BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Al Rayyan sound warning with INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 2-1 ‘Clasico’ REGION 3 BUSINESS 1-6, 8-12 Brent tops $60 for 23,437.59 8,128.25 53.81 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 +36.73 +3.52 +1.17 INTERNATIONAL 4-13 SPORTS 1-8 fi rst time since ’15 victory +0.16% +0.04% +2.22% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10620 October 28, 2017 Safar 8, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Qatar boosting In brief private sector’s

QATAR | Offi cial Emir sends message to role in economy SICA secretary-general QNA Moscow

atar is stepping up the private sector’s role in the economic Qdevelopment, in particular to facilitate domestic and foreign invest- ments in the industrial sector to boost local production and develop business environment in the country by putting His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim in place legislative framework, laws and bin Hamad al-Thani has sent a written procedures. message to the Secretary-General This was highlighted by HE the Fi- of the Central American Integration nance Minister Ali Sherif al-Emadi System (SICA), Vinicio Cerezo. The Catalan separatist flags are held up as fireworks go off in Sant Jaume Square in front of the Catalan regional government during meetings he held in Moscow message was handed over by acting headquarters during celebrations after the Catalan regional parliament declared independence from Spain in Barcelona yesterday. with senior offi cials of Russian compa- charge d’aff aires of Qatar embassy nies to discuss a range of opportunities to El Salvador Ahmed bin Mohamed for joint economic and fi nancial co- al-Horr, during a meeting with the SICA operation. Minister of Finance HE Ali Sherif al-Emadi secretary-general at the organisation’s During his participation in the 7th headquarters in San Salvador. edition of the “Russia Calling!” con- more than 60 countries, was organised SICA is the economic and political ference in Moscow, al-Emadi reviewed by VTB Bank, one of Russia’s largest fi - organisation of Central American risks in the global economy and the way nancial institutions. states. in which they can be addressed. The conference discussed the latest Spain PM sacks Noting the IMF’s expectations of developments in the global economy, ARAB WORLD | Confl ict continued global economic recovery the prospects for economic growth and and growth of 3.7% in 2018, the fi nance risks facing the global economy, as well Iraq halts operation minister said that there were risks to as ways to develop co-operation be- against the Kurds global economic growth which re- tween government institutions and the Iraqi forces yesterday paused quired co-operation and co-ordination private sector. operations against the Kurds to allow between various international bodies, It also off ered broad opportunities for talks after clashes over a key border Catalan cabinet, government and private institutions to for investment in various economic crossing, as Baghdad pushed on with a address them. sectors in Russia. separate off ensive against the Islamic He pointed that among these risks The conference’s meetings discussed State group. Prime Minister Haider were the shift in the policy of central a wide range of topics, including the al-Abadi ordered the 24-hour halt banks around the world, indicators of impact of modern technology on the as his troops faced off with Kurdish halting expansionary fi scal policies and global fi nancial system and the global fighters on the second day of a drive the possibility of increasing interest trade movement and the new Silk Road. to capture the vital oil export point calls fresh vote rates which could have negative im- More than 2,000 economists from of Fishkhabur on the Turkish frontier. pacts on world markets. major international economic organi- The freeze should help de-escalate The annual “Russia Calling!” con- sations and major fi nancial institutions fighting after the two sides exchanged zCatalan parliament declares independence ference, attended by delegations from attended the conference. heavy artillery fire in the latest flare- up of a crisis sparked by a Kurdish DPA The upper chamber in Madrid agreed tion of independence could see them independence vote last month. Page 3 Madrid to government demands to activate ar- charged with “rebellion,” a crime car- ticle 155 of the constitution, allowing rying a maximum 30-year sentence, AFRICA | Vote the executive to take action against re- and taken into pretrial detention. panish Prime Minister Mariano bellious territories. Rajoy might struggle to control a re- US will continue to pursue Kenya in limbo as Rajoy sacked the government in “What happened today in the Cata- gion whose leaders are planning a civil chaos worsens SCatalonia and called new elec- lan parliament is unequivocal proof of disobedience campaign against any or- Kenya found itself in a dangerous tions after authorities in the region how necessary it was for the Senate to der from Madrid. GCC unity, says Tillerson limbo yesterday as violent protests voted for independence, in a day of approve” the triggering of article 155, It is also unclear what would happen rocked opposition strongholds a day high political drama in Barcelona and Rajoy said earlier yesterday. if a new set of regional elections were after a deeply divisive election that has Madrid. In Barcelona, Puigdemont and his to return another secessionist admin- QNA Tillerson stressed that “the GCC is left eight people dead. Plans to restage Rajoy said yesterday evening that the ministers sang the Catalan national istration. Geneva strongest when it is united”, express- elections in the western Nyanza Catalan parliament would be dissolved anthem after taking part in the seces- Rajoy said Catalans needed freeing ing his country’s concern over the region where violence blocked voting and new regional elections would take sionist vote. from “a minority that, in an intolerant “far-reaching consequences of the on Thursday were again delayed as place on December 21, as the biggest The regional president then ad- fashion, wants to submit everybody to S Secretary of State Rex Tiller- Gulf dispute”. He stressed that his election chief Wafula Chebukati said he political crisis to face Spain in at least dressed hundreds of pro-independence the yoke of its [secessionist] doctrine,” son has reiterated that Wash- country “continues to work closely feared for the safety of his staff . Page 4 three decades reached its highest pitch mayors from the top of a staircase. acting undemocratically and against Uington will continue its eff orts with Qatar and our Gulf partners to so far. “In the coming hours we must keep the law. to open lines of communication to pur- crack down on terrorists and those AMERICA | Diplomacy “I have decided to call free, clean and our country alive. We must do it in a Catalan secessionists want to break sue the Gulf unity. who fi nance them.” legitimate elections as quickly as pos- peaceful, civilised and dignifi ed way, free on the basis of a disputed October 1 In remarks he made at the US mis- “All of our Gulf partners are putting US releases Russian sible, to restore democracy,” Rajoy said. as we have always done and we will referendum that gave an overwhelming sion to the UN in Geneva, Tillerson forward a renewed eff ort to counterter- fi rms’ sanctions list “We never wanted it to come this far.” keep doing,” Puigdemont said, calling pro-independence result. recalled US President Donald Trump’s rorism. We must expand those eff orts Under pressure from an impatient Catalonia’s parliament voted yes- yesterday’s vote “a long-awaited step” But the ballot had a turnout of only 43 statement in which he expressed his through greater co-operation, co- Congress, President Donald Trump’s terday afternoon for a resolution in fa- which many Catalans had fought for. per cent and was not properly monitored willingness to assist in any mediation ordination, and information-sharing administration belatedly published vour of independence, and within the It was passed with 70 votes in favour, as it was declared unconstitutional. eff orts to resolve the Gulf crisis. among all,” Tillerson said. a list of Russian firms and agencies hour the Senate in Madrid authorised 10 against and 2 blank ballots. Catalonia has 7.5mn people and ac- yesterday to comply with a new Rajoy to take unprecedented measures The unionist opposition parties - counts for almost 20% of the Spanish sanctions law. Trump had opposed the against secessionism in the region. the socialist PSC, the Rajoy’s People’s economy. law, which restricted his authority to Rajoy said the government in Madrid Party (PP) and the centrist Ciudadanos Its nationalist pride is boosted by a loosen measures imposed to punish is also asking the Constitutional Court - walked out of the chamber. separate language and culture, but its Russia for its meddling in Ukraine and to invalidate the Catalan parliament’s Puigdemont and his allies risk arrest: society is deeply split on secession. Qatar to open military alleged interference in US politics. resolution. they have been warned that a declara- Page 8 attache offi ce in LA soon

atar will soon open a military “A recent tour of the GCC region attache offi ce in Los Angeles, has enhanced my understanding of the ‘Qatar to be a benchmark for workers’ conditions’ QStaff Lieutenant Colonel Nawaf Gulf crisis,” he explained. Handling the bin Mubarak bin Saif al-Thani has told challenges, which include the conduct atar hopes to be a benchmark it is a major issue in most countries. added to it was the ulterior motive of Al Jazeera. and extremism of Iran, will be easy if all for other countries in the re- However, it was something we were some critics who waged clandestine “The upcoming offi ce would further parties worked together, Admiral Fallon Qgion, in terms of workers’ con- committed to improving long before we campaigns,” he said. enhance the foundations of common added. ditions, the Supreme Committee for bid for it. Al-Thawadi also said that India could understanding to face the challenges The opening of the new headquar- Delivery & Legacy secretary-general “We are, therefore, looking to the benefi t massively from west Asia’s fi rst facing the region in the light of the ters of Qatar’s military attaché offi ce Hassan al-Thawadi has said. World Cup contributing to it in a posi- football World Cup, one that will have many changes,” he explained. in Washington, DC took place in the “Qatar is using the power of the FIFA tive way. We are looking at it to be the some stadiums artifi cially cooled. Staff Lieutenant Colone Nawaf presence of a number of Qatari and US World Cup to introspect and change catalyst for change in our legislative “India plays an important part of our was speaking after the opening of the military and civilian offi cials. The Di- to the point that its aspiration is to be system and in our enforcement sys- culture and is embedded within our new headquarters of Qatar’s military rectorate of Defence Communication at a benchmark for workers’ conditions tem.” colloquial speak. By India, I also mean attache office in Washington, DC the Ministry of Defence said in a press by the time the 2022 World Cup is ful- For the key offi cial involved in a its neighbouring countries too, the re- by military attache Staff Brigadier statement that the new offi ce is part fi lled,” he said. committee responsible for delivering gion,” he said. General (Pilot) Youssef al-Kuwari on of a new approach to defence relations In an interview with leading Indian the 2022 World Cup, al-Thawadi said He couldn’t provide a ball-park fi g- Monday. with the US. daily Hindustan Times, al-Thawadi de- negative projections in the media was ure but said with a major Indian com- On the sidelines of the event, Ad- The new headquarters of the mili- scribed Qatar “as a salad bowl, where something they knew would happen. pany being a main partner in construc- miral William Joseph Fallon, a former tary attache is expected to enhance every ingredient retains its taste and “Every time a non-traditional coun- tion work in one of the eight stadiums Commander of the US Central Com- co-operation and integration between texture and yet produces a distinctive try gets to host a major sporting event, and with man-power being sourced mand, told Al Jazeera that the Gulf Qatar Armed Forces and its American crunchy salad.” there is always a pessimistic percep- from the country along with work sub- crisis has posed challenges to the joint counterparts in fi ghting terrorism and “The World Cup has thrown the tion. It happened in Brazil and in South contracted, the economic impetus for eff orts of the US and the GCC countries extremism and maintaining stability in spotlight on workers’ conditions but Hassan al-Thawadi Africa before the World Cup. What was India would be massive. in fi ghting terrorism. the region. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, October 28, 2017 QATAR

OFFICIAL

Emir congratulates Politics hurting families and President of Turkmenistan His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- students: Qatari activist Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh By Joey Aguilar fusing to be “torn down” by such chal- causes, the social problem with such Courtney Freer and Dr David Roberts, Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Staff Reporter lenges. policies (of siege countries) are clear faculty member in defence studies at al-Thani sent yesterday cables Al-Anzy’s view was refl ected on by Dr and led to the Qatari objection that the King’s College London, engaged the au- of congratulations to President Courtney Freer’s who said that one of blockade is unfair by targeting innocent dience on the prospects and opportuni- of the Republic of Turkmenistan, olitics is meddling with many the major social components of the ille- citizens,” she explained. ties for Qatar in spite of current chal- Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, families and students’ lives. They gal blockade is the problems created for According to Freer, the Qatar National lenges. on the occasion of his country’s Phave been badly hit by the illegal families crossing the borders – they can- Human Rights Committee estimates “We want to share cutting edge, ob- National Day. blockade imposed on Qatar, a female not see or be with their loved ones. that more than 13,000 people have been jective and scientifi c perspective from Qatari activist has said. Freer, a research offi cer for the Kuwait directly aff ected by the illegal blockade. diff erent scholars to understand what Speaking to reporters on the sidelines Development Programme at the London She said the governments of the siege this blockade really means to Qatari Emir greets of a recent panel discussion titled ‘Qatar School of Economics, was among the countries, having knowledge of the ef- youths, how it is infl uencing them in dif- after the Blockade: Impact and Pros- Qatari youth are very determined, speakers at the panel discussion host- fects of the illegal blockade on families, ferent dimensions,” Dr Tok noted, add- new PM of pects’, Dana al-Anzy, a graduate of Geor- says Dana al-Anzy. PICTURE: Shemeer ed by Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s established emergency hotlines. ing that historical, social and cultural New Zealand getown University in Qatar, stressed that Rasheed (HBKU) College of Islamic Studies (CIS).” But the scale of the problem makes it perspectives should be discussed be- it is a shame that politics is taking away The panel analysed the impact of the diffi cult to ensure that everyone can be sides politics in general. His Highness the Emir Sheikh the right to education of many students – one of the many students directly af- siege against Qatar through diff erent helped: only two of the 50 (based on a Recounting the time when Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who have been aff ected by the illegal fected by what she described as an un- lenses. human rights watch survey) were grant- gained its Independence in 1971, Dr Dav- His Highness the Deputy Emir blockade. just blockade – who was expelled from a Freer quoted Qatar’s Foreign Minister ed access to cross the border despite the id Roberts tackled how Qatar developed Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- “The sentiment (of Qatari youth) is university in Saudi Arabia. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman medical and educational circumstances. its own varied and independent policies, Thani and HE the Prime Minister very emotional but we are very deter- She added that “politics has also taken al-Thani who accused Saudi Arabia of The panel discussion titled ‘Qatar after away from Saudi Arabia’s lead. and Minister of Interior Sheikh mined. That is why you will see young away peoples’ rights to be employed and bringing back the dark age of tribes. the Blockade: Impact and Prospects’ fo- The second panel, all from Qatar Uni- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Qatari faces here, spending their time be with their families”. She said Qataris living and studying in cused on the social, political, economic, versity, included law professor Hassan al-Thani sent yesterday cables volunteering,” she pointed out. “We are However, the Qatari activist said the Saudi, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt have and legal aspects of the illegal blockade al-Sayed, political sociologist and re- of congratulations to Jacinda trying our best to learn about this issue siege only proved that the people of Qa- had to give up their studies since the be- against Qatar, according to CIS assistant searcher Majed al-Ansari, and sociology Ardern, on the occasion of her and to contribute to the narrative.” tar, including students, are diligent and ginning of June. professor Dr Mohamed Evren Tok. programme co-ordinator and assistant swearing-in as Prime Minister of Al-Anzy cited the case of a volunteer resilient – standing stronger and re- “Aside from the obvious economic The fi rst panel, which included Dr professor Fatima al-Kubaisi. New Zealand. Call to ‘revive Municipal officials visit port post services with siege countries’

QNA tablished the concept of postal Bern territory, in particular the obli- gation to ensure the exchange of postal items and to ensure free tate of Qatar participated passage between them. yesterday in the plenary Article 63 of the Vienna Con- Ssession of the Board of Di- vention on the Law of Treaties rectors of the Universal Postal states: “The severing of dip- Union (UPU), which was held at lomatic or consular relations its headquarters in Bern, Swit- between the parties to a treaty zerland. shall not aff ect their legal rela- Qatar’s delegation to the tions under the treaty unless to meeting was chaired by Qatar’s the extent that the existence of ambassador to the Swiss Con- diplomatic or consular relations Members of the Public Services and Utilities Committee at the Central Municipal Council visited Hamad Port to oversee the port’s facilities and services, Qatar Ports federation Dr Mubarak Klefekh is necessary for the operation of Management Company (Mwani Qatar) said in a tweet. al-Hajri with the participation of the treaty.” chairman and Managing Director The item also strongly urged of Qatar Post Faleh Mohammed the member countries of the al-Nuaimi. Union concerned to restore di- During the meeting, the Uni- rect postal relations and to en- versal Postal Union recom- sure free passage of all postal mended the opening of postal items (from and destined to Firm educates students on importance of recycling services between the State of these countries) free of charge Qatar and the siege countries af- in accordance with the relevant ter it approved the continuation provisions of the Federation’s By Joey Aguilar generation “will love the idea” and become “This is what we are working on, to get of the postal relations between documents as appropriate and Staff Reporter responsible citizens who will help protect the other 30% which is thrown out. That the State of Qatar and the siege irrespective of the interruption the environment. is why we go to schools and other institu- countries as an agenda item. of diplomatic relations between When segregation at source and recy- tions to take every single paper from them The Ministry of Transport and the countries concerned. s Qatar reaffi rms its commitment cling become a habit, he said the coun- to reach that remaining 30%,” Rageh not- Communications said in a state- The International Bureau shall to fi ght global warming by ratifying try will save a signifi cant amount of en- ed. ment yesterday that the siege instruct through its Director- Athe Paris climate accord, a Qatari ergy and money, and this will help reduce “Our plan is to make sure we reduce the countries tried to delete this item General, to continue to take all private company is striving to raise public greenhouse gas emissions. amount of paper and cardboard boxes that from the agenda of the plenary initiatives to facilitate the resto- awareness and educate young children on Such a green initiative will also substan- are wasted and sent to the landfi lls.” session, but the result of the vote ration of postal exchanges with the importance of recycling. tially reduce the number of trees being cut Elite is planning to recycle all kinds of favoured Qatar due to the justice or among the member countries Elite Paper Recycling, the largest pa- to produce paper. Elite uses its social media recyclable materials in Qatar apart from of the issue being discussed and of the Union concerned, respect- per factory in the country and located at platform, mobile application, and website paper and cardboard. the insistence of the delegation ing their respective national sov- the New Industrial Area, has been visit- to educate the public, posting articles and “In a couple of years, we will start one of Qatar on its position and the ereignty and making good offi ces ing various schools in Doha to teach stu- videos about eco-friendly practices. project at a time, taking plywood, plastic, strength of its argument to refute in order to reach a positive so- dents how to segregate recyclable waste at Elite’s director Amr Rageh said they can, and rubber, etc, so it will be one by the fabrications of the represent- lution to the situation referred source. have placed some 1,000 recycling cages one,” the director said. atives of the siege states. to in article 37 / C of 1974, and “When you teach children about recy- Abdulla Ibrahim al-Suwaidi. across Qatar to collect paper and card- “We are planning for a smarter and The item calls for the continu- strongly emphasises the tremen- cling, they will continue doing it for the board. He noted that the company handles greener Qatar, our vision is to be an ef- ation of postal relations between dous impact this situation has on rest of their lives,” Elite vice president Ab- ous supermarkets, hypermarkets, and around 70% of the 4,000 tonnes of paper fective establishment that builds and the State of Qatar and the siege the daily lives of millions of citi- dulla Ibrahim al-Suwaidi told Gulf Times schools in Qatar every month. It provides and cardboard thrown away in the coun- strengthens public awareness, envi- countries that the member states zens and residents of the State of on the sidelines of the launch of the French students a factory tour to witness its op- try. ronmental protection, innovation and of the Universal Postal Union Qatar who have been deeply af- embassy’s recycling initiative recently. erations. The company hopes to lift the remain- advanced technology to support the (UPU), when adopting the Con- fected by the unilateral decision The company collects more than 3,000 Al-Suwaidi said he was confi dent that ing 30% soon, which usually goes to land- economic, social and environmental de- stitution of the Union, have es- to stop postal services. tonnes of paper and cardboard from vari- by seeing actual recycling work, the next fi lls. velopment of Qatar,” the director stressed.

Society launches campaign to raise awareness on childhood cancer

atar Cancer Society (QCS) has launched its Q‘Heroes come in all siz- es’ campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer. “Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children, after accidents, in Qatar,” said Dana Mansour, a health educator with QCS. “Leukaemia which is a type of cancer that aff ects bone marrow and blood is the most common childhood cancer. Brain and cen- tral nervous system tumours are Children dressed as heroes, lining up to raise awareness on cancer (supplied picture). An activity during the event. PICTURE: Jayaram the second most common can- cers in children,” she explained. Some childhood cancers are pain in bones, joints, back, or legs, minimising radiation exposure ty of exercise to keep a healthy She also suggested that parents type of cancer because of cer- According to the QCS offi cial, caused by viral infections. lump or mass, especially in the during pregnancy, breastfeeding weight, protect your child from should make sure their children tain gene changes they inherit radiation – environmental radia- Early signs and symptoms of abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis, or for six months or longer. Make smoking, create a happy, laughter have regular medical check-ups from a parent. These children tion, radiation during pregnancy, cancer among children are unex- armpits, development of exces- sure that your child is taking all fi lled house which will improve and watch for any unusual signs may need careful, regular medi- excessive exposure to ultraviolet plained weight loss, headache of- sive bruising, bleeding, or rash. scheduled vaccines, help them their immune systems and keep or symptoms that do not go away. cal check-up that includes spe- radiation and infections are the ten with early morning vomiting, “You can reduce the risk of adopt a healthy lifestyle with your children safe during sunny “Some children have a higher cial tests to look for early signs major reasons for the disease. increased swelling or persistent your child aff ected by cancer by healthy eating habits and plen- days,” advised Mansour. chance of developing a specific of cancer,” she added. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Britain calls for UN sanctions on Syria over sarin attack

AFP United Nations Govt rejects blame over use of chemical The Syrian government for the release of sarin at Khan ritain yesterday urged the rejected a report sent to the UN Sheikhun on April 4 this year. United Nations Security Security Council that blamed The attack prompted a US BCouncil to impose sanc- it for a chemical attack on the missile strike against a Syrian An Iraqi family sits on the rubble of their home in the village of Barzan, in the Zummar area of Nineveh province, northwest of Mosul, yesterday. tions on Syria after a UN-led opposition-held town of Khan air base which Washington said investigation found that govern- Sheikhun in April in which doz- was used to launch the strike. ment forces were responsible ens of people were killed, state “(Damascus) condemns the for the sarin gas attack on Khan media said yesterday. reliance of the Joint Investiga- Sheikhun. “Syria rejects in form and tive Mechanism on the word of A joint UN-Organisation substance what was included criminals who committed this Iraq orders truce with Kurds for the Prohibition of Chemi- in the report of the UN and the immoral act in Khan Sheikhun cal Weapons (OPCW) panel said Organisation for the Prohibition and those of suspect wit- the Syrian air force had dropped of Chemical Weapons’ Joint nesses, as well as so-called open a bomb on the opposition-held Investigative Mechanism (JIM) sources,” a statement by the town on April 4, releasing the that was announced yesterday,” foreign ministry off icial said. to allow peaceful deployment deadly nerve agent that killed state news agency SANA re- The off icial also said Syria more than 80 people. ported, citing an off icial in Syria’s renewed its commitment to the “A robust international re- foreign ministry. The off icial said Organisation for the Prohibition Reuters fought alongside each other to sponse is now essential to hold the report had been compiled of Chemical Weapons and said Baghdad defeat Islamic State, also called those responsible for the Khan under instructions from the it had no chemical materials ISIS, but the alliance has fal- Sheikhun attack to account,” United States and other Western restricted by the agreement. tered with the militants largely British ambassador Matthew countries “to place more po- Syria considered the use of raqi Prime Minister Haider defeated in the country. Rycroft told reporters. litical pressure” on Syria, SANA chemical weapons “an immoral al-Abadi ordered a 24-hour The multi-ethnic city of “It now falls on the Security reported. The JIM report found act, condemned everywhere, at Isuspension to military op- Kirkuk, which lies outside the Council to act on these fi ndings Syrian President Bashar al- any time, under any circum- erations against Kurdish forces KRG offi cial boundaries, fell to and to deliver justice.” Assad’s government responsible stance,” SANA reported. in northern Iraq, to allow for the Iraqi forces without much re- Britain is in talks with the peaceful deployment of Iraqi sistance on Oct 16 but the Kurd- United States on a draft resolu- troops at the border crossings ish Peshmerga began to fi ght tion that would impose sanc- top UN body must send a “clear which it helped set up in 2015 with the Kurdistan region. back as they withdrew closer to tions on Syria, the ambassador message” that the use of chemi- jointly with the United States. A Kurdish spokesman ear- the core of the Kurdish region. said. cal weapons will not be toler- The French ambassador said lier said the two sides reached The fall of Kirkuk, considered Such a measure, however, ated. the panel must be allowed to an agreement yesterday to stop by many Kurds as the heart of would likely face a veto from After a previous report by the continue its work, suggesting fi ghting which broke out on Oct their fatherland, was a major Russia, an ally of President same panel found that Syrian that the council could vote again 16, after Iraqi forces seized the symbolic and fi nancial blow to Bashar al-Assad. forces had used chlorine in at- on its renewal before its mandate oil-city of Kirkuk. An Iraqi man walks past the rubble of his home in the village of the Kurdish drive for independ- Russia questioned the fi nd- tacks in 2014 and 2015, Britain, expires on November 17. Abadi ordered the off ensive Barzan, in the Zummar area of Nineveh province, northwest of Mosul. ence championed by Barzani, as ings, citing many “inconsisten- France and the United States “The JIM is not a tool of the on Kirkuk and other Kurdish- it halved the region’s oil export cies” in the report and criticising pushed for sanctions, but China West. It is a common asset of the held territory in retaliation to the same country.”He wants to is based in the Kurdish autono- revenue. the expert investigators over the and Russia vetoed that resolu- international community,” said the Sept 25 vote for independ- take control of border cross- mous region’s capital of Er- The most violent clashes use of “doubtful witness ac- tion. French ambassador Fran- Delattre. ence in a referendum organised ings with neighbouring coun- bil, the ceasefi re entered eff ect happened in the northwestern counts and unverifi ed evidence.” cois Delattre said the priority Sweden, a non-permanent by the Kurdistan Regional Gov- tries, including one in the Fish- at 1am yesterday (2200 GMT corner as the Peshmerga fought Moscow has maintained that now was to “recreate a consen- council member, said it would ernment (KRG) — a drive that Khabur area through which Thursday). “The ceasefi re is back off ensives toward Fish- the sarin attack was most likely sus” at the Security Council on try to convince Russia to not was all but crushed by the sur- an oil export pipeline crosses holding,” Vahal Ali, the director Khabur, and also south of their caused by a bomb set off directly how to address Syria’s use of block the work of the experts on prise attack. into Turkey, carrying Iraqi and of KRG President Massoud Bar- capital Erbil, leaving dozens of on the ground, not by a Syrian air banned poisonous gases in the chemical weapons. The 24-hour truce “should Kurdish crude oil. zani’s media offi ce, told Reuters. casualties on both sides. strike. six-year war. “This is diffi cult,” said Swed- allow a joint technical com- The KRG on Wednesday pro- US Secretary of State Rex Speaking in Geneva on Britain has accused Moscow On Tuesday, Russia ve- ish Foreign Minister Margot mittee...to work on the deploy- posed an immediate ceasefi re, Tillerson has also urged dia- Thursday, Tillerson said he was of “covering up” for Syria and toed a US-drafted resolution Wallstrom, who was in New York ment of federal Iraqi forces in all a suspension of the referen- logue to start, in a call to Abadi, “disappointed that the parties Rycroft said Russia must “fi nd that would have extended by a to attend a debate on women’s disputed areas, including Fish- dum result and “starting an the Iraqi central government have been unable to reach an their moral compass” and sup- year the mandate of the panel, role in peace and security. Khabur, and the international open dialogue with the federal said in a statement yesterday entirely peaceful resolution” port accountability for the Khan known as the Joint Investigative “We have to convince the Rus- border”, Abadi said in a state- government based on the Iraqi morning. and that he had encouraged Sheikhun attack. Mechanism (JIM). Russia said sians not to veto the next steps.” ment. constitution” — call rejected by US-backed Iraqi government Abadi to accept the KRG “over- US ambassador Nikki Haley it wanted to study the report on The council will discuss the “This should prevent blood- Baghdad. forces, Iranian-backed para- tures for talks on the basis of the said after the report was sent to Khan Sheikhun before decid- report’s fi ndings on Khan Sheik- shed between the children of According to the KRG, which militaries and Kurdish fi ghters Iraqi constitution”. the council on Thursday that the ing whether to extend the JIM, hun on November 7.

CONFLICT UAE soldier killed in southern Saudi Style parade An Emirati soldier has been killed in southern Saudi Arabia while taking part in the Saudi-led campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the United Hamas security chief Arab Emirates military said. The body of corporal Saeed Matar al-Kaabi was repatriated yesterday, the off icial WAM news agency reported. The military said Kaabi was killed while “performing his national duty” in Najran province bordering Yemen, without elaborating. Some 100 Emiratis have been killed in Yemen since the Saudi-led intervention there began in hurt in Gaza bombing March 2015. A ballistic missile fired from Yemen early yesterday wounded an expatriate worker when it hit a compound for foreign labourers in Najran, the spokesman for the coalition forces said in a statement cited by the off icial AFP Abbas wants the handover to “The security services im- SPA news agency. Turky al-Maleki, who called the attack a violation of inter- Gaza City be comprehensive and include mediately began investigations national law, said the blast triggered a fire and caused material damage. all security institutions, but the to discover the circumstances Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya of the incident and to catch the car bombing yesterday Sinwar, has said “no one” can perpetrators,” Bozum said. RIGHTS wounded the Hamas se- force his group to disarm. Another ministry spokes- Five women detainees on hunger strike Acurity head in the Gaza “Tawfi q Abu Naim, director man, Fawzi Barhum, called the Strip, as the group and a Pales- general of the internal security attack a “cowardly act carried Five Bahraini female political prisoners have gone on hunger strike to tinian faction are trying to im- forces, survived a failed assassi- out by the enemies of the Pal- protest against ill-treatment and a glass barrier that prevents contact with plement a reconciliation deal. nation attempt Friday after his estinian people” aimed at un- visitors, a rights group said yesterday.Four of the detainees at Issa Town The explosion that wounded car was blown up in the Nussei- dermining the reconciliation Women’s Prison required medical help on their fourth day of the strike yes- Tawfi q Abu Naim was imme- rat refugee camp,” the interior deal. Models display creations by the designer Arwa al-Banawi terday, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said in a state- diately branded by the Hamas ministry statement said. Haniya’s offi ce released a during a fashion show at the opening of the Fashion ment. It cited detainees and family members as saying that one prisoner, interior ministry as “a failed “He was moderately wound- picture showing him visiting Forward Show 2017 at Dubai Design District. 49-year-old Hajar Mansoor Hassan, was taken to hospital early yesterday assassination attempt”. ed and was treated in hospital,” a bandaged but smiling Abu and returned several hours later. Three other detainees — Najah al-Sheikh, Hamas chief Ismail Haniya said the statement by spokes- Naim at Al-Shifa Hospital. Amira al-Qashami and Medina Ali — also needed medical treatment, it said. pointed the fi nger of blame at Is- man Iyad al-Bozum. In front of reporters, Haniya The fifth woman prisoner on hunger strike is Zainab Marhoon. The women rael. Palestinian president Mah- The ministry did not give blamed Israel, but without are demanding an end to their humiliation and ill-treatment by prison staff . moud Abbas’ Fatah movement details of the source of the ex- elaborating. signed a reconciliation accord plosion in central Gaza, and “Whoever was behind this with Hamas on October 12. there was no immediate claim crime, we think it is the occu- 13 militants killed in TRAGEDY Under the deal, the Fatah- of responsibility. pier and its followers who are Fire at Tehran refinery leaves six dead dominated Palestinian Au- Checkpoints were set up responsible,” he said, the term thority is to resume control of across the coastal Palestinian “occupier” commonly used for raid on desert farm A fire at an Iranian oil refinery in Tehran’s Shar-e Rey district killed six work- Gaza by December 1. enclave. Israel. ers and injured two others yesterday but firefighters have brought it under “Anyone who believes that control, state TV reported. Since sanctions were lifted last year under a this criminal operation can Reuters the northern Sinai Penin- 2015 multinational nuclear deal, Iran has signed contracts with foreign alter our resolve to achieve Cairo sula since 2013. “They took a firms to repair and modernise its oil refineries. “The unit that caught fire Palestinian national reconcili- house in the farm as a tempo- was under construction. Six workers were killed and two were injured. The ation is wrong,” Haniya added. rary hideout faraway from se- fire is under control now and other units in the refinery were not aff ected,” Abu Naim is known to be gyptian security forces curity monitoring to receive Governor of Rey district Hedayatollah Jamalipour told TV. “Unfortunately close to Sinwar who has ada- killed 13 militants during newly recruited elements and technical problems caused leakage of oil that led to explosion and fire.” mantly rejected any attempt to Ea raid on a farm hideout train them and prepare the Iranian media earlier reported that three workers were injured. disarm Hamas. in the western desert region explosive devices,” the min- “No one in the universe can yesterday, a week after a deadly istry statement said. disarm us. On the contrary, we attack on a police convoy, au- The clashes were in an TENSION will continue to have the power thorities said. area near the Assuit-Khar- Policeman dies, eight hurt in bomb attack to protect our citizens,” Sinwar An Interior Ministry state- ga desert highway, around said a week ago during a speech ment gave no details on the 400km southwest of Cairo, A Bahraini policeman was killed and eight others wounded yesterday to young people that was pro- militants, but Egyptian forc- in New Valley province that in a “terrorist” bomb attack on the bus in which they were travelling, the vided to AFP. A major sticking es have been battling sev- shares a long border with interior ministry said. The eight wounded policemen sustained serious to point facing the reconciliation eral armed groups, mostly neighbouring southern Libya. medium injuries and were admitted to hospital, the ministry said on its A handout picture released yesterday by the office of Gaza’s deal is expected to be the fate of focused on an entrenched Southern Libya has become Twitter account. It said the attack was carried out by a “terrorist” group senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniya shows him visiting Tawfiq Hamas’s 25,000-strong armed Islamic State affiliate that a hideout for militant bri- which remotely detonated a home-made bomb. The attack took place Abu Naim (centre), director general of the internal security wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam has killed hundreds of po- gades taking advantage of the near the town of Jidhafs outside the capital Manama. forces, at a hospital in Gaza City. Brigades. lice officers and troops in security vacuum there. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, October 28, 2017 AFRICA Burundi offi cially becomes fi rst nation to leave ICC

AFP notifi ed the United Nations that But activists mourned what that a preliminary investiga- “killing, imprisonment, torture, committed” in “a systematic at- which underpin the work of the The Hague it was quitting the world’s only was seen as a major blow to in- tion launched by the prosecutor rape and other forms of sexual tack against the civilian popula- tribunal. permanent war crimes tribunal. ternational justice. in April last year into possible violence, as well as cases of en- tion”. But Burundi’s snub triggered Burundi hailed it as a “his- “The decision to withdraw crimes against humanity in the forced disappearances”. Overall, the violence in Bu- a wave of copy-cat moves from urundi became yesterday toric” day and called on people to Burundi from the Rome Statute central African nation would The reports came amid a vio- rundi has claimed between 500 other African countries. the fi rst ever nation to leave demonstrate across the country comes at a time when the ma- continue. lent political crisis triggered and 2,000 lives, according to dif- South Africa and Gambia said Bthe International Criminal today in celebration. chine continues to kill with im- “Burundi’s withdrawal does when President Pierre Nkurun- fering tolls provided by the UN or they would both follow suit, be- Court (ICC), which was set up “The ICC has shown itself to punity in Burundi,” said Lambert not aff ect the jurisdiction of the ziza ran for a third term in of- NGOs and more than 400,000 fore then later reversing their de- some 15 years ago to prosecute be a political instrument and Nigarura, president of the Bu- court with respect to crimes al- fi ce, winning July 2015 elections Burundians have fl ed abroad. cisions. those behind the world’s worst weapon used by the West to en- rundi Coalition for the ICC. leged to have been committed which were boycotted by the op- Set up in 2002, the ICC based And Kenya and Uganda have atrocities. slave” other states, said presi- “Today, Burundian justice, as during the time it was a state position. in The Hague has often come un- also threatened to leave, but not “Burundi’s withdrawal from dential offi ce spokesman Willy it is so-called, has lost contact party, namely up until 27 October UN investigators last month der fi re from some countries who acted on it yet. the Rome Statute will take eff ect Nyamitwe. with life. It has become a mere 2017,” the ICC spokesperson told urged the ICC to move forwards claim it is unfairly targeting Afri- Zambia meanwhile has held on Friday, 27 October 2017,” an “This is a great victory for Bu- tool of repression of any dissent- AFP. and open a full-scale investiga- can nations. public consultations, with an ICC spokesperson told AFP. rundi because it has defended its ing voice,” he added in a state- The initial probe was started tion saying they had “reasonable The ICC now has 123 member overwhelming 93% of those who The move comes a year to the sovereignty and national pride,” ment. by ICC chief prosecutor Fatou grounds to believe that crimes states who have ratifi ed the 1998 participated opting to stay within day after Bujumbura offi cially he told AFP. However, ICC offi cials said Bensouda following reports of against humanity have been Rome Statute, the guidelines the court.

Burundi moves Kenya delays polling in to allow president some areas, once again to extend Reuters polling stations were able to deep political and ethnic divi- his rule Nairobi open, but turnout was below sions as violence fl ares and court 35% and there were clashes in cases drag on. Nairobi slums and in the coastal It is being closely watched Reuters enyan authorities said city of Mombasa. as Kenya is a regional trade and Nairobi yesterday that they would Kenyatta has won over 97% logistics hub and powerful secu- Kindefi nitely delay further of votes counted so far, accord- rity ally for Western nations. attempts to hold a repeat presi- ing to a local media tally, but the Kisumu election offi cials, who urundi’s cabinet backed dential election in some areas poor turnout has damaged his have had to cower behind locked a constitutional change due to the risk of violence, as the second-term mandate. doors while the popping sounds Bthat would allow its presi- opposition rejected the re-run Pockets of violence continued of tear gas and live gunfi re ech- dent to stay in offi ce until 2034, as “a sham” and said the polls yesterday, with police saying oed nearby, said that they were widening a political rift that has should be cancelled. they shot dead one man, bring- very relieved not to have to try to driven the country progressively The east African nation had ing to fi ve the number of con- open polling stations. deeper into crisis. been due to hold elections today fi rmed deaths since voting began “The (election board) offi cers Under existing laws, Burundi- in four western counties, af- on Thursday. in Nairobi were not taking con- an presidents are limited to two ter residents blocked roads and All were killed in the west of sideration of our lives,” one said. fi ve-year terms. clashed with police during an the country, which supports the “This is better.” Unrest that has gripped Bu- attempt to hold the polls there opposition. Musalia Mudavadi, a senior rundi since April 2015, when on Thursday. In the Nairobi slum of Ka- opposition leader, had earlier Pierre Nkurunziza announced But those plans have been wangware, a Reuters witness accused authorities of “ethnic he would stand for a third, has largely put on hold, the election saw nearly 100 youths armed profi ling” and having “mili- killed hundreds, left the econo- board said. with machetes in red T-shirts tarised elections” as they beef my moribund and forced about Opposition leader Raila Odin- – the colour of the ruling party up security ahead of the plan to 400,000 people to seek safety in ga pulled out of the contest ear- – as a group of opposition sup- hold voting in Homa Bay, Kis- neighbouring countries. lier this month, saying that the porters clashed with police. umu, Migori and Siaya counties UN rights investigators and contest against President Uhuru A large fi re burned nearby. today. independent activists have ac- Kenyatta was not going to be fair. “It’s only fi re, everything is “We advise the people not to Police off icers run as National cused government forces of He urged supporters not to burned down, the fi re is spread- walk into this trap of death,” he Super Alliance supporters chase widespread violations includ- take part in the vote and polling ing more and more – my neigh- told reporters yesterday. after them during a protest in ing forced disappearances, and stations were unable to open in bours’ homes, businesses are all Kenya’s fi rst election, in Au- Kisumu yesterday. of orchestrating a campaign of his strongholds in the west of burnt,” said a tearful Rosalind gust, was annulled by the courts terror. the country on Thursday. Njeri, 28. because of procedural irregular- Standard, a leading tabloid, A senior government offi cial In the rest of Kenya, most The vote has exposed Kenya’s ities, denying Kenyatta a simple headlining its front page: “One told Reuters yesterday that the victory over his political rival. Kenya, two faces.” cabinet adopted the draft legis- Turnout in that election was The election commission said lation seeking to amend the con- 80%. more than one in 10 polling sta- stitution on Tuesday. If the expected legal chal- tions failed to open due to “se- Nkurunziza, who has been lenges fail to clear a path out of curity challenges”. in offi ce since 2005, won re- the crisis, including a possible Its chairman, Wafula Chebu- election in July 2015 in a bal- order for another re-run, the kati, tweeted overnight that lot that critics said violated the result will be a protracted and 6.55mn ballots had been cast – constitution and the terms of an economically damaging political just 34.5% of registered voters. agreement that ended a previous stalemate between the Kenyatta A tally of results announced rebellion. and Odinga camps. at the constituency level com- Nkurunziza’s backers said the “Unless the courts annul the piled by the Nation media group country’s constitutional court election, Kenyatta will move showed Kenyatta had won over An opposition supporter throws wood and metal into a blazing had cleared him to run again, but forward without a clear mandate 96% of the vote with 200 of 292 barricade during post-election violence in Kawangware, outside some opponents took up arms and Odinga will pursue a protest constituencies announced. Nairobi, yesterday. against his rule and insecurity strategy whose chances of suc- Figures released by the elec- has plagued the country since. cess in the circumstances are not tion commission showed turn- which is far from his western since the original August 8 vote, Other African leaders have in very high,” International Crisis out in Kenyatta’s Rift Valley and homeland and saw little violence raising fears of sustained vio- the recent past also tinkered with Group analyst Murithi Mutiga Central region strongholds was but has overwhelmingly sup- lence only a decade after 1,200 or defi ed their constitutions to said. similar to levels seen in August. ported Odinga in previous polls. people were killed in serious extend their rule, including A woman cries out against police violence in Kawangware, outside The division was neatly cap- However, the boycott call was Around 50 people have been ethnic fi ghting triggered by an- Uganda’s President Yoweri Mu- Nairobi. tured in local media, with the heeded by voters on the coast, killed, mostly by security forces, other disputed vote. seveni, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Joseph Kabila. Proposed amendments un- der the Burundian bill seek to abolish the two-term limit and Farmers Equatorial Guinea VP found guilty lengthen presidential terms to seven years. Incumbents would be able to jailed for of embezzlement by French court serve two consecutive terms of seven years each and also be eli- gible to seek re-election after an forcing Reuters The case is the fi rst of sev- “The attitude of Societe interregnum. Paris eral to reach court in a broader Generale, similar to that of the If the amendment was passed judicial investigation into alle- Bank of France, may have led by parliament, “the current head black man gations of illicit acquisitions in (Obiang) to think for a long pe- of state can rule until 2034”, the illions of euros of as- France by long-time leaders and riod of time that there was, in source said. sets belonging to family relatives in several Afri- France, some kind of tolerance A second offi cial told Reuters into coffi n Oosthuizen (centre left) and Jackson are escorted down to the Mthe son of Equato- can countries including Gabon for these practices,” Benedicte the government would hold a holding cell at the magistrates court in Middelburg after being rial Guinea’s president were and the Congo Republic. de Perthuis, the most senior referendum on the draft legis- sentenced to more than a decade in prison. ordered to be seized by a French Obiang’s luxury residence on judge sitting in the case, told lation next year, but did not say Reuters court that found him guilty Paris’ Avenue Foch – a grand, the court. which month. Middleburg, South Africa farm in possession of stolen peal the sentence, but Mphahl- in absentia yesterday of us- sweeping road near the Arc de Societe Generale said that Opposition offi cials have crit- copper cables. ele dismissed their application. ing money plundered from his Triomphe often favoured by it had not been a party in the icised the legislation which they The case, heard at a court in The defence then said it country to buy property and wealthy African expatriates and trial and “therefore we don’t say was initiated in secrecy and wo white South Afri- Middelburg, about 160km (100 would lodge their appeal direct- luxury cars. politicians – was among the as- have any particular comment to designed to entrench Nkurun- can farmers who were miles) east of the capital, Pre- ly to the Supreme Court of Ap- The Paris court found Teo- sets scrutinised during the trial. make”. ziza in power. Tfi lmed pushed a wailing toria, has caused outrage in a peal, saying that the sentence dorin Obiang, 48, guilty of The property, bought for Offi cials at the Bank of France “No one knew what was being black man into a coffi n were country where deep racial di- was too harsh, since no one had embezzlement, and ordered €25mn in 2005, had 101 rooms, did not immediately respond to done. It was done in total secre- sentenced to jail yesterday for vides persist 23 years after the been killed. the confi scation of more than a gym, hair-dressing studio and a request for comment. cy ... we will always oppose it,” attempted murder, assault and end of apartheid. South Africa’s Justice Min- €100mn worth of his French disco with cinema screen. Obiang was fi rst put on trial deputy president of the oppo- kidnapping. When she handed down the ister Michael Masutha said the assets. Paris prosecutor Jean- in January but the case, 10 years sition FRODEBU party, Leonce The 20-second video, widely sentences, Judge Segopotje sentence could serve as a deter- Obiang denied the charges. Yves Lourgouilloux said in the works, was postponed af- Ngendakumana, told Reuters. circulated on social media last Mphahlele said she was ap- rent to others. Obiang, eldest son of Presi- Obiang’s “fraudulent spend- ter his lawyers argued that they “The constitution should not be year, shows the victim, Victor palled that the accused had put “South Africa is no longer dent Teodoro Obiang and a ing” amounted to more than had not had enough time to revised in a tense social climate.” Mlotshwa, cowering inside a Mlotshwa into a coffi n. prepared to treat racism with vice-president himself, was €150mn. prepare his defence. coffi n as one man pushes the lid “The evidence before court kid gloves and we are ready to also handed a three-year sus- The court was critical of So- His father, President Teo- down and the other threatens to indicates that the seriousness act,” Justice Minister Michael pended prison sentence and a ciete Generale, France’s second doro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, put petrol and a snake inside. of the off ence far outweighs the Masutha said in an interview suspended €30mn ($34.78mn) biggest bank, and the Bank of has ruled Equatorial Guinea – a The defendants – Theo Jack- mitigating factors and the per- with eNCA. fi ne. France, deeming them compla- former Spanish colony – for son, sentenced to 14 years, and sonal factors of the off enders,” Black people make up 80% The court president cited the cent towards Obiang’s fi nances more than three decades, mak- Willem Oosthuizen, sentenced she said. “The conduct of the of South Africa’s 54mn popu- slow response from parts of the and too slow to react. ing him one of Africa’s long- to 11 years – had pleaded not accused fuelled social division lation, but most its wealth re- French banking system in con- The role of the two banks was est-serving leaders, and rights guilty. and racial tension.” mains in the hands of whites, tributing to those penalties be- taken into account to justify groups have labelled his admin- They said they had caught The defence immediately re- who account for about 8% of ing suspended and hence more the suspended sentences for istration as one of the world’s Nkurunziza: has been in off ice Mlotshwa trespassing on their quested that it be allowed to ap- the population. lenient. Obiang, the court said. most corrupt. since 2005. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 5 AMERICA Trump declares Rocking at Rockefeller Plaza opioids a public health emergency The declaration will redirect public funds ers of prescription painkillers, heroin and to combat opioid abuse fentanyl, while ensuring fewer delays in staffing the Department of Health and Hu- Reuters man Services to help states grapple with the Washington crisis. Trump said he would discuss stopping the fl ow of fentanyl, a drug 50 to 100 times more S President Donald Trump declared powerful than morphine, with Chinese Presi- the opioid crisis a public health emer- dent Xi Jinping during his visit to Asia next Ugency on Thursday, stopping short of month. a national emergency declaration he prom- In his remarks, Trump said the US Postal ised months ago that would have freed up Service and Department of Homeland Se- more federal money. curity were “strengthening the inspection Responding to a growing problem, partic- of packages coming into our country to hold ularly in rural areas, Trump’s declaration will back the fl ood of cheap and deadly fentanyl, redirect federal resources and loosen regula- a synthetic opioid manufactured in China”. tions to combat opioid abuse, senior admin- In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman istration offi cials said. President Trump displays the presidential Geng Shuang said China had always paid a But it does not result in more money to public health emergency declaration. great deal of attention to international co- combat the crisis. operation against narcotics and had listed 23 Some critics, including Democratic law- ease Control and Prevention. The death rate components of fentanyl as controlled sub- makers, said the declaration was meaningless has kept rising, estimates show. stances, despite not having a fentanyl abuse without additional funding. Opioids, primarily prescription painkill- problem. Republican lawmakers called the presi- ers, heroin and fentanyl, are fuelling the drug Trump added he would consider bringing dent’s declaration an important step in com- overdoses. lawsuits against “bad actors” in the epidemic. bating the crisis. More than 100 Americans die daily from Several states have sued opioid manufactur- “This epidemic is a national health emer- related overdoses, according to the CDC. ers for deceptive marketing. Congress is in- gency,” Trump, a Republican, said at the A White House commission on the drug vestigating the business practices of manu- White House.”As Americans, we cannot allow crisis had urged Trump to declare a national facturers. this to continue.” emergency. The president also said the government Trump, who also called the epidemic a On Wednesday, the president told Fox should focus on teaching young people not to “national shame” and “human tragedy,” was Business Network he would do so. take drugs.”There is nothing desirable about introduced by his wife, Melania, who said she Offi cials told reporters on the conference drugs. They’re bad,” he said. had made fi ghting the epidemic one of her call that Federal Emergency Management Thursday’s declaration allows the Depart- top priorities as fi rst lady. “This can happen Agency funds that would have been released ment of Labor to issue grants to help dislo- to any of us,” she said. under a national emergency are already ex- cated workers aff ected by the crisis. The president also made a personal refer- hausted from recent storms that struck Puer- HIV/Aids health funding would also be pri- ence to addiction in his family by citing his to Rico, Texas and Florida. oritised for those who need substance abuse deceased brother Fred, an alcoholic whose The administration would have to work treatment, offi cials said. advice not to imbibe made an impression on with Congress to help provide additional As a candidate, Trump promised to address Trump, who does not drink alcohol. funding to address drug abuse, they added. the crisis, including by building a wall on the The announcement disappointed some They said they determined that a public US-Mexico border to stop the fl ow of illicit advocates and experts in the addiction fi ght, health emergency declaration was most ap- drugs, which he touched on in his speech. who said it was inadequate to fi ght a scourge propriate after an expansive review. Additional actions under the move would that played a role in more than 33,000 deaths Under Thursday’s declaration, treatment be announced in coming weeks by various Rachel Platten performs on NBC’s Today at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. in 2015, according to the US Centers for Dis- would be made more accessible for abus- agencies, offi cials said. Newly released Kennedy fi les reveal mafi a plots, FBI warning on plot to kill Oswald

AFP the Soviet Union, attack Cuba, and thereaf- compliance with a 1992 act of Congress are Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed, Washington ter spread the war”. viewable on the National Archives website, which determined that Oswald did indeed The Warren Commission, which inves- in full and unredacted form. act alone, said people who think the fi les will tigated the shooting of the charismatic “The president wants to ensure that there “have the solution to the case that everybody President promises he US government on Thursday re- Kennedy, 46, determined that Oswald, a is full transparency here,” an offi cial said, can settle on” are going to be disappointed. leased a mammoth, long-awaited former Marine sharpshooter, carried out the but “there does remain sensitive informa- Experts agreed, however, that the docu- Ttrove of secret fi les on the killing of Kennedy assassination acting alone. tion in the records.” ments may shed some light on an intrigu- transparency president John F Kennedy, off ering intrigu- The released fi les are vast in number and This includes, for example, the identities ing chapter in Oswald’s life — including his ing new insights into events surrounding scope, covering everything from FBI direc- of informants and “activities that were con- trip to Mexico City about seven weeks before one of the most infamous assassinations in tors’ memos to interviews with members of ducted with the support of foreign partner the shooting where he is known to have met DPA government “to provide as history. the public in Dallas who came forward trying organisations, either intelligence or law en- with Cuban and Soviet spies. Washington much access as possible” to While many of the 2,891 records released to provide clues after that singularly unfor- forcement,” the offi cial said. The CIA and FBI may be blocking the re- the records “so that the peo- by the National Archives were raw intelli- gettable moment in US history. The Warren Commission’s formal con- lease of certain documents to hide their own ple may fi nally be fully in- gence and uncorroborated, they were almost Trump said in a memorandum he had clusion that Oswald killed JFK has done lit- failings, said Larry Sabato, a professor of S President Donald formed about all aspects of certain to reinvigorate rampant conspiracy agreed to hold back for further review some tle to quell speculation that a more sinister politics at the University of Virginia and the Trump vowed “great this pivotal event”. theories about the November 22, 1963 slay- records relating to the killing following plot was behind the murder of the 35th US author of The Kennedy Half Century. Utransparency” yes- Trump said that, while he ing of JFK in Dallas, Texas. pushback from intelligence agencies. president. “They had every indication that Oswald terday despite a delay in the is ordering that “the veil fi - An outlandish CIA plan to recruit the “I have no choice — today — but to accept Hundreds of books and movies such as the was a misfi t and a sociopath,” he said. release by the US govern- nally be lifted”, some agen- mafi a to kill Fidel Castro, FBI foreknowl- those redactions rather than allow poten- 1991 Oliver Stone fi lm JFK have fed the con- But neither agency informed the Secret ment of some of the docu- cies have proposed “that edge of the plot to murder Kennedy’s killer, tially irreversible harm to our nation’s secu- spiracy industry, pointing the fi nger at Cold Service, which is charged with protecting ments related to the 1963 as- certain information should and Kremlin suspicions of a homegrown rity,” he said. War rivals the Soviet Union or Cuba, the the president, he said. Oswald defected to sassination of president John continue to be redacted be- right-wing conspiracy were among the Trump gave agencies six months — until Mafi a and even Kennedy’s vice president, the Soviet Union in 1959 but returned to the F Kennedy. cause of national security, highlights, even as some fi les were with- April 26, 2018 — to make their case for why Lyndon Johnson. United States in 1962. “JFK Files are being care- law enforcement, and foreign held for further review on national security the remaining documents should not be Kennedy assassination experts eagerly Two days after killing Kennedy he was fa- fully released. In the end aff airs concerns”. grounds. made public. awaited the opportunity to look at the fi les tally shot by a nightclub owner, Jack Ruby, as there will be great transpar- Trump has said he had no One document from 1975 detailed how in The 2,891 records approved for release in but sought to tamp down expectations. he was being transferred from the city jail. ency. It is my hope to get just choice but to accept those the early days of Kennedy’s presidency the about everything to public!” redactions but ordered agen- CIA off ered $150,000 to Italian-American Trump said on Twitter. cies to review each one over mob boss Sam Giancana to organise the kill- About 2,800 fi les were the next 180 days. ing of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. released by the National Ar- At the end of that period Giancana in return sought the CIA’s help chives and Records Admin- he will order the release of to place a listening device in the room of his istration on Thursday, about any information that the mistress — a Las Vegas entertainer — whom 300 short of the number that agencies are unable to dem- he thought was having an aff air. exists, with FBI and CIA con- onstrate meets the statutory Other possible ideas to kill the Commu- cerns causing the delay. standard to keep them secret, nist leader — said to be a keen diver — in- The CIA said in a state- the memorandum said. cluded contaminating his diving suit with ment yesterday that it would The records were to be disease causing bacteria, or booby-trapping release “every single one” of made public by October 26 a seashell with a bomb. the remaining documents under a law that requires The plan was scrapped when it was deter- and was working “diligently” they be opened 25 years later mined “there was no shell in the Caribbean to do so, but that it would unless the president deter- area large enough to hold a suffi cient amount remove some information to mines that releasing them of explosive”. protect national security. would harm defence, intel- Another document included a tran- “CIA’s current redactions ligence, law enforcement or script of a November 24, 1963 conversation were undertaken with the in- foreign relations and that with then FBI director J Edgar Hoover, who tent to protect information in the harm would be “of such said his agency informed police of a threat the collection whose disclo- gravity that it outweighs the against the life of Kennedy’s killer Lee Har- sure would harm national se- public interest in disclosure”. vey Oswald the night before Oswald was curity — including the names Most fi les related to the murdered. Police, however, failed to act. of CIA assets and current and assassination had already While many theories over the years have former CIA offi cers, as well been made public, but thou- related to Oswald’s ties to Cuban or Soviet as specifi c intelligence meth- sands of pages have remained operatives, an FBI memo in 1963 indicated ods and partnerships that re- closed to the public. Kennedy’s death was source of deep mourn- main viable to protecting the Kennedy’s slaying in Dal- ing in the USSR. nation today,” a CIA spokes- las on November 22, 1963, According to a source, “offi cials at the man said. was a pivotal moment in US Communist Party of the Soviet Union be- Trump signed a memo- history and has remained a lieved there was some well-organised con- randum Thursday to the popular subject for conspir- spiracy on the part of the ‘ultraright’ in the heads of departments and acy theorists despite an of- United States to eff ect a ‘coup’”. agencies in his administra- fi cial investigation’s conclu- The Soviets feared the killing would be tion, saying that Americans sion that a lone gunman was used as a pretext to “stop negotiations with US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signing the order of naval blockade of Cuba at the White House in Washington, DC. expect and deserve their responsible for the attack. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, October 28, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Myanmar gives green light to resume food aid to Rakhine: UN Myanmar authorities have “WFP has been given the green rates before the crisis, the UN agreed to allow the United light to resume food assistance Children’s Fund said. “Since Nations to resume distribution operations in northern part of August 25, we have had to stop Malaysian PM presents of food in northern Rakhine Rakhine. We are working with treating 4,000 children with state which was suspended the government to co-ordinate severe acute malnutrition in for two months, the World the details,” WFP spokeswoman northern Rakhine because we Food Programme (WFP) said Bettina Luescher told journalists have had no access,” Unicef yesterday. in Geneva. spokeswoman Marixie Mercado budget with eye on polls The agreement, whose details She had no timeline or details told the briefing. are still being worked out, on the proposed distribution of Unicef has screened nearly AFP in the trade- and energy-de- inated Malaysian politics for tocracy”. Najib’s United Malays came as Unicef reported that rations to northern Rakhine, and 60,000 Rohingya refugee Kuala Lumpur pendent economy, which has over two decades and was once National Organisation party, Rohingya refugee children said it was still being discussed children arriving in Bangladesh, bounced back after being bat- his mentor. which leads the coalition, has fleeing into Bangladesh were with the authorities in Myanmar. nearly 2,000 of whom have tered by a fall in oil prices, say- Unveiling the 280.25bn ring- been in power continuously arriving “close to death” from “We just have to see what been identified as having severe alaysia’s prime min- ing it will clock up growth of git ($66.1bn) budget, Najib since Malaysia became inde- malnutrition. the situation on the ground acute malnutrition, with another ister yesterday an- between 5.0 and 5.5 percent — who is also fi nance minis- pendent from Britain in 1957, The WFP was previously is. It’s very hard to say these 7,000 moderately acutely Mnounced handouts next year. ter — said his Barisan Nasional but faces a tough challenge to distributing food rations to things if you can’t get in,” malnourished, she said. The and tax cuts in his last budget The premier has been bat- coalition was committed to hang on to power in the multi- 110,000 people in northern Luescher said. Some 604,000 agency screened 340 children before elections, hoping to per- tling allegations that billions of scoring a “big victory” at the ethnic country. Rakhine state — to both Rohingya refugees have fled among recent arrivals, a “rough suade voters to put aside a mas- dollars were looted from a state forthcoming polls. Kenanga Investment Bank Buddhist and the minority to Bangladesh in the past two and rapid exercise” that found sive fi nancial scandal and re- investment fund he founded, The budget included tax cuts economist Wan Suhaimie bin Muslim Rohingya communities. months, bringing the total 10% to be severely acutely elect his long-ruling coalition. 1MDB, and the budget is key to for the middle class, cash hand- Wan Mohd Saidie told AFP that Following an army crackdown, to 817,000, the International malnourished, she said. Najib Razak sought in the his eff orts to get voters to swing outs of 1,500 ringgit for all civil the 2018 budget was “undeni- that the United Nations has Organization for Migration “This is an extremely small 2018 spending plans to assuage behind his party ahead of a gen- servants — mostly from the ably” one designed to win more called “ethnic cleansing”, and (IOM) said. number of children so concerns among Malaysians eral election that must be called Muslim Malay majority and a votes. UN humanitarian agencies Malnutrition rates in Maungdaw these numbers are not worried about rising living by August. Both Najib and the key vote bank for Najib’s party “As long as the economy have not been able to access and Buthidaung townships representative,” Mercado said. costs due to the introduction fund deny any wrongdoing. — as well as for newborns and remains good, and there are northern Rakhine to deliver aid in Rakhine, where the vast “But what they do tell us is that of a wide-ranging consump- As well as the fi nancial scan- farmers. no major controversial issues since then. WFP deliveries have majority of the Rohingya some of the children are close tion tax, expensive housing and dal, Najib faces a resurgent op- Towards the end of his budg- popping up, it will be enough continued to 140,000 people in refugees originate, were already to death by the time they make growing household debt. position under former premier et speech, opposition lawmak- for the powers that be to gain central Rakhine. above emergency threshold it across the border.” He pointed to improvements Mahathir Mohamad, who dom- ers erupted in shouts of “klep- broader support.”

Mattis visits truce village Activists fear crackdowns in Xi’s ‘new era’

AFP dares to criticise government lenge leaders on China’s human Beijing policies,” Frances Eve, researcher rights record. for the overseas Chinese Human In an open letter to del- Rights Defenders group, told egates, Yu Wensheng said the hen President Xi Jin- AFP. “There will be more crack- last fi ve years have been marked ping was handed a sec- downs, arrests, mass surveil- by a deterioration of rights and Wond term at the helm of lance and censorship.” freedoms. the Communist Party this week, While Xi has also presided over “The Chinese Communist he said China had entered a “new eff orts to improve the profes- Party speaks about freedom, de- era”. But human rights activists sionalism of the judiciary, such mocracy, equality and rule of law, expect the same old crackdowns. as raising criteria for the ap- but actually China has no free- Xi has increasingly stifl ed pointment of judges, the reforms dom, no democracy, no equality, civil society since taking offi ce have not led to better treatment no rule of law. The elite and the in 2012, targeting everyone from of government critics. More than rich are in power and corruption activists to human rights lawyers 200 Chinese human rights law- is everywhere,” the letter said. and teachers to celebrity gossip yers and activists were detained The letter was reproduced bloggers. or questioned in a police sweep or excerpted in several overseas In his speech to the twice-a- in 2015 that rights groups called Chinese-American websites and decade Communist Party con- “unprecedented.” Hong Kong and Taiwanese news- gress, Xi made it clear that there In July, the authorities ignored papers, but it was not visible in will be no loosening of the party’s international pleas for mercy as mainland China without using control over the country’s aff airs they refused to free democracy software to bypass government during this “new era”, in which activist and Nobel Peace Prize fi lters. he envisions China becoming a laureate Liu Xiaobo before as he Yu said in a follow-up state- superpower by 2050. He warned died of liver cancer. Liu’s death ment that police detained him that social tensions and problems in custody triggered rage and immediately after he circulated should be met with the strength- frustration among the Chinese the letter on October 18 and in- ening of “governance based in dissident community, and en- terrogated him for three hours. law,” and made multiple stern gendered a sense of hopelessness In the past, similar letters warnings to those supporting under Xi. Margaret Lewis, an ex- were signed by groups of activ- independence for semi-auton- pert in Chinese law at Seton Hall ists and intellectuals. omous Hong Kong, and for self- University, said freedoms pro- Yu – who is best known for governing Taiwan, which Beijing tected under international trea- suing the government in Beijing considers a renegade province. ties “are under constant attack in in late 2016 over toxic air pollu- “We will never allow anyone, China today”. tion – told AFP he decided to is- any organisation, or any political “Police are by far the strongest sue the letter on his own because party, at any time or in any form, component of the ‘iron triangle’ he had seen the human rights to separate any part of Chinese of police, prosecutors, and judg- situation worsen severely, “espe- territory from China,” Xi said. es in the criminal system,” Lewis cially with the large-scale arrest In recent years and months, told AFP. of lawyers.” the government has enacted sev- Amnesty International re- Earlier this month, his wife eral laws on Internet control and searcher Patrick Poon said Xi’s circulated a statement saying his other measures in the name of speech last week signalled that law licence was invalidated and national security, giving a legal China will continue to use its laws authorities had pressured his basis for its tightening grip on to “crack down on dissidents in fi rm to fi re him. society. It has also jailed several the name of protecting national Terence Halliday, an expert mainland citizens who spoke out security”. In recent years, rights on Chinese law at Northwestern in support of Hong Kong’s de- groups noted an uptick in police University said he was quite sur- mocracy movement and arrested harassment of China’s most vo- prised by Yu’s “extraordinarily a Taiwanese NGO worker, Lee cal critics, especially around ma- bold letter.” Ming-cheh, putting him on trial jor events, with activists getting “I think the rest of the world last month for “subverting state sent on government-sponsored will need to watch closely to see power.” “holidays” away from Beijing. if it’s possible for one single voice US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo visit the truce village of Panmunjom, South “Emboldened by the national During this year’s week-long to speak out and still be heard Korea yesterday. security laws passed by Xi, police Congress, only one prominent without extreme punishment in will likely go after anyone who mainland lawyer dared to chal- Xi’s China.”

China warns US not to allow Australia govt in turmoil after dual citizenship ruling Taiwan stopover China urged the United States AFP political landscape that has been port to the government”, giving per house senators — the Na- foreign-born or the children of yesterday to prevent Taiwanese Sydney turbulent in recent years, with the coalition room to breathe in tionals’ Fiona Nash, the Greens’ immigrants. president Tsai Ing-wen from four diff erent prime ministers the lower House of Representa- Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam The government’s solicitor- making a stopover in American serving since 2013. tives. The deputy’s position is and One Nation’s Malcolm Rob- general had argued to the court territory during her upcoming he Australian government “The decision of the court to- expected to be kept vacant ahead erts — were like Joyce also ruled that Joyce and four of the other visit to three Pacific allies. was thrown into turmoil day is clearly not the outcome we of the by-election, with Foreign ineligible. Canavan, who left seven had not breached Section The statement followed reports Tyesterday after losing its were hoping for but the business Minister Julie Bishop set to take cabinet and his role as resources 44 of the constitution as they that Tsai will transit through one-seat majority with the na- of government goes on,” Prime on the duties if Turnbull travels minister after fi nding his mother were unaware of their overseas Hawaii and the US territory of tion’s deputy prime minister Minister Malcolm Turnbull said overseas, according to local me- signed him up to Italian citizen- citizenship. Guam next week — a trip that kicked out of parliament over his in Canberra after the ruling was dia. ship in his 20s, resumed the job But in its judgement, the comes at a delicate time with dual citizenship. handed down. Turnbull is assuming Joyce’s after being sworn back in. court ruled that “proof of a can- President Donald Trump slated Barnaby Joyce was among Joyce, the leader of the ru- agriculture portfolio. If Joyce Xenophon is quitting the fed- didate’s knowledge of his or her to visit Beijing in November. seven politicians embroiled in a ral-based National Party, is Barnaby Joyce loses the by-election, the coali- eral Senate and moving to state foreign citizenship status (or of “As for the Taiwan leader crisis after falling afoul of a pre- Australian-born but found out tion could keep ruling as a mi- politics by running in South facts that might put a candidate stopover in US territory, her true viously obscure constitutional in August he automatically ac- ia. That is the way it is... Now I nority government if it receives Australia’s election early next on inquiry as to the possibility motives for transiting by the US rule that bars dual citizens from quired New Zealand citizenship am going to make sure that I the support of independent MPs year. that he or she is a foreign citizen) is self-evident,” Chinese foreign sitting in parliament. through his father. He told re- don’t cry in my beer.” on budget matters and on votes The dual citizenship rule was is not necessary to bring about ministry spokesman Geng The High Court ruled he porters in Tamworth, a city in The 50-year-old has since of no confi dence. Of the so- originally inserted into the 1901 the disqualifying operation”. Shuang said. was ineligible, meaning a by- his New England seat, that he renounced his New Zealand citi- called “citizenship seven”, only constitution to ensure parlia- “It is suffi cient to say that “We hope that the United States election for his lower house seat was “always prepared for this zenship, allowing him to run in Nationals senator Matt Canavan mentarians were loyal solely to in none of the references with would abide strictly by the of New England in New South outcome”. the by-election. Independent and independent senator Nick Australia. However, critics say which the court is concerned ‘one China’ policy... deny her Wales state will be held on De- “I had no reason to believe MP Cathy McGowan said in a Xenophon were cleared for par- it is out of step with the mod- were candidates confronted by permission to stopover, avoid cember 2. The court move re- that, you know, I was a citizen of statement she would “continue liament. ern reality of the country, where such obstacles to freeing them- sending the wrong signals to introduced uncertainty into a any other country that Austral- to supply confi dence and sup- The others, who are also up- 50% of the population are either selves of their foreign ties Taiwan independence forces.” Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 7 BRITAIN/IRELAND

DECISION PEOPLE TREND LAW AND ORDER ART Government sets Monday Cabinet secretary Heywood Confidence in housing Man charged over Rare portrait of Mary, deadline for N Ireland talks treated for cancer market falls to five-year low MP murder plot Queen of Scots found

Britain will have to bring in legislation to set a The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, Confidence in the housing market has slipped to A man accused of being a member of a banned far- A rare, unfinished portrait believed to be of Mary, budget for Northern Ireland if the province’s Whitehall’s most senior civil servant, has been its lowest level in five years, sounding renewed right group appeared in court yesterday, charged Queen of Scots has been found underneath political parties cannot reach an agreement treated for cancer, the Cabinet Off ice said. warnings over the health of the economy. One in with encouraging an associate to murder a another 16th-century painting after an X-ray to restore their power-sharing government by Heywood, the prime minister’s top policy adviser, five adults surveyed by the Halifax bank expect politician. Christopher Lythgoe, 31, from Warrington revealed a ghostly likeness of the executed Monday, a government spokesman said. Northern served in Downing Street under Tony Blair and house prices will fall in the next year, in the weakest spoke only to confirm his name and address at queen. A woman with distinct similarities to near- Ireland has been without a regional administration Gordon Brown, becoming Cabinet secretary reading for consumer expectations since October Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Lythgoe and five contemporary depictions of Mary was revealed since its collapse in January, raising the prospect under David Cameron. In a statement yesterday, 2012. Young people under the age of 25 and those other men were also charged with being members during an examination of a portrait of Sir John of direct rule being reimposed from London, the Cabinet Off ice said Heywood was diagnosed living in London are found to be least optimistic. of the National Action group, which was outlawed Maitland, attributed to Adrian Vanson, a Dutchman potentially destabilising a delicate political balance with cancer in June and had treatment over the The drop off in confidence comes amid growing by the government last year. Following their arrest, who was court painter to Mary’s son King James VI in the British province. The British minister for the summer and early autumn. The treatment “went concerns over the strength of the economy, with opposition Labour Party member of parliament of Scotland (James I of England). The X-ray showed region, James Brokenshire, said last week that talks well” and the cabinet secretary was continuing rising inflation and weak wage growth putting Rosie Cooper said in a statement: “I would like to the shape of a woman’s face and the outline of had stalled with the Sinn Fein party and the pro- to work. “Throughout this period, Sir Jeremy has pressure on British households. It also comes as thank everyone involved in this case, especially the her dress beneath the upper layers of paint. The British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) stuck over continued with his normal duties,” a spokesman the Bank of England prepares to raise interest rates counter-terrorism police, for keeping me, my staff portrait and X-ray images will be on display at the the rights of Irish language speakers. said. for the first time in a decade. and the public safe.” Scottish National Portrait Gallery from today. Premier urges ‘Fluffytorium’ now open! MPs’ staff to report sexual harassment

London Evening Standard The WhatsApp group men- London tioned a serving minister who the women describe as “Not Safe In Taxis” because of his wander- ictims of sexual harass- ing hands. ment by MPs or West- This week the Standard re- Vminster staff should go to ported how Labour MPs Jess the police, No 10 urged yesterday. Phillips and Mary Creagh were The intervention came after sexually assaulted when they it was reported that female re- were younger, and another serv- searchers and aides in Parlia- ing MP was sexually assaulted in ment were using a WhatsApp a hotel room. group to share information about Tories Anne Jenkin and There- alleged abuse. sa Villiers said they endured un- A spokeswoman for Theresa wanted advances early in their May said: “Any allegations that political careers. Two sisters get a cuddle with Hechi the cat at a free pop-up event giving people the chance to pet “some of the world’s fluff iest cats and dogs”. Marnie Casher, six, and may come to light will be tak- Sir Alistair said: “If there are sister Lola, seven, were among the first to visit the “Fluff ytorium”, organised at Soho Square by the Guinness World Records to launch its Amazing Animals book. It is en extremely seriously and we individual cases which people aimed at children who might not otherwise get the chance to spend time with pets. would advise people to contact want investigated then some ef- the police if there is such an al- fort should be made to do that. I legation so that it is fully inves- would have thought the Speaker tigated.” and Speaker’s Committee, which No 10 said it was not aware senior politicians sit on, could ex- of claims having been formally amine that issue and see what ap- reported but signalled that dis- propriate action could be taken.” ciplinary action could be taken Sir Alistair said that if the lat- against any minister found to est allegations had come dur- have been involved in sexual har- ing his time as committee chair assment. he would have taken them “very Senior Tory Brexit rebels Asked if allegations against a seriously”. He added: “Women minister would lead to their dis- should be employed without missal by the prime minister, the feeling that they are going to be spokeswoman said, “serious ac- inappropriately approached. tion would be taken where nec- There’s a lot coming to light essary.” about sexual harassment in all Commons chiefs, led by sectors of society and that might ‘plotting talks with EU’ Speaker John Bercow, are to have prompted people to speak discuss the sexual harassment out. London Evening Standard That would put MPs under open to cross-party co-opera- after a series of government in- to powerful “hard-Brexiteers”. claims at their next meeting. Sir “As chair I could have made London massive pressure to cave in to tion if there is a majority in par- terventions this week. When the EU Withdrawal Bill Alistair Graham, a former chair recommendations on how Par- her terms or risk the chaos of a liament for a diff erent deal from On Monday, May dismayed returns to the Commons next of the Committee on Standards liament and its structures could no-deal Brexit. the one May brings home. business leaders by promising month, the key showdown will in Public Life, had earlier said the deal with it.” enior Conservative MPs An ex-minister told the Both parties have opened Iain Duncan Smith, a leading be over the rights of parliament Speaker should investigate the Kathryn Hudson, the Par- plan to go over Theresa Standard: “By talking directly channels with Brussels. Jer- Brexiteer and ex-Tory leader, to reject or amend the fi nal exit matter as a priority. liamentary Commissioner for SMay’s head and seek their to Europe we can assess wheth- emy Corbyn and shadow Brexit that there would be no transi- deal. Some 12 Tory rebels back The reports from staff ers, sec- Standards, has the power to in- own Brexit talks with the Euro- er parliament has other options secretary Sir Keir Starmer have tion period agreed until a deal Conservative ex-attorney gen- retaries and aides in Whitehall vestigate harassment if an offi cial pean Union, the Standard has available, including the option met three EU premiers and EU on future relations was ham- eral Dominic Grieve’s call for an and Parliament emerged from complaint is made. learned. to instruct the prime minister negotiator Michel Barnier. mered out. Act that would enshrine Brexit a group on private messaging It is not known whether any of A group of rebels want an in- to go back to the negotiating LibDem MPs have held dis- On Wednesday, Davis said terms and empower MPs to seek service WhatsApp where they the women featured in The Sun’s dependent line of communica- table.” cussions with Guy Verhofstadt, a Commons vote could be de- improvements. have shared their experiences. report have made a formal alle- tion to check whether the prime A key question to be asked in the co-ordinator for the Euro- layed until after March 2019, Alexander Stubb, vice-pres- The allegations in yesterday’s gation against any male politi- minister is genuinely off ering the talks is whether EU leaders pean Parliament. The party’s when Britain is set to leave the ident of the European Invest- Sun include an incident in which cian or member of parliamentary the best terms available. The would postpone a fi nal Brexit Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake EU. On Thursday he said: “The ment Bank, yesterday admit- a Cabinet minister is reported or Whitehall staff . plan emerged after Brexit Sec- deal if parliament asked for said: “At the end of these talks choice will be meaningful: ted loans to the UK were being to have groped a woman during Dawn Primarolo, a former retary David Davis made clear changes — something that min- the British people should be whether to accept that deal or cut amid uncertainty over the a party. A Labour MP is accused deputy Speaker, appealed for that the government intends to isters insist is impossible. given the choice to accept the to move ahead without a deal.” impact of Brexit. He branded of inappropriately touching a MPs and peers to do more to stop engineer a “take it or leave it” Labour and Liberal Democrat deal or stay in the EU.” The tougher line from May Brexit “one of the biggest trav- woman on a foreign trip. sexual harassment in Parliament. vote on the deal May negotiates. sources indicated that they are Tory rebels took up the plan and Davis is seen as a response esties that we have seen”. Hotel booking websites Comic Con visitors N Korea behind NHS cyberattack: govt probed amid rip-off claims AFP groups across England were af- London fected — a third of the total number of 236. London Evening Standard customer has searched. “But we are concerned that Some 600 general practition- London The inquiry will also seek to this is not happening and that the he government yesterday ers were also aff ected. unearth whether charges such as information on sites may in fact blamed North Korea for The facilities aff ected were taxes or booking fees are hidden be making it diffi cult for people Ta ransomware attack this running computer systems — the major investigation was and may not be included in the to make the right choice.” year that a new report revealed majority Windows 7 — that had launched yesterday into advertised price. The CMA has written to fi rms aff ected a third of hospitals and not been updated to secure them Awhether millions of holi- About 70% of people who across the sector requiring them could have been prevented with against attacks, the NAO said. daymakers are being ripped off shopped around for hotels last to give information about their “basic” IT security. “It was a relatively unsophisti- by hotel booking websites. year used hotel booking websites activities. “This attack, we believe quite cated attack and could have been The inquiry by the Competi- such as Booking.com, Trivago, Victoria Bacon, of the Asso- strongly that it came from a for- prevented by the NHS following tion and Markets Authority will Expedia, laterooms.com or last- ciation of British Travel Agents, eign state,” Ben Wallace, a junior basic IT security best practice,” investigate how hotels are ranked minute.com. said: “We have all experienced it minister for security, told BBC NAO chief Amyas Morse said. in online searches, including There is no evidence that when you go onto a hotel booking Radio 4’s Today programme. “There are more sophisticat- whether results are infl uenced any of them are engaging in bad site and it says there are six rooms “North Korea was the state ed cyber threats out there than by the amount of commission a practices but the CMA wants to available at that price ... that’s that we believe was involved in WannaCry so the department (of destination pays to the website. ensure that consumers are not OK as long as it’s true. this worldwide attack,” he said, health) and the NHS need to get It will also examine “pressure being ripped off . “If it is not true, or if it is mis- adding that the government was their act together to ensure the selling” and whether websites “They should all be confi dent leading then it’s against the law.” “as sure as possible”. NHS is better protected against can create a false impression of they have chosen the best ac- She added that the hotel web- The WannaCry attack in May future attacks,” he said. the number of rooms available commodation for their needs site booking sector “lacked scru- infected some 300,000 comput- The report revealed that there or rush customers into making and are getting a good deal,” said tiny”. ers in 150 countries, including had been multiple warnings a decision with warnings such chief executive Andrea Coscelli. “Travel agents, tour opera- in the National Health Service ahead of the attack about the as “six other people looking at “In today’s increasingly busy tors, ABTA members come under (NHS), Spanish telecoms com- weakness of IT security in the this now” and “last booked three world, sites like this off er real ABTA’s code of conduct so they pany Telefonica and US logistics NHS but that recommendations hours ago”. potential to help holiday-makers are scrutinised for these sort of company FedEx. for security updates were not re- The competition watchdog save time and money. things. Airlines come under the The National Audit Offi ce re- spected. also wants to establish if dis- “To do this, sites need to give scrutiny of the CAA. vealed the attack had hit NHS Dan Taylor, NHS Digital’s head counts advertised for a hotel their customers information that “This is a sector of the market, A visitor wearing a T-Rex costume arrives at the Lon- England particularly hard, forc- of security said the NHS had are accurate, or are comparing a is clear, accurate and presented these hotel booking sites, which don Comic Con, at the ExCel exhibition centre in east ing the cancellation of some “learned a lot” from WannaCry, higher weekend room rate with in a way that enables people to does not have that same level of London yesterday. 19,500 medical appointments. calling it “an international attack the weekday rate for which the choose the best deal for them. scrutiny.” Computers at 81 hospital on an unprecedented scale”. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, October 28, 2017 EUROPE What does it mean for Catalans to go for a UDI?

AFP when the former Rhodesia’s mi- international law consultant and able to do anything and legally on the issue, the ICJ concluded “It’s really reserved for op- “Are there going to be demon- The Hague nority white government de- former EU legal services director they will remain part of Spain,” that Kosovo’s declaration “did pressed people who do not have strations, barricades? Will peo- clared unilateral independence for 23 years. he said. not violate international law” or the right to democracy, who are ple accept and submit” if Spain from British colonial rule. “But what matters most is Security Council resolutions. badly treated. But this is not the triggers Catalan guardianship ... pain’s Senate voted yester- The process itself is when a recognition by the international „ Is Catalonia’s UDI legal? Ironically, in a written opinion case at all for Catalonia, which “or will there be violence?” day to grant Madrid pow- new state is established within community,” he said. “Everyone That is a complicated ques- to the court, Spain argued that enjoys democratic rights,” said Spain “experienced a civil war Sers to impose direct rule on an existing country, declaring has the right to issue a declara- tion, and two important legal Kosovo’s declaration was “not Piris, noting that the Catalan not so long ago and just before Catalonia, shortly after the semi- itself sovereign and independent tion of independence, but that in fi ndings may help determine the in accordance with international secessionists are acting outside World War II”, the international autonomous region’s parliament without the consent of the entity, itself has no international conse- answer, the experts say. law”, saying that it ignored “Ser- of the Spanish constitutional law consultant pointed out. approved a motion declaring in- country or state from which it is quence.” The fi rst is a 2010 advisory bia’s right to sovereignty and ter- framework. If Catalonia becomes an inde- dependence. seceding. Piris said very few countries opinion by the UN’s highest tri- ritorial integrity.” “I cannot imagine any inter- pendent state, the implications Herewith are fi ve questions will recognise Catalonia and “I bunal, the International Court national tribunal that would say “cannot be underestimated”, said about what it means to make a „ Does Catalonia have a guarantee you no one will rec- of Justice (ICJ), on Kosovo’s dec- „ Is Quebec case a model? that the right to self-determina- Narin Idriz, a researcher at the unilateral declaration of inde- right to declare self-rule? ognise them” in the European laration of independence from In the case of Quebec, the Ca- tion applies to the Catalans. It’s Hague-based Asser Institute. pendence: “Any entity has the right to Union. Serbia. nadian Supreme Court advised in unimaginable,” said Piris. “All European Union member declare its independence. But “Therefore it will remain an The second is a opinion by 1998 that people only have a right states cherish their territorial „ What is a unilateral to become a state that of course empty declaration: Catalonia the Canadian Supreme Court in to secede when they are victims „ What happens next? integrity, they will not want the declaration of independence? requires a territory, a popula- will not be represented in inter- 1998. of colonisation, oppressed and “What matters now is what same thing to happen to them, Known by its acronym “UDI”, tion and authorities,” said Jean- national organisations, they will After being asked by the United exploited or are denied access to will happen nationally and in the therefore it will be very diffi cult the term was fi rst coined in 1965 Claude Piris, a Brussels-based not sit in the EU, they will not be Nations General Assembly to rule a federal government. streets,” said Piris. to fi nd any support,” she said. Fear and joy in Barcelona after parliament move

By Marie Giff ard, AFP nally moving forward, to be able the identity of the people. You Catalan political powers and fi - Barcelona to build a republic, a new coun- cannot destroy the identity of the nances. try, from scratch,” added Rod- people.” Many Catalans – be they riguez, who wore a t-shirt with He said that over decades of pro- or against independence – A group of people in front of the Catalan regional government headquarters in Barcelona take a selfie to s Catalonia’s regional the slogan “fem pais” or “let’s work he had seen clients become treasure their region’s autonomy mark the moment that the regional parliament declared independence from Spain. parliament declared in- build a country”. “more independent”, “especially highly, and feel this is a drastic Adependence, the mood in Joan Servitje, a 66-year-old in the last 10 years” and that he move. a display of giant hanging hams, Madrid as a “game of power”. road map,” she said. Barcelona was mixed – part fes- grandfather and waiter, said he backed independence in a dis- “There is no going back,” 24-year-old Pol Aranda was cut- “The separatists are extremely She explained that she had tive, part fearful as the central felt that Catalan independence puted referendum earlier this said Servitje, whose views are ting up meat while discussing the fervent, the young especially and wanted to cast a spoilt ballot in government was poised to im- was the only way to preserve the month. supported by his elder sister, political tensions. also very, very old people because the referendum but didn’t due to pose direct rule on the semi-au- region’s distinctive culture, his- Spain’s Constitutional Court Montserrat Servitje. “I have always been on the they want to live for something “too much waiting, too many IT tonomous region to stop its drive tory, identity, and language – ruled the ballot illegal, but sepa- “I agree with independence, Spanish side,” he said. before they die,” he said, while problems”. to break from Spain. something he argued should not ratists continued to push their but not the form that it has tak- But he admitted that police joking that victory in the Cham- And now, things have become “It has cost us so much to get be taken for granted. agenda forward until yesterday’s en,” she said while combing her violence during the outlawed in- pions League may be the only really “dramatic”, she said. here,” 38-year-old social worker “I was not taught Catalan at state parliamentary vote. grey hair and putting on pink lip- dependence referendum on Oc- way to reconcile people. “We already had the attacks,” Judith Rodriguez said in a jubi- school. Back then, it was forbid- The declaration of independ- stick. tober 1 had shaken him. On Sant Jaume square, sitting she said, referring to the series lant crowd, tears in her eyes after den,” he said, serving coff ees and ence, though, will likely be “We do not know how the “I do not agree with Spanish in front of the art gallery where of religious extremist attacks in Catalonia’s regional parliament omelettes to customers in Bar short-lived as it is not recognised story is going to end,” she add- politics but I do not agree with she works, 34-year-old Ana Mo- and around Barcelona that killed declared independence in a bal- Haiti and referring to former dic- by Madrid or abroad, and Prime ed, concerned about how events those here either,” he said, de- ran questioned the priorities of 16 people in August. “And with lot boycotted by opposition MPs. tator Francisco Franco’s repres- Minister Mariano Rajoy’s central would develop. scribing the recent rows between the politicians. what the Catalan government is “I am very emotional about fi - sion of Catalonia. “The language, government is poised to take over In a nearby charcuterie, among Catalan separatist leaders and “The separatists don’t have a doing...”

Crimean Tatars freed by Russia feted in Ukraine Two Germans jailed

AFP have irked Moscow by vocally for terrorist links Kiev opposing the Black Sea region’s armed seizure from Ukraine in March 2014. AFP afterwards because of health wo Crimean Tatar leaders The Crimean Tatars are a Tur- Berlin problems”, it added. sentenced for their po- kic-speaking Muslim people who However he remained in So- Tlitical activities by Rus- were deported under Stalin and malia until returning to Ger- sian authorities in the annexed only returned to their homeland Frankfurt court has sen- many last year when he was peninsula arrived yesterday to a in the 1990s. tenced two men to jail in arrested at the airport. rapturous welcome in Ukraine They also comprise a small mi- A separate cases for join- The accused denied taking after being released thanks to an nority in Turkey. ing Islamist fi ghters in Somalia part in any fi ghting in Somalia, apparent deal brokered by Tur- Umerov and Chiygoz both and Syria. where the Shebaab are seek- key. vowed to return to Crimea in the A Somali-born German ing to overthrow the country’s Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chi- future after being given a heroes’ national, identifi ed only as internationally-backed gov- ygoz met Ukrainian President welcome with a children’s choir 29-year-old Abshir A, was ernment. Petro Poroshenko just hours af- that performed the Ukrainian This handout picture released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service shows President Poroshenko found guilty of membership In the second case, the court ter their fl ight from Ankara – the anthem at the Kiev airport. with Tartar activists Umerov (right) and Chiygoz during a welcoming ceremony in Kiev. of a foreign terrorist group for said Ozkan C travelled to Syria Kiev ally to which they had fl own “I am defi nitely going home to fi ghting alongside Al Qaeda- with his wife in 2013 to join from Crimea upon their release Crimea, no matter what awaits Crimea) is released.” dent Vladimir Putin to sign off thus able to negotiate on behalf linked Shebaab militants. Junud al-Sham, many of whose this week. me there,” Umerov told reporters Chiygoz was sentenced in Sep- on their handover to the Turkish of the two men. The court in the western fi ghters later defected to the Is- “Today is a real day for cel- upon his arrival. “No one gave me tember to eight years in prison authorities. Umerov and Chiygoz both also German city handed him a lamic State (IS) group. ebration,” a grinning Poroshenko any terms or conditions upon my over deadly clashes at a rally. Mustafa Dzhemilev – the re- thanked Poroshenko for playing prison term of two years and The accused received weap- told reporters while receiving the release.” Umerov received two years in a spected spiritual leader of the an instrumental role in their re- ten months. ons training and taught Arabic two activists in his offi ce. “The Chiygoz added that he did not penal colony on charges of sepa- Crimean Tatar community – has lease. The same court sentenced to other German-speaking re- moment we were all waiting for see himself as a free man because ratism but was allowed to remain told AFP that he had asked Turk- Erdogan met the Ukrainian Turkish-origin Ozkan C, 29, to ligious extremists, the court with very cautious optimism has the Crimean Tatars still remained at home pending an appeal. ish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan leader in Kiev earlier this month. two years and eight months for said. fi nally turned into a fantastic re- under Russian rule. He suff ers from Parkinson’s to call for the activists’ release in Erdogan has tried to preserve joining the Sunni militia Junud He returned to Germany in ality.” “This is not freedom,” the disease and diabetes as well as talks with Putin. good relations with both Russia al-Sham in Syria. late 2013 and was arrested last Umerov and Chiygoz are two of 60-year-old said in a near whis- other conditions. He added yesterday that Er- and Ukraine and has slowly be- In the fi rst case, the court year. the Crimean Tatars’ most high- per, adding: “We will not be free Neither man explained what dogan “still supports some sorts gun to assume the role of media- said the Mogadishu-born ac- German courts have jailed a profi le community leaders and until every person (imprisoned in exactly prompted Russian Presi- of contacts with Putin” and was tor between the two countries. cused left Germany for Soma- number of returning religious lia in 2012 after becoming radi- extremists for their member- calised and was active for the ship in terror groups abroad. Rapper sent to prison for shop attack militant group until early 2014. Five men were sentenced to He spent around four prison terms of up to fi ve years One of France’s top rap stars was sentenced to five years in prison months in combat training af- in 2016 for having joined the Czech election victor Babis signals yesterday for ransacking the shop of his rival Booba and beating up ter arriving, during which time Shebaab in Somalia. a sales assistant so badly he was left in a coma. Shebaab militia taught him In another case that year, a Rohff , whose real name is Housni Mkouboi, was given the stiff how to handle weapons and court jailed three young Ger- he’ll form a minority government sentence by judges in Paris in light of the serious nature of the employ guerrilla tactics, ac- man men for up to four-and- violence, his criminal record and his inconsistent version of events. cording to the court statement. a-half years for having joined The two rappers have been enemies for years, culminating in He was then sent to a She- extremist fi ghters in Syria in DPA session on November 20. 39-year-old Rohff attacking the shop selling Booba’s Unkut clothing. baab base but left “shortly 2013. Prague President Milos Zeman already signalled on Thursday his support for a Babis-led minority govern- illionaire populist Andrej ment. Babis has signalled that he “He’s the victor of the election, Bwill try to govern alone, after and you have to respect that,” the AfD party wants journalists’ private data emerging as the clear winner of na- 73-year-old said on broadcaster tional elections a week ago. Barrandov TV. “We’ve run into rejection by eve- There has been speculation that Reuters after it became the third largest in Germany’s data protection The party, which rails against ryone, so we’re going to try a mi- the far-right Freedom and Direct Berlin party in parliament. law, which lists such “special what it calls the “Islamisation of nority government,” the ANO (Yes) Democracy (SPD) party or Com- Journalists who register to data” as including racial and Europe” and “fake news” cover- party founder said yesterday, ac- munist Party of Bohemia and cover the conference in Hanover ethnic background, political age by mainstream news out- cording to online portal MF Dnes. Moravia (KSCM) would support he far-right Alternative are being asked to check a box in views, religious or philosophical lets, declined to comment to the ANO received 29.6% of the vote, Babis. for Germany (AfD) wants which they agreed to the collec- convictions, union membership, Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper, making it by far the strongest party Babis ran a campaign on oppo- Taccess to data about the tion, storage and use of personal health or sexual orientation. which fi rst reported the issue Babis: We’ve run into to emerge from the central Euro- sition to refugee immigration and ethnic backgrounds and po- data provided, such as name, Other parties require basic yesterday. rejection by everyone, so pean country’s election held last against closer European Union in- litical views of journalists who medium and press pass number, information for registration of The Berlin data protection of- we’re going to try a minority Friday and Saturday. tegration, but called himself “pro- want to cover the party’s na- as well as “special data”. journalists but do not ask for fi cial is investigating the issue, government. The new parliament has its fi rst European” after the election. tional congress in December The form references a section such personal details. the newspaper reported. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 9 INDIA

POLITICS CONTROVERSY DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS LEGAL OBITUARY Congress hints at Rahul’s Former CBI director Italian prime minister Court stays demolition Malayalam writer elevation after Gujarat polls rejects bribery allegations to visit India on Monday near Taj Mahal Punathil Kunjabdulla dies

In an indication that Congress vice-president Former Central Bureau of Investigation Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni will make The Supreme Court yesterday put a stay on Popular Malayalam writer and novelist Punathil Rahul Gandhi’s much-expected elevation as party director A P Singh yesterday rejected a day-long visit to India on October 30, the its earlier order directing demolition of an Kunjabdulla, died in Kozhikode yesterday. president may not take place before the Gujarat allegations of receiving bribe from meat first such visit in over a decade, a period that under-construction multi-level parking lot He was 77. A medical doctor by profession, elections, the party yesterday said it has time till exporter Moin Qureshi who “extorted” money saw bilateral ties touch a low after the arrest of near the Taj Mahal in Agra. A division bench of Kunjabdulla is best known for his works – December 31 to complete the entire organisational from industrialist Pradip Koneru in his name. two Italian Marines. Romano Prodi was the last the court directed the authorities to maintain Smarakasilakal Marunnu, Kanyavanangal, Kathi, election process and take a decision on the matter. Qureshi had, in February 2012, promised Italian prime minister to visit India in February status quo at the site and asked the Uttar Aligarh Kathakal and Malamukalile Abdulla “The election process in the states is in advanced the businessman that he will help his father, 2007. “Coming after a gap of more than a Pradesh government to file a comprehensive among many others. Popularly called ‘Kunjikka’, stage. We have to take a decision by the end of Rajendra Koneru, who was facing probe by the decade, the visit is aimed at strengthening policy on conservation and pollution in the Taj Kunjabdulla had been ailing for a year. Winner this year and we will do so at the appropriate time, agency in a corruption case, in exchange for bilateral and economic relations between the Trapezium Zone and nearby areas. Additional of the Sahithya Academy Award and twice and the election process will also be completed a fee. A report in a section of media, citing the two countries,” the external aff airs ministry solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Kerala Sahithya Academy Award, Kunjikka in due course,” said Congress spokesperson Ajay enforcement directorate complaint, had said said. Ties between India and Italy virtually the Uttar Pradesh government, told the court represented the ‘modernist’ in Malayalam Maken. “The deadline is till the end of this year,” that Pardeep Koneru had alleged that he paid came to a freeze following the February 2012 the government was committed to protect the literature. Born in Badagara, he completed his he added on being asked why Gandhi was not more than Rs50mn, meant to be passed to A P incident when two Italian marines allegedly Taj Mahal and assured it that a comprehensive formal education from Kozhikode. He did his being chosen as party president by October 31.| Singh, to Qureshi. shot dead two Indian fishermen off Kerala. policy will be filed. MBBS from the Aligarh Muslim University. Karnataka CM Protest against Telangana government refuses to oust minister facing suicide probe

IANS He won’t. Let the central min- Bengaluru isters resign fi rst,” he reiterated. Siddaramaiah also referred to the criminal charges and cases arnataka Chief Minister fi led against Uttar Pradesh Chief Siddaramaiah yesterday Minister Yogi Adityanath and Kruled out the resignation other BJP lawmakers, includ- of Cabinet Minister K J George ing BJP’s state unit president B S against whom the Central Bureau Yeddyurappa. of Investigation had fi led charges Commenting on Yeddyurap- for abetting the suicide of deputy pa’s charge that George would superintendent of police M K Ga- infl uence the CBI probe if he con- napathy in July last year. tinued as minister, Siddaramaiah “No need for George to resign. questioned how this would be The charges fi led by the CBI is a possible considering that the CBI continuation of the same reg- was an investigation agency of istered at the local police sta- the central government. Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary is arrested by police during a protest march in front of the Telangana Assembly in Hyderabad yesterday. Alleging that tion (Madikeri), which the state “Since the CBI is under the the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government has let farmers down, the Congress party yesterday held demonstrations both within and outside the legislative crime investigation department central government, where is the assembly on the opening day of the session. (CID) had investigated and given question of infl uencing the in- George a clean chit,” Siddara- vestigation?” he asked. maiah told reporters here. Senior BJP leader and Union The CID had “thoroughly” in- Human Resource Development vestigated the case, he insisted. Minister Prakash Javadekar too “George had resigned once demanded George should either (July 18, 2016) after the local resign or be removed from Cabi- (Madikeri) court ordered the lo- net. cal police station to register the “The Supreme Court has also case against him and two police rubbished the state CID report. offi cers. He was re-inducted George must resign or be re- No fresh Chinese troops into the Cabinet (September 26, moved from Cabinet immedi- 2016) only after the CID found ately by CM Siddaramaiah,” Ja- George had no role in the DSP’s vadekar tweeted. suicide,” Siddaramaiah said. Karnataka BJP MP Shobha Terming the Bharatiya Ja- Karandlaje wondered if the chief nata Party’s (BJP) demand for minister had “something to hide”. “Sack and let him face the build-up in Doklam: govt George’s resignation “politically motivated”, the chief minister enquiry,” she tweeted. wondered why the central min- Ganapathy had hanged him- IANS well within China,” he said. if the Doklam agreement had presence of Chinese troops? lations between India and Chi- isters against whom charge- self on July 7, 2016, in Madikeri, New Delhi “I would like to reiterate that been “breached”. “What happens to the ‘chest na in the coming months. sheets had been fi led and were about 250km to the west of the there are no new developments “The prime minister claimed thumping’, ‘red eyes’ and claims Ma also stressed on enhanced action pending did not resign state capital. at the face-off site and its vi- restoration of status quo ante of ‘victory’ of Modi?” Surjewala economic and trade co-opera- nor were not sacked by Prime Before his death, the police of- he external aff airs minis- cinity since the August 28 dis- as on June 16. Satellite imagery asked. tion, saying the BCIM (Bangla- Minister Narendra Modi. fi cer had accused George, addi- try yesterday dismissed engagement. The status quo disproves. National Security Meanwhile, the Chinese desh-China-India-Myanmar) Siddaramaiah said 20 of the tional director-general of police Ta media report of fresh prevails in this area,” he stated endangered?,” said Congress consul general in Kolkata, Ma economic corridor would be 64 union ministers have crimi- (intelligence) A M Prasad and in- Chinese troop build-up in Dok- adding that any suggestion to spokesperson Randeep Singh Zhanwu, stressed on boosting developed with joint eff orts by nal cases against them, includ- spector-general of police Pranov lam region of Bhutan and said the contrary was “incorrect and Surjewala on Twitter, attaching bilateral ties with India, saying the four countries. ing eight of Cabinet rank. Mohanty of harassing him. that the status quo remains in mischievous”. a news report of ‘The Print’ car- “Doklam is behind us”. Briefi ng the media on the re- “There are charge-sheets The state’s CID, which had place. Indian and Chinese troops rying a headline “Chinese troops “Doklam is behind us. Enough cently concluded 19th National against at least 20 central min- initially begun probing the case, “I think, it is important to had been locked in an over two- are amassed near Doklam pla- has been said about Doklam. In Congress of the Communist isters, including (Union Minister had given a clean chit to the min- have an accurate understand- month standoff at Doklam. The teau, satellite images show”. the new era, I believe, China- Party of China (CPC), he said, of State for Skill Development) ister and the two police offi cers ing of the situation and not to crisis, which erupted in June “Did Prime Minister keep the India relations will continue to “New target has been set for Anantkumar Hegde and (Union stating that “there was no evi- paint an alarmist picture,” ex- over Chinese moves to build a nation in the dark? What were develop with joint eff orts,” Ma diplomatic work. China’s ma- Minister of State for Drinking dence to establish the charge of ternal aff airs ministry spokes- road in an area claimed by Bhu- the exact conditions of ‘disen- said in the city yesterday. jor country diplomacy with Water and Sanitation) Ramesh abetment against the accused”. person Raveesh Kumar said in tan, ended in August, with both gagement’,” he asked. Asked about media report of Chinese characteristics aims Jigajinagi from Karnataka. Why After a plea by Ganapathy’s his weekly media briefi ng here. sides deciding to “disengage” Surjewala said: “Has Doklam fresh Chinese troop build-up to foster a new type of inter- have they not resigned?” Sid- father, M K Kushalappa, a CBI “From what I can make out, from the face-off point. agreement been breached ? What in Doklam region of Bhutan, Ma national relations and build a daramaiah asked. probe was ordered into the case this particular news report re- Earlier the Congress asked is the threat assessment made reiterated that there would be community with a shared future “Why should George resign? by the Supreme Court. fers to alleged Chinese build up Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Modi government vis-a-vis “new developments” in the re- for mankind.”

Official visit Chhattisgarh BJP under President hails overall fi re as journalist arrested Kerala development IANS of the fi rst government build- Thiruvananthapuram ing in Technocity, the presi- IANS ever witness such allegation Finally, Munat, accompanied dent said the sense of service Raipur which shows to what extent the by top party leaders, visited the has been deeply imbibed by the level of politics has fallen,” said Civil Lines police station and fter raising the hackles people of Kerala. an unfazed Munat. lodged fresh charges against of the BJP by praising “I would say it has become hhattisgarh’s ruling BJP Munat is considered close to Verma, a member of the Editors ATipu Sultan in Karnata- your economic calling card. came under attack yes- Raman Singh and the CD issue Guild of India. ka, President Ram Nath Kovind This is a state with an appre- Cterday after the arrest of has pushed the BJP on the back The Congress slammed Ver- yesterday showered praise on ciable track record in public a senior journalist in Ghaziabad foot. ma’s arrest and demanded his Kerala for its appreciable track health and education, and is a who claimed he had a “sex tape” Chhattisgarh has a track immediate release and a probe record in public health and front-runner in our country’s involving PWD (public works record of CD scandals against against the Chhattisgarh min- education and becoming a po- quest to achieve total litera- department) Minister Rajesh top leaders across parties. This ister. tential power house of Digital cy. It is logical therefore that Munat. The minister insisted he time though the alleged CD scam The Chhattisgarh Police, India, with a growing IT sector. Kerala has also become known was innocent. has hit the state too early as the facing criticism for arresting On his second visit to the for its strengths in the serv- The pre-dawn police raid at state is expected to face polls the journalist, sought to jus- state within a month, the pres- ices sector and the knowledge the residence of Vinod Verma, only in November 2018. tify their action. However, po- ident also congratulated the economy,” he said. and his arrest has charged up the Chhattisgarh Congress presi- lice offi cers looked confused state for having created a re- Kovind said Kerala is poten- political atmosphere in the state dent Bhupesh Baghel slammed and failed to off er a satisfac- markable hospitality industry. tially a power-house of Digital which goes to polls next year. the Chhattisgarh Police for “act- tory reply when media persons The president’s praise for India. “It is one of India’s most Police picked up Verma from ing too fast” against the jour- demanded to know what was the state and its various sec- connected states, with among his house at 3.30am and alleg- nalist who was not even named the need to arrest a journalist tors come against the backdrop the highest rates of mobile edly recovered about 500 copies in the charge-sheet fi led in the within 12 hours on the basis of a of an aggressive campaign phone penetration. I under- of a CD that contains sexual ma- matter at Raipur’s Pandri police charge-sheet where he had not launched by BJP’s top leader- stand that the government is terial linked to minister Munat. station on October 26. even been named. ship specially its president making eff orts to bridge the Stung by the episode, the The police have got transit The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Amit Shah against the Left digital divide and provide free minister held a press conference remand of Verma from a court too tried to extract mileage yes- rule and Uttar Pradesh Chief Internet connections to 2mn along with other Bharatiya Jana- in Ghaziabad over allegations of terday. Its cadres stormed Mu- Minister Yogi Adityanath, who poorer families by using a new ta Party leaders and termed the blackmail and extortion. nat’s offi cial residence near the during his visit to the state at- optic fi bre network. And there CD “tampered and morphed” The BJP went into a hud- police control room, threw black French Defence Minister Florence Parly meets her Indian tacked its public health sys- is ample evidence that our and urged Chief Minister Raman dle yesterday evening in Raipur ink on his nameplate and raised counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman at the ministry of defence tem. people, even those at the bot- Singh to order a thorough probe. and sought opinion from legal slogans against the minister be- in New Delhi yesterday. Parly is on a two-day official visit Speaking at the launch of tom of the pyramid, are very “I am in politics for roughly 34 experts on how to turn the heat fore being taken into police cus- to India. the Technology Project and adaptive and can easily em- years and never thought I would back on Baghel. tody. laying of the foundation stone brace and use new technology.” Gulf Times 10 Saturday, October 28, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

ECONOMIC CORPORATE WEATHER LAW AND ORDER DECISION Venezuela’s PDVSA pays Shell, Exxon win blocks in Torrential rain in Police arrest finance chief Mexican senate approves bond, default jitters ease Brazil’s pre-salt oil auction Nicaragua leaves five dead of Sinaloa drug cartel partial budget for 2018

Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA began mak- Oil majors Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil won Torrential rains in Nicaragua have left at least five Mexican police have captured a financial chief of The Mexican senate has approved part of the ing a major bond payment due yesterday, easing blocks in Brazil’s coveted pre-salt oil region in an people dead as rivers burst their banks, flooding the Sinaloa drug cartel, who is wanted by the US, country’s budget for 2018, raising the assumptions short-term fears about default but leaving the auction yesterday. Shell was part of consortia that homes and damaging roads and bridges, the the attorney general’s off ice and local media re- for oil prices and the exchange rate, a move that will leftist government with less cash to attend food won two of the four blocks on off er in the first part government said. Two other people are missing ports have confirmed. Victor Manuel Felix Beltran, help increase fund allocations for reconstruction shortages in the country. Investors had fretted of an eight block auction. Exxon, in a consortium in the violent weather of recent days, govern- alias El Vic, was arrested in a luxury flat in Mexico after two devastating earthquakes last month. The this week that cash-flow problems and regulatory with Norway’s Statoil and Portugal’s Petrogal, a unit ment spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said. Four of City’s Santa Fe neighbourhood. The 30-year- legislators agreed to raise oil price assumptions in hurdles resulting from US sanctions on the gov- of Galp Energia, won another. There were no bids for the fatalities were young miners working in a pit old did not resist arrest. Police confiscated false the fiscal plan to $48.50 per barrel from $46, and the ernment of President Nicolas Maduro may leave the fourth block. The eight blocks on off er contain that filled with water and the fifth was a teenage identity documents that he had allegedly used exchange rate to 18.4 pesos per dollar from 18.1, a the company unable to make the nearly $1bn a total of more than 12bn barrels of oil reserves. girl who fell off a ravine. More than 2,700 homes to buy properties and vehicles, as well as drugs. legislative source said. The changes added $2.25bn payment. Default would increase the financial President Michel Temer’s government has enacted were flooded and some 17,000 people have been Beltran is believed to have worked for the sons of to the total budget, the source said, increasing isolation of Venezuela, which is struggling under reforms to make the energy sector more attractive left without clean water, Murillo said. Power was drug lord Joaquin Guzman, known as El Chapo. the funds that would be available for post-quake Soviet-style product shortages and triple-digit to foreign investment, and for the first time interna- knocked out in some departments of the country. He is also suspected of carrying out criminal reconstruction. The lower house of Congress, which inflation, and put additional pressure on a popula- tional oil firms will be allowed to operate fields in the A red alert has been declared in some areas financial operations, money laundering and drug previously agreed to the plan, must finalise the tion already facing rising malnutrition. region known as pre-salt. because of the continuing heavy rains traff icking. budget by November 15. Caracas fumes Crackdown on crime as opposition wins European rights prize

AFP protests earlier this year. Strasbourg, France She told a meeting of the as- sembly that “it seems the Euro- pean Parliament is beginning to he European Parliament has smile at fascism.” awarded the prestigious Sa- Announcing the award, the Tkharov human rights prize European Parliament said “more to the beleaguered Venezuelan than 130 opponents (of the gov- opposition, calling for a “peace- ernment) have been murdered and ful transition to democracy” in the more than 500 have been arbitrar- crisis-hit country. ily imprisoned”. The prize was awarded to the Belgian liberal MEP Guy Ver- Venezuelan National Assembly, hofstadt, whose liberal parliamen- dominated by opposition parties, tary group put the Venezuelans up and to political prisoners. for the award alongside the cen- The award comes after months tre right EPP, urged international of protests against the regime of powers to “join us in the fi ght for President Nicolas Maduro in Ven- freedom” for the country’s people. ezuela left 125 people dead and as “This award supports the fi ght the oil-rich country teeters on the of democratic forces in favour of a brink of economic collapse, with democratic Venezuela and against the population struggling with the Maduro regime,” he said on Hundreds of police and soldiers swept into impoverished favela neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro early yesterday, where violence is on the rise and a police commander was shortages of food and such ba- Facebook. gunned down this week. The biggest security operation took place in the favelas of Sao Carlos, Zinc, Querosene and Mineira in the centre of the city. The G1 news site said sic necessities as toilet paper and Lilian Tintori, wife of jailed op- about 1,700 army and police personnel were deployed in what was only the latest in a series of crackdowns on the crime gangs controlling swathes of the favelas. soap. position leader Leopoldo Lopez, “There has been a genuine eco- said the award was recognition of nomic and social crisis in Ven- all the political prisoners and “the ezuela, the situation has dete- Venezuelan people for standing riorated, we are facing a genuine fi rm against a regime that repress- humanitarian crisis,” European es, persecutes and violates human Parliament president Antonio rights.” Tajani said. The announcement in Stras- “We want to make an appeal, bourg came as foreign ministers we want a pacifi c transition to de- of 12 countries of the Americas — mocracy,” he added, condemning known as the Lima Group — called US impeding probe into what he called Maduro’s “dicta- on the United Nations to intervene torship.” in the crisis and address “continu- Maduro’s socialist government ing human rights violations”. lashed out later, accusing MEPs of The award comes as the coali- rewarding terrorism. tion against Maduro appears close “Violent and terrorist actions to disintegration, with the depar- by the Venezuelan opposition ture of a key leader on Tuesday diplomat attacks: Cuba are rewarded by the institutions bolstering the president ahead of of ‘civilised’ Europe,” said For- elections next year. Agencies tacks but has emphasised its re- portunity to be able to speak to Cuban diplomats in the US. the historic detente between the eign Minister Jorge Arreaza on his The opposition also suff ered Havana sponsibility to ensure the safety experts, witnesses and victims. On Thursday, the US said it US and Cuba, ordering tighter Twitter account. a heavy defeat in October 15 re- of foreign diplomats in its ter- The aff air has strained dip- had designated career diplomat restrictions on travel and trade Arreaza said that by awarding gional elections by Maduro’s so- ritory - has suggested they may lomatic ties between the two Lawrence Gumbiner as the new with the island. Caracas’ opponents the European cialists who swept the vote in 18 of uba accused the US of have been carried out using a countries, which were only fully chief of its Cuba embassy. These have yet to be unveiled. Parliament “removes the mask” Venezuela’s 23 states, though the obstructing its probe covert acoustic device. restored in 2015 after a half- The previous charge Gumbiner, a lawyer, has of diplomacy and “illegally pro- Organisation of American States Cinto mysterious health “US authorities have said the century Cold War breakdown. d’aff aires, Scott Hamilton, left served for the past three years motes regime change by force in declared the elections illegitimate. attacks on American diplomats, responsibility lies with Cuba to The most recent attack was at Cuba earlier this month after as deputy chief of mission at the Venezuela.” Jose Ignacio Salafranca, an EPP claiming its investigators were investigate the aff air and de- the end of August, according to Washington ordered the evacu- US embassy in Lima, Peru, ac- “The European Parliament has MEP from Spain, hailed the Ven- denied access to the victims and cide on the case, but has failed the state department. ation of all non-essential staff cording to the website of the US decided to award a prize to the ezuelan opposition as “an example their medical records. to play their part as the aff ected Those aff ected have exhibited and all relatives, in order to re- embassy in Havana. Venezuelan opposition for burn- for all”. At least 24 US embassy staff in country,” said lieutenant-colo- physical symptoms including main with his family. Before that, he was deputy ing people alive, for generating “They are brave people who, Havana were sickened by a mys- nel Francisco Estrada, a Cuban hearing loss, cognitive issues, Gumbiner will arrive at a time permanent representative at the violence, for causing death,” said despite being beaten or impris- terious ailment in the alleged at- senior interior ministry offi cial, and diffi culty sleeping. of heightened tensions between US Mission to the Organisation Delcy Rodriguez, president of oned, are not afraid and do not tacks, which began last year and speaking on a documentary that In response, the US withdrew the old Cold War foes. of American States. Venezuela’s all-powerful Con- give up, but fi ght for their freedom continued until at least August. aired on state television. more than half the personnel The tensions over the attacks He has previously held em- stituent Assembly, in a reference and for their dignity,” he said in a The US - which has not di- He added Cuban investiga- from the US embassy in Cuba came after Trump said in June bassy positions in Bogota, Tel to the violent anti-government statement. rectly blamed Cuba for the at- tors were being denied the op- and ordered the expulsion of 15 he wanted to partially roll back Aviv and San Jose. Mexican journalist vows Stranded Frenchman jailed in to never be silenced drug smuggling case AFP 2016 after his extradition from Santo Domingo Egypt. AFP year and dozens more who died The state where he lives is the Pilots Fauret and Odos, who Washington in recent years trying to report in scene of a major power struggle maintain their innocence, were the face of rampant corruption for leadership of the Sinaloa car- renchman Christophe arrested in March 2013 as they and violence. tel, following last year’s capture Naudin has been sentenced were about to depart for France Mexican journalist recog- “The 11 deaths this year proves of its leader Joaquin “Chapo” Fto fi ve years in prison for in a private jet found to be carry- nised for his undaunted that journalism is a high-risk Guzman. helping two French pilots in- ing 680kgs of cocaine. Areporting vowed to never job,” he said. “It is a profession Vizcarra has investigated cases volved in the “Air Cocaine” Following their conviction, they be silenced Thursday despite of the brave, of people who love of alleged torture committed drug-smuggling case to escape somehow managed to fl ee after they living in one of the world’s most peace.” by state offi cials, collusion with justice in the Dominican Repub- were released pending an appeal — dangerous countries for report- Vizcarra has focused his re- drug cartels and the disappear- lic. an escape that Dominican prosecu- ers. search and writing on the en- ances of civilians. Naudin, a criminologist and tors said Naudin facilitated. Marcos Vizcarra, who lives and forced disappearances of Mexi- The state was also the scene of aviation security expert, was Fauret and Odos fl ed back works in Mexico’s violent north- can civilians, including the the killing of veteran crime re- convicted of criminal conspiracy to France vowing to clear their western state of Sinaloa, ac- government’s failure to address porter Javier Valdez, a longtime and violation of the drugs law for names, but were rearrested in cepted the Peter Mackler Award the problem in a meaningful way. AFP contributor, shot a dozen helping pilots Pascal Fauret and November 2015 near the French for Courageous and Ethical Jour- He said it is challenging to times in broad daylight outside Bruno Odos fl ee to France after city of Lyon. nalism for his coverage for the continue objective reporting in the offi ces of weekly newspaper they were sentenced to 20 years Paris has ruled out extraditing newspaper Noroeste on corrup- an environment where journal- Riodoce in May. for drug traffi cking, according to them. tion, violence and human rights ists can face daily threats. Award project director Camille the verdict of judge Jose Alejan- Two other Frenchmen, Nico- abuses. “The government and the Mackler said Vizcarra “is a ris- dro Vargas. las Pisapia and Alain Castany, “I believe that this award gives criminals have tried to pay us ing voice for unrestricted access The verdict validates an agree- who were passengers when the me a lot of responsibility,” the off ,” he said. to truth in a part of the world ment between the defence and cocaine was discovered are still 29-year-old told a ceremony But he added that “there are known for frequent use of vio- the Dominican Public Prosecu- in the Dominican Republic where at the National Press Club in also those who are doing respon- lence to silence journalists.” tor’s Offi ce under which Naudin they were sentenced on appeal in Washington, speaking of the sible journalism” despite the She added in a statement: “In had agreed to plead guilty, spend 2016 to 20 years in prison. prize co-sponsored by Report- challenges. today’s world, more than ever, we fi ve years in prison and to pay the The aff air has prompted keen ers Without Borders and Agence “We do it because it’s neces- need journalists like Mr. Dominican state a $33,000 fi ne. interest in France, after Interpol France-Presse. sary. Vizcarra, who are willing to Naudin was ordered to serve issued arrest warrants for Fauret “We will not be quieted.” Because doing better journal- stand up to governments and A hailstorm in Cordoba province, Argentina, leaves his sentence in Najayo prison, and Odos, as well as a far-right Vizcarra paid homage to the 11 ism means having a better soci- criminals and uphold principles motorists stranded. near Santo Domingo, where he member of the European Parlia- journalists killed in Mexico this ety.” of ethical journalism.” has been detained since March ment accused of involvement. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 11 PAKISTAN

Act quickly to show support in countering Opposition PTI retains militants: US diplomat

Reuters “It’s up to them whether or Washington not they want to work with us,” Wells said. “And if they don’t... then we’ll adjust seat in by-election he United States wants accordingly.” Pakistan to move Wells declined to elaborate Reuters Pakistan Muslim League-Na- PTI candidate Arbab Amir Khushdil Khan’s showing will surprised it captured 9,060 Tquickly to show good on what action the United Peshawar waz (PML-N) party betting on Ayub clinched 45,631 votes, hearten the ANP, whose candi- votes because it wasn’t fully faith in supporting eff orts to States might take or what road and energy infrastructure about 34.8% of the total, dates barely campaigned in 2013 prepared for the election. counter militants operating in specifi c actions it wanted projects. on Thursday to ensure PTI as the Pakistani Taliban targeted “This is our fi rst attempt but Afghanistan and in bringing Pakistan to take. akistan’s opposition Te- Khan, the PTI chairman, tout- kept the parliamentary seat and killed many of its leaders look at people’s response. It’s the Taliban to the negotiating Relations between uneasy hreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, ed the victory as a “direct vote of in the province of Khyber and activists in KP. very much encouraging,” he said. table, the senior US diplomat allies United States and Paki- Pled by former cricket hero confi dence” in his party’s per- Pakhtunkhwa But it was the performance Alhaj Liaqat Ali Khan, an in- for South Asia said yesterday. stan have frayed in recent years, Imran Khan, swept to a comfort- formance governing KP since the of two new hardline religious dependent candidate backed by Speaking after accompany- with Washington repeatedly able by-election victory on the 2013 election, when it won the message by saying he will pull parties that caught the eye of the Milli Muslim League (MML) ing US Secretary of State Rex accusing Islamabad of helping edge of the northwestern city National Assembly seat, known the country away from infra- political observers. party, loyal to Hafi z Saeed, an Tillerson on a visit to the re- Afghan Taliban and Haqqa- of Peshawar, though its major- as Peshawar NA-4, with a ma- structure spending towards im- Muhammad Shafi q Ameeni, a Islamist under house arrest, gion, including Pakistan, Alice ni network militants who ity was trimmed by new hardline jority of about 40%. proving schools, hospitals and candidate for the Tehreek-i-La- obtained 3,557 votes. Wells said Washington looked stage attacks in Afghanistan. religious parties. The next general election is the lives of the poor. baik party, won 7.6% of the bal- Washington accuses Saeed of forward to seeing practical Pakistan denies doing so. PTI candidate Arbab Amir due in mid-2018 but Khan has “Most of the youngsters like lot campaigning on a platform being the mastermind behind steps from Pakistan “over the US President Donald Trump Ayub clinched 45,631 votes, called for early polls after PML- Imran Khan and believe he can of support for Pakistan’s strict the 2008 attacks in the Indian next few weeks and months.” has vowed to get tough with about 34.8% of the total, on N leader and prime minister Na- steer the country out of cri- blasphemy laws that are already city of Mumbai that killed 166 “The secretary stressed the Pakistan unless it changed Thursday to ensure PTI kept the waz Sharif was toppled in July by sis and stop corruption,” said some of the world’s harshest. people, and has placed a $10mn importance of Pakistan mov- its behaviour, with US offi - parliamentary seat in the prov- a Supreme Court disqualifi ca- Zahid Hussain, a government Labaik supporters have spread bounty on his head. Saeed ing quickly to demonstrate good cials threatening further re- ince of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tion over an undeclared source contractor. their hardline message, includ- denies the charge. faith and eff orts to use its infl u- ductions in aid and mooting (KP) that it governs. of income. Awami National Party (ANP) ing the notion that those who Last month, candidates ence to create the conditions that targeted sanctions against The by-election was seen as Analysts say Khan’s chances candidate Khushdil Khan se- commit blasphemy should be backed by Labaik and MML won will get the Taliban to the nego- Pakistani offi cials. a litmus test of PTI’s popular- of becoming prime minister cured 24,830 votes, or 18.9% of killed, through mosques and about 11% of the ballot in a by- tiating table,” Wells, the acting On Monday, Tillerson urged ity in KP, where it has focused have been boosted by Sharif’s the total, to pip PML-N’s Nasir seminaries. election for Sharif’s vacated seat assistant secretary of state for Pakistan to act against safe on police, health and education ouster, and the sportsman has Khan Musazai, who won 23,169 Syed Moharram Shah, a La- in a by-election in the eastern South Asia, told reporters. havens on its soil. reforms in contrast to the ruling doubled down on his populist votes to fi nish third. baik activist, said the party was city of Lahore. Wells said Pakistan’s long- “Pakistan needs to, I think, standing relationships with take a clear-eyed view of the militant organisations was a situation that they are con- threat to its own stability and fronted with in terms of the said the Taliban leadership and number of terrorist organi- the allied Haqqani network sations that fi nd safe haven Six injured still retained the ability to plan inside of Pakistan,” he said. and recuperate and reside with Pakistani offi cials bristle their families in Pakistan. at the idea that the country as blast She said Washington want- is not doing enough against ed Pakistan to show the same militants and say Pakistan has commitment it had made to suff ered more than 60,000 hits train defeat militant groups domes- casualties in the war on terror tically to those threatening since the September 11 attacks Afghanistan or India. in United States in 2001. Reuters Quetta US firms keen to invest in Pakistan: survey t least six people were wounded yesterday when A large number of US to some economic stability Aa bomb went off along companies have plans to and improvement in country’s railway tracks in southwestern invest in Pakistan, with almost economy. Pakistan, halting train service in 95% participants of American The perception survey the region, security and railways Business Council (ABC) allows ABC members to rate offi cials said. ‘perception survey’ optimistic their satisfaction on various The train was travelling from about long-term economic and economic, regulatory and Baluchistan’s capital of Quetta to operating environment in the political facts that aff ect the the eastern metropolis of Lahore country, according to Internews. performance and growth of when a blast on the main railway These findings of the annual businesses operating in the track damaged one of its cars. ABC survey were shared with country. “One train bogie was damaged the media yesterday. Over 40% The survey gauged the factors in the blast and a portion of the of the respondents indicated that mostly impacted business tracks blown up,” said railways that the perception of Pakistan operations and investment offi cial Aammir Baloch, adding improved in 2016-17, compared plans cost of operations that Quetta’s train services had to 6% from the year before. headed the list with 87% of the been suspended. For 2016-17, 45% rated the respondents giving it as being Security offi cials said six pas- Local people gathering near a damaged compartment of a passenger train at the blast site in Balochistan province yesterday. business climate as being unsatisfactory, with political sengers were injured in the blast. better as compared to the year uncertainty being rated at 57% The Taliban and sectarian infrastructure projects that form gy link planned to run from west- region, also accuse the central travelled to a party meeting. before when 17% respondents unsatisfactory and the impact groups linked to Al Qaeda and part of China’s Belt and Road ini- ern China to Pakistan’s southern government of discrimination. “The victims were brothers had rated it good, highlighting of undocumented economy at the Islamic State group also op- tiative, which has brought $57bn deepwater port of Gwadar. Separately, two workers of and belonged to the Awami Na- market improvement. 77% unsatisfactory. erate in the strategically impor- of investment to Pakistan. Separatists in Baluchistan, a prominent political party tional Party,” regional offi cial The most encouraging feedback The performance of various tant region, which borders Iran Violence in the southwestern who have long battled the state were killed yesterday in a Abdul Salam Achakzai said. received from ABC members is autonomous bodies directly and Afghanistan. region has fuelled concern about for a greater share of the resourc- landmine blast in the district “The explosive device was that overall positive perception aff ecting business climate was Baluchistan is at the centre of security for a transport and ener- es of the gas- and mineral-rich of Harnai near Quetta as they planted by the road,” he added. of US investors was related also monitored in the survey. Bill to restore old Public installation magistracy system gets approval

Internews “Aft er the amendment, extra assistant commissioners. Rawalpindi provinces will The district magistrates had implement the law to powers to hear criminal cases restore the executive except those in which death n a move to restore the old magistracy system sentence or life imprison- magistracy system in all the in their respective ment were given. Each mag- Ifour provinces, National jurisdictions” istrate looked after two police Assembly Standing Commit- stations, he added. tee on Law and Justice ap- ferent issues such as price hike However, during the tenure proved the 29th constitutional and public protests etc. of Gen Musharraf, these pow- amendment bill introduced by “Mostly, people easily come ers were distributed among the government on Wednesday. to the negotiation table in the the police, judiciary and the The federal government in- presence of civilian offi cers in- executive. troduced the bill in parliament stead of those in uniform,” he When the executive powers on the recommendations of the claimed. were taken away from magis- Council of Common Interests Another senior offi cer said trates, there was no authority (CCI). the provincial government to check unbridled price hikes It has been an old demand wanted to resolve all issues and profi teering or to impose of the bureaucracy in Pun- such as encroachments, law penalties on the violators, he jab to get the old magistracy and order and protests etc., added. system restored saying it but the district administra- When contacted, PML-N A boy reacts, while being photographed by his mother, amidst the public installation ‘Situation 101’ during the Karachi Biennale at Frere was necessary to handle lo- tion offi cers could not achieve MNA retired Justice Iftikhar Hall in Karachi yesterday. cal issues. After the passage the objective as they had no Ahmad Cheema, who is a mem- of the bill by parliament, magisterial powers. ber of the National Assembly the police will come under He said it had been an old Standing Committee on Law the control of the district demand of district offi cers that and Justice, said that the gov- Iran ready to supply up to 3,000MW electricity, says ambassador administration. magisterial powers should be ernment had introduced the A senior district administra- given to the deputy and as- bill which was passed by the The ambassador of Iran to gas pipeline up to the border of of billions of dollars with other of both countries in banking tion offi cer said that commis- sistant commissioners which committee on Wednesday. Pakistan, Mehdi Honardoost, said Pakistan, but there was no progress regional countries and urged that transactions for bilateral trade.” sioners and deputy commis- they enjoyed before the local He said the bill would be that if Pakistan signed agreement, on Pakistan’s side. He was addressing Pakistani business community He said the president of Iran sioners were facing problems government system introduced tabled before the parliament Iran was ready to supply 1,000- business community during his visit should make serious to realise full visited Pakistan two times in a in handling law and order by former military ruler Pervez soon. 3,000MW electricity to Pakistan. to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce potential of trade with Iran. year which showed his country’s issues as they did not enjoy Musharraf. “It is necessary to make an He said Iran’s gas pipeline (IP) and Industry (ICCI). About banking channels, he seriousness to promote trade and magisterial powers. Before 2001, he said, the amendment to the Constitu- project could address energy The Iranian envoy said though said it involved some technical economic relations with Pakistan. He said under the executive deputy commissioner used to tion. After the amendment, issues of Pakistan and bring Pak-Iran trade has improved to discussions. “However, the ball is He said lot of time has been magistracy system the deputy be the district magistrate while provinces will implement the many benefits to its economy by $1.2bn in 2017, however, it was not now in Pakistan’s court as Iran is lost and Pakistan should now commissioner also used to be the assistant commissioner law to restore the executive providing cheap power supply. reflective of the true potential of ready to enter into any workable make strong eff orts to promote the district magistrate and took acted as the subdivisional magistracy system in their re- The ambassador said Iran has both countries. arrangement with Pakistan to economic co-operation with Iran on-the-spot decisions on dif- magistrate followed by the spective jurisdictions,” he said. spent millions of dollars to bring He said that Iran was doing trade facilitate the private sectors for the better future of two nations. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, October 28, 2017 PHILIPPINES Military begins probe into abuse video

AFP evision late Thursday showed killed a lot of people, idiot”. Manila a mud-splattered captive, Military spokesman Ma- dressed only in shorts, sur- jor General Restituto Padilla, rounded by soldiers in Marawi, commenting on the video yes- he Philippine military where a five-month battle be- terday, said an investigation said yesterday it had tween troops and Islamic State into the incident was underway Tlaunched an investiga- followers ended this week. to find out who was involved. tion after a group of soldiers As the captive is taken away “The armed forces (are) very were shown on video punch- with his hands being held be- strict regarding the treatment ing and kicking a suspected hind his back, some of the of captives in a conflict situ- militant during the just-ended soldiers rushed towards him, ation. They are suppose to be battle in southern Marawi city. punching and kicking him as decently treated and respected, The video, aired by GMA tel- one is heard yelling out: “You which did not happen in this case,” Padilla told reporters. The video emerged after the Mobile phone trader ‘collected funds’ for attackers military declared on Monday the fi ghting over, exactly fi ve Philippine security forces have his sister, Lily.The funds were months after it began when IS arrested a mobile phone trader collected from dozens of supporters rampaged through suspected of collecting funds tenants of Salaam Bazaar, a the city and then sought to oc- to help finance pro-Islamic mobile phone, accessories cupy it. People walk in front of a bullet-riddled apartment house in a residential area in Malutlut district, Marawi city, southern Philippines State militants who took over a and electronic market owned The fi ghting claimed the lives yesterday, which was believed to have been rented by pro-Islamic State militant group leaders before their battle in Marawi city. southern city for five months, by Farhana Maute, the jailed of 920 militants, 165 troops and police said yesterday. Rasdi family matriarch, in a shopping 42 civilians, according to the Malawani, 42, was paraded mall in Quezon City, police said. military. in front of the press a day Malawani had been running US Defence Secretary James after security forces raided the business for her. Mattis, while in the Philippines, his home in Manila’s northern “He is facilitating terrorist on Wednesday praised local Boots and scarves all that suburbs, where a rocket- financing,” Albayalde said. “He troops for upholding human propelled grenade and a pistol is based here in Manila and is rights during the Marawi con- were seized, Manila police chief not involved in the fighting. He fl ict. Oscar Albayalde said. is considered a supporter and “I think the most important Malawani was not allowed sympathiser.” President Rodri- thing is here’s an army that had remain in rebel leader’s lair to speak to reporters and no go Duterte, in a speech before to go in a fi ght like that, and they defence lawyer was present. an association of profession- had not one human rights al- The military on Monday de- als late on Thursday, warned legation against them with any Reuters evaded security forces because clared victory over the Maute of possible retaliation from credibility, not one,” Mattis told Marawi City rebels had a network of look- group, which seized control in militants after the military’s vic- reporters Padilla described the outs and gunmen ready to de- Marawi City on May 23, after tory in Marawi. “Retaliation and incident as an “isolated case”. fend him. killing the last 40 remaining vengeance are not far-fetched,” “We are not hiding this,” he hequered scarves, black “They put up heavy resist- militants. More than 1,100 peo- Duterte said. “May I just remind said, adding the results of the in- fatigues, and bullet-rid- ance, they were spread across ple, including 165 soldiers, were you to be vigilant and always vestigation would be made pub- Cden walls mark the hide- a large area. They were strate- killed in the conflict. be aware that extremism is the lic and those responsible held out where the “chief” of Islamic gically placed,” he said. “They Malawani is the brother-in-law problem of the planet today.” accountable. State in Southeast Asia spent were prepared for it.” of Maddie Maute, one of the Philippine military chief But he also appealed for un- months preparing the most Hapilon’s escape in the last Maute brothers who planned General Eduardo Ano said derstanding, saying emotions brazen and devastating militant week of May led to anarchy in and carried out the Marawi at- on Monday militants who at- ran high in the battlefi eld espe- attack in the region. the city of about 200,000. tacks, according to police. tacked Marawi on May 23 had cially after soldiers were killed. A four-storey house in a qui- Rebels took hostages, set fi re They said he had given about received some $1.5mn from He also called on the public not et alley of Marawi City in the to buildings, ransacked church- 300,000 pesos ($5,800) a Islamic State leader Abu Bakr to share such videos, saying southern Philippines was the es, broke into the local jail to month for four months to al-Baghdadi in January. the militants could use them as secret lair of Isnilon Hapilon free inmates and looted an ar- propaganda. until late May. moury. After a botched military raid The government had insuffi - to apprehend him, a thousand- cient security forces in Marawi strong rebel alliance held large Personal belongings are scattered inside a damaged room of an to prevent the fi ghters from parts of the city for fi ve months. apartment house located in a residential area in Malutlut district, fanning out across the city and Hapilon’s death in a military Marawi city. seizing hundreds of buildings. Marcos honoured with postage stamp operation elsewhere in Marawi Hapilon was wanted by the on Oct 16 was the catalyst for across a rice fi eld to a religious en and children stayed at the US Federal Bureau of Investiga- the end of Philippines’ longest place next to the vast Lake rented house and visitors were tion (FBI) and had a bounty on AFP stamps marking presidents’ tigators and historians.The dic- and most intense urban battle Lanao. frequent. his head of up to $5mn. Manila 100th birthdays. tator also oversaw widespread in recent history. From there, he joined the Children’s shoes were scat- He was killed by army rang- “We are just following the human rights abuses to main- Security forces moved in on guerrillas who held the heart tered amid the debris and a ers in a night operation and his guidelines. The presidents who tain his control of the country the house on May 23, trying of the city for the next fi ve woman’s robe was hanging body was retrieved from the he late Philippine dicta- have birth centenaries have and enable his plundering, with to capture the country’s most months. from a window. battle zone in the heart of the tor Ferdinand Marcos has stamps issued,” Carlos said. thousands of people killed and wanted man, but came under Community volunteers on Inside the house, black city and his identity confi rmed Tbeen commemorated with It comes after President Ro- tortured, previous Philippine sustained attack from rebels Thursday showed Reuters the shirts, pants and plaid scarves by the FBI’s DNA analysis. a national stamp, a post offi ce drigo Duterte allowed the dic- governments said. fi ring rocket-propelled gre- house in the now empty, nar- synonymous with Islamic State In fi ve months of intense ur- offi cial said yesterday, the latest tator’s body to be buried in the He was overthrown by a mil- nades. row street where the military were strewn across rooms lit- ban battle, the heart of Marawi honour for the strongman that national “Heroes’ Cemetery” in itary-backed popular revolt in A bomb-battered structure, believes Hapilon had lain low tered with broken fl oor tiles and was all but destroyed by gov- has outraged many Filipinos. November despite his lengthy 1986 and died in exile in 1989. shattered windows and wall- for several months. chunks of rock from blasted ernment air strikes and shell- The stamp, showing a smil- record of abuse and corruption. Reaction on social media to-wall holes from machine All other properties were in- walls. ing that levelled commercial ing Marcos with his signature Duterte, an ally of the Mar- to the Marcos stamp has been gun fi re tell the story of the fe- tact and neighbours had fl ed Left behind were waterproof areas and crushed thousands of and the words “Birth Cente- cos family, has been accused of largely negative. rocious three-day battle that long ago. boots, a balaclava, medical shops, homes and vehicles. nary”, was issued to mark the whitewashing the late dicta- “They have a commemorative erupted at Hapilon’s hideout, “At the time, no one knew supplies and camoufl age bags “No one could have known 100th anniversary of his birth tor’s career.Marcos, his family stamp for Ferdinand Marcos. Go and prompted the call to hun- who these people were, people and waistcoats typically used what would happen,” said Mo- on September 11, assistant post and their cronies plundered up ahead (post offi ce). Do Hitler and dreds of fi ghters to expedite the saw them about but there was by soldiers to carry rifl e maga- hamed Faisal Mama, a resident master Luis Carlos said. to $10bn from state coff ers and Pol Pot too,” said one person on planned takeover of Marawi. no reason to suspect anything,” zines. in the same Basak Malutlot dis- He insisted the stamp had plunged the Philippines into Twitter. “Put the adhesive on Hapilon escaped through a said Mohamed Seddick Raki, The deputy task force com- trict where Hapilon was hiding. no political overtones and was crippling debt during his rule, the front so we can spit on it,” large hole that was blasted out who lived nearby. mander in Marawi, Colonel “No one knew them. They released as part of a series of according to government inves- another tweet read. of a rear wall, making his way Other volunteers said wom- Romeo Brawner, said Hapilon weren’t famous then.” Long way home for war-torn city’s residents

AFP groceries. Pindaton’s husband, disruption of children’s educa- Balo-i, Philippines a former construction worker, tion.The Mindanao State Uni- has been planting corn on gov- versity reopened before the end ernment land in one of the cash- of the confl ict, but many grade radling her baby in a for-work schemes. But she said schoolers and high school stu- muddy tent camp, Jama- he would only be paid when the dents have nowhere to go. Clia Pindaton has no idea if corn went to market, leaving “My third grader has stopped she can return home to Marawi them totally reliant on handouts. going to school because we could in the southern Philippines af- The Philippines has a long ex- not provide the fare money,” said ter the end of a fi ve-month war perience of managing large, sea- Subaida Marangit, 46, a wid- launched by Islamic State sup- sonally displaced populations owed mother of fi ve who lost her porters. due to frequent natural disasters business delivering candies to More than 350,000 people such as typhoons, fl oods and stores. from in and around Marawi, earthquakes, and the govern- Her family of six now sleeps were displaced because of the ment has sought to quickly start on the fl oor of a mosquito-in- confl ict, which ended on Mon- a rehabilitation programme for fested bamboo and palm hut at day when soldiers killed the re- Marawi. an evacuation centre on Mara- maining gunmen inside a reli- Evacuee Jamalia Pindaton (right) and her family, who were displaced But while there are also long- Bombed-out buildings inside of what was the main battle area wi’s outskirts. gious place. by fighting between government troops and IS-inspired militants, running insurgencies in the between government troops and IS-inspired militants in Marawi. The students themselves But, with the eastern half of sitting in their tent at an evacuation centre in Balo-i town, Lanao del south, the Philippines has not could also be suff ering from Marawi almost totally destroyed Sur province, on the southern island of Mindanao. experienced such an enduring Defence Secretary Delfi n Loren- southern Philippines chief, said. shock related to the war and may and worries over bombs planted and devastating man-made ca- zana. Even for those who have man- not be ready to go back to school by the militants, authorities have Marawi residents have been al- ing with relatives and friends, tastrophe since the World War II The International Committee aged to return home in recent even if alternate schoolrooms said it could be months or even lowed to return so far, mostly but tens of thousands without Japanese occupation. of the Red Cross, which has been days, widespread looting and the were provided, educators said. years before most people would those who lived near the Mind- such support networks like Pin- Aside from claiming the lives helping the displaced, expects general devastation in the city “The children require psy- be able to return. anao State University that was daton have been forced to live in of 920 militants, 165 troops and between 30,000-40,000 of the has quickly doused their sense chological fi rst aid,” primary “We don’t know if our house well outside the battle zone, ac- makeshift evacuation centres. 47 civilians, according to gov- “most vulnerable” residents to of relief. school teacher Diana Demaro is still there,” Pindaton, 29, said cording to local authorities. Signalling how long it will take ernment fi gures, thousands of require food, shelter, livelihood “Our door was broken down said on Tuesday as she led about on Thursday as she held her six- About 33,000 others, whose to rebuild Marawi, the govern- buildings were destroyed with and housing assistance for up to and I found our clothes scattered 60 children in a group exercise month-old daughter at an evac- homes are in so-called “control- ment is building new low-cost entire districts turned into piles several years. on the fl oor. Our food stocks are on the grounds of a government uation centre in a coconut grove led areas” that were spared the housing for this group. of concrete rubble. “It’s something very unusual also gone,” elderly shopkeeper building packed with evacuee at Balo-i, 20 kilometres from worst of the war, are set to follow It has also launched cash-for- Rebuilding Marawi’s basic that we unfortunately see in oth- Nurhana Sangcopan said as she families. Marawi. “It is diffi cult here. We next week, regional social wel- work schemes and given families infrastructure alone, includ- er parts of the world, like in the inspected her house in Marawi’s “We need to entertain them don’t have income and can only fare chief Zorahayda Taha said. a 200-peso ($4) daily cash al- ing power, tap water, and roads, Middle East or even in Africa,” East Basak district on Thursday. to make them forget the trauma rely on relief.” About 10,000 Many of the displaced are liv- lowance to help them out with will cost $1.1bn, according to Roberto Petronio, the ICRC’s Another key concern is the they are feeling,” Demaro added. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Poll-time govt, Nepal protester killed army vital for fair poll: BNP

By Mizan Rahman election won’t be meaningful Dhaka and acceptable to anyone and in clash with police the political crisis won’t be over.” DPA vehicles and police offi cers. Six he opposition Bangla- Fakhrul was speaking at Kathmandu protesters have been injured,” he desh Nationalist Party the 39th founding anni- said. T(BNP) yesterday urged versary of Jubo Dal, party’s Siwakoti, who had gone miss- the government and the Elec- youth wing. 30-year-old man was ing on the day of Dashain Tika, tion Commission (EC) to take As his attention was drawn shot dead yesterday by was found dead the next day. steps to hold the next general to the chief election commis- Apolice at a protest de- Basnet said the body of the election in a credible manner sioner’s comment that the manding action against the 11-year-old was found in a bush by installing a poll-time neu- EC has nothing to do over the killers of a 11-year-old boy in three weeks ago; the boy’s rela- tral government and deploy- introduction of the election- southeastern Nepal. tives protested saying that po- ing army during polls as per time government and dissolv- Hundreds of angry protesters lice investigation has been slow. the desire of most political ing parliament, the BNP leader clashed with police yesterday in “We have arrested three peo- parties. said the election will not be the town of Birtamod forcing the ple in connection with the mur- “Most of the political par- fair if the commission fails to authorities to impose a curfew, der. We have been investigat- ties (during the talks with do that. senior police offi cer Jitendra Ku- ing the case, but the protesters the EC) said an election-time “We’ve earlier termed the mar Basnet said. turned violent and defi ed the neutral administration, de- commission’s dialogue with The deceased has been iden- curfew,” he said, adding that sit- ployment of army and dissolv- the political parties as a mere tifi ed as NawarajThapa aka uation was under control after ing parliament are necessary eyewash as they (EC) are say- Rajesh, 32, of Arjundhara Mu- the incident. for a neutral and fair election,” ing they can’t do anything be- nicipality-11. Incapacitated in Four protesters were killed BNP leader Mirza Alamgir yond their jurisdiction. I think the police fi ring, Thapa breathed and several injured when police said, adding, “We hope the the commission should take his last on the way to the Mechi opened fi re at a political rally government and the Election steps for it following discus- Zonal Hospital. in early March in southeastern Commission will take steps in sions with political parties,” “They attacked government Nepal. Police patrol the area after a clash erupted in Birtamod town of Nepal yesterday. this regard”. he observed. The BNP leader further said, Fakhrul also urged the EC “We would like to say clearly to take measures for creating a that if the election-time gov- level-playing fi eld for all par- ernment is not installed, par- ties. “People won’t accept the liament is not dissolved and election if the level-playing Bank launches robot teller Lanka, army is not deployed, the fi eld is not created.” Russia IANS cial intelligence to understand exchange rates, interest rates, Nanda Fernando, managing Colombo customers’ requests and per- details of loans and credit cards director of Sampath Bank, said forms transactions. It detects and information on how to that technological innovations negotiate to New project to benefi t the presence of a customer open an account. will be at the heart of the bank- ne of Sri Lanka’s lead- and automatically initiates a “The humanoid teller will be ing industry for years to come. ing commercial banks, conversation. programmed to perform more “Living up to our pioneering end trade Bangladeshi expats OSampath Bank, has The robot has been installed functions upon studying the spirit we are proud to introduce launched the country’s fi rst in the bank’s head offi ce in Co- customer requirements further. robot banking services that will banking robot that works in the lombo and can speak and un- The bank is also planning to no doubt add more conven- impasse By Mizan Rahman tional institutions at all levels. form of a humanoid teller. derstand English and can per- include Sinhala and Tamil lan- ience while taking the country’s Dhaka The document mentioned In a statement, Sampath form such functions as cash guage capabilities in the coming banking and fi nance industry that the government will take Bank said the robot uses artifi - withdrawals, account balances, months,” the statement said. forward,” he said. Agencies housing projects in the dis- Colombo onsidering unique tricts where the number of contribution of Bang- expatriates is comparatively Cladeshi workers abroad higher. ri Lankan tea exports to to the economy, Bangladesh The government has taken a Nepali contestant for beauty pageant Russia are likely to see has launched a fresh project decision to form an insurance New smart Ssome respite with the Sri for foreign going workers, of- company under the ownership Lankan and Russian offi cials fi cials said yesterday. of expatriate welfare board to agreeing to work out a plan to The project includes set- provide insurance facility to all ID-cards for break the impasse that has been ting up of technical training the Bangladeshi expatriates. dogging trade between the two centres, hospitals, residential To give various sorts of nations of late. schools, housing and an insur- services, the government will Lankans Sri Lankan value-added tea ance company. set up an expatriate digital exports to Russia have been According to an offi cial doc- centre (EDC) in a Gulf country. slapped with taxes on their ument, a project is under im- The government will take IANS gross weight instead of the net plementation to set up a tech- steps to bring all diaspora liv- Colombo weight. Value-added tea gener- nical training centre in each ing abroad under the facilities ally reaches Russia in ceramic of 40 sub-districts across the of expatriate welfare board. or wooden containers. During country in the fi rst phase. Soon, the government will in- ri Lanka’s registration a three-day bilateral trade ses- Steps have been taken to con- troduce ambulance services in of persons department sion in Colombo, the Sri Lankan struct more training centres. Dhaka and Sylhet airports for Syesterday launched side led by industry and com- “Gradually, training centres will the expatriates. smart identifi cation cards to merce ministry secretary D N R be set up in all the sub-districts,” “The government will set replace the existing national Asoka pressed for the reduction the document showed. up safe homes in phases in all ID cards. of import duty by Moscow for Sri It also stated that the gov- Bangladeshi missions across the According to the department, Lankan tea exports. ernment will construct two globe,” the document added. the new smart card will have a 12 The trade negotiations were modern specialised hospi- It mentioned that a plan is digit number, a photograph and a held under the Russia-Sri Lanka tals (diagnostic hospitals) in afoot to set up support centres machine readable barcode. Inter-Governmental Commis- Dhaka and Chittagong giving in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dubai Information of the card hold- sion on Trade, Economic, Scien- priority to treatment of home- to help the trouble-stricken er including the name, place of tifi c and Technical Cooperation coming expatriates and their Bangladeshi workers there. birth, address and gender will be in Colombo. family members. “The government wants to printed on the card and the sig- The total trade between Besides, there will be re- improve the living standard of nature of the card holder will also the two countries in 2016 was served seats in all the govern- the expatriates and their fam- be featured. $363mn, a decline of 17% over ment hospitals for them. ily members through provid- The card has been designed to 2015. During the fi rst eight There will be two resi- ing various facilities to them,” fi t international standards. months of 2017 however, trade dential schools in Dhaka and a government offi cial said. The department said the old rose 5.6% to $247.2mn in com- Chittagong in the fi rst phase Mentioning that the expa- national ID cards thus far used parison with the $234mn in the for ensuring education to the triate workers are one of the shall not be cancelled with the same period in 2016. children of expatriates and of main strengths of the country’s introduction of the new smart Tea consists of nearly 80% those returning home. economy, the offi cial said, “So, Miss Nepal, Niti Shah, poses in traditional Japanese Kimono during the 57th Miss International card and the new cards will be of Sri Lankan exports to Rus- The government is also we’re very much serious about Beauty Pageant press conference in Tokyo yesterday. issued only to applicants who sia. Last year Sri Lanka exported considering a quota for chil- giving them better services and apply after October 27. $143mn worth of teas to Russia. dren of expatriates in educa- changing their fate.” Left alliance opposes delay in polls Flyover awaits opening

Agencies and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, both the elections have to take place The alliance said that the Kathmandu former prime ministers, said before January 21 for political EC had accepted suggestion that the Election Commission stability. of major political parties to (EC) should ignore “any move It said that if the polls are have ballot papers for federal epal’s newly-formed from any quarter” if that delays not held as per schedule, it will and provincial polls on a single Communist Party of the elections on November 26 be taken as an anti-democratic sheet. NNepal-Unifi ed Marxist and December 7. move. It asked Prime Minister Sher Leninist (UML) and Nepal Com- The alliance’s stand came a The two leaders asked the Bahadur Deuba to clarify his munist Party-Maoist Centre day after the court cited the law EC to go ahead with the polls as stand before the court. alliance has warned the coun- and sought details from the EC scheduled. Earlier, Dahal said parliament try’s Supreme Court against ob- about preparations made for Any obstruction to the poll that stood dissolved with the be- structing national and regional separate ballot papers for the schedule will amount to inter- ginning of the election process polls. polls within three days. fering in the people’s right to would be revived if the polling The alliance’s leaders, K P Oli The alliance underlined that vote, they said. dates are altered. More than 850 test positive for dengue in Nepal

A total of 854 dengue cases have been has been an increase in the number urban areas,” added Dr Lal. Aedes mosquito lives in urban habitats reported across Nepal so far this year. of dengue patients recently,” said Dr He advised people to throw water and breeds mostly in man-made According to epidemiology and Bibek Kumar Lal, chief at vector borne deposited in tyres to prevent containers. Unlike other mosquitoes, disease control division (EDCD), disease section, EDCD. mosquito breeding. this mosquito is a day-time feeder. Its post-monsoon period is a favourable Similarly, growing urbanisation is Dengue is a vector-borne disease peak biting periods are early in the time for mosquitoes to breed and another reason for the disease to transmitted by the bite of a morning and in the evening before dengue cases may rise in the days spread. Dengue cases are on the mosquito infected with dengue dusk. Female mosquito bites multiple to come. “The temperature between rise in areas with more population virus serotypes. The Aedes people during each feeding period. 22 and 32 degrees Celsius is very density. “Mosquitoes lay eggs in water mosquito is the primary vector Severe dengue is potentially a deadly A major flyover in Dhaka awaits opening. The final part of another major flyover opened to traff ic favourable for the mosquitoes to deposited in tyres, which is another of dengue in Nepal. The virus is complication due to plasma leaking, recently in the Bangladeshi capital, home to over 15mn people, which is overburdened with enormous breed. Besides, the humidity in the air reason for dengue cases to increase transmitted to humans through the fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, pressure of vehicles. too is favourable. This is why there as there are tyres everywhere in bite of infected female mosquitoes. severe bleeding, or organ impairment. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, October 28, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka In defence of the 1.5C Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar climate change threshold [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), If global temperatures rise 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) above 1.5C, the places we Fax 44350474 call home – and many other homes on this planet – will become uninhabitable or GULF TIMES even disappear completely By Loren Legarda Manila

Wall St loves electric he Earth today is more than 1C hotter than it was in pre-industrial times, and cars, but love for big Tthe terrible symptoms of its fever are already showing. This year alone, back-to-back hurricanes have devastated Caribbean islands, trucks strong in US monsoon fl ooding has displaced tens of millions in South Asia, and fi res have raged on nearly every continent. Wall Street may love the shares of Silicon Valley electric Pulling the planet back from the brink carmaker Tesla Inc, but Americans love big, fuel-thirsty could not be more urgent. trucks like Ford Motor Co’s bestselling F-Series pickups Those of us who live on the front lines of climate change – on and are paying ever higher prices to buy them. archipelagos, small islands, coastal The auto industry is at a crossroads, with the future of lowlands, and rapidly desertifying legacy automakers like Ford, General Motors Co and Fiat plains – can’t aff ord to wait and see Wildfire creeps through the forest, down the south side of Dry Creek Canyon, at the Partrick Fire, California, on October 12. Chrysler Automobiles NV uncertain as governments fl oat what another degree of warming will proposals to ban internal combustion engines over the next bring. Already, far too many lives and livelihoods are being lost. People are two decades. being uprooted, and vital resources But in the present, consumer enthusiasm for trucks and are becoming increasingly scarce, sport utility vehicles is strong, especially in the United while those suff ering the most severe States. consequences of climate change are And that is providing Ford, GM and other established also among those who have done the automakers with billions in cash to mount a challenge to least to cause it. That is why the Philippines used Tesla. its chairmanship of the Climate Tesla has ambitions to boost annual sales to 500,000 Vulnerable Forum (CVF) – an vehicles a year. alliance of the 48 countries that But it is wrestling with the sort of production problems stand to bear the brunt of climate that old-line automakers have largely put behind them, and change – to fi ght to ensure that the 2015 Paris climate agreement aimed has reported a net loss of $666.7mn through the fi rst six explicitly to cap global warming at months of 2017. 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. For The company is expected to post a third quarter net loss us, 1.5C isn’t merely a symbolic or of $380.4mn when it reports results next Wednesday. “aspirational” number to be plugged Electric cars are money losers, which explains why into international agreements; it is an existential limit. If global temperatures global automakers have been slow to roll them out until rise above that level, the places we call now. home – and many other homes on this But regulatory and planet – will become uninhabitable or Consumer consumer pressures even disappear completely. are forcing established When we first introduced the enthusiasm for 1.5C target back in 2009, we met automakers to put more substantial resistance. Climate- trucks and sport electric vehicles in their change deniers – those who refuse fl eets over the next to believe the science of human- utility vehicles is several years. induced global warming – continue Monsoon flooding has displaced tens of millions across the world. In a cash-intensive to dismiss any such effort to stem strong the rise in the planet’s temperature greenhouse-gas emissions peak within last year by the United Nations research. But we cannot aff ord to wait industry, profi ts from as futile and unnecessary. But even a few years and net-zero emissions are Development Programme, maintaining for that analysis before taking action. pickups and SUVs may give them a competitive edge. well-meaning climate advocates achieved by mid-century. the 1.5C threshold and creating a low- The members of the CVF have Ford said on Thursday that the average price of one of its and policymakers often opposed the What would such action look like? carbon economy would add as much already committed to doing our part, F-series pickups rose $2,800 to an average $45,400 a truck 1.5C target, arguing that, according Global emissions would need to be as $12tn to global GDP, compared to pledging at last year’s UN Climate in the third quarter. to the science, humans had already reduced by 4-6% every year, until they a scenario in which the world sticks Change Conference in Marrakech emitted enough greenhouse gases reached zero. Meanwhile, forest and to current policies and emissions- to complete the transition to 100% Sales of F-series trucks, which range from spartan to make meeting that goal virtually agricultural lands would have to be reduction pledges. renewable energy as soon as possible. work trucks to Platinum models with the features - and impossible. restored, so that they could capture The paper asserting that the 1.5C Our emissions are already among price tags - of a European luxury sedan, were up nearly Yet, on this front, the science is and sequester greater amounts of target is achievable was written by the world’s smallest, but our climate 11% to 658,636 vehicles for the first nine months of this not as clear-cut as it might have carbon dioxide. Fully decarbonising well-respected climate experts and targets are the world’s most ambitious. year. seemed. According to a recent paper our energy and transportation systems published in a top-ranking journal But whether the world manages published in Nature, the world’s in four decades will require a herculean after extensive peer review. But it to curb climate change ultimately GM has driven its share price up nearly 30% so far in remaining “carbon budget” – the eff ort, but it is not impossible. is just one paper; there is still a lot will depend on the willingness of the 2017 as Chief Executive Mary Barra has talked up plans amount of carbon-dioxide equivalents Beyond their environmental more to learn about our capacity to largest current and historical emitters for putting self-driving, electric Chevrolet Bolts into ride we can emit before breaching the 1.5C consequences, such eff orts would limit global warming. That is why top of greenhouse gases to fulfi l their services fl eets within a few quarters. threshold – is somewhat larger than generate major economic gains, boosting scientists are already discussing and moral and ethical responsibility to Barra told investors improved profi t margins on trucks was previously thought. the middle class in developed countries debating its fi ndings; their responses take strong action. Keeping global This fi nding is no reason for and pulling hundreds of millions out will also be published in top journals. temperatures below 1.5°C may not yet were “one of the big drivers of the overall 8.3% margins” in complacency, as some commentators of poverty in the developing world, That is how scientifi c research works, be a geophysical impossibility. But, the automaker’s North American business during the latest (not scientists) seem to think. It does including by fuelling job creation. The and it is why we can trust climate to meet the target, we must ensure quarter. not mean that previous climate models energy transition will lead to massive science – and its urgent warnings. that it is not treated as a political GM has forecast free cash fl ow for the full year of roughly were excessively alarmist, or that we effi ciency savings, while improving Next year, the Intergovernmental and economic impossibility, either. - $6bn. can take a more relaxed approach to the resilience of infrastructure, supply Panel on Climate Change will publish Project Syndicate reining in global warming. Instead, the chains, and urban services in developing its own meta-analysis of all of the That is $1bn less than forecast earlier this year, but paper should inspire – and, indeed, countries, particularly those in science related to the 1.5C target, z Loren Legarda, Chair of the Finance strong enough to fund the company’s promise to develop calls for – more immediate, deliberate, vulnerable regions. in what promises to be the most and Climate Change committees, is a 20 more electric vehicles by 2023 and send $7bn back to and aggressive action to ensure that According to a report published comprehensive summary of such member of the Senate of the Philippines. shareholders. GM, which emerged from a government funded bankruptcy eight years ago, now has $31.4bn in available funds, including $17.3bn in cash. Ford lags behind GM in sales of battery electric models, but the company has said it will spend $5bn developing battery electric and hybrid models. Heart surgery ‘safer in the afternoon’ Ford’s new Chief Executive Offi cer Jim Hackett has said the plans include shifting $500mn into electric vehicle release of hormones, and even body afternoon group show less damage, Research Council Laboratory of development from internal combustion projects. AFP Paris temperature. it also regained the ability to contract Molecular Biology in Cambridge, Ford’s share price has been fl at for the year as the No 2 US When disrupted - as with jetlag - more quickly in lab tests that mimicked England said the results were solid but automaker ushered out former CEO Mark Fields. repeatedly over long periods, it can the heart refi lling with blood. “not hugely surprising”. Still, it had $28bn in cash and marketable securities as of he risk of serious heart aggravate depression, bipolar disorder, A genetic analysis of the same “Just like every other cell in the problems after open heart cognitive function, and memory tissues showed hundreds of genes body, heart cells have circadian Sept 30. surgery nearly doubles formation, research has shown. linked to circadian rhythms were rhythms that orchestrate their activity Automakers also are becoming more confident they T when the operation is Earlier this month, the Nobel Prize more active in the afternoon group, to anticipate the external rhythm of can make money on electric cars as battery costs come performed in the morning rather for medicine was awarded to three suggesting that the heart, too, is night and day,” he said. down. than the afternoon, researchers said US scientists who pioneered our infl uenced by our biological clock. “Our heart ‘expects’ to work harder yesterday. understanding of how the circadian Montaigne and his team deleted during the day than at night.” Experiments and lab tests pointed clock ticks. and replaced the corresponding But the discrepancy in outcomes to our biological clock as the primary The new study unfolded in four genes in mice to study the impact between morning and afternoon cause of the startling diff erence in steps. on the transition between sleep to operations might also be explained by To Advertise outcomes, they reported in the medical To start, scientists examined wakefulness, and vice versa. variance in the biological clocks of the journal The Lancet. medical records for nearly 600 people Finally, they identifi ed candidate surgeons, he added. [email protected] “Our study found that post-surgery who had surgery to replace heart drugs that might modulate these genes “We know that hand-eye co- Display heart damage is more common among valves, half in the morning and half in in such a way as to protect the heart ordination, concentration and Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 people who have heart surgery in the the afternoon. during surgery. cognitive abilities are also aff ected by morning,” said lead author David Twenty-eight of the 298 afternoon “The authors have clearly shown time-of-day,” he said. “The circadian Classified Montaigne, a cardiologist at the patients experienced heart attacks or that circadian rhythm is of clinical clock may aff ect outcomes from heart Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 University of Lille. other major cardiac events in the 500 importance,” commented Michel surgery, but understanding why - and “The time of day - that is, the days after the operation, compared to Ovize, a cardiologist from Louis how to leverage this information - Subscription biological clock or circadian rhythm - 54 out 298 of the morning patients. Pradel Hospital, outside Lyon, requires more research.” [email protected] infl uences the patient’s reaction to this Then, in a year-long clinical trial, France. Humans have been shown to be kind of operation,” he said. 88 patients were randomly scheduled High-risk patients might be given either “owls” or “larks”, corresponding The circadian clock governs for morning or afternoon valve preference for afternoon surgery in to so-called genetic chronotypes that 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved the body’s day-night cycles, thus replacement surgery. light of the fi ndings, he suggested. determines whether we function better infl uencing sleep patterns, the Not only did tissue from the John O’Neill from the Medical at night or during the day. Gulf Times Saturday, October 28, 2017 15 COMMENT The only way forward on N Korea North Korea has made clear range nuclear-strike capacity. In the to say, further nuclear escalation on its commitment to developing regime’s view, nuclear weapons are its the Korean Peninsula would be very only insurance against attack. Without dangerous, not least because the a long-range nuclear-strike them, Kim believes, he would share Kim regime would feel even more capacity. In the regime’s view, the fate of others who abandoned threatened than it already does. their pursuit of nuclear arms, such as So far, the US approach to North nuclear weapons are its only Saddam Hussain in Iraq and Muammar Korea has been to tighten sanctions insurance against attack Gaddafi in Libya. and outsource the problem to China. In this context, the US objective of a But while China does have strong denuclearised North Korea disarmed of economic ties to North Korea, it is By Carl Bildt ICBMs is unachievable by diplomatic unclear whether China has the clout Seoul means. And, at any rate, Trump has to change the Kim regime’s behaviour, declared diplomacy a “waste of time,” even if it wanted to. Success would and ominously warned that “only one probably require something close to ould the world soon witness thing will work,” though he hasn’t regime change. another devastating war on explained what that means. It is thus unwise to rely wholly on the Korean Peninsula? That Given that neither the US nor North China. Clearly, a broader diplomatic Cquestion looms large in many Korea has shown any enthusiasm for approach is needed, and it should start conversations these days. talks, one could conclude that war is by addressing a fundamental issue at Of course, concerns about the North inevitable. Yet, for all its bellicosity, the heart of the problem: namely, that Korean regime’s nuclear-weapons the North Korean regime is unlikely no peace treaty has ever been signed to programme are nothing new. The to start a full-scale military confl ict, end the 1950-1953 Korean War. United States fi rst tried to resolve the because that would surely spell its A dialogue to replace the 64-year- issue back in 1994, with the US-North demise. At the same time, the US has old armistice with a formal peace Korean Agreed Framework; but that no good fi rst-strike options. Surgical agreement could pave the way for eff ort gradually collapsed, owing to strikes may sound promising, but they broader discussions about nuclear actions taken – and not taken – on are hardly foolproof. As US military escalation and other threats to regional both sides. Then, in 2006, Kim Jong- commanders well know, strikes that stability. And, at a minimum, it could il’s regime detonated North Korea’s failed to eliminate all of North Korea’s break today’s diplomatic stalemate and fi rst nuclear device, and put the issue nuclear weapons at once could trigger give the parties involved more reason squarely back on the United Nations a regional – or even a nuclear – war to refrain from further provocations. Security Council’s agenda. costing millions of lives. More broadly, a new round of In the ensuing decade, North In the US, those who argue for diplomacy would have to address Korea has conducted fi ve more military action often claim that North Korea’s security concerns, and nuclear tests – most recently in deterrence will not work against an provide space for the North to evolve September – and demonstrated the “irrational” regime. But there is no politically and economically, as China technological mastery needed to reason to assume that Kim is bent has done over the past few decades. develop advanced thermonuclear on mass suicide. After all, when This may seem like a distant prospect; weapons. And, under Kim Jong-un’s Mao’s China made a dash for nuclear but if the security situation on the leadership, the situation escalated weapons in the 1960s, its rationale peninsula is resolved, it would not be further when the regime began making was little diff erent from that of North out of the question. signifi cant progress toward developing Korea today, but no one doubted that The alternative is to continue on the an intercontinental ballistic missile deterrence would work. North Korea’s nuclear tests demonstrated the technological mastery needed to develop advanced thermonuclear weapons. current path and risk a military confl ict (ICBM) capable of reaching the US Still, even assuming that deterrence or a full-scale war. Even if those worst- mainland. And this development – embodied in Trump’s threat that protects the US fi rst and foremost. It deterrence could depend on whether South Korea had a nuclear-weapons case scenarios were averted, the region coincided with the arrival of US the US will “totally destroy” North remains to be seen if US “extended the US is willing to sacrifi ce San programme long before North Korea. would have nothing to look forward President Donald Trump, who has Korea – does work, it will not prevent deterrence” will continue to protect Francisco to save Seoul or Tokyo. That programme was abandoned to but instability for years to come. – promised a new approach to global a nuclear- and ICBM-armed North American allies such as South Korea Doubt about the US nuclear when South Korea signed on to the Project Syndicate aff airs. Korea from fundamentally altering and Japan. If the US mainland becomes umbrella in the region could lead South Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in North Korea has made clear its the strategic calculus in northeast a potential target for a North Korean Korea and Japan to decide to develop 1975, but restarting it has become a z Carl Bildt is a former prime minister commitment to developing a long- Asia. The US nuclear deterrent nuclear strike, then the credibility of their own nuclear options. In fact, subject of debate in Seoul. Needless and foreign minister of Sweden.

LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 36 C Low : 26 C Prohibition of psychoactive substances Inshore: Hazy to misty / foggy at places by early morning becomes relatively hot daytime with some clouds. By Dr Nizar Kochery Exemption from judicial papers, execution fees, has decided to reduce the Doha expenses of judicial notices and workforce due to loss in SUNDAY paying court fees other expenses borne by the business. Some of our High: 34 C litigants. Exemption shall be employees are on vacation. Is Low: 27 C Question: My friend who was Q: My colleague has conditioned on there being good it possible to terminate them Sunny carrying medicine for his borrowed money from me prospects of success in the claim. while they are not in Qatar? personal use was caught at the and is not willing to repay it. A request for exemption from Is such termination valid or airport and got released a few Some people advised to go to payment of fees shall be submitted not? Please advise. MONDAY months back. Now he received the court for recovery with to the registry of the competent YU, Doha High: 34 C a message that there is case the evidence. I lost my job court. The court shall fi x a session Low: 26 C against him in the court as he and I don’t have money to pay for hearing such request, the other A: According to Article 85, Sunny violated Article 3 of Law No 19 court charges. As followed in litigants shall be served with notice termination during the leave of 1993. Please explain. other countries, is it possible of such hearing at least three days’ period is not in compliance with DR, Doha to request for exemption of notice. The court shall decide on labour laws. The law prohibits Fishermen’s forecast charges when the petitioner the request after examination of the the employer from terminating OFFSHORE DOHA Answer: Article 3 of Law faces difficulty to pay the papers and documents submitted the employment contract or Wind: NW-NE 03-12 KT No 19 of 1993 regarding the judicial fees? Is there any by the applicant and examination notifying the worker of the Waves: 1-3 Feet regulation of the dealing with kind of exemption in civil of the statements of litigants termination thereof during any INSHORE DOHA Wind: SE-SW 5-15 KT psychoactive substances prohibit cases like the labour case. present and the representative of his periods of leave. Moreover, Waves: 1-2 Feet the import, export, production, Please advise. of the Registry and others whose the employer may not notify the manufacturing, owning, BD, Doha opinion is deemed appropriate in worker of the termination of Around the region possessing, acquiring, trading, this respect. the contract if the notice period Weather Weather buying, selling, transporting, A: As per Article 551 of Civil and expires during any of such today Max/min tomorrow Max/min receiving, delivering psychoactive Commercial Procedure, if a party periods of leave. Abu Dhabi Sunny 33/28 Sunny 33/27 substances or serving as an proves to be unable to pay the Termination in Baghdad Sunny 38/20 Sunny 35/18 intermediary in any of the above judicial fees, he shall be exempted z Please send your questions Dubai P Cloudy 35/24 Sunny 35/24 leave period Kuwait City or dealing with it except after wholly or partially from payment. by e-mail to: [email protected]. Sunny 37/22 Sunny 36/21 Manama Sunny 34/26 Sunny 34/26 getting permit for that from the Exemption shall include fees of Q: Our company management qa Muscat Sunny 33/24 Sunny 33/23 Department of Pharmacy and Riyadh Sunny 33/19 Sunny 34/19 Drug Control at the Ministry of Tehran P Cloudy 28/16 Sunny 28/15 Public Health on the conditions stipulated by law. The offence is LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR punishable with imprisonment for three years and QR10,000 According to Article 357 of the owed by him or by another , shall be under Article 15. Penal Laws, anyone who maliciously punished with imprisonment for a commits the following acts: (1) term not exceeding two years or with writing a cheque, without suffi cient a fi ne not exceeding QR5,000 or with Guarantor’s case funds to cover its face value; (2) both. in loan default withdrawing all or some of the funds Whoever being an owner assigned from an account after issuing cheque as an offi cial receiver, guardian or Q: My friend requested me in a way that leaves insuffi cient trustee of movable property that is to be the guarantor for his funds to cover the amount of the seized judicially or administratively bank loan to start some cheque; (3) ordering the recipient shall be liable to imprisonment for a business. What will be the of the cheque not to exchange or term not exceeding three years and/ action initiated by the bank or deposit it; (4) intending to write or a fi ne not exceeding QR10,000. other institution against the or sign the cheque in a way that According to Article 367, whoever guarantor in case of defaults? prevents its exchange; (5) delivering knowingly possesses or conceals Please advise. a due cheque knowing that it is objects resulting from a crime, TH, Doha uncovered or not exchangeable, shall without being an accomplice, shall be be punished with imprisonment for liable for conviction of the crime of A: If the borrower defaults, the a term of no less than three months knowing that the objects are collected bank would first approach the and not exceeding three years and/ dishonestly misappropriates from a crime scene and shall receive Around the world borrower to take care of the or a fi ne of no less than QR3,000 or converts to his own use that the penalty prescribed for the off ender. Weather Weather dues. However, if the borrower and not exceeding QR10,000. In any property, or dishonestly uses or If the perpetrator does not know that today Max/min tomorrow Max/min is unable to do so, the bank event, the court shall decide upon disposes of that property in violation the objects are collected from a crime Athens S Showers 22/10 Sunny 19/14 will approach the guarantor to the request of the concerned, to of any direction of law prescribing scene but thinks they are obtained in Beirut S T Storms 24/22 S Showers 24/19 settle the dues. The guarantor oblige the off ender to pay the value the mode in which such trust, rent, an illegal way, he shall be punished Bangkok P Cloudy 33/24 P Cloudy 32/23 Berlin S Showers 11/08 S Showers 09/03 can ask the bank to appropriate of the cheque and the expenses mortgage or a power of attorney, in with imprisonment for a term not Cairo Sunny 27/17 Sunny 28/18 borrower’s security to recover his incurred by the benefi ciary. a manner that is detrimental to the exceeding six months or with a fi ne Cape Town P Cloudy 24/14 Cloudy 23/16 dues and if liquidating his assets For the off ences stipulated in owners thereof, shall be punished not exceeding QR3,000, or with both Colombo P Cloudy 30/25 T Storms 30/25 is not sufficient, the bank has the above article, the victim and the with imprisonment for a term not of the penalties. Dhaka M Sunny 30/21 Sunny 31/21 M Sunny 27/20 right to recover the money from attorney have the right to request exceeding three years and a fi ne not The perpetrator shall be exempted Hong Kong 27/21 P Cloudy Istanbul M Cloudy 18/10 P Cloudy 14/12 the guarantor. If the guarantor the prosecution or the court to settle exceeding QR10,000. from the penalty if he takes the Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 I T Storms 32/25 repays the dues, all the borrower’s the case with the off ender. The Whoever, knowingly possesses initiative to inform the competent Karachi P Cloudy 32/22 Sunny 34/22 security will get transferred to the reconciliation requires the closing property received by mistake shall authorities of the crime from which London P Cloudy 16/12 P Cloudy 13/04 guarantor and the guarantor can of the case. The prosecution shall be liable to imprisonment for a the objects were collected and of Manila S T Storms 32/25 S T Storms 31/25 Moscow S Showers 03/-1 Showers 04/03 recover his money later from the stop the execution of the penalty term not exceeding two years or a persons who have committed the New Delhi Sunny 33/18 Sunny 32/18 borrower. Article 828 of Civil Law if reconciliation occurs during the fi ne not exceeding QR5,000 or both crime before detection thereof. If the New York M Cloudy 20/18 T Storms 21/10 states that a creditor is bound execution of the penalty, even after penalties. off ender informs the authorities after Paris P Cloudy 15/11 S Showers 15/07 to hand over all documents that the passing of the judgment. As per Article 364, anyone who exposure of the crime, the court has Sao Paulo S T Storms 27/19 T Storms 24/19 Sunny Sunny 15/02 embezzles or attempts to embezzle the right to exempt the off ender from Seoul 23/09 are necessary to enable him to Whoever, being in any manner Singapore S T Storms 32/25 T Storms 31/25 exercise his right of action to the entrusted with property, bonds a movable property that he had the penalty whenever the information Sydney M Cloudy 24/17 P Cloudy 28/17 guarantor at the time of discharge or other movable properties, mortgaged as security for a debt leads to the arrest of the off enders. Tokyo Rain 15/13 Rain 15/13 of the debt. Gulf Times 16 Saturday, October 28, 2017 QATAR Environmentalist calls for individual eff orts at farming

By Joseph Varghese “They can also make use of planting and producing some security for the coming gen- used for any purpose. So this will defi nitely lead the country Staff Reporter the rooftops for farming pur- of the items for their needs,” he erations. These two aspects will land can be converted for agri- to reach its goals of self-suf- poses. Now, there are many exhorted. help us in a big way to become cultural purposes.” fi ciency in food products,” he new ideas for farming. There Al-Hajari noted that it was self-suffi cient in food products Al-Hajari felt that within maintained. rominent Qatari envi- are a number of advanced the obligation of the present to a great extent.” a few years, Qatar is likely to “We are now using a number ronmentalist Dr Saif Ali technologies and even in a lit- generation in the country to en- The offi cial noted that Qatar produce about 40% of food of new technologies and new Pal-Hajari has appealed tle space they can cultivate and sure food security for the com- is a small country with a small products that the country ideas in farming. This can help for individual as well as collec- produce large amount of veg- ing generations. population but the population needs. us to have our own food for tive eff orts to ensure food se- etables and other food prod- “We have to seriously look at is increasing steadily. He high- “It needs time to be self- the future and the government curity in the country. “People ucts.” two things. We need to reduce lighted, “The world is witness- suffi cient in food production in now is supporting farmers and can convert the vacant places “It is up to the individuals. the wastage of food as we throw ing great demand for food and the country and the population trying to introduce new ideas around their houses to veg- People can plan it according away a substantial quantity of the same will be refl ected eve- in Qatar is also growing stead- and technologies in a big way. etable gardens or plant other to their convenience as well as food. Second thing is to apply rywhere. As the population goes ily. The new policy is to in- We have the vision of provid- food seedlings,” the chairman availability of the land and oth- new technology, provide train- up, we will also need more food crease the land for agriculture ing food security for the next of Friends of the Environment er resources. However, I would ing for the people and make produced in the country. A great and provide more fund for it. generations of Qatar,” added al- Centre told Gulf Times. encourage everyone to start them aware of the need for food area of land in our country is not The investment in agriculture Hajari. Dr Saif Ali al-Hajari Mountain biking sees growing popularity among kids in Qatar

By Peter Alagos Hugo added: “I am very happy leisure trail at the Doha Festi- Business Reporter to win the competition and I am val City is a good mountain bike looking forward to joining other destination for both families and races here in the future. For chil- professional riders. erseverance, dedication dren my age and for those who Ferdie Bermejo of the UFMBQ and patience have helped want to join competitions such said because mountain biking Pnine-year old Hugo Hern- as this, my advice to them is to is also becoming popular with andez Moya win his fi rst moun- try their best and never give up.” children, the federation will in- tain bike competition in the Francisco also lauded the grow- clude a children’s category in Middle East after arriving in Qa- ing mountain bike community future races. This was reiterated tar only two months ago. in Qatar but he also believes that by Bermejo’s UFMBQ colleague, He was among the children there is a need for more training John Bonalos, who said: “We’re who participated in the ‘Qatar facilities for children who want also planning to include a race MTB League ‘17- ‘18: 2nd Leg to get into mountain biking. “I for kids who are already com- - Al Khor MTB XCO’ yesterday think that aside from educating petitive riders. In the last season and won the fi rst place in the be- children in sports and other ac- when we still haven’t introduced ginner’s category. tivities, there is a need to develop the ‘Under-23 Category’, our The race, organised by the more kids’ training facilities in cy- youngest rider was 18 years old.” Qatar Cycling Federation, in One of the families that participated in the competition. cling because it is so easy to ride a Bonalos added: “The UFMBQ partnership with the United mountain bike here in Qatar. promotes sportsmanship and Filipino Mountain Bikers Qatar cle at age three, and as he pro- not have any training in Qatar, “We miss the greenery of camaraderie through mountain (UFMBQ) and the Qatar Chain gressed, the young Spaniard Hugo was able to win the race. Spain or the UK but mountain biking. All of our activities are Reaction, gathered hundreds of started competing in diff erent Because he is only nine years old, bikes are also ideal for sands and open to everyone and not only riders from all over the country. cycling races in Europe. “We’re he was not allowed to do more desert location. I’m from the the Filipino cycling community. According to Hugo’s father, very proud of him; and consider- laps, only one; maybe next time Canary Islands and it does not For this event, we had participa- Francisco Hernandez de Juan, ing that we weren’t able to train he can do three laps,” said Fran- rain a lot there just like in Qatar,” tion of many Qataris and other Francisco and Hugo after the race. PICTURES: Peter Alagos the boy started riding the bicy- since we left the UK and we did cisco, who is also an avid cyclist. he said, adding that the outdoor nationalities.” Outdoor sport gears in high Clean-up at Al Ruwais Port, Wakrah beach demand as weather improves

By Joey Aguilar a leading sports chain in Doha Apart from fi shing equip- try have been attracting many Staff Reporter told Gulf Times. ment, the employee also noted cyclists, as well as enthusiasts, Due to the surge in demand, an increasing demand for bi- to participate. These include he said they ran out of stocks cycles and cycling accessories, those organised by Qatar Chain he demand for outdoor a few weeks ago and hope new sport apparel, running shoes, Reaction and the United Filipi- sport gears, particu- items will arrive soon to further tennis rackets and accessories, no Mountain Bikers Qatar, and Tlarly fi shing equipment, boost their sales. skateboards and long boards the Qatar Cycling Federation. continues to increase as the According to the employee, regardless of the prices. It is learnt that recent bicycle weather becomes more favour- fi shing serves as a hobby and “Prices of bicycles range be- activities and events, including able for such activities, it is a unique and exciting way to tween QR1,799 and QR19,000.” the opening of the Outdoor Lei- learnt. spend the weekend beyond the “This means they also have sure Trail at Doha Festival City, “In the previous years, shop- usual mall visits or having a to fi x and tune up their bicycles received good turnouts. The pers usually looked for running lunch or dinner at restaurants. before competing while others fi tness equipment on the Doha shoes, jerseys, or bicycles as “Some of our customers tell prefer to sell their old units and Corniche and in several public temperatures started to drop. us that such ‘endeavour is a cool buy new ones,” he noted. He parks have also become appeal- But this time, a lot of them are and better alternative’ than just said the series of weekend rides, ing once again to residents who asking for fi shing rods and oth- watching TV at home or going competitions and races open to want to exercise and shed extra er accessories,” an employee of elsewhere,” he said. all nationalities in the coun- calories. Nine abandoned boats were removed when the Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s (MME) Public Cleaning Department cleaned Al Ruwais Port (above). Also cleared were all the refuse material and plastic cans floating on the water, remains of fishing nets, discarded tyres and other waste. Wakrah Municipality has also cleaned Al Wakrah Family Beach (below) with the participation of the pupils from Al Salam Primary School for girls. As part of the strategic partnership between Al Wakrah Municipality and Qatar Green Buildings Council, Rota equips youth in Qatar with core leadership skills the municipality is launching today the sustainability week events at Al Wakrah Public Park. The director of the municipality Mansur al-Buainain, Belgian ambassador Bart De Groof, the oung participants attended a number Netherlands ambassador Bahia Tahzib-Lie and a number of municipality off icials will be present. of leadership workshops and brain- The programme includes planting a number of seasonal seedlings and diff erent sport and Ystorming sessions on the third day of environmental activities. Rota leadership training programme,“Rota Youth Challenge” at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Participants explored examples of suc- cesses and failures during the leadership theory workshop before working in their assigned groups to brainstorm ideas for their group project, which requires them to set up their own Rota Youth Service Club. Abulla Ali al-Mesned commented, “My participation in the training programme was both benefi cial and enjoyable. I have re- alised after taking part in this function and its discussion sessions how leadership is the essence of the administrative process and its heart. The success of any project stems from its leader and the key role they play in covering all aspects of the administrative Participants in the programme engaged in an activity. process.” Haya Faisal al-Thani, another participant to in the future. The programme combines All, developed the training initiative to en- in the event said, “Events such as these that knowledge framework and practical applica- hance the leadership, community service, focus on leadership skills are of great im- tion through the work in groups and I invite communication, and project management portance in refi ning students’ personality all those interested to participate and regis- skills of youth in Qatar, so they are equipped and helping them develop in a way to enable ter in the programme’s future sessions.” with the know-how to engage in local and them to lead any projects they are assigned Rota, a programme of Education of Above international humanitarian action.