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MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10391 March 13, 2017 Jumada II 14, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Sheikha Moza visits Sudan projects Unesco hails In brief Qatar eff orts

QATAR | Transport to save world GCC Traffi c Week celebrations begin The 33rd GCC Traff ic Week celebrations kicked off yesterday under the theme of ‘Your Life is Trust’. Director General heritage of Public Security Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi opened the accompanied exhibition and activities QNA in Doha two years ago to protect world held at Darb Al Saai, in the presence of Doha heritage” chaired by HE Sheikha Al a number of off icials from the Interior Mayassa and representatives from the Ministry and representatives of the Unesco, advisory bodies of the Inter- participating institutions and the nesco Director-General Irina national Union for Conservation of delegations of the Gulf Co-operation Bokova has hailed Qatar’s ef- Nature and the International Council Council (GCC). He toured the stands Uforts in preserving the world on Monuments and Sites. designated to participants from heritage by supporting the United Na- She added that Qatar had adopted government agencies, institutions, tions Educational, Scientifi c and Cul- very important decisions for Unesco companies, civil society, youth and tural Organisation’s initiatives. and the world and 40 sites were in- charitable organisations, among She stressed the importance of the scribed on Unesco’s World Heritage others. Page 10 country’s role in enhancing Unesco’s List, praising Qatar’s important role in ability in preserving the World Herit- this fi eld. QATAR | Event HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, yesterday visited two projects supported by age sites in areas that are exposed to Bokova also hailed Qatar’s support her institutions to improve opportunities for young people in Sudan. HH Sheikha Moza, Founder and Chairperson of Education natural disasters and wars. for the organisation through its de- Education conference Above All (EAA), also visited the Umm Badda Alternative Learning Programme (ALP) in Khartoum. The programme is one of The Unesco Director-General ex- velopment fund that provided a $2mn begins with Olympiad 3,900 in Sudan sponsored by EAA, through its programme “Educate A Child” in partnership with Unicef. Her Highness also pressed appreciation for the initiatives grant as part of a pledge by HE the Qatar National Convention Centre engaged with children, attended a life-skills class, and met with school management, teachers and various community members. of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in Prime Minister and Interior Minister hosted yesterday the Education PICTURE: Aisha Al Musallam Page 32 educating children in poor countries as Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Conference 2017, which started with well as countries that suff er from civil al-Thani to donate $10mn to support the second national Qatar Astronomy wars or confl icts. Unesco in conserving World Heritage Olympiad. The conference will kick In an interview with (Al-Sharq) sites in areas hit by natural disasters off off icially today. Some 344 students newspaper issued yesterday, Bokova and wars. from 59 schools took part in this said that HH Sheikha Moza since the About the support of Qatar’s can- year’s Olympiad. They held a number mid-’90s until today has supported didate for Unesco, Bokova said she, as of presentation on a range of topics Unesco in delivering education to all a director of the organisation, stands such as the astrolabe among many Conditions ‘favourable’ children. at the same distance from all the can- others. There was also a workshop to The organisation, she said, is already didates, stressing that the State of introduce this year’s judges, which was launching a campaign with all UN Qatar is able to lead the Unesco in the attended by 142 students. Six projects member states to save the World Her- next stage, and that HE Advisor at the were already chosen to represent itage from the danger of extinction and Emiri Diwan Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Qatar at an international event in Los disappearing, particularly in countries al-Kuwari, who is also Qatar’s candi- Angeles in May, Special Programmes again for scattered rain that suff er wars, civil confl icts or ter- date for the director-general post at the Manager at Qatar National Research rorism. Unesco, has a great history and impor- Fund - Qatar Foundation Research and ight to moderate rain is expected forecast during this period and it will There is a possibility of scattered rain Bokova also commended the eff orts tant ideas that will benefi t the organi- Development Dr Abdullah Kamali said. in the country over the com- be light to moderate in intensity. There today, which may be thundery at times. exerted by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint sation, noting to Qatar’s high potential The competition will see participants Ling few days and the chances of is also a chance of “short-lived thun- Off shore, hazy to misty conditions Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chair- in off ering upscale educational pro- from 70 countries across the globe. showers may improve at the start of dery cells” over some areas. are expected at fi rst, and it may also be person of the Qatar Museums Board of grammes. next week, the Qatar Met department The report further points out that partly cloudy today. There is a chance Trustees, in the preservation of world The Unesco Director-General ex- AFRICA | Tragedy has said. preliminary forecasts show better of light rain in some areas. heritage by supporting Unesco’s initia- pressed her happiness to visit the Today, strong winds have been fore- chances of rain during the beginning of The wind speed may go up to 23 tives, noting to an international cam- country Doha that will give her an op- Landslide at Ethiopia cast at times and some places may re- next week. knots in some inshore areas during the paign launched from Doha for the pres- portunity to meet with a group of high- garbage dump kills 46 ceive thundershowers by the evening. The Met department has also tweet- day and become northwesterly by the ervation of World Heritage and protect ranking offi cials. At least 46 people died and dozens Off shore areas, too, are likely to see ed that the spell of rising temperatures evening. In off shore areas, it may reach it from extinction. She will also visit Al Zubarah archae- more were hurt in a giant landslide windy conditions and high seas by late will continue in the country today, with a high of 24 knots by late tonight, with She said that the organisation is ological site which was included on the at Ethiopia’s largest rubbish dump in the night. the maximum expected to reach the the sea level rising to 8ft. proud to support Qatar in protecting Unesco’s World Heritage list in 2013. outside Addis Ababa, a tragedy The weather offi ce has also said it mid-30C levels in most areas. There A minimum temperature of 19C is the world heritage and educating young She indicated that she would par- squatters living there blamed on will also continue to be warm today. is also a chance of blowing dust occa- likely in Al Khor and Abu Samra today, people to fi ght extremism, pointing out ticipate in the third conference of art a biogas plant being built nearby. In a report yesterday, the Met de- sionally along with low visibility (3km while in Doha it will be 20C. The maxi- that in this regard, the Unesco is work- creativity for the future that aims to Saturday’s landslide flattened dozens partment said intermittent cloud cover or lower) in open areas. mum, on the other hand, will range from ing with the world’s countries, regional study the role of artistic creativity as an of homes of people living in the Koshe is expected in the country this week, The weather offi ce had earlier fore- 28C in Ruwais to 33C in Abu Samra. authorities, partners from civil society essential catalyst for economic growth dump when part of the largest pile of and there are chances of scattered cast that there would be a “noticeable Yesterday, a minimum temperature and the Crescent and Red Cross Socie- and development, pointing out that rubbish collapsed, an AFP journalist rain from this evening until tomorrow. rise” in temperatures - to 3-6C above of 18C was recorded in Sheehaniya and ties as heritage does not belong to one the conference is an opportunity to pay said. Dagmawit Moges, head of the Then, the possibility of rain is likely normal – in Qatar on Sunday and Mon- Abu Samra and 21C in the Doha airport state, but it belongs to humanity. tribute to the power of culture to fi ght city communications bureau, said 46 to weaken by daytime on Wednesday, day. area. The maximum was 34C in Shee- Bokova noted that two years ago an violent extremism and to promote dia- people had died - 32 female and 14 with the conditions again expected to Meanwhile, today’s detailed forecast haniya and 33C in Turayna, Batna and international conference to save the logue and mutual understanding. male, including some children. Many become favourable for scattered rain on says hazy to misty conditions will pre- Karana. world heritage was held in Doha to The conference brings together more of the victims were squatters who Thursday and Friday, the department vail in the early hours of the day. This The Met department has called upon aware young people and educate them, than 200 of the most infl uential fi gures scavenged for a living in the 30-hectare has said. will be followed by dusty conditions people to follow latest updates through saying “We must fi ght against extrem- on the artistic and cultural levels in the (74-acre) dump, she said. Page 16 In general, scattered rain has been occasionally and it will also get cloudy. its offi cial social media accounts. ism. We have started a big campaign world from 30 countries. Turkey-Netherlands standoff worsens

AFP World War II - was behaving like fas- Cavusoglu’s plane to land ahead of a perse pro-Erdogan demonstrators after Istanbul cists in its treatment of Turkish min- planned rally. clashes in Rotterdam early yesterday. isters. “Hey Holland! If you are sacrifi cing But Dutch Prime Minister Mark Analysts are predicting a tight out- Turkish-Dutch relations for the sake Rutte ruled out apologising, saying: urkish President Recep Tayy- come to the April 16 referendum on a of the elections on Wednesday, you will “There’s absolutely no way excuses can ip Erdogan yesterday warned new constitution and Turkish minis- pay a price,” an angry Erdogan told a be made, they should make excuses for Tthe Netherlands would pay for ters have planned major rallies in key ceremony in Istanbul, referring to the what they’ve done yesterday.” blocking his ministers from holding EU cities to win votes from millions of March 15 election in Turkey’s Nato ally. Erdogan reaffi rmed his accusations rallies to win support in a referendum Turks residing abroad. “They will learn what diplomacy is,” from Saturday that the Dutch behav- on expanding his powers, as a crisis But Turkey’s Family Minister Fatma he growled, adding that what happened iour over the Turkish visits was “Na- escalated with Turkey’s key EU part- Betul Sayan Kaya was expelled after be- “cannot remain unanswered.” zism, fascism”. ners. ing prevented from addressing a rally in “If you let horses, dogs on my citi- Speaking at a rally in the French city Erdogan also repeated hugely con- the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. zens you have to be held to account,” he of Metz - which was allowed to go ahead troversial accusations that the Neth- Also this weekend, The Hague re- said, referring to dogs, horses and water - Cavusoglu described the Netherlands erlands - occupied by Nazi Germany in fused to allow Foreign Minister Mevlut cannons used by Dutch police to dis- as the “capital of fascism”. Page 23 Paris mayor to spend 1.5mn euros for ‘war on rats’ The mayor of Paris said yesterday the The measures include increasing the “We already allot 500mn euros a year calling for a change in the mindsets and city would spend 1.5mn euros ($1.6mn) number of sanitation workers and health for cleanliness and waste management... habits of residents. Qatar and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to rid the French capital of rats and inspectors, expanding the hours for and the situation has improved,” she “In Tokyo, everything is clean and yet (Unesco) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Qatar’s contribution install more public ashtrays to clean up garbage pickup, and urging restaurants said.”But it is clear that Paris is not yet there are no dustbins because people wait to the Unesco Regional Off ice in Doha, and on the financial support provided by the city’s streets. and buildings to provide more ashtrays perfectly clean.” to get home before throwing their waste.” Qatar to Unesco recently. HE Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi, Minister of In an interview with Journal du at entrances and exit points. “I want to speed up, increase eff orts. It is Paris had come under fire in December Education and Higher Education, and President of the Qatar National Commission Dimanche weekly, Mayor Anne Hidalgo Municipal workers collect more than 150 a top priority,” she said. for allegedly dragging its feet before for Education, Culture and Science, signed the MoU on behalf of the government of unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at tonnes of cigarette butts every year in “In a civilised city, cleanliness must be it launched what has been dubbed its Qatar, while Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova signed for the organisation. making cleanliness a “priority”. Paris. everybody’s responsibility,” she said, “war on rats”. Page 13

Gulf Times 4 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR Hundreds benefi t from lectures and courses by QRCS total of 872 people from Al Khor, Al Thak- The opening ceremony of the 3rd Gulf Diabetic Foot Conference. A ira and Al Shamal have benefited from Qatar Red Crescent’s (QRCS) lectures and courses held at schools, youth centres, and at its Al Khor branch in the past cou- ple of months. Over 800 experts attend In celebration of the Na- tional Sports Day (NSD), the branch conducted sports events to promote healthy life- diabetic foot conference styles, in co-operation with Al Khor Sports Club, Al Khor ore than 800 key opin- on all the important clinical is- is to give hands-on surgical and Community Development ion leaders, wound care sues related to diabetic foot care technical training to surgeons, Centre, Qatar Guest Centre, Mspecialists, physicians, with a focus on the latest ad- physicians and nurses,” added and Quodorat Development surgeons, podiatrists, nursing vances in wound care technol- the offi cial. Centre (women). staff and allied health practition- ogy and showcased the latest In Qatar and the wider Gulf QRCS conducted free blood ers converged on Doha for the 3rd innovations, developments, and region, Type 2 diabetes is a ma- pressure and sugar tests while Gulf Diabetic Foot Conference, successes in diabetic foot care,” jor health challenge and diabetic ambulances and medics were hosted by Hamad Medical Cor- he said. foot and lower limb amputations stationed for medical coverage poration (HMC), in collabora- Keynote speakers from the US, are among the most signifi cant at NSD venues, including Al tion with the Gulf Diabetic Foot the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and devastating complications of Khor Compound. Working Group recently. Canary Islands, Cost Rica, Cuba, the disease. Under the “I Am a Para- “The event featured world- India and South Korea, as well as Prof Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, medic” programme for 2016- renowned international faculty the Middle East and GCC coun- chairman of Internal Medicine 2017, a two-day fi rst aid course who lectured on state-of-the- tries provided comprehensive at HMC and director of the Qa- was held for the students of Al art concepts and techniques,” updates covering the diagnosis tar Metabolic Institute was the Thakira Girls School. said Dr Talal Khader Talal, head and modern management of dia- honorary president for the con- The participants underwent First aid training being imparted to a group of school students. of Podiatric Services at HMC betic foot disease. ference. training in cardiopulmonary and chair and head of the scien- Lectures focused on screening, “Diabetic foot is one of the resuscitation and quick inter- Tha’ayen Primary School for steps of emergency evacuation festival held by Quodorat De- tific committee for the confer- diagnosis and treatments. most signifi cant and devastat- vention in accidents such as Girls. and copies of the “Prepared velopment Centre at Al Tawasul ence. Mounia Mustafa Sabasse, ing complications of diabetes. choking, bleeding, fracture, Meanwhile, the “Safe School” Child” brochure have been dis- Traditional Park. Sessions focused on improv- president, Gulf Diabetic Foot Therefore, as scientists, clini- nosebleed, burns, eye injuries, programme was implemented tributed to students. Attracting a large number of ing practices in the prevention Working Group and head of the cians, and practitioners, it is crit- epilepsy, asthma, and poison- at Al Khor Primary School for QRCS also conducted a fi rst attendees, the event included and management of diabetic foot scientifi c committee for the con- ical we have a full understanding ing. Girls. The teachers received aid course at Al Khor Girls Cen- informative lectures and enter- problems and most importantly ference, said this was the third of this complex and debilitating QRCS said this was part of training in providing psycho- tre for 21 employees for two tainment activities for children. on improving the care for pa- year of the premier diabetic foot condition so that we can enhance the students’ academic project, logical support and fi rst aid in days. QRCS provided ambulance cov- tients with diabetic foot diseases. conference in the region. the quality of treatments on off er which won the fi rst place award case of earthquakes. QRCS’ Al Khor branch took erage, medical tests, and health “The conference concentrated “The aim of such conferences to our patients,” he said. at a scientifi c exhibit at Al All the schools practised the part in the family entertainment awareness fl iers.

Ties reviewed

Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs, HE Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, yesterday met Greek ambassador Constantinos Orphanides. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral relations and means of enhancing them in addition to a number of issues of common concern.

Qatari leaders greet president of Mauritius HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent cables of congratulations to Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim on the occasion of her coun- try’s National Day. QU accepts applications

Qatar University yesterday began accepting under- graduate applications for Fall 2017. The university said in a statement the ap- plications are accepted for all schools except medi- cine, which is reserved for new students rather than those transferring. The deadline for completing the application is July 6. Students can apply online and then hand in the required documents. QC to attend Cairo meeting

Chairman of Qatar Chamber (QC), HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani, will lead the Chamber’s delegation to the 124th tow-day meeting of the Union of Arab Cham- bers (UAC) starting in Cairo tomorrow.

Gulf Times 6 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR

PHCC takes bowel cancer awareness Photo exhibition highlights campaign to malls Japan tsunami devastation he National Breast and trained team from PHCC will Bowel Cancer Screen- seek to connect with younger ome 60 pictures showing Ting Programme, Screen shoppers who can infl uence the devastation caused by For Life, by the Primary Health their parents and help spread Sthe March 1, 2011 tsunami Care Corporation (PHCC) awareness about the ‘Screen in Japan and the recovery eff orts has launched a month-long For Life’ programme. are featured at a photo exhibition awareness campaign “Ask Me With bowel cancer among on the occasion of the tragedy’s About Bowel Cancer Screen- the top two malignant can- sixth anniversary. ing”, across three major malls cers in Qatar, early detection The exhibition, themed “East in Qatar. through screening can help Japan Earthquake Exhibition: PHCC has installed acti- increase survival rates by as Then and After,” is organised vation booths at Ezdan Mall, much as 90%. by Qatar University’s College of Landmark Mall and Villag- “One of the most important Arts and Sciences (QU-CAS), in gio Mall to spread awareness aspects of our work is reaching collaboration with the Japanese to a wider audience and sig- as wide an audience as pos- embassy in Doha and Marubeni nifi cantly enhance knowledge sible and raising awareness of Corporation. It will run until about bowel cancer screening bowel cancer screening,” Dr March 30. among Qatar residents. Shaikha Abu Shaikha, cancer One of the pictures shows how A specialised team from programme manager, PHCC, Sendai Airport was buried under the Breast and Bowel Cancer said. the tsunami rubble, but a month Screening Programme will be The PHCC team will be later, it resumed operation. on hand to interact with shop- present at the booths to of- “In the aftermath, what we pers and educate them about fer guidance and advice on the see is a story of resilience, recon- bowel cancer screening and bowel cancer screening process. struction, and support. It is in the programme in general. A key feature is on-site reg- the spirit of friendship that the The primary focus of the istration so shoppers can dis- State of Qatar provided humani- campaign will be to target cuss the programme before tarian relief of $100mn to help men and women of Qatar aged they sign up for a screening rebuild the devastated areas in 50-74, the most-at-risk age appointment. Eastern Japan, through the Qa- group, to advise them on the Visitors can also register tar-Japan Friendship Fund,” QU benefi ts of screening and urge by calling the PHCC’s Can- president Dr Hassan al-Derham them to make an appointment. cer Screening Call Centre said in his speech. In addition, the highly 8001112. “Indeed, such eff orts by the Japanese people and how they have overcome this tragedy, is something I, and many others across the world, draw strength Libyan official arrives and inspiration from,” he noted. Citing Qatar and Japan’s strong relationship developed QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham and Japanese ambassador Seiichi Otsuka lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the photo exhibition. over 40 years, the QU president cited a number of activities that Inspired by Qatar’s gener- Qatar’s aid to Japan led to the Masker Fish processing facility, ripple eff ect of projects (in 2016 emerged and strengthened such ous gesture, the envoy said a setting up of the Qatar Friend- considered as a “wonderful gift only) reaching $120mn projected friendship. Japanese fi lm producer created ship Fund, focusing on child to Onagawa town.” to increase up to $1.8bn in the The launch ceremony was also a documentary fi lm entitled Be- education, healthcare and fi sh- Al-Kuwari said the Fund fo- next 10 years,” he said, citing a attended by Japanese Ambassa- yond the Tsunami. eries. cused on four main priority study recently released by Mit- dor Seiichi Otsuka, Qatar Fund “I sincerely hope that this In October 2016, QFFD con- areas - healthcare, fisheries, subishi Research Institute. For Development (QFFD) direc- photo exhibition will be an op- cluded the activities of Qatar- child education, and entrepre- Meanwhile, Marubeni, to- President of the Libyan State Supreme Council Dr tor general Khalifa bin Jassim portunity to understand disaster Japan Friendship Fund in Japan, neurship. gether with QU and the embassy, Abdulrahman al-Sawihli arrived yesterday in Doha on al-Kuwari, Marubeni Corpora- risk and prevention, and to de- helping thousands of people “Over the past fi ve years, the is doing a series of activities that an off icial visit. He received at the airport by Libya’s tion managing director Toshiaki velop and implement an appro- restore their lifestyle through 13 $100mn fund have benefi ted contribute to Qatari society, par- ambassador Abdulmonsif al-Bori. Hato, and other CAS senior of- priate readiness to disaster risk projects. around 640,000 people directly ticularly in the fi eld of culture fi cials. reduction.” Otsuka said. The fi rst mega project was the and indirectly with an economic and education.

Gulf Times 8 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR

Ooredoo extends hours of business desks oredoo has extended hours, businesses can visit to purchase Ooredoo’s en- the working hours Ooredoo Business Desks up tire business portfolio and Oof some of its dedi- to 8pm at Salwa, Al Sadd services in store, including cated business desks in se- and Old Airport branches. Shahry Smart packs, Fibre lected Ooredoo retail stores. Yousuf al-Kubaisi, chief Broadband, Sip-T Business Currently, the dedicated operating offi cer, Ooredoo Telephony, Offi ce in a Box, desks, staff ed by Ooredoo said: “Since the launch of Ooredoo Cloud Services Business representatives, Ooredoo Business Desks we and many more. are available in six Ooredoo Business Desks at Salwa, Al have seen amazing demand, For full details of all plans, Shops: Salwa, Al Sadd, Al Sadd and Old Airport branches with more business users pricing and off ers available, Wakrah, City Center, Old to operate up to 8pm. than ever visiting their near- business customers can vis- Airport and Landmark. est Ooredoo Shop to upgrade it an Ooredoo Shop, ring the Previously, Ooredoo’s cations (5pm in City Center or discuss their needs.” business team on 800 8000 Business Desks have been Doha and Landmark Mall). Ooredoo Business Desks or go to www.ooredoo.qa for open until 3pm in most lo- But with the new opening enable business customers more info.

Doha Municipality director Jamal Matar al-Naimi and other off icials tour the exhibition after opening the month-long programme yesterday. Food safety awareness event for children

n educational pro- gramme for primary Aschool pupils on the topic of food safety and nu- trition was inaugurated by Doha Municipality direc- tor Jamal Matar al-Naimi yesterday at Al Sadd Plaza. During the event, which will continue until April 13, primary schools are to be invited to send their stu- dents to view an exhibi- tion, attend presentations and participate in a drawing activity. A group of schoolchildren are briefed on the steps to safe food. Children are taught a seven-step programme to The exhibition presents a non-food items to teach of storing food. Pupils will maintain food safety and model kitchen with a cook children the importance of be encouraged to check and prevent food borne ill- demonstrating the cross- checking the products be- assess the risk of defec- nesses. The focus is on in- contamination hazard if fore purchasing. tive products like dented, creasing awareness about food is not handled in a Examples of refrigerators rusty and puff ed cans, food food products available in safe way. There are display fi lled with chilled and fro- without expiry date or fruits the market and safe ways of shelves, similar to that of a zen food products present and vegetables with signs of handling them. supermarket, with food and correct and incorrect ways deterioration. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 9 QATAR Cityscape Qatar opens today he sixth edition of City- will cover several projects and During the opening ceremo- be held in Qatar. We have had an scape Qatar, the country’s upcoming openings in the ny at 4pm, HE the Minister of overwhelming response from the Tlargest real estate exhibi- hospitality and real estate market. Economy and Commerce Sheikh local market, as well as interna- tion and conference, will open Kailash Nagdev, managing Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed tional companies and have some today at the Doha Exhibition director, YouGov, will present al-Thani will lead the ribbon- extremely high calibre real estate and Convention Centre, it was the company’s key fi ndings fol- cutting ceremony. It will be fol- players this year. announced yesterday. lowing a survey conducted on lowed by a tour of the exhibition “It is humbling to witness the An aerial view of the Dafna hotels. Cityscape Qatar 2017 will homebuyers and individual and where guests and dignitaries will continued support of the state kick off at 1pm with a welcome large scale investors, which re- get to see the upcoming real es- of Qatar and we are happy to be address by DTZ Qatar gen- vealed a positive outlook of real tate trends and developments bridging the gap between re- eral manager Edd Brookes, who estate in Qatar with 63% of re- in Qatar and its surrounding gional and international profes- will present the Qatar Market spondents agreeing that it is regions. sionals in the real estate market.” Overview followed by a pres- the most appealing investment Speaking on behalf of City- Cityscape Qatar 2017 is being Ezdan Group to entation by Manateq business category in the state, while 44% scape Qatar, exhibition director held under the patronage of HE development director Adel Waly. of respondents expect the real Ahmed Zakaria said: “We are the Prime Minister and Minister It will be followed by an ex- estate market to grow further in honoured to host once again the of the Interior Sheikh Abdullah perts’ panel discussion, which Qatar. largest real estate exhibition to bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani. announce updates Exhibition of Magdy’s on Oasis project works from tomorrow zdan Holding Group and Oasis consists of more than chief executive offi cer, Ezdan its subsidiaries have an- 9,000 housing, commercial, and Holding Group, said Cityscape Enounced their participa- administrative units, includ- Qatar’s exhibition creates “an athaf: Arab Museum presents four fi lms by Basim Magdy tion in the sixth edition of City- ing two schools with an area of exceptional opportunity” for of Modern Art in Doha made between 2012 and 2016: No scape Qatar, which will run until 47,800sqm, fi ve club houses, a real estate developers in Qatar to Mhas dedicated part of its Shooting Stars (2016), The Eve- March 15 at the Doha Exhibition 24,500sqm hypermarket, and promote their projects. museum to a new exhibition of ryday Ritual of Solitude Hatching and Convention Centre (DECC). eight mosques, two of which are Ezdan Real Estate Company work by acclaimed artist Basim Monkeys (2014), The Dent (2014), During the three-day event, grand mosques, and a 2,965sqm recently announced a number of Magdy, opening tomorrow. and Time Laughs Back at You Like the group will announce the lat- administrative building. renovations carried out within On show until July 16, the ex- a Sunken Ship (2012). est developments in its various In the hospitality sector, a large number of its residential hibition, entitled ‘It All Started The lyrical and poetic nar- A still from Time Laughs Back at You Like a Sunken Ship. projects across diff erent invest- Ezdan Hotels Company, a sub- compounds in Doha, including With a Map and a Picture of ratives in the fi lms unveil the ment sectors, according to a sidiary of the Ezdan Holding Abu Bakr residential building. Scattered Little Houses’ is on exchange between human rela- in Qatar. Commenting on the stories of true and imagined ex- statement. Group, will announce new de- Ezdan Mall, one of Ezdan view at Mathaf’s Project Space, tionships, time, perception and project, Abdellah Karroum, di- periences. These trace the proc- The statement said Ezdan velopments and details on the Holding Group subsidiaries, an- dedicated to emerging artists memory. Exploring the transi- rector of Mathaf, said: “We are esses of desire and disappoint- Real Estate Company will dis- launch of The Curve Hotel, lo- nounced the opening of the fi rst and curators’ experimentations tion from analogue to digital, delighted to show his works in ment in humanity’s attempts at close the latest updates of the cated in the heart of Doha. The phase of Ezdan Mall Al Wakrah. with new ideas and forms of Magdy addresses the reconcili- Mathaf’s Project Space, which reshaping society’s systems and Ezdan Oasis project and the size hotel consists of 600 rooms The mall spans over a surface of presentation. ation of tradition and ritual as is dedicated to new tenden- structures. of its achievement in the project and suites spread over 24 fl oors. 64,785sqm and is located oppo- Presented by Qatar Museums the world move towards futuris- cies in artistic production and To open his installation, dubbed as “the land of the Another Ezdan Hotels’ project, site to Al Wakra General Hospi- under the leadership of its chair- tic, industrialised tendencies of emerging curatorial practices.” Magdy will be in conversa- million.” the Ezdan Palace Hotel, fea- tal. In preparation for its grand person, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa existence universally. In addition to fi lm, Magdy tion with curator Laura Barlow The Oasis is a residential tures luxurious architectural opening, Grand hypermarket bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Mathaf’s collaboration with works in painting, drawing, text at Mathaf, today at 5.30pm, as project expected to accommo- design and consists of 194 hotel was also inaugurated at Ezdan and curated by Laura Barlow, cu- Basim Magdy marks the artist’s and photography. The narratives part of the Museum’s public date more than 35,000 people. apartments. Mall Al Wukair, in collaboration rator at Mathaf, the exhibition fi rst presentation of his work of his fi lms blur fi ctional and real programme, Mathaf Talks. Located in Al Wukair area, Ezdan Ali Mohamed al-Obaidli, with Regency Group.

2,500kg of meat destroyed

Doha Municipality’s Health Control Section seized 2,500kg of meat, in the form of carcasses, from a storehouse at the Industrial Area, for manipulating the expiry date. The original information label on the carcasses were found replaced with new ones with extended expiry date. The seized carcasses were destroyed and the storehouse issued a violation report in accordance with the stipulation of law no. 9 for 1990 on the Regulation of Human Food Control.

WCM-Q symposium focuses on capacity building in healthcare

ustainability, pro- fessional develop- Sment and evolution of healthcare were dis- cussed as Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) held its Building Capacity in Healthcare Professions symposium. The two-day event was organised by WCM-Q’s Institute for Population Health with the collabora- tion with the divisions of pre-medical education and admissions. Dr Sohaila Cheema speaking at a workshop. The event featured work- shops that allowed in- ing the impact that design Qatar Computing Research lessons to have come out depth study of topic, along has on the development of Institute. From WCM-Q, of the symposium was the with lectures by medical healthcare, and WCM-Q’s Dr Alan Weber spoke about ever greater need for inter- and healthcare experts. Dr Ravinder Mamtani and narrative medicine and professional collaboration The aim of the sympo- Dr Sohaila Cheema leading Maha Elnashar and Huda and lifelong learning.” sium was to demonstrate a discussion about lifestyle Abdelrahim focused on Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean, to the delegates that con- medicines. cultural competence. WCM-Q, spoke about devel- tinuous learning and im- Other workshops cov- Dr Mamtani said, “We oping innovation in the train- provement are the basis for ered a systems approach to are interested in support- ing of healthcare profession- capacity building. capacity building and life- ing programmes and ac- als, and the megatrends like Subjects for the work- long learning by Dr William tivities that can help Qatar climate change, non-com- shops were varied, and in- Bozeman from University move forward and that’s a municable diseases, and ur- cluded Peter Martin, the in- of Central Florida, social commitment we have given banisation, that are impacting terim chair of graphic design media research and practice to Qatar and its healthcare healthcare – and the need for at Virginia Commonwealth in health by Dr Luis Luque practitioners. I think that healthcare education to evolve University in Qatar, discuss- and Ingmar Weber from the one of the most important to address those trends. Gulf Times 10 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR Doha welcomes offi cials and public to GCC Traffi c Week By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

enior traffi c offi cials and delegates from Qatar and neighbouring countries converged on Doha yester- Sday to open the 33rd GCC Traffi c Week, taking place at Darb Al Saai, Al Sadd. Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi , the Director General of Public Security, with Brigadier Mo- hamed Saad al-Kharji, the Director General of the Gen- eral Directorate of Traffi c, and French ambassador Eric Chevallier led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. A statement from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that the delegations visited the headquarters of the Gen- eral Directorate of Traffi c yesterday morning to discuss the latest traffi c developments in Gulf countries. Staff Maj Gen al-Khulaifi, Brig al-Kharji, and French ambassador Chevallier at 33rd GCC Traff ic The offi cials also tackled ways of strengthening co- Week. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam operation between the GCC countries, aimed at raising Desert rescue vehicles displayed at Darb Al Saai. the level of traffi c awareness to reduce road accidents, ac- cording to MoI. The opening ceremony at Darb Al Saai saw offi cials touring various stalls of public and private entities tak- ing part in the event, including Lekhwiya, Hamad Medi- cal Corporation (HMC), Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS), Al Fazaa, and a number of driving schools. Exhibitors are distributing several leafl ets, brochures, and other reading materials to visitors, highlighting their programmes and services that help in preventing traffi c accidents and ensure safer roads. At this year’s event, dubbed “Your Life is Trust”, are a series of lectures and seminars, competitions and enter- tainment activities as part of its eff orts to continuously educate the public, especially road users, on road safety. Many participants are highlighting key messages on road safety, particularly the wearing of seat belts at all times and not using mobile phones while driving. In a brochure distributed to visitors, the General Direc- torate of Traffi c suggests that pedestrians use zebra lines and observe traffi c signals, among others, when crossing roads. Pedestrians should also keep away from the edge of roads and pavements, and to get a clear view of traffi c movements. Motorists, on the other hand, should slow down to 40kph while approaching roundabouts, traffi c signals, pedestrian crossings, and intersections. Motorists are also advised to give children, senior citi- zens, and people with disabilities enough time to cross the road. The event is set to welcome students from diff erent schools across Qatar from 8am to 12noon, while families and the public can come from 4pm to 10pm. Karwa Driving School is allowing visitors to try some of its state-of-the-art truck and light vehicle rollover simu- lators as part of its eff ort to support and promote safe and defensive driving in Qatar. Lekhwiya and the General Directorate of Traffi c are also showcasing their latest vehicles and modern equipment being used in their operations. Meanwhile, HMC and QRCS personnel are providing free lectures on fi rst aid and life-saving techniques. Organisers have set up volleyball and mini football courts, as well as a play area for children who want to take engage in sports activities at the venue. There are also food stalls, eateries, and cafes.

Children enjoy driving toy cars at Darb Al Saai.

Commercial Bank off ering special rewards for Qataris

ommercial Bank is rewarding Qatari customers this dividend distribution season with a range of Csavings off ers and exclusive premium banking privileges. Commercial Bank is encouraging Qatari customers to save their dividend payments, or any new funds, by of- fering generous time deposit rates available until April 30, 2017. For a limited period, Qatari customers can receive de- posit rates as high as 3.25% per annum for up to three years, through fl exible tenor options starting from three months. New Qatari customers also automatically qualify to become Sadara members and enjoy Commercial Bank’s privilege services that off er a VIP banking relationship and complimentary access to the Bank’s Sadara lounges. Commercial Bank provides dividend distribution serv- ices for several known companies on the Qatar Exchange. For greater shareholder convenience, the bank encour- ages customers to collect their dividends through auto- matic transfer using the Qatar Central Securities Deposi- tory service, or through Commercial Bank’s Dividend Online Portal, allowing shareholders to easily manage their dividend payments online. Commercial Bank executive general manager for Gov- ernment and Public Sector, Khalifa al-Rayes, said: “As a Qatari bank, we have a responsibility to encourage our customers to save for the future. To reward our Qatari customers for saving their dividends with us, we are pleased to off er highly competitive deposit rates during this dividend season, together with privileged banking products that make them feel welcomed at Commercial Bank.”

Gulf Times 12 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR Conserving Qatar-UK alumni meet Building contest gets under way atar General Electricity and Water Participants are also advised to print the Corp (Kahramaa) has started receiv- copy of the fi lled application and submit the HE the Minister Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, British ambassador Ajay Sharma and other dignitaries at the annual gala Qing entries for its 5th Conserving same with the copies of necessary documents dinner of the Qatar-UK Alumni Network in Doha on Saturday. The dinner was a “high-profile networking event featuring celebrity guest speakers Building Competition as part of the National to the offi ce of the Manager, Conservation & who share their experience and success stories with the network’s members”, according to information available on the British Council website. Programme for Conservation and Energy Ef- Energy Effi ciency Department, 11th fl oor, PICTURE: Nasar TK fi ciency, Tarsheed. Kahramaa Main offi ce on or before March 20. The competition, launched by the Con- The contest started primarily with four servation and Energy Effi ciency Department sectors in 2012 initially — Commercial, Gov- with the slogan ‘Green from the Ground Up’, ernment, Residential and Industrial sectors is open to all buildings comprising industrial, in its fi rst year. Sports Venues Sector and governmental, commercial, and residential, tourism were added consecutively. sport and tourism sectors. It is open for all Winning buildings from each sector shall sectors but only completed buildings are eli- receive an award and a certifi cate for being Ikea celebrates its fourth gible for the competition. a role model in the fi eld of Building Conser- All entries must be submitted with com- vation and shall be honoured during the 5th plete drawings (maps) such as site plan, Tarsheed annual celebration to be held in sectional elevation depicting room height, April 2017. plumbing, electrical, air conditioning and ‘Conserving buildings’ are buildings that anniversary in the country ventilation etc along with equipment sched- reduce electricity and water consumption, ule for the building, if available. carbon emissions, and provide better living Kahramaa will assess the applications/en- for residents in State of Qatar. wedish home furnishing re- tries by site verifi cation by an expert panel The National Programme for Conservation tailer, Ikea — part of Al-Fut- comprising research centres, universities and and Energy Effi ciency Tarsheed through its Staim – marked four years on ministries. multi-folded strategies and initiatives, aims Saturday since welcoming visitors Tarsheed Conserving Building Competi- at reaching all segments of the society to cre- to its fi rst and only store in Doha. tion recognises the buildings that incorpo- ate awareness for the conservation and to Kicking off its four year anniver- rate, support and promote best practices motivate the whole society to work together sary in style, Ikea has unveiled an in conservation of energy, water and other for a special cause, contributing to the goals array of special off ers on more than natural resources. and ambitions of the Qatar National Vision 400 products, including bedroom, Interested parties may apply for the com- 2030. kitchen, living room, bathroom and petition via Kahramaa website www.km.qa/ The prime target of the programme is to kids products until March 18. tarsheed where they will get the details. reduce the per capita water and electricity During the celebration, the Qa- Entries will be accepted until March 20. consumption, save resources and decrease tar Ikea store has planned daily in- Details are also available on 4484-6878. CO2 emissions. store events for children, including circus-themed games, diff erent fun-fi lled activities and lots of food Qatar Museums displays top six coins of the Islamic world to go around. Vinod Jayan, regional general The six most important Islamic gold coins During this creation process, other trial manager – Ikea UAE, Qatar, Egypt in the world are currently held in the Qatar strikes resulted, namely the celebrated Stand- and Oman, recalled that ‘Ikea, to- Museums collection and will be exhibited ing Caliph gold coin, the world’s most impor- gether with a dedicated team of together for the first time in history at The New tant Islamic coin and the highlight of this show. co-workers, has been able to grow York Times Art for Tomorrow Conference at the Founder of Numismatica Genevensis Dr and develop the brand in Qatar by Museum of Islamic Art. Alain Baron told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that establishing the store as a go-to These six Islamic coins in the “Masterpieces Qatar has become one of the biggest collectors destination for retail.’ of Islamic Coinage in Doha” exhibition tell a of Islamic coins collections, especially that “This is a very exciting time story of the rise of Arab identity and the forma- these which have never been displayed before for us, as the Doha Festival City tion of the Islamic world. in the history of museums and collections, Mall will be opening its doors next These coins are the earliest witnesses of praising Qatar’s role as guarder of history and month. We are now part of a desti- Islam. identity of the Islamic civilisation. nation that is more than just retail They were struck as early as the century of Baron pointed out that coins have an – so we are excited to welcome the Children queue up to enjoy face painting during Ikea anniversary celebrations at its Qatar store. the Prophet and they detail some of the first important cultural role in society, stressing in new and engaged audiences com- dated illustrations of the suras of the Holy this regard Qatar Museums’ mission aimed at ing to see the entertainment, lei- “With Doha Festival City open- and dining outlets and areas avail- life at home for the people of Qatar. Qur’an in history. raising the public awareness about lives and sure and retail off ering as well as ing its doors on April 5, 2017, the able to the public. In the words of our founder, Ingvar Starting from imitations of Byzantine coins human habits during antiquity. continue to enjoy what we have to Ikea store will be within a great “We look forward to many more Kamprad, most things still remain where the Christian symbols were deliberately “This is exhibition is the first step in the off er,” he said. vicinity of entertainment, fashion years of inspiring a better everyday to be done,” added Jayan. taken away, the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik process of generating the awareness and ibn Marwan, with his remarkable political spirit, publicity that this magnificent collection ended up creating the first purely Islamic coin deserves,” he added The New York Times Art in 77 AH (696 CE). for Tomorrow Conference 2017, will explore This marked the birth of the dinar which the theme ‘Boundaries, Identity & the Public is still the currency used in many countries Realm’, and is organised in association with Kawader programme opens registration for new term throughout the region today. Qatar Museums.

atar Finance and Business Applications to the Kawader cational initiative consisting of a said: “Since the programme’s in- Academy (QFBA) has an- programme this year will open on four-month vocational training ception, four generations of gradu- Qnounced the opening of March 15 and close on April 15. programme designed specifi cally ates have gained the most impor- registration for the next academic “Applicants will be considered for potential business leaders and tant skills and educational tools term of the Kawader programme, on the basis of the following eligi- future decision-makers in Qatar’s to form a welcome addition to the Honda recalls two models which will begin in September. bility criteria: a minimum cumula- emerging fi nancial services indus- country’s fi nancial institutions. The academy has called on those tive GPA of 2.8, a minimum grade try. “We hope the fi fth academic wishing to build their capacities of 76 in TOEFL or a minimum Aimed at recent graduates, Ka- term enjoys the same level of suc- he Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in follow up on the maintenance and repair works and hone their skills to join the grade of 6 in IELTS (or any other wader combines classroom-based, cess and continues Kawader’s jour- collaboration with Doha Marketing Serv- and communicate with customers to ensure programme as a prelude to realis- qualifi cation equivalent to TOEFL academic learning with practi- ney and QFBA’s future aspirations.” Tices Company (Domasco), has announced that the necessary repairs are carried out. ing their ambition to assume lead- and IELTS that indicates mastery cal, on-the-job training to deliver Upon completion of Kawader, the recall of Honda Accord and Pilot 2012 mod- The MEC has urged all customers to report ing roles in the country’s fi nancial of the English language), an excel- an intensive and holistic fi nan- individuals are diff erentiated from els over a potential malfunction in the front pas- any violations to its Consumer Protection and services sector. lent command of spoken and writ- cial services training programme their peers by having advanced senger airbag. The MEC said the recall campaign Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through This follows the success of the ten English, as well as the ability to that equips every participant with skills in leadership, management comes within the framework of its ongoing eff orts the following channels: Hotline: 16001, e- previous academic terms and the demonstrate their interest in the practical skills and competencies and personal development, as well to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers mail: [email protected], Twitter: @MEC_Qa- graduation of the fourth cohort of fi nancial services sector,” the state- in cross-functional areas of the fi - as an in-depth understanding of follow up on vehicle defects and repairs. tar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app Kawader students in February, ac- ment noted. nancial services sector. local and international economic The MEC will co-ordinate with the dealer to for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar cording to a press statement. Kawader is an innovative edu- QFBA CEO Dr Abdulaziz al-Horr and fi nancial services topics.

Darwish Technology launches BeoPlay H4 wireless headphone

ang & Olufsen, represented and iSpace on Salwa Road along headband to add a singular de- BeoPlay App for Android, iPhone by Darwish Technology, with major retailers in Qatar for sign touch, and sliders are made and Apple Watch. Bthe technological arm of QR999 including two years in- of stainless steel, PVD coated and Bang & Olufsen sound engi- Darwish Holding, has intro- ternational warranty. hairline brushed. neers have created a variety of duced BeoPlay H4, a new wire- BeoPlay H4 comes with soft BeoPlay H4 comes with a sound profi les specifi cally for less headphone segment in a lambskin ear cushions as well as simple and intuitive user inter- BeoPlay H4: Commute, Clear, contemporary design by Danish a lambskin covered headband. face comprised of three buttons, Workout and Podcast. Jakob Wagner. The inside of the ear cushion a Micro USB connector and a Users can adjust the tonal- With an emphasis on pure is made of memory foam that 3.5mm jack. ity and sound staging themselves materials, pure design and pure adapts to the shapes and curves Simply press the centre button with B&O PLAY ToneTouch. sound, BeoPlay H4 off ers a beau- of the ear for a tight yet comfort- to answer/end calls, play/pause, Once adjusted, BeoPlay H4 tiful build quality with lambskin, able fi t. press upper or lower button for saves the setting on the product braided textile and aluminium. The ear cushions create pas- volume control and to skip tracks itself until adjusted again. The product has a minimalist sive noise isolation. and press upper and lower but- Connected to BeoPlay H4, the design expression with an un- The ear cup discs are made of tons simultaneously to pair the app makes it easy to monitor the mistakable link to the B&O PLAY aluminium which is stamped, headphones through Bluetooth. battery status of the headphones. design heritage and comes with polished and anodised, and the BeoPlay H4 comes with up to Users can control the music the renowned Bang & Olufsen logo on the plate has been laser- 19 hours of wireless music with a (play, pause, forward, back), and Signature Sound for a powerful etched in a matching colour, 2.5-hour charge. they can personalise the head- and authentic music experience. tuned by the laser cut itself. If BeoPlay H4 runs out of pow- phones in the app by giving it a The Beoplay H4, is available The cord connecting the head- er, the user can simply plug in the specifi c colour and name. at Bang & Olufsen, FNAC store, phones is encased in braided tex- enclosed mini jack cable to keep By connecting BeoPlay H4 to and iSpace at Lagoona Mall, Fifty tile that has been made partially enjoying music. BeoPlay App, users also receive The BeoPlay H4 wireless headphone. One East in Al Maha Showroom visible between the slider and the BeoPlay H4 is compatible with software updates over the air. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 13 QATAR

Tree Week instils awareness of plants

QNA Doha

unicipalities are celebrating Tree Week 2017 with a number of planting and gardening activities in addition Mto various workshops to raise awareness on the impor- tance of planting and the need to maintain and plant trees. In this regard, Al Daayen Municipality is organising several awareness activities and markets in co-operation with schools in order to increase environmental awareness and to highlight the eff orts of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to beau- tify neighbourhoods, streets and common areas. ‘A Flower Each Spring’ programme is celebrating tree week at its headquarters at Ras Matbakh, in Al Khor area by organising diff erent activities and events. Head of ‘A Flower Each Spring’ programme, Dr Saif Ali al- Hajari, encouraged to increase planting in the community, espe- cially desert plants. He urged people to plant using any method due to the importance of plants and their effi ciency to fi ght toxic gases such as carbon dioxide. He also called on parents to teach children planting, and raise their awareness on the importance to maintain lands and refrain from cutting plants. Awardees with al-Othman among other senior UDC executives. He also encouraged Qatari farmers to expand planting in their allocated space and help in raising awareness in the community. The trip was attended by the Holy Qur’an Centre, Al Markhi- ya Primary School for Girls, Friends of the Environment Center where they learnt about trees, methods to plant them, and ways UDC staff ers presented to care for vegetation. awards for long service nited Development Com- members who have completed for their contribution towards ensures that the skills and tech- In this sense, UDC accords high pany (UDC) recently or- 10 years of continuous service the growth and progress of the nical knowledge acquired at UDC importance to all employees by Uganised its annual staff at UDC. Al-Othman presented company and used the platform are nurtured and developed over creating a thriving work environ- gathering event at Marsa Malaz awards to as many as 12 long- to welcome new joiners reaffi rm- time and are retained within the ment for them and by investing Kempinski at The Pearl-Qatar, to serving employees, thanking ing that UDC remains a prestig- company.” in relevant training to improve “recognise employees’ hard work them for their continuous period ious workplace with a corporate The annual staff gathering performance quality and stimu- and dedication.” of service at UDC. culture that encourages diver- aims to establish communica- late career advancement. Sponsored by UDC Depart- Addressing employees at the sity, knowledge transfer and best tion channels and instill a spirit UDC had recently disclosed its ment of Human Capital, the function, al-Othman highlighted practice. of teamwork between top man- fi nancial results for the year 2016 Tree planting at Al Daayen Municipality. gathering was attended by Ibra- the company’s achievements and Al-Othman said, “Long- agement and employees. This, showing an increase in revenue him al-Othman, UDC President fi nancial performance in 2016, service awards are just one of in turn, mirrors UDC’s belief in by 66% compared to 2015 and a & CEO, members of executive while briefi ng employees on the many incentive policies we the signifi cance of human capi- net profi t of QR681mn in addi- management and employees. strategic plans and objectives set have adopted as part of our em- tal towards achieving corporate tion to an increase in operating The event also honoured staff for 2017. He praised employees ployee retention strategy. This mission and strategic objectives. profi t by 9% from 2015. Qatar and Unesco foster ties, sign MoU

Al Meera opens third Al Wakrah branch QNA fi elds of education, culture, Doha science and communication, and the eff orts made by the l Meera Consumer Goods Qatar National Commission Company has opened its he State of Qatar and for Education, Culture and Anew branch in Al Wakrah the United Nations Science and other institutions (East), its third Al Meera branch TEducational, Scientifi c and ministries to implement to open its doors to consumers in and Cultural Organisation joint programmes and activi- Al Wakrah. (Unesco) signed a memoran- ties with Unesco particularly The opening of the new shop- dum of understanding (MoU) with regard to the Education ping centre comes within the on Qatar’s contribution in the for All programmes, and pro- framework of Al Meera’s Cor- functioning of the Unesco grammes supporting educa- porate Social Responsibility by Regional Offi ce in Doha, and tion and sustainable devel- providing high quality products on the fi nancial support pro- opment post-2015, among to communities, and to keep pace vided by Qatar to the Unesco others. with the urban development and recently. The meeting touched on the population growth Qatar is wit- HE the Minister of Educa- importance of Unesco’s support nessing. tion and Higher Education Dr to activities and programmes The new Al Wakrah (East) Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali of Qatari network of schools shopping centre is located in the al-Hammadi, President of the associated with Unesco, espe- Al Jabal area and spans a total Qatar National Commission for cially as these schools are im- 2,267sq m, of which, 1,500sq m Education, Culture and Science, plementing programmes and comprises the supermarket area. signed the MoU on behalf of activities in line with the goals The branch provides sections for the government of the State of and objectives of the organisa- vegetables, fruits and delicates- Qatar, while Unesco Director- tion. The Director-General of sen, along with self-service sta- General Irina Bokova signed for Unesco extended her thanks and tions for chicken and meat. the organisation. appreciation to the State of Qa- A number of shops and restau- The signing took place dur- tar and HE the Minister on the rants will begin providing its serv- ing a meeting yesterday be- continued support for Unesco ices to its customers “at the soon- tween HE the Minister and the and its Regional Offi ce in Doha, est,” Al Meera said in a statement. Director-General of Unesco, which contributed positively The statement added the who is currently visiting the to achieving the organisation’s shopping centre was built in ac- Al Meera vice chairman Dr Saif Said al-Sowaidi at the opening ceremony in the presence of Al Meera management. country. During the meeting, goals. cordance with the highest inter- they discussed several topics, It may be recalled that Qatar national standards and furnished ther fulfi lling Al Meera’s vision are committed to providing the witnessed by Al Wakrah, whose shopping centres expansion plan. including a visit to archaeo- had nominated HE Dr Hamad with modern interior designs and of becoming Qatar’s ‘Favourite best services to all citizens and rise in residents required another There are six stores currently un- logical and heritage sites in bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, ad- lighting systems that ensure “a Neighbourhood Retailer’. residents in the state of Qatar, branch to meet their needs.” der construction: Rawdat Aba El Qatar such as Al Zubarah, viser at the Emiri Diwan, for distinctive shopping experience.” The opening ceremony was especially for the city dwellers The current expansion phase Heran, Azghawa, Leaibab, Umm which was added to the Unesco the post of Director-General of The supermarket is equipped inaugurated by Al Meera vice that witnessed a great popula- of fi ve stores, which is set to add Qarn, Al Khor, and Sailiya. These World Heritage List. the Unesco, and the elections with world-class technologies chairman Dr Saif Said al-Sowaidi tion growth. The opening of the a total of 9,709 sq m supermar- ‘state-of-the-art stores’ will They also discussed ways of will be held during the next and facilities, in addition to a in the presence of Al Meera man- Al Wakrah (East) branch comes ket area to Al Meera’s presence bring the expansion plan to a to- enhancing the relations be- session of the General Confer- large outdoor parking space, fur- agement. Al-Sowaidi said: “We as a result of the massive growth in Qatar, is part of Al Meera’s 14 tal of 11 out of 14 branches. tween Qatar and Unesco in the ence of Unesco.

Msheireb hosts CEO Forum

Msheireb Properties, a sub- become a blueprint for sharing sidiary of Qatar Foundation knowledge. It enables us to and master developer of the conduct productive debates to Msheireb Downtown Doha overcome critical issues and project, recently hosted another work together towards a com- successful CEO Forum. mon goal. The CEO Forum is a collabora- “We have learnt from the spe- tive event between Msheireb cialist knowledge that each of us Properties chief executive has obtained. I hope this inspires off icer Abdulla Hassan al-Meh- others to take this initiative shadi and the CEOs of Msheireb forward into future projects, and Downtown Doha’s principal is something that the industry contractors and consultants. itself takes onboard.” Initiated in 2014, the annual Attended by leading contrac- meeting encourages leaders tors and consultants that are to exchange insights, share contributing to the Msheireb best practice and identify areas Downtown Doha project, the where closer alliances could be CEO Forum is “one of the first formed. of its kind in the industry”, ac- Commenting on the CEO Forum, cording to a press statement. al-Mehshadi said: “Hosting this It enables contractors involved platform for co-operation and in the development of a major collaboration is another exam- project to engage in a produc- ple of the innovation we seek tive discussion about a number to achieve the best possible of prominent issues, keep com- outcome for ourselves and our munication open, tap into the partners. knowledge of every person and “Our annual CEO Forum has help push progress forward. Participants of the forum. Gulf Times 14 Monday, March 13, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD Border patrol Ex-Qaeda ally claims Damascus bombings

AFP tor said 11 bystanders and eight Beirut children were among the dead, as were 20 members of the pro- government security forces. yria’s former Al Qaeda State television gave a toll of affi liate Fateh al-Sham 40 killed and 120 wounded by SFront yesterday said in a “two bombs detonated by ter- statement it was behind twin rorists”, while Iraq’s foreign bombings targeting Shia pil- ministry said around 40 of its grims in the centre of Damas- nationals had died. cus that killed 74 people. In January, Fateh al-Sham “On Saturday...a twin at- Front also claimed responsi- tack was carried out by two bility for twin suicide bomb- heroes...in the centre of the ings in the high-security Kafr capital Damascus, killing and Sousa district of Damascus wounding dozens,” the state- that killed 10 people, eight of ment said. Without elaborat- them soldiers. ing, it called the bombings “a Damascus, stronghold of message to Iran and its mili- President Bashar al-Assad’s tias”. government, has been largely Iran and the Tehran-backed spared the violence that has Hezbollah movement of Leba- rocked other major cities in non are close allies of the Syr- Syria’s six-year war. ian government. But periodic bombings have The Syrian Observatory for targeted Shia shrines and were Human Rights said 43 Iraqi subsequently claimed by ex- pilgrims were among those tremists, including the Islamic Saudi border guards’ vehicles patrol the fence separating Saudi Arabia and Iraq, in the area around Arar city along the border yesterday. killed when a roadside bomb State militant group. detonated as a bus carrying The Sayyida Zeinab mauso- pilgrims made its way through leum to the south of Damas- the Ban al-Saghir area of Da- cus, Syria’s most visited Shia mascus’s famed Old City and pilgrimage site, has been hit by a suicide bomber blew himself several deadly bombings dur- up. The Britain-based moni- ing the war. Palestinian security men use France calls on Russia, Iran to ensure ceasefi re

‘teargas’ to disperse protest has climbed to 74, the Syr- Reuters Paris ian Observatory for Human AFP the protest in the Palestinian on March 5 by Israeli soldiers in for illegal possession of arms and day, his lawyer said. “What we Rights reported on Sunday. Ramallah, Palestinian Territories political capital Ramallah had Ramallah. endangering the lives of others. suff ered today is an attack on “France calls on the truce been peaceful, a group of hu- According to the Israeli army, Israel accused him of being our rights,” his father Mahmud he French foreign min- guarantors, especially Rus- man rights organisations said in he opened fi re at soldiers who the head of a cell planning at- al-Aaraj told reporters after the istry condemned a sia and Iran, who will meet alestinian security forces a statement. came to arrest him at his home tacks against Israel. The killing protest was dispersed. Tdeadly bombing in Da- in Astana next week, to put used teargas and batons Police said protesters had and was shot dead. of Aaraj provoked an outpouring Mohannad Karajeh, a lawyer mascus and called on truce pressure on parties to en- Pto disperse a protest yes- “blocked the road in front of the Aaraj was involved in both of support among Palestinians, defending the accused Pales- guarantors, especially Russia sure that ceasefire is fully terday at a court involved in the court” and that “they refused to protests against Israel’s occupa- including with graffi ti in Ramal- tinians, said he planned to fi le a and Iran, to ensure a ceasefi re respected,” the French case of fi ve Palestinians, includ- comply when security forces or- tion of the West Bank as well as lah and on social media. The four complaint on behalf of 12 pro- in Syria is fully respected. foreign ministry said in a ing one recently killed by Israeli dered them to clear the way”. the Palestinian leadership. other suspects were not present testers caught up in the disper- The death toll from a dou- statement. forces, activists and lawyers “Forces then deployed in ac- He was wanted by the Israelis, in court because they have since sal. ble bomb attack on Saturday Russian-backed peace said. cordance with the law,” they but had also been detained for been arrested by Israel. The Palestinian journalists’ targeting Shias visiting a talks are due to take place in The crowd dispersed included said. several months by the Palestin- Aaraj’s name was withdrawn union denounced the “shameful pilgrimage site in Damascus Astana on March 14-15. journalists and activists while Bassel al-Aaraj, 31, was killed ian Authority with four others from the list of suspects yester- aggression”. Youth Awareness drive Jordan releases soldier killed after raid accused of killings

AFP Reuters Amman Dubai Jordanian soldier who wanted person has been shot dead seven Israeli fatally wounded during Aschoolgirls in 1997 was Aan operation by Saudi released from prison yesterday security forces in eastern Saudi after serving out his life sen- Arabia, the interior ministry said tence, sparking outrage from yesterday, in the second incident the families of those killed. of its kind since Friday. In March 1997, Ahmad Residents said that a Dakamseh fi red an automatic 16-year-old youth died in the weapon at schoolgirls on a raid on Saturday morning tar- trip to the Jordan-Israel bor- geting wanted people in Awa- der, killing seven of them and miya, a restive town in the Qatif wounding fi ve others and a district. teacher. The interior ministry said “He is now a free man,” security forces came under fire his cousin Mohamed Yahya Relatives and friends gather outside a hall in Irbid, 90 kilometres while pursuing wanted men Dakamseh said by phone, say- north of the capital Amman yesterday, upon Ahmad Dakamseh’s who had been hiding in houses ing he had been released at release after serving 20 years in prison. vacated by inhabitants to pave around 1:00am after “he fi n- the way for a development ished his jail term”. came less than three years af- offi cial reaction from neigh- project intended to revamp the Dakamseh, who is aged 46 ter Jordan and Israel signed a bouring Israel, but relatives of area. “Security men came un- according to a family mem- peace treaty. the slain schoolgirls slammed der heavy gunfire at the Mu- ber, was released from the Bab Dakamseh was driven home Dakamseh’s release. sawara neighbourhood from al-Hawa prison in Irbid, 90 yesterday in a convoy of doz- “This morning takes us an unknown source, which A member of Libyan National Army (LNA) gives a class aimed at raising their awareness about kilometres north of the capi- ens of cars whose drivers were back 20 years, to that horrible required an appropriate re- mines and explosives, to schoolboys in Benghazi yesterday. tal Amman. He had been sen- honking their horns, a video day,” said Hezi Cohen, whose sponse,” the statement, carried tenced to life imprisonment, shared on social media showed. daughter Nirit was shot dead in by state news agency SPA said. which in Jordan is 20 years. Dakamseh’s brother Bassem the attack. “As a result, Walid Talal Ali Dakamseh, who hails from said the family home was full “I’d like to tell the (Israeli) al-Arayedh, who is wanted CELEBRATION Irbid’s Ebder area, was a mar- of well-wishers. “He is in good prime minister and defence by security authorities, was Parade sees tributes to convicted trooper ried father-of-three at the time health, wearing a black suit minister: Our children’s blood wounded and taken to a hospi- of the attack. among his relatives and close should not be worthless,” he tal where he later died.” Israeli settlers celebrating a Jewish holiday in the cheers from some in the crowd. The lawyer, Itamar His motives were never en- family including his 78-year- told Israeli news website Ynet. Residents reached by tele- occupied West Bank yesterday paid tribute to a sol- Ben-Gvir, wore an army uniform with a picture of tirely clear, but he told the na- old mother,” his brother said. “You should have acted vis- phone said at least seven other dier who shot dead a wounded Palestinian fighter, Azaria taped to his chest. tional security court during his Videos circulated on so- a-vis Jordan to prevent this re- people were wounded in the with some even dressing up as him. He posed alongside Benzi Gopstein, who heads trial that he fi red his weapon cial media showed Dakamseh lease at any cost.” raid, while wanted men man- A parade in the city of Hebron for Purim, which the far-right group Lehava and who dressed as US at the schoolgirls after they greeting relatives and posing Orit Cohen, whose sis- aged to escape. sees participants dress up, began at the spot where President Donald Trump, his hair dyed orange. mocked him while he was pray- for selfi es with visitors. ter Keren was killed, said: Activists posted video and the shooting which deeply divided Israeli society Ben-Gvir said their message was that Azaria would ing. Dakamseh told Jordanian “Who says that tomorrow he audio recordings of heavy au- occurred on the same holiday last year. have been treated as a hero had the shooting oc- Jordan’s then ruler King media yesterday that he was (Dakamseh) won’t carry out tomatic fire and images of ve- The parade traditionally begins there, but this year curred under a Trump presidency. Hussein condemned the at- “against any destabilisation in another attack and murder hicles riddled with bullets from it took on particular significance — a prominent far- Several hundred people took part in the parade in tack and later travelled to Is- the country”, but that his opin- more Israelis?” the raid, which they said lasted right lawyer dressed up as the soldier, Sgt. Hebron, where the presence of some 500 Israeli rael to off er his condolences to ion of Israelis had not changed. Israel Fatihi, whose daughter for about three hours. Elor Azaria, who has been convicted of manslaugh- settlers in the heart of the city of some 200,000 the families of the murdered “As for my position on the Sivan was killed in the attack, The authenticity of the re- ter. At least one other person also dressed up in Palestinians leads to near-constant tension. schoolgirls. Zionists, you all know...what I said the Israeli ambassador to cordings could not immediate- tribute to Azaria, and a loudspeaker announcement Security was tight, with a large deployment of His government also paid did 20 years ago,” he said. Jordan had warned them of the ly be verified. as the parade began thanked the soldier, drawing Israeli soldiers and police. compensation. The attack There was no immediate Jordanian’s release. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 15 ARAB WORLD

Displaced people flee their homes, while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul yesterday. A Federal Police member flashes a victory sign during a battle with Islamic State militants in the Mansour district of Mosul. Iraqi forces take third of west Mosul

AFP ernment headquarters and the now under the control of secu- the lives of the citizens,” said the city, Iraqi forces last month June 2014, forcing them to kneel advance, the monitoring group Mosul, Iraq famed Mosul museum. rity forces. the JOC’s spokesman, Brigadier set their sites on the west, where along a nearby ravine and then said, and several coalition air By yesterday, Iraqi forces were CTS forces were battling IS General Yahya Rasool. hundreds of thousands of civilians shooting them with assault rifl es. strikes hit the outskirts of Raqa tightening the noose. inside the Mosul al-Jadida and IS resistance “has begun to remain trapped. The US-led coalition launched early yesterday. raqi forces seized a third of “ISIS is trapped. Just last Al-Aghawat areas yesterday, he weaken in a big way”, he added. Northwest of Mosul, Iraqi forc- air strikes against IS in Syria and Turkish-backed rebels are also west Mosul and trapped Is- night, the 9th Iraqi army divi- said. IS seized Mosul in mid-2014 es on Saturday announced they Iraq in 2014 and is providing a advancing against IS in northern Ilamic State group fi ghters in- sion...cut off the last road out of Iraq’s Joint Operations Com- and swept across areas north and had uncovered a mass grave con- range of support to allied forces in Syria, as are government troops side as they made further gains Mosul,” the US envoy to the anti- mand (JOC) said that forces from west of Baghdad, taking control of taining the remains of hundreds both countries. supported by Russia. in their battle to retake the city, IS coalition, Brett McGurk, told the Rapid Response Division, swathes of territory and declaring of people executed by IS inside the In Syria the coalition is backing The Britain-based Observatory offi cials said yesterday. journalists in Baghdad. another special forces unit, and a “caliphate” straddling the bor- infamous Badush prison, taken an Arab-Kurdish alliance known also reported fi ghting yesterday Fierce fi ghting has shaken “Any of the fi ghters who are the federal police were also at- der with Syria. this week. as the Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Aleppo province where Mosul in recent days as thou- left in Mosul, they’re going to tacking the Bab al-Toub area on Backed by a US-led air strikes The Hashed al-Shaabi para- (SDF) that is pushing towards the the militants forced regime troops sands of US-backed Iraqi sol- die there,” he said.”We are very the edge of Mosul’s Old City. and other support, Iraqi forces military forces found “a large mass militants’ de facto capital Raqa. to fall back from the outskirts of diers and police battle to reclaim committed to not just defeating “The battle is not easy...we are have since retaken much of the grave containing the remains of Yesterday the SDF fought fi erce the Jarrah military airport. the country’s second city. them in Mosul, but making sure fi ghting an irregular enemy who territory they lost. around 500 civilian prisoners in battles with IS militants east of Russian and Syrian strikes hit A renewed push against the these guys cannot escape.” hides among the citizens and The operation to recapture Mo- (Badush) prison who were execut- Raqa, around the village of Khas IS-held areas in the province, militants launched last Sunday Staff Major General Maan al- uses tactics of booby-trapping, sul — then the last Iraqi city under ed by (IS) gangs,” the military said. Ajil, the Syrian Observatory for Observatory said, with eight civil- has seen IS forced from several Saadi of the elite Counter-Ter- explosions and suicide bomb- IS control — was launched in Oc- According to Human Rights Human Rights said. ians, mostly from the same family, neighbourhoods and key sites, rorism Service said that “more ers, and the operation is taking tober. Watch, IS gunmen executed up to SDF forces took control of fi ve killed in a strike on the village of including the main local gov- than a third” of west Mosul was place with precision to preserve After recapturing the east of 600 inmates from the prison in villages as they continued a slow Maskanah. Egypt’s capital set to grow by half a million this year

Reuters Those children eventually migrate be affected by hikes in the prices of Cairo to larger cities for job opportunities goods and services, the economic scarce in their hometowns. growth rate must be double the natu- “In rural areas, and in the south in ral population increase rate,” Abdel- airo’s population is set to grow particular, poor families have many galil said. by 500,000 this year, more children because they see these chil- Egypt’s economic growth was 4.3% Cthan any other city in the dren as a safety net,” Maysa Shawky, in 2015-2016 — not enough to achieve world, adding to the pressure on an the head of the National Population that. Egyptian economy struggling to re- Council, told Reuters in an interview. The IMF expects it to be about 4% cover from six years of political tur- “Also, many of them have daugh- this year. moil. ters until they have sons,” she A new administrative capital, an- Greater Cairo, a metropolitan area added.”They want to produce bread- nounced in March 2015, is intended including the cities of Cairo, Giza and winners — instead of hiring a worker, partly to reduce the crowding in Cai- Qalyubia, is home to some 22.8mn they could have their children help ro. people and will gain another half a them.” Some 45km to the east, it will be million in 2017, a Euromonitor In- Shawky said awareness campaigns home to government ministries, ternational report released last week at universities and schools have be- housing and an airport. ONE SMOKER. shows. gun as part of a national population People will start moving to the as That represents a quarter of strategy. yet-unnamed new city in 2018, said Egypt’s 92mn. Internal migration is one of the Khaled Abbas, assistant to the hous- The national natural population main causes of overpopulation in ing minister for technical affairs. growth of 2.4% per year is dou- Cairo. Work on 17,000-18,000 residential TWO PATIENTS. ble the average of other developing Egypt lists 351 slums as “unsafe”, units is nearing completion and they countries, said Mohamed Abdelgalil, most of them in the sprawling capi- will be put up for sale in April. adviser to official statistics agency tal where the poorest have built ram- “Egypt’s population is expected Capmas. shackle homes that lack basic ameni- to reach 160-180mn in 40 years. Stinging poverty in southern Egypt ties such as mains sewage and water. Where will all these people go?” said leads many families to have several Some 850,000 people are believed Abbas.”We’re also working on devel- children in the hope they can become to live in such dangerous slums. oping areas in northern and southern sources of income. “For the average citizen to not Egypt.” TOBACCO KILLS

Issued in Public Interest by People shop at Al Ataba, a popular market in downtown Cairo, Egypt. GULF TIMES Gulf Times 16 Monday, March 13, 2017 AFRICA 30 killed in landslide at Ethiopia dump site AFP squatters who scavenged for a through the rubbish yesterday Addis Ababa living in the dump, she said. afternoon looking for survivors Musa Suleiman Abdulah, who and any dead. lost his wooden shack topped Ibrahim Mohammed, a day la- Excavators move earth as rescuers work at the site of a landslide at the main landfill of Addis Ababa on the outskirts of the city. At least 30 t least 30 people died and with plastic sheeting in the slide, bourer living at the landfi ll whose people died and dozens more were hurt in a landslide at the rubbish dump, a tragedy squatters living there blamed on a biogas plant being dozens more hurt in a gi- said when it happened, he heard house was narrowly spared de- built nearby. Aant landslide at Ethiopia’s “a big sound”. struction by the slide, said that largest rubbish dump outside “When we came out, some- the tragedy happened in “like en people living in each of them Degefe blamed the collapse on and “pressed ... down”. 1984-85 after extreme drought. Addis Ababa, a tragedy squatters thing like a tornado is rushing to three minutes”. were built on the trash. a new biogas plant being con- The journalist also saw cracks In recent years, the country living there blamed on a biogas us. We started to collect family He estimated that more than People had built the houses structed on top of the hill. in the ground at the top of the has been one of Africa’s top-per- plant being built nearby. members” and escape, he said. 300 people were living on the about two to three years ago, said The AFP journalist saw bull- hill, suggesting that more of the forming economies and a mag- Saturday’s landslide saw doz- “People helped. My child and landfi ll. Berhanu Degefe, a rubbish col- dozers on top of the hill pushing pile could slide. net for foreign investment, with ens of homes of people living in family left before the destruction Construction materials, lector who lives at the dump but piles of rubbish around. Koshe, whose name means growth in near-double digits and the dump levelled after a part of happened.” wooden sticks and plastic sheet- whose home was not destroyed. Degefe said they were levelling “dirt” in local slang, was closed huge infrastructure investment. the largest pile of rubbish at the The streets in the neighbour- ing could be seen in the wreck- “Their livelihood depends on ground for the plant, increasing last year by city authorities who Still, nearly 20mn Ethiopians Koshe landfi ll collapsed, an AFP hood below the slide were fi lled age, the AFP journalist said. the trash. They collect from here pressure on the hillside and caus- asked people to move to a new live below the poverty line set by journalist said. with women sobbing and wail- The Koshe site has for more and they live here,” Degefe said, ing the collapse. dump site outside Addis Ababa. the World Bank. “The death toll is now 30,” said ing. than 40 years been the main gar- referring to the victims and other Mohammed also blamed the But the community there did Critics have hit out at the Dagmawit Moges, head of the Bystanders said there were still bage dump for Addis Ababa, a squatters. biogas factory construction for not want the landfi ll, and so the government’s economic poli- city communications bureau, people trapped under the slide, rapidly growing city of some 4mn “This part, all of it went down,” the tragedy, saying that trash had garbage collectors moved back. cies saying they have a limited adding that the number of fatali- but police was preventing people people. he said, gesturing at a huge chunk been compressed and the sliding Poverty and food insecurity trickle-down eff ect from the ties could rise further. from getting close to the site. According to local residents, of the hill that suddenly slid. happened “because a lot of gar- are sensitive issues in Ethiopia, elite down to the majority of the Many of the victims were Six people were digging some 50 houses with about sev- “Many people died last night.” bage is dumped on the top level” which was hit by a famine in people.

Civilians foil suicide attack in Nigeria

Civilian vigilantes foiled a suicide attack on the outskirts of Nigeria’s ANC paper says party must end graft, infi ghting flashpoint city of Maiduguri, killing two teenaged female bombers, police said yesterday. Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency has frequently used young Reuters so white-owned land could be women and girls to stage suicide bombings. Johannesburg redistributed to black South Af- “Two female suicide bombers, about 18 years of age ... were ricans without compensation sighted by the civilian JTF (Joint Task Force, a vigilante group) and for owners, a measure long-pro- consequently shot dead by security personnel,” police spokesman outh Africa’s ruling African posed by the left wing Economic Victor Isuku said in a statement. National Congress (ANC) Freedom Fighters (EFF), and The would-be bombers were killed on Saturday as they tried to Sneeds to end corruption supported by many poor voters. break into Maiduguri, the provincial capital of Borno state where and party divisions, and deliver The ANC, which lost some Boko Haram was born. on promises to tackle poverty if it votes in last year’s municipal Isuku said no one else was killed or injured in the incident, though a is to halt a decline in voter sup- elections to the EFF, has not rescue services off icial said a vigilante had been hurt. port, a party policy document made this an offi cial party policy Abdulkadir Ibrahim of the National Emergency Management said yesterday. in a sign of divisions within the Agency (NEMA) said one of the bombers was pregnant. The report was produced by party. the party leadership and comes In the policy documents the as the ANC prepares to select ANC acknowledged that it was in Niger drought leaves schools closed a successor to President Jacob the grip of the “insidious impact Zuma this year. Ramaphosa: regarded by some of” factional fi ghting. More than half of schoolchildren have quit class in some parts of It warned that the party which ANC members as Zuma’s rightful Zuma’s term as ANC leader Zuma: his term as ANC leader Niger due to drought which is forcing entire families of farmers to has ruled virtually unopposed heir. ends at the end of the year, and ends this year. move to seek better pastures, the UN said on Friday. since the end of apartheid in the party will hold a conference Some 33,000 farmers’ children have abandoned class to follow 1994 now faced “declining for- tions and is set to challenge the then to choose a new leader. (AU) chairwoman, and his ex- their parents, with the worst hit areas including the central regions tunes”. report in court. The party’s constitution does wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of Maradi and Zinder, Agadez in the north and Tahoua in the west. The ANC has been under se- “The ANC faces declining for- not bar him from standing for a for the leadership of the party In January the government said there had been a “feed deficit” of vere pressure to respond with tunes,” said the strategy paper, third term, but he has repeatedly and ultimately the country, while over 12mn tonnes for 2016, meaning there was simply not enough new policies after municipal released publicly ahead of a pol- said he will not. some in the party regard Deputy feed for the country’s 40mn livestock animals. elections last year when it lost its icy conference on June 30. “In- Analysts say jockeying be- President Cyril Ramaphosa as To help ease the crisis the UN Off ice for the Co-ordination of grip on cities including Pretoria ternal squabbles, money politics, tween factions backing rival can- the rightful heir. Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA) in Niamey said it was organising and Johannesburg. corruption and poor perform- didates to replace Zuma as party “There are a number of com- stocks of animal feed and other “means of substinence”. More than two decades after Dlamini-Zuma: expected to have ance in government all conspire leader has seen the ANC govern- peting discourses inside the the ANC ended white-minority Zuma’s backing to succeed him. to undermine its legitimacy in ment take its eye off much-need- ANC, with the more populist rule with Nelson Mandela at its the eyes of the broader public.” ed policy implementation. message coming from Zuma and Mali plans new Senate chamber helm, inequality festers. damaged by deep discontent over While the discussion paper They say this has played a role his supporters, versus a centrist Black people make up 80% high unemployment as well as talked broadly about reducing in the country is teetering on the group that sees the constitution Mali’s government proposed a bill on Friday to establish a new of the 54mn population, yet the scandals surrounding Zuma, who unemployment and inequality, as brink of a credit downgrade, with as the fi nal arbiter,” said director Senate chamber as part of a shake-up of its constitution designed lion’s share of the economy in was alleged in a government cor- well as ending government cor- all three major rating agencies of Political Futures Daniel Silke. to reinforce democracy in the West African country, according to a terms of ownership of land and ruption report last year to have ruption and improving economic citing political uncertainty and “These voices will get louder as government statement. companies remains in the hands granted undue infl uence over his growth, it contained few specifi c low economic growth as major we move closer to succession, The body will be one of eight key institutions of state that include of white people, who account for cabinet and state companies to a policies. risks. and will almost certainly lead the president, government, national assembly and supreme court, around 8% of the population. business family. Zuma called this month for Zuma is widely expected to to serious factional schisms by the government said after an extraordinary meeting of the council The ruling party has also been Zuma has denied the allega- the constitution to be changed back outgoing African Union year-end.” of ministers headed by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Electric rail fails to lighten Ethiopia’s traffi c troubles

By Chris Stein, AFP light rail was supposed to ease Corporation (CREC) at a cost of Addis Ababa traffi c in the capital of Africa’s $475mn (€447mn), 85% of which second most populous country. was covered by China’s Export- It is the fi rst system of its kind Import Bank. lectric light railway tracks in sub-Saharan Africa, and has Excited commuters queued for soar over Ethiopia’s capital caught the attention of other hours to be the fi rst to ride the EAddis Ababa, a rare exam- cities such as Lagos and Nairobi tramway when it opened but now ple of mass transit infrastructure which are planning their own say it is not the transportation on a continent ruled by ram- traffi c-reducing tramways. game-changer they had hoped shackle, diesel-spewing buses. Ethiopian offi cials have touted for. But despite government prom- the two-line, 34km system as a With ticket prices from $0.10 ises, the roads below are still sign of the dividends the coun- to $0.30, the train is compara- clogged with traffi c 14 months try’s rapid economic growth is ble to the cost of a bus ride but after the light rail system’s open- paying to its people. the light rail is overcrowded and These file photos taken on April 3, 2015 show the view due west from ing, and for many residents the One of the continent’s best- the network reaches only certain the Meskel Square station of the Addis Ababa light rail, and city’s network of overcrowded performing economies, Ethiopia neighbourhoods, commuters Chinese-constructed light rail trains (left) at the Kality Depot in Addis minibus taxis remain the only grew by nearly 10% in 2015, ac- said. Ababa. option. cording to the World Bank. Many in the city of 4mn are left “It’s better than nothing,” But growth is expected to slow with no choice but to rely on the toll with around a third of the 41 Kassa warned could ultimately said retiree Zerayakob Assefa, due to a drought and a recent se- “blue donkeys”, as Addis Ababa’s light rail cars out of action and undermine the network if not dismissing the half a billion dol- ries of anti-government demon- cramped minibuses are known. undergoing repairs, exacerbating corrected. lar investment with a shrug as strations that have targeted for- “They are full inside,” elec- cut between and through lanes have already carried 50mn pas- delays and overcrowding. Still, he called the system a he waited for a train to the city’s eign businesses. tronics salesman Andulam of traffi c, leaving thoroughfares sengers and made a “positive im- Elias Kassa, a professor of rail- good start for a growing city try- eastern suburbs. That has not stopped Prime Alemu said of the light rail as he snarled with cars, complained pact” on their commute but that way science at the Norwegian ing to keep up with its transport When one did arrive, 15 min- Minister Hailemariam De- waited in a queue to board a min- minibus driver Amin Ansar. the city’s large and rapidly grow- University of Science and Tech- needs. utes later, it was so packed he salegn’s administration from ibus in the Kazanchis neighbour- “Even in the places where the ing population makes the job dif- nology, said planners had failed “The goal was to alleviate could not board. ploughing money into Chinese- hood. “Still there is the problem rails are located, it’s made traffi c fi cult. to integrate the new light rail shortage of transport system, “I will never get on it again!” built infrastructure projects in- of transport.” worse, because you can’t cross to “We cannot say we are elimi- with the pre-existing bus system. mainly for people of lower in- said one exasperated passenger cluding dams, airport terminals Some even blamed the light the other side,” Ansar said. nating the transport problem, Whether rail or bus, commut- come,” Kassa said. “If you think as she squeezed from the jammed and highways. railway for increasing traffi c. Awoke Mulu, a spokesman for because the number of people in ers have to walk long distances of that, I’d say it has obtained car. The light railway was built by While the tracks are elevated the Addis Ababa Light Rail Tran- the city is increasing,” Mulu said. and scramble across busy roads the goal, not fully, but to some Opened in September 2015, the the China Railway Engineering in parts of town, in others they sit Service, said that the trains Wear and tear is also taking its to catch public transport, a fl aw extent.” Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 17 AMERICA

Man faces Defi ant prosecutor sacked 10-year jail term after scaling White by Trump administration House fence Reuters The Justice Department confi rmed Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat He won a lifetime sentence against Washington that Bharara was no longer serving in on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Times Square bomber, Faisal the position and declined further com- said the fi rings showed “the independ- Shahzad, and a 25-year sentence for Reuters ment. ence of the Justice Department is at international arms dealer Viktor Bout. Washington prominent US prosecutor said Like all US attorneys, Bharara is a risk under this administration” and He won a $1.8bn insider-trading set- the Trump administration fi red political appointee who can be re- that lawmakers had to carefully evalu- tlement against SAC Capital Advisors, Ahim on Saturday after he re- placed when a new president takes of- ate Trump’s replacements. the largest in history, which forced the n intruder carrying a backpack fused to step down, adding a discord- fi ce. Career attorneys will carry on that hedge fund to shut down, and he forced was arrested after scaling a ant note to what is normally a routine Previous presidents have often work until new US attorneys are put JPMorgan Chase to pay $1.7bn to settle Afence around the White House changing of top attorneys when a new asked outgoing US attorneys to stay in place, the Justice Department said. charges related to its role in the Bernie and entering the grounds, the US Se- president takes offi ce. on the job until their replacements win Bharara said his deputy, Joon Kim, will Madoff Ponzi scheme. cret Service said on Saturday, in the New York US Attorney Preet Bhara- confi rmation in the US Senate. serve as his temporary replacement. “His fi ring so early in President latest breach of security at the presi- ra’s defi ant exit, fi rst announced on Preet Bharara ... sacked! The Washington Post, citing two Marc Mukasey, a defense lawyer Trump’s tenure is somewhat unex- dent’s offi cial residence. Twitter, raised questions about Presi- people close to Trump, said the presi- whose father served as attorney gener- pected, but if you had asked me a few President Donald Trump was in- dent Donald Trump’s ability to fi ll top won criminal convictions in high-pro- dent’s adviser Stephen Bannon and al under Republican president George months ago whether I expected Preet side the White House when the male jobs throughout his government. fi le corruption and terrorism cases. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wanted W Bush, has been mentioned as a pos- to still be in that job in March I would suspect climbed over the fence on the Trump has yet to put forward any He told reporters in November that a clean slate of federal prosecutors to sible replacement. have said no,” said Matthew Schwartz, complex’s South Grounds at 11:38pm candidates to serve as the nation’s 93 Trump had asked him to stay in his assert the administration’s power. He did not respond to a request for a former prosecutor under Bharara. on Friday, and uniformed offi cers ar- district attorneys even as his Justice post, and he refused to resign when But the decision to replace so many comment. Trump has asked two US prosecu- rested him, the Secret Service said in Department asked the 46 who have asked to do so by the Justice Depart- sitting attorneys at once has raised Bharara’s offi ce handles some of the tors to remain on the job, according to a statement. not yet quit to hand in their resigna- ment on Friday. questions about whether the Trump most critical business and criminal the Justice Department. The suspect, identifi ed in court tions on Friday. He said he was fi red on Saturday af- administration’s ability to enforce the cases passing through the federal ju- US Attorney Rod Rosenstein of Mar- documents as California resident Key positions at agencies like the ternoon. nation’s laws would be hindered. dicial system. He has been overseeing a yland has been asked to stay on as the Jonathan Tran, 26, is scheduled to State Department and the Defense De- “Serving my country as US Attorney “President Trump’s abrupt and un- probe into New York City Mayor Bill de Senate considers his nomination to appear in federal court today after a partment also remain unfi lled. here for the past seven years will forev- explained decision to summarily re- Blasio’s fundraising. serve as the No 2 Justice Department judge on Saturday ordered him held As the federal prosecutor for Man- er be the greatest honor of my profes- move over 40 US attorneys has once Bharara has successfully prosecuted offi cial, and US Attorney Dana Boente without bond, a spokesman for the hattan and surrounding areas since sional life, no matter what else I do or again caused chaos in the federal gov- state and local politicians for corrup- of Virginia, who is temporarily serving US Attorney for the District of Co- 2009, Bharara secured insider-trading how long I live,” Bharara said in a press ernment,” New York Attorney General tion, including former New York As- in that position, has also been asked to lumbia said. settlements from Wall Street fi rms and statement. Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, said. sembly speaker Sheldon Silver. remain. Trump earlier thanked the Secret Service and commended the agents for apprehending the intruder. “Secret Service did a fantastic job,” Trump told reporters at the start of a St Patrick’s Day parade working lunch on Saturday afternoon New Michael Brown with several Cabinet members at his golf course outside Washington. “It was a troubled person.” video raises questions Tran was charged with entering or remaining in restricted grounds while using or carrying a dangerous weap- AFP On his way out of the store, he on, and faces a maximum of 10 years Washington shoves a clerk out of his way. in prison, said Bill Miller, a spokes- ‘Stranger Fruit’ director Ja- man for the US Attorney’s offi ce. son Pollock, who obtained the The incident unfolded despite a ew surveillance foot- new footage, says it contradicts series of recommendations to tighten age has emerged of the Ferguson police’s version of the security after a 2014 intrusion that Nblack teenager Michael events. led to the resignation of Secret Serv- Brown suggesting he had not in In the fi lm, he says Brown gave ice Director Julia Pierson. fact robbed a Ferguson, Missouri a small bag of marijuana to store In 2015, a row of sharp spikes was convenience store hours before he employees and received cigaril- bolted to the top of the black iron was shot by a white police offi cer. los in exchange, and that he had fence around the 18-acre property, Brown’s 2014 death sparked left the cigarillos behind the making it more diffi cult to scale. weeks of sometimes-violent pro- counter for safekeeping. In the latest incident, Tran was ap- tests, and ignited a national de- “There was an understanding, prehended near the south portico en- bate about race relations and law and that’s what you are going to trance, where presidents often address enforcement in the United States. see in that video,” Brown’s moth- the public, US authorities said in court The new video, used in docu- er Lesley McSpadden says in the documents released on Saturday. mentary ‘Stranger Fruit’ that documentary. The entrance is near the part of premiered Saturday at the South “There was some type of ex- the White House where the presi- by Southwest fi lm festival, sug- change for one thing, for an- dent resides. Tran told agents he was gests Brown’s altercation with other.” a friend of the president and had an store employees in a separate Pollock concluded: “Mike did appointment with him, according to visit to the shop was tied to a not rob the store.” the documents. He was carrying two suspected drug transaction with A lawyer representing the con- cans of mace as well as a US passport, the shop employees. venience store and its employees a computer and one of the president’s In the video, dated around disputed that account. books, authorities said. People take part in the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Chicago on Saturday. St Patrick’s Day is just around the 1.15am on August 9, 2014, Brown “There was no transaction,” He also carried a letter he had writ- corner and Chicago has already started celebrations. St Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated annually can be seen handing over the coun- Jay Kanzler told The New York ten to Trump that mentioned “Rus- on March 17, the death date of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. It has been celebrated in North America since the late ter a small bag, which store em- Times. sian hackers,” and said he had relevant 18th century. In recent years, it has become a combination of both Irish and local arts and cultures. ployees then pass around and smell “There was no understand- information, US authorities said in before a store clerk gives Brown two ing. No agreement. Those folks the documents. large boxes of cigarillos. didn’t sell him cigarillos for pot. Representatives for Tran could not Just before leaving the store, The reason he gave it back is he be immediately reached for comment. Texas lawmakers illegally drew 3 voting districts on racial lines, court rules Brown returns to the counter and was walking out the door with According to the Secret Service, has the clerk hold the bag with unpaid merchandise and they the suspect had no arrest record or exas lawmakers drew up three US the districts’ shapes diluted minority voters’ W Bush and former Democratic presi- the cigarillos behind the counter. wanted it back.” history with the agency charged with congressional districts to under- power, either by splitting communities into dent Bill Clinton, respectively. Ten and a half hours later, The new video does not shed light protecting the president, his family Tmine the infl uence of Hispanic diff erent districts or concentrating minori- The third judge on the panel, 5th US when Brown returns to the store, on the subsequent and ultimately and other elected offi cials. voters, a divided panel of three federal ties in a single area to limit their sway. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry video surveillance footage previ- fatal altercation between Brown and In the September 2014 White judges ruled, in the latest development in “When done to minimize Hispanic Smith, dissented. ously released by police shows police offi cer Darren Wilson. House intrusion, the most serious of a years-long battle over gerrymandering. electoral opportunity, it bears the mark It was not clear whether Texas would him standing behind the counter Ferguson reached a deal with the recent security incidents, an Army In the decision announced late on Friday, of intentional discrimination,” wrote Ro- appeal the ruling. Texas Attorney General with his arms behind his back. the US Justice Department after veteran carrying a knife climbed the US District Judges Xavier Rodriguez and driguez and Garcia, who were appointed Ken Paxton did not immediately com- He then reaches over the coun- the shooting to reform its police fence and pushed his way inside the Orlando Garcia in San Antonio found that by former Republican president George ment on Saturday. ter and grabs boxes of cigarillos. department and courts. building before he was stopped. Merkel meets Trump in clash of style and substance

Reuters become good friends? Prob- “We have to be prepared for “This is an opportunity to Neither can she aff ord an open Berlin ably not. They are very diff er- the fact that he does not like to sketch out areas of common in- confrontation that might damage ent personalities,” said Charles listen for long, that he prefers terest, to defi ne a positive agen- German interests. Kupchan, who advised Trump’s clear positions and does not want da,” he added.”But one meeting One of the biggest concerns in he is controlled and cau- predecessor Barack Obama on to delve into details,” said one won’t change the atmosphere on the chancellor’s camp before the tious, a physicist from East European policy as a member of senior German offi cial. its own.” visit is the potential for surprises. SGermany who takes her the National Security Council. On both economic and foreign Trump is the third US president Japan’s Abe had an awkward time making decisions and has “But I do think they have a policy, the divide between the that Merkel, Europe’s longest- 19-second handshake with never relished the attention that strong interest, both politically two leaders appears vast. serving leader, has worked with. Trump, while May was criti- comes from being Europe’s most and strategically, in learning how Trump, 70, has called Merkel’s She established a good rapport cised in some sections of the powerful leader. to work together. It is arguably decision to allow hundreds of with George W Bush, who was British media for holding hands He is a wealthy real estate the most important meeting with thousands of refugees into Ger- keen to repair ties with Germa- with Trump during a stroll at the magnate from New York who a foreign leader of Trump’s presi- many a “catastrophic mistake”. ny after his clash with Merkel’s White House, apparently after he shoots from the hip and enjoys dency.” He has threatened to impose predecessor Gerhard Schroeder reached out to steady himself. the spotlight. German offi cials say the de- tariff s on German carmakers that over the Iraq war. When Israeli Prime Minister It is hard to imagine two lead- tail-oriented Merkel, 62, has import into the US market. And although relations with Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump ers more diff erent, in style or been preparing assiduously for And he has criticised Berlin for Obama got off to an awkward last month, he and his team spent substance, than Angela Merkel, her trip to Washington. not spending more on defence, a start when Merkel rebuff ed his the day before running through the German chancellor, and Don- She has watched Trump’s longstanding US complaint that request to speak at the Branden- endless scenarios, lines of ques- ald Trump, the new president of speeches and poured over his Merkel has promised to address. Trump and Merkel ... diff erent strokes burg Gate during the 2008 presi- tioning and role-plays to ensure the United States. interviews, including a lengthy Another source of tension is dential campaign, the two grew they were prepared for any sce- For months, they have been Q&A with Playboy magazine Germany’s 50bn euro trade sur- sian President Vladimir Putin. tinue to undermine the bloc with close over time, co-operating nario. engaged in an uneasy long-dis- from 1990 in which he fl oats plus with the United States. For her part, Merkel has been his rhetoric at a time of deep cri- on sanctions against Russia and But in the end, they were still tance skirmish over policy and many of the controversial ideas Trump adviser Peter Navarro critical of Trump’s travel ban sis triggered by the rise of anti- launching negotiations on a taken aback when Trump spoke values. he is now trying to implement as has accused Germany of gaining targeting the citizens of several EU populist parties. transatlantic free-trade deal. off the cuff at their news confer- They meet for the fi rst time president, they say. unfair trade advantages through mainly Muslim countries. “Europe is in a very fragile, “The parting is hard for me,” ence on the sensitive issues of tomorrow — a high-stakes en- Members of her entourage a weak euro. In a phone call in January, she precarious state and Germany is Merkel acknowledged when settlements and a future Pales- counter that will be watched by have also analysed Trump’s en- Merkel and her ministers have explained to Trump that the trying to ensure that the Euro- Obama visited Berlin in Novem- tinian state. governments around the world counters with other leaders — pointed out that the European Geneva Convention obliges sig- pean integration project holds ber, a week after Trump’s victory. Merkel has admitted to being for clues about the future of the including Britain’s Theresa May, Central Bank — and not Berlin — natories, including the United together. The German leader will be so uncomfortable with surprises transatlantic alliance, a partner- Japan’s Shinzo Abe and Canada’s controls the fate of Europe’s sin- States, to take in war refugees on I suspect the chancellor will walking a fi ne line in Washing- as a child that she drew up her ship that has helped shape the Justin Trudeau — and have had gle currency. humanitarian grounds. want to make this clear to the ton. With an election looming Christmas wish-list months in global order since World War II exchanges with some of their Russia will also be on the agen- Merkel is also concerned that president,” said Anthony Gard- at home in September, she must advance to avoid being caught but which Trump is threatening counterparts on how to handle da. White House offi cials have Trump, who has repeatedly ner, who served as US ambassa- avoid off ering her political oppo- off -guard by an unexpected gift. to upend. the unpredictable former reality- said Trump will seek advice from praised Britain’s decision to leave dor to the European Union until nents ammunition by cozying up With Trump, she might have to “Do I think they are going to TV star, the offi cials added. Merkel on how to deal with Rus- the European Union, might con- January. to Trump. expect the unexpected. Gulf Times 18 Monday, March 13, 2017 ASEAN Kim Jong-nam killing sheds light on murky world of women migrants

AFP were duped into believing that brought unwelcome attention to Kuala Lumpur they were taking part in a TV a community which already has prank show but Malaysian police much to fear from Malaysian au- have rejected their claims. thorities. i Nang, a young migrant Little is known about them, At a pub in the Petaling Jaya worker wearing hot pants with police saying that Huong suburb, Filipina waitress Mika Land high heels, stood be- worked at an “entertainment (not her real name) told AFP that fore the statue of a gilt goddess outlet” while Aisyah was a mas- police had intensifi ed their ef- garlanded with marigolds and seuse at a spa, but immigration forts to hunt down illegal workers fairy lights in Kuala Lumpur as experts say the secrecy sur- like her following Kim’s assassi- she prayed for good business — rounding their lives illustrates nation. and her own safety. the clandestine existence led by Three of her friends working Malaysia’s underground com- thousands of undocumented in the same bar were recently ar- munity of undocumented female Southeast Asian women mi- rested by police. workers was thrust into the spot- grants. “Fortunately I was off on that light when news emerged that Many migrants travel to Ma- day. I think God saved me,” the Kim Jong-nam was assassinated laysia through formal labour single mother said. by two women migrants using le- contracts, but thousands more “I am now living in constant thal nerve agent VX on February take advantage of being allowed fear. I do not want to be caught.” 13 at Kuala Lumpur International to work in Singapore and Malay- The 35-year-old previously Airport. sia for 30 days at a time, travel- paid 3,600 ringgit ($800) to an Since then, a Malaysian police ling back and forth between two employment agent to secure a crackdown on undocumented or three countries and trying to long-term work visa, but he stole workers like Li has escalated — earn as much as possible before the money. making their already vulnerable their luck runs out. “Now I have a monthly visa. existence even more precarious. Taking up jobs as cleaners, Before it expires I head to Thai- Airport CCTV footage shows waitresses, masseuses and pros- land where I spend three nights. I two women approaching the titutes, they live in the grip of a give an agent a fee of 1,000 ring- half-brother of North Korean murky system, vulnerable to ex- git and he gets a new visa for an- leader Kim Jong-un and appar- ploitation and harassment by po- other month,” she said. ently rubbing his face with a lice looking to shake them down “Life goes on like this every cloth. for bribes. month.” Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and As she prepared for work, Li, a Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vi- 25-year-old Vietnamese prosti- third largest economy, is highly etnam, have since been charged tute, kept up a steady exchange dependent on foreign labour. with the murder and face the of messages with her sister in According to a World Bank re- death penalty if found guilty. Ho Chi Minh City, in an attempt port in 2015, the country hosts A March 1 file photo of Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong (left) being escorted after a court appearance with Indonesian national Siti Aisyah South Korea says Jong-un or- to reassure relatives even as she some 2.1mn registered migrants at the magistrates’ court in Sepang for their alleged role in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim dered the killing of his estranged herself feared for her safety. and likely more than 1mn others Jong-un. sibling, who had lived overseas “I texted her saying ‘I have to who are undocumented. for years but had voiced criticism take the risk. What choice do I Women are especially vulner- them isolated and with little to no withheld so they have no means profi t focusing on migrant work- threatened with rape,” she said. of the regime, and engaged two have? I need the money’,” Li told able, with agents or employers contact with the outside world, of running away, leaving them er protection. “If you were in that situation, outsiders to carry it out. AFP inside a dimly lit bar. forcing some of them to live to- migrant rights’ activist Aegile open to abuse and exploitation, “Some are even threatened by you would be in fear. You know Both women have told diplo- The arrests of her compatriot gether in the same house under Fernandez told AFP. said Fernandez, co-director of their employers that they will be there’s no way out, you just con- mats from their countries they Huong and Indonesian Siti have constant surveillance, leaving Often, their passports are Tenaganita, a Malaysian non- handed to immigration, or even tinue working.” Kite festival Thai TV soap angers family of Myanmar’s last king

AFP the royal family, sometimes Yangon for as much as 30 years. It is only supposed to protect senior living royal he family of Myan- family members. mar’s last king yes- But recent cases have Tterday hit out at a been brought against a Thai soap opera inspired by historian for writing about the palace intrigue of their a Thai king four centuries ancestors, accusing Thai- ago, against students who land of double standards in staged a play about a fi c- how it treats another coun- tional kingdom and against try’s royals. a man for insulting the fa- Soe Win, the great vourite dog of the late King grandson of Myanmar’s Bhumibol Adulyadej. last monarch King Thibaw, Neighbours Thailand told AFP his family were and Myanmar were bit- angered by A Lady’s Flame, ter rivals for centuries and a new hit prime-time soap fought a number of bloody that recounts a bloody dy- wars. nastic power struggle. One of the most momen- The show is set in a fi c- tous battles saw Myanmar tional kingdom but almost forces attack the city of entirely mimics the fi nal Ayutthaya, second capital years of the Konbaung dy- of the Siamese kingdom, nasty in the 19th century and raze it to the ground in in the country formerly 1767, forcing the inhabit- known as Burma. ants to abandon the city. It portrays the schem- In Thai historical soaps ing among a key queen and and dramas the Burmese princesses who orchestrat- are often portrayed as hav- ed the massacre of nearly a ing villainous or treacher- Whale-shaped show kites hover above the Cha-Am Beach during the Thailand International Kite Festival 2017 in central Thailand’s Phetchaburi Province. The Thailand International hundred people to ensure ous tendencies, something Kite Festival 2017, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, began at the Cha-Am Beach in Phetchaburi Province on Friday and concluded yesterday. The three-day event featured Thibaw had no rivals to the that has previously caused various large-scale show kites as well as performances by 20 professional kite teams worldwide. throne following his fa- anger in Thailand’s west- ther’s death in 1878. ern neighbour. While the massacre is Soe Win said he was historical fact, Thibaw’s particularly incensed by Myanmar garment workers march to scions are upset with their scenes in “A Lady’s Flame” family’s portrayal by a in which royal family mem- raise awareness of women’s rights country that shields its bers slapped each other. Poll: Half of Thais fi nd corruption own monarchy from any “It’s quite insulting, as if ore than a thousand fi red from the factories. There is criticism we are wild,” he said. garment workers in no security for us,” said 28-year- “We have asked Thais For many Burmese the MMyanmar’s commer- old worker Kyi Kyi Tun. ‘acceptable’ if benefi ts are shared this, would they accept it if fall of its monarchy at the cial capital Yangon took part in a The police estimated that 1,500 one of our companies here hands of the British just a march yesterday to raise aware- people participated in the march did the same thing about few years after Thibaw took ness for women’s rights in the through Yangon’s industrial DPA “acceptable” as long as they also is currently under way in Thailand their country,” Soe Win the throne was a deep psy- textile industry. Hlaingthayar neighbourhood, add- Bangkok gained some benefi t, according to involving engine maker Rolls- told AFP. chological scar. The event wrapped up a series ing that the march was peaceful. an independent poll fi rm, Super Royce, Thai Airways Internation- “If no action is taken, we He died in exile in India of events following International Demands for higher wages and Poll. al, and former senior government will ask for help from their though there are plans to Women’s Day on March 8. claims of missing salaries regu- oll results published yes- The poll results come after an offi cials. (Thailand’s) royalty,” he return his remains to his “Many women in Myanmar larly lead to protests among gar- terday in Thailand found international corruption watch- According to Thailand’s Na- added. homeland. don’t know their rights,” said Win ment workers in Myanmar. Pthat nearly half of Thais dog, tional Anti-Corruption Commis- Thailand ferociously His family are playing a Thein Gyi Soe, one of the organisers Non-transparent payments are tolerant of government cor- Transparency International, in sion, a total of 26 individuals were enforces a lese majeste law much more visible role now from the Confederation of Trade in February triggered a violent ruption, if the benefi ts are shared January downgraded Thailand’s being investigated in connection that bans scrutiny or criti- that the military who sup- Unions of Myanmar (CTUM). dispute between Chinese factory with them. corruption ranking from the 76th with multi-million-dollar pur- cism of its monarchy. pressed them have given Most workers in Myanmar’s managers and garment workers Some 46.7% out of 1,201 re- place in the world in 2015 to the chases of a Boeing aircraft and Increasing numbers have way to a civilian-led gov- garment factories are female. that led to weeks of production spondents surveyed between 101st ranking in 2016. Rolls-Royce engines in 2004- been jailed in recent years ernment. “Once we are pregnant, we get shutdowns. March 6-11 said corruption was A high-profi le corruption probe 2005. for their comments about Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 19 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA China admits political education for students is poor

Reuters against the spread of “West- ment, Education Minister Chen Curriculums and speech at the core values of Chinese so- new in China. Curriculums and China, established a 24-hour Beijing ern values” at universities, and Baosheng said Xi had made universities, in particular, cialism to ensure their healthy speech at universities, in par- system to monitor public opin- the ruling Communist Party’s “important comments” on po- are tightly controlled by moral growth, and they should ticular, are tightly controlled ion on the internet and take early anti-corruption watchdog last litical education for students in the government, fearful also study traditional Chinese by the government, fearful of measures to control and reduce hina is doing a poor job year sent inspectors to monitor December, but that there were of a repeat of the pro- culture, revolutionary culture a repeat of the pro-democracy negative speech, according to a at political education for teachers for “improper” remarks problems on the ground. democracy protests in and “advanced socialist culture”, protests in 1989 that were led party journal at the time. Cuniversity students be- in class. “When we go and investigate 1989 that were led by Chen said. by students. China aims to build world- cause the classes are outdated In December, President Xi at colleges and universities, at- students That is the best way to get In 2013, a liberal Chinese class universities and some of and unfashionable, the educa- Jinping called for allegiance tention levels at thought and students ready to shoulder their economist who had been an out- its top schools fair well in in- tion minister said yesterday in a to the party from colleges and political theory classes are not mainly the formula is rather out- responsibilities to society, he spoken critic of the party was ternational rankings by vari- rare admission of the diffi culties universities, the latest eff ort by high. People are there in body dated, the tools are rather crude added. expelled from the elite Peking ous standards. However, critics faced enforcing a key govern- China to tighten its hold on edu- but not in spirit,” Chen said. and the packaging is not that Crackdowns on what aca- University. argue constraints on academic ment policy. cation. Speaking on the sidelines “Why is this? The contents fashionable,” he added. demics and students can say A year later, the university, freedom could inhibit those am- Beijing has campaigned of the annual meeting of parlia- do not suit their needs. Perhaps Students need to be led by and should think are nothing once a bastion of free speech in bitions.

POLITICS Abe’s support Liberals likely to bring slips amid school softer N Korea stance land deal Truth will be told, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s support rate Reuters leader. slipped six points to just Seoul “We can’t deny that the ruler under 56%, an opinion of the North Korean people is poll showed yesterday, Kim Jong-un. We have no choice after weeks of questions in he liberal politician ex- but to recognise Kim Jong-un as parliament about a murky pected to succeed dis- a counterpart, whether we put says defi ant Park land deal by a school Tgraced Park Geun-hye pressure and impose sanctions operator to whom his wife as South Korea’s next president on North Korea or hold dia- Reuters had links. could signifi cantly soften Seoul’s logue,” Moon said. Seoul Abe has said neither he nor stance towards North Korea and A conciliatory line might face his wife, Akie, was involved possibly delay deployment of a opposition from main ally the in the sweetheart deal for US missile-defence system that United States where President isgraced South Korean state-owned land purchased has enraged China. Donald Trump’s aides are press- leader Park Geun-hye by Moritomo Gakuen, an A Constitutional Court on ing to complete a strategy review Dleft the presidential Blue educational body in the Friday dismissed Park from of- on how to counter North Korea’s House yesterday, two days after western city of Osaka that fi ce after upholding her im- missile and nuclear threats. a court dismissed her over a cor- also runs a kindergarten peachment over a corruption North Korea conducted two ruption scandal, facing life as a promoting patriotism. scandal involving “chaebol”, the nuclear tests last year, as well as private citizen and the possibility But opposition parties are family-run conglomerates that numerous missile launches, the of jail. pressing for parliament to dominate Asia’s fourth-biggest latest on March 6 when it fi red Park struck a defi ant tone upon call the school principal, economy, and which could also four ballistic missiles into the sea arriving at her private home in who resigned his post on face reform under a liberal leader. off Japan. Speaking to reporters the Gangnam district of the cap- Friday, and others to answer A presidential election will be recently, Moon invoked his old ital, Seoul, after leaving the Blue questions about the deal, held by May 9 and opinion polls boss, Roh, and Roh’s predeces- House compound in a motor- a demand Abe’s Liberal suggest South Koreans will opt sor, Nobel peace prize winner cade of fast-driving black cars, Democratic Party (LDP) is for change by electing a liberal Kim Dae-jung, the architect of fl anked by police motorbikes. “I resisting. into the presidential Blue House, the “sunshine policy”, as inspira- feel sorry that I could not fi n- ending nine years of conservative tions behind his bid for the presi- ish the mandate given to me as rule. The front-runner is Moon dency. president,” a spokesman for Park, LEGAL Jae-in, a human rights lawyer The two former liberal presi- member of parliament Min Ky- Death penalty a who was a top aide to former dents both held summits with ung-wook, quoted her as saying. President Roh Moo-hyun, an ad- the North’s then-leader, Kim “It will take time, but I believe South Korea’s ousted leader Park Geun-hye arrives at her private house in Seoul, South Korea. rarity in China, vocate of a “sunshine policy” of Jong Il — the only such meetings the truth will be revealed,” Park says top judge engagement with North Korea. ever-promising reconciliation said in her fi rst public comments waving supporters crowded the She had been acting fi rst lady Moon called on Park to publicly Moon has criticised the two and initiating joint projects in- since her dismissal. street outside Park’s home as after her mother was shot and accept the court ruling. former conservative presidents cluding the Kaesong Industrial She accepted responsibility for she arrived there about 30 min- killed in an earlier failed assassi- Park’s dismissal has exposed China has executed an — Park and her predecessor, Lee Complex and tours to Mount the events that culminated in the utes after leaving the presidential nation attempt on her father. fault lines in a society long di- “extremely small number of Myung-bak — for derailing the Kumgang in the North. Both Constitutional Court on Friday palace. Now, having lost presiden- vided by Cold War politics. criminals” in the past decade, progress made inter-Korean re- were suspended under conserva- upholding a parliamentary im- She waved through her car’s tial immunity, she could face Thousands of Park’s jubilant the nation’s chief justice said lations during the previous lib- tive administrations. peachment vote over an infl u- tinted window as it inched its criminal charges over bribery, opponents celebrated in Seoul on yesterday. Chief Justice Zhou eral administrations. He calls for Moon said South Korea should ence-peddling scandal that has way down the street, with secu- extortion and abuse of power in Saturday, where they have been Qiang did not provide any a “two-step” approach on North resume operations at Kaesong — shaken the political and business rity men in suits walking along- connection with allegations of gathering every weekend for figures in his work report to Korea, with talks leading fi rst to where South Korean companies elite. side. conspiring with her friend, Choi months, and demanded that she China’s national legislature, “economic unifi cation” and ul- operate factories with North Ko- “I take responsibility for the She stepped out smiling, the Soon-sil. be arrested. state media reported. Death timately “political and military rean workers on the North Kore- outcome of all this,” Min quoted public’s fi rst glimpse of her since Both women denied wrongdo- The former president’s con- sentence statistics are unifi cation”. an side of the border — regardless her as saying. her dismissal, and greeted sup- ing. The liberal politician likely servative supporters also took to classified state secrets in Moon yesterday stressed the of North’s nuclear ambitions. Park, 65, is South Korea’s fi rst porters. to become the next president, the streets not far away, though China. The nation’s top court need to “embrace and be united Some conservatives have de- democratically elected leader to Park’s ouster marked a dra- Moon Jae-in, promised to work fewer in number. has “strictly controlled and with” the North Korean people, nounced Moon as “pro-North”. be forced from offi ce. matic fall from grace for South for justice and common sense. Police were out in force but prudently applied” the death while adding that he could never He would also face conservative A snap presidential election Korea’s fi rst woman president “We still have a long way to go. there was no trouble. penalty since 2007, Zhou accept its “dictatorial regime”, or ire if he were to delay deploy- will be held by May 9. Her dis- and daughter of Cold War mili- We have to make this a coun- On Friday, two Park supporters told the National People’s its trampling of rights. ment of a US missile-defence missal followed months of politi- tary dictator Park Chung-hee. try of justice, of common sense were killed as they tried to break Congress. The Supreme He denounced the North’s system. Alarmed by North Ko- cal paralysis and turmoil over the It was not the fi rst time she has through regime change,” Moon, through police lines outside the People’s Court began “cruel and ruthless behav- rean weapons tests, South Ko- scandal that also landed the head had to leave the Blue House com- who advocates reconciliation court, shortly after the verdict. reviewing death penalty iour” in the wake of the murder rea and the United States have of the Samsung conglomerate pound of traditional-style build- with North Korea, told a news One was believed to have had a cases by lower courts in 2007 in Malaysia last month of Kim agreed to deploy a Terminal High in jail and facing trial. The crisis ings at the foot of a hill in Seoul. conference. heart attack and the other died as after a series of high-profile Jong-nam, the estranged half- Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) has coincided with rising ten- In 1979, after a nine-day fu- Moon is leading in opinion the Park supporters attacked po- wrongful executions. brother of North Korean leader missile system in South Korea, sion with North Korea and anger neral following the assassination polls, which show South Koreans lice buses. Rights groups say China most Kim Jong-un. But he told a news angering China which sees its from China over the deployment of her father, the young Park left are likely to throw out the con- A third, a man aged 74, suf- likely executes more people conference there was no choice sophisticated radar as a threat to in South Korea of a US missile- the Blue House with her siblings servatives after nearly a decade in fered a heart attack and died on than the rest of the world but to recognise Kim Jong-un as its own security. defence system. Throngs of fl ag- for a family home. power and turn to a liberal leader. Saturday. combined, however.

Australia PM, Musk discuss Up, up and away off er to fix power Centre-left party wins woes Western Australia polls Australia’s prime minister held talks with Elon Musk yesterday Reuters political scientist at Flinders after the US innovator off ered Sydney University. to solve the energy crisis Before the vote, the gov- plaguing a southern region in erning Liberal party ditched a hundred days – or install the he rapid resurgence of its traditional allies to strike technology free. Musk, the en- nationalist politics in a deal with Hanson’s party to trepreneur behind electric car- TAustralia was abruptly swap preferences — a measure maker Tesla, made the pledge halted after Pauline Hanson’s in Australia’s voting system in response to power woes in One Nation party drew less designed to help both parties South Australia, which was last than 5% of the vote and was increase their presence in the year hit by a state-wide black- set to win just one seat in a new parliament. out after severe winds from an state poll. The deal appears to have “unprecedented” storm tore The election in mineral- back-fi red, with Hanson los- transmission towers from the rich Western Australia was ing some of her anti-estab- ground. In a Twitter exchange won convincingly by the cen- lishment fervour and the state on Friday with Australian tre-left Labor party, leaving Liberals putting off their cen- software startup Atlassian’s co- Hanson’s right wing, anti- tre-right base. founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, immigration party trailing far Hanson, who is wary of for- Musk said he could solve the behind. eign investment and wants to energy issue with a battery The vote was the fi rst major suspend Muslim immigration, farm. “Tesla will get the system test of popularity for Hanson said late on Saturday the deal installed and working 100 days since winning a place in the was a mistake. from contract signature or it is federal parliament last year, “Doing the deal with the free. That serious enough for when she rode a wave of anti- Libs has done damage to us, in you?” Musk wrote to Cannon- establishment sentiment sim- all honesty,” she told Channel Brookes, who had earlier said ilar to that seen in the United 7 as the election results be- he could get financing for the States and Europe. came clear. plan. With two-thirds of the The election result has The conversation piqued votes counted the Austral- ended plans for several asset the interest of the Australian ian Broadcasting Corpora- sales that Labor campaigned leader Malcolm Turnbull, who tion forecast that One Nation against, including a proposal yesterday said he had spoken would win one seat, con- to sell a majority stake in the to Musk and had “a great in founding expectations that it A$15bn (US $11.3bn) Western depth discussion today about could gain enough to infl uence Power electricity grid through energy storage and its role in legislation in the new state a public fl oat along with priva- delivering aff ordable & reliable parliament. tisation of the $1.5bn Freman- electricity”. It is understood “This has certainly halt- tle Port. their conversation lasted ed the sense of momentum Labor has won the vote de- almost an hour and that the building around One Nation cisively by an anticipated 40 pair would continue their talks that has been there since July seats to the Liberals 19, and about energy storage over the Balloons participating in the Canberra Balloon Festival fly in the Australian capital city, yesterday. last year,” said Associate Pro- will govern without needing a next few months. fessor Haydon Manning, a coalition partner. Gulf Times 20 Monday, March 13, 2017 BRITAIN/IRELAND

LEGAL ESPIONAGE DECISION ENTERTAINMENT OBITUARY Detective honoured by Political parties warned of Police get funds extension Dagenham to host UK’s Actor Forgeham dies Queen sues Yard for racism Russian hacking threat in search for Madeleine ‘first ever Presley festival’ after falling out of bed

A detective who was awarded an honour by the A British intelligence agency has told political Police investigating the disappearance of The UK’s first ever Elvis fest is coming to Dagen- The actor John Forgeham, who starred in The Queen is suing the Metropolitan police over claims parties to protect themselves against potential Madeleine McCann have been granted £85,000 ham this summer to mark the 40th anniversary Italian Job, has died aged 75 after falling out of of racism and sexism. The Met failed in an attempt cyberattacks, citing allegations that Russian hack- to extend the search for a further six months. of the King of Rock N’ Roll’s death. Legions of bed at his West Sussex home. He broke his col- to block an employment claim from detective ers tried to influence last year’s US presidential The Home Off ice funding is to extend the probe, quiff -sporting fanatics will descend on Parsloes lar bone in the accident and was later rushed constable Nighat Hubbard. She alleges that white election. The National Cyber Security Centre known as Operation Grange, between April Park for the council-run free event on July 23. to hospital after suffering an internal bleed. His colleagues were allowed to work on more complex (NCSC), part of the GCHQ spying agency, said and September this year. Madeleine, of Rothley, Multi award-winning Elvis Presley tribute artistes daughter Jonesta confirmed that he died on investigations while she was not, and that male off ic- it had written to the leaders of political parties Leicestershire, disappeared from her family’s Dean Z and Pete Storm are set to headline the Friday afternoon. The West Midlands-born actor ers had made discriminatory comments to her and off ering to help strengthen their network security, holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in day of entertainment. Storm, who has been played Frank in the 1969 classic Michael Caine other women in the force, according to the Sunday confirming a report in the Sunday Times. “You May 2007 aged three. Madeleine’s parents, Kate performing for over a decade, said: “It’s a fantastic film and became known to a younger audience Times. The allegations date from between 2013 and will be aware of the coverage of events in the and Gerry McCann, have vowed to “never give event; there’ll be lots of fun, lots of entertainment.” when he starred in the ITV series Footballers’ 2014. A judge ruled last week that it would be “just US, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the up” hope of finding their daughter. Since 2011, the The event forms part of Barking and Dagenham Wives, playing manager Frank Laslett. Speaking and equitable” for Hubbard, who is a serving off icer, potential for hostile action against the UK political police has been assisting with the search for clues Council’s Summer of Festivals, which also includes to the Daily Mirror, his daughter said: “Dad was to sue the police force after they tried to argue that system,” a letter from NCSC head Ciaran Martin about what happened to the toddler, with off icers the Barking Folk Festival, Roundhouse Music a very talented actor and a charismatic and her claim had been filed too late. said, according to the Times. visiting the holiday resort in 2014. Festival and the One Borough Festival. wonderful man.” Grisly fi nd at orphange site raises hope of unearthing past

DPA happened to the children’s re- Dublin mains. Her research led her to believe they were all buried underground urprise was one emotion in chambers adjoining a cesspit Catherine Corless did not where the former home stood. Sfeel when the news came Despite the announcement by in that “substantial human re- a commission of inquiry, she still mains” had been discovered un- has not had confi rmation of her derground at the site of a former numbers. Catholic-run home in western “It was the best we could pos- Ireland. “I was astounded that sibly have hoped for,” says Cor- the cover-up was over,” said less, who was expecting “more Corless, whose research led to cover-up and obfuscation” from last week’s announcement. the state. But there is still a long way to In all, the government is look- go from Corless’ 2014 assertion ing into the way people were that 796 infants and babies were treated at 18 institutions. Al- buried at the home to a point though it’s long been common where Ireland might get answers, knowledge that people were ill- let alone justice. treated at the homes, fi ndings Catholic organisations have like Corless’ still have the ability come under repeated accusa- to shock. tion of abuse against unmarried When Corless’ grisly fi ndings Brexit minister David Davis speaks on the Andrew Marr show in London yesterday. women and their children. came to light in 2014, the ensur- Stories range from forced ing media storm prompted the labour to gut-wrenching government to set up a commis- abuse. Some say it was all of sion of inquiry into mother and it due to a sense that the vic- baby homes run by religious or- tims were unworthy because ders and supported by the state. of their sin. “This is only the start of it. The Others argue that the nuns commission now needs to tell us were motivated by money. what remains are there and what Govt has Brexit backup Peter Mulryan lived at the state they are in. The survivors home in Tuam, County Gal- and relatives need to know,” says way, as a young child and says Corless. he knows what happened there. Mulryan, now 73, says an- “My sister died at nine months swers are due, not just because old. The nuns said that there of the way people were treated, were no babies buried there and but because of the marks the plan if talks fail: minister it was all my imagination, but treatment left on the survivors. now I want to know where she is, “I was in the home until I was Reuters Ahead of the start of negotia- sides as well as creating uncer- why, but there’s politics in terms during the legislative process, whether she is in that pit,” Mul- four-and-a-half years of age, London tions, which could be triggered tainty and legal confusion for of achieving success.” inserting conditions into the bill ryan said. up until 1949. It nearly broke as early as tomorrow, a com- individuals and businesses. Before May can begin nego- saying May must guarantee the There was apparently no evi- me,” says Mulryan. “Nobody mittee of lawmakers warned it “The simple truth is we have tiations, she must fi nish passing rights of EU nationals living in dence of an eff ort to cover up the ever came in or went out. We he government is drawing would be a serious dereliction been planning for the contin- the legislation that gives her the Britain and give lawmakers more deaths at the home run by the were not socialised or looked up contingency plans for of duty if the government failed gency — all the various out- right to formally notify the EU of powers to reject the fi nal terms Bon Secours nuns in Tuam be- after. Nobody showed us any Tthe unlikely event it has to plan for the possibility of not comes, all the possible outcomes Britain’s intention to leave and she reaches with the EU. tween 1925 and 1961. respect.” to walk away from divorce talks reaching an exit deal. of the negotiations,” Davis said. start a two-year negotiating pe- Facing a possible rebellion The deaths were all recorded Things did not improve for with the European Union with- “I don’t think, firstly, that “One of the reasons we don’t riod as set out in the EU’s Lisbon from Conservatives who want in certifi cates. Mulryan when he left the home. out a deal, Brexit minister David is remotely likely,” Davis told talk about the contingency plan treaty. to vote on the fi nal Brexit terms, Children’s skeletons were fi rst He was fostered to a widow and Davis said yesterday. the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, too much is that we don’t want The laws are expected to be Davis urged lawmakers to back found at the site of the former her grown-up-son, who mis- Prime Minister Theresa May responding to the report. “It’s people to think ‘Oh, this is what finalised in a series of votes May’s Brexit strategy and over- home in the late 1970s. treated him very badly. “I had to is set to begin exit talks by the in absolutely everybody’s in- we’re trying to do.’” early this week, which will test turn those changes because It was those certificates and work all the time. I was allowed end of the month, kicking off terest that we get a good out- Asked when May would trig- May’s authority over her Con- they would tie the government’s other documents, gathered by no friends. I was punished by Britain’s most complex set of come.” ger talks, Davis declined to name servative Party as she seeks to hands in the negotiations. Corless between 2011 and 2013 having to wear nettles under negotiations since the end of Parliament’s foreign aff airs a specifi c date. “Each date has overturn changes made to the “What we can’t have is either — all listing deaths from dis- my clothes. The son put me into World War II. committee warned that a break- diff erent implications in terms draft bill by parliament’s upper house of parliament reversing eases such as measles, pneu- a bag and threatened to throw it The outcome will shape Brit- down in negotiations would be of when it could be responded to chamber. the decision of the British peo- monia and tuberculosis — that over a cliff. All this when I was ain’s political and economic fu- a “very destructive outcome”, by the (European) council... I’m The government suff ered ple — they haven’t got a veto,” set her wondering what had a small child,” he says. ture. causing economic harm to both not going to get into the details two heavy defeats in parliament Davis said. Pop singer Faith ‘spied Corbyn ‘must back fi ght to stay in EU’ on Fidel Castro for MI6’ Guardian News and Media Corbyn is failing to create a clear London dividing line with the Tories over Brexit as Theresa May prepares Guardian News and Media close friend of the Billy Liar star At the time of the incident, to trigger the formal Article 50 London when he and Faith collaborated Cuba’s economy was opening up group of 29 Labour MPs process to leave the EU. on Leo Sayer’s fi rst album. to outside investment following criticised their leader Jer- The statement says that mem- Courtney told the Sunday the collapse of the Soviet Union. Aemy Corbyn for failing to bership of the single market would he late Adam Faith had a Times he had gone to the Savoy On a subsequent trip Faith met take a stronger line on Brexit and allow Britain to leave the EU with- versatile career, veering hotel in London to meet Faith Castro and was “scared” that the demanded that he back contin- out wrecking people’s jobs and live- Tfrom teen idol, pop star when he found him sitting in dictator knew what he was doing, ued full membership of the sin- lihoods. “It would give us totally free and actor to manager, investor animated conversation with an- Courtney told the newspaper. gle market. trade with the biggest market on the and fi nancial journalist. But ac- other man. Faith signalled to him Faith had recalled being shown The statement by the group, planet, with neither tariff barriers to cording to a former colleague, to wait at another table while he into a room where Castro was led by Chuka Umunna, said any trade in goods nor regulatory barri- the 60s star also added espionage fi nished his meeting. seated behind an ornate desk, other form of trading arrange- ers to trade in services between the to his curriculum vitae. telling Courtney: “He looked up ment would make working peo- UK and the EU – all whilst not being It is claimed in a new book by Courtney said Faith at me and said: ‘I know you.’ He ple worse off and mean higher a member of the EU. David Courtney, whom Faith told him MI6 knew held up a copy of my fi rst record costs for business, fewer jobs and “Confronted with this threat, managed, that the singer told he had built business in his hand and said to me in bro- infl ated prices. the British people – Leave vot- of being asked by MI6 to spy on connections in Havana, ken English: ‘What Do You Want Others in the group included ers and Remain voters alike – are Cuba’s communist leader, Fidel and asked him to If You Don’t Want Money?’” the shadow minister for trans- looking to the Labour party to Castro, during a visit there in “basically spy on them” That was the opening line of port Daniel Zeichner, serving provide leadership and direction 1997. Faith’s fi rst No 1 single. whip Thangam Debbonaire and 10 as we go forward. It is crucial Faith, born Terry Nelhams- He said Faith later told him: “I Although Faith did not re- former shadow cabinet members. that we reject the argument that Wright, died of a heart attack am going to tell you something veal what he had done for MI6, The decision to release a state- Brexit must mean a trading ar- aged 62 in 2003. According to but you must never repeat it. I Courtney is convinced the ment follows disquiet in the par- rangement that makes the Brit- the book, in the years before his have been fi lming a travelogue former singer was telling the liamentary party last week when ish people poorer. death he was developing business series for the BBC in Cuba, and truth about Castro. Labour whips in the House of “Instead, Labour must stand interests in the Caribbean island that guy is from MI6.” The revelation Faith may have Lords ordered Labour peers to unambiguously for a deal that pro- and was ultimately approached Courtney said Faith told him MI6 been recruited as a spy follows vote against an amendment by tects peoples’ jobs and livelihoods by the intelligence agencies. knew he had built business connec- the recent suggestion that Ri- Peter Hain in favour of member- and enhances their life chances; Courtney, who also worked tions in Havana, and asked him to chard Whiteley, the late former ship of the single market. not a hard Brexit that could take our with Paul McCartney, Eric Clap- “basically spy on them in prepara- host of Countdown, was in the It is also refl ects a wider con- economy off a cliff whilst making ton and Jimmy Page, became a tion for the post-Castro era”. pay of MI5. Corbyn: accused of failing to take a stronger line on Brexit cern among pro-EU MPs that working people worse off .” Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 21 BRITAIN Call to boycott Tesco over ‘endangered’ white men claim

Guardian News and Media ken out against comments made jobs, the pendulum has swung ethnic) and female employees. sentation of women and minority against the kind of attitudes Al- purchases in the UK. As consum- London by John Allan during a speech at very signifi cantly the other way Activists called for people to groups,” she said. lan betrays with these comments. ers we are a powerful force and the Retail Week Live conference a now and will do for the foreseeable boycott Tesco in response. She pointed to data released by With him at the helm, Tesco not can exercise our freedom to shop day after International Women’s future, I think. If you are a white Sophie Walker, the leader of the the Fawcett Society last week that only risks missing out on female elsewhere to support women and ctivists have called for Day. male, tough. You are an endan- Women’s Equality party, said she showed the pay gap was infl uenced talent, it will also alienate custom- locally owned businesses. Tesco shoppers to boycott Tesco In a session for aspiring non- gered species and you are going would be shopping elsewhere and by racial as well as gender ine- ers. I plan on doing my shopping needs to urgently restructure its Aafter the supermarket’s executive directors, Allan said: “If to have to work twice as hard.” He that Allan was completely out of qualities. “Women, and especially elsewhere this weekend.” boards.” In the private sector, chairman claimed white men were you are female and from an ethnic later claimed the comments were touch. BAME women, are a long way from A spokeswoman for the Wom- women accounted for just 29% of becoming an “endangered spe- background, and preferably both, meant to be humorous and that “Far from being in a ‘propitious’ endangering men’s dominance of en’s March London collective said: directors appointed in the UK last cies” in UK boardrooms. then you are in an extremely pro- he was attempting to highlight position, any analysis of senior boardrooms,” she said. “We fi nd Allan’s comments ex- year, according to the recruitment Politicians, business experts pitious period. “For a thousand the progress made in promoting leadership roles in business will “We are seeing a resurgence traordinary … Women are respon- fi rm Egon Zehnder, the lowest and women’s groups have all spo- years, men have got most of these BAME (Black, Asian, and minority show the woeful under-repre- of feminist protest and activism sible for the majority of grocery proportion since 2012.

Committee Showers in London slams Yard Commuters failings in poll fraud inquiry face travel

London Evening Standard London misery as rail cotland Yard should be investigated over “ma- Sjor failings” in its inquiry into allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice in Tower Hamlets, a London Assembly committee said. strike today The Police and Crime com- mittee accused the Met of Guardian News and Media safe operation and which un- Wirral. Northern plans to run missing opportunities in the London derpins the guard guarantee 980 trains, about 40% of its investigation into the scandal- on the Southern services.” usual number, between 7am hit mayoral elections in Tower The strikes on Northern and and early evening, with Mer- Hamlets in 2014. trikes will aff ect trains on Merseyrail are a pre-emptive seyrail hoping to run just un- The borough’s controver- three franchises across move by the RMT, with nei- der half its usual schedule un- sial mayor Lutfur Rahman SEngland today, as the ther train operator expecting til 7pm. was forced to step down after row over the future roles and to change the roles of guards All three operators argue an Election Court found him responsibilities of guards on for several years. Merseyrail that passengers will ultimately guilty of a litany of corrupt the rail network spreads from has confirmed that new trains, benefit from modern, im- and illegal practices, but he has Southern to Northern and Mer- ordered by the region’s trans- proved trains, while changing faced no criminal prosecution. seyrail. port authority, will no longer the role of guards will allow Steve O’Connell, chairman of Members of the RMT union require guards to open and more staff onboard focusing the Assembly’s Police and Crime are to walk out for 24 hours close doors when they come on customer service, as well as Committee, said that there was in protest at changes to their into service in 2020. It has revenue enforcement. Despite “widespread concern” that de- jobs. promised to redeploy all staff guarantees on jobs, unions spite the fi ndings against Rah- The strikes are likely to see as it creates 60 onboard cus- have argued that downgrading man, the Metropolitan Police more than half of all services tomer service roles. the competence of guards will had not brought charges. cancelled at Northern and Courts rejected legal ac- make passengers less safe. He said: “During our investi- Merseyrail, although South- tion by Merseyrail to stop the On Southern, the RMT has gation, we, as a committee, have ern said it expected to operate strike last week. The operator been joined in industrial ac- been shocked to uncover major nine out of 10 trains. had argued that the decision tion by the drivers’ union failings by the Metropolitan Po- According to the opera- to order new trains to oper- Aslef, whose strikes in De- lice in its ability to investigate tor Govia Thameslink Rail- ate without guards was taken cember and January brought allegations of electoral fraud way (GTR), 87% of Southern’s by council leaders and that it the train service to a com- and malpractice. Missed fi les of trains ran during the RMT’s had no choice but to imple- plete halt. Aslef’s leadership is evidence; missed opportunities last strike, on February 22, ment these plans, and could holding private talks with GTR to gather witness statements; with the majority of its on- not provide the guarantees the to resolve the dispute, after a witnesses who were prepared board staff reporting for work. RMT wanted over jobs. formal agreement was rejected to give evidence in the Election Its passenger services direc- New trains will start coming by members last month. Court but were unwilling to do tor, Angie Doll, said: “We have into service on Northern from While Aslef, like the RMT, so in criminal proceedings — shown that we can now run al- late 2018. While its operating is opposed to any extension of this is not what we expect from a most all our services during an company, Arriva Rail North, driver-only operated trains, supposedly world-leading police RMT strike. Our onboard su- has yet to unveil plans, the it has not joined the RMT in force.” pervisors are now established trains do not require a guard. pushing for industrial action O’Connell has written to So- in their roles and passengers Northern has said it will not beyond Southern. Train opera- phie Linden, the deputy mayor are beginning to see the ben- cut staff numbers or wages tors believe that better indus- for policing and crime, urging efits of having someone whose but it is refusing to guarantee trial relations, in the context of her to use her powers to call on sole job is customer service.” a second crew member on all greater investment in transport, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of The RMT union disputed the trains, with its management may help avert a similar stand- Constabulary to look into the claims over how many services believing they are relatively off in the north of England. activities of officers investi- ran. Its general secretary, Mick ineffective on crowded, met- However, the government gating the election. Cash, said: “Instead of spin- ro-style urban services. has signalled that the costs of He wrote that more could ning fantasies about the con- Around 300,000 jour- rail must fall, and that more have been done to examine the tinuing impact of the guards’ neys are normally made daily trains that can be operated claims and that the investiga- action on Southern rail, the across the north of England on without guards or conduc- tions that did take place were A man shelters from the rain under an umbrella as he walks past telephone boxes in London company should be round the Northern trains, and 110,000 tors will be expected in future not carried out to the highest yesterday. table with the union looking by passengers on Merseyrail, franchises, setting it up for standards. for a solution that protects which serves Liverpool and more battles with unions.

Comeback plans? Ticket touts face fi nes for Rising living costs a using ‘bots’ to buy in bulk cause for concern: poll Guardian News and Media prised by the fact that far fewer London people are concerned by the im- Guardian News and Media following outrage that face-value and take a cut of their profi ts. pact of Brexit than they are by London tickets to see artistes such as Adele Ministers will also propose rising infl ation. “We fi nd this in- and Ed Sheeran are selling out in stronger enforcement of consum- ritons wear Nike and triguing because the two are in- minutes, only to appear for thou- er rights laws, amid concern that don’t realise Brexit will terlinked in our view, with rising outs who use computer sands of pounds on resale websites tickets are being sold with no in- Bmake life more expensive, living costs being at least partly a software to harvest con- such as Viagogo, StubHub and formation about the seat location according to a consumer survey function of the Brexit vote,” said Tcert tickets in bulk and GetMeIn moments later. or the name of the seller, in con- by HSBC. Its report, Anatomy the bank’s analysts. They said the resell them at vast mark-ups face These websites make money by travention of the Consumer Rights of the Consumer, is analysis of survey suggested that “house- unlimited fi nes as part of a crack- allowing touts, as well as genuine Act 2015. spending habits in travel, lei- holds have not yet fully identi- down on highly profi table resale fans, to resell tickets in return for Eff orts to step up scrutiny of sure, food and retail, based on a fi ed the link between the Brexit sites such as Viagogo, StubHub a cut of anything up to 25% of the fi rms’ adherence to consumer laws survey of 2,000 people. vote and rising living costs”. and GetMeIn. sale price. is also aimed at sites that sell tick- Its key finding was that con- Those consumers who do The department of culture, As well as criminalising bots, ets whose terms and conditions sumers remain “unfazed by have money to spend had strong media and sport (DCMS) will an- ministers at DCMS will accept specifi cally ban resale, meaning current uncertainty” about the opinions about their favourite nounce a package of measures in full the recommendations of a fans are turned away at the door. economy, with relatively few brands, the survey found. For to curb the growing power of the review by Professor Michael Wa- Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, a reporting fears that they might instance, assuming fl ight times so-called “secondary ticketing” terson, who published proposals long-time campaigner for ticket lose their job or see the value of and prices are the same, travel- industry, which now regularly of- to tackle rogue ticket traders last reform, welcomed measures she their home fall. lers would rather fl y with British fers tickets at huge mark-ups, even year. said would address a “broken and But nearly half of those sur- Airways than any other airline, before they are available to the These include demanding that parasitic market”. veyed said they are worried but would choose easyJet where general public. ticket fi rms to step up their own “These measures will ensure about rising living costs, with it is cheaper. The bank recom- Proposals will include a new eff orts to prevent the use of bots that fans are protected, but there more saying their disposable mended investors in shares buy criminal off ence for the use of and to report any attacks on their still remains work to do to make income has dwindled in the last easyJet stock as the preferred “bots” – software that helps touts systems by touts trying to harvest sure that these measures are en- year than those who have more option among no-frills carriers. bypass limits on the number of tickets. forced properly so touts do not money to spend. When it comes to hotels, tickets one person can buy. While primary ticket fi rms circumvent them as this is going to Leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) Nigel Consumers looking to tight- the industry need not fear the National Trading Standards will such as Ticketmaster say they very soon be the law of the land.” Farage arrives at the BBC studios in London yesterday. en their belts are most likely threat that people will defect also be handed a ringfenced pot of are doing their utmost to stop bot The DCMS proposals will be Speaking to BBC One’s Sunday Politics Farage said he to ditch meals out but are less en masse to AirBnB. Some 62% money to fund eff orts to stop fans users, the company also owns informed by an ongoing review by would “probably” stand again in the Kent constituency willing to dispense with their of people said they either have being ripped off or shut out of the secondary sites, such as GetMeIn the Competition and Market Au- he failed to win at the last election if a fraud investigation annual holiday, the survey never used the spare room rent- most in-demand events. and Seatwave, which have close thority into secondary ticketing prompts a by-election. found. al service or would never con- The government is taking action relationships with major touts fi rms’ compliance with the law. HSBC said it was most sur- sider doing so. Gulf Times 22 Monday, March 13, 2017 EUROPE

WHO says pollution Political storm in Italy kills 1.7mn toddlers following Naples chaos annually AFP replied with baton-and-shield to stop him speaking but we did AFP Rome charges and tear gas. not want him in any city build- Geneva The confrontation continued ing because his politics are of- for over an hour, during which fensive to this city, racist and taly’s government has vowed cars and rubbish carts were van- xenophobic.” ore than one in four to defend far-right Northern dalised or overturned. Media reports said the pro- deaths in children un- ILeague leader Matteo Sal- Police made three arrests and testers involved in the violence Mder fi ve are linked to vini’s right to free speech after were looking for three other were a mixture of militants of polluted environments, accord- violent clashes marred his fi rst people reported to have been in- the anti-globalisation Black ing to two new World Health Or- rally in Naples, proud capital of volved. Bloc group and hooligan fans ganisation (WHO) reports pub- the country’s poor south. Salvini, an anti-immigration, of local football club Napoli, lished this week. “Something very important anti-euro populist who attracts known as “ultras”. Each year, environmental happened yesterday which we protests whenever he ventures Commentators described the risks such as indoor and outdoor have to refl ect on,” Interior Min- out of his base in Italy’s wealthy chaotic scenes as shameful and pollution, second-hand smoke, ister Marco Minniti said after the north, accused de Magistris of questioned whether de Magis- unsafe water and poor sanita- violence between masked pro- trying to censor him and threat- tris had not fanned the fl ames tion kill around 1.7mn children testers and riot police erupted ened to fi le a legal complaint for with his comments before Sal- between the ages of one month on the margins of an otherwise defamation. vini’s arrival. and fi ve years, the reports found. peaceful demonstration in the In the run-up to Saturday’s They included tweeting “I’m Harmful exposure can start sprawling port city on Saturday. clashes, the independent left- with the (protest organisers) so- in the mother’s womb, increas- “In a democracy it is funda- winger had branded Salvini a cial centres” and accusing the ing the risk of premature birth, mental that everyone has the fascist xenophobe with con- government of dictating to the which can lead to life-long right to speak and it is even more tempt for southern Italy. city how to run its aff airs. health problems. fundamental for those whose He also tried to use his may- Italian newspaper Corriere When children are exposed to views are furthest away from our oral powers to deny the far-right della Sera said in an editorial air pollutants they also can face a own,” Minniti said. leader a venue for his fi rst rally in that the essential point about lifelong increased risk of chronic Minniti’s intervention came Naples. the episode was that Salvini had respiratory diseases, like asth- amid a row over whether Na- He was overruled by the local A group of people clashes with police in Naples’ Fuorigrotta district during a rally on Saturday organised not been denied a platform, in ma, and of heart disease, stroke ples’s leftist mayor, Luigi de prefect, acting on the orders of by citizens and social community against Matteo Salvini. line with policies applied to far- and cancer. Magistris, had encouraged ac- the interior ministry. right leaders in France and the The fi ndings were in line with tivists bent on preventing Sal- “De Magistris should resign fi re from the media, constitu- vola, a former president of Ita- rejected the charges as “lies”. Netherlands. a WHO study published last year vini speaking. instead of accusing me of be- tional experts and former pre- ly’s Constitutional Court, told “I have never supported vio- But it asked: “How many Ne- showing that about a quarter of Saturday’s violence came ing a Nazi-fascist,” Salvini said mier Matteo Renzi. La Repubblica. lence but I do stand with the apolitans were not able to go and all deaths worldwide, across all after a handful of demonstra- yesterday. “Nothing like this has “Handing Salvini the stamp Renzi accused the Naples people of this city who have listen to Salvini, even just out of age groups, were attributable to tors broke away from a protest ever been seen in Naples and the of being the defender of free mayor of fl irting with the violent been betrayed by powers who curiosity, because of the heavy environmental factors like air, march. worst thing about it is the may- speech and the right of political fringe of left wing politics. have blood on their hands,” he atmosphere that was created. Is water and soil pollution, as well They began hurling stones, or’s support for it.” leaders to voice their opinions De Magistris, who had voiced said. this not a high price to pay for as unsafe roads and workplace fl ares, smoke bombs and Molo- De Magistris’s handling of was, frankly, an unthinkable support for the anti-Salvini He refused to retract his at- the intolerance of those in black stress. tov cocktails at the police, who Salvini’s visit also came under short-circuit,” Francesco Casa- protesters earlier in the week, tacks on Salvini. “We didn’t try hoodies?” But the new reports highlight the particular dangers faced by the youngest in society. “A polluted environment is a deadly one, particularly for young children,” WHO chief Pope Francis’s ‘report card’ marred Mona Lisa’s smile Margaret Chan said in a state- ment. “Their developing or- gans and immune systems, and decoded: science smaller bodies and airways, by sluggish pace of church reforms make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water.” says she’s happy An estimated 570,000 chil- By Catherine Marciano, AFP because of a lack of suffi cient dren under fi ve die each year Vatican City preparatory consultation or be- from respiratory infections such cause the wrong people are put By Mariëtte Le Roux, AFP as pneumonia, which are at- in charge of them. Paris tributable to air pollution and lected in 2013 with a brief The most fl agrant example of second-hand smoke, the reports to reform a scandal-hit this was the appointment to a found. EVatican, Pope Francis has fi nancial reform panel of Franc- he subject of centuries And 361,000 others are killed launched numerous initiatives esca Chaouqui, a PR consultant of scrutiny and debate, by diarrhoea resulting from poor but, four years later, he is seen with questionable qualifi cations TMona Lisa’s famous access to clean water, sanitation as still struggling to deliver real for the role. smile is routinely described as and hygiene, the agency said. change. Chaouqui was convicted last ambiguous. Another 200,000 children As he celebrates his fourth year of leaking classifi ed docu- But is it really that hard to under fi ve die from unintention- anniversary at the head of the ments to journalists at the end read? al injuries linked to unhealthy Catholic Church today, the aff a- of a highly embarrassing trial Apparently not. environments, including poi- ble Argentine continues to bask dubbed VatiLeaks II. In an unusual trial, close to sonings, falls and drowning, the in a remarkable level of popular- The case centred on an un- 100% of people described her WHO said. ity around the world thanks to successful attempt to prosecute expression as unequivocally The agency emphasised that his popular touch, plain speak- Pope Francis once described a group of religious bureaucrats as two investigative journalists for “happy”, researchers revealed a large portion of deaths among ing and his humble, modest suff ering from ‘spiritual Alzheimer’s’. using the leaked documents to on Friday. children stemming from com- style. expose waste and mismanage- “We really were astonished,” mon causes like diarrhoea, ma- But inside the Vatican Cu- istration that runs the global Pontiff warned them that the ment of Vatican fi nances and the neuroscientist Juergen Ko- laria and pneumonia could be ria there is not always the same church. reform process he launched in taste of some cardinals for lavish rnmeier of the University of This file photo taken on April prevented by reducing environ- enthusiasm for a pope who has Addressing senior offi cials 2013 had to lead to more than a luxury. Freiburg in Germany, who co- 05, 2005 shows a cameraman mental risks. regularly lambasted the admin- in December, the 80-year-old cosmetic “face-lift” to remove Better controls on money authored the study, told AFP. filming Leonardo da Vinci’s Simply increasing access to wrinkles. coming in and going out are at Kornmeier and a team used masterpiece, the Mona Lisa in safe water and clean cooking Elderly married men could become priests “Dear brothers, it’s not the the heart of Francis’s reform what is arguably the most fa- the Louvre in Paris. fuels, removing unsafe build- wrinkles in the church that you agenda but offi cials admit it will mous artwork in the world in a ing materials like lead paint, and Pope Francis has said that he is willing to consider ordaining older mar- should fear, but the stains!” he be several years before fully au- study of factors that infl uence ous,” Kornmeier said. reducing the use of hazardous ried men as priests in isolated communities, but has ruled out making told a group of religious bu- dited consolidated accounts are how humans judge visual cues Instead, “to our great as- pesticides and chemicals could celibacy optional to tackle a shortage of clergy. reaucrats he had previously de- produced. such as facial expressions. tonishment, we found that Da go a long way in preventing such The shortage has prompted calls from some progressives to end the scribed as suff ering from “spir- “It is not easy to introduce Known as La Gioconda in Vinci’s original was ... per- deaths, the reports said. ancient tradition of celibacy for Roman Catholic priests. itual Alzheimer’s”. common accounting standards Italian, the Mona Lisa is often ceived as happy” in 97% of A full 200,000 deaths each Such a move would represent revolutionary change for the Catholic One Argentine bishop esti- when you have not had them for held up as a symbol of emo- cases. year among children under fi ve Church and would likely face massive resistance. mates active supporters of Fran- centuries,” confi des one offi cial. tional enigma. A second phase of the ex- due to malaria, for example, Reformers, however, have long suggested that the Vatican could ordain cis’s agenda to make up only A month after his election, The portrait appears to periment involved the original could be avoided through ac- “viri probati” – Latin for men of proven character – who tend to be older, around 20% of the Curia. Francis appointed eight (now many to be smiling sweetly at Mona Lisa with eight “sadder” tions like reducing breeding with grown-up families if married. A majority are loyal but pas- nine) cardinals to an advisory fi rst, only to adopt a mocking versions, with even more nu- sites for mosquitoes and cover- In an interview with Germany’s Die Zeit newspaper, the Pope said that sive and there is a signifi cant committee on administrative sneer or sad stare the longer anced diff erences in the lip tilt. ing drinking water storage, the this option could be considered. minority actively opposed to reform, but details of progress you look. In this test, the original was WHO said. “We have to give a thought to whether viri probati are a possibility. We him, the cleric says. on this are sketchy. Using a black and white still described as happy, but At the same time, a range of then also need to determine which tasks they could take on, such as in Adding to Francis’s problems At the beginning of 2014 a copy of the early 16th century participants’ reading of the new environmental hazards are isolated areas, for example,” he was quoted as saying. is the fact that rapid change has powerful economic department masterpiece by Leonardo da other images changed. emerging, like the ballooning He ruled out, however, opening the priesthood to all married men or wa- been anything but a feature of was created under Australian Vinci, a team manipulated the “They were perceived a little piles of discarded mobile phones tering down the Catholic Church’s commitment to celibacy, which is seen church culture over the centu- cardinal George Pell. model’s mouth corners slight- sadder” than in the fi rst exper- and other electronic and electri- as a virtue that frees priests to devote their lives fully to serve God. ries. The move created shockwaves ly up and down to create eight iment, said Kornmeier. cal waste, which is expected to “Voluntary celibacy is often discussed in this context, especially in places The sensitive issue of cleri- at the time but his powers have altered images – four margin- The fi ndings confi rm that hit 50mn metric tonnes globally where there are shortages of clerics. But voluntary celibacy is not a solu- cal sex crimes illustrated this been trimmed since, according ally but progressively “hap- “we don’t have an absolute by next year. tion,” he said. double diffi culty last week when to Vatican watchers. pier”, and four “sadder” Mona fi xed scale of happiness and When not properly recycled, Prominent Catholics representing both the progressive and conservative Irish abuse survivor Marie Col- The body that manages the Lisas. sadness in our brain” – and such waste can expose children wings of the US church voiced support on Friday for the Pope’s sug- lins resigned from the Pope’s Vatican’s huge assets has re- A block of nine images were that a lot depends on context, to toxins that can lead to reduced gestion, with both camps seeing the move as a practical solution to the advisory panel on the issue, sumed control of its own aff airs, shown to 12 trial participants the researcher explained. intelligence, attention disorders, chronic shortage of priests. blaming “shameful” obstruc- noted Sandro Magister, a con- 30 times. “Our brain manages to very, lung damage and cancer, the A US university report published in 2015 said the world’s Catholic popula- tion from within the Curia. servative commentator who is In every showing, for which very quickly scan the fi eld. We WHO warned. tion had increased by 57%, or 445mn people, between 1980 and 2012, However, some Vatican insid- critical of Pope Francis’s leader- the pictures were randomly notice the total range, and then Climate change is also taking while the number of priests over the same period had dropped by 17%, ers say that depictions of a kind ship. reshuffl ed, participants had to we adapt our estimates” using its toll on children, the reports or 20,547. of civil war in the upper ech- On the other hand, Vatican describe each of the nine im- our memory of previous sen- found. In Brazil, the nation with more Catholics than any other, the faithful also elons of the church are wide of media activities have been com- ages as happy or sad. sory experiences, he said. Rising levels of carbon diox- expressed support for the viri probati idea. the mark. pletely reorganised and shaken “Given the descriptions Understanding this process ide contributes to pollen growth, “If he (a priest) had a wife and children, he may have a much fuller experi- “We need to get rid of this cli- up, despite considerable inter- from art and art history, we may be useful in the study of which in turn is leading to rising ence, which could help those around him,” said Paulo Franca, attending chéd idea of a reforming pope nal reservations. thought that the original psychiatric disorders, said Ko- rates of asthma in young people, an afternoon Mass at the Santa Luzia Church in Rio de Janeiro. on one side and a group trying “The Pope starts procedures would be the most ambigu- rnmeier. the agency said. The church has already sought to address a potential shortage of priests to block him on the other,” said and sows disorder,” says Mag- by promoting the use of deacons – male clerics who can be married and German cardinal Gerhard Lud- ister, who describes Francis as sit just behind priests in the church hierarchy. wig Muller, the head of the de- being far from delivering the Europol investigating 5,000 organised crime groups They can off iciate at baptisms, funerals and weddings, but are not al- partment targeted by Collins’ kind of change that was much lowed to celebrate Mass, hear confessions or anoint the sick. criticism. discussed at the time of the con- Some 5,000 organised crime groups are active there were 3,600 internationally operating crime The growth in the number of deacons has made US Catholics more “This simplistic idea of a good clave of cardinals which elected in Europe, with more than one-third of the rings groups in the 28-nation European Union. comfortable with the idea of married men playing an important role pope and a wicked Curia is dan- him. involved in illicit drug trade, the EU law enforcement Europol director Rob Wainwright attributed the in services, said Bill Donohue, chairman of the conservative-leaning gerous for the Pontiff because Valente is more forgiving. agency Europol said in a report on Thursday. increase to an “improved intelligence picture” and Catholic League. it can leave him isolated,” said “It is a long-distance job and Drug trade generates €24bn ($25bn) in profits every the emergence of smaller groups whose operations “My only concern is how this will impact on those priests who are single,” Gianni Valente, of the specialist the Pope is laying out guide- year. take place solely online. Donohue said. “You have a lot of funerals on weekends, there are wed- review Vatican Insider. lines,” he says, while stressing The groups are also engaged in counterfeiting “Developments such as the emergence of the online dings and what not. I can see a situation where a married priest would And it does not always refl ect that most believers will judge currency, migrant smuggling, arms traff icking and trade in illicit goods and services are set to result in say, ‘I have to go to my kids’ soccer game, I have responsibilities that you reality. Francis’s performance as pope an array of cyber crime, including child sexual significant shifts in criminal markets and confront don’t have’. They have to think this through a bit more.” Many Vatican offi cials say on other, less institutional, is- exploitation and bank fraud. law enforcement authorities with new challenges,” certain reforms are held up sues. In 2013, the last time Europol released such a report, he wrote in the report. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 23 EUROPE

Interior minister is opposed to Turkish Netherlands will pay rallies in Germany

AFP lands refused to allow Turkish Berlin ministers into the country for rallies. for actions: Turkey De Maiziere said while he is nterior Minister Thomas de opposed to such appearances, Reuters/AFP Maiziere said yesterday that the question of whether to im- Ankara/Rotterdam Ihe was against Turkish min- pose an outright entry ban re- isters holding political rallies quires careful consideration. in Germany, and signalled that “But there are limits – clear resident Recep Tayyip Er- there are legal ways to stop such limits, for example in the crimi- dogan said yesterday that campaigns. nal code. It is hardly noticed,” he Pthe Netherlands was act- “A Turkish campaign has no said. “Someone who insults and ing like a “banana republic” and business being here in Germany,” maliciously condemns Germany should face sanctions for barring he told public broadcaster ARD, or its constitutional has com- Turkish ministers from speaking saying he is “strongly opposed mitted a criminal off ence. That in Rotterdam, fuelling a row over politically” to such events. would at least be a limit.” Ankara’s political campaigning Ankara is locked in a row Erdogan had labelled the deci- abroad. with several European countries sion by German local authorities Erdogan is looking to the large which have sought to stop Turk- to halt the rallies as “Nazi prac- number of Turks living in Eu- ish ministers from holding rallies tices”, sparking consternation in rope, especially in Germany and in their countries ahead of an Berlin. the Netherlands, to help secure April referendum aimed at ex- Chancellor Angela Merkel victory next month in a referen- panding President Recep Tayyip called such rhetoric “depress- dum that would give the presi- Erdogan’s powers. ing”, saying that it belittled dency sweeping new powers. German local authorities this Holocaust victims and was “so In a speech in France, Foreign Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu with a supporter holding month scrapped such cam- out of place as to be unworthy of Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu de- portraits of Turkish President Erdogan and Prime Minister Yildirim at paign appearances over logisti- serious comment”. scribed the Netherlands as the the end of a political rally on Turkey’s upcoming referendum, in Metz, cal problems, sparking an angry But on any future rallies, she “capital of fascism” as it joined France. response from Ankara, which is said: “We continue to view such other European countries in Erdogan: The Netherlands are keen to win votes from the Turk- appearances by Turkish govern- stopping Turkish politicians acting like a banana republic. ish diaspora. ment representatives as possi- holding rallies, due to fears that The row escalated sharply at ble as long as they are duly an- tensions in Turkey might spill terday a man climbed onto the the weekend after The Nether- nounced, in a timely manner, and over into their expatriate com- roof of the Dutch consulate and in an open way.” munities. replaced the Dutch fl ag with a The latest dispute is one in a The Dutch government barred Turkish fl ag. long list of issues surrounding Cavusoglu from fl ying to Rot- The fl ag was later taken down human rights and freedom of terdam on Saturday and later and Turkish offi cials insisted the expression that plague Ankara- stopped Family Minister Fatma consulate had not been entered Berlin ties, particularly since the Betul Sayan Kaya from enter- from the outside and “consular failed military coup against Er- ing the Turkish consulate there, offi cials” had hoisted the fl ag on dogan in July. before escorting her out of the their own initiative. Berlin has emerged as a stri- country to Germany. The consulate declined to dent critic of Ankara’s post-coup Dutch police used dogs and comment. crackdown, which has seen more water cannon yesterday to dis- A Dutch foreign ministry than 100,000 people arrested or perse hundreds of protesters spokeswoman told AFP that the dismissed from their posts over waving Turkish fl ags outside the situation “remains unclear” and alleged links to the plotters or to consulate in Rotterdam. the Netherlands had “protested Kurdish militants. Some threw bottles and stones to the Turkish authorities” over Amid the tension, Florian and several demonstrators were the incident. Hahn, a politician from Merkel’s beaten by police with batons, a German Chancellor Angela Bavarian allies the CSU, called on Reuters witness said. Merkel has said she will do all she Berlin to withdraw its troops at Mounted police offi cers can to prevent Turkey’s domestic Turkey’s Incirlik air base. charged the crowd. tensions spreading onto German De Maiziere however rejected The Dutch government – set territory. the call, saying German troops to lose about half its seats in Dutch riot police clash with Austria and Switzerland have De Maiziere: A Turkish campaign were there to “protect Nato in- elections this week, according protesters near the Turkish also cancelled Turkish rallies due has no business being here in terests, and therefore our inter- to polls, as the anti-Islam party consulate in Rotterdam late on to the escalating dispute. Germany. ests”. of Geert Wilders makes strong Saturday after Turkish Family European Parliament Vice- gains – said the visits were unde- Minister Kaya was barred from President Alexander Graff Lamb- sirable and it would not co-oper- entering the consulate and sdorff demanded a ban on Turk- ate in their campaigning. escorted out of the country. ish ministers campaigning in the “I call on all international or- EU. Fillon and Le Pen ganisations in Europe and else- anti-Erdogan camps. “The European Union should where to impose sanctions on The diplomatic row comes in agree on a line that Turkish min- the Netherlands,” Erdogan said, the run-up to next week’s Dutch isters are not allowed to cam- after his prime minister earlier election in which the mainstream paign in the EU,” he said. attack government said Turkey would retaliate in the parties are under strong pressure “The Dutch are showing how it “harshest ways”, without speci- from Wilders’ Party for Freedom is done, the German government fying how. (PVV). pussyfoots around ... in that way “Has Europe said anything? Experts said it was too early Turkey can try to play one coun- for allowing rally No. Why? Because they don’t to tell how events in Rotterdam try off the other,” he told Die Welt bite each other. The Netherlands This picture taken yesterday in Istanbul shows a Turkish flag might aff ect the election. newspaper. are acting like a banana republic,” fluttering at the Dutch consulate, briefly replacing the Netherlands’ “If there is any impact, howev- Turkish Family Minister Kaya, DPA Erdogan said in a speech in Ko- national flag. er, it is likely that Geert Wilders who was stopped just outside the Paris caeli province, near Istanbul. and his PVV Party will profi t Turkish consulate in Rotterdam “The West has clearly shown “We ended up in a totally un- meanwhile urged calm and said most,” said Leiden University by Dutch police and, after several its true face in the last couple of precedented situation in which a there had been no reason to pro- professor of electoral research hours of negotiations, escorted he right-wing and far- days,” he said. “What we have Nato ally ... with whom we have hibit a meeting in France between Joop van Holsteijn. back to the German border, re- right candidates in seen is a clear manifestation of historic ties, strong trade rela- Cavusoglu and a local Turkish After Turkey’s family minis- ceived a hero’s welcome upon TFrance’s presidential elec- Islamophobia.” tions, is acting in a totally unac- association. ter was escorted into Germany, return to Turkey. tion slammed yesterday the gov- The president indicated that ceptable, irresponsible manner,” Cavusoglu was welcomed by Wilders tweeted: “Go away and Arriving at Istanbul airport, ernment’s go-ahead for a rally he himself plans to travel to Eu- Rutte told reporters. some 800 fl ag-waving Turks in never come back”. Kaya was met by a crowd waving addressed by Turkish Foreign rope for rallies, a move that could Rather than the Netherlands Metz. The Dutch government cited Turkish fl ags and said she and her Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in potentially create an even greater apologising for refusing the French Foreign Minister Jean- public order and security worries entourage had been subjected to the eastern city of Metz. row. Turkish ministers entry, Turkey’s Marc Ayrault said in a statement in withdrawing landing rights for “rude and tough treatment”. Right-wing hopeful Francois Erdogan said: “I can go to any president should apologise for that there was “no reason to pro- Cavusoglu’s fl ight and Turkey The Dutch government said Fillon accused incumbent So- country I want if I have a diplo- comparing the Netherlands to hibit this gathering”. fi red back, saying that the Dutch Kaya was “irresponsible” for at- cialist President Francois Hol- matic passport.” fascists and Nazis, he said. “I thank France. France was ambassador to Ankara should tempting to visit after being told lande of “fl agrantly breaching A day earlier, Erdogan de- The row risked spreading yes- not deceived by such games,” Er- not return from leave “for some she was not welcome. European solidarity”. scribed the Netherlands as “Nazi terday as Denmark’s Prime Min- dogan said. time”. The Netherlands is home to Fillon said that France should remnants” and returned to the ister Lars Lokke Rasmussen pro- Supporting Rutte’s decision to Hundreds of protesters gath- some 400,000 people of Turkish have followed the example of theme yesterday by saying “Na- posed postponing a planned visit ban the visits, the Dutch govern- ered outside the Dutch embassy origin while Germany has 1.4mn Dutch authorities and banned zism is still widespread in the by Turkish Prime Minister Binali ment said that there was a risk of in Ankara and consulate in Istan- people eligible to vote in Turkey the rally, which came ahead of a West” in what Dutch Prime Min- Yildirim this month due to the Turkish political divisions fl ow- bul. – the fourth-largest electoral referendum in Turkey to widen ister Mark Rutte said were in- dispute. ing over into its own Turkish mi- Police sealed off both sites. base after the cities of Istanbul, the powers of President Recep fl ammatory remarks. The French foreign ministry nority, which has both pro- and Meanwhile, in Istanbul yes- Ankara and Izmir. Tayyip Erdogan. Ankara has threatened retali- ation against the Dutch govern- Le Pen: Why should we tolerate ment, which on Saturday banned talk on our soil that is refused by Cavusoglu from landing ahead of other democracies? a planned rally and sent a second French presidential hopeful under scrutiny over suits Turkish minister back to Germa- on Twitter. ny after she crossed the border But French Foreign Minister by car to stand in for him. Jean Marc Ayrault said that there By Gina Doggett, AFP paper said, adding that a young tel fumed on French radio. hundreds of thousands of euros. Austrian and German authori- was no reason to ban the rally “in Paris woman generally delivered the A member of Fillon’s entou- Fillon, who had presented ties have also moved to block the absence of any known threat money to the chic Parisian tai- rage confi rmed that one of his himself as a sleaze-free candi- campaign rallies for expatri- to public order”. lor that has catered to the likes friends gifted him two Arnys date, was once the frontrunner ate voters by Turkish ministers, The meeting was “covered onservative French pres- of Andy Warhol and Yves Saint suits in February, adding that to become France’s next presi- leading Turkish Deputy Prime by the freedom of assembly”, he idential hopeful Francois Laurent. there was “nothing reprehensi- dent in May. Minister Nurettin Canikli to ac- said, while calling for calm in the CFillon, already dogged by An order for two suits com- ble” about it. But he has had to battle to stay cuse them of “crimes against hu- dispute between Ankara and the a fake jobs scandal, faced new pleted in early February however “We wonder how far these in the race because of the fake manity”. countries that have opposed the scrutiny yesterday over a mys- was paid for by cheque, signed malicious intrusions into his jobs revelations. Fillon said that two of France’s rallies. tery benefactor reportedly pay- by a “generous friend” who private life will go,” the source He is now in third place be- Fillon: was once the frontrunner “closest allies”, Germany and the Turkey should “avoid excesses ing for his bespoke suits. asked to remain anonymous, the said. hind 39-year-old centrist Em- Netherlands, had been “publicly and provocations”, Ayrault add- Since 2012, Fillon has received paper said. He dismissed as “outlandish” manuel Macron and far-right France’s top civilian honour, the insulted in an unspeakable man- ed. clothing worth nearly €48,500 “I paid at the request of Fran- the paper’s assertion that cash leader Marine Le Pen, 48, who Grand Croix of the Legion of ner” by Turkish leaders. Ahead of the rally in a Metz ($51,800) furnished by jet-set cois Fillon,” JDD quoted the payments were made on Fillon’s are neck-and-neck heading into Honour, in 2011 when Fillon was A joint position “should have conference centre, which was at- tailor Arnys, the weekly Jour- cheque’s signatory as saying, behalf for other Arnys clothing. the April 23 fi rst round. prime minister. prevailed over meeting Turkish tended by hundreds of fl ag-wav- nal du Dimanche (JDD) said in adding: “By the way, without “No serious tailor’s shop Last week the Canard En- Ladreit de Lacharriere, chief demands”, he argued. ing Turkish citizens and went a report denounced by Fillon’s receiving the slightest thanks would accept cash payments in chaine came out with a new rev- executive of the fi nancial serv- Far-right candidate Marine Le off without incident, Cavusoglu spokesman as part of a “gutter since then.” such amounts,” he said. elation, that Fillon had received ices holding company Fimalac, Pen, who is in fi rst place in the wrote on Twitter that an apol- campaign” against the candi- The former prime minister’s The store itself refused to an- an interest-free, undeclared owns the literary magazine Re- opinion polls ahead of April’s ogy from the Netherlands “is not date. spokesman Luc Chatel reacted swer queries from the JDD. loan of €50,000 from a billion- vue des Deux Mondes, the centre fi rst round of voting, also hit out enough”. The report came just six angrily to the report. Fillon’s campaign went into a aire friend. of a separate revelation by the at the government. Council of Europe consti- weeks ahead of the fi rst round “How far are they going to tailspin in January when the sa- The candidate “did not deem Canard Enchaine. “Why should we tolerate talk tutional law experts on Friday of the presidential election and take this?” he said. tirical and investigative French it necessary” to report the loan The publication paid Pene- on our soil that is refused by warned that the increased presi- with Fillon, 63, facing charges “Are they going to check weekly Le Canard Enchaine re- to a state transparency watch- lope Fillon some €100,000 in other democracies? No Turkish dential powers proposed in the over the fake jobs scandal. whether his grandmother had a vealed that he had arranged for dog, the paper said. 2012-13 but there is little evi- electoral campaign in France,” Turkish referendum risked in- Of the total sum for the suits, Russian loan, and if he declared allegedly fake parliamentary The billionaire, Marc Ladreit dence of her work, the Canard the National Front leader wrote stalling a “one-person regime”. €35,500 was paid in cash, the it in his assets statement?” Cha- jobs for his wife Penelope worth de Lacharriere, was awarded reported. Gulf Times 24 Monday, March 13, 2017 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup Simple address unlocks new life for slum dwellers

By Umaima Shafiq By Rina Chandran ceiving our mail at home and next, except for a narrow, blue- ban slums and rural areas where sess the need for addresses. tor of the Hope Foundation in Kolkata opening a bank account,” said coloured laminated strip with a conventional addresses do not With the Hope Foundation, Kolkata. Roy, a student, showing his bank jumble of letters and numbers on apply. which works to protect children, “But once they saw how it Kite thread kills passbook. every door frame. “Giving people an address is they then created a system for would help them get identifi ca- t’s not easy giving directions About a third of India’s 1.25bn These are so-called geo postal relatively simple and inexpen- Kolkata’s Chetla slum, giving tion documents and open bank motorcycle rider when you live in a slum. population lives in cities, with codes generated by technol- sive. Yet it makes a big diff erence each home a nine-digit unique accounts, they were convinced in Chennai I All his life, Dipak Roy had numbers rising every year as tens ogy from Addressing the Unad- to the lives of slum dwellers, as ID. of its benefi ts,” she told the identifi ed his home as the one of thousands of people leave vil- dressed, a Dublin-based non- they can better identify them- They convinced bank offi cials Thomson Reuters Foundation. on the corner, down the third lages to seek better prospects. profi t organisation working in selves and are more easily able to to recognise the codes as a legiti- Having addresses has also C Siva Prakasam, a 40-year-old by-lane, near the hospital on the Many end up in overcrowded Kolkata’s slums to give people access services,” he said. mate postal address. helped offi cials identify the needs engineer, died when a stray kite main road in the Panchanantala slums lacking basic amenities. addresses. Pigot set up his mapping sys- They trained postmen how to in a slum, including healthcare thread polished with glass shards slum in Kolkata. Up to 37mn households – a About 16,000 dwellings in tem in response to a United Na- deliver mail to a code, and won and education. slit his throat as he was riding his Then a year ago, that changed. quarter of India’s urban popula- nine slums in the city have so far tions initiative in 2009 aiming to the right to use it to access ben- “City offi cials tend to resist motorcycle at Anakaputhur in Roy received something he tion – live in informal housing got the codes. give addresses to everyone living efi ts. any eff ort that legitimises slums suburban Chennai last week. had always thought impossible: including slums due to a critical An estimated 1.4mn slum in shanty towns. About 250 homes can be coded dwellings, as they see them as His 70-year-old father who was an address, which has helped his shortage of aff ordable housing, dwellers in 350,000 homes in Since working in Kolkata, Pig- every week, at a cost of Rs150 encroachments,” said Vinod Ku- riding pillion was also injured family access social benefi ts and according to a recent report from Kolkata will receive geo codes by ot has been approached by more each, said Pigot, who is working mar Rao at SPARC, a Mumbai when Prakasam lost control and open a bank account, previously social consultancy FSG. 2026, said Alex Pigot, chief ex- Indian cities, as well as by Afri- with Google on adding the slum non-profi t. rammed into the iron railing on out of reach. Panchanantala is a warren of ecutive of Addressing the Unad- can nations. lanes to its maps. “For slum dwellers though, the road side. “I did not think I would have more than 2,300 one-room brick dressed. It has been a group eff ort to get “At fi rst, many residents were particularly new slums where In another part of Chennai, an address as long as I lived here,” homes and shops, with tin roofs “With GPS and Google Maps, the system in place. concerned that getting a code there are no services, an address Sudha, 25, sustained injuries he said, gesturing to the tiny and crammed with stoves, trunks anyone can identify the geo- Pigot, along with Tina Roche, would make them more vulner- makes dwellings legitimate and while riding her two-wheeler homes all around. and furniture. coordinates of any place on the chief of the philanthropic Com- able to eviction since authorities helps ensure access to services.” when a stray kite thread struck “Having this address has made There is not much to distin- planet,” said Pigot, who devel- munity Foundation of Ireland, could now fi nd them easily,” said Slum dwellers battle the threat her neck at Perungulathur. so many things possible, like re- guish one tenement from the oped the GO Code system for ur- travelled to India in 2012 to as- Geeta Venkadakrishnan, direc- of eviction every day. Fortunately, she stopped the bike in time and rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid. Kite threads polished with glass shards and other sharp metals called ‘manja’ are popular in competitions to cut opponents’ kites. Despite a 10-year-old ban by Chennai city police, kite fans continue the practice in the Govt’s gold suburbs where vigilance is less. Engineering student drowns In Isha Foundation pool recycling plan A 21-year-old engineering student from Tiruvannamalai drowned in the swimming pool at the Isha Yoga Foundation in Coimbatore last week. M Ramesh been part of a college excursion to the fails to tempt commune. His friends pulled out an unconscious Ramesh but he died despite medical help. Doctors said that Ramesh had suff ered an asthmatic attack. The Isha Yoga management said the households pool, Surya Kund, had specific instructions pasted on a board The struggling scheme was November 2015, with India seek- At least fi ve bank branches vis- banning visitors with medical launched with much fanfare ing ways to stem the spending of ited by Reuters this week in Mum- complications. by Prime Minister Narendra billions of dollars on a non-es- bai said they could not accept gold Ramesh’s body was sent to Modi in November 2015 sential commodity that account- under the scheme as they had not Tiruvannamalai after autopsy. His ed for 27% of its trade defi cit in been given directions by their father denied that Ramesh was By Rajendra Jadhav/ Reuters the year to March, 2016. head offi ces. asthmatic. An inquiry is on. Mumbai The country is the world’s sec- A senior offi cial with the Indian The Foundation, a non-profit ond-biggest gold importer behind Banks’ Association said the cur- ashram owned by globally- China, buying about 800 tonnes a rent scheme off ered banks little or popular guru Jaggi Vasudev had ndia’s ambitious plan to re- year for wedding gifts, religious no profi t. earlier courted controversy over cycle thousands of tonnes of donations and as an investment. “There should be an incentive allegations of encroaching on Igold lying idle in temples and The plan was for holders of idle for banks,” said the offi cial, who forest reserves, forcibly detaining households looks to have found- gold to lodge it with banks in re- declined to be named when com- volunteers, amassing wealth ered on concerns over high costs turn for interest and cash at re- menting on a sensitive issue. and over the mysterious death and slight returns, in a blow to demption. Banks are also concerned that of Vasudev’s wife Vijayalakshmi government hopes of cutting im- The government would melt provisions allowing gold to be de- in 1997. ports of the metal. the gold and auction or rent it to posited for up to 15 years will raise After 16 months, temples and jewellers, reducing the need for currency and liquidity risks, the households have turned over imports. India Gold Policy Centre said in a ‘Nari Shakti’ just seven tonnes of gold out of But the scheme logistics mean recent report. awards for the 24,000 tonnes believed to be the owners of the gold must A fi nance ministry spokesper- in private hands, two industry shoulder the cost of testing its son declined to comment on the four from state sources and a government offi - purity and melting it down, while gold programme. cial said, with almost all the gold the interest rate on off er of just Gold refi ners, who more than Four women from Tamil Nadu coming from temples. 2.5% compares with 7-8% that doubled capacity in recent years won Nari Shakti or women Families that hold about 80% of banks off er for cash deposit rates. in anticipation of higher scrap empowerment awards from the idle gold have largely shunned “If a consumer wants to have supplies, are operating at well be- President Pranab Mukherjee the scheme, with some four dozen 25g jewellery converted the cost low capacity, said James Jose, sec- in New Delhi on International government-approved centres of converting and purity testing retary of the Association of Gold Women’s Day on March 8. that opened to test purity still to takes 3-4% of total value away,” Refi neries and Mints. They were Kalpana Shankar, process a single gram of house- said Shekhar Bhandari, executive “Except for the banks, all other chairperson of Hand in Hand, an hold gold, said Harshad Ajmera, vice-president of Kotak Mahindra stakeholders like purity centres, organisation that co-ordinates president of the Indian Associa- Bank. refi ners are ready, but they are women’s self-help groups and tion of Hallmarking Centres. Even when holders of the pre- helpless without banks’ partici- prevents child labour; 97-year- “You hardly earn anything but cious metal want to take part in pation,” he said. old yoga guru V Nanammal; you have to do so many things to the scheme they have run into The India Bullion and Jewel- textile designer Kalyani Pramod deposit gold under the scheme. hurdles. lers Association urged the gov- Balakrishnan who works with Why should I take all this pain?” “I visited four banks several ernment to revisit the scheme, disabled children and Nandita said 54-year-old clerk Ganpat times to deposit gold but they clearing doubts for consumers Shah, an animal rights and health Shelke, who considered deposit- could not accept it,” said Kushal and putting pressure on banks to activist. ing 50g of gold. Chatterjee, a businessmen from participate. Kalyani Pramod Balakrishnan The struggling scheme was Kolkata. “Otherwise Indian imports will said she had worked with 19,500 launched with much fanfare by “They said they did not know not fall,” said Association secre- weavers across 13 districts mostly A saleswoman displays a gold earring to customers at a jewellery showroom in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the process.” tary Surendra Mehta. women. Currently she is training adults aff ected with autism and cerebral palsy to weave. Likewise Kalpana Shankar’s Hand in Hand Mass wedding organisation has improved the lives of 1.3mn women in India and Congress to pick Sudheeran successor abroad. IANS decide things sitting in Delhi as Though seasoned politicians those of P T Thomas, K Mu- Thiruvananthapuram the ground reality is totally dif- like veteran Oommen Chandy raleedharan, K Sudhakaran and Three trampled ferent,” said a Congress leader never uttered a word against the Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. to death by on condition of anonymity. national leadership, they were “I have always been a loyal he Congress in Kerala “The national leadership has clearly unhappy with it. soldier of the party and have al- wild elephants faces a tough time in failed to gauge what the situa- Ever since the shock defeat ways abided by the party deci- Tselecting a new party tion is in Kerala; had they done in 2016, Chandy has remained sions. To become the state party A man and woman were trampled president after V M Sudheer- proper homework, Sudheeran reclusive and treaded his own president is anyone’s ultimate to death by wild elephants in an stepped down on health would not have become the path. Chandy has already made dream,” said Thomas, a sitting separate areas of Madukkarai grounds on Friday. president in 2014. Many in the his stand clear that he would legislator. forest reserve in suburban Sudheeran’s resignation party wish it does not repeat not run for the post of the state “In two days’ time the na- Coimbatore. comes at a time when the Con- the mistake this time, when the president to succeed Sudheeran. tional leadership of the party Police found 33-year-old gress is on a weak ground after new president is selected,” the “The biggest drawback in the will decide on the new state Kaliyammal’s body near her the results of fi ve state assembly leader said. party today is that, even though president,” said Sudhakaran. village Permalkovilpathi and polls were announced on Sat- The state Congress Party was there are capable leaders, there “The new president would 55-year-old Pathiran’s body urday. controlled by K Karunakaran is not a single leader who has be selected after looking into at Odanthurai. Postmortems While Congress vice presi- and A K Antony for over three the stature and who enjoys the various issues,” remarked Rad- confirmed pachyderm attacks. dent Rahul Gandhi, who is decades till the early 2000s, but respectability of all Congress- hakrishnan. In a third incident, Jayakumar, a now the fi nal word in the party, things changed with the passing men,” another leader said. But Muraleedharan – son of daily wage worker was trampled took a severe beating in Uttar away of Karunakaran. “This was not the situation Karunakaran and a former state to death at a pepper plantation Pradesh polls where he led the After Antony moved to Delhi when Karunakaran, Antony, president – ruled himself out. in O Valley forest range in Ooty party campaign, the credit for in 2005, he was the last word Chandy and to a certain extent “I wish to concentrate on hill resort about 100km from Congress victory in Punjab has that the national leadership Ramesh Chennithala led the parliamentary politics and Coimbatore. now gone fully to Amarinder banked on to make crucial deci- party from the front. There is hence I am not interested,” he The Coimbatore forest Singh. sions. defi nitely a vacuum and how said. department confirmed that wild “In politics, being realistic in The selection of Sudheeran, best and how fast the national Whosoever gets the nod will elephants had begun straying decision making process is very naming of candidates to the leadership decides is going to fi nd the going tough as the par- into villages and hamlets because crucial and gone are the days May 2016 assembly polls and be keenly watched,” the leader ty has to revive itself from the water reserves in forest were when the national leadership the revamp of the 14 district said. grassroots, which is not easy as Brides sit and wait for their turn during a Muslim mass wedding in drying due to poor rainfall and could thrust their decisions on party chiefs were all decided in By now quite a few names the Congress is in not in power Ahmedabad, yesterday. deforestation. state units. Today, one can’t Delhi. have propped up, including either in the state at the Centre. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 25 INDIA

SURGERY PEOPLE AGRICULTURE INVESTIGATION DIPLOMACY Hip replacement using TDP legislator dies Himachal to develop Case against Raja Bhaiya Saudi King’s India 3D model successful of cardiac arrest 200 organic villages after death of witness visit expected this year

A private hospital in Kochi has successfully The Telugu Desam Party legislator in the Andhra Himachal Pradesh, whose economy largely banks on A case has been lodged against Uttar Pradesh India yesterday said it looks forward to the first completed the first-ever hip replacement surgery Pradesh assembly Bhuma Nagi Reddy died of agriculture and horticulture, aims to develop bio- minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya off icial visit by King Salman of Saudi Arabia to in Kerala using a 3D model of the hip, the hospital cardiac arrest in Kurnool district yesterday, his villages by promoting organic farming. The state is also after the suspicious death of a witness in the further deepen the strategic ties between the authorities said yesterday. A 60-year-old housewife family members said. Bhuma, a former member eyeing investment in cold chains. An additional 2,000 infamous killing of police off icer Zia-ul-Haq, police two countries, an Indian off icial said. “We are from Kottayam was suff ering from a painful hip of parliament, was 53 and is survived by two hectares will be brought under organic farming and said yesterday. Along with Raja Bhaiya, who won looking forward to the visit of the King of Saudi and could not walk properly after she met with an daughters and a son. The TDP leader suff ered there are plans to develop 200 bio-villages in the next the assembly election from Kunda in Pratapgarh, Arabia later this year,” Secretary, External Aff airs accident in 2014. The surgery was performed last cardiac arrest while reading newspapers at his fiscal year, a government spokesperson said. He said a case has also been registered against his cousin (Economic Relations), Amar Sinha, said at an event week at VPS Lakeshore Hospital by a medical team house in Allagadda in the morning. He was shifted farmers in the bio-villages would use only bio-fertilisers and member of the Legislative Council Akshay organised by the Saudi petrochemicals giant led by Bipin Theruvil, a specialist in hip replacements. to a hospital in the town and later to another and bio-pesticides and discourage the use of chemical Pratap Singh and five others. Yogendra Yadav, 19, Sabic. “Our historical and deep relations have been A special software was used to process the CT scans hospital in Nandyal town, where all eff orts by fertilisers and pesticide for cultivating vegetables and the key witness in the 2013 killing of Circle Off icer growing rapidly over the last couple of years. Both of the patient’s fractured hip and was printed using doctors to revive him proved futile. Chief Minister fruits. For meeting the demand of organic manure, the (CO) Haq, died in a road accident late Friday night countries have intensified joint production and a 3D printer which took 18 hours. “The final surgery N Chandrababu Naidu expressed condolences. A government in its budget for 2017-18 has proposed to in Arkha village of Unchahaar. The witness’s uncle investment and are looking at new investments lasted less than four hours and the patient was able powerful leader of the region, Bhuma quit the YSR set up 20,000 vermi-compost units with 50% assistance Sudhir Yadav has alleged that Yogendra alias in infrastructure, manufacturing and pooling of to walk on the same day itself,” said Theruvil. Congress Party last year and returned to the TDP. to the farmers. Babloo was mowed down deliberately. technical resources and skills,” he added. Create a ‘New India’ by 2022, says premier

IANS Indians pledge their commit- New Delhi ment, then India can never lag back,” he said, adding the re- sults of the assembly polls have rime Minister Narendra boosted the country’s aspira- Modi yesterday said the tions. Presults of the recent as- He also asserted that he would sembly elections were food for seek to relieve the “most bur- thought for experts, and envi- dened” middle-class. sioned a “New India” that looks “The middle class is the most to contribute and not just to take. burdened section, burdened A day after the Bharatiya Jana- with tax, societal norms... This ta Party secured a historic man- burden needs to go and that will date in the assembly polls, Modi happen once the poor are em- undertook a victory march from powered to shoulder their own Le Meridien hotel to the nearby burdens. party headquarters on Ashoka “And today’s poor do not look Road in New Delhi, thanking the for doles, they want opportuni- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by BJP president Amit Shah at the party headquarters where he delivered a victory speech in New Delhi yesterday. people and party workers. ties to utilise their hard work. “There are many reasons for The strength of the poor and the winning an election but the aspirations of the middle class massive voting that led to this can take India to new heights,” massive win has become food Modi said. for thought for political pun- He also said the BJP was hav- dits,” Modi said addressing party ing its golden period that didn’t workers. suddenly come but was a result of four generations of toil and BJP stakes claim in Goa, “We have fi ve years and sweat. if all Indians pledge their Earlier, BJP president Amit commitment, then India Shah termed the party’s victory can never lag back” in Uttar Pradesh as “unprec- edented”, and said the win was “I have been seeing opin- a stamp of approval on Modi’s ions of political pundits and work. Parrikar to be new CM media reports. We have seen Shah said the party would win emotional issues dominating the 2019 Lok Sabha poll with a Goa Forward, MGP and At the press conference, Gad- wooing smaller parties to form a “As we have a fractured man- people of Goa have given us the elections. No party has won bigger mandate than 2014. Independents off er support kari said the BJP has the support coalition government. date we are seeking the sup- last chance to perform or else elections only on develop- “The victory is a stamp of ap- of 21 lawmakers in the 40-mem- Earlier, Congress leader Digv- port from all non-BJP MLAs perish. May God help us,” Singh ment agenda and without an proval on the prime minister’s IANS ber house and “we are likely to ijaya Singh told Parrikar not to without compromising on core added. emotional issue. But we have work,” Shah said. Panaji get the support of one or two “fi sh” in the state’s troubled wa- promises made in our manifes- Meanwhile, the lone Na- done that,” he said. “It is after a long time that a MLAs” more. ters. to. We have learnt our lesson: tionalist Congress Party MLA Asserting that he was never party is getting two-thirds ma- During the meeting with the Singh, who is expected to corruption shall not be toler- Churchill Alemao, who has been bound by electoral motives, Modi jority in Uttar Pradesh. This vic- efence Minister Mano- governor, the BJP contingent oversee a meeting of newly ated. a part of a Congress-led coali- called upon the people of the tory is unprecedented in many har Parrikar will be the of 13 MLAs was accompanied elected Congress legislators “We shall sincerely work for tion government from 2007-12, country to strive towards creat- ways,” Shah said. Dnext chief minister in a by three legislators each of the and fi nalise an alliance before Goa and Goans. The Congress has said he was keen to be a part ing a “New India” by 2022. “After independence, Naren- Bharatiya Janata Party-led gov- Goa Forward party and the Ma- submitting a list of MLAs to the should also understand that the of a government. “I have seen the deluge of poll- dra Modi is the leader who has ernment in Goa, federal Trans- harashtrawadi Gomantak Party governor, also said that the Con- centric dreams, I envision a new not just talked about the poor, port Minister Nitin Gadkari an- and three Independent legisla- gress will not compromise on Manipur too to get BJP govt India. We want 1.25 crore Indians but worked for them. He is the nounced yesterday. tors. core issues while making a bid collectively striving to make New most popular leader.” “The defence minister will re- “We have decided to support for power. The BJP was yesterday set to (one) and one Independent. India. He said demonetisation, sign before he takes oath as the the BJP for formation of govern- “My sympathies for Manohar form the next government The NPP won four seats in the “We respect and accept the free cooking gas connections new Goa chief minister,” Gadkari ment,” Goa Forward founder- Parrikar. But give him credit for in Manipur with the National recent assembly elections. work done by all prime min- to the poor, mission on toi- told reporters here. member Vijai Sardesai told re- his never say die spirit. In spite People’s Party (NPP) extending Sangma said they will meet isters and chief ministers. In lets under the Clean India Earlier, BJP leaders led by Par- porters before the meeting. of losing badly he is still support to it and thus enabling Governor Najma Heptulla 2022 when we will celebrate 75 programme and Jan Dhan ac- rikar met Goa Governor Mridula The BJP, which won 13 seats fi shing in troubled waters! it reach the vaunted 31-seat- to stake claim to forming years of independence, we want counts worked in favour of the Sinha to stake claim to forming the in the February 4 election, Come on Parrikarji, now mark in the 60-member state the government in the state. to have a new India. An India BJP. government in the coastal state. needs the support of eight relax in Delhi and prove assembly, NPP president Meanwhile, the Congress of the dreams of the youth, of “This is two steps ahead of The move followed the newly- legislators to hit the majority to be a good defence min- Conrad Sangma said. The BJP accused BJP of “playing a empowered women and their our victory of 2014. In the com- elected BJP legislators passing a mark of 21. ister. Who knows if you won 21 seats in the assembly dangerous game of subverting dreams. A new India that looks ing days, we will also spread to resolution demanding the return With the Congress play your cards well, you elections. It has already been democracy” and abducting to contribute and not just to eastern and western states. We of Parrikar as chief minister. (17) and BJP having may replace Modi!” promised support by the Naga an independent MLA from take. The India that seeks op- will get a bigger mandate in 2019 Parrikar, Gadkari and caretaker accounted for the Digvijaya said on People’s Front which has four Manipur by misusing the CISF portunities to grow. under the leadership of Narendra chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar bulk of the seats, his Facebook ac- seats, the Lok Janshakti Party at Imphal airport. “We have five years and if all Modi,” Shah said. were also present at the meeting. both had been count.

Only 25 Muslim MLAs Amarinder seeks bigger in new UP assembly

IANS leaders here feel, does not role for regional leaders augur well as it implies that Lucknow a “sizeable population is be- ing kept away from main- IANS of his government would be to the fi ve states that went to polls or all the focus on stream politics”. Chandigarh eradicate drugs in Punjab and showed that the party’s overall Muslims in the Ut- Former chief minister implement the non-monetary standing had improved. Ftar Pradesh elec- Mayawati’s BSP had fi elded promises made in the Congress He said that he would meet tions – demonised by the more than 100 candidates this day after he led the Con- manifesto. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Bharatiya Janata Party and time round, and a large number gress to a sweeping victo- He announced that a Special soon to discuss various develop- actively wooed by the Ba- of Muslim outfi ts and groups Ary in the Punjab assembly Task Force (STF) would be set ment projects for Punjab. hujan Samaj Party as well had exhorted the community polls, state Congress president up to crack down on the drugs Asked about farm loan waiv- as the Congress- Sama- to vote for the party. Amarinder Singh yesterday racket in Punjab. Singh, during ers, a key poll promise in the jwadi Party combine – the The BSP, however, fi n- called for a “bigger role” for re- the campaigning, had vowed manifesto, Singh said he was number of people from the ished a poor third with just gional leaders. to eradicate drugs from Punjab fully committed to implement- community in the 17th as- 19 seats – six of whom are Amarinder told reporters in within four weeks of coming to ing it and would ensure that sembly has touched a his- Muslims. Patiala, 60km from here, that it power. adequate funds were raised for toric low of 25. The community was was important to promote re- “The drug that we are after is it. This is far short of the 68 also seen as crucial for the gional leaders in order to counter ‘chitta’ (white synthetic drug). On his promise of revival of members the community Congress-Samajwadi Party other regional parties in states. We will take action,” he said. industries, he said the indus- had in the 403-member as- (SP) alliance and received “It is vital to project a regional Ruling out any ‘vendetta’ pol- trial policy would be liberalised sembly after the 2012 elec- a fair share of tickets from face that could identify with the itics by his government, Singh to check the flight of industries tion which saw the Sama- the combine. The alliance, people of the region,” he said, said that proper investigations and make Punjab an attractive jwadi Party romp home with however, returned with just noting that the absence of a re- would be conducted to pin re- destination. He said that sev- 224 seats. 54 legislators, of whom 19 gional face was one of reasons sponsibility in drugs and other eral leading industrialists had That was the best-ever are Muslim – 17 from the SP for the drubbing received by the crimes, and suitable action will been in touch with him and showing for Muslims – and two from the Congress. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the be taken against those found evinced interest in investing in comprising almost 19% of The BJP and its ally Apna state. guilty. Punjab. the state’s 220mn popula- Dal – which together won Regarding Navjot Singh Sid- Singh said that the election “Global tenders would soon be tion – who have been send- a whopping 321 seats – did hu’s role in the new government results had blown the lid from fl oated to procure smartphones, ing, on average, about 40 not fi eld a single Muslim in Punjab, Singh said the deci- the hype created regarding the as promised under the ‘Captain legislators to the house in candidate and were also ac- sion rested with Congress vice popularity of the AAP in the Smart Connect programme’ every election. cused of communalising the president Rahul Gandhi. state, while the Congress’ win- launched ahead of the polls,” he Amarinder Singh meets newly-elected Congress legislators in Chandigarh The poor showing this campaign in a bid to polarise Singh said that the priorities ning performance in three of said. yesterday. time around, many Muslim Hindu votes. Gulf Times 26 Monday, March 13, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER ACCIDENT HEALTH OPINION 34 dead as bus crashes More bodies found Two killed at outdoor Rio announces mass Vital that Lula stand for into parade in Haiti at Venezuela prison rock concert in Argentina yellow fever vaccination president in 2018: Rousseff

At least 34 people were killed and 17 injured in The decomposing remains of 14 people have Two people were killed and many more injured Rio de Janeiro said it plans to vaccinate the Former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff said northern Haiti after a bus crashed into a parade been found inside what was once Venezuela’s when a crush of patrons thronged a rock concert in state’s entire population against yellow fever in Brazil’s crippled democracy needs her predecessor of pedestrians, the country’s civil protection biggest prison, as authorities continue their Argentina early yesterday, off icials said. Authorities response to an outbreak that has killed at least and mentor, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, to stand authorities said yesterday. The bus, which was search for victims five months after violent said some 250,000 people attended the open air 113 people around Brazil. Although Rio has not in next year’s election. Rousseff , who seven coming from Cap Haitien to the capital Port-au- clashes among inmates forced the closure of the concert featuring the popular singer Indio Solari and registered any cases, it is close to where the months ago was pushed from power following an Prince, crashed into a “rara” parade in the town facility. “So far, we have recovered 14 cadavers,” his band in the town of Olavarria, a suburb of Buenos disease has taken hold in neighbouring Minas impeachment trial, warned that Brazil’s democracy of Gonaives in the northern part of the country, said a statement released yesterday by the Aires. The local health minister for the town, German Gerais, Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo states. The was being “attacked by parasites” and insisted a authorities said. Rara parades are groupings public ministry, as the search continues for more Maroni, said 10 people had been admitted to an area aim is “to expand the strategy of vaccination democratic champion is needed. “Ensuring Lula of musicians playing traditional instruments bodies at the notorious General Penitentiary of hospital, including a woman being treated in the as a preventative measure,” the Rio health the possibility to be a candidate is vital at this who are often joined by passers-by. It was not Venezuela. The government closed the prison intensive care unit. Witnesses said crowds thronged department said in a statement. The state time,” she said at a film festival in Geneva. A recent immediately clear what caused the accident. The on October 28 to end weeks of clashes between the concert stage at the event in Olavarria, a town of government said it’s aiming to vaccinate the opinion poll indicated that Rousseff ’s old leftist driver and passengers on the bus were being inmates fighting for control of the facility. There some 90,000 — roughly one-third as many people whole population by the end of the year. A total ally and predecessor Lula could win the 2018 held at the police station, said a civil protection also had been complaints that inmates had died as the number of concertgoers — which led to the of 12mn doses will be required, with 3mn already election if he runs, despite facing trial over alleged spokesman for the department of Artibonite. because of inadequate food and medicine. deaths and injuries. ordered, the statement said. involvement in the Petrobras aff air.

School opened Power utility company eyes stake sale to reduce debt

Reuters The offi ce of Minas Gerais Sao Paulo governor Fernando Pimental also declined to comment. Such a deal structure allows ia Energetica de Mi- Pimentel to meet state rules nas Gerais SA plans to banning an outright sale to Csell a majority stake in investors while taking a large two units and list them in Sao step toward fi xing a fi scal crisis Paulo and New York in com- affl icting Brazil’s third most- ing months, a move that could populous state. help Brazil’s No 3 power utility Selling both units is a more reduce debt and curb state in- palatable move than a Cemig terference, a person with direct privatisation, which would knowledge of the plan said yes- require an amendment to the terday. state’s constitution. The Brazilian state of Minas Bernardo Salomao, a long- Gerais, which owns 17% of the time Cemig engineer who be- utility’s capital and controls its came the utility’s chief execu- management, will announce the tive offi cer late last year, told plan within the next month once members of Cemig’s workers Bolivian President Evo Morales greets students at the “Hugo Chavez Frias” primary school during its inauguration in the town of Chimore in Bolivia’s Chapare region, Cochabamba legal and operational require- union about plans to sell con- department. ments have been met, said the trol of several power dams last person, who asked for anonymi- week. ty to speak freely about the plan. Union leaders have vowed The subsidiaries, power to oppose any attempt to sell generation and transmission Cemig or key core assets to pri- company Cemig GT and power vate investors. distribution fi rm Cemig D, are Without “implementing ac- fully owned by Cemig, as the tions to help Cemig unlock utility is commonly known. value, it will be impossible to Talks with potential part- the company reduce part of ners, which include an undis- the 1.2bn reais it spends in debt Brazil’s capital on edge closed Brazilian investment servicing annually,” the person bank, a North American invest- said. ment fi rm and an Asian power Pimentel’s decision to sell utility, are at an advanced stage, control of Cemig GT and Cemig the person said. D adds to a fl urry of merger and Once Minas Gerais state acquisition deals in Brazil’s clinches a deal with partners for electricity industry over the ahead of graft probes Cemig GT and Cemig D, both past year. companies will be capitalised The largest was State Grid AFP coming and which will last for confessed to systemic bribery of nul the election’s result, creating more interested in survival than and then their initial public of- Corporation of China’s $21bn Brasília months,” said political analyst Al- politicians in exchange for infl at- yet another wave of instability for legislation. fering will be launched, said the purchase of CPFL Energia SA berto Almeida. “It’s a terrible time ed contracts with state oil com- Brazil. For example, Congress has person. last year. for the credibility of the political pany Petrobras and favourable At the very least this week, spent much of its energy in recent Cemig is considering hiring Cemig has also been active razil’s capital is on edge class.” legislation. Temer’s government looks cer- weeks on trying to craft amnesties two domestic investment banks on that front, disposing of as- ahead of the expected Speculation has been growing The money went either directly tain to take a new battering just to cover anyone involved in tak- and a foreign one to underwrite sets it does consider essential Bopening of scores of cor- for months over who will be on into politicians’ pockets or into when it’s trying to push through ing unregistered campaign dona- the IPO, from which the com- and fi nding partners for some ruption cases this week against Janot’s list. party campaign slush funds. austerity reforms. Brazil has been tions, despite fi erce condemna- pany expects to raise about 4bn debt-laden subsidiaries like sitting and former politicians in On Saturday, G1 news site re- It is not clear whether Temer, through two straight years of re- tion from anti-corruption judges reais ($1.3 bn), the person said. renewable power fi rm Renova a crisis that could threaten Presi- ported that Janot would seek who has already lost a string of cession and Temer, who became and prosecutors. Proceeds from the IPO will be Energia SA. dent Michel Temer’s rule. about 80 investigations and that ministers to the ever-expanding president last year after Rouss- “Every time there’s a new phase used to reduce Cemig’s 13.7bn- Reuters reported on March 1 Within days, prosecutor Gen- the number of politicians in- corruption crisis, will be subject- eff was impeached, says his main (of the probe), Congress stops,” said real debt, the person said. that a unit of Brookfi eld Asset eral Rodrigo Janot is expected to volved may reach 200. ed to a probe himself. goal is to put the economy back a source in the chamber of deputies, The utility’s debt tripled in Management is near buying a request authority for a slew of The request to the Supreme He is also involved in a sepa- on track. asking not to be identifi ed. the past fi ve years in the wake of 30% stake in Renova. probes against members of the Court, which oversees all judicial rate case at the Supreme Elec- He has got Congress to pass Almeida said that unlike pre- a wave of takeovers and a gov- Cemig D lost a net 34mn reais government and Congress. matters concerning sitting politi- toral Court which is looking a 20 year spending freeze and is vious Brazilian political crises, ernment decision to renegoti- in the third quarter, on revenue It’s the latest chapter of a three- cians, will be based on a deluge of into whether his 2014 election now asking for pension reform this one is turning into open war ate power contracts. of about 2.8bn reais. year embezzlement and bribery testimony in plea bargains with as vice president on the tick- and other painful measures. between the judiciary and the po- The media offi ce of Cemig, Cemig GT earned profi t of scandal shaking Latin America’s 77 former executives of the giant et with then president Dilma But the corruption scandal also litical world. “These crises used which is based in the city of 224mn reais in the third quarter biggest economy. Odebrecht construction com- Rousseff benefited from cam- means that Congress — where to be resolved within the political Belo Horizonte, declined to — the latest data available — on Last week “was the calm be- pany. paign slush funds. many members are expected to be world..., but that’s not possible comment. revenue of about 1.75bn reais. fore the political crisis which is Odebrecht employees have The court could, in theory, an- probed by Janot — is sometimes any more.”

Anger at fire tragedy Christian Democrats pick ‘Ghosts’ force Temer to change residence Goic for presidential race was quoted as saying by Veja. AFP Rio de Janeiro “Marcela felt the same thing. Reuters at the party’s annual meeting in According to the most recent Only (their son) Michelzinho, Santiago downtown Santiago. polls, Pinera is leading the presi- who went running from one end Months ago, the presidential dential race with Guillier a close razil’s President Michel to the other, liked it.” election in one of South Ameri- second. Temer blames bad vibes “We even started to wonder: hile’s centre-left Chris- ca’s wealthiest nations looked set A number of candidates includ- Band even ghosts for driving could there be ghosts?” he re- tian Democratic Party, to be a sleepy aff air between two ing Goic, Lagos, and right-wing him from his sumptuous offi cial portedly quipped to Veja. Cone of the nation’s larg- market friendly former presi- populist Manuel Jose Ossandon, residence in the capital Brasilia, The Temers then moved to the est, nominated senator Caro- dents, conservative Sebastian are vying for a distant third. a Brazilian news weekly reported. still luxurious but smaller Jaburu lina Goic as its fl ag bearer for the Pinera and Ricardo Lagos of the In a speech at the party meet- Temer surprised Brazilian poli- Palace nearby. November presidential election, centre-left Party for Democracy. ing, Goic called for changes to tics watchers with the revelation Temer knows it well: this was adding one more candidate to an High-profi le members of vari- Chile’s public pension system, that he has decamped from the his residence when he served increasingly crowded fi eld. ous centre-left parties, includ- which many on the left say is in- Alvorada Palace and moved with as vice president until last year Goic, like the Christian Demo- ing the Christian Democrats, suffi ciently generous. his former beauty queen wife and when then president Dilma Rous- cratic Party writ large, is general- had said they might be willing to A lawmaker of Croatian herit- their seven-year-old son down seff was impeached for breaking ly centre-left on economic issues support Lagos in the left-leaning age who represents the country’s the road to the smaller vice presi- budget accounting laws. and centre-right to conservative Nueva Mayoria bloc’s primaries, southernmost region, Goic also dential residence. That automatically put Temer on social issues. forgoing the opportunity to put called for delegating more po- The modernist Alvorada, which in the top job and in the Alvorada. While the 44-year-old sena- forth candidates of their own. litical decision-making from the means Dawn and was designed No one fi lled his vacant vice tor tends to vote with centre- But since then, the 79-year- capital Santiago to the regions. by Brazilian architect Oscar Nie- presidential post, however, left President Michelle Bachelet, old Lagos has lagged severely in In response to the speech, meyer, would be a dream home for meaning he can now take his pick parts of her party have dissent- the polls, while Alejandro Guil- Chile’s right shot back by tying many. It has a huge pool, football of palaces. The house moving ed at times on issues such as lier, a leftist ex-journalist, has Goic to Bachelet, who is deeply fi eld, chapel, medical centre and comes in the middle of a severe strengthening labour laws and surged in popularity. unpopular due to a slow econo- vast lawn. political crisis for Brazil, with liberalising Chile’s strict abor- As a result, parties in the Nue- my, a raft of graft scandals, and But Temer, 76, and his many of Temer’s allies facing po- tion ban. va Mayoria are nominating their congressional gridlock. 33-year-old wife Marcela, fi nd tential corruption probes. “It must be us, those who are own candidates, and centrist “There isn’t any diff erence be- A sign reads “Justice” during a protest to demand the cavernous, glass-fronted The president himself is battling in politics, who fi nd a way to re- parties in the bloc, including the tween the parliamentarian and justice for the victims of a fire at the Virgen de Asuncion building spooky. “I felt some- a case in the electoral court where connect with the people, so that Christian Democrats, are con- President Bachelet,” said sena- children’s shelter, in front of the National Palace in thing strange there. I wasn’t able he is accused of having benefi ted the people return to trusting,” sidering skipping the coalition’s tor Juan Antonio Coloma of the Guatemala City, Guatemala. to sleep right from the fi rst night. from illegal donations when he and Goic told cheering supporters primaries altogether. right-wing UDI party. The energy wasn’t good,” Temer Rousseff ran together in 2014. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 27 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

At least 16 IS Insiders involved in Kabul rebels killed QNA Kabul

t least 16 Islamic State militants have been killed Ain a series of air strikes hospital attack: survivors conducted by the US forces in Afghanistan. AFP revealing that attackers al- familiar face... It was painful to The Islamic State group the capacity to carry out such source and the survivors, some The provincial police chief in Kabul ready positioned inside the fa- see him shooting at everyone,” claimed it was behind the at- complex attacks. There are of whom counted dead bod- a statement said the air strikes cility - some of them familiar he said. tack via its propaganda agency indications that the (Taliban- ies, said there were far more started early on Saturday and staff - launched a killing spree The involvement of the two Amaq - hours after the Taliban allied) Haqqani network was attackers and the death toll continued until late night, leav- nsiders including two in- with guns, grenades and knives interns was corroborated by an denied responsibility. behind it.” exceeded 100. ing 16 militants dead, including terns were among the at- immediately after the blast. Afghan security source. But the survivors AFP spoke Perhaps most tellingly, the The savagery of the as- seven Pakistani nationals. Itackers who launched a They included two interns in The carnage inside the heav- to said the attackers chanted gunmen, who were well-versed sault was characterised by The statement further added gun-and-grenade assault this their 20s who had worked in the ily guarded hospital points at a “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) with the building’s layout and how the assailants stabbed that the air strikes started after week on Afghanistan’s largest facility for months, according spectacular intelligence failure and “Long live Taliban” in raided nearly every fl oor, spared bed-ridden patients, threw the militants were targeted in military hospital, killing more to a hospital offi cial who guided and spotlights how insurgents Pashto. two wards on the fi rst fl oor grenades into crowded wards Nazian district while another air than 100 people, multiple sur- Afghan Special Forces to rescue have managed to infi ltrate top Offi cials have also cast where Taliban patients were ad- and shot people from point- strike followed few hours later. viving staff and security sources the victims. government and military insti- doubt that the attack was the mitted, the survivors said. blank range. The last air strike was carried said. “We all knew them,” he said, tutions in Afghanistan. handiwork of IS, a group seek- A particular target, they said, “They weren’t spraying bul- out late on Saturday night after The six-hour attack on the requesting anonymity as he was Defence ministry spokesman ing to expand its foothold in was the VIP wing of the hospital lets; they were shooting victims the US drone targeted the mili- Sardar Daud Khan Hospital on not authorised to talk to the Mohammad Radmanish con- Afghanistan but which faces where the attackers sought out in the head,” one hospital staff tants in Sepai and Bandok areas Wednesday began when a sui- media. ceded that “the attack was car- heavy pressure from both US air an army general and the relative member said, adding that the of Kot district. cide bomber blew himself up at “One of them blew himself ried out from both outside and strikes and a ground off ensive of a former minister by name. victims included a mother and a The provincial police chief the back entrance, paving the up and the other was shot down inside”. led by Afghan forces. It was unclear whether they child in her arms. said at least nine militants were way for gunmen disguised as by Special Forces.” “This could not have been “We have leads and clues that survived the attack. “Some of them were in phone killed in the air strikes in Kot doctors, according to the offi cial Another doctor, badly possible without the help of contradict IS claim,” a senior The defence ministry insists contact with handlers whom district. account of the assault. wounded in the attack, said one people inside,” Radmanish said. Afghan security offi cial said only over 30 people were killed they addressed as Mullah Sa- But multiple survivors spoke of the interns had worked un- “Some individuals are being earlier this week. by fi ve attackers. But Western hib. ‘We are killing all the non- of a “simultaneous massacre”, der him. “He was my student, a questioned.” “The group does not have sources, the Afghan security believers,’ they said.” Census to Sindh govt Plum trees in blossom begin on Wednesday

closes 2,311 Internews Islamabad

ll arrangements have seminaries been completed for the Amonth-long census drive across Pakistan, beginning from Internews dropped in the past two years Wednesday. Islamabad under the NAP. State run radio quoting offi cial In 2016, only 34 cases of sources said that the national sectarian terrorism were reg- population census will com- he Sindh government istered while the number mence with the house listing has taken the lead stood at 79 in 2015. operation. Tover other provinces, Previous to these years About 200,000 personnel of emerging as the country’s only massive cases of terrorism Pakistan army and 91,000 civil- province to have closed down were being reported in the ian enumerators will participate over 2,300 seminaries while country, stated the reply. In in the drive. completing the geo-mapping 2014, 176 as such cases were Pakistan last conducted a cen- of seminaries. This is in stark reported, in 2013, 127 cases, in sus in 1998, which recorded a contrast to the record of other 2012, 185 cases while in 2011, national population of approxi- provinces. 70 incidents of sectarian ter- mately 180mn at that time. Ana- The provincial government rorism were reported. lysts believe the fi gure has risen closed down 2,311 seminaries A total of Rs885.385mn was Brothers walk through a wheat field under the blossoms of plum trees at a farm in Peshawar yesterday. much higher, most probably across Sindh over suspicious recovered under the head of passing the 200mn mark. activities. choking terror fi nancing. Geo-tagging and registra- Moreover, 681 cases of tion of seminaries was one money laundering were regis- of the key components of the tered while 201 cases are under National Action Plan (NAP) investigation and 345 cases are devised in 2014 after terrorists under trial, the interior minis- Kuwait agrees to build pipeline in Balochistan massacred around 150 people, try. The reply quotes the fi gure mostly children, in the Army of 102 convictions and equal Public School, Peshawar. number of acquittals in this Internews the two projects,” said an offi cial. Another source of oil trans- Pakistan’s energy requirements. ports diesel from the Gulf Arab The statistics provided by context. Islamabad Kuwait has been a big supplier portation from Karachi to the Pakistan has given the go- state on a 90-day credit facility. the interior ministry to par- Likewise, the ministry stat- of oil to Pakistan. At present, a upcountry is tank lorries, but it is ahead to Kuwait Petroleum Before the year 2000, Pakistan liament show that Punjab has ed 931 cases of arrests under white oil pipeline is being run plagued with incidents of theft. Corporation for developing the purchased diesel from Kuwait so far closed down only two the head of measures to chock uwait has agreed to build by Pak-Arab Pipeline Company Estimates suggest $200mn refi nery project in the coastal under a long-term contract with suspected seminaries while terror fi nancing. a white oil pipeline in Pa- (Papco). worth of oil is stolen every year. area of Balochistan - a welcome its government. However, in the completing geo-mapping of A total of 283 cases under Kkistan for transporting The pipeline takes diesel to “The second white oil pipeline investment initiative for the wake of market deregulation, religious seminaries. the head of ‘anti-money laun- petroleum products from the central regions of Pakistan, will not only protect environment, largely under-developed prov- Pakistan in 2001-02 asked PSO In a written reply to a ques- dering’ have been registered port city of Karachi to Punjab. which account for almost 60% but it will also be a safe source of ince, which will reduce the need to enter into a fuel supply con- tion on the implementation in which 136 cases were under “During a recent visit to Ku- of total petroleum consumption fuel supply,” the offi cial said. for import of refi ned petroleum tract with Kuwait Petroleum. status of the NAP, the minis- investigation while 147 cases wait, Pakistani offi cials invited in the country. Pakistan and Kuwait have al- products. Immediately after that, the two try said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were under trial. No convic- the Gulf oil producer to set up Pak-Arab Refi nery Limited ready been working on setting The Economic Coordination sides inked an agreement for the (K-P) had completed 75% of tion and no acquittal have an oil refi nery in Balochistan (Parco) holds 51% majority stake up the oil refi nery in Balochistan Committee (ECC) of the cabinet sale and purchase of high-speed the geo-mapping of seminar- been reported under this head and lay a white oil pipeline; its in Papco whereas Shell, Pakistan and during recent engagements has also permitted import of fur- diesel with payment guarantees ies. It has shut down 13 semi- while 414 persons have been response was very positive and State Oil (PSO) and Total Parco the Arab nation again under- nace oil and jet fuel from Kuwait from the government of Pakistan. naries on suspicion of illegal arrested under the same head. a high-level Kuwaiti delegation Pakistan - have 26%, 12% and lined the importance of es- without resorting to competitive This agreement has been in place activities. The security operation in will arrive in Pakistan to discuss 11% shareholding, respectively. tablishing the refi nery to meet bidding. At present, PSO im- for the past around 15 years. The government of Balo- Karachi has achieved signifi - chistan has completed 60% of cant success by lowering the the geo-mapping and closed crime rate under diff erent just one suspected seminary heads, claimed the ministry. in the province. It stated that terrorism had Surprisingly, no statistics declined by 90% in Karachi Police stations across have been submitted regarding due to the ongoing operation Cricketer wishes to the registration of seminaries. in Karachi which is headed by The registration and regu- the paramilitary Rangers. Punjab going digital lation of religious seminaries Targeted killings have was among the 20 points de- dropped by 91%, murder cases fi ned in the NAP. declined by 62%, robberies’ Internews and Technology Board to compu- join Pakistan army Responsibility of register- incidents reduced by 48% and Lahore terise records, handle public com- ing seminaries lies with the 33,378 weapons recovered dur- plaints and ensure all of Punjab’s provincial government while ing the operation in Karachi. police stations are functional. A Internews the National Counter Ter- Under implementation status t a cost of Rs990mn centralised control room has been Islamabad rorism Authority (Nacta) was of NAP, the ministry claimed to ($9.52mn) the police stations established at the Central Police supposed to draft a uniform have curtailed the visibility of Aof Punjab will be one with the Offi ce to monitor the situation. data registration form for re- armed militias and it quoted times by 2019 thanks to the inaugu- Thus far, fi rst information ligious seminaries besides 1,865 terrorists as ‘killed’ while ration a new digital system. reports (FIRs) or roznamcha re- t least one foreign cricketer who played the developing consensus of the 5,611 terrorists as ‘arrested’ un- The project to computerise ports are being computerised at Pakistan Super League fi nal in Lahore has provincial authorities on it. der the implementation status all of them was inaugurated by all police stations of the prov- Abeen completely won over by the experience. A uniform policy on these is- of NAP. A total of 414 terrorists Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ince. Police case fi les related to In a video message posted on Twitter hours af- sues, however, is still awaited. were executed under Anti-Ter- yesterday. FIRs can be accessed from any ter the army chief met the PSL champions yester- Sectarian-related terrorism rorism Act (ATA) or Pakistan The software for the project was station of the province with an day, Peshawar Zalmi star Marlon Samuels said he incidents have signifi cantly Penal Code (PPC). developed by Punjab Information Internet connection. was “Pakistani at heart” and went as far ‘wishing’ to join the Pakistan army. “For me it’s more than just coming to Pakistan to a play a game of cricket, it is the signifi cance Punjab govt seeks $130mn to improve watercourses and success of the team and smiles on the faces The Punjab province projects and government’s leakage and evapotranspiration. in crop diversification and of the people that are sad,” he said in the video, Marlon Samuels government is seeking national programme for Agriculture in Punjab is aff ected training. tweeted by Zalmi CEO Javed Afridi. additional financing of $130mn improvement of watercourses. by water-logging and salinity. The project will lead to “I am a Pakistani at heart and that it is why it everything was taken care of. He also thanked his from the World Bank to improve Still, 10,300 watercourses need In central and southern Punjab, improving productivity of water didn’t take me long to decide to come to Pakistan Zalmi teammates, saying that it was an honour 5,500 watercourses under the to be improved in the province. rainfall is more sporadic and use in irrigation agriculture. (to play the PSL fi nal),” he added. and that he couldn’t have asked for a better team. Punjab Irrigated Agricultural The total cost of the project agriculture is entirely irrigation This will be achieved through Addressing the Pakistani army chief directly in “Cricket should defi nitely come back to Paki- Productivity Programme. is $200mn. The beneficiary dependent. improved physical delivery a tongue-in-cheek remark, Samuels said, “Gen- stan I will continue to come back to this country The bank is scheduled to local farmer organisations will The new World Bank financing eff iciency and irrigation eral, I’m just waiting for the metals (badges) on till I die,” Samuels added. approve Punjab government’s contribute $70mn towards the would support installation practices, crop diversification my shoulder, I would want to be a part of the Responding to the video message, Afridi saluted request later this month. project. of high eff iciency irrigation and eff ective application of Pakistan army.” Samuels for his ‘marvellous words’. “Your golden Out of the total 59,500 An estimated 40% of water is systems, introduction of modern inputs that will translate into The West Indies batsman praised the security words are a message for the world that we are a watercourses, about 43,700 lost in the unlined watercourses technologies and methods in greater agricultural output per provided to him and all other players in Lahore. peace loving nation and we love cricket,” he said, have been improved in various due to seepage, spillage, side irrigated agriculture, assistance unit of water used. He said the arrangements were ‘top class’ and adding, “You are the champions of the hearts.” Gulf Times 28 Monday, March 13, 2017 PHILIPPINES Govt, rebels agree to resume talks

Reuters A second meeting was set for June. The talks Manila are brokered by Norway to end nearly five dec- ades of conflict, which has killed more than 40,000 people. egotiators from the Philippine govern- The communist rebellion is one of Asia’s long- ment and Maoist-led rebels have reached est-running insurgencies. Nan agreement to resume formal peace ne- The firebrand leader scrapped peace talks last gotiations next month, a month after an angry month due to the New People’s Army’s increasing President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled talks after attacks in the countryside, a violation of its own rebels ambushed soldiers. unilateral truce. The two sides would hold talks in the first of He said he would only agree to resume talks if April to work out a bilateral ceasefire, Duterte’s rebels stopped the attacks and extortion activi- peace adviser Jesus Dureza said after two-day in- ties on mines and plantations. formal talks in Utrecht over the weekend. In Baguio City, a mountain resort city north of New off icers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines throw their hats during graduation ceremonies at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio “I am pleased to announce that the peace ne- Manila, the president said the government will city yesterday. gotiations between the Philippine government reciprocate the “valour and courage” of soldiers and the Communist Party of the Philippines- by providing them with modern weapons and fi- New People’s Army-National Democratic Front nancial benefits. which broke down weeks ago, are now back on “In the next two to three years, the Armed track again,” Dureza said on his Facebook post Forces of the Philippines will have flight simula- yesterday. tors, fast boats, radars, assault vehicles, as well as 167 academy graduates to “The parties are expected to start discussions new surveillance and fighter aircraft so you can on the bilateral ceasefire during the planned re- patrol our borders and seas,” he said. sumption of the negotiations during the first He also promised to upgrade the army so it will week of April, this year.” be “at par with the rest of the world”. join army as junior offi cers

Agencies Farmers’ group to hold protest Baguio City total of 167 members of the Philippine Mili- against former military chief Atary Academy’s (PMA) ‘Class of 2017’ are set to join the Armed Forces of the Philippines Manila Times of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng gymnasium in Bongabon, Nue- (AFP) as junior offi cers after Bongabon, Nueva Ecija Pilipinas (KMP), said. va Ecija during the celebration their graduation rites yesterday. Visaya, with the consent of of International Women’s Day Of the 167 – 104 male and 63 Palparan, according to Canlas, to protect its members’ rights female cadets – 90 will join the housands of peasants and was the one to blame for the including the women’s right Philippine Army, including 32 farmers from Central Lu- death of at least eight peasant against abusive and unscrupu- female cadets. Tzon are set to block the leaders in the region, namely, lous onion and palay rice traders Forty-four will join the Phil- retired Armed Forces of the Phil- Jhon Facunla Gado of Guimba, who connive with local offi cials ippine Navy, 18 of whom are ippines chief, Lt Gen. Ricardo Nueva Ecija; Perla Torno Rod- to put in place a price monopoly. female cadets. The remaining Visaya, from taking charge as riguez of Mexico, Pampanga; Interviewed by local media 33 cadets will join the Philip- head of the National Irrigation Tirzo Cruz, a Hacienda Luisita here last Wednesday, he alleged pine Air Force. This year’s class Administration (NIA) today for worker; Ricardo Ramos, a farm- that Visaya was an “executioner” valedictorian is Cadet 1st Class his alleged role in the killing of er-leader in Hacienda Luisita; and said the KMP and Alyansa (C1C) Rovi Mairel Valino Mar- their leaders from 2005 to 2007. Federico de Leon, Bulacan co- ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang tinez of Cabanatuan City. Eight It was the time, they said ordinator of Anak Pawis; Wil- Luzon are set on staging a mass of the classes’ top 10 are female over the weekend, when Visaya liam Tadena, a parish priest in protest against the appointment cadets, including one from Ba- served as the alleged henchman Pampanga and Bishop Alberto of Visaya as NIA administrator. guio City’s Kankanaey ethnic of now detained Jovito Palparan, Ravento, a pastor of Iglesia Fili- Canals claimed that the group, C1C Eda Glis Buansi then the chief of the 7th Infantry pina Independiente; and Fran- former military chief was re- Marapao, who, along with Mar- Division of the Philippine Army cisco “Tatang” Rivera, of Ange- sponsible for the abduction and tinez, will join the Navy. in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. les City, Pampanga. torture of brothers Raymond Marapao is also the young- The peasants, who will report- “Our members were accused and Reynaldo Manalo, the dis- est member of the class, which, edly surround the NIA central of being sympathisers of the appearance of University of according to academy records, offi ce in Quezon City today, said New People’s Army (NPA). But the Philippines students Karen has the most number of females President Rodrigo Duterte salutes during arrival honours at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio city. Visaya has no moral authority they were actually leaders of Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan since the PMA began accepting to lead an agriculture-oriented the poor masses, plain farmers, and the militarisation of urban female cadets in 1997. ber of the Class of 2015. Salaknib Class of 2017. from Central Luzon, 13 from the agency because “he was instru- fi ghting for our rights as under- poor communities during then- The oldest graduate, Rinze Six others from the Class of Twenty-one graduates are Cordillera region, 15 from the Ilo- mental in stopping the Central paid labourers to till the land and President Gloria Macapagal-Ar- Marrion de Monteverde Eviota, 2015 and 23 from the Class of from the National Capital Re- cos region and one from Eastern Luzon farmers in their pursuit for justice for all their members,” royo’s Oplan Bantay Laya. entered the academy as a mem- 2016 will be part of the PMA gion, 21 from Southern Luzon, 20 Visayas. of freedom to produce the food he said. He said Visaya is accused in that the nation needed,” Joseph Canlas also led a protest-rally the killing, torture, abduction Canlas, Central Luzon chairman recently at the Curva village and disappearance of farming activists in Mindanao, where he served as commander of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Palace says no basis to fi le case against president Division. This Army division was said to be responsible for the killing and By Catherine S Valente there is no basis to fi le a com- to file a case, you should have to the alleged Davao Death forcible evacuation of farmers Manila Times plaint against Duterte who was evidence, you should have Squad, supposedly responsi- and lumad (indigenous peoples) accused of having ordered the documents, proof to back you ble for alleged extra-judicial from their communities in the killing of criminals when he was up,” he added. killings in Davao City. Caraga and Northern Mindanao alacanang has belit- the mayor of Davao City. Matobato’s lawyer Jude Sa- Duterte had admitted that regions. tled plans of the camp “That (accusation) is just an bio said he is preparing the there were thousands killed in During the start of Oplan Bay- Mof confessed hit- imagination. We will respond case against Duterte to be filed Davao City during his stint as anihan under the previous Aquino man Edgar Matobato to charge when the case is filed. That is at the ICC. mayor but denied that he was administration, the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte be- merely a propaganda,” Panelo Sabio said he will fly to The behind it. Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion, fore the International Criminal said in an interview. Netherlands this year to file Panelo was unfazed by Sa- which Visaya personally trained, Court (ICC) for crimes against “Perhaps, it (the criminal cases of “crimes against hu- bio’s threat to file a case, say- Joseph Canlas (centre) of the militant group, Kilusang Magbubukid ng was deployed to Davao City where humanity. complaint)will not be enter- manity” against the president. ing it is only part of the plan of Pilipinas will lead the protest rally today at the National Irrigation it allegedly unleashed terror on the Chief Presidential Legal tained because there is no Matobato in his testimony Duterte’s opponents to dam- Administration central off ice in Quezon City. civilian population. Counsel Salvador Panelo said basis. Of course, if you have at the Senate linked Duterte age the president’s reputation. China denies exploring Benham Rise region

By Jaime Pilapil or operations. The remarks by The Chinese foreign ministry freedom in the coastal state’s the Philippines have properly re- its position clear on many occa- sound momentum, with rapid Manila Times some individuals from the Phil- acknowledged that in 2012, the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) solved their diff erences, added sions…It is China’s sovereignty progress in co-operation across ippines are not consistent with UN Commission on the Limits of and on the high seas, or their momentum to the development to decide what to do or not to the board.” the facts,” the offi cial was quoted the Continental Shelf “approved innocent passage through the of the bilateral relationship, and do on Huangyan Dao. Without a “Acting on the two lead- eijing has denied intruding as saying in an offi cial transcript the submission made by the coastal state’s territorial sea as driven forward practical co- doubt, China will properly han- ers’ consensus of enhancing into Philippine territory, on the Chinese foreign ministry Philippines in 2009 in respect supported by international law.” operation across the board. It dle the relevant issue.” good-neighbourliness, prop- Bsaying Chinese survey website. of the limits of the continental serves the common interests of Geng was referring to Panatag erly addressing diff erences, and vessels did not explore the Ben- Sought for comment, the De- shelf beyond 200 nautical miles “We will wait for the the two countries and peoples, or Scarborough Shoal, a tradi- pursuing common growth, the ham Rise region off Aurora Prov- partment of Foreign Aff airs said in the Benham Rise region, ena- response of the Chinese and meets the aspiration shared tional fi shing ground that a July two countries are strengthen- ince last year, but cast doubt on it was still waiting for the formal bling the Philippines to carry out side to our note verbale by peace-loving countries of the 2016 international arbitration ing political mutual trust and Manila’s hold on the undersea response of the Chinese govern- exploration and development of through offi cial channels” region and beyond.” ruling said was part of the Phil- deepening mutually benefi cial area. ment. natural resources in this region.” On Thursday, Defence Secre- ippines’ EEZ. co-operation. It is hoped that Chinese foreign ministry “We will wait for the response “But it does not mean that the Geng added that in response tary Delfi n Lorenzana revealed China blocked access to the individuals in the Philippines spokesman Geng Shuang said of the Chinese side to our note Philippines can take it as its own to Manila’s concerns over the that the government monitored shoal in 2012 amid tensions with will stop groundless speculation Chinese vessels merely passed verbale through offi cial chan- territory,” Geng emphasised. activities of Chinese marine re- in 2016 a Chinese ship survey- the previous Aquino administra- and make more eff orts to pro- through international waters. nels,” said Assistant Secretary Geng also said that according search vessels, “foreign minis- ing the 13mn hectare undersea tion, which brought the matter mote mutual trust and bilateral “According to the competent Charles Jose. to international law, including tries of the two countries have region and biodiversity hotspot. to the arbitration tribunal at The relations,” he added. authorities, Chinese vessels for Jose on Friday said the Philip- the United Nations Convention had a friendly exchange of views Lorenzana also claimed that Hague. Since assuming the presiden- marine research did sail across pines “expressed concern about on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), last January to sort out the facts the United States stopped Chi- Filipino fi shermen were al- cy last year, Duterte has sought relevant waters to the north- the reported presence of a Chi- “a coastal state’s rights over the and properly address the issue.” nese reclamation in the West lowed back to the resource-rich closer ties with Beijing, choos- east of Luzon, the Philippines nese ship in Benham Rise, which continental shelf do not aff ect He urged Manila to “stop Philippine Sea (South China Sea) area after President Rodrigo ing to downplay the July 2016 last year, exercising navigation has been recognised by the Unit- the legal status of the superja- playing up the false information last year. Duterte’s state visit to China in international ruling favouring freedoms and the right to in- ed Nations (UN) Commission cent waters or of the air space and do more to promote mutual Asked to comment on the September. the Philippines in the maritime nocent passage only, without on the Limits of the Continental above those waters, nor do they trust.” Philippine offi cial’s claim, Geng Geng said “China-Philippines dispute in exchange for reinvig- conducting any other activities Shelf as Philippine waters.” aff ect foreign ships’ navigation “Working together, China and said: “The Chinese side has made relations are developing in a orated economic ties. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 29 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Scores arrested in Nepal Building deemed crackdown on revellers ‘symbol of DPA Kathmandu graft’ faces t least 141 people were arrested and 600 motor- Acycles seized in the Nepa- lese capital during the annual Hindu festival of Holi yesterday, demolition police said. Thousands of revellers - their faces painted with coloured AFP illegally on a state-owned powder - thronged the streets Dhaka fl oodplain. of Kathmandu yesterday as peo- Lawyers declared the hard- ple poured water over the crowd fought verdict a “landmark” in from rooftops. angladesh’s highest Bangladesh’s judicial history. Security forces patrolled the court yesterday or- “It’s challenging the culture city in a bid prevent scuffl es that Bdered the demolition of of impunity that prevails in typically occur during the festi- a lakeside building occupied our society,” Rizwana Hassan val, which took place in Nepal’s by powerful garment groups, from Bangladesh Environ- mountainous region yesterday. a move welcomed by activists mental Lawyers’ Association, South parts of the country will who considered the struc- said. celebrate it today. ture an enduring symbol of Prime Minister Sheikh Bam Bahadur Bhandari, corruption. Hasina lay the foundation deputy inspector general of the The 16-story building, long stone for the controversial Metropolitan Police in Kath- criticised for openly fl outing BGMEA building in 1998, mandu, said 141 people were Dhaka’s strict construction while a former premier now arrested for hurling water bal- laws, must be destroyed with- opposition leader formally loons and colour at pedestrians in six months at a cost borne opened it for business in 2006, without their permission. by its occupants, the Supreme underscoring the industry’s He added that the motorcy- Court ruled. ties to politics. cles had been seized because the “If they fail to carry out The BGMEA represents drivers had violated traffi c rules the order, the (government’s) Bangladesh’s clothing indus- and speed limits. Capital Development Author- try, which last year accounted India is set to celebrate the ity will demolish the building,” for 80% of the country’s $35bn festival today. Attorney General Mahbubey exports. Holi, alternatively referred to Alam said. The garment industry as the Festival of Colours, marks The Bangladesh Garment employs nearly 5mn Bang- the beginning of spring and the Manufacturers and Exporters ladeshis, making it the sin- triumph of good over evil. Nepalese revellers play with coloured powders as they celebrate the Holi spring festival in Kathmandu yesterday. Association (BGMEA), which gle largest job creator in the occupied the building, said impoverished nation. they would vacate as “soon as A top union leader described possible”. the building as a “symbol of The building has been a conspiracy and corruption”. source of a bitter legal dispute “They (BGMEA) thought Bangladesh House for years. they were above the law. They Indians boycott festive A court fi rst challenged wanted to fl ex their muscles its legality seven years ago with no respect for the law,” after it was revealed the union leader Babul Akhter declares March 25 building was constructed said. as ‘Genocide Day’ mass in Lanka over

By Mizan Rahman en during the nine-month killing of fi sherman Dhaka bloody war in 1971 following attacks on March 25 night un- der the codename ‘Operation DPA Rameshwaran, in South In- in Sri Lankan territorial waters. he Bangladesh par- Search Light’. Colombo dia, have boycotted the mass,” They have accused the Sri liament has unani- Immediately after place- Catholic priest A Jeyaranjan said. Lankan Navy over the incident. Tmously adopted a ment of the proposal, Prime He said that some of the devo- The Sri Lankan government resolution to observe March Minister Sheikh Hasina took housands of Indians yes- tees wanted to attend the tra- and the navy have denied the 25 as the ‘Gonohotya Dibos’ the fl oor and asked the chair to terday boycotted a tra- ditional festive mass held at St claim, but off ered to investigate (Genocide Day) marking allow screening of documen- Tditional Roman Catholic Anthony’s church, named after the matter. the brutality carried out by taries on the genocide of Paki- church feast on an island off the patron saint of fi shermen, Indian fi shermen are known Pakistani army on the un- stani army and their collabo- northern Sri Lanka, in protest but were prevented by fi sheries to poach in Sri Lanka’s north- armed Bengalis on the night rators in Bangladesh during over the killing of an Indian fi sh- associations in India. ern territorial waters, which are of March 25, 1971. the nine-month of war in 1971. erman earlier this week, offi cials A Sri Lanka Navy spokesman rich in fi sh, and the authorities Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Hasina said recognition of said. said it had made all arrange- regularly detain Indian fi shing (JSD) lawmaker Shirin Akhter March 25 is crucial as the Pa- An estimated 6,000 devo- ments to facilitate the visit of vessels and crews. moved the proposal in the kistan government in recent tees, mostly from fi shermen’s the Indians, but they had not Sri Lanka is currently hold- legislature to observe Gono- times repeatedly tried to deny families, were due to arrive in turned up. ing 130 fi shing vessels, but has hatya Dibos on March 25 as the the atrocities, which its army Kachchativu, an isolated island The Indian fi shermen have released all the fi shermen. parliament began its sitting unleashed on the innocent belonging to Sri Lanka, to attend launched strong protests in Sri Lanka claims to be losing with Speaker Shirin Sharmin people of Bangladesh. the festive mass yesterday. Tamil Nadu after a 22-year- Rs5bn ($33mn) annually due to Chaudhury in the chair. “Pakistani army carried “We have been informed that old fi sherman was killed and poaching by Indian fi shermen In her notice, Akhter pro- out history’s most barbaric the fi shermen associations in another injured last Monday, using illegal fi shing methods. The lakeside 16-story building houses powerful garment groups. posed taking necessary initia- genocide on Bangalee people tives to earn international rec- as their leader Bangabandhu ognition to one of the brutal Sheikh Mujibur Rahman pro- genocides in the world history claimed Bangladesh’s inde- committed by the Pakistani pendence to free the nation occupation forces on the night from Pakistani subjugation,” BNP urges Hasina to prove her remarks against Zia of March 25. she said. The JSD lawmaker said the The leader of the opposi- aim of the cruelty of Paki- tion Raushan Ershad said the By Mizan Rahman “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi- “You (PM) show people the paper the national election in 2001, Reacting to Hasina’s com- stani army in Bangladesh was Pakistani army carried out the Dhaka na, usually a garrulous person, as evidence or else apologise to Zia took BNP to power through ment, BNP leader Dudu said it is to destroy the nationhood of barbaric atrocities in a bid to but she often makes reckless the nation for resorting to lies.” giving an undertaking of selling Awami League, not BNP, which Bangalee people. destroy the Bengalee nation. comments. She on Saturday said Bangladesh Islamic Party gas. But, I didn’t give any under- is trying to sell the country to the “The gravity of killing per- Ershad said since it (March senior leader of main BNP had come to power by giv- organised the programme in taking as I wanted to utilise the neighbouring country. petrated in Bangladesh in 25) was the worst ever mass kill- opposition Bangladesh ing an undertaking to sell gas Dhaka, protesting the recent country’s resources for people’s About the next general elec- 1971 is as same as described ing across the world, it deserves ANationalist Party (BNP) to India. Usually undertaking gas price hike and demanding welfare.” tion, he said no one believes that by the United Nations in its international recognition yesterday urged Prime Minister is given in police stations. Had removal of statue of Greek god- The prime minister came up a fair and credible election can be convention on the nature of as a ‘Genocide Day’. Sheikh Hasina either to prove BNP given any undertaking, dess from the Supreme Court with the comment as BNP lead- held under Sheikh Hasina. genocide,” Akhter said in her Jatiya Party chairman H that their party chief Khaleda it would have done it by sign- premises. ers for a few days have been mak- He urged the government to motion. M Ershad, “We have to pay Zia took BNP to power by giving ing a paper,” Shamsuzzaman On Saturday, Prime Minis- ing anti-Indian comments and take a step to install an election- She said the Pakistani army the debt we owe to the mar- an undertaking to India in 2001 Dudu said. ter Hasina at programme said, urging Hasina not to sign any de- time non-partisan and neutral brutally killed 3mn Bangalees tyrs by declaring March 25 as or apologise to the nation for Speaking at a human chain “When a US company had want- fence and military deal with India administration for the sake of and raped 300,000 wom- Genocide Day.” making a ‘false’ statement. programme, the BNP leader said, ed to sell gas to India just before during her upcoming visit. fair polls. Bangladesh launches two submarines for fi rst time

Agencies safeguarding the country during submarines and now the name and BNS Joyjatra, are equipped Dhaka times of crisis. of Bangladesh has been included with torpedoes and mines, ac- “The submarines have added in that list, which is a matter of cording to state-run Bangladesh unprecedented capability to great honour, she added. Sangbad Sangstha news agency. angladesh yesterday of- strengthening the defence sys- Hasina said more maritime Hasina added that joining the fi cially launched the fi rst tem to save the country from ex- patrol aircraft, and modern heli- list of countries that have a sub- Btwo submarines for its ternal aggression,” Hasina said copters will be inducted in the marine fl eet was “a matter of naval fl eet. at the commissioning ceremony. naval aviation fl eet. great honour and dignity for us.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina “The government has already Bangladesh bought two Chi- Chinese experts have been handed the commissioning or- taken various short- and long- nese-made submarines at a conducting sea trials and train- der to the offi cers at a naval base term plans to build Bangladesh reported cost of $203mn. ing for Bangladeshi offi cers on in the port city of Chittagong, Navy as a three-dimensional The type 035G diesel electric the submarines after the vessels saying that the two submarines force by 2030,” Hasina said, submarines, 76m in length and were handed to Bangladesh navy Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presenting the order of commissioning of two submarines to the navy would play an important role in adding that a few nations use 7.6m wide, named BNS Nabajatra in December last year. commanding off icer at the Chittagong Naval Base yesterday. Gulf Times 30 Monday, March 13, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko US mortgage market:

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] housing bubble déjà vu Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) By Mark Roe be extremely diffi cult to achieve if they were US Treasury bonds was a Fax 44350474 Cambridge multiple banks failed simultaneously. mistake in 2008 and it is a mistake In the face of a housing crisis, it is today. What US authorities should plausible that lenders would again do is strengthen protections for he 2008-2009 fi nancial crisis panic, deciding that they cannot the overnight money market for US exposed a serious weakness depend on untested processes to Treasuries, which aren’t subject to in the global fi nancial stabilise the banks and withdrawing panics and bubbles, while rolling back Tsystem’s architecture: an their overnight loans. Banks, stripped most of the legal advantages enjoyed GULF TIMES overnight market for mortgage- of cash, would then cut lending, as by short-term, overnight fi nancing of backed securities that could not they did in 2008 and 2009, plunging mortgage-backed securities. handle the implosion of a housing into a recession yet again. To this end, a bill introduced by bubble. Some nine years later, that The grim irony here is that, Senator Jack Reed last December weakness has not been addressed prior to such a shock, preparing for – which would require regulators adequately. restructuring encourages lenders to to examine more carefully how Synthetic biology provide more overnight loans. This restructuring rules could destabilise When the crisis erupted, companies and investors in the United States were expands the overnight market, makes the fi nancial system – is a positive lending their extra cash overnight mortgage lending easier, and increases step. Congress should also reverse to banks and other fi nancial fi rms, the costs of collapse. its relentless promotion of home one step closer which then had to repay the loans, plus That experience has prompted This is not mere speculation. Most ownership, which made mortgages interest, the following morning. Because eff orts to make the financial system observers of the mortgage market easy to acquire and mortgage pools bank deposit insurance covered only up safer. One key objective is to ensure believe that its growth accelerated easier to sell. to $100,000, those with millions to store that mortgage-pool lenders will be in 2005, after Congress exempted Management of US public debt could to a new frontier often preferred the overnight market, repaid, thereby discouraging them mortgage bonds from most bankruptcy also help to make the fi nancial system using ultra-safe long-term US Treasury from running off at the first sign procedures – a move that would more secure. The overnight mortgage- obligations as collateral. of trouble. It seems likely that this eliminate waiting time for repayment. pool market exists partly because The fi eld of synthetic biology has moved one step closer But overnight lenders could objective can be achieved if one or That change convinced mortgage there aren’t enough short-term US to a new frontier as a group of scientists has traversed command even higher interest rates two banks fail. But if an economy- lenders that their activities were ultra- Treasury bills available for businesses one-third of the way to synthesising the complete if they took as collateral a less-safe wide fi nancial event triggers the safe: they no longer even had to worry that want easy access to cash without mortgage pool, so many did just that. simultaneous collapse of multiple about the quality of the borrower. When the risk implied by uninsured bank genome of baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Soon, America’s red-hot housing fi nancial fi rms, all bets are off . crisis struck, that confi dence quickly deposits. If the US Treasury sold more An international team of researchers led by Jef Boeke, market was operating as a multi- This is bad news. After all, the faded, and investors fl ed. short-term – rather than longer-term director of New York University Langone’s Institute for trillion dollar money market. housing market overheats every I recently compared this situation – obligations, fewer lenders would Systems Genetics, announced last Thursday that they It soon became clear, however, that decade or two. If the system is stable to that of a hurricane zone like the turn to mortgage pools. Such proposals the asset pools underpinning these enough, it can cool off without Florida Keys. A tougher building exist, but none has been implemented. constructed and integrated fi ve “designer” chromosomes transactions were often unstable, catastrophe. Now, however, the code means that, in the event of a The global fi nancial crisis that the US into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This collaboration, because they comprised increasingly trillion-dollar overnight repo market fl ood, buildings are more likely to housing-market crash triggered in known as the Synthetic Yeast 2.0 project (Sc2.0), low-quality mortgages. By 2009, in housing mortgages is so large that, stand. But that (and other hurricane 2008 carried important lessons about unveiled the fi rst-ever “designer chromosome” back companies were in a panic. They when the housing market retreats, planning) also draws more residents. If how fragile the fi nancial system is in balked at the idea of parking their fi nancial stability could be threatened. a hurricane hits, those residents may the face of a housing-market collapse. in 2014, which brings the offi cial total of made-from- cash overnight, with mortgage pools Existing reforms do not adequately still panic – especially if buildings Unfortunately, policymakers have scratch chromosomes to six of baker’s yeast 16. as collateral. This left the fi nancial mitigate this risk, largely because prove less reliable than anticipated. not yet fully applied them. – Project In short, as reported by Discover Magazine, over 30% of a system, which had come to depend they depend on the authorities and If more residents fl ee simultaneously, Syndicate living organism’s genetic material can be substituted with on that cash, frozen. Lending dried the banks to complete a complex and the escape route could quickly become up, fear intensifi ed, and the economy untested repayment process within 48 congested, putting everyone in danger. zMark Roe is a professor at Harvard artifi cial code, and it is only a matter of time before Sc2.0 plunged into recession. hours of a bank’s collapse. This would Treating housing mortgages as if Law School. researchers reach 100% – an entirely synthetic organism. Boeke told Discover that his team is aiming to fi nish all 16 chromosomes by the end of this calendar year. Once, or when, they get there, apart from building the Weather report fi rst synthetic, complex organism, a new generation of Three-day forecast geneticists will be able to entertain many of the most TODAY Stakes are high High: 31 C vexing questions about the structure and function of Low : 20 C genomes. Customised yeast cells will churn out novel Inshore: Strong wind at places at times and expected thundery rain at medicines, biofuels and other useful compounds with places by evening. more precision and speed than ever before. for environment TUESDAY Scientists have built designer cells in the past. In 2010, High: 28 C scientists at the J Craig Low: 20 C Yeast is among Venter Institute created P Cloudy a bacterial cell controlled and federalism the most by a synthesised genome WEDNESDAY by copying the DNA well-studied By Noah Feldman state law when it has occupied the High: 27 C Low: 20 C of one bacterium into Tribune News Service whole fi eld of regulation to the organisms on another. Last year they exclusion of the states. Sometimes P Cloudy took the eff ort a step Congress says expressly that it’s Earth he Trump administration is preempting state laws; sometimes the further by building the considering a new assault pre-emption is implicit. Fishermen’s forecast fi rst “minimal cell,” an organism never found in nature on American legal and The Clean Air Act is an example OFFSHORE DOHA that had the smallest number of genes required for constitutional structures of federal pre-emption – in part. Wind: SW-NW 15-24 KT T Waves: 5-8 Feet life. Several months later, a team led by researchers at by taking on federalism – and Section 7543 of the law says that vehicle emissions. Specifi cally, the no state “shall adopt or attempt to INSHORE DOHA Harvard Medical School successfully re-engineered a Wind: SE-SW 05-15/23 KT Environmental Protection Agency enforce any standard relating to the Waves: 1-2 Feet small fraction of the genes of the bacterium E coli. reportedly will try to revoke a waiver control of emissions from new motor The new studies, however, signal an important advance. that California has enjoyed for 45 vehicles.” That includes “certifi cation, Around the region The chromosomes generated this time represent the years, which allows the state – and any inspection, or any other approval Weather Weather state that wants to copy it – to regulate relating to the control of emissions today Max/min tomorrow Max/min largest amount of genetic material ever synthesised, tailpipe emissions more stringently from any new motor vehicle.” Abu Dhabi M Sunny 32/23 M Sunny 30/22 and the new Sc2.0 cells are substantially diff erent from than the federal government does. Yet as soon as the law takes away Baghdad Sunny 24/12 M Sunny 24/11 Dubai A revocation by President Donald states’ regulatory power, it restores M Sunny 33/24 M Sunny 31/22 their natural, or “wild type,” relatives. “In addition to Kuwait City Cloudy 31/14 Sunny 27/15 it to California. The law says the EPA building the thing, we have really added new features to Trump and the executive branch is Manama Cloudy 31/21 P Cloudy 25/19 almost certainly unlawful. The Clean Air administrator “shall ... authorise Muscat Sunny 32/24 Sunny 33/25 chromosomes that were not there before,” said Boeke, as Act expressly says that California must California to adopt and enforce Riyadh Cloudy 28/17 M Sunny 28/16 reported by Washington Post. be granted the waiver if its emissions standards.” It’s up to California (not Tehran M Cloudy 17/07 P Cloudy 16/05 Unlike other synthetic organisms, the engineered yeast rules are “at least as protective of public the federal government) to determine is a eukaryote – a complex cell with diverse internal health and welfare” as the federal “that California standards will be, in government’s. That means anything the aggregate, at least as protective of structures, just like the cells in the human body. It has more protective must be granted. If the public health and welfare as applicable more genetic material than the bacteria synthesised by revocation happens, there is sure to be a Federal standards.” the Venter Institute and Harvard projects. protracted legal fi ght. The only ways to block California Yeast is among the most well-studied organisms on The stakes are high for the from using its own standard are if the environment. Because 15 states follow EPA administrator determines that Earth, making it extremely useful for research. And it has California, and cars sold in states the California rules are arbitrary and myriad industrial, medical and scientifi c applications, bordering those states may comply capricious – which they aren’t – or from the production of biofuels to the development with California rules, 130mn people if “California does not need such ... of vaccines. The Sc2.0 team plans to add a 17th are potentially aff ected. standards to meet compelling and But the stakes are also high for the extraordinary conditions.” So long as chromosome to the designer cell to improve its protein- federal design of the Constitution. The Los Angeles has smog, the conditions making machinery. California waiver provision refl ects the for restricting emissions are going to It took nearly 10 years for the researchers to build their delicate balance between states and the be compelling. fi rst chromosome – even though they were working federal government in environmental The historical reason for this design regulation. Revoking it falls within is that California had been regulating on the shortest one in the yeast’s genome. But they Congress’s power, not the president’s. emissions long before the federal needed less than three years to generate the next fi ve The Clean Air Act’s waiver government got into the act. chromosomes, which include some of the genome’s provision is unusual – and it fl ows But the structural reason is that longest. The process has gotten faster and given the from federalism principles. California had the infl uence in Congress Around the world Under the Constitution, as a to make sure its regulatory power was confi dence exuded by Boeke, his team might complete Weather Weather default, both states and the federal preserved even after the Clean Air Act today Max/min tomorrow Max/min the project by the end of 2017 – an exciting development government share the capacity to was passed. The true balance between Athens M Sunny 17/06 Rain 15/07 regulate most activities. The states state and federal authority is worked out Beirut Rain 16/14 Showers 17/13 indeed. P Cloudy 36/27 have an inherent regulatory power, in Congress, where the states can have a Bangkok 38/27 Sunny Berlin M Cloudy 10/01 Cloudy 13/08 known as the “police power.” The real impact on lawmaking. Cairo Sunny 23/12 Sunny 23/12 federal government gets its power to Thus, it’s not up to the president Cape Town Cloudy 28/17 P Cloudy 24/16 To Advertise regulate from Congress’s authority to change the balance of power – Colombo S T Storms 32/25 T Storms 31/24 to make laws on matters aff ecting particularly not when Congress has Dhaka Sunny 28/16 Sunny 29/16 [email protected] Hong Kong P Cloudy 25/20 Cloudy 21/16 interstate commerce. State and federal already spoken. Istanbul Rain 08/06 Rain 08/06 Display power can overlap, as in the case of the And that’s what Trump’s EPA is Jakarta P Cloudy 33/24 T Storms 32/24 Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 punishment of drug crimes. doing by considering the revocation of Karachi Sunny 30/18 P Cloudy 31/18 Because federal law is the supreme the waiver that has been in place since London P Cloudy 15/07 P Cloudy 17/07 P Cloudy T Storms 32/25 Classified law of the land, according to the just after the law was passed in 1970. Manila 32/25 Moscow P Cloudy 07/-4 P Cloudy 07/-3 Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 Constitution, federal law trumps state There is some existing legal New Delhi Sunny 26/11 M Sunny 27/13 law when the two confl ict. uncertainty about whether the waiver New York P Cloudy 02/-1 Snow 01/-3 Subscription Congress has a special power that may be used by California to regulate Paris P Cloudy 15/02 M Sunny 16/07 allows it to deal with that confl ict greenhouse-gas emissions. The Sao Paulo Showers 23/18 S Showers 24/19 [email protected] Seoul Sunny 12/-3 M Sunny 11/-3 by barring states from regulating in George W Bush administration said it Singapore T Storms 33/24 M Sunny 33/24 areas where they might interfere with couldn’t, but before that claim could Sydney S T Storms 26/19 T Storms 22/20 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved federal rules. This power is called reviewed by the courts, Barack Obama Tokyo Cloudy 12/06 Cloudy 13/06 “preemption”: Congress “preempts” was elected and granted the waiver. Gulf Times Monday, March 13, 2017 31 COMMENT Donald Trump’s little women

The global gag rule is not and her healthcare provider and violating a fundamental human right. new. First introduced by In Nigeria, the organisation President Ronald Reagan in Education as a Vaccine – a partner of the International Women’s Health 1984, it has been a political Coalition – could face a similarly football ever since, with unmanageable situation if they accept US HIV funding. EVA hosts the Democratic presidents country’s longest-running hotline rescinding it and providing sexual and reproductive health information to young people, Republicans reinstating it and is one of the few platforms enabling young people to ask questions without stigma and shame. By Françoise Girard Abortion is already highly restricted New York in Nigeria, and the few abortion providers available face substantial risks. With unsafe abortion a non-profi t women’s health major cause of maternal mortality, organisation in Kenya is particularly among adolescents and confronting an impossible young women, the services EVA Adilemma. Kisumu Medical provides could not be more important. and Education Trust receives Not surprisingly, EVA’s executive $200,000 per year from the United director, Fadekemi Akinfaderin- States government to train doctors Agarau, worries that the global gag rule to treat postpartum haemorrhaging. “is going to be a big blow in Nigeria,” KMET also receives money from because accepting US funding would European donors and other sources to then impede her organisation’s ability provide comprehensive reproductive even to discuss post-abortion care with health services, including abortion the young women it serves. counselling. After US President Every day, 830 women die during Donald Trump’s recent executive order childbirth and pregnancy, and each reinstating and expanding the so- year, 6.9mn women are treated for called “global gag rule,” KMET – and After Trump’s recent executive order reinstating and expanding the so-called “global gag rule,” KMET – and many more organisations like it – will have to choose complications from unsafe abortion, many more organisations like it – will between life-saving programmes. almost all of them in developing have to choose between life-saving countries. To prohibit funding to programmes. associated with childbirth. Never programmes – up to $9bn per year. of these clinics were run by the Family many developing countries – such organisations committed to providing The global gag rule, offi cially known mind that rates of maternal mortality The President’s Emergency Planning Association of Kenya, which as Colombia, Nepal, Ethiopia, and quality healthcare and information as the Mexico City policy, prevents throughout the region are extremely Plan for Aids Relief comprises the served 56,000 people and did not Mozambique – have liberalised their to these women and girls is punitive, offi cial US funding for development aid high. Whichever option it chooses, largest portion of US global health provide abortions. One of the clinics abortion laws to save women’s lives and a violation of their human rights. from going to non-US organisations KMET will be forced to curtail health spending, currently $6.8bn per year. that was shuttered had been providing and to reduce the costs to their health To impose the gag rule despite clear that provide any kind of abortion services in regions where it is the Organisations that have long combined comprehensive infant and postpartum budgets of treating injuries caused evidence of the harm it causes is services to women – even information principal provider. PEPFAR aid with other funds to provide care. by unsafe abortions. In this sense, a transparent attempt to control or referrals – regardless of how those The global gag rule is not new. First comprehensive reproductive healthcare But the global gag rule is not just the global gag rule undercuts local women’s bodies and health. services are fi nanced. Organisations introduced by President Ronald Reagan to women living with HIV, and to devastating to women’s health; it is government policy and interferes with Trump promised during his that advocate expanded abortion in 1984, it has been a political football prevent mother-to-child transmission actually counter-productive. Without democratic debate. campaign to punish women who had access in their own countries are also ever since, with Democratic presidents of HIV, will now be placed in an family-planning services, including With the reinstatement of the abortions. That would be bad enough. barred from US funding. rescinding it and Republicans untenable position. access to contraception, women are global gag rule, hard-won progress But the global gag rule goes much This means that, if KMET continues reinstating it. Even the narrower iterations of the worse equipped to avoid unwanted in women’s health could be stunted, further, punishing millions of women to provide abortion services to But this latest manifestation of the global gag rule backed by previous pregnancies. A Stanford University or even reversed, all while violating throughout the developing world women in Kenya, where 30-40% rule goes further than its predecessors. Republican presidents had devastating study found that abortion rates actually women’s legal and human rights. simply for being women. – Project of hospitalisations of women are Whereas previous versions aff ected consequences. Under George W Bush, increased in countries most aff ected by For example, if KMET takes US aid, Syndicate associated with unsafe abortions, it will US family-planning funding, Trump’s the rule forced the closure of eight the global gag rule during the Bush era. the organisation will be obligated to lose the funding it needs to perform the rule aff ects all US health aid, including clinics – most of which were the Trump’s version of the rule threatens withhold information from women zFrançoise Girard is President of similarly lifesaving work of teaching for HIV, malaria, maternal and child sole providers of healthcare in their to have an even more devastating about a critical health service, the International Women’s Health doctors how to handle complications health, tuberculosis, and nutrition communities – in Kenya alone. Some impact. Over the last few decades, breaching the trust between a woman Coalition. Letters Smart wheels to The public should also be educated apologised to them for the delay. The that this act of taking trolleys to their fact that they had only a few items left stop trolley ‘theft’ residences and not returning these to me embarrassed. the store amounts to stealing and is But the couple came to my rescue Dear Sir, punishable by law. and paid the remaining amount without hesitation. “It’s just QR33.50, This is with reference to your news M Khalid Kamal let me pay for it”, the man asserted. ‘Supermarkets worry over trolley Doha Complete strangers saved my day. thefts’ (Gulf Times, March 11). I would The couple smiled at me and said like to share my experience abroad. “it’s nothing, don’t worry about it”. I was pushing my trolley to a A couple’s act Words are not enough to express restaurant that was a bit too far from of kindness how grateful I am. This random act of the store. To my surprise the trolley kindness was more than anything else stopped at a yellow line on the road as for me. I will never forget them! if the wheels were jammed. There was Dear Sir, a sign board on the road side saying Rhia Perez that trolleys will be locked beyond this It was just an ordinary Monday Doha point. I tried to push the trolley little evening for me. From work, I headed further but it wouldn’t move. directly to Dar Al Salam Mall to do my I later found out that there are grocery. I went to Carrefour and got all Please send us electronic and mechanical wheel that I needed for the week. locking systems that make it possible. It was not a crowded night in your letters Either one or two wheels of the cart Carrefour. I waited my turn to pay the are called SmartWheels and have bill which was QR323.50. I paid QR290 By e-mail electronic locks embedded in them. with my debit card and gave my credit [email protected] This is made possible by a cable that card to the cashier for the remaining Fax 44350474 goes below the boundary line, under QR33.50. Or Post the surface, which serves as an antenna To my surprise, the payment was Letters to the Editor to send out the signals. When the declined. I knew I had suffi cient funds Gulf Times wheels reach close to boundary line as I seldom used my card. But I put in P O Box 2888 (over the cable), the electronic lock in a wrong pin number so the payment Doha, Qatar the smart wheel receives the signal and was rejected. I didn’t have a single riyal activates, thus stopping the cart and in my pocket nor could I call anyone. I All letters, which are subject making it impossible to take it far from was short of QR33.50 and found myself to editing, should have the shopping store. helpless and disappointed. name of the writer, address The supermarkets in Doha that are I asked the cashier if I could return and phone number. The losing shopping carts can adopt this some items but she too was helpless. writer’s name and address smart technology to avoid further A couple, who were behind may be withheld by request. thefts. me, witnessed the whole thing. I Live issues E-cig cancer alert for smokers

QNA It has been named the biggest single power to be varied was capable of London cancer-risk ambient air toxin in the producing benzene thousands of United States. times higher than in ambient air Signifi cant amounts of benzene was when e-cig chemicals benzoic acid or -cig smokers may be exposing detected in of the devices, also known benzaldehyde were added. themselves to high levels of as vapes, at power levels well within The researchers said their fi nding cancer causing chemicals, the manufacturer’s recommended published in PLOS ONE was alarming, Eaccording to new research. range of settings. despite the levels still being 50 to Benzene, found in traffi c pollution The power levels used in the study 100 times reduce than in smoke from and paint stripper, has been linked were still far below those accessible conventional cigarettes. to a number of diseases including to users on some devices, which can Variable voltage e-cigs make it leukaemia and bone marrow failure. exceed 200 watts. possible to change the power of the Now scientists have found that Professor James Pankow, of Portland device to produce just the right fl avour levels can form in the vapours of the State University, said: “The fact for personal choice. devices when they are operated at high vaping can deliver benzene levels Some taste better on low voltage power. many times higher than those found where others improve on high. These are much higher than those in the ambient atmosphere - where it They produce more vapour than found in the surrounding atmosphere is already recognised as a cancer risk - the small e-cigs most people buy - which have been linked to increased should be of concern to anyone using when they fi rst begin vaping with the cancer risk. e-cigarettes. Please, stay away from ‘cigarette lookalike’. Other studies have Benzene is a component of petrol high power if it’s available on your warned of further risks, including one and is found in urban air because device.” which pointed to long-term health of industrial emissions and traffi c He tested three diff erent devices damage for e-smokers even if they pollution. and found the tank-type that allows don’t lead to tobacco use. Gulf Times 32 Monday, March 13, 2017 QATAR Sheikha Moza visits education, employment projects in Sudan H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, advocate for the HUN Sustainable Devel- opment Goals, yesterday met with children, benefi ciaries and staff at two of the projects her foundations are supporting to improve opportunities for young people in Sudan. Sheikha Moza visited the Umm Badda Alternative Learning Pro- gramme (ALP) in Sudan’s capi- tal, Khartoum.The programme is one of 3,900 in Sudan sponsored by Education Above All (EAA), a foundation set up by her in 2012. Sheikha Moza engaged with children, attended a life-skills class, and met with school man- agement, teachers and various community members. EAA’s Educate A Child pro- gramme is supporting Unicef to educate 194 students at Umm Badda ALP, who were originally displaced from the regions of HH Sheikha Moza visits a Silatech beneficiary in Khartoum. PICTURES: AR Al-Baker / HHOPL HH Sheikha Moza visits Sudanese Pyramids. Abyei, Darfur and South Kordo- fan. with access to quality primary Sheikha Moza also witnessed laboration agreement with the The ALP is designed for out- education in Sudan. By the end the signing of several agreements National Commission for Refu- of-school children who have of 2017, this partnership will pro- between Silatech, the organisa- gees to support the economic never attended school, have vide direct support to 600,000 tion she founded and chairs, and empowerment of Syrian refu- dropped out, or who cannot be out-of-school children with an several Sudanese organisations. gees in Sudan and a Memoran- mainstreamed into the formal opportunity to access education. These new partnerships will lead dum of Understanding with the education system due to gaps Student Insaf Osman Mus- to a series of initiatives aimed at Supreme Council for Welfare & in their achievement. Linkages sa, who is enrolled at the Umm creating one million new jobs for Intellectual Safeguard to prevent between formal and alternative Badda ALP said, “Alternative young Sudanese people by 2021 the radicalisation of young peo- programmes allow for the fl ex- learning centres have been a The signed agreements and ple. Finally, Silatech partnered ibility needed for these learners good alternative for me, as af- memoranda of understand- with the Social Development to later join the formal system at ter I divorced, I kept insisting to ing include support for Sudan’s Foundation to support the sus- the appropriate level. get back to school to continue national food security strategy tainable development of Khar- Educate A Child and Unicef my education. I tried to enrol in by creating a new generation of toum. support ALPs through the con- a classic school, but found that I youth agribusiness entrepre- Sheikha Moza then visited struction of new classrooms, was weak in some courses, such neurs in collaboration with the Niazy Mahsoub Wahbi, a young textbooks and learning materi- as sciences. Agricultural Bank of Sudan and Sundanese man and a Silatech als, training of facilitators, sys- “So people advised me to enrol working with the Qatar National benefi ciary who was able to ex- tems strengthening and partner- in an Alternative Learning Pro- Bank and Farmer’s Commercial pand his pastry business from ship building. gramme centre, and benefi t from Bank to provide fi nancial sup- a small workshop into a fac- Educate A Child and Unicef upgrading my education before port to young people in the agri- tory with two showrooms and a HH Sheikha Moza witnessed the signing of several agreements between Silatech and several Sudanese have provided more than attempting to go back to a classic business industry. workshop of 12 through a micro- organisations. These new partnerships will lead to a series of initiatives aimed at creating one million new 461,000 out-of-school children school.” Silatech also signed a col- fi nance loan. jobs for young Sudanese people by 2021.