- dence, but will probably diff er foreshadowing a change in gov- This category, which made up percentage points behind,” he fears of a volcanic eruption. Mount Agung last erupted in ing to become the third woman on monetary policy, trade and ernment, he added. “If it comes 12% of votes in 2014, will only added. “Tremors happen very often, 1963. N Korea may consider H-bomb test in Pacifi c

Reuters scribed the threat as “totally un- clear programme had damaged However, the rhetoric was not accord with the facts. Seoul acceptable”. ties and suggested Beijing, its starting to rattle some in the in- “In principle, China has al- Trump said in his fi rst address only major ally, had sided with ternational community. French ways fully and strictly enforced to the United Nations on Tues- Washington. Sports Minister Laura Flessel said UN resolutions and accepted our orth Korea said yester- day he would “totally destroy” Singling out the offi cial Peo- France’s team would not travel to international obligations”. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivering a statement in day it might test a hy- North Korea, a country of 26mn ple’s Daily and its more nation- the 2018 Winter Olympic Games He did not elaborate. Pyongyang in response to a speech made by President Trump at Ndrogen bomb (H-bomb) people, if it threatened the Unit- alistic sister publication, the in South Korea if its security the UN General Assembly. over the Pacifi c Ocean after US ed States and its allies, and called Global Times, KCNA said Chi- could not be guaranteed. Additional sanctions President Donald Trump vowed Kim a “rocket man” on a suicide nese media was “openly resort- The 2018 Games are to be The additional sanctions on who conduct “signifi cant trade Korea since 2006, the latest this to destroy the reclusive coun- mission. ing to interference in the internal staged in Pyeongchang, just Pyongyang, including on its in goods, services or technology month capping fuel supplies to try, with leader Kim Jong-un Kim said the North would aff airs of another country” and 80km from the demilitarised shipping and trade networks, with North Korea”. the isolated state. South Korean promising to make a “mentally consider the “highest level of driving a wedge between the two zone between North and South showed Trump was giving more Trump did not mention President Moon Jae-in, who ad- deranged” Trump pay dearly for hard-line countermeasure in countries. Korea, the world’s most heavily time for economic pressure Pyongyang’s oil trade. dressed the UN General Assem- his threats. history” against the United armed border. to weigh on North Korea after The White House said North bly, said sanctions were needed Kim did not specify what ac- States and that Trump’s com- Escalating rhetoric Asian stocks fell, and the Japa- warning about the possibility Korea’s energy, medical, mining, to bring Pyongyang to the nego- tion he would take against the ments had confi rmed his own The escalating rhetoric came nese yen and Swiss franc gained, of military action on Tuesday. textiles, and transport industries tiating table, but Seoul was not United States or Trump, with nuclear programme was “the even as UN Secretary-General on the possibility of a hydrogen Asked ahead of a lunch meet- were among those targeted and seeking North Korea’s collapse. whom he has traded insults in correct path”. Antonio Guterres called for bomb test in the Pacifi c. ing with the leaders of Japan that the US Treasury could sanc- “All of our endeavours are to recent weeks. South Korea said Pyongyang conducted its statesmanship to avoid “sleep- MSCI’s broadest index of and South Korea on Thursday tion anyone who owns, controls prevent war from breaking out it was the fi rst direct statement sixth and largest nuclear test on walking” into a war. Asia-Pacifi c shares outside Ja- if diplomacy was still possible, or operates a port of entry in and maintain peace,” Moon said. of its kind by a North Korean September 3 and has launched South Korea, Russia and Chi- pan handed back earlier gains Trump nodded and said: “Why North Korea. US Treasury Secre- He warned the nuclear issue had leader. dozens of missiles this year as it na all urged calm. and was down 0.4%. In Thurs- not?” tary Steven Mnuchin said banks to be managed in a stable fash- However, Kim’s foreign min- accelerates a programme aimed Asked whether China had day’s sanctions announcement, Trump said the new executive doing business in North Korea ion, so that “accidental military ister, Ri Yong-ho, said in tele- at enabling it to target the United spoken to North Korea about Trump stopped short of going order on sanctions gives further would not be allowed to operate clashes will not destroy peace”. vised remarks North Korea could States with a nuclear-tipped the latest threat, foreign minis- after Pyongyang’s biggest trad- authorities to target individual in the United States. The United States and South consider a hydrogen bomb test missile. “I will surely and defi - try spokesman Lu Kang said the ing partner, China, praising as companies and institutions “Foreign fi nancial institutions Korea are technically still at war of an unprecedented scale over nitely tame the mentally de- North was very clear about its “tremendous” a move by its cen- that fi nance and facilitate trade are now on notice that going for- with North Korea because the the Pacifi c Ocean. Ri, who was ranged US dotard with fi re,” Kim neighbour’s opposition to the tral bank ordering Chinese banks with North Korea. It “will cut ward they can choose to do busi- 1950-53 Korean confl ict ended talking to reporters in New York said in the statement carried by repeated nuclear tests. to stop doing business with off sources of revenue that fund ness with the United States or with a truce and not a peace treaty. ahead of a planned address later the KCNA state news agency. “All relevant sides should ex- North Korea. Asked about the North Korea’s eff orts to develop with North Korea, but not both,” The North accuses the United this week, also said he did not In a separate report, KCNA ercise restraint and dedicate order yesterday, China’s foreign the deadliest weapons known to Mnuchin said. States, which has 28,500 troops know Kim’s exact thoughts. made a rare criticism of offi - themselves to easing the situa- ministry spokesman Lu said, “As humankind”, Trump said. The The UN Security Council in South Korea, of planning to Japan, the only country ever cial Chinese media, saying their tion rather than irritating each far as I understand, the situation US Treasury Department now has unanimously imposed nine invade and regularly threatens to to suff er an atomic attack, de- comments on the North’s nu- other,” he said. you have just mentioned does had authority to target those rounds of sanctions on North destroy it and its Asian allies. Setting sail Fresh fi res, bomb blast in Rakhine, unrest rages

AFP Myanmar’s government admits Sittwe, Myanmar that scores of villages have been burned down over the past month. Those refugees have largely fl ed wenty homes caught fi re south, with some cramming into and a bomb was deto- temples and even a derelict foot- Tnated near a mosque in ball stadium outside the state cap- Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the ital of Sittwe. The government has government said yesterday, the blocked independent media ac- latest unrest in a region that has cess to the confl ict zone in north- seen hundreds of thousands of ern Rakhine, making it diffi cult Rohinyga Muslims fl ee in under a Rohingya refugee Mohamed to verify the swirl of claims and month. The violence comes days Sayedb shows his Myanmar’s counterclaims that has amplifi ed after Myanmar’s civilian lead- national registration card at Myanmar’s already bitter ethnic er Aung San Suu Kyi declared the entrance of a Bangladeshi divides. that the military had ceased its government registration office Suu Kyi, who lacks control “clearance operations” in the in the refugee camp of over the army in a delicate pow- border area. Kutupalong near Ukhia. er-sharing agreement, broke her But civilian refugees stream- silence on the crisis in a televised ing into Bangladesh say they Kyain Chaung village on Thurs- address pitched to an interna- were terrorised by soldiers and day night, according to a state- tional community baffl ed by her A cruise ship leaves Sydney Harbour yesterday. vigilante Buddhist mobs who ment posted by the government’s failure to speak up for the Ro- torched their villages to the Information Committee. “Secu- hingya. The Muslim minority is ground. The testimony, along- rity members went and checked denied citizenship by the state side satellite images of some the fi re and are investigating its and has been the target of fes- 200 villages reduced to ash, cause,” said the statement, adding tering Islamaophobia in mainly have fuelled accusations that that the fl ames burned through a Buddhist Myanmar for years. Myanmar’s army is systemati- community previously hit by fi re. The Nobel laureate expressed Australian police hunt killer of giant crocodile cally purging a Muslim minority The following morning a bomb sympathy for the “suff ering of all haunted by years of persecution. detonated outside of a mosque in people” swept up in the violence. The UN has described the Mi Chaung Zay village in nearby But she also tried to paint a glass- AFP illegal to ‘take’ and kill a croco- mal has changed the balance of Joyce added that he didn’t military campaign as “ethnic Buthidaung township, according half-full picture of the situation Sydney dile without authority and po- the crocodile population in the think the crocodile had posed cleansing”. to the government. in Rakhine, announcing that lice will work closely with (the Fitzroy,” the environment de- a problem but rather, was “an The latest violence saw 20 No deaths or injuries were re- “more than 50 percent of the vil- environment department) to partment’s diversity operations important part of our ecosys- homes catch fi re in Maungdaw’s ported in either incident. lages of Muslims are intact.” manhunt has begun for locate the person responsible,” director Michael Joyce told the tem”. the killer of a giant salt- Queensland police said. Australian Broadcasting Cor- Saltwater crocodile num- Awater crocodile in Aus- Under the state’s conserva- poration. “And we can expect bers have exploded since they Roadside bomb kills four Thailand soldiers tralia, as authorities warned tion laws, the maximum pen- increased aggressive activity by were declared a protected spe- its death would trigger more alty for the unlawful killing younger male crocodiles. That’s cies in the 1970s, with recent Four Thai soldiers were killed and by, Thai PBS reported, citing is a predominantly Buddhist aggressive behaviour among of a crocodile is A$28,383.75 because they will be competing attacks reigniting debate about six others were injured yesterday a local military spokesman. A country but the Muslim-majority younger crocs in the area. The (US$22,530). The incident to take the dominant position controlling them. The “salties”, when a bomb exploded in the photograph posted online by Thai deep south is plagued by a carcass of a 5.2-m adult male sparked warnings about height- which is now vacant.” Joyce said. which can grow up to 7m long southern province of Pattani, PBS showed a silver pickup truck separatist insurgency that has was found in the Fitzroy Riv- ened aggression among young- “He is a crocodile that does and weigh more than a tonne, local media reported. The bomb, that had its back section blown left more than 6,500 people dead er in central Queensland on er crocodiles in the wake of the spend a fair bit of time control- are a common feature of the which was believed to be hidden off completely, with charred since 2004. A female civilian in Thursday with a single gunshot giant predator’s death. ling the river and controlling vast continent’s tropical north in a drainage pipe under a road, debris scattered across the road. the truck was also reportedly wound to the head, the envi- “People need to clearly un- the young animals that are in and kill an average of two peo- detonated as a pickup truck Pattani is around 1,000km south injured in the blast, which ronment department said. “It is derstand the death of this ani- the river.” ple a year. carrying the soldiers passed of the capital Bangkok. Thailand occurred around 6:15am. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 7 BRITAIN

CRIME THREAT TRAGEDY TREND TRAVEL Woman held over murder Owner of house where 35 Missing patient found Hate crimes against Plunging pound leads to of seven-year-old boy men live to sue council dead on hospital roof London police soar record overseas tourists

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of The owner of a three-bedroom house in north- A patient fell to his death on to a hospital roof The number of police officers and staff in Overseas visitors flocked to Britain in record murdering a seven-year-old boy found dead at west London where 35 men are living in rooms where his body lay undiscovered for days. The London subjected to racist or religious hate numbers in July and spent more than ever in a house in a Shropshire village. The woman, 44, full of mattresses has insisted he had no idea of man, in his twenties, was reported missing from crime has risen by more than 50% in two response to the improved spending power off ered was badly injured and was airlifted to hospital the conditions at the property and threatened to the hospital ward three days before his body years, official figures show. Metropolitan by the low pound. Non-UK residents made 4mn after police were called to Wall under Heywood, take legal action against the council for calling was found by staff at St George’s hospital in police data shows more than 700 of its visits to Britain in July, an increase of 6% on Church Stretton. Emergency services were called him a rogue landlord. Brent council raided the Tooting. A post-mortem examination revealed staff were the subject to such hate crimes last year and spent £2.7bn, up 3% on July 2016, out on Thursday night to a semi-detached house property on Winchester Avenue, Queensbury, that the man died of injuries “consistent with in 2016-17. The offences recorded included according to the Off ice for National Statistics. where the boy was found dead and the woman after complaints from neighbours. The owner of a fall”. Police were not treating the death as harassment, racially or religiously aggravated The increase in foreign visitors during the peak had injuries to her neck and arm. Police said her the property, Sunil Hathi, who is a doctor, pledged suspicious. The hospital, which is where the grievous bodily harm. The chairman of the summer months failed to match the rise around injuries were not life-threatening and off icers to evict the men as soon as possible. Hathi said Channel 4 documentary 24 Hours In A&E is Metropolitan Police Federation said the rise the Easter period, when their numbers and the were not looking for anyone else in connection he was aggrieved at the council’s statement that filmed, said it was investigating the incident and on 2014-15 figures was abhorrent. The data amount they spent increased by about 20% on the with the incident. West Mercia police have not put the blame on him. “Brent council says it was could not comment further. When the body was showed that 667 officers were victims of year before. The surge in tourist numbers during said how the boy and woman were linked but it a ‘rogue landlord.’ I resent these defamatory discovered, police were called to the scene and racially or religiously motivated hate crimes in the spring meant the growth rate since January is believed she was the child’s mother. comments. and I am speaking with my lawyers.” the man’s next of kin were informed. 2016-17, up from 428 in 2014-15. remained in line with expectations last year at 8%. Uber loses its licence to operate in London

Guardian News and Media – it would be wrong if TfL con- London tinued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and ber’s application for a security.” new licence in London Uber said in a statement that Uhas been rejected on the the decision would “show the basis that the company is not a world that, far from being open, “fi t and proper” private car hire London is closed to innovative operator. companies”. Uber said it planned to chal- “3.5mn Londoners who use lenge the ruling by London’s our app, and more than 40,000 transport authority in the courts licensed drivers who rely on immediately. Uber to make a living, will be The current licence expires on astounded by this decision,” the September 30 but Uber has 21 company added. days to appeal and can continue “To defend the livelihoods of to operate until that process ex- all those drivers, and the con- pires. sumer choice of millions of Transport for London said Londoners who use our app, we Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her Brexit speech at the Complesso Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy, yesterday. that it had rejected the US ride- intend to immediately challenge hailing company’s application this in the courts.” to renew its licence because James Farrar, a co-claimant in “Uber’s approach and conduct a landmark employment tribunal demonstrate a lack of corporate decision against Uber and chair responsibility” in relation to re- of the Independent Workers’ porting serious criminal off enc- Union of Great Britain’s private es, obtaining medical certifi cates hire drivers’ branch, said TfL’s PM sets out transition plan and driver background checks. decision would be a “devastating The licensing body also said blow” for the company’s drivers. it was concerned by Uber’s use “To strip Uber of its licence of of Greyball, software that can after fi ve years of laissez-faire be used to block regulatory bod- regulation is a testament to a ies from gaining full access to its systemic failure at TfL,” Farrar app and undertaking regulatory said. in bid to unlock Brexit talks or law enforcement duties. “Rather than banish Uber, The Mayor of London, Sadiq TfL should have strengthened Reuters Another offi cial said it had es and public services should refusing to discuss trading ar- “honour commitments we have Khan, said he fully supported its regulatory oversight, curbed Florence, Italy left him “even more concerned”. only have to plan for one set of rangements until “suffi cient made during the period of our the decision to revoke Uber’s runaway licensing and protected In a speech at a 14th-century changes in the relationship be- progress” is made on the fi rst membership”. licence, saying all companies the worker rights of drivers. The church in Florence, Italy, May tween the UK and the EU,” May three issues — the fi nancial “I do not want our partners needed to “play by the rules”. mayor must call for an urgent rime Minister Theresa appealed directly to EU leaders told an audience of Italian busi- settlement, the land border to fear that they will need to pay He said: “I want London to independent review of TfL to May yesterday set out to unlock the talks, which have ness leaders and diplomats. with EU member Ireland and more or receive less over the re- be at the forefront of innovation identify the causes of failure and Pa plan to retain full ac- stalled over a series of issues, “So during the implemen- the protection of expatriates’ mainder of the current budget and new technology and to be a prevent something like this from cess to the EU’s single market including the size of the bill tation period, access to one rights. plan as a result of our decision natural home for exciting new ever happening again.” for two years after Brexit to try Britain should pay as part of its another’s markets should con- Beyond her vision for a tran- to leave,” she said. companies that help Londoners In London, Uber has faced to reassure business and reset divorce settlement. tinue on current terms, and sition, involving around two May has long said Britain will by providing a better and more criticism from unions, lawmak- the tone of stalled negotiations She spent much of her Britain also should continue to years of trading on the same honour its fi nancial obligations, aff ordable service. ers and traditional black cab with Brussels. 30-minute speech describing take part in existing security terms, but no payments for but she did not mention the “However, all companies in drivers over working conditions. But her proposals for such a the similarities between Brit- measures.” access to the EU single mar- 20bn euro fi gure reported in lo- London must play by the rules Globally, Uber has endured a transition, for meeting Britain’s ain and the EU, saying that if Britain wants to move the ket, May pledged to protect EU cal media in the days running up and adhere to the high standards tumultuous few months after a fi nancial obligations and for the complicated talks to unravel talks forward and start address- citizens’ rights in Britain after to the speech. we expect –particularly when it string of scandals involving alle- protecting EU citizens’ rights more than 40 years of union ing how a future relationship Brexit, saying that decisions by She said little on Ireland, be- comes to the safety of customers. gations of sexism and bullying at fell short of what the EU wanted. should fail, the only benefi ciar- with the EU would work, a move the European Court of Justice yond noting that no one wanted Providing an innovative service the company, leading to investor EU Brexit negotiator Michel ies would be those who oppose May’s government says is vital if would be taken into account by a return to a “hard border” with must not be at the expense of pressure that forced out former Barnier praised the speech for democracy, liberalism and free they want to fi nd agreement on British courts. British-ruled Northern Ireland customer safety and security. chief executive and co-founder its “constructive spirit” but trade. the divorce bill. On the fi nancial settlement, that could reignite tensions on “I fully support TfL’s decision Travis Kalanick. asked for more detail. “Clearly people, business- But the EU has stood fi rm, she also said Britain would the island. Pair accused of murder Teenager charged as nanny’s body found over Tube attack AFP by the Islamic State group. London Hassan was arrested in Dover London Evening Standard more than a year. The formal charge children and a nice person.” shortly before 8am the following London does not identify Lionnet, saying Mary Whittaker, 59, said: “She day. “Thank goodness nobody “victim unknown”, but claims the was so good with children and olice yesterday said they was killed at Parsons Green. It murder allegedly happened be- had a lovely face. She was kind had charged an 18-year- must have been absolutely hor- n ex-girlfriend of one of tween September 7 and 20. and quite shy. With the children Pold man with attempted rifi c for the people in the train. As the founding members The nanny grew up in the she set up a mini shop on the murder following last week’s you know, many people suff ered Aof Boyzone appeared in northern French town of Troyes. street selling sweets and biscuits. bombing of a London Under- injuries,” Dick told LBC radio. court yesterday charged with the She is thought to have been living “She really made an eff ort with ground train, which injured 30 “That was a very, very dan- murder of a French nanny whose in Southfi elds for 14 months car- them. We are all so upset — it’s like people. gerous bomb. It partially deto- charred remains were found in ing for Kouider’s three-year-old the Hammer House Of Horror.” Ahmed Hassan, who was ar- nated. It had a large quantity of her back garden. daughter and the six-year-old son Sunny Patel said: “She was rested the morning after the at- explosive and it was packed with Sabrina Kouider, 34, was re- she had with Mark Walton, one of low-key, she held the children’s tack on September 15, was also shrapnel.” manded in custody at Wimble- the original members of Boyzone. hands. She used to come in my charged with use of the explosive Three other men, aged 17, 25, don magistrates’ court with Ou- Kouider and Walton separated shop to buy cigarettes and gro- triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a 30, remain in custody in connec- issem Medouni, 40, who faces the several years ago. He now lives in ceries. She was a nice person and statement said. tion with the attack. Two men same charge. The body of Sophie Los Angeles, working as an in- cared about the kids.” The teenager, who is believed aged 21 and 48 were released with Lionnet, 21, was discovered yes- ternational A&R consultant, ac- In France, a friend from her old to be an Iraqi orphan, lived with no further action on Thursday. terday in the garden of Kouider’s cording to his LinkedIn page. He school, the Andre Malraux Paron British foster parents in the Interior Minister Amber Rudd £900,000 fl at in south London. is also one of the judges on the College in Paron, about 70 miles London suburb of Sunbury. The has announced an extra £24mn Neighbours had reported Vietnamese version of Pop Idol. south-east of Paris, recalled a house was one of several ad- of funding for counter-terrorism a bonfi re and “foul-smelling Kouider, a French national, has “happy, socially aware young dresses searched by police after policing following the bombing, smoke” on Wednesday after- posed for numerous pictures on woman who everybody loved.” the attack. in addition to £707mn previ- noon. The relationship between social media showing her at vari- The friend, who did not want Earlier yesterday London po- ously announced support for Kouider and Medouni, who were ous restaurants. She claimed to to be named, added: “Sophie had lice chief Cressida Dick said the 2017-2018. arrested at the scene in Wim- work as a stylist, make-up artist, a social conscience of somebody bomb set off on a packed rush- But while the government has bledon Park Road in Southfi elds fashion designer and songwriter. who was far older. She took up all hour tube train was “very, very committed to increase the over- yesterday, was unknown. Neighbours described Lion- kinds of causes, and wanted to dangerous” and had been packed all spend on counter-terrorism Police have been unable to net as an “angel”. Jamie Patel make a diff erence. She was bright with shrapnel. by £3bn, Sara Thornton, head of identify the age or gender of the said: “She was very shy and and good at sport and dreamt of The explosion at Parsons Green National Police Chiefs’ Council remains. However, the victim is humble, a very beautiful person. making the world a better place. Police stand at the entrance to a property, where the charred station in south-west London, (NPCC), said that not enough of understood to be Lionnet, who is We cannot understand how this Sophie did well in her studies, remains of a body were found in the back garden, in Southfields, was Britain’s fi fth terror attack the budget would support front- said to have worked for Kouider for happened. She was great with and wanted to travel.” yesterday. in six months, and was claimed line offi cers. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, September 23, 2017 EUROPE Macron enacts labour reforms AFP contained in fi ve executive or- forms, led by the largest and most traditional left and right parties, Paris ders, seated at his desk in the militant union, the CGT. which have been eclipsed by Ma- Elysee Palace before television But the resistance has been cron’s centrist Republic on the cameras in a US-inspired novelty weaker than that faced by Ma- Move. resident Emmanuel Ma- for a French president. cron’s Socialist predecessor But the reform comes as the cron has signed sweeping The overhaul, eagerly awaited Francois Hollande over his more former investment banker’s ap- Pchanges to France’s com- by the business community and limited changes to the labour proval ratings plunge, with re- plex labour code into law, ram- France’s EU partners, was fast- code, which sparked a wave of cent polls showing that only ming through a landmark reform tracked via executive orders as a sometimes violent protests last around 40% of French voters are Macron signs documents in front of the media to promulgate a new labour bill in his off ice at the Elysee four months into his administra- way of avoiding a prolonged de- year. satisfi ed with his performance. Palace. With him are French Labour Minister Muriel Penicaud, and government spokesman and French tion despite protests from hard- bate in parliament. On Thursday, some 132,000 Protesters have seized upon Junior Minister for the Relations with Parliament Christophe Castaner. line unions. The measures chip into worker people demonstrated across his recent criticism of opponents “The reform ... constitutes protections that have long been France, just over half the num- to the labour market changes as “He knows he won’t be defeat- Public opinion is divided, ac- mandate for change after his an unprecedented transforma- sacrosanct in France, frustrat- bers who took part last week in “slackers”, with slogans such as ed in the street,” Braud told AFP. cording to a recent BVA poll, presidential win in May and his tion of our social model (and) ing reform-minded governments the fi rst major protests to chal- “Watch out, Macron, the slackers Macron insists that his signa- with most respondents saying party’s thumping parliamentary the economic functioning of our whether on the left or the right. lenge Macron since his election are in the street” ture reform off ers the best cure to they think the reform will boost victory in June. country,” the 39-year-old Ma- But Macron insisted yesterday in May. CGT leader Philippe Martinez France’s stubbornly high unem- France’s competitiveness but fail “Democracy does not hap- cron said, adding that it had been that the reform contained “new The CGT has vowed to con- warned Macron: “When you ployment rate, which stands at to improve employees’ working pen in the street,” Macron said in “carried out in record time”. rights and new protections”, such tinue to combat his reforms, are president, you should show 9.6%, roughly twice the levels in conditions. New York on Wednesday in an- The measures are designed to as a provision for higher payouts while radical left leader Jean-Luc humility rather than strutting Britain or Germany. Critics say the use of executive other broadside at the protesters. give employers more fl exibility to workers made redundant. Melenchon wants to get tens of about.” “The reform off ers pragmatic orders – which kept parliamen- The reform will enter the stat- to negotiate pay and conditions Three months of negotiations thousands into the streets today. Philippe Braud, professor solutions for very small com- tary debate over the proposals to ute books on Monday, though a with their workers while making with unions produced a split be- Melenchon, the head of the emeritus at Paris’s Sciences panies and small and medium- a minimum – bolster perceptions few changes, including a measure it easier and less costly to shed tween those willing to compro- France Unbowed party, has led Po university, said he believed sized businesses ... which create of Macron as a monarchical or to streamline workers’ commit- staff . mise – the CFDT and FO – and opposition to the measures, oc- popularity was not a concern for the most jobs today,” he said yes- even “pharaonic” leader. tees, will not take eff ect until the Macron signed the reform, those determined to fi ght the re- cupying ground vacated by the Macron. terday. But Macron insists he has a end of the year. 21 die as migrant boat sinks Protests in Catalonia over crackdown

AFP camped out overnight in tents off Turkey’s Black Sea coast Barcelona while hundreds of students oc- cupied the patio of the University of Barcelona. AFP emonstrators hit the The arrests of 14 Catalan gov- Istanbul streets of Barcelona yes- ernment offi cials on Wednesday Dterday for a third day of and the seizure of nearly 10mn protests against the Spanish au- ballot papers for the referendum wenty-one people thorities’ crackdown on prepara- have dealt a blow to the logistics drowned and up to 15 tions for a banned independence of the vote, slated for October 1, Tmore were missing yes- referendum in Catalonia. but also fi red up supporters of in- terday after a fi shing boat car- Some 2,000 people, many dependence. rying migrants sank off Turkey’s draped in red and yellow Cata- “I don’t know if they see it, but Black Sea coast, the coast guard lan independence fl ags, gathered any action which they take is a said. outside a court on the outskirts real boomerang against them,” Forty migrants were rescued of Barcelona where six Catalan Catalan government spokesman but search and rescue eff orts government offi cials, who were Jordi Turull told a news confer- were still under way to fi nd sev- detained on Wednesday, were ence. en to nine people missing in the summoned for questioning. Catalonia’s regional govern- Demonstrators against independence light flares as they protest in incident off the Kefken district, “I see the detentions as a ment insists that the referendum front of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) in Barcelona last night. the statement said. violation of human rights. It’s – deemed illegal by Madrid – will The area lies about 130km unheard of. For me we have re- go ahead despite the crackdown rial that could be used in the vote, force would be sent but govern- east of Istanbul. turned to the Franco era,” said and a ruling suspending the vote a spokesman for the police force ment spokesman Inigo Mendez One pregnant woman who one demonstrator, 60-year-old from Spain’s Constitutional said. de Vigo said they would “rein- was rescued was taken to hospi- Josep Esteve. court. “We guess they were look- force and support” Catalonia’s tal but lost her baby, state-run Cars honked their horns in “Sorry, Spain. Catalonia is ing for ballot boxes but we don’t regional police force, the Mossos Anadolu news agency said. support of the protesters as they voting on independence wheth- have anything,” an employee of d’Esquadra. Mehmet Unal, a local offi cial drove by, prompting applause er you like it or not,” read the the company who asked not to be He accused the pro-separatist in the nearby town of Kandira, from the demonstrators. headline of an opinion piece by named told AFP by telephone. camp of “harassing” of those op- said that the boat was believed Some of those gathered called Catalonia’s President Carles Spain’s Interior Minister Juan posed to the referendum. to be carrying 70 migrants, for a general strike. Puigdemont published in the Ignacio Zoido sent a letter to the “They pressure offi ces of the most of whom were Iraqis. The six Catalan government Washington Post. “After three Catalan government warning the (ruling) Popular Party that wants Unconfi rmed media reports offi cials inside the court – under centuries under Spanish rule, on Madrid was sending extra police to respect the law, they have said the migrants had boarded investigation for alleged crimes October 1, citizens of Catalonia to Catalonia who “will act if the pressured school directors, uni- the boat in Zonguldak which of disobedience, embezzlement will fi nally have the chance to illegal referendum is held”. versity rectors, public workers, lies further to the east, and were and prevarication – refused to exercise their right to self-deter- The ministry has chartered journalists, newspapers.” trying to cross into Romania. answer questions. mination.” three cruise ships with a capac- Polls show Catalans are sharp- The boat reportedly sank due The presiding judge ordered Spanish authorities continued ity for 6,600 passengers to house ly divided on whether they want to bad weather and rough wa- their provisional release, though their eff orts to block the referen- the offi cers. independence or not, with the ters. they will have to appear weekly dum in the wealthy northeastern Two ships are moored in the latest survey in July showing Western Turkey and the Black before the court while the probe region of Spain which is home to port of Barcelona while another 49.4% against and 41.1% in fa- Sea had been hit by a heavy continues. roughly 7.5mn people. is in Tarragona, some 100km vour. storm and rains overnight. Elsewhere, demonstrators Spain’s Guardia Civil police south of the Catalan capital. Despite the divisions, a large Turkey has emerged as a hub gathered outside Barcelona’s searched a cardboard packaging Madrid has not said how many majority of Catalans want to vote for migrants from trouble zones High Court in the heart of the company in the town of Odena extra police from the national in a legitimate referendum to set- around the world including city, where dozens of people had near Madrid but found no mate- police force and the Guardia Civil tle the matter. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan who A survivor is held by Turkish military personnel in a helicopter in are seeking a route west to the Kandira after she was rescued from a sunken migrant boat. European Union. In 2015, around a million peo- on migrant smuggling rings as Some 834 migrants were ple undertook risky sea journeys part of a 2016 deal with the EU. caught and 10 smugglers de- to cross the Mediterranean to The numbers of migrants tained in seven Black Sea inci- Miss Turkey loses her crown Attacker Europe, mostly to Greece from crossing the Aegean has now dents between mid-August and Turkey over the Aegean Sea. dwindled. early September, according to Thousands have perished in But increasing numbers, statistics published by Anadolu. over contentious coup tweet sent to the perilous crossing. now rising to hundreds within Separately, 237 migrants and Responding to international a month, are trying to cross the fi ve organisers were caught in pressure, Turkey tightened its Black Sea from Turkey to EU two other incidents in the area AFP they discovered an “unaccept- test’s results were announced mental sea borders and cracked down member Romania. whose timing was not specifi ed. Istanbul able” tweet Esen sent around and had to hold an hours-long the fi rst anniversary of the July meeting to verify the post. 15, 2016 coup attempt aimed at Can Sandikcioglu, head of clinic he winner of Turkey’s ousting President Recep Tayyip Miss Turkey, said in a state- national beauty pageant Erdogan. ment that the tweet was posted Twas forced yesterday to In the tweet, she compared by Esen. DPA Bosnian forensic experts fi nd 86 hand back her crown hours af- the bloodshed in her menstrual “The Miss Turkey organi- Dusseldorf ter winning, over a tweet relat- cycle with that of the 249 peo- sation, whose objective is to ing to the failed coup which was ple who lost their lives during promote Turkey in the world skulls at scene of 1990s massacre deemed off ensive. the failed coup and are now cel- and to contribute to its image, man who injured 10 peo- Itir Esen, 18, won Miss Tur- ebrated in Turkey as martyrs. cannot accept such a post,” he ple when he indiscrimi- key 2017 during a ceremony “I am having my period this announced. Anately struck passers-by Reuters they were only expecting to fi nd trying to create a Serb statelet in Istanbul on Thursday night morning to celebrate the July 15 Esen’s title was handed to with an axe at Dusseldorf’s main Sarajevo the remains of around 60 peo- by removing Bosniaks – Bos- and was going to represent martyrs’ day. I am celebrating Asli Sumen, who came second train station was permanently ple. nian Muslims – and Croats the country in the Miss World the day by bleeding on behalf of and who will now represent committed to a psychiatric clinic On August 21, 1992, Bosnian from the area. competition in China. our martyrs’ blood,” she wrote. Turkey in the Miss World con- by a German court yesterday. orensic experts have Serbs told prisoners from de- Forensic experts have already But organisers said that Organisers said they had seen test taking place in China on The presiding judge in the found 86 skulls in a mass tention camps for non-Serbs identifi ed 117 victims of the would not be possible after the tweet after the beauty con- November 18. city of Dusseldorf said that the Fgrave near the scene of a near the town of Prijedor that massacre in several other mass 37-year-old, who hails from massacre of Bosnian Muslims they would be released in a pris- grave sites. Kosovo, was suff ering a schizo- and Croats by Serb forces early oner exchange. “We hope that the search for German couple steal 2.6 tonnes of spent ammunition phrenic episode when he com- in the 1992-95 war, offi cials said But instead they drove them the victims of this massacre mitted the acts and is therefore yesterday. away by bus, lined them up by has completed today,” said Lejla A German couple have been sentenced to 10 casings to Germany to be sold to a scrap metal not criminally responsible. The skulls and more than 50 the edge of a ravine and shot Cengic from the Missing Per- months in prison in Norway for stealing 2.6 tonnes dealer, as they had done on least four previous The man, who was granted other body parts were found them. sons Institute. of spent ammunition casings, Norwegian public occasions. asylum in 2009, went after pas- covered with rocks in a remote Only a dozen survived what Eleven Bosnian Serb former broadcaster NRK reported yesterday. Evidence included a log book where they noted sengers on a local train in March spot near a ravine in central has become known as the Ko- police offi cers were convicted The man and the woman, both over the age of 60, coordinates of various shooting ranges and other before also swinging the axe at Bosnia, the country’s Missing ricani Cliff s massacre, by tum- for the ravine killings, includ- were additionally fined 100,000 kroner ($12,869) notes. members of the public in the sta- Persons Institute said. bling or jumping down the steep ing Darko Mrdja who was jailed for breaking into 30 shooting ranges and stealing Police estimated the casings were worth at least tion’s main hall. Experts began searching ravine. for 17 years by the Hague-based the spent casings that they hid in their RV, the 52,000 kroner. Those hurt included a 13-year- on September 7, hours after The 1992-95 war claimed United Nations war crimes report said. The couple were also convicted of transporting old girl from Dusseldorf. the Bosnian war crimes court 100,000 lives. court. The thefts were detected in early August when arms and ammunition without a permit. Following the attack, the man ordered the exhumations at The killings were part of a The remainder were convict- the pair were stopped by police and several local Defence attorney Hilde Guldbakke said that fl ed and injured himself jumping Mount Vlasic. wave of ethnic cleansing by ed by the Bosnian war crimes newspapers reported of break-ins. the case was one of the “strangest” she had from a bridge to avoid detain- At the time, the teams said Bosnian Serb forces who were court. According to NRK, the couple planned to take the experienced. ment by police. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 9 INDIA

LEGAL OUTBREAK PEOPLE LAW AND ORDER CRIME States ‘must compensate’ H1N1 claims 87 lives Freed priest Uzhunnallil Fashion designer Rohit Bal Teen murdered by victims of cow vigilantism in Madhya Pradesh to reach India on Sept 28 held over parking brawl friends near Bengaluru

The Supreme Court yesterday said states The death toll due to the H1N1 virus in Madhya Kerala Catholic priest Tom Uzhunnallil, who was Fashion designer Rohit Bal was A 19-year-old son of an Income Tax off icer was were obliged to compensate the victims of Pradesh stands at 87 in 83 days (July 1 to rescued earlier this month from an undisclosed arrested in New Delhi yesterday on murdered after his friends allegedly kidnapped cow vigilante groups and asked all of them to September 21), even as 129 persons are being location in Yemen, will reach India on September the charge of forcibly entering his him a week ago and demanded a Rs5mn ransom file a report on the compliance of its order by treated for the disease in diff erent hospitals, 28 and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in neighbour’s house and creating for his release, the Bengaluru police said. Six appointing a nodal off icer to prevent violence off icials said. Health department director K L Sahu Delhi. On October 1, he will arrive in Kochi and a ruckus under the influence of people have been arrested. “We have arrested the by such vigilante groups. “Victims are to be said two persons suff ering from the virus had died will then head to his hometown Ramapuram alcohol. He was released on bail six suspects after they admitted killing N Sharath compensated. It is obligatory on the part of the in two Indore hospitals. “The disease is spreading in Kottayam district. His village is planning a later, the Delhi police said. Iqbal and showed the spot where they buried the state to compensate the victim of crime,” said continuously and approximately one person is grand welcome for him. Thereafter, the priest will Singh, Bal’s neighbour in the Defence Colony body at Ajjenahalli near Kengeri,” an off icer said. the court. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, dying every day due to the disease. The toll from travel to the state capital to meet Chief Minister of south Delhi complained to police that the Sharath’s father had lodged a missing complaint the state is under obligation to have a scheme July 1 to September 21 is 87,” Sahu said. He added Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leader Ramesh fashion designer along with two others entered when he did not return home on September 12. for victim compensation and if they don’t have that 529 persons were found to be suff ering from Chennithala. The priest was running an old age his house and also threatened him, deputy He had gone out to to meet his friends. His father then they should have one, it added. In the last the H1N1 virus in the given period. All hospitals and home in Aden when he was abducted by terrorists commissioner of police Ishwar Singh said. A later received a message asking him to arrange hearing on the matter on September 6, the top clinics have formed separate wards for treatment last March. The priest was released on September police off icer said a car parking issue triggered the ransom. The suspects had allegedly killed court said cow vigilantism had to stop. of patients suff ering from the disease. 12 with the help of Oman’s intervention. the ruckus in the early hours of yesterday. Sharath fearing they will be caught. Fissures in President visits Maharashtra Kerala unit of NDA ahead of Vengara polls

IANS of the IUML is taking on CPI-M Malappuram (Kerala) leader P P Basheer at Vengara, while the BJP has fi elded the par- ty’s national executive member K ven as the Vengara assem- Janachandran. bly by-poll in Kerala is set The by-election became neces- Efor October 11, the BJP-led sary after sitting legislator and top NDA (National Democratic Alli- IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty va- ance) is facing tough times, as its cated the seat after he got elected second-biggest constituent, the from the Malappuram Lok Sabha BDJS, stayed away from the alli- constituency in April this year. ance’s fi rst election meeting near Kunhalikutty won the 2016 as- here yesterday. sembly poll by a margin of over The state leadership of the 38,000 votes and, in the Lok Sab- Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) ha poll, the margin went up to over had directed its Malappuram dis- 40,000 votes. President Ram Nath Kovind arrives in Nagpur on a day’s visit to attend a series of events. It was his first visit to Maharashtra after assuming off ice two months ago. The trict unit to keep away from the It was in December 2015 that president was accorded a warm welcome at the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport by governor C V Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Shipping election convention. the powerful Hindu Ezhava leader Minister Nitin Gadkari, other elected leaders and senior off icials. Vellapally Natesan launched the BDJS and soon joined hands with the BJP and its National Demo- cratic Alliance (NDA), and his son Tushar was made the supreme leader of the party. In the 2016 assembly poll, the BDJS secured 3.9% votes, which Natesan is unhappy with by Kerala election standards was a the BJP national leadership good beginning. Karti has several overseas as his repeated requests for The BDJS leadership, especially positions in corporations Natesan, is unhappy with the BJP and in other posts have not national leadership as his repeated been addressed requests for positions in corpora- tions and in other posts have not State Bharatiya Janata Party been addressed and, of late, he has (BJP) president Kummanam Ra- taken to publicly criticising the accounts, apex court told jasekharan told the media here party’s state leadership. that they had expected the BDJS Natesan’s sudden visit to the IANS tice A M Khanwilkar and justice Karti was being spread to create – allegedly for facilitating FIPB He informed the court that to be present during the poll cam- residence of Chief Minister Pi- New Delhi D Y Chandrachud. a prejudice against him. (Foreign Investment Promotion even before the CBI had asked paign. narayi Vijayan in the state capital “There is a case under the Though Karti had been asked Board) clearance for INX Media Karti to appear before it for ques- “We have briefed our nation- early this week had set tongues Prevention of Corruption Act. by the top court to go to the Ltd. tioning, the agency had issued al leadership about the Bharat wagging, as he himself had time ustifying the continued We are investigating the mat- CBI for questioning not a single Denying any links between the circular. Dharma Jana Sena demands and and again openly stated that the lookout circular against Karti ter,” he told the court and also question had been asked by the Karti Chidambram and Advan- Since the arguments remained are hopeful that all issues will be BDJS would snap ties with the BJP JChidambram, son of former referred to the report by the Fi- investigating agency, Sibal said. tage Strategic Consultant, Sibal inconclusive, the court directed sorted out,” said Rajasekharan. and move to the Left camp. fi nance minister P Chidambar- nancial Investigating Unit (FIU). He pointed out that if the said all that was being told to the further hearings on October 4 Popular political analyst A Ja- Even though Natesan does not am, the CBI yesterday told the Informing the court that the agency had documents against court was unrelated to the case – which eff ectively means that yasankar said that as far as the hold any post in the BDJS, he is Supreme Court that the former investigation by the FIU had Karti they could prosecute him under investigation relating to Karti Chidambran can’t leave the Vengara by-poll was concerned, the general secretary of the Sree has several overseas accounts been going on for the past 10 for FERA (Foreign Exchange Reg- FIPB clearance to INX Media Ltd. country till then. the presence or absence of the Narayana Dharma Paripalana into which he had transferred years, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, ulation Act) violation or black If the CBI had any other mate- The top court is hearing a BDJS is not likely to have any im- (SNDP) – the social movement money. appearing for Karti Chidambar- money, adding what was being rial it should take cognizance of it plea by the CBI challenging pact since this particular constitu- of the Ezhavas that propagates “Karti claims he has just one am, dared the CBI to back up its told by the CBI was extraneous and fi le separate charge-sheets in the Madras High Court order ency and the Malappuram district the values of social reformer Sree account but he has several ac- claim with documentary evi- to the case for which the lookout respect of these, he added. staying its lookout circular have been the citadel of the United Narayana Guru. counts abroad into which he has dence. circular had been issued. Sibal said there were central against Karti to ensure he does Democratic Front (UDF) ally, the While Natesan is keen that the transferred money,” additional “Show at least one docu- Sibal told the court that the government guidelines on the not leave the country. The top Indian Union Muslim League BDJS should join the Left Demo- solicitor general Tushar Mehta, ment with his signatures, if you case under which the circular had issuance of the lookout circular court by its August 14 order (IUML), and the outcome of the cratic Front, his son Tushar feels it appearing for the Central Bureau have evidence,” Sibal dared the been issued related to payment and the one in this case was not had restored the lookout circu- poll was a foregone conclusion. would be best to stay in the com- of Investigation, told the bench agency, while telling the court of Rs10 lakh to a company – Ad- in conformity with those guide- lar by putting on hold the high Former legislator K N A Khader pany of the Congress-led UDF. of chief justice Dipak Misra, jus- that these allegations against vantage Strategic ConsultantA lines. court order. CPI not to defend Kerala Rains cool Delhi CBI summons Lalu, minister in land grab row Tejashwi in graft case IANS Puri were handed over to Sujata New Delhi Hotels company owned by Vi- By Ashraf Padanna partment ordered an inquiry into ministerial colleague without any jay and Vinay Kochhar in lieu of a Thiruvananthapuram a complaint by local Hindu temple prejudice and his position would bribe in the form of a prime plot of authorities to district collector T not be an obstacle to a free and fair he Central Bureau of Inves- land in Bihar. V Anupama that the minister had probe. tigation yesterday said it According to the CBI, Lalu racks have appeared in encroached upon 34 acres of their Freebies and the support which Thas issued fresh summons Prasad allegedly granted favours Kerala’s ruling Left Demo- land. the minister received from mu- to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief to Sujata Hotels through IRCTC, Ccratic Front (LDF) with the Following this, Vijayan, a mem- nicipal authorities, to circumvent Lalu Prasad and his son Tejas- and the tender process for the Communist Party of India (CPI), ber of the politburo, the party’s rules during the previous LDF re- hwi Yadav to appear before it for development, maintenance, and its second largest constituent, re- top decision-making body, sum- gime, also rocked the Alappuzha questioning regarding alleged ir- operation of the two hotels was fusing to defend a minister linked moned the collector to the state Municipal Council yesterday. regularities in issuing contracts for manipulated in exchange for the to a land grab row. capital. Last week, his senior party The new Congress-led dispen- two Indian Railway Catering and three-acre plot in Patna. The opposition Congress party colleague and former chief min- sation claims that some 34 fi les, Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) ho- The CBI, which registered the is on the warpath accusing Trans- ister V S Achuthanandan had also including those related to tax ex- tels in 2006 to a private company. case on July 5 under Sections 420 port Minister Thomas Chandy, a demanded stern action against emptions to the businessman- “We have issued fresh sum- and 120B of the Indian Penal Code Kuwait-based businessman, of Chandy. politician were found missing mons to Lalu Prasad and his son and Sections 13 and 13(1)B of the building his sprawling holiday re- “We are not going to defend from its records. Tejashwi to appear before the Prevention of Corruption Act, sort on public land in Alappuzha. anybody with serious allegations Chandy claims to have invested agency on September 25 and 26 of claimed that the kickbacks were A television channel and its re- (against him) which have got some Rs1.5bn in tourism ventures in his this month,” a CBI offi cial said. paid through a ‘benami’ (fi cti- porter, who telecast 20 reports on truth in it,” CPI general secretary home district 13 years back. Earlier, the CBI summoned the tious) company owned by Sar- a series of violations and corrup- Sudhakar Reddy told reporters at However, his affi davit for last RJD chief and his son, the former ala Gupta, wife of RJD MP Prem tion by the Nationalist Congress the Press Club here. year’s elections shows his total as- deputy chief minister of Bihar, Chand Gupta. Party leader also came under at- “Not only in the Cabinet, these sets are worth only Rs85.6mn and, on September 7 to report at its The CBI charge-sheet alleged tack overnight Thursday, but the kinds of allegations have to be dis- according to income tax returns he headquarters in Lodhi Road area that Vinay Kochhar sold three assailants are still at large. cussed in the LDF too,” Reddy said. fi led the previous year (2014-15), of south Delhi for questioning on acres of land in Patna through 10 Chief Minister Pinarayi Vi- He also condemned the attack his annual income was Rs401,240 September 11 and 12. sale deeds on February 25, 2005, jayan of the Communist Party of on the journalist who exposed the only. The CBI had on July 5 fi led a cor- for Rs14.7mn to Delight Market- India (Marxist) has all along been corruption and expressed dis- The controversial leader as- Rains yesterday brought a much-needed respite from ruption case against Lalu Prasad, ing Company in which Sarla Gupta maintaining that there were no pleasure over the delay in arresting sumed offi ce as minister six the heat to the national capital as the temperature his wife Rabri Devi and Tejashwi was a director. The CBI alleged violations. However, the revenue the assailants. months back, replacing his senior dropped to 24 degrees Celsius, the season’s average. Yadav for alleged irregularities the land was sold at a price below ministry that the CPI controls has Revenue Minister E Chan- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) The weather off ice has also predicted rains for the when Lalu Prasad was the railway circle and market rates and was rejected Vijayan’s clean chit. drasekharan said his department colleague A K Saseendran who was next two days. minister from 2004 to 2009. falsely shown as agricultural land Yesterday the land revenue de- would take action against his caught in a “honeytrap”. The IRCTC hotels at Ranchi and to evade substantial stamp duty. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, September 23, 2017 LATIN AMERICA Latin American politics still grappling with sleaze

AFP ness of political corruption, just a few thousand dollars spent Mujica downplayed the contro- neighbouring Argentina, when a crimes great and small goes on. cases.” Adolfo Garce, a political Montevideo tougher laws and smarter investi- over a fi ve-year period. versy, pointing to what he called former minister was arrested after Ferro, an analyst with the Chil- scientist at Montevideo’s Univer- gative journalism, Latin American But the controversy raged for major league sleaze in Uruguay’s throwing dozens of bags of cash, ean Centre for the Openness and sity of the Republic, believes poli- politics are tainted by the culture months in Uruguay before he was neighbours Brazil and Argentina. containing almost $9mn, over the Development of Latin America ticians are coming under closer s corruption goes in Latin of the backhander, analysts say. fi nally forced to step down on “Now, look, in Brazil they have wall of a Buenos Aires convent. (Cadal) believes this sort of cor- scrutiny from a better educated America, it amounted to “Unfortunately, corruption has September 9. He allegedly used a bags of cash, next door nuns are In Brazil, an ex-minister in ruption is just the tip of the ice- public and press. Asmall beans, but the ex- been part of the political DNA of company credit card to buy jew- throwing around bags of money, President Michel Temer’s govern- berg, even if “today there is less “In the case of Uruguay, there is cess that ended the Uruguayan Latin America for many years,” ellery, electronics and even a pair and meanwhile we are discussing ment was jailed this month after tolerance of scandal.” more investigative journalism than vice-president’s career this month said Chilean corruption analyst of swimming shorts while he was boxer shorts? Have some perspec- the discovery of $16mn stuff ed Latin American society now before. It’s more professional, less shows the region’s politics are still Raul Ferro. Vice-President Raul chairman of Uruguay’s state oil tive, please.” into suitcases in an apartment “has a more critical vision,” said infl uenced by political parties, and locked in a cycle of sleaze. Sendic’s alleged misappropria- company ANCAP. Mujica’s reference to nuns bearing his fi ngerprints. Ferro, although it must contend benefi ts from new laws facilitating Despite increased public aware- tions of public funds amounted to Revered leftist ex-president Jose comes from a 2016 scandal in The list of dirty money for with “a wider spread of corruption access to information.” Macri almost certain to run for re-election, claims aide

Reuters ing closely watched by investors Buenos Aires because Macri’s political neme- sis and populist two-term pred- ecessor, Cristina Fernandez, is rgentine President Mau- vying for a senate seat in Buenos ricio Macri is almost cer- Aires province, home to 40% of Atain to run for re-election voters. She is believed to be test- in 2019, his top campaign adviser ing the waters for a potential bid said, even as he acknowledged for the presidency in 2019. that the leader’s market-friendly Fernandez eked out a nar- reforms were unpopular among row win over Macri ally Esteban many poor Argentines. Bullrich in the non-binding pri- Jaime Duran Barba, an Ecua- mary vote in August, a scenario dorian who has run campaigns Duran Barba said was ideal for across Latin America and is con- motivating voters to rally around sidered the political guru behind Bullrich against a divided oppo- Macri’s surprise win in 2015, said sition. “It was the best option, he “did not see a scenario” where our numbers always predicted Macri was not a candidate. a tie (with Fernandez). I said “The most likely is for Macri hopefully she wins by a bit be- to go for re-election, it’s highly cause that way the people will probable. But what is certain is see a need to do something.” People walk across a flooded street in Juana Matos, Puerto Rico as the country faced dangerous flooding and an island-wide power outage following Hurricane Maria. that after that he will leave poli- The latest polls, including an tics,” Duran Barba said in an in- internal poll from the Fernan- terview. Centre-right Macri has dez camp, are showing Bullrich not said if he will seek re-elec- ahead. Macri’s approval ratings tion and in an August interview are running at 44%, according said he was focused on his cur- to an Observatorio Electoral sur- rent government. vey on Tuesday. But his reforms When the time came for Macri have been unpopular with the to move on, Duran Barba said country’s powerful unions and Hurricane Maria leaves that there were “important, pre- triggered anti-Macri protests. pared people” who could dispute Argentina’s economy came out the succession. of recession in the second half of He pointed to city of Buenos last year, later than expected. Aires mayor Horacio Rodriguez Duran Barba acknowledged Larreta, Macri’s Cabinet chief that Macri’s austerity measures Marcos Pena, and Maria Eugenia had particularly hurt poor slum- 25 dead in Caribbean Vidal, the governor of Buenos dwellers in Buenos Aires prov- Aires and the most popular poli- ince. “They raised (energy) tar- Reuters hit record fl ood levels. ment’s secretary of public safety. Rossello imposed a dusk-to- Caribbean, with at least $30bn of tician in Argentina, according to iff s, and that was unpopular. We San Juan, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico offi cials said yes- Around San Juan, people dawn curfew through Saturday that in Puerto Rico, said Chuck several polls. But Macri’s “Let’s hoped there would be fast results terday that six people had been worked to clear debris from the for the island’s 3.4mn people. Watson, a disaster modeller at Change” coalition must fi rst for the economy and that there confi rmed killed by the storm: streets yesterday and some began He said about 700 people had Enki Research in Savannah, Geor- post a strong performance in would be investment. There urricane Maria lashed Three died in landslides in Utu- to reopen businesses, though they been rescued from fl oodwaters gia. October’s legislative elections, wasn’t,” Duran Barba said. the Turks and Caicos adno, in the island’s mountainous wondered how long they could and communication was diffi cult The fi gures included both where one third of the senate and He said Fernandez, who has HIslands yesterday af- centre; two drowned in fl ooding operate without power and with with the southeastern part of the physical damage and losses in half of the lower house seats are toned down her formerly tub- ter destroying homes, causing in Toa Baja, west of San Juan, and limited inventory. island. business from tourism. Maria’s up for re-election. thumping speeches and gave a widespread fl ooding, crippling one died in Bayamon, also near “There’s no water, no power, Puerto Rico was already facing tail end was still bringing drench- “Mauricio’s strategy has al- rare live interview last week, is economies and killing at least 25 San Juan, after being stuck by a nothing,” said Rogelio Jimenez, a the largest municipal debt crisis ing rain to Puerto Rico, and some ways been: in the fi rst two years copying some of his tactics — people on Puerto Rico and other panel. 34-year-old restaurant worker, as in US history. parts of the island could have we can start a transformation, such as visits to voters’ homes, Caribbean islands. Earlier news media reports he cleared fallen roofi ng from the A team of judges overseeing its accumulated totals of up to 40 but the point at which we will ripe for recording and posting on Maria was the second major had the death toll on the island as front of his pizzeria. bankruptcy has advised involved inches (101 cm) from the storm, know if it is possible or not to social media. hurricane to hit the Caribbean high as 15. “At the moment these “We’re opening today,” he parties to put legal proceedings the US National Hurricane Cen- change Argentina is the mid- “Cristina has copied a lot of this month and the strongest are fatalities we know of. We said, estimating that the restau- on hold indefi nitely as the island tre (NHC) said. term election,” said Duran Bar- our way of campaigning,” Barba storm to hit the US territory of know of other potential fatalities rant had enough supplies to last recovers, said a source familiar Elsewhere in the Caribbean, 14 ba, who has advised Macri since said. “But it’s hurting her.” Puerto Rico in nearly 90 years. through unoffi cial channels that a week. “If there’s nothing after with the proceedings. deaths were reported on the is- he fi rst ran for political offi ce in Fernandez’s campaign de- It completely knocked out the we haven’t been able to confi rm,” that, we’ll close.” The storm was expected to land nation of Dominica, which 2003. The October 22 vote is be- clined to comment. island’s power, and several rivers said Hector Pesquera, the govern- Puerto Rico governor Ricardo cause $45bn of damage across the has a population of about 71,000.

Keeping fit Venezuelans face growing Quake homeless queues to buy gasoline gather in tent village Reuters continue. Local media reported Mexico City that military offi cials pulled Reuters ernment going to put us through Reuters data and shipping sources. two people from the wreckage Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela this?” Earlier in September, as many of a textile factory in the central State oil company Petroleos de as 24 cargoes were held awaiting esperate residents left Colonia Obrera neighbourhood Venezuela (PDVSA) did not im- payment, but at least six of those homeless by Mexico’s of the capital late on Thursday, enezuelan drivers are fac- mediately respond to a request have been diverted to other des- Ddeadliest earthquake though it was not immediately ing growing queues to buy for comment and the reasons for tinations as Atlantic storms have in a generation gathered in a clear if they survived. Vgasoline despite having the apparent dip in supply this caused supplies to tighten else- tent village in the south of the In the Girasoles complex in the world’s largest oil reserves, week were unclear. where. Others have discharged in capital yesterday, as the death the south of the city, offi cials adding to the Opec country’s But the country’s refi neries are recent days, after receiving pay- toll climbed to 286 and signs cordoned off large areas of the woes as its refi neries sputter and functioning at record lows due to ments. of exhaustion gripped rescuers development after two of its its socialist economic system constant outages and insuffi cient PDVSA is now forced to prepay three days after the tremor. roughly 30 apartment buildings crumbles. supply of crude resulting from its fuel imports because payment Tuesday’s 7.1 magnitude collapsed. A handwritten sign Lines to buy fuel and shuttered slumping output, union leaders delays have led suppliers to halt quake levelled some 52 buildings across the street listed 14 people service stations have been inter- and refi nery workers say. open credit to the company. in the sprawling Mexican capi- said to have died there. mittent problems for much of this PDVSA, suff ering a dramatic US sanctions imposed last tal, sparking a frenzied hunt for Anguished residents, who year, most notably outside the cash fl ow shortage as a result of month are also making it diffi cult survivors and prompting politi- were given a series of 20-minute capital Caracas. low oil prices, has struggled to for PDVSA to get letters of credit cal parties to outdo each other blocks of time to collect belong- But in recent days the problem pay for imports of fuel to fi ll the needed for some imports and ex- with pledges of donations to ings from their apartments, has worsened, with lines popping gap. ports. the rescue eff orts ahead of next feared their homes could be up at service stations in Caracas, In most cases, it has resolved President Nicolas Maduro year’s election. turned to rubble once inspectors while drivers in the southern city major supply disruptions within says the country is a victim of an Across the city of 20mn peo- have determined which build- of Puerto Ordaz were waiting an a few days, although one short- “economic war” and accuses the ple, the extent of damage from ings are safe and which may average of four hours to fi ll their age in March lasted several weeks administration of US President the quake was becoming appar- need to be demolished if they are tanks. and aff ected exports to ally and Donald Trump of worsening the ent, with many people whose a risk to public safety. “I had an urgent medical ap- trading partner Cuba. situation through sanctions. dwellings had become uninhab- “The building is very, very pointment but I had to suspend Fourteen tankers are waiting in “I’m really sad that my coun- itable seeking somewhere to call damaged. It moves. Everything it because I didn’t have gasoline ports in Venezuela and the Carib- try is in this situation,” said driv- home, raising the risk of a hous- moves,” said Vladimir Estrada, and the lines are several blocks bean to unload a total 4.2mn bar- er Marvelia Dominguez, as she ing shortage in coming weeks. a 39-year-old musical radio long,” said Nelly Gutierrez, 35, rels of fuel and blending compo- waited to fuel her car in Caracas. Despite dimming hopes of programmer, returning from an accountant. “There’s no nents commissioned by PDVSA, “Now we don’t even have gasoline, Elderly people exercise early morning in a square in fi nding more survivors, Presi- a rushed trip to his fi fth fl oor medicine, water, Internet, and but have not yet done so for lack of which was always one of the easi- downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday. dent Enrique Pena Nieto in- apartment with plastic bags no gasoline. How long is the gov- payment, according to Thomson est things for us to fi nd.” sisted rescue operations would stuff ed with his belongings. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 11 PAKISTAN Pakistan won’t be ‘scapegoat’ in Afghan war: PM AFP military or political stalemate in “Having suff ered and Trump, unveiling a new strat- United Nations Afghanistan,” Abbasi said. sacrifi ced so much egy last month, pledged to take a “We are not prepared to be due to our role in tougher line on Pakistan – mak- anyone’s scapegoat,” he said. the global counter ing public what had long been akistan refuses to be a “What Pakistan is not pre- terrorism campaign, it more private US frustrations. “scapegoat” for Afghani- pared to do is to fi ght the Afghan is especially galling for Trump has sent thousands Pstan’s bloodshed or to fi ght war on Pakistan’s soil. Nor can Pakistan to be blamed more US troops into Afghanistan wars for others, Prime Minister we endorse any failed strategy for the military or in a bid to defeat the Taliban, re- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shakes hands with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Ab- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the that will prolong and intensify political stalemate in versing his previous calls to end basi at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US. United Nations on Thursday. the suff ering of the people of Af- Afghanistan” America’s longest-ever war. Addressing the UN General ghanistan and Pakistan and oth- Afghan President Ashraf Abbasi, who took offi ce last ternational investigation and cussed openly, of a limited mili- Assembly, Abbasi did not ex- er regional countries,” he said. solution with the Taliban. Ghani in his own speech to the month after his predecessor Na- warned of escalation on their tary response on Pakistan that is plicitly criticise US President Abbasi said that 27,000 Pa- US and Afghan offi cials have United Nations appealed to Pa- waz Sharif was disqualifi ed from military frontier, the Line of intended to stop short of trigger- Donald Trump’s new strategy kistanis have been killed by ex- long accused Pakistan of playing kistan for dialogue, saying that offi ce over a corruption scandal, Control. ing a nuclear reprisal. on Afghanistan but made clear tremists since the launch of the a double game, with the power- the neighbours can work togeth- used his UN address to renew Pa- “Pakistan has acted with re- India accuses Islamabad of his displeasure with the renewed US war on terror after the Sep- ful intelligence services – not er to eliminate extremism. kistan’s condemnation of India’s straint. But if India does venture training, arming and infi ltrat- onus on Pakistan. tember 11, 2001 attacks. the civilian government – main- Analysts say that Islamabad’s rule in Kashmir, the Himalayan across the LoC, or acts upon its ing militants into Kashmir. India “Having suff ered and sac- He called for a priority on taining ties with extremists. role in Afghanistan is rooted in territory divided between the doctrine of limited war against considered but ultimately decid- rifi ced so much due to our role eliminating extremists, in- US forces tracked down and the security elite’s fi xation on two nuclear powers. Pakistan, it will evoke a strong ed not to strike Pakistan after a in the global counter terrorism cluding from the Islamic State killed Osama bin Laden in 2011 historic rival India, which has Accusing India of “massive and matching response,” he said. bloody 2008 assault on Mumbai, campaign, it is especially galling group and Al Qaeda, in Afghan- in Abbottabad, a popular resort warm ties with the post-Taliban and indiscriminate force” in He was referring to an Indian which was planned by Pakistan- for Pakistan to be blamed for the istan but ultimately a political for Pakistan’s military elite. government in Afghanistan. Kashmir, Abbasi urged an in- strategic doctrine, rarely dis- based extremists. Musharraf Cross-border fi ring kills six civilians should Reuters of the two arch-foes trading ac- befi ttingly responded on posts British colonial rule in 1947. legations and said it had not of Kashmiris have been killed Islamabad cusations at the United Nations targeting civil population,” the In July, four soldiers were committed ceasefi re violations. or injured and shotgun pel- return if General Assembly in New York. Pakistan army’s public relations killed when Indian shelling from Both sides have previously lets have blinded and maimed The fi ring took place across wing said in a statement. across the Line of Control (LoC) accused each of violating the others, he said. helling along the disputed the frontier separating Paki- Indian police offi cials in Jam- that separates parts of Kashmir ceasefi re and of beheading India rejected the allegation, he’s brave: border between Pakistan stan’s Punjab province from mu said the ceasefi re was violated held by both countries struck a soldiers in the past. terming Pakistan a home to ter- Sand India killed six civil- Indian-administered Kashmir’s by Pakistani forces, who injured Pakistani army vehicle. Indian On Thursday in New York, rorism that harbours violent ians, and wounded an addi- Jammu region, and most of the four civilians on the Indian side. offi cials denied any knowledge Pakistani Prime Minister Sha- militants. Zardari tional 30 people, offi cials from casualties were reported on the Both countries claim Kash- of the incident. hid Khaqan Abbasi urged the India accuses Pakistan of the two sides said yesterday, Pakistani side. mir, and have fought two In May, India accused Paki- UN secretary general to appoint backing several anti-India mili- in the latest confrontation be- Pakistan’s military said six of their three wars over the stani forces of killing two sol- a special envoy for Kashmir. tant groups and helping them IANS tween the two nuclear-armed civilians were killed and 26 Himalayan region, which they diers patrolling the LoC and He accused India’s military of infi ltrate the Kashmir to stoke Islamabad countries. wounded. have disputed since parti- mutilating their bodies. Paki- brutality in a crackdown against violence and carry out terrorist The clash came on the heels “Pakistan Rangers Punjab tion and independence from stan’s military denied the al- anti-India activists. Hundreds acts. Pakistan denies the charge.

akistan Peoples’ Party leader Asif Ali Zardari, Presponding to allegations levelled by former president Warm-up for boxing lesson Pervez Musharraf of being com- EU’s help sought to plicit in Benazir Bhutto’s assas- sination, said yesterday that the former general should return to tackle power crisis Pakistan and face the courts if he is “brave”. Zardari was speaking to the Internews aware of European Union media a day after Musharraf ac- Islamabad leadership role in climate cused him of “having the most change issues. The minister to gain from Bhutto’s murder”. said Pakistan’s contribution “He (Musharraf) should ap- he European Union in global carbon emission pear in front of the court,” Zard- (EU) can help Pakistan was less than 0.08% but cli- ari said in Kamalia, a city in Tovercome power cri- mate change was badly af- district Toba Tek Singh. sis through renewable energy fecting crops and habitats. The leader’s daughters also projects. He also accepted the invita- hit out at Musharraf on Twitter. These renewable energy tion from ambassador to par- Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, products will also help miti- ticipate in Ocean Conference the eldest daughter of the slain gate climate change in the being held in Malta earlier premier, said Musharraf should country. This was stated by October 2017. The EU ambas- quit TV talk shows and face the Federal Minister for Climate sador informed the minister courts. Change Mushahidullah Khan about the progress on projects Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also during a meeting with ambas- initiated by the European took to Twitter with a hashtag sador of European Union Jean Union in Pakistan. #ShameOnMusharraf saying Francois Caution, who called He said the EU off ered help that he is “blaming the victims”. on him in his offi ce recently. and co-operation in many She came down hard on the The minister informed the small and large hydropow- media for giving coverage to visitor about the production er projects. “We are work- Musharraf, saying: “Disgusted of renewable energy from the ing on 165 power projects in & appalled by media houses that waste produced from Buff alo Malakand division. are giving attention to him,” be- Colony, hospital and industries Work on 10 projects has sides calling for his arrest. in Karachi and said it would been completed, while work Meanwhile, Pakistan Te- save Arabian Sea from pollu- on the rest will be complet- hreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ousted tion and help with the growth ed next year. These projects leader Ayesha Gulalai yesterday Men warm up during a boxing lesson at a boxing club in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, yesterday. of mangroves and marine life. will produce 28 megawatts of stated that Musharraf’s accusa- He said Pakistan was electricity,” he said. tions “seem true” and demand- ed that the Benazir Bhutto mur- der case be opened again, the Lawmaker News International reported. Gulalai called Musharraf “in- disqualified nocent” and said he was being UK professionals keen to invest in healthcare sector The Election Commission “trapped”, adding that the na- of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday tion should realise who benefi ted disqualified Pakistan from Benazir’s murder. Internews working in the National Health that followed next day at the highly fruitful,” said Raja. am really enthusiastic about the Tehreek-e-Insaf Member of Musharraf said in a video Islamabad Service (NHS) have said they Pakistan High Commission.” Dr Sajad Ahmad, of Asso- upcoming opportunities and Provincial Assembly (MPA) message released on Thurs- will invest in Punjab’s health- ciation of Primary Healthcare would love to work in Pakistan,” Shah Mohammad Khan day: “The one responsible for care sector as investors and “A series of short Professionals, said his team was he said. Wazir. all miseries of the Bhutto fam- eading British-Pakistani healthcare providers. presentations by CM’s pleased to see the interest and Dr Ashba H Jafri said: “Be- Wazir has also been working as ily as well as the assassination health professionals have Dr Suhail Chughtai, ortho- healthcare team stirred keenness of the government to ing a proud medical graduate adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Benazir and Murtaza Bhut- Lappreciated the health paedic surgeon, said the road my passion but also engage and invite UK-based Pa- from Punjab and having had Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. to, is none other but (Asif Ali) reforms introduced by Punjab show refl ected a passionate appeared to ripple of kistani medical professionals to the opportunity of working in Malik Naeem Khan, opponent Zardari.” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif commitment by Sharif towards wave of enthusiasm contribute and invest in Punjab. Services Hospital Lahore, it was of Wazir, had approached the He added that Zardari did to uplift the healthcare stand- raising the standard of health- through the audience of “It’s a fact that NHS (UK) a delight for me to learn about election commission, pleading nothing to investigate the mur- ards in the province, assuring care in Punjab, host to 110mn over around 200 guests ...” is functioning well because of all the hard work that has been that the MPA and his family was der of Murtaza Bhutto as he en- to work with the Punjab gov- Pakistanis. the strong support of qualifi ed put into improving Primary involved in anti-state activities joyed his stay in the presidency ernment through human re- “A well-structured series of Abu Tarab Raja, who has prop- general practitioners, giving and secondary healthcare in and that his name was on the exit for fi ve years. Musharraf’s state- source contribution and direct informative short presentations erty portfolios across the UK the same attention and trans- Punjab.” control list (ECL). ment came days after he was investments. by his healthcare team members linked with healthcare centres, fer of skill to Pakistan will no Dr Ishtiaq Rizvi, medical di- It was said that he had concealed accused of being involved in The Punjab chief minister stirred my passion but also ap- said he will invest in Punjab’s doubt bring a major change to rector of Capital Care Services, all these things while contesting Benazir Bhutto’s murder. conducted “Health Road Show” peared to ripple of wave of en- healthcare sectors because his healthcare,” he said. said the road show was “ex- election in 2013. On August 31, an Anti-Ter- in London two weeks ago and thusiasm through the learned experience of investing in Punjab Dr Azwar bin Zahoor, a lead- tremely successful” and Shar- Khan had asked the ECP to rorist Court in Rawalpindi ac- held meetings with doctors, audience of over around 200 has been very successful. ing NHS doctor, said the pub- if’s passion and commitment disqualify the MPA on those quitted fi ve alleged operatives surgeons and healthcare profes- guests with a good number of “I have invested in real estate lic private partnership (PPP) is was refl ected throughout. grounds. of the outlawed Tehreek-e- sionals informing them about medical professionals from UK. in Punjab in the last eight years. an excellent way of increasing He said he has plans to work The ECP bench headed by Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for want the ongoing healthcare reforms Several medical professionals I have not faced any problems collaborative working arrange- in Punjab health sector. He add- Chief Election Commissioner of evidence over the assassi- programme in Punjab, inviting including myself responded by and as an overseas Pakistani I ments and a very effi cient way ed: “We proposed the develop- Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan nation of Benazir in a gun and them to become stakeholders. off ering practical help in vari- was assisted at all levels by the of reducing the fi nancial and ment of a world-class state- disqualified Wazir and his brother suicide attack in Rawalpindi on A number of leading doctors, ous sectors which were given government offi cials and my operational risks by engaging of-the-art medical college and Gul Baz Khan, who is a member of December 27, 2007. entrepreneurs and surgeons, further clarity in the meetings investment has proved to be diff erent service providers. “I hospital management services.” Bannu district council. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, September 23, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Govt warns on fraudsters seeking Marawi donation Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Off icer- Bishops urge bell-ringing to in-Charge (OIC) Catalino Cuy has issued a warning to government off icials and the public against scammers asking for donations, Manila Times reported. This comes after reports from local off icials reached his off ice about protest bloody drugs war the scheme of certain individuals posing as DILG secretary or his Reuters Such messages are typi- sanctuary to witnesses of kill- staff asking for cash donations Manila cally read aloud in church or ings and drug users who feared for Marawi evacuees. He said distributed to their congrega- they could be targeted. the would-be victims raised the tions. Villegas said the country’s alarm when the imposter asked tepping up a campaign Many Catholic churches in bishops were firmly against them to deposit their cash dona- against President Rod- the capital have already start- drugs, but killing was not the tions to a money remittance Srigo Duterte’s bloody war ed lighting candles and ringing solution and prayer was “the centre. “Let the public be aware on drugs, Catholic bishops in bells for five minutes each day most powerful weapon in our that the DILG does not solicit the Philippines have called for at 8pm. arsenal”. Rights groups dispute donations in this manner. church bells to be rung for the Thousands of Filipinos ral- official police accounts that It is a good thing to consult any next 40 nights, and congrega- lied against Duterte on Thurs- say drug suspects were killed DILG off ice if you wish to extend tions to light candles and pray day to protest against what because they violently resisted help,” Cuy said. He also issued for the killing to end. they fear is an emerging dicta- arrest. a separate warning to local chief A pastoral letter by Catho- torship, and several churches Critics accuse police of ex- executives who could be victims lic Bishops’ Conference of the held mass against the killings ecuting users and small-time of another imposter who promises Philippines (CBCP) sent to and urged people to renounce dealers and planting evidence, “quick fixes” for their cases at the priests urged Catholics to pray violence. which police reject. Off ice of the Ombudsman. “This for victims from today until The bishops are among the Pablo Virgilio David, bishop could well be another group of All Saints’ Day on Nov 1, when most influential dissenting in Manila’s Caloocan City, scammers who are out to prey Filipinos traditionally pay re- voices to come out against the where large numbers of drug- on unsuspecting public having spects to the dead. Duterte’s uncompromising related killings have taken pending suspension or dismissal More than 3,800 peo- strategy. place, urged the authorities to cases from the anti-graft court,” ple have been killed in anti- Having been largely silent on end the killings and let healing Cuy added. He said an unidentified drugs operations in the past the issue when it first erupted begin. mayor from Mindanao received a 15 months and at least 2,100 last year, priests have increas- “We disagree that we should call from someone pretending to murders are suspected of being ingly taken a stand against the treat them like monsters to be be the OIC secretary who exerted drug-related, according to po- anti-drugs campaign. eliminated like stray cats and pressure, asking for favours. Mean- lice data, though human rights A sign is posted outside a Catholic church which translates to “Let us pray for the victims of extrajudicial As bodies started to appear dogs,” he said of drug users and while, DILG said an advisory would groups believe the numbers are killings, bells will toll at 8:00pm” in Quezon City, Metro Manila, yesterday. nightly in Manila’s slums, the criminals. be released to its field off ices and understated. church stepped up its opposi- “We disagree that a criminal local government units to alert “The relentless and bloody shows no sign of abating im- clare: In the name of God, stop rates Villegas, the head of the tion, denouncing the killings has no more hope of changing potential scam victims. campaign against drugs that pels us, your bishops, to de- the killings!” Archbishop Soc- CBCP, said in the letter. and in some cases, providing his life.” Trillanes sues communications Suspect in hazing offi cial Uson over cyber-libel death surrenders

By Ma. Reina Leanne Tolentino our law. So that is what should Manila Times gerprinting, mugshots, medical exams and the Manila Times be learned by all those who Manila judicial affidavit,” he said. spread fake news,” he added. Margarejo also said that police would be fil- Uson, in New York accompa- ing a perjury case against Solano for violating enator Antonio Trillanes nying Foreign Aff airs Secretary suspect in the killing of hazing victim Ho- Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code and Re- yesterday fi led a “cyber- Alan Peter Cayetano for the UN racio “Atio” Castillo is now in the custody public Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law. Slibel” complaint at the Of- General Assembly, retorted: Aof Manila police after surrendering to Sen. Margarejo said Solano was still waiting for fi ce of the Ombudsman against “Congratulations, sir for proving Panfi lo Lacson yesterday. his lawyer. Presidential Communications that you have *****. You better “We would like to thank, Senator Lacson and He also encouraged others involved to come Assistant Secretary Margaux hurry up and not be preoccupied the UST school office, for this breakthrough out and co-operate in the investigation. “Mocha” Uson over a social me- with holding press conferences.” for helping us in the investigation of Cas- In an interview in the office of Lacson, dia post on his alleged off shore Trillanes also asked the Om- tillo’s case,” said Supt. Erwin Margarejo, MPD Solano expressed his apologies to the Castillo bank accounts. budsman to charge Uson with spokesman. family for giving out false information. In his complaint, Trillanes graft, falsifi cation and/or use of Solano said he was not present during the asked the Ombudsman to charge Senator Antonio Trillanes, accompanied by Magdalo party-list falsifi ed documents, and breach “They were in chaos at that time. I was initiation rites and that his involvement was Uson under the Cybercrime Pre- representative. Gary Alejano, shows his complaint against of conduct. not there, and they needed medical giving Castillo CPR when fraternity members vention Act of 2012. Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson before reporters at “One charge involves her con- assistance. I’m a medical health provider had called him. He said he was a registered “Because that was where we the Ombudsman’s off ice yesterday. tinued practice of her profes- so more or less they would call me” medical technologist. caught her…specifi cally that sion. That’s not allowed. And “They were in chaos at that time. I was not these accounts are bogus at we posted by Davao Breaking News “As a responsible senior gov- she is the manager of the Mocha Solano surrendered to Lacson in his office at there, and they needed medical assistance. I’m have proven that,” Trillanes told – 2.” ernment offi cial, our standards Girls (dance group) and that is the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City about a medical health provider so more or less they reporters in an interview. “In the same article/Facebook are higher, right? Truthfulness not allowed. As a government 3.40pm. before being motored to the Manila would call me,” he said, denying his role in re- Trillanes’ complaint said the post, Ms Uson shared the images should be verifi ed before we offi cial, you can only have one Police District (MPD). cruiting Castillo. former entertainer and sex ad- of and links to what appears to be share. So let this be a lesson not job, one source of compensation, As of posting time, Margarejo said Solano “He’s unconscious, I did give him a CPR, and vice columnist “published and/ a number of uniform computer- only for Ms Mocha Uson but our unless specifi cally authorised by was in the investigating room. He would be then when I can’t do anything else, I brought or caused the publication of a printed documents purport- ordinary fellowmen who have a law,” he said. placed in the custody of the homicide section. him to the hospital,” said Solano. derogatory article/Facebook edly being off ered to prove that penchant for sharing fake news,” Uson had been caught on vid- Margarejo was unclear on whether Solano Solano also said that he was “Popoy” in the post on her Facebook Account, the undersigned had numerous Trillanes told reporters. eo dancing in a casino complex, would be detained but said that he would un- exchange of text messages among members of which is publicly known as the bank accounts in foreign banks, “The era of fake news is over. in violation of a Palace order last dergo the usual procedure in an investigation. the Aegis Juris. ‘Mocha Uson Blog,’…wherein she which purportedly constitutes All those who will spread fake year prohibiting government of- “What is important for him is to undergo the Solano said he was a UST law student who shared the article/Facebook post his ‘hidden wealth,’” it added. news will be held liable under fi cials from going to casinos. usual procedure — the booking process, fin- filed a Leave of Absence last 2016. Rape charges against Big Western brands ‘polluting oceans’ Navarro dismissed

By Jomar Canlas the DoJ resolution stated. with cheap plastic in Philippines Manila Times “In view of the foregoing, the complaints for rape and attempted rape against re- AFP Greenpeace spokeswoman he Department of Jus- spondent are hereby dismissed Manila Angelica Pago. The solutions tice (DoJ) yesterday for want of probable cause,” it proposed by Nestle were “still Tjunked the rape charges said. promoting incineration and against actor and entertainer The DoJ ruling said Cor- estern consumer gi- end-of-pipe solutions, while Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro nejo’s narration of events was ants are polluting Greenpeace advocates for fi led by model Deniece Mili- not credible. Woceans by selling waste reduction and banning of nette Cornejo. Cornejo, it said, “suff ers products packaged in cheap, single-use plastics altogether”, In a resolution dated Sep- from a very serious cred- disposable plastic to Filipinos, Pago added. tember 6, the DoJ said there ibility issue” brought about Greenpeace has claimed — nam- Nestle said it was putting was no probable cause to indict by the inconsistencies of her ing Nestle, Unilever and Procter together material to explain its Navarro on two counts of rape, complaint-affi davits against & Gamble among the worst of- waste management efforts, but and attempted rape, reversing Navarro. fenders. that the presentation would an original recommendation “(Cornejo’s) story about the The environmental group not be ready until next week. for the fi ling of criminal cases incident on January 17, 2014 ranked the Philippines as the Procter & Gamble and Uni- in court. changed from no rape (or any- “third-worst polluter into the lever did not immediately re- The ruling was signed and thing amorous for that matter) world’s oceans” after China and spond to AFP’s request for approved by Severino Gaña, happening (fi rst complaint- Indonesia in a report released comment. offi cer in charge of the pros- affi davit), to rape being com- yesterday in Manila. Greenpeace said the Phil- ecutor general’s offi ce. mitted by force (second com- Single-use plastics from ippines contributed 1.88mn The complaint was fi led plaint-affi davit), and fi nally to products sold by conglomerates, tonnes of “mismanaged plastic with the Offi ce of the City rape being committed render- such as bags, bottle labels, and waste” each year, with Thai- Prosecutor of Taguig follow- ing her dizzy and weak due to straws, stood out during a week- land, Vietnam and Malaysia ing incidents that took place in a date rape drug-laced wine long Greenpeace clean-up cam- also on its list of the world’s Cornejo’s condominium unit (third complaint-affi davit),” it paign held on Manila Bay this biggest ocean plastic polluters. in Taguig in 2014. pointed out. month, it said. The problem is expected The case eventually reached “On the other hand, com- More than 54,200 pieces of to worsen as these countries’ the DoJ. “The voluminous plainant’s story about the plastic waste were recovered A boy walks on a garbage filled creek to get his ball in Manila yesterday. growing economies lead to ris- records of this case was metic- incident on January 22, 2014 from the bay in total, including ing incomes and “exploding ulously scrutinised vis-a-vis started from rape being com- some 9,000 from Nestle prod- Greenpeace said plastic waste of 103mn people with high levels Nestle provided Aguilar de- demand for consumer prod- the original resolution fi nding mitted by force (fi rst com- ucts — the most frequently-seen was a particularly serious prob- of poverty, products sold in sin- tails of its “environmental sus- ucts”, the campaign group said. probable cause. plaint-affi davit), to absolutely brand, according to a tally kept lem in “sachet economies” like gle-use sachets include instant tainability projects” yesterday, Plastic waste from prod- However, such thorough having no mention about any by the group. the Philippines and other devel- coff ee, shampoo, cooking oil, she said. ucts made by Indonesian firm scrutiny has failed to make us incident (second complaint- “These corporations are oping countries, where people food seasoning and toothpaste. Unilever, number two on the PT Torabika Mayora was third engender a well-founded be- affi davit), until the events the missing piece in the global on limited incomes are pushed to These low-value disposable Greenpeace list, and number most-seen on Manila Bay, lief that the rape and attempt- morphed into a mere attempt fi ght against plastic pollution,” buy cheap goods in small quan- sachets usually end up in land- five Procter & Gamble did not Greenpeace said, with local ed rape described by com- to rape her (second complaint- Greenpeace campaigner Abigail tities. fill or as litter or marine debris, respond to the group’s cor- firm Universal Robina Corp at plainant actually happened,” affi davit),” it added. Aguilar said in a statement. In the Philippines, a country according to Greenpeace. respondence, said regional number four. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL ‘Refugee Bangladesh urges ‘safe camps on zones’ for Rohingya the brink AFP by Rohingya militants on police ommends citizenship for the United Nations posts on August 25. Rohingya, said Hasina. They of health Hasina accused Myanmar au- currently lack it. thorities of laying landmines on There has been mounting angladesh’s prime min- the border to prevent the Ro- international outrage over the ister has proposed cre- hingyas from returning and said plight of the Rohingya, prompt- Bating UN-supervised the United Nations must take ing the UN Security Council this disaster’ safe zones inside Myanmar immediate measures to fi nd a month to call for an end to the to protect Rohingya Muslims solution to the crisis. violence. who are fl eeing a military The prime minister laid out The creation of such “safe ar- AFP thousands still sleeping out in crackdown to seek refuge in a fi ve-point plan that called for eas” would require the approval Cox’s Bazar the open despite regular mon- her country. the protection of the Rohingyas of the Security Council where soon rains. “These people must be able in “safe zones that could be cre- China, a strong supporter of Yesterday, the UN’s Refugee to return to their homeland in ated inside Myanmar under UN Myanmar’s former junta, has angladesh’s refugee Agency said it was speeding safety, security and dignity,” supervision.” veto power. camps are on the brink up the distribution of plastic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina The United Nations has de- The 1.1mn strong Rohingya Bof a “public health dis- sheeting to provide basic pro- told the UN General Assembly scribed the military operation as people have suff ered years of aster,” Doctors Without Bor- tection from the elements as on Thursday. “ethnic cleansing” and French discrimination in Myanmar, ders (MSF) has warned, say- authorities work on erecting a The United Nations says more President Emmanuel Macron where they are denied citizen- ing fi lthy water and faeces new 2,000-acre shelter. than 420,000 Rohingya have went further, describing it as a ship even though many have fl ow through shanties burst- The camps are “bursting at fl ed for safety to Bangladesh in “genocide.” longstanding roots in the ing with Rohingya Muslims the seams and yes, there are the face of an army campaign in Myanmar must stop the country. who have fl ed violence in risks of diseases, so that is northern Rakhine state that in- violence and “the practice of The recent exodus of Ro- Myanmar. why the extension is so cru- cludes rape and the burning of ethnic cleansing”, agree to al- hingya has brought the number Nearly 430,000 Rohingya cial,” said UNHCR spokesman villages. low a UN fact-fi nding mission, of refugees from Rakhine living have poured into Bangladesh’s Andrej Mahecic. The military operation was ensure the return of refugees in Bangladesh to over 800,000, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses the 72nd Session Cox’s Bazar in under a month, The potential of an infec- sparked by attacks carried out and abide by a report that rec- said the prime minister. of the UN General assembly in New York. seeking refuge from an army- tious disease outbreak is “very led crackdown across the high”, according to Doctors border in Myanmar’s Rakhine Without Borders, citing the state, which the UN has de- rapid population increase scribed as “ethnic cleansing”. and low vaccination cover- The weary and wounded ar- age among the Rohingya, Lanka probes ‘longest saree’ rivals have shocked the world who lived in impoverished with stories of Myanmar sol- conditions in Myanmar. Ruling NC “One small event could lead diers and Buddhist mobs driv- ing them out of their homes to an outbreak that may be wedding for using children with gunshots and arson at- the tipping point between a tacks that have razed entire crisis and a catastrophe,” said villages to ash. MSF emergency co-ordinator leads in local Robert Onus. AFP While Bangladesh has of- Colombo fered sanctuary from the ter- The humanitarian emer- ror, there are dire shortages gency has heaped global of nearly all forms of relief in pressure on Myanmar’s gov- A Sri Lankan couple is under what has become one of the ernment to halt military oper- poll results ations in Rakhine state, which investigation for deploying world’s largest refugee settle- hundreds of schoolchildren to ments in a matter of weeks. was once home to a 1.1mn carry the train of the bride’s saree Agencies September 2015 and February MSF on Thursday warned strong Rohingya population. during a wedding ceremony, Kathmandu 2016 against the implementa- that a “massive scale-up of The stateless minority has authorities said yesterday. tion of the new constitution humanitarian aid is needed in languished under years of About 250 students of a state- which they felt marginalised Bangladesh to avoid a public discrimination in the mainly owned school carried the train he ruling Nepali Con- the Terai community. health disaster”. Buddhist country, where they of the 3.2km (2 miles) long gress (NC) has won Simmering tensions have “We are receiving adults are denied citizenship and saree worn by the bride as she Tthe most seats in eight remained and Madhesi parties every day on the cusp of dying struggle to access healthcare and the groom walked down a districts of Nepal’s Madhesi- refused to take part in local from dehydration,” said Kate and other basic services. main road in the central district Wedding couple walk along a road as as a bride attempts to set a dominated province bordering polls unless an amendment to White, the group’s emergency The army has defended its of Kandy on Thursday, local record for the longest wedding saree, with a length of 3.2km (2 miles), India, where key local-level the constitution was passed to medical co-ordinator. operations as a proportionate media reported. Another 100 in the central district of Kandy yesterday. Below: Schoolchildren carry elections were held under the address their demands - more “That’s very rare among response to Rohingya mili- students served as flower girls the wedding saree. third phase recently, a media representation in parliament adults, and signals that a pub- tants who raided police posts at the wedding. report said. and redrawing of provincial lic health emergency could be on August 25. The students were from a So far, the NC has won 22 boundaries. just around the corner.” But accounts from refugees school named after Central local units, whereas CPN– Later, the disgruntled par- There are no offi cial roads tell a diff erent story, with scores Province Chief Minister (Maoist Centre) and Federal ties agreed to participate in into the slum-like settlements describing army-led attacks on Sarath Ekanayaka who was a Socialist Party, won 11 local the elections without their that have sprung up outside their homes that rights groups special guest at the wedding, units each, in the fi nal phase demands being addressed. offi cial camps, complicat- say amount to a systematic according to media reports, of the polls that were held last The local polls are part of ing aid delivery in the hilly, purge of the minority. which said the saree was the Monday. the fi nal step in the peace deal mud-slicked terrain. On Tuesday Myanmar lead- longest ever worn by a bride in The Rastriya Janata Party that ended a 10-year civil war “There is a complete ab- er Aung San Suu Kyi signalled Sri Lanka. Nepal (RJPN), the key Madhesi in 2006, and pave the way for sence of latrines,” added a willingness to take back The National Child Protection party, has won eight seats and provincial and general elec- White. “When you walk the refugees in a nationally- Authority (NCPA) said it was main opposition CPN-UML tions later this year. through the settlement, you televised speech. probing the incident. has won seven local units, ac- Since the end of the war, have to wade through streams But she did not spell out a “We have started an cording to the election com- the country has suff ered per- of dirty water and human clear plan for when repatria- investigation,” NCPA chairman mission. sistent instability, cycling faeces.” tion could begin or who would Marini de Livera said, adding: The Nepal Loktantrik Fo- through nine governments in With chaotic and patchy qualify for return. “We are going all out because rum (NLF) has won two seats. a decade. food distribution, many Ro- Even before the latest exo- we don’t want this to become So far, results of 61 local The last local representa- hingya are only eating one dus, Bangladesh was already a trend.” against the law, with violators de Livera said. “Depriving units out of total 136 units are tives were elected in 1997 and meal of plain rice per day, she sheltering some 300,000 Ro- De Livera said deploying facing up to 10 years in prison. children of education, risking out. their mandates lapsed when added. hingya refugees who had fl ed students for such ceremonies “What they (the wedding party) their security and harming their The Madhesis, mostly of their fi ve-year terms expired Bangladeshi troops were from previous waves of per- during school hours was did is a violation of child rights,” dignity are criminal off ences.” Indian-origin, launched a at the height of the brutal deployed this week to build secution, some dating back prolonged agitation between Maoist insurgency. more toilets and shelters for decades ago. Hospitals shut Nepal says will measure Mt Everest as Nepal doctors protest govt plan next year to see if lost height Reuters in 2005 Chinese mountaineers start the work in the summer Kathmandu and researchers put its height at climbing season next year or in DPA should be held responsible for 8,844.43m (29,017ft). the Autumn of 2018,” Anil Mar- Kathmandu this,” he said. “There are reports that asini, another offi cial with the The legislation would mean epal will measure changes are noticed in the survey department, said. doctors could face crimi- Mount Everest afresh height of the Mt Everest due Offi cials said they would ospitals across Nepal nal charges for negligence, Nto settle a controver- to the recent earthquakes,” seek to establish whether a 7.8 were shut yesterday and they may have to pay sy over height of the world’s said Ganesh Prasad Bhatta, magnitude earthquake in April Has hundreds of doctors compensation to the victims. tallest peak, especially af- director general of the Nepal 2015 had altered the mountain’s protested against a govern- The legislation followed ter some estimates suggested government’s survey depart- height. ment plan to make them le- tensions at hospitals in Kath- it became a little shorter in ment, adding that an expedi- The earthquake occurred gally liable if a patient dies due mandu after patients accused the wake of an earthquake tion would be made next year during the peak climbing sea- to negligence. doctors of negligence during two years ago, offi cials said to settle the debate. son, and massive avalanches The Nepal Medical Asso- the treatment. yesterday. “We are now developing a killed 18 people at the base ciation (NMA), which rep- Earlier, the association had Nepal, home to Mount Ev- methodology for the measure- camp. During the summer resents doctors and medi- also served a three-day ul- erest and half of the world’s 14 ment which will be discussed mountaineering season this cal workers, called for the timatum to the government highest mountains, has never with international experts, and year, some climbers said the protest after talks with the calling to withdraw the deci- measured the peak on its own their advice will be incorporat- Hillary Step - a near vertical government broke down late sion. After the government and uses its snow height of ed to make sure that our work rock formation below the sum- Thursday. did not heed their demand, 8,848m (29,028ft) that was meets global standards and mit - had collapsed, though the “We have informed all the umbrella organisation of measured by the Survey of is internationally accepted,” Nepal government has rebutted the hospitals, medical and medical doctors resorted to India in 1954. Bhatta said. those claims. dental colleges and clin- the protests. Many Western climbers use He said Nepal lacked scien- Nepal will take the snow ics to halt their all services The association has put the height of 8,850m (29,035ft) tifi c tools like Global Position- height as the basis for what it except emergency and in- forward other two demands determined in 1999 by the Na- ing System and levelling equip- hopes will be defi nitive meas- tensive care starting Friday,” including an amendment tional Geographic Society and ment as well as gravimeters, but urement, in a project of “na- NMA spokesman Lochan to the act relating to the Boston’s Museum of Science, would hire what was needed tional pride”. Karki said in a statement security of health work- in a survey that used satellite- from experts and agencies like Nepal has allocated a budget yesterday. ers and health institutions based technology to measure the International Association of of Rs250mn for the project. “We feel sorry for the in- and implementation of past the peak. Geodesy. Everest is situated in the convenience caused by our agreements signed with the Everest straddles the border “If the weather conditions on Mahalangur Range directly Light illuminates Mount Everest, during sunset in the Solukhumbu district protest, but the government government. between Nepal and China, and the mountain are good, we will between Tibet and Nepal. also known as the Everest region. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, September 23, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko IT is fuelling wealth

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] and income inequality Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) By Mordecai Kurz income and wealth to concentrate in Fax 44350474 Stanford fewer hands, leading to an increase in personal income and wealth inequality? or more than 30 years One part of the answer is that rising in advanced economies, monopoly power increased corporate particularly the United States, profi ts and sharply boosted stock Fwealth and income inequality prices, which produced gains that GULF TIMES have increased, real (infl ation- were enjoyed by a small population adjusted) wages have risen slowly, and of stockholders and corporate retirees have faced declining interest management. But, given that many IT rates on savings. This has occurred entrepreneurs were young at the start while corporate profi ts and stock prices of their careers, with limited ownership Trump’s chance to win have risen sharply. Now, research I have of stocks, a more refi ned explanation is conducted shows that these changes needed. were primarily caused by the rise in Since the 1980s, IT innovations out over N Korea with modern information technology (IT). have largely been software-based, IT has impacted the economy giving young innovators an advantage. in myriad ways; the computer, the These cost and economies-of-scale In 1960, the percentage of all real Additionally, “proof of concept” Internet, and mobile technology have advantages are almost impossible for corporate assets fi nanced by debt was studies are typically inexpensive diplomatic solution transformed media, online retailing, competitors to overcome. less than 20%. By 2015, that share had for software innovations (except the pharmaceutical industry, and In addition, because these fi rms risen to about 80%, meaning that most in pharmaceuticals); with modest President Donald Trump must choose his words more countless other consumer-related derive their power from information, capital held by public corporations capital, IT innovators can test ideas carefully, lest he lead the United States down a path services. IT has improved life their positions are enhanced by their today is owned and traded by without surrendering a major share of enormously. ability to use their customers’ private bondholders. In other words, investors their stock. As a result, successful IT that could result in a military confl ict that would prove But, by enabling the rise of information as a strategic asset. have agreed to fi nance corporate debt innovations have concentrated wealth disastrous. monopoly power, and by facilitating Indeed, many IT platforms are not by using monopoly wealth as collateral, in fewer – and often younger – hands. barriers to entry, the growth of IT has producers in the traditional sense; and most trading in the stock market This was not true in the twentieth The game of chicken Trump and Korean leader Kim also had major negative economic, they are public utilities that enable can therefore be thought of as traded century, when major innovations in Jong-un have played since Trump’s inauguration is social, and political side eff ects, co-ordination and information- ownership of monopoly wealth. leading sectors such as automobiles likely giving military commanders in both countries including the proliferation of “fake sharing among users in diverse fi elds. As the table below shows, nine required large investments of risk news.” In short, IT enables the creation of of the ten fi rms with the largest capital. With more investors needed, serious indigestion. But the world doesn’t look to North For starters, the very structure of the barriers to market entry, and then monopoly wealth in December 2015 the wealth created was distributed Korea for leadership. It looks, in part, to the United IT sector allows for the formation of encourages leading fi rms to become are IT-related, focusing on mobile more broadly. monopoly power. IT has improved the further entrenched. With the pace of communications, social media, online The negative side eff ects of IT are not States. In that respect, Trump has to be better than Kim. processing, storage, and transmission IT innovation increasing, monopoly retailing, and drugs. Similarly, most well understood, and public discussion For all the attention given Trump’s speech at the of data, and IT innovators are the sole power is also rising. monopoly wealth among the top 100 of how to regulate the sector is United Nations, much of it was standard fare off ered owners of major information channels In a recent paper measuring the fi rms,is being created by companies urgently needed. Three considerations that they actively work to prevent economic eff ects of monopoly power, transformed by IT. are critical. First, because most up by previous administrations. There were, however, competitors from using. I approximated normal levels above Income created by fi rms with technology-based monopoly power portions of the speech that were troubling. Trump IT fi rms could defend their which profi ts or stock values are not monopoly power is divided into three does not violate existing antitrust laws, monopoly power through patents or purely chance events, but rather types: labour income, normal interest regulating IT will require new measures said of Kim, “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for by copyrighting intellectual property. refl ective of monopoly power. With income paid to capital, and monopoly to weaken monopolies. New concepts himself and his regime.” It is disturbing because it gives But these routes require making trade these levels, I measured the monopoly profi ts. The data show that in the 1970s of the public interest are also needed credence to the notion that Kim is a crazy man, ready to secrets public. So, for strategic reasons, component of total stock values – what and early 1980s, monopoly profi ts were for regulating new public information many fi rms forego legal protections, I call “monopoly wealth” – and of negligible. But since 1984, the share of channels such as social networks. go to war or to launch a nuclear weapon at a moment’s and consolidate a dominant market monopoly profi ts or rent. I then sought monopoly profi ts has risen steadily; it Second, standard views of business notice. position by issuing ongoing software to determine how monopoly wealth reached 23% of total income produced income and wealth taxation will need updates that, by default, serve and rent have evolved. by American corporations in 2015. This to be adapted to account for IT fi rms’ The reality is, North Korea has been deterred from as barriers that are diffi cult for The fi gure below shows monopoly means that during the three decades monopoly power. And, third, laws engaging in any large-scale military action since 1953. competitors to breach. When potential wealth as a percentage of total before 2015, monopoly power caused intended to protect private information Kim and his father, as well as his grandfather, have new technologies emerge, bigger fi rms stock-market value between 1985 the combined shares of wages and should be reevaluated to ensure that often acquire their challengers, either and 2015. As the data show, there was normal interest on capital to decline IT companies are unable to profi t from managed to stay in power for that long, suggesting they to develop the competing technologies no monopoly wealth in the 1980s. by 23%. exploiting and manipulating it. are rational actors and are motivated by self-interest on their own, or to suppress them. But as the IT industry developed, Rising productivity and capital Above all, the public must develop a Once an innovative fi rm establishes monopoly wealth rose dramatically; accumulation increases wages and deeper understanding of the economic and their own survival. platform dominance, size becomes it reached 82% of total stock-market capital income, but monopoly power eff ects of IT, particularly how To that end, Trump has the opportunity to utilise an advantage. Because the cost of value – equivalent to some $23.8tn – in reduces these income shares. This technologies that have improved the diplomatic solutions to keep North Korea in check. processing and storing information has December 2015. This is the extra wealth partly explains why, during the 1985- lives of so many are enriching the lives declined in recent years, a fi rm with a gained by rising monopoly power, and 2015 period, wages exhibited sluggish of so few. – Project Syndicate Some may argue the United States and the rest of the size advantage has smaller operating it is continuing to grow. growth and retirees faced declining world have exhausted all diplomatic solutions. Not so, costs, and profi ts rise rapidly as the To put in perspective the percentage interest rates on their savings. zMordecai Kurz is Professor of number of users multiplies (Google of monopoly wealth, consider the Why, then, has rising monopoly Economics, Emeritus, at Stanford says former Secretary and Facebook are good examples). related sharp rise in corporate leverage. power in the IT sector caused University. of State John Kerry. Trump must In a recent engage China to appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, get them to go Kerry said there are along fewer sanctions against For some, lunar village takes shape North Korea, which has a nuclear weapon, than there are against Iran, which AFP Riga doesn’t. Unfortunately, Trump cannot do it alone. y 2040, a hundred people will Any new sanctions against North Korea require UN live on the moon, melting ice Security Council approval, and that means Trump must for water, 3D-printing homes and tools, eating plants grown engage China to get them to go along. China did sign on B in lunar soil, and competing in low- to the most recent sanctions against North Korea, but gravity, “fl ying” sports. To those who mock such talk if Trump wants more and to have the rest of the world as science fi ction, experts such as siding with him, it will require diplomacy - not heavy- Bernard Foing, ambassador of the handed tweets. European Space Agency-driven “Moon Village” scheme, reply the goal Trump’s view on sovereignty in his UN speech leaves is not only reasonable but feasible too. much to be desired. He said: “ ... we do expect all At a European Planetary Science Congress in Riga this week, Foing nations to uphold these two core sovereign duties, to spelt out how humanity could gain respect the interests of their own people and rights of a permanent foothold on earth’s every other sovereign nation.” satellite, and then expand. He likened it to the growth of the Saying this allows for despotic and authoritarian railways, when villages grew around regimes to claim they’re exercising a similar view of train stations, followed by businesses. By 2030, there could be an initial sovereignty held by Trump. As such, China could veto lunar settlement of six to 10 pioneers sanctions off ered by the UN Security Council, with Xi - scientists, technicians and engineers European Space Agency’s “Moon Village” scheme: science fiction? Jinping arguing sanctions do not benefi t the “interests” - which could grow to 100 by 2040, he predicted. of the people of China as they are North Korea’s largest “In 2050, you could have a thousand “It is highly frustrating...We still Experts argue that the future lies planet you’re on. You can’t feel the trading partner. and then...naturally you could don’t have the top leaders interested,” in collaboration between increasingly wind (if there is any, like on Mars), envisage to have family” joining crews said physicist Vidvuds Beldavs of cash-strapped national space agencies you don’t feel the Sun on your skin, Diplomacy is not easy. Bombast gets headlines, but it there, Foing said. the University of Latvia, who runs a and the private sector, which can and whatever you touch feels like the rarely produces results. Trump can avoid boxing himself Mere decades from now, “there may project called the International Lunar profi t from selling resources such as inside of your gloves.” into a corner and win out over North Korea using a be the possibility to have children born Decade, advocating joint exploration moon-derived rocket fuel. Another problem: “You can never on the moon,” he enthused. of the moon. Robotic exploration is already escape your crew mates,” she said. diplomatic solution. But it will require patience and ESA boss Jan Woerner has mooted Potential moon resources include underway, with several Moon landers But Foing, who himself spent what he claims to be the best at doing - negotiation. replacing the orbiting International basalt, a volcanic rock Beldavs said and rovers planned for the coming years. some time in one of the many earthly Space Station with a permanent lunar could be used as a raw material for Woerner said the goal “is to join modules preparing aspirant moon or It is time for him to put his negotiating skills to use. colony, a futuristic idea that was high 3D-printing satellites to be deployed international eff orts and to bridge Mars explorers, is undeterred. He on the agenda at this week’s expert from the moon at a fraction of the cost earthly borders and crises.” hopes to visit the village by 2040. meeting in the Latvian capital. of a launch from high-gravity earth. But for those who think the moon As for his family, “that will depend To Advertise The ISS is due to be There is also helium-3, a rare off ers an escape from an earth on the price... The price of the ticket decommissioned in 2024 - the end of isotope on our planet but common on threatened by climate change and is in the order of 100mn euros. That’s [email protected] an era of unprecedented co-operation the moon, that could theoretically be nuclear war, physicist Christiane now, but in 20 years, the price of the Display in space after the Cold War rivalry used to generate cleaner, safer nuclear Heinicke warns it is a “tough” life, and ticket could be 100 times less.” Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 between the US and Soviet Union. energy for earth. not for everyone. This will depend largely on advances Forty years after humankind set The main target is water, locked She had spent a year in a mock made by commercial Moon explorers Classified foot on Earth’s satellite as a result of up in ice on the Moon’s poles. Water Mars environment in Hawaii. “It is developing new technologies, Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 that fi erce contest of one-upmanship, can be separated into hydrogen and completely devoid of any vegetation, boosting demand for lunar resources, Woerner has proposed a village on the oxygen, two gases which explode all they see is rocks, regolith (loose or tourism, and driving prices down. Subscription long-abandoned moon as the next when mixed - providing rocket fuel. rocks and dust), and a sky that is Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for example, [email protected] phase in space teamwork. “To go into earth orbit...it is 40 diff erent from ours on Earth,” she said hopes to send two humans on a trip Scientists and commercial prospectors times cheaper to go from the Moon by e-mail. around the Moon in the next few years, are keen on the concept, but politicians than from earth, because the earth has “Being either inside the habitat or and Blue Origin of Amazon founder 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved have yet to bite — a reluctance that, for such high gravity that you have to fi ght inside a suit means that you’re never Jeff Bezos has plans to deliver fi ve now, cripples the idea. against it,” explained Foing. able to actually FEEL the moon/ tonnes of cargo to Earth’s satellite. Gulf Times Saturday, September 23, 2017 15 COMMENT South Africa’s rhino paradox While breeders are eager to defend their trade, economists have debunked the myth that a legal domestic market in rhino horns will conserve wild populations

By Ross Harvey Johannesburg

arlier this year, South Africa’s Constitutional Court overturned a 2009 moratorium Eon trade in rhinoceros horns. It was a devastating blow for animal conservation groups, which had hailed a measure that aligned South Africa Currently, rhino horn sells for as much as $60,000 per kilogram in parts of Asia. with the global ban on the trade in eff ect since 1977. possessing rhino horn, further boosting in Vietnam found that commercial Historically, poaching has also been researchers like Tensen report, that Yet if farmed solutions were ever But as the court’s ruling sinks in, demand. farming of the Southeast Asian immune to fl uctuations in the retail is unlikely in the near term, given the to be seen as an alternative to wild commercial breeders and animal Breeders and traders like Hume porcupine, a popular meat source, had price of rhino horns. For the price higher status associated with non- harvesting, other breeders would rights groups face a crucial question: concede that demand “is not going to not dramatically reduced the hunting mechanism to eradicate poaching, farmed products. need to replicate such conditions. The could the creation of a legal market die down anytime soon.” But they argue of wild porcupines. It is the same story demand would need to bottom out. Law-enforcement eff orts would also cost would be signifi cant, and corners for farmed horns curb a poaching that because horns are a renewable for elephant ivory, bear bile, and mule With demand actually increasing, and need to be increased to detect illegal would no doubt be cut. pandemic that claims some 1,500 wild resource – they grow back when deer musk. Demand for wild products without a threshold price to encourage supplies and break up laundering rings. While breeders are eager to defend rhinos annually? trimmed, albeit slowly – what South often far exceeds what commercial breeding, supply-side interventions Unfortunately, the illegal syndicates their trade, economists have debunked For South Africa’s rhino industry, the Africa actually needs are incentives breeding can realistically off er. are unlikely to be eff ective in protecting that smuggle wildlife products, often the myth that a legal domestic market court’s decision was a watershed. John to encourage responsible breeding Commercial breeding programmes wild rhinos. Currently, rhino horn sells with assistance from government in rhino horns will conserve wild Hume, the world’s most successful and conservation. “If we do not take are further disadvantaged because of for as much as $60,000 per kilogram in offi cials, are adept at evading detection. populations. Even if farmed supplies rhino breeder, hosted the country’s fi rst the steps to meet the demand,” Hume the perception among some buyers that parts of Asia. Finally, the pro-farming argument from South Africa satisfi ed a portion online horn auction in August. Writing argues, “we won’t save the rhino.” wild products are more valuable. As Breeders are convinced that with assumes that commercial breeders will of the demand globally, it will not alter on the auction’s website, he argued We still do not know how the court’s University of Johannesburg scientist permitting systems and detection eventually supply horn at lower prices demand among consumers drawn that “the demand for rhino horn is decision will aff ect demand for a Laura Tensen has noted, “wild animals technologies, legal horns could be than poachers. But captive breeding to wild product, or those who are high, and open trading of the horn has resource that is prized throughout Asia are considered superior because of identifi ed, law enforcement could is costly. Scientists at the University indiff erent about the source. South the potential to satisfy this demand to for its medicinal value. What is clear, their rarity and high expense.” prevent illegal horns from being of California, San Diego, for example, Africa will most likely soon be home prevent rhino poaching.” however, is that placing too much trust That is especially true for rhinos. traffi cked, and domestic trading could have shown that white rhinos rarely to parallel markets, with extensive Opponents of the trade say demand in a commercial conservation approach Poachers often prove the veracity of reduce the stress on wild populations. produce fertile off spring in captivity. laundering of illegal horn. That may for horns could increase as a result of is risky. Evidence suggests that while their illicit product by showing buyers But these arguments hinge on a number Furthermore, the horns of young adults be acceptable to breeders, but it defi es legalisation, reviving dormant interest. farming of rhinos may have niche horns that have been removed from the of conditions that are, at the moment, grow by only about six centimetres a reason for those trying to conserve wild This growth could outpace commercial market possibilities, it will not prevent base of the skull, an extraction method purely aspirational. year, and that rate diminishes with age. rhinos. – Project Syndicate supply, and even fuel more illegal poaching of wild rhinos. that kills the animal. Only the most For starters, commercial breeding Commercial breeders dispute that poaching of wild animals. Critics also Similar eff orts to protect wild conscience-stricken consumer would will succeed only if farmed horns are their operations amount to “captivity,” zRoss Harvey is a senior researcher worry that ending the ban will remove animals through farming have fallen ensure that horns they purchase are viewed as a substitute for products and Hume’s model is meant to replicate at the South African Institute of any lingering stigma associated with short. For example, a 2010 study sourced from licensed breeders. sourced from wild animals. But as wild conditions as much as possible. International Aff airs (SAIIA).

Unauthenticated privately written documents Weather report Three-day forecast procedure initiated by the court in contract. I have no interest in rented a building for three years TODAY By Dr Nizar Kochery High: 39 C Doha such case? Please advise. renewing my contract as I want and now landlord refused to accept JSH, Doha to go back home. I would like to rent. Now he is asking for a higher Low : 30 C Inshore: Hazy to misty /foggy at places know whether I will be eligible amount than the agreed one. But at first becomes hot daytime and uestion: What is the A: According to Article 207 of the for gratuity and return ticket if I we have not amended the contract. humid by night. validity of privately criminal procedure code, if the court resign. Do I need to submit any It still remains the same. Can we written documents not considering the case fi nds that the reasons for termination? approach the court for settlement? SUNDAY authenticated by any decision on the case depends on AB, Doha Please advise. High: 38 C Q Low: 29 C notary or offi cial authority in the contested document and that UH, Doha Qatar? What if the document in there is a reason to proceed with A: The contract got automatically Sunny question is forced to be honoured establishing the evidence of forgery, renewed for unlimited duration A: According to the rent laws, if the by a legal heir? it may refer the documents to the with same terms and conditions as landlord refuses to accept the rent, SR, Doha Public Prosecution, and suspend stipulated under Article 40. Having the tenant may, within seven days of MONDAY the proceedings until the forgery more than fi ve years in service, the the date of such refusal, notify the High: 37 C Answer: According to Article is decided. The court may, if the employee may terminate the contract landlord, by registered letter, that Low: 29 C 220 of the Civil and Commercial decision on the forgery action is by issuing a notice of termination the rent is due to be received within Sunny Procedure Code, the privately written within its jurisdiction, investigate the of two months to the employer. No seven days, and if the landlord does instruments/documents form shall be claim itself and rule on the validity specifi c reasons for such termination not accept such rent within the considered as issued from the person of the document. The court may also needs to be submitted. The worker specified period, the tenant shall Fishermen’s forecast who signed it unless he expressly adjudicate the claimant of forgery to will be entitled to receive all his deposit the rent with the treasury OFFSHORE DOHA denies what is ascribed to him such pay a fi ne of QR1,000 if a ruling or salary dues, leave wages, gratuity at of the Committee for Settlement Wind: NE-NW 03-12 KT as the handwriting, signature, seal order of non-existence of forgery is a minimum rate of three weeks basic of Rental Disputes, against no fees. Waves: 1-3 Feet or fi ngerprints. As for the heir or issued. wages per year, in addition to his This shall be considered as payment INSHORE DOHA Wind: NE-NW 05-15 KT the successor, he shall not be asked return air ticket. of the rent on the prescribed Waves: 1-2 Feet to deny; it is suffi cient that he takes Worker entitled to date. The deposit receipt shall be the oath that he does not know that Landlord refuses considered a document absolving Around the region the handwriting, signature, seal or receive gratuity the tenant from the value of the due Weather Weather fi ngerprint belongs to the person to accept rent rent to the extent of the amount today Max/min tomorrow Max/min for which he received the right. As Q: I have been working in a deposited. Abu Dhabi P Cloudy 39/31 Sunny 39/30 for the person who would object to company since 2006 under Q: What is the solution if the Baghdad Sunny 41/23 Sunny 41/24 Dubai Sunny 39/28 Sunny him by writing in a private form, and contract for two years and landlord refused to accept the zPlease send your questions by 39/28 Kuwait City Sunny 43/27 Sunny 42/26 discussed its subject, his denial of later continued without a new agreed rent? The company has e-mail to: [email protected] Manama Sunny 38/31 Sunny 38/30 the handwriting, signature, seal or Muscat M Sunny 35/28 P Cloudy 34/28 fi ngerprint shall not be accepted. Riyadh Sunny 40/24 Sunny 39/23 LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR Tehran Sunny 32/19 Sunny 31/19 Halving gratuity According to Article 308 of the penal not legally valid laws, if anyone physically assaults another person in any manner and Q: Our company has introduced a the assault leads to illness or the new employment contract stating inability to perform his personal work that those who are in managerial for a period of 20 days, he shall be position shall be paid half of the punished with imprisonment for a gratuity at the end of the contract term not exceeding two years or with “Gratuity @50% relinquished”. a fi ne not exceeding QR10,000 or with They have justifi ed it with loss and both. If the act is premeditated or is present conditions. We have been executed by more than one person, the forced to sign the new contract. Is punishment shall be imprisonment for this clause valid under Qatar laws? a term not exceeding three years or a Can we claim the benefi ts after our fi ne not exceeding QR15,000 or both service? Please advise. penalties. HG, Doha If the result of the assault has not reached the degree of seriousness A: According to Article 4, any mentioned in the preceding article, the condition contrary to the provisions punishment shall be imprisonment for of Labour Law, even if it was made a term not exceeding one year or a fi ne prior to its commencement, shall be not exceeding QR5,000 or both. Around the world null and void, unless they are more As per Article 311, whoever for a term not exceeding one year or woman and if the assault causes Weather Weather benefi cial to the employee. So, the accidentally causes the death a fi ne not exceeding QR5,000 or both miscarriage, shall be punished with today Max/min tomorrow Max/min clause reducing the benefi ts into half of a person through negligence, if the crime leads to a permanent imprisonment for a term up to 10 Athens Sunny 27/18 P Cloudy 28/18 is not legally valid. Labour claims have ignorance or fails to comply with disability. In all cases, the off ender years. Whoever willfully aborts a Beirut P Cloudy 27/22 Sunny 27/23 Bangkok T Storms T Storms 31/26 pregnant woman giving medicines 31/25 a short limitation period of only a year. laws or regulations shall be punished shall be punished by imprisonment for Berlin S Showers 18/12 S Showers 18/12 Subject to the provisions of Article 113 with imprisonment for a term not a period not exceeding two months, if or any other means which leads to Cairo P Cloudy 32/22 P Cloudy 32/21 of the Labour Law, the right to fi le a exceeding three years or with a fi ne the ‘avenger of blood heir’ forgives or abortion shall be punished with Cape Town M Sunny 21/11 M Cloudy 19/12 lawsuit for a claim of the entitlements not exceeding QR10,000 or both. In all accepts blood money. imprisonment for a term up to seven Colombo S T Storms 30/26 S T Storms 29/26 accruing under the provisions of cases, the off ender shall be punished As per Article 313, the penalty years. The imprisonment term shall Dhaka P Cloudy 33/27 S T Storms 33/27 Hong Kong S T Storms 30/27 S T Storms 31/28 Labour Law or the service contract by imprisonment for a period not stipulated in the two preceding articles be up to ten years if the miscarriage Istanbul Sunny 22/16 Sunny 24/18 shall lapse by the expiry of one year exceeding one year, if the ‘avenger of shall be doubled, as the case may be, if occurs without the woman’s consent Jakarta P Cloudy 35/26 S T Storms 33/26 from the date of expiry of the contract. blood heir’ forgives or accepts blood the crime occurs as a result of failure or if the person executing the abortion Karachi P Cloudy 32/26 P Cloudy 31/26 money. by the off ender to observe the duty is a doctor, a surgeon, a pharmacist, London P Cloudy 20/12 M Sunny 22/13 Manila P Cloudy 33/26 T Storms 32/26 Whoever accidentally harms a or if the off ender is under infl uence a midwife or any person working in Moscow Sunny 16/05 Sunny 17/04 Forged document person due to negligence, ignorance or of narcotics or alcohol, or the crime fi elds related to medicine or pharmacy. New Delhi Rain 29/23 Sunny 34/24 for laying claim comply with the laws and legal notices leads to the death of a person or the According to Article 317, any woman New York Sunny 31/22 Sunny 31/22 shall be punished with imprisonment injury of more than three people, or who, without medical necessity, takes Paris P Cloudy 21/09 P Cloudy 23/11 M Sunny P Cloudy 26/17 Q: In a civil case, the complainant for a term not exceeding six months or the off ender fails to help or seek help medicines that leads to miscarriage, or Sao Paulo 31/17 Seoul M Sunny 27/16 P Cloudy 27/17 has brought a forged document in a fi ne not exceeding QR1,000 or both for the victim despite having the uses other abortion inducing means, Singapore P Cloudy 31/26 S T Storms 30/26 the court to establish the claim. I penalties. capability to do so. shall be punished with imprisonment Sydney M Sunny 31/21 Cloudy 29/14 have raised my objection to that as The penalty shall be imprisonment Any person who assaults a pregnant for a term up to three years. Tokyo Cloudy 24/19 Cloudy 26/19 it is a forged one. What will be the Gulf Times 16 Saturday, September 23, 2017 QATAR

FM holds series of meetings on Gulf crisis in New York

HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has met Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Aff airs of the Republic of Sudan Ibrahim Ahmed Ghandour, Foreign Minister of Malaysia Anifah Aman, Minister for Foreign Aff airs of Spain Alfonso Dastis, Foreign Minister of Argentina Jorge Faurie, and US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Aff airs David Satterfield. During the meetings, the Foreign Minister discussed the unjust siege imposed on the State of Qatar and all the humanitarian repercussions caused by the blockade, stressing that dialogue is the only way to resolve the crisis. The FM also met Secretary-General of Amnesty International Salil Shetty. Qatar did everything to provide humanitarian aid to Syrians: FM

QNA tional organisations. He added which will require exerting ef- New York that, “the report of the Interna- forts to support reconstruction tional Independent Investiga- and repairing the damaged in- tion Commission confi rmed the frastructure.” He went on say- E the Foreign Minister responsibility of the regime’s ing, “There is no doubt that Sheikh Mohamed bin forces for the use of chemical such support requires a credible HAbdulrahman al-Thani weapons in Khan Sheikun town political process that leads to a said that the international con- in April.” sustainable political transition, ferences held to support Syria The FM stressed that ac- for which we have been calling in Kuwait, London and Brussels, countability for these atrocities since the beginning of the crisis.” in which Qatar has participated, and crimes committed in Syria Sheikh Mohamed reiterated witnessed the announcement of is a responsibility of the interna- Qatar’s support for the eff orts large pledges by diff erent coun- tional community for achieving for reaching a political solution tries, but the benefi t from those the principle of justice, deterring to the crisis on the basis of the pledges can only be realised by perpetrators from continuing to Geneva 1 conference and UN fulfi lling them. commit such crimes and remov- Security Council’s resolutions, Addressing the ministerial ing obstacles to the sustainabil- including resolution 2254, and meeting on the Syrian crisis held ity and success of resolving the for realising the aspirations of by the European Union on the crisis, political transition and the Syrian people for security, sidelines of the 72nd session of the national consensus. stability, territorial integrity and United Nations General Assembly He also stressed the impor- self-determination without any in New York, the Foreign Minister tance of activating the inde- pressure. said that raising funds and aid is of pendent international mecha- He expressed Qatar’s support no use, unless aid is delivered to nism to assist in the investigation for the de-escalation eff orts in the right benefi ciaries. and prosecution of those re- accordance with the United Na- The international community sponsible for the most serious tions Charter, international law must therefore intensify its ef- crimes committed in Syria since and international humanitar- forts to ensure the delivery of HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani addressing the ministerial meeting on the Syrian crisis held by the March 2011 and to move towards ian law , as well as the ongoing humanitarian assistance as con- European Union on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. independent and fair criminal Astana talks. He stressed that fi rmed by Security-Council res- proceedings, to help solving of these eff orts do not substitute olutions related to the humani- “This is only a fraction of the Providing education in education and professional with their families residing in the Syrian crisis, pointing out the Geneva talks, which must tarian situation in Syria. total $1.6bn in fi nancial and The Foreign Minister point- development in partnership Qatar.” that the State of Qatar has con- be resumed as soon as possible. He pointed out that since the in-kind assistance provided by ed out that, “In light of the with humanitarian and region- He stressed that it is impos- tributed $1mn to support the in- “We demand the regime to take beginning of the crisis, the State Qatar through government sup- warnings of experts and con- al organisations, including the sible to talk about the humani- ternational mechanism. responsibility and deal seriously of Qatar has spared no eff ort in port and Qatari charities to al- cerned international agencies, Syrian Refugee Education and tarian repercussions of the crisis with these negotiations,” he said. providing humanitarian assist- leviate the suff ering of the Syr- such as Unicef, deprivation of Training Initiative for 400,000 without talking about the neces- Sustainable transition The FM stressed that the ance to the Syrian people, add- ian people in Syria and in the millions of Syrian children and beneficiaries over five years sity of stopping the continued The FM added, “Parallel to agreements can only succeed if ing that at the Brussels Confer- neighbouring countries,” he young people from education and the (Educate a Child) ini- serious violations of interna- fulfi lling the needs of the Syrian they are secured and supported ence, Qatar pledged to provide said, extending thanks to Syria’s is dangerous and one of the tiative, which has served about tional humanitarian and human refugees and displaced persons, through utilising local councils. $100mn, and so far it has ful- neighbours, and urging the in- most important causes of ex- 985,000 children, in addi- rights law committed by either we would like to underline the “We hope that those agreements fi lled most of the pledges made ternational community to con- tremism, violence and terror- tion to the activities of Qatari by the Syrian regime or ISIS, as need for the international com- will spare the Syrian people from at both Brussels and London tinue supporting them to bear ism. And therefore, the State civil society organisations and indicated by the reports of the munity to start preparing for a further bloodshed and heinous conferences. this massive burden. of Qatar has taken initiatives reuniting thousands of Syrians United Nations and interna- post-political solution stage, crimes and atrocities,” he said. FM stresses need to punish guilty of war crimes in Syria

QNA New York Sheikh Mohamed said that the report of the International Independent Investigation Commission E the Foreign Minister issued this month has confirmed the responsibility of Sheikh Mohamed bin HAbdulrahman al-Thani the Syrian regime forces for the use of chemical said that any transition or solu- tion in Syria, without punishing weapons in Khan Sheikun, in April this year those involved in war crimes, will not lead to an eff ective and sustainable outcome. of a neutral and independent in- kind by the General Assembly, and stakeholders to provide all Addressing the high-level ternational mechanism to assist to ensure justice for the victims necessary support to enable this meeting on accountability in the investigation and the pros- and the survivors of the serious important body to carry out its Syria held on the sidelines of the ecution of those responsible for crimes, as well as to address the mandate in the best possible 72nd session of the United Na- the most serious crimes. grievances of the Syrian people manner. “We are pleased to see tions General Assembly in New The State of Qatar called for a and to put an end to the spiral of the progress made in the terms York, the Foreign Minister said comprehensive political solution revenge and violence. of reference and operation of that some six years since the to the Syrian crisis, supported “We must recognise that the the mechanism, including the beginning of the crisis left no initiatives to stop violence, sup- establishment of the mechanism assumption of its presidency by doubt that the national judicial ported international eff orts to is not the end of our eff orts, but Marchi-Uhel, and we commend HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani addresses the high-level meeting system in Syria is unable, or has prevent terrorism and extrem- on the contrary is the begin- the eff orts of the UN Secretary- on accountability in Syria held on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the United Nations General no desire to prosecute any party ism, and expressed concern ning of a new phase in which General Antonio Guterres,” he Assembly in New York. involved in brutal war crimes in and condemnation of the use of the mechanism is activated to said. Syria. chemical weapons, he added, achieve the desired result. In HE the Foreign Minister ex- the beginning of this crisis, is not an example of the crimes that ‘serious’ under the classifi- He pointed out to the failure pointing out that the Syrian cri- this context, we have contin- pressed Qatar’s aspiration to far away,” he said. motivated the establishment of cation of international law, of the international community sis has many aspects that have ued meetings and endeavours work seriously to ensure the Sheikh Mohammed said that a neutral and independent in- does not fall statute of limita- to refer the Syrian fi le on these received the attention of the in- to ensure that the mechanism is proper and eff ective operation the report of the Internation- ternational mechanism. “This tions, therefore, the punish- crimes, namely war crimes and ternational community. operationalised. During the fi rst of the new mechanism, as well al Independent Investigation crime is added to the Syrian ment of the perpetrators of crimes against humanity, to the The Foreign Minister said that year of operation, the State of as to activate co-ordination Commission issued this month regime’s series of crimes of us- these crimes is urgent being a International Criminal Court Qatar has made every eff ort to Qatar provided a $1mn fi nancial and co-operation between the has confi rmed the responsibil- ing chemical weapons in Khan humanitarian necessity before (ICC). provide assistance to address the contribution to the mechanism,” UN’s independent international ity of the Syrian regime forces Sheikun and other areas in Syr- being a legal one. “This calls From this perspective, the ef- enormous humanitarian needs he added. mechanism and the Internation- for the use of chemical weapons ia,” he said. for doubling efforts to activate forts of the State of Qatar, in of the Syrian people. He pointed The FM thanked all states al Commission of Inquiry. “We in Khan Sheikun, in April this He explained that the crimes the international neutral and partnership with the group of out that the adoption of General that had provided fi nancial are certain that the day, when year. He pointed out that the use of mass atrocities, war crimes, independent mechanism to be friends, calls for the UN General Assembly resolution 71/248 was support to the international the civilised world will be held of weapons of mass destruction crimes against humanity and a deterrent to the recurrence of Assembly for the establishment an important step, the fi rst of its mechanism, and urged all states accountable for its silence since against civilians in that town was other crimes considered as such crimes,” he added.