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SUNDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10502 July 2, 2017 Shawwal 8, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals FM says list In brief of demands

QATAR | Co-operation Committed to all deals with partners: minister was meant to HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada has aff irmed Qatar’s commitment to all bilateral agreements signed with its partners in all fields, including energy and be rejected industry sectors. This came in a statement made by Dr al-Sada to QNA eign minister said that both councils Qatar News Agency following the Rome were muted regarding the illegal meas- HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met the representatives of the five permanent members conclusion of a recent Asian tour, ures taken against Qatar. He added that of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia. HE the Foreign Minister also during which he visited a number of this showed Qatar that the two councils held a meeting with the representatives of non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. The meeting was attended by partner countries in the energy and E the Foreign Minister Sheikh do not have any tools to resolve the cri- representatives of Sweden, Italy, Senegal, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uruguay, Ethiopia, Japan and Bolivia. During the meetings, the industry sectors where he discussed Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al- sis and did not play any role at all. Foreign Minister briefed the members of the Security Council on the current Gulf crisis and the illegal measures taken against ways to expand co-operation in HThani said that the four siege Qatar is relying on the mediation ef- Qatar, stressing Qatar’s belief in the importance of dialogue and its adherence to international laws. He also underlined the the sectors. During his visit, Dr countries prepared demands that were forts led by the Kuwaiti emir, which is importance of supporting the mediation undertaken by Kuwait. al-Sada praised the strong relations meant to be rejected. being supported by the US and all other between Qatar and its partners in He stressed that the demands violat- friendly countries including Russia, Tur- the energy and industrial sectors, ed international law and did not look to key, France, Germany, Italy, Britain along which are based on co-operation combat terrorism and instead focused with many other countries, he said. and mutual trust that have been on undermining and infringing on Qa- On the telephone call which took Icao to hold more Emir, Putin call for resolving established for decades. tar’s sovereignty, striking down on the place yesterday between His Highness freedom of press, and imposing audit- the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- meetings to QATAR | Construction ing and probation mechanisms against Thani and Russian President Vladimir crisis via diplomatic means the State of Qatar. Putin, the foreign minister said that study Qatar fi le QPMC receives The foreign minister stressed dur- Russia does not want any escalation in is Highness the Emir Sheikh solve the crisis through diplomatic gabbro from Oman ing a press conference held yesterday the region and is encouraging all parties QNA Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani means and through direct dialogue be- Qatar Primary Materials Co (QPMC) in Rome that the countries which im- to engage in a dialogue. Montreal Hheld yesterday evening a tel- tween all sides. yesterday announced that its ports in posed the siege presented the list of The minister added that there were ephone conversation with Russian They also reviewed bilateral relations Mesaieed have received about half a demands to have them rejected, noting many meetings with the Russian side President Vladimir Putin. and ways to develop and strengthen million tonnes of gabbro from Oman that Qatar wants instead to have a dia- and many phone calls that took place be- he International Civil Aviation During the phone call, they dis- them, especially in the fi elds of energy over the past few days. The CEO of logue with suitable conditions. tween the Emir and President Putin. Organisation (Icao) Council has cussed the latest developments related and investment, in a way that enhances QPMC, Engineer Essa al-Hammadi, He said that they are trying to be The minister also discussed the Tdecided to hold two more meet- to the Gulf crisis. the two friendly countries’ mutual in- said the shipments of gabbro and more practical with Kuwaiti mediation US role and said it was true that they ings this month to study Qatar’s fi le on Both sides stressed the need to re- terests. limestone are being received by which is co-ordinated and supported wanted to play a role of a mediator, but the eff ects of the blockade imposed by the company from Oman as part of by the US. maintained that the US were part of the Saudi Arabia and its allies. its strategy since 2014 to diversify The foreign minister highlighted issue from the beginning. A decision to this effect was taken sources of construction materials that the siege imposed on Qatar led to The foreign minister called on US after the Council considered the case imports. Page 3 a humanitarian crisis for many families President Donald Trump to listen to yesterday and listened to Qatar offi- Oman and US back Kuwaiti that were separated as a result of these the Department of State and the De- cials who briefed the world body on EAST ASIA | Politics measures. He noted that there were partment of Defence in matters related the impact of the siege on aviation, 12,000 cases of husbands, wives and to the GCC crisis. He noted that Trump air safety and security. emir’s mediation eff orts China’s Xi draws ‘red children who were separated as a result relied in his remarks regarding the cri- Following this, the Council decided line’ in Hong Kong of these measures. sis on things said by leaders in the re- to extend the duration of the session to QNA gion and the current Gulf crisis, ac- China’s President Xi Jinping warned Sheikh Mohamed stressed that those gion, without mentioning who those July 6, when a meeting will be held at Muscat cording to Oman news agency ONA. yesterday that any challenge measures were collective punishment, leaders were. the Icao Regional Offi ce to discuss the They expressed their confi dence to Beijing’s control over Hong a violation of international law, and the The foreign minister expressed his technical fi le of Qatar. This will be fol- and support for the eff orts exerted by Kong crossed a “red line”, as tens UN Charter. He said that the countries confi dence that if the US president refers lowed by another meeting, also in July, man’s Minister Responsible the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al- of thousands calling for more which took those measures did not re- to his offi cial security and defence insti- at the headquarters of the organisation for Foreign Aff airs Yousuf bin Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, and his good democracy marched through the spect international law. tutions, he will fi nd the correct informa- in Montreal to fi nd legal solutions to OAlawi bin Abdullah received a offi ces to contain the Gulf crisis and city 20 years after it was handed The minister added that the siege tion on Qatar’s role in counter-terrorism. the technical fi le submitted by Qatar. telephone call yesterday from US Sec- expressed their hope that these eff orts back by Britain. Xi spoke in a countries implemented those measures He pointed out that the US-Qatari The Council, composed of 36 mem- retary of State Rex Tillerson. will be supported by all parties in order televised address after swearing in without resorting to the confl ict-reso- strategic ties extend for half a century ber states elected for a three-year term, During the phone call, the two sides to maintain the security and stability of new Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam. lution mechanisms agreed upon in the and cover many aspects, adding that all is a permanent body of the organisa- reviewed the developments in the re- the GCC countries. Page 8 2014 Riyadh agreement. Even though institutions in the US understand the tion. All major geographic areas of the the demands were made to be rejected, importance of Qatar. world are represented on the Council. EUROPE | Funeral Qatar is trying to be more constructive The Qatari foreign minister met in The Council has numerous func- than the other countries, he added. Rome yesterday with his Italian counter- tions, including acting as an arbi- Leaders pay tribute The minister said that Qatar had no part Angelino Alfano. ter between member states on mat- to Helmut Kohl reservations against discussing any During the meeting, they discussed ters concerning aviation and the European leaders joined former grievances those countries have, pro- bilateral relations, ways to boost them, implementation of the provisions of US president Bill Clinton yesterday vided there was a clear basis for those and latest developments in the GCC the convention; it may investigate any to pay a unique tribute to former grievances, that they do not violate the countries as well as a number of region- situation which presents avoidable ob- German chancellor Helmut sovereignty of any country, and that they al and international issues of common stacles to the development of interna- Kohl, who oversaw the German don’t impose any guardianship which is concern. tional air navigation and, in general, it reunification and the end of the something rejected by Qatar. Sheikh Mohamed told Alfano that may take necessary steps to maintain Cold War, but a family row marred He said Qatar is trying to be more Qatar was ready to engage in construc- the safety and regularity of interna- his funeral. Kohl was a founder of positive with mediators in Kuwait, and in tive dialogue and negotiations with the tional air transport. HE the Minister of modern-day Europe and served as light of the US support. blockading countries, provided that Transport and Communications Jas- chancellor from 1982 to 1998. He On the position of the Arab League the dialogue is based on sound founda- sim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti has lauded died on June 16 aged 87. Page 11 and the GCC from the crisis, the for- tions. Pages 2, 3, 19, 20 the role played by the Icao. NHRC signs contract with Swiss law fi rm he National Human Rights Com- Heiskanen, head of the Swiss fi rm, that QIA CEO HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani with President and mittee (NHRC) yesterday signed Lalive would study each case separately CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce Thomas J Donohue. Tin Geneva a contract with Swiss to determine the solution mechanism law fi rm Lalive to investigate cases of that suited it. He stressed that the of- human rights violations resulting from fi ce would document the cases ac- a Saudi-led blockade on Qatar and seek cording to litigation procedures in the compensation. courts concerned to request for a deci- Under the contract, the fi rm will also sion on the cases as well as compensa- QIA CEO in US talks to prosecute Al Arabiya TV channel for its tion, QNA said. “allegations and fabrications” against “If the national courts of siege the NHRC, according to the offi cial Qa- countries reject, they will also be con- boost investment ties tar News Agency (QNA). demned, especially by the special rap- NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh porteur on the independence of the ju- QNA The meeting discussed the QIA’s al-Marri said all complaints of those diciary and law, as well as international Washington plan in the United States, as well as the aff ected by the blockade have been re- organisations,” he noted. investment in the infrastructure pro- ferred to Lalive, noting that the inter- Further, Dr al-Marri said the fi rm gramme which will be launched later national and independent law fi rm has will appeal to the national courts of atar Investment Authority this year in addition to enhancing trade extensive experience in the fi eld of hu- foreign countries that have interna- (QIA) Chief Executive Offi cer co-operation between the two coun- man rights issues. tional jurisdiction and may also resort Q(CEO) HE Sheikh Abdullah bin tries in various sectors. He said there are several mecha- to international organisations and the Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani has vis- During his visit to New York, the QIA nisms through which the fi rm will work European Court of Human Rights for ited Washington and New York. CEO also met with the partners of the with the NHRC, involving courts with those aff ected in Qatar with European In Washington, HE Sheikh Abdul- Authority and representatives of in- international jurisdiction or national citizenship as well as to consider the lah met with President and CEO of the vestment funds and banks to discuss courts in the blockading countries. use of measures related to investment US Chamber of Commerce Thomas J ways of boosting investment co-oper- Dr al-Marri said in a press statement freedom and the resultant damages. Donohue, as well as representatives of ation between the State of Qatar and after signing the contract with Dr Veijo Page 2 Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri with Dr Veijo Heiskanen after signing the contract. major US companies operating in Qatar. the United States. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, July 2, 2017 QATAR Qataris, expats stand united Emir condoles Kohl’s death against fake news campaign

itizens and expatriates people living in the country. living in the country have Mohamed Abdulghani Cunanimously rejected the stressed that people in the coun- fabricated and fake news ema- try have defeated the blockade nating from the Arab nations that and also proved that they can have imposed a blockade on Qatar. stand united against any force The Qatar inhabitants said trying to undermine the stability they were careful about such and sovereignty of Qatar. news items, especially the ones Abdulahdi al-Ahbabi said circulating through social me- the Qatari people have proven dia, according to a report in local their high moral standards and Arabic daily Arrayah. ethics as they have reacted with The people Arrayah spoke to restraint and responsibility to stressed that the current situ- the abuse and false accusa- ation has further boosted their tions targeting Qatar on social confi dence in the government media. for its eff ective management of Mohamed Ali, an Arab ex- the country. The atmosphere of patriate, said traders, retailers safety, security and prosperity and shop operators have gener- remains unchanged despite all ally displayed a great degree of external attempts to undermine responsibility and not tried to this, they point out. People across the country have been expressing their support for Qatar and its wise leadership. exploit the situation by hiking In addition, the government has prices. In fact, they have given eff ectively addressed related is- blockade has highlighted the consumer trust in local prod- circulating in sections of the re- special off ers on various items. sues, including providing the local best of both Qataris and expa- ucts – which will encourage gional and foreign media about Besides, the authorities con- market with the necessary con- triates who have been eager to more local producers to increase the situation in Qatar due to the cerned have exercised tighter sumer items at reasonable prices. express love and solidarity for their supply. blockade. He expressed pride in control on the local market to A number of citizens spoke out on the wise leadership of the coun- Saad al-Shemari, praised the the fact that both Qataris and prevent price manipulation and the issue, as reported by the daily. try. Similarly, the blockade is response of many expatriates expatriates have taken such a disruption in the supply of com- Issa al-Mannai said the also an opportunity to enhance in the country to the false news stance, affi rming the unity of all modities.

HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al-Thani has conveyed the condolences of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani to German President Frank-Walter More cargo arrives from Salalah Steinmeier and German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel on the death of former chancellor Helmut Kohl. HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al-Thani also extended his condolences to the family By Ramesh Mathew struction materials and furni- call on Hamad Port again on July Another ship, MSC Kerry re- port in India. of the deceased when he took part in the memorial ceremony Staff Reporter ture, among other items, were 6. cently arrived at Hamad Port Yesterday, Gulf Times re- held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France unloaded from the vessel, which The offi cial also informed that from Salalah with cargo from ported that leading global yesterday. arrived from Salalah Port in a 9,000-TEU vessel sailing from Kuwait and Oman. More than shipping line Maersk had ship belonging to the Oman. the Far East, and belonging to 660 containers of more than launched a new direct serv- Mediterranean Shipping “The vessel brought home key the same company, is likely to 1,200TEUs were offl oaded in ice between Hamad Port and ACompany (MSC), Sea- construction materials for some call on Hamad Port in the early Doha, it was reported. Salalah Port. Emir greets Canada’s governor general boxer, unloaded huge quantities of the ongoing vital infrastruc- hours today. Also, the fi rst of the two ves- The launch of new shipping of cargo after calling on Hamad ture projects in the country,” said It will be the fi rst vessel to sels operating under the new In- services between Hamad Port His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness Port on Friday. an offi cial of MSC, a major global come from the Far East side dia Qatar Express Service docked and Sohar and Salalah ports in the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Enquiries with company of- liner. since the economic blockade on at Hamad Port. Oman is expected to enhance Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa fi cials found that more than 800 He added that the ship, which Qatar started on June 5, accord- The vessel, Hansa Magdeburg, the import of food commodi- al-Thani have sent cables of congratulations to the Governor General of containers of foodstuff , con- is on its way back to Salalah, will ing to offi cials. had sailed from Nhava Sheva ties. Canada professor David Lloyd Johnston on his country’s National Day. MEC carries out surprise inspection at central market

QNA play of prices and descriptions Doha of goods in Arabic. Accordingly, each violator was fi ned QR6,000. he Ministry of Economy The MEC stressed that it and Commerce (MEC) has would continue with its daily Tcarried out a surprise in- inspection campaigns across all spection campaign at the central regions of the country, covering market for vegetables and fruits various sectors and commercial in Abu Hamour, leading to the activities. detection of seven violations. It also noted that it would The initiative covered veg- fi rmly deal with those who do etable and fruit auction squares not carry out their obligations as well as wholesale and retail under the Consumer Protection stores. Law and its executive regulation, The campaign was carried out and refer the violators of laws in order to monitor the compli- and ministerial decrees to the ance of suppliers and vendors competent authorities to take with their obligations under action against them and protect Law No 8 of 2008 on Consumer consumer rights. Protection and ensure that the The Ministry urged consum- prices of vegetables and fruits ers to report any violations or issued by the MEC were adhered irregularities through the fol- to by retailers. lowing channels: hotline: 16001, The ministry said in a press e-mail: [email protected], Twit- statement yesterday that the ter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: inspection campaign resulted MEC_Qatar, and the MEC mo- in the detection of seven viola- bile app for Android and iOS: tions, which included non-dis- MEC_Qatar The inspection in progress.

18km of Orbital Highway partially opened NHRC signs contract with Swiss law fi rm

From Page 1 of gross and reliably attested vio- the right to redress adopted by cording to Al Jazeera. lations of all human rights and the human rights council eff ec- “The sanctions imposed on e pointed out that there fundamental freedoms in any tively gives victims the possibil- Qatar go too far and are not in ac- were stronger legal and part of the world and under any ity to defend themselves against cordance with international law. Hjudicial procedures than circumstances, he said, indicat- human rights violations, noting Ordinary Qatari nationals and those mentioned, but he did not ing that in that case the com- that the right to reparation en- companies cannot be targeted,” disclose them due to secrecy is- plaints procedure was kept secret sures the right to compensation, Dr Heiskanen told Al Jazeera. “A sues. The Swiss law fi rm will in order to strengthen co-oper- restoration, rehabilitation and political dispute between States tackle them accordingly. ation with the State concerned, satisfaction and to ensure that does not justify sanctions against “Even if the crisis is resolved at the action should be victim-ori- such violations are not repeated, private citizens, companies and the political and diplomatic level, ented and timely. QNA adds. other private entities. The Qatar legal proceedings will continue Dr al-Marri stressed the pos- National Human Rights Com- until the right is restored to the sibility of implementing this pro- “The sanctions imposed mittee is, therefore, justifi ed to people,” he added. cedure, wherein all the require- on Qatar go too far and pursue these claims.” Dr al-Marri called on all those ments of the procedure adopted by are not in accordance “People have been forced to aff ected by the blockade of Qa- the UN Human Rights Council are with international law. immediately leave behind their tar to fi le complaints with the confi rmed to be used in the event Ordinary Qatari nationals jobs, homes, universities or busi- NHRC regarding violations of that the damage and the fact are and companies cannot be ness activities. Families have the right to work, movement, clearly political motives, and the targeted” to decide whether to split up or residence, family reunifi cation, subject matter is incompatible face sanctions upon their return, property or any other human with the Charter of the UN, the On his part, Dr Heiskanen – a including prison terms,” Dr al- rights issues. Universal Declaration of Human specialist in international arbi- Marri said. He noted that the NHRC has Rights and other instruments ap- tration and disputes – said a large “There are thousands of peo- documented more than 2,450 plicable in human rights law. number of complaints have been ple of all nationalities, not just complaints since the beginning Any aff ected person who has fi led by the NHRC. “We are tak- Qataris, who are suff ering be- of the siege crisis, adding that the documented his or her case with ing many steps to collect these cause of the embargo.” law fi rm to deal with them in line the NHRC can be compensated complaints, review the evidence The number of people aff ected with the principle of reparation in accordance with international and examine each complaint by the sanctions who may seek that has been approved by inter- law, and all victims of human separately to determine which compensation could increase in Some 18km of the Orbital Highway, stretching from Dukhan Road to Mazrouah Interchange on North national human rights conven- rights violations in this crisis can judicial body suits it,” he noted. the next few days and weeks, as Road, has been partially opened, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced on Twitter. tions or even through the special obtain eff ective redress on the Lalive, which specialises in residents come to terms with the With this, 125km of 195km on the Orbital Highway has been partially opened to traff ic as of June 30, ‘1503’ procedure. basis of these recognised legal mass claims, has said it will eff ects of the travel and residency Ashghal adds. Such action has been designed standards, he points out. pursue the cases in local and restrictions imposed on them, to address the persistent patterns Dr al-Marri also stressed that international tribunals, ac- the offi cial added. Page 19 Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 3 QATAR

Defence Minister meets Turkish president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met HE the Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, who is currently visiting Turkey. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them. The Turkish president reviewed international and regional developments. QPMC receives huge quantity of gabbro from Oman z QPMC ports in Al-Hammadi said in a number of agreements be- tonnes of limestone. Mesaieed have received press statement that the tween Qatari private sector This stock covers the nearly 1mn tonnes of company is pursuing a ma- companies and their coun- needs of Qatar for more gabbro from Oman jor strategy, which entails terparts in Oman to supply than a year, he stressed, several strategies, including this material. adding that there is cur- QNA diversifying the sources of The coming days will rently an abundance of soft Doha importing primary materials witness more co-operation and washed sand, which for building materials previ- between the two sides, he also covers all the needs of ously imported from Fujai- added, praising the Qatari current and future projects atar Primary Ma- rah only before the company business sector for its high in private and governmental terials Company succeeded in diversifying level of awareness, effi - sectors. Q(QPMC) yesterday these sources and import ciency, diversity and ability In this context, al-Ham- announced that its ports from Oman about 1mn to adapt to exceptional cir- madi said there is avail- in Mesaieed have received tonnes of gabbro since 2016. cumstances and overcome ability of all the raw ma- about half a million tonnes The shipments made them. terials required by Qatar of gabbro from Oman over over the past few days Engineer al-Hammadi Rail’s major projects, Qatar the past few days. came after a visit by a large said the other strategy FIFA World Cup projects in CEO of QPMC Engineer Qatari delegation of busi- QPMC is working on is to addition to private sector Essa al-Hammadi said the nessmen and representa- increase the strategic stock projects, pointing out that shipments of gabbro and tives of Qatari companies of gabbro and limestone, the average monthly sales limestone are being received to Oman, he said, referring noting that the company of building materials range by the company from Oman to the co-ordination be- has succeeded in having from 600,000 to 700,000 as part of its strategy since tween Qatari private sec- a stock, which current- tonnes, which means that 2014 to diversify sources of tor and QPMC to receive ly stands at about 14mn the current stock covers construction materials im- gabbro shipments at Me- tonnes, of which 11mn the needs of the market for ports. saieed Port after signing a tonnes of gabbro and 3mn more than a year. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, July 2, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD

1,500 dead from cholera outbreak in Yemen: WHO US-backed forces in new

QNA sickened about 246,000 Sanaa yesterday said the Sanaa people since April, the epidemic has hit 21 prov- World Health Organisa- inces out of Yemen’s 22 attack on IS in Raqqa tion said yesterday. provinces, stressing that holera outbreak in WHO representative the number of suspected AFP Yemen has claimed in Yemen Nevio Zagaria cholera cases has multi- Beirut C1,500 lives and at a news conference in plied tenfold in the last two months. Unicef’s acting repre- S-backed fi ghters have sentative Sherin Varkey, launched a renewed at- for his part, said a quar- Utack on Islamic State group ter of the fatalities from militants inside their Syrian bastion the outbreak were chil- Raqqa, seeking to retake a key east- dren. ern neighbourhood, a monitor said The death toll rose yesterday. from 1,300 as an- “The Syrian Democratic Forces nounced two weeks ago started a counter-offensive on by WHO, which put the Friday night to retake Al-Senaa,” number of suspected said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of cases at over 200,000 at the Syrian Observatory for Hu- the time and added that man Rights. The SDF first ousted number is growing by IS from Al-Senaa on June 12, less 5,000 a day. than a week after they first entered Cholera is a bacterial Raqqa. Nevio Zagaria, WHO country representative for Yemen, infection which is con- But IS pushed back, unleashing a speaks during a press conference in Sanaa yesterday, tracted through contami- slew of car bombs and attacks from about the cholera outbreak in the country. nated food or water. weaponised drones and taking back control of the neighbourhood on Friday. “It was Daesh’s most intense at- tack yet,” a military source from the US-backed fi ghters said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The source said IS had sur- rounded about 50 members of the People ride their motorbikes past a crater at a site hit by an air strike in the rebel-held town of Muzayrib, in Deraa Elite Forces — US-backed Arab province, Syria yesterday. fighters allied with the SDF — be- fore heavy coalition air strikes US-led coalition backing the SDF. equipment. The Observatory said The United Nations estimates broke the siege. “At this point, the SDF has re- yesterday that 193 civilians, in- some 100,000 civilians remain Al-Senaa is key for both the SDF taken about 30% of Al-Senaa. There cluding 33 children, had been killed in Raqqa, with the militants ac- and IS because it is adjacent to the are clashes and coalition air strikes in Raqqa since the US-backed SDF cused of using them as human city centre, where most IS fi ghters in that neighbourhood and across entered the city. shields. defending Raqqa are thought to be the city,” Abdel Rahman said. The Britain-based monitor said The city became infamous as the holed up. Around 2,500 militants The US-led coalition has pro- 219 IS fi ghters had been killed in air scene of some of the worst IS atroci- are fi ghting inside Raqqa, accord- vided key support to the SDF’s of- strikes and clashes in the same pe- ties, including public beheadings, ing to British Major General Rupert fensive, with air strikes, on-the- riod, but he had no immediate toll and is thought to have been a hub for Jones, a deputy commander of the ground advisors, weapons and for the SDF’s losses. planning attacks overseas.

Govt dismisses report Egyptians struggle to cope with on sarin attack The Syrian government yester- day dismissed a report by the international chemical weapons soaring prices amid subsidy cuts watchdog that said the banned nerve agent sarin was used in an April attack in northern Syria, DPA says. The government has said the cuts in the fuel subsidy saying it lacked “any credibility”. Cairo are necessary for revitalising the economy battered by the Western governments including unrest that followed the 2011 uprising against president the United States have said the Hosny Mubarak. The main sources of national income Syrian government carried out ohamed Abdel-Ghafar says he isn’t sure about have since declined. The latest increases in fuel prices are the attack in the town of Khan the exact defi nition of infl ation. expected to cut the annual subsidy by about 35bn Egyp- Sheikhoun which killed dozens M All he knows is that he won’t be able to feed tian pounds ($1.9bn), according to the government. of people. The Syrian govern- his family, as the cost of living has soared in Egypt. President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi has acknowledged ment has denied using chemical On Thursday, Egypt’s government hiked the prices of that the reforms are “painful,” but has repeatedly called weapons. The attack prompted a various types of fuel — the second such increase in less on Egyptians to be patient. This has done little to placate US missile strike against a Syrian than a year — as part of tough economic reforms. people. “I haven’t received any pay increase since the air base which Washington said Abdel-Ghafar, 53, who works at a Cairo restaurant, fi rst rise in fuel prices in November,” Samy says, add- was used to launch the strike. says: “All what I know is that I won’t be able to feed my ing that he uses his car only two or three times a week The report into the attack was four children and their mother.” and depends largely on public transportation.“But, the circulated to members of the While petrol and diesel prices skyrocketed by 43% and new increases in petrol prices will raise my transport ex- Organisation for the Prohibition 55%, respectively, the price of butane cooking gas dou- penses from 560 (Egyptian) pounds ($31) to 880 pounds of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) bled. “Before the new increases in prices of petrol and a month, says Samy, who works at a Cairo-based news- in The Hague, but was not made butane gas, we could hardly make ends meet. paper for a monthly salary of nearly 5,000 pounds. Mona public. In a statement, the Syrian What will the situation be now?” Ahmed, who works at a private health institution, also foreign ministry said the fact- Abdel-Ghafar says. “We are dying slowly,” he adds. feels helpless. finding team had based its report In November, Egypt slashed the fuel subsidy and fl oat- “Over the recent months, I have tried hard to manage on “the testimonies off ered by ed the local pound, measures that secured the country an my family budget. I have reduced purchases of fast food, terrorists”. International Monetary Fund bailout loan of $12bn over new clothes and recreational travel,” the 32-year-old After interviewing witnesses three years. That measure had already triggered a series of says. “I have no clue what else I should do now.” and examining samples, the price increases across various goods and services. Last month, al-Sissi doubled the value of subsidised fact-finding mission of the OPCW Many of Egypt’s 93mn people have long relied on sub- food items that ration card holders can buy, and also or- concluded that “a large number sidies for basic products. Then on Thursday, which was dered increases in wages and pensions, in an attempt to of people, some of whom died, a national holiday, Egyptians woke up to the shock news cushion the impact of economic reforms. were exposed to sarin or a sarin- that the government had implemented new increases in To Safaa Essam, a single mother, these measures will like substance”. Russia, Assad’s fuel prices. do little to improve her fi nancial situation. most powerful ally, has described “I want to leave this country and escape its suff ocat- She is particularly worried that her fi ve-year-old’s the report as biased. ing economic crisis,” says Akram Samy, a journalist and school will hike its fees as a result of the rise in fuel The attack on April 4 in the town father of one.”All my plans to decrease my family’s ex- prices. “I used to pay 4,500 pounds for the school bus. of Khan Sheikhoun in northern penses have failed since November.” The charge will most likely increase when my son goes Idlib province was the most Like millions of Egyptians, Samy, 28, is not sure how back to school in September,” the 34-year-old woman deadly in Syria’s civil war in more to cope. “Everything will be aff ected, not only the prices says, referring to the beginning of the new school year than three years. of transportation, but also those of all commodities,” he in Egypt.

UNREST Syria warned after stray fire hits Golan

The Israeli army yesterday warned Syria after stray fire from its civil war hit the Israeli- occupied Golan Heights in the latest of a string of incidents across the armistice line. Military statements said that two “projectiles”, which the army did not identify, fell on open ground in the northern Golan — territory seized from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967. Both were the “result of internal fighting in Syria,” the army said, adding that there were no reports of casualties. “Israel holds the Syrian regime responsible for any breach of its borders and will act accordingly,” chief military spokesman, Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said in a statement. “Israel maintains a policy of non-involvement in the Syrian civil war. However, we will not tolerate any breach of Israel’s sovereignty.” There has been repeated stray fire across the armistice line for the past week as Syrian troops battle rebels, including hardline militants, on the other side. Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 5 ARAB WORLD

Leisure

Palestinians play at an amusement park in the West Bank city of Tulkarem yesterday. Sudan govt defends human rights record

AFP The ministry said the fact that Sudan hosted hundreds of Khartoum thousands of refugees showed there was “no religious dis- crimination” in the country. The UN refugee agency UNHCR says about 400,000 South udan insisted yesterday that it respected media and Sudanese refugees, most of them Christian, have taken ref- religious freedoms after the United States said it was uge in Sudan since a brutal civil war erupted in their country S“very concerned.” in late 2013. “The government of Sudan is further ready for Washington raised its concerns just two weeks before positive engagement over human rights issues which are in- President Donald Trump is due to decide whether to perma- ternal and sovereign,” the ministry said. nently lift a 20-year-old US trade embargo on Khartoum. The US embassy raised its concerns in a statement on “Sudan enjoys freedom of press with more than 30 news- Thursday. papers supporting government as well as opposition views Washington imposed sanctions on Khartoum in 1997. published daily,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. The United Nations says at least 300,000 people have “Sudan also enjoys religious freedom, which is exempli- been killed and 2.5mn displaced in the western region since fi ed with several churches existing adjacent to mosques.” the confl ict erupted in 2003. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, July 2, 2017 AFRICA

DR Congo Boko Haram fi ghters found Ebola outbreak posing as refugees: Nigeria is ‘over’ Reuters AFP more than 2.6mn others to fl ee But he told AFP in an inter- Female suicide bombers attack Cameroon Far North Kinshasa Kano their homes. Most of those who view on Friday that it was “not have fl ed have remained in Ni- the time to repatriate” and that One civilian was killed and two and two injured,” the source said, in Nigeria, the Islamic State- geria, staying with distant rela- Cameroon had a responsibility others injured yesterday when adding that all four bombers aff iliated group has carried out he Democratic Republic of oko Haram fi ghters have tives and friends or in sprawling to give asylum to those who have four female bombers blew also died. frequent attacks in Cameroon, Congo yesterday offi cially been found among refu- camps for the displaced. fl ed. themselves up in Cameroon’s Far The attackers were trying Chad and Niger, prompting the Tdeclared its two-month Bgees returning to northeast Others have fl ed across the “In managing security they North, an area regularly targeted to reach the centre of town formation of the regional force Ebola outbreak over after 42 days Nigeria from neighbouring Cam- border into Niger, Chad and (Cameroon) are forgetting they by Boko Haram militants, local when they were spotted by to fight back. without recording a new case of eroon, the Borno State Emer- Cameroon around Lake Chad also have to manage asylum,” he sources told AFP. members of the vigilance The Far North region, which the disease. gency Management Agency said where the four countries meet, said, adding that by forcing back The incident took place in committee and troops, the borders Nigeria, has seen a The outbreak in Congo’s re- yesterday. which have also been hit by sui- Nigerians, they were sending Mora, near the northwestern source said. resurgence in attacks blamed mote northeastern forests, a “At least nine Boko Haram in- cide and bomb attacks. them “back to the fi re”. border with Nigeria yesterday They then detonated the on Boko Haram after months of record eighth for the country surgents and 100 accomplices Earlier this week, the UN refu- Satomi said the returning ref- morning when four female bombs. relative calm. where the disease was fi rst dis- were identifi ed among 920 Nige- gee agency voiced concerns that ugees identifi ed the accomplices bombers set off the deadly Details of the attack were con- Six civilians were killed nearly covered in 1976, killed four out rian refugees who returned from Cameroon was forcing Nigerians as having worked for Boko Haram blasts near the edge of town, firmed to AFP by a source close two weeks ago in a double sui- of the eight people infected, Marwa in Cameroon on Wednes- to return because of the pressure “in diff erent capacities” when a source close to the security to the local authorities. cide attack in Kolofata, and two Health Minister Oly Ilunga said day,” the agency’s head, Ahmed it puts on already over-stretched their villages were under Islamist services said. Vigilance committees are others died in Limani in early in a statement. Satomi told AFP. services at camps. control. Mora is home to the head- made up of local residents and June when a female bomber “I declare on this day, at mid- “They were arrested during The UNHCR representative to Some of those detained may quarters of the first sector of the aim to inform security forces of blew herself up near the town’s night, the end of the outbreak of screening of the returnees at the Nigeria and the west African bloc have been forced to work for the Mixed Multinational Force, an any suspicious activity in a bid to public school. the haemorrhagic fever of the (Nigerian) border town of Banki ECOWAS, Jose Antonio Can- group, he conceded. anti-insurgent regional force, as prevent attacks by Boko Haram, Some 200,000 Cameroonians Ebola virus in the DRC,” Ilunga by security personnel,” he added. handula, said a spate of recent “So far, 800 of the returnees well as a large artillery unit of the which has been waging an insur- from the Far North region have said. The eight-year confl ict in attacks in northern Cameroon have been screened but more are Cameroonian army. gency since 2009. fled their villages in fear of the Congolese health authorities northeast Nigeria has left at least had made the authorities there coming. It will be a continuous “There was one civilian victim Though Boko Haram was born violence. approved the use of a new exper- 20,000 people dead and forced “nervous”. process,” he added. imental vaccine but ultimately declined to deploy it due to the small scale of the outbreak and logistical challenges. The latest outbreak came a Farewell tour year after the end of the virus’ S Africa bails out deadliest episode in West Africa, which killed more than 11,300 people and infected some 28,600 ailing airline as it swept through Guinea, Sier- ra Leone and Liberia and caused alarm around the world. Reuters Health offi cials say northeast- Johannesburg ern Congo’s remote geography combined with the country’s experience fi ghting the disease outh African Airways (SAA) has been provid- allowed them to gain the upper ed with state funds to help it repay loans of hand quickly. Sabout 2.3bn rand ($176mn) to Standard Char- “The government of DRC has tered, the government said yesterday. been very transparent in declar- The airline faced around 9bn rand of debt ma- ing that there is the outbreak and turing at the end of June involving six or seven that really facilitated...commu- lenders, according to the Treasury. nication and information shar- On Thursday the Treasury told lawmakers it was ing and rapid action,” Ibrahima in discussions with lenders to roll-over the 9bn Soce Fall, a senior World Health rand owed to them. Organization offi cial in Africa, In a statement issued on behalf of the Treasury, told Reuters last week. the government said the funds provided to SAA had been sourced from the National Revenue Fund (NRF), which under law allows any minister to au- UN wants DR Congo thorise the use of funds for expenditure of an ex- ceptional nature. election timetable “A default by the airline would have triggered a call on the guarantee, leading to an outfl ow from he United Nations yester- the NRF and possibly resulting in elevated percep- day called on the Demo- tions of risk related to the rest of SAA’s guaranteed Tcratic Republic of Congo debt, the statement said. to publish a timetable for elec- SAA already relies on government guarantees of tions which are due by the end of about 20bn rand to keep it solvent. the year. It has repeatedly been cited by all three major Johnny Clegg (left) and Sipho Mchunu (centre), who formerly made up the band Juluka, perform at Grandwest Arena in Cape Town on Friday Under a deal brokered last rating agencies as a threat to South Africa’s econ- night, on the first live gig of Clegg’s final world tour, after which he is expected to retire. Together with bands Juluka, and Savuka, he has produced New Year’s Eve, President Joseph omy. a unique crossover music, a blend of Western pop and African Zulu rhythms. Kabila agreed to a transitional Two of those agencies cut the country’s debt to arrangement enabling him to sub-investment grade following President Jacob stay in power pending presiden- Zuma’s fi ring of the fi nance minister in March. tial and legislative elections by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s offi ce said the end of 2017. Standard Chartered had requested immediate pay- In a statement, the UN’s spe- ment of the money owed but that the remaining cial representative for DR Congo, lenders had indicated they were open to deferring Maman Sidikou, called on the the debt. Independent National Electoral “Drawing on the NRF was a tough decision Gabon pledges to protect forests Commission (CENI) “to pub- versus the worse one of defaulting. It was taken lish an offi cial, consensus-based to reassure lenders that state fi rms and more im- timetable, without further de- portantly government won’t default,” ministry Reuters eroon, Congo Republic and Equa- preserve about 98% of its rainfor- endangered animals, such as goril- lay” for staging the elections. spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said. Dakar torial Guinea, aims to restart pro- ests,” Helgesen added. las. The transitional deal, bro- The Treasury is under pressure to keep recent tection eff orts in the Congo Basin Forests in the Congo Basin cover It is backed by funding from the kered by the infl uential Catholic pledges to cut spending and reform governance at — a target for expansion of palm oil about 2mn sq km — nearly the size European Union, Norway, Britain, church, aimed at avoiding fresh state fi rms to fend off credit downgrades deeper abon has signed an $18mn plantations as available land in In- of Mexico — but are shrinking by France and Germany, and technical political violence in the sprawl- into “junk”. deal with donors to tackle donesia dwindles. 5,600sq km a year. advice from Brazil. ing central African country of Such downgrades would trigger a spike in al- Gdeforestation and cut its Protecting forests is widely seen The small, central African nation “Gabon could set a standard for 71mn people after Kabila failed ready soaring borrowing costs on public debt of carbon emissions by half as part of as one of the cheapest and most ef- aims to cut its emissions by half by sustainable development that could to step down when his mandate more than 2.2tn rand. a wider plan to protect the tropical fective ways to reduce the emissions 2025 — compared with 2005 levels inspire other countries in Central ended in mid-December. On Friday, Gigaba, speaking at the opening of forests of the Congo Basin. driving global warming. — by establishing a national land- and Western Africa,” said UN As- Under it, Kabila was allowed ruling Africa National Congress’s policy confer- One of the world’s most forested Loss and degradation of forests use plan, implementing a system sistant Secretary-General Magdy to remain in offi ce pending the ence, unnerved markets when he said the coun- countries, Gabon is the second Af- account for about 15% of emissions to monitor forests and natural re- Martinez-Soliman. elections, ruling in tandem with try may need outside fi nancial assistance. Asked rican nation, after the Democratic each year, conservation groups say. sources, and improving governance “By accelerating reforms, the a transitional watchdog and a by Reuters if he was referring to the International Republic of Congo, to sign an agree- “This agreement is a big step for- of its forests. country will engage on a genuine new premier, to be chosen within Monetary Fund, Gigaba smiled and said “Any”. ment with the Central African For- ward,” Vidar Helgesen, Norway’s The CAFI requires countries to green economy path that off ers so- opposition ranks. The offi cial opposition party, the Democratic est Initiative (CAFI), launched in climate and environment minister create national investment plans to lutions for both climate and agri- CENI spokesman Jean-Pierre Alliance, said Standard Chartered’s refusal to defer 2015 and backed by European donor and chairman of the CAFI, said in a address the pressures driving de- culture, and is attractive for green Kalamba reacted sharply in the debt showed it had no faith in the management nations. statement. forestation, and aims to slow illegal private sector investments more Kinshasa to Sidikou’s call, say- of the state carrier and that it was also a blow to the The initiative, which also covers “Gabon is committing to meas- logging and burning of forests that generally,” he added in a media ing he could not “give orders to credibility of the Treasury. Central African Republic, Cam- ures that, if implemented, would are vital to millions of people and statement. CENI.”

Beyonce joins forces with Unicef for children’s water project

By Ellen Wulfhorst Reuters right. When you give children clean and Stern, chief executive of Unicef USA, in New York safe water, you don’t just give them life, a statement. you give them health, an education, and Asked how much money the enter- a brighter future,” Beyonce, 35, said in tainer and Unicef were putting toward op icon Beyonce is throwing her the statement. the water project, neither the agency nor superstar power behind a new ef- Beyonce said more than 2mn people in a representative for Beyonce responded Pfort to bring safe, clean water to Burundi spend more than 30 minutes a immediately to requests for information. children in Burundi in a partnership with day collecting water, forcing children to The fi rst phase of BEYGOOD4BU- Unicef, the United Nations’ children’s miss school and putting girls in particu- RUNDI focuses on four rural regions of agency said over the weekend. lar danger as they walk miles in search of the landlocked East African nation that Plans call for the project, BEYGOOD- wells. has been wracked by civil unrest and vio- 4BURUNDI, to help build wells and im- One of the most popular singers in lence as well as drought and malnutrition. prove hygiene education and water and the world, Beyonce has sold more than It was plunged into crisis in April 2015 sanitation facilities in schools, Unicef 100mn records as a solo artist. when President Pierre Nkurunziza said and the US star said in online statements. She has three children, including he planned to run for a third term, which Two in fi ve people in Burundi in East twins born earlier this month, with her the opposition said was unconstitution- Africa have no access to clean water, and husband, rap star and entrepreneur Jay al and violated a peace deal that had end- water- and sanitation-related diseases Z. ed the country’s civil war 10 years earlier. are among the leading causes of death “This unique partnership combines Nkurunziza was re-elected, but some among children in the nation of 12mn Unicef’s decades of expertise in provid- opponents took up arms. people, they said. ing clean water to children in Burundi At least 700 people have been killed, One in 12 children in Burundi dies be- and around the world with the power and and rights groups estimate more than fore age 5, according to Unicef. infl uence of the entertainment world to 400,000 people have been forced from “Access to water is a fundamental bring about social change,” said Caryl their homes. Beyonce ... star power Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 7 AMERICAS Businesses Land ahoy are warned of hacking campaign

Reuters anxious about threat that Toronto hackers pose to their opera- tions. Industrial fi rms, including he US government power providers and other warned industrial fi rms utilities, have been particu- Tthis week about a hack- larly worried about the po- ing campaign targeting the tential for destructive cyber nuclear and energy sectors, attacks since December 2016, the latest event to highlight when hackers cut electricity the power industry’s vulner- in Ukraine. ability to cyber attacks. US nuclear power genera- Since at least May, hackers tors PSEG, SCANA Corp and used tainted “phishing” e- Entergy Corp said they were mails to “harvest credentials” not impacted by the recent so they could gain access to cyber attacks. networks of their targets, ac- SCANA’s V C Summer cording to a joint report from nuclear plant in South the USDepartment of Home- Carolina shut down on land Security and Federal Bu- Thursday due to a problem reau of Investigation. with a valve in the non-nu- The report provided to the clear portion of the plant, a The Cunard cruise liner RMS Queen Mary 2 arrives in New York yesterday after passing under the Verrazano bridge, finish line of The Bridge 2017, a transatlantic industrial fi rms was reviewed spokesman said. race between the cruise liner and the world’s fastest trimarans from Saint-Nazaire to New York City. by Reuters on Friday. While Another nuclear power disclosing attacks, and warn- generator, Dominion Energy, ing that in some cases hackers said it does not comment on succeeded in compromising cyber security. the networks of their targets, Two cyber security fi rms it did not identify any specifi c said on June 12 that they had victims. identifi ed the malicious soft- “Historically, cyber actors ware used in the Ukraine at- have strategically targeted tack, which they dubbed the energy sector with vari- Industroyer, warning that it ous goals ranging from cyber could be easily modifi ed to Gunman kills doctor, espionage to the ability to attack utilities in the United disrupt energy systems in the States and Europe. event of a hostile confl ict,” the Industroyer is only the report said. second piece of malware un- Homeland Security and FBI covered to date that is capa- offi cials could not be reached ble of disrupting industrial for comment on the report, processes without the need wounds 6 in Bronx which was dated June 28. The for hackers to manually in- report was released during a tervene. The gunman was a doctor who lost his later worked briefl y as a pharmacy tech- week of heavy hacking activ- The fi rst, Stuxnet, was dis- job and was a native of Nigeria nician for Metropolitan Hospital Center ity. covered in 2010 and is widely in Manhattan in 2012, according to David A virus dubbed “NotPetya” believed by security research- Reuters Wims, a lawyer who represented Bello attacked on Tuesday, spread- ers to have been used by the New York in an unemployment insurance claim ing from initial infections in United States and Israel to against that hospital. Ukraine to businesses around attack Iran’s nuclear pro- In a telephone interview, Wims told Re- the globe. gramme. doctor who had lost his job at a uters Bello was injured on the job at Met- It encrypted data on infect- The US government report New York City hospital opened ropolitan a few months after being hired, ed machines, rendering them said attackers conducted re- Afi re with an assault rifl e inside the then went on leave and never returned. inoperable and disrupting ac- connaissance to gain infor- building on Friday, killing another physi- In a decision upheld by the state’s ap- tivity at ports, law fi rms and mation about the individu- cian and wounding six other people before pellate court division, Bello ultimately factories. als whose computers they taking his own life in a burst of apparent was denied unemployment benefi ts on On Tuesday the energy- sought to infect so that they workplace-related violence, offi cials said. grounds he quit without good cause. industry news site E&E News create “decoy documents” The gunman, wearing a white medical Wims said he remembered Bello as “an reported that US investigators on topics of interest to their lab coat, stalked two fl oors of the Bronx- even-keeled, respectful, humble person” were looking into cyber intru- targets. Lebanon Hospital Center, in the New York and knew nothing of his history at the sions this year at multiple nu- In an analysis, it described borough of the Bronx, and tried to set Bronx hospital. clear power generators. 11 fi les used in the attacks, in- himself on fi re before police searching the Details about the shooting were still Reuters has not confi rmed cluding malware downloaders building found him dead of a self-infl ict- sketchy. Authorities said the rampage un- details of the E&E News re- and tools that allow the hack- ed gunshot, Police Commissioner James folded shortly before 3pm when the gun- port, which said there was no ers to take remote control of O’Neill said. man went on a rampage on the 16th and evidence safety systems had victim’s computers and travel One female physician was shot to death, 17th fl oors of the hospital. been compromised at aff ected across their networks. and six other people were wounded, fi ve Police officers gather outside Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. He and the slain physician both were plants. Chevron Corp, Exxon Mobil seriously, including one who was shot in found on the 17th fl oor, while the six oth- The activity described in Corp and ConocoPhillips, the the leg, O’Neill said at a news conference. 28 hurt in nightclub shooting er victims were found on the 16th fl oor, the US government report three largest USoil producers, Mayor Bill de Blasio characterised the O’Neill said. comes at a time when indus- declined to comment on their shooting as an “isolated incident” that Twenty-five people were shot and three others injured in an early morning nightclub shoot- The incident sent waves of panic trial fi rms are particularly network security. appeared to be “a workplace-related mat- ing in the southern US state of Arkansas, police said yesterday. throughout the hospital, and police ter.” He said that it was “not an act of ter- Police in the city of Little Rock had initially said that 17 people were shot when gunfire rang swarmed the building searching for the rorism”. out inside the downtown Power Ultra Lounge nightclub around 2.30am (0730 GMT). gunman. “One doctor is dead, and there are sev- They updated the toll later Saturday to 25 shot and three with unrelated injuries, adding “People were running. People were eral doctors who are fi ghting for their lives on Twitter that “ALL are expected to survive”. “We do NOT believe this incident was an afraid,” said Jane Vachara, 50, a clerical right now amongst those who are wound- active shooter or terror related incident,” police said. “It appears to have been a dispute at associate on the ninth fl oor, who said she Illinois man charged ed,” de Blasio told reporters. “This is a a concert.” Authorities did not immediately release any names or information on a suspect huddled with colleagues in a locker room horrifi c situation unfolding in the middle or suspects. “Little Rock’s crime problem appears to be intensifying,” Arkansas Governor for about an hour. of a place that people associate with care Asa Hutchinson said in a statement, decrying “this senseless violent tragedy”. He promised Adding to the pandemonium was the in abduction of student and comfort.” state resources to help “support local law enforcement eff orts”. Little Rock Mayor Mark gunman’s attempt to set himself ablaze, “Even in the midst of his horror, there Stodola thanked first responders and hospitals on Facebook. which apparently triggered the hospi- were many, many acts of heroism,” de “My heart is broken this morning — my prayers are with the victims of this tragedy,” he said. tal’s fi re alarm system and halted eleva- Reuters On June 9, Zhang went to Blasio said. “All of the personnel at Bronx- According to the nightclub website, an artist by the name of Finese 2 Tymes was scheduled tor service, hampering eff orts by first re- Illinois sign a lease for an apartment Lebanon Hospital, whose day went from to perform. sponders to reach victims and evacuate in Urbana, but missed a con- normal to horrifying in a matter of sec- the building. necting mass transit bus. onds — the doctors, the nurses, all the One ambulance worker, Robert Maldo- n Illinois man was As she waited for the next personnel, responded with extraordinary an interview with WABC News, identifi ed graduate in order to gain experience so he nado, told WCBS television that he and charged on Friday with bus, a motorist in a black Sat- bravery, cool professionalism. They pro- the gunman as Dr Henry Bello and said he could be fully licensed, but that permit his partner had to carry a bleeding patient Aabducting a Chinese urn Astra pulled up and she tected each other. They protected their had been fi red by the hospital. Other me- expired a year ago, the Times reported. down nine fl ights of stairs to safety, ap- student who investigators got in the vehicle, according to patients.” dia reports said Bello was 45 years of age. It said he also had a pharmacy techni- plying pressure to the man’s wound on the believe is now dead, a court an affi davit. O’Neill said the gunman was armed The New York Times and the New York cian license from California. way down. document showed. Authorities matched the with an assault rifl e. Neither the mayor Daily News reported, citing unnamed The Daily News said he had been a phar- Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, lo- Brendt Christensen, 28, vehicle with Christensen’s car, nor police immediately identifi ed the sus- sources, that Bello had resigned from the macy tech at the hospital before he quit in cated about 1.6km north of Yankee Sta- was arrested by FBI agents in the document showed. pect or any of the victims. O’Neill said hospital rather than face termination over 2015. dium, is the largest voluntary, non-profi t Champaign on Friday. Christensen told investiga- the gunman was a former employee of the accusations of sexual harassment. A native of Nigeria, Bello earned a med- healthcare system serving the South and He will remain in cus- tors on June 15 that he picked 972-bed hospital. Bello had received a limited permit ical degree from Ross University on the Central Bronx, as well as one of the city’s tody until he appears in fed- up an “Asian” woman who ap- Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, in to practice as an international medical Caribbean island nation of Dominica and biggest providers of outpatient services. eral court tomorrow to face a peared to be in distress. charge of kidnapping in the He also said he let her out of disappearance of Yingying his vehicle a few blocks later Zhang, 26, on June 9, the Uni- after she panicked when he versity of Illinois Police De- made a wrong turn, the affi da- partment said in a statement. vit said. Disastrous Bahamas Fyre festival organiser arrested The arrest came a day after Investigators found Chris- hundreds marched in sup- tensen visited a forum on a port of Zhang, a scholar in fetish website entitled “Ab- AFP hundreds of partygoers — some “McFarland allegedly pre- “In the end, the very public around — setting off mockery in photosynthesis and crop pro- duction 101” with sub-threads New York paying more than $100,000 sented fake documents to induce failure of the Fyre Festival sig- corners of the Internet over the ductivity who came to study “Perfect adbuctin fantasy” each — arrived only to fi nd relief- investors to put over a million nalled that something just wasn’t high prices many had paid. at University of Illinois two and “planning a kidnapping”. camp style tents and rudimen- dollars into his company and right, as we allege in detail today.” Organisers admitted they were months ago, according to lo- Investigators also found the he tech entrepreneur be- tary sandwiches rather than the the fi asco called the Fyre Festi- Prosecutors say McFarland’s “simply in over our heads”, say- cal media. passenger’s door of Chris- hind a music festival in the promised lavish experience. val. Thanks to the investigative fraudulent scheme sought to ing they were overwhelmed by Her father and other family tensen’s car had been recently TBahamas that was billed as The festival, led by McFarland eff orts of the FBI, McFarland get at least two people to invest the numbers arriving as trans- members travelled from China cleaned, and that Christensen a luxury getaway but collapsed in and New York rapper Ja Rule, was will now have to answer for his about $1.2mn in his Fyre Me- port jammed up and high winds to Champaign to join in the had been heard on an audio chaos in April has been arrested billed as “the cultural experience crimes.” dia and a related entity by lying knocked down half of the origi- search for Zhang. recording explaining he had and charged with wire fraud, of the decade”. The organisers In seeking to drive up his busi- about Fyre Media’s revenue and nal tents. Ja Rule apologised but “There are no words that kidnapped Zhang and had held prosecutors said. eventually apologised, announc- ness, McFarland “truly put on income. insisted he was not to blame. can explain why or how such her in his apartment. William McFarland, 25, was ing that all festival goers would a show, misrepresenting the fi - A $100mn class action lawsuit The government of the Baha- a terrible thing should happen “Based on this, and other due for a hearing yesterday be- be refunded. nancial status of his businesses on behalf of those who purchased mas, a country of more than 700 nor is there anything I might facts uncovered during the in- fore US Magistrate Judge Kevin “William McFarland promised in order to rake in lucrative in- tickets was fi led in May in Cali- islands and cays where tourism is say that will ease the grief of vestigation of this matter, law Fox in New York. He faces up to a ‘life changing’ music festival vestment deals”, said William fornia federal court. the largest industry, also apolo- any of you who knew her,” enforcement does not believe 20 years in prison if convicted. but in actuality delivered a disas- Sweeney, assistant director in Numerous festivalgoers posted gised and assisted in evacua- university Chancellor Robert (Zhang) is still alive,” the doc- The Fyre Festival was scrapped ter,” US Attorney Joon Kim said in charge of the FBI’s New York pictures of shambolic scenes as tions — but stressed it was not Jones said in a statement. ument said. on its fi rst day, April 28, after a statement. Field Offi ce. they arrived and quickly turned involved directly in the event. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, July 2, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

REPATRIATED SPACE ATTACK WEATHER US returns looted royal China prepares to launch Suspected militant shot Over 260,000 displaced as seals to South Korea heavy-lift carrier rocket dead after stabbing cops rains lash central China

South Korean President Moon Jae-In is returning China is preparing to launch today a powerful Indonesian police shot dead a suspected militant More than 260,000 people have been displaced from an off icial visit to Washington with two rocket as the country presses on with its after he stabbed two policemen inside a mosque after continuous heavy rain lashed central China’s ancient royal seals looted during the Korean War. ambitious space program. Designed to lift space near the national police headquarters in Jakarta, Hunan Province since June 22, the provincial The repatriation of the Chosun dynasty antiques, station components, deep-space probes and less than a week after an Islamist attack on flood control off ice has said. Floods hit Xiangjiang dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, comes communication satellites into orbit, the Long security forces. The attacker had just finished and Zijiang rivers in Hunan, the Hunan Provincial after years of campaigning by South Korea, which March-5 Y2 is Beijing’s second heavy-lift rocket praying with several policemen and other Flood Control and Drought Relief Off ice said, (From left) Kim Yeon-Soo, director of the said they were stolen during the 1950-53 war. The able to carry up to 25 tonnes — or around the worshippers Friday night when he stabbed the according to Xinhua. A 20m long dike of the Taxi National Palace Museum of Korea, and Chosun dynasty, who cultivated a ruling philosophy same weight as 16 cars. It will take off from the two off icers and screamed ‘infidel’, said national river, a small branch of Zijiang river, burst due to South Korean lawmaker An Min-Suk pose drawn from Confucianism, governed from 1392 to Wenchang launch centre in the tropical island police spokesman Rikwanto. The perpetrator ran the prolonged rainfall and flood discharging of a with Thomas Homan, acting director of US 1910. One of the seals was made in 1547 to honor province of Hainan, carrying the new Shijian-18 to a nearby crowded bus terminal and refused reservoir upstream, according to a local off icial. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Queen Munjeong (1501-1565), the third wife of experimental communications satellite, state to surrender. The two police off icers, stabbed in The flood discharge has been slowed to handle during a handover ceremony of two ancient Chosun Dynasty’s 11th king, Jungjong. The other is broadcaster CGTN reported yesterday. It said the the neck and face, are being treated at a local the breach and evacuate residents. More than Korean royal seals at South Korea’s embassy in a jade block created in 1651 to commemorate the satellite will operate on geosynchronous orbit and hospital. The motive and identity of the attacker 70 people used sandbags to secure the dikes of Washington on Friday. installation of the crown prince of King Hyojong. provide communications services over China. are still being examined, police said. Zijiang in Taojiang County on Friday night.

5 N Koreans Xi talks tough on Hong Kong sail across

Reuters posed one of the greatest populist tense border Hong Kong challenges to Beijing in decades. In the afternoon, tens of thou- sands gathered in sweltering heat in a to the South hinese President Xi Jinping yes- sprawling park named after Britain’s terday swore in Hong Kong’s Queen Victoria, demanding Xi allow Cnew leader with a stark warning universal suff rage. AFP that Beijing won’t tolerate any chal- Organisers put the fi gure at more Seoul lenge to its authority in the divided city than 60,000. as it marked the 20th anniversary of its “Xi shouldn’t be interfering in Hong return from Britain to China. Kong too much,” Peter Lau, a 20-year- ive North Koreans in a small boat Police blocked roads, preventing old university student, said. yesterday crossed the sea border pro-democracy protesters from get- “Despite him visiting garrisons and Finto South Korean waters, a Coast ting to the harbour-front venue close muscle-fl exing, Hong Kong people’s Guard offi cial said, in an apparent bid to where the last colonial governor, confi dence will never be shaken. Espe- to defect to the South. Chris Patten, tearfully handed back cially for our generation. We should... The fi ve people, including four men Hong Kong to China in the pouring fi ght for our freedom.” and one woman, have expressed their rain in 1997. Some demonstrators marched with wish to live in the South as defectors, Xi said Hong Kong should crack yellow umbrellas, a symbol of demo- the Yonhap news agency reported. down on moves towards “Hong Kong cratic activism in the city, and held “Coast guards guided the boat to independence”. banners denouncing China’s Commu- safety at (the eastern port of) Mukho,” “Any attempt to endanger China’s nist “one party rule”. a South Korean coast guard offi cial told sovereignty and security, challenge Others criticised China’s Foreign AFP. the power of the central government... Ministry which on Friday said the Government authorities were ques- or use Hong Kong to carry out infi ltra- “Joint Declaration” with Britain over tioning the fi ve North Koreans, he tion and sabotage activities against Hong Kong, a treaty laying the blue- added. the mainland is an act that crosses the print over how the city would be ruled The incident came after a North Ko- red line and is absolutely impermissi- after 1997, “no longer has any practical rean fi shing boat with eight people on ble,” Xi said. signifi cance”. board developed an engine trouble and He also referred to the “humiliation At the end of the rally a simple white drifted into South Korean waters off the and sorrow” China suff ered during the banner read: “Cry in grief for 20 years.” country’s eastern coast late last month. fi rst Opium War in the early 1840s that Xi in the morning addressed a Days later, South Korea repatriated led to ceding Hong Kong to the British. packed hall of mostly pro-Beijing es- all the eight, as they had requested. Hong Kong has been wracked by tablishment fi gures, after swearing in Early last month, two people out of demands for full democracy and, more Hong Kong’s fi rst female leader, Car- four crew members on another North recently, by calls by some pockets of rie Lam, who was strongly backed by Korean fi shing boat which drifted to protesters for independence, a subject China. the South refused to return home. that is anathema to Beijing. Xi hinted that the central govern- They were allowed resettle in the Xi’s speech was his strongest yet ment was in favour of Hong Kong South. to the city amid concerns over what introducing “national security” leg- There has also been a spate of over- some perceive as increased meddling islation, a controversial issue that land border crossings in June. by Beijing, illustrated in recent years brought nearly half a million people Two North Korean soldiers walked by the abduction by mainland agents to the streets in protest in 2003 and across the heavily fortifi ed border and of some Hong Kong booksellers and ultimately forced former leader Tung a civilian swam across a river to defect Beijing’s eff orts in disqualifying two Chee-hwa to step down. to the South. pro-independence lawmakers elected A small group of pro-democracy to the city legislature. A cardboard cut-out of China’s President Xi Jinping holding a yellow umbrella, a symbol of the 2014 ‘Umbrella Movement’, activists near the venue were roughed “It’s a more frank and pointed way being carried during a protest march in Hong Kong yesterday, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover up by a group of men who smashed up Aussie teens charged of dealing with the problems,” said from British to Chinese rule. some props in ugly scuffl es. former senior Hong Kong government Nine democracy protesters, includ- with weapons off ences adviser Lau Siu-kai on Hong Kong’s mocracy protests in 2014 that grabbed The hardening stance of the demo- wide-ranging autonomy for “at least ing student leader Joshua Wong and Cable Television. global headlines with clashes and tear crats and Beijing could perhaps widen, 50 years” after 1997 under a “one lawmaker “long hair” Leung Kwok- ustralian counter terrorism po- “The central government’s power gas rising between waterfront sky- spawning greater radicalism, though country, two systems” formula praised hung, were bundled into police vans lice yesterday charged two teen- hasn’t been suffi ciently respected... scrapers. some activists also concede a spread- by Xi. while several pro-China groups re- Aage men with selling weapons they’re concerned about this.” Xi did not make contact with the ing disillusionment has sapped mo- It also specifi es universal suff rage as mained, cheering loudly and waving and drugs, saying they were on the pe- The tightly choreographed visit was people in the street or with any pro-de- mentum among the democracy move- an eventual goal. red China fl ags. riphery of a large number of terror sus- full of pro-China rhetoric amid a vir- mocracy voices, forgoing an opportu- ment since Xi came to power. But Beijing’s refusal to grant full The activists, in a later statement, pects being monitored. tually unprecedented security lock- nity to lower the political heat through Under the mini-constitution, the democracy triggered the nearly three said the assailants had been “pro-Be- The two 18-year-olds were arrested down close to the scene of pro-de- a softer, more nuanced approach. Basic Law, Hong Kong is guaranteed months of street protests in 2014 that ijing triad members”. in a western suburb of Sydney on Friday and charged with 17 off ences, including the unauthorised supply of fi rearms and fi rearm parts. “Clear links between these suspects, the criminal element and the terror- Myanmar aid worker hacked to death in latest Rakhine killing ist element are evident,” Dave Hudson, deputy commissioner of the New South Wales state police, told reporters in AFP tant uprising in October 2016. dragged yesterday out of his home on known as the Arakan Rohingya Sal- the advantage of the insurgents. Sydney yesterday. Yangon More than 75,000 Rohingya fl ed the 29 June and hacked to death by “about vation Army (ARSA), denied respon- “What is clear is that across north- “Police took the opportunity to try to army campaign, which UN investiga- 10 terrorists wearing black masks and sibility for the killings and accused ern Rakhine state there is a systematic control the supply of these fi rearms and tors say was so ruthless it may amount holding hatchets and knives”. Myanmar authorities of trying to dis- eff ort underway to take out Muslims remove them from the streets.” local employee with an inter- to a crime against humanity. The victim, 34-year-old Nu Islam, credit their movement. who are in some way connected to or A staunch US ally, Australia has national aid group in Myan- While the region has stabilised in worked for Community and Family The ARSA says it is fi ghting for perceived to be connected to authori- been on heightened alert for attacks Amar’s confl ict-torn Rakhine recent months the government has Services International (CFSI), a hu- the political rights of the Rohingya, a ties,” he told AFP. by home-grown radicals and militants State was stabbed to death by “terror- documented at least 60 cases of civil- manitarian group based in Philippines. stateless Muslim minority, who have The crisis in Rakhine has heaped glo- since 2014, having suff ered several ists”, the government said yesterday, ian murders or abductions since Octo- The organisation was working on endured years of discrimination and bal pressure on Suu Kyi, who has disap- “lone wolf” assaults. the latest in a spate of grisly killings ber, with an uptick recent weeks. child protection and education serv- persecution in Buddhist-majority pointed rights groups by defending the The country has seen a spate of ar- blamed on Rohingya militants. Most killings have targeted local ices in northern Rakhine, according Myanmar. army’s crackdown on the Rohingya. rests and charges against radicalised Northern Rakhine has been gripped leaders or other suspected collabora- to the statement from the offi ce of de Richard Horsey, an independent Her government has also rejected a youths. The public has been assured by crisis ever since the military tors with the state. facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. analyst based in Myanmar, said it was UN probe of the alleged atrocities car- there is no imminent security threat launched a brutal crackdown on Ro- The government said a local aid In recent weeks a Twitter account not “100% clear” who was behind the ried out by soldiers, vowing this week associated with the arrests. Both men hingya Muslims in response to a mili- worker in northern Rakhine was that claims to represent the militants, killings but that they appear to play to to deny visas to the fact-fi nding team. have been refused bail.

Thailand backtracks on labour law Fishing season opens Local fishermen raise Chinese AFP work force remains undocumented undocumented worker they hire. national flags as the Bangkok and vulnerable to exploitation by In Samut Sakhon, a seafood in- fishing season is traffi ckers and unscrupulous em- dustry hub known as “Little Burma” opened in Hongze ployers. for its concentration of Myanmar Lake after a five- hailand’s military govern- On Friday the junta said it would migrant workers, around 500 la- month hiatus in ment said yesterday it will suspend parts of a new foreign la- bourers have been returning home Huai’an, Jiangsu Tdelay enforcing new labour bour law, which came into eff ect on daily during the past week, said province, China. regulations after thousands of mi- June 23, for 120 days after the regu- Suthasinee Kaewleklai from the grant workers fl ed to neighbouring lations sparked a panic among mi- Migrant Worker Rights Network countries last week fearing arrest grant workers and their employers. (MWRN). and heavy fi nes under the new de- “(During this window) there will “These workers don’t have any cree. be no arrests or crackdown on illegal documents and have to return to The scramble is the latest chaos workers except for those who vio- Myanmar as they fear needing to pay triggered by Thailand’s eff orts to late human traffi cking laws,” Deputy a heavy fi ne,” she told AFP. regulate the millions of foreign Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam The advocacy group also warned workers who prop up its economy told reporters. that traffi ckers frequently profi t with jobs in factories, fi shing boats The reprieve comes after thou- from such mass movements of mi- and other low-paid work. sands of labourers fl ed home to grants, with smugglers and border The junta has trumpeted a fl urry neighbouring Myanmar and Cam- agents exacting fees from undocu- of campaigns aimed at registering bodia fearing arrest and fi nes of up mented workers looking for a safe migrant workers and cracking down to $3,000 under the law which pun- passage home. on illegal smuggling routes, but the ishes migrant workers lacking valid A police chief in Myanmar’s Karen eff orts are often ad-hoc and short- work permits. state said around 6,000 migrant lived. Employers can also be fi ned up workers had returned home from As a result, much of the migrant to 800,000 baht ($24,000) for each Thailand since Thursday. Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 9 BRITAIN

Mayor calls for Anti-austerity march untainted offi cials to run crisis-hit council

The Evening Standard Khan said residents could, London by the time of next May’s lo- cal elections, have evidence from the public inquiry and ondon Mayor Sadiq be better informed before Khan has called for com- choosing their next council- Lmissioners “untainted” lors. by failings in the aftermath of Referencing Thursday’s the Grenfell Tower disaster to council meeting which was take over the running of the adjourned when press were council. eventually allowed to enter the Kensington and Chelsea room, he wrote: “Following council leader Nicholas Paget- yesterday evening’s shambolic Brown resigned on Friday amid council cabinet meeting, it is growing criticism of the ad- self-evident that the leader- ministration in the aftermath ship of the council has lost the of the fi re. trust of local residents. At least 80 people are be- “Without this trust, the lieved to have been killed council cannot eff ectively when a huge fire broke out at serve them or meet its respon- Grenfell Tower on Wednes- sibilities. day, June 14. It is also clear that a change Khan said changing the in leadership from amongst leadership from within the the existing councillors will existing members of Kensing- not address this situation — in ton and Chelsea council would fact it may aggravate it further, not address the “fundamental as it fails to address the funda- breakdown in trust that has mental breakdown in trust that taken place”. He has written to has taken place. Prime Minister Theresa May “Therefore, I believe the urging her to appoint people government has no option who will be empathetic to the but to immediately appoint situation facing survivors of commissioners to take over the disaster. the running of Kensington The mayor said: “It is cru- and Chelsea council until the cial that the commissioners residents of the borough can are people of high standing choose, at next May’s council and probity, have a genuine elections, who they wish to empathy for local people and represent and serve them. the situation they face, and be “By this time, the evidence untainted, so that all residents from the Public Inquiry should of Kensington and Chelsea can enable voters to make an in- Protesters march through central London as they take part in an anti-austerity demonstration. have confi dence in them and formed choice about the skills the manner in which they were required in the councillors appointed. they elect.” “These commissioners Khan said he made the plea should serve the local commu- to the prime minister “with re- nity who deserve to know that gret” but said he believed trust decisions will be taken prop- had broken down so severely erly, in an open and account- that the government must in- able way.” tervene. Most visits to the GP ‘a Teenager who knifed boy facing jail waste of doctors’ time’ Most patients could care for a record rate of closures last year, “A record number of practices “We know that one in four why under-resourcing general The Evening Standard fore launching his deadly at- themselves, says the BMA when nearly 200 practices shut closed last year — not surprising GP appointments are avoidable practice is so damaging for the London tack. their doors, despite a stark rise in with one in three practices un- — that’s for patients who could NHS.” Within seconds of their The Evening Standard patients seeking care. able to fi ll GP vacancies.” have self-cared, or seen another Medics at the conference also confrontation, the Year 11 pu- London Speaking at the BMA’s annual He added: “General practice professional, or appointments unanimously passed a motion teenager who lay in pil was heard shouting that he conference in Bournemouth on remains on the brink of collapse, taken up for inappropriate or bu- calling for more money to be wait before stabbing a was going to be stabbed and Wednesday, Dr Nagpaul called since fundamentally demand to- reaucratic purposes. made available for GP surgeries A15-year-old to death ran from the teenager back to- quarter of all GP appoint- for the Government to help “lib- tally outstrips our impoverished “The priority must therefore “as a matter of urgency” . They moments after he left the gates wards school. ments are “avoidable” erate” doctors from needless ap- capacity. be to liberate these appointments also called for a “rapid” expan- of his school is facing jail. He was knifed repeatedly in Awith doctors forced to pointments. “We’re seeing 50mn more pa- — that would in eff ect increase sion of the workforce. Quamari Barnes was knifed his back, shoulder and upper waste millions of hours a year on He said: “Every wasted GP ap- tients annually in general prac- GP capacity by 25%, far greater The motion, presented by Dr repeatedly before collapsing leg in front of stunned wit- “inappropriate or bureaucratic” pointment is an appointment de- tice compared to fi ve years ago, than the political mirage of 5,000 Richard Vaughtry, who is to be- just yards from the gates of the nesses before his killer fl ed the consultations, according to a nied to a sick patient.” with increasing care moving more GPs — remembering that come acting chairman of the Capital City Academy school scene, leaving the youngster leading medic. The doctor, who is to take over into the community and a grow- every wasted GP appointment is union’s General Practice Com- in Willesden in front of horri- for dead. One in four patients who as chair of the BMA council later ing older population — yet latest an appointment denied to a sick mittee later this week, said that fi ed onlookers. Schoolchildren who wit- visit their doctor could care for this week, accused ministers of fi gures show that today we have patient. “the current workload pressure A 15-year-old was found nessed the horrifi c attack themselves at home, be seen by turning a “blind eye” to patients fewer GPs per head than then. “Not wasting GP appoint- in general practice is unsafe and guilty of his murder following rushed to the Quamari’s aid another health professional or by ignoring pleas from the pro- “This mismatch has resulted ments is also key to addressing unsustainable”. He added: “Gen- a trial at the Old Bailey on June following the incident just be- does not need treatment, said Dr fession. in unmanageable workload with hospital pressures, since just eral practice is in crisis and the 30. fore 3.30pm on January 23. Chaand Nagpaul, the new head He told delegates: “The indi- over eight in 10 GPs saying they a six per cent reduction in GP facts speak for themselves. The killer, who has not been Police and paramedics were of the British Medical Associa- vidual GP practice unit is fright- can’t provide safe care, which appointment capacity would “Patients are waiting longer named because of his age, was scrambled to the scene and tion (BMA.) eningly vulnerable, with one in 10 is an indictment of government double the number of patients and longer to get a routine GP ap- seen loitering and peering rushed him hospital, where he He warned GP services were practices surveyed saying they’re policy that promotes safety in the attending A&E if they went pointment and yet 200 practices through the school gates be- died hours later. on the “brink of collapse” amid not fi nancially sustainable. NHS. there instead — highlighting closed last year.” Tanker, cargo ship collide off Britain

AFP Lille, France

n oil tanker and a cargo ship collided yesterday off Brit- Aain in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, but no in- juries or spills have been reported, authorities said. The tanker had 38,000 tonnes of petrol on board at the time of the collision with a 220m cargo boat in the Strait of Dover, which is where the North Sea and the Channel meet. “Although both vessels have been damaged, there is no water ingress and no pollution,” Brit- ain’s maritime and coastguard agency said. “There are no in- juries and all of the crew are ac- counted for.” Photos released by French mari- time authorities showed extensive damage to the side of the tanker Seafrontier, which had 27 people on board. The Huyan Endeavour cargo ship was able to continue on its way. “We don’t know the circum- stances of the accident,” a French The tanker Seafrontier following a collision with the cargo ship Huayan Endeavour in waters between France and Britain. maritime authority source told AFP. headed for Lagos and Seafron- were sailing under a Hong Kong than 400 commercial ships. sandbanks, narrowness and re- “The weather conditions were tier was bound for Puerto Barrios, fl ag. On top of that pleasure and fi sh- duced visibility caused by fog. not bad, but the area where the Guatemala, Britain’s maritime and The Strait of Dover is one of ing vessels also sail in the zone. The Sea Frontier may head collision happened is relatively coastguard agency said. the busiest shipping lanes in French maritime authorities to a French or Dutch port for narrow, with lots of traffi c.” The vessels have Chinese and the world, used daily by about a said sailing in the area can also repairs, the French maritime The Huyan Endeavour was Indian crews on board and both quarter of global traffic or more be dangerous given its changing source said. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, July 2, 2017 BRITAIN Adele Tower view cancels fi nal two shows Adele is likely to stop touring you. It wouldn’t be the real me entirely up there,” she wrote. Apologising to fans, the AFP balladeer added that refunds London would be available if she was unable to reschedule. ritish songstress Adele Adele has in the past spoken yesterday cancelled the candidly about how diffi cult Bfi nal two shows of her she fi nds touring and hinted on sold-out world tour scheduled Thursday that she may retire to take place in London’s Wem- from live performances after bley stadium this weekend due these Wembley concerts. The Houses of Parliament and the London Eye are seen from the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, in central London, yesterday. to damaged vocal cords. “Touring is a peculiar thing. “I went to see my throat doc- It doesn’t suit me particularly tor this evening because my well,” said a handwritten note voice didn’t open up at all today included in Thursday’s concert and it turns out I have damaged programme, which several fans my vocal cords,” Adele wrote in posted on social media. a statement on her Twitter ac- “I’m a real homebody and count. I get so much joy in the small Slovenian woman: I feel like a “And on medical advice I things. Plus I’m dramatic and simply am unable to perform have a terrible history of tour- over the weekend. To say I’m ing,” she wrote. heart broken would be a com- “I wanted my fi nal shows to plete understatement,” she be in London because I don’t ‘second-tier human’ after Brexit added. know if I’ll ever tour again and The singer said she “strug- so I want my last time to be at gled vocally” during her fi rst home,” she added. The Evening Standard did not give her name but said and some of them were not hap- were eff ectively at the back of on the NHS and £350mn was a two shows at Wembley stadium But her “25” tour saw her London she had lived in the UK for py at his presence. the queue.” mistake,” said Farage. “If they on Wednesday and Thursday packing areas across Europe, more than 30 years and was She said: “I knew the way the Asked by Duncan Smith had said £200mn it would have where she performed both North America, Australia and now retired, said that the ref- vote was going to go because I whether he felt “a sense of been legit.” nights in front of a sold-out New Zealand. tearful woman from erendum result felt like “being was attacked on a train by two sympathy” for the Slovenian Another woman, apparently crowd of 100,000, and that she In Los Angeles, she broke a Slovenia confronted Ni- dumped by my spouse on so- Essex blokes who told me to go woman, Farage said: “There was referring to Farage’s comments had “even considered miming”. record by selling out eight con- Agel Farage on live radio, cial media”. back to my country, four weeks horrendous abuse during the about feeling uncomfortable “But I’ve never done it and I secutive shows at the Staples telling him that the Brexit vote “I was up all night, I saw the before the election.” campaign on both sides. when he heard foreign voices in cannot in a mn years do that to Center. has her feeling like a “second- results, I saw you on the telly,” Apparently struggling to hold A lot of people behaved very a railway carriage, told him: “I’m tier human being” in the UK. she told Farage. “I felt as if I was back tears, she added: “I feel badly and I don’t approve of that from Romania, so I hope you are The woman, one of 27 guests dumped by my spouse on social that I am gradually becoming a at all.” not too scared at being so close.” from the 27 remaining EU states media. I felt personally insulted. second-tier human being. His reference to bad behav- Responding to several guests to take part in a Radio 2 debate I felt personally hurt. I go to our NHS hospital and iour “on both sides” provoked who said they no longer felt as hosted by Iain Duncan Smith, “I felt like I no longer be- every single Commonwealth mutterings of disbelief from welcome in Britain and were told the former Ukip leader how longed to this country after all citizen who works there looks at some of the studio guests. concerned about their future she had been attacked and told this time. me completely diff erently. Farage also repeated his criti- positions, the former Ukip lead- to go back to her country in the I have to tell you, I didn’t want “We are being treated diff er- cism of Boris Johnson’s claim er insisted: “We are not sticking days before last year’s referen- to see a single person who spoke ently than we were before.” that Britain hands over £350mn up two fi ngers to the rest of the dum. English that day — fortunately, Farage replied: “That’s inter- a week to Brussels which could world, we are getting back our The Ukip MEP was also jeered most people I met were other esting, because before the ref- otherwise be spent on the NHS. democratic rights as a nation. by some of the studio guests as foreigners or Irish, so it was OK.” erendum it was Commonwealth It was branded “misleading” “There are 200 countries in he responded that there had The woman told Farage that citizens who felt they were get- by the offi cial statistician but the world that make their own been abuse “on both sides” of the EU guests had been told of ting a rotten deal because any- the foreign secretary has never laws and determine their own the Brexit debate. his involvement in the show body with an EU passport was at retracted it. futures. We are just becoming a The Slovenian woman, who only shortly before going on air, the front of the queue and they “I think the big Boris thing normal country again.”

BA cabin crew begin two-week strike over pay dispute

Reuters Unite trade union has described as “Customers will take a dim view Solicitors Bott & Co said around The mixed fl eet staff make up London “poverty pay”. and a great British brand risks being 400,000 passengers could be af- about a third of the BA’s total cabin Although the pay dispute has further tarnished. fected over the 16-day strike pe- crew of around 16,000, although largely been resolved, Unite said We call on British Airways to riod. not all members of the crew will ome British Airways cabin the walkout, the longest industrial drop the threats and drop the sanc- Willie Walsh, CEO of BA’s par- take action. Unite said that 1,400 crew began a two-week strike action in the row, is a response to tions and resolve this long-running ent company IAG, said on Thurs- mixed fl eet members who had been Syesterday in a prolonged sanctions on union members in- dispute,” Unite national offi cer Ol- day that he expected all passengers on strike previously had seen bonus pay dispute, risking further brand volved in previous industrial ac- iver Richardson said in a statement. to fl y, as BA had applied to use 9 payments and travel concessions damage and travel disruption, al- tion. British Airways warned of fur- Qatar Airways planes, with staff . removed. though the airline said most pas- While the impact on fl ights is ther consequences for those who That application was approved on “We have set out the conse- sengers would be able to fl y. set to be limited, the stand-off is went on strike, but said all custom- Friday. quences for crew if they take strike Members of BA’s “mixed fl eet” another potential threat to the air- ers would reach their destinations. The mixed fl eet crew fi rst threat- action,” British Airways said in a cabin crew — those who work on line’s image a little over a month A full schedule will run from ened to strike over Christmas of statement. both long and short-haul fl ights — after thousands of passengers were Gatwick and London City, while a 2016. Although that was called off , “The purposes of these conse- Adele during the 59th Annual Grammy music Awards in Los have been in confl ict with BA since stranded by a computer systems small number of Heathrow services there have been 26 days of strike quences are to encourage crew to Angeles, California. last year over wage off ers which the outage caused by a power surge. will be merged, BA said. action so far this year. come to work.” Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 11 EUROPE Poland did not invite refugees: Kaczynski

Reuters He also said there was a need Warsaw to reduce the share of foreign capital in the media sector. Italy needs more interna- oland has a moral right to tional support to cope with say ‘no’ to refugees, the a wave of migrants that has Pcountry’s most powerful fl ooded its shores since the politician said yesterday. start of the year, UN refugee Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of chief Filippo Grandi said yes- the ruling party Law and Jus- terday. tice (PiS), gave his views on “What is happening in front immigration at a party con- of our eyes in Italy is an unfold- vention in Przysucha, 100km ing tragedy,” Grandi said in a south of Warsaw. statement. “We have not exploited the “In the course of last week- countries from which these end, 12,600 migrants and refu- refugees are coming to Europe gees arrived on its shores, and these days, we have not used an estimated 2,030 have lost their labour force and fi nally their lives in the Mediterra- we have not invited them to nean since the beginning of the Europe. year.” Aerial view shows the MS Mainz on the Rhine river with the coffin of late former Chancellor Helmut Kohl onboard on its way to Speyer ahead of a memorial service at the We have a full moral right He added: “Italy is playing cathedral in Speyer. to say ‘no’,” Kaczynski said in its part in receiving those res- a speech broadcast on televi- cued and providing asylum to sion. those in need of protection. Last month the European These eff orts must be con- Commission launched a legal tinued and strengthened. case against Poland, Hun- But this cannot be an Italian gary and the Czech Republic problem alone.” for refusing to take in asylum Separately, a source in Paris seekers, highlighting the feud said the interior ministers of within the 28-nation bloc over France, Germany and Italy will Europe pays tribute how to deal with migration. meet in the French capital to- Kaczynski, who has criti- day to discuss a “co-ordinated cised the European Union’s re- approach” to help Italy. location schemes for migrants Faced with rising numbers of on many occasions, also said migrants risking the perilous that the PiS could not be ac- sea crossing to reach Europe, cused of being anti-European, Italy last week threatened to as it backed Poland’s joining close its doors to people arriv- to Helmut Kohl the block in 2004 and now ing on boats with foreign fl ags. appreciates the infl ow of EU Europe had to get fully in- Kohl oversaw the reunification of for his funeral service on Saturday. funds. volved through an “urgent dis- Germany Arrangements to honour Kohl were “The fact that we appreci- tribution system” of migrants clouded by criticism from Kohl’s elder son. ate them (the funds), does not and should widen legal chan- AFP In an interview with Die Zeit weekly he mean that we have lost the nels so that migrants can be Strasbourg, France called the plans “unworthy” of his father’s right to various assessments, admitted, Grandi added. role in Germany’s history. including those regarding the He also called for greater Walter Kohl, whose mother was the late historical context,” Kaczynski international eff orts to tackle uropean leaders joined with former chancellor’s fi rst wife Hannelore Kohl, said, adding that Poland has the causes of the migration, US president Bill Clinton at an emo- criticised the lack of a state funeral, which never received any compensa- protect people and fi ght traf- Etional tribute in Strasbourg yester- was refused by Kohl-Richter. tion for the losses it suff ered fi cking. day for former German chancellor Helmut Kohl married Kohl-Richter, 34 years her during the Second World War. Since the beginning of Kohl, the father of German reunifi cation husband’s junior, when he was 78. During his 70-minute the year, 83,650 people have and a founder of modern-day Europe. One of the reasons for her refusal was speech, the PiS leader suggest- reached Italy by sea, an in- “A giant of the post-war period has left lingering anger at the current chancellor, ed the government increase crease of nearly 20% compared us,” European Commission chief Jean- Angela Merkel, for treatment of her former social spending if the econom- to the same period last year, Claude Juncker said in an oration in French mentor. ic situation allows. according to UN fi gures. and German. Merkel ousted Kohl from the leadership “Helmut Kohl was a German patriot, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) but he was also a European patriot,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other dignitaries attend a pontifical requiem and urged the party to drop him when Juncker, the only current leader in Europe mass for late former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in the cathedral in Speyer. he became embroiled in a party funding to have worked alongside the iconic fi gure. scandal. “Helmut Kohl was not just the architect single currency and ripped away internal Liebe, deine Meike” (With love, Maike). Walter Kohl wanted his father’s coffi n Manhunt for escaped of Germany unity. border controls. The choice of Strasbourg for the cer- to be taken to the German capital for “a He contributed substantially, more than “Helmut Kohl was a privileged part- emony carried great symbolic weight. national homage, an ecumenical requiem others, to the reconciliation between Eu- ner for France, an essential ally, but he A French city on the Rhine border with and a military farewell ceremony” near killer ‘Johnny the Gypsy’ ropean history and European geography.” was also more than that, he was a friend,” Germany, Strasbourg is located in a region the Brandenburg Gate, where the German Kohl, who served as chancellor from French President Emmanuel Macron said. that once was bloodily contested by France leader witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall. 1982 to 1998, died on June 16 at age 87. “We are here to salute his mark in his- and Germany. Because of a long-running feud with his AFP hunt when he failed to return On his watch, the pro-Western and tory.” Its location, along with Brussels, as the stepmother, who jealously guards her hus- Rome to jail at nightfall, the Corriere pro-Soviet states of West and East Ger- The EU fl ag, of 12 gold stars on a blue seat of the European Parliament is an em- band’s political legacy, Walter Kohl had della Sera said. many reunifi ed after the fall of the Berlin background, draped the coffi n of the blem of the post-war reconciliation be- not had contact with his father for many Nicknamed “Johnny the Wall in 1989, becoming one of the stablest former chancellor, which was placed in the tween the two former enemies that was years and said he learned of his death from olice in Italy are hunt- Gypsy” because he was born and most prosperous democracies in the chamber of the European Parliament by a fostered by the EU. a radio report. He said he would not take ing for a multiple mur- into an itinerant family, Masti- world. phalanx of eight German soldiers. The parliament building was ringed by part in the burial in Speyer. Pderer dubbed “Johnny ni killed his fi rst victim in 1975 With former French president Francois Three wreaths were placed in front of steel for the ceremony, with more than Kohl’s death on June 16 was followed on the Gypsy” after he absconded when a robbery went wrong. Mitterrand, Kohl also drove the expansion the casket — one in the colours of the Fed- 2,000 police on duty. Friday by that of Simone Veil, another co- during a day release, Italian He was 15 years old at the and integration of the EU. eral Republic of Germany, the other in the Kohl’s coffin was to be taken by heli- lossus of European history. media reported yesterday. time. Together, they helped to open up its name of the EU, and the third in the name copter to the German city of Ludwig- Veil, a Holocaust survivor and pioneer Giuseppe Mastini, 57, was He would later be accused membership to fl edgling democracies of of Kohl’s wife Maike Kohl-Richter, bear- shafen and then taken by boat down the of women’s rights in France, was the fi rst sentenced to life in jail in 1989 of having played a role in the the former Soviet bloc, create the euro ing a simple inscription in German, “In Rhine to the southwest town of Speyer president of the European Parliament. after a notorious criminal murder of celebrated Italian career of murder, kidnap- poet and fi lmmaker Pier Paolo ping and robbery in which he Pasolini, who had been killed “terrorised Rome” for almost two months earlier. 15 years, La Repubblica daily Mastini has always denied said. any involvement. He had escaped from prison The teenager was taken to a twice in the past and abscond- lock-up for juveniles but ab- Ukraine points fi nger at Russia ed during a previous day re- sconded in 1976 after attacking lease, it said. a guard. The killer, whose life has He was caught and taken to inspired a song and fi lm about another prison, from where he him, had been serving time in escaped again in 1981, before over ‘NotPetya’ cyberattack Fossano prison in northern It- being captured once more in aly but had been on day release 1983. Reuters The malicious code in the virus en- “This testifi es to the involvement of the the fi rst companies to reveal it had been for the last eight months to al- In 1986 Mastini was given a Kiev crypted data on computers, and demand- special services of Russian Federation in compromised by the virus and sources low him to work. day release for good behaviour ed victims pay a $300 ransom, similar to this attack.” told Reuters on Thursday computers at Mastini is believed to have and went on an armed robbery the extortion tactic used in a global Wan- The SBU in an earlier statement on state gas giant Gazprom had also been in- hopped into a car at a station spree which ended in the kid- kraine said yesterday that Russian naCry ransomware attack in May. Friday said it had seized equipment it fected. on Friday morning instead of nap of a girl and the murder of security services were involved in But Ukrainian offi cials and some secu- said belonged to Russian agents in May The SBU’s accusations chime with catching the train to work. two men, one of whom was a Ua recent cyberattack on the coun- rity experts say the ransomware feature and June to launch cyberattacks against some of the fi ndings of the cyber secu- Police launched the man- policeman. try, with the aim of destroying important was likely a smokescreen. Ukraine and other countries. rity fi rm ESET in Slovakia, which said in data and spreading panic. Relations between Ukraine and Russia Referencing the $300 ransomware de- research published online on Friday that The SBU, Ukraine’s state security went into freefall after Moscow’s annexa- mand, the SBU said “the virus is cover for the Telebots group — which has links to Erdogan slams opposition as ‘justice service, said the attack, which started in tion of Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent a large-scale attack on Ukraine. This is BlackEnergy — was behind the attack. Ukraine and spread around the world on outbreak of a Kremlin-backed separatist evidenced by a lack of a real mechanism “Collecting ransom money was never march’ nears Istanbul Tuesday, was by the same hackers who insurgency in eastern Ukraine that has for taking possession of the funds... en- the top priority for the TeleBots group,” attacked the Ukrainian power grid in De- killed more than 10,000 people. richment was not the aim of the attack”. it said, suggesting Ukraine was the target President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday accused Turkey’s main cember 2016. Hacking Ukrainian state institutions “The main purpose of the virus was the but the virus spread globally as “aff ected opposition party of siding with terrorism, as a three-week “march Ukrainian politicians were quick to is part of what Ukraine says is a “hybrid destruction of important data, disrupting companies in other countries had VPN for justice” led by its chief neared its ending point of Istanbul. blame Russia for Tuesday’s attack, but a war” by Russia on Kiev. the work of public and private institutions connections to their branches, or to busi- Some analysts have seen the 450km trek from Ankara to Istanbul Kremlin spokesman dismissed “unfound- Russia denies sending troops or mili- in Ukraine and spreading panic among the ness partners, in Ukraine.” led by Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as ed blanket accusations”. tary equipment to eastern Ukraine. people.” “The TeleBots group continues to a significant challenge to Erdogan but the Turkish strongman has Cyber security fi rms are trying to piece “The available data, including those A cyber attack in December on a evolve in order to conduct disruptive at- regarded it with disdain. together who was behind the computer obtained in co-operation with interna- Ukrainian state energy computer caused a tacks against Ukraine,” it said. Kilicdaroglu began the march on June 15 after former journalist worm, dubbed NotPetya by some experts, tional antivirus companies, give us reason power cut in the northern part of the capi- “Prior to the outbreak, the Telebots turned CHP lawmaker Enis Berberoglu was sentenced to 25 years in which conked out computers, hit banks, to believe that the same hacking groups tal Kiev. group targeted mainly the fi nancial sector. jail for leaking classified information to a newspaper. disrupted shipping and shut down a choc- are involved in the attacks, which in De- The Russian foreign ministry and Fed- The latest outbreak was directed against Marching without party insignia and simply a sign with the word olate factory in Australia. cember 2016 attacked the fi nancial sys- eral Security Service did not immediately businesses in Ukraine, but they apparent- “justice” in Turkish, he has been followed by thousands every day The attack also hit major Russian fi rms, tem, transport and energy facilities of respond to requests for comment on the ly underestimated the malware’ spreading and plans to end the march on July 9 with a mass rally outside leading some cyber security researchers to Ukraine using TeleBots and BlackEnergy,” latest allegations. capabilities. That’s why the malware went Berberoglu’s prison in the Istanbul district of Maltepe. suggest that Moscow was not behind it. the SBU said. Russian oil major Rosneft was one of out of control.” Gulf Times 12 Sunday, July 2, 2017 INDIA Business nervous over GST

AFP GST is all about perception, says Kerala minister New Delhi Kerala Finance Minister Thomas anymore, so for him it’s going to Issac, who had won applause dur- be an easy aff air. ndia yesterday launched its ing discussions with the Centre to “The price of 85% of goods has biggest ever fi scal reform with formulate the GST regime of taxes come down. But the need of the Ithe government promising that rolled out in the country, hour is everyone should insist that a new nationwide tax would said yesterday GST is all about on bills and through that leak- make the economy stronger and perception. ages can be eff ectively plugged,” less corrupt, but businesses are He said this while inaugurating added Issac. nervous about the revolution. the roll-out of GST in Kerala at a Issac said that in the com- The new goods and services state level inauguration in Kochi. ing days a detailed list will be tax (GST) replaces more than a “Through GST it can lead to published which shows the old dozen levies imposed nationally price rise, but many will ask how. and new rate of taxes of items, and by the 29 states. Certain items which had an earlier and the new GST software would It aims to transform the nation rate of tax at 14.5 per cent are be made available with the sup- of 1.3bn people and its $2tn econ- now placed in the 18 per cent tax port of the National Informatics omy into a single market. rate. Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi But one should not forget this “Another feature would be that held a special midnight session of very same item had an excise the revenue deficit of the state parliament to launch GST which duty of 14%, so when all the will come down and in a few years he called “a good and simple tax”. various taxes are added it would it will disappear,” added Issac. “With GST, the dream of one come to 28%, but now it has Both the CPI-M-led Left govern- India, great India, will come come down to 18%. One has to be ment and the Congress-led op- true,” the prime minister said. careful as it’s all about perception position have already expressed “GST is a simple, transpar- and how one sees it,” said Issac, their opinion that through the ent system which prevents gen- an economics professor-turned GST roll out, Kerala being a eration of black money and curbs CPI-M politician. consumer state will stand to gain corruption,” said Modi, who jolt- He said that during his annual with an increased level of tax col- ed the country last year by with- budget preparation they need lection, which in three years could drawing more than 85% of India’s not now look into the tax rates increase by 20%. bank notes from circulation in a clampdown on under-the-table dealings. minute changes were still being “That’s the risk you have when But the prime minister, who made late on Friday. you don’t subsume all the taxes,” has put huge eff orts into the It allows local authorities to said Pratik Jain, Partner and Lead- economy as he targets re-elec- impose some taxes. er Indirect Tax, PwC India. “It de- tion in 2019, acknowledged there The fi rst fallout was seen yes- feats the purpose of one tax.” would be teething troubles. terday when Tamil Nadu an- Other sectors were hit as well Jammu and Kashmir state has nounced a 30% levy on movie with a higher tax rate. refused to sign onto the one tax tickets, in addition to the 28% Lighting store Kherati Lall regime. GST fee. Sons in central Delhi was empty President Pranab Mukherjee rolls-out the Goods and Services Tax in Parliament’s Central Hall as Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks on. GST has sparked protests by All 969 movie cinemas in the yesterday afternoon. traders, while the main opposi- state will close from Monday in “Taxes have gone up for us declined to be named, told AFP Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Man- have put forward our demands initial shock to the economy as tion Congress Party boycotted protest, M Subramanian, presi- from 12.5% to 28%,” company di- clients had asked them to en- dal, a national traders associa- on GST but the government has businesses adjust. the launch ceremony. dent of a regional theatre owners rector Shanti Kumar Rakyan told sure that the goods reached their tion that claims 60mn members, never responded,” national sec- Credit Suisse managing direc- Businesses are nervous about association, told AFP. AFP. warehouses before midnight called a one-day strike Friday to retary general Vijay Prakash Jain tor in India Neelkanth Mishra GST, which sets out four diff er- “Because of this we will lose “This is a huge change and it’s when the new tax would kick in. protest the GST. told AFP. “We told the govern- warned that “the next few ent rates of between 5% and 28% customers and it will encourage really going to hit our sales.” Textile traders and other sec- Many are worried because ment, either fi x this, or we will months will be a period of un- instead of the one originally en- illegal downloads of movies,” he But business was booming for tors went on strike ahead of the while returns have to be fi led by strike.” certainty in which no company visioned. said. the transport companies. launch and many businesses say computer, they do not have or do Most economists agree the would want to invest, that slows The GST rule book runs to “We will continue the strike An executive for logistics they are unclear about what to not understand the technology. reform — fi rst proposed in 2006 down the investment cycle and more than 200 pages and last- till this 30% tax is removed.” company Rivigo in Mumbai, who charge. “Since August last year we — is long overdue, but warn of an acts as a drag on the economy.”

Miss India runner-up’s modelling plans surprised parents Over 125,000 women

IANS traffi cked last year Mumbai

IANS schools in various districts of iss India 2017 second Kolkata West Bengal for the women runner-up Priyanka traffi cking victims. Six more MKumari, from Bihar, schools are coming up in Mal- says her parents were quite sur- here were 35,000 report- da, Murshidabad and North 24 prised when they got to know ed cases of child traffi ck- Parganas district this year in a about her wish to pursue model- Ting and 125,750 women bid to bring the victims back to ling. traffi cking cases in the country mainstream society,” he said. How did she convince her par- in 2016-17, with West Bengal The initiatives are funded by ents about it? topping in both categories, a the Union Ministry of Social Priyanka told IANS here: “As a senior National Anti-Traffi ck- Justice and Empowerment. child, I was quite a tomboy so, my ing Committee (NATC) offi cial Ali said the traffi cking vic- parents were surprised to know said here yesterday. tims recovered so far were be- about my ambition of taking part “Among 35,000 report- ing trained under the National in a beauty contest and pursuing ed cases of child traffi cking, Skill Development Programme modelling. They never expected 13,000 were registered from (NSDP) of the central govern- me to go for a beauty pageant of West Bengal. ment. all the things...but yes they have In percentage terms, it comes “We have placed 25 people supported throughout.” to 37%,” NATC chairman Sheikh in West Bengal in various sec- And fi nishing third in the pag- Jinnar Ali told mediapersons on tors after training since 2016,” eant, is quite a moment for her. the sidelines of a meeting. he said. “I made my parents proud. He said in terms of women Talking about the initiatives Getting placed in top three out of traffi cking, the eastern state to curb traffi cking in the state, 30 participants was really tough accounted for nearly 42% of the the NATC Chairman said the because all of us are unique and cases in the country. statutory body was instituting a beautiful in our own terms,” she The women victims were fi ve member committee in each said. mostly traffi cked to Mumbai, of the 23 districts. Reminiscing about the groom- Chennai and Dubai, according Representatives from police ing process during the Miss In- to Ali. and state administration would dia contest, she said: “I’ve been He said in West Bengal, be part of such panels. quite tomboyish since child- North 24 Parganas, South 24 The NATC will also have a toll hood. I used to walk like a guy! Parganas and Murshidabad free number and a mobile app “And during the grooming, I districts recorded most of the for traffi cking-related issues had to change that completely women’s traffi cking cases in the and grievances from July 28. for obvious reasons...and you Wellwishers greet Priyanka Kumari, second runner-up Miss India 2017, at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna. past one year. “We will also have block- know what? I won the special The NATC, which held its level action committees in all award of Miss Ramp walk,” said Mechanical Engineering from people. So, I will start working for to send them to schools; old men/ “Now that I have won the ti- state conference during the day, the districts and conduct police Priyanka, who loves playing bas- Pune University in 2013. the cause, currently from Pune as I women to a place where their life tle, I think I have the power to announced it would build six station-level meeting at regular ketball. Asked about her future plans, am based there and slowly will ex- can be better...the adults should infl uence people to ask for dona- more schools for the traffi cking intervals to collect grassroots- After fi nishing her schooling she said: “I always wanted to uplift pand to diff erent cities. be trained to develop some skills tion to contribute to the cause. I victims, besides various other level information about the from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Nasik, the lives of people who beg on the “My aim is to work for children so that they can work instead of hope I will start the organisation initiatives to curb traffi cking. nuances of traffi cking,” Ali told Priyanka fi nished her degree in streets, especially children and old who are begging on the streets... begging. soon,” she added. “We have already started 19 reporters.

Kerala women’s commission fl ays double-speak on actor’s abduction, molestation

By Ashraf Padanna actors headed by CPI (M) law- tion by the Women’s Collective Six days later after the police Police chief TP Senkumar on the next day, and there were re- including matters of evidentiary Kochi maker Innocent had come under in Cinema against naming and dramatically overpowered Pulsar his last day in offi ce on Friday ports that the lady offi cer let value, the motives, and the action fi re from various for not taking shaming the victim. Suni, the attacker, and his ac- after returning to the post on a them go after “a call from the to be taken on the proof collected action against those who made She said there would be fol- complice from near the dock of court order against his removal state capital.” so far. he Kerala State Women’s insulting remarks against the low-up action on it. a court when they arrived to sur- had sought an explanation from He had in a note reportedly “Senkumar, as police chief, is Commission has criticised victim. The opposition Congress party render, he asserted that there’s the additional police director B expressed serious reservations entitled to have a view of his own Tthe Association of Malay- At a press briefi ng held after its came down heavily on Chief Min- no conspiracy. Sandhya on the marathon grill- about the way the investigation and we should respect it. I need alam Movie Artists (Amma) for meeting in Koch the other day, ister Pinarayi Vijayan saying he Congress leader K Muraleed- ing of Dileep keeping the special was progressing. to review the probe in the wake “playing a double game” over two of its leaders, Ganesh Kumar, was trying to mislead the inves- haran said the star-politicians investigation team head in the Shortly after assuming offi ce, of the points he raised,” Behera abduction and molestation of vice-president, and Mukesh, tigation from the very beginning. were trying to save somebody dark. his successor Loknath Behera said. a leading actress four months executive member, both ruling “Vijayan is the fi rst culprit in and if the investigation went Giving a new twist to the con- said he was reviewing the case. “The SIT has offi cers of proven back. front legislators, shouted down this,” opposition leader Ramesh ahead without external inter- troversy, in his fi rst interview out Inspector General Dinendra competence and Kashyap had a KSWC chairperson MC reporters who raised questions Chennithala said, referring to his ference, the CPI (M) would get of uniform, he told a television Kashyap, who heads the SIT, had CBI background to draw upon.” Josephine, a leader of the rul- about it. statements earlier. trapped. channel yesterday that ques- told Senkumar that he was not Senkumar also slighted the ing Communist Party of India “The actors who are repre- The morning after the assault “Otherwise, why should they tioning a suspect is not to create aware of what was happening controversial additional director (Marxist), said yesterday that sentatives of the people should in a moving car on the roads of shout at the journalists. They are a Guinness world record but to on the ground in the sensational general of police Tomin J Thach- the Amma was trying to turn the behave with a social conscious- the busy port city for more than trying to safeguard some people,” bring out the truth. case turning murkier by the day. ankary, appointed at the police ongoing investigation into the ness. They should stand by the two hours, Vijayan had stated in he said. Dileep’s questioning, along He warned that it would lead to headquarters by Vijayan to clip conspiracy angle of February 17 victim,” she said. New Delhi that it’s not known “Everybody knows the CPI with his entertainer friend Na- a lot of unnecessary controver- his wings, saying, if he “wanted assault in Dileep’s favour. The KSWC has issued notices “what was between them (the at- (M)’s links to Kochi’s under- dirsha, began at 12.30pm on sies if the team leader were not to clip me, he needs an effi cient The apex body of Kerala fi lm to Dileep and others on a peti- tacker and the victim).” world.” Wednesday and ended at 1.15am aware of all aspects of the case, offi cer, not a butcher.” Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 13 INDIA Top LeT militant killed in Kashmir IANS Lashkari, according to security Srinagar forces, had masterminded and car- ried out an attack in Achabal area of Anantnag last month in which six n a major success, security forces policemen, including Station House yesterday used explosives to blast Offi cer (SHO) Feroz Dar, were killed Ia house in Anantnag district in and their bodies mutilated. Kashmir Valley killing two holed-up A middle-aged woman identifi ed LeT militants, including top com- as Tahira and a youth, Shadab Ah- mander Bashir Lashkari who was be- mad, were killed in the cross fi ring hind the killing of fi ve policemen and between the security forces and the an offi cer last month. hiding militants in Brenthi village, Two civilians, including a woman, according to a police spokesman. were also killed in the cross-fi re be- While the woman was killed in the tween security forces and the hiding morning, the youth was hit by a bul- Demonstrators hold placards as they gather during a ‘Not in my name’ protest in Chennai yesterday following a spate of lynchings. militants in Brenthi Batapora village let. in Anantnag district. He was shifted to a Srinagar hos- The civilians were part of a stone pital where he succumbed to injuries. pelting crowd of protesters attacking Massive protests had broken out in the security forces during the opera- the village as stone-pelting protest- tion. ers clashed with the security forces President joins chorus against lynchings Security forces said the gunfi re ex- near the gunfi ght site. changes at the shootout site in Bren- Twelve people were injured during thi Batapora village had stopped after the clashes. IANS “We shall have to ponder over, pause power to another power. I will appeal to “Therefore, we have to keep in mind the house was blasted. There was a standoff between the New Delhi and refl ect. When we read in the news- the mediapersons that your duty, your what was said by one eminent journal- “Two militants have been killed holed up militants and the security papers or see in the television that an job has never come to an end, and it will ist that ‘my motto is nothing but ‘free- whose bodies were seen under the forces in the village because some ci- individual is being lynched because of never come to an end,” he said remind- dom fi rst, freedom now, freedom for- debris of the house that was brought vilians were present inside the house ending his voice against the re- some alleged violation of law or not, ing journalists. ever’,” he added. down to ensure that militants did not where the militants were hiding. cent incidents of lynching, Presi- when mob frenzy becomes so high, ir- “Because of you, democracy survives, The president said that “our achieve- escape,” a senior police offi cer said. A senior police offi cer told report- Ldent Pranab Mukherjee yester- rational and uncontrollable, we are to people’s rights are preserved, human dig- ments in the last 70 years are not just “The identifi cation process of the ers that 17 civilians were rescued day launched a broadside against the pause and refl ect,” he said. nity is maintained, slavery is kept away. about building dams or power plants”. slain militants is underway, while a from the shootout site before the se- administration asking “are we vigilant “Are we vigilant enough? I am not You will have to keep your vigilance. “It is not just about economic inde- search operation at the encounter curity forces started the fi nal assault enough proactively to save the basic talking about vigilantism, I am talking “I am sorry I am using this word re- pendence or regional prosperity but our site is going on to ensure there are no against the holed up militants and tenets of our country”. of are we vigilant enough proactively peatedly but I don’t fi nd any alternative unity, which is our greatest strength,” other militants hiding,” the offi cer blasted the house. He also said that vigilance on the part to save the basic tenets of our coun- appropriate word...Because I do believe Mukherjee said. added. The cross-fi ring had initially be- of citizens, intellectuals and media can try? We cannot avoid it. Posterity will that citizen’s vigilance, intellectual “Our national unity and nationalism One of the two slain militants is gun after security forces launched act as the biggest deterrent to the forces demand an explanation from us that vigilance, newspapers’ and media’s is exhibited when more than 1.3bn peo- said to be Bashir Lashkari, a top LeT an operation in the village following of darkness and backwardness. ‘What have you done’,” he added. vigilance can act as the biggest deter- ple, speaking more than 200 languages commander who carried a reward of a tip-off about the militants hiding in Launching the commemorative pub- Mukherjee, who steps down later this rent to the forces of darkness and back- in their daily lives, practising seven Rs1mn on his head. the village. lication of the Congress party’s organ month, said: “Today, I am not going to wardness,” he added. major religions and belonging to three He belonged to Kokernag area. Additional forces were rushed National Herald, Mukherjee also re- suggest that there is any apprehension Mukherjee said that during the free- diff erent ethnic groups — Caucasians, The other slain militant is believed to the spot, including paramilitary minded the journalists that their job of the old type of colonialism to come dom struggle, every newspaper, editors Mongoloids and Dravidians, come to- to be Azad Ahmed Malik alias Tada troops and a helicopter, to secure the will never come to an end and their back. But colonialism has always taken and journalists boldly faced oppression gether to constitute One India, under who belonged to Arwani village area safe release of the civilians trapped in motto should be “freedom fi rst, free- its diff erent face with the change of his- and whenever there was any attempt to one fl ag and one Constitution and live of Anantnag. the house, police said. dom now, freedom forever”. tory, exploitation, dominance by one curb freedom, they were the fi rst to fi ght. in peace and harmony,” he added.

New force Waterworld! Communist standoff to protect in Kerala intensifi es rhinos IANS Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan Thiruvananthapuram remarked that if the CPI has any self respect left then they should IANS withdraw support to the Left Guwahati he rift between the two government, as the collective Communist parties in the responsibility of the government Truling Left coalition came has disappeared. he Assam government is out once more in the open yes- Vijayan and Rajendran have going to raise a new Spe- terday when neither CPI Revenue been sparring against one anoth- Tcial Rhino Protection Minister E Chandrasekheran or er on numerous occasions. Force (SRPF) for better protec- any of his party colleagues took Early this week, Vijayan while tion of the one-horned rhinos in part in a meeting called by Chief addressing a meeting had said Assam, a minister said yesterday. Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here to that “some people are here who Assam Forest Minister Pramila discuss issues concerning land in think that it’s they who are the Rani Brahma said the government Munnar in Idukki district. ultimate and control everything.” has already started the process Vijayan ensured that this “boy- When the media asked Rajen- of recruitment for the proposed cott” by the CPI gets maximum dran about this, he said, “I don’t force, which will be deployed media attention as the media was think he was referring to me.” for better protection of the one allowed to cover his speech dur- The standoff between the two horned rhinos in the state. ing the meeting, which was a de- premier Communists parties in “Recently we have published parture from routine. Kerala has been coming out in advertisements for recruitment He pointed out that this meet- the open ever since the Vijayan of 90 youths in the force. Af- ing was called after there was government assumed offi ce in ter initial selection, they will be a request from all parties from May last year and they pub- given necessary training and the Munnar to fi nd a solution to the licly sparred over the manner in whole process is expected to be long standing problems related which the Right to Information completed by August this year,” to land. Act on cabinet decisions was the Minister said. He read out the names of lead- dealt with. Brahma said one of the main An auto-rickshaw moves on a waterlogged road after heavy rains in Ahmedabad. ers from the CPI who had asked The CPI early this year ex- criteria for selection of cadre for the meeting to be called. pressed its displeasure when the for the force is that they have to Chandrasekheran was at Kot- Kerala government diary saw the be locals hailing from the fringe tayam taking part in a meeting names of CPI ministers below areas of the Kaziranga national and also spent an hour with his that of other allies, even when park. state party secretary Kanam Ra- the CPI is the second biggest ally “Youths from three districts jendran. of the Left coalition. Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi An- Amarinder defends appointment of law offi cers “I am here, so how I can take The convention of printing the glong are encouraged to apply part in the meeting in the state names of ministers in alphabeti- for the force. Our intention is to capital,” Chandrasekheran told cal order was also not followed. select only local candidates who IANS Lawyer Rameeza Hakeem, wife of Pun- March this year, said: “All appointments reporters in Kottyam. Following the protest by the know the area better and those Chandigarh jab Advocate General (AG) Atul Nanda, a were cleared independently, without bias Rajendran spoke sternly, say- CPI, the dairy went for a reprint. who can engage passionately for close confi dante of Amarinder, Sukhmani or prejudice, and solely on account of in- ing he fi nds no reason for holding The two parties also clashed protection of the rhinos,” said Bajwa, daughter of Congress legislator dividual’s background, profi ciency and of the meeting. in the open when two Maoists the minister. She said there will n the backfoot after a controversy Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa, Deepali Puri, wife experience. It is unfortunate that a politi- “What’s the use of this meeting were shot dead by a special po- be 22 offi cers for the proposed over the appointment of law offi c- of Amarinder’s offi ce on special duty San- cal colour is being sought to be given to the as the Kerala High Court is look- lice team in the deep forests, with force who will be appointed on Oers in Punjab, Chief Minister Ama- deep Sandhu, former Chandigarh mayor appointments.” ing into this issue. Anyone can call the CPI strongly condemning the deputation for leading the force. rinder Singh yesterday claimed that all ap- and Congress leader Anu Chatrath as well The law offi cers will deal with cases a meeting, but the law is there to police act. The Minister said the Forest pointments were on merit and there was as relatives of sitting and former judges, concerning the Punjab government in the take care of it,” Rajendran pointed It was in 1964 that the CPI-M Department had already placed no favouritism or nepotism. bureaucrats and politicians were accom- Punjab and Haryana High Court and the out to reporters in Kottayam. was formed after it broke away orders for procurement of arms “Every single appointment of the new modated as law offi cers in the list of 121 an- Supreme Court. CPI-M state secretary Kodiy- from the erstwhile Communist and ammunition for the new law offi cers was based on merit after tak- nounced on Friday. Out of the 121 new law offi cers appoint- eri Balakrishnan tried to play Party of India. force through the state Home ing into account the professional qualifi - Reacting to reports suggesting that the ed, 25 are additional AGs, 49 assistant AGs, down the absence of the CPI During the 70s the CPI had Department. “The arms and am- cations and expertise of the candidates,” kin of various Congress and government 30 deputy AGs and 17 senior deputy AGs. minister and said everything is joined hands with the Congress munition ordered are at par with Amarinder said yesterday, trashing reports functionaries had been accommodated in AG Nanda had proposed that 123 lawyers fi ne in the Left coalition. party to run the state govern- the AK series rifl es and other so- that kin of infl uential people in his govern- the new legal team, Amarinder, who be- ought to be engaged in Chandigarh, while Former revenue minister ment, after which it returned to phisticated weapons,” she said. ment and party were appointed. came chief minister for a second time in another 31 were required for Delhi. and senior Congress legislator the Left fold. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, July 2, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

Key fi gure in president More proof to come against bribery case freed

AFP Temer, says top prosecutor Brasília Reuters which he did not include in the packer, JBS SA. Executives said Sao Paulo charging document against the in plea-bargain testimony the key fi gure in the brib- president this week. president took bribes for resolv- ery case against Brazilian “If I included everything, the ing tax matters, freeing up loans APresident Michel Temer razil’s top federal prosecu- defence would say I had given from state-run banks and other was unexpectedly freed from tor said yesterday that he all the evidence without giving matters. pre-trial detention on Friday. Btook no pleasure in charg- them the right to defend them- Janot’s charge alleges Temer Supreme Court Justice Edson ing President Michel Temer with selves,” he said. “They would arranged to eventually receive a Fachin who is overseeing a vast corruption, but given the clear argue that the entire case should total of 38mn reais ($11.49mn) graft probe, ordered the release indications of graft commit- be annulled for that reason.” from JBS in the next nine of Rodrigo Rocha Loures, who ted by the leader, there was no Janot, whose four-year man- months. will wear a monitoring bracelet, alternative. date ends in September, made Under Brazilian law, the lower court papers showed. Prosecutor General Rod- his most extensive public re- house of Congress must now Loures became famous in rigo Janot said at an investiga- marks yet since earlier this week vote on whether to allow the Su- Brazil as the “man with the tive journalism conference that charging Temer with accepting preme Court to try the conserv- suitcase” after he was fi lmed he was in no rush to level new bribes. It is the fi rst time a sit- ative leader, who replaced im- running from a pizza restau- charges of racketeering and ting Brazilian leader has faced peached leftist President Dilma rant in Sao Paulo wheeling a bag obstruction of justice against criminal charges. Rousseff just over a year ago. containing 500,000 reais (about Temer. He said he wanted to Temer’s attorney, Antonio Lawmakers within Temer’s $150,000). investigate each allegation as Mariz, did not immediately re- coalition are confi dent they have Prosecutors say that money thoroughly as possible. spond to requests for comment the votes to block the two-third was part of a series of bribes paid “As long is there is ammuni- yesterday. The president, whose majority required to proceed by the JBS meatpacking giant to tion, I will keep fi ring,” Janot government’s approval ratings with a trial. But they also ac- Temer, with Loures acting as de- said. “Until September 17, the are in the single digits, has re- knowledge that if forced to vote livery man. Temer was charged power lies with me and I will peatedly said he is innocent and on repeated charges against with accepting bribes this week maintain my own rhythm.” resisted calls to resign. the president, support for the and Congress is due to decide Janot said yesterday that there Temer was charged in connec- leader could unravel as law- whether he should go on trial. was still ample proof against tion with a graft scheme involv- makers worry about their own Demonstrators are detained by riot police during a protest against President Michel Temer’s proposed Loures’s surprise release came Temer that will be revealed, ing the world’s largest meat- reelections next year. economic reforms in Sao Paulo yesterday. after mounting speculation over whether he would agree to co- operate with prosecutors in a plea bargain and testify against Temer. A decision by Loures to tes- Police nab ‘phantom’ cocaine kingpin tify would widely be seen as a 19 gunmen potential death blow to Temer’s attempt to ride out the scandal. AFP Da Rocha had changed his lived discreetly and in the shad- Vitor Luiz are the same person.” His lawyer has repeatedly said Rio de Janeiro name to Vitor Luiz de Moraes ows... evading police attempts The captured fugitive is ac- that Loures will not sign a plea and undergone plastic surgery for almost 30 years,” the police cused of having headed an bargain. killed, fi ve to successfully dodge police statement said. enormous cocaine network, However, the lawyer and rela- ne of South America’s while continuing to run his in- Police said that in addi- which included production in tives described Loures as being biggest cocaine king- ternational drugs business. tion to using extreme violence the jungles of Bolivia, Colom- put under harsh conditions in an Opins, who evaded po- His alleged right hand man and being protected by forces bia and Peru, and continued attempt to break his will. lice for three decades, even was also captured in a separate with heavy calibre weapons, through to distribution on the Folha de S Paulo news site on policemen undergoing surgery to change location during the operation da Rocha changed his face. continent and as far away as the Friday reported that relatives his face, has been captured, in which police said 150 agents When narcotics police United States and Europe. appealed to Fachin for Loures’ Brazilian authorities said carried out 24 raids, seizing homed in on their suspect in He is also accused of being release, saying that he had spent yesterday. an estimated $10mn worth of Mato Grosso, agents studied one the main suppliers to the weeks “without seeing the sun.” Luiz Carlos da Rocha, nick- luxury cars, aircraft, farms and “photographic data with the violent drug traffi ckers that He was reported to have been injured in named White Head, was arrest- other property. old facial characteristics of Luiz hold sway in large areas of Sao held in a cell with no window or ed in the western state of Mato The name of the operation Carlos da Rocha and the current Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. He toilet. Grosso in a city called Sorriso, was “Spectrum,” referring in identity photograph of Vitor is believed to have amassed Loures is a close former aide to which means “smile,” the fed- Portuguese to the phantom- Luiz de Moraes, and concluded $100mn in personal wealth, Temer and former congressional clashes eral police said in a statement. like nature of a fugitive “who that Luiz Carlos da Rocha and police said. deputy.

Reuters their training and profession- Buenos Aires alism, they managed to get ahead. The wounded police- Last Colombia men are well,” Castaneda told lashes killed 19 gun- reporters. men and injured fi ve At the scene of the clash, Cpolice offi cers in the four vehicles, 15 rifl es and sev- rebels eye ceasefi re northern Mexican state of en handguns were found. Sinaloa, the heart of opera- Offi cials said the fi ghting tions of some of the coun- was some of the worst in the try’s biggest drug traffi ckers, southern part of the state in before Pope visit authorities said yesterday. recent months, since a battle The incident occurred late erupted over the restructuring Friday when a group of gun- of the powerful Sinaloa cartel AFP He spoke at the end of the men clashed with Mazatlan following last year’s capture Quito second round of peace talks city police who were on a rou- of its leader Joaquin “Chapo” with the government in the tine tour led by local police Guzman. Ecuadoran capital Quito. chief Joel Ernesto Soto. The internal war over the olombia’s last rebel force Colombia’s biggest rebel The confrontation began group’s leadership has led to said Friday it is making group, the Revolutionary Armed around 8pm (0100 GMT) in escalating violence in Sinaloa Cprogress towards a possi- Forces of Colombia (FARC) with the town of Villa Union when this year, with more than 760 ble ceasefi re, which the govern- 7,000 members, fi nished dis- police repelled the gunmen’s murders in early June, a fi g- ment hopes will defi nitively end arming last week under a peace Pablo Beltran speaks to the press as the second round of peace talks with the Colombian government assault, Sinaloa deputy sec- ure not seen since 2011, ac- half a century of civil confl ict. accord. begin, at the Foreign Ministry in Quito, Ecuador. retary of security Cristobal cording to the state security “We have now begun discus- President Juan Manuel Santos Castaneda said. secretary. sions about a ceasefi re,” said Pab- says he wants to seal a “complete responsibility for recent kidnappings. Pope Francis visits Colombia in paramilitary groups and state forces. The 19 men, who were rid- Violence has also increased lo Beltran, chief negotiator for the peace” by striking a similar deal Beltran said on Caracol Radio early September. It has left 260,000 people con- ing in four vehicles, pursued in other states. The latest National Liberation Army (ELN). with the ELN. that the group could be ready to The FARC and ELN formed fi rmed dead, more than 60,000 their confrontation by a high- available offi cial data indicate He said such a move “as well Despite the current peace commit to stop kidnappings – in 1964 to fi ght for land rights missing and 7mn displaced. way, where they were killed by that May was the deadliest for as halting off ensive opera- talks, the 1,500-member one of the government’s and protection for poor rural Offi cials say remnants of municipal police. Mexico since offi cial records tions between the sides would ELN has been blamed for on- conditions for a ceasefi re. communities. right-wing paramilitary groups “They faced quite a number began in 1997, with a total of bring humanitarian aid to the going confrontations with He said he hoped a ceasefi re The confl ict drew in left- are still fi ghting the ELN for of aggressors, but thanks to 2,186 wilful homicides. population” in confl ict zones. state forces and has claimed would be implemented before ist guerrillas, right-wing control of the drug trade. Tower of human skulls in Mexico 62 students detained in Venezuela protest

casts new light on Aztecs empire AFP arrested in the unrest. Prose- Caracas cutors say 82 people have been killed. Reuters quistadores when they captured we have no record of, and this The opposition is demand- Mexico City the city under Hernan Cortes, is really new, a fi rst in the Huey olice arrested 62 stu- ing elections to replace Presi- and mentioned the structure in Tzompantli,” he added. dents during some of the dent Nicolas Maduro, blaming contemporary accounts. Raul Barrera, one of the archae- Platest in three months of him for a desperate economic tower of human skulls un- Historians relate how the ologists working at the site along- anti-government protests, a crisis. He says the crisis is a earthed beneath the heart of severed heads of captured war- side the huge Metropolitan Cathe- student leader said Friday. US-backed conspiracy. AMexico City has raised new riors adorned tzompantli, or dral built over the Templo Mayor, About half them were de- Attorney General Luisa Or- questions about the culture of sac- skull racks, found in a number of said the skulls would have been set tained when trying to march to tega, the most high-profi le of- rifi ce in the Aztec Empire after cra- Mesoamerican cultures before in the tower after they had stood on offi ces of the electoral author- fi cial to break ranks with Ma- nia of women and children surfaced the Spanish conquest. public display on the tzompantli. ity in Caracas on Thursday, duro, announced a fresh move among the hundreds embedded in But the archaeological dig in Roughly six meters in diame- said Daniel Ascanio, student in her legal challenges against the forbidding structure. the bowels of old Mexico City ter, the tower stood on the corner leader from Simon Bolivar him on Friday. Archaeologists have found more that began in 2015 suggests that of the chapel of Huitzilopochtli, University. She fi led charges against the than 650 skulls caked in lime and picture was not complete. Aztec god of the sun, war and “There is no reason for them head of the state intelligence thousands of fragments in the cy- “We were expecting just men, human sacrifi ce. Its base has yet to be detained,” he said, insist- service, Gustavo Gonzalez lindrical edifi ce near the site of the obviously young men, as war- to be unearthed. Abel Guzman, Rodrigo Bolanos and Miriam Castaneda from INAH ing they had been protesting Lopez, for alleged human Templo Mayor, one of the main tem- riors would be, and the thing There was no doubt that the examine skulls at a site near Templo Mayor, one of the main temples “peacefully.” rights violations. ples in the Aztec capital Tenochtit- about the women and children tower was one of the skull edi- in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, which later became Mexico City. Opposition demonstra- US carrier United Airlines lan, which later became Mexico City. is that you’d think they wouldn’t fi ces mentioned by Andres de tors accuse the security forc- ran its last fl ight from Ven- The tower is believed to form be going to war,” said Rodrigo Tapia, a Spanish soldier who In his account of the cam- Tzompantli. Barrera said 676 es of repressing and jailing ezuela on Friday. It said it part of the Huey Tzompantli, Bolanos, a biological anthropol- accompanied Cortes in the 1521 paign, de Tapia said he counted skulls had so far been found, and opponents. was suspending the Caracas- a massive array of skulls that ogist investigating the fi nd. conquest of Mexico, Barrera tens of thousands of skulls at that the number would rise as Judicial NGO Foro Penal Houston route due to fi nancial struck fear into the Spanish con- “Something is happening that said. what became known as the Huey excavations went on. says 3,500 people have been problems in the country. Gulf Times Sunday, July 2 , 2017 15 PAKISTAN

ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CELEBRATION COMMERCE ENVIRONMENT Pakistan govt reduces Diplomats asked to I-Day flag-hoisting event Online shopping gaining Over 2mn saplings planted petrol, diesel prices promote tourism sector to be held at Parliament popularity in Pakistan under PM’s programme

The government of Pakistan has reduced petrol The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Pakistan Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani More and more people were seen shopping More than 2mn indigenous trees have been and diesel prices by Rs1.5 per litre each for the Industry (ICCI) yesterday called on Pakistani has called for the Independence Day flag- goods for Eid online this time around. planted throughout the country so far as a part month of July 2017, while the prices of Kerosene diplomats to play a role in promoting the hoisting ceremony to be held on the premises of Though relatively a new phenomenon in of Prime Minister’s Green Pakistan Programme and Light Diesel Oil (LDO) have been kept country’s tourism potential in their host nations the Parliament House, instead of the presidency the country, online shopping is slowly (GPP). “Green Pakistan Programme aims to unchanged till midnight of July 31. The decision as Pakistan has immense potential to attract or any other place. “The flag-hoisting ceremony but surely gaining popularity among the reinvigorate country’s ailing forestry sector was eff ective from yesterday. After the reduction, tourists from around the world. “The tourism on August 14, 2017, should be held in precincts people, especially youth. Experts insist through large-scale tree plantation, protect the new price of MS 92 RON petrol will be industry has the ability to create plenty of jobs, of the Parliament House to restore the event the arrival of 3G and 4G Internet services and conserve wildlife and their habitats for Rs71.30/litre and diesel Rs79.90 a litre. In June, which can help alleviate poverty and contribute to its origin,” the Senate chairman said in a have boosted the online shopping, which is revival of overall biodiversity, which is in dire’s the prices of petrol and diesel were Rs72.80 and to economic development of a country,” said letter written to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. mostly done by cellphone users. According strati because of years’ over-exploitation or Rs81.40 per litre. Petrol is widely used in cars and ICCI President Khalid Iqbal Malik in a statement. The Senate chairman said that during tenures to them, sustainable use of natural resources,” the motorcycles owned by middle class commuters He pointed out that Pakistan had places in of democratic governments, flag-hoisting Karachi is the biggest online business spokesperson of Climate Change Ministry and High-Speed Diesel (HSD) mostly used in northern areas, Azad Kashmir, Lahore, Mohenjo ceremonies used to be held in the precincts of market followed by Lahore. People in other Mohamed Saleem said said yesterday. The mass transportation and agriculture. Prices of Daro, Thatta and many others that were ranked the Parliament, whereas military dictators took urban centres, too, are fast opting for online programme was launched by Prime Minister Kerosene and LDO have been kept unchanged. among the best in the world for tourism. these ceremonies behind closed doors. shopping but their numbers are smaller. Mohamed Nawaz Sharif on February 9. Registration of illegal Afghans to begin soon z Registration of ing in the country without legal vides the $200 fi nancial assist- undocumented Afghan documents. ance to every family returning refugees would continue for The CAR chief said though the voluntarily. eight months registered Afghans could stay in The relevant offi cials said that z Around 35,000 Afghan the country until Dec 31, 2017, legally speaking, there would be refugees have returned their voluntary repatriation was no diff erence between the status voluntarily in the current under way. of the already registered Afghans year He said the Safran ministry, and the newly registered ones’ Nadra and Afghan commission- but fi nancial assistance won’t be Internews erate had decided to establish 22 provided to the latter. Islamabad refugee registration centres in They said the Afghan ministry the country, including 11 in KP. for refugees’ repatriation would also be involved in the registra- Aft er the 2014 Peshawar tion exercise, which would help he federal government of school massacre, the law- have the accurate number of Af- Senior leader of Kashmiri group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin gestures as he arrives for a press briefing in Muzaff arabad yesterday. Pakistan will begin the enforcement and security ghans living in the country. Pakistan on June 27 strongly criticised the US decision to impose sanctions on Syed Salahuddin. “The designation of individuals Tregistration of around agencies had launched The offi cials said the govern- supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified,” the foreign off ice said in a statement. 1mn undocumented Afghan crackdown on illegal ment could extend the process refugees on July 15 to provide Afghan nationals before if the number of refugees to be legal cover to their stay in the deporting many of them registered exceeded the target. country. They said the government The decision to carry out Maroof said of the KP cen- had carried out the fi rst Afghan the exercise was made during tres, four would be set up in registration campaign through Defi ant Kashmiri separatist a recent meeting of the states Peshawar and one each in Nadra in 2006 and issued regis- and frontier regions ministry, Nowshera, Haripur, Mansehra, tered refugees the proof of reg- National Database and Regis- Kohat, Hangu, Mardan and istration cards, while the newly tration Authority and Afghan Dir. He said the Safron, Nadra, registered Afghans would get commissionerate, said Khyber Afghan commissionerate Afghan Citizen Cards carrying slams US terrorist designation Pakhtunkhwa Commissionerate staff members would register their and their families’ particu- Afghan Refugees director gener- around 1mn Afghan refugees in lars. al Waqar Maroof in a statement the country, including 0.6mn After the APS massacre, the Reuters “They cannot quote a single the news conference venue. the US State Department said issued here. in KP. law-enforcement and security Muzaff arabad, Pakistan incident to prove that we are Pakistan denies giving mate- that in September 2016 Sala- Maroof said the registration The CAR chief around 35,000 agencies had launched crack- terrorists,” Salahuddin told rial help to Kashmiri separatists huddin had threatened to train of undocumented Afghan refu- Afghan refugees had returned down on illegal Afghan nationals a news conference in Muz- but reiterated earlier this week more Kashmiri suicide bombers gees, which would continue for voluntarily in the current year, before deporting many of them, Kashmiri group leader affarabad, the capital of the that it would continue to pro- and vowed to turn the Kashmir eight months, was also outlined while speedy repatriation of Af- while a large number of undocu- yesterday denounced his Pakistani portion of Kashmir, vide diplomatic and moral sup- valley “into a graveyard for In- in the 20-point National Action ghans was expected in the days mented refugees returned fear- Adesignation as a terror- where he has been based for port to the Kashmiri struggle dian forces”. Plan made to counter terror- ahead. ing legal action. ist by the United States, vow- some 25 years as leader of the for self-determination. As a consequence of the ism in the wake of the December The United Nations High The offi cials said the issu- ing to continue his armed fi ght Hizbul Mujahideen, the larg- India blames Pakistan for designation, US individuals 2014 Taliban attack on the Army Commissioner for Refugees is ance of the Afghan Citizen Cards against Indian rule over its part est of the anti-Indian Kash- stoking the 28-year-old revolt are banned from engaging in Public School Peshawar, which not part of the forthcoming reg- would eff ectively address the of the divided Himalayan terri- miri groups. in Muslim-majority Kashmir financial transactions with had killed 144 students and staff istration process. complaints of the undocument- tory. “This idiocy can neither and has stepped up eff orts to Salahuddin and all his prop- members. It only deals with the matters ed Afghans about harassment Syed Salahuddin called the weaken our courage, nor stop put pressure on Pakistan under erty in the United States is He said the exercise would related to the registered refugees by the police and other law-en- decision by US President Don- the freedom struggle and the Modi. blocked. cover all Afghan nationals liv- living in the country and pro- forcement agencies. ald Trump’s administration target-oriented actions of free- Security forces in Indian-ad- Salahuddin, who is from “idiotic”, saying it was a gift to dom fi ghters,” he added, saying ministered Kashmir have been Badgam town in Indian-ad- Indian Prime Minister Naren- his fi ghters’ attacks were on le- accused by activists and rights ministered Kashmir, was an dra Modi, who was visiting gitimate military targets as op- groups of killing up to 100 Islamist politician who lost an Washington on Monday, the posed to civilians. separatist protesters since new election for the Kashmir legis- Beating the heat day Salahuddin was declared Gun-wielding Hizbul Mu- mass anti-India demonstra- lative assembly in 1987, which a Specially Designated Global jahideen members wearing fa- tions broke out in September. he says was “massively rigged” Terrorist. tigues escorted his vehicle to In Monday’s announcement, by India.

N Waziristan trade route reopens tomorrow

Internews On June 17, the government ments for the checkpoint’s ports suggesting that Afghans Peshawar had reopened the Kharlachi reopening had already been fi - have closed the Kharlachi bor- border crossing with Afghani- nalised. der. The fact of the matter is stan in Kurram Agency after He said the Ghulam Khan that the sit-in against Parachi- he federal government of four-month closure. Route was mainly used by ce- nar bomb blasts adversely af- Pakistan has decided to A relevant Federal Board of ment dealers and that at least fected the fl ow of traffi c and Treopen the Ghulam Khan Revenue offi cial said that the 20 trucks would enter Afghani- thus, leading to the temporary border check post in North reopening of Ghulam Khan stan using it on daily basis. closure of the route,” he said. Waziristan Agency on July 3 trade point would generate em- Meanwhile, the FBR has Meanwhile, Pak-Afghan (Monday) to allow transit trade ployment opportunities in the denied the closure of Kharla- Joint Chamber of Commerce between Pakistan and Afghani- region as the locals would work chi checkpost by Afghans and and Industry senior vice presi- stan after four years. as customs agents, transporters insisted the route was opera- dent Ziaul Haq Sarhadi wel- The Ghulam Khan trade route and vendors. tional. comed the reopening of the was closed after the start of He said the Ghulam Khan Spokesman for the FBR Syed Ghulam Khan trade route and anti-terrorism off ensive, Zarb- route was signifi cant for the Fazal Badshah said that the said the move would boost Pak- i-Azb, in North Waziristan in people of southern districts as Kharlachi checkpoint was tem- Afghan trade. June 2014. it off ered them an easy access to porarily closed due to the sit-in “This border checkpoint’s It is the second trade check- Paktia province of Afghanistan by the relatives of the Parachi- reopening is a good omen for point in Fata to be reopened for trade. nar bomb blasts. Pakistan and Afghanistan’s within a fortnight. The offi cial said arrange- “There is no truth in the re- trade relations,” he said.

Pakistan says missing climbers presumed dead

Internews Zerain, a Spanish alpinist, and company that had arranged the ers were attempting to sum- Peshawar Mariano Galvan, an Argen- climb said. mit Nanga Parbat this year tinian national, went missing “A rescue helicopter hov- when bad weather forced while attempting to summit the ered around the mountain this them to return to base camp wo climbers missing 8,125-metre peak, Nanga Par- morning and the team failed to last week. on a treacherous peak bat. spot any signs of life,” he said. The two missing climbers left Tin northern Pakistan “The search and rescue op- Karrar Haidri, spokesman base camp on June 19 but were known as “Killer Mountain” eration for the two missing al- of the Alpine Club of Paki- holed up in their tent for three are now presumed dead and pinists has been called off as stan, confi rmed that the search days at an altitude of 6,100 me- the rescue operation has been a rescue team failed to locate and rescue operation had been tres due to bad weather. In this photograph taken on June 30, 2017 an Afghan youth jumps into a public swimming pool in called off , offi cials said yester- them this morning,” Mohamed called off and that the alpinists They tried to summit again Ghazni province. day. Iqbal, owner of Summit Ka- were presumed dead. but lost contact with fellow The two climbers, Alberto rakorum, the tour operating A total of 14 foreign climb- climbers last Friday. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, July 2, 2017 PHILIPPINES Snipers, bombs and mortars aid battle against militants

Reuters Marawi City

prawled on the boarded- up balcony of a two-storey Shouse, the barrel of his ri- fl e poked into a hole cut in the wood, the Philippine army snip- er calls for quiet before taking his shot. “Firing,” he says evenly, before the.50 calibre shot rings out, sending tremors through the house. He was fi ring at a home less than a kilometre away, believed to be a stronghold of militants who have been holed up in Ma- rawi City for over fi ve weeks. A spotter sat next to him, with his scope set into another hole. A 62-year-old woman Linda and her family stay in the trunk of a military truck after being rescued from the combat zone where they were The two spoke quietly to each trapped for more than five weeks in Marawi city, yesterday. other as the sniper took three more shots across the Agus river into the militant-held commer- cial district of Marawi, now a battleground strewn with debris from ruined buildings. Scores of bodies are rotting in the area, and the stench mixes with the smell of gunpowder. Fighting displaces Thousands of soldiers are battling to retake the southern Philippine city, where militants loyal to Islamic State launched a lightning strike on May 23. The southern Philippines has been marred for decades by in- nearly 400,000 surgency and banditry. Soldiers launch a mortar from their combat position as government But the intensity of the battle troops continue their assault against insurgents in Marawi city, yesterday. AFP in Marawi and the presence of Manila foreign fi ghters from Indonesia, around 100 hostages, according the street once they were in the Malaysia, Yemen and Chechnya to the military, who have been military zone. fi ghting alongside local militants forced to act as human shields, “The bombs were so frequent ilitants occupying a has raised concerns that the re- take up arms or become sex coming from both sides,” said southern Philippine gion may be becoming a South- slaves. Jose Locanas, a 53-year-old Mcity have forced nearly east Asian hub for Islamic State Military aircraft drop bombs Christian man trapped with his 400,000 people in the wider as it loses ground in Iraq and on the militant zone almost eve- wife and friend in his house. “We area to fl ee their homes, offi cials Syria. ry day. From the outskirts of the were caught in the middle.” said yesterday, while warning of As troops poured in to contain city, mortar teams take aim at Troops said they received disease outbreaks and psycho- the siege, few were expecting a what they call “ground zero”, the word from their relatives that logical trauma among refugees. slow, diffi cult and unfamiliar ur- heart of the confl ict. the three were trapped and man- The city of Marawi, has ban war. “Mortars are designed to tar- aged to escort them out. been reduced to a ghost town “We are used to insurgen- get people and smaller areas More than 400 people, in- after self-styled followers of cies...but a deployment of this than the airstrikes.” said mortar cluding over 300 militants, 82 the Islamic State movement magnitude, this kind of confl ict specialist Sgt. security forces and 44 civilians launched an assault on the city is a challenge for our troops,” Jeff ery Baybayan, as he jotted are known to have died in Ma- on May 23. said Lt Col Christopher Tampus, down co-ordinates that come rawi. For more than a month, the one of the offi cers commanding crackling over a radio from an Some of the bodies of civilians government has deployed jet ground operations in Marawi. observer closer to the confl ict were found decapitated and the fi ghters, attack helicopters and He said progress in clearing area. military has warned the number armoured vehicles to crush the the city has been hindered by “Hitting targets accurately of residents killed by rebel militants who are members of militant fi re and booby traps like can be diffi cult and we’re ex- “atrocities” could rise sharply as the so-called Maute group. gas tanks rigged with grenades. pending rounds without hit- troops retake more ground. The fi ghting has left over 400 After weeks of military air- ting targets. We are concerned Every day, troops make an- people dead, while the Maute Filipino soldiers check a map while preparing to launch a mortar from their combat position as strikes and shelling, Marawi, a about our own troops that are nouncements through loud- fi ghters still control parts of the government troops continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group in Marawi city, yesterday. lakeside city of around 200,000 very close to the enemy area,” he speakers for the militants to city, using snipers and impro- is now a ghost town, the cen- added, as the mortars exploded “surrender now or die”. To the vised explosive devices to slow have struggled to deal with out- Some 26 people who have (Marawi) until the last terrorist tre of which has been reduced in the city, sending up plumes of trapped civilians, they off er help the military’s advance. breaks of illness at the evacu- fl ed Marawi have since died is executed,” he said in a speech to charred rubble and hollow thick black smoke. to get out of the confl ict area. Liza Mazo, the regional civil ation centres as government in hospitals from various ail- to government workers. structures. During the day’s battle, Tam- Authorities say they believe defence director, said it was not forces continue to launch air ments, according to the health At one point in his speech, to Buildings in the military-con- pus received reports that three the militants are running out of just the city’s residents leaving strikes and artillery barrages department’s local spokesman demonstrate his seriousness, he trolled areas of the city are still civilians, trapped for weeks near supplies and ammunition, but the area but also people living in against the militants. Jun Galban, but he declined to lifted his shirt to reveal a hol- standing but deserted after resi- the fi ghting, were trying to es- they say there is no deadline to the surrounding communities. “There are alarming cases of say whether their deaths were stered pistol. dents fl ed. cape. retake the city. Out of 389,300 who have skin diseases and gastroenteri- related to the evacuation. But he conceded, “we are Authorities estimate around Several soldiers responded to Tampus, the offi cer, said when fl ed, over 70,380 people have tis. We want to control the out- President Rodrigo Duterte, having a hard time.” 100 to 120 fi ghters, some of help rescue them — moving to troops reinforcements come into been housed in 79 government- break, not just in the evacuation who declared martial law over “We never realised the mag- them as young as 16 years, re- the area in two lines along the Marawi, they are initially ap- run evacuation centres, while centre but even the home- the southern Philippines to deal nitude of their preparation for main holed up in the commercial sides of streets to avoid sniper prehensive because of the high the rest have sheltered with based (refugees),” she said. with the crisis, vowed yesterday their explosives. We got there, district of the city, down from fi re. death toll. their relatives, according to so- “There are also cases of psy- that government forces would they were positioned (with) around 500 at the beginning of Three civilians — two men and “But once they are here, the cial welfare department fi gures. chological trauma from the crush the extremists. their snipers. We practically the siege. a woman using a walking stick — discipline kicks in and they are Mazo said that relief offi cials fi ghting.” “We will not go out there had to climb upward,” he said. The fi ghters are holding came out and sat by the side of focused,” he said. Philippines, US hold joint Arroyo favours martial law patrol in southern waters extension in Mindanao AFP piracy and illegal activities,” battling Philippine troops. Manila he said. The Abu Sayyaf, a More than 400 people have militant group based mainly been killed. The US embassy By Ma. Reina Leanne questioned 30-day period within which President Duterte in Mindanao,” in the southernmost Philip- said the Philippine govern- Tolentino before the Su- the high court must decide on she added. In late 2009, then S and Philippine war- pines, have seized hostages ment requested the joint pa- Manila Times preme Court, petitions against the martial President Arroyo declared mar- ships yesterday con- from vessels in the Sulu Sea trol. following the law declaration, which falls on tial law in Maguindanao prov- Uducted a joint patrol in recent months, sometimes Philippine President Rod- decision of the July 5; as well as the end of the ince following a massacre there of southern waters known beheading them when ran- rigo Duterte, who took offi ce ormer president and now Senate and the maximum 60-day duration of that left 58 civilians, including 32 as a hunting ground for local soms are not paid. a year ago, has previously said Pampanga representative House of Rep- martial law under the 1987 Con- journalists, dead. militants, amid rising concern he is moving the country away FGloria Macapagal-Arroyo resentatives stitution, which falls on July 22. The victims were slain on over militancy and piracy in US Navy combat ship from the United States, its (pictured) is in favour of ex- not to convene in a joint session In her speech, Arroyo ex- their way to the Commission on the region. USS Coronado and main defence ally and towards tending martial law in Mindan- to discuss the declaration. pressed support for the presi- Elections offi ce in Shariff Aguak US Navy combat ship USS the Philippine frigate China and Russia. ao, if President Rodrigo Duterte Opposition lawmakers oppos- dent’s declaration of martial for the fi ling of the certifi cate of Coronado and the Philippine BRP Ramon Alcaraz Last year, Manila said it seeks it. ing military rule also argued be- law in Mindanao. “The war in candidacy of then-Buluan vice frigate BRP Ramon Alcaraz carried out their joint would no longer take part in Yesterday, Arroyo answered in fore the tribunal that there was Marawi carries with it the is- mayor Esmael Mangudadatu. carried out their joint patrol patrol of the Sulu Sea, joint US-Philippine naval pa- the affi rmative when asked if she no basis to place entire Mind- sue of the declaration of martial Arroyo lifted martial law after of the Sulu Sea, a body of wa- a body of water off the trols in the South China Sea, in was in favour of an extension be- anao under martial law, as the law in Mindanao. And I’d like to eight days and upon the Cabinet’s ter off the southern Philip- southern Philippines what many see as a concession yond the maximum 60 days un- attack was confi ned to Marawi use this opportunity to stand recommendation. In the same pines where militant groups to Beijing which claims most der the Constitution, which will City in Lanao del Sur province. four-square behind President speech yesterday, Arroyo said have carried out kidnap- The group, which includes of those strategic waters. The require congressional approval. Moreover, they claimed there Duterte’s declaration of martial Duterte “has shown awesome pings, a US embassy state- factions that have pledged al- Philippines and other coun- “If he asks for it, yes,” Arroyo, was no invasion or rebellion law in Mindanao,” Arroyo said. leadership and resolve” in the ment said. legiance to the Islamic State tries have competing claims referring to Duterte, told re- endangering public safety that “I’ve been president…and be- programmes that he aimed to do. “These patrols enhance re- movement, has also crossed to the South China Sea. How- porters in an interview after her could justify Proclamation 216, ing a president…you have infor- “In the fi rst year that he just gional peace and stability,” the the sea to Malaysia where they ever Duterte has downplayed keynote speech before the Inner which also suspended the privi- mation that others do not have. completed yesterday, he insti- US naval commander, Rear have kidnapped people for the Philippine claim in a bid to Wheel Clubs of the Philippines lege of the writ of habeas corpus They help you make a decision tuted bold reforms against il- Admiral Don Gabrielson said, ransom. improve ties with China. in Makati City. and eff ectively allowed war- but you cannot share all the in- legal drugs and corruption. And according to the statement. Abu Sayyaf fi ghters are also Last month, Indonesia, Duterte declared martial law rantless arrests. formation with others. So there- speaking as an economist, I’d “Our at-sea operations believed to have joined with Malaysia and the Philippines in Mindanao after the Islamic The Supreme Court en banc fore it is important that we just like to add that his ‘Build, Build, with the Philippine Navy other militants in taking over also began joint naval patrols State-linked Maute group at- will vote on July 4 on petitions trust the president because he Build’ initiative is commendable demonstrate our commit- the southern Philippine city in their region due to threats tacked Marawi City on May 23. seeking to junk President Du- knows what we don’t know and and is a step in the right direction ment to the alliance and deter of Marawi in May and are still from extremist groups. Duterte’s martial law, un- terte’s martial law declaration. he knows what he’s doing. So let towards sustaining our robust der Proclamation 216, is being The vote will be ahead of the us all support the martial law of economic growth,” she said. Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Search for 5 halts Dhaka marks anniversary cafe attack probe

he Dhaka police yesterday of deadly cafe attack said they need to catch fi ve Tmore terrorists before the AFP Bangladesh. We’ve lost friends. investigation into Holey Artisan Dhaka I’ve lost my nephew. It hurts bakery siege is complete. deep inside my heart,” she said. “We are still looking for fi ve Bangladesh’s Cultural Af- suspects whose names came up undreds of people gath- fairs Minister Asaduzzaman Nur in our investigation. The inves- ered yesterday at the told reporters that the govern- tigation can be completed if we Hsite of one of the worst ment had never imagined this manage to catch two or three Islamist attacks in Bangladesh’s kind of attack could occur in the among them,” said head of Dhaka history to mark the fi rst anniver- country. Metropolitan Police’s Counter- sary of the deadly attack on an “Bangladesh has a long his- Terror Unit Monirul Islam. upscale Dhaka cafe. tory of rich culture and liberal Of the fi ve, capturing Soheil Weeping mourners laid fl ow- practices. This attack was also an Mahfuz, Rashedul Islam aka ‘Rash’ ers outside the old premises attack on our heritage,” he said. and Basharuzzaman aka ‘Choco- of the Holey Artisan Bakery, Bangladesh is gradually late’ was vital. “Finding them may the cafe which fi ve young men “overcoming the threat” posed end our investigation,” bdnews24 armed with guns and knives by Islamic extremism, he added. quoted Monirul as saying. stormed into on July 1, 2016, tak- Mourner Husne Ara said A year has passed since Islam- ing dozens hostage and killing 22 that while she had not lost any ist militants launched a foreign- people. friends or relatives during the er-targeted attack in Dhaka’s Most of the victims were for- attack, it had shaken her deeply diplomatic district, killing 22 eigners – mostly Italian and Jap- and changed her life. including 17 foreign nationals. anese national – and many were “The anxiety I feel nowadays The fi ve killers, who shouted brutally hacked to death. when my children go out can’t ‘Allahu Akbar’ and took religious Since then, the lakeside prop- be expressed in words. I pray this tests to seek out foreigners, were erty has been cordoned off fi rst kind of incident never repeats,” shot dead by commandos the next by police and then by the owners she said. morning, along with a bakery – the bakery itself has reopened The IS group immediately chef who remains a suspect. at a new, more secure, location. claimed the attack but the secu- “Never before have so many for- Amid heavy police security, lar government of Prime Minis- eigners died together in Bangladesh. the two-storey white-painted ter Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly This attack was important for us the house was opened up for four denied that IS has any presence way the fall of the Twin Towers was hours yesterday, as top political in the country, instead pin- important to the US,” said Monirul. leaders, the Italian and Japanese ning the blame on homegrown “The operations we conducted ambassadors, and scores of tear- Islamist outfi ts. in the last one year have eliminated ful mourners paid tribute to the Since the attack, the law en- eight individuals who were involved victims of the siege. forcement offi cers have gunned in the planning of the attack. We’d “The memories are painful down nearly 70 Islamist extrem- have charged them had they been and awful,” Monica Chowdhury, ists across the country including alive,” said the counter-terror chief. the aunt of one of the victims, the Bangladeshi-origin Cana- Of the four men in prison, Faraaz Hossain, said. dian “mastermind” of the cafe Unidentified relatives of victims present at the site with flower bouquet to mark the first anniversary of the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in three have confessed to being “This is not the true face of siege. Dhaka yesterday. involved, he said. Three held Lanka’s top court dismisses case during raid against land lease deal with China

Reuters strong opposition and led to as fi led and dismissed the pay $1.12bn for the stake. It has current coalition government Colombo violent protests by thousands of case,” Anusha Perusinghe, not yet paid, however, due to the ministers. on militant local people who have their land Nanayakkara’s lawyer said. delay in fi nalising the deal. In January, hundreds of pro- taken from them for the project. China is in the fi nal round of China has already spent al- testers refused to vacate their ri Lanka’s Supreme Court The court threw out the case talks to take an 80% stake in most $2bn on Hambantota, land and clashed with police at has dismissed a case fi led by opposition legislator the industrial zone on a 99-year mostly on the port close to the the opening of the industrial Sagainst letting a Chinese Vasudeva Nanayakkara against lease, as part of its “One Belt, busy East-West shipping route zone – the fi rst violent opposi- hideout company lease land in southern cabinet ministers and others in- One Road” initiative. and on a new airport. It plans to tion to Chinese investment in Sri Lanka, a lawyer said, poten- volved in the project including But sources close to its em- spend much more. Sri Lanka. tially ending a six-month de- the Chinese company. bassy in Colombo have said Chi- The port deal was amended When President Maithripala IANS Rashed aka Talha of Bhera- lay in fi nalising the deal, part of Nanayakkara said letting the na was concerned over the case, to address security and own- Sirisena unseated Rajapakse in Dhaka mara’s Daulatpur village, the China’s plans for a modern-day Chinese lease a 15,000-acre plot which has delayed the formal ership concerns raised by the 2015 he froze all Chinese invest- report said. “Silk Road” across Asia. to develop an industrial zone signing of an agreement on the local Sri Lanka Ports Author- ments, alleging unfair dealings Police recovered two suicide The deal is expected to bring near the Chinese-built port in lease since early January. ity, after being delayed due to by his predecessor. He eventu- olice in Bangladesh vests, a pistol, a magazine and Sri Lanka more than $6bn over Hambantota was an “unlawful After signing an agreement protests by trade unions, land- ally negotiated a new deal with yesterday detained some gunpowder during the fi ve years, which would help decision”. on the port deal in December, owners and political opposi- China including the Hamban- Pthree women militants raid on the fi rst anniversary Colombo tackle a growing debt “The Supreme Court said state-run China Merchants Port tion led by former president tota project and other plans for and seized weapons, am- of the Gulshan Holey Artisan crisis. But the deal has drawn there was no infringement Holdings had been expected to Mahinda Rajapakse and some industrial zones. munition and explosives, attack. including suicide vests, dur- The neighbouring homes ing a raid on a suspected Neo have been evacuated as po- Training programme for women JMB hideout in Bheramara lice fear there may be more in Kushtia district, a media explosives inside the house. Bangladesh is set to launch ‘Women academia, women entrepreneurs report said. According to an account in ICT Frontier Initiative’ (WIFI), a association and stakeholders. S M Mehedi Hossain, po- the Daily Star, soon after cor- flagship programme of the UN The Bangladesh government Chinese-built police lice superintendent, Kushtia, doning off the house, police Asian and Pacific Training Center for has been providing support said the house near the Upa- asked the suspected militants ICT for Development (UN-APCICT) and IT training to create women zila town’s Taltola mosque was to surrender. in Bangladesh, to create 30,000 entrepreneurs across the country surrounded around 12am yes- After about fi ve hours of the women entrepreneurs through aimed at ensuring their role in terday based on information stand-off , Sumaiya Khatun providing IT training. the country’s development, said academy handed from the Counter Terrorism wearing a suicide vest walked Bangladesh Parliament Speaker ICT department director general Unit, bdnews24.com reported. towards the police personnel Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will Banamali Bhowmick. Hossain said a woman along with her two sons. inaugurate the national launch He said in line with UN wearing a suicide vest at- Police foiled her attempt to of the WIFI to be held on July 5 Sustainable Development tempted to attack police dur- blast the suicide vest and ar- after two-day training of trainers Goals (SDGs) for women over to Nepal govt ing the operation that began rested her, Hossain said. workshop from July 3 to 4 in empowerment, Bangladesh around 3am. The house was sealed Dhaka, off icial sources said. has taken various initiatives, “She was stopped before it off and a bomb disposal State Minister for ICT Zunaid including capacity building of IANS exploded. Two other women unit of CTTC in Dhaka was Ahmed Palak will chair the women in using IT which will help Kathmandu were detained later,” he added. summoned. launching ceremony which is empower them. The women have been iden- The suspected militants expected to be attended by State The trainers will provide IT tifi ed as Tithi, the wife of neo- rented the house from one Minister for Women and Children training to the women for hina has handed over JMB leader Ayub Bachchu aka Nasima Khatun around two Aff airs Meher Afroze Chumki, UN ensuring optimum use of ICT an aid project of the Shojib; Sumaiya, the wife of months back, police said. APCICT director Hyeun Suk Rhee for business management, CNational Armed Police neo-JMB second-in-com- Police are in search of Nasi- and representatives of national marketing, selling products and Force (APF) Academy to Nepal mand Annaman Ali; and Toli ma Khatun and her family and international organisations, making business plan, Banamali following the completion of Begum, the wife of Rajikul aka members, the offi cial said. off icials from relevant ministries, added. construction. Amid a special ceremony at the APF headquarters in Kathmandu on Friday, the de- livery and acceptance certifi - cate was signed and exchanged ADB grants $150mn loan for Nepal power reforms between Nepali Ministry of Home Aff airs secretary Lok Yu Hong, right, and Lok Darshan Regmi, left, sign documents Darshan Regmi and Chinese during the handover ceremony in Kathmandu. QNA Nepal’s energy sector to deliver The project will enhance the NEA’s capacity to operate and ambassador Yu Hong. Kathmandu gender equality and social inclu- distribution capacity and im- manage an advanced distribu- The function was witnessed and to develop the skilled and few days ahead of a devastating sion (GESI) results, according to prove reliability and quality of tion system and intelligent net- by Nepali Home Minister professional manpower that the earthquake. the ADB. electricity supply in the Kath- work (smart grid) technology Janardan Sharma, heads of force desperately needs,” Regmi Ambassador Yu said that he Asian Development The electricity supplies are mandu valley by reducing dis- with GESI aspects in electricity security agencies and offi cials said. the academy can make a sig- Banks (ADB) has ap- expected to increase rapidly dur- tribution system overloads and access and end-user awareness from both Nepal and Chinese He expressed belief that the nifi cant contribution to Nepal’s Tproved a $150mn loan to ing the next several years through technical and commercial loss- programmes. governments. academy will be able to tackle national security. help improve the reliability and various hydropower projects es. This will be done through NEA is the main govern- The National Armed Police the emerging security chal- “I am hopeful that Nepal can train effi ciency of Nepal’s electricity nearing completion and imports the strengthening of the trans- ment agency responsible for Force Academy, the fi rst of its lenges by producing highly more armed police force talents and supply and distribution through from India through cross-border mission grid capacity, increas- electricity generation, trans- kind in Nepal, has been built un- competent professionals. make a sustaining contribution to the Nepal Electricity Authority line. Therefore, existing trans- ing capacity and rehabilitating mission, and distribution in der the Chinese grant assistance. The full-fl edged extensive building a team that guarantees the (NEA). mission and distribution sys- the distribution network in the Nepal. The Kathmandu val- “The Armed Police Force training academy has been built security and safety of the coun- The ADB will also administer a tems need to be immediately re- project area, and enhancing ley, the main project area, ac- Nepal will be highly benefi ted by China Railway 14th Bureau try,” the Chinese ambassador said, $2mn technical assistance grant habilitated and upgraded for the operational and fi nancial per- counts for about 400,000 from this project. These infra- Group. The construction of the adding, “China is always willing to from the Japan Fund for Poverty network to be able to deliver the formance of NEA distribution electricity end-users or about structures will defi nitely play academy, located in Chandra- conduct pragmatic co-operation Reduction (JFPR) fi nanced by Ja- additional electricity supplies to centres. 16% of NEAs total consumers a signifi cant role to enhance giri municipality of Kathman- with Nepal in the fi eld of talents, pan to strengthen the capacity of consumers. The project will also develop in Nepal. the organisational capacities du, began on April 16, 2015, just development and national security.” Gulf Times 18 Sunday, July 2, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Should we be worried Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko

P.O.Box 2888 about productivity trends? Doha, Qatar [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), By Sandile Hlatshwayo recognise the possibility that market- and Michael Spence related measures, particularly real 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Milan (infl ation-adjusted) income growth, Fax 44350474 may no longer be as important as they were in the past. And it must account conomists concern for a society’s priorities, revealed in themselves not only with the ways in which its members use addressing diffi cult questions their resources. Ethoughtfully, but also with Health-related discoveries and formulating the questions themselves. advances, for example, have brought GULF TIMES Sometimes, rethinking those massive societal benefi ts since World questions can hold the key to fi nding War II: increased longevity and the answers we need. reduced child mortality and morbidity, Consider the productivity debate. not just higher productivity and GDP. Economists trying to explain the That is why the government of, say, Latin America has got apparent structural slowdown in the United States invests so much productivity growth have been asking in medical research: the National the following question: Where is the Institutes of Health alone has an a surplus of talent, but missing increase? Their response annual budget of $32bn with which covers concerns about measurement, to fund infrastructure and research structural shifts in the labour market, projects that employ a subset of the a potential paucity of investment country’s greatest scientifi c talent. environmental protection, social regardless of the shifting preferences shortage of innovation opportunities, productivity-diluting Similarly, the National Science welfare, security, and innovation in a of the average citizen. technological innovations, and Foundation and the scientifi c research wide range of fields that overlap only Societies could, we have little technology-driven skills mismatches. arm of the US Department of Energy partly with productivity and income doubt, elevate productivity and Amid the bloodshed in Venezuela, the corruption scandal But it may also be useful to consider receive a combined total of about growth. income growth substantially, if they in Brazil and the stream of bizarre tweets coming from US a more fundamental question: How $12bn per year, which they use to All of this suggests that a substantial managed to redeploy their resources President Donald Trump, a very important news item has much productivity growth do we really advance a wide variety of goals in share of the decline in productivity entirely in that direction. But gone almost unnoticed in Latin America: A new study says want, and at what cost? engineering, energy effi ciency, and growth may not be the result of some whether bucking revealed preferences There is no doubt that productivity green energy, and the natural and deep problem with resource allocation embedded in private and public the region is failing miserably in innovation. growth is desirable. It is a primary social sciences. or some consequence of exogenous investment choices would make us The Global Innovation Index 2017, a ranking of 130 driver of GDP growth (especially in The economic return on public technological innovation cycles over individually and collectively “better countries around the world, says that African, Eastern countries where labour-force growth investment is even more diffi cult which we have little control. Rather, off ” is dubious, at best. More likely, it European and Southeast Asian countries are doing much is slowing) and income gains. Strong to calculate for security-related it could refl ect a natural shift in is simply not true. – Project Syndicate better than Latin America when it comes to modernising GDP growth and rising incomes spending, where the total resources priorities to other dimensions of well- their economies and producing more sophisticated goods can then support the fulfi lment allocated to enhancing it and the being. zSandile Hlatshwayo recently received of fundamental human needs and eff ectiveness of those resources may This shift is not without its risks. her PhD in Economics from the and services that help their economies grow faster. desires. be unknowable. But there is little Without productivity growth, the University of California at Berkeley and The study is a collaborative eff ort by Cornell University’s This link is particularly obvious in doubt that security has a powerful incomes of those at the lower end of will join the International Monetary College of Business, the European business school INSEAD developing countries, where economic claim on people’s well-being and thus the distribution will likely remain fl at, Fund in the fall. Michael Spence, and the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation. expansion and rising incomes are on resource allocation. exacerbating inequality and, as we a Nobel laureate in economics, is The annual ranking is based on dozens of measurements, preconditions for poverty reduction In some cases, people’s desires have been seeing lately, jeopardising Professor of Economics at New York including the number of new invention patents fi led by each and improvements in health and may actually clash with the goal of social and political stability. Given University’s Stern School of Business education. But the link between improving productivity. Social media, this, governments should devote and Senior Fellow at the Hoover country, educational achievements and the ease of doing aggregate growth and individual for example, has often been derided as resources to reducing inequality, Institution. business. welfare is no less visible in advanced a feeble or even negative contributor The ranking does not list one single Latin American countries – particularly those now to productivity. But productivity is not country among the 25 most innovative nations, despite the struggling with slow growth, high the point of social media. What people fact that three countries in the region – Brazil, Mexico and unemployment, output gaps, debt value about it is the connectivity, overhangs, misaligned exchange rates, interaction, communication, and Argentina – are among the world’s 25 biggest economies. and structural rigidities. diversion that it enables. Weather report This year, Switzerland topped the ranking, followed by But this does not mean that In fact, for many individuals, Three-day forecast Sweden, the Netherlands, the US and Great Britain. Among policymakers’ primary goal should particularly in wealthier countries, the Latin American nations, Chile ranked 46th, Costa Rica 53rd, be more productivity growth. top priority is not simply becoming TODAY Mexico 58th, Colombia 65th, Uruguay 67th, Brazil 69th, Societies – including governments richer, but rather living a richer life, High: 42 C and individuals – care about a range of and it is toward the latter goal that Low : 31 C Peru 70th, Argentina 76th, Ecuador 92nd, El Salvador 103rd Inshore: Hazy at places at first things, from health care and security they will channel their time, income, becomes hot daytime and humid and Bolivia 106th. to fairness and freedom. Inasmuch as and creativity. As societies become by night. What’s more worrisome for the region, the ranking also productivity growth – and, in turn, richer, the relative value placed on does not include a single Latin American country among GDP and income growth – advances diff erent dimensions of life may shift. MONDAY the 17 developing countries that it describes as “innovation these societal objectives, it is highly Societies’ allocation of resources High: 45 C achievers,” or emerging nations that are advancing much desirable. will imprecisely but persistently follow Low: 32 C more rapidly than their peers. There is, however, a tendency these shifts. This is especially true Sunny among economists and policymakers when it comes to human resources, “The region’s innovation rankings have not signifi cantly to overemphasise such market- but public-sector resources also tend improved relative to other regions in recent years, and no related measures of performance, to respond to the same preferences TUESDAY country in Latin America and the Caribbean currently while overlooking the reason why and values over the longer term, High: 43 C shows any innovation outperformance relative to its level of that performance matters: human regardless of the imperfections in our Low: 32 C development,” the report says. well-being. Eff orts to implement a mechanisms of social choice. Sunny Why is it that a region with so many talented individuals more comprehensive framework for This kind of evolution is not assessing economic performance, one unique to high-income countries. cannot excel in that refl ects social needs and desires, China has reached – or perhaps Fishermen’s forecast innovation? Latin Latin America have been largely unsuccessful. passed – the stage during which OFFSHORE DOHA America is producing In order to determine how much a laser-like focus on productivity Wind: NW 05-15/18 KT needs more some of the world’s most productivity growth we want, we and GDP growth corresponds with Waves: 2-4/5 Feet need to take a broader view, one that ordinary citizens’ sense of well- INSHORE DOHA creative and successful Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT government enables us to decide how best to being. As a result, China’s resources Waves: 1-2/3 Feet people, including soccer allocate society’s limited resources, are increasingly being redeployed player Lionel Messi, intervention to especially its most valuable human toward a more balanced portfolio Around the region Nobel literature laureate resources. Such a perspective should that still includes growth, but adds Weather Weather produce more Mario Vargas Llosa, and today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Abu Dhabi M Sunny 38/32 Sunny 38/32 the Venezuelan-born Baghdad Sunny 48/29 Sunny 48/31 innovation president of MIT – often Dubai Sunny 42/31 Sunny 41/31 ranked as the world’s Kuwait City Sunny 43/31 Sunny 43/32 Live issues Manama Sunny 44/32 Sunny 44/32 No. 1 university – Rafael Reiff . Even the Vatican has a Latin Muscat Sunny 38/32 Sunny 38/31 American chief, Pope Francis. Riyadh Sunny 47/32 Sunny 47/31 And yet, the collective output of the region in patents of Tehran Sunny 36/25 Sunny 37/25 new inventions is pitiful. All Latin American and Caribbean Stop the middle-aged countries together applied for about 1,400 patents with the WIPO last year, less than 10% of South Korea’s 15,560. Many economists say this is because Latin American menopause spread countries have too many government regulations that stifl e creative enterprises, and not enough venture capital to fund ideas from talented people. Tribune News Service challenging to maintain a healthy While it takes more than a dozen legal steps to open a small Washington weight. If you continue to eat as you always have and don’t increase your business in your garage in many Latin American countries, physical activity, you’re likely to gain you can get the necessary permits much more easily in the hat does your waistline weight. Genetic factors also might US or Switzerland, they argue. say about your health? play a role in menopause weight Others say the opposite: that Latin America needs more Why is belly fat gain. If your parents or other close government intervention to produce more innovation. They Wmore common after relatives carry extra weight around the menopause? Does it pose a dangerous abdomen, you’re likely to do the same. argue that while highly innovative nations spend 4.2% of health risk? Other factors, such as a lack of their gross domestic products on research and development, As you get older, you might exercise, unhealthy eating and a lack of and the US about 2.8%, the average in Latin America is at notice that maintaining your usual sleep, might contribute to menopause 0.5%. weight becomes more difficult. weight gain. When people don’t get The fact that the Global Innovation Index 2017’s Many women gain weight around enough sleep, they tend to snack more conclusions about Latin America got so little attention in the menopause transition. Research and consume more calories. Around the world the region is worrisome. It’s urgent for Latin America to stop shows that belly fat also carries What’s behind belly fat? Your weight Weather Weather serious health risks. is largely determined by how you balance today Max/min tomorrow Max/min being a region with a surplus of talent, and a shortage of Menopause weight gain isn’t the calories you eat with the energy you Athens Sunny 43/25 Sunny 36/22 innovation. inevitable, however. You can reverse burn. If you eat too much and exercise Beirut Sunny 31/28 Sunny 32/28 Bangkok T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 course by paying attention to healthy- too little, you’re likely to carry excess Berlin Cloudy 20/11 P Cloudy 21/13 eating habits and leading an active weight, including belly fat. However, Cairo Sunny 42/26 Sunny 42/26 lifestyle. What causes menopause ageing also plays a role. Muscle mass Cape Town S Showers 16/08 P Cloudy 16/10 weight gain? might diminish slightly with age, while Colombo T Storms 30/27 S T Storms 30/27 To Advertise T Storms 30/26 The hormonal changes of fat increases. Loss of muscle mass Dhaka 31/27 T Storms [email protected] Hong Kong T Storms 31/28 T Storms 30/28 menopause might make you more also decreases the rate at which your Istanbul Sunny 34/22 Sunny 31/23 Display likely to gain weight around your body uses calories, which can make it Jakarta S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 32/24 Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 abdomen than around your hips and more challenging to maintain a healthy Karachi P Cloudy 33/29 P Cloudy 33/29 thighs. But hormonal changes alone weight. Many women also notice an London P Cloudy 23/13 P Cloudy 23/14 Classified Manila T Storms 32/26 T Storms 32/26 don’t necessarily cause menopause increase in belly fat as they get older, Moscow Rain 19/13 Showers 20/12 Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 weight gain. Instead, the weight likely due to a decreasing oestrogen level. New Delhi T Storms 33/27 S T Storms 33/27 gain is usually related to ageing, Oestrogen appears to infl uence where fat New York P Cloudy 33/22 P Cloudy 33/21 Subscription as well as lifestyle and genetic is distributed in the body. Paris S Showers 22/14 P Cloudy 24/13 Sao Paulo Cloudy M Cloudy 15/09 factors. For example, muscle mass The tendency to gain or carry weight 14/11 [email protected] Seoul T Storms 27/23 T Storms 26/23 typically diminishes with age, while around the waist — and have an apple Singapore S T Storms 31/25 T Storms 30/26 fat increases. Loss of muscle mass rather than a pear shape — might have Sydney Sunny 16/06 S Showers 16/11 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved decreases the rate at which your body a genetic component, as well. — Mayo Tokyo Cloudy 31/22 Cloudy 33/24 uses calories, which can make it more Clinic News Network Gulf Times Sunday, July 2, 2017 19 COMMENT New NHRC report highlights violations

QNA Qatari, and Emirati-Qatari families), these decisions as soon as possible. Doha adding that this a step in the right The report notes that some direction. The report, however, calls individuals were subjected to more on the three states to clarify the than one type of violation. The report atar National Human implementation mechanisms, and highlights at least two cases for Rights Committee (NHRC) emphasises that it has to include all each violation type. Also, the report has released a report human rights and legal areas. includes a table with classifi cations Qdocumenting the violations The report notes that some of the violations by type and the against the citizens of the four Gulf individuals were subjected to more responsible country. states following the decision by three than one type of violation. The report Also, the report calls on those states Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, United Arab highlights at least two cases for to respect the basic human rights to Emirates, and Bahrain) to cut ties with each violation type. Also, the report movement, private property, work, Qatar, and impose a land blockade includes a table with classifi cations residence, and freedom of expression with shutting down the air and sea of the violations by type and the and opinion in accordance with the routes. Additionally, these three states responsible country: What the NHRC Universal Declaration of Human notifi ed their citizens that they have to was able to report and document is Rights, the International Covenant leave Qatar within 14 days, and banned still the bare minimum, considering on Civil and Political Rights, the Qatari citizens from entering their that many of those whose rights International Covenant on Economic, lands. were violated don’t know of the Social and Cultural Rights, and the The NHRC report notes that at least existence of any mechanisms for Arab Charter on Human Rights. 13,314 people were directly aff ected by complaint submission. In addition, Also, the report stressed that the that decision. The violations included many complainants were afraid to political developments should not family separations, violations to reveal their identities due to the aff ect the humanitarian and social the right to travel, education, work, measures and actions that could be situations. freedom of opinion, residency and taken against them by their countries’ Finally, the report calls on the ownership. local authorities if they contacted or Qatari government to take all possible The report noted that Saudi Arabia, submitted a compliant. Finally, there steps at the international level, at the UAE, and Bahrain have taken severe, are violations against minors (under level of the Security Council and the escalated, shocking steps on 5 June, 18 years), and since they do not have international courts, to lift the siege 2017, that involved the shutdown of identity documents, statistics do not on the people of Qatar, to defend sea, land, and air routes for trade, but include a large number of them. their rights in the face of violations also in the face of the Gulf citizens in The report notes that the Qatari against them, and to hold accountable a series of actions never witnessed government didn’t take any action those who are responsible for all the before by the states of the Gulf Co- against the citizens of the three states, violations. operation Council (GCC), disregarding and the NHRC didn’t receive any Dr Ali al-Marri, chairman of NHRC, all human rights and humanitarian complaint of that nature. stated that “The suff ering of the GCC standards and principles and their The report notes that the decisions people has become notable through legal repercussions. of the governments of Saudi Arabia, NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri the reports published by the NHRC, According to the report, hundreds UAE, and Bahrain have violated a international reports and statements of complaints have been submitted number of international human rights Economic Agreement between the types of violations that aff ected great as possible. The report asserts that and stories published in the to the NHRC via e-mail, phone, laws and principles, as well as several GCC States. Therefore, those states numbers of people, especially the NHRC is ready to share all the relevant mainstream media and social media. or personal visits to the NHRC fundamental human rights, which are are responsible for protecting and families that were separated, including data on violations and complaints. After all, we hope that the besieging headquarters in Doha, Qatar’s capital. treated as international norms due to preserving the rights and interests of the resulting consequences on women In addition, the report calls on that countries take into account the rights According to data collected by their wide scope of application on the the individuals living on their lands. and children; and urges these states Secretariat General of the Gulf Co- and interests of the GCC peoples”. NHRC, approximately 11,387 citizens international level, including articles The report calls on the international to respect the basic freedoms of the operation Council, and the Councils NHRC team recorded roughly from the three blockading states live of the Universal Declaration of Human community to take urgent action to people living on their lands. Confl ict Resolution Commission, to 2451 complaints of various types in Qatar, and approximately 1,927 Rights (Most notably: 5,9,12,13,19,23, lift the siege, and make every possible The report calls on the Human move as quickly as possible and do of violations against citizens of the Qatari citizens live in those states. All and 26), Articles in the International eff ort to mitigate its repercussions on Rights Council to take every possible everything in its power to convince four Gulf states, where the work of those people have been aff ected in Covenant on Economic, Social and the people of Qatar and citizens of the action in order to end the blockade the governments of the besieging methodology draws upon visits by the diff erent areas and sectors to varying Cultural Rights (most notably Part III three countries. It also calls on the and its ramifi cations, and calls for the countries to settle the social, civil, and victims to the NHRC headquarters and degrees. In one case, the actions of the of Article 6, and Articles 10 and 13), United Nations and the Offi ce of the compensation of all people who were cultural situation for the families and the special forms that NHRC prepared blockading states separated a mother articles of the International Covenant United Nations High Commissioner aff ected. citizens. and were fi lled in by the victims with from her children. on Civil and Political Rights (Part II for Human Rights (OHCHR) to take Moreover, the report calls on The report calls on Saudi Arabia, detailed information, in addition to The report stresses that NHRC of Article 2), in addition to Articles in speedy steps to bind the besieging Human Rights Council Special UAE, and Bahrain to respect the attaching copies of victims IDs, while appreciates the step taken by Saudi the Arab Charter on Human Rights states to countermand their decisions. Rapporteurs to document forms on uniqueness of the Gulf societies, and some victims attached university and Arabia, Bahrain, and UAE to take into (Articles 3,8,26,32, and 33), the Additionally, the report calls on the various types of violations that to refrain from making any decisions school reports, work contracts, or consideration the situation of mixed GCC Declarations of Human Rights the OHCHR to prepare reports and occurred, and contact the concerned that sever the ties between families other documents that are available in families (Saudi-Qatari, Bahraini- (Articles 6, 9, 14, 24, and 27), and the statements documenting the various governments in that regard as soon and societies, and to countermand the NHRC archive. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, July 2, 2017 QATAR UAE envoy lobbied White House to ignore rights violations in Yemen

By Alex Emmons press conference two days later, tercept that she has had a meet- The Intercept Ban all but confi rmed the report. ing with al-Otaiba, but could not At the time, Louis Charbon- recall the timing because she did neau, the lead journalist on the not have her records on hand. art of keeping close rela- Reuters story, had accepted a Whitson, however, fi red back at tionships with serial hu- job to become UN director at al-Otaiba’s refutations of HRW’s Pman rights violators, as the the New York-based advocacy credibility. “The UAE crying that US does, is the constant pres- group Human Rights Watch and Human Rights Watch is biased sure from those governments would leave Reuters the follow- against them ignores the work to ignore their reported abuses. ing month. The link to Human that we do in 19 countries across That dynamic was on full dis- Rights Watch alone was enough the Middle East and North Af- play in a hacked e-mail exchange to convince al-Otaiba that the rica and the work that we do in between the UAE’s infl uential report was hopelessly biased. almost 100 countries around ambassador to the US and a top “My point is some of the me- the world,” she said. “There are Obama national security offi - dia coverage is biased,” al-Otaiba few countries that have been as cial. The sometimes testy back- wrote to Malley in the exchange. extreme in rejecting criticism of and-forth between allies, which Malley, who told The Inter- their human rights record.” Yousef al-Otaiba, UAE was obtained by The Intercept, cept the e-mails were authentic In addition to its conduct in ambassador to the US. shows how friendly foreign gov- but declined to comment fur- the Yemen war, HRW has been ernments lobby the White House ther, responded in disbelief to critical of abuses in the UAE “I’m talking about pre-existing on human rights, and how the al-Otaiba’s note within several both against migrant workers sympathies or biases on certain White House sometimes pushes minutes. “Seriously? Believing and treatment of internal dis- issues and how they can be con- back. in human rights is a bias?” he senters, including alleged tor- fl ated with an issue like human During the exchange, which wrote. “I assume you think me- ture and forced disappearances. rights. I’m pretty sure you’re took place in June 2016, the dia coverage of the whole UN “The UAE’s criticism of Human not trying to convince [sic] that UAE’s ambassador Yousef al- report aff air was biased too.” Rights Watch has only mounted every single journalist on the Otaiba tries to convince Rob- “You’re joking right?” al- in the face of Human Rights planet is the epitome of moral ert Malley, then a top Middle Otaiba wrote back incredu- Watch reporting on its record of rectitude.” East adviser to President Barack lously. “You actually want me torture and abuse within its own The UAE embassy did not re- Obama, that human rights re- to believe that a reporter who country,” Whitson said. “When spond to requests for comment. porting critical of the US-backed is now going to be employed by you combine that with their ne- Al-Otaiba is an infl uential bombing coalition in Yemen was HRW will cover the Yemen war farious pursuit in Yemen — for voice in D.C. foreign policy cir- unfairly biased. The UAE is a key objectively? Please.” example, their involvement in cles, known for his galas and member of the Saudi-led coali- Charbonneau, the former hundreds of unlawful attacks lavish dinner parties pitching tion in the Yemen war, which has Reuters journalist, told The In- against civilians — you can see US support for aggressive and killed thousands of people, de- tercept that his story was “unas- why they might be going off the interventionist action by the US stroyed hospitals, food sources, sailable” — calling it “meticu- rails. This is not a government in the Middle East. These days, and water infrastructure, and lously researched” — and noted that tolerates any criticism at al-Otaiba’s infl uence is waxing left 7mn people on the brink of that Ban had essentially con- all, let alone criticism of its hu- thanks to his close relationship starvation. fi rmed it. “The facts speak for man rights record.” In 2014, UAE with President Donald Trump’s In the exchange, al-Otaiba themselves,” Charbonneau said, denied Whitson entry to the son-in-law and top adviser tried to persuade Malley that “whether or not some diplomats country. Jared Kushner. The two keep “al- reporting by the British-based like it.” In the e-mail exchange with most constant phone and e-mail A screenshot of the Gulf Times article, ‘How Yemen has become a haven of human traff icking’, based on a news agency Reuters was un- Al-Otaiba went on to ar- al-Otaiba, Malley eventually contact,” according to Politico. US Department of State report, that was published on June 30. fairly biased. Al-Otaiba focused gue that Human Rights Watch struck a lighter tone. “I love our Earlier this month, hack- on a Reuters report that said set an unachievable standard. disagreements because we al- ers began releasing screenshots some of the exchanges because it’s unclear if the “GlobalLeaks” e-mail exchange, UAE forces in Arab monarchies had pressured “And of course we believe in ways think the other one is jok- of e-mails from a Hotmail ac- they could not be independently hackers are affi liated with Rus- Yemen have themselves faced then-UN Secretary General Ban human rights,” the UAE ambas- ing! Journalists, UN, interna- count that al-Otaiba used for authenticated, and others be- sia or just trying to give that heavy criticism for human rights Ki-Moon into removing the sador wrote. “But some of these tional organisations — all biased business. The hackers have sent cause we did not judge them to be impression. violations. In January, UAE com- Yemen coalition from a UN list groups create a platinum stand- against the KSA” — a reference the screenshots to various news newsworthy. When asked about their mo- mandoes took part in a botched that shames countries for kill- ard that no one lives up to. Re- to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, websites, including the The The hackers refer to them- tivations, the hackers responded US Navy SEAL operation that ing children. The Reuters story mind [sic] to tell you about my the regional leader that the UAE Intercept, the Daily Beast, Al selves as “GlobalLeaks,” and have in broken English by e-mail that killed 10 children. Last week, the claimed that Gulf state foreign meeting with HRW when I fi rst often follows. Jazeera, and Huff Post. previously claimed to be affi li- they were “not affi liated with any Associated Press revealed that ministers had threatened to came to D.C.” Al-Otaiba bristled at the sug- Last week, the hackers sent ated with the website “DCLeaks.” country or religion,” but added the UAE was running a clandes- withhold millions of dollars of Sarah Leah Whitson, who di- gestion that he was reacting on The Intercept multiple e-mail The US intelligence community that their goal was to “make tine network of torture prisons from UN humanitarian pro- rects HRW’s Middle East and Saudi Arabia’s behalf. “I never exchanges about the Yemen war. has accused the Russia govern- America great again.” in southern Yemen that feed grammes. In an extraordinary North Africa work, told The In- mentioned Saudi,” he wrote, The Intercept is withholding ment of operating DCLeaks, and Since the al-Otaiba-Malley intelligence to the US military.

Scenes of destruction and despair from Yemen. Al-Marri explains impact of siege to Paris protest Saudi TV mocked German officials National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri on Friday briefed off icials in for claim Harrods Germany on the blockade of Qatar and its negative impact in terms of human rights violations. He held meetings at the level spies on customers of the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Aff airs and Global Alliance of National Human Saudi state-owned The post appeared without ing times for the company’s Rights Institutions, the off icial news channel has been a link to an article or video careers offi ce. Qatar News Agency reported. Amocked on social media report further explaining the Al-Ekhbariya’s tweet drew a Dr al-Marri held separate after posting an unsubstantiat- claim, and there was no men- big response on Twitter, with meetings with the German ed claim that the Qatar-owned tion of the story on al-Ekh- more than 1,000 replies to the federal foreign off ice’s director for British department store, Har- bariya’s website, as of Friday, original post, most of which relations with the Middle East and rods, spies on customers from Al Jazeera said. were facetious or scornful of the North Africa, Philipp Ackermann, some Arab Gulf countries, The story appears to stem report. and desk off icer at the human Al Jazeera reports. from a report by the Saudi The hashtag accompanying rights and gender issues division In a tweet posted last Thurs- newspaper Okaz, which cites the tweet was also fl ooded with One tweet jokingly said a giant at the German federal foreign day, Al-Ekhbariya TV said the “reliable sources” for the cartoons and comments that teddy bear guarding the store’s off ice, Yasemin Pamuk. popular London-based store, claim that an internal mem- mocked what many users con- entrance hides a camera and He also met with the chairperson known for its designer collec- orandum required staff to sidered fake news. forwards personal details about of the Global Alliance of National tions, was targeting custom- store credit card purchases In one response, a user customers to intelligence off icials. Human Rights Institutions, Beate ers from the UAE, Bahrain, and for customers from the three called “Grandma Sarah” says “I Rudolf, and provided her with Saudi Arabia. countries. swear I’m laughing”, later add- tails about customers to Qatari a detailed explanation of the A group of activists held a demonstration in Paris yesterday, “Qatari Harrods is spying on There is no confi rma- ing, “It breaks my heart, there intelligence offi cials. human rights violations faced by decrying the siege imposed on Qatar by its Arab neighbours. its customers from Saudi Ara- tion about the claims from are people intent on believing One user, named Nafoud al- Qatari and GCC citizens living in The protestors waved the flags of Qatar, Palestine and Turkey bia, the Emirates, and Bahrain the store itself in the article, anything.” Duhaim, says the chocolates he Qatar. and carried the portraits of His Highness the Emir Sheikh for mysterious reasons,” read but instead what appears to Another tweet jokingly says bought from Harrods contain He also highlighted the “severe Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Turkish President Recep the tweet, which ended with the be an automated letter from a giant teddy bear guarding the a microscopic device that fi ts violations” of international law Tayyip Erdogan. They also demanded the immediate lifting of hashtag “Qatari Harrods spies the Harrods recruitment store’s entrance hides a cam- into people’s stomachs to spy on in the demands made by the the illegal blockade. on Khaleejis (Gulf citizens)”. team, which states the open- era and forwards personal de- them. blockading countries.