BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Thompson wins women’s INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 ARAB WORLD 3, 4 BUSINESS 1-12 Qatar’s oil products’ 200m gold 18,597.56 11,320.39 48.23 INTERNATIONAL 5-16 CLASSIFIED 7 +23.62 -88.36 +1.44 ISLAM 17 SPORT 1-8 demand at new high +0.13% -0.77% +3.08% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10185 August 19, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 16, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Crowning glory

In brief Erdogan links PKK REGION | Confl ict Yemen army launches bid to break Taiz siege Yemen troops yesterday launched a bid to break a rebel siege of third city Taiz, with fierce fighting leaving to bomb five soldiers and 13 insurgents dead, military sources said. Soldiers attacked positions of the Iran- backed Shia Houthi rebels from the east, west and north of the flashpoint southwestern city that has been under siege for more than attacks a year, they said. One military source said the troops made “a relative Reuters lice station were left in ruins and fi lled breakthrough” by driving the Houthi Istanbul with smoke after the bomb exploded in rebels from several positions around front of the complex, destroying part of the city. Page 3 the facade, CNN Turk footage showed. urkish President Tayyip Erdogan “We have raised the state of alarm to yesterday accused followers of a higher level,” Prime Minister Binali AMERICA | Calamity Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar poses with his silver medal he won in the high jump event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Ta US-based Islamic cleric he Yildirim said at the scene of the at- California wildfi re still Barshim cleared a height of 2.36m to win the second place behind Canada’s Derek Drouin who took gold with a jump of blames for last month’s coup attempt tack, where a crowd chanted “Damn 2.38m. This was Barshim’s second medal at the Olympics, having also won a bronze in London four years ago. Qatar’s Olympic of being complicit in attacks by Kurd- the PKK!”. ‘large and complex’ mission, in the presence of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, celebrated ish militants in Turkey’s southeast Less than four hours later, a roadside Firefighters in California continued to Barshim’s historic achievement. Barshim dedicated his medal to HE Sheikh Joaan, expressing his gratitude for the support which killed 10 people. bomb believed to have been planted by battle a powerful wildfire yesterday as he received throughout his sports career in general and ahead of the Olympics in particular. More Olympics on Pages 1-5 of His linking of PKK militants to those the PKK blasted a military vehicle in it threatened communities and blazed Sport section. suspected of being behind the July 15 Bitlis province, security sources said. a path of destruction over rural coup attempt came as authorities ar- They said the blast killed three sol- hilltops 100km east of Los Angeles. A rest or dismiss tens of thousands in a diers and a member of a village guard force of more than 1,500 firefighters post-coup purge. militia and wounded another seven worked through the night and gained Erdogan has blamed a network led soldiers. a tiny, precarious foothold on the Blue by Fethullah Gulen, a cleric in self- In Van province, further east, two Cut Fire, which started on Tuesday imposed exile in Pennsylvania since police offi cers and one civilian were morning by the side of an interstate Photo of dazed Syrian boy 1999, for the failed rebellion launched killed and 73 people were wounded on highway and quickly engulfed by rogue soldiers. Wednesday when a car bomb exploded more than 120 square kilometres of His remarks were prompted by near a police station, the local gover- rugged, hilly desert scrubland. The bomb attacks that killed 10 people on nor’s offi ce said. fire calmed somewhat overnight and Wednesday and yesterday, mostly po- No one immediately claimed re- was 4% contained by early yesterday, symbolises Aleppo’s plight lice and soldiers, and wounded 300 in sponsibility for the bombings, but authorities said, and some highways southeastern Turkey in an escalation of Yildirim said there was no doubt they closed for the blaze have reopened. AFP “I’ve taken a lot of pictures of chil- violence that offi cials blamed on Kurd- were carried out by Kurdistan Work- Page 6 Aleppo, Syria dren killed or wounded in the strikes ish PKK militants. ers Party (PKK) militants, listed as a that rain down daily,” said photogra- “You don’t have to be fortune teller terrorist group by Turkey, the United pher Mahmoud Rslan who captured to see that the FETO is behind the latest States and the European Union. SCIENCE | Health shocked Syrian boy pictured the image. PKK attacks in terms of sharing infor- Authorities have arrested or sus- Zika virus infection sitting in an ambulance cov- “Usually they are either uncon- mation and intelligence,” Erdogan said. pended tens of thousands of police, Aered in blood and dust after an scious or crying. But Omran was FETO is the term Ankara uses for troops, offi cials, judges and bureau- may harm adult brain air strike became a symbol of civilian there, speechless, staring blankly, as if Gulen’s network. crats it says are linked to Gulen’s move- Research using lab mice has shown suff ering in Aleppo yesterday, drawing he did not quite understand what had In the largest blast, a car bomb tore ment. for the first time that infection with worldwide attention. happened to him,” he told AFP by tel- through a police station in the city of Several thousand companies and in- the mosquito-borne Zika virus may As international concern mounted, ephone. Elazig in the morning as offi cers arrived stitutions suspected of having fi nanced damage adult brain cells, not just President Bashar al-Assad’s key ally Four-year-old Syrian boy Omran Opposition-held neighbourhoods for work. Gulen have been shut. developing foetuses, said a study Russia said it was ready to halt fi re in covered in dust and blood in an in the city are frequently targeted by Three offi cers were killed and 217 In total, 40,029 people have been yesterday. Adult cells involved the battleground northern city for ambulance after being rescued air strikes including barrel bombs people were wounded, 85 of them po- detained and about half of these have in learning and memory can be 48-hour “humanitarian pauses” from from the rubble of a building hit by dropped by regime helicopters. lice offi cers, offi cials said. been formally arrested pending charg- destroyed by the viral infection, which next week. an air strike in the rebel-held Qaterji Syrian and Russian aircraft have A plume of black smoke rose above es. is also blamed for a surge in the birth The announcement followed pleas neighbourhood of Aleppo. been carrying out intense air strikes the city after the blast which uprooted Erdogan yesterday again called on US defect microcephaly, according to the from the United Nations and the Euro- this week on opposition strongholds trees and gouged a large crater outside President Barack Obama to extradite findings in the journal Cell Stem Cell. pean Union for a halt in the fi ghting in body washed ashore on a Turkish across northern Syria to prevent rebels the police complex. Offi ces in the po- Gulen. Page 10 Page 6 divided Aleppo to allow aid deliveries. beach last year. sending reinforcements to Aleppo, a The haunting image of four-year- Omran was pulled from the rubble monitoring group said. old Omran sitting dazed and bloodied after an air raid on Wednesday in the Regime aircraft continued to pound Qatar condemns bombings BUSINESS | Transport in an ambulance reverberated around rebel-held district of Qaterji in the rebel positions across Idlib province Volvo and Uber form the globe, much like the photo of southeast of Aleppo, which has been yesterday as well as parts of Aleppo Qatar has strongly condemned the takes to counter these criminal acts and to three-year-old Aylan Kurdi whose devastated by the fi ve-year war. province, it said. Page 4 two bombings that targeted the police maintain the security and stability of the driverless car venture headquarters in the eastern Turkish country. Sweden-based manufacturer Volvo cites of Elazig and Van, which resulted in The statement reiterates Qatar fi rm stance Cars said yesterday it would team up Bird strike forces Qatar Airways jet into emergency landing dozens of deaths and injuries. that rejects violence and terrorism in with ride-sharing service Uber in a In a statement yesterday, the Ministry all their forms and manifestations, and $300mn (265mn euro) joint venture A Qatar Airways passenger plane made an from Istanbul to Doha experienced a Doha to Istanbul and had landed in of Foreign Aff airs said that the State of whatever motives and causes. to develop driverless automobiles. emergency landing at Istanbul’s Ataturk bird strike, which resulted in its safe Turkey, airline off icials added. Qatar strongly condemns these heinous The statement also expressed sincere “Both Uber and Volvo will use the Airport yesterday after a bird strike on one return to Istanbul,” the airline said in a “Customer needs, including onward criminal acts aimed at destabilising condolences to the Turkish government, same base vehicle for the next of its engines, the airline said. statement. travel, will be taken care of by the security and stability, and affi rms its full its people and to the families of the victims stage of their own autonomous car All 312 passengers and crew were “All 298 passengers and 14 crew airline,” the statement said. solidarity with the brotherly Republic who were killed by these heinous crime, strategies,” Volvo, owned by China’s evacuated safely, Qatar Airways said. disembarked normally,” it added. “The pilot followed all safety of Turkey in all actions and measures it and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Geely, said. Business Page 12 “Qatar Airways can confirm that QR240 A replacement plane was sent from procedures.” QFB facelift for Leinster Square development in London

By Denise Marray The 7-12 Leinster Square devel- rior design company, Studio L, London. This attention to detail is also evi- is absolutely top of the line. In the townhouse the absolute Gulf Times London Correspondent opment consists of fi ve luxury town Italian marbles, German kitchen dent in the fabulous staircase with re- The kitchen and dining room both ‘wow’ factor space is the master homes over basement, lower ground, fi ttings and appliances and bathroom stored balustrade and ironmongery and benefi t from a view out onto an inno- bedroom on the first floor with its ground and fi rst fl oor levels. The hous- fi ttings and furnishings by quintes- the exquisite corniches, which makes vative and charming two-storey light- sweeping view over the leafy Leinster atar First Bank (QFB) and Al- es boast 3.5m fl oor-to-ceiling heights sentially English company Samuel the property very special. well ‘garden’ with lattice covered walls Square garden. chemi Group have brought style throughout the fi rst fl oor, restored Heath and internationally renowned “I have tried to honour the Victorian and abundant greenery, designed by Gulf Times was also shown around Qand glamour back to the heart of windows with French shutters and pri- Devon & Devon have been used for the era through traditional wood panelling Ginko Gardens who also did The Ivy a lateral 4th fl oor apartment, another London in their Leinster Square devel- vate terraces. Six lateral apartments are project. and all the joinery with thicker wood Chelsea Garden. show home, which had a stunning liv- opment, which off er properties starting situated on upper levels overlooking Marino has worked closely through- doors and the ironmongery being un- Marino has taken a practical ap- ing room with views over the garden at £3.95mn. the also newly redone garden square to out with English Heritage which en- lacquered brass instead of nickel or proach in wiring both the dining and and a magnifi cent kitchen. Gulf Times had a glimpse of high- provide 27,500sq ft of saleable space. sures that restoration work on listed chrome and the parquet fl ooring,” said sitting rooms in such a way that the The kitchens throughout the de- end living during a private tour of the The development benefi ts from buildings is done in a way to preserve Marino. family can decide how they want to velopment, all bathed in natural recently completed Leinster Square southerly views and access to a private their unique character. The sitting room is elegant, warm utilise the spaces. They may, for exam- light, have been shortlisted for best development in West London in which garden square, very rare in central Lon- For the magnifi cent oak fl oors this and welcoming. Marino has a very good ple, prefer to the use the dining room as residential kitchen of a value over QFB has a 40.5% stake. don. meant keeping the exact layout of the eye for choosing furniture, fabrics and the family sitting room and the sitting £50,000 by Design et al for The In- Over the last four years, QFB has Gulf Times was shown around one original fl oorboards which entailed colour that seamlessly combine the room as a grand dining room. ternational Design and Architecture worked with the development man- of the show home town houses which removing and marking each and every modern with the traditional. The huge amount of cupboard and Awards. To date 75% of the apart- ager, London-based Alchemi Group, to has also been decorated by Alchemi board in order to do the restoration and The dining room with wallpaper by storage space and the practical and ments have been sold and the town rebuild and restore the building to its co-founder and creative director Laura produce the exceptional quality seen Zoff any is spectacular and the kitchen well-designed utility room are among homes have just been launched to former Victorian glory. Marino under her newly launched inte- today. with its white Macaubus work surfaces the other attractions. market. Page 20 Gulf Times 2 Friday, August 19, 2016 QATAR HBJ Foundation Prime Minister meets US ambassador carries out projects

worth QR150mn HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani holding talks with the US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith in Doha yesterday. The meeting QNA Hajri said: “The foundation has lish a project for the construc- in Morocco is over QR25mn.” dealt with relations between Qatar and the US and means of enhancing them, in addition to Doha implemented a decent number tion of drinking water network He explained that the Foun- issues of mutual interest. of humanitarian and develop- in Tajikistan. dation, as part of its plan for ment projects locally before Al-Hajri said: “A delegation this year, will work in Thailand assim and Hamad bin Jas- starting to carry out develop- from HBJ Foundation visited the and Mauritania, adding that the sim Charitable Foundation mental projects regionally and area to assess the situation and planning of some projects is un- Qatar condemns J(HBJ Foundation) announced internationally’’, adding that put together an implementation derway, including the establish- that it has carried out a number some projects have been com- plan for this specifi c project in ment of an orphanage in south- attack on Saudi of development projects in Asia pletely implemented while oth- addition to another project for ern Thailand and a construction Qatar wins praise region of Najran and Africa at a cost of more than ers are still underway”. the establishment of TB diagno- of a housing city in Mauritania’s QR150mn as part of its plan for Al-Hajri revealed that the sis and treatment centre.” capital Nouakchott. Qatar expressed its this year, which benefi t thou- construction of Sheikh Jassim HBJ Foundation is imple- from UNIDO, UNEP condemnation and denunciation sands of Muslims in several coun- Vocational Training Centre in The projects benefi t menting one of its biggest of the vicious missile attack from tries including India, Sri Lanka, Dabul city – Maharashtra State thousands of Muslims in projects, Sheikh Jassim Hospital Yemeni territory on the Najran Pakistan and the Comoros. in India – has been completed. several countries including in the island of Anjouan – Co- for ozone protection region in Saudi Arabia, killing The projects included build- The QR2mn facility, which India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan moros Islands. seven civilians and wounding ing of housing units, hospitals, can accommodate 128 students, and the Comoros The hospital will provide inte- many others. vocational training centres, is scheduled to be inaugurated grated healthcare services with QNA and Environment and other The Foreign Ministry said in a mosques and drinking water within a few months. Al-Hajri pointed out that high effi ciency to the poor as well Doha relevant authorities relat- statement yesterday that Qatar facilities, in addition to its con- The project aims at empower- HBJ Foundation is working on as assist in improving the level of ing to the national strategy condemns the continued vicious tribution to the support of some ing the poor to have opportuni- implementing of a 45-bed hos- health services in the country. to deal with hydrofluorocar- attacks on the kingdom’s borders projects in the medical, educa- ties for technical education in pital project in the ‘Sidi Yosif The estimated number of xperts from the United bons. and within its territory aimed at tional and other humanitarian four major areas, namely weld- bin Ali’ area in Marrakesh prov- benefi ciaries of this project is Nations Industrial De- Discussions also dealt with destabilising the security of Saudi fi elds, HBJ Foundation said in a ing, electricity, plumbing and ince – Morocco, in addition to 790,000 in the three islands of Evelopment Organisa- several issues of mutual con- Arabia and terrorising innocent statement on Wednesday. blacksmithery. constructing 116 housing units Grande Comore, Anjouan and tion (UNIDO) and the Unit- cern. people. Qatar stands in solidarity HBJ Foundation Chief Execu- Also, the foundation will in the same province. The total Moheli. The total cost of the ed Nations Environment The visit comes within the with Saudi Arabia and fully tive Offi cer Saeed Mathkar al- shortly sign a contract to estab- cost of the foundation’s projects project is more than QR100mn. Programme (UNEP) yesterday framework of implementa- supports all measures taken to praised the progress made by tion of the State of Qatar to the maintain its security and stability, the State of Qatar with re- Vienna Convention and the added the statement spect to the protection of the Montreal Protocol. ozone layer and its Commit- The UNIDO and UNEP of- Chief of Staff ment to the implementation ficials were also briefed on of the requirements of the the progress of the projects meets Omani Kuwait’s National Assembly Vienna Convention for the funded by the Multilateral military attache Protection of the Ozone Layer Fund of the Montreal Proto- and the Montreal Protocol on col Parties, as well as prepa- Substances that Deplete the ration for the next phase of HE the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Ozone Layer (Montreal Pro- the projects that will be sub- Armed Forces Major General speaker hails Qatar ties tocol). mitted to the Fund in order Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem This came during a visit to put them into effect over met the Military Attache of the by the experts to Doha to the next year in the national embassy of the Sultanate of QNA Qatari parliamentary experi- of three international donor discuss with a number of of- strategy to deal with hy- Oman in Qatar Brig. Abdullah bin Doha ence is advanced and notewor- conferences to help the Syrian ficials from the Department drofluorocarbons that will Mohamed Khalaf al-Jabri in Doha thy thanks to the faith of the people and contribute to solv- of prevention of radiation, run until 2030, in accordance yesterday. Qatari leadership, headed by ing the crisis. chemicals and the national with the limits of the regula- Talks during the meeting covered uwait’s National Assem- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin On Yemen, Kuwait’s National contact point for the ozone tory framework stipulated by bilateral relations and ways of bly Speaker Marzouq Ali Hamad al-Thani. Assembly speaker said that his at the Ministry of Municipal the Protocol. enhancing them. Kal-Ghanim hailed the About Qatar’s hosting of the country hosted peace consulta- close ties between the State of FIFA World Cup 2022, Kuwait’s tions between Yemeni parties to Qatar and Kuwait. Al-Ghanim National Assembly Speaker contribute to reaching a solution said that Qatari-Kuwaiti strate- stressed that Qatar’s hosting to stop the bloodshed and re- gic relationship is deep-rooted the World Cup will form an im- store stability. in history. portant milestone in organising On the relations with Iran, he 3-degree drop in maximum In an interview with Qatari World Cup tournaments, thanks confi rmed the desire of Kuwait daily Al Sharq published yester- to Qatar’s good management and and all GCC states to create a day, al-Ghanim highlighted the organisation skills demonstrated calm atmosphere and to enjoy temperature forecast for today collaboration between Qatar’s in previous tournaments. good neighbourly relations with Advisory (Shura) Council and On the trade exchange be- Iran, stressing at the same time Kuwait’s Parliament, describing tween the two countries Mar- that Gulf security and stabil- he maximum tempera- at places before it becomes hot Dukhan and Ruwais. it as a successful and perfect ex- zouq Ali al-Ghanim said that Marzouq Ali al-Ghanim ity is sacrosanct, adding that all ture in Qatar is forecast with some clouds and relatively The highest humidity of ample of co-operation between this has not reached the required the Gulf states and Iran are equal Tto drop to 42C in Doha humid by night. 73% was recorded yesterday parliaments. extent yet. about Israel and its continu- partners in this region. today from yesterday’s 45C at Yesterday, the second high- at Abu Samra, followed by He said that the Qatari Advi- Regarding the Palestinian ing abuses against Palestinian Al-Ghanim also talked about Sheehaniya and Batna. est temperature of 44C was 71% at Dukhan, 67% at Umm sory Council is a main supporter cause, al-Ghanim said the issue rights. the GCC, saying that despite all Mercury will further drop to- recorded at Jumayliyah, Ka- Bab, 66% at Shehaimiya, and an actor in the success of the must be in “our Arab conscience On the Syrian crisis, al- the circumstances, the continu- day to 41C at Mesaieed, Wakrah ranah and Turayna, followed 65% at Ruwais, 64% at Ha- Arab Inter-parliamentary Union as a central issue, and to be at the Ghanim stressed the need to ation of the GCC for 35 years is a and Al Khor, followed by 39C at by 43C at Al Rayyan and mad International Airport (APU). forefront of the political and hu- reach a political solution that success. Dukhan, 38C at Abu Samra and Ghuwayriyah, 42C in Doha and Wakrah, 62% at Al Khor, The Qatari Advisory Council manitarian concerns’’. is regionally and politically He indicated that the GCC 37C at Ruwais, according to the Airport, 41C at Shehaimiya, 56% at Ghuwayriyah and is a formal framework for pub- He also said that diplomatic supported, and to stop the may not live up to the level of the Qatar Meteorological Depart- Mesaieed and Al Khor 39C at Mesaieed, 46% at Al Rayyan lic participation in the man- struggle should be continued bloodshed and destruction ambition of GCC citizens, but ment. Abu Samra, Wakrah and Ha- and Turayna, 45% at Shee- agement of the country’s af- in every continental or interna- of the infrastructure in Syria, existing co-operation must be The weather is expected to mad International Airport, haniya, 31% at Batna and fairs, he said, adding that the tional forum to reveal the fact noting to Kuwait’s hosting built upon. be hazy to misty today at fi rst 38C at Umm Bab, and 37C at 30% at Karanah. Tamuq PREP course hones maths skills of freshmen

athways for Retention in only improve our maths scores Engineering Programmes but also give us an easier time P(PREP), conducted by adapting to the university at- Texas A&M University at Qatar mosphere,” she said. (Tamuq) has resulted in marked Al-Hajri said she appreciated improvement in incoming stu- the opportunity to adjust to an dents’ maths skills, it was an- English-speaking school at the nounced yesterday. university level. PREP helps freshmen suc- Al-Hajri recalled at fi rst, she ceed in their fi rst semester of was terrifi ed of going to uni- university. Qatari engineering versity. “But now after the pro- students enrolling at Tamuq gramme, I feel much more re- improved their exam scores by laxed and prepared. I know that an average of more than 40% when I begin classes with other from the beginning to the end professors, I will know what of the programme, refl ecting Dr Nite interacts with students. they are talking about.” the success of the initiative. Dr Nite said she was happy to The PREP course, which ran PREP was designed for in- have made, noting, “They are have experienced teaching stu- from July 31 through August 11, coming freshmen who sought very engaged and have been dents in Qatar. was taught by Dr Sandra Nite of to improve their maths skills improving. They are getting a “I enjoyed seeing them be able Aggie STEM and the Depart- before starting university en- better idea of the underlying to talk about and describe things ment of Mathematics at Texas gineering studies. The pro- concepts of the work that they they have learned,” she said. A&M’s main campus in College gramme comprised intense in- were doing.” “It’s always fun to be able to see Traffi c diversion on Aziziya Street Station, Texas, US. struction in math topics such as In addition to the maths students pick up on something PREP is part of the Dhia: En- functions, trigonometry, linear course, the students took aca- or see a gap that gets fi lled.” gineering Leaders initiative, a systems and mechanics. demic success seminars de- Al-Hajri observed that PREP he Public Works Author- lice Department. tion works of the Roads and partnership between Tamuq However, as Dr Nite ex- signed to enhance their study helped her remember many ity, Ashghal, will imple- During the diversion, the cen- Infrastructure Project in Aziziya and longtime collaborator, plained, “It’s more than just skills and habits, while also important math concepts. “Dr Tment from tomorrow a tre of Al Aziziya Street will be East Phase Four. Maersk Oil Qatar, that aims to getting them through that introducing them to the nu- Nite helped us think outside of traffi c diversion for three months closed to traffi c and one lane will Ashghal will install road signs help young Qataris to choose placement exam. We want to merous on-campus academic the box and was always avail- on Al Aziziya Street, between remain open in each direction to inform motorists about the and succeed in educational really give them the founda- resources they will have at their able to answer questions or give Ibn Aamer Street and Umm Al on the right and left sides of the diversion. The authority has re- pathways in science, technolo- tion they need to be success- disposal. extra help when needed.” Kharj Street. street, as shown in the map. quested all road users to abide by gy, engineering and mathemat- ful throughout the engineering Alreem al-Hajri, an incoming “I think every freshman who The traffic diversion will The authority is implement- the speed limits, and follow the ics (STEM), which are critical mathematics sequence.” student in chemical engineer- has the opportunity to take be implemented in co-ordi- ing this traffi c diversion to con- road signs to ensure their and to the success of the Qatar Na- Dr Nite also commented on ing, shared the same sentiment. this course should take it,” she nation with the Traffic Po- tinue the permanent construc- others’ safety. tional Vision 2030. the progress that the students “This programme will not added. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Yemen bids to break rebel siege of Taiz AFP after fi erce clashes but the insurgents later re- Aden imposed a blockade on the city. Tens of thousands of civilians are said to be caught in the fi erce and protracted battle for Taiz. Saudi Labour Minister Mufrej al-Haqbani and Philippine Secretary of Labour Silvestre Bello speak to the media in Riyadh. emen troops yesterday launched a bid to Saudi-led aircraft meanwhile pounded rebels break a rebel siege of third city Taiz, with positions yesterday around Sanaa, scoring hits on Yfi erce fi ghting leaving fi ve soldiers and 13 three military camps held by the insurgents, mili- insurgents dead, military sources said. tary sources said. Soldiers attacked positions of the Iran-backed Violence yesterday also rocked the southern Shia Houthi rebels from the east, west and north Abyan province where an Al Qaeda suicide bomb- Abandoned workers refuse to of the fl ashpoint southwestern city that has been er killed four Yemeni soldiers and wounded four under siege for more than a year, they said. others, a military offi cial told AFP. One military source said the troops made “a The attack comes after government forces relative breakthrough” by driving the Houthi launched an anti-militant operation in Abyan. rebels from several positions around the city. The bomber rammed his car into two military leave sans outstanding wages A pro-government activist, Abdel Majid vehicles parked on a road linking the towns of al-Dhababi, confi rmed that troops had made Loder and Moudia, the military offi cial said. progress after months of trying to break the siege The attack came after troops recaptured both Reuters Binladin executives promised of Taiz. towns from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Qadisiya Labour Camp, Saudi him that payments would be He told AFP the army “practically succeeded in (AQAP), the offi cial added. Arabia completed by September, he said. breaking the blockade from the west”. He said the bombing was apparently in retali- Oger is the only company still “But the road leading to Aden is still unsafe and ation for the capture Sunday of provincial capi- broadly withholding payments, this is preventing civilians from fl eeing south,” tal Zinjibar by the army backed by Saudi-led air igrant construction and the Labour Ministry will said Dhababi. strikes. workers, abandoned press foreigners’ wage claims Yemen has been hit by unrest since the Houthi Militants fl ed into the mountains as the army Min their thousands by through the kingdom’s labour rebels and allied loyalists of former president Ali entered, the military offi cial said. Saudi employers in fi lthy desert dispute system, Haqbani said, Abdullah Saleh overran the capital Sanaa in Sep- Abyan lies east of the province of Aden, where camps during the kingdom’s eco- without specifying when claims tember 2014. authorities have trained hundreds of soldiers over nomic slump, say they will not might be resolved. The violence increased after a Saudi-led Arab the past two months to retake Abyan. accept a government off er of free “Saudi Oger — now we’ll take coalition launched a military campaign in March Al Qaeda and Islamic State group militants fl ights home unless they receive it to the courts. Now we are re- last year to help shore up the government of Pres- have exploited a power vacuum in Yemen to ex- months of unpaid wages. sponsible for that. We’ve hired ident Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. pand their presence in the country’s south and The plight of the workers, lawyers,” he said. The government had fl ed to Saudi Arabia after southeast. stranded for months in crowded “As the ministry, we will the Houthis seized Sanaa and pushed south to The United States considers AQAP to be Al dormitories at labour camps with go through the labour dispute second city Aden. Qaeda’s deadliest franchise and has conducted a little money and limited access to An Asian worker has his lunch at the Qadisiya labour camp. courts to go after Saudi Oger and But with help from the coalition authorities drone war against the group in Yemen. food, water or medical care, has to collect the claims.” have recaptured Aden, where the government has The UN says more than 6,600 people, mostly alarmed their home countries Minister Saad Hariri, did not re- most prominent construction He also said the troubles at set up temporary headquarters. civilians, have been killed since last March and and drawn unwelcome attention spond to requests for comment companies, along with the Saudi Oger were not a sign of prob- In March, loyalist forces backed by Saudi-led more than 80% of the population needs humani- to the conditions of some of the for this story. Binladin Group. lems with Saudi Arabia’s overall air strikes managed to break the rebel siege of Taiz tarian aid. 10mn foreign workers on whom The Hariri family did not im- Both have faced fi nancial dif- employment of foreign workers, the Saudi economy depends. mediately respond to an e-mail fi culties as the world’s biggest most of whom were choosing to The government says it is try- seeking comment. oil exporter has suff ered from the remain in the country. ing to resolve the situation by In July, Oger stopped providing fall in the price of crude. “This is a small segment...of giving the workers — who nor- food, electricity, maintenance Construction projects have the labour market. We have more mally need their employers’ and medical services at several been halted or slowed and rev- than 10mn expats working hap- Egypt takes anchorwomen off permission to leave the country of its camps including Qadisi- enue has fallen. pily here in the country. When a — the right to go home and free yah, prompting the Saudi Labour As the salary delays have wors- company like Saudi Oger fails to transport back. Ministry to take over provision of ened, frustrated workers have comply with the rules, this will air until they lose weight It is also granting them spe- basic services there, men at the in some cases staged rare public never destroy the good image of cial permission to stay while they camp said. protests. Countries including In- our labour market.” look for other jobs. They sleep six to eight to a tiny dia, Pakistan and the Philippines Philippines Secretary of La- AFP “They can then return to the screen,” she said. But workers say they fear that room, with stray cats and cock- have sent senior offi cials to Riy- bour Silvestre Bello, who visited Cairo The move provoked a backlash from rights if they leave they will end up with roaches lingering on torn bed- adh to press authorities to assist Riyadh for talks with Haqbani groups who labelled it discriminatory. The Wom- nothing at all. sheets. their workers. this week, said that with the as- en’s Centre for Guidance and Legal Awareness in “We will wait here — one year, They sit on the fl oor to eat food Indian offi cials said this month sistance of Saudi authorities, gypt’s state-run television has taken sev- Egypt called the decision “shameful” and said it two years. We will wait for our rations provided by the Labour that more than 6,200 former about 1,000 Filipino workers eral anchorwomen off the air until they lose was contrary to Egypt’s constitution. money. Then we will go back,” Ministry or their embassies. Indian employees of Oger were could be sent home by mid-Sep- Eweight, the broadcaster’s chief told AFP, Hegazy dismissed allegations the decision was said Sardar Naseer, 35, a Pakista- There is no regular supply of stranded in Saudi camps after tember. drawing criticism from rights groups but also sexist. “How can there be discrimination against ni welder at the Qadisiya Labour clean drinking water — a fi lter being laid off and owed wages. At the camp, Mohamed Niaz, praise from some commentators. women in an institution run by a woman?” she said. Camp, which houses around on a public water fountain meant Two weeks ago, after Indian 42, said his two daughters back Egyptian public television, commonly viewed One of the aff ected women, Khadija Khattab, said 2,000 workers from construction to be changed daily has not been authorities raised their concerns, in Pakistan had stopped attend- as a staid government mouthpiece, has been she felt slandered by the move. “Publishing this de- conglomerate Saudi Oger. serviced in a year — so they are King Salman set aside 100mn ing school because he could no struggling to compete with private satellite chan- cision in the newspapers is tantamount to defama- Naseer says he is owed 22,000 forced to buy bottled water with riyals of government money to longer send money home for fees. nels with slicker programming. tion against the anchorwomen,” Khattab told AFP. riyals ($5,900) after receiving no their own money. help the stranded workers, most- “I’m wasting my time. I want Safaa Hegazy, the head of the Egyptian Radio “We need to know who decides whether an anchor wages for eight months. Saudi Oger, which employs ly from Pakistan, India, the Phil- to go to Pakistan,” he said. and Television Union which runs state televi- is fi t to go on air, and by which standards,” she said. Workers at the camp, about some 30,000 workers, has built ippines and Bangladesh. But he added that he refused sion, said six to eight anchorwomen would be af- Others supported the move. “I agree with this 20km from the centre of Riyadh, mega-projects including Riy- Saudi Labour Minister Mu- to leave Saudi Arabia without the fected by the decision. The move “is within the decision because an anchorwoman’s appearance said they had stopped work about adh’s palatial 500-room Ritz frej al-Haqbani told Reuters on 13,000 riyals which Oger owed framework of developing the broadcaster, in form is an important criterion,” state newspaper Al- four months ago and none had Carlton hotel and all-female Wednesday that several dis- him. and content,” she said. Hegazy said she told the Ahram quoted media expert Sami Abdel Aziz as been paid since January. Princess Noura Bint Abdulrah- tressed local fi rms, including “My family has no money. My anchorwomen “that they can work in produc- saying. “An anchorwoman’s fi tness gives an im- Oger, the family fi rm of bil- man University. Saudi Binladin Group, had now daughters are out of school. How tion during the period they need to lose weight.” pression of liveliness on the screen,” he said. lionaire former Lebanese Prime It is one of Saudi Arabia’s two started paying overdue wages. can I go to Pakistan?” Animal cruelty videos cause outrage in Iran

By Babak Dehghanpisheh, Social media has played a key role The passing of a law to prevent “There is a sense of fear about Reuters in highlighting animal abuse cases animal abuse has been partly hin- information on owning dogs,” Bazai Beirut and is ramping up pressure on of- dered by a cultural divide within said. “But keeping pet dogs is defi - fi cials to act. The Telegram instant Iran — religious hardliners consider nitely on the rise.” messaging service is used by about pet dogs to be haram, or against Is- There are online sites which allow man grabs a dog by the ears 20mn people in Iran and WhatsApp lamic principles, and a sign of nega- pet lovers to browse for dogs to pur- and bashes it against the side is used by many Iranians. tive Western infl uence. chase by breed and gender. Aof a pickup truck in a rural When a video was posted online In 2014, a number of conserva- And judicial authorities have re- area of northern Iran. As the dog last year showing dogs being in- tive parliamentarians proposed a bill acted quickly to high profi le abuse tries to fi nd shelter in the back of the jected and squirming painfully and that would subject dog owners to 74 cases. truck, the man beats it with a shovel. yelping as they died in the southern lashes and a fi ne of up to $4,000. The man who slammed the dog When the video was posted on- city of Shiraz, the social media back- Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem into the truck in northern Iran was line, it rocketed across social media lash led to the arrest of two men. Shirazi, a senior conservative cleric, sentenced to 74 lashes and 270 hours and kicked off protests in Tehran and “Social media is having an ef- issued a fatwa, or religious decree, in of community work in May, accord- other Iranian cities. fect, 100%,” said Farshid Rofugaran, 2010 that dogs should not be kept as ing to the Iranian judiciary’s offi cial Several other videos showing the a lawyer who was involved in the pets. news site Mizan. abuse of domestic pets, mostly dogs, Shiraz case. “There are a lot of these Contempt for dog ownership “The recent incidents have shown have since been posted online. clips coming up which shows me seemingly drove a policeman to that this is among important issues Public criticism has mounted and these incidents of cruelty to animals shoot a dog in front of its owner near for the country and there are gov- there is now a push for a law against are growing.” Tehran last year. Images of the wail- ernment departments preparing a cruelty to animals in Iran, which has Judges often have to fi nd legal ing owner went viral on Iranian so- bill,” said Ale Davoud. no such legislation. loopholes to try the cases. cial media. Either the government or “We hope that if there is a law as The Shiraz case has not been re- Despite the pressure from some members of parliament can in- a foundation this problem can be solved after more than a year. clerics and offi cials, dog ownership troduce a bill, according to Mehr- controlled in society,” said Javid Ale “When an incident occurs and does not appear to be decreasing in dad Lahouti, a member of the Ira- Davoud, head of the Society for Pro- a case fi le is formed, the judge is Iran, although reliable fi gures are dif- nian parliament’s environmental tection of Animals, a non-govern- forced to use Islamic law or other fi cult to come by as owners fear re- committee. mental organization. “The govern- laws to resolve it,” said Rofugaran. percussions or confi scation of their “If we see that the government ment has become sensitive to this “But the lack of a single law leads to pets, Mohamed Bazai, a vet who has process is taking too long, we will Demonstrators take part in a protest against animal cruelty in Mashad, Iran. issue.” unresolved cases.” clinics in Shiraz and Kish, said. follow this up,” Lahouti said. Gulf Times 4 Friday, August 19, 2016 ARAB WORLD Trucks ‘ready Buffalo ‘Bill’! to move’ to Aleppo, says UN offi cial

Reuters Aleppo, Syria’s most popu- Geneva lous pre-war city and its com- mercial hub, has become the focus of fi ghting in the fi ve- ussia said yesterday it year-old civil war. would support a 48-hour Up to 2mn people on both Rceasefi re in Aleppo, a sides lack clean water after in- move the UN Syria envoy said frastructure was damaged in would allow aid to reach be- bombing. sieged areas soon, as long as Escalating violence there, all sides respect the temporary where Russia and Iran are sup- truce. porting bombing campaigns A man herds water buff alos in the village of Um Khashm, on the banks of the Euphrates river, southeast of the Iraqi city of Najaf. As pictures of a dazed child against the rebels, some of pulled from the rubble in heav- whom are backed by Arab and ily bombarded rebel-held east- Western powers, has caused ern Aleppo reminded the world the breakdown of Geneva peace of the plight of the city’s civil- talks overseen by de Mistura. ians, Moscow said it was ready The Syrian opposition has to start the fi rst “humanitarian said it wants to see a credible pause” next week. pause in the bloodshed and im- UN Special Envoy Staff an de proved humanitarian aid ac- Mistura has long called for a 48- cess, before peace talks can hour halt in fi ghting each week resume. IS suicide bombings kill to allow aid delivery and medical “Trucks with food, water and evacuations from both rebel- medicine are ready to move im- held eastern and government- mediately and ambulances to controlled western Aleppo. evacuate urgent medical cases He welcomed the Russian are on standby,” Jens Laerke, defence ministry tweet and spokesman for the UN Coordi- said the UN humanitarian team nation of Humanitarian Aff airs 10 Libya fi ghters in Sirte “is now set to mobilize itself to (OCHA), said. respond to this challenge.” A Western diplomat said it DPA The casualties were transferred to a week they had recaptured Sirte’s Second started airstrikes in support of the Libyan “Our plan is to collectively was important for the United Cairo fi eld hospital in Sirte. District from Islamic State. forces against Islamic State in Sirte. work out the operational de- Nations to lead the aid eff ort. Government forces are currently en- The advance has left the militants sur- The radical group built up its presence tails, and be ready for delivery “It is not a Russian opera- gaged in a three-month campaign to drive rounded in the coastal city’s First and in Libya, taking advantage of a confl ict be- as soon as possible,” de Mis- tion, it has to be a UN opera- orces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed Islamic State from the central city. Third districts, with their only apparent tween rival governments based in Tripoli tura’s offi ce said in a statement. tion to be a good and credible government said that 10 of its fi ght- The forces meanwhile killed three mili- escape route by sea. and in the east of the country. Moscow must ensure that its operation,” the diplomat told Fers were on killed yesterday in sui- tants in a “special operation” in Sirte’s Last year, Islamic State controlled a Sirte has since been Islamic State’s key allied Syrian government forc- Reuters. cide car bombings carried out by Islamic residential First Neighbourhood, one of 250km stretch of Libya’s central Mediter- stronghold outside Syria and Iraq, where es adhere to the pause, while “It would start at the begin- State in the extremist militia’s former the last areas under Islamic State’s con- ranean coast before forces aligned to the the organisation has seized vast territory. the United States and regional ning of next week on condition stronghold of Sirte. trol, their media centre reported without nascent UN-backed unity government Libya has suff ered from military and powers must ensure that the that there is an agreement be- Twenty pro-government fi ghters were giving details. began operations against the Al Qaeda political chaos since the overthrow of opposition fi ghters are also on tween the UN, Russia and the also injured in the two bombings, the me- The government forces, mainly from splinter group in May. long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in board, he said. (Syrian) regime on modalities.” dia centre for the forces said. Libya’s western city of Misrata, said this Earlier this month, the United States a 2011 uprising.

Palestinian activists from the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) demonstrate in the city of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank against the detention of Bilal Kayed, a fellow PFLP member, by Israeli authorities. Kayed who was due to be released after serving a 14-and-a-half-year sentence for activities in the (PFLP) began a hunger strike in June to protest his internment under Israel’s administrative detention law, which allows the country to hold prisoners without trial for renewable six-month periods. Hardline Israel defence minister pushes ‘carrot and stick’ West Bank plan

AFP Soldier jailed for stun grenade attack on Palestinians Jerusalem The Israeli army yesterday jailed one platoon sergeant acted contrary to Israel soldier and sanctioned two others after Defence Forces standards,” it said. srael’s hardline defence minister they were filmed apparently dropping “The platoon sergeant and two ad- Avigdor Lieberman has a new “car- a stun grenade alongside a group of ditional soldiers present in the vehicle Irot and stick” policy for the West seated Palestinians. were sentenced in disciplinary proceed- Bank that will penalise the hometowns A video posted online on Tuesday ings by the battalion commander. The of Palestinian attackers while reward- showed an army jeep pulling up next platoon sergeant was sentenced to ing others, his ministry said yesterday. to the men, sitting at the roadside and military jail.” Under the policy, Palestinian fami- smoking a water pipe in the northern A spokesperson later told AFP that lies, villages and towns that are linked West Bank village of Kafr Laqif. the sergeant was jailed for 10 days and to attackers will face extra punitive As the jeep pulls away a flash and the other two soldiers were confined to measures, while those that are not will smoke can be seen in the road and the their base for seven days. receive increased economic support. men scatter, apparently unharmed. Stun grenades, also known as “flash- “Anyone who is ready for coex- An army statement yesterday re- bangs”, produce a very loud bang and a istence will profi t, and anyone who ferred to an investigation launched into flash of intense light, designed to tem- takes the route of terrorism will lose,” an “incident in Kafr Laqif” but did not porarily incapacitate subjects without Lieberman said, according to Israeli give details. physical harm. They can, however, cause newspapers. “The investigation revealed that the injury if used improperly. Lieberman described the policy as a “carrot and stick” approach, his min- istry confi rmed to AFP. The policy tinian hometowns of attackers marked carrying out knife, gun or car-ram- is dependent on support from Prime green and others in red or yellow. ming attacks, Israeli authorities say, Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which Those marked as threats could see with the majority of them from the Lieberman said he had already received. increased arrests or raids and tighter West Bank. Israel has occupied the West Bank, restrictions on access, while those seen Last month the Israeli army closed which is home to more than 2mn Pales- as accepting of Israel’s presence could off the Fawwar refugee camp close to tinians, since 1967. More than 400,000 see increased state investment. the fl ashpoint city of Hebron for 26 Israelis live in West Bank settlements In Beit Sahour, south of Jerusalem, days after a gunman fi red on an Israeli which the international community the “carrot” could include a new hos- car on a nearby road, causing a crash considers illegal and sees as one of the pital, Israeli newspapers reported. that killed the driver. largest obstacles to peace. A wave of violence since October has Lieberman will also seek to improve According to Israeli media reports, killed 220 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two relations with prominent Palestinians Lieberman, whose ministry leads Is- Americans, an Eritrean and a Suda- outside the Ramallah-based Pales- raeli policy in the West Bank, has di- nese, according to an AFP tally. tinian Authority headed by President vided the region in two — with Pales- Most of the Palestinians killed were Mahmoud Abbas. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 5 AFRICA

Action needed to stop southern Africa hunger crisis extending into 2017: UN

Reuters this year, and 23mn people ur- Many farmers have been forced married off early, IFRC said. don’t pay attention to this (cri- Last month, the region’s eco- southern Africa or, if it is severe, Rome gently need aid, according to UN to spend money on food rather Severe hunger can also stunt sis) now, this is going to cost a lot nomic grouping, the Southern it may instead cause fl ooding and fi gures released earlier this week. than seeds and fertilisers, and to their physical and mental growth, more, and be a lot worse in the African Development Commu- cyclones. “If there is good support from sell off their cattle. and can stop them from reaching future.” nity (SADC), declared a regional On average, El Nino happens armers in drought-hit (local) governments and the in- “We have to help them (ur- their full potential as adults. The El Nino drought has de- drought disaster and launched an every three to 10 years. southern Africa need help ternational community ... then gently) because the next planting “It’s not a matter of they’re stroyed 9.3mn tonnes of cereal, appeal for $2.4bn. The FAO’s Del Re said the re- Fto plant the next harvest, or we can break the cycle,” Frances- season is a few weeks away,” said hungry today and they won’t go and hundreds of thousands of Aid agencies also appealed for gion’s rural communities need else the food crisis gripping the co Del Re, senior strategic adviser Del Re. to school. This will impact them livestock, according to the UN $1.2bn to help 12.3mn people in help to become more resilient to region will continue into 2017, for drought response at the UN The planting season begins for the rest of their lives,” Erin Offi ce for the Co-ordination of the most-aff ected countries – drought and fl oods, before the the UN Food and Agriculture Or- Food and Agriculture Organisa- in October, and the next harvest Law, health delegate for IFRC in Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA). Angola, Lesotho, Madagascar, next El Nino phenomenon. ganisation said yesterday. tion (FAO), said yesterday. will be in February/March. Pretoria, said by phone. At the same time, economic Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland This includes introducing Southern Africa has been “If this doesn’t happen you Children’s futures are at stake, The crisis is also aff ecting the woes have compounded the ef- and Zimbabwe. drought-resistant crops, and badly aff ected over the past year will have a continued crisis in the International Federation of region’s response to the HIV vi- fects of the drought. El Nino, a warming of sea- government policies to do more by the El Nino weather pattern 2017,” he told the Thomson Reu- Red Cross and Red Crescent So- rus, she added. Currencies have been deval- surface temperatures in the Pa- to help vulnerable rural farmers, which has wilted crops, slowing ters Foundation in a telephone cieties (IFRC) said. “We are at the centre of the ued, increasing the costs of food cifi c Ocean, will be followed by including helping them pay for economic growth and driving interview from Johannesburg. In some areas, they are missing HIV epidemic in the world. We imports, and government reve- La Nina, a weather pattern which drought insurance, he said. food prices higher. About 70% of the population out on school because they are have children who ... cannot even nues have been hit at a time when brings higher than average rain- “We have to make sure this Some 579,000 children will depends on agriculture for their too exhausted to attend, or have access food to take their (HIV) social safety nets need expand- fall. (crisis) doesn’t happen again,” he need treatment for severe hunger livelihoods. to seek work instead, or are being medication,” Law said. “If we ing, the OCHA said. This may improve harvests in said.

Curfew slapped on Congo South Sudan’s ex-VP has towns

AFP Beni fl ed to Kinshasa: aide AFP President Salva Kiir accused as vice-president on July 25 by mented atrocity a South Su- uthorities slapped a Nairobi Machar, then his deputy, of Taban Deng Gai, a former friend danese journalist was killed by dawn-to-dusk curfew plotting a coup. and ally. government soldiers because of Aon two northeast Con- The fi ghting has split the Deng warned on Wednesday his tribe and foreign aid work- go towns yesterday, following outh Sudan’s former rebel world’s newest country along that Machar should stay out of ers were shot, beaten and raped deadly clashes over the govern- leader and sacked vice- ethnic lines and driven it to the politics to allow peace despite in an attack on a hotel during last ment’s failure to prevent repeat- Spresident Riek Machar brink of collapse. previously indicating that if Ma- month’s fi ghting in Juba. ed civilian massacres. has escaped to the capital of A peace deal signed between char returned to Juba he would The targeting of foreigners Interior Minister Evariste the Democratic Republic of the the government and rebels a stand aside. spurred the United Nations to Boshab announced the 7pm to Congo following violent clashes year ago has so far failed to end Machar’s intention to travel launch an investigation into why 6am curfew on Butembo as well last month, an offi cial said yes- the confl ict. to Ethiopia, a regional power its peacekeepers failed to re- as Beni were he fl ew into follow- terday. And last month Juba was broker that hosted peace talks spond to calls for help while the ing the massacre of 51 civilians in “Riek Machar is currently in rocked by several days of heavy through the trade bloc IGAD, attack was going on. the town last weekend. DRC, in Kinshasa, and wants to fi ghting between Kiir’s forces suggests he has no intention of Last Friday the UN Security The slaying in which vic- go as soon as possible to Ethio- and those loyal to Machar. being cut out of negotiations or Council approved a US-drafted tims were the latest in a string pia,” an aide told AFP. Machar’s whereabouts had pushed from power. Machar: planing to head to Ethiopia. resolution to strengthen the of massacres that has left more An earlier statement from Ma- been unclear since the fi ght- Several former rebel com- 12,000-person peacekeeping than 700 dead since 2014. char’s SPLM-IO party said the ing fl ared in Juba between July 8 manders have warned that they with civilians massacred – often tire towns destroyed. mission with 4,000 additional The gruesome Saturday leader had been “evacuated to a and 11 and led to his outgunned consider Deng’s elevation to along tribal lines – women and Tens of thousands of people troops drawn from regional ar- night killings prompted an an- safe country within the region” and outnumbered forces being vice-president to be “treason”. girls raped and children forced to have died and more than 2mn mies and equipped with a more gry march by hundreds of peo- without naming the Congo. chased from the city by govern- South Sudan’s civil war has become soldiers. have been forced from their aggressive mandate. ple from Butembo to Beni on Civil war broke out in South ment troops. been characterised by war Homes and property have homes. Juba has yet to accept the res- Wednesday, which ended in tear Sudan in December 2013 when He was subsequently replaced crimes and human rights abuses been looted and burned, and en- In just the most recent docu- olution. gas, gunfi re and clashes, leav- ing a policeman and a protester dead. In a separate incident, a wom- an was beaten to death with stones and sticks and her body S Africa agrees on set alight on suspicion of being a member of the rebel group be- lieved to be behind the civilian massacres. Marikana payout The violence added to the existing tension in the Demo- cratic Republic of the Congo, AFP loss of support, 81 for injuries where fears are mounting that Johanneburg suff ered during the shooting, President Joseph Kabila plans to and 275 for unlawful arrest. hold on to power after his second Last year families of the vic- mandate expires in December. he South African gov- tims lodged claims against the The United States has warned ernment is to pay dam- government, listing a total of of the threat of more violence in Tages to victims of a 2012 326 dependents as having been the mineral-rich nation of 70mn police shooting that left 34 aff ected by the violence. people. mineworkers dead and dozens An offi cial inquiry estab- In Beni on Wednesday, an ef- wounded, the presidency said lished by President Jacob Zuma fi gy of Kabila was burned in the yesterday. put much of the blame for the town’s main market, as were In a victory for the victims massacre on police tactics used fl ags of Kabila’s ruling People’s and their families, the gov- to disperse the strikers, but Party for Reconstruction and ernment said it was “ready to it did not go as far as recom- Democracy (PPRD). make an off er to settle these mending compensation. The deadly protests came a claims in the next few months”. George Bizos, one of the day after Prime Minister Augus- The announcement comes lawyers that represented the tin Matata was booed by hun- two days after the four-year aff ected families during the dreds outside Beni’s town hall, anniversary of the killings in Marikana inquiry would have after he visited the massacre which the miners were gunned preferred for the families to re- site. down after police were de- ceive “temporary relief” while “What did he come for? We ployed to break up a wildcat the compensation amounts don’t need humanitarian aid, but strike that had turned violent were being fi nalised. peace,” said Germain Katembo, at the Lonmin-owned Marika- “We welcome the state- a survivor of the massacre who na platinum mine northwest of ment, but I am concerned that lost three members of his family. Johannesburg in August 2012. it’s going to take another few The killings have been blamed It was the worst police vio- months for the widows that by the government on the rebel lence in South Africa since the have had nothing for the past Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), end of apartheid 21 years ago. over years,” Bizos told AFP. a partly Islamist armed group of “Government is currently in “I appeal to those responsi- Ugandan origin. the process of determining the ble that the matter is a matter quantum and will make off er of urgency and I hope that they of payments in full settlement take immediate steps of a tem- Boko Haram kills of claims,” said a statement is- porary nature,” said Bizos, who sued by the president’s offi ce. represented Nelson Mandela five in attack on Presidential spokesman during the Rivonia Trial that reopened highway This picture taken on Tuesday shows miners gathering for a rally on the fourth anniversary of the Marikana Massacre, in Rustenburg, South Bongani Ngqulunga told AFP sentenced the anti-apartheid Africa. that there were 34 claims for icon to life in prison. Boko Haram killed five traders in an ambush on a highway in northeast Nigeria that was recently reopened after coming under repeated attack from the Islamist group, a military source Pistorius appeal case set for next week said on Wednesday. A convoy of vehicles carrying Nigerian immigration off icials Reuters/DPA unfair and that enough is enough”. to a diff erent conclusion than found Pistorius guilty of murder, and a group of traders were Johannesburg The National Prosecuting Au- Masipa. forcing her to issue a new sen- travelling from Gamboru, on thority spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku If Masipa accepts the argument tence. the border with Cameroon, to said the case would be heard at the and grants prosecutors leave to Masipa may immediately de- the city of Maiduguri when they scar Pistorius’ lawyers High Court in Pretoria next Fri- appeal, they will seek a tougher cide whether to grant prosecutors came under fire on Monday. will argue that “enough day before the original trial Judge sentence for Pistorius at the permission to appeal, or delay her “Three (immigration) off icers Ois enough” when his case Thokozile Masipa. Supreme Court of Appeal. decision by several days, Mfaku were hit and injured in the fire resumes in court on August 26 to Pistorius is not expected to at- The double-amputee ath- said. exchange. hear an appeal by state prosecu- tend the hearing. lete fi red four shots at the model A Pistorius family spokes- “The immigration men drove tors against his six-year murder The Paralympic gold medal- through a bathroom door in his woman could not be immediately off towards Maiduguri, leaving sentence on the grounds it is too list was sentenced in July for Pretoria home on February 14, reached for comment. the traders behind,” an army lenient. murdering his girlfriend, Reeva 2013. The track star was treated in off icer told AFP on condition of In court papers fi led by Pis- Steenkamp, in 2013. Masipa initially accepted Pis- hospital for wrist injuries earlier anonymity. torius’ lawyers on August 11 and The state said last month it torius’s argument that he mistook this month, but prison offi cials The traders’ two trucks were seen by Reuters yesterday, the would appeal the jail term, which her for a burglar, and sentenced said Pistorius denied trying to kill looted and set alight, Gamboru Paralympian’s defence team says was less than half the 15 years it him to fi ve years for manslaugh- himself. resident Umar Ari told AFP by that it would argue that “a con- had sought. ter. The incident coincided with phone, also confirming the toll tinuation of this matter is inimical Prosecutors plan to argue that But the Supreme Court of Ap- the fi rst day of competition in the of five dead. to the interests of justice, patently another judge could have come peal overturned her verdict and Rio Olympic Games. Pistorius Gulf Times 6 Friday, August 19, 2016 AMERICAS Zika virus infection may harm adult brain: study

AFP “Zika can clearly enter the Researchers focused on neural in mice, the researchers saw that The Rockefeller University. “In brain evenly, like people are see- as weakness and paralysis. Miami brain of adults and can wreak progenitor cells, which are the adult neural progenitor cells that the parts of the brain that lit up, ing in the (human) foetus,” said Shresta said the emergence of havoc,” said co-author Sujan early forms of brain cells that go were engineered to be vulnerable it was like a Christmas tree.” Gleeson, referring to the mice Guillain-Barre, which usually Shresta, a professor at the La on to become neurons. to Zika infection were killed off Just what eff ect Zika infection research. “In the adult, it’s only develops after the Zika infection esearch using lab mice has Jolla Institute of Allergy and Im- Researchers describe them as by the virus. might have on the adult human these two populations that are has cleared, could be linked to the shown for the fi rst time munology. the stem cells of the brain. The study found that Zika in- brain over time remains unclear. very specifi c to the stem cells infection of adult neural progeni- Rthat infection with the Researchers know that Zika Zika can attack these neural fection was linked to a four- to Researchers know from past that are aff ected by virus. These tor cells. mosquito-borne Zika virus may can be “catastrophic for early progenitor cells in the developing 10-fold drop in the mice’s adult studies that integrating new cells are special, and somehow But more research is needed. damage adult brain cells, not just brain development”, she added, foetuses, leading to microcepha- stem cell proliferation. neurons into learning and mem- very susceptible to the infection.” The mice model of Zika infec- developing foetuses, said a study but often adults who are infected ly in babies, born with unusually Two parts of the brain, includ- ory circuits is key to the brain’s Until now, global health au- tion may not refl ect how the vi- yesterday. show no symptoms. small heads, brain damage and ing the hippocampus, which is ability to adapt and change. thorities have been primarily rus acts on humans. Adult cells involved in learning Those who do feel sick may disabilities. associated with memory, saw ev- Without this process, the brain concerned with the danger Zika “In more subtle cases, the vi- and memory can be destroyed by report rash, body pain, and red Adult brains retain some idence of cell death and reduced slides into cognitive decline and poses to pregnant women and rus could theoretically impact the viral infection, which is also eyes. niches of these neural progenitor generation of new neurons, said other conditions, such as depres- their foetuses. long-term memory or risk of blamed for a surge in the birth “Its eff ect on the adult brain cells, which replenish neurons in the study. sion and Alzheimer’s disease, can Zika has also been linked to depression,” said Gleeson. “But defect microcephaly, according may be more subtle, and now parts of the brain linked to learn- “Our results are pretty dra- arise. a disorder known as Guillain- tools do not exist to test the long- to the fi ndings in the journal Cell we know what to look for,” said ing and memory. matic,” said co-author Joseph “It was very clear that the vi- Barre syndrome, which can lead term eff ects of Zika on adult stem Stem Cell. Shresta. Using fl uorescent biomarkers Gleeson, adjunct professor at rus wasn’t aff ecting the whole to nervous system problems such cell populations.”

Bike fi rm to pay fi ne Firefi ghters struggling of $12mn

Reuters Washington against California blaze arley-Davidson Incor- porated has agreed to Reuters Much of the fi re is burning in Hpay a $12mn civil fi ne and Los Angeles uninhabited areas between the stop selling illegal after-market San Bernardino and San Gabriel devices that cause its motorcy- mountains, but populated areas cles to emit too much pollution, irefi ghters faced searing are being aff ected. the US Justice Department said temperatures and steep About 80,000 residents have yesterday. Fterrain yesterday as they been ordered to evacuate includ- The settlement resolves gov- toiled to contain a fast-moving ing the community of Wright- ernment allegations that Harley Southern California wildfi re that wood, about 60 miles northeast sold roughly 340,000 “super has forced tens of thousands of of Los Angeles. tuners” enabling motorcycles people from their homes. It was not immediately clear since 2008 to pollute the air The so-called “Blue Cut how many residences had at levels greater than what the Fire” erupted on Tuesday in the burned. Milwaukee-based company cer- mountainous Cajon Pass north- Gowever, San Bernardi- tifi ed to the US Environmental east of Los Angeles. no County Fire Department Protection Agency (EPA). Named for a narrow gorge in spokesman Louis Penna said in According to the government, the area, it had charred some an e-mail that at least dozens of the sale of such “defeat devices” 34,500 acres (nearly 14,000 structures had been destroyed. violates the federal Clean Air hectares) by early yesterday. A number of school districts Act. The fast moving fi re grew and a hospital clinic, all of which Harley was also accused of nearly 10,000 acres (4,000 hec- were closed yesterday, were be- selling more than 12,600 motor- tares) overnight, fi re offi cials ing threatened by the blaze, ac- cycles that were not covered by said. cording to InciWeb. an EPA certifi cation governing Firefi ghters impeded by Transportation offi cials said a clean air compliance. treacherous terrain and the in- northbound stretch of Interstate The settlement calls for Har- tensity of the fi re have so far 15 that was closed earlier in the ley to stop selling the super tun- managed to carve containment week would reopen by the end of ers by August 23, and buy back lines around only 4% of it, offi - the day. and destroy all such tuners in cials said on the InciWeb track- The highway runs between stock at its dealerships. ing website. Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The EPA said the modifi ed Forest and brush dried by se- The fi re was directly burn- settings increase power and per- vere drought were helping to ing through and under a high formance, but also increase the feed the fl ames. voltage transmission line and it motorcycles’ emissions of hy- Fire offi cials, who have de- was within a quarter mile of two drocarbons and nitrogen oxides. scribed the fi re’s intensity as other lines. Harley will also spend $3mn highly unusual, expressed con- Electric operators have asked on an unrelated project to reduce cern that weather conditions utility companies not to take air pollution, the Justice Depart- would keep the area dry, hot and lines or power plants out of Smoke rises from a burnt grove of trees at the ‘Blue Cut’ wildfire in Wrightwood, California. ment said. windy. service for maintenance to avoid “Given Harley-Davidson’s Temperatures are expected overburdening California’s elec- California Independent System The blaze is the latest wildfi re Plumes of smoke from the lite, according to the Jet Propul- prominence in the industry, this to hover around 90° Fahrenheit tric grid. Operator spokesman Steven in the US West, where years of Blue Cut Fire could been seen sion Laboratory. is a very signifi cant step toward (32° Celsius), according to the There was no immediate con- Greenlee said in a telephone in- drought have put a heavy burden from space in images captured The cause of the fi re is under our goal of stopping the sale of il- National Weather Service. cern about widespread outages, terview. on fi refi ghting resources. on Wednesday by a Nasa satel- investigation. legal after-market defeat devices that cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communi- ties,” John Cruden, head of the Justice Department’s environ- mental and natural resources di- Louisiana fl ood death toll rises vision, said in a statement. The announcement comes amid greater scrutiny on emis- AFP ceded,” Livingston Parish Sher- was left of their sodden homes sions and “defeat devices” by Baron Rouge iff Jason Ard said yesterday in a and belongings, trying to salvage US regulators after Volkswa- statement. what they could before mold sets gen AG admitted to using illegal Secretary of Homeland Se- in. software to evade US emissions he death toll from historic curity Jeh Johnson was in Baton The Louisiana National Guard standards in nearly 600,000 US fl ooding in Louisiana rose Rouge yesterday, reviewing the said it has so far distributed vehicles. Tto 13 yesterday as reced- emergency response and recov- 32,000 ready-to-eat meals and ing waters exposed the extent ery eff orts. 2,200 cots to survivors. of devastation in the hard-hit He is expected to join other of- Electricity was slowly being Canadian police southern US state. fi cials for a news conference at restored. The highest number of con- 1.45pm Central time (1845 GMT). The number of customers call for access fi rmed fatalities was in East Ba- Complicating the recovery without power was less than to passwords ton Rouge parish where fi ve peo- were possible showers and thun- 16,000, down from a peak of ple were dead, Shauna Sanford, derstorms in parts of Ascension 40,000. Canadian police chiefs have a spokeswoman for Louisiana parish – which is further south While many areas were dry- called for the government to Governor John Bel Edwards, said. from Baton Rouge and also one of ing out, the National Weather adopt a law that could force The parish’s sheriff ’s offi ce the hardest hit. Service (NWS) forecast that all a person to reveal an online said it had “shifted phases from Parish offi cials said that ood fl waterways would not fall below encryption key or password in search and rescue to public as- waters there were receding at fl ood stage until later today. the interests of public safety. sistance and crime prevention”. a rate of 1” (2.5cm) per hour Twenty-two of the state’s 64 The Canadian Association of Offi cials in other areas also in some places, while holding parishes, Louisiana’s equivalent Chiefs of Police (CACP) adopted said rescue operations were steady or still slightly rising in to counties, have been declared the resolution at an annual slowing. others. disaster areas, designations that meeting in Ottawa, citing “Assessments are beginning Where the land had dried out, free up federal disaster assist- the technological and legal in areas where the water has re- residents picked through what ance. A flooded neighbourhood is seen in Sorrento, Louisiana. challenges of obtaining digital evidence while protecting individual liberty. In a statement, the CACP said it “urges the government of Canada, for the purpose of Trump to ‘sharpen message’: new campaign manager community safety, to identify a legislative means for public safety agencies inclusive of law AFP in two months as the billionaire ing forward would be on policy. lose an election campaign based gets created from that, there’s not enforcement, through judicial New York tanks in the polls to Democratic She praised Stephen Bannon, a on substance than win it on style. a single uninsured American who authorisation, to compel the rival Hillary Clinton. “It lights a former banker turned colourful, “I’d rather lose a campaign gets healthcare from that kind of holder of an encryption key fi re under us and reminds us what right-wing news executive whom where we put it all in the fi eld nastiness,” she said. or password to reveal it to law onald Trump’s new cam- we need to do to get this done.” Trump appointed campaign chief substantively, where people saw Trump’s poll numbers among enforcement”. paign manager went on “We’re going to sharpen the executive, as a “brilliant tacti- the diff erence on the major issues women are notoriously slack and Though the previous Dthe off ensive yesterday, message. We’re going to make cian”. of the day, than win a campaign he has been accused of making conservative government saying that the Republican presi- sure Donald Trump is comfort- The Clinton campaign criti- based on style,” she told CBS sexist remarks about women and adopted in May 2015 a dential nominee would “sharp- able about being in his own skin – cised the appointment, saying News. for sexist critiques of Clinton. controversial anti-terrorism en” his message after a major that he doesn’t lose that authen- that they expected it to see the She said she was confi dent “The way to speak to women legislation allowing unusual personnel shake-up that would ticity,” she added. Trump campaign “double down Trump “can stay on message” and all Americans is through is- control of the Internet, a person let Trump be Trump. Weeks of self-infl icted errors on more hateful, divisive rheto- and accused Clinton of waging sues. We have to get away from still cannot be forced to reveal a “I think it helps us to be a lit- have alienated establishment Re- ric”. “disappointing and unbecom- this content-free campaign and password. tle bit behind,” Kellyanne Con- publicans and seen his own sup- Conway, the fi rst woman man- ing” attacks on her Republican on to the substance and talk to The Canadian Supreme Court in way told CNN the day after the porters tear their hair out. ager of a Republican presidential opponent. the people who are struggling,” Conway: I think it helps us to June 2014 ruled that anonymity campaign’s second restructuring Conway said the emphasis go- run, said that she would rather “There’s not a single job that Conway said. be a little bit behind. on the Internet is a right. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 7 ASEAN Independence day parade Myanmar assures Chinese on stalled dam

Reuters already set up an investiga- Beijing tion committee to look for an appropriate resolution to the Myitsone dam issue,” Liu said. yanmar leader Aung “She also said that she is San Suu Kyi told Chi- willing to look for a resolution Mna’s premier yester- that suits both sides’ interests day that her new government is via both sides’ energy admin- willing to look for a resolution istrations’ co-operation.” that suits both countries to a China has been pushing for suspended Chinese-funded work to restart on the dam, hydropower project in north- which under the original plans ern Myanmar, a senior Chinese would have sent 90% of its diplomat said. power to China. Finding a solution to the A Myanmar government $3.6bn Myitsone dam project is commission reviewing the important for Suu Kyi who needs project — as well as other pro- China’s co-operation in talks posed hydropower dams, in- with Myanmar’s ethnic minor- cluding several on the Than- ity armed groups operating along lwin river — is expected to northern borders with China. report by November 11. Former Myanmar president Suu Kyi did not mention the Thein Sein angered China in dam in remarks to Li made in 2011 when he suspended work front of journalists, but said on the hydropower dam, in the she hoped her visit would Ayeyarwady river basin, after it “further consolidate and de- drew widespread environmen- velop” relations. tal protests. About 90% of the A Myanmar foreign minis- dam’s power would have gone try offi cial said China had also An Indonesian student during a parade to mark the 71st Indonesian Independence day in Banda Aceh yesterday. to China. agreed to build two hospitals in At the time, Suu Kyi also called Myanmar’s two largest cities, for the project’s suspension. Yangon and Mandalay. Chinese vice foreign minis- The bridge will be built in ter Liu Zhenmin told report- Kunlong, 32km from the bor- ers after a meeting in Beijing der in northeastern Myanmar between Suu Kyi and Chinese and near the Kokang region Premier Li Keqiang that Li had where an ethnic Chinese rebel said China hopes Myanmar can group fought Myanmar’s mili- come up with an appropriate tary last year. Liu said Premier resolution. Li reaffi rmed China’s support 15 detained by Thais “Aung San Suu Kyi said that for eff orts to bring peace to the Myanmar government has northern Myanmar. for attacks on tourists Vietnamese offi cials An attack on tourism will hit the barracks in Bangkok but we released two after a controversial military-crafted con- the identity of the 17 suspects, their faith, economy hard of them,” colonel Burin Tongprapai, the stitution was passed in a referendum vote their alleged motives or what they will be killed by ranger junta’s top legal advisor, told reporters where independent campaigning was charged with. AFP yesterday. banned. The army barracks where the suspects Bangkok He added that authorities were now A number of analysts say the most likely are being detained is controversial. DPA Chief forest ranger Do looking to re-detain those two released culprits are therefore ethnic Muslim mili- A special military prison was set up Hanoi Cuong Minh, 53, went to the suspects and that the entire group were tants who have fought a lengthy but local there after the junta seized power to hold party chief’s room at about hailand’s junta yesterday detained likely to be charged today. insurgency in Thailand’s three southern- high value suspects. 7am (0200 GMT) and shot at least 15 suspects at a military Colonel Burin’s comments highlight most provinces. Two former aides of Thailand’s crown wo senior Communist him; he then moved to Tuan’s Tbarracks on suspicion of launch- the primary role the military have played The attacks bore many hallmarks of prince who were arrested for royal defa- Party offi cials in north- room and shot him, with his ing a string of deadly bomb and arson in the investigation and is the fi rst offi cial the southern insurgents, who never claim mation died in custody at the barracks and Tern Vietnam were shot service pistol. attacks against tourist resort towns last admission that scores of suspects have their operations, including co-ordinated were quickly cremated in yet to be fully ex- dead by a forest offi cial at their Minh shot himself in the week. been held since the bombings on army multiple strikes and the type of devices plained circumstances. offi ces yesterday, authorities head following the attack at No one has claimed responsibility for barracks. used. A third suspect in that investigation re- said, suggesting that the killer Tuan’s room and died several the bombing spree, which hit tourist Local human rights groups had previ- But the junta leadership has been ada- mains incarcerated there. had “psychological problems”. hours later. towns in the country’s south last Thursday ously said more than a dozen suspects mant that the deep south confl ict has not Two Chinese nationals accused of in- The fi rst victim was Pham Duy Vietnamese Prime Minister and Friday, killing four and wounding doz- were being held without access to lawyers spread north, fearful that such an admis- volvement in last summer’s bomb attack Cuong, 57, the provincial Com- Nguyen Xuan Phuc travelled to ens, including European visitors. and called for greater transparency in the sion might harm tourism. against a Bangkok religious shrine — an munist Party chief, said Pham the scene to oversee the investi- The attacks were highly unusual in investigation. Instead they have hinted at involve- attack that left 20 dead — are also being Thi Thanh Tra, chairwoman of gation while hundreds of people a country where foreigners and tourist Thailand is currently ruled by the mili- ment of factions within the so-called “Red held there. Yen Bai provincial committee. gathered at the hospital where towns are rarely caught up in the country’s tary, which seized power in 2014 and Shirt” movement loyal to ousted premier The motives for that attack remain Cuong, the most powerful the victims had been taken. frequent bouts of political violence. awarded themselves widespread powers to Thaksin Shinawatra. murky although the pair’s trial begins next offi cial in the province, is also a “Such an incident has never Investigators have been under huge hold suspects. The military toppled Thaksin in 2006 week. member of the party’s central happened in our country,” Tra pressure to make quick arrests. Authorities have remained tight-lipped sparking years of debilitating protests Anthony Davis, a security analyst at committee, the highest author- told reporters. Tourism accounts for as much as 10% on the motive of the perpetrators of last culminating in a second coup against an Janes IHS, said regardless of whoever was ity in Vietnam’s single-party “The killer was a gentle man, of Thailand’s GDP and is one of the king- week’s attack or the identities of anyone elected administration run by his sister behind last week’s bombings, they were a communist state. The other always fi nishing his duties,” dom’s few economic bright spots under detained. Yingluck in 2014. “watershed moment” because they sin- victim was Ngo Ngoc Tuan, the Tra said. junta rule. But police and the military quickly ruled The Red Shirts have denied any sugges- gled out the tourism trade. chairman of Yen Bai’s people’s “I think he acted like that Yesterday, investigators confi rmed they out international terrorism, saying the tion of involvement and accused the junta “Whoever is responsible for this may council, a local lawmaking body. possibly due to a psychological had detained multiple suspects. perpetrators were “local saboteurs”. of using the bomb blasts to roll out a fresh well come back,” he told AFP. The 52-year-old was in charge problem... which he failed to “Authorities have detained 17 sus- The assaults struck on the Queen’s crackdown against them. “And if that’s the case, then the tourism of assigning posts to more junior master. As for his behaviour, he pects at the special 11th Army Circle birthday — a national holiday — just days No details were given yesterday about industry is at very serious risk.” offi cials in the province. is a good offi cial.” Uighur radical Bear rescue shot in Sulawesi

AFP the militant “was killed in a shootout and Jakarta we found an M16 (rifl e) on him”. Another suspected militant escaped, he said. Indonesian militants fi ghting with IS ndonesian security forces have shot in Syria are believed to have plotted with dead a suspected Uighur radical, an of- extremist networks back home to send Ui- Ifi cial said yesterday, the latest member ghurs in Southeast Asia to Indonesia to join of the mostly Muslim Chinese minority up with Santoso, according to analysts. killed fi ghting with militants in the archi- Santoso, whose group was known for pelago. launching attacks on domestic security Police said the man, who died in a shoot- forces from jungle bases around the city out on a mountainside Wednesday, was the of Poso, was killed after authorities sent last of a handful of Uighurs who had joined thousands of police and soldiers to track extremist group the Eastern Indonesia Mu- him down in a major operation. jahideen on central Sulawesi island. Authorities are now hunting the rem- Several members of the minority, who nants of his group, with just 14 members allege decades of religious and political still believed to remain. repression in China, had already been shot Indonesia suff ered a string of Islamic dead by security forces while four others extremist attacks in the early 2000s, in- were caught on the island as they sought cluding the 2002 Bali bombings which to join the group. killed more than 200, prompting authori- The group’s leader Santoso was killed in ties to launch a crackdown that weakened a fi refi ght with troops last month, ending a the most dangerous networks. years-long hunt for the Muslim-majority However IS has proved a potent new country’s most wanted militant and best rallying cry for the country’s radicals, and known Islamic State (IS) group supporter. analysts believe cells linked to the jihadists Vets Weng Yan Ng (L) and Caroline Nelson of Animals Asia Foundation’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Center conduct health checks on a sun bear while National police chief Tito Karnavian an- pose a greater threat than Santoso’s dwin- rescuing it from a Vietnamese family in Nam Dinh province. nounced the latest death Yesterday, saying dling band of militants. Gulf Times 8 Friday, August 19, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Australia state govt No third-country option halts bizarre for refugees: Dutton plan to kill DPA centre had opened, less than 20 the very serious issues by trying West Australia prime minister off ers to house stranded asylum-seekers feral goats Sydney people had chosen to re-settle in to promote the 2,100 reports as Papua New Guinea, while hun- somehow all of those being seri- The premier of Western Australia state, a member of Barnett has taken a similar position in the past, and his dreds of others had returned to ous when they’re not,” he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Party, has stand demonstrated a rare public split in the conserva- DPA sylum-seekers held in the their home countries. “I take these issues very seri- off ered to accept refugees from Australian-funded tive Liberal Party over the government’s controversial Sydney Australian-run immigra- Australia intercepts all mi- ously and, like all Australians, I detention centres amid growing concern about condi- detention policy. Ation detention centre on grants travelling to the country completely abhor all violence, tions for the 1,350 people held in the camps. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for New Zealand Prime Papua New Guinea’s Manus Is- by sea and either turns their particularly of a sexual nature, Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to Minister John Key said yesterday that an off er made n elaborate plan to use land have only two resettlement boats back or processes their against any people, in particular reach the country by boat is sent for processing to asy- in 2013 to accept 150 refugees, which Canberra has surgically-sterilised wild choices: settle in PNG, or return asylum claims off shore in Papua women and children.” lum seeker camps on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru or rebuff ed, still stood. Adogs to eradicate feral to their country of origin, Aus- New Guinea or Nauru, where an Refugee advocates and politi- to Manus Island off Papua New Guinea. Harsh conditions and reports of rampant abuse at the goats on an island in Australia’s tralia’s Immigration Minister estimated 1,300 refugees and cal parties asked the government They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia. camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Great Barrier Reef has been said yesterday. asylum-seekers are currently to bring the asylum-seekers Australia and Papua New Guinea said on Wednesday Australia says its hardline policy is needed to stop stopped after the Queensland “There is no third-country held by Australia. from Papua New Guinea to Aus- that they would close the Manus Island facility, but deaths at sea during the dangerous boat journey from state government intervened option available for people out Accusations of widespread tralia. gave no timeline, and did not say where the people Indonesia to Australia. yesterday. of Manus at this point in time. abuse and trauma have surfaced Opposition Labor party said held there would be sent. “It’s never been about tearing down the fences, it’s Last month, Hinchinbrook That’s the reality that we deal in recent months. on Wednesday that the govern- “We would certainly accommodate a number of them about what to do with the people trapped behind Shire Council released dogs im- with,” Australia’s Immigration Last week, leaked internal re- ment should have a third-party in Western Australia and we’d certainly support them them,” Daniel Webb, director of legal advocacy at the planted with time-delayed poi- Minister, Peter Dutton, told lo- ports from the detention centre settlement option. as a state government,” Western Australian Premier Human Rights Law Centre, told Reuters. “There’s ab- son pellets in order to kill baby cal ABC radio. on Nauru revealed widespread Western Australia premier, Colin Barnett told the Australian Broadcasting Corp on solute clarity about what should happen but no clarity goats on the rugged, 4sq km The future of the 854 asylum- abuse and sexual assault. Colin Barnett, meanwhile said Wednesday night. whatsoever about what will happen.” Pelorus Island. seekers who are currently being Dutton said he was “not going that his state would welcome However, Queensland’s Envi- held in the centre is uncertain to be defamed” by media “be- asylum-seeker families who are ronment Minister Steven Miles after Papua New Guinea and cause we are doing everything in Nauru if the federal govern- The minister also blamed would change its mind. productive for academics and ordered the council to shut down Australia agreed on Wednesday within our power to provide ment changes its position and news organisations and refugee “The very people they’re people from the ABC and the the programme and remove all to close down the detention cen- support to people”. allows them to resettle in Aus- advocates in Australia of en- trying to help, unfortunately Guardian to off er up free advice dogs from the island within the tre after PNG’s Supreme Court “The trouble, frankly, with the tralia, as long as they don’t pose couraging the refugees to stay in they’re trapping them in a situ- on how people should stay and next 14 days. deemed it “illegal” in April. approach of the Guardian and a security or safety risk (see ac- the detention centre in the hope ation which is not desirable,” not accept or take a diff erent The minister said that the Dutton said that since the the ABC has been to trivialise companying report). that the federal government Dutton said. “It was counter- course of action.” plan could cause harm to spe- cies of native birds on the island, including the threatened beach stone-curlew. The council had released at Dream least two of the dogs on the is- China faults Taiwan land, and two more were to be added later, local broadcaster ABC reported. for communications The plan was to leave the dogs there for two years to eradicate the goats. channel suspension The council’s chief pest offi c- er, Matt Buckman, said that the dogs would be shot afterwards Reuters Service, referring to the narrow but they had also been implanted Beijing stretch of water between the with a time-release poison, the island and the mainland. ABC said. “But the responsibility for Activists had slammed the hina said yesterday that this does not lie with main- programme as “outright animal the suspension of a land,” Zhang told reporters in cruelty”. Ccommunication chan- the Chinese city of Hangzhou, The island’s feral goats had nel with Taiwan would have according to the news agency. been destroying the endangered a large impact on relations Zhang said that economic coastal rainforest. between the two sides, but co-operation had not ceased The council has said that it blamed the self-ruled island and that he hoped cultural and would happily comply with the for the breakdown. youth exchanges would not be minister’s order. China said in June that it aff ected by politics. However, mayor Ramon Rayo had stopped a communica- China has insisted Tsai said that the programme had tion mechanism with Taiwan recognise the “1992 consen- only gone ahead in the fi rst place because of the refusal of the sus” reached between China’s because the minister had ap- island’s new government to Communists and Taiwan’s proved it. recognise the “one China” then-ruling Nationalists, un- Jayo said that the programme principle. der which both agreed there is was “in the planning and re- China, which regards Taiwan only one China, with each hav- search phase for a signifi cant as wayward province, is deeply ing their own interpretation of A man looks at a Chinese painting called Millennium Dream at an exhibition in the China National Art Museum in Beijing. period” before the approval was suspicious of Taiwan President what that means. issued. Tsai Ing-wen, who took offi ce The regular communication in May, as it suspects she will mechanism had been ushered push for formal independence. in following a rapid improve- Tsai, who heads the inde- ment of ties under the rule of pendence-leaning Democratic Taiwan’s then-president Ma Progressive Party, says she Ying-jeou, who took offi ce in For elite N Korean defector, a job and bodyguards await wants to maintain the status 2008 and signed a series of quo with China and is commit- landmark trade and tourism ted to ensuring peace. deals with China. By Ju-min Park and run by South Korea’s spy agency, Most keep a low public profi le, Most ordinary defectors make fectors in the South. “It is not so “The two sides currently Defeated Nationalist forces James Pearson, Reuters the National Intelligence Service although some, like Kim, become a lengthy and often harrowing easy for them as people say.” cannot engage in talks on new fl ed to Taiwan after a civil war Seoul (NIS). prominent through media ap- overland journey across North For higher-ranking defectors, issues, or come to new agree- with the Communists in 1949, “To live here, of course, every- pearances as experts on North Korea’s border with China to a the process can be diff erent. ments. This is inconvenient for which has never formally end- body needs a job, and the South Korea. third country before arriving by Kim said he was in South Ko- handling some sensitive cross- ed. hae Yong-ho, the most Korean government off ers jobs to While Thae had a relatively air in South Korea. rea, where he underwent inter- Strait issues,” Zhang Zhijun, China has also never re- senior North Korean dip- people. I was given the opportu- high public profi le as a represent- Upon arrival, they are held for rogation, within 24 hours of the head of China’s Taiwan nounced the use of force in or- Tlomat to fl ee to the South, nity to work at INSS,” said Kim, ative of North Korea in London, up to 180 days alone in comfort- walking into the South Korean Aff airs Offi ce, said, according der to bring Taiwan under its is likely to have round-the-clock who defected with his family in Choi expects the former diplo- able rooms, and screened to make embassy in Singapore. to the state-run China News control. protection and make a comfort- 2003 while working in Singapore mat to try to live anonymously in sure that they are not spies or Choi was questioned alone at able living at a think-tank run by for a North Korean insurance South Korea. impostors. an intelligence agency safe house. Seoul’s intelligence service, say fi rm that became notorious for After that, they are transferred The same could be true for elite defectors who followed a involvement in scams. Most North Korean to a resettlement complex, which Thae. similar path. Choi Ju-hwal was a colonel defectors end up working they cannot leave, for another 12 Overall, the number of North Thae, who was deputy ambas- in the North Korean army when in low-paid jobs aft er weeks, to help them adjust to life Korean defectors to the South Beijing in talks over sador at the North’s embassy in he fl ed to South Korea via Hong leaving the resettlement in the South. has declined since leader Kim London, defected with his family Kong during a business trip in programme, earning less Many end up working in res- took power following his father’s and arrived in the South, Seoul China in 1995, making him the than the national average taurants and other low-paid po- death in late 2011. meeting with Japan said late on Wednesday, an em- highest-level military defector at sitions, earning 67% of the na- But in the fi rst seven months of barrassing blow for leader Kim the time. “He won’t pursue a public life, tional average wage, data from 2016 it rose by about 15% year- Jong-un’s increasingly isolated He was an INSS researcher because he has to think about the the parliamentary budget offi ce on-year to 814, including a group and South Korea Pyongyang leadership. from 1997 to 2012 before leaving safety of his family he brought shows. of 13 workers from a North Ko- Many of roughly 27,000 North to head the Association of the here. Being quiet can hurt people Once they fi nish their resettle- rean restaurant in Ningbo, China. Koreans who have fl ed the im- North Korean Defectors. around him less, so I don’t think ment programme, each defector Experts say the share of well- Reuters isters to hold the eighth China- poverished, repressive North “(The government) can’t just he will do public activities,” Choi receives 20mn won ($18,025) to connected defectors is rising, Beijing Japan-South Korea foreign for the wealthy and democratic pay him (Thae) for nothing, so said. help fi nd housing and jobs. an increase that ex-insurance ministers meeting in Japan, to South struggle to assimilate and it is most likely that he would be Choi said that for two years, Some use part of their subsidy company offi cial Kim said began talk about trilateral co-oper- are economically marginalised, given a job at the research insti- he had four armed police offi cers to pay private brokers who facili- when the 2013 execution of Kim hina’s foreign ministry ation,” the ministry said. “At but well-connected defectors tute,” said Choi, now 67, referring guarding him around the clock tated their escape. Jong-un’s powerful uncle, Jang said yesterday that it present the three parties are in like Thae are treated as a valuable to the INSS. due to concerns about his safety. “Ordinary defectors are hav- Song-thaek, rattled Pyongyang’s Cwas in talks with Japan consultations about the exact resource who can shed light on a The NIS declined to comment. He now has a lower level of po- ing diffi culties in getting jobs and elite. and South Korea about hold- date of the meeting.” secretive neighbour. Some defectors change their lice protection. education and making families “In the past we couldn’t have ing an annual trilateral meeting The three-way foreign min- Like many high-profi le defec- names for security purposes and Kim, the former insurance here,” said Seo Jae-pyoung, a de- imagined that these kind of peo- between their foreign minis- isters’ meetings are an im- tors, Kim Kwang-jin works for to protect loved ones left behind, worker, said he used to have one fector who left his homeland in ple are coming here – this kind ters, but gave no date. portant framework to discuss the Institute for National Secu- or to appear less obviously North round-the-clock armed body- 2001 and now works for Choi’s of people from this kind of fami- Last month, a senior Japa- pressing regional issues. rity Strategy (INSS), a think-tank Korean. guard. group to support ordinary de- lies,” Kim said. nese foreign ministry offi cial Tension between Japan and said Japan was considering China mounted this month af- holding the meeting in late ter a growing number of Chi- August, but a fl are-up in Sino- nese coastguard and other ves- Japanese tension had fuelled sels sailed near disputed islets concern it was diffi cult to have in the East China Sea. Fiji will not change its national fl ag: Bainimarama such a meeting now. The islands, called the This week, a Japanese news- Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in paper said the three were in China, are controlled by Japan DPA some other former British terri- parent to the government since killed more than 40 and left our fl ag when our victorious talks about the meeting. but claimed also by China. Sydney tories such as Australia and New February that the fl ag should not thousands homeless in February. sevens team returns to Fiji on China’s foreign ministry said Ties were also strained over Zealand, features the Union Jack be changed for the foreseeable Bainimarama said he had Sunday and during our special Japan was this year’s convenor the South China Sea dispute, in the top-left corner. future,” Bainimarama said in a been moved to see Fijians rally- national holiday on Monday,” he and so the talks would happen with Japan urging China to iji will not go ahead with a “While I remain convinced statement. ing around their fl ag as they cel- said. in Japan. adhere to a ruling by an inter- proposal to change its fl ag, personally that we need to re- The cost of changing the fl ag ebrated the country’s fi rst ever In February Bainimarama an- “Recently, Japan has on national court that invalidated FPrime Minister Frank Bain- place some of the fl ag’s colonial was too high, and money would Olympic medal when the rugby nounced plans to change the fl ag many occasions brought up Beijing’s territorial claims imarama said yesterday, meaning symbols with a genuinely indig- be better spent on cyclone recov- sevens team won gold in Rio last which has been in place since the that it hopes to invite China there, while China warned Ja- Britain’s Union Jack will stay. enous expression of our present ery eff orts, Bainimarama said. week. country was granted independ- and South Korea’s foreign min- pan not to interfere. Fiji’s national fl ag, like those of and our future, it has been ap- Tropical Cyclone Winston “I urge every Fijian to display ence from Britain in 1970. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 9 BRITAIN Midwife killed in fall on fi rst day of holiday

Evening Standard fell backwards out of it.” London Coroner Julian Morris, read- ing from the statement, said Fortuna’s “instinct was to grab midwife from London her hand but sadly his reac- died on the fi rst day of a tion time was too slow”. For- A dream holiday in Thai- tuna said he was “angry and land after falling from the back frustrated” that an ambulance of a moving motorised rick- took 40 minutes to arrive as he shaw, known as a tuk-tuk, an tried to resuscitate her on the inquest heard yesterday. road with the help of a passing Victim Niamh Corrigan, 29, American medic. was on the way back to her ho- He added: “I was screaming tel on Phuket island on Decem- to bring her back from her state ber 20 last year with her part- of unconsciousness.” ner Paul Fortuna, Southwark The inquest was told the coroner’s court was told. ambulance lacked specialist In a statement read out in equipment. The fi rst medical court, Fortuna told how the centre Corrigan was taken to couple had travel – led to Thai- was inadequate and she was land for a friend’s wedding. fi nally transferred to a hospi- The pair, from Bromley, at- tal where she was pronounced tended a pre-wedding meal dead from a head injury. and drinks shortly after they The court was told she and arrived but were jetlagged and her partner had planning to Police are being forced to commute into the capital to work. headed back to their hotel in marry after having been to- the rickshaw at 2.30am. gether three years. He said: “We promised each The coroner recorded a ver- other we’d take a tuk-tuk as it dict of accidental death. would be fun.” He said: “The tuk-tuk lunged However, he explained that and she fell out the back. as they reached mountain I conclude that she died as roads they were buff eted by a result of a head injury as a winds and the tuk-tuk started result of a fall from a moving swaying from side to side and vehicle through the open door.” ‘Commuter cops’ the journey was “not fun any The tuk-tuk was travelling more”. Corrigan started to feel at a maximum 25mph, Thai motion sickness and got up to police reported. join him on the opposite seat A Just Giving Page in Ms but was hurled out of the vehi- Corrigan’s memory has already cle as it turned a corner. raised £180,000 for Tommy’s, He said: “The tuk-tuk a charity that funds research threaten response lunged suddenly and Niamh into premature births. Nurse with Ebola to terrorist attacks tried to ‘conceal Police are stationed too far from their The Met has sought to encourage more towards the end of a police shift, they years ahead, our fi nancial and operational places of work offi cers to have homes in London, includ- would be wary of going out on a call that future depends on us realising the capital temperature’ ing the introduction of a rule in 2014 that might delay them and cause them to miss of our under-used estate and re-investing Evening Standard they must have lived in the city for three their train home. that money in frontline policing.” London out of the past six years before joining the Offi cers have even commuted in from A met constable who assaulted two Thomson Reuters that she had a temperature force. Cornwall and the South of France, while police offi cers called to reports of domes- London higher than 38C. Concessionary rail travel that allows others have joined other forces or quit the tic violence has been sentenced to com- The NMC said an investiga- cotland Yard’s ability to respond to offi cers to commute greater distances has service altogether rather having long com- munity service. tion into Caff erkey’s conduct a terror attack is being threatened also been cut for new recruits. mutes, often at antisocial times. PC Martin Wright, who serves in Ham- Scottish nurse who was underway, with a case Sby sky-high property prices forcing Scotland Yard said the residency rule During major events such as the London mersmith and Fulham, was found guilty of contracted then recov- hearing scheduled for next thousands of offi cers to become “com- had been “successful” in ensuring new Olympics, the 2011 riots and the Queen’s assault on police, ordered to do a 12-month Aered from Ebola is fac- month. muter cops” living outside London, a new constables better understood and refl ected Jubilee, offi cers slept in police stations, Community Order and fi ned £900. The ing disciplinary action over “Since these proceedings report warned yesterday. “modern” London. vans and even station cupboards because police offi cers were called to reports of do- allegations she concealed her began the NMC has worked It raised the alarm over police offi cers And the force denied counter-terror- back-to-back shifts meant they could not mestic assault in Surrey on March 27. temperature on her return closely with Ms Caff erkey and giving up hope of being able to aff ord a ism operations could be undermined by go home, according to the report called When they arrived at the scene PC from Sierra Leone, according to her representatives to reach an home in the capital. having so many offi cers living outside the “Commuter Cops”.Scotland Yard recruit- Wright assaulted them, leaving them with charges from a nursing watch- outcome that is fair and meets The Policy Exchange study called for the capital. ed about 5,000 new offi cers between 2013 neck and wrist injuries. dog seen by British media. the public interest in this case,” Met to off er a range of fi nancial support for Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey and last year. PC Wright, 39, was arrested and charged Pauline Caff erkey, 39, con- an NMC spokesperson said. housing and to encourage 3,000 more of- said: “We have tried and tested plans to al- The report proposed a series of meas- with one count of domestic assault and tracted Ebola in December Caff erkey initially recovered fi cers to live in inner-London over the next low us to respond at pace and eff ectively to ures to off er fi nancial support so more two counts of assault on police. 2014 when she was working from the Ebola haemorrhagic fi ve years. a range of critical incidents and do not be- could aff ord a home in communities where He pleaded guilty to one count of as- in a treatment facility in Si- fever and was sent home in The think tank found that of the 18,179 lieve that these are in any way jeopardised they work. sault on police and was found guilty of the erra Leone at the height of the January 2015. But in October offi cers assigned to borough policing, only by the places offi cers currently live.” These include working with housing as- second at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on epidemic which swept through she fell ill again and doctors 8,896 — just under half — lived in Greater But the think tank, which interviewed 74 sociations to convert old police stations Friday. West Africa. found the virus was persisting London as of last September. offi cers, found “strong reasons” to believe and other Met properties into new fl ats No evidence was off ered in relation to The nurse is alleged to have in tissues in her brain. In Islington, out of 572 offi cers assigned the exodus from London could increase, which could be off ered at discounted sale. the domestic assault charge. given dishonest answers to They later said she had de- to police the borough only two lived there. given how property prices have soared. The force should also provide low-in- Detective chief superintendent Matt medical staff when she re- veloped meningitis caused Report author Glyn Gaskarth said: At the beginning of the year, the aver- terest loans and top up offi cers’ savings Gardner, commander of the directorate of turned to Heathrow airport by the Ebola virus — the fi rst “Having a police force that lives outside age London house price — of £530,000 — being put aside to buy a home. professional standards, said: “It is the duty that month. known such case. London aff ects the ability of the Met to was almost 18 times a new police offi cer’s Police choosing to live in areas with of police to protect from harm, not to seek The Nursing and Midwifery Caff erkey was readmitted to mobilise suffi cient numbers of cersoffi to salary of just under £30,000, so many higher crime rates could be off ered the to cause it.” Council (NMC) alleged in a hospital for a third time earlier deal with terrorist incidents or civil dis- share fl ats or still live at home with their most help. “It is deeply saddening that PC Wright case hearing published on their this year after falling ill. turbances.” parents. Mackey accepted the forced faced a behaved as he did — especially as someone website that was later deleted, Ebola killed more than 11,300 Offi cers resident in London were more One offi cer who did not live in the part “challenge” over the aff ordability of who knows better than most of the chal- that Caff erkey “allowed an in- people and infected some likely to pick up intelligence, the study of London where he worked told of feeling homes but added: “Having cut £600mn lenges offi cers face when dealing with sus- correct temperature to be re- 28,600 as it swept through Si- added. like a “migrant worker”, adding: “I come off pects.” corded” on December 29, 2014 erra Leone, Liberia and Guinea They were also more use off -duty in the into work, I do my work there, I go home.” our spending in the past fi ve years and The offi cer has been suspended from and intended to conceal from from 2013 in the world’s worst capital than in surrounding counties. Others said that when they were getting needing to fi nd another £400mn in the duty as a misconduct review takes place. Public Health England staff outbreak of the disease. Brexit ‘fi reworks’ give comics rich pickings

Reuters minister David Cameron and the Bridget Christie riff s on the way In her routine, Labour Party Edinburg disintegration of the opposition the leave campaign dismissed ex- political adviser-turned-standup Labour Party — has kept comics pert evidence that Brexit would Ayesha Hazarika, describes the on their toes. hurt Britain, joking that she was “middle-class hysteria” of well- or comics at this year’s Ed- “It was a fi reworks display of fed up with her dentist “lording to-do parents distraught not at inburgh festival, Britain’s news, it was like ‘What’s this? it over me with his tooth knowl- the economic and social impact of Fvote to leave the European Who’s resigned? What’s going edge”, according The Guardian’s Brexit, but at the possibility their Union has been a blessing and a on?’ And the public felt exactly fi ve-star review of her show. children will no longer qualify for curse. the same. Nish Kumar, a London-born an Erasmus EU study trip abroad. “I would like to thank the po- I remember thinking: ‘I can get a comic of Indian parentage, gained From an Indian family, she also litical establishment for giving lot out of this!’ Forde told Reuters. fi rst-hand experience that an lampooned the rise in hate crimes: me the opportunity of rewriting Brexit has posed unsettling unintended consequence of the “After the vote everyone went rac- this script every...day,” jokes Matt questions about nationalism, de- vote was to embolden racists, he ist. Forde at the start of his show. mocracy and tolerance, with a rise told Richard Herring’s Leicester I only ate white food for a while, Like countless other stand-ups in hate crime in the vote’s imme- Square Theatre Podcast. just white bread and Philadelphia in Edinburgh — the annual ca- diate aftermath. At a pre-Edinburgh show the (cheese) for a week.” reer-defi ning showcase for comic Forde explores the divisions — day after the referendum, for the For Matt Forde, comedy pro- talent — Forde had to rewrite his often along class lines — that the fi rst time in his career a heckler vides an “exorcism” of the issues routine after the June 23 Brexit referendum laid bare, joking that shouted: “Go home!” which many in the country are vote left him with a torrent of rich the British are now all “Brexit rac- “I said ‘to Croydon?’ (a London struggling to come to terms with. new material. ists”, able to recognise “leavers” suburb) and he was not amused,” “But they are things that were The pace of surprising events — by their tattoos and “remainers” Kumar, a nominee for last year’s already there, just now they are Comedian Matt Forde relaxes after performing his show It’s My Political Party (and I’ll Cry if I Want including the resignation of prime by whether they carry baguettes. comedy prize, said. unlocked and magnifi ed.” to), at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Gulf Times 10 Friday, August 19, 2016 EUROPE Rajoy to seek parliament approval to lead Spain AFP This could lead Spain towards has to negotiate with other par- it may back the incumbent. If both votes fail, there will be a Madrid a third round of elections, leaving ties to form a coalition or mi- But even if both Coalicion Ca- period in which parties will once it ever more months without a nority government and push it naria and Ciudadanos, which again have the opportunity to ne- fully-functioning government as through the vote. won 32 seats, accept to support gotiate. Rajoy holds a press conference pain’s acting prime min- squabbling parties remain unable In order to do so, Rajoy will the PP, Rajoy will still not have a “We will see if the PSOE ac- after his meeting with the leader ister will seek parliamen- to reach any kind of pact follow- need an absolute majority in the majority to push his government cepts to negotiate to avoid a third of centre-right party Ciudadanos Stary approval to lead the ing inconclusive polls in Decem- vote. plans through. round of elections,” said Simon. at the Congress (Las Cortes) in country for a second term on ber, and again in June. If he fails, a second vote will be He therefore needs the support The PP has already had to make Madrid. August 30, Speaker Ana Pastor “I have decided to call the ple- held several days later in which of the Socialist party (PSOE), concessions in order to kick-start said yesterday, in a bid to unblock nary session ... on August 30,” he would only need a simple ma- which came second in the elec- talks with Ciudadanos. political corruption to leave his months of deadlock after two in- said Pastor, a gathering that will jority. tions with 85 seats, but they The centrist grouping led by or her post immediately. conclusive elections. see lawmakers hold debates be- Rajoy announced earlier yes- refuse to back him. the 36-year-old Albert Riv- The issue is sensitive for the But Mariano Rajoy faces a fore voting for or against Rajoy terday that he would kick off ne- Pablo Simon, politics profes- era only agreed to sit down for PP, which has been hit by a string tough road ahead as the rival So- – or abstaining – on the same gotiations with the PP’s smaller, sor at Madrid’s Carlos III Uni- talks after the corruption-hit of graft scandals over the years. cialists, whose support he needs day or the next, depending on the centrist rival Ciudadanos today, versity, said that he would likely PP agreed to implement a series Corruption was a big topic in to pass a government led by his length of each intervention. with the view of securing its sup- be defeated, at least in his fi rst of anti-graft measures it set as a campaigns before elections in conservative Popular Party (PP) The PP won 137 parliamentary port in the vote. attempt. condition for negotiations. December and again in June but Ciudadanos party leader Albert through the necessary vote of seats out of 350 in June’s elec- Regional party Coalicion Ca- “The PSOE will say no in the The measures include forcing this did not stop the PP from Rivera addresses the media after confi dence, categorically refuse tions – well short of an absolute naria, which gained one seat in fi rst session, maybe no in the any person in public offi ce who coming fi rst each time, though his meeting with Rajoy. to back him. majority – and Rajoy therefore June elections, has also said that second session as well,” he said. has been formally charged with without an absolute majority. Police raid fi rms linked to Gulen, order arrests

AFP news agency reported. Istanbul Founded in 2005, Tuskon has 55,000 members and is accused by the government of urkey has ordered the fi nancing pro-Gulen activities. seizure of assets belong- The suspects were accused Ting to 187 businessmen of “membership in a terrorist suspected of links to US-based organisation” and “fi nancing Islamic preacher Fethullah the activities” of Gulen, ac- Gulen, accused by Ankara of cording to the private Dogan masterminding last month’s news agency. attempted coup, state media In a similar operation on reported. Tuesday, Turkish police raided Police launched a vast op- dozens of companies in Istan- eration in the economic capital bul in search of 120 suspects. Fans of Japanese manga and anime series One Piece try out games Istanbul and other provinces Around 100 people were de- at Gamescom. into the alleged Gulen-linked tained. companies – the biggest crack- That operation targeted Below: A visitor plays the video game Beat Buddy during the fair. down on business since the Akfa, largely involved in con- Gaming July 15 failed putsch, the Ana- struction, and the A-101 su- dolu news agency said. permarket chain which has Local media said around 6,300 stores across Turkey, re- fair kicks 1,000 police took part in raids ports said. at 204 addresses in 18 prov- Turkey has imposed a three- inces, including simultaneous month state of emergency off under operations at around 100 sites which it says is needed to hunt in Istanbul. down the coup plotters, and Trade visitors wear virtual reality goggles by Samsung to Prosecutors issued arrest Erdogan has vowed to eradi- tighter ‘experience’ a rollercoaster ride. warrants for 187 suspects in- cate businesses, charities and cluding the chief executives of schools linked to Gulen, calling with organisers saying that they Exhibitors are showcasing leading companies, with the them “nests of terror”. security had stepped up security for this their latest off erings at this year’s Istanbul chief prosecutor’s of- Ankara wants Washington year’s event following several at- trade fair, which runs until Au- fi ce ordering their assets to be to extradite Gulen to face trial tacks in the country in the past gust 21 and where the focus is on seized, state-run Anadolu said. back home, indicating that any Reuters month. immersive virtual reality tech- Sixty-fi ve of the suspects failure to deliver him will se- Cologne Organisers have told fans nology. were detained including Omer verely damage ties. planning to dress up as gaming “2016 is the year of virtual re- Faruk Kavurmaci, chief execu- “We are telling America characters not to bring imitation ality, that is the next big thing,” tive of the Aydinli Group cloth- ‘aren’t we strategic partners? ideo games trade fair weapons. said Maximilian Schenk of the ing retailer, it added. Don’t we have a mutual agree- Gamescom opened its They have also said unneces- German Association of Interac- The raids targeted ma- ment on the return of crimi- Vdoors to fans in the Ger- sary bags and rucksacks should tive Leisure Software Industry jor companies like Aydinli – nals’,” Erdogan said in a tel- man city of Cologne yesterday, be left at home. (BIU). present in 39 countries with evised speech yesterday. “We 476 stores and 3,500 employees want a terrorist from you ... let – as well as fashion company us try him.” Eroglu, with 14,150 employees Gulen’s legal team in Wash- globally, and bakery Gulluoglu ington, meanwhile, called An- Baklava, reports said. kara’s claims regarding Gulen Anadolu said that Eroglu’s as a fl ight risk from the United Ukraine reports heavy rebel shelling chief executive Nurettin Ero- States as “baseless and false”. glu, Gulluoglu’s chief execu- “For the last 17 years, he has tive Nejat Gullu and its owner lived in modest accommoda- AFP nessed a similar intensity of fi re fl ict’s escalation remains very Ukrainian leader both believed to a stalled European-brokered Faruk Gullu were also among tions at a retreat centre in rural Kiev using heavy armaments was a high,” he said in televised re- Russia’s account of recent events truce deal that was signed in the detainees. Pennsylvania, where he spends year ago.” marks from the western Ukrain- in the battle-scarred east and the Belarussian capital Minsk in Gulen, a reclusive cleric who his days praying, studying, Motuzyanyk said three Ukrain- ian city of Lviv. Crimea was “unreliable”. 2015. has lived in self-exile in the US teaching and editing his book kraine has reported the ian soldiers were killed and six Poroshenko has issued similar And Ukraine has even become He also warned that Rus- since 1999, vehemently denies manuscripts,” they said in a heaviest rebel shelling at- wounded in clashes across the warnings on previous occasions. an issue in the US presidential sia would take “comprehensive he was behind the coup at- statement. “He sees no need Utack in the separatist east 30km-wide buff er zone splitting But he added yesterday that a race, with Republican candidate measures to make sure any at- tempt. to change his living circum- for a year in what the president government forces from the pro- further escalation may force him Donald Trump’s campaign chief tempts to make incursions into With a powerful network of stances.” said could be a prelude to a full- Russian militias. to introduce “martial law and a embroiled in allegations of re- our territory are nipped in the infl uence in institutions such US Vice-President Joe Biden scale Russian invasion. Kiev and its Western allies ac- mobilisation” of reserve troops. ceiving secret payments from bud”. as the judiciary and police as will travel to Ankara next week, Military spokesman Oleksan- cuse Moscow of trying to escalate The Crimea episode has thrust Kiev’s Russian-backed leaders Kiev and the West accuse Rus- well as the media, the former the White House said, in the dr Motuzyanyk said insurgent a 28-month confl ict in Ukraine’s back into the spotlight a confl ict prior to the former Soviet repub- sia of supporting the rebels and ally of President Recep Tayyip highest ranking visit to Turkey strikes had doubled from the rust belt that has claimed more that has eff ectively ground to a lic’s 2014 pro-EU revolt. deploying troops across the bor- Erdogan has long been accused by a Western offi cial since the previous day as tensions between than 9,500 lives and began just stalemate but remains one of Eu- Analysts remain divided about der – claims Moscow denies – in of running a “parallel state” in coup. Kiev and Moscow soar over weeks after Russia annexed the rope’s bloodiest since the 1990s whether Ukraine is about to enter order to keep at least a part of Turkey. Turkish prosecutors this Kremlin charges that Ukraine Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in Balkans wars. an even deadlier phase of the war its western neighbour within its Tens of thousands of his al- week demanded two life sen- plotted to make armed incur- March 2014. French President Francois or if Russian President Vladimir geopolitical orbit. leged supporters have been de- tences and an additional 1,900 sions into Russian-annexed Cri- Petro Poroshenko responded Hollande warned on Tuesday Putin is simply adopting a tough Poroshenko attended a sum- tained or sacked in a sweeping years in prison for the preacher. mea this month. to the reported violence by send- against any “escalation” of the posture that could give him the mit of Nato leaders in Warsaw post-coup purge that has wor- In a 2,527-page indictment, “The rebels launched more ing his top army commander into confl ict after telephone talks upper hand in any fi nal peace last month in which the alliance ried Ankara’s Western allies. the so-called Fethullah Ter- than 500 mortar and over 300 the war zone and warning that with Poroshenko and German deal. agreed to bolster its eastern fl ank Aydinli boss Kavurmaci ror Organisation – FETO, the artillery shells at our positions,” he “does not exclude a full-scale Chancellor Angela Merkel. Russian Foreign Minister Ser- in order to calm fears of Russia in condemned the failed coup in a name Ankara gives the group Motuzyanyk told reporters in Russian invasion along all fronts”. EU president Donald Tusk said gei Lavrov said on Monday that both Ukraine and among other statement on the website of the led by Gulen – is accused of Kiev. “The last time we wit- “The likelihood of the con- on Wednesday that he and the Moscow remained committed east European states. group, which also has interests collecting funds from busi- in the construction sector. nessmen and channelling the “We support our president, “donations” to the US through our prime minister and our front companies, among other government elected with the charges. will of the people,” he said. Prime Minister Binali Yildir- Hollande says he feels ‘urge’ to run again in 2017 Police seized books by Gulen im said on Wednesday that and a plaque awarded by the 40,029 state employees had preacher to Kavurmaci during been detained in the post-coup AFP lost, according to a book pub- fi ce and the passing of time. that it could not lead to a possi- could also be a kind of freedom a search yesterday of the chief crackdown, with 20,335 re- Paris lished yesterday. “I know what it’s like to spend bility of victory.” not to do it,” Hollande said, ap- executive’s offi ce, Anadolu manded in custody. Quoted by journalists An- years without a personal life,” he “If I lost, I would quit politics.” parently musing out loud. said. More than 5,000 civil serv- tonin Andre and Karim Rissouli said. “But I do have the desire” The president celebrated his Separately, in remarks that the Rizanur Meral, president of ants have been dismissed and rench President Francois in Conversations Privees avec le to stand for re-election. “That is 62nd birthday on August 12. journalists dated to November the Turkish Confederation of almost 80,000 others sus- Hollande says he may run President (Private Conversations my personal inclination.” “When you get beyond 60, 2013, Hollande said of the presi- Businessmen and Industrial- pended, Yildirim said in an Fin next year’s elections with the President in English), He added, though: “I would the years have a diff erent value. I dency: “It’s tough, of course it’s ists (Tuskon), was also among interview with TRT public tel- provided he sees a chance of win- Hollande highlighted the strain not make the choice of putting also know what the weight of the tough. Much tougher than I had those sought by police, the evision. ning, but would quit politics if he of politics, the burden of high of- my name forward if the signs are (presidential) task is. It’s true, it imagined.” Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 11 INDIA

Flute festival! Kerala CM, TDB chief spar over queue at Sabarimala Young flautist rehearse yesterday ahead of Bansuri Utsav (Flute festival) over the weekend in Mumbai. IANS “The TDB chairman is speaking politically Pamba, Kerala and none will have a doubt, that I too can reply quite well. One should realise that the term of the Mentally disabled found chairman is three years,” said Vijayan, clearly ex- war of words erupted between Kerala Chief pressing his displeasure. Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Travancore The TDB is the custodian of the Sabarimala ADevaswom Board (TDB) chairman Prayar temple and several others in the southern dis- Gopalakrishnan at the meeting yesterday to dis- tricts of the state. naked, fi lthy in hospital cuss the preparations to be made at Sabarimala Meanwhile, state Bharatiya Janata Party presi- temple ahead of the annual pilgrimage season. dent Kummanem Rajasekheran said that it is un- The tiff arose after Vijayan suggested that fortunate that while the state government and the AFP “The pictures cannot describe the higher offi cials about the mal- AFP of the hospital in Baharam- the practice of having a “VIP queue” should be TDB should work together with the only concern Kolkata the reality. The stench was un- treatment that inmates face but pur, 50km from Kolkata. stopped. being the interests of the pilgrims, here they are bearable and it was simply sub- nothing happened,” she said. Ray said her workers discov- “Instead of the VIP queue, there can be one engaged in attacking each other. human,” Ray told AFP from Kolk- Only a tiny fraction of India’s ered unbathed patients with fl ies queue which can be called ‘fast track’ queue, “All issues can be settled by sitting across the cores of fl y-infested men- ata, the capital of West Bengal. huge numbers of mentally ill living in their hair and beards. where anybody can stand after paying Rs250, and table, which is not happening at all,” said Rajas- tally disabled patients have “There were at least 20 women receive adequate treatment, ac- One of the pictures shows another one which can be called ‘super fast track’ ekheran. Sbeen found naked and fi lthy naked in one ward and they had cording to studies published in three men crouching naked on where any devotee who pays Rs1,000 can stand. Situated on the mountain ranges of the West- at a government-run hospital to sleep on the fl oor because their The Lancet and other medical the fl oor of a corridor. The collected money can go into the development ern Ghats at 914m above sea level, the Sabarimala in India, prompting an outcry, a bedding had bugs,” she said, add- journals this year. Roy said the patients them- fund of the temple,” said Vijayan at the review temple is 4km uphill from Pamba river in Pathan- charity worker said yesterday. ing that most of the patients liv- They suff er discrimination and selves have complained of a lack meeting. amthitta district, around 100km from Thiru- Photos of the thin patients liv- ing at the hospital were from im- abuse and often languish in facil- of basic amenities at the hospi- But Gopalakrishnan, a senior Congress leader vananthapuram. ing in what appear to be appalling poverished families. ities, in a country where families tal including clean drinking wa- and a former legislator, said that this is not pos- The temple bars the entry of women who have conditions at the health facility She said she had repeatedly often regard disability as punish- ter, functioning bathrooms and sible as it would lead to the temple getting com- attained puberty, and it’s accessible only on foot in West Bengal state were posted alerted offi cials to the deplorable ment for misdeeds in a past life. proper food. mercialised. from Pamba, which is often referred to as the base on social media this week, mak- conditions at the Berhampore West Bengal health services Some 1.5mn people suff er in- In his reply, Vijayan pointed out that what he camp. ing national headlines. Mental Hospital, housing about director B R Sathapathy said he tellectual disabilities such as said was only a suggestion. The annual festival season begins in November. Anjali Mental Health Rights 400 adults with various mental would take unspecifi ed action to Down’s Syndrome in India. founder Ratnaboli Ray said her illnesses. help the patients after seeing the But experts say the fi gures are workers discovered the patients But she said she was repeatedly frontpage newspaper reports. strikingly low for the world’s Liquor to be sold ‘online’ in Kerala after Onam naked and sleeping on the fl oor ignored, prompting her charity “We will send a team to as- second most populous country because of outbreaks of bugs, dur- to post the pictures on Twitter. sess the situation in the hospital where many health issues go un- Amid talks of “tweaking” the Kerala state liquor at tourist destinations in Kerala. “Tourism has ing a visit to the hospital this week. “We have many times informed and take necessary steps,” he told diagnosed. policy, an apex cooperative body’s chairman said been affected on account of the present liquor yesterday liquor would be made available online policy. A lot of investment in the tourism industry from Onam next month. is suffering due to a drop in tourist arrivals,” said M Mehoob, chairman of Consumerfed (Kerala Moideen. State Co-operatives Consumers’ Federation Ltd), Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan too has spoken said it would make 59 brands of liquor available on- of what he called a “flawed” liquor policy and line from Onam festival, which comes in the second dropped enough hints that it will be tweaked. Grand old tigress Machli dies week of September. “To save the industry, the Tourism Department “We are also willing to operate a liquor supermar- is doing its bit and other departments will also do ket in Kozhikode, if we get the licence,” Mehoob told their bit,” said Ramakrishnan. By Kushagra Dixit, IANS reporters in Kozhikode. But state Congress president V M Sudheeran, Ranthambore Consumerfed is the apex body of consumer co- the ‘chief architect’ of the liquor policy in force in operatives and has 36 retail liquor outlets in Kerala. Kerala, told reporters in Delhi yesterday that it was The state’s present liquor policy, which comes becoming abundantly clear that the ruling Commu- atched over by her human into force at the beginning of every fiscal, was nist Party of India-Marxist had entered into a deal admirers, Ranthambore formulated by the previous Oommen Chandy gov- with the liquor lobby. WTiger Reserve’s pride, ernment, as per which liquor is available only at two “Ahead of the May 2016 Kerala assembly polls, 19-year-old tigress Machli, the dozen five-star hotels in Kerala. there was a secret deal between the CPI-M and the oldest big cat ever known to have The previous government had closed down more liquor lobby. Developments in the past few days on walked the wilderness, died yester- than 700 bars in the state in 2014 and 2015. the liquor front prove it.” day morning, offi cials said. During Chandy’s rule, no new liquor outlets were “The Tourism Department figures for 2015 show Machli, the most photographed opened but rather more than 60 retail outlets were that arrival of international and domestic tourists to big cat at the reserve, died at 9.40am. closed. Kerala grew by five and eight per cent respectively.” She had been refusing food and Tourism Minister A C Moideen told the media “So, how can the government say that tourism water for some time. She was under yesterday that liquor should be made available has suff ered?” Sudheeran asked. observation at Ama Ghati, in the fringe area of the reserve, and sur-

Despite politics, GST backbone stays on course

By Meghna Mittal, IANS is April 1 next year. Everything for registration, returns and pay- and beta-runs will start by mid- New Delhi has to be ready before that,” Ku- ments. February, before the April 1 target. Off icials oversee the cremation of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve’s pride, 19-year-old tigress Machli, in mar added. “It takes a number of years “Our assessment is of around Ranthambore yesterday. The company, which is based for a mammoth task like this to 8mn taxpayers under the GST. way from the public glare, out of AeroCity on the outskirts become operational. So had we But our system will be able to rounded by a bevy of her admirers and forest of- Often seen hunting and playing around water a company set up by the of the capital, is uniquely struc- waited for parliament to pass it take a much larger load. We’re fi cials when she died. bodies, which earned her the name Machli (fi sh) Agovernment to create the tured: the federal government (the GST bill), we wouldn’t have working out a substantially Her body was been taken to the Ama Ghati and titles like “Lady of lakes” or “Queen Mother”, logistical and IT backbone for the holds 24.5% stake, the states and been able to do it by the target higher taxpayer base of 10 mn to check-post for the post-mortem, after which it experts said her life was a distinct case of “evolu- pan-India Goods and Services the Empowered Committee of date,” Anita Rastogi, Partner for start with,” said Kumar, a retired was cremated. The cremation was to avoid the tion” in the behaviour of tigers, especially those Tax (GST) regime will be ready to Finance Ministers, as an entity, Indirect Tax with PwC, the offi - member of the IAS and former body parts from being harvested, Ranthambore in Ranthambore. roll before the target date, as work have another 24.5%, while the cial consultants, told IANS. chairman of Delhi Metro. fi eld director Y K Sahu told IANS. “Tiger behaviour is evolving and it was best didn’t stop even when political rest is with fi nancial institutions. “Earlier this year, when the The top offi cial also explained Earlier this week after Machli, or T-16, was refl ected in the case of Machli. She understood spats were delaying matters. Despite the political bickering fate of the bill was in limbo, only that GSTN was initially mandat- found in feeble condition near a resort in Ama the importance of humans and never showed ag- In fact, the Goods and Services over the bill, the company has the hardware procurement was ed only for the preparation of the Ghati fringes, offi cials cordoned off the area and gression. She was the most photographed tigress Tax Network (GSTN) was set up been quietly working so as to be put on hold.” front-end of the network, that is, kept her under observation. ever,” R N Mehrotra, former fi eld director of Ran- as a non-profi t, non-government able to deliver by the April 1, 2017, “We told Infosys not to pro- for the interface with taxpayers. The area had a waterhole, and Machli lived thambore who observed Machli for seven years company in March 2013 — at target date. cure the hardware, but the soft- But it has also simultaneously there after she started losing her canines and from 2005 to 2012, told IANS. least a year before the latest bill It went ahead last year to fl oat ware development was going on.” been working on the back-end prime area in 2008. For the last seven years, He said that though the tiger has been de- was drafted for the Constitution the tender to hire an IT company to “We wanted to synchronise for 21 states. Machli was being fed bait to avoid death from scribed as solitary and elusive nocturnal amendment for migration to GST. execute the hardware and software the developments with the live The new regime will involve starvation, perhaps a reason for her longevity. carnivore, Machli’s case showed a change in The results are there for all to see side of the project, and awarded date for roll-out,” added Kumar. two sets of identical taxes — the “She lived an abnormally big life. Generally mindset of tigers and the way they perceived and reap, the stakeholders said. the contract by November. Due to diff erences between central GST and the state GST. tigers in wilderness only reach 13 or 14 years, she humans. “We’ll start testing by Octo- Some big names in the busi- the government and some politi- The rate of tax will be fi xed almost touched 20,” Sunayan Sharma, a former “The behaviour change in conditional to the ber,” GSTN chairman Navin Ku- ness, including Tata Consultancy cal parties, notably the Congress by the GST Council, which will forester and founder of Sariska Tiger Foundation, situation,” he said, contrasting Machli’s case with mar told IANS, referring to stage Services (TCS), Wipro, Tech Ma- that had wanted several of its primarily be co-opted from the told IANS. ‘Ustad” or T-24, another famous tiger from Ran- one of this exercise where existing hindra and Microsoft participated suggestions to be incorporated Empowered Committee of State “She also gave birth to about fi ve litters which thambore, whose behaviour change made him payers of indirect taxes will mi- in the tender and ultimately In- in the GST bill, its passage got Finance Ministers with Union Fi- is extraordinary; and the way she’d been hunting more aggressive, supposedly due to extreme in- grate to the new system and tests fosys — India’s second-largest IT delayed and secured the requisite nance Minister as chairman. was distinct, showing her extraordinary agility terventions by humans in his area. will begin on the crucial software company — bagged the Rs138bn ayes of the two houses only in the “When we started out, we were and adaptability,” Sharma added. Ustad was lablled a maneater and sent to cap- for the move to the new regime. project for a fi ve-year period. second week of August. to build the common GST portal Born in early 1997, and mother of over 12 cubs tivity last year. “The hardware installation The IT company was mandat- On the next steps forward, and applications for registration of which nine survived since 2000, the end of this The Ranthambore Reserve reportedly earned and software coding will happen ed to build the technology infra- The GSTN chairman said some of taxpayers, fi ling of returns and extraordinary tigress was also distinct. millions of rupees a year from tourists fl ocking to by December. We hope to go for a structure called the GST System 100,000 offi cials will be given making the tax payments. Later, “It’s very rare that one can witness a tiger die. see and photograph Machli. beta run from February — which Project (GSTSP) — a common training beginning October. The 21 states and union territories They mostly go into seclusion. Due to her stature, The most famous tiger in India ever, Machli is means our system should be portal for the use of tax-payers, migration of existing tax-payers requested us to take care of their she deserved our tending,” Sahu said. remembered for her legendary battle with a huge ready by mid-February.” administrators and other stake- will also commence simultaneous- back-end as well, which we are For many forest offi cials, Machli’s dying was an crocodile, a dedicated postal stamp and as lead “The target date for the rollout holders with common services ly and conclude before February, also doing,” Kumar said. emotional moment. character of many documentaries. Gulf Times 12 Friday, August 19, 2016 INDIA

Mamata walks to promote Congress slams safe driving

IANS Kolkata Naidu remarks

lanked by school children, ministers, IANS Questioning senior Congress lead- “We want to make it clear that Kash- celebrities and Trinamool Congress New Delhi er P Chidambaram’s statement that mir is an integral part of India, but the Fleaders, West Bengal Chief Minister the Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling Peo- real issue is of PoK (Pakistan-occupied Mamata Banerjee yesterday walked 4km ples Democratic Party (PDP) should Kashmir),” he added. through the city’s heart to underscore the ederal minister M Venkaiah Naidu join hands with the Congress and the Congress spokesperson Randeep need for safe driving. said yesterday the Congress state- National Conference to resolve the Surjewala said: “The current crisis in With accompanying children and others Fments on Kashmir show its inter- crisis in the violence-hit state, Naidu Kashmir persists because of the com- holding aloft posters, banners and festoons nal divisions and political opportun- earlier said: “What do they mean plete deniability of the Modi govern- highlighting the slogan ‘Safe drive, save ism and the opposition party asked the (that the) PDP, the Congress, the NC ment.” life’, the colourful rally started at Moulali prime minister to reveal his “under- should come together? Are they try- Responding to Modi’s mention of Ba- and covered stretches of central Kolkata standing” with his Pakistan counter- ing to unsettle an elected state gov- lochistan in his Independence Day ad- before ending at the Kolkata Mounted Po- part. ernment?” dress, Khurshid had said the reference lice ground in the Esplanade area. Federal Information and Broadcast- Naidu asked why the Congress was amounted to “ruining our case on the Miniature models of cars, bikes, baul ing Minister Naidu said: “The Congress trying to exonerate Pakistan: “I appeal Pakistan-occupied Kashmir”. singers, smartly dressed police sergeants is divided on the Kashmir issue. The to them to be sensitive, realistic and to His party colleague Kapil Sibal said and police bands were part of the rally, party disowned the statements of its act and speak accordingly.” the Balochistan mention will have which was a follow-up on the road safety senior leaders P The Congress, in turn, asked Prime “consequences”.The Congress, howev- drive kickstarted by the state government Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal and Sal- Minister Narendra Modi to tell the na- er, had distanced itself from the state- last month. man Khurshid. These statements and tion and the opposition about the un- ments of Khurshid and Sibal. A huge crowd followed the Chief Min- contradictions by the Congress show a derstanding reached between him and Responding to the two leaders’ ister, who called upon children to take the lack maturity and political opportun- Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif during Modi’s statements, Sharma said: “Individual message of sensible road behaviour and ism.” visit to Pakistan in December 2015. comments and observations should safe driving everywhere. He said what is consistent about the “What did we get in return? We got in not be misrepresented as if the Con- Bengali fi lm and television personalities, Congress policy on Pakistan and Jammu return (the terror attacks in) Gurdaspur, gress lacks clarity and firmness in its ministers Firhad Hakim, Sovandeb Chatter- and Kashmir is its inconsistency. Udhampur, Pathankot and the unrest in position.” jee, Mukul Roy, Arup Biswas and Sovan Chat- “The Congress has once again dis- Kashmir,” senior Congress leader Anand “Why is the government trying to di- terjee who is also the city Mayor, participated. played its insensitivity on the Kashmir Sharma said. vide the country on such a sensitive is- Similar programme was held in all dis- issue. Its own leaders are not in con- Sharma asked: “What were the as- sue? The Congress, in the government trict and block headquarters, 117 munici- sonance. It appears that the Congress surances that convinced Modi that the or outside, has been clear on the need to palities, six municipal corporations and leaders are not guided by national inter- entire regime of Pakistan supported fi ght terrorism and also the terror syn- the Gorkha Territorial administration to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launches the ‘Safe Drive, est but political opportunism,” the min- the peace process that Modi and Nawaz dicate that operates from Pakistan,” he increase awareness about traffi c rules. Save Life’ campaign in Kolkata. ister said. Sharif embarked on?” added. Kidney racket: 5 Researcher: India pollution death Kerala allocates rate set to outpace even China Rs100bn for medicos get bail Reuters HEI and a group of Chinese production as Prime Minister govt schools Beijing and Indian universities recently Narendra Modi races to meet said that over half of world’s air election promises to provide elec- IANS including the kidney donor, the in- pollution-related deaths were in tricity to a population of 1.3bn. IANS Mumbai tended recipient and the coordinator. he increase in people dy- China and India. In China, coal- Indian coal secretary Anil Thiruvananthapuram However, the public prosecutor op- ing in India from air pol- fi red plants have been the worst Swarup did not immediately re- posed the bail on the grounds that they Tlution will outpace the rate source of pollution. But India has spond to a request for comment. Metropolitan Magistrate yes- might tamper with evidence, that the of such deaths in China, as India lagged behind in implementing He has previously said India is erala Finance Minister Thomas Issac has terday granted bail to fi ve doc- racket was still being probed and that drags its heels over environmen- stringent environment policies setting a higher target for renew- earmarked Rs100bn ($1.5bn) for state-run Ators of the L H Hiranandani the anticipatory bail pleas of two other tal rules while opening more coal for coal emission. able energy and growing more Kand aided schools for the fi ve-year term of Hospital in a kidney racket case, sub- hospital medicos had been rejected. mines, the head of a US research From now until 2020, China trees than are being uprooted by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) ject to several stringent conditions. Last Friday, the Dindoshi Sessions group said yesterday. aims to cut coal output by 500mn coal mining. led Left Democratic Front government. Hospital CEO Sujit Chatterjee, Court had rejected the anticipatory “India’s situation is getting worse tonnes, or about 19% of its cur- Research from HEI and Ts- The IT@School project has been entrusted the medical director Anurag Naik, medi- bail applications of medicos Suwin at a much faster speed than China,” rent annual output, and reduce inghua University in Beijing re- responsibility of forming a special purpose vehi- cos Mukesh Shetye, Prakash Shetty Shetty and Veena Salekar. Dan Greenbaum, president of Bos- emission of major pollutants in leased this week shows coal burn- cle (SPV) to oversee the programme. and Mukesh Shah — arrested on Au- Police is probing more suspicious ton-based Health Eff ects Institute the power sector by 60%. ing caused 366,000 premature IT@School project was launched in 2001 in gust 9 — were ordered to be be re- kidney transplants and have already (HEI), told Reuters in Beijing. By contrast, India has just only deaths in China in 2013, out of a Kerala to foster information technology educa- leased on bail of Rs30,000 each. hinted at more arrests from the hos- “It is defi nitely the case be- launched an emission standard for population of 1.35bn. Comparable tion in schools and on a longer term facilitate However, the court ordered them to pital. cause India has not taken as much coal-fi red power plants this year. HEI data for India is due out next Information and Communication Technology report to the police station concerned On August 12, the Hiranandani Hos- action on air pollution.” India is also ramping up coal year. (ICT) enabled education. every Monday evening till September pital appointed an external fi rm, Ernst Speaking to IANS, IT@School executive di- 26 and also barred them from leaving & Young, to audit all kidney transplant rector K Anwar Sadath, said that this programme the country without the court’s per- cases carried out in the hospital in the has two segments. mission. past one year. “One segment involves setting up of around On August 13, these fi ve medicos The lid was blown off the racket 60,000 hi-tech class rooms in all government were produced before the court at the on July 14 when social worker Suresh Desertifi cation eating into agricultural land and aided schools from standards 8 to 12. The end of their police custody and re- Gupta, some political activists and second segment focuses on elevating 1,000 manded in judicial custody till August members of a trade union stopped a By Anuradha Nagaraj, Reuters Inter-disciplinary Water Re- for the Department of Space, schools to international standards,” said Sadath. 26. kidney transplant operation midway Chennai sources Studies. wrote in the report. Professor-turned-Minister Thomas Issac has On August 16, the accused doctors’ since the donor and the recipient were “There is no coherent plan to The ongoing study, initiated set aside Rs 45bn for the fi rst year of these two lawyers Aabad Ponda, Subir Kumar, allegedly found to be a fake couple reverse this process or its impact.” by the Ministry of Environment, programmes. Pranav Badheka and Brian D’lima had — ‘husband’ Brijkishore Jaiswal and ore than a quarter of Analysis of satellite mapping Forests & Climate Change, was The SPV is being set up to ensure that fi - fi led the bail applications during a reg- ‘wife’ Shobha Thakur. India’s land is turning shows new areas in Jammu and led by ISRO and involved 19 other nances for the project run smoothly and apart ular sitting, as directed by the magis- Since then, a total of 14 persons Mto desert and the rate of Kashmir, Orissa and Jharkhand institutes. It analysed satellite from budgetary allocations, funds from external trate last Saturday. have been arrested in connection with degradation of agricultural areas turning arid, with nine states to- images over an eight year period sources were also received. The defence said the police had told the racket at the reputed 12-year-old is increasing, according to new gether accounting for nearly 24% to compile the atlas. “The hi-tech classrooms will have state-of- the court that the accused were not suburban private 240-bed hospital. analysis of satellite images. of desertifi cation. “This is the fi rst time we are the-art computer laboratory besides overall required for further custodial inter- Following the expose, the Mahar- A report from the Indian Space In states like Jharkhand, Ra- looking at a digital atlas of degra- improvement in the curriculum, qualitative im- rogation, that there were no fi nancial ashtra Directorate of Health Services Research Organisation (ISRO) jasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Goa, dation and it is pointing at newer provement programme for teachers and admin- dealings by them and since they are set up a committee of medical experts, says land degradation — broadly more than 50 % of land is under areas undergoing desertifi cation,” istration will also be ensured,” said Sadath. medicos of repute they would not ab- which is said to have found irregu- defi ned as loss of productivity — desertifi cation. A S Rajawat of the Space Appli- To bring a thousand schools at par with in- scond or tamper with evidence or wit- larities related to at least four kidney is estimated at 96mn hectares, or “Population pressure has re- cations Centre told the Thomson ternational standards, quality infrastructure in- nesses. transplant cases. nearly 30 % of Indian land. sulted in over exploitation of land Reuters Foundation. cluding indoor stadiums would be provided. They argued that the doctors had Based on the committee’s report, “As a country we should be for cultivation, grazing, water re- “It is a ready reckoner to un- “Already the pilot projects have begun in four no role in the approval of the kidney the police arrested the fi ve medicos on more than alarmed by this data,” sources and deforestation leading derstand where we stand and the schools and an assessment is on to prepare the donation and bail had already been August 9, sending shockwaves in the said S Janakarajan, chairman of to degradation of drylands,” Jiten- impact of land degradation on ag- road map for speedy implementation,” added granted to the other prime accused, medical fraternity. the South Asia Consortium for dra Singh, the Minister of State ricultural productivity.” Sadath. ‘Oldest man ever’ claims yoga, celibacy key to age

AFP ades younger have of their date foods. In my childhood I slept Kolkata of birth. many days on an empty stom- However it would be extremely ach,” he said. diffi cult to independently verify Sivananda said he had not pre- ooking remarkably unlined his age. viously come forward to claim the for his claimed 120 years, Sivananda was featured by lo- record because he did not seek Lan Indian monk who says cal media earlier this summer, publicity, but was eventually per- he is the oldest man to have ever with the Times of India noting suaded by his followers to apply. lived puts his longevity down to he looked 50 years younger than The elderly man lost both par- no sex or spices, and daily yoga. his apparent age but taking his ents before he was six and was Hindu monk Swami Sivananda claims at face value. given away by his relatives to a was born on August 8, 1896, ac- Sivananda, from the holy city spiritual guru, whom he travelled cording to his passport. of Varanasi, grew up in extreme with around India before settling If true, his life would have poverty and chose to become a in Varanasi. spanned three centuries, but de- monk, saying he owed his age to Fit and without any medical spite his apparent age he remains “yoga, discipline, and celibacy”. complications, he lives inde- strong enough to perform yoga “I lead a simple and disci- pendently and even travels alone for hours at a time. plined life. I eat very simply — on trains. He is now applying to Guin- only boiled food without oil or Sivananda, who was born in ness World Records to verify his spices, rice and boiled daal (len- colonial-era India without elec- claim. til stew) with a couple of green tricity, cars or telephones, says he It currently lists Japan’s Jiro- chillies,” he told AFP after a two- is not enthused by new technol- emon Kimura, who died in June hour yoga session in Kolkata, the ogy and prefers being on his own. 2013 aged 116 years and 54 days, eastern Indian city where he had “Earlier people were happy as the oldest man to have ever come for a short visit. with fewer things. Nowadays lived. Standing 1.58m tall, Sivananda people are unhappy, unhealthy India’s passport authori- sleeps on a mat on the fl oor and and have become dishonest, ties confi rmed Sivananda’s age uses a wooden slab as a pillow. which pains me a lot,” he said. from a temple register, the only “I avoid taking milk or fruits “I just want people to be hap- record many Indians even dec- because I think these are fancy py, healthy and peaceful.” Swami Sivananda (centre) sits with followers on board a train from Howrah station in Kolkata on his way to Varanasi. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 13 LATIN AMERICA Court protest Argentine subsidy cuts on gas suspended

Reuters said in a unanimous decision. Buenos Aires Macri inherited a govern- ment nearly out of cash after eight years of free-spending rgentina’s supreme populism under President court ruled yesterday Cristina Fernandez. Athat the government He ditched currency and must hold public hearings be- trade controls as part of his bid fore cutting energy subsidies to draw investment to Latin and hiking residential utility America’s No 3 economy. rates, a decision sure to be wel- He started backpedalling comed by homeowners while on his gas subsidy policy last threatening the country’s aus- month after a series of dem- terity drive. onstrations by homeowners hit Elected in November on by price increases of more than promises of lifting the heavy 1,000% in some cases. market controls favored by the Macri promised to cap in- previous government, presi- creases at 400%, but any dent Mauricio Macri slashed change will now have to take natural gas subsidies early in into account feedback from his term. public hearings. As a consequence, heating Shares of Argentine energy bills during a particularly cold companies took a hit after Southern Hemisphere winter the court’s decision was an- soared, prompting public pro- nounced. tests. Distributor Metrogas The spike in utility rates hit dropped 6.41% to 7.30 pesos Antonieta Mendoza (C), mother of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, holds a Venezuelan national flag while she waits to enter a courthouse for his families already slammed by ($0.49) per share, while gas hearing in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday. The court upheld the 14-year sentence against Lopez, in a move likely to increase tension in the crisis-hit South American country. 40% infl ation and a shrinking transport company Tansener economy that has limited wage fell 3.17% to 6.40 pesos ($0.43) increases. per share. “The increase in utility Subsidy cuts and higher gas prices cannot be validly imple- rates that Macri has imposed mented without public hear- for businesses were unaff ected New power struggle ings on the issue,” the court by the decision. begins among crime groups in Mexico Mauricio Macri

DPA when they were forced from the restau- ered a major slap in the face of its old ally. The Mexican attorney general’s offi ce Puerto Vallarta, Mexico rant. In the absence of El Chapo, who is im- has become involved in the case, saying “We found ammo for one weapon, but prisoned and fi ghting extradition to the it will take “the necessary steps to clarify during the investigation of the vehicles United States, Mexican and American the facts that are under federal jurisdic- Most Colombians to new front was opened in the sim- [used in the kidnapping] we didn’t fi nd any authorities say Guzman Salazar and his tion.” mering war between Mexico’s drug weapons. brother Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, bet- What will the Sinaloa Cartel do next? Acartels when armed men stormed None of the diners had or used a weap- ter known as “Chapito,” are among those Mexican media is speculating that nego- back peace deal: poll a restaurant in the Pacifi c resort town of on,” he told reporters. leading the Sinaloa cartel. tiations to secure the release of Guzman Puerto Vallarta and kidnapped six men, The kidnapping is part of a war between Almaguer said investigators have no Salazar and the fi ve other members could including one who has a notorious father. the cartels for control of drug traffi cking evidence to support rumours that Chapito be underway, which would partly explain Reuters The survey, conducted by Authorities say Jesus Alfredo Guz- routes, according to Almaguer. was also abducted from the restaurant. the organization’s inactivity. Bogota polling fi rm Invamer on behalf man Salazar, son of imprisoned drug lord But the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel Some experts believe that when cou- Negotiations or not, El Chapo’s cartel of local media Caracol Televi- Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, was abducted have a complex history that goes beyond pled with previous events, the abduction is expected to respond, with the fi nal out- sion, Blu Radio and El Especta- in the early hours of Monday by the Car- drug turf. demonstrates the dwindling power of the come likely to be acted out like most cartel olombian voters will dor newspaper, showed 67.5% tel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), a Born out of the breakup of the Milenio Sinaloa Cartel. confl icts — with a bloody fi nale. back a peace deal with of those voting would approve violent crime group that emerged six years Cartel, the CJNG emerged as the military In June there were reports of an armed Possessing weapons and the distribu- CMarxist Farc rebels the deal, while 32.5% would ago in the western state of Jalisco. arm of the Sinaloa Cartel as the pair allied in confrontation between groups near El tion capacity of a major international in a plebiscite, according to vote against it. CJNG is currently warring with the their fi ght against another cartel, Los Zetas. Chapo’s hometown, Badiraguato, in the crime organisation, the Cartel Jalisco an opinion poll released on To make the vote’s result powerful Sinaloa Cartel, led by the elder That alliance ruptured a few years ago, mountains of the north-west state of Si- Nueva Generacion (CJNG) has risen to Wednesday, in encourag- binding, the winning side Guzman. and the CJNG is now expanding its terri- naloa. power in a few short years to openly chal- ing news for president Juan would need a majority of votes “Our investigation quickly identifi ed tory, especially in Mexico’s south-east and Armed gunmen looted the home of the lenge Mexican authorities. Manuel Santos, who wants cast and support totalling some of those who perpetrated this action, south-west. kingpin’s mother. The group emerged six years ago from voters to ratify an end to more at least 13% of the country’s and their links confi rm that they are part Cartel observers agree El Chapo’s cap- That attack was perpetrated not by the the ashes of the Milenio Cartel, than 50 years of war. 33mn eligible voters. of this criminal group,” Jalisco state pros- ture in January after his escape last year CJNG but another organisation battling with its reach extending beyond Jalisco Negotiators are hammering Colombia’s principal oppo- ecutor Eduardo Almaguer said. from prison likely emboldened the CJNG, for control of the Sinaloa Cartel’s territory to the neighbouring states of Colima and out fi nal details of the deal at sition party, headed by hard- Guzman’s son and other members of the leading to the kidnapping of the kingpin’s — another refl ection of the cartel’s weak- Michoacan in western Mexico. talks in Havana. line former president Alvaro Sinaloa Cartel were celebrating a birthday son. ness. Due to its growing force and infl u- The constitutional court Uribe, has said it will campaign at La Leche restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. The kidnappings are a major blow not The kidnapped and the kidnappers are ence, the Offi ce of Foreign Assets Control recently ruled that a vote can for a ‘no’ vote. Nobody suspected an attack by a rival only to the Guzman family but to his entire being actively sought by police. (OFAC) within the United States treasury take place following the publi- The following table shows organisation — Almaguer said Guzman criminal network. Almaguer said there had as yet been no department added the CJNG to its black- cation of the full accord and six the results of recent surveys on Salazar and his companions were unarmed The CJNG’s off ensive can be consid- demands for ransom. list in May 2015. weeks of campaigning. the peace referendum. ‘Anti-imperialist’ academy opened by Bolivia president

Guardian News armed forces to social move- “congressional coups” such as in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish London ments and counteracts the in- the impending impeachment tri- community centre that killed 85 fl uence of the School of the al of suspended president Dilma people. Americas that always saw the Rousseff in Brazil. The re-inaugurated school olivia ‘s President Evo Mo- indigenous as internal enemies,” He also said the US promotes carries the name of General Juan rales has opened a new he told a crowd that included the global terrorism through military Jose Torres, B “anti-imperialist” defence ministers of Venezuela interventions, citing the rise of a leftist who was Bolivia’s de military academy to counter US and Nicaragua. the Islamic State group as an ex- facto president in 1970 and who policies and military infl uence in Some Latin American offi cers ample. expelled the Peace Corps for al- Latin America. trained at the US-based School The Santa Cruz academy was legedly sterilising indigenous “If the empire teaches domi- of the Americas went on to com- initially inaugurated in 2011 as women. nation of the world from its mili- mit atrocities under 20th century the “ALBA School” after the Up to 200 cadets will learn tary schools, we will learn from military dictatorships. now-weakened regional alliance about history, geopolitics and this school to free ourselves from In 2000, the academy at Fort that includes Venezuela, Nicara- military strategy, the govern- imperial oppression,” the coun- Benning, Georgia, was renamed gua, Ecuador and Cuba. ment said. try’s fi rst indigenous president the Western Hemisphere Insti- Morales’ invitation to that A semester-long course re- said at an inauguration ceremony tute for Security Co-operation. event of then-Iranian defence quired for advancement to cap- on Wednesday. Morales, who expelled the US minister Ahmad Vahidi provoked tain is being taught by the Argen- “We want to build anti-colo- ambassador and counter-nar- an uproar in neighbouring Ar- tine Marxist intellectual Atilio nial and anti-capitalist thinking cotics agents in 2008, accused gentina, where judicial authori- Boron, deputy defence minister with this school that binds the Washington of encouraging ties have accused Vahidi of a role Reymi Ferreira said. Bolivia ‘s president Evo Morales Gulf Times 14 Friday, August 19, 2016 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Modi’s Balochistan remark ‘bid to hide Kashmir atrocities’

Agencies a lot in past few days, I am grate- stan and is run by a democrati- Terming the current atmos- Islamabad ful to them”. cally elected government,” he phere between the two countries According to media reports, said. “The Pakistan Army is ours as “toxic”, it said the two nations Modi’s comments sparked pro- and we will not tolerate any In- instead of indulging in a blame akistan yesterday termed tests across Balochistan, with dian interference in our internal game must resort to a mature Indian Prime Minister large numbers of tribesmen tak- matters,” he added. way of handling the situation in PNarendra Modi’s recent ing to the streets in protest in Meanwhile a Pakistani daily Kashmir. statement on Balochistan as an Dera Bugti, Khuzdar, Quetta, has said that Indian Prime Min- “While the Indian establish- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (C) attends Afghan Independence Day celebrations in Kabul, “unsuccessful attempt to hide Chaman and other parts of the ister Narendra Modi’s remarks ment claims Pakistan is fuelling Afghanistan, yesterday. Indian atrocities in occupied province. Angry protestors set about Balochistan and Pakistani unrest in Indian Kashmir, it is Kashmir”. ablaze the Indian fl ag and chant- Kashmir in his Independence quite clear that the uprising is Referring to Modi’s August 15 ed slogans against the Indian Day speech “have not helped indigenous in nature, fuelled by speech, Foreign Offi ce spokes- Prime Minister at many places. matters on the bilateral front”, New Delhi’s repressive methods person Nafees Zakariya said: “We didn’t ask the people to adding that the current state in the held territory,” it added. “Balochistan is a crucial part of come out on the streets. They of relations between the two “Pakistan’s call for dialogue Mortar attack kills three Pakistan.” are on the streets themselves,” neighbours has become “toxic”. makes eminent sense. This can He added: “Pakistani people the Pakistan Muslim League-N “Narendra Modi’s remarks, be an opportunity to revive the are victim of Indian intelligence lawmaker said of the protests repeated during his speech on Pakistan-India dialogue proc- agencies’ subversive activities.” against Modi. Aug 15, unnecessarily dragging ess,” the editorial said. in Afghanistan on I-Day Referring to the arrest of alleged “The Kashmiris are agitating Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan It said India’s strategy in the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadav in for their right to self-determina- and Azad Kashmir into the de- “held Kashmir has not borne Balochistan, the spokesperson tion in accordance with UN res- bate, have not helped matters on fruit” and militarising Kashmir IANS said: “Kulbhushan and his net- olutions, whereas in Balochistan the bilateral front, or in address- has only “increased the locals’ Kabul work were involved in spreading there is only a small group work- ing the unrest in held Kashmir,” resentment against New Delhi”. terrorism and destabilising activi- ing on the behest of the enemy the Dawn said yesterday. “Brutal state repression will only ties in Karachi and Balochistan.” country,” Zehri said, referring to Asking the Indian govern- further alienate the Kashmiris, and t least three Afghans Modi sparked controversy suspected Indian involvement. ment to respond positively to cause disenchanted youth to pick were killed and 49 in- when in his Independence Day “I swear on the blood of the Pakistan’s invitation for talks on up the gun,” it said adding, “grand- Ajured yesterday in a speech he said that Pakistan was dead, wherever these terrorists Kashmir, it said, “Indian foreign standing and indulging in cross- mortar attack in the country’s a supporter of “terrorism” and are, we will hunt them down.” secretary should respond posi- border verbal duels” will only make eastern province bordering Pa- that the people of Balochistan, “The Indian government fully tively to Pakistan’s invitation. matters worse. kistan during the country’s In- Gilgit and Pakistan-Occupied supports the ongoing insurgency Both the sides need to frankly The Kashmir valley has been dependence Day celebrations, Kashmir had thanked him in the in Balochistan. It is deeply in- and sincerely discuss Kashmir – on boil since the July 8 killing of offi cials said. past few days for support. volved in sponsoring elements and all other issues”. rebel commander Burhan Wani The mortar shells which Also yesterday, Balochistan like Brahamdagh Bugti, Haerb- India on Wednesday agreed and the ensuing clashes between struck a government build- Chief Minister Sanaullah Ze- yar Marri, Zamran Marri and Al- to talk to Islamabad on the “as- protesting mobs and security ing where a celebration was hri said no one in the Pakistani lah Nazar,” he said. pects” related to cross-border forces have left over 60 people underway in Kunar province province had supported Indian “Balochistan is part of Paki- terrorism”. dead. were fired by Taliban mili- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tants, Xinhua news agency Afghan security personnel inspect a damaged car at the site of a statement that the Baloch people quoted a provincial head as suicide bomb attack in Kabul yesterday. had thanked him for his support. Pakistan to highlight Kashmir at UNGA saying. “We condemn Narendra Modi’s “Two children and a man provincial Governor Wahidul- niversary of its independence statement on Balochistan. No Pakistan is to “forcefully” present its stance on internationally recognised dispute”. were killed and 49 others lah Kalimzai said. from British occupation by one in Balochistan supported his India’s “state terrorism” in Jammu and Kashmir at He said most UN Security Council members had wounded by the mortar shell- War-torn Afghanistan on holding meetings and celebra- statement. There is no compari- the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York, “already been taken onboard on the continued ing in Asadabad this morning,” August 18 marked the 97th an- tions across the country. son between the struggle for lib- the Foreign Off ice said yesterday. human rights violations” in Kashmir Valley. eration in India-held Kashmir and “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is going to take this At least 65 people, including children, have been the so-called Balochistan insur- issue very forcefully at the UN platform,” Nafees killed in Kashmir Valley battling the worst outbreak gency,” Zehri asserted at a rally in Zakaria, Foreign Off ice spokesman, said in his of unrest in many years. Quetta, the provincial capital. weekly press briefing. The latest round of violence in Kashmir, which is Modi in his speech on August Zakaria said Pakistan has always raised the issue claimed by both India and Pakistan, was triggered Parliament closer to enacting 15, India’s Independence Day, of Jammu and Kashmir at the annual UNGA on July 9, a day after Burhan Wani, a popular said “people of Balochistan, session and mentioned Sharif’s speech at last young commander of Kashmir’s largest pro- Gilgit and PoK (Pakistan Occu- year’s session “where he strongly highlighted the Pakistan group, Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed. law on Hindu marriage pied Kashmir) have thanked me

Internews Jamaat Ulema Islam MNA The draft bill allows separated Islamabad Aasiya Nasir, who also moved individuals to remarry, and the bill, said fair laws and their clause 17 states that a Hindu application without discrimi- widow is entitled to remarry Signifi cant reduction in terror attacks he report of Pakistan’s nation was one way to eradicate and shall have the right to do National Assembly extremism from society, so, of her own will and consent, TStanding Committee on which she called the root of after a period of six months Internwes lawless tribal region on the Af- Bangladesh was particularly to 2014 which witnessed nearly Law and Justice on the Hindu terrorism in the country. since the death of her husband. Islamabad ghan border. hit by violence with militants 2,000 attacks. Marriage Bill 2016 has been The bill was approved by the It is expected that the cases This was the time when terror attacks increasing nearly 400% As many 28,328 people killed presented in the National As- standing committee on Feb- of abduction of married Hindu attacks in Bangladesh and India in 2015 compared to a year ago and 35,320 injured in 11,774 ter- sembly. ruary 8, and has seen support women will stop once this bill series of anti-Taliban rose, according to latest country (2014). More than 459 attacks rorist attacks in more than 92 Now that the draft bill has been from the Hindu community is enacted. military off ences has reports on terrorism released by were recorded last year com- countries in 2015, the report laid in the lower house, it is just and liberals. “There are penalties for vio- Ahelped Pakistan reduce the US Department of States. pared to just over a hundred in concluded. one step away from being ap- According to the chairman lating the provisions of this act terror attacks by nearly 70% Its statistics showed violence 2014, States Department statis- Nacta’s newly compiled fi g- proved by the National Assembly, of the committee, Chaudhry and anyone who kidnaps a mar- during the past two years, a pe- drastically dropped in Pakistan. tics continued to reveal. ures reveal that terror attacks parliamentary sources here say. Bashir Virk: “This is because it ried Hindu woman will be liable riod during which other regional The National Counterter- An increased in violence was gradually started decreasing Pakistan People’s Party is a complete bill, and all seg- to punishments after this law is countries faced surge in violence rorism Center, part of Offi ce of reported with 791 terror attacks since June, 2014 when Pakistan Member National Assembly ments including the Council approved, because the victim’s orchestrated by militants. the Director of National Intel- in 2015 as compared to 764 in launched operation Zarb-e-Azb. (MNA) Ramesh Lal, one of of Islamic Ideology (CII) were family will be able to show proof Only 477 major and minor ligence, through the Worldwide 2014 in India last year. Around 4,307 civilians and the bill’s movers, said it took consulted during the course of of marriage,” Virk said. terrorism attacks have been re- Incidents Tracking System in This is the highest number of security personnel lost their around 10 months for the com- discussions in the committee.” He added that clause 12(iii) of ported this year so far in Paki- America collected these statis- terrorist incidents and deaths lives and 11, 400 injured in 5,000 mittee to clear the bill and an- However, some of the more the bill is being misunderstood. stan compared to around 2,000 tics which put Pakistan at third since 2010 and there were 763 terror attacks after 2013 in Paki- other six months for its report religious members of the Hin- “The clause only says that if in 2014, reveal offi cial statistics place with improved law and or- incidents which represents a 20 stan, according to Nacta’s offi cial to be presented in the house. du community have expressed any of the spouses converts from compiled by the National Coun- der situation in the list of top ten per cent increase from 2013 in fi gures. “The delay was possibly be- strong reservations regarding Hinduism, the other partner has ter Terrorism Authority (Nacta). countries with the most terror India which left Nigeria behind The country witnessed record cause of extraordinary debates the bill’s contents. the right to claim separation,” The signifi cant decline is at- attacks. which witnessed less attacks reduction in violence this year and discussion around the bill, Contentious clauses include he said. “We cannot stop wilful tributed to the operations by the In 2012, Pakistan was atop the than India, reveal the US Depart- as compared to last ten years, but at least now the govern- clause 12 on the ‘Termination conversions, but everybody is Pakistan military launched by list while Afghanistan, Iraq, In- ment statistics. recording 503 deaths of civilians ment should consider tabling of Hindu marriage’ and clause against forced conversions and mid-2014 to push back militants dia and Nigeria were also includ- Pakistan witnessed a thou- and security personnel in 477 it in the house in the next ses- 15 on the ‘Termination of Hindu this law will not promote forced linked with Al Qaeda from its ed to this list accordingly. sand attacks last year as compare terror attacks by August 7, 2016. sion,” Lal said. marriage by mutual consent’. conversions.” RTI: practice of secrecy amid promise of transparency

Internews The tax information was made The News reported yesterday voted to power in the elections The RTI bill drafted in 2014 access to information.” to provide this information fol- Islamabad public for two consecutive years that for more than a month it has of 2013. for replacing a weak legislation, But in reality, a counter-in- lowing which the citizen ap- 2013 and 2014. repeatedly inquired about the The initiative of publicising Freedom of Information Ordi- formation strategy is in practice proached the Federal Ombuds- However, this practice ap- FBR intention without receiving tax information had made Pa- nance 2002, has passed through which is evident that was evi- man, which under the law is the he Nawaz Sharif govern- pears to have been abandoned any concrete answer. kistan the fourth country in the many eyes but stopped short dent from a directive issued by appellate authority to challenge ment has shelved the after the release of Panama Pa- Dr Iqbal, the spokesman, ini- world after Norway, Sweden and of landing into Parliament that the Cabinet Division in Septem- such decisions. Tpractice of publishing tax pers that named the high and tially said that the publication Finland to release tax directory, could pass it into law. ber last year. Incidentally, this informa- directory whereas other mani- mighty stashing their fortunes of directory has been delayed a title being lost without any re- It was also sent to the inter- It demanded of all the instru- tion was sought under the Free- festo pledges about transpar- abroad while enjoying perks and due to engagement on other gret. national RTI experts for review ments of the executive branch dom of Information Ordinance ency initiatives like the Right to privileges with impunity in Pa- fronts and that it will be released While the future of public tax who declared it the best legisla- “to immediately exclude from 2002, introduced by the then- Information (RTI) bill have not kistan. “within a week”, he later stopped tion in the world if adopted. the purview of Freedom of In- president Pervez Musharraf, the seen any progress beyond the Instead of investigating the taking calls preempting the re- The News reported Hence this draft law is an “if” formation Ordinance 2002, un- government had promised to in- repeated promises that coincide owners of off shore companies, peat of the same question. yesterday that for more away from bringing Pakistan der the provisions of Article 8 troduce a better law that would with the counter-information Federal Board of Revenue is Text messages also went un- than a month it has atop the ranking list as its pas- of this ordinance, all documents promise proactive disclosure strategy of blocking access in hesitant to publish the direc- answered. repeatedly inquired about sage faces awkward delays. and record which if publicised and minimum possible exemp- “public interest”. tory lest any fi nger is pointed to- Other than the pressure built the FBR intention without The FOI Ordinance 2002, cur- could compromise the public tion. The publication of the tax wards them for not contributing in result of series on lawmak- receiving any concrete rently in practice, received 78th interest.” Not only the government is started after a series of media re- their due share to the economy ers’ taxes by the media, the rul- answer position in international ranking The directive was issued fol- placing restriction on providing ports unmasked alleged tax eva- through honest tax payment. ing Pakistan Muslim League-N of 2013. lowing a citizen’s demand for information promised under FOI sion by the lawmakers who levy The directories in previous manifesto had also promised information is uncertain, the The ruling party’s manifesto information from the Cabinet Ordinance 2002, the passage taxes on others, not paying their years were published by April this. fate of RTI bill doesn’t appear to reads: “Right to information Division about the nature and of new RTI law is being delayed own, in a country where, ac- the latest. “An annual tax directory will be diff erent as government is not law based on international details of gifts received by the under diff erent excuses. cording to former Federal Board There is no eff ort in sight for be published indicating the ready to walk the talk as it has best practices shall be passed top-most public offi ce holders More than eight times, the of Revenue (FBR) Chairman late tax directory of 2015 when the taxes paid and assessed in the been dilly-dallying on it since to give every citizen the right from foreign dignitaries during government has publicly assured Riaz Naqvi, the poor subsidise deadline for fi ling tax return of last 3 years,” reads electoral 2014 by fl irting with diff erent to know and to build institu- the recent years. the passage of the bill but didn’t the rich through indirect taxes. the next year is approaching. manifesto of the party that was ideas to improve the draft. tional mechanism to increase The Cabinet Division refused keep its word. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 15 PHILIPPINES Communist First coastguard boat leaders freed arrives from Japan before Norway

Reuters Manila peace talks

apan yesterday delivered to Reuters post bail,” he said.” But they the Philippines the fi rst of Manila continue to face criminal cases J10 coastguard vessels to help in courts”. it improve its maritime secu- Renato Reyes, secretary- rity and law enforcement in the he Philippines has general of the left-wing Bayan South China Sea where tension freed 12 communist (Nation) group, which is allied has been rising over a territorial Tguerrilla leaders, po- with the communist move- dispute with China. lice said yesterday, days be- ment, said the releases boded China claims almost the entire fore a new round of peace well and raised hopes the talks South China Sea where about talks with the Maoist-led would begin on Aug 22 “on a $5tn worth of seaborne trade rebels resumes in Norway positive note”. passes every year. to end nearly five decades of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philip- conflict that has killed more “They were only allowed pines, Taiwan and Vietnam also than 40,000 people. to post bail. But they have claims in the sea believed New President Rodrigo Du- continue to face criminal to have rich deposits of oil and terte has a reputation as an im- cases in courts” gas. placable and ruthless enemy of drug traffi ckers but he came Among those freed were “It can be used for maritime to power after winning a May Adelberto Silva, Concha Aran- security operations but it’s election promising to negoti- eta Bocala, Alan Jazmines and not for combat” ate the end of long-running Tirso Alcantara. insurgencies. Alcantara, one of the coun- Japan has no claims in the Talks brokered by Norway try’s highest ranking guerrilla waterway but worries about between the government and leaders, was wounded in a fi re- China’s growing military reach the rebels’ National Demo- fi ght with soldiers fi ve years across sea lanes through which cratic Front stalled in 2012 ago. much of Japan’s trade passes. over the refusal of the gov- The rebels’ top leaders, Be- Philippine coastguard chief ernment to free communist nito Tiamzon and his wife, Rear Admiral William Melad said leaders who had been in jail Wilma, are still in prison. the 44-metre vessel from Japan for decades. Activists are holding a pro- would be sent out to sea on pa- National police chief Ron- test outside the national po- trols and law enforcement op- ald dela Rosa told reporters the lice offi ce today to demand the erations. temporary release of the 12 by release of them and six others “It can be used for maritime courts was a consequence of senior guerrilla commanders. security operations but it’s not A Philippine flag flutters in front of the BRB Tubbataha, a coast guard ship, one of 10 multi-role vessel the Philippines is acquiring from Japan the president’s peace off er and Leftist lawmakers and hu- for combat,” Melad told report- under a 8.8bn pesos (US$ 190mn) agreement, as it arrives in south harbour, metro Manila, Philippines yesterday. was “one of the most positive man right advocates said the ers. developments” in years. government is holding more The boat would also be used China did not participate in “They were only allowed to 500 rebels in detention. for humanitarian work and dis- and has refused to accept the aster relief operations. July 12 ruling by the Permanent Japan will supply nine more Court of Arbitration. of the vessels under a 7.3bn peso Japan and the Philippines are Monsoon rains death toll hits 13 ($158mn) soft loan agreement. in talks about two more large Melad did not mention China coastguard ships worth about The death toll from Barangay Upig, San Ildefonso, but its increasingly assertive 10bn pesos ($215mn) and the monsoon rains since last Bulacan and Zaldy Gloriani, claims in disputed South China lease of four TC-90 surveillance week has risen to 13 even 29, of Barangay Castanos Sea waters pose for the Philip- aircraft. as more than 262,000 Cerca, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, pines its most pressing security Japan has also warming rela- people were displaced, Cavite, who all drowned; Mary concern. tions with Vietnam, promising according to the National Hope Beriña, 14 and Argilyn China has dredged up sand to help strengthen its coastguard Disaster Risk Reduction Joyce Gonzales, 16, who and built up reefs to make seven with training, vessels and other and Management Council were killed when a firewall islands in the Spratly islands, equipment. (NDRRMC). collapsed on Oroquieta some with port facilities and air Philippine coastguard spokes- Ten of the dead were Street in Santa Cruz, Manila; strips. man Commander Armand Balilo identified as Felix, 57, Leonida, Benedicto Brasileño, 68, who China says is has the right said the force would be expand- 46, and Jamaica, 13, all also drowned in Barangay to do whatever work it wants ed over the next two years with surnamed Catapang of Sitio Canauillian, Janiuay, Iloilo; on its territory, and its aims the recruitment of 6,000 more Kamalig, Barangay Reparo, and Jonel Fernandez, 11, who are entirely peaceful, but personnel and the acquisition Nasugbu, Batangas, who was found dead at a pumping an arbitration court in The of more boats and aircraft from were electrocuted; Archie station in Nagtahan, Manila. Hague last month rejected the United States to protect the Contado, 27, of 7th Street, Six were injured and nine China’s historic claim to the country’s exclusive economic Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel march during the arrival ceremony of Philippine’s first ever Barangay Mariana, Quezon were missing rose, the South China Sea. zone. multi-role response vessel (MRRV) called the “BRP Tubbataha” as it arrives at a port in Manila yesterday. City; Rufino Lozada, 74, of NDRRMC said. Duterte slams ‘stupid’ UN Philippines worried for criticism over crime war poor despite strong growth AFP marking the 115th anniversary and warned they would not be Manila of the police force. treated well in the Philippines. Ban Ki-moon in June con- Duterte, who took offi ce on AFP demned Duterte’s apparent June 30, ordered a bloody war Manila hilippine President Rod- support for extrajudicial kill- on crime that has left 1,054 rigo Duterte has hit out at ings, saying they were “illegal people dead since the May P“stupid” United Nations’ and a breach of fundamental elections, according to the he Philippine economy criticism of his controversial rights and freedoms”. country’s largest broadcaster expanded 7.0% in the sec- crime war that has claimed The UN’s anti-drugs of- ABS-CBN. Tond quarter, offi cial data 1,000 lives, warning the global fi ce also this month said it was This includes people killed showed yesterday, but President body not to interfere. “greatly concerned” by reports in police operations, and more Rodrigo Duterte’s new govern- The political outsider, who of extrajudicial killings of sus- than 400 people murdered by ment said major changes were swept to a landslide election pected drug dealers and users mysterious vigilantes. needed to fi x one of Asia’s big- victory in May largely on a in the Philippines. Duterte won the election on a gest rich-poor divides. pledge to kill tens of thousands The UN has made “a very promise to wage a war on illegal The April-to-June period of criminals, said he would stupid proposition”, Duterte drugs and other crime that would covered the fi nal months of continue his anti-drug crack- said, warning them not to med- claim tens of thousands of lives. Benigno Aquino’s administra- down despite mounting criti- dle in the country’s politics. He has ordered police not to tion, capping six years of stellar cism, including from UN chief “What’s the problem? You hesitate to kill and even urged growth that helped boost the Ban Ki-moon. inject politics. Only 1,000 died ordinary citizens and com- Philippines’ credit ratings and “Why would the United Na- and you put my country in per- munist guerrillas to join in the end its reputation as one of the tions be so easily swayed into il, in jeopardy,” he said. bloodshed. region’s economic laggards. interfering in the aff airs of this He told foreign human rights He has repeatedly scoff ed at However, Duterte won a land- republic? There are only 1,000 watchdogs not to “investigate human rights groups opposed slide election victory partly on (killed),” he said at an event us as though we are criminals,” to the killings. his railings against the nation’s elite who have soaked up much of the benefi ts of the growth, while leaving a quarter of the nation’s 100 million people liv- ing below the poverty line. Duterte’s economic chiefs yes- A woman pushes her children on a stroller after around a dozen homeless people were evicted along a terday credited the 7.0-% growth road in Makati, Metro Manila, yesterday. on annualised basis in the sec- ond quarter, the fastest in three tor, which accounts for about 10mn year and 6.5-7.5% in 2017. Education was one of the big- years, to Aquino’s “sound marco- workers and their families. “Our strong macro-economic gest winners, with a 31% rise. economic, fi scal and monetary “Knowing that the majority of fundamentals will buff er the Dominguez also said the gov- policies”, but emphasised the poor poor Filipinos rely on this sector Philippine economy from exter- ernment would expand a gov- were continuing to be left behind. for their livelihood, this admin- nal shocks,” Dominguez said. ernment programme providing “We need to sustain that re- istration will prioritise agricul- The government is aiming to free contraceptives to poor cou- balancing toward investment- tural development,” he said. cut the poverty rate from 26% ples and allowing sex education driven growth, especially in- The sector declined 2.1% from currently to 17% when Duterte to be taught in schools. vestment that will lead to more April-June, the fi fth consecutive steps down in 2022. A landmark law enabling this inclusive, poverty-reducing, quarter of declines. Dominguez said this would begin passed under Aquino but budget inequality-reducing growth,” Nevertheless, Finance Secretary with a stimulus programme focused cuts by lawmakers in the mainly Economic Planning Secretary Carlos Dominguez also said Aqui- on infrastructure, education and Catholic nation diluted its eff ec- Ernesto Pernia said. no’s administration had helped set health. The government on Tues- tiveness. Pernia said the Duterte adminis- the foundations for even stronger day unveiled its 2017 budget, an- Duterte has said helping Fili- Residents involved with illegal drugs take a pledge that they will not use or sell “shabu” (Meth) again tration was particularly concerned overall growth, setting a target of at nouncing an overall increase of pinos have fewer children is one after surrendering to the police and government off icials in Makati, metro Manila, yesterday. about the farming and fi sheries sec- least 7% for the second half of this 11.6% in spending. of the keys to poverty reduction. Gulf Times 16 Friday, August 19, 2016 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Esala Perahera festival Case seeks damages for death of elephant

By Mizan Rahman muna rivers for about one and Dhaka a half months, looking for shel- ter and food while struggling against the fl oodwater. writ petition was fi led Finally, the elephant took with the high court (HC) shelter at Koyra village. Ayesterday seeking its Meanwhile, the forest de- directive for collecting 10mn partment, as per the directives taka ($125,000) as compensa- of the ministry of environ- tion from those responsible for ment and forest, formed a fi ve- the death of Indian elephant member probe body to inves- called ‘Bangabahadur’ (Hero of tigate the cause of death of the Bengal). Supreme court lawyer wild elephant from India. Yunus Ali Akand fi led the writ Divisional forest offi cer petition with the relevant sec- (DFO) of Mymensingh, Gob- tion of the high court. inda Roy, formed the probe In the petition, Yunus Ali body, making Abdur Rah- also sought a directive to take man, assistant conservator of legal action against the govern- Jamalpur forest department, ment employees who failed to its chief. rescue and save the elephant. The committee has been Another directive was asked to submit its report sought to form a judicial in- within seven days, said the quiry committee, led by an DFO. HC judge, to probe elephant’s The other four members of Sri Lankan traditional dancers perform in front of the historic Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, as they take part in a procession during the Esala Perahera festival in the ancient death and submit the report the body are Nizam Uddin, hill capital of Kandy, some 116km from Colombo yesterday. The festival features a night procession of Kandyan dancers, fire twirlers, traditional musicians, acrobatic fire before the court as soon as veterinary surgeon of Banga- performers and elephants, gathering thousands of tourists and spectators from around the island. possible. bandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari The environment and forests Park in Gazipur; Mostafi zur secretary, fi sheries and live- Rahman, assistant veterinary stock secretary, local govern- surgeon of Bangabandhu Safari ment and rural development Park in Cox’s Bazaar; Moham- and cooperatives secretary, ed Kamruzzaman, conservator home secretary, fi sheries de- of wildlife management and partment’s director general nature conservation in Sher- and Jamalpur deputy com- pur; and Ashim Kumar Mal- missioner have been made re- lick, wildlife inspector of forest spondents to the petition. department. Hasina calls on OIC to Indian elephant ‘Bangaba- Meanwhile, following an au- hadur’ that entered the Bang- topsy, Bangabahadur was bur- ladesh territory fl oating with ied at around 7:30pm the same fl oodwater currents about one day at the village where he was and a half months ago died at captured and died — Koyra un- Koyra village in Sarishabari der Sharishabari sub-district sub-district of Jamalpur dis- of Jamalpur. play proactive role trict on Tuesday. The elephant Visceral organs collected was swept away with fl oodwa- from the elephant have been By Mizan Rahman Bangladesh saying that the OIC is deter- ter from Assam in India into sent to Central Disease Inves- Dhaka mined to play an eff ective role in combat- Kurigram district on June 28. tigation Laboratory (CDIL) in ing terrorism. It wandered across Bogra, Dhaka for confi rming the cause “Terrorism and cyber crimes are on the Sirajganj, fi nally into Dewan- of its death and it might be at rime Minister Sheikh Hasina yes- rise since 1990, and we want to change ganj of Jamalpur district along least a week before the test re- terday urged the Organization of the scenario,” he said adding that OIC the Brahmaputra and the Ja- sults are received, he added. PIslamic Cooperation (OIC) to play a members, including Bangladesh, will more proactive role against terrorism say- have to participate actively in combating ing that it can take initiatives to help in crimes. confl ict zones. Madani also laid emphasis on address- The prime minister was meeting visiting ing the root causes of youngsters’ involve- OIC secretary general Iyad bin Amin Mada- ment in terrorism. ni at her offi cial residence Gonobhaban. He informed the prime minister of “Muslim countries should sit together OIC secretary general Iyad bin Amin Madani with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her moves to promote national reconciliation and resolve their problems without exter- off icial residence Gonobhaban in Dhaka yesterday. among feuding groups in Muslim coun- nal interference,” she was quoted by her tries. press secretary Ihsanul Karim as saying. Welcoming the OIC secretary general to fl uent and highly educated families are be- While appreciating the socioeconomic Ihsanul Karim said the prime minister Bangladesh, the prime minister said ter- ing motivated to join terror groups unlike development of Bangladesh, the OIC sec- and the OIC secretary general discussed rorism has emerged as a global problem. in the past when their focus was only on retary general showed his keen interest in various issues, including ongoing confl icts Bangladesh’s stance on the issue is very poor families and madrasa students. Rural Savings Bank. in Muslim regions. clear, said Hasina adding: “We’ve zero tol- Appreciating the role of OIC in the past PMO secretary Suriya Begum, Bangla- As human rights issues came up for dis- erance to terrorism in any form and mani- to stop fratricidal war, which is also part of desh ambassador to Belgium Ismat Jahan, cussion, the prime minister observed that festation.” terrorism, Sheikh Hasina said the organi- who is going to join as the ambassador and no human rights organisation had raised She said terrorists are killing people in sation can also play a big role in overcom- permanent observer of the OIC to the Eu- their voices against the killings of chil- the name of Islam and their acts are ulti- ing the situation. ropean Union and PM’s military secretary dren, women and innocent people by Is- mately undermining the religion. Madani expressed his profound shock at major general Mia Jainul Abedin were, rael in the past. The prime minister said children of af- the loss of lives in recent terror attacks in among others, present on the occasion. The elephant that died in Jamalpur.

Dhaka allows India Nepal ritual to move petroleum products

By Mizan Rahman Assam to the state of Tripura in Dhaka India. Trucks carrying the petro- leum goods will ply the Dawki n a major gesture of good- (Meghalaya) — Tamabil (Bang- will, Bangladesh yester- ladesh) — Chatlapur (Bangla- Iday granted India a route desh) — Kailasshar (Tripura) permit to carry petroleum routes, according to the Indian products through Bangla- high commission in Dhaka. desh territory from the Indian People in Tripura are wit- state of Assam to the state of nessing a crisis in supply of Tripura. essentials and fuel as com- Bangladesh has granted per- munication between Tripura mission for the movement of and other Indian states has petroleum products on “hu- suffered, said a foreign min- manitarian grounds” through istry statement in Dhaka yes- the territory of Bangladesh till terday. September 2016, offi cials said. Indian trucks and lorry car- The petroleum products rying fuel will ply through are motor spirit, high-speed Bangladesh territory till Sep- diesel, superior kerosene oil tember 30, said the foreign and Liquefi ed Petroleum Gas ministry. The Indian govern- (LPG). Roads and highways ment has agreed to pay the re- department of the government quired fees for use and mainte- of Bangladesh (RHD) and In- nance of the roads. dian Oil Corp Limited (IOCL), The roads and highways de- a public sector unit under the partment additional chief en- ministry of petroleum and gineer and the IOCL executive natural gas, the government of director signed the memoran- India signed the MoU. dum of understanding at the Heavy monsoons and bad foreign ministry in Dhaka. road conditions from Tripura Senior offi cials of the Indian to Assam have resulted in the high commissioner in Dhaka disruption in the supply of pe- and ministries concerned were Nepalese religious musicians perform during the Janai Purnima Festival at the Kumbheshwor temple in Patan, on the outskirts of Kathmandu. troleum goods from the state of present. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 17 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Haj Fataawa

upplicating for parents in the salaah and passing the reward of reading the SQur’an or doing the tawaaf to them Question: They say that supplicating for the parents in the obligatory prayers is not permissible and nor is passing over to them the reward for completing the Qur’an or the tawaaf. Response: There is no harm in supplicating in the prayer either for oneself of for one’s parents (or other than them), rather this is legislated. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in sujood, so increase in making the supplication (in it)” – narrated by Muslim. And he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “As for the rukoo’, then magnify the Lord (in it), and as for the sujood then strive in making the supplication (in it), for it is worthy of being responded to” – also narrated by Muslim. And in the two Saheehs (of Imaam al-Bukhari and Imaam Muslim), on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood (radhiallahu ‘anhu), that when the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) taught him the tashahhud, he said: “...then choose a supplication which pleases you and supplicate (with it).” And in another narration: “...then choose from that which you desire.” What is implied here is before the tasleem, so if he supplicates in the sujood or at the end of the prayer, for himself, his parents or the Muslims, there is no harm (in this) for what is mentioned of the generalness of these ahadith and other than them. As for passing the reward for reciting (the Qur’an) or making tawaaf for one’s parents or other than them from the Muslims, then this is an issue where there is a diff erence of opinion amongst the scholars. That which is better, is to A history of Haj leave this since no evidence exists for its permissibility. Acts of worship are aj literally means ‘to set out for a place’. his Master and the Master of what he possesses’. victory over falsehood culminated in the smashing state of nudity and the argument that the pagans put permanently stipulated, so nothing is Islamically, however, it refers to the an- Sacrifi ces were also made in the name of God. of the idols inside the Ka’aba which once again forward to justify this ritual was sharply rebutted in to be practised unless legislated by the nual pilgrimage that Muslims make to However, the blood of the sacrifi ced animals was became the universal centre for the worshippers of Allah’s question: Shari’ah, for the Prophet (sallallaahu Hthe holy city of Makkah with the inten- poured onto the walls of the Ka’aba and the fl esh the one True God. “Say: Who has forbidden the adornment [i.e. ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: tion of performing certain religious rites in accord- was hung from pillars around the Ka’aba, in the Not only did the Prophet rid the Ka’aba of all its clothes] given by Allah which He has produced for “Anyone who introduces something ance with the method prescribed by the Prophet belief that Allah demanded the fl esh and blood of impurities, but he also reinstated all the rites of Haj His Slaves?” (Surah al-A’raaf 7:32) into this matter of ours (i.e. Islam), Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). these animals. which were established by Allah’s Permission, in Another custom which was prohibited through that which is not from it, will have it Haj and its rites were fi rst ordained by Allah Singing, drinking, adultery and other acts of the time of Ibraaheem. Specifi c injunctions in the the Qur’an was that of setting off for Haj without rejected” – this (narration) is agreed in the time of the Prophet lbraaheem [Abraham] immorality were rife amongst the pilgrims and the Qur’an were revealed in order to eliminate all the taking any provisions for the journey. In the pre- upon (by both Imaam al-Bukhari and (‘alaihi-s-salaam) and he was the one who was poetry competitions, which were held, were a major false rites which had become rampant in the pre- Islamic period, some people who claimed to be Imaam Muslim). entrusted by Allah to build the Ka’aba – the House part of the whole Haj event. In these competitions, Islamic period. All indecent and shameful acts were mutawakkiloon (those having complete trust in And in another narration: of Allah – along with his son Ismaa’eel [Ishmael] at poets would praise the bravery and splendour of strictly banned in Allah’s statement: Allah) would travel to perform Haj begging food “Anyone who does an act which is Makkah. Allah described the Ka’aba and its building their own tribesmen and tell exaggerated tales “There is to be no lewdness nor wrangles during the whole journey. They considered this form of not in agreement with us, then he will as follows: of the cowardice and miserliness of other tribes. Haj.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:197) behaviour a sign of piety and an indication of how have it rejected” – narrated by Muslim. “And remember when We showed Ibraaheem the Competitions in generosity were also staged where Competitions among poets in the exaltations of much faith they had in Allah. However Allah told And Allah is the Expounder of site of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not the chief of each tribe would set up huge cauldrons their forefathers and their tribesmen’s’ achievements mankind that to have suffi cient provisions for the Success. anything [in worship with Me and purify My House and feed the pilgrims, only so that they could were all stopped. Instead, Allah told them: journey was one of the preconditions for making for those who circumambulate it [i.e. perform become well-known for their extreme generosity. “And when you have completed your rites Haj. He said: Entering al-Masjid al-Haraam tawaaf] and those who stand up for prayer and those Thus the people had totally abandoned the [of Haj] then remember Allah as you remember “And take a provision [with you] for the journey, through a particular door, and who bow down and make prostration [in prayer, teachings of their forefather and leader Ibraaheem. your forefathers; nay with a more vigorous but the best provision is at-Taqwaa (piety).” (Surah the supplication upon seeing the etc.].” (Surah al-Haj 22:26) The House that he had made pure for the worship remembrance.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:200) al-Baqarah 2:197) Ka’aba After building the Ka’aba, Ibraaheem would come of Allah alone, had been totally desecrated by the Competitions in generosity were also prohibited. In this way, all the pre-Islamic practices, which Question: What are the mistakes to Makkah to perform Haj every year, and after pagans and the rites which he had established were Of course, the feeding of the poor pilgrims was were based in ignorance, were abolished and Haj some pilgrims commit when entering his death, this practice was continued by his son. completely distorted by them. This sad state of still encouraged as this was done in the time was once more made a model of piety, fear of Allah, al-Masjid al-Haraam? However, gradually with the passage of time, both aff airs continued for nearly two and a half thousand of Ibraaheem but Allah commanded that the purity, simplicity and austerity. Now, when the Response: From amongst the the form and the goal of the Haj rites were changed. years. But then after this long period, the time came slaughtering of the animals which was done for pilgrims reached the Ka’aba, they no longer found mistakes that some pilgrims fall into As idolatry spread throughout Arabia, the Ka’aba for the supplication of Ibraaheem to be answered: this purpose should be done seeking the pleasure of the carnivals and the frolic and frivolity that had when entering al-Masjid al-Haraam lost its purity and idols were placed inside it. Its “Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger Allah rather than fame and the praise of the people. once occupied the minds of the pilgrims there are: walls became covered with poems and paintings, of their own, who shall recite unto them your He said: before. Now, there was the remembrance of Allah at First: That some people think including one of Jesus and his mother Maryam and aayaat (verses) and instruct them in the book and “So mention the name of Allah over these animals every step and every action and every sacrifi ce was it is imperative, for making Haj or eventually over 360 idols came to be placed around the Wisdom and sanctify them. Verily you are the when they are drawn up in lines. Then, when they devoted to Him alone. It was this kind of Haj that ‘Umrah, to enter through a particular the Ka’aba. ‘Azeezul-Hakeem [the All-Mighty, the All-Wise].” are drawn on their sides [after the slaughter], eat was worthy of the reward of paradise, as the Prophet door of al-Masjid al-Haraam. So, for During the Haj period itself, the atmosphere (Surah al-Baqarah 2:129) thereof and feed the beggar who does not ask, and (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The reward example, some people see that it is around the sacred precincts of the Ka’aba was Sure enough, a man named Muhammad ibn the beggar who asks.” (Surah al-Haj 22:36) for an accepted Haj is nothing less than paradise.” necessary for one making ‘Umrah to like a circus. Men and women would go round the ‘Abdullaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was born As for the deplorable practice of spattering blood [Saheeh al-Bukhari] enter via the door which is called the Ka’aba naked, arguing that they should present in the very city that Ibraaheem (AS) had made this of the sacrifi ced animals on the walls of the Ka’aba May Allah grant us all the ability to visit His “Umrah Door” (Baab al-’Umrah) or themselves before Allah in the same condition they supplication centuries earlier. For 23 years, the and hanging their fl esh on altars, then Allah clearly House and perform the Haj in the manner of the that this is something that must be were born. Their prayer became devoid of all sincere Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) informed them that: Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). done and that it is legislated. Others remembrance of Allah and was instead reduced to a spread the message of Tawheed [true monotheism] “It is neither their meat nor their blood that Footnote see that it is imperative to enter via series of hand clapping, whistling and the blowing – the same message that Ibraaheem and all the reaches Allah, but it is Taqwaa (piety) from you that * Labbaik Allaahumma labbaik... (Here I am the “Door of Peace” (Baab as-Salaam) of horns. Even the talbiyyah* was distorted by other Prophets came with – and established the law reaches Him.” (Surah al-Haj 22:37) present, O’ Allah, I am present...) This is the chant and that entering through any other them with the following additions: ‘No one is Your of Allah upon the land. He expended every eff ort The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also which the pilgrims say when they are going around door is a sin or disliked – and there is partner except one who is permitted by you. You are into making the word of Allah supreme and his put a stop to the practice of circling the Ka’aba in a the Ka’aba. no evidence for this. So, it is upon the one making Haj or ‘Umrah to enter via any door they wish, and when doing so, extending the right foot fi rst (upon entry) and saying that which is mentioned for entering all masaajid. So, he sends his salutations upon the Preparing for Haj and ‘Umrah Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and says: very year, millions of Muslims the rituals of Haj and ‘Umrah correctly is solely for the pleasure of Allah and Another recommendation is will be tested on physical, emotional, “O Allah! Forgive me my sins and make the journey of their life- and in accordance to the Sunnah of the in accordance to His Commandment that these individuals also travel and spiritual levels. open Your Doors of Mercy to me.” time. They come from all over Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. regarding this act of worship. The with a healthy caretaker in case After preparing oneself internally and Secondly: Some people innovate Ethe world for the sole purpose This means studying and learning believer also needs to resolve any any problems might arise during fi nancially for one of the most important certain supplications when entering of fulfi lling one of Allah’s greatest com- about Islam, acquiring a high degree conflicts or differences between him the actual Haj. In addition, events in the life of a Muslim, the pilgrim the al-Masjid al-Haraam and upon mandments to mankind – the Haj. of Eemaan (faith) in order to deal with and others and seek forgiveness for pilgrims must have the necessary must plan and make actual logistic seeing the House (Ka’aba). They Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased the emotional and physical demands of any acts of transgression. This stage vaccinations required by the decisions regarding his/her journey. innovate supplications which have with him, narrated that “The Prophet Haj, and learning correctly the actual of preparation should take place long Saudi Government. Because of Making Haj and ‘Umrah can be one of not been mentioned by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam ( may Allah religious rituals and requirements from before the actual departure for Haj. these issues, it is also important the most important events in a Muslim’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and they exalt his mention ) was asked, ‘Which is the beginning to the end of Haj and Other preparations that should be to emphasise that one should life. However, one should not make the supplicate to Allah with them. This is the best deed?’ He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa ‘Umrah. planned long before the actual trip are complete Haj and ‘Umrah as soon decision to go on Haj or ‘Umrah at the an innovation. So the act of worship, sallam said: ‘To believe in Allah and His Studying and learning about the fi nancial in nature. Simply, going to Haj as one is able to both physically and last minute. The planning of this trip for the Sake of Allah, by speech, action Messenger.’ He was then asked, ‘Which Haj can be accomplished in a variety costs money. Furthermore the pilgrim financially. Some people wait until takes time and is a process within itself. or belief which the Prophet (sallallaahu is the next (good deed)?’ He said: ‘To of fashions, from reading books on the must pay off any old debts (this includes they are old to go for Haj. Besides the fi nancial aspects of ‘alaihi wa sallam) or his companions participate in Jihad in Allah’s cause.’ He subject or using computer programmes any type of loans), household bills, and This is wrong and makes Haj the trip, one needs to be ready for the were not upon, is an innovation and an was then asked, ‘Which is the next?’ He which utilise a multimedia format, to leave enough money to pay any living more diffi cult than necessary for the trip from an Islamic standpoint. This evil, that which the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘To actually taking classes off ered by Islamic expenses likely that other members of participant and in many cases for his includes studying Islam, knowing what has warned against. perform an accepted Haj.” [Al-Bukhari] centres on the rituals of Haj and ‘Umrah. his family not making Haj might need. traveling companions. Performing is obligatory and what is non-obligatory For over 1,400 years, believers have Furthermore, many travel groups that Finally it is important to complete one’s Haj as soon as possible corresponds to in the rites of ‘Umrah and Haj, and the Regarding kissing the Yemeni been making Haj to the House of Allah specialise in Haj and ‘Umrah trips will (wasiyyah) before departing on Haj. the Hadith narrated by Abdullaah Ibn development of a strong Eemaan (faith). corner in Makkah. It is an obligation for each off er Haj preparation classes as well as Another important step in preparing Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, While both the process and task of Haj Question: Is it permissible to kiss and every Muslim to perform Haj at least scholars and students of knowledge that for Haj is the need to prepare physically who said: “The Prophet sallallaahu can be diffi cult for some, the rewards of the Yemeni corner (of the Ka’aba)? once in his/her lifetime if he is physically help those going for Haj perform the for the event. Not only is Haj a spiritual ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘He who intended Haj can be underestimated. Response: Kissing the Yemeni and fi nancially able. rituals of Haj and ‘Umrah correctly. event, it also requires a lot of physical to perform Haj should hasten to do so.’” In a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, corner (ar-Rukn al-Yamaanee) is not In addition, it is important to mention stamina from the participant. Haj is not [Abu Daawood] may Allah be pleased with him, the confi rmed from the Messenger of that spiritually preparing for Haj and a picnic! Completing the rites of Haj The last pre-logistic preparation Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Pre-Haj preparations ‘Umrah is also a lesson on how to follow includes a lot of walking, mixing with centres on preparing mentally for Haj. said: “Whoever performs Haj for Allah’s Any act of worship which is not Due to the importance of Haj, the footsteps of the Prophet sallallaahu many people, living in high temperatures This includes learning and accepting pleasure and does not have sexual confi rmed from the Messenger of Allah preparations for it should not be taken ‘alaihi wa sallam who taught the (during summer), and exerting a great that the Haj experience includes relations with his wife and does not do (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is an lightly. Besides planning the actually Companions, may Allah be pleased with deal of eff ort. Another important step in frustration, intense desert heat (during evil or sins then he will return [after innovation and not something which logistics of the trip, the Muslim needs to them – a lesson that can be transformed preparing physically for Haj is to make summer), and various diff erences in Haj free from all sins] as if he were born draws one near to Allah. So based upon prepare Islamically, physically, mentally, into other acts of worship. Preparing sure you are medically fi t for the trip. culture and food. The pilgrim can expect anew.” [Al-Bukhari] this, it is not legislated for a person and fi nancially for this great act of for Haj is a spiritual experience with a Individuals with chronic health issues to stand in long lines, be shoved and Article source: http://www.islamweb. to kiss the Yemeni corner since this worship. period of self-refl ection and a lesson in need to see their primary care physician pushed by others while completing the net/emainpage/ is not confi rmed upon the Prophet Islamically, one of the most important piety and humility. in order to discuss any medical risks that necessary rituals. (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Rather, preparations for this journey is acquiring The pilgrim must focus on his sole need to be addressed prior to their Haj One purpose of Haj is for the it has been mentioned in a weak hadith the necessary knowledge for performing intention of performing Haj. That it experience. individual to be tested. The individual that can not be used as proof. Gulf Times 18 Friday, August 19, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: Amjad Khan Global governance for

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] economic problems? Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) When national or local re-evaluate the current system for co-ordination to stanch rampant can fl ow back to the larger economies Fax 44350474 deciding trade agreements, which avoidance and evasion. The problem themselves, as we’ve seen in the policies are suffi cient to have become more about regulatory is not just individual “tax havens”; European debt crisis. address a problem, then and investment issues than about there is also a need to capture Given the scale of these challenges, eliminating import tariff s or other corporate profi ts that companies’ we have no choice but to co-operate global governance should import barriers. It is no surprise that move internationally with complex internationally and strengthen be pursued even some free-trade supporters devices such as “transfer pricing” and global and regional institutions and object to agreements that allow trade “tax-base shifting” to minimise their frameworks such as the International GULF TIMES groups to insert language granting tax bill. Monetary Fund, the EU, and the G20, By Kemal Dervis multinational corporations undue Disparate tax rules among diff erent which will meet in Hangzhou, China, Washington, DC market power at the expense of countries have resulted in close next month. But global governance is consumer protection. to a zero-sum game for national not an either/or proposition. When Still, the push for stronger governments, which are forced to national or local policies are suffi cient an global governance solve global governance in recent years pursue beggar-thy-neighbour policies to address a problem, then they should Time running most of our economic has not happened in a vacuum. to secure a bigger slice of a shrinking be pursued. problems? Or does it too Countries have undoubtedly become pie. Under the current system, Indeed, the principle of subsidiarity Coften promise more than it more economically and socially countries have strong incentives to – whereby decision-making should can deliver, and divert attention from interdependent, owing to trade, off er ever-greater tax advantages to occur at the most local level possible out to tame more practical reforms that national travel, and telecommunications, not companies operating within their – is crucial to fl exible, functioning governments should implement? to mention multinational corporate borders, even though they stand just global governance. The presence In a recent commentary, Harvard structures and international fi nancial as strong a chance of being undercut of global-governance frameworks University economist Dani Rodrik fl ows. Global intercourse is broader, by another country as companies should never become an excuse for global warming thoughtfully argues the latter. Is he faster, and more ubiquitous than ever shift their declared profi ts from one national or local inaction. Public right? before. jurisdiction to another. policy is a multi-level and multi- To be sure, national policy has Globalisation may occasionally In most cases, companies are not channel effort with local, national, Scientists yesterday set the outlines of a report on a more direct eff ect – good or bad hit speed bumps, such as the current doing anything illegal by taking regional, and global dimensions. how to restrict global warming to a limit agreed last – on a country’s citizens. But we slowdown in world trade; but the advantage of this fragmented system. Ideally, policy debates should year by world leaders — even though the temperature cannot ignore the global eff ects underlying technological changes But if countries are serious about acknowledge this reality. of bad national policies, the most driving interconnectivity will only reducing inequality and funding We also must acknowledge the threshold is at risk of being breached already. obvious examples noted by Rodrik continue to bring people and countries pensions and health care for their urgency of shoring up faith in global The UN-led study, due to be published in 2018 as a being greenhouse-gas emissions and closer together. citizens, they will have to co-operate governance from another perspective. guide for governments, will look into ways of cutting infectious diseases. People in the Ultimately, this is for the best, in global-governance eff orts to Across the US, Asia, Europe, and the greenhouse gas emissions to cap the rise at 1.5C (2.7F) “country of origin” may pay a price, because the major challenges we face prioritise fair taxation. Middle East, a resurgence of identity but so will the rest of us. today are global in nature. Eff orts Climate change and taxation are politics and xenophobic nationalism above pre-industrial levels. “Globalisation” has been a to mitigate the eff ects of climate just two issues requiring global co- threatens to reprise the great tragedies It will examine impacts of a 1.5C rise on vulnerable catchword for decades, and the need change will require consistent global ordination, but the list goes on. The of the twentieth century. Against this parts of the world including Greenland’s ice sheet and for global governance has admittedly co-ordination. Even local initiatives, monetary policies of large reserve- backdrop, stressing the existence coral reefs. been exaggerated in recent years, which are increasingly important for currency central banks such as the and needs of a global community Thelma Krug, a Brazilian scientist who led the four- especially by those on the centre addressing the problem, must fi t into US Federal Reserve can have far- is necessary not only for economic left. This has led to calls for new a framework of converging global reaching spillover eff ects, as can self- reasons, but also to help ensure a day meeting in Geneva, said it will also cast the fi ght alternatives, such as “responsible policies and obligations. Otherwise, destructive exchange-rate policies peaceful world. – Project Syndicate against climate change as part of a wider struggle to nationalism” or “inter-governmental” people will not feel as though they are or regulations on cross-border end poverty and ensure sustainable growth. – as opposed to supranational – making a diff erence or contributing to fi nancial fl ows. In most of these cases, zKemal Dervis, former Minister of World leaders agreed to work towards that target at a decision-making in the European a shared goal, and others will not feel the damage runs downstream from Economic Aff airs of Turkey and former Union. pressure to do anything at all. large countries to smaller countries; Administrator for the UN Development meeting in Paris in December, also requesting the report Such proposals make for a healthy Another global challenge is however, if enough small countries Program (UNDP), is a vice president of as part of a global agreement to phase out greenhouse gas debate. For example, we should taxation, which requires international are aff ected, the aggregate damage the Brookings Institution. emissions in the second half the century. Each new bit of evidence makes the climate change warnings sound like a broken record. The latest is that National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration this week reported that July was the hottest month on record for the planet. The temperature was 1.57F above the 20th century average, shattering last year’s July record of being the warmest by 0.11F, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information reports. July also was the 15th month in a row to break the monthly heat record. The data go back to 1880. “For the year to date, The temperature the average global temperature was 1.85 threshold is at degrees F above the risk of being 20th-century average,” NOAA reports. “This breached already was the highest temperature for this period, breaking the previous record set in 2015 by 0.34 degrees F.” Some studies indicate emissions could breach levels consistent with 1.5C within about fi ve years. Many show temperatures overshooting that limit and then being reduced later by extracting greenhouse This year alone, China produced 7.65mn university graduates – a historic high – and around 9mn high school students took the gaokao, China’s general university gases from the atmosphere with yet-to-be developed admission exam. technology. The warming of the planet also results in spreading droughts such as those occurring in California, states in the Southwest, in sub-Saharan African nations China’s higher-education glut and countries like Iran. The recurring wildfi res in California are also an outgrowth of global warming. Thousands of people have had to fl ee devastating By Edoardo Campanella signifi cantly broadening access to equal to the average college graduate. value chain, it needs to expand its Milan university undermines the quality The Chinese government has technological capacity, which is why wildfi res in Southern California, which have spread of education and has high collateral partly acknowledged this imbalance innovation is at the heart of its latest across nearly 50sq miles and consumed a number of costs, socially and economically. and says it will convert around 600 Five-Year Plan. But most of China’s homes and businesses. Five years of drought have hina has always valued For example, to meet the colleges into vocational schools by high-tech investments so far have education, refl ecting Communist Party’s ambitious the end of next year. But this supply- been abroad – in sectors ranging turned much of the state into a tinder box with eight its Confucian tradition, enrollment goals, institutions have side fi x doesn’t address the demands from electronics and biotechnology blazes burning from Shasta County in the far north to Caccording to which one must lowered admission standards and of China’s burgeoning middle class. to software and nanotechnology – Camp Pendleton, just north of San Diego. excel scholastically to achieve high matriculated students into fi elds With universities having become which won’t change its value-chain The Paris climate change summit last year was professional and social status. But of study with no market value, just so accessible, Chinese families will ranking. China could also expand a co-ordinated response of many nations to try to today, the country is stricken with to accommodate them. This has continue to prefer them to what they its tech sector through homegrown what some call “education fever,” as severely degraded the quality of consider second-class schools. entrepreneurship, except that the arrest the warming of the planet. Eff orts include middle-class Chinese parents demand education at second- and third-tier The situation is unfortunate for Chinese economy does not provide increasing renewable fuels from solar, wind, hydro and more schooling for their children, and universities concentrated in China’s all involved. In its push for universal easy access to credit and is hamstrung geothermal sources. as young people seek ways to avoid the inner provinces, thus widening the higher education and global status, by excessive regulations that make Conservation eff orts also will have to improve in drudgery of factory life. development gap between China’s China is stringing its young people it diffi cult to start a competitive China’s government, by urban coast and rural hinterland. along with the promise of high- business. addition to a continued reduction in burning coal, gas emphasising the need for a better- Meanwhile, China, with a graduate paid, meaningful employment after Restructuring the Chinese economy and oil as energy sources. educated workforce to compete with unemployment rate of 16%, is graduation. It is a promise that China is a long-term project. In the short But environmentalists worry that none of the eff orts the West, is fuelling this trend. This producing more highly educated will not be able to fulfi l for a very long term, China should make higher to save the planet is occurring fast enough to off set the year alone, China produced 7.65mn workers than the economy can absorb. time. education far more exclusive, so eff ects of climate change. Their concern is that more university graduates – a historic The wage premium for workers with For starters, China confronts that it is true to its purpose. Chinese high – and around 9mn high school a bachelor’s degree has decreased global economic conditions that are universities should produce higher- disasters will keep occurring until ultimately they force students took the gaokao, China’s by roughly 20% in recent years, and beyond its control. China wants to quality graduates at a slower rate, and people’s hand to act with a greater sense of urgency. general university admission exam. new graduates often must accept shift its economic model away from all other students should matriculate These are staggering fi gures, even for jobs – such as street cleaning – for manufacturing and toward services, through vocational programmes, a country with a billion people and a which they are vastly overqualifi ed. where its many graduates could be which will lose their current stigma as tertiary-education enrollment rate Under these conditions, many recent gainfully employed; but it is currently they become the primary educational To Advertise that is one-third that of advanced graduates now join the Communist locked into its position at the bottom option. economies. To put the trend in Party because membership stands of most global value chains. The current system misallocates [email protected] perspective, China graduated fewer out to potential employers. But it is When global values chains grow and Chinese talent, prevents graduates Display than 2mn people from college in 1999, diffi cult to see how the labour market new jobs are created, those jobs are from reaching their full potential, Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 and the pass rate for the gaokao was can be effi cient if employers are distributed according to a country’s and impedes the economy’s capacity only 40%, half of what it is today. making hiring decisions on the basis of competitive advantage. Because to ascend global value chains. In this Classified Education is never a bad thing in political favoritism rather than merit. China has long specialised in low-skill sense, China is moving too fast. As Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 itself, but the move toward “mass As more Chinese students attend tasks, this is the kind of work that will an old Confucian proverb says, “It universities” of the type that emerged university, fewer are graduating from be left for Chinese labourers. If the does not matter how slowly you go, Subscription in the West after World War II is vocational schools, which teach the smartphone industry expands, for so long as you do not stop.” – Project [email protected] occurring too fast and has arrived skills that the economy actually needs. example, Silicon Valley will hire more Syndicate too soon for the Chinese economy In fact, the demand for qualifi ed blue- engineers, and Shenzhen will hire to accommodate it. With China’s collar employees is so high that in 2015 more assemblers to build what those zEdoardo Campanella is a eurozone 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved transition to a post-industrial the country’s 23mn textile workers engineers design. economist at UniCredit and Junior economy far from complete, earned, on average, $645 per month – If China wants to move up the Fellow at the Aspen Institute. Gulf Times Friday, August 19, 2016 19 COMMENT Brewing up new twist on tradition Taiwan has been producing tea for more than 200 years and a cup of the island’s famous oolong is obligatory for many visitors

By Amber Wang/AFP Taipei

heap instant “bubble tea” has become one of Taiwan’s best-known culinary Cexports – now a new wave of entrepreneurs hopes a high-end modern take on traditional brews will also be sipped worldwide. Taiwan has been producing tea for more than 200 years and a cup of the island’s famous oolong is obligatory for many visitors, but exports have been knocked by rising labour costs and bubble tea has eclipsed a carefully crafted cuppa. Often artifi cially fl avoured and A member of staff of Zenique arranges various tea desserts at the tea shop in Taipei. Cheap instant “bubble tea” has become one of Taiwan’s best-known culinary exports – now a new wave of entrepreneurs loaded with milk, sugar and tapioca hopes a high-end modern take on traditional brews will also be sipped worldwide. Right: A member of staff of Lin Hua Tai Tea puts tea into a bag at the tea shop in Taipei. pearls, bubble tea has in recent years gained a global following, from Infused with spearmint, organic Taiwan-grown tea served “I started to drink more tea international clients and are hoping to The shop says its loyal clientele Southeast Asia to the United States chamomile, rose and ginger, she hopes up alongside tea-flavoured French recently after I got palpitations expand the list. has been won purely by word of and Europe. the pretty packaging and ready-made pastries. from drinking coffee,” she said, However, there are still those who mouth. Ultra-modern tea shop “Xie Xie” bottles will attract uninitiated foreign “I don’t want to see tea-drinking between mouthfuls of green tea argue that no-frills is best. While it is dedicated to maintaining is one business trying to turn the tide customers. fade into history because young people and almond cake topped with At tea store Lin Hua Tai, leaves are traditions, Lin Hua Tai is also trying back to sophistication. At Tw$680 (US$21) for 10 teabags, think it’s old-fashioned,” says Huang, a macaron, washed down with still processed in a factory at the back to inspire younger generations by Founder Xie Yu-tung, 30, comes she says it is a reasonable price for top who opened the salons after studying osmanthus oolong tea. of the shop, using traditional methods giving store tours and tea tastings to from a family of tea producers and tea. marketing in France. “I like tea better now.” unchanged for the decades it has been students. uses leaves grown on their plantations “Every step (in producing “It is one of the things that most While industry experts say the in business. “Children drink bubble tea, but in Taiwan’s mountainous Dayuling oolong) has to be exact. I think the represents Taiwan.” average age of tea drinkers in Taiwan Standing in Taipei’s once-bustling they don’t know what oolong looks and Lishan areas. craftsmanship involved matches that Huang’s “Zenique” brand of pure is rising, entrepreneurs like Xie and “tea street” it is one of only a few tea like, or that there are many more Her sleek all-white tea boutique of international luxury products,” she and fl avoured oolong, green and black Huang are giving the business a fresh stores to remain. types of tea. at Taipei’s Mandarin Oriental hotel says. teas do not come cheap – a small tin edge. The shop buys raw tea from When they get interested, they will is stacked with teabags in book-like Xie has served up her tea at the starts at Tw$409 and can cost up to “To some young people now, plantations across Taiwan and sells grow up drinking more tea,” says shop boxes and clear cylindrical bottles of Venice fi lm festival, Paris fashion Tw$1,890. running a tea company is attractive 100 types, from basic brews to the manager Joanne Kang. ready-to-drink cold brews. shows and Milan design week since Huang says it is a price worth paying and trendy, it’s like being the owner of pricey “Oriental Beauty” oolong, Kang said it would be easy to “I think Taiwan has the best oolong launching two years ago. for a high-quality product and he a French vineyard,” said Lin Chih- which can go for more than Tw$4,000 transform into a “pretty store”, and and it’s a pity that it’s not seen all over Other entrepreneurs are hoping to counts seasoned tea drinkers among Cheng, president of the Association of per 600 grams. recognises the shop now faces trendier the world,” says Xie. create a cafe culture that will entice his regular customers. Taiwan Tea. Tea leaves are stored in stainless competition. She sells pure and flavoured younger generations. First-time salon visitor Anne “They feel like they are part of a steel barrels and packaged in plastic “But then everything would change oolong – a fragrant, semi-fermented At David Huang’s salons in Yu, 30, says she likes the “chic and creative, cultural industry.” bags printed simply with the store’s and we would not be who we are,” she tea. Taipei, customers order pots of tasteful” feel to the place. Both Huang and Xie have regular name and contact details. says. Weather report The data-poor lives of adolescents Three-day forecast TODAY High: 42 C By Ali H Mokdad ageing parents, and lead their societies – ideally, data that come from the factors explain at least 50% of the toward peace and prosperity. adolescents directly. As it stands, early death and disability of adults Low : 33 C Seattle Hazy to misty at places at first By enabling governments and others individuals under the age of 15 are aged 50 and over; for young people, becomes hot during day with some local clouds and relatively humid to design eff ective and targeted health generally excluded from household the fi gure drops to 26%. More studies by night. ata can save lives. Without programmes for adolescents, data on surveys. And while school surveys are needed to inform health policy and it, we wouldn’t know that adolescent health can play a critical are conducted in some countries, planning adequately. SATURDAY smoking causes lung cancer role in securing a better future. The funding constraints often mean that The data-collection eff ort should High: 40 C and coronary disease, fi rst step is to fi nd out where, why, and they are carried out infrequently. also include a focus on mental health. Low: 32 C D Sunny that helmets reduce death rates for how many adolescents are dying. More problematic, school-based The Global Burden of Disease Study motorcycle accidents, and that better Myriad surveys conducted in recent surveys in low- and middle-income has estimated that, in 2013, depression education for women improves child decades have aimed specifi cally to countries typically exclude those was one of the top three causes of survival – and much else. Given the determine death rates among adults who are not in school, whether adolescent females’ loss of healthy SUNDAY importance of reliable data, collecting and children under the age of fi ve. Yet because they dropped out or never years, and one of the top seven causes High: 39 C it must be a high priority. those in between are not specifi cally enrolled at all. of lost healthy years in adolescent Low: 32 C One area where data collection is addressed, making it very diffi cult to Governments and donors must males. Sunny particularly inadequate is adolescent track adolescent deaths in countries therefore also work to develop Yet the data on mental health for health. People aged ten to 24 receive that lack adequate systems for civil and carry out targeted surveys of individuals under the age of 18 are far less attention than other age registration and recording of vital adolescents. Among other things, such poor, particularly in low-income Fishermen’s forecast groups. More broadly, as the new statistics. surveys should aim to create a clear countries, and what is available is OFFSHORE DOHA Lancet Commission on Adolescent To address this shortcoming, picture of adolescents’ exposure to not comparable across countries. It is Wind: NE 05-15 KT Health and Wellbeing highlights, donors and governments should avoidable risk factors, such as alcohol thus imperative that governments and Waves: 1-3/4 Feet global health and social policy fund the development of survey and illicit drug use, unsafe sexual donors invest in building an expert INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 18-07 KT largely tends to ignore adolescent methods to measure adolescent behaviours, violence, obesity, physical consensus on how best to measure Waves: 1-2 Feet health. death rates. Questions designed to inactivity, and unhealthy diet. mental health and implement those In many ways, our future depends elicit the needed information could To complement this eff ort, we methods globally, including in low- Around the region on the health of our adolescents. In be incorporated into surveys already must also invest in improving our resource settings. Weather Weather low- and middle-income countries, being conducted regularly in low- and understanding of how these risk Before long, today’s adolescents today Max/min tomorrow Max/min there are more adolescents than ever middle-income countries, such as the factors – most often studied in will be running the world. If they are Abu Dhabi Sunny 45/32 Sunny 44/31 before. And their health today will Demographic and Health Surveys and connection with early childhood to lead it well, they need to be healthy. Baghdad Sunny 44/27 Sunny 46/27 Dubai Sunny Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. and adulthood – aff ect adolescents’ And we need to invest in collecting the Sunny 44/31 41/31 aff ect their future well-being, shaping Kuwait City Sunny 46/32 Sunny 46/32 their ability to earn a living, produce Of course, we also need data health. According to the Global data that are so essential to ensuring Manama Sunny 42/32 Sunny 42/32 and raise healthy children, care for about adolescents during their lives Burden of Disease Study, health risk that they are. – Project Syndicate Muscat Sunny 32/26 Sunny 33/27 Riyadh M Sunny 43/29 M Sunny 43/29 Tehran Sunny 34/23 Sunny 33/22 Live issues A novel idea to get people reading more

Tribune News Service fl esh out a season – not unlike a TV model strikes us as more akin to Chicago programme. Each episode can be read cable TV than video streaming giants as a stand-alone vignette or readers like HBO and Netfl ix, though. TV can keep pace weekly to see the bigger devotees can binge-watch a series n the ongoing war for our picture. on Netfl ix because entire seasons of attention, books are losing. Badly. It’s a novel idea to get people shows are available at once. Serial Box That’s not new. It’s well- reading more, well, novels. subscribers have to wait a week for the Iknown that most people prefer But it also seems unlikely to next 40-minute instalment. TV shows to tomes. The US Bureau of lure serious TV junkies away from For the reading faithful, that wait Labour Statistics has been tracking the screen. In 2014, Pew Research could throw a cramp in their nightly Around the world how Americans spend their free Center found that nearly a quarter of book fi x. For the newly indoctrinated, Weather Weather time since 2003, and, on average, we Americans didn’t read a single book it could keep them from slipping into today Max/min tomorrow Max/min spend more than two hours each day during that year. No paperbacks. No the story. Athens Sunny 35/23 Sunny 35/24 watching TV – and only 19 minutes Nooks. No books on tape. The serials – or books, if you Beirut Sunny 31/27 Sunny 31/26 Bangkok I T Storms 34/28 S T Storms 34/27 reading. Don’t panic yet for the fate of prefer – that Serial Box has available Berlin M Sunny 26/16 M Cloudy 28/15 So to get modern readers’ attention, literature. Pew also found that, on so far are fi lled with magic, politics Cairo Sunny 37/23 Sunny 37/23 some publishers are taking a cue from average, Americans read 11 books and crime, which could hook fans of Cape Town P Cloudy 18/11 Sunny 21/11 Charles Dickens and releasing their per year. That means those who do well-loved TV series such as Game Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 P Cloudy 34/28 books in instalments. A company regularly read, don’t just nibble at of Thrones (and its books) or House Dhaka 33/27 P Cloudy Hong Kong T Storms 30/28 P Cloudy 31/28 called Serial Box (because what books – they devour them. And all of Cards. Yet serials run the same Istanbul M Sunny 31/23 P Cloudy 29/23 bookworm doesn’t love a pun?) is these statistics on the American reader risk that all works of art created by Jakarta M Sunny 32/25 S Showers 31/24 leading the charge by blending 19th have been fairly consistent since the multiple people over a long period of Karachi P Cloudy 32/27 Cloudy 31/27 century serial publishing with 21st to the US Census Bureau’s 2014 rise of smartphones and Netfl ix. It’s time do: a lack of consistency. London Showers 19/15 Cloudy 21/14 Manila T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 century TV script writing. American Community Survey, and, not as if we’re witnessing the slow Don’t get us wrong: Anything that Moscow M Cloudy 28/17 T Storms 26/16 Here’s how it works: Serial Box coincidentally, the same length as your death of the bibliophile. Readers are gets more people reading is A-OK New Delhi S T Storms 34/27 S T Storms 34/27 releases what it has dubbed an typical hourlong TV show sans the fairly set in their habits – which could with us. We admire this approachable, New York S T Storms 30/23 P Cloudy 29/24 “episode” of each book every week commercial breaks. present Serial Box with a problem as it one-bit-at-a-time tactic. It could be a Paris S Showers 26/15 P Cloudy 25/14 M Sunny T Storms 23/16 for 10 to 16 weeks, or a “season.” Each In an interview with NPR, Serial tries to lure new consumers. godsend for a niche market of readers. Sao Paulo 30/19 Seoul P Cloudy 33/26 P Cloudy 34/25 episode, in ebook or audiobook form, Box founder Molly Barton explained: See, Serial Box wants to be the But that doesn’t change the fact that Singapore S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 is 40 minutes long. That’s a little less “We’re not just chopping up novels “HBO of books.” You’ve heard of the best method for binge-reading is Sydney M Sunny 23/10 Sunny 17/07 than the average American’s commute and sending out chapters.” The binge-watching? Serial Box is aiming the same today as it was in Dickens’ Tokyo Cloudy 33/25 Cloudy 32/24 time to and from work, according company uses a team of writers to for binge-reading. The business day: a good, old-fashioned book. Gulf Times 20 Friday, August 19, 2016 QATAR

Luxury town homes by QFB and Alchemy Group in heart of London

Views of the living and main bedrooms of a show home from the Leinster Square development, executed in the heart of London by Qatar First Bank (QFB) and Alchemi Group. Gulf Times had a glimpse of high end living during a private tour of the recently completed Leinster Square development in West London in which QFB has a 40.5% stake. Over the last four years, QFB has worked with the development manager, London-based Alchemi Group, to rebuild and restore the building to its former Victorian glory. The 7-12 Leinster Square development consists of five luxury town homes over basement, lower ground, ground and first floor levels. The houses boast 3.5m floor-to-ceiling heights throughout the first floor, restored windows with French shutters and private terraces. Six lateral apartments are situated on upper levels overlooking the also newly redone garden square to provide 27,500sft of saleable space. The development benefits from southerly views and access to a private garden square, very rare in central London (page one). Another colourful weekend at the Entertainment City

By Joey Aguilar of customers who patiently wait Staff Reporter for their turn. Many couples were seen try- ing out the ‘Skill Games zone’ esidents and visitors from with a chance to win prizes, other GCC countries are mostly novelty stuff toys. Rthronging the Doha Ex- A number of activities such as hibition and Convention Centre mini basketball and mini foot- (DECC) to spend another week- ball received praise from many end of fun and excitement at the parents who said they promote 29,000sqm Entertainment City. exercise and an active lifestyle. Dubbed as ‘Colour Your Sum- Children are also delighted mer,’ the month-long Qatar with the ‘real life’ games such as Summer Festival (QSF) 2016 Angry Bird at the Giant Games continues to welcome a large zone. number of families and children “I had so much fun because with a wide range of amusement here I am the one pulling the rides, games and other enter- string with an ‘Angry Bird’ on it,” tainment activities. a child said. “It’s more fun when A staff assigned at the ‘Thrill you hit the target.” zone’ told Gulf Times that the Other attractions include a festival has been receiving many giant infl atable play area, video visitors from Saudi Arabia since and tech games, reading section day one. set up by Qatar Foundation’s “We expect more to come in National Reading Campaign, the coming days, they all enjoy karaoke, food court, and ‘Col- the fun here, particularly the our Your Summer’ zone, among rides that we off er,” she noted. others. “This is a big treat for children.” The festival, organised by Qa- The Entertainment Stage also tar Tourism Authority, is aimed continues to attract and engage at further boosting the country’s many children to various games hospitality and retail sectors dur- and activities. ing a typically off -peak season. Another big hit at the City is Besides promoting and show- the Go Karting zone, which de- casing Qatar as a family des- lights many young race enthusi- tination, QSF also aims to at- asts, as well as adults, who have tract more domestic and foreign the chance to test their racing visitors through sustainable and skills at a small track indoor. long term tourism events. It will The water rides, some of the conclude on August 31 with a new attractions in this year’s spectacular fi reworks display on ‘Real Life’ games such as the Angry Bird continues to attract many children. Amusement rides thrill young visitors. festival, have seen long queues the Doha Corniche. PICTURES: Joey Aguilar. NU-Q research showcased in leading academic journal

esearch at Northwestern evision networks, for example. studies, beyond their informa- University in Qatar (NU- Leading both the conference tion value, also serve as valu- RQ) on new global media and the special section were two able methodological in global players has been showcased in a NU-Q faculty members who are media shifts.” special section of a leading aca- global media experts – Joe Kha- This special section “does not demic journal. lil, associate professor of com- simply zero in on news or enter- The ‘International Journal of munication in residence, and tainment or advertising or media Communication (IJC)’ has pub- John Downing, a visiting profes- fi rms but engages with all these lished a special section to its sor of communication. dimensions and others not insti- most recent edition on “Global Both initiatives were also sup- tutionally structured.” Communication Power: Shift or ported by a grant from the Con- Among the contributors is Stasis?,” which is drawn from ference and Workshop Sponsor- Ann Geniets, Oxford University, an NU-Q conference on “Fresh ship Programme of the Qatar who writes on “Engaging Youth Global Media Players” held in National Research Fund. in Low- and Middle-Income February 2015. “The landscape of news and Countries Through Chat Apps: The monograph-length publi- entertainment has undergone a Challenges and Opportunities cation explores changing patterns radical transformation over the for International News Organi- and redistribution of “communi- past decade,” Everette E Dennis, sations.” cation power” and features some dean and CEO of NU-Q, said. At the symposium in 2015, of the world’s top media scholars “Today as people around the Geniets had declared that chat and professionals who came to world watch content that is pro- apps like WhatsApp may help Doha for the conference sessions duced or infl uenced by the Mid- big broadcasters such as the BBC and subsequently produced the dle East, and as the Arab world engage and connect emotionally journal articles. has joined the global conversa- with a new generation. Once the purview of leading tion with a clear and distinct NU-Q’s ‘Fresh Global Media Players Conference.’ Presenting the fi ndings of her industrial nations only, media voice, it is an honour for NU-Q own research on the topic, Ge- industries now span the globe faculty to be recognised for their ture, and an editorial introduc- online, multi-media, academ- anywhere in the world. among communication journals. niets said, “I believe this could and have cropped up in develop- expertise in global media,” the tion – all from scholars around ic journal that adheres to the According to the latest statis- In their editorial introduc- potentially become one of most ing nations as well. Nations like dean added. the world who have expertise in highest standards of peer re- tics from Google Scholar, it ranks tion, Khalil and Downing, write transformative developments in Qatar and Brazil have two of the The special section in the IJC the respective fi elds. view and engages established 15th among all humanities, lit- that contributors to the sym- the history of global media play- world’s most potent satellite tel- includes original articles, a fea- The IJC is a peer-reviewed and emerging scholars from erature and art journals and 7th posium and the IJC “… these ers.”