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QIIB’s profi t jumps more than 5% to QR927mn in 2019 published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11442 January 29, 2020 Jumada II 4, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir appoints new prime minister O Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani takes oath as PM

HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani taking the oath as the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with the ministers at the oath-taking ceremony at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. O Amir issues Order No. 1 of 2020 accepting the resignation of HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani

QNA Amiri Order No 3 of 2020, also took the oath before Doha the Amir. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by His The Cabinet Highness the Deputy Amir. It was also attended New Prime Minister – A Profi le is Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior 1- HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Cabinet Aff airs mad al-Thani issued yesterday Amiri Order Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani. bin Abdulaziz al-Thani: Prime 8- HE Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed E Sheikh Khalid until 2002. He later served HNo 2 of 2020, appointing HE Sheikh Khalid His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Minister and Minister of Ali al-Hammadi: Minister of bin Khalifa bin Ab- from 2002-2006 in the Of- bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani as prime minis- al-Thani issued yesterday Decree No 1 of 2020 ap- Interior Education and Higher Education Hdulaziz al-Thani was fi ce of the First Deputy Prime ter. pointing HE Major General Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin 2- HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al- 9- HE Jassim Seif Ahmed al- appointed as the Prime Min- Minister and Minister of For- The Amiri order shall be eff ective starting from Mohamed al-Thani as Undersecretary of the Min- Attiyah: Deputy Prime Minister Sulaiti: Minister of Transport and ister on January 28, 2020 by eign Aff airs. its date of issue and shall be published in the offi cial istry of Interior, in addition to his duties as Com- and Minister of State for Defence Communications; the Amiri Order No 2 of 2020 In March 2006, he joined gazette. mander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya). Aff airs 10- HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al- along with his appointment the Amiri Diwan, and worked His Highness the Amir earlier issued Amiri Or- The decree shall be eff ective starting from its date 3- HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Kuwari: Minister of Public Health; as Minister of Interior. He in the Offi ce of His Highness der No 1 of 2020 accepting the resignation of HE of issue and shall be published in the offi cial gazette. Abdulrahman al-Thani: Deputy 11- HE Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has been serving as the Chief the Heir Apparent. He was the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin His Highness the Amir issued Amiri Decision No Prime Minister and Minister of bin Turki al-Subaie: Minister of of the Amiri Diwan since appointed as Director of the Khalifa al-Thani. 5 of 2020, appointing HE Major General Abdulaziz Foreign Aff airs Municipality and Environment; November 11, 2014 pursu- Offi ce of the Private Secretary The Amiri order shall be eff ective starting from bin Faisal bin Mohamed al-Thani as Commander of 4- HE Ali Sherif al-Emadi: 12- HE Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari: ant to the Amiri Order No 5 of His Highness the Heir Ap- its date of issue and shall be published in the offi cial the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya). Minister of Finance Minister of Commerce and of 2014. parent on July 11, 2006, and gazette. The decision shall be eff ective starting from its date 5-HE Dr Gaith bin Mubarak al- Industry; He was born in Doha in later he became Director of HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz of issue and shall be published in the offi cial gazette. Kuwari: Minister of Endowments 13- HE Yousef bin Mohamed 1968, where he received his the Offi ce of His Highness the al-Thani took the oath as the Prime Minister and His Highness the Amir issued yesterday Amiri (Awqaf) and Islamic Aff airs al-Othman Fakhro: Minister of pre-university schooling. He Heir Apparent on January 9, Minister of Interior before His Highness the Amir Order No 3 of 2020 reshuffl ing the Cabinet. 6- HE Salah bin Ghanem bin Administrative Development, then obtained his Bachelor’s 2007. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Amiri Di- The order stipulates that the Cabinet shall be re- Nasser al-Ali: Minister of Culture Labour and Social Aff airs; Degree in Business Adminis- HE Sheikh Khalid has also wan yesterday morning. shuffl ed as follows: and Sports 14- HE Saad bin Sharida al-Kaabi: tration in the United States of been serving as Director of The oath-taking ceremony was attended by His The order shall be eff ective starting from its date 7- HE Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali Minister of State for Energy America in 1993. His Highness the Amir’s of- Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Ha- of issue and shall be published in the offi cial gazette. al-Nuaimi: Minister of Justice Aff airs and member of the At the beginning of his ca- fi ce since the Amir assumed mad al-Thani. and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet. Page 24 reer, he worked at Qatar Liq- the reins of power on June 25, Their excellencies the ministers appointed by O Amir thanks former PM - Page 11 uefi ed Gas Company Limited, 2013. US developing vaccine against coronavirus Arab League to hold meeting on Trump’s Mideast plan The United States said yesterday it was developing a vaccine against a O Abbas: US Middle The extraordinary meeting comes were planned for the coming days. deadly coronavirus that originated in on the back of a Palestinian request to Right-wing Israeli settlers, for their China, and urged Beijing to step up its East plan belongs to the League, which is headquartered in part, also raised concern, fearing the co-operation with international health ‘trash bin of history’ Cairo. initiative would support the formation authorities. In Ramallah, Palestinians staged of a Palestinian state. The US government is keen to place he Arab League said it will con- protests against the peace plan, hours In a rare event, rival Palestinian fac- its own teams on the ground to review vene an urgent meeting on before it was to be unveiled in Wash- tions Hamas and Fatah agreed to meet the raw data and learn more about the TSaturday in response to US ington. in the West Bank city of Ramallah to pathogen, which has so far claimed President Donald Trump’s Israeli-Pal- Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab- discuss a response to Trump. more than 100 lives. estinian peace plan. bas rejected the long-awaited Middle The Palestinians accuse Trump of “We have already started at the NIH Hossam Zaki, the pan-Arab body’s East plan, saying it will be sent to “the pro-Israel bias after his administration and with many of our collaborators on deputy secretary, told reporters yester- trash bin of history.” has unwaveringly backed Israeli objec- the developing of a vaccine,” National day that Palestinian president Mahmud Thousands demonstrated in Gaza, tives. And Trump’s vision of peace is Institutes of Health (NIH) off icial Abbas would attend to discuss the “so- Palestinians take part in a demonstration in the West Bank city of Nablus yesterday burning pictures of Trump and the almost certainly a non-starter for most Anthony Fauci told reporters. Page 15 called Deal of the Century”. to protest against US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. American fl ag, while further rallies Palestinians. Page 12 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR

Amir to patronise Al Zaeem College Al-Mahmoud arrives in Burkina Faso Qatar Armed graduation His Highness the Amir Sheikh QNA Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will Ouagadougou patronise today the graduation Forces all set to ceremony of the 7th batch of the Al Zaeem (Leader) Mohamed bin E the Speaker of the Abdullah al-Attiyah Air College at Shura Council Ahmed Al Udeid Air Base. Hbin Abdullah bin Zaid organise Dimdex al-Mahmoud arrived yesterday Amir sends in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to participate in the 15th session message to of the Parliamentary Union of 2020 in March Ethiopian PM the OIC member-states (PUIC) Conference and the accompany- His Highness the Amir Sheikh ing meetings which will last for QNA fence community, al-Ansari Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani sent several days. Doha added. a written message to Ethiopia HE al-Mahmoud and the ac- Al-Ansari stressed the joint Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, companying delegation were eff orts to enhance the posi- pertaining to bilateral relations welcomed by the Speaker of the nder the patronage of tion of Qatar as a vital and and means of supporting National Assembly of the Re- HE al-Mahmoud with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso Alassane Bala Sakande in His Highness the Amir pioneering centre for tech- and developing them. The public of Burkina Faso Alassane Ouagadougou yesterday. USheikh Tamim bin nology and innovation, thus message was handed by Qatar’s Bala Sakande, and Acting Charge Hamad al-Thani, the Qatar contributing to achieving the ambassador to Ethiopia Hamad d’aff aires of Qatar’s embassy in important topics to be discussed dougou, the Speaker of the Shura organisation of this conference Armed Forces will organise the economic development goals bin Mohamed al-Dosari during a Benin Hussein Ibrahim al-Bader. by political and economic com- Council expressed his sincere and for the warm reception given 7th edition of Doha Interna- in Qatar National Vision 2030. meeting with the Ethiopian prime HE the Speaker of the Shura mittees, human rights commit- thanks to the president, govern- to the Qatari delegation, wishing tional Maritime Defence Exhi- Dimdex is considered to- minister yesterday. Council said that the 15th session tee and other committees. ment and people of Burkina Faso success to the activities of the bition and Conference (Dim- day one of the most important of the PUIC Conference includes Following his arrival in Ouaga- for the good preparation and conference. dex 2020) from March 16-18 events on the international S Africa president at Qatar National Convention maritime security and defence Centre. agenda, providing unprec- receives Qatari Raytheon, a technology and edented trade opportunities envoy’s credentials innovation leading company for decision makers from all specialising in defence solu- the major sectors involved in South African President Cyril Souq Waqif honey exhibition opens tomorrow tions, will be the Silver Spon- the global defence sector, at Ramaphosa yesterday received sor, while Bell Textron will the level of governments and the credentials of Qatar’s be the Bronze Sponsor of the companies. ambassador Tariq Ali Faraj QNA said that the large participation with the exhibition goals in of- taken and tested by the compe- event. The support of key spon- al-Ansari. The ambassador Doha in this exhibition confi rms the fering a distinguished product, tent authorities to ensure their Commenting on the spon- sors is a testament to the suc- conveyed the greetings of confi dence of these companies and enrich the experiences of the quality and suitability for human sorship of this year’s edition, cess and excellence of Dimdex His Highness the Amir Sheikh in the local market, and refl ects local and foreign participants consumption, in the context of Chairman of the Organis- in cementing its position as a Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the he third edition of Souq its success to be an attractive and in providing an opportunity ensuring a high-quality product. ing Committee of Dimdex leading international platform President Ramaphosa. The South Waqif Honey Exhibition destination for companies and for the honey production sector Al-Suwaidi also pointed out Staff Brigadier (Sea) Abdul- for knowledge exchange. African president reciprocated Twill open tomorrow. The those who wish to buy the best to fl ourish, especially at the lo- that the exhibition will pro- baqi Saleh al-Ansari expressed The theme of this year’s the Amir’s greetings and wished exhibition is organised by the product of local and foreign cal level. vide an advisory service about gratitude for the support the edition “Connecting the the ambassador success in his Private Engineering Offi ce (PEO) honey. He stated that 80 local outlets treatment using bee products, event receives from a solid and World’s Maritime Defense duties, assuring him of support in co-operation with the Minis- Al-Suwaidi said that the participating in the honey ex- through an expert specialised in reliable network of partners, and Security Community” to promote the bilateral relations try of Commerce and Industry number of countries participat- hibition this year are either Qa- this fi eld. In addition, honey test who have contributed greatly affirms Dimdex commitment between the two countries. and with the participation of the ing in the exhibition this year tari farms and or imported local service for consumers who visit to the increased commercial to offer an integrated plat- Ministry of Municipality and rose to 37 countries, compared to companies. The exhibition con- the exhibition will be provided and strategic importance of form for decision makers and Qatar condemns Environment. It will continue 20 countries in the second edi- stitutes an opportunity for these for a small fee. Dimdex over the years. major technology companies until February 8. tion, revealing that there are 10 farms and companies to enhance Regarding the facilities pro- The upcoming edition of participating in the exhibi- Afghan attack More than 150 companies countries taking part for the fi rst their regional and international vided to the foreign companies, this important event will tion from around the world Qatar expressed its strong specialising in honey and its time. He said that they were keen presence through the conclusion he stated that co-ordination has be held with the participa- to explore innovative solu- condemnation and denunciation products from 37 countries will to choose the countries that have of partnerships and deals in this been made with Qatar Airways to tion of a number of new and tions through direct commu- of the attack that targeted a participate in the exhibition this a great reputation in the produc- sector, as happened in the previ- provide a discount of about 40% former sponsors, whose ac- nication. police base in Afghanistan’s year, an increase of 25% in terms tion and trade of natural honey. ous two versions, he pointed out. for the shipment of honey , be- complishments in the com- Dimdex 2020 has an- northern Baghlan province, of participation compared to the He noted the great demand The General Supervisor of sides facilitating customs proce- mercial, infrastructure and nounced Commercial Bank which left several dead and three second edition of last year. for registration in the third edi- Souq Waqif Honey Exhibition dures, providing freight transport security fields are in line as the Main Sponsor, Fincan- people missing. In a statement General Supervisor of Souq tion as hundreds of companies stressed the keenness to present to stores, free warehouses to par- with the mission of Dimdex tieri as the Diamond Sponsor, yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Waqif Honey Exhibition, Khalid registered, but only the best, a product that meets the highest ticipants, as well as providing free which aims to provide un- Barzan Holdings and MBDA Aff airs reiterated the firm position Saif al-Suwaidi, in a statement distinguished and well-known standards. He said random sam- hotels, reception from the airport paralleled opportunities to as Gold Sponsors, and Mwani of Qatar rejecting violence and to Qatar News Agency (QNA), companies were chosen in line ples of the off ered products are to the hotel and vice-versa. the global security and de- Qatar as Silver Sponsor. terrorism. - QNA

Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR

Civil aviation authority chief meets ICAO officials

HE the President of the Civil Aviation Authority Abdullah bin Nasser Turki al-Subaey met the President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council Salvatore Sciacchitano, at the organisation’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada. During the meeting, the president of the Authority congratulated Sciacchitano on his recent election as President of the ICAO Council, wishing him success. He stressed Qatar’s keenness and commitment to the principles and goals of the organisation, and its continuous support for all its initiatives related to achieving security, safety and eff icient system for civil aviation in the world. The president of the Civil Aviation Authority also met the Secretary-General of the ICAO Dr Fang Liu. During the meeting, they reviewed existing relations between Qatar and the organisation in the field of civil aviation and means of supporting and developing them.

Offi cial stresses importance of Doha Declaration initiative on crime prevention

QNA participation in the fi eld decided to launch an ambi- involve them in that. Geneva of human rights), which is tious global programme, Major General al-Mal one of the main pillars of in co-operation with the added that the Education the Doha Declaration pro- United Nations Offi ce on for Justice initiative is part ajor General Dr gramme, Major General Dr Drugs and Crime, to imple- of the global programme to Abdullah Yousef al-Mal pointed out that this ment some of the major rec- implement the Doha Decla- Mal-Mal, Chairman programme, which is be- ommendations of the Doha ration, and it combines the of the Follow-up Commit- ing implemented through a Declaration. areas of education and the tee on the Implementation of contribution of $50mn by Dr al-Mal said that the rule of law taking into ac- the Global Programme of the Qatar, is one of the largest Doha Declaration is an in- count the importance of the Doha Declaration issued by global programmes in the novative declaration for two relationship between youth the 13th United Nations Con- history of the UNODC. reasons. and education. gress on Crime Prevention Major General Dr al-Mal The fi rst relates to the There is a change in the and Criminal Justice 2015, expressed his happiness agreement of member states way in which crime preven- has stressed the importance at the work accomplished for the fi rst time on the im- tion and criminal justice of the achievements under within the framework of portance of education in pro- approaches should be de- this programme. the Education for Justice moting a culture of respect for signed and implemented, he Speaking during an event initiative,which has made the law and strengthening the said, while noting the com- organised in Geneva by the remarkable achievement. eff orts to prevent crime at the mitment of member states permanent delegation of He pointed out that, at national level, and the second to promoting the active Qatar and the United Na- the conclusion of the 13th relates to its recognition of participation of youth in tions Offi ce on Drugs and United Nations Congress the ability of young people to policy-making and in main- Crime on education for on Crime Prevention and strengthen the rule of law and taining the rule of law, peace the rule of law (enhancing Criminal Justice 2015, Qatar encourages member-states to and justice.

Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR HMC to host international consultants SC volunteers gain crucial QNA thopedic Centre NHS Trust doscopy, Madrid Sanchi- Marseille, France, will visit Doha in Oxford, England, will narro University Hospital, from 1 to 5 March. visit from 6 to 12 February. Madrid, Spain, will visit on Other experts are sched- he Hamad Medical 3. Dr Hossein Gharib, 18 and 19 February. uled to visit in the coming skills on the road to 2022 Corporation (HMC) Professor of Medicine at 6. Dr Stephen Wilson, a months as part of HMC’s Twill welcome a the Mayo Clinic College of urology specialist from the focus on hosting highly- number of visiting consult- Medicine and Consultant, Institute For Urological Ex- respected physicians and total of 1,456 volun- ants from various medical Endocrinology, Diabetes, cellence, Indio, California, surgeons from around the teers from Qatar, the specialties in February and Nutrition, and Metabolism US, will visit on 19 and 20 world. Hosting visiting Aregion and the world March. at the Mayo Clinic, Roches- February. international consultants worked tirelessly to sup- The visiting consultants ter, Minnesota, US, will 7. Dr Amin Javer, an who are experts in their port the Local Organising are: visit from 12 to 21 February. Otolaryngology, Head, and fi eld is in line with HMC’s Committee (LOC) deliver 1. Dr Philippe Morel, a di- 4. Dr Mark Myerson, an Neck Specialist and Head commitment to providing the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup gestive laparoscopic surgery orthopaedic surgery and of St Paul’s Sinus Centre, specialised medical serv- and the FIFA Club World specialist from Clinique de orthopaedic sports medi- Vancouver, British Colum- ices to the people of Qatar. Cup over 26 days last year, Genolier, Genolier, Swit- cine specialist from the bia, Canada will visit from Members of the public the Supreme Committee zerland. He will be in Qatar Mercy Medical Centre, Bal- 24 to 29 February and wishing to book an ap- for Delivery & Legacy (SC) it from February 2 to 9. timore, Maryland, US, will 8. Dr Jacques Magnan, pointment with the visit- said yesterday in a report on 2. Dr Duncan Whitwell, visit from 16 to 19 February. an Otolaryngology, Head, ing consultants are advised sc.qa. Consultant Orthopedic 5. Dr Gontrand Lopez- and Neck Specialist af- to discuss this option with This “one-of-a-kind” Surgeon at the Nuffi eld Or- Nava, Head of Bariatric En- fi liated with Hôpital Nord, their physician. opportunity provided them with bespoke skills and the necessary experience for the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the A total of 1,456 volunteers from Qatar, the region and the world worked tirelessly to support SC stressed. the LOC deliver the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. “With just under three years until the world’s most rocco, Palestine, Lebanon, and off ered me the chance tournament, volunteers anticipated sporting event Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, to exchange and learn about were selected on their avail- comes to life, Qatar wit- Iran, the UK and Mexico. diff erent cultures thanks to ability, educational back- nessed an exhilarating two Abdulrahman Mahmoud working in a diverse team.” ground, language skills, months of footballing spirit Mohamed was one of the Fatima al-Shammari, motive to volunteer and when it hosted the 24th edi- volunteers. who was a volunteer leader previous volunteering ex- tion of the Arabian Gulf Cup “During the Gulf Cup and during the tournaments, perience. and the FIFA Club World Club World Cup, I was the saw the opportunity as a In preparation for the Cup. The two events saw head of the media volun- chance to gain experience in tournaments, the selected success on both the organi- teers department. Our job project management, com- volunteers underwent a sational level and fan expe- was to ensure that the needs munication and confl ict series of inductions, work- rience, giving the football- of media personnel, namely management. shops and training pro- mad world a taste of what’s journalists and photogra- “I was involved in the grammes in an eff ort to to come in 2022. Careful phers, were met,” he said. whole recruitment process, familiarise them with the planning, hard work and “Preparation and training including the early stages tasks at hand. passion were key elements were crucial. We ensured of the volunteer selection Speaking on this ini- to the realisation of both that all volunteers were process. We had to accom- tiative, Rasha al-Qarni, the events, but none of it would well-briefed and given the plish all this according to LOC’s HR director, com- have been possible without necessary training to make strict deadlines and deliver mended the volunteers on our volunteers,” the report them ready when on the work of the highest quality,” their tremendous eff orts said. ground – prepared to tackle al-Shammari said. during the tournaments. The volunteers worked any challenges ahead.” “For me personally, I was “All our organisational in various functional areas, On his decision to volun- grateful for this opportunity to plans were implemented including communications, teer, Mohamed explained he gain new friends and be part of smoothly thanks to the marketing, event services, wanted to gain more experi- such a unique event that deliv- endless support of our vol- transportation, security, ence and meet new people ers a unique experience. unteers,” said al-Qarni. media, branding and pro- in order to support his cur- “I don’t think anywhere Those interested in join- motion, fan engagement, rent job as a public relations in the world could have de- ing the journey to deliver- ticketing, accommodation, specialist. livered an experience like ing the fi rst FIFA World logistics, crowd manage- “My volunteering ex- this and provided the same Cup in the Middle East and ment, hospitality, accredi- perience was incredible. It opportunities for develop- Arab world can visit https:// tation and medical services. enriched me with an abun- ment that I’ve had over the www.sc.qa/en/opportuni- They came from Qatar, dance of experience, ignited last few months.” ties/community-engage- Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Mo- my determination and will, For the purposes of the ment/volunteers.

Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR

Eco Dome offi cially launched Ooredoo is

By Peter Alagos come a reality, and I am gratifi ed awareness on the importance of Business Reporter to announce that Elite is a pio- maintaining a sustainable and Platinum neer in paper recycling in Qatar,” healthy environment, and pre- al-Suwaidi pointed out. venting desertifi cation for us atari startup and the The Eco Dome is a state-of-the- and for the safety of the future Sponsor of country’s fi rst recycling art “educational/entertaining cul- generations. Qcompany, Elite Paper tural tool” designed for schools and “As directed by His Highness Recycling (ERP), has offi cially universities, as well as the public the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Eco Dome opened the Eco Dome. to explain what climate change is mad al-Thani, and as a part of The initiative is part of the com- about and how to combat its eff ects the Qatar National Vision 2030, pany’s campaign to raise aware- through recycling paper. which considers environmen- launch ness on the need for recycling and He said the company has de- tal development as one of its care for the environment. ployed over 100 trucks all over most important pillars, Qatar is Under the patronage of Qatar with more than 2,000 seeking to achieve balance and event prominent Qatari businessman dumpsters stationed in strategic synergy between economic and HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim locations. EPR is now recycling social development, and pre- al-Thani, the Eco Dome aims to more than 3,500 tonnes of paper serving the environment.” oredoo is the Platinum educate students and the pub- per month, and collects free of He added: “The state-of-the- Sponsor of the ‘Eco lic on the negative eff ects of charge from homes, government, art Eco Dome makes a remark- ODome’, launched and or- deforestation. companies, NGOs, embassies, able 2D virtual reality experience ganised by Elite Paper Recycling Speaking during the launch schools and universities, he said. for students and the youth, as to raise awareness of the im- event at the New Industrial Area, “Today, we have more than an edutainment tool that allows portance of recycling within a EPR chairman Abdallah al-Su- 250 schools and universi- them to learn through experi- sustainable society. waidi said the Eco Dome was the ties partnering with us. We are encing recycling and sustain- The Eco Dome is an edutain- fulfi lment of his vision of sustain- proudly self-suffi cient, produc- ability. I would like to thank Elite ment experience, designed to able business models for Qatar. ing for the fi rst time in Qatar Paper Recycling for its outstand- act as an educational tool and a “As a young entrepreneur, I 100% recycled and 100% made ing eff orts in the fi eld of preserv- communication platform for all always had a dream to innovate in Qatar,” al-Suwaidi stressed. ing the environment and raising ages but especially the young- for my country. Today, I am very In a speech, Sheikh Faisal said: awareness on the best practices HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani and Elite Paper Recycling chairman Abdallah al-Suwaidi leading the er generation, according to a proud that the dream has be- “Such initiatives should increase to achieve this.” ribbon-cutting ceremony in the presence of other dignitaries. PICTURE: Ram Chand statement. It features a unique, state- of-the-art, high-tech 2D VR storyboard video on deforesta- tion and the negative impact on nature and human lives, and was QFC Regulatory Authority installed for the duration of the event. As part of its corporate social responsibility strategy, Ooredoo and HBKU college sign MoU is promoting recycling and sus- tainability initiatives in line with he Qatar Financial Centre Qatar Vision 2030. (QFC) Regulatory Authority Through the Elite Paper Re- Tand the College of Humani- cycling programme, the organi- ties and Social Sciences (CHSS), sation has so far recycled more Hamad Bin Khalifa University than 100,000 tonnes of paper (HBKU), signed a memorandum of and carton waste, which equates understanding (MoU) for sharing to saving more than 2mn trees, information at a ceremony held at 30mn gallons of oil, 300 cubic the Regulatory Authority’s offi ces yards of landfi ll space, 400mn in Doha. kilowatts of energy and 700mn The MoU was signed by Eisa Ahmed gallons of water. Abdulla, COO and managing director Speaking of the sponsorship, - Corporate Services, the Regulatory Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, di- Authority; and Dr Amal Mohamed al- rector, PR and Corporate Com- Malki, founding dean, CHSS. munications at Ooredoo, said: The agreement will promote “In line with Qatar National Vi- co-operation and an affi liation be- Off icials at the MoU-signing ceremony. sion 2030, Ooredoo places great The New Al Nigyan Petrol Station on Al Majd Road. tween the two organisations, a emphasis on sustainability and statement notes. tory Authority is keen to grow and with the QFC Regulatory Authority, protection of our environment. Together, the Regulatory Author- expand its co-operation with other which plays a key role in enhanc- We’re committed to complete ity and CHSS will co-operate on the Qatari organisations and work to- ing the business environment in the digitalisation, which will mean translation of projects of mutual gether in achieving common goals. country.” a huge saving in paper use and Woqod opens New Al interest through HBKU’s Transla- We have a solid bilingual programme She also said this agreement is an a great decrease in our carbon tion and Interpreting Institute (TII). at the Regulatory Authority, and this important step to boost co-opera- footprint. The Regulatory Authority will also relationship with HBKU will only tion between two infl uential entities “We’re delighted to be work- provide internship opportunities for strengthen it.” in the Qatar higher education and ing with Elite Paper Recycling on Nigyan Petrol Station TII students, with CHSS providing Dr al-Malki expressed delight fi nance sectors, noting that it will this amazing initiative and are customised training for Regulatory at the signing of the MoU, saying: help both sides transfer information confi dent the Eco Dome will be Authority staff . “The College of Humanities and So- between them to the advantage of a great way for us to spread the atar Fuel (Woqod) opened yester- of the country. The Woqod team would like Abdulla welcomed the signing of cial Sciences at Hamid Bin Khalifa the national economy and the private message that sustainability is day Al Nigyan Petrol Station, Al to extend their gratitude to all governmen- the MoU, saying: “The QFC Regula- University is pleased to join hands sector. crucial for our future.” QMajd Road, as part of its ongo- tal and private entities that contributed to ing expansion plans to serve every area in the completion of this project.” Qatar, bringing its network of fi xed and The New Al Nigyan Petrol Station is mobile petrol stations to 101. spread over an area of 20,000sq m and has Woqod managing director and CEO three lanes with six dispensers for light Saad Rashid al-Muhannadi said, “Wo- vehicles, and three lanes with six dispens- qod aspires to expand its petrol station ers for heavy vehicles, which will serve WISE survey reveals what world’s network in the country to meet the ris- the Al Nigyan area, Al Majd Road and its ing demand for petroleum products and neighbourhood. achieve the goal of providing customers Al Nigyan Petrol Station off ers round- with access to best-in-class products the-clock services to residents, and in- and services at their convenience and cludes Sidra convenience store, manual car youth feel about their education comfort. wash, oil change, and tyre repair for heavy “Woqod has recently accelerated the vehicles, in addition to sale of gasoline and process for the construction of new petrol diesel products for both light vehicles and n overwhelming majority of stations to meet the fuel and energy needs heavy vehicles. young people believe that Atheir generation should take responsibility for improving the world, according to an international survey by the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), Qa- tar Foundation’s global education think tank. However, only less than half of TENDER INVITATION those surveyed say they have the tools to take action. The results of the survey released on International A leading company invites tenders for Day of Education, off er a new in- The Global Education Barometer was presented by WISE at Unesco’s International Day of Education in Paris. sight into how young people per- purchase of printing paper remnants, ceive their education and how pre- pared they feel to face the future. Traditional learning formats vs students scrap paper and returned newspapers The Global Education Barometer assesses how confi dent the world’s Commenting on the results of the replaced by automation and weighing approximately youth feel about their future and international survey on education artificial intelligences. To remain how well their education systems by WISE, Dr Gregory J Moncada, relevant, students will need a are preparing them to confront director, Qatar Academy for diff erent set of skills in order to 100 tonnes per month challenges. Conducted by Ipsos, the Science and Technology, Qatar do tasks that are uniquely human survey studied 9,509 young people Foundation, noted that the results and that cannot be replaced by a aged 16-25 across 20 countries in strongly suggest that traditional machine,” said Moncada. Tender will be awarded to the highest the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Dr Gregory J Moncada lecture-styled learning formats “Through Qatar Academy for Science Americas and Europe. do not engage the students and and Technology’s award-winning While the key fi ndings will be poverty and social inequality, cli- educators underestimate their curriculum, we provide our students bidder on per tonne basis. included in work conducted by mate change and the environment, ability to contribute to real issues with the knowledge, skills and Unesco’s Futures of Education and and access to employment being the in their classrooms. thinking tools necessary to solve real CRI’s Learning Planet Initiatives, most pressing issues. “Our students will soon be entering challenges by giving students the the initial results were revealed dur- But when the group surveyed was a world of work that is vastly time to research, explore, and build Offers may be sent to ing the Learning for People, Planet, asked whether they felt ready to take diff erent to previous generations, the skills needed to succeed in our Prosperity and Peace conference at action on such challenges, only half with many traditional jobs being fast-changing world,” he added. Unesco’s International Day of Edu- responded favourably and less than ¿QDQFHBPDQDJHU#UD\DFRP cation in Paris recently. half said they truly understood major Elyas Felfoul, director, Policy De- societal issues or felt ready to fi nd so- The young people who partici- standing new technologies were im- velopment and Partnerships, WISE, lutions. Young people from Morocco, pated in the survey said that the portant for the future, only 80% felt said during the event that entering India, and China were the most actively most important reasons for at- that they either completely or some- a new decade is the perfect oppor- engaged around at least one cause. tending school were to expand their what understood such technologies. Tender closing date will be on tunity to assess and reinvent educa- The study then assessed what knowledge and prepare them for the The results of the survey also re- tion systems for future success. role education systems play in pre- future, and to fi nd a job and make vealed that even if students do not Thursday, January 30, 2020 The study showed that young paring students to address global money. Meanwhile, they placed re- feel prepared to take on major soci- people have a heightened awareness challenges. While nearly 90% said lying on school to learn about the etal changes, they are happy overall of the challenges facing the world, that education meant more than world around them and enable them with their education. Among those For further information please contact: with 85% of those surveyed express- learning for a career and was valu- to make a positive impact on their who participated, 80% said they ing fears about the state of the plan- able in itself, only a small minority communities much further down were either satisfi ed or somewhat et. Meanwhile, 87% said it was the said they looked to their schooling the list of reasons – sixth and ninth satisfi ed with their schooling, with 44466632 or 44466659 responsibility of their generation to to make them more active and well- respectively. those from Finland, Mexico and make the world a better place, with rounded citizens. And while 90% said that under- India being the most content. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 9 QATAR LuLu celebrates India Utsav 2020 Hilton The Pearl set to ‘redefi ne concept s a Republic Day gift, LuLu Hypermarket Qatar has Alaunched the ‘India Utsav of high-end living’ 2020’. The festival that started on January 27 will continue until Feb- ruary 6 at LuLu stores in Qatar. he Hilton Doha The Pearl Resi- Indian ambassador P Kumaran dences, offi cially declared open inaugurated the festival at LuLu Trecently, is set to “redefi ne the Hypermarket, D-Ring Road. concept of high-end living.” One of the Doha Bank Group CEO Dr R key attractions of the 38-storey struc- Seetharaman, LuLu Interna- ture located within Qanat Quartier is its tional director Mohamed Althaf, innovative residential facility, accord- a number of dignitaries from the ing to a statement. ministries, Indian community or- Located alongside the sea line and a ganisations, banks and retail sec- vibrant location, the property consists of tors were present. 414 fully furnished accommodation op- The ambassador appreciated tions, including contemporary studios, LuLu for highlighting Indian cul- one- and two-bedroom modern suites ture. LuLu has been conducting and stylish townhouses, all with open- the festival on the same theme able windows and balconies to enjoy since many years on the week of views of the private beach or the Venice- the Indian Republic Day to cel- inspired canals of Qanat Quartier. ebrate the diverse culture and Ideal for both short- and long-term heritage of India and highlight stays, the property’s residences are the unique quality and richness of “beautifully fi tted with all the comforts of A view of the food products from India. a home, including modern kitchens, with exterior of The The festival has more than a full range of state-of-the-art Bosch ap- Hilton Doha The 3,000 products in diff erent cat- pliances, smart furniture with high-tech Pearl Residences. egories and fl own straight from fi ttings like keyless entry, high-speed In- India for the occasion. These in- ternet, JBL Bluetooth speakers and Nespresso machines, ample clude fruits, vegetables, meat, storage, designated dining areas and bathrooms ensuite in every packaged food products, kitchen bedroom with Villeroy & Boch sanitary fi ttings”. essentials and traditional dresses Indian ambassador P Kumaran and Qatari and Indian dignitaries cut a cake to mark the opening of ‘India Utsav 2020’ at LuLu Hypermart, D-Ring Ranging from 56sq m to 67sq m, each studio is designed in a like sarees and churidars. Road. PICTURES: Jayan Orma high-end contemporary style with smooth fi nishing and fea- A wide range of hot food dish- tures a light-fi lled open plan living area complete with a king- es is also being freshly prepared demand are available in the stores. Fair Exports India, an ex- size bed, a comfortable dining area, a kitchenette with a two daily, ranging from delicious biry- With a view to enriching the port distribution centre of LuLu stovetops, laundry machine and microwave, and a beautiful anis to mouth-watering curries, theme of the festival, many tradi- Group, has been the winner of balcony for ultimate relaxation. popular street foods, traditional tional artforms including themat- the ‘Best Exporter Award’ for In- Being the opening level of rooms available at Hilton The sweets and many more delicacies. ic dance, Vaishnav Jan, Kashmiri dian silk saris and garments by Pearl, it is “aff ordably priced and universally appealing”. Indian culture is often con- dance, Bengali dance, Semi-clas- the Indian Silk Export Promotion The one-two bedroom suites have a size range of 77sq m to sidered as an amalgamation of sical dance and patriotic cinemat- Council since 1996. 137sq m and feature a master bedroom with a king-size bed, several cultures and has been in- ic dance were featured during the LuLu outlets have also launched a alongside twin and king bed guest bedrooms. fl uenced by the history of many inaugural ceremony. ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free’ promotion which They are part of a spacious, light-fi lled, modern apartment centuries. As part of the festival, a pro- will continue until February 8. surrounded by large balconies, off ering breathtaking views. Many elements of India’s di- motion on Indian Silk and Ethnic This promotion includes al- These units feature a large living area, an open concept verse cultures such as Indian phi- Wear was opened by the ambas- most all Indian and international kitchen and ample storage which off er all the trappings of losophy, art, music, architecture sador’s wife, Ritu Kumaran. brands of menswear, ladies-wear, modern comfortable living. and Indian cuisine have a pro- A wide assortment of pure churidars, saris, children-wear, The array of amenities include a full kitchen with four found impact across the world. natural and synthetic silk from footwear and ladies bags. stovetops, microwave, oven, fridge-freezer, dishwasher, a LuLu, which has its own food India including saris, readymade Stocks of leading Indian brands laundry room with a washer-dryer, ensuite bathrooms, and a processing plants and sourcing of- garments and dress material are of menswear, ladieswear, chil- balcony with scenic views of The Pearl-Qatar. fi ces in India has exerted massive on display and sale at discounted dren-wear and footwear like Louis Poised on the top fl oor of the hotel, the palatial Ambassador eff orts to introduce a new range of rates at all LuLu outlets. Philippe, Arrow, Van Heusen, Al- and Presidential suites feature a “magnifi cent environment of products featuring organic, low- Indian silk is one of the ma- len Solly, Peter England, Sunnex, Indian ambassador’s wife Ritu Kumaran and other dignitaries at the comfort and class”.Impressively regal in every detail, this fl oor fat and gluten-free stuff . jor categories of India’s exports Killer, Sin, Sero, Oxemberg, Hush opening of a promotion on Indian Silk and Ethnic Wear as part of ‘India off ers extended privacy and security with connecting room Healthier food options that are in worldwide. Puppies and Liberty are on display. Utsav 2020’ at LuLu Hypermart, D-Ring Road. options, and a full array of superior amenities. “We are really thrilled about the opening of Hilton’s fi rst res- idential property, and we have a lot of factors in our favour cur- rently,” said Hassan El Wahidi, general manager, Hilton Doha The Pearl Residences. “The Pearl-Qatar has consistently been among the most-searched destinations for choosing a proper- Qeeri develops environment-friendly biocide ty in this country. With the economy and the real estate sector picking up in recent times, Qatar is looking for leading prop- erties that can off er reliable and innovative services and this is cientists at Qatar Environ- cially in the harsh environment in Two patents have been fi led what we are providing at Hilton Doha The Pearl Residences.” ment and Energy Research the Gulf region. and the work has been published The residents at Hilton The Pearl will enjoy innovative din- SInstitute (Qeeri), part of Ha- Dr Khaled Mahmoud, research in the Green Chemistry journal as ing options with a range of restaurants in the property, as well mad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), programme director for the Water the cover story. as world-class transformative recreation facilities from the up- have synthesised a new highly effi - Quality Programme, said, “We are Dr Marc Vermeersch, executive coming sandy beach, to the temperature-controlled outdoor cient anti-bacterial nanomaterial thrilled with the outcome of our director, Qeeri, said: “ We aim to pool, to Hilton’s eforea spa and health club and a Kids Club. which is environment-friendly and work; anti-bacterial materials are conduct cutting-edge research, The six hi-tech, versatile meeting and banquet venues expected to be cheaper than exist- widely used but can prove to be development and innovation that complemented by an equipped business centre which is open ing commercial biocides. costly both fi nancially and on the can be benefi cial, not just to Qa- day and night, will allow residents to take advantage of fully The Water Quality Programme environment. tar, but also for the region, and the integrated services. team at Qeeri’s Environment and This novel material is more world. Sustainability Centre used an in- eff ective, less expensive, and The work, done by our scien- novative approach to develop Members of the Qeeri team. ‘greener’ compared to traditional tists in producing these antibac- these novel biodegradable poly- commercially available products. terial nanospheres, showcases the meric nanospheres. reducing bacteria making them ideal cheap raw materials that it uses, It took many hours of collabo- capabilities that Qeeri has. This It was synthesised using a one- biocides for water disinfection. makes it suitable for building rative work within various teams will have a direct impact on vari- step chemical crosslinking tech- Furthermore, the new bio- antibacterial coatings and mem- at Qeeri, but seeing the tangible ous industries including oil and nique from renewable chitosan, cide has been successfully used branes for the future development result makes it worth it.” gas, desalination and biomedi- which can be sourced from shell- for controlling microbiologically of more stable, sustainable, cost- The work was done by a team cine. We remain committed to fi sh and lignosulfonate derived infl uenced corrosion on carbon effi cient biomedical and environ- of Qeeri scientists including Dr helping Qatar fi nd solutions for from trees. steel with 85% effi ciency. mental applications. Ravi Pandey, Dr Kashif Rasool, Dr the grand challenges related to The material demonstrated high It also did not show any adverse The nanobiocide can also pro- P Abdul Rasheed, Tricia Gomez, energy, water and environment, bactericidal properties towards acute toxicity on the marine envi- vide an effi cient solution for the Mujaheed Pasha, Dr Said Man- and are proud to see this top qual- aerobic Gram (—) E coli and Gram ronment The bio-degradable na- chronic microbial corrosion issue sour, Dr One-Sun Le, and Dr Kha- ity and world-class research pro- (+) B subtilis and anaerobic sulfate- ture of the new material, and the in the oil and gas industry, espe- led Mahmoud. duced in our labs.” A superior two-bedroom suite living room.

Ashghal announces temporary closures he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a four-month closure of one lane on Al Wakra Main TRoad between Pearl roundabout and Al Wakra Tun- nel Intersection on a 1km stretch from today. The closure, being implemented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, is to allow for the completion of the construction of Al Wakra Main Road. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the temporary closure and requested road users to abide by the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety. Ashghal also an- nounced a six-month closure of the access to Al Gharrafa Street from Al Shamal Road at Du- hail Interchange from January 31. Travellers coming from Al Shamal Road and wishing to access Al Gharrafa Street are advised to use Izghawa Interchange to access New Al Hateem Street to reach their destinations. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR

Grand reception celebrates India’s Republic Day

HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs Yousef bin Mohamed al-Othman Fakhro and HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi joined Indian ambassador P Kumaran in cutting a cake at a reception to celebrate the 71st Republic Day of India yesterday as Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Chief of Protocol Ibrahim Yousif Fakhroo and Eritrean ambassador and dean of the Diplomatic Corps Ali Ibrahim Ahmed looked on. A large gathering of diplomats representing a number of nations and other dignitaries from various walks of life attended the function at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel. Indian school girls sang the national anthems of Qatar and India on the occasion. PICTURES: Jayaram CMC members ride Doha Metro New inspection cars to monitor Ashghal road works quality

s part of its continuing eff orts to ensure quality Aroads and timely repair- ing, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has launched road in- spection cars. The vehicles, operated by the Roads Operations and Mainte- nance department at Ashghal, will monitor the roads by holding regular surveys. They are equipped with cam- Qatar Rail hosted eras, radars and GPS to detect members of the Central any defects. Municipal Council (CMC) “The latest road survey- at the Doha Metro. The ing techniques have been put in A road survey vehicle deployed by Ashghal. delegation took the metro place in order to ensure proper from Souq Waqif station road conditions and its conform- The vehicles will be deployed al-Khashabi from Roads Opera- to Qatar University. ity to standards by examining the to examine old as well as new tion and Maintenance in a video, asphalt layer and discovering any roads. Details of these vehicles posted by Ashghal on its offi cial defects,” a tweet by Ashghal said. were explained by Mohamed Twitter handle.

Mercedes-Benz model recalled

he Ministry of Commerce forts to protect consumers and ers to report any violations to its and Industry, in co-op- ensure that vehicle dealers follow Consumer Protection and Anti- Teration with Nasser Bin up on defects and repairs. Commercial Fraud Department, Khaled Automobiles, announced The ministry has said that it which processes complaints, in- the recall of Mercedes-Benz V- will co-ordinate with the dealer quiries and suggestions through Class model of 2019 due to the to follow up on the maintenance the following channels: Call instrument panel not meeting and repair works and will com- Centre: 16001, e-mail: info@ manufacturer specification. municate with customers to en- moci.gov.qa, Twitter: @ MO- The ministry confi rmed the sure that the necessary repairs CIQATAR, Instagram: MOCIQA- recall campaign comes within are carried out. TAR, mobile app for Android and the framework of its ongoing ef- The ministry urges all custom- IOS: MOCIQATAR. WCM-Q hosts international conference on neuromuscular disorders

eill Cornell Medicine international experts and local tute of Translational and Clinical sented the epidemiology of neu- – Qatar (WCM-Q) has physicians. Research at Newcastle Univer- romuscular disorders in Qatar, Wheld a three-day con- The event was organised by sity in the UK and director of the while Dr Khalid Ibrahim, senior ference on congenital dystrophies Dr Alice Abdel Aleem, assistant MRC Centre for Neuromuscular attending physician in paediatric and the precision medicine asso- professor of research in neu- Diseases in UK, who spoke about neurology at Sidra Medicine, out- ciated with neuromuscular dis- rology, and assistant professor magnetic resonance imaging in lined the types of spinal muscular orders, with participants hearing of research in neuroscience at diagnosing muscle disease. atrophy found in Qatar. from world-leading experts. WCM-Q, and consultant in clin- Dr Elizabeth Ross, director of Dr Nahla Afi fi , director of Qa- The event involved experts ical genetics at Hamad Medical the Centre for Neurogenetics at tar Biobank, detailed the work from the region, Europe and the Corporation. Weill Cornell Medicine in New they carry out and explained how US lecturing on a variety of top- “It has been fascinating to hear York, who spoke about features of the resource has an important ics surrounding neuromuscular of the latest therapies that are be- the human brain associated with role to play in future research. disorders, with particular refer- ing developed and to learn from congenital muscular dystrophies. Recommendations made at ence to congenital dystrophies some of the foremost authorities Dr Carsten G Bönnemann, the conference included the in- and myopathies. on neuromuscular disorders in chief of the neuromuscular and volvement of the public and These conditions are prevalent the world,” Dr Aleem said. neurogenetic disorders of child- Participants at the Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar conference. primary healthcare sectors in in Qatar and the wider Gulf, with “Because of the prevalence hood section at the Porter Neuro- raising awareness of congenital the conference also focusing on of consanguineous marriages in science Research Centre in Mary- Dr Christophe Beroud from his 20 years’ journey investigat- Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad dystrophies and optimising early the potential for personalised the Gulf, the region has a rela- land in the US, who discussed Aix-Marseille University Medi- ing neuromuscular disorders. al-Thani, director of the Public diagnosis. medicines and new, emerging tively high incidence of congeni- emerging therapies and the devel- cal School in France, spoke about Dr Gustavo Dziewczapolski, Health Department at the Min- It was also suggested that treatments as well as the chal- tal disorders, so the third day of opment of clinical trials in con- the sequencing diagnostic tree he the scientifi c director of the Cure istry of Public Health, who spoke Qatar should be involved in up- lenges in implementing the ther- the conference was particularly genital muscular dystrophies. has invented in his laboratories Congenital Muscular Dystrophy to delegates about how the bur- coming clinical trials for a spe- apies. important as it allowed the com- Dr Rita Horvath, director of which enable the simultaneous Foundation in the US, outlined den could be reduced on families cifi c type of congenital muscular The third day of the confer- munity to discuss issues with ex- clinical genetic research into diagnosis of a group of congenital how the patients’ advocacy or- who have relatives with congeni- dystrophy because of its preva- ence was open to the public and perts face-to-face.” rare neurological disorders at the muscular dystrophies. ganisation can take a role in in- tal dystrophies. lence within the country, and allowed members of the com- International speakers at the University of Cambridge, deliv- Dr Andoni Urtitzberea, direc- fl uencing the decisions made by Dr Mahmoud Fawzi, senior at- that a registry should be created munity and patients’ families to conference included Dr Volker ered a lecture om mitochondrial tor of the Summer School of My- health authorities. tending physician in paediatric for the neuromuscular disorders meet and discuss issues with the Straub, deputy dean of the Insti- diseases. ology in Paris, gave a talk about Speakers from Qatar, included neurology at Sidra Medicine, pre- found here. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 11 QATAR Amir lauds former PM’s services

By Ayman Adly transparency and accountability, Staff Reporter helping Qatar occupy a leading position in global indexes for hassle-free and easy business is Highness the Amir procedures. Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- HE Sheikh Abdullah was also Hmad al-Thani yesterday delegated by His Highness the thanked HE Sheikh Abdullah Amir to represent Qatar at various bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Tha- key international, regional and ni, former Prime Minister and A translation of the tweet in Arabic by His Highness the Amir Arab summits and conferences. Minister of Interior, for the sin- Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani: Thanks to the sincere eff orts of cere eff orts he had made for the “We thank brother Abdullah bin Nasser for the sincere eff orts he had HE Sheikh Abdullah in executing development of Qatar over the exerted from his position over the past years, which have had a posi- the vision of the wise leadership years. tive impact on the progress of Qatar and the achievements made in of the country, Qatar has become “We thank brother Abdullah all fields despite the challenges. Sheikh Abdullah has been a soldier one of the safest and most secure bin Nasser for the sincere eff orts of Qatar and will remain so in the service of this dear homeland.” places on earth with one of the he had exerted from his posi- lowest rates of crime and having tion over the past years, which the due capability to protect its have had a positive impact on facilities and respond to potential the progress of Qatar and the disasters and threats in accord- achievements made in all fi elds ance with global standards. despite the challenges. Sheikh HE Sheikh Abdullah also took Abdullah has been a soldier of a keen interest in the timely Qatar and will remain so in the completion of the infrastructure service of this dear homeland,” projects, including the facili- the translation of an Arabic ties being built to host the FIFA tweet by His Highness the Amir World Cup in Qatar in 2022. HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attending a ceremony to announce the establishment of a yesterday said. Qatar was ranked fi rst in the new cloud datacentre region in Qatar, jointly by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Microsoft. HE Sheikh Abdullah, who Arab world and seventh globally was appointed Prime Minister out of 128 countries in the Global and Minister of Interior in 2013, Finance Safety Index for 2019. could be credited with many A translation of the tweets in Arabic by HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Besides, Qatar has retained its achievements throughout his Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani: global distinction as the safest tenure that contributed towards “I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and thanks to His country in the Arab world as well the realisation of the policies of Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for the precious as globally after being ranked His Highness the Amir, includ- confidence he has shown in me throughout my period of service, and fi rst in terms of safety and se- ing Qatar National Vision 2030. for his wise directives over the past years. I also hope that I have suc- curity among 118 countries, ac- HE Sheikh Abdullah thanked ceeded in bearing the responsibility and trust throughout my period cording to an annual report is- His Highness the Amir for his of service to the nation and His Highness the Amir.” sued by Numbeo in 2019, the trust in him and the opportunity “I also thank all those who have worked with me and were the best world’s largest database of user given to him to serve his country. support and help to me. May Allah protect the Amir. May Allah protect contributed data on cities and A translation of a tweet in Qatar, and peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you. countries. Arabic by HE Sheikh Abdullah During the tenure of HE bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Sheikh Abdullah, the number of said: tect the Amir. May Allah protect HE Sheikh Abdullah laid due health centres, public and pri- “I would like to express my Qatar, and peace and Allah’s emphasis on the implementa- vate schools and government sincerest gratitude and thanks mercy and blessings be upon tion of infrastructure and public service centres increased signifi - to His Highness the Amir Sheikh you.” service projects and supervised cantly across the country, off er- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for Following the directives of His the creation of new hospitals, ing easily-accessible services to the precious confi dence he has Highness the Amir, HE Sheikh health centres and other related all inhabitants. shown in me throughout my pe- Abdullah bin Nasser diligently projects to the highest interna- Further, many public serv- riod of service, and for his wise supervised the implementation tional standards. ices became easily obtainable HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani touring the Daam Specialised Care Centre along with directives over the past years. I of economic development plans He also paid great attention online without the need to visit ministers and other dignitaries after its opening. also hope that I have succeeded in the country, closely following to the development of the leg- the offi ce concerned and process in bearing the responsibility up on the partnership between islative system in the country, documents the traditional way - duced, with Qatar witnessing a Highness the Amir, HE Sheikh The country also earned praise and trust throughout my period the public and private sectors introducing various new and thus saving time, eff ort and cost. sharp drop in the number of road Abdullah was able to make Qatar and appreciation from various of service to the nation and His through the creation of the tech- advanced laws and regulations Traffi c movement on the fatalities in 2018, reaching 4.9 a sought-after destination for key international entities and in- Highness the Amir. I also thank nical committee for the encour- to make the country more in- country’s roads also became deaths per 100,000 people com- work, business and global events, dividuals for the great eff orts ex- all those who have worked with agement and participation of the vestment-friendly and attrac- much smoother as many new pared to 5.4 in 2017, with further such as the various international erted by Qatar and its wise lead- me and were the best support private sector in economic devel- tive for foreign investors while highways and hi-tech trans- improvements expected. sport events and major confer- ership to promote world peace, and help to me. May Allah pro- opment projects in the country. maintaining the highest levels of portation solutions were intro- Under the directives of His ences hosted by the country. security and welfare.

HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani visiting the Al HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani being briefed on Wakra Central Market with other dignitaries. the facilities at the newly opened aquatic research centre.

HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani using a ceremonial switch to off icially inaugurate Al Majd Road.

HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and other dignitaries and officials at the recent HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani touring Cityscape Qatar HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani unveiling signing of agreements to build the QR1.7bn Al-Kharsaah Large Scale Solar PV Power Plant with a total 2019 with other dignitaries. the plaque of the ‘2022’ building in Aspire Zone. capacity of 800MW.

HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attending the ceremony of distribution of certificates to graduates of the Police College’s second batch at the headquarters of the Police Training Institute. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

CORRUPTION POLITICS UNREST CONFLICT PROTEST Santos considers legal Soro says he remains Iraqis rebuild wrecked Syrian govt forces enter Sudanese allege relatives action against media presidential candidate camp as violence escalates town south of Idlib city lured to conflict zones

Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos plans to take Former Ivory Coast rebel leader Guillaume Soro Anti-government protesters in the southern Iraqi city Syrian government forces entered a town south Dozens of Sudanese protested yesterday in legal action against media who published a vast said yesterday he would not drop out of presiden- of Nassiriya say they will not back down despite the of Idlib city yesterday in a significant advance for Khartoum, alleging that their relatives had been enquiry dubbed “Luanda Leaks” about the origin tial elections set for the end of the year, despite an destruction of their camp by gunmen in an attack President Bashar al-Assad as he seeks to recapture recruited by a Gulf state firm as security guards of her fortune, according to a statement issued arrest warrant out against him. “I definitely remain that left at least two people dead. Unidentified gun- rebel-held territory in the country’s northwest, a war but were dispatched to war-zones in Libya and yesterday by her Portuguese PR firm. About 30 a candidate in the election. Those who tried to men in four vehicles tore through the camp late on monitor and state media said. Assad’s campaign to Yemen. Men and women carrying banners that members of the International Consortium of stop me from going back to my homeland will not Sunday and set the protesters’ tents on fire, police regain Idlib province, the last rebel bastion in a near- read “Our sons are nor for sale” and “Bring back Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), including the BBC, stop me from being a candidate,” he told Reuters and medical sources said. The incident came a day ly nine-year-long civil war, has sparked a new exodus our sons” demonstrated outside Sudan’s foreign the New York Times and French daily Le Monde, in Paris. Ivory Coast’s public prosecutor issued the after security forces had made a violent nationwide of thousands of civilians towards the border with ministry in central Khartoum. Several demonstra- published on January 19 an enquiry conclud- warrant for Soro on Dec 23 as part of an investiga- attempt to close down such settlements. The pro- Turkey, which backs some insurgent groups fighting tors AFP spoke to said their relatives had been ing that the daughter of Angola’s ex-president tion into an alleged coup plot. Soro denied any testers said they now intended to make their camp Assad. People were fleeing towns in southern Idlib, a given Gulf state visas by travel agencies following Eduardo dos Santos allegedly accumulated in a wrongdoing and said he was a victim of judicial more permanent and yesterday they began to Reuters witness said. Some headed towards camps advertisements in local newspapers for Sudanese fraudulent manner an estimated fortune of $2.1bn persecution.”Mercenaries made illegal recordings clear the ruins and build new huts out of bricks and for internally displaced persons or rebel-held towns men to work as security guards for the Gulf state (1.9bn euros). thinking they can entrap me,” he said. mortar that would provide better protection.” near the Turkish border. firm called Black Shield.

Iran lawmakers call Trump’s Mideast peace for debate on quitting nuclear arms treaty

Reuters sometimes withdrawn their Dubai signatures seeking debates on plan draws criticism motions about nuclear and other issues. AFP “This could be the last op- group of Iranian law- To become a law, the pro- Washington portunity they will ever have.” makers yesterday asked posal would have to be passed “Palestinians are in pov- Aparliament to debate a by lawmakers in two readings erty and violence, exploited motion for Iran to quit a treaty and then ratified by the Guard- resident Donald Trump by those seeking to use them governing global nuclear arms ian Council, a body that is in released his long delayed as pawns to advance violence,” control, a move apparently charge of ensuring bills do not PIsraeli-Palestinian peace the president added. aimed at pressuring European contradict religious laws or plan yesterday and promised “a “They deserve a far better powers to salvage Tehran’s own Iran’s constitution. new dawn” for the region, even life.” 2015 nuclear deal. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayat- though the Palestinians initially In Gaza, thousands protest- A report on the assem- ollah Ali Khamenei, the highest rejected the proposal as hope- ed, burning pictures of Trump bly’s news site ICANA said a authority in the Islamic Repub- lessly biased. and the American flag. minimum number of MPs had lic, has the final say on all state Standing alongside Israe- There was also anger from signed a request to parlia- matters like Tehran’s nuclear li Prime Minister Benjamin Israeli hardliners. ment’s managers to arrange a policy. The 1968 NPT has been Netanyahu in the White House’s Transport Minister Bezalel debate on the motion for Iran the foundation of global nucle- East Room, Trump said his plan Smotrich, from the far-right to take the far-reaching step of ar arms control since the Cold could succeed where decades of Yemina union, said his party leaving the nuclear Non-Pro- War, including the 2015 deal failed previous US attempts to “won’t under any conditions liferation Treaty (NPT). Iranian Iran signed with world powers intervene failed. agree to recognition, whether Foreign Minister Mohamed that offered it access to global “Together we can bring about explicit or implicit, of a Pales- Javad Zarif said last week that trade in return for accepting a...new dawn in the Middle tinian state.” Iran could withdraw from the curbs to its atomic programme. East,” Trump said to an enthu- The ambassadors from NPT if European countries re- The fate of the 2015 pact has siastic audience that included three Arab nations were at the fer the country to the UN Secu- been in doubt since US Presi- throngs of Israeli and Jewish White House, providing some rity Council over the 2015 deal, dent Donald Trump pulled the American guests. evidence of Trump’s claim to a move that would overturn di- United States out of it in 2018 Trump praised Israel for tak- have growing support around plomacy in Tehran’s relations and reimposed sanctions that ing “a giant step toward peace” the region. with Western powers. have crippled the country’s by accepting the plan, which Russia, a growing force in Lawmakers in the past have economy. lays out a vision for future Pal- Mideast politics, sounded estinian statehood if a series of sceptical, calling for Israelis strict conditions are met — in- and Palestinians to negotiate cluding requiring the future Palestinian protesters wave the national flag and a portrait of president Mahmoud Abbas during a directly over a “mutually ac- Libyan govt forces claim downing rival drone state to be “demilitarised.” demonstration in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday, against US President Donald Trump’s ceptable compromise.” The US president, who was peace plan proposal. “We do not know if the Forces aligned with Libya’s Tripoli-based government said yesterday followed at the podium by American proposal is mutu- they had shot down a drone operated by their rivals, suggesting a Netanyahu, painted a future Bank. But the map showed the state,” senior Hamas official and White party in a month’s ally acceptable or not,” Dep- strengthening of air defences as they receive accelerated military where some $50bn in invest- West Bank remaining riddled Khalil al-Hayya said. time. But he is expected to uty Foreign Minister Mikhail support from Turkey. ments would eradicate the mis- with Jewish settlements linked The announcement of the benefit from the high-profile Bogdanov told Russian news The drone was shot down just east of Misrata, a key source of military ery gripping Palestinians today, to Israel and only a road tunnel major diplomatic initia- partnership with Trump. agencies. power for forces aligned with the internationally recognised Govern- while allowing Israel never “to connecting the area with the tive came as both Trump and Both men were interrupt- Earlier, Foreign Minister ment of National Accord (GNA), those forces said on their social compromise its security.” seaside Gaza Strip. Netanyahu fight for their po- ed by frequent applause and Sergei Lavrov said initial indi- media pages. Criticising previous US The plan makes clear that litical futures. standing ovations during their cations reflected “an approach They posted pictures of the charred wreckage of an aircraft and a diplomatic efforts as overly the settlements, viewed by Trump is in the midst of an speeches. that is totally different from largely intact wing being carried away on a pick-up truck, identifying vague, Trump noted that his much of the international impeachment battle over his Netanyahu called the pro- what has been recognised by it as a drone supplied by a Gulf state. version was 80 pages long and community as illegal occupa- alleged abuse of power and he posal “the deal of the cen- the international community.” The Gulf state has been supporting east Libya-based forces led contained a map depicting the tion, would stay — and that faces a difficult reelection in tury” and said to Trump “you Netanyahu’s office said he by Khalifa Haftar, supplying them with Chinese-made Wing Loong proposed future neighbouring Israel was free to annex them November. have been the greatest friend would travel to Moscow today drones that long gave them an aerial advantage. states. right away. Pro-Israel evangelical that Israel has ever had in the to present the plan in person to However, Turkey has recently been sending reinforcements to the However, the Palestinians Israel would retain control Christians form a key part of White House.” President Vladimir Putin. GNA, which include air defence systems as well as military advisers, angrily rejected the whole plan over Jerusalem as its “undi- his voter base and they have Trump said he had written Trump said earlier that his analysts say. Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) has been even before the White House vided capital,” Trump said. backed his frequent moves to yesterday to Abbas to enlist his plan was getting widespread waging a off ensive to take control of Tripoli since April, the latest rollout, saying it formalises At the same time, the Pal- bolster Israel’s position in the support. support from “many” Arab escalation of a conflict between rival camps based in Tripoli and east the Israeli occupation of their estinians would be allowed to Middle East. No Palestinian official at- nations and claimed that Libya since 2014. The LNA said the downed drone was Turkish, but a territory. declare a capital within occu- Netanyahu was formally tended the launch and their even Palestinians would come weapons specialist with wide experience in the region confirmed the Trump promised a “con- pied East Jerusalem, he said. indicted on three corruption leaders had little say in the around. drone was a Wing Loong. The UN mission to Libya said on Saturday tiguous” future Palestinian The Hamas movement, charges yesterday after he crafting of the plan. “It’s very good for them, in that weapons had been pouring into Libya despite a pledge by inter- state, addressing the current which runs the Gaza Strip, abandoned an attempt to seek “I explained to (Abbas) that fact it’s overly good for them,” national powers to respect an arms embargo that has been routinely situation where Israel controls quickly rejected the proposals. parliamentary immunity. the territory allocated for his Trump told reporters on Mon- breached. In the eastern city of Benghazi yesterday, several hundred broad territory separating the “We won’t accept any sub- His right-wing Likud faces a new state will remain open and day. “We think we will have people attended a rally to celebrate the capture of what the LNA said two main population centres stitute for Jerusalem as the neck-and-neck race with rival undeveloped for a period of ultimately the support of the was a Turkish armoured vehicle seized from their rivals. of the Gaza Strip and the West capital of the Palestinian Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue four years,” Trump said. Palestinians.” Militia clashes kill 50 Nigerian capital slams in Central Africa town brakes on motorbike taxis AFP speaking over the telephone. “The Gula and Kara alliance Bangui “Now things are better. Peo- has taken over almost all of the AFP ously sought to ban the two and ple have started returning to town. There are bodies in all Lagos three-wheelers from main roads the main market to shop.” the streets. The town centre is and bridges but enforcement has lashes between rival The clashes are the latest test empty. All the Runga have fl ed,” often been lax. armed groups in Bria, a to a nearly year-old agreement an aid worker contacted by AFP igeria’s traffi c-choked The latest move from the au- Cstrategic town in eastern aimed at bringing peace to the on Sunday said. economic capital Lagos thorities sparked anger and fear Central African Republic, have CAR. Deeply poor despite its “The Gula control many of Nhas announced sweeping among drivers out on the streets left dozens dead, a senior offi - mineral wealth, the CAR has the mines around Bria,” a local bans on the motorbike taxis ply- around the bustling Obalende cial said yesterday. been in the grip of militia vio- diamond merchant said. ing its perilous roads set to come market yesterday. More than two-thirds of lence since 2013. “But in town, most of the in to force from next month. “This is how we feed ourselves the former French colony lies Bria is the main town in a diamond outlets belong to the The state government has and our families” said Abdu- in the hands of armed groups, diamond-rich region. Runga. They are traders who barred motorbike taxis and mo- lameed, sitting in his rickshaw. who typically claim ethnic or It has been ravaged by long- have established solid con- torised rickshaws, known locally “If the government stops us religious affi liations and often standing violence and parts of nections with foreign buyers, as okada and keke, from swathes from driving then what are we fi ght over mineral resources. it are pockmarked or in ruins. especially the Lebanese and of the city over what offi cials de- going to do?” “There are about 50 dead. Violence erupted there at Indians. This is one of the main scribed as “scary fi gures” for fa- Driver Yusuf Garba said he Some bodies were immedi- the weekend between “ethnic reasons for the tensions.” tal accidents in recent years. could earn up to 8,000 naira ately buried by relatives, so it is groups”, the spokesman for The head of the CAR Red “Lagos State Government on ($22) a day and warned that ban- diffi cult to give a precise fi gure,” the UN peacekeeping force in Cross, Antoine Mbaobogo, said Monday wielded the big stick ning bikes from the streets might said the prefect of Haute-Kotto CAR, Vladimir Monteiro said the fi gure of around 50 dead against the menace of commer- see crime rates go up. department, Evariste Bingui- on Sunday. It followed a lo- given by the prefect “seems cial motorcycles and tricycles,” “What can all these people nidji. After mediation with UN cal split several months ago credible to me.” the authorities wrote on Twitter. Motorcycle taxi drivers sit on their bikes, popularly called “Okada”, in do? They will turn to crime,” he peacekeeping forces sent to the within a militia called the As of Monday, there had been “The lack of regard for the La- Obalende, Lagos Island, Nigeria. said. area, “the town is calm. Popular Front for the Rebirth a toll of 35 dead and 17 wound- gos traffi c laws by the Okada and The drivers — who often come The armed groups have of the Central African Repub- ed, Mbaobogo said. tricycle riders had resulted in a vital — if sometimes hazardous source of income for thousands from the north of the country withdrawn their men from the lic (FPRC), several sources in Violence fl ared last week at preventable loss of lives.” — way for many Lagosians to ne- of low-skilled young men living like President Muhamadu Bu- town centre and displaced peo- Bria said. Birao, a key town in the north- The ban, which starts Febru- gotiate the notorious “go-slow” in the city where unemployment hari — said they felt let down af- ple have started to return,” he On one side are members of east straddling the road to ary 1, covers numerous central traffi c jams that clog the streets. and the cost of living are high. ter voting for his All Progressives said. the Runga ethnic group, in- neighbouring Sudan, between districts and suburbs of the cha- Motorists in one of Africa’s Many of the drivers are unreg- Congress party. “My parents’ house was cluding the FPRC’s military the FPRC and a group called the otic megacity of 20mn people biggest cities face an obstacle ulated but a slew of ride hailing “They are doing this to make burnt down,” said a taxi driver chief Abdoulaye Hissene and Movement of Central African and major highways and bridges course of tailbacks and potholes apps have sprung up that have the rich happy, but they for- who gave his name as Maha- several of his offi cers, and local Liberators for Justice (MLCJ), across Lagos state. that can turn the daily commute improved oversight and safety get that without us they would mat. “They have taken shelter members of the Gula and Kara which is mainly drawn from the The ubiquitous motorbike into an ordeal lasting hours. controls in the sector. never win an election,” said Mo- in the Fulani quarter,” he said, groups on the other, they said. Kara community. taxis and rickshaws are seen as The bikes also off er a key Lagos authorities have previ- hamed Awwal. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 13 AMERICAS

FATAL FIRE TARGETS IN THE DOCK TECH TALK 8 dead in Alabama boat Three people injured in More charges for Canadian Facebook rolls out tool to dock blaze: fire chief courthouse shooting accused of leaking secrets clear third-party data

Eight people were killed in a late night fire Three people were shot outside of a courthouse Canadian prosecutors have laid three new Facebook said yesterday a new tool allowing that swept through docked boats on a lake in in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Monday and charges against a top police intelligence off icial users of the social network to view and delete the southern US state of Alabama, the local were transported to hospitals with non-life- who is accused of leaking secret information, a data it collects from third parties is rolling out to fire chief said on Monday. “At this point, I can threatening wounds, the off ice of Bridgeport spokeswoman for the federal prosecution service the estimated 2bn members of the leading social confirm eight fatalities,” said Gene Necklaus, Mayor Joe Ganim said in a statement. The said on Monday. Cameron Ortis, a director network worldwide. The new feature, part of a the fire chief of Scottsboro, Alabama, a town mayor’s off ice had previously reported that general with the Royal Canadian Mounted stepped-up eff ort to improve privacy practices, of 14,000 on the banks of Guntersville Lake there were four gunshot victims in the shooting Police, faces charges under a 2012 security of allows users to see and clear “off Facebook where the blaze broke out. Necklaus had that occurred shortly after noon outside of the information law for prosecuting spies. The three activity” used for targeted advertising. Facebook earlier said eight people were missing, but in Superior Court of Bridgeport. Ganim’s off ice charges were filed last week under a section chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the tool giving the same number of fatalities said “it said there was no immediate threat to the of the law that relates to the unauthorised off ers “a new level of transparency and control” doesn’t mean the recovery effort is over.” The community. “This is not a random act, this is not communication of special operational for the social network. The feature will lift a veil fire broke out around midnight Sunday into an active shooter,” according to the statement information, Public Prosecution Service of on some aspects of Facebook’s practices that A row of boats engulfed in flames at the marina Monday, tearing through a dock area on the from Ganim’s spokeswoman, Rowena White. Canada spokeswoman Nathalie Houle said in a includes collecting data from third-party apps, in Scottsboro, Alabama. lake and destroying 35 boats. “The individuals were intended targets.” statement. No date has been set for a trial. Facebook logins and “likes”.

Harvard academic Dems reject ‘classifi ed’ charged for lying about China ties

Reuters reading of Bolton book Washington

Reuters Bolton left his White House post Harvard University department chair and two Chi- Washington last September. nese nationals who were researchers at Boston Uni- Trump has said he fi red Bolton. Aversity and a Boston hospital were charged yester- Bolton said he quit after policy day for lying about their links to the Chinese government. resident Donald Trump’s disagreements. The charges are part of an aggressive eff ort by US au- lawyers yesterday launched White House Deputy Counsel thorities to block what they say are Chinese eff orts to Ptheir fi nal day of arguments Patrick Philbin, also addressing stealing American scientifi c and technological advances. in his US impeachment trial as the the Senate for Trump’s legal team, “This is a very carefully directed eff ort by the Chinese Senate’s top Democrat rejected a kicked off his presentation by government to fi ll what it views as its own strategic gaps,” Republican proposal to let senators criticising what he called the “in- said Andrew Lelling, US Attorney for the District of Mas- review former national security fi nitely malleable” premise for the sachusetts, as he revealed the charges in a news conference. adviser John Bolton’s explosive, abuse of power charge approved by Prosecutors charged Charles Lieber, chair of Harvard unpublished book manuscript on a the House against the president. University’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Bi- classifi ed basis. He pressed the point that the ology, with lying about his participation in China’s Thou- Trump’s lawyers made the case charges brought against Trump do sand Talents Plan, which aims to attract research special- to the Senate on Monday that the not represent actual impeachable ists working overseas. Republican president’s actions as off ences. Two Chinese researchers were charged with being described in Bolton’s manuscript “They don’t have a standard agents of a foreign government. — even if true — do not represent that really defi nes a specifi c of- They were Yanqing Ye, a Boston University robotics an impeachable off ence. fence. They don’t have a stand- researcher who prosecutors said lied about being in the Directly contradicting Trump’s ard that really defi nes in coherent Chinese army, and Zaosong Zheng, a cancer researcher at account of events, Bolton, in the terms that are going to be identifi - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who was arrested manuscript, said the president told able what the off ences are,” Philbin last month allegedly trying to smuggle research samples him he wanted to freeze $391mn told the assembled senators, slam- out of the country. in security aid to Ukraine until ming this as “an unconstitution- Prosecutors said Ye is a lieutenant in the Chinese Peo- Kiev pursued investigations into ally vague standard.” ple’s Liberation Army, which she did not disclose when she Democrats, including Democratic Trump has denied telling Bolton obtained a visa to enter the United States. political rival Joe Biden and his son he sought to use the Ukraine aid as She is accused of passing information on research con- Hunter Biden, the New York Times leverage to get Kiev to investigate ducted at Boston University to China’s government. reported. the Bidens. Zheng was arrested last month at Boston Logan In- Bolton’s allegations go to the He has denied any quid pro quo ternational Airport as he tried to leave the United States heart of impeachment charges — a Latin term meaning a favour with 21 vials containing sensitive biological samples in his against Trump. for a favour — in his dealings with baggage. He planned to return to China to continue his re- Democrats have said Trump Ukraine. search there, prosecutors allege. abused his power by using the se- The Senate may resolve the is- Joe Bonavolonta, in charge of the FBI’s Boston fi eld of- curity aid — passed by Congress to sue of whether to call witnesses in fi ce, said Lieber had received millions of dollars from the help Ukraine battle Russia-backed Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) speaks to reporters at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. a vote on Friday or Saturday. Chinese government and that he lied about that to federal separatists — as leverage to get a Some moderate Republican sen- investigators and offi cials at Harvard. foreign power to smear a political mounting pressure from Demo- you call John Bolton, we’re calling for four Republican senators — the ators, including Mitt Romney and According to a court fi ling, Lieber made materially false, rival. crats and some moderates in their everybody. We’re not just going to number needed for a majority — Susan Collins, said the disclosures fi ctitious and fraudulent statements to the US Department Trump is seeking re-election on own party to summon Bolton. call one witness,” Graham told re- to join Democrats in voting to call were likely to sway at least four Re- of Defense about his role in the plan, and to the National November 3. Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow al- porters. witnesses. publicans to call Bolton to testify, Institutes of Health about that role and also his affi liation Biden is a leading candidate for luded to the Bolton issue when he Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer also indicated Demo- which would give Democrats the with Wuhan University of Technology in China. the Democratic nomination to face addressed the Senate, telling the Schumer opposed the Republican crats would reject any eff ort at a votes necessary in the Republican- Lieber was charged with one count of making false Trump. senators they were taking part in proposal. so-called witness swap with Re- led Senate to summon him. statements to a US government agency, according to court The trial will determine whether “the most solemn of duties un- “What an absurd proposal. It’s publicans. The focus was on whether records. He was not charged with anything related to tra- Trump is removed from offi ce after der our constitutional framework a book,” Schumer told reporters “The Republicans can call who two other moderate Republi- ditional espionage, Bonavolonta said, adding that inves- being impeached by the Demo- — the trial of the leader of the free about the proposal fl oated by Gra- they want. They have the ability. cans, Lamar Alexander and Lisa tigators were trying to determine if anything other than cratic-led House of Representa- world, the duly elected president of ham and fellow Republican Sena- They have the majority,” Schumer Murkowski, would vote to hear money motivated his actions. tives last month on charges of the United States. It is not a game of tor James Lankford, saying there said. from Bolton. Harvard and Boston University said through spokespeople abuse of power and obstruction of leaks and unsourced manuscripts. was no need to read the manu- Lankford had late on Monday “The question is: Do they want that they were cooperating with investigators. “The charges Congress arising from his conduct That’s politics, unfortunately.” script in a classifi ed setting “un- urged Bolton to speak publicly to hear the truth or do they want to brought by the US government against Professor Lieber are toward Ukraine. Republican Senator Lindsey less you want to hide something.” outside of the impeachment trial. hide the truth?” Democratic Sena- extremely serious,” Harvard said in a statement. “Professor Trump is expected to be acquit- Graham, a close Trump ally who Schumer criticised Trump’s le- “John Bolton is no shrinking tor Debbie Stabenow told report- Lieber has been placed on indefi nite administrative leave.” ted in the 100-seat Senate, where was at the White House yesterday gal team for stating during its ar- violet,” Lankford said in a video ers. Lieber was arrested yesterday. Eff orts to reach him were Republicans hold 53 seats and a morning, said he supported making guments to the Senate that there posted to his Facebook page. Romney told Reuters yesterday unsuccessful. Beth Israel offi cials could not be reached for two-thirds majority is needed to Bolton’s manuscript available on a was no eyewitness testimony de- “My encouragement would be: that the idea of a “one-for-one” immediate comment. remove him from offi ce under the classifi ed basis, but opposed hear- tailing abuse of power by Trump If John Bolton’s got something to witness deal, with one witness Lieber, Ye and Zheng are the latest in a series of academ- US Constitution. ing from Bolton as a trial witness. “when we know that John Bolton say, there’s plenty of microphones called by Democrats and one by ics the United States has criminally charged for their deal- Senate Republicans, who have so “Looking at the manuscript has eyewitness testimony and is all over the country — that he Republicans, “has merit,” but add- ings with China. In August, federal prosecutors charged a far refused to allow any witnesses makes sense to me. But we’re not willing to testify.” should step forward and start talk- ed: “I wouldn’t suggest any par- University of Kansas researched for failing to disclose ties or new evidence in the trial, faced going to just call John Bolton. If Schumer made a fresh appeal ing about it right now.” ticular names.” to a Chinese university.

Trump immigration policy gets court approval

Reuters Lawsuits aiming to block the forcing the law,” Cuccinelli told Trump has made his tough im- Washington policy were fi led against the ad- reporters. migration stance a hallmark of ministration by the states of New At issue is which immigrants his presidency and 2020 re-elec- York, Connecticut and Vermont will be granted legal permanent tion campaign. he US Supreme Court gave as well as by New York City and residency, known as a “green card.” US immigration law has long the go-ahead on Mon- several nonprofi t organisations. Under Trump’s policy, immi- required offi cials to exclude peo- Tday for one of President In imposing an injunction gration offi cers would consider ple likely to become a “public Donald Trump’s hardline im- blocking it, Manhattan-based factors such as age, educational charge” from permanent resi- migration policies, allowing his US District Judge George Daniels level and English profi ciency to dency. administration to implement a on October 11 called the rule “re- decide whether an immigrant US guidelines in place for the rule denying legal permanent pugnant to the American Dream” would likely become a “public past two decades had said immi- residency to certain immigrants and a “policy of exclusion in charge” who would receive gov- grants likely to become primarily deemed likely to require govern- search of a justifi cation.” ernment benefi ts such as the dependent on direct cash assist- ment assistance in the future. The administration asked the Medicaid health insurance pro- ance or long-term institutionali- The justices, on a 5-4 vote, high court to let the rule go into gram for the poor. sation, in a nursing home for ex- granted the administration’s re- eff ect even before the New York- The administration has said ample, at public expense would quest to lift a lower court’s in- based 2nd US Circuit Court of the new rule is necessary to bet- be barred. junction that had blocked the Appeals rules on Trump’s appeal ter ensure that immigrants will The new rule expands the so-called public charge policy of the injunction. be self-suffi cient. “public charge” bar to anyone while litigation over its legality The 2nd Circuit is considering Critics have said the rule deemed likely to receive a much Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar speaks during a press conference, on the co-ordinated continues. the matter on an expedited basis, would disproportionately bar wider range of public benefi ts public health response to the 2019 coronavirus outbreak, in Washington, DC, yesterday, as Centers for The rule has been criticised by with legal papers to be submitted low-income people from devel- for more than an aggregate of 12 Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and National Center for Immunization and immigrant rights advocates as a by February 14 and arguments oping countries in Latin Ameri- months over any 36-month peri- Respiratory Diseases Director Nancy Messonnier look on. “wealth test” that would dispro- expected soon afterward. ca, Africa and Asia from perma- od including healthcare, housing portionately keep out non-white The administration can now nent residency. and food assistance. ‘Nothing off the table’ on China travel curbs amid virus outbreak immigrants. enforce the rule nationwide ex- “Limiting legal immigration The vast majority of people The court’s fi ve conservative cept in Illinois, where a lower based on an applicant’s wealth is seeking permanent residency are he United States is considering new steps break in China with thousands of cases. justices, including Chief Justice court has blocked its implemen- shameful and entirely un-Amer- not eligible for public benefi ts to counter a coronavirus outbreak that has Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex John Roberts and two justices tation. ican,” Democratic Senator Dick themselves. Tkilled over 100 people in China and noth- Azar said during a news conference that he had appointed by Trump, carried the Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy Durbin wrote on Twitter. A 2019 Urban Institute survey ing is off the table in terms of possible travel re- off ered to send a team of US infectious disease ex- day. secretary at the US Department A spokesman for US Citizen- found that the administration’s strictions for China, the US health secretary said perts to China to assist with its public health ef- The court’s four liberal justices of Homeland Security (DHS), ship and Immigration Services, rule was already deterring peo- yesterday. forts and urged them to be more transparent. said they would have denied the praised the high court. the agency that processes visa ple from seeking benefi ts for US The United States, which so far has fi ve con- “Beyond that, all options for dealing with in- administration’s request. “It is very clear the US Su- applications, said it would “de- citizen children for fear of harm- fi rmed cases of the new coronavirus, has urged fectious disease spread have to be on the table, The action was announced preme Court is fed up with these termine the most appropriate ing their own future immigration Americans to reconsider travel plans to China be- including travel restrictions,” he said. even as Roberts sat as the presid- national injunctions by judges method to implement the public status. cause of the outbreak. The World Health Organization said yesterday ing offi cer in Trump’s impeach- who are trying to impose their charge rule” and would release Benefi ts for family members are It also warned specifically against travel to that China has agreed that it can send interna- ment trial in the US Senate. policy preferences instead of en- additional information soon. not considered under the rule. the Hubei province, the epicentre of the out- tional experts “as soon as possible.” Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 ASIA

Opposition Thai police under scrutiny over in Thailand plans no-trust move against court snub in traffi cking cases Prayut govt Thomson Reuters Foundation The country secured 194 traf- cases dismissed by prosecu- spent on migrants who had not paigners have questioned the facts, which may cause... Bangkok fi cking convictions last year, tors hit a record 18% last year, been exploited. whether many had in fact been misidentifi cation.” down 17% from 2018, the up from 10% in 2018 and 4% A second prosecutor source smuggled. From court proceedings to DPA report found. in 2017. said they had also heard of po- Police chief Vaisaya said it the provision of care in state- Bangkok hai prosecutors turned Most of the cases dismissed The 64 rejected cases from lice offi cers being ordered to was certain that people headed run shelters, wrongly labelling down about a fi fth of last year involved smuggled 2019 were instead prosecuted fi nd more traffi cking victims. to Malaysia would be traffi cked smuggled migrants as traffi ck- Thuman traffi cking cases migrants being misidentifi ed under smuggling and transna- “This clearly shows that [the once they crossed the border. ing victims has wasted gov- hailand’s opposition sent to them by police last year, as traffi cking victims, accord- tional crime laws, the report government] wants the highest “Regardless of whether it’s ernment time and money, said parties are planning to a soon-to-be released govern- ing to two prosecutors who said. number of cases to show that human traffi cking or not, what Papop Siamhan, an independ- Tfi le a no-confi dence ment report shows, raising con- said police had been told to in- Police Lt General Jaruvat many arrests have been made,” we want is for the off enders to ent lawyer with expertise in motion in parliament to “rat- cerns that police were on a drive crease traffi cking fi gures amid Vaisaya – the country’s top an- said Adisorn Kerdmongkol, be in jail,” he said, adding that traffi cking. tle” the military-aligned to boost numbers to enhance concerns about the dwindling ti-traffi cking cop – said offi c- a coordinator at the Migrant prosecutors had dismissed traf- “If it’s one or two cases, it’s government. Thailand’s global image. number. ers were responding to a grow- Working Group. fi cking cases referred to them by acceptable, but if you have over “They probably won’t fall, but The 79-page report – drafted “In practice, (most) of the po- ing number of people being “Human traffi cking is a police because “the crime has 60 cases (that were dismissed), it should rattle them,” Chamnan to inform an annual US report lice know that the cases involve transported towards Malaysia. political issue in Thailand.” not been committed yet”. it means you just weren’t care- Chanruang, deputy leader of the ranking countries on their ef- smuggling, but they receive Unlike traffi cking, which in- Thailand’s anti-traffi cking Public prosecutor Pravit ful enough,” he said. “Hav- opposition Future Forward Party, forts to combat traffi cking and orders to treat them as human volves deception or control over department – part of the social Roykaew said Thai authorities ing a high number of cases said yesterday. revealed exclusively by the traffi cking off ences,” one pub- another person for the pur- ministry – declined to respond often rushed to make decisions doesn’t mean that Thailand is The motion will be fi led today. Thomson Reuters Foundation – lic prosecutor said on condition pose of exploitation, smuggling to questions about the report, within 24 hours about whether successful in solving human The censure debates are ex- showed Thailand’s public pros- of anonymity because of the means entering another coun- which is due to be sent to US or not someone was a victim of traffi cking.” pected to start in early February. ecutors rejected 64 of 364 cases sensitivity of the matter. try illegally and is considered offi cials by the end of January. human traffi cking. Thailand is home to about The prime minister would in 2019. “This is perhaps due to the consensual. Thailand rescued a record “Authorities are confused 610,000 modern-day slaves have to step down were he to lose Thailand has faced criti- lack of clear understanding Lawyers and campaigners 1,807 traffi cking victims last with the (traffi cking) law... – about one in 113 of its popu- the confi dence vote. cism in recent years for failing on the diff erences between said the confl ation of smuggling year, up from 622 in 2018, the it does not provide a spe- lation of 69mn – according However, analysts say that is to stop traffi cking in its lucra- traffi cking and smuggling of and traffi cking meant some government said this month. cifi c timeframe on identify- to the Global Slavery Index unlikely, as the government coa- tive textile and seafood sec- migrants.” state resources intended for Most were Burmese migrants ing victims,” Roykaew said. by the rights group Walk Free lition has a majority in the House tors, as well as the sex trade. The percentage of traffi cking traffi cking victims were being bound for Malaysia and cam- “This results in not getting all Foundation. of Representatives. Thailand has been led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan- o-cha ever since he led a coup in 2014. He retained his seat after an election in March under Lanka confi rms fi rst new election rules his junta introduced to give him an advantage. The current government consists of many top junta of- coronavirus case fi cials who faced little criti- cism during military rule, IANS sured that all steps have been tak- with 4,515 confi rmed cases in 30 even as they cracked down on Colombo en to contain the infection, and provincial-level regions. dissent. called on the public not to panic. Other countries with con- “The censure debate will be a The Chinese woman was fi rmed cases outside of China, culmination of issues since the ri Lankan authorities have reported to have come from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau coup,” Chamnan said. confi rmed the fi rst case of China’s Hubei province, where include Germany, Cambodia, Members of the opposition Snovel coronavirus after a the outbreak originated in its Thailand, Australia, Singa- coalition have said that a wide Chinese woman was diagnosed capital city of Wuhan. pore, the US, Japan, Malaysia, range of issues will be brought with the disease, making the News of the fi rst case, trig- South Korea, France, Vietnam, up during the censure debate, island nation the second South gered panic-buying of surgical Canada and Ivory Coast. from the government’s handling Asian country after Nepal to masks with many pharmacies No deaths have been of the coronavirus epidemic and report a confi rmed case. across Sri Lanka running out of reported outside of China. air pollution to allegations of On Monday night, the supplies by Monday. The symptoms of the new corruption. Health Promotion Bureau said In South Asia, Nepal has coronavirus are similar to those Deputy Prime Minister Prawit that the woman was admitted reported one confi rmed case, of cold but may be accompa- Wongsuwan, who was also a to the Infectious Diseases Hos- Pakistan has fi ve suspected nied by fever and fatigue, dry leading member of the junta, Chinese tourists wearing protective face masks leave the city commuter train station in Bangkok yesterday. pital (IDH) and was confi rmed cases, while there has been no cough and dyspnea (shortness said the government coalition is to have been infected during confi rmations from India and of breath). not worried about the censure treatment, reports the Daily Bangladesh so far. The WHO is yet to de- debate because “we’ve followed Financial Times. As yesterday, 106 people died clare the outbreak as a global procedures every step of the Thailand coronavirus The Health Ministry has as- due to the coronavirus in China, epidemic. way.” cases increase to 14 Commemorating disappeared colleagues

Reuters largest number of cases outside passengers only from China’s Bangkok China, though it is far lower than central city of Wuhan, the the 4,515 infections in China. epicentre of the outbreak, its Five of the patients among southern city of Guangzhou hailand announced plans Thailand’s new cases, aged be- and northeastern Changchun yesterday to screen all tween 6 and 70, came from across fi ve airports, from Suvar- Tarrivals from China for China’s Hubei province, and nabhumi in Bangkok to those at symptoms of the coronavirus and belonged to the same fam- Chiang Mai, Don Mueng, Phuket confi rmed six more infections ily, health offi cial Tanarak Pli- and Krabi. among such visitors, taking its pat told reporters. The sixth The Tourism Authority of tally to 14, health offi cials said. was from Chongqing city in Thailand said it expected the Thai tourist authorities southwestern China. number of Chinese tourists to meanwhile said the number of One passenger from among fall by 2mn to 9mn this year due Chinese tourists to Thailand was the family of seven travelling to the coronavirus outbreak. expected to fall by 2mn to 9mn together was taken to hospital Tourism has been hit hard by this year due to the coronavirus after showing symptoms on ar- China’s ban on all group tours outbreak in China. rival, added Tanarak, the deputy as China is Thailand’s biggest Thais were also advised to director-general of the depart- source of visitors. avoid non-essential travel to ment of disease control. Reduced travel from Chi- China, Sukhum Kanchanapi- The other four family mem- na could result in 50bn baht mai, the health ministry’s per- bers were quarantined after ($1.52bn) of lost tourism rev- manent secretary, told a news showing symptoms following enue, the tourism ministry conference. monitoring, he added. estimates. The death toll from the out- “Now we will expand screen- TAT will propose to the gov- break now stands at 106, al- ing to all Chinese from China ernment measures to help though there have been no and prepare equipment to screen the industry, TAT Governor Media members of Sri Lanka hold placards of journalists at the “Black January” vigil to commemorate what organisers said are the killing fatalities outside China. 100%,” Sukhum said. Yuthasak Supasorn told a news and abductions of Sri Lankan journalists who have disappeared during the month of January in the past years, in Colombo yesterday. Thailand has the second- Thailand had earlier screened conference. Bangladesh allows education American journalist freed TCA/DPA Central Kalimantan province. Jacobson’s colleagues said Los Angeles “We are grateful that author- that he was only attending ities have made this accommo- meetings, not reporting. dation and remain hopeful that After meeting with US am- for Rohingya refugee children merican journalist Philip Phil’s case can be treated as an bassador Joseph R Donovan, Jacobson has been re- administrative matter rather Mohamed Mahfud MD, Indo- AFP barred from studying the cur- and Dhaka jointly designing the “The decision will minimise Aleased from prison in In- than a criminal one,” Rhett nesia’s co-ordinating minister Dhaka riculums used in Bangladesh and curriculum. the chances for a Rohingya kid donesia and would be deported Butler, Mongabay’s founder, for political, legal and security Myanmar, and instead received The refugee children will be to get radicalised (in the camps),” “as soon as possible” for a visa said in a statement. aff airs, said that Jacobson would primary education in temporary schooled in Myanmar history he added. violation, authorities said. In an e-mail, Butler added be deported as long as investi- ohingya children living in learning centres set up by the UN and culture up to age 14, and UN representative in Bang- Jacobson, 31, was jailed last that Indonesian authorities had gators determined that he was Bangladesh refugee camps children’s agency Unicef. will also receive skills training so ladesh Mia Seppo said that the week in the city of Palangkaraya given no guarantees that Jacob- not involved in other crimes. Rwill be allowed to receive a “We don’t want a lost generation they can take up jobs back in My- move would “make it easier for and is facing up to fi ve years in son would be deported or the But Mahfud said that by meet- formal education after a change of Rohingya. We want them to have anmar when they return home, them to go back home to Myan- prison after he attended a pub- charges against him dismissed. ing with civil society groups and of heart by Dhaka in a move wel- education. They will follow Myan- the foreign ministry said. mar when the time is right for lic meeting between local law- “We’re hopeful this will be local lawmakers, Jacobson comed by right activists. mar curricula,” Foreign Minister A “I can’t express my joy with returns”. makers and indigenous rights the case, but until then, we’re violated the terms of his visa. Nearly 1mn Rohingya, including K Abdul Momen said yesterday. words ... generations of Ro- Some Rohingya children have activists in December. continuing with our outreach “It’s outside of his visa purpose more than half a million children, The decision came after a hingya hardly had any education used fake Bangladeshi identity After spending three nights eff orts to get him out of this to write news,” Mahfud said, live in the squalid and crowded meeting of a national taskforce in their homeland in Myanmar cards and hidden their ethnic in a six-man cell, Jacobson, situation,” he said. according to the Jakarta Post. camps near the southeastern bor- set up by the government. as they were discriminated there identities to enrol in local schools. an editor at the nonprofi t en- Indonesian offi cials said Jacobson has frequently reported der with Myanmar, where many Local media reported that a and were robbed of their citizen- Authorities last year expelled vironmental news website Jacobson was not permitted on Indonesia, including for Monga- had fl ed from in 2017 after a brutal pilot programme involving more ship,” Rohingya youth leader and scores of them from schools in Mongabay, was released under to conduct journalistic activi- bay, which has published several military crackdown. than 10,000 students would human rights activist Rafi que a drive condemned by rights orders not to leave Palangka- ties because he had entered the stories about environmental abuses The children were previously be launched soon, with Unicef bin Habib said. groups. raya, the capital of Indonesia’s country on a business visa. in the country’s palm oil sector. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 15 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Hong Kong slashes border crossings with China over virus

AFP al travellers will dramatically re- port, announced that it would be more infections. Eight people in complete shutdown of the main- we close the border and do not museums will all close. The city’s Hong Kong duce the number of Chinese able “progressively reducing” fl ights the city are known to be suff er- land border to those not from let anyone coming in and out of Leisure and Cultural Services to visit the semi-autonomous to and from mainland China by at ing from the illness. Of those, six Hong Kong. “The epidemic has Hong Kong, the impact will be Department said events at these city. least half from January 30 to the arrived via the high-speed train spread to many Chinese prov- far-reaching,” Lam said. “We ap- locations would be cancelled un- ong Kong yesterday an- The number of fl ights from end of March. line that connects to the Chinese inces. peal Hong Kong residents to re- til further notice. nounced drastic meas- the mainland to Hong Kong will The decision was taken “in mainland. Blocking visitors from only turn to the city from mainland as Offi cials have also announced Hures to cut the number of be halved and all ferry services light of the Government Re- Lam said that with the “ap- Hubei (the centre of the out- soon as possible,” Lam said, urg- that all schools will extend their people crossing into the city from suspended to “reduce the mo- sponse Plan of novel coronavirus proval of the central govern- break) can’t do much to help ing people who come back to stay Lunar New Year holiday to mid- mainland China in a bid to curb bility of people from both sides”, infection and in view of market ment”, mainland China will Hong Kong,” pro-democracy at home for 14 days. February and civil servants have the spread of a Sars-like virus city leader Carrie Lam said, add- demand,” the airline said on its suspend issuing permits for in- lawmaker Helena Wong said yes- The government said earlier been told to work from home. that has already killed more than ing six of 14 border checkpoints website. dividual visitors in 49 Chinese terday. it would close a range of public Apart from Hong Kong local 100 people. will close from January 30 “until Hong Kong has declared the cities. But major checkpoints on the facilities to “avoid people gath- residents, anyone who has visit- With tour groups from the further notice”. Cathay Pacifi c new coronavirus a public emer- The announcement came after land border with the neighbour- ering”. Sports centres, grounds, ed Hubei province in the last two mainland suspended earlier, the Airways, which has its main hub gency and on Saturday ramped growing calls from some politi- ing mainland Chinese city of swimming pools, beaches, weeks has been denied entry to new measures blocking individu- at Hong Kong International Air- up measures to reduce the risk of cians and medical experts for a Shenzhen will still be open. “If campsites and sites including Hong Kong from Monday. China fi ghting ‘demon’ virus: Xi

AFP Wuhan

resident Xi Jinping said yesterday China was in a Pstruggle against a “demon” epidemic, as the death toll from the new Sars-like virus soared to 106 and the fi rst cases of human- to-human contagion were de- tected abroad. Xi made his remarks dur- ing talks with head of the World Health Organisation in Beijing as a host of nations prepared to airlift their citizens from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak. “Chinese people are cur- rently engaged in a serious strug- gle against an epidemic of a new type of coronavirus infection,” Xi told WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The epidemic is a demon, and we cannot let this demon hide,” the Chinese leader said, pledging that the govern- ment would be transparent and release information on the virus World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom (left) shakes hands with Chinese President in a “timely” manner. His com- Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. China urged its citizens to A technician works in a laboratory for manufacturing testing kits for the new coronavirus at a medical ments came after anger simmered postpone travel abroad as it expanded unprecedented eff orts to contain a viral outbreak that has killed laboratory company Da An Gene Co, as the country is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, in on Chinese social media over the 106 people and left other governments racing to pull their nationals from the contagion’s epicentre. Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, yesterday. handling of the health emergency by local offi cials in central Hubei sive international response such for people coming from China. people”, the National Immigra- and harder to get supplies, and province, where the disease fi rst as travel restrictions. But global Experts believe the virus came tion Administration said. Wuhan, to live.” Japan said it would send emerged in December. concern has been growing, with from a wild animal market in Wu- meanwhile, has been turned into a chartered fl ight to get about a Some experts have praised Be- Japan and Germany yesterday han and then jumped to humans, a near ghost-town under a lock- third of its 650 nationals there. ijing for being more reactive and reporting the fi rst human-to- with Chinese health offi cials say- down that has largely confi ned “We will also bring aid supplies open about this virus compared human infections outside China. ing yesterday that people infect the industrial hub’s 11mn people such as masks and protective to its handling of the Severe Acute Until now, all cases in more each other through sneezing or to their homes. suits for Chinese people as well as Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) epi- than a dozen countries involved coughing, and possibly through With a ban on car traffi c, the for Japanese nationals,” Foreign demic of 2002-2003. But others people who had been in or around contact. streets were nearly deserted apart Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said say local cadres had earlier been Wuhan. In Japan, a man in his Authorities initially sealed off from the occasional ambulance — in Tokyo. more focused on projecting sta- sixties contracted the virus ap- Wuhan and other cities in Hubei although the city’s hospitals are If the mission succeeds, Ja- bility than responding to the parently after driving two groups province late last week, trap- overwhelmed. pan would be the fi rst country to outbreak when it began to spread of tourists from the city earlier ping more than 50mn people. “Everyone goes out wearing airlift its citizens out of Wuhan. earlier this month. Since then, in January, the health ministry China then halted international masks and they are worried about A US-chartered fl ight bound for the number of cases has soared said. He was hospitalised with and domestic group tours. It also the infection,” said David, a Chi- California is scheduled to leave - doubling to more than 4,500 in fl u-like symptoms on Saturday. imposed a wide range of travel re- nese man who works in Shanghai Wuhan today with consular the past 24 hours. On the other side of the world, a strictions inside China, suspend- but ended up trapped in Wuhan staff and some American citi- WHO chief Tedros praised 33-year-old German man caught ing long-distance bus routes and after it was put under quaran- zens, a day later than previously China’s response to the crisis the disease off a Chinese col- more than 2,000 train services. tine. Many thousands of foreign- planned. France and South Korea during a meeting with Foreign league from Shanghai who visited But with the death toll climb- ers are also among those stuck in are also planning to fl y out their People wearing masks shop for groceries at a supermarket in Beijing Minister Wang Yi, according to Germany last week, according to ing and more fatalities reported the city. “It’s deeply stressful,” citizens later this week, and sev- yesterday. state news agency Xinhua. health offi cials. in Chinese cities far away from Joseph Pacey, a 31-year-old Brit- eral other countries, including The WHO last week stopped The development came after Wuhan, authorities yesterday on who teaches English in Wu- Germany, were considering doing citizens to “reconsider” all travel drastic step of closing the border short of declaring the outbreak countries including Sri Lanka, urged people to delay any for- han, told AFP. “The biggest fear the same. to China. Landlocked Mongo- with its huge neighbour to cars, a global emergency, which could Malaysia and the Philippines an- eign travel “to protect the health for me is that this thing will go on The United States, Turkey lia — which is heavily dependent as well as shutting down schools have prompted a more aggres- nounced tighter visa restrictions and safety of Chinese and foreign for months, and it will get harder and Germany have urged their on trade with China — took the and banning large gatherings. New Zealand PM Ardern calls Selfie in the time of virus Sept 19 election, faces tight race

Reuters PM Ardern’s rapidly pushed a ban on semi- Wellington automatic weapons through par- popularity at home liament, was widely praised. She has been aff ected became only the second head ew Zealanders will go to of state after Pakistan’s Benazir polls on September 19 to by slowing Bhutto to give birth while in of- Ndecide on a second term economic growth fi ce, attending the United Nations for Prime Minister Jacinda Ard- with her baby and partner in tow. ern, and also to vote in referen- and low business But critics have accused her of dums on the divisive issues of le- confidence, a playing to a global audience while galising cannabis and euthanasia. bringing little change locally. Ardern is hugely popular failed state “New Zealanders have seen that among liberal voters overseas housing project Labour and Jacinda Ardern can’t thanks to her compassionate deliver,” National Party leader Si- but decisive response to a mass and scandals mon Bridges said in a statement. shooting, her focus on climate within her “While there’s a lot of announce- change action and multilateral- ments, leadership means actually A tourist wearing a protective face mask takes photos at Merlion Park in Singapore, yesterday. ism, and her ability to combine Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern coalition govt getting things done.” Ardern said motherhood and leadership. last week her party would wage a But her popularity at home has on this as it’s going to be a tight party was still polling higher than “relentlessly positive” 2020 elec- been aff ected by slowing eco- race,” said Grant Duncan, Associ- it was before the 2017 election. tion campaign while announcing Australia battles new bushfire threat as smoke cloaks capital nomic growth and low business ate Professor at Massey Univer- Ardern, 39, took the helm of the her party had signed up to Face- confi dence, a failed state housing sity in Auckland. New Zealand’s country as the world’s youngest book’s advertising transparency Australian off icials warned com- rise again from mid-week. One Services Agency Commissioner project and scandals within her Treasury last month trimmed female leader in 2017, a remark- tool to fi ght misinformation. “We munities in bushfire-ravaged blaze in a national park south Georgeina Whelan told reporters. coalition government. its 2020 economic growth fore- able rise that dominated glo- will be asking for a further term to eastern states to strengthen of Canberra was upgraded to “...Firefighters may be unable to “I will be asking New Zealand- cast and fl agged a budget defi cit bal headlines and generated the get the job done,” Ardern told the fire defences yesterday amid the emergency warning level, prevent a fire from reaching your ers to continue to support my as international headwinds in- phrase “Jacinda-mania”. news conference. forecasts of soaring tempera- as the emergency services chief property. You should not expect leadership and the current direc- cluding Brexit and the US-China She campaigned passionately The cannabis referendum, tures and strong winds, as one told residents to stay on alert, a firefighter on your door.” tion of the government, which trade war bite. The government to end child poverty and econom- pushed through by the Greens, approaching blaze cloaked the given rising winds could spark Winds of 5kph had reached is grounded in stability, a strong last month announced a NZ$12bn ic inequality, upstaging the ruling would bring younger voters to capital in thick smoke. Bushfires spot fires in the suburbs. People gusts as high as 40kph (3.1- economy and progress on the ($7.7bn) infrastructure spend to centre-right National Party and the polls, but there were concerns have killed 33 people and about in some areas near in Namadgi 25mph), she said, fanning the long-term challenges facing New try counter those factors. forming a government with the there were too many things going, 1bn animals since September, National Park were told it was too blaze and worsening conditions. Zealand,” Ardern told a news Two October opinion polls small, nationalist New Zealand said Duncan from Massey Uni- while 2,500 homes and an area late to leave. “Helicopters and Australia’s Bureau of Meteorolo- conference. Political pundits are showed support for her ruling First Party and the Green Party versity. “The big issue is how peo- the size of Greece have been large air tankers are water-bomb- gy and firefighting services were predicting a close contest, with coalition at its lowest since 2017. under the country’s proportional ple feel about the government’s destroyed. Firefighters have used ing, establishing containment predicting temperatures to top scheduled referendums on legal- Her own popularity also waned, voting system. Ardern’s response performance...it’s performance several days of cooler, damper lines and undertaking aerial sur- 40C over the weekend. “Worsen- ising cannabis and euthanasia but she remains far ahead of her to the massacre at two mosques in in relation to housing and child weather across much of the veillance,” Canberra’s emergency ing conditions are forecast for expected to be distracting and rivals. In an interview with Reu- Christchurch in March, when she poverty, and there will be a debate continent to try to gain control services said in a notice. “The later the week so prepare now,” divisive. ters last month, Ardern noted wore a headscarf to meet with the about climate change,” said Dun- of more than 100 blazes still fire may pose threats to all lives the New South Wales Rural Fire “I am not making predictions there was work to be done but her families of the victims and then can. burning before temperatures directly in its path,” Emergency Service said on Twitter. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 BRITAIN

OUTBREAK DECISION ENTERTAINMENT PEOPLE PROPOSAL Banks ordered to Film stars compile Broadcaster Parsons Times to launch explain overdraft rates alternative award list dies aged 96 talk radio station

Britain’s banks have two weeks to explain changes British film stars including Carey Mulligan British broadcaster Nicholas Parsons, who The Times has confirmed plans to launch its own to their overdraft pricing that will leave about and Gemma Arterton have come up with hosted BBC radio 4’s Just A Minute game show speech radio station later this year, with the aim 8mn consumers worse off , the Financial Conduct alternative nominees for the Bafta Film Awards for more than 50 years, has died at the age of of luring listeners away from BBC Radio 4 and Authority (FCA) said, warning that those causing after criticism that this year’s list is not diverse 96 after a short illness, his agent said yesterday. 5 Live. The long-rumoured launch will involve harm will face regulatory action. The watchdog enough. Top industry figures nominated their He was also an actor, performer and entertainer, the newspaper creating a station with a “daily wrote to banks after lenders including HSBC, RBS, winners in a campaign organised by Time’s Up appearing in films and on stage. “No one schedule of news, analysis and commentary Nationwide and Santander announced plans to UK, the group set up to fight sexual harassment, deserves to be called a broadcasting legend with a lineup of high-profile presenters”, which charge customers a flat interest rate of nearly to highlight movies and performances more than Nicholas Parsons,” BBC director will broadcast nationally on DAB radio, online, 40% on overdrafts — more than double some of overlooked by the British Academy of Film and general Tony Hall said in a statement. “His and via smart speakers such as Amazon’s Alexa. their previous charges — ahead of new rules in Television Arts (Bafta). “The awards season is charm, inventive intellect and ability to create Management told employees that Times Radio Passengers wear face masks as they stand with April. Other lenders plan to price overdrafts based upon us and while there are some great films laughs were unsurpassed.” Parsons was best “will target those disenfranchised by BBC Radio their luggage after arriving at Terminal 5 of on risk, with Lloyds announcing plans that could and outstanding performances nominated, there known for Just A Minute, in which panellists have 4 and 5 Live” and is expected to launch in the Heathrow Airport in west London yesterday. result in rates as high as 49.9% for consumers have been glaring omissions,” said Time’s Up UK to talk non-stop for 60 seconds on any given spring featuring “great names of broadcasting”, with poor credit histories. chairwoman Heather Rabbatts. topic without hesitation, deviation or repetition. according to those present at a staff meeting. Talks on UK’s Duchess attends art workshop future ties with EU ‘to begin March 3’

Guardian News and Media Once the talks on the future London relationship start in earnest on March 3, it will be access to fi sh- ing waters and the EU’s demand egotiations on the UK’s for a “level playing fi eld” that are post-Brexit relationship likely to pose the biggest obsta- Nwith the EU will start on cles to success. March 3, more than a month af- Johnson is expected to give a ter the UK’s departure from the speech next week spelling out bloc, the Guardian revealed. the British negotiating position. As a British minister attended The EU does not have a zero- an EU meeting in Brussels for the tariff , zero-quota, traditional fi nal time after 45 years of mem- free-trade agreement with any bership of the bloc, sources dis- country in the world. Brussels is closed that offi cials led by Michel demanding guarantees that the UK Barnier and Boris Johnson’s Eu- will not steal an unfair competitive rope adviser, David Frost, would advantage. The bloc has staked out embark on the vital talks in the the uncompromising position that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, looks at a polaroid with Luke Wheeler-Waddison, 10, and his sister Savannah, 4, during a visit to a National Portrait Gallery workshop fi rst week of March with a chal- the current fi sheries arrangements at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, in London, yesterday. lenging 10-month deadline. should largely continue. The UK is due to leave the EU During a visit to Brussels for a on Friday at midnight central meeting of ministers, Amelie de European time – nearly four Montchalin, France’s secretary years since the referendum. of state for European aff airs, said The prime minister has said the talks could become compli- he will not extend the transition cated if the UK failed to recog- period past December 31, 2020. nise the EU’s red lines. Until then, the UK will stay in the She said: “For us, if there are single market and customs union. no clear guarantees vis-a-vis A leaked internal document citizens and businesses. If there Govt urged to cut salary from the EU member states, is no level playing fi eld or fair seen by the Guardian, notes conditions, the trade openness that without a deal by the end of the EU will not be total. of December 2020, there will be “The degree of openness of a “cliff edge” in many areas and EU trade will depend on the “no return to the status quo”. level of convergence we reach. The former European com- So, if Boris Johnson wants a deal threshold for migrants mission president Jean-Claude in 11 months with zero quotas Juncker had said the negotia- and zero tariff s, we must have Reuters The proposed changes would “No perfect system exists and and bringing overall numbers workers should benefi t from tions on the future relationship guarantees of zero dumping and London make it harder for EU nationals there are unavoidable diffi cult down,” he said. lower salary thresholds based would start on day one after the therefore of a level playing fi eld. to work in Britain after Brexit trade-off s,” he added in a state- The MAC was tasked with on national pay scales, it add- UK’s exit but preparations on “It’s a fairly simple negotiation. while benefi ting those outside ment. drawing up new salary thresh- ed. both sides of the Channel were However, we can make it compli- ritain should cut a salary the bloc by lowering the amount The recommendations are olds for migrants and devising Manning said the propos- delayed by the general election. cated if we are inconsistent. It is threshold for migrants they have to earn. intended to help guide Prime a points-based immigration als would lead to a very small Chris Pincher, the UK’s minis- impossible to imagine a completely Bto £25,600 a year to help The Migration Advisory Minister Boris Johnson’s new system, based on that used in increase in GDP per capita and ter for Europe and the Americas, new trading system in 11 months fill jobs after Brexit, a govern- Committee (MAC), an inde- immigration policy, which will Australia, to be put into place productivity, and slightly im- said after his general aff airs coun- which would require a diff erent ment commissioned report pendent body which gives the be implemented from the start once freedom of movement for proved public fi nances. cil meeting with peers among the normative framework for each said, while warning a planned government advice, recom- of next year. EU nationals ends. But while demands on the 27 other member states – the last area. It’s not realistic. So we’re go- overhaul of the immigration mended lowering the minimum Johnson’s spokesman said If the government wanted to state-run health service, by a British minister in an EU ing to deal with realistic things.” system could hit economic general salary threshold for the government would carefully bring in a points-based system, schools and housing would setting – that it was a “historic Brussels’ opening negotiating growth. skilled migrants by £4,400 a consider the report before set- then it should also allow a route slightly ease, there would be in- week” when the “government position will be adopted by EU With Britain leaving the Eu- year from £30,000. ting out more details of its new for skilled workers who did not creased pressures on social care. will deliver on its promise”. ministers at a meeting on Febru- ropean Union on Friday, the “Our recommendations are system. have a job off er, the committee For highly skilled migrants Pincher said the UK was leav- ary 25. Before then, the two sides government is introducing the likely to reduce future growth “The government will intro- said. — those described as having ing the bloc’s institutions as a will be in “scheduling and scop- biggest shake-up of its border of the UK population and econ- duce a fi rmer and fairer points- There should be diff erent exceptional talents such as mu- “sovereign equal” but that it ing” discussions to prepare for controls in decades, ending the omy compared to freedom of based immigration system from minimum salary requirements sicians and scientists — the ad- would not be leaving Europe with the unprecedented negotiation priority given to migrants from movement, by using skill and 2021 that welcomes talent from for certain highly paid profes- visers recommend a more open which the country had a shared after the end of the UK’s 45 years the bloc over those from other salary thresholds,” MAC chair- around the world while re- sions, the report said. system, saying the current cap “history, civilisation and values”. of EU membership. countries. man Alan Manning said. ducing low-skilled migrants Teachers and healthcare on visas is too restrictive.

Royal visit Northern Rail passengers Photos of baby found least satisfi ed, reveals poll in London released Guardian News and Media Offi cers have been speaking London to rough sleepers in the area Guardian News and Media tickets – were the most dissatis- even Northern scored 72%. and reviewing CCTV foot- London fi ed with the value for money of The methodology of the sur- age, while specialist units have their journey. Barely one in three vey, which asks only about the olice are continuing to been employed to search the SWR passengers thought their last journey taken, within a lim- look for the mother of a area. assengers on Northern fare represented good value. ited time period, has been criti- Pnewborn baby who was Detective sergeant Andy Rail are the least satisfi ed TransPennine Express (TPE) cised by the statistics regulator found abandoned on a doorstep Barry, from the central east Pwith their service, accord- passengers were the most dis- for not fully refl ecting passen- in east London at the weekend. area safeguarding unit of the ing to the offi cial national survey satisfi ed at the levels of over- gers’ experience. Offi cers are growing in- Metropolitan police, said the which shows that the network crowding, with more than one in The independent passenger creasingly concerned for the child was being well cared for – which stands on the brink of three objecting. watchdog Transport Focus says welfare of the mother and have in hospital and “is a healthy, renationalisation – is rated the Northern and SWR passen- it needs more funding to run the released pictures of the baby in bonny lad”. worst of all train operators. gers were least satisfi ed with survey continuously, but argues an attempt to fi nd her. “I am reaching out to Ed- The results come as the gov- how their train operators dealt it still provides evidence “to The baby boy was discov- ward’s mother. You are my pri- ernment is poised to announce with delays, with just 34% feel- push for wide-scale reform of ered wearing a grey babygrow mary concern. I do not know that the Arriva-operated North- ing it was good or satisfactory. the industry, and immediate im- and wrapped in a white knitted the circumstances around ern will have its franchise termi- The dire results come in spite provement in reliability for the blanket on Sandringham Road Edward’s birth, but as a fa- nated fi ve years early, with the of the survey being completed in worst-aff ected areas”. in Hackney on Saturday. He ther myself, I understand how network most likely to be taken the autumn before some of the The Transport Focus chief was about 12 hours old when daunting becoming a parent back under direct state control. worst problems on the railway executive, Anthony Smith, said: he was discovered by a post- can be,” he said. “I can off er you The announcement is expected occurred, including a month- “Passengers tell us that their man at around 11am. help. Please be assured that you to come as soon today. long strike on SWR in December biggest priority is rail services The baby was taken to hos- are not in trouble. Edward is The national rail passenger and regular walkouts on West they can rely on to actually get pital and has been named Ed- safe and well and your health survey, a biannual report based Midlands. them to work or home on time. ward by hospital staff . and well-being is our prior- on almost 28,000 passengers’ TransPennine Express may Until train companies and Net- Police believe he was “born ity.” He also urged anyone who journeys, found that satisfac- have also escaped a far more work Rail can consistently de- outside of a hospital environ- might know Edward’s mother tion on West Midlands had de- critical appraisal due to the worst liver on their promises across the ment” and have appealed to his to come forward and give infor- teriorated the most, down by 11 problems, widespread cancel- country satisfaction will con- mother to come forward, as- mation in confi dence. percentage points since autumn lations and delays having tak- tinue to vary. suring her she is not in trouble “I’d also like to hear from 2018. en place around the timetable “In the meantime passengers Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, wearing ear defenders and will be helped. According anyone who was in the San- South Western Railway (SWR) change in mid-December. Ac- hit by poor performance must during a visit to the Whittle Laboratory, a power research lab to police, the baby boy had been dringham Road area between passengers – many of whom pay cording to the survey, 79% of TPE make their voice heard and claim at the University of Cambridge, in Cambridge. fed and left in an open area, 10am and 12pm on January 25,” thousands of pounds for season passengers were satisfi ed, while Delay Repay compensation.” rather than somewhere hidden. said Barry. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 17 EUROPE

Red Sea a big source of air Poland: Compromise with pollution, says study EU on judiciary is possible

AFP Council of Europe to monitor passed a law that critics say aims ing voices, Polish President An- Justice reforms introduced in Paris Poland over rule-of-law to muzzle judges. drzej Duda has made it clear he is recent years by Poland’s gov- situation The European Commission ready to sign the bill into law. erning PiS party “in numerous has asked the EU’s highest court PiS spokeswoman Anita Cz- aspects run counter to European ydrocarbon gases bub- Reuters/DPA/AFP to freeze the new law, which al- erwinska said yesterday that norms and standards” and are bling from the bottom of Warsaw/Strasbourg lows for disciplining judges “we are open to dialogue with an attempt to bring the judici- Hthe Red Sea are polluting critical of government changes the European Commission”. ary “under the political control the atmosphere at a rate equiva- to the judiciary. But she denounced what she of the executive”, the PACE said lent to the emissions of some oland is willing to con- The European Commission called Brussel’s “double stand- in the resolution adopted yes- large fossil fuel exporting coun- sider a compromise with said last week it was “very con- ards” regarding its responses to terday. tries, researchers said yesterday. Pthe European Union on its cerned” about the situation – a Poland versus other EU member The assembly expressed re- The gases seeping from the selection of judges under certain message it has repeated since the states. gret that Poland had failed to waters – which are ringed by conditions, its justice minister law was proposed late last year. The PiS government has address numerous recommen- the resorts and ports of several said yesterday after talks with a The threat for Poland is that asked Poland’s constitutional dations on its judicial reforms. countries, including Egypt, Is- senior EU offi cial on rule of law Brussels may limit funding for court to examine whether the It said Poland should “ur- rael, Jordan and Saudi Arabia – concerns. countries that infringe the rule Supreme Court, the top judicial gently” separate the posts of then mix with emissions from “I declared readiness to con- of law, said Polish Senate speak- body, has the right to rule on the prosecutor-general and justice industrial shipping and turned vince my colleagues from the er and opposition politician To- legitimacy of judges appointed minister, reform the National into noxious pollutants that are ruling camp to consider coming masz Grodzki, who was one of under its reforms. Council of the Judiciary, whose very harmful to human health. up with a new model for choos- the fi rst offi cials to meet Jourova The European Commission members are now predominant- The Middle East holds more ing judges,” Zbigniew Ziobro yesterday. said last week that the inde- ly elected by politicians rather than half of the world’s oil and said after meeting EU Values and “(I want) to have a message pendence and legitimacy of the than judges, and respect a recent gas reserves and the fossil fuel Transparency Commissioner back for (European Commission constitutional court had been Supreme Court ruling that ef- exploitation that takes place Vera Jourova in Warsaw. Jourova (left) with the president of the Supreme Court of Poland President) Ursula von der Leyen undermined by PiS reforms. fectively undid some of the PiS- there, and the region releases Jourova, however, said she Malgorzata Gersdor before their meeting yesterday in Warsaw. ... that the door for the dialogue Meanwhile, the Parliamen- sponsored reforms. enormous amounts of gaseous did not gather from the meeting with Poland is open,” Jourova tary Assembly of the Council of The assembly also rejected pollutants into the atmosphere. that any compromise had been ers after meeting with Poland’s “destabilising the legal order”. told journalists in Warsaw. Europe (PACE) voted yesterday the argument, put forward by But during a 2017 expedition proposed, adding that the dis- Ombudsman Adam Bodnar yes- Since coming to power in The right-wing populist PiS to open a monitoring procedure Polish government offi cials, that around the Gulf, researchers cussion focused on diff erences terday. 2015, Poland’s eurosceptic, na- argues that the reforms tackle against Poland with regard to the the reforms are based on simi- at the Max Plank Institute for in position and these were very “I would like to do more to tionalist Law and Justice (PiS) corruption in a judicial system rule of law, the fi rst time such lar provisions found in other EU Chemistry noticed that levels clear. protect the judges against the party has introduced a series of still stuck in the communist era. a procedure has been opened states. of ethane and propane in the air She added that the door to a campaign against them because judicial reforms which EU of- Critics, who include top Eu- against an EU member state. Finally, the PACE deplored the above the Northern Red Sea were dialogue between Poland and this is not the atmosphere where fi cials and democracy activists ropean judicial bodies, say the Poland joins 10 other Coun- “abuse of disciplinary proceed- up to 40 times higher than pre- the EU on judicial reform was I can imagine the judges can say may breach the bloc’s stand- changes undermine the rule of cil of Europe member countries ings against judges and pros- dicted, even accounting for re- open and that the EU hoped do their demanding job,” she ards on rule of law. law and threaten democracy. under full monitoring by the ecutors” and the “increasingly gional man-made emissions. to fi nd a long-term solution to added. “I would wish to have a Last week, Poland’s Supreme Already last week the PiS- pan-European human rights or- permissive climate for ... hate The team analysed possible tensions between Warsaw and good long-term solution ... the Court said that rulings made controlled parliament approved ganisation. speech” in the political debate. sources for the gas emissions, Brussels. campaign against the judges is by judges appointed under new a reform that proposes disci- It will receive regular visits The monitoring procedure including traffi c, agriculture, “But at the same time I am something very harmful.” government rules could be chal- plining judges who question the by PACE rapporteurs and peri- introduced will last “until the burning of biomass, and power concerned about the smear Last week the country’s Prime lenged, resulting in a number of government’s reforms. odic assessments of whether it above-mentioned concerns are generation from hydrocarbons. campaign against the (Polish) Minister Mateusz Morawiecki cases being postponed. Although critics have object- is honouring its obligations and addressed in a satisfactory man- They came to an unexpected judges,” Jourova told report- accused the Supreme Court of On the same day, parliament ed that this would gag dissent- commitments. ner”, the resolution reads. conclusion: the two gases had to be seeping out of the sea bed after escaping natural subterra- Facebook removes nean oil and gas reservoirs. They were then carried by video of Salvini currents to the surface, where pestering teen they mix with another green- Police clash with fi refi ghters in Paris house gas, nitrous oxide, which Facebook has taken down a is emitted in high amounts by video of Italy’s former interior industrial shipping. Reuters/AFP minister Matteo Salvini buzzing The resulting gas compounds Paris the intercom of a Tunisian-Italian are extremely harmful to human teenager to ask if he was dealing health, according to the team’s drugs, a lawyer said yesterday. study, published in Nature Com- rench police clashed with In Bologna last week ahead of munications. fi refi ghters protesting in regional elections, the far-right “I have to admit that I was FParis yesterday against opposition leader Salvini – surprised myself with these re- their working conditions and surrounded by cameras – buzzed sults,” lead author Efstratios demanding more pay. the intercom of an apartment Boursoukidis told AFP. “We Thousands of fi refi ghters at- in a neighbourhood where he spent almost two years working tended the protest in the French said he was told drugs were sold, on this dataset to confi dently capital, asking for an increase asking the resident of Tunisian prove that the emissions were of their hazard bonus, which extraction if it was true he was a coming some 2km below the sea has not changed since 1990. dealer. surface.” Police fi red tear gas and hit The widely-circulated videos The team calculated that the some protesters with batons. of Salvini sparked outrage, and rate of ethane and propane leak- In October, fi refi ghters also Tunisia’s ambassador to Italy age was “comparable in magni- protested in Paris, calling for condemned the media stunt. tude” to those of several hydro- better pay, guarantees of their The 17-year-old, who was born carbon exporting nations, such pension benefi ts and greater in Italy, later described being as the UAE or Kuwait. respect for their profession. humiliated by the event, and said The emissions result in an- The fi refi ghters want a spe- he had sought the assistance of other source of atmospheric cial salary premium that ac- a lawyer. methane, a potent greenhouse knowledges the risks of their “Facebook has taken the gas, the study said. job to be brought in line with shameful video down from The situation is exacerbated that of the police, staff levels Matteo Salvini’s page,” said the by nitrous oxide pollution from maintained, and the preserva- teen’s lawyer, Cathy La Torre, on the large number of shipping tion of their pension system. her own Facebook page. containers passing through the “We are the fi nal link in northern Red Sea, one of Earth’s the chain of emergency aid in busiest transport lanes. France and we are overwhelmed Dentist on trial for And it’s only likely to get worse by callouts,” said Frederic Per- as the route gets busier. rin, head of the SPASDIS- forged Picassos “In the coming decades, ship CFTC union. traffi c through the Red Sea and “We need the staffi ng and A dentist from the western Suez Canal is expected to con- means to respond to this and A firefighter sets a colleague on fire during a demonstration in Paris against the French government’s plan to overhaul the country’s German city of Neuss went tinue to increase, with a con- also a guarantee that we can retirement system. on trial yesterday for having comitant rise in nitrogen oxide concentrate on our core mis- presented 26 forged Picasso emissions,” said Boursoukidis. sions, emergency response, and recent months, the fi refi ghters marched from Republic Square dispersed, Paris police said. pension reform plans. works to experts from art auction “We expect that such increase not serve as a supplement to set off smoke fl ares while others to Nation Square, clambering Two people were arrested. The worst of the strikes on houses for appraisal. will amplify the role of this absent health services,” he told wearing special protective vests onto their central statues, and France has been gripped by the Paris public transport sys- The 52-year-old said they were source, leading to signifi cant AFP. set themselves on fi re. igniting their fl ares. protests and strikes since early tem have now petered out, but originals, but is accused of deterioration of the regional air In one of the most eye- Sporting helmets and Some protesters blocked the December over President Em- the hardline unions have vowed knowing that they were forgeries. quality.” catching protests in Paris in protective gear, fi refi ghters main ring road of Paris but were manuel Macron’s controversial not to give in. Prosecutors have charged him with illegal exploitation of copyrighted works and the use of counterfeit documents. He has not been charged with attempted fraud because the Rare photos of Nazi death camp unveiled meeting with the experts was not yet a sales pitch. Before the trial, the defendant Reuters visual record on the Holocaust in “For the fi rst time I saw what historian Cueppers. said he had assumed the works Berlin occupied Poland”, had belonged my grandparents glimpsed at The historians approached were real. to Johann Niemann, once depu- the end of their exhausting 72- police to help them identify The certificates of authenticity ty commandant of Sobibor. hour train journey. On that day, Demjanjuk. are believed to be forged. istorians in Germany Between March 1942 and No- their lives ended,” she said at “The conclusion that it is have released previ- vember 1943, some 1.8mn Jews the presentation, at a museum probably John Demjanjuk was a Hously unseen photos of were murdered as part of a Nazi on the site of the former SS and combination of the most mod- DNA test proves the Nazi Sobibor death camp, scheme called “Aktion Rein- Gestapo headquarters in Berlin. ern police methods and historic including what they believe are hard”, mostly at the extermina- The newly-discovered photos, research,” said Cueppers. ex-king’s infidelity images of John Demjanjuk, who tion camps Belzec, Sobibor, and made available by Niemann’s Demjanjuk’s son said the pho- was sentenced in 2011 for his role Treblinka. descendants, have helped keep tos proved nothing about his fa- After years of legal tussle, in the killing of about 28,000 Few photos of Sobibor, which alive the memory of her rela- ther. A staff member of the Topography of Terror archive points at a Belgium’s former king, Albert II, people there. was razed before the end of tives. In a statement e-mailed to historical photograph, allegedly showing John Demjanjuk, during a admitted on Monday to being the Ukraine-born Demjanjuk, World War II, have survived so Some pictures showed Nie- Reuters, he said it was ridiculous press conference in Berlin on the newly-discovered photos from the father of artist Delphine Boel. who had been No 1 1 on the Si- the pictures off er new insight mann himself, including one to draw conclusions from blurry Sobibor Nazi death camp. A DNA test proved Albert, 85, to mon Wiesenthal Centre’s list of into how the camp worked and of him posing on a horse on the photos showing many similar be the father of 51-year-old Boel, “Most Wanted Nazi War Crimi- into the individuals involved. ramp where deportation trains faces. of about 28,000 Jews at Sobibor suffi cient evidence of guilt. the former monarch’s lawyer, nals”, was deported to Germany “It was a breathtaking experi- arrived. “The photos are certainly not although he denied he was there. Sobibor was razed after a pris- Alain Berenboom, told media. from the United States in 2009, ence for me to see these pictures Others are of Trawnikis, non- proof of my father being in Sobi- He died in 2012 but the oner uprising in October 1943 in Boel has fought since 2013 to where he had spent much of his of Sobibor,” said Jetje Manheim, Germans enlisted to work at the bor and may even exculpate him landmark verdict in Germany which Niemann was killed. be recognised as Albert’s child, life as a car worker, to face trial. 72, from the Netherlands whose camp, often as guards. once forensically examined,” opened the way to more trials The collection has been hand- saying that her mother, Baroness The photos, described by his- grandparents died at the camp Two prints probably show John Demjanjuk Junior said. as it allowed a conviction on the ed over to the archives of the Sybille de Selys Longchamps, torian Martin Cueppers as a rep- where Jews were killed with ex- Demjanjuk who was transported Demjanjuk was found guilty of grounds that just Demjanjuk’s United States Holocaust Memo- and Albert had had a long aff air resenting a “quantum leap in the haust fumes in gas chambers. to Sobibor in March 1943, said being an accessory to the murder presence in a camp alone was rial Museum in Washington. decades ago. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 INDIA

POLITICS WEATHER PROTEST ART POLITICS Soren expands cabinet, Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie Students disrupt event, French artist Garouste’s Ex-PDP leader Bukhari inducts 7 more ministers in HP turn white again force governor to leave exhibition comes to Delhi denies forming new party

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren More snowfall in Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar The paintings of veteran French contemporary Former People’s Democratic Party leader Altaf expanded his cabinet yesterday and inducted and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh was forced to leave the venue of the Calcutta artist Gerard Garouste are being exhibited in Bukhari, who had met Jammu and Kashmir Lt seven more ministers, taking the strength of the yesterday intensified cold wave conditions University convocation yesterday without India for the first time. Titled ‘Gerard Garouste Governor G C Murmu along with other political ministry to 10. It was the first cabinet expansion in the state. “Shimla received fresh snowfall, attending it following protests by students - The Other Side’, the major retrospective leaders earlier this month, yesterday denied of the government since Soren came to power plummeting the maximum temperature to 5.5C opposing the new citizenship law who asked him exhibition opened in New Delhi yesterday. reports that he was floating a new political party. last month. The cabinet expansion took place in comparison to 8.9C a day earlier,” an off icial to “go back” and called him a “stooge of the BJP”. The two month-long exhibition at the National “This news seems to have been floated with a at the Raj Bhavan at 4pm. Five MLAs from at the meteorological off ice said. The minimum The demonstrators refused to let the convocation, Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) features around single-minded agenda to mislead and confuse,” the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and two temperature was 1.9C. According to the off icial, where Nobel laureate Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee 60 paintings - most of them large-scale - that a spokesperson for Bukhari said. He said a from the Congress took oath as the cabinet about 9cm snowfall was recorded in Shimla was later handed over an honorary D Litt degree, span 40 years of his artistic creation from “significant number of like-minded friends and ministers. Soren took oath as chief minister till yesterday evening, while Manali had 3cm, begin unless Dhankhar, the ex-off icio chancellor 1980-2019. The show is curated by former political colleagues are in touch with each other on December 29 along with two Congress Dalhousie 8cm and Kufri 15cm. Lower areas of the of the university, left the Nazrul Manch where French minister of culture Jean-Jacques and in this context, informal meetings are often and one Rashtriya Janata Dal legislators who state capital experienced light rain throughout a large number of educationists and other Aillagon. It is the biggest show of the artist’s convened. These meetings are aimed at reviving were sworn in as ministers. Jharkahnd can the day. Other tourist spots near Shimla, such eminent people had gathered. As the students of work outside Europe. Garouste, who was born the emerging political situation.” Earlier this have maximum 12 ministers, including the as Fagu and Narkanda, also experienced fresh diff erent colleges forcibly entered the venue and in 1946 in France, is a leading figure in French month, Bukhari led a group of former legislators chief minister. There are four tribals, including snowfall, triggering a rush of tourists there. started the demonstration, security personnel art. His repertoire includes among its sources which met Murmu in Jammu and presented the chief minister, two Muslims and four OBC “Nearby areas of Manali had a good spell of escorted Dhankhar to the green room nearby in of inspiration, myths and legends, religion and a memorandum with a list of demands for community members in the cabinet. snowfall throughout the day,” the off icial said. view of the tense situation. folklore. He mostly paints in oil on canvas. restoring political activity in the union territory.

SC okays import of India taking African cheetahs steps to bring Agencies New Delhi

heetahs could return to the wild in India after the CSupreme Court yesterday back citizens gave approval for the spotted big cat to be introduced from Africa on an experimental basis. The majestic Asiatic cheetahs once roamed India, with histori- cal records suggesting Mughal emperor Akbar kept hundreds as from Wuhan his hunting companions. But it was hunted close to ex- Agencies have been asked to contact the coastal state’s fi rst suspected tinction during the British co- New Delhi embassy with details such as coronavirus case, landed at Goa lonial era before disappearing in name and passport number. airport via Delhi, following a the 1950s. In 2013 the Supreme They have also been asked to visit to China. Court had rejected a proposal ndia is preparing to evacuate inform the embassy about the “We are taking all precautions by the environment ministry to citizens from China’s Hubei Chinese authority to whom they as per the World Health Organi- import the animal from Africa, Iprovince following the coro- have submitted their passports sation. We are also in touch with stating that there was no scien- navirus outbreak, an External and the date on which the pass- the Civil Aviation Ministry on tifi c study to back the move. Aff airs Ministry spokesman said ports were submitted. taking precautions at all entry However yesterday the court yesterday. The details are to be sent to an points,” Rane said. ruled the world’s fastest land Local media reported earlier offi cial of the embassy at We- An offi cial said in Thiruvanan- mammal could be brought to India that an Air India plane was on Chat ID, sondhi_0808. thapuram that over 400 people as part of a trial to fi nd out if it can standby to evacuate an estimat- Meanwhile, Health Minister in Kerala were under observation adapt. The court set up a three- ed 250 Indians from Wuhan, a Harsh Vardhan said that four for suspected coronavirus. member committee to guide the city in Hubei province that is at more laboratories for testing Five are in hospitals, while the National Tiger Conservation Au- the epicentre of the virus. samples of suspected cases of others are at their homes, central thority on the issue. Former envi- “We have begun the proc- the virus have been set up, be- health offi cial Shaukat Ali who is ronment minister Jairam Ramesh ess to prepare for evacuation of sides the National Institute of currently touring Kerala, said. welcomed the decision. Indian nationals aff ected by the Virology in Pune. The leader of the central team “Delighted that Supreme Court situation arising out of Coro- “The facilities of testing sam- which is currently inspecting ar- has just given OK to reintroducing na-2019 virus outbreak in Hubei ple will be extended to ten more rangements in Kerala set up to cheetah from Namibia. This was Province, China,” spokesman places very soon,” he said. deal with the coronavirus threat something I had initiated 10 years Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet. The minister said that thermal said that 436 people were under ago,” he tweeted. Authorities were working out screening of passengers will be observation in the state. “Cheetah which derives from the logistics of moving people extended to 20 airports very soon. “We have to get one more re- the Sanskrit ‘chitra’ (speckled) is out of the city which is under a “India is the fi rst country in sult of the samples that have the only mammal hunted to ex- lockdown, he said. Over 500 In- the world to have taken all pre- been sent. So far all the samples tinction in modern India.” dian students are enrolled in col- cautionary measures on a war have tested negative. Kerala has The cheetah is considered leges and universities of Wuhan. footage to keep the virus out of made all the preparations to vulnerable under the IUCN Red However, a large number of the country,” he said. tackle this virus,” Ali said. List of Threatened Species, with them had departed for home just About the ministry’s readi- Meanwhile, 16 patients in a declining population of less ahead of the outbreak of the virus. ness against the disease, he said: Punjab and two in Haryana have than 7,000 found primarily in Sources said the government “At least 35,000 people coming been quarantined on suspicion African savannas. was working with the Chinese to India from abroad have been of having coronavirus. A small Asiatic population authorities to make an assess- thermally screened at various However, one death in Pun- is also found in Iran where it is ment about the number of Indi- airports including, Delhi, Mum- jab’s Amritsar district was due critically endangered. ans stranded in Wuhan. bai, Chennai.” swine fl u. A 28-year-old man Conservationists have been Indian nationals have also “We have even tested sam- from Mohali in Punjab who had divided on the introduction of been asked to submit their pass- ples of those people who had al- recently returned from China, the foreign species into India. port details to the embassy in ready come back from China and was admitted to hospital after he Some say it diverts time and Beijing, sources said. showed symptoms of the disease was diagnosed with symptoms resources from other endangered The embassy posted on so- before the thermal screening of coronavirus. species in the country, while oth- cial media that some Indian na- started at the airports. They all The blood samples of all the pa- ers believe it could aid the chee- tionals were not in possession have tested negative.” tients have been sent to the NIV. tah’s long-term survival. of their passports as they had However, a person of Euro- Punjab Health and Fam- Meanwhile, the top court asked submitted them to the Chinese pean descent, who had travelled ily Welfare Minister Balbir Singh the central government to respond authorities for visa extension or to China, has been quarantined Sidhu said 16 patients have been to an appeal by an NGO seeking work permit or other reasons. at a government hospital in Goa, kept in isolation wards and are relocation of some Asiatic lions A medical staff member wearing protective clothing works at an isolation ward in a New Delhi hospital All the Indian nationals pres- state Health Minister Vishwajit under observation. from Gujarat’s Gir forest to a wild- yesterday. Three patients are under observation in the hospital after returning from diff erent parts of ently in Hubei province and not Rane said yesterday. Their samples too have been life sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. China. in possession of their passports, Rane said the patient, the sent to the NIV. JNU student arrested ‘What a fall’: senior aide attacks Nitish on sedition charges tion of the JD-U from his Twitter IANS New Delhi bio, sparking off speculations Agencies Last week, Sambit Patra, tion to the BJP government. whether his resignation was the New Delhi a BJP spokesman, described Police offi cer Rajesh Deo said next step. Imam’s comment as a call for Imam had been found after a oll strategist and Ja- Earlier in the day the JD-U “open war”. three-day search in Bihar and nata Dal-United leader went into a crucial huddle with- olice yesterday arrested The BJP has sought to depict would be moved to Delhi to face PPrashant Kishor publicly out Kishor. a university student who him as a dangerous rebel in na- charges of sedition. hit out at his party boss Nitish In fact, Nitish Kumar said: If Phas been involved in or- tional media and in party rallies In a statement, Imam’s law- Kumar, calling the Bihar chief he stays, it’s ok. If he goes, it’s ganising protests against a ahead of a state election in New yers said he was fully co-oper- minister’s recent stand on mul- ok.” contentious citizenship law af- Delhi on February 8. ating with the investigation. tiple issues a “fall” for him. In a stern warning, the chief ter he made comments that the Speaking shortly before he On Monday, the police ar- Taking to Twitter, he posted: minister said: “Already he works ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was arrested in Bihar, Imam rested some of his acquaint- “Nitish Kumar what a fall for as a strategist for various parties, said were seditious. said he had only called for rail- ances and relatives from Bihar. you to lie about how and why but I’m making one thing clear... Sharjeel Imam shot to na- way and road links to Assam Imam had disappeared from you made me join JDU!! Poor if he wants to remain in the party tional prominence when he to be disrupted as part of the the police radar on January 25 attempt on your part to try and he will have to adopt the basic helped to organise a mass sit- ongoing campaign of protests evening. He was last seen at a make my colour same as yours!” structure of the party.” in in New Delhi, one of many against the citizenship law. meeting in Phulwari Sharif in He didn’t stop at that. The Earlier, another party leader rallies staged over more than Imam also said the BJP was Bihar. poll manager went ahead: “And Pavan Verma wrote to Nitish a month against the Citizen- trying to vilify him in order to The citizenship law aims to if you are telling the truth who Kumar questioning JDU’s alli- ship Amendment Act that the discredit the largely leaderless fast-track Indian citizenship would believe that you still have ance with the BJP in Delhi while protesters say discriminates protest movement ahead of the for non-Muslim minorities courage not to listen to someone seeking “moral clarity”. against Muslims. Delhi state election. from three neighbouring coun- recommended by Amit Shah?” Nitish Kumar retorted by say- The 31-year-old history stu- “They want to discredit tries. The reference was to Nitish ing: “Someone wrote a letter. I dent further angered nationalists educated Muslims who speak Many Indians say the law Kumar’s claim that he inducted replied to it. Someone is tweet- in the BJP with what they said up,” said Imam, a student is discriminatory against the Kishor into the party on the rec- ing, let him tweet. Anyone can was a seditious call for the north- at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru country’s large Muslim minor- ommendation of then Bharatiya stay as long as they want, leave eastern state of Assam to be “cut” University, known for its ity and violates the country’s Janata Party president Amit Shah. whenever they want. Ours is a from the rest of the country. leftist activism and opposi- secular constitution. Imam: sedition charge Kishor also removed any men- diff erent kind of party.” Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 19

LATIN AMERICA

PEOPLE IMMIGRATION CO-OPERATION LEGAL TRAGEDY Woman, children rescued Mexico deports Guatemala, El Salvador Plea to end ex-presidential Death toll in Brazil’s after a month in forest 2,300 Hondurans look to boost ties candidate’s immunity floods rises to 56

A Colombian woman and her three children Mexican migration authorities said they have Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei The Salvadoran attorney general’s off ice has Devastating floods and landslides have killed have been rescued after being lost for 34 days deported 2,300 Hondurans who illegally offered his Salvadoran counterpart, Nayib asked Congress to strip former presidential at least 56 people in south-eastern Brazil, the in the Amazon rainforest. The 40-year-old, crossed over from Guatemala with a caravan Bukele, the opportunity to build and operate candidate Norman Quijano of his immunity so national news agency Agencia Brasil reported. her husband and children aged 10, 12 and heading to the US. The “assisted return” of a port in Guatemalan waters in the Atlantic he can be prosecuted for allegedly negotiating Forty-seven of the victims were killed in the 14 were holidaying in the Colombian part of the Central Americans took place between Ocean to promote commerce. Giammattei with gangs during his campaign in 2014. The state of Minas Gerais and nine in neighbouring the Amazon and became separated from the January 18 and Monday, according to the said the governments will work to develop attorney general, Raul Melara, said the petition Espirito Santo, the report late Monday quoted father. When they went to look for him, they interior ministry and the National Migration a legal framework so that El Salvador can arises from an investigation that includes off icials as saying. The death toll had earlier been got lost and ended up in the Peruvian part of Institute. A total of 1,064 Honduran migrants develop projects through a public-private a video in which Quijano can be seen in a given as 44. Nearly 30,000 people have left their the forest. They survived by eating berries were deported on National Guard planes and partnership on the Guatemalan coast. El meeting with alleged members of the violent homes in the two states since last week. A state and finally met a woman belonging to an charter aircraft, they said in a statement. Salvador has a Pacific coast but no access Mara Salvatrucha gang, better known as MS-13. of emergency has been declared in 101 cities indigenous community based in Yubineto in Another 1,239 were repatriated by land from to the Atlantic Ocean. The two leaders met “As an advocate for all Salvadorans, I announce and communities in Minas Gerais, including the north-east of Peru, 180kms from Puerto Chiapas and Tabasco. The Central Americans in the Salvadoran capital to announce that that after a serious, rigorous and objective the capital, Belo Horizonte. According to the Leguizamo in Colombia, where they were from. entered Mexico last week from Guatemala flight routes between the countries will be investigation, I have ordered that...the request Brazilian weather service Inmet, the heaviest The community published their pictures on with the so-called “2020 Caravan” with the considered local in order to reduce costs and for (removal of immunity) be filed against rains in 110 years have been recorded in Belo Facebook, leading to the man locating them. intention of heading to the US. encourage tourism. Deputy Norman Quijano,” Melara said. Horizonte.

Morales’ pick back Murder charges in Bolivia to run for in Vale dam case president ‘complicate’ AFP La Paz

uis Arce, the presidential candidate for Evo Mo- Lrales’s Movement for So- Brazilian probes cialism party, returned to Bolivia yesterday following a self-im- Reuters A legal source involved in the had maintained communica- posed exile in Mexico. Rio de Janeiro case, speaking on condition of tion with their state counterparts Arce is due to stand for MAS anonymity, said the divergence since the start to gather evidence in the May 3 election aiming to between the state and federal and secure successful prosecu- extend the socialist party’s hold he fi ling of murder charges prosecutions was likely to be ex- tions. on the presidency for a fourth against the former CEO of ploited by defence lawyers. For Alberto Zacharias Toron, term. TBrazilian miner Vale SA and “It gives a lot of ammunition a lawyer and professor in crimi- Morales was in power for al- 15 others for a 2019 dam collapse to the defence,” the source said, nal law, the fi ling of the murder most 14 years before resigning that killed more than 250 people adding that Vale would seek to charges sets up a possible dis- on November 10 following three was hailed by victims’ families as portray the lack of a technical pute over jurisdiction of the case, weeks of at times violent pro- a major step in bringing those re- study into the disaster as a fl aw in which could play into the hands of tests against his controversial sponsible to justice. the prosecution’s case. the defence. re-election in an October poll. But the move by state prosecu- On the day the charges were “The Supreme Court could An audit from the Organisa- tors in Brazil’s Minas Gerais risks announced, the Rio de Janeiro- say the case is federal and all this tion of American States found driving a wedge between their based miner and lawyers for its work will be annulled, includ- clear evidence of fraud. investigation and a parallel probe former chief executive offi cer, ing the charges,” he said. Decid- After resigning, Morales fl ed at the federal level, complicat- Fabio Schvartsman, stressed that ing the jurisdiction of a case can into exile in Mexico before set- ing the judicial process and po- the technical study was not yet be complicated, especially when tling in neighbouring Argentina tentially making convictions less complete. it involves multiple people, areas a month later. likely, according to a lawyer with Schvartsman’s lawyers de- and crimes. He is barred from standing knowledge of the case and other scribed the murder charges as Certain forests and parks are in the May election and an ar- legal experts. “hasty and unfair” without the federal, for example, whereas rest warrant has been issued for Federal investigators are yet to investigation’s conclusions. murder is often regarded as the him — the interim government identify the cause of the January The others charged were man- remit of the state. accuses him of sedition and ter- 25, 2019, collapse of a tailings dam agers at Vale and employees of The criminal investigation into rorism — but Morales has vowed at the Corrego do Feijao iron ore the auditing company that had the similar Mariana dam dis- to return to his homeland to lead mine dam east of Brumadinho, vouched for the safety of the dam. aster, which occurred at a mine the MAS campaign. which released a sea of mud that “Fabio always co-operated co-owned by Vale just over three Arce, a former economy min- slammed into Vale’s offi ces and with the investigations...in the years before the one at Brumad- ister, arrived at the El Alto air- cut through a nearby community, belief that any decision about inho, experienced long delays due port just outside La Paz, where killing 259 people and leaving 11 criminal responsibility would be to arguments over jurisdiction. he was met by his running mate, still missing. made on technical criteria. Un- The case was fi nally tried in former foreign minister David It was one of the world’s worst fortunately that’s not what hap- federal courts, partly because the Choquehuance, amid cheering mining tragedies. pened,” his lawyers said. scale of the disaster meant it pol- supporters waving the “Wipha- The fi nal results of a complex Vale said in a statement it luted a federal river and impacted la” indigenous fl ag. study will not be completed until “considers it essential to have an multiple states. Morales, 60, was Bolivia’s fi rst June, they say. expert, technical and scientifi c Toron, who worked for the de- ever indigenous president and That delay has put the state conclusion on the causes of the fence during those investigations, MAS derives much of its support and federal investigations out of rupture...before responsibility is said board members of the joint from indigenous communities synch, recalling the legal prob- pointed out.” The company said venture operating the Mariana that were often marginalised un- lems that dogged the prosecu- it was co-operating with authori- dam were also accused of murder der previous governments. tion of a similar mining disaster in ties and helping those aff ected by but the defence successfully had Arce, 56, left the airport with- Brazil in 2015. the disaster. the charges reduced to the lesser out speaking to the press as his “The charges are a bit of a sur- State prosecutors did not im- charge of fl ooding resulting in supporters chanted: “Arce, pres- prise,” said Davi Tangerino, a law- mediately respond to requests for death. ident,” and “Fight, friend, the yer and law professor at Funda- comment. That alone caused a seven- people are with you.” cao Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo, When presenting the charges, month delay. Arce is considered the brain- “because of the awaited technical they said Vale had internal infor- Even those lesser charges were child behind Bolivia’s economic study.” “I don’t think there are the mation showing various dams to later rejected by a federal judge success under Morales but like concrete elements required for have an unacceptable risk profi le, last September on the grounds many of his former colleagues homicide charges, precisely be- including the one that collapsed that board members did not “ex- has been accused of wrong-do- Bolivia’s former economy minister and Movement to Socialism’s (MAS) presidential candidate Luis Arce cause this technical part is miss- last year. ercise management roles.” Federal ing while in offi ce. Catacora greets supporters after arrival at an international airport in El Alto, Bolivia, yesterday. ing,” Tangerino added. Federal prosecutors said they prosecutors have appealed. Mexican leader bristles Mexico party hit by leadership tussle at criticism over security Reuters also be an unwelcome distraction Mexico City from Lopez Obrador’s plans for a so-called “recall” referendum Reuters LeBarons sparked anger in Mexico had helped mastermind was still on his leadership in the spring of Mexico City after the massacre by urging US underway before his rule. exican President An- 2022. President Donald Trump’s ad- “Enough hypocrisy,” Lopez dres Manuel Lopez Ob- On Sunday senior MORENA ministration to declare Mexican Obrador told reporters. Mrador’s ruling party has congressman Alfonso Ramirez exican President Andres drug cartels terrorist organisa- US prosecutors last month ar- plunged into a divisive leadership Cuellar was elected as tempo- Manuel Lopez Obrador tions. rested and charged Garcia Luna struggle after party chief Yeid- rary leader by a party congress of Mlashed out at critics af- Lopez Obrador supporters with taking bribes from the cartel ckol Polevnsky refused to stand more than 1,000 representatives ter a group of his supporters an- who jostled the protesters yelled formerly run by convicted king- down despite being voted out by until a new leadership election is grily hectored members of a US- “LeBaron out” and other slogans. pin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. opponents. held in a few months’ time. Mexican family protesting to the When asked at a regular news He denies the charges. Lopez Obrador’s National Re- But Polevnsky, who had led government about the murder of conference about the hostility di- One leader of the weekend generation Movement (MORE- the party since Lopez Obrador their loved ones. rected toward the peace march by peace march was Javier Sicilia, a NA) party reshaped Mexico’s stepped down before the 2018 Supporters of the president his supporters, the leftist Lopez poet who also led protests against political landscape with a con- general election, on Monday re- chanted insults at participants of Obrador said victims of violence gang violence when his son was vincing victory in the 2018 elec- fused to recognise Sunday’s vote, a peace march as their column ar- deserved respect. killed by suspected cartel hit men tions, winning majorities with its saying it broke party rules. rived on the Zocalo square in Mex- The clashes, he said, were due during former President Felipe allies in both houses of Congress. “We will continue to lead in ico City’s historic centre next to to “existing diff erences.” He then Calderon’s administration. But MORENA, formally reg- strict adherence to (party) legal- the presidential palace on Sunday. accused conservatives of double Instead of curbing the violence, istered in 2014, has struggled to ity and our statute,” she said on a Among the leaders of the march standards and argued that groups homicides rose sharply under the pick a new leader amid infi ghting video on Twitter. were Adrian LeBaron, who lost a close to them were not calling for crackdown that started under between diff erent wings of the Some sections of the party daughter and four grandchildren investigations into how former Calderon. party. backed Polevnsky while others in a November massacre of nine security minister Genaro Gar- His administration faced wide- Divisions in MORENA at a welcomed Ramirez Cuellar’s ap- women and children by suspected cia Luna had allegedly become spread criticism for failing to re- time when the economy is stag- pointment. cartel gunmen. involved with a notorious drug store order. nant and homicides are at record Lopez Obrador declined to be The nine dead, who were dual cartel. Lopez Obrador declined to levels risk eroding the party’s publicly drawn into the dispute. US-Mexican nationals of Mor- Without specifying whom he meet the leaders of the march. grip on Congress with a new “It should be resolved demo- mon origin, were among the was accusing, Lopez Obrador said He has previously sat down lower house due to be elected cratically,” Lopez Obrador said 34,582 homicide victims regis- those complaining about violence with members of the LeBaron next year. during his daily morning press tered in the country in 2019, a now were “as silent as mummies” family and other Mormon fami- Protracted infi ghting within conference. “Don’t get me in- record. when the military-led crackdown lies whose relatives were killed in in the Mexican left, which has volved in the question of party Some American relatives of the on organised crime Garcia Luna the November massacre. Yeidckol Polevnsky: defiant long been highly factional, could politics.” Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 PAKISTAN

Senate concerned Govt devises plan to over ‘indiff erence’ to child abuse

Internews ullah is very tragic as he is sup- Islamabad porting the accused,” he said, combat coronavirus adding that in such cases cler- ics tend to hide facts and sup- Internews 91 Chinese nationals in the clear after screening for coronavirus A senior offi cial requesting an- he Senate’s special com- port each other. Islamabad onymity said that the authorities mittee established to Kakar said that members The district health authority (DHA) teams in Pakistan’s ensured that none of the workers had visited China concerned had been requested to Tsuggest ways for con- of civil society and lawyers eastern Bahawalpur district have completed the recently. provide two more virus detection trolling the rising number of Mansehra and Abbottabad rime Minister Imran Khan two-day screening process of 91 Chinese workers and After a thorough medical check-up of the Chinese scanners which would to be used of cases of child abuse in the had expressed support for the has directed that an inter- engineers working on diff erent projects in the district, nationals, a comprehensive report was prepared and if the existing one develops some country has expressed dismay abuse victims. Pministerial meeting be held finding none of them showing any symptoms of the dispatched to the Punjab health department, the DHA technical fault. over what it called the “indif- Bar members in the two cit- at the earliest to discuss prevent- novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). chief said. A spokesman for the Civil ferent” attitude of the religious ies had refused to represent the ing measures against the deadly This was stated by DHA chief executive Dr Ghulam Sabir said Pakistani workers who had been working Aviation Authority (CAA) said segments towards the social accused in the court, he added. novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Yaseen Sabir. with the Chinese nationals were also screened. they had been facilitating the evil. Kakar said that eff orts are and formulate a comprehensive He said the DHA teams began the screening of the Chi- The DHA chief executive expressed satisfaction over health department staff and had A meeting of the Senate being made for the arrest of the strategy to tackle the threat. nese workers at all the four sites in the district where the health status of both Chinese and local workers also provided an ambulance for Special Committee on Child seminary’s administrator, who According to a notifi cation is- they were stationed. working on various projects. shifting any aff ected person to a Protection, which was held is the elder brother of the ac- sued by Prime Minister’s Offi ce, Sabir said that during the screening, all the Chinese In the district, Chinese engineers and workers are pres- hospital. here in the Parliament House, cused. the meeting would be chaired by nationals were found physically fit and free of corona- ently engaged in a number of projects including those However, no passenger with was presided over by Rubina Responding to queries by the Special Assistant to the Prime virus symptoms. near Uch Sharif, Derawar Fort, Cholistan, Quaid-e-Azam the deadly virus has so far been Khalid, who gave the ruling committee members, the of- Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr He added that during the screening, it was also Solar Park, and Israni. detected. that it is essential for the future fi cial said that victims of child Zafar Mirza. However, an eight-member of the country to control the abuse are often out-of-school It will be attended by the fed- health department team has been growing cases of child abuse. children. eral secretaries for foreign aff airs, Owing to the presence of a Both governments are co- to get their citizens out of the city monitoring passengers arriving “It is important to know the The committee members national health services, interior, large number of Chinese in Paki- ordinating with each other, the through airplanes. from Beijing. reasons behind the increase in noted that the number of cas- and aviation, provincial health stan and frequent travel between envoy said. “The embassies of other coun- All the passengers are passed the cases of child abuse,” she es of child abuse in religious secretaries, chairman of the Na- China and Pakistan, the spread of “So far, three suspicious cases tries [excluding Pakistan] are through the virus detection said, adding that the special seminaries is rising because tional Disaster Management virus in Pakistan cannot be ruled in Chinese community have been rescuing their citizens. There scanners and checked with ther- committee’s members would the victims usually do not Authority (NDMA), the surgeon- out if necessary precautionary reported in Pakistan, but none are more than 500 Pakistani stu- mal guns. study the Zainab Alert Bill. fi le complaints against their general of the Pakistan Army, as measures are not put in place. of them has been confi rmed. We dents in Wuhan. If even one of A Pakistan International Air- The special committee was teachers, and clerics enjoy so- well as the directors-general of It has been directed that the have confi dence and determina- them gets aff ected, the others lines fl ight (PK-853) arrived at formed after a student of a cial infl uence in rural areas. Military Operations, Inter-Serv- outcome of the meeting along tion that we will overcome this will be in danger,” she warned in Islamabad International Airport religious seminary was alleg- In reply to a question by ices Intelligence (counter-intel- with fi rm recommendations shall diffi cult time and will return to a video message. from Beijing on Sunday. edly abused by his teacher in Senator Saeed, Kakar sug- ligence), the Provincial Disaster be furnished to the Prime Minis- normal life very soon,” Yao add- “There is a shortage of essen- Health department offi cials Mansehra district of Khyber gested that hostels of all un- Management Authority, the Civil ter’s Offi ce within one week. ed. tial items and if this situation were present at the airport’s spe- Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Decem- registered religious seminaries Aviation Authority, the National Meanwhile, China’s ambas- According to Geo News, a persists, we will run out of food cial counter to monitor the pas- ber last year. should be closed and all semi- Institute of Health (NIH), the sador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, in a group of Pakistani students has very soon,” Tayab said, adding sengers. The committee was in- naries should be registered Airport Security Force, and for- video statement, has said that demanded that the government that she and her fellow students SAPM Mirza was also present formed that the seminary with the government. eign aff airs ministry (China divi- the Chinese and Pakistani gov- make eff orts to evacuate them have been confi ned to the city. at the airport to monitor the where the incident took place sion). ernments are working closely and from Wuhan. Meanwhile, the Islamabad In- whole process of scanning when was not registered, that it was The committee noted that The document states that out- that the 500 Pakistani citizens in Hafsah Tayab, one of the stu- ternational Airport management a Thai Airways fl ight (TG 349) operated privately, and that the special courts for child break of the 2019-nCoV is being Hubei provibce’s Wuhan city are dents stuck in Wuhan, confi rmed has requested for two more “vi- with 186 passengers arrived from accused was a brother of its protection had already experienced in China. safe and being looked after. that other countries are planning rus detection scanners”. Bangkok on Sunday. administrator. been established in The committee noted that several cities of Khyber special courts for child protec- Pakhtunkhwa tion had already been estab- lished in several cities of KP. CCTV cameras should be in- Senator Samina Saeed said stalled in seminaries and there Regulator opposes that harsh sentences should be should be separate lodging for imposed to those involved in children of diff erent ages, he such crimes. added. the restoration of Senator Javed Abbasi said He stressed the need for cre- laws for protection of children ating awareness about this so- should be reviewed. cial evil. student unions The committee chairperson Kakar said that poverty is lauded the role of media and one of the factors that often re- civil society for highlighting sult in abusers being “protect- Internews a proper mechanism if the such cases, saying that their ed”, as the perpetrators settle Islamabad government wanted to revive eff orts have resulted in im- cases by off ering money to the them. proved public awareness about victims’ families. However, successive gov- the issue, which is still consid- A senior offi cial of the Ayub he Higher Education ernments did not pursue the ered a taboo. Medical Complex told the Commission (HEC) of revival of traditional student Khalid informed the meet- committee that due to social TPakistan has opposed politics, taking shelter under ing about her discussion on pressure, people do not inform the restoration of student un- the judicial verdict. the issue with the chairman of doctors about such incidents. ions despite demands from The HEC, a regulatory body the Council of Islamic Ideology He said that there are also students themselves as well as of higher education institu- (CII). security issues, as in some a resolution passed by the Sen- tions, has opposed student un- She said she had sought the cases police did not take action ate. ions in response to a bill moved CII’s help for introduction of against the accused. According to an HEC docu- by member of the National legislation on the issue and He informed the commit- ment, the commission does Assembly (MNA) Kesso Mal support for control of the in- tee that according to the police not support the restoration of Kheeal Das to amend section 10 creasing number of cases of record, the rape of children, student unions, and instead of the HEC Ordinance. child abuse in seminaries. both boys and girls, is on the proposes student associations In his bill, the lawmaker However, she said, the CII rise in KP. on “healthy activities” such said: “Notwithstanding any- has yet to discuss this issue. In 2019, 184 cases were reg- as poetry, debate, music and thing contained in any law for Deputy Inspector General istered as compared to 143 in sports. the time being in force, any of Police (DIG) of Hazara divi- 2018. Tooba Syed, who was in- judgment or order of any court sion Mazhar Kakar informed However, he added, the in- volved in the Student Soli- or authority, tribunal or a qua- the committee that 64 cases crease in the number of cases darity March in Islamabad in si-judicial authority, the com- of child molestation were reg- could be because of improve- November 2019, said that the mission shall make rules for istered in the Hazara Region in ment in reporting of such cases activities proposed by the HEC formation, elections, purposes 2019. as result of growing awareness already exist. and code of conduct of student “The role of Mufti Kifayat- in society. “We want student unions unions in institutions.” to be restored to resolve issues Das said in his bill that the being faced by students on absence of student unions has Nairobi hosts first Pakistan-Africa campuses,” she said. “What the promoted violence on campus students of this country need is and stifl ed intellectual growth trade development conference student politics, which guar- and social development. Rescuers search for victims in the debris of the collapsed factory in Lahore. antees the rights of students on “This amendment bill in- The first Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference will campus, and the right to politi- tends to revive student unions, commence in Nairobi tomorrow. cal expression and dissent. so that a democratic culture Besides Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser to the “The move to ban student could fl ourish in Pakistan. This Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood will participate in unions was precisely to depo- bill, therefore, seeks to achieve At least 11 killed, two injured in the Conference, Pakistan embassy sources in the Kenyan capital liticise the youth of this coun- the aforesaid objectives,” he confirmed yesterday. try so students have no say in said. During the visit, the foreign minister will hold meetings with the the decision-making processes The bill will likely be taken blast at Lahore perfume factory Kenyan leadership, including cabinet secretaries for foreign aff airs at university or at national up in an upcoming sitting of and international trade. level.” the National Assembly Stand- Apart from Kenyan cabinet members, dignitaries from other “We demand the right to ing Committee on Federal Edu- Internews of the building to collapse, trap- mounted soon after the explo- African states, and Pakistani envoys in Africa, the conference will student politics which truly cation. Lahore ping other residents of the build- sion to rescue the remaining be attended by a contingent of business houses and entrepreneurs represents the voices of the In its response for the com- ing beneath the debris as well as people who are trapped under from Pakistan, who will interact with their African counterparts. students and their issues on mittee, the HEC stated: “The damaging the adjacent structure. the debris of the building. In all, some 300 participants are expected to attend. campus,” she said. contents of the bill are not sup- t least 11 people were Residents of the area said the According to residents, at least The conference is part of Pakistan’s “Engage Africa” initiative, which Syed added that students ported.” killed and two others in- factory was considered to be a 15 workers were inside the fac- is in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to forge closer have a historical role in the The HEC said the restora- Ajured yesterday after gas textile manufacturing unit. tory when the fi re broke out. political and economic ties with the African continent and place a development and evolution of tion of student unions would cylinders exploded at a perfume “We only got to know about Rescue services offi cial Rana stronger accent on economic diplomacy. any country and that keeping deteriorate government eff orts factory in Shahdara neighbor- the presence of perfume and Izhar said in the afternoon that Africa’s increasing integration and growth momentum together them out is undemocratic and to reform universities because hood of Lahore, setting the entire other chemicals after the fi re the fi re had been brought under with Pakistan’s potential as a connectivity hub have opened unconstitutional. students would become in- building ablaze, offi cials con- broke out,” one of the residents control, adding that the deaths multiple avenues for win-win collaboration. After students across the volved in active politics, lead- fi rmed. said. were primarily caused by the roof The conference will provide a platform for G2G (government to country protested calling for ing to partisan polarisation and The fi re also caused the roof A rescue operation was collapse. government) and B2B (business to business) interaction. the revival of student unions even violence on campus. last year, Prime Minister Im- “These unions through their ran Khan expressed support for affi liations with the political their restoration. parties, make anti-government 61% of Pakistanis consider global In 2017, the Senate adopted alliances, gain considerable in- warming a serious threat to mankind a resolution calling for the res- fl uence and strength and pose Lawmakers held following protest toration of student unions, and a threat to academics, research According to a Gilani Research Foundation survey, carried out by Gallup former chairman Raza Rabbani and development work on the and Gilani Pakistan, 61% of Pakistanis agree that global warming is a gave a ruling after lawmakers campuses,” the commission serious threat to mankind. AFP/Reuters/DPA/Internews Mohsin Dawar, a sitting par- police, Zia Bajwa, told AFP. on both sides of the aisle ex- said. A representative sample of men and women from across the four Islamabad/Peshawar liamentarian, was leading a The PTM had been protesting pressed concern over the con- It instead proposed student provinces was asked: “Do you agree or disagree that global warming is demonstration in Islamabad the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, tinuing ban on student unions associations that “may focus a serious threat to mankind?” of around 100 members of the the former veterinary student and called for an immediate on healthy activities including In response, 61% agreed, saying that global warming is a serious threat akistani authorities de- Pashtun Protection Movement who now leads the protest move- revival. debates, declamation, con- to mankind, 27% believed that that global warming is not a serious tained yesterday a senior (PTM). ment. Student unions were banned tests, poetry, music, sports, threat to mankind, and 12% do not know or did not wish to respond. Pmember of a civil rights He along with 25 of those with A court in Peshawar, where he during the Zia regime. interfaith harmony, photo- Out of the total urban respondents, the percentages were 66% (global movement as he protested the him, including fellow National was arrested a day earlier on fi ve The Supreme Court has graphic, law and politics, en- warming is a serious threat), 25% (not serious), and 9% (don’t know of detention of his group’s leader Assembly lawmaker Ali Wazir, charges including sedition, re- prohibited the formation of trepreneurial, animal welfare, did not respond). Out of total rural respondents, the percentages were one day earlier, a police offi cial “were taken into the custody”, jected his bail application in the student unions and called for amnesty, environment, etc.” 59% 29%, and 12%, respectively. said. a spokesman for the Islamabad afternoon yesterday. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 21 PHILIPPINES Govt mulls repatriation of Filipinos over virus threat

By Catherine S Valente procedures for those who would of the quarantine measures, we Manila Times be repatriated.The Health chief will have to sustain the Filipinos added that those who would be when they are in isolation.” repatriated would be confi ned in The inter-agency task force he government is studying a health facility for at least two is composed of offi cials of the the possible repatriation weeks. Departments of Foreign Aff airs, Tof Filipinos from areas af- “The preparations are under- Interior and Local Government, fected by the deadly 2019 novel way to support the quarantine Justice, Labour, Tourism, Trans- coronavirus that originated in plan that will be implemented portation, and Information and Wuhan, China, Malacanang said once the voluntary returnees Communications Technology. yesterday. formalise their plans to be repat- There are about 300 Filipi- Palace spokesman Salvador riated,” he said. nos in Hubei Province and 150 Panelo said President Rodrigo “I wish to inform our coun- in Wuhan City, according to Duterte would wait for the rec- trymen that the government Foreign Aff airs Undersecretary ommendation of the Depart- will take care of you whether you Brigido Dulay. ment of Health (DoH) and De- choose to stay or return home. “We are keeping in touch with partment of Foreign Aff airs. For those who choose to re- the Chinese authorities for now, “It will be studied because turn, you will be taken care of in because we are planning to re- bringing them here might also a health facility for monitoring patriate all those Filipinos,” he Guardians and students wear masks amid a health scare over a new virus that has infected thousands since emerging in China, in a open to spreading the disease and further medical manage- added. Chinese school in Quezon City, Metro Manila, yesterday. unnecessarily. So, we will study ment,” he added. Dulay said the task force would it all, what is best for all,” Panelo Duque said the details of the exhaust all options in bringing said during a Palace press brief- quarantine procedures would be Filipinos in Wuhan home. ing. disclosed to returnees. “There are options on doing it “I think the Department of “We will be arranging one by land or air but, of course, we Health is managing it quite well. place where we can quarantine have to take the lead on the Chi- Two suspected cases of infection But if that’s the recommenda- all of them, rather than assign- nese authorities based on their tion of the DoH, the president ing them to diff erent places,” own rules,” he added. will consider it,” he added. he added. “We have the budget Panelo admitted that the re- Health Secretary Francisco for that so that’s the least of our patriation of Filipinos from under scrutiny in hospitals Duque 3rd yesterday said an in- worries. Wuhan would be a challenge be- ter-agency task force had been We will have to spend for all of cause several cities in China have created to implement quarantine that, certainly no doubt as part been placed under lockdown. By Jan Arcilla Duque said initial results of lic School (until Tuesday), San were confi rmed in Hubei on Manila Times the testing conducted on these Lorenzo Ruiz Academy, Philip- Monday, and the southern is- patients would be sent to the pine Academy of Sakya, Pace land province of Hainan re- Research Institute for Tropical Academy, Makati Hope College ported its fi rst fatality, bringing he Department of Health Medicine for further testing. and Grace Christian College. the nationwide toll to 81. (DoH) has said two per- If the test yielded positive re- Education Secretary Leonor More than 700 new infec- Emissions Lawyer and driver Tsons suspected to have sult for non-specifi c pancoro- Briones said schools had the tions were confi rmed, while been infected with the novel navirus, the specimen will be discretion to suspend classes. the number of suspected cases coronavirus (nCoV) are under sent to the Victorian Infectious The new coronavirus had so doubled over 24 hours to nearly from shot dead after hearing observation in two hospitals Disease Reference Laboratory far killed 81 people, triggering a 6,000. The youngest infected in Metro Manila, while several in Melbourne, Australia. global alarm. patient was a nine-month-old others are also being monitored “We do not have the ca- On Monday, Germany ad- baby being treated in Beijing. volcano By Frederick Silverio Pampanga. Witnesses said one in other areas. pability to test 2019 n-CoV vised its citizens to avoid China, In Germany, Foreign Minister Manila Times/Camp Olivas of the suspects was wearing a Health Secretary Francisco right now to identify the novel while Mongolia closed its bor- Heiko Maas said the govern- red shirt and sporting a grey Duque 3rd said suspected cases coronavirus, that is why we are der and other nations raced to ment was holding crisis talks slow down ball cap, while the two others of the 2019-nCoV were being sending them for confi rmation evacuate citizens trapped at the with health experts to discuss lawyer and his driver were wearing black and blue monitored in Palawan (one), in Australia,” Duque explained. epicentre of the health emer- the spread of the virus. were shot dead by mo- shirts. The suspects fl ed on Camiguin (one), Kalibo in Aklan Despite Duque’s assurances gency. In a sign of the mount- Malaysia on Monday also By Franz Lewin Embudo Atorcycle-borne men in board a Honda Wave motorcy- (three), Tacloban City in Leyte that the country has no con- ing offi cial concern, Premier Li banned visitors from Wuhan Manila Times front of the San Vicente Parish cle without license plate. (one) and Cebu City (three). fi rmed case of the new corona- Keqiang visited ground-zero to and its surrounding Hubei Church in Sta. Rita town prov- “No stone must be left un- He added that one case was in virus, several private schools in oversee containment eff orts in province. ince after attending a court turned,” Fajardo told reporters. Pasay and another in Muntin- Manila City and Quezon City Wuhan, a city of 11mn where The United States, France aal volcano remained rel- hearing yesterday morning. Carlos was serving as lawyer lupa City. suspended their classes. the disease emerged late last and Japan are among countries atively quiet yesterday as Col. Jean Fajardo, Pam- for informal settlers who were Duque said the individuals On Monday, Hope Christian month. looking to evacuate their citi- Tit had seemingly stopped panga police provincial direc- allegedly occupying private being monitored are foreigners High School, St. Stephen’s High The government has sealed zens from Wuhan. ejecting sulphur dioxide, al- tor, identifi ed the victims as and government properties in — Chinese, Brazilian, American School and Uno High School in off Wuhan and other cities in Spanish Foreign Minister though it spewed weak plumes, lawyer Anselmo Montemayor Pampanga. and German. Manila City suspended their Hubei province, eff ectively Arancha Gonzalez said Madrid according to the Philippine In- Carlos of Barangay Cabang- Meanwhile, the Integrated The patients are isolated in classes indefi nitely. trapping tens of millions of was working with Chinese au- stitute of Volcanology and Seis- calan, Floridablanca and his Bar of the Philippines-Pam- various hospitals, he added. Classes were also suspended people, including thousands of thorities to repatriate about 20 mology (Phivolcs). driver Marcial Perez Mendoza panga Chapter condemned the The Health chief, however, at the Chiang Kai Shek (Algue foreigners, in a bid to quaran- Spaniards. The agency said in the past 24 of Santa Maria, Bulacan. murder of Carlos. maintained that the country and Narra campuses), Philip- tine the virus that struck amid Germany is also considering hours, only four low-frequency They sustained multiple “We condemn in the strong- has yet to have its fi rst positive pine Cultural College, Tiong the Lunar New Year holiday. the possible repatriation of its tremors were detected. There gunshot wounds in diff er- est terms possible the violent case of the nCoV. Se Academy, St. Jude Catho- Twenty-four new deaths citizens in Wuhan. was no trace of sulphur dioxide ent parts of their bodies and and cowardly act of the killing ejected by the volcano. died on the spot. The victims of our chapter member, Atty. In its bulletin, Phivolcs said were on board a black Toyota Anselmo ‘Sato’ Carlos. We are “sulphur dioxide emission was Camry when waylaid by three shocked and saddened that below instrumental detection.” unidentifi ed armed men along one of our members has been Sulphur dioxide emission is a provincial road in Barangay added to the growing number University student killed in clash with troops used as a parameter to measure the San Vicente around 9am. of lawyers falling victim to magma movement underneath The victims had just at- senseless killings. Once again, the volcano, according to the ex- tended a court hearing at the rule of law has been attacked,” By Julmunir I Jannaral improvised explosive devices, two kilo- Gen. Generoso Ponio, commander of the perts. Earthquakes, meanwhile, Hall of Justice in Guagua, the group said in a statement. Manila Times/Cotabato City grams of explosive components, a cell- Joint Task Force ZamPeLan, said. signify magmatic activity beneath phone, a container of rice, personal be- A pursuit operation has been launched the Taal edifi ce “that could lead longings and documents. for possible neutralisation of the fleeing to eruptive activity at the main student of Mindanao State Univer- “We remain relentless in our military terrorists. “The Western Mindanao Com- crater.” Alert Level 3 remains over Fugitive policeman in massacre nabbed sity (MSU) was killed in a clash be- operations and we won’t allow another mand, through all of our joint task forces, Taal volcano, which means that A tween troops of the 82nd Infantry siege to happen in our area of operation,” continuously conduct focused and civil steam and weak phreatomagmatic One of the Ampatuan massacre fugitives was arrested along Battalion and members of a local terrorist according to Col. Jose Maria Cuerpo Jr., military operations to end terrorism and explosions, volcanic tremors, ash- the boundary of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao, police group at the boundary of the municipali- 103rd Infantry Brigade commander. violent extremism in Western Mindanao fall and lethal volcanic gas expul- reported yesterday, Manila Times reported. ties of Balindong and Piagapo in Lanao del The 15-minute gunbattle apparently re- and Central Mindanao,” said Lt Gen Ci- sions could still occur. Lt. Col. Barney Condes, Force Commander of Regional Mobile Sur on Friday afternoon. sulted in more casualties on the side of the rilito Sobejana, commander of the West- The state seismology agency Force Battalion (RMFB) 12, identified the suspect as PO1 Suari The military had tagged the student as terrorists as evident in traces of blood- ern Mindanao Command. warned the communities beside Esmail Pagabangan. a local terrorist. stains in their withdrawal route while no “With the support of our partners and the active river channels to be Pagabangan was arrested at 12.30pm on Monday in an opera- Lt Col. Rafman Altre, 82nd Infantry casualty was recorded on the government stakeholders, we are confident that we vigilant, especially when it rains. tion by the Police Regional Office 12 (PRO 12) called “Manhunt Battalion commander, identified the stu- side. will be able to successfully execute our Entry into the Taal volcano Charlie”. Condes said the warrant of arrest for murder was dent as J Usman, 28, a resident of Baran- “I urge everyone to continue your ef- mandate for the people of Mindanao,” So- island, as well as into areas over served against the suspect, who had a P300,000 bounty on gay Raya Saduc, Marawi City, Lanao del forts in pursuing lasting peace not just for bejana added. Taal Lake and west portion of the his head. Sur. Mindanao but for the whole country. Let The slain student’s body was turned island within a 7km radius from Pagabangan will be turned over to Branch 221 of the Quezon From the site of the firefight, the troops us conquer the challenges ahead of us and over to local officials of Barangay Gacap, the main crater, was strictly pro- City court, Condes said. recovered an MSU student identification step up the momentum in sustaining our Piagapo, Lanao del Sur for proper dispo- hibited, Phivolcs said. card, one M16 rifle with magazine, four gains for our common aspiration,” Brig. sition. Nearly 94,000 children receive oral polio vaccine

By Jan Arcilla The number of children im- safe. Vaccine is the most eff ec- “Our target number for the third round, PRC conducted a Dr Abdullah Dumama, offi cials DoH recorded four polio cases Manila Times munised has surpassed the tive way to prevent polio since children to be vaccinated Polio Outbreak Response — Post from World Health Organisa- in the country, bringing the total 60,000-target for the third there are new cases recorded this year is 60,000 and, Round Meeting and Planning tion and United Nations Chil- number of polio cases to 16 since round of “Sabayang Patak Kon- by the Department of Health as expected, the numbers from January 10 to 11 in Davao dren’s Fund, and PRC chapter the disease made a resurgence in ome 94,014 children aged tra Polio”. (DoH),” said PRC chairman Ri- exceeded anew. PRC wants City. administrators. September 2019. zero to fi ve years old were Meanwhile, in the Metro Ma- chard Gordon. your children to be safe” “Formulation of new strate- Red Cross has been actively A three-year-old boy from Sgiven the oral polio vaccine nila, the campaign started on PRC mobilised 1,000 trained gies and interventions during collaborating with the DoH dur- Quezon City was among the four (OPV) in Mindanao by the Phil- January 27 and will end on Feb- volunteers for the mass immu- the campaign, Red Cross started the meeting was timely since we ing the two previous Synchro- new cases the department moni- ippine Red Cross (PRC) during ruary 7. nisation. They were grouped an information drive in thea- have four new cases of polio,” nised Oral Polio Vaccine events tored. the fi rst week of the third round “Our target number for the into four-man teams composed tres in various areas, namely Gordon announced during the with support from the Interna- The disease was eradicated 19 of the campaign. children to be vaccinated this of a leader, vaccinator, recorder the Visayas, Mindanao, Bicol meeting. tional Federation of Red Cross years ago. The immunisation started on year is 60,000 and, as expected, and a health educator or hygiene and Mindoro-Marinduque- PRC said that the meeting and Red Crescent Societies and The three other polio victims January 20 and will end on Feb- the numbers exceeded anew. promoter. Romblon-Palawan regions. was attended by the DoH As- International Committee of the were from Maguindanao and ruary 2. PRC wants your children to be To stress the importance of Prior to the launching of the sistant Secretary for Mindanao, Red Cross. Sultan Kudarat. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Will the coronavirus cause major Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko growth slowdown in China?

P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar By Shang-Jin Wei the Wuhan virus when they signed New York the “phase one” trade deal with the [email protected] United States on January 15, the timing 44350478 (News), of the agreement has turned out to he panic generated by the be fortunate. By greatly increasing 44466404 (Sport), new coronavirus, 2019- its imports of facemasks and medical 44466636 (Home delivery) nCov, which originated in supplies from the US (and elsewhere), Wuhan, one of China’s largest China can simultaneously tackle the 44350474 T cities and a major domestic transport health crisis and fulfi l its promise under facebook.com/gulftimes hub, reminds many of the fear and the deal to import more goods. uncertainty at the peak of the 2003 Sars The virus’s impact on other twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar crisis. China’s stock market, after rising economies will be even more limited. for months, has reversed itself in recent During the last half-decade, many days, and global markets have followed major central banks have developed suit, apparently refl ecting concerns models to gauge the impact of a about the epidemic’s impact on the slowdown in China on their economies. GULF TIMES Chinese economy and global growth. These models were not built with the Are these worries justifi ed? current health crisis in mind, but they My baseline projection is that the do take into account trade and fi nancial coronavirus outbreak will get worse linkages between China and their before it gets better, with infections and respective economies. From linear to deaths possibly peaking in the second or As a rule of thumb, the negative third week of February. But I expect that impact of a decrease in China’s GDP both the Chinese authorities and the growth on the US and European World Health Organisation will declare economies is about one-fi fth as large circular: Towards a the epidemic to be under control by in percentage terms. For example, early April. if the current coronavirus epidemic Under this baseline scenario, my best lowers China’s growth rate by 0.1 waste-free economy estimate is that the virus will have only percentage point, then growth in the a limited negative economic impact. US and Europe is likely to slow by about Its eff ect on Chinese GDP growth rate 0.02 percentage point. The impact on As warnings about climate change and environmental in 2020 is likely to be small, perhaps a Australia’s economy may be twice as degradation grow ever louder, people across the world are decline on the order of 0.1 percentage large, given its stronger commodity- starting to challenge the sustainability of the linear production point. The eff ect in the first quarter trade and tourism links with China, but and consumption model of “take, make, use, dispose.” of 2020 will be big, perhaps lowering a 0.04-percentage-point reduction in growth by one percentage point on growth is still small. There is now a growing urgency felt by many business an annualised basis, but this will be Such calculations assume that the leaders and governments that the world should shift from substantially off set by above-trend coronavirus does not spread widely to this linear paradigm towards the “circular economy” of “take, growth during the rest of the year. The these countries and cause direct havoc. make, use, reuse and reuse.” impact on world GDP growth will be This currently seems unlikely, given the A linear economy often leads to a system that is ineffi cient, even smaller. low number of cases outside China. The panic generated by the new coronavirus, 2019-nCov, which originated in costly and depletes natural resources. A byproduct of the Such a prediction recalls the Of course, the impact on China and experience of the 2003 Sars crisis: a Wuhan, one of China’s largest cities and a major domestic transport hub, reminds other economies could be more severe linear model is material waste, which takes up space and may big decline in China’s GDP growth in many of the fear and uncertainty at the peak of the 2003 Sars crisis. Picture shows if the coronavirus crisis were to last include contaminants. the second quarter of that year was patient Yang Zhongyi, 53, taking drips at the Wuhan Eighth Hospital, in Wuhan, much longer than this baseline scenario Going circular envisages an economic system where product then largely off set by higher growth in Hubei province, China. assumes. In that case, it is important to lifespans are extended and components used repeatedly. Waste the subsequent two quarters. While remember that Chinese policymakers is eliminated by designing products that can be reclaimed, re- the full-year growth rate in 2003 virus will likely be off set by an increase restaurants, hotels, and airlines. still have room for both monetary and used and re-manufactured. was about 10%, many investment in online purchases. And most of the Second, all reports indicate that the fi scal expansion: the banking-sector banks’ economists over-predicted the vacations cancelled today will probably Wuhan coronavirus is less deadly than reserve ratio is relatively high, and the Sure, there are close parallels with recycling. The two ideas epidemic’s negative impact on growth. be replaced by future trips, because Sars (although it may have a faster share of public-sector debt to GDP is are connected, but not the same. Circular economy has come Looking at annual real GDP growth rates better-off households have already set rate of transmission initially). Equally still manageable compared to China’s to connote an approach that’s more systemic and ambitious from 2000 to 2006, it is very hard to see aside a holiday travel budget. important, the Chinese authorities international peers. By using this than recycling. A truly circular economy would involve no a Sars eff ect in the data. Many factories have scheduled have been much swifter than they were policy space when necessary, China’s new material inputs at all, reducing emissions, waste and Some fear that the epidemic’s timing production stoppages during the during the Sars episode in moving authorities could limit the ultimate eventually costs. – at the start of the week-long Chinese Chinese New Year holidays anyway, from controlling information to impact of the current health crisis. New Year celebration, and in the middle so the timing of the epidemic may controlling the spread of the virus. By The coronavirus outbreak is As environmental, social, of traditional school-break travels – minimise the need for further implementing aggressive measures to understandably causing alarm in China and governance (ESG) will exacerbate the economic fallout by shutdowns. Similarly, many isolate actual and potential patients and elsewhere. But from an economic Circular metrics are increasingly keeping many people away from shops, government offi ces and schools from the rest of the population, the perspective, it is too early to panic. – factored in investment restaurants, and travel hubs. But three had planned holiday closures authorities have improved their chances Project Syndicate economy is seen decisions, the circular important factors may limit the virus’s independently of the virus outbreak. of containing the epidemic much O Shang-Jin Wei, a former chief approach was taking hold at impact. The government has just announced sooner. That, in turn, increases the representing First, in contrast to the Sars outbreak, an extension of the holiday period, likelihood that the lost economic output economist at the Asian Development the World Economic Forum China is now in the Internet commerce but many companies will fi nd ways to this quarter will be off set by increased Bank, is professor of Finance and a $4.5tn gathering in Davos last age, with consumers increasingly doing make up the lost time later in the year. activity in the remainder of the year. Economics at Columbia Business School week. their shopping online. Much of the The short-term negative impact is Third, whether or not China’s trade and Columbia University’s School of opportunity Unilever has pledged reduction in offl ine sales owing to the thus likely to be concentrated among negotiators realised the severity of International and Public Aff airs. to reduce the amount globally by 2030 of plastic packaging it produces by 14% each year by 2025. Adidas wants to almost double the number of shoes produced from recycled plastic this year to 20mn. Nestle has also set targets to slash packaging, while Alphabet Inc’s Google has begun advising companies on how to harness data to Fig leaf or fi rst defence? Deploying better manage resources. BlackRock has started a fund focused on the circular economy in October alongside the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. fl imsy masks against virus A wider adoption of the concept would not only cut costs and bolster productivity, advocates say, but climate change and pollution would be tempered. It represents a $4.5tn AFP opportunity globally by 2030, according to Peter Lacy, author Bangkok of The Circular Economy Handbook. On the fl ip side, some academics argue that it doesn’t s fears of a deadly virus sweep address what they see as the fundamental problem of pursuing the globe, panicked members limitless growth. The global economy now needs 100bn of the public are depending on a fl imsy fi rst line of defence – tonnes of materials a year, according to the not-for-profi t A surgical masks that are coveted, but in organisation Circle Economy, a fi gure set to more than double short supply and of limited use. by 2050. Historically, for every 1% increase in gross domestic While Asian commuters cover their product, resource usage has risen on average 0.4%. noses and mouths with the blue-green Longer term, however, the key challenge is getting more paper-thin covers – and social media buzzes with mask emojis, rumours of governments and companies on board. stockpiles and shortages – the humble The European Commission has a circular economy action medical mask has become an essential plan, which includes transforming the way plastic products weapon in the battle against an invisible are produced and recycled. It’s also part of China’s fi ve-year enemy. plan. The German government off ers grants to design products Cheap, mass-made and usually that have a lower environmental impact, or are cheap to repair. readily available at convenience stores, experts dispute the usefulness of masks And the government in India introduced a law in 2012 requiring as a tool to block transmission of the manufacturers of electronics and white goods to provide “take- new Sars-like virus. back” services when a product reaches the end of its life. While the basic, loose-fi tting mask A totally circular economy — with no waste and no new can help restrict the spread of cough materials at all — is likely impossible to achieve, but squeezing droplets from infected people, they are the maximum waste out of the system could curtail use of new a “one-way” defence and do not create an eff ective barrier to breathing in resources. dangerous airborne microbes. And for the fi nancial world, here’s the message: A shift “It is not one of the recommended Mask-clad students line up to disinfect their hands with an alcohol solution before entering class at a school in Phnom Penh towards circular economy presents a sustainable investment barrier measures” for people who have yesterday. opportunity. not been contaminated, according to France’s health minister Agnes Buzyn. “Everywhere I go (in addition to and the country itself is out of stock,” contravening an order to cover-up in Satoshi Hiroi, a senior researcher at a mask) I also bring alcohol and gel he said. public. the Osaka Institute of Public Heath, told sanitiser to clean my hands and avoid “We know that it does not provide Regular hand washing with soap, To Advertise AFP, that high-quality masks could be areas with Chinese tourists.” 100% protection but it is better than alcohol rubs and avoiding touching eff ective, referring to more expensive, Others wore heavier duty – and more nothing... (and) it can also reassure the one’s face as well as crowded places [email protected] tight-fi tting respirators used to fi lter eff ective – PM2.5 or 3M (N95) masks, in public.” are endorsed by the World Health Display fi ne particulates of dust and pollution. a city shrouded for weeks by damaging Even for those who have one, there is Organisation as eff ective personal “But as always, there is no pollution. a proper method to masking up. hygiene habits against infection. 44466621 44418811 100-percent guarantee,” he said, Fourteen infections, all but one On Monday, the mayor of Wuhan, The advice has not stopped a run on adding, the science was still out on detected in Chinese visitors, have been the epicentre of the outbreak, took an the shelves, stockpiling or price hikes Classified exactly how the virus – which has so reported in Thailand, a peak season online battering after wearing his mask for medical masks, from Cambodia to 44466609 44418811 far killed 106 people and infected over destination for the tour groups from the inside-out. Tokyo and Hubei to Hong Kong, where 4,000 – is transmitted. mainland. “You can inhale the virus if there queues stretched outside the remaining Subscription Still, on Bangkok’s streets many For chemist Suphak Saphakkul that has is a gap between the mask and the retailers with stocks. members of the public put faith in led to the most intense panic-buying of face,” added Satoshi Hiroi of the Osaka In Bangkok, it is a case of better safe [email protected] surgical masks yesterday, an act of self- medical items he has witnessed since the Institute of Public Heath. than sorry. defence in worrying times. Sars epidemic in 2002/3. Meanwhile, the Hubei provincial “I just want to be as careful as I can,” “I’m very concerned about the virus,” “All our (mask) suppliers are out of governor was pilloried for not wearing said 50-year-old commuter Apinya © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Tanyamon Jamophast, 28, told AFP. stock. These masks are made in China a mask during a press conference – Sukprasitchai. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 29, 2020 23 QATAR

Grants programme evolves as key Record 42 global projects initiative for identifying new chosen for DFI Fall funding cinematic talent

The Winter Within (India, France, Qatar) by Aamir Bashir. Liborio (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Qatar) by Fernando Martinez Sosa.

total of 42 projects by fi lmmakers from Mena Aregion and around the world have been selected for the Fall 2019 Grants Recipients: Doha Film Institute (DFI) Fall 2019 Grants cycle – the region’s leading fi lm funding programme Feature Narrative – emigration attempt only to reappear tar) shines a light on life in a war-town Feature Experimental or that cultivates the next genera- a month later, buoyed by the souls of town, seen through the eyes of three tion of voices in fi lm. Development: the seven people that drowned along- young girls on the path to adoles- Essay – Post-Production: Underlining the important side him. cence. role of Arab women in fi lmmak- z In A Dream You Saw A Way to z Al Zubara (Qatar) by Hamad z The Winter Within (India, • An Unusual Summer (Pales- ing, 20 of the chosen projects are Survive and You Were Full of Joy (Leba- al-Mansouri is a futuristic take on Qa- France, Qatar) by Aamir Bashir cap- tine, Germany, Qatar) by Kamal Alja- by talented female directors in- non, Qatar) by Remi Itani follows Layal, tar where Jassim Mohamed sets out to tures a romantic crossroad, when fari explores how the fi lmmaker’s fa- cluding Qataris. a young Lebanese girl, whose pregnan- avenge his brother’s murder. Nargis faces a new beginning with ther captures an absurd choreography The DFI Grants programme cy leaves her feeling increasingly dis- z Life of Abdulla (Qatar) by Yaseen – just when her husband re- of characters and events with his cam- has evolved as a key initiative for connected. Abdulla al-Abdulla follows Abdulla turns. era. identifying new cinematic voic- z The Return of The Jerboas through every dramatic moment as he Feature Documentary – es and talent and discovering (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Amira pushes himself and his team to develop Short Narrative: universally resonant stories, ac- Gehanne Khalfallah is set in the year a high-end fragrance line worth of se- Post-Production: cording to a statement yesterday. 2000, 40 years after the explosion of curing shelf space among the best bou- “The Institute’s Grants pro- the nuclear bomb ‘Gerboise Bleue’ tique brands in the world. z Azedine Kasri’s Boussa (The gramme is a unique resource for in the Sahara, when a young doctor z Their Algeria (Algeria, Kiss) (Algeria, France, Qatar) is a col- the next generation of fi lmmakers lands in a village inhabited by the France, Qatar) by Lina Soualem re- ourful social comedy, staging the ab- from the Arab world and beyond. blind. Feature Narrative – counts a longstanding journey of exile surd that can sometimes prevail in With a record 42 recipients, the z Vanishing (Lebanon, Qatar) Production: and separation found within an Alge- Eastern societies. latest programme cycle also high- by Lucien Bourjeily tells the story of rian immigrant home in France. z Just Like Boys! (Tunisia, Qa- lights the Institute’s broadened single mother Rita, who juggles family z The Disqualifi ed (Tunisia, tar) by Amel Guellaty follows Eya and reach – both regionally and glo- and work when the disappearance of z Mehdi (Morocco, France, Kashkash (Lebanon, Germany, Qatar) France, Qatar) by Hamza Ouni follows Sofi a, who use their grocery run to em- bally – and its recognition among her domestic worker draws her into an Qatar) by Yassine Qnia is Mehdi’s story, by Lea Najjar. a 37-year-old man from a poor neigh- bark on an adventure into the forbid- emerging fi lmmakers who entrust investigative journey with unexpected who tries to make his relationship work bourhood in Tunis, who dreams of be- den woods. their creative vision to our fund- consequences. by inviting Sarah to come back to his Feature Narrative – ing a professional actor. z A Young Girl at A Window ing initiatives,” DFI CEO Fatma z ’81 (Qatar) by Dawood al- mother’s place. Post-Production: z Mothers (Morocco, France, (Qatar) by Mahdi Ali Ali is about a Hassan al-Remaihi said. Anwari and Ali al-Ansari is based on a z In Soudade Kaadan’s Nezouh Qatar) by Myriam Bakir is a portrait of French novice actress, struggling for “Covering all genres and ex- true story about the underdog Qatari (Syria, Lebanon, France, Qatar) a bomb the daily life of the founder of the ‘Oum a career break during the yellow vest perimenting with narrative youth team’s historic splash at the ‘81 falls on Zeina’s house only to open a Mena al Banine’ (Mother of Children) as- demonstrations. styles, the 2019 Fall Grants re- FIFA Youth World Championships in window to a new life. z Another Day in Baghdad sociation, which takes in and defends z In Nadia Alkhater’s This Is cipients are pushing the bound- Australia. z Omar La Fraise (Algeria, (Iraq, UK, France, Germany, Kuwait, single mothers in Morocco. Not A Drill (Qatar) a young couple is aries of world cinema and add- France, Qatar) by Elias Belkedar is UAE, Qatar) by Maysoon Pachachi z School of Hope (Morocco, torn by a fateful decision in the wake of ing to its diversity. Each project about a crook on the run in the streets follows Sara and her neighbours, who Finland, France, US, Qatar) by Mo- a radioactive blast. – from Mexico to India and the Feature Documentary – of Algeria. search for a thread of their existence in hamed El Aboudi fuses the story of z Hope (Qatar) by Abdulla al- Dominican Republic to Romania Development: • Queens (Morocco, France, a middle-class district of Baghdad that a nomad tribe struggling to obtain Jananhi follows the journey of newborn – tells an important story that is Qatar) by Yasmine Benkiran follows is marked by war. education for their children, a young baby sea turtle Aqua, who overcomes specifi c to its local context but 23-year-old Zineb, who escapes from z Mica (Morocco, France, Qa- teacher and the government’s indif- his disability to leave the nest and ex- also universal. Many of the sto- z The Flower Men (Yemen, prison in the hopes of giving her child tar) by Ismael Ferroukhi is about an ference. plore the deep blue sea. ries originate from women fi lm- Qatar) by Yousra Ishaq tells the story a brighter future. errand boy in Casablanca, who gets z In Karim Ainouz’s Nardjes z The Unlucky Hamster makers who represent a pow- of an ancient Yemeni tribe that is z In Behind Closed Doors (Qa- noticed and taken on by an ex-tennis A, Algiers, March 2019 (Algeria, Bra- (Qatar, Indonesia) by Abdulaziz erful creative force in the Arab split by a bitter war threatening their tar) by Hend Fakhroo, six-year-old champion. zil, France, Germany, Qatar) a popular Khashabi is about Fluffy, a cute little world and are a testament to the homeland. Leila wakes up one day to fi nd her z TV Society (Lebanon, Qatar) pacifi st insurgency gradually develops hamster who patiently waits in his ever-growing talent pool that z Handala, The Boy Without mother gone. After weeks of struggle, by Robert Cremona is about the pub- into revolution in Algeria. cage at the pet store for someone to exists in our region,” she said. A Face (Lebanon, Germany, Qatar) by her small family settles into an emo- lic uproar resulting from the Arabic pick him. The Fall 2019 Grants covers a Mahmoud Kaabour follows a treasure tional equilibrium, only to have the version of an international dating TV Non-Mena wide range of fi lm productions, hunt based on a sketch of a young refu- mother suddenly return. show. z Alina Gorlova’s Between including feature, documentary, gee that has been circulating around Two Wars (Ukraine, Latvia, Germany, Short Documentary or short fi lm, and TV series. Among the world for over 50 years. Non-Mena Qatar) tells the story of a big Kurd- Experimental: the 42 projects selected for the z The Voice of The Wild (Al- Feature Documentary – z Liborio (Dominican Repub- ish family from Syria, who is spread Fall 2019 Grants cycle are the geria, Qatar) by Dalel Ziour mixes Production: lic, Puerto Rico, Qatar) by Fernando across the world due to the impacts of next recipients of the TV series images of daily life in the Sahara, per- Martinez Sosa follows a Dominican war. z Children and War in Yemen: grants including two projects by sonal archives and stories to recount peasant, who disappears in a hurricane z Dea Gjinovci’s Wake Up on Child Soldiers (Yemen, Qatar) by Mar- Qatari talent. the story of the Tuareg people and the z Kashkash (Lebanon, Germa- and returns. His community grows un- Mars (Switzerland, France, Qatar) fol- iam al-Dhubhani is the story of two Highlighting its role as a cham- history of one of the most influential ny, Qatar) by Lea Najjar explores how til something changes with the country lows a ten-year-old Roma boy living siblings, who are recruited as child sol- pion of Arab cinema, 35 selected bands of Tuareg blues of all time - Ti- the age-old Kash Hamam game of the invaded by the US Marines. in Sweden, who struggles to come to diers in the south of Yemen. projects represent powerful emerg- nariwen. Levant connects people of all religious z Lonely Rock (Argentina, terms with the mysterious Resignation z The Air and The Worlds ing voices from the Mena region, sects and political views. Mexico, UK, Qatar) by Alejandro Syndrome that has put his two sisters (Egypt, Qatar) by Rana Fouad is a including seven by Qatari directors. z The People (Morocco, Al- TelemacoTarraf is set deep inside the into a coma. contemplative journey that follows Seven projects in post-pro- TV Series – Development: geria, France, Qatar) by Rahma Argentinian highlands where a native z A Rifl e and A Bag (India, the musings of mute poet ‘This Per- duction stage, helmed by inter- Benhamou El Madani is a picture of llama herder follows the traces of an Romania, Italy, Qatar) co-directed by son’. national fi lmmakers, have been z Meskoun (Morocco, Leba- contemporary Algerian youth and invisible puma that is threatening his Cristina Hanes, Isabella Rinaldi and z The Dragon Blood Island chosen representing the Do- non, Tunisia, Egypt, Qatar) by Hi- their questions, mirroring those of livestock. Arya Rothe is about a young Indian (Yemen, US, Qatar) by Sufi an Abulo- minican Republic, Mexico, Swit- cham Lasri is the mysterious story of protagonist and writer Kateb Ya- z Tatiana Huezo’s Noche De couple fi ghting for their children’s fu- hom depicts the eff ects of war on So- zerland, India, Romania, Italy, Lotfi, who drowns during an illegal cine. Fuego (Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Qa- ture. cotra, a remote Yemeni Island. Ukraine and Argentina.

‘81 (Qatar) by Dawood al-Anwari, Ali al-Ansari. Karim Aïnouz’s Nardjes A, Algiers, March 2019 (Algeria, Brazil, France, Germany, Qatar). Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, January 29, 2020 QATAR

MMinistersinisters ttakeake ooathath iinn AAmirimiri DDiwaniwan cceremonyeremony

Their Excellencies the ministers taking the oath before His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani. It was also attended by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Thani. Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani at the Amiri Diwan yesterday.