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SUNDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11216 June 16, 2019 Shawwal 13, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Amir attends 5th CICA summit in Dushanbe QATAR | Meeting Doha Forum ‘a place to hold open dialogue’ Doha Forum provides a meeting place for the world and international leaders to engage in open dialogue and seek consensus as they move towards tackling global issues, HE Lolwah Alkhater, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, has told Gulf Times. Doha Forum 2019 will be held on December 14-15 under the theme ‘Reimagining Governance in a MultiPolar World’. Page 2

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani took part in the opening session of the fifth summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Navruz Palace in Dushanbe yesterday. The summit was attended by heads of states, governments and delegations. The Amir was accompanied by an off icial delegation. The Amir left Dushanbe yesterday afternoon for Doha after participating in the summit. Upon departure, the Amir and the accompanying delegation were seen off at Dushanbe international airport by Tajikistan Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, First Deputy Foreign Minister Khusrav Noziri, Qatar’s ambassador Ibrahim bin Mohamed al-Abdullah, deputy ambassador of Tajikistan to Qatar Akram Karimov and Qatari embassy staff . The Amir sent a cable to Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, expressing his sincere thanks and appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation in Dushanbe. The Amir also praised the eff orts exerted by the president to achieve the success of the conference and its objectives, which will contribute to enhancing the constructive co-operation among the member states and the establishment of peace, security and stability in Asia. He also wished the president good health and happiness and the brotherly people of Tajikistan further progress and prosperity. Page 24 Qatar a pivotal partner in Amir, Xi vow to bolster Middle East: Russia strategic partnership QNA QNA investment. The Amir stressed Dushanbe Dushanbe Qatar’s readiness to increase in- vestments in Russia, and said he was keen to enhance co-opera- is Highness the Amir is Highness the Amir tion in the cultural fi eld too. Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- As for Qatar’s preparations Hmad al-Thani met with Hmad al-Thani met with for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Chinese President Xi Jinping on Russian President Vladimir Pu- Cup, the Amir said preparations the sidelines of the fi fth summit tin on the sidelines of the fi fth are good, noting the co-opera- of Conference on Interaction and summit of Conference on Inter- tion between the two countries Confi dence-Building Measures action and Confi dence-Building during the organisation of Russia in Asia (CICA), at Navruz Palace Measures in Asia (CICA), at Na- 2018 World Cup and the impor- in Dushanbe yesterday. vruz Palace in Dushanbe yester- tance of enhancing the exchange The Chinese president day. of experience for the Qatar 2022 thanked the Amir for his visit to At the outset of the meeting, tournament. China in January and described the Russian president expressed The Amir congratulated the the tour as very successful and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting his pleasure in meeting and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting Russian president for the success one that greatly contributed to with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Dushanbe yesterday. speaking with the Amir, noting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe yesterday. of St Petersburg International promoting Qatari-Chinese rela- the celebration of the Qatar- Economic Forum 2019, which tions. He expressed satisfaction and its contribution to promot- During the meeting, the two Russia 2018 Year of Culture. The portant, fruitful and active cultural, military and technical Qatar attended. During the fo- over the deep bilateral relations, ing Qatari-Chinese relations, sides reviewed the strategic Russian leader underlined the co-operation in the invest- fields. rum, the business environment and underlined his readiness to describing it as strategic. The partnership between the two developing Qatari-Russian rela- ment field, looking forward to His Highness the Amir noted in Qatar and the overall competi- work with the Amir to further Amir underlined the mutual friendly countries and the tions, and described Qatar as an further support for this sector. that Qatari-Russian relations are tive advantages off ered by the enhance and develop them. keenness - as indicated by the means for developing it in all important and pivotal partner in The president also noted the strong and strategic and are wit- Qatari market to international For his part, the Amir high- Chinese president - on devel- fields, especially in economy, the Middle East. co-operation between the two nessing great development espe- companies and investors were lighted the importance of his oping the relations between the investment, energy and in- Putin highlighted the im- countries in the humanitarian, cially in the fi elds of energy and reviewed. To Page 24 visit to China early this year two countries in various fi elds. dustry. Amir, Rouhani stress for talks to maintain stability in region

QNA Iranian president expressed his hap- His Highness the Amir said that The two leaders discussed bilat- Dushanbe piness to meet the Amir, noting that Qatari-Iranian relations are deep and eral relations and means of enhanc- despite the problems in the region, historical, and stressed that Qatar’s ing them. They also discussed the Qatari-Iranian relations are witness- historical and clear position is that latest developments in the region, is Highness the Amir Sheikh ing steady development, pointing out any disagreement among neighbours especially the escalation in the Gulf Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani that Qatar is a neighbour, friendly and should be resolved through dialogue. region, stressing the importance of Hyesterday met with Iranian brotherly country and hoped to fur- The Amir thanked the president for dialogue to resolve diff erences in or- President Dr Hassan Rouhani on ther develop and deepen relations in Iran’s stance on the blockade imposed der to maintain the region’s security the sidelines of the fi fth summit of all fi elds, with many bilateral and re- on Qatar since 2017 and for providing and stability. Conference on Interaction and Con- gional areas of co-operation. air, land and sea transit facilities. The Members of the offi cial delega- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with Iranian fi dence-Building Measures in Asia The president expressed Iran’s desire Amir also referred to the strong and tion accompanying the Amir and a President Dr Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the fifth summit of Conference on (CICA), held in Dushanbe. for dialogue and the elimination of all solid relations between the two peo- number of ministers from the Iranian Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, in Dushanbe yesterday. At the beginning of the meeting, the misunderstandings in the region. ples. side attended meeting. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, June 16, 2019 QATAR Doha Forum a meeting place for Kuwait praises the world to hold open dialogue Qatar’s role

By Joseph Varghese It is meant to act as a facilitator ferent problems. We have dis- Staff Reporter for dialogue and a space to meet. tilled this year’s themes into six in establishing For us, the hope is to create an main categories,” she explained. environment that nurtures con- These six categories for dis- oha Forum provides a structive debate and facilitates cussion at Doha Forum 2019 are meeting place for the conversation that delves deep trends and technology; trade Dworld and international into the themes we have out- and investment; human capital Darfur peace leaders to engage in open dia- lined, and fi nally to create a bet- and inequality; security, cyber- logue and seek consensus as they ter understanding between the governance and defence; inter- move towards tackling global leaders of the world. It is only national organisations, civil so- QNA means for the situation in Dar- issues, a senior government of- through better understanding ciety and non-state actors; and New York fur. fi cial has told Gulf Times. that we can make better deci- culture and identity. “On the basis of the above, “Doha Forum has been es- sions, and it all begins with a “Our topics touch upon we call for the continuation of tablished to be a place where simple conversation,” she ex- the main areas that we need uwait praised the role the mission in the current path critical refl ection and dialogue plained. to focus on moving forward. of Qatar in establishing as agreed in resolution 2429 happens. We invite leaders from HE Alkhater said the theme As we see changes in political Kpeace in Darfur and its (2018) and presidential state- all over the world to create a for this year was chosen based on power, the rise of new non- eff orts in support of the joint ment No 19 of the Council last platform that is fair and open recent shifts in trade, power and state actors and unique global African Union-UN Mission in year.” to everyone equally. It provides international politics. issues, it begs the question: Darfur (UNAMID). In terms of UNAMID’s a meeting place for the world, “China has emerged as a what does governance in this In a speech to the UN Secu- departure, ambassador al- where representatives from strong economic power with new context look like? How do rity session on Darfur, Kuwaiti Otaibi praised the innova- the East and the West; from ambitious economic goals that we deal with terrorism that is Permanent Representative to tive approach of the mission members of confl icting states need to be reckoned with. The spread through social media? the UN in New York ambassa- through the work of “liai- or from far-fl ung territories West has seen a re-emergence How are we meant to tackle dor Mansour al-Otaibi under- son functions in the States”, can meet and engage in open of populism and conservative non-state actors like ISIS? lined that Doha Peace Agree- which contribute to a gradual dialogue and seek consensus sentiment that demands pro- How do we approach climate ment will remain the reference and smooth exit of the mis- as they move towards tackling tectionist measures moving change? How do we deal with to the political solution in the sion through enhanced co- global issues,” said HE Lolwah forward. Technology has trans- HE Lolwah Alkhater, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs. refugees from war torn coun- Darfur region. ordination with the United Alkhater, spokesperson at the formed the nature of communi- tries? Many of the issues that Ambassador al-Otaibi men- Nations teams in the areas of Ministry of Foreign Aff airs. cation. This year, in particular, “Our theme is informed by the HE Alkhater also pointed out concern us today are problems tioned a report on a joint as- peacebuilding. Doha Forum 2019 will be held we have witnessed the impact global context we are currently that the forum does not aim to that are transcendent beyond sessment of the situation in “The Sudanese government on December 14 and 15 under the of the US-China trade war and in and aims to provoke conver- inform or infl uence. “The fo- borders and the solution lies Darfur, which showed the con- has always co-operated in this theme ‘Reimagining Governance the Christchurch shootings. All sation as to how these themes rum’s guests are leaders, think- in being able to come together tinued stability of security in fi eld, which was appointed by in a MultiPolar World’. of these events make dialogue all aff ect our present and how we ers and policy makers who come and engage in dialogue that the region, calling on all parties UNAMID, represented by the “Doha Forum mainly oper- the more necessary,” the offi cial need to act on them as we move to engage, discuss and come up will shape our future policies,” in Sudan to use self-restraint, Joint Special Representative, in ates as a platform for dialogue. noted. into the future,” she continued. with innovative solutions to dif- she added. renounce violence, and pre- addition to the commendable serve the achievements made eff orts of Qatar and Germany,” by the UNAMID. al-Otaibi said. With regard to the “instru- “We will work within the ments of conflict,” al-Otaibi next two weeks on a new stressed that it was possible mandate for the mission and to deal with them through hope to be concise and clear Qatar hosts UN panel discussion on autism non-peacekeeping means, on one of the exit options and adding that issues relating specific in areas that need to to land, ownership, climate be focused on, such as capac- QNA including those with autism. change, and the safe and dig- ity building, strengthening New York Executive Director of ‘Mada’ nified return of displaced the rule of law, strengthen- Centre for Assistive Technology, persons, were at the heart of ing national ownership and Maha al-Mansouri, reviewed the post-conflict peace-building strengthening co-operation he Permanent Delega- centre’s services in the develop- efforts. and consistency with main tion of Qatar to the United ment of assistive technology and He pointed out that peace- member team in Darfur,” he TNations has organised, in off ered a number of solutions to keeping is no longer the best added. partnership with the Shafallah help develop the skills of people Centre; Mada Centre for Assis- with autism, including language tive Technology; the Health and assistance through the ‘Mada’ Qatar participates in Palestine Human Technology Department Innovation programme, to en- at the Faculty of Engineering and able equal opportunities for the solidarity forum in Geneva Science at Hamad Bin Khalifa participation of people with au- University; and the Qatar Foun- tism and people with disabilities A delegation from Qatar has It also stressed the importance dation for Social Work, a panel in the digital community. participated in the annual of providing full support to discussion on how technology She said that services and international solidarity forum the operating fund and the can help people with autism, on consultations aimed at develop- with the workers and people production parties in Palestine the sidelines of the 12 session HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani ing skills and achieving equality of Palestine and the occupied so that they can face the of the Conference of the States with other dignitaries at the panel discussion at the UN headquarters in New York. in education and employment Arab territories, on the occupation and violations by Parties to the Convention on the opportunities are not limited sidelines of the 108th session some countries of the legal and Rights of Persons with Disabili- access to technology in order countries with a working day for barrier-free environments. to Qatar but include the Arab of the International Labour religious status of Jerusalem. ties. to help people with autism and persons with disabilities. Al-Mannai also called for world. Conference held in Geneva, The meeting was attended Qatar had a signifi cant and ef- people with disabilities through Her Excellency also pointed encouraging scientifi c research For her part, Sheikha Dr Dina Switzerland. by the Prime Minister of the fective presence in the session, research and support from the out that, in December 2019, Qa- and development of assis- Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, As- The delegation was headed Palestinian Authority Mohamed which was held at United Na- participating organisations. tar will host the International tive technology, stressing the sistant Professor at the Faculty by HE the Minister of Shtayyeh, Director General tions Headquarters in New York HE the Permanent Repre- Conference on the Comprehen- importance of developing the of Engineering and Science of Administrative Development, of the International Labour (11-13 June). sentative of Qatar to the United sive Development of Persons skills and abilities of people Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Labour and Social Aff airs Yousef Organisation (ILO) Guy Ryder The panel discussion sought Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed with Disabilities. with autism and raising aware- reviewed the development of bin Mohamed al-Othman and more than 400 participants to highlight the means by which bin Saif al-Thani, stressed Qa- For her part, CEO of Qatar ness of their families about the technology and its impact on Fakhro. including ministers, heads of technology could assist in sup- tar’s belief in supporting people Foundation for Social Work importance of assistive tech- human health. The forum stressed the need labour organisations, regional porting people with autism in suff ering from autism to enjoy a Amal al-Mannai, called for im- nology. She addressed, in particular, to give full support to the and international employers’ education and the workplace to happy, healthy and independent proving national policies and She urged investment in how technology develops and Palestinian cause and condemn organisations, representatives ensure non-discrimination and life within their communities. laws to support technology for the fi eld of assistive technol- adapts to people with autism the Israeli occupation, and of Arab delegations and facilitate their full and eff ective She pointed that Qatar is the people with autism, stressing ogy, stressing the importance of targeting education, skills im- expose the practices of the representatives of Asian, participation. only country in the region with the importance of providing monitoring a percentage of sus- provement and elimination of Israeli authorities against the African and European countries The panel highlighted Qatar’s a national plan for people with assistive technology products tainable development programs social barriers for people with Palestinian people and other participating in the International pioneering role in facilitating autism and is one of the few and ensuring the creation of for people with special needs, autism. Arab countries. Labour Conference. – QNA

Qeeri, Japanese institute sign pact for research tie-up

atar Environment and Energy Research In- Qstitute (Qeeri), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), and the International Centre for Materials Nanoar- chitectonics (Mana) at the National Institute for Materi- als Science (Nims), Japan, re- cently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to The seven arrested persons with the seized fake currencies and other strengthen and promote scien- items. tifi c co-operation and research collaboration between the two institutions. The agreement, signed at the Mana offi ces in Tsukuba, Seven people arrested; Japan, by Dr Marc Vermeersch, Qeeri’s executive director, and Dr Takayoshi Sasaki, director fake currencies seized of Mana, will enable research- ers from Qeeri’s Disruptive Technologies Programme, part he Economic and Cyber cerned seized the fake currencies of Qeeri’s Energy Centre, to Crimes Combating De- and other items after receiving a conduct joint research on the Tpartment at the General search warrant from the compe- development of various nano- Off icials at the agreement-signing ceremony. Directorate of Criminal Inves- tent authorities. Those arrested electronic devices including tigation has arrested seven per- confessed to the charges and sensors and quantum electron- sentatives from Nims at the goals. This MoU with a prestig- ment on the basis of ‘nanoar- long-term exchange of know- sons, including six Arab nation- were referred to the judicial au- ics. Such devices off er several signing ceremony included Dr ious institute such as Mana at chitectonics’.” how among our researchers and als and one European, with four thorities to complete the neces- advantages over conventional Yutaka Wakayama, group lead- Nims will help Qeeri enhance Dr Richard O’Kennedy, vice- technologists, will contribute bags of counterfeit currencies. sary legal procedures. silicon-based technologies and er, Quantum Device Engineer- our research capabilities and al- president of Qatar Foundation signifi cantly to the strengthen- Informing this on social media, The MoI has urged the public have a signifi cant potential for ing Group, Mana, and Dr Ryoma low us to learn and empower our Research, Development and ing of Qatar’s research and in- the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to be cautious and not to deal building the next generation of Hayakawa, senior researcher, researchers.” Innovation and vice-president novation ecosystem.” yesterday said the authorities with such fraudsters who off er computers and sensors. Quantum Device Engineering Dr Sasaki, director of Mana, for research at HBKU, added: Qeeri has a national mandate also found papers and tools the easy wealth through fraudulent The signing ceremony was Group, Mana. said: “At Mana, one of our core “Through this MoU, we are to address Qatar’s ongoing and arrested persons used to dupe methods. also attended by Dr Veronica Speaking on the importance values is to encourage proactive delighted to pave the way for impending challenges pertain- their victims by claiming that The ministry has also called Bermudez, senior research di- of the agreement, Dr Vermeer- science and nanotechnology re- strategic co-operation in joint ing to water, the environment, the papers were converted into for co-operation with the Eco- rector at Qeeri’s Energy Centre sch said: “Qeeri is committed search with a team of excellent scientifi c research initiatives and energy. The institute oper- counterfeit currencies, with the nomic and Cyber Crimes Com- and Dr Hicham Hamoudi who to developing partnerships and researchers, and this MoU with between Qeeri and Mana. Lev- ates four centres focusing on intention to obtain real money bating Department by reporting leads the Disruptive Technolo- collaborations that can support Qeeri will support us in achiev- eraging Mana’s wealth of exper- energy, water, environment and from the victims. any such acts or practices in or- gies Programme in the Energy Qatar in attaining its research, ing our vision to pioneer a new tise and advanced capabilities in sustainability, and computa- The security personnel con- der to achieve security in society. Centre at Qeeri. Other repre- technology, and development paradigm in materials develop- nano-electric devices, and the tional materials and chemistry. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 3 QATAR Al-Mahmoud lauds LACP’s rejection of Qatar’s blockade

QNA ing Gulf states — Saudi Arabia, violation of human rights. the position of the LACP and combating terrorism, especially Education in Insecurity and trust that qualifi ed it to have the Panama UAE and Bahrain — in addition These measures have been its understanding of Qatar’s the Security Council and the rel- Confl ict (PEIC); Reach Out To honour of hosting the IPU con- to Egypt, on the bases of false condemned by all human rights stance and its rejection of the evant committees. Asia (Rota); Silatech (an initia- ference two months ago in Doha, pretexts. bodies as well as the Interna- blockade. He stressed Qatar’s asser- tive that provides employment in which LACP has positively E the Advisory Coun- It all began with hacking the tional Court of Justice, which HE al-Mahmoud also reiter- tion that the root causes of ter- and employment opportunities participated, and also the hon- cil Speaker Ahmed bin website of Qatar News Agency has recently issued an order ated Qatar’s keenness to actively rorism must be addressed and for young people throughout our of hosting the FIFA World HAbdullah bin Zaid al- and publishing a fake statement rejecting the request of the contribute to the international that it should not be linked to the Arab world) and Educate A Cup in 2022 as the fi rst Middle Mahmoud has lauded the posi- attributed to His Highness the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for any religion, thought or civili- Child (a global initiative aimed Eastern country to hold this im- tion of the Latin American and Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- provisional measures against “With God’s grace and then sation, taking into account the at reducing the number of chil- portant international event. Caribbean Parliament (LACP) mad al-Thani, followed by false Qatar in a case relating to the with the wisdom of our right of peoples to self-deter- dren who have lost their right to HE al-Mahmoud also on the unjust blockade imposed allegations and accusations UAE’s unlawful discriminatory leadership, the State of mination. education). stressed that the Advisory on Qatar, their understanding of that Qatar supports terrorism treatment of Qatar and the Qa- Qatar has overcome the HE al-Mahmoud said that He noted that Qatar has made Council in Qatar is making par- Qatar’s stance and their rejec- and then making 13 demands, tari people. eff ects and repercussions Qatar has attached great im- signifi cant economic and de- allel efforts with various state tion of the siege. considered by Qatar and many HE al-Mahmoud said: “With of these measures” portance to the mediation for velopment strides, thanks to its agencies to strengthen rela- Delivering a speech before the countries as unacceptable for God’s grace and then with the confl ict resolution; made sincere integrated economic system, its tions with all parliamentary 35th General Assembly of the violating its sovereignty. wisdom of our leadership, the community’s eff orts to maintain eff orts to achieve peace and de- huge potential and wise invest- systems in order to unify the Latin American and Caribbean He added that the Saudi-led State of Qatar has overcome international peace and security, velopment in many areas of con- ment vision, in addition to being efforts for the rule of law; in- Parliament (LACP), quartet took a series of unilateral the effects and repercussions pointing out that Qatar is a ma- fl ict and has achieved important the world largest producer and ternational security and peace; HE al-Mahmoud said that measures to impose air, land and of these measures,” adding that jor donor to the United Nations successes in this regard. exporter of liquefi ed natural gas and human dignity and rights since 5 June, 2017, Qatar has been sea blockade; severed all diplo- the “painful part is the block- in this regard. He also pointed out that Qatar (LNG) with 32% of the world’s protection, based by the belief subjected to unjust illegal block- matic and commercial relations; ade’s negative impact on Qa- He said Qatar actively par- has launched several humani- gas production. that its peace and stability are ade as well as unilateral meas- and imposed restrictions against tar’s as well as Gulf state’s citi- ticipates and co-operates with tarian initiatives at the interna- For all these achievements, an integral part of international ures taken by three neighbour- citizens and residents of Qatar in zens.” In this regard, he lauded the UN bodies concerned with tional level, such as the Protect Qatar has enjoyed the global peace and security.

HE the Advisory Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud with the Vice-President of Panama Isabel Saint Malo. HE al-Mahmoud with the President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament Elias Castillo. Qatar’s selection as observer in LACP ‘refl ects the trust it enjoys’

QNA Panama

electing Qatar as an ob- server member in the Latin SAmerican and Caribbean Parliament (LACP) refl ects the trust the country enjoys in the world and emphasises its active role in all regional and interna- tional gatherings, HE the Advi- sory Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud has said. In remarks to QNA, on the sidelines of the 35th general as- sembly of Latin American and Caribbean Parliament in Pana- ma, HE al-Mahmoud said that Qatar is the fi rst country in the HE al-Mahmoud with the first vice-president of the National Assembly of Panama, Leandro Avila . Middle East to have become an observer member in the LACP. HE the Advisory Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud and the President of the For the fi rst time, Qatar’s fl ag Latin American and Caribbean Parliament Elias Castillo, signing the MoU in Panama. was fl ying at the meeting venue in Panama. He added that, with God’s Advisory Council and Latin American grace and thanks to the leader- ship of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- and Caribbean Parliament sign MoU Thani, Qatar is highly regarded memorandum of un- to strengthen parliamentary tions between the Advisory and respected by the countries derstanding (MoU) be- co-operation and political ex- Council and the parliaments of of the world, and selecting Qa- Atween Qatar, represent- changes to boost the bonds of Latin America and the Carib- tar as an observer member of the ed by the Advisory Council and friendship between Qatar and bean countries were reviewed Latin American and Caribbean the Latin American and Carib- Latin American and Caribbean and ways of enhancing them. Parliament refl ects the country’s bean Parliament, was signed at countries and to contribute to The meeting also reviewed role around the world and the the headquarters of the Latin overcoming the blockade im- the issues on the agenda of the trust it enjoys. American and Caribbean Par- posed on Qatar as well as to 35th General Assembly of the HE al-Mahmoud pointed out liament, in Panama, in light achieve peace among peoples Latin American and Caribbean that he had signed an MoU with of which Qatar has become an and to strengthen parliamen- Parliament. the President of the Latin Amer- observer member of the Latin tary channels of communica- The meeting was attended ican and Caribbean Parliament American and Caribbean Par- tion between the two parties by Chairman of the Qatari on co-operation; exchanging HE al-Mahmoud with the President of the Ecuadorian National Assembly Cesar Litardo. liament. and to exchange parliamen- Friendship Committee with expertise; political co-ordina- The MoU was signed for the tary knowledge and expertise Latin American and Caribbean tion and contribution to lifting During his visit, HE al-Mah- Group with Latin American Parliament of Latin America and Qatari sided by HE the Speak- in legislative, supervisory and Countries, Khalid bin Abdullah the unjust blockade imposed on moud held several meetings on and Caribbean countries and the Caribbean and ways to boost er of the Advisory Council, administrative areas, and en- al-Buainain, and a number of Qatar. sidelines of the 35th General Qatar’s ambassador to Panama, them besides important topics Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid rich common points of conver- members of the Qatar Friend- He also pointed out that Assembly of the Parliament of Saad bin Mubarak al-Jafali al- on the agenda of the 35th Gener- al-Mahmoud, and the Latin gence and work for peace in the ship Group with Latin Ameri- Qatar, as an observer member Latin American and Caribbean Nuaimi. al Assembly of the Latin Ameri- American and Caribbean Par- world. can and Caribbean Countries of the LACP, will participate Countries, yesterday. Earlier, HE al-Mahmoud met can and Caribbean Parliament. liament’s President Elias Cas- This came at a meeting be- and Qatar’s ambassador to in decision-making, follow- The Vice-President of Pan- the Minister of Foreign Aff airs of He met the fi rst vice-presi- tillo. tween the two sides during Panama Saad bin Mubarak al- up and co-ordination with the ama Isabel Saint Malo met HE Panama Alejandro Ferrer. Dur- dent of the National Assembly of The two sides also agreed which the parliamentary rela- Jafali al-Nuaimi. parliament. al-Mahmoud yesterday. During ing the meeting, they reviewed Panama, Leandro Avila, and the He stressed that the global the meeting, they discussed bi- bilateral relations and ways of President of the Ecuadorian Na- status of Qatar was achieved lateral relations between Qatar strengthening them, in addition tional Assembly Cesar Litardo. HE al-Mahmoud also held met with Jorge Quijano, CEO of Friendship Committee with thanks to the directives of the and Panama, and the means to to discussing issues of common The two meetings reviewed a meeting with the Pan Afri- Panama Canal Authority. Latin American and Caribbean Amir, and considering that Qatar develop them in addition to a concern. the existing parliamentary rela- can Parliament Speaker Roger During the meeting, they dis- Countries Khalid bin Abdullah seeks good for all the people of number of diff erent issues. HE al-Mahmoud also held a tions between Qatar and these Nkodo Dang. Talks during the cussed the relations between al-Buainain and a number of the world. He stressed the need The meeting was attended meeting with the President of countries and ways of support- meeting dealt with the relations Qatar and the Panama Canal members of the Qatar Friend- to work always with all parties, by the Chairman of the Friend- the Latin American and Carib- ing them. Important topics on between Qatar and Pan African Authority and means to develop ship Group with Latin American both regional and internation- ship Group with Latin Ameri- bean Parliament Elias Castillo. the agenda of the 35th General Parliament and means to de- them in addition to a number of and Caribbean Countries and al, in order to achieve security, can and Caribbean Countries, During the meeting, they re- Assembly of the Latin American velop them, in addition to other diff erent issues. ambassador of Qatar to Panama peace and stability around the Khalid bin Abdullah al-Buain- viewed the parliamentary re- and Caribbean Countries were diff erent issues. The meetings were attended Saad bin Mubarak al Jafali al- world. ain, members of the Friendship lations between Qatar and the also discussed. On Friday, HE al-Mahmoud by the Chairman of the Qatari Nuaimi. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, June 16, 2019 QATAR 2nd ICJ verdict also exposes Mahaseel markets produce supplied by local farms UAE violations against Qatar arge quantities of lo- cally produced vege- Ltables were supplied he recent decision of the In- and Reporters Without Borders. closing UAE airspace and seaports Qatar nationals, which amount to to Mahaseel for marketing ternational Court of Justice In a statement, the rights body to Qatar. racial discrimination. purposes in the fi rst week T(ICJ) to reject the complaint said it considered the new verdict In its complaint, Qatar had said The case under CERD represents (from June 5-10) of the fi led by the United Arab Emirates an essential step in addition to the that the UAE deprived Qatari com- one aspect of a larger dispute that launch of its initiative to (UAE) has once again proved the court’s fi rst decision of July 23, 2018 panies and individuals of their began on June 5, 2017 when the UAE, market local products. rightful position of Qatar, the Na- to redress victims as another proof property and deposits, and rejected along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, These included products tional Human Rights Committee of the soundness of the legal moves their basic access to education, and Egypt, imposed an unlawful such as tomatoes, pepper, (NHRC) has said. initiated by Qatar. It said recourse to treatment and courts in the UAE. land, sea and air siege against Qatar cucumber, zucchini, egg- On Friday, the ICJ rejected a com- all international means and mecha- Through the ICJ, Qatar demanded and its people as part of a campaign plants and others, the Min- plaint fi led by the UAE concerning nisms was not an escalation, but a that the UAE return all the rights to of political and economic coercion. istry of Municipality and interim measures against Qatar in legitimate right - guaranteed by in- Qataris and compensate them for The NHRC stressed that this im- Environment (MME) said in the case of discriminatory measures ternational conventions to achieve the damages. portant decision of the world court a statement yesterday. Mahaseel stores local farm produce at a collection centre. under the International Convention justice, fairness and compensation The verdict of July 23 last year was also refuted the UAE’s allegations The company kept these on the Elimination of All Forms of to victims. pronounced after Qatar fi led an ap- against Qatar’s rights body and re- items at a collection centre local agricultural produc- local products are received Racial Discrimination. In the provisional verdict issued plication instituting proceedings pudiated attempts to question its set up to store the products tion pursuant to a study from farmers at the collec- The court declined the UAE’s on July 23 last year, the ICJ called under CERD before the ICJ on June credibility through UAE offi cials. supplied by local farms at of the actual needs of the tion centre and then sort- demand that Qatar be bound by a for reunion of Qatari-UAE mixed 11, 2018. The same day, it also re- The UAE’s policy of covering up Doha Central Market. It market. Accordingly, a ed, packaged and marketed number of measures, including the families and providing opportunity quested the court, as a matter of ur- its crimes and violations commit- will also co-ordinate with mechanism was adopted with the aim of delivering immediate withdrawal of its com- for Qatari students to complete their gency, to order provisional measures ted against the people of Qatar and the MME and open more to off er the necessary sup- high-quality products to plaint against the UAE to the UN studies and giving Qataris access to protecting the Qatari people from the Gulf peoples will not work and centres to receive such port to the private agricul- consumers. Committee on the Elimination of All judicial services in the UAE. discrimination while proceedings will not prevent international con- goods from local farmers. tural sector in order to help The MME, represented Forms of Racial Discrimination, the The case related to UAE’s unlaw- are ongoing. demnation and accountability, the The products of Ma- achieve self-suffi ciency in by the Agricultural Aff airs prohibition of its national organisa- ful and discriminatory treatment of In granting Qatar’s request for NHRC statement said. haseel, a subsidiary of food production. Department, exerts con- tions and the media from publishing Qatari citizens following the unjust provisional measures, the court not- Also, the NHRC congratulated Hassad Food, are available Since the registration tinuous eff orts to support accusations against them in cases blockade imposed on Qatar on June ed that Qatar has off ered to negoti- the victims of the blockade and hu- in the local market now. process started in March, and encourage the owners before the ICJ and other steps. 5,2017. ate with the UAE on the implemen- man rights organisations for the Mahaseel was created 124 local farms have regis- of local farms registered The UAE’s actions have been The measures included the forced tation of the CERD, but Abu Dhabi second victory in the judicial proc- based on a directive from tered at Mahaseel to mar- in the State, in order to widely condemned by numerous expulsion of all Qatari nationals has not responded. ess launched by Qatar “to end all HE the Prime Minister as ket their products through increase the local produc- independent human rights organi- from the UAE within two weeks, The ICJ found that the measures kinds of violations resulting from part of the country’s food the company. A compact tion of vegetables in line sations, including Human Rights banning them from entering or enacted by the UAE authorities on the blockade and to redress those security initiatives and to operational system was the ministry’s policy of Watch, Amnesty International, passing through its territories and June 11, 2017 were intended only for aff ected.” encourage increasing the put in place to ensure that achieving self-suffi ciency. CNA-Q’s top students honoured

he best and brightest gradu- ating students from College Tof the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q) were honoured at the Oryx GTL President’s Medal for Aca- demic Excellence gala held recently in Doha. The ceremony saw the distribu- tion of medals to 27 students who received the highest marks in their individual programmes. Of those honoured, 19 students achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average. CNA-Q president Dr Khalifa bin Nasser al-Khalifa said, “These students can be justifi ably proud of their achievements. They have The CNA-Q students honoured on the occasion with off icials. worked hard and are now ready to move forward in the next stage of ing exemplary academic stand- Mohamed al-Enazi, chief admin- CNA-Q graduation ceremony, to be their lives with confi dence, wheth- ing and commitment to campus istrative offi cer at Oryx GTL, was held on June 20 at Qatar National er it be further education or into life, extracurricular activities and the guest speaker at the event. “It is Convention Centre. The graduation, the workforce. The education that volunteerism. your responsibility to contribute to to be held under the patronage of HE our students received during their The President’s Medal for Aca- society by reinvesting the extraordi- the Prime Minister and Minister of time at CNA-Q has been rooted in demic Excellence has been awarded nary skills and talents, which we are Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nass- applied, experiential learning. since CNA-Q’s inception, and be- here to celebrate today. Not only will er bin Khalifa al-Thani, will be the “No doubt the highly-qualifi ed came a gala event fi ve years ago this make a positive contribution largest in the college’s history with and technically competent young when Oryx GTL became the of- to your workplace, but it will also 559 graduates, the statement adds. men and women you see before fi cial sponsor, according to a press strengthen the unity and success of CNA-Q is Qatar’s premier tech- you today are the future leaders of statement. the wider community. Oryx GTL is nical college, off ering nearly 30 Qatar!” The sponsorship forms part of honoured to be associated with this diploma programmes in Business In addition to the President’s the company’s corporate social re- initiative, and we hope to leave a Studies, Engineering Technology, Medals, Oryx GTL presented four sponsibility programme, which is real and lasting academic and intel- Health Sciences and Information Distinguished Graduate Awards aimed at promoting and celebrating lectual legacy for future generations Technology. Since opening in 2002, to one student from each from the excellence in education. Corporate - in keeping with the vision and more than 6,000 graduates have College’s academic schools – Busi- partnerships have been a main- goals of our country’s wise leaders,” entered the labour market - con- ness Studies, Engineering Technol- stay at CNA-Q since 2002 with a he said. tributing to a knowledge-based ogy, Health Sciences and Informa- large percentage of students spon- The President’s Medal recipients economy and making the achieve- tion Technology. The students were sored by local industry partners and and Distinguished Graduates will ment of the Qatar National Vision nominated by their dean for achiev- ministries. join their fellow students for the 15th 2030 a reality.

QSRSN to hold art exhibition

Qatar Society for colouring and recycling, as well Rehabilitation of Special as a set of clothes designed and Needs (QSRSN) will organise implemented by students of the tomorrow the 18th art educational and rehabilitation exhibition for the activities of centres for girls under the students of its aff iliates - the supervision of teachers and Educational Center for Girls, specialists. The exhibition will the Rehabilitation Center for also feature students’ talents Girls, Rehabilitation Center in reading the Holy Qur’an, in for Boys and the Cultural and addition to various cultural and Social Center for Persons with heritage items. Disabilities at its headquarters QSRSN member Taleb Afifa in Al Muntazah. said that the exhibition reflects The two-day expo aims at the high level of creativity showing the creativity of the achieved by the students, students and their various stressing that organising such talents through their artistic exhibitions strengthens the works that include drawing, objectives of QSRSN. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 5 QATAR New Nissan Maxima sets new standard for sedan market

his week, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co, Tthe authorised dis- tributor of Nissan in Qatar, announced the arrival of the new 2019 Nissan Maxima. Drivers can now discover exclusive enhancements to Nissan’s fl agship se- dan which include a sleek, sculpted, V-motion-in- spired exterior, new wheel designs and a refi ned interi- or at the Nissan showrooms in Al Khor, Bin Omran and Al Sadd, and the main The new 2019 Nissan Maxima. showroom on Salwa Road, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co Al Hamad Al Mana Co are has said in a statement. pleased to launch this car in With a commanding new Qatar and happy to welcome attitude that combines all our customers to live this power, safety, and seduc- experience.” tive streamlined design, the Brand survey results from new 2019 Maxima off ers the region revealed positive 300-horsepower 3.5-litre sentiments for the Nissan V6 engine and sport-tuned Maxima. The car was voted steering, braking and sus- as #1 in the sedan segment pension. Add to that 19- against competitors. inch diamond-cut wheels, The new 2019 Maxima an enlarged V-motion grille embraces the Nissan Intel- with boomerang signature ligent Mobility philosophy, A view of the interior. LED lighting, and the Nis- which provides technology san Safety Shield 360 – a in a way that moves peo- and comfortable seating for colour display, Bluetooth suite of advanced driver- ple to a better world. For all fi ve occupants. Enhanc- Hands-free Phone System assist systems that supports Maxima, this includes the ing the Maxima’s already and Streaming audio via Nissan Intelligent Mobility. availability of Nissan Safety high level of quality and pre- Bluetooth. The new Maxi- “The model continues Shield 360, a suite of six mium luxury appointments ma’s selection of audio and its reputation as an exciting advanced active safety and is a new seat insert pattern infotainment choices in- near-luxury sports sedan that driver-assist technologies and charcoal headliner and clude a Bose Premium Audio gives drivers greater freedom designed to help provide pillars for SR grades. The SR system with 11 speakers. and confi dence on the roads,” 360 degrees of active driver grade features special Rakuda Nissan Door to Door Nav- the statement notes. assistance, crash avoidance, Tan semi-aniline leather ap- igation adds directions that Martin Aherne, general and pedestrian detection. pointments, similar to that move from your compatible manager – automotive at The Maxima’s aggressive, available on the Nissan GT-R smartphone to Maxima’s Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana updated exterior appearance Premium Interior Package. touch-screen seamlessly. Co, said, “Nissan Maxima was created by Nissan Design The interior retains the Lastly, over-the-air up- maintains its position as the America in La Jolla, Califor- Maxima’s ‘Gliding Wing’ dates allow owners to up- 4-door sports car. Our bold nia, US. It features a larger interior layout, which em- date the audio unit software and refreshed 2019 Maxima front grille with a deeper V- phasises horizontal move- and maps via Wi-Fi or a sets a new standard for the motion fl ow that carries into ment and ergonomic, easy USB device without making sedan market that show- the hood and down the body access to all controls. a trip to the dealer. cases practicality, futuristic to the redesigned rear tail The 2019 Maxima also The refreshed 2019 Nis- technology, design and an lamps and rear fascia. comes equipped with Apple san Maxima is off ered in fi ve engaging experience be- Inside, the Maxima body CarPlay and Android Auto, grade levels: S, SV and three hind the wheel. We at Saleh is a driver-centric cockpit with 8-inch multi-touch variations of the SR grade. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, June 16, 2019 QATAR

Met warns of windy conditions next week he northwesterly winds are expected to country, reaching their peak from Tuesday to return, aff ecting the country from to- Thursday, ranging in speed from 20-30 knots Tmorrow morning until the weekend, the and reaching a high of 38 knots in some places Qatar Met department has said. The country at times, especially during the day. had already experienced a spell of northwest- Temperatures during the day will range erly winds last Thursday and Friday. from the early- to mid-40Cs across the A weather report issued yesterday says fresh country, and exceeding that in the central to strong winds are likely in most parts of the and southern areas.

The Jaguar I-PACE The Range Rover Evoque Jaguar Land Rover plans further regional expansion following ‘remarkable growth’

Jaguar sales rise by 46% in Mena and Evoque, the Range Rover Velar SV Autobi- The new generation Defenders will be re- 81% in Qatar ography Dynamic Edition and the Jaguar F- vealed globally in the latter half of 2019. PACE SVR will be making their way to local The company said it is leveraging strong Land Rover Mena shows 13% year-on- markets this year, the statement points out. consumer demand for high-performance year increase Jaguar’s award-winning, World Car of the vehicles to shape operations across its Mena Year, all-electric SUV, the Jaguar I-PACE, is markets, and to continue off setting the un- also expected to hit the market during the predictability of recent years. uxury automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover second half of 2019, and is anticipated to be For 2019/2020, another priority for Jaguar has reported a “remarkable sales growth” in the “a game-changer in the automotive indus- Land Rover will be its continued focus on LMiddle East and North Africa (Mena) region, includ- try”. Joining these new arrivals is the region’s delivering the next-generation of automo- ing Qatar, across its two brands, it has been announced. adored legacy off -road vehicle, the iconic tive technologies in line with the brands’ Au- The “impressive increase in annual sales” were recorded Land Rover Defender, which remains a key tonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared for 2018/2019, as compared to 2017/2018, “despite all the part of Land Rover’s future product strategy. (ACES) strategy. challenges in the region’s automotive sector”, according to a press statement issued in Doha. Jaguar’s Mena retail sales were up signifi cantly by 46% in the given period, while Land Rover Mena displayed a 13% year-on-year increase. “The positive reports refl ect motorists’ continued loy- alty and support for the brands in the region. Continuing this momentum for the remainder of 2019 and beyond, Jaguar Land Rover has also revealed that it is plotting fur- ther growth across the Mena region, with a number of new model launches scheduled throughout the year,” the state- ment noted. The Jaguar brand recorded a major jump in year-on- year growth in key markets in Mena, driving Jaguar sales upwards in the last fi scal year. Sales rose by 81% in Qatar. Similarly, Land Rover’s high-performance 4x4s saw “increased interest and demand” across Mena markets. “We’re thrilled to celebrate a profi table year for Jaguar Land Rover in Mena and are already working to continue that trend in 2019,” said Rob Preston, sales director, Jaguar Land Rover Mena. “Our success was driven by the pioneering spirit of our regional retailers, who delivered the brand’s new products and services with the highest standards and integrity. “We continue to remain focused on delivering sustain- able growth and expect to surge in all-round performance and customer desirability in 2019, driven by new models and technologies to provide our Middle Eastern customers with the next generation of Jaguars and Land Rovers.” Bruce Robertson, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Mena, said: “Once again, we’re proud of the per- formance delivered by Jaguar Land Rover, quarter after quarter, in Mena. Even though the automotive sector has faced several challenges globally, our performance in Mena in the last fi nancial year was well-balanced and sustained across all our regions and distribution channels. “These latest strong numbers have proven that our re- gional strategy, to focus on consumer-centric services and developments, is the key to success. Our development plans for the rest of 2019 are a refl ection of our confi dence that demand will continue, and with new model arrivals like the Jaguar I-PACE, we are sure to see these numbers grow.” Following the success of the 2018/2019 fi nancial year, Jaguar Land Rover Mena headed into 2019 with “an opti- mistic outlook”. New models such as the latest-generation Range Rover

Ooredoo’s AI sports platform empowers fans oredoo has announced a new artifi cial intelligence (AI) technology sports platform developed in part- Onership with Microsoft, which will “revolutionise the way fans engage with their favourite sports”. Ooredoo Sports is a new sports conversational AI platform, which leverages Microsoft AI and Augmented Reality technologies to transform fan engagement with many diff erent sports. Ooredoo Sports will provide “a full set of features through a unique conversational AI experience, whereby fans will be able to engage with Ooredooo Sports and re- ceive information on every game, team and player in Copa America 2019”, the company has said in a statement. To celebrate the launch of Ooredoo Sports, Ooredoo is running a fun competition for fans and encouraging them to take selfi es via Ooredoo Sports on Skype or Facebook Messenger and share them on the company’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account with #OoredooSelfi eTwin. The selfi e that looks the most like a Copa America 2019 player will win 200,000 Nojoom points. Ooredoo Sports is now live for Copa America, in which Qatar is participating, and fans will be able to use Ooredoo Sports via Ooredoo Sports AR App, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Google Assistant. Ooredoo PR and Corporate Communications director Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi said: “Off ering our customers access to the very latest, most state-of-the-art technol- ogy is of paramount importance to us at Ooredoo, and we are delighted to be working with Microsoft on this exciting development, which will revolutionise sports engagement and enjoyment for fans. It’s a phenomenal step forward for sports entertainment, and we’re looking forward to seeing how our fans react.” The Ooredoo Sports AR experience app is available on the App Store and Google Play. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 7 QATAR

Lagoona Mall to screen action from Copa America, Africa Cup of Nations

agoona Mall, in associa- to football fans in Qatar”, ac- the Qatar national team will face edition of the Africa Cup of tion with the Qatar Na- cording to a press statement. South America’s best football Nations, which will be con- Ltional Tourism Council With a focus on building in- teams with matches against Par- tested by 24 teams vying to (QNTC), is inviting all football country off erings, QNTC sup- aguay, Colombia and the star- be crowned champions of the fans, together with their family ports sports and other activities, studded Argentina. continent, the statement not- members and friends, to support building a variety of programmes Fans who are still buzzing ed. and cheer their beloved teams in urban and family entertain- from Qatar’s inspirational vic- All eyes are expected to be on during the 2019 Copa America ment with products appealing to tory during the AFC Asian Cup Mohamed Salah and his Liv- and Africa Cup of Nations on a all ages. 2019 will have the chance once erpool clubmate, Sadio Mane, giant screen set up in the North This year’s Copa America is again to cheer for the country’s who are leading the Egypt and Court Lobby of the mall. being held until July 7 while the national team in a momentous Senegal teams, respectively. QNTC, as part of its ‘Summer Africa Cup of Nations will start event marking one step closer With such big names falling in Qatar’ campaign, “is support- on June 21 with the fi nal to be in the World Cup journey. within this year’s selections, ing Lagoona Mall’s commitment played on July 19. Mall-goers are also set to the competition will surely A double treat is in store for football fans at Lagoona Mall. to bringing the spirit of the game For the fi rst time in its history, live the excitement of the 32nd leave everyone off their feet. QF’s slew of summer Cartoon characters at Al Khor Mall activities from today atar Foundation (QF) has of the Arts in Qatar’s Summer Art lined up an array of fami- and Design Programme is off ering a Qly-friendly, community- variety of creative activities for stu- focused activities that off er some- dents. thing for everyone, starting from Oxygen Park – an open space for today. sport, fi tness, and leisure within Through a collaboration with the Education City, with covered air- Qatar National Tourism Council, conditioned walkways to keep visi- QF is providing summer activities tors cool – will host weekly ladies- at Education City that cater to all only evenings, including free sport tastes, interests and audiences, ac- activities, from 6-10pm every Mon- cording to a press statement. day during the summer, starting QF’s summer programme “re- from tomorrow; and movie nights in fl ects the diversity, vibrancy, and collaboration with Doha Film Insti- inclusivity of its Education City tute every Thursday from June 20, environment, where facilities and taking place from 7-9pm and open spaces are open for the entire com- to all. From a meet-and-greet with the beloved Tom and Jerry to a roaming act by munity of Qatar and visitors to the Culture also has a central role in characters from Star Wars, there is plenty of entertainment for people of different country”, the statement noted. QF’s summer programme, with QF ages at Al Khor Mall as part of the Summer in Qatar initiative of Qatar National The activities start today with member Qatar Philharmonic Or- Tourism Council. the Community Summer Camp, an chestra hosting ‘Philharmonic At academic enrichment programme The Library: Music For The Kings’ for children aged 4-6 years and at Qatar National Library on June 7-12 years, which blends learning 21, and ‘Tchaikovsky’s First Piano and fun and will run until August Concerto’ at Katara Opera House on 8. The range of activities is open for June 22. the public to explore and enjoy at QF is off ering summer activities at Education City that cater to all tastes, “The diverse and exciting range venues such as the QF Recreation interests and audiences. of activities we have organised over Centre, Education City Clubhouse, the summer months demonstrates the Awsaj multi-purpose court and ties; aqua yoga sessions; men’s and community can also join a PS4 gam- QF’s commitment to being at the swimming pool, and Multaqa. women’s table tennis, billiards, ing tournament, and a course where heart of community life in Qatar, QF’s Pre-University Education and bowling tournaments; and a they will learn how to build their and to providing everyone – resi- will be holding its Mukhayamna snooker and darts competition. own robot. dents and visitors alike – with a Summer Camp 2019 from June 23 Meanwhile, personal training ses- From July 2 to 5, the Education warm, open welcome and an enjoy- to July 18 at Awsaj Academy, Qatar sions will give people the chance to City Clubhouse will be the venue able, memorable experience,” said Academy Al Khor and Qatar Acad- stay in shape over the summer, and for ‘Summer of Learning’, an inter- Mohamed Fakhroo, executive direc- emy Al Wakrah. Open to children zumba classes are available for la- active programme off ering a variety tor of outreach and institutional ad- aged 3-14 years, the camp aims to dies to join. of experiments and activities within vancement, QF. promote character-building quali- A family cooking class will help the world of science and technology. The Education City Summer ties while allowing students to ex- children and parents improve their Multaqa will host the fi rst edition of Membership Programme is a special plore their talents and sharpen their diet and understand the infl uence QF member Qatar Career Develop- off er that ensures the community skills. of food on their lives, while those ment Centre’s ‘Career Academy’ can make the most of QF’s facili- Summer sport and fi tness oppor- looking to exercise their creativity from June 30 to July 11, where high ties and activities over the summer tunities at QF include the Education can participate in experimental art school students will take an educa- months. Membership packages are City Summer Swimming Camp and and fabric-painting classes, and a tional journey that helps them set available for individuals, couples, ‘Family Fun Time’ swimming ses- ‘Be A Birdwatcher’ activity pro- their sights on their future career ; and families, and more details can sions; tennis, squash, volleyball, vides a chance to get closer to na- while QF partner university Virginia be found at www.qf.org.qa/EC- basketball, and badminton activi- ture. Younger members of the Qatar Commonwealth University School SummerMembership

Blue Man Group to perform at QNCC Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), in partnership with Alchemy Project, is bringing The Blue Man Group to Doha this ‘Summer in Qatar’, and tickets are on sale through tixbox.com with prices ranging from QR195 to QR695. Combining music and art, the group will perform live in Qatar from August 14-17 at Qatar National Convention Centre. The unique blue characters use custom instruments and sensory graphics to take audiences “on an unforgettable journey of music and comedy”, QNTC has said in a statement. Young fans can also enjoy Smurfs Live (July 18-20), while Hello Kitty Live (July 25-27) brings more furry fun for the younger set. Tickets for each of the shows are now available through www.tixbox.com

Summer Entertainment City a big draw

Summer Entertainment City, being held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, continues to be a big draw for people of diff erent ages with its wide variety of activities and games. PICTURES: Ram Chand

Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 9 AFRICA

Landmine blast kills 8 Kenyan cops close to Somalia border

AFP reported incidents in Konton. Nairobi In June last year, eight Kenyan police were killed in a roadside bomb attack in the same region. ight Kenyan police offi cers were Wajir county and its neighbours killed yesterday when their ve- Mandera and Garissa are frequently Ehicle ran over a landmine during targeted in Shebaab attacks, notably a patrol near the border with Somalia, security personnel deployed there to police said. monitor the frontier. Police Inspector General Hilary Mu- The Al Qaeda-linked insurgent group tyambai said a vehicle with 11 police on has claimed several similar attacks tar- board “was hit by an improvised explo- geting Kenyan police and soldiers. sive device”. Shebaab has been fi ghting since 2007 He did not give a toll but a regional to topple Somalia’s fragile government, police source told AFP: “We lost eight which is backed by a 20,000-strong police offi cers in this attack”. African Union force, Amisom. They had been on patrol between The insurgents fl ed fi xed posi- Khorof-Harar and Konton in Wajir tions they once held in Mogadishu in county on the border between Kenya 2011, and have since lost many of their and Somalia, Mutyambai added. strongholds. Kenyan media had reported an attack But they retain control of large rural on Konton on Friday by Islamist She- swathes of the country and continue baab insurgents who kidnapped three to wage a guerrilla war against the au- Kenyan police reservists. thorities. AFP has not been able to confi rm the The group has carried out a number information. of attacks in Kenya since 2011 in re- The patrol hit in yesterday’s explo- prisal for the country’s participation in sion was deployed in response to the Amisom. A family flees the city of Save on a motorbike following days of unrest in the West African country of Benin. 9 ‘executed’ in Somalia attack

AFP said Hussein Dini, a traditional elder. Mogadishu “Their killing cannot be justifi ed. Protesters shot dead It seems that the merciless gunmen were retaliating for the security offi cial ine civilians were executed by who they believe was killed by Shebaab a local militia in war-torn So- gunmen belonging to the clan of the Nmalia after the killing of a po- victims.” liceman by the Islamist militant group Witnesses told local media that the Shebaab, police said yesterday. victims were rounded up from the in Benin crackdown The revenge attack on Friday just streets or their homes and then shot outside Galkayo — one of the most de- dead on the outskirts of Galkayo. AFP republican police came to clear the AFP reporters witnessed deserted Yayi’s house in the country’s econom- veloped cities in the centre of the coun- Local offi cials have in the past fin- Save roadblocks,” said Timothee Biaou, streets, an abandoned market, and ic capital Cotonou. try — targeted the Rahanweyn clan, gered the Rahanweyn clan for foment- mayor of the central town of Save. closed shops and businesses. He has been under eff ective house several of whose members are suspect- ing instability in the region and supply- “Gunfi re was exchanged between On Friday, soldiers opened fi re on arrest since the polls. ed of being Shebaab fi ghters. ing fi ghters to the Shebaab. enin security forces yester- police and masked individuals. Seven protesters with live ammunition, wit- The crisis has stoked concerns of an “This was a horrible incident, a grue- The local militia which staged the re- day killed two protesters in the civilians were taken to hospital and nesses alleged. authoritarian turn in a country once seen some killing against nine unarmed in- venge attack are from the Saad Habar- Bcity of Save while breaking up a there were also two deaths.” One witness told AFP that two peo- as a democratic example in the region. nocent civilians in southern Galkayo. All gidir, a sub-clan of the Hawiye group demonstration by people who erected A witness to the confrontation, who ple were killed on Friday but this could The poll took place without any op- of the civilians belong to one clan and the which is dominant in the southern part barricades and blocked the national asked not to be named, also said two not be independently confi rmed. position candidate, and all 83 mem- gunmen shot them dead in one location of the city. road for days, the mayor said. people were killed, one a motorbike The region where protesters have bers of parliament come from the only a few minutes after suspected Shebaab Galkayo, situated about 600km This followed days of demonstra- taxi driver and the other a teenager. amassed is the home base of former two parties allowed to take part, both gunmen killed” a policeman, Mohamed north of the capital Mogadishu, strad- tions over controversial April 28 par- “The road has been unblocked but it president Thomas Boni Yayi, an out- allied to President Patrice Talon. Abdirahman, a local police offi cial said. dles the frontier with the self-pro- liamentary elections in the West Afri- is total panic. Many people have fl ed, spoken critic of the government. Changes to electoral rules had ef- “This is an unacceptable act and we claimed autonomous regions of Punt- can country. others are staying at home,” said the The demonstrators demand the fectively barred opposition parties will bring those perpetrators to justice,” land and Galmudug. “This morning, a contingent of the witness. lifting of a police cordon around Boni from fi elding candidates.

Drought forces Namibia to auction 1,000 wild animals EU urges Nigeria to reform electoral process Drought-hit Namibia has authorised man Romeo Muyunda told AFP. because of deteriorating grazing condi- currently about 960 buff alos in its uropean Union election observers yes- position challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the the sale of at least 1,000 wild animals The authorities declared a national tions brought on by dry weather. national parks, 2,000 springbok, 780 terday called on Nigeria to consider Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He has al- — including elephants and giraff es — to disaster last month, and the mete- Namibia’s cabinet announced this oryx and 6,400 elephants. Eurgent electoral reforms after identi- leged irregularities in the polls. limit loss of life and generate $1.1mn orological services in the southern week that the government would sell The auction was advertised in local fying “systemic failings” in the recent presi- The EU mission said in its fi nal report on for conservation, the authorities con- African nation estimate that some about 1,000 wild animals. newspapers on Friday. dential, parliamentary and governorship the election that “systemic failings seen in firmed yesterday. parts of the country faced the deadli- They include 600 disease-free buff a- Namibia, a country of 2.4mn people, elections, AFP reports from Abuja. the elections...show the need for funda- “Given that this year is a drought est drought in as many as 90 years. los, 150 springbok, 65 oryx, 60 giraff es, has previously made calls for aid to as- The EU mission, which was in Nigeria be- mental electoral reform”. year, the (environment) ministry “The grazing condition in most of 35 eland, 28 elephants, 20 impala and sist in the drought emergency that has tween January and April, said the elections “This needs to be urgently undertaken to would like to sell various type of game our parks is extremely poor and if we 16 kudus — all from national parks. already aff ected over 500,000 people. were marred by serious operational and allow time for debate, legislative changes species from various protected areas do not reduce the number of animals, The aim is to raise $1.1mn that will go In April the government announced transparency shortcomings, electoral secu- and implementation well in advance of the to protect grazing and at the same this will lead to loss of an animals due towards a state-owned Game Products that it will spend about $39,400 on rity problems and low turnout. next elections,” said EU chief observer Maria time to also generate much needed to starvation,” Muyunda said. Trust Fund for wildlife conservation drought relief this year to buy food, President Muhammadu Buhari won 56% Arena in the statement. funding for parks and wildlife manage- In April, an agriculture ministry and parks management. provide water tankers and provide of the votes to secure a second term in offi ce. Among the report’s recommendations ment,” environment ministry spokes- report said 63,700 animals died in 2018 The government said there were subsidies to farmers. But the victory of the 76-year-old retired was that the procedures for the collation of general has been challenged by the main op- results be improved. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, June 16, 2019 REGION/ARAB WORLD Protest for cleaner environment Iran renews N-pact ultimatum amid tensions with US

Reuters Dushanbe

ran will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signato- Iries to the pact show “positive signals”, the Iranian president said yesterday as ten- sions with the United States escalated over tanker attacks in the Gulf region.

UK envoy summoned over ‘unfounded’ tanker accusations

Activists gather in Beirut’s Martyr Square during a demonstration yesterday, calling for a clean Iran yesterday summoned the British ambassa- waste treatment plan. dor to Tehran after London blamed it for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the semi- off icial Students News Agency ISNA reported. “During the meeting with Iran’s foreign ministry off icial, Iran strongly condemned the unfounded allegations and criticised Britain’s unaccept- able stance regarding the attacks in the Gulf of Oman,” it said. The ambassador was asked for Tanker hit in Gulf an explanation and correction after Britain was the only nation to echo US accusations, ISNA reported. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a statement on Friday blaming Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the attacks heads to port attacks, saying no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible. Iran has denied any involvement. AFP cooperation with Iran,” he said jumped to make allegations Dubai at a summit in Bulgaria. against Iran without a shred of Acting US Defence Secre- factual or circumstantial evi- Iran stopped complying in May with some tary Patrick Shanahan said an dence.” commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that President Hassan Rouhani has said Iran cannot stick to the agreement unilaterally. Japanese tanker, one of “international consensus” was The United States has also was agreed with global powers, after the two vessels attacked in needed to resolve the situation. accused Iran over May 12 sabo- United States unilaterally withdrew from the Dushanbe. “It is necessary that all the sides its economy from US sanctions within 60 days. Asensitive Gulf waters The Japanese tanker’s To- tage attacks on four tankers an- accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions of this agreement contribute to restoring it,” Washington has ratcheted up pressure on this week, was heading to port kyo-based operator Kokuka chored in the Gulf of Oman off on Tehran. “Obviously, Iran cannot stick to he said, adding that Iran needed to see “posi- Iran, saying it wants to prevent Tehran devel- yesterday, its owners said. confi rmed yesterday the ves- Fujairah. this agreement unilaterally,” President Has- tive signals” from other signatories to the oping a nuclear bomb, rein in its ballistic mis- The United Arab Emirates sel was heading to port in the UN Secretary-General An- san Rouhani told Russian, Chinese and other pact, which include Russia, China, Britain, sile programme and end what the it calls Ira- called on world powers “to se- United Arab Emirates. tonio Guterres called for an in- Asian leaders at a conference in Tajikistan. France and Germany. nian meddling in the Middle East. cure international navigation “We still don’t know if the dependent investigation. “It’s His comments follow rising tensions with He did not give details on what actions Iran Tehran has said its nuclear programme is and access to energy” after tanker goes to Khor Fakkan or very important to know the Washington, which has accused Tehran of would take or say what positive signals Tehran peaceful and will not be stopped, says its mis- the incident Thursday, which Fujairah as they are very close,” truth (and) that responsibilities carrying out Thursday’s attacks on two oil wanted to see. Russian President Vladimir Pu- sile work is for defence and accuses the United sent crude prices soaring amid said a spokesman, referring to are clarifi ed,” he told report- tankers in a vital oil shipping route at the tin said Moscow would adhere to the agree- States of destabilising the region. a tense standoff between Iran two Emirati ports on the Gulf ers at UN headquarters in New mouth of the Gulf. ment and urged other signatories to follow suit. France and other European signatories to the and the US. of Oman. York. Tehran has denied having any role. “We believe that the only sensible decision nuclear deal that aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear The Kokuka Courageous Maritime experts would then “Obviously that can only be Rouhani did not refer to this week’s tanker is for all deal participants to honour commit- work, have said they wanted to save the accord, was carrying highly fl ammable seek to transfer its highly fl am- done if there is an independent incident in his speech to the Conference on ments,” Putin told the conference. Tehran said but many of their companies have cancelled methanol through the Gulf of mable cargo to shore, according entity that verifi es those facts.” Interaction and Confi dence Building Meas- in May that Iran would start enriching uranium deals with Tehran, under pressure from the Oman when was rocked by ex- to an unnamed offi cial quoted The oil tankers hit Thursday ures in Asia, behind held in the Tajik capital at a higher level, unless world powers protected United States. plosions, causing a blaze that by Japanese state media. morning were 10 nautical miles was quickly extinguished. “From a viewpoint of global apart and headed to Asia when US President Donald Trump energy security, it is necessary they were struck by explosions said the twin attack, which for the international communi- after passing through the Strait also targeted a tanker owned by ty to jointly deal with the act,” of Hormuz, some 25 nautical Oslo-listed company Frontline, said Japanese trade minister miles off Iran’s southern coast. Bashir to appear in court next week: prosecutor had Iran “written all over it”. He Hiroshige Seko at a G20 energy The Front Altair was carry- was speaking hours after the US and environment meeting in ing naphtha, a refi ned petro- military released grainy footage Japan yesterday. leum product, when it was hit AFP Bashir “will appear in court said more than $113mn worth held in the capital’s Kober pris- it said showed an Iranian patrol The other ship which came by three explosions, according Khartoum next week following charges of cash in three currencies had on, swept to power in 1989. boat removing an “unexploded under attack, the Norwegian- to Norwegian offi cials. of corruption and possessing been seized from Bashir’s resi- Last month, Ahmed ordered limpet mine” from one of the operated Front Altair, was be- Blocking the Hormuz Strait foreign currency”, Al-Waleed dence. Bashir questioned over money- tankers. ing towed away from Iranian would be a relatively low-tech, usted Sudanese leader Sayyed Ahmed told reporters, He said a team of police, army laundering. Iran has repeatedly threat- waters and would undergo a high-impact countermeasure Omar al-Bashir is to ap- without specifying the day. and security agents found 7mn In an eff ort to quell protests ened to block the Hormuz damage assessment later, said Iran could take against any at- Opear in court next week On Thursday, an unnamed euros ($7.8mn), $350,000 and that erupted against his rule in Strait, a narrow seaway vital to a spokeswoman for its operator. tack by the United States, and to face charges of corruption offi cial quoted by the offi cial 5bn Sudanese pounds ($105mn). December, Bashir imposed a na- the world’s oil supplies, in the “The 23 crew members of the would severely disrupt global and illegal possession of foreign SUNA news agency said Ba- When he imposed the state of tionwide state of emergency on case of a confl ict with the US. ‘Front Altair’ remain safe and oil supplies. currency, the acting prosecutor shir was facing charges includ- emergency, Bashir issued a de- February 22. But the UAE’s Foreign Minis- well, with plans being made for But Trump played down general announced yesterday. ing “possessing foreign funds, cree making it illegal to possess In May, the prosecutor gen- ter Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed their repatriation soonest,” she the threat. “It’s not going to The announcement came acquiring suspected and illegal more than $5,000 in foreign cur- eral said Bashir had been charged al-Nahyan, called yesterday for added. be closed, it’s not going to be more than two months after the wealth, and ordering the (state rency. over the killings of protesters a de-escalation in tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister closed for long and they know military overthrew Bashir fol- of) emergency”. Bashir, who was toppled on during the anti-regime demon- “We remain hopeful in at- Mohamed Javad Zarif tweeted it. They’ve been told in very lowing mass nationwide protests In April, Sudan’s army ruler April 11 following months of strations, which eventually led taining a broader framework for that the US had “immediately strong terms,” he said. against his 30-year rule. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan protests and is currently being to his ouster.

CONFLICT Drone attacks Syria fl are-up kills 35 fi ghters, 10 civilians Ammunition depot target Jizan, Abha airports in Saudi

AFP explodes in Damascus Yemen’s Houthi movement Beirut launched multiple drone attacks on Jizan and Abha airports in AFP located in a military zone in Saudi Arabia, the group’s Al-Masi- t least 10 civilians and Damascus Mashrou Dummar, a western rah TV said yesterday, adding the 35 combatants, mostly suburb, SANA reported. But in installations were out of service. Apro-regime forces, were a later statement SANA quoted Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV said killed yesterday in clashes and n ammunition depot a military source as saying that Saudi forces had intercepted air strikes that erupted at dawn in Damascus exploded “investigations are still under- a ballistic missile targeting the in northwestern Syria, a war Ayesterday, state media way to determine the cause” of southwestern city of Abha. monitor said. reported, prompting a blast the blast. Earlier, a Saudi-led coalition The fl are-up came as Rus- heard by an AFP journalist in The explosion wounded launched air strikes on Houthi sian-backed regime forces tried the Syrian capital. eight pro-government fi ghters, forces in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, to retake two villages seized “An ammunition depot for according to the Britain-based Saudi state television reported early by militants and allied rebels the Syrian army in western Da- Syrian Observatory for Human yesterday, part of an escalation of earlier this month, the Britain- mascus exploded after a fi re in Rights. tit-for-tat strikes that has stoked based Syrian Observatory for nearby fi elds started spread- “It remains unclear if the ex- regional tensions.The strikes hit Human Rights said. ing,” state news agency SANA plosion was deliberate or a re- air-defence systems and other “Since this morning, the said, citing a military source. sult of the fi res in the area,” the military positions in the Houthi-con- Syrian regime and allied fi ght- The ammunition depot was war monitor said. trolled city, days after the Houthis ers have launched fi ve failed Peace activists hold balloons during a demonstration in solidarity with people in northwest Syria, in launched a missile attack on a Saudi attempts to regain control of Ankara, Turkey, yesterday. airport, according to the TV report. Jibine and Tal Maleh in north- The Western-backed coalition has western Hama province,” said cluding three children, the Ob- withdraw from a planned de- late April, killing nearly 400 been battling the Houthis in Yemen Observatory head Rami Abdel servatory said. The strikes hit militarised zone. civilians, according to the Ob- since 2015 to try to restore the inter- Rahman. the towns of Maaret al-Numan In January, the Hayat Tahrir servatory. Ashkelon prison raided nationally recognised government Syrian regime air strikes and Al-Bara as well as the vil- al-Sham alliance led by Syr- Turkey said Friday that it did that was forced out of Sanaa by the killed nine militants and rebel lage of Al-Ftira, according to ia’s former Al-Qaeda affi liate not accept Russia’s “excuse” Houthis. The Houthis have stepped fi ghters, the war monitor said. the war monitor. extended its administrative that it had no ability to stop QNA stroyed the prisoners’ personal up drone and missile attacks on Ensuing clashes in the north The Idlib region of some 3mn control over the region, which the Syrian regime’s continued Gaza belongings. cities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia of Hama province left 26 pro- people is supposed to be pro- includes most of Idlib prov- bombardments in the last rebel The Palestinian Prisoners, in recent months as tensions have regime forces dead, including tected from a massive regime ince as well as adjacent slivers bastion of Idlib. “In Syria, who Club said in a statement that the risen. The Houthis have denied eight who were killed in a mine off ensive by a buff er zone deal of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo are the regime’s guarantors? he Israeli Occupation raid comes ahead of the start of taking any orders from Tehran and explosion, the Observatory that Russia and Turkey signed provinces. Russia and Iran,” Foreign Min- Forces have stormed the the open-ended hunger strike say they took up arms against cor- said. in September. The Syrian government and ister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Tprisoners’ section of the next Sunday in protest against ruption. Yemen’s civil war has killed In neighbouring Idlib, regime But it was never fully imple- Russia have upped their bom- state news agency Anadolu in a Ashkelon detention centre and escalating repressive measures more than 10,000 people, the UN air strikes killed 10 civilians, in- mented, as militants refused to bardment of the region since televised interview. conducted searches and de- by the prison administration. and aid agencies have said.

Gulf Times 12 Sunday, June 16, 2019 AMERICA

AUCTION APPEAL SURGE IN CASES REFORM INDICTED Record set as Babe Ruth Trump presses Lockheed to 5,200 migrants quarantined New York state approves Fugitive ex-priest to face jersey sells for $5.6mn keep open Sikorsky plant over mumps, chicken pox protections for renters Arizona child sex charges

A New York Yankees jersey worn by baseball US President Donald Trump on Friday urged US authorities said on Friday they had placed Lawmakers in New York state on Friday passed A fugitive former Catholic priest who fled to legend Babe Ruth was sold at auction for a Lockheed Martin to keep open its Sikorsky 5,200 detained migrants into quarantine, mainly a bill aimed at protecting lower-income families Italy and vanished after being indicted on child record-breaking $5.6mn, a statement said helicopter plant in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, over exposure to mumps, linking a surge in cases from skyrocketing rents — a move seen as a sex charges in Arizona in 2003 has been found yesterday. Hunt Auctions said the jersey, a week after the weapons maker announced to a recent outbreak of the contagious disease in victory for tenants amid a crippling lack of and returned to Arizona, authorities said on which dates from the 1928-1930 period of the planned closure of the facility. The plant Central America. An Immigration and Customs aff ordable housing. The vote — the culmination Friday. Joseph Henn, 70, was arrested in Rome Ruth’s career, went under the hammer for employs about 465 employees. Trump wrote Enforcement (ICE) off icial told AFP that as of June of a years-long battle between powerful real by Italian police late last month and brought $5,640,000, making it the most expensive piece on Twitter that he had spoken with Lockheed 13 almost 4,300 detainees were being confined estate owners and housing rights advocates — back to Phoenix by US marshals to face charges of sports memorabilia ever sold. “The legacy chief executive off icer Marillyn Hewson across 39 facilities for exposure to mumps, more became possible after the November elections, of child molestation and sexual conduct with a and significance of Babe Ruth to the game “about continuing operations for the Sikorsky than 800 for exposure to chicken pox, and about which left Democrats in full control of the minor, Arizona prosecutors said. Henn’s alleged of baseball and American popular culture is plant in Coatesville”. “While Pennsylvania is a hundred for both. Nathalie Asher, ICE’s executive state legislature. The text — which Democratic sexual abuse against three boys under the age unmatched by any other figure in the history of BOOMING, I don’t want there to be even a little associate director of enforcement and removal Governor Andrew Cuomo quickly signed into of 15 occurred from 1979 to 1981 while he was this country,” president of Hunt Auctions David glitch in Coatesville — every job counts. I want operations, said that 75% of the current detention law — eliminates rules that allowed building a priest at St Mark’s Parish in Phoenix. Henn Hunt said in a statement. The identity of the Lockhead to BOOM along with it!” Trump wrote, population came directly from the border, while owners to increase the rent when an apartment was arraigned on the 13 charges on Friday in buyer was not disclosed. misspelling the name of the company. the others were detained within the US. changed hands. Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. 6-year-old Immigration protest migrant girl found dead in Arizona

By Andrew Hay, Reuters “Once they went to look for water Taos, New Mexico they never saw them again,” said US Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavil- baso. six-year-old girl from India The mother and the other woman died of heat stroke in an Ari- wandered in the rugged Sonoran Azona desert after her mother desert wilderness for 22 hours be- left her with other migrants to go in fore being found by a US Border search of water, a medical examiner Patrol agent who tracked their foot- and US Border Patrol said on Friday. prints. The girl, Gurupreet Kaur, ap- Four hours later, Border Patrol proaching her seventh birthday, was agents found the body of the de- found by US Border Patrol west of ceased girl a mile from the border. Lukeville, Arizona on Wednesday, Agents tracked the remaining when temperatures reached a high woman and her 8-year-old daugh- of 42C, US Border Patrol and the ter into Mexico, before the mother Pima County Offi ce of the Medical and child re-entered the United Examiner (PCOME) said. States and surrendered to Border The girl’s death, the second re- Patrol. A demonstrator with a mask takes part in a ‘Trumps Birthday Protest’ in front of the Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, against his immigration policy. corded fatality of a migrant child The deceased girl died of hyper- this year in Arizona’s southern thermia and her death was ruled an deserts, highlighted the danger accident, said Greg Hess, PCOME of summer heat as a surge of mi- chief medical offi cer. grant families, mainly from Central Up to May 30, PCOME recorded Flights halted at Newark America, cross the US-Mexico bor- 58 migrant deaths in southern Ari- der to seek asylum. zona, most heat related. Trump administration owes DC government after United plane skids An increasing number of Indian It recorded 127 deaths in 2018. off runway, no injuries nationals are entering the United Border Patrol blamed Kaur’s States from Mexico, according to death on the smugglers. $7mn for inauguration: Washington Post lights were halted at New Jersey’s Ne- immigration offi cials. “This is a senseless death driven wark airport yesterday after a plane They are among thousands of Af- by cartels who are profi ting from Fskidded off a runway while landing, ricans and Asian migrants making putting lives at risk,” Tucson chief Reuters ed that the DC government has had tivities on the National Mall, which but no one was hurt, federal offi cials said. the arduous journey, led by smug- patrol agent Roy Villareal said. Washington to dip into a special fund dedicated to draws tens of thousands of specta- The Federal Aviation Administration gling cartels. Human rights activist Juan- city security costs to protect against tors, to make a speech. said United Airlines Flight 627 landed at The girl and her mother were ita Molina said US border security terrorist threats and for hosting large The DC government normally assists 1pm from Denver and skidded off the left among a group of fi ve Indian na- measures were also partly to blame, he Trump administration and demonstrations, foreign dignitary the National Park Service with July 4 se- side of Runway 22 at Newark Liberty Inter- tionals dropped off by smugglers along with the exhausted state of Congress still owe the Dis- visits and other non-routine events. curity, which would need to be bolstered national Airport. in a remote border area at 10am on child migrants once they reach the Ttrict of Columbia government That fund is usually replenished because of the president’s presence as The FAA issued a statement saying the Tuesday, 27km west of Lukeville, a border. $7mn for expenses related to the 2017 with federal money, but the Post re- well as a possible infl ux of protestors. left plane’s main landing gear was stuck in US border town 80km southwest of “They’re trying to unload people presidential inauguration, the Wash- ported that it is on track to fall short DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s offi ce a grassy area and that the plane would be Tucson. in places where they can avoid de- ington Post reported on Friday, rais- of funds this fall. did not immediately respond for com- towed after passengers were evacuated. After walking some way, the girl’s tection themselves,” Molina, direc- ing questions about who will foot the Concerns surrounding who pays ment but her chief of staff John Falcic- Newark airport said arrivals and depar- mother and another woman went in tor of Tucson-based Border Action bill for the president’s planned July 4 for the presidential security in the chio told the Washington Post “all that tures were on hold and advised travellers to search of water, leaving her daugh- Network, said of smugglers. speech at the Lincoln Memorial. nation’s capital have grown in recent we ask of our federal partners is con- check with their carrier. ter with another woman and her “For a young child, death can Citing city and federal fi nancial weeks as President Donald Trump tinued cooperation and the resources United Airlines did not immediately re- child. come very quickly,” she added. records, the Washington Post report- looks to use the annual July 4th fes- to carry out these activities.” spond to a request for comment. Biden, Sanders to face off as Democrats decide debate line-up

AFP Warren squares off against Yang, a 44-year-old Asian- Mnuchin on solid ground in withholding Washington several lower-polling rivals American, has proposed a Uni- scrambling for a breakout mo- versal Basic Income of $1,000 Trump tax returns: Justice Department ment. per month for every American US Treasury Secretary Steven House Ways and Means Com- he Democratic Party on Joining her will be New York adult to help address the growing Mnuchin did not violate the law mittee chairman Richard Neal had Friday announced its line- Mayor Bill de Blasio; former San threat of automation. by refusing to provide President issued a subpoena demanding Tups for the debut debate of Antonio mayor Julian Castro, “My dreams are coming true,” Donald Trump’s tax returns to Con- the administration turn over six the 2020 presidential cycle — a the only Latino in the 2020 race; he tweeted after the debate line- gress because the confidentiality years of Trump’s returns. crowded, two-night aff air that former congressman John Dela- up was announced. of returns is protected under the He has said he is likely to try to will see frontrunners Joe Biden ney; Congresswoman Tulsi Gab- The debate, two hours per law, the Justice Department said in enforce the subpoena by going and Bernie Sanders square off in bard; Washington Governor Jay night, will air live on NBC, MSN- a legal opinion released on Friday. to court. a highly anticipated match-up. Inslee; Senator Amy Klobuchar; BC and Telemundo. Federal law “protecting The administration has been Twenty Democrats will take the and Congressman Tim Ryan. A manual random drawing confidentiality of tax returns refusing to cooperate with a stage in prime time on June 26 and But the second night’s broad- to determine the line-ups was prohibited the Department of number of congressional probes June 27 in Miami — in two groups cast may ultimately score more held at NBC News headquar- the Treasury from complying of Trump, his family and his presi- of 10 — as they battle to become eyeballs given it features the li- ters in New York, conducted in with a request by the chairman dency, with the fight over his tax the nominee who will challenge on’s share of popular candidates. the presence of Democratic Na- of the House Ways and Means returns just one example. President Donald Trump for the In addition to the top-tier tional Committee (DNC) offi- Committee for the president’s tax “While the executive branch White House next year. candidates, Day 2 will include cials and candidate representa- returns,” a department off icial should accord due deference Former US vice president Bi- Senator Michael Bennet; Senator tives. said in the opinion provided to and respect to congressional den, the unequivocal frontrun- Kirsten Gillibrand; former Colo- The 2020 Democratic race fea- the Treasury Department. requests, Treasury was not ner, and liberal senator Sanders, Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Kamala Harris rado governor John Hickenloop- tures the largest primary fi eld in The memorandum from As- obliged to accept the committee’s who is polling in second, will be joins a demonstration with striking McDonalds workers, demanding a er, Congressman Eric Swalwell; modern history, and the party sistant Attorney General Steven stated purpose without question, among 10 candidates sharing the $15 minimum wage, in Las Vegas on Friday. best-selling author on spiritu- was not able to accommodate all Engel, who heads the Off ice of and based on all the facts and stage on the second night. ality Marianne Williamson; and candidates. Legal Counsel, supports the posi- circumstances, we agreed that They will be joined by South has struggled to maintain mo- Her primary on-stage rivals technology entrepreneur An- Congressman Seth Moulton, tion already taken by the Treasury the committee lacked a legiti- Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Butti- mentum. will be ex-congressman Beto drew Yang. Montana Governor Steve Bullock Department. mate legislative purpose for its gieg, who has surged from ob- That leaves liberal Senator O’Rourke and Senator Cory The debates will give unprec- and Mayor Wayne Messam of It is likely to draw fire from request,” Engel wrote. scurity into fourth place in early Elizabeth Warren, who is polling Booker. edented public exposure for Miramar, Florida failed to meet Democrats in Congress who have A spokesman for Neal had polling, and fi fth place Senator in third place and whose star has With the opening debate now candidates like Williamson and the polling and fund-raising cri- argued the legal reasoning is no immediate comment on the Kamala Harris, who launched risen recently, as the clear head- set, the political stakes of the pri- Yang, who are new to the politi- teria set by the DNC and were not misguided. opinion. her campaign to strong buzz but liner on the fi rst night. mary race were becoming clearer. cal realm. invited to attend. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 13 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Elderly Hong Kong braces for huge couple shot dead in rally after leader climbdown Thailand AFP AFP Organisers are hoping The protest movement has Bangkok Hong Kong for another mammoth morphed in recent days from turnout as they vowed one specifi cally aimed at scrap- to keep pressure on ping the extradition bill, to a n elderly couple was ong Kong is bracing chief executive Carrie wider movement of anger at gunned down in a drive- for another mass rally Lam, saying she had Lam and Beijing over years of Aby shooting yesterday Htoday as public anger misjudged the public sliding freedoms. morning by suspected militants, seethes following unprecedent- mood “The pro-democracy police said, the latest bout of ed clashes between protesters group will not stop at this violence in Thailand’s Muslim- and police over a controver- police fi ring tear gas and rubber point, they want to build on majority restive south. sial extradition law, despite bullets. the momentum against Car- Thailand’s three southern- a climbdown by the city’s Lam stopped short of com- rie Lam,” political analyst most provinces have since 2004 embattled leader. mitting to permanently scrap- Willy Lam, told AFP. “They been plagued by confl ict between Organisers are hoping for ping the proposal and the con- will keep the heat on and ride ethnic Malay Muslim rebels agi- another mammoth turnout as cession was swiftly rejected the momentum.” tating for greater autonomy and they vowed to keep pressure by protest leaders, who called Police said they had no choice the Buddhist-majority Thai on chief executive Carrie Lam, on her to resign, permanently but to use force to meet hard- state, which annexed the region who suspended work on the shelve the bill and apologise for core violent protesters who about a century ago. hugely divisive bill yesterday police tactics. had besieged their lines out- Around 7,000 people have after days of mounting pres- Today afternoon, protesters side the city’s parliament on been killed in the violence, most- sure, saying she had misjudged will march from a park on the Wednesday. ly civilians from both the Muslim the public mood. main island to the city’s parlia- But critics – including legal and Buddhist communities. Critics fear the Beijing- ment – a repeat of a massive and rights groups – say offi c- The latest incident came in backed law will tangle people up rally a week earlier in which ers used a small minority of Narathiwat province’s Ra-ngae in China’s notoriously opaque organisers said more than a violent protesters to launch a Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) member Jimmy Sham, centre, speaks during a press conference in Hong district, the site of previous skir- and politicised courts as well as million people turned out. sweeping security crackdown Kong yesterday after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam suspended a hugely divisive bill that would allow mishes and bombings as rebels hammer the city’s reputation as Lam’s decision to ignore that against predominantly young, extraditions to China in a major climbdown after a week of unprecedented protests and political unrest. and security forces wrestle for a safe business hub. record-breaking turnout and peaceful protesters and clear control of the area. The international fi nance press ahead with tabling the bill the streets. against anyone arrested for the lack of an extradition Opposition to the bill united Paisal Jungsakul, 65, and his hub was rocked by the worst for debate in the legislature on Anger has also been fanned rioting and other off enc- agreement with the main- an unusually wide cross-sec- wife Sumol, 58 – who ran a small political violence since its 1997 Wednesday was the spark that by Lam and senior offi cers call- es linked to Wednesday’s land and says safeguards tion of Hong Kong from infl u- restaurant – were returning handover to China on Wednes- lit the clashes which brought ing those in the streets “rioters”. clashes. were in place to ensure dis- ential legal and business bodies, home from the market by motor- day as tens of thousands of pro- parts of the fi nancial hub to a Protest leaders have called Lam has argued that sidents or political cases to religious leaders and western cycle when they were shot dead testers were dispersed by riot standstill. for police to drop charges Hong Kong needs to end would not be accepted. nations. on a remote road, said a police commander. “Police suspect the killing was the work of a group of mili- tants who operate in that area ... based on the pattern of the at- tack,” Major General Dussadee Bangladesh risks Sundarbans Choosangkij said. “The group uses the same weapons,” he said. The suspects also stole the couple’s motorcycle, and au- getting listed as World Heritage thorities fear that it could be used in another bomb attack, Dussadee said, adding that an IANS In July 2017, Unesco with- project to be cancelled and of the project, its construction alert has been issued for the Dhaka drew a plan to inscribe the relocated. has continued without any as- stolen bike. Sundarbans in the list of her- The committee had wel- sessment of its impact on the The shooting comes more itage sites in danger by 2018 in comed Bangladesh’s decision Sundarbans’ World Heritage than a week after the end of Ra- he offi cial advisory or- case of the failure to meet the to carry out the assessment values, the Union said. madan, the Muslim holy month ganisation on natural mission’s recommendations. into the potential impact of a Two additional coal-fi red which typically sees an uptick in TWorld Heritage has rec- The government had been coal-based thermal plant, be- power plants are being con- violence in the region. ommended putting the Sun- allowed until December 2018 at sides the decisions to scrap the structed on the Payra River, darbans on a list of ‘natural the time to report on the con- plant’s second phase and also which fl ows into the same bay Maldives Speaker Mohamed Nasheed speaks during a press sites in danger’ as Bangladesh servation of the world’s largest the Orion power plant. as the Sundarbans, according conference in Colombo yesterday. has continued implementing a mangrove forest to the World In an article on its website, to IUCN. coal-fi red power plant project Heritage Centre. IUCN on June 7 this year said Over 150 industrial projects near the forest. A reactive monitoring mis- it recommended listing of the are also active upstream of the High-rise The World Heritage Com- sion, jointly conducted by the Sundarbans, Mexico’s Islands site, and their associated ship- mittee of 21 governments is Centre and IUCN in March and Protected Areas of the Gulf ping and dredging activities scheduled to decide on the 2016, made detailed recom- of California and the Ohrid re- further threaten its hydrologi- in Sydney Maldives seeks recommendations by the In- mendations including the gion in North Macedonia as cal and ecological dynamics, it ternational Union for Con- necessity of a strategic envi- “World Heritage in danger said. servation of Nature (IUCN) ronmental assessment for the It cited severe threats from “The hydrological systems, vacated after in its annual meeting in south-west region. coal-fi red power plants and which drive this dynamics, are Azerbaijan from June 30 to After the mission, the World numerous industrial activities very large in scale and vulner- foreign help July 10, bdnews24 reported Heritage Committee had called in close proximity. able to upstream impacts,” it ‘movement’ yesterday. for the Rampal power plant Despite the call for relocation added.

DPA Indonesia returns Canberra to deal with five containers of Balloon Festival waste to the US Sydney high-rise apart- ment building has been Indonesia has returned five Aevacuated after people IS fi ghters containers of rubbish to the United reported movement and resi- States and will not become a dents discovered cracks in the “dumping ground”, off icials said building, which is about a dec- AFP He said the Maldives was yesterday, the latest Southeast Asian ade old, offi cials confi rmed Colombo concerned about the 30 to 40 country to return imported waste. yesterday. children said to be of Maldiv- The containers were supposed Fire and Rescue services ian parents now living in de- to contain only paper scrap, evacuated residents overnight he Maldives yesterday tention camps in Syria, but according to the customs from all 122 units in the Mascot called for international insisted that there should be documents. Instead they were Towers in the southern Sydney Thelp to rehabilitate up international involvement to loaded with other waste including suburb of Mascot after concerns to 160 of its nationals lan- screen the parents. bottles, plastic waste, and diapers, about their structural integrity guishing in Syrian detention “I don’t think we should said senior environment ministry were raised on Friday night. camps after the defeat of the say they can come back in the off icial Sayid Muhadhar. Residents were also asked Islamic State group. fi rst fl ight they can catch,” he “This is not appropriate and to leave nine other units in the Speaker Mohamed Nash- added. we don’t want to be a dumping surrounding buildings. eed said the Maldives kept a Nasheed said the nation ground,” Muhadhar said. It is the second such incident close tab on citizens who had of 340,000 Sunni Muslims The five containers – owned by in six months after cracks ap- joined the militant group, was keeping a close watch on a Canadian company – were peared in the newly-built Opal but that the island nation any attempt to radicalise its shipped from Seattle in the United Tower in Sydney Olympic Park was not ready to accept them population. States to Indonesia’s second in December. back without an internation- More than two-thirds of biggest city Surabaya in late New South Wales Fire and ally supervised reintegration the Maldivian parliament was March, Muhadhar said. Rescue Superintendent Adam programme. spending a three-day holi- It was not immediately clear Dewberry said there were con- Visiting neighbouring Sri day in Sri Lanka, to demon- where the rubbish originated cerns about movement in the Lanka where 258 people were strate it was safe for foreign- from. 10-storey building in Mascot, killed in jihadi attacks re- ers to visit the island after the Indonesia is currently examining but noted that the evacuation cently, Nasheed said the ques- deadly Easter Sunday attacks, several other containers in was “a precaution.” tion of foreign IS fi ghters in Nasheed said. Jakarta’s port and the city of “At this stage, there is no Syria should be addressed as a In a chilling warning of the Batam on the island of Sumatra. thought that the building is go- global issue. impact of terrorism on tour- It is the latest country to ing to have a catastrophic failure As many as 160 Maldivians ism, Sri Lanka’s thriving tour- return imported rubbish after or collapse,” he said, adding the are thought to be held in de- ism sector is projected to lose neighbouring Malaysia vowed to cracks in the basement, which tention camps after the fall of at least $1.5bn revenue this ship back hundreds of tonnes of were being monitored, had be- IS in March. year with a 30% slump in the plastic waste last month. come worse on Friday. “We do not know the situ- number of holidaymakers The Philippines has ordered New South Wales Police said ation they have gone through. visiting the island. tonnes of garbage dumped in a temporary shelter has been We don’t have the capacity to Nasheed and his legisla- the country to be shipped back established at the Mascot Town rehabilitate these people to the tors were staying at the luxury to Canada, sparking a diplomatic Hall as an alternative accommo- extent that they will not have Cinnamon Grand – one of the row between the two countries. dation for the residents who are a further impact on society,” three hotels hit by a local ji- For years China received the waiting for the “all clear.” Nasheed said. hadi group which pledged al- bulk of scrap plastic from around “Engineers and building “I think the international legiance to IS leader Abu Bakr the world, but closed its doors managers remain on scene to community should join to- al-Baghdadi – to show Sri to foreign refuse last year in an determine the integrity and gether and decide what we Lanka was still a safe tourist eff ort to clean up its environment. safety of the aff ected fl oors,” should do to the returnees. destination. Huge quantities of waste the police said in an overnight Hopefully, there is an inter- Sri Lankan authorities say have since been redirected statement. national arrangement where they have arrested all those to Southeast Asia, including Indonesians prepare to release hundreds of giant balloons at Pagerejo field in Wonosobo, In the Opal Tower high-rise in they are fi rst received, not who were involved in the April Malaysia, Indonesia and Central Java province yesterday, during the 2019 Java Traditional Balloon Festival to the western suburbs, permanent necessarily to their countries 21 attacks that also hit three to a lesser degree the educate people about flying safety. structural works continue six of origin or nationality.” Christian churches. Philippines. (AFP) months after the evacuation. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, June 16, 2019 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Irish PM says no Rivals: There must be no backstop as bad for ‘coronation’ for Johnson Ireland as Leadership candidates Johnson, who has been criti- at Johnson, claiming that party He said he was the candidate no deal demand proper contest after cised by his fellow candidates members would reject a leader that could win back voters who reports of plan to make them for his reluctance to appear on who could be viewed as part of have drifted to the Brexit Party withdraw television debates and submit to the “privileged elite” and ques- and the centrist Liberal Demo- Reuters greater public scrutiny, avoided tioning his “mettle” to be prime crats, then beat the main oppo- Dublin Guardian/AFP reporters after parking his Range minister. sition Labour Party. London Rover at a side door at a London Asked how he would stop He branded Labour leader Jer- hotel where the event was being Johnson from winning as he left emy Corbyn a “high taxing, high reland will not allow the held. the hustings, Raab said: “We spending, Hugo Chavez-admir- Northern Ireland “backstop” ory leadership candidates Stewart, something of an out- should have proper scrutiny of ing, anti-Semitism-condoning Iclause in Britain’s EU with- have insisted that there sider in the contest and among everyone. The longer this goes apologist for the Kremlin”. drawal agreement to be dropped Tmust be no unchallenged the keenest critics of John- on, the more the underdog gets Johnson topped Thursday’s because doing so would be as big “coronation” for frontrunner son, accused the frontrunner their shot.” fi rst round with 114 votes, way a threat to the country as Britain Boris Johnson at the latest round of adopting a presidential ap- Conservative MPs whittle the ahead of Foreign Secretary Jer- leaving without a deal, Prime of hustings. proach. contenders down to two through emy Hunt on 43 votes and En- Minister Leo Varadkar said yes- Senior cabinet ministers “The whole genius of British successive rounds of voting be- vironment Secretary Michael terday. were reported to have hatched politics is that we don’t behave fore the 160,000 grassroots par- Gove on 37. While it is “alarming” that plans to force other candidates like American presidents sweep- ty members pick the winner in a Former Brexit secretary Do- leading contenders to replace to withdraw from the race after ing up in a motorcade. We’re all postal ballot. minic Raab got 27, interior min- Theresa May as Britain’s prime Johnson comfortably topped the Johnson: comfortably topped the poll in the first ballot of MPs this about talking to people,” he said. Speaking at the National ister Sajid Javid got 23 and Inter- minister are increasingly threat- poll in the fi rst ballot of MPs this week. Today Channel 4 will repre- Conservative Convention hus- national Development Secretary ening a no-deal Brexit, Ireland week. sent the former foreign secre- tings meeting, Johnson said he Rory Stewart was on 19. was 100% certain the European Among the rivals condemn- last leadership contest in which so let’s not make the same mis- tary and London mayor with an wanted to revitalise the party. There are 50 votes to play for Union would not allow the back- ing the revelation were the home Theresa May went through take again.” empty podium after he declined “What we need to do is to that went to candidates who stop to go, he said. secretary, without opposition after Andrea Stewart, the international de- an invitation to participate in a speak with confi dence again have dropped out and contend- Leadership contenders, in- Sajid Javid, and Rory Stew- Leadsom dropped out. velopment secretary, said: “The television debate with his fi ve about our basic Conservative ers need 33 votes to get through cluding front-runner Boris art, who both insisted that there “The party and the country members of the Conservative remaining rivals. message,” the former foreign Tuesday’s second round, when Johnson, have called for the must be a proper contest. deserve a good choice,” he told party, who are wise, sensible, Johnson has claimed that di- secretary said, according to his at least one more candidate will controversial Irish clause that is As he arrived at leadership reporters outside the event. “I experienced people, deserve to rect bickering between them will campaign offi ce. “The basic be eliminated. designed to avoid border checks hustings for the party grassroots don’t want to see a coronation. have a choice. be counter-productive. idea that it is wealth creation, The winner of the members’ between Ireland and North- organised by the National Con- There needs to be a proper proc- “We should have learned from He will take part in a BBC de- it is free market economics that vote will be announced in the ern Ireland to be changed or servative Convention yesterday, ess that’s followed through. the last time round that corona- bate on Tuesday. is at the heart of delivering the week beginning July 22 and then scrapped. Javid said senior fi gures should “We had a coronation the last tions are not the way to do dem- Earlier, the former Brexit sec- revenues that we need to pay for take over from Theresa May as They have said Britain would learn from the mistakes of the time. That didn’t work out well ocratic politics,” he added. retary Dominic Raab lashed out civilised objectives.” prime minister. be prepared to leave without a deal if there was no compromise. “To me no backstop is eff ec- tively the same as no-deal be- cause what the backstop is ... a legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border The fi rst transatlantic fl ight 100 years ago emerge again,” Varadkar told RTE radio. “If we don’t have that, that is no deal.” By Olivier Thibault, AFP from North America to the Brit- How to manage the land bor- Paris ish Isles in under three days. der between EU-member Ire- Just weeks ahead of the Al- land and British-run Northern cock-Brown bid, two other Ireland – including an emer- hen two British pi- teams had made an attempt: the gency “backstop” solution to lots steered a biplane fi rst plane ditched into the ocean prevent the return of extensive Wacross the vast Atlan- and was rescued; the second frontier controls – has proven tic 100 years ago, battling frozen crashed on take-off . the most contentious element of sleet and thick fog for more than Alcock, aged 26, and Brown, Britain’s planned exit from the 16 hours, they were making avi- 32, took off in the early after- European Union. ation history. noon from St John’s, one of the Varadkar again rejected a With their harrowing easternmost points of North proposal for a time limit on the 3,000km (1,860-mile) cross- America. Northern Ireland clause, saying ing, Captain John Alcock and Their Vickers Vimy biplane a backstop with a time limit is navigator Lieutenant Arthur was weighed down by 4,000 li- “not a backstop”. Whitten Brown completed the tres (1,056 gallons) of fuel and The prime minister said that world’s fi rst non-stop transat- only just able to clear the trees, Ireland remained open to the lantic fl ight. lurching in gusts of wind. possibility of alternative ar- Here is a look back at their “Several times I held my rangements that would allow groundbreaking journey be- breath, from fear that our un- an open border with Northern tween Newfoundland in Canada dercarriage would hit a roof or a Ireland while protecting the Eu- and Ireland on June 14 and 15, tree-top,” Brown recalled in Fly- ropean Union’s single market 1919. ing the Atlantic in Sixteen Hours – something Johnson has sug- The North Atlantic had al- (1920). gested may off er a solution. ready been conquered by air Once airborne, the Royal Air But Varadkar said that would when Alcock and Brown climbed Force aviators turned eastwards only be a possibility once the into their modifi ed World War I for Ireland, heading into the A see-through etching of a photograph showing the crash landing of the first non-stop transatlantic flight by British aviators Sir John Alcock technologies required had been bomber on June 14 – but never in night. and Sir Arthur Whitten-Brown that began on June 14, 1919 departing from Newfoundland, Canada and crash landed on June 15, 1919 in the demonstrated to work eff ec- one go. Heavy fog meant they fl ew Connemara bog of Derrygimlagh, is seen at the site of the crash on the 100-year anniversary of the flight in Derrygimlagh, Ireland. tively. Just weeks earlier three US blind for much of the trip, un- “What people are saying is Navy Curtiss fl ying boats had set able to get their bearings. the instruments and threatened out for land expecting to fi nd it on her nose,” he said. Their record would however give up the backstop, which we out from New York state to make The plane was tossed about by to freeze the motors. any time.” The plane was damaged but be overshadowed just eight years know will work legally and oper- the trip with stopovers in New- the wind, rising and plunging, Brown had to chip off ice with When solid ground did sud- the two pioneers emerged un- later when on May 20, 1927, ationally in return for something foundland, the Azores, Portugal at times just metres above the a knife. denly appear in the morning of scathed. American Charles Lindbergh that doesn’t yet exist but might and England. water, Alcock recounted after- “We had a terrible trip. We June 15, “it was great”, the pilot The trip had taken just over 16 made a transatlantic fl ight alone exist in the future ... I can’t do Only one completed the jour- wards. never saw a boat, and we got no said. hours. and between two major cities, that to the border communities,” ney, covering 6,000km in three “I believe we looped the loop wireless messages at all,” Alcock He spotted what seemed a Alcock and Brown were wel- from New York to Paris. Varadkar said. weeks. and by accident we did a deep said afterwards. good fi eld for a landing near comed as heroes in Dublin and Alcock would die just six Varadkar said he was looking Britain’s Daily Mail newspa- spiral. It was very alarming. We “We fl ew along the water and Clifden in County Galway but it London, handed the Daily Mail months after his feat, when forward to sitting down with per had laid down the challenge had no sense of the horizon,” Al- we had doubts as to our position, turned out to be a bog. prize by Winston Churchill, his plane crashed near Rouen, May’s replacement, but said the for a non-stop crossing by of- cock told the Daily Mail. although we believed we were “The wheels sank axle deep in then aviation minister, and later France. next prime minister should not fering £10,000 for a single fl ight Ice and hail jammed some of ‘there or thereabouts’. We looked the fi eld. The Vimy toppled over knighted by King George V. Brown passed away in 1948. expect a better Brexit deal.

14 arrested over two Corbyn under pressure to clarify murders and three backing for second Brexit vote stabbings in London By Heather Stewart endum remained “some way off ”. said: “What we’re witness- Guardian News & Media One shadow cabinet member ing this summer is the growth and Corbyn loyalist described of a mass and plural movement By Kevin Rawlinson to the incident in Greenwich Labour’s Brexit policy as “in a against Brexit, with mass dem- and Mattha Busby and, on Friday evening, Scot- eremy Corbyn’s shadow cabi- state of transition”, saying that onstrations announced for both Guardian News & Media land Yard said three men and net is set to debate Brexit to- they expected it to shift towards July and October, and lots of Corbyn: said to be increasingly dissatisfied with the messaging in the a woman had been arrested on Jmorrow as the prospect of a a clearer stance in favour of a ref- diff erent organisations holding run-up to the European elections. suspicion of murder and taken Boris Johnson premiership ac- erendum in the next speaker tours and preparing for a olice in London have ar- to separate south London po- celerates Labour’s drift towards “two or three weeks”, rather referendum.” criticism and challenge. in that decision,” said one senior rested 14 people over two lice stations for questioning. supporting a second referendum. than wait for their hand to be She added: “But this move- Several shadow cabinet mem- party source. Pmurders, which occurred Offi cers said they had ar- Corbyn is coming under re- forced by restive grassroots ment needs to be radical, both bers have told the Guardian that John McDonnell, the shadow minutes apart on Friday after- rested six males in the Wands- newed pressure to set out his members. tactically and politically – it has Corbyn himself was uncomfort- chancellor, was said by allies noon, and three stabbings in a worth case and taken them for backing for a fresh public vote Another shadow cabinet to become a hot summer of re- able with the party’s message in to have been particularly irked separate attack hours later. questioning. more clearly, as the shockwaves source said Johnson’s imminent sistance, willing to disrupt the the run-up to the European elec- about Campbell’s expulsion, One man was stabbed to Elsewhere, in nearby Clap- from Labour’s catastrophic per- arrival in Number 10 on a hard status quo.” tions, which he felt was insuffi - fearing it made the leadership death in the street in Wands- ham, three men were found formance in the European elec- Brexit ticket must be “the deci- Meanwhile Tom Watson, Cor- ciently clear. look vindictive. worth, southwest London, with stab and slash injuries in tions continue to reverberate. sive factor” for Labour’s policy. byn’s deputy, has continued to “They’re clearly under pres- The move to drop shadow for- shortly before 4.45pm, while the early hours of yesterday. Shadow ministers will be Corbyn is content to allow the push for a People’s Vote, and will sure: I don’t think he’s happy eign secretary Emily Thornberry another man was shot dead in The condition of two of the shown the second part of a pres- focus to remain on the warring make a major speech on the issue with the way it’s working,” one from prime minister’s questions Greenwich, southeast London, men is unknown, while the entation on polling which began Tories for the moment. tomorrow. said. last week, after she spoke out around 5pm. third has injuries which are not at last week’s meeting, and ac- But the Labour leader is fac- Recriminations from the par- Another claimed: “Even Jere- about Labour’s Brexit policy, also Both victims, neither of life-threatening or life-chang- cording to one person present ing a pincer movement from both ty’s poll performance have con- my, who has always held Seumas raised eyebrows. whom have yet been named, ing. showed Labour was being sides of his deeply divided party. tinued. in awe, is increasingly dissatis- Corbyn was lambasted by col- died at the scene and were Four men were arrested in “squeezed from both sides”. “Another Europe is Possible”, Some shadow ministers, in- fi ed with the messaging.” leagues at last Monday’s meet- thought to be in their late teens. connection with the incident Corbyn said in the aftermath the anti-Brexit campaign group cluding some on the left, lament The shadow cabinet was not ing of the parliamentary Labour Offi cers said postmortem – two for violent disorder, one of the European Parliament elec- that works closely with left- what one called the “malign in- consulted about the expulsion of party (PLP), with one veteran examinations would be carried for carrying a bladed instru- tions that any Brexit deal would wing Labour MPs including Clive fl uence” of Corbyn’s advisers, former New Labour spin doctor of the Blair and Brown eras say- out soon. ment and another for posses- now “have to be put to a public Lewis and Lloyd Russell-Moyle, in particular his key confi dant, Alastair Campbell for publicly ing it was the worst they had They have not linked the two sion of a laser gun – and had vote” – though that could in- has announced that it plans a Seumas Milne, and chief of staff , admitting that he had voted Lib witnessed, with Corbyn reading cases. been taken into custody at a clude a general election, and he “summer of resistance”. Karie Murphy, complaining that Dem at the European elections. from a prepared script and failing Armed police responded south London police station. subsequently suggested a refer- Alena Ivanova, from the group, the pair insulate Corbyn from “No politician was involved to take on hecklers. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 15 EUROPE

Barcelona’s acting mayor re-elected Barcelona’s acting mayor Ada Colau was re-elected yesterday, beating a German Catalan separatist who had come first in municipal polls, after reaching a deal with the socialists and getting unexpected support from France’s former prime minister Manuel Valls. SPD’s poll Hundreds of independence supporters filled the square in front of the city hall as voting took place in a constituent session also attended by Conservatives Joaquim Forn, Catalonia’s former regional interior minister who is in jail ratings and on trial over a failed secession bid in October 2017. Forn, who was elected as a councillor in municipal elections on May 26, was allowed to leave prison temporarily to attend the session. drop Colau narrowly lost those local elections to Ernest Maragall, a veteran politician from ERC, a party that wants Catalonia – the northeastern region ruled by separatists – to be independent from the rest of Spain. further He gained 10 seats out of 41 in the city council, as did Colau. retake Madrid Maragall beat her by fewer than 5,000 votes. If he had gained the necessary support to get an absolute majority of Reuters Reuters/AFP far-right Vox as well as the cen- 29.3% of the vote, followed by municipal administrations. 21 in the city council, he would have become Barcelona’s first separatist Berlin Madrid tre-right Ciudadanos party. the PP on 22.2%. After the vote, Pepu Hernan- mayor in modern Spanish history. Some members of Ciudadanos In Madrid, outgoing far-left- dez, who had been the Socialist That would have been a significant change in Spain’s second biggest city, have expressed unease over the ist mayor Manuela Carmena Party’s candidate for the Madrid a tourist magnet, as the independence movement moves to conquer upport for Germany’s So- conservative was sworn party’s decision to deepen its al- won the election, obtaining 19 mayorship, slammed the PP and new power centres in Catalonia. cial Democrat (SPD) party, in yesterday as Madrid’s liance with Vox and the PP to se- seats in the 57-seat city hall, but Ciudadanos for cosying up to But in yesterday’s constituent session, Colau was re-elected with 21 Sa junior partner in Chan- A new mayor, regaining cure a share of power in Madrid she fell short of a majority in a Vox. votes. cellor Angela Merkel’s coalition, control of the Spanish capital for and the southeastern Murcia coalition with the Socialists. “You’re going to hear us la- The vote is anonymous but Colau had already reached an agreement has further slumped to a record his Popular Party (PP) after forg- region. The PP came second, with 15 ment as much as is necessary the with the Socialist Party to support her. low, a poll showed yesterday, ing a rightist coalition involving In neighbouring France, Pres- seats, while Ciudadanos got 11 fact that you decided to grant a Valls, who grew up in Paris with a Catalan father and Swiss-Italian piling more pressure on it to quit the anti-immigration Vox group. ident Emmanuel Macron’s gov- and Vox, four – enough to reach force like Vox the capacity to de- mother, had also pledged to throw his councillors’ support behind Colau the government and rebuild in Spain’s municipal elections ernment warned Ciudadanos, a majority between them. cide and condition the govern- despite criticising her during the campaign, in order to avoid Barcelona opposition. in May led to a fragmented po- its Spanish centre-right ally in Representatives of the three ment of the most important city falling in the hands of Catalan separatists. There is rising scepticism that litical landscape, requiring nu- the European Parliament, of parties voted yesterday to in- in Spain, one of the most impor- “Of utmost importance was to avoid Barcelona having a pro-independ- Merkel’s coalition will survive merous power-sharing deals to possible “consequences” if it stall Almeida as the new mayor, tant in the world,” he said. ence mayor,” Valls said after the vote. until 2021 after SPD leader And- form coalition governments and went ahead with local alliances handing control of the Spanish The PP and Ciudadanos have “But I voted for you Mrs Colau, without conditions,” he added, saying rea Nahles quit two weeks ago in keeping some of the most-voted with Vox. capital back to the PP, which had already signed an 80-point deal that without his support and that of two of his councillors, as well as the the wake of her party’s losses in candidates out of offi ce. Under the Spanish municipal governed it for two decades until over how they want to govern. Socialists, she would not be mayor. European Parliament elections The PP’s candidate for Ma- electoral system, city halls must Carmena was elected in 2015. One of these calls for a review and a regional vote in the state of drid mayor, Jose Luis Martinez- choose a mayor from whichever Vox said yesterday that it had of Madrid Central, a traffi c re- Bremen. Almeida, came second behind a group forms a majority if no sin- agreed with the PP and Ciu- striction scheme in the city cen- by encouraging people to take The PP and Ciudadanos The troubled centre-left SPD far-left candidate but he man- gle candidate wins outright. dadanos to extend their pact tre implemented by Carmena. public transport or bicycles, sees agreed “a moratorium on the had the backing of 11% of re- aged to win control of the city The Socialists won the most across the country in order to The restrictions, which hope drivers banned from accessing imposition of fi nes” from July 1 spondents in a Forsa poll, a de- government with the backing of support in May’s elections, with avoid the inauguration of leftist to reduce gas emissions by 40% the centre and fi ned if they do. while they review the scheme. cline of one point from a week ago. It marked its lowest level of Journalists resign support since 1949 and placed it in fourth, behind the far-right after pro-Russia Alternative for Germany (AfD) Worshippers in hard hats attend Notre-Dame mass MP buys channel on 13%. The resurgent Greens remain A Ukrainian MP with ties to Russia the most popular party, with AFP restoration as well a handful of The church has also fl oated has bought a national Ukrainian 27%, attracting voters disen- Paris lay worshippers. the idea of erecting a tempo- news channel, prompting a round chanted with the ruling coalition The date was chosen as it is rary structure in front of the of resignations from journalists and concerned about climate the anniversary of the conse- cathedral to welcome worship- who fear his ownership will mean change. he Notre-Dame cathe- cration of the cathedral’s altar, pers while the building is being coverage influenced by Moscow. Merkel’s conservatives were dral in Paris hosted its which is celebrated every year repaired. Taras Kozak of the pro-Moscow unchanged at 24%, also a record Tfi rst mass yesterday, on June 16. Up to 150 workers have been party “Opposition Platform” low. two months after a devastating The date is “highly signifi - working at the cathedral daily already owned two national TV The national survey will cast blaze that shocked the world, cant, spiritually”, Chauvet told since the fi re, continuing to stations before he took over the a shadow over a government with priests and worshippers AFP, adding he was happy to be remove debris and stabilise the channel ZIK this week. meeting this weekend near Ber- wearing hard hats to protect able to show that “Notre-Dame structure. Kozak is a close ally of lin to discuss a planned coal exit, themselves against possible is truly alive”. Two large white canopies politician Viktor Medvedchuk, a pensions, rising housing costs falling debris. President Emmanuel Macron have been placed above the controversial figure in Ukraine and property tax reforms. Dressed in a white robe and has set an ambitious target of nave and the choir to ensure the because of his close ties to The SPD, punished by vot- helmet, Archbishop of Paris fi ve years for restoring Notre- edifi ce is protected, including Russian President Vladimir Putin ers who feel the party has lost Michel Aupetit led the serv- Dame, which was gutted by a from the rain. while Kyiv is fighting a Moscow- its working-class ethos, has ap- ice, which was attended by just fi re on April 15 that felled its Macron’s call for an “inven- backed separatist war. pointed a trio of caretakers be- some 30 people – half of them steeple and consumed the lat- tive” rather than identical re- Journalist Roman Nedzelskiy, one fore starting the process to fi nd clergy. tice of beams supporting the construction of the steeple has The Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit (centre) greets other of five journalists to resign from a permanent replacement for The mass started at 6pm roof. left some architects up in arms. members of the clergy following the first mass in a side chapel, the channel along with its chief Nahles. (1600 GMT) in the Chapel of The diocese is awaiting a Meanwhile, legislation over two months to the day after a devastating fire engulfed the executive, said Medvedchuk now “The SPD has made millions the Virgin on the east side of the response from the French au- the reconstruction has been Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. essentially controls ZIK. of former voters (politically) cathedral, confi rmed to be safe. thorities over whether it can blocked in parliament over dis- “Tomorrow I will be on the air homeless,” said Forsa chief Man- It was broadcast live on re-open the esplanade in front agreements between the upper prominent French businessmen over, with businessmen giv- with the last broadcast of the fred Guellner. “Many of those Catholic TV channel KTO. of the cathedral to the public. and lower houses and is now and ordinary citizens but only ing the money in tranches and weekly show Details, and then former voters would like to give Aupetit was joined by the If the authorities approve only expected to be adopted at around 10% of that has been some private individuals re- I will start looking for a job,” he their vote to the SPD, but they rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick the plan, the idea is to celebrate the end of July. donated so far. nouncing their pledges due said on Facebook late on Friday. can’t do so because the SPD for Chauvet, other clergy, volun- evening prayers there, the dio- Pledges of some €850mn France Info public radio said to the apparent success of the “Medvedchuk is an enemy of years has been taking care of a teers, people working on the cese said. ($960mn) had been made from just €80mn had been handed campaign. my country, a murderer of both few remaining members instead the past and the future,” his of the many voters it lost.” colleague Vakhtang Kipiani wrote Merkel has dismissed con- as he announced his resignation. cerns about the stability of the Mustafa Nayyem, a Ukrainian MP, coalition and said she plans to wrote on social media that the serve a full term until 2021. Slovakia’s fi rst woman president is sworn in takeover would be a challenge The coalition partners will for new President Volodymyr hold a midterm review in the Zelenskiy. “It is diff icult to say autumn, which could be an op- AFP ist plunged the country into ers who took to the streets after which is worse – a Russian tank portunity for the SPD to pull out Bratislava crisis. journalist Jan Kuciak and his on the demarcation line or a of the alliance – a scenario fa- “I did not come to rule, I fi ancée were gunned down at broadcast holding ... belonging voured by members disenchant- came to serve citizens, and res- home in February 2018. practically to a relative of ed with power-sharing with the lovak environmental law- idents of Slovakia,” the liberal Kuciak was about to publish Vladimir Putin.” right. yer Zuzana Caputova was politician, who is pro-choice a report on alleged ties between Medvedchuk claims Putin That would leave Germany Ssworn in yesterday as and promotes greater rights for Slovak politicians and the Ital- is godfather to one of his facing the possibility of a snap the EU member’s fi rst female same-sex couples, said in her ian mafi a. daughters. election, a minority government president, surprising observ- inaugural speech in Bratislava. The premier at the time, Ukraine is locked in a five-year or an unwieldy alliance of three ers with a speech that lacked “I off er expertise, I off er Robert Fico, was forced to re- conflict with Russia-backed blocs. the government criticism she emotion and I off er a healthy sign but he remains the leader separatists in the east of the Any of those outcomes would was known for on the campaign activist approach. So I off er my of the ruling Smer-SD party country that has claimed over be likely to hasten the exit of trail. mind, my heart and my hands,” and is a close ally of current 13,000 lives. Merkel, who has served 14 years The community activist, who she added, alongside family, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini. as chancellor. ran on the slogan “Stand up to former presidents, politicians In her speech, Caputova de- After handing over the lead- evil”, was largely unknown be- and members of her presiden- clared unequivocal support Freed Russian ership of her Christian Demo- fore she launched her presiden- tial campaign. Caputova reviews the guard of honour at the Presidential Palace for Slovakia’s membership in crats (CDU) to protégé Annegret tial bid in the eurozone member After the ceremony, Capu- during her inauguration ceremony in Bratislava. the EU and the North Atlantic reporter vows to Kramp-Karrenbauer, she has of 5.4mn people. tova walked to a nearby cathe- Treaty Organisation (Nato) and ‘help others’ said she will not stand again as The 45-year-old environ- dral for an ecumenical service, criticism of the government. Caputova “does not want to also spoke out in favour of pro- chancellor of Europe’s biggest mental lawyer won the March greeting people along the way, “The new president’s speech divide, she wants to unite. She tecting the environment. Russian journalist Ivan Golunov, economy. ballot with 58% of the vote before hosting a lunch for sen- was non-confrontational. It talks about the common good, “The process of global cli- who was jailed on trumped-up Forsa polled 2,001 people be- thanks in part to voter disillu- iors from across Slovakia. was formulated positively, not a common path, often using the mate change must be slowed drugs charges but released after tween June 11 and June 14. sionment with the governing Analysts have described her attacking political opponents,” word ‘we’”. down and reversed, otherwise it a public outcry, said on Friday The margin of error was 2.5 coalition a year after the mur- inaugural speech surprisingly political analyst Juraj Marusiak Caputova was among the can have major consequences,” that he would work to help others percentage points. der of an investigative journal- mild, given Caputova’s past told AFP. tens of thousands of protest- she said. in similar situations. “I will do whatever is in my power,” the 36-year-old journalist said in an interview with prominent TV personality, Ksenia Sobchak. Italy’s ‘genius’ fi lm and opera director Zeffi relli dies at 96 “I need to understand how I can be of use,” he said, expressing hope that Russian authorities will Reuters Alec Guinness, Faye Dunaway, opera career was a triumphant Because they were married to that formed the basis of his 1999 listen to critics. Rome and Jon Voight. production of Verdi’s Aida at other people, the law at the time fi lm Tea With Mussolini, star- “I very much hope that there will “Franco Zeffi relli, one of the Milan’s La Scala in 2006, which meant he could not take either ring Joan Plowright, Judi Dench, be dialogue,” he said in the two- world’s greatest men of culture, won more than 15 minutes of ap- of their surnames and had to be Maggie Smith and Cher. hour Youtube interview. ranco Zeffi relli (pictured) passed away this morning,” plause on opening night. registered by another one. “They taught me all the im- Golunov, an investigative , who directed the world’s Dario Nardella, the mayor of However, Zeffi relli’s uncon- His mother, who loved Mo- portant things in life,” he told reporter for Meduza, a Russian- Fgreatest opera singers and Zeffi relli’s home city of Florence, ventional ventures into op- zart, chose “Zeffi retti” after the an interviewer in 1999. “These language website based in EU brought Shakespeare to the cin- said in a Twitter post. “Goodbye era were often welcomed more Italian word for “little zephyrs” ladies helped me to understand member Latvia, was arrested last ema-going masses, has died. He dear Maestro, Florence will nev- abroad than at home, particu- (breezes) in an aria in the Austri- my own city, my own culture and week after police planted drugs was 96. er forget you.” larly in the United States, where an composer’s Italian-language my own upbringing.” on him, in what was seen as In a statement, his foundation Deputy Prime Minister Luigi he had more than a dozen top opera Idomeneo. In World War II, Zeffi relli punishment for his work. said that he died in Rome yester- Di Maio said Zeffi relli would and Juliet, the 1977 television productions at the New York But a transcription error by fought as a partisan before be- The reporter was released on day. “remain in the hearts and the mini-series Jesus of Nazareth, Metropolitan Opera. a city hall clerk made it forever coming an interpreter for the Tuesday, and charges against Often appreciated more by the history of this country”. and Brother Sun, Sister Moon, In 1994 Zeffi relli, who di- “Zeffi relli”. Scots Guards. him dropped, after Golunov’s public than critics, Zeffi relli was Zeffi relli’s opera productions his 1972 fi lm tribute to St Francis rected several productions at His mother died of tubercu- After the war, he studied ar- supporters, including many the last of a generation of Italian for the stage included singers of Assisi. London’s Covent Garden, was losis when he was six and he was chitecture at the University of influential journalists, mounted a fi lm giants who came of age after such as Maria Callas, Placido Romeo and Juliet, one of sev- knighted by Queen Elizabeth raised by an aunt and at times Florence and was drawn into public campaign in his defence. World War II, including Federico Domingo, Joan Sutherland, Lu- eral times Zeffi relli brought II for his “valuable services to by a group of eccentric expatri- theatre and fi lm, working ini- A dozen journalists from five Fellini, Luchino Visconti and ciano Pavarotti, Renata Scotto Shakespeare to the screen, was British performing arts”. ate English women in Florence tially as an assistant to Visconti, media outlets are currently Vittorio De Sica. and Jose Carreras. nominated for Best Picture and Zeffi relli was born in Florence known as “Gli Scorpioni” (The the director, for whom he de- helping Golunov complete his He directed more than two In a 2013 interview to mark his Best Director Oscars. on February 12, 1923, to Alaide Scorpions) for their biting wit. signed the set for the fi rst Italian latest investigation that will dozen fi lms, working with stars 90th birthday, he said the gen- His 1990 Hamlet starred Mel Garosi Cipriani, a seamstress, Under their infl uence and tu- production of Tennessee Wil- implicate senior members of including Elizabeth Taylor, Ri- eral public would remember him Gibson. and Ottorino Corsi, a cloth telage, he learned to love English liams’ A Streetcar Named Desire Russia’s FSB security service in chard Burton, Laurence Olivier, most for his 1968 fi lm of Romeo One of the high points of his salesman. and Shakespeare, an experience in 1949. corruption, he said. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, June 16, 2019 EUROPE

Summit seeks ‘fair’ Mediterranean nations to distribution of migrants

AFP focus on missing migrants Valletta

By Jan Hennop, AFP across the Mediterranean. is extremely important,” Queen 40,000 people who went miss- Top ICMP representatives war crimes, Queen Noor said. The Hague Italy – which has taken a hard Noor of Jordan, one of the IC- ing in the Balkans confl icts of the nevertheless called for more to Collecting and having access outhern European leaders line on migrants under its popu- MP’s longest-serving commis- 1990s, including around 90% be done to help fi nd the missing to data about these refugees will have called for a fair distri- list government and interior sioners, told AFP in an interview. of the nearly 8,000 killed in the migrants, particularly those from make it easier in future to iden- Sbution of migrants arriving editerranean countries minister Matteo Salvini – did not “Helping the families and 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Syria’s war where the fate is of an tify “where crimes may have oc- from across the Mediterranean say they have taken a sign up to that new joint state- communities that have lost their But it is now turning its atten- estimated 85,000 people is not curred, where mass graves exist – as the latest NGO boat carrying Mkey step towards fi nding ment due to what the ICMP de- members in confl ict can create a tion to one of the biggest human known. and where families and relatives rescued families was denied a out the fate of thousands of mi- scribed as internal government path to truth, justice and recon- catastrophes of recent times – “What we are implicitly say- may be”, she said. safe port by Italy. grants – many fl eeing Syria’s war issues. ciliation – and where possible, the migration crisis that has hit ing to states is that they have a However, the longer-term The leaders of Cyprus, France, – who have gone missing while The four countries are the accountability,” said the Jorda- the Middle East, North Africa responsibility to deal with this, objective is to bring millions of Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal trying to reach Europe. main point of entry to Europe for nian royal. and Europe since 2014. but that it is also in their inter- displaced people back to their and Spain said the European At a meeting of the Interna- many of the migrants fl eeing the Born out of the confl icts in The plan to better locate and est to deal with it,” former Dutch homes. Union should “guarantee ef- tional Commission for Missing war in Syria and other regions. the former Yugoslavia and set up identify missing migrants fl eeing foreign minister Bert Koenders “I can see in a future that is fective implementation of the Persons (ICMP) in The Hague Finding out what happened to in 1996 in Sarajevo by then-US confl ict and economic hardship told AFP. hopefully not too far off that we principle of solidarity and fair this week, Cyprus, Greece and those missing – whether they are president Bill Clinton, the ICMP in the Middle East and Africa was The ICMP also wants to ob- can set in motion steps that will burden-sharing between mem- Malta pledged to co-ordinate eventually found alive or whether uses increasingly sophisticated launched in Rome last year. tain permission from Syria’s provide greater hope for many of ber states.” and beef up their eff orts to trace they have been confi rmed dead DNA technology to trace missing But this week’s meeting of the neighbours to start mapping the the migrants and refugees to Eu- A joint declaration at the end nearly 18,500 migrants who have and their remains found – pro- persons. southern European states was thousands of refugees fl eeing the rope.” of the summit in Valletta also disappeared since 2014 while vides crucial closure for families. It has already succeeded in key to pushing the process for- bitter eight-year war – in a move “To give them hope that they said that “eff orts to break the making the perilous journey “We are starting a process that identifying around 70% of the ward. that could one day help identify can return home,” she said. smugglers’ business model need to be further enhanced, with the aim to also prevent tragic loss of life”. The wording appeared to tar- Italy ‘criminalising get the boats of non-govern- mental organisations that rescue migrants from the Mediterrane- an, but which are accused by far- solidarity’, says right politicians such as Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini of encouraging human traffi ck- ing. rescue ship captain Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the summit voiced “frustration” that the EU Pia Klemp, one of the Iuventa be reach €500,000, Klemp said “talks about solidarity without 10, says it is ‘ridiculous’ that that the rescuers were being tar- applying it”. she could face jail geted as part of a wider attempt The German-operated Sea to “stigmatise refugees”. Watch 3 NGO rescue vessel is By Daniel Boff ey and “There is no way I am going to currently off Italy’s southern Lorenzo Tondo prison for saving people in dis- Lampedusa island with 53 mi- Guardian News & Media tress,” Klemp said. “It is the most grants on board who were res- ridiculous thing on so many dif- cued off the coast of Libya and ferent levels. And I will never ac- since denied entry to Italian captain of a search-and- cept anything else but acquittal.” ports. rescue ship potentially The Iuventa, a former fi shing Salvini says that the rescue Afacing up to 20 years in vessel, is believed to have saved boats prevent the Libyan coast- jail in connection with her role 14,000 people in total during its guard from picking up the mi- in saving 6,000 people from time on the seas. grants and returning them to drowning in the Mediterranean Its crews worked closely with Libya. has accused the EU of letting the Italian marine co-ordination “All vessels operating in the people die and the Italian au- centre for search and rescue. Mediterranean must respect the thorities of “criminalising soli- They would fi nd distressed applicable international laws darity”. smuggler vessels and pass those and not obstruct operations Pia Klemp, 35, who skippered saved on to European military of the Libyan Coastguard,” the the Iuventa, a vessel run by an ships or the Italian coastguard. summit statement said. NGO, stands accused with nine Klemp skippered the boat on Salvini, who is also deputy others of aiding and abetting il- two missions in the summer of prime minister and leads the legal migration in relation to their 2017, when on one day alone up to powerful right-wing League role in seeking to rescue people in 3,800 people on smuggler boats party in the coalition, has is- danger after fl eeing the Libyan in distress were saved. sued a decree ordering law en- coast for Europe. The Italian government railed forcement authorities to take all The evidence publicly pro- against the large numbers of necessary measures to prevent duced by the Italian authorities people being rescued and re- the entry into or transit through for their claims that the rescuers turned to their ports, and the lack Italian waters of such ships. collaborated with people smug- of support from the EU’s other 27 Sea Watch International on glers was found wanting by aca- member states. Beyond Friday tweeted that its vessel demics at Goldsmith University A deal was agreed with the was “still waiting for a port of last year. Libyan coastguard, a group of walls safety 16 miles off Lampedusa”, The Iuventa was seized two militia, in which the EU would calling for people to sign a peti- years ago and charges are yet to fund their operations to fi nd and This aerial picture taken on tion for the migrants to be taken be laid. return those in the Mediterra- June 13 shows a 600m long in by German cities. Klemp, from Bonn in Germany, nean to Libya. installation by French land Salvini said the vessel was said she and her colleagues are Amid the political change, artist SAYPE entitled Beyond now “wandering around the preparing for a long, drawn-out in August 2017 the Iuventa was Walls, representing hands Mediterranean forcing women, legal battle after recently being seized at the port of Lampedusa joined together in support men and children into unneces- advised that prosecutors were and phones and computers on- to the SOS Mediterrannee sary suff ering”. not going to drop the case and board were taken. migrant association, set up at Yesterday the minister cleared that it was likely to go to trial. It later transpired that the Paris’s landmark Champs de 10 migrants to leave the Sea- Lawyers for the so-called Iu- crew had been bugged and that Mrs gardens in front of the Watch 3, Italian media reported, venta 10 have advised that the informants had been placed on Eiff el Tower. while pressing on with plans to charges being considered carry a other rescue ships. ban the vessel from Italian wa- prison term of up to 20 years or a It was claimed in offi cial docu- ters. €15,000 fi ne for each person ille- ments relating to the seizure by lawyers that she risked pre- coastguard had intercepted the freezer for several days. as a safe port for the disembark- The 10, including two preg- gally brought to Italy. that there was evidence that the trial detention if found in Italian refugees and did everything they “Europe didn’t give us a port ment of 52 people rescued by nant women, were allowed to Matteo Salvini, the far-right rescuers had collaborated with waters. could to forcibly take them back of safety so we had to bob up and Sea-Watch, an NGO. disembark on Lampedusa. interior minister, called last year smugglers to get their boats sent Klemp said her experience to Libya. down in international waters for Sea-Watch declined the off er The others were three chil- for Klemp to be arrested for her back to Libya after rescues, an on the Mediterranean made her “They damaged the refugee several days with that boy in the and headed to Lampedusa with dren, another woman, two sick role in saving migrants and refu- allegation that has been strenu- determined to highlight the tor- boats and many people were left freezer, with his mother onboard, the rescued onboard. men and two people accompa- gees and landing them on island ously denied. ment of those fl eeing Libya and in water. and you were really wondering “If the illegal NGO ship diso- nying them, media reported cit- of Lampedusa, bypassing the Klemp, who worked in marine the culpability of the EU and the “Italian and French warships what you are going to tell that beys, keeping the lives of the im- ing ministry sources. Italian government’s closure of conservation before joining the Italian government. did not assist with the rescue. woman whose child is in your migrants at risk, they will answer The seven nations meeting in ports. crew of the Iuventa, continued She said: “We had a rescue Some 40 people got taken back freezer about the Nobel peace for it fully,’’ said Salvini, who has Malta on Friday represent close Speaking to the Guardian to be involved in rescue opera- where we could only try to bring to Libya, 40 drowned and we had prize-winning European Union.” repeatedly declared Italian wa- to 40% of the EU’s population ahead of a summer of fundrais- tions in a second boat until June a two-year-old boy back to life – 60 on our ship including this lit- On Wednesday this week, Lib- ters closed to NGO rescue ves- and gross domestic product and ing to cover legal costs likely to last year when she was informed we didn’t manage to. The Libyan tle boy who we had to keep in our yan authorities allocated Tripoli sels. half of its coastline, Malta said. Amanda Knox breaks down as she relives murder trial

Reuters The brutal stabbing of 21-year- However, Knox insisted Kerch- cious accusation charge and or- Rome old Meredith Kercher, alleged sex er was her friend and her only in- dered Italy to pay her €18,400 games and multiple trials pro- tention was to draw attention to ($21,000) in damages and costs, vided fodder for tabloids on both miscarriages of justice and the well below the €2.7mn she had manda Knox, back in Italy sides of the Atlantic and inspired risks of an irresponsible media. sought. for the fi rst time since her books and fi lms. While defi nitively clear- During her 40-minute speech A2015 murder acquittal, Rudy Guede, originally from ing Knox of the murder in 2015 on Trial by Media, Knox’s voice broke down in tears yesterday as the Ivory Coast, is serving a 16- due to insuffi cient evidence, the broke frequently and she paused she relived her eight-year ordeal year sentence for the crime, but Rome court confi rmed a previous to sip from a glass of water. of trials and imprisonment, and judges in the previous trials ruled three-year sentence given to her She lost control and wept the media frenzy surrounding it. he did not act alone. for falsely accusing Congolese openly when she recalled her fa- Speaking at a conference on “Many people think I am crazy barman Patrick Lumumba of the ther visiting her in jail and telling criminal justice in the northern to come here,” Knox said. “I’m crime. her there was no near-term pros- Italian city of Modena, Knox said afraid today, I am afraid of being Knox said she had given the pect of her release. she had considered suicide while Knox, speaks at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena, Italy. harassed, of being trapped, and I false statement because police She said she would like to in jail, and she blamed the media am afraid that new accusations had worn her down during “50 meet again with the prosecuting for its treatment of her and her dirty, drugged-up whore who which people could attach all court annulled her conviction for will be made just because I have hours of interrogation, with no magistrate, who she saw then as trial, which was closely followed was guilty until proven other- their fantasies, fears and moral the 2007 murder of her British come here to give my version of lawyer, in a language I spoke like “a nightmare fi gure, a monster around the world. wise,” she told the audience. judgments ... the dirty, psycho- fl atmate in the town of Perugia, the facts.” a baby”. whose only goal was to destroy “To the world, I wasn’t a sus- “The prosecutors and the me- pathic man-eater Foxy Knoxy.” capping nearly a decade of court- The Kercher family’s lawyer In January, the European Court me for no reason”, but who she pect innocent until proven guilty, dia created a story and a version Knox, now 31, returned to the room drama during which she said her return to Italy was “in- of Human Rights ruled Knox had now realised was only trying to I was a cunning, psychopathic, of me that suited that story, on United States after Italy’s top was twice found guilty. appropriate” self-promotion. not had a fair trial for the mali- secure justice for Kercher. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 17 INDIA AI, machine learning help farmers reap good harvest

IANS Bengaluru, shrimp and vegetable costs, overfeeding also increases duced the feed cost. The cost of “From the data, we have built ma- West Bengal. This year we plan to what to produce and when,” Vivek Chennai farmers are able to increase their the water cost because qual- medicines has also decreased. Ear- chine learning. The software advises cover 2,500 ponds,” Somasunda- Rajkumar, its founder told IANS. yield, cut their costs and have bet- ity of water recedes faster than lier many would suggest several farmers on the use of feed, medi- ram said. Rajkumar said fruits and veg- ter market access. it normally does,” said Arul Pra- things. Now we go by what CARI cines and other things. The tool also In agriculture, Bengaluru-based etables are a $250bn market in rtifi cial intelligence (AI) V Geetha, who practices aqua- kash, an engineering graduate says,” Prakash said. helps in predicting the chances of a Aibono Smart Farming Pvt Ltd India - far bigger than that of fast and machine learning have culture in Andhra Pradesh, told now into aquaculture business in “At 600,000 tonne a year, In- disease outbreak in the client farm and its AI product are helping the moving consumer goods. But there Aentered aquaculture and IANS: “Before signing up for Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. dia’s shrimp exports stand at based on the data available from farmers in Nilgiris district of Tamil are no e-commerce players in this agriculture farms in some states CARI’s ‘FarmMOJO’ - an AI app- Since he tied up with CARI six Rs45,000 crore annually. But no other ponds,” he said. Nadu to match the supply and de- segment. benefi ting farmers in cutting down enabled farm adviser tool - we months back, Prakash said, the major technology was used so far The company has two rev- mand of hill vegetables. “Aibono is like a dairy co-oper- their labour and the uncertainties used to jot down the critical data company takes care of water quality in shrimp farming,” Rajamanohar enue streams - subscription fee “In India, the land holdings by ative. It assures farmers of buying of trial and error methods. in a notebook and act on it. But we tests in his pond and all the required Somasundaram, co-founder and for FarmMOJO and commission farmers are small. So, precision every kilogram of their produce at Thanks to the new technolo- wouldn’t know how much to feed data is available on his mobile phone CEO of CARI told IANS. on sales of products of partner farming could be used only if the a good price so that they can make gies used by companies like the the shrimp. There would either be with suggested action to be taken. Now that the shrimp farming companies. “At present, we have supply and demand are matched. money. The average land hold- Chennai-based Coastal Aquacul- over or under feeding.” “Earlier the amount of feed used has been digitised, the data col- about 750 ponds spread over Tamil The other problem is, good price ing of the farmers in the network ture Research Institute (CARI) and “Apart from risking shrimp would diff er. Now we use the cor- lected has been fed into the Farm- Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat realisation if the yield is good. ranges between 0.5 to 1.5 acre,” Ra- Aibono Smart Farming Pvt Ltd of health and increasing our feed rect feed quantity, which has re- MOJO programme, he said. and Odisha. We will soon enter Farmers do not have a foresight on jkumar said. Central govt seeks report from Bengal on violence

IANS taken by the state government and New Delhi its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of vio- lence to bring the culprits to book he central government yes- as also the measures taken to con- terday sought a report from tain and curb violence,” the MHA Tthe West Bengal govern- advisory added. ment on the measures it has taken West Bengal Governor Keshari to contain political violence in the Nath Tripathi on June 13 held a state. meeting with leaders of major po- Sources said the Ministry of litical parties in the state over the Home Aff airs (MHA) also issued issue of post-poll violence and an advisory to the West Bengal to create a situation to maintain government, expressing “deep peace and harmony. concern” over the unabated vio- The move came days after Trip- lence in the state over the years. athi met Prime Minister Narendra Junior doctors of SRN Hospital participate in a march to protest against the assault on doctors in West Bengal yesterday. The MHA said the number of Modi and Home Minister Amit incidents of political violence in Shah and briefed them of the situ- West Bengal increased from 509 ation in West Bengal. in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018, with 773 Meanwhile, three Trinamool incidents already being reported Congress workers were allegedly so far this year. shot dead in West Bengal’s Mur- “Correspondingly, the death shidabad district yesterday, police toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in said. 2018 while 26 deaths have already “Three persons were killed Striking doctors reject taken place till date in 2019,” the when a group of miscreants al- MHA said. legedly fi red bullets and hurled The advisory stated that “the bombs at them in Domkal’s Kuch- continued trend of political vio- iyamora village. The bodies have lence from 2016 through 2019, as been sent for autopsy,” said an of- evident from the above fi gures, is fi cer from Domkal police station. indicative of the failure on the part “We have heard that they were Mamata’s call for talks of the law enforcement machinery active Trinamool Congress work- of the state to maintain the rule of ers. Our senior offi cers are investi- IANS University of Health Sciences from the beginning they were solve the stalemate, which has Indian Medical Association law and to inspire a sense of secu- gating whether there was any po- Kolkata verbally informed us that the “open to a healthy discussion”. paralysed medical services at the (IMA) president Santanu Sen rity among the people.” litical motive behind the killings,” chief minister has asked to meet “We want an urgent solu- state’s government hospitals. on Friday held a meeting with “The Government of India is he said. some of our representatives at tion to this situation. We shall Meanwhile, health services the senior doctors and admin- seriously concerned over the prev- Family members of two of the triking junior doctors in her offi ce. For the last two days, resume our duties as soon as our in West Bengal’s state-run hos- istrative authorities at the NRS alent situation in West Bengal. It victims accused Bharatiya Janata West Bengal yesterday the CM has made off ensive and demands for proper security and pitals remained partially dis- Hospital to fi nd a solution to the is requested that a report may be Party-backed miscreants of the Sonce again turned down inappropriate statements di- safety at work place are met. We rupted yesterday as the “cease impasse. sent to this Ministry on the steps murders. Chief Minister Mamata Ban- rected towards doctors,” Ab- humbly request the chief min- work” by junior doctors, pro- However, the doctors claimed erjee’s proposal for talks at the hishek Sarkar, an intern at the ister to meet all of us at NRS testing against attacks on their that the meeting would not bear state secretariat Nabanna, and college told reporters. Medical College and Hospital colleagues and demanding ad- any positive outcome because Woman police off icer set ablaze by male colleague stuck to their stand that she “Following that, we faced and discuss and implement all equate security measures, con- Sen was a Rajya Sabha MP of the come to NRS Medical College mob attacks and physical as- our demands at the earliest,” tinued for the fi fth day. state’s ruling Trinamool Con- A woman police off icer in Kerala colleague Ajaz came in his car and and Hospital to listen to their saults at diff erent medical and said Sarkar. Though the out-patient de- gress. was yesterday allegedly murdered hit Pushapakeren, who was on her grievances. dental colleges and hospitals The statement also said that partments remained closed, the Sen courted a controversy by her male colleague, who first two-wheeler. As she got up and Thirty-four doctors at Kaly- across the state. We are deeply the doctors were deeply con- emergency services in all the saying that “some non-medical knocked her down on the road tried to flee, Ajaz slashed her with ani’s Jawaharlal Nehru Memo- upset and hopeless and we feel cerned about the suff erings of state-run hospitals, including persons with vested interests with his car, then stabbed her and a sword and after she fell down rial Hospital also tendered their highly insecure and apprehen- the common people. the NRS, were functional yes- were brain-washing junior doc- finally set her ablaze, police said. again, doused her with petrol and resignations in solidarity with sive about our representatives’ The invitation from the chief terday, doctors said. tors to let the chaotic situation The incident occurred at Mavelik- set her ablaze. Pushapakeren is the state’s government hospital meeting with her behind the minister’s secretariat to the jun- “The junior doctors are still persist”. era, near Alappuzha, around 3pm survived by three children and her doctors who resigned on Friday, closed doors. That is why we are ior doctors was sent after fi ve on strike, but the emergency After their general body meet- when Soumya Pushapakaren, 32, husband who works in the Middle the hospital authorities said. not sending any representative senior doctors, led by Sukumar services are open,” West Bengal ing, the striking doctors held a was going to the Vallikunnu police East. It is not yet known what “Yesterday, the Director Med- to her offi ce.” Mukherjee, called on Banerjee Doctors Forum president Arjun demonstration at the hospital station where she was posted. Her prompted Ajaz’s murderous attack. ical Education of West Bengal The doctors said that right and off ered to mediate to re- Sengupta said. condemning Sen’s comment.

Niti Aayog sets up panel Seven killed while on water shortage, drought cleaning septic tank Agencies When all four did not emerge IANS trillion-dollar economy by 2024 focused on re-orienting the strat- Ahmedabad after some time, the three hotel New Delhi is challenging, but can surely be egy to address agricultural issues, employees entered the tank, all achieved. The states should rec- especially by promoting agro- seven of them losing their lives in ognise their core competence and processing and developing agri- even people have suff ocat- the process, Azad added. meeting of the Govern- work towards raising GDP targets cultural supply-chain models, to ed to death while cleaning a “Their bodies have been ing Council of Niti Aayog, right from the district level,” Modi attract investment, which could Shotel septic tank in Gujarat brought out and sent for post- Acomprising chief ministers said. only succeed by developing a ro- without safety gear, police said mortem,” he said. and chaired by Prime Minister The prime minister emphasised bust marketing system to promote yesterday. The Gujarat government has Narendra Modi yesterday focused quadrupling exports, which is an and make agriculture competitive. The hotel owner has been announced fi nancial assistance on water problem and drought and important element in the progress On water woes, Modi said pub- charged with causing death due of Rs400,000lakh each to the decided to form a high-powered of developing countries, and said lic participation should be at the to negligence following the inci- relatives of the victims. committee to develop a compre- both the Centre and states should core while developing appropriate dent on Friday night in Vadodara Deaths from asphyxiation in hensive strategy to address them. work towards growth in exports, in interventions to solve water prob- district, a police offi cial said. sewers full of noxious gases are The report of the committee order to raise per capita incomes. lems. Four of those who died had frequently reported across the will be submitted in two-three The prime minister said that for “Water conservation and irriga- been called to clean the tank country. months, offi cials said. this purpose the states should aim tion require a massive eff ort, based while three others were hotel Last year fi ve people died in The meeting, skipped by three to increase their economy by 2 to on public participation. The prime employees who were assisting. New Delhi while cleaning a sew- chief ministers including Mamata 2.5 times. He said the common minister recalled the letter that he Hundreds of thousands of age treatment tank. Banerjee of West Bengal, also de- man’s purchasing power would recently wrote to all sarpanches, mostly low-caste people are em- Indian legislators have passed liberated upon the problems facing increase as a result. urging them for water conservation ployed as “manual scavengers” several laws aiming to stamp out the agriculture sector as well as se- Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajiv eff orts in their villages,” said a state- who clear underground pipes the age-old practice of manual curity challenges posed by terror- Kumar, while addressing media ment released by the government. and septic tanks without any scavenging, the latest in 2013. ism and Maoism. after the meeting said, “In Ut- The meeting also focused on protective gear or masks. But many scavengers are still The prime minister laid thrust tar Pradesh, for instance, one- developing a robust governance “One person fi rst entered the used through sub-contractors, on co-operation between the cen- district-one-product should be models with respect to aspiration- tank, but when he did not come making it diffi cult for authorities tral government and the states targeted from export perspective. al district programme, which aims out and did not respond to calls, to fi x responsibility. with an objective of achieving the Such a strategy will see a massive to rapidly transform districts that three other cleaners went inside In rural areas, women “scaven- target of $ 5tn economy in fi ve increase in exports.” have made slow progress in key so- to help him,” said Vadodara fi re gers” clean out primitive non-fl ush years. The council, where states are cial areas, and identifi ed as pockets Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the fifth meeting of the offi cer Nikunj Azad who was toilets with basic tools, although the “The goal to make India a fi ve- represented by chief ministers, of under-development. Governing Council of Niti Aayog in New Delhi yesterday. leading the rescue operations. practice is now on the wane. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, June 16, 2019 INDIA

HEALTH CONTROVERSY POLITICS SECURITY TRAGEDY Nipah cases contained, Chandrababu Naidu Fadnavis to expand Four men trying to cross 12 more children die as says Kerala minister frisked at airport his cabinet today LoC handed back to families encephalitis toll rises to 69

The Kerala government said yesterday that Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and now Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Four young men, arrested from the Uri sector of The death toll from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome the outbreak of Nipah virus cases has been leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu was will expand his cabinet today as he seeks to the Line of Control (LOC) while trying to cross (AES) in Bihar rose to 69 yesterday as 12 contained and that there was no need to panic. frisked at Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada late consolidate the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s over into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, were more children died, health off icials said. The After one positive case and over 300 suspects, Friday. Naidu was also denied VIP access to the position before the upcoming state assembly handed back to their families yesterday after latest deaths were reported from hospitals in the scare of the second attack is over, Health aircraft and had to travel on the bus along with elections, off icials said yesterday. According to counselling, an off icial said. The men identified as Muzaff arpur, about 75km from Patna. However, Minister K K Shailaja said yesterday. “Even other passengers. A security guard was seen indications, a few ministers are likely to be dropped Adil Ahmad Dar of Kulgam, Tahir Shamim Lone the unoff icial toll is over 80 as some children though the scare is over and there is no need frisking Naidu at the security entrance. The Telugu or shifted, some may be promoted and six could of Shopian, Sameer Bhat of Sopore and Naveed died in their villages before being admitted to for complete surveillance, the situation will Desam Party (TDP) chief was also not allowed to be inducted to fill existing vacancies. Among those Parra of Pattan inBaramulla, were held by security hospitals. Meanwhile, federal Minister of State be under observation till the middle of next reach the aircraft in VIP vehicle. The incident drew expected to join the cabinet is Radhakrishna Vikhe- forces on Friday as they were heading to obtain for Home Nityanand Rai yesterday refused to month,” Shailaja said. On June 3, a 23-year-old strong reaction from the TDP, which alleged that Patil, who quit the Congress recently. Speculation arms training as newly-recruited militants. Brig be garlanded by Bharatiya Janata Party workers college student in Ernakulam tested positive the Bharatiya Janata Party and YSR Congress Party is rife over Shiv Sena getting the post of deputy Girish Kalia said that security forces had got in Patna saying there would be no welcome for Nipah virus. Since then, health authorities (YSRCP) were resorting to witch-hunting. TDP chief Minister. Fadnavis is in New Delhi meeting information about the men “who were going to functions for BJP leaders for the next two weeks in the state have been on their toes to prevent leader and former state home minister Chinna with senior BJP leaders to finalise details of the join the path of violence after being misguided in view of the deaths of children due to AES. the virus from spreading. And after almost two Rajappa said the attitude of authorities was not only expansion and discuss certain major projects by local militants and their accomplices. Moving He said the central government was closely weeks, Shailaja finally gave the signal that the insulting but they also compromised on Naidu’s concerning the state, as well to attend the meeting swiftly, the army and the police apprehended monitoring the situation in Muzaff arpur and scare was over. security as he enjoys “Z plus’ category security. of the Niti Aayog’s governing council. them along the LoC in Uri sector.” doing everything to contain it.

Bad weather hits eff orts to retrieve NOC must for bodies, says IAF adoption by

IANS Itanagar

search operation to re- trieve the remains of six foreigners, Aof the 13 people who died when an AN-32 military plane crashed on June 3 was hampered due to bad weather, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said yesterday. Seven bodies were recovered on Thursday. says top court The IAF said that helicopters have been put on stand-by to IANS The lawyer replied that the your family and issue the visa?” restart the operations once the New Delhi Australian authorities have is- Her lawyer could not give a weather improves. sued a letter, but could not clar- satisfactory reply. “At present, there are low ify if it would be suffi cient to get Creed initially fi led a petition clouds associated with rain in he Supreme Court has the visas. in the Delhi High Court, and the area. The IAF is making all ruled that a foreigner can Kanth said Creed has been when it was dismissed, she chal- eff orts to retrieve the mortal re- Tadopt a child from India residing in India for the past lenged it in the Supreme Court. mains of the deceased air-war- only after acquiring a no ob- four years, and therefore, the According to Article 5 of the riors. IAF personnel are in con- jection certifi cate (NOC) from Australian authorities could not Hague Convention, the receiving stant contact with the families of the diplomatic mission of that conduct a home study report re- country has to determine if the these air-warriors and are being country in India. garding her eligibility to adopt prospective parents are eligible updated regularly. They are also Karina Jane Creed, an Austral- children. and suited to adopt, ensure the being explained about the chal- ian national residing in India for prospective parents have been lenges about the weather,” Wing the past four years, fi led a peti- “An NOC from the counselled and the child will be Commander Puneet Chadha tion in the court seeking a di- receiving foreign authorised to enter and reside said in a statement. rection to the Central Adoption country is mandatory permanently in the country. On Friday, the search teams Resource Authority (CARA) to as per the guidelines of Kanth argued that Creed’s recovered the Cockpit Voice Re- issue an NOC for adopting two the convention. If it is petition failed to abide by this corder (CVR) and Flight Data Re- female siblings. breached then it has larger article. corder (FDR) of the aircraft that Creed claimed that in 2016 ramifi cations especially However, Kanth said CARA crashed in Arunachal Pradesh. CARA had registered and proc- related to the security of conducted a home study regard- A team of 16 mountaineers essed her application, but had the child” ing Creed’s eligibility as a pro- from the IAF and the Indian refused to issue the NOC. spective parent and she fared Army along with fi ve civilian Thereafter she began visiting “The foreign country has to well. “Then, we allowed her to mountaineers are combing the the children and they consider prepare a home study report of establish contact with the chil- site of crash 16km north of Lipo, her as their mother. the prospective adoptive par- dren, who are based in Odisha. northeast of Tato in West Siang Gaurang Kanth, representing ents and upon fi nding them She met them many times and district, at a height of 12,000ft. CARA, opposed Creed’s claim eligible, sponsor their applica- produced pictures with chil- IAF chief B S Dhanoa said yes- stating she went to the the court tion to CARA for adoption of a dren establishing the bond,” said terday there was need to review instead of acquiring an NOC child from India,” Kanth told the Kanth. and ascertain the cause of the from Australian authorities. court. The court observed that crash and ensure it did not occur “India and Australia are sig- Upholding Kanth’s argument, Creed has attached pictures again. natories to the Hague Conven- the court said, “A foreigner or in her petition and “it appears “We will go into the details as tion, which aims to ensure the a person of Indian origin or an that the petitioner has built up to what happened and how do we best interests of the child, and overseas citizen of India who a bond with the children who make sure that it does not hap- guard it against traffi cking. An has habitual residence in India have also become very fond of pen again,” he said. NOC from the receiving foreign can apply for adoption of a child the petitioner. Learned coun- “You must remember that in country is mandatory as per the from India to CARA along with sel appearing on behalf of the Arunachal Pradesh the terrain guidelines of the convention. If No Objection Certifi cate from petitioner submits that the is very treacherous and most of it is breached then it has larger the diplomatic mission of his children know the petitioner the time, it is cloudy. When you ramifi cations especially related country in India.” as their mother. Admittedly, are fl ying in that terrain, in that to the security of the child,” The court asked Creed how however, the children are not in cloudy weather, there have been Kanth said. she would ensure travel for the pre-adoption foster care of the many, many, not only Air Force, Justices Indira Banerjee and adopted children to Australia af- petitioner.” even otherwise, Pawan Hans Ajay Rastogi asked Karina’s law- ter the expiry of her visa in India. Dismissing Creed’s petition and a lot of accidents because of yer on the measures she has tak- “What is the surety that the the court noted that it has sym- controlled fl ight into terrain,” he This handout photo released by the Indian Air Force (IAF) shows the wreckage of the AN-32 aircraft, en to get visas for the children if Australian government will rec- pathy for her, “but regret our in- said. about 16km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh. the adoption is completed. ognise these children as part of ability to help her.” New rules make it diffi cult Passing with fl ying colours Railways drops plan for tax evaders to get away for massage services IANS proposed to be made available IANS XVII-B or tax payable under ally compounded, the revised Mumbai for passengers’ comforts. New Delhi Section 115-0. Failure to pay the guidelines said. It led to a storm on social tax collected at source also falls Further, any off ence which media with many supporting under this category. has a bearing on any other of- nder fi re from vari- and some trolling the pro- he Income Tax (I-T) De- The category ‘B’ off ences in- fence under the Benami Trans- ous sides, the Western posal. partment has tightened clude wilful attempt to evade actions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 URailway (WR) yester- The massage service was Tthe screw on tax evad- tax, failure to produce accounts would not merit compounding day dropped a proposal for to be introduced on 39 trains ers with revised guidelines that and documents, and false by tax authorities. providing ‘head and foot’ mas- originating from Indore. With make serious off ences under statement in verifi cation. The CBDT guidelines said sage services to passengers on Rs100 per massage, the WR black money and benami laws While the fi rst category of- that off ences committed by a trains originating from Indore, was eyeing a revenue of around generally ‘non-compoundable.’ fences are open to compound- person which, as per the in- an offi cial said. Rs2mn annually from this This means that a person or ing, off ences such as wilful formation available with the WR chief spokesperson service. entity would not be able to set- evasion of tax and removal or Principal Chief Commissioner Ravinder Bhakar said the Besides, there was another tle a case of tax evasion by just concealment or transfer or de- of Income Tax and other offi - service was initiated by the estimated revenue increase paying the tax demand, penalty livery of property to thwart tax cials concerned, have a bearing Ratlam Division of the rail- of Rs9mn per annum through and interest. recovery in a search operation on a case under investigation ways. additional sale of tickets from The new guidelines will kick are not to be compounded. (at any stage including enquiry, “As soon as it came to the around 20,000 masseurs who in from tomorrow and apply to “Off ences under Sections fi ling of FIR/complaint) by the notice of the higher authori- would be service providers. all cases for compounding re- 275A, 275B and 276 of the Act Enforcement Directorate, CBI, ties, it has been decided to Around three-fi ve licensed ceived on or after this date. will not be compounded,” said Lokpal, Lokayukta or any other withdraw the proposal of male masseurs, authorised Listing 13 cases, where the the new guideline that super- Central or state agency are also starting massage services on by the railways, with offi cial off ences are not to be gener- sedes the one issued in 2014. not to be normally compound- trains,” Bhakar said. identity cards, were to travel ally compounded, and also The guidelines state that a ed. There were other sugges- on each train daily, off ering the grouping the off ences in two category ‘A’ off ence on more “Notwithstanding anything tions and representations massage services during day- parts, the Central Board of Di- than three occasions would not contained in these guidelines, made about passenger ameni- time to the passengers. rect Taxes (CBDT) has asked its be generally compounded. the Finance Minister may re- ties which the WR will now The massage fee was pro- senior offi cers to circulate the Any off ence which has a lax restrictions in Para 8.1 for consider instead of the mas- posed to be included in the revised guidelines for compli- bearing on any other off ence compounding of an off ence in Members of the Indian Air Force sky diving team perform during sage proposal. ticket fare, entailing no extra ance by the authorities. under the Black Money (Un- a deserving case, on considera- a combined graduation parade at the Indian Air Force Academy The massage services, charge for the passengers, Off ences forming category disclosed Foreign Income and tion of a report from the Board in Hyderabad yesterday. A total of 152 cadets graduated as touted as “unprecedented” in except for some specialised ‘A’ include failure to pay tax de- Assets) and Imposition of Tax on the petition of an applicant,” Flying Off icers from the Academy. Indian Railways’ history, was services using oils or medi- ducted at source under Chapter Act, 2015 would not be gener- said the tax body. announced a week ago and was cines. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 19 LATIN AMERICA

Bolsonaro Mexico publishes Trump’s attacker jailed indefi nitely

AFP ‘secret deal’ on migration Rio de Janeiro Brazilian judge has ac- AFP Rather, it says the two sides the 45-day grace period. quitted a mentally ill man Mexico City agree to immediately open talks Under the countries’ main Aof attacking far-right to arrive at just that - a “binding deal, Mexico agreed to deploy President Jair Bolsonaro on last bilateral agreement” - in which 6,000 National Guardsmen to year’s campaign trail, but jailed exico published the Mexico “would accept the re- reinforce its southern border, him for an “indefi nite period.” document on Friday turn, and process refugee status and to expand its policy of tak- Adelio Bispo de Oliveira stabbed Mthat Donald Trump claims, of third-party nation- ing back migrants as the United Bolsonaro in the stomach on Sep- earlier fl aunted as a secret deal als” who cross its territory to States processes their asylum tember 6 during a campaign rally to curb migration, but denied it reach the United States. claims. in Juiz de Fora, in the southeastern had capitulated to the US presi- If in 45 days Washington Ebrard said the National state of Minas Gerais. dent’s demands for a so-called decides that Mexico City’s ef- Guard deployment will be com- Police previously said Bispo “safe third country” agreement. forts to curb migration are not plete by Tuesday, and that 825 acted alone in a premeditated Foreign Minister Marcelo enough, then the Mexican gov- additional immigration offi cers political attack that almost cost Ebrard underwent a grilling in ernment “will take all necessary will start work this weekend. Bolsonaro his life. Mexico’s Congress, where some steps under domestic law” to In Washington, Trump ap- Bispo suff ers a delusional dis- lawmakers insisted otherwise bring that agreement into force peared content to play nice with order and for that reason cannot and demanded more details on in another 45 days, the text Mexico - for now. be tried under Brazilian law, the what exactly he agreed to in concludes. “Big diff erence in the border federal judge ruled. the last-minute deal brokered Trump had waved the one- between now and this time last However owing to the “high a week ago to dodge Trump’s page document in front of re- week. Mexico has been doing a risk” to himself and his wish to threat to impose tariff s on porters on Tuesday to fend off terrifi c job. Hey, 6,000 soldiers, attack Bolsonaro and former Mexican goods. critics who said he had in fact and if it doesn’t work out, then president Michel Temer, Bispo Angry over a surge of Central extracted little in the way of we go back to very strong meas- Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, left, and Mexico’s Economy Secretary Graciela Marquez Colin, should remain in a federal prison Americans seeking US asylum, new commitments from Mexico ures,” he said on Fox News. right, swear in next to the President of the Senate Marti Batres, before speaking before the Mexican Senate where he can receive treatment, Trump is pushing Mexico to with his tariff threats. He added that if Mexico did to brief legislators on the US-Mexico migration deal in Mexico City. the judge said. agree to a deal in which mi- Photojournalists managed not address the issue to his Bolsonaro said he would try to grants entering Mexican ter- to capture a few sentences that satisfaction, he would make it After reading the document safe third country,” he said. mittee proceedings Wednesday have the decision overturned. ritory would have to apply for day, but the full contents had implement a safe third country Trump so dramatically pulled There was even criticism on ratifying the USMCA, the Bolsonaro thinks that declar- refugee status there, not in the not previously been revealed. agreement. from his pocket, she said: “Mr from some in the president’s country’s new and important ing Bispo mentally ill is a way to United States. They will now almost cer- Any such deal would have to Foreign Minister, to put it plainly party, Morena, which holds trade agreement with the Unit- protect the attack masterminds. The language in the “supple- tainly add fuel to the raging go through Mexico’s Senate - , this is binding.” strong majorities in both ed States and Canada, saying “They tried to kill me. I am mentary agreement” released debate over who got the best of and lawmakers there look ready Her colleague Damian Ze- houses. they wanted to question Ebrard certain who they were, but I can’t by Mexico appears to resemble whom in the Mexican tariff row. for a fi ght. peda of conservative opposition They included the speaker of on the migration deal fi rst. say, I don’t want to prejudge any- that. However Mexico’s foreign Mexico’s leftist President Speaking during Ebrard’s party PAN accused the execu- Congress, Porfi rio Munoz Ledo, In another sign of turbulence, one,” he told local media. ministry insisted the document Andres Manuel Lopez Obra- testimony before Congress, tive branch of getting run over who says the Mexican govern- the head of the National Migra- “This is a crime against a pres- - signed by a deputy legal advis- dor has celebrated the reprieve Senator Dulce Maria Sauri of by the Trump administration. ment and Trump administra- tion Institute, Tonatiuh Guillen, idential candidate who now has er to the ministry and his State from Trump’s tariff s as a diplo- opposition party PRI rejected “We still have the (tariff ) ulti- tion “want to turn our country abruptly resigned on Friday. He the mandate and we must go to Department counterpart - was matic victory, and his govern- the foreign minister’s claim that matum hanging over us, and on into a cage” for migrants. will be replaced by prisons the fi nal consequences of that “not a binding bilateral agree- ment is racing to show that it Mexico had not signed a binding top of that we gave up the most In a warning signal for Lopez commissioner Francisco Gar- situation.” ment.” is taking decisive action during agreement. precious jewel: we agreed to Obrador, senators froze com- duno, the government said. Bolsonaro vowed to appeal. Leaked chats appear to show judge Colombian high court withdraws advised prosecutors in Lula case former rebel’s Reuters The texts copied off the Tel- Brasilia egram messaging app appear to show Moro suggesting to pros- ecutors that they mount a pub- parliament seat eaked personal messages lic campaign against the man published yesterday by he was judging, and The In- AFP his seat, one being the arrest three La news website show the tercept said they raised doubts Bogota months earlier of a fellow former judge who led the corruption tri- about Moro’s impartiality in the rebel leader, Jesus Santrich. al that jailed former Brazil presi- trial that led to a 12-year prison The blind Santrich is want- dent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sentence for Lula. Colombian high court ed by the United States on advised prosecutors to infl uence “Maybe tomorrow you should has withdrewn the charges of drug traffi cking public opinion against the leftist write a statement clarifying the Aparliament seat for a but was released from deten- leader. contradictions between (Lula’s) former left-wing guerrilla tion on May 31 following a Su- The Intercept posted what deposition and the rest of the leader who never assumed preme Court order. it said were social media chats proof and his previous state- offi ce after negotiating the He was sworn in as a mem- from then judge Sergio Moro to ment,” the judge wrote to pros- country’s historic peace deal. ber of Colombia’s Congress on the prosecution team, suggest- ecutor Carlos dos Santos Lima Ivan Marquez renounced his Tuesday. ing prosecutors make a public on the corruption investigation. seat 11 months ago and went Marquez has previously com- statement playing up what Moro Lula’s lawyers have long ar- into hiding, claiming the 2016 plained that changes have been said were contradictions in Lu- gued that Moro was a politically peace deal that ended more made to the peace agreement la’s testimony to undermine his motivated judge who wanted to than a half century of confl ict that were a “betrayal,” and la- claim to be a victim of political jail their client to block him from was being “disfi gured.” mented the fact that the Farc persecution. running for the presidency last The State Council, the high- handed over its weapons “with- The exchange occurred after year, when opinion polls showed est administrative court in Co- out the prior implementation Lula’s May 10, 2017 deposition him easily leading the race, even lombia, said it was stripping of the economic and social re- against charges that he took a after he had been jailed. Marquez of his seat because integration of the guerrillas.” beachside luxury apartment as a In an interview published on he never took offi ce and didn’t Former State Council presi- bribe. Lula left the court room to Friday, Moro told the Estado de provide “just cause” for the dent Gustavo Gomez told AFP tell supporters that he was being S Paulo newspaper that he was A supporter of the former Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva holds a flag during a national strike move, court president Lucy that the withdrawal of Mar- “massacred” and was preparing not worried that the corruption protest called by unions and students against the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s pension reform in Bermudez told journalists. quez’s seat amounted to his to run for president again. conviction against Lula would Rio de Janeiro. When the Revolutionary “political death.” Moro, who is now Brazil’s jus- be overturned, which legal ex- Armed Forces of Colombia Marquez responded on tice minister, questioned the au- perts including the Brazilian Bar between prosecutors, Moro and contracts at state-run fi rms. “was decided with absolute im- (FARC) gave up their arms and Twitter saying: “As long as I’m thenticity of the messages and Association and some Supreme others involved in the investiga- It has brought down hundreds partiality based on proof without signed a deal with then-presi- breathing, I will always have a said he would not comment on Court Justices have said could tion and prosecution of the “Car of members of the business any type of infl uence.” dent Juan Manuel Santos, they political life.” texts obtained by hackers. happen. Wash” corruption probe. and political elite in Brazil and Moro was picked for justice formed a communist political High court judges will now “The supposed material, ob- The Intercept has published Considered the world’s larg- across Latin America. minister by right-wing Presi- party that goes by the same decide whether the withdrawal tained in a criminal way, must be stories based on what it said was est graft investigation, it has Moro told the newspaper he dent Jair Bolsonaro, who won the acronym and were guaranteed of Marquez’s spot means the presented to an independent au- an “enormous trove” of messag- uncovered billions of dol- did not think there was anything presidency after Lula was barred 10 seats in Congress. Farc political party loses one of thority so that its integrity can be es received from an anonymous lars of bribes paid in schemes illegal in his chats with prosecu- from running because of his con- Marquez gave three reasons last its Congress seats, or whether it certifi ed,” he said in a statement. source containing exchanges mostly involving sweetheart tors and insisted that Lula’s case viction. July for his decision not to take up can propose a substitute. Peru court rejects former Rights group ridicules US plan to make football chief’s appeal Guatemala take asylum seekers Reuters gees for attempting to seek asy- to US Customs and Border Pro- said in response to a Reuters AFP been held since December under the orders of Oviedo, Guatemala City lum in the United States,” said tection, many of them citing fear question about the Guatemala Lima over the murders of Percy who was by then the presi- Eleanor Acer, senior director for of violence in their home coun- asylum plan. Farro and Manuel Rima- dent of the Peruvian Football refugee protection at Human try for seeking asylum. The emerging plans fl ow from rachin, two trade unionists Federation (FPF). US plan to make asylum Rights First. US Vice President Mike Pence a US-Mexican deal struck to court in Peru has from a sugar company he Peru’s national football team seekers from Honduras “These policies put the lives of said this week the two nations avert tariff s threatened by US rejected an appeal controlled. thrived under Oviedo’s stew- Aand El Salvador seek ref- refugees in great danger.” had a deal under which Guate- President Donald Trump to push Aby former football Both were shot dead by gun- ardship, which began in Janu- uge in Guatemala instead of the Guatemala, like its neigh- mala would take asylum seekers Mexico to do more to stem im- federation president Ed- men: Rimarachin in October ary 2015, qualifying three years United States would endanger, bours Honduras and El Salvador, from neighbours. “They ought migration through its territory. win Oviedo against his pre- 2012 and Farro in May 2015. later for the World Cup for the not protect, refugees, a promi- suff ers high levels of violence, to be willing to apply for asylum That deal included sending trial detention in a murder According to the public fi rst time in 36 years. nent rights group said as US driven largely by transnational in the fi rst safe country in which 6,000 members of Mexico’s Na- investigation. prosecutor’s offi ce, Oviedo But Oviedo is also under in- negotiators met Guatemalan street gangs including MS-13, they arrive,” he said. tional Guard to the border and Oviedo is accused of order- ordered the murders in re- vestigation for infl uence ped- offi cials. which operate across borders in Details of the plan have not expanding a separate asylum ing the murder of two trade venge for the trade unionists dling during his FPF presi- US rights group Human Rights all three countries. Many asylum been made public, and Guate- program under which US asylum unionists and being the head of organizing protests against dency. First said it was “simply ludi- seekers cite gang threats as the mala has not publicly confi rmed seekers are sent back to Mexico a “criminal network.” him when he was in control of He is accused of paying crous” for the United States to reason they come to the United talks that the US State Depart- to await US court hearings. “I declare unfounded the an- the Tuman sugar company in money to former Supreme assert that Guatemala was ca- States for refuge. ment said were taking place in If those measures fail, Mexico nulment (request) presented by Chiclayo, some 770 kilometres Court judge Cesar Hinostro- pable of protecting refugees, Tens of thousands of people Guatemala on Friday. has agreed to consider becoming Edwin Oviedo. Therefore the (480 miles) north of the capital za - as well as providing him when its own citizens are fl eeing have left Guatemala to seek US The talks were about a range a “safe third country” where all 18-month pre-trial detention Lima. and his wife with tickets to violence. asylum this year. Nearly 150,000 of initiatives aimed at reducing asylum seekers passing through is confi rmed,” said judge Cesar Police detained 18 vigi- last year’s World Cup in Rus- “The Trump administration undocumented Guatemalan illegal immigration, including the country would have to apply San Martin. lantes in 2015 accusing them sia - in return for help with his is doubling down on its eff orts families have reached the US “improved asylum processing,” a for refuge, instead of the United The 48-year-old has of being gunmen working judicial cases. to block, bar and punish refu- border since October, according State Department spokeswoman States. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, June 16, 2019 PAKISTAN

Marvel mulls film with superhero of Pakistani descent Hollywood star Mindy Kaling has indicated that Marvel is in the process of bringing a Pakistani- FBR targets undeclared American character to the big screen. According to the Late Night actor, studio bosses are “excited” about the prospect of introducing Ms Marvel to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). In an interview with MTV News, accounts of dependents Kaling spoke of her love for the character and hinted that Internews and students operated by their parents are used to conceal their that banks will provide the ac- would be scrutinised to see if The FBR has the power to get she would choose a relatively Islamabad husbands and parents. bank balance from the tax au- counts details by tomorrow they are operated by them or by information from banks about unknown female actress to play A benami is a transaction that thorities. (Monday, June 17). their husbands or parents, and the account holders. the heroine. is considered a form of money He said he has observed that After examining them, the whether the accounts have been Estimates suggest that there “I think the people I’ve spoken to he bank accounts of laundering: a transaction in housewives and students do benami accounts including declared in tax documents. are over Rs2tn held in commer- at Marvel about it are so excited housewives and students which property is transferred not maintain these accounts for those opened in the name of Sarwar confi rmed that the cial banks accounts in the name about the character! I think that Tin Pakistan that are nei- to one person for consideration their own genuine needs; rather, housewives and students will banks will submit the accounts of housewives and students. they’re trying to figure out what ther declared in tax documents paid by another. accounts under this category are be shortlisted as to which are details to the FBR by June 17, and According to the SBP, the to do with it. I told them I would nor operated by themselves, but “If such accounts are declared used to conceal the bank balance declared and not declared in the then the authorities concerned overall deposits maintained by help in any way because I truly by husbands and parents, will by husbands and parents in tax of the people upon whom these tax papers. will begin scrutinising the ac- all commercial banks in their ac- love her,” she said. “They really face the required action by the documents, then they will not account holders are fi nancially “We are persuading the ac- counts. counts stand at Rs13tn. seemed interested and I think Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) be touched upon,” FBR offi cial dependent. count holders having benami When contacted, State Bank Deposits maintained of self- they will probably do something. from July 1. sources said. “Businessmen, retailers, and accounts to take advantage from of Pakistan (SBP) spokesman employed account holders make “Now that there’s this streaming The government is set to start According to one banker who wholesalers usually maintain the Amnesty Schemes.” Abid Qamar said that as this ar- up the highest share – Rs2.85tn platform with them, it might be swinging into action from July 1 requested anonymity, most of these sort of accounts, showing FBR spokesman Dr Hamid rangement is between the FBR – in the banking industry. something like that, but I think against those having benami ac- the bank accounts opened in the ownership of their spouses Atiq Sarwar, when contact- and the commercial banks, the It is followed by the private they understand how much counts that also include unde- the name of housewives and and children,” the banker said. ed, confi rmed that accounts central bank has nothing to do sector, mostly companies, with a excitement there is.” clared accounts of housewives students by their husbands and Top FBR offi cial sources said of housewives and students with it. share of Rs2.79tn. After her interview, speculations arose that Kaling was onboard to portray Marvel’s latest superstar. The actress later went on Seen by the sea to clarify that she had “no information” about an adaptation Lahore completes but was quick to state how huge she thinks it will be when it is eventually adapted. Earlier, Pakistani-British actor the renovation of Riz Ahmed had off ered to write the script for the film based on Muslim origin superhero. Taking to Twitter, the Venom star Sikh heritage sites roped in Kaling and The Big Sick star Kumail Nanjiani. He wrote: “So, when do Marvel Internews that the fourth ruler of the Studios want me, Mindy lahore Sikh sultanate, Maharaja Sher Kaling, and Kumail Nanjiani Singh and his 12-year-old son to get started on the Marvel Prataab Singh were killed at the screenplay?” he Punjab heritage de- same location in 1843. Kaling, in response to Ahmed’s partment has completed Their bodies were cremated tweet, said she was in love with Tthe renovation and re- while Rani Randhavi was also the character. furbishment of the samadhi burned alive following the Sati “Riz! I am obsessed with this (tomb) and baradari – a pa- tradition that was prevalent at comic book. I’ve read them all. vilion comprising 12 doors – the time. I love Kamala Khan,” wrote the belonging to Maharaja Sher According to the director of Ocean’s Eight star. Singh, the fourth ruler of the the heritage department, Mo- When news of Ms Marvel’s debut ancient Sikh dynasty. hamed Afzal Khan, the place spread like wildfire, fans were Sikh pilgrims and tourists saw immense devastation dur- quick to share their two cents on from all over the world, includ- ing the time of Indo-Pak divi- the perfect actor for the role. ing India, will now be able to sion, but the real destruction Other than Kaling, Bollywood visit the spot situated in Bho- was caused to the site in retali- beauty Priyanka Chopra also giowal area of Lahore. ation to the desecration of the made it to the top of the list due Extending over a few acres of Babri Mosque in 1992. to her South Asian heritage. land, the tourist site includes At the time, mobs stormed Some fans even pointed out that the palace of Maharaja Sher the tombs and destroyed the character should be played by a Singh and his baradari. baradari and samadhis, setting Youths enjoy getting splashed by breaking waves during high tide at the sea front in Karachi. Pakistani-American instead. Owing to natural wear and the wooden roof of the bara- Chopra also has some history tear, a large part of the baradari dari ablaze. with the character. has withered away since it was In 2011, the Punjab govern- In 2016, the 36-year-old actor fi rst built. ment embarked on the restora- voiced Ms Marvel for a video However, the heritage de- tion of the historically-sacred game. partment has spent millions of site for Sikhs and Hindus by Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige rupees to restore the original renovating and refurbishing Funds allocated for Gurdwara Kartarpur also previously confirmed his structure of the building. the structures built during the plans for Ms Marvel to join the A park has also been con- Mughal era. MCU, especially considering the structed in front of the bara- As a result, the walls, roofs Internews The government is consider- already been awarded to FWO, land, and that for the fi rst phase success of Captain Marvel. dari, with one part of the park and gates of the baradari have Islamabad ing levying a $20 entry fee per and construction work is un- of construction work, the gov- In a BBC interview, he confirmed housing the tomb of Hazrat Bi- been repaired. visitor coming from abroad, derway. ernment acquired 48 acres of that after 2019’s Captain Marvel, lawal Shah. The lawn in front of the with a very nominal fee for local The PC-1 papers for the land for construction of facili- the studio is planning the film. The samadhi of Maharaja baradari has been transformed akistan has decided to visitors. project is ready for submission ties for Sikh devotees. In the Marvel comics, Ms Marvel Sher Singh is situated a few into a beautiful park by the complete fi rst phase of The government has ear- before the Central Development The fi rst phase of construc- is inspired by Captain Marvel steps away from the tomb. Parks and Horticulture Au- Pdevelopment of Gurdwara marked Rs1bn for land acqui- Working Party (CDWP) and it tion work would be completed to become a hero hence the According to heritage ex- thority (PHA). Kartarpur Corridor, with an es- sition and development work may be approved on the basis of by November 2019, with the similarity in the name. perts, the palace used to house In addition, boundary walls timated cost of Rs13.2bn for the of Kartarpur in the Public Sec- BOT (Built, Operate and Trans- decision to acquire more land Captain Marvel was Marvel’s samadhis for the ancient ruler have been constructed on all construction of a bridge, roads, tor Development Programme fer). for execution of second phase first solo female superhero of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjeet four sides of the baradari to restrooms with a capacity of (PSDP) for the budget 2019-20, Federal Minister for Plan- of development of the area to be movie. The Character was a pilot Singh’s son Sher Singh, his protect the place from miscre- 1,000 persons, and other affi li- against the initial estimate of ning Makhdum Khusro Ba- made. named Carol Danvers who was wife Randhavi and son Prataab ants or encroachers. ated facilities within this ongo- Rs3bn. khtyar chaired the meeting on Planning Minister Bakhtyar transformed after an encounter Singh. The parks have been open ing calendar year. The government will con- development of the Gurdwara said that Prime Minister Imran with aliens. However, only one of the to area residents, who fre- It is estimated that up to struct special inns and commu- Kartarpur Corridor here in Is- Khan had performed the ground In the comics Ms Marvel, real samadhis, attributed to Maha- quent the park for morning and 10,000 Sikh devotees from India nity kitchen (Langarkhana) for lamabad. breaking of the Corridor on No- name Kamala Khan, is a teenage raja Sher Singh, has survived to evening walks. and other parts of the world will visitors of this place. It was revealed at the meeting vember 28, 2018 and will inau- Pakistani-American from New date. The place is also visited by visit their holy place on daily The contract for the con- that the Gurdwara Kartarpur is gurate the Corridor in Novem- Jersey with shape-shifting The experts also believe foreigners, especially Sikhs. basis. struction of the fi rst phase has basically made up of 10 marla of ber this year. abilities.

KP increases retirement age to 63 years The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved an increase in the KP minister does livestream Govt mulls raising age of retirement for its employees from 60 years to 63 years to save Rs24bn annually. The decision was made during a meeting of the provincial cabinet, which was chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. with cat whiskers and ears retirement age Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai told reporters afterward that the retirement age for government employees in India’s education and health sector was 65 years, while employees in some countries retire at AFP 67 years. Peshawar of public service He said that under Article 240(b) of the Constitution, the provincial government had the power to legislate in the provincial assembly on the matter. politician in northwest- Internews thorough study of the implica- The minister said that initially, the Civil Servant Act 1973 had fixed ern Pakistan was given Islamabad tions of the proposal is needed. the retirement age for government employees at 50, which was later A“paws” for thought af- The fi nance ministry has enhanced to 60. ter his press conference was sought more time from the He said that with life expectancy in Pakistan increasing from 55 years streamed live on Facebook with rime Minister Imran Khan Prime Minister’s Offi ce to re- in 1973 to 63 years in 2018, around 5,000 employees reach the age of the “cat fi lter” turned on, giv- has directed the fi nance view the proposal. superannuation every year, while the rate of premature retirement was ing him on-screen whiskers and Pministry to explore the Any change in retirement age around 50/50. ears. possibility of raising the su- limit would require an amend- The online stream of regional perannuation age limit of civil ment in the Civil Service Act minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai Children look at a computer screen showing a screen grab of a press servants and early retirement of 1973, and the Pakistan Tehreek- However, Task Force chair- cy, there is a need to increase the speaking with journalists went conference attended by Yousafzai and streamed live on social media. dead wood, a move that if im- e-Insaf (PTI) government of man Dr Ishrat Husain had moot- superannuation age. viral on Friday after a member of plemented could transform the Imran Khan does not have ma- ed that in the fi rst phase, only The other argument is that his social media team accidental- reporter – was deleted minutes seriously,” the minister added. bureaucratic structure. jority in the Senate to get any the retirement age of federal the last Pakistan Muslim League ly activated the fi lter on the social after the press conference from “I was not the only one – two The current superannuation bill passed. secretaries should be increased – Nawaz (PML-N) government network. the offi cial Facebook page of offi cials sitting along me were age of civil servants is 60 years, There is no concept of early by three years, according to a increased the age limit for un- Comments started pouring in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also hit by the cat fi lter,” he joked. but with the average life ex- retirement in civil service, but member of the task force. dertaking competitive exami- as Facebook users noticed pink party, which is in power in Khy- The live stream continued with pectancy now 69 years, there is it is implemented in the armed But other members opposed nation from 28 years to 30 years. cat-like ears and whiskers had ber Pakhtunkhwa province. the whiskers and ears in place, room for enhancing the limit by forces. the move, saying that it could Also, the pension bill has bal- appeared on the heads of the Images from the press confer- even after the error was pointed at least three years. This has increased the pen- raise legal challenges for the looned in recent years, thus the minister and two accompanying ence were still available on social out by users. The premier has instructed sion bill of the military, standing government, which led to post- increase in the retirement age offi cials. media. A press statement, issued by the ministry to complete delib- at 77% of the total pension bill ponement of the proposal. could help control this expense. There’s “a cat in the cabinet” Yousafzai confi rmed the in- the PTI social media team, said erations this weekend. of the federal government. Now the reform has been For fi scal year 2019-20, the one said. cident and told AFP that it hap- the incident happened because However, sources in the min- The Task Force on Institu- given a new push by the Prime government has proposed Rs- Others were more literal: pened by accident. of “human error”. istry said that the prime min- tional Reforms has previously Minister’s Offi ce. 421bn for pensions, which is “Shaukat Yousafzai looks like a “The cat fi lter was turned on “All necessary actions have ister’s directions, which were fl oated the idea to increase the The proponents of increase 23% higher – or Rs79 billion cat – Meow meow meow.” by mistake” Yousafzai said. been taken to avoid such inci- issued on Friday, could not be retirement age by three years to in the retirement age argue that – compared to the spending in The video – seen by an AFP “Let’s not take everything so dents in future,” it said. honoured within 48 hours as 63 years. due to increase in life expectan- this fi scal year. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES

President urges Dialysis centre owner facing rebels to surrender for a fraud charge granted bail By William Depasupil tients who were already dead. Manila Times “The inquest prosecutor better life meanwhile referred the case against seven other WellMed Manila Metropolitan offi cers/employees for prelimi- By Ralph Villanueva Trial Court (MTC) has nary investigation. Said em- Manila Times Agranted the petition for ployees were not brought to the bail for the release from deten- prosecutor for inquest,” he said. tion of Dr Bryan Christopher Sy, Sy was arrested on Monday resident Rodrigo Duterte one of the owners of WellMed while giving his testimony to urged members of the New Dialysis and Laboratory Center. the NBI’s Anti-Graft Division. PPeople’s Army (NPA) to Judge Jerome Jimenez, pre- The NBI said Sy’s arrest was surrender, saying they would not siding judge of MTC Branch 6, a case of hot pursuit under Rule be harmed and they could have a issued the order yesterday after 113 section 5(b) of the Rules of new life. the accused posted a P72,000- Court, which allows warrant- Speaking during the distribu- cash bond. less arrests “when an off ence tion of certifi cates of land own- “You are hereby directed to has just been committed” and ership award to agrarian reform release from custody the per- the arresting offi cer “has prob- benefi ciaries in General Santos son of Bryan Christopher Sy able cause to believe based on City, Duterte said the govern- Wang, accused in NPS (National personal knowledge of facts or ment would pay rebels who will Prosecution Service) Docket circumstances that the person lay down their arms. No XVI-INQ-19F-00070 for to be arrested has committed it.” “That’s my advice to the NPAs, estafa and falsifi cation of pri- On Tuesday, Sy and the two surrender. You will no longer be vate documents, after accused whistleblowers underwent in- hungry and your children will posted his personal cash bail quest proceedings at the De- be able to go to school. I will pay bond in the amount of Seventy partment of Justice and were for it and I will even feed you,” he Two Thousand Pesos (P72,000) charged with estafa and falsifi - said. under OR (offi cial receipt) No cation of offi cial documents. “I would pay you if you sur- 6343449, dated June 15, 2019, The NBI, in behalf ofPhil- render your gun. Surrender it. unless he is being held for some Health, also slapped the same You don’t have to be scared of me other lawful cause,” the release Brian Christopher Sy: granted bail. charges on seven others — because I will never kill a Filipi- order stated. Sy’s father Claro Sy, Sy’s wife no,” he added. But Kris Gargantiel, one of “Judges are assigned to re- lease order of the court,” Ilagan charges fi led against him before cause to indict Sy and whistle Therese Francesca Tan Sy, Dr “To the communists, come Sy’s lawyers, said the National port for work during weekends pointed out. the local courts. blowers, Edwin Roberto and John Ray Gonzales, Alvin Sy, down here. I’ll give you a small Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or at night precisely because the He said with the NBI’s refusal “Up to this date, despite the Liezel Aileen de Leon for the Dick Ong, Dr Porsha Natividad condo, the same condo that I al- refused to comply with the right to bail chooses no time and to comply with a lawful order, lapse of 36-hour period pro- complex crime of estafa through and Dr Joemie Soriano. lot for the military and police. court’s order. A jail offi cer re- day.” “most likely he (Sy) will be re- vided under Article 125 of the falsifi cation of offi cial docu- In his affi davit, Roberto re- But yours will be smaller. It is a fused to honour the court’s or- WellMed’s lead counsel Row- leased on Monday.” Revised Penal Code, no infor- ments. vealed that before he resigned house that you can live in; it is der on the ground that nobody ell Ilagan said they were consid- On Friday, Sy’s legal team also mation or complaint has been According to Perete, gov- in March 2018, PhilHealth paid habitable,” he said. from the NBI would sign the ering fi ling a formal complaint wrote a letter to Justice Sec- fi led with the proper judicial ernment prosecutors found WellMed a total of P600,600, ”I’ll give you a job. I will send release order. for arbitrary detention if their retary Menardo Guevarra and authorities against Mr Sy,” the that the WellMed officers con- consisting of 200 sessions from you to school for skills training. The lawyer pointed out that client would not be released de- NBI Director Dante Gierran de- letter said. spired in using falsified docu- dead patients, and another It’s called Tesda,” he said, refer- the NBI had no legal basis to spite his bail. manding the immediate release But on Friday afternoon, Jus- ments to collect payments P208,000 for 80 sessions. ring to the Technical Education further hold Sy. “It is our client’s constitu- of their client because Sy had tice Undersecretary Mark Perete from the Philippine Health In- According to him, PhilHealth and Skills Development Author- “It’s arbitrary detention,” tional right to post bail and the been detained for more than disclosed that the investigat- surance Corp. (PhilHealth) for settled a total of 27 claims ity. Gargantiel told Manila Times. NBI should comply with the re- 36 hours without any formal ing prosecutors found probable alleged medical services to pa- amounting to P808,600. The president said the com- munist insurgency is nearing its end because the number of rebels has gone down and they have fewer fi rearms. “You don’t have guns, you China denies hit and run as pressure builds on Duterte to speak up don’t have bullets, you don’t even have food. All you have are sores, and you are being bitten by Reuters denly besieged by seven or eight Fili- are determined efforts by Duterte to nounced the Chinese crew and his ty. “Nothing is more reassuring to leeches,” he said. Manila pino fishing boats”. build a strong relationship with Chi- foreign minister said he had lodged a the public than to see and hear their In response, Communist Party “There was no such thing as (a) na, despite deep mistrust among his protest with Beijing. own president, the supposed archi- of the Philippines (CPP) chair- ‘hit-and-run’,” it said in a statement US-allied defence apparatus, which Presidential spokesman, Salvador tect of the country’s foreign policy, man Jose Ma. Sison said it is not hina has rejected Philippine late on Friday, adding it would handle remains wary about China’s maritime Panelo, did not respond to a request telling them that he is on top of the the NPA that is doomed, but the allegations that a Chinese the issue in a “serious and responsi- militarisation and what it sees as bul- for comment on China’s version of situation,” Hontiveros said. Duterte administration. Cfishing vessel abandoned 22 ble manner”. The sinking took place lying and denial of Manila’s access to events. Opposition Senator Risa Sunday’s incident is the latest He said that the distribution of Filipinos after it sank their boat in the on Sunday near the Reed Bank, the its own offshore oil and gas reserves. Hontiveros yesterday called for bi- confrontation involving China’s vast land to people were mere pieces South China Sea, as pressure builds site of untapped gas deposits that Duterte has made no mention of lateral ties to be downgraded and fishing fleet, which experts say has of paper “misrepresented as land on President Rodrigo Duterte to take an international arbitration court in Sunday’s incident during any of the said China’s denial was “preposter- been co-opted to serve as Beijing’s reform.” a tougher line. 2016 ruled the Philippines had sover- lengthy and unscripted speeches he ous” and the story made no sense. militia and augment its constant Sison said the Communist China’s embassy in Manila said the eign rights to exploit. Beijing disputes has since given. She said Duterte had plenty to say coastguard presence in waters also Party of the Philippines is “inde- crew had sought to rescue the Filipino that. His defence minister, navy chief about mundane issues, but should claimed by Malaysia, Taiwan, Viet- structible.” fishermen but fled after being “sud- The issue could complicate what and spokesman have publicly de- speak up when it came to sovereign- nam, the Philippines and Brunei. Court dismisses graft complaint Illegal arms seizure against former Makati mayor

By Ma. L Tolentino bidding took place on Sept 17, Manila Times 1999 and was participated by Grace Park Industries Inc, Per- fection Homes Corp and Offi ce he Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Gallery International Inc, with Division has dismissed the latter declared as the win- Tthe graft complaint fi led ning bidder,” it said. against former Makati mayor “After a judicious evalua- Elenita Binay. tion, and for the reasons stated The case stemmed from the hereunder, the Court fi nds the alleged anomalous award of the evidence presented by the Pros- deal for the supply and deliv- ecution to be insuffi cient to ery of panel fabric partition and prove the guilt beyond reason- connector bracket for the fur- able doubt of the accused Binay Imus City Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jose Junar Alamo inspects the various firearms nishing of the new city hall in for violation of Section 3(e) of RA confiscated from Manuel Moyco, a former corporate lawyer of a national bank. The lawyer was 1999. 3019,” the court added. driving a Toyota Innova when he was flagged down at a checkpoint in Barangay Bayan Luma, In a 31-page resolution prom- It also found insuffi cient the Imus City at dawn. ulgated on June 10, the court said prosecution’s evidence on the al- there was no suffi cient evidence leged excess purchases of Binay. to convict Binay. “While the absence of a fl oor “After a careful examination plan could have resulted in the and evaluation of the Prosecu- procurement of items beyond tion’s evidence, and taking into what was needed, the audit team account the Prosecution’s own was not able to make a physical Sangley airport ‘to open in November’ admission that it had no di- count or inventory of the items rect evidence available for the that were supposed to have been proper prosecution of the charge purchased vis-a-vis the number By Lisbet K Esmael ing construction of the passen- passenger terminal building against accused Binay, the Court of items present in the premises. Manila Times ger terminal building, drainage at 18%t, the drainage at 71.6% fi nds the evidence against ac- Elenita Binay: court relief This evidence alone, as against system and hangars. and the hangars at 37%. cused Binay insuffi cient to sup- accused Binay, is insuffi cient to He shrugged off concerns Joining Tugade in the visit port a fi nding of guilt beyond gross inexcusable negligence, or panel fabric partition and con- prove her guilt beyond reasonable he chief of the Depart- about fl ooding at the air hub, were Michael Tan, son of Lu- reasonable doubt. evident bad faith in approving nector bracket for the furnishing doubt,” it said. ment of Transportation saying, “It rained hard last cio Tan of Philippine Airlines; In particular, the Prosecu- the transaction,” it added, as it of the new city hall of Makati to “The same holds true for the T(DoTr) has expressed night until dawn, but there’s no Lance Gokongwei of Cebu tion was not able to present the granted Binay petition for de- the then-corporate offi cers of prosecution’s evidence on over- confi dence on meeting Presi- fl ood at the airport.” Pacifi c; Capt. Dexter Comen- necessary evidence to prove that murrer to evidence. the Offi ce Gallery International pricing,” it added. dent Rodrigo Duterte’s target to To easily access the San- dador of AirAsia; Manila In- accused Binay acted with mani- The Offi ce of the Ombudsman Inc, through a simulated/rigged The Sandiganbayan ordered the make the Sangley Airport op- gley Airport, Tugade said he ternational Airport Authority fest partiality, evident bad faith fi led the case against the former public bidding dated Sept 17, return of the bail bond posted by erational by November. was mulling equipping the air General Manager Eddie Mon- or gross inexcusable negligence Makati City mayor in 2006, ac- 1999. Binay. Secretary Arthur Tugade hub with a landing berth for real; Civil Aviation Author- in awarding the subject contract cusing her and other individuals But the court said the pros- It also lifted and set aside the “assured that the construction ferry operations and deploy- ity of the Philippines Director under PO (purchase order) 9989, of violating Section 3(e) of Re- ecution failed to present suffi - hold departure order it had issued of additional facilities at the ing a point-to-point (P2P) bus General Jim Sydiongco; and through a simulated/rigged bid- public Act (RA) 3019 otherwise cient evidence to prove that the against her. Sangley Airport in Cavite will service from the Ninoy Aquino Civil Aeronautics Board Direc- ding, in favour of Offi ce Gallery known as the “Anti-Graft and bidding was rigged. Associate Justice Rafael Lagos, meet the November deadline,” International Airport (NAIA). tor Carmelo Arcilla. International Inc,” the anti-graft Corrupt Practices Act.” “While it is asserted by the who leads the Sandiganbayan’s the department said in a state- The Philippine Navy would Airlines have agreed to uti- court said. The Ombudsman alleged in Prosecution that no bidding ac- Fifth Division, penned the reso- ment. decide on the potential loca- lise Sangley Airport for general “In the present case, the Pros- the charge sheet that from Sep- tually took place, the Minutes of lution, which was concurred by The statement came after tion of the landing berth, he aviation, freight turboprop op- ecution failed to prove beyond tember to November 1999, the the Bidding dated September 17, Associate Justice Maria Theresa Tugade visited the Cavite air- added. erations and commercial tur- reasonable doubt that accused accused awarded the contract 1999… shows otherwise. Mendoza Arcega and Maryann port to inspect the completed The completion rate of the boprop operations as soon as Binay was motivated by malice, for the supply and delivery of The Minutes shows that the Corpus Manalac. asphalt overlay and the ongo- airport is at 48.68%, with the the infrastructure is in place. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, June 16, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka 16 - 06 -2019 Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES World waking up to the grim reality of plastic pollution

Plastic litter remains one of the biggest problems facing the world’s seas, along with rising sea levels, climate change, and human-made chemical pollution. Thirty-two countries have so far banned at least some single-use plastics, with many more provinces, states and cities around the world imposing or considering bans of their own on things like grocery bags and straws. Recently, Canada announced that it will apply a science-based approach to determine what single-use plastics it will outlaw, beginning as early as 2021. After Cyclone Fani, Odisha “A real solution needs to be nationwide – we need to cover all of Canada with this decision – and that’s why the federal government is moving forward on a science- based approach to establishing which harmful single-use plastics we will be eliminating as of 2021,” said Prime eyes sturdier homes, power Minister Justin Trudeau. Indeed, we are surrounded by plastic. Think about By Manipadma Jena families lost their homes, the worst- to health and sprouting new leaves, he to feed evacuated families rice and every piece we use in a single day – grocery bags, food Bhubaneswar, India hit were still on the streets more than noted in early June. lentils. containers, coff ee cup lids, drink bottles, straws for juice a week afterwards, struggling without “We are determined to green back the In rural communities and urban power in harsh heat and humidity. state better,” he said. slums, authorities and volunteers boxes. The list goes on and on. ix weeks after India’s eastern “We are cooking, eating and sleeping Indigenous species that are hardier used phone text messages, radio and Plastic usage may be convenient, but it comes at a steep state of Odisha was battered by on this sidewalk,” Rout’s rickshaw- against strong winds are being megaphones to urge families to fl ee to price! the strongest storm since 2013, driver husband Manoj told the Thomson planted on roadsides and in parks and shelters. sanctuaries. Volunteer Ramachandra Maharana, In the fi rst decade of Soffi cials are considering how to Reuters Foundation. build back damaged homes and power He paid wood-cutters a week’s wages Preparations for storms like Cyclone 26, said that in his home village The amount of this century, we made networks to better withstand future to chip at the banyan tree until it could Fani began years ago, with the OSDMA near Gopalpur port, everything — more plastic than all the wild weather, as well as protecting the be rolled off the roof. training hundreds of community from three-wheeler rickshaws to plastic in the coast with trees. Clearing Bhubaneswar of fallen volunteers as fi rst responders. goods-carrying mini trucks — was plastic in history up to When powerful Cyclone Fani swept trees and vegetation took well over a Their ranks have grown to tens of commandeered to move children, older oceans could the year 2000. And every ashore, the wind yanked a huge banyan fortnight. thousands. and other vulnerable people to safety. year, huge quantities tree from the soil and crashed it onto After the storms, hundreds of That eff ort paid off , with deaths kept As formal shelters fi lled, families triple by 2025 of plastic end up in the Phula Rout’s corrugated-roof home in government workers were deployed to to about 64, compared to 1999 when were diverted to the next-sturdiest Shastri Nagar slum in Bhubaneswar city. map out damaged homes in poor areas, 10,000 people lost their lives in a super- structures, from schools to brick homes world’s oceans. As the tree’s roots began to pop, many of them roofed with thatch, tin or cyclone. nearby. Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly eff ect on 30-year-old domestic worker Rout and corrugated cement sheets. This time, as Fani bore down, “This is the result of Odisha changing wildlife, experts have cautioned. her family rushed outside their two- Nearly all the households identifi ed volunteers helped health workers to a proactive approach towards natural room house. have received more than Rs2,500 ($36) identify pregnant women in each calamities from what was a reactive Concern only mounts about what many see as a plastics The Routs were lucky, but many of to buy plastic sheeting for roofs, and village, said OSDMA chief Sethi. attitude during the 1999 super- crisis with every image of a bird, turtle or fi sh entangled the more than 16mn people in the path 50kg of rice to feed them in the short Ambulances ferried about 2,000 from cyclone,” said Arun Bothra, Odisha in a grocery bag or an otherwise picturesque beach or of the storm were saved instead by term. remote areas to health facilities so they police inspector-general. careful disaster planning, which led to Chief Minister Patnaik said in could access care during the storm. But over a month on, power waterway strewn with plastic trash. Whales are washing an evacuation of 1.1mn to safer shelter mid-May that there was “a dire need” Elsewhere, the state government set blackouts continued in several rural up with loads of plastic in their stomachs. ahead of the cyclone striking in early to build disaster-resilient housing in motion a broader plan to evacuate areas and electricity was restored in The United Nations Environment Programme has May. along Odisha’s coastal belt, which more than 1mn people. some cities and towns only a week estimated that if current pollution rates continue, it will Right after, Odisha Chief Minister is vulnerable to cyclones, having For the fi rst time, it ordered schools, ago, the Thomson Reuters Foundation Naveen Patnaik said the state experienced four major storms in the colleges, offi ces, markets and shops to learned. mean more plastic in the sea than fi sh by 2050. government aimed to substantially last six years. close as the storm approached. Some districts will have to set up The amount of plastic in the oceans could triple by reduce damage in future disasters as it He requested the central government Operations in two major ports were their entire electricity networks afresh, 2025, according to a 2018 UK government report on the moved into recovery and reconstruction to provide funding for 500,000 suspended and berthing ships ordered the Odisha chief minister noted. mode. aff ordable homes for the poor in rural to move out to sea to avoid damage. The state is now looking at how future of the seas. Considering there’s already over 5.25tn The storm will have cost the state and urban areas under the “Housing for Indian Railways cancelled or diverted to better disaster-proof its energy pieces of plastic trash in the world’s oceans, this is pretty about $1.3bn, including loss of public All” scheme. some 200 trains along Odisha’s coastal infrastructure, turning to the United bad news. property and the cost of recovery, said Another plan to increase coastal tracks, while commercial fl ights at Nations, the Asian Development Bank Bishnupada Sethi, chief of the Odisha resilience is to put in “massive coastal Bhubaneswar airport were stopped, and and the World Bank to include such The report warns that the current health of the oceans State Disaster Management Authority plantations”, especially in areas denuded much road transport was prohibited. work in other clean energy programmes could have some damning implications for biodiversity. (OSDMA). Around Odisha, more than by Fani, once the monsoon starts in In Puri, a religious and beach tourism already underway. It noted there was already a 49% decline in marine half a million homes were damaged, July, Odisha Forest and Environment hub, police went into every seaside Patnaik has also proposed that the close to 1.5mn trees uprooted, and Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha told hotel to evacuate 25,000 visitors who United Nations set up an international vertebrate populations between 1970 and 2012. much of its energy infrastructure was journalists. were moved by train to Kolkata in centre in Odisha for disaster mitigation Due to its low density, plastic waste is readily destroyed. Meanwhile, 18,000 trees not fully neighbouring West Bengal State. and recovery. – Thomson Reuters transported long distances from source areas and In Shastri Nagar, where about 60% of uprooted by the storm were nursed back Pre-prepared kitchens were set up Foundation concentrates in gyres, systems of rotating ocean currents. All fi ve of the earth’s major ocean gyres are inundated with plastic pollution. But it’s not limited to the gyres; studies estimate there are 15-51tn pieces of plastic in the world’s oceans — from the equator to the poles, from Arctic ice sheets to the sea fl oor. For years, concern around plastics centred on lightweight plastic grocery bags. According to a United Nations report, some 127 countries had implemented some type of restriction on plastic bags as of July 2018. It is heartening to note that governments, industry, and the public across the globe are waking up to the grim reality that’s facing our oceans.

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© 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved People move past a damaged vehicle after Cyclone Fani hit Puri, in the eastern state of Odisha, India, in this May 3 file photo. Gulf Times Sunday, June 16, 2019 23 COMMENT Paying for the welfare state without raising taxes

By Roger EA Farmer on average, or roughly what the UK London currently raises in inheritance taxes each year. That’s not peanuts, but nor is it enough to fi ll the pension gap. he current value of the US Still, if a trial of that size were government’s unfunded successful, the scheme could be pension and Medicare ramped up. If the Treasury were to Tliabilities is $46.7tn, or borrow £1tn, equivalent to roughly roughly two and a half times US GDP. 50% of UK GDP, and invest this sum Other estimates put that fi gure much in index funds, the expected revenue higher. In the United Kingdom, a would be around £40bn per year – not similar calculation by the Adam Smith far short of what the UK currently Institute yields a £1.85tn ($2.34tn) raises through corporation tax. That is “hidden debt time bomb.” And the serious money, and has a present value situation in Switzerland, France, of £1tn if capitalised at 4%. Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Spain What if the government lost its is little diff erent. It seems that all shirt? Wouldn’t a market crash of 10% advanced economies are facing public- or 20% devastate UK public fi nances? fi nance trouble ahead. No. In most advanced economies, Or maybe not. governments take in the equivalent of What if there really is such a thing as at least 40% of GDP in tax revenues. a free lunch? What if there was a way The net present value of that revenue, to raise the money to pay for social- capitalised at 4%, is ten times GDP. welfare programmes, such as pensions Governments therefore have very deep and healthcare, without imposing pockets with which to move markets extra taxes? In fact, there is: national if needed. Alternatively, a national treasuries should establish Social treasury could choose to absorb its losses Care Funds that borrow money at low by riding out a major recession. After interest rates and invest the proceeds all, markets cannot remain irrational in the stock market. for longer than the treasury of a large According to one study of a advanced economy can remain solvent. century’s worth of data from 16 I am not a big fan of government advanced economies, the return intervention in markets. Anyone who from investing in stocks was 6.96% suggests that there is a free lunch must higher, on average, than the return fi rst explain what governments can do on government bonds. And there FILE PHOTO: People taking part in a demonstration to demand more funding for Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) hold a banner, in London. that private individuals cannot. The was remarkable consistency across explanation, in this case, is simple: countries. Denmark had the smallest markets as existing to allow trades In my book Prosperity for All, I call But, although future generations index is roughly the same. The UK governments can make trades on behalf equity premium, of 3.8%, while Japan’s between diff erent kinds of people, this the absence of a prenatal contract. are not yet around to trade in the asset Treasury would fi rst need to decide of the unborn that leave all of us better was the largest at a whopping 9.89%. and specifi cally to allow the young Suppose, counterfactually, that such markets, national treasuries can trade which assets it was willing to buy. off . Surely that’s a better way for national There is some evidence that the to save for their old age. Taking that contracts did exist. In this make-believe on their behalf. There is a massive free I have previously suggested that treasuries to pay for social welfare than equity premium has been a little lower approach implies that market volatility world, the unborn would buy assets that lunch staring us in the face. You and I it should purchase a broad value- trying to squeeze another £40bn per year in recent years, so let’s conservatively has nothing to do with economic pay off in bad states of nature, and they can’t exploit it, and nor can Bill Gates weighted index fund consisting of from an already overtaxed population. – assume that it will be approximately fundamentals. Rather, it refl ects the would pay a premium in good states. And or George Soros. Only the treasury of every publicly traded share. The Project Syndicate 4% over the next 50 years. This animal spirits of investors, who engage perhaps surprisingly, the very existence a sovereign country is rich enough to Treasury would then borrow money implies that governments will be able in orgies of buying and selling stocks of those trades would eliminate market arbitrage away the equity premium, and invest in the index fund.  Roger EA Farmer is Professor to borrow from the public at a rate of and shares, fuelled by self-fulfi lling volatility in the fi rst place. In reality, because only it can trade on behalf of I would also propose that the UK of Economics at the University of 4% below the level of stock-market waves of optimism and pessimism. however, asset markets are volatile the unborn. Treasury start small – for example, Warwick, Research Director at the returns. How can that be, and why According to this view of markets, because the unborn are not able to To see how it would work in by establishing a Social Care Fund National Institute of Economic hasn’t some rich investor arbitraged volatility exists because almost all the exploit arbitrage opportunities. Those practice, consider the UK. Its GDP of £100bn. Assuming a 4% equity and Social Research, and author of this equity premium away? people that you and I will trade with in opportunities are refl ected in the equity is approximately £2tn, and the value premium, investing this amount in Prosperity for All: How to Prevent Here, it helps to think of asset the fi nancial markets are not yet born. premium. of all traded equities in the FTSE 100 shares would return £4bn per year Financial Crises.

What ails Environmental Impact Assessments? Three-day forecast

TODAY services – including the production purpose reliably. This is because, as it In April, lawmakers in the Maximum Temperature : 430c Maxwell Gomera Minimum Temperature : 360c Cambridge of food and water, the cycling of stands, technical specialists typically United Kingdom moved to improve nutrients, and the natural regulation of conduct SEAs at the behest of project transparency and prevent confl icts of MONDAY crop pests and pollinators – on which developers – a practice that, as activists interest in bookkeeping by urging the Maximum Temperature : 460c alhi, Indonesia’s all life depends. Already, some 60% have repeatedly pointed out, is grossly Competition and Markets Authority to Minimum Temperature : 350c largest environmental of those services are degraded. With unethical. With the assessors frequently prohibit the “Big Four” accounting fi rms TUESDAY organisation, recently the world expected to invest around basing their conclusions on only a from off ering consulting services to Maximum Temperature : 460c Wtook the government to $90tn in infrastructure (including superfi cial appraisal of the ecological customers they are auditing. This comes Minimum Temperature : 350c roads, dams, and power plants) in the and market value of the aff ected after audit failures at the construction court for issuing construction permits Fisherman's forecast to a Chinese company based on what next 15 years alone – resulting in more ecosystems, it should be no surprise that company Carillion and the retailer BHS, they allege was a “deeply fl awed” new infrastructure than is currently in damaging projects are often approved, and a pledge from three of the four fi rms despite failing to adhere to broadly to phase out advisory work for their WARNING environmental impact assessment. In existence globally – action is urgently Inshore : Nil fact, Wahli contends, the $1.5bn Batang needed to ensure that investment agreed green development guidelines. audit clients. Offshore : Nil Toru dam project will have severe decisions account for projects’ real To play an eff ective role in protecting The evolution of the accounting ecological consequences, including the environmental consequences. the planet and its people, SEAs must be profession has been driven by the WEATHER Inshore : Misty at places at first, likely extinction of the world’s rarest That is the purpose of strategic rigorous, credible, and transparent. This recognition that imprudent fi nancial becomes hot daytime great ape, the Tapanuli orangutan. environmental assessments (SEAs). means that they must be conducted by management jeopardises social and with slight dust at Batang Toru is just one of many In 1991, parties to the United Nations well-regulated, impartial professionals. economic stability. But imprudent some places and some clouds planned infrastructure projects Economic Commission for Europe To some extent, the laws and institutions environmental management poses at Offshore : Some clouds at times worldwide that are offi cially deemed agreed to a convention on SEAs in needed to make this happen already least as serious a threat; similar action is to slight dust at places environmentally sound, despite transboundary contexts. In March this exist: SEAs are legally required in many needed to establish clear requirements later WIND posing serious environmental risks. year, the UN Environment Assembly, the jurisdictions, and the International for those carrying out relevant Inshore : Northwesterly-North- For example, construction is nearly world’s highest-level decision-making Association for Impact Assessment assessments. easterly 07-17 KT complete on a railway line through body on the environment, adopted a could provide self-regulation. But a clear Governments must wake up to the Offshrore : Northwesterly-North- Kenya’s famous Nairobi National resolution requiring all governments framework for regulating the conduct of confl icts of interest allowed by the easterly 03-12/18 KT Park, despite public outrage over to conduct SEAs before approving any those who carry out impact assessments, current approach to SEAs, and compel Visibility : 4-8/3 KM an “incomplete and incompetent” infrastructure projects. like bar associations for legal professionals, real change. Only by ensuring that Offshore : 1-3/5 FT environmental impact assessment. These moves refl ect a recognition is still missing. infrastructure-investment decisions Here, the evolution of the accounting are based on rigorous and credible Similarly, in Guinea, the government that SEAs are needed to ensure that the Around the region has approved plans for another Chinese decisions taken by governments and profession can off er useful lessons. While impact assessments is it possible to Weather company to build a dam inside the Moyen- companies do not cause undue damage accounting can be traced back thousands reconcile economic development Weather tomorrow Max/min Bafi ng national park, a chimpanzee to the natural environment or the people of years to Mesopotamia, it wasn’t until with the preservation of the natural today Max/min Sunny 44/26 sanctuary. The environmental impact who depend on it. Many countries now the end of the nineteenth century that the environment. – Project Syndicate Baghdad Sunny 46/28 Sunny 47/32 assessment that was carried out, experts acknowledge the relationship between profession was recognised. In the United Kuwait CitySunny 46/33 P Cloudy 41/35 say, signifi cantly underestimates the economic activities and environmental States, an 1896 law dictated that, to earn  Maxwell Gomera is Director of the Manama P Cloudy 41/33 Sunny 41/32 number of chimpanzees that the project outcomes, and require SEAs to be the title “certifi ed public accountant” Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Muscat P Cloudy 41/32 Sunny 38/24 threatens. conducted before greenlighting projects. (CPA), one would have to pass state Branch at UN Environment and a 2018 Tehran Sunny 36/24 This is a dangerous trend, and it could But, as the examples cited above examinations and accrue two years of Aspen New Voices Fellow. Follow him on unravel the biodiversity and ecosystem reveal, SEAs are not fulfi lling their working experience. Twitter: @GomeraM

Live issues Listening to music may ease cancer patients’ pain Around the world Weather Weather By Carolyn Crist Chou of Taipei Medical University. of fatigue on a separate fi ve-point learning how and why music therapy today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Reuters Health “Home-based music interventions scale, and the level of pain they felt on a reduces symptoms and pain. Because Athens Sunny 34/22 M Sunny 33/22 can also be used with no cost,” Chou told 100-point scale. listening to music promotes endorphins, Beirut Sunny 28/22 Sunny 27/22 Reuters Health by e-mail. “Healthcare The average symptom severity dopamine and serotonin in the brain, the Bangkok S T Storms 33/28 T Storm 32/27 istening to music at home may services have become expensive in the scores of the music therapy group had chemicals may spark joy and positive Berlin P Cloudy 25/15 M Sunny 28/17 reduce cancer patients’ pain and present time.” dropped by fi ve points at the six-week emotions that distract patients from the Cairo Sunny 36/23 Sunny 36/23 fatigue and ease symptoms like The researchers recruited 60 breast assessment, seven points at 12 weeks negative emotions, the study authors Cape Town Sunny 18/09 P Cloudy 18/11 Lloss of appetite and diffi culty cancer patients and randomly assigned and nearly nine points after 24 weeks. speculate. Colombo T Storm 30/26 T Storm 30/26 concentrating, according to research in half of them to a group that would listen to Pain scores and overall fatigue scores fell Music could aff ect functions of the Dhaka P Cloudy 36/29 P Cloudy 36/28 Taiwan. music at home on an MP3 player provided at each assessment as well. cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, Hong Kong S T Storms 28/26 S T Storms 29/26 In the study, breast cancer patients by the study team with a selection of For those listening to music, physical skeletal, nervous and metabolic systems Istanbul P Cloudy 29/21 P Cloudy 30/22 assigned to 30 minutes of music classical, parlour, popular, Taiwanese and and mental fatigue had also dropped at as well, relieving muscle tension and Jakarta S T Storms 33/25 P Cloudy 33/24 listening fi ve times a week had religious music to choose from. The other six weeks but not later. pain, they add. Karachi M Sunny 35/29 Sunny 36/29 “noticeably” reduced side eff ects of patients were also given a player and the In contrast, pain and symptom “From the neurophysiological point London Showers 19/13 P Cloudy 21/12 cancer and its treatment over 24 weeks, same instructions about how often to severity scores in the control group of view,” said Tereza Alcantara-Silva of Manila T Storm 34/27 T Storm 34/27 researchers report in the European listen, but their selections were various increased and remained higher than at the Federal University of Goias in Brazil, Moscow P Cloudy 24/13 P Cloudy 25/16 Journal of Cancer Care. types of ambient music, mainly consisting the start of the trial. music-evoked emotions can modulate New Delhi M Sunny 39/31 M Sunny 40/30 The patients said the music helped of environmental sounds, which research Based on the results, music therapy activity in a variety of brain areas. New York S Showers 27/20 S T Storms 27/20 their physical and psychological well- has shown does little to reduce pain or may not relieve long-term physical “Music plays a major role in self- Paris P Cloudy 23/13 M Sunny 27/16 being because it distanced them from symptoms, the study team notes. and mental fatigue, the study authors regulation of emotional contexts,” said Sao Paulo Sunny 26/13 P Cloudy 24/14 negative thoughts about cancer. Before the women had surgery, and caution. And future studies should use Alcantara-Silva, who wasn’t involved in Seoul M Sunny 27/17 M Sunny 26/16 “Music therapy is convenient, does not after six, 12 and 24 weeks of music objective measures of pain and fatigue, the study, by e-mail. “Music therapy can Singapore S T Storms 31/27 T Storm 31/27 involve invasive procedures, and can easily listening, all patients rated the severity in addition to the subjective measures bring several benefi ts to cancer patients, Sydney Rain 15/11 Rain 16/11 be used by people in the comfort of their of 25 physical symptoms on a fi ve-point used in this study, Chou said. helping them to fi nd ways to deal with Tokyo Clear 30/17 Clear 27/18 homes,” said senior study author Kuei-Ru scale, as well as rating fi ve categories The researchers are also interested in stress, fear, and loneliness.” Gulf Times 24 Sunday, June 16, 2019 QATAR Amir meets world leaders at Dushanbe summit

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a session of off icial talks with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon at the presidential Palace of Nations in Dushanbe yesterday. At the outset of the session, the Tajikistan president of welcomed the Amir on his first visit to Tajikistan. He looked forward to strengthening the relations between the two countries in various fields, and invited the Amir to pay an off icial visit to Tajikistan. For his part, the Amir extended congratulations to the president for his country’s hosting of the 5th summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). The Amir underlined the significance of his visit to Tajikistan His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip which comes after 25 years of the establishment of relations between the two countries, and stressed the importance of promoting bilateral Erdogan on the sidelines of the 5th summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building relations, noting that there are huge and multiple opportunities for developing joint and distinct relations between the two countries. The Measures in Asia at Navruz Palace in Dushanbe yesterday. During the meeting, they reviewed the Amir welcomed the invitation of the Tajik president to pay an off icial visit to the Republic of Tajikistan. The talks reviewed the relations and bilateral strategic co-operation ties between the two countries and ways to boost them, besides friendship and co-operation between the two countries and means of bolstering them in various fields. The talks also tackled the latest the most important issues on the regional and international arenas. They also exchanged views on developments on the regional and international arenas, as well as key topics listed on the agenda of the CICA summit. The session of talks recent events in the region in order to maintain the security and stability. The meeting was attended was attended by members of the off icial delegation accompanying the Amir. From the Tajik side, the talks were attended by a number of by members of the off icial delegation accompanying the Amir and a number of ministers and senior ministers. off icials from the Turkish side.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Dushanbe. At the beginning of the meeting, the Amir congratulated Tokayev on his assumption of the His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov on the presidency of Kazakhstan, wishing the relations between the two countries continued development and progress. sidelines of the 5th summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia at Navruz Palace in During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the bilateral relations and the opportunities to promote them to wider Dushanbe yesterday. During the meeting, they reviewed the bilateral relations and means of boosting them, besides a horizons. The Amir and the Kazakh president also exchanged views on a number of issues of common concern. The number of issues of common concern. The Kyrgyzstan president also invited the Amir to visit Kyrgyzstan. The meeting meeting was attended by members of the off icial delegation accompanying the Amir, and a number of ministers from was attended by members of the off icial delegation accompanying the Amir, and a number of ministers from the Kyrgyz the Kazakh side. side. ‘Qatar a pivotal partner’

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The leaders also reviewed the strategic relations between the two countries and the means for promoting them to wider horizons, especially in the po- litical, military, economic and education areas. They also dis- cussed developing the Qatari- Russian business council and the commercial and invest- ment areas, and encouraging businessmen in both countries to establish joint projects. The two sides also ex- changed views on current regional and international is- sues, mainly the developments in Palestine, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Sudan. Concerning the situation in the Gulf, both sides stressed the need to resolve all diff er- ences through dialogue and diplomatic means, and to give priority to the supreme inter- est of peoples in order to pre- serve security and stability. Members of the offi cial dele- gation accompanying the Amir and a number of ministers and senior offi cials from the Rus- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani shakes hands with Tajikistan sian side attended the meeting. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joins the off icial discussions of the 5th summit of Conference Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda at the 5th summit of Conference on Interaction and on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia yesterday at the Navruz Palace in Dushanbe. Confidence-Building Measures in Asia yesterday.