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MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10384 March 6, 2017 Jumada II 7, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Bahrain’s Crown Prince Upgraded In brief

ARAB WORLD | Labour Kharaitiyat Qatar takes part in ALO Council talks Qatar is participating in the 86th session of the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO) Council which junction to started in Cairo yesterday. HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs Dr Essa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi headed Qatar’s delegation to the meeting. The meeting, besides following up ease traffi c on the progress of the 85th session which was held in Doha in October, Major boost for traff ic as Al 11,000 vehicles per hour, which alone HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Emiri Diwan yesterday with Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah, will look into the preparations for the Kharaitiyat Interchange opens are coming from Al Rufaa Street. the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Talks during the annual meeting of the Arab Group “Al Kharaitiyat Interchange is so criti- meeting dealt with the deep fraternal relations of co-operation between the two countries and means of enhancing them in all participating in the 106th Session of cal that it connects with all areas around fields to better serve the common interest of the two countries. Page 2 the International Labour Conference atar’s North Road Corridor En- in the east, west, north and south,” Ex- slated for June in Geneva. Labour hancement project, a major pressway Department engineer Yousef ministers of Qatar, Iraq, Palestine, Libya Qcomponent of the Public Works al-Emadi said while stressing that is and Egypt among others are taking Authority’s (Ashghal) Expressway pro- also a free-fl owing junction without part in the meeting. gramme, has received a boost with Al road signals or roundabouts making it Kharaitiyat Interchange opening to traf- easier and faster for road users. QATAR | Astronomy fi c yesterday. Ashghal also installed lights along the Turkish PM vows to eradicate terror Mercury’s ‘superior If the old junction with a single two- bridges, entrances and exits and placing lane bridge catered to 4,000 vehicles per all necessary signage for better traffi c QNA everyone to be united under the Yes The proposed changes would hand conjunction’ with sun hour, the new interchange with eight safety, as part of Ashghal’s traffi c safety Ankara campaign. wide-ranging executive powers to the Mercury, the innermost planet, will bridges and fl yovers, with three to four strategy. He stressed that no ethnic group liv- president and the post of prime minis- be at “superior conjunction” with the lanes in each direction, has increased The newly upgraded junction opens ing in Turkey is superior to another, ter would be abolished. sun at 3.08am in Doha tomorrow, traffi c capacity to 16,000 vehicles per after the completion of a series of other urkish Prime Minister Binali adding that all citizens living in the The president would also be allowed noted astronomer Dr Beshir Marzouk hour. major milestone, including Umm Slal Yildirim yesterday vowed to put country are equal in terms of rights and to retain ties to a political party. has said. The sun will be between “Ashghal was keen on recreating the Mohamed Interchange, Izghawa Inter- Tan end to terrorism in the coun- duties. Meanwhile, President Erdogan Mercury and earth during this key critical Al Kharaitiyat Interchange to change and the bridge linking Al Hu- try after the April 16 referendum on Yildirim added that the proposed lashed out at Germany yesterday for astronomical phenomenon. Mercury enable bigger road capacity and bet- waila road to the North Road, Al Khor constitutional changes. amendments to the constitution would blocking rallies in support of him ahead is not visible while in conjunction with ter traffi c access for the residents in Link Road (from Al Shamal Road to Ras Speaking at a ‘Yes campaign’ rally further contribute to democracy. of an April vote on boosting his powers, the sun but within the next week or so the neighbouring areas, namely, Al Laff an Roundabout at Al Khor), Umm in eastern Turkish Bingol province, he The constitutional changes have been likening it to Nazi practices. (around March 17) it will reappear on Kharaitiyat, Al Ebb, and Leabib, and the Birka Road. The enhancements also fea- promised that the “terror” acts carries discussed since Recep Tayyip Erdogan The attack came a day after German the eastern side of the sun and start nearby business facilities and providing ture lines for potable water and treated by PKK, ISIS and other groups would be was voted president in August 2014. Chancellor Angela Merkel called Turk- becoming visible over the western alternative routes for road users travel- sewage effl uent as well as foot and cycle over after April 16. The 18-article bill was passed by ish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to try horizon after sunset, he explained. ling from and into Al Shamal Road,” the paths. Yildirim said the ruling Justice and parliament in January, with 339 votes in to defuse the row, which has put a ma- People in Qatar can observe Mercury authority explained in a statement. The opening yesterday was attended Development (AK) Party embraced favour - nine more than needed to put jor new strain on already bruised ties over the western horizon, during The upgraded interchange serves as by Ashghal’s Infrastructure Aff airs di- all ethnicities in Turkey, and called on the proposal to a referendum. between the Nato allies. Page 19 clear skies, 10 days after the superior a main access point on the North Road, rector engineer Mohamed Masoud al- conjunction occurs. linking the areas in the eastern side like Marri, Traffi c Engineering and Safety Al Ebb, Leabib, Lusail, Arab League offi cial Brigadier Mohamed Maarifi ya, ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Street leading to Qatar University, Al Umm Slal Municipality representative Over 40,000 displaced Dafna, Al Khor Coastal Road and the Mohamed al-Suhouti, Central Mu- nearby vital commercial destinations. nicipality Council member Ali Nasser from Mosul in a week It has, also, a direct link with the al-Kaabi and a number of project engi- More than 40,000 people have been western areas of Al Kharaitiyat, Bani neers. displaced in the last week from the Hajer, Al Wajbah, Al Rayyan and Al Ru- Al-Kaabi was all praise for Ashghal. Iraqi city of Mosul, where US-backed faa Street leading to Dukhan Highway “Whenever passing by, I used to see forces launched a fresh push towards and Al Jahhaniya Interchange with a work progressing round-the-clock to the Islamic State-held old city centre view of several critical business facili- complete the junction on schedule, and yesterday and closed in on the main ties. The junction can receive around they did it.” Page 28 government complex. The pace of displacement has accelerated in recent days as fighting approaches the most densely populated parts of western Mosul, and aid agencies have expressed concern that camps to accommodate people fleeing the city are almost full. The International Organisation for Migration’s Mosul Displacement Tracking Matrix showed the number of people uprooted since the start of the off ensive in October exceeded 206,000 yesterday, up from 164,000 on Feb. 26. Page 12 Engineer al-Emadi briefs other off icials about the interchange. Woqod to open 15 new stations

By Peter Alagos rently operating, al-Kuwari reported Business Reporter that there are three other centres under construction in Al Shahaniya, Al Khor, and Al Wukair, all of which will have atar Fuel (Woqod) is planning to teams of technicians to manufacture open 15 new petrol stations this and install vehicle number plates. Qyear in select locations within “Completion is expected during the Doha and other parts of Qatar, a com- fi rst half of 2017. In addition, there are pany executive has said. four other centres under allocation in Al “This year, we will try our best to Woqod chairman Sheikh Saoud bin Mazroua’a, Madinat Al Shamal, Al Wa- open 15 new stations. We are in nego- Abdulrahman al-Thani. Right: Woqod jbah, and Mesaimeer South, which are tiations with the government for around CEO Ibrahim Jaham al-Kuwari. all expected to be completed by the end 40 lands, which will be given to us soon. PICTURES: Nasar T K of 2017,” al-Kuwari said. As we said earlier, our plan is to operate During the meeting, Sheikh Saoud 100 stations by 2020,” Woqod CEO Ib- year, there are nine new locations in the said: “With regard to the performance rahim Jaham al-Kuwari told Gulf Times process of obtaining fi nal licences in Al of Qatar Fuel in 2016 and our plans for yesterday. A’akla, Lusail in North Doha; al A’aqda this year, I am pleased to say that it has He was speaking on the sidelines of the in Al Khor, Abu Nakhla on Salwa Road; been positive and on a continuous path company’s annual general meeting, pre- Aba Sulail on the southern road; Hamad of sustainable development, which the sided over by Woqod chairman Sheikh International Airport; and Umm Ghu- company’s management is keen to real- Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. wailina in central Doha. ise, despite all the diffi culties and chal- Al-Kuwari said Woqod currently op- “In addition, construction of new lenges.” erates a total of 56 petrol stations around stations is gathering pace in Assalata Al He added: “New stations are near- the country. In 2016, he said Woqod was Jadidah, Al Thumama, and Jabal Thuay- ing completion, and awaiting fi nal ap- able to open 19 new stations, including lib in the Lusail area. It is expected that proval to launch operations during 2017, mobile terminals in diff erent parts of the these stations will open in 2017 after and sites that have been allocated for country. they’ve been issued the fi nal necessary new projects this year, in addition to the In Woqod’s 2016 annual report, al- licences to begin operation,” al-Kuwari projects that have been completed and Kuwari said in addition to the stations reported. new products that have been launched, that opened and began operating last In addition to the Fahes Centres cur- such as WOQODe.” Gulf Times 2 Monday, March 6, 2017 QATAR Bahrain Crown Prince stresses depth of ties

QNA Doha

rince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah, the Crown PPrince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, yesterday said Qatar- Bahraini relations have historic and social dimensions. In a statement on arrival in Doha yesterday, the Bahraini Crown Prince said: “I am pleased to pay this offi cial visit to the sisterly State of Qatar to meet my brother HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.” He said the visit comes as part of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khali- fah’s keenness to promote joint action with brothers in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) member states. The exchange of visits between brothers has a pivotal impact on enhancing co-operation and co- ordination on all political, de- velopment and economic levels and the formulation of under- standings about how to deal ef- fectively with any challenges or circumstances facing the region, he added. The Bahraini Crown Prince said the visit comes only days after Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifah bin Salman al- Khalifah’ s visit to Doha, which confi rms the strong bilateral re- lations and keenness to enhance co-operation and co-ordination Their talks dealt with the deep for the benefi t of both countries fraternal relations between the and peoples as well as to support two countries and means of en- the path of the GCC member hancing them in all fi elds to bet- states. ter serve the common interest of Meanwhile, the Emir hosted the two countries. at the Emiri Diwan a luncheon The two sides also exchanged banquet in honour of the Crown views on regional and interna- Prince. tional issues of concern for both The banquet was attended countries and the GCC member by HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh states as well as the latest devel- Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, opments in the region. HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al- The meeting was attended Thani, the Personal Representa- by HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh tive of the Emir, HE the Prime Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, Minister and Minister of Interior HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin al-Thani, HE the Prime Minister Khalifa al-Thani along with sev- and Minister of Interior along eral sheikhs and ministers. with sheikhs and ministers. On the Bahraini side, it was at- On the Bahraini side, the meet- tended by Deputy Prime Minister ing was attended by the Deputy Sheikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Prime Minister, the Representative al-Khalifah, the Representative of the King of Bahrain for Charity of the Bahraini King for Charity and Youth Aff airs, President of the and Youth Aff airs, President of Supreme Council for Youth and the Supreme Council for Youth Sports and President of the Bah- and Sports and President of rain Olympic Committee, Sheikh the Bahrain Olympic Commit- Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah, In- tee, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad terior Minister Lieutenant-Gener- al-Khalifah, Interior Minis- al Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah al- ter Lieutenant-General Sheikh Khalifah and Minister of Finance Rashid bin Abdullah al-Khalifah Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed al- and Minister of Finance Sheikh Khalifah. The Crown Prince was ac- and and the Bahraini Crown and and passenger terminals. Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Khali- Earlier, HH the Deputy Emir corded an offi cial reception cer- Prince toured the Hamad Inter- They also listened to a presenta- fah. welcomed the Crown Prince and emony. national Airport (HIA). tion on HIA’s capacity, future plans Earlier the Emir held talks with his accompanying delegation at HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh They were briefed on its sections and its utilities as well as security the Bahraini Crown Prince. the Hamad International Airport. Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani such as the fi rst class, business class systems and air navigation.

GCC states reaffi rm commitment to make e-services accessible to all

atar and other Gulf sions arrived at the 19th ex- a paper on the necessity of uni- to explore the possibilities for States have reaf- ecutive meeting of the GCC fi ed framework for e-access to IT related industries to more ar- Q firmed their com- Under Secretaries of the e- all, by improving e-services in eas of businesses in the region’s mitment to make e-services government sector held in the government sectors across countries. more accessible to differently Doha yesterday. the region, and it received good There would be a GCC minis- able people and the region’s Qatar’s Under Secretary of support from participants at the terial level meeting within three elder citizens in the coming the Government Information meeting. weeks from now and further years. Technology sector, Hassan Jas- The governments’ represent- talks on the issues would be held This was one of the deci- sim al-Sayed said Qatar moved atives also backed a resolution then, he added.

Qatar, New Zealand sign pact on health, food safety

QNA Earlier, the two ministers dis- and its role in urging members Doha cussed bilateral relations and ways of the Security Council to show of enhancing them, especially in the leadership over the crisis in Syria. fi eld of economy and investment. For his part, New Zealand’s atar and New Zealand They also exchanged views on Foreign Minister praised Qatar’s yesterday signed an a number of regional issues of eff ective role and eff orts to find Qagreement in health and mutual interest. a political solution to the crisis in food safety fi elds. The Foreign Minister ex- Syria and its constant support to The agreement was signed by pressed appreciation to New the Palestinian cause. HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Zealand’s role during its presi- He also stressed his country’s Mohamed bin Abdulrahman dency of the UN Security Coun- desire to develop economic rela- al-Thani and his New Zealand cil last year to stop Israeli settle- tions with Qatar in particular and counterpart Murray McCully. ments on the Palestinian lands with the GCC states in general. Hassan Jassim al-Sayed (third right) and other delegates at the meeting of GCC Under Secretaries of e-governments held yesterday in Doha. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 3 QATAR Al-Mahmoud discusses Darfur with Sudan leaders

QNA Khartoum Al-Kuwari with Togo Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou. udanese Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed Abdel SRahman yesterday met here with HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs Ahmed bin Togo supports Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral relations and means of enhancing them. Qatar candidate The two sides also discussed the peace process in Darfur and the success of the Doha Docu- ment for Peace in Darfur in for Unesco post achieving security, peace and stability. The meeting also reviewed QNA rica recognise the noble mission the progress of reconstruction Lome of Unesco in the education, cul- and development projects in ture and science fi elds, adding Darfur within the framework of that the Togo after studying the the Doha Document and vari- ogo Prime Minister Komi nomination has been satisfi ed ous projects that have been im- Selom Klassou has ex- over the effi ciency and rich ex- plemented in this context for Tpressed his country’s perience of the Qatari candidate the benefi t of the citizens of “We listened to a number of support for HE Dr Hamad bin and see him as the right person Darfur, which in turn was re- points that will be taken into ac- Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, Adviser at this important phase of the fl ected on the peace and stabil- count in our way to achieving at the Emiri Diwan and Qatar’s Unesco’s march. ity process. peace and stability in Darfur,” candidate for the post of Direc- In this context, he said that Sudan’s vice president hailed al-Mahmoud said. tor-General of the United Na- Togo and Qatar are leading co- the outstanding role being Talks during the meeting also tions Educational, Scientifi c and ordination at vote in interna- played by Qatar to achieve sus- dealt with relations between Cultural organisation (Unesco). tional organisations. tainable peace, development Qatar and Sudan, the positive This came after al-Kuwari met For his part, al-Kuwari and stability not only in Darfur atmosphere witnessed by Su- with the Togo prime minister in thanked the Togolese prime min- but also in Sudan. dan and the region as well as Lome last night. ister for providing him with the Al-Mahmoud described the means of dealing with these for Klassou praised the Qatari opportunity to explain his vision meeting “constructive” and the good of Sudan and the re- -Togolese relations, stressing for the advancement of Unesco “fruitful”, adding they discussed gion. that the support for the Qatari and discuss his electoral pro- a number of issues along with HE the Deputy Prime Min- the positive steps made at this mentation of Doha Document have joined the Doha Document candidate come as a recognition gramme under the theme “To- the agenda of the two meetings ister and Minister of State for level in the framework of the for Peace in Darfur. for Peace in Darfur. of the bilateral relations between wards a New Start for Unesco.” due to be held in Khartoum to- Cabinet Aff airs also met yester- Doha Document for Peace in He was welcomed upon ar- The fourth meeting of the the two countries. He said that Africa has been day on reconstruction and de- day with Sudanese Presidential Darfur. rival at Khartoum International Darfur Reconstruction Board The prime minister highly ap- always a priority for Unesco, velopment in Darfur and the Envoy for Diplomatic Contact Al- Mahmoud arrived in the Airport by Cabinet Aff airs Min- of Directors will review recon- preciated the Qatari candidate’s stressing his ongoing eff orts monitoring committee of the and Negotiation for Darfur Dr Sudanese capital on Saturday ister Ahmed Saad Omer and struction and development keenness to meet with African aimed at enhancing its position implementation of Doha Docu- Amin Hassan Omar and Head night to preside over the fourth Qatar’s ambassador to Sudan operations in various states of offi cials, present his vision and in the future along with con- ment for Peace and the relevant of the Darfur Peace Offi ce Majdi meeting of the Darfur Recon- Rashid bin Abdulrahman al- Darfur after the establishment listen to their aspirations to con- ducting permanent consulta- reconstruction and develop- Khalafallah. struction Board of Directors and Nuaimi along with a number of of security and stability and de- tribute in restoring the Unesco’s tions with African leaders and its ment projects as well as the path The meeting reviewed the the second meeting of the mon- ministers and heads of politi- velopment projects for the next image. representatives to achieve such a of peace in Darfur and Sudan. peace process in Darfur and itoring committee of the imple- cal parties and movements that stage. He stressed that Togo and Af- goal. Gulf Times 4 Monday, March 6, 2017 QATAR ‘Filmmaking a gamble’ umra Master Paulo director of the New York Film “It is important to know Sharing at the length the yond the present day he lives in. Branco, honoured as one Festival, took participants what to tell, how to tell quirkiness of some of the di- “I want to live in (such a man- Qof the ‘Greatest Euro- through the rich and varied ex- and how to use your rectors he worked with and the ner) … I don’t know what hap- pean Producers’ with over 300 periences of Branco, who started elements” “crazy” moments in his 30- pens in the next hour. I live day fi lms to his credit, has shared his his production career - self- plus years as a fi lm producer, by day not knowing what I do journey in fi lms in an inimitable admittedly - “without knowing He says the defi ning aspect of Branco said the key to fi lm- tomorrow.” fashion. anything at all about fi lm pro- working with Oliveira was that making was to have a “point That is why he insists that in He urged emerging fi lm- duction”. the master knew exactly what he of view” in everything - from fi lmmaking there are no rules, Film producer Paulo Branco (left) speaks on stage during a Master makers not to play by rules Branco said his move to Par- wanted, “framed, shot and ed- script to shot. adding that “there are a lot of Class with moderator Richard Pena. and described fi lm produc- is from Lisbon, where he was ited in his head”, much like Raúl That was also his advice projects that are deserved to be tion as a gamble “where you born, gave him the freedom to Ruiz, the experimental Chilean to emerging fi lmmakers who made’ and urging young fi lm- to tell, how to tell and how to selected at Cannes Film Festi- always win even if you lose take risks. He was happy run- fi lmmaker, with whom too Bran- sought his counsel on aspects, makers categorically to “just use your elements” He said val and in competition for the money because something al- ning a cinema in Paris, when he co had made fi lms that won top including how he chooses scripts do it, even if you lose money he is keen to hear and discuss Palm d’Or. Lisbon Story (Ger- ways stays back”. started his long association with honours. and fi nances his projects. because something stays back the Qumra Projects during his many, Portugal/1994), produced The discussion, moderated legendary Portuguese director Branco went on to discuss the “There is no one and only way always – your fi lm”. mentoring sessions with the by Branco and directed by Wim by Richard Peña, former pro- Manoel de Oliveira. Together, making of Cosmopolis, the Rob- to making fi lms,” said Branco, Branco’s advice to new fi lm- talents. Wenders, was screened in the gramme director of the Film they made an impressive body of ert Pattinson-starrer that was admitting candidly that he has makers is to bear in mind that Branco has the honour of hav- Modern Masters Screenings at Society of Lincoln Center and works. originally slated for Colin Farrell. never considered anything be- “it is important to know what ing the largest number of fi lms Qumra 2017. ‘The more local your fi lm, the more universal it is’

umra Master Bruno at him questions ranging learn cinematography, editing Dumont, delivering from his notions of phi- and scripting. When he ven- Qhis Master Class at losophy to specifi c ‘behind- tured into fi ction-fi lmmak- the third edition of Qum- the-scenes’ of some of his ing, he found it impossible to ra, the industry event by landmark fi lms. work with established actors. Doha Film Institute, urged They also probed him on “So I worked with non-ac- emerging fi lmmakers to his work with professional tors and found the work was push the boundaries of re- actors of late, having ear- smooth.” He narrated how he ality, reminding them that lier preferred to work with used editing tools to get non- the ‘more localised’ their non-trained people. Du- real-time reactions to action stories, the ‘more universal’ mont says the key in work- shots, especially when his they become. ing with professional actors acting crew was not comfort- In a talk defi ned by the is to “dehumanise them and able with some scenes. intense philosophical and make them look deep into He says over the years he spiritual outlooks that have Bruno Dumont speaks on themselves to become real has gained a stronger un- shaped the avant-garde stage during a Master Class characters. Direct them, al- derstanding and courage French fi lmmaker’s life and on day three of Qumra. ways, as non-professionals as a director, and is ready works, Dumont emphasised and you get excellent re- to follow austere measures that studying philosophy connection of landscape sults”, he told the audience. on the sets to support his (Greek and German) ena- and human beings, and To a question on politi- producers. Dumont under- bles him as a fi lmmaker as uses nature as a real tool cal infl uence in his cinema, stands that fi lms are dense “it is the reason and ra- in his fi lmmaking. “When Dumont said politics is “and do not have to appeal tionale, based on which we you apply the characters in not his speciality, adding to all; you cannot make a separate things”. a landscape, a scene comes that “politics infl uences fi lm to please all”. “Accept By shaping the dimen- along; that is why I seek our sensibility to art”. Ulti- that some people do not sions of ‘being’ and ‘non- a landscape that I can tell mately, it is about how art love your fi lms, and leave it being’, philosophy drives a story about, because it and cinema enables “us to at that,” he observed. him in his character sketch- helps present the ghostly accept each other because Dumont’s fi lm L’il Quin- es, as “philosophers are expression of good and evil, cinema shows us in relation quin (France/2014) was people who have probed of mystique and mystery”. to one another”. screened at Qumra 2017 as human nature”. That is why Dumont had an eager Dumont narrated his jour- part of the Modern Masters he sees the role of cinema as audience at Qumra, emerg- ney in cinema, starting fi rst Screening. He will take part a “spiritual experience” and ing talents who have been with studying and teaching in mentoring sessions with fi lm as a “natural art.” passionately following philosophy, shooting indus- the talents of the selected He believes in the inter- his fi lms, and who tossed trial fi lms and going on to Qumra Projects.

Mercedes Benz E Class 2017 model

Kim Young-woo, (centre left) and Christophe Leparc (right) lead a working breakfast recalled session at Qumra.

he Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in Tcollaboration with Nasser Qumra hailed for promoting Bin Khaled Automobiles, has an- nounced the recall of Mercedes- Benz E Class 2017 model because inter-festival collaboration the seat frame may damage the wiring to the fuel system control unit. umra, the industry initiative by eclectic and has no specifi c rules” – with The MEC said the recall cam- Doha Film Institute to nurture the fi lms chosen to range anything from paign comes within the frame- Qthe new generation of fi lmmakers, comedy to experimental. work of its ongoing eff orts to helps in promoting inter-festival collab- While most festivals do not insist on hav- protect consumers and ensure oration by providing insights into prom- ing fi nal cuts for their selection process, Bero that car dealers follow up on ve- ising new voices from the Middle East Beyer, festival director of the International hicle defects and repairs. region, directors of leading international Film Festival Rotterdam, said a foremost con- The MEC will co-ordinate fi lm festivals have said. sideration is to pick fi lms that are “ought to with the dealer to follow up on At a networking session, industry del- be seen”. “We hope for our fi lms to go beyond the maintenance and repair egates associated with Cannes, Venice, our own festival and we are always looking for works and communicate with Rotterdam, Busan, Edinburgh and Dublin something special,” Humphreys added. customers to ensure that the fi lm festivals described the emphasis they Every year is a new year in the selection necessary repairs are carried out. place on identifying emerging talents and process, said the directors, although one The MEC has urged all cus- lauded the role of Qumra in serving as a bottomline is that the “the fi lms make a tomers to report any viola- window into new works from the region. connection with the audience”. tions to its Consumer Protec- The session moderated by Paolo Berto- The directors said the key challenge to- tion and Anti-Commercial lin, correspondent at Venice Film Festival, day is to attract young audiences – to fes- Fraud Department through the underlined the competitive nature of in- tivals and to have their entries – and rely following channels: Hotline: ternational fi lm festivals, with program- on advisers and scouts in fi nding new tal- 16001, e-mail: [email protected]. mers having to sift through hundreds of ents. Qumra, they said, presents an op- qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, fi lms before they make the fi nal cut. portunity to identity and engage with the Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC Yet, most festival directors said they new voices in fi lmmaking, adding that a mobile app for Android and are increasingly open today to identify number of Qumra Projects have been se- IOS: MEC_Qatar fi rst- and second-time directors, the lected for the international fi lm festivals. cross-section of talents that Qumra too The industry networking sessions will nurtures. “We are looking to expand our continue through the duration of Qumra Request for reach and have a larger geographic pres- in addition to one-on-one script tutori- ence, especially this part of the world,” als for selected Qumra Projects, rough cut renewal of Q-Post said Kim Young-woo, programmer at Bu- consultations and group tutorials. subscription san International Film Festival. Qumra hosts leading international fi lm- Grainne Humphreys, festival direc- makers, producers, industry experts and Qatar Postal Services Company tor of Dublin International Film Festival, professionals for brainstorming, knowledge- (Q-Post) has requested the said the fest seeks to address the absences sharing and nurturing sessions with talents holders of post boxes to renew in distribution and help fi lmmakers fi nd associated with 34 fi lms from 25 countries. their subscriptions before March new audiences for their fi lms. Directors and producers attached to 18 nar- 31 if they want to do so. Q-Post Christophe Leparc, managing direc- rative feature fi lms, seven feature documen- said in a statement yesterday tor of Director’s Fortnight and director taries and nine short fi lms are participating that the company has the right of Cinemed, said the selection for the in the event, being held until March 8 at Souq to cancel those post boxes which Director’s Fortnight at Cannes is “very Al Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art. are not renewed before March 31. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 5 QATAR HMC team takes part in Medhealth programme senior delegation repre- mad al-Thani, director, Public senting Hamad Medical Health Department at MoPH, Members of the HMC delegation hold the award plaque after receiving it from Egyptian and Lebanese off icials. A Corporation (HMC) re- presented the Qatari experience cently participated in the scien- in the fi eld of health promotion at discussing recent healthcare viders maintain and improve the Dr Ahmed Emad al-Din Rady, tifi c programme of the 18th an- and discussed the importance developments in the Arab region. quality of their services. Egyptian Minister of Health, nual forum of the Arab Hospitals of health awareness in a lecture Dr Yousuf al-Maslamani, Mohamed Mubarak al-Noimi, and Ghassan Hasbani, the Leba- Federation, Medhealth. titled “Required Practices in the medical director, Hamad Gen- HMC’s chief of staff and chief nese Vice Prime Minister and The delegation held a number Field of Health Promotion and eral Hospital, delivered a lecture of the managing director’s of- Minister of Health, at a medi- of scientifi c lectures and inter- Primary Prevention.” on the second day of the forum fi ce, chaired a plenary session cal exhibition held on the forum active sessions, aimed at high- The 18th annual forum of the on the best ways to compensate entitled, “The Future of Pa- sidelines. Ali Abdulla al-Khater, lighting the latest health devel- Arab Hospitals Federation, Med- healthcare providers -hospitals tient Safety and Risk Manage- chief communications offi cer at opments in Qatar. health, was held in the Egyptian and clinical centres- for the ex- ment: Ensuring Sustainability of HMC and Mohamed Mubarak al- The two-day forum also capital Cairo from February 28 cellent, high-quality services to Healthcare Services.” The ses- Noimi, awarded HMC plaques to saw active participation from to March1. The two-day fo- patients. sion addressed the latest in- the two ministers, who, in turn, the delegation representing rum, held in conjunction with Dr al-Maslamani emphasised ternational approaches within expressed their appreciation for the Ministry of Public Health the 47th meeting of the execu- the importance of providing the the fi eld of risk management in HMC’s role in the promotion of (MoPH). tive board of the Arab Health necessary fi nancial compensa- healthcare facilities. health and clinical excellence in Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al-Thani speaking at a session. Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Ha- Ministers Council, was aimed tion to help these healthcare pro- HMC’s delegation received the region.

Online registration opens for ME forum in healthcare MEC call for registration

he Middle East Forum is ‘Adding Value in Healthcare’ become an important event for learnings for everyone that can and competition off ers an ideal he Ministry of Economy from the fee, it was announced on Quality and Safety in and all the workshops, lectures healthcare professionals in Qa- be incorporated into everyday platform for doctors, nurses and Commerce (MEC) yesterday. THealthcare, organised and sessions will focus on the tar and in the region, and given best practice. We have inter- and allied health profession- Thas urged public and pri- The initiative is part of the by Hamad Medical Corpora- three main strands: provid- the huge interest it has gener- nationally renowned experts in als to showcase illustrations of vate joint stock companies with ministry’s eff orts to support tion (HMC), in collaboration ing a better patient experience, ated, I recommend that inter- their fi eld coming to Qatar to practical, real-life examples of branches operating under dif- commercial companies and bol- with the Institute for Health- improving overall health and ested attendees register early in provide us with an exciting and quality improvement projects. ferent names and conducting ster the role of the private sec- care Improvement (IHI), has increasing cost and resource order to ensure they can select thought-provoking agenda,” he Posters should refl ect the main activities other than the ones tor and its contribution to the opened its online registration effi ciency. the sessions that most inter- added. conference theme. listed under the main branch, economic development of the for this year’s leading quality Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, HMC’s est them. Many of the work- The quality improvement “In HMC alone, there have to ensure compliance with the state in a bid to build a competi- improvement conference. deputy chief medical offi cer shop sessions are designed to poster exhibition and com- been many quality and safety provisions of Law No 20 for tive, diversifi ed and sustainable Submission criteria are avail- and director of medical educa- be interactive and consequent- petition is also ready to ac- improvement initiatives under- 2014 that introduced amend- economy in line with Qatar Na- able on the conference website, tion, said the forum has grown ly, spaces are limited,” said cept submissions. Open to any taken by multidisciplinary teams ments to some provisions of Law tional Vision 2030. http://ihimeforum.hamad.qa, signifi cantly each year and is Dr al-Khal. healthcare professional inter- over the past year, and the Mid- No. 25 for 2005 regarding the The MEC stressed that the and the deadline is March 16. established for building qual- “We are expecting around ested in sharing information dle East Forum is an opportune commercial registration. activities of the main company The Forum will take place from ity improvement capacity and 3,000 attendees for this year’s on their quality and safety im- time to highlight these successes Companies approach the MEC and branches must conform May 5 to 7 at Qatar National capability among local and event, and the calibre of the provement projects with in- and provide inspiration to oth- headquarters on the second fl oor with the purpose of the com- Convention Centre. regional healthcare workers. programme content will en- ternational experts and other ers,” said Dr Ronald Wyatt, Chief of Tower B in Lusail City, un- pany as stated in its foundation The theme for the conference “The Middle East Forum has sure there will be take-home peers, the poster exhibition Quality Offi cer at HMC. til April 30 will be exempted documents. Gulf Times 6 Monday, March 6, 2017 QATAR

Alfardan Automobiles organises preview of Minister meets New Zealand’s FM all-new Mini Countryman for customers

lfardan Automobiles, the Letbelah Museum also off ered an according to a press statement. der petrol engines, an increase in offi cial Mini importer in immersion into the world of the The large tailgate, fi ve seats and output by 6kW to 141kW/192hp AQatar, hosted a fun-fi lled iconic British brand. optional all-wheel drive now in the Mini Cooper S Country- weekend that included an exclu- Ihab Allam, general manager gives an additional boost to the man, optimised driving per- sive preview of the all-new Mini of Alfardan Automobiles, said: brand’s advance into the premi- formance and fuel consumption Countryman in Doha on Satur- “We take pride in meticulously um compact segment. fi gures due to extended MINI- day. planning and creating the ideal “The latest generation of the MALISM technology - including The memorable day saw a con- platform to give Qatar’s Mini fans Mini Countryman goes even improved aerodynamic prop- voy of Mini owners and media the best brand experiences. We further in terms of the model’s erties, and a 6-speed manual meet at the Alfardan Automo- are particularly excited to launch versatility, agility and premium transmission as standard, with biles Mini showroom in West Bay the all-new Mini Countryman in character. Thanks to its power- 6-speed automatic transmission and drive to the Letbelah Classic a way that fi ts perfectly with our ful proportions, the new Mini as an option. Cars Museum to have a closer Mini customers. We have taken Countryman has a particularly Alfardan Automobiles look at various Mini models, fol- this a step further by including a distinctive presence. Its un- marked another year of growth lowed by BBQ and live entertain- visit to the Letbelah Museum to mistakable aura is defi ned by an in 2016, with sales growing ment at The St Regis Doha. give customers a chance to inter- extended ground clearance and by 7% compared to 2015. The For the fi rst time, Mini cus- act with the British brand and its raised seating position, further MINI 3-door Hatch and John tomers got a chance to familiar- values.” emphasised by the Mini ALL4 Cooper Works models were the ise themselves with the all-new Set to arrive in the Alfardan exterior look and high roof rails,” top performers and contributed Mini Countryman at the exclu- Automobiles showroom this the statement noted. to Alfardan Automobiles being HE Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed sive private preview and got a March, the all New Mini Coun- The all-new Countryman pos- named the winner of the MINI al-Thani met yesterday with New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Murray McCully fi rst glance at the various models tryman has “pursued its path to sesses an “impressive engine Middle East Regional Dealer and his accompanying delegation. in the Mini family. The trip to the success both on and off -road”, portfolio” comprising 4-cylin- Competition.

Bowel cancer screening launched

he Primary Health Care 800 1112 to book an appoint- cate the public about the bowel Corporation (PHCC) is ment. cancer screening through en- Torganising a month-long The campaign will cover a couraging them to ask about awareness drive across Qatar media mix including outdoor it and get answers on all their entitled: ‘Ask Me About Bowel advertisements, press adver- doubts,” Dr Shaikha Abu Cancer Screening’ in recog- tisements, radio commercials Shaikha, cancer programme nition of international Bowel as well as various outreach manager, PHCC, said. Cancer Awareness Month. activities such as lectures, in- “A key message of the cam- As part of its goal to provide mall activations and coopera- paign is to show the public that world-class health services to tion with well known organisa- there is nothing to fear when it Qatar’s residents and promote tions in Qatar comes to screening and talk- a healthy population, the PH- The programme targets ing to a highly skilled physician CC’s National Breast and Bowel asymptomatic men and wom- about bowel cancer and the Screening Programme ‘Screen en in Qatar aged 50-74, urging benefi ts of getting checked.” For Life’ will throughout March them to take the initiative with Through the three dedicated increase eff orts to advise the their health. At the core of its breast and bowel screening public about the benefi ts of various country-wide activi- centres the PHCC National early detection and encour- ties is highlighting how adopt- Breast and Bowel Screening age eligible men and women to ing a proactive approach from Programme can reach a large book an appointment for bowel the start can help signifi cantly audience. cancer screening. in the fi ght against bowel can- Furthermore, the PHCC call Men and women in the most cer. centre provides an opportunity at risk age bracket of 50-74, and “Early detection can signifi - for people to talk with trained who do not present any symp- cantly enhance cancer survival staff and ask questions about toms of bowel cancer, are urged rates and through this cam- the screening programme and The MINI convoy. to call the PHCC call centre on paign we want to further edu- ways to book an appointment.

Gulf Times 8 Monday, March 6, 2017 QATAR Nissan Patrol Super Safari ‘reborn’ in the Middle East

issan has announced The re-imagined Nis- driver and 4-way for the front iconic looks. the rebirth of its pop- san Patrol Super Safari re- passenger. New driver aids in- The Patrol Super Safari Nular Patrol Super Sa- tains all the elements that clude a navigation system as boasts a 4.8L DOHC in-line fari in the Middle East. The have elevated the vehicle to well as front and rear parking 6-cylinder engine producing model is described as “one of iconic status such as the rug- sensors with rear view cam- 280hp and a mighty 46kg or the most coveted off -road ve- ged design and the off road era, Bluetooth, USB, CD, aux- 451Nm of torque which al- hicles ever sold in the region”. capability, while delivering iliary input socket and FM/ lows it to power up dunes “The return of the legen- a modern approach that is AM radio. The vehicle comes or tow heavy objects with dary Patrol Super Safari re- complimented by the special equipped with automatic cli- ease. The engine is mated to fl ects Nissan’s willingness upgrades and enhancements mate control and a built-in, a 5-speed automatic trans- not only to listen to its re- that add to its usability and refrigerated cool box. mission with manual mode. gional customers, but to also visual appeal. Building on the iconic Su- Vehicle Dynamic Control and respond to their wishes,” said Designed to be a remark- per Safari model, the New Tyre Pressure Monitoring Samir Cherfan, managing di- able off -road vehicle while Nissan Patrol Super Safari System aid highway driving. rector of Nissan Middle East. maintaining all the comforts enjoys the legendary exte- Dual front airbags, ABS, “Widely considered as one of a road going full size SUV, rior design which has distin- an immobiliser and cruise of the few truly all-terrain the Patrol Super Safari in- guished it from other Patrol control are among the oth- vehicles of modern time, the corporates some of the latest models and made it one of er features contributing to Nissan Middle East has revived its iconic Patrol Super Safari in the region. Patrol Super Safari continues innovation and features that the most recognised icons of both safety and driver con- to impress with its inherent Nissan customers have come modern off -road vehicles. venience, while the vehicle Complementing the exist- thanks to its captive audience as new generations come to ruggedness, durability and to expect. Distinctive machine cut 17” boasts rear locking diff eren- ing Patrol line up which in- and devoted fans. know the Patrol Super Safari, ability to cope with the ex- The 2017 Patrol Super Sa- black alloy wheels, dual-tone tials, an electric front winch, cludes the V8, V6 and Patrol “We know this vehicle they too will appreciate its tremes of the varied terrains fari boasts all-new tan leath- body colours, fl ared fenders, as well as front and rear tow NISMO, Cherfan is confi dent will appeal to many custom- legendary capability and ap- and temperatures prevalent er seats and door trim with a rear spoiler and a Super Sa- hooks as standard equipment that the market for the Patrol ers who have grown up with preciate its deep-rooted her- in this region,” he explained. 8-way power seats for the fari body stripe all build on its for desert use. Super Safari is a healthy one the Super Safari brand, and itage in the region’s culture.”

Qafco organises appreciation ceremony for HSE participants

afco organised an appreciation ceremony recently to honour diff erent entities and personnel who Qparticipated in the company’s health, safety and environment awareness programme, which took place at Mesaieed in January. The governmental and semi-governmental representa- tives who represented their entities on the HSE awareness programme and exhibition attended the ceremony. They are the Ministry of Interior directorates repre- sented by the General Directorate of Traffi c; the General Directorate of Civil Defence; the General Directorate of Industrial Security Department; the Establishments and Missions Security Department; the Public Relations De- partment; the Permanent Committee for Drugs and Al- cohol Aff airs; the Security Systems Department, and the Community Policing Department. Additionally, Hamad Medical Corporation, Tarsheed and Qatar Biobank took part. Dr Hamed al-Marwani, Qafco chief administration of- fi cer said: “We are thankful to all those who participated with us in our health, safety and environment awareness programme and contributed immensely to its success. We also recognise the important role shared by these entities toward achieving the objectives the programme targeted. “Qafco organised the health, safety and environment awareness programme as part of its social responsibility based on its deep conviction on the importance of health and safety for all.” Maryam Mattar, Qafco’s acting Public Relations and Communications manager said: “I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to diff erent departments of the Ministry of Interior, Hamad Medical Corporation, Tarsheed – Qatar General Electricity Corporation, and Qatar Bio Bank for their participation in the programme.” Qafco’s HSE awareness programme saw a huge turnout of around six thousand people this year. During the event, many shows and exhibits related to security and safety were displayed. Guidance and educational brochures were distributed to the visitors.

HMC to mark World Kidney Day with activities

amad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Nephrol- ogy Division, in collaboration with the Corporate HCommunications Department, is organising a se- ries of events to mark World Kidney Day. Held on March 9, the global theme for World Kidney Day 2017 is ‘Kidney Disease – A Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys’. This year, HMC events will focus on the impact obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices can have on the kidneys. Chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition caused by the inability of the kidneys to function eff ec- tively. Dr Hassan al-Malki, head of Nephrology at HMC, said, around 10% of the world’s population is aff ected by chronic kidney disease and it is estimated that the disease aff ects 13% of Qatar’s population. Dr al-Malki explained that obesity increases the risk of developing major risk factors for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), like diabetes and hypertension, and it has a direct impact on the development of CKD and end-stage renal disease. “In individuals aff ected by obesity, the kidneys have to work harder, fi ltering more blood than normal to meet the metabolic demands of the increased body weight. This can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long term.” This year’s World Kidney Day activities demonstrate HMC’s commitment to promoting health in the commu- nity. A series of events aimed at getting families involved in fun, educational activities that highlight the impor- tance of an active lifestyle in maintaining kidney health have been planned. Until March 12, HMC’s clinical and support staff will hold events at schools, Qatar Univer- sity, HMC hospitals, Primary Health Care Centres and in popular public locations. In addition, on March 10, HMC will hold its annual walkathon and World Kidney Day cel- ebrations at Katara to spread the message about the im- portance of kidney health and encourage people to live an active and healthy lifestyle. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 9 QATAR

UK art supplies store sets up QM Fire Station branch

atar Museums (QM) has joined chief commercial offi cer Philip Lawrie was designed by leading design agency forces with the UK’s leading in- said. He hopes such initiative will help Pentagram. Qdependent art supplies retailer, support a vibrant local art scene and “When we were approached by QM Cass Art, to open one of their famous re- gives young and emerging artists the about opening a Cass Art at the Fire Sta- tail stores at the Doha Fire Station, home necessary supplies to experiment, create, tion, we were deeply impressed by their to QM’s ‘Artist in Residence programme.’ grow and fl ourish. vision to develop art and artists in their Cass Art will support QM’s vision of Lawrie added that this initiative dem- local community and beyond,” said Mark creating a platform for innovative art onstrates their commitment to nurture Cass, CEO and Founder of Cass Art. and design by providing artists with a emerging talent and builds on a longer “Our ethos has always been to encour- choice of top quality art materials from tradition of QM’s patronage to the arts, age creativity at every level, wherever it renowned heritage brands. as well as its passion for supporting the may be, and to inspire people to discover “We are committed to our promise of development of artistic talent in Qatar. the power of art. inspiring an indigenous culture of crea- Cass Art sells top quality art supplies We look forward to helping local talent tivity and innovation, as well as nurtur- from the world’s leading brands like grow,” he added. ing young artists. This includes pro- Winsor & Newton, Faber-Castell and The Fire Station: Artist in Residence viding artists and the general public in Daler Rowney. programme, which started in September Qatar with world-class art supplies that From oil paint to water colour, acrylic 2015, sits at the heart of Doha’s thriving will support their creative inspirations, paint, pens, pencils and sketchbooks, art community. which is also part of our longstanding they stock a full range of artist supplies It is open to local Qatari artists and commitment to enrich the lives of all that are suitable for all ages. residents of Qatar, and runs in nine- those who live in and visit Qatar,” QM As with all Cass Art stores, the interior month cycles. Cass Art opens at the Doha Fire Station.

Georgetown off ers new emergency preparedness certifi cate course

rofessionals seeking a well-rounded understanding of al Studies in Emergency and Disaster Management (EDM) risk management and post-disaster recovery planning degree, the short course brings together theoretical and Pcan enhance their skills at an upcoming course off ered practical approaches to emergency and disaster planning. by Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. Experts in a wide range of industries from defence and se- The two-day intensive certifi cate programme, titled ‘Emer- curity to hospitality, tourism, transportation, meteorology, gency Preparedness: Developing and Evaluating Mitigation events, and telecommunications will benefi t from the training. Plans’, will be off ered for the fi rst time in Qatar and Oman. “This course is designed to help participants understand Drawing on the strengths and expertise of faculty involved how to plan more eff ectively to reduce the risk of potential in Georgetown University’s Executive Masters of Profession- hazards and threats with a goal of enhancing local resilience. The course will teach concepts for hazard mitigation plan evaluation and off er instruction on techniques for enhance- ments to existing and new plans with the overall goal of risk reduction,” said course instructor and EDM programme di- rector, Dr Tim Frazier. “Participants will learn how to better conduct risk assess- ments, and manage the mitigation process that will in turn serve to advance preparedness and shorten the overall recov- ery process.” The course will be held on March 13-14 in Doha and March 19-20 in Muscat. Speakers include Dr Frazier, who is the faculty director of the Emergency and Disaster Management programme at Georgetown University, and Alexander Peterson, research manager for the Hazards & Climate Impacts Research Cen- tre. Georgetown off icials announce the details of the new emer- Participants can register or fi nd out more about the course gency preparedness certification course. on the website: cee.georgetown.edu/cep Gulf Times 10 Monday, March 6, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD Iran blows US Show of solidarity Fifth Fleet out of the water in animated fi lm

AFP on the frontline or alongside Tehran supreme leader Ali Khamenei. His high profi le has led to speculation he may emerge new animated fi lm as a presidential candidate from Iran shows the US one day, although he has so ANavy’s Fifth Fleet be- far denied any desire to move ing blown out of the water in into politics. The fi lm cost the latest eff ort to build up the some 5bn rials ($140,000) to legend of the country’s most make, part of increasing mili- celebrated general. tary propaganda eff orts that Director Farhad Azimi told in many ways mirror the close local media his 80-minute fi lm involvement of the Pentagon is “a response to the gibberish in Hollywood’s more gung-ho of Hollywood and American blockbusters. politicians”. It comes at a time of mount- Four years in the making, its ing tensions after President expensive graphics, thump- Donald Trump warned that ing soundtrack and barrages any Iranian boats harassing of missiles are a slick addition the US Navy — a regular oc- to Iran’s propaganda eff orts, currence in the Gulf, accord- clearly aimed at teenage boys. ing to the Pentagon — would The star of the show is a be “shot out of the water”. commander whose salt-and- Azimi said he wanted to pepper beard was explicitly highlight Iran’s defensive ca- modelled on Major-General pabilities. Qassem Soleimani, head of the “If one bullet is fi red by the Revolutionary Guard’s exter- enemy toward Iran, we will re- Palestinian school children fly kites in a show of solidarity with the Japanese people during an event organised by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) marking the nal operations arm, the Qods spond fi rmly,” he said. sixth anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that left more than 18,500 people dead or missing, in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis yesterday. Force. The fi lm has premiered in Soleimani heads Iran’s op- Iran’s second city Mashhad erations in Syria, Iraq and and is due to arrive in Tehran beyond, and has become a next week. The makers are prominent fi xture in the media also hoping to show the fi lm in in recent years, often pictured China and Russia.

Tehran sees progress in Syrian pilot claims plane Haj talks with Saudi shot down en route to Idlib AFP soon be sent to Saudi Arabia,” Tehran he added, without giving de- Reuters crashed, whether it had been at- tails. Istanbul tacked or suff ered technical fail- Talks have been ongoing ure. Combat operations by many ran said yesterday there since an Iranian delegation militia and government forces had been progress in talks travelled to Saudi Arabia on Syrian air force pilot who come close to Turkey’s long Iwith Saudi Arabia on al- February 22. bailed out as his warplane frontier with Syria. lowing citizens of the Islamic Last year marked the fi rst Acrashed on Turkish terri- Turkey has been one of the republic to join this year’s Haj time in nearly three decades tory told a Turkish rescue team foremost critics of Syrian Presi- pilgrimage, despite some re- that Iran was barred from the his MiG-23 had been shot down, dent Bashar al-Assad, and sup- maining issues. pilgrimage. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu ports rebels fi ghting him in the Iranians were barred from A key issue has been com- news agency reported yesterday. country’s six-year-old war. attending last year’s Haj after pensation for the families of The 56-year-old pilot was It currently has armed forces the two countries severed dip- hundreds of people killed in a identifi ed as Mehmet Sufhan, involved in operations along the lomatic ties and failed to agree stampede during the 2015 Haj. and medical staff said he was Syrian side of the frontier. on security measures. Iran says 464 of its citizens not in critical condition despite Syrian state media said on Sat- “Most of the questions died in the disaster. some fractures in his spine. urday its forces had been expand- up for discussion have been Ghazi Askar said Iran had He is being treated at a hospi- A view of the wreckage of a warplane, probably belonging to the Syrian air force, that crashed on the Turkish ing control over former Islamic resolved and a couple of is- also raised the sexual assault tal in the Hatay region, a hospital side of the border with Syria on Saturday, is seen in this still image taken from video. State-held villages in northwest sues are remaining,” the ISNA of two Iranian teenage boy pil- spokeswoman said yesterday. Syria, an area close to Turkey’s news agency quoted Ali Ghazi grims. In an initial statement to Hatay region where the aircraft Askar, the Iranian supreme “The culprits have been Turkish authorities, Sufhan said He said he had taken off wreckage. He was fi rst taken to ing the air force had lost contact crashed. The army’s gains follow leader’s representative for Haj sentenced by Saudi Arabia to his aircraft was shot down on from Latakia in Syria. Dogan a gendarmerie base and then to with a fi ghter jet on a mission a push to the south and east of the aff airs, as saying. four years in prison and 1,000 its way to strike rural areas near news agency said the pilot, who hospital. near the Turkish border. city of Al-Bab, which was cap- “If those questions are re- lashes and dismissed from Idlib in northern Syria, Anadolu crashed on Saturday, had been Syrian state television quoted It gave no details. It was tured by Turkish-backed rebels solved, we hope pilgrims will duty,” Ghazi Askar said. reported. found around 40km from the an army source on Saturday say- unclear why the aircraft had late last month.

Ahmadinejad joins Twitter despite ban

Iran’s hardline former presi- 2009. IS suicide attacks dent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The became the latest leader to pro- join Twitter yesterday, despite tests, having been instrumental in which getting it banned from the fol- kill 15 in Aleppo country. lowed Ahmadinejad’s first tweet ac- from his personal account cusations of election-rigging, AFP without mains water for 48 days after was a video in which he called were considered the first time Beirut the militants cut the supply. on people to follow him at @ in the world the service was Yesterday, Russian and regime war- Ahmadinejad1956. used to promote and organise planes bombarded IS positions in sup- “In the name of God Peace be demonstrations, and earned win Islamic State group suicide port of Syrian troops, which had ad- upon all the freedom loving the nickname “The Twitter attacks killed 15 people in Syria’s vanced to nine kilometres from Khafsah, people of the world,” he wrote Revolution”. Tnorthern province of Aleppo, the Observatory said. in English. Twitter and other social media where the militants have faced simulta- They were just six kilometres from Despite the service being sites would go on to play a neous assaults in recent weeks, a moni- the pumping station, Observatory head blocked for ordinary citizens, significant role in protests tor said yesterday. Rami Abdel Rahman said. many of Iran’s top off icials around the Middle East dur- One attacker detonated a car bomb The United Nations yesterday said tweet regularly, including Pres- ing the so-called “Arab Spring” near the IS-held town of Deir Hafer, 26,000 people had fl ed the fi ghting ident Hassan Rouhani and in the following years. killing eight fi ghters with regime forces since late February, while the Observa- Foreign Minister Mohamed Ahmadinejad, who was presi- late Saturday, the Syrian Observatory tory said as many as 30,000 had been Javad Zarif. dent from 2005 to 2013, has for Human Rights monitoring group displaced. In a second attack, IS said Even the off ice of supreme been pushing for a return to said. IS claimed responsibility for the a fi ghter “detonated his suicide belt” leader Ali Khamenei main- frontline politics in the run-up attack, saying it “was carried out by in the rebel-held town of Azaz, also in tains accounts in several to the presidential election fi ghter Abu Abdullah al-Shami with an Aleppo province. languages. in May. explosive-laden vehicle”. The Observatory said the suicide at- Iranian users — who get However, his erratic and Deir Hafer lies on a key road linking tack in the town “killed seven fi ghters round the restrictions using insubordinate style saw him Aleppo city to the IS-controlled town of and wounded several others, some of privacy software — were quick fall out with the conservative Khafsah, which holds the main station them in critical condition”. to point out the irony that establishment during his time to pump water into Aleppo, and further In January, a massive tanker truck Twitter was banned follow- as president, and Khamenei east to the militant group’s de facto cap- bomb ripped through a market in Azaz, ing mass protests against advised him last year against ital Raqa. killing 48 people and wounding dozens, Ahmadinejad’s re-election in running again. Residents of Aleppo city have been the Observatory said. Page 12

East Libyan forces resume strikes against rivals

Reuters them back from positions around ing forced to withdraw on Friday by east, LNA spokesman Ahmed al- Benghazi the major oil terminals of Es Sider an attack by the Benghazi Defence Mismari told Reuters. and Ras Lanuf, a military spokesman Brigades (BDB). There were also clashes between said. Yesterday afternoon, LNA war- the rival forces on the ground, secu- ast Libyan forces resumed air The eastern-based Libyan Na- planes targeted positions near Es rity and oil offi cials said, though it strikes against rival factions tional Army (LNA) is attempting to Sider and south of the coastal town was not immediately clear whether Eyesterday as they tried to push regain control of the ports after be- of Ben Jawad, about 30km to the either side had advanced.

Gulf Times 12 Monday, March 6, 2017 ARAB WORLD

Smoke billows following a car bomb explosion as Iraqi forces clash with Islamic State (IS) group fighters in Mosul yesterday. Right: A member of the Iraqi police prays as the forces clash with IS group fighters in Mosul. More than 40,000 displaced from Mosul as Iraqi forces near old city

Reuters date people fleeing the city are and launched their attack on attacks by the militants. bolic step towards restoring to number 750,000 in western Mosul. Twelve people, including Baghdad almost full. the districts that lie west of the Rapid Response teams are state authority over Mosul, Mosul at the start of the latest women and children, are being The International Organi- Tigris river on Feb 19. “very close” to the government even though the buildings are offensive. The militants are us- treated in Erbil, the capital of the sation for Migration’s Mosul Defeating Islamic State in buildings near the old city, said destroyed and not being used ing suicide car bombers, snip- Kurdish region east of Mosul, for ore than 40,000 peo- Displacement Tracking Matrix Mosul would crush the Iraqi a senior media officer with the by Islamic State. ers and booby traps to coun- possible exposure to chemical ple have been dis- showed the number of people wing of the caliphate declared elite Interior Ministry units. Rapid Response units cap- ter the offensive waged by the agents causing blisters, eye red- Mplaced in the last uprooted since the start of the by the group’s leader, Abu Bakr Their progress was met with tured have captured the Dan- 100,000-strong force of Iraqi ness, vomiting and irritation, the week from the Iraqi city of Mo- offensive in October exceeded al-Baghdadi, in 2014, over heavy sniper and mortar fire, a adan district, which lies just troops, Kurdish peshmerga United Nations said on Saturday. sul, where US-backed forces 206,000 yesterday, up from parts of Iraq and Syria. Reuters photographer reported south-east of the complex, fighters and other paramilitary Islamic State used chemical launched a fresh push towards 164,000 on Feb 26. Baghdadi proclaimed the from Mosul. while US-trained Counter- groups. weapons at least 52 times in Iraq the Islamic State-held old city That number may still rise caliphate from Mosul’s grand The complex, which houses Terrorism Service units pushed They were also reported to and Syria and at least 19 times in centre yesterday and closed in sharply. Nuri mosque, in the old city the Nineveh Provincial Council through Tal al-Ruman and the have fi red rockets and mortar the areas around Mosul between on the main government com- The United Nations last centre which is still under his and the Nineveh Governorate Somood districts, in the south- rounds fi lled with toxic agents 2014 and November 2016, ac- plex. month warned that more than followers’ control. buildings, should be taken to- west. from the western side of the city cording to data collected by IHS The pace of displacement 400,00 people, more than half Rapid Response units and day, Lt. The Iraqi military believes to the eastern, government- Markit. has accelerated in recent days the remaining population in Counter Terrorism Service Colonel Abdel Amir al-Mo- several thousand militants, controlled side. Several thousand people have as fighting approaches the western Mosul, could be dis- forces launched a fresh push hammadawi told Reuters. including many who travelled The Organisation for the Pro- been killed or wounded so far in most densely populated parts placed. into the city yesterday after Recapturing the site would from Western countries, are hibition of Chemical Weapons the Mosul off ensive, both civil- of western Mosul, and aid Iraqi forces captured the a 48-hour pause due to bad help Iraqi forces attack the mil- hunkered down among the re- (OPCW) off ered to assist the ians and military, according to agencies have expressed con- eastern side of Mosul in Janu- weather that hampered air sur- itants in the nearby old city. maining civilian population, Iraqi government investigating aid organisations. cern that camps to accommo- ary after 100 days of fighting veillance, facilitating counter- It would also mark a sym- which aid agencies estimated the use of chemical weapons in

Sudan rebels free 127 prisoners

A prominent Sudanese a statement. “The Suda- rebel group has released nese army recognises Atop Palmyra’s damaged theatre, 127 prisoners it had this as a positive step captured in fighting with towards achieving peace government forces, most in the country,” he said. of them soldiers, the Ethnic minority rebels military said yesterday. in Blue Nile and South Syrian musicians sing of return The rebel Sudan People’s Kordofan have been fight- Liberation Movement- ing government forces North (SPLM-N) had since 2011. AFP sessing what remains of those cel- captured the prisoners in Fighting in the two areas Palmyra ebrated monuments has been left Blue Nile and South Ko- and in Darfur have left to Wael al-Hafyan, who heads the rdofan states, where the tens of thousands of peo- engineering unit in Homs prov- group has been fighting ple dead and displaced top the ruins of Syria’s ince’s antiquities department. Sudanese government millions. famed Palmyra theatre, re- The 40-year-old walks through forces for years. Khartoum announced Acently recaptured from the the Old City, examining various The released prisoners a unilateral ceasefire in Islamic State group, teenage mu- artefacts and recording his obser- include 109 soldiers and June 2016 in all three sician Angel Dayoub sings an old vations in a small notebook. 18 civilians, army spokes- conflict zones, which it Arabic favourite: “We’re coming After a preliminary assessment, man Brigadier Ahmed extended by six months back, oh love, we’re coming back.” Hafyan says additional destruc- Khalifa al-Shami said in in January. The 15-year-old’s voice fl oats tion is limited to the theatre’s front over the ancient Roman theatre, including an arched recess behind heavily damaged then abandoned the stage, as well as the explosion by IS jihadists on Thursday as of the tetrapylon. Russian-backed government forc- He broke down when he came es drew near. across the theatre and the tetrapy- “A little destruction won’t stop lon, once a 16-columned structure us from coming here to play and that marked one end of Palmyra’s sing on this stage, despite what colonnade. happened to it,” Dayoub tells AFP. IS reduced it to a pile of rocks “I want to play music and sing in a massive explosion in January, everywhere that has seen the ex- lambasted by the UN as “a new war pulsion of IS, which hates singing crime and an immense loss for the and banned playing instruments,” Syrian people and for humanity.” she says defi antly. “It’s impossible for anyone with Dayoub’s rendition of Lebanese Syrian musicians play their instruments while resting on damage in the amphitheatre of the historic city of Palmyra. even an iota of humanity not to feel diva Fairuz’s famous song is ac- sad when they see this. companied by fellow musicians of 2015 and began to systematically the distance, as Syrian forces and name is referred to on a tablet dat- I’m sad, and I will stay sad un- all ages playing violins, tambou- destroy and loot the site’s monu- their Russian allies press their of- ing from the 19th century BC as a til Palmyra goes back to the way it rines and the oud, the pear-shaped ments and temples during a brutal fensive against IS north and east of stopping point for caravans be- was,” Hafyan tells AFP. stringed instrument beloved in the ten-month reign. Palmyra. tween the Mediterranean and the But with international help and Arab world. It used the ancient theatre as a “Daesh (IS) wanted to ban us east. Unesco’s support, the engineer “We’re singing ‘We’re coming venue for execution-style killings from the theatre, to ban us from It developed into a wealthy me- says, Palmyra can be restored. back’ because we will come back before being driven out in March singing, but I want to challenge it, tropolis thanks to trade in spices, Asked to summarise what is left even stronger than before to re- 2016. to beat it,” says Maysaa al-Nuqari, perfumes, silk and ivory from the of Palmyra’s renowned artefacts, build Syria,” she says. The militants then recaptured a teenage oud player. east and became known to Syrians Hafyan bites his lip and considers “Everyone will rebuild in their Palmyra in December, blowing up Dressed in a black leather jacket as the “Pearl of the Desert.” the question quietly. own way. the tetrapylon monument and part and combat boots, her curly hair Palmyra’s temples, colonnaded “All of Palmyra is left. Palmyra’s We want to rebuild it with music of the theatre. dyed a deep red, Nuqari gestures alleys and elaborately decorated history has remained,” he answers. and singing.” Young musicians fl ocked to the at several nearby musicians to join tombs — some of the best pre- “A few scratches cannot distort The city and its ruins, desig- theatre during a press tour organ- the jam session. served classical monuments in its beauty. The enormity of what nated a Unesco world heritage site ised by the army at the weekend, “Daesh is darkness, but music is the Middle East — attracted more Daesh did here, all of its crimes, in 1980, have traded hands several playing to an audience of dozens of light,” she says. than 150,000 tourists a year before doesn’t even amount to a scratch times during Syria’s six-year war. Syrian and Russian soldiers. Although the precise date of its Syria’s confl ict broke out. on this beautiful, glorious face that IS fi rst seized Palmyra in May Explosions can still be heard in founding is unknown, Palmyra’s Now, the diffi cult task of as- is Palmyra.” Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 13 AFRICA

Zimbabwe South Africa to pay out social doctors call off strike, civil servants benefi ts to millions on April 1 to walk out Reuters to receive their money, despite concerns Dlamini said the South African Post has been in doubt since South Africa’s A new deal however, has not yet been Johannesburg that retaining the existing service pro- Offi ce’s more than 2,600 outlets will be highest court ruled in 2014 that the ten- signed. vider is both unlawful and costly. used as one of the payment services for der process to acquire its services was The social security payment debacle Reuters For millions of South Africa’s most vul- social security in the transition and fu- unlawful. saw the director-general of the social Harare he government will continue nerable, SASSA money is often the diff er- ture phases. It ordered that a new contract to be development ministry, Zane Dangor, paying millions of South Africa’s ence between an empty or a full belly. In an attempt to resolve the looming negotiated. announcing his resignation on Saturday Tmost vulnerable people social “We will continue paying social crisis, President Jacob Zuma held talks SASSA has so far failed to fi nd a new over diff erences with Dlamini. imbabwean junior security payments on April 1, despite grants beyond March 31 when the con- on Saturday with Minister of Finance service provider to take up the service at “Dlamini has utterly failed to ensure doctors yesterday not signing a new deal with an existing tract with the current service provider Pravin Gordhan and Dlamini to ensure the start of April or set up its own pay- that SASSA was ready to take over the Zcalled off a three- service-provider, the minister of social comes to an end,” Minister of Social De- that social security payments are made ment agency. distribution of grants at the end of this week strike saying the govern- development said yesterday. velopment Bathabile Dlamini told the from April 1. SASSA offi cials said last week the month... ment had partially met their de- The South African Social Security media. The existing contract, run by Cash agency had opted to renew the deal with and has allowed the situation to reach mands, a day before a one-day Agency (SASSA) is scrambling to ensure “As has been the case in the past no Paymaster Services, part of technology Cash Paymaster Services despite the crisis point,” said Bridget Masango of walk out by other public sector that as many as 17mn people continue one will go unpaid.” company Net1 1 UEPS Technologies, court order. the opposition Democratic Alliance. workers. Doctors at public hospitals went on strike on February 15, demanding annual bonuses, an increase in on-call allowances and cheaper cars. Nurses joined the strike last Ebola-surviving week. The Zimbabwe Hospital Doc- tors Association (ZHDA) said in a statement it had decided to end the strike after “seeing the plight Liberian icon of patients”. The government had deployed army medics to work at major public hospitals after the doctors walked out. dies giving birth The government increased allowances to $360 per month rather than the $720 demanded AFP found, however, and Karwah was dead by doctors, promised a car loan Monrovia shortly afterwards. package and created 250 new “My wife was an Ebola survivor. She posts for doctors with immedi- contracted the virus during the outbreak ate eff ect. n November 2014, Salome Karwah of and she recovered,” Harris said, bouncing “The ball is now in govern- Liberia graced the cover of Time maga- the healthy new baby on his knee. ment court to deliver on prom- Izine as a symbol of strength and hu- “She saved lives, she held babies who ises and improve on doctors’ manity after surviving Ebola and using her had Ebola, and she helped them to get bet- conditions of service, failing experience to help others with the virus. ter. She did not deserve this kind of treat- which, as the ZHDA we remain But last month, Karwah died shortly af- ment.” resolute that we will take deci- ter giving birth to her fourth child — and Karwah lost her parents, brother, aunts, sive action to defend the best her husband blames the stigma attached uncles, cousins and a niece to Ebola, ac- interests of the health profes- to Ebola. cording to Time. sion in Zimbabwe,” the ZHDA “My wife died because she was not ca- In an article for The Guardian in Octo- said. tered to by nurses and doctors. The rea- ber 2014, Karwah wrote of the Ebola sur- Zimbabwe’s public hospitals son, I believe, is because she is an Ebola vivors she helped: “I help them with all Burkina Faso’s dancers perform during the 25th Pan-African Film and Television Festival closing ceremony at the are struggling with shortages survivor,” James Harris said. my might because I understand the expe- Palais des sports in Ouagadougou on Saturday night. of medicines and have relied on “I am saying this because I heard some rience — I’ve been through the very same support from mostly Western nurses telling friends not to go near my thing.” donors. wife because she is a survivor.” Her photograph was chosen for the cov- Senior government offi cials, The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa er of Time when those fi ghting the Ebola including President Robert Mu- starting in 2013, which hit Liberia the outbreak were named person of the year. gabe, often seek medical help hardest, infected nearly 29,000 people by The hospital has refused to comment on Senegalese fi lm scoops top abroad. conservative estimates, killing more than her death, but Liberia’s chief medical of- Mugabe returned early yes- a third. fi cer, Francis Kateh, told AFP that the au- terday from a medical review in Karwah worked as a counsellor for Me- thorities were investigating the case. Singapore, which drew criticism decins Sans Frontieres (MSF) after recov- Karwah’s brother, Reginald Karwah, from opponents who say he has ering from Ebola in the summer of 2014, said her body was tested for Ebola and the award at Africa fi lm fi esta presided over the collapse of helping others to cope with the psycho- result came back negative. public hospitals at home. logical toll of the haemorrhagic fever. Many Ebola survivors continue to suff er Other public workers, mostly One evening in February, Harris said, high levels of shame and discrimination, AFP Television Festival of Ouagadougou, The festival’s Silver Stallion was teachers, are expected to go on his wife was admitted to hospital in the which has been exacerbated by fi ndings Ouagadougou held in the capital of Burkina Faso. awarded to Un Orage Africain (An strike today to push the gov- capital, Monrovia, where she gave birth by that the virus can stay in certain parts of The prize adds to the Silver Bear African Storm), an anti-colonial tale ernment to pay 2016 annual caesarian section. the body for at least nine months after a jury prize awarded to the fi lm two by Benin director Sylvestre Amous- bonuses that were due in De- She returned home just two days later, patient has recovered. elicite, a tale about a night- weeks earlier at the Berlin Film Fes- sou, and the Bronze Stallion to A Mile cember. telling her husband that some of the nurs- Liberia also has some of the world’s club singer who has to scrape tival. in My Shoes, a drama by Said Khallaf Cecilia Alexander, chair- es refused to touch her. highest maternal mortality rates, accord- Ftogether funds to pay for her The fi lm is directed by Senega- of Morocco. woman of Apex Council, the Complications soon developed, and ing to the United Nations. son’s treatment after a road acci- lese-French Alain Gomis, who in Loosely modelled on the Cannes top union for civil servants, Harris rushed to hospital seeking help. The UN’s Population Fund has said that dent, scooped the top prize on Sat- 2013 was praised for Tey (in French, Film Festival, the event, known by its said yesterday workers would His concerns were dismissed by one access to life-saving care has deterio- urday at Africa’s top cinema festi- Aujourd’hui, or Today) — a sto- French acronym of FESPACO, is held no longer hold a demonstration doctor, and he was told to go to a pharma- rated since the Ebola outbreak because of val. ry about a young Senegalese who every two years and accepts for com- in the capital Harare as initially cy to buy an injection for his wife. the strain it has infl icted on the country’s The fi lm won the Golden Stallion knows he is about to die, and looks at petition only fi lms made by African planned, but would instead go The medication was nowhere to be fragile health system. award at the Pan-African Film and his life through new eyes. fi lmmakers. on strike. Kenya races to bring precious water to drought-hit wildlife

By Fran Blandy, AFP ua, who plans to buy his own water four or fi ve years it will be a swamp, in Voi, Kenya truck and dig a borehole in the park. another 15 years it will be a dust bowl. Meanwhile the David Sheldrick That means Tsavo West is dead, fi n- Wildlife Trust — famed for rearing or- ished,” he warned. n a wildlife sanctuary in south- phan elephants — has now joined him He blames the water problems on ern Kenya the relentless sun has in trucking in water to the water hole. “sheer human activity” in catchment Ibleached savannah grasses and In a sign of the crisis the region faces, areas. dried up rivers, turning water holes fi rst the charity has drilled 13 boreholes over In the nearby Amboseli park, during into muddy pits and now, dust bowls. the years, Angela Sheldrick, who runs the 2009 drought, 14 elephants were Herds of elephant, buff alo and zebra the trust, told AFP. killed by poachers, while another 99 have gathered near one of the holes, While conservationists praise Mwal- died because of lack of water, according where for six months, pea farmer ua’s eff orts, they warn that climate to KWS fi gures. Patrick Mwalua has been delivering change and human activity have af- “What all that means is we need now water to them in a rented blue truck. fected water supply so badly it will take to stop focusing on poaching and start After the rains failed for the third much more to solve the problem. facing the imminent catastrophe which time in November, Mwalua was so “It is a good initiative but how much is the mass death of elephants and distressed by the obviously weak and water can we truck into Tsavo? How wildlife from lack of water,” Kipongoso thirsty animals that he began seeking many boreholes can you sink?” asked said. donations to bring water to the Taita Jacob Kipongoso, head of the Tsavo “The only way you can do that is Hills sanctuary. Heritage Foundation. Confl ict between landscape rehabilitation,” he said, re- The 41-year-old was haunted by the humans and wildlife is only going to get ferring to reverting the land to its state memory of a 2009 drought, which the worse, he believes. before human activity changed it. International Fund for Animal Wel- One deadly clue is the snakes’ behav- Mwalua’s undertaking is an exhaust- fare estimates led to the loss of 40% of iour. ing one. the animals in the neighbouring Tsavo Every morning, in Kipongoso’s vil- Bleary-eyed, he eats a quick break- West National Park. lage, when women go to the water fast of Swahili sweet bun and tea before “It was so sad. I saw it myself and I pumps, they see the swirling snake embarking on the 70km journey. felt very bad and I said this thing should tracks in the sand. Delivering the 12,000 litres of never happen again,” he told AFP. Desperate for water and a cool place water is a slow, hour-long drive Over his lifetime, Mwalua has seen to shelter as drought and climate change that he sometimes makes several the climate change drastically, with aff ect their habitat, snakes increasingly times a day, despite suff ering from kid- droughts causing chronic water short- come into contact with people. ney failure requiring twice-weekly di- ages and increased confl ict between As a result, snakebites have shot up alysis. villagers and wildlife. An elephant approaches a tanker delivering water to thirsty wildlife at the Tsavo-west national park, 70km from the Kenyan so much in recent years that the Ken- But he perks up when he sees the Thirsty elephants — which can drink town of Voi. ya Wildlife Service (KWS) is trying to waiting animals. up to 190 litres of water in one sitting amend a law to stop having to compen- On a February afternoon, clouds — have in recent months carried out However Mwalua believes it is cru- ral water holes but quickly realised truck is emptying,” the lodge’s assistant sate those bitten, which costs millions gather above the savannah and a rare often deadly raids on villages in search cial to protect the wildlife, arguing “we that much was soaked up by the bak- manager Alex Namunje told AFP. of euros per year. burst of rain fi lls the air with an earthy of water. are the voice of the animals”. ing earth, so turned instead to a cement A GoFundMe crowdfunding page, set The main water source for Tsavo petrichor but doesn’t stick around long To the majority of locals struggling to He reached out to foreigners, who hole near a tourist lodge. up by an American friend, has raised West is Lake Jipe, which straddles the enough to penetrate the soil. survive the failure of their crops, these had participated in a conservation pro- The animals “come running the over $200,000 — most of that in the border with Tanzania. Weeks of driving rain are needed to wildlife neighbours are little more than gramme he runs, to ask for donations to moment they see the truck, they even past two weeks, as word spread about According to Kipongoso, its level has break the drought, and forecasters are a menace and competition for land and pay for the $250 truckloads of water. know the timings. When they are re- Mwalua’s initiative. dropped 10m in a decade. already gloomy about the next rainy resources. At fi rst, he would pour it into natu- ally thirsty they even drink when the “It has blown my mind,” said Mwal- “At the same rate it means in another season due this month. Gulf Times 14 Monday, March 6, 2017 AMERICAS

Media struggles for White House asks Congress balance in coverage of hostile Trump

By Thomas Urbain, AFP “We have the president New York speaking directly to the peo- to probe wiretap charges ple through Twitter,” North said. Reuters accusation in a series of early had either made a false accusa- acing a White House In the fast-paced Twit- Washington morning tweets on Saturday amid tion, or a judge had found probable which has been unre- tersphere, she said, report- expanding scrutiny of his cam- cause to authorize a wiretap. Flenting in its attacks ers are not just churning paign’s ties to Russia. “Either way, the president’s in on the media, news organi- out facts but “they’re also he White House yester- An Obama spokesman denied trouble,” he said on NBC’s Meet sations are struggling to fi nd putting out their opinion day asked the US Congress the charge, saying it was “a cardi- the Press, adding that if Trump the right balance in covering through social media.” Tto examine whether the nal rule” that no White House of- was spreading misinformation, President Donald Trump’s North noted that news Obama administration abused fi cial interfered with independent “it shows this president doesn’t administration. organizations are also strug- its investigative authority during Justice Department investigations. know how to conduct himself.” Reporters and media gling for ways to keep the at- the 2016 campaign, as part of an Under US law, a federal court Attorney General Jeff Sessions groups are increasingly fi nd- tention of their viewers and ongoing congressional probe into would have to have found prob- said last week he would stay out ing they are part of the story, readers. Russia’s infl uence on the election. able cause that the target of the of any probe into alleged Rus- after Trump’s denuncia- “Especially with the in- The request came a day after surveillance is an “agent of a for- sian meddling in the 2016 elec- tion of “fake news” and his ternet, with digital media, President Donald Trump alleged, eign power” in order to approve tion after it emerged he met last branding of media groups as news has to compete with without supporting evidence, a warrant authorising electronic year with Russia’s ambassador, “the enemy of the people.” entertainment,” she said. that then-president Obama or- surveillance of Trump Tower. although he maintained he did Most news organisations “So there’s a huge man- dered a wiretap of the phones at “There was no such wiretap ac- nothing wrong by failing to dis- have promised to fulfi l their date now for news to be en- Trump’s campaign headquarters tivity mounted against the pres- close the meeting. responsibility to report ag- tertaining or at least to be in Trump Tower in New York. ident-elect at the time as a can- President Barack Obama greets the-President-elect Donald Trump at Trump’s fi rst national security gressively, without being engaging in a way that draws White House spokesman Sean didate or against his campaign,” the inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as president on the adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned vindictive. attention.” Spicer said Trump and admin- former director of national intelli- West front of the US Capitol in Washington, on January 20, 2017. in February after revelations that “The goal is to be tough, New York Times public istration offi cials would have no gence James Clapper, who left the he had discussed US sanctions on but to be fair. The fairness editor Liz Spayd acknowl- further comment on the issue offi ce at the end of Obama’s term, bottom of this. Let’s get the truth campaign team and Russian offi - Russia with the Russian ambassa- part is an important part of edged that some reporters in until Congress has completed its said on NBC’s Meet the Press. here.” cials during his campaign. dor before Trump took offi ce. the equation,” said Rich- their Twitter messages dur- probe, potentially heading off at- The White House off ered no Democrats said Trump was Trump, who is spending the Josh Earnest, the White House ard Benedetto, an adjunct ing the campaign may have tempts to get Trump to explain his evidence yesterday to back up trying to distract from the rising weekend at his Florida resort, said press secretary under Obama, professor of journalism at gone “over the line” and cast accusations. Trump’s accusation and did not controversy about possible ties to in his tweets on Saturday that the said the president did not have the American University who doubt on their objectivity. “Reports concerning potential- say it was true. Russia. alleged wiretapping took place in authority to unilaterally order a was a White House corre- Trump has tested the lim- ly politically motivated investiga- Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee His administration has come his Trump Tower offi ce and apart- wiretap of a US citizen. spondent for USA Today. its of the media meanwhile tions immediately ahead of the Sanders, appearing on ABC’s This under pressure from Federal Bu- ment building in New York, but “The president was not giving The White House may not only by attacking the 2016 election are very troubling,” Week, said Trump has “made very reau of Investigation and congres- there was “nothing found.” marching orders to the FBI about have some justifi cation for press as “dishonest,” but by Spicer said in a statement. clear what he believes, and he’s sional investigations into contacts Senate Democratic leader Chuck how to conduct its investigation,” claiming the press is unfair: stretching or ignoring facts Trump made the wiretapping asking that we get down to the between some members of his Schumer of New York said Trump he said on ABC. an NBC survey last month about the economy, crime, found 53% of Americans and the probe into his own believed the media was ex- circle’s contacts with Russia aggerating problems in the during the campaign. Trump administration. Some newspapers, nota- “There seems to be a lack bly the New York Times, have Canada: No plans to clamp down at border to deter migrants of concern about being fair,” decided to brand Trump’s Benedetto said. “It’s become statements “lies.” kind of personal.” The Wall Street Jour- Reuters undefended border. Hundreds of from the right, which fears an in- the migration and appealed for more very very closely,” Goodale said. Before Trump’s inaugu- nal has ordered a more re- Toronto people, mainly from Africa and creased security risk. government help to handle the infl ux. Canadian and US offi cials are ration, Politico writer Jack strained interpretation of the Middle East, have defi ed win- “We are concerned and we will Royal Canadian Mounted Police working on a plan to tackle asylum Shafer said the press “ought Trump’s conduct, drawing ter conditions and walked across deal properly with the extra hun- in Manitoba say 183 people have seekers crossing into Canada ille- to start thinking of covering protests from the edito- anada will not tighten its the border, seeking asylum. dreds (crossing illegally),” Goodale walked across that border in sub- gally, with American offi cials keen Trump’s Washington like a rial staff against chief editor border to deter migrants They are fl eeing President Don- told reporters at a televised news zero temperatures since January 1. to discover how they entered the war zone, where confl ict fol- Gerry Baker. Ccrossing illegally from the ald Trump’s immigration crack- conference in Emerson, Manitoba. Goodale said the pace has United States in the fi rst place. lows confl ict, where the fog There are no shortage of United States in the wake of a US down, migrants and refugee agen- “But the full border deals with picked up in recent weeks. US Homeland Security Secre- prevents the collection of opinions on how the press immigration crackdown because cies say. 400,000 people moving in both On January 25, a White House tary John Kelly is to visit Canada reliable information directly should deal with the Trump the numbers are not big enough to It is not common to have so directions every day. It also han- executive order temporarily this month for talks on the border. from the combatants, where problem. cause alarm, a government minis- many asylum seekers in the Unit- dles C$2.5bn in trade every day. banned visitors from seven mainly Goodale said it was important the assignment is a matter of Some analysts say the ter said on Saturday. ed States looking for refuge in “It is critically important for us Muslim countries and also ex- for both countries to have the same life or death.” media should turn the oth- Public Safety Minister Ralph Canada over such a short period. to make sure that it is strong and panded immigration enforcement data and information about the mi- Reuters editor-in-chief er cheek, others say they Goodale said the issue had not ris- The infl ux poses a political risk secure. At the same time, it needs action domestically. grants “to fully appreciate where Steve Adler said the news should boycott or ignore en to a scale that required hinder- for Prime Minister Justin Tru- to be effi cient and expeditious.” “The current accelerated rate the fl ow began and all of the factors agency planned to do its job in Trump’s eff orts. ing the fl ow of goods and people deau, who faces pressure from the Emerson, on the North Dakota started in the fi rst week of Febru- — and it’s not just one factor — that Washington as it does in other Some news organizations moving across the world’s longest left, which wants more let in, and border, has been overwhelmed by ary and we’ve been following this are contributing to the migration.” countries where governments are stepping up their inves- are hostile to the press. tigative eff orts. The agency responds to Nic Dawes, a former jour- US suspends fast-track processing for H-1B visa diffi cult conditions “by do- nalist who now works for Hu- ing our best to protect our man Rights Watch, says the Pipeline protest S authorities are temporarily sus- would be temporarily suspended for up to journalists, by recommitting news industry has a diffi cult pending the speedy, premium six months. ourselves to reporting fairly task in dealing with an admin- Uprocessing of a visa which is often The visa has drawn particular atten- and honestly, by doggedly istration hostile to the press. used by tech fi rms to recruit foreign skilled tion since Trump’s election, with White gathering hard-to-get in- Trump is seeking “to un- workers. House spokesman Sean Spicer suggesting formation — and by remain- dermine the basic informa- Although the move comes as President that presidential and congressional action ing impartial,” Adler said in a tion infrastructure of de- Donald Trump pledges to prioritise jobs could be taken on H-1B visas as “part of a January memo to staff . mocracy. for Americans, US Citizenship and Im- larger immigration reform eff ort.” Karen North, a professor His ultimate target is ac- migration Services said the suspension According to USCIS, the visas go to sci- at the University of South- countability in the largest was only meant to help the agency reduce entists, engineers, computer programmers ern California’s Annenberg sense,” Dawes said in a blog overall processing time. or anyone “in speciality occupations that School, said objectivity for the Columbia Journalism The H-1B visa is issued to tens of thou- require the theoretical or practical ap- has become complicated as Review. sands of highly skilled foreign nationals plication of a body of highly specialised more journalists feel a need “The war for freedom of each year, but as of April 3, applicants will knowledge.” to connect with readers by the press in the Trump era no longer be able to use a costly shortcut to The United States off ers 85,000 H-1B off ering personal thoughts must be fought on many rush the processing of their visas. visas every year, most of which are snapped on social media. fronts,” Dawes wrote. On Friday, USCIS announced that the up by Indian outsourcers whose employees North said some report- “If journalists insist on People take part of a protest against the planned Dakota Access Pipeline in North “premium processing” of H-1B visas — fi ll a skill gap in US engineering. ers feel a need to rebut the appearing neutral, they will Dakota in New York late on Saturday. which saw wait times reduced from several Applications are vastly oversubscribed president on his favourite avoid asking hard-edged months to 15 days for the price of $1,225 — and are allocated via a lottery system. platform, Twitter. questions or calling a lie a lie.” New US budget priorities threaten housing aid programmes

Reuters has frequently talked about aid- aff ordable housing projects and orities, a nonpartisan think tank selected Ben Carson to lead HUD. Washington ing the inner cities. vouchers available to renters. in Washington, estimates that for The former neurosurgeon and But the housing assistance That would make it tougher for every 1% cut in HUD’s budget, Republican presidential candi- provided by the US Department renters to save enough to eventu- 20,000 renters would lose their date won Senate confi rmation hen Paul Ryan, speaker of Housing and Urban Develop- ally buy homes. assistance. last week. of the US House of ment, or HUD, could fall victim “It’s a bad cycle,” said Carol But critics of the agency, in- Although Carson’s views hew WRepresentatives, talks to fi scal policies under consid- Galante, a former top HUD offi - cluding some Republican law- closely to Republican ortho- of social mobility, about help- eration by the White House and cial during the Obama adminis- makers, say its anti-poverty doxy on how too much govern- ing struggling Americans move Congress, which include a mas- tration. and community-development ment can discourage people from out of impoverished areas to give sive tax cut and increased mili- “It puts pressure on the rental programmes are ineffi cient and working hard, his upbringing in them greater opportunity, Shiva tary spending, according to a market. The rents are higher and wasteful, and that it has failed to inner-city Detroit gives him a Daniels is the kind of person he dozen congressional aides who higher so people can save less and live up to its mission. unique perspective: his mother has in mind. spoke to Reuters. less.” Today, the proportion of received food stamps to provide A federal housing voucher While the White House has HUD provides about 5mn Americans who live below the for her family and he was raised allowed Daniels to escape her not been specifi c about its plans Americans with some form poverty line — 14.5% — is about around housing assistance pro- crime-plagued neighbourhood for HUD — the budget process of housing assistance, either the same as it was 35 years ago. grammes similar to those he will in Dallas, Texas, and move her remains in fl ux — it has called for through vouchers to renters, HUD has also at times had dif- now manage. four children to the suburb of a $54bn cut in non-military dis- subsidies to landlords or public fi culty shaking the image of a bu- Carson, who declined requests Garland. cretionary domestic programmes housing projects, which com- reaucratic agency that is vulner- for interviews by Reuters, has That move helped Daniels fi nd in the next fi scal year, which prises about 85% of its budget. able to corruption. pledged to fi ght to protect HUD’s Shiva Daniels poses for portrait at her work in Plano, Texas. a good job, working for a property likely will dramatically impact It also sends about $8bn an- It was at the centre of a bid- housing-assistance budget and management company. safety-net programmes that are nually directly to communities rigging scandal during the Rea- preserve the agency’s communi- respond to a request for com- If the cuts to HUD’s budget are Today, she cherishes the small, not entitlements such as Medi- through grants. gan Administration. ty-development initiatives. ment. as severe as some expect, those two-bedroom house she rents, care and Social Security, budget Even so, only about one-quar- And Alphonso Jackson, the He also said he would push Congress, too, is looking to who are on waiting lists now for with a yard where her children experts said. ter of those eligible for assistance HUD secretary under George W to include funding to rehabili- narrow HUD’s reach. vouchers will be staying on them can safely play, away from drugs Altogether, housing advocates in the country receive it. Bush, resigned in 2008 amid al- tate public-housing facilities in Ryan has called for work re- for a very long time, and recipi- and gang violence in Dallas. paint a bleak picture of the land- Housing advocates say chang- legations that he steered con- Trump’s proposed $1tn infra- quirements and time limits on ents such as Shiva Daniels, who But if Daniels, 31, were to lose scape for low-income housing es to its budget or mandate would tracts to friends. Charges were structure plan. those who receive housing as- has been receiving assistance for the $1,082 monthly stipend she under the Trump administration. be directly felt in low-income never brought against Jackson. But given the White House’s sistance, similar to how child six years, will be at risk of seeing receives, she has no doubt what They warn that deep cuts to communities. “There are some sports teams determination to cut domestic support, food assistance and that support end. would happen. housing funds would force some They point out that in 2013, that never seem to gel. I think spending, Carson will have to other welfare benefi ts function. That would mean losing her “I would have to move back,” people out of their homes and when the legislatively mandated we’re a little like that at HUD,” fi ght for every dollar. Tax reform spearheaded by small house, with the yard she sees she said. “I wouldn’t be able to hollow out grant programmes budget cuts known as sequestra- said Bud Albright, a Washington A HUD spokesman declined to Ryan and Kevin Brady, the House as a safe haven for her children. aff ord it.” meant to revitalize urban neigh- tion hit HUD, more than 100,000 lobbyist who worked at the agen- comment on which programmes Ways and Means chairman, could “It might not feel like it’s a Pulling Americans out of pov- bourhoods. renters nationwide lost their cy when Republican Jack Kemp could be hurt by any possible ultimately do away with a key tax big deal, but it is,” Daniels said. erty is a subject close to Ryan’s There is also a ripple eff ect, housing support. was secretary in the early 1990s. budget cuts. credit used by developers to build “When you feel good, it allows heart. they warn: Rental prices would Douglas Rice, an expert at the Trump, who has not been spe- The White House’s Offi ce of aff ordable housing, or could dras- you to do better, and do better for And President Donald Trump likely rise alongside declines in Center for Budget and Policy Pri- cifi c on his plans for the agency, Management and Budget did not tically curtail the credit’s use. them.” Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 15 ASEAN/EAST ASIA New rules give Japan PM chance to lead until 2021

AFP year and if he wins and wins na- tribution of wealth,” he said in a parliament. Abe has no powerful Tokyo tional polls — lower house elec- speech to the congress. rivals within the party vying to tions are due before December The LDP also adopted a policy be the next party leader, and the next year — remain in power until principle of “taking a practical country’s opposition parties are apan’s ruling party yesterday September 2021. step towards proposing amend- currently in weak positions. extended term limits for its Abe, 62, served as prime min- ments to the constitution.” Under Abe, Japan in 2015 Jleaders, a change that gives ister for about a year before step- The party has long sought to passed a new law that allows its Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a shot ping down following a historic revise the post-war constitu- Self-Defense Forces go into bat- at becoming Japan’s longest- defeat in upper house elections in tion that bans Japan from use of tle to protect allies in so-called serving post-war leader. 2007. He became prime minister force except in the strictest sense collective self-defence. Abe would have had to step again when the LDP returned to of self-defence. The constitu- Critics argue that this could down as party leader and prime power in December 2012 after a tion was imposed by occupying drag Japan into distant foreign minister in September next year, three-year period in opposition. US forces after World War II and wars even if there was no direct even if his Liberal Democratic He then launched his “Abe- took eff ect in 1947. threat to the country or its peo- Party (LDP) were still in power. nomics” growth plan — a mix of “The LDP will lead concrete ple, with some even saying the The LDP congress approved ex- massive monetary easing, gov- discussion towards proposing rules violate the pacifi st consti- tending the limit to three consec- ernment spending and red-tape amendments to the constitution. tution. utive three-year terms, up from slashing, but fi ve years on growth This is the LDP’s historic role, Abe and his supporters have the previous two consecutive remains fragile and infl ation well isn’t it?” Abe said. argued the rules were necessary three-year term limit. below the target of 2%. “We will The decisions at the annual to deal with a changing security This means Abe can stand achieve the great goal of 600tn convention come as Abe’s right- environment marked by an in- for re-election in the next party yen (US $5.3tn) GDP... keeping a leaning LDP enjoys a comfortable creasingly assertive China and an Japan’s Prime Minister and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe (centre) and his party leadership vote sometime next virtual cycle of growth and redis- majority in the both chambers of unpredictable North Korea. members take Banzai cheers at the end of their annual convention in Tokyo yesterday.

ACCIDENT Three feared dead in helicopter crash in Japan Three people were feared dead and six missing after a helicopter Malaysia expels N Korea crashed into a mountain in central Japan yesterday, local media reported. TV footage showed the mangled wreckage of the helicopter belonging to the Nagano prefectural government on the slope of Mount Hachibuse, 170km north-west of Tokyo. The envoy over Kim murder disaster-management helicopter with nine people aboard was AFP “North Korea must learn to conducting a mountain rescue Kuala Lumpur respect other countries,” Ma- drill in the region, Kyodo News laysia’s Deputy Prime Minister agency reported, citing local Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yes- government off icials. alaysia has expelled terday. North Korea’s ambas- The expulsion shows “we are sador, giving him 48 serious about solving this prob- FOREIGN RELATIONS M hours to leave the country in a lem and we do not want it to be major break in diplomatic re- manipulated,” he added. Japan emperor lations over the airport assas- On Sunday evening, a senior visits Thai king sination of the half-brother of government offi cial who did not Pyongyang’s leader. want to be named said Kang was Japanese Emperor Akihito Kim Jong-nam was poisoned still in the country and was ex- arrived in Thailand yesterday February 13 with deadly nerve pected to leave on a fl ight to Bei- to pay his respects to the late agent VX. North Korea has not jing on Monday. king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and acknowledged the dead man’s The diplomatic spat erupted visit King Rama X in Bangkok, identity but has repeatedly dis- last month when Malaysian po- Matichon Online news website paraged the murder investiga- lice rejected North Korean dip- reported. Akihito’s visit marks the tion, accusing Malaysia of con- lomats’ demands to hand over first time Thailand’s 64-year-old niving with its enemies. Kim’s body. king has received a foreign head “The ambassador has been Kang then claimed the inves- of state since succeeding his declared persona non grata” tigation was politically motivat- widely revered father in October. after Malaysia demanded but ed and said Kuala Lumpur was Accompanied by his wife, the did not receive an apology for conspiring with “hostile forces”. emperor laid a wreath for the late Pyongyang’s attacks on the in- Malaysia summoned Kang for king at the Grand Palace before vestigation, Malaysia’s Foreign a dressing-down, with Prime going to visit the current king at Minister Anifah Haji Aman said. Minister Najib Razak saying the Amporn Palace in the Thai capital. “Malaysia will react strongly ambassador’s statement was The ties between the two royal against any insults made against “diplomatically rude”. families date back 130 years to it or any attempt to tarnish its Malaysia issued a February 28 the time of king Rama V. reputation,” he said in a state- deadline for an apology, but “no Both monarchies are among ment released late Saturday. such apology has been made, the few in Asia whose reigns are Ambassador Kang Chol failed neither has there been any indi- undisrupted and long-lasting. to present himself at the minis- cation that one is forthcoming.” Thailand was also historically try when summoned and “is ex- Malaysia has also recalled its least aff ected by Japanese pected to leave Malaysia within envoy to Pyongyang and can- Members of the media take pictures of a vehicle leaving the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. North Korea’s embassy in Kuala occupation during World War 48 hours,” the statement added. celled a rare visa-free travel deal Lumpur has become ground zero for a high-profile diplomatic spat with Malaysia over the murder of Kim Jong-nam, providing a rare glimpse II, meaning it has a better The expulsion deadline expires with North Korea. into the reclusive regime. relationship with Tokyo than 6pm today. Police are seeking seven other Asian nations, such as the Arch-rival South Korea has North Korean suspects in their been charged with murdering but the fallout from the killing A recently released report by currency for the isolated regime. Philippines or South Korea. blamed the North for the mur- probe but on Friday released the Kim Jong-nam, with airport looks set to further isolate the a UN Panel of Experts review- North Korea imports refi ned Akihito is in Thailand on a private der, citing what they say was a only North Korean arrested for CCTV footage showing them ap- nuclear-armed state. ing compliance with sanctions oil, natural rubber and palm visit after a week-long state visit standing order from leader Kim lack of evidence. proaching the heavyset 45-year- Malaysia formally established against Pyongyang identifi ed oil from Malaysia, which buys to Vietnam, a trip seen by some Jong-un to kill his exiled half- After Ri Jong-chol was de- old and apparently smearing his diplomatic relations with North a front company run by North electrical and electronic items, as an attempt to create a buff er brother who may have been seen ported, he claimed police of- face with a cloth. Korea in 1973 and opened an em- Korean intelligence out of Ma- chemicals as well as iron and against Chinese expansion in as a potential rival. fered him a comfortable life in Police say he suff ered a sei- bassy in Pyongyang in 2003. laysia, selling military commu- steel products from North Ko- Asia. Thailand’s military coup The foreign ministry said the Malaysia for a false confession, zure and died less than 20 min- It has provided a conduit be- nications equipment to Eritrea, rea. Last week Malaysia’s trade in 2014 has undermined its expulsion is “part of the process saying the investigation was “a utes later. Swabs of the dead tween Pyongyang and the wider with suppliers in China and an minister Mustapa Mohamed traditionally close relations with by the Malaysian government to conspiracy to impair the dignity man’s face revealed traces of VX world in recent years, with Kuala offi ce in Singapore. Up to 1,000 said the spat would have no im- the United States and driven the review its relations” with North of the Republic (North Korea)”. nerve agent. Lumpur serving as a discreet North Koreans currently work in pact on Kuala Lumpur as trade South-East Asian country closer Korea, which before Kim’s as- Two women — one Vietnam- North Korea had few friends meeting place for talks between Malaysia and their remittances with the reclusive country is towards China. sassination were unusually cosy. ese and one Indonesian — have even before the assassination, the regime and the United States. are a valuable source of foreign “insignifi cant”. Countdown to IORA meet Indonesia mining policy shift sparks fresh turmoil

AFP ing industry but led to mine in government policy, with the could backfi re by scaring off in- Jakarta closures, job losses and a fall in government changing its mind vestors at a time policymakers government revenues. quite regularly and unexpected- are already struggling to reignite While some fi rms may stand ly,” Bill Sullivan, a Jakarta-based slowing economic growth. controversial U-turn to benefi t from the sudden roll- lawyer and mining expert, told As resource-rich nations on mineral exports has back, it has infuriated compa- AFP. benefi t from a jump in commod- Asparked turmoil in Indo- nies that invested large amounts Authorities have raised taxes ity prices after years of declines, nesia’s key mining sector, pro- in Indonesia on operations for and royalties on shipments and the regulatory uncertainty viding a fresh headache for fi rms smelting, the process of extract- demanded that foreign miners means Indonesia may not fare struggling to work in Southeast ing metals from their ores. reduce the stakes in their Indo- as well. Asia’s biggest economy. In addition, the government nesian operations to less than The latest policy change has Despite sitting atop some asked fi rms to sign new permits half. sparked a fi erce row with Free- of the world’s most abundant that critics say off er less protec- In June US gold mining giant port, which says it has given the natural resources, successive tion — triggering a standoff with Newmont sold its share in an In- government more than $16.5bn governments have failed to take US giant Freeport-McMoRan, donesian mine to local investors in taxes and other payments advantage of its vast riches, with which has stopped shipments after more than three decades since 1991. critics blaming badly thought- from its huge copper and gold operating in the archipelago, The US miner has refused out and nationalistic policies mine in the east. citing more onerous regulations to bow to the government’s that make the country an uncer- The move is the latest in a as a factor. demands to sign a new deal tain place to invest. series of regulatory changes And Rio Tinto, the world’s without additional assurances, And the latest overhaul has from the government that have second-biggest miner, is report- stopped work at Grasberg — the sparked a potentially damaging caused jitters among miners, edly considering walking away world’s second-biggest copper standoff with one of the United with some foreign fi rms choos- from its stake in Freeport’s vast pit — started laying off workers, States’ biggest miners and a ma- ing to exit Indonesia rather than Grasberg mine in Papua prov- and threatened to sue the gov- Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Retno Marsudi (right) talks with her Australian counterpart jor investor in the country. deal with such an unpredictable ince owing to the current row. ernment. Julie Bishop during a meeting on the sidelines of the India Ocean Rim Association (IORA) meetings in Jakarta in January relaxed environment. Economic nationalists have “Right now we are at an im- Jakarta yesterday. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in a 2014 landmark ban on ship- “One of the inherent prob- pushed putting stricter condi- passe with the government,” March. Indonesia, the current Chair of IORA, will host the first ever IORA Leaders’ Summit on March 7 ments of raw mineral ores, lems in the Indonesian mining tions on foreign fi rms in a bid to Freeport chief executive Richard in Jakarta. which was originally aimed at industry over the last few years reap greater profi ts from the in- Adkerson said during a visit to spurring the domestic smelt- has been the lack of consistency dustry, but critics fear the moves Jakarta last month. Gulf Times 16 Monday, March 6, 2017 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA S Korea missile agreement sparks protests in China

AFP system. The plan to install several of its Chinese ventures peatedly denounced THAAD Beijing the Terminal High-Altitude — from last month’s govern- as a threat to its security, with Area Defense (THAAD) system ment-ordered halt of a $2.6bn a foreign ministry spokesman was prompted by threats from theme park project to appar- saying “the consequences en- ozens of people holding North Korea, but Beijing fears ent cyber-attacks on company tailed will be borne by the US Chairman Mao post- the move will undermine its websites. Citing fi re viola- and the Republic of Korea”. Ders protested in China’s own military capabilities. tions, authorities in Liaoning’s Calls are growing in China Jilin province yesterday, call- “No to THAAD! Boycott Ko- Dandong city have also sus- for Beijing to use the carrot and ing for a boycott of South Ko- rean goods!” chanted the pro- pended the operation of Lotte stick of its huge market to raise rean goods as part of a backlash testers in northern Jilin prov- Mart, the Yonhap news agency pressure on South Korea to against the country’s Lotte ince. “Patriotism starts with reported on Saturday. abandon the THAAD plan. Group. me! Long live the Communist Earlier this week, major The stakes are high for The retail giant has faced Party!” tour operators confi rmed that Lotte, which has invested more growing opposition in China Similar protests have trips to South Korea have been than ten trillion won ($8.76bn) since signing a deal to provide sprouted across the country, suspended “due to policy and in its Chinese operations since Residents hold posters of late communist leader Mao Zedong during a protest calling for a boycott of South land for a US missile-defence as Lotte suff ers setbacks in safety factors.” China has re- 1994. Korean goods in Jilin, in China’s northeast Jilin province.

Key points on China’s China to foster defence parliamentary meeting

AFP risively described as a “rubber- Beijing stamp” parliament.

How important is it? housands of politicians China goes to great lengths but no word on budget from across China have to make sure there are no em- Tconverged on Beijing for barrassing incidents during the Reuters released. Last year, with the the country’s annual legisla- parliamentary session, which is Beijing economy slowing, the defence tive meetings known as the “li- touted by the Communist Party budget recorded its lowest in- anghui” or “two sessions”. The as proof that it answers to the crease in six years, at 7.6%, the gathering provides a glimpse people despite a monopoly on hina pledged more sup- fi rst single-digit rise since 2010, into the country’s politics and power. port for its military following a nearly unbroken two- priorities, and this year’s event The meeting place in the Great Cyesterday including decade run of double-digit in- is being monitored particularly Hall of the People is freshened strengthening maritime and air creases. closely for hints about the ambi- up, traffi c is shut down, facto- defences as it takes steps to safe- Military offi cers attending par- tions of President Xi Jinping. ries are closed to guarantee blue guard its sovereignty, but in a liament largely declined to talk Observers are also looking skies, plainclothes policemen highly unusual move did not give to reporters about the budget, for clues on how Beijing will seem to lurk on every corner and spending fi gures for 2017 despite much in line with last year when deal with US President Donald political dissidents are rounded promises of transparency. they were instructed to keep Trump who has been critical of up and asked — or sometimes Parliament’s spokeswoman, Fu complaints about the low rate of China’s trade policies and its ex- forced — to go on “vacation” Ying, said on Saturday defence the increase to themselves. panding presence in the South somewhere far away from the spending for this year would rise “Fu Ying answered this on China Sea. Here’s what you need capital. It is also the one time about 7%, accounting for about CCTV yesterday,” one of the of- to know: each year when the country’s 1.3% of gross domestic product fi cers, Major General Li Feng- most powerful politicians are – the same level as the last few shan, told reporters, dismissing What are the “two ses- all in one place, making it a key years. questions about where the de- sions”? venue for political horse-trad- However, the actual defence fence budget fi gures were. A gov- The fi rst one, which opened ing, glad-handing and back- spending target for this year was ernment offi cial involved in the Friday, is the gathering of Chi- stabbing. not included in the country’s crafting of Premier Li Keqiang’s na’s political advisory commit- budget released at the opening of work report, also delivered to tee, the Chinese People’s Po- What are the top issues? parliament’s annual session yes- parliament yesterday, was unable litical Consultative Conference The event will be closely terday, as it has been in previous to shed any light on the matter. (CPPCC). watched for signals about what years. “We will support eff orts “There is nothing secret about Delegates pose for pictures at the Tiananmen Square outside the Great Hall of the People ahead of the The group’s members — in- measures the world’s second- to deepen the reform of national it,” director of the State Council opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing. cluding many of China’s most largest economy will take to defence and the armed forces, Research Offi ce Huang Shouhong famous celebrities, like Yao Ming prop up its slowing growth, with the aim of building a solid told reporters at a briefi ng, re- countering terrorism, safeguard- says it must not be made trans- posed a 10% increase in mili- and Jackie Chan — get a lot of at- dragged down by overcapac- defence and strong armed forces peating Fu’s 7% approximation ing stability, international peace- parent. The man on the street tary spending to $603bn, even tention at home, but its discus- ity and structural ineffi ciencies. that are commensurate with Chi- from Saturday and saying that it keeping and providing escorts on believes that if it is said out loud though the United States has sions are relatively low stakes: Observers will also be looking na’s international standing and should be in the budget report. the high seas are well organised,” it could infl uence national secu- wound down major wars in Iraq representatives provide law- for clues about how the heav- are suited to our national secu- China’s military build-up has he said. rity,” he said. The defence budget and Afghanistan and is already makers with policy suggestions ily export-dependent economy rity and development interests,” rattled nerves around the region, “We will boost military train- fi gure for last year, 954.35bn the world’s pre-eminent military that, more often than not, have plans to respond to Trump’s the government said in a budget particularly because it has taken ing and preparedness, so as to yuan ($138.40bn), likely under- power. There were calls last week little impact on national policy. threats of a trade war. For ordi- report. an increasingly assertive stance ensure that the sovereignty, se- states its investment, according for China to announce a com- The real focus of the “two ses- nary people, the biggest issue is It did not elaborate. in territorial disputes in the East curity, and development inter- to diplomats, though the number mensurate rise in defence spend- sions” is the meeting of the Na- corruption, according to an on- State news agency Xinhua China Sea, the South China Sea ests are resolutely and eff ectively is closely watched around the re- ing for this year. tional People’s Congress (NPC), line poll by the Communist party also did not report the fi gure. and over Taiwan, which China safeguarded.” gion and in Washington for clues “As far as our development is the country’s legislature, which mouthpiece the People’s Daily. It The Defence Ministry and par- claims as its own. In his address In a government-arranged in- to China’s intentions. concerned, defence spending is began yesterday. Two thirds remains a persistent concern de- liament’s spokeswoman did not to parliament, Premier Li said terview, Chen Zhou, a researcher A 7% rise for this year based not enough,” Wang Ning, com- of the legislature’s members spite a years-long crackdown on immediately respond to requests China would deepen military at the Academy of Military Sci- on last year’s budget would bring mander of the paramilitary Peo- come from the ruling Commu- graft at all levels of the political for comment. China has repeat- reforms. “We will strengthen ence, said transparency regard- the fi gure to 1.02tn yuan, still ple’s Armed Police, said on the nist Party. Most of the bills that system. Social security guaran- edly said its defence spending is maritime and air defence as well ing the defence budget was a only a quarter or so of the US de- sidelines of parliament. “Such a will be passed have already been tees and reform of the healthcare transparent and it was not clear as border controls and ensure the “historical process”. fence budget. large country is facing so many decided by party leaders well in system also featured prominent- why defence numbers were not important operations related to “It’s not that the government The White House has pro- security issues.” advance, leading to it being de- ly in the survey.

S Korea increases Spectacle in the Melbourne sky cash for classified information from North

South Korea is to quadruple its cash off er to defectors from the North willing to provide classified information on the hermit dictatorship, local media reported yesterday. People fleeing North Korea could now receive up to 1bn won (about US $869,000) if they reveal useful secrets from their home country, according to the Yonhap news agency. The South’s Unification Ministry announced the latest bid to attract more high-ranking North Koreans to switch sides, with the boosted incentive still to be enshrined in law, Yonhap reported. Defectors from North Korea, which is isolated internationally because of its atomic weapons and ballistic missile programme, were previously off ered a monetary incentive of 150mn won. It is the first time in 20 years that South Korea has announced a planned hike of the amount. “The important thing is to get the information out so more North Koreans can make the decision to leave,” the agency quoted a ministry insider as saying. While many people flee hunger and oppression in North Korea every year, reports of members of the elite defecting are rare. The most common escape route is via North Korea’s northern border Fighter jets perform aerobatic manoeuvres during the with China. In August 2016, Australian International Airshow in Melbourne yesterday. The North Korea’s number two in the annual event sees 180,000 visitors over the three-day public London embassy fled to South event held at the Avalon Airfield, some 80km south-west of Korea, where he and his family Melbourne. were placed under government protection. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 17 BRITAIN ‘No seat safe nowadays’, stresses Labour MP

Guardian News and Media party fi gures called for unity fol- Long-Bailey, the shadow business Lewis and Angela Rayner, has When asked on the Andrew bour rules to make it easier for a not standing to be leader of the London lowing the disastrous loss in the minister, said the contest for the been mentioned by Labour’s Marr Show who was leading the leftwing candidate to make it onto Labour party and there isn’t a va- Copeland by-election to the To- Manchester seat with a 24,079 leftwing supporters as a possible coup, McDonnell said there were the ballot paper in a future leader- cancy because Jeremy is the leader ries. majority in 2015 on 67% of the successor to Corbyn. a “number of people” within the ship election. and has been re-elected by the shadow minister seen as a It is the fi rst time a governing vote will be hard fought. The shadow chancellor, John party who were “stirring” ahead He said: “Corbyn will lead us party members.” possible successor to Jer- party has taken a seat from the “I don’t think you can ever call McDonnell, one of Corbyn’s clos- of the two by-elections. into the next election. Of course Speaking on ITV’s Peston on Aemy Corbyn has said the opposition party in more than a a seat a safe seat nowadays. I think est allies, said he would consider McDonnell said: “There must we are building up a succession Sunday, Balls said “never say party’s ninth safest seat can no century. you have to work hard to convince meeting Tony Blair as he seeks to have been people on the end of for the long-term future and we never” when asked about whether longer be guaranteed as a Labour Meanwhile Ed Balls, the former the electorate that you’re the par- heal party wounds. (Mandelson’s) line and the end of have got some really great young he would seek to become an MP win. shadow chancellor whose popu- ty for them. We have had a diffi - It follows claims by Peter Man- that e-mail chain to receive it.” talent coming through but they once again, and ruled out a bid to As the party prepares to fi ght larity has soared following his ap- cult 18 months. I don’t think any- delson that he was working “eve- When asked if he would also need more experience before become Labour’s candidate for to keep Manchester Gorton fol- pearance on Strictly Come Danc- body disputes that. But if we unify ry single day” to bring Corbyn’s be willing to have a cup of tea eventually they will succeed.” the upcoming Manchester Gorton lowing the death of Sir Gerald ing, said May could “destroy” now around a bold policy agenda leadership to an end. with Blair, he said: “Of course. I Hilary Benn echoed McDon- by-election. Kaufman, Rebecca Long-Bailey Labour if she called an early gen- I think we can deliver the change McDonnell claimed last week am willing to talk to anybody. We nell’s call for unity as he also ruled “If I was (May) I’d be calling said MPs could not “ever call a eral election and refused to rule that Gorton and in fact the rest of that a “soft coup” to oust the lead- need advice from everybody.” out a bid for the leadership. early general election to destroy seat a safe seat nowadays”. out a return to politics. the country needs.” er was under way, but then claimed McDonnell was also asked The chair of the Brexit select Labour, because Labour are cur- Her claim came after senior Appearing on Peston yesterday, Long-Bailey, along with Clive that he had changed his mind. about a push to change La- committee told Sky News: “I’m rently rather weak,” he said. Labour Party Boris has a spring in his step behind smear campaign, says Ukip leader

Guardian News and Media Radio City News last month, the London Ukip leader denied making the claim and blamed a press offi cer for the mistake. aul Nuttall, the Ukip leader “I haven’t lost a close, person- under pressure over claims al friend,” Nuttall said. “I’ve lost Pthat he was not at the someone who I know.” Hillsborough disaster, has ac- Asked by Marr, he refused to cused Labour of co-ordinating a name that person. “No (I won’t smear campaign against him. answer) because as a family we Nuttall faced questions about had all lost people who we knew,” Hillsborough during an inter- he said. view with the BBC’s Andrew Questions about Nuttalls Marr Show on Sunday, follow- claims were also raised by the ing claims that he lied about Hillsborough Families Support Photographers went out to capture the daff odils, heralding spring in St James’s Park. But their focus went rather wrong and alighted on a delicate fawn in the background being at the stadium on the day Group, who asked why he had instead. Or was that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, jogging lonely as a cloud? of the 1989 disaster and know- never off ered any support. Oth- ing one of the 96 victims. Asked ers who knew him at the time say whether he would name a victim they have no recollection of him he says he knew, the Ukip leader saying he was present during the declined. disaster. He also said: “There was an Nuttall yesterday said people orchestrated smear campaign, needed to get “perspective” on which I knew was coming from the Hillsborough issue. He said: December, which was suggest- “It’s not as if I have lied about ing that I was not actually at weapons of mass destruction. Hillsborough. It was done by a It’s not as if I have taken us into Blair denies bid to be political party.” an illegal war. It’s not as if I’ve Asked if he was accusing La- been caught in a paedophile bour, he replied “I am, actually, ring.” okay?” but off ered no further His appearance on the Marr evidence that the party had been show came amid turmoil for behind questions about his rec- Ukip after its former leader, Ni- ollections. gel Farage, called for the party’s Trump’s Mideast envoy Nuttall, who became Ukip only MP, Douglas Carswell, to leader last year, lost a by-elec- be ousted while Ukip donor Ar- Guardian News and Media Kushner, 36, is championed by does so in a private capacity. He than promoting Palestinian is- Trump has said Kushner tion in Stoke-on-Trent after ad- ron Banks has threatened to pull London Trump as the man to bring peace will continue to do it in that way. sues. He also came under scru- would be able to “secure an mitting that claims on his web- funding for the party unless he is to the Middle East. Period.” tiny for the lack of progress in Israel deal which no one else site that he lost close friends at made chairman. A spokeswoman for Blair said The statement did not deny the peace process during his has managed to get”. However, the disaster were not true. Asked to comment on Banks’s ony Blair has denied a re- she would not comment on that meetings with the Trump tenure and his extensive busi- doubts have been raised about The claim regarding “close remarks, Nuttall appeared to port that he is pitching to private meetings but insisted administration had taken place. ness activities in the Middle the 36-year-old’s ability to suc- personal friends” was made on play down his infl uence over the Tbe Donald Trump’s Mid- there had been no discussions Blair received plenty of fl ak East, which led to repeated ac- ceed where more experienced Nuttall’s website in 2011, in a party. dle East envoy. about the former prime minister during his time working for the cusations of confl icts of interest. negotiators have failed, given his post under his name featuring a “Arron has never been Ukip’s Blair, who served as special working for Trump, describing quartet, which comprises the Speculation about Blair work- lack of diplomatic experience quote attributed to him. major donor, but since I got back representative of the quartet the report in the Mail on Sunday US, EU, Russia and the UN. He ing for the Trump administra- and that he is scarcely known in A post about attempts to block from holiday, I have got a com- of international powers for al- as an “invention”. took up the role in 2007 shortly tion fi rst surfaced last Novem- the region. the publication of fi les concern- mitment from a consortium of most eight years after leaving She added: “Blair has made no after stepping down as prime ber when he was spotted dining The husband of Ivanka ing the Hillsborough inquiry Ukip’s donors that Ukip is fi nan- Downing Street, met the US such ‘pitch’ to be the president’s minister, with doubts raised im- with Kushner in New York. Trump, Kushner grew up in read: “Without them being made cially secure going forward.” president’s son-in-law and key Middle East envoy. mediately over his suitability On that occasion, Blair’s of- a modern Orthodox Jewish public we will never get to the He also accused Carswell of adviser, Jared Kushner, at the “Neither has he had any dis- because of his involvement in fi ce said the pair had known each household, and is the grandson bottom of that appalling trag- being preoccupied with sabotag- White House on Wednesday, ac- cussions about taking such a role the 2003 invasion of Iraq. other for several years and dis- of Holocaust survivors. He con- edy when 96 Liverpool fans in- ing Farage’s knighthood, an al- cording to the Mail on Sunday. or any role working for the new He later faced criticism from missed reports suggesting they tributed to a speech his father- cluding close personal friends of legation strongly denied by the It was said to be the third president. He has been work- Palestinian offi cials who be- were discussing a job for him as in-law delivered to a pro-Israel mine lost their lives.” MP. Carswell told ITV’s Peston meeting between Blair and ing on the peace process for 10 lieved he was too close to Israel “overblown” and “beyond spec- lobby group, the American Israel However, in an interview with yesterday: “It is untrue.” Kushner since September. years. He continues to do so. He and more interested in its needs ulation”. Public Aff airs Committee. Budget gearing for Government plans to boost skills training

Reuters The move will take total spend- Brexit, says chancellor London ing on academic and technical education for the age group to nearly £6bn. AFP “As we begin our negotiations relaxing his strategy of fi xing he government plans to The current system of techni- London with the EU we are embarking on what remains one of the biggest spend an extra half a billion cal education, which is made up a new chapter in our history. We budget defi cits among the world’s Tpounds a year to improve of around 13,000 separate quali- need to maintain our commit- big rich economies. skills training, the government fi cations, will be reformed and inance minister Philip ment to fi scal discipline and to “If your bank increases your said yesterday, seeking to address replaced with 15 schemes. Hammond yesterday said strengthen our economic position credit card limit, I don’t think you the country’s nagging produc- “Investing in technical edu- Fhe would keep chopping as we forge our vision of Britain’s feel obliged to go out and spend tivity problems as it prepares to cation is essential to enhancing away at the defi cit to get Britain future in the world,” he said. every last penny of it immediate- leave the European Union. national productivity,” said David fi t to face Brexit, as he prepares to The chancellor of the excheq- ly,” Hammond said. Weak productivity growth has Sainsbury, former chair of super- deliver his budget on Wednesday. uer said that when the centre- “I regard my job...as making hindered Britain’s recovery from market Sainsbury’s, who last year Hammond insisted it would right Conservatives entered sure that our economy is resilient, the fi nancial crisis, and many em- made recommendations to re- be “reckless” to go on a spending government in 2010, Britain was that we have got reserves in the ployers say the problem is largely form technical education in Eng- splurge, as Britain needed to build borrowing one pound in every tank.” due to a shortage of workers with land following a review. up its economic resilience as it fi ve spent but the defi cit was now In an interview with ITV televi- suffi cient training. Hammond will implement gets ready to leave the European down by nearly two-thirds. sion, he said an improvement in With Britain seeking to impose Sainsbury’s proposals in full Union. “We must, as a country, ensure the short-term outlook for bor- more controls on workers from when he unveils the budget, the Prime Minister Theresa May is we get back to living within our rowing did not mean that things the EU once it leaves the bloc, fi nance ministry said. due to start two years of divorce means,” he said, insisting that he would necessarily be better over the government is looking with The government said it would negotiations with Brussels by the would stick to his planned trajec- the longer term. increasing urgency to bridge the increase the amount of training end of the month. tory of reducing borrowing. The government is under pres- skills gap. for 16-19 year olds on technical “As we prepare to start our ne- “There are still some voices sure to spend more on its health The extra spending on de- schemes by more than 50% to gotiations to leave the European calling for massive borrowing to system and its care for the elderly veloping the skills of 16- to over 900 hours a year. Union and plan how we will make fund huge spending sprees. That as well as its often violent prisons 19-year-olds will be announced Hammond highlighted pro- the most of the opportunities that approach is not only confused, it’s and a host of other services. in Finance Minister Philip Ham- ductivity as a priority in a budg- lie ahead, my budget on Wednes- reckless, unsustainable and unfair Hammond acknowledged the mond’s annual budget statement etary update last November, day will set out the next steps on our young people, who would strains but he said cash was not on Wednesday. borrowing £23bn to invest more to creating a stronger, fairer and be left to deal with the conse- the only answer and some au- It will be rolled out from the in housing, transport and digital better Britain,” Hammond wrote quences,” he said. thorities were coping better than 2019-20 fi nancial year, reaching infrastructure and research over in The Sunday Times newspaper. Hammond said he will not be others. Hammond: against ‘reckless’ spending spree. £500mn a year from 2022. the next fi ve years. Gulf Times 18 Monday, March 6, 2017 BRITAIN/IRELAND

CRIME JUSTICE CRASH LAW AND ORDER TRAGEDY Suspect charged after Violent thug jailed for Elderly man dies after Four arrested in hunt Search for mother man stabbed to death mugging disabled woman BMW ‘hit-and-run’ for convicted murderer after baby found dead

A man has been charged with the murder of a A violent thug has been jailed after she threw a A suspected hit-and-run driver is being hunted Police hunting for a convicted murderer on the A baby has been found dead in a park near a father-of-two who was stabbed to death on a woman with learning diff iculties to the ground by police after an elderly pedestrian was killed loose in Liverpool have arrested four people leisure centre in Kent, sparking a police search busy high street. Femi Omotoso, 26, of Tudor and stole her cash in an “unprovoked attack” at by a car in west London. The man was struck in in Dorset. Armed officers arrested the four for its mother. The unidentified infant was Gardens, Wealdstone, was charged yesterday an ATM in north London. Tracey Robinson, 46, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, shortly before men during a swoop on a car in the Canford discovered in the town of Sheerness on the with the murder of Mohamed al-Zufairi. Al-Zufairi, mugged her 30-year-old victim at a cash point 9.30pm on Saturday night, the Met Police said. Cliffs area of Poole on Friday at around 3.45pm Isle of Sheppey. It’s age and cause of death are 34, was knifed to death outside a branch of the in Seven Sisters Road on January 23 this year. Paramedics rushed the 81-year-old victim to a but Shaun Walmsley was not among them. currently unknown and the police investigation Halifax bank opposite the recently closed police The victim, a woman with learning diff iculties, central London hospital where he died in the Eyewitnesses told the BBC they heard loud is ongoing. Police appealed for the mother to station on Wealdstone High Street shortly after had just withdrawn money from the ATM when early hours of yesterday morning. Off icers later bangs and saw smoke as police cars blocked come forward and asked for anyone who may rush hour on Monday. He was rushed to hospital she was wrestled to the ground by Robinson, found the car, a silver BMW 5 Series, abandoned the Vauxhall Corsa’s escape in Haven Road. have information to get in touch. In a statement in a critical condition and underwent emergency Blackfriars Crown Court heard. Her attacker in nearby Stanwick Road, although no arrests Walmsley, 28, went on the run on February 21 the force said: “As part of their enquiries, off icers surgery but died in the early hours of Tuesday snatched the money from her hand and left have been made. Launching an appeal for after two men armed with a knife and a gun are also keen to locate the mother of the child morning. His brother, Ali, said the stabbing her lying on the pavement. The victim suff ered witnesses, a Scotland Yard spokesman said confronted prison officers guarding him at to ensure her well-being. Those that do come happened as al-Zufairi’s eight-year-old daughter minor injuries and was badly shaken up after off icers are “particularly keen to speak with Aintree University Hospital during a visit from forward should know that the information will be bought sweets in a shop just yards away. being grappled with, police said. anyone who saw the car being abandoned”. HMP Wilton. handled in a sensitive way.”

Police ‘March4Women’ demonstration to give Trump golf addicts heroin resort, Scottish to inject

Guardian News and Media planners clash London

eroin addicts will be given supplies to inject Hin specially designated “shooting galleries” under radi- on environment cal plans to tackle drug-related crime in Durham. Guardian News and Media 2008 master plan in full, the in- Those objections played a The police force is set to become London spectors said the site was envi- large part in forcing Scottish the fi rst in England to implement ronmentally sensitive and part of ministers, who publicly backed an approach pioneered in Swit- a legally protected site of special Trump’s plans, to put the resort zerland and credited with achiev- he Trump Organisation is scientifi c interest (SSSI). They application to a formal plan- ing positive results in a number of facing a new battle with said ecological monitoring may ning inquiry. It approved the European countries but unlikely TScottish planners and need to be strengthened. plans in 2008 partly on condi- to attract much domestic political conservationists over the protec- “It will be essential for robust tion that SNH and the Scottish support. tion of rare dunes and wildlife at environmental assessments to Environment Protection Agen- Under the plans, Durham con- its Aberdeenshire golf resort. inform detailed development cy, the country’s water and air stabulary, which was last week Trump International Golf proposals and to ensure neces- pollution watchdog, had seats rated the best in England, would Course Scotland has challenged a sary environmental safeguards on Memag. buy diamorphine — pharmaceu- key part of the planning permis- are in place. Environmental as- To the alarm of environment tical heroin — to give to addicts, sion it won for the resort in 2008 sessments and management groups, the Trump Organisa- which they could inject twice a as it pushes ahead with plans for plans concluded some years ago tion has since allowed Memag to day in supervised facilities. a second 18-hole golf course and may require to be revised, up- lapse. It last met in January 2013. The proposals, currently un- an extension to its boutique ho- dated, extended or amended,” After that point, the Trump or- der scrutiny by public health of- tel. they said. ganisation said it had “fulfi lled fi cials in the area, come as Glas- The company, now being run The inspectors also objected its purpose” and been closed gow is trying to push through its by Donald Trump’s son Eric, ap- to Aberdeenshire’s proposals down. Aberdeenshire failed to own plans to open the UK’s fi rst plied to Aberdeenshire council to include Trump’s latest plan take any action to force Trump to “fi x room”, where clean, medical- last week to “discharge” clauses to build 850 private homes and keep it running. grade heroin would be given to in its planning permission which 1,900 “leisure accommodation TIGCS has now written to the some users Ron Hogg, Durham’s require it to run an environmen- units” because that new scheme council saying it had carried out police, crime and victims’ com- tal advisory group to oversee was too dissimilar to the plans an internal review which found missioner, said the UK was failing construction across the rare, le- approved in 2008. no evidence Memag “added val- on drugs and desperately needed gally protected dune system used They said the Trump Organi- ue” to the monitoring work by to try alternative approaches. for the course. zation should stick to the original council offi cials now that its rst fi “If we look at the UK’s posi- To the alarm of conservation- plan, requiring the US company golf course had been built. tion, we have got some of the ists, it wants to replace the group, to pay for a primary school and Even though it originally pro- highest levels of heroin abuse in which Trump unilaterally closed aff ordable homes if it tries to posed setting it up, its report to Europe, also of cocaine use and down in 2013, with annual en- build a timeshare complex and the council said the review had (drug-related) deaths,” said Hogg. vironmental inspections for the private housing estate. Aber- decided it “was an unnecessary “Someone’s got to step up to the next three years. deenshire council is expected to and disproportionate develop- mark and do something a little bit In January, the president sig- accept the inspectors’ recom- ment management tool in the diff erent.” nalled a fresh off ensive against mendations on March 9. context of this development. Durham has about 2,000 her- “out of control” environmental The Menie Environmen- “There are no known examples oin addicts, but Hogg said the regulations in the US as he of- tal Monitoring Advisory Group of a Memag mechanism else- scheme, known as heroin-assist- fered to cut pollution controls on (Memag), named after the estate where in Scotland in relation to ed treatment, would target a small the car industry, while declar- where the resort is based, was golf course maintenance and op- number of “really prolifi c, at-risk ing he was “to a large extent an originally proposed by Trump’s eration.” off enders”. It could be admin- environmentalist” who had won advisers to placate environmen- James Reynolds, of the Royal istered through the north-east awards. tal groups and the government Society for the Protection of county’s six existing recovery and The proposal risks putting the conservation agency Scottish Birds Scotland, said they were treatment centres for drug users Trump Organisation into con- Natural Heritage (SNH). not surprised. The Trump Or- and alcoholics. fl ict with Scottish government Ecologists objected strenu- ganisation’s environmental A part government-funded pi- planning inspectors who ruled ously to the resort because it in- commitments “never seemed lot scheme in Darlington, London in December that “robust” en- volved bulldozing large parts of like anything more than ‘green- and Brighton involving 127 chron- vironmental monitoring of any one of Scotland’s rarest coastal wash’ at the time of application, ic addicts found that giving them Participants wave placards ahead of the ‘March4Women’ demonstration, in London new building was needed at the dune habitats protected by the in a cynical bid to secure consent heroin signifi cantly reduced both yesterday. resort. Foveran Links SSSI mentioned by for the golf development,” he their drug usage and crime. Insisting Trump follow the planning inspectors. said. Scottish party against Foster to lead DUP in power sharing talks new independence vote Sinn Fein is now only one seat Guardian News and Media Belfast behind the DUP after a bruising AFP nounce a fresh bid at the SNP and waving banners calling for and divisive election caused by Glasgow conference on March 17-18, with another referendum. Foster’s refusal to temporar- Britain set to trigger two years of Susan McGilvray, 41, an SNP he former first minister ily stand down as first minis- divorce talks with the EU by the member from East Ayrshire on of Northern Ireland, Ar- ter after a botched green en- cotland’s opposition lead- end of the month. Scotland’s west coast, said: “I Tlene Foster, said she will ergy scheme scandal that has er insisted there should be Davidson, leader of the sec- would love to see the call for a today lead the Democratic Un- the potential to cost taxpayers Sno second referendum on ond-biggest party in the semi- second referendum.” ionists into negotiations aimed £500mn. Scottish independence, urging autonomous Scottish Parlia- While polls have shifted at rebuilding power sharing in The republican party and its the governing nationalists to ment, reaffi rmed her opposition slightly, support for independ- the region. leader, Michelle O’Neill, have concentrate on making the best to independence. “Scotland said ence remains in a minority. Foster said she wanted the also insisted over the weekend of Brexit rather than exploiting no to independence. Scotland is McGilvray said: “We might lose discussions to deliver a new re- that Sinn Fein wants the nego- it for another secession push. saying: stop trying to bounce us it, but no-one ever got anywhere gional government and vowed tiations to succeed. Scottish Conservative leader into another referendum,” she by saying ‘what if’? to work with all parties to “We have a period of three Ruth Davidson told the party’s told her centre-right party. The Scottish Parliament does achieve that. weeks in front of us and whilst conference in Glasgow that First “The Scottish Conservative not have the authority to hold a After the DUP lost 10 seats in the task isn’t easy I think that Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the and Unionist Party will never second independence referen- Thursday’s Stormont assembly it’s achievable if people come at Scottish National Party (SNP) waver in our determination to dum. It must seek the permission election there have been sug- it with the right attitude,” she was trying to bounce the country stand up for the decision we of the staunchly unionist British gestions Foster would stand said. into a new referendum. made as a country. We will fi ght Prime Minister Theresa May. down from her post. Both the Northern Ireland Scotland voted to stay in the you every step of the way. We John Menzies, 48, an SNP But writing in the Northern secretary, James Brokenshire, United Kingdom by 55% in the said ‘no,’ we meant it. Are you councillor from Hamilton near Ireland tabloid the Sunday Life, and the Irish Foreign Minister, 2014 vote. listening, Nicola? No second ref- Glasgow, was among several she said: “I am listening not Charlie Flanagan, will attend It also voted by 62% for the UK erendum. dozen motorcyclists who gath- just to those who voted for the the talks in Belfast. to remain in the European Un- “We deserve a Scottish gov- ered under the banner “Bikers for DUP but to those who cast their The election results mean the ion last year, while the UK-wide ernment that is focused on help- Yes.” votes for other parties. DUP (28 seats) and Sinn Fein (27) vote was to leave, which Sturgeon ing Team UK get the best Brexit May would be “very silly” if “When the talks begin on will once again lead the negotia- seized upon. deal for all of us, not using it to she blocked a fresh referendum, Monday I will seek to work with tions aimed at creating a power- She has said Brexit makes a revive its independence obses- he argued. other parties to create the cir- sharing government. However, second independence referen- sion.” “That would irk even more of cumstances where we cannot the prospect of the parties reach- dum “highly likely.” Outside the conference, the Scottish people, who then go just get the executive up and ing agreement in the three-week Many in her left-wing seces- around 200 nationalists gathered on and vote for independence,” running again, but do so in a timeframe imposed by Broken- sionist party hope she will an- to protest, chanting “Tory scum” he said. Ruth Davidson: opposes new referendum. way in which it will endure.” shire appears remote. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 19 EUROPE

RELIGION WEATHER ECONOMY CRIME POLITICS Carry the Bible like a cell Two girls swept out Tsipras warns Greek Sister, brother-in-law Finland’s eurosceptic party phone, Pope says to sea in Marseille uncertainty ‘not smart’ held over missing family chief to step down

Carrying the Bible as we do cell phones would A four-year-old girl is dead and her eight-year-old Drawing out Greece’s fiscal talks and creating The sister and brother-in-law of Frenchman Pascal Finnish foreign minister Timo Soini said yesterday keep believers from falling into temptation, sister missing after both were swept out to sea uncertainty is not a smart choice, Greek Prime Troadec who has been missing along with his wife he would step down as leader of the nationalist Pope Francis told Catholics gathered in St by a large wave in Marseille. The girls’ father was Minister Alexis Tsipras warned yesterday. The IMF and two children since February were remanded in and eurosceptic Finns party in June, a move which Peter’s Square yesterday. “What would happen also submerged by the stormy seas but survived believes demands on Greece by the Europeans are custody yesterday, sources close to the case said. could challenge the future of the country’s three- if we treated the Bible the way we treat our cell after being rescued by nearby fishermen. too ambitious. But if the eurozone is going to stick The couple had already been questioned by police party government. His departure paves the way phone? What would happen if we read God’s According to authorities, the wave struck the with its plans, then the IMF wants the necessary at the beginning of the inquiry into the mysterious for a more hard-line leadership, surveys say, as messages contained in the Bible the way we read family on Saturday around 6pm (1700 GMT). The tax hikes and pension cuts before it will lend disappearance of the Troadec family, the sources many of its core voters bridled at compromises he messages on the mobile phone?” the Argentine four-year-old was recovered on Saturday and to Athens. “Returning to uncertainty is not the said confirming reports in a local newspaper. Nantes made as part of an austerity-focused government pontiff said. The “paradoxical” comparison taken to a nearby hospital suff ering from cardiac smartest choice, especially while Europe is facing prosecutor Pierre Sennes confirmed that two people that has cut workers’ benefits while catering for was meant to show that “if we had the word of arrest. She died during the night, according to major challenges,” Tsipras told the Greek weekly were in custody but declined to give their identities. migrants. Analysts say the move could even bring God always in our hearts, no temptation could the source. Her sister has still not been found Documento. Tsipras argued that Greece’s rescue The two were detained in the Brittany city of Brest, down the coalition, which includes the Centre make us stray”, Francis explained on what is and rescue eff orts resumed yesterday. Eleven programme would collapse if his government the region the Troadecs came from and where Party and the conservative NCP, at a time of tough the first Sunday of Lent, a period of fasting and departments in the Bouches-du-Rhone region were to fall. His coalition has just 153 MPs in the several personal items belonging to members of reforms aimed at fixing a stagnant economy. “I will repentance leading up to Easter. The Pope and had been placed on orange alert Saturday 300-seat parliament, and it is unlikely that even the family have been found. Pascal Troadec, his wife not seek a new term from the party congress in members of the Roman Curia are slated to begin morning for strong winds — but it was lifted after the charismatic Tsipras could push through Brigitte, and their son Sebastien, 21, and daughter June. it is time for something else,” Soini wrote in a a week-long Lenten retreat in Ariccia near Rome. weather conditions improved. another package of painful austerity reforms. Charlotte, 18, went missing on February 16. blog.”This was not an easy decision.” Fillon may Right or left be ditched for Juppe: Sarko aide

Reuters Fillon would fail to make the Paris second round of the April/May election. Fillon has denied any enior French conserva- wrongdoing and complained tive politicians will pro- of judicial and media bias that Spose an alternative to amounted to a “political assas- presidential candidate Francois sination”. Fillon, a senior politician from But an Ifop poll of 1,002 The Republicans Party said, people published on Saturday suggesting that Alain Juppe showed that more than 70% of was the only option. French voters want him to drop “In the coming hours, we out. Support from his camp has will propose an initiative,” also fallen to 53% from 70% Christian Estrosi, a close ally two weeks ago. Russian communist party supporters queue to place flowers on the tomb of late Soviet leader Joseph Stalin during a memorial ceremony to mark the 64th anniversary of of former [resident Nicolas The same survey also sug- his death at Moscow’s Red Square. While historians blame Stalin for the deaths of millions in purges, prison camps and forced collectivisation, many in Russia still praise him Sarkozy, told BFM TV, adding gested Alain Juppe, who lost to for leading the Soviet Union to victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. that it would be today morning. Fillon in the November party “We do not have the time to primary, was the best placed to debate who has the most tal- step in. ent. I don’t think any of the A poll on Friday showed that forty-somethings in our po- Juppe would win the April 23 litical movement, who have fi rst round, although the cur- talent, can take on the role to rent mayor of Bordeaux has bring us together.” until now ruled out a come- “The easiest thing obvi- back. ously... is the person who came The wife of scandal-hit second in the primaries and French conservative presiden- German govt acting that quite simply is Alain Ju- tial candidate Francois Fillon ppe,” he said. broke her silence yesterday The head of France’s centre- over the “fake jobs” scandal right UDI party said yesterday that threatens to engulf his bid he wanted presidential candi- for power. date Francois Fillon to quit the The former prime minis- election race in favour of Alain ter hopes to keep his election like Nazis: Erdogan Juppe warning that if Fillon hopes alive with a rally in Paris continued defeat was certain. but he is struggling to regain Erdogan has drawn flak from and you should know that your “We will talk about Germany’s While Chancellor Angela Kern added that this could Fillon is mired in a scan- the initiative after a week in the CDU over his comment current actions are no diff er- actions in the international arena Merkel has said it is up to local prevent individual countries dal over his wife’s pay, and his which members of his team de- ent to those of the Nazi pe- and we will put them to shame in authorities whether to permit like Germany, campaign has been in serious serted him. Reuters riod,” Erdogan said at a rally in the eyes of the world,” Erdogan rallies, Turkish Justice Minister in which some of these ap- trouble since he learned last Their departures followed Istanbul Istanbul.”When we say that, they said. Bekir Bozdag on Saturday com- pearances have been banned, week that he could be placed Fillon’s disclosure that he get disturbed. Why are you dis- “We don’t want to see the Nazi plained that German leaders “do from coming under pressure under formal investigation for would face charges over claims turbed?” world anymore. We don’t want not say the decision taken by the from Turkey. misuse of public funds. he gave his British-born wife resident Tayyip Erdogan Relations between the two to see their fascist actions. We authorities is wrong”. Turkish government offi - He is under growing pressure and two of their children bogus accused Germany of be- Nato partners have deteriorated thought that era was in the past, The justice minister had him- cials had planned to campaign as party leaders prepare a crisis parliamentary jobs. Phaving as in Nazi times in sharply since a failed July coup but apparently it isn’t.” self been scheduled to speak in to expatriates in several EU meeting for today to discuss In her fi rst interview since cancelling political meetings of bid against Erdogan, when An- Turkish Foreign Minister Mev- the small western German town countries, including Germany the situation ahead of a March the allegations of nearly resident Turks that were due to kara accused Berlin and other lut Cavusoglu on Saturday criti- of Gaggenau on Thursday, but his and the Netherlands. 17 deadline when all presiden- 900,000 euros ($950,000) in be addressed by Turkish offi cials. capitals of failing to condemn cised restrictions on such gath- rally was also cancelled. Their appearances have tial candidates must be for- pay, Penelope Fillon told Le German authorities withdrew rogue military elements quickly erings in Germany and now the German politicians and com- been banned in the Nether- mally endorsed by at least 500 Journal du Dimanche she had permission last week for two ral- or convincingly enough. Netherlands as undemocratic, mentators have criticised Er- lands and in two German cit- elected offi cials. carried out “a lot of diff erent lies by Turkish residents in Ger- Erdogan, accused by critics of and said Turkey would press on dogan’s proposed reforms as un- ies so far. The 63-year old former tasks” for her husband during man cities amid growing public increasingly authoritarian ten- with them in the run-up to the democratic, and Berlin was riled Kern criticised the proposed conservative prime minister is his lengthy political career. outrage over Ankara’s arrest of dencies, has accused Germany April 16 referendum. last week by Turkey’s arrest of constitutional reform and ac- banking on a rally of supporters She had also urged him to a Turkish-German journalist, of harbouring enemies of Turkey, Julia Kloeckner, deputy leader Die Welt newspaper correspond- cused Ankara of trampling in Paris to show his detractors “keep going to the end” but dragging bilateral ties to a new from Kurdish militants to coup of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ent Deniz Yucel on terrorism human rights and fundamen- that he remains their best hope said only he could make the de- low. organisers. Christian Democratic Union, charges. tal democratic rights. to win the presidency. cision to stay in the race. The planned rallies were part of He has been sharply criticised said Erdogan was “reacting like a Austrian Chancellor Christian The Austrian chancellor “With Fillon it’s a certain Fillon, who turned 63 on a Turkish government campaign in western Europe for mass dis- wilful child that cannot have his Kern has called for an EU-wide decried the lack of press free- failure.This (rally) is an excess Saturday, was once the front- to win support among Germany’s missals and arrests of suspected way”. ban on election campaign ap- dom in Turkey and the im- because you don’t put the street runner in an election in which 1.5mn-strong Turkish commu- conspirators, from judges to “The Nazi comparison is a new pearances by Turkish politicians, prisonment of journalists and up against the (state’s) institu- Marine Le Pen is attempt- nity for sweeping new presiden- journalists. high point of intemperance,” she in the German newspaper Die academics, including Ger- tions,” Jean-Christophe La- ing to steer the far-right into tial powers going to referendum Germany has demanded the told the Bild newspaper. Welt. man-Turkish journalist Deniz garde told Europe 1 radio.”Even power in a major European in April.The German authorities release of a German journalist Kloeckner said Erdogan must “A common approach by Yucel. if there are 200,000 people, to country. cited security concerns. arrested in Turkey on Monday apologise for the Nazi com- the EU to prevent such cam- Kern also called for an im- win a presidential election you But Fillon’s support plum- “Germany, you have no rela- whom Erdogan described as a parison. “True statesman do not paign appearances would be mediate end to EU accession need 20nn people.” meted after the fi nancial claims tion whatsoever to democracy “German agent”. speak in such terms.” sensible,” Kern said. talks with Turkey. His UDI party, which repre- were made and he is now poll- sents between 2 to 5% of vot- ing third behind Le Pen and ing intentions, on Friday said 39-year-old centrist Em- it was withdrawing its support manuel Macron. for the former prime minister. “He needed someone to do Fillon pulled out of an early a lot of diff erent tasks, and if it After release from jail, Russian dissident vows to battle on morning radio appearance that wasn’t for me, he would have aimed to discuss his campaign, paid someone to do it, so we the show’s host said yesterday.” decided it would be me,” Pene- AFP Dadin, 34, is the fi rst and only For several days now Dadin has number seven in the Karelia re- Russia’s prison authorities Opinion polls continue to show lope told the paper. Moscow person in Russia to have served been back at his small fl at in a gion on the border with Finland. denied the allegations but the time for contravening a tough nondescript Moscow neighbour- There he says he was placed in Kremlin said Putin would be in- law clamping down on protests hood trying to adjust to a new life a punishment cell for no reason formed and in January he ordered t was a few minutes after the in the country. In December with his wife Anastasia, whom he and denied basic rights. a review of the penitentiary serv- prison guards hung him up 2015 he was jailed for the sup- married while in prison. When he tried to fi le a com- ice’s work, although it was not Iby his shackled wrists, blind- posed crime of holding repeated Despite his ordeal in prison plaint and announced a hunger explicitly linked to the case. folded, that Ildar Dadin says he peaceful demonstrations against and attempts to break him there, strike in protest he says he was Dadin says the furore over his began to crack. President Vladimir Putin’s rule the former security guard with threatened and then tortured un- abuse meant it became “incon- The anti-Kremlin activist had without offi cial permission. closely-cropped hair insisted til he recanted. venient” for the Kremlin to keep already put up with solitary con- Dadin’s case became a cause that he has no intention of giv- Dadin — called a prisoner of on holding him and so he was fi nement, repeated beatings, and celebre for those opposed to Rus- ing up his struggle against the conscience by Amnesty Interna- eventually released with some six having his head shoved down a sia’s strongman leader. Kremlin. tional — said at fi rst he thought months left to serve. toilet by offi cers at a remote pris- Eventually he managed to get “While I was in prison other he was being targeted due to He doubts that anyone will be on in northwest Russia. word out about his treatment in inmates asked me if I was going his political stance but then the held accountable for the abuse Then something in him just jail and the allegations he made to continue, and I always replied sounds of others being beaten he suff ered but insists he will re- snapped. of torture exploded into the pub- fi rmly: yes,” he said. convinced him abuse was rou- main in Russia and keep on pro- “I felt this incredible pain and lic eye, shining a spotlight on “Otherwise it would mean tine. testing against abuses. thought that someone might be abuse that forced even the Krem- that I had started and then got Eventually he managed to “I don’t have a moral right to coming to rape me,” Dadin told lin to pay attention. scared.” smuggle out an account of the leave the country if other people AFP recalling his 15 months be- Late last month in a surprise During his sentence Dadin was abuse via his lawyer and when it are still being tortured,” he said. French presidential election candidate for the Les Republicains party hind bars. ruling the Russian supreme court shifted between several pris- was published last November by For the marginalised opposi- Francois Fillon stands by his wife Penelope Fillon during a rally at the “I remember I sensed myself quashed his sentence and or- ons, but he says the worst came independent Russian media it tion in Russia Dadin’s case was place du Trocadero, in Paris. starting to break.” dered him freed. when he was sent to penal colony caused a major scandal. yet another blow. Gulf Times 20 Monday, March 6, 2017 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup Tapioca bags to help reduce plastic consumption? By Umaima Shafiq By Vidhi Doshi Then he places a square of turing cracker-like edible cut- discard waste in plastic bags, and overburdened, and residents re- cretive about the manufacturing Bengaluru plastic on his tongue and, after lery, while a handful of cities are the animals searching for food port having to close their doors process, he has certifi cates from Dhanush appears slowly chewing, swallows it. “It’s building polymer roads. consume the plastic, along with because of the stench from piles the Pollution Control Board and completely edible! We’re not Plastic waste makes up a large the leftover food materials. The of rubbish. the Central Institute of Plastics in court over n Ashwath Hegde’s 10th- recommending that people eat chunk of Bengaluru’s 3,500 plastic gets accumulated in their The situation is as bad or Engineering and Technology to paternity suit fl oor offi ce in Bengaluru, these plastic bags but, if they do, tonnes of daily waste. Walking rumens and becomes hard. These worse in many other Indian cit- prove his products are biode- Iplastic has become a multi- nothing will happen to them. It’s the streets, its descent from “gar- animals look healthy, but that is ies, says Sambyal: “Every day, gradable and can be digested if National-award winning actor sensory experience. totally safe.” den city” to “garbage city” is evi- just an illusion - they often die 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is eaten by animals. Dhanush appeared in the Madurai “Just see what happens,” He- Hegde, 24, developed the bag, dent. Discarded cups, chocolate a slow and painful death due to generated in the country. Only Last year, his company, Envi- bench of the Madras High Court gde says, tearing a piece from a made entirely from tapioca and wrappers and bags litter ponds, starvation.” 9,000 tonnes get collected.” green, offi cially launched a line of with his mother Vijayalakshmi in small plastic bag and setting it on vegetable starches, as part of his parks and roadsides, clogging the Municipal eff orts to curb the For Hegde, who grew up in plastic products including bags, a paternity suit filed by an elderly fi re. “There are no fumes. Plas- mission to reduce India’s 14.8mn already inadequate drainage sys- city’s overfl owing garbage, under a farming family, the rubbish medical aprons and packaging couple last week. tic normally has a horrible smell tonnes of annual plastic con- tem and causing artifi cial fl oods the campaign to clean up India mountains of modern, industr- materials. He has received or- Kathiresan and Meenakshi filed a when it burns.” sumption . That fi gure, among and traffi c jams during the mon- spearheaded by Prime Minister ialised India are shocking. ders from brands such as L’Oréal, petition last December claiming Hegde summons one of his the highest in the world, is set to soon rains. Narendra Modi have had limited “In India, we treat the sun, Metro Cash & Carry and Reli- that Dhanush was their third son employees to bring in a glass of rise to a staggering 20mn tonnes Plus, says Swati Singh Sam- success. Fines for unseparated earth and water as gods. I’m a ance. Already, Hegde says, he’s who had run away from home in boiling water, and drops a sheet by 2020 as plastic usage increas- byal, programme manager at the rubbish have been introduced, Hindu, and this is part of our cul- having to shift operations to a 2000 to join films while studying of the biodegradable non-toxic es with urbanisation. Centre for Science and Environ- rubbish trucks have been in- ture and our heritage. We must factory outside the city to meet in Class X. They demanded plastic in, stirring vigorously Hegde is one of several entre- ment, roaming animals often stalled with GPS trackers to en- preserve it for future genera- growing demand. He hopes to monthly maintenance from him. with a spoon as the bag shrivels preneurs who have started for- consume plastic bags. “As per an sure they don’t cut routes, and a tions.” conquer much more than the Based on their evidence, Dhanush and dissolves, leaving the water mulating innovative solutions to estimate, on an average, 30kg of ban on plastic bags has been at- In 2012, Hegde invested his city of Bengaluru with his edible was asked to submit his birth cloudy white. “100% soluble,” he the plastic waste problem. One plastic has been found in the guts tempted. However, on the city’s own money to develop his new plastic. “It’s my dream to create a records, school certificates and says. company has started manufac- of cows in the country. People fringes, landfi lls continue to be type of plastic. Though he is se- global brand,” he says. other identification proofs. Last week, he was also physically examined for birth marks as suggested by the couple by a court-appointed doctor. Protest against LPG price rise However Dhanush denied the couple’s claims and accused them of forging his birth certificate. The court adjourned the case to March 15. Assembly to Dhanush is the son of film producer Kasthuriraja and son-in- law of mega star Rajnikanth. He is also an actor, producer, director, writer, lyricist and playback singer and owns his own production company. witness noisy Private photos of actors leaked on social media scenes over Popular radio jockey and singer Suchitra Karthik created a storm last week when private photos and comments on lead Tamil actors were posted on her Twitter account. Suchitra’s tweets covered photos budget leak of actor Dhanush, actresses Trisha, Hansika Motwani, Andrea Kerala opposition insists on against the minister and his one can estimate the amount of Jeremiah and musician Anirudh finance minister’s resignation staff. damage,” he told Gulf Times. Ravichandar, television host Isaac fi red his assistant private “Everybody knows how stocks Divyadharshini and others. By Ashraf Padanna secretary immediately after the behave on the bourses. The leaked The photos show the actors Thiruvananthapuram leak. document contained which sectors drinking alcohol and wearing “As it is clear that the budget were going to benefi t. It could help flimsy clothes. She also accused documents are in the direct cus- intra-day traders make a fast buck.” Dhanush and Anirudh of spiking erala Assembly will tody and control of the fi nance Former chief minister Oom- her drinks and manhandling her. resume today, after Fri- minister, his involvement is a men Chandy brought the papers Her actor husband Karthik rushed Kday’s tumultuous budget matter of grave concern,” Chen- to the house around 11am, and to block the tweets but by then presentation, under the threat of nithala said. Chennithala was soon on his feet many were posted on news disruption by the Congress Par- “A detailed inquiry is essential saying he can read the rest of the sites. Karthik apologised to the ty-led opposition. to unearth the criminal conspir- budget proposals. actors and blamed somebody The three-party United Dem- acy,” the Congress leader added The minister, who feigned ig- for hacking Suchitra’s Twitter ocratic Front (UDF) has decided citing court rulings that publish- norance about it on the fl oor, account. Later the couple also not to allow the House to func- ing budget details before the of- later defended himself saying the filed a complaint with the Cyber tion until Finance Minister T M fi cial presentation was a punish- budget document as a whole did Crime police. Thomas Isaac resigns over the able off ence. not get leaked out. leak of budget proposals. The opposition says a 15-page “You cannot describe it as a The opposition members left document was leaked out from leak. They were papers meant for Midget comedy the assembly midway through a mail ID at 9.48am and from the media which were acciden- actor dead the budget presentation as its another to a larger group at tally sent out,” Isaac said. highlights had already reached 10.26am. “Yes, there’s a question of pro- Midget comedy actor Tavakkalai the media through an e-mail Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the priety. But the sanctity of the died of cardiac arrest at his home from the minister’s offi ce. secretary of the Communist Par- budget is not lost as is made out in Vadapalani in Chennai on They also met Governor P ty of India (Marxist) that leads to be. They contained no tax pro- February 26. He was 42 and is Sathasivam and demanded that the ruling coalition, said the op- posals.” survived by his wife. the minister, who has refused to position was raising a hue and cry Senior Congress leader A K Tavakkalai played bit parts quit, be sacked. over the leak of a few highlights. Antony said there was a serious in movies like Payanagal On Saturday, opposition Con- “It happened from an over- breach of privilege of the House Mudivathillai (1982) but achieved gress leader Ramesh Chennithala enthusiastic staff member,” he and violation of offi cial secrets fame when he debuted as a asked Chief Secretary S M Vijay- said. and it was a blot on the fi nan- comedian in Mundhanai Mudichu anand to initiate legal proceed- “It would have been a matter of cial papers that the government (1983). ings against Isaac for “violation serious concern if they contained should correct. In this film, director Baghyaraj of the oath of secrecy by leaking tax proposals as you could say it V M Sudheeran, the state Con- changed his birth name from offi cial secrets.” benefi ted traders or stock market gress Party president, said it was Chitti Babu to Tavakkalai. He was They allege that the minister players,” Balakrishnan said. a shame that such an important about 3ft tall and went on to act in was indulging in insider trading “That argument does not hold document was leaked out even nearly 500 films in Tamil, Telugu, by giving a clear idea of what sec- water,” young Congress legislator before the legislators got it. Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and tors the government was giving a K S Sabarinadhan, also a former “Instead of coming up with Sinhalese besides doing television thrust on, which could benefi t employee of Tatas who holds a excuses, the minister should take shows and soaps. intra-day traders. degree in business management, up the responsibility of the leak- His memorable roles were in films In a letter to the chief sec- said. age and resign. The chief minis- like Aanbhavam, Kakki Sattai and retary, which he forwarded to “In today’s information age, ter and speaker should persuade En Rathathin Rathame. the law department for a legal even a split second matters. Here him to do so,” Sudheeran said. Congress activists stage a demonstration against the hike in cooking gas prices in Patna opinion, Chennithala wanted we have a budget speech loaded Many proposals had appeared yesterday. to invoke the Official Secrets with Rs450bn projects which got in some local newspapers even in President attends Act and the Indian Penal Code leaked two hours in advance. No the morning. IAF ceremony

President Pranab Mukherjee attended a ceremony to honour a helicopter squadron of the Indian Air Force at the air force station in Tambaram in Chennai Swaraj India promises changes in Delhi’s municipal governance last week. Tamil Nadu Governor IANS is why Swaraj India begins its Policies to tackle the men- A fi rst in Delhi, the pi- Vidhyasagar Rao and Chief New Delhi electoral journey from the grass- ace of corruption range from lot project was started at Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy roots,” party president Yogendra issuing licences to street Navjeevan Vihar, a part of the also attended the function. The Yadav told reporters here. vendors and ending the “in- larger and thickly populated squadron conducted aerial n the threshold of en- He said the municipal wing of stitutionalised” bribery to Malviya Nagar area. displays and a parade of honour tering the electoral governance is the most neglect- limiting councillors’ salaries Deputy Chief Minister Man- before being conferred with Oarena with the upcom- ed here compared to other cities to an amount that doesn’t go ish Sisodia and Water Minister 125 medals for bravery. Later ing Municipal Corporation of in the rest of the world where it beyond covering their “liveli- Kapil Mishra inaugurated the addressing the gathering, Delhi elections, the Swaraj In- tends to be more powerful. hood needs and routine ex- project. the president said, “India is a dia party yesterday announced Yadav added that they will penditure”. Mishra said not getting po- responsible and emerging power a comprehensive agenda for contest the elections on the ba- Other areas which found table water in taps was one area in a multipolar, multilateral the overhauling of the munici- sis of issues which are ailing the mention in the party state- which divided Indian cities world. The ever changing socio- pal governance in the national city, instead of verbal jousting ment were measures to stem from the rest of the developed economic and geopolitical capital. which the political parties tend environmental degradation and world. scenario in our region of Announcing its bid for the to indulge in during polls. seasonal epidemic breakouts, “It may be a small step but influence demands a strong MCD elections, expected to be The changes Yadav prom- making the city garbage-free, what we have done today bridg- deterrent against those with held in mid-April, the newly- ised included strengthening expediting parking projects, es the gap between Delhi and nefarious designs to aff ect the launched party promised an the MCD by more transparen- and takeover of all MCD other major cities of the world,” progress, prosperity and security array of changes in the mu- cy in councillors’ use of funds, schools by the state govern- he said. of our nation.” nicipal governance - “the most recovery of dues from other ment, among others. “Getting running and pota- “Apart from providing deterrence neglected and critical tier” - agencies such as the Delhi zA south Delhi neighbour- ble water through taps is an in- against inimical entities, both which it will bring about if it Development Authority, and hood yesterday began getting dicator that Delhi is on the path external and internal, the armed wins. implementation of the Fourth round-the-clock potable water of becoming a world class city,” forces have been at the forefront “We believe that participatory, Delhi Finance Commission’s through taps in a major project Mishra added. of providing succour to the accountable and responsive gov- recommendations that entail that a minister said will be im- This scheme would soon be Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav addresses a press conference in citizens during natural calamities,” ernance must begin at the vil- more fi nancial liquidity, among plemented across the national implemented all over Delhi, he New Delhi yesterday. he said. lage- and municipal-levels. This other matters. capital. said. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 21 INDIA Sikh shot in Modi’s roadshow in Varanasi third attack on Indians in US in 10 days

Agencies up, both him and his family,” New York Singh said. “We’re all kind of at a loss in terms of what’s going on right Sikh man was injured now. This is just bringing it when a masked gun- home. The climate of hate that Aman opened fi re at him has been created doesn’t dis- in front of his house in Wash- tinguish between anyone.” ington after telling him “Go According to Singh, Sikh back to your own country.” men in area around Seattle The victim, who was hit in have experienced “a kind of the arm, survived the Friday prejudice, a kind of xenopho- night attack, the third shoot- bia that is nothing that we’ve ing of an Indian national in the seen in the recent past”. last 10 days in the US. Before the Kent attack, the The attacks have claimed two Sikh Coalition had released an lives and shocked the nation. advisory asking the community The 39-year-old Sikh, who members to report instances of has not been identifi ed by people “saying hateful things name, was working on his car about your Sikh identity”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters during the second leg of his mega roadshow in Varanasi as part of his election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Polling in in front of his house in Kent In the aftermath of the Kan- Varanasi, which is also Modi’s parliamentary constituency, and some surrounding districts will be held in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections city of Washington state when sas attack, the coalition said: on March 8. the gunman described as “We should not wait until white, who had his face par- someone gets hurt or killed to tially covered, opened fi re at report hate incidents.” him, police said. Kent is about 30km from “We’re early on in our investi- Seattle and is near the Con- gation,” the Seattle Times quoted gressional constituency of Kent Police chief Ken Thomas as Pramila Jayapal, the Indian- saying on Saturday morning. origin member of the House of “We are treating this as a Representatives. very serious incident.” Jayapal tweeted: “Thoughts In New Delhi External Af- and prayers to family and en- Aadhaar data fully safe fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tire Sikh community in the yesterday said she has spoken wake of horrifi c shooting. to the father of the man. This must be investigated as According to KING5 TV, the #HateCrime.” incident was being investi- On Thursday night, Patel gated as a possible hate crime was shot outside his house in and police had reached out to Lancaster. and secure, says UIDAI the Federal Bureau of Investi- Offi cials do not believe it gation for help. was a hate crime. In the recent spate of at- “I don’t have any reason to IANS in the security of Aadhaar data, It is continuously updating its tacks, Harnish Patel of Lan- believe that this was racially New Delhi which were misused for cre- security parameters looking at caster in South Carolina, motivated,” county Sheriff ating parallel databases, the the new threats in cyber space. was killed on Thursday, and Barry Faile said on Friday. UIDAI said: “It is an isolated It also undertakes security au- Srinivas Kuchibhotla was In the February 22 Kansas he Unique Identifi cation case of an employee working dits and takes necessary steps murdered on February 22 in incident, an American, Ian Authority of India (UID- with a bank’s Business Corre- to augment its security features, Olathe, Kansas. Grillot, who tried to stop the TAI), responsible for Aad- spondent’s company making an the authority said. Another Indian, Alok Ma- shooting, was also shot and har in the country, said yester- attempt to misuse his own bio- It also said subsidy transfers dasani, who was injured in the injured. day there has been no incident of metrics which was detected by linked to Aadhaar has led the ex- Olathe attack, survived. A white Navy veteran Adam misuse of biometrics data lead- UIDAI’s internal security sys- chequer to save Rs49,000 crore Satwinder Kaur, a can- Purinton, 51, was arrested and ing to identity theft and fi nancial tem and subsequently actions during the last two-and-half didate for Kent City Coun- charged with murder in the loss. under the Aadhaar Act have years. cil, said on Facebook that killing of Kuchibhotla. In a comprehensive clarifi ca- been initiated.” The Aadhaar-based Public the latest victim “wishes to Purinton reportedly said tion with regard to “misinfor- “Aadhaar-based authentica- Distributions System is benefi t- remain anonymous at this that he had shot two Iranians. mation” appearing in various tion is robust and secure as com- ing people by ensuring that their time. So as a community we The hate crime has been print and social media alleging pared to any other contemporary food grain entitlement are given should respect that”. condemned by leaders in both breach of Aadhaar data, misuse systems. Aadhaar system has the only to the deserving benefi ci- She said Kent Mayor Suzette the US and India. of biometrics, breach of pri- capability to inquire into any in- aries and are not cornered by Cooke has reached out to him. In his address to the joint vacy, and creation of parallel stance of misuse of biometrics unscrupulous and corrupt ele- “This incident is such a big session of the Congress, Presi- databases, etc, UIDAI said it has and identity theft and initiate Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters during the second ments, it said. deal because hate crimes to dent Donald Trump last Tues- carefully gone into these reports action,” it said. leg of his mega roadshow in Varanasi as part of his election campaign Meanwhile, in a move to pro- this extent do not happen in day said: “Last week’s shoot- and emphasised ‘”there has been “Any unauthorised capture in Uttar Pradesh. Polling in Varanasi, which is also Modi’s parliamentary mote digital transactions after our community,” Kaur said. ing in Kansas city reminds us no breach to UIDAI database of of iris or fi ngerprints or storage constituency, and some surrounding districts will be held in the seventh demonetisation, the govern- Sikh community leader Jas- that while we may be a nation Aadhaar in any manner what- or replay of biometrics or their and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on March 8. ment on Friday said it has asked mit Singh told the Times that divided on policies, we are a soever and personal data of in- misuse is a criminal off ence un- banks to provide mobile banking the 39-year-old was released country that stands united in dividuals held by UIDAI is fully der the Aadhaar Act,” it added. tion technologies in transmis- years, there has been no report of facility to all customers by the from hospital. condemning hate and evil in safe and secure”. The UIDAI said it uses one of sion and storage of data. As a breach or leak of residents’ data end of the current fi scal year on “He is just very shaken all its forms.” Referring to reports of breach world’s most advanced encryp- result, during the last seven out of UIDAI. March 31. Karan Johar has twins through surrogacy

Agencies children were his “world and prior- pressed a desire to adopt or pursue superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his Mumbai ity” and he was ready to raise them. fatherhood through surrogacy. wife Gauri’s son AbRam through His newborn son was christened He’s not the fi rst Bollywood surrogacy. after his late father Yash Johar, a star to chart the course, with actor Surrogacy is a hot-button issue opular Bollywood fi lmmaker celebrated Bollywood fi lmmaker. Tusshar Kapoor fathering a son last in India, where the “rent-a-womb” and chat show host Karan His daughter has been named year to a surrogate. industry is worth between $500mn PJohar yesterday announced Roohi. The fi lmmaker, who keeps travel- and $2.3bn annually, making it the he had become a father to twins While Johar has always held back ling around the world and is known top destination worldwide for the through surrogacy. from explicitly saying he is gay, he for his knack of making romantic procedure. The 44-year-old, who is single, talks about it through innuendos dramas, understands that having India caused an outcry last year said he was ecstatic to become a and encourages jokes on his popular children would mean that “work, when it drafted a law making sur- parent “with the help of marvels of television show where he chats with travels and social commitments rogacy only available to married In- medical science”, but did not dis- Bollywood celebrities. would have to take a back seat”. dian couples without children, bar- close the identity of the surrogate In his recently published auto- Johar also expressed gratitude to ring single people and homosexuals who gave birth to his children – a biography Unsuitable Boy, Johar the surrogate who fulfi lled his “life- from this option. boy and a girl. wrote: “Everybody knows what my long dream and provided a warm, The bill is pending before parlia- “This was an emotional yet a well sexual orientation is. I don’t need to loving and nurturing environment ment but if passed would outlaw thought out decision which I have scream it out.” to my children before bringing commercial surrogacy in India. taken after considering all the re- Johar wrote he “does not say it them into this world”. The bill drew broad criticism sponsibilities and duties that come aloud” because he does not want “She will always remain in my from doctors and some political with being a parent,” he wrote on to deal with police complaints and prayers.” parties but supporters maintain Twitter. courts as he has a commitment to his He also thanked IVF specialist the commercialisation of “mother- Johar, one of Bollywood’s most production company and employees. Jatin Shah, who was also instru- hood” sees surrogate mothers ex- successful fi lm producers, said his In the book Johar had always ex- mental in the successful birth of ploited.

Three killed in Kashmir gunfi ght

Agencies on a tip-off , surrounded a home from the Special Operations Srinagar believed to be occupied by mili- Group. tants in southern Nazneenpora A Major was also critically village, in Tral some 40km south wounded in the battle, an army police offi cer and two of Srinagar officer said, speaking on con- suspected militants were Soldiers detonated explo- dition of anonymity as he was Akilled in Jammu and sives during the siege, which not authorised to talk to the Kashmir during a fi erce 15-hour stretched into the early hours press. gunfi ght overnight, an offi cial as both sides exchanged heavy Defying orders to stay in- said yesterday, triggering clash- gunfi re. doors as the skirmish escalated, es between protesters and gov- “Two militants were killed hundreds of villagers descended ernment forces. in the encounter. We also lost on the scene, throwing rocks at The fi refi ght erupted late Sat- a boy of SOG,” Director Gen- government forces in a bid to aid Smoke and dust billows from the residential urday when soldiers and coun- eral of Police S P Vaid said, the besieged militants, a police house in which suspected militants were holed ter-insurgency police, acting referring to the slain officer offi cer said. up during a gunfight. Gulf Times 22 Monday, March 6, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

Countdown to Norway minister meets Farc commander Raul Castro’s retirement next year begins

Tribune News Service But there is also a school of Miami thought that if Cuba’s relation- ship with the Trump adminis- tration goes badly, or if Trump year from now, some- yanks back most or all of the thing is expected to oc- changes under the Obama ad- Acur in Cuba that hasn’t ministration, it will provide a happened in more than 40 years: reason for Castro to extend his a non-Castro will occupy the tenure as president or at least presidency. to hang on to his post as head of The coming year will be one Cuba’s Communist Party indefi - of defi nitions in Cuba. But right nitely. now there is only uncertainty – “A lot of people in Havana are not only about how the transi- saying that if Trump and com- tion will proceed but also about pany return to confrontational the future of Cuba’s relation- policies, backtracking on every- ship with the United States with thing that was done by Obama or President Donald Trump at the most of it, the situation in Cuba helm. would be to say, ‘Let’s circle the In 2013, Raul Castro told wagons,’” said Domingo Amu- Cuba’s National Assembly of chastegui, a former Cuban intel- People’s Power, the parliament, ligence analyst who now lives in that he planned to retire from Miami. the presidency of the Council of “In the middle and older gen- State and the Council of Min- erations there was the feeling isters on February 24, 2018. His that Raul should not step down heir apparent became Miguel until the new administration Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende (left) speaks whit Ivan Marquez, commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) during a visit to the Diaz-Canel, a party stalwart who comes to terms with the normal- concentration zone of La Macarena, Colombia. at the time was promoted to fi rst isation process or that if he steps vice president of both councils. down, he should stay as fi rst sec- When Castro retires as presi- retary of the party,” said Amu- dent, the Cuban Constitution chastegui, who spent the month also calls for him to relinquish of December in Cuba. “What I his post of commander-in-chief found every day I was there were of Cuba’s armed forces. A Cuba conversations about what the without a khaki-clad Castro new president (Trump) is going commanding the Revolutionary to do, will he be moving back or Armed Forces is something many going forward on normalisation.” younger Cubans have never ex- Cuba’s Communist Party gen- Brazil ministers, senators perienced. erally convenes a Congress every Diaz-Canel’s ascension next fi ve years, meaning it could be February 24 – a date that has 2021 before a new party chieftain is long had resonance in Cuba his- named – although a change could tory – is not assured, but most occur at any time if Castro decides observers believe that a new to retire from his party post. ‘facing graft investigation’ National Assembly that will be At last year’s party congress, seated then will rubber stamp Diaz-Canel wasn’t promoted to Reuters licly, said the thrust of the Folha unpopular austerity measures president Eunicio Oliveira. being targeted by prosecutors, him as Cuba’s next president and second secretary as some had Brasilia/Sao Paulo report was correct but did not aimed at curbing Brazil’s mas- Senior members of the allied the paper said. he will replace the 85-year-old anticipated. Instead, Castro’s confi rm the names of the min- sive budget deficit. PSDB party including former Press representatives for Juca Castro. second in command remained isters and senators involved in The allegations against Padil- presidential candidate Senator and Neves declined to comment Even with a successor, Castro octogenarian Jose Ramon Mach- razil’s prosecutor general the request, which is based on ha and Moreira Franco stemmed Aecio Neves and senator Jose on the report, and the other sen- is still expected to retain consid- ado Ventura. If he succeeds Cas- Rodrigo Janot plans to ask recent plea bargain deals by 77 from testimony by Odebrecht’s Serra, who resigned as foreign ators´ press representatives did erable clout. He has said nothing tro as party chieftain, it wouldn’t Bthe Supreme Court for au- employees of Brazil’s largest former head of government re- minister two weeks ago, are also not immediately comment. about stepping down as chief do much to promote the idea that thorisation to investigate minis- construction group Odebrecht lations in Brasilia Claudio Melo of Cuba’s powerful Communist space is opening for new Cu- ters in President Michel Temer’s S.A. Filho, leaked to the media last Party, and Cuba’s military lead- ban leaders or that, in Castro’s cabinet and senior senators from At the time of the request, week. Odebrecht denies paying Farc rebels ers are solid Raulistas. words, a “rejuvenation” is taking his PMDB party for corruption prosecutors will also ask the Su- The testimony alleged that Brazil’s scandal-ridden construc- ary Armed Forces of Colombia The power-behind-the-throne place. The 86-year-old Machado as soon as this week, a source preme Court to make public the Odebrecht cultivated ties with tion giant Odebrecht yesterday (Farc) guerillas kidnapped two is not an unknown formula in Ventura joined the revolution- familiar with the plans said yes- content of the executives’ depo- senior members of the PMDB denied a published report that Odebrecht executives. The Cuba. From 1959 to 1976, Osvaldo ary movement in 1952 when he terday. sitions, which are under seal, the for years and said Padilha han- it paid Farc guerillas hundreds Brazilian conglomerate hired a Dorticos formally served as presi- was still a medical student and Folha de S Paulo reported source said. dled a 10mn real ($3.21mn) pay- of thousands of dollars over 20 US negotiating team that got the dent of the republic, even though fought alongside the Castros in yesterday that the request Odebrecht — which agreed to ment for the 2014 election cam- years to refrain from attacking executives released, and then the true power was wielded by the the Sierra Maestra. by prosecutors will include a record $3.5bn deal with Bra- paign. its Colombian construction sites. suggested regular payments as late Fidel Castro, who was then “If Cubans believe that (Cas- presidential chief of staff zilian, Swiss and US authori- A spokesman for Padilha, In a statement, the company dis- a way to prevent such problems prime minister. From 1976, the tro) and his aging cohort of 1960s Eliseu Padilha and Wellington ties to settle bribery charges who is absent on health leave, missed the report in the Brazilian in the future, Veja said. The Farc posts associated with the presi- revolutionaries remain the real Moreira Franco, the minister in in December — is at the heart declined to comment. magazine Veja as “speculation.” considered the payments a dency have been occupied fi rst by power behind the throne, that charge of executing a major in- of the sprawling Car Wash in- A representative for Moreira Veja reported that two company “guerilla tax,” while the payments Fidel and then by Raul Castro, who would suff ocate and delegitimise frastructure and privatisation vestigation into illegal political Franco said he had never talked executives acknowledged during appeared on Odebrecht’s books took over on a provisional basis in the emerging, younger generation programme for Brazil’s centre- payments by fi rms in return for about party issues or fi nancing a corruption probe in Brazil that as “operating costs” or “ter- 2006 when Fidel fell ill and then of leaders,” said Richard Feinberg, right government. contracts with state oil company with Melo Filho. Odebrecht made payments of ritorial tribute.” The agreement offi cially in 2008. a professor of international politi- According to the paper, pros- Petrobras. Folha said the prosecu- between $50,000 and $100,000 allowed Odebrecht to complete a Diaz-Canel represents a break cal economy at the University of ecutors are also considering The statements by Odebre- tors’ list included other senior a month in exchange for “per- highway more than 500kms long from the revolutionary old guard California, San Diego. whether to include Temer him- cht executives are expected members of the PMDB, includ- mits” to build in territory held linking central Colombia with its and the passing of the torch to a But Antonio Rodiles, a mem- self in the requests. to rattle Temer’s government, ing the government’s leader in by the Colombian rebels. It said Caribbean coastline, as well as new generation of leaders. At age ber of the opposition movement, The source, who asked not which is already struggling Congress, senator Romero Juca, Odebrecht began the payments other projects, according to the 56, he wasn’t even born when the fears that is exactly what will to be identifi ed because he was with rock-bottom popular- former senate head Renan Cal- in the 1990s after Revolution- magazine report. revolution triumphed. happen. not authorised to speak pub- ity ratings, as it seeks to pass heiros, and the current senate Call for Assange to Hospital opening Escobar son slams TV leave Ecuador embassy series glorifying crime AFP access to his family’s personal Madrid archives, including letters writ- Tribune News Service Assange and his legal team fear ing extradition to Sweden, he took ten by his father and never before Quito that the Swedish charges are a refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in released videos, but they said they ploy to have him extradited to the Knightsbridge, where he has been he son of infamous Colom- were not interested. US. living with his tweeting cat and bian drug lord Pablo Esco- “They preferred inventions by ikiLeaks founder Julian Lasso also noted that Assange occasionally getting visits from Tbar slammed depictions of some scriptwriters in California to Assange may be able to had volunteered to leave the em- Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. his father’s life like those in the hit the truth from those who suff ered Wkeep a diplomatic safe bassy if Chelsea Manning, who The ruling party’s Moreno has Netfl ix series Narcos, saying they this story in the fl esh,” Marroquin haven after all. is serving a 35-year-sentence said he would continue Correa’s “glorify” criminals, in an inter- told the newspaper. Guillermo Lasso, the front- for giving WikiLeaks hundreds policy of letting Assange stay at view published yesterday. Colombian television station runner in Ecuador’s presidential of thousands of secret and con- the embassy. “I am not against telling stories, Caracol TV has also come out with election, says he intends to evict fi dential US diplomatic cables, Assange and WikiLeaks played but I am against glorifying crimi- a series about Escobar and several Assange from the country’s Lon- were to be pardoned. prominent roles during the US nals and showing drug traffi ck- movies are in the works. don embassy if he wins the April On his way out of offi ce, Presi- election, as the website published ing as glamorous. This confuses Escobar headed the world’s 2 runoff against ruling party can- dent Barack Obama commuted thousands of e-mails from Hillary youths,” Sebastian Marroquin, leading cocaine cartel in the 1980s. didate Lenin Moreno. Manning’s sentence, and she Clinton’s campaign. Clinton and who changed his name from Juan He fought extradition to the US But he also said he will work will be released May 17. But As- others accused the website of be- Pablo Escobar after his father’s with a violent campaign in Co- with other governments to fi nd sange argued that a commutation ing a Russian mouthpiece, saying death, told the Spanish newspaper lombia, ordering bombings and Assange a new home – which wasn’t a pardon and hunkered Moscow had obtained the e-mails El Periodico. the kidnapping and killing of poli- may keep the controversial free- down at the embassy. in hopes of throwing the race for “I receive tonnes of messages ticians, judges and journalists who speech advocate from being ex- The Assange-Ecuador con- now-President Donald Trump. from youths asking for help to got in his way. tradited. nection goes back to 2010, when Assange has always denied be like my dad. They want to be Marroquin was 16 when his fa- “We will ask Assange, very WikiLeaks published Manning’s that the documents came from that criminal, they send me pho- ther was shot to death in 1993 by politely, to leave our embassy, in diplomatic cables. In one of the Russians. tos dressed up like him, with his Colombian police. absolute compliance with inter- them, Heather Hodges, the US Asked if he thought Assange moustache, his hairstyle,” Marro- He rebuilt his life in Argentina national conventions and pro- ambassador to Ecuador at the might have played a role Ecua- quin added. after Escobar was gunned down, tocols,” Lasso said in an e-mail time, talked about alleged cor- dor’s razor-tight, fi rst-round “Series about narcos have re-emerging as a guilt-ridden pub- exchange with the Miami Herald. ruption in the Ecuadorian police vote on February 19, Lasso re- turned my father into a hero and lic speaker determined to make However, “we vow to take all the force. fused to speculate. given young people the idea that it amends for his father’s role in the steps necessary so that another As a result, President Rafael “We have no indication, or is cool to be a drug traffi cker.” drug war that racked Colombia. embassy will take him in and Correa in 2011 declared Hodges comment, about that,” he said. Marroquin, 39, made headlines Marroquin published a best- protect his rights.” “persona non grata” and revoked A recent survey by the closely last year when he took to Facebook selling book in 2014 entitled “Pa- Assange took refuge in Ecua- her credentials. He initially of- watched Cedatos polling compa- to list 28 inaccuracies in Netfl ix’s blo Escobar: My Father”, which re- dor’s cramped London embassy fered Assange a job and residency ny gives Lasso, a former banker popular series about his father and vealed details of wild parties where in 2012 fi ghting extradition to in the small Andean nation but it and politician, 52% of the vote Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro smiles during the called the show “insulting”. pinatas were stuff ed full of tens of Sweden where he is wanted on never materialised. versus Moreno’s 48% ahead of opening ceremony of a hospital in Maturin, Venezuela. He told El Periodico that he of- thousands of dollars in cash, and sexual misconduct allegations. In 2012, as Assange was fi ght- next month’s runoff . fered the producers of the series has just released a follow-up book. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Seven High profi le fi gures among cops dead in Afghan housing scam victims attack IANS Internews Muhammad Asif Sandila, State He wrote that widows, retired paid by the buyers of apart- Justice Athar Minallah wrote ule, and the CDA extended this Kabul Islamabad Bank of Pakistan Governor offi cials and many expatriates ments for returning it to them. that the construction of resi- schedule in violation of the Ashraf Wathra, former law- were among the 240 victims It may not be happening very dential apartments on the plot terms and conditions. maker Kashmala Tariq, activist who had been deceived that the soon because the ruling may be and their purported sale is il- On March 9, 2005, the CDA t least seven po- igh profi le fi gures, in- and actress Feryal Ali Gauhar, two buildings were being built challenged before the division legal, void and in fl agrant abuse had auctioned the 13.5-acre plot lice personnel were cluding Pakistan Te- Pemra chairman Absar Alam, lawfully. They had been robbed bench of the IHC and in case it and violation of the CDA Or- on One Constitution Avenue to Akilled when Taliban Hhreek-e-Insaf (PTI) former Lahore High Court chief of their hard earned savings ow- was upheld before the Supreme dinance of 1960 read with the the BNP Group for Rs4.88bn. militants attacked a security chairman Imran Khan, feature justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaud- ing to the regulatory failure and Court subsequently. Zoning Regulations, Building The CDA board, however, checkpoint in Afghanistan’s among buyers of apartments hry, Minister of State Jam Kamal negligence of the Capital De- The judge observed that Regulations and the Building handed over the possession Kunduz province yesterday, whose construction on One Khan, and retired lieutenant velopment Authority (CDA) and those who bought the fl ats Control Regulations. of the plot after receiving just police said. Constitution Avenue in Islama- general Ahsan Azhar Hayat. the federal government. It is the would not have fallen into the He ordered the CDA and the Rs800mn. “Militants stormed a police bad has been declared illegal IHC judge Justice Athar Mi- duty of the CDA and the govern- trap had the federal government federal government to ensure Justice Athar Minallah ruled post in Zhakhel. A police offi cer and void by the Islamabad High nallah, who authored the judg- ment to ensure that their right to and the CDA not been negligent the rights of people who had that the federal government, was also injured in the attack,” Court (IHC). ment of single judge bench, was the extent of being compensated or complicit. It is, therefore, the bought fl ats to secure compen- CDA and BNP group had bla- Xinhua news agency quoted an Other buyers include former conscious of the situation that is protected and enforced. duty of the federal government sation. tantly violated the law since offi cial as saying. Supreme Court chief justice the 240 buyers of the apart- In the light of the decision, to ensure that the purchasers do The judge noted that BNP neither the civic agency nor The government set up police Nasirul Mulk, ex-foreign sec- ments in the prestigiously lo- the CDA and federal govern- not suff er due to their wrongful Group had collected Rs5.398bn the government could justify force in 2010 to protect villages retary Salman Bashir, former cated multistoreyed twin resi- ment will have to devise a actions and omissions, particu- from buyers while at the same its regulatory failure and neg- and districts around the coun- commerce minister Ahmed dential towers will face due to mechanism to recover from the larly when the regulatory failure time had been asking for exten- ligence in allowing BNP to il- try where army and police have Mukhtar, former naval chief his decision. former allottee the hefty money of the CDA stands admitted. sions in their payment sched- legally sell fl ats on the property. limited presence. Universities told to Protection from cold raise qualifi cations for hiring faculty

Internews “The review of statistics of the quality assurance division Islamabad PhD faculty and scholars, es- of the HEC will take action pecially in remote institutions against them that could lead to and districts or less-developed the closure of the department he Higher Education areas, be submitted to the concerned. Commission (HEC) of commission for a review and Several public universities TPakistan has directed decision,” the letter added. are also facing an acute short- all public and private sec- In 2012, the HEC decided age of faculty, aff ecting the tor universities to ensure the to raise the qualifi cations of quality of education. However, implementation of the new lectures and assistant profes- no step has been taken by the qualifi cation criteria for the sors and fi xed Jan 1, 2015, as universities to fi ll the posts. appointment of lecturers and the deadline for the appoint- Even the country’s top rank- assistant professors. ment of lecturers with the new ing Quaid-i-Azam University Under the new criteria, the criteria and Jan 1, 2016, for the (QAU) is understaff ed as cur- minimum qualifi cation for appointment of assistant pro- rently 37pc of the academic the appointment of a lecturer fessors. positions (almost 154) at the would be an MPhil, MS or an However, sources said a large university are vacant while 10 equivalent degree (18 years) or number of universities could departments do not have pro- a master’s degree from a for- not implement the decision. fessors and six are being man- A farmer shovels dirt between rows of seedlings protected from the cold under plastic at a farm in Charsadda, 167km from Islamabad. eign university. The commission too did not aged by assistant professors For the hiring of an assist- take action against the univer- and lectures. ant professor, the candidate sities which failed to imple- Many teaching and adminis- should be a PhD degree holder. ment the decision. The sources trative posts are also lying vacant The universities have been said in a large number of uni- in various universities, including given one year – up to January versities master degree holders the Arid Agriculture University 2018 – to ensure the recruit- were taking classes as visiting Rawalpindi, Federal Urdu Uni- PakTurk graduates to protest against takeover ment of the PhD degree hold- faculty members. versity and the International Is- ers as assistant professors. For Explaining HEC’s lenient lamic University Islamabad. the implementation of the new approach towards the universi- When contacted, HEC Internews graduates of the PakTurk “We, the graduates of Pa- that a revised decision be taken qualifi cation for lecturers, the ties, an offi cial of the HEC said: spokesperson Ayesha Ikram Karachi School Foundation are alarmed kTurk schools request the gov- regarding the fate of Turkish deadline is June 30. “Our decision was not fully said all public and private uni- at the government’s decision ernment to allow the Turkish teachers and these schools,” In a letter dated January 26, implemented as still there are versities had been directed to to hand over the running of teachers to stay in Pakistan stated the statement. which was recently circulated some universities whose lec- implement the decision re- raduates of PakTurk PakTurk schools to MAARIF and stop MAARIF from taking It also stated that media was to the universities, the HEC turers and associate professors garding the appointment of School Foundation in Foundation, which the gradu- over our school. Otherwise, no rife with reports of the Inspec- said those institutions which are not meeting the criteria. lecturers and assistant profes- GPakistan will hold a dem- ates have accused of being ‘in- NGO would ever take interest in tor General of Punjab Police and were yet to raise the qualifi ca- But we gave universities an ad- sors under the new criteria. onstration against the ‘takeover’ volved in physical abuse cases working inside Pakistan over the Counter-Terrorism Department tions for the appointment of equate time to implement the She said the quality of edu- of their network by a Turkey- against students in Albania’ as fear of its staff being deported (CTD) threatening the chairman lecturers should ensure the new hiring criteria.” Now this cation cannot be improved based group named MAARIF well as possessing ‘lack of Eng- or the system being taken over PakTurk Education Founda- implementation of the com- letter is fi nal and if the univer- without having qualifi ed Foundation. lish profi ciency and incompe- by some other controversial tion and its board of directors to mission’s decision by June 30. sities did not fulfi l the criteria, teachers. According to a statement, tent degrees’. group. It’s the need of the hour resign from their posts. Overfl owing garbage chokes Karachi Punjab close to striking deal with Monsanto By Ashraf Khan, AFP skirts, Sajnani of the SWMB said Karachi – but they are far from the city centre, on traffi c-clogged roads, Internews lence and Molecular Biology and at any rate are already over- Lahore (CEMB), a local seed provider, eighbours forced their fl owing. and Monsanto suggested to go way into Mohammad Political bickering and fi nger- for the latter. NUmair’s home battling pointing make solutions hard to he Punjab province gov- According to a report of the smoke and fl ames in a desperate grasp. ernment is fi nalising Ministry of Textile Industry pub- bid to rescue his young family – “This city has been turned Tdeal with Monsanto – a lished in the International Cotton he and his wife survived, their into a huge rubbish bin,” Ka- leading producer of geneti- Advisory Committee (ICAC) of children did not. rachi’s former mayor Mustafa cally modifi ed (GM) seed – to the United States, Pakistan had The fi re began in a heap of Kamal roared at a public rally acquire advanced cotton seed adopted transgenic cotton (Boll- garbage which blocked the nar- recently. technology and technical gard II, or BG-II) over the area of row alley outside the fi ve-storey Kamal, who served as mayor expertise for fi ve years. about 86%. building and quickly spread in- until 2010, blamed sheer cor- The provincial government In a 2012 report, the Ag- side, engulfi ng the family as they ruption and the gross incompe- is moving ahead with its plans riculture Biotechnology Re- slept that night. tence of his political rivals, cit- despite reservations by farm- search Institute (ABRI) con- The tragic case has angered ing kickbacks on waste disposal ers, research institutes and fi rmed that both the genes citizens of Karachi already frus- contracts and even the diesel seed companies which say the – BG-II and RoundUp Ready trated by a failing waste man- Children ride on swings alongside dumped garbage in Karachi. used to run the garbage trucks. technology would have Flex (RRF) – were already agement system, who are calling But current mayor Waseem negative impacts. present in GM cotton crops in for more to be done. Umair’s wife Shameen blames Sajnani, chief of the provincial The rest is strewn in the streets Akhtar, elected in 2016, com- The Punjab Agriculture De- Punjab and Sindh. Umair, a 31-year-old cloth the city and its citizens for her Solid Waste Management Board and alleys, some organic and de- plains he has no money and no partment (PAD), which has Documents of Monsanto merchant, breaks down as he children’s deaths. (SWMB) set up in 2015 to deal composing in the sweltering heat power, his authority taken away been consulting stakeholders and US Security and Exchange explains that two of his children “Those who dump trash and with the garbage disposal, said of the port, the rest piling higher by the provincial government, after the Punjab chief minis- Commission (SEC) show that died before they even reached those who do not fulfi l their du- bluntly. and higher. which in turn has now brought ter approved the acquisition of the patents for both GM cotton the hospital. ties to clean up are responsible,” Karachi, a megacity of tower- Alarmingly, some offi cials in Chinese contractors to man- GM technology from Monsan- genes will expire in 2021. “The third one, Abdul Aziz, she says fl atly, eyes dry as she ing high-rises and sprawling il- and residents are improvising age garbage disposal in at least to in August, decided in Febru- “Even if Pakistan makes a died while the doctors were try- stands with her husband among legal settlements on the Arabian - burning the leftover garbage, two of the city’s fi ve districts. ary to strike a conditional deal deal with Monsanto to intro- ing to save his life,” Umair adds, the cinders of their former home. Sea, saw its growth explode in largely plastic waste, says Im- Many believe the real fi x can with Monsanto. It would be gress BG-II and RRF genes, it recalling the cluster of doctors “Who else?” recent decades after waves of ran Sabir, a senior offi cial at the only come if authorities and citi- ensured that R and D institutes will be available for commer- working frantically but futilely Shameen is perhaps the most migration, largely refugees fl ee- Environment Protection Agency zens address the root of the prob- and seed companies get a level cialisation after 2021,” said an around the tiny body of his tragic fi gure to point fi ngers at ing the war in Afghanistan and (EPA) for Sindh province. lem: rampant consumption and playing fi eld. informed source in the PAD. infant son. waste management authorities Pakistan’s tribal areas. “The plastic burns and releas- waste by millions of residents in “We are negotiating with He said Monsanto would Police have yet to fi nd out accused of corruption and in- Its population of at least 20- es toxic gases”, some of which are a city where there is no recycling, Monsanto to bring down the provide access to its pipeline what caused the rubbish to catch eptitude, but she is not the fi rst 25mn produces roughly 12,000 carcinogenic, he says. no attempt to curb the use of cost from $70mn to $50mn,” said cotton technologies like BG-III fi re but it spread quickly to their or the only one. tonnes of trash daily, offi cials say. The burning goes on for plastic and no one willing to take Ghazanfar Ali, additional secre- and others in separate model fi rst fl oor apartment, fi lling the “The present capacity and Municipal authorities are able months at a time beneath hazy responsibility for cleaning up. tary agriculture department. and fi nancial terms, subject to lone bedroom they shared where resources of (the city) cannot to remove about half, says Saj- skies in some parts of the city. Local culture must be “radi- He said that comparison be- successful roll-out and satis- the family were all sleeping to- cater to the quantum of gar- nani – though sceptics argue it is There are two landfi ll sites lo- cally transformed”, warns KMC’s tween the use of technology factory execution of BG-II and gether. bage being generated daily,” A D far less. cated in Karachi’s western out- Zaman. between the Centre for Excel- RRF technologies. Gulf Times 24 Monday, March 6, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Graft charges fi led against former Palawan governor

The Off ice of the Ombudsman has filed 36 counts of graft Troops recover body of against former Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes and other related violation of procurement law charges against 41 others before the Sandiganbayan. It has been filed over the P1.53bn worth of 209 contracts involving beheaded German hostage Malampaya natural gas plant royalties from 2008 to 2009. AFP to recover the bodies of slain Sulu while officials prepare The Off ice of the Deputy Manila guerrillas. “It was not easy to documentation for transport- Ombudsman for Luzon accused find it because of the fight- ing the body, authorities said. Reyes and company of conspir- ing with the Abu Sayyaf kid- President Rodrigo Duterte ing to commit the crime, since he body of an elderly nap group that resulted in the has apologised for failing to the Provincial Engineering Off ice German hostage who was wounding of 29 of our men and save Kantner and said the mil- came up with bogus evaluation Tbeheaded by militants in the wounding of many of the itary had stepped up opera- of at least P461.7mn worth of has been found, the Philippine enemy,” said Colonel Cirilito tions against the militants. infrastructure contracts not com- government said yesterday. Sobejana, head of an anti-ter- The Abu Sayyaf, established pliant with the procurement law. The Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap- ror task force in the southern with seed money from Osama State prosecutors argued that the for-ransom network that has islands. bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network, Engineering Off ice under Reyes pledged allegiance to the Is- He said the government was has been kidnapping foreign- made it appear that the projects– lamic State group, murdered Ju- arranging with the German ers and locals for decades and roads, schools and daycare rgen Kantner, 70, last week after embassy to repatriate Kant- holding them for ransom. centres–were completed in the its demands for 30mn pesos ner’s body for burial. It is believed to still hold at above-mentioned years when ($600,000) were not met. Kantner’s yacht, the Rock- least 19 foreigners and six Fili- they were not. Also among the Military offi cials said marines all, was found drifting on pino hostages. contractors who bagged big-ticket found Kantner’s body on Sat- November 7 off the southern The group, blamed for the deals sourced from the supposed urday evening in the militants’ Philippines with the body of nation’s worst terrorist at- anomalous contracts include BCT remote southern island strong- Coroners at a funeral house look at a body bag containing the remains of German hostage Jurgen Kantner his female companion, Sabine tacks, has used the support of Trading and Construction (80 con- hold of Sulu. in Jolo, Sulu province, on the southern island of Mindanao yesterday. Merz, who had been shot. local communities, millions tracts worth P722.75mn) and RC “The Philippine government The Abu Sayyaf claimed the of dollars in ransom and col- Tagala Construction (14 contracts is deeply saddened but resolved Mr Jurgen Kantner,” Presi- a statement. Troops have diers injured and 14 militants kidnapping. lusion with corrupt local of- worth P301.46mn). as ever to respond to the recent dent Rodrigo Duterte’s spokes- clashed with the Abu Sayyaf dead, according to the military Kantner’s remains are in a ficials to defy decades of mili- discovery of the body of man Ernesto Abella said in in recent days, leaving 29 sol- which says it has been unable military hospital morgue in tary operations.

Woman dies, 41 hurt as powerful aftershock hits Surigao Palace

AFP backs gag Manila order in ne person was killed and 41 injured yesterday Owhen a powerful after- De Lima shock hit a southern Philippine city still recovering from a quake last month, authorities said. cases The 5.9-magnitude quake struck the southern city of Surigao and surrounding areas, By Catherine S Valente causing two houses and several Manila Times walls to collapse, government seismologists and civil defence offi cers said. alacanang has wel- A 65-year-old woman died of comed the Department a heart attack while 41 people Mof Justice’s (DOJ) move were treated for injuries mostly to seek a gag order on all par- caused by falling objects, civil ties in Senator Leila de Lima’s defence offi cials said. drug traffi cking cases before the The quake also knocked out Muntinlupa City Regional Trial power for several hours in the Court (RTC). city of 152,000 people. Chief Presidential Legal It was just one of over a hun- Counsel Salvador Panelo said dred aftershocks to hit Surigao De Lima’s camp has been taking City on Mindanao island since a advantage of the absence of a gag 6.5-magnitude quake on Febru- order to “besmirch the reputa- ary 10 left eight dead and over tion” of President Rodrigo Du- 250 injured. terte. Its epicentre was outside Suri- “Oh yes, because De Lima is gao City in the same area as the using that medium to besmirch epicentre of last month’s tremor, the reputation of the president. the government seismology of- She cannot do that,” Panelo told fi ce said. government-run radio station The Philippines lies on the so- dzRB, when asked about the called Ring of Fire, a vast Pacifi c DOJ’s request for a gag order. Ocean region where many of the De Lima, who denies any hand world’s earthquakes and volcan- in the alleged drug trade at the ic eruptions occur. New Bilibid Prison when she was Before the February 10 quake, DOJ secretary, claims the chief the last lethal one to hit the executive was behind the crimi- country was a 7.1-magnitude nal cases against her. tremor that left over 220 peo- Panelo said De Lima’s camp ple dead and destroyed historic should just let the courts try the churches when it struck the cen- A man climbs out from his submerged collapsed house after a moderate earthquake hit the Surigao city, southern Philippines. Right: A house is seen partially damaged after an cases. “Let the judicial process tral islands in October 2013. earthquake struck Surigao City. run its course,” he said.

“Oh yes, because De Lima is using that medium to besmirch the reputation of the president. She Duterte set to axe more Indigenous leaders cannot do that” In a statement, presidential urged to fi ght extremists spokesman Ernesto Abella also welcomed the request of gov- ernment prosecutors for a gag executives over corruption Manila Times convergence approach that order but noted such motion was Manila is vital in defeating the Abu “nothing new.” Sayyaf Group (ASG) and en- “The sub judice rule is a time- By Catherine S Valente The president earlier sacked suring that vulnerable com- honoured doctrine. Should the Manila Times two of his fraternity brothers op security offi cials have munities are protected from court grant the motion, we ex- from their posts in the Bureau urged indigenous lead- their violent ideology.” pect all parties to abide by it to of Immigration. Ters in southern Philip- The ASG, which operates preclude any undue pressure to few days after firing Deputy commissioners Al pines to support the campaign mainly in southern Mindan- the judge hearing the cases or his former campaign Argosino and Michael Robles against extremist groups that ao, is a militant group linked any infl uence that may condi- A spokesman, President were implicated in the brib- the government had vowed to to the Islamic State in Iraq tion the minds of the public on Rodrigo Duterte warned that ery scandal following the ar- wipe out by July this year. and Syria or ISIS. the merits of the case,” Abella he would axe more govern- rest of more than 1,000 illegal Defence Secretary Delfi n “By involving indigenous said. ment appointees involved in Chinese workers in an online Lorenzana, Armed Forces of leaders in Mindanao, we are The senator’s camp has gone corruption. gambling operation owned the Philippines (AFP) Chief of a step closer in dissolving the to the media to discuss their dis- Speaking to reporters in by Macau tycoon Jack Lam at Staff Eduardo Ano and com- terror group’s mass base sup- appointment with Muntinlupa Cagayan de Oro, Duterte said Clark economic zone in Pam- manders of Eastern Mindanao port and prevent them from RTC Branch 204 Judge Juanita he will not tolerate public of- panga. and Western Mindanao com- recruiting new members,” Guerrero, insinuating that the ficials committing unlawful Argosino and Robles were mands; commanders of the Arevalo pointed out. trial judge issued an arrest war- acts or abusing their power. among 92 Duterte appoint- Philippine Army’s fi rst, sixth During the conference, rant without studying the case. “In the coming days I’m ees fired due to irregularities. and 10th Infantry Divisions the Department of National De Lima, who is detained at going to fire additional peo- Most of the officials fired were and all battalion command- Defence and the Department the Philippine National Po- ple whom I have appointed in from the Energy Regulatory ers in Mindanao met with the of the Interior and Local lice Custodial Centre in Camp government,” the president Commission, Land Transpor- indigenous leaders during a Government (DILG) agreed Crame, is facing three drug traf- said. tation Franchising and Regu- three-day conference dubbed to partner with the group of fi cking cases in three diff erent “This is my warning, even to latory Board, Land Transpor- Mindanao Sultanate Summit Mindanao Sultans headed Muntinlupa courts over her al- directors or CESO (career ex- tation Office and the Bureau on Peace and Security held re- by Sultan Abdulaziz Salem leged involvement in the New ecutive service officer) or civil of Immigration. cently. Mastura Kudarat V, the 25th Bilibid Prison narcotics trade. service eligible, you should On Friday, Duterte reiterat- Also in attendance were Sultan of Maguindanao. The senator, together with her stop just for six years while I ed he would not think twice in some 450 Muslim traditional Besides extremism, also ex-lover and former bodyguard am in this office,” he added. dismissing all erring officials leaders from the various Sul- discussed during the meet- Ronnie Dayan and former Bu- Last week, Duterte fired involved in corruption. tanates of Mindanao. ing were poverty reduction, reau of Corrections chief Rafael his ex-campaign spokesman, Duterte: determined to curb corruption “There are a lot. I’m still Describing the meeting community policing, terror- Ragos, was ordered arrested by Peter Lavina, from his post as trying to figure out how it will as a first-of-its-kind, Col. ism and violent ideology. Guerrero on February 23. She, National Irrigation Adminis- He made it clear that al- condone activities that went be done,” the president said. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the They were followed by a Dayan, Ragos and fi ve others tration chief after being told of though he was hurt by the ac- against his campaign prom- “Corruption will stop and it AFP Public Affairs Office, series of workshops aimed were indicted for alleged viola- alleged anomalies in biddings cusations because Lavina is a ise to stamp out corruption in will stop, I am telling you I will said: “This summit mani- at preventing the spread of tion of the Comprehensive Dan- for contracts in the agency. longtime friend, he could not government. put a stop to it,” he added. fests our application of the extremism. gerous Drugs Act of 2002. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Three arrested Lanka rejects UN call for with huge cache of foreign judges in war probe drugs By Amal Jayasinghe, AFP UN Human Rights Council in But the deadline lapsed with- with his Foreign Minister Man- IANS Colombo Geneva handed down a new out those commitments being gala Samaraweera, who asked Kathmandu scorecard on Sri Lanka, Sirisena met. the Human Rights Council for rebuff ed calls for international The UN said coalition politics more time, promising that his ri Lankan President judges to probe abuses commit- in the unity government Sirise- country remained committed to hree Indians were arrest- Maithripala Sirisena has ted during the island’s 37-year na formed after ousting former seeking justice. ed, in two separate inci- Srejected a fresh appeal civil war. strongman leader Mahinda Ra- At least 100,000 people were Tdents, with a huge cache from the United Nations to al- Sri Lanka has resisted calls japakse were likely to blame for killed during the separatist war of drugs in Nepal’s Hetauda city low international judges to in- to establish a special court to the slow pace of progress. between government forces and yesterday, police said. vestigate alleged war-era atroc- investigate allegations that Last week the main Tamil po- rebels from the Tamil Tigers The cache of hashish and ities, vowing to not prosecute government forces killed up to litical party accused Sirisena of group, with atrocities recorded marijuana are said to be valued soldiers. 40,000 Tamil civilians in the failing to deliver on his prom- by both sides. millions in market. “I am not going to allow fi nal months of fi ghting, which ises, and urged the UN to hold In its report, the UN said Police in Hetauda, while non-governmental organisa- ended in May 2009. his administration to account. abuses including torture remain conducting a regular security tions to dictate how to run my Sirisena, a member of the Sirisena’s response marks widespread in the ethnically check up yesterday, discovered government. I will not listen majority Sinhalese commu- a sharp shift in his policy to- divided island nation of 21mn, 125kg hashish, packed in 217 to their calls to prosecute my nity, received the support of the wards accountability and rec- with “a prevailing culture of plastic packets, in the roof of troops,” the president said in Tamil minority after promising onciliation, which had earned impunity” partly to blame. an Indian-registered vehicle. remarks distributed by his offi ce accountability for excesses car- him the praise of international The UN acknowledged that The vehicle’s occupants, Merja yesterday. ried out by the largely Sinhalese observers. Colombo had made some posi- Shah and Mithlesh Sahani, The UN on Friday criticised military. “A charge-sheet is now tive advances on constitutional both Indian nationals, were Sri Lanka’s “worryingly slow” He had agreed to a UN Hu- brought against our forces with and legal reforms, limited land arrested. progress in addressing its war- man Rights Council resolution a demand to include foreign restitution and symbolic gestures Both the Indian nationals took time past, urging the govern- in October 2015 which called judges to try them,” he said in a towards reconciliation. approval to visit Nepal for three ment to adopt laws allowing for for special tribunals and repa- speech to troops in the northern But it cautioned that the meas- days but were returning within a special hybrid courts to try war rations for victims and gave Sri peninsula of Jaff na, the Tamil ures taken so far had been “in- day after loading the hashish. criminals. Lanka 18 months to establish heartland. adequate, lacked co-ordination President Maithripala Sirisena: “I am not going to allow non-governmental Superintendent of Police Bas- In his fi rst remarks since the credible investigations. The defi ant tone contrasted and a sense of urgency.” organisations to dictate how to run my government.” anta Kumar Lama said they were tipped off about the consign- ment, which was loaded on the vehicle in Dhading district, close to the capital Kathmandu, and Air Force Day celebrations reached Hetauda to its way to India’s Raxaul. Bangladesh bans group “The discovered hashish is valued at (Indian) Rs3.1mn in market,” said Lama. In the other incident, 62kg of marijuana was found in behind blogger murders an another Indian truck also heading back to Raxaul and driver Manoj Kumar Yadav AFP/DAP in Bangladesh as its activi- activists – Niladri Chattopad- to be banned in Bangladesh, arrested. Dhaka ties are considered a threat to hyay and Nazim Uddin Samad which has a secular constitu- Yadav, in his statement to po- public security.” – at an apartment in the capi- tion, but more than 90% of its lice, has admitted of loading the The group, which claims to tal, just weeks after murdering population is Muslim. marijuana on the way to Hetau- angladesh yesterday be a Bangladesh branch of Al a secular activist. Six other Islamist mili- da to smuggle it into India, said outlawed a group which Qaeda in the Indian Subcon- Police have rejected any tant groups were previ- Deputy Superintendent of Police Bclaims links to Al Qaeda tinent, took credit through so- suggestion the group is linked ously banned in Bangladesh: Bamdev Gautam. The discovered and is blamed for the machete cial media for a spate of grue- to outside extremists, instead Jama’atul Mujahideen Bang- marijuana is valued at (Indian) murders of nearly a dozen some murders that sparked a describing it as a cell of home- ladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Rs400,000. atheist bloggers, foreigners fi erce security crackdown on grown extremist outfi t An- Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Police in Hetauda has arrested and gay rights activists. extremists. sarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Harkat ul-Jehad al-Islami 14 Indian nationals and seized “The government thinks the In February 2015, the group ABT was banned in May Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Hizb eight vehicles in past three activities of Ansar al-Islam, claimed responsibility for the 2015 after one of its leaders ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah months for carrying contraband a militant group and organi- stabbing murder of Avijit Roy, was arrested and two mem- Bangla Team (ABT). drugs to India. sation, is detrimental to the an American atheist author of bers were sentenced to death The largest Islamist po- Nepal is an easy market for country’s peace and order,” Bangladeshi origin, outside a for the murder of an atheist litical party Jamaat-e-Islami Indian drug users, particu- the home ministry said in a book fair in Dhaka. blogger in February 2013. was banned in 2013 after a top larly hashish and marijuana, statement. Last April the group butch- Ansar al-Islam is the sev- court ruled that its charter due to open borders and easy “The organisation is banned ered two leading gay rights enth militant organisation clashed with the constitution. availability of the narcotics. Nepal-China highway reopens

IANS Physical Infrastructure and ter maintenance work, it has vere damage in the devastating for post disaster reconstruction Kathmandu Transport Ramesh Lekhak, been again possible to rein- earthquakes of 2015. Though of Nepal. ministry of physical infra- state the original service on the the highway was repaired twice “We are committed to pro- structure and transport secre- highway.” with the support of Chinese vide assistance for Nepal’s raffi c on Arniko Highway, tary Dhana Bahadur Tamang The repaired highway has armed police after the disaster, post-disaster reconstruction in the oldest and shortest and Chinese ambassador to been expected to revive the it could not operate well due to fi ve sectors namely infrastruc- Troute that connects Ne- Nepal Yu Hong economy and normal activities fragile geography, especially ture, livelihood in mountains, pal with the neighbour China, The Nepal government ap- of locals of Sindhupalchowk, torrential rainfalls and fre- cultural relics renovation, dis- has resumed. preciated the assistance and China bordering district. quent disasters like fl ood and aster preparedness and health. The highway was closed continued support of China in Arniko Highway was built in landslides. Strengthening connectivity for maintenance after it was the re-opening of the highway 1960s with the support of Chi- The current maintenance and mutual co-operation under damaged by two earthquakes that highly contributes to the nese government. The 115km project has been carried out by One Belt One Road initiative are in 2015. socio-economic development long road is the historical route the China Railway Bureau 14 in common wishes of both coun- The offi cial relaunch cer- of the Himalayan country. that connects capital city Kath- fi ve sections of highway. It took tries”, ambassador Yu Hong said emony of the highway was Secretary Tamang said, “The mandu with Nepal-China bor- fi ve and half months for the at the function. Paratroopers perform during the 66th Air Force Day celebrations in held in the capital Kathmandu damage of this highway by the der at Kodari. Chinese company to make the Since the Arniko Highway Colombo yesterday. The Sri Lanka Air Force is the air arm and the last week in the presence of earthquakes and monsoon rain The highway was the lifeline highway ready for the smooth was closed after the disaster, youngest of the Sri Lanka armed forces. It was founded in 1951 as the government and Chinese em- had been critical for the move- for cross-border trading and transportation. Nepali traders were using the Royal Ceylon Air Force with the assistance of the Royal Air Force. bassy offi cials. Those present ment of goods and people from for thousands of locals living in The Chinese government has Rasuwagadhi border point for included Nepal’s Minister for one country to another. Af- the region until it suff ered se- pledged to continue its support cross-border trading. Supreme Court clears way for demolition of Dhaka high-rise

By Mizan Rahman for bringing down the building. land acquired through forgery Metropolitan Development Dhaka On November 8 last year, the and fi lled with earth illegally. Plan, (urban area plan of 1995- SC released the full text of its The SC said although both 2005), drain one-third of Dhaka verdict in which the apex court site and environment clearance city’s storm and waste water and he appeals bench of the upheld the HC judgement that certifi cates were required for the retain some rainwater for Bangladesh Supreme ordered BGMEA to immediately commercial building, the peti- recreational opportunities. TCourt yesterday dismissed demolish the building at its own tioner (BGMEA) failed /did not Any commercial building a petition seeking review of its cost. “Otherwise, state-run care to obtain the latter. changing the water bodies’ na- judgement that upheld a High capital development agency Ra- No commercial establish- ture and character in violation of Court order for demolishing juk will bring it down within 90 ment can be set up without the the two laws is unlawful and vio- the BGMEA Complex. days of receiving the order and environment clearance from the lates Environment Conservation A three-member SC bench, realise the cost from the BGMEA Department of Environment as Act 1995, it said. Also, the Export headed by Chief Justice S K Sin- authorities,” added the order. stated in Section 12 of the Envi- Promotion Bureau has no right ha, passed the order, clearing the On December 8, the BGMEA ronment Conservation Act 1995 to allot the property, it added. way to demolish the 15-storey authorities fi led a petition urg- and Rule 7(4) of the Environ- The construction violates building located in the capital ing the apex court to review its ment Conservation Rules 1997, “section 3 of the Building Con- Dhaka’s Hatirjheel Lake area. verdict. On March 2, the apex it said. struction Act 1952” other rules Responding to a petition fi led court adjourned the hearing Since the water bodies “never under it, read the verdict. by Bangladesh Garment Manu- until March 5. belonged to the petitioner, at any Moreover, the High Court facturers and Exporters Asso- The High Court had earlier point of time”, the construction order was “well-reasoned and ciation (BGMEA), the apex court ordered the government to de- violates two laws, it observed. based on proper appreciation of fi xed Thursday for giving its fur- molish the building within three It said the two natural wa- facts and circumstances as well ther order over time allocation months, saying it was built on ter bodies, mentioned in Dhaka as the law”, it said. The 15-storey BGMEA building in Dhaka. Gulf Times 26 Monday, March 6, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko The geopolitics of global

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar environmental challenges [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Environmental happens to be a critical moment in 10% of traded goods worldwide. For can cause displacement and 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) degradation and natural- the fi ght to manage climate change. example, rising temperatures and vulnerability, eff ective natural- Fax 44350474 Environmental degradation and altered precipitation patterns are resource management can support resource insecurity are natural-resource insecurity are already driving up the price of coff ee. confl ict resolution and sustainable undermining our ability to tackle some With the global land area suitable for economic development. On this front, undermining our ability to of the biggest global issues we face. growing coff ee set to contract by up to eff orts to achieve environmental tackle some of the biggest Environmental insecurity is a half by 2050, price pressures will only remediation, to boost the resilience major, though often underestimated, intensify. of rural communities, to advance global issues we face contributor to global instability. The A sudden shift toward trade sustainable agricultural production, GULF TIMES UN High Commission on Refugees protectionism could drive up and to support community-based By Giulio Boccaletti reports that natural disasters have agricultural commodity prices further. environmental stewardship have all London displaced more than 26mn people per Such an increase would aff ect farm- shown promising results. year since 2008 – almost a third of level household income, favouring Consider the Northern Rangelands the total number of forcibly displaced some farmers while harming others. Trust, an organisation focused on Gene therapy hope uch of the world seems people in this time period. End consumers, particularly the poor creating community conservancies to be on edge. The West’s Even the current refugee crisis and vulnerable, would also suff er. to enable sustainable and equitable relationship with Russia, has an environmental element. Another reason why the land use in Kenya. NRT has helped Mthe future of Nato, the In the years leading up to the war, environment should be at the centre pastoralist communities establish for patients with Syrian civil war and refugees, rising Syria experienced its most extreme of economic debates is its role as eff ective governance mechanisms right-wing populism, the impact drought in recorded history. That the world’s single largest employer. for the environment on which they of automation, and the United drought, together with unsustainable Almost a billion people, just under depend, reducing confl ict over grazing Kingdom’s impending departure from agricultural practices and poor 20% of the world’s labour force, are rights, especially in times of drought. sickle cell disease the European Union: all of these topics resource management, contributed formally employed in agriculture. For many communities, – and more – have roiled public debate to the internal displacement of 1.5mn Another billion or so are engaged in members’ relationship with the worldwide. But one issue – one might Syrians and catalysed political unrest subsistence farming, and therefore landscape in which they live is The potential power of gene therapy to transform the say the most signifi cant of them all – ahead of the 2011 uprising. don’t register in formal wage an integral part of their identity. lives of people with sickle cell disease (SCD) has been is being ignored or pushed aside: the The link between environmental statistics. With eff ective governance and environment. and agricultural pressures extends Any initiatives to support economic planning, open dialogue, resource- proven through a world-fi rst breakthrough in Paris, as That was the case at this year’s far beyond Syria. Over-reliance on development must support this sharing frameworks, and suffi cient reported in the New England Journal of Medicine last annual meeting of the World specifi c geographies for agriculture population’s transition toward investment, including in skills Economic Forum at Davos, means that food production can higher-productivity activities. This training, these communities can week. SCD is an inherited disease caused by a gene Switzerland. Beyond a mention exacerbate environmental problems, is particularly important at a time translate this relationship into mutation that results in red blood cells losing their of the Paris climate agreement by or even create new ones. This can pit when increasingly sophisticated eff ective environmental stewardship usual donut-like appearance and taking on a sickle or Chinese President Xi Jinping, topics global consumer interests against and integrated technology threatens – and build healthier and more secure like climate change and sustainable local citizen interests, as it has along to leapfrog an entire generation of societies. crescent moon shape. development didn’t even make it to the Mississippi River, where fertiliser workers in some countries. Eff orts The crises engulfi ng the modern SCD mainly aff ects people of African, Caribbean, the main stage. Instead, they were runoff from one of the world’s to benefi t this huge population world are complex. But one thing is relegated to side meetings that rarely breadbaskets is contributing to must focus not only on training and clear: the environment is connected to Middle Eastern, Eastern Mediterranean and Asian seemed to intersect with current concerns about water quality. education, but also on new models all of them. Solutions will mean little origin and it is estimated to aff ect around 5mn political and economic events. The connection goes both ways, that allow countries to capitalise on without a healthy world in which to Allowing environmental issues with environmental conditions also their natural capital – the landscapes, implement them. – Project Syndicate worldwide. The patients often have anaemia and get to fall by the wayside at this time of shaping agricultural production – watersheds, and seascapes – without tired easily, run a higher risk of infections and stroke, geopolitical and social instability is and, in turn, the prices of agricultural depleting it. zGiulio Boccaletti is Chief Strategy and experience bouts of severe body pain. Many need a mistake, and not just because this commodities, which represent about Just as natural-resource insecurity Offi cer at The Nature Conservancy. chronic blood transfusions, usually every three to four weeks - as a form of treatment for the condition. A team from the AP-HP university hospital group in Paris, the Imagine Institute of Genetic Diseases and gene therapy company bluebird bio said they managed to get a French teenager off transfusions. The boy was the fi rst person to be treated, in Paris in October 2014, for SCD in a clinical SCD is estimated to trial with gene aff ect around 5mn therapy. Others have been tested since, worldwide but no offi cial results published. The team collected so-called haematopoietic stem cells, which give rise to red blood cells, from the bone marrow of the youngster, then aged 13. The immature cells were treated with a therapeutic gene, carried in a deactivated virus, which recoded their DNA to correct blood cell production. The report on the child’s health 15 months after treatment revealed he was still doing well after this point, but an offi cial, updated status has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. “He is well, he no longer needs monthly (blood) transfusions, anti-pain medication, or hospitalisation,” study leader Marina Cavazzana told AFP. SCD is common in Africa, where up to 40% of a country’s population can carry the mutated gene, though most never get sick. Early results from a trial in Togo, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo suggested the Sickle Scan was a faster, cheaper blood test than existing ones relying on lab equipment, its Addicted to the US dollar makers said. Rapid diagnosis is crucial to start SCD suff erers, especially young children, on potentially its dominant position as the world’s gold supplies were not increasing as reduction of US current-account life-saving treatment. By Carmen Reinhart Frankfurt reserve currency – and by a signifi cant fast as global demand for reserves, the defi cits (whenever that comes) Philippe Leboulch, a professor of medicine at the margin. Over 60% of all countries gap was fi lled by US (paper) debt. may result from sustained dollar (accounting for more than 70% of Over time, fulfi lling the global depreciation (as in the 1970s), University of Paris, told the BBC News website that the ince the end of World War II, world GDP) use the US dollar as their demand for reserves caused a steady implying a capital loss for China and same therapy has to be performed in many patients to the United States’ share in anchor currency. Other metrics, which rise in the ratio of “paper dollar” other major holders of US Treasuries. feel confi dent that it is robust enough to propose it as a world GDP has fallen from include the proportion of trade invoiced reserves to gold reserves, which Alternatively, China could eventually nearly 30% to about 18%. in dollars and the share of US assets was incompatible with maintaining become a new supplier of reserve mainstream therapy. S Other advanced economies have also (notably Treasuries) in central banks’ the offi cial dollar/gold parity. The assets. In this scenario, the supply of Prof Leboulch is nervous about using the word ‘cure’ as experienced sustained declines in their foreign exchange reserves, suggest a incompatibility of the national goal the reserve asset would align with the respective slices of the global pie. But similar degree of “dollar dominance.” (maintaining the parity) and America’s world’s fast-growing regions. this is just the fi rst patient to come through clinical trials. you wouldn’t know it from looking at The euro is a distant second. From international role as sole provider of This connection could be direct, But the study does show the potential power of gene the international monetary system. the early 1980s until the introduction the reserve currency was the essence if the renminbi acquires reserve- Over the same period, China’s share of the euro in 1999, the Deutsche of the dilemma that the Belgian currency status; or indirect, if the therapy to transform the lives of people with sickle cell. of world GDP almost quadrupled, Mark’s (DM) infl uence expanded fi rst economist Robert Triffi n foresaw (as International Monetary Fund’s unit However, the expensive procedure can only be to around 16% (just behind the US), in Western Europe and later in Eastern early as 1960) as a risk to the Bretton of account, special drawing rights, carried out in cutting-edge hospitals and laboratories, and emerging markets now account Europe. But the rise of the euro, which Woods system. becomes a favoured asset of reserve for about 60% of global output, up consolidated the DM and French franc Two devaluations, relative to managers, as the renminbi is now in while most sickle cell patients are in Africa. The next from about 40% in the immediate (Africa) zones, appears to have stalled. gold, in December 1971 and February the SDR currency basket. Reserve big challenge will be to transform this pioneering post-war years. Given that advanced- By some measures (given the shrinking 1973, were not enough to correct the status for the SDR is a long-held IMF economies’ growth prospects remain share of Europe in world output), its “overvaluation” of the US dollar. The ambition, though the idea has never science into something that really can help millions of subdued, these trends are likely to global importance has declined. Bretton Woods system came to an end in gotten much traction. people. continue – even with the evident No other major established March 1973, when the dollar and other But there is a third possibility: global slowing in China and other emerging international currencies currently major currencies were allowed to fl oat demand for US reserve assets may To Advertise markets. compete for global leadership. and the dollar depreciated further. subside. While China’s ongoing capital And yet global fi nance has not The divergence between the trends Now as then, the US could meet the fl ight is fuelling an immediate and [email protected] mirrored this shift in balance from for production and fi nance, shown rest of the world’s appetite for dollars substantial decline in demand for US Display the advanced to the emerging. The in the fi gure, emerges as a relatively by issuing more dollar debt. This would Treasuries, a more sustainable scenario post-war Bretton Woods arrangements smaller US economy supplies reserve require the US to run sustained current- would entail China’s transition to Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 institutionalised the role of the US assets in step with rising global account defi cits, mirrored in fi scal a managed fl oating exchange-rate Classified dollar as the main reserve currency, demand for them (primarily from defi cits. Of course, while the link to gold regime with a deeper domestic Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 and until the 1970s, about two-thirds emerging markets). is passé, any domestic fi scal objective fi nancial market – and less emphasis of global GDP was anchored to the This divergence is not entirely new. to curb US debt growth would be at on maintaining a credible war chest of Subscription greenback. The remainder was largely With recovery from WWII underway odds with the international role as sole foreign reserves. – Project Syndicate [email protected] split between the British pound and in Europe and global trade expanding, provider of the reserve currency. the Soviet rouble. demand for reserves grew rapidly in the One way or another, China will zCarmen Reinhart is Professor of the In a recent study that I undertook with 1950s and remained high into the early fi gure prominently in the resolution International Financial System at 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Ethan Ilzetzki and Kenneth Rogoff , we 1970s. At that time, the US dollar was of this modern “Triffi n dilemma.” Harvard University’s Kennedy School of document that the US dollar has retained backed by gold. Given that the world’s One possibility is that the inevitable Government. Gulf Times Monday, March 6, 2017 27 COMMENT Laughing in the dark

In a democracy, art can most famously, with his poem, “We live not feeling the ground under our simply be ignored. Of feet.” While he ended up perishing in course, one can appreciate a gulag, his protest poems, and those by other brave poets, contributed culture, but that is a to the regime’s demise. Alexander matter of choice, not Solzhenitsyn’s 1970s anti-communist masterpiece The Gulag Archipelago necessity ultimately did as much as the sclerotic economy to expose the communist By Nina Khrushcheva charade. London Putin must have been delighted when Solzhenitsyn, a Nobel laureate who seemed to become increasingly s a former Soviet citizen, nationalistic with age, expressed I can tell you: it’s never a support for him. Recognising the good sign for a political power of the arts, Putin established Asystem when artists start himself early on as a fan of Russian speaking out against it. And when culture. He has also courted their statements visibly strike a nerve, foreigners, including French movie chances are that the system is sick. icons Brigitte Bardot and Gérard In a democracy, art can simply be Depardieu and even the Hollywood ignored. Of course, one can appreciate has-been Steven Seagal. culture, but that is a matter of choice, At the same time, Putin has been not necessity. Indiff erence is a luxury quick to eliminate those whose aff orded to those whose freedoms are message he does not like. The 1990s well protected. When those freedoms satirical television show Puppets are threatened, however, art becomes was cancelled almost immediately a critical line of defence. The United after Putin entered the Kremlin, after States is learning that lesson today. likening the president to Little Zaches, In just over a month, President the ugly, evil, and self-important Donald Trump has changed the dwarf from E.T.A. Hoff mann’s rules of US politics – and not for grotesque fairy tale. the better. If the facts contradict his A novice autocrat whose attempts to administration’s line – or, worse, Donald Trump and actress Meryl Streep. Trump took on one of the Hollywood greats, accusing Meryl Streep of being an overrated actress and a Hillary Clinton “flunky” silence his critics have been clumsy, at suggest that he isn’t popular – he after the multiple Oscar winner tore into him at an awards ceremony in what is becoming branded by US Media as new Culture War. best, Trump may attempt to emulate denounces the journalists who report his Russian role model. But he has not them as purveyors of “fake news” and “that has laid bare its hostility toward hung works by artists from those Golden Globe Awards, in which she participated in a W Magazine video, amassed suffi cient power to quash an “enemy” of the American people. the press and other free expression countries. In the plaques beside the condemned Trump for mocking a stating defi antly, “I am an immigrant.” every cultural work and institution The judiciary and the intelligence norms.” paintings, MoMA referred to Trump’s disabled reporter and highlighted Trump’s supporters may prefer to that criticises him. If he had, he community have not escaped Trump’s When then-Vice President-elect order explicitly, and asserted that it the importance of defending press dismiss such statements, telling actors probably would have already cancelled feverish attacks. Any opposition Mike Pence attended the Broadway had hung the paintings to “affi rm the freedom. David Harbour, accepting a and artists to “stick to their day jobs.” the comedy show Saturday Night Live, to his orders, such as court rulings show Hamilton, the actors appealed ideals of welcome and freedom” that Screen Actors Guild award, declared But the truth is that what such fi gures which he condemns regularly. against his partial ban on Muslims to him to uphold American values are vital to the US. that great acting “is a call to arms say has an impact – and not just on It is often the arts, serious or entering the country, or exposés of and work on behalf of all Americans MoMA has also scheduled four from our fellow craftsmen and women Trump, a longtime Hollywood hanger- satirical, that expose the tragic potential wrongdoing, such as his (drawing a Twitter rebuke from screenings of fi lms by directors subject to go deeper, and through our art to on. There is a reason why Russia’s absurdity of repressive leadership. former national security adviser’s Trump). Just down the street, the to the travel ban. In April, almost 100 battle against fear, self-centredness, autocratic leaders have always tried to And the worse Trump behaves, the secret conversations with the Russian show Party People, which examines independent US and Canadian movie and exclusivity of our predominantly keep artists on a short leash. more demand there will be for artists ambassador, is met with quick the legacy of the Black Panthers and theatres will off er free screenings of narcissistic culture.” When artists bow to power, the state who oppose him. Saturday Night condemnation. the Young Lords Party, delivered a George Orwell’s 1984 as a response to In the fashion world, some major gains a new level of authority and even Live’s ratings are at a six-year high. – With America’s pillars of democracy more confrontational message, as part the Trump administration’s embrace designers have pledged never to legitimacy. That’s why Joseph Stalin Project Syndicate under assault, artists are stepping in. of a modifi ed script that addressed of “alternative facts.” dress First Lady Melania Trump. At needed the celebrated anti-Kremlin Even before Trump was inaugurated, Trump’s victory. Hollywood actors have taken the recent New York Fashion Week, poet Osip Mandelstam to write him zNina L. Khrushcheva is Professor of the writers’ union PEN America held a When Trump signed his order to advantage of this year’s award designers from Mara Hoff man to an ode. International Aff airs and Associate #LouderTogether protest, on the steps ban anyone from seven Muslim- season to make their own political Prabal Gurung used the runway Mandelstam succumbed to the Dean for Academic Aff airs at The New of the New York Public Library, to majority countries from entering statements. Meryl Streep drew to make political statements, and pressure, but he was not broken. School and a senior fellow at the World “send a message” to an administration the US, the Museum of Modern Art Trump’s ire with her speech at the some of fashion’s biggest names He continued to insult the Kremlin, Policy Institute.

Weather report Study shows Three-day forecast fasting diet TODAY High: 25 C Low : 18 C regenerates Inshore: Expected strong wind during daytime at places. diabetic TUESDAY High: 26 C Low: 16 C pancreas Sunny QNA Washington WEDNESDAY High: 27 C Low: 17 C he pancreas can be triggered Sunny to regenerate itself through a type of fasting diet, a new study has revealed. Fishermen’s forecast T Restoring the function of the organ, OFFSHORE DOHA which helps control blood sugar levels, Wind: NW 15-25/28 KT reversed symptoms of diabetes in Waves: 5-8/10 Feet animal experiments. INSHORE DOHA The US study, published in the journal Wind: NW 05-15 KT Waves: 2-3/4 Feet Cell, says the diet reboots the body. Experts said the fi ndings were Around the region “potentially very exciting” as they could Weather Weather become a new treatment for the disease. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min In the experiments, mice were put Abu Dhabi P Cloudy 26/19 Sunny 23/18 on a modifi ed form of the “fasting- Baghdad Sunny 22/07 Sunny 23/08 mimicking diet”. It is like the human Dubai P Cloudy 29/19 Sunny 24/17 Kuwait City Sunny 24/11 Sunny 26/12 form of the diet when people spend Manama Cloudy 22/16 Sunny 23/16 fi ve days on a low calorie, low Muscat P Cloudy 28/23 Sunny 26/20 protein, low carbohydrate but high Riyadh Sunny 24/13 Sunny 26/14 unsaturated-fat diet. Tehran S Showers 11/03 P Cloudy 13/03 It resembles a vegan diet with nuts and soups, but with around 800 to 1,100 calories a day. Then they have 25 days eating what they want – so overall it mimics periods of feast and famine. Previous research has suggested it can slow the pace of ageing. But animal experiments showed the diet regenerated a special type of cell in the pancreas called a beta cell. These are the cells that detect sugar in the blood and release the hormone insulin if it gets too high. Dr Valter Longo, from the University of Southern California, said: “Our conclusion is that by pushing the mice into an extreme state and then bringing them back – by starving them and then feeding them again – the cells in the pancreas are triggered to use some kind of developmental Around the world reprogramming that rebuilds the Weather Weather part of the organ that’s no longer today Max/min tomorrow Max/min functioning”. There were benefi ts in Athens P Cloudy 19/10 Showers 17/11 both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the Beirut Sunny 21/13 Sunny 21/13 mouse experiments. Bangkok Sunny 36/27 Sunny 35/27 Berlin S Showers 09/02 Cloudy 05/01 “Medically, these fi ndings have the Cairo Sunny 26/12 P Cloudy 24/13 potential to be very important because Cape Town Sunny 26/17 Cloudy 28/18 we’ve shown – at least in mouse Colombo P Cloudy 32/24 I T Storms 32/25 models – that you can use diet to 32/21 Dhaka S T Storms 31/22 P Cloudy reverse the symptoms of diabetes. Hong Kong P Cloudy 25/18 P Cloudy 21/17 Istanbul P Cloudy 17/08 P Cloudy 18/08 Scientifically, the findings are perhaps Jakarta T Storms 30/24 T Storms 28/24 even more important because we’ve shown Karachi P Cloudy 29/20 P Cloudy 29/19 that you can use diet to reprogramme London Cloudy 10/03 M Cloudy 11/06 cells without having to make any genetic alterations,” Dr Longo said. Gulf Times 28 Monday, March 6, 2017 QATAR

JR comes to Doha

Qatar Museums is gearing up to open on March 9 a major retrospective by the celebrated French artist, JR. The exhibition, JR - Répertoire, will feature some of the key series that have made the artist famous around the world, as well as a video lounge where selected video works can be viewed. JR is a world-renowned artist that combines art and engaged actions through large-scale outdoor installations, films, photographs and videos, using the streetscape as his canvas and his inspiration, which he claims as the largest art gallery in the world. The exhibition will be on view at QM Gallery, Building 10, Katara, until March 31, 2017. QP honours long-serving staff atar Petroleum (QP) tional oil companies in the The awardees came from recently held its an- world, while at the same QP’s various directorates and Qnual continuous time enhancing Qatar’s lead- corporate departments and service awards ceremony to ing position in the global oil represented a wide range of give due recognition to a total and gas industry. It is you nationalities. They are based of 339 employees who have who will make sure that we in the corporation’s major been part of QP for the past go there.” areas of operations in Doha, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. QP’s CSA Ceremony 2017 Dukhan Concession Area, Addressing the honoured was held at the Convention Mesaieed Industrial City, Ras employees, Qatar Petro- Hall of QP Headquarters in Laff an Industrial City, Halul leum President & CEO Saad West Bay, and it was also at- Island and off shore produc- Sherida al-Kaabi said, “We tended by the corporation’s tion stations. take special pride in the great executive vice presidents, During the event, al-Kaabi professional and personal vice presidents and other personally congratulated qualities of our diverse hu- senior offi cials. each of the honoured em- man resources. It means a The QP staff who were ployees as he presented them lot to us to have this kind of honoured during the event with a certifi cate of appre- commitment by so many consisted of some 129 em- ciation and a gift as a token people. It is a testimony of ployees who have been of gratitude for their many our status as an employer, as working in QP for the past years of service with QP. well as an indication of your 20 years, 109 employees who The event was the fi rst of dedication and loyalty.” have completed 25 years of two recognition ceremonies Al-Kaabi stressed that QP service, 59 who have put in scheduled this month, with is now a more focused, more 30 years of service, 29 who the second set to be held cohesive, and a more adap- have been part of the corpo- on March 7, to recognise as tive corporation. “We are ration for the past 35 years, many as 951 employees who more determined than ever and 13 who have achieved have already completed 10 to complete that journey to a “career milestone” of 40 and 15 years of service with become one of the best na- years of service with QP. QP. Al-Kaabi with employees who have achieved a “career milestone” of 40 years of service with QP. Fifth Cyber Drill opens in Doha

By Joey Aguilar main countrywide. It holds regu- Staff Reporter lar national training programmes and cyber drills to further en- hance State institutions’ re- omputer emergency re- sponse and readiness effi ciency,” sponse teams in the Arab he added. Cregion converged on Doha The cyber drill serves as a plat- yesterday at the opening of the form for further co-operation Fifth Regional Cyber Drill, a and discussions on current cy- workshop which aims to eff ec- bersecurity challenges, boosting tively combat cyber threats in the communication and threat re- GCC. sponse capabilities. The fi ve-day workshop is Besides sharing best prac- hosted by Qatar and represented tices and presentations, resource by the Ministry of Transport and speakers at the workshop also Communications (MoTC) and Engineer Khalid al-Hashmi addresses the Fifth Regional Cyber Drill tackled a number of topics that organised by the International yesterday. included the introduction of an- Telecommunication Union-Arab ti-ransomware solutions, strat- Regional Cybersecurity Centre tion, Communication and Tech- any harmful threats. egy and approaches, and “Com- (ITU-ARCC), in collaboration nology sector,” said engineer Q-CERT remains vigilant to munications with Stakeholders: with the ITU Arab Regional Of- Khalid al-Hashmi, Assistant Un- ensure an electronic environ- A Critical Actvity for National fi ce. dersecretary of Cyber Security at ment free of hacking, a threat CERTs.” “The MoTC has been embrac- the Ministry in his speech. that might hinder people in Qatar The workshop will also feature ing the strategies and plans that He noted that MoTC’s Qatar who use and benefi t from today’s mock exercises on how to coun- help contribute to maximising Computer Emergency Response modern technology, al-Hashmi ter cyberattacks as part of testing the benefi ts gained from the lat- Team (Q-CERT) has been work- stressed. the capabilities of governments est world technologies on the ing hard to maintain and secure “The Ministry also provides and private organisations in han- path of bolstering our Informa- the country’s cyberspace against support for all entities in this do- dling and responding to threats. Salient features of Al Kharaitiyat Interchange which opened to traff ic yesterday.

Aspire conference aims to incorporate value education Strong winds likely

By Joseph Varghese riculum in value education and trong winds are expected and rain last month. Mean- Staff Reporter incorporate the same in academ- in some places during while, today’s detailed forecast ic system for Qatar,” he explained Sthe daytime, the Qatar says it will be partly cloudy at on the sidelines of a press confer- Met has said in its forecast for times and there is a chance of he regional conference ence convened to announce the Monday. scattered rain in the early hours ‘Aspire for Education’ or- details of the event. Off shore areas, too, are likely of the day. Mild conditions are Tganised by Aspire Acad- “After this conference, we to see strong winds today along expected during the daytime emy on March 13 and 14 will be hope that the ministry will start with high seas. The wind speed and it will be relatively cold by a stepping stone to develop and developing such a curriculum. may go up to 25 knots in some night. incorporate value education into Value education focusing on so- inshore areas before decreasing the curriculum for students in cial and cultural values and loy- by night. Off shore, it may reach Rainwater removal Qatar, an offi cial said. alty to the nation will help our a high of 28 knots at times, “We have invited many expert students in a big way,” he said. while the sea level will rise to Rain emergency teams in dif- educators from the government Under the theme ‘Our values, 10ft. ferent municipalities drained and private sector to share their Our pride’, the bi-annual confer- The latest rainy spell in Qa- out around 2.5mn gallons of knowledge as it is a new concept ence is to be held at the Ladies Aspire Academy off icials announcing the conference yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma tar began last Thursday and, rainwater that had accumulated in the academic environment in Club in Aspire Zone. Around 200 according to the weather of- in diff erent places across the Qatar,” Badr al-Hay, director of educators will take part in the riculum and performance on an riculum alongside other core do the same and hence the theme fi ce, is expected to last until country due to the latest spell education and student care at conference while around 120 will ongoing basis. “Aspire Academy subjects.” Leadership training of- of the conference. Our curricu- this morning. It is the outcome of rainfall. The work was carried Aspire Academy, told Gulf Times get training at eight workshops. places great emphasis on posi- fi cer Salah al-Yafi remarked that lum was developed based on ex- of a “state of atmospheric in- out in 627 batches with the help yesterday. Aspire Academy’s deputy di- tive values and their importance Aspire Academy has integrated tensive research from renowned stability” that has aff ected the of 83 tankers, while some 276 “We have been in touch with rector general Ali Salem Afi fa in inspiring students’ growth, the value system scheme in its experts in the fi eld, some of country over the past few days. employees and workers were the Ministry of Education and pointed out that the institution and we believe that values need curriculum. whom are invited to speak at the Also, the country experienced also engaged in the work. Higher Education to build a cur- always seeks to improve its cur- to be taught as part of the cur- “We wish to inspire others to conference,” he added. two spells of unstable weather