BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Xavi strikes in ’s

INDEX victory DOW JONES QE NYMEX 2-11, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 REGION 11 BUSINESS 1-7, 13-16 IQ set to raise foreign over Nasaf 25,007.03 8,801.75 61.91 ARAB WORLD 11, 12 CLASSIFIED 8-12 -171.58 +138.71 -0.45 INTERNATIONAL 13-25 SPORTS 1-8 ownership limit to 49% -0.68% +1.60% -0.73% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10757 March 14, 2018 Jumada Il 26, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals PM meets Turkish defence minister Deals give a In brief huge fi llip to

QATAR | Reaction Qatar defence Qatar slams attack on Palestinian PM’s convoy Qatar has strongly condemned the explosion attempt targeting the convoy of Palestinian Prime and security Minister Rami Hamdallah in the Gaza Strip. In a statement he quest for Qatar’s self-suf- company Kongsberg is to create a JV issued yesterday, the Foreign fi ciency in defence and secu- called ‘BK Systems’, specialising in mil- Ministry described the attempt Trity has received a major boost itary communications systems, navi- as a desperate act to disrupt HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with Turkish Minister with Barzan Holdings signing multiple gations systems, and weapons manu- Palestinian reconciliation. It urged of National Defence Noureddine Ganikli on the occasion of his participation in the 6th edition of the International agreements with leading international facture. the Palestinian parties to unite Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018). Their talks dealt with relations between Qatar and and companies yesterday. The deal with Turkish company and move forward to achieve the ways to strengthen them, especially in the security and defence fields. Pages 8, 9 Barzan Holdings, the fi rst defence Sur International and the Qatar Emiri reconciliation and the aspirations and security company responsible for Guard will establish a JV called ‘QSur’ of the Palestinian people. The empowering the military capabilities to manufacture high-end military uni- statement reiterated the State of the , had made forms and uniform accessories. of Qatar’s full support to the its offi cial public launch on the opening Barzan Holdings has a JV agreement Palestinians for self-determination day of the Doha International Maritime with Qinetiq from the UK, a leading and the restoration of all of their Defence Exhibition and Conference provider of military consultancy serv- legitimate rights, including the (Dimdex 2018) on Monday. ices to create ‘BQ Solutions’. During establishment of an independent Trump cites diff erences “Through these agreements and the Dimdex, BQ Solutions signed an agree- and sovereign State on the 1967 creation of joint ventures (JVs) with part- ment with the Qatari Emiri under borders with Jerusalem as its ner companies, Barzan Holdings is build- which BQ Solutions will advise the navy capital. Page 12 ing human and technological capital in on best strategies and practices in ‘blue Qatar, creating new research and devel- water’ and transformational activities. SPORT | Champions League for Tillerson dismissal opment (R&D) capabilities in Qatar,” it An agreement with German defence Sevilla stun Man Utd was explained in an offi cial statement. company Rheinmetall AG has created a Agencies little bit diff erently. So we were not re- know, in this country.” The signings took place at Dimdex JV called Rheinmetall Barzan Advanced to reach quarter-fi nals Washington ally thinking the same”. Tillerson reportedly was summoned 2018, of which Barzan Holdings is a Technologies (RBAT) that will develop Substitute Wissam Ben Yedder With Central Intelligence Agency back a day early from his week-long trip strategic partner and also the largest an ammunition manufacturing base scored twice as Sevilla stunned (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo, who to Africa, arriving in Washington on exhibitor. in Qatar, provide security for strate- Manchester United 2-1 in S President Donald Trump said was nominated to replace Tillerson , Monday. Tillerson reportedly learned Barzan Holdings signed an agree- gic venues and critical infrastructure yesterday’s last 16, second leg at that he and fi red Secretary of Trump said: “We have a very similar of his dismissal via a presidential tweet. ment with Italian company Beretta in Qatar, and develop research in UGV Old Traff ord to advance to the UState Rex Tillerson disagreed thought process. I think it’s going to go “I actually got along well with Rex, Holding to create a JV named ‘Bindig’, (unmanned ground vehicle) and HEL quarter-finals of the Champions on a number of issues, mainly the Ira- very well”. but really it was a diff erent mindset, a the Qatari word for rifl e. Beretta’s fi rst (high energy laser) technology. League for the first time since nian nuclear deal. Trump, whose administration has diff erent thinking,” Trump said. JV in the Middle East will manufac- Barzan Holdings signed agreements 1958. Following a goalless first leg “Rex and I have been talking about had the highest rate of personnel turn- Meanwhile, Tillerson said he was ture pistols and rifl es under the Bindig with two Turkish companies, Aselsan in Spain, Ben Yedder struck on this for a long time,” Trump said in over of any administration in memory, delegating all of his responsibilities name in Qatar, for use by the Qatar and SStek, to create a JV called ‘Barq’ 74 and 78 minutes in Manchester answer to questions on the south lawn said he was “really at a point where to the State Department’s No 2 offi - Armed Forces and other security and which will engage in developing and before Romelu Lukaku grabbed a of the White House as he was about to we’re getting very close to having the cial and that he would leave offi ce at governmental entities. producing electro optic equipment, consolation for Jose Mourinho’s depart for California. “We got along, Cabinet and other things that I want.” the end of the month. “What is most An agreement was inked with Turk- crypto technology, and research related under-par side. Meanwhile Roma actually, quite well, but we disagreed Asked if he had informed Tillerson important is to ensure an orderly and ish company BMC that specialises in to remote weapon platforms. beat Shakhtar 1-0 to progress on on things. When you look at the Iran that he was being fi red, Trump said: smooth transition during a time that military vehicles. BMC is a legacy in- Another agreement is with US com- away goals (2-2 on aggregate), with deal, I think it’s terrible. I guess he “No, I really didn’t discuss it very the country continues to face signifi - vestment of the Qatar Armed Forces, pany Wilcox, specialising in weapons Edin Dzeko’s second half strike thought it was OK. I wanted to either much with him, honestly. I made that cant policy and national security chal- and Barzan Holdings will now manage manufacturing, plus electro optic gun making the diff erence. break it or do something, and he felt a decision by myself. Rex wasn’t, as you lenges”. Page 14 this relationship in the future. technology. Barzan Holdings has partnered with Barzan Holdings has also signed an major US defence contractor Raytheon MoU with Turkish company SSM, to to power the Qatar Cyber Academy. work on joint R&D projects between Qa- Great Indian wedding! The institution will train Qataris un- tar and Turkey for knowledge exchange. dergoing their national service, and “Barzan Holdings is working with its Emiri navy signs three also open its services to the public sec- international partners to strengthen tor to better understand cyber security Qatar’s future by setting a road map for and protect themselves from potential Qatar’s military and security industries, deals for maritime college cyber security threats. in coordination with Qatar Armed Forc- The agreement with Norwegian es,” the statement added. Pages 8, 9

QNA and moral development. Doha He noted that the three agree- ments signed are all related to human development at the maritime college, he Qatari Emiri Naval Forces which is currently under construc- yesterday signed three agree- tion, providing “strong support” to Tments to equip and manage a candidates among Qatari offi cers maritime college to be set up in Qa- and those from friendly and sisterly tar, which will be ready for work and countries who will join it immedi- receive students by the end of June ately after opening. 2019. HE Major General al-Sulaiti said The signing came on the sidelines the maritime college will grant stu- of the ongoing Doha International dents a bachelor’s degree in marine Maritime Defence Exhibition and studies after completing the required Conference (Dimdex 2018). number of hours. HE the Commander of the Students who join the maritime Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major college will also be subject to a ‘foun- General Abdullah bin Hassan al- dation period’ after the secondary Sulaiti said the work of the Emiri stage for six months, during which Navy is based on three pillars - they will study a number of academ- Dignitaries from Barzan Holdings during a signing ceremony with its international human development, armament ic subjects. partners at Dimdex 2018 yesterday.

QP-Abu Dhabi pact to operate Al-Bunduq oil fi eld

atar Petroleum (QP) has signed In March 1969, the State of Qatar would like to take this opportunity to Bunduq Company Limited, a “concession agreement” and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi signed thank our Japanese partners for their which operates and manages Al- Qwith the Abu Dhabi Supreme an agreement stipulating that the Al- outstanding performance during more Bunduq field, was established in Petroleum Council (on behalf of the Bunduq fi eld is equally owned by both than four decades of the fi eld’s life, 1970 and is fully owned by United Government of Abu Dhabi), Abu sides. and for their safe and environmentally Petroleum Development Company Dhabi National Oil Company (AD- On the occasion, QP President and friendly operations. Ltd, a Japanese company owned NOC), United Petroleum Develop- CEO Saad Sherida al-Kaabi reaffi rmed “We are confi dent that Bunduq by Japanese shareholders Cosmo ment Company (Japan), and Bunduq Qatar Petroleum’s commitment to its Company Limited will spare no eff ort (45%), JX Nippon (45%) and Mitsui The bridegroom arrives for a great Indian wedding that concluded at Ritz-Carlton Company (operator) for the contin- international reputation as a trustwor- to take advantage of the fi eld’s full po- (10%). Doha yesterday after three days of festivities. The celebrations that involved an ued development and operation of the thy national oil company and a reliable tential during the next period of its life Al-Bunduq off shore oil fi eld, shared ‘extremely happy and satisfied group of over 1,000 guests’ have made Doha a top shared Al-Bunduq off shore oil fi eld. energy provider at all times and under for the benefi t of all parties.” between the State of Qatar and the destination in the region for similar grand events. “We already have more inquiries for The signed agreement replaces the all conditions. The signing of the new agreement Emirate of Abu Dhabi, was discovered such events,” Erden Kendigelen, general manager, Ritz-Carlton Doha told Gulf Times original concession agreement signed Al-Kaabi said: “We are delighted to comes as the original concession in 1965 and commenced production in yesterday. Qatar competed against several destinations in the Middle East to host the in March 1953 between the ruler of Abu sign this concession agreement, which agreement expired on March 8, 2018. 1975. mega event which was in planning for over a year. The wedding party had booked all Dhabi and D’Arcy Exploration Compa- will ensure the continued develop- It will govern the continued devel- The fi eld’s crude oil production is the 374 renovated rooms of Ritz-Carlton Doha to accommodate about 800 guests. ny, which was amended several times ment and operation of the Al-Bunduq opment and operation of the shared exported to Japan and other Asian Many of the guests stayed for almost 10 days (supplied picture). Page 28 since then. oil fi eld for many years to come. I field. markets. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 QATAR

HE the Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin speaking at the “Tajrebaty” Initiative at Qatar University. Nasser al-Ali taking a question from the audience. Siege countries ruined Arabs’ chance to attain Unesco post

QNA support from various na- around the world was the Salah bin Ghanem bin Nass- Doha tions, the siege countries reason behind his candidacy er al-Ali highlighted his ex- used all methods in their ar- for the position. He added perience in serving Qatar in senal to oppose his candida- that the nomination began diff erent forums. he siege countries ture, and put unimaginable early, two years before the Despite Qatar’s small mobilised all their pressure on other countries elections, due to Qatar’s be- size, it serves as a model Tenergies to thwart to discourage them from lief in the task and sense of for other countries in the Qatar’s candidate to the post supporting Qatar’s candi- responsibility. region, and looks forward of Unesco secretary general, date, causing the Arabs to Dr al-Kuwari said Qatar’s to be a model to the world thus causing the Arabs to lose an important position inspirational leadership and in various fi elds, the minis- lose an important position they always dreamed of. its wise vision led to the ter said urging the youth to they always dreamed of, Dr al-Kuwari stressed the successes and achievements seize the opportunity and HE the Minister of State Dr continuous support of His witnessed by the country the moment to serve their Hamad bin Abdulaziz al- Highness the Emir Sheikh in various fi elds all the na- country. Kuwari has said. Tamim bin Hamad al-Tha- tional, regional and interna- QU President Dr Has- Speaking at the “Tajre- ni, His Highness the Father tional levels. san al-Derham said Qatar baty” Initiative at Qa- Emir Sheikh Hamad bin He said that Qatar has should be at the forefront, tar University (QU), Dr Khalifa al-Thani, the gov- many people who are en- and today it needs its youth al-Kuwari said that one ernment and people during dowed with skills and abili- in all areas of knowledge. of the siege countries op- his candidacy. ties. Al-Derham highlighted posed Qatar’s candidate He also praised the visit of Concluding his speech, the relation between the for Unesco post on the fi rst Her Highness Sheikha Moza Dr al-Kuwari reiterated that Unesco and QU, praising the day of the announcement of bint Nasser to Unesco last knowledge and culture are organisation’s support in its candidacy and secretly February, saying that it re- Qatar’s guiding principles establishing the university obstructed it, before pub- fl ected Qatar’s continuous in its path towards develop- in the 1970s. licly standing with other support to the organisation ment and progress. He said The Tajrebaty Initiative siege countries to campaign and its belief in its role in the path to build Qatar is was launched by QU in co- against Qatar and its candi- supporting education, cul- through knowledge, and by operation with the Ministry date. ture and spreading knowl- adhering to this principle of Culture and Sports and Outlining his journey edge around the world. the country has been able Qatar Youth Hostels As- to the candidacy for the Dr al-Kuwari reiterated to reach such an advanced sociation with the aim of Unesco post, Dr al-Kuwari that Qatar’s belief in the role level. supporting the youth’s role said that while his electoral of the Unesco in promot- Meanwhile, HE the Min- in the development of the programme gained wide ing education and culture ister of Culture and Sports country. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 3 QATAR

10th student research expo focuses on impact of siege

QNA lars of the Qatar National Vision spirit of co-operation and com- Brigadier Abdul Rahman Ali al-Maliki, Asst Doha 2030 in terms of promoting hu- petition among students. Director of the General Directorate of Information man development, pointing out It also aims at highlighting the Systems speaking during the seminar. A section of the audience. that many students rely on this projects of the students dealing he 10th National Stu- when presenting their research with current issues and provid- dent Research Exhibition and ideas. ing the necessary support, co- Tkicked off at the Qatar He said that many of these operation and co-ordination National Convention Centre pioneering and winning re- with partners in the state insti- yesterday. searches will participate in tutions concerned with student It will last until Thursday. international scientifi c com- research, along with granting the Talking to reporters after the petitions as the Qatar National opportunity for distinguished opening, HE the Minister of Research Fund is interested in research projects to participate in MoI holds e-services Education and Higher Educa- registering patents and proper- regional and international com- tion Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed ty rights for research involving petitions. Ali al-Hammadi said that the scientifi c achievement. The exhibition has 210 in- exhibition is evolving from year In response to a question novative research projects pre- to year in terms of ideas and re- concerning scientifi c research sented by 459 students, includ- sults. and sponsorship for long peri- ing 60 from the primary stage induction seminar He congratulated the stu- ods to become a reality for the and 150 from the preparatory dents who won the competi- benefi t of the State, the minis- and secondary stages. QNA More than 200 electronic sign for others, if he is an em- tain conditions. tions and research projects in ter said that the idea of research The projects cover biomedi- Doha services are available now to ployee of one of them. The company shall subscribe the exhibition and those who in school and in public educa- cal, computing, engineering, more than 400,000 users and The permissions can be can- to Metrash 2 or have a smart card participated to develop their tion is to encourage students mathematics, physics, chem- more than 40,000 companies celled at any time by the au- to use the web portal. research skills to serve Qatar. to develop the skill of research, istry, materials science, energy, he Ministry of Interior in whereas more than 5mn transac- thorised person or in the event Subscription is permitted only He said the number of par- but said that the issue of con- earth sciences, botany and be- collaboration with Qatar tions were completed in 2017. of a change in the status of the to authorised employees of the ticipants in the exhibition is tributing to scientifi c research havioural sciences. TChamber of Commerce The Ministry of the Interior PRO such as transfer of sponsor- company. increasing every year, while the comes after public education The primary stage students and Industry organised yester- off ers corporate electronic serv- ship, cancellation of residence or The company’s direct debit quality of research is character- stage, ie at the undergraduate between grade fi ve and six com- day an induction seminar on its ices such as direct debit, PRO, death. account is provided at QNB. ised by excellence and creativ- and postgraduate level. pete in the design for change e-services off ered to companies auto renewal, mail delivery, en- This service provides the The authority to use this ac- ity, pointing out that the cur- For his part, HE the Minister contest, where as the prepara- at Qatar Chamber of Commerce. try permit, travel notifi cation highest levels of security for the count is provided to the author- rent edition of the exhibition of Municipality and Environ- tory and secondary stage stu- The vice-chairman of Qa- and traffi c. company and the owners, he ised signatory for the service, as deals with research linked to the ment Mohamed bin Abdullah dents compete in scientifi c re- tar Chamber of Commerce and He pointed out that the serv- added. well as regulating the maximum siege of Qatar and its impact on al-Rumaihi praised the exhi- search and engineering design, Industry Mohamed Ahmad bin ices granted to PROs aim to en- He pointed out that the serv- amount allowed for renewals for the development of students’ bition and what it achieves in enabling them to participate Towar al-Kuwari, Brigadier Ab- able the authorised persons to ices provided by the ministry to residence permits and e-mail re- talents and their focus on self- terms of number of participat- in regional and international dul Rahman Ali al-Maliki, Asst grant specifi c authority to PROs of companies include automatic ports of for all renewals. reliance and self-suffi ciency. ing students and schools and competitions. Director of the General Directo- their companies, reduce the phe- renewal of residence permits. Residence permit cards are He said in a related context the quality of research itself This gives the Qatari students rate of Information Systems and nomenon of using smart cards of It is a smart service provided delivered through the Q-post. that most research projects fo- which will provide Qatar a gen- the chance to compete with an Brigadier Abdul Rahman Majid the authorised person by PROs, through MOI website and Mat- The company shall use the cused on agriculture, food, en- eration with a diff erent vision elite group who represent the al-Sulaiti, Director of Planning and enable PROs to use their own rash 2. Exclusion Service to exclude in- ergy, environment and water and achievements in the future. brightest minds in the world. and Quality Department were smart cards for the completion of The HR staff s of companies dividuals who are not willing to production, through natural ma- Speaking on the sidelines of The Ministry of Education among the dignitaries who at- authorised transactions. can follow up the renewal of renew their residence permits. terials and resources available. the exhibition, he said that the and Higher Education will an- tended the programme. This feature is specifi c to the residence permits of individu- He added that this service has The minister said that re- research projects are related to nounce tomorrow the 42 re- Brigadier Abdul Rahman al- services of the Ministry of Inte- als working with that company many advantages. searchers were inspired by the many issues that Qatar needs search winning projects, which Maliki said that the the Ministry rior only. automatically and without sub- It provides detailed alert of speech of His Highness the such as food, soil, trees, agri- include 12 from the primary of Interior provides electronic The authority can be granted mitting any manual or automat- the status of the residences of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad culture, recycling, water and stage in science and humani- services to companies, including to a citizen or resident if he is ed requests. the employees twice a month (on al-Thani when he said that Qa- its production from the air by ties, equally divided between integrated services that do not an employee of the company The service also provides the 1st and 15th of each month) and tar deserves the best from its withdrawing moisture and girls and boys. need to review the service cen- and may be granted multiple option of non-renewal of the fees required for the procedure, citizens, encouraging students converting it into useful water, It will announce the 27 win- tres, which are available around authorities to the same person residences automatically, if they and provide exclusive reports to undertake new initiatives, in addition to producing solar ners from the preparatory and the clock and seven days a week. or the same authority to several are not intent. about the residence permits re- ideas and research that truly energy and its various uses in secondary stages, where three These services are accessible persons. The ID cards are delivered newed and refused as well as the deserve care and development. cooling and heating. winners from each of nine cat- from anywhere and in six lan- An employee of any company through the Qatar Postal Serv- reason for rejection will twice He said that the achieve- The exhibition aims at en- egories as well as the best three guages - Arabic, English, French, under the authorised signatory ices Company (Q-Post). He each month (on the 8th and 22nd ments of the students and their hancing the students’ scientifi c winners from the preparatory Urdu, Malayalam and Spanish. can also be given permission to added that this service has cer- of each month). research contribute to the pil- research skills, spreading the stage. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 QATAR Boat show sets sail at The Pearl-Qatar

he ‘Qatar Internation- showcase their latest products years we have been able to make al Boat Show’ (QIBS) to potential customers from Qa- the exhibition a unique destina- Tkicked-off yesterday at tar, the Middle East, and around tion that attracts companies and The Pearl-Qatar with HE the the world. This year’s edition individuals involved in the mari- Minister of Economy and Com- is witnessing the participation time fi eld. merce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim of many prominent brands and “Thanks to the presence of bin Mohamed al-Thani formally names in the sector, with more local and international compa- inaugurating the event’s fi fth in- than 70 exhibitors taking part in nies looking to expand their in- stalment. the fi ve-day event. vestments in this sector and the Held at the Porto Arabia Ma- To off er a unique experience increasing demand for yachts, rina at The Pearl Island – Qa- to participating companies and boats and related industries, the tar, the boat show will run until visitor, QIBS will be hosting var- exhibition has become key busi- March 17, it was announced in a ious interesting activities such ness driver for the sector boost- press statement. as marine tours, prizes, water ing regional marine industry.” QIBS has become a principal activities, marine races, and rel- QIBS 2018 director Fadi al- annual fi xture on the sector’s cal- evant seminars, among others. Yousfi said: “The expo is a refl ec- endar of specialised regional and Khalid Issa al-Mannai, chair- tion of our commitment of be- international exhibitions, which man of Al MannaiPlus Events, ing one of the premier boat and underlines the remarkable suc- said: “We are pleased to cultivate sporting shows in the region to cess it has achieved over this short the fruit of our eff orts over the help bolster Qatar’s burgeoning period of time and its ability to months we have spent in prepa- marine and seafaring industry. attract the industry’s key players, ration for this moment. Since in- We will continue to perform as a the statement continued. ception in 2013, QIBS has strived medium for generating business The show provides a global to be an ideal maritime network- for our exhibitors and attending HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani formally inaugurates the fifth edition of the platform for major brands to ing platform. In the past few delegates.” ‘Qatar International Boat Show’ at The Pearl-Qatar yesterday. PICTURE: Thajudheen Portugal woos more Qatari visitors and investors

By Joey Aguilar matic relations, which have Doha and screen some mov- ture, he pointed out that it ceived from them more than Staff Reporter been continuously develop- ies soon for residents and is one of the oldest in the what we gave them,” he ex- ing in the past years. visitors to enjoy, according world – a result of a melt- plained. “Portugal is a good coun- to Correa. ing of many cultures in the The envoy pointed out ortugal is opening its try for investment and we He added that the Por- world. that Portugal also intro- doors to Qataris as a welcome all Qataris,” he tuguese language lesson “From the Far East, Ja- duced cuisine in many Psecond home for in- stressed. at Qatar University, which pan, the , In- countries such as Japan vestment and tourism pur- The envoy also cited the started two years ago, is do- donesia, , and Brazil, (the tempura) and other poses, ambassador Antonio two countries’ cultural co- ing well and exceeded their among others, we built our dishes, as well as Thai- Tanger Correa has said. operation with the staging expectations. own culture based on the land’s desserts, which also “Qataris have one more of several shows and en- “It is a multi-ethnic in- melting of those cultures,” came from the Portuguese country whom they can rely. deavour in Doha, including terest, we have those people Correa said. “Our culture cuisine. Portugal is a safe country,” Portugal’s participation in of India, former Portuguese has been built for 900 About introducing Portu- the envoy told reporters the annual European Jazz territories, Qataris, people years.” gal’s products in the coun- at the Portuguese Gastro- Festival and the Portuguese from this region, from Leb- “That is why foreign- try, he said some are now nomic Week reception on Language Day next month. anon, Iraq, and who want to ers are very well received entering the Qatar market Monday. The Portuguese embassy, learn Portuguese,” the en- in Portugal because we slowly such as chocolates, Correa cited Qatar and together with the Brazilian voy said. understand that when we which are available at a store Portugal’s strong diplo- embassy, will also bring to About Portuguese cul- were great explorers we re- at The Pearl-Qatar. Authentic dishes at Portuguese Gastronomic Week

By Joey Aguilar cake with lemon curd. Staff Reporter “Portuguese cuisine is diversifi ed because Portugal is a small coun- try, we have diff erent ambience. We he Portuguese Gastronom- do a lot of preparations with herbs, ic Week, taking place until bread, and in central north we have TMarch 16, is showcasing an a lot of meat, we used a lot of fi sh as array of authentic Portuguese dish- well,” Silva said. “Then rice is very es at Four Seasons Doha and a musi- important in Portuguese food.” cal performance by award-winning He added that the Portuguese fado musician Maria Ana Bobone cuisine comes from a Mediterranean at the Qatar National Convention concept but likes calling to be “an Centre (QNCC). Atlantic twist.” Speaking to reporters at a recep- Meanwhile, Bobone, together tion on Monday, Portuguese ambas- with the Qatar Philharmonic Or- sador Antonio Tanger Correa said chestra, will be performing “Fado, the event will witness internation- (From left) Four Seasons Food and Beverage director Manuel Santos, the Songs of Portugal” at QNCC on ally renowned chef Miguel Castro renowned Portuguese chef Miguel Castro Silva, and Portuguese March 17. Fado is globally recognised Silva presenting some of the popular ambassador Antonio Tanger Correa. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar as a symbol of Portuguese culture Portuguese dishes in Doha. and tradition. “It has been a goal, an objective the Portuguese cuisine,” he added. as mackerel with “a not so spicy The concert, sponsored by the here for us to bring the Portuguese Some of Silva’s specially-de- sauce.” Portuguese embassy in Doha and cuisine to Qatar, as you know the signed menu are refl ective of Portu- The chef’s exquisite seven-course Qatar Airways, will be conducted Portuguese cuisine is well known, gal’s traditional fare of fresh seafood menu includes smoked mackerel on by Manuel Rebelo, who founded the a very distinct one and we brought and infused with his signature mod- vegetables; almond vichyssoise with international culture club “Emotion one of the most famous chefs in Por- ern twist. smoked duck; seabass with orange Arts.” He completed his Masters De- tugal,” the envoy noted. Silva explained that part of his and fennel; codfi sh in pil pil, potato, gree in Conducting in 2009. “Silva is not only a chef, he has menu for the event include sea bass onion and egg; slow braised rib with Bobone will also be performing seven restaurants of his own and with sauce, which is very popular dry tomato risotto, sheep cheese at the hotel tomorrow (Thursday) someone who really knows deeply in the north of Portugal, as well mousse, cassis sorbet; and sponge evening as part of the event. Senegal leader meets Qatar’s attorney-general

President of Senegal Macky Sall met HE the Attorney- General Dr Ali bin Fetais al- Marri, who is visiting Dakar. During the meeting, the Attorney-General briefed the president of Senegal on the role played by the Off ice of the Rule of Law and Anti- Corruption that was opened in Senegal in 2015 with the support of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center in Doha. The Senegalese president commended Qatar’s eff orts in the rule of law and anti- corruption field. Qatar’s ambassador to Senegal Saree bin Ali al-Qahtani attended the meeting. Lawyers Admission Committee meets The Lawyers Admission Committee met yesterday under the chairmanship of HE the Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr al-Mohannadi. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 5 QATAR HMC to provide free glaucoma screenings arly detection is the blindness,” she explained. key to slowing the Glaucoma is a lead- Eprogression of glau- ing cause of blindness for coma, a group of diseases people over 60 years old, that is a leading cause of but blindness caused by vision loss and blindness in glaucoma can often be pre- Qatar, a consultant at Ha- vented with early diagnosis mad Medical Corporation and treatment. Accord- (HMC) has said. ing to Dr al-Ansari, some According to Dr Zakia individuals have a higher Mohamed al-Ansari, glau- than normal risk of getting coma consultant at HMC’s glaucoma, but the elimina- ophthalmology department, tion of blindness caused by more than 175 patients re- the common eye condition ceive treatment for glau- is possible with regular eye coma at the ophthalmology examinations. department each month. Dr Zakia Mohamed al-Ansari, glaucoma consultant, HMC. “Timely diagnosis and Every March, HMC holds appropriate treatment are free glaucoma screenings and part of its annual screen- or Hispanic heritage, hav- key to preventing blindness conducts public awareness ing campaign in 2017, more ing diabetes, having high or a signifi cant loss of vi- sessions to highlight World than 500 individuals were eye pressure, having a his- sion due to glaucoma. We Glaucoma Week, being held screened and three new cases tory of elevated intraocular recommend that individu- this year from March 11 to 17. of glaucoma were diagnosed, pressure, being farsighted als with an increased risk According to the consult- HMC said in a statement. or nearsighted, having poor of developing glaucoma ant, the week provides an Regular screening for the circulation, or having other be tested every year or two opportunity to draw atten- early detection of glaucoma health problems that aff ect years after the age of 35,” tion to a disease that often is important as the disease the whole body. she emphasised. “Glauco- has no obvious warning usually causes no visible “Glaucoma is an eye dis- ma medication, or surgical signs and to encourage peo- symptoms, Dr al-Ansari said, order which results in pro- treatment when necessary, ple to undergo a compre- adding, “In most cases, an gressive damage to the optic can prevent damage to the hensive eye examination. individual is unaware they nerve, the part of the eye that optic nerve by slowing the To mark this year’s World have the condition until it has carries visual information progression of the disease Glaucoma Week, HMC will caused irreversible damage, from the retina to the brain. through reducing the el- hold free glaucoma screen- which is why we are emphasis- The condition has no known evated eye pressure often ings and public awareness ing the importance of regular cause but is often associated present in glaucoma. sessions at Doha Festival eye exams. The frequency of with a buildup of pressure in- “However, in rare cases, City. Staff from the oph- screenings required should be side the eye. Glaucoma fi rst even patients who have what thalmology department will determined based on age and aff ects the peripheral or side is considered to be within the provide free eye examina- the presence of risk factors.” vision and then progresses normal range of eye pressure tions and educate the public She said risk factors for to the central vision. People can develop the disease. This about glaucoma. the disease include being with glaucoma require lifelong means many people could be An awareness booth will over the age of 40, hav- treatment to maintain their slowly losing their eyesight operate from 10am to 8pm ing a family member with vision and if left untreated, the without being aware they daily from March 15 to 17. As glaucoma, being of African disorder can lead to complete have glaucoma.” Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 QATAR

Mazda BT-50 pickup recalled over transmission cable fault The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in collaboration with National Car Company, has announced the recall of Mazda BT-50 Pickup models of 2015-2016 because a possible fault in the transmission cable makes it diff icult to shift gears. The MEC said the recall campaign comes within the framework of Top chefs to share culinary its ongoing eff orts to protect consumers and ensure that automo- bile dealers follow up on vehicles’ defects and repair them. The ministry said it will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and will communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out. The MEC has urged all customers to report any violations to its Con- sumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through tips at live cooking classes the following channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: [email protected], Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for By Joey Aguilar On March 17 between 1pm and Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar Staff Reporter 3pm, Morimoto will showcase the art of rolling sushi at his res- taurant at Mondrian Doha, his hree internationally-re- first in the Middle East. It costs nowned chefs will share QR650 per person and includes a Ttheir culinary expertise five-course lunch. with food enthusiasts during six Japanese food lovers will also Live Cooking Classes at the Qa- have the chance to watch Mori- tar International Food Festival moto’s live cooking at QIFF on (QIFF) 2018. March 16 at 6pm. In a statement, Qatar Tourism To conclude the last weekend Authority (QTA) said the ninth of QIFF 2018, Canada’s baking edition of QIFF, to be held from sensation Olson will be holding tomorrow until March 25 at the three cooking classes at a leading Hotel Park, will give residents hotel from March 22 to 24. and visitors a chance to join Food QTA said that her classes are Network’s baking guru Anna Ol- free and seats will be given on a son, US Iron Chef Masaharu Mo- first-come-first-served basis. rimoto and IDAM’s Doha-based Olson started in the banking executive chef Damien Leroux in sector. She discovered her pas- an interactive cooking and tast- sion in cooking after spending ing experience. a sleepless night in the kitchen “QIFF’s Cooking Classes are Damien Leroux Anna Olson Masahuru Morimoto baking banana muffins. one of the festival’s new con- She realised that if she re- cepts that take the gastronomic experiences,” she added. Museum of Islamic Art. The class of “La cuisine de l’essentiel,” moved the “N” in banking, her celebrations beyond the grounds QIFF opened its registration costs QR500 per person. which is rooted in a respect for career would totally shift to an- of Hotel Park,” QTA’s QIFF for foodies who want to learn He was born into a family of fresh produce. other exciting endeavour. project manager Sara al-Kuwari from the world’s best chefs, QTA restaurant owners and devel- The chef’s Mediterranean fu- Olson is now one of the re- said. said. oped his passion for food at a sion style dishes are a celebra- nowned pastry chefs who has “We are particularly excited to Leroux, who has been with young age. tion of ingredients that are lo- programmes on international team up with these international IDAM since October 2016, is set After spending years of train- cally sourced in Qatar. He will be TV networks. She will be at the chefs to offer residents and visi- to cook live on March 16 between ing under world-renowned at the QIFF Live Cooking Thea- QIFF Live Cooking Theatre on tors an opportunity to savour 2pm and 5pm at the IDAM restau- chefs along the Mediterranean, tre on March 16 and 22 at 9pm; March 22 at 10pm and on March exclusive live cooking and dining rant, located on the 5th fl oor of the Leroux adopted the philosophy and March 23 at 6pm. 23 at 7.20pm and 9pm.

Customers can pay for STARZ PLAY with Ooredoo account

oredoo announced yester- Thanks to the new feature, directly to their mobile bill, while W’ for a one-week subscription new payment feature so that day that its customers can Ooredoo customers can pay for a pre-paid customers will have the to 92440, or visit the STARZ everyone in Qatar can enjoy the Onow subscribe and pay for weekly or monthly STARZ PLAY fee deducted from their credit PLAY app. latest entertainment over our STARZ PLAY, the fastest grow- subscription via SMS or the balance. Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, Supernet network. Subscrip- ing on-demand video streaming STARZ PLAY app. To start a seven-day free trial, director of PR and Corporate tion is quick and easy, and will service in the Mena region, via All post-paid customers’ week- Ooredoo customers can send Communications at Ooredoo, enable 24/7 access to STARZ their Ooredoo accounts. ly or monthly fees will be charged ‘SUB M’ for one month or ‘SUB said: “We’ve introduced this PLAY.”

Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 QATAR

PM meets visiting dignitaries at Dimdex 2018

HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday met separately with Pakistan Minister of Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain and Vice Admiral Girish Luthra of Western Naval Command in India on the occasion of their participation in the 6th edition of Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018). Talks during the meetings dealt with relations of co-operation between the State of Qatar and each of Pakistan and India, and ways of developing and strengthening them, especially in the security and defence fields.

Memorandum signed for nine Reception held on Qatar, sign JV for vessels Pakistan ship Basol The Ministry of Interior (MoI), represented by General Directorate of Coasts and reception was held on the bassador to Qatar; and offi cials Borders Security, yesterday Pakistan Maritime Secu- from diff erent ministries in Qa- weapons project: envoy signed a memorandum of Arity Ship Basol at Hamad tar. Besides, a large number of understanding (MoU) with Port yesterday evening as part of prominent Pakistani expatriates By Peter Alagos it was announced that the ITS Turkeys Ares Shipyard to the ongoing Doha International form diff erent walks of life in Business Reporter Carlo Margottini, a European provide nine marine vessels to Maritime Defence Exhibition Qatar also attended the recep- multimission (FREMM), enhance the capabilities of the and Conference (Dimdex 2018). tion, the Pakistan embassy said will conduct a Passage Exercise Coast Guard and the Qatari Present on the occasion were in a press statement. atar has signed an indus- (Passex) with the Qatari Emiri border forces. The agreement Rana Tanveer Hussain, Paki- The national anthems of Qatar trial joint venture (JV) Navy tomorrow. was inked at the sixth edition stan’s Federal Minister for De- and Pakistan were played at the Qagreement with Italy for “The idea to train together of Dimdex. fence Production, along with beginning of the reception. the establishment of a weapons will be another example of how The Director of Coasts and the delegation from Pakistan for Afterwards, a cake-cutting production facility in Doha at the to conduct search for vessels in Borders Security Staff Brig Dimdex; Major General Abdul- ceremony was held and dinner three-day Doha International Admiral Valter Girardelli, chief order to identify if the vessels are (Navy) Ali Ahmed al-Badeed lah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti, Com- was hosted by Commodore Faisal Maritime Defence Exhibition of the Italian Navy. clear and are carrying legal per- said that this deal is part of mander of the Qatar Emiri Na- Abbasi, Mission Commander of & Conference (Dimdex 2018), Italian envoy Pasquale Salzano. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed sonnel and material,” Rear Ad- the agreements signed earlier val Forces; Patricio Zambrano, Naval Ships from , which concludes today. miral Danilo Balzano, executive by the directorate in order Ecuador’s Minister of Defence; under the patronage of the Paki- The JV was signed by offi cials pooled their resources to launch aries, Seastema, will defi ne a offi cer to the Chief of the Italian to enhance its capabilities Shahzad Ahmad, Pakistan’s am- stan embassy in Doha. of Beretta Group and Barzan a joint industrial project in Qa- co-operation agreement with Navy, told Gulf Times. in carrying out security Holdings, according to Italian tar in order to meet the require- Barzan Holdings, established by In his speech, Admiral Valter tasks, securing the territorial ambassador Pasquale Salzano, ments of the Qatar government’s Qatar’s Ministry of Defence to Girardelli, chief of the Italian waters of the State of Qatar. who spoke to reporters on the Armed Forces to be equipped develop the necessary technol- Navy, said: “In the current sce- He pointed out that it was sidelines of a press conference with state-of-the-art individual ogy on the Unmanned Vessels nario, where the high seas are agreed to buy nine vessels held on board the ITS Carlo Mar- armaments. and the relevant Shore Control infested with illegal activities, of diff erent sizes, including gottini at Hamad Port yesterday. “The project will see the set- Station…Fincantieri will also more than ever the should three vessels with a length “I would like to underline ting up of a JV called ‘Bindig’ participate in a tender for de- multiply meeting opportunities of 48m, and six vessels with that the agreement is extremely (Qatari term for rifl e), which sign and construction of civil and experience-sharing, with a a length of 24m used to important because it is the fi rst will benefi t from the transfer infrastructures, including build- view to creating a network, even support the capabilities of time that this type of joint ven- of Beretta’s technology and the ings in co-operation with other virtual, in order to exchange use- Qatari forces while conducting ture was established in an Arab construction of a new industrial important and specialised local ful information enabling global special operations within country and Beretta chose Qatar plant in Doha for the production partners,” Festucci said. maritime situational awareness, the territorial waters and the for this project,” Salzano point- of assault rifl es and handguns, According to Salzano, other to be able to eff ectively intervene protection of marine vital ed out. During a presentation, and where new weapons systems agreements between Qatar and when required. installations for oil and gas, Carlo Festucci, secretary general will also be developed. Italy are slated to be signed today “In the conduct of these sur- as well as supporting Qatari of AIAD, a body that represents Festucci also said Italian fi rm at Dimdex. Though he declined veillance and information-shar- forces patrols. the Federation of Italian Com- Fincantieri has lined up several to provide further details of the ing activities, the tasks of our The Director of Coasts and panies for Aerospace, Defence development opportunities in agreements, the ambassador crews and personnel operating Borders Security said that and Security, said the project Qatar such as a tender for a new said: “What we will sign, will in command and control centres these vessels will enhance the will address the weapons and naval base and for research and again show the level of extremely are facilitated and eased by ad- presence of coastal security equipment requirements of Qa- development, delivery, and test high co-operation between Italy vanced technological tools pro- forces for all 24 hours in the tar’s Armed Forces. “The Beretta of Unmanned Fast . and Qatar.” duced and constantly upgraded Qatari territorial waters. — Dignitaries at the cake-cutting ceremony during the reception. Group and Barzan Holdings have “Fincantieri and its subsidi- During the press conference, by defence industries.” QNA

Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti and other officials at the opening of the exhibition of ships at Hamad Port. Exhibition of visiting ships inaugurated The formal inauguration of the exhibition of ships visiting Doha as part of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018) took place yesterday. Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti inaugurated the expo on behalf of Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces Major General (Pilot) Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem. Later Major General Shaheen al-Ghanem and members of off icial delegations visited the Hamad Port where a number of warships are berthed. Members of the Qatar Armed Forces and Qatar Emiri Navy off icers were also present. The arrival of warships is one of the main elements of Dimdex and this year there are 11 in total from , India, Italy, Oman, Pakistan, the UK and the US. Dimdex 2018, where navies from around the world get to display their latest vessels and showcase their capabilities in protecting trading routes, borders and shorelines, concludes today. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 9 QATAR Al-Attiyah meets defence ministers E the Deputy Prime Pendes, Lebanonese Minister Minister and Minister of Defence Yaacoub Sarraf, Mali Hof State for Defence Af- Minister of Defence Tieman fairs Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Hubert Coulibaly, Head of the al-Attiyah met yesterday with International Military Co-oper- Burkina Faso Defence Minister ation Department of the Defence Jean Claude Bouda and his ac- of Belarus Major-General Oleg companying delegation. During Voinov, and head of the Rus- the meeting, they discussed bi- sian federal military and tech- lateral relations between the two nical co-operation department friendly countries and means of Dimitri Shogayev. enhancing them as well as en- The meetings, held on the hancing eff orts in combating sidelines of Doha International terrorism and extremism. Sen- Maritime Defence Exhibition ior offi cers of the Armed Forces and Conference (Dimdex 2018), attended the meeting. discussed relations between Qa- HE al-Attiyah also met yester- tar and each of Mongolia, Bosnia HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr day separately with Mongolian and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Mali, Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah met with Turkish Minister of National Minister of State for Defence Belarus and the Russian Federa- Defence Nurettin Canikli and Chief of Staff of Turkish Army General Hulusi Nyamaagiin Enkhbold, the Re- tion and means of strengthen- Akar. During the meeting, the two sides discussed relations in the military public of Bosnia and Herzegovi- ing and developing them in the HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah and defence fields between the two countries as well as exchanging na Minister of Defence Marina defence and military fi elds. during a meeting with Burkina Faso Defence Minister Jean Claude Bouda and his accompanying delegation. expertise in the field of combating terrorism and extremism. Naval commanders discuss maritime capacity building

he Doha International Mari- time Defence Exhibition and TConference (Dimdex 2018) yesterday hosted prominent na- val commanders, thought-leaders From right: Howard M Berry, Gene Cunningham and Boeing’s Global Sales and Marketing and experts from diff erent parts of Communication team member D Scott Day (left) at the round table. the world, at the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC). The conference, with the title “Building Capabilities in Challeng- ing Environments through Vision- Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti delivering the opening ‘Qatar key market for Boeing’ ary International Military Co-op- address of the MENC yesterday. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam eration and Defence Engagement,” was held under the auspices of HE 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Task Force 633 of the Royal Austral- of MENC 2018 said, “This year’s By Ramesh Mathew some of the major air forces of the world, the Deputy Prime Minister and Forces Commander John C Aqui- ian Navy Rear Admiral Jaimie C F. theme refl ects Qatar’s ongoing ef- Staff Reporter including many high-level equipment in Minister of State for Defence Aff airs lino, ’s Western Naval Hatcher and head of Policy Depart- forts in becoming a key hub for the use of the US Air Force. Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. Command Commander in Chief ment of the Turkish Navy Rear Ad- leading maritime capacity en- “The armed forces, including Qatar, are The conference off ered partici- Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Qatar’s miral (LH) Yavuz Kilic. hancement events and programmes atar is one of the important mar- looking for unmanned aircraft systems pating delegates the opportunity International Military Co-operation While opening the conference, around the world. The MENC pro- kets for Boeing Company, a global produced by Boeing and there has been a to discuss the importance of long- Authority head Staff Brigadier (Sea) Commander of the Qatar Emiri vides the dialogue platform for the Qleader in commercial jetliners, de- signifi cant interest in possessing such air- term strategic planning and poten- Tariq al-Obaidli, Professor of In- Naval Force, Major General Abdul- world’s leading maritime defence fence and security systems, company’s top craft systems in the region in the place of tial methods of building military ternational Security and Defence lah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti said, “The and security decision makers to offi cials said in Doha yesterday. traditional equipment,” said Berry. and defence capabilities across the Studies at King’s College, London MENC off ers regional naval leaders discuss the major factors aff ect- Boeing is exploring the possibility of The company supports airlines and allied Arabian Gulf, and the Arabian and Dr Andrew Dorman, Commander an opportunity to exchange stra- ing the prospects for international fruitful partnerships with global partners government customers in no less than 150 Red Sea. of French Joint Forces in the Indian tegic international collaboration navies and armies as well as the as part of the eff orts to strengthen its base countries across the world, inquiries found. The conference saw the partici- Ocean Rear Admiral Didier Piaton, ideas that determine regional policy military and maritime industry in in the markets further, they said. While terming Boeing Company as an amal- pation of nine navy commanders Director General of Operations and and procurement decisions in the the region, and ultimately reach to Boeing director (global sales and mar- gam of capabilities, Berry said their annual as speakers including Italian Navy Plans Department of the Japanese maritime defence industry.” additional international collabora- keting international government serv- revenues of $50bn are expected to double in Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Valter Naval Defence Rear Admiral Ryo Staff Brigadier (Sea) al-Obaidli, tions to overcome the challenges ices) Howard M Berry and vice president less than a decade owing to the growing re- Girardelli, US Central Command’s Sakai; Commander of the Joint who is also the panel chairman facing the region.” (global sales for defence, space and Secu- quirements in commercial, defence and space rity) Gene Cunnigham hoped such tie-ups sectors. “This is because of the enormous op- would contribute to creating more inno- portunities for doing business in all sectors vations in the industry and upgrade the where the company has stakes,” he added. quality standards in the industry. While informing the company’s inter- They were addressing a roundtable on est for international partnerships, the ‘Turkish shipbuilders the sidelines of the Doha Maritime Defence company offi cials said they look at the Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018) military and security requirements of the at the Qatar National Convention Centre. customers, and also see if such partner- The world’s largest aerospace corpora- ships would enhance the customers’ re- getting good inquiries’ tion’s senior offi cials felt revenues from quirements. Besides expanding the market the Middle East and Asia Pacifi c regions access of the partners, such partnerships were vital for their company. would also help in generating more ideas urkish ship builders at the pavilion, which features several Cunningham said almost 30% of Boe- and innovations, said the Boeing offi cial. Doha International Maritime models of ships. ing’ business are from the defence seg- “We also look at why and how such part- TDefence Exhibition and Con- Sedef, Anadolu, , Selah ment and the company has manufactured nerships would help more future possibilities ference (Dimdex 2018) are attracting and Sefi ne are the fi ve shipyards a large variety of defence equipment for of working together,” added Berry. the attention of the visitors with a jointly participating in Doha under A model of an aircraft carrier at Tais Shipyards pavilion at Dimdex 2018. captivating display of many models Tais banner. “Our expertise and en- of ships. terprise in the shipbuilding industry receive good business in the region. shore patrolling vessels, emergency Representatives of the ship is second to none and Turkey has a At the expo, Turkish shipbuilders response and rescue vessels, pa- builders said they are getting large number of shipyards, includ- have on display even models of air- trol boats and craft vehicles among some good inquiries from po- ing at least 30 big ones, where huge craft carriers which they have built, others. tential customers. “We are ex- ships could be built,” said the Tais one of them as long as 231m. There are at least three other pa- pecting some good orders here offi cial. They have showcased models of vilions of shipyards from Turkey and the last day would hope- Turkey, like South Korea, has a landing helicopter docks, fl eet re- at the Dimdex. Yesterday, one of fully bring some cheerful news good infrastructure in shipbuild- plenishment tankers, fl oating docks, the companies coming under Tais to some of our builders,” said one ing and its strategic geographical fl eet support ship, logistics support won an order from the Qatari Naval of the offi cials at Tais Shipyards advantages would help the country ship, off shore research vessels, off - Force.

Dimdex sponsors honoured at gala dinner The Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018) hosted an off icial gala dinner in the presence of the Qatar Chief of Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem on Monday. The event saw the presenting of ceremonial shields to commanders of visiting warships including the Qatari fast attack craft Huwar (Q05); Destroyer INS Kolkata of the Indian Navy, Frigate BNS Bangabandhu of the , Frigate Carlo Margottini from Italy, Destroyer USS Sampson (DDG-102) of the US Navy, the RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Middleton of the Royal Navy of the UK, Kassab Fast attack craft from Oman, and Fast attack missile craft PNS Himmat and Maritme Patrol Vessel PMSS Basol from Pakistan. Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti honouring some Both local and international sponsors including of the Qatari off icials at the Emiri Naval Force pavilion yesterday. QNB Group (main sponsor), Fincantieri (diamond sponsor), MBDA (gold sponsor), and Thales and Raytheon (silver sponsors) were also honoured. While welcoming the representatives, Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Force Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti said the ongoing exhibition and conference would off er a fruitful networking opportunity in a friendly atmosphere, and ultimately increase engagement to reach the desired common goals and objectives. “Dimdex 2018 has expanded to become one of the biggest international maritime events focusing on naval security and defence as well as becoming a leading event that provides a networking platform for industry professionals and experts, senior off icials and dignitaries from defence ministries across the Middle East Models of battle tanks on display at the pavilion of a British firm. and North Africa, and other parts of the world.” Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 QATAR Stage set for AgriteQ 2018 More than 36 countries to ing the three-day event. the country’s eff orts to improve AgriteQ will also host a se- highlight latest innovations “The large interest placed in the local agricultural sector. ries of lectures and meetings in agricultural techniques AgriteQ 2018 demonstrates the “AgriteQ also plays a signifi - with farm owners, agricultural growing interest of experts and cant role in reaching the high- experts, government agencies, By Joey Aguilar members of the international est international standards that environmental specialists and Staff Reporter community on Qatar’s agricul- enhance its active participation technology providers to discuss tural segment – showing a key in advancing sustainable and current and future projects in the understanding of the signifi cant comprehensive development for sector. ome 313 exhibitors from role that agriculture plays in the Qatar to achieve self-suffi ciency According to organisers, sev- more than 36 countries, eff orts towards economic diver- in agricultural production,” he eral panel discussions and pres- Sincluding Spain, the Neth- sifi cation and achieving continu- stressed. entations at the event will high- erlands and Palestine, will be ous development,” MME’s Ag- Agricultural Aff airs Depart- light opportunities and the latest participating in the sixth edition ricultural Aff airs, Livestock and ment director Yusuf Khalid al- technologies, which can be used of the Qatar International Agri- Fisheries Department Assistant Khulaifi said this year’s edition of to support the growing multi- cultural Exhibition (AgriteQ), on Undersecretary Sheikh Dr Faleh AgriteQ will witness the partici- billion dollar agricultural sector March 20-22 at the the Doha Ex- bin Nasser al-Thani told a press pation of specialised companies in Qatar. hibition and Convention Centre. conference held yesterday. and agricultural experts. AgriteQ will also feature “B2B The event, under the patronage “The show also refl ects the “The exhibition will serve as a matching platform,” livestock, of His Highness the Emir Sheikh strategic pursuit of self-suffi - strategic platform for agricultural and a series of workshops or- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani ciency in agricultural produc- professionals to learn more about ganised by experts and techni- and the Ministry of Municipal- tion, which aims to increase the the latest in equipment, technol- cians from the agricultural sector ity and Environment (MME), is country’s domestic production (From left) Yusuf Khalid al-Khulaifi, Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, and Mohamed al-Khouri at the ogies and products that support aimed at introducing the latest witnessing a 100% increase in capacities and reduce its de- AgriteQ press conference yesterday. PICTURE: Jayaram the development and growth of technologies the industry has the number of participants com- pendency on imported products,” this vital sector,” he noted. adopted. pared to last year’s edition. HE Sheikh Dr Faleh added. The exhibition will host 31 in- nologies and equipment; fruits, chemicals; nurseries and crop “The event will also provide Children will also have the The exhibition space of Ag- Besides Qatar, other countries ternational pavilions, which will vegetables and dates farming; or- protection and refrigeration interactive platforms for ex- opportunity to take part in fun- riteQ also expanded, using four which are taking part at the event be spread out across DECC while ganic food; milk, dairy and juice equipment and harvest produc- perts and specialists to exchange fi lled and educational activities huge halls at the venue for ex- include Iran, Pakistan, Oman, participating countries and com- products; planting machines; tion. knowledge and experience at the “educational theatre,” giv- hibitors who will be showcasing Syria, Bulgaria, Sudan, and Leb- panies have been classifi ed into farm management and systems; Sheikh Dr Faleh said AgriteQ among local and international ing them a better understanding their products and services dur- anon. landscaping; agribusiness tech- fertilisers, pesticides and agro- 2018 has substantially boosted participants,” al-Khulaifi added. of the concept of agriculture. NBK Automobiles commemorates LuLu celebrates Organic Festival Mothers’ Day with special off ers he week-long Organic Fes- tival has begun at all LuLu asser Bin Khaled loved mothers a luxury and THypermarket outlets in (NBK) Automobiles, valuable gift on their big day. Qatar. The festival, which seeks Nthe authorised general We will continue to launch to promote organic and healthy distributor of Mercedes-Benz promotions as part of our products, was jointly inaugurated in Qatar, has launched a spe- commitment to our commu- by Ecuador’s ambassador Ivonne cial off er on a wide range of nity, to create accessible ways A-Baki and Sweden’s ambassador Mercedes-Benz cars in cel- for car enthusiasts to drive Ewa Polano at LuLu Hypermarket ebration of Mothers’ Day. such luxury cars in a more af- — on Monday. The new off er is the “com- fordable way.” The inaugural ceremony was pany’s gift to all mothers, ap- The E-Class is the “core of also attended by high-ranking preciating their role and ef- Mercedes-Benz brand, and in offi cials from various diplomatic fort, and giving more options the past has repeatedly rede- missions, including Dana Plesa, to their beloved to present fi ned the standards in the ex- charge d’aff aires of the Romanian them a luxury gift that best ecutive class segment. embassy, Viviana Malvina Sosa, expresses their love for their Now, it carries this tradition head of the Commercial Sec- moms”, NBK Automobiles has into the future with a wealth tion at the Argentinian embassy, said in a statement. of top-class innovations that Ilona Shtrom, senior commer- Mothers will be welcomed take safety, stress relief and cial offi cer from the US embassy, with fl owers and gifts when comfort to a new level”. Anissa Lahrenche, senior com- visiting Mercedes-Benz showroom on Salwa Road “It is without doubt the most intelligent sedan mercial specialist from the US on the day. in the executive class,” the statement adds. embassy, Palma Libotte from the The off er also allows customers to buy their The A-Class is the “pride of the new generation Italian Business Council, as well dream Mercedes-Benz car for an “aff ordable of Mercedes-Benz sport cars. as Shaijan M O, regional director monthly payment” of QR2,018. It’s the ideal automobile for young bold driv- of LuLu Group, Shanavas P M, Dignitaries and off icials at the inauguration of the Organic Festival at LuLu Hypermarket — Al Messila. It includes the Mercedes-Benz E 200, A 250, C ers and the vehicle is the perfect companion in regional manager of LuLu Group, 180 and C 200, as well as the GLC 250. everyday life as it off ers its occupants even more and other dignitaries from vari- population residing in Qatar, the cotton sourced from India. aff ordable, the statement adds. Customers can drive away in their own vehicle comfort than before while remaining as dynamic ous sectors. statement points out. Apart from sourcing locally, As part of the promotion, a with the new deal when paying an advanced pay- as ever. In a statement yesterday, LuLu A special section is dedicated LuLu also import several prod- wide range of organic products ment plus the monthly instalment of QR2,018. With its elegant and sporty design, high safety Group said it has been “actively in all stores specifi cally to pro- ucts through its own offi ces in are on promotion and shoppers In addition, they can benefi t from three years’ standards, the car is a symbol of power and luxu- promoting organic and healthy mote this category. the US, UK, Spain, India and the can sample many items before warranty with unlimited mileage, and fl exible in- ry”. The A-Class has won accolades in the markets products for the last few years by Items on sale include fresh and Far East to “ensure uninterrupt- buying them. ternal and bank fi nancing options, the statement where it was presented. extending the product range to dry organic food products as well ed supply at the most competi- The festival has a special dis- notes. The C-Class sedan “cuts an elegant fi gure and include everything — from fresh as condiments and oils. tive prices”. play of products country-wise. Sheikh Faleh bin Nawaf al-Thani, Operations provides the ultimate in refi nement. It comes with produce to packed food and non- These ranges include yoghurts, Organic products are being The festival, which runs until director – Auto at Nasser Bin Khaled Holding, an aerodynamic design for even more effi cient food items”. salmon, rice, honey, sauces, qui- regularly imported from Hol- March 18, is being held simulta- said: “Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles is proud motoring and a breathtakingly beautiful silhou- Today, it sells more than 1,200 noa, pasta, coconut oil, tea, vin- land, , Italy, Mexico, Chile neously across all LuLu Hyper- to launch this off er celebrating Mothers’ Day, the ette. Equipped with suspension technology and, organic products across vari- egar, juices, butter, vegetables, and . market outlets in Qatar as part most precious day in our hearts. This is how NBK as an option, an innovative damping system, the ous categories sourced both lo- meat, fruits and others. This has helped bring sustaina- of the ongoing Women’s Day cel- Automobiles gives back to the community, off er- C-Class sedan delivers impressive driving dy- cally and globally to meet the de- There is also a range of textiles, bility in the market and lower pric- ebrations and off ers discounts on ing customers more options to present their be- namics”. mands of the large cosmopolitan which is produced using organic es to make organic products more a wide range of organic products.

Sidra Medicine honours nurses

idra Medicine recog- nised GCC Nurses Day Swith staff celebrations yesterday, highlighting the work of its nursing team to transform care for children, young people and . The occasion was a time to celebrate the important role nurses play as part of multi- disciplinary teams at Sidra Medicine and highlight the progress of profi ling nursing as a career of choice, accord- (From left) Deborah Kelly, Nouf al-Kuwari and Tricia Tieleman, Dignitaries from Doha Bank and Qatar Cancer Society during a ing to a press statement. clinical nurse educator. cancer awareness session event held in Doha. During the event, Sidra Medicine deputy chief nurs- to join Sidra Medicine, said: the Bedayati Programme — a ing offi cer Deborah Kelly “Becoming a nurse is a privi- one-year New Graduate Nurse Traffi c diversion thanked her colleagues for lege. You are entrusted with programme designed to at- the critical work they do on returning a person back to tract national nurses to Sidra Doha Bank conducts cancer behalf of patients every day, health. There’s no greater re- Medicine. at saying: “Our goal for nursing sponsibility and we are start- It supports the transition awareness session for staff at Sidra Medicine is to ensure ing to see the community in of Qatari nurse students to that our patients have access Qatar recognise the value of their professional role at Sidra Interchange to a world-class nursing and nursing as a career.” Medicine. oha Bank recently host- and awareness are key to fi ght- midwifery team. To that end, Maryam al-Neama, a nurse Once on board, Qatari nurs- ed an informative can- ing disease, and we are pleased to we have gathered a multicul- who works in the children’s es embark on a progressive he Public Works Authority North, which will lead them to Al Dcer awareness session off er this enlightening session to tural team of nurses and nurse Post-Anesthesia Care Unit at career path, which encourages (Ashghal) has announced Markhiya Street through Al Ru- for team members as part of its our dedicated team,” said Sheikh practitioners who’ve joined us Sidra Medicine, added: “The them to develop, complete Tthat it will divert traffi c on wais Street and Dahl Al Hamam strong commitment to the well- Mohamed Fahad J al-Thani, act- from all over the world to care growing need for quality pa- their masters and serve by ex- the exit ramp and lanes southeast Street (as shown on the attached being of its employees. ing chief Human Resources of- for the women and children of tient-centric care in Qatar ample in promoting the role of of Umm Lekhba Interchange, map).A new traffi c signal will be Hosted by the Qatar Cancer fi cer. Qatar.” makes now the best time for nurses in healthcare. from Doha towards placed at the intersection of Dahl Society, the event was aimed at “We remain fully committed The celebrations also more Qatari nurses to join the Sidra Medicine is also pio- Street, from March 17. Al Hamam Street with Al Markhi- educating and increasing aware- to ensuring that our staff have sought to highlight the work ranks of this esteemed profes- neering the Nurse Practitioner The diversion, which is required ya Street, Ashghal has said. ness about cancer, its symptoms, access to the latest information Sidra Medicine has under- sion.” (NP) profession, currently to enable the construction of mul- Road users wishing to con- and prevention. on cancer, and will continue to taken to educate the commu- Together with partners at employing 25 NPs from the US tiple bridges on the Umm Lekhba tinue on Al Markhiya Street can Members of Doha Bank’s sen- emphasise the important role a nity about the importance of the University of Calgary in and the UK. Interchange, will be carried out turn right from the signal or left ior management team and staff healthy and active lifestyle plays nursing as a profession and Qatar (UCQ), Sidra Medicine NPs, who have earned a in collaboration with the General to reach Al Hana Street. from across various departments in its prevention. Doha Bank is an encourage more Qataris to has been “heavily involved in Master’s Degree in Nursing, Directorate of Traffi c, Ashghal has The authority has said it will and branches gathered at the au- employee-driven organisation, pursue a career in nursing. profi ling the benefi ts and op- are able to prescribe medicine, said in a press statement. install road signs advising mo- ditorium in the bank’s headquar- as highlighted by our wide range Awards were also handed portunities a career in nursing order tests and diagnose con- During the closure, those using torists of the detour. ters in Doha for the session. of initiatives including our fa- out to nurses who exemplifi ed off ers”, the statement notes. ditions in collaboration with Al Shamal Road from Doha Umm It has also requested all road “At Doha Bank, the health and mous yearly Al Dana Green Run, excellence in their roles. The organisation currently the doctor. NPs can also train Lekhba Interchange are requested users to abide by the speed limit well-being of our staff are of par- recognised as the biggest CSR Nouf al-Kuwari, who was sponsors six Qatari students to perform minor procedures to follow the directions to alter- and follow road signs to ensure amount importance. Education event in Qatar.” one of the fi rst Qatari nurses studying at UCQ as part of in the operating room. native routes in Madinat Khalifa their safety. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 11 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

Largest cultural centre to open in Kuwait

Animals are seen at the extinct animal section at the Sheikh Abdullah al-Salem Cultural Centre as employees prepare for its off icial opening, in Kuwait City, yesterday. The centre is one of the world’s largest cultural complexes housing a total of 22 galleries with over 1,100 exhibits. The complex off ers a Natural History Museum, Science and Technology Museum, a Fine Arts Centre, Arabic Islamic Science Museum, Space Museum, and Theatre.

Qatar affi rms Sick, injured start leaving support for besieged Ghouta enclave comprehensive

Reuters satellite towns and farmland, ceasefi re in Syria Beirut/Ankara splintering it into three separate zones in recent days. Yasser Delwan, a political of- QNA cessive use of force, chemical ick and injured civilians fi cial with the Jaish al-Islam Geneva weapons which are interna- left a rebel enclave in Syr- rebel faction, said the patients tionally prohibited, blockade Sia’s eastern Ghouta yester- who left the town of Douma yes- and starvation, and prevent- day under the fi rst medical evac- terday were the fi rst of several he State of Qatar has ing humanitarian access as a uation since one of the deadliest groups and were on a UN list of affi rmed its support method of warfare, arbitrary assaults of the seven-year war nearly 1,000 people needing Tfor all eff orts aiming detention, enforced disap- began nearly a month ago. emergency treatment. at achieving a comprehen- pearances, torture, murder In another sign of success in State media said others fol- sive ceasefi re in Syria and the and other human rights viola- the government’s mission to re- lowed the fi rst group, which in- delivery of humanitarian as- tions. take all rebel-held territory near cluded about 35 people. sistance to those in need, thus He also pointed out that the the capital, the army also evacu- They would go to a shelter contributing to a political so- Syrian justice system as well ated hundreds of fi ghters and nearby on the outskirts of the lution to the crisis on the basis as the international commu- their families from a separate Syrian capital Damascus. of the Geneva Declaration and nity failed to achieve justice small rebel-held pocket south of State TV accompanied some the relevant resolutions of the and fairness for the victims Damascus. evacuees and broadcast inter- Security Council, in particular and to hold accountable those In the north of the country, views in which they said rebels resolution 2254. responsible for the violations on another main front, Turkey’s had blocked them from leaving. This would ensure the re- and crimes committed against military said it had encircled Moscow and Damascus say alisation of the legitimate as- the Syrian people. the town of Afrin, a big advance their forces only target armed pirations of the Syrian people He stressed that the con- in its off ensive against Kurdish Syrian civilians arrive at a makeshift clinic during government air strikes on Zamalka, in the rebel enclave militants and seek to stop mortar who came out for that peace- tinued impunity of the Syr- fi ghters. of Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus, yesterday. salvoes by insurgents that killed fully, and received no answer ian regime encourages it to Government forces also dozens of people in the capital. from the Syrian regime ex- further commit further vio- pounded a rebel-held area in the man in a wheelchair waited at one of the bloodiest of the war, Military Media, a news outlet They accuse the rebels of us- cept killing, destruction and lations, as well as negatively south for a second straight day, a school near the Al-Wafi deen with rebels on course for their controlled by Lebanon’s Hez- ing civilians as human shields, gross violations of human aff ecting the political nego- potentially reopening yet an- crossing, along with dozens who worst defeat since the battle of bollah group allied to Damas- which the fi ghters deny. rights. tiation process and in reach- other front. exited the enclave through it, a Aleppo in 2016. The UN Secu- cus, said buses had transported Troops pressed on with the This was made in the ing a permanent solution to The developments show how witness said. rity Council has demanded a around 300 fi ghters from the assault yesterday and took some speech delivered by Perma- end the confl ict in the country. the map of control in Syria has The Syrian Observatory for 30-day ceasefi re, but Moscow Ajnad al-Sham group and their farmland around the town of Jis- nent Representative of the The ambassador also called for been changing in recent weeks, Human Rights war monitor and Damascus say it does not families to rebel-held Idlib prov- reen, Hezbollah’s Military Media State of Qatar to the United greater support for the impar- with Turkey and Russia both said more than 150 civilians left apply to banned terrorist groups ince in the north. reported. The Civil Defence in Nations Offi ce in Geneva am- tial and independent interna- pressing their advantages since eastern Ghouta yesterday, as air in Ghouta. The Observatory said hun- Ghouta, a rescue service in rebel bassador Ali Khalfan al-Man- tional mechanism to assist in the self-proclaimed caliphate of strikes and shelling of the area They have off ered to evacuate dreds of fi ghters had left on bus- territory, said air strikes hit Jis- souri, during the interactive the investigation of crimes in the Islamic State group largely continued. civilians and rebels who agree es over the past 24 hours. reen, Zamalka, and Irbeen. dialogue with the Independ- Syria in order to enable it to collapsed last year. During the army’s off ensive, to withdraw from the area, but Al-Qadam is surrounded by Turkey’s military and its rebel ent International Commis- carry out its mandate. International attention has more than 1,100 civilians have so far the main insurgent groups government-held territory on allies have encircled the north- sion of Inquiry on the Syrian At the end of his speech, been focused in recent weeks died, the UN Offi ce of Humani- have said they intend to stay and one side and Islamic State-con- ern Syrian town of Afrin, the Arab Republic, under Item 4 al-Mansouri, thanked the mainly on the plight of civil- tarian Aff airs says. fi ght to the end. trolled neighbourhoods on the Turkish armed forces said yes- of the current session of the Independent International ians in eastern Ghouta, where President Bashar al-Assad, The government tactic of of- other. terday, a substantial advance in Human Rights Council. Commission of Inquiry on the the United Nations believes whose forces have recaptured fering safe passage to rebels The Observatory said there Ankara’s off ensive against Kurd- The ambassador stressed Syrian Arab Republic for its 400,000 people have been most towns and cities in Syria’s who agree to surrender territory was fi ghting between govern- ish fi ghters across its southern that the Syrian regime and its report on the situation in Syr- trapped under punishing bom- heavily populated west, has played out yesterday nearby in ment forces and Islamic State border. Turkey launched its op- allies are targeting civilians ia, stressing that the fi ndings bardment, deprived of food and vowed to reassert his control Al-Qadam, south of the capital, fi ghters in that area. eration “Olive Branch” in north- and civil facilities, especially of the commission’s investi- medicine. over every inch of the country. one of the few areas near Damas- In eastern Ghouta, Russian- ern Syria nearly two months ago hospitals and schools, in fl a- gations reaffi rms facts that are Women carrying infants, men The government assault on cus apart from eastern Ghouta backed Syrian forces have cap- to sweep the Syrian Kurdish YPG grant violation of all interna- known to all and can not be hobbling on crutches and an old eastern Ghouta has become still in insurgent hands. tured swathes of the pocket of from the Turkish border. tional laws related to the ex- denied or ignored.

Iran’s appeal to end hostilities Iran’s foreign minister has Seven killed in military repeated an appeal to Saudi US general signals Arabia to end hostilities against Tehran, reported Iranian state media yesterday. “We have stated kitchen blast in Yemen our readiness to open diplomatic negotiations with the Saudis sev- support for N-deal eral times and we also welcome Reuters foreign mediation in this regard,” Reuters Mattis in pressing a sceptical Trump to stick with Aden Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Washington the agreement with Iran. Zarif was cited by IRNA news “There would be some concern (in the region), agency as saying yesterday. I think, about how we intended to address that even people were killed in According to Zarif, there is no top US general yesterday signalled support particular threat if it was not being addressed Yemen’s port city of Aden reason for the two countries to for the Iran nuclear deal, saying the agree- through the JCPOA....Right now, I think it is in Syesterday when a car remain hostile. “The question is: A ment, which President Donald Trump our interest” to stay in the deal, Votel said. bomb ripped through a military Why mutually exclude each oth- has threatened to withdraw from, has played an When a lawmaker asked whether he agreed kitchen used by Yemeni forces er instead of working together on important role in addressing Iran’s nuclear pro- with Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of trained and backed by the Unit- regional crises,” said Zarif. Saudi gramme. Staff General Joseph Dunford’s position on the ed Arab Emirates (UAE), med- Arabia’s attempt to portray Iran “The JCPOA addresses one of the princi- deal, Votel said: “Yes, I share their position.” ics said. as a threat to the region is false, ple threats that we deal with from Iran, so if the Mattis said late last year that the United States One of the dead was a young Zarif said, adding that if needed, JCPOA goes away, then we will have to have an- should consider staying in the Iran nuclear deal boy walking in the street at the Iran would be the “first country” other way to deal with their nuclear weapons unless it was proven Tehran was not complying time of the blast, they said. to help the Saudis. program,” said US Army General Joseph Votel. or that the agreement was not in the US national Fifteen people were wound- JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Ac- interest. A collapse of the Iran nuclear deal would ed. tion, is the formal name of the accord reached be a “great loss,” the United Nations atomic Witnesses said the blast was DIPLOMACY with Iran in July 2015 in Vienna. watchdog’s chief warned Trump recently, giving caused by a car laden with ex- Trump has threatened to withdraw the United a wide-ranging defence of the accord. plosives, apparently driven by People inspect the damages after a car bomb ripped through a Kuwait- Turkmenistan States from the accord between Tehran and six Iran has stayed within the deal’s restrictions a suicide bomber towards the military kitchen in Aden, yesterday. ties reviewed world powers unless Congress and European al- since Trump took offi ce but has fired diplomatic kitchen in Al-Derain area in lies help “fi x” it with a follow-up pact. warning shots at Washington in recent weeks. northern Aden. The coalition, armed and wrested control of Aden from The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Trump does not like the deal’s limited dura- It said on Monday that it could rapidly enrich The force of the blast dam- backed by the West, joined the forces loyal to Hadi in several al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah met yes- tion, among other things. uranium to a higher degree of purity if the deal aged stores and cars nearby. Yemen conflict in March 2015 days of fighting that ended terday with Turkmenistan President Votel is head of the US military’s Central Com- collapsed. Islamic State claimed re- after the Houthi group pushed with a truce brokered by Saudi Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, mand, which is responsible for the Middle East Votel also discussed the situation in Syria at sponsibility for the attack, the towards Aden, forcing the Arabia and the UAE. who is on a visit to Kuwait. The and Central Asia, including Iran. the hearing. second of its kind targeting se- internationally-recognised Islamic State last month off icial news agency KUNA said that He was speaking to a Senate Armed Services During the Syrian army’s off ensive in eastern curity forces in the city, where President Abd-Rabbu Man- claimed responsibility for an the two sides held off icial talks on Committee hearing on the same day that Trump Ghouta, more than 1,100 civilians have died. UAE forces from the Saudi-led sour Hadi into exile in Saudi attack targeting the headquar- bilateral relations between the two fi red Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after a series Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, say coalition that has been operat- Arabia. ters of a counter-terrorism unit countries and ways of strengthen- of public rifts over policy, including Iran. they are targeting “terrorist” groups shelling ing in Yemen since 2015 hold Last month, UAE-backed in Aden that killed at least 14 ing and developing them. Tillerson had joined Defence Secretary Jim the capital. sway. southern Yemeni forces people, including the attackers. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 ARAB WORLD Bomb blast targets Palestinian PM’s convoy in rare Gaza visit

AFP Gaza City

bomb blast targeted Pal- estinian Prime Minister ARami Hamdallah’s con- voy during a rare visit to the Gaza Strip yesterday, leaving him un- hurt but provoking outrage over what offi cials called an assassi- nation attempt. Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj was also in the con- voy but was not injured in the explosion, which occurred shortly after they entered the territory. At least six people were wounded, with none of their in- juries believed to be life-threat- ening. A security source in Gaza said the convoy was also fi red on by unknown gunmen at the time of the explosion, before Hamas se- curity forces sealed off the area. After the attack, Hamdallah briefl y appeared at the open- ing of a wastewater treatment facility in Gaza before cutting short his visit and returning to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where his government is based. “It was a very well-planned attempt. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah waves to the crowd upon his arrival in Gaza City, yesterday. Right: Members of the Hamas security forces inspect the crater left at the site of an explosion that targeted the It was a roadside bomb about convoy of the prime minister during his visit to the Gaza strip, near the Erez crossing, in Beit Hanun. two metres into the ground,” Hamdallah said at his offi ce pects and begun an investiga- lieved to have been the work controlled territory. security there won’t be a gov- Gaza “risks exploding in our face Israel has maintained a block- upon his return. tion. of radicals. Hamas criticised Two cars with blown-out ernment.” again.” ade of Gaza since 2007, which A statement on offi cial Pal- A statement from Hamas Abbas’ accusation, saying it windows were being removed The UN envoy to the Middle The White House is due to it says is necessary to isolate estinian media said President condemned the attack, saying it “achieved the goals of the crimi- from the scene of the explosion East peace process, Nickolay hold a conference on the dete- Hamas, while Egypt has also Mahmoud Abbas considered it was done by the “same hands” nals.” shortly afterwards, an AFP cor- Mladenov, condemned the at- riorating humanitarian situa- kept its border with the enclave a “cowardly targeting” of Ham- responsible for the assassina- Another senior offi cial, Tawfi q respondent reported. tack and said “Hamas has the tion in Gaza, but no Palestinian largely closed. dallah’s convoy. tion of one senior Hamas fi gure, Abu Naim, said “whoever who Hamdallah’s government is responsibility to ensure that the offi cials are expected to attend US State Department spokes- There was no immediate claim Mazen Faqha, and the attempted did this only serves the (Israeli) recognised by the international government is able to carry out despite an invitation. woman Heather Nauert said on of responsibility. assassination of another last occupation and is doing what community. its work in the strip without fear The Palestinians were enraged Twitter that “Palestinians in Radicals opposed to Hamas year. the occupation demands.” The prime minister called for of intimidation, harassment and by President Donald Trump’s Gaza need a real government also operate within the Gaza Hamas blamed the killing of The explosion came a few Hamas to allow his government violence.” decision to break with long- that will provide basic services Strip and have regularly been Faqha on Israel. hundred metres (yards) after to take control in Gaza. Mladenov has warned of the standing US policy by recognis- — not today’s attack on PA offi - behind unrest. The second attack, an explo- Hamdallah’s convoy crossed “We are talking about inter- consequences of the desper- ing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital cials trying to inaugurate a wa- The Hamas interior ministry sion targeting Hamas’ head of through the Palestinian Author- nal security — the police and the ate humanitarian suff ering in and have refused to meet with ter treatment plant desperately said they had arrested three sus- security in Gaza, is widely be- ity-run checkpoint into Hamas- civil defence,” he said. “Without the strip, saying in January that his peace envoys since. needed in Gaza.”

Port loadings resume after Stability still elusive as Sisi poised for second term

Reuters tary-general, expressing con- the air base on the day of the at- Sabry, an Egyptian author and strike ends Cairo cern over the branch’s “resil- tack and used a Russian-made researcher on security in Sinai. ience.” Kornet missile, a much more A Western diplomat said The military mentioned the advanced weapon than the ri- Egyptian authorities have been Reuters he attack by Islamic State attack in a brief statement the fl es, suicide vests and mines the focusing their military strategy Tripoli came as Egypt’s defence day it happened but did not give militants mostly use. on conventional warfare by us- Tand interior ministers details. It was a rare and close tar- ing heavy weapons rather than walked towards a helicopter A military spokesman, who geting of senior government adopting more targeted, intel- ibya’s Zawiya oil termi- waiting to fl y them out of the also speaks on behalf of the de- offi cials by militants, and the ligence-led tactics to eradicate nal returned to normal Sinai peninsula last December. fence ministry, later declined attack alarmed Egypt’s secu- extremism. Loperations yesterday af- Five army and police sources further comment on the attack. rity establishment, several for- Military spokesman Colonel ter workers who were block- told Reuters that the militants The Interior Ministry did not eign diplomats said. The attack Tamer al-Rifai told Reuters that ing ships from docking agreed fi red a laser-guided missile at respond to telephone calls or came three weeks after Sisi or- security forces were closing in to end a one-day strike, two the aircraft, destroying it. reply to questions on Whatsapp dered his generals to use “brute on militants and blocking off sources said. The ministers survived the about the helicopter attack. force” against militants. their supply and escape routes. Zawiya exports crude from Al-Arish air base attack, whose The military previously has Egypt’s military is using war- “While one part (of the Libya’s giant El Sharara oilfield, sophistication and boldness said that it has killed more than Rifles, weapons and ammunition found during a major assault planes, tanks and troops that military) is searching houses, which produces 300,000 bar- served as a reminder that Presi- 1,800 jihadists in the area since against militants by Egyptian Army soldiers in the troubled have battled radicals in the Si- another is raiding terrorist rels per day (bpd), more than dent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ex- late 2014, according to a Reuters northern part of the Sinai peninsula are seen in Al Arish, in this nai for years. hideouts in populated or un- a quarter of the North African pected to easily win re-election review of its public statements undated handout picture. Some diplomats and analysts populated areas...the operation country’s output. this month, is still engaged in a over the period. say the army must adopt more won’t end” until militants are Production at El Sharara had major military campaign to de- Last month, the army should help it clear the penin- in the Sinai have not stopped eff ective counterinsurgency rooted out, Rifai said. not been affected by the strike liver the security he has prom- launched a highly publicised sula of militants. fi ghters launching attacks in- tactics and avoid alienating He said in a recent televised at Zawiya, an engineer at the ised to Egyptians. off ensive, and says it has killed Sisi’s supporters argue that tended to destabilise the gov- residents with the more de- message that civilians would field said. Even with widespread public scores of suspected fi ghters and the security situation now, al- ernment and stir up unrest. structive methods of air raids, be fi nancially compensated The field is operated by Lib- support, Sisi’s security forces detained hundreds more in Si- though not completely secure, In the past four months, they curfews and buff er zones that for material damage resulting ya’s National Oil Corp (NOC) in have yet to quash a stubborn nai, the main stronghold of Is- is better and more predict- have carried out two spectacu- have razed populated areas and from fi ghting, and that there partnership with Repsol, Total, insurgency in Sinai, an area that lamic State after their defeat in able than the unrest that rocked lar assaults there — on the air radicalised residents. were hundreds of development OMV and Statoil. Islamic State is using as a base Libya, Iraq and Syria. Egypt for years after the Arab base on Dec 19, and at a mosque “We’re seeing the exact projects taking place in Sinai, “A deal has been reached be- in its campaign to install an Is- The military says the new Spring uprising of 2011. on Nov 24, killing more than same military operation (as be- without elaborating. tween the strikers and the com- lamic caliphate in Egypt. campaign features unprec- Sisi’s offi ce did not respond 300 people. In the helicopter fore) — aerial and ground force More than a dozen soldiers pany and the loadings have re- The United Nations singled edented co-ordination between to requests for comment about operation, military and police bombardment, mobilisation have died in the operation, the sumed,” said a local oil source, out Islamic State in Egypt in a the army, navy and air force the security situation. sources say militants comman- of heavy armoured vehicles on army says, adding to hundreds asking not to be identified. January report from its secre- in Sinai, and that these tactics But years of military action deered a house on the edge of the ground,” said Mohannad in recent years.

Lebanon frees actor held over ‘collaboration’

AFP Lebanon, which technically remains non’s history. Meeting Itani after his Beirut at war with its southern neighbour, release yesterday, Prime Minister upholds a boycott of Israeli products Saad Hariri said the security appa- and of contact with its nationals. ratus had received “wrong informa- ebanon yesterday released a In November, the State Security tion”. prominent writer and actor from Directorate General said Itani was A source close to the investigation Lcustody, a judicial source said, being questioned “on charges of col- earlier this month said Hajj was sus- after months in detention over alleg- laborating and communicating with pected of having framed Itani to seek edly “collaborating” with Israel. the Israeli enemy”. revenge after Itani shed light on her A military judge ordered Ziad Itani’s The actor in his 40s was detained liking a controversial post on Twit- release, the source said, after he was “after several months of monitoring, ter last year, after which she was de- arrested in November and accused of follow-up and investigations within moted. Itani has shot to prominence “collaborating and communicating” and outside”, it said. in recent years because of a series of with the neighbouring state. Itani had allegedly confessed to comedy plays on Beirut, its customs The judge also issued an arrest war- having been “tasked to monitor a and the transformations it has un- rant for a high-ranking female offi cer group of high-level political figures” dergone in recent decades. accused of framing him, the source and their associates. The works — particularly “Bei- said. But people close to the actor said rut Tariq al-Jdideh”, which refers to The former head of a security unit his “confession” was extracted under a neighbourhood of the city — have fi ghting cybercrime, Suzan al-Hajj, duress, though the authorities have been very well-received. was detained for questioning earlier denied the accusation. Before becoming an actor, Itani this month over suspicions she had en- Itani flashed a “V” sign for victory worked as a journalist with Leba- listed the help of a hacker to fabricate as he left prison, and broke down in non’s Al-Mayadeen television chan- conversations between the actor and tears as he said he had been “subject- nel and with various regional an Israeli woman. ed to the greatest injustice” in Leba- newspapers. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 13 AFRICA

OUTBREAK ACCIDENT FIFTH LARGEST MUZZLED POLITICS Namibia records first listeria Bus crash kills 38 in Huge Lesotho diamond NGOs file suit over Pro-Zuma group blocks case after 180 die in S Africa Ethiopia: state media fetches $40mn at auction Tanzanian press law South Africa energy deals

Namibia’s health minister said yesterday it had Thirty-eight people have died after the bus they One of the world’s largest diamonds has been Three Tanzanian NGOs yesterday filed a South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was dealt recorded its first case of listeriosis, the biggest were travelling in plunged off an embankment sold for $40mn, mining company Gem Diamonds complaint at the East Africa Court of Justice over a political blow yesterday after a last-minute legal recorded outbreak of which has killed over 180 in northern Ethiopia, state media said yesterday. Limited said yesterday. The 910 carat diamond, a 2016 law that they argue violates press freedom. challenge by a group loyal to ousted leader Jacob people and infected almost 970 in neighbouring “A total of 38 people, (28 male, and 10 female) which is the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Legal and Zuma blocked the signing of $4.7bn in renewable South Africa. Bernard Haufiku told Namibia’s were killed in the accident,” state-aff iliated Fana ever found and bigger than a golf ball, was sold on Human Rights Centre, and Tanzania Human energy deals. The North Gauteng High Court agreed parliament the victim was a 41-year-old man who Broadcast Corporate said of the crash in the Monday on tender in the Belgian city of Antwerp to Rights Defenders Coalition said in their complaint to hold a full hearing on the challenge on March 27 was fighting for his life in hospital in the capital Legambo district of the regional state of Amhara, an undisclosed bidder, the statement read. The D that the law “violates” international conventions after the National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) of the southern African nation. According to citing local authorities. Ten passengers survived colour Type IIa specimen was found in January in ratified by the East African Community (EAC) and Transform RSA, a group which has lobbied for Haufiku, the man ate a sausage he bought at a but suff ered “serious and minor injuries” in the the Letseng mine in the small southern Africa nation regional bloc, according to MCT executive Zuma in the past, argued the deals would lead to butcher’s shop in Tsumeb, about 475km north accident, which took place between the towns of of Lesotho, said Gem Diamonds Limited. Lesotho is secretary Kajubi Mwakajanga. The law in question coal-sector job losses and should be scrapped. State of Windhoek, which is believed to be the source Dessie and Mekane Selam, Fana reported. Amhara a small, impoverished country surrounded entirely is criticised by the media community for being power utility Eskom was due to sign 27 mostly wind of the toxic bug. “We were already prepared as a regional spokesman Nigussu Tilahun confirmed by South Africa. A rough diamond from Botswana, too vague in its definition of what constitutes power and solar deals with independent power country when we heard there was a break out in the accident, saying it happened on Monday. The believed to be the biggest uncut diamond found in a journalist, with bloggers or anyone posting producers, in the first major investment deal since South Africa,” the minister said. cause of the crash remains unknown. a century, sold for $53mn in September. information on social media sites included. Ramaphosa replaced Zuma last month. Dozens killed in DR Congo ethnic clashes

AFP 200,000 have been displaced, in- The full scale of the latest bout Bunia, DR Congo cluding tens of thousands have of violence in the remote province crossed the border to seek shelter remains unclear. in Uganda. On Monday, the CIK said “sev- ozens of people were killed An inter-ethnic group called the eral hundred” people had died and overnight in fresh clashes in Kinshasa Ituri Community (CIK) 350,000 been displaced, nearly DDR Congo’s volatile north- puts these fi gures far higher. 50,000 of whom had taken refuge eastern Ituri province, sharpening According to a local offi cial, the in the town of Bunia. Protesters clash with anti-riot police in a street of Conakry yesterday during a demonstration against Guinea’s President Alpha Conde. an ethnic confl ict that has already latest clashes broke out just af- Added to this, it said, were near- forced tens of thousands to fl ee, ter Interior Minister Henri Mova ly 65,000 who had fl ed to Uganda. offi cials said yesterday. wrapped up a tour of the region. The confl ict is part of a broader At least 30 people were killed in “While the minister is on background of violence and insta- the latest unrest, which came in the ground, we continue to kill bility in eastern Democratic Re- the wake of the interior minister’s each other,” Gregoire Lusenge, a public of Congo. Violent protests hit Guinea visit to the region. spokesman for a caucus of law- Swathes of the territory are in “We have recorded 30 deaths. makers from Ituri, told AFP. the hands of militia groups, some There are certainly other bodies “The police deployment seems of whom trace their origins back to Reuters parties are demanding the publication of who burned tyres and rubbish, and threw out in the bush. A search is under- insuffi cient. The few troops that two wars, from 1996-7 and 1998- Conakry results from local elections held on Febru- stones at the headquarters of a local tel- way,” a government offi cial said. are there are unable to contain the 2008, that drew in other countries ary 4 that allies of President Alpha Conde evision and radio station. Other sources gave a higher toll. situation, which is getting worse in eastern and central Africa. say they have won. The bauxite industry in Guinea is fl our- “In the village of Djo, (the at- and worse.” New confl icts are erupting in pposition supporters in Guinea “It’s a situation that is causing losses ishing even as development of huge iron ore tackers) killed 10 people, in Gbi, The Congolese army gave a dif- the east in a climate of political yesterday protested and erected with our boats stranded and waiting to be deposits in its forested interior have stalled there were 10 dead, and in Takpa, ferent version for the events in at insecurity over the future of Presi- Obarricades in the capital Conakry loaded,” Frederic Bouzigues, managing di- due to a slump in global commodities prices. 19 people were shot dead, which least one village. dent Joseph Kabila. and the mining towns of Boke and Kam- rector of Société Minière de Boke (SMB), Its main exporters are SMB, which pro- makes 39 dead,” Willy Pilo Mulin- “There was no massacre in Djo,” In December, Kabila faces elec- sar, disrupting some shipments of the alu- told Reuters. duced around 30mn tonnes of bauxite dro, head of Bahema-North dis- said lieutenant Jules Ngongo, a tions that have been twice delayed minium ore bauxite, a Reuters witness and In Kamsar, an offi cial with the national last year, and CBG, owned by the Guinean trict, told AFP. spokesman for an army unit based since his second presidential term industry offi cials said. mining infrastructure agency said bar- state, Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Dadco, The UN radio channel Okapi in Ituri. “They were a group of — the last under the country’s The unrest sparked by a row over local ricades blocked a train carrying ore from with output of around 15mn tonnes a year. gave a toll of 41 dead in four villag- robbers who had come to invade a constitution — expired at the end elections held in February has paralysed Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee (CBG) Boke and Kamsar were the scene of re- es, and said the attackers used ma- village that had already been aban- of 2016. much of Conakry since protests erupted on Monday. peated bouts of unrest last year with resi- chetes, arrows and Kalashnikovs. doned. Our troops chased them Lusenge said the crisis in Ituri on Monday. The offi cial, who asked not to be named dents protesting about electricity cuts, Fighting in Ituri has involved the and currently the army is in con- should not be used as “an alibi” Demonstrations spread yesterday to as he was not authorised to speak to the pollution and a perceived failure of mining Hema and Lendu communities, trol of the situation.” to block the elections once more Boke, where police responded with teargas media, said the obstacles were later re- projects to raise living standards. respectively cattle herders and In 2003, a fl areup of violence in on the grounds that it would be and clubs, a resident said. moved and the train was allowed to con- The opposition, led by Cellou Dalein Di- farmers who have a long history of Ituri triggered Operation Artemis, impossible to draw up an electoral Spokesmen for the police and govern- tinue on its way. allo, are demanding the release of full results violence over access to land. a three-month operation by the roll there. ment were not immediately available to CBG offi cials could not immediately be and poll documents from the February vote, At least 130 people have been European Union — its fi rst military “If we wait until they (displaced comment on the demonstrations in Afri- reached. saying the election was marred by fraud. killed since clashes fl ared anew in mission outside Europe. people) return home, we will give ca’s top producer of bauxite that has regu- In the centre of Conakry, presidential The protests have coincided with a fi ve- December, according to an unof- The operation averted a human- this regime yet another oppor- larly faced political violence. guard troops and other security forces week strike by teachers demanding a sal- fi cial toll compiled by AFP, while itarian catastrophe, but the fi ght- tunity to delay the elections,” he The West African nation’s opposition in pickup trucks pushed back protesters ary increase. humanitarian workers say around ing never came to a total halt. said.

‘Bring Back Our Girls’ blames govt failures for Dapchi kidnappings

AFP “The abduction of 110 second- necessitate our legal actions for Lagos ary school girls of Government its criminal negligence that led Girls Science and Technical Sec- to the recent abduction of our 110 ondary School, Dapchi in Yobe DapchiGirls,” it added. he Bring Back Our Girls State on February 19, 2018 is the The ultimatum came a day group yesterday accused worst form of a deja vu that our after President Muhammadu Tthe Nigerian government movement could have ever im- Buhari said his government had of “incompetence and careless- agined at this time in our nearly “chosen negotiation” rather than ness” for the seizure of 110 girls four-year-old advocacy.” military force to free the girls. by Boko Haram from their hostel The group said it was “infuri- “We are trying to be careful. in the restive northeast. ated...(by) the blunders that led It is better to get our daughters The movement has been at the to this latest abduction.” back alive,” Buhari’s offi ce said in forefront of a campaign to free Blaming the kidnap on the a press release. the 276 Chibok girls seized in a “incompetence and careless- While some of the Chibok similar fashion in April 2014. ness of our government,” the girls had previously been freed It gave the government a sev- group urged the authorities to through negotiation and some en-day deadline to free the re- do everything possible to free of them were freed in a prisoner maining 112 Chibok girls and the the girls. swap, 112 are still in captivity. 110 seized in Dapchi last month, “Our movement — #Bring- The April 2014 audacious or else face a lawsuit on the BackOurGirls — hereby issues a abduction of the Chibok girls grounds of criminal negligence. 7-day (one-week) notice to the sparked global outrage and at- “How terribly embarrassing it federal government to without tracted attention to the Boko is that within four years since the further delay BRING BACK our Haram insurgency. abduction of 276 Chibok girls in 112 #ChibokGirls and 110 #Dap- The extremist uprising has April 2014 our country is again in chiGirls,” it said. claimed some 20,000 lives and the news for tragic reasons,” the “Failure by the federal govern- forced at least 2.6mn to fl ee their group said in a statement. ment to act immediately shall homeless since 2009. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana speaks during a news conference on the abducted Dapchi and Chibok girls in Abuja. Zimbabwe doctors strike over pay, drug shortages

Reuters labour dispute under President strike actions under Mugabe. As of Monday the labour ac- sic monthly salary of $329 before was resolving some of the griev- Reuters witnessed hospital staff Harare Emmerson Mnangagwa, who “The main issue we have raised tion had spread to include all allowances, according to Ng- ances by the doctors and urged turning away some patients. replaced Robert Mugabe in No- currently is that it does not make public hospitals in the country, wenya, were yet to get duty-free them to return to work while A nurse who only identifi ed vember and whose biggest chal- sense for us to continue working Ngwenya said. vehicles as agreed previously. waiting for the outcome of a herself as Eunice said they were octors at public hospitals lenge is fi xing Zimbabwe’s econ- in hospitals that do not have any The government had not, as In neighbouring South Africa, meeting scheduled for tomorrow overwhelmed without the junior across Zimbabwe have omy ruined by decades of severe drugs or suffi cient equipment,” agreed four years ago, increased which attracts the most skilled morning. doctors. Most senior doctors run Dgone on strike and will not mismanagement. said Mxolisi Ngwenya, spokes- on-call allowances for doctors labour from Zimbabwe, including In the past, the government private practices. return to work until the govern- Cash shortages mean banks are man for the Zimbabwe Hospital to $10 an hour from the current health workers, junior doctors on has deployed army medics to “I was told to go to a (council) ment meets their demands for forced to limit withdrawals, un- Doctors Association (ZHDA), $1.50, and has failed to fulfi l oth- internship earned the equivalent work at major public hospitals clinic because they don’t consid- better pay and working condi- employment remains above 80% which represents more than er promises for better compen- of $2,834 last year, according to when junior doctors went on er my condition an emergency,” tions, a spokesman for a doctors’ and the government still strug- 1,000 members. sation and working conditions, Business Day newspaper. strike. said Langton Sithole, 39, who unions said yesterday. gles to pay workers on time which Junior doctors in Harare went Ngwenya said. Health Minister David Par- At Parirenyatwa, the largest said he fractured his arm when he The action is the fi rst major prompted frequent public sector on strike on March 1. Junior doctors, who earn a ba- irenyatwa said the government public hospital in the capital, fell from a bicycle. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 AMERICAS

INVESTIGATION POLITICS JUSTICE LOBBY GROUP SENATE HEARING ‘Texas package bombs Trump hails House report American jailed for role in Farm group targets Trump US general signals support required skill to construct’ of no collusion with Russia Al Qaeda bomb attack with free-trade ads for Iran nuclear deal

Police in Austin, Texas were searching President Donald Trump said yesterday that A US citizen was sentenced yesterday to 45 years A farm lobbying group is spending $500,000 to A top US general yesterday signalled support for yesterday for a skilled bomb maker as the a Republican report from Congress proved in prison for supporting the militant group Al air television ads on channels near US President the Iran nuclear deal, saying it played an important US city remained on edge following a series his claim that his 2016 election campaign did Qaeda and helping to prepare a 2009 car bomb Donald Trump’s home in Florida to encourage free role in addressing Iran’s nuclear programme. of explosive packages sent to homes, killing not collude with Russians. “We’re very happy attack on a US military base in Afghanistan, less trade, with the group worried recent metal tariff s “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) two people. Two packages left at residents’ with the decision by the House Intelligence than the life sentence sought by prosecutors. could result in retaliation against US agricultural addresses one of the principle threats that we doorsteps detonated Monday, killing a 17-year- Committee saying there was absolutely no Muhanad Mahmoud Al Farekh, 32, was goods. Farmers for Free Trade, a bipartisan group, deal with from Iran, so if the JCPOA goes away old boy and injuring two others. Another collusion with respect to Russia,” Trump said sentenced by US District Judge Brian Cogan in said yesterday it would run ads on programmes then we will have to have another way to deal with package exploded March 2, killing a 39-year-old yesterday. “We are very, very happy with Brooklyn federal court. Al Farekh’s lawyer, David the president is known to watch — including ‘Fox their nuclear weapons programme,” said US Army man. Police believe the attacks were related. that decision. It was a powerful decision that Ruhnke, said at the court hearing that Al Farekh and Friends’ and MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’. The General Joseph Votel, head of the US military’s All the packages were hand-delivered, not left no doubt,” Trump said. On Monday, the would be appealing his conviction. Before Cogan ads will first run in Washington, DC and then in Central Command. Asked whether he agreed with sent through the mail. Investigators gathered committee’s Republicans finalized their report imposed the sentence, Ruhnke read a letter southern Florida where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the chairman of forensic evidence at the two latest crime scenes, on their year-long investigation, saying they written by Al Farekh, who did not speak himself. is located. The ads will start this week and run for the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford but have not made any progress on identifying a saw no evidence of cooperation between the Cogan said the letter was “not an enthusiastic four weeks when Congress is out of session and that staying in the deal was in the national security suspect, Austin’s police chief said yesterday. campaign and Moscow. acceptance of responsibility.” the president is likely to visit Mar-a-Largo. interest, Votel said: “Yes, I share their position.” Trump sacks Tillerson, taps Pompeo as top diplomat Reuters peo, who is known as a political partisan Washington and an opponent of the Iran agreement, raises the prospect of the collapse of that deal, and increases the possibility S President Donald Trump yes- that the administration might soon face terday fi red secretary of state Rex not one, but two nuclear crises,” he said. UTillerson after a series of public Senior White House offi cials said rifts over policy on North Korea, Russia White House chief of staff John Kelly People pull luggage down Stuart Street against high winds and blowing snow as winter storm Skylar bears down in and Iran, replacing his chief diplomat had asked Tillerson to step down on Fri- Boston, Massachusetts. with loyalist CIA Director Mike Pompeo. day but did not want to make it public The biggest shakeup of Trump’s Cabi- while he was on a trip to Africa. net since he took offi ce in January 2017 Trump’s Twitter announcement was announced by the president on Twit- came only a few hours after Tillerson ter as his administration works toward a landed in Washington. meeting with the leader of North Korea. “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, Some foreign policy experts criticised will become our new Secretary of State. Blizzard bears down the decision to swap out top diplomats Outgoing US Secretary of State Rex He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to so soon before the unprecedented meet- Tillerson makes a statement on his Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel ing and worried that Pompeo would en- departure from the State Department will become the new Director of the CIA, courage Trump to scrap the Iran nuclear at the State Department in Washington, and the fi rst woman so chosen. Congrat- deal and be hawkish on North Korea. DC, yesterday. ulations to all!” Trump said on Twitter. on New England Trump chose the CIA’s deputy direc- Tillerson joined a long list of senior tor, Gina Haspel, to replace Pompeo at summit with Kim Jong-un, who invited offi cials who have either resigned or Reuters morning and probably into mi- More than 1,500 US fl ights were the intelligence agency. the US president to meet by May after been fi red since Trump took offi ce in Boston dafternoon snowfall rates of 3cm to cancelled, according to tracking She is a veteran CIA clandestine offi cer months of escalating tensions over North January 2017. 10cm per hour,” said Bob Thompson, service FlightAware. backed by many in the US intelligence Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. Others include strategist Steve Ban- a meteorologist with the National The hardest-hit airport was Bos- community but regarded warily by some Tillerson’s imminent departure had non, national security adviser Michael riving snow enveloped the US Weather Service in Taunton, Massa- ton Logan, where about four out of in Congress for her involvement in the been rumoured for several months and Flynn, FBI director James Comey, White Northeast yesterday in its third chusetts. fi ve fl ights were called off . agency’s “black site” detention facilities. Trump said he and Tillerson had dis- House chief of staff Reince Priebus, Dwinter storm in two weeks, About 140,000 homes and busi- Nor’easters are storms that typi- The tensions peaked last fall amid cussed the move for a long time. health secretary Tom Price, communica- closing schools, cancelling fl ights and nesses in Massachusetts, Rhode Is- cally bring strong winds from the reports Tillerson had called Trump a But Steve Goldstein, a State Depart- tions directors Hope Hicks and Anthony knocking out power to about 140,000 land and New Jersey lost power as the northeast, and they tend to occur “moron” and considered resigning. ment undersecretary of state for public Scaramucci, economic adviser Gary homes and businesses. storm downed trees and power lines. most often and most violently be- “We got along actually quite well but aff airs, said Tillerson did not know why Cohn and press secretary Sean Spicer. The nor’easter was forecast to drop “As soon as the snow stops and the tween September and April along we disagreed on things,” Trump said on he was being pushed out and had in- If confi rmed by the US Senate after an up to 51cm of snow. wind stops blowing, we will be push- the East Coast, the National Oceanic the White House lawn yesterday. tended to stay. April committee hearing, Pompeo will be It followed two storms that rum- ing the utilities to give people a sense and Atmospheric Administration “When you look at the Iran deal: I Goldstein was fi red later yesterday, taking over a State Department shaken by bled up the East Coast this month, of when the power will come back says. think it’s terrible, I guess he thinks it two US offi cials told Reuters. the departures of many senior diplomats killing at least nine people and on,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Some nor’easters carry hurricane- was OK. I wanted to break it or do some- Foreign policy experts from Repub- and embittered by proposed budget cuts. knocking out power to about 2.4mn Baker told reporters yesterday. force winds. Winds were expected to thing and he felt a little bit diff erently.” lican and Democratic administrations But over time, many lawmakers grew homes and businesses at their peak. “They will move quickly and ag- reach 105kph, forecasters said. Trump said he and Pompeo have “a also questioned Trump’s timing and to appreciate Tillerson as a relatively The storm stretched from New gressively to deal with this once the This storm’s heavy snow could similar thought process.” choice, noting that Pompeo was known steady hand in the chaotic Trump ad- York state to Connecticut, Vermont, snow stops.” down trees weakened by the last Pompeo, a former Army offi cer who as a political partisan who strongly op- ministration. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Schools in Boston and Providence, two storms and bring a fresh wave of represented a Kansas district in Con- posed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. “He represented a stable view with Rhode Island and Maine. Rhode Island, were shut yesterday, power outages, offi cials warned. gress before taking the CIA job, is seen Evans Revere, a former senior US dip- regard to the implementation of diplo- Forecasters warned of blizzard Maine’s state legislature cancelled Lower tides meant the storm as a Trump loyalist who has enjoyed a lomat who dealt with North Korea under macy in North Korea, Iran and other conditions, where high winds make its session, Connecticut Governor would probably not bring a repeat of less hostile relationship with career spies president George W Bush, said Trump’s places in the world,” said Senator Ben travel dangerous, from coastal Mas- Dannel Malloy closed all government the fl ooding that sent icy water pour- than Tillerson had with career diplomats. move sends “a bad signal about the role Cardin, the top Democrat on the Sen- sachusetts through Maine. offi ces and the Amtrak passenger rail ing into the streets of Boston during Senior White House offi cials said Trump of diplomacy.” ate Foreign Relations Committee during “We’re anticipating that we’ll line halted service between Boston a storm early this month, forecasters wanted his new team in place before any “Tillerson’s replacement by...Pom- most of Tillerson’s tenure. be seeing through the mid- to late and New York. and offi cials said.

Empty shoes, empty schools: US gun law activists begin two days of theatre

By Ian Simpson, Reuters The memorial, organised by ementary school shooting in More than 2,500 walkouts Washington Avaaz, a US-based civic organi- Newtown, Connecticut. are scheduled across the coun- sation, and the National School Actresses Susan Sarandon and try, according to the organiser’s Walkout, organised by the activ- Bette Midler, and talk show host website, including at Marjory om Mauser came to the US ists behind the Women’s March Chelsea Handler were among Stoneman and Columbine high Capitol yesterday dressed in Washington, are part of a shoe donors. schools. Tin gray Vans sneakers, the grass-roots movement that grew About 1,300 people below the Mauser, a retired Colorado De- same ones his 15-year-old son out of the killing of 17 students age of 18 are killed by gunfi re in partment of Transportation em- Daniel wore when he was killed and staff at a Florida high school the United States every year, ac- ployee, has attended by two gunmen at Colorado’s a month ago. cording to the US Centers for dozens of gun-control dem- Columbine High School in 1999 “I think we’re in the middle of Disease Control and Prevention. onstrations since the Columbine along with a dozen other people. a cultural change in the United Today, students will again take massacre. Mauser was one of a handful of States. The majority of Ameri- centre stage in the political the- But he has grown cautiously gun control activists and volun- cans want a change in gun laws, atrer over guns that has gripped optimistic about the prospects teers who braved a frigid March and a majority of gun owners the country since the February 14 for change because of the new morning to lay out about 7,000 want change,” said Emma Ruby- shooting at Marjory Stoneman student involvement. pairs of shoes on the US Capitol Sachs, deputy director of Avaaz. Douglas High School in Park- “These kids, it’s their lives. lawn as a makeshift memorial to Many of the proposals fa- land, Florida. They’re not going to be dis- American children killed by gun voured by gun control advocates, The national walkout will last tracted about Russia, about other violence. including a ban on assault-style 17 minutes, beginning at 10am, things,” Mauser said. Their aim, like the thousands weapons and the closing of loop- to commemorate the 17 victims The shoe memorial is remi- of students across the country holes on requiring background who lost their lives in the Florida niscent of a monument on the who plan to walk out of their checks before gun purchases, are massacre. Danube River near the Hun- classrooms for 17 minutes on fi ercely opposed by the National It was the deadliest school garian Parliament in Budapest Wednesday morning, was to put Rifl e Association and its sup- shooting since 20 children and commemorating thousands of more pressure on state and fed- porters. six adults were shot dead at people, including Jews, killed by eral lawmakers to tighten rules The 7,000 pairs of donated Sandy Hook more than fi ve years fascists in the 1940s. on gun ownership. footwear, arranged side by side ago. Many Canadian cities have “There’s nobody in those in a trapezoid shape outside the The walkout has won the sup- marked the of shoes, it’s like the emptiness in Capitol, represent every person port of many school districts and Remembrance and Action on The 7,000 pairs of shoes, representing the children killed by gun violence since the mass shooting at our hearts from gun violence,” younger than 18 who has been civil rights organisations, in- Violence Against Women on De- Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, are spread out on the lawn on the east side of the US Capitol said Mauser, 66, of Littleton, killed by a fi rearm since the 2012 cluding the American Civil Lib- cember 6 with similar “shoe me- in Washington, DC. Colorado. massacre at the Sandy Hook el- erties Union. morials.” Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 15 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Facebook defends track record on fi ghting Myanmar hate speech

AFP launched last August has been has now turned into a beast than and violence, particularly in Ra- “Of course, there is always Yangon castigated abroad, it enjoys what it was originally intended khine state. Calls for action have more we can do and we will con- Australia to raise rights issues with Suu Kyi broad domestic support in a to be used in other parts of the grown louder since the Rohingya tinue to work with local experts mainly Buddhist country where world too,” she added. crisis erupted last year, sending to help keep our community Australia will press its Association of South East acebook said yesterday it Islamophobia has been stewing Marzuki Darusman, chair- some 700,000 of the minority safe.” Southeast Asian neighbours, Asian Nations (Asean). Suu Kyi is “seriously” fi ghting hate for years. man of a UN fact-fi nding mis- fl eeing across the border since In late January, Facebook re- including Myanmar, about hu- — a Nobel Peace Prize winner Fspeech in Myanmar, fol- On Monday, two UN offi cials sion on Myanmar, told the UN August. moved the page of popular anti- man rights concerns when the in 1991 — has received heavy lowing blistering criticism from tasked with looking into abuses rights council that “hate speech In response to the UN criti- Rohingya monk Wirathu, and countries’ leaders gather for a international criticism for her UN offi cials who said the plat- in Myanmar took shots at Fa- and incitement to violence on cism, a Facebook spokesperson last year it regulated the use of summit in Sydney on Saturday, handling of the humanitarian form had morphed into a “beast” cebook as part of a UN Human social media is rampant, par- yesterday defended the site’s the word “kalar” which is con- Foreign Minister Julie Bishop crisis involving Rohingya refu- that helps spread vitriol against Rights Council hearing. ticularly on Facebook,” accord- anti-hate speech strategy and sidered derogatory against Mus- said yesterday. gees in Myanmar’s Rakhine Rohingya Muslims. When asked whether the plat- ing to a written statement of his said it had invested signifi cantly lims. “I would certainly be encour- State. The social media giant has form was good or bad for the remarks. in technology and local language Analysts are mixed about what aging (Myanmar’s de facto “This is an opportunity for us faced mounting pressure to snuff emerging democracy, UN special Facebook has seen a mete- expertise in Myanmar. role the platform should play in leader) Aung San Suu Kyi to to discuss issues of concern out infl ammatory posts aimed at rapporteur Yanghee Lee told re- oric rise in Myanmar, a fl edgling “We take this incredibly se- regulating content. attend the summit so that face-to-face and raise with the the Rohingya, a persecuted Mus- porters it was both but had in- democracy shaking off 50 years riously and have worked with “There is a blurred line be- we can raise directly with her Asean leaders the value that lim minority that the UN says cited “a lot of violence and a lot of brutal junta rule. But it has experts in Myanmar for several tween freedom of speech and the concerns that we have,” Australia attaches to protect- are victims of army-led ethnic of hatred against the Rohingya or drawn criticism for a take-off years to develop safety resources hate crime,” said Lennon Chang, Bishop told local ABC radio ing and promoting human cleansing. other ethnic minorities.” that has coincided with a rise in and counter-speech campaigns,” a lecturer in criminology in ahead of the meeting of the rights,” Bishop said. While the military campaign “And I am afraid that Facebook ethnically-charged hate speech the spokesperson said. Monash University. Japan cautious on N Korea dialogue

Reuters Tokyo Singapore ‘working’ with UN on sanctions breach Singapore said yesterday it programme. “We note the North Korea. But MAS vowed iff erences between Japan was “working closely” with the mention of certain Singapore to take “stern action” on local and South Korea on how United Nations after a leaked individuals and entities in financial institutions violating Dto handle North Korea draft report said two local firms media reports citing the leaked the sanctions. Singapore in emerged yesterday with South sold luxury items to North Korea report from the UN Panel of November last year suspended Korea upbeat on prospects but in violation of UN sanctions. The Experts. Singapore is working all trade ties with North Korea. a more cautious Japan demand- UN report, cited by the BBC, al- closely with the UN Panel on “With the tightening of UN ing that North Korea account leges that the two Singaporean these cases,” the Monetary sanctions against the DPRK, for Japanese people it says North companies and other firms in Authority of Singapore (MAS) MAS has stepped up its supervi- Korea abducted decades ago. Asia had been supplying luxury said in a statement sent to AFP sion of financial institutions Signs of easing tension with goods, including wine and yesterday. “Where there is to focus on the prohibited South Korea’s National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon (left) meets Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe North Korea began during the spirits, to North Korea until as credible information of off ences DPRK-related activities,” MAS in Tokyo yesterday. Winter Olympics last month, recently as July 2017, despite committed by individuals or en- said, using North Korea’s formal when the North sent a high-level the sanctions aimed at forcing tities under Singapore law, the name. “MAS is making a series words with actions.” A Japanese South Korea’s presidential offi ce tion of a miracle but said Japan delegation to the South for the Pyongyang to abandon its nu- Singapore authorities will act of onsite supervisory visits to government source later said Ja- made no mention of Abe’s call and South Korea had agreed to Games, after more than a year of clear weapons programme. expeditiously and undertake banks that have been identified pan was considering seeking a on the abduction issue in a state- maintain “maximum pressure” rising alarm over the North’s nu- Despite an agreement for a investigations.” through intelligence received summit between Abe and North ment after his talks with Suh. on North Korea until it takes clear weapon and missile tests. meeting between US Presi- There was no immediate com- or through sweeps by MAS of Korea’s Kim to discuss the abduc- The South’s presidential Blue “concrete action”. Japan has been more guarded dent Donald Trump and North ment from Singapore’s foreign suspicious transactions.” tions. Abe has made the abduc- House said Abe told Suh he did Suh was due back in Seoul about the prospect of talks be- Korean leader Kim Jong-un, ministry. MAS, Singapore’s The central bank said it and tions a keystone of his political not believe North Korea would yesterday, while South Korea’s tween the two Koreas, and be- Washington has called on the central bank and financial regu- other relevant Singapore career and has said he would not use the summits to buy time to National Security Offi ce chief, tween North Korea and the Unit- UN Security Council to maintain lator, did not name the compa- agencies have been in “close rest until all 13 of the people North pursue its nuclear and missile Chung Eui-yong, who led the ed States. Japan has warned that sanctions until there is real nies which the UN report said contact” with the UN and other Korea admitted to kidnapping programmes. delegation to Pyongyang, is “talks for the sake of talks” would progress towards scrapping appear to have used the city’s foreign authorities to help en- have returned and the isolated A Japanese foreign minis- holding talks in Russia following be unacceptable. Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons financial system to trade with force the sanctions. state divulges information about try spokesman declined to say talks with Chinese leader Xi Jin- South Korean offi cials have the others Japan suspects were whether Abe had made the re- ping in Beijing on Monday. The been briefi ng neighbours and al- taken to train North Korean spies. mark but said it was unusual for Chinese leader told Chung China lies, including Japan, on a South Japanese Prime Minister nese Minister of Foreign Aff airs and 1980s. He also said North North Korea allowed fi ve people it South Korea to be making state- looked forward to an important Korean delegation’s visit to North Shinzo Abe yesterday met South Taro Kono. Abe told Suh that Ja- Korea had to show its willingness abducted to return to Japan. ments on Japan’s behalf. Simi- opportunity for talks. Trump Korea last week, which included Korean National Intelligence pan wanted any denuclearisation to disarm. Abe’s insistence that the ab- larly, on Monday, the Blue House has agreed to meet North Korea’s talks with leader Kim Jong-un Service chief Suh Hoon. Suh, talks with North Korea to also “A resolution of the abduc- ductions be included in any cited Japanese Foreign Minister Kim by the end of May. South and agreements on summits with a member of the South Korean address a dispute over the ab- tion, nuclear and missile issues North Korean talks may be a Kono as saying the progress with Korean President Moon Jae-in both South Korea and the United team that visited North Korea, ductions of Japanese citizens by is Japan’s core policy,” Abe said. source of friction with South Ko- North Korea was a “miracle”. plans to hold his summit with States. held talks on Monday with Japa- North Korean agents in the 1970s “North Korea must match its rea. Refl ecting that possibility, In Japan, Kono made no men- Kim by the end of April. China ‘winning’ war on smog, Vietnam’s PM in New Zealand helping life expectancy: study

AFP If sustained, such reductions ruling Communist Party made clean yet here we have a clear example of Beijing would increase the life expectancy air a priority. the public demanding something and of the average Chinese citizen by 2.4 In 2013, it launched an ambitious the government delivering it,” said years relative to 2013. PM 2.5 can play air pollution action plan that sought Greenstone. hina appears to be “winning” a role in heart disease, stroke, and to slash PM 2.5 levels in key regions Yet the war on smog has come with its war on air pollution, mak- lung ailments such as emphysema such as the northern Beijing-Hebei- social costs. To clear the skies, au- Cing so much progress that life and cancer. Another study published Tianjin area and the Yangtze River thorities ordered thousands of pol- expectancy could rise by more than by the university last year had found Delta by up to a quarter. luting factories to leave urban centres, two years, according to a US univer- that air pollution in northern China In 2014, Chinese Premier Li Ke- displacing hundreds of thousands sity study. had cut life expectancy by three years qiang declared “war” on pollution. of migrants. They also designated The Chinese government has been compared with the south of the coun- Since then, teams of inspectors have “no-coal zones” that pushed more waging a battle to clear its skies of try. been deployed across major cities in than three million households in the smog that has cut life expectancy in “We don’t have a historical exam- north China to ensure compliance region around Beijing to abruptly some regions and prompted its citi- ple of a country achieving such rapid with pollution standards. switch over to gas or electric heating, zens to buy masks and air purifi ers to reductions in air pollution. It’s re- Highlighting the challenge fac- often removing coal boilers before protect themselves during peak pol- markable,” Michael Greenstone the ing the country, Beijing’s skies were a new systems were functional. lution days. economist and director of the Energy dismal grey yesterday, as PM 2.5 lev- In December, schools in Hebei The University of Chicago says in Policy Institute at the University of els soared to 270 micrograms per cu- province made headlines after pu- its study released Monday that while Chicago who conducted the studies, bic cubic metre, more than 10 times pils suff ered frostbite from attending the world’s biggest polluter faces a told AFP yesterday. the maximum recommended by the class outside. Delays to installations long road to reach national and inter- By contrast, it took the US a dozen World Health Organization for a 24- of the new electric heating systems national air quality standards, the re- years and a severe recession to attain hour period. But the capital and other meant it was slightly warmer in the sults “suggest the country is winning similar improvements in air qual- places have made progress. weak winter sunshine than in the its war on pollution”. ity after it enacted its 1970 Clean Air Beijing cut PM 2.5 levels by 35% frigid classrooms.Greenstone said Based on daily data from more Act, he noted. “What these last four between 2013 and 2017, increasing he hoped to see China move towards than 200 monitors across China from years have demonstrated quite loudly lifespans of its 20mn residents by 3.3 more market-based environmental 2013 to 2017, the analysis found that is that things can change and they can years, the study found. regulations. cities have cut levels of PM 2.5 – the change rapidly – it just requires po- Baoding, China’s most polluted He recommended measures such tiny airborne particles considered litical will,” he said. city as of 2015, cut pollution by 38%, as setting up cap-and-trade markets most harmful to health – by an aver- As public discontent mounted over adding 4.5 years of life. “China’s not for particulates and beefi ng up pollu- age of 32% in just four years. the country’s choking smog, China’s held up as a democratic regime, and tion taxes. Elephant poachers arrested in Malaysia

AFP Wildlife offi cials said the est with its tusks ripped out. homemade shotguns as well in the nearby state of Kelan- Kuala Lumpur gang caught near the town of “This crew is notorious. They as animal snares were found tan. The arrests come a year Gerik in the northern Malay- hunt elephants,” wildlife de- after they arrested the gang. after a seven-man gang was sian state of Perak was found partment chief Abdul Ka- The elephant’s tusks were not arrested in Kelantan, with our heavily armed with deer antlers and sus- dir Abdul Hashim told AFP. found, with a wildlife offi cial explosives, guns and parts of poachers who targeted pected tiger bones. “There are maybe two more believing that they were al- tusks seized. Elizabeth John, Fwild elephants in Ma- A joint police and wildlife (poaching) groups (in the ready sold. senior communications of- laysia have been caught, of- department investigation area). We are working togeth- He added that the gang fi cer of wildlife trade watch- fi cials said yesterday, the sec- also led the agents to fi nd an er with the police on this.” — all locals — were believed dog Traffi c Southeast Asia, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with New Zealand ond such arrest in less than elephant shot dead by the A police statement said to have been operating since hoped to see more busts like Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Government House in Auckland yesterday. two years. poachers in a nearby for- weapons including rifl es and 2009, and were also active these in the future. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 BRITAIN

CRIME DECISION JUSTICE PROJECT TOURISM Muslim lawmaker University strikes to go on Man jailed for £1bn estates regeneration Fashionable London draws sent racist letter as staff snub pension off er life over stabbing scheme announced 530,000 Chinese visitors

Police were yesterday investigating the receipt Strikes at UK universities are to continue after The sister of a man stabbed to death during a One of the capital’s biggest estate regeneration A record number of Chinese visitors came to Lon- of a racist letter in a suspicious package to a staff overwhelmingly rejected a revised offer street row branded the killer “an animal” as he was programmes was announced yesterday. A dozen don last year with British fashion brands being a Muslim lawmaker, a day after two other Muslim on their pensions. The University and College locked up for life. Alando Bolt, 45, knifed Andrew council estates will be transformed in a £1bn joint huge draw. Home Off ice figures show the number lawmakers said they received similar packages. Union was forced to throw out the deal it had Thompson 11 times before fleeing. The Old Bailey venture between Havering and Wates Residential. of tourists has risen 152% in the past five years, An assistant to opposition Labour lawmaker Rupa negotiated with university employers after heard the two men met “by chance” in Atlantic It will create 3,000 new mixed- tenure homes from 210,958 visas issued in 2012 to 531,967 last Huq said her off ice in the House of Commons, members voted against it. The union will now Road, Brixton, shortly before 1pm on August 18. over the next 12 years — replacing the council’s year. Data from Global Blue - the shopping tax re- parliament’s elected chamber, had received a draw up detailed plans aimed at disrupting Thompson, 30, admonished Bolt for drunkenly current stock of 856 homes. Other London fund company - shows spending by Chinese visi- suspicious package yesterday. “It was dealt with summer examinations in an escalation of the in- shouting at his girlfriend in a nightclub 10 days boroughs, notably Haringey and Southwark, tors was up 32% last year, substantially more than by the parliamentary police,” the assistant said, dustrial action, which is now in its fourth week. earlier. Bolt stabbed the younger man repeatedly, have faced controversy over estate regeneration in Europe where it rose 5%. Brian Bickell, chairman adding that staff were evacuated from the off ice The deal, which had been reached on Monday piercing his heart. He was recorded on CCTV schemes involving the private sector. But the east of the UK China Visa Alliance, said London’s status for a short time. In a later tweet, Huq said one night after six days of talks at the conciliation walking away with the knife in his hand. Bolt was London borough said the amount of aff ordable as the “shopping capital of the world” was a huge member of her staff had been treated in hospital service Acas, was thrown out when the UCU’s jailed for life with a 21-year minimum after being housing on its estates would double — and that draw. He added: “Shopping is a big part of the trip “as he handled the irritant substance,” but he was higher education committee met yesterday found guilty of murder and possession of an of- every existing resident would have their right to for Chinese visitors. The Chinese are the biggest discharged later. after local branches had rejected it. fensive weapon. return guaranteed. spenders on the planet.”

London mosques get listed Hammond status

Guardian News and Media London upbeat on

landmark London mosque has been given Grade II* Alisted status in recogni- tion of its historic, cultural and architectural importance. The London Central mosque growth and in Regent’s Park was built in the 1970s, three decades after the acquisition of the site was au- thorised by Churchill’s war Cab- inet in recognition of the impor- tance of Islam in an increasingly multicultural society. A design by the British archi- spending tect Sir Frederick Gibberd was chosen in an international com- Guardian News and Media KEY POINTS AT A GLANCE petition. According to Historic London England, which recommended Growth have to borrow to fund capital the mosque for listing by the z Forecast of 1.5% growth for investment, and not day-to-day department for culture, media hilip Hammond promised 2018, revised up from 1.4%. spending and sport (DCMS), “his elegant Britain that “our best days z In 2019 growth is forecast to scheme combined architectural Plie ahead of us”, as he deliv- be 1.3%, then 1.3% in 2020, 1.4% Debt traditions of British modernism ered an upbeat spring statement in 2021, and 1.5% in 2022. z Debt is forecast to fall as a with historic Islamic forms”. paving the way for a boost to z In November, growth was fore- share of GDP in 2019-2020, The mosque, which took two public spending in the autumn. cast at 1.3% for 2019, 1.3% for 2020, a year later than forecast in years to build at a cost of £6mn, Hailing a modest improve- 1.5% in 2021, and 1.6% in 2022. November. can hold several thousand wor- ment in economic forecasts, and z As a share of GDP debt is shippers in its grand prayer hall. what he called a “turning point” Borrowing forecast to be 85.6% in 2017-18, Its golden dome and 44-metre in the public fi nances, the chan- z Forecast for borrowing of 86.5% in 2018-19, 85.1% in 2019- minaret make it a London land- cellor sought to shrug off his £45.2bn in 2017-18, revised down 20, 82.1% in 2020-21, 78.3% in mark. image as the Cabinet’s Eeyore, from £49.9bn. That is equivalent 2021-22, and 77.9% in 2021-22 The Fazl mosque in South- insisting he was, “at my most to 2.2% of GDP. fi elds, south-west London, has positively Tigger-like”. z Borrowing is forecast to be Spending been given Grade II listing. It was He said if the public fi nances 1.8% of GDP in 2018-19, 1.6% in z Chancellor says he will the fi rst purpose-built mosque continue to improve, he could set 2019-20, 1.3% in 2020-21, 1.1% in increase public spending and in London when inaugurated in aside more money for the public 2021-22, and 0.9% in 2022-23. investment in years ahead if October 1926 and cost £6,223. services – a potential increase in z A small current surplus is public finances continue on this The DCMS has also upgraded spending that could be seen as a forecast for 2018-19, meaning improved path. Confirms de- the listing of two other mosques. pre-election warchest. the government would only tailed spending review in 2019. The Shah Jahan in Woking, Sur- The chancellor said he would rey, England’s earliest purpose- use the budget this autumn to set built Muslim place of worship, out his expenditure expectations Budget Responsibility predicted nances decimated by the party has become the only Grade I list- for 2020 and beyond, with a full GDP growth of 1.5% this year, a opposite,” Hammond said. ed mosque in the UK, upgraded spending review next year, after slight improvement by just 0.1% John McDonnell, the shadow from its previous Grade II* list- Brexit. from the previous estimate made chancellor, gave a robust re- ing. If in the autumn the public in November. The OBR also said sponse to the speech, criticising A mosque at 8 Brougham fi nances continue to refl ect the it expected public borrowing what he called the “indefensible Terrace in Liverpool was pro- improvements outlined yes- will be £45.2bn this year – about spectacle” of a chancellor “fail- moted to Grade II* “in recogni- terday, he said the government £4.7bn lower than was previous- ing to lift a fi nger” to help strug- tion of its significance in telling would “have capacity to en- ly forecast. gling local authorities and the the story of the emergence of able further increases in public The chancellor said the latest NHS. Islam in England”, said Historic spending and investment in the estimates, which show public “(He) proclaimed that there is England. years ahead”. debt as a share of GDP falling for light at the end of the tunnel. But Michael Ellis, the heritage Hammond’s statement was the next fi ve years, showed the this shows just how cut off from minister, said: “By listing these received with cheers on the Con- country was at a turning point, the real world he is,” McDonnell beautiful mosques, we are not servative benches, with MPs in- a decade on from the fi nancial said. His speech was repeatedly only preserving important plac- creasingly concerned about the crisis. interrupted with loud jeers from es of worship, but also celebrat- pressures on their local public “(There is) light at the end of the Conservative benches, which ing the rich heritage of Muslim Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond leaves 11 Downing Street to deliver his half-yearly update on services, including the NHS. the tunnel. Another step on the he dismissed as “Tory bully communities in England.” the public finances, in London, yesterday. The independent Offi ce for road to rebuilding the public fi - boys”.

Heathrow runway’s true Hunt on for stalker threatening rape cost must be revealed: MPs Guardian News and Media is. The content is becoming in- London creasingly sexually explicit and Guardian News and Media would be laid on the public purse, ports Commission forecast – and aggressive in nature and includes London they say: “What is certain is that airlines fear -– signifi cant price threats to commit rape and stalk- taxpayers everywhere – includ- rises to pay for it. etectives have taken the ing off ences.” ing those living hundreds of miles Greening added: “That’s what the unusual step of releasing Offi cers have been working he true cost to the public away from the south-east – will all modelling shows – and worse than Dhandwriting samples, in- with a criminal profi ler at the of building a third runway be paying for the expansion.” that, the transport infrastructure cluding a distinctive signature, National Crime Agency. Prescott Tat Heathrow has not been Having muted her opposition to support expansion will be paid to try to catch a stalker. said: “Thorough analysis of the spelled out to taxpayers, accord- to Heathrow while in the Cabinet, for by the taxpayer. That will mean Over the last six years a person communications has been car- ing to a cross-party group of MPs, Greening’s intervention comes that other investment projects that signing off as “Gordon” has been ried out and the possibility the who warn that domestic fl ight alongside signatories including should have happened for the rest sending disturbing letters to a off ender has sent, or is send- connections and other transport Conservative and Labour MPs in of the country will not get funding. Bristol woman in her 40s. ing cards or letters with similar spending will be jeopardised. west London constituencies, Lib- The funding will be sucked in to The cards have been sent over content to other people cannot Justine Greening, who quit eral Democrats leader Vince Cable, another southern transport infra- six years but have become more be excluded. If you have been re- Theresa May’s Cabinet in January, and councils led by Richmond. structure project.” graphic and threatening over the ceiving similar correspondence is among the MPs calling on the Greening, MP for Putney and a Transport for London has esti- past two, including rape threats. then we want to hear from you. government to clarify what back- former transport secretary, told the mated that the bill for additional The victim contacted police in “You may recognise one or more ing expansion at the London hub Guardian that Scottish support for rail and road infrastructure around January 2016. of the characteristics but can’t be- airport would mean, saying: “The the third runway was misplaced. an expanded Heathrow could be as Police say the off ender is lieve the person you have in mind transport secretary has a duty to “The SNP need to wake up to the much as £15bn. sending the cards from the Bris- would commit off ences like this. It spell out the true costs for taxpay- threat that an expanded Heathrow Heathrow said that the points tol postcode area. They are usu- could be a colleague, friend or even ers – and to be realistic about the poses to Scotland,” she said. raised by the MPs had repeatedly ally signed “Gordon” with fi ve a family member. We’d ask you to benefi ts.” “A more expensive Heathrow been shown to be unfounded. A “kiss” crosses (one large X and please report any concerns or sus- In a letter to the Guardian, MPs means fewer connections. People spokesperson said: “Heathrow has four small Xs around it). The picions to help us make this stop.” and councils around Heathrow in Scotland won’t understand why already halved airport charges for cards often have an animal on the The woman who has been re- warn that promised domestic the Scottish government thinks domestic passengers and will set front, frequently a cat. ceiving the cards said: “This has fl ight connections would only that’s a good idea to support.” aside £10mn in start-up capital to Detective constable Patrick been going on for so long – some- work with state subsidies that Although Heathrow has pledged fund new domestic routes. With Prescott, the lead offi cer on the one out there must know who it could not be guaranteed in perpe- to keep charges “close to cur- expansion, we will create the ca- case, said: “We’re releasing ex- is. Whether it’s the distinctive tuity. rent levels”, and proposed a new pacity to connect all of Britain to tracts of the off ender’s hand- crosses, the handwriting or the Additionally, more than £10bn scheme that reduces its own the global markets and it will be en- writing and signature as we be- name they call themselves, if you in additional rail and road spend- runway and infrastructure costs tirely privately funded at no cost to Prince Charles talks with UK Border Force off icers during a visit to lieve someone will recognise the recognise anything that could help ing to support a bigger airport to £14.3bn, the government’s Air- the taxpayer.” Heathrow Airport in west London yesterday. style and know who the sender the police, please let them know.” Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 17 BRITAIN Tower residents told to pay £500,000 to replace cladding

Guardian News and Media of the 95-apartment Citiscape of replacing the combustible his father was ill and could not the reasonableness of the cost”. Alex Blanc, 37, a charity fund- suitability”, and Barratt Homes, London complex in Croydon, south Lon- cladding was about £500,000, sell his fl at because of the risk the The ruling will be closely raiser who owns a two-bedroom which built the blocks in 2001, don, may face a £2mn bill, which but it later received estimates that building carried for any future watched by thousands of other fl at in the Citiscape complex, “if they were negligent as to the some have said would force them the cost could be up to £2.4mn. investor. “He is in hospital be- leaseholders in at least 130 pri- said the ruling was unfair. “It’s selection and installation of the easeholders in an apart- into fi nancial ruin. Leaseholders had insisted that cause of all this. It got too much vate apartment complexes in a let-down,” she said. “This is cladding”. ment block covered in The building is owned by the replacing the cladding should not for him,” he said. England that failed cladding tests something we are not responsi- He said leaseholders could LGrenfell-style clad- family trust of the multi-mil- be added to their service charge However, the chairman of the after the fatal fi re in June. ble for and now we are having to mount legal challenges against ding have been ordered to pay lionaire property mogul Vincent as it was not a matter of disrepair London residential property fi rst Other disputes are simmering pay for it.” the London borough of Croydon £500,000 to make their building Tchenguiz, but the case was “because the cladding remains as tier tribunal, Angus Andrew, between leaseholders and free- The tribunal chairman sug- “if there were errors in certifi ca- safe after a tribunal ruled that brought by FirstPort Property designed and constructed”, and it ruled against the leaseholders, holders over who should pay. At gested residents may have tion process”. That was a refer- they, rather than the manage- Services property management did not fall under “periodical ex- insisting they should pay because the New Capital Quay develop- claims against other parties ence to the fact that many of the ment company, were obliged to company, seeking clarifi cation penditure”. “if the manager is obliged to do ment in Greenwich, by Galliard involved, including the gov- buildings, including Grenfell, cover the costs. on who should pay. One resident, Richard Low- work … the tenants are obliged Homes, the recladding cost is ernment. Andrew listed the were signed off by council build- The ruling, which could be Soon after the Grenfell Tower Foon, told the tribunal he needed to contribute to the cost although estimated at £40mn for just over cladding manufacturer, “if ing inspectors as compliant with challenged, means leaseholders fi re it was estimated that the cost “a miracle” to fund the works as they remain entitled to dispute 1,000 homes. warranties were given as to its building regulations. Govt keeping torture victims in detention, fi nd inspectors

Guardian News and Media riods. Mental health needs were London often not met. Detainees were subject to some disproportion- ate security restrictions and liv- he Home Offi ce is keeping ing conditions were below decent torture victims in deten- standards. It is time for the Home Ttion at Europe’s largest im- Offi ce and contractors to think migration removal centre despite again about how to ensure that accepting clear evidence of their more substantial progress is made vulnerability, prison inspectors by the time we return.” say. The disclosure that more than An offi cial inspection report 20 men have been held at Har- Police off icers stand behind a cordon placed around a payment machine covered by a tent in a supermarket car park near to where former Russian intelligence agent Sergei into Harmondsworth immigra- mondsworth for more than a year Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found poisoned in Salisbury. tion removal centre, near Hea- will fuel the political and parlia- throw, published yesterday says mentary campaign for a time limit that despite accepting evidence to be set on the length of time that of torture in nine out of 10 sample a detainee can be held pending cases, the Home Offi ce continued their removal. The chief inspector to detain all but one of the people repeats his endorsement of that involved. demand in the report. The chief inspector of prisons, Clarke also renews his call for Peter Clarke, says that some of Section 35 reports, which exam- Trump, EU back May the 537 detainees held in Har- ine whether a detainee’s health is mondsworth at the time of the likely to be injuriously aff ected by inspection last October had been detention, including if they may in detention for too long, with 23 have been the victim of torture, to held for more than a year pending be full professional assessments. their removal. One man had been “When a doctor declares a de- held for more than four-and-a- tainee unfi t for detention, the in Russia showdown half years. detainee should be released un- The chief inspector also high- less there are exceptional circum- Reuters part in the attack, which left uge in Britain where he had been Western backing for her govern- ever it may be,” Trump, who ear- lights concerns about aspects of stances, documented on fi le and London the 66-year-old Skripal and living quietly in Salisbury until ment as it heads into a show- lier fi red secretary of state Rex the security regime at the pri- explained in writing to the de- his 33-year-old daughter Yulia he and his daughter were found down with Putin. Tillerson after a series of policy vately run immigration removal tainee, their legal representatives fi ghting for their lives, Russia de- unconscious on a public bench Speaking to reporters at the rifts, said. centre that he says would be out and the doctor,” he says. S President Donald manded London hand over sam- there on March 4. A policeman White House, Trump acknowl- “It sounds to me like they be- of place in a prison. He adds that too many Section Trump said he would ples of the nerve agent used and who went to the aid of Skripal edged the British charges of in- lieve it was Russia, and I would Inspectors found detainees 35 reports provide insuffi cient de- Ucondemn Russia if British comply with international obli- was also aff ected by the nerve volvement against Russia, but certainly take that fi nding as once again routinely being hand- tail and fail to comment on post- evidence incriminated Moscow gations for joint investigations of agent. He is now conscious in a said he needed to talk to May be- fact,” he added. cuff ed when attending outside traumatic stress disorder or how in nerve-agent poisoning of a such incidents. serious but stable condition. fore rendering a judgment. It remains to be seen how appointments, after revealing in continued detention has aff ected former Russian spy. “Any threats to take ‘sanc- May said on Monday Britain “As soon as we get the facts much of a rupture in relations 2013 that a terminally ill 84-year- the health of those concerned. Prime Minister Theresa May, tions’ against Russia will not had identifi ed the substance as straight, if we agree with them, with Russia May’s government is old Canadian man had been kept “In our sample of 10 reports, who said on Monday it was be left without a response,” the belonging to the lethal Novichok we will condemn Russia or who- prepared to envisage. in handcuff s as he died in hospi- the Home Offi ce found evidence “highly likely” that Russia was Russian foreign ministry said in group of nerve agents developed tal. of torture in nine reports but behind the poisoning of Sergei a statement. “The British side by the Soviet military in the Russian associate of late tycoon found dead Clarke says many areas of the maintained detention of all but Skripal and his daughter, also should understand that.” 1970s and 1980s. detention centre run by Mitie one of the men involved, despite won support from some of Brit- Russia is in the run-up to a She and her ministers say Brit- Counter-terrorism police were said that they were investigating were dirty, bedbugs were en- this clear evidence of vulnerabil- ain’s main European allies and presidential election on Sunday ain will take further “robust” yesterday investigating the the death of a man in his 60s who demic, and some areas had infes- ity,” he says. the European Union which de- in which President Vladimir Pu- punitive action against Russian unexplained death of a Russian lived on Clarence Avenue. Police tations of mice. “The centre had A Home Offi ce spokesperson nounced the attack as “shock- tin, himself a former KGB spy, is interests – beyond sanctions al- associate of late tycoon Boris said the death was not linked to failed to progress signifi cantly said the detention and removal of ing” and off ered help to track expected to coast to a fourth term ready in place – if Putin does not Berezovsky but said the death the poisoning of Sergei Skripal since our last visit in 2015,” he those who had no lawful basis to down those responsible. in the Kremlin. come up with a credible explana- was not thought to be linked to and his daughter in Salisbury. says. “For the third consecutive stay in the UK were essential parts Jens Stoltenberg, secretary- Skripal, a former offi cer with tion of events. a nerve agent attack on a former “There is no evidence to suggest inspection, we found consider- of eff ective immigration controls. general of the US-led Nato alliance Russian military intelligence, be- With messages of solidarity Russian double agent. Nikolai a link to the incident in Salisbury,” able failings in the areas of safety “When people are detained, it is said the attack was “horrendous.” trayed dozens of Russian agents coming from France’s Emmanuel Glushkov, 68, was discovered the Metropolitan Police said in and respect. for the minimum time possible, Russia, however, signalled little to British intelligence before be- Macron and from Germany’s dead late on Monday at an a statement. Counter-terrorism “Detainees, many identifi ed as and detention is reviewed on a likelihood that it would respond ing arrested in Moscow and jailed new coalition, the expression of address in Clarence Avenue in police were leading the investiga- vulnerable, were not being ad- regular basis. The detainee’s wel- adequately to London’s call for a in 2006. support from Trump – though suburban south-west London. Po- tion “because of associations that equately safeguarded. Some were fare remains of the utmost im- credible explanation by today. He was released under a spy cautiously worded – gave May lice, who did not name Glushkov, the man is believed to have had.” held for unacceptably long pe- portance throughout.” Denying it had played any swap deal in 2010 and took ref- additional hope of marshalling

Khan in US Chinese meals ‘should Far-right activists refused entry to UK

Reuters stationed in the French port of carry health warning’ Calais also denied entry to Lau- London ren Southern, a Canadian right- Guardian News and Media group of health experts in call- the number of people dying or wing activist. London ing on Public Health England to suff ering from strokes or heart he government has banned After being detained, South- set tough new salt targets, make disease. We are now calling on three foreign far-right ac- ern tweeted that authorities front-of-pack labelling manda- Public Health England to take im- Ttivists from landing on its had told her she was “offi cially hinese takeaways and tory and to follow New York’s lead mediate action.” soil in the last three days, a secu- banned from UK for ‘racism’”. ready meals should carry by requiring chains to put warn- Accompanying rice dishes, rity offi cial said. The offi cial confi rmed that Ccompulsory health warn- ing labels on high-salt dishes. spring rolls and prawn crack- In a Facebook posting on Sat- border authorities had denied ing labels on menus and packag- They are also urging the food in- ers – and soy sauce – can pile on urday, Generation Identity, a Brit- Southern permission to enter ing to alert consumers to “aston- dustry and restaurants to reduce the salt in a Chinese meal. Ice- ish white supremacist group, said Britain on the same grounds as ishing and harmful” salt levels, salt by reformulating takeaways land’s takeaway egg fried rice has Austrian activist Martin Sellner the other two activists. health experts have recommend- and ready meals. a “shocking” 4.1g salt per 350g and his American girlfriend Brit- Southern was planning to ed. Of 141 supermarket Chinese pack – more than in 11 bags of tany Pettibone, a YouTube com- meet Sellner and Pettibone in The worst-off ending Chi- ready meals analysed, nearly half ready salted crisps. mentator and author, had been Britain, according to the con- nese takeaway dishes in a survey (43%) were high in salt – contain- Dishes from six Chinese res- detained by the government. servative news website Breitbart. published yesterday by Action ing more than 1.5g/100g, or 1.8g taurants were also analysed, The offi cial said that when Breitbart also said Sellner had on Salt were found to contain as per portion – which would trigger with 97% found to contain 2g they landed at Luton Airport, been planning to make a speech much salt as fi ve McDonald’s Big a red “traffi c light” label. of salt or more. More than half north of London, on Friday, bor- in London’s Hyde Park, but that Macs, while many had more than “Salt is the forgotten killer as it (58%) contained in excess of 3g der police refused to allow Sell- papers served on him by the au- half an adult’s entire daily allow- puts up our blood pressure, lead- of salt per dish – half an adult’s ner and Pettibone to enter Brit- thorities alleged the speech was ance. ing to tens of thousands of un- maximum recommended daily ain and that they were detained likely to incite “tensions between Supermarket Chinese ready necessary strokes, heart failure intake. and then deported on Sunday. local communities”. meals were also laden with salt, and heart attacks every year,” said At the start of salt awareness The offi cial, who spoke to Breitbart said Pettibone was with some containing more than Graham MacGregor, the chair- week, Action on Salt is call- Reuters on the condition of ano- blocked from entering Britain the amount found in two Pizza man of Action on Salt and a pro- ing on Public Health England to nymity, said the couple had been not only in relation to Sellner’s Express margherita pizzas, the fessor of cardiovascular medicine revive the UK’s salt reduction banned from entering by the planned speech but also be- report reveals. Some rice dishes at Queen Mary University of Lon- programme. The last set of salt Home Offi ce on the grounds that cause she planned to interview contained more salt than 11 bags don. targets drawn up under the de- Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, speaks at the South by their “presence in the UK was not Tommy Robinson, former leader of ready salted crisps. “Reducing salt is the most partment of health’s responsibil- Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, US. conducive to the public good”. of the far-right English Defence Action on Salt is leading a cost-eff ective measure to reduce ity deal was published in 2014. On Monday, the border police League. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 EUROPE

Dead boy’s stepmum Italian parties won’t make admits killing him

AFP deals to end political crisis Madrid

DPA/AFP get into government at all costs a national unity government. boss’s insistence that they re- The League leader played (Alternative for Germany), but Rome and with anyone,” League leader “We are not prepared to con- main in opposition. up his euroscepticism while under Di Maio, the party has woman caught in Spain Matteo Salvini said in a press ceive a diff erent government “I say to the M5S and League: the M5S frontman stressed his toned down its euroscepticism, with the body of her step- conference at the European team to the one backed by popu- the people voted for you to gov- moderate credentials. dropping for example a pledge Ason in her car boot has olitical parties that came Parliament in Strasbourg, as he lar will,” Di Maio told the Foreign ern. Now do it,” Martina said af- Salvini ruled out a “sudden to conduct a referendum on the admitted that she had killed him, out top in Italy’s incon- ruled out a deal with the centre- Press Association in Rome, re- ter being named party leader on and solitary exit” from the euro- euro. police said, as a funeral was held Pclusive general elections left Democratic Party (PD). ferring to the cabinet-in-wait- Monday. zone but, if the European Union President Sergio Mattarella is for the young victim whose mur- – the anti-establishment Five “Never in my life will I govern ing he unveiled before the elec- Di Maio said it was up to oth- stonewalls his requests to rene- the man due to steer government der shook the country. Star Movement (M5S) and the with Renzi,” he said, mentioning tions. ers to come and off er ideas that gotiate the bloc’s rules and regu- coalition talks. Ana Julia Quezada, a Domini- far-right League – showed little the former PD leader. “If, to get He called on Italy’s other po- could be taken up by the M5S. lations, he has experts “who are He is expected to start meet- can woman who had for years willingness yesterday to make into government, I have to take litical parties to listen to what “[We want a] dialogue with working on a plan B”. ing with party leaders in late been going out with the father concessions in upcoming gov- on board those whom Italians he called a “signal” from voters everybody on issues, and on this Di Maio said that his party’s March or early April but, if he of eight-year-old Gabriel Cruz, ernment crisis talks. rejected last week, then abso- and help him break the country’s I have not seen anyone make a election manifesto “was never sees no way out, he could set re- “admitted being the perpetra- In a March 4 election, a right- lutely not.” post-election political deadlock. single proposal,” he said. “May- extremist”, listing “the stabil- peat elections for late 2018. tor”, a police spokesman told ist coalition led by the League Meanwhile, M5S prime min- “Italy sent a strong signal on be they are asking to return to ity of the country” as a primary “This does not scare us,” Di AFP, without elaborating. won the most votes, but the M5S isterial candidate Luigi Di Maio March 4 ... and that gave 32.5% the polls.” concern and told his foreign au- Maio said, amid predictions that Gabriel’s disappearance on was the single biggest party. said that in no way could his to the M5S,” the 31-year-old Salvini and Di Maio – who dience: “We want nothing to do new polls could hand even larger February 27 in the southeast- Neither of the two blocs com- party off er government seats to said. would have the parliamentary with Europe’s extremist parties.” gains to protest parties, at the ern village of Las Hortichuelas mands a parliamentary majority, eventual coalition partners. Interim PD leader Maurizio numbers to govern together, but In the European Parliament, expense of mainstream forces sparked a days-long search in- leaving no obvious way to end He evaded questions on what Martina, who took over from have not expressed any will to do the M5S sits in the same group like the PD or ex-premier Silvio volving hundreds of volunteers. the political stalemate. other concessions he could former prime minister Matteo so – off ered diff erent public im- as Britain’s Ukip (UK Independ- Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, which His parents Patricia Ramirez “For sure I am not anxious to make and rejected the option of Renzi, has followed his former ages. ence Party) and Germany’s AfD also polled badly on March 4. and Angel Cruz, who are sepa- rated but get along well, have given countless tearful inter- views since he went missing after leaving his grandmother’s Another day house to go play. Austrian minister As his father’s partner, Que- zada had been a fi xture in the search for Gabriel, wearing a T- seeks asylum law shirt emblazoned with the boy’s smiling face and speaking to re- porters in tears. reform after attacks Then in a shocking twist, Spain’s Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido announced on DPA The 26-year-old man Sunday that police had found Vienna grabbed the offi cer who was Gabriel’s body in her car. sitting in a police car and tried Yesterday Gabriel’s funeral to drag him out of the vehicle at the cathedral in Almeria near ustria and other EU through the window. Las Hortichuelas drew a huge, countries should recon- The offi cer managed to sub- saddened crowd, with people Asider their approach to- due the attacker with pepper shouting “we are all Gabriel”. wards refugee protection, Aus- spray. Speaking to the media, Cruz trian Interior Minister Herbert His motive is still unknown. gave thanks for all the support Kickl said yesterday, reacting On Sunday, a 26-year-old received during excruciating to three recent attacks involv- Austrian national with Egyp- days of uncertainty. ing two Afghan men and an tian roots was shot dead when News of Gabriel’s murder and Austrian with Egyptian roots. he tried to stab an Austrian sol- Quezada’s arrest sparked an out- “We need courageous ap- dier who was guarding the Ira- pouring of hatred towards her in proaches,” the minister of nian ambassador’s residence in Spain, despite calls for calm by the far-right Freedom Party Vienna. his parents. (FPOe) said at a press confer- The knife attack could have News also emerged that a girl ence in Vienna. a political and religious back- presented as Quezada’s daughter Current asylum law no long- ground, according to a senior by Spanish media died in 1996 in er meets the requirements of a interior ministry offi cial. the northern city of Burgos after globalised world, he said. “He clearly had sympathies falling out of the window of their Kickl announced that Aus- for political Islam,” Austria’s home. tria will try to build an alli- top public security offi cial, Asked about this, Zoido con- ance of like-minded countries Michaela Kardeis, said yester- fi rmed on Monday that an in- on this issue when it holds the day. cident had taken place, saying rotating EU presidency during Investigators are in the proc- police had investigated the trag- the second half of this year. ess of going through the man’s A couple with an umbrella watch the sunset over the Eiff el tower and the river Seine, yesterday in Paris. edy at the time but the case was The minister did not explain social media communications, dismissed. how he wants to reform refugee she said. protection in Europe. Last Wednesday, a knife- Austrian Chancellor Sebas- wielding Afghan drug addict tian Kurz of the conservative seriously injured an Afghan People’s Party has previously acquaintance, as well as a fam- proposed that refugees who are ily of three that he happened to Uber returns to Barcelona rescued in the Mediterranean come across outside a Vienna Sea should not be brought to restaurant. the EU but should be sent to He told investigators after- their home countries or to safe wards that he had acted out of with professional drivers regions outside of Europe. anger at his overall situation in Yesterday a police offi cer life. guarding the Austrian parlia- Afghans are the second- AFP pended the company’s UberPop The industry’s main federa- ment was attacked by an un- largest group of asylum-seek- Barcelona service which enables unregu- tion, Fedetaxi, also asked Barce- armed Afghan man. ers in Austria, besides Syrians. lated drivers to ferry passengers, lona’s city hall to be “uncompro- saying that the drivers had to be mising”. ber said yesterday that given offi cial authorisation to Taxi drivers complain that Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats was back in Barcelona transport clients. Uber-type services are endan- Uwith 120 professional Then in December 2017, the gering their jobs and that ride- vow to ban religious charter schools drivers after it was forced out EU’s top court validated this, hailing companies are not imple- three years ago over the suspen- ruling that Uber was an ordinary menting existing rules. Sweden’s Social Democratic party, which leads a minority sion of its service that enables transportation company instead Spanish regulations stipulate government, has pledged to ban all religious charter schools to unregulated drivers to ferry pas- of an app and should be regulated there should be a quota of one tackle segregation in the country which took in a record number of sengers for money using their as such. licensed vehicle from companies asylum seekers in recent years. own cars. In Spain, the powerful taxi in- like Uber or Cabify for every 30 “We have to knock down segregation to keep Sweden together ... Its UberX service started op- dustry, which groups together taxis. school segregation must therefore also be broken down,” Ardalan erations in the Mediterranean close to 70,000 licences and But offi cial fi gures show there Shekarabi, a leading member of the Social Democrats, told a news city yesterday with cars that have 100,000 employees, has for sev- are more licensed vehicles than conference in Stockholm. been given a licence to carry pas- eral years fought against ride- that. The proposal is not backed by the majority of the parliament at this sengers for pay, a spokeswoman hailing companies such as Uber In December, the Spanish stage, as most of the charter schools are Christian. for the company told AFP. or Spain’s Cabify, accusing them government tried to address the The announcement is largely seen as a symbolic move six months United States-based Uber – of unfair competition. issue with the creation of a na- ahead of the September 9 general election. which links customers to drivers Yesterday, the Elite Taxi com- tional register that will allow Shekarabi, who is the minister for public administration, said that using a smartphone app – was pany, which had campaigned authorities to better control the his party, the nation’s largest, hopes to gain voters’ support on the forced out of Spain in 2014 by against UberPop, pledged to situation. issue in the poll. A smartphone displays the Uber app with Barcelona’s Sagrada legal pressure and protests from track Uber’s activities in Barce- Spain has around 7,000 li- Out of the 71 primary and upper secondary (for students aged 16 to Familia in the background. Uber said it was back in Barcelona with taxi drivers. lona and any potential off ences censed vehicles, according to the 18) religious charter schools – 5% of all charter schools in Sweden – 120 professional drivers after it was forced out three years ago. A Spanish judge in 2014 sus- committed. transport ministry. 59 are Christian, 11 are Muslim, and one is Jewish. They receive state funding but operate independently. Rescued migrant dies of malnutrition Slovak premier under pressure to agree early election An Eritrean rescued in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya has died of severe malnutrition hours after arriving in Italy, an NGO reported yesterday. Reuters it wanted a deal with coalition from largely eurosceptic leaders the murder of reporter Jan Ku- nected businessmen and had The 22-year-old, named Segen, was one of 93 people taken onboard Bratislava partners on a snap election or it in central Europe by pushing the ciak poses the biggest challenge been looking at suspected mafi a a boat operated by Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms on Sunday. would leave the government. country of 5.4mn closer to the to Fico. links to Italian businessman in The organisation’s founder Oscar Camps had announced Segan’s Slovakia was thrown into crisis European Union’s core. An EU member since 2004, the country before his death. death in a Sicilian hospital on Twitter: “He was Eritrean and he had lovak Prime Minister Rob- after the murder in late February A government spokeswoman Slovakia has grown rapidly in No one has been charged over spent 19 months in Libya.” ert Fico faced pressure of a journalist investigating cor- said the coalition parties were that time and entered the euro the killing of Kuciak and his fi - Many of those rescued by the Spanish NGO’s boat and taken to Syesterday to agree to an ruption and last week saw the holding talks which began at zone in 2009. ancee. Pozzallo port in Sicily were suff ering from malnutrition, exhaustion early election after a junior party largest street protests since the mid-day. Fico’s Smer party has long led Interior Minister Robert Ka- and dehydration. looked set to abandon his three- end of communism nearly three Fico’s other coalition partner, in opinion polls by a wide mar- linak, a Fico protégé, resigned on The condition of Segen’s fellow migrants shocked even people used party coalition government fol- decades ago as anger grows over the Slovak National Party (SNS), gin, gaining voters with a mix of Monday – which Most-Hid had to seeing distressed arrivals from Libya. lowing mass protests against graft allegations. which has moved from the far- handouts, such as free train tick- sought to calm the situation. “They were all skin and bone, they looked like they’d come out of a corruption and the murder of a Organisers have promised new right towards the centre in re- ets for students and pensioners, Fico’s coalition holds 78 seats Nazi concentration camp ... it was terrible, “ the mayor of Pozzallo, journalist. demonstrations for Friday. cent years, said yesterday that and controlling the defi cit. in the 150-member parliament. Roberto Ammatuna told the Adnkronos news agency. The Most-Hid (Bridge) party, Mid-way through a third term, it would only talk about an early But many blame Fico for failing It will face a no-confi dence The Open Arms found the boat in which Segen had set sail from a centrist group representing Fico faces calls to quit, a blow election if the government or to fi ght graft and cronyism. vote, fi led by the opposition, next Libya with 92 other migrants on Saturday night adrift in the the ethnic Hungarian minority to the long-time prime minis- coalition falls apart. Kuciak had focused on tax Monday and 76 votes would top- Mediterranean. in Slovakia, said on Monday that ter who has sought to stand out The political fallout following fraud involving politically-con- ple it. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 19 EUROPE

Life term sought for US pastor Poll law triggers brawl over links to failed in Turkish parliament coup bid Reuters by the local electoral board will government to move ballot box- port of the AKP and the nation- pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Demo- That vote was marred by a Ankara still be admissible – formally es from opposition strongholds. alist MHP. cratic Party (HDP) of being an last-minute decision by the approving a practice that caused “The battle in parliament is After Deputy Speaker Aysenur extension of the PKK and says High Electoral Board to accept Reuters a widespread outcry from gov- over but we will fi ght for elec- Bahcekapili announced the vot- it benefi ts from voter intimida- unstamped ballots. Ankara urkey’s parliament passed ernment critics and concern tion security by every means. ing result, a brawl erupted be- tion. The Offi ce for Democratic a law revamping electoral from election monitors at a ref- We will go to the constitutional tween nationalist lawmakers The HDP denies this. Institutions and Human Rights Tregulations yesterday, erendum last year. court regarding the unconstitu- and those from the opposition. The PKK, considered a ter- (ODIHR), a Europe-based elec- Turkish prosecutor is backing legislation that the op- Security force members will tional nature of this regulation,” Parliamentarians traded rorist group by the United States tion monitor, said that the move seeking a life sentence for position said could open the be allowed into polling sta- said Ozgur Ozel, a deputy from punches and shoved and chased and Europe, has waged a three- “removed an important safe- Aa US pastor over alleged door to fraud and jeopardise the tions when invited by a voter, a the main opposition Republican each other in the chamber. decade insurgency against the guard”. links to a failed coup attempt in fairness of 2019 polls, and trig- measure the government says is People’s Party (CHP). The government has said that Turkish state. The HDP described the new 2016, Dogan news agency re- gering a brawl on the fl oor of the designed to prevent intimida- The legislation formally al- some of the measures, such as Turks go to the polls next year law as a legitimisation of elec- ported, a move that threatens to chamber. tion by the outlawed Kurdis- lows for the creation of electoral allowing security force mem- for presidential and parliamen- tion crimes. undermine eff orts to mend bilat- The passage of the law grants tan Workers Party (PKK) in the alliances, paving the way for a bers into polling stations, were tary elections. “The amendments to the eral ties. Turkey’s High Electoral Board mainly Kurdish southeast. tie-up between President Re- needed to counter what it says Last year they backed, by a electoral law are not related to Washington believes Andrew the authority to merge electoral Opposition parties, however, cep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK is widespread voter intimidation 51.4% margin, a referendum to law or political practices,” said Brunson, who has been in jail districts and move ballot boxes see the measures as making Party and their nationalist allies. by the PKK in the mainly Kurd- create an executive presidency lawmaker Meral Danis Bestas. since December 2016, is one of to other districts. the vote counting process less It was widely expected to ish southeast. with sweeping new powers for “This is made to legitimise cor- several Americans unjustly de- Ballots that are not stamped transparent and as allowing the pass, given the combined sup- The government accuses the Erdogan. ruption.” tained in Turkey. During a visit to Ankara last month, former US secretary of state Rex Tillerson called for him to be freed. The Christian pastor from North Carolina has been living in ‘Anarchists’ on trial over 2008 rail sabotage Turkey for 23 years and running a church, according to an online petition seeking his release. AFP Coupat, a 43-year-old far-left attributed to Coupat, The Com- The prosecutor charged him Paris intellectual from a wealthy fam- ing Insurrection, which they said with being an “executive” of ily, smiled as he listened to the showed his group had tipped the group that Ankara holds re- judge detail the charges against over from anarchism to terror- sponsible for the failed coup, the ight members of an alleged the group. ism. news agency said. anarchist cell went on trial His lawyer Jeremie Assous The book describes the TGV Turkey blames the network Ein France yesterday, ac- predicted that the trial would network as an “easy” target. of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cused of sabotaging high-speed be “an autopsy of the fi asco” But Coupat refused to confi rm Muslim cleric who denies all in- train lines, a decade after they caused by police investigating that he was the author, and said volvement. were arrested and sensationally the case. police had faked a report claim- In September, President Re- accused of terrorism. The group of 20 followers ing to prove he and Levy were in cep Tayyip Erdogan suggested The “Tarnac group”, named Coupat gathered around him in Dhuisy, a town where one of the that Turkey could free Brunson after the village near their com- a remote village in the Correze steel rods was placed on a TGV if the United States handed over munal living compound in cen- region was placed under sur- power line on the night of No- Gulen. tral France, has staunchly denied veillance after he and Levy par- vember 7, 2008. It was not immediately clear all wrongdoing during more than ticipated in a meeting with sus- “Neither we, nor investiga- what charges were brought seven years of investigations. pected anarchists in New York in tors, were there,” Coupat, who against the pastor in the indict- They were rounded up in a tel- January 2008. now directs a theatre troupe in ment. evised police raid on November Media reports later claimed Correze, told French television The prosecutor’s offi ce could 11, 2008, a few days after steel that a British police spy, Mark in a rare interview last week. “Up not be reached for comment. rods were placed on overhead Kennedy, had infi ltrated the to the end, they are ridiculously Brunson was accused of ob- power cables on three TGV lines, group and reported back to his sticking with something that taining secret documents with stranding some 20,000 pas- French colleagues on Coupat’s everyone knows is both fake as the aim of political or military sengers as more than 100 trains supposed contacts with far-left well as embarrassing, even scan- espionage, and attempting to were cancelled. fi gures in Germany, Italy and dalous.” overthrow the government, But defence lawyers pointed Greece. Coupat was released after Dogan and other Turkish media to fl aws in the inquiry, including Kennedy, who later made more than six months in deten- reported when he was initially testimony from a supposed wit- Some of the eight defendants, wearing a mask depicting main defendant Julien Coupat, are escorted by headlines in Britain when he was tion while police tried to build a questioned more than a year ago. ness who later said he had sim- gendarmes as they arrive with friends for the opening of the trial of the so-called ‘Tarnac Group’ at the unmasked as an undercover cop case against him. The accusations were based ply signed a document prepared Paris courthouse. spying on environmentalists, The legal back-and-forth on the testimony of a secret wit- by the police. also claimed that Coupat par- over whether the alleged crimes ness, who said that Brunson was Critics accused the right- judge eventually refused to try Yildune Levy, and two others are sifying or receiving stolen docu- ticipated in violent anti-globali- could be considered terrorism in close contact with Gulen’s wing government of then-pres- the Tarnac suspects on terror instead charged with a criminal ments. sation protests against interna- has delayed the trial for many network and receiving funds ident Nicolas Sarkozy of whip- charges. conspiracy – charges that carry Another two people are being tional summit meetings. years. from it for missionary activities. ping up fears about supposed The group’s charismatic lead- up to fi ve years in prison – while tried for refusing to submit sam- Investigators also relied heav- The trial is scheduled to last Brunson denied the allega- “far-left terrorism”, although a er Julien Coupat, his ex-wife two others are charged with fal- ples for DNA testing. ily on passages from a 2007 book until March 30. tions. The US and Turkey have been at odds over several issues, no- tably Washington’s support in Syria for the YPG, a Kurdish mil- itant group deemed terrorist by Voting starts early for nomadic herders Turkey, and the status of Gulen. Tillerson said during his of- fi cial visit that Washington had By Polina Ivanova, Reuters ter and a handful of ballot boxes. Members of the community “If the weather is good, we “serious concerns” about cases Moscow “A few months ago, we met only visit the local capital, the put up the satellite dish and then against US citizens arrested un- with the head of one of the com- small town of Naryan Mar, to re- we watch the news,” she said. der the state of emergency in munities and he told us where new passports and bring preg- The dish is mounted on a place in Turkey since the coup ussia holds a presidential they and their herds would be nant women to the maternity sleigh to make it easier to move attempt, and said Brunson and election on Sunday but during these two weeks,” said ward, said Uglovaya, who lives when looking for signal. others should be freed. Rvoting has already begun Uglovaya, deputy head of the re- in the town. For the Nenets, environmen- Following Tillerson’s visit, in the snow-covered expanses gional election commission. So strangers, especially ones tal issues are where the govern- the two countries formed joint of the Siberian Arctic, which “Then we fl ew 400km to meet with ballot boxes, are a rare ment has the most direct impact working groups to mend their are home to the nomadic Nenets them. If their co-ordinates had event and the atmosphere is fes- on daily life. relations. people who herd reindeer. been even a few points off , we tive, even though the outcome “They keep building these oil Brunson’s daughter on Friday Since late February, 282 would never have found them. of the election is not seriously fi elds around us ... in one area told the United Nations Human members of the Nenets commu- The territory is vast,” she said. in doubt. we go sometimes, they’ve put Rights Council that the terror al- nity, as well as some oil industry Eight herders were unable to President Vladimir Putin is up all these drills and pipes, and legations against her father were workers, have cast their ballots. vote because they did not make expected to win a fourth term in people drive all over. Soon there “absurd”, according to the Euro- Kremlin politics and the six- it in time to the meeting point, offi ce. won’t be any pasture ground pean Centre for Law and Justice, lane motorways of Moscow may which was marked by a reindeer “Who the president is has an there for our herd at all.” a group supporting his case. feel a world away in the Nenets hide tent. impact on us, yes,” said a mem- Uglovaya, who has worked for “Turkey should not get away Autonomous Region, 1,000 Election offi cials can only ber of the community, Elena Tu- Russia’s electoral system for two with holding my father one more miles (1,570km) northeast of the reach the nomadic voters when leeva, 39. “If there are some laws years, agreed. day,” Jacqueline Brunson said, A herder of the agricultural co-operative organisation ‘Harp’ casts his capital, where temperatures can weather permits. there, they reach us too.” “The Nenets, they see them- urging the UN to help get him vote into a mobile ballot box during the early voting in remote areas drop to -40° Celsius. A blizzard last week saw vis- Tuleeva, who has always selves as part of the earth, as released. “I know the allegations ahead of the Russian presidential election, at a reindeer camping The area has no roads but pol- ibility in some areas drop as low voted for Putin, said she knew part of the land ... that’s why, against my father are absurd. He ground about 250km south of Naryan-Mar, in the Nenets itics reaches it anyway, thanks 10m, interrupting their daily several candidates in the race as even if they’re so far-removed, is ... a peaceful pastor.” Autonomous District of Russia. to Maria Uglovaya, her helicop- helicopter fl ights. she’d seen them on television. they vote,” she said.

Stolen art found Putin expected to win re-election with 69% in tourist villas Some luxury villas on Italy’s Amalfi coast, catering to wealthy of vote, fi nal survey by state pollsters shows foreign tourists, were decorated with priceless artworks that have been stolen from churches and AFP sonal qualities. He is the most Pavel Grudinin, the million- the absence of suspense over the private collectors, police said Moscow trusted (candidate),” head of aire Communist Party candi- outcome. yesterday. state pollster VTsIOM Valeriy date, is expected to come in Despite campaign prom- The art heritage squad of Fyodorov told a press confer- second with around 7% or 8% of ises when Putin returned to the the Carabinieri police said ladimir Putin will return ence on Monday. the vote, according to VTsIOM Kremlin in 2012 after four years they recovered 37 paintings, to the Kremlin with 69% Around 90% of people who fi gures. as prime minister, his last term including one by renowned 17th Vof the vote, according to were aware of Putin’s pro- Ultra-nationalist Vladimir has seen a drop in living stand- century Italian Baroque painter the last survey by state pollsters gramme said they supported it, Zhirinovsky is projected to gar- ards and increasing isolation on Guido Reni and five 17th-18th before the Russian presidential Fyodorov said. ner around 5%, while former the world stage. century altarpieces taken from election on Sunday. Putin has not produced an reality TV show host Ksenia However, Putin’s approval earthquake-damaged churches The fi gure has dipped from offi cial programme but he dis- Sobchak will likely take between ratings have remained sky-high, near L’Aquila. highs of 77% shortly after Putin cussed poverty and environ- 1% and 2%. boosted by domestic media and The recovered artworks were announced his candidacy in De- mental issues during a state of The other three candidates foreign interventions including looted over the past 20 years, cember, but there is little doubt the nation address this month. are predicted to trail with 1% or the annexation of Crimea. and three people connected to he will win in a landslide even He has refused to take part in less. He is also widely seen as the their trade – unscrupulous art after a lacklustre campaign. televised debates with his seven Between 63% and 67% of eli- man who brought stability after An employee presents T-shirts with images of Putin at a gift shop in merchants and their customers “There are several reasons challengers and his campaign gible voters will take part in the the political and economic cha- Moscow. Seven candidates are lined up against him in the March 18 – were reported for criminal why Putin has such a high rat- videos have relied solely on ar- election, VTsIOM said, with os of the 1990s, an image he has presidential election, but he is all but guaranteed to win, extending prosecution but not arrested, ing. There are of course his per- chive materials. turnout becoming a key focus in sought to reinforce. his Kremlin term to 2024 with a fourth term in off ice. police said. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 INDIA

RESIGNATION WEATHER PROTEST DIPLOMACY PUNISHMENT Assault witness Jain quits Kerala on alert after Manipur insurgents India’s envoy meets Three-year jail for milk as Kejriwal’s adviser warning of depression order shutdown senior China off icials adulteration planned

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s adviser Kerala is on alert and fishermen have advised Six banned underground organisations in Manipur India’s ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale Maharashtra plans to make milk adulteration a V K Jain, who was a witness in the chief not to venture into the sea after the Met yesterday called for a 17-hour shutdown in yesterday met a top off icial of the Communist non-bailable off ence, attracting a punishment secretary assault case, has resigned citing department reported about the formation of Manipur to coincide with the state visit of Prime Party’s key International Department and of up to three years in jail, Food and Civil personal reasons. Jain said he resigned due to a depression over southeast Arabian Sea and Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister discussed ways to step up bilateral talks and Supplies Minister Girish Bapat said yesterday. “personal reasons and family commitments”. adjoining area moving slightly north-westwards, Rajnath Singh. The organisations said the visits. After a chill in their relationship following a At present, milk adulteration is a bailable Last month, Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said yesterday. shutdown will come into eff ect from 1am of March 73-day military stand-off in the eastern sector of off ence with just a six-month imprisonment. had alleged that he was beaten up by two “The India Meteorological Department has said 16. They appealed to the people not to participate the border last year, both sides have been trying Bapat said if the punishment is raised to three Aam Aadmi Party legislators in the presence a depression has formed about 350km from in off icial functions and said examinations and to mend fences. The talks are largely understood years, there would be no scope for the accused of Kejriwal at the chief minister’s residence, Thiruvananthapuram and it could very likely other essential services will be exempt from the to have revolved around repairing the damage to get bail. Bapat said currently, the state has where he had been called for an emergency move north-westwards and intensify further shutdown. Modi will arrive in Imphal on March to bilateral ties done by Doklam stand-off . The only four mobile vans to test milk adulteration meeting. Later, Delhi police quoted Jain, who into a deep depression. However, it is unlikely 16 morning on a one-day visit and will lay the envoy met Guo Yezhou, vice-minister of the and that too is not being done on a regular was present at the time of the incident, as that Kerala will be hit directly. Warnings have foundation stones of a slew of projects, including a International Department of the Communist basis. However, he said he would instruct the saying that he saw two MLAs assaulting the been issued that under no circumstances should sports university. The prime minister will address Party of China, an influential body responsible for departments concerned to conduct checks on chief secretary. Jain retired in 2017 as CEO of fishermen venture out into the sea till March a public event at Luwangshangpham ground in shaping Beijing’s foreign policy. The department a regular basis. “These vans will conduct tests the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board 15,” Vijayan told reporters. He said all district Heingang constituency of Chief Minister N Biren has more say in formulating China’s foreign more frequently on the milk being carried in (DUSIB) after which he took charge of the collectors have been alerted on the issue and Singh. He will also inaugurate the 10th Science policy than the Foreign Aff airs Ministry, ” the trucks entering Mumbai and other parts of the adviser’s post. arrangements put in place. Congress on the Manipur University campus. Indian embassy said. state,” Bapat said.

Kovind in Mauritius Kerala rules out raising SC extends retirement age of govt employees deadline

IANS Thiruvananthapuram

he Kerala government has no plans to increase the for linking Tretirement age of state government employees, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said yesterday. He made the remarks in the assembly while replying to Con- gress legislator V T Balaram, who of Aadhaar expressed fears that the govern- ment was trying to fi rst increase Agencies with Aadhaar was March 31. The Bill, Chidambaram, said declaring the retirement age of the Kerala New Delhi earlier deadline was December 15 a bill as a Money Bill strikes at the State Road Transport Corpora- last year. root of federalism as it eclipses tion (KSRTC) employees from As Chief Justice Misra said that the powers of the Rajya Sabha 56 to 60 years and other govern- he Supreme Court yester- the interim order stands extend- which represents the collective ment departments gradually. day indefi nitely extended ed, the attorney general told the wisdom of the states. “We have not started any Tthe deadline for linking court that the government was Earlier, senior advocate Shyam discussions or even considered various services with Aadhaar prepared to extend the deadline Divan, who led the arguments raising the age of state govern- until it delivers its judgment on a in the last week of March as argu- challenging Aadhaar and its ment employees... It won’t hap- batch of petitions challenging the ments in the matter would have enabling Act, had asked that the pen at all,” said Vijayan. constitutional validity of the bio- concluded by then. deadline of March 31 be extended Till the beginning of the 2013 metric identifi cation scheme. “We were prepared for exten- as it was highly unlikely that the fi scal year, the general norm A fi ve-judge constitution sion in the last week of March,” he hearing in the case would con- in Kerala for retirement was 55 bench, headed by Chief Justice Di- told the court in a bid to stall the clude. Justice Chandrachud, years and in state-run educa- pak Misra, however said the exten- extension. too, had pointed out that even if tional institutions anyone turn- sion will not aff ect the linking of The constitution bench, which the court reserved its verdict on ing 55 years after July 1 was al- Aadhaar with the disbursal of ben- also includes Justices A K Sikri, A March 20, banks and other insti- lowed to continue till the end of efi ts under social welfare schemes. M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud tutions would have only 10 days that academic year. “We direct that the interim or- and Ashok Bhushan, had on March left, which might be diffi cult. The To even out the disparity, the der passed on December 15, 2017 7 ruled that the Central Board bench then called the attorney former Oommen Chandy gov- shall stand extended till the mat- of Secondary Education (CBSE) general for assistance. ernment made the retirement ter is fi nally heard and the judg- should not insist on Aadhaar-only Recently, industry body As- age for all government and state- ment is pronounced,” the court identifi cation for NEET and other socham had also urged the gov- run educational institutions 56 said in its order. entrance examinations. ernment to relax the deadline for years from April 1, 2013. The court also said its interim Earlier in the course of the linking bank accounts. “Notwith- Vijayan clarifi ed that the con- order “shall also control and gov- arguments, senior lawyer P standing judicial scrutiny and fusion arose after a committee ern the Passports (1st Amend- Chidambaram told the bench that government’s well-intentioned submitted a report on various ment) Rules, 2018” which insisted the court could look into the deci- moves, the banks may fi nd it hard schemes being planned to revive on Aadhaar identifi cation for get- sion of the Lok Sabha speaker in to complete the task of linking KSRTC. ting passports under the ‘Tatkal’ allowing Aadhaar Bill to be tabled Aadhaar with the accounts of all “The report states that if scheme. as a Money Bill. the customers by March 31,” As- the retirement age of KSRTC is The order came as senior lawyer Under the Constitution’s Arti- socham had said. raised from 56 to 60, there will be Arvind Datar, appearing for one of cle 122, the decision of the speak- India’s biometric identifi cation a savings of Rs450 crore and this the petitioners, told the court that er on the Money Bill was “fi nal” programme, which is the largest money could be utilised to create passport issuing authorities have and mere procedural irregulari- of its kind in the world, has faced a corpus fund which would be made Aadhaar mandatory. ties would not stand in the way, hurdles ranging from privacy able to pay the pension on time,” At this point, Attorney General Chidambaram said. But he said it concerns with strong opposition Vijayan said but did not say if the K K Venugopal sought to clarify does not prevent the court from from diff erent factions on making retirement age of KSRTC em- that this requirement of Aad- deciding it the decision was un- it a compulsion. Concerns have ployees would be raised. President Ram Nath Kovind hands over an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card to a member haar was only for issuing ‘Tatkal’ constitutional. been raised about the security The KSRTC has an accumu- of the Indian diaspora during a reception hosted for him in Mauritius yesterday. Kovind is on passports. Appearing for Congress’s Rajya of the Unique Identifi cation Au- lated loss of Rs79.66bn. Around a five-day visit to the island nations of Mauritius and Madagascar. He arrives in Madagascar The current deadline for linking Sabha member Jairam Ramesh thority of India’s database and the 49,000 people got their pension today. of bank accounts, mobile phone who has challenged the introduc- potential damage that may follow after a gap of six months. connections, and other services tion of Aadhaar Bill as a Money if it is breached. Modi versus Naidu - it’s a deliberate gamble by both

ndians in general are an emo- angana had left Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tive. By quitting the federal gov- to sacrifi ce the only ally in South tional, sentimental lot. A high and dry in terms of revenue. has time and again promised on ernment Naidu wants to send out India as a gamble, but Modi is Icricket stadium where their Special status could make up for it the fl oor of parliament that And- the message that he is ready for fully confi dent of his brand value national team plays any of the by way of direct fi nancial grants as Delhi Diary hra Pradesh would not be left to any sacrifi ce for the sake of his that has stood in good stead for major Test-playing teams is a well as tax holidays that could at- fend for itself and that the prom- people. the BJP in state after state. With prime advertisement for the ex- tract private investments. By A K B Krishnan ised funding will be extended but Though somewhat remote, the Congress a totally spent force pression of these emotions. Per- Naidu feels his people had been without the special category sta- Naidu must also be aware of the in Andhra, the BJP has conven- haps that is as it should be. For, led up the garden path by the Na- Gulf Times Correspondent tus. According to one BJP leader, possibility of a hung parliament in iently occupied that space and is what is sport but a mixture of tional Democratic Alliance (NDA) much of the fi nancial assistance 2019, a scenario in which he would expanding its base relentlessly. It laughter and tears, celebration government of Modi and, there- that was designed to be defrayed not want to miss out of playing the will be suicidal for Naidu or Reddy and mourning, depending on the fore, would not want to be part na, was passed, it did not provide the Lok Sabha elections, when the over ten years has already been kingmaker. The possible coming not to anticipate the possibility fortunes of the team you sup- of it. Last week he asked his two for any special status. All that the TDP joined hands with the BJP, delivered in four years. together of some regional parties, that the Modi-Amit Shah com- port? ministers, Ashok Gajapati Raju Act said was the federal govern- Modi had promised to consider Modi and Jaitley are also con- including the Samajwadi Party bine, that has managed to sweep But can governments, too, (Civil Aviation) and Yalamanchili ment “may, having regard to the special category status to And- cerned that if they concede one and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party every poll in the past four years be run on emotions? Yes, says Satyanarayana Chowdary (Sci- resources available to the suc- hra Pradesh if he became prime request from an ally, there will be of Uttar Pradesh, has kindled nas- except in Delhi and Punjab, could Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister ence and Technology and Earth cessor state of Andhra Pradesh, minister. But that was before the a series of similar demands from cent hopes of a larger alliance to well be sitting on the right side of Chandrababu Naidu who, other- Sciences) to resign. But Naidu did make appropriate grants and also Act was passed by parliament and other allies like the Janata Dal take on the BJP. the aisle post-2019 polls. wise, is known to love computers not walk out of the NDA as such, ensure that adequate benefi ts and before the Finance Commission, (United)-led government of Bihar Having left the government, it But hubris has been the undo- more than anything else. He says leading to speculation he may be incentives in the form of special which defi nes the federal-state and even the BJP-ruled states like is just one step away for Naidu to ing of many politicians, big and his state’s demand for a “special keeping the door open for a re- development package are given to relationship in fi nancial terms, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. leave the NDA and move to anoth- small. Modi cannot be an excep- category status” is an emotional turn in case Modi concedes his the backward areas of the state…” said in its report that special cat- If the money had been coming er alliance and, if luck would have tion to that rule. The previous BJP issue for his people and since demand. Then the 14th Finance Commis- egory status should be done away in, why is Naidu still angry? The it, even lead it. After all, what is a government led by Atal Behari Va- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is In February 2014, then prime sion, constituted in January 2014 with except in the case of the reasons may not be far to seek. As politician without ambition? jpayee was also doing well on both not willing to extend it to Andhra minister Manmohan Singh told and headed by former Reserve seven north-eastern states as well the old saying goes, all politics is The problem for Naidu is he is economic and social fronts. Vaj- Pradesh, his Telugu Desam Party parliament that special category Bank governor Yaga Venugopal as the three hill states, Himachal local and this one too has more to up against a man who is the mas- payee’s advisers were confi dent, (TDP) is walking out of the federal status would be accorded to the Reddy, incidentally from the undi- Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu do with Andhra politics than with ter of the game. Modi does not nay over-confi dent, that another government. successor state of Andhra Pradesh vided Andhra Pradesh, submitted and Kashmir. federal funding and special status. seem to be too much bothered election victory was assured. It is only ‘emotional’ for Naidu for fi ve years. But those were the its report in December of that year. So, what is this special status Though Naidu has a decent about alliances of disparate re- So, Vajpayee called elections six because much of the fi nancial days when the prime minister had Meanwhile the Manmohan Singh all about? Special status ensures majority in the present state as- gional parties. He knows that as months in advance and promptly privileges that accrue to a special little say in matters. Even his own government gave way to the Modi that 90% of federal funds for state sembly, the challenge from Jagan long as he has the Congress Party lost. category state have already been party leaders objected to the an- regime in May. Personally, Naidu projects routed through the Na- Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress is under the radar, he should have it Will Modi let history repeat it- extended to Andhra Pradesh dur- nouncement and states like Tamil was the benefi ciary of the bifurca- tional Development Council was formidable. Though he has sent relatively easy in next year’s elec- self this time by alienating allies, ing these past four years since it Nadu rose in protest. tion as the people of the state felt regarded as grants, meaning it enough signals to the BJP that he tions. Hence the continued hark- or will he make one? Will he go the came into being and, curiously, Eventually, when the Andhra betrayed by the Congress Party need not be returned. Naidu’s two would not be averse to a tie-up ing on the alleged misdeeds of the Vajpayee way, or will he become even constitutionally the state Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, and voted overwhelmingly against showpiece projects, his capital ahead of next year’s elections, Manmohan Singh government the fi rst non-Congress prime does not attract that ‘special’ no- under which the erstwhile state of it in both the Lok Sabha and as- city of Amaravati and the Polavar- Reddy had been harking on the though four years have passed minister to retain power? We will menclature. Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated sembly elections. am hydro-electric project, were to special status point just to spite since then. know the answers in about 14 The loss of Hyderabad to Tel- into Andhra Pradesh and Telanga- It is a fact that in the run-up to be built with federal funds. Naidu and show him as ineff ec- Some may see his willingness months. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 21 INDIA Jaya Bachchan elitist, can’t be mass leader: Amar Singh

IANS fi les to the Rajya Sabha like a On the other hand, Hema Malini Party (BJP) on Monday, days af- back party (SP) leader Mohamed taste, the statement also re- Agarwal in the party, she said the Lucknow child taking a slate to school, and likes meeting people in Mathura, ter Jaya Bachchan was re-nom- Azam Khan launched an un- fl ected Agarwal’s anti-women statement against Jaya Bachchan stays inside the House till the fi - she won her election from there, inated for the Rajya Sabha con- couth and no-holds-barred at- mindset. was unacceptable. nal gong sounds,” Singh said at but Jaya Bachchan can never test from Uttar Pradesh. tack on Jaya Prada,” he said. The four-time Uttar Pradesh A known party hopper, Agar- ajya Sabha member Amar an event here. dream of winning a Lok Sabha Both Agrawal and Jaya Bach- “She (Jaya Bachchan) is a chief minister also said that the wal who started his political Singh yesterday said ac- “One reason behind this is election,” he said. chan are due to retire next month woman, the ‘bahu’ of poet BJP should clarify its stand on journey with the Congress has Rtress-turned-politician that she is not a mass leader, she Referring to former Samajwa- on the completion of their six- Harivansh Rai Bachchan. I feel the statement of its new leader. been part of successive BJP gov- Jaya Bachchan, once a dear dislikes people. If photographers di Party leader Naresh Agrawal’s year terms. pain when remarks like ‘naachne Yadav termed Agarwal’s state- ernments in Uttar Pradesh in the friend, was a good parliamentar- take her snap, she snatches the remarks Jaya Bachchan was a Singh also wanted to know wali’ (dancer) is made about her.” ment unfortunate and also called 1990s and later switched to the ian but an “elitist” who “dislikes camera. If any smelly person “mere fi lm actress and dancer, from the BJP leaders what their Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj for action against him from lead- BSP, which sent him to the upper people” and can never be a mass comes near her, she says ‘keep Singh said: “We expected such stand would be on Hema Malini, Party chief Mayawati and Sama- ership of his new party. house of the parliament. leader like Hema Malini, who too this Dhoti Prasad away from me’. a remark from him, because he since she too was a fi lm actress. jwadi Party president Akhilesh The statement had triggered He later ditched Mayawati is an actress. She belongs to the elite class,” belonged to the party where they “The SP, BJP and even Jaya Yadav slammed Agarwal and de- a storm within the BJP, with Ex- for the Samajwadi Party, served “Jaya Bachchan and I have Singh added. treat women like this.” Bachchan also owe an expla- manded an apology. ternal Aff airs Minister Sushma a full term as its Rajya Sabha moral diff erences. She is pro- “As an MP she is good, but as Agrawal quit Samajwadi Party nation to the people why they In a statement, Mayawati said Swaraj expressing her strong member, before switching over active in parliament, takes her a mass leader she is hopeless. and joined the Bharatiya Janata were silent when just two days that other than being in poor disapproval. While welcoming to the BJP. Central bank clamps down on credit guarantees

Reuters ceptability, while letters of Mumbai undertaking were mostly used between Indian banks. In a court fi ling yesterday, he Reserve Bank of In- police said PNB had fi led a dia yesterday barred new complaint alleging it had Tall lenders from issu- been defrauded of an addi- ing letters of undertaking – a tional Rs9.42bn ($145mn) by form of credit guarantee at the the Gitanjali group of jewellery heart of a major fraud – as em- companies, taking the total battled Punjab National Bank amount allegedly defrauded disclosed its total exposure in by Choksi’s group to Rs70.8bn the case had risen by another ($1.09bn). $145mn. Yesterday’s disclosure takes In what has been dubbed the PNB’s overall exposure in the biggest fraud in India’s bank- still unravelling fraud case to Security off icers inspect the wreckage of the anti-landmine vehicle which was blown up by Maoists in Sukma district yesterday. ing history, PNB, the coun- well over the $2bn mark. try’s second-biggest state-run PNB said the additional bank, said last month it had amount did not involve any been defrauded of about $2bn. fraudulent letters of undertak- The bank has accused two ing, but was sanctioned credit jewellery groups – one con- to Gitanjali group that it was trolled by diamond tycoon recalling and adding to the to- Nirav Modi and the other by tal amount defrauded. his uncle Mehul Choksi – of A lawyer for Choksi said he Nine CRPF troopers colluding with rogue bank em- was unaware of the new allega- ployees to secure credit from tions and declined to comment. overseas branches of Indian Law enforcement agen- banks using fraudulently is- cies had previously attributed sued guarantees largely in the Rs61.38bn of the alleged fraud form of letters of undertaking. amount to Gitanjali, and nearly Both Modi and Choksi have Rs65bn to companies control- killed in Maoist attack denied any wrongdoing. led by Modi. Police say they left India PNB has also alleged Modi’s Agencies repeatedly come under attack,” pected Maoist rebels in the same security’ plank hard to attain was unearthed in Pirtand forest in January, before the initial companies cheated the bank of Raipur Awasthi told reporters. state. power, but in the past four years, in Giridih district on the basis complaint was fi led, and their a further Rs3.22bn which it said The injured were airlifted to Federal Home Minister Ra- we have only witnessed a pre- of information given by arrested whereabouts are unknown. was not used for the purposes state capital Raipur for treat- jnath Singh called yesterday’s carious security situation in the Maoist commander Sunil Man- In a notice posted on its web- for which the loans were given. ine paramilitary soldiers ment. attack “deeply distressing” and country,” said Congress spokes- jhi, who is in a six-day police site, the RBI said banks would The alleged fraud has shaken were killed and two more More forces were dispatched to expressed condolences to the man Randeep Singh Surjewala, remand. have to stop issuing letters of India’s banking sector, leading Ninjured when Maoist the region to bolster counter-in- families of the slain troopers. adding that the national secu- Police seized 103 improvised undertaking and letters of com- to a government and central rebels blew up their vehicle in surgency operations, police said. Meanwhile, Congress presi- rity situation was “a direct con- explosive devices, a lathe, sy- fort, with immediate eff ect. bank crackdown on lenders’ the central state of Chhattisgarh CRPF’s Deputy Inspec- dent Rahul Gandhi said the at- sequence of the government’s ringes, explosives and chemi- It said banks could con- systems and practices. yesterday, police said. tor General M Dinakaran said a tack refl ected the deteriorating aimless, irresolute and incon- cals. tinue issuing credit guaran- Finance Minister Arun Jaitley The attack, which is said to shootout took place between the internal security situation under sistent polices”. The Maoists, who reject par- tees in the forms of letters of told parliament yesterday a total have targeted an anti-landmine troopers and the rebels in Sukma Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s West Bengal Chief Minister liamentary democracy, say their credits and bank guarantees, 1,213 fraudulent letters of un- vehicle in which troopers of the around 8am but the Maoists fl ed government. Mamata Banerjee also expressed armed rebellion is to secure the however, if certain param- dertaking were issued to Nirav paramilitary Central Reserve Po- after the CRPF retaliated. “The Maoist attack in Sukma deep sadness and extended her rights of the poor and margin- eters were met. Modi’s companies between lice Force (CRPF) were travelling, “Again at 12.30pm the Mao- is tragic. It refl ects a deteriorat- condolences to their families. alised. The instruments are all March 2011 and May 2017. occurred in the Sukma district. ists targeted another team of 212 ing internal security situation Chhattisgarh is among the According to the South Asia forms of trade fi nance often Banks also continue to de- The blast was followed by a CRPF Battalion. Our 11 troopers due to fl awed policies,” Gandhi states worst aff ected by the left- Terrorism Portal more than 7,700 used by importers to fund their bate who should assume li- heavy exchange of fi re between were travelling in an anti-land- tweeted. wing insurgents. people, including civilians, mili- overseas purchases. abilities from the fraud, with the troopers and the Maoists, mine vehicle when the Maoist “My condolences to the fami- Meanwhile, four Maoist guer- tants and security personnel, have Bankers said letters of credit several lenders that have either according to D M Awasthi, a blew it up,” Dinakaran said. lies of those killed. To those rillas were arrested yesterday been killed in Maoist-related vio- involved more paperwork and lent to the jewellery groups senior police offi cer in charge of The CRPF personnel were on who have been injured, I wish a and a small bomb-making fac- lence in India since 2005. the due diligence was more based on the fraudulent PNB counter-insurgency operations routine patrolling and going to- speedy recovery,” he added. tory unearthed in two separate Critics say government at- stringent than letters of un- guarantees, or bought the so- in the region. wards a newly-opened post in The Congress also said the cases in Jharkhand, police said. tempts to end the revolt through dertaking. called letters of undertaking “Nine CRPF personnel have Palodi in Kishtaram when the attack exposed the hollow the Police and the CRPF personnel tough off ensives are doomed to Offi cials with direct knowl- from the secondary market, been martyred in the attack. Su- Maoists set off the explosives. claims of the government in arrested the four rebels in a joint fail and that the real solution is edge also said letters of credit wanting PNB to compensate kma is a stronghold of the mili- The attack comes days after controlling the insurgency was. operation in Palamu district. better governance and develop- have more international ac- them. tants where security forces have security forces killed 10 sus- “Modi had sold the ‘national The bomb-making factory ment of the region.

Shami’s wife IndiGo cancels 47 fl ights Jeweller opens outlet in Amritsar seeks protection India pacer Mohamed Shami’s wife Hasin Jahan, who lodged a case against her husband for after planes are grounded domestic violence and accused him of multiple extramarital aff airs, yesterday sought personal Agencies following grounding of the 12 all our aff ected passengers on security from Kolkata police. New Delhi planes. other fl ights.” Jahan claimed she was at the Citing safety of aircraft op- GoAir said it “has complied receiving end of constant abuses erations, the DGCA in its or- with the DGCA directive by and threats through social media udget carriers IndiGo and der on Monday said A320Neos grounding the late serial number since her diff erences with Shami GoAir cancelled dozens fi tted with P&W1100 engines PW GTF engines. This has re- became public and sought West Bof fl ights yesterday after were “grounded with immedi- sulted in the cancellation of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata the domestic aviation regulator ate eff ect”. some fl ights originating out of Banerjee’s “support” on the issue. grounded 12 Airbus A320Neo IndiGo said the passengers eight centres. Flight schedules “She is feeling insecure while planes with faulty Pratt & were given the option to either are being altered to accommo- going out due to a massive Whitney engines, offi cials said. choose another fl ight at no ad- date those aff ected. Alternative number of threats and abuses IndiGo, the country’s largest ditional cost or cancel their arrangements are being made or Leading jeweller Joyalukkas opened its outlet in Amritsar on March 12 with great fanfare, it was an- she has been receiving on social airline, cancelled 47 fl ights on its booking and get a full refund. off ered to minimise impact and nounced yesterday. “We could not have expected a warmer welcome,” said Joy Alukkas, chairman media. The accounts may or may domestic network, offi cials said. GoAir too said it did the same inconvenience. In cases where and managing director of Joyalukkas Group. not be fake. Today, she went to An IndiGo offi cial said nine thing. appropriate, free cancellation Kolkata police headquarters and Airbus A320Neos were ground- In an statement, IndiGo said and re-booking options have asked for personal security as she ed leading to “dozens of fl ight it “has cancelled certain fl ights been made available.” is feeling extremely insecure,” her cancellations.” due to the grounding of our The airline, however, clari- Google India makes address search, navigation easy on Maps lawyer Zakir Hussain said. A spokesman for GoAir also aircraft further to the DGCA fi ed that none of its fl ights be- In a bid to make it easy for users residential address. While some solutions to these challenges,” “Jahan also wants emotional said it grounded three such directions which has been is- tween Delhi and Mumbai were to find addresses and navigate, addresses are well defined by street Suren Ruhela, director of Google support from the chief minister aircraft following the order of sued in the interest of safety. cancelled. Google India yesterday names and house numbers that Maps Nextbn Users, said in New on the issue. She has high regards the Directorate General of Civil While we understand that this “GoAir has cancelled some announced a slew of updates are easy to find, others can be long- Delhi. for her since the chief minister Aviation. may cause inconvenience to fl ights from eight cities that and features on Maps, including winded and hard to locate. The tech giant introduced “Plus herself is a woman with a great Hundreds of passengers some of our passengers, given include Bengaluru, Cochin, “Voice Navigation” in six “Millions of people and places in Codes” – an open source solution heart. So, she said she would have been stranded across In- that we have multiple fl ights Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhub- additional regional languages. India are hard to locate – especially that represents a simple and be really happy if she can meet dia since Monday after fl ights to the same destination, we are haneshwar, Kolkata, Lucknow According to Google, in India, it can those in remote areas. We are consistent addressing system and her and tell her about the entire were cancelled by the carriers proactively re-accommodating and Delhi,” a spokesman said. be challenging to reach a given deeply committed to helping find works not only in India but globally. issue,” he said. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 LATIN AMERICA

LEGAL DECISION SCANDAL CRISIS WEATHER Peru court approves Italian ex-guerilla can BRF sued after ex-chief’s Refugee claims by Ice bridge on Argentina Toledo extradition request be extradited: Brazil arrest, food safety probe Venezuelans surging: UN glacier collapses

Peru’s Supreme Court yesterday approved a Brazil’s public prosecutor has told the Supreme Brazil’s BRF SA has been sued in the US by a Nearly 100,000 people who fled Venezuela have An ice bridge that was part of a glacier at the government request to extradite former president Court that the Brazilian government can shareholder who accused the world’s largest claimed refugee status since the start of 2017, the tip of Argentina has collapsed in the dead of Alejandro Toledo from the US to face charges extradite Cesare Battisti, an Italian left-wing poultry exporter of concealing its involvement UN said yesterday, as it ramped up response plans night, thwarting thousands of tourists who had over a $20mn bribe from Brazilian construction former guerrilla convicted of murder in his in food safety fraud, culminating in the arrest of for a displacement crisis likely to worsen. The UN hoped to watch the spectacle. The natural arch giant Odebrecht. The request, made on February country. The top court authorised Battisti’s a former chief executive off icer. A complaint was refugee agency said the number of Venezuelans in Los Glaciares National Park in the Patagonia 19, was unanimously approved by the court, said extradition in 2009, but former leftist president filed in the US District Court in Manhattan on who have sought asylum has shot up 2,000% region came crashing down overnight Sunday a judicial source. The request has cleared its Luis Inacio Lula da Silva granted him refugee behalf of holders of BRF’s American Depositary since 2014, but the most dramatic increases during a storm while the park was closed, park last legal step in Peru and now goes before the status on his last day in off ice in 2010. In a Receipts from April 4, 2013 to March 2, 2018, have occurred over the last 14 months. With the authorities said. An arch forms regularly in a Cabinet, who must endorse it before a formal case that has irritated diplomatic relations and seeks to let them sue as a group in a class country’s economic and political crisis intensifying, glacier called Perito Moreno as the water flow extradition request is made to the US authorities between the two countries ever since, Italy action. The plaintiff , Ryo Nakamura, claimed that UNHCR has drawn up a “response plan that covers from a canal eats away at the ice. For the first — a process which could take another four weeks. renewed its extradition request with the current BRF, former CEO Pedro Faria and other off icials eight (surrounding) countries”, spokesperson time in 16 years, the bridge fell in 2004 and Toledo, 71, is accused of “influence peddling, government last year. Prosecutor general artificially inflated the Sao Paulo-based company’s Aikatarina Kitidi said. “In view of the situation in since then it has come down every four years collusion and money laundering,” over the Raquel Dodge has rejected Battisti’s defence share price by misleading shareholders about its Venezuela, it is crucial that people are not deported of so. The Patagonia glacier is a Unesco world alleged $20mn Odebrecht said it gave him. argument that Lula’s decree was irrevocable. operations and compliance practices. or forcibly returned there,” she added. heritage site. Poor Internet access no limit to Cuban YouTubers

AFP enterprises can make far more. Havana The Package menu is updated weekly. Emma Lopez, 18, knows well rank Camallerys paces Ha- the benefi ts of the USB. vana’s Malecon esplanade “The fi rst time, my video was Fwith a telephone at the end viewed by three people, until the of a pole, seducing thousands Package began circulating and of Internet users with images of it helped me progress so that I Cuba despite the communist is- eventually went countrywide,” land’s limited web access. she says. Like other local stars of Her channel, Emma Style, YouTube, and nearly the entire gives makeup tips to young Cu- population of the island, the bans, but adapted to a reality in 19-year-old communications which they might not have ac- student has no Internet at home. cess to all the products. So posting a video means a Cuba’s economy remains under Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaks during an event on CLAP (local committees of supply and production) programme, a Venezuelan government handout of basic trek across Havana to a plaza a US trade embargo and state fi rms food supplies, in Caracas. where he can get access to Wi-Fi still account for 85% of the econo- for a dollar an hour. my. “If you don’t have a brush, use It takes more than half an hour your fi ngers” to apply eyeshadow, to upload his latest production Lopez advises in her show. to YouTube, which generally be- These mini-stars of the Inter- gins with his cheerful greeting: net fi nd audiences well beyond “Hello everyone, this is a new the Caribbean island. “Normally adventure in Cuba.” when a YouTuber starts out, Camallerys is among about 50 he hopes to have support of the Venezuela needs $15bn young Cubans who have become population. But among my fol- internet celebrities. His Camal- lowers, a small percentage live in lerys Vlogs, launched a year ago, Cuba,” says Pedro Veitia, 24, of now have more than 7,000 fol- the Pedrito el Paketero channel. lowers. “There are perhaps 50 of us “Create a video, walk two or in Havana,” he says of the small three kilometres to put it on- Cuban YouTuber community. per year: economist line, then wait 40 minutes while According to fi gures cited by it uploads: that shows very well the government of President Reuters long an infl uential commenta- are using the US dollar as a cur- tional Monetary Fund. partners by overhauling the tax how much I like this,” Camal- Raul Castro, 4.5mn people on Caracas tor on Venezuela, said in an in- rency, whereas all other types Maduro and predecessor regime and possibly lowering lerys says. the island have internet access. terview. of adjustment programmes can Hugo Chavez demonised the state company PDVSA’s mini- The public faces similar ob- Unoffi cial estimates show “He is the one that has made fail,” Rodriguez argued, saying it international lending bodies as mum 60% stake. stacles, unlike in much of the the Package has 9mn users in a enezuela needs to dol- an economy sitting on the would stop excess government instruments of US policy and Rodriguez advised Venezue- world where social media are Cuban population of 11mn resi- larise its economy, seek world’s largest oil reserves, money-printing. global capitalism that prejudice la’s bondholders to wait before easily accessed through mobile dents, says Max Barbosa, a pro- V$15bn to $20bn a year with all the potential for being Annual infl ation is running at welfare. aggressively pressing or “ac- phones or home Wi-Fi. fessor of communication at the from abroad, and ease oil sector prosperous, into an economy of more than 6,000%, according “What has avoiding the IMF celerating” claims as the cash- In Cuba, Internet content is University of Havana. taxes to reverse the “disaster” hunger.” to the opposition. gotten Venezuela? What has strapped state seeks to renego- disseminated through what’s Offi cials have the right to con- of President Nicolas Maduro’s Falcon, 56, defi ed an opposi- Rodriguez said most Ven- avoiding macroeconomic stabi- tiate some $60bn of bonds. known as “the Package:” a USB trol people’s access to content rule, according to an adviser to tion boycott to run despite con- ezuelans backed adopting the lisation, what has not changing “Once we come into govern- loaded with digital content but they tolerate the Package and his main election rival. ditions critics say are rigged to greenback and suggested a rea- the exchange rate, not adjusting ment, it will certainly make life which passes from hand to hand. have even tried to compete with Former state governor Henri ensure the ruling socialists win. sonable conversion rate today the price of gasoline? All of the easier both for Venezuela and The distributors get the content it by launching “the Backpack,” Falcon, who will face Maduro He wants Rodriguez to head would be 70,000 to the dollar things the government thought for foreign investors if accelera- from the regular Internet and then which is similar but with cultural in a May 20 presidential vote, his economic team if he takes — far stronger than the current were unpopular and therefore tion (of payments) has not taken off er it to homes for the equivalent content. has tapped a 48-year-old Ven- the presidency. black market rate of 216,000. avoided...they have produced place,” Rodriguez said. of one dollar to people who can “Even if they don’t have inter- ezuelan economist with Wall Foremost among his ideas for To grow post-Maduro, Ven- the most dysfunctional econ- Despite critics’ accusations then download novels, the latest net to be connected all the time Street’s Torino Capital for ideas stabilising Venezuela’s state- ezuela’s economy would also omy in the world,” Rodriguez he is a stooge legitimising Ma- FC Barcelona soccer match, or or to generate content, merely to turn around the Opec na- led economy is ditching the need $15bn to $20bn per year in said. duro’s “dictatorship” by run- American NBA basketball. saying ‘I want to be a YouTuber,’ tion’s recession-hit economy. devalued bolivar in favour of foreign capital, the adviser said, With oil production at a ning, Falcon and his team be- A dollar a day is roughly the av- even by alternative means like “The person who has de- the US currency to “snap out” from both private investment three-decade low, Rodriguez lieve they can win and point erage monthly wage for a govern- the USB, is praiseworthy,” Bar- stroyed this nation’s economy is of hyper-infl ation. “You can- and potential loans from mul- said it was imperative to give in- to some polls showing them ment worker, but those in private bosa says. Maduro,” Francisco Rodriguez, not have hyper-infl ation if you tilateral bodies like the Interna- centives to foreign joint venture ahead. UN urged to pressure Anti-Trump demo Woman jailed for stillbirth set free

Mexico over killings “I’m going to start again and get Thomson Reuters Foundation back the time lost,” the govern- Reuters stakes are pretty high. This is the governmental institutions Bogota ment prison quoted her as saying Geneva the moment, this is the mo- and to put pressure defi nitely on Twitter. ment to overturn things,” on Mexico. Figueroa, a domestic worker, Garcia Bernal, 39, told a news “When the eyes of the world Salvadoran woman who says she experienced pregnancy ctor and fi lmmaker Gael conference in Geneva, where say and portray or signal some- said she suff ered a still- complications and had a late- Garcia Bernal yesterday he is to address the UN Human thing that’s wrong in Mexico, Abirth — but was jailed for term miscarriage. Acalled for the United Na- Rights Council today. that is the only moment that nearly 15 years for murdering her “It is inconceivable that Maira tions and governments around “I don’t want to go into my politicians do something in child — was yesterday freed af- spent almost 15 years in prison the world to put pressure on his 40s thinking that I am going to Mexico,” he said. ter authorities reduced her sen- for experiencing a pregnan- native Mexico to end impunity have systematic violence, sys- There was a “debt to all the tence. cy complication,” said Nancy for corruption and large-scale tematic impunity in my coun- victims”, Garcia Bernal said. Maira Veronica Figueroa’s Northup, head of the US-based killings. try.” “We have a lost generation in release puts the spotlight on El Center for Reproductive Rights, Activists and UN investi- Crime not being prosecuted that sense. I mean just talk- Salvador’s total ban on abortion which campaigned for Figueroa gators have accused Mexican is linked to “corruption on a ing about disappeared people as the Central American nation to be freed. security forces of crimes in- broad scale, on a wide scale,” from 2006 until now there are faces mounting international “While we celebrate Maira’s cluding murder, torture and he told a panel on Mexico held more disappeared people from pressure to overturn its strict release, we condemn the gov- disappearances since the at the UN earlier. “It is a system Mexico...close or more than the law and release other women ernment of El Salvador for not military was sent to tackle the that sustains how everything people that were disappeared in jailed for abortion-related acknowledging the lack of due country’s powerful drug cartels has been.” the ‘Dirty War’ in Argentina. crimes. process and failing to recognise in 2007. Garcia Bernal is attending a “It is an emblematic, sys- Figueroa, 34, was handed a her innocence,” she said in a More than 100,000 have died documentary fi lm Mexico: To- tematic violence that went on 30-year prison sentence in 2003 statement. in drug violence in the decade wards the End of Impunity? at there. And we’re close to that for aggravated murder after she “Her conviction has not been since. the International Film Festival number,” he said. was convicted of intentionally overturned and she continues to The country is also experi- and Forum on Human Rights in The actor, who fl ew in from inducing an abortion, which is a be guilty in the eyes of the law.” encing its worst-ever surge in Geneva. Buenos Aires, was referring crime under any circumstances According to the rights group violent crime, with more than Asked what he would tell the to Argentina’s 1973-83 “dirty in El Salvador. and the local Citizen Group for 25,000 killings in 2017, a rate of UN rights forum, where Mexico war” military dictatorship Yesterday morning, Figueroa the Decriminalisation of Abor- nearly 21 per 100,000 people. is among the 47 member states, which rights groups say was People hold signs reading “Trump, we will not pay for was greeted by cheering crowds tion (CFDA), which also helped The run-up to a presidential Garcia Bernal told reporters: responsible for “disappearing” the wall” and “Trump, stop the mass deportations” near when she walked out of the over- campaign for Figueroa’s release, election in July has also been “To interact with Mexican so- — a euphemism for kidnapping the border fence between Mexico and the US, in Tijuana, crowded Ilopango women’s pris- at least another 27 women are in marred by violence. ciety, with the victims, with and murdering — some 30,000 Mexico, yesterday. on in the capital San Salvador, prison under the country’s abor- “Elections are coming, the Mexico institutions, with people it saw as opponents. with a plastic bag of belongings. tion law. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 23 PAKISTAN

Growth in cashless transactions

Paper-based transactions remained less than half of digital and other related electronic transactions, said a State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) report. Punjab CM takes “During the second quarter of FY18 (financial year ending 2018), 400,000 transactions amounting to Rs93.6tn were processed by the Pakistan Real-Time Interbank Settlement Mechanism (PRISM),” stated SBP”s Payment System Review-2QFY18 report. charge of PML-N According to the report, 117.6mn transactions worth Rs40.3tn were AFP Despite the loss at the Sen- jab province, is seen as a political 104-seat house in the secret bal- carried out using paper-based Islamabad ate, newly-minted PML-N leader dealmaker, with many crediting lot, triggering veiled accusations instruments. i.e. over-the-counter Shahbaz Sharif appeared upbeat him for successive by-election that Pakistan’s powerful security cash deposits, cheques, pay during a rowdy party meeting in victories since his brother was establishment had a hand in the orders, demand drafts, etc. he brother of ousted Paki- Islamabad, praising his brother’s ousted. outcome. The report credited PRISM with stani prime minister Nawaz leadership ahead of general elec- However, he faces steep chal- “Being herded like sheep and playing a key role in the financial TSharif formally took charge tions due later year. lenges after the party’s candidate goats, the nation has seen your infrastructure of the country. of the country’s ruling party yes- “Nobody including me can im- lost in the race to lead the upper real face today,” tweeted Nawaz’s The mechanism has 41 direct terday, a day after being out-ma- agine taking the place of Nawaz house, just weeks after winning daughter Maryam. participants: 29 commercial noeuvred in elections for Senate Sharif,” Shahbaz told a roaring the largest number of seats in the The Sharif clan and their sup- banks, two specialised banks, chairman – sparking accusations crowd chanting party slogans. Senate. porters have repeatedly denied al- two microfinance banks (MFBs), of foul play. In late February, the party The PML-N cried foul, follow- legations of corruption, suggest- seven development finance The debacle at the Senate was cleared the way for Shahbaz’s pro- ing an unlikely alliance forged by ing that Nawaz is the victim of a institutions. and one non-bank – the latest blow to the Pakistan motion to head the PML-N, spur- the opposition Pakistan Tehreek- conspiracy driven by the military. the Central Depository Company. Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) ring renewed speculation that e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Despite the court rulings During the quarter, digital following a string of court deci- he would be its choice for prime Peoples Party (PPP). against the PML-N, the party will (e-Banking) channels processed sions targeting the party – includ- minister if it prevailed at the polls. Independent candidate Sadiq likely remain a force at the polls 186.7mn transactions worth Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif waves to PML-N party ing the removal of Nawaz from the The younger Sharif, currently Sanjrani – a relatively unknown after whipping its rivals in con- Rs11.7tn, said the report. members after being elected president of the ruling party. premiership for graft in July. chief minister of powerful Pun- fi gure – secured 57 votes in the secutive by-elections.

App to combat hate speech Politicians urge respect for leaders Ruling alliance stung The government has launched a mobile phone application to by defeat in Senate enable the public to report hate Internews he told the house on a point of on behalf of Rana Sanaullah: the courts, to get it corrected,” he speech in a bid to curb the spread Lahore order. man was never sent by him, nor warned. of extremism and sectarianism, The PTI, as a party, con- told to throw anything on Khan. Sindhu again rose to say that Internews party might have been con- an off icial said yesterday. demned what happened to I also completely agree with the PML-N, as a party, had Islamabad tacted by the senators-elect The app, compatible with both he incident of shoe- the former premier at Jamia Rass that we all need to keep our nothing to do with it, saying: “It from Baluchistan, where the Android and iOS operating throwing on former Nameea, he said. cool and brave the situation,” (PML-N) rather has a lot of res- JUI-F had supported a move to systems, is called Chaukas Tprime minister Nawaz However, he added, the PTI Sindhu said. ervations on the new delimita- he ruling Pakistan Mus- dislodge the PML-N govern- (meaning “vigilant”) and has Sharif and a similar alleged bid had some concerns regard- Apart from the decency that tion. Every constituency is be- lim League – Nawaz ment. been launched by the National to target Imran Khan created ing the man held by its workers both sides pleaded for yester- ing redrawn and everyone is not T(PML-N) suspects at The absence of three JUI- Counter Terrorism Authority some ripples in the Punjab As- at the Faisalabad reception for day, the opposition was furious happy, including the PML-N.” least seven senators, including F senators when their names (NACTA) as part of its cyber sembly yesterday where by the Khan, who was allegedly sent on the new delimitation of con- Speaker Rana Iqbal also a couple of its own, ditched it were called in alphabetical counter-terrorism initiative. end of session everyone was by son-in-law of law minister stituencies. joined the fray, saying that his in the election of Senate chair- order for voting was surpris- The app enables citizens to condemning it and urging re- Rana Sanaullah to throw a shoe The opposition leader, Mah- own constituency had been split man and deputy chairman. ing for many though they later report anonymously extremist spect for all leaders. at the party chief. moodur Rashid, was of the view under the new delimitation, Raja Zafarul Haq, the can- came to the house and were al- speeches, banners or activities Murad Rass of the Khan’s Pa- “I only want to say that this that even bylaws of the Election adding it was a common prob- didate of the ruling alliance lowed to vote out of turn. wherever they notice them. kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) kind of attitude will only com- Commission on delimitation lem now for all candidates. for the chairman, secured 46 The PML-N leaders also Users can send pictures, audio, initiated the discussion in the plicate things. We need to calm were being violated. The debate was still on when votes – the exact number of suspect that a minority mem- video or a written message. brief session, which ended with down and respect each other,” “Constituencies are being Fatyana asked for a head count the members of the four par- ber of the ruling alliance and “This is a step to curb the spread his colleague Ahsan Riaz Fatya- Rass told the house. divided and sub-divided to the of the members present in the ties which are part of the fi ve- a PML-N senator from Balu- of extremist tendencies from the na pointing out quorum and the His gesture was echoed by political and electoral detriment house, which was found to be party ruling alliance. chistan, Kalsoom Parveen, had society,” NACTA spokesperson proceedings for the day ended. Tahir Sindhu, the minorities af- of the party (PTI). This will not less than 30. This clearly shows that ei- polled votes for the opposi- Mujeebur Rehman Talpur told “We all are political people fairs minister. go unchallenged, we will go to The speaker had no option ther no one from outside the tion-backed Sanjrani-Mand- DPA yesterday. and exposed to such vulgarity,” “I totally deny the allegation the Election Commission, even but to adjourn the session. alliance voted for Haq or some viwalla panel. of the members from within According to them, there is the alliance had voted for the also a possibility that the Fata opponents in violation of party senators might have voted en Food, fast discipline. bloc for the candidates of the A number of PML-N leaders, opposition parties. Case lodged against including those who remained Parveen later told a private part of the consultations with- TV channel that she had cast in the party and in the negotia- her second vote in favour of former ambassador tions with other parties, said Mandviwalla for the offi ce of that they had taken part in deputy chairman. the elections with confi dence She has been in the Senate Internews charges have been manufac- that the ruling alliance would since 2009. Lahore tured after Interpol turned secure 57 votes after being as- Previously associated with down an earlier request by the sured of support by their allies the Baluchistan National Par- FIA, under instructions from and other parties. ty-Awami (BNP-A), Parveen he Federal Investiga- Supreme Court, for a red cor- “We had calculated 57 votes was awarded ticket by the tion Agency (FIA) has ner notice against me for refus- for us and 46 for the oppo- PML-N leadership amid oppo- Tregistered a case against ing to return to a country where nents. However, it turned the sition from some party leaders former ambassador to the I feel my life is under threat. other way round,” said a senior when she switched her loyalty. United States Husain Haqqani. “I am confi dent that Inter- PML-N leader, who described Sources in the PML-N said The case was registered in pol and others outside Paki- the day-long development as the leadership had fi nalised the the Anti-Corruption Circle of stan will see the absolute lack “depressing”. name of NP president Hasil Bi- the FIA in relation to the Mem- of credibility in this politically The fi ve-party ruling alli- zenjo for the Senate chairman’s ogate scandal. motivated exercise.” ance presently has 48 mem- offi ce but the decision had to According to media reports, The Memogate scandal bers in the 104-member upper be changed at the last minute Haqqani is accused of embez- emerged in 2011 when Paki- house of parliament. due to several reasons. zling $7.2mn in the secret fund. stani-American businessman With the absence of sena- BNP-M chief Akhtar Men- In a detailed response on Mansoor Ijaz claimed to have tor-elect Ishaq Dar, the PML- gal had categorically told the the matter, Haqqani told Daily received a memo from then- N had been left with 32 sena- PML-N leaders on Sunday Times: “False charges have ambassador Haqqani to US tors, followed by fi ve members night that his party’s lone been fi led against me six years joint chiefs of staff chairman Children hold out their bowls as they wait yesterday during a charity food handout in Peshawar. each of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli senator would not vote for the after my resignation. These Admiral Mike Mullen. Awami Party (PkMAP) and ruling alliance, if Bizenjo was the National Party (NP), four nominated, the sources said. members of the Jamiat Ule- Similarly, they said, the NP ma-e-Islam (JUI-F), and one president’s nomination was member of the PML-Func- opposed by the PkMAP. tional. They said that the coalition Illegal trade in wildlife rampant across Pakistan The PML-N leader claimed partners – the PkMAP, the NP their vote tally had reached 53 and the JUI-F – after allow- with the support of the two ing the PML-N to nominate its Internews trade in Pakistan and looked into surveyed across the country, of ket, researchers were escorted crested porcupines, and fresh- members of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the chairman’s Karachi the eff ectiveness of the existing which 40% comprised mam- by shop owners to a small, dingy water turtles on sale in several (JI), two senators from the offi ce, had told PML-N chief wildlife regulations. mals, 39% birds, 19% reptiles, shop where animals were kept in cities. Federally Administered Tribal Nawaz Sharif that they would The study covered a total of while the remaining 2% belonged small cages and in a deplorable Markets in Sindh, Punjab, and Areas (Fata), a Baluchistan Na- decide among themselves the recent study, compiled 288 shops and street vendors in to the invertebrates (Arachnida) state of neglect,” the study report Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were found tional Party-Mengal (BNP-M) candidature for the offi ce of through undercover sur- 55 markets dealing in wildlife and category. says. selling wildlife pelts and fur. member, and a member of the the deputy chairman. Aveys of 55 markets in 23 their derivatives. Mammal species recorded The survey team recorded the “Specifi cally, the cities of Ka- Awami National Party (ANP), They said Bizenjo, who was cities across Pakistan, has re- These markets were located during the course of the survey use of derivatives of 12 mammals, rachi, Sukkur, Multan, Dera Gha- which had assured the ruling already reluctant to accept the vealed that a majority of spe- in Karachi, Thatta, Kashmore, included the leopard cat, Indian fi ve reptiles, and one bird and in- zi Khan, and Lahore had wide- party of their support. off er, himself withdrew from cies/animal derivatives on sale Ghotki, Sukkur, Nagarparkar, palm civet, Pallas cat, chinkara, vertebrate species as the key in- spread pelt and fur trade. Pelts He admitted that the delay the race and then the matter at these markets are listed within Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan, hog deer, grey langur, Asiatic gredient in traditional medicines of the common leopard, African in the announcement of the between the PkMAP and the the Convention on International Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujran- jackal, Indian pangolin, and rhe- available with street vendors and lion (exotic species), Indian palm candidates also played a major JUI-F was decided on a toss. Trade in Endangered Species wala, Mianwali, Murree, Multan, sus monkey. local herbalists. civet, jungle cat, and leopard cat role, as it allowed the rumour- The sources said that a (CITES) and the International Abbottabad, Chitral, Mardan, A number of bird species These medicines are com- were available at high prices in mongers to launch propaganda PML-N delegation remained Union for the Conservation of Mansehra, Peshawar, Gilgit, Mu- caught in the wild were observed monly sold as ointments and markets where local herbalists that the PML-N-led alliance engaged with the JI and the Nature’s Red List of threatened zaff arabad, Gawadar, and Jiwani. in markets. are believed to have aphrodisiac are mostly found,’ the study says. was short of numbers. Muttahida Qaumi Movement – species. All surveyed markets and properties and to provide relief in According to 50% of respond- Also, he believed former Pakistan (MQM-P) till the late The study found that Karachi shops were found to be involved The study found that joint and muscular pain. ents, the study says, wildlife de- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hours. hosted the highest number of in illegal wildlife trade. the authorities have no Traditional medicines con- rivatives are sourced in the wild should have stayed in the capi- Prime Minister Shahid markets and shops dealing in il- The study did not cover legal monitoring facility in the taining pelican fat were recorded through traders in Karachi and tal to supervise the whole exer- Khaqan Abbasi also accompa- legal wildlife, followed by Pesha- pet trade. markets in Sukkur, Ghotki, Kashmore, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. cise instead of visiting Lahore a nied the delegation during a war. The illegal trade of wildlife and parts of Baluchistan, where The study also points out that day before the election. meeting with JI leaders Sirajul Consumption of dried meat of species was predominantly re- However, for the purpose of local herbalists convert it into oil that neither the wildlife nor the The PML-N leader said Haq and Liaquat Baloch. the Indian cobra and sand lizard corded in bigger metropolises this study, only protected species to treat a number of conditions, police department was found to they have “suspicions” that The sources added that the is recorded to be widespread in such as Lahore and Karachi. and those high in trade demand including fever and muscle pain. have any monitoring facility in the four-member JUI-F and MQM-P had told the ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and In Karachi, 12 markets and 42 were recorded. The forms in which animal these markets. the Fata members had voted party’s delegation that the Punjab. shops were identifi ed as deal- “In Lahore, Karachi, Abbot- derivatives are sold include oils, “All corners of Pakistan are in- against them. MQM-P could not vote for Titled An assessment of the ing in illegal wildlife, whereas tabad, and Mansehra, shops which contain fat or bile extracts, volved in illegal wildlife trade as He said the JUI-F was actu- PML-N candidates as they had scale of illegal wildlife trade in in Peshawar seven markets and were observed to have catalogues meat (both fresh and dried), and traders selling items exist in all ally interested in getting the already made commitment to Pakistan, the study was con- 33 shops were recorded to be in- with pictures of animals and bones. provinces. Traders in Baluchistan offi ce of the deputy chairman the other group. ducted by the World Wide Fund volved in this illegal trade. their price tags. In the province Fat extracts of the Indian spiny advertised their wares in fi ve dif- but they lost “a toss” against The sources said that a for Nature – Pakistan (WWF-P) The survey teams did not fi nd of Sindh and Punjab, it was also tailed lizard, Asiatic black bear, ferent cities. The Azad Jammu the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami group within the PML-N have and authored by Dr Uzma Khan any wildlife markets in Islama- observed that shopkeepers kept Asiatic lion, and tiger are com- and Kashmir had traders located Party (PkMAP), which later now demanded that the lead- and Hamera Aisha. bad, Gwadar, Jiwani, Murree, or short video clips of captured ani- monly found in traditional medi- in three cities and Khyber Pa- nominated Usman Kakar. ership hold a thorough inquiry Part of a project supported by Nagarparkar districts. mals in their mobile phones for cines. khtunkhwa had vendors in three It seemed they lost interest to fi nd out those who ditched USAID, the study aimed at as- The teams recorded 55 wild- customers. Survey teams found the meat cities. Gilgit-Baltistan also had a in the whole exercise after- the party and caused embar- sessing the scale of illegal wildlife life species on sale in markets “In Lahore’s Tolington Mar- of Indian pangolins, Indian trader in Hunza,” the study says. wards, he said, adding that the rassment to it. Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 PHILIPPINES

Pledge to review dropped charges against top drug suspects The Philippine government US expert claims Sanofi yesterday expressed alarm over a decision by state prosecutors to dismiss illegal drug charges against two high-profile sus- pects, but assured the public that a review was underway. Presidential spokesman Harry ignored warning on Roque said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre was already By Jeff erson Antiporda Sanofi , he said, was aware of her child with Thalassemia, an looking into the decision by the Manila Times his study because the company inherited sickness of the blood state prosecutors in December, responded and even published that leads to anaemia. But she but only made public now. an answer. “They (Sanofi ) said said she remained adamant that “We are alarmed by the n American expert on that they did not think there is Dengvaxia was the cause of the dismissal of the cases,” he told tropical diseases testi- enough data. And the conten- complications to her child’s reporters. Afi ed before the Senate tion of Sanofi is that there are health. “We would like to assure the pub- yesterday that he warned anti- more people benefi ted than She said her child developed lic that the dismissal is far from maker Sanofi hurt,” Halstead said. cough and cold, and fever of being final. We will review the on the health risks of using the “I was quite astonished and 39.2 degrees Celsius one week decision, and if need be we will Dengvaxia vaccine in 2016, bol- upset that this mass immunisa- after receiving the dengue vac- re-file with additional evidence.” stering the government’s case tion is going forward,” he told cine. Casejo even showed a The dismissal was a “slight bump” against the French pharmaceu- the senators. ledger where she claimed to on the Duterte administration’s tical giant and health offi cials of He also said the press release have detailed the symptoms her aggressive campaign against the Aquino administration. of Sanofi on November 29 say- child experienced. illegal drugs, Aguirre said. Scott Halstead told the Sen- ing that the vaccine was eff ec- “This is complete with what “It is likewise a wake-up call to all ate Blue Ribbon Committee he tive in patients who had a prior my child experiences every day. concerned that our eff orts, from even sent a video of Antonio dengue infection but might Every day I write them down, I apprehension to resolution to Dans, a health expert, hoping cause more severe disease oth- count them.” conviction, must be concerted that it could be presented dur- erwise, was based on the result She said her child had also ex- and thorough,” he added. ing a Blue Ribbon hearing that of the test that he had suggest- perienced anaphylaxis, a severe According to documents same year. ed. allergic reaction, three times released by sources to local Halstead said that Dengvaxia The Blue Ribbon Committee from September to December. media, the state prosecu- should not be administered to offi cially ended its hearing into She expressed her frustration tors dismissed the criminal seronegative individuals, or the P3.5bn Dengvaxia contro- Dr Scott Halstead has said that he had suggested that blood tests be conducted on individuals to be over the lack of information on complaint against 22 suspects, people who had never been in- versy yesterday and would be inoculated with the vaccine. the waiver that she and other including businessman Peter Go fected with the dengue virus. recommending charges to be parents signed. Lim and Kerwin Espinosa, who Halstead, a dengue expert, fi led against persons involved tion for the fi ling of cases. A mother whose child had been taking pictures and “The details were not com- was arrested in Abu Dhabi in said he published two articles in in the mess, including former Apart from Aquino, Gordon was given the controversial was warned before he was hit. plete in the waiver I signed,” October 2016. 2016 suggesting that blood tests president Benigno Aquino. said, former Budget secretary Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine “I feel so hurt . . . I felt humili- Casejo said. Both Lim and Espinosa have should be conducted on recipi- In an interview after the Florencio Abad and health of- broke down as she expressed ated with the other parents and Gordon said it was this in- been accused by President Ro- ents of Dengvaxia before the ac- hearing, Sen. Richard Gordon fi cials of the previous adminis- frustration over the alleged in- Dengvaxia victims there,” said suffi ciency of information from drigo Duterte as big-time drug tual vaccine was given. said he had yet to discuss the tration headed by sensitivity of some doctors and Casejo who joined other parents concerned government offi ces lords in the Philippines. This was because of the matter with members of the would be included in the Blue the lack of information on the whose children were inoculated that was one of the major causes Espinosa’s father, former town health risks Dengvaxia could committee, but was looking at Ribbon report. waiver she signed that allowed with the vaccine. of the Dengvaxia controversy. mayor Rolando Espinosa, was bring to seronegative individu- recommending charges such as Sanofi will be cited for con- her child to be part of the gov- Casejo said she did not get “Our people are on the losing also accused by Duterte of being als. dereliction of duty, negligence spiracy, according to Gordon, ernment’s mass immunisation the name of the doctor but had end here. Because they were not involved in the illegal drugs trade. “My contention was the vac- and violation of the procure- adding that the company’s de- programme. reported the incident to the informed properly, their chil- He was killed in a police raid on cine is safe for seropositive but ment law. sire to regain its capital was the “What’s been happening to director’s offi ce of the Philip- dren die. They lost without a his detention cell in Albuera town dangerous for seronegative and “Defi nitely anybody that has reason it pushed Dengvaxia to us, it’s not just the kids getting pine Children’s Medical Centre fi ght. They do not know. It is the in Leyte province in November you can discriminate between anything to do with the speed, the Philippine government de- hurt, but also the parents. We (PCMC) in Quezon City. lack of information that killed 2016. In dropping the charges, the the two through test,” Halstead the undue haste, the wastage of spite the risks. are very stressed,” said Carolina Dr Mary Ann Bunyi, PCMC the children,” he said. state prosecutors noted that law said. money and above all the severe Gordon noted during the Casejo at the resumption of the executive assistant, apologised “It is the right of the patients enforcers needed to “gather more He dismissed the claims of pain that has been infl icted by hearing that neighbouring Senate hearing on Dengvaxia and told her that the hospital inoculated to be informed,” he concrete and competent evidence Sanofi that the vaccine would deaths, by the painful stress and countries Malaysia and Singa- yesterday. had obtained the name of the added. proving that respondents and be safe for children nine years experience now being faced by pore did not purchase Dengvax- Casejo cited the alleged harsh doctor, who would be subjected Parents of the children who other individuals are indeed old and above, noting that such our people will be included,” he ia when it was off ered to them. treatment by doctor who, she to disciplinary action. were inoculated with the vac- involved in illegal drugs trade.” declaration did not fi t biology of said when asked who would be “So this means that we were claimed, hit her child with pa- Casejo also said that another cine were also present, and be- the human species. included in the recommenda- reckless,” he said. pers the doctor had. The child PCMC doctor had diagnosed came emotional as well. US govt hands over drones House panel postpones vote to Philippine air force on Sereno impeachment By Llanesca T Panti Manila Times AFP President Manila had sought to loosen the Philip- pines’ 70-year alliance with the he House Justice panel has United States in favour of closer postponed voting on the he United States gave the ties with China and Russia. Tcommittee report con- Philippine air force its His anger was partly driven taining the Articles of Impeach- Tfi rst surveillance drone by American criticism of his ment against Chief Justice Maria system yesterday, as the two drug war, which has seen po- Lourdes Sereno. nations step up co-operation in lice kill thousands of people Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chair- the battle against militants. and prompted an International man of the panel, admitted that Washington has been boost- Criminal Court preliminary ex- the panel has yet to agree on the ing its backing for Philippine amination. Articles of Impeachment even if counter-terror eff orts since Although relations have im- the committee has found prob- supporters of the Islamic State proved under US President able cause to impeach her last group seized parts of the south- Donald Trump, who has praised week via a 38-2 vote. ern city of Marawi last year, Duterte for his drug war, the “We are yet to fi nish the Arti- sparking a deadly fi ve-month Philippine leader has increas- cles of Impeachment. We want Maria Lourdes Sereno: no strong case? battle. ingly turned to Beijing and it to be comprehensive, so we The unmanned aerial vehi- Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US ambassador to the Moscow to boost one of Asia’s moved it to maybe Monday or staff , manipulating the shortlist Lagman said. Umali has earlier cle system, which includes six Philippines Sung Y Kim inspect the ScanEagle Unmanned weakest armed forces. Tuesday next week. By then, we of the Judicial and Bar Council, said that the prosecutors from drones and is worth $13.2mn Aerial Vehicles during a transfer from the US to the Philippine Air Duterte last month cancelled will be ready to present the Arti- and failure to submit her state- the House of Representatives (10.7mn euros), is the latest US Force at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay city, , yesterday. a deal to buy helicopters from cles of Impeachment. A day after, ment of assets and liabilities will be aided by former Senate military assistance to Philip- Canada after Ottawa ordered a we will submit it to the plenary from 1986 to 2006 when she was President Juan Ponce Enrile, pine troops. system, equipped with cameras duced large parts of the city to review over human rights con- through the House Committee a professor for the UP College of who is facing a P172mn plun- “Assets like the ScanEagle and aircraft that can fl y for 24 rubble. These new drones are cerns. “Do not buy anymore on Rules,” Umali said. Law. der case in connection with the will signifi cantly improve the hours, would support opera- to be used for reconnaissance from Canada and the US be- Sereno on Monday declared Opposition lawmakers Ed- Priority Development Assist- (Philippine military’s) abil- tions against militants in the missions in defence, humani- cause there is always a condi- that she will face the charges cel Lagman and Tom Villarin ance Fund (PDAF). ity to detect terrorist activities, south. tarian assistance and disaster tion attached,” Duterte said at against her at the Senate, which said the difficulty of drafting Lawyer Tranquil Salvador piracy activities, territory en- The southern region of response, Lorenzana said. the time. sits as an impeachment court. the Articles of Impeachment and Dennis Manalo, who de- croachment,” US ambassador Mindanao is home to several “With a number of security A US embassy spokeswoman She was accused of betrayal of is an indication that there is no fended former Chief Justice to Manila Sung Kim told re- pro-IS groups, including those issues confronting our country said Washington “is committed public trust and culpable viola- strong case against the chief Renato Corona during his im- porters, referring to the drones. who attacked Marawi in May today, there is a need to upgrade to the rule of law and respect for tion of the Constitution for al- justice. “They just want to em- peachment trial in 2012, will Philippine Defence Secre- last year in fi ghting that claimed our nation’s armed forces,” he human rights, and we urge oth- legedly granting allowances and barrass the chief justice. We are also help lawmakers in pros- tary Delfi n Lorenzana said the more than 1,100 lives and re- added. er governments to do the same”. other perks to herself and her lawmakers, not psychiatrists,” ecuting Sereno. Offi cials seize hundreds of smuggled animals

AFP Papua New Guinea. The haul also Manila included seven red birds of para- dise and 26 Moluccan cockatoos, which wildlife monitor IUCN uthorities seized yester- considers to be at high risk of ex- day hundreds of exotic tinction in the wild. Apets smuggled into the Philippine offi cials put the Philippines, which is a regional market value of the confi scated hub in the illicit animal trade. creatures at $192,000, which is The cache of some 300 crea- more than all the live wildlife tures, which included squirrel- seized by Manila last year. like sugar gliders, wallabies and As the global convention on a threatened species of cockatoo, wildlife trade lists the Moluccan was one of the nation’s largest cockatoo as a species threatened wildlife busts. with extinction, the suspects face “In terms of live animals, this up to 12 years in prison if convict- was likely one of our biggest ed under the country’s wildlife (captures),” government envi- act. ronment offi cial Rogelio Demel- Despite the law, the Philip- letes said. pines has a burgeoning illegal Four suspects were arrested in trade in wildlife, increasingly A staff of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Rescue Centre feeds rescued sulphur-crested cockatoos near a cage the raid that turned up animals transacted on social media plat- A staff of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Rescue Centre holds a rescued in Manila, yesterday. native to Australia, Indonesia and forms. sugar glider in Manila. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Five things to know After deadly crash, about Nepal’s fl ight safety record

AFP Lama said Kathmandu provid- Kathmandu ed the “basic minimum” and airline defends pilots congestion at the airport was “creating havoc”. Reuters he crash-landing of a pas- Lack of investment - Invest- Kathmandu/Dhaka senger plane at Kathman- ment in Nepal’s aviation sector Tdu airport that killed 49 has failed to keep pace with the people has put Nepal’s aviation boom in commercial fl ights - Bangladeshi airline said safety record in the spotlight both international and domestic. yesterday its two pilots once again. Tiny Nepal, with a population Aaboard the plane that Air travel is popular in the of just 30mn, has 11 domestic crashed in Nepal killing 49 peo- poor Himalayan country, but airlines, almost as many as giant ple had both received special its mountainous terrain, poor neighbour India. training to land at Kathmandu regulation and a lack of invest- Plans to upgrade airports airport and had successfully ment in planes and infrastruc- in major tourist destinations handled previous fl ights. ture have led to large numbers of Pokhara and Lumbini for in- The airline and airport au- accidents over the years. ternational fl ights have been in thorities in Kathmandu have Here are fi ve things to know limbo for years. blamed each other in the after- about fl ying in Nepal: Mountain landings - Al- math of Monday’s disaster, the Poor national record - though most of the biggest ac- Himalayan nation’s worst since There have been 27 fatal plane cidents have occurred in Kath- the 1992 crash of a Pakistan crashes in Nepal in the past mandu, most pilots acknowledge International Airlines aircraft three decades - an average of al- that the precipitous landing killed 167 people. most one per year, according to strips high in the Himalayas are Flight operator US-Bangla the independent Aviation Safety the toughest to negotiate. Airlines said it was too early to Network database. Lukla, the gateway to Mount blame anyone, after a transcript More than 20 of these occurred Everest, has been dubbed the of the pilots’ radio conversation in the last decade alone and seven world’s most dangerous airport, with ground control in Kath- killed 18 people or more. requiring the pilot to navigate mandu revealed confusion over All its airlines are barred from through narrow mountain gorges the designated runway. fl ying in European Union airspace. before landing on a steep runway Captain Abid Sultan and co- The majority of crashes hap- just 500m long with precipitous pilot Prithula Rashid died when pened at small domestic airports drops on either side. their plane crashed short of the where pilots negotiated small In 2008 a passenger plane runway, broke into pieces and planes onto tiny strips of tarmac crashed on landing at Lukla, caught fi re, offi cials said. - in some cases hewn into steep killing everyone on board except “Sultan was experienced, Nepali students of University of Dhaka light candles in memory of the victims of the US-Bangla aircraft crash in Nepal, in Dhaka, yesterday. mountainsides. the pilot. quite familiar with the airfi eld But the worst have occurred “The country’s rugged terrain and the aircraft,” US-Bangla Families of some of the victims versation with ground control in the controller told the co-pilot “Regardless of what contrib- at Kathmandu’s single-runway makes the safety of air opera- spokesman Kamrul Islam said. mourned outside the hospitals. Kathmandu issued by a German she was heading toward runway uted to this tragic accident, we airport, which services both in- tions more challenging than in “Rashid was also specially There were 33 Nepali passen- air safety website, JACDEC. 20, although the aircraft had are sorry,” Asif, the airline’s chief ternational and domestic routes. other areas of the world,” says trained to make landings at the gers, 32 from Bangladesh, one The Civil Aviation Authority been cleared for runway 02. executive, wrote on networking In 1992, two planes crashed the International Civil Aviation airport. This is mandatory for from China and one from the of Nepal did not directly confi rm Later, the captain took over the website LinkedIn. “And we stand near Kathmandu within just two Organisation, a UN special agency. any pilot to fl y over there. She Maldives. the authenticity of the tran- conversation and confi rmed the by the bereaved families of those months of one another, killing a Lessons not learned - Some also made landings at the airport US-Bangla said Sultan, a script, saying publication of such plan to land at runway 02. At one who lost their loved ones.” total of 280 people. experts accuse Nepal’s civil avi- before.” former Bangladesh Air Force pi- exchanges went against the law. stage, ground control said run- On Monday, Kathmandu air- Capital overstretched - ation authority of failing to act Investigators have retrieved lot, had landed more than 100 “We suspect wrong signals way 20 had also been cleared for port offi cials said they had asked Aviation experts say challenging on recommendations from past the fl ight data recorder from the times at Kathmandu, where wind from Kathmandu air traffi c landing, however. the pilots if they faced a problem terrain is a key reason for the high crash investigations. wreckage, said Raj Chettri, the shear and bird hits are frequent control room might have led to The plane made an attempt to after the aircraft changed course accident rate in Kathmandu. Lama, the pilot, said inves- airport’s general manager, and hazards in the mountainous the crash,” Asif told reporters land on the runway it was origi- in the fi nal descent, but the pilots Nepal’s only international tigations teams usually did not an investigation had begun into region. on Monday. “A three-minute nally meant to use. said they did not. airport sits in a narrow valley widely circulate their conclu- the cause of the crash. Sultan had more than 5,000 conversation between the pilot Chettri said most internation- The plane was then seen cir- 1,338m above sea level, mean- sions, making it diffi cult for the The Bombardier Q400 series hours fl ying experience and was and the air traffi c control be- al fl ights are directed to runway cling twice in a northeast direc- ing planes have a relatively tight industry to learn lessons. aircraft was carrying 71 people specially trained to land at the fore the landing indicated that 02 but depending on wind con- tion, Chettri said. Traffi c con- space to turn in. But UK-based aviation ex- from the Bangladeshi capital airport, Islam said. they sent a wrong signal to the ditions, fl ights are also requested trollers again asked the pilot if The airport also lacks the so- pert Andrew Blackie, part of a Dhaka when it tried to land in The airline also denied a me- pilot.” to use 20. things were OK, and he replied, phisticated radar technology found team that investigated a crash visibility that weather offi cials dia report that the aircraft had Transmissions by the Kath- He said police would inves- “Yes”. elsewhere in the world, forcing pi- in Nepal’s south in 2016, said said exceeded 6km (4 miles), skidded off the runway during mandu tower controller show tigate how the conversation The tower then told the pilot lots to navigate by sight, known as resources were an issue. with cloud at one end of the run- a domestic fl ight in 2015, say- that, despite being cleared to between the pilots and control his alignment was not correct, a non-precision landing. “In Nepal there are some way and a light tailwind of six to ing it “never, ever encountered land on runway 02, the fl ight be- room was leaked. but received no reply, Chettri The airport has only one run- very tough choices about where seven knots. any accident. It had no technical gan deviating from its course. Yesterday, airport operations said. way, so planes have to remain the government is spending its A Nepali army offi cial said glitches.” The captain and the tower returned to normal. The aircraft Canadian plane maker Bom- in long holding patterns in the money... they are very aware one of the 22 survivors being Defending the pilots, airline controller discussed which run- wreckage lay on ground near bardier said it was sending an air - a problem that has only that an expensive investiga- treated in Kathmandu hospitals chief executive Imran Asif cited way the aircraft was aiming for, the runway, guarded by security air safety investigator and a fi eld worsened in recent years. tion means less money spent on was to be discharged yesterday. the transcript of their radio con- the website said. At one point, personnel. service representative to the site. Nepal Airlines pilot Vijay other things,” he said.

39 sentenced to death for killing President Sirisena visits Japan Bhandari re-elected ruling AL leader A Bangladesh court yesterday Nepal’s president sentenced dozens of men to death for the brazen daylight murder of a ruling party off icial in AFP 2014, off icials said, AFP reports. Kathmandu Ekramul Haque, the then Awami League leader in eastern Feni district, was dragged from his vehicle by epal’s lawmakers yes- a mob and hacked with machetes terday elected Presi- before being shot at point blank range. Ndent Bidya Bhandari The 47-year-old was then placed for a second term, extending back inside his vehicle, which the tenure of the Himalayan was torched. A number of those nation’s fi rst female head of travelling with the local party leader state for another fi ve years. were injured in the brutal assault. Bhandari took nearly two- Court inspector Nojibul Islam thirds of the vote to retain her said that a judge in Feni district position as ceremonial head of yesterday sentenced 39 men to state, the election commission death by hanging for the crime. confi rmed. President Bidya Bhandari Sixteen others were acquitted. Bhandari, who was backed “We will go to appeal in the higher by the ruling Communist bloc, campaigned hard to bring court against the order,” said was widely expected to defeat woman’s voices to parliament. defence lawyer Rana Das Gupta. her sole opponent. She was fi rst elected presi- Bangladesh has a history of Her fi rst fi ve years in of- dent in 2015, shortly after Ne- delivering death sentences in fi ce have been largely pal’s post-war constitution mass trials. uncontroversial. was passed, which carves out In November, a court upheld Critics say she has not done one-third of seats in parlia- death sentences against 139 enough to advance women’s ment for woman and man- soldiers for the grisly murders of rights in deeply patriarchal dates that either the president dozens of senior army off icers in a Nepal - though her role is or vice president must be a 2009 mutiny. largely ceremonial. woman. Last August, 10 Islamist militants Late last year she signed Bhandari is not the only were sentenced to death over into law a revamp of the woman at the top of Nepal’s a failed plot to assassinate Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Sri Lankan First Lady Jayanthi Sirisena pose with Japanese Emperor Akihito and country’s ancient penal code, government. House speaker Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by Empress Michiko upon their arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, in this handout picture taken yesterday and provided which criminalises the dow- Onsari Gharti Magar has pre- detonating a bomb at one of her by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. ry system and bans an old sided over the often raucous rallies. Hindu practice that banishes parliament with an iron fi st woman from the home while since 2015, the fi rst woman to menstruating. hold the position. The 56-year-old took up Meanwhile, Sushila Karki politics in her teens, join- served as the country’s fi rst ing the fi ght to overturn the female chief justice until her Summit Power to develop Bangladesh LNG project monarchy’s centuries-long retirement in 2017, shocking rule and later marrying a her political backers when she fellow communist, Madan took a tough stance on Nepal’s Reuters Summit Holdings and the Japa- “This MoU will help Sum- shortfall and expand the coun- than 160mn people in Bangla- Bhandari. endemic corruption. Singapore nese fi rms agreed to develop an mit Power International sup- try’s power generation capacity.” desh lacking access to electric- It was after her husband’s Bhandari is a close ally of integrated liquefi ed natural gas port Bangladesh’s fast-growing Summit Power is the largest ity, Summit hopes to invest in death in a mysterious car ac- the ruling Communist bloc (LNG) onshore receiving termi- energy, power and technology independent power producer projects to meet that expected cident in 1993 that the moth- that has a strong majority in ummit Power Internation- nal with regasifi cation capacity needs,” said Aziz Khan, chair- in Bangladesh, representing increase in demand, Khan told er of two became a promi- parliament as well as six of the al said yesterday it signed of up to 1,500mn cubic feet per man of Summit Power Interna- about 21% of the country’s pri- Reuters in February. nent voice, riding a wave of seven provincial assemblies. Sa memorandum of under- day (mmcfd) at Matarbari, Mo- tional, which is incorporated in vate power market last year, the Bangladesh will require about sympathy to win a seat in The Communists rode to standing with Japan’s Mitsubishi heskhali, in the . Singapore. company said. 7mn tonnes of LNG by 2022 and parliament. a thumping victory late last Corp and subsidiary Diamond They also agreed to develop “The two groups are well-po- Summit Power is set in April to similar volumes of coal by 2024, As Nepal’s political map was year in local, provincial and Gas International to develop a two 1,200 megawatt (MW) gas sitioned to uniquely benefi t from become the fi rst Bangladeshi fi rm Khan had said then. being redrawn after the end of national elections that capped $3bn LNG-to-power project in turbine combined cycle power opportunities arising from the to list in the Singapore Exchange Diamond Gas International the brutal Maoist insurgency Nepal’s tumultuous 11 year Bangladesh. generators, relevant high volt- Bangladesh government’s move (SGX), as it seeks to raise funds to is a wholly-owned LNG sales in 2006 and overthrow of the transition from monarchy to Under the MoU, subsidiary age transmission lines and the to raise LNG imports to meet the invest in assets across Asia. subsidiary that Mitsubishi Corp king two years later, Bhandari federal democracy. Summit Corp, group company import of LNG. country’s domestic natural gas With up to 30% of the more established in Singapore. Gulf Times 26 Wednesday, March 14, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Free trade champion China gets serious about fi nancial risk

China, the new champion of free trade, is getting 14-03-2018 serious about dangers in its fi nancial system. China, Canada and Hong Kong are among the economies most at risk of a banking crisis, according to the Bank for International Settlements. Household borrowing is seen as a key risk for China and Hong Kong. Government-led stimulus has been a key driver of China’s economic growth since late 2008. Along with that, the country has also built up a mountain of debt at Could the Kim-Trump nearly 300% of gross domestic product (GDP) compared with around 140% before the global fi nancial crisis. Driven by low interest rates, the major driver of China’s credit growth has been household debt, expanding by an average of 19% a year since 2011. At this pace, it could more than double the current level and summit succeed? potentially be 70% of GDP by 2020 versus 30% in 2013. The banking sector has ballooned, too, with wealth By Ramesh Thakur Chung Eui-yong, and intelligence chief conventional military capabilities, and into question America’s good faith management products (WMPs) tripling to $4.2tn as Canberra Suh Hoon travelled to Pyongyang and estimates of human casualties could and ability to honour negotiated they off er higher yields. The rapid unwinding of trades Washington, where, standing on the total as many as 25mn, depending international agreements. funded with margin debt fuelled the $5tn equity market White House lawn with Cho Yoon-je, on the types of weapons used, the Moreover, there is the general ast year, North Korea’s Kim South Korea’s ambassador to the US – geographical theatre of the confl ict, and matter of Trump’s ignorance, lack slump of 2017. Jong-un and US President but with no US offi cials present – they the countries sucked into it. of foreign-policy experience, and China’s GDP is While, China is Donald Trump were hurling announced the summit. In February, Moon said: “The the many unfi lled posts in the US grappling with its Lkindergarten insults at each North Korea conducted the first United States needs to lower its bar State Department. There is still no forecast to reach debt mountain, global other – “Rocket Man is on a suicide of six nuclear tests in 2006. The for dialogue and the North, too, must US ambassador in Seoul, and Joseph mission,” said Trump of Kim; “mentally regime’s nuclear programme has many show its willingness to denuclearise” as Yun, US Special Representative about $13.2tn in shadow banking assets deranged US dotard,” Kim retorted – components, and discussions could critical fi rst steps. The summit became for North Korea Policy, retired this continue to surge, while threatening to reduce East Asia founder on what is to be proscribed, possible because the US acceded to month. Without extensive diplomatic 2018 propelled by investors to a post-atomic wasteland. Now, in a permitted, and reversed, and in that counsel, turning its demand for groundwork, the wily Kim could eager for higher returns in a low interest rate world. stunning and dramatic development, exchange for what concessions by denuclearisation, which had previously outsmart Trump. Participation in the the two are to meet by May. Kim the US. Will the deal require freezing been a precondition for talks, into a goal Winter Olympics and willingness to sit Assets that pose risks to the fi nancial system grew 7.6% reportedly is willing to denuclearise and North Korea’s capability at current of negotiations. down with Trump have already given to $45tn in 2016 compared with a total global fi nancial eager to talk directly to Trump, who has levels, or complete, verifiable, and But Kim will not trust unilateral US the North a propaganda boost, and assets of $340tn, says the Financial Stability Board. agreed. irreversible denuclearisation? The guarantees. Therefore, any deal would a summit with the US president will China’s traditional banks are a big driver of shadow But optimism about this turn answer will depend on North Korea’s require the support of China and Russia, confer legitimacy on Kim. banking, contributing to the breakneck growth of of events must be tempered with motives in getting the bomb and economic and energy assistance from Yet Trump has proven to be cautious realism. North Korea is the agreeing to talk. Japan and others, and endorsement by pragmatic, not ideological. His WMPs, opaque investments that have drawn parallels nuclear problem from hell. Neither For the Kim regime, the main lesson the UN Security Council. China and transactional approach could prove the with Western lenders’ exposures in the subprime crisis. South Korea nor the United States can from the fates of Slobodan Milosevic, Russia have welcomed news of the key. Whether genuine or tactical, Moon However, China last year added WMPs to its required control the narrative; defi nitions of Saddam Hussain, and Muammar direct talks, but Japan is uneasy. has constantly praised Trump’s tough health checks for banks and, as part of a broader success or failure are highly relative; Gaddafi was that only nuclear weapons All parties will explore six stance of maximum pressure as helpful and Trump must enter the talks with can neutralise US eff orts at regime elements of a deal that North Korea to gaining Kim’s interest in a possible crackdown on fi nancial risk, announced a sweeping no exit strategy. The six decades since change. But the US never attacked is seeking: a peace treaty to replace diplomatic solution. plan to rein in shadow banking. That’s already having the Korean War ended in 1953 – with North Korea in the decades after 1953, the 1953 armistice, comprehensive Moreover, Trump carries an impact: WMP growth has slowed and the issuance of a ceasefi re but no peace agreement when it clearly did not have the bomb. sanctions relief, an end to US-South no historical baggage, and his another popular investment — trust products that are – have hardened an increasingly Conversely, the North’s growing nuclear Korea military exercises, diplomatic decisiveness, even if rooted in dangerous stalemate. Although neither capability provoked the US into quietly recognition, acceptance of North impulsiveness, could provide the seen as even riskier — has fallen sharply in 2018. side is likely to launch a premeditated preparing for war while hoping to avert Korean space activities, and nuclear necessary breakthrough to overcome China has also adopted derisking as the government’s nuclear attack, the risk of war from one. Sanctions are an ineff ective tool energy assistance. decades of accumulated inertia. mantra since 2015 with a more recent focus on reining miscommunication, misperception, or to force North Korea’s compliance with The North must halt all nuclear and Trump’s ability to reverse himself and in household debt. The country’s most powerful miscalculation is real. the UN’s demand that it give up nuclear missile tests until the summit, and deny having done so could be equally politicians have been ramping up directives on All key announcements so far have weapons, and it could prove dangerous sanctions will remain in place. But advantageous. If a good deal is on the come from Seoul, not Pyongyang or to conclude that their pain brought Kim will the US and South Korea suspend table, nothing the US has done, or everything from shadow banking to stock-market Washington. President Moon Jae-in, a to the talks. military exercises? To North Korea, that Trump has said in the past, will speculation. son of refugees from North Korea, was Similarly, the threat of US military complete denuclearisation means the stop him from seizing the moment. A key warning indicator known as China’s credit-to- elected on the promise of a two-track strikes did little to concentrate Kim’s withdrawal of US extended nuclear On such slender threads of hope hang GDP “gap” showed an improvement, said the BIS. This approach to the North: sanctions and mind: even Western analysts do not deterrence from the peninsula. nuclear peace. – Project Syndicate diplomacy. This led to the Olympic fi nd that threat credible. The US lacks The Kim-Trump summit is an may suggest the country is making progress in its push initiative whereby Kim’s sister, Kim the ability to identify, locate, and opportunity that will be diffi cult to zRamesh Thakur, a former assistant to reduce fi nancial-sector risk. Yo-jong, attended the Winter Games destroy all three categories of nuclear seize and easy to squander. For example, secretary-general of the United Nations, China’s biggest companies are healthier than they’ve in Pyeongchang, and the two countries targets: warheads, bomb production if Trump decertifi es the Iran nuclear is Director of the Center for Nuclear been in years. The improvements could help ease fears competed as one team. Afterwards, infrastructure, and delivery vehicles. deal on May 12, ahead of the summit, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at of a looming fi nancial crisis in China, even though Moon’s national security adviser, North Korea also has formidable the move would almost certainly call Australian National University. smaller Chinese companies have made less progress so far. Communist China has stepped in to champion the cause of globalisation and free trade in the face of US President Donald Trump’s policies of protectionism and inward-looking isolation. But systemic risks in the world’s second largest economy may make it the biggest threat to global fi nancial stability, according to a September 2017 QNB report. Make no mistake, how China’s economy, which is forecast to reach about $13.2tn in 2018, fares brings about dire consequences across the world.

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump are to meet by May. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 14, 2018 27 COMMENT Juncker’s dangerous defence strategy

By Ana Palacio And yet the EU is founded on an Union, the Banking Union, and the Madrid agreement that, in exchange for Energy Union – each of which was membership, states relinquish a launched with great fanfare and certain degree of sovereignty in some is now adrift – the EU already has hese days, there are just three areas. But foreign and defence policy plenty of those. events that bring together are areas where states are supposed to Rather than politely applauding all of the main actors in retain authority. Flippantly attempting castles in the sky, EU offi cials and Tinternational politics: the to change that bargain eschews member governments need to work, annual General Debate of the United political realities and threatens to set with a frank and realistic mindset, Nations General Assembly, G20 the European project on a dangerous to build consensus on foreign and summits, and the Munich Security course. security issues. This means not Conference. That makes it all the more Juncker’s proposal at the MSC changing the rules at the top, but disappointing that the latest MSC, echoes similar recommendations on rather building cohesion from below. which took place in mid-February, the single market, which he fl oated in To ensure that this effort does brought only one big idea – and not a his 2017 State of the Union address. not end up being dragged out good one. Both are part of a broader eff ort interminably, as so many EU The MSC has long been a place not to shift power from the European discussions do, we should begin with just to see and be seen, but also to Council to the Commission – an concrete objectives. The Permanent hear and be heard. Yet, at this year’s eff ort that Juncker buttressed by Structured Cooperation in the field meeting, what was not said seemed to recently appointing his Svengali, of defence – agreed by the European speak louder than what was. Post- Martin Selmayr, as the Commission’s Council last December – is a good mortems of the gathering amounted secretary-general, the body’s top civil- place to start, with countries to something of an indictment of the service job. increasing, for example, joint increasingly rudderless global order. Now, Selmayr – who, as Juncker’s strategic planning at the European Observers largely focused on how little chief of staff, has been compared to level. Inspired by German Chancellor in the way of new ideas or innovative figures like Machiavelli and Rasputin Angela Merkel’s recent proposal to solutions there was, despite much – will have far greater influence, tie EU funding to the acceptance of handwringing about the state of the including over the selection of a new migrants, member states should also world. Commission president next year. The work to create stronger incentives for This stands in stark contrast to way the appointment was carried co-operation. years past. In 2015, the MSC helped out – shrouded in secrecy, in order There is no question that it is to generate momentum for the to avoid the involvement of member diffi cult for 27 sovereign countries to subsequent deal on Iran’s nuclear states – should do more than raise act as one. But, as tempting as it may programme. Last year, it was at the eyebrows. be, trying to paper over diff erences or MSC that key members of US President But such machinations are merely avoid dissent – let alone destroying the Donald Trump’s administration fi rst a symptom of a deeper problem with compact at the core of the European met their global counterparts. In 2007, Juncker’s approach. The problem is project – will not make matters any Russian President Vladimir Putin not that his approach may succeed – a easier. The only way to get where famously used the MSC to present functioning United States of Europe Europe needs to go is through a his stark worldview, in a speech that would achieve a lot – but rather that realistic and gradual eff ort to build presaged Russia’s interventions in it cannot. Europeans are simply not unity. For Europe, it is this that should Georgia and Ukraine. prepared to cede more sovereignty to be the key lesson of the MSC. – Project At this year’s conference, the one the EU. Syndicate big idea was European Commission Since the global financial crisis President Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addressing the Munich Security Conference last month. erupted a decade ago, Europe has zAna Palacio, a former Spanish call to shift authority over foreign been firmly in inter-governmental foreign minister and former senior and defence policymaking in the should take steps to ensure that it can world, the EU needs a culture and that, Juncker wants to take a short cut, mode. The last thing it needs is vice president of the World Bank, is a European Union from the member act eff ectively in world politics, his incentives that support genuine arguing that, when it comes to foreign another grand-sounding scheme that member of the Spanish Council of State states to the Commission. But, while approach is deeply fl awed. cohesion and co-operative action. and defence policies, the EU cannot be it is not in a position to carry out. and a visiting lecturer at Georgetown Juncker is right to assert that the EU To assume a leading role in the Rather than take the time to achieve required always to achieve unanimity. Between the Economic and Monetary University.

Why does childbirth still kill? Three-day forecast TODAY has not resulted in reduced mortality. birth attendants and facility managers, they serve. These relationships must Maximum Temperature : 310c By Katherine Semrau Minimum Temperature : 210c Boston The problem is low-quality care. To along with the WHO Safe Childbirth be based on respect and trust. This is make progress on reducing mortality, Checklist, we focused on the basics: true everywhere in the world. THURSDAY we now need to focus on improving hand washing to prevent infection, However, in the rural clinics in this Maximum Temperature : 320c ach year, more than 5.6mn and strengthening the frontline monitoring and treatment of women’s part of the world, coaching leaders and Minimum Temperature : 210c women and newborns primary-care facilities where the blood pressure to prevent eclampsia, teams in using a checklist solved some FRIDAY around the world die during majority of births worldwide are uterine massage and appropriate of these problems but not enough of Maximum Temperature : 320c Epregnancy, childbirth, or in happening. medication to prevent haemorrhages. them. We are closer than we have ever Minimum Temperature : 220c We saw marked improvement in care. been to closing the gap on maternal the fi rst month of life. What is more For the last three years, we ran Fisherman's forecast shocking is that the vast majority of one of the world’s largest maternal- Birth attendants completed 70% of and newborn mortality. We know what these deaths should never happen. newborn health trials in the Indian the known life-saving steps during is needed to make childbirth safer. WARNING Now we must determine how to Inshore : Nil Since 1990, maternal deaths have state of Uttar Pradesh, to see if we childbirth. Offshore : Expected strong wind decreased by 44% and the rate of could reduce deaths by improving the Yet it wasn’t enough. We saw no make that happen in every facility and high sea till midday newborn deaths has fallen as well, quality of care in frontline facilities. reduction in mortality rates. around the world. WEATHER though more slowly. Still, 99% of These facilities had on average 1,200 We knew that in order to impact It is time we deliver for women and Inshore : Relatively hot daytime with slight dust at maternal deaths and 80% of newborn deliveries per year, or 3-4 per day. maternal and newborn mortality, their newborns. – Project Syndicate places at times. deaths can be prevented with known Before the intervention started, less we had to address the whole health WIND interventions. than 1% of staff washed their hands system. Eff ective systems must be able zKatherine Semrau, Assistant Inshore : Westerly - Northwest- erly 05-15 KT reaches 18 We know that giving birth in a prior to delivery. Only 25% of women to address all gaps in care, including Professor of Medicine at Harvard KT health facility with a skilled clinician received the right medications to gaps in supplies and equipment, skills Medical School and Associate should mean better care and better prevent post-partum bleeding. Overall and capabilities, the relationships Epidemiologist at the Brigham and Offshrore : Northwesterly- Westerly 10-18 /22 KT outcomes. In many places, however, adherence to standard practices was between clinical leaders and frontline Women’s Hospital in the Division of encouraging women to deliver in 40%. providers and the relationships Global Health Equity, is Director of the Visibility : 4-8 KM health facilities rather than at home Using bedside peer-coaching of between providers and the families Ariadne Labs BetterBirth Programme. SEA STATE Offshore : 4 - 6 FT, Rises to 7 FT to the North.

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Tribune News Service neutropenia occurs in young children, Washington DC the problem may be caused by a genetic mutation. This form of the disorder is called severe chronic UESTION: My one-year- neutropenia. There are several old has neutropenia, and categories of genetic neutropenia, his neutrophil count is including congenital neutropenia, Qvery low (310). He often also called Kostmann syndrome; gets infections, and his neutrophil cyclic neutropenia; and autoimmune count goes even lower when he’s neutropenia. on antibiotics. What are our To fi nd out what’s causing his options at this point to get him neutropenia, your son likely will healthy? need to undergo several tests, A: Neutropenia is a condition including additional blood tests and Around the world in which a person has too few evaluation of his bone marrow. If his Weather Weather neutrophils. Neutrophils are a type healthcare provider suspects a genetic today Max/min tomorrow Max/min of white blood cell that helps the component to the disorder, genetic Athens M Sunny 19/11 Sunny 20/11 body fi ght infections, particularly testing also may be appropriate. There Beirut M Sunny 20/14 P Cloudy 19/15 infections caused by bacteria. People are instances where no clear cause Bangkok M Sunny 32/26 Sunny 33/26 who have neutropenia are at high risk can be found for neutropenia – even Berlin Showers 05/0 Cloudy 06/0 for multiple infections. In infants after thorough testing. In those cases, Cairo Sunny 29/16 Cloudy 26/14 and toddlers with neutropenia, those the disorder is labelled as idiopathic Cape Town S Showers 21/14 P Cloudy 18/13 infections often aff ect the ears, mouth, neutropenia. Colombo S T Storms 31/25 I T Storms 32/26 lungs, sinuses, throat and urinary If evaluation fi nds an underlying Dhaka P Cloudy 34/22 P Cloudy 36/23 tract. disorder that’s causing neutropenia, Hong Kong S T Storms 23/21 S T Storms 23/20 To manage neutropenia treatment for that problem could help Istanbul P Cloudy 14/09 P Cloudy 13/09 appropriately, it’s important to know restore the neutrophils and decrease Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 T Storms 32/24 the cause. Various diseases and of neutrophils in children varies or because of decreased production the risk of infection. Sometimes, Karachi Sunny 30/20 Sunny 33/19 conditions can lead to neutropenia. depending on the child’s age. A of neutrophils. A decrease in the treatment with a medication called London P Cloudy 13/07 Rain 11/05 Make an appointment for your child to one-year-old is considered to have production of neutrophils can be the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, Manila Sunny 34/24 M Sunny 34/24 have further evaluation by a paediatric neutropenia when the neutrophil result of a congenital problem in the or GCSF, also may be used to help the Moscow Cloudy -1/-4 Snow -1/-12 haematologist – a healthcare provider count goes below 1,500. A count below bone marrow, a nutritional defi ciency body rebuild its supply of neutrophils. New Delhi Sunny 34/18 Sunny 34/18 who specialises in blood disorders in 500, as in your son’s case, puts him at or another condition that prevents the Talk to a paediatric haematologist New York M Cloudy 06/0 M Cloudy 09/-1 children – to fi nd the reason for his a signifi cantly higher than normal risk bone marrow from making a suffi cient about assessing your son’s Paris M Sunny 14/08 S T Storms 14/06 neutropenia. The specialist will be for infection. amount of neutrophils. neutropenia. By gathering more Sao Paulo S T Storms 31/22 P Cloudy 32/21 able to help you decide on the most To determine the cause of your Neutropenia also can be a result of information about his condition Seoul M Sunny 20/11 Rain 13/02 appropriate treatment. son’s neutropenia, it is important to taking certain medications, especially – especially the cause – you’ll be Singapore P Cloudy 32/25 S T Storms 32/25 Neutrophils are made in bone fi rst determine whether it is due to antibiotics and other drugs used to better equipped to make an informed Sydney S Showers 25/19 M Sunny 29/20 marrow – the spongy tissue inside increased destruction of neutrophils fi ght infection. decision about the best way to move Tokyo Clear 21/07 Clear 21/08 some larger bones. The normal level (eg, as a result of an immune disorder) In some cases, particularly when forward. – Mayo Clinic News Network