BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Al-Attiyah completes stage sweep Jordan INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 12, 32 COMMENT 30, 31 Moody’s affi rms REGION 13 BUSINESS 1 – 8, 21 – 24 Rally 17,671.00 9,748.78 44.66 ARAB WORLD 14, 15 CLASSIFIED 9 – 20 QIIB rating at ‘A2’ +97.00 -106.07 +0.34 INTERNATIONAL 16 – 29 SPORTS 1 – 12 +0.55% -1.08% +0.77% with ‘stable’ outlook Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10082 May 8, 2016 Sha’baan 1, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Sheikha Moza attends Fez music fest opening Energy In brief

REGION | Reshuffl e Saudi Arabia names rating for new energy minister Saudi Arabia, in a major reshuff le, yesterday appointed Khalid al-Falih, chairman of the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, as its new energy minister, replacing Ali al-Naimi, who had ACs soon held the post since 1995. A royal decree said the petroleum ministry The measure will be introduced In accordance with the Qatar Na- had been renamed to become the as part of Kahramaa’s National tional Vision 2030 goal of maintaining ministry of energy, industry and Programme for Conservation and the country’s resources and attaining mineral resources, and that Falih Energy Eff iciency called Tarsheed sustainable development, Tarsheed would give up his other post, that has succeeded in accrediting technical of health minister. New ministers tarting July this year, the General specifi cations and standards to measure were appointed to run the water, Electricity and Water Corpora- the effi ciency of all the energy-saving transport, commerce, social aff airs, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Fez Festival of Stion (Kahramaa) will implement ACs in the country. These start with a health and pilgrimage portfolios. World Sacred Music. HH Sheikha Moza watched the opening night premiere, A Sky full of Stars, in which the women of the the Energy Star rating system to en- rate of three stars and upwards for Win- Page 13, Business Page 24 Orient lead the audience on a journey of discovery into the history of Morocco and the myths of the East. The Fez Festival hance the power effi ciency of air con- dow ACs with an Energy Effi ciency Rate of World Sacred Music, an annual event, off ers an anthology of musical expressions of diff erent cultures and traditions. ditioners (ACs) in Qatar. (EER) estimated at 8.5 to be the low- PICTURE: AR Al-Baker/HHOPL Page 3 The measure will be introduced est allowed in the country. The lowest BRITAIN | Politics as part of Kahramaa’s National Pro- EER permitted for split-unit ACs is 9.5, Khan sworn in as gramme for Conservation and Energy which start with a four-star rating. Effi ciency (Tarsheed), in co-operation Soon, the Energy Star system will be London’s mayor with the Ministry of Municipality and applied to more electrical appliances Sadiq Khan was sworn in as London Environment. such as washing machines, refrigera- mayor yesterday after being New health centre for workers opens Energy Star is an international stand- tors and heaters, Kahramaa said in a elected the first Muslim leader of ard for energy-effi cient consumer prod- statement. a major Western capital, as the ucts originated in the United States. It The system gives the potential buyer Conservatives defended attempts new Labour Health Centre and and an additional 11,000 visitors in many healthcare projects for single was created in 1992 by the Environmental a reliable and easy method to compare to link him to extremism during the a Medical Commission unit the medical commission unit. The workers. These projects include four Protection Agency and the Department among the various types of air con- campaign. Page 21 Athat together can cater to more centre is operated by Qatar Red Cres- health centres, three modern hospi- of Energy. Since then, many Western ditioners available in the market and than 40,000 people a month has been cent under an agreement with the tals, as well as medical commission countries have adopted the programme. make a judgement based on their en- opened at Mesaimeer. Ministry of Public Health. units. Devices carrying the Energy Star service ergy effi ciency. CANADA | Calamity HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Al-Kuwari said that Qatar was keen Mesaimeer’s Labour Health Centre mark generally use 20-30% less energy A public campaign to introduce the Canada wildfi re Minister of Public Health, inaugu- on providing the best treatment and consists of 12 general clinics, special- than required by federal standards. system will be launched through vari- rated the Mesaimeer Labour Health preventive healthcare services for the ised clinics in the fi elds of occupa- The standard is endorsed by putting ous media platforms. explodes in size Centre and the Medical Commission people residing in the country. She tional medicine, internal medicine, a sticker on electrical appliances to Meanwhile, Tarsheed and Carre- A raging Canadian wildfire grew Unit attached to it. A number of of- stressed that workers were provided ophthalmology, ENT, chronic diseas- indicate their rate of energy effi cien- four have reached an agreement to explosively yesterday as hot, dry fi cials from the Ministry of Public with healthcare services of a high es, dermatology, cardiac diseases and cy. The more the number of stars, the spread awareness about the campaign winds pushed the blaze across the Health and Qatar Red Crescent at- standard. lung diseases and fi ve dental clinics. higher the energy effi ciency of the ap- at various shopping malls. There will energy heartland of Alberta and tended the function. The minister pointed out that the The centre includes a bandaging pliance. When the product lacks the be stands to disseminate information smoke forced the shut down of a The health centre has the capacity inauguration of the centre at Me- and minor surgery room, and an acute Energy Star sticker, it is considered to to the public. The campaign will be major oil sands project. Page 17 to receive 32,000 visitors per month saimeer was one of the Ministry’s cases section that has 12 beds. Page 12 be a high consumer of energy. launched in more centres soon. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR Al-Mahmoud hails Qatar’s progress in education

QNA Al-Mahmoud said the confer- in achieving sustainable human Doha ence was important as it provides development. an opportunity for exchanging Dr al-Hammadi said the scientifi c expertise and experi- theme of the conference affi rms E the Deputy Prime Min- ences. Qatar’s belief in the importance ister and Minister of He said through workshops, of education leadership. HState for Cabinet Aff airs papers and discussion panels, He said the Ministry of Edu- Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al- participants will arrive at impor- cation and Higher Education HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud and HE the Minister of Education Mahmoud yesterday inaugurated tant decisions. strives to refi ne the scientifi c and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi look at some of the exhibits on display at the conference. the Education Conference 2016. The Deputy Prime Minister personality of students and its The two-day conference, lauded Qatar’s progress in edu- foundation of logical thinking, held under the patronage of HE cation under the leadership of analysis and brainstorming, far the Prime Minister and Minis- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin from the traditional methods ter of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Hamad al-Thani, and recalled which are based on memorisa- bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir’s speeches on the im- tion of information. is organised by the Ministry of portance of improving educa- The Minister said Qatar’s eff orts Education and Higher Education tion in the country. He said the can be measured by the facilities it at Qatar National Convention Qatar National Vision 2030 was has provided including buildings, Centre under the slogan ‘Learn- clear in its objectives in terms services, public sources of learn- ing Leadership: Contemporary of the development of educa- ing, programmes, initiatives, com- Visions.’ tion and human wealth and for petitions and awards. Al-Mahmoud also opened the developing knowledge, through The Education Conference this ‘professional teaching’ exhibi- which, society can bring about year focuses on a number of im- tion, which off ers educational progress. portant issues, including modern solutions to teachers in accord- He reiterated Qatar’s leader- educational leadership and its ance with modern teaching ship attaches great importance role in quality management, the trends. to education and stressed the concept of education centred on The Deputy Premier accom- need to work on the development the 21st century skills for enabling panied by HE the Minister of of society as stated in the Qatar and developing teachers’ roles and Education and Higher Education National Vision 2030. proposals for the application of the Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali Addressing the opening ses- current education system, educa- al-Hammadi went around vari- sion of the conference, the Min- tional solutions applicable in the ous pavilions of the exhibition ister of Education and Higher classroom, and special education. and was briefed on its contents, Education hailed HH the Emir’s The conference features some including teaching aids, techno- outstanding and continuous 104 training programmes, nine logical solutions, programmes support to the education sector. lectures, 16 working papers and and activities provided to stu- He said the Emir’s support stems 46 distinct educational prac- dents of diff erent age groups. from his faith in education’s role tices. An off icial briefs HE the Deputy Prime Minister about the exhibition.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister, HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education and other ministers and off icials attend the event Participants listen to an expert speaking at the conference.

Minister calls for private sector role Ooredoo, QFA sign 3-year sponsorship agreement in farm production HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdul- oredoo and the Qatar League, as well as the Qatar Na- is another demonstration of a global telecommunications entities in Qatar, to ensure that cial support for the events lah al-Rumaihi yesterday called for Football Association tional ‘A’ Team and Qatar Na- our commitment to the incred- company such as Ooredoo, football acts as an effective tool and teams, and will be en- encouraging the private sector to O(QFA), the governing tional Olympic Team. ible sporting talent Qatar has, to support the country’s big- to help achieve the National couraging its customers to contribute to increasing agricultural body of football in Qatar, yester- With the agreement, Ooredoo and we aim to bring our tech- gest football tournament of Vision 2030, and therefore, our watch and attend upcoming production. The Minister was visiting day signed a three-year partner- will be the offi cial telecommuni- nology to each match, to create the year. By partnering with partnership with Ooredoo re- games via its Supernet net- a private farm in Al Khor as a part of ship agreement. cation partner for all QFA events new ways to enjoy the spirit and Ooredoo, we are able to reach inforces this goal.” work and through newspaper a tour in Al Khor Municipality. During The agreement, which was until 2018. excitement of the game. I thank a wider segment of our fans, The sponsorship is the lat- adverts. the tour, the Minister inspected a signed by Ooredoo Qatar Chief Al-Kubaisi said: “Ooredoo the QFA for partnering with us therefore, allowing them to ex- est in a long line of agreements This is the latest in a series of number of projects underway and Operating Offi cer (COO) You- has been a supporter of foot- once again, and look forward to tend their support to the most between Ooredoo and QFA, as Ooredoo promotions and activi- other service sites located within suf Abdulla al-Kubaisi and QFA ball in Qatar for a long time. the next three years of advance- famous tournament in Qatar. the organisations work together ties built around sporting tour- the administrative boundaries of the Secretary-General Mansoor al- Not just for our National Team, ment.” As a pioneer national asso- to promote football in Qatar in naments in 2016, including the municipality. The tour included a visit Ansari, will see Ooredoo sup- but for our local leagues, grass- Al-Ansari commented: ciation, the QFA is constantly preparation for the 2022 FIFA Qatar Cup, the Qatar ExxonMo- to Al Khor industrial city, the labour port two of QFA’s top events, roots players and the youth of “We are delighted to sign this committed to developing stra- World Cup Qatar. bil Open 2016, and the Ooredoo city project site and the vegetables The Emir Cup and University this country. This partnership partnership agreement with tegic partnerships with major Ooredoo is offering finan- Marathon. and fruits market and the fish farm.

WISE collaborates with EDI to support QF school leaders

he World Innovation Sum- The LearnLabs programme face, and designed evidence- mit for Education (WISE), is based on research in eff ective informed solutions and detailed Tin collaboration with the teaching strategies, behavioural plans to address them. Education Development Insti- design and organisational learn- Dr Asmaa al-Fadala, director tute (EDI), has concluded the ing. It introduces participants to of research, WISE, emphasised second part of its fi ve-month key leadership strategies to drive that the programme provides programme, entitled ‘Empower- and support change in teaching support to school leaders to im- ing Leaders of Learning,’ with a practice to achieve and incubate prove student academic motiva- two-day event held at the Qatar excellence in line with the aspi- tion and performance. National Convention Centre. rations of QF. “We are confi dent that the Leaders from QF schools participate in the event. Both WISE and EDI are ini- In preparation for the session, school leaders who have com- tiatives of Qatar Foundation for participants were given a short mitted themselves to the inno- to include more schools, includ- dependent on their dedication country’s most infl uential change- Additionally, throughout the Education Science and Commu- exercise to refl ect on their ac- vative, proven techniques and ing Ministry of Education and and hard work.” agents. This approach to further programme, participants re- nity Development (QF) and 21 tions, outcomes, and what was professional practices of this Higher Education schools. “This The programme, which was made progressing reform and innovation ceived ongoing support through leaders from QF schools were in- learned over the duration of the programme will see signifi cant programme provides our educa- possible in part by ExxonMobil, fo- in local schools was discussed in de- in-school coaching related to vited to participate in the confer- programme, as well as a read- improvement in their students’ tors with the tools and proactive cused on encouraging school prin- tail in the WISE Research report ‘K- their change projects in their ence, which was led by Dr Simon ing focused on teacher learning. academic performance.” practices they need to support cipals, assistant principals and head 12 Reform in the Gulf Cooperation unique school environments, Breakspear, founder and CEO of School leaders then discussed Dr Asmaa noted that WISE student success. Our schools, teachers in Qatar to refl ect WISE’s Council Countries’ (2015), written forming a supportive leadership the Australia-based LearnLabs. and reviewed the challenges they plans to extend the programme and our future as a nation, are strategy to support some of the by Dr Asmaa. community. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 3 QATAR

Fez music festival opening ceremony

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser is welcomed by an off icial at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, organised under the patronage of King Mohamed VI of Morocco with the theme of “The Women Founders.” Also seen is Princess Lalla Salma. PICTURE: A R Al-Baker/ HHOPL Ooredoo ‘sets record straight’ on contracts with beIN Sports

oredoo has released a state- the week-long contract negations fulfi l the demand for customers in ment “to set the record reached a dead-end on Thursday af- Qatar and around the world.” Ostraight” following the re- ternoon, when beIN continued to de- According to Ooredoo, customers cent announcement that Ooredoo mand an unreasonable amount for the and football fans across Doha took to TV and Mozaic TV services will no contract renewal,” Ooredoo said. social media channels this weekend longer broadcast on beIN Sports Ooredoo also said “other telecom- after Ooredoo released a number of channels. munications companies across the Tweets stating that the company was In order to be “as transparent as region had also faced similar issues not responsible for the sudden and possible” to customers, Ooredoo said with beIN, but had been given a full unexpected withdrawal of the beIN it had released “more information” month to respond to the off er.” channels from its service. about the contract issues with beIN Football and sporting packages Aside from apologising for the Media Group, and stated that “not have become some of the most pop- disruption, Ooredoo also off ered one, but two increased off ers were re- ular content for expats and nation- compensation for beIN subscribers jected by the sports company within als alike in Qatar, and Ooredoo “has with six months’ free access to its a period of a week, after months of called for beIN to be a more responsi- StarzPlay entertainment package, Fox communications silence.” ble partner for the world of televised channels, OSN Yahala, and Rotana “The company also stated that sport, as it works with companies to content. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR

Eco-friendly green building products from Taiwan

A new line of eco-friendly materials and expertise. and insulating materials green building products This will be followed by that will help protect from Taiwan is set to be a special one-on-one commercial and residential Research on sand bacteria wins unveiled in Qatar. business match-up session. buildings from Qatar’s A special product launch, Project Qatar takes place heat while preserving the to be held as part of in Doha from May 9 to 12. environment. Project Qatar at the Doha During this period, the In all, 15 of Taiwan’s leading Exhibition and Convention Taiwan Green Product eco-friendly materials top prize at CMU-Q forum Centre on May 10, will will also present its manufacturers will take part introduce Qatar to Taiwan’s “Demo House”, featuring in the event, including five most advanced eco-friendly a wide array of room with new product debuts. research project tar’s sand to disinfect water. lon University in Qatar.” demonstrating how Second prize was award- The award for best poster Abacteria found in ed to “Wireless Eruptions went to “CheckMyStack Qatar’s sand can be used – Reprogramming Wireless Vulnerability Detection to purify water won the Sensor Networks: Chal- Tool for the Qatari Web” by best project award at the lenges and Approaches” by computer science students 10th annual Meeting of the computer science student, Aseel Ghazal and Daanish Minds undergraduate re- Aliaa Essameldin. “Role of Ali Khan, under the men- search symposium held by DNAJB3/HSP-40 in Main- torship of Thierry Sans, as- Carnegie Mellon University taining Metabolic Homeos- sistant teaching professor of in Qatar (CMU-Q). tasis” by biological sciences computer science. The research study titled, student Bushra Memon was Students presented their “Characterising a Novel Ba- awarded third place. research projects to a panel cillus-like Phage from Qa- Ilker Baybars, dean and of judges from the Minis- tar’s Sand”, was conducted CEO of CMU-Q, com- try of Development Plan- by biological sciences stu- mented, “Meeting of the ning and Statistics, Qatar A winner of the competition being awarded. dent, Aya Abd Elaal, under Minds is a highlight of the National Research Fund the mentorship of Annette academic year, a celebration (QNRF), Qatar Computing ty, Georgetown University in try of Development Plan- Vincent, assistant teaching of the ingenuity, hard work, Research Institute, Qatar Bi- Qatar, Texas A&M Universi- ning and Statistics rec- professor of biological sci- scientifi c exploration and omedical Research Institute, ty at Qatar, Qatar University, ognised fi ve projects for ences at CMU-Q. The study intellectual curiosity that Qatar Biobank, Qatar Sci- Northwestern University in special awards. QNRF rec- explores using bacteri- characterises students in all ence and Technology Park, Qatar, and Siemens. ognised one project and one ophages extracted from Qa- disciplines at Carnegie Mel- Hamad Bin Khalifa Universi- Additionally, the Minis- poster for a special award.

Azerbaijan honour for Qatar off icial

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev yesterday honoured HE Nasser bin Abdulaziz al-Nasser, the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilisations, with the Presidential Medal of First Class in recognition of his eff orts in promoting the culture of peace and dialogue among civilisations at the global level in general, and between the UN organisation and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan President in particular. Ilham Aliyev honouring Aliyev and al-Nasser opened HE Nasser bin Abdulaziz the two-day Seventh al-Nasser. International Conference of the Alliance of Civilisations civilisational diversity with in Baku on April 26. special emphasis on the role It concluded with the “Baku of education in promoting Declaration” which was these concepts. adopted by the Member The conference was States, and focused on the attended by several heads concept of co-existence of state and government, and respect of others, foreign ministers, politicians, respect for religions and journalists and opinion acceptance of cultural and makers.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR Few takers for route 777 bus service

hile private carri- has been given for the service. ers ferrying regular “Though there are a few Wcommuters, mostly points along the route from those employed at Hamad In- where one could board the bus, ternational Airport, are always not even one passenger is seen seen fully packed to capac- boarding the bus from any of ity, public transport buses be- those places,” said a bus pas- tween City Center Doha (CCD) senger who used the bus once and Hamad International recently while returning from Airport (HIA) hardly has any HIA. He recalled that he was passenger to travel most of the the only passenger in the bus. time, it was found. Instead of operating all 777 Though Bus No.777 has been services from CCD, bus us- operating between 5am and ers feel they could be operated 11.30 midnight at 20 minutes from diff erent locations in the Rota off icials with some of the participating students. gap, it is doubtful if even 100 city, like from the precincts of passengers avail of their serv- popular shopping centres so ices altogether for the whole that it would be easy for air- day, from either side. Most port-bound passengers to get of the time the service is seen into it from any of such points. without even a single passen- Meanwhile, the authorised ger on board even though it private carriers are providing provides an economical con- excellent connectivity to HIA veyance to passengers between from diff erent locations across Number of participants CCD and HIA. the city at aff ordable rates to It has been more than a year their users, inquiries found. since the service started its op- “In such a situation who erations on the CCD-HIA route. will take the risk of travelling The main diffi culty cited by to CCD and routes along the bus users for using the service is Corniche before getting into they need to fi rst travel to CCD 777 service,” asked a regular up at Rota global event for boarding the bus. They also user of a private carrier from feel that no proper publicity Mathar Qadheem. each Out To Asia (Rota) (Muntajat) in partnership with iEARN-Qatar provides students Abdulrahman Ali al-Ab- take projects designed to make has inaugurated the In- the National Centre for Educa- with a platform to showcase dulla, CEO, Muntajat, said: a meaningful contribution to the Rternational Education and tional Development (NCED). their special projects. The event “We are fully committed to welfare of the wider community. Resource Network in Qatar for Essa al-Mannai, executive refl ects our collective commit- promoting social responsibil- The programme encourages 2016 (iEARN-Qatar). The pro- director, Rota, said: “Build- ment to moving beyond tradi- ity through our sponsorship of cultural exchange between par- gramme kicked off with an open ing human capacity and tional education methods to development and educational ticipants from member states, Quality Group unveils house event on Thursday, and empowering youth through project-based learning, enabling initiatives, particularly pro- from kindergarten through sec- brought together 327 students education is an integral part students to play an active role in grammes which promote youth ondary grade, via a virtual net- from around the country, along of promoting community de- the learning process.” empowerment and capacity work that connects teachers and new projects at US meet with 65 teachers, to showcase 43 velopment. We believe that This year’s open house saw building.” students worldwide. projects. by equipping youth with the an increase in the number of Made up of over 50,000 Rota, a member of Qatar Hosted at Qatar University necessary skills they will have projects exhibited and schools schools and youth organisa- Foundation for Education, Sci- uality Group Interna- (QU), the event was held under more confi dence in shaping that participated, demonstrat- tions in more than 140 coun- ence and Community Develop- tional has announced the patronage of Qatar Chemi- their future.” ing the success of the partner- tries, iEARN is a non-profi t ment (QF), became the offi cial Qits foray into the off - cal and Petrochemical Market- Dr Abdullah Abu-Tineh, di- ship between Rota, NECD and organisation that works to em- representative of iEARN-Qatar shore technology fi eld. ing and Distribution Company rector, NECD, said: “Each year, Muntajat. power young people to under- in 2008. Shamsudheen Olakara, chairman, Quality Group Inter- national, unveiled the compa- ny’s new projects and plans at OTC 2016 (Off shore Technol- ogy Conference), which was or- Ministry ganised by the US Commercial Shamsudheen Olakara Service in Houston recently. The company will be involved and trade specialist at the US issues 1,351 in fi elds such as the import of Commercial Service; and Gol- non-sparking safety tools, off - da Agnazata, US Commercial shore maintenance, heavy hy- Service assistant, Qatar. commercial draulics and fabrication works, “The off shore operations of Olakara said in Houston. the company will be in Qatar, All the off shore technologi- in association with well-es- registrations cal projects of Quality Group tablished American fi rms. Our International will be carried discussions with companies out in association with spe- like Scorpion, Unitech, Neu- he commercial registration and licences de- cialised American companies. vatech, etc are in progress,’’ partment at the Ministry of Economy and Olakara has held discus- Olakara added. TCommerce (MEC) issued some 1,351 new sions on the new ventures with The company’s off shore commercial registrations last month. Laura Taylor-Kale, deputy projects will be carried out un- One-person companies topped the registra- assistant secretary for manu- der the Quality Engineering & tions with 494 licences (53% of the total number facturing at the US Depart- Services and Quality Hydrau- issued), followed by companies with limited li- ment of Commerce; Steve Mil- lics, two major technical divi- ability with 379 (41%), and solidarity companies lar, international investment sions in Qatar. with 56 (6%). The most commer- cial registrations in April were for contracting companies (27%), fol- lowed by building ma- terials trade (12%), de- tergents (9%), eateries, fast foods and vegetables and fruits (7%), groceries (5%), and other compa- nies and activities stood for 40%. Some 50% of the new registrations were issued for Al Rayyan Area, fol- lowed by Doha (38%), Wakrah (5%), and Umm Salal (4%). Regarding the most ac- tive new commercial li- cences in April, contract- ing companies were ahead with 50% of the overall new number, followed by media, printing and advertising companies (25%), building materials trade (11%), detergents (8%) and catering compa- nies (6%). Meanwhile, the intel- lectual property rights protection department at the MEC received 57 new applications for patents during April. It also re- newed 109 patent appli- cations during the same period. Six certifi cates of author’s rights and other related rights were issued. The number of trade- marks registered at the department in April was 2,688, with 22% of them new. Qatar made some 34 contracts with foreign companies during last month for more than QR12bn, according to statistics provided by the Ministry.

Gulf Times 8 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR New lease of life for child with Down Syndrome rehabilitation and spe- bowel obstruction, two holes “I found out that Zahrat special education services with to Zahrat, and I often forget that cialised therapy pro- in her heart as well as low birth had Down Syndrome the nursing service and psycho- she is living with Down Syn- Agramme off ered by Ha- weight, she was kept in the when I was three months logical counselling,” Mustafa drome because I fi nd educating mad Medical Corporation’s neonatal intensive care unit for into her pregnancy, due said. and playing with her a happy (HMC) Child Development Cen- around 20 days after her birth. to regular medical check- She also noted that though and fun-fi lled time for both of tre has given a new lease of life During her hospital stay, Zahrat ups I received at Women’s it took her daughter up to two us,” added Zahrat’s mother. to three-year-old Zahrat al-Ha- underwent surgery to close one Hospital” years to walk, she progressed Mustafa said she did not yat Mustafa, a baby with Down of the holes in her heart and she remarkably well in her cogni- choose games and educational Syndrome and numerous birth overcame the partial bowel ob- from the hospital, I was referred tive development as she was tools for her daughter randomly complications. struction. However, she still has to the Child Development Cen- quickly able to recognise things, but looked instead for various “I found out that Zahrat had the second hole in her heart. tre at Rumailah Hospital and be- learn sounds and say some learning methods that work for Zahrat al-Hayat with her mother Down Syndrome when I was Zahrat’s mother said that she gan her journey of rehabilitation simple words. the development of her motor and three months into her pregnan- started collecting information and treatment. She joined the Zahrat and her mother’s ex- cognitive skills. She also started to and now she is completing the Mustafa has also created a Fa- cy, due to regular medical check- related to children with Down centre when she was six months perience throughout her treat- manufacture some of the games second stage of the course for cebook page called “Diary of Za- ups I received at Women’s Hos- Syndrome as well as searching and is still being assisted by dis- ment journey can be termed as herself due to high prices. teaching children from age hrat Al Hayat” to show Zahrat’s pital,” said Mustafa, Zahrat’s for nurseries and appropriate tinguished specialists in various a source of inspiration for many Additionally, Zahrat’s mother three to six. Presently, Zah- progress through photos and mother. rehabilitation centres before the fi elds ranging from physiother- other children and mothers in got herself trained in the Mon- rat has joined a pre-school to videos. The page also features Because Zahrat had other birth of her child. apy, occupational health, speech similar circumstances. “I left my tessori system of teaching chil- help her develop social and useful information on children health problems, such as partial “After Zahrat was discharged and language therapy, as well as job and devoted all of my time dren from birth to three years, communication skills. with Down Syndrome.

Aspetar conducts meniscal transplant on two athletes

By Joseph Varghese a fi brocartilaginous struc- Aspetar’s chief of surgery Staff Reporter ture that cushions the joint clarifi ed that the allograft surface of the knee,” he ex- transplantation is the last plained. option that surgeons would spetar, the orthopae- The offi cial pointed out resort to in case of any dic and sports medi- that the MAT is a very sen- meniscus tear or damage. Acine hospital, has sitive operation, where a “When a meniscus tear is conducted the fi rst Menis- healthy cartilage tissue is so severe that nearly all the cal Allograft Transplanta- taken from a donor. “This cartilage is torn and badly tion (MAT) on two athletes allograft should be matched damaged post repetitive from Qatar, Gulf Times has by size to the candidate for injuries, it can no longer be learnt. the procedure, as appropri- repaired and needs to be re- “This is a fi rst for Aspetar ate graft sizing is critical. moved. Sometimes we have and two more athletes will We procured fresh-frozen no choice but to perform a undergo this surgery very meniscal allografts from a MAT, especially when a me- soon,” revealed Dr Philippe Tissue Bank.” niscal repair or a meniscec- Landreau, the chief of “One graft is fairly ex- tomy are not a viable option surgery at Aspetar. pensive, it costs about anymore.” The surgical procedure QR21,000. It is the same “Most people with severe was performed on athletes concept as organ donation. meniscal problems have from Qatar, with the as- Shortly after receiving the also developed arthritis in sistance of one of Aspetar’s allografts, we performed the the knee. The donor trans- visiting surgeons, Prof Peter transplantation and it was plant will stabilise the knee Verdonk from Belgium. a complete success. Both joint, and relieve the pain. “The surgery consists of athletes are in the recovery In long-term, we anticipate replacing a torn or damaged process which takes at least that it will delay the devel- meniscus, with a new one one year,” noted Dr Lan- opment of arthritis,” added from a donor. Meniscus is dreau. the offi cial. Hundreds receive tips on road safety A programme delivered by Maersk Oil Qatar in partnership with the General Directorate of Traff ic at the Ministry of Interior has helped provide hundreds of teenagers at independent schools and driving academies with tips on road safety in the lead-up to Ramadan. Students for Road Safety (SFRS) aims to turn 12- to 18-year-olds into road safety advocates through a mix of in-classroom lectures and practical experience in a road safety simulator. HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Last month, the programme Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti being briefed on the simulator. visited Al Hasba Driving School, Mosaab bin Omar Independent School and Abu Baker Asideeq Preparatory Independent School, where a total of 125 people received one-to-one assistance to improve their approach to road safety. With the aim of targeting young drivers, the SFRS programme has trained more than 100 new drivers this month while stationed at Al Hasba Driving School, over the course of a week. The director of Qatar’s Traff ic Department, Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, said: “Through our strong partnership with Maersk Oil Qatar, we have taken major strides towards achieving Qatar’s National Road Safety Strategy that aims to make our roads safer. We would like to thank Maersk Oil Qatar for their continued eff orts and support to seed behaviour change at a grassroots level in the country.” Through their joint SFRS programme, which falls under the national One Second road safety brand, both organisations aim to transform 12- to 18-year-old students into road safety ambassadors through interactive presentations and driving simulator training in schools and at community events. Lewis Aff leck, managing director of Maersk Oil Qatar, said: “The programme is a fantastic example of our commitment to change behaviour at a grassroots level.” Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 9 QATAR First online supermarket is launched oha Sooq, the award-winning e-Commerce portal hosted by DDoha Bank, has partnered with leading supermarket chain Grand Mart to launch the fi rst online supermarket in Qatar. The move will see Grand Mart off er groceries and a wide variety of con- sumer products via Doha Sooq, pro- viding customers across the country the opportunity to make everyday pur- chases from the convenience of their home and have them delivered right at their doorstep. The launch of the online supermar- ket was announced at a ceremony at Doha Bank’s head offi ce. Members of Doha Sooq’s executive team were present at the ceremony, Doha Bank and Grand Mart off icials at the launch of Qatar’s first online where details of the Doha Sooq-Grand supermarket. Mart Online Supermarket were shared with the media. chief executive Shaukath Ali Chaka- less shopping experience. People are “As Qatar’s most popular e-Com- rath said: “With the launch of this new changing their buying habits. From re- merce site, Doha Sooq is renowned for online supermarket, residents in Qatar tail stores to online shopping carts, it’s off ering the best deals in town and, will be able to buy just about everything only a matter of time before the online in joining hands with Grand Mart to they need at one place – at great prices shopping store becomes a popular op- launch the country’s fi rst online su- and without leaving their home. tion among consumers in Qatar.” permarket, we add a new chapter to our “The online shopping trend is fast Customers shopping at the Doha success story,” said Doha Bank Group catching on in Qatar and having our Sooq-Grand Mart Online Supermarket chief executive Dr R Seetharaman. products available on Doha Sooq – the receive free shipping on orders of QR50 “The Doha Sooq-Grand Mart On- runaway leader in Qatar’s e-commerce or more. line Supermarket will off er a wide se- space – will allow us to reach a larger Qatar’s fi rst and only e-Mall, Doha lection of products under a number of audience and thereby increase our rev- Sooq was launched with the aim of diff erent categories, from fresh food, enue.” making shopping a hassle-free and home care and stationery to health and Grand Mart Group IT manager Mo- customer-friendly experience. beauty, fashion and electronics, mak- hamed Intiqab Rawoof said: “People It off ers shoppers the most competi- ing everyday shopping a seamless and always shop. It doesn’t stop. We are tive prices and features an exhaustive convenient experience for customers,” here to make their experience better product suite, as well as a number of the he added. and the online supermarket is designed latest e-Commerce features that appeal Grand Mart Group of Companies and implemented to provide a seam- to shoppers and merchants alike. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR SCENES FROM WEILL CORNELL MEDICINE-QATAR’S GRADUATION CEREMONY Class of 2016 Mustafa Adel Abdul Karim, Ahmed Abdulhamid, Mutie Ul- lah Ahmed, Ikram Nabil al-La- wati, Maryem al-Manaa (with academic distinction), Ameen Abdulwali al-Aghil (with aca- demic distinction), Nadeen Wael al-Baz, Ibrahim Abdulla al-Ema- di, Mohamed Senan al-Hajjaji, Alreem al-Nabti, Moza Fadala al-Sulaiti, Seham Mohsin Alebbi, Hebatalla Khaled Allam, Erfan Alotaki, Noor Anabtawi, Ka- rim Bayoumy, Minkyung Choe, Shereen Mohamed Darwish, Dana Diab, Rana Tarek El-Magh- raby, Sally Elgazar, Ahmad Tariq Hamed, Ahmed Hassib, Yasin Hussain (with academic distinc- tion and honours in research), Navid Iqbal, Hayaan Kamran, Risheek Kaul (with academic dis- tinction and honours in service), Perola Lamba (with academic distinction), Noor Nema (with academic distinction), Lama Obeid, Mohamed Siyab Panhwar, Vignesh Shanmugam (with aca- demic distinction and honours in research) and Amro Wagih Wafi . The new graduates with dean Dr Javaid I Sheikh.

An off icial addressing the gathering.

A graduate receiving the certificate.

Graduates at the convocation ceremony. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 11 QATAR

The new graduates with the Minister of Public Health, HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and Dr Javaid I Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q. One of the graduates receiving the certificate. WCM-Q graduation ceremony honours new batch of physicians he world got 33 new phy- passionate and alternatively in- sicians following the diff erent doctors. Tgraduation of Weill Cor- “So be what you would prefer nell Medicine-Qatar (WCM- yourself, your parents, and your Q)’s Class of 2016 last week. children to have.” The 33 new doctors join the Watching the students receive ranks of 223 other alumni of their medical degrees and take WCM-Q, who are currently the Hippocratic oath were HE working at hospitals in Qatar and the Minister of Public Health around the world. Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, The latest graduates received US ambassador Dana Smith and their US-accredited medical de- dean of WCM-New York Dr grees in front of an audience of Laurie H Glimcher. family members, faculty, staff Dr Glimcher told the students and friends during a ceremony at to always focus on their patients the Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- and strive for new knowledge. sity Student Centre in Education “Whether you end up working at City recently. the bedside or in a lab, becoming They will now join residency an ophthalmologist or an ortho- programmes in Qatar and the paedic surgeon, remember that US, where they will specialise the patient is always the motiva- in their chosen area of medicine tion for your eff orts - and your or take up positions in research source of inspiration. laboratories. Dr Javaid I Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, addressing the graduates and the audience. Right: Graduates take the oath. “And as you gain specialised Dr Javaid I Sheikh, dean of skills, technical expertise and a WCM-Q, paid tribute to the stu- osity and compassion for their fi dent that these new doctors al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza lives of her fellow graduates like ourselves, our parents, our deep base of knowledge, never dents, saying: “Graduation is the patients. These qualities will will be wonderful ambassadors bint Nasser, chairperson of Qa- and reminded them to always children to be treated with the stop trying new things or asking highlight of the academic year continue to grow and develop as for the college and Qatar, dem- tar Foundation, for their contin- keep the patient at the centre of compassion and empathy they questions. Be creative in fi nding and it is the culmination and a they progress through their ca- onstrating to the wider world ued support. their work. Dr Elgazar said: “It deserve? Or would we like our ways to help your patients. Set celebration of everything that reers and I am sure that many of that the country’s leadership is She also thanked the faculty was Gandhi who said that sci- physicians to be self-involved, yourself on a path of discovery - we strive for. It gives everyone them will return to Qatar to work committed to excellence in edu- and staff of WCM-Q, physicians ence without humanity is one of frowning and glowering at us to learn more about yourselves, at WCM-Q great pleasure to be in hospitals here, sharing their cation and unlocking human po- and employees of Hamad Medi- the seven roots of evil. Similarly, while performing the most basic about science and medicine, able to address these young, tal- wisdom with future genera- tential.” cal Corporation and New York- medicine without empathy is service? and about the world. Take the ented people, as ‘doctor’ for the tions and so contributing to the Student speaker Sally Elgazar Presbyterian Hospital and the the most basic refl ection of that. “If there’s anything I can words of Ralph Waldo Emer- very fi rst time. knowledge-based society being began her speech by thanking families and friends who have “So, let’s place ourselves in a guarantee, it’s that we’ll all be son to heart: ‘Do not go where “The Class of 2016 have dem- created under the provisions of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin supported the students through patient’s shoes. Place our moth- patients at one point or another. the path may lead, go instead onstrated great commitment to Qatar National Vision 2030. Hamad al-Thani, HH the Father their time at the college. ers or fathers, sons or daugh- We’ll all need that empathy. And where there is no path and leave their studies, intellectual curi- “Everyone at WCM-Q is con- Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa She then imagined the future ters in that situation. Would we we’ll all have a myriad of com- a trail’.”

Some of the graduates are all smiles at the convocation ceremony.

WCM-Q staff and guests at the programme. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR

Health minister opens Mesaimeer Labour Health Centre

HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari opening the new Mesaimeer Labour Health Centre and the Medical Commission Unit attached to it. A number of off icials from the Ministry of Public Health and Qatar Red Crescent attended the opening function. The health centre has a capacity of 32,000 visitors per month and an additional 11,000 visitors in the medical commission unit. The centre is operated by Qatar Red Crescent under an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health. Al-Kuwari said that Qatar was keen on providing the best treatment and preventive healthcare services for the people residing in the country. The centre’s reception can accommodate about 300 visitors at a time. The health centre is built on 13382sq metres of land, which comprises a mosque, staff accommodation and a cafeteria. The centre employs 135 employees, 80% of them medical professionals. Adepts programme covers 12 schools KidzMondo ambassadors pose for a group photo. he Qatar Red Crescent Soci- fulness, benevolence, tolerance; ety (QRCS) social develop- and proper management to acquire Tment department is imple- personal and practical skills such Groundbreaking menting the Adepts school training as mind mapping, teamwork, smart programme to motivate children to goal setting and executive planning. become leaders. The programme’s staff help ceremony held In the second semester of the cur- the trainees realise that insight- rent academic year (2015-2016), the ful strategies are the key to success, programme has covered 12 schools stressing the need to have a positive for KidzMondo in Doha, Al Shamal, Mesaieed, self-image, enjoy work even under Dukhan and Al Jumailiyah. pressure, be proactive and open- The programme is “designed to minded, master the art of dialogue, edutainment city create a leader, an eff ective and pro- pursue fl exibility and problem- ductive personality among school- solving techniques, be aware of con- children, thereby producing a gen- sciousness and the subconscious, idzMondo Doha recently held a groundbreaking eration that believes in the vision of deal with strengths and weaknesses event where it symbolically laid the foundation its nation and aligns itself towards by perceiving their own schema, be Kstone for its upcoming miniature edutainment that vision”, according to a state- interpersonally intelligent and in- city in Qatar. ment from QRCS. teractive by perceiving others’ sche- Partners and VIP guests attended the event, which The initiative is carried out under mata, understand the negative and was held under the patronage of HE the Minister of QRCS’s school programme. positive aspects of problems, know Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Rashid bin Saad al-Mohannadi, Participants in the Adepts programme. how to shift from the negative to the Wahed Ali al-Hammadi. director of the QRCS social devel- positive aspects, and assimilate and During the event, the KidzMondo Doha team intro- opment department, said: “Adepts and thoughts in them, building experimentation, role-playing, efi cial for them both now and in the copy success stories through model- duced the edutainment brand to the audience, while comprises a series of interactive upon their experiences, tendencies group learning and extracurricular future.” ling, the statement notes. children symbolically laid the theme park’s fi rst stone lectures and educational workshops and mental- and age-related facul- activities. “These combine educa- The Adepts programme has three Teachers and parents are also on stage and raised its fl ag, to the tune of KidzMondo’s that deal with diff erent topics and ties.” tional aims, personal innovation dimensions: abilities that will create covered by the programme in order theme song. issues related to the lives of youth, To that end, al-Mohannadi and hands-on practice, instilling an innovative personality; morality to enable them to bring the young Represented by Fawzia Abdulaziz al-Khater, di- solve their problems, broaden their added, diverse methods of teach- in their minds the desirable values to promote ideals such as timely ob- men and women up in a positive and rector of the Education Institute at the Ministry minds and instil useful attitudes ing are used such as discussion, and attributes that would be ben- servance of prayer, honesty, truth- constructive way. of Education and Higher Education, at the event, HE the Minister expressed happiness and pride at the groundbreaking event for KidzMondo and said its inauguration in Qatar comes at the perfect time given the constant pressure and stress people en- dure on a daily basis despite technological advance- Meeting of delegates from libraries concludes ments. On her part, al-Khater said: “The city will be a cen- tre of joy for Qatar’s population in general and specifi - he 48th Metropolitan Libraries Con- Saadi al-Said, director of administration in the information services sector and its spe- cally for children - a city where education will surpass ference (MetLib), hosted by Qatar Na- and planning at QNL, said: “Our partnership cialisations. its traditional learning format by using edutainment Ttional Library (QNL), drew to a close with the National Library of Kuwait is rep- Throughout the conference, delegates were as a method of learning and thus providing students recently following six days of dialogue, net- resentative of our collaborative eff orts with given the opportunity to engage in knowl- with a fun educational experience.” working and presentations by delegates from other institutions in the region.” edge-sharing through a series of informa- Ali Kazma, chairman of KidzHolding and founder of internationally renowned libraries. In addition to placing emphasis on regional tive sessions and discussions on topics such the KidzMondo concept, said: “KidzMondo Doha is a Held under the overarching theme of ‘Pearls collaboration, the need for investment in staff as staff development, innovation in child and project driven by pedagogical fascination, focusing on in the Desert: Unleashing Potential’, the gath- and community development to advance in- teen services, and community learning. academic benefi ts for children while providing them ering was the fi rst MetLib conference to be novation in libraries was highlighted by the In addition to numerous sessions and presen- with a mental and physical voyage of investigation, held in the Middle East and North Africa Library and Information Association in Qatar tations, delegates visited local libraries and vari- exploration and adults’ role play.” (Mena) region. (LIA-Q). ous institutions to learn more about the progress KidzMondo Doha general manager Nabil R Bar- For the fi rst time, it welcomed representa- Saadi al-Said, Kamel al-Abduljaleel and Dr Samia al-Shiba, founding member of LIA- that Qatar’s information services sector has akat took guests on a 3D virtual tour of the city, il- tives from GCC countries, including Saudi Claudia Lux at the signing of the MoU during Q and head of Digitisation at QNL, and Abeer made. Attendees also visited iconic cultural and lustrating how KidzMondo enables children to enact Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. MetLib 2016 Qatar. al-Kuwari, founding member of LIA-Q and heritage destinations, including Al Zubarah, dream roles through an array of activities that span During MetLib 2016 Qatar, QNL and the in-charge of QNL’s branch aff airs, conducted Souq Waqif and the Al Khor dhow harbour. more than 80 professions, in a dynamic and safe sur- National Library of Kuwait signed a memo- collaborative seminars and workshops. a presentation titled ‘The Library and Infor- Addressing delegates in her closing re- rounding. randum of understanding (MoU), providing a Kamel al-Abduljaleel, general manager of mation Association in Qatar: Roles, Challeng- marks, Dr Claudia Lux, QNL’s project direc- Ahmed al-Mulla, CEO of Mall of Qatar, said: “The framework for co-operation between the two the National Library of Kuwait, said: “We es and Future Aspirations’. tor, said: “Hosting this conference for the fi rst event which we are witnessing today with KidzMondo institutions in the areas of culture and infor- hold high aspirations that this agreement will The LIA-Q comprises representatives from time in the Mena region will no doubt have a city is only a confi rmation of the promise we delivered, mation. The MoU outlines the transfer of ex- advance the library and information services local libraries and aims to disseminate infor- positive impact on the development of Qatar as this edutainment concept off ers a unique learning pertise through the exchange of books, visits, sector in both countries.” mation on the latest trends and developments and the region’s information services sector.” and educational experience.” The key attractions at the indoor theme park in- clude a bank, aircraft, a fi re station, gas station, police station, hospital, driving institute, race track, univer- sity, car wash, barbershop, TV, radio, perfume shop and an oil & gas refi nery, among others. To date, KidzMondo Doha has teamed up with lo- cal and regional brands to develop some of its indoor establishments, including Qatar Airways, QIIB, Abdul Samad Al Qurashi, UrbaCon Trading & Contracting, LBDI Holding companies Crepe & More and Mister Pizza, and Ooredoo. The KidzMondo Doha team thanked HE the Min- ister for endorsing the educational concept that the edutainment park is introducing to families and chil- dren in Qatar.

Off icials and dignitaries at the event. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 13 REGION Saudi reshuffl e aims to Yemen direct peace talks back economic reforms suspended Reuters Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency side the main annual Haj, and en- than it had under his predecessor. “The merging of ministries is Riyadh (SAMA), the central bank. couraging Saudis to spend money While SAMA remains responsi- opening the door to effi ciency The changes, announced in at home by creating more enter- ble for monetary policy, it will no gains that the government is keen a series of royal decrees, go far tainment opportunities. longer act as the country’s big- to enforce,” said John Sfakianakis, gest sovereign wealth fund be- a former adviser to the govern- again: govt ustodian of the Two Holy beyond Salman’s previous re- Naimi has been appointed as Mosques King Salman of shuffl es since he became king in an adviser to the royal court. Fa- cause a larger one is being created ment and head of economy at the CSaudi Arabia yesterday January last year, and also put the lih has long been seen as a leading under the Vision 2030 reforms. Jeddah and Geneva-based Gulf AFP The working groups ex- replaced his veteran oil minister stamp of his son, Deputy Crown contender to replace him. Like Finance Minister Ibrahim Research Centre. Kuwait City changed views on resolving and restructured some big min- Prince Mohamed bin Salman, Naimi a career Aramco man, he Alassaf, who has held the post Two other senior economic political and security issues istries in a major reshuffl e ap- author of the Vision 2030 reform was chief executive of the oil gi- since 1996, remains in place. fi gures, royal court adviser Yasir and the release of prisoners and parently intended to support a programme, on the government. ant from 2009 until last year, However, other economic de- al-Rumayyan and former SAMA emen’s government del- detainees, in accordance with wide-ranging economic reform Prince Mohamed’s programme when he was made company partments have over the past year governor Mohamed al-Jasser, egation pulled out of di- UN Security Council Resolution programme unveiled last week. has been presented as a sweep- chairman and health minister. taken over some of his ministry’s were appointed advisers to the Yrect negotiations with 2216. The most eye-catching move ing rethink of the entire way that The new SAMA governor, responsibilities. Secretariat General of the Cabi- representatives of the Houthi This orders the rebels to was the creation of a new Energy, Saudi Arabia’s government and Kholifey, is promoted from dep- Yesterday’s decrees broke up net. rebels yesterday after there was withdraw from territory they Industry and Natural Resources economy will function to prepare uty governor for research and the Water and Electricity Min- Tawfi q al-Rabeeah, formerly no sign of progress, a member of have taken since 2014 and to Ministry under Khaled al-Falih, for a future that is less dependent international aff airs. He replaces istry, with the water portfolio commerce minister, was ap- the government delegation said. surrender heavy weaponry they chairman of the state oil com- on oil income. Fahd al-Mubarak, who has held added to a new Environment, pointed health minister in place UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh had seized. pany Aramco. He replaces the Some of the most important the post since December 2011. Water and Agriculture Ministry, of Falih, Suleiman al-Hamdan Ahmed will now have to go back However, the delegation from 80-year-old oil minister Ali al- elements of the plan, which will A veteran of SAMA and gradu- and electricity added to the new was appointed transport minis- to indirect negotiations in the the rebels and their allies was Naimi, in charge of energy policy be fl eshed out in coming weeks, ate of King Saud University in energy ministry. ter, and the Pilgrimage Ministry talks that began in Kuwait on demanding “prior agreement at the world’s biggest oil exporter involve creating a massive sov- Riyadh and Colorado State Uni- Those changes may help Saudi was renamed the Haj and Umrah April 21. on the establishment of a tran- since 1995. ereign wealth fund, privatising versity, Kholifey had also served Arabia to cut subsidies, reduce Ministry. On Thursday, Ould Cheikh sitional executive body”, the But major changes were also Aramco, cutting energy subsi- from 2011 to 2013 as executive domestic power and water con- The royal decrees also merged Ahmed said the foes had begun government offi cial said. made to the economic leadership, dies, expanding investment and director for Saudi Arabia at the sumption, make sure that energy the ministries of labour and of discussing major political and In a statement on the with Majed al-Qusaibi named streamlining government. International Monetary Fund in pricing meshes clearly with in- social aff airs into a new depart- security issues in face-to-face sabanews website, a rebel del- head of the new Commerce and The plan also seeks to boost Washington. dustrial development goals, and ment, and created a new Com- negotiations aimed at bringing egate said the three joint teams Investment Ministry, and Ahmed revenues by increasing the He is set to take over a central that nuclear and solar policy are mission for Recreation and Cul- an end to 13 months of devas- will resume work “after an al-Kholifey made governor of the number of foreign pilgrims out- bank with more limited functions more carefully integrated. ture. BUSINESS Page 24 tating war. agreement on the form of the But after two unproduc- state and the transitional au- tive meetings yesterday, “di- thority”. Army colonel gunned down in Aden rect talks are suspended” and Without such an agreement, the UN mediator must resume the talks were “a waste of time” A Yemeni army colonel was who control the capital Sanaa. separate consultations with the said the rebel delegate, add- gunned down in Aden yesterday But 10 months after pro- two sides, the government of- ing that President Abd-Rabbu in the latest in a spate of government forces drove the fi cial said, blaming the Houthis Mansour Hadi’s government assassinations of senior off icers rebels out of the city, they are still for the impasse. was “an adversary and it is un- that underlines the persistent struggling to assert their authority The rebels “went back on acceptable that he embodies the insecurity in the city. over a growing presence of their word” to discuss substan- state”. A gunman riding on the back of extremists of both Al Qaeda and tive issues in three joint working Each side accuses the other of a motorcycle killed Colonel Badr the Islamic State group. groups formed under UN aus- not respecting the truce which al-Yafei in the city’s Khormaksar On Friday, the governor of Aden’s pices, he said. has been constantly broken since district, which houses diplomatic Mansura prison was killed in a These were formed on it came into force on April 11. missions and the airport, a security similar ride-by shooting. Wednesday when direct talks There has been mounting off icial said. Late last month, gunmen killed resumed following a three-day international pressure to end Yemen’s second city is the the city’s traff ic police chief while interruption after the govern- the Yemen confl ict that the UN headquarters of the government Aden’s police chief escaped two ment delegation walked out in estimates has killed more than and its allies in a Saudi-led coalition assassination attempts in the Yemenis gather yesterday at a small fishing port in Aden’s Tawahi neighbourhood to mark the one protest against the rebel seizure 6,400 people and displaced as they battle Iran-backed rebels space of a week. year anniversary of a shelling that hit people who were trying to escape by sea the country’s conflict. of an army camp on Sunday. 2.8mn since March last year.

US steps up strikes against Al Qaeda

AFP Washington

he Pentagon acknowl- edged for the fi rst time Ton Friday it has de- ployed US troops to Yemen since the country’s collapse last year to bolster govern- ment and Arab coalition forces battling Al Qaeda. Spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the US military has also stepped up air strikes against fi ghters with Yemen- based Al Qaeda in the Ara- bian Peninsula (AQAP). A “very small number” of American military person- nel has been working from a “fi xed location” with Yem- eni and Arab coalition forces - especially the Emiratis - in recent weeks around Muka- lla, a port city seized by AQAP a year ago, Davis said. “This is of great interest to us. It does not serve our in- terests to have a terrorist or- ganisation in charge of a port city, and so we are assisting in that,” the spokesman added. He said the troops were helping the Emiratis with “intelligence support,” but declined to say if they are special operations forces. AQAP fi ghters have now fl ed Mukalla and other coast- al areas, due to the govern- ment off ensive. While the number of US personnel on the ground is limited, the US is also off er- ing an array of assistance to partners in Yemen, including air-to-air refuelling capabili- ties, surveillance, planning, maritime security and medi- cal help. The Pentagon previously had more than 100 special operations forces advis- ing the army in Yemen, but pulled them out early last year as the country col- lapsed. The US Navy also has sev- eral ships nearby, including an amphibious assault ship called the USS Boxer and two destroyers. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, May 8, 2016 ARAB WORLD Syrian regime fails to end prison mutiny: monitor

AFP on near Damascus where numer- remained inside the prison but Video footage posted on social cal Co-ordination Committees tions “to intervene to prevent an have spent time in regime prisons Beirut ous executions of inmates have outside the cells”. networks showed a corridor fi lled has said inmates are protesting imminent massacre” of prisoners. since 2011, according to the Ob- been reported. Security forces had stormed with fl ames and smoke as a voice against death sentences handed The High Negotiations Com- servatory, which relies on a net- Activists say most of the pris- the prison on Friday fi ring bullets, is heard giving the date as May to dozens of prisoners and also mittee urged the international work of sources inside Syria for its raid by Syrian security oners at the Hama jail are political rubber bullets and tear gas, ac- 6 and the location as the central against conditions inside the jail. community to “shoulder its re- information. forces on a riot-hit prison detainees linked to the opposition. cording to the Observatory. prison in Hama. Water and power supplies re- sponsibilities” and stop the re- Tens of thousands of politi- Ain the central city of Hama Inmates “continued their mu- They also arrested relatives of The sound of bursting tear gas mained cut off inside the jail yes- gime from carrying out “reprisals cal detainees are reported to have has failed to end a mutiny involv- tiny on Saturday after the assault prisoners gathered outside the grenades can be heard as inmates terday, according to the Observa- against the detainees”. died of torture, of which the ing around 800 inmates, a moni- failed,” said the Syrian Observa- building concerned about their chant “Allahu Akbar!” (God is tory, which said the authorities France warned of the risk of Observatory says it has verifi ed tor said yesterday. tory for Human Rights, a British- fate, it said. Greatest) while others are heard had released 46 prisoners since “deadly reprisals by the regime” 14,000 cases. More than 270,000 Ten guards were taken hostage based monitor. The raid led to injuries among coughing. It was not possible to the protest began. and urged Damascus’s allies to people have died since the Syrian after the violence broke out on “Tensions remained high,” Ob- several inmates and “cases of verify the authenticity of the foot- Syria’s main opposition group exert pressure “to avoid another confl ict started with the brutal re- Monday following an attempt to servatory chief Rami Abdel Rah- fainting and choking” from the age. involved in peace talks on Friday massacre in Syria”. pression of anti-government pro- transfer detainees to another pris- man said, “and security forces tear gas, the monitor reported. Syrian activist group the Lo- called on international organisa- More than 200,000 people tests in 2011. Iran Aleppo suff ers heavy residents losses AFP Dubai

hirteen Iranian soldiers were killed in a battle with return TIslamist militants over a village near the Syrian city of Aleppo, Tehran said yesterday, in one of Iran’s biggest single-day losses since it sent forces to sup- port President Bashar al-Assad. Islamist forces seized Khan as truce Touman village, about 15km southwest of Aleppo, on Friday and dozens of people were re- ported to have been killed in the fi ghting. The attack was launched by an alliance of Islamist insurgents extended known as Jaish al-Fatah, includ- ing the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra AFP to end a fi ve-year war that has Front. Aleppo killed more than 270,000 people Iran’s Fars news agency quoted and displaced millions. Syrian children stand in the courtyard of their school in Aleppo’s rebel-held eastern district of Shaar yesterday. Displaced families returned a Revolutionary Guards offi cial Schools in Aleppo’s east reo- home and schools reopened in rebel-held districts of Aleppo after a truce was extended for 72 hours in the battleground northern city. as saying that 13 Iranian military isplaced families re- pened yesterday after staying advisers had been killed and 21 turned home and schools closed for more than two weeks. ing with Moscow to pressure the militants were reported to have played on the walls of a public could have shelled it, while the wounded. Dreopened in rebel-held “There were many bombings regime to stop the violence and died fi ghting rebels. garden, it said. US said that the circumstances Jaish al-Fatah and affi liates districts of Syria’s Aleppo yes- so our parents got scared and revive the February 27 cessation In the central city of Hama, a Thirteen Iranian Revolution- are unclear. posted videos and photos on so- terday after a truce was extended stopped sending us to school,” of hostilities. raid by Syrian security forces on ary Guards advisers have been Hijab on Saturday blamed the cial media of what appeared to be for 72 hours in the battleground one schoolboy said said. “While we welcome this re- a prison failed to end a mutiny killed in Syria in recent days and Russians for the attack. the bodies of Iranians or Shia mi- northern city. A monitor reported rebel cent extension, our goal is to get involving around 800 mostly 21 wounded, Iranian media re- Regime aircraft have pre- litiamen who were killed in Khan Residents trickled back into shelling of areas in western to a point where we no longer political detainees. ported yesterday. viously targeted rebels other Touman. They included footage eastern areas of Aleppo, encour- Aleppo but said there were no have to count the hours and that Ten guards were taken hos- It was the biggest loss of forc- than Al Nusra and IS, which are of wallets, personal documents aged by a halt in the deadly vio- casualties. the cessation of hostilities is tage when violence broke out on es within such a short time for not covered by the February 27 and Iranian currency. lence, an AFP reporter said. Russia’s defence ministry said fully respected across Syria,” US Monday following an attempt Syria’s key regional ally. ceasefi re. Iran, along with Russia, has More than 300 civilians were the truce had been extended “in State Department spokesman to transfer detainees to another Assad yesterday met Ali Ak- Russia launched air raids in been a principle ally of Assad in killed in two weeks of fi ghting in order to prevent the situation John Kirby said. prison near Damascus where bar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s support of Damascus in Sep- the fi ve-year-old civil war. The the divided city before the truce from worsening” just minutes But fi ghting rages on else- executions of inmates have been supreme leader Ayatollah Ali tember, and a US-led coalition Iranian-backed Lebanese Hez- took hold on Thursday, with re- before an initial 48-hour truce where including in the rebel bas- reported. Khamenei, state news agency has conducted air strikes against bollah movement has also been gime air strikes on the opposi- was due to expire. tion of Eastern Ghouta outside The head of Syria’s main op- SANA said. IS in Syria since 2014. operating in Syria. tion-held east and rebel shelling “The regime of silence in the Damascus and on the outskirts position group, Riad Hijab, yes- An international outcry has The head of medical charity A senior adviser to Iran’s su- of its regime-controlled west. province of Latakia and in the of Aleppo city, the Syrian Ob- terday called for “intervention grown over air strikes on Thurs- Doctors Without Borders (MSF) preme leader yesterday reiter- “I decided to come home after city of Aleppo has been extended servatory for Human Rights said. from the UN Security Council to day on a camp for the displaced said yesterday Syria’s neigh- ated Tehran’s continued support relatives told me it was calm,” fa- from 00:01 (local time) on May 7 In northern Aleppo province, guarantee the safety of detainees near the closed Turkish border bours should keep their borders of Assad in a meeting with the ther-of-six Abu Mohamed said. (2101 GMT Friday) for 72 hours,” six people including women and in the Hama prison”. that left at least 28 dead includ- open to allow people to fl ee. president in Damascus. “We left because it was car- a ministry statement said. children were killed in night air IS and regime forces clashed ing women and children. “We need to ensure that the “Iran will use all its means to nage here. The air strikes were Violence in Aleppo last month raids - apparently by the US-led near the divided eastern city of Anti-regime activists have border between Syria and other fi ght against terrorists who are incredible,” said the resident of severely threatened a nation- coalition - on two Islamic State Deir Ezzor on Friday, the Ob- blamed the regime, but the Syr- neighbouring countries re- committing crimes in the re- the rebel-held Kalasseh district. wide ceasefi re between Presi- group strongholds, the Britain- servatory said. ian military has denied the ac- mains open. It is a lifeline and gion,” Ali Akbar Velayati, Ayat- The international commu- dent Bashar al-Assad’s regime based monitor said. The violence killed fi ve mili- cusation. people should have the right to ollah Khamenei’s adviser on in- nity hopes that a drop in fi ghting and non-militant rebels. Four IS leaders were also killed tants and around 10 pro-regime Russia suggested Syria’s Al fl ee confl icts,” Jerome Oberreit ternational aff airs, was quoted as can revive faltering peace talks Washington has been work- in the air strikes, it said, and 12 IS fi ghters, whose bodies IS dis- Qaeda affi liate Al Nusra Front said. saying by Fars. MSF chief: Syria neighbours should keep borders open

AFP means the only ones hit in- Beirut side the country. “We are working in a very extreme environment and he head of medi- unfortunately a lot of other cal charity Doctors structures have been hit TWithout Borders that are totally unnoticed,” (MSF) said yesterday Syr- he said. ia’s neighbours should keep Just last week, the their borders open to allow bombing of the MSF-sup- people to fl ee the war-torn ported Al-Quds hospital in country. the northern city of Aleppo “We need to ensure that left at least 55 people dead, the border between Syria according to the latest toll and other neighbouring from MSF. countries remains open. At least 270,000 people It is a lifeline and people have been killed and mil- should have the right to fl ee lions displaced in Syria’s confl icts,” Jerome Oberreit fi ve-year war since it start- said. ed with the brutal repres- He was speaking af- sion of anti-regime pro- ter more than 28 civil- tests in 2011. ians including women and Most of the refugees are children were killed in an in neighbouring countries, attack on a camp for dis- notably Turkey which has placed Syrians in Idlib become the biggest host province near the closed country with between two Turkish border. and 2.5mn Syrians on its soil. He said the incident was Nearly 1.2mn have taken “an illustration that the refuge in Lebanon, accord- idea of safe zones inside ing to offi cial sources. Syria is dangerously false”. Roughly 630,000 people MSF has said that last have moved to Jordan, ac- year alone, 94 air strikes cording to the UNHCR, but and rocket attacks hit 63 the authorities there put hospitals and clinics that it their number at more than supports in Syria. a million. Another 12 MSF-sup- Both Jordan and Lebanon ported health facilities now have strict restrictions were hit this year, Oberreit on the entry of Syrians into said, but these were by no their territory. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 15 ARAB WORLD Egypt sentences six to death in document leak case

DPA convicts, who include two em- All 11 defendants are accused Both were tried in absentia and called for international action to In June 2015, another court Muslim Brotherhood and their Cairo ployees for Qatar’s Al Jazeera tel- of jeopardising national security are still outside Egypt, according safeguard journalists’ rights to sentenced him to death after followers have been sentenced evision network. by allegedly leaking state docu- to Egyptian prosecutors. report news freely. convicting him of involvement to death in diff erent cases since The Cairo Criminal Court set ments when Mursi was in offi ce. Al Jazeera condemned the ver- Egyptian government offi - in a mass prison escape during Mursi’s toppling. n Egyptian court yester- June 18 for issuing a verdict for Al Jazeera said that two among dict. cials have repeatedly accused Al Egypt’s 2011 uprising. This sen- The Islamist group has dis- day handed down pre- Mursi and four other defendants those condemned to death yes- “This is a black day in the his- Jazeera of bias to Mursi’s Muslim tence is subject to appeal. missed the sentences and other Aliminary death sentences in the same case. terday were members of its crew. tory of journalism,” Al Jazeera’s Brotherhood, an accusation de- The court also handed him a harsh verdicts as politically mo- to six defendants on charges of Yesterday’s sentences have been They are identifi ed as Ibra- director Yasser Abu Helala said, nied by the broadcaster. life imprisonment on charges of tivated. leaking secret state documents in referred to the country’s chief Is- him Hilal, an Egyptian national according to the website of the Mursi, Egypt’s fi rst freely conspiring with foreign organi- The Egyptian government a case involving deposed Islamist lamic legal authority, the grand working as news editor, and Alaa Doha-based broadcaster. elected president, was deposed sations in conducting the jail- has repeatedly said that the president Mohamed Mursi. mufti, for a non-binding opinion, Sablan, a Jordanian news pro- Al Jazeera said the ruling pro- by the military in 2013 following break. country’s courts operate inde- Mursi was not among the six as required by Egyptian law. ducer. voked “shock and anger” and mass protests against his rule. Several senior leaders in the pendently. Israel raids Gaza as violence fl ares

AFP the retaliatory raid hit two brick- Since Wednesday, Hamas and A former head of Israel’s Shin Gaza City works in the southern city of other militant groups have fi red Bet internal security agency, Khan Yunis, causing damage but at least 12 mortar rounds at Is- Yaakov Perry, said that Hamas no casualties. raeli forces searching along the was fearful of losing the tunnel sraeli aircraft hit two Hamas But witnesses said two mis- border, and short distances in- network, which was one of its targets in Gaza early yesterday siles hit a base of Hamas’s mili- side Gaza, for infi ltration tunnels proudest military achievements. Iin response to rocket fi re as the tary wing east of the city, causing leading into Israel. Hamas “is using mortar fi re to worst fl are-up of violence since a signifi cant damage. Such tunnels were among the communicate that fear to Israel,” Sudan President Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir meeting with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 2014 war entered a fourth day. It was the fourth day of the most feared weapons of Hamas he said. of State for Cabinet Aff airs HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud in Khartoum yesterday. There was no immediate claim worst cross-border violence since fi ghters during the 2014 confl ict Perry, who is now a member of of responsibility for the rocket the 50-day war between Israel and one was uncovered by the parliament for the centrist oppo- launch and most such fi re since and Hamas which left 2,251 Pal- army on Thursday. sition Yesh Atid party, urged the 2014 has been carried out by estinians and 73 Israelis dead in The Israeli army said it had “no government to avoid adopting a fringe Islamist groups but Israel 2014. interest whatsoever” in a military purely military response and to holds Hamas responsible for all Mortar fi re by Palestinian mili- escalation, but would continue to take steps to improve the lives of Qatar’s Deputy PM such attacks. tants and Israeli air strikes and act against Hamas as “it contin- Gaza’s residents. “Earlier today (Saturday)... a shelling have raised concerns for ues to breach Israeli sovereignty “It would be good if in addition rocket was fi red from the Gaza the future of an informal truce and build tunnels.” to the determined operational Strip at southern Israel,” the that has held since the confl ict Hamas’s Gaza leader, Ismail activities against the tunnels, army said in a statement. ended. Haniya, said on Friday that the Israel would take measures to in Khartoum visit “In response... aircraft target- An Israeli tank round killed a group was “not calling for a new improve the economic situation ed two Hamas terror infrastruc- Palestinian woman when it hit war”, but would not accept Israeli and provide options that would tures in the southern Gaza Strip.” her home east of Khan Yunis on incursions into Palestinian terri- show Gazans the possibility of an QNA convey his greetings to HH the 11th meeting of the Committee Hamas security sources said Thursday. tory. easier and better future,” he said. Khartoum Emir and his best wishes for the Assigned to Follow up Imple- Qatari people more progress mentation of Doha Peace Docu- and prosperity. ment which is hosted by Khar- udanese President Omar Discussions during the meet- toum tomorrow. Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir ing dealt with bilateral rela- He affi rmed Qatar keen- Smet in Khartoum yester- tions, and ways to develop them ness to continue eff orts to re- day evening with Qatar’s Depu- in various fi elds. alise peace in Darfur, stressing ty Prime Minister and Minister The meeting was attended by that Doha Document initiative of State for Cabinet Aff airs HE Qatar’s Ambassador to Sudan would continue. Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Rashid bin Abdulrahman al- He welcomed those who al-Mahmoud. Nuaimi. want to join the initiative as it HE al-Mahmoud conveyed Earlier, HE Ahmed bin Abdul- considered the basis for achiev- greetings of HH the Emir Sheikh lah was welcomed at Khartoum ing peace in Darfur. Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to airport by Darfur Regional Au- He pointed out that the the Sudanese President, best thority chairman Dr Tegani Sesi meeting would review the de- wishes for him and the Suda- and Darfur Peace Offi ce chair- velopments of peace process in nese people more progress and man Dr Amin Hassan Omer as Darfur, congratulating the Su- prosperity. For his part, the well as Qatar’s ambassador and danese people on the results of Sudanese President asked HE the Qatari embassy’s staff . the recent Administrative Ref- the Deputy Prime Minister to Al-Mahmoud will chair the erendum in Darfur.

UN official spurns Netanyahu history lesson offer

A senior UN off icial yesterday he would host the lecture mention the Temple Mount. brushed aside an invitation from in response to a recent The Unesco executive board Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin resolution of the UN’s cultural resolution, submitted by several Netanyahu to a lecture on body condemning Israeli Arab countries, was described Jewish history, amid a row over “aggressions” against Muslims by Netanyahu as “denying any A Palestinian woman rides a donkey-pulled-cart in an area near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip near the border with Israel after Israeli aircraft a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site. at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque Jewish connection to the Temple hit two Hamas targets in Gaza early yesterday. Netanyahu said on Friday compound, while failing to Mount, our holiest site”. Inspired by prison canteen, fi rst Palestinian food truck rolls in

AFP Ramallah

nspired by their time working in an Israeli prison canteen, two IPalestinians have launched a food truck in the West Bank city of Ramallah, in a fi rst for the occupied territories. It’s not quite the captive audience they were used to, but Khaldun al- Barghuti and Abderrahman al-Bibi’s brightly coloured van is drawing at- tention - and hungry patrons - on the pavements and in the parks of the West Bank’s political centre. Barghuti, who spent eight years in an Israeli prison, and Bibi, who spent nine, served food to fellow inmates during their time in jail. They said Customers walk past “Food Train”, the food truck of Palestinian owners Khaldun al-Barghuti and Abderrahman they served time for “resisting the al-Bibi, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israeli occupation” but refused to provide further details. Street stalls fl ogging falafel, customers this fast,” said Barghuti. “It shows how ex-prisoners can Barghuti, who was freed at the grilled corncobs or Turkish coff ee Since opening the truck three bounce back and it is also environ- beginning of this year, said it was are a common part of any Palestin- weeks ago, the two men take turns at mentally friendly with solar energy,” no coincidence that he decided to ian street, but a restaurant in a truck the stove from 8am until midnight, she said. “I hope it will set an exam- open a mobile business - dubbed the with two fridges and a stove, pow- seven days a week. ple and others will be inspired.” “Food Train” - following his release. ered by four huge solar panels, was Barghuti, sporting a neatly Since the 1967 Six-Day War “I had to get on the move after so unheard of before the Food Train. trimmed black beard and an apron when Israel occupied east Jerusa- much time spent in a small cell, I was Although such food trucks are all tied around his neck, said that in lem, the West Bank and Gaza, at tired of the long hours of boredom the rage in cities from New York to general they park next to “univer- least 850,000 Palestinians have and I wanted to move all the time, like Paris, the two friends had to ask the sities or public gardens, and some- passed through Israeli prisons, ac- a train,” he said, fi lling a baguette with Palestinian ministry of transport to times employees ask us to come in to cording to Palestinian government grilled chicken and diced onions. issue its fi rst licence for their mobile their industrial zone.” estimates. The colourlessness of prison life, restaurant. Serving Middle Eastern When AFP visited, the coloured More than 7,000 Palestinians are with its monotone brown and blue street food alongside hot dogs and minivan was posted near a vegeta- currently held in Israeli prisons, uniforms, also inspired the van’s sandwiches, the truck has proven ble market. Anaam Sheikh, buying with around 600 serving life sen- psychedelic paint job in red, blue, surprisingly popular. a sandwich, said the Food Train was tences, according to the Palestinian orange, purple and yellow, he said. “We didn’t expect to have so many positive in many ways. Prisoners Club rights group. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, May 8, 2016 AFRICA Pope asks Rwandan rebel leader to become arrested in ‘poorer’ DR Congo Agencies Kinshasa AFP Vatican City uthorities in Democratic Re- public of Congo said yesterday ope Francis, in the modest style he has become Athey had arrested the deputy known for, spoke yesterday to members of an Ital- commander of a rebel group linked Pian medical charity working in Africa and evoked to Rwanda’s genocide, in a blow to a his desire to show unity with the poor. militia at the heart of two decades of “I ask you please to pray for me too, so that the Lord confl ict in the region. will make me each day become poorer,” he told the or- But in a reminder of ongoing vio- ganisation “Doctors with Africa”, as he praised their lence in Congo’s confl ict-torn east, work in the poorest “last mile” of healthcare systems in suspected rebels from another group seven African countries. hacked at least nine people to death The Pontiff also stressed that heath was “not a con- near the boundary between North sumer good, but rather a universal right, and therefore Kivu and Ituri provinces on Friday. access to healthcare services cannot be a privilege.” General Leopold Mujyambere, the But he also acknowledged that healthcare is still in chief of staff of the Democratic Forces many countries the privilege of the rich. for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), “Healthcare, especially at the most basic level, is in- was arrested earlier this week in the deed denied in many parts of the world and many re- eastern city of Goma during a routine gions of Africa. It is not a right for all, but rather it is still police stop, government spokesman a privilege reserved to the few, to those who can aff ord Lambert Mende said. it,” he said according to a Vatican statement. “He was recognised (by) the secu- He noted that the situation in Africa was particularly rity services who were there,” Mende critical. told Reuters. “In Africa too many mothers die in child birth and too Mujyambere has been transferred to many children do not survive beyond their fi rst month of the capital Kinshasa, where the mili- life due to malnutrition and illnesses,” he told the audi- tary justice system will decide wheth- ence of 9,000 doctors and volunteers. er to try him in Congo or extradite him He said the medical charity was carrying out its work to his native Rwanda, Mende added. “with courage as the expression of a Church that is not The FDLR includes soldiers and a ‘super clinic for VIPs’ but rather a ‘fi eld hospital’. A former Hutu militiamen responsible Church with a great heart, close to the many wounded for carrying out Rwanda’s 1994 geno- and humiliated of history, in the service of the poorest.” cide that killed an estimated 800,000 The Doctors with Africa group, also known by its Ital- Tutsis and moderate Hutus. ian initials CUAMM, was founded in Italy 65 years ago by Its presence in Congo since the a doctor and a priest and has missions in Uganda, Tan- genocide has been cited by Rwanda to zania, Mozambique, Etiopia, Angola, South Sudan and A girl hugs Pope Francis as he arrives at the Aula Paul VI for an audience with members of the non-governmental organisation Doctors with Africa justify multiple armed interventions Sierra Leone. at the Vatican yesterday. in its western neighbour, including during two regional confl icts between 1996 and 2003 that killedmns, mostly from hunger and disease. Congo’s army launched a military off ensive against the FDLR in Febru- ary last year. The government says it has reduced the group to about 100 fi ghters but independent analysts say the fi gure is likely closer to 1,500. In a blog post, the director of the Nigeria eyes US attack Congo Research Group at New York University, Jason Stearns, said the capture could point to divisions be- tween the FDLR’s military and politi- cal wings. “While the (Congolese) operations have had little impact on the group’s command structure ... this military aircraft in Boko battle pressure has exacerbated internal ten- sions within the group which are dif- AFP templating selling Nigeria a dozen “We are committed to implement- Goodluck Jonathan, whose govern- together on security matters,” he said. fi cult to parse but seem to be serious,” Washington A-29 Super Tucano ground attack ing the letter and spirit of the Leahy ment was widely derided as incompe- “We provide a range of assistance to he wrote. planes of the type US contractors Law, and will not provide assistance tent and corrupt. Nigerian authorities, including advi- At least nine civilians were hacked have supplied to Afghanistan to help it to any unit for which there is credible Since Buhari came to offi ce, the US sors, intelligence, training, survivor to death on Friday in three villages he US is considering selling Ni- strike Taliban guerrillas. information of a gross violation of hu- has sought new ways to help out in the support services and advice on strate- along the boundary between Ituri geria ground attack planes to US offi cials would not publicly con- man rights,” a senior administration struggle against Boko Haram, but has gic communications.” and North Kivu’s Beni territory, local Thelp fi ght Boko Haram rebels, fi rm the plan, as it has not been for- offi cial told AFP. proceeded cautiously because of the Ni- Boko Haram’s insurgency began in military spokesman Mak Hazukay told offi cials said Friday, despite concerns mally approved or explained to Con- “We provide training and other as- gerian military’s reputation for brutality. northeast Nigeria and has spread to Reuters. over the local military’s human rights gress, but said Washington is looking sistance to numerous Nigerian securi- “As a matter of policy, we do not parts of neighboring Niger, Chad and A local human rights group said at record. for ways to help President Muham- ty force units not implicated in human comment on proposed US defense Cameroon - where French and US least 21 people were killed in the raids. Nigeria’s Western allies have vowed madu Buhari’s government. rights violations and we believe that sales or transfers until they have been forces have been more active in help- Dozens of similar attacks in Beni to assist the West African giant in its Washington has longstanding con- assistance has and will have a signifi - formally notifi ed to Congress,” said ing local armies fi ght the rebels. since October 2014 have killed fi ght against the brutal Islamist group, cerns about Nigeria’s rights record and cant impact on Nigeria’s fi ght to defeat David McKeeby, spokesman for the More than 20,000 people have been more than 500 people. The violence but have been cautious of providing the government is prevented by law, Boko Haram.” State Department’s bureau of politi- killed since fi ghting began in 2009, had calmed in recent months until arms to troops regularly accused of ex- under a 1997 amendment authored by Buhari, a former military dictator, cal-military aff airs. many of them in large-scale slaughters Wednesday, when suspected rebels trajudicial killings. Senator Patrick Leahy, from arming was elected to the Nigerian presiden- “Nigeria is a strategic partner of the of civilians by insurgents, but some in killed at least 17 civilians in an over- Washington is now, however, con- units that act with impunity. cy last year, replacing the incumbent US and we continue to work closely heavy-handed military operations. night raid. Mozambique’s tuna fl eet rusts as an African success story fades

By Joe Brock, Reuters amount of fi sh that would have been need- Deepening the mire, a further $1.35bn full compliance with national and inter- Maputo ed over a long period to pay off the debt. of debt then emerged. Most of it was also national law and allowed Mozambique to Ematum’s results published last from Credit Suisse and VTB, according to expand access to capital markets,” VTB year pointed to the fl eet catching just an International Monetary Fund source. said in a statement. he 24 fi shing boats rusting in the $450,000 of tuna a year, compared with This provoked a furious response from Without the support of the Interna- harbour of Mozambique’s capital sales of $18mn forecast at that stage of its multilateral lenders and donors who sus- tional Monetary Fund and foreign donors, South African demonstrators march through the central Cape Town, Twere meant to be a modern tuna fl eet life in a 2013 feasibility study circulated pended aid because of concerns their whose aid accounts for a third of govern- calling for the government to legalise marijuana, called dagga locally. that would rake in hard currency, create by the government. cash will be diverted to pay off private ment revenues, Mozambique is likely to jobs and provide a cheap source of protein Ematum offi cials did not respond to re- creditors. struggle to pay for basic services. for one of the world’s poorest countries. quests for comment. Anti-debt activists are demanding the The metical is likely to continue its Instead, they have become monuments Mozambique, a former Portuguese banks take a hit in any future restructur- decline, infl ation - already running at an to government mismanagement and colony, emerged from 16 years of civil ing for what they described as uncritical annual rate of more than 13% - will soar, South Africa protesters heavy lending by Western banks that have war in 1992 to become one of Africa’s lending after the 2008-09 global fi nan- and foreign and public investment will buried a promising African economy in a best-performing economies, with annual cial crisis, when interest rates in the de- drop, with a knock-on impact on eco- deep debt crisis. growth averaging around 8% between veloped world were ultra-low and banks nomic growth, analysts say. demand the legal dope The boats, moored in the harbour of 1996 and 2008. sitting on billions of dollars were looking “The debt that we just found out about Maputo, were paid for out of an $850mn Foreign investment fl owed into infra- elsewhere for high yields. is a huge burden on the economy. What’s loan arranged in 2013 by Credit Suisse structure, mining and services, while a “Both lenders and borrowers are re- worse is it has a multiplying eff ect, mul- AFP “There is more than enough ev- and Russia’s VTB to fi nance “fi shing in- huge off shore gas fi nd - enough to sup- sponsible for ensuring loans are given tiplying problems,” said economist Ra- Cape Town idence around the world about the frastructure”. The cash came in the form ply Germany, Britain, France and Italy for and used responsibly,” said Tim Jones, a gendra de Souza, criticising the habitual medicinal benefi ts of cannabis,” of a government-backed bond to state nearly two decades - off ered the chance policy offi cer at the Britain-based Jubilee secrecy of the dominant Frelimo party. he said, adding that legalisation tuna-fi shing company Ematum. to create a middle-income country. Debt Campaign. “To hide debt is an ‘ostrich policy’ - housands of South Afri- would create a “safer and much Nearly three years later, the fi shing But Mozambique has been hit by the “Credit Suisse and VTB should pay hide the head but everything else is ex- cans took to the streets more controllable” use of the drug. project, initially touted as self-sustain- fall in global commodity prices, and vast the price for these illegitimate loans, and posed. A monopoly behaves like this.” Tof Cape Town yesterday Use of cannabis and medicinal ing, is defunct and has contributed to a gas projects planned by US fi rm Anadarko should not be bailed out indirectly by the A comprehensive aid package is the demanding a relaxation of drugs marijuana is gaining popularity sovereign foreign debt mountain equal and Italy’s Eni have stalled. IMF or anyone else.” most likely way out but the IMF and do- laws to allow medicinal and rec- in some parts of the world to ease to 80% of GDP that could bankrupt the Growth is still robust but the meti- Credit Suisse, whose Ivorian chief ex- nors would demand stringent conditions, reational use of cannabis. suff ering from cancer, glaucoma, southeast African nation’s government. cal currency lost a third of its value in ecutive was quoted by the Wall Street including full transparency on state fi - Around 3,000 protesters took HIV and AIDS, and other serious Not only did Ematum fall short of its 2015 and another concern for investors is Journal as saying in October that it was nances, measures to ensure no repeat of part in the march, some smoking conditions. targets but $500mn of the “tuna bond” fi ghting between government forces and “madness” for poor countries to fi nance the mistakes and consequences for those cannabis, also known as mari- But opponents fear crime con- was found to be for maritime security and guerrillas in some parts of Mozambique. infrastructure through dollar borrowing, responsible, two Western diplomats said. juana and others carrying plac- nected to drug abuse and users had to reallocated to the defence budget. The fate of the “tuna bond” is emblem- declined to comment. The last demand will be particularly ards or cannabis plants growing graduating to harder drugs. “Sorry sir, we don’t have tuna on the atic of the diffi culties facing the country of VTB said it had completed a “number tough for President Filipe Nyusi, who was in portable containers. A South African opposition menu,” said Raul, a waiter at a restau- 26mn, and particularly of the debt problem. of fi nancing transactions” with Mozam- defence minister under former president “We were marching for the le- lawmaker Mario Oriani-Ambro- rant overlooking the dormant fl eet. “The The overall loan was restructured last bique but insisted they were all above Armando Guebuza when the loans were galisation and regulation of can- sini in 2014 submitted draft leg- boats never go out. They are resting.” month in what ratings agency Standard & board and there had been no failure to agreed. nabis in South Africa,” lead organ- islation calling for the legalisation Even when they did sail, in Ematum’s Poor’s described as “selective default” after the disclose any loans. A Frelimo spokesman did not respond iser Johannes Berkhout told AFP. of marijuana but died soon after. early days, the fl eet never caught the government struggled to make repayments. “The transactions were completed in to requests for comment. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 17 AMERICAS

San Bernardino attack accused trial is delayed

AFP Los Angeles

he trial of a man accused of purchasing the weapons used in the San Bernardino terror Tattack has been delayed until next year, au- thorities announced Friday. Enrique Marquez, 24, was set to go on trial in July, but his case will now go before a jury in March, a judge in California ruled. Both sides in the case had requested that the trial be delayed, citing the huge amount of com- plex documents that had to be examined. Marquez has been charged with purchasing the rifl es used by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik who massacred 14 people in De- cember. The assault was the deadliest terror attack on US soil since September 11, 2001. Marquez, who is being held without bail, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted of conspir- ing to provide material support to terrorists, ly- ing about the purchase of the two weapons used in the December 2 massacre and marriage fraud. He allegedly entered into a sham marriage with Mariya Chernykh, a woman linked to Farook’s family, in November 2014 and lied on her visa ap- plication. Chernykh’s 31-year-old sister Tatiana Farook A convoy of evacuees travels south as flames rise along the highway near Fort McMurray, Alberta. is married to Farook’s older brother Syed Raheel Farook. The trio were indicted last month on conspir- acy charges linked to the alleged sham marriage.

Prince blood to be retained for possible paternity claims Canada wildfi re grows awyers charged with untangling the multi- million-dollar estate of late pop star Prince Lcan get a sample of his blood from the coro- ner so they can analyse the singer’s DNA should a paternity claim arise, a judge ruled on Friday. Prince, whose full name was Prince Rogers Nel- son, was found dead at age 57 at his Paisley Park home-studio complex in a Minneapolis suburb on as temperatures rise April 21. He is not known to have had any children, but in Reuters The weather, with temperatures that left many temporarily stranded The convoys on Friday moved in Fort McMurray has yet to be de- a court order dated on Friday, Minnesota District Lac la Biche, Alberta yesterday expected to rise as high on the roadside as they ran out of about 2,500 vehicles of evacuees termined, but authorities said some Court Judge Kevin Eide said that parentage issues as 28 degrees Celsius, was hinder- gasoline. with 7,500 people south, according 1,600 structures were believed to might arise as the probate case goes forward. ing eff orts to fi ght the wildfi re, said But other residents who initially to a tweet from the Regional Mu- have been destroyed. One analyst He authorised the estate administrator, Bremer raging Canadian wildfi re that Matthew Anderson, a wildfi re in- sought shelter in oil camps and set- nicipality of Wood Buff alo. estimated insurance losses could Trust, to analyze Prince’s blood, including con- forced the evacuation of the formation offi cial with the Alberta tlements north of the city found The northbound lanes of High- exceed C$9bn ($7bn). ducting genetic testing and any other analysis re- AAlberta oil town of Fort Mc- government. themselves cut off in overcrowded ways 63 and 881 toward Fort Mc- Entire neighbourhoods were re- quired for the administration of the estate. Murray intensifi ed yesterday, helped “It’s going to be a very extreme conditions. Murray were restricted, and parts of duced to ruins, but most evacuees The exact value of Prince’s estate has not yet by hot, dry weather, with police es- fi re hazard kind of day,” he told They were forced on Friday to re- Highway 881, the only road in and fl ed without knowing the fate of been disclosed but his music catalogue alone has corting a fresh convoy of evacuees CBC News. “Today will certainly trace their route back through Fort out of some evacuated communities their own homes. The majority got been estimated at more than $500mn. out of the region. be a very, very challenging day and McMurray on Highway 63 as fl ames south of the city, remain closed, Al- away with few possessions, some Administrators of his estate said earlier this The blaze, the largest of some 40 the (fi re’s) growth potential is quite continued to spread. berta’s government said on Twitter. forced to leave pets behind. week they still had not found a will. wildfi res burning across the prov- large.” Television footage showed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police At least 10 oil sand operators have In the absence of a will, six siblings or half- ince of Alberta, has forced some Earlier in the week most evacu- fi rst convoys of about 20 vehicles Sgt John Spaans told CBC authori- cut production due to evacuations siblings of the star have been listed as his heirs in 88,000 residents, the entire popu- ees headed south by car on Alberta getting underway around 6am lo- ties were not certain how many were and other emergency measures that court documents fi led in Carver County District lation of Fort McMurray, to fl ee for Highway 63, the only land route out cal time (1200 GMT) even as smoke still left to travel south. complicated delivery of petroleum Court in Chaska, Minnesota. safety. of the area, in a slow-moving exodus from fi res fi lled the sky. The full extent of property losses by rail, pipeline and highway. Treading cautiously, Ryan to meet Trump Offi cer goes on shooting spree Reuters Washington Reuters Washington aul Ryan and Donald Trump, the top Republicans in the US, Pplan to meet next week to try olice on Friday arrested a federal offi cer to unite their party, with both men suspected in a two-day shooting ram- focused on the November 8 presi- Ppage in the Washington suburbs that dential election, but the Wisconsin killed his wife and two apparent strangers and congressman also perhaps looking revived memories of the “Beltway sniper” at- further ahead. tacks of 2002. Three others were wounded in Speaker of the House of Repre- the three separate attacks. sentatives Ryan has invited Trump, Eulalio Sevilla Tordil, 62, a police offi cer this year’s likely Republican presi- with the US Department of Homeland Secu- dential nominee, to meet on Thurs- rity’s Federal Protective Service, was arrested day with Ryan and other congres- in a doughnut shop near the site of the second sional leaders on Capitol Hill, Ryan’s of Friday’s two shootings, police said. offi ce said in a statement on Friday. He had been suspected of killing his wife A key part of the conversation is and shooting a bystander on Thursday in sure to be Trump’s combative, in- Prince George’s County, Maryland. your-face campaign persona and When two more shootings broke out in Republican leaders’ requests for him neighbouring Montgomery County on Friday, to tone it down, but political analysts investigators turned their attention to Tordil, said Ryan will have other considera- who had threatened to commit “suicide by tions in mind, as well. cop,” police said. One issue is likely to be his own A plainclothes offi cer spotted Tordil in a future, said Larry Sabato, director Dunkin’ Donuts. Police kept him under watch of the University of Virginia’s Center as he walked in and out of stores, but waited for Politics. until he returned to his car before arresting Ryan, 46, lost his 2012 campaign him, Montgomery County Police Chief Tho- for vice president as Mitt Romney’s mas Manger told a news conference. running mate. Ryan probably has se- “We did not want to have a shootout when rious doubts that Trump, like Rom- he was taken into custody,” Manger said. ney, can win this year, Sabato said. Surrounded by offi cers with their weapons If so, Ryan will want to fi nd a bal- drawn, Tordil surrendered without a fi ght after ance between accepting Trump, 69, about fi ve minutes, police said. as the nominee and keeping some Tordil will make a court appearance tomor- distance from him, just in case the row, Montgomery County prosecutor John real estate mogul’s campaign ends in McCarthy said. disaster. The fi rst of Friday’s incidents began with “Suppose Trump loses over- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets supporters in Eugene, Oregon. a confrontation in a parking lot at Westfi eld whelmingly. Would you want to Montgomery Mall in affl uent Bethesda, Mary- have been siding with the captain of embrace or run away from Trump, fortable with what Ryan said, because “A lot of people that are voting for their contaminated water system. land, where two men and a woman were shot, the Titanic, or maybe seen as some- depending on their home districts’ they were “confl icted” themselves Donald Trump are totally disaff ected Ryan is “trying to jawbone Trump police said. One of the men died, the other was one who was begging the captain to politics, with the goal of preserving over whether to support Trump. with what we’re doing in Washing- into adjusting his positions” to line up in critical condition, and the woman’s life was watch out for icebergs?” Sabato said, control of the House, analysts said. Some Republican lawmakers wor- ton DC and he (Ryan) almost kind better with the party establishment, not considered in danger, police said. adding that a Trump defeat could Ryan dropped a bombshell on ry that Trump is not conservative of slapped them in the face when he said Norm Ornstein, a resident scholar The second shooting took place about half an push the party in a diff erent direction Thursday when he said he was not enough; others are more bothered said what he did,” said Labrador, who and political analyst at the conserva- hour later, killing a woman at the Aspen Hill Shop- in 2020, maybe toward Ryan as the ready to endorse Trump until he shows by Trump’s “divisive, incendiary re- endorsed Ted Cruz but says he will tive American Enterprise Institute. ping Center in Silver Spring, some 13km away. nominee. he can unify the party, still reeling marks and lack of substance,” said vote for Trump now that Cruz is out The “unprecedented” move by The victim of Thursday’s shooting was As chairman of the Republican from a bitter primary campaign that Dent, who put himself in the latter of the race. a congressional leader to distance Tordil’s estranged wife, Gladys, a high school Party convention in Cleveland in left many establishment Republicans category. As speaker, Ryan has struggled himself from his party’s expected chemistry teacher who was shot as she went to July, Ryan’s political tightrope will be stunned at Trump’s victory. However, a conservative Republi- with his deeply divided colleagues nominee, Ornstein said, showed pick up their two daughters from another school. especially perilous. One moderate Pennsylvania con- can congressman, Raul Labrador of over budget issues, funding the bat- Ryan trying to mould a “less con- Tordil was on leave, having surrendered his One of his objectives will be to pro- gressman, Representative Charlie Idaho, told CNN that Ryan “needs tle against the Zika virus, rescuing frontational and divisive approach to gun and badge after his wife obtained a pro- vide political cover for his 246 House Dent, said he thought most of his fel- to reconsider what he’s doing” con- Puerto Rico from a debt crisis, and minorities and a less isolationist and tective order to keep him away, an offi cial with Republicans so they can choose to low House Republicans would be com- cerning Trump. helping Flint, Michigan, deal with combative approach to our allies.” the Federal Protective Service said. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, May 8, 2016 ASEAN

Protests Malaysia’s ruling coalition build in Myanmar over mine sweeps Sarawak state polls backed Reuters Kuala Lumpur by China alaysia’s ruling coali- tion secured a land- AFP Mslide victory in the Yangon Borneo state of Sarawak yester- day after a campaign led by the prime minister, who is facing undreds of Myanmar vil- a fi nancial scandal involving a lagers rallied yesterday state-owned fund. Hagainst a controversial The Barisan Nasional (BN) al- Chinese-backed copper mine, liance expanded its majority to activists said, reigniting a con- 72 out of the 82-seat state leg- tentious issue that could pose an islative assembly, a result that early challenge to Aung San Suu Prime Minister Najib Razak is Kyi’s new government. likely to use as an endorsement The Letpadaung mine in the of his tumultuous leadership. central town of Monywa has for But the coalition’s win is years been dogged by complaints largely credited to the popular- of land-grabbing, environmen- ity of Sarawak’s Chief Minister tal damage and brutal police Adenan Satem, who took over crackdowns on protesters. the reins in 2014. Growing numbers of villagers Sarawakians have rallied be- have gathered over the past four hind Adenan, who is seen as a days in the fi rst major anti-mine Najib’s ally, after the state lead- demonstration since Suu Kyi’s er brokered greater autonomy civilian administration took for the resource-rich state and power this year, ending decades dealt with long standing issues of military domination. such as recognition of native “Today we demanded our land rights. rights by showing up with over “As BN chairman, I thank 200 local protesters,” Khin Lae, a the voters for their trust,” Na- protest leader, said. jib said in a statement after the “No one was hurt today. Yes- poll results. His party would not terday there were some clashes squander the mandate of the between protesters and the po- people, he said. lice,” she added. Najib’s critics have said that Winbao - the Chinese fi rm the Sarawak polls are not a that jointly runs the mine with measure of the support for Na- a major Myanmar military con- jib or the ruling party as they are glomerate - said this year it fought on local issues. aimed to start production in May Najib has for months faced after years of construction. calls for him to step down after Winbao was not immediately news broke that $681mn were available for comment. deposited into his bank account A Malaysian man shows his inked-finger after casting his vote at a polling station in Kuching yesterday. Another protest organiser, before the 2013 national elec- Amar Cho, said the demon- tion, and over his handling of dissenters within his party, a breakdown in the opposition seven seats this time around, controversy as federal opposi- state. The opposition also ac- strations have swelled since a multi billion dollar scandal the United Malay National Or- alliance, the Pakatan Harapan. while the People’s Justice Party tion leaders cried foul over the cused Najib and his ruling BN Wednesday, as have the number linked to state fund 1Malaysia ganisation (UMNO), and using The ethnic Chinese-domi- (PKR), the party of jailed op- state government’s decision to of abusing government powers of police dispatched to control Development Berhad (1MDB). a controversial sedition law to nated Democratic Action Party position leader Anwar Ibrahim, bar entry to most of them over during the election campaign by the crowds. The prime minister has de- clamp down on other critics. (DAP) - which had a sizeable retained three seats. the two-week campaign period promising some 3.5bn ringgit in Police sparked public out- nied any wrongdoing and con- The strong showing by the haul of 12 seats in the last state Yesterday’s win, however, ahead of the polls. Immigration projects and investments for the rage in 2012 when they moved solidated power by sacking BN coalition was also helped by polls in 2011 - was left with just comes with its fair share of remains a sovereign right of the state. to clear a protest camp near the mine using phosphorous cannis- ters, leaving dozens with severe burn wounds, including several monks. Suu Kyi led a parliamen- tary probe into that incident, which attracted the ire of activ- 17 airline passengers injured in turbulence ists after it recommended con- struction be allowed to proceed. Protests have continued over AFP Rai International Airport, said. the years and crackdowns have Denpasar Most of the passengers suff ered also spurred bouts of anti-China bruises but were conscious and able demonstrations in Yangon and to walk, he added. other major cities. eventeen passengers were in- The Airbus A330-200 was not se- Renewed controversy could jured yesterday when a Hong riously damaged and has been parked strain relations with China, My- SKong Airlines fl ight hit severe at the airport for further investiga- anmar’s largest trading partner turbulence over Borneo after taking tion, Harjo said. and a key player in its foreign off from the Indonesian resort island It was the second turbulence inci- policy. of Bali, an airport offi cial said. dent involving an Airbus 300-200 in Suu Kyi, who now holds sev- The extreme weather forced Hong Indonesia this week. eral top government positions, Kong-bound Flight CRK 6704 car- An Etihad Airways fl ight was hit met with her Chinese counter- rying 204 passengers and 12 crew to by “severe and unexpected” turbu- part in her fi rst diplomatic foray return to Denpasar. lence just before landing in Jakarta as foreign minister last month. “Seventeen people were injured, on Wednesday, leaving 31 passengers China is by far Myanmar’s 12 must be admitted to a hospital for injured. largest foreign investor, with a further treatment while fi ve others The airline said the turbulence cumulative total of $15.4bn of were treated in the airport clinic and also damaged cabin storage areas approved investments, and the have been released,” Trikora Harjo, on Flight EY474 from Abu Dhabi to two countries also share a long general manager of Bali’s Ngurah Jakarta. Passengers from the Hong Kong Airlines stand after an emergency landing at Ngurah Rai International airport in Denpasar yesterday. and restive border.

Singapore ruling party Police defend arrest of anti-junta activist’s mother retakes seat in by-election AFP 2014 power grab, leading small Bangkok but persistent anti-junta dem- onstrations across Bangkok. AFP Britain in 1959, prior to full His mother has not partici- Singapore independence in 1965. hai police yesterday de- pated in the protests, which are Its leaders say the PAP’s fended arresting the outlawed by the junta and often strong stand against corrup- Tmother of a prominent end in arrests. ingapore’s ruling party tion and track record in guid- student activist, following pub- Human Rights Watch said yesterday comfortably ing the city-state into one of lic outcry over a case rights Patnaree’s arrest was an example Sretook a parliamentary Asia’s most advanced econo- groups described as a “new low” of Thailand’s “blatant contempt seat vacated by a member who mies have enabled it to stay in for the junta’s crackdown on dis- of its human rights obligations”. quit over an extramarital aff air. power. sent. “The Thai junta has sunk to a The People’s Action Party Critics however say that Patnaree Chankij, 40, was new low by charging an activist’s (PAP) victory in a by-election uninterrupted one-party rule charged Friday with violating mother under the ‘insulting the dealt a fresh blow to oppo- has stifled dissent and curbed Thailand’s severe royal defama- monarchy’ law, which has been sition candidate Chee Soon civil and political liberties. tion law, which bans disparaging systematically abused to silence Juan, who has endured jail The contested seat in the the monarchy with up to 15 years critics,” said Brad Adams, the and bankruptcy in his long suburban district of Bukit in prison. group’s Asia director. campaign for a more liberal Batok was vacated in March Her detention followed a Thailand’s ailing 88-year- Singapore. when the elected MP David sweep of arrests over the past old King Bhumibol Adulyadej Ruling party candidate Ong, 54, resigned over an ex- two weeks that saw at least nine is the world’s longest reigning Murali Pillai, a lawyer, won tramarital affair. people detained for criticising monarch and revered by many 61.2% of the votes against Prime Minister Lee Hsien the junta or monarchy on Face- Thais as a demi-god. Observers the 38.8% of Chee, the leader Loong thanked Singaporeans book. Patnaree Chankij, the mother of an anti-junta activist, is escorted by police as she arrives at a military court say anxiety over succession has of the Singapore Democratic for voting in the ruling par- Patnaree’s lawyers said she in Bangkok yesterday. helped fuel the past decade of Party. ty’s candidate. was charged for simply writ- political turmoil, which the jun- The PAP now holds 83 out Lee said in a Facebook post ing “ja” - the Thai equivalent of But the police offi cer behind comments, through ‘likes’ or broaden their interpretation of ta claims it is seeking to resolve. of 89 seats in parliament af- that Murali’s win showed “yeah” - in response to private the case insisted Patnaree - other means, is grounds for legal the crime to include even vague The military government ter a landslide victory in last that “the government and Facebook messages that alleg- whose son is one of Thailand’s action. references to the monarchy. has become increasingly jittery September’s general election, people are united in building edly insulted the royal family. most vocal junta critics - had The activist accused of send- A host of other harsh laws, in- ahead of an August 7 referendum which saw the party take 70% a better nation together”. “I saw the conversation and I breached the law. ing the messages to Patnaree has cluding sedition and the broad- on a new constitution it scripted of votes. Chee, an internationally can say that at no point did she “There are also other actions also been detained. Both were ly-interpreted computer crime and is determined to see pass. Co-founded by late known dissident who has share any opinions (of her own) involved, but we cannot reveal denied bail. act, have also been wielded Critics say the document strongman Lee Kuan Yew, the fought the PAP for greater about the royal family,” Poonsuk them,” Olan Sukkasem told re- Lese majeste prosecutions against critics. is deeply undemocratic and party has governed Singapore civil and political rights, said: Poonsukcharoen, a member of porters at a press conference. have sky rocketed under the roy- Patnaree’s son Sirawith Ser- aimed at enshrining the infl u- continuously since the city- “I will bow, not in defeat, the team of human rights law- He added that “implying alist generals who seized power itiwat has been a thorn in the ence of the military and other state gained self-rule from but... with grace.” yers assisting Patnaree, said agreement” to unlawful web two years ago, as authorities military’s side ever since their traditional elites. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 19 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Sea-level rise claims fi ve islands in Solomons: study

AFP A further six reef islands have study published in Environmen- “They were not just little sand higher than the global average. Albert said could prove useful for sponses can be very, very local- Sydney been severely eroded in the re- tal Research Letters said. “Shore- islands,” leader author Simon Al- The researchers looked at 33 future study. ised.” mote area of the Solomons, the line recession at two sites has bert told AFP. islands using aerial and satel- Those islands which were ex- For now, some communities in study said yesterday, with one destroyed villages that have ex- It is feared that the rise in sea lite imagery from 1947 to 2014, posed to higher wave energy – in the Solomons are already adapt- ive islands have disap- experiencing some 10 houses be- isted since at least 1935, leading levels will cause widespread ero- combined with historical insight addition to sea-level rise – were ing to the changed conditions. peared in the Pacifi c’s ing swept into the sea between to community relocations.” sion and inundation of low-lying from local knowledge. found to have a greatly accelerat- “In addition to these village FSolomon Islands due to ris- 2011 and 2014. The scientists said the fi ve that atolls in the Pacifi c. They found that rates of shore- ed loss compared with the more relocations, Taro, the capital of ing sea levels and coastal erosion, “At least 11 islands across the had vanished were all vegetated Albert, a senior research fellow line recession were substantially sheltered islands. Choiseul Province is set to be- according to an Australian study northern Solomon Islands have reef islands up to fi ve hectares at the University of Queensland, higher in areas exposed to high “This provides a bit of an in- come the fi rst provincial capital that scientists said could provide either totally disappeared over (12 acres) that were occasionally said the Solomons was consid- wave energy, indicating a “syn- sight into the future,” he said. globally to relocate residents and valuable insights for future re- recent decades or are currently used by fi shermen but not popu- ered a sea-level hotspot because ergistic interaction” between “There’s these global trends that services due to the threat of sea- search. experiencing severe erosion,” the lated. rises there are almost three times sea-level rise and waves, which are happening but the local re- level rise,” the study said. N Korea congress set

Infants lie in cots in a ward at the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital in to boost Kim’s power Pyongyang during a government-organised media tour yesterday. DPA other nuclear test, according to Seoul recent satellite images published by a US website that monitors the country. Journalists shown orth Korea’s Workers’ Vehicle activity was monitored Party is set to reinforce at the command centre of the Nthe power of its leader Punggye-ri underground nuclear hospital care ‘inspired Kim Jong-Un at its fi rst congress test site, according to 38 North, a in more than 30 years, according website hosted by the US Johns to programme details released by Hopkins University’s school of by Great Leaders’ state media yesterday. advanced international studies. Observers expect that the “While the historical record 3,400 party delegates will boost is incomplete, it appears that AFP Un”, an interpreter said. Kim’s power by confi rming him vehicles are not often seen here Pyongyang Staff showed off the intensive in offi ce, while it is yet unclear except during preparations for care unit for premature babies whether he will get a new title or a test,” 38 North said. “No vehi- and others in need of special at- keep his current one of supreme cles or people were observed at orth Korea organised tention, including a unit dedi- leader. this facility on imagery from May an unusual media tour cated to triplets and quadruplets. The title of “eternal general 2. However, what appears to be Nyesterday of a gleam- Because the current ruler sees secretary” has been reserved for four closely-parked vehicles are ing modern hospital, apparently multiple births as a symbol of his father Kim Jong-Il, who died present on May 5.” seeking to highlight its leaders’ the country’s prosperous future, in 2011. Leaders and members of the love for the people during a ma- their parents get commemora- The party congress was also Workers’ Party of Korea opened jor ruling party gathering. tive gifts from the party. to discuss changes to the party’s the fi rst congress in 36 years on The Pyongyang Maternity The hospital is staff ed by 1,700 central executive and to the par- Friday, with leader Kim praising Hospital “owes everything to doctors, researchers, nurses and ty’s constitution, while the work the country’s January hydrogen the party and to the Kim dynas- midwives. Treatment is said to be of the central party committee bomb test as a success. ty” which has ruled the country open to all women and to be free and the accounts committee was That test strengthened “the This photo taken on Friday and released yesterday by North Korea’s off icial Korean Central News Agency since its creation, according to of charge. also under review, according to grandeur of the country and its (KCNA) shows the 7th Workers Party Congress at the ‘April 25 Palace’ in Pyongyang. offi cials who escorted foreign A new wing opened in 2012 the reports. power”, Kim said in his opening reporters around the showpiece and was spotless and gleaming The congress is expected to speech, shown on local televi- The military “seem to be A live-fi re military exercise Nuclear and missile tests by institution. yestyeay – like much of cen- run for three or four days, ac- sion. maintaining a higher state of may take place during the con- Pyongyang since the beginning Founding president Kim Il- tral Pyongyang at present as the cording to South Korea’s Yonhap The event is the fi rst of its kind readiness”, an unnamed offi cial of gress, and the meeting could see of the year have raised tensions Sung and his son and successor Workers’ Party Congress contin- news agency. since Kim succeeded his late fa- South Korea’s defence ministry Kim’s sister Kim Yo-Jong pro- with the US, Japan, South Korea Kim Jong-Il visited the hospital ues. Meanwhile, North Korea ap- ther in power over the isolated was quoted as saying by Yonhap moted to a minister-level post, and China, among other world many times – a fact attested to The hospital is unlikely to be a peared to be preparing for an- country four and a half years ago. news agency. Yonhap reported on Friday. powers. by numerous red plaques and typical example of healthcare in countless portraits – and gave North Korea. instructions on ways to improve Residence in the capital is re- treatment, they said. stricted to the social class seen as “Field guidance” trips by the most trustworthy. Nobel laureates call for easing of world sanctions two former leaders, covering In turn, they enjoy privileges many aspects of work and lei- and favourable treatment unseen sure, were a feature of North Ko- elsewhere in the country. AFP/Reuters ners, which also includes eco- South Korean ambassador to rean life for decades. A 2010 report by Amnesty In- Beijing nomics laureate Finn Kydland, postpone our visit until after the Kim Jong-Un, the third-gen- ternational said that the coun- visited a children’s hospital, sci- party congress, but we have not eration ruler, has continued the try’s overall healthcare system ence facilities and a farm, among (been) asked to cancel the visit,” tradition. was unable to provide sterilised anctions that have pinched other sights. Morawetz said. “The problem The fi rst two Kims instructed needles, clean water, food and North Korea’s healthcare The laureates described clean, was simply that the Nobel laure- staff to study ways of relieving medicine, and patients were Ssystem should be eased, modern facilities – a stark con- ates are very busy people and we the pain of childbirth through forced to undergo agonising sur- a group of Nobel laureates said trast to other accounts of the cannot just switch an event that analgesics, offi cials said. gery without anaesthesia. yesterday, after a rare visit to the country as brutally impoverished has been planned for two-and- They also urged doctors and It said that what it called the nuclear armed state that coincid- – and two said they had invited a-half years to another date this nurses to check carefully to en- collapse of the healthcare sys- ed with its ruling party congress. young researchers to work in year. So we made clear that we sure the wrong medicines were tem compounded the misery of a Embargoes on the fl ow of their labs. will go ahead with the visit but not prescribed. population that was chronically goods into the isolated coun- The few opportunities for for- we have never been contacted by The hospital, opened in 1980 malnourished. try have squeezed the quality of eigners to visit the country are the US government.” and with 1,900 beds, off ers all The World Health Organisa- medical care and research, they tightly stage-managed, with the While on this trip they did not kinds of health services, includ- tion (WHO) later said that the said, following visits to hospitals government carefully controlling meet with senior North Korean ing cancer treatment for women Amnesty fi ndings were outdated and labs in Pyongyang. Nobel laureate Ciechanover (left) speaks at a news conference with most interactions with the North politicians, Morawetz said he had in addition to maternity care. and failed to refl ect improve- “You cannot turn penicil- two other laureates, Kydland (right) and Roberts (second left), Prince Korean people. previously met with titular head Staff ers allowed visiting jour- ments. lin into a nuclear bomb,” Aaron Alfred of Liechtenstein (second right) and Uwe Morawetz, founding Planning for the trip began of state Kim Yong Nam, so he nalists, wearing white coats and Malnutrition however remains Ciechanover, who won the top chairman of International Peace Foundation, in Beijing yesterday. more than two years ago after knew it had support at the high- shoe covers, to interview new a signifi cant health problem, ac- prize for chemistry, told a media the Vienna-based International est levels. mother Tong Youn-Mi via a cording to a United Nations re- conference in Beijing a day after the country’s fi rst ruling party target medical aide, tough South Peace Foundation (IPF) received The group were there to discuss phone and video link to prevent port published last month. returning from the visit. congress since 1980 by hailing Korean restrictions have stopped an unsolicited e-mail from the medical and economic fi elds, not infection. The Pyongyang Maternity “You don’t pressurise via its “magnifi cent ... and thrilling” some medicines from reach- Korean National Peace Commit- nuclear ones, Morawetz said. Tong lovingly cradled her two- Hospital staff took pride, how- making people sicker,” he said: nuclear weapons programme. ing its northern neighbour, ac- tee. Ciechanover said he was a day-old son, wrapped in a pink ever, in their own institution. “That’s not the right way to go.” World powers have tightened cording to a recent report in the South Korea’s government doctor and so was not asked blanket. “Korean people do not like to The three prize winners from sanctions on the isolated state Washington Post. asked the group to postpone about anything remotely related She wants him to grow up to boast but I hope you can show Norway, Britain and Israel spent this year after Pyongyang car- “Many of the things the doc- the trip when it emerged that it to the nuclear issue. be a soldier, according to hospital the hospital is doing a good job,” a week in the country on a hu- ried out several ballistic missile tors would like, the professors would coincide with the con- “We didn’t come to criticise staff who interpreted. its external aff airs chief Mun manitarian trip organisers said launches and its fourth nuclear would like, they just can’t have gress, citing fears that it could them, we didn’t come to ask Her fears of a painful birth Chang-Hun told AFP. “I hope would be an exercise in “silent bomb test – and analysts predict them because of the embargo,” be “misused”, IPF chairman Uwe about the meaning of democracy proved unfounded “due to the you can show the good job done diplomacy”. another could be in the works said Richard Roberts, who won Morawetz said, but scheduling in their eyes,” he said. “We re- medicine provided out of the by the party and the Great Lead- Their visit came as North Ko- (see lead report). the prize for medicine. restrictions made it impossible. ally came to converse and to ex- love of Generalissimo Kim Jong- ers.” rean leader Kim Jong-un opened While the sanctions do not The trio of Nobel prize win- “We have been asked by the change dialogue with students.”

Australia adds 49 species to off icial 17 missing after Australia cannot force migrant abortion: judge vulnerable and endangered lists sea collision Australia has quietly added 49 species of flora and fauna to the A collision between a fishing boat government’s list of threatened and endangered species, including and a cargo ship in the East China Reuters The harsh conditions and re- Justice Mordecai Bromberg A spokesman for Dutton said brush-tailed bettong, three-toed snake-tooth skink, swift parrot and Sea has left 17 missing and two Sydney ports of systemic child abuse at ruled late on Friday that the pro- the court’s decision was “under several types of albatross and orchids. dead, Chinese state media said the camps, which house asy- cedure was illegal in Papua New consideration” and foreshad- Some of the species are found only in Australia. yesterday. lum-seekers fl eeing violence Guinea and that PNG lacked the owed an appeal. Nine on the list are critically endangered, while one fern was The Lu Rong Yu collided with pregnant woman who in Syria, Iraq, South Asia and medical expertise and facilities The woman’s lawyer, George labeled extinct. a Maltese freighter at 3.40am says she was raped at an Africa as well as those deemed to treat several other undis- Newhouse, said PNG law pro- They mark the biggest single addition to the 15-year-old list since Beijing time, according to state AAustralia detention cen- economic migrants, have drawn closed physiological and psy- hibits abortion, although there 2009. broadcaster China Central tre for asylum-seekers on the wide criticism from the Unit- chological conditions. are exemptions for when the The classification gives the species extra protection under Television. tiny South Pacifi c island of Nau- ed Nations and human rights “The abortion in Papua New procedure is needed to save a environmental laws, but some – such as the swift parrot – were Passing ships rescued two ru cannot be forced to have an groups. Guinea made available to the mother’s life. upgraded from endangered to critically endangered, highlighting additional passengers who later abortion in Papua New Guinea The African woman, identi- applicant is attended by safety Australia has been at log- the urgency and government failure. died, the report said, adding that because it is unsafe and illegal, a fi ed in court documents only as and lawfulness risks that a rea- gerheads with PNG since the “Normally (the government) puts out a press release and talk about search and rescue operations are court has ruled. S99, has claimed she was raped sonable person in the minister’s government ordered the Manus all the great work they’re doing to turn this around. This time, it just ongoing. Under Australia’s hardline while she was in Nauru and has position would have avoided,” Island camp closed late last slipped out,” environment campaigner Jess Abrahams said. The Maltese cargo ship left the immigration policy, asylum- sought an abortion in Australia. Bromberg said in his 150-page month. Gregory Andrews, a commissioner for Threatened Species in scene, according to China Radio seekers intercepted at sea trying Australian Immigration Min- judgment, a heavily-redacted The camp, which holds about Australia, said that the country faces an “extinction crisis”. International. to reach Australia are sent for ister Peter Dutton however or- copy which has yet to be pub- 850 people, had been ruled ille- “Australia has endured the worst rate of mammal extinctions in The incident occurs as China’s processing to camps on Nauru dered that she should be sent lished. gal by the PNG Supreme Court. the world ... we’ve lost 29 mammals in Australia since Europeans aggressive pursuit of its territorial and on Manus Island in Papua to Papua New Guinea for the Bromberg also ruled that the The number of people trying arrived,” he told local broadcaster ABC. “Ninety per cent of the claims in the East and South New Guinea and are told they procedure, Australia’s Federal woman should remain in PNG to reach Australia is small com- animals found here are found nowhere else on earth. They define China Sea has raised regional will never be settled in Australia. Court heard. until at least May 15. pared with Europe. who we are as a nation.” tensions. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, May 8, 2016 BRITAIN Boeing sails Predator held years after rape of teenager

Evening Standard London

gardener who raped a 13-year-old and sexu- Aally assaulted her two friends has been caught 25 years after his crimes following a cold case review using new William McMahon forensic techniques. William McMahon followed to bring closure to them and the three girls into a derelict their families for McMahon’s building in The Greenway, heinous crimes.” Upper Road, Plaistow, on June Detectives investigating 29,1990. a series of robberies and sexual After threatening the girls, assaults on women in south- he forced them to remove their east London have today re- clothes before raping one of leased an e-fi t image of a man them and assaulting her 12 and they want to trace. 13-year-old friends. Police have linked four at- Although the abuse was tacks on lone women in the reported to the police and Blackheath area between Oc- forensic evidence was taken, tober last year and February, detectives were unable to with all the victims targeted at link anyone to the crime and night or in the early hours of A Boeing 767 airplane arrives at Enniscrone estuary after being tugged from Shannon airport out to sea around the west coast of Ireland, yesterday. It is destined for local one of the victims died before the morning. funeral director David McGowan’s proposed Glamping Village to be used as accommodation in Sligo, Ireland. anyone could be brought to In the first attack on Octo- justice. ber 5, a 22-year-old woman But in 2010, a cold case team was sexually assaulted short- used a new technique to obtain ly before 2am after she was a full DNA profi le. followed by a man in Foxes Although McMahon didn’t Dale. show up on their database, he Four days later, on October was fi nally identifi ed last April 9, a 19-year-old woman was after his arrest for an unrelated grabbed around the leg by a matter. man who tried to push her into On Friday, the 60-year-old bushes near St Michael and All Graves being dug into was jailed for 18 years and two Angels Church in Blackheath months at Snaresbrook Crown Park. Court after previously admit- On October 11, a 20-year- ting one count of rape, three old woman was sexually as- counts of indecent assault and saulted by a man who grabbed three counts of false imprison- her in a tunnel at the Sun in the ment. Sands roundabout at 3am in to create more room Detective inspector Keith Shooters Hill Road. The wom- Braithwaite, of the Sexual Of- an managed to break free and Cemteries have already run out of running out of space. Other cemeteries ago,” she said, adding a national audit fragmentary remains: “Often those (old) fences, Exploitation and Child run away. room to handle burials have been cramming in more and more must be done. graves are empty. We need to think about Abuse Command said: “Mc- The latest attack took plots, by digging up roads and even creat- Cremation has grown over the past cen- where is the harm against what is the Mahon stole the childhoods place on Saturday, February 6 By Damian Carrington ing child graves in grass verges. tury and is now the choice of three-quar- good.” The Southwark campaigners also of his victims, causing them when a 30-year-old woman Guardian News and Media/London But Burks said preserving the dignity ters of people, but has levelled off in the oppose turning some woodland into a new extreme distress and pain was pushed into a bush and of his 200-acre cemetery is vital: “The last decade, meaning demand for burial is cemetery. throughout their lives which punched in the face by a man City of London planned very carefully no longer falling. Grave re-use is only cur- But Morris said: “If Southwark were to continues to this day. who attempted to steal her ne of Britain’s biggest cemeteries [when opening the cemetery in 1856] so rently legal in crowded London, although re-use graves, the woods would remain. “Perversely, McMahon con- handbag. is leading the way on a solution to people thought their relatives were going the Scottish parliament passed a law in You can’t have it both ways. If any of those tinued with his life as normal In the last incident he said Othe nationwide shortage of grave to be buried somewhere special. I must March paving the way to re-use. protesters have objections (to a grave re- for over 25 years. his name was “Jamil” and he spaces that’s reaching crisis levels. respect the fact that this place is very “If it was available across England and use) they just have to register that objec- “I would like to commend sometimes wears a puff a-style Experts say fi nding ways to stop cem- beautiful.” Wales, it would mean no new cemeteries tion and it won’t go ahead.” the victims for their courage jacket. eteries overfl owing is vital, but the most Burks has just converted a waste area would be needed and existing ones could Justice minister Caroline Dinenage said: and determination in pursuing The suspect is described as a eff ective way of doing so – re-using graves into a four-acre site for new graves and be used for generation after generation,” “The re-use of burial space is a sensitive this conviction and hope to- dark skinned man, between 5ft – challenges some people’s deeply held said this, combined with the re-use of ex- said Morris. issue and any potential changes in this day’s sentence goes some way 8ins and 6ft in height. beliefs about burial. isting graves, will mean the cemetery will Opening new cemeteries does not help if area, including any legislation, would re- The City of London Cemetery in the be the fi rst in the UK to able to provide they are far from family homes and, Morris quire careful consideration. We have been east of the city has already re-used 1,500 burials in perpetuity. said, they are not fi nancially sustainable as actively engaging with stakeholders and graves. In most cases this involves deep- Despite a severe shortage in grave space the income from burials remains the same will consider whether there is a need for ening the grave so the original remains in many parts of the country, the City of while the maintenance costs of new and government to take action in due course.” are lower in the ground, and making a London Cemetery is almost alone in re- existing cemeteries grow. Rugg is unconvinced: “I am not expecting Lewisham residents second burial on top. Its superintendent using graves. “We have been saying for However, grave re-use can raise strong anything spectacular.” Gary Burks said the number it had done years we are heading towards a crisis and emotions. The London Borough of South- Progress on solving the grave space already is proof it can be done sensitively. it’s getting worse,” said Tim Morris, chief wark is considering grave re-use but has crisis is likely to take time, based on past build own homes “If people don’t want a grave re-used, it executive of the Institute of Cemetery encountered some strong local opposition. form. The problem has been building for won’t be,” he said, but there have been just and Crematorium Management. “In the “Southwark’s whole project is horrifi c,” over 150 years, since the Burial Act of 1857 a handful of objections. end, burial could be priced out of exist- said John Repsch, a local resident. “My banned the exhumation of bodies to allow Evening Standard Graves chosen for re-use must be at ence. Re-use is the only sustainable option grandmother is buried in a common grave grave re-use. London least 75 years old and notices are posted available.” in Camberwell New Cemetery. Southwark As cities became crowded after the in- on the headstone and in advertisements The ministry of justice, responsible for councillors are acting like grave robbers. dustrial revolution, churchyards over- for six months beforehand. If there is an cemeteries, told the Guardian that there This is theft – of my grandmother’s grave, fl owed and, although re-use had been group of south east objection, the grave will be left untouched. is no national assessment of grave spaces. of our family history, of the respect and common, the public were horrifi ed as re- Londoners is to be If not, the new inscription is engraved on Morris said the best estimate is from a dignity I want my grandmother to have cent burials were dug up. Re-use remains Agiven a plot of land to the back of the headstone, which is then 2013 BBC survey, which found half of all in death.” Southwark councillors said legal under church law but many church- build dream homes in a radical reversed, preserving the old inscription. cemeteries in England would be full in 20 the wishes of all families would be fully yard burial grounds are now closed. scheme to help tackle the capi- “With so many, after 75 years, families years. respected and accuse the protesters of Back at the City of London cemetery, tal’s housing crisis. have moved away and the graves are not In the capital, the situation is critical. A “scaremongering”. Burks, who fi rst came to live in the cem- The ambitious project will Kareem Dayes (right) with visited any more.” 2010 report, by Dr Julie Rugg, a cemetery Rugg said most people who do not like etery at the age of six when his father be- turn the site of a disused pri- father Dave who built his own The cemetery, 160-years-old and grade expert of the University of York, found the idea of grave re-use imagine a recent came a gardener there in 1971, is sanguine mary school, once earmarked house in Honor Oak. one listed for its landscape, hosts the re- eight boroughs were already full and nine dead body, which they see as “nearly alive”, about his own funeral arrangements: “I as land for travellers, into a mains of 780,000 people but, with 1,000 more would run out of space by 2020. being moved. But she said people are usu- think there will be space for me here, but self-built and sustainable help raise the £9mn needed for new burials a year, it was on the verge of “We ran out of space quite some time ally much more accepting of the moving of that will be for my daughter to decide.” community in Ladywell, Lewi- the project. sham. The group are now in the Lewisham council has now design stage, with everyone signed a deal with the Rural Ur- discussing how they want their ban Synthesis Society (RUSS), homes to look, and the aim is a community land trust which to have a planning application will take on the Church Grove submitted in October. Campaign started to repay elderly site, providing 33 aff ordable He said: “There’s talk that homes for people who have we want to grow as much food joined its organisation. on site as we can and we’ll Each one will be designed be trying to produce energy and built by its future resi- through micro-generation. woman fl eeced out of her savings dents, who were picked in a “There’ll be a commu- lottery-style process from 150 nity space somewhere with a members who wanted to get shared communal room. Evening Standard I really believe people power can sort this crown court after admitting fraud and involved. “It’s right by the river too so London out for Vera,” she said. theft. However, she is now living off ben- Kareem Dayes from RUSS, there’s a few ideas about how “I think the public are so generous efi ts — making it unlikely she will be able who has been planning the to interact with that too.” sometimes, especially with vulnerable to pay any money back. project for six years, said: “It’s If approved, work could start fundraising campaign has been people. It’s an easy thing to do, to set up a Tarrant, 39, of Stoke Newington, said a real mix of people. We’ve got in 2017 with the homes ready in launched for a pensioner with de- donation page, and I really hope it can get her work with charities tackling mental young families, older people two years and Dayes, who grew Amentia who was fl eeced out of her sorted out.” health issues inspired her to launch the wanting to downsize, people up in Lewisham’s last wave £54,000 life savings by her carer. Haselden hired McCalla, 31, in April fundraising eff ort. “Having worked in the who just want to rent. of self-built housing around Maria McCalla raided the bank ac- 2014, but within two months the carer had mental health fi eld for quite a few years, “We’ll have tenures from Honor Oak, is hoping it will be count of Vera Haselden, 82, to pay for a started withdrawing large sums of money that the story was to do with mental health social rents up to shared eq- the start of more new commu- gastric band operation, her children’s from the pensioner’s bank account using and dementia made it catch my eye,” she uity so it’s a real mix of income nities. private school fees, games consoles and her PIN and card. said. as well. He said: “The community clothes. She convinced Ms Haselden to write She said the case of pensioner Alan “The idea is to have a real land trust model is taking off at The elderly woman had hired McCalla Maria McCalla raided the bank account of out cheques for £10,000 and £6,000 and Barnes — for whom the public raised community which refl ects a the moment. to help her maintain her independence, Vera Haselden. withdrew a total of £38,000 over the bank £330,000 after he was mugged last year mix of people.” “There’s defi nitely a po- but she has now been forced to move out counter. But McCalla knew she could not — was also an inspiration in her eff orts to An initial grant to get the litical appetite to deliver these of her own home and into care because of Tarrant set up a fund to try to restore Ms pay the money back as she had spiralling help Ms Haselden. scheme going came from the schemes. We’ll be working the fraud. Haselden’s savings and get her back into debts on 17 diff erent credit cards. “We have seen it in the past, people being Greater London Authority, but hard to build more in the future After reading about the case in the her own home. McCalla, a mother-of-two from Wem- generous in situations like this,” she said. Dayes said the group had found because we’ve got 500 mem- Standard, charity campaigner Charlotte “It was obviously a very sad story, but bley, was jailed for 32 months at Harrow “Vera deserves to get her savings back.” “ethical investors” and loans to bers who want housing too.” Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 21 BRITAIN Tories’ take second place in Scotland elections

Evening Standard people right across Scotland London who are sending the SNP a message: the voices and the decision we made as a country avid Cameron yesterday will not be ignored. congratulated the Tory “Nowhere is that more evi- Dleader in Scotland after dent than Edinburgh Central, she scored a shock victory over where we were coming from Labour in the Conservatives’ fourth position [to win].” best ever Holyrood result. Labour’s result was its worst Ruth Davidson’s Tory group in terms of seats since power pushed past Labour to become was devolved to Holyrood, the offi cial opposition, while ending the night with just 24 the SNP secured a record third MSPs, a drop of 13. term in power in the Scottish Dugdale said: “This election Parliament. was always going to be tough Labour’s Scottish leader for the Scottish Labour Party. Kezia Dugdale said she was There’s no doubt that our de- Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya attend the signing ceremony for the newly elected Mayor of London, in Southwark Cathedral, London. “heartbroken” by the result feat for the Labour Party is which saw her party slump to painful but it is not the end of its lowest vote share in Scot- our campaign. We will con- land since 1910. tinue to argue for Labour val- There was also a sting for ues, Labour ideas and Labour Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP, as the principles.” party failed to secure enough The SNP won 63 of the 129 seats for a majority. seats up for grabs, failing by The prime minister hailed two seats to take a second over- Sadiq Khan is London’s Davidson as “a leader who all majority — and falling six will stand up to the SNP and short of the record 69 seats the give Scotland strong opposi- party had under Alex Salmond tion”. in the 2011 landslide. Chancellor George Osborne Throughout the election also tweeted his congratula- campaign polls had predicted tions to Davidson for an “ex- the SNP would win another fi rst Muslim mayor traordinary result in Scotland”. overall majority. He added: “We’ve deprived But with the SNP now hav- Sadiq Khan took his oath in a multi- the Tory campaign, but defence secretary campaigner whose teenage son Stephen a Labour Party lawmaker who grew up in @theSNP of a majority [sic].” ing to cut deals to pass plans, faith ceremony Michael Fallon insisted it was legitimate. was killed by a gang of white youths. public housing in the capital’s inner city. The Tories took 16 extra the other parties will gain “Both candidates were asked questions “I never imagined in my lifetime I could Khan, whose parents worked as a bus seats, bringing their total to 31. new leverage over Sturgeon’s AFP about their backgrounds, their personali- have a mayor of London from an ethnic driver and a seamstress, defeated Con- Davidson said: “There are group. London ties, their judgment, the people they asso- minority,” she said. servative candidate Zac Goldsmith, the ciate with,” he told BBC radio. Khan has broken the eight-year hold of son of a billionaire fi nancier, by a record “That’s the nature of our democracy the Conservatives on City Hall, succeed- margin to secure the biggest individual adiq Khan was sworn in as London and the rough-and-tumble of politics.” ing the charismatic Boris Johnson in a mandate in British political history. His mayor yesterday after being elected News of the win was applauded in Pa- prestigious post that has responsibility for victory in Thursday’s election made head- Sthe fi rst Muslim leader of a major kistan, with Bilawal Bhutto, leader of the transport, housing, policing and promot- lines around the world. Western capital, as the Conservatives de- opposition Pakistan People’s Party and ing economic development. Some commentators suggested the fo- fended attempts to link him to extremism son of former prime minister Benazir His success was a boost for Labour cus on Kahn’s religion had backfi red in a during the campaign. Bhutto, and rival opposition leader Imran leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran socialist city noted for its diversity and which is one The opposition Labour lawmaker, the Khan tweeting congratulations. who has been battling a row over anti- of the world’s top fi nancial centres. Britain son of a Pakistani bus driver, broke from New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said he Semitism and growing criticism from the remains largely free of the identity politics convention by taking his oath of offi ce in was looking to working with his “fellow moderate wing of his party since his elec- seen in the United States. a multi-faith ceremony at Southwark Ca- aff ordable-housing advocate” while Paris tion in September. During the race Goldsmith had joined thedral. mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted that Khan’s But Labour fared less well in other re- forces with Cameron and other senior “My name is Sadiq Khan and I’m the “humanity (and) progressivism will ben- gional elections yesterday. party members to question Khan’s past mayor of London,” the 45-year-old said efi t Londoners”. The party was beaten into third place in appearances alongside radical Muslim to cheers from supporters, who had earlier Former Conservative government min- Scotland, once a Labour stronghold, as the speakers at public events, accusing him of given him a standing ovation as he walked ister Sayeeda Warsi also off ered her con- Conservatives became the offi cial opposi- giving “oxygen” to extremists. in. gratulations “from this daughter of a Pa- tion to the Scottish National Party (SNP), He added: “I’m determined to lead the kistani bus driver to the son of a Pakistani which won a third term in offi ce. As the left-wing mayors of New York most transparent, engaged and accessible bus driver”, and condemned her party’s Labour maintained control of the Welsh and Paris saluted Khan, the Financial administration London has ever seen, and campaign. assembly and lost only a handful of local Times newspaper described the win as a to represent every single community, and “Our appalling dog-whistle campaign council seats in England. “remarkable triumph over the racial and every single part of our city, as mayor for lost us the election, our reputation and But critics warned it should have done religious tensions that have bedevilled all Londoners.” credibility on issues of race and religion,” better against a government that has lost other European capitals”, saying it high- Khan won 57% of the vote in Thursday’s she said. support over welfare reforms and is deeply lighted London’s tolerance. mayoral election, securing 1.3mn votes to Khan admitted representing some divided ahead of the referendum on Brit- Among the fi rst to congratulate Khan see off multimillionaire Conservative Zac “pretty unsavoury characters” during ain’s membership of the EU on June 23. was Goldsmith’s sister Jemima, a journal- Goldsmith and make history as the city’s his previous job as a human rights lawyer ist and campaigner who described London fi rst Muslim mayor. but said their views were “abhorrent” and “In the rough and tumble of elections, as a city for all cultures, backgrounds and In his victory speech in the early hours condemned the Conservatives’ “desper- you get stuff said, questions asked,” Fallon religions. She said the victory was a great yesterday morning, Khan had referenced ate” attacks. told the BBC when asked if he regretted example to young Muslims. the negative campaign against him by say- Goldsmith’s sister Jemima, the ex-wife describing Khan as a “Labour lackey” who “Sad that Zac’s campaign did not refl ect ing London had chosen “unity over divi- of Pakistani cricketer and politician Imran speaks alongside extremists. who I know him to be -- an eco friendly, sion”. Khan, said the tone of her brother’s cam- “I think it is right that candidates for independent-minded politician with in- Conservative prime minister David paign “did not refl ect who I know him to some of the most important offi ces in Brit- tegrity,” she tweeted. Cameron had led the attacks against Khan be”. ain do get scrutinised about their past as- Sajid Javid, Britain’s business secre- for sharing platforms with radical Mus- Cameron’s former adviser, Steve Hilton, sociations.” tary and a Conservative, said on Twitter: lims at public events, and Goldsmith said said Goldsmith had brought back the Conservatives including Prime Minis- “From one son of a Pakistani bus driver to he was “radical and divisive”. “nasty party label”. ter David Cameron and Fallon himself had another, congratulations.” There was criticism from across the po- In the audience at Southwark Cathe- sought to question whether London would The Labour party also maintained con- SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon poses for photographs with all SNP litical spectrum yesterday at the tone of dral was Doreen Lawrence, an anti-racism be safe being run by the 45-year-old Khan, trol of the London Assembly. members of the Scottish Parliament. Pakistani immigrant’s son rises Barnet blunders ‘may have aff ected result’ from housing estate to city hall Evening Standard total incompetence of London London Elects and Barnet Council in their handling of this ballot has AFP want to say thank you to every single Lon- One of his brothers is a motor mechanic. bar Ahmad, a mosque acquaintance who led to serious questions over London doner for making the impossible possible He is a handy boxer, having learnt the was jailed in the United States after ad- onservatives claim the London-wide list result today,” he said. sport to defend himself in the streets mitting providing support to the Taliban “catastrophic blunders” and caused huge delays in the He promised to work to provide more against those who hurled racist abuse at regime in Afghanistan. Cwhich saw voters turned counting process. ondon’s new mayor Sadiq Khan has aff ordable housing and transport, to re- him, and two of his brothers are boxing Khan joined the Labour Party aged 15 away from polling booths in “To have voters turned away gone from a public housing estate duce pollution and encourage more and coaches. He also ran the London Marathon when Conservative prime minister Mar- north London may have altered for any reason is completely Lin the British capital to running the better paid jobs. in 2014. garet Thatcher was in her pomp. the capital’s election results. unacceptable. The votes that city, a remarkable rise for the Pakistani “I want every single Londoner to get the He came a local councillor for Tooting The London Assembly Con- were unable to be cast could immigrant bus driver’s son. opportunities that our city gave to me and He grew up in public housing in the Conservative-dominated Wands- servative group is calling for an very well have altered the re- The 45-year-old, a former human rights to my family, the opportunity not just to in Tooting, an ethnically mixed worth local borough in 1994, and its mem- urgent inquiry into the prob- sult of the London-wide list lawyer and an opposition Labour lawmak- survive but to thrive,” he said. residential area in south London, ber of parliament in the 2005. lems, which aff ected every allocation. er, was swept into City Hall on 57% of the Khan’s journey to City Hall is like a and slept in a bunkbed until he was 24 He still lives in the area with his lawyer polling station in Barnet. “It is essential that voters vote, becoming the fi rst Muslim mayor of a modern fairytale. wife Saadiya and their two teenage daugh- Some voters were turned have faith in the electoral proc- Western capital in the process. Born in London in 1970 to parents who At school, he wanted to study science ters. away because of incomplete ess and eff ectively disenfran- After a campaign that saw his main rival had recently arrived from Pakistan, Khan and become a dentist. But a teacher spot- Prime minister Gordon Brown made lists and told to come back later chising people for three hours try to establish links between Khan and Is- was the fi fth child out of seven brothers ted his gift for verbal sparring and directed him the communities minister in 2008 in a problem which wasn’t sort- on polling day totally under- lamist extremists, the mayor now faces the and one sister. him towards law. and he later served as transport minister, ed out until around 10.30am. mines this.” task of bringing London’s diverse commu- He grew up in public housing in Toot- He gained a law degree from the Uni- becoming the fi rst Muslim minister to at- Those who could not return He added: “We are demand- nities together to keep it on its perch as a ing, an ethnically mixed residential area in versity of North London and started out tend cabinet meetings. to the polling booths that day ing a full explanation for this top world city. south London, and slept in a bunkbed until as a trainee lawyer in 1994 at the Christian In parliament, he voted for gay marriage were advised to register for abysmal administrative per- In his acceptance speech, Khan prom- he was 24. Fisher legal fi rm, where he was eventually — which earned him death threats. emergency proxy votes. formance. ised to be a “mayor for all Londoners” His modest background plays well in a made a partner. His London mayoral election campaign Barnet council has already “London Elects and Barnet and said his late father, who emigrated city that is proud of its diversity and loves He specialised in human rights, and focused on providing aff ordable homes for said it will investigate what Council have had four years from Pakistan in the 1960s, would be “so a self-made success story. spent three years chairing the civil liber- Londoners and freezing transport fares. caused the issues. to plan for this but they both proud”. Khan regularly recalls how his fa- ties campaign group Liberty. Khan is London’s third mayor after La- But the leader of the London failed to get it right when it “I never dreamed that someone like me ther drove one of London’s famous red He represented Louis Farrakhan, leader bour’s Ken Livingstone (2000-2008) and Assembly Conservative group mattered and the voting public could be elected as mayor of London. And I buses, and his mother was a seamstress. of the Nation of Islam movement, and Ba- Conservative Boris Johnson (2008-2016). Gareth Bacon said today: “The has suff ered.” Gulf Times 22 Sunday, May 8, 2016 EUROPE Spain reports Destroyed mosque fi rst case of in Bosnia reopens Zika-related AFP/Reuters Sarajevo microcephaly

he Ferhadija mosque in AFP the foetus,” said gynaecologist the Bosnian Serb capi- Barcelona Elena Carreras. Ttal Banja Luka reopened A total of 105 people in Spain to worshippers yesterday, more have been infected with the than two decades after it was dy- panish health authorities mosquito-borne Zika virus, namited by Serb forces in 1993 at say they have detected according to offi cial statistics the height of the Balkans war. Sthe country’s fi rst known from May 3. “The hate has receded, con- case of the microcephaly birth Spanish authorities have fi dence has grown and the rec- defect in the foetus of a preg- said all the infection cases – onciliation will strengthen our nant woman infected with the including 13 pregnant women spirits,” said Bosnia’s Muslim Zika virus. – are “imported cases” found religious leader, Grand Mufti “A pregnant woman was in- in people either “from, or who Husein Kavazovic, in front of a fected by Zika and dengue and have visited aff ected coun- crowd of several thousand peo- Bosnian Muslims pray during the inauguration ceremony of the the foetus has shown various tries” in Latin America. ple. mosque in Banja Luka. defects,” the health author- More than a fi fth of foreign “Muslims, Orthodox, Catho- ity of the Catalonia region said residents in Spain are of Latin lics, Jews and all the other citi- nia before the 1992-1995 war 10% and 30% respectively. in a media statement late on American or Caribbean origin, zens can and must build a shared, that pitted Muslims and Croats The Islamic community’s ef- Thursday. the area hit by the epidemic. peaceful home on European soil.” against Serbs, and later Muslims forts to lay a cornerstone to re- This was Spain’s fi rst case The current Zika outbreak The heavily-guarded opening against Croats. build Ferhadija, also known as of Zika-related microcephaly, began in early 2015 in Brazil, ceremony was attended by Turk- After the war, the country was the Ferhat-Pasha mosque, in a severe form of brain damage where some 1.5mn infections ish Prime Minister Ahmet Davu- split into the Serb Republika Srp- May 2001 sparked anti-Muslim where babies are born with ab- have been reported. toglu whose country part-fund- ska and the Muslim-Croat Fed- riots that left one person dead normally small heads. Since then, the epidemic has ed the cost of the painstaking eration. and 30 injured. It is the second known case spread to several other coun- reconstruction of the Ottoman All 14 mosques in Banja Luka Eff orts to rebuild the mosque of its kind in Europe, after tries in the Americas. structure, according to Turkish were destroyed during the war, resumed in 2007. traces of Zika were found in Scientists believe the virus media. with Muslims and Croats forced In 2009, a Bosnian Serb court the brain of an aborted foetus to be responsible for a surge in “Bosnia-Herzegovina, with its out of the northern town. annulled a €33mn ($38mn) fi ne in Slovenia that had severe mi- Brazilian infants born with mi- Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox During the war, 614 of Bosnia’s against local authorities for the crocephaly. crocephaly. and Jews, is one body, one heart. 1,144 mosques were destroyed war-time destruction of all 16 “The anomalies were identi- There is no vaccine or treat- If there is any attempt to split it and 307 damaged, according to mosques in Banja Luka. fi ed between the 19th and 20th ment for the virus, which in up, it means that this one heart Muslim fi gures. Thousands of pieces of rubble weeks of pregnancy,” a Catalo- most people causes only mild would be split,” he said, appar- Dozens of Orthodox and Ro- from the original building were Police off icers stand guard as people gather on the main square, nia health offi cial told report- symptoms – a rash, joint pain ently referring to secessionist man Catholic churches were also used after being recovered from during the inauguration ceremony of the mosque, in Banja Luka. ers on Friday, confi rming that or fever. threats by Bosnian Serbs. destroyed. the Vrbas River and a garbage site the foetus had shown “several Despite a fl urry of research, The 16th century former Muslims make up some 40% where they were dumped. Many of Banja Luka’s Serbs pass peacefully and without any anomalies, including micro- very little is known about Zika, Unesco World Heritage Site of Bosnia’s 3.8mn inhabitants, The day it was levelled, May 7, apparently stayed away from the incident as tensions still run cephaly”. including the full list of diseas- was one of the foremost places while Catholic Croats and Chris- is now the Day of the Mosques in ceremony. high,” said Tatjana Kecman, a Authorities declined to es and disorders it may cause. of worship for Muslims in Bos- tian Orthodox Serbs account for Bosnia. “I only want this opening to Serb from Banja Luka. identify the woman in order Recent scientifi c consensus to protect her privacy, but lo- is that the virus causes micro- cal media said she had decided cephaly in babies and adult- against an abortion. onset neurological problems “These symptoms cause se- such as Guillain-Barre Syn- rious diffi culties, but do not drome, which can cause pa- Erdogan accuses Europe of ‘sidelining democracy’ usually lead to the death of ralysis and death.

AFP Erdogan said in a speech in the rorists at the doors of the Euro- dogan said in a televised speech remain outstanding, according Istanbul southeastern city of Malatya. pean Parliament,” the Turkish in Istanbul on Friday. “Pardon to the EU executive’s assessment. Last week, the European Com- president said. me, but we are going our way and The 28 EU member states and mission said Turkey had to meet It was an apparent reference you can go yours.” the European Parliament must Police seeking child urkish President Recep fi ve objectives, including chang- to a tent set up by Kurdish activ- Erdogan’s prime minister, Ah- also approve the visa scheme, Tayyip Erdogan has ac- es to its anti-terror law, to gain ists near the European Council met Davutoglu, who announced which is by no means a foregone Tcused European nations of visa-free travel to its passport- in Brussels where a Turkey-EU on Thursday that he was quit- conclusion. victims of ‘porn king’ hypocrisy in pressing his country free area under a deal to curb the summit was to be held in March. ting, had championed the March Erdogan has previously warned on terror laws while “sidelining infl ux of migrants to the Euro- Yesterday’s swipe followed on 18 deal with the EU. Brussels that Ankara would stop democracy” at home in their own pean Union. the heels of another combative The EU has a list of 72 criteria fulfi lling its side of the migrant AFP and human traffi cking. fi ght against terrorism. “I am going to talk plainly: on speech in which Erdogan warned for pushing through visa-free deal – which has seen the num- Madrid Police also announced the “Those who criticise us are the question of visas, let those Turkey would not change its travel for Turkish nationals un- bers making dangerous crossings arrest in April of a Ukrain- reduced to sidelining democ- who call on Turkey to modify its panoply of anti-terror laws. der the landmark, but controver- across the Aegean Sea fall sharply ian man “linked to an inter- racy and freedoms when bombs anti-terrorism law start by re- “The EU says: you will change sial, agreement. – if the EU’s promises are not olice in Spain said yes- national network that brought started to explode on their soil,” moving tents set up by the ter- the anti-terror law for visas,” Er- Five of these “benchmarks” kept. terday that they were Ukrainian women (to Spain) to Ptrying to identify chil- fi lm pornographic scenes, of- dren who had been forced to ten against their will”. appear in pornographic videos “They lured girls who had after they arrested the coun- fi nancial problems at home, try’s “king of porn”. gave them the necessary docu- Convicted journalist Gul calls on The investigation was ments to enter Spain and once launched after a minor lodged they were here they would ... a complaint alleging she had lock them up, often in the of- Germany to defend press freedom been asked at a Madrid bar to fi ce where the recordings took appear in porn fi lms, a police place,” the statement said. statement said. “Many of them had no knowl- DPA restrained than that of the US found guilty of revealing state “While she accepted at fi rst, edge of what they would do or Istanbul government, for instance,” said secrets after publishing a re- she subsequently refused. Still of the harshness of the practic- Gul, who is the Ankara bureau port last year about alleged arms she was forced ... to fi lm such es they would be subjected to.” chief of left-wing newspaper shipments from Turkey to Syria. scenes after consuming drugs,” Spain’s El Pais daily de- urkish journalist Erdem Cumhuriyet. Dundar was sentenced to fi ve it said. scribed Torbe as the country’s Gul, who has been sen- “On the one hand, the Ger- years and 10 months in prison. Press reports named the di- main producer of pornography. Gul (left) with Cumhuriyet editor-in-chief Dundar. Ttenced to fi ve years in man government works closely Whether or not the two will rector as Ignacio Allende Fern- After the director’s arrest, prison for revealing state se- with Turkey, in particular on the have to go to prison will be de- andez, or Torbe as he is known. investigators found on the Two more suspects held in shooting bid crets, called on the German gov- refugee issue. On the other hand, cided after the appeal. Police, who are appealing main server of one of his com- ernment to do more for press it barely raises its voice when Eu- Gul was not intending to es- for witnesses to come forward panies “several pornographic Turkish police detained two more suspects yesterday over the freedom in his country in an ropean values such as freedom of cape abroad although a travel ban to help identify potential child videos featuring protagonists attempted shooting of a prominent Turkish journalist as he waited interview with daily Die Welt opinion and press freedom are at on him and Dundar was lifted victims, described the man de- who were minors”, police said. outside an Istanbul courthouse for a verdict in his trial. published yesterday. stake,” he said. with the sentence on Friday. tained on April 25 as “a famous Torbe has frequently ap- A gunman attempted to shoot Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of the secular “We currently see a large-scale On his trial alongside his ed- “I did not think of that for one director and producer of Span- peared in lengthy interviews Cumhuriyet newspaper, on Friday, hours before he was sentenced by destruction of European rights,” itor-in-chief Can Dundar, Gul second. We carry responsibility ish porn fi lms”. with Spanish media, boast- the court to more than five years in jail for revealing state secrets. he told the paper. said: “We have been convicted for the future of freedom and de- He faces allegations of sex- ing about having contributed The attacker shouted “traitor” before firing at least two shots. “However, the German gov- for journalism.” mocracy in this country,” he told ual abuse of children, dissemi- to “professionalising amateur Dundar was unharmed but a journalist covering the trial was injured. ernment’s reaction is much more Gul and Dundar were both the paper. nation of child pornography pornography”. Skygazers get ready for rare Mercury sighting

AFP mers can see the tiny planet tens a black dot crawling over it. Paris of millions of kilometres away. Stargazers can also observe the “It is always exciting to see rare event through a telescope with a astronomical phenomena such strong fi lter. arthlings will witness Mer- as this transit of Mercury,” RAS According to the RAS, large cury make a rare passage president Martin Barstow said parts of the world – most of Ebetween our planet and the in a statement. “They show that Western Europe, the western Sun tomorrow, appearing as a astronomy is a science that is ac- parts of North and West Africa, black dot tracking the surface of cessible to everyone.” eastern North America, and most the star we share with the solar But be warned: looking di- of South America – will be able to system’s smallest planet. rectly at the phenomenon can re- view the entire transit, which will Mercury completes an orbit sult in permanent eye damage, as last from 1112 GMT to 1842 GMT. every 88 days, and passes be- only a very small part of the Sun The rest of north and south tween the Earth and the Sun eve- will be blocked out. America, the eastern Pacifi c, the ry 116 days, according to the Roy- One option is to use a telescope remainder of Africa and most of al Astronomical Society (RAS). or binoculars to project the image Asia, will see parts of the event. This file Nasa handout picture taken on May 8, 2003 shows a composite image from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) showing But its orbit is tilted in relation onto a white surface. Observers in east and south- the planet Mercury in transit. Tomorrow, May 9, the smallest planet in the solar system will delight astronomers across the world, and some to Earth’s, which means it usually An image of the Sun is cap- east Asia and Australasia, how- robotic observatories in space, with its several hour dash across the disk of the Sun. appears – from our perspective – tured by the main, front lens and ever, will miss out entirely. to pass above or below the Sun. projected backward, out through Frenchman Pierre Gassendi the instrument was invented. fore he could witness the event. Mercury is the planet near- away than 70mn kilometres. Thirteen times each century, the eyepiece. was the fi rst person to observe German astronomer Johannes The last Mercury orbit was 10 est to the Sun. Its elliptical orbit It rotates so slowly that Mer- however, the two orbits align The Sun will appear as a white a Mercury transit through a tel- Kepler had correctly predicted years ago, and the next will be in brings it as close to the earth as cury’s day is twice as long as its such that even amateur astrono- disk on the card, and Mercury as escope in 1631, two decades after that transit, but died in 1630 be- 2019. 46mn kilometres, and no further year. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 23 EUROPE 240,000 join pro-EU march in Warsaw AFP democracy,” former president party leader Jaroslaw) Kaczynski Warsaw Bronislaw Komorowski, a liberal, will provoke a confrontation, told marchers as the demonstra- that blood will be spilt. tion got under way. “He’s a madman who doesn’t round a quarter of a mil- The protest comes amid a listen to anyone, doesn’t listen to lion Poles fl ooded cen- mounting political crisis in the Poles or obey the law.” Atral Warsaw yesterday, central European heavyweight, Although he holds no govern- marching to defend their coun- triggered by changes the pop- ment post, Kaczynski is regarded try’s place in the European Union ulist-oriented right-wing Law as the real dealmaker in the gov- and protest against moves by the and Justice (PiS) government has ernment. right-wing government, which made to the constitutional court. He insisted yesterday that People march during an anti-government demonstration in Warsaw they claim undermine democ- In December it pushed through “there was no risk to democ- organised by main opposition parties. racy. legislation to stack the court and racy” in Poland and that the pro- Warsaw city hall said the modify its decision-making test was due to the opposition’s The PiS-led government’s Markets have also reacted march drew around 240,000 rules. bitterness over losing both the changes to the constitutional strongly to the political turmoil, people, making it one of the larg- The court itself struck down presidential and parliamentary court have not only sparked a hitting Poland’s zloty currency est demonstrations since the the changes as unconstitutional elections last year. string of large street protests at and the Warsaw stock exchange. 1989 collapse of communism in in March, pitting it against the “Those who are protesting home but also drawn sharp criti- Ultra-nationalist parties and Poland. PiS majority government, which today just want to stir the pot in cism from Brussels and the Euro- sympathisers organised a coun- The mammoth protest came wasted no time in dismissing the Poland,” Kaczynski said. pean Parliament, which Warsaw ter-demonstration in the capital about as an annual pro-EU pa- ruling. Protester Danuta Grzymkows- has dismissed as unnecessary yesterday, drawing around 4,000 rade merged with a demon- The resulting deadlock means ka however told AFP that she was interference in its internal aff airs. people, insisting that Poland’s stration called by a coalition of the court is paralysed, leaving worried the ongoing political cri- Since it swept to power in Oc- EU membership meant it was pro-democracy groups and op- Poland without a fundamental sis could escalate into violence. tober elections, the PiS has also subject to the “diktat of Brus- position parties. check on government powers. “Many believe this will be- pushed through controversial sels”. Shouting “freedom, equality, “What’s happening right come a Polish ‘Maidan’,” she measures that strengthen state Although recent PiS actions democracy”, the mass of march- now is a violation of the rights told AFP, referring to the iconic controls over public broadcast- have chilled relations between ers inched their way through the of Poles, the destruction of the square in Ukraine’s capital Kiev ers. Poland and European institu- sun-drenched city centre, bran- rule of law and a violation of the that was the scene of the coun- Last month, three former tions, party leaders including dishing a mix of red-and-white constitution,” marcher Rafal Za- try’s bloody pro-EU revolution Polish presidents including Lech Prime Minister Beata Szydlo Polish fl ags with blue and gold gorowski, a 60-year-old con- in 2014 that led to the ouster of a Walesa accused the PiS of de- and kingpin Kaczynski himself, EU fl ags. struction worker told AFP, refer- pro-Russia regime. stroying the country’s consti- have not gone so far as to ques- A man holds a poster depicting PiS leader Kaczynski as Kim Jong-Il, “We’re here because we want ring to measures taken by the PiS “I really hope I’m wrong,” she tution, appealing to citizens to tion Warsaw’s membership of the the late father of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, during to fi ght for Poland’s freedom, for government. “I’m afraid that (PiS added. “defend democracy”. bloc. the march. Italian police, demonstrators clash in Most Germans have limited protest against Austria border fence contact with Muslims: poll

AFP/Reuters DPA tions, has now adopted an anti- of religion was enshrined in the Brenner, Austria Berlin Islam stance as part of its new nation’s constitution, Kauder manifesto adopted last weekend. said that Islam also took on In addition to declaring that forms “that we can never accept everal hundred young pro- he majority of Germans “Islam does not belong in Ger- in Germany”. testers clashed with Ital- have limited contact with many”, the AfD’s platform called Still, the YouGov results Sian anti-riot police yes- TMuslims and know very for a ban on minarets. showed there was much more terday near the Austrian-Italian little about their religion, a poll In the meantime, support for contact between younger Ger- border during a demonstration released on Friday showed amid a Chancellor Angela Merkel’s con- mans than the older generation against Vienna’s proposed anti- new debate about the role of Is- servative Christian Democrat- with about half those surveyed migrant measures. lam in the country. led political bloc has slumped aged between 18 and 24 saying The protesters, who briefl y It’s about 60 years since mi- since the mass infl ux of migrants Muslims were among the people occupied the small train station grants from Turkey began arriv- began eight months ago as many they knew. at the Brenner Pass, were con- ing in Germany to help fi ll the of its voters have switched to the Cornelia Schu from the Ex- fronted by police as they tried to acute gaps in the nation’s work- AfD. pert Council of German Founda- cross the border from Italy into force resulting from the coun- The AfD’s new manifesto and tions on Integration and Migra- Austria. try’s so-called economic miracle its concerns about Islam sparked tion also said that people with TV footage showed clouds after World War II, with about widespread condemnation from higher income levels tended to of smoke fi lling the Brenner 4mn Muslims now living in the political and religious leaders. have a more positive view of peo- railway station as groups of nation. But in an interview on Thurs- ple with immigrant background, protesters, their faces masked But according to a survey day with the daily Neue Osna- adding that the best way to re- against the fumes, hurled stones drawn up for DPA by pollsters brücker Zeitung, Volker Kauder, duce fears was through personal and smoke bombs as they faced YouGov, 62% of non-Muslim a key Merkel ally, said that while encounters. off against lines of police in riot respondents said that there were Muslims were part of German But 52% of non-Muslim Ger- gear. no Muslims in their private circle life, Islam had not shaped Ger- mans told YouGov that they had Two police offi cers were of friends and family. many “historically and cultur- little knowledge of Islam with wounded and a police car was The survey’s release came in ally. every fi fth person surveyed say- torched while several protest- the wake of the political tensions “But just so there is no mis- ing they knew nothing about the ers were arrested, according to unleashed in the country after understanding: The Muslims religion. Italy’s AGI news agency. about 1mn mainly Muslim refu- themselves are a part of Germa- This was despite 60% say- Around 300 Austrian police gees entered the nation last year, ny, there is no question about it,” ing they had noticed a growing offi cers were also deployed but fl eeing war and poverty in Africa said Kauder, who heads the par- number of Muslims were now had not yet had to intervene, a and the Middle East. liamentary group of the Chris- living in the country. spokesman said, since the pro- The country’s right-wing tian Democrats and their Bavar- At the same time, however, test had taken place exclusively populist Alternative for Germany ian-based allies, the Christian 68% of Muslims described their on the Italian side of the border (AfD), which has been making big Social Union. knowledge of Christianity was so far. gains in a series of recent elec- While insisting that freedom good or very good. Italian newspaper Corriera della Sera reported earlier this week that the protest had been organised by an anarchist group from Trentino, northern Italy, and was expected to attract Far-right rally in Berlin to demand demonstrators from abroad. Vienna is threatening to resume checks on the Brenner A man in an automatic wheelchair is seen during clashes at the Brenner train station yesterday. Merkel ouster over migrant policy Pass between the two countries as part of a package of anti-mi- blocks the Brenner Pass will thousands of new arrivals. Juncker also raised the alarm grant measures if Italy does not have not just serious economic On average 2,500 lorries and over Austria’s response to the Reuters not welcome” and “Wir sind das several left-wing demonstrators do more to reduce the number of consequences, but most im- 15,000 cars travel daily through migrant crisis which he said had Berlin Volk” (“We are the People”), a tried to break through barriers new arrivals heading to Austria. portantly heavy political conse- the Brenner Pass – a crucial life- tempted other countries to close slogan coined by the protesters separating the two groups, and But imposing controls on quences,” he said. line for Italy’s exports to north- their borders while making far- who ended communist rule in threw bottles at police. the Austrian border with Italy With more than 28,500 mi- ern Europe that is already prone right politics “presentable” lmost 2,000 far-right East Germany, adopted last year Police used tear gas and made would be a “political catas- grants arriving since January 1, to delays even without border elsewhere in Europe. protesters marched by the anti-Islam Pegida move- several arrests. trophe” for Europe, European Italy has once again become the checks. “What we see in Austria we Athrough Berlin yesterday ment. While many Germans have Commission President Jean- principal entry point for mi- Austria sits at the crossroads have unfortunately seen in other to demand that Chancellor An- The rally drew around 1,800 welcomed the new arrivals, oth- Claude Juncker said yesterday. grants arriving in Europe, fol- of the two major migrant routes, European countries, where (po- gela Merkel step down for allow- participants, police said, less ers say the country cannot cope The Alpine route is a major lowing a controversial EU-Tur- from the Balkans and from Italy, litical) parties play with peo- ing more than a million migrants than half the number organisers with integrating them. European transport corridor key deal and the closure of the and saw thousands of migrants ple’s fears,” he said. from the Middle East into Ger- had expected, and the protest- Support for the anti-immi- and a key link between the north Balkan route up from Greece. cross its territory in 2015. The anti-immigration can- many since last year. ers were outnumbered by around grant Alternative for Germany and south of the continent, said In previous years, many mi- Authorities have received didate from Austria’s far-right Under the motto “Merkel must 7,500 left-wing counter-dem- (AfD) party has risen sharply, Juncker during an interview grants landing in Italy have 90,000 asylum applications Freedom Party, Norbert Hofer, go”, demonstrators gathered out- onstrators who also marched while arson attacks on refugee with Germany’s Funke Medien- headed on to other countries in- from people fl eeing war, per- is the favourite to win the presi- side Berlin’s central train station through the capital. centres and sometimes violent gruppe. cluding Austria but Rome now secution and poverty who have dential run-off election on May waving German fl ags and hold- A spokesman for the police protests have become increas- “This is why everything that fears it could be stuck hosting opted to settle in the country. 22. ing up posters reading “Islamists said there had been scuffl es when ingly common. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, May 8, 2016 INDIA

POLITICS CONTROVERSY WILDLIFE TRAGEDY JUDICIARY Congress demands Kejriwal faces Telangana to set up Tension after three killed HC reserves order on President’s rule in Odisha defamation case monkey rescue centre by elephant in Assam rebel Congress legislators

The opposition Congress in Odisha, citing the A New Delhi court yesterday issued a summons A monkey rescue and rehabilitation centre Tension prevailed in Assam’s Goalpara district The Uttarakhand High Court yesterday reserved “dictatorial attitude” of the ruling Biju Janata Dal to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly will be set up in Telangana’s Adilabad district, after local residents blocked a highway its verdict on the fate of nine rebel Congress (BJD) yesterday appealed to Governor S C Jamir to using the derogatory word “thulla” to describe which is known for a large simian population. yesterday protesting against the forest legislators. The high court heard the appeal of recommend imposing President’s Rule in the state. policemen. The court was hearing a defamation The centre will be established as a pilot project department’s failure to control elephant the legislators over their disqualification from the “If a ruling party with brute majority is determined complaint filed against Kejriwal by constable at Chincholi near Nirmal town, about 200km attacks on villages that led to the death of state assembly. They were represented by senior not to allow the opposition to have their say, where Ajay Kumar Taneja claiming he was “hurt” by from Hyderabad. The government accepted three members of a family. The two women lawyers of the Supreme Court C A Sunder and stands democracy?” said a memorandum submitted the chief minister’s remark and felt “insulted a proposal submitted by the Principal Chief and an infant were killed after a wild elephant Vivek Dwivedi. The rebel leaders told the court to the governor by Congress legislators led by and defamed.” Taneja said Kejriwal has allegedly Conservator of Forests for establishing raided Gendrapara village in the district they had not acted against their party and had Narasingha Mishra. “This amounts to a breakdown used the word “thulla” to describe policemen in the centre in view of increased biotic late Friday night. The local people took the resentment against the style of functioning of the of the constitutional machinery and therefore, 2015. “If a word like ‘thulla’ is used by an eminent pressure on forest habitats and increased bodies of the three and blocked the National then chief minister Harish Rawat. This, they said, sir, your intervention is absolutely necessary,” personality like Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, population of monkeys. Both the Rhesus Highway No37 demanding for action against did not mean their membership be cancelled by the memorandum said. The Congress legislators to refer to personnel of Delhi police, then the and Bonnet species of monkeys are the forest department and compensation the state assembly Speaker. The speaker’s lawyer, appealed to the governor to recommend dissolution general public would have no respect or regard causing problems in most of the villages to the victims’ family. Police used batons to former central minister Kapil Sibal, opposed the of the assembly to the President of India. for police,” Taneja said. and towns of the state. clear the highway. plea of the rebel legislators. Death row prisoners ‘face horrifi c conditions’ Interviews with inmates there was an average of fi ve years order to imagine how hanging reveal routine torture, between arrest and sentencing. might feel while he waited for a unfair trials and solitary Death sentences are handed pardon. A researcher recorded confinement down without consistency, forc- his desperation in that time. ing inmates into an endless sys- “How many years can one live By Vidhi Doshi/ Guardian tem of appeals, during which like this?” he said. Mumbai they often have little informa- Mental health is fl agged as a Railway employees get ready to load sacks of water bottles to be sent to drought-ravaged Latur from Nagpur yesterday. tion about the progress of the serious and under-researched cases against them. Many are issue in prisons, with many fac- risoners on death row in unable to meet their lawyers and ing violence and humiliation India are living in inhu- are not informed about the sta- from fellow inmates. More than Pmane conditions, facing tus of proceedings. 100 prisoners spoke about sleep unfair trials and horrifi c acts of Torture, solitary confi nement deprivation, many saying they Water trains bring scant relief to police torture, according to a and “violent investigation tech- could not sleep for more than new study released by the Death niques” are also endemic and a three or four hours a night be- Penalty Research Project at the host of social and economic fac- cause of the uncertainty of their National Law University in Del- tors can determine how a person fate. drought-ravaged Maharashtra hi. is treated in jail and the sentence Many prisons have in-house The study is based on inter- they get. Three out of four death gallows - a remnant from colo- views with 373 of the 385 in- row inmates were classed as nial times - which are a constant Reuters Locals had been hoping a Asia Network on Dams, Rivers last month asked Maharashtra mates believed to be on death “economically vulnerable” and reminder of looming execution. Latur, Maharashtra 50-wagon daily water train and People. to halve water supply to liquor row in India and off ers a harrow- 42% belonged to the “scheduled Inmates also often fear their would ease shortages, but they “There are limits on how fi rms immediately and cut sup- ing insight into the unbearable castes.” imprisonment is a burden on were disappointed as the 2.5mn much water the government ply by another 10% from May uncertainty the prisoners face Both judges and defence law- their families and loved ones, aribhau Kamble, an un- litres carried by the train and can supply by train. Had it re- 10. and the horrifi c conditions they yers were blamed for the in- who have to bear the exorbitant employed labourer in ferried by tankers to villages served water sources for drink- Eknath Khadse, Maharash- have to live in as they wait for adequacies of the sentencing costs of criminal lawyers. HMaharashtra, is forced was not enough to meet the ing last year, the situation tra’s agriculture minister, said judges to decide their fate. process. Researchers recorded The use of torture is ubiq- to queue for hours in scorching needs of Latur’s half a mil- would have been much better the state was also planning to Researchers said there was various instances where defence uitous, the report said. In- heat to fetch water even as the lion people and Marathwada’s now.” restrict cane cultivation and little reliable information about lawyers were not present dur- mates spoke about being hung government puts on trains to 19mn. A rapid expansion of sugar propose a fi ve-year ban on new how the state handled death row ing sentencing, conviction and by wires, being forced to drink ship water to the region parched Marathwada, home to many cultivation has made matters mills in Marathwada to con- inmates, and found it diffi cult to sentencing were delivered on the urine, being placed on a slab of by back-to-back drought years. sugar mills in Maharashtra - the worse. Cane accounts for 4% serve water. discover the simplest of details, same day or judges failed to ap- ice and having a leg broken, and Like Kamble, millions of nation’s top producer, is one of of Maharashtra’s crop area but Modi’s government is focus- including the exact number of ply the “rarest of the rare” rule extreme stretching. Some gave people have been hung out to the several regions in India that devours two-thirds of its irri- ing on managing watersheds people facing the death penalty. for death sentences. specifi c details - being tied in a dry in the state with the worst received below-average June- gation water. and linking rivers to move wa- Capital punishment has rarely At the fi nal stage of proceed- sack of chillies and beaten with drought in four decades rav- September rains in 2015. New Also, given politicians have ter to dry regions to combat the been enforced in recent years ings, inmates can write to the the butts of police guns. Oth- aging crops, killing livestock, Delhi estimates that overall stakes in sugar mills and other crisis in India, which has 17% and huge numbers of death sen- president of India or the Min- ers left it vague, simply saying emptying reservoirs and slow- 330mn people - a quarter of the industries, there is a growing of the world’s population but tences are later commuted to life istry of Home Aff airs, who have “unexplainable things” had been ing hydroelectric power out- country’s population - are cur- concern they may try to ensure only 4% of fresh rain water re- in prison, though many prison- the power to grant a pardon. done to them. put. Mismanagement of water rently aff ected by drought. water supply for their ventures. sources. ers spend years waiting for their As there is no time limit for re- One inmate, Mayur, said he resources, with powerful poli- Water is set to get scarcer Pankaja Munde, a state But the need of the hour is fate to be decided. sponses, prisoners waiting for was forced by police to confess to ticians pushing for bigger sup- over the next two months as minister from Prime Minis- smaller, cost-eff ective steps According to a report from the their mercy pleas to be heard had killing a member of his extended plies to industries, has made temperatures soar above 40 de- ter Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya such as enforcing restrictions National Crime Bureau, 1,303 spent an average of 21 years and family, a crime he says he did not the situation worse, experts grees Celsius, drying up Mar- Janata Party (BJP) and whose on water use and ensuring ca- death sentences were handed fi ve months in jail. commit. He told researchers that say. athwada reservoirs that are now husband is a director of a dis- nals do not leak. out between 2004 and 2013, of Researchers recorded stories he was stripped naked and tied to a “The government says it is just 3% full. tillery in Aurangabad, Mar- “Canals are leaking every- which three led to executions. of prisoners who had committed table while a snake was let loose in bringing water by train every “That Maharashtra would athwada, has said the liquor in- where in Maharashtra. Only One man, Yakub Memon, con- suicide in jail, and others who the room when police called him day, but we are getting water face a water crisis was clear dustry should get all the water a third of water released from victed over his involvement in preferred an immediate execu- in for questioning. His wounds once a week,” Kamble said, af- when monsoons failed, yet the allocated to it. dams reaches farms,” said Pra- the 1993 Mumbai bombings, was tion rather than spending the re- were rubbed with lemon juice and ter standing in line for three state took no action to curb Munde did not respond to deep Purandare, a water and executed in 2015. mainder of their lives waiting for chilli. In chilling interview notes hours to fi ll two pitchers at a tap supplies to water-guzzling in- text messages seeking com- irrigation specialist from Au- The study off ers a window into a judgment in prison. obtained by the Guardian, Mayur in Latur district, 500km south- dustries like beer and sugar,” ment. rangabad. “There is complete the lengthy, bureaucratic judicial Chitrabhanu, who spent 20 tells the researchers: “Imagine east of Mumbai in drought- said Parineeta Dandekar, asso- The Aurangabad bench of mismanagement of water re- process in India. It shows that years on death row, tried to make what it is like to be an innocent stricken Marathwada region. ciate co-ordinator at the South Bombay High Court, however, sources.” for those currently on death row, a noose from his handkerchief in and be here.” Leaders pay tribute Chandy should be given to Tagore via Twitter another term: Nitish IANS “Rabindranath Tagore, one New Delhi of India’s fi nest minds, was born this day in 1861. His words IANS Nitish Kumar criticised the “Today morning, I went and resonate even stronger today,” Kozhikode, Kerala Communist Party of India handed the photo identity vot- ocial networking site Twit- Yechury tweeted with a photo of (Marxist) for not joining the ing slip to Sathasivam and his ter yesterday saw several Tagore’s poem Where the mind ‘grand alliance’ in Bihar in last wife. When I handed over the Spolitical leaders, including is without fear. ihar Chief Minister and year’s assembly polls and also slip, I told him through this he Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Janata Dal (United) presi- attacked the wrong policies of has become a full Keralite,” said Congress vice president Rahul tweeted: “On 155th birth anni- Bdent Nitish Kumar yester- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Prabhakar. Gandhi and Marxist party leader versary of Rabindranath Tagore, day urged the people of Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party, which he “Enrolling in the electoral list Sitaram Yechuri pay tribute to the celebrated author of Gitan- to ensure that Oommen Chandy said were detrimental to a secu- done by an applicant by register- Nobel laureate Rabindranath jali, let us remember & pay him was given a second term as chief lar Kerala. ing online and that was what the Tagore on his 155th birth anni- our respectful tribute.” minister. Chandy had taken part in Nit- governor did. Once he did that, versary. Communications and In- “To take forward the develop- ish Kumar’s swearing in as chief the booth level offi cer and the “I bow to Gurudev Tagore on formation Technology Minis- ment agenda of Kerala, Chandy minister of Bihar last year. village offi cer did the verifi ca- his birth anniversary. He was a ter Ravi Shankar Prasad with a should get another term,” Nitish Meanwhile, Kerala Gover- tion and today I handed over the versatile personality whose pro- picture of Tagore tweeted: “My Kumar, who is in the state to take nor P Sathasivam and his wife slips,” said Prabhakar. found thoughts and writings con- tribute to the author of the In- part in his party’s campaign for are all set to cast their votes on Sathasivam and his wife will tinue to inspire,” Modi tweeted. dian National Anthem Shri Rab- assembly elections, told report- May 16 - a first for the southern cast their votes at a nearby “A man of letters, a thinker indranath Tagore Ji on his birth ers here. state. school in Vattiyorkavu assembly and a philosopher his immense anniversary.” His junior Rajya- The JD(U) is a minor constitu- Thiruvananthapuram District constituency. contribution to our cultural & vardhan Rathore also posted his ent of United Democratic Front Collector Biju Prabhakar said They will have to choose be- political life will always be re- tribute on twitter. (UDF) that Chandy’s Congress they have learnt from Raj Bhavan tween the three main contest- membered,” Gandhi posted. Among others who tweeted Party leads. records that this is the fi rst time ants, sitting Congress legislator “Remembering today Gu- were Minister for Urban De- In the outgoing Kerala assem- that a Kerala governor and his K Muraleedharan (son of late rudev Rabindranath Tagore on velopment and Parliamentary bly, the JD(U) has two legislators wife would cast their votes in an chief minister K Karunakaran), T his birth anniversary,” he added. Aff airs M Venkaiah Naidu and including M V Shreyams Kumar, election here. N Seema from the CPM and the Students of Rabindra Bharati University garland a bust of Nobel “We pay tribute to Gurudev Rab- Minister of State for Petroleum the son of state party chief M P Sathasivam is a former chief state BJP president Kummanem laureate Rabindranath Tagore to mark his 155th birth anniversary, indranath Tagore on his birth anni- and Natural Gas Dharmendra Veerendra Kumar. justice of the Supreme Court. Rajasekheran. in Kolkata yesterday. versary,” the Congress Party posted. Pradhan. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 25 INDIA No wedding tents for child marriages, suppliers vow

Reuters Samiti (Association) of Rajas- The tent dealers association Despite their efforts, and erected for guests to enjoy the ploitation, sexual violence, Save the Children charity in Ra- Jaipur than, which has more than 9,000 has stopped at least 80 child similar actions by thousands wedding feast. domestic abuse and death in jasthan. members, has been demanding marriages in Rajasthan in the of suppliers across the state, Worldwide, more than 700mn childbirth. Girls are also married early to see the birth certifi cates of the past two years, its president Ravi the practice is rampant, he women were married before South Asia is home to 42% of because of fears for their safety, uppliers of wedding tents brides and grooms it has been Jindal said. said. their 18th birthday, according to all child brides worldwide. In- he said. may not be the most ob- supplying. “We want to show people that In Rajasthan, a state famed for a 2014 Unicef report. dia alone accounts for one-third “It is not as though people are Svious allies in the battle to In India, the legal age of mar- this is wrong, that they should its palaces and forts, weddings While boys are also married of the global total, according to not aware of the law, that it is not prevent child marriage, but in riage for a woman is 18 and 21 not be doing this,” Jindal told the peak during the Akshaya Tritiya as children, girls are dispro- Unicef. permitted,” Sharma said. Rajasthan state they have come for a man. The charity Girls Not Thomson Reuters Foundation. festival in April and May, which portionately affected, it said. Child marriage is most com- “But they say it is their tradi- together to tackle some of the Brides estimates the rate of child “We complain to the police and is considered an auspicious pe- Early marriage makes it more mon in rural areas and among tion. So every little action helps, highest rates of early marriage in marriage to be as high as 65% in the village headman, get them to riod. likely that girls will drop out of the poor, where a girl is seen as be it from the police, from the the country. Rajasthan and almost 70% in Bi- intervene, so there is pressure on Colourful tents decorated school, and campaigners say it a fi nancial burden, said Sanjay government or tent suppliers,” The Tent Dealers Welfare har. them to not do it.” with fl owers and lights are often also increases the risks of ex- Sharma, general manager at the he said. Corruption has gone up in Tamil Nadu, says Rahul

IANS DMK government will imple- Madurai ment prohibition in the state, he cited the story of a girl of Theni district who lost her father due ongress vice president to alcoholism. Rahul Gandhi yesterday “Her mother also passed Ccriticised Tamil Nadu away soon after. Now this ninth Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for standard student is an orphan,” corruption and assured the peo- Gandhi said. ple of providing a clean govern- “Ironically the girl’s name is ment if the alliance of his party Sathya which means truth. And and the Dravida Munnetra Ka- this is the truth about Tamil zhagam came to power after the Nadu,” he remarked. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks at a rally of Aam Aadmi Party supporters in New Delhi yesterday. May 16 assembly election. Gandhi said the state has the Addressing an election rally highest percentage of landless in this temple town, around agricultural labourers and 90% 480km from Chennai, Gandhi of the Dalits in Tamil Nadu are said: “Corruption has gone up to landless. new heights in Tamil Nadu. New Meanwhile Prime Minister industries are not coming to the Narendra Modi who addressed state fearing corruption.” election rallies on Friday in He also said Tamil Nadu has Chennai and Hosur said Tamil Modi scared to arrest become backward in areas like Nadu was steeped in corruption, steel, petrochemicals and other adding his Bharatiya Janata Par- industries. ty was the alternative to the two The Congress leader said the Dravidian parties in the state. state does not need a chief min- “For the fi rst time in Tamil ister who stays behind the four Nadu elections, there is an alter- walls of her house and does not native in the form of BJP.” Sonia, says Kejriwal come out to see the fl ood-aff ect- He said the Tamil Nadu gov- ed parts of the state. ernment was corrupt but politi- AAP stages protest against ers along with leaders, includ- years? He can send CBI to raid brand of politics that encour- ing Ganges) barb in the Agus- “I could come from Delhi but cians were not ashamed. AgustaWestland chopper ing Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and my offi ce but not to Vadra’s of- ages him not to follow the law. taWestland scam, the opposi- the chief minister could not walk “The election this time is not scam Kumar Vishwas, protested at fi ce,” Kejriwal said. The government will follow the tion party cannot let him forget out of her house,” Gandhi said. about who will win but who will Jantar Mantar over the chopper The protesters later marched process of law and the guilty Goa’s River Mandovi. Gandhi said leaders like K Ka- save Tamil Nadu,” he remarked. IANS bribery scam. to the prime minister’s resi- will be punished but under the The Congress in Goa has now maraj, M G Ramachandran and Referring to the fl oods in New Delhi Kejriwal said though the scam dence at 7, Race Course Road law of the country, not Kejri- targeted Parrikar, saying he too K Karunanidhi listened to the Chennai in December, Modi said came to light two years ago the and Gandhi’s residence at 10, wal’s,” Singh said. washed his hands in Mandovi people, mingled with them and it was the BJP cadres who helped Modi government did not con- Janpath. Congress leader Manish Te- waters by failing to remove the understood them and were hum- the people at the time of the cri- elhi Chief Minister duct any investigation. During the protest march, wari said instead of pointing river casinos when he was the ble, but in contrast, Jayalalithaa sis. Arvind Kejriwal yes- “What has the central gov- hundreds of AAP supporters fi ngers at the Congress, Kejriwal state’s chief minister. is convinced that she need not Modi said he was the fi rst Dterday hit out at Prime ernment done in the last two were detained after they en- should look within. The Congress charge was led meet anybody and is of the view Indian prime minister to visit Minister Narendra Modi and years? Modiji promised to fi ght gaged in a scuffl e with police. “His own ministers and MLAs by party secretary Durgadas that there is nothing that any- Jaff na in Sri Lanka and added said the central government against corruption but he has The protesters were later re- are being charged with vari- Kamat, who yesterday said even body could tell her in the state. his government would wipe the was “scared” of taking action betrayed the nation by not tak- leased. ous off ences. So before making though the BJP came to power The Congress vice president tears of Sri Lankan Tamils. against Congress president So- ing any action against the Agus- Meanwhile, the Congress and these allegations, Kejriwal has in the state promising to rid the said the state does not need a According to him, 30,000 of nia Gandhi in the AgustaWest- taWestland scam accused,” the BJP took potshots at Kejriwal to answer for the omissions and river of the off shore casinos, it government that crushes dis- the 50,000 houses to be built land chopper scam. AAP chief said. after he alleged that there was a commissions of his own MLAs”, did nothing after assuming of- sent. with Indian assistance in Sri Addressing an Aam Aadmi He also slammed the central “deal” between the two parties Tewari said. fi ce in 2012. Coming down heavily on the Lanka had been handed over to Party (AAP) protest at Jantar government for not taking ac- over the AgustaWestland scam. The bribery charge in the Rather, Kamat alleged, per- All India Anna Dravida Munne- the Tamils there. Mantar over the scam, Kejriwal tion against Gandhi’s son-in- BJP spokesman Sidharth chopper deal has rocked missions for a new casino and tra Kazhagam government, Modi said the BJP-run cen- said: “Why is the central gov- law Robert Vadra whose land Nath Singh said Kejriwal’s poli- parliament, with the ruling a fl oating hotel run by a casino he said by giving freebies like tral government was two years ernment not arresting Sonia deals are under investigation. tics encouraged him not to fol- Bharatiya Janata Party and the operator were granted. fans and mixer-grinders worth old but there was no corruption Gandhi when she is involved in “During his election cam- low the law. opposition Congress trading Neither Parrikar when he was Rs5,000, the government has charge against it. the AgustaWestland scam - be- paign in 2014, Modi would often “Kejriwal himself became the charges. the Goa chief minister nor his taken away Rs60,000 from each He said his government auc- cause Modi does not have the talk about Vadra at his rallies. chief minister of Delhi for the z If Defence Minister Manohar successor Laxmikant Parsekar family through liquor sales. tioned spectrum and the money courage to arrest her.” But what action has he taken fi rst time with Congress’s sup- Parrikar targets the Congress kept their election promise, Ka- Asserting that a Congress- went to the government coff ers. Hundreds of AAP support- against Vadra in the last two port. Moreover, Kejriwal has a with the “Behti Ganga” (fl ow- mat said in a statement.

Woman linked to legislator Trams transformed in Goa rape case surrenders into art, culture hubs

IANS Turned into cafe-bou- Agencies drugging, sexual assault of a its palm-fringed beaches and Kolkata tiques, the adda trams will be Panaji minor and traffi cking,” a police night life. hang-out zones and the music offi cer involved in the investiga- Many end up being exploited trams will become the stage tion said. in brothels fronted by hotels, o celebrate the legacy for popular Kolkata-based woman accused in the The crime branch offi cer, who beauty salons, spas and bars or and romance of iconic bands. rape and human traf- did not wish to be named, said used in forced labour such as do- Ttrams, these unassum- The photo trams are for A ficking of a 16-year-old Monserrate, a former member of mestic work or in the hospitality ing electricity-driven trans- sharing tram related images girl involving a Goa legislator main opposition Congress Party, industry. port vehicles were yesterday and memories and watching surrendered to the police yes- has denied the charges and says Section 370, which was en- transformed into hubs of fi lm street artists make good use terday. conspiracy against him has been acted after the fatal gang-rape of screenings, theatre, music and of the vehicles as their can- Rosy Feroor has been accused hatched by his political oppo- a young woman on a New Delhi art to help revive them. vas. by the victim of selling her in nents. bus in December 2012, broadens Christened “Tram Tales,” With an approval of the March to independent legislator The girl, who is from St Cruz the defi nition of traffi cking to the two-day event which be- Calcutta Tramways Com- Atanasio Monserrate for Rs5mn - the constituency which Mon- include the buying or selling of a gan yesterday is the fi rst and pany (CTC) and support in connivance with the girl’s serrate represents - told police person as a slave and carries a jail largest site-specifi c interac- from a host of stakeholders mother. her mother sold her to work term of up to seven years. tive mixed media installation in multiple fields, the ‘Tram Monserrate and the victim’s for him, but that he kept her “Certainly this case is a test centred on tram carriages in a Tales’ team comprises Kheya mother were arrested on Thurs- confi ned, gave her drinks laced case because the person is a tram depot, according to the Chattopadhyay and Aditya day and later remanded in police with drugs and raped her several powerful politician. The inves- organisers. Sengupta, trained in theatre, custody. Feroor, who was miss- times. tigation should be very precise Carriages at the non-func- curation, performance and ing since the fi rst information India is home to more than and rely more on scientifi c and tional Gariahat Tram Depot filmmaking. report was lodged by the police 14 of the world’s 36mn victims circumstantial evidence,” said have been decked up on six The organisers hope the on Wednesday night, surren- of slavery, ranging from bonded Ravi Kant from Shakti Vahini, broad themes: fi lmy trams, the initiative can help prevent the dered yesterday. labour to prostitution, accord- a Delhi-based anti-traffi cking drama trams, the ‘adda’ tram, trams from fading away. The former Goa education ing to the 2014 Global Slavery charity. the music trams, the painted According to CTC, the fi rst minister may be one of the fi rst Index. “Protection to witnesses in tram and the photo trams. tram rolled out on the tracks Indian lawmakers to be charged Activists in Goa estimate this case will be a big challenge While the fi lmy trams will on February 24, 1873 and have under recently enacted human thousands of women and chil- for the prosecution. It has been become a mini cinema hall and witnessed both World Wars traffi cking legislation, the police dren from Nepal, Bangladesh, seen that in cases involving play 10 short fi lms on trams, and the Indian freedom strug- said. Thailand and from other Indian powerful people, the victim and the drama trams will play host gle and withstood the ravages “We have charged him with states are duped by traffi ckers other witnesses can turn hos- Rosy Feroor, the third accused in the rape and human traff icking of a to theatre groups showcasing of time to continue operations various off ences. These include into the coastal state, famed for tile.” teenaged girl, arrives at the Crime Branch off ice in Panaji yesterday. their performances. today. Gulf Times 26 Sunday, May 8, 2016 LATIN AMERICA Panama image hit by scandals AFP They and other analysts be- shops, hotels, a bank, media and been trying to emphasize that Carlos Varela last month also an- nomic growth of more than 6% “No need for it to talk, it just Panama City lieve that, far from putting the duty-free outlets. they are committed to “transpar- nounced that his government was annually in recent years - one of needs to show that the law exists, scandals behind it, Panama could Colombia arrested Waked Ha- ency” and stamping out illegal willing to adopt OECD standards the highest in the region. that it works, and that’s that,” he see them grow in the weeks and tum last week and said it would activity. on sharing tax information it had Nevertheless, Panama has said. anama’s reputation as a months ahead, subjecting the extradite him to the US, where he But there is little doubt that its long resisted. found it hard to shake a percep- Annette Planells, head of the world-class fi nancial hub Central American nation to fur- faces money laundering and bank fi nancial services sector - a nexus But last week he said Panama tion that it is a shady nest of illicit Independent Movement for Pis being torn apart from the ther international scrutiny and fraud charges. of banks and law fi rms catering to still needed “a little more time” transactions. Panama, an association fi ghting double scandals of the Panama spooking investors. Meanwhile, the Panama Pa- clients around the world - has to comply. “We can’t go on as if we are for better citizens’ rights, said: Papers and now the US desig- The US announcement this pers revelations about how many been hit hard, and will struggle The fi nancial scandals will privateers or pirates of the 18th “Panama needs to bear its share nating one of its most prominent week declaring members and as- of the world’s wealthy shoved as- to recover. hang heavy over the country as it century,” Bernal said. of the sacrifi ce to stop our insti- families as top money launderers sociates of the Wakeds, a promi- sets into off shore entities look set As a sign of its seriousness, fi nally inaugurates next month a The professor agreed that Pan- tutions being used for these ille- for drug cartels. nent family of Lebanese descent, to deepen. Panama has created a committee costly and behind-schedule ex- ama needed to bring in changes gal activities.” “This is like a magnitude-10 to be among “the world’s most A US-based journalists’ col- of international experts, headed pansion of the lucrative Panama to stop money laundering. “But Still, the experts said Panama’s earthquake for Panama’s eco- signifi cant drug money launder- lective that has been poring over by Joseph Stiglitz, an American Canal. the government can’t do it be- institutions were relatively weak nomic system and society, but ers and criminal facilitators” was the 11.5mn documents plundered economist who won the Nobel Varela has invited 70 heads of cause most of the people in it and often riddled with corrup- it shouldn’t be a surprise,” said a bad blow on top of the Panama from the servers of a secretive Prize in Economics in 2011, to state and government to the cer- have interests in these types of tion, and the much-criticized Miguel Antonio Bernal, a profes- Papers revelations that emerged Panamanian law fi rm is to release recommend further reforms to emony, which will see a Chinese operations,” he said. justice system has shown itself sor in constitutional law at the a month ago. many of them online tomorrow. the sector. super-freighter be the fi rst to Analysts said the scandals unwilling or unable to convict University of Panama. The US Treasury Depart- And US and European govern- In the last couple of years, it navigate through the bigger wa- could instead provide impetus senior offi cials or top business- “The country’s image has been ment froze the US assets of Nidal ments are stepping up measures has already cracked down on terway. for offi cials to ensure new re- men. damaged by these scandals,” said Ahmed Waked Hatum and Abdul against countries seen to be “ha- bearer shares and other instru- The canal, along with free eco- forms fall in line with interna- “Panama really needs to adapt Francisco Bustamante, who used Mohamed Waked Fares and those vens” for tax avoiders and mon- ments that helped obscure own- nomic zones, ports, tourism and tional transparency standards. to this new global reality, and we to work for the Inter-American of many of their businesses, ey-launderers. ership of companies. recognized logistics and banking “This is a golden opportunity can’t isolate ourselves,” Planells Development Bank. which span real estate, luxury Panama’s authorities have Panamanian President Juan sectors have underpinned eco- for Panama,” Bustamante said. said. Small funeral for Algae impact Honecker widow

AFP education minister under her husband, who Santiago ruled the country with an iron fi st from 1971 until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Nicknamed “The Purple Witch” for her small funeral was held in Chile yes- brightly dyed hair - which she allowed to go terday for Margot Honecker, the a more natural white later in life - she was Awidow of former East German leader a feared hardliner who overhauled the high Erich Honecker. school curriculum to include communist A steely politician in her own right, the doctrine and military training. 89-year-old died of cancer in the capital The Honeckers took refuge at the Chil- Santiago on Friday. ean embassy in Moscow after the fall of the About 30 people of her innermost circle communist regime to escape trial on charges accompanied Honecker’s coffi n yesterday of human rights violations and ordering the morning into a Santiago cemetery, where her killing of fugitives fl eeing to the West. remains were to be cremated. After lengthy negotiations, they were al- A wake, similarly discreet in refl ection of lowed to travel to Santiago because of Erich her life in the South American country, was Honecker’s poor health. He died in Chile in held on Friday in an exclusive neighbour- 1994 of liver cancer. hood in the capital. Margot Honecker, who kept a low profi le Chilean demonstrators block a road during a protest calling on the government to help ease the economic eff ects of a harmful algae bloom that Honecker was a prominent member of the in Chile, where she lived with her grandson, had aff ected their livelihoods at Chiloe island. East German communist party and served as defended her husband’s rule to the end.

Uber driver faces rape charges in Mexican court ‘Chapo’ moved driver for ride-hailing app Uber was detained Nicaragua elections in Mexico City after a female passenger ac- Acused him of raping her, a spokeswoman from the city’s prosecutor’s offi ce said on Friday. The passenger said she was raped earlier this to border jail month after being picked up by the Uber driver in set for November 6 the upmarket Condesa neighbourhood, said the spokeswoman, who declined to be identifi ed. AFP said, speaking on condition of ano- The driver was detained on Wednesday and AFP bent leader, who was elected in the polls will choose the post of Mexico City nymity. is now being held in a prison in Mexico City, the Managua 2006 and 2011 and previously vice president and the lawmak- Guzman, who was arrested last Janu- spokeswoman said. ruled from 1985 to 1990, is tipped ers in the 92-seat National As- ary and held in a maximum security “We take accusations like this very seriously to try to hold on to offi ce amid sembly. Their fi ve-year terms exican authorities unexpect- prison in Altiplano, 90km from the cap- and thus have deactivated the platform of the uthorities in Nicaragua on few apparent rivals. will begin in January 2017. edly transferred the drug lord ital Mexico City, arrived at the airport in driver,” Uber spokesman Luis de Uriarte, who is Friday set November 6 as In 2014, amid controversy, he The date chosen, November MJoaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Ciudad Juarez at dawn, heavily guarded based in Mexico, said in a statement. Athe date for presidential had a law passed that scrapped a 6, means Nicaragua’s elections to a prison in Ciudad Juarez on the US by some 150 federal police offi cers who He confi rmed that authorities had asked the and legislative elections widely previous limit of two consecutive will be taking place two days be- border yesterday morning, a source had arrived earlier in three planes. company for information about a driver and a expected to see leftist President fi ve-year terms for presidents. fore the US holds its presidential from the National Security Commis- A helicopter transferred Guzman journey made by that driver. Daniel Ortega vie for a third term. The legislation also gave him new election. sion told AFP. from the airport to a prison in the south The company’s Mexico City operation, its larg- Ortega’s Sandinista National powers. Ortega, a former rebel, has Guzman’s transfer, conducted under of the city. est in Latin America, has often been cited by Uber Liberation Front party, born out Nicaragua’s High Electoral positioned himself as an an- a large military security presence, was Although not classifi ed as a maxi- offi cials as an example of progress for the city’s of the 1970s rebel movement he Council has told the 17 registered ti-American leader, cultivat- determined “solely by security proto- mum security prison, it has a section decision to regulate the service. helped lead, has not yet offi cially parties in the country to present ing relationships with similarly cols as part of a rotation of prisoners” for highly dangerous prisoners that is The company has more than 39,000 drivers in declared its candidate. their candidates. minded leaders of Venezuela and that normally takes place, the offi cial “one of the safest,” the source said. Mexico and more than 1.2mn active users. But the 70-year-old incum- In addition to the president, Cuba. Scientists seek to unravel mystery of Zika twins

Reuters “I thank God for giving her to me... I Last month, the US Centre for Disease Sao Paulo would never abandon her,” Oliveira said, Control and Prevention offi cially con- adding she had never questioned why fi rmed that infection with Zika in preg- only one child was born with microceph- nant women is a cause of microcephaly cientists struggling to unravel the aly. “The doctors want to study them so and other severe brain abnormalities in mysteries of a Zika epidemic in Bra- they can see what protected Lucas in case babies. Szil hope they can learn from cases of it can help other children.” A team from Sao Paulo University women giving birth to twins in which only Cases of only one twin developing a studying the fi ve cases believes they may one child is affl icted by the microcephaly disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or hold clues to the nature of the disease it- birth defect associated with the virus. diabetes, have been widely documented. self and hope to have results from their Jaqueline Jessica Silva de Oliveira Medical research has focused on the in- investigation in a year’s time. hoped doctors were wrong when a rou- teraction between the environment and “The importance of these twins...is tine ultrasound showed that one of her genetic issues. that they could give us some very impor- unborn twins would be born with the Lucas and Laura are one of fi ve cases of tant answers,” said Mayana Zatz, director condition, marked by stunted head size Zika twins scientists are studying in Sao of the Human Genome Research Centre and developmental issues. Paulo. at the university. “When I found out one of them had Similar cases of newborn twins - one “How can we explain that one of the microcephaly, the ground fell out from with and one without microcephaly - twins was not aff ected: did they have a beneath me,” the 25-year-old said as she caught the attention of doctors last year in gene that protected them? Do they have sat on the sofa of her home in the city of northeastern Brazil, where the mosquito- a diff erent genome that disposes them to Santos. “You always hope that they will borne Zika was detected for the fi rst time the infection or not?” be born well, thinking that it could be in the Americas. The divergence in twins Recent studies have shown evidence of a mistake by the doctor or in the ultra- was one reason why researchers began to Zika in amniotic fl uid, placenta and fetal sound.” suspect the presence of a new disease. brain tissue. Zatz said the placenta of one Her son Lucas, who she holds in her Brazil has since registered nearly 5,000 twin may be permeable to Zika, while the arms, was born healthy in November. His confi rmed and suspected cases of micro- other may not, barring the virus from at- twin sister Laura, whose head is visibly cephaly associated with Zika, according tacking the fetus. much smaller, requires regular treatment to the Health Ministry. The outbreak, and Another possibility is that the virus by a team of neurologists and physiother- its impact on pregnant women, has cast a penetrates both placentas but that the apists in nearby Sao Paulo. shadow over the upcoming summer Ol- neurons of one baby are resistant, while With two young children already, Ol- ympics in Rio de Janeiro on August. the other’s are not. iveira - who suff ered the symptoms of The Zika outbreak is aff ecting large “The third possibility that we want to Zika early in pregnancy - knew that life parts of Latin America and the Carib- investigate is that certain genes predis- would be diffi cult with a child with de- bean, with Brazil the hardest hit so far. It pose the child to microcephaly, and they velopmental problems. Her husband, the is likely to spread to all countries in the are altered by the presence of the Zika vi- family’s only breadwinner, brings home Americas except for Canada and Chile, rus,” Zatz said, noting that around 15 genes Five-month-old twins Laura (left) and Lucas lie in their bed at their house in Santos, Sao Paulo state. just over 2,000 reais ($566) a month. the World Health Organization has said. are believed to govern microcephaly. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 27 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Thalassemia Day Pakistani is picked for global energy body

Internews For instance, organising Lahore road shows to attract poten- tial investors outside Pakistan for energy projects is a job akistan’s intelligentsia for competent and experi- continue to make their enced bankers not government Pmark globally - recently agents,” Haq said. 32-year-old Muhamad An- “I managed to bring two warul Haq was selected by the American companies to Pa- World Energy Council (WEC) kistan to get licences for solar to participate in its prestigious parks, however, to date they ‘Future Energy Leaders’ pro- have not got permission from gramme. the government to start the WEC, a United Nations’ ac- projects as the government has credited global body, picked abruptly changed its stance on the Lahore-based energy risk solar plants,” he said. professional to become part of “This is the prime example a programme for which indi- why international investors viduals from over 90 countries are hesitant to invest in Paki- Pakistani children suff ering from Thalassemia light earthen lamps, before World Thalassemia Day in Karachi. would be selected for an aver- stan, despite the fact that the age of three years. Pakistani energy market is one A graduate of the University of the most attractive markets of Engineering and Technol- in the world.” ogy Lahore, Haq has global Haq also shared his reserva- working experience of over tions about the government’s eight years serving for organi- promise to end the energy cri- sations like Schlumberger and sis till 2018. World Bank - showing his ex- “The demand currently is pertise in energy modelling, suppressed, but the time you technology rollout, strategy start providing electricity consulting, project fi nance and round the clock and that too Tribal councils in the risk management. at reasonable tariff , the de- Haq said he would try to mand will grow exponentially. connect Pakistan with this fo- The government is predicting rum so the country could move 8% annual growth, whereas it forward and adopt best global could reach up to 15%,” he said. practices in its crumbling en- The government of Pa- ergy sector. kistan has achieved its target of “I will make an eff ort to increasing electricity produc- spotlight after killing open a chapter for Pakistan tion from gas-based plants and at the WEC in order to con- reduced reliance on oil-based The young girl’s killing has sparked Riasat said Ambreen had no link to nect the country’s key energy power with the start of lique- fury across the country Saima, the young woman who had eloped stakeholders so they may un- fi ed natural gas (LNG) imports. with another man from Makol. derstand global energy prac- However, despite switching Reuters “If they had to kill someone, why didn’t tices and have an access to the from oil to gas, it has missed Makol, Pakistan they kill (Saima)? Why my daughter?” he latest global information, data a key objective of producing asked, welling up with anger. and expertise.” cheaper electricity. As part of The police have arrested 13 of 15 mem- For Haq, Pakistan currently a plan, the government wanted hock across Pakistan at the mur- bers of the alleged jirga, and paraded them is disconnected with the world to reduce power production der of a 16-year-old girl accused of blindfolded and shackled before the me- in terms of latest technologies through oil due to its high cost, Shelping a young couple run away dia. They also arrested Ambreen’s mother, and innovations in the energy but it failed to import gas at and elope has turned to anger over the role saying she was connected to the jirga. sector. In addition to this, in- comparatively lower prices. played by a “jirga”, or tribal council, which “How can a mother hurt her daughter? consistent and overnight shift According to the National police say ordered the punishment. Children run past vans where Ambreen was killed outside Abbottabad. Right: Shehreen, It’s a lie,” Riasat shouted before the elders, in energy policies has irked Electric Power Regulatory Jirgas are often convened, particularly aunt of Ambreen Riasat, and another relative are pictured in their home in the village who gathered after Friday prayers to discuss international investors, which Authority (Nepra), the cost of in conservative rural areas, to settle local of Makol. the community’s response to the killing. impeded capital infl ow and power generation through gas disputes especially between poor families, Many Pakistanis are calling again for the technology. stood at Rs5.86 per kilowatt- and although they operate outside the law, Pakistani justice are even close to the cen- known history of such abuses, and was so passage of an anti-”honour killing” law, “If Pakistan connects with hour (kWh) compared to the their decisions are often honoured and ig- tre of government. close to the leafy, sophisticated capital, which closes a loophole that allows fam- international forums, then in- cost of Rs5.13 per kWh for nored by authorities. Tribal councils, called jirgas in ethnic has added to the sense of revulsion. ily members to forgive the killers of their fl ow of capital, expertise and oil-based electricity in March In the case of Ambreen Riasat, who was Pashtun areas and “panchayat” across Most Pakistani newspapers reported daughter. Men are seldom convicted for policymaking might get bet- 2016. drugged, killed and burned by a group of Punjab and elsewhere, can act to fi ll that Ambreen’s death on their front pages, and their role in such murders. ter in coming years and this The regulator said power men in a so-called “honour killing” in vacuum, and their decisions are usually prime minister Nawaz Sharif called for her Sharif has promised to speed up the could help the country meet its generation from gas-based the village of Makol, just 50km from the without controversy. killers to be swiftly prosecuted. passage of the proposed law after Paki- growing energy demand,” Haq plants touched 2,231.05 giga- capital Islamabad, the mayor questioned But events in Makol just over a week ago “Such a barbaric act is not only un-Is- stani director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said. watt-hours, beating the pro- whether the jirga was even genuine. have highlighted the risks they pose. lamic but also inhuman,” he said. “It is not won an Oscar in 2016 for a documentary During his one-year em- duction from oil-based plants “This barbarity has never happened Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the honour killing, its just plain murder.” fi lm about “honour killings”, but the law is ployment with the Punjab at 1,992.02 gigawatt-hours in before,” Makol mayor Zardad Khan told opposition PPP party and son of Pakistan’s Ambreen’s father called for the culprits being opposed by religious parties in par- government as chief strategy the month. Reuters. only female prime minister, the late Bena- to suff er the same gruesome fate as her. liament. offi cer of the Quaid-e-Azam In the last about one year Other residents confi rmed the village zir Bhutto, called for a “revolt” against the “We want the culprits to be burned alive Obaid-Chinoy told Reuters the intense solar park, Haq discovered that (March 2015 to March 2016), of around 5,000 people had no history of jirga system after Ambreen’s death. at the local chowk [village square],” Riasat, media coverage of Ambreen’s murder the government had involved the cost of power production “honour killings”, and said in other elope- Rights groups say men who run jir- a 52-year-old labourer, told a gathering “shows that the country is thinking about itself excessively in business with the help of gas surged ment cases the punishments meted out gas often barter women and hand down of about 100 village elders held in a local honour killings and realising that it is a and was trying to complete 28% compared to a signifi cant were relatively minor. punishments that have included rape and mosque. stain on our society”. projects via bureaucracy. drop of 47% in the cost of pro- “Everyone in the village is just confused forced marriage of young girls. Initial reports said that Ambreen was In Ambreen’s modest mud-and-bricks “There is competency issue duction from oil (residual fuel and stunned,” said Sardar Naseer Ahmed, More than 500 people are killed in Pa- burned alive, but police now believe she home, her aunt Shehreen struggled to with the government which oil or RFO). 33, a businessman. “There is a sort of fear kistan each year in so-called “honour kill- was drugged and suff ocated before her comprehend the murder. tends to execute projects “The cost of gas-based that I have never seen before.” ings”, usually carried out by members of the body was placed in a van and set alight. She described her niece as a “quiet girl”, through bureaucracy without power production has shot up Whoever made up the group that or- victim’s family meting out punishment for The murder took place on April 29, but as she showed shoes, school books and realising market dynamics and due to availability of the fuel dered Ambreen’s death, the case has un- bringing “shame” on the community. has only come to light after investigators colourful clothes now stored away in a requirements; they don’t know at higher prices,” commented derlined how weak the tentacles of formal The fact that the area of Makol had no pieced together what happened. small trunk. how to close a project. Mubashir Jalal of Nepra.

Video shows Bridal couture Afghan woman’s Deer hunters likely to ‘Taliban execution’ A video has emerged showing the evade imprisonment public killing of a woman after her alleged conviction by an informal Taliban court of killing her husband. Internews to pay around Rs750,000 in fi nes,” said The video was shot in Jowzjan Islamabad SWD’s Ashfaq Memon, who is a com- Province a month or two ago, off icials plainant in the FIR. say, and has just surfaced on social The Sindh wildlife protection law media. A crowd listens as the verdict hree legislators booked for kill- allows a game offi cer to charge com- is given before the woman, sitting on ing endangered deer in Thar- pensation and value of property - the the ground in a burqa, is shot in the Tparkar area of Pakistan are likely estimated price of the animal - from an back of the head. The Taliban have to escape punishment after paying accused to settle the case. The offi cer is not commented. Similar killings in the hefty fi nes. Sindh Wildlife Department empowered to quash the FIR. However, past were widely condemned. (SWD) offi cials claim that Pakistan Peo- if convicted, the accused can face up to The Taliban used to publicly execute ples Party (PPP) MNA from Tharparkar, 12 months imprisonment. women - usually over adultery - in Fakiq Sher Muhammad Bilalani, who Although Memon did not confi rm the main stadium in the capital hosted the hunt, has conveyed that they that Bilalani has agreed on such a set- Kabul when they were in power in will pay a fi ne to avoid litigation. tlement, an SWD offi cial confi rmed Afghanistan in the 1990s. Bilalani, PPP’s MNA from Nawab- they are under pressure from Sindh Last year, a young woman was stoned shah, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, and MPA government high-ups to resolve the is- to death in Ghor province in central from Kambar Shahdadkot, Sardar sue with a fi ne and not bring the law- Afghanistan after being accused of Ghaibi Khan Chandio, are among seven makers into “disrepute”. adultery. In August 2011, a woman persons named in the FIR for killing fi ve According to Memon, the estimated and a man she had eloped with were deer. Photographs with their ‘game’, population of deer in Tharparkar is stoned to death in the district of which were reportedly uploaded on Fa- anywhere from 700 to 1,000. But a local Dashte Archi in Kunduz province. cebook by Bilalani’s son, went viral on wildlife and rights activist, Bharumal A Taliban spokesman defended the social media and caused uproar. They Amrani, said no wildlife survey has been 2011 incident at the time saying: have since been removed. carried out for a long time to determine “Anyone who knows about Islam The SWD initially appeared reluc- the estimated population of deer. knows that stoning is is allowed tant to pursue the case but, according He said infl uential people frequently under religious law. to game warden Shaukat Hingorjo, hunt animals but rarely a case comes “There are people who call it inhuman the FIR was registered on the order of to the surface. “The game wardens are - but in doing so they insult the wildlife deputy director Sarwar Jamali appointed on a political basis. How can religion. They want to bring foreign two days after the incident. we expect them to work independent- Creations by designer Yasmin Zaman on the first day of Bridal Couture Week- Gold Edition in Karachi on Friday. thinking to this country.” Mob killings “If the accused agree, they will have ly?” he asked. -Internews are not uncommon in Afghanistan. Gulf Times 28 Sunday, May 8, 2016 PHILIPPINES

Presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte speaks to supporters during an election campaign rally ahead of the presidential and vice presidential elections in Manila yesterday. Right: Supporters of presidential candidate Duterte cheer during an election campaign rally in Manila. Rivals warn of perilous Duterte presidency in campaign fi nale

Reuters Manila

hilippine presidential hopefuls held mass rallies Pyesterday in a festival-like fi nale to a divisive campaign and called on voters to block fi re- brand frontrunner Rodrigo Du- terte’s path to the presidency. Pop stars, celebrities and scantily clad dancers enter- tained big crowds across Manila, two days from an election shak- en up by a last-gasp appeal from President Benigno Aquino for a united front to stop Duterte con- verting his runaway popularity into victory. Philippine politics is no stranger to controversial charac- ters and opponents of the mav- erick mayor are alarmed by his incendiary rhetoric and advo- cacy of extrajudicial killings as a deterrent against rampant crime and illegal drugs. But there were no signs of Aquino’s appeal working after two candidates rejected a pact. Some experts said it could back- fi re on Aquino’s chosen succes- sor, Manuel Roxas, who warned the country was headed towards Presidential candidate and Vice President Jejomar Binay (centre), boxing champion and senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao (second left), a Duterte dictatorship. senatorial candidate Rey Langit (left) and vice presidential candidate Senator Gregorio Honasan (second right) and senatorial candidate Jacel Presidential candidate Mar Roxas of the Liberal Party gestures during “They will destroy everything Kiram wave to supporters during Binay’s Miting De Avance in Manila yesterday. a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Manila. that we have done, everything that has been achieved and we “I can’t do it alone. I need all Poe, with Roxas a close third. eliminate crime in six months. not perfect, but we need leaders governments, given the robust chord and some experts have will not let it happen,” Roxas told of you,” he said. Duterte, 71, is the alternative “I’m staking my life and hon- with compassion.” performance of the Philippine suggested some voters who were a crowd of some 30,000 people. Duterte, the long-time may- candidate, often likened to Don- our on this presidency. I will do Experts say Duterte’s recent economy under Aquino. How- expected to back Roxas might “We won’t give up this fi ght. or of Davao City, campaigns ald Trump and considered both it,” he said of his war on crime. surge and Poe’s popularity as the ever, criticism by opponents that instead get behind Poe, setting This is the good fi ght, the fi ght with a logo of a clenched fi st an entertainer and a loose can- Poe took a swipe at him and adopted daughter of a famous the economic improvement has the stage for a bitter, two-way for our lives.” and has repeatedly vowed to non. Police estimated his rally said the country could not be led movie star represents public dis- not translated into jobs or better fi ght with Duterte. At the same rally, outgoing shoot dead criminals who put yesterday drew an estimated by an “executioner”. enchantment with Aquino’s ad- livelihoods for millions of poor “This is a highly divisive elec- leader Aquino made a fi nal ap- up violent resistance. In fi nal 300,000 supporters, far eclips- “Are we going to choose a cor- ministration. appears to be resonating. tion, an election that’s very peal for voters to come out and opinion polling he had a sizable ing the crowds of his rivals. rupt and insensitive man who That sentiment has perplexed Poe’s pro-investment, anti- emotional. A lot is at stake,” po- stop Duterte. 11-point lead over Senator Grace He reiterated his promise to kills?” she told supporters. “I’m investors and some Western poverty platform is striking a litical analyst Aries Arugay said. Mayor candidate shot Marcos confi dent of victory dead in poll violence in race for vice president AFP popular holiday destinations, two supporters of Manila the local mayor were stabbed to death at a cam- Manila Times groups such as the Pasang Masda, Fejodap, paign sortie late on Thursday, police said. Manila Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pili- The two men were part of a motorbike convoy pinas (LTOP), UV Express likewise endorsed candidate for mayor in the southern Phil- in support of Puerto Princesa city mayor Lucilo his candidacy. ippines was shot dead yesterday, police Bayron, who is stumping to retain his seat, police ith more endorsements coming in Several infl uential political families have Asaid, bringing to at least 15 the number of investigator Earl Torres said yesterday. from religious organisations, po- openly come out to endorse Marcos’ candi- people killed in violence related to national elec- The attackers were not identifi ed, though the Wlitical parties and other infl uential dacy, among them the Ynareses of Rizal, Es- tions. Bayron camp blamed supporters of his rival. political families, Senator Ferdinand “Bong- tradas of Manila, Gomez of San Juan, Agui- The Philippines has a long tradition of politi- There had been 14 deaths in 26 “validated bong” Marcos Jr sees a clear victory tomor- lar-Villars of Las Pinas, Eusebios of Pasig, cal violence — fuelled by lax gun laws, politicians election-related incidents” of violence between row. Cojuangcos of Pangasinan, Dys of Isabela, with private armies and corrupt law enforcement January 10 and May 5, national police said in a Marcos made the statement at the Seda Singsons of Ilocos Sur, Remullas of Cavite, agencies — and dozens of people are killed each statement. Hotel in Davao City, after capping a whirl- Ortegas of La Union, Teveses of Bacolod and election campaign. It was not clear whether the Puerto Princesa wind of activities that covered Luzon, Visa- Yaps of Tarlac. In the latest incident, unknown gunmen broke deaths were included in the list. yas and Mindanao in just one day. Political rivals are likewise fi nding com- into the home of politician Armando Ceballos in In the country’s deadliest single incident of Running on an advocacy of unity, Marcos Vice-presidential candidate senator Ferdinand mon ground with their endorsement of Mar- a mountainous town in the southern Philippines political violence on record, 58 people were mas- is the only candidate who visited the Luzon, “Bongbong” Marcos is greeted by his supporters cos. Among the political rivals who have ex- at dawn yesterday and shot him dead, a provin- sacred in 2009 as gunmen allegedly belonging to Visayas and Mindanao areas in just one day. during a campaign rally before the national pressed their support behind the candidacy cial police spokesman said. a local warlord in the southern Philippines at- The senator started his day with a mam- elections in Trabajao market, Metro Manila.. of Marcos were those in Abra, Pangasinan, “The killers wore bonnets... as of now we are tacked a group of people to stop a rival fi ling his moth campaign rally in Bacoor, Cavite before Ormoc City in Leyte, La Union, Cavite, Rizal, treating this as an election-related case,” the election candidacy. proceeding to Tacloban City for a show of cos said. The Iglesia ni Cristo had earlier for- Davao, Tarlac as well as several Mindanao spokesman, Chief Superintendent Surki Serenas Thirty-two of the victims were journalists cov- force with over 10,000 supporters. He then mally announced its support for Marcos and kingpins. said by telephone. ering the contest, making the attack the deadliest fl ew to Davao City to meet multi-sectoral reports said even the Jesus is Lord Movement Party-list organisations such as the Ceballos was one of two candidates standing ever recorded against media professionals. leaders. had thrown its support behind him. Guardians Brotherhood, Abakada, OFW CIS, for mayor of Lantapan, a remote town about 840 Twenty-eight members of the Ampatuan clan Marcos said that with the kind of support Marcos was also endorsed by various po- Puwersa ng Partidong Atleta (PBA), Partido kilometres south of Manila. His opponent is the accused of orchestrating the killings are on trial he has been getting nationwide, he can see litical groups such as the Lakas-Christian Bayan ang Bida (PBB) and a host of other incumbent vice mayor. for the massacre, but one of them is running for victory in the polls on May 9. Muslim Democrats, National Unity Party retired generals, coconut farmers and sugar In the far southwestern island of Puerto Princ- mayor in the family’s home territory after the “I am elated by the recent endorsement of (NUP) and the United Bohol Opposition, barons have cut across political barriers to esa, gateway to some of the Philippines’ most trial court allowed him to post bail. El Shaddai and other religious groups,” Mar- among many others. Various transport support the Ilocano senator.

Gulf Times 30 Sunday, May 8, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran Espionage and racial

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] profi ling in the US Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Although theft of trade prosecutors had an average conviction applied for research funding from immense damage to those accused. Fax 44350474 secrets by foreign countries rate of about 91% for all criminal Chinese agencies to help their startup. By publicising these cases before they cases. The jury rejected the prosecutors’ can prove them, prosecutors destroy certainly occurs, the US In federal white-collar cases, argument and concluded that this was reputations. government has focused the conviction rate was more than just normal business activity. In October 2014, Sherry Chen, a 90%. But of the 39 trade secret and One recurring issue in Chinese trade 60-year-old Chinese-American water overwhelmingly on China economic espionage cases involving secret cases is that local US attorneys, scientist, was arrested by FBI agents China since 1997, federal prosecutors many of whom know little about the at a National Weather Service offi ce in GULF TIMES won convictions in only 66.7% of major role that state institutions play Ohio. Chen, who had been a US citizen By George Koo and Daniel Olmos Los Angeles Times/TNS cases. In contrast, for cases involving in the Chinese economy, misinterpret for more than 15 years, was accused other countries, prosecutors had a normal contacts with government of downloading data on US dams and conviction rate much closer to its banks or research institutes as passing it to a Chinese government n recent years, federal prosecutors other cases - about 87%. evidence of spying. offi cial. The charges against her Transatlantic trade in the United States have brought Under pressure to stop Chinese To many observers, the carried 25 years in prison and a $1mn a number of high-profi le criminal spying, prosecutors seem to fi le government’s unjustifi ed suspicion of fi ne. Prosecutors dropped the charges Icases against Asian-Americans espionage-related charges without Asian-Americans became apparent against Chen shortly before her trial accused of economic espionage or fully understanding the facts. in 1999, when Wen Ho Lee, a was set to start because they realised agreement talks run theft of trade secrets. Taiwanese American nuclear physicist they had misinterpreted the evidence, Announced with great fanfare, employed at the Los Alamos National but that did not undo damage to her many of these cases later collapsed. There is growing Laboratory, was accused of sharing good name. into rough weather Is it possible that these prosecutions evidence that nuclear secrets with China. Undeterred by the collapse of its were driven - at least in part - by racial Lee, who was included on a shortlist case, the government says it still profi ling rather than solid evidence? prejudice may aff ect of suspects because of his frequent intends to bar Chen from her job, a Last year, more than 40 members trips to Asia and his access to classifi ed decision she is fi ghting. The proposed trade agreement between the European of Congress sent a letter to attorney the sentencing information - and, critics claim, his There is also growing evidence that Union and the United States - the Transatlantic Trade general Loretta Lynch asking that ethnicity - consistently denied he had prejudice may aff ect the sentencing and Investment Partnership (TTIP) - has run into rough question. process for those given sensitive information to China. process for those found guilty of trade The US Justice Department has The case fell apart, and seven secret theft. weather after France has threatened to block the deal. not yet responded, but last month found guilty of trade years later, Lee won a civil judgment An analysis of cases over the French offi cials said negotiations between the US and it adopted a new policy requiring secret theft against the prosecutors and media last two decades shows that, for EU are “likely to stop” amid “signifi cant disagreements” experienced national security organisations that had tarnished his individuals convicted of trade secret between the two sides over the free-trade agreement. prosecutors in Washington, instead reputation. theft, the average sentence for people of local US attorneys, to oversee all Last May, Xiaoxing Xi, former In case after case, the government’s with Chinese surnames is more than President Hollande has said he will “never accept” the espionage-related cases. head of the physics department at allegations of improper motives - twice that for those with non-Chinese deal in its current form because of the rules it enforces It’s of course too early to know Temple University, was arrested by FBI perhaps fed by suspicions of China - surnames. This translates to an on France and the rest of Europe - particularly in whether this change will reduce the agents, who burst into his suburban have failed to withstand scrutiny. average of an extra 17 months in prison number of problematic cases brought Philadelphia home with guns drawn. In 2014, a jury found former Texas for Chinese-Americans. relation to farming and culture, claiming they are “too against Asian-Americans. Xi was handcuff ed in front of his Instruments engineer Ellen Chen The strength of the US economy friendly” to US businesses. Although theft of trade secrets family and charged with sharing Yeh not guilty of all charges in a trade is based largely on innovation and The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership by foreign countries certainly schematics for a piece of “secret” secret case. competition. was expected to be concluded by end-2014, but now occurs, the government has focused laboratory equipment, which it Yeh, who had left Texas Instruments A more careful approach to these overwhelmingly on China. later turned out was not secret at to work at a company in China, was prosecutions can protect the rights of economists say it could still take several years to Of the 55 trade secret and economic all. Four months later, prosecutors accused of wrongfully downloading Asian-Americans, minimise wrongful negotiate. espionage cases involving a foreign dropped the case, saying “additional computer chip designs and taking them prosecutions and help ensure an TTIP is primarily a deal to cut tariff s and regulatory country brought since 1997, more information came to the attention of to China with the intent to steal them. economic environment that continues barriers to trade between the US and EU countries, than 70% targeted China. The the government”. Yeh explained that she kept the to foster innovation. government, however, seems to have In the very fi rst economic espionage designs - which she had developed making it potentially easier for companies on both sides a hard time bringing these cases to a case to go to trial, in San Jose in 2009, herself - because she hoped to resume zGeorge Koo is a global business of the Atlantic to access each other’s markets. successful conclusion, suggesting that prosecutors accused two Chinese- working with Texas Instruments adviser. Daniel Olmos is a criminal Industries it would aff ect include sectors such such disproportionate attention is American engineers of seeking to someday. The jury believed her. defence attorney who has successfully as pharmaceuticals, automotive, energy, fi nance, misplaced. “benefi t” the Chinese government, The way prosecutors bring China- defended several trade secret cases at chemicals, clothing and food and drink. From 1997 to 2015, federal simply because the engineers had related trade secret cases causes trial. All 28 EU member states and the European parliament would have to ratify TTIP before it comes into force, after 13 rounds of If approved by negotiations spread over nearly three years. the US and EU, If approved by the US and EU politicians, TTIP would TTIP would be the be the biggest biggest agreement of its kind, covering around a deal of its kind, quarter of global trade. covering around However, TTIP has drawn increasing a quarter of scrutiny for the reported secrecy involved in its global trade negotiation, as well as the way in which governments and companies might settle disputes under the terms of the deal. Recently, Hollande was quoted as saying at a meeting of left-wing politicians in Paris: “We will never accept questioning essential principles for our agriculture, our culture and for the reciprocity of access to public procurement markets.” The ongoing talks to clinch the deal by the year- end received another setback after the contents of the proposed partnership were leaked and published by non-governmental environmental organisation From the front lines of climate change Greenpeace a few days ago. Critics argue the negotiations have been thrown into By Loren Legarda and The Paris agreement off ers the implemented, average global committed to introducing carbon- further doubt now that the public has actually gotten to world its best hope of slowing and temperatures would still rise by the pricing mechanisms across 43 markets see what is being proposed by both sides. Marcela Guerrero Manila/San Jose ultimately stopping changes to our end of the century to 2.7 degrees within 10 years. They complain that the contents were kept completely climate. Left unchecked, global Celsius above pre-industrial levels. We have also pledged to improve secret from both ordinary Europeans and Americans, warming will threaten the health That is considerably beyond the fi nancial accounting, so that the costs n April 22, dignitaries and safety of our people, damage the already dangerous ceiling of two of climate change and the benefi ts of yet were easily accessible to giant corporations. representing no fewer than ecosystems on which we all depend, degrees set in Copenhagen in 2009 climate action are incorporated into That said, both President Barrack Obama and Prime 175 parties signed the global and – through rising sea levels – put and included in the Paris agreement. economic policymaking. Costa Rica Minister David Cameron insist that TTIP is good for the Oclimate change agreement the very existence of some countries New research, from Climate has just approved a law promoting bilateral trade between the United States and the UK. concluded in Paris in December, in jeopardy. Interactive and MIT Sloan, suggests electric trains, and legislators are The bi-lateral deal, according to the UK government, setting a record for the adoption of that temperatures could rise even debating a bill to provide incentives an international accord. The show The Paris agreement higher – by 3.5 degrees Celsius. The for electric vehicles and buses. could add as much as £10bn annually to the UK of support is heartening. It provides Climate Vulnerable Forum has long Such initiatives are more commonly economy in the long term. It also said the deal could add hope that the momentum that led to off ers the world its argued that even two degrees of associated with advanced economies £100bn for the EU and £80bn for the US. the breakthrough deal in December warming risks creating unbearable than with developing countries. And remains undiminished. best hope of slowing conditions for some countries. That the rich world does have a moral Obama has said completing TTIP with the European But securing an agreement in Paris is why it has fought to limit the rise obligation to move fi rst and faster Union is a priority for his country while Cameron was just the fi rst step on a long road and ultimately in temperature to 1.5 degrees – an – with policies, technologies, and maintains that a trade deal between the EU and US is towards protecting the global climate stopping changes to ambition that was included, thanks fi nance – to reduce the emissions that not dead despite France threatening to veto the proposal and the world’s most vulnerable to the forum’s eff orts, in the Paris cause global warming. But we also countries. The signing ceremony was agreement. recognise that developing countries in its current form. the second. Next comes the ratifi cation our climate That seemingly small diff erence have a responsibility to act and that process; 55 countries, representing at matters. As the latest research doing so can generate immense least 55% of global emissions, will need And yet, if the battle against shows, it would have a dramatic economic, social, and public health to ratify the agreement to enable it to climate change is to be won, and measurable impact on extreme advantages for their citizens. To Advertise enter into force. the Paris agreement will not be weather events, water availability, We cannot succeed on our own; The good news is that the process suffi cient. The voluntary emission- crop yields, coral-reef degradation this much is certain. The Climate [email protected] is already underway. In February, Fiji reduction commitments contained and sea-level rise. And it will be Vulnerable Forum represents a tiny Display became the fi rst nation to ratify the in the so-called Intended Nationally the most vulnerable people – rural share of global emissions. We need the Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 treaty, followed by three other small Determined Contributions (INDCs), women, the sick, the old and the very industrialised countries and the giants island states. All four are members submitted by 187 countries by the young – who are most at risk. For the of the developing world to redouble Classified of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a end of the talks, will not be enough world’s most vulnerable countries, their eff orts to reduce their emissions, Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 group of 43 countries – including to prevent dangerous climate change. limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 so that global warming can be limited Costa Rica and the Philippines, which And for those countries that are most degrees is not just an aspiration; it is a to 1.5 degrees. Only then can disaster Subscription we represent – on the front lines of vulnerable to the harmful eff ects of matter of survival. be averted. - Project Syndicate [email protected] climate change. Members of the forum global warming, far more needs to be The goal is an ambitious one. But fought tirelessly for an agreement done if catastrophic eff ects are to be vulnerable developing countries are zLoren Legarda is a member of the in Paris, and we will do everything avoided. committed to helping achieve it. Senate of the Philippines. Marcela 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved within our power to speed up its entry Early calculations have suggested The V-20 group of fi nance ministers Guerrero is a Congresswoman from into force. that if all of the INDCs were fully of vulnerable nations recently Costa Rica. Gulf Times Sunday, May 8, 2016 31 COMMENT Back to Hollywood’s golden age More than 25,000 fans from as far afi eld as Australia and Japan hit Hollywood recently for the TCM Classic Film Festival

By Frankie Taggart Los Angeles

inema from Hollywood’s golden age is enjoying a revival with the emergence Cof retro video streaming and a burgeoning festival scene belying the old joke that nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. More than 25,000 fans from as far afi eld as Australia and Japan hit Hollywood recently for the TCM Classic Film Festival, run by cable network Turner Classic Movies for a seventh year. The smaller but more established LA-based American Cinematheque is hosting a three-day festival of the work of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Cinecon, which has drawn afi cionados photochemically and digitally restored. to Tinseltown for more than 1,500 screenings over half a century, returns wardrobe to boot,” classic fi lm analyst “In a nutshell, classic fi lms are subscription is required. in September with a schedule of Kristen Lopez says. timeless and every age group can enjoy But it will have to compete in an Dustin Hoff man: TCM Classic Film Festival recently featured more than 80 “rare, unusual and unjustly forgotten The TCM event draws 80% of its them without fi nding a dated quality,” already crowded market when it screenings, with highlights including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, All The movies”. audience from outside California, with said Lopez, 27, an associate editor of launches in the fall, as one TV network President’s Men, starring Hoff man, and It’s a Wonderful Life. Meanwhile LA-based American the top $1,649 all-access four-day ClassicFlix, an online pre-1970 fi lm after another pushes out over-the-top Cinematheque is hosting a three-day passes selling out this year within 14 rental service. extensions. “It’s tailor-made for the diehard when theaters across the world were festival of Laurel and Hardy’s work, minutes of going online, organisers said. Viewers no longer have to stump Viewers can already access a variety movie enthusiast who craves a dropping celluloid in favor of new photochemically and digitally restored The festival featured more than 80 up for expensive fi lm festival tickets, of niche content through “Tribeca deep, intimate experience with technologies. from the original 35mm fi lm. screenings, with highlights including however, with video-on-demand Shortlist”, a streaming service independent, foreign and arthouse “I do cherish the styles and The opening night programme One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, (VOD) services repackaging an nicknamed “Netfl ix for indie” which fi lms,” he said. aesthetics of studio-era Hollywood includes a screening of The Battle All The President’s Men and It’s a ever-growing library of cultural boasts that its small selection of fi lms It’s not just a hankering for old and fi nd it fascinating to immerse of The Century (1927), featuring the Wonderful Life. touchstones for new generations. are hand-picked by industry insiders. movies that is defi ning nostalgia in myself in the look and feel of another largest pie fi ght ever fi lmed, footage of A star-studded guest list of dozens Turner, which owns TCM, last Meanwhile Lifetime Movie Club, the fi lm industry, which has recently time,” said 25-year-old Nora Fiore, which went missing for 60 years. of Hollywood actors and fi lmmakers week announced a subscription VOD Fear Factory and Sundance Doc Club, scored successes with a series of new who runs the “Nitrate Diva” classic Further afi eld, showcases like the included Alec Baldwin, Francis Ford service called FilmStruck with a all serve up something diff erent for fi lms celebrating times gone by. fi lm blog and traveled to the TCM Denver Silent Film Festival and the Coppola, Elliott Gould, Faye Dunaway library of more than 1,000 arthouse, the customer who isn’t necessarily Among a slew of nostalgic love festival from Vermont. Plaza Classic Film Festival in El Paso, and Gina Lollobrigida. indie, foreign and cult fi lms available interested in the latest studio letters to the golden age of cinema, “However, it’s not sentiment or an Texas, have been popping up all over But one perhaps unexpected sight at on any device. “tentpole”. The Artist, Hugo and Midnight in Paris attachment to the past that makes me the United States in the last decade. the latest edition was the large number Developed in collaboration with Turner chief John Martin believes all dominated the box offi ce in 2011 love those fi lms,” she said. “In our current political landscape of young people milling around its with American video-distribution there is still room in the market for and garnered top awards. “To put it as simply as I know how, I of uncertainty, older fi lms provide a various historic venues, including the company Criterion Collection, it FilmStruck, however, which will get a Each fi lm celebrated the romance don’t love old movies because they’re safe refuge, where problems could be Roosevelt Hotel and iconic Chinese will be a “direct-to-consumer” running start thanks to its association of 1920s and ’30s Hollywood at the old - I love them because they’re well solved in 90 minutes with a glamorous Theatre. service, meaning no cable or satellite with the TCM brand. latest turning point in cinema history, made.” Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY The origin of for agricultural goods fi nally began pride by working assiduously on all elected by the country’s people and High: 40 C to rise, owing to increased urban fronts. We all know that in the last should be seen as such. It is working Low : 28 C ‘helicopter money’ demand. Other prices rose too, but decade, India had often been known for a corruption-free India. And I am Slight dust with some clouds not as fast. Consequently, more farm as a “scam-producing” country. happy that Modi is “tech-savvy” and Dear Sir, families were able to pay off some We were used to scams surfacing makes sure that in the 21st century he of their debts, restore a measure of one after another during the tenure is using e-mails to keep in touch with MONDAY I wish to make two points regarding economic stability, and even begin of previous governments and some people instead of relying on the good High: 40 C Professor Koichi Hamada’s article to set aside some savings.” (Gary D of them continue to rock the Indian old courier service. Low: 30 C “In search of a formula to boost real Allinson, Japan’s Postwar History, politics. P Cloudy demand” (Gulf Times, May 4). page 33.) I would like to point out that the KKS First, the idea of “helicopter present Indian government has been (Full name and e-mail address money”, (the direct provision of Arindam Basu TUESDAY funds to stimulate demand) has a far [email protected] High: 40 C older and nobler pedigree than the Please send us Low: 29 C speculations of Milton Friedman: Extra steps to boost Sunny American poet Ezra Pound traced it your letters all the way back to 1766 BC when a the Indian economy sagacious Chinese emperor had money Fishermen’s forecast (in the form of perforated copper By e-mail OFFSHORE DOHA discs) distributed among his starving Dear Sir, [email protected] Wind: SW-NW 05-15 KT subjects so they could purchase grain Waves: 1-3/4 Feet during a famine. I read with great interest MH’s Fax 44350474 INSHORE DOHA Or Post Wind: NW-NE 06-15/18 KT Moreover, in the fi rst half of the response (“Extra marks for e-mail Waves: 1-2 Feet 20th century, Major C H Douglas, greetings”, Gulf Times, May 5) to Letters to the Editor who pioneered the economic theory the letter “A PM who is in touch” Gulf Times Around the region of social credit, proposed a national (Gulf Times, May 2), narrating Weather Weather dividend, which is an advanced his experience about receiving a P O Box 2888 today Max/min tomorrow Max/min version of this idea. (Source: Kerry greeting card by courier from a Doha, Qatar Abu Dhabi Sunny 43/27 P Cloudy 43/28 Bolton, The Banking Swindle). former prime minister of India, Baghdad P Cloudy 34/22 P Cloudy 36/23 Second, the rising prices of 1930s Rajiv Gandhi. That is fine but at the Dubai Sunny 38/27 M Sunny 38/28 Kuwait City M Sunny Japan were not entirely undesirable. same time I notice that some people All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name M Sunny 39/27 38/27 Manama Sunny 36/29 Sunny 36/29 As one historian notes: “Conditions are not able to accept the fact that of the writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name Muscat Sunny 41/31 M Sunny 40/31 in rural Japan also began to improve in the current Indian Prime Minister Riyadh P Cloudy 40/27 P Cloudy 39/27 the mid-’30s after a decade or more Narendra Modi is taking extra steps and address may be withheld by request. Tehran S T Storms 28/18 M Cloudy 28/17 of agricultural depression... prices in reviving India’s economy and

Live issues Why mothers deserve their very own day

By Barton Goldsmith the inside, she was there to tell me it other people, and maybe even a little is worth the stress _ for both of you. Tribune News Service would be okay, and I believed her. for herself, but for one solid day, she Think about it. If not for her, you 3) She put up with you as a teenager. deserves to feel cherished. I’ll leave it wouldn’t be here. Or maybe she is still putting up with to you to fi gure out just how to do that. 10) Mom will always kiss your ur mothers you (and you’re 30). Look, you know 7) Moms give us nurturing, empathy boo-boo and make it better. There are unique. what a pain you were. Most of us and sympathy like no one else. These is something unreplaceable about a Around the world Each mom worked at it. Yet mom was still there three things can make the diff erence mother’s love. There is magic there, Weather Weather has her own when our dates dumped us, and she between a life of invalidation and one and she will always fi nd a way to today Max/min tomorrow Max/min O P Cloudy 24/16 special way of dealing helped us navigate the diffi cult road of where you have the confi dence to go help you deal with your trials and Athens 22/14 M Sunny with the world and helping you cope becoming an adult. for your dreams. tribulations. After all, she’s been doing Beirut M Sunny 22/16 P Cloudy 24/17 along the way. Mother’s Day is just 4) She made a choice to be the 8) She made you a better person. it for a long time, so just let her, and Bangkok P Cloudy 36/29 P Cloudy 37/29 Berlin Sunny 24/12 M Sunny 24/12 one way of giving back or paying it person you could always turn to. After Yes, mothers have their own brand of you’ll both be better for it. Cairo Sunny 32/19 P Cloudy 34/19 forward. Don’t miss the opportunity. becoming somewhat self-suffi cient motivation, and sometimes it doesn’t If you do not have a relationship Cape Town Sunny 26/15 P Cloudy 23/14 Here are a few things to remember: (being able to make our own grilled feel very good. They know that deep with your mom, I suggest that you fi nd Colombo S T Storms 33/25 T Storms 32/25 1) She changed your diapers. This cheese sandwiches), we may not be down in our hearts, we never want to a woman who has been good to you Dhaka S T Storms 33/25 S T Storms 33/26 P Cloudy T Storms 29/24 may not seem like such a big deal as dependent on our moms. But your disappoint them. Her job was to make and give her something to celebrate. Hong Kong 29/25 Istanbul Sunny 22/12 M Sunny 21/12 until you have to do it a dozen times a mom is always there for you if you you a successful adult, so if you are Honour those women who have helped Jakarta T Storms 32/26 T Storms 33/26 day. Back when I was a baby, Pampers need her. happy about your life, she deserves make your world more enjoyable. Karachi M Sunny 34/26 P Cloudy 34/27 hadn’t been invented yet. No matter 5) She nursed you when you were a little something special. If not, London M Sunny 26/13 Rain 24/13 how you look at it, raising a kid is a ton sick. And probably got a cold or two the two of you should have a deep zDr Barton Goldsmith, a Manila M Sunny 37/26 P Cloudy 36/26 Moscow P Cloudy 24/11 M Sunny 24/12 of work. from you. Having someone to take care conversation, so you can get there. It’s psychotherapist in Westlake Village, New Delhi Sunny 40/26 M Sunny 41/27 2) Mom was there to dry your tears. of you when you are ill is a gift. Think never too late. California, is the author of The Happy New York S Showers 20/11 P Cloudy 23/11 When life hurts, she’s there. When about it. If not for your mom, you 9) She wanted to bring you into the Couple: How to Make Happiness a Paris M Sunny 26/16 Showers 22/16 my kid sister went on the attack, mom might be a very sickly person, and that world and share it with you. It takes a Habit One Little Loving Thing at a Sao Paulo S T Storms 27/16 P Cloudy 29/18 M Cloudy M Cloudy 23/14 Time. Follow his daily insights on Seoul 26/14 came to the rescue. She dried the tears makes it harder to enjoy this life. lot to decide to raise a child, more than Singapore T Storms 33/27 T Storms 33/28 and told my sister never to hit me in 6) She’s taking care of things the most people know (until doing it). Twitter at @BartonGoldsmith, or Sydney Cloudy 22/16 Showers 23/15 the face (guess she didn’t want to ruin other 364 days of the year. She’s The process of the next twenty years e-mail him at Tokyo Rain 25/16 Cloudy 23/16 my good looks). When life hurt me on doing thing maybe for you, maybe for isn’t much easier, but the fulfi lment [email protected] Gulf Times 32 Sunday, May 8, 2016 QATAR Ezdan chairman joins 40th anniversary celebration of Spanish newspaper El Pais

zdan Holding Group chair- press, commercial TV, music and man Sheikh Dr Khalid bin spoken-word radio, education and EThani al-Thani partici- publishing, it is one of the largest pated in the commemoration of media groups in the world with the 40th anniversary of Spanish “an extraordinary range” of assets. newspaper El Pais, a subsidiary Its presence in Brazil and Por- of Spanish PRISA Group, at the tugal and among the growing Cibeles Palace in Madrid, Spain. Hispanic community in the US During the ceremony, King has given the group an Ibero- Philip VI met and welcomed American dimension and opened Sheikh Dr Khalid, who is also up a potential global market of board director of the PRISA 700mn people. Group, along with other digni- El Pais has agreements with taries from the global business newspapers in Chile (La Tercera), and fi nance community. Mexico (El Financiero), Argentina PRISA is the world’s lead- (La Nacion), the US (El Nuevo Her- ing Spanish and Portuguese- ald), Dominican Republic (Carib- language business group in the bean) and Peru (La Repubblica). fi elds of education, information It also has co-operation with and entertainment, via its mul- several newspapers and a joint tichannel range of “top-quality network with publications like products”. the Independent (UK), La Re- Present in 22 countries, it pubblica (Italy) and Le Monde reaches more than 60mn users (France), and has become one of through its global brands El Pais, the largest networks, making it a 40 Principales and Santillana. Spain’s King Philip VI delivers a speech during the 40th anniversary benchmark of quality in the busi- As a leader in general-interest of El Pais. ness world. Sheikh Dr Khalid (left) with King Philip VI during the event in Madrid. Measures to save energy, water continue at malls and businesses

By Joey Aguilar as the mercury level has started said. “We do not reduce the ther- To save water, the establish- He stressed that such energy- their measures was to lessen wa- cluding banks and offi ces in Staff Reporter climbing over the past few days. mostat because we have to main- ment makes sure that sensors and and water-saving measures are in ter pressure in the building. commercial buildings, have ap- Al Khor Mall manager Na- tain the temperature at a certain special nozzles in their faucets in line with the objectives and goals Like Al Khor Mall, the source parently asked their employees vaneeth Sudhakaran told Gulf level.” toilets and washrooms are work- of Tarsheed, the National Cam- said they also try to reduce the to bring their own power banks arious business establish- Times that they make sure chill- Al Khor Mall also uses a tech- ing well . paign for the Conservation and consumption of as much electric- instead of charging their smart- ments in Qatar, including ers (for central air-conditioning nology, a special kind of tint on In addition, the mall uses LED Effi cient Use of Water and Elec- ity and water as possible during phones within the building. Vsome malls and hyper- units) are checked, fi xed (if any glasses, to fi lter out sun rays and lights in many of its sections, in- tricity in Qatar. the winter to make up for the high Many Doha residents have also markets, will continue reducing problem persists) and properly prevent too much heat from en- cluding the parking area. An offi cial of LuLu Hypermar- consumption in the summer. started reducing electricity and their electricity and water use maintained to reduce electricity tering the premises, according to “We save a lot through these ket echoed similar views, saying Some business establishments water use to prevent their bills this summer to prevent bills from consumption. Sudhakaran. measures although there are reducing energy and water use such as clinics, restaurants and from going up. These include re- going up, it is learnt. “As ACs consume a lot of He noted that all sections of no exact fi gures because it still has signifi cantly helped them eateries, supermarkets and ho- ducing their laundry from once a They have been keen to imple- electricity, especially during the the mall were well-insulated to depends on factors such as the save more money. tels have also started undertaking week to once every two weeks to ment “simple yet eff ective” steps summer, we try to focus on op- maintain the cool temperature footfall and temperature, among Besides advising employees similar measures. save electricity, water as well as to lessen energy and water usage timising their use in the mall,” he inside the building. others,” Sudhakaran added. not to waste water, he said part of A number of companies, in- detergent.