BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Laudrup’s Rayyan hoping for INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 Qatar Airways Cargo a winning ARAB WORLD 3 BUSINESS 1-8, 10-12 22,204.07 8,409.48 49.95 INTERNATIONAL 4-12 CLASSIFIED 9 to serve Pittsburgh in +45.89 -18.29 +0.65 ISLAM 13 SPORTS 1-8 start +0.21% -0.22% +1.32% US from October 11 Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10577 September 15, 2017 Dhul-Hijja 24, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir and Erdogan stress on In brief

QATAR | Reaction dialogue to solve Gulf crisis Qatar condemns Iraq suicide attacks zSheikh Tamim to hold talks with Qatar yesterday strongly condemned German Chancellor Merkel today and suicide attacks on a restaurant and a police station in southern Iraq also with French President Macron that killed at least 52 people. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm position Agencies The Emir and the accompanying del- rejecting violence and terrorism Ankara/Doha egation were seen off at Esenboga Inter- regardless of their motives and national Airport by Simsek and Qatar’s reasons. The statement expressed ambassador, in addition to members of Qatar’s condolences to the families is Highness the Emir Sheikh the Qatari Embassy. of the victims, the government and Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Er- the people of Iraq, and its wishes for HTurkish President Recep Tayyip dogan, addressed reporters prior to speedy recovery to the injured. Erdogan discussed the latest develop- the meeting with the Qatari leader and Qatar also yesterday strongly ments in the Gulf crisis and ways to called for the Gulf nations to resolve condemned the bombing of a mosque solve it through diplomatic channels, in their concerns through dialogue. in northern Cameroon, which caused Ankara yesterday. Sheikh Tamim is also scheduled to the death of a number of people. The The two leaders also discussed the visit France. In Paris, the Emir will Ministry of Foreign Aff airs in a separate most prominent regional and interna- meet with President Emmanuel Ma- statement reiterated Qatar’s firm tional events and exchanged views on cron and discuss with him ways to en- stance rejecting violence and terrorism them, offi cial Qatar News Agency (QNA) hance joint co-operation between the and stressed Qatar’s complete said. two friendly countries, in addition to rejection of targeting places of worship During the meeting, which was held the Gulf crisis and issues of common and intimidating innocent people. The at the Presidential Palace in the Turkish concern. statement also expressed condolences capital, the Emir and Erdogan reviewed The Gulf crisis erupted after Saudi to the victims’ families and to the the close relations and prospects for Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emir- government and people of Cameroon. their development in various fi elds to ates (UAE) and Egypt cut ties with Qatar serve the common interests of the two accusing it of backing extremism and REGION | Confl ict friendly countries and peoples. fostering ties with Iran on June 5. After visiting Turkey, the Emir left Doha denies the claims and Ankara Yemen rebels threaten for Berlin yesterday for talks with Ger- has insisted there is absolutely no evi- to target UAE, Saudi His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the man Chancellor Angela Merkel today. dence to back the allegations. The head of Yemen’s Shia Houthi rebels presidential palace in Ankara yesterday. The talks will cover the prospects of Erdogan has strongly spoken out threatened yesterday to fire missiles at co-operation between the two friendly against the sanctions applied by the the United Arab Emirates and to attack countries and ways to develop them, in Saudi-led bloc against Doha. Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. The UAE, addition to the latest regional and in- Erdogan in July embarked on a re- a key member of a Saudi-led coalition ternational developments, primarily the gional tour of the Gulf countries, with fighting the rebels in Yemen’s conflict, Gulf crisis. visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar “is now within range of our missiles”, UN urged to act against siege nations His Highness the Emir attended the in a bid to defuse the crisis. Abdel Malek al-Houthi, told the rebel- dinner banquet hosted by the Turkish On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Min- controlled television station Al-Masirah. president in his honour at the Presiden- ister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah “The companies which have been set QNA mandate, and the High Commissioner coercive measures, containing docu- tial Palace. met with Erdogan at his presidential up or which have investments in the Geneva for Human Rights, who expressed his mented information of several cases that Upon his arrival at Esenboga Interna- palace. UAE should no longer consider it a views on these measures profession- constituted a blatant example of the hu- tional Airport, the Emir was welcomed Mediation eff orts led by Kuwait suf- safe country.” More than 8,400 people ally and clearly, Qatar’s Permanent man rights violations that accompanied by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for fered a setback on Saturday when Saudi have been killed since the coalition atar has asserted that since June Representative to the United Nations these coercive measures and siege. Economic Aff airs Mehmet Simsek, Arabia said it was halting all dialogue intervened in support of the Yemeni it has been subjected to uni- in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan al- “Unfortunately, we have not received Governor of Ankara Ercan Topaca and with Qatar, on the pretext that Doha government in March 2015. Qlateral coercive measures and Mansouri said yesterday. any response or comment,” he added. Qatar’s ambassador Salem bin Mubarak misrepresented the context of a phone unjust siege by some countries in the He was speaking at the 36th session Al-Mansouri said that “on August al-Shafi in addition to senior offi cials call between the Emir and Saudi Crown ARAB WORLD | Meeting region, which have resulted in serious of the Human Rights Council, within the 30, we again addressed the Special and members of the Qatari Embassy. Prince Mohamed bin Salman. Page 16 and persistent violations of human framework of the interactive dialogue Rapporteur on coercive measures, ex- Conference on Syria rights. with the independent expert on a demo- plaining the size and magnitude of crisis begins in Astana However, this issue has not yet re- cratic and equitable international order these ongoing violations, and express- The sixth international conference ceived suffi cient consideration and at- and the Special Rapporteur on the nega- ing our surprise that he has not ex- on Syria started in Kazakhstan’s tention from the mechanisms of the tive impact of unilateral coercive meas- pressed his opinion.” Trump to visit China, Japan, S Korea capital city of Astana yesterday. The United Nations Human Rights Coun- ures on the enjoyment of human rights. “We regret that until now, the Spe- first day of the forum was dedicated cil, except for the Special Rapporteur, The ambassador said Qatar sent on cial Rapporteur has not expressed any AFP threatening to rain down “fi re and to bilateral consultations and a final on the right to freedom of opinion and July 3 an offi cial letter to a number of opinion, especially as the issue is di- Washington fury” if necessary. But with North Ko- plenary meeting will be held today. Task expression who commented on these special panels headed by the Special rectly related to his mandate,” al-Man- rea on the cusp of marrying nuclear number one at the talks is to establish measures from the perspective of his Rapporteur on the negative impact of souri said. warhead and intercontinental ballistic a de-escalation zone in Idlib and reach S President Donald Trump yes- missile technology, Trump has strug- an agreement on control forces and terday announced he intends to gled to get China to buy in to biting boundaries of this zone. The meeting Uvisit China, Japan and South Ko- sanctions. is expected to pass provisions on a de- Sheikh Joaan honours Qatari champion athletes rea later this year, a blockbuster maiden The visit will be another opportunity escalation zones co-ordination centre. presidential visit to Asia. for Trump to press his Chinese counter- Trump said aboard Air Force One that part Xi Jinping, and crucially will come AMERICA | Controversy a US delegation would likely make the after an October Congress of the Com- trip in November, adding that he will munist Party. ‘Ultimately we have to “possibly” go to the Apec summit in Vi- Privately, US offi cials admit Xi is un- have a wall’: Trump etnam at the same time. likely to back tougher sanctions before US President Donald Trump says he will The announcement sets the stage for that meeting, which sets the course for not negotiate on the construction of a wildly ambitious fi rst visit to a region China’s leadership in the next fi ve years. a wall at the US southern border even that is vital to US economic and security Vice President Mike Pence had ear- as he looks to work with Democrats interests. lier announced that Trump would also to protect young immigrants brought The visit is likely to focus heavily on visit the Philippines in November for to the United States as children. trade and North Korea’s nuclear and an Asean summit, but the president was “Ultimately we have to have a wall,” ballistic weapons programmes, one of more cool to the idea. Trump told reporters in Florida as he Trump’s biggest security challenges Trump said only that “he invited us so sought to clear up confusion about HE the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday honoured Qatari athletes who since coming to offi ce. we’re going to see,” apparently referring reports of a deal with Democrats on excelled on the international stage in recent competitions. Mutaz Essa Barshim won the world high jump crown at the IAAF World Trump has repeatedly said that he to controversial President Rodrigo Du- immigration. Trump denied that he Athletics Championships, while Abdulelah Haroun took the bronze in the 400 metres at the same event. Abdulrahman Samba, who will not tolerate Pyongyang develop- terte. Police have reported killing more had reached a deal and stressed that won the 400m hurdles at the Doha Diamond League meeting and javelin thrower Ahmed Bedeir, who finished second in Asia and ing the capability of hitting the United than 3,800 people to fulfi l Duterte’s vow “at some point” there would have to be first at the Islamic Solidarity Games, were among the athletes honoured. See also page 1 of Sport States with a thermonuclear weapon, to rid the country of narcotics. agreement to fund a wall.

ASIA | Violence US: Myanmar ethnic cleansing must stop US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday condemned violence Qatar further relaxes entry rules for tourists against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as “unacceptable”, as thousands of n an initiative to boost tourist arriv- ing a simple online application prior to Assembly taking place in Chengdu, dence permit or visa (with a minimum QTA said more information on visa refugees continue to stream across als in Qatar, the Ministry of Interior travel at www.qatarvisaservice.com China. validity of 30 days) to the said countries. requirements to enter the country can the border into Bangladesh. “This I(MoI) and Qatar Tourism Authority “This additional enhancement “Adopting this kind of openness and Once approved, visitors will be al- be viewed on https://www.visitqatar. violence must stop. This persecution (QTA) announced yesterday that visi- to our visa policy is a testament to freedom of movement is surely the best lowed to enter Qatar on a visa-on-ar- qa/plan/visas-requirements.html must stop. It has been characterised by tors of all nationalities, who hold valid my country’s commitment to open- way to enhance acceptance and open- rival and can stay up to 30 days during “We are continuously reviewing Qa- many as ethnic cleansing. That must residence permits or visas from either ness, and to championing the right ness between cultures,” he added. a single visit. The visa can be extended tar’s visa policies and seek to update stop,” he said during a visit to London, the UK, the US, New Zealand, Austral- to tourism for all people, in line with The new system will require appli- for another 30 days in the same visit on them in line with the country’s eco- speaking alongside British counterpart ia, Canada, Schengen or GCC countries the UNWTO’s (United Nations World cants to present their itinerary such as www.qatarvisaservice.com nomic and social aspirations,” Brigadier Boris Johnson. “I think it is a defining can enter with an Electronic Travel Au- Tourism Organisation) Global Code of fl ight (return tickets) and proof of ac- If the visitor leaves the country and Mohamed al-Ateeq, director general of moment in many ways for this new thorisation (ETA) from September 27. Ethics for Tourism,” QTA’s chief tour- commodation (e.g. hotel bookings), wishes to return, they will need to ap- the Department of Passport and Expa- emerging democracy,” Tillerson said. The new system will allow eligible ism development offi cer Hassan al- passport copy (with a minimum validity ply for a new ETA before travelling back triates Aff airs at MoI, said in a state- Pages 6, 12 visitors to obtain an ETA by complet- Ibrahim said at the UNWTO’s General of six months), and a copy of their resi- to Qatar. ment. To Page 2 Gulf Times 2 Friday, September 15, 2017 QATAR Qatar Airways Qatar, Guinea review bilateral ties QNA Conakry

uinea President Alpha ups frequency of Conde, who is also chair- Gman of the African Un- ion, met Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs, HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mah- fl ights to Sohar moud. The deputy prime minister atar Airways (QA) will markets featuring Omani The award-winning airline and minister of state for Cabinet add four additional handicrafts. currently operates fi ve daily aff airs conveyed the greetings of Qweekly fl ights to Sohar “The increased frequency fl ights between Doha and Mus- His Highness the Emir Sheikh from October 1 to meet the in- will allow both business and cat, and two daily return fl ights Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to creasing passenger demand, it leisure travellers from Sohar on the Doha-Salalah route. the Guinean president and his was announced yesterday. even more fl exibility to take ad- Passengers transiting wishes for the development and In a statement, QA noted vantage of smooth connections through HIA can take advan- growth of the Guinean people. that these new fl ights will take to India and Southeast Asia via tage of the many activities and HE al-Mahmoud also con- the number of weekly fl ights our hub at Hamad International services available, from the free veyed His Highness the Emir’s between Doha and the Sultan- Airport (HIA),” QA Group chief Wi-Fi, airside swimming pool appreciation to the Guinean ate of Oman from 52 to 56. executive Akbar al-Baker said. and play areas for children, president for his eff orts, the Af- QA launched flights to So- The additional fl ights to So- to the multiple quiet areas in rican Union’s supportive stance har, its third and most re- har will be serviced by an Air- which passengers can relax, as for the diplomatic eff orts to Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid cent destination in Oman, bus A320, featuring 12 seats well as an array of duty-free solve the Gulf crisis, and the al-Mahmoud meets Guinea President Alpha Conde. last month. Sohar, a vibrant in First Class and 132 seats in shopping and dining options. president’s backing of the ef- coastal city known both for Economy Class, with a spa- QA has a host of new des- forts of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh ness the Emir Sheikh Tamim eral relations between Qatar egation were bid farewell from its traditional Omani culture cious environment throughout tinations planned for the re- Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al- bin Hamad al-Thani and his and Guinea and means of de- Conakry International Airport and beautiful beaches, of- the entire aircraft. mainder of this year and 2018, Sabah which aim to settle the wishes for the advancement and veloping and enhancing them. by the president’s adviser for fers a wide range of activities QA fi rst began service to including Canberra, Australia; crisis through constructive dia- progress of the Qatari people HE the deputy prime minister diplomatic aff airs, Dr Qutb Mus- for tourists, including diving, Oman by launching fl ights to Chiang Mai, Thailand and San logue among all parties. under the wise leadership of His and minister of state for Cabinet tafa Sano, as well as Qatar’s Am- snorkelling and kite boarding, its capital, Muscat, in 2000 fol- Francisco in the US, among The Guinea president con- Highness the Emir. aff airs left Conakry yesterday. bassador to Guinea Saree bin Ali as well as many traditional lowed by Salalah in 2013. others. veyed his greetings to His High- The meeting reviewed bilat- He and the accompanying del- al-Qahtani.

N-energy applications’ ‘Expats have complete confi dence in govt policies’

he welfare policies of Qatar help attract region, many schools had to be shut down expatriate communities to the country, because expatriate families went back to their development vital: Qatar TSyed Abdul Hye, a senior educationist, home countries. Though things returned to has said. normal soon, there was a temporary phase of atar has stressed that Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani, international and regional co- “The expatriate communities have com- uncertainty,” he recalled. the international com- at the International Atomic operation in this fi eld and the fa- plete confi dence in the policies of the govern- He noted that the Saudi-led blockade has Qmunity was counting on Energy Agency (IAEA) board cilitation of access by developing ment and they know Qatar will successfully had zero eff ect on Qatar’s education sector sustainable development, not of governors’ meetings, Qatar countries to nuclear technologies overcome the ongoing Gulf crisis,” Abdul Hye, and that schools reopened last week with full only because of its benefi ts in praised the IAEA and its direc- and applications, stressing the who has been living in Qatar since 1969, told attendance. “Schools have received many ap- terms of human well-being and tor general’s support for scien- central role of the IAEA in this Qatar Urdu Radio’s live radio show Haqeeqat plications this academic year but do not have environmental protection but tific research and development context. yesterday. enough space for new students.” also because it had become the activities at universities and Ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Jas- He stressed that health and education have Haqeeqat aims to engage and interact with essential element for restoring research centres in Qatar, as the sim al-Thani highlighted Qatar’s always been a top priority for the government. the large South Asian expatriate community stability to societies and main- country adopts the option of appreciation of the eff orts being “Qatar is a welfare state and the government in Qatar. It is a joint venture of Gulf Times taining international peace and nuclear energy as part of the en- exerted by the IAEA to modernise has carefully invested in its institutions over and Qatar Media Corporation Urdu Radio, security. ergy mix in the future. its nuclear applications labora- the last two decades, particularly health and and broadcasts from Sunday to Thursday on In a statement delivered by In its statement, Qatar called tories in Seibersdorf, noting that education.” FM107. Qatar’s Ambassador to Austria for greater attention to the de- Qatar has contributed 300,000 Abdul Hye mentioned that institution- Log on to Qatar Urdu Radio on Facebook and Permanent Representa- velopment of nuclear energy Euros to modernise those labora- building has made present-day Qatar a strong and ‘@QatarUrduRadio’ on Twitter for feed- tive to the United Nations, HE applications, the promotion of tories. state. “During the early-1990s’ crisis in the Syed Abdul Hye (right), senior educationist. back and comments about the show. Fall in mortality QRCS promotes personal hygiene, home safety he Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has conducted lectures on rates linked to Tpersonal hygiene and home safety for members and administrative staff of the Qatari Centre of Social Cultural for the Deaf (QCSCD). migration, says The lectures by QRCS health educa- tion head Dr Ahmed Idlibi and facilitated by a sign language interpreter tack- led major home injuries such as burns, wounds, bruises, electric shock, suff oca- WCM-Q study tion, fainting, and drowning. Dr Ahmed Idlibi explained how to con- ew research showing Dr Chaabna said further re- trol each case and help the victims, if any. how death rates among search would have to be con- The participants were also introduced to Nthe population are ducted with individual groups QRCS and its humanitarian mission and skewed by the eff ects of migra- – for example Qatari nationals community services. tion could have implications for or long-term residents of other Other preventive tips included keeping health policy in the region. nationalities – to ascertain and in mind the emergency phone number Researchers at the Institute better understand the effi cacy of 999 and their home address, learn- for Population Health, which is various healthcare and outcomes. ing fi rst aid, and fi re control, and act- A lecturer discusses home safety tips. part of Weill Cornell Medicine- Dr Sohaila Cheema, direc- ing calmly and taking children away to a Qatar (WCM-Q), have demon- tor of the Institute for Popula- safer place. The second lecture covered the impor- kit, with a demonstration of its proper years encouraged our members to attend strated that high immigration tion Health and co-author of The lecturer added that a fi re extin- tance of personal hygiene on well-being, for use for optimised results. these sessions, take initiative in social of young healthy adults reduces the paper, explained: “The re- guisher should be accessible and regu- disease prevention, and a healthy lifestyle. According to QRCS, the sessions were life, and develop their potential. It is a mortality rates. search does not negate the fact larly maintained and a sprinkling system The topics tackled included hand hy- interactive, and the participants engaged constructive eff ort towards the common This means that further re- that Qatar has made huge strides installed and operable. The importance giene, oral health, hair and skin care, and enthusiastically in the discussions, partnership goals of QCSCD and QRCS search may be necessary to as- forward in improving mortality of having a fi rst-aid kit and specifying home cleanliness, among others. which refl ected the eff ectiveness of the in community service. Your co-operation certain the true eff ectiveness of rates and general healthcare. an assembly point and emergency exists The lecture also provided an overview public awareness programme. is highly appreciated,” QCSCD director- current health programmes and “WCM-Q is at the forefront was also highlighted. of the content of the personal hygiene “The success of your work in the last general Saleh al-Marri said in a statement. health policies, according to a of helping the country in moving press statement by WCM-Q. forward with its public health Dr Karima Chaabna, the re- agenda.” port’s lead author and a popula- Dr Ravinder Mamtani, senior tion health and communication associate dean for population Safari draw winners get keys to cars specialist at WCM-Q, explained health, capacity building and Qatar further relaxes entry that the work was conducted af- student aff airs at WCM-Q and ter she saw in the Global Burden co-author of the research, said: of Disease study – the most com- “No matter where you are in the regulations for tourists prehensive research to date into world, healthcare remains an worldwide mortality at the inter- evolving process. There is always From Page 1 national, national and regional room for improvement but Qatar “We look forward to hosting visitors levels – that mortality rates in has advanced rapidly. from around the world through this Gulf countries were falling. “Life expectancy, for example, is system, which will further streamline Dr Chaabna questioned why now at around 79 to 80 years and the visa application process,” he noted. this was, and whether better the government is making every Brigadier al-Ateeq added that ineli- healthcare was the only answer. eff ort to reduce injury and prema- gible applicants can apply for a regular She said, “More than 80% of ture death; a case in point is inju- tourist visa using the e-visa platform. Qatar’s population are migrants. ries from motor vehicle crashes. This development comes as part of Using statistical analysis, we “Qatar has done phenomenal- a series of measures that Qatar has looked at the association be- ly well with policies and inter- taken to facilitate visitor access to the tween the variation in Qatar’s ventions that have reduced the country. Last month, Qatar waived population size and death rates number of road traffi c fatalities. visa requirements for nationals of 80 and found that there was a sig- Use of speed cameras, improving countries around the world. nifi cant association. triage, availability of good qual- The visa facilitation is a critical com- “Essentially, the overall mor- ity emergency and trauma care, ponent of the national tourism sector Hassan al-Ibrahim speaks at UNWTO’s tality rates have been reducing traffi c laws and their enforce- strategy, which QTA has recently re- General Assembly in Chengdu, China. because migration has been in- ment, and police vigilance have viewed in partnership with stakehold- creasing. The majority of mi- all contributed to this improved ers from the public and private sectors. examined all of the elements needed grants are physically fi t, male, situation and declining deaths. With renewed focus by the country’s to create a smooth and enticing expe- blue-collar workers who are also Improvements have been also leadership on diversifying the national rience that can attract visitors from screened for conditions like tu- noted in other areas of non- economy, the revised strategy is set to around the world,” al-Ibrahim said. berculosis, hepatitis and HIV. communicable diseases. But we A key handover ceremony for winners of the third draw of the ‘Safari Win be launched on September 27, when “We have committed ourselves, “Their good health essentially need to do more. 20 Toyota Camry Promotion’ was held at Safari Mall, Abu Hamour. The three Qatar hosts the offi cial UNWTO World over the past few months, to taking as improves the average for the “I can honestly say that draw winners received the keys to their Toyota Camry cars from Safari Group Tourism Day celebrations. many steps as possible to facilitate en- country, and reduces the death healthcare is improving in all operation manager Shahid Khan. “Together with our partners in the try to Qatar for dozens of nationalities rates.” sectors.” public and private sectors, we have around the world,” he added. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

DIPLOMACY ACCIDENT CRASH REMEMBERED DETAINED Kuwait concludes drill with Hamas militant dies in Saudi pilot killed in Yemen Peres’s dream of peace Italian student murder US, reviews Turkey ties tunnel collapse in Gaza operation against Al Qaeda saluted year after death probe lawyer held in Egypt

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence said yesterday A militant from the Islamist Hamas movement A Saudi pilot was killed in Yemen while providing Friends including Britain’s Tony Blair joined with An Egyptian lawyer who is helping investigate the that a three-day military drill has ended with died yesterday after a tunnel collapsed in eastern air support for an operation against Al Qaeda old political rivals yesterday in saluting Israel’s case of murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni has the participation of US troops. Troops from Gaza city. Medical sources said that Khalil Demyati, militants, a Saudi-led coalition backing the Nobel laureate Shimon Peres and his dream of been prevented from flying to a UN conference and the Kuwaiti ground and air forces as well as 27, died before arriving at a hospital in Gaza City, government said yesterday. The Saudi Royal Air peace, on the first anniversary of his death. In detained by a special prosecutor. Ibrahim Metwaly, personnel of the Ministry of Interior and the without providing further details. Hamas’ armed Force plane crashed in the southern province of a state ceremony at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl who founded the Association of the Families of National Guard took part in the military exercise. wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said in a text Abyan on Wednesday night “due to a technical national cemetery, President Reuven Rivlin paid the Disappeared after his son disappeared in The troops were engaging in the manoeuvres message sent to reporters that Demyati had died failure,” coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al- a warm tribute, along with British former premier suspicious circumstances four years ago, himself for bolstering joint planning, execution, and during a mission in one of the tunnels. The Hamas Maliki told the off icial Saudi Press Agency. On the and Middle East peace envoy Blair. “It’s sad went missing while heading for his flight to Geneva uplifting combat preparedness. Meanwhile, movement, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since ground, coalition-backed Yemeni forces managed without you, even for those who didn’t always on Sunday. Members of his group said he was Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign 2007, uses tunnels underneath Gaza to store arms, to drive Al Qaeda militants from Abyan’s Wadea agree with you,” said Rivlin, a former lawmaker taken from Cairo airport by airport security and Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah hide during violence or attacks by Israeli forces, or to district yesterday. Abyan was a no-go zone for in the right-wing Likud party, who lost to Peres he was not heard from until Wednesday when a yesterday met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut carry out attacks into Israel itself. Over the past three pro-government troops after Al Qaeda fighters in the 2007 presidential race but won the post state security prosecutor ordered him detained Cavusoglu. The meeting reviewed means of years, more than 20 militants have died in similar regrouped there following a similar off ensive in in 2014. Peres, a Labour party stalwart, served for 15 days on charges of “joining a group founded boosting bilateral ties on all fronts. circumstances, according to Gaza rights groups. neighbouring Shabwa province last month. twice as prime minister. illegally”, judicial sources said. Iranians among Healing touch 74 killed in IS

attacks in Iraq Hamas’ MP and head of the parliament in Gaza City Ahmad Bahar and Palestinian MPs Ashraf Jomaa and Majed Abu Shamala attend a ceremony at which 14 families, who lost relatives in fighting between rival Palestinian AFP Rescue workers and members of the Yesterday’s attacks come as Iraqi factions Hamas and Fatah in 2007, received compensation in Gaza City yesterday. Nasiriyah security forces placed bodies in ambu- forces backed by tribal fi ghters closed lances and cleared away rubble and the in one of the last IS bastions in the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the country: Al-Qaim area on the border unmen and suicide car bomb- site. with war-ravaged Syria. ers yesterday killed at least 74 Burned bodies and vehicles includ- On Wednesday, an AFP correspond- Gpeople, including Iranians, near ing buses and trucks testifi ed to the ent in that area saw several artillery the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in violence of the attack. units positioning themselves around an attack claimed by the Islamic State Shelters built of corrugated metal the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100km Tunisia corruption amnesty group. were reduced to scraps of metal, twist- from the border with Syria. The attackers struck at midday, ed by heat. The group’s only other stronghold opening fi re on a restaurant before get- The area targeted is on a highway is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some ting into a car and blowing themselves used by pilgrims and visitors from 300km north of Baghdad. law sparks fears for democracy up at a nearby security checkpoint, of- neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy IS has suff ered a string of defeats on fi cials said. cities of Najaf and Karbala further the battlefi elds of both Iraq and Syria, Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy north, although Dhiqar has previously leaving in tatters the cross-border AFP people and Ben Ali offi cials on trial for appeal on the grounds it was uncon- health chief for the province of Dhiqar, been spared the worst of Iraq’s vio- “caliphate” it declared in 2014. Tunis corruption, in exchange for returning stitutional. said at least 74 people had died, includ- lence. But despite these setbacks, the ex- ill-gotten money plus paying a fi ne. Several offi cials have pointed out ing seven Iranians, and another 93 peo- IS claimed responsibility for the tremist group still has hundreds of In the face of growing public anger, the “contradiction” between the law ple were wounded. attacks in a statement carried by its fi ghters ready to carry out suicide at- pposition groups yesterday the text was revised to cover only of- and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed’s That was up from the previous toll Amaq propaganda arm. tacks. raised the alarm over Tunisia’s fi cials accused of involvement in ad- months-old “war on corruption”. of 52 dead and 91 wounded in what was — It said several suicide bombers had In addition, any military offensive Otransition to democracy after ministrative corruption, not those His party, Nidaa Tounes, which in- already the deadliest IS attack in Iraq staged the assault on a restaurant and a in Hawija is expected to be postponed parliament passed an amnesty law for who received bribes. cludes members of the former regime, since pro-government forces drove the security checkpoint. due to a planned referendum on offi cials accused of corruption under The presidency defended the law, welcomed the adoption of the law. militants out of second city Mosul in The extremist group regularly stag- Kurdish independence on September toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. saying it was needed to protect the The new legislation “paves the way July. es attacks in Iraq, where it has lost 25. The law passed on Wednesday economy and “free up the energies” of for a new stage in the history of Tuni- Security sources said the attack- swathes of territory to US-backed pro- Acting at the request of Prime Min- evening after a rowdy debate in parlia- the government. sia, that of reconciliation and union”, ers were disguised as members of the government forces. ister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi parlia- ment, coming in the wake of a cabinet The law applies to around 2,000 said the party, which was founded by Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shia par- Adding to the pressure on the mili- ment yesterday sacked the governor of reshuffl e that saw Ben Ali-era offi cials senior offi cials “who did not receive President Essebsi in the wake of the amilitary alliance which has fought tants, Iraqi forces recaptured the city Kirkuk over his decision for the north- join the cabinet as ministers of fi nance any bribes”, cabinet director Selim revolution. alongside the army and police against of Tal Afar and the surrounding region ern province to also take part in the and education. Azzabi said, adding it would aff ect Its partner in government, the Is- IS in northern Iraq. from IS on August 31. Kurdish referendum. The reshuffl e was seen as strength- people who “received instructions lamist movement Ennahdha, said it ening President Beji Caid Essebsi’s grip and applied them without profi ting” had supported the bill in favour of the on power months ahead of Tunisia’s under the dictatorship. “national interest”. fi rst post-revolution municipal polls. He said the law could boost Tuni- Marks said Ennahdha had “priori- Tunisia has been seen as a model of sia’s sluggish economic growth. tised the preservation of its governing Civil strife democratic transition since Ben Ali Opposition and civil society groups alliance with Nidaa”. was overthrown in a 2011 revolution have rejected that argument, saying “Ultimately, Ennahdha — despite that sparked the Arab Spring upris- the legislation grants impunity while being the party most persecuted by ings. corruption remains endemic. the old regime, including old regime But Monica Marks, an expert on Some say it could even represent a offi cials likely to be amnestied by the Tunisian politics, said the law’s pas- return to authoritarian practices. Reconciliation Law — ironically en- sage was “a huge symbolic victory for Amna Guellali of Human Rights sured its passage,” she said. impunity”. Watch said the law “risks perpetuat- Leftwing lawmaker Ahmed Sed- “It signals a green light, from the ing practices inherited from the old dik called for the public to be vigilant. top of Tunisia’s state institutions, to regime” and places the young democ- “Tomorrow, those who have com- individuals engaged in abuses of pow- racy on a “bad slope”. mitted crimes against you, who have er,” she said. Activists yesterday held a demon- stolen your money, we will fi nd them Proposed by Essebsi in mid-2015, stration against the law, with several in the highest positions as if there had the bill grants an amnesty to business- lawmakers have already prepared an been no revolution,” he said.

UN says to expand role in south Yemen

AFP government declared Aden its capital tries. We’re only here for the emergen- Aden in mid-2015, after being driven out of cy side of things,” he said, highlighting Sanaa by Houthi rebels. the country’s cholera epidemic and The government has been support- food security. he United Nations is in the ed by a Saudi-led military coalition The government last year moved process of expanding its role in since March 2015, and since then more the central bank from rebel-held Tsouthern Yemen, UN humani- than 8,000 people have been killed in Sanaa to Aden, a move the UN said tarian co-ordinator Jamie McGoldrick the confl ict. caused more than one mn civil serv- said in Aden yesterday. The war has left 17mn people facing ants to stop receiving their salaries, “We are bringing in more inter- dire food shortages including nearly pushing more families toward starva- nationals to be based here and also seven mn who are one step away from tion. to go to the provinces to support the famine in the country, which is heavily McGoldrick said he met with offi - humanitarian needs in those places,” dependent on food imports. cials from the coalition. McGoldrick told reporters at Aden “We expressed the need for the “We visited the Emirati base and airport. ministries here and elsewhere to be met with the coalition forces — the The co-ordinator said he met Yem- functioning properly, for budgets to Emiratis and the Saudis — and we en’s prime minister to discuss the be given to them so they can do their had a chat about the current situation humanitarian situation and logistics work,” said McGoldrick. and our expansion plans and what Smoke rises from buildings following a strike on a rebel-held area of the Jobar district, east of the Syrian capital. during his visit to the city. “The UN and international com- their own activities look like,” he said, Yemen’s internationally recognised munity cannot replace these minis- without elaborating.

UN trying to improve ‘terrible’ migrant detention conditions in Libya

AFP led by, or are in the areas control- that a mix of women, children, taking migrants to the water in trying to convince the unity gov- repatriated so far this year, she rule under Nato intervention six San Jose led by, the government,” Laura men” all thrown in together, she fl imsy boats. ernment to provide alternatives said. years ago, instability and confl ict Thompson of the International said. But the UN human rights chief, to detention for women and chil- Obstacles to the process in- have persisted with the interna- Organization for Migration said Until recently, Libya had been Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, last week dren. cluded some migrants lacking tionally recognised government he UN agency for migra- after a migration conference in a major launching off point for accused the EU of “turning a It was also encouraging the identity papers and many African competing with militias and rival tion is trying to improve Costa Rica. migrants, most of them from Af- blind eye” to the brutality suf- Libyan coastguard to follow in- countries not having consular administrations. T“terrible” conditions for “I don’t think that anybody rican countries, trying to cross fered by migrants the coastguard ternational standards in order representation in Libya, she said. The IOM has been trying to migrants detained in Libya, and knows” how many people are be- the Mediterranean to Europe. directed into the detention cen- to prevent the “vicious circle of Thompson noted that most of stem migrant fl ows from some repatriate those willing and able ing kept in the facilities, where But since July the number of tres. saving people and putting them the migrants in Libya were there African countries to Libya. to go home, its deputy head told “extremely bad” conditions attempted crossings has dropped Hundreds of thousands were in detention conditions that are looking for jobs, drawn to its op- In Niger, for instance, Thomp- AFP. reign, she said. off dramatically. being subjected to abuses includ- terrible.” portunities in its oil sector and son said the agency had been dis- “I think there are somewhere Not only was there a “lack of Libya’s coastguard has re- ing torture, slave labour and rape, At the same time, it was send- once solid tourism industry. tributing information about the around 31 or 32 detention cen- food, lack of adequate sanitary ceived European Union funding he said. ing willing migrants back to their But since the end of former dire conditions awaiting those tres, and around half are control- conditions, but in addition to and training to stop smugglers Thompson said the IOM was home countries, with some 7,500 dictator Muammar Gaddafi ’s still bent on travelling to Libya. Gulf Times 4 Friday, September 15, 2017 AFRICA Zuma bid to counter nearly 800 bribery charges now in doubt

AFP Charges were fi rst brought court’s decision, it would open the prosecuting authority had Asked by one of the judges if he Zuma: has survived several legal challenges alongside allegations of Bloemfontein against Zuma in 2005, dropped the door to Zuma’s prosecution. failed to prove that those anoma- defended the decision to drop the corruption and incompetence. by prosecutors in 2009 and or- Zuma is accused of taking lies would have denied Zuma a charges, Zuma’s lawyer Kemp J dered reinstated last year by the kickbacks from the $5bn (€4.2bn) fair hearing. Kemp said: “No I’m not defend- nalists following the hearing. legal challenges alongside allega- awyers for South African North Gauteng High Court af- post-apartheid purchase of At the time charges were ing it.” “He should have been pros- tions of corruption and incom- President Jacob Zuma ap- ter a legal campaign by the main fi ghter jets, patrol boats and brought in 2005, Zuma was em- “You accept that the deci- ecuted at the time, it is actually petence. Lpeared yesterday to have opposition Democratic Alliance other arms manufactured by fi ve broiled in a bitter power strug- sion was irrational and cannot outrageous that eight-and-a- The ruling ANC party’s elec- abandoned eff orts to fi ght the re- (DA) party. European fi rms, including British gle with former president Thabo stand?” asked another of the half years later and millions of tive conference in December will instatement of nearly 800 brib- The president’s lawyers – as military equipment maker BAE Mbeki and was forced to resign judges. rands of legal cost later, we get to elect a new party leader who will ery charges against the embat- well as the National Prosecuting systems and French company because of his legal woes. “Yes,” said Kemp. the stage where we should have likely go on to be the organisa- tled leader. Authority – had appealed that Thales. In 2007, Zuma replaced Mbeki The unexpected developments been in 2007,” he added. tion’s presidential candidate in Zuma’s attorney shocked the ruling. The charges were dropped in as head of the ruling African Na- have given the DA new hope that Opposition parties have polls due in 2019. Supreme Court of Appeal in Blo- That move led to yesterday’s 2009 after claims emerged that tional Congress (ANC) party and Zuma will soon have his day in mounted several bids to have Any reinstatement of charges emfontein when they accepted hearing, which fi nished incon- there had been political interfer- forced him from the presidential court. Zuma removed from offi ce in re- threatens to undermine Zuma’s that a 2009 decision by pros- clusively and without an ex- ence in the case that could have palace in 2008. “(This) opens the door, in our cent months including a vote of preferred successor, his ex-wife ecutors to drop 783 corruption pected date for the court’s fi nal prejudiced Zuma’s defence. Since then, the DA has been to view, to the inevitability of the no confi dence and an opposition Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and charges against President Jacob decision. The Supreme Court judges court a dozen times to have the charges being reinstituted,” DA bid to dissolve parliament. could even see him pushed from Zuma was “irrational”. If the judges uphold the lower argued forcefully yesterday that charges reinstated against Zuma. chairman James Selfe told jour- But Zuma has survived several offi ce before 2019.

Stop using the army for ‘dirty’ work, says Lesotho king Clashes in

AFP making us a laughing stock of southeast Malibamatso, Lesotho other nations”. “Khoantle’s death has scared us all,” he said. “Let us stop en- Nigeria ing Letsie III has called gaging in activities that throw on Lesotho’s political this country into disarray.” Kleaders to stop using the He urged the army to sup- AFP army for “dirty” work, as he ad- port the new acting commander, Lagos dressed mourners at the funeral Major General Lineo Poopa, of a commander who was assas- to “work hard to get the army sinated last week. out of these serious, consistent ensions mounted between Khoantle Motsomotso was problems”. Nigerian security forces gunned down by rival offi cers at The shootout took place just Tand pro-Biafran support- a barracks in the capital Maseru, two months after an election ers yesterday, after renewed pro- as the struggle between the tiny won by Prime Minister Thomas tests calling for independence nation’s military and politicians Thabane, which was expected to and clashes targeting the police. continues to be marred by vio- usher in a new era of stability. In the capital of the southern lence. Critics accuse the military of state of Rivers, Port Harcourt, 32 “My plea to us all leaders is favouring Thabane’s old rival, people were arrested after two to stop sneaking around, ap- Pakalitha Mosisili, who ruled days of demonstrations and the proaching soldiers to do our from 1998 to 2012 and 2015 to death of one police offi cer. dirty political missions while we 2017. In neighbouring Abia state, promise them all sorts of things,” Motsomotso was the second supporters of the Indigenous said Letsie, who is Lesotho’s Lesotho army chief to be assas- People of Biafra (IPOB) group constitutional monarch. sinated by fellow soldiers in two targeted police in the commer- He said that the killing had years. cial hub, Aba, and the capital, caused “embarrassment” and The two offi cers who shot Umuahia. “scared” the small mountain Motsomotso were later shot Police vehicles were seen with kingdom. dead by his bodyguards. smashed windscreens and of- The funeral was held in a vil- The offi cers, Tefo Hashatsi The coff in of Army Lieutenant-General Khoantle Motsomotso is carried in procession at his funeral in Malibamatso. King Letsie III said that fi cers fi red warning shots, while lage around 80km north of Ma- and Bulane Sechele, were among the killing of the country’s army commander last week had caused ‘embarrassment’ and ‘scared’ the small mountain kingdom. there were reports of petrol seru and attended by hundreds soldiers that the Southern Afri- bombs thrown and bonfi res set of mourners. can Development Community Letsie is a constitutional Deputy Prime Minister Mon- “We must stop enticing sol- has been leading peace talks in to restrict movement. Flanked by army chiefs from (SADC) had said should be pros- monarch who has no role in the yane Moleleki echoed the king’s diers ... if we stop this, we will Lesotho, is due to hold a meet- A police station in Aba was several neighbouring countries, ecuted for the murder of former political aff airs of the impover- sentiments, urging politicians to be able to regain lost peace and ing today in Pretoria to discuss burnt down between 6am (0500 the king said that the killing had army commander Maaparankoe ished nation, which is surround- stop using the army for political stability,” he said. the latest developments in the GMT) and 7am yesterday, said “embarrassed us as a nation ... Mahao in 2015. ed by South Africa. gains. The regional SADC, which country. state police spokesman Geoff rey Ogbonna. “We are investigating the in- cident but no arrest has been made,” he told AFP but denied reports that the commissioner Zimbabwe opposition warns over 2018 polls voter registration of police’s residence in Umuahia was attacked. A three-day dusk-to-dawn AFP/DPA registration process itself lacks kits ordered from China have The Supreme Court subse- curfew was imposed in Abia on Harare transparency. arrived. quently annulled the result and Tuesday to prevent clashes after “The prescription of a date to Rita Makarau, the head of the ordered a re-run. IPOB leaders said troops killed close new voter registration cre- Zimbabwe Electoral Commis- “We will use all constitution- fi ve of its members. imbabwe’s long-serving ates a risk of disenfranchising sion, confi rmed this shortfall al, political and legal pressure to The army has denied the President Robert Mugabe voters,” the MDC argued in court but insisted that it would not make sure we have (an election) claims. Zunveiled a new biometric documents seen by AFP. “There have a detrimental eff ect on reg- that is free and fair next year,” Abia state governor Okezie voter registration programme is no need to jump the gun and istration. MDC spokesman Obert Gutu Ikpeazu said he recognised the yesterday ahead of next year’s order a chaotic, premature com- “That (shortage) will not told AFP. presence of troops had been a elections, drawing criticism mencement of the registration have an impact on the target of Zimbabwe’s 2013 election re- cause of “great concern” but from opponents who claim that process. 7mn we want to register. Let’s sult was disputed by MDC leader they would be withdrawn from the system could be manipu- “It is evident that, by and talk when the exercise ends and Morgan Tsvangirai who accused Aba and Umuahia by today. lated. large, there are no kits to com- see what would have happened Mugabe of manipulating the “With the expected exit of Registration will open nation- mence registration.” then,” Makarau said. vote in his favour. soldiers from the streets, we wide on Monday and continue The MDC says that the Zim- The MDC’s submission also In 2008, he beat Mugabe in must warn that we will not tol- until January 15 next year for babwe Electoral Commission raised fears about the control, the fi rst round of voting but erate agitators and protesters the polls in which 93-year-old does not have enough resources location and impartiality of failed to win an outright major- taking over the streets for any Mugabe will seek to extend his Mugabe speaks with off icials as he undergoes the biometric voter to register all eligible citizens electronic voting systems that ity, leading to a run-off . reason,” he added. 37-year-long stranglehold on registration (BVR) process yesterday at State House in Harare, before the period ends in Janu- will be used in the election. He later pulled out of the sec- IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has power. becoming the first citizen to be registered on the new voters’ roll. ary 2018. Kenya faced chaotic scenes ond ballot as violence against his been charged with treasonable But opposition parties have The new voters’ roll is being after the main opposition party supporters raged. felony and is currently on bail warned that registration au- the ballot open to rigging. Harare High Court to argue that created using biometric voter alleged that election commis- Past elections in Zimbabwe pending the resumption of his thorities are not ready for the The main opposition MDC the electoral commission has registration (BVR) for the fi rst sion servers had been hacked have been marred by violence, trial in the capital, Abuja, next process, creating a risk of errors (Movement for Democratic not procured enough equipment time but only 400 of the 3,000 during last month’s presidential intimidation and charges of month. on the voter roll that could leave Change) party has gone to the to register voters and that the BVR vote. electoral fraud. His arrest in October 2015 and detention was the catalyst for a new wave of demonstrations calling for independence for the Igbo ethnic group that domi- nates the southeast. EU says spot checks show confusion, not conspiracy in Kenyan polls The issue is a sensitive one in Nigeria, as a previous unilat- eral declaration of an independ- Reuters Raila Odinga on October 17, af- irregularities, the EU said in run unless some demands are In some cases they only did so In a separate development ent republic of Biafra in 1967 Nairobi ter the Supreme Court nullifi ed a statement that it had exam- met, including the resignation of after the legal deadline for the yesterday, ruling party law- sparked a bloody civil war that Kenyatta’s victory citing irregu- ined 1,558 randomly-selected key election board offi cials. opposition to mount court chal- maker Ngunjiri Wambugu fi led lasted 30 months. larities in the tallying process. scanned polling station results But the EU said it did not fi nd lenges to the results had passed, a court petition seeking to have More than 1mn people died, bservers found technical Credible elections would forms from 82 constituencies. anything indicating deliberate they noted. Chief Justice David Maraga re- most of them Igbos, from the ef- issues but no evidence of boost Kenya’s role as East Af- A small percentage were un- manipulation of the vote in the The EU urged the election moved for gross misconduct in fects of war, famine and disease. Ovote-rigging in Kenya’s rica’s richest economy and a readable, others had mathemat- forms it examined. “There was commission to use standardised connection with the annulment Kanu, who also runs Radio presidential election last month, stable Western ally in a region ical mistakes, and others were little variation in the patterns of forms with security features like of the election. Biafra, has vowed a non-violent the European Union said yester- roiled by confl ict. missing data or signatures. anomalies ... and no obvious ad- serial numbers to reduce the op- “Chief Justice Maraga needs approach to force a referendum day, based on random checks of But problems with the vote The country had nearly vantage to one camp or another.” portunities for confusion in the to be censured, I believe he has on self-determination. tallies from polling stations. could spark unrest: 1,200 people 41,000 polling stations and 290 However, the observers noted upcoming polls. participated in gross miscon- “We have chosen the track The fi nding was announced died in violence after a disputed constituencies. that more than a quarter of poll- It said the electoral board duct, which is unprofessional. I of peaceful agitation, non-vio- as Kenya gears up for a re-run of 2007 election. Odinga alleged that the origi- ing stations were severely late in must do a better job of pub- believe that gross misconduct is lence, persuasion, logic, reason, the contest between President Bolstering the Supreme nal vote was marred by fraud and posting their manually complet- licly explaining the processes it trying to infl uence a presidential argument,” he told AFP in an in- Uhuru Kenyatta and challenger Court’s fi ndings of technical is threatening to boycott the re- ed tallying sheets online. would follow in tallying the vote. election,” Wambugu said. terview in May. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 5 AMERICAS

President thanks Florida fi rst Trump ‘close’ to responders for Irma work Reuters and local offi cials for their han- cility in the hours leading up to Fort Myers, Florida dling of the storm. this situation,” Hollywood city “When you think of the in- spokeswoman Raelin Storey told credible power of that storm, a news conference yesterday. S President Donald and while people unfortunate- Irma rampaged through the Trump praised fi rst re- ly passed, it was such a small Caribbean, devastating several a deal on DACA Usponders in storm- number,” Trump said. “People islands and raking the northern ravaged Florida yesterday for thought thousands and thou- shore of Cuba last week. Reuters potential deal on DACA. limiting the US death toll from sands of people may have their It barreled into the Florida Washington He had promised as a can- devastating Hurricane Irma, the lives ended and the number is Keys island chain on Sunday, didate to deport all of the esti- second major storm to hit the a very small number, which is a packing sustained winds of up to mated 11mn illegal immigrants in United States this year. great tribute to you.” 130mph (215kph) before plowing resident Donald Trump the United States, and said that Trump’s visit came the day af- The visit marked Trump’s up the Gulf Coast of the state and said yesterday that he was a wall would be built to stop the ter police in Hollywood, Florida, third visit to a storm-hit part dissipating. Pclose to a deal with Demo- fl ow from Mexico of illegal immi- launched an criminal investiga- of the United States in the past Some 3.1mn homes and busi- cratic congressional leaders on grants and drugs. tion into a nursing home where three weeks, following two visits nesses, representing close to protections for illegal immigrants “It looks to me like he’s pre- eight patients died after the fa- to Texas in the wake of Hurricane one-third of the state’s popula- brought to the United States as paring to keep Hillary Clinton’s cility lost power and continued Harvey’s record fl ooding. tion, were without power yester- children, astounding fellow Re- campaign promise rather than to operate with little or no air It was seen as a clear bid to day in Florida and neighbouring publicans again while alarming his own,” Republican Repre- conditioning in sweltering heat. avoid the criticism that Repub- states. conservative supporters. sentative Steve King told CNN, The death toll from Hurricane lican president George W Bush Some 20% of Florida’s gas sta- Trump, who met with the top referring to Trump’s Democratic Irma stood at 81 yesterday, in- received for his administration’s tions had no fuel yesterday, down Democrats in the Senate and election rival. cluding 38 in the United States, slow and ineffi cient response to from a peak of 46%, according House of Representatives, Chuck Breitbart News, the hard- with several hard-hit Caribbean 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. to fuel information service Gas Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, at line conservative news website islands including Puerto Rico That storm killed 1,800 people Buddy. the White House on Wednes- headed by Trump’s former top and the US Virgin Islands ac- around New Orleans. Total insured losses from the day evening, said that any fi nal strategist Steve Bannon, called counting for more than half of Firefi ghters and medics re- storm are expected to run about agreement must include sig- the president “Amnesty Don” in the fatalities. sponding to a Wednesday emer- $25bn, including $18bn in the nifi cant steps to protect border a headline. Florida offi cials including gency call in Hollywood north of United States and $7bn in the security including surveillance Many conservatives oppose Governor Rick Scott and US Sen- Miami found three people dead Caribbean, catastrophe modeler systems. giving legal status or a path to- ator Marco Rubio greeted Trump inside a building whose second Karen Clark & Co estimated on The president added that ward citizenship to illegal immi- and Vice-President Mike Pence fl oor the police chief later de- Wednesday. funding for his planned wall grants, calling such steps “am- in Fort Myers, Florida. scribed as “extremely hot”. About 25% of homes in the along the US-Mexican border – nesty” to law-breakers. The president, wearing a white Hollywood offi cials said eight Keys were destroyed and 65% a centrepiece of his 2016 presi- Trump, US Vice-President Mike Pence and First Lady Melania Trump Regarding the Dreamers, baseball cap with “USA” written people aged 71 to 99 died at the heavily damaged, according to dential campaign – would “come pose for a selfie yesterday as they help serve food to people aff ected Trump said he was not looking at on it, later visited Naples, near for-profi t Rehabilitation Centre federal offi cials. later” and would not be part of by Hurricane Irma, in Naples, Florida. citizenship or amnesty. where Irma fi rst reached the US at Hollywood Hills, but the caus- Irma hit Florida about two any fi nal deal on the fate of the “We’re talking about taking mainland on Sunday, handed out es were not yet determined. weeks after Hurricane Harvey 800,000 so-called Dreamers. Trump also said Republican in March, giving lawmakers six care of people ... that have done sandwiches to resident at a feed- “We’re looking into the tem- ploughed into Houston, kill- But, speaking to reporters, he House Speaker Paul Ryan and months to come up with an alter- a good job and were not brought ing station under a blue shade perature inside the facility, the ing about 60 people and causing said Democrats “cannot obstruct Senate Majority Leader Mitch native for the Dreamers. here of their own volition,” pavilion. staffi ng inside the facility, and some $180bn in damage, mostly the wall”. McConnell were both “on board” DACA, created by Trump’s Trump said. Trump praised fi rst responders all the conditions inside the fa- from fl ooding. “We have to have an under- with the potential deal on im- Democratic predecessor Barack The potential deal comes af- standing that whether it’s in the migration issues and that “we’re Obama, shields the Dreamers, ter Trump stunned Republican budget or some other vehicle in a doing it in conjunction with the mostly Hispanic young adults, leaders last week by reaching an very short period of time, the wall Republicans”. from deportation and provides agreement with Schumer and will be funded. Otherwise, we’re The potential agreement was work permits. Pelosi to fund the government not doing anything,” Trump said the latest development in the McConnell and Ryan, both of and raise the US debt ceiling as he landed in Florida to survey president’s newfound willing- whom have had a tense relation- through mid-December. hurricane damage. ness to work with Democrats ship with Trump, made com- Trump’s hardline conserva- Schumer and Pelosi reiter- after Republicans, who control ments that suggested they might tive supporters had cheered his ated their opposition to the wall, Congress, failed to deliver legis- not be on board, as the president decision to rescind DACA, but and Democrats in the past have lative victories on healthcare and said. have become increasingly uneasy promised to block funding for it. other matters. “There is no agreement,” Ryan with the businessman-turned- “I think we’re fairly close but Trump rescinded the Deferred told reporters about DACA. politician, in particular after we have to get massive border Action for Childhood Arrivals “I think the president under- he dismissed Bannon in August security,” Trump told reporters (DACA) programme earlier this stands that he’s got to work the and began looking for common earlier in the day. month but made that eff ective congressional majority,” he told ground with Democrats. reporters, referring to Republi- Trump also endorsed US Sen- US House passes $1.2tn measure to fund govt cans, adding that “we have not ator Luther Strange in an election begun negotiations” although fi ght in Alabama against a hard- The US House of Representatives has passed a $1.2tn bill to fund most he expected a compromise to be line conservative Republican. government activities in the fiscal year beginning October 1, knowing that reached. Schumer and Pelosi said they the Senate will disagree with many controversial elements and force a McConnell issued a non-com- agreed with Trump that he would negotiation that could stretch into December. mittal statement. “support enshrining DACA pro- The bill, passed by a 211-198 vote largely along party lines in the Republi- “As Congress debates the best tections into law, and encourage can-controlled House, provides $658.1bn for the Department of Defence ways to address illegal immigra- the House and Senate to act”. and $44.3bn for the Department of Homeland Security, including roughly tion through strong border se- “What remains to be nego- $1.6bn for construction of physical barriers along the US-Mexican border. curity and interior enforcement, tiated are the details of border The $31.4bn allotted for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental DACA should be part of those security, with a mutual goal Protection Agency (EPA), the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service and discussions. We look forward to of fi nalising all details as soon related agencies cut the EPA’s funding by $534mn when compared to the receiving the Trump administra- as possible,” they said. “While prior fiscal year. tion’s legislative proposal as we both sides agreed that the wall The funding measure also included a provision that would stop the Internal continue our work on these is- would not be any part of this Revenue Service from implementing a provision of the 2010 Aff ordable sues,” he said. agreement, the president made Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, that imposes a tax penalty on The US president faced a quick clear he intends to pursue it at a Residents of a rural migrant-worker town patiently wait in line for emergency donations following individuals who elect to go without health insurance. backlash from his hardline con- later time, and we made clear we Hurricane Irma in Immokalee, Florida. A group of volunteers from Atlanta handed out groceries and servative political base over his would continue to oppose it.” sanitary items to hundreds of residents.

Residence of farm minister US Treasury chief raided in Brazil graft probe sought Air Force jet for honeymoon use his home state of Mato Grosso. Maggi denied any wrongdo- Reuters He served two terms as gov- ing, claiming in a statement that Brasilia/Sao Paulo ernor there between 2003 and Barbosa “lied” in his plea bargain AFP secure communications. 2010. testimony. Washington The offi cial said Treasury According to a person with di- “I never authorised any illegal considers “a wide range of op- razilian police raided the rect knowledge of the matter, the actions while in offi ce nor have I tions to ensure he has these home of Agriculture Min- raid was linked to a plea deal by obstructed justice,” Maggi said. S Treasury Secretary capabilities during his travel, Bister Blairo Maggi yester- former Mato Grosso state gover- Maggi is a billionaire who was Steven Mnuchin was including the possible use of day in a corruption investigation nor Silval Barbosa, who accuses once Brazil’s largest soybean pro- Uback in an awkward military aircraft”. linked to his time as a state gov- Maggi of participating in the cor- ducer. Maggi: I never authorised any illegal actions while in off ice nor have I spotlight yesterday following However, “Treasury with- ernor, adding to the graft scan- ruption scheme. His family fi rm Amaggi SA obstructed justice. reports that he asked to use a drew its request after a secure dals rocking President Michel Barbosa was Maggi’s vice- runs large farms in Mato Gros- military jet this summer for his communications option was Temer’s government. governor, replacing him in the so and operates a commodity warrants in nine cities, is a major whose economic reform agenda European honeymoon. identifi ed during the secre- Last month the Supreme Court top job in 2010 when Maggi re- trading business that competes producer of grains and cattle. has been repeatedly thwarted The news was only the latest tary’s extended travel”. opened a bribery probe into signed to run for a seat in Brazil’s in Brazil with global fi rms like Raids were also conducted in by graft investigations that have embarrassment for the notably Following a trip last month Maggi’s role in a scheme known Senate. Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, São Paulo and Brasília, the police targeted top offi cials, including wealthy Treasury secretary, to Kentucky, when the couple as “mensalinho”, a payment of a Barbosa was subsequently and Bunge. said in a statement. the president. a former investor and Holly- visited the US gold reserve at monthly stipend to lawmakers in elected to a four-year term that Mato Grosso, where federal The probe marks the latest Temer has denied any wrong- wood mogul. Fort Knox, Linton, 36, posted exchange for political support in ended in 2014. police said they served search blow to Temer’s administration, doing. His actress wife Louise Lin- a photo of herself descending ton recently apologised for from an government plane on lashing out on social media at the social media network In- Selena Gomez a woman who criticised her for stagram, tagging the brands of advertising the high fashion designer clothing and accesso- reveals kidney op brands that she was wearing ries she wore. Venezuela’s new plan to beat hunger: rabbits during an offi cial visit to Ken- She later apologised for her Selena Gomez revealed yesterday tucky with Mnuchin. condescending and “highly in- that she underwent a kidney ABC News reported on sensitive” responses to a wom- transplant in her latest treatment Reuters and balconies of their homes. Maduro’s critics lampooned Organisation (FAO). However, Wednesday that Mnuchin re- an who criticised her for ap- for lupus – and that actress Caracas Maduro’s adversaries dismiss the idea. raising rabbits in signifi cant quested the use of a US Air pearing to use taxpayer funds Francia Raisa was her donor. such ideas as nonsensical, in- “Are you serious?” asked quantities in contemporary Force jet, which costs $25,000 for a vacation. The pop singer posted a picture sisting that the real problem is Henrique Capriles, a state gov- Venezuela would be diffi cult. an hour to operate, to take the The Treasury Department on Instagram of herself and Raisa enezuela’s government a failed model of oil-fi nanced ernor and two-time opposition The country’s constant newlywed couple to Scotland, said that the couple reim- holding hands from adjoining this week urged citizens socialism that was unable to presidential candidate in a video shortages, resulting from strin- France, and Italy following bursed taxpayers for the cost hospital beds. Vto see rabbits as more survive after crude markets col- to response to Bernal. “You want gent price and currency con- their summer wedding, which of Linton’s travel, although Another picture showed a large than “cute pets” as it defended lapsed. people to start raising rabbits to trols, would probably leave the President Donald Trump at- the department’s inspector- scar across her abdomen. a plan to breed and eat them “There is a cultural problem solve the problem of hunger in would-be rabbit industry strug- tended. general has opened a review of “So I found out I needed to get even as the opposition says this because we have been taught our country?” gling to fi nd materials ranging Mnuchin, 54, ultimately did the trip. a kidney transplant due to my would do nothing to end chronic that rabbits are cute pets,” Ur- Rabbit consumption is com- from feed to metal and wire for not use the jet. A former Goldman Sachs ex- lupus and was recovering. It food shortages. ban Agriculture Minister Freddy mon in Europe and to lesser ex- breeding cages. A Treasury Department ecutive, Hollywood producer was what I needed to do for my The “Rabbit Plan” is an eff ort Bernal said during a televised tent in the United States. Maduro says the country is spokesperson acknowledged and banker, Mnuchin is a one overall health,” she wrote. “I by the government of President broadcast with Maduro this The animals are more ef- a victim of an “economic war” that Mnuchin requested the of a cadre of wealthy Trump honestly look forward to sharing Nicolas Maduro to boost food week. “A rabbit is not a pet; it’s fi cient than pigs and cattle in led by adversaries and fueled by military plane, saying that administration offi cials. with you soon my journey availability. two and a half kilos (5.5 pounds) converting protein into edible recent sanctions imposed by the as Treasury Secretary and a Fortune magazine estimates through these past several Authorities have also taught of meat that is high in protein, meat, according to the United administration of US President member of the National Secu- Mnuchin’s net worth is as high months.” citizens to plant food on roofs with no cholesterol.” Nations Food and Agriculture Donald Trump. rity Council he needs access to as $500mn. Gulf Times 6 Friday, September 15, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

NARCOTICS CALAMITY DISASTER WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Vietnam braces for Nine killed in coal mine Evidence of world’s rarest World’s oldest panda in Typhoon Doksuri gas explosion in China birds found in Australia captivity dies in China

Vietnam yesterday ordered tens of thousands Nine people were killed in coal mine gas A feather from one of the most elusive birds in The world’s oldest panda in captivity has died of people to evacuate its central coastal area explosion in northeast China’s Heilongjiang the world has been found in South Australia, in China, state news agency Xinhua reported as Typhoon Doksuri closed in, with off icials Province, local authorities said yesterday. The the first proof in more than a century that it yesterday. The 37-year-old panda, named Basi, predicting the storm could be the most powerful explosion occurred on Wednesday afternoon lives there. The “night parrot” ranks among the died Wednesday at the Strait Panda Research in a decade. Doksuri is expected to make landfall at the Yuchen coal mine in Jidong County, the world’s rarest avian species and was thought and Exchange Centre in Fuzhou, Fujian province, in Vietnam mid-day today, packing heavy winds county government said. At the time of the extinct until an intrepid Australian naturalist Xinhua said. “Basi had died of multiple illnesses, and rain. Off icials ordered an off shore fishing blast, 17 miners were working underground. Of provided photo evidence of one in Queensland including liver cirrhosis and renal failure,” said ban, while some 47,000 people in Ha Tinh them, eight were rescued and rushed to hospital. state in 2013. It has since also been spotted Chen Yucun, the centre’s director. Basi had been Antony Lambert (right) of France attends province began leaving their homes yesterday, They are in stable conditions, (Xinhua) news in Western Australia. The expert behind the ill since June. Basi became a household name in his trial inside a court room in Denpasar on according to an off icial from the Vietnam agency reported. Bodies of the rest nine miners Queensland sighting, John Young, and fellow China in 1990 after being chosen as the model Indonesia’s resort island of Bali yesterday. Disaster Management Authority who declined have been lifted to the ground. An investigation ecologist Keith Bellchambers from the Australian for the mascot of the Asian Games in Beijing. The Lambert, 23, was arrested upon arrival in Bali to be named. The storm is forecast to lash four into the cause of the explosion is under way. In Wildlife Conservancy have now shown it is also giant panda is listed by the International Union from Kuala Lumpur in June when custom central provinces with heavy rain and winds another incident, nine workers were trapped in South Australia. The pair found a feather from for the Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable officers found around 14g of marijuana and a of up to 155km per hour (96 miles per hour), when a railway tunnel under construction the small, yellowish-green bird in the nest of a species. Until 2016, the species was listed as small bag of marijuana seeds in his suitcase. according to the Hong Kong Observatory. collapsed yesterday morning. zebra finch around remote Lake Eyre. endangered. Malaysia school blaze kills 23

AFP Kuala Lumpur

wenty-three people, mostly children, were Tkilled yesterday by a blaze that tore through a Malaysian re- ligious school, trapping them in a dormitory with metal grilles bar- ring its windows. Pupils and teachers inside the Islamic study centre in down- town Kuala Lumpur screamed for help as neighbours looked on helplessly. Many of the bodies of the victims — who included 21 boys mostly in their teens — were found piled on top of one an- other, indicating there may have been a stampede as the students sought to escape the inferno, which erupted before dawn. Firefi ghters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but it wreaked terrible dev- astation. Pictures showed ash- covered, fi re-blackened beds in the students’ sleeping quarters. The accident will increase scrutiny of the religious schools known as tahfi z, where many Muslim Malaysians send their children to study the Holy Qur’an but which are not regulated by education authorities and often Relatives gather inside the the hospital where fire victims are treated. operate illegally. Norhayati Abdul Halim, who she added. Offi cials said that the maniam. Fire offi cials said they only temporary but those run- side the school, and said he had lives opposite the school, told children were unable to escape suspected the blaze — one of ning the school should neverthe- seen his son only the previous A fire victim’s relative breaks down inside Hospital Kuala Lumpur. AFP she heard screams as the the fi re because the blaze blocked the deadliest in Malaysia for two less have followed safety require- evening. “He was in a jovial mood morning call to prayer rang out. the only door to the top-fl oor decades — was caused by an elec- ments. — he loved studying here,” he told legedly been beaten at one of the a political scientist. Religious “I thought there were people dormitory and the windows were trical short circuit, or a mosquito Subramaniam said the bodies AFP, adding another of his sons institutions last year. Deputy schools are not “above the law. fi ghting,” the 46-year-old said. closed off with metal security repelling device. of 21 students and two staff mem- had been “saved” as he had re- Prime Minister Zahid said fi re One should close down schools “I opened the window to my grilles. Fourteen students man- Offi cials said the school was bers had been recovered, revising fused to attend the school for the department records showed which do not abide by the rules”, house and I could see the school aged to get out, and seven are be- operating without the correct li- down an earlier offi cial death toll past fortnight. there had been 31 blazes at tahfi z he added. on fi re — they cried for help but I ing treated in hospital. cences and Deputy Prime Minis- of 24. The bodies, many severely The accident will add to since 2011. The latest tragedy was More than 60% of multicul- couldn’t do anything.” “They escaped by breaking ter Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, during burned, were being identifi ed by mounting concerns about the re- “the consequence of the absence tural Malaysia’s population of By the time fi refi ghters arrived through a grille, and then jump- a visit to the centre, announced DNA tests, he said. ligious study centres. of enforcement, and the failure about 30mn are Muslim Malay, at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah ing down, some of them came authorities had launched an in- Nik Azlan Nik Abdul Kadir, They are already facing scru- to abide by rules and regulations and the country is also home to school in the heart of the capi- down holding onto (drain) pipes,” vestigation. who lost a 12-year-old in the fi re, tiny in the wake of the death of by the operators of the religious substantial religious and ethnic tal, “the screams had stopped”, said Health Minister S Subra- He said the premises had been hugged his sobbing wife out- an 11-year-old boy who had al- school”, said Chandra Muzaff ar, minorities.

Australian media win relaxed Singapore swears in ownership laws UN seeks Rohingya aid, Australia’s big media players fi rst female president have won long-sought reforms that will allow them to boost market share by facilitating AFP as presidents,” she added. The consolidation, although doubts Singapore president also pledged to be in- remain on whether the changes dependent in exercising her cus- slams ethnic cleansing can stem the declines at the todial powers over the reserves, moguls’ ageing empires. Billed ingapore yesterday inaugu- which are rarely tapped by the Reuters as a means to compete with rated its fi rst female presi- government. Dhaka/Yangon online giants such as Netflix Sdent amid stinging criticism Halimah was a member of and Alphabet Inc’s Google, that she is taking offi ce without parliament for the ruling Peo- the loosening of ownership a vote. Halimah Yacob, a former ple’s Action Party for nearly two he United Nations ap- restrictions was approved by speaker of parliament from the decades before resigning to con- pealed yesterday for Australia’s parliament yesterday Malay Muslim minority, won the test the presidency. Tmassive help for nearly after the country’s centre-right presidency in a walkover after au- Authorities decided to allow 400,000 Muslims from My- government won support for thorities decided her rivals did not only candidates from the Malay anmar who have fl ed to Bang- the reforms from independent meet strict eligibility criteria. community to foster harmony ladesh, with concern growing politicians. The changes, While the role is largely cer- in the city-state of 5.5mn peo- that the number could keep ris- supported by Rupert Murdoch’s emonial, the president has veto ple which is dominated by ethnic ing, unless Myanmar ends what News Corp , Fairfax Media and powers on key government ap- Chinese, and give more opportu- critics denounce as “ethnic Kerry Stokes-chaired Seven West pointments and safeguards the nities to minorities. cleansing”. Media, remove the so-called “two country’s substantial fi nancial Halimah is the fi rst Malay The Rohingya are fl eeing out of three” rule prohibiting reserves. In her fi rst speech as president of Singapore for al- from a Myanmar military off en- one organisation from owning president, Halimah, 63, ad- most fi ve decades. The last was sive in the western state of Ra- all three media – television, dressed the racial tensions that Yusof Ishak, president from 1965 khine. The United Nations has newspaper and radio – in any have sprung up as a result of the to 1970, the fi rst years of the city- called for a massive intensifi ca- given city. Television networks process and vowed to be presi- state’s independence. tion of relief operations to help will also be allowed to extend dent of all Singaporeans “regard- But the absence of an election the refugees, and a much bigger their reach beyond the previously less of race, language or religion”. has angered Singaporeans, with response from the international allowed 75% of the population. “I look forward to the day many venting their ire on social community. The changes are expected to when we will no longer need to... media. Social activist Gilbert “We urge the international A Rohingya refugee woman cries as her relative lost consciousness after a boat capsized on the unleash a wave of consolidation have reserved elections, and Sin- Goh has organised a protest on community to step up humani- shore of Shah Porir Dwip while crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh. locally, allowing long-established gaporeans naturally and regu- Saturday at the city-state’s des- tarian support and come up media players, including the larly elect citizens of all races ignated free-speech corner. with help,” Mohammed Ab- in the north of Rakhine have A UN panel of experts defi ned Two dead as Murdoch family, to increase their diker, director of operations been torched but authorities it as “rendering an area ethni- boat capsizes already vast interests. and emergencies for the Inter- have denied that security forces cally homogeneous by using It could clear the path for News national Organisation for Mi- or Buddhist civilians set the force or intimidation to remove Two people drowned after a Corp’s co-chairman Lachlan gration, told a news conference fi res. Smoke was rising from at persons of given groups”. boat carrying Rohingya Mus- Murdoch and television in the Bangladeshi capital. The least fi ve places on the Myanmar The crisis has raised ques- lims fleeing to Bangladesh from entrepreneur Bruce Gordon to need was “massive”, he added. side of the border yesterday, a tions about Suu Kyi’s com- Myanmar capsized in the Naf launch a rival bid to CBS Corp’s The violence in Rakhine and Reuters reporter in Bangladesh mitment to human rights, and River. Most of the 35 passen- proposed buyout of broadcaster the exodus of refugees is the said. It was not clear what was could strain relations with gers aboard the boat managed Ten Network Holdings. The most pressing problem Nobel burning or who set the fi res. Western backers supporting her to swim ashore but the bodies duo have mounted a joint legal peace laureate Aung San Suu “Ethnic cleansing” is not leadership of Myanmar’s transi- of a woman and a child were challenge to CBS’s A$201mn deal Kyi has faced since becoming recognised as an independ- tion from decades of strict mili- found in the river separating to acquire ailing Ten. News Corp national leader last year. UN ent crime under international tary rule and economic isola- the two countries, local police Australia and Fairfax welcomed Secretary-General Antonio law, the UN Offi ce on Genocide tion. Critics have called for her off icer Mainuddin Khan said. the government’s media reform Guterres and the UN Security Prevention says, but it has been to be stripped of her Nobel prize The boat might have capsized legislation. “This finally addresses Council on Wednesday urged used in UN resolutions and ac- for failing to do more to halt the after midnight at Nayapara in the restrictions that have held President-elect Halimah Yacob (centre) takes the oath of off ice while Myanmar to end the violence, knowledged in judgments and strife, though national security Teknaf, the southern-most tip back the competitiveness of flanked by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and which he said was best de- indictments of the Interna- remains fi rmly in the hands of of Bangladesh bordering Myan- media companies in Australia for Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon during the presidential inauguration scribed as ethnic cleansing. tional Criminal Tribunal for the the military. Suu Kyi is due to mar, Khan said. far too long,” News Corp said in a ceremony at the Istana Presidential Palace in Singapore. Numerous Rohingya villages former Yugoslavia. address the nation on Tuesday. statement. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 7 BRITAIN

ENTERTAINMENT REALTY REQUEST OFFBEAT TRIAL House prices post biggest Museum asks for slice of ‘Terrifying lizard’ turns Inmate ‘murdered in battle fall since 2008: RICS London’s giant ‘fatberg’ out to be dirty clothing for prison smuggling route’

House prices in central London fell at their The Museum of London has requested a cross- It was seven inches long, two inches wide, pink, A 21-year-old inmate was murdered at a north sharpest pace since 2008 in August, intensifying section of the giant “fatberg” of oil, fat and stripy and the family who discovered it hiding London prison in a battle over control of the the slowdown in the capital’s housing market, but other solid waste blocking a main sewer in the under a bed thought it could be a dangerous lizard. wing’s contraband route, a court has heard. Jamal prices went up in other regions, a survey showed city, saying its exhibition would raise questions But after the family called an animal welfare charity Mahmoud was killed at Pentonville prison on yesterday. The Royal Institution of Chartered about contemporary urban life. Thames Water to apprehend the “creature” at their home in October 18 last year in an attack of such “calculated Surveyors (RICS) said its monthly balance of overall said engineers have begun a “three-week sewer Coventry it was revealed that it was something far brutality” that it shocked even hardened prisoners, house prices picked up to +6 after dropping to a war” against the 250-metre-long fatberg, which less sinister — a dirty sock. Animal collection off icer a prosecutor told an Old Bailey jury. Basana four-year low of +1 in July. But RICS said the reading weighs an estimated 130 tonnes, in east London’s Vic Hurr, from the RSPCA charity, said she had Kimbembi, 35, Joshua Ratner, 27, and Robert Butler, was consistent with only a marginal rise in national Whitechapel district. “The discovery of this fatberg approached the “lizard” after being alerted to its 31, are charged with murdering Mahmoud, a new prices. The housing market has slowed since highlights one of the many issues London has to presence. “It was protruding from the edge of the father, to take control of the smuggling route into the June 2016 referendum decision to leave the deal with as it grows and evolves,” said Sharon bed and it wasn’t moving at all,” Hurr said. “I got out the wing. Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said Musician and former Beatles member Ringo European Union, when prices were rising by about Ament, the museum’s director. The museum said it my torch to see better and that’s when I realised another shocking aspect of the death was that Starr speaks to the press to promote his new 8% a year, compared with growth rates of about 5 was “hoping to confirm the acquisition very soon it wasn’t a lizard at all.” “I advised the young girl it took place on a wing that was populated with album Give More Love in London yesterday. % now, according to off icial data. and has opened a dialogue with Thames Water.” whose bedroom it was to tidy her room.” people and overseen 24 hours a day by staff . Overburdened Nature conservation project NHS faces ‘winter of woe’, warn doctors

Guardian News and Media NHS Improvement (NHSI), London the health service regulator, said more needed to be done to ensure hospitals were able to provide safe ull hospitals mean the care this winter. NHS is facing “a winter of But an NHSI spokesperson Fwoe”, leading doctors have admitted: “The operating en- warned, after offi cial fi gures re- vironment is more challenging leased yesterday again showed the than last year, with an increase service struggling to cope with in admissions and delays to dis- the growing demand for care. charge. We are therefore working A total of 181,692 bed days were through a local process to ensure lost in hospitals in England in that there are enough beds in the July to “delayed transfers of care”, system to cope with surges in de- when patients are fi t to leave but mand, or an outbreak in fl u.” cannot be safely discharged. A war of words between local Prince Harry speaks with recent graduates from the Wilderness Foundation’s TurnAround programme during his visit to Chatham Green Project, a conservation, Prof Derek Alderson, the presi- councils and the NHS broke out education and sustainability initiative at the Wilderness Foundation in Chatham Green, near Chelmsford, north-east of London, yesterday. Part of the Chatham Green dent of the Royal College of Sur- yesterday over who was to blame Project aims to educate pupils to value the countryside and take action to protect it and the wider environment. geons, said hospitals’ ability to for the high number of patients cope with the coming winter was trapped in hospital. at risk because so many beds were NHS leaders frequently blame tied up with such patients. local authorities for the prob- “Hospitals and local authori- lem, which leads to what Alder- ties must look carefully at what son called “logjams” in hospi- they can do to speed up the trans- tals, with patients facing delays fer of patients between diff er- in being admitted because of a ent types of care,” he said. “NHS beds shortage. Hospital bosses leaders have already warned of a claim only one in three councils bad fl u season this winter. Unless has been spending the extra £1bn the backlog of delayed discharges provided by ministers to improve Grenfell fi re inquiry begins to clear before then, it is social care this year – and help hard to see how the NHS will cope patients get out of hospital quick- with increased demand. er – for that purpose. “NHS staff are doing the However, Izzi Seccombe, the best they can with the resource chair of the Local Government they’ve been given and the una- Association’s community well- bating pressure they’ve tackled being board, said: “Across the this year means morale remains country nearly six out of 10 peo- promises ‘answers’ low. Unless patients are moved ple delayed in hospital are unable more quickly to community care to leave because they require fur- AFP heading up the probe. assistance following the blaze as there was still “a long way to go” London and look at the poverty,” and planned bed capacity is bet- ther NHS services, with just over London Moore-Bick spoke of his “dis- well as scepticism about whether despite recent improvements in said Haynes, who wore a t-shirt ter protected, the NHS will face a a third awaiting support from may and sadness” at the June 14 the inquiry can help. government aid. with the word “MURDERERS” winter of woe, with patients feel- council social care. blaze and paid tribute to the “for- Resentment at the offi cial re- But Thomasina Hessel, who on a red background. ing the brunt of this.” “Councils are doing all they can n inquiry into the Grenfell titude and resilience” of the local sponse was particularly acute was evacuated from her home “My grandson is trauma- Simon Stevens, the chief exec- to get people out of hospital and Tower fi re disaster opened community, including child sur- as Kensington and Chelsea, the near the tower, said she was still tised...He saw babies being utive of NHS England, said earlier back into the community quickly Ayesterday with a minute’s vivors who attended school the borough where the tower is lo- living in a hotel. thrown from the tower.He can- this week that hospitals and GP and safely,” she added, describ- silence to remember the victims, following day. cated, is the richest area of Brit- “We have to continue to scru- not sleep,” she said. surgeries could struggle to cope if ing Whitehall targets for councils as survivors demanded answers But he turned down a request ain. tinise this inquiry...For me per- Moore-Bick has said he ex- a major fl u outbreak like that seen to reduce “bedblocking” in their over the west London apartment from some survivors for a mem- “There’s a lack of trust,” said sonally it means justice. We need pects to publish an interim report in recent weeks in Australia and area by set amounts as “unrealis- block blaze that killed at least 80 ber of the local community to be Reverend Mike Long of Not- the truth and people to be held to by the end of March or the be- New Zealand occurs in Britain tic and unachievable”. people. appointed to his investigating ting Hill Methodist Church near account,” she said. ginning of April. Key questions this winter. It also emerged yesterday that The inquiry “can and will team, saying that this would “risk the charred remains of Grenfell Marcia Haynes, whose daugh- include whether a recent reno- The 181,692 bed days lost to de- the number of written complaints provide answers to the press- undermining my impartiality”. Tower, where the inquiry was be- ter and grandson are also living in vation by the local authority, in layed transfers in July was worse about NHS services in England ing questions of how a disaster Residents had complained ing shown on a live feed for local temporary accommodation, said particular the cladding put on the than in June, though a slight im- rose by 5% last year – with GPs a of this kind could occur in 21st for years about fi re safety in the residents. she did “not expect anything” building to improve its insulation provement on the 184,578 seen in particular target of patients’ frus- century London,” said Martin 24-storey social housing tower Long said there was “a bit of from the inquiry. and appearance, had turned the July 2016. tration. Moore-Bick, the retired judge and have voiced anger at delays in chaos” in the initial response and “This is the richest borough in high-rise into a death trap. Terror arrests rise Hospital visit Man ‘trapped’ in jail for decade to be freed

68% to record high Guardian News and Media “So, it’s very exciting.” London She said she felt overwhelmed by the news. “I cannot explain Guardian News and Media terrorist off ences have been pros- “We’re taking every possible the relief of the decision. It’s London ecuted and found guilty and 68 are opportunity to disrupt terrorist prisoner who has served overwhelming with all emotions; awaiting prosecution. activity – be it making arrests for 11 years in jail after ini- quite bittersweet this morning.” The number of terrorist prison- terrorism off ences, intervening Atially being sentenced to April Ward said she was con- he number of people arrest- ers in British jails has also risen in where there are signs of radicalisa- a minimum of less than one is to fi dent her brother would get the ed for terrorism-linked of- the past year, by 35% to 204. The tion, or working with communi- be released, the parole board has mental health care he needed Tfences rose 68% to a record Home Offi ce said 91% of those in ties to prevent terrorists operating said. upon his release. She said: “We, 379 in the 12 months to June, one prison on June 30 held extreme in their area,” he said. James Ward, who was given as a family, will make sure that of the most intense periods for ter- views and a further 5% had far- “Police, together with the se- a sentence of imprisonment for James’s release is successful; rorist attacks in recent history. right ideologies. curity services are determined to public protection (IPP) with a (that) the self-harm he gets help The Home Offi ce said it was the Police use of stop and search make the UK as hostile an envi- minimum of 10 months to be with. It’s very bittersweet that highest number of terrorist ar- powers under the counter-ter- ronment for terrorists as possible.” served for arson in 2006, will be it’s taken 10 years for a parole rests in a year since records began rorism laws rose by 17%, from 552 The fi gures show there have released within weeks, according board to fi nally see what we’ve in 2001. They included 12 arrests stops to 646. But the proportion of been 19 terrorist plots foiled in the to his family. been shouting for over 10 years: linked to the Westminster attack people arrested as a result of stops UK by police and the UK intelli- They told BBC Radio 4’s Today that James is not a risk to the in March, 23 connected with the fell from 12% in the previous year gence community since June 2013. programme the parole board had public. Manchester Arena bombing in to 8% this year. A broad spectrum of people have agreed to his release once suit- “The decision of the parole May, 21 arrests following the Lon- The deputy assistant commis- been arrested in connection with able accommodation and care board isn’t down to a course or don Bridge attack in June and one sioner and senior national co-or- terrorism investigations in terms support was found. They have any diff erence in James’ behav- in relation to the Finsbury Park van dinator for counter-terrorism po- of age, gender and ethnicity. previously said Ward, whose pa- iour, it’s down to the fact that – attack soon after. licing, Neil Basu, said six terrorist “These fi gures show that there role hearings had repeatedly been fi nally – they’ve seen that James The Home Offi ce quarterly bul- plots had been prevented since the is no such thing as a ‘typical’ ter- delayed, had been “left to rot”. is not a risk to the public.” letin on the police’s use of their Westminster attack in March. rorist,” Basu said. He was said to have lost a sig- A spokesman for the Parole counter-terrorism powers says 123 “There is no doubt that since “We’re seeing young and old; nifi cant amount of weight in Board said: “We can confi rm of those arrested were charged – March and following the attacks in women and men; all from a variety Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, reacts as he prison and to have self-harmed, that a three-member panel of 105 with terrorism off ences – and London and Manchester we have of diff erent ethnic backgrounds waits to unveil a plaque at the new Urgent Care and meaning he would need care the parole board has directed the 189 were released without charge. seen a shift-change in momen- and communities. It’s therefore Trauma Centre (UCAT) at Aintree University Hospital upon his release. release of James Ward following The rest were either bailed pend- tum. But while the terrorist threat important that members of the in Liverpool, north-west England yesterday. The newly Ward’s sister, April Ward, told an oral hearing on September 4, ing further investigation or faced has increased in recent months, so public remain vigilant in all situ- redeveloped trauma centre includes the addition of a Today that his solicitor had told 2017. The parole board is unable alternative action. has our activity, refl ected by this ations, and report any suspicious charity funded air ambulance helicopter landing pad. the family about the decision, to comment on the specifi cs of So far, 32 of the 105 charged with signifi cant increase in arrests. activity to police.” but James might not yet know. individual cases.” Gulf Times 8 Friday, September 15, 2017 EUROPE

Spain terror cell Russia starts war games made 100kg of on Nato’s eastern fl ank explosive: AFP Poland and the Baltic States. rotate around the vast country Lithuanian President Dalia spokesman defended Russia’s fully manipulates the fi gures for report Moscow Russia’s defence ministry in- – as fuelled by the “myth about Grybauskaite said her country right to hold exercises and re- such drills because it does not sisted the manoeuvres were “of a the so-called ‘Russian threat’”. could not ignore “the off ensive jected accusations the authori- want to have to invite foreign strictly defensive nature and are But for Nato and its allies, es- nature of the Zapad exercise”. ties had not been transparent. observers”. AFP ussia has begun huge joint not directed against any other pecially jittery members such “Its scenario shows Russia’s “We do not accept reproach- “Russia at every drill is work- Madrid military exercises with state or group of countries”. as Poland and the Baltic States intention to threaten and to in- es,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov ing on one and the same scenario RBelarus along the Euro- But North Atlantic Treaty which only broke free from Mos- timidate,” she told AFP. told reporters yesterday. – how to deploy troops quickly,” pean Union’s eastern fl ank in a Organisation (Nato) claims that cow’s grip 25 years ago, such re- In Latvia, Foreign Minister He did not rule out Putin tak- he told AFP. he terror cell that car- show of strength that has rattled Russia has kept it in the dark assurances have not dampened Edgars Rinkevics said all rel- ing part in the drills. The Kremlin has long blamed ried out deadly attacks in nervous Nato members. and could be massively underre- suspicion. evant ministries were in a state Moscow has held a stream of Washington for ratcheting up TSpain in August had been Named Zapad-2017 (West- porting the scale of the exercis- “We have seen before that of alert. exercises since ties with the West tensions by expanding Nato up planning to use 100kg of TATP 2017), the manoeuvres are es, which some of the alliance’s military exercises have been used Poland meanwhile expressed plunged in 2014 over Ukraine, to its borders and holding its explosive to cause even more scheduled to last until Septem- eastern members say involves as a disguise for aggressive ac- concern that Russia could leave with the military claiming some own provocative drills. carnage, a Catalan daily reported ber 20. more than 100,000 servicemen. tions against neighbours,” Nato some of the equipment and drills included 100,000 troops. The Russian war games come yesterday. They are being conducted on The war games come with chief Jens Stoltenberg said in an troops in Belarus. Minsk has said the games will as Ukraine on Monday launched This is far higher than any of the territory of Belarus, in Rus- tensions between Russia and interview with Russia’s state- “Ukraine was attacked shortly role play a confl ict with a made- annual joint military exercises the known seizures in Europe sia’s European exclave of Kalin- Nato at their highest since the run RIA Novosti new agency re- after the Zapad 2013 exercises, up rebel region backed by neigh- with the US and a host of other of the easy-to-make explosive ingrad and in its frontier Pskov Cold War due to the Kremlin’s leased yesterday. “We don’t see and a few years earlier there was bouring European nations. Nato countries. known as the “mother of Satan” and Leningrad regions. meddling in Ukraine and the an imminent threat against any the attack on Georgia, also after Russia says they will simulate Meanwhile, non-aligned and used by religious extrem- Moscow says the drills involve US-led alliance bolstering its Nato ally, but the best way for large military manoeuvres,” Po- assaults by “extremist groups” Sweden has mobilised 19,000 ists everywhere from Paris and 12,700 troops, 70 aircraft, 250 forces in eastern Europe. Russia to help to reduce tensions land Deputy Defence Minister trying to carry out “terrorist at- soldiers for its biggest drills in Brussels to the battlefi elds of tanks and 10 battleships testing Moscow has dismissed fears and to avoid or prevent misun- Michal Dworczyk told the Polish tacks”. 20 years which also include units Syria and Iraq. their fi repower against an im- over the drills – the latest in a derstandings, miscalculations, PAP news agency. Military expert Alexander from across Scandinavia and the According to the Periodico aginary foe close to borders with series of annual exercises that is to be transparent.” President Vladimir Putin’s Golts said Moscow “very skil- US. de Catalunya daily, Mohamed Houli Chemlal, the only survivor of an explosion in a house used as a bomb factory by the cell, told a judge investigating the attacks that they were making 100kg of the explosive. Catalonia Asked by reporters, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido re- fused to confi rm the informa- tion, as did Spain’s National Court, which deals with terror launches cases. Chemlal told the judge that the blast happened when mem- bers of the terror cell were in the fi nal stage of making the explo- referendum sives, which they wanted to put into 20 bags divided into three vans to wreak havoc near famous landmarks, the daily said. TATP has become the explo- campaign sive of choice for the Islamic State (IS) group, as it can easily be made from ingredients such Reuters/AFP Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de as acetone and oxygenated water Madrid Santamaria said: “You can’t co- that are easily available in high operate and you can’t participate street stores. in this referendum.” Investigators found 15kg of the he Catalonian govern- A manager for the company explosive in a fl at near Brussels ment launched yesterday that runs the bullring, who did after suicide attacks at the Bel- Tits offi cial campaign for not want to be named, told AFP gian capital’s airport in March an independence referendum, that they had not received any 2016. which Madrid has declared ille- offi cial request to not let the rally It was also used in attacks in gal, buoyed by the support of the go ahead. Paris in November 2015 and in capital Barcelona. Police raided a newspaper Manchester in May. Crowds fi lled a bull ring in the offi ce and a printing press last According to the Catalan dai- northeastern city of Tarragona, week, looking for signs of prepa- ly, the fi rst fl oor of the house in applauding and shouting “We ration, and the regional court People attend a Catalan pro-independence meeting at Tarraco Arena in Tarragona, south of Barcelona. Alcanar used by the terror cell will vote!” as regional president has ordered Civil Guard agents “was completely covered with Carles Puigdemont arrived to to shut down web pages provid- If they win, the separatists paign for the referendum, which Spanish state institutions are over their referendum plans. the substance that was drying”. rally support for the October 1 ing information about the refer- have vowed to declare inde- was declared illegal by Spain’s ratching up the pressure almost Against this backdrop sev- But something went wrong vote. endum. pendence within days for the Constitutional Court, and have daily on Catalan offi cials to stop eral Catalan newspapers such and the house exploded, In a boost for the credibility Regional home aff airs coun- wealthy northeastern region of asked their supporters to boy- the referendum. as La Vanguardia, El Periodico prompting the surviving mem- of the referendum, the mayor of cillor Joaquim Forn said there Spain, with its capital Barcelona, cott the vote. Spain’s public prosecutor has and even the pro-secession Ara, bers of the cell to carry out their Barcelona said earlier yesterday was a bigger than usual presence which is home to around 7.5mn “This is a trick,” Salvado Illa, ordered a criminal probe of the have declined to run adverts for vehicle rampage attacks in Bar- that the vote would go ahead in of national police in Catalonia. people. the secretary of the Catalan So- more than 700 Catalan may- the “Yes” side, which are only celona and the seaside resort of the city, having previously ex- “They are moving throughout The Catalan government has cialist party which opposes the ors who have so far agreed to being broadcast on Catalan pub- Cambrils on August 17 and 18. pressed concern that civil serv- the region. They must be looking not established a minimum par- referendum, told AFP. “They help stage the referendum and lic radio and television. The attacks left 16 people ants involved may lose their jobs. for ballot boxes,” he told RAC1 ticipation for the outcome of the want to stage a mock referen- threatened to arrest them if they The pro-separatist camp ar- dead. A town hall spokesman was radio. referendum to be valid but a high dum to justify a declaration of do not turn up for questioning in gues that the attempts by Ma- unable to comment further or A majority of Catalonia’s turnout is key for the legitimacy independence. They want peo- court. drid to stop the referendum may explain how civil servants could 5.5mn voters want to have their of the vote. ple to turn out to legitimise re- Yesterday prosecutors in in fact boost support for their be protected. say on the northeastern re- Pro-separatists are a minor- sults which they already know Catalonia fi led legal proceed- cause. Greece returns Puigdemont himself is facing gion’s relationship with Spain, ity in Tarragona, the capital of beforehand.” ings against the fi ve members of “The attitude of the state is 1,300 migrants criminal charges of misuse of but the independence cause has a province with the same name Spain’s conservative Prime an electoral board set up by the so aggressive that no democrat public money, disobedience and lost support in recent years and with a population of around Minister Mariano Rajoy, who regional government to oversee can remain indiff erent,” Ra- Greece and the EU border control abuse of offi ce for organising the surveys indicate less than 50% 130,000, and several chemical will travel to Barcelona today, the banned vote. mon Pique, the co-ordinator agency Frontex have thus far referendum, and prosecutors of the population would choose and oil refi neries. has also urged Catalans to stay Prosecutors have also ordered of the campaign of the Catalan returned 1,329 migrants to Turkey have summoned hundreds of the full self-rule. The city’s Socialist mayor, away from the poll. police to seize ballot boxes, elec- National Assembly, an infl uen- under a March 2016 deal between region’s mayors for questioning. The pro-independence camp Josep Felix Ballesteros, has re- “If anyone urges you to go to a tion fl yers and any other item tial pro-independence citizens the EU and Turkey, police in Earlier, when asked during has two weeks to fi re up its base fused to provide facilities for the polling station, don’t go because that could be used in the refer- group, told AFP. “If they force Athens said yesterday. a TV interview if an operation and win over its critics who are referendum. the referendum can’t take place, endum and launched an offi cial people to choose between de- However, there are still about was under way to stop the event reluctant to take part in the Oc- Parties that oppose secession it would be an absolutely illegal complaint against Puigdemont mocracy and police, the choice 13,000 refugees and migrants in Tarragona, Spain’s Deputy tober 1 referendum. will not take part in the cam- act,” Rajoy said on Wednesday. and other top Catalan offi cials is clear.” on Greek Aegean islands waiting to have their asylum claims processed. The migrants became stranded in Greece when various countries along the Balkan route from Court orders hunger-striking Greece into northern Europe closed their borders to refugees and migrants 18 months ago. Up until that point, more than teachers to remain in prison 1mn people had passed through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and Croatia en route to wealthier EU AFP court, AFP correspondents said. makers from the main opposi- countries. Ankara The pair were arrested in May tion Republican People’s Party on charges of belonging to the (CHP) and pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Revolutionary People’s Libera- Democratic Party (HDP) gath- Outbreak halts Turkish court has ordered tion Party-Front (DHKP-C), an ered outside the courthouse to two teachers who have outlawed group that has carried make statements in support of blood donation Abeen on hunger strike for out sporadic attacks in recent the pair, backed by dozens of six months to protest their sack- years and has a fi ercely anti- supporters. Italian health off icials have ing in a mass purge to stay in jail, Western agenda. “We will destroy this oppres- banned residents across half despite growing alarm among Their lawyers urged the court sive regime. Without democracy of Rome from donating blood supporters over their health. to release them but the judge and freedom, nothing will be because of an outbreak of the The case of Nuriye Gulmen ruled that they would remain in possible in this country,” vowed painful, mosquito-borne illness and Semih Ozakca, who have custody, a lawyer from the de- CHP lawmaker Mahmut Tanal. Chikungunya. been jailed since May, has be- fence team told AFP. Police intervened to stop At least 17 people in southeastern come a rallying cause for critics The trial was adjourned to them, later using tear gas to Rome have been diagnosed with of the crackdown that followed September 28, with the next roughly disperse supporters Turkish riot police detain protesters outside Ankara’s courthouse during the trial of two teachers who the virus since the end of August, a failed coup in July 2016 that hearing to take place in Sincan shouting: “Nuriye and Semih are went on a hunger strike over their dismissal under a government decree following last year’s failed and the local health authority sought to overthrow President near Ankara where the pair are not alone!” coup. decided to suspend blood Recep Tayyip Erdogan. being held, defence lawyer Omer Two dozen protesters were donations in the aff ected areas Neither Gulmen, an academ- Faruk Eminagaoglu told AFP. arrested and an AFP corre- der the state of emergency im- months later and charged with targeted because of their protest in order to prevent accidental ic, nor Ozakca, a former primary Earlier, chaotic scenes un- spondent saw police dragging posed after last year’s attempted belonging to “an armed terrorist and hunger strike. transmission. school teacher, were present as folded outside the courtroom several of them away, their shirts putsch. organisation” and “making the But the government insists The ban covers some 1.2mn their trial on “terror” charges as dozens battled to fi nd space ripped. After their dismissal in late propaganda” for it, the indict- they have a history of militant residents. got under way in Ankara. in the cramped hall, with police Gulmen and Ozakca are just 2016, they protested daily in ment shows. behaviour, accusing them of at- Anyone who has visited the The defence said the authori- using riot shields and batons to two of more than 140,000 public central Ankara then began a Gulmen and Ozakca vehe- tending “unlawful” gatherings aff ected area of the capital since ties had cited health and security restore order. sector employees who have been hunger strike on March 9. mently deny the charges, with and demonstrations, and creat- August 25 should not give blood grounds for not bringing them to Before the trial started, law- suspended or dismissed un- They were arrested two supporters saying that they were ing “terrorist” propaganda. for 28 days. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 9 INDIA

SECURITY HELPING HAND JUSTICE PROBE TRAGEDY LeT commander behind Air Force delivers relief for Court stays Tamil Nadu Court seeks report on 22 drown as overcrowded Amarnath attack killed Rohingyas in Bangladesh floor test till Sept 20 Banswara infants deaths boat capsizes in UP

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, who A C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force yesterday The Chennai High Court yesterday ordered that The Rajasthan High Court yesterday took suo moto An overcrowded boat filled with labourers attacked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July killing delivered around 55 tonnes of relief material a floor test should not be held till September 20 cognisance of reported deaths of at least 90 infants capsized in the Yamuna river in Baghpat in Uttar eight people, was shot dead yesterday along for Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami to at M G Hospital in Banswara and sought a detailed Pradesh yesterday morning, killing at least 22 with another Pakistani militant on the outskirts off icials said. IAF off icials said one more C-17, prove his legislative majority. The court passed the report from the state government. A division bench people, off icials said. Locals blamed overcrowding of Srinagar city. Following information about the a large strategic heavy-lift cargo aircraft, is order after hearing the petitions filed by the DMK headed by the Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog for the tragedy. Police and Provincial Armed presence of militants in Aarigam village, security scheduled to airlift additional relief material to and sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran. termed the matter “very serious”. The court Constabulary (PAC) divers began taking out the forces launched a cordon and search operation in Bangladesh today. The C-17 Globemaster was The court asked the government counsel whether had taken cognisance of a report published in bodies and rescuing the survivors, an off icial told Nowgam area. “As the security forces tightened the positioned at short notice at Delhi on Wednesday action was being contemplated by the Speaker a Hindi daily a few days ago, and ordered the IANS. A few who were rescued were admitted to a cordon, the hiding militants opened fire,” an off icial and loaded overnight with daily necessities like against the 19 legislators belonging to the Legal Services Authority to conduct an enquiry nearby medical facility. Angry that an overcrowded said, adding that the two militants, both Pakistani rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, ready-to- Dinakaran group who have revolted against the therein. An enquiry report was thereafter boat was allowed to ply, villagers jammed a nationals, were killed in the exchange of fire. The eat meals, mosquito nets, and other material chief minister. The government counsel submitted prepared by LSA and submitted to the court. The highway and set a few vehicles on fire, witnesses other militant was identified as Abu Ismail, a senior to ferry to Chittagong. The aircraft departed that action against the Dinakaran group lawmakers court also directed Additional Advocate General said. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh and his LeT commander, who planned and carried out the yesterday morning from Delhi and delivered the had begun and that the court could not intervene S S Ladrecha to submit a status report, giving off icials tried to pacify the mob which refused to attack on a bus in Anantnag on July 10. consignment to Chittagong. at this stage as it was the Speaker’s domain. information as to what was the cause of deaths. allow the bodies to be taken for autopsy.

HC rejects bail, stays Ryan trustees’ arrest

IANS Mumbai High Court on Monday. Mumbai The plea was strongly opposed by Additional Public Prosecu- tor Aruna S K Pai, who strongly he Mumbai High Court argued on points of law and how yesterday dismissed an the issue of no provision for an- Tanticipatory transit bail ticipatory transit bail application plea of trustees of Ryan Inter- had been settled by the Supreme national Schools but granted Court. conditional interim stay on their Besides, the application was arrest till 5pm today. opposed by the boy’s father The trustees — Augustine F Barun Chandra Thakur through Pinto, his wife Grace and their his lawyers Sushil K Tekriwal and son Ryan — were directed by Jus- Mamta Tekriwal, Parents Group tice AS Gadkari to deposit their for Students Welfare lawyer passports with Mumbai Police, Manoj Dhall and Ambedkar Stu- failing which the interim protec- dents Association through law- tion would not be given. yer Gunratan Sadavarte. The interim protection against Tekriwal argued that the arrest was granted to enable the Mumbai HC had no jurisdiction three to approach a Haryana as the tragic incident happened court in the case pertaining to in Haryana. the murder of seven-year-old Tekriwal’s contention was that Pradhuman Thakur at Ryan In- the trustees were “vicariously ternational School in Bhondsi responsible, liable, accountable area on the Sohna Road in Guru- and answerable for the culpabil- gram district on September 8. ity and guilt for which the bail The Pintos plan to rush to New application should be dismissed Delhi and move the Supreme in limine”. Court today morning to seek an- Pradhuman was found dead ticipatory bail, or the Punjab and with his throat slit inside the Haryana High Court in Chandi- school’s washroom within an garh, informed sources close to hour after his father dropped him Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe arriving at the India-Japan Business Summit at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar. the trustees said. at school last Friday. Legal experts opined that in Barring the three main trus- case the Pintos failed to get judi- tees, details on other trustees cial relief, they would be required were not known. to surrender before the court by The case snowballed into a 5pm today or face imminent ar- major national issue of safe- rest. ty and security of children in Apprehending arrest by Hary- schools, with vociferous protests ana Police, the Pintos — who are held by parents and activists trustees of St Xaviers Education outside Ryan schools in several Japan, India agree to Trust — had fi led an anticipatory states, including Mumbai and transit bail application before the Navi Mumbai. deepen defence ties Court scraps Haryana Reuters “Almost everything that takes place Earlier this year, India rejected an Aus- The visit was light on specifi c an- judicial service exam Gandhinagar during the visit, including economic tralian request to be included in four- nouncements, but India said it welcomed deals, will in part be done with China in country naval drills for fear of angering proposals for increased Japanese invest- mind,” Eurasia analysts said in a note. Beijing. ment into infrastructure projects in its IANS the question paper prior to the he leaders of India and Japan Abe’s visit comes days after New Del- “Relations between India and Japan are remote northeast, a region New Delhi Chandigarh exam in July to fi ll posts in subor- agreed yesterday to deepen de- hi and Beijing agreed to end the longest not only a bilateral relationship but have sees as its gateway to Southeast Asia. dinate judiciary in Haryana. Tfence ties and push for more co- and most serious military confrontation developed into a strategic global partner- China claims part of India’s northeast The committee, while point- operation with Australia and the United along their shared and contested bor- ship,” Abe told reporters in Gandhinagar, as its own territory. Japanese investment he Punjab and Harya- ing out that the “purity of the States, as they seek to counter growing der in decades, a dispute that had raised the capital of western Gujarat state. into the northeast “would give legs to our na High Court yester- examination had been lost”, Chinese infl uence across Asia. worries of a broader confl ict between the “We (India and Japan) will strengthen Act East policy,” Foreign Secretary S Jais- Tday scrapped the Har- recommended registration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived this Asian giants. our collaboration with those countries hankar told reporters. yana Civil Service (Judicial) an FIR against High Court Reg- week in his counterpart Narendra Modi’s In a lengthy joint statement, India and with whom we share universal values.” Modi and Abe also said they would push preliminary examination follow- istrar (Recruitment) Balwinder home state, skipping the tradition of Japan said deepening security links was Abe fl ew to Gujarat to lay the founda- for more progress on the development of ing an inquiry report on leaking Sharma, a Punjab-cadre judicial visiting the capital of New Delhi, for the paramount. tion stone of a $17bn bullet train project, industrial corridors for the growth of Asia of a question paper. offi cer, and the two candidates tenth meeting between two leaders since This included collaboration on re- India’s fi rst, that was made possible by a and Africa. The High Court Registrar- who had access to the paper. Modi came to power in 2014. search into unmanned ground vehicles huge Japanese loan. Analysts say the planned $40bn Asia- General yesterday issued an order The committee pointed out that Relations have deepened between Asia’s and robotics and the possibility of joint Tokyo wants to win other high-speed Africa Growth Corridor takes direct aim at to scrap the exam after a com- Sharma was in contact with the second and third largest economies as Abe fi eld exercises between their armies. rail lines India plans to build, to edge out China’s Belt and Road project, envisaged mittee appointed by the court, in general category topper Sunita for and Modi, who enjoy a close personal rela- There was also “renewed momentum” Chinese ambitions to do the same and as a modern-day “Silk Road” connecting its inquiry report, pointed out to one year before the examination. tionship, increasingly see eye-to-eye to bal- for cooperation with the United States provide a boost for its high-end manu- China by land and sea across Asia and be- gross irregularities and said that He had exchanged 760 phone calls ance China as the dominant Asian power. and Australia. facturers. yond to the Middle East, Europe and Africa. some candidates had access to and messages with her.

Dileep moves for bail again after Workers’ protest High Court questions slow probe

By Ashraf Padanna with gang rape and conspiracy, team investigating the conspira- Thiruvananthapuram but could not gather substantial cy charges against Dileep. evidence except the presence of Meanwhile, Kerala Women’s the two under the same mobile Commission chair MC Josephine ctor Dileep, accused of tower location. said she received death threats hiring a rapist to seek re- If the court fi nds the rape after she registered cases against Avenge on his former co- charges sustainable, his permis- legislator PC George who named star, has moved the court seeking sible detention period could go and shamed the victim. bail for the fourth time. up to 90 days, and if the police She said she was fl ooded with Lawyers of the Kerala superstar fail to frame formal charges in a hate mails, which included a let- whom the police arrested on July sessions court, he will get bail. ter containing human excreta. 10 on non- bailable charges hope The magistrate court had on The Youth Congress has also a favourable decision when the July 15 turned down his bail for demanded the ruling Commu- Angamaly Chief Judicial Magis- the fi rst time, following which he nist Party of India (Marxist) leg- trate considers it tomorrow. moved the HC. islator AM Shamseer also booked The High Court, which had re- But the upper court also on similar charges. jected his bail plea twice, had on turned it down considering the Shamseer, the state president Wednesday criticised the lengthy gravity of the crime and chances of the Democratic Youth Fed- investigation mainly based on of him infl uencing witnesses and eration of India (DYFI), took the the claims of the fi rst defendant destroying evidence. actress’s name many times in a that he abducted and molested The High Court yesterday re- speech in Malappuram recently. the female actor for Rs 15mn. jected a plea for police protec- In a police complaint, they al- In the new bail application, tion for the release of Dileep’s big leged he had also talked dispar- they reportedly claimed that he budget fi lm Ramaleela, produced agingly of her. was entitled to default bail after by non-resident businessman He reportedly said former 60 days as he faced charges at- Tomichan Mulakupadam. Mu- Congress Chief Minister Oom- tracting jail for less than 10 years, lakupadam decided to go ahead men Chandy would have settled Protesters take part in a protest rally in Bengaluru called by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions to demand fix minimum wages to the as the rape charges against him with his plan to release the movie the case by taking Rs 500mn and Karnataka state government. Protesters were demanding the state government to fix minimum monthly wage to Rs18,000 apart would not sustain. on September 28, after the HC off ering Rs 100mn to the victim, from seeking provident fund and basic health insurance. The police had charged him came down heavily on the police taking her name several times. Gulf Times 10 Friday, September 15, 2017 PAKISTAN

EDUCATION POWER PLAY STUDY AUDIT DEFENCE Pakistani woman wins Neelum Jhelum to start Prisoners enrol for Billions allocated for Indian envoy summoned Oxford academic award generation by December distance education development schemes over ceasefire violations

A Pakistani woman has been awarded the highest State Minister for Ports and Shipping Chaudhary Over 1,000 prisoners have enrolled themselves The Planning Commission of Pakistan yesterday Pakistan yesterday summoned India’s Deputy academic honour as an MBA student at the Jaff ar Iqbal yesterday informed the Senate that with Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) High Commissioner in Islamabad J P Singh, a University of Oxford, United Kingdom. According the first turbine of Neelum Jehlum Hydropower to continue their future study for having a that the federal government had allocated day after two civilians were killed in a ceasefire to a press release, Kanza Azeemi received the Project would start generation by December. respectable life in the society after completing their Rs866bn for 1,018 development schemes of violation allegedly by Indian forces on the Line respected Saïd Prize as she completed her MBA Responding to various supplementary questions imprisonment. Recently, the university upgraded diff erent ministries. The Ministry of Planning, of Control. Pakistan’s Foreign Off ice said in a from the Said Business School at Oxford University. during Question hour, the minister said as per its existing facilities in jails throughout the country Development and Reforms while giving a statement that it condemned the “unprovoked She achieved this position among a class of CASA-1000 agreement, Pakistan would import providing free education to prisoners, as a part of presentation to the PAC stated that in addition ceasefire violations” by the Indian Army in 327 students from 58 countries. Peter Tufano, 1300MW of electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyz its endeavour taking care of marginalized sections to the uplift schemes, there were 1,022 special Dewara and Kakran villages along the LoC on the dean of Said Business School, announced Republic through Afghanistan. The project would of the society. Education from matriculation to BA projects being undertaken by the federal Wednesday that also left three others injured. “In Azeemi’s award in a prestigious end of course cost $ 1.2bn and the financing has been arranged had been made free for all prisoners. In the eff orts government, of them 582 were in progress and 2017 to date, the Indian forces have carried out ceremony held at the university’s centuries-old from World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and of increasing enrolment rate among inmates, 420 had been initiated recently. The PAC was over 700 ceasefire violations along the Line of Sheldonian Theatre. Azeemi graduated from European Development Bank, he added. However, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui visited briefed that the estimated cost of 1,022 projects Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in Lahore University of Management Sciences with he said civil work had not yet started on the project jails and held discussion with jails’ authorities on was Rs1.3tn and these project were expected to the deaths of 32 innocent civilians and injuries to a major in Economics (distinction) in 2013. while 104 MW was being imported from Iran. the procedural issues. be completed within three to five years. 382,” an off icial statement said. All eyes on Protesting genocide Lahore’s vote contest

Internews tory factors at work which are Lahore easier to put a fi nger on, such as the fact that a traditional urban trading class makes up a s political fortresses big chunk of the over 321,000 go, there are few in the registered voters in the con- Acountry as impregna- stituency that includes Nisbat ble for the Pakistan Muslim Road, Laxmi Chowk, Mozang, League-N opponents as the Temple Road, Sant Nagar, Lahore constituency which is Krishan Nagar, Mohni Road, titled as NA-120. Sanda, Anarkali, Beadon Road, This constituency has and Hall Road. thrice elected Nawaz Sharif as “The PML-N’s Pervez Malik the country’s prime minister had won this seat even in 2002 since 1990. when the Sharifs were living Before that Sharif had won in exile and few thought that the National Assembly (NA) they would ever be allowed seat from the area in 1985 but to return home,” notes Tahir had chosen to vacate it since Mahmood, a lawyer and a Pa- he wanted, and easily secured kistan Peoples Party supporter for himself, the offi ce of the from Mozang. Punjab chief minister. “With Sharif’s wife con- Since then in the elections testing from this constituency the PML-N leader couldn’t and their daughter canvass- take part, his nominees easily ing, you won’t bet on another returned from here. horse. Some thought the disquali- Her nephew Bilal Yasin had fi cation of Sharif by the apex won the seat for the PML-N in court in the Panama Papers 2008. case could upset a large sec- The best the PML-N oppo- tion of his voters here as Kul- nents can hope for is reduction soom Nawaz now seeks to re- in the gap between the winner Pakistani demonstrators shout slogans during a protest in Quetta against the Myanmar government over the treatment of Rohingya Muslims. tain the family seat. and the runner-up.” The loudness of her cam- In the 2013 elections, Sharif paign, run by Maryam Nawaz had polled more than 91,600 with unprecedented pomp and ballots with Yasmin Rashid, a glory, aims to overwhelm any doctor by profession, getting second thoughts the old Sharif 52,354 votes — the highest tal- voters might have harboured. ly by a PML-N opponent from “Some people were scared the constituency. that if Nawaz Sharif is al- “You do not expect a very lowed to complete his term, large voter turnout in by-polls. it would be impossible to de- But I feel that Sunday’s con- Election body issues arrest feat the PML-N in any future test between the two women is election,” says Rafi que Butt, a going to bring out more voters small businessman and an ar- to the polls than any other by- dent PML-N supporter from election ever in the past. the area. Both parties are highly “They may keep ousting charged,” insists Amjad Sal- warrant for Imran Khan Nawaz Sharif, and we will keep eem, who has a publication returning him or whosoever he business on Temple Road. Agencies Hearing the contempt of court case “Imran Khan respects the Election after he failed to reply to the earlier notice fi elds from here,” he thunders, Since his fi rst victory in Islamabad against Khan fi led by PTI dissident and Commission and will appear before the regarding the contempt of court proceed- vowing to send to the assem- 1985 from this constituency one of the founding members, Akbar S ECP whenever it orders,” Dawn quoted ings against him. bly former prime minister’s (formerly NA-86 and NA-95), Babar, the poll panel ordered the cricket- Awan as saying. Raising objections over the ECP’s juris- ailing wife Kulsoom, who is Sharif’s victory margin has he Election Commission of Paki- er-turned-politician to appear before the However, the petitioner’s lawyer said diction to initiate contempt proceedings under treatment in London been on the increase. stan (ECP) yesterday issued a bail- court on September 25. that the ECP had ordered Khan to appear against him, the PTI chief had initially these days. To some, there’s more at Table arrest warrant for Pakistan Te- The ECP had issued the contempt no- before it but he kept ignoring the direc- challenged the maintainability of the con- He says that not only will stake for Maryam Nawaz in the hreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan following tice to Khan on January 24 over his “scan- tions. tempt petition. Kulsoom be elected this com- Sunday fi ght than just win- his failure to show up for the contempt of dalous remarks” about the commission. “If he respected state institutions, he The ECP, however, declared on August ing Sunday, she will win with ning the by-election for her court proceedings. He also accused the body of being bi- should have been here,” the lawyer add- 10 that it had the legal right to hear the a big margin so that everyone ailing mother. The electoral body also ordered the PTI ased in a foreign funding case. ed. contempt case and had then issued a for- gets the message right. “Both parties and candi- chairman to submit surety bonds of Rs Khan’s counsel Babar Awan argued yes- The ECP, which reserved its judgment in mal showcause notice to the PTI chair- With the Sharifs holding the dates are running a very vig- 100,000 till September 25 to avoid arrest, terday that the PTI chief was abroad and had the contempt case, had last month issued a man, asking him to submit a reply by Au- seat since 1985, the impression orous campaign, organising the News International reported. returned to the country just an hour earlier. second showcause notice to the PTI chief gust 23. among the people here is that small corner meetings and they have a magic formula to knocking at every door that ensure their invincibility in comes their way to reach out this constituency. to the voters. The talk about the PML-N For the PML-N, I guess, the On the catwalk having developed a most effi - NA-120 by-election is also Pakistan ejects MSF from cient network comprising not about launching Maryam. just the quite often over-em- This is the fi rst time she has phasised biradari element has stepped into ‘popular’ poli- militancy-hit tribal district been vindicated election after tics outside Twitter to stake a election. claim for party leadership. The fact is that the Sharifs She needs to not only win AFP “They have been asked to stop work- have worked long and hard at it for her mother with a large Peshawar ing until their (permit) is renewed,” the knitting together a system of margin but also show to the offi cial told AFP Thursday, adding that local infl uential fi gures and it party as well as her rival for authorities have been paying closer is really an uphill task for their the PML-N leadership Hamza akistani authorities have asked attention to foreign NGOs across the opponents to make a contest Shahbaz that she is fully in the Doctors Without Borders country, especially in tribal areas. of it. control of the party and its P(MSF) aid group to close its med- The organisation said offi cials have The battle has to be fought politics,” according to Khur- ical facilities in a militancy-wracked not explained why their permit was optic for optic, one popular ram Ejaz, a resident of Krishan tribal district, the organisation said, refused in an area where its has been tactic, even a gimmick, coun- Nagar who works for a soft- as offi cials tighten controls on foreign providing healthcare for 14 years. tered in time with one by the ware company and is backing NGOs working in the country. Although violence in Pakistan and opposition to retain the in- the PTI candidate in the con- MSF said the government has re- its tribal districts has declined in re- terest of the voters who are test. fused to renew the permit required cent years following a series of military always vulnerable to being Like several other PTI sup- to continue its healthcare projects in off ensives against insurgents, Kurram overawed by displays of Sharif porters, Khurram, too con- Kurram district in the Federally Ad- has remained a top target for militant opulence. tends that Dr Rashid is going ministered Tribal Areas (FATA) located groups. Kulsoom Nawaz’s oppo- to give a tough time to Kul- in the restive northwest along the Af- MSF has been working in Kurram nent, Pakistan Tehreek-i-In- soom. ghan border. since 2004 where it was responsible saf’s (PTI) Dr Yasmin Rashid “If you look at the past re- “MSF is saddened by the decision for an outpatient department for chil- has been running a very busy, sults, she’s the only opposition from the authorities responsible for dren under fi ve years and an inpatient solid drive to woo the voters. candidate who has ever man- NGOs working in Kurram Agency,” department for severely ill children up There are however instances aged to bag more than 50,000 Catherine Moody, the group’s country to 12 years of age. when she appears to be lobby- votes in any election against representative, said in a statement. “We will, as much as possible con- ing, even if intensely, but on a Nawaz Sharif. The tribal districts are among the tinue to provide obstetric and newborn plane lower than the PML-N The way she is conduct- poorest areas in Pakistan, and are gov- services to the women of Fata through so far as the resourcefulness ing her campaign will make erned under a legal system introduced the MSF women’s hospital located in of the two candidates is the the Sunday contest a closely- by British colonial rulers more than a Peshawar,” the statement said. topic. fought election. century ago. The group has a long history in Pa- Whereas the stories about It’s not going to be a walk A senior government offi cial in Kur- kistan, working with communities af- the Sharif fortunes here touch in the park for the Sharifs this ram confi rmed that MSF has been fected by natural disasters, confl icts A model presents a creation by designer Wardha Saleem on the second day of the mythological proportions, time round,” the software en- asked to stop working in the district and insuffi cient healthcare facilities Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) Winter Festive 17 in Karachi. there are a few contribu- gineer predicts. after its permit expired. for over 30 years. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 11 PHILIPPINES ‘Military needs bigger budget’

DPA shortfall so we have to ask for replenish- Manila ment of what we have spent,” he added. More than 900 people have been killed in the fi ghting in Marawi City, 800km he Philippine military will need to south of Manila, which began on May 23 replenish its budget before the end when government forces tried to arrest a Tof the year after nearly four months local leader of the Islamic State terrorist of fi ghting Islamist militants in the coun- movement. try’s south, the defence minister said yes- More than half a million people have also terday. been displaced by the confl ict, which has The armed forces have already spent left Marawi City in ruins. more than 3.5bn pesos ($70mn) in the con- fl ict in Marawi City, 800km south of Ma- nila, which began on May 23, Defence Sec- retary Delfi n Lorenzana said. The budget would have to be topped up to avoid jeopardising security operations, he told reporters after a budget hearing in the Senate. “We will have to ask for the government to replenish (the budget) so that the opera- tions of the military will not be adversely aff ected because we used the funds in Ma- rawi City,” he said. Lorenzana said the funds were spent mostly on ammunition, bombs and fuel used in the off ensive, as well as food, medi- cine and benefi ts for troops and their fami- lies. “There is still some money left, but as we A soldier advances through a ruined get near the end of the year, we will have a building. Soldiers from the Philippine Marines 1st Brigade patrol past damaged buildings as troops continue their assault in Marawi city. Church bells ring He’s a chauvinist, says President in drug war protest Duterte’s sister The church opposes the Duterte won last year’s presi- two of them at the hands of police “reign of terror” that has left dential elections on a brutal law- in the northern Manila district of Reuters thousands dead and-order platform in which Caloocan on consecutive nights Davao, Philippines he promised an unprecedented last month, sparked rare street AFP campaign to eradicate illegal protests against the crackdown. Manila drugs in society by killing up to Caloocan Bishop Pablo David hilippines President Rodrigo Duterte has a 100,000 traffi ckers and addicts. said earlier yesterday he was giv- problem with women, says the woman who Duterte has made the drug war ing refuge to two witnesses to the Phas known him longer than perhaps any hurch bells rang across Bishop of Kalookan Pablo David the top priority of his administra- killing of one of the three slain other: his sister Jocellyn. the mainly Catholic Phil- tion, and has regularly encour- boys. “He’s a chauvinist,” she told Reuters in a recent Cippines late yesterday as told AFP. Church leaders said aged more bloodshed with com- “If you are a relative of a victim interview. “When he sees a woman who fi ghts Jocellyn Duterte, sister of President Duterte. bishops rallied opposition to the bells around the country would ments such as describing himself of extrajudicial killing or a wit- him, it really gets his ire.” “reign of terror” that has left simultaneously ring for fi ve min- as “happy to slaughter” 3mn ad- ness to the extrajudicial killing Then Jocellyn ran through a list of Duterte’s jor policies without forewarning senior offi cials, thousands dead in President Ro- utes from 8pm (1200 GMT) to dicts. of a particular victim, now is the female critics that included his vice president, a leaving them scrambling to catch up. drigo Duterte’s drug war. honour the dead and remind the Nevertheless, the president time to come out,” he told report- prominent senator who is now in jail and the head Much of Duterte’s venom is reserved for wom- Police have reported killing living that the bloodshed must and his aides reject allegations ers. of the Philippines Supreme Court. en who oppose him. more than 3,800 people to fulfi l stop. The ritual will continue for they are overseeing a crime Church offi cials say the tolling All three have sparred with Duterte after de- In August, he swore at Agnes Callamard, a UN Duterte’s vow to rid the country 40 nights. against humanity. of bells for the dead originated nouncing his brutal war on drugs, which has special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, after of narcotics, with the 15-month “We cannot allow the destruc- They say police are killing only from the Crusades, when Chris- killed thousands of people in the Asian nation she condemned the police shooting of a teenage crackdown triggering wider vio- tion of lives to become normal. in self-defence, and the thou- tian nations of Europe sent mili- since he took offi ce in June 2016. drug suspect. lence that has seen thousands of We cannot govern the nation by sands of other unexplained mur- tary expeditions to reclaim holy Duterte has joked about rape, insulted the Pope “He’s a misogynist,” said Senator Leila de Lima, other people found dead in unex- killing,” Cardinal Luis Antonio ders could be due to drug gangs places in the Middle East. and baffl ed friends and foes with often contradic- who spoke to Reuters at a police detention facility plained circumstances. Tagle said in a pastoral letter last fi ghting each other. The Catholic Church, to which tory public statements. in Manila. An elderly church sex- week launching the campaign. Many Filipinos looking for eight in 10 Filipinos belong, has a Neither this, nor his profanity-laden reactions De Lima was arrested in February on drugs ton tugged on a rope to ring a The president of the Catholic quick solutions to crime continue history of infl uencing politics in to women critics, seem to have dented his popu- charges she says were trumped up as part of a 171-year-old bell atop the San Bishops Conference of the Phil- to support Duterte, according the Philippines and helped lead larity among Filipinos. presidential vendetta. “To him, women are infe- Roque cathedral, its slow, deep ippines, Archbishop Socrates Vil- to polls, and he enjoys majority the “People Power” revolution Women’s rights advocates also praise him for rior,” she said. “It’s totally insulting to him that a peals sweeping over the vast legas, followed up this week with backing in both houses of Con- that overthrew dictator Ferdi- handing out free contraceptives in his hometown, woman would be fi ghting him.” slums of northern Manila around an even stronger pastoral letter. gress. nand Marcos in 1986. Davao City, where he was mayor for 22 years, and According to Jocellyn Duterte, Duterte is also the 211-year-old church. “For the sake of the children But the Church has emerged as Duterte has repeatedly praised for championing a reproductive health bill opposed fi ghting with the woman he hopes will cement his “Many of the drug killings had and the poor, stop their system- the leader of a growing opposi- Marcos as a “hero”, and made by the country’s infl uential Catholic Church. political legacy: his daughter Sara. taken place in this diocese,” Ryan atic murders and spreading reign tion in recent months. speeches seeking to discredit the In a recent statement, even Human Rights Sara Duterte reluctantly replaced her father as Rezo, another church employee, of terror,” Villegas wrote. The killings of three teenagers, Church. Watch — a fervent critic of the drug war — ac- mayor of Davao City in the southern Philippines knowledged Duterte’s “strong support” for when he became president. legislation aimed at protecting and promoting Father and daughter barely speak, said Jocellyn. women. After nearly 15 months in power, he re- “I know in his quiet moments he considers mains highly popular with men and women alike, himself a failure as a father because of Sara fi ght- according to the latest survey by Manila-based ing with him,” she said. pollster Social Weather Stations. Jocellyn said she had her own problems with While foreigners frown at Duterte’s rape jokes, her older brother but they now get along. They Destroy or be destroyed: have two other brothers. says Gina Lopez, a former environment secretary in Duterte’s male-dominated cabinet, Filipinos Jocellyn, who refers to the president as “the judge him by his actions not his words. mayor”, said Duterte still eats the same simple “When I see him dealing with women in the food their mother Soledad once cooked: cheap cabinet or whatever, he has been very above- fi sh simmered in vinegar. Senator battles Duterte She also traces Duterte’s authoritarianism to board, very decent,” she told Reuters. She said this decency also once extended to Soledad, who punished her children with a horse- AFP Supreme Court chief justice, the Commis- (in jail) like Senator De Lima,” the father-of- Vice-President Leni Robredo, who has publicly whip or made them kneel at an altar for hours. Manila sion on Human Rights, the Catholic Church two teenagers said. fallen out with Duterte. “You can see that in the mayor,” says Jocellyn. and critical media outlets. He and his allies Even though he has called for so many She is from an opposition party and was elected “Sometimes people perceive it as arrogance or have then started campaigns to curb their killings, Duterte has repeatedly insisted that separately. call it close to being a dictator. But we grew up in fter launching his political career powers or discredit them. he would not act outside the law nor allow “He really liked Leni. They got along and he that atmosphere.” from a jail cell, Philippine Senator Senator Leila de Lima, who had been one state-sponsored murders. was always fl irting,” said Lopez. “That’s what Their father Vicente, also a politician, was of- AAntonio Trillanes believes it could of the most vocal critics alongside Trillanes, Trillanes showed no signs in the inter- men do, right?” ten absent, and the young Duterte saw the body- end in a grave thanks to a relentless cam- was in February jailed on drug traffi cking view of being intimidated by Duterte, likely In a statement to Reuters, the president’s offi ce guards, police and soldiers around him as role paign against his “hitman” president. charges she says were fabricated. Rights drawing on his many years of experience in called Duterte “an advocate of women’s rights” models, his sister said. But the former Navy offi cer with a history groups describe her as a political prisoner. the Philippines’ bare-knuckled democratic who had launched a “massive campaign against He grew up in a macho culture where wives and of coup attempts appears to thrive on the On the weekend Duterte made Trillanes ring. gender bias” while mayor of Davao. daughters were expected to be submissive, Jocel- pressures that have come with regularly ac- his new top target. “I will destroy him or he As a young naval offi cer, Trillanes helped As president, it added, he had “hand-picked lyn said. His daughter Sara is anything but. cusing President Rodrigo Duterte of being a will destroy me,” Duterte told reporters. lead two brief coup attempts against then- the best and brightest women” for his cabinet. In 2011, during her fi rst term as Davao’s mayor, corrupt mass murderer. This came after Trillanes had Duterte’s president Gloria Arroyo in 2003 and 2007. Three of the country’s 25 cabinet secretaries or she was caught on camera punching a local offi - “This man is a sociopath and he has the son, Paolo, brought before a Senate inquiry Trillanes and his military allies accused Ar- ministers are women. cial who angered her. mindset of a hitman,” Trillanes, 46, told last week to face allegations he was involved royo of corruption, state-sponsored terror- Duterte spends up to four days a week in his In 2016, Sara ran as mayor again, but only be- AFP in an interview on Wednesday from his in drug traffi cking. ism and subverting democracy on multiple far-fl ung hometown Davao, ruling a nation of cause she was “pressured” by her father’s sup- senate offi ce, off ering a typically incendiary Trillanes accused the younger Duterte fronts. 100mn people not from the presidential palace porters, she told Reuters. “If it were up to me, I assessment of his rival. of being a member of a Chinese triad that He was jailed for seven years but, in what in the capital, Manila, but from a modest house would not have run,” she said. Duterte won last year’s presidential elec- imported huge amounts of methampheta- was widely seen as an anti-Arroyo vote, be- shaded by a jackfruit tree. Duterte was mayor of She said she now only saw her father on special tions on a brutal law-and-order platform mines into the Philippines, and challenged came the fi rst person to be elected a senator Davao for 22 years. occasions, such as birthdays and Christmas, but de- in which he promised an unprecedented him to show a tattoo on his back that alleg- while in jail. He sleeps until lunchtime, holds cabinet meet- nied they had diff erences. “He’s very busy,” she said. campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in soci- edly proved he was a member of the gang. Duterte’s predecessor, an Arroyo critic, ings infrequently and sometimes announces ma- Duterte and his daughter have “a normal Fili- ety by killing up to 100,000 traffi ckers and Paolo Duterte acknowledged he did have pardoned Trillanes and other coup plot- pino parent-child relationship which has its own addicts. a tattoo on his back, but refused to show it ters in 2010. This allowed Trillanes to pur- share of ups and downs,” said the president’s of- He vowed so many bodies would be and rejected all accusations against him. sue his senate career at full throttle — and fi ce in its statement. dumped in Manila Bay that the fi sh would Since Duterte’s “destroy” remark, his offi - he became well-known for digging up dirt Like her father, Sara is blunt, down-to-earth grow fat from feeding on them, and said cials and social media supporters have ac- on a range of powerful politicians. To his and thronged by admirers at public appearances he would pardon police if they were found cused Trillanes of hiding ill-gotten wealth supporters, Trillanes became a crazy brave in Davao. She told Reuters she wanted to practice guilty of rights abuses while enacting his in secret bank accounts. anti-graft crusader. law and, once her three-year term as mayor was up, drug war. Trillanes denied those accusations, tell- His critics saw him as a publicity hound had no wish or intention to continue in politics. Critic warn the president is determined ing AFP they were an expected part of Du- chiefl y concerned with advancing his po- But in a country famous for political dynasties to silence dissenters and drag the Philip- terte’s counter-off ensive, and that worse litical career. Trillanes rejected those accu- spanning many generations, Duterte wants his pines back into a dictatorship three decades could come. sations, insisting he would walk away from daughter to “preserve what the family has done after a “People Power” revolution ousted “Duterte actually ordered a hit on me. politics when his Senate term ended in 2019 for the city,” said Jocellyn. Ferdinand Marcos. He wants me killed. Aside from the fact he to initially pursue a masters degree in inter- “He is trying to instil in Sara that it is our lega- Duterte has launched tirades against the wants cases fabricated so I can be put away national relations. Students with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. cy,” she said. “Maybe she needs more time.” Gulf Times 12 Friday, September 15, 2017 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Dhaka targets Rohingya refugee profi teers as crisis deepens Boat operators are taking The UN has started deliver- every penny from already ing water and sanitation supplies dispossessed refugees to the Bangladeshi fi shing port of Cox’s Bazaar, which has been AFP overwhelmed with the new ar- Cox’s Bazaar rivals. “There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shel- angladeshi boat operators ter, food and clean water,” Ed- are exploiting Rohingya ouard Beigbeder, Unicef’s repre- BMuslims fl eeing violence sentative in Bangladesh, said. in Myanmar by demanding up “In Europe, we are now com- to $100 for ferry trips that usu- plaining about 100,000 who have ally cost 50 cents, as the United arrived in one year... Bangladesh Nations warned yesterday of a has received almost 400,000 in “worst case scenario” in which two-and-a-half weeks,” IOM’s the entire minority group tries to Mohamud said. escape the unrest. Myanmar’s government Some 389,000 Rohingya — spokesman Zaw Htay said that including 10,000 in the past 24 Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s hours — have fl ed across the bor- de facto leader, will address the der since late August and there issue in a televised address to the have been growing appeals for nation on Tuesday. Suu Kyi will Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu do so for the sake of “national Kyi to speak out in their defence. reconciliation and peace,” he Many have trekked across hills said. and through jungles for days to Suu Kyi, who rules Myanmar reach the border only to be faced as state counsellor, is skipping with hugely infl ated prices for a the UN General Assembly next seat on a boat crossing the Naf week to “manage humanitarian river that divides the two coun- assistance” and “security con- tries. cerns”, Zaw Htay said. Bangladeshi magistrates oper- But European Parliament law- ating mobile courts in the border makers insisted that Suu Kyi town of Cox’s Bazaar and nearby “condemn unequivocally all in- districts have now started sen- citement to racial or religious tencing boat owners and local hatred,” against the Rohingya villagers to terms of up to six minority. months in prison, offi cials said They reminded Suu Kyi, who yesterday. was awarded the parliament’s Government spokesman Kha- Sakharov Prize in 1990, “that this led Mahmud from the Cox’s Ba- prize is awarded to those who de- zaar district told AFP that the fend human rights, safeguard the mobile courts have convicted rights of minorities and respect 165 people — of whom 160 peo- international law”. Deputies ple were jailed for between three questioned if the Sakharov Prize to six months and the remaining could be revoked in cases where fi ve were fi ned. laureates violate those criteria. An AFP correspondent at The parliamentary resolution the river said boat owners were Rohingya refugees arriving by boat, as smoke rises from fires on the shoreline behind them, at Shah Parir Dwip on the Bangladesh side of the Naf River. urged Suu Kyi to “combat social charging refugees up to $100 for discrimination and hostilities,” a 10-30 minute trip that would Rohingya being held by boatmen ahead of us to protect these ex- nation in Myanmar, where they jority for the Rohingya, who are about 379,000... Are we looking and called upon the military “to normally cost less than 50 cents and agents for hours in coastal tremely vulnerable children,” are denied citizenship even commonly branded “Bengalis” — at a mn people arriving?” Mo- immediately cease the killings, — a mark-up of 200 times. villages until they received in- Edouard Beigbeder, Unicef’s rep- though many have longstanding shorthand for illegal immigrants. hamed Abdiker Mohamud, IOM’s harassment and rape of the Ro- “The boatman extracted every fl ated payments for the trip. resentative in Bangladesh, said in roots in the country. Rohingya arriving in Bangla- director of operations and emer- hingya people, and the burning last penny from us for the ferry. Rohingya living in established a statement. Suu Kyi’s spokesman has said desh have told chilling accounts gencies, told reporters in Dhaka. of their homes.” Now we want to go to the camp refugee camps in Bangladesh The crisis, which began when she will not attend next week’s of soldiers fi ring on civilians and While international pressure is Earlier in the day, Bangla- but don’t have any money,” have also been accused of joining Myanmar launched a military annual meeting of world leaders razing entire villages in the north mounting on Myanmar’s govern- deshi police said that two people Momena Begum, 35, a Rohingya the profi teering. crackdown on August 25, has at the United Nations, where the of Rakhine with the help of Bud- ment to end the refugee crisis in drowned after a boat carrying mother of fi ve, told AFP. The infl ux has left Bangladesh sparked international alarm, plight of the Rohingya will be in dhist mobs. The army denies the the country’s western region de- Rohingyas capsized in the Naf She sat with her children be- struggling to provide relief for with the UN Security Council on the spotlight. allegations. scribed as “catastrophic” by the River separating the two coun- side a highway running along the exhausted and hungry refugees Wednesday breaking its weeks- He said the Nobel laureate and Twelve Nobel laureates have United Nations, calls for more aid tries. beach at Teknaf, unable to get a — some 60% of whom are chil- long silence and calling for an long-time human rights cham- signed an open letter urging the have also grown. Most of the 35 passengers ride to the refugee camps some dren. end to the violence. pion, who has been condemned UN to “intervene immediately by “We have to estimate the aboard the boat managed to swim 10km from the border. The UN said yesterday it had UN chief Antonio Guterres said for a lack of moral leadership and using all available means” to end worst-case scenario where eve- ashore but the bodies of a woman “The boatmen threatened to been caught by surprise by the the military campaign, which compassion in resolving the cri- the “crimes against humanity” rybody [Rohingyas] moves out. and a child were found in the riv- throw us into the sea if we re- crisis, with other international came in response to attacks by sis, will deliver an address next unfolding in Rakhine. We cannot just put our heads er, police offi cer Mainuddin Khan fused to give them our valuables,” agencies and the Bangladesh Rohingya militants, amounted to week on peace and reconciliation An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 in the sand that everything will said. The boat might have cap- said Nadera Banu, 19, who got government also overwhelmed. ethnic cleansing. in Myanmar. Rohingya Muslim refugees are be okay,” Mohamud said. The sized after midnight at Nayapara married only last year but is al- Meanwhile Unicef said children’s The 15-member council ex- Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s fi rst ci- arriving in Bangladesh from Rohingya crisis “has caught all in Teknaf, the southern-most tip ready a widow. health was at risk as conditions pressed concern about the secu- vilian leader in decades, has no Myanmar each day, the Interna- of us by surprise...Nobody ex- of Bangladesh bordering Myan- “I gave up the fi nal memento of deteriorate. rity operations in Rakhine state control over the powerful mili- tional Organization for Migration pected that you are going to get mar, Khan said. More than 100 my husband, a gold locket given “Conditions on the ground and called for “immediate steps” tary, which ran the country for 50 (IOM) has said. “Two weeks ago 400,000 people cross the border Rohingyas have drowned trying on my wedding day, to escape,” place children at risk of high risk to end the violence. years. we were talking about 70,000 to into Bangladesh, so nobody was the cross the river since violence she said. of water-borne disease. The 1.1mn-strong Rohingya There is also scant sympathy 80,000. ready, with food, shelter, health erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine Media reports have mentioned We have a monumental task have suff ered years of discrimi- among Myanmar’s Buddhist ma- Yesterday we were talking facilities.” state last month. Rohingya lives and limbs 71 men held for harassing women shattered by mines at frontier in public buses

AFP “This a cruel and callous way Agencies against 24 and released 47 oth- Cox’s Bazaar of adding to the misery of people Kathmandu ers with warnings,” the police fl eeing a systematic campaign of said in the statement. persecution,” she said. Most of the off enders were zizul Haque wanted to Border guards let Haque’s olice in Nepal have ar- between 15 and 25 years old. scream but could not family enter when they carried rested 71 men over the “This campaign will con- Amuster the energy as he the stricken boy to the fence. Pcourse of a month for tinue for two more months,” fought for his life, his body torn “We rushed him to a near- sexually harassing women on the police said. The crackdown apart by the landmine he stepped by Doctors Without Borders public buses, offi cials said yes- on sexual harassment was on as he and his Rohingya Mus- clinic and they referred us to terday. launched after women’s rights lim family fl ed Myanmar. this hospital,” said his mother A month ago, police in Kath- activists complained. Most Instead the 15-year-old is Rashida. mandu launched the Safety Pin victims refrain from speaking so feeble he can barely beg his Surgeons have conducted campaign, sending dozens of out against the abuses due to mother to bring him a juice, multiple operations on Haque, plain-clothes police offi cers in social stigma. which in any case she cannot af- but do not hold out much hope 33 groups to investigate har- A World Bank report pub- ford to buy. Haque is in a hospi- for the youth. A nurse told AFP assment on public transport. lished in 2014 found that one tal bed in the Bangladesh border he feared Hoque could die before The offi cers rode buses to in- in four women aged 19 to 35 town of Cox’s Bazar, bandaged the end of the week. vestigate the sexual abuse of felt insecure during their com- virtually from head to toe. The hospital has struggled to women and children, the Ne- mute in 2013. More than half of He lost both legs and part of a fi nd supplies of his rare blood pal Police said in a statement the women surveyed said they hand in the explosion, and suf- type for transfusions. “Ninety on Thursday. avoided standing near middle- fered shrapnel wounds across his per cent of his body is in a state of “We have registered cases aged men. body. collapse,” the nurse said. “We heard a huge explosion Haque is just one of at least as Azizul stepped on the mine,” 20 Rohingya victims of bullet Talks with CEB union fail said his mother Rashida Begum, wounds, burns and bomb explo- standing next to his bed, help- sions being treated at the Cox’s The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Workers’ Union said yesterday lessly shedding tears. “I saw his Rohingya refugee Rashida Begum with her son Azizul Hoque, 15, who was injured by a landmine while charity hospital. that they would continue their strike indefinitely because two legs blown away.” crossing from Myanmar to Bangladesh, at a hospital in Cox’s Bazar. Several others, including an- discussions with the minister and other off icials this evening were They ran away from their home other of Rashida’s sons, also unsuccessful. village of Debinna, and were in While many Rohingya refugees which were banned by a 1997 the blasts,” Border Guard Bang- suff ered injuries in the same Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Union Secretary Ranjan Jayalal sight of the frontier when the have recounted tales of torture global treaty, have been planted ladesh Commander Manzurul incident, and are being treat- said the discussion was held at the ministry for about two hours. boy stepped on a mine near the and rape by Myanmar troops and by Myanmar security forces to Hasan Khan told AFP. ed nearby. Sabekun Nahar, 50, “There was no positive outcome of the discussion and therefore barbed wire border fence. Buddhist militias as they escaped prevent Rohingya from trying to “All indications point to the suff ered leg injuries after she we decided to go ahead with the strike until our demands were “Everyone was in a rush. No- torched villages, landmines are return to their villages. Myanmar security forces delib- stepped on a suspected landmine fulfilled,” he said. body could look out for others as the latest deadly threat to come “Since September 3, we have erately targeting locations that near where Hoque was blown up. The strike was launched yesterday noon by the workers demanding the Burmese were chasing us from to light. heard at least 12 landmine explo- Rohingya refugees use as cross- “I wonder how I will ever walk the immediate cancellation of the salary anomalies by revising the behind and burning the village,” Senior Bangladeshi offi cials sions. At least three people were ing points,” said Tirana Hassan of again,” she said, tears welling in salary ratio between the lower level and the administrative level the mother of four told AFP. believe anti-personnel mines, killed and seven were injured in Amnesty international. her eyes. employees from 1:9 to 1:6. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 13 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH The ethics of the men of learning Keep By Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Abdullah Ibn Baz away (rahimahullah)

he men of learning (scholars) are the successors of the prophets. Knowledge from is what is indicated by the book of TAlmighty Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. And in this concern ‘Aa’isha (may Allah be merciful to her) said, when she was asked about the char- enmity acter (khuluqahu) of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, that “His char- he Muslim has a mission in his acter was the Qur’an”. (Akhlaaq sing. khuluq: life, and is required to be eff ective, has several meanings: ethics, morals, inborn active, tolerant and social, mixing quality, manners, natural disposition and shall Twith other people and dealing with be used here synonymously.) them with tolerance and in accordance with This word from ‘Aa’isha tells us that the the worthy Islamic attitudes and behaviour. natural disposition of the Prophet (sallallaahu Allah Almighty Says (what means): “And ‘alaihi wa sallam) was following the teachings hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of of the Qur’an manifested in his following the Allah (i.e. the Qur’an), and be not divided orders and refraining from the interdictions. among yourselves, and remember Allah’s It is now worthy of the scholars, preachers, Favour on you, for you were enemies one to teachers and students to take good care of another but He joined your hearts together, the Book of Allah, and to search into it and to so that, by His Grace, you became brethren assimilate the good ethical teachings which (in Islamic faith), and you were on the brink Allah loves from it. Almighty Allah says: of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from “Verily this Qur’an doth guide to that which it…”[Qur’an 3:103] is most right (or stable)” [Bani Israeel, Aayah 9] Wherever the Muslim is found, he In another verse the Qur’an says: becomes a beacon of guidance, and a “Nun. By the Pen, And by the (record) Which positive source of correction and education, (men) write. Thou art not, By the grace of thy through both his words and deeds. Lord, Mad or possessed. Nay verily for thee He has a good attitude towards others and is a reward unfailing. And thou (standest) on treats them well. He is of good and noble an exalted standard of character.” [Al-Qalam, character, friendly, humble, gentle of speech Ayaat 1-4] and tactful. He likes others and is liked The one who would like to attain this great by them. By doing so, he is following the standard of character should approach the example of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi book of Allah and pay attention to it when wa sallam, as Anas, may Allah be pleased reciting and studying it; while referring all the any knowledge. Those who are knowledgeable But the people of knowledge and faith, from their endurance and their subduing of their with him, reported that he was: “The best of questions and doubts to the learned people for about Allah are the ones who fear Allah the the ancient and the latter times, would state the wrath: people in his attitude towards others.”[Al- reliable answers and guidance to the correct most and never trespass His limits. Allah says: truth and declare it as Allah said: “For such there is the fi nal attainment of the Bukhari and Muslim] books and references on the explanations of the “Those truly fear God, Among His servants, “Is then one who doth know that that which (Eternal) Home”. [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] When a quarrel intensifi es, when its Qur’an. Who have knowledge”. [Faatir, Aayah 28] hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is Allah explained that this “Eternal Home” as: roots go deeper, its thorns become branches Attention should also be given to the Sunnah The knowledgeable people who fear Allah the truth, like one who is blind? It is those who “Gardens of perpetual bliss: They shall enter and branches increase in number, then the of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi are those people who know His religion, and are endued with understanding that receive there as well as the righteous among their freshness of the fruits of faith is adversely wa sallam because it also explains the Qur’an know the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad admonition.” [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 19] fathers, their spouses, and their off spring”. aff ected. Softness, sympathy, satisfaction and leads to the understanding of it. Almighty sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Those people are And in another verse: [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 23] and peace, which are encouraged by the Allah said to His Messenger,. sallallaahu ‘alaihi headed by the Prophets and Messengers of “Say: Are those equal, those who know To reward them for their good past deeds, Islamic teachings, receive a setback. wa sallam: Allah because they are the best example. and those who do not know? It is those who Allah includes them together with their Performance of worship loses its “Say thou: ‘This is my Way; I do invite unto It befi ts the men of learning, although they are endued with understanding That receive fathers, their off spring and their spouses righteousness, while the self gets no benefi t God on evidence clear as seeing with one’s are found in a latter time like the time we are admonition.” [Az-Zumar, Aayah 19] in His giving. Henceforth, to be straight from it. eyes, I and whoever follows me. Glory to Allah! living in, to follow the foot steps of the pious By this Allah explained that it is the people in carrying out of the orders of Allah and Many a time mutual quarrels perturb the And never will I join gods with Allah.’” [Yusuf, people in their fear of Allah and make it their with understanding who really think and work fulfi lling the duties; to call for the good and persons who claim to be wise. When this Aayah 108] task to revere His orders and His prohibitions their insight and those are the people with deter from bad; and to stand fi rm with the happens, they take recourse to lowly and The abiding by the Book of Allah is part The fear of Allah implies stopping at the healthy minds. Allah described them as: right and be resilient on it; and to turn off superfi cial things, and sometimes indulge of the character of the Prophet (sallallaahu limits stated by Him and following the path “Those who fulfi l the covenant of God and evil by doing good – all these are ways for the in dangerous acts which only increase ‘alaihi wa sallam) and part of the character of of His Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu fail not in their plighted word. Those who servant of Allah to be useful and good and also diffi culties and bring troubles. When a man all the scholars and the men of learning who ‘alaihi wa sallam). Any overdoing it would join together those things which God hath for his fathers, his spouses and their off spring is displeased, his eyes become prejudiced are endowed with knowledge and insight, be unnecessary and impermissible. The commanded to be joined hold their Lord in awe, and their reunion will be in the home of and ignore the camel and object to gnat. knowledge and faith, knowledge and piety. knowledgeable person is the one who does and fear the terrible reckoning.” [Ar-Ra’ad, hospitality and generosity in which the angels Such eyes do not appreciate the beauty of However people with knowledge but with no not trespass the limits of prohibition and Aayaat 20-21] are visiting and welcoming them. the peacock, for they only see its ugly feet faith or any piety have no share of the high permission, and in the doing (following) and They join together the things which Allah has One of the great gifts of Allah to his and claws. If a slight defect is present, it standard of character. in abstention. And besides all that be very commanded to be joined and by straightness servant is making him to be the reason for the turns the molehill into a mountain. And From this we know that who ever calls for cautious not to say any thing about Allah in following Allah’s orders and showing loyalty guidance of his father, his mother, his spouse sometimes the internal rancour and jealousy something with ignorance is not on the path of without knowledge, or do contrary to what he to Him and the following of the Sunnah of and his off spring, and so forth. Also it is one of aff ect them so badly that no hesitation is felt the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi learned. Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa the great gifts of Allah is making a woman to in inventing imaginary stories. wa sallam) standard of character and conduct Almighty Allah mentioned some good sallam). Hence, their faith is followed by work be the reason for the guidance of her husband, Islam disapproves of all these and not on the path of the people of learning. characteristics of some of His pious and practice shown in kindness to one’s parents her father, her mother and her children. manifestations of ill-feeling and advises Rather, he is a criminal with great sin because worshippers as a reminder to us. Allah says: and communication with relatives. And the fear It is learned from this holy verse that the to abstain from them. It declares their Almighty Allah considers that whoever says “There is, in their stories instruction for men of Allah is such as to help them in the obedience admission into Heaven of fathers, husbands avoidance as the most virtuous form of something that Allah did not say is beyond endued with understanding.” [Yusuf, Aayah 111) of Allah and to deter them from committing and their off spring together with their worship. blasphemy and above polytheism. Chaos and In other verses Allah says: “Not all of them disobedience. relatives is not because of this kinship and The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, disorder would result from this. Allah says: are alike: Of the people of the Book are a portion Then Allah mentioned the two relationship but because of their correctness said: “Listen, may I tell you something more “Say: The things that my Lord hath indeed that stand (For the right), they recite the verses characteristics that are the sixth and the and their endeavor in the obedience of Allah. important than the fasting, the prayer and forbidden are: Shameful deeds whether open of Allah all night long, and they prostrate seventh and said: This verse is also similar to the verse which charity?” The people requested him to do so. or secret, sins and trespasses against truth or themselves in adoration. They believe in Allah “Those who patiently persevere, seeking the says: He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “To reason, assigning of partners to Allah for which and the Last Day. And they enjoin what is right, countenance of their Lord, And they establish “It is not your wealth Nor your sons that keep the mutual relationship on the right he hath given no authority, and saying things and forbid what is wrong, and they hasten in regular prayers.” [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] will Bring you nearer to us In degree; but only footing, because the defect in the mutual about God of which he has no knowledge”. [Al- emulation in (all) good works: They are in the They persevere on the obedience of Allah those who believe and work righteousness relationship is a thing which shaves a thing ’Araaf, Aayah 33] ranks of the righteous.” [Aali ‘Imraan, Aayaat and they persevere in their abstention from - these are the ones for whom there is a clean. I do not mean that it shaves the hair, Hence, whoever says things about Allah 113-114] the interdictions made by Allah. Allah multiplied reward for their deeds while secure but that it shaves (removes) the religion.” without knowledge and permits what is These good characteristics, which were also mentioned the eighth and the ninth they (reside) in the dwellings on high.” [As- [At-Tirmithi] forbidden and forbids what is permissible, adopted by the best of the People of the Book characteristics and said: Saba, Aayah 37] Many a time, Satan is not able to persuade deters from the right thing and calls for the and by those guided by Allah from among “Spend out of (the gifts) We have bestowed Likewise the people of knowledge, faith and wise men to worship idols, but since he is false. their scholars, include deep faith in and total for their sustenance, secretly and openly, and righteousness should follow this way of high very keen on misguiding and ruining men, So it is the duty of the scholars and men submission to Him. And that they would not turn off evil with good”. [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] conduct and high standard of personality so he manages to succeed in driving them away of learning and their students to be cautious sell the sign of Allah for a cheap price and The meaning here is that they spend to get that they fi nd the happy ending and reward. from Allah, so much so that these wise men about saying things about Allah without would not show ingratitude and deny the truth the forgiveness and redemption of Allah. They But it is very essential that the learner of become more indiff erent in respecting the knowledge and pay attention to stating the and conceal it as did their men of learning who spend openly as they do in Zakat in secret either knowledge should know that resilience is very rights of Allah than the idolaters themselves. legitimate proofs according to the “Sharia” so went astray, when they concealed the story of seen or not seen by people; seeking the grace of important and that good deeds and abundant The best method adopted by the devil for that they can be knowledgeable about what Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and Allah. good does not happen simply by wishful this purpose is to sow the seeds of enmity in they presume, call for or deter from and not they concealed a lot of truths for the sake of “And turn off evil with good” thinking and hopeless expectations, but there the hearts of the people. When this enmity venture to say false things about Allah without worldly and immediate gain. This indicates total patience, their resilience, should be work and patience. develops into a fi re and open hostilities result, he enjoys the scene. This fi re burns man’s present and future into ashes and totally destroys their relationship and virtues. Benefi cial means to refl ect upon the Qur’an The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The Satan has been disappointed that he would not be llah Says (what means): methods of expression. The Qur’an have sounded confusing. Knowing trustworthy books of interpretation A serious mistake in this regard is worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula, “[This is] a blessed Book was revealed in Arabic, and can only all this makes a Muslim realise that of the Qur’an, and reading what applying verses to those for whom but he has not been disappointed from which We have revealed to be understood according to the rules in order to properly be able to refl ect the scholars have said. Such books it was not intended, like applying kindling the fi re of fi ghting among the Ayou, [O Muhammad ], that of this language, and all scholars upon the Qur’an, he must return contain many of the interpretations the verses about hypocrites to people.”[Muslim] they might refl ect upon its verses and attach great importance to learning to the biography of the Prophet, of the Salaf whether the statements the believers, or the verses about It means that when wickedness takes that those of understanding would be the Arabic language and encourage sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the of the companions or those who righteous people to the disbelievers, roots in the hearts, when people start hating reminded.” [Qur’an: 38: 29] their students to learn it. The one authentic Sunnah. came after them . Some of these as this leads to clear and serious love and brotherhood, and when these are Refl ecting upon the Qur’an is one who does not know the rules of the Knowing the historical context in books of Tafseer (i.e. interpretation) misguidance. destroyed, people then revert to cruelty of the reasons behind its revelation; language could easily misunderstand which specifi c verses of the Qur’an are by At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn To conclude, we would like to and enmity, and break all those relations it is the way to comprehend its the following saying of Allah (which were revealed increases the reader’s Katheer and others . Reading these remind the reader with the following and links which Allah has commanded to rulings and fi nd out its objectives means): “And ask the city in which understanding, because many verses sources helps the person reading the prophetic narration, of Abu be kept; thus spreading corruption on this and meanings. The Qur’an will not we were and the caravan in which we were revealed pertaining to a certain Qur’an refl ect upon the verses and Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with earth. be properly understood, nor will its came” [Qur’an: 12: 82] and he will not incident. better understand them. him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu In order to remedy this disease, the objectives be truly realised except by be able to distinguish between the Without knowing the reason for Reciting the Qur’an attentively ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Any group most wonderful thing in a quarrel is to pausing at each verse and giving it sayings of Allah (which mean): “It is its revelation and what it came down while thinking of what one is reading of people that assemble in one of the forget it as it had never happened, because its due right of pondering to discover You we worship and You we ask for to address, one could read a verse is a matter that was stressed in the Houses of Allah to recite and study remembering it will never be a sort of the meanings and wisdom within it. help” [Qur’an: 1: 5] and the saying: but not really understand what it Qur’an, and it helps one refl ect. Allah the Qur’an, tranquility will descend pleasure, while forgetting it will never be All perfect praise is due to Allah, “We worship You,” and so on. intends. For example the following says (what means): “Say, `I only upon them, mercy will engulf them, harmless, and a good word is stronger than that we still see many Muslims It must be pointed out here is saying of Allah (which means): “So advise you of one [thing] - that you angels will surround them and swords and spears. reciting the Qur’an day and night, that not every one who recites the do not weaken and do not grieve, and stand for Allah, [seeking truth] in Allah will make mention of them to Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have which is good, yet many of them Qur’an is asked to be a grammarian; you will be superior if you are [true] pairs and individually, and then give those (the angels) in His proximity.” mercy on him, said: “The origin of the recite it without the due refl ection rather, all he needs to obtain is believers. If a wound should touch thought`” [Qur’an: 34: 46]. This [Muslim]. Note how the narration enmity, evil and envy that occurs between or understanding. Thus people miss enough knowledge and command you- there has already touched the better helps the reader understand connected reciting and studying, people is from the following of Al-Hawaa the main reason for which the Qur’an on the language with which he can [opposing] people a wound similar to the Qur’an. and made this a precondition for (the lowly desire). The one who opposes his was revealed, to apply its rules, understand the Book of Allah and it” [Qur’an: 3: 139-140]. Another important rule regarding the four magnifi cent virtues to be desire relieves his heart, body and limbs, adhere to its commands and refrain refl ect upon it. This saying was addressed to the refl ecting upon the Qur’an is achieved. putting himself to ease and thus relieves from its prohibitions. An important practice which can companions, may Allah pleased with applying it to reality. This means Perhaps the reason for the current others.” In an attempt to practically help a person refl ect upon the Qur’an them, during the battle of Uhud (in short) that the Qur’an was not situation of Muslims is that we read Abu Bakr al-Warraak, may Allah have apply the Words of Allah (which is to study the biography of the in which they suff ered causalities revealed just for a certain period or the Book of Allah but do not refl ect mercy on him, said: “When the desire mean): “And remind, for indeed, Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. fi ghting the disbelieving enemies. a specifi c place; but is applicable upon it, and thus our application prevails, the heart turns dark and when it the reminder benefi ts the believers.” We must know that he was the They are being rallied to fi ght harder during all times and places. One can coincides with our degree of does so, the breast becomes straitened and [Qur’an: 51: 55] we designate this authentic interpreter of the Qur’an by Allah’s reminder that they had best understand The Qur’an and feel refl ection which led us to our current when that happens, the moral character article to address some important and that his manners were all derived already infl icted similar suff ering it alive, when it is applied to reality situation. deteriorates and consequently people will ways by which a person may ponder from the Qur’an. We must also upon these enemies during their and to the issues of the Muslim Article source: http://www. hate him and he will hate them. Then think the Noble Qur’an and thus properly know that he was a practical Qur’an previous battle of Badr. nation. For example, every era has its islamweb.net/emainpage/ of the evil, enmity, neglect of rights, etc. that understand it. walking on earth, in the sense that he One other helpful factor in own disbelievers and hypocrites and arise from this mutual hatred.” One such way is to be acquainted clarifi ed to verses that were revealed refl ecting on and understanding every era has its own ‘Pharaohs’ and Article source: http://www.islamweb. with the Arabic language and its in general terms and verses that may the Book of Allah, is referring to the oppressors. net/emainpage/ Gulf Times 14 Friday, September 15, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Innovative but dull: disaster Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Production Editor: Amjad Khan insurance is starting to pay off P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] Recovery plans are usually Typically, without clarity on who As they are based on easily public services and infrastructure will be responsible for what, and observable features, these products functioning again. Telephone 44350478 (news), just glossy reports on a what to prioritise, recovery plans are can get resources quickly transferred Other countries are beginning 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) dusty shelf, and funding usually just glossy reports on a dusty into the hands of whoever is to see the benefi ts of entering such Fax 44350474 shelf, and funding arrangements just considered to own the risk in a schemes as well. For example, after arrangements just left for left for later. In poorer countries, country, typically the central the devastation of typhoon Haiyan, later this is about relying on what others government. the Philippines has pursued its own give in response to appeals – and Many of the aff ected countries in sovereign insurance coverage, and that’s typically less than half than the Caribbean as well as Mexico had only this week it has completed a Stefan Dercon what is asked for. invested in these kinds of products, catastrophe insurance arrangement Oxford Only then, the scramble over these mostly with clear rules on how to use with international support to provide GULF TIMES resources begins. This was shown the funds: paying for insurance forces fi nancial protection to 25 provinces in 2015, when more than $4.1bn you to think about what to insure. against the cost of relief operations urricanes and an was raised after the earthquake It gives hope that early recovery can and damage from typhoons and earthquake have caused in Nepal for recovery, but it took be handled sensibly and eff ectively, earthquakes. A similar scheme, havoc across the Caribbean until seven months after the quake without the usual political and media African Risk Capacity, provides Hand Mexico. Lives, before a political agreement was circus. fi nancing related to drought. Brics crafts livelihoods, roads, buildings, and reached on how to use the recovery In Mexico, for example, the Fund Setting these schemes up well is infrastructure will need repair. But in fund. In better-off countries, we see for Natural Disasters (FONDEN) complicated, while they only really the wake of these disasters, there is squabbles between central and local operates as a budgetary mechanism pay off if there are commensurate some surprisingly good news: millions governments, scrambling to reallocate that makes sure that fi nance is in investments in risk reduction, new mantra of dollars of relief fi nance are already budgets, and expectations of citizens place for rebuilding infrastructure public fi nancial management, being paid without fuss, social media that government will bail them out. after earthquakes and other disasters, and preparedness, such as social campaigns, or photo-ops. What is this This similarly stifl es recovery eff orts using pre-agreed rules across diff erent protection plans that can be triggered remarkable “innovation”? The answer and their eff ectiveness. layers of government, protected after disasters. of diplomacy is dull: it’s insurance. Pre-agreed fi nancing – such as by a budget line, reinsurance, and Some key donors are recognising This year, this hurricane season, sovereign parametric insurance, risk catastrophe bond. that. The UK Department for we are beginning to see the benefi ts pools, or catastrophe bonds – provide Last week’s earthquake will trigger International Development (DFID), The Brics meeting in Xiamen in China recently was a timely of pre-arranged disaster response incentives to change this: it forces a release of funds by FONDEN, which has been involved in many opportunity for both India and China to end the high-altitude and fi nancing. governments to accept the risk, and which should make the early of these mechanisms, has also just potentially high-voltage stand-off at the Doklam plateau. Many One of the key problems with clarify what they will do and won’t do rebuilding of key infrastructure set up a Centre for Global Disaster political observers around the globe feared a spark, ignition and responding to these disasters when disasters strike. possible, without excessive drains Protection, along with the World Bank even a war. Concurrent “cross-continent” threats by North Korea traditionally has been that too Some defi nitions: Sovereign on public resources. Early reports and insurance industry players. The aimed at the US brought the situation to the brink. often there are few incentives to be parametric insurance is where a suggest that the catastrophe bond Centre will give fair and unbiased Brics diplomacy, including its extremely well thought-out and prepared, or to plan how to respond. premium is paid beforehand by a (the IBRD/FONDEN 2017) will most advice to countries on managing risk carefully drafted declaration of 71 articles showed not only the There is often ambiguity about “who government and payouts are obtained likely be triggered too, resulting in and responses, as well as evaluating mature intentions of fi ve countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China owns the risk” – who needs to act and based on an objective trigger, or a quick release of a large fraction fi nancial instruments. and South Africa – in the messy world, but the skilful subtlety of who needs to pay for it. parameter, such as wind speed or of the $360mn capital to help with None of these fi nancing India and China in avoiding a fl ash war in the Himalayas. In an immediate crisis, governments the Richter scale for earthquakes. A further relief and reconstruction. arrangements are silver bullets. They But diplomacy can never be a long-term winner. As Henry simply have to respond with what sovereign risk pool works in the same In the Caribbean, the CCRIF, the can‘t substitute for risk reduction, Kissinger famously said: “It is a mistake to assume that diplomacy they have to save lives and protect way, but countries jointly own the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance solid preparedness planning, and can always settle international disputes if there is good faith and citizens and infrastructure. But insurance company. In a catastrophe Facility, set up 10 years ago as a risk informed decision-making. willingness to come to an agreement. For diplomacy to sustain the soon afterwards, recovery will need bond, capital is paid in by private pool with 17 member countries, But they can help to provide win-win framework, it has to go beyond the apparent faith and to start, and then the question will investors, who get a return each has already announced it will pay the glue that holds it all together, trust. It has to be backed by the mutually benefi cial implementation emerge: who will pay for what: local or year, but they lose the capital when a out, within a fortnight, $15.6mn to making sound planning beforehand of the strategy.” national governments, international disaster strikes, otherwise the capital the governments of Antigua and worthwhile. Fortunately, there is a game-changing and long-term win- partners, families or fi rms? And where will be returned after a pre-agreed Barbuda, Anguilla and St Kitts and Innovative? Yes. win opportunity for both India and China whose time has come. will the resources come from? length of time. Nevis – providing resources to get Dull? We hope so. Though the Brics declaration is multilateral, India and China can take away the potentially strong bilateral messages on collaborative approaches on a number of issues that would make both countries lead global development. Having disengaged from the Doklam plateau, China and India should now engage in availing themselves the huge opportunity of constructive and positive collaboration on Sustainable Development and Climate Change. There are three key reasons that off er higher takeoff points for President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage in a strategy that benefi ts people of both countries. First, both of them have shown similar approaches to address the common challenges facing them on international platforms. Unprecedented air pollution, life-threatening climate change, resource-draining energy dependence, restless youth, serious unemployment, fast-urbanising population, the eroding agricultural base and terrorism are the common challenges that the two largest- and fastest-growing countries have to face squarely. Second, the personal chemistry between Modi and Xi is perceived to be conducive for longer-term co- There is a game- operation. They come from totally diff erent family and changing and education backgrounds. But their visits to each other’s long-term win- home states early on when Modi’s government came to win opportunity power had set a harmonious tone. The Brics Summit was for both India signifi cant and, politically, simply amazing. Even when and China whose the Indian and Chinese battalions were facing time has come each other on the Doklam plateau, Modi and Xi were facing each other in Hamburg on the margins of G-20 summit to discuss preparations for Xiamen. Both showered praise on each other’s national eff orts in economic and social development and resolved to address the issue of terrorism. Paying for insurance forces you to think about what to insure. It gives hope that early recovery can be handled sensibly and eff ectively, without the usual political and Third, both countries have already collaborated smartly media circus. to institutionalise eff orts on critical issues like clean energy, sustainable development, infrastructure and fi nance. Apart from their skilled strategies to leverage the Brics platform – which is neither regional, nor economic and represents 40% of world population and 25% of world’s GDP – there are two more excellent enabling initiatives of China, fully supported by India as major Who will tango with Merkel? German poll battle heats up shareholder, i.e., the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) based in Beijing and New Development Bank (NDB) based in AFP Democrats (FDP), who plan a on major policies, the SPD has seen The FDP is traditionally a natural Shanghai, with a capital of $100bn each. Berlin comeback after dismal results in support plunge as it has been unable to fi t for the conservative CDU, and its With these three enabling ecosystems, India and China can take 2013, or the left-leaning and ecologist shine in “Mutti’s” shadow. young and photogenic leader Christian global positioning though strategic collaboration. Collaborative Greens? Fears are also growing that the cosy Lindner won praise from Merkel’s innovations – which the Xiamen Declaration refers to 12 times – in erman Chancellor Angela Or would she need both the FDP centrist partnership, by depriving Bavarian allies CSU over his call for an reducing carbon emissions through clean energy and implementing Merkel is the clear and Greens for what in Germany’s Germany of a real opposition, is “overhaul” of migration policy. the Paris Climate Agreement and SDGs, to which both countries frontrunner in general colour-coded politics is called a driving disgruntled voters to the But the party may not benefi t from are passionately attached, could prove to be the most rewarding Gelections 10 days away, but a “Jamaica coalition”, grouping the fringes. an alliance as “it’s going to be most strategy for both. US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out sleepy campaign is now heating up as Caribbean country’s national colours For the fi rst time, the right-wing tricky to tell their voters they are of the Paris Agreement will prove to be the pushing-in prospect for other parties jostle to rule with her. black (CDU), yellow (FDP) and, well, populist and nationalist Alternative starting out as an anti-establishment India and China by being technology leaders in clean energy and The battle over the make-up of Green. for Germany (AfD) is poised to clinch party but then they join the sustainable development – to which the Xiamen Declaration refers Merkel’s fourth government would Timo Lochocki of the German seats in the election, on the back of an government,” said Lochocki. to 23 times. potentially impact Berlin policy on Marshall Fund think-tank said it is anti-migrant campaign. If, on the other hand, the Moving away from “assaulting with stones” to “building with everything from immigration and unclear whether Merkel will need The AfD is expected to be a Greens are needed for a “Jamaica” Brics” could be the new mantra for India and China. The timing Russia relations to climate. just one or two smaller parties to pariah party in the Bundestag – all coalition, Germany could expect mainstream parties already shun the a quarrelsome government as favours those who dare to act despite challenges and diff erences. “The coalition building process govern. will be more exciting than the vote “Because the statistical error in the group – but some observers fear this the three parties have different The Brics meeting in Xiamen is that time. itself because there are many possible opinion polls is between 2.5 and 3%, will only help the party which sees visions on issues from eurozone coalitions,” political analyst Oskar Merkel’s CDU could theoretically still itself as an anti-establishment force. integration to migration. Niedermayer said, adding that this get 41% and with that, it would only “If Merkel forms a new alliance with The FDP’s tough migration policy “will pose diffi culties”. need one small party,” he told AFP. the SPD, there’s a threat that over the and criticism of clean-power wind To Advertise Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU As small parties are poised to make next four years, the right will grow farms, for example, are jarring to the bloc holds a double-digit poll lead, but a big diff erence, undecided voters where the AfD is already proliferating Greens. [email protected] it is short of an absolute majority that could drastically change the picture, wildly,” warned news weekly Die Zeit. The environmentalist party in turn Display would allow it to rule alone. Lochocki said, meaning the election Most Germans now are lukewarm would make uncomfortable bedfellows Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Now all eyes are on the smaller “is way more volatile than it seems about another GroKo, with only 16.1% for the conservative CSU, protectors parties. currently”. hoping for such a big-party lineup, of Germany’s scandal-tainted Classified Would Germany keep its right-left A new grand coalition – known in a survey commissioned by Bild daily automobile sector. Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 “grand coalition” of the past four German by the uncharming shortform showed. “No-one with no-one, that seems years – where the junior partner is the GroKo for “Grosse Koalition” – would The most popular duo seems to be to be the motto,” said the Spiegel Subscription centre-left Social Democratic Party guarantee Merkel stability because of a of the CDU/CSU and FDP, with the weekly. [email protected] (SPD) of Merkel challenger Martin crushing parliamentary majority. survey showing 18.4% in favour. It added, however, that the parties’ Schulz? But the SPD is lukewarm about But current polls suggest that they statements now are mostly tactical Or could the chancellor team up staying on as Merkel’s sidekick, a role would fall short of, or only narrowly as campaign-mode politicians 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved with just one small party – either that has damaged its voter appeal. reach, a majority - which means such try to “drive up the price for their the liberal and pro-business Free While both sides have been aligned a coalition risks instability. participation in any government”. Gulf Times Friday, September 15, 2017 15 COMMENT Counting what counts in development

Statisticians have always of life has not been as dramatic. Those advantaged students not to attain extra years are often accompanied the baseline level of profi ciency in recognised that comparing by illness and disability – such as science.” quantities is far easier dementia, which the World Health Data on employment – critical for Organisation now estimates aff ects policymakers, as they prepare for than comparing quality 47.5mn people worldwide. the future – tell a similar story. The While life expectancy can be 2015 Human Development Report By Selim Jahan calculated based on birth and death recognised that as the world moves New York records, indices that measure quality towards a knowledge economy, of life, like the WHO’s disability- low-skill or marginal workers are at adjusted life year estimates, require greater risk of losing their jobs, and o most people, considerable amounts of information opportunities for exploitation of “development” is best on a wide range of illnesses and informal or unpaid workers increase. measured by the quantity of disabilities in every country. And, To put this in perspective, consider Tchange – like gains in average unfortunately, the diffi culty of employment projections for the income, life expectancy, or years spent gathering such data means that many European Union, which foresee the in school. The Human Development life-quality datasets are incomplete or addition of 16mn new jobs between Index (HDI), a composite measure infrequently compiled. 2010 and 2020. But over the same of national progress that my offi ce It’s a similarly mixed picture for period, the number of jobs available at the UN Development Programme education. The world is no doubt for people with the least formal oversees, combines all three statistics making progress in extending access to education is anticipated to decline, by to rank countries relative to one schools, with more children enrolled around 12mn. another. and attending than ever before. “Not everything that can be What many do not realise, But how do we measure the gaps in counted counts. Not everything that however, is that such metrics, while educational quality? Some 250mn counts can be counted,” the sociologist useful, do not tell the entire story of children worldwide do not learn basic William Bruce Cameron wrote in 1963. development. In fact, to understand skills, even though half of them have His dictum remains true today, though how developed a country is, we spent at least four years in school. when it comes to measuring human must also grasp how people’s lives It will come as no surprise that in development, I would suggest a slight are aff ected by progress. And to most countries, schools in wealthier revision: “Not everything that is understand that, we must consider neighbourhoods typically have better counted counts for everything.” the quality of the change that is being facilities, more qualifi ed teachers, Equitable human development reported. and smaller class sizes. Addressing requires that policymakers pay more When statisticians compare inequality requires measuring attention to the quality of outcomes, countries, they require commensurate educational outcomes, rather than rather than focusing primarily on data. To compare school attendance, school enrollment rates. quantitative measures of change. Only for example, researchers would count The OECD’s Programme for when we know how people are being the number of registered students in International Student Assessment aff ected by development can we design each country, relative to all school- (PISA), which relies on tests not policies that bring about the most age children (although even this can Equitable human development requires that policymakers pay more attention to the quality of outcomes, rather than directly linked to curricula, is one valuable improvements in their lives. be a challenge in many developing focusing primarily on quantitative measures of change. approach to making cross-country “The intention to live as long as possible countries, where record keeping is not comparisons. The results for 2015 isn’t one of the mind’s best intentions,” always standardised). project that is far more ambitious than policies, even though “progress” by the HDI – life expectancy, paint a much richer picture of the author Deepak Chopra once But to gauge the relative quality simply taking attendance. according to a given indicator is not education, and per capita income. Life educational performance across observed, “because quantity isn’t the of a country’s education system, Statisticians have always recognised necessarily genuine. If the world is expectancy statistics suggest that the participating countries, while same as quality.” - Project Syndicate researchers would want to determine that comparing quantities is far easier ever to reach parity in development, world is getting healthier, and data highlighting stark disparities. For whether students are actually than comparing quality. But, because we must change how we gauge show that people are living longer than example, PISA found that “socio- zSelim Jahan is Director of the Human learning. For those numbers, existing measures are all we have, and catalogue the quality of policy ever before; since 1990, average life economically disadvantaged Development Report Offi ce and lead statisticians would need to test the weaknesses are often overlooked initiatives. expectancy has increased by around students across OECD countries are author of the Human Development students across a range of subjects, a when ranking relative gains or making Consider the statistics measured six years. But the increase in quality almost three times more likely than Report. Weather report Russiagate in Poland Three-day forecast TODAY High: 40 C By Sławomir Sierakowski venues where recordings were made, ministry unexpectedly cancelled a campaign in the early 1980s, and and yet none of their conversations contract with France for the purchase allegedly laundered money for Russian Low : 31 C Warsaw Inshore: Hazy to misty at places at were leaked. Falenta, it turned out, of 50 Caracal helicopters, leaving organised crime groups in the 1990s. first becomes hot daytime with some had owed $26mn to a Russian fi rm, Poland without a crucial military Today, D’Amato’s fi rm, Park clouds and humid by night. hile many Americans Kuzbasskaya Toplivnaya Kompaniya, capacity to this day. And earlier this Strategies, lobbies for the interests of US remain transfi xed by with close ties to Russian President year, Macierewicz fi red 90% of the arms manufacturers Aerojet Rocketdyne SATURDAY investigations into Vladimir Putin. And while he military’s General Staff and 82% of and United Technologies at the Kremlin, High: 39 C Russian meddling in was eventually convicted for his its General Command, and formed a and it has recently provided services Low: 31 C W Sunny the 2016 US presidential election, involvement in the eavesdropping new military force whose leadership for Poland’s Ministry of Defence under Poles are learning that their country plot, no one else involved in consists of pro-Kremlin activists and Macierewicz. Indeed, Macierewicz may have served as a testing ground orchestrating the leaks has been Nato critics. hired Park Strategies to help with for Russia’s eff orts. Russia has identifi ed. At the same time, similar Recently, the Polish journalists the 2016 Nato summit in Warsaw – a SUNDAY long sought to install pro-Kremlin scandals removed liberal politicians Tomasz Pi tek of Gazeta Wyborcza major event for arms makers. And High: 38 C politicians at the highest levels of from power in Hungary and Slovakia, and Radosław Gruca of Fakt, along before Macierewicz cancelled the arms Low: 31 C power in Central and Eastern Europe. which are now ruled by the most pro- with the organisation Miasto Jest contract with France, he met with Sunny And there is now evidence suggesting Russian governments in the EU. Nasze (the City Is Ours), have D’Amato, a lobbyist also for the US that Russian military intelligence When the PiS assumed power in uncovered highly suspicious arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin. agencies are wielding infl uence in 2015, Poland’s foreign and defence associations from Macierewicz’s past. Afterwards, Macierewicz began calling Fishermen’s forecast Poland’s Ministry of Defence. policies took a bizarre turn, starting For example, one of Macierewicz’s for the purchase of Lockheed’s Black OFFSHORE DOHA In 2014, when Poland was governed with the appointment of Antoni closest business and political Hawk helicopters. Wind: SE-SW 03-10 KT by Civic Platform (PO), it was the only Macierewicz as minister of defence. associates after 1989 was Robert In response to these many Waves: 1-3 Feet country in Europe that had successfully Macierewicz, the only PiS politician Lusnia, later found to have served as revelations, Macierewicz decided not INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15 KT staved off recession in the wake of the who acts independently – and an informant both during and after the to fi le a civil suit against Pi tek, which Waves: 1-2 Feet 2008 fi nancial crisis. During the PO sometimes in defi ance – of Kaczy ski, communist period, his recent handlers would have required him to prove government’s eight years in power, was also the man behind Poland’s most likely being agents of Russia’s the journalist’s fi ndings incorrect. Around the region Poland’s GDP grew by almost 25%, botched 1992 lustration, or political Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) Instead, he has called for Pi tek to be Weather Weather while unemployment and the budget screening, process, which delayed operating in Poland. criminally prosecuted for threatening today Max/min tomorrow Max/min defi cit fell by almost half. Despite the country’s de-communisation Pi tek has also delineated “numerous a government offi cial. Abu Dhabi Sunny 42/31 Sunny 38/31 this strong performance, Jarosław eff orts. Many still remember the and long-term connections between It is in Putin’s interest to sow Baghdad Sunny 43/24 Sunny 44/23 Dubai Sunny Kaczy ski’s Law and Justice (PiS) party notorious “Macierewicz List” from Macierewicz and Russian gangster discord in the West, especially within Sunny 39/31 40/29 Kuwait City Sunny 46/29 Sunny 42/27 resoundingly defeated PO in Poland’s that period, which tarred innocent and fi nancier Semion Mogilevich and the EU, and no one is furthering Manama Sunny 41/31 Sunny 41/31 2015 parliamentary elections. people as communist-era secret- the Russian GRU.” According to the his aim of EU disintegration more Muscat Sunny 35/28 Sunny 36/28 To understand why, we need to go police collaborators. Under a later American investigative journalist Robert eff ectively than the current Polish Riyadh Sunny 42/27 Sunny 42/26 back to 2013, when Marek Falenta, a government, Macierewicz published a I Friedman, Mogilevich is “the most government. Given its strong Tehran Sunny 32/21 Sunny 31/20 shady Polish businessman, hired two report on Poland’s counterintelligence dangerous mobster in the world,” and is economy, Poland could be a powerful waiters to record private conversations agency, the Military Information widely known to work closely with the ally to France and Germany in a post- in a restaurant frequented by Services, which outed undercover GRU. Brexit Europe that is working towards politicians. These secret recordings Polish intelligence agents and led to Macierewicz’s closest ally in the deeper integration. But France and fuelled a scandal that forced almost the disbanding of the agency. US is the US senator-cum-lobbyist Germany cannot count on Poland so all of the PO’s leadership out of While in power, the PiS has started Alfonse D’Amato, who supported long as Kaczy ski and Macierewicz are government. Among those who disputes with Poland’s most important Trump during the 2016 campaign. in charge, sowing discord in the EU resigned was Marshal of the Sejm European allies: Germany, France, D’Amato’s assistant, Edmund and acting in ways that benefi t only Radek Sikorski, the co-author of a and the European Commission. In Janniger, served as an adviser to Russia. -Project Syndicate European Union initiative designed November 2015, it ordered a raid on Macierewicz until 2015. The American to strengthen the resilience of certain a Nato-affi liated counterintelligence press has reported that both D’Amato zSławomir Sierakowski, founder of Eastern European and Eurasian centre that had been established to and Mogilevich have past ties to The the Krytyka Polityczna movement, is countries to Russian pressure. track Russian intelligence eff orts. Bank of New York Mellon, which Director of the Institute for Advanced PiS politicians also frequented Then, Macierewicz’s defence extended loans to D’Amato’s Senate Study in Warsaw. Live issues

Around the world Weather Weather Vitamin D levels may help predict MS risk today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens Sunny 34/21 Sunny 33/21 Beirut Sunny 29/25 P Cloudy 28/25 Bangkok S T Storms 34/27 S T Storms 33/27 QNA School of Public Health in Boston. defi ned as fewer than 30 nanomoles with insuffi cient levels. Berlin P Cloudy 16/10 P Cloudy 17/08 Washington “Our study, involving a large per liter (nmol/L). “More research is needed on the Cairo P Cloudy 35/23 P Cloudy 34/23 number of women, suggests that Insuffi cient levels were 30 to 49 optimal dose of vitamin D for reducing Cape Town Cloudy 17/12 Showers 16/12 correcting vitamin D defi ciency in nmol/L and adequate levels were 50 risk of MS,” said Munger. Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 P Cloudy 33/27 xamining vitamin D levels in young and middle-aged women may nmol/L or higher. “But striving to achieve vitamin Dhaka 32/26 S T Storms Hong Kong P Cloudy 29/26 P Cloudy 29/26 the blood may help predict reduce their future risk of MS.” Of the women who developed MS, D suffi ciency over the course of a Istanbul Sunny 29/20 Sunny 29/21 whether a person is at risk of For the study, researchers used a 58% had defi cient levels of vitamin D, person’s life will likely have multiple Jakarta P Cloudy 34/26 S T Storms 34/26 developing multiple sclerosis repository of blood samples from more compared to 52% of the women who health benefi ts.” Karachi P Cloudy 32/26 Sunny 32/26 E London P Cloudy 18/07 Showers 16/07 (MS), according to a large new study than 800,000 women in Finland, did not develop the disease. Limitations of the study include that Manila T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 31/26 published in the September 13, 2017, taken as part of prenatal testing. Researchers found that with each 50 participants were primarily white women Moscow P Cloudy 18/16 Rain 22/11 online issue of Neurology, the medical Then the researchers identifi ed nmol/L increase in vitamin D levels in and therefore the fi ndings may not be the New Delhi Sunny 37/26 Sunny 37/26 journal of the American Academy of 1,092 women who were diagnosed the blood, the risk of developing MS same for other racial groups or men. New York P Cloudy 28/21 P Cloudy 28/21 Neurology. with MS an average of nine years after later in life decreased by 39%. Also, while the blood samples were Paris P Cloudy 17/08 S Showers 17/08 Sunny M Sunny 31/17 “There have only been a few small giving the blood samples. In addition, women who had taken an average of nine years before Sao Paulo 33/18 Seoul Sunny 28/16 M Sunny 28/16 studies suggesting that levels of They were compared to 2,123 defi cient levels of vitamin D had a 43% MS diagnosis, it is possible some Singapore P Cloudy 30/26 S T Storms 30/26 vitamin D in the blood can predict women who did not develop the higher risk of developing MS than women may have already had MS Sydney Cloudy 17/11 Sunny 21/12 risk,” said study author Kassandra disease. women who had adequate levels as when blood was drawn and were not Tokyo Cloudy 32/23 Clear 29/24 Munger, ScD, of the Harvard T H Chan Defi cient levels of vitamin D were well as a 27% higher risk than women yet showing symptoms of the disease. Gulf Times 16 Friday, September 15, 2017 QATAR

Emir makes working visit to Turkey; holds talks with Recep Tayyip Erdogan

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Palace in Ankara.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was welcomed upon arrival at Esenboga International Airport by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mehmet Simsek, Governor of Ankara Ercan Topaca and Qatar’s ambassador to Turkey Salem bin Mubarak al-Shafi in addition to senior officials and members of the Qatari embassy. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani receives a guard of honour on his arrival in Ankara.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holds talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Energy Minister Berat Albayrak in Ankara, Turkey.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is welcomed by Turkish President Recep His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani shakes His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani inspects Tayyip Erdogan. hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. the guard of honour.