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Wednesday 27 December 2017 | 9 Rabia II I 1439 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Volume 22 | Number 7388 | 2 Riyals

Sheikh Joaan awards winners of camel race More Turkish Winter tourism troops arrive to bring more in Doha QNA

he Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Moral visitors to Qatar TGuidance yesterday announced the arrival of a Sachin Kumar new batch of reinforcement The Peninsula troops from the fraternal Qatar is a perfect Turkish Armed Forces at Al ourism sector is set to winter sun Udeid Air Base, including ele- get boost in this win- destination for many ments of the Turkish Joint ter season. Many travellers across Forces Command. The new sun-seeking tourists, reinforcement batch is set to from countries under Europe, Ukraine join the Turkish forces cur- Tthe grip of harsh winter, look- and Russia. rently based at Tariq bin Ziyad ing for warmer climates will battalion, which comes within head to Qatar this season, say the joint defence agreement travel agents. Many initiatives has connected many cities in H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), between the State of Qatar and taken by the concerned author- Europe and other continents to honoured the winners of the 8th day’s Competition of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin the Republic of Turkey. ities to encourage tourism has Doha. The national carrier of Mohammed bin Thani’s Camel Festival for local pure Arabian camels race 2017-2018 This cooperation between also made it easier for tourists Qatar currently operates 42 season. the Qatari Armed Forces and to visit Qatar. flights from Italy, 15 flights from the Turkish forces comes “This winter will definitely Russia, seven flights from the within the framework of com- be better than previous winters Czech Republic and seven bating terrorism and violent for Qatar tourism sector as flights from Ukraine per week. extremism, and maintaining many positive steps were taken The award-winning airline had security in the region. The joint by the concerned authorities launched direct flights to Rus- Over half a million visit website defence cooperation between this year. I am expecting more sia’s St Petersburg recently. the two countries is an impor- number of tourists coming to “Qatar is a perfect winter tant part of the international Qatar this season compared to sun destination for many trave- of Made in Qatar exhibition efforts to combat terrorism. previous years. I have received lers across Europe, Ukraine and The newly joined forces will many queries from groups from Russia. The tourist friendly The Peninsula by businessmen and investors exhibitors exchanged views on begin military exercises with the Czech Republic and Russia,” steps by the authorities has from many countries. The web- the exhibition, which was vis- Qatari Armed Forces to increase James De Silva, Sales and Hol- made Qatar more attractive to atar Chamber (QC) site of the exhibition received a ited by more than 17,000 visitors joint military capabilities. iday In-charge, NBK Travel and tourists,” a senior official of announced yesterday that large number of messages which at the Doha Convention and Tourism told The Peninsula. Tour and Travel company told Qover half a million visited included questions about coop- Exhibition Center. “Qatar is a very good des- The Peninsula. the website of Made in Qatar eration in establishing industries Director General of Qatar Qatar denounces tinations for tourists from In August this year, Minis- exhibition during the exhibition in Qatar, opportunities and tar- Chamber and Chairman of the Guatemala decision countries that are currently try of Interior, Qatar Tourism period, which was organised by get sectors in this the field. Organising Technical Committee under the grip of harsh winter. Authority and Qatar Airways the QC in cooperation with the The statement said ‘Made in of the expo, Saleh bin Hamad Al atar denounced yester- Beautiful beaches, traditional allowed nationals from more Ministry of Energy and Industry Qatar’ recorded a significant Sharqi, said the exhibition was a day the announcement places and activities like desert than 80 countries the visa- under the patronage of Emir presence on the social network- huge success both in terms of the Qby President of Guate- safari which will make their trip free entry to the country H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ing platforms and media. The wide participation of companies mala of his country’s memorable,” he added. making it the most open coun- Al Thani. hashtag #Made_in_Qatar was as well as the transactions and intention to move its embassy Tourism will get a further try in the region. A statement issued by QC said the most tweeted hashtag on agreements made during it. from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. boost by the aggressive expan- that the exhibition has received Twitter during the four days of sion by Qatar Airways which → Continued on page 8 great deal of attention, especially the exhibition. Visitors and → Continued on page 8 → Report on page 8 CAA launches new website and mobile app Sidra Medicine to open main hospital on January 14 The Peninsula government entities at a local, regional and international scale. The Peninsula first weeks of opening, Sidra inister of Transport and CAA Qatar is available on Medicine’s inpatient services Communications H E Android and IOS to provide the idra Medicine, a specialty include pediatric medicine (gas- MJassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, public with more than five elec- children’s, young people troenterology, endocrinology and inaugurated yesterday the new tronic services including Sand women’s healthcare adolescent medicine) and elec- website of Civil Aviation Author- weather forecast as well as a organization and member of tive general surgery for children ity (CAA) in the presence of new service to be subsequently Qatar Foundation, is preparing and young people while its wom- Abdulla Nasser Turki Al Subaey, supplemented to the application for the phased opening of its en’s service will only be doing Chairman, CAA and a number of at the end of this year, which main hospital building on Jan- elective caesarian deliveries. All CAA heads of Sections and Units. could be accessed by creating an uary 14, 2018, and has other deliveries (even for patients The new website represents account into the application. announced details on how currently registered and receiv- a comprehensive interactive dig- The CAA Chairman said the patients can access care. ing their antenatal care at Sidra ital platform of all CAA related launch of the new website and As an organisation focus- Medicine) will be at HMC until the news, information in addition to mobile application is within the ing on high-risk and specialty women’s services is fully opera- the latest updates regarding air framework of our continuous cases, Sidra Medicine will con- tional by mid-2018. transport sector and the avia- endeavours to further develop tinue to see patients via tion industry. Such initiative our communication policy to referrals and by appointment → Continued on page 8 emphasises CAA’s continuous facilitate CAA interaction with only. Children, young people approach to develop the content the public both individuals and and women coming to Sidra for the public and constant entities. He added that such ini- Medicine must be referred by Included with endeavors to keep up with the tiative also reflects CAA’s a physician from HMC clinics today’s edition is modern technologies and most commitment to provide its serv- and PHCC centers. No walk-in recent layouts applied to inter- Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin ices by means of the best and or emergency services will be an 8-page special national websites. Saif Al Sulaiti inaugurating the new website of Civil Aviation most rapid ways, deploying its available at opening. The new CAA website is Authority (CAA) in the presence of Abdulla Nasser Turki Al utmost persistent efforts to max- The first inpatients for both supplement on characterised by a unique lay- Subaey, Chairman, CAA. imise the benefits of utilizing the children’s and women’s serv-

New-look Toyota Prado im out of colours and clear images latest technologies to achieve the ices for the main hospital have with superior driving perf PAGE 02 Mazda's Vision Coupe, Ka make a mark at Tokyo Mo which facilitate access to infor- world. The website also includes announcement of tenders and optimal results and its vigorous already been registered and WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT PAGE 08 mation enabling visitors to various electronic services pro- auctions issued by CAA on a reg- pursuit of updating the local and scheduled. Admissions in the Carmakers gear up for ‘robo-taxi’ revolution AFP that the automakers whi to the shift risk might no t’s November 22, 2028 and Sarah, But that means inves a young mother, gives her two chil- batteries, charging infra dren a kiss goodbye before autonomous driving tech utilise browsing and search vided by CAA departments such ular basis. international public about CAA first few months will be through buckling them into the driverless little prospect of seeing car that will bring them to school. time soon. For now, so ISarah doesn’t have a car and has no emission” vehicles rema plans to buy one. Living in a suburb, she Renault’s Zoe range of has run the numbers and the result is which is has offered sin clear: It’s much cheaper to order a car up just 1 percent of its sa only when she needs one. Its chief, Carlos Ghosn options for further familiarisa- as air safety, air navigation and CAA new website has been latest news and events. the Sidra Medicine Outpatient The “robo-taxi” has also made her figure will reach 5 percen life easier, but only after such vehicles contest will be costly fo upended the business models which car- ers, with PriceWaterh makers had relied on for decades. estimating that productio The revolution is already under way, next generation of elect with every major brand racing to cre- 20 percent higher than tr tion with news and events meteorology, besides the publi- launched in parallel with the CAA new website is can be Clinic and in collaboration with ate autonomous electric cars and trucks els, while warning of “ser that will always be just a few clicks of a for returns on investmen smartphone away. “The speed” of the s Fully electric cars are expected to electric future “will have make up 12 percent of the global mar- by all automotive comp ket in 2025, before jumping to 34 chief executive Carlos T percent in 2030 and 90 percent by 2050, the Frankfurt auto show organised or attended by CAA, cations section containing “Qatar mobile application ‘CAA Qatar’ visited via the link- http://www. HMC. Sidra Medicine will offer analysts at Bank of America Merrill Volkswagen's SEDRIC Robo-Taxi concept car at Frankfurt Auto Show 2017. Yet Western carmakers a Lynch forecast last month. officials already fear th The motivations are clear: Smog is rivals: Apple, Google and Tesla — which In Germany, Daimler is working everyone is going to own a car, with Moia behind Asian rivals, with becoming a serious menace in cities recently unveiled an all-electric semi with Bosch to develop self-driving elec- we’re trying to make sure everyone will ticular making headwa around the world, with China in partic- truck — see a chance to dominate a mar- tric cars that could be on the road by the be a client of ours one way or another,” motors and batteries. T ular demanding cleaner vehicles for its ket that will soon depend as much on early 2020s, and has already launched VW chief Matthias Mueller said. Commission to urge the rapidly growing market. software as on engineering. its own car-sharing service, Car2Go, in Robo-taxis could generate 40 per- “Airbus for batteries”, with including Air Services Agree- Sky Magazine” issues and other as an additional method of caa.gov.qa, the CAA Qatar mobile more inpatient services during Traffic jams are also eating up hours Industry chiefs aren’t waiting: some two dozen cities worldwide. cent of auto industry profits by 2030, panies joining forces f of commuters’ time, meaning car own- France’s PSA is betting on car-sharing Its German rival Volkswagen has according to German consulting firm battery production. “Thi ership is already no longer a given for and other “services” with its Free2Move created Moia, a “social movement” unit Roland Berger, which expects demand too important to import it many city dwellers. division, which it hopes will let it get exploring e-shuttles, ride pooling and for private vehicles to drop 30 percent the commission’s vice pr And carmakers have nimble new back into the huge US market. car hailing. “Even if in the future not in the period. And industry experts warn of energy, Maros Sefcovic

ments (ASA) and all civil aviation CAA publications. There is also smooth communication between application is downlodable from the course of 2018. CHAIRMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani Dr. Khalid M Al-Shafi news in Qatar and around the a section dedicated to the CAA and individuals, companies, Android and IOS app stores. On January 14 and during the ACTING MANAGING EDITOR ADVERTISING MANAGER ADVERTISING COORDINATOR DESIGN IMAGE PROCE 02 HOME WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 Talented students national wealth, says Al Hammadi

The Peninsula students in schools and consid- The Minister honoured ered his achievement a result of inister of Educa- his hard work, efforts and desire tion and Higher student Abdullah to excel, in addition to the role Education H E Dr Khaled Al Kaabi of his school and family for this Mohammed Abdul from Tariq bin Ziad excellence. He explained that the Wahed Ali Al Secondary School for positive and integrated cooper- MHammadi confirmed the Minis- ation between the family and try’s keenness to honour the winning a bronze in school is reflected on the student outstanding and talented stu- the 14th International in terms of his personality and dents as they are a national Junior Science the development of his capabil- wealth that the country gives ities and skills. The Minister integrated care to. Olympiad which added that this honour is not the The Ministry also guides took place in the end of the road, however it is a them the right direction in order Netherlands. step in a long, successful and dis- to serve their country in the tinctive path. Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi with future, and achieve their aspira- On his part, Al Kaabi said this student Abdullah Khaled Al Kaabi in the presence of his guardian and the head of the school. tions and hopes of their also honoured the student at an recognition encourages him to families. event held in the school in coop- continue his path of excellence The Minister honoured stu- eration with the Ministry on and confirmed that the State of field, regionally and many talented students from 50 relationships among students dent Abdullah Khaled Al Kaabi Tuesday. Qatar deserves the best from its internationally. countries and that are not less from all over the world from an from Tariq bin Ziad Secondary The Minister praised the win- youth. He added that everyone The State of Qatar partici- than 16 years of age. The Olym- early age. It also gives the oppor- School for winning a bronze in ner for his achievement and should work hard in their field pated for the first time in the 14th piad aims to encourage skilled tunity to compare between the 14th International Junior Sci- scientific and moral excellence. to elevate the country and con- International Junior Science students to develop their talent syllabi and educational direc- ence Olympiad which took place He said he represents a model tinue the path of excellence to Olympiad, which is one of the in the natural sciences’ branches tions of the participating in the Netherlands. The Minister and a good example of his fellow rank Qatar highly in the science biggest scientific events with and promote friendship and countries in science education.

Economy Minister gets message from Inspection campaign Indian counterpart held in Souq Al Ali QNA QNA The campaign, which inister of Economy and he Ministry of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Commerce carried out a covered 30 tailor MAhmed bin Jassim Al Tsurprise inspection cam- shops, resulted in the Thani received a written mes- paign on tailor shops in Souq Al seizure and issuance sage from Minister of Ali, in order to monitor the com- of three violations Commerce and Industry of the pliance of their owners to their Republic of India, Suresh Pra- obligations under Law No. 8 of related to the failure bhu, concerning bilateral 2008 on consumer protection. to advertise prices. relations and means of boost- The campaign, which cov- ing them, especially in the ered 30 shops, resulted in the economic, trade and investment seizure and issuance of 3 viola- such practiced and refer all vio- fields. tions related to the failure to lators to the concerned entities The message was delivered advertise prices, which is con- to take the appropriate measures by India’s Ambassador to Qatar, trary to the provisions of Article against them. P. Kumaran, during his meet- 8 of Law No. 8 of 2008 on con- The campaign comes within Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani with India’s ing with the Minister of sumer protection. The Ministry the framework of the Ministry’s Ambassador to Qatar, P. Kumaran, yesterday. Economy and Commerce, confirmed it will be firm against keenness to regulate and moni- yesterday. all those not complying to the tor the markets and commercial Qatar and India have a and technical cooperation mutual investments, signed on 2016 amounted to approxi- consumer protection law and its activities in the country with the number of bilateral trade and signed on April 19, 1984 in New April 7, 1999 in New Delhi. mately QR31.2bn, India is the executive regulations. It also con- aim of controlling prices and investment agreements, includ- Delhi and the agreement on the The trade exchange third biggest trading partner of firmed it will intensify its detecting violations in order to ing: an agreement on economic protection and promotion of between Qatar and India in Qatar. inspection campaigns to control protect the rights of consumers.

Mazda BT-50 Ashghal signs deal with QFFD for foreign projects Pick UP models Mohammed Osman development projects in the of 2011-2015 The Peninsula Authority will fields of infrastructure, buildings, project management and provi- atar Fund for Development provide technical sion of technical support adding recalled (QFFD) and the Public support related to that “we are glad to announce QWorks Authority ‘Ashghal’, infrastructure projects today the beginning of imple- The Peninsula yesterday signed a Memoran- menting this memorandum dum of Understanding (MoU) and constructions that through cooperation between he Ministry of Economy stating that the Public Works QFFD is financing in QFFD and the Ashghal in devel- and Commerce, in col- Authority will provide technical different countries. oping infrastructure in Somalia, Tlaboration with support related to infrastructure through the preparation of tech- National Car Company, dealer projects and constructions that nical designs for the 90 km long of Mazda vehicles in Qatar, QFFD is financing in different mission QFFD implementing Mogadishu – Jawhar Road and has announced the recall of countries. infrastructure projects in the the 30 km long Mogadishu – Mazda BT-50 Pick UP mod- The MoU was signed by Kha- countries the Fund cooperate Afgoye Road and and els of 2011-2015 due to rear lifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, the with. “We are also glad to pro- rehabilitation of government seat belt latch malfunction. Director General of Qatar Fund vide all available expertise at buildings. The ministry said the for Development, and Dr. Eng. Ashghal to contribute to achiev- He pointed out that these recall campaign falls within Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, ing the mission of the Fund to projects are very important for the framework of its ongoing President of the Public Works implement these projects with Somalia as they will enable the efforts to protect consumers Authority ‘Ashghal’ during a cer- the best quality and people to build the infrastruc- and ensure that car dealers emony held at Ashghal’s building efficiency.” ture systems which is essential follow up on vehicle defects yesterday. This is the first project we are for the economic development and repairs. The Ministry said Throughout past weeks we implementing is in Somalia and and achieving sustainable that it will coordinate with the held discussions with QFFD and include construction of two Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, the Director General of Qatar Fund development. dealer to follow up on the we managed to set up the mech- roads with length of around “We look for more cooper- maintenance and repair for Development, and Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, anisms and the suitable 130km and this is pilot project ation and partnership in the works and will communicate President of ‘Ashghal’ during the ceremony held at Ashghal’s frameworks through which both for Ashghal Al Muhannadi told future between QFFD and the with customers to ensure that parties will parties will coordi- The Peninsula. building yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula Ashghal Authority in the field of the necessary repairs are car- nate to exchange expertise to Ashghal has no projects infrastructure and buildings in ried out. contribute to the implementa- abroad but we want to introduce orientation to achieve integra- opment of these countries.” many developing countries, to The Ministry urges all tion of projects funded by QFFD the support in infrastructure tion between different Part of this MoU is to encour- strengthen Qatar’s role in devel- customers to report any vio- in a more efficient ways and projects and services with Qatari government entities in imple- age private companies which opment on the regional and lations to its Consumer higher quality, said Dr. Eng. Saad designs and architecture Al menting projects”, adding this have experience and capable to international levels.” Protection and Anti-Com- Al Muhannadi. Muhannadi added. We are keen MoU is the outcome of joint and implement projects in the coun- Meanwhile, QFFD was mercial Fraud Department Speaking at the signing cer- to open further opportunities for close cooperation between the tries Qatar is cooperating he pledged to support the Somali through the following chan- emony Dr. Al Muhannadi Qatari companies in implemen- Fund and the Public Works added. economy through a package of nels: Call Center: 16001; expressed his happiness for the tation of projects funded by Authority, which contributes to The implementation of the $200m worth of projects in the Email: [email protected]; first cooperation between Ash- QFFD, he stressed. achieve the Fund’s development project in Somalia began this fields of infrastructure, educa- Social media accounts: Twit- ghal and QFFD in implementing For his part the Director objectives, as part of Qatar’s week, Al Kuwari said, noting that tion, economic empowerment, ter: @MEC_Qatar; Instagram: projects. General of QFFD Khalifa Al commitment towards sisterly this is part of the total 200 mil- By signing a partnership agree- MEC_Qatar; Ministry of Econ- “It is our honour in the Pub- Kuwari, said “signing this mem- and friendly countries to imple- lion allocated for the country. ment with the Somali omy and Commerce mobile lic Works Authority to provide orandum comes within the ment different projects, that He also stated that this MoU Government end of the past app for Android and IOS: all the support for the great framework of the government contribute directly to the devel- will include important November. MEC_Qatar. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 HOME 03 Siege impact among topics discussed at QU-CAS event

Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al-Shafi, Editor-in- Chief of The Peninsula, appreciated the students’ efforts and advised them on the importance of accurate facts and statistics.

Sidi Mohamed The Peninsula

he Mass Communica- tion Department at Qatar University College of Arts and Sciences (QU-CAS) concluded Tyesterday the three-day event for students’ graduation projects for Fall 2017. The event highlighted 13 grad- uation projects presented by LEFT: Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al-Shafi, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, receiving a memento from Head of Mass Communication Department, Dr Noureldien El-Miladi female students, who showcased at the event. RIGHT: One of the students at the presentation of Graduation Project at Ibn Khaldon Hall at Qatar University, yesterday. Pics: Baher Amin / The Peninsula their projects in front of academ- ics, media professionals and the The projects vary in quality in magazine titled “Al-Olia” devel- full staff of the Mass Communica- terms of content and production. oped by students Sheikha Al Head of Mass tion Department, as well as faculty The jury consists of professors Khiareen, Noura Al Emadi and members from the College of Arts from the department as well as Eman Nouh, and talked about the Communication and Sciences. media professionals from outside hate discourse which is directed Department, Dr Most of the topics of the grad- the university, which achieves against Qatar in social media. This Noureldien El-Miladi, uation projects dealt with the great transparency and credibil- discourse aims to divide the GCC honoured Dr. blockade and its impact and how ity in evaluating these projects,” home by shattering its unity. Qatar had benefited from it eco- Head of Mass Communication In the “Broadcast/Documen- Khalid bin Mubarak nomically, the media of siege Department, Dr. Noureldien El- tary” track, the projects included Al-Shafi, saying that countries and how it fabricated Miladi, said. TV shows and documentaries, his evaluation and news. Also, social topics like Replying a question about why such as the film “Qatar Bldna”, domestic violence against children students had chosen those topics, directed by student Fatima Eissa pieces of advice were were among the topics of projects. El-Miladi said that the students Hamadi under the supervision of valuable for students. The presentation was held at Ibn were observing the suffering of lecturer of broadcast and docu- Khaldoon Hall at QU. society, pressure of the siege and mentary, Dr Njoud Al Ebrahim and College of Arts and Sciences that was why the topics were ini- the film “Gahwechi” directed by cussed very well in the society.” tiatives from them and also Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al-Shafi addressing the gathering. student Hind Al Nema, under the The total number of gradua- instructions from their professors. supervision of Associate Profes- tion projects discussed during last College of Arts and “Some of them also have social sor of Video, Audio, and TV three days are 35. Sciences Assistant relations in the siege countries and said that such topics were very witnessed how their media fabri- productions Dr Shaker Aiadi. Head of Mass Communication Dean for Student some are inspired from the topics important and the government, cate and give fake news against For his part, Dr. Abdul Muttalib Department, Dr Noureldien El- Affairs, Munira Al related to experiences they were by the first quarter of next year, is Qatar. Such media outlets are not said that the students were keen Miladi, honoured Dr. Khalid bin exposed to.” making efforts to achieve eighty respecting ethics of the profession; to keep their projects only about Mubarak Al-Shafi, and Dr. Abdul Subaie, said: “I’m “We are happy to see that stu- percent of self-sufficiency in dairy they are saying that Qatar supports current issues as every one Muttalib Siddiq Mekki, saying that delighted to witness dents are interested to discuss products. terrorism without provide any evi- expressed interest in such topics. their evaluation and pieces of this event and see social issues. Some of the projects Dr. Al-Shafi said that the stu- dence,” Al-Mohanadi said. “They also showed their desire to advice were valuable for students this significant are about what Qatar has achieved dents were supposed to highlight Another project was also of a deal with social issues not dis- and they must benefit from them. in economic field to achieve self- the economic efforts made by the number of student sufficiency. If the graduation government during the projects that show a projects do not talk about the pains blockade. promising generation of the society then they lack mean- The session was also attended ing,” El-Miladi added. by Mohamed El Amine Moussa, equipped with skills, The session was attended by Assistant Professor and Dr. Abdul qualifications and Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al-Shafi, Muttalib Siddiq Mekki, Managing knowledge.” Editor-in-Chief of The Editor of Al Sharq daily among Peninsula. others. Dr. Al-Shafi appreciated the In the “Journalism” track, the students’ efforts and advised them projects, which were under the (CAS) Assistant Dean for Student on the importance of accurate supervision of Associate Prof of Affairs, Munira Al Subaie, said: “I’m facts and statistics. Journalism, Dr. Nishan Rafi, delighted to witness this event and Commenting on one of the included the magazine titled “Vic- see this significant number of stu- project about Qatar’s economy tory Despite the Siege” developed dent projects that show a after the blockade, Dr. Al-Shafi by students Najlaa Al-Mohanadi promising generation equipped and Hessa Al-Hatmi. with skills, qualifications and “We chose this topic which is knowledge.” about blockade because we lived She also added that most of with this experience, and have the projects discussed issues we were living in like the blockade and the projects were excellent. “I Most of the topics hope that they benefit from eval- of the graduation uation of the jury and to continue with these projects.” projects dealt with Regarding the selection of the the blockade and projects, she said that there are its impact and how directives from professors to stu- Qatar had benefited dents to choose such topics, but also students had developed the from it economically, ideas. “This event is one of the the media of siege major events in the department; Head of Mass Communication countries and how it it is an opportunity for students to Department, Dr. Noureldien fabricated news. showcase their skills and the result El-Miladi of their academic achievements.

Supplements on display. Pics: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula 04 HOME WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 Lusail Stadium workers Souq Waqif Spring Festival hail SC’s cooling system

QNA fare,” Russell added. Evaporative cooling For his part, Mahmoud orkers con- vests, wrist-wraps, Qutub, senior advisor of special structing projects office and the execu- Lusail Sta- cooled towels and tive director of workers’ welfare, dium, which neck covers were said the pilot has been very ben- will host the recently tested by 150 eficial. “The metrics captured by W2022 FIFA World Cup final, have Techniche demonstrated in real workers at the Lusail hailed as success the innovative time the positive impact on both cooling technology provided by Stadium project site. the mental and physical state of the Supreme Committee for Made from state-of- workers.” Delivery and Legacy. the-art evaporative “Our aim is to find solutions Evaporative cooling vests, and phase change right now using existing tech- wrist-wraps, cooled towels and nology, however there is an neck covers were recently tested materials, the opportunity to develop a prod- Visitors enjoy the Octopus Ride, one of the amusement rides on offer at Souq Waqif Spring by 150 workers at the Lusail Sta- technology cooled the uct that leaves a legacy for Festival which launched on Monday. The festival, which comprises over 60 attractions dium project site. Made from body temperatures of workers not only in Qatar but in spread across the souq, runs for four months making it the longest festival of its kind state-of-the-art evaporative and any country with a similar cli- organized by Souq Waqif. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula phase change materials, the workers by up to 10 mate. That is something we are technology cooled the body degree C. already exploring,” Qutub said. temperatures of workers by up The Techniche pilot is one to 10 degree C. Every worker of many uses of cooling prod- who took part in the recent pilot welcomed the trial. “The initial ucts by the SC in 2017. Earlier described the technology as response was positive the work- this year, the Workers’ Welfare Advisory Council team takes beneficial, while more than ers like the comfort. It enables Department deployed 10,000 three-quarters said the cooling them to work better and cooled towels across all projects effect was “very good.” increases productivity.” in parallel with a separate Following the success of the Meanwhile, Techniche Man- cooled vest trial on Al Wakrah part in Arab Parliament Session pilot, SC will now assess the aging Director James Russell Stadium. results of the report before said the trial gave them “a foun- In addition, SC also devel- The Peninsula economic integration and unified Development of a Concept for exploring ways to utilise the dation to test our technologies oped an innovative cooled Arab economic legislations and Assistance and Support to Arab technology which will benefit and let us understand how we helmet capable of reducing tem- dvisory Council Delegation laws. The Committee on Legisla- Refugees and Displaced Women workers in the short, medium can fight heat stress in these peratures by up to 10 C. is participating in the sec- tive, Legal and Human Rights and Children, the committee on and long-term. conditions.” Following an extensive research Aond legislative session of Affairs will review the methodol- Human Rights in the Arab World, The pilot was conducted by Russell went on to explain and development phase, these the Arab Parliament in Cairo. The ogy of preparing the Human the Committee on the Prepara- US-based Techniche in collab- how the technology keeps a helmets are expected to be meetings of the four permanent Rights Report in the Arab World tion of the Draft Higher Education oration with the SC and HBK worker cool. “The vests are rolled out next summer. committees and sub-committees and the Status of Arab Commu- Document in the Arab World, and Contracting, Lusail Stadium’s made from an evaporative fab- The use of cooled products of the Arab Parliament, started nities in Western Countries and the Committee on Less developed main contractor. ric called HyperKewl, which is on SC sites complements a host yesterday to discuss the topics on its Report on Migration in the Arab Arab countries. Temperatures on-site a super-absorbent polymer fiber of initiatives that have been the agenda of the general session World. On the sidelines of meet- The plenary session of the reached 40 C during the pilot. which you place directly into introduced across SC projects of the second session of the sec- ings of the Arab Parliament parliament will focus on discuss- Workers tested the technology water to activate. It reduces a designed to enhance the living ond legislative session of the Arab meeting, Several committees are ing the current Arab situation in for a full day, during which they workers body temperature and and working conditions of Parliament scheduled scheduled to hold their meetings, light of the serious challenges fac- were regularly monitored. Ther- lasts for around ten hours.” workers, including a health and tomorrow. namely the Committee of Pales- ing the Arab world, especially the mal images were taken “This technology is at the nutrition program with Weill- During its meetings, the Com- tine, the Committee on developing follow-up on the plan of action of throughout the test to measure forefront of the industry. Going Cornell Medicine-Qatar, an mittee on Foreign and Political a plan of action to remove the the Arab Parliament adopted at the body temperature of the forward, there will be research extensive training and up-skill- Affairs and Arab National Secu- name of the Republic of the Sudan its emergency session held ear- workers and measure the effec- and development into how we ing program, a dedicated rity will discuss its first qualitative from the list of States sponsoring lier this month on the tiveness of the technology. take this technology forward, to grievance hotline, and a wide- report on the political situation in terrorism, the Committee on the repercussions of US President Kalyan Viswanathan, HBK enable the SC and Qatar to spread program of health checks the Arab world, while the Com- Preparation of the Report on the Donald Trump’s decision regard- Contracting’s workers’ welfare become leaders in heat stress and assessment of emergency mittee on Economic and Financial Political Situation in the Arab ing the occupied city of manager, said the workers management and workers’ wel- medical facilities across all sites. Affairs will discuss issues of Arab World, the Committee on the Jerusalem. Katara offers training courses on handicraft MoPH provides training on ‘Asthma Friendly School’ program

The Peninsula with enjoyable and safe activ- ities in the field of physical he Ministry of Public education and stimulates inter- Health (MoPH) trained action between school, family Tmore the 150 nurses and and society, she added. employees in a number of pri- Dr. Al Mutawa said that in mary schools on the methods order to achieve those goals, the to apply the Asthma Friendly Non-Communicable Diseases School Program 2017/2018. department works with a The Asthma Friendly School number of partners in the Min- program targets students with istry of Education and Higher asthma between six and 12 Education, HMC and PHCC, to years of age and is being reduce the number of patients applied in 122 health-promot- and improve the lives of sick ing schools. students, in coordination with This takes place in partner- the efforts of schools, families People taking part in the training courses on traditional handicraft. ship with the Hamad Medical and the society to improve the The first traditional Corporation (HMC) and Primary students’ situation and reduce The Peninsula handicraft training Al-Sadu, gypsum decoration and popular professions and their Health Care Corporation the absence rates for asthmatic embroidery held between 4pm artistic and creative value, and (PHCC). students. programme going on he Cultural Village Foun- to 8pm from Sunday to Tuesday possess the culture of quality, Head of Non-Communica- Head of Asthma Friendly at Katara Building 6. dation-Katara is offering and will continue until the end mastery and excellence,” said ble Diseases department at School in Qatar Program Dr. It includes training Ttraining courses on tradi- of April. Salma Al Nuaimi, Cultural Coun- MoPH Dr. Kholoud Al Mutawa Maya Al Sheiba said the pro- tional handicraft aimed at “The first training program selor and Head of Heritage said despite that asthma is non- gram is a unique learning courses on Al-Sadu, developing a generation of on traditional handicraft aims at Committee at Katara. She added: curable, however, it can be experience designed to allow gypsum decoration skillful craftsmen in the reviving the popular heritage and “We have divided the crafts in controlled by receiving medi- asthmatic students to make the and embroidery held country. attracting Qatari youth, residents terms of practitioners (female cal services and improving the most of the available medical between 4pm to 8pm The first traditional handi- and children of Qatar to engage and male) and common crafts living conditions of the sick potential and live in a support- craft training program is still in traditional crafts in order to such as leather tanning and child. ive natural environment that from Sunday to Tuesday. going on at Katara Building 6. create a generation of craftsmen wicker wool; women’s crafts such She added that the program helps them develop their skills It includes training courses on aware of the importance of the as sewing, Al-sadu, perfumery aims to activate six important and improve their quality of life. and cosmetics, and men’s crafts, strategic goals for asthma, She said it also helps to pre- such as carpentry, goldsmith, sea which includes establishing and pare all students and staff to craft, gypsum, pottery and supporting the Asthma Friendly respond to asthma emergen- blacksmith.” School in Qatar Program. cies as they occur. The program “The Cultural Village Katara It also aims to provide men- involves training school staff oversees the program and pro- tal and general health services and teachers on the basics of vides all forms of material and for students with the disease, asthma, asthma management moral support to these crafts- focuses on raising health and follow-up of chronic con- men, to practice their traditional awareness by providing health ditions. It also includes activities crafts permanently to the pub- education programs for stu- to educate parents, teach stu- lic through the possibility of dents and school staff, provides dents about the basics of allocating various places in a safe and healthy school envi- asthma, how to control the con- Katara, activating tourism and ronment by reducing the dition, identify signs of attack, preserving the cultural heritage,” irritants of an asthma attack, and how to help a person with she explained. provides asthmatic students an attack, she added. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 HOME 05 Ooredoo opens new shop in Industrial Area

The Peninsula Ooredoo tv and more. The Oore- customers who live and work in doo Shop will be open Saturday the Industrial Area. We will con- oredoo announced - Thursday from 8am to 10pm, tinue our ambitious nationwide yesterday the and on Friday from 2pm to 10pm. expansion strategy of Ooredoo launch of a new The Ooredoo Shop also has Shops, providing neighbour- Ooredoo Shop in three Self-Service Machines on hood-level convenience for our Industrial Area, as offer, which are accessible 24/7 customers to experience our Othe company continues to invest to enable customers to enjoy wide range of products and serv- in providing convenience for instant Ooredoo services any- ices, and our leading customer customers and a better shopping time of the day. support service.” experience. During the opening cere- Customers can find nearest Thanks to the new shop mony, Ooredoo gave away Ooredoo Shop by visiting Oore- opening, which is located oppo- surprise gifts for visitors pur- doo website at www.ooredoo.qa site the Al Attya market, Ooredoo chasing selected products. or via the Ooredoo App. services are now more accessi- Talking about the event, ble than ever to customers Manar Khalifa Al Muraikhi, working or living in Industrial Director of PR and Corporate Officials and other well- Area. Communications, Ooredoo The new Ooredoo Shop Qatar, said: “By opening this wishers at the opening of offers services for Shahry and Ooredoo Shop, we are meeting the new Ooredoo Shop in Hala, as well as Fibre, data, the needs of our many Industrial Area. 06 HOME WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 HMC’s LifeFlight service marks 10 years of launch

The Peninsula that the service was rolled out “Since its launch in permanently. In LifeFlight’s early amad Medical Cor- years, the service was opera- poration’s (HMC) air 2007, our LifeFlight tional only during daylight hours, ambulance service, Service has grown but in 2011 the hours of opera- LifeFlight, recently exponentially and tion were expanded and today celebrated its ten- today responds to the service responds to emergen- Hyear anniversary. cies 24 hours a day. “Since its launch in 2007, our more than 2,000 In September 2013, the Ambu- LifeFlight Service has grown emergencies a year, lance Service introduced three exponentially and today responds providing a vital new, highly-advanced helicopters to more than 2,000 emergencies service for the people to its LifeFlight fleet; the Agusta a year, providing a vital service Westland AW139 helicopters are for the people of Qatar,’’ said Dr of Qatar,’’ said Dr flown by highly trained pilots from Robert Owen, Chief Executive Robert Owen, Chief the Qatar Emiri Air Force. HMC’s LifeFlight Service responds to more than 2,000 emergencies a year, providing a vital Officer of HMC’s Ambulance “Each of the new helicopters Executive Officer of service for the people of Qatar. Service. “For most emergency HMC’s Ambulance can carry two patients, two med- cases, our ambulances and other ical crew, and two pilots, and is road-based vehicles are the best Service. equipped with the latest operate an efficient and effec- teams to deliver the very best The accreditation was method of transport for getting advanced life support medical tive LifeFlight Service. care to our patients,’’ Darwish awarded following a rigorous our teams to the scene. equipment,’’ said Ali Darwish, On behalf of the Ambulance added. evaluation of the LifeFlight Serv- However, when speed is the action,’’ said Owen. Assistant Executive Director of Service I would like to extend my The LifeFlight Service ice against quality, management, highest priority, or when patients The LifeFlight Service was the Ambulance Service. thanks to the Qatar Emiri Air received accreditation by the and performance measures. need emergency care in the more launched in 2007 as part of a six- “We have a strong partner- Force’s leadership and to the European Aeromedical Institute EURAMI accredited aero- remote areas of Qatar, the Life- month pilot project. ship with the Qatar Emiri Air high-skilled pilots who work (EURAMI) in 2015 for both adult medical services are recognized Flight Service is called into The pilot was such a success Force which enables us to hand-in-hand with our medical and pediatric critical care. as amongst the best in the world. Rotating market: Bedaya Center hails role of entrepreneurs

The Peninsula Maqtoura, was to show our sup- Souq Maqtoura port for local businesses and this edaya Center for Entrepre- began on December was aptly demonstrated with the neurship and Career, a participation of entrepreneurs Bjoint initiative by Qatar 12, 2017 and will from diverse sectors such as tex- Development Bank and Silatech, run till March 2018, tiles, accessories, and fragrance in line with the celebrations for between 4 pm to 9 etc. the National Day held the “Souq pm at Katara with the Through this event, we were Maqtoora: National Day Edi- able to inform visitors at Katara tion”- the first rotating market objective to support about the participating compa- in the country. entrepreneurs. nies, startups and projects and Souq Maqtoura began on present their products.” December 12, 2017 and will run “We at Bedaya, strive to pro- till March 2018, between 4 pm to imposed on the country. The event vide a wide range of solutions 9 pm at Katara with the objec- received overwhelming response and services that support entre- tive to support entrepreneurs. from locals and expats. preneurs by providing the best With the participation of On this occasion, Reem Al- ways and programs that enable more than 30 projects,”Souq Suwaidi, General Manager of them to introduce their projects Maqtoora: National Day Edition” Bedaya Center said: “Souq Maq- and businesses to help them is an exceptional initiative show- toura, one of Bedaya’s prime achieve their desired goals. casing products that focus and initiatives has earned a wide Bedaya Center for Entrepreneurship and Career held the “Souq Maqtoora: National Day Edition”- Through Souq Maqtoura, we highlights the spirit of the popularity as the first rotating the first rotating market in the country in connection with National Day celebrations. The event have been able support many National Day celebrations. market in the country aiming to began on December 12, 2017 and will run till March 2018 at Katara. companies and startups to show- It also demonstrates the support local projects and case their distinctive products efforts of entrepreneurs in startups. necessary platform for entrepre- in the local market.” National Day Celebrations with that coincide with National Day responding to the unjust blockade This initiative provides the neurs to leave a distinct footprint “Our participation in the the special version of the Souq celebrations,” she added. QC launches winter campaign for needy Qatar’s professor honoured in India The Peninsula

s winter is getting tougher, The Peninsula and health hazard. Qatar Charity launched its He patented new technol- Acampaign “Winter for The rof Syed Javaid Zaidi, Chair ogy for clean energy device fuel Needy” to reach out to vulnera- Professor of Chemical cells for automobiles and backup ble people in areas of conflict. PEngineering and QAFAC power applications, which The campaign is targeting ref- Chair in the Center for Advanced results in the clean environment. ugees and needy people in Syria, Materials at Qatar University, He has published over 200 Iraq, Palestine, and Rohingyans has been honoured with the life- research articles in international through providing essential liv- time achievement award for his journals and conferences. He has ing items, food, and fuel. Upon the performance in the field of been invited to serve in the Advi- start of the campaign, hundreds Chemical Engineering by Venus sory Council of Arab Water of thousands of people have Internation Foundation in a cer- Desalination, a prestigious already received help in the afore- emony held in Chennai, India. organization of the Middle East. mentioned countries. The award was given to Prof In addition, Prof Zaidi has The campaign was launched Zaidi for his contribution, delivered more than 120 pres- in a press conference at Qatar research excellence and accom- entations and talks at various Charity’s headquarters and led plishments in the area of international forums, confer- by Projects Executive Manager Qatar Charity’s Projects Executive Manager Khaled Abulla Al Yafei and Media Department Chemical Engineering in a grand ences and symposiums and Khaled Abulla Al Yafei and Manager Ahmed Saleh Al Ali addressing a press conference to launch the “Winter for the ceremony attended by delegates institutions in more than twenty Media Department Manager in Needy” campaign at the headquarters of the Qatar Charity, yesterday. from 15 countries held in countries. He is the first and only Qatar Charity Ahmed Saleh Al November in Chennai, India. scientist living in Qatar to Ali. Alyafei stated that under the people from freezing to death wooden cottage to accommo- reaching out to a number of Prof Zaidi holds fifteen pat- receive this prestigious award. slogan “Warm Their Winter” and and contribute to providing sup- date eight Rohingyan families. 127,000 refugees, while it suc- ents and patent applications for Prof Zaidi appreciates the sup- with a total budget of port to help them survive the The products dedicated to cessfully managed to distribute the new discoveries and inven- port provided by Qatar QR65,000,000, our campaign blistering cold. Through a dona- needy people in Palestine consist the same items for 20,400 Rohi- tions to his credit. His University for advancing his targets 1,770,500 vulnerable tion of QR50 up to QR3000, of QR100 clothing bag and QR200 gyans in the city of Cox’s Bazar achievements include the inven- career and giving the opportu- people whose countries are Qatar Charity will manage to food basket, while the Iraqi refu- in Bangladesh. tion of new process for the nity and resources to pursue this going through conflicts and provide food, fuel, and shelter gees will receive QR200 heater Through the campaign, removal of heavy metals from kind of innovative and scientific exceptional circumstances. to refugees and people in need. and QR3000 equipped tent. Due Qatar Charity has provided 200 waste-water, which are toxic work. The campaign aims at pro- The products of the cam- to the staggering numbers of Syr- Syrian families in Lebanon with viding essential living items such paign for Syrian refugees ian refugees, the campaign aims basic items that support their as food, tents, winter clothes, include: QR100 hygiene kit, at targeting 582,000 people, 65% survival during winter and their blankets, heaters, and fuel. “With QR500 family clothing bag, of them are located inside Syria. need for fuel, food, and medical the support of our Qatari people QR200 diesel heater, QR200 While it covers 445,000 Rohy- assistance. Those interested to and our expatriates in the state food basket, QR100 blanket, gians, 102,000 Iraqis, and 50,000 contribute may donate for the of Qatar, we aspire to reach out QR100 school backpacks. For Palestinians. campaign via qcharity.org, or by to as many vulnerable people as those escaping persecution in Few days ago, Qatar Charity calling hotline 44667711. They possible.” Facing extreme tem- Bangladesh, the products started “Winter for The Needy” may also donate at Qatar Char- perature in winter time, Al Wafei include: QR50 meal for ten peo- through distributing food bas- ity’s headquarters or any of its sent a shootout to Qatari and ple, a blanket and clothing bag kets, tents, blankets, winter collection outlets that can be expatriate benefactors to pro- for QR100 each, QR200 food clothes inside Syria (In Reef found in major commercial tect the refugees and vulnerable basket, QR2000 equipped Halab, Idlib, and Al Ghouta) centers and malls. Professor Syed Javaid Zaidi receiving the award. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 HOME 07 Second Awareness & Supported Elements expo in February

Sanaullah Ataullah sectors - government, private The Peninsula and youth initiatives. The exhibition, a four- Speaking to The Peninsula on day event entitled the sidelines of the press confer- o raise awareness among “Awareness for Qatar” ence, Ammar Anabtawi, CEO, the community at various and “Awareness Final Vision Qatar said that Tlevels, Ministry of Culture within the exhibition workshops and Sports yesterday announced improves Life” will and sessions will be held on daily Second Awareness and Sup- be organised by basis during four day of the ported Elements Exhibition, Final Vision Event event. “We will give chance to which would be held from Feb- Management in all exhibitors and participants to ruary 20 to 23 next year at Qatar present their awareness pro- National Convention Centre partnership with grammes,” he added. He said that (QNCC). QNCC. the exhibition is expecting more The event will provide a plat- than 100 participants from all Fahad Abdullah Al Hajri (second left), Director of Events and Marketing at QNCC; Ammar Anabtawi form for governmental, semi sectors. (centre), CEO, Final Vision Qatar; and other officials (from left) Dr Hamad Al Fayyad, Heider governmental and private sec- to present their programmes and “We are targeting everybody Mohammed, and Saud Abdullah Al Dulaimi, at a press conference. Pic: Kammutty VP/The Peninsula tors and youth initiatives to awareness campaigns directly not any particular audience; we interact with community mem- to the public,” said Heider are targeting all community bers to raise social, cultural, Mohammed, Final Vision Chair- therefore we are having massive school to the exhibition and we will be charging about $400 per opportunity will be open to var- religious, security, economic, man in a press conference at media campaign,” he said. “As will be sending invitation to par- sqm for four days,” he said. Saud ious youth initiatives to present health and environment related QNCC yesterday. soon as the exhibitors confirmed ents.” Registration for exhibitors Al Dulaimi, Head of Public Rela- their initiatives through the awareness. The exhibition, a He said that results of the their participation, we sat with and visitors are open online. tions and communication exhibition. four-day event entitled “Aware- previous awareness campaigns them in a meeting getting full “Entities can register and book Department at Ministry of Cul- Abdul Aziz Al Emadi, CEO of ness for Qatar” and “Awareness and programmes presented by information about their targeted spaces online or they can con- ture and Sports said that the Qatar National Convention improves Life” will be organized some governmental bodies will audience so we will focus to tact directly we have our sales Ministry’s support for this exhi- Center, said that QNCC by Final Vision Event Manage- be revealed at the exhibition to bring them to the exhibition.” team that will approach them bition comes within the announced its partnership with ment in partnership with QNCC. evaluate these initiatives. The He said: “For example, we immediately once they receive framework of the directives of H Final Vision to organise the event “The exhibition aims to attract exhibition will witness the launch have some programmes with the the call.” E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Min- in its second edition in order to the largest number of aware- of Awareness Prize for the first Ministry of Education and Higher There are fees for participa- ister of Culture and Sports, to play an important role in organ- ness-raising entities in the time in Qatar, which will evalu- Education targeting students and tion and the exhibitors will have support and sponsor outstand- ising important national events country in all its categories and ate a number of campaigns and parents. So we are preparing to to book spaces. “We are selling ing National events. and not only as a hosting venue sectors to meet under one roof awareness programs for three provide daily shuttle buses from spaces at per square meter. We Al Dulaimi said that the for events. MoU signed to hold Al-Andalus Garden exhibition in April Renovation of 16 mosques The Peninsula Khulaifi said, “It’s a pleasure for me to sign an MOU with FUNCI, completed uranic Botanic Garden as it’s a great benefit to both sides (QBG), a member of Qatar to join hands and to cooperate QNA QFoundation (QF), and the in caring for our Islamic Islamic Culture Foundation culture. he Ministry of Endow- (FUNCI) of Spain have signed a This exhibition highlights the ments and Islamic Affairs memorandum of understanding importance of gardens in Islam Thas concluded the reno- (MOU) to collaborate in bringing and the extent of Muslim inter- vation of 16 mosques across the AI-Andalus Garden Exhibi- est in this area. This is achieved the country from January to tion to Qatar. through presenting some of the October at a cost exceeding The exhibition will be held tools that were used by Muslims QR6.5m, the ministry said in a at Katara Cultural Village in April in Andalusia for agriculture, and press release. 2018. in motivating audiences to take Maintenance works at 60 Created by FUNCI, AI-Anda- care of the environment to pro- houses of imams and prayer lus Garden Exhibition is an tect our culture.” callers besides renovating expression of the peaceful coex- Al-Khulaifi, accompanied another seven mosques with istence among different cultures Gutierrez in visiting the Qatar expenses paid by donors were and of the respect for environ- Foundation Plant Nursery, Qatar also carried out. mental and historical heritage National Library, HBKU’s Col- Moreover, 15,600 water dis- through one of the closest lege of Islamic Studies, the pensers were replaced at aspects to the everyday life of Museum of Islamic Art, and mosques. The renovations took people: Nature and gardens. Katara. place in the areas of Al Aziziya, The exhibition previously “Qatar has achieved great Al Wukair, Al Mamoura, Salata, toured with great success across progress and has become one of Mehairja, Al Nuaija, Al Muraikh, several countries, including, the world’s leading countries in Al Matar, Al Ghuwariyah and among others, Spain, Morocco, the field of education. Together Fatima Saleh Al-Khulaifi, Manager, Quranic Botanic Garden; and Encarna Gutierrez, Secretary- Abal Heeran. Additionally, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and we aspire to show the depth of General, Islamic Culture Foundation, signing an MoU covering services related to bringing the seven manufactured mosques Kuwait. Islamic civilization and culture AI-Andalus Garden Exhibition to Qatar in April 2018. were installed in Rawdat Encarna Gutierrez, Secretary and the development of Muslims Ekdeem, Julaiah, Rawdat Al General, of the Islamic Culture in Andalusia,” said Gutierrez. by FUNCI in Spain. Med-O-Med, nonprofit, scientific and cultural from a historical viewpoint but Hamam, Al Thumaid, Al Kheesa Foundation, met with Fatima QBG is an active member, since aims to conserve biodiversity as NGO, and part of the Spanish also as tools that can help meet and Al Wakrah. The ministry Saleh Al Khulaifi, Manager of the August 2015, of the Med-O-Med well as natural and cultural her- Ministry of Culture’s Register for present and future challenges. has a plan in place to double the Quranic Botanic Garden, recently international development coop- itage in the Muslim majority the Protection of Cultural Foun- Throughout its history, FUNCI number of mosques and main- in Doha and to sign the MOU, eration network of the Islamic countries of the Mediterranean dations. FUNCI seeks to show has worked hand in hand with a tain and expand the old ones in strengthening mutual coopera- Culture Foundation (FUNCI), and the Middle East. the achievements of Islamic cul- large number of Spanish and the different areas to cope with tion between both parties. Al which was established in 2009 FUNCI is a Spanish, ture and civilization not only international institutions. the urban growth. Mahaseel Festival pulls more crowd QRCS donates QR1m The Peninsula to storm victims

he second edition of Mahaseel Festival has been in the Philippines Tattracting more visitors with a combination of shopping, QNA follow up and assess the most education and entertainment as important needs at this stage. well as the diverse local quality atar Red Crescent Soci- The flooding caused by Vinta products and cultural activities ety (QRCS) has allocated led to the displacement of some that are on offer daily. QQR1m as an initial and people living in the affected Yesterday, Bulgarian Ambas- urgent response to support areas due to the destruction of sador Metin Kazak and Italian families affected by Vinta storm 12,041 houses. Ambassador Pasquale Salzano in the Philippines in fields The latest tropical storm has visited the festival and were including health care, food and killed 203 people, injured more received by Katara General non-food items. than 171, while 100 persons are Manager Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim The support comes in still missing. The storm also cut Al Sulaiti. The Ambassadors response to the call for relief water, electricity and roads. praised the festival for offering launched by the Philippine Red QRCS has recently distributed quality and diverse variety of Cross due to the emergency emergency aid to 14,000 fami- products. Some of the the most conditions resulting from the lies in Marawi, where the relief popular Qatari farms and com- tropical storm, which struck team managed to reach the city panies have brought their Visitors at the second edition of Mahaseel Festival several areas of the southern after the Philippine government products to the festival. Philippines on December 23, announced the end of violence The Qatari company for Mohammed Maher, supervisor developments to contribute to The Boseif beekeeping dis- QRCS said Tuesday in a press that has been going on for more poultry production (Oasis)and at Adba farm, said: “Poultry the needs of the local market for plays a variety of natural Qatari release. QRCS pointed out that than five months. the Adba poultry and quail farm farming takes place in farms white meat and eggs, and under honey extracts of Sidr, which is immediately after the disaster, QRCS is the first international are participating with their high located in Umm Al Qarn, with the control of the Ministry of known for its high quality, taste they coordinated with the Phil- organization to provide human- quality products. innovative methods and an open Municipality and Environment. and variety of flavours. ippine Red Cross and a joint itarian assistance to those The two companies are and natural atmosphere, away The original Qatari honey Mahaseel Festival is open until operations room was activated affected by the storm. The aid offering varieties of chicken and from any hormonal shops are well received by visi- Saturday from 9am to 10pm. to follow up the latest develop- included 14,000 food parcels, quail, which are slaughtered treatments.” tors at the festival, given the From next month until end of ments and limit the damage. 2,000 personal hygiene kits, as daily, cleaned, packaged and Maher noted that the festi- natural Qatari honey produced March the festival will be open QRCS also coordinated with well as psychological support for brought directly from the farm, val is witnessing successive by the Qatari farms. from Thursday to Saturday. its team in Marawi city to children in shelters. 08 MIDDLE EAST WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017

Half a million visit Blocked from Europe, migrants settle in Morocco website of Made

Rabat in Qatar exhibition AFP Discouraged by the Continued from page 1 nable to reach danger of passing Europe in search of through countries He pointed out that the a better life, Aliou such as Libya and by great success achieved by the Ndiaye settled in exhibition reflects the success Morocco instead, harsh policies aimed of the Qatari industry in Ugiving up on his original goal like at preventing migrants breaking the unjust siege on thousands of other sub-Saharan going to Europe, many the state and the great confi- African migrants. settle in “transit” dence that citizens and “Everyone has the right to go residents attach to the to another country to try their countries including national industry and the luck,” the 31-year-old former Morocco. local product. fish exporter from Senegal said. Al Sharqi pointed out that “Lots of people are trying to the number of exhibitors reach Europe, but some end up Commission for Planning. “The reached 320 companies in staying to make a living.” Moroccan authorities have five industrial sectors petro- Seven out of 10 West Africa- switched from a security chemicals, furniture, food, born migrants stay on the approach, which criminalised small and medium industries, continent, according to a Decem- illegal immigration, to a dis- and various other industries. ber study by the Moroccan think course of integration,” said The exhibition also registered tank OCP Policy Center. Mehdi Alioua, former head of a the participation of 138 pro- Discouraged by the danger group that helped migrants. ductive families that provided Migrant vendors selling cellphones on a sidewalk in the Moroccan capital Rabat. of passing through countries He said the new approach micro-industries that could such as Libya and by harsh pol- involves moving migrants from become small and medium icies aimed at preventing border regions to the country’s open arms everywhere you go,” war-ravaged Ivory Coast years Senegalese in Morocco” and industries in the future. The migrants going to Europe, many big cities, taking them further said Olivier Foutou, a 34-year- ago and ended up in Rabat by “Seven reasons why I love total number of exhibitors settle in “transit” countries from their ultimate goal -- old Congolese. “destiny”. In his 40s, he is teach- Morocco”. Keen to build links about 460 exhibitors. including Morocco. reaching Europe. But he called Morocco “the ing French and currently has no between sub-Saharan Africans Al Sharqi pointed out that Ndiaye said he gave up after That has meant that many most welcoming country in plans to return to his and Moroccans, he also runs a the exhibition witnessed the he realised reaching Spain was stay on in Morocco. Africa” and criticised fellow homeland. theatre troupe on the outskirts signing of cooperation and “too hard”. Rabat has become home to migrants “who think only of Papa Demba Mbaye left his of Rabat. Despite Morocco’s new partnership agreements He took on several informal many sub-Saharan Africans who Europe and do not want to inte- job as a teacher in Senegal seven migration policies and the king- between several national jobs and finally set himself up as work at informal markets in the grate”. Like many West Africans, years ago to “live the adventure dom’s efforts to re-integrate companies participating in a street vendor in Rabat, where capital, while others, still hoping he originally headed to Morocco in Morocco”. with the African Union after the exhibition and others he expects to remain. to make it to Europe, live in for study, attracted by the qual- He was attracted by prom- decades outside the bloc, it is wishing to enter the Qatari His story illustrates a trend informal camps near bus stations ity of the education system and ises of work at a call centre, a hard to gain permanent market and benefit from the that has gained increasing atten- and eke out a living by begging. the possibility of scholarships. growing sector in need of residency. national industry available. tion from Moroccan politicians, But their growing numbers have He has stayed ever since, French-speakers. He soon dis- The authorities are currently He noted that among the civil society and researchers. created tensions. In November, and sings in the choir at Rabat’s covered that it was a “job with processing some 25,000 resi- agreements signed during the Morocco has turned from a residents clashed with sub-Saha- cathedral, a meeting point for no future”, and has since estab- dency applications. A similar exhibition is a cooperation transit country into a host coun- ran youths living in a camp in the city’s small Catholic com- lished himself as a French “regularisation” campaign in agreement between QC and try for immigrants, according to Casablanca. munity. Another choir member, teacher. He has written two 2014 saw around 23,000 peo- Kazakhstan Chamber. the government’s High “You can’t be welcomed with Jean Baptiste Dago-Gnahou, fled books -- “The life of a ple gain renewable residency. He revealed that a coop- eration agreement was signed between Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and Qatar Stock Qatar denounces Guatemala decision Exchange (QSE) for coopera- tion in encouraging SMEs to to move embassy to Jerusalem be listed on the Qatar Exchange for emerging companies. QNA capital of Israel. Director General of QC The Ministry expressed pointed out that the Chamber atar denounced yester- hope that Guatemala would is in contact with the exhib- day the announcement review its decision and support iting companies to record the Qby President of Guate- the Palestinian right. The state- results of the exhibition at the mala of his country’s intention ment reaffirmed Qatar’s firm level of deals and under- to move its embassy from Tel and long-standing stance in standings that took place Aviv to Jerusalem. supporting the Palestinian during it, as many companies The Foreign Ministry said cause and the steadfastness of concluded preliminary in a statement that Guatema- the brotherly Palestinian peo- understandings of partner- la’s decision is null, devoid of ple based on the resolutions of ship and alliance with foreign legal effect and a deviation international legitimacy and companies. from the international consen- the two-state solution, ensur- sus which was reflected in the ing the establishment of an UN General Assembly’s rejec- independent Palestinian state tion by a two-thirds majority on the 1967 borders, with East Winter tourism to recognize Jerusalem as the Jerusalem as its capital. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan are welcomed to bring more by President of Chad Idriss Deby upon their arrival at N’Djamena International Airport in N’Djamena, Chad, yesterday. Conference convened in March visitors to Qatar to plan Benghazi activities Continued from page 1 Turkish President arrives in Chad Benghazi to normality in the port, where Citizens of these 80 coun- Reuters top military commander Kha- tries wishing to visit Qatar will lifa Haftar declared the end of no longer need to apply or pay N’Djamena airport in the capital N’Djamena, affairs, as well as 100 Turkish uthorities in eastern a campaign to oust Islamist for a visa; instead, a multi- AFP where upon descending the air- businessmen. Libya have announced a fighters. Clashes have contin- entry waiver will be issued craft’s steps he was met by his The trip is part of the Turk- Aconference in March to ued in some areas, while life free-of-charge at the port of urkish President Recep counterpart Idriss Deby. ish president’s three-country drum up support to rebuild the has returned in the rest of the entry, upon presentation of a Tayyip Erdogan arrived in The trip “opens a new page African tour and follows a visit country’s second-largest city city, though some districts were valid passport with a mini- TChad yesterday, his first in the deepening of relations to Sudan on Sunday, where he Benghazi heavily damaged dur- almost completely destroyed by mum validity of six months visit to what is one of the poor- between the two countries”, the signed military and economic ing three years of fighting shelling and air strikes. A forum and a confirmed onward or est and most corrupt countries Chadian presidency said. deals, aimed at boosting two- between military forces and titled “International Conference return ticket. in the world, national media Erdogan is heading a dele- way trade from the current level Islamist fighters. and Exhibition for rebuilding Discover Qatar, the desti- reported. gation of a dozen ministers, of $500 million a year to The announcement signals Benghazi city” will be held from nation management company Erdogan landed at the including defence and foreign $1-billion. a desire to demonstrate a return March 19-21. arm of Qatar Airways, had signed exclusive partnership agreements with four of the world’s major tour operators in Russia, Italy, Czech Repub- Sidra Medicine to open main hospital on January 14 lic and Ukraine, last month in order to promote Qatar as a major tourist destination, Continued from page 1 hospital are being steps in helping to advance the special- which will further increase The emergency department at Sidra phased over the ist care of children and adolescents and flow of tourist in the country. Medicine will become operational towards course of 2018. We maternity services in Qatar. Our team “Alongside lovely winter mid-2018. In the meantime, in the event are working very is focused on ensuring all patients weather, there are some of an emergency, parents and mothers- closely with our part- receive individualized care that superb beach hotels to cater to-be should visit their nearest Pediatric ners at HMC and addresses their specific needs. A cru- for the Russian sun-seeker. Emergency Center (PEC) or the Emer- PHCC to ensure that cial part of that is working with our Additionally there are many gency Department at HMC. the care and services community and partners by giving them unique cultural experiences. Dr. John Ferguson, Chief Medical patients receive are all the information necessary to make We believe the destination will Officer, said, “Sidra Medicine has been transitioned as informed healthcare choices and be a great attraction for Rus- setting new standards in care since the smoothly as decisions.” sian visitors,” Chief Executive opening of our Outpatient Clinic in May possible.” Physicians who have referred of Russian tour operator Space 2016. We look forward to caring for the Dr. Abdulla Al patients to Sidra Medicine are encour- Travel, Artur Muradyan had children, young people and women of Kaabi, Executive aged to continue doing so using the commented earlier. In May, QA Qatar in the new state-of-the art hospi- Chair of the Chil- referral guidelines posted on the Sidra had launched a stopover pack- tal. As we gear up to welcome our first dren’s Services Medicine website. The guidelines are age for transit passengers inpatients on January 14, their continued Clinical Management being updated on an ongoing basis as which includes free luxury safety and comfort is of utmost impor- Group, Executive Vice Chief Medical Governors, said, “We are less than three new services come onboard and the refer- hotel stays and complimentary tance to us. Inpatient services at the main Officer and Member of the Board of weeks out from taking one of the biggest ral network continues to expand. transit visas. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 09 Syria rebels, opposition reject Sochi initiative

Beirut The fate of Assad has been AP In a series of the main point of contention in statements, 40 rebel all previous rounds of talks. The yrian rebel fighters and opposition has long called for a opposition groups yes- groups, including transitional period in which terday rejected Russia’s some of Syria’s Assad would have no role, proposed peace talks, most prominent, something the government accusing Moscow of as well as political refuses to even consider. Sfailing to pressure its ally, Pres- The Sochi talks would open ident Bashar Assad, to end the opposition umbrella up a fourth track of talks conflict. groups, said the between parties to the complex In a series of statements, 40 talks expected next conflict. The UN’s own Geneva rebel groups, including some of programme has been supple- Yahya Sinwar (centre left), leader of Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, speaks during a Syria’s most prominent, as well month are an attempt mented by “technical” talks in as political opposition umbrella to “circumvent” the Astana brokered by Russia, Iran meeting with the heads of families in Gaza City yesterday to discuss recent developments on groups, said the talks expected UN-led process, which and Turkey. talks, also attended by the movement’s political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh (centre right). next month are an attempt to has made virtually Russia periodically opens a “circumvent” the UN-led proc- third track through Cairo. Egypt ess, which has made virtually no no progress since it has provided a base for Syrian progress since it began in 2014. began in 2014. reformists seen as acceptable to Hamas chief warns against US move The rebel groups said Mos- the Damascus government. cow has asked them to give up Highlighting its close ties to Gaza City Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, [Palestinians] access to the their demand for Assad to step international community to end the Syrian government, Russia Anatolia drawing condemnation and pro- mosque,” Haniyeh asserted. down. “We reject this, and we the bloodshed, now in its sev- moved ahead with plans to lease test from across the Arab and He added: “There is also a affirm that Russia is an aggres- enth year. Political opposition a naval base in Syria for an addi- amas chief Ismail Hani- Muslim world. talk of dividing the Al-Aqsa sor that has committed war groups and governing bodies in tional 49 years. yeh yesterday said US The controversial US move, Mosque compound into three crimes against Syrians,” the rebel-held areas have also The upper chamber of the HPresident Donald Haniyeh said, “has implications separate parts.” statement signed by 40 rebel rejected Russia’s proposed talks. Russian parliament voted to Trump’s recent decision to rec- for the reconfiguration of the The Hamas leader went on groups said. The talks are scheduled for extend Russia’s lease of the ognize Jerusalem as Israel’s entire region and the [Arab and to say there was “movement “Russia has not contributed January 29-30 in Sochi, and Mediterranean base at Tartus, capital was aimed at “terminat- Muslim] nation… which will afoot in the region” aimed at with a single move to alleviate were announced after talks the last step before President ing” the Palestinian national come at the expense of Jerusa- creating a “political entity in the the suffering of the Syrian peo- among Russia and Iran, which Vladimir Putin’s expected cause. lem and Palestinian rights.” Gaza Strip endowed with cer- ple and it has not pressured the back the government, and Tur- signature. “The recent US decision on Hamas, he added, had tain privileges”. regime it claims it guarantees to key, which supports the Russia’s air campaign in Jerusalem is part of ongoing received information of a US He did not elaborate move an inch toward any real opposition. Syria, which began in Septem- efforts to terminate the Pales- plan to offer Palestinian leaders further. path toward a resolution.” Syria’s government said it ber 2015, helped turn the tide of tinian cause within the context a state with its capital in Abu Dis, Jerusalem remains at the The rebel groups, including would attend the talks. Assad the civil war in favour of Assad. of a so-called ‘deal of the cen- a Palestinian village near East heart of the Middle East conflict, Ahrar al-Sham, Army of Islam, told reporters recently that the Earlier this month, Putin tury’,” Haniyeh said at a Jerusalem. “The plan involves with Palestinians hoping that and a number of Free Syrian Sochi talks have a clear agenda announced a partial pullout of meeting in Gaza City with Pal- building a bridge linking Abu Dis East Jerusalem — occupied by Army groups, said they are com- of discussing new elections and troops from Syria, but Russia is estinian tribal leaders. On to the Al-Aqsa Mosque com- Israel since 1967 — might even- mitted to the UN-led Geneva possibly amending the determined to maintain its mil- December 6, Trump announced pound [in East Jerusalem] with tually serve as the capital of an process, and called on the constitution. itary presence there. his decision to recognise the ostensible aim of ensuring independent Palestinian state. Turkey to revive ruined port city in Sudan’s Red Sea coast Attacks by Istanbul/Khartoum kind of military cooperation”. gunmen leave Reuters The agreements come three months after Turkey formally opened a $50m 10 dead in urkey will rebuild a ruined Otto- military training base in Somalia as it man port city on Sudan’s Red Sea excerts increasing influence in the north Nigeria Tcoast and construct a naval dock region. to maintain civilian and military vessels, Suakin was Sudan’s major port when Kano Sudan’s Foreign Minister said yesterday, it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, but Agencies as Ankara expands military and eco- fell into disuse over the last century after nomic ties in Africa. the construction of Port Sudan, 60 km unmen have killed 10 The restoration at Suakin was agreed to the north. people in attacks on during a visit to the ancient port by Turk- Erdogan said the refurbished port city Gtwo Christian-domi- ish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, would attract Makkah-bound pilgrims nated villages in the northern Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said. who would want to see the island’s his- Nigerian state of Kaduna, a Making the first trip by a Turkish tory, helping Sudan’s tourism sector. hotbed of ethnic and religous President to Sudan, Erdogan said Tur- “Imagine, people from Turkey wish- strife, officials said yesterday. key had been temporarily granted part ing to go on pilgrimage will come and On Christmas Eve, six people of Suakin so it could rebuild the area as visit the historical areas on Suakin were killed when gunmen a tourist site and a transit point for pil- Island,” Erdogan said. “From there ... they suspected to be ethnic Fulani grims crossing the Red Sea to Makkah. will cross to Jeddah by boat.” Muslims stormed Ungwan He said the Suakin deal was one of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wife Emine Erdogan (third right) The other agreements signed during Mailafiya, they said. several, worth $650m in total, agreed applauses during her visit at The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Erdogan’s visit include Turkish invest- The killings followed an with Sudan, which emerged from two Agency’s Sudan Midwife Training Center in Khartoum, Sudan, yesterday. ment to build Khartoum’s planned new attack in nearby Nindem late decades of US sanctions in October and airport and private sector investments Friday where gunmen opened is seeking to attract international in cotton production, electricity gener- fire on a congregation, killing investment. dock to maintain civilian and military reporters, adding that they had signed ation and building grain silos and meat four and injuring 10, said a The countries also agreed “to build a vessels,” Ghandour told an agreement “that could result in any slaughterhouses. local lawmaker. “While we were mourn- ing the deaths at Nindem ... the security personnel Kuwait seeks received distress calls of Tunisian schoolgirls defy wearing uniform another attack at Ungwan political Mailafiya”, parliamentarian Bizerte offending garment. Shehu Nicholas Garba said in solution to AFP It was the culmination of a a statement. “By daybreak on dispute that had been brewing Christmas, six persons had Yemen crisis n Tunisian high schools, the for years. been confirmed killed, dress code is not uniform. Outraged that the navy blue including a child of about six Kuwait IActually, it is: but only for was imposed on everyone in pri- years old, and many others QNA girls. Boys can wear what they mary and secondary school but injured,” he said. like, and now the girls are up in was compulsory in high school A spokesman from the uwaiti Deputy Prime arms. only for girls, pupils regularly state government said troops Minister and Foreign One morning, instead of appeared without it, risking had been deployed to prevent KMinister Sheikh Sabah turning up for class wearing the expulsion or seeing their parents further violence. Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah regulation navy blue smock, a summoned. Southern Kaduna has for said yesterday that Kuwait defiant group of adolescent girls Monia Ben Jemia, head of the three decades been locked in advocates a political solution came to school in white T-shirts Association of Democratic tit-for-tat killings between to Yemen in accordance with instead, demanding an “end to Women of Tunisia, an independ- indigenous Christian farming Security Council Resolution discrimination”. ent feminist group, called the communities and Muslim 2216 and the GCC initiative At the elite Bizerte public smock rule “a terrible message” Hausa and Fulani settlers. and its executive mechanism school in the north, as is the case Siwar Tebourbi (centre), an 18-year-old Tunisian schoolgirl, because it implies that young Meanwhile, four civilians through the national dialogue in most high schools in the North walks with colleagues as they leave school in Bizerte. girls’ bodies can have a disrup- were killed in an attack by sus- in which all Yemenis have African country, pupils have to tive effect on their peers. pected Boko Haram militants participated. sign a school rule stipulating that Ironically, the warning was this discrimination must cease”. She called it a complete on Monday in the Nigerian city “We and our brothers in wearing a uniform applies to passed on during a philosophy So dozens duly turned up for aberration, especially since the at the centre of a conflict with the Gulf Cooperation Coun- girls only. class — about the human body. class, wearing white. Several country’s new constitution of the Islamists, a resident and cil countries have tried since One day in September, This “injustice” inspired boys did the same, in solidarity 2014 says that men and women two officials said. Nigeria’s the first day of the Yemeni supervisors reminded senior many of the girls to take to social with their classmates. are equal. army said it had repelled the crisis to find a Gulf initiative female students who did not networks and vent their feelings, How did the school author- The high school students assault on the outskirts of Mai- and its mechanisms,” Sheikh abide by this rule that if they did 18-year-old Siwar Tebourbi said. ities react? By saying nothing. who launched the campaign, duguri, the spiritual birthplace Sabah Al-Khaled said in not wear the smock, a loose-fit- She said the girls agreed to Thus was born the “Manish Lab- both male and female, are also of Boko Haram. It was the first response to a parliamentary ting, long gilet, they would be take collective action from the setha” (“I won’t wear it”) against what they perceive as a major attack on the northeast question. sent home. following day “to demand that campaign, referring to the wider “hypocrisy”. city since June. 10 VIEWS WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL Towards self-reliance

atar has successfully defeated the unjust siege and the nefarious designs of blockading countries meant to harm Qatar’s Qdevelopment and growth and the country under wise leadership of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is fast moving towards its glorious future. The blockading countries by Will the GCC crisis be cutting land, air and sea routes desired to hamper Qatar’s march towards glory but all their plans have ended in fiasco. Qatar’s trade with the world is flourishing and the siege has also failed to create any kind of shortage of resolved in 2018? goods in the country whether household items or construction material needed for 2022 FIFA World Cup. According to fresh figures, Qatar has increased its to utilise it politically to portray Saudi sense, unless there is further escalation direct imports of strategic goods from around the world to Dr Ali Bakeer Arabia as a source of threat to small against Qatar, the Saudi-led bloc would 97 percent in November compared to 82.8 percent in May, Al Jazeera countries in the Gulf and the region. This have to de-escalate. thus the state has managed to access the global markets to would help Tehran rebuild its image in Yet, the decision to dismantle the meet the demand of local market of high quality goods at the Arab world, shield itself from blockade will not come voluntarily from competitive prices. Chairman of the General Customs regional isolation, and increase its multi- Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Pressure on Authority, Ahmed Abdullah Al Gammal, said that this lateral cooperation with other countries both countries is needed and it will have performance reflects the high ability of the State to protect his year, efforts to resolve the most in defiance of the Saudi axis. to come from the Trump administration. the Qatari economy from the shortage of supply of goods serious crisis to date within the Gulf Kuwait and Oman would continue And there are signs that this could be and meet the market requirements in full coordination Cooperation Council (GCC) have trying to mend relations within the GCC. possible in 2018. with importers, by diversifying sources of high quality failed, and it will be carried into 2018. However, realising their limited capacity First, in at least two, recent cases, the imports and at suitable prices from other countries. What will happen next year is diffi- to convince the Saudi-led bloc to back Saudi led-bloc had to retract its reckless Tcult to predict because, as we witnessed in 2017, off, both Kuwaitand Muscat are likely to decisions after failing to achieve any The General Customs Authority has also confirmed that during the past months it a lot of the key developments did not follow the continue to maintain relations with results and facing international pressure: standard rules of international diplomacy. Saudi while also increasing cooperation in Lebanon and in Yemen. has strengthened qualified This is because decision-making in some with Turkey and Iran. In November, Saudi Arabia forced The successes personnel at seaport and GCC countries is not necessarily institutional- A continuing crisis in the Gulf could Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri to airport to ensure the rapid of the State ised and is, in fact, highly dependent on have detrimental effects on the rest of declare his resignation from Riyadh after release of various goods, of Qatar on all unstable and unpredictable personal attitudes the Middle East. In this sense, more Arab detaining him there. However, things especially perishable items and ambitions of a handful of people. Strate- states would be destabilised as they are dramatically changed when Paris and fronts especially while at the same time the economic gic planning, rules of diplomacy and the risks pressured to choose sides. Iran’s influ- Washington sent strong messages to maintaining the safety of that regional instability holds are not neces- ence would certainly increase, and Israel Saudi Arabia, which allowed Hariri to go one with the society. sarily priority considerations for these would intensify attacks on Palestinians, back and resume his duties as prime recent mega Last month, Emir H H individuals. In this sense, just as the crisis feeling less pressed to accept a real minister. achievements Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al erupted out of the blue, it could easily end in peace process. All of this is likely to fuel In Yemen, after the death of former Thani in his address to the speak volume the same way, without a good reason. radicalisation in the region and possibly Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Advisory Council had said: Although unpredictability will mark produce ISIL successors. the pressure exerted by the Trump of the country’s “The Qatari society knows how developments in the Gulf in 2018 as well, Scenario two: A united GCC counter- administration on Saudi Arabia, both ability to to lead a normal life, flourish there are at least two possible scenarios that ing Iranian influence Riyadh and Abu Dhabi held talks with overcome the and develop, whether the could emerge out of the current situation. The For the crisis to be resolved next Yemen’s Muslim Brotherhood-linked challenges posed blockade is prolonged or not … first one is the crisis becoming the status quo year, two things have to happen: The Islah Party. And that was despite the fact we do not fear the boycott of and the GCC transforming into another Arab anti-Qatar axis would need to believe that both countries have spent a consid- by the unjustified these countries against us, we League-like organisation, with much formal- that it has reached a dead end, and the erable amount of energy demonising the blockade. are a thousand times better off ity and little substance. Saudi Arabia and the Trump administration would need to put Muslim Brotherhood in recent years. without them.” UAE seem to be pushing in this direction. pressure on Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Of course, Saudi Arabia and the UAE Meanwhile, the State of Qatar’s merchandise trade The second scenario is the crisis being change course. had to spin the retractions on Yemen balance, which represents the difference between total resolved. This would allow the GCC to recover The first would depend on Qatar’s and Lebanon domestically in order to exports and imports, in November 2017 showed a surplus slowly but not completely, as a lot of damage ability to withstand mounting political save face. They could do the same if they of QR12.8bn almost, an increase of about QR3.2bn or has already been done and trust has been and economic pressure from the Saudi- step back from their position on Qatar as 32.9% compared to November 2016, and increase by broken. led bloc. The second would depend on well. The Emir of Kuwait already laid the nearly QR4.5bn or 54.8% compared to October 2017. Scenario one: A GCC in permanent crisis the Trump administration resolving ground for such an option, when he The report released by Ministry of Development Planning If the crisis continues down the same path internal disagreements and pursuing a vowed to continue the mediation, and and Statistics further showed that in November 2017, the in 2018, the GCC as an organisation will clear and unified strategy on containing proposed a mechanism for settling dis- total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic become greatly marginalised, dysfunctional, Iran. putes within the GCC at the opening of origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR21.8bn, and irrelevant. Is this possible in 2018? There are a its summit in Kuwait, in early December. showing an increase of 15.9% compared to November 2016, The Saudi-UAE-Bahrain axis would solid- few indications that it is. Second, if the Trump administration and increase by 3.8% compared to October 2017. ify, and these countries are likely to push The goal of the Saudi-led bloc pro- is serious about containing Iran in the The successes of the State of Qatar on all fronts forward with bilateral and trilateral agree- longing the crisis was to raise the costs of Middle East, it would need a united GCC especially the economic one with the recent mega ments at the expense of GCC mechanisms. the blockade politically and economi- as an ally. To curb Iranian influence, the Unrestrained, Riyadh is likely to continue cally and to push Doha to give up and US would have to isolate Iran regionally achievements speak volume of the country’s ability to with its destabilising diplomacy in the Middle submit to Riyadh. Now that Doha has and block the growth of its influence. overcome the challenges posed by the unjustified East. It would not be surprising to see more been able to absorb the initial shock, Right now, with Riyadh on the loose and blockade. The economic achievements show that the state regional gambles coming from this axis. overcome logistical problems the siege Washington sending conflicting mes- would continue its journey towards self-reliance and Detentions of foreign officials and business- brought about, and re-orient itself to sages to various actors in the region, Iran development for the well-being of its people unabated. men might stop, but Riyadh would continue accommodate the new facts on the only stands to gain. to apply political and economic pressure on ground, the blockade is gradually losing The US needs the GCC to work as a countries in the region, especially as Saudi its intended effect. united bloc, at least in terms of regional QUOTE OF THE DAY Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman con- The more Doha feels politics and collective defence. There tinues to use foreign policy to solidify his comfortable in 2018, the are already indications that Washington power domestically. more useless the siege will have to push for de-escalation in Meanwhile, Qatar would continue to seek imposed by the Saudi the Gulf. The newly-released US I am aware that the guarantees for its security and economic axis would seem. In this National Security Strategy calls for GCC results of my government development outside the Gulf. This year saw cohesion: “We remain committed to were well received on the deployment of Turkish troops to Qatar. helping our partners achieve a stable one side, but I admit that Next year, military cooperation between the The US needs the GCC to and prosperous region, including two states is expected to deepen, with more work as a united bloc, at through a strong and integrated Gulf I have let down other bilateral defence and security agreements, Cooperation Council. compatriots, and I ask and more deployment of Turkish troops and least in terms of regional As the US military wraps up its anti- them to forgive me with equipment to Doha. Economic cooperation politics and collective ISIL operation in the region, the Trump and trade would likely intensify even more defence. There are already administration will have to soon unroll all my heart. between the two countries. indications that Washington its strategy on Iran. And that will have to Qatari-Iranian relations would remain involve a firm decision on the GCC crisis. Alberto Fujimori stable, with priority given to their economic will have to push for Former Peru President aspect. However, the more Doha is forced to de-escalation in the Gulf. The writer is an Ankara-based political ana- rely on Iran, the more Tehran is likely lyst and researcher. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 OPINION 11 Maybe the free world doesn’t need a leader

doesn’t, however, appear to have a Leonid Bershidsky credible leader — one who would Bloomberg be both powerful and committed to clear, attractive values. Moreover, it’s hard to see where one would come from. The US will be eyed with mistrust after ho is the leader of the free world? Trump. Its values are in flux and Important as the question sounds, hard for outsiders to understand, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s bet- and its military power is not nec- ter left unanswered. essarily relevant to modern The US president is no longer conflicts, as Europe’s Middle East- Wthe obvious choice. Even the new US National Secu- ern refugee crisis has rity Strategy, filled with bombastic statements such demonstrated. Germany, for its as “the whole world is lifted by America’s renewal part, is weighed down by its his- and the reemergence of American leadership,” tory and held together by a rebuilt acknowledges growing competition among powers. communitarian tradition, in which And of course “America first” is the slogan of a leadership-hungry politicians are national, not a global, leader. unlikely to flourish. So who, if not Donald Trump, qualifies for the The question, then, is whether job? Let’s first consider its history. the free world needs a leader. Per- The origin of the term “leader of the free world” haps the path forward requires is somewhat uncertain. Dominic Tierney of the collective decisions and compro- Atlantic tracked it back to a 1948 New York Times mises, inclusiveness and article, in which British economist Barbara Ward consensus, negotiation and civi- US President Donald Trump meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office of the called upon the US to lead the West in fighting the lised debate. Communist threat. But a Google Books search sug- White House in Washington, DC. It sounds boring, even weak, gests the title was first used during World War I and and the outcomes may often has made regular appearances in English-language As a result, some pundits have been discussing and has too many institutional and economic prob- appear suboptimal, but freedom books since the late 1930s. In any case, its use whether a more globally respected politician, such lems to be a credible global leader. and strong leadership have always surged at the peak of the Cold War in the early as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, could take Top EU officials could take a shot. The European been a little at odds. Quiet, soft 1960s (when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev over the role. As recently as September, Hillary project unites most established democracies, is the power as practiced by European began referring to “the free world” with heavy Clinton called her “the most important leader in the world’s biggest trade bloc and has a consistent track nations, Canada and Japan might irony), declined toward the detente of the mid- free world right now.” record of defending liberal values. But European work better as an advertisement 1970s, then gained again through the Soviet Union’s Merkel, however, probably doesn’t fit the bill. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and for democracy than US assertive- collapse and up until its last peak in 2007, just Weakened by the last election, she has found her- European Council President Donald Tusk, besides ness has since the end of the Cold before the global financial crisis. self embroiled in the longest coalition talks in being something of a comical pair, have proven War. Typically applied to the US president, the title Germany’s post-World War II history. Even if she’s powerless even to bring the EU closer together. has acquired a bitterly ironic flavor since the elec- back on top by Easter, global leadership will be They’re negotiators and compromise makers, not The writer is a Bloomberg view col- tion of Trump, who studies suggest is broadly pretty far from her mind as she settles into what’s leaders. And the EU, for all its economic power, is a umnist. He was the founding editor of mistrusted in democratic countries. likely to be her last term in power. She doesn’t even peace project, so its role in resolving global conflicts the Russian business daily Vedomosti have an obvious successor in her party. Besides, she will remain minimal. and founded the opinion website. has always shown much more interest in shaping One could make a case for Canadian Prime Min- the European Union to Germany’s benefit than in ister Justin Trudeau. He’s a liberal favorite, branded leading the world, free or otherwise. “the free world’s best hope” by Rolling Stone. He Other European leaders don’t qualify, either. acts the part, stressing his differences with Trump Almost all lead precarious, painstakingly built coa- on immigration, climate change and gender equal- The question is whether the free litions with domestically-focused agendas, while ity. He has also boosted Canada’s military spending. world needs a leader. Perhaps the others — mostly in Eastern Europe — aren’t inter- But it wouldn’t be easy for Canada to emerge from path forward requires collective ested in being part of any liberal order. The only the US shadow, and Trudeau isn’t particularly pop- decisions and compromises, notable exception is French President Emmanuel ular with Canadians (his approval rating just slipped D-RING ROAD Macron, mockingly called “Jupiter” and compared below 50 percent). inclusiveness and consensus, to the Sun King by his compatriots. But, at 40 and in There still is a free world, in which citizens elect POST BOX: 3488 negotiation and civilised debate. his first year as an elected official, he’s unproven. political leaders rather than tolerate authoritarian DOHA - QATAR Also, France has been in the doldrums for too long succession like in China or Russia. It [email protected]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 We are not out of options on North Korea FAX: +974 4455 7758 MANAGING EDITOR accountable for the com- TEL: 4462 7505 John R Kasich mitments it has made and The Washington Post to target more Chinese enti- DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR ties that support the North TEL: 4455 7769 Korean government. The overwhelming majority of LOCAL NEWS SECTION North Korea’s trade — 90 TEL: 4455 7743 ith tensions continuing percent — is with or facili- to build between the tated by China, and despite BUSINESS NEWS SECTION United States and North agreed-upon UN sanctions, TEL: 4462 7535 Korea, there’s growing much of this economic talk by politicians and activity continues. Actions SPORT NEWS SECTION WTV pundits that we are on the brink of should include targeting a TEL: 4455 7745 war. In truth, we shouldn’t be anywhere greater number of Chinese close. banks that deal with North ONLINE SECTION This increasingly hot war of words — Korea, fining their US sub- TEL: 4462 7501 including loose talk about the probability sidiaries and freezing their [email protected] of war — does nothing to bring us closer US assets. to where we need to be on North Korea, This year, the interna- PUBLIC RELATIONS especially when military options short of tional banking transaction TEL: 4455 7613 war remain on the table. network, known as Swift, [email protected] In fact, with millions of lives at stake, moved to prevent North waging a war of words is a distraction Korean banks from using ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT from the serious task at hand. Any kind of the global messaging sys- TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 war — especially nuclear war — should tem to facilitate FAX: 4455 7870 not be an option until all other options international transactions, [email protected] are exhausted. And, in the case of North but that doesn’t impact Chi- Korea, there are several roads not yet nese banks that transact for The United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss imposing new sanctions CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT taken. the North Koreans. We on North Korea, in New York. TEL: 4455 7857 First, North Korea is not, as some should consider expanding [email protected] claim, “sanctioned-out.” We are this ban to include Chinese nowhere near to applying the same type negotiating table. In fact, the breadth of sanctions banks with any North Korean connections. SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION of restraints on North Korea that were we have placed on North Korea to date are far Finally, we need to ask: Where are our allies on all of TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 successful in bringing Iran to the less than what was applied in earlier crises on this? Instead of threatening a bilateral war between the FAX: 44557819 Russia, Syria and Iran. While our sanctions on United States and the North Korea, we should be working [email protected] North Korea have clearly escalated, we still have with allies — including South Korea and Japan — to the option to penalise and seize the assets of threaten increased multilateral pressure to choke the North Korea’s enablers in other countries that North Korean regime. All thoughts and views enable Pyongyang to evade the full brunt of While economic sanctions have not proved to be effec- financial measures. tive yet, they have not been fully exhausted and tested. expressed in these We can expand our focus on shipping and work Part of the reason the previous administration succeeded columns are those of the With millions of lives at stake, with our allies to deny maritime insurance to the in bringing Iran to the table — regardless of the flaws of writers, not of the waging a war of words is a vessels heading to or from North Korea. Last their final deal — was due to internationally coordinated month, we targeted sanctions on 20 such vessels. sanctions. Thankfully, the UN Security Council has adopted newspaper. distraction from the serious Many more North Korean vessels are active and three rounds of such sanctions this year, including signifi- task at hand. Any kind of engaged in illicit activities beyond the small cant measures last week. All correspondence war — especially nuclear war number designated by the Treasury Department. With millions of lives hanging in the balance, the last regarding Views and — should not be an option We also can do more to expose those who use thing we need is to have politicians and pundits predicting North Korean slave labor and to block any remit- odds on the probability of war. It’s neither an accurate nor Opinion pages should be until all other options are tances back to Kim Jong-Un’s regime. a helpful way to treat a complex international challenge. send to editor-in-chief exhausted. Second, none of this will work without more office or mailed to the pressure to hold the reluctant Chinese government The writer a Republican, is governor of Ohio. [email protected] 12 ASIA WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 Jhadav’s meeting with kin intimidating: India

New Delhi “Deputy High Commissioner IANS “Under the pretext of was initially separated from fam- ily members who were taken to efore being let in for security precautions, the meeting without informing meeting Kulbhushan the cultural and him. The meeting was started Jadhav at the Foreign religious sensibilities without his presence and he could Office building in join only after pressing the mat- Islamabad, Pakistani of family members ter with concerned officials. Even Bauthorities made his wife and were disregarded. then, he was kept behind an addi- mother remove their mangal- This included removal tional partition that did not allow sutra, bangles and bindi and also of mangalsutra, him access to the meeting as made them change their attire, agreed,” the statement said. India said yesterday, slamming bangles and bindi, India also voiced concern at the meeting conducted across a as well as a change the appearance of Jadhav and his glass panel as “lacking in cred- in attire that was not well being, remarking that he ibility” and “intimidating”. warranted by security. looked as though he was “under Jadhav, who is on death row considerable stress” and was Vijay Rupani (right) shakes hands with Om Prakash Kohli, Governor of Gujarat, after taking on charges of alleged spying and “speaking in an atmosphere of oath as the Chief Minister during a swearing-in ceremony in Gandhinagar yesterday. terrorism, met his mother Avanti coercion” and that his statements and wife Chetankul on Monday India said in a statement. “were clearly tutored” and after 22 months, since his arrest by The footwear of Jadhav’s designed to “perpetuate” Paki- Rupani takes oath as Gujarat Pakistan on charges of spying. wife was also taken away and stan’s allegation that he was a spy The face-to-face meeting not returned. “For some inex- and involved in terrorism. was conducted across a glass plicable reason, despite her “From the feedback we have wall and the two sides spoke via repeated requests, the shoes of received of the meeting, it CM, Nitin Patel as deputy CM a telephone speaker. the wife of Shri Jadhav were not appears that Shri Jadhav was Avanti, who is in her 70s, returned to her after the meet- under considerable stress and Gandhinagar The Cabinet Ministers who “Congratulations to Vijay was also prevented from speak- ing,” India said, and warned “We speaking in an atmosphere of IANS took oath were Bhupendrasinh Rupani, Nitin Patel and all those ing to her son in her mother would caution against any mis- coercion. Most of his remarks Chudasama, R C Faldu, Kaushik who took oath as Ministers. My tongue. Every time she lapsed chievous intent in this regard”. were clearly tutored and ijay Rupani yesterday Patel, Saurabh Patel, Vestabhai best wishes to this team in their into Marathi, she was stopped The Pakistani media also designed to perpetuate the false took oath as Chief Minis- Vasava, Vithalbhai Radadiya, endeavour to take Gujarat to new and made to speak in Hindi or hurled invectives at the two narrative of his alleged activi- Vter of Gujarat for a second Dilipkumar Thakor and Ishwar- heights of progress,” Modi said. English, as a senior Pakistani women outside the Foreign ties in Pakistan. His appearance stint along with his deputy Nitin bhai Parmar. “People from all walks of life official of the India Desk mon- Office building. also raises questions of his Patel, eight cabinet Ministers The Ministers of State, who joined the oath taking ceremony itored the interaction. “The Pakistani press was health and well being. and 10 Ministers of State. were administered the oath of in Gandhinagar to bless the team “Under the pretext of secu- allowed on multiple occasions to “We also regret that contrary The new council of minis- office and secrecy by Governor O that took oath today. We cher- rity precautions, the cultural and approach family members closely, to assurances, the overall atmos- ters was sworn in at a grand P Kohli, were Pradipsinh Jadeja, ish these blessings and their religious sensibilities of family harass and hector them and hurl phere of the meeting was ceremony here at the new sec- Parthabhai Patel, Jaydrathsinh affection,” he said. members were disregarded. This false and motivated accusations intimidating insofar as family retariat helipad ground in the Parmar, Nanubhai Patkar, Ram- “Political leaders, Chief Min- included removal of mangal- about Shri Jadhav. This was despite members were concerned. Fam- presence of Prime Minister anlal Nanubhai Patkar, isters of various states, our sutra, bangles and bindi, as well a clear agreement that the media ily members, however, handled Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Parsottambhai Solanki, Ishwars- esteemed NDA allies and as a change in attire that was not would not be allowed close access,” the situation with great courage Party (BJP) President Amit Shah, inh Patel, Gopalbhai Ahir, Kishore respected former Chief Minis- warranted by security. the statement said. and fortitude. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Khanani, Bachubhai Maganbhai ters of Gujarat joined the “The mother of Shri Jadhav Indian Deputy High Commis- “The manner in which the Nitin Gadkari, Ram Vilas Pas- Khabad and Vibhavari Dave. occasion, making it even more was prevented from talking in their sioner J P Singh, who was allowed meeting was conducted and its wan, Chief Ministers of the BJP After the oath ceremony, special,” the Prime Minister said. mother tongue, although this was to accompany the two women, aftermath was clearly an attempt ruled states and Bihar Chief Modi took to Twitter assuring Modi, who was Gujarat’s clearly the natural medium of com- was kept in a separate glass cubi- to bolster a false and unsubstan- Minister Nitish Kumar. the people of Gujarat that the Chief Minister between 2001 munication. She was repeatedly cle from the two women, and tiated narrative of Shri Jadhav’s It was also a sea of saffron BJP government will leave no and 2014, went nostalgic and interrupted while doing so and could watch the proceedings from alleged activities. You would all with a score of spiritual leaders stone unturned in further devel- shared pictures of the ceremo- eventually prevented from pro- a distance. He was initially not agree that this exercise lacked any from whom Modi took blessings oping the state, which the party nies when he took oath in the ceeding further in this regard,” allowed into the meeting venue. credibility,” India said. before the ceremony started. has ruled since 1995. past. Geelani’s 3 Pakistani soldiers die as commandos cross LoC in tit-for-tat raid younger son Srinagar/New Delhi a short-distance and short-dura- was taken around 6pm on Mon- September 29, 2016, when The incident took place two ignores NIA IANS tion operation unlike the surgical day after some Pakistani military Indian army commandos days after four Indian soldiers, strike (last year),” said a defence personnel tried to cross over crossed the Line of Control (LoC) who were part of a patrol party, summons n a “tit-for-tat” operation, five official, who did not want to be apparently to plant IEDs on the to target terror launch pads were killed by Pakistan troops highly-trained Indian Army named. Indian side of the border. inside Pakistan-controlled ter- in heavy cross-border targeted New Delhi Icommandos went some 300 The sources said four to five They said Pakistani forces ritory, killing dozens of terrorists firing in the Rajouri sector. IANS metres across the LoC and killed Ghatak Commandos were belonging to 59 Baloch Regiment and their sympathisers. On Sunday, two Pakistani at least three Pakistani soldiers, involved in the operation. Ghatak had set up a temporary post Since the 2016 Surgical snipers, who were trying to tar- urriyat separatist leader two days after four Indian Army Commandos are drawn from close to the LoC in Rukh Chakri Strike, this is the first publicised get Indian soldiers on the LoC, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s men, including a Major, were infantry and trained to carry out sector of Rawalakot and “at least incident of Indian soldiers cross- were killed in Indian firing on Hyounger son Naseem shot dead in a surprise attack by covert special operations. three Pakistani soldiers were ing the LoC, though sources said the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri Geelani yesterday ignored the Pakistan, sources said “It was a tit-for-tat action... killed while one was injured”. from time to time Indian troops districts. The Monday deaths National Investigation Agency yesterday. Whatever Pakistan does to us, They said it was possible that the do cross the de facto border to take the Pakistani casualty toll (NIA) summons in connection Defence sources called it a we will do the same,” the official casualty figure may be higher. target Pakistani forces. to five in two days. with its probe into alleged ter- “tactical retaliatory strike”, said, warning that more such The incident took place Pakistan Army confirmed the India claims that Pakistan ror funding by Pakistan-based decided at a local level by the bri- operations would be conducted along the LoC in Pooch. death of three soldiers in an violated the 2003 ceasefire terrorist groups to stoke unrest gade commander. But the sources if Pakistani forces continue tar- The sources, however, didn’t “unprovoked heavy cross-bor- accord along the LoC between in Kashmir valley. did not name the battalion that geting Indian troops. term the action a surgical strike der shelling by Indian forces” at the two countries at least 820 “He did not depose before carried out the operation. “It was The sources said the action — like the one conducted on Rukh Chakri sector. times this year. the agency investigators today,” an NIA official said. The official declined to say if any new summons had been issued to the younger Homage to tsunami victims Central team assesses Geelani. However, Naseem took to Facebook to say that his sum- mons was cancelled by the Ockhi damage in Kerala NIA. “NIA cancelled my appearing at its New Delhi Thiruvananthapuram make our assessment and then we headquarters which was IANS will prepare our report,” said Malik scheduled today,” Nassem said. to reporters here, at the airport. The counter-terror probe central team landed here Prime Minister Narendra agency had summoned Naseem, yesterday to assess dam- Modi last week during his visit a professor in Sher-e-Kashmir Aages caused by Cyclone to the state had assured both Agriculture University in Srina- Ockhi, which struck the south- the beleaguered fishing com- gar, last week to appear before ern districts of Kerala and Tamil munity and the Kerala the agency on Tuesday at its Nadu on November 30. government of prompt relief headquarters in south Delhi’s A total of 74 persons have and rehabilitation assistance. Lodhi Road area. been killed and according to the Kerala Chief Minister Earlier, the NIA has grilled Latin Diocese, more than 250 Pinarayi Vijayan has sought a Naseem twice in the case. The continued to remain missing Rs 7,340-crore relief package agency has also grilled his The team, consisting of dis- to mitigate the fisher folks’ elder brother Naeem, a doc- aster management experts, was sufferings. tor by profession, twice over led by Vipin Mallik, a top offi- It included compensation a span of a fortnight. cial in the Home Department. for the dead; assistance to the The agency, which has While Malik would visit the permanently disabled and those been probing terror funding southern districts, another team who suffered injuries; also for by Kashmiri separatists and would be in Kochi to assess the construction of homes; educa- has so far arrested half a W omen offer prayers during a ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami at Pattinapakkam damages caused in other places tional assistance; writing off dozen separatists including Beach in Chennai yesterday. The earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004 killed like Ernakulam, Thrissur, loans and other programmes SAS Geelani’s son-in-law over 230,000 people and devastated coastal communities. Malappuram districts. meant for the overall relief for Altaf Ahmad Shah. “We will be going around to the fisher folks in the state. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 ASIA 13 North Korea likely to pursue talks: South

Seoul as useless and said Pyongyang Reuters must commit to giving up its “North Korea will nuclear weapons before any outh Korea predicted yes- seek negotiation talks can begin. terday that North Korea with United States, In a statement carried by the would look to open nego- while continuing to official KCNA news agency, tiations with the United North Korea’s foreign ministry States over its weapons pursue its effort to said the United States was terri- Sprogrammes next year and pur- be recognised as a fied by its nuclear force and was sue at least some rapprochement de facto nuclear- getting “more and more frenzied with Seoul in an optimistic gov- possessing country,” in the moves to impose the ernment outlook for 2018. harshest-ever sanctions and The UN Security Council South Korea’s pressure on our country”. Attendants of the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) unanimously imposed new, Unification Ministry China, the North’s lone major hold a meeting to accept a pledge for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang yesterday. tougher sanctions on North Korea said in a report. ally, and Russia both supported on Friday for its recent intercon- the latest U N sanctions, while oil and its earnings from work- missile that put the U S mainland ballistic missile technology, and tinental ballistic missile test, a on Monday Chinese Foreign Min- ers abroad. within range of its nuclear as such would be prohibited move the North branded an eco- North Korea’s nuclear and mis- istry spokeswoman Hua “Countermeasures will be weapons. under U N resolutions. nomic blockade and act of war. sile programmes, which it Chunying called for all countries orchestrated to deal with the The Joongang Ilbo Daily The North Korean Rodong “North Korea will seek negoti- pursues in defiance of years of to make constructive efforts to effects, including cuts in trade newspaper, citing an unnamed Sinmun newspaper said on Mon- ation with United States, while U N Security Council resolutions, ease tension. volume and foreign currency South Korean government offi- day saying that “peaceful space continuing to pursue its effort to be with bellicose rhetoric coming In its 2018 forecast, South inflow, lack of supplies, and cial, reported on Tuesday that development is a legitimate right recognised as a de facto nuclear- from both Pyongyang and the Korea’s Unification Ministry said reduced production in each part North Korea could also be pre- of a sovereign state”. possessing country,” South Korea’s White House. it believed the North would of the economy,” the report said. paring to launch a satellite into North Korea regularly Unification Ministry said in a report, U S diplomats have made eventually find ways to blunt the The latest round of sanctions space. threatens to destroy South Korea, without offering any reasons for its clear they are seeking a diplo- effects of the sanctions, which was prompted by the November Experts have said such the United States and Japan, and conclusion. matic solution but President seek to limit its access to refined 29 test of what North Korea said launches are likely aimed at fur- says its weapons are necessary Tensions have risen over Donald Trump has derided talks petroleum products and crude was an intercontinental ballistic ther developing the North’s to counter U S aggression.

Storm spares Vietnam after Pyongyang preparing to launch satellite: Report a trail of death Seoul Kwangmyongsong-5”, the Joon- “including the test of a long- ambassador Kim In-Ryong said Vladimir Khrustalev, as saying that AFP gang Ilbo daily reported, quoting range missile disguised as a his country has a 2016-2020 plan North Korea was expected to in Philippines a South Korean government satellite launch”. to develop “practical satellites that launch two satellites — an Earth orth Korea is preparing to source. The report came as the can contribute to the economic exploration satellite and a com- Hanoi launch a satellite, a Seoul “Their plan is to put a satel- North’s ruling party newspaper development and improvement munications satellite — in the near AP Nnewspaper said yester- lite equipped with cameras and Rodong Sinmun reasserted the of the people’s living”. future. day, as outside observers warn telecommunication devices into regime’s right to launch satellites He stressed North Korea’s Khrustalev made the remark powerful storm that left that the nuclear-armed regime’s orbit”, he said. and develop its space right to produce and launch sat- after returning from his week- a trail of death and space programme is a fig leaf for Pyongyang launched their technology. ellites “will not be changed just long trip to North Korea in Adestruction in the Phil- weapons tests. Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite in In a commentary published on because the US denies it”. mid-November when he met ippines was downgraded to Pyongyang is under multi- February 2016, which most in the Monday and titled “peaceful space North Korea is believed to with representatives of the coun- a tropical depression yester- ple UN sanctions over its nuclear international community viewed programmes are sovereign coun- have successfully put a satellite try’s National Aerospace day and failed to make and missile tests and is prohib- as a disguised ballistic missile tries’ legitimate rights”, the daily into orbit in December 2012 after Development Administration landfall in Vietnam. ited from carrying out any test. said Pyongyang’s satellite years of failures dating back to (NADA), the Russian daily said. Hundreds of thousands of launch using ballistic missile A spokesman for the South launches “absolutely correspond” 1998 when it launched a pilot Tensions have soared as the people in Vietnam’s Mekong technology including satellites. Korean military joint chiefs of with international laws concern- satellite and named it isolated regime has staged a Delta had been evacuated as “Through various channels, staff said there was “nothing out ing space development. Kwangmyongsong-1. series of atomic and interconti- the region braced for the we’ve recently learned that the of ordinary at this moment” but At a UN General Assembly Earlier this month, the Russian nental ballistic missile (ICBM) arrival of Typhoon Tembin North has completed a new sat- added that Seoul was watching committee meeting in October, newspaper Rossiyskaia Gazeta tests — most recently on Novem- after the storm left more than ellite and named it out for any provocative acts North Korea’s deputy UN quoted a Russian military expert, ber 29. 160 people dead in the Philippines. Weather forecasters had expected the delta’s southern tip to be in Tembin’s path, and Daily life said heavy rain and strong Chinese activist winds starting Monday night could cause serious damage in the vulnerable region, jailed for 8 years where facilities are not built to cope with such severe weather. By yesterday morn- Tianjin Wu also “spread fake infor- ing, the storm was AFP mation” and “insulted others downgraded to a tropical online”, the statement said. depression and forecasters hina sentenced an activist The prominent activist, with said it would it not make known by the online pseu- his recognisable bald head and landfall in Vietnam. Cdonym “Super Vulgar glasses, became the subject of The storm was expected Butcher” to eight years in prison the state’s ire for using his to dissipate over the Gulf of yesterday, one of the harshest larger-than-life online persona Thailand later yesterday. punishments meted out to the to draw public attention to Over the weekend, Tem- group of lawyers and activists human rights cases. bin unleashed landslides and swept up in a major crackdown He called himself “butcher” flash floods that killed at least on civil society two years ago. because he saw himself as tak- 164 people and left 171 others The punishment handed to ing the fight to authorities, missing in the Philippines, Wu Gan, who refused to plead promising to “slaughter the p***”. according to Romina Marasi- guilty to charges of “subverting He later added “super vulgar” to gan of the government’s main state power”, was intended as an his handle in response to com- disaster-response agency. unmistakable signal to anyone plaints about his use of crude Initial reports from offi- who would dare to challenge the language to make his case. cials in different provinces state’s authority, his lawyer said. His bold approach to seek- placed the overall death toll People play mahjong in the old quarters of Shanghai yesterday. Wu was taken into custody ing justice for those he saw as at more than 230. in May 2015 just weeks before wronged by the government authorities unleashed a ruth- attracted praise from rights less campaign later dubbed the defenders, but was unpopular “709” crackdown, rounding up with the authorities, who saw over 200 people involved in him as a thorn in their side. Duterte vows to get to truth of mall blaze activities considered sensitive His family life became the by the ruling Communist Party. subject of intense scrutiny by The outspoken social media state media in May 2015 in what Davao out,” Duterte said. “That is what the results of the Social welfare officers said figure had attracted authorities’ many activists saw as a sign of AFP they are asking for. Just the truth investigation. that so far, five bodies had been attention with performance art a looming crackdown on rights of what happened.” The fire broke out in the turned over. and caustic commentary on defenders. hilippine President Rod- The justice and labour four-storey NCCC Mall shortly Rhen Muyco recalled the last Chinese society and politics that He was “a representative fig- rigo Duterte vowed departments have ordered sep- before it opened to shoppers. But words his 25-year-old daughter he published online. ure in leading actions to support Pyesterday to get to the arate investigations into it killed 37 people working in a Renzi Nova spoke to her family Explaining its verdict, a other human rights defenders and truth about a blaze in his home Saturday’s blaze. 24-hour call centre for US-based as the fire raged Saturday. court in Tianjin said Wu was significant human rights cases out- city that killed 37 call centre Justice Secretary Vitaliano market research firm SSI on the “Ma, there is a fire here. If “dissatisfied with the current side court,” according to Patrick workers. Aguirre has said his office would top floor. something happens to me, I love system of governance, and that Poon, a China researcher at He said he made the prom- investigate with a view to bring- At a Davao hospital Tuesday you all,” she said by mobile gradually produced thoughts of Amnesty International. ise during a meeting on Monday ing criminal charges. families of the dead waited in a phone. subverting state power”. Wu’s lawyer Yan Xin said night with the families of those A spokesman for Davao silence broken only by occa- Labour Secretary Silvestre By “hyping up hot inci- the sentence was aimed at set- killed in a shopping mall fire in City mayor Sara Duterte, the sional sobs as government Bello said Tuesday his office was dents”, Wu “attacked the ting “an example so other the southern city of Davao. daughter of the president, also workers tried to identify the launching an inquiry separate national system that is the basis activists will say they are guilty “I assured them... that the quoted her as promising to charred remains before releas- from the justice department’s for state authority and the con- when accused of crimes against truth will — let the truth come press charges if warranted by ing them to relatives. investigation. stitution”, the court said. the state”. 14 ASIA WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017

Landmine blast claims Taliban urged to join peace talks lives of six Beijing Afghan cops AP In a joint statement Kabul he foreign ministers of after a meeting Anatolia Pakistan and Afghan- in Beijing, the istan appealed to governments of t least six personnel of Taliban militants to Pakistan, Afghanistan the Afghan border join peace talks fol- Apolice have been killed Tlowing a meeting yesterday and China called in a landmine blast in the res- organised by China to mend for a “broad-based tive Helmand province, an strained relations between the and inclusive peace official said yesterday. two governments. Omar Zwak, spokesman In a joint statement, the three and reconciliation for the provincial governor of governments called for a “broad- process” following Helmand, told Anadolu based and inclusive peace and near-daily Taliban Agency the incident took reconciliation process” following attacks in areas across place in Marja district, where near-daily Taliban attacks in areas the security forces are across Afghanistan. The three gov- Afghanistan. engaged in fierce clashes with ernments said they “call on the the Taliban since Saturday. Afghan Taliban to join the peace He said the personnel process at an early date.” The talks reflected Beijing’s were killed late on Monday Afghanistan and Pakistan are efforts to expand its political and when their vehicle hit an anti- at odds over American and Afghan diplomatic role in the region. Chi- vehicle improvised explosive accusations that Islamabad is har- nese leaders also are uneasy about device on a road. bouring some of the fiercest factions the potential for militant activity in On Sunday, a similar land- of the Taliban, which was over- Afghanistan and elsewhere in Cen- China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi (centre), Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani mine in the Taliban-controlled thrown as the Afghan government tral Asia to spill across the border (left) and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif at a press conference in area in the same district killed in 2001 by a U S invasion. Those into China’s Muslim northwest. Beijing yesterday. seven civilians. include the Haqqani group, which The Taliban have stepped up According to the Afghan the U S government has declared a attacks across Afghanistan since claimed responsibility, but the to talk to the Afghan government importance of border manage- Landmine Survivors’ Organiza- terrorist organidation. the United States and its Nato Taliban have a strong and grow- but have travelled several times ment, the return of Afghan tion (ALSO), the deadly mines “Pakistan and Afghanistan allies concluded their combat ing presence in the area. to China, held talks with Russia refugees and intelligence shar- claimed 1943 lives, mostly civil- agreed to improve their relations mission at the end of 2014. The Also on Sunday, a mortar and Iran, and attended confer- ing for effective counterterrorism ians, in the past year alone. as soon as possible,” said the Chi- insurgents have gained ground shell struck a market and killed ences in Japan and Europe. cooperation,” said Asif. Afghanistan is world’s worst nese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. across several provinces and three civilians during a battle At the Beijing meeting, Paki- Pakistan was host of talks affected country of the land- “The two sides unanimously increasingly launch attacks in between Afghan security forces stan’s foreign minister, Khawaja between Kabul and the Taliban mines after Yemen. expressed the point that they will urban centres. and the Taliban in Logar prov- Asif, expressed hope for progress in July 2015. Since then, diplo- Helmand remains one of not allow any party or force to use On Sunday, a roadside bomb ince in the east, according to the on proposals to improve trade mats from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the most insecure provinces their territories to engage in the killed seven civilians in Afghan- provincial government. Seven and cooperation in securing their China and the United States have in Afghanistan, with the mil- activities that would undermine istan’s southern Helmand people were wounded. border areas. tried without success to organ- itants controlling large swaths the security of the other side.” province. No group immediately Taliban leaders have refused “Pakistan emphasised the ize another meeting. of land. Militants die in US drone strike on Afghan border Myanmar police to free

Parachinar place inside Pakistan. named Jamiuddin, said the and that none of his associates Reuters There have been multiple Pakistani official, who is based were killed in the attack. scribes in drone case suspected US drone strikes in the in the area, speaking on con- “Jamiuddin stopped the car suspected US drone mountainous border region sep- dition of anonymity, added that ... for conversation on his cellu- Yangon Singapore and Malaysia. attack along the Paki- arating Pakistan’s Kurram it also killed an associate of the lar phone when the drone fired Reuters A law officer — the govern- Astani-Afghan border Agency from Afghanistan since commander. two missiles and killed him on ment’s prosecutor in the case killed an Islamist militant com- US President Donald Trump took A senior member of the the spot,” another Haqqani yanmar police said yes- — was expected to tell the court mander from the Taliban-allied office in January. Haqqani network told Reuters: member said. terday they would drop the charges were formally Haqqani Network, a Pakistani Trump has taken a hardline “Maulvi Jamiuddin was our Rehmanullah, a resident of Mpending charges against dropped in another hearing set official and two members of the stance on Pakistan, which he says trusted man. He was part of our the area who uses only one two journalists working for Tur- for Thursday, defence lawyer Haqqani group said. provides safe haven to terrorists organisation and used to facili- name, said he saw the strike near key’s state broadcaster, their Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters. The Pakistani official said it was including the Afghan Taliban and tate our fighters during their the Mata Sanghar area of Kur- interpreter and driver, who were “The higher authorities not immediately clear whether the the Haqqani Network carrying out movement inside ram agency, across from the jailed in November for violating already instructed to terminate missile struck on the Afghan or attacks in Afghanistan. Afghanistan.” Afghan province of Paktia. an aircraft law by filming with a with good intention, but the Pakistani side of the border. The Yesterday’s suspected He added that Jamiuddin “I saw two missiles hit the drone. procedure can only be accom- members of the network and an drone attack targeted the vehi- was travelling in his car in vehicle and the people inside were Cameraman Lau Hon Meng plished on that day (Thursday),” eyewitness said the incident took cle of a militant commander Pakistan’s Kurram region killed,” he said by telephone. from Singapore, reporter Mok the lawyer said. Choy Lin from Malaysia, Aung The four are set to complete Naing Soe — a local journalist who their sentences under the air- was interpreting for the pair — and craft act on Jan. 9, but may be Bangladesh driver Hla Tin were detained by released earlier for good behav- Anti-IS fighters police on October 27 near Myan- iour, he added. activist held mar’s parliament building in the The case had raised con- capital Naypyitaw. cerns over freedom of the press on ‘anti-Islam’ They are currently each serv- in Myanmar, where a civilian ing a two-month prison sentence government led by Nobel lau- charges under a colonial-era aircraft law, reate Aung San Suu Kyi took but all four still face further power last year but the military Dhaka charges for importing the drone. retains control of security mat- AFP The two foreign nationals have ters, including the police. also been charged with an immi- Two Reuters journalists angladesh police gration offence. were arrested on Dec. 12 after arrested a 25-year-old Police Lieutenant Tun Tun they went to meet police offic- Bsocial media activist as Win and an immigration officer ers for dinner on the outskirts he tried to leave the country — the complainants — yester- of Myanmar’s largest city on charges that he defamed day appeared in a Naypyitaw Yangon. Islam, authorities said courtroom and asked that the Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe yesterday. court drop the charges. Oo, 27, had covered the crisis Immigration police Tun Tun Win said higher in western Rakhine state that detained Asaduzzaman Noor, police officials had ordered the has driven 655,000 stateless known as Asad Noor on his case dropped because the four Rohingya Muslims across the Youtube channel, at Dhaka did not mean to endanger border to Bangladesh since airport on Monday evening, national security by flying the August. inspector Mohammad Sha- drone. The reporters are being hidullah said. Additionally, he said, the investigated under the colonial- “The charge against him Afghan villagers sit with their weapons in the Pachir Wa Agham district of Nangarhar decision was intended “to for- era Official Secrets Act, and is that he hurt religious feel- province. Over 500 residents of Pachir Aw Agam district have gathered to pledge to fight ward the relationship between have not had contact with their ing by mocking Prophet against Islamic State (IS) militants. countries”, referring to the two families, lawyers or Reuters for Mohammed (Peace Be Upon journalists’ home countries, the past two weeks. Him) and made bad com- ments against Islam, the Prophet (PBUH) and the Quran on Facebook and Youtube,” he said. Tribal areas to be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahidullah said hun- dreds of Muslims staged demonstrations against Peshawar that Islamabad will make a pol- Besides Abbasi the meet- secretary, who deputised for colonial-era regulation to con- Noor this year in the south- Internews icy statement in this regard, ing was attended by Chief of special assistant to the prime tinue as a supplementary dispute ern coastal town of Amtali official sources involved in the the Army Staff Gen Qamar minister on law, Barrister and conflict resolution mecha- after the head of an Islamic akistan’s high-powered deliberations say. Bajwa, federal Minister for Zafarullah Khan. nism with a sunset clause to seminary filed a case against National Implementation The NIC, which met last States and Frontier Regions The meeting which took the repeal it in its entirety once a him. PCommittee (NIC) on Fata week and was chaired by Prime retired Qadir Baloch, KP Gov- landmark decisions on Decem- proper judicial system was in Noor was charged [federally administered tribal Minister Shahid Abbasi, also ernor Iqbal Jhagra, Chief ber 18, but did not make them place in the tribal region. under Bangladesh’s strict areas] Reforms has endorsed the decided and agreed to let Fata Minister Pervez Khattak, public, also decided to do away Significantly enough, neither Internet laws and could merger of tribal regions with elect 23 members to the KP chairman of the Cabinet Com- with the controversial sections was the meeting publicised nor face up to 14 years in jail if northwestern Khyber Assembly in the general elections mittee on Fata Reforms Sartaj of the Frontier Crimes Regula- any statement issued at the end found guilty. Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and agreed scheduled to be held in July 2018. Aziz and the federal law tions (FCR) and allow the of it. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 EUROPE 15 France struggles to deal with migrants

Paris Rights Watch maintained. AP From snowy Alpine A bill overhauling asylum and immigration policy will be t’s getting colder, the clock passes to the borders debated in the spring, notably is ticking and regional with Spain or expediting asylum demands but authorities are scrambling Germany, migrants also doubling to 90 days the time to meet President keep making their a person without papers can be Emmanuel Macron’s dead- held in a holding center, the last Iline: Get migrants off France’s way to France. In step before expulsion — an streets and out of forest hideouts Paris alone, police approach the government says is by year’s end. have evacuated “balanced” and “efficient.” That won’t likely happen, and Macron said in a speech in Macron’s government is now around 30,000 July in Orleans before a group of tightening the screws: Ramping people camping on new citizens that he wanted peo- up expulsions, raising pressure sidewalks in the last ple “off the streets, out of the on economic migrants and allow- two years. woods” by the end of 2017. “I ing divisive ID checks in want emergency lodgings every- emergency shelters. Critics con- where.” While his words tend that Macron’s increasingly to apply for asylum at a Paris facil- conveyed humanity, the under- tough policy on migrants — ity, where some spend the night lying message bites. though wrapped in a cloak of on the sidewalk, strewn with filth, Macron has made clear he goodwill — contradicts his image to keep their place. “It’s winter. I wouldn’t accept economic as a humanist who defeated an can’t sleep in the street,” Rasooli migrants in France, wants those anti-immigrant populist for the said. Asylum opens the way for who don’t qualify for asylum Migrants’ belongings and tents are seen, settled near the Canal Saint-Martin, Jaures and presidency, and has crossed a line temporary housing, but only one- expelled and doesn’t want them Stalingrad metro stations in northern Paris, France. passed by no other president in third of the 95,000 applicants this even trying to come to France. the land that prides itself as the year were accepted, government The French President has Collomb told regional authorities “All foreigners in France are Minister Edouard Philippe has cradle of human rights. officials say. been rolling out a multi-pronged to set up “mobile teams” to run not terrorists. All foreigners in announced consultations start- From snowy Alpine passes to The huge makeshift camp in approach that stretches to Africa, checks in emergency housing to France are not indelicate social ing January 11 with mayors, the borders with Spain or Ger- the English Channel port city of with points set up in Chad and ascertain the status of migrants. aid fraudsters,” said Sonia Krimi, lawmakers and aid groups that many, migrants keep making Calais, dismantled last year, was Niger to pre-select those certain Emergency shelters are consid- to the applause of the opposition. play a major role in helping to their way to France. In Paris emblematic of the problems. Its of gaining asylum — and weed out ered bedrocks of the French Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, feed and house migrants. alone, police have evacuated residents were dispersed around potential economic migrants. tradition of open arms to those in defeated by Macron in the May On the ground, authorities are around 30,000 people camping France, but others keep coming At home, Interior Minister need and have long been consid- presidential race, sees the direc- scrambling to show they are fol- on sidewalks in the last two years. in hopes of reaching Britain, and Gerard Collomb has ordered pre- ered untouchable, even by tion the government is taking as lowing the president’s No one doubts that France’s sys- are finding a rude welcome. fects, regional representatives of security authorities. a “political victory” for her anti- clear-the-streets orders. A camp tem of dealing with migrants France’s highest adminis- the state, to crack down on ille- The accent on security in immigration National Front party. of about 40 Afghan migrants was needs fixing, with a perennial trative body said the migrants gal immigration, “act quickly” to dealing with immigration has “What the government wants dismantled last week in the Pas- housing shortage and long wait have been subjected to inhu- expel those who fail to gain asy- appalled even some who support is more expulsions” and “more de-Calais region in northern times in applying for asylum. man and degrading conditions, lum and report results within the centrist Macron. In a first, a quickly,” Jacques Toubon, the France, and another was taken “Living in the street. Living in and an investigation ordered weeks, according to a November lawmaker from Macron’s young state-appointed national rights down in Macon in the east. On a tent. Sometimes you get food. by the interior minister found order cited by the newspaper Le party broke ranks last week with defender, told France-Inter radio. Thursday, a camp on the banks Sometimes you not get food,” said that it was “plausible” that Monde. critical remarks about the direc- But “the situation of vulnerable of the Seine river was the latest Samsoor Rasooli, a 25-year-old police used excessive force A newer set of orders in tion the country is taking on the people isn’t taken into account.” in Paris to be bulldozed, with 131 Afghan standing in line since 6am against migrants, as Human December rang alarm bells. immigration issue. Feeling the heat, Prime migrants taken to shelters.

British navy Russia defends oppn frigate escorts leader’s election ban Russian warship in North Sea Moscow no way affect the legitimacy AFP of the election”. Peskov also London said any calls to boycott the AFP he Kremlin yesterday election should be “rigorously rejected concerns that its studied”— a thinly veiled Royal Navy frigate Tdecision to ban opposition threat of punishment. escorted a Russian leader Alexei Navalny from EU external services Awarship on Christmas running against President spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic Day as it passed close to Brit- Vladimir Putin in a March elec- said the ban on Navalny “casts ish territorial waters, the tion could undermine the vote’s a serious doubt on political plu- ministry of defence said yes- legitimacy. ralism in Russia and the terday at a time of strained The European Union prospect of democratic elec- relations between London weighed in to the controversy tions next year”, in a statement and Moscow. meanwhile, warning that the on Tuesday. The HMS St Albans mon- ban cast “serious doubt” on the “Politically-motivated itored the Russian frigate election. Russia’s Central Elec- charges should not be used Admiral Gorshkov in the tion Commission on Monday against political participation,” North Sea, “keeping track of rejected Navalny’s bid to take she said. “We expect the Rus- its activity in areas of national on Putin in the March presiden- sian authorities to ensure that interest,” it said. Ties hanged on the fence of the Kosovo government headquarters in Pristina yesterday. tial poll, citing a controversial there is a level playing field, The St Albans, a Type 23 embezzlement conviction. including in the presidential frigate, was deployed on Sat- The 41-year-old lawyer elections that will take place on urday to track the Russian Kosovans hang neckties in protest maintains that the case against 18 March.” vessel and would return to its him is politically motivated. He Navalny has built a robust Portsmouth base soon. “I will Pristina raising his salary from €1,500 to who do have a problem with urged his supporters to stage a protest movement in the face not hesitate in defending our AFP €3,000 ($3,500) a month. Ordi- being poor,” said one of the “vote strike” instead. of persistent harassment and waters or tolerate any form nary Kosovans scrape by on a group’s leaders, Kushtrim Meh- Navalny is seen by many as jumped through multiple hoops of aggression,” defence min- ngry Kosovans hung hun- fraction of that. Kosovo’s unem- meti. One of the protesters who the only Russian opposition as he stumped for votes across ister Gavin Williamson said dreds of neckties on the ployment and poverty rates are came to hang a tie, 67-year-old leader who stands a fighting the country. On Sunday, more after the incident. “Britain will Afence outside the govern- about 30 percent. retiree Halil Xani, said he earned chance of challenging Putin. than 15,000 supporters from 20 never be intimidated when it ment’s headquarters yesterday Defending the move in an just €75 a month. Observers have expressed cities formally endorsed his comes to protecting our in protest after its leader justi- interview last week, Haradinaj He would have to work about concern that barring Navalny nomination bid. country, our people, and our fied doubling his own salary by said: “I am obliged to wear a tie. three and half years to earn what from running would affect the Earlier this month, Putin national interests.” saying that wearing smart I cannot go out dressed any old the prime minister earns in a legitimacy of the March poll and clearly indicated that Navalny The defence ministry said clothes was part of his job. how. I must have a shirt.” For month. Haradinaj’s move “makes could affect voter turnout. would not be allowed to run. there had been a recent Protesters hung some 300 Tuesday’s protest, campaign no sense. We also need money, “We cannot agree with this Asked why, Putin — who “upsurge in Russian units ties of various colours and pat- group Beyond The Wall col- not just the leaders,” Xani said. point of view,” Putin’s spokes- has refused to mention Nav- transiting UK waters”. terns and even the odd shirt in a lected ties to hang on the fence. Kosovo unilaterally declared man Dmitry Peskov told alny by name in public — said It said the patrol ship HMS gesture of scorn aimed at premier Haradinaj “must not forget independence from Serbia in reporters yesterday. the opposition was hoping for Tyne also escorted “a Russian Ramush Haradinaj. He sparked that he represents people who 2008, a move that Belgrade does He insisted that barring a “coup” but would not intelligence-gathering ship” outrage by passing a measure do not have a tie problem, but not recognise. Navalny from running “can in succeed. through the North Sea and the Channel on Sunday. A navy helicopter was sent to monitor two other Russian vessels. Brexit deal could be template for EU ties to Ukraine, Turkey: German FM HMS St Albans was also involved in escorting a Rus- Berlin from Brussels to start talks on its manage its ties with two other the EU which allows the trade of September, aimed at allowing sian aircraft carrier and Reuters future relationship with the EU large non-members. most goods without tariffs. free trade of goods, services and missile cruiser through the earlier this month, with London “I can’t imagine Turkey or One possibility would be to capital, and visa-free travel for Channel in January this year. n EU agreement with Brit- saying it aspires to a closer rela- Ukraine becoming EU members offer Ankara a “new, closer form people for short stays. Relations between Lon- ain on relations after tionship as a former member in the next few years,” he said. “If of the customs union”, Gabriel Ukraine’s desire for closer ties don and Moscow have been ABrexit could serve as a than that of any other third we get a smart agreement with said, although he also said such with the EU was one of the driv- hostile for years, with allega- model for ties with other coun- country. Britain regulating relations with a project would have to wait for ing forces behind a popular revolt tions of Russian meddling in tries that want to be as close as In an interview with Funke Europe after Brexit, that could be changes in Turkey’s political that toppled a pro-Russian pres- Britain’s referendum on leav- possible to the bloc but are not newspaper group published yes- a model for other countries - environment. ident in 2014, leading Moscow to ing the European Union and yet ready to join, such as Ukraine terday, German Foreign Minister Ukraine and also Turkey.” An agreement between the seize Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula Moscow’s intervention in and Turkey, Germany’s foreign Sigmar Gabriel said such a deal Turkey, a candidate for EU EU and Ukraine on a “deep and and back pro-Russian separatists Syria on the side of the minister said. could offer a solution to the puz- membership for decades, comprehensive free trade area” in a still-unresolved conflict in the Damascus regime further Britain secured the go-ahead zle of how the bloc of 27 can already has a customs union with formally came into force in east of the country. straining already tense ties. 16 EUROPE WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 France to probe baby Floating sauna milk salmonella scare

Paris chemical. Six babies died and AFP Reports of some 20 around 300,000 others were made ill. rench prosecutors children falling sick The scare in the vast and have opened a probe after consuming growing Chinese market ben- into salmonella con- Lactalis powdered efited rival companies such as tamination and a milk — sold under Lactalis and fellow French giant major international Danone, which were more Frecall of baby milk produced several different expensive but were seen by by dairy giant Lactalis, a legal brand names in consumers as safe and high source said yesterday. France and abroad, quality. The investigation will focus A total of 35 infants have on possible charges of causing including Picot fallen sick with salmonella poi- An aerial view shows men mooring their floating sauna on the bank of the Yenisei River involuntary injuries and endan- and Milumel — first soning in France since August gering the lives of others but emerged in early including 16 who were hospi- outside Krasnoyarsk, Russia. also possible cheating and fail- December. talised, an unusually high ures in carrying out a product number that sparked fears of recall, the source said. an epidemic.Of these, 31 were Reports of some 20 children 15, blaming the contamination found to have consumed Lac- falling sick after consuming on renovation work carried out talis products from its factory Lactalis powdered milk — sold earlier this year. Lactalis could in Craon, which was shut down Dutch police arrest four for under several different brand not be reached for comment on December 8 for a major names in France and abroad, yesterday. cleaning. including Picot and Milumel — The product withdrawals The company believes the first emerged in early have affected consumers in salmonella outbreak can be ‘terrorism’: Prosecutors December. countries as far afield as China, traced to an evaporation tower The company, one of the Pakistan, Bangladesh, Britain used to dry out the milk at the The Hague other three aged 21, 23 and 30 four years in November for pre- world’s largest producers of and Sudan, underlining the factory it acquired in 2006. AFP come from the cities of paring a terror attack following dairy products, ordered a first company’s global reach and the The plant had suffered sal- Vlaardingen, Delft and Gouda his arrest in Rotterdam last year, major recall on December 10 difficulty in tracing all the monella contamination the utch police have arrested in southwest Netherlands. when police discovered an assault of nearly 7,000 tonnes of pack- potentially at-risk powder. previous year. Quentin Guille- four men including a Dutch police raided three rifle and a large amount of ets produced by a contaminated Salmonella symptoms main, the father of a DSwedish citizen sus- homes in the three cities and fireworks. factory in Craon, northwest include severe diarrhoea, stom- three-month-old baby who pected of being involved in seized data but found no weap- In another scare, Dutch mil- France. ach cramps and vomiting. The drank the milk but did not fall terror-related activities, prose- ons or explosives, the statement itary police shot and wounded At the time, it said it did not illness — caused by intestinal ill, has filed a complaint against cutors said yesterday. said. Although “there is no con- a man armed with a knife at know how much of the poten- bacteria from farm animals — Lactalis and the UFC Que Choi- “Rotterdam police detained crete information to indicate a Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport tially dangerous powder had is especially dangerous for the sir consumer association four men early on Sunday terror attack, police and the earlier this month, but authori- been consumed or was in shops very young and elderly because announced plans to do so. evening on suspicion of being public prosecution’s office are ties said the incident was not around the world and it it can cause severe dehydration. Guillemain has set up a sup- involved in terrorism,” the pub- not taking any chances,” pros- terror-related. announced a second, wider The baby milk industry was port group for the families of lic prosecution’s office said in a ecutors said without giving The Netherlands has so far recall on December 21. shaken by a huge scare in China infants sickened by the milk. statement. further information. been spared from the slew of The group has now recalled in 2008 when local manufac- The legal probe was opened by One of the men, aged 29, The suspects remain in cus- terror attacks to have rocked its all of its production from the turers were found to be bulking prosecutors in Paris specialised arrived on a flight from Stock- tody pending a court appearance. closest European neighbours in Craon factory since February their product with an industrial in public health issues. holm earlier Sunday while the A Dutch citizen was sentenced to recent years.

Austrian minister’s Fox hunting resurfaces as political issue in UK headscarf remark

London Conservative Party — to allow a worry Muslims AFP free vote,” she said. Downing Street declined to Vienna ritain’s long-running comment on Tuesday, referring Anatolia debate over fox hunting questions to other government Bhas resurfaced over Christ- offices. A rural affairs depart- ecent remarks by Aus- mas after a report that the ment spokeswoman said there tria’s newly appointed government will ditch an elec- were no plans for a vote in this REducation Minister tion pledge to give MPs a free parliamentary session, which Heinz Fassmann against the vote on the issue. runs until spring 2019. headscarf have raised con- The subject received extra “With the EU negotiations cerns for Muslims living in the attention yesterday (Boxing Day) ongoing, this is clearly not a top country. Fassmann’s inter- when hundreds of British hunts priority for the first session,” she view published in local Kurier met across the country on the added. The prime minister’s newspaper on Friday quoted busiest day in the hunting apparent coming climbdown has him saying “teachers should calendar. already riled hunting not wear a headscarf”. Organisers claim up to proponents. When asked about his 300,000 people participated, Ann Mallalieu, president of opinion on the headscarf ban, while anti-hunting activists con- the Countryside Alliance — a Fassmann said: “Yes, I have a tinue to target the gatherings. rural life lobby group which sympathy for the secular state According to a December 24 claims to have around 100,000 and find that teachers should Sunday Times report, British A member of the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent Hunt crashes as she jumps a fence during supporters — wrote in the Daily not wear a headscarf, except Prime Minister Theresa May will the annual Boxing Day hunt in Chiddingstone, Britain, yesterday. Telegraph yesterday that some religious and private school next year announce plans to lawmakers had admitted their teachers.” drop the commitment to a House Britain, however, still allows with the law. The Sunday Times Tony Blair’s Labour opposition to fox hunting was Reacting to the interview, of Commons vote on fox hunt- trail hunts, which let packs fol- said a U-turn on a new vote by government. “class war”. President of Islamic Religious ing “as she seeks to rebrand the low a route rather than an May would be “certain to infu- May vocally supported the Opposition Labour leader Authority in Austria Ibrahim Conservatives as a “caring” animal, and drag hunting, which riate many of the party’s rural position during the election, in Jeremy Corbyn added his voice Olgun told Anadolu Agency: party. permit hounds to track artificial supporters — and split its MPs”. which her government lost its to calls for continuity — and clar- “Headscarf is our red line.” Such a vote could overturn scents. Critics argue dogs still The Conservatives pledged majority. “Personally I have ity from May. “Fox hunting is “For this reason, we will a ban in 2004 outlawing the use chase and kill live animals on in their election manifesto to always been in favour of fox cruel and barbaric. The govern- never allow such an attempt. of dogs to hunt foxes and other these hunts, with organisers then hold a free vote allowing parlia- hunting, and we maintain our ment must permanently rule out We will do all we can to pre- wild mammals in England and claiming it was accidental. ment to decide the future of the commitment — we have had a any plans for a vote on overturn- vent the headscarf ban to Wales. Hunts claim they comply ban on fox hunting, passed by commitment previously as a ing the ban,” he tweeted. commence, and we will carry the issue to the constitutional court if necessary,” he added. “We think that behind the desire to ban the headscarf Police investigate Swedish Car ploughs through store in Stuttgart lies anti-Islamism,” he said. Islamic Federation of Vienna (IFW) General Secre- mosque attack as hate crime tary Harun Erciyas said: “Claiming that teachers with Stockholm “An average of 100 people come to headscarves are contrary to Anatolia the mosque and pray every day.” Swe- the principle of impartiality den is a strong draw for many migrants actually means insulting their olice are investigating an attack on and about 15 percent of its population [the teachers’] education and a mosque with a homemade bomb was born abroad. labor. We certainly do not Pas a hate crime, officers said. An estimated 100,000 ethnic Turks approve of this. The attack on the Islamic Cultural live in the Nordic country. Later, a “rac- “The Islamic Community, Center in Saffle, a town 45km southwest ist attack” on a mosque in Sodermalm an official institution of the of Karsltad, left ball-bearings lodged in district of Stockholm took place on Tues- country, describes the head- the walls of the center’s prayer room. day, the imam of the mosque said. scarf as part of Islam. For this Broadcaster SVT reported that police “In the morning, some unidentified reason, if you remove the had completed a preliminary investiga- people attached the cross, a symbol of people with headscarves from tion and were treating the attack as a hate Christians, on the entrance door. They the government, you also crime. “Windows were broken and the do not want us to be here. They want us The damage after a car ploughed through the window of a store in remove all the members of walls were hit by explosives reinforced to close the mosque,” Khaled Abdel, the Bad Cannstat district of Stuttgart. The driver lost the control of this religion from the public with BB pellets,” center Chairman Abdi- imam of the Stockholm Mosque, told the vehicle for unknown reasons. and, naturally, it will be hakem Adan said. Anadolu Agency. discriminating.” WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 AMERICAS 17 US sanctions two N Koreans over missile programme

Washington maximum pressure campaign to official involved in North Korea’s will restrict oil supplies vital for breach of our republic’s sover- AFP “Kim Jong-Sik and Ri isolate the DPRK and achieve a intercontinental ballistic missile North Korea’s missile and eignty and an act of war that fully denuclearized Korean development,” the Treasury nuclear programmes. destroys the peace and stability he United States sanctioned Pyong-Chol reportedly Peninsula,” Treasury Secretary statement said. The third raft of sanctions of the Korean peninsula and a two North Korean officials are key figures in Steven Mnuchin said in a state- “As a result of today’s actions, imposed on the North this year, wider region,” Pyongyang’s for- Tyesterday over their coun- North Korea’s ballistic ment, referring to North Korea any property or interests in prop- sparked by last month’s ICBM eign ministry said in a statement try’s ballistic missile programme, by its formal initials. erty of those designated by OFAC test, also received the backing of carried by the state-run KCNA in Washington’s latest effort to missile development,” The two officials were listed within US jurisdiction are China -- the North’s sole major news agency. punish Pyongyang for its weap- the Treasury last Friday in a new United blocked, and transactions by US ally and economic lifeline. The latest launch of the Hwa- ons development drive. statement said. Nations Security Council resolu- persons involving the designated The sanctions also order the song-15 ICBM, theoretically Tensions have escalated after tion sanctioning North Korea, it person are generally prohibited,” repatriation of North Korean capable of hitting all major US the isolated but nuclear-armed said. n“Kim Jong-Sik reportedly Treasury said, referring to its workers sent abroad to earn cities, further heightened global regime staged a series of atomic North Korean leader Kim Jong- is a key figure in North Korea’s Office of Foreign Assets much-needed revenue for Kim’s alarm over the rapid advance in and intercontinental ballistic un have traded insults. ballistic missile development, Control. regime. North Korea slammed the country’s weapons technol- missile (ICBM) tests, most “Treasury is targeting lead- including efforts to switch from On Friday, the UN Security the fresh UN sanctions as an “act ogy, which has made significant recently on November 28, while ers of North Korea’s ballistic liquid to solid fuel, and Ri Pyong- Council unanimously passed of war.” “We fully reject the lat- progress since Kim took power US President Donald Trump and missile programs, as part of our Chol is reported to be a key new, US-drafted sanctions that est UN sanctions... as a violent in 2011. US defence department 39 injured in sued to fix its system explosion at Cuban fest New York The three cities are led by Reuters Democrats, some of whom have Havana advocated stricter gun Reuters he cities of New York, San controls. Francisco and Philadel- The Defence Department fireworks explosion Tphia have sued the US said that it did not comment on injured 39 people, Department of Defence to make pending litigation. Former Air- Aincluding six children it fix its system for reporting man Devin Kelley - who between the ages of 11 and 15, conviction records to a data- opened fire in the First Baptist during a popular Cuban car- base used for background Church in Sutherland Springs, nival on Christmas Eve, checks on gun buyers. Texas, on November 5 - was state-run media reported. The lawsuit was filed on convicted five years ago by a The centuries-old Parran- Friday in federal court in Alex- general court-martial on two das festival in the central The tail of a Cessna 340 plane that crashed at the Bartow Municipal Airport in Bartow, andria, Virginia and came after charges of domestic assault town of Remedios takes place the US Air Force revealed it against his wife and stepson. Florida, killing all five people aboard. every Dec. 24 and draws failed to report the criminal The Air Force said that thousands of Cubans and record of the man who in information was not entered some tourists. November killed 26 people and into the National Criminal “An unfortunate accident wounded 20 others in a shoot- Information Center database, Five dead in US plane crash with fireworks occurred last ing at a Texas church. which the Federal Bureau of night in Remedios,” the gov- The complaint, announced Investigation oversees and uses Miami said in a news release. Investi- Shannon, 24, a university stu- ernment’s Cubadebate yesterday, said it sought an to run required background AFP gators said the twin-engine dent; Victoria Shannon internet news service injunction to prevent future check requests from gun deal- Cessna 340 took off from Bar- Worthington, 26, a school reported. “senseless carnage” by requir- ers before a sale. n American family’s hol- tow Airbase, near Tampa, about teacher; her husband Peter Among the more than 20 ing the Defense Department to Attorney General Jeff Ses- iday reunion ended in 7:15 am (12:15 GMT) bound for Worthington, Jr, a law student; seriously injured, according locate all records in its posses- sions has since ordered the Atragedy when their light Key West, but it went down near and family friend Krista Clay- to Cubadebate, health author- sion that should be reported in Justice Department to under- plane crashed in Florida, killing the end of the Bartow runway. ton, 32, a teacher. ities said some were in “very order to fix “deadly gaps” in the take a review of the system to all five people aboard, the local While the cause of the inci- The Worthington couple had grave, some less grave, and background check database. help plug potential reporting sheriff’s office said. dent is under investigation, “it “arrived in town yesterday for others in critical and very “New York City is joining gaps. The Department of The crash killed the pilot was very foggy at the time,” the the holidays, from Baltimore, critical condition.” Philadelphia and San Francisco Defense Inspector General ear- John Shannon, 70, his two adult sheriff’s office said, adding that where they live. Krista joined All the injured appeared to stand up to the Department lier this month released a report daughters, his son-in-law and a fire followed the crash. the family on the trip,” the news to be local residents, and the of Defense and demand they that found that all military serv- a family friend, the Polk County “All of the victims perished release said. On his website, report did not mention that comply with the law and repair ices “consistently” failed to Sheriff said. “This is a tragedy upon or immediately after Shannon said he began practis- any tourists were hurt. their drastically flawed system,” submit fingerprint data for 24 any time, but it is so much worse impact,” it said. In addition to ing law in 1975, and had focused Remedios is located in New York City Mayor Bill de percent of the convicted because it happened on Christ- Shannon, the statement said the on “personal injury and death” Villa Clara province on the Blasio said in a statement. offenders reviewed. mas Eve,” Sheriff Grady Judge victims are believed to be Olivia cases. northern coast of the island. Two of the town’s neigh- borhoods compete on Christmas Eve each year to Colombia records put on the most spectacular Venezuela arrests 28 in new unrest show with floats and fire- lowest murder works amidst a carnival atmosphere. rate in 4 decades Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, policies for too long, while turn- The cause of the explo- Reuters ing a blind eye to rampant sion was under investigation, Bogota corruption and inefficiency. according to official media. AFP enezuelan authorities said The government says it is the yesterday they had victim of an “economic war” by olombia recorded its Varrested 28 people in political opponents and right- Person interviewed lowest murder rate in southern Bolivar state for loot- wing foreign powers, intent on over manure Cfour decades this year ing and disorder over Christmas bringing down Maduro in a coup. in the wake of a peace deal in the latest unrest during a “This can only be reversed with the leftwing FARC rebel severe economic crisis. with deep economic reforms,” sent to Mnuchin group, the government said There have been scattered said opposition legislator and yesterday. protests and roadblocks around economist Angel Alvarado. Los Angeles There were “a little over the South American OPEC nation In western Zulia state, sev- AP 11,000 homicides” in 2017, in recent days over food short- eral hundred thousand people Defence Minister Luis Carlos ages, power-cuts, high prices were plunged into darkness on he US Secret Service Villegas said, equating to a and fuel rationing. Christmas Eve, sparking fury says it has interviewed rate of 23 murders per Local chamber of commerce Bolivar notes a seen hanging in a tree at a street in Maracaibo, among those who had scraped Tsomeone claiming 100,000 inhabitants. head Florenzo Schettino told Venezuela. together money and hunted for responsibility for delivering That signified 320 fewer Reuters 10 businesses - mostly products throughout the day to a gift-wrapped package of violent deaths this year than liquor stores - were looted as guarding gas stations, where Pedro Pina, waiting for hours to prepare a traditional family din- horse manure addressed to in 2016, he said, stating: “This dark fell on Christmas Day in there were large lines and cus- buy fuel in Barinas state. ner. “I spent the whole day Treasury Secretary Steve year will go down in history Bolivar, which has seen unrest tomers were only allowed to fill Critics blame President stressed out - and then the lights Mnuchin (mih-NOO’-shin). as the safest in four at various points over the last up 35 liters per vehicle. Nicolas Maduro and the ruling went off. What a pathetic Christ- The box was found Sat- decades.” four years of brutal recession. “We’re wasting so much time Socialist Party for Venezuela’s mas,” said Lilibeth Rodriguez, urday at the home of The government’s Foren- In the western Andean ... The government is testing peo- economic mess, saying they 40, whose family gathering was Mnuchin’s neighbor in the sic Medicine Institute has not states, police and soldiers were ple’s patience,” said bus driver have persisted with failed statist ruined. wealthy Bel Air neighborhood yet released its data on in Los Angeles. The LAPD recorded deaths for 2017. It bomb squad responded to the said that in 2016 there were package, which police say 11,532 homicides. was marked as being from By way of comparison, Court rejects challenge to Trump voter fraud panel “the American people.” the United States has a mur- Secret Service spokesman der rate of 4.9 per 100,000 Washington Information Center (EPIC) three-judge appeals court panel technically an action by a gov- Cody Starken said that the inhabitants, according to Reuters watchdog group, which filed the ruled unanimously that the pri- ernment agency so was not agency was contacted by Los recent FBI data. Much of Latin lawsuit, did not have legal vacy law at issue was intended bound by laws that govern what Angeles police and inter- America suffers homicide US appeals court in Wash- standing to seek to force the to protect individuals, not such entities can do. viewed a person who claimed rates higher than the world ington yesterday upheld presidential commission to groups like EPIC. Kollar-Kotelly noted that responsibility. He declined to average of 5.3 per 100,000 A a lower court’s decision to review privacy concerns before “EPIC is not a voter,” Judge the commission, headed by Vice identify the person. inhabitants given by the allow President Donald Trump’s collecting individuals’ voter Karen Henderson wrote in the President Mike Pence, was an Starken says the Secret World Bank. In 2015, Colom- commission investigating voter data. ruling. Washington-based US advisory body that lacks legal Service takes all confirmed bia was classed as the third fraud to request data on voter EPIC had argued that under District Judge Colleen Kollar- authority to compel states to and alleged threats seriously. most deadly country in the rolls from US states. federal law, the commission Kotelly first denied EPIC’s hand over the data. Most state He says the agency typically region, after Venezuela and The US Court of Appeals for was required to conduct a pri- injunction request in July, in officials who oversee elections doesn’t comment on possible Brazil. But, while Colombia the District of Columbia Circuit vacy-impact assessment before part because the collection of and election law experts say criminal investigations or still struggles with violence. said the Electronic Privacy gathering personal data. But the data by the commission was not that voter fraud is rare in US. interviewing practices. 18 AMERICAS WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 Fujimori’s pardon triggers widespread protests in Peru

Lima parliamentary bid Thursday to AFP “Out, out PPK! Out, impeach Kuczynski on suspicion of corruption, sparking specula- housands of Peruvians out PPK!” angry tion the pardon was political marched in Lima to protest demonstrators payback. Tthe pardon of ailing ex- chanted in reference The condition of Alberto president Alberto Fujimori, who to the president, who Fujimori, 79, was “delicate” and was serving a 25-year sentence “a decision will be made” based for human rights abuses. had promised during on how he responds to treatment Current President Pedro his electoral campaign at the Centenario Clinic, a doc- Pablo Kuczynski ordered the the previous year that tor at the facility, Alejandro pardon of Fujimori and seven he would not free Aguinaga, told reporters. other prisoners on Sunday on He said there was no pros- humanitarian grounds, once Fujimori. pect of Fujimori leaving soon. again placing himself in the mid- Fujimori was transferred dle of a political crisis just days from his cell to a clinic Saturday after he avoided impeachment. because it does not correspond suffering from low blood pres- On Monday, protesters called to the gravity of the crimes,” sure and an irregular heartbeat. Protesters clash with police during march after Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for Kuczynski’s departure from Gisella Ortiz, representative of a “He remains in intensive care. pardoned former President Alberto Fujimori in Lima, Peru, yesterday. office. group of relatives of victims, said. His condition is favorable but “Out, out PPK! Out, out PPK!” A strong force of anti-riot other tests are necessary,” as several operations to remove a period of crisis. That dichot- impeachment bid that was angry demonstrators chanted in police moved through the streets Aguinaga said. cancerous growths from his omy has come to the fore with spearheaded by Kenji Fujimori’s reference to the president, who of Lima with the protesters and He said the ex-president had tongue. The former leader has the pardon: dozens of support- sister, Keiko, who is also a legis- had promised during his elec- sought to prevent them from already undergone scans of his spent more than a decade ers gathered in front of the lator and who narrowly lost the toral campaign the previous year heading to the clinic where Fuji- brain and heart, and stated that imprisoned for ruthlessly crack- hospital looking after him, while last presidential election. that he would not free Fujimori. mori is hospitalized. the cardiac problem was accen- ing down on political rivals and opponents later demonstrated Kuczynski, a former Wall “Fujimori, murderer and thief. Kuczynski said his decision tuating “various degenerative for ordering dozens of murders in Lima against him. Street Banker, was accused of No to the pardon!” read one of to grant the pardon relied on a pathologies.” and overseeing other brutal Fujimori, of Japanese lying to cover up $5 million in the signs held by the protesters, medical evaluation that Fujimori Kenji Fujimori posted an tactics. descent, ruled Peru between payments received from dis- some of whom also carried a suffered a progressive and incur- online video of his father in Despite his conviction for 1990 and 2000. His reign quickly graced Brazilian construction giant Peruvian flag. able illness and that conditions intensive care. Alberto Fujimori human rights abuses, however, became autocratic after a 1992 firm Odebrecht. Relatives of victims of Fuji- in prison “represent a grave risk has been hospitalized on several Fujimori retains a level of pop- internal coup in which he dis- He faces a struggle to influ- mori’s brutal rule took part in the to his life”. But the move came previous occasions, the last time ularity in Peru for having solved the legislature. ence Peru’s march. “We are here as relatives after Fujimori’s son Kenji drained in September, and has had heart, defeated leftwing guerillas and The pardon was Kuczynski’s opposition-dominated Congress, to reject this illegal pardon, votes away from a back and stomach trouble as well for stabilizing the economy after first major act after surviving the where his party has just 18 seats. Former Peru leader seeks forgiveness from public after pardon

Lima from his hospital bed. grounds, placing himself in the address Monday night. “It is reference to the current presi- representative of a group of fam- AFP The 79-year-old had been middle of a political crisis just about the health and chances of dent, who had promised during ilies of victims, told reporters. serving a 25-year sentence for days after he avoided impeach- life of a former president of Peru his electoral campaign the pre- Kuczynski had earlier said eru’s ailing former leader corruption and human rights ment. On Monday Peruvian who, having committed excesses vious year that he would not free his decision to grant the pardon Alberto Fujimori yesterday abuses committed during his police fired tear gas and clashed and grave errors, was sentenced Fujimori. relied on a medical evaluation Pasked the public for for- time in office from 1990 to 2000. with protesters marching against and has already completed 12 “Fujimori, murderer and that Fujimori suffered a progres- giveness, two days after He was transferred from the pardon. years” in prison, he said. thief. No to the pardon!” read one sive and incurable illness and receiving a presidential pardon prison to a hospital on Saturday They called for the departure Anti-riot police moved of the signs held by the protest- that conditions in prison “repre- that sparked street protests. after suffering from low blood from office of Kuczynski, who through the streets of Lima on ers, some of whom also carried sent a grave risk to his life.” “I am aware that the results pressure and an irregular heart- later defended his decision in a Monday to prevent demonstra- a giant Peruvian flag. Relatives But the move came after of my government were well beat, the latest in a string of televised message to the nation. tors from heading to the clinic of victims of Fujimori’s brutal Fujimori’s son Kenji drained received on one side, but I admit hospitalizations. “I am convinced that those where Fujimori is hospitalized, rule took part in the march. “We votes away from a parliamen- that I have let down other com- President Pedro Pablo Kuc- of us who feel democratic should firing tear gas canisters and are here as relatives to reject this tary bid Thursday to impeach patriots, and I ask them to forgive zynski ordered the pardon of not allow Alberto Fujimori to die erecting barricades to disperse illegal pardon, because it does Kuczynski on suspicion of cor- me with all my heart,” Fujimori Fujimori and seven other pris- in prison, because justice is not them. “Out, out PPK! Out, out not correspond to the gravity of ruption, sparking speculation the said in a Facebook video filmed oners Sunday on humanitarian revenge,” Kuczynski said in his PPK!” demonstrators chanted in the crimes,” Gisella Ortiz, pardon was political.

Vintage ride Mexican police Venezuela releases arrest suspect in scribe’s murder another eight Mexico City Reuters political opponents man alleged to be behind the murder this Ayear of a crime Caracas The government rejects reporter in northern Mexico AFP the label “political prisoners” has been arrested by federal for the opposition inmates, police, Chihuahua state Gov- enezuela’s government preferring to characterize ernor Javier Corral said in a released another eight them as common criminals. statement on Monday. Vpolitical opponents Venezuela’s opposition The suspect, identified as from jail, bringing to 44 the Democratic Unity Roundta- Juan Carlos Moreno Ochoa, number freed since Saturday ble coalition welcomed the alias “El Larry”, was detained in a goodwill gesture timed to release of the inmates. But it in the neighbouring border happen over Christmas. said on Twitter that “they state of Sonora on Monday But they are only a frac- should never have been and was allegedly the “intel- tion of the number of political deprived of their freedom” as lectual author” of the murder prisoners being held, the head “striving to reconstruct a of journalist Miroslava of the rights group Foro Penal, country ruined by the regime Breach, the statement said. Alfredo Romero, said. is not a crime.” Tourists get off a vintage car after a ride in Havana, Cuba, yesterday. Breach was shot several “The government is inter- Among those freed in the times as she drove out of her ested in reducing the number first wave was Alfredo Ramos, garage on March 23. One of of political prisoners to reduce mayor of the northwestern her children was with her in the cost they represent. There municipality of Irribarren, the car, but was not hurt. are still 227 political prison- who was arrested in late July A man alleged to be the ers -- the highest number for and handed a 15-month ‘Sound of Music’ star Menzies-Urich dead gunman in Breach’s murder, any Christmas,” Romero said. sentence. Ramon Andres Zavala, was The Venezuelan regime The jailed political oppo- Los Angeles movie. We will miss her.” in 2002. He was a US television assassinated last week in Son- had promised to release 80 nents were among the issues AFP Menzies-Urich, then a teen- star who shot to fame in the ora, Corral’s statement said. inmates for Christmas. Delcy discussed in talks, held in the ager, had the role of Louisa von 1970s through his series “Vegas” Moreno Ochoa was Rodriguez, head of a Truth Dominican Republic, between eather Menzies-Urich, a Trapp, one of the children of and “Spenser: For Hire.” scheduled to be brought Commission investigating the government and the star of “The Sound of Captain von Trapp played by After his death, Menzies- before a judge later on Mon- protests against President opposition. HMusic,” which continues Canadian actor Christopher Urich founded The Robert Urich day to begin proceedings Nicolas Maduro’s regime, had The dialogue is aimed at to win hearts worldwide after Plummer, who starred with Foundation to support cancer against him, the statement called the move a sign of trying to find a political solu- more than half a century, died English actress Julie Andrews. research and patient care. On said. Reuters was unable to “reconciliation.” tion to the dire crisis engulfing at age 68, an industry source Menzies-Urich’s son, Ryan the group’s website, she wrote locate Moreno Ochoa’s Those jailed had been Venezuela, a once-rich oil- said. Urich, said she had been diag- that she tried to live by her late lawyer. arrested during demonstra- producing nation that is now “We... mourn the passing of nosed with brain cancer and husband’s motto: “Never give up At least 16 journalists have tions demanding that Maduro partially in default on its Heather Menzies-Urich,” the died on Christmas Eve sur- -- never, ever give up.” “The been killed in Mexico in the step down. Mass street pro- debts, with scarcities of food Rodgers and Hammerstein rounded by family, according to Sound of Music” opened on last three years, and 43 since tests began in 2014, when 43 and medicine. Organization, which holds the celebrity website TMZ, as well Broadway in 1959 and was made 1992, making Mexico one of people were killed in clashes, A third round of talks is rights to the musical, said on its as Variety magazine’s website. into a movie in 1965 with mem- the world’s most dangerous and have continued sporadi- due to take place January website. “We are all lucky to Menzies-Urich was born in orable hit songs including “My countries for reporters, cally ever since with 125 dead 11-12. have known her, and she will Toronto, Canada. Her husband Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss,” according to the Committee earlier this year. happily live on in that beautiful Robert Urich died from cancer and the title track itself. to Project Journalists. WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017 MORNING BREAK 19

Over 65,000 visit website of Medical City hospitals PRAYER TIMINGS

FAJR 04.56am The Peninsula especially popular, as it gives people City hospitals to great effect,” Al Khater SHOROOK 06.17 am a unique and holistic view of some of said. “People can really get a “behind ince its launch earlier this month, our services including the operating the scenes” look at the workings of the ZUHR 11.35 am MAGHRIB 04.54 pm more than 65,000 people have theaters in the Ambulatory Care new hospitals as well as find out more ASR 02.32 pm ISHA 06.24pm Svisited the newly launched web- Center, private patient rooms in the about the innovative services they site for the new Medical City hospitals Women’s Wellness and Research offer.” to take a tour of the state-of-the-art Center and the Qatar Rehabilitation HMC’s new Medical City complex, WEATHER TODAY facilities. Institute’s unique Sensory Simulation which was opened recently by the Emir Videos showcasing the new facil- Room,” he said. HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, o o ities and their innovative approach to Visitors to www.newhmchospitals. and it represents the biggest health- care have been viewed nearly 500,000 qa can also register to attend site tours care facility expansion in the region 17 C 26 C times across Hamad Medical Corpo- of the new hospitals, which are sched- and is bringing new services and care Minimum Maximum ration’s (HMC) social media uled to commence in January 2018. In options to the people of Qatar. channels. addition, they can receive up-to-the Once fully operational, the three “This level of engagement demon- “The new website’s functionalities minute updates on patient numbers new hospitals – Qatar Rehabilitation strates the community’s widespread include the popular 360-degree vir- and read the latest news about new Institute, Women’s Wellness and interest and pride in these ground tual tours of the facilities so people services on offer. Research Center, and the Ambulatory breaking hospitals,” said Ali Abdullah experience the state-of-the-art envi- “We have used our popular social Care Center – will house 500 new hos- Al Khater (pictured), HMC’s Chief ronment in which care will be offered. media channels to showcase the facil- pital beds and 3,000 highly trained Communications Officer. The virtual tours have proven to be ities and services at the new Medical clinical and support staff. Malabar Gold & Diamonds offers Iron overload chance to win up to 1.5kg of gold drug good for leukaemia care London IANS

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Era - Uncut Diamond Jewellery, deferoxamine -- used to treat iron over- in GCC and the customers get The customers also get a fab- Mine - Diamonds Unlimited, load, which can happen for example when unprecedented opportunities to ulous chance to buy 8 gm gold Divine- Indian Heritage Jewellery a person receives multiple blood win up to 1.5 kilos of gold and 100% coins with absolutely no making and Precia - Gem Jewellery transfusions. Deferoxamine, which is already approved to treat iron overload, was found to have a protective effect on the blood vessels in AML patients, allowing the res- Jupiter & Mars to come closer cue of healthy blood stem cells. Moreover, the enhanced vessels also The Peninsula improved the efficiency of chemotherapy. “Since the drug is already approved for he giant planet Jupiter will be approaching the red planet Mars on human use for a different condition, we December 31, where the angular distance between the two plan- already know that it is safe,” said lead Tets will be less than two degrees in dawn sky, according to Qatar author Cristina Lo Celso from the Calendar House (QCH). varsity. Qatar residents will be able to observe Mars very close to Jupiter “We still need to test it in the context over eastern horizon with naked eye from time rise of Jupiter until sun- of leukaemia and chemotherapy, but rise time; where Jupiter will rise over Qatar sky at 2:24am. Sunrise time because it is already in use we can progress will be 6:19am, said astronomer expert at QCH Dr. Beshir Marzouk. to clinical trials much quicker than we On the other side, “Mercury”, the nearest planet of the Sun, will be could with a brand new drug,” Celso added. close to Jupiter and Mars over eastern horizon of Qatar dawn sky after time rise of Mercury; where it will rise For the study, the team filmed the inva- over Qatar sky at 4:40am. 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Seattle notable programs include Ala- meet demand and not enough councilman credited with cre- month. She’s paying almost AP bama and Georgia. But some money to make it happen. ating the Seattle Preschool four times that much for a liberal-leaning cities like Seat- Programs in Seattle and Program. month at a private day care n perhaps an unexpected tle and New York also are New York enjoy overwhelm- It is now in its third year, franchise. twist, historically conserv- running public pre-K ing support locally, which in serving 979 children with a “It’s so expensive and Iative strongholds like programs. turn puts pressure on their sliding scale tuition model. become so difficult to afford,” Oklahoma and West Virginia Advocates say more uni- state lawmakers to act as they About 80 percent of them go said Mehrotra, a research sci- are leading efforts to bring versal programs are needed to face growing inequity in pub- for free. Burgess is now push- entist. “I’m just waiting for him preschool to all. address what they call an lic education and research that ing for a universal statewide to turn 5 so he can get into “They have in common a alarming increase in child care touts the benefits of high-qual- offering in Washington, kindergarten.” low-wage workforce, rela- costs. Studies have shown that ity education in the critical beyond its program for low- The universal preschool tively low education levels and children who attend a high- early years. income children. movement hit peak momen- the desire to change that,” said quality preschool are more “Clearly, a statewide pro- Aanchal Mehrotra’s tum under the Obama Steven Barnett of the National adjusted for the rest of their gram would be so much better, 4-year-old son is one of 300 administration but has been Institute for Early Education academic lives and have bet- and it should be available to kids now on the waiting list for virtually unaddressed by Pres- Research. “Whatever they say, ter outcomes as adults, from all 3- and 4-year-olds. It’s the the Seattle Preschool Program, ident Donald Trump. Instead, politicians in West Virginia higher incomes to healthier best investment we can make but she says she doesn’t have Trump’s daughter and adviser know the future of their state lifestyles. Around the country, to right the wrongs of gener- much hope that he’ll get in. The Ivanka Trump has dabbled is not coal miners.” some budding programs say ations,” said Tim Burgess, a Seattle preschool class would with policies aimed at tackling Other red states that have there are not enough seats to retired Seattle mayor and city cost the family just $365 a child care costs. 20 HOME WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2017