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SUNDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11369 November 17, 2019 Rabia I 20, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief QATAR | Offi cial Wakra Central Amir to meet Armenia president on Tuesday His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet on Market to open Tuesday with Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, who arrives in Doha today for an off icial visit. The Amir and the Armenian president will discuss bilateral relations and means before year-end to strengthen them in addition to a host of issues of common concern. PM visits site and reviews progress of the project QATAR | Infrastructure PM pays visit to E the Prime Minister and Min- away from the heart of Doha and close Ashghal projects ister of Interior Sheikh Ab- to the Hamad Port, which is used to Hdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa import livestock and fodder. HE the Prime Minister and Minister al-Thani visited the upcoming Central The market is divided into several of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Market at Al-Wakra and reviewed the sections to serve the livestock trade: Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani visited progress of the project which is sched- barns, automated slaughterhouse, the Mesaimeer Interchange Upgrade uled to open before the year-end. shops, hypermarkets, service shops project and Citizens’ Subdivisions Under the supervision of the Minis- and administrative offi ces. The barns Development projects in the south of try of Municipality and Environment, section comprises of more than 600 Doha. He was briefed on the progress Hassad Food company funded the de- shaded storage and display sheds in of works in both projects. The Prime HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani visiting the Al-Wakra Central velopment of the new central markets line with international specifi cations Minister stressed that the citizens’ Market with other dignitaries. including Al-Wakra Market, that will and sizes. The fodder storage area is subdivisions are the top priority of be the central livestock market in- more than 5,200sq m. the government under the directives cluding a state-of-the-art automated Also the market includes the new of His Highness the Amir Sheikh slaughterhouse, the most advanced in central automated slaughterhouse, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as the the Middle East region. Aswaq, a sub- which covers an area of about 14,000sq Amir clarified in his recent address to sidiary of Hassad, will manage all the m, with a production capacity of 9,000 the Shura Council. Page 24 Qatar fl ays baseless report All set for three central markets. heads of sheep per day using modern Mohamed al-Sadah, Hassad Food techniques to maintain the quality of QATAR | Weather CEO, commented: “By funding the de- products and effi ciency of operations, Scattered rain carried by US news portal introduction velopment of the new central markets in addition to another line for cows and and managing it through Aswaq we camels. likely today aim to support the national products All retail, wholesale and hypermar- Chances of scattered rain are atar’s foreign ministry yes- access to a state-of-the-art military of National and fulfi l the needs of the producer, ket sections are air-conditioned. The expected to continue today and the terday blasted an article base, along with intelligence and lo- trader and consumer to achieve self- market includes 102 shops to support conditions may become thundery at Qpublished by FoxNews.com gistical support. Signifi cant intelli- Address Law suffi ciency.” the main activity such as fodder, grain, times in some areas, accompanied that contained the baseless allega- gence sharing takes place and Qatar Al-Wakra Market is based on the lat- veterinary and supplies. by strong winds, the Qatar Met tion of withholding information would never withhold critical intel- est international systems, to serve the Additionally, the retail section in- department has said. “Kindly take against the Gulf country. ligence from its allies.” needs of all categories: producer, trad- cludes 76 shops that sell vegetables care, avoid going to sea and follow The ministry said Qatar had no According to the statement, er and consumer. The market is spread and fruits, dried fruits, honey, and latest updates through our off icial advance knowledge of the attack on Weinthal misleads and distorts over about 230,000sq m and is located dates as well as the traditional market. social media accounts,” it tweeted commercial vessels in the Gulf of throughout his piece. “The Associ- at the junction of the modern and ma- Six service shops are allocated for caf- yesterday. The wind speed may go Oman on May 12, 2019. ated Press reported that Weinthal’s jor road network. It is just 30 minutes eteria, supermarket and restaurants. up to 28 knots in both off shore and In a statement, the ministry said: employer, FDD, worked with one of inshore areas during thundershowers, “It is well beneath the standards of the blockading countries’ paid rep- with the sea level rising to 9ft. FoxNews.com to post the Novem- resentative Elliot Broidy to com- ber 16, 2019 article, by Benjamin mission and publish articles exactly Cyprus police seize Israeli ‘spy van’ EUROPE | Weather Weinthal at the Foundation for De- like the FoxNews.com piece, as well Venice braced for fense of Democracies (FDD), full of as execute an anti-Qatar confer- Lt Col al-Sahli: new law to help off icial Cypriot police said yesterday they had questioned further, along with Cypriot baseless assertions and attacks. ence in May2017. As a result, it is communications with the residents. seized an alleged “spy van” equipped nationals. third major fl ood “The State of Qatar had no advance not surprising Weinthal and FDD with sophisticated surveillance Forbes had named the owner of the van Venice was braced yesterday for knowledge of the attack on commer- would attempt to advance these he procedural and operational equipment capable of hacking as ex-Israeli intelligence off icer Tal Dilian, an unprecedented third major cial vessels in the Gulf of Oman on false narratives.” steps for the implementation of the communications and questioned its who allegedly heads a Cyprus-registered flooding in less than a week, with May 12, 2019. Nowhere in Weinthal’s Two oil tankers were attacked in TNational Address Law (Law No 24 Israeli owner. company that owns the vehicle. sea water due to swamp the already article does a United States govern- the Gulf of Oman on May 12, 2019, of 2017) have been completed and the law Police began investigating after the It said the $9 million state-of-the-art devastated historic city where ment offi cial or any Western govern- leaving one ablaze and both adrift, will be introduced soon, the Ministry of opposition communist party AKEL equipment in the van can monitor authorities have declared a state of ment offi cial corroborate or support raising regional tensions. The crew Interior (MoI) yesterday announced. asked what the government was doing electronic devices within a 500-metre emergency. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro Weinthal’s claim. Yet FoxNews.com from both tankers were evacuated. In a press statement, the MoI said about activities undertaken in the van, (yards) radius, hack any phone and ordered the iconic St Mark’s Square allows him to use an unseen and un- The attacks occurred along one the law comes into eff ect as part of which was showcased in a Forbes video listen in to conversations regardless of closed on Friday as the latest sea verifi ed report.” of the world’s busiest oil routes. the strategic development of Qatar’s story broadcast several months ago the level of encryption. surge struck with strong storms and Stressing Qatar’s impeccable cre- In May four tankers were at- e-government, the completion of the that only recently went viral in Cyprus. Investigators searched a company winds battering the region. After a dentials as a strategic partner of the tacked off the coast of the United legislative structure for government’s Cyprus police chief Kypros Michaelides premises where the van was located in brief respite, the city forecast a high United States, the statement said: Arab Emirates. The US blamed electronic transactions and the tran- told private radio station Astra that the southern coastal resort of Larnaca water of 160cm (over 5ft) for just “In its role as an ally of the United those attacks on Iran – an accusa- sition from descriptive address to the the Israeli owner had given “some after securing warrants, Cypriot police after midday yesterday. Page 15 States, Qatar provides unfettered tion Tehran has denied. digital address system. To Page 24 explanations”, but he would be said. — AFP Reclamation, rehabilitation of Al Karaana Lagoon completed

By Shafeeq Alingal environment and reduce the causes of Staff Reporter pollution have yielded results,” he said. Located 60km southwest of Doha, Al Karaana was once home to ten sepa- he Public Works Authority (Ash- rate lagoons that had been receiving ghal) yesterday announced the about 6,000 cu m of industrial waste- Tcompletion of the Al Karaana water per day since 2006. This resulted Lagoon Reclamation and Rehabilitation in the accumulation of sediments and Project. The announcement was made solids at the bottom of the lagoons, and during a visit by Ashghal president Dr the formation of a contaminated layer Saad bin Ahmad al-Muhannadi along (sludge) of up to 3.5m in some areas. with Assistant Undersecretary for En- The project re-established the area vironmental Aff airs at the Ministry of by draining the old lagoons and treating Municipality and Environment (MME) the contaminated soil and sediments Ahmed Mohamed al-Sada, French directly. One of the most important ambassador Frank Gillet, offi cials from components of the project is the three Dignitaries with schoolchildren during the tree-planting exercise. various ministries, CMC member for artifi cial lagoons that are designed to PICTURE: Thajudheen Constituency 22 and representatives of store about 2.4mn cu m of treated wa- environmental organisations. ter coming from Al Karaana treatment tion ponds for industrial effl uent with mal Drying Unit imported from the Dr al-Muhannadi said the project plant. With clean water and greenery, a storage capacity of 1.2mn cu m of Netherlands especially to treat highly helped the Al Karaana Lagoon area to the artifi cial lagoons have become a new liquid waste. The ponds are protected contaminated soil by heating it up to get transformed into a healthy natural healthy habitat for wildlife, including with a strong insulating layer that pre- 400C. About 40,000 tonnes of sludge environment. “It has become home to birds, fi sh, frogs and others. vents leakage of contaminated water were treated and then moved to a land- wildlife. Collective eff orts to provide The project also included the con- into the groundwater. fi ll designed and built to the highest sustainable solutions to protect the struction of two temporary evapora- The project also used a Mobile Ther- international standards. To Page 24 Gulf Times 2 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR Patient-centred approach to healthcare stressed Health minister attends Qatar’s first Patient Experience Forum

atar’s fi rst event dedicat- ed to patient experience Qand the interactions of patients with the healthcare sys- tem has begun with more than 1,500 healthcare professionals attending it. The opening ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mo- hamed al-Kuwari yesterday. Commenting on the impor- tance of patient-centred care, HE Dr al-Kuwari said, “Great care is more than having highly qualifi ed care teams, the latest technology or the best services and new facilities – it is also about treating and interacting with patients in a way that re- spects their values, preferences and needs.” “The Patient Experience Fo- HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and other dignitaries at the opening ceremony of the event. rum is one of many initiatives we are engaging in as a health system the importance of building rela- steps towards establishing a cul- Dr Susan Frampton, president national pilot site for the de- on our journey towards a more tionships with the community, ture of care based on a true part- of Planetree International, said velopment of this fellowship patient-centred approach to care and the role of technology in en- nership with our patients and the event is “groundbreaking for programme, which recognises and a real, transformative part- hancing patient-centred care. the community. We are bringing the region”. individual competency in pa- nership with patients,” she added. Nasser al-Naimi, deputy patients into the discussion and “This is the largest gather- tient-centred care concepts and Delivered by Hamad Medi- chief of quality at HMC, Cen- can learn from them and work ing of professionals dedicated principles, active application of cal Corporation (HMC) in part- tre for Patient Experience and to shape our approaches from to ensuring that caring, kind- this knowledge to daily work, nership with internationally Staff Experience, and director, their experiences. Patient-cen- ness, and respect remain at the and sharing of practical applica- renowned US-based Planetree Hamad Healthcare Quality In- tred care is about doing things heart of healthcare delivery. tions that help advance the fi eld International, the Patient Expe- stitute, said the forum not only for the patient with the patient. In addition to the value of the of patient experience. rience Forum highlights the im- highlights HMC’s continued Collaborating with patients, educational programme de- “It will be a pleasure to rec- portance of involving patients, commitment to providing its family members, and caregivers livered by renowned speakers ognise the very fi rst class of the and their families and caregivers, patients with the most eff ec- while addressing the patient’s from around the world, a truly FPCC during the forum’s awards in every decision that impacts tive and compassionate care but medical needs helps us identify significant new individual cre- ceremony, and we look forward the care they receive. also underlines the growing im- their expectations based on the dentialing programme is being to working with HMC to contin- The two-day event includes a portance of the role of patients, patient’s values and preferenc- unveiled, the Fellow in Person- ue to support the development patient panel, where current and family members and caregivers es,” explained al-Naimi. “This Centred Care (FPCC),” said Dr of a workforce with the skills former patients will share their across the continuum of care. combined eff ort benefi ts both Frampton. required to make caring visible experiences, as well as sessions “During the two days of the the patient and ultimately the Dr Frampton went on to note in every patient interaction,” on physician communication, forum, we will take enormous healthcare system.” that HMC has been the inter- added Dr Frampton. HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari during a tour of the forum. Over 1,000 HMC staff members trained in patient-centred care

By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter

amad Medical Cor- poration (HMC) has Htrained about 1,000 staff members from some of the facilities of the organi- sation in patient-centred care, an offi cial has said. “We have trained about 1,000 staff members of the fi ve facilities of HMC HMC off icials at the press conference. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed in patient-centred care in a pilot programme. They ence held on the sidelines of centred care and approach gramme together and suc- are staff members from the the two-day Patient Experi- in healthcare organisations. cessful,” noted Dr al-Ansari. Ambulatory Care Centre, ence Forum. He was accompa- For getting accredited as a Dr al-Ansari said this is Private Nursing, Enaya, nied by Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, patient-centred care centre, the fi rst Patient Safety Forum Home Healthcare Service acting chief medical offi cer, there are several processes set held in Qatar and the two- and Communicable Dis- HMC, and chair of the Patient by Planetree International. day conference is discussing ease Centre. In total, we Experience Forum Steering All of them must be met be- several important topics re- have trained about 1,000 Committee, as well as Nayef fore the centre gets such an lated to patient safety. staff members in patient- al-Shammari, assistant exec- accreditation,” explained al- “We have about 1,600 centred care,” said Nasser utive director of media, HMC. Naimi. participants in the confer- al-Naimi, deputy chief of “In patient-centred care, “The most important part ence, both local and in- quality at the Centre for Pa- the patient is at the centre of of the training is that eve- ternational, and there are tient Experience and Staff everything as the name sug- ryone is engaged. We have 30 international speak- Experience, HMC, and di- gests. So, you are accrediting all the staff members right ers as well as several local rector, Hamad Healthcare a centre as the patient centre from the leadership to the speakers. Also, there are 16 Quality Institute, yesterday. care through Planetree In- healthcare and paramedi- knowledge zones present- Al-Naimi was speaking to ternational, an organisation cal staff . The leadership is ed by diff erent institutes,” the media at a press confer- that works to create a person- the glue that keeps the pro- added Dr al-Ansari.

‘Chamber attaches great importance to health sector’

atar Chamber (QC) sought to enhance co-oper- Board of Directors ation with several bodies to Qmember and Presi- discuss issues related to the dent of Health Committee, sector and to remove obsta- Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani, has cles facing its development. noted that Qatar’s health She also elaborated on the system ranks among the top role of the Qatar Chamber in the world, adding that the Health Committee in encour- current year saw the launch aging the private sector to in- of the Dental Medicine Col- vest in the medical sector. lege at Qatar University. “The committee co-op- Delivering a speech at the Qatar Chamber (QC) Board of Directors member and erates with all bodies con- opening of The Interna- President of Health Committee, Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani and nected to the medical sector tional Conference of Aes- other dignitaries at the event. with the aim of facilitating thetic Dentistry, Laser and procedures of establish- Dental Implants iLED 2019 was allocated for the Organised for the fi rst ing businesses in the private on Friday at Marsa Malaz healthcare sector, repre- time in Qatar, the event was healthcare sector,” she noted. Kempinski Hotel, Ibtihaj senting 11% of the total ex- held under the patronage of It provides the private sec- al-Ahmadani said the gov- penditure. Major projects to HE Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin tor with data and information ernment has exerted tireless improve healthcare services Hamad bin J al-Thani, Di- related to the health sector eff orts to develop the health included expansions in Ha- rector of Public Health. and studies obstacles facing sector through allocating mad Medical Corporation Al-Ahmadani stressed the sector to fi nd appropriate appropriate budget every facilities, national laborato- the role played by Qa- solutions. It also holds semi- year, she said. ries, as well as the establish- tar Chamber in develop- nars, conferences and work- She said that in 2019 ment of new health centres ing the healthcare sector in shops to activate the sector, budget, about QR22.7bn in the country. the country, noting that it she added. - QNA Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 3 QATAR QC showcases water projects

HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi during his meetings with Dr Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General of the Unesco, and the ministers of Iraq, Morocco and Tanzania on the sidelines of the 40th session of the Unesco in Paris. at AidEx 2019

QNA Brussels

atar, represented by Qa- tar Charity (QC), has Qparticipated in the 9th edition of the AidEx 2019, which was hosted in the Belgian capital Brussels on 14 and 15 November with the participation of more than 2,500 people representing 130 humanitarian organisations such as UN agencies, the Euro- pean Union, and international governmental and NGOs. The Qatar Charity’s del- egation, headed by Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, Chief Ex- Dignitaries at AidEX 2019. ecutive Offi cer of Qatar Charity, Education minister holds meetings in Paris included Mohamed al-Ghamdi, exhibition, Qatar Charity show- linking water, sanitation and gender Assistant Chief Executive Of- cased its contribution to the glo- equality among their beneficiaries. QNA Minister of Education and Voca- The minister also met with Qatari students’ suggestions and fi cer, Corporate Governance and bal water and sanitation crisis Mohamed al-Ghamdi, As- Paris tional Training. Qatari students who are study- promised to follow-up on their Corporate Development in Qa- through an interactive screening, sistant Chief Executive Offi cer, Discussions dealt with rela- ing in France, in the presence of requirements. tar Charity, Faisal al-Fuhaida, as well as the “hand pump”, which Corporate Governance and Stra- tions between Qatar and the a number of offi cials of the min- The minister also stressed Assistant Chief Executive Of- requires a lot of physical eff ort. tegic Planning, said that Qatar E the Minister of Educa- three countries, and ways to istry. that the Ministry of Education fi cer, Operations, Qatar Charity Millions of women, girls and boys Charity is always keen to design tion and Higher Educa- boost them, especially in the He reviewed the academic and Higher Education is work- and International Partnerships, still use it to pump water from its programmes according to the Htion Dr Mohamed Abdul fi eld of education. and social conditions of the ing hard to increase the number Ahmed al-Rumaihi, Head of In- wells across Africa and Asia. needs of the entire community Wahed Ali al-Hammadi has held HE al-Hammadi also held students and urged the stu- of scholarship students, praising ternational Partnerships – Qatar Qatar Charity also organised of women, children, the elderly, several meetings on the sidelines talks with Dr Stefania Giannini, dents to be the best ambas- in this context the distinguished Charity, as well as Qatar’s am- a workshop on ‘Comprehensive people with special needs and of the 40th session of the Gener- Assistant Director-General of sadors of their country, and to relations between Qatar and bassador to Belgium, Abdulrah- Water Projects for Women and the disabled. al Conference of the United Na- the United Nations Educational, stick to their Qatari identity, France in various fi elds. man bin Mohamed al-Khulaifi . Girls’ at the AidEx 2019, with He said that women and girls tions Educational, Scientifi c and Scientifi c and Cultural Organi- while engaging in French so- For their part, the students Speaking at the opening ses- participation of the United Na- are a key pillar in water manage- Cultural Organisation (Unesco) sation (Unesco). ciety and participating in cul- expressed their full satisfaction sion of the event, CEO Yousuf tions Children’s Fund (Unicef) ment in developing countries, as in Paris. During the meeting, they dis- tural events and various uni- with the meeting, appreciat- bin Ahmed al-Kuwari stressed and the United Nations Water women have a broader knowl- He held separate meetings cussed the implementation of versity activities in order to ing the interest of the State in that the forum had become an Supply and Sanitation Collabo- edge of water resources includ- with Iraq’s Minister of Educa- the joint action plan between develop their personal skills the wellbeing of the scholarship important partner for Qatar rative Council (WSSCC). ing location, water quality, stor- tion Dr Suha Al Ali Bey, Mo- Qatar and Unesco, as well as and accept different opinions students. Charity and it would continue to The workshop addressed the pos- age and management methods, rocco’s Minister of National the arrangements for the World and views and make the best HE the Minister of Education support its role in bringing to- sibility of achieving a comprehensive adding that Qatar Charity is Education, Vocational Training, Education Conference to be held use of the study period to come and Higher Education is cur- gether humanitarian and devel- approach that takes into account the currently engaging women in Higher Education and Scien- in Doha in 2021, besides issues back home to participate in the rently visiting France, heading opment stakeholders involved in human dimension of water, sanita- the planning, implementation, tifi c Research Said Amzazi, and of common interest and ways to State’s development. Qatar’s delegation to the 40th real pressing challenges. tion and hygiene. Speakers reviewed monitoring and evaluation stag- Tanzania’s Rizki Pembe Juma, enhance and develop them. The minister listened to the session of Unesco. During its participation in the relevant experiences and projects es of its projects. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR

Qatari ambassadors to Turkmenistan, Rwanda, North Korea present credentials ‘Poetry Night’ held at QNL atar Poetry Centre (Di- wan Al Arab), part of Qa- Qtar Ministry of Culture and Sports, organised a ‘Poetry Night’ at Qatar National Library (QNL) on Friday. The Poetry Night was organ- ised in co-operation with the French Institute and the embas- sies of Mali and Senegal in Doha. President of the Presidium of Supreme People’s Assembly of the The event was attended by Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has received Rwandan President Paul Kagame received the credentials of Qatar’s Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Choe Ryong-hae French ambassador to Qatar the credentials of Qatar’s ambassador Mubarak bin Abdulrahman ambassador Abdullah bin Mohamed al-Sayed in capital Kigali on has received the credentials of Qatar’s (non-resident) ambassador Franck Gellet, Mali’s ambassa- al-Nasr, in Ashgabat. The ambassador conveyed greetings of His Friday. During the meeting, the ambassador conveyed the greetings Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Dehaimi, in Pyongyang. During the dor Sheikh Ahmed Tijani Dakite Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to President of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the meeting, the ambassador conveyed greetings of His Highness the and the ambassador of Senegal to Gurbanguly, wishing him good health and happiness, and the Rwandan president, and his wishes of good health and happiness to Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to DPRK Supreme Leader Qatar Dr Mamadou Sall. government and people of Turkmenistan further progress and him, and to the government and people of Rwanda more progress Kim Jong-un, wishing him, the Korean government and people During the event, poets from prosperity. The Turkmenistan president reciprocated His Highness and prosperity. The Rwandan president reciprocated His Highness further progress and prosperity. Choe Ryong-hae entrusted the Qatar and the participating the Amir’s greetings and wishes and wished the ambassador the Amir, greetings and wishes and wished the ambassador success ambassador with the greetings of the DPRK supreme leader to countries read poems in their success in his new assignment and to strengthen the friendly in his assignment, assuring him of all support in further strengthen- the His Highness Amir, wishing Qatar’s leadership and people native languages to raise aware- relations between Qatar and Turkmenistan. ing bilateral relations between the two countries. further development and progress. ness about diversity and cultural understanding. (QNA) SundanceTV, Ooredoo introduces new IoT beIN bring actor Asset Management solution and producer oredoo has introduced and devices, ranging from con- Asset Management, part of the new Ooredoo Asset struction machines to power Ooredoo’s expanding IoT port- OManagement solution generators. folio, runs on the innovative Chace Crawford that leverages the Internet of In response to feedback from Ooredoo IoT platform. Organi- Things (IoT) to optimise busi- customers, Ooredoo’s Asset sations can rest assured that ness operations and enable new Management is a cloud-based their data is securely hosted in- services. solution that allows organisa- country in Ooredoo’s industry- to Ajyal fi lm fest Across industry verticals, tions to gain full and real-time integrates hardware devices, agement is for organisations to leading Tier 3-certifi ed Qatar such as facilities management, visibility on their assets. Qatar’s the Internet of Things, mobile create historical benchmarking Data Centre. construction, manufacturing, organisations can optimise their connectivity, and cloud-based across assets in projects, sites, Business customers “can lev- eIN and SundanceTV’s oil and gas, and transport and costs, productivity, effi ciency applications. Qatar’s organisa- and equipment types. erage the Ooredoo Advantage, partnership is bringing logistics, organisations often and predictive maintenance, a tions can gain full visibility on Organisations can also visu- making Ooredoo ‘Best for Busi- bprominent American actor face challenges in monitoring statement notes. their assets and optimise per- ally understand asset location ness’, thanks to its breadth and and producer Chace Crawford, and optimising their assets and Yousuf Abdulla al-Kubaisi, formance – all for better asset and maps, along with asset in- depth of talent, best fi xed and pictured, to the seventh edition related work effi ciency across chief operations offi cer, Oore- investment and a competitive ventory, utilisation rates, work mobile networks, broadest port- of Ajyal Film Festival, where multiple and distributed sites doo Qatar, said: “Ooredoo As- business edge.” effi ciency and environmental folio of ICT services and solu- beIN and SundanceTV are or projects. These assets can set Management is a worry-free One of the biggest business conditions, and strict asset tions, and for being a trusted international media sponsors. include machines, equipment and end-to-end solution that benefi ts for Ooredoo Asset Man- security. partner for 60 years”. Presented by Doha Film Institute (DFI), this year’s Ajyal Film Festival will screen 96 inspiring fi lms from 39 countries – showcasing the power of storytelling to shape perspectives and transform beIN Media Group’s fruit- minds. ful partnership with Sundan- The six-day event, which ceTV began in May of this will be held from November 18 year – as the entertainment to 23 at Katara – the Cultural channel became part of beIN’s Village, will feature public premium 97 channel off er- screenings, Ajyal jury screen- ing for its Mena subscribers, a ings, interactive discussions, statement notes. red carpet events and activi- Launched as an extension ties for people of all ages and to the Sundance Film Festival, generations. SundanceTV airs exclusive Best known for his work on feature fi lms, documentaries, world-famous television se- short fi lms and series, pro- ries The Boys and Gossip Girl, viding a platform for the best Crawford will be present at of emerging and established the red carpet on the opening independent artists. night ceremony of the Ajyal beIN entertains and op- Film Festival along with other erates in 43 countries glo- famous guests from around bally, including 24 countries the world. across the Mena region. With The American actor and broadcast on satellite in 4K Children interact producer will also take part in and Full HD, the beIN ex- with a host during a a meet and greet with more perience is also available on session of activities than 400 jurors aged between mobile, tablet, computer and at Doha Learning eight and 21 years from more other home devices through Wellness and Days. than 48 countries. beIN CONNECT. community activities at Doha Learning Days

oha Learning Days ing but fun exercise to (DLD), the coun- solve riddles. Youngsters Dtry’s fi rst expe- have also been discover- riential learning festival ing the rich benefi ts of organised by World In- combining classical mu- novation Summit for sic, meditation and self- Education (WISE), is pre- expression in an expansive senting a wide choice of art workshop at ‘Pallas innovative activities for Arts, Colouring the Lives the entire spectrum of of Children’. the community, includ- The importance of ing a space for ‘Wellness & physical fi tness are also Community Activities’. being highlighted through One of the popular ses- practical sessions by sions among the youth Crossfi t trainers and a talk is ‘Unlearning Through with athletes and coaches. Football’, presented by Yama Yoga have hosted a Generation Amazing, number of sessions around the Supreme Committee meditation and well-be- for Delivery & Legacy’s ing, while Doha’s Swasthi football for development Yoga are off ering classes programme. Student to help people counteract participants get to test issues such as stress and their communication and anxiety. team building skills dur- DLD is open to the ing a game of football that public and the activities shines the spotlight on and sessions are free- rules they have developed. to-attend and runs until Among the other ‘Well- November 19. For more ness and Community Ac- information on the full tivities’ is The Library of programme, one can Wonders, presented by visit https://www.wise- Qatar Reads. Students qatar.org/wise-2019/do- participate in a challeng- ha-learning-days/ Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 5 QATAR QIB enables new Vodafone’s AmanTECH begins drive to guide customers to open parents on online safety

odafone Qatar’s award-winning digit- Val safety programme, AmanTECH, has launched a current account campaign to empower par- ents with the tools needed to manage the risks faced by children on the Inter- net and ensure their digital well-being. The campaign falls in line via mobile app with a continuous programme of digital safety activities that fter the successful launch “Digital onboarding allows Vodafone Qatar has delivered of opening a Misk and customers to conveniently and since AmanTECH’s launch ASavings account through seamlessly open an account in in 2014, which to date has the mobile app, Qatar Islamic just a few minutes, enabling engaged more than 50,000 Bank (QIB) is the “fi rst bank in us to better serve our custom- children, parents and teach- Qatar” to release Current Ac- ers and eliminating the waiting ers, the company has said in a count Digital Onboarding, which hours and paperwork.” statement. allows prospective customers This initiative comes as part of Its newly launched aug- the opportunity to open a new QIB’s existing digital onboarding mented reality (AR) game current account and transfer process that allows prospective app helps children learn on- eff orts to engage the com- lighted the need for a wider their salary to QIB easily through customers to start a relationship line safety through four in- munity, Vodafone has taken and more open conversation its award-winning mobile app. with the bank by opening any teractive fun activities. The its AmanTECH AR game about screen use and some of This new development allows type of account through the QIB activities promote user- to a number of malls and the risks involved. prospective customers to open a mobile app. friendly dos and don’ts and public events, and several AmanTECH, which current account from anywhere, to directly get in touch with a redeemed in over 900 airlines, The QIB mobile app has under- pointers on creating a strong AmanTECH school work- stands for a “safe tech at any time, in a fast, simple and QIB customer service represent- 450,000 hotels or 150,000 car gone immense transformations password, preventing cy- shops have been held this world”, aims to promote convenient manner, the bank ative if they have any queries or rental agencies. and updates over the years to keep ber-bullying, identifying year. Earlier this month, digital literacy among par- has said in a statement. need further support at any time For the fi rst credit salary, QIB up with the hyper-connected, fake messages and protect- a series of interactive ac- ents and improve the online Interested customers just during the onboarding process. is rewarding every QR100 in a online world. The updated app ing personal information tivities was presented at safety of children aged fi ve need to download the QIB mo- Customers that choose to customer’s salary with 10 Ab- makes it easier than ever to bank on the Internet, as well as the Digital Youth Festi- to 17 years by raising aware- bile app and use QIB’s integrated transfer their salaries to QIB by sher reward points. Additionally, on the go, 24/7, as it was devel- how to safely share pho- val (Tumuha Tec), held on ness, providing education digital identifi cation technology using the fast and easy mobile customers will get free airport oped with customers’ daily bank- tographs and information the sidelines of the Qatar and technical support. On- to scan required documents (Qa- app feature will have access to a lounge access, global discounts, ing requirements in mind. on social media. Information Technology line resources available to tari ID and passport in the case range of products and services purchase protection, extended In recognition of its accom- After passing all four Conference & Exhibition parents include a digital of expatriates), take a selfi e and that will address all of their fi - warranty, and other features plishments in the past year, QIB levels, the player becomes 2019 (Qitcom). parenting guide and several fi ll in a couple of remaining per- nancial and banking needs. upon using their credit card. received several prestigious an AmanTECH Hero and Recently, Vodafone Qatar free-to-download Voda- sonal questions. New customers There are several benefi ts to D Anand, QIB general man- awards for its digital innova- is awarded with an Aman- revealed the results of its re- fone AmanTECH ‘How to…’ will be asked to upload their sal- having a QIB current account, ager - Personal Banking Group, tion: ‘Best Digital Bank in Qa- TECH e-certifi cate. The search following 20 online guides with ideas on how to ary certifi cates in order to link including receiving a free debit said: “We are proud to be releas- tar’ by the Asian Banker, ‘Best AmanTECH AR game app safety workshops at primary help children navigate the their newly opened account with card delivered to your home or ing additional innovative fea- Consumer Digital Award 2018’, is suitable for children sev- schools. Issues brought to the online world safely. their salaries. at work, getting a free revolve tures for the fi rst time in Qatar to and ‘Islamic Finance Innova- en to 13 years, and can be fore included excessive time Details of the AmanTECH In order to facilitate a seam- credit card for the fi rst year, a our award-winning mobile app. tor Award 2019’ from Global downloaded on tablets or spent by children online (up programme’s upcoming and less experience, the bank has free cheque book, the ability to Being a customer-centric bank, Finance Magazine, and the ‘Ex- smartphones from the Ap- to eight hours) and the com- activities, and online informa- also integrated a ‘Live Chat’ fea- apply for fi nance or takaful plans we focus on making the bank- cellence in Mobile Banking 2018’ ple Store and Google Play munication between parents tion and tips for parents are ac- ture as part of the onboarding at a competitive rate, and receive ing experience as convenient as award at the New Age Banking store. and children about screen cessible at www.vodafone.qa/ process. This allows customers Absher reward points that can be possible for our customers. Summit in Doha. As part of the company’s time. The fi ndings high- AmanTECH Domasco supplies new Volvo buses to MBM Transport

oha Marketing tomer “competitive solu- Services Company tions to suit their operations D(Domasco), the ex- with effi cient after-sales clusive distributor of Volvo and value-added services, Buses in Qatar, recently tailored to the needs and ex- delivered new Volvo buses pectations of each business”, to MBM Transport, one of the statement adds. the leading transportation Volvo Buses has had a services company in Qatar. presence in the region for This recent delivery marks over 30 years and continues the third deal between Do- to grow at a steady pace in masco and MBM Transport Qatar. With an aim to con- in the past two years, a press tinuously improve driving statement notes. quality and safety, Volvo On this occasion, Faisal Buses helps clients stand Sharif, managing director out in their industry. of Domasco, said: “We are Proven Volvo technol- pleased to off er the Volvo Off icials mark the occasion. ogy and extremely durable range of buses to MBM mechanical design ensures Transport for the third with a safe and comfortable isfaction”, the statement reliability and a long serv- time. MBM’s confi dence in mode of travel.” points out. In keeping with ice life, while Volvo’s high Volvo Buses allows us to ex- A business with more the premium services pro- quality provides superior tend our reach further to a than 22 years of experience vided by MBM, these new functionality, passenger wider cross section of Qatar in the industry, MBM “pro- Volvo buses additions to the comfort and lifecycle pro- consumers. This deal once vides premium and world- MBM fl eet will help its lux- ductivity. The “extremely again marks a commit- class transportation serv- urious operations expand fuel-effi cient engines” ment on our behalf to pro- ices by focusing on safety, successfully into Qatar. also keep customers‘ vide drivers and passengers comfort and customer sat- Domasco off ers to its cus- operational costs down.

Gulf CMS receives ISO certification

Gulf CMS (Container Maintenance Services), a Qatari-owned company and the off icial container maintenance services contractor for Mwani Qatar, has received the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification after an audit conducted by Intertek in July. The scope of certification covers container maintenance and storage handling by Gulf CMS. Hassan al-Naimi, the chairman, said Gulf CMS is the first company to start container maintenance services activities in Qatar. “We believe it is our responsibility to improve standards in terms of the quality of services as well as health & safety within our environment,” he noted. He thanked Mwani Qatar for the opportunity to serve Qatar, as well as the Gulf CMS team for its hard work and achievements. General manager Dileep Pillai added that the new accreditation for Gulf CMS would help the company be recognised not only in the region but also internationally. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR NBK Automobiles launches new Mercedes-Benz V-Class

asser Bin Khaled (NBK) ing a sportier appearance. way within the MPV segment, Automobiles, the au- The interior of the new V- while maintaining the Mercedes- Nthorised general distrib- Class focuses on passenger Benz standards of quality and ro- utor of Mercedes-Benz in Qatar, comfort with a simpler, elegant bustness. launched the new Mercedes- design with new upholstery and “With an updated look and Benz V-Class in Qatar at the trim options. feel, the new V-Class is a pow- Hospitality Qatar exhibition held Building on its position as a erful and dynamic vehicle that recently in Qatar. class leader in safety, new Active we’re confi dent will continue to The new Mercedes-Benz V-Class. The vehicle is available at the Brake Assist and Highbeam As- fascinate our customers.” Mercedes-Benz showroom on sist Plus features are now avail- The new V-Class has “a Class, they off er a fully reclining Brake Assist can also react to sta- Salwa Road. able. broader appearance and an even function, back massage and cli- tionery obstacles or pedestrians The Stuttgart-based designers Sheikh Faleh bin Nawaf al- stronger visual presence” thanks matisation. crossing. of the Mercedes-Benz V-Class Thani, operations director (Auto) to its new front end. New safety features can be or- Another new (optional) safety have revealed “an impressive new at Nasser Bin Khaled Group, said: This comes courtesy of a new dered optionally and continue feature is the Highbeam Assist look of the passenger family car, “We are proud to introduce the bumper design with striking to build on the Mercedes-Benz Plus. which is now available with a re- new V-Class in Qatar, the luxu- cooling air inlets and an AMG V-Class position as a leader for It supports the driver in the vised front-end design, exterior rious and ideal vehicle for both Line with a new diamond struc- safety standards in its segment. high-beam mode through a con- colours, updated interior and a private and business owners to ture in the radiator grille. The new (optional) Active tinuous illumination of the lane. range of cutting-edge driver as- meet their needs and business The personalisation concept The interior of the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class. Brake Assist can recognise when The already successful safety sistance features”, a press state- demands. with the AVANTGARDE and EX- there is a risk of collision with a features continue to remain – ment notes. “This comes within our steady CLUSIVE lines continues to ex- philosophy of the current Mer- look as well as new dials in the vehicle ahead and gives an initial Crosswind Assist, which sup- With a redesigned front bump- growth and ambitious plans for ist, while the AMG line is avail- cedes-Benz passenger car mod- instrument cluster. visual and acoustic signal. ports the driver in keeping the er, the V-Class appears wider by next year and the years to come.” able as a complement to any of els is transposed into the new As part of the facelift, rear pas- In addition, the Active Brake vehicle on track even in the case incorporating a broad intake into Ihab El-Feky, chief operations the V-Class lines and features a V-Class. sengers can enjoy an especially Assist can break autonomously of heavy crosswinds, and At- the lower fascia – an optional offi cer (Automotive) at Nasser new diamond radiator grille with The interior of the new V- comfortable space. up to standstill, if the driver does tention Assist, which can detect AMG Line Package is now avail- Bin Khaled Group, added: “The chrome pins. Class follows the trend of mo- The optionally available luxury not react independently and ad- when drivers start to become able with a new, chrome-accent- new V-Class builds upon the In the interior, too, the design- dernity and clarity, with new air seats for the fi rst rear row are a equately. drowsy and prompt them to take ed, diamond radiator grille off er- style and appeal that has led the ers have ensured that the design vents in a more-sporty turbine real treat and, just like in the S- In urban traffi c, the Active a break when needed. New automatic-transmission Maxus T60 introduced

uto Class Cars, the author- grace of that of a ‘bull’ in western The features are complemented sive protection in extreme road score 5 stars on the ANCAP (Aus- ised general distributor of mythology. It proved its capabili- by a multi-function steering, tough conditions. tralasian New Car Assessment Pro- AMaxus in Qatar and a sub- ties on winding roads, washboard start engine button, review camera, The 6-automatic transmission gramme) rating, making it one of sidiary company of Nasser Bin roads as well as mountain climbing, cruise control, an automatic anti- Maxus T60 is powered by an NLE the safest cars in its category. Khaled Holding, has introduced during which it displayed excellent glare rear-view mirror, a reminder 2.0 Turbo engine featuring 165KW With top scores in all segments, the new Maxus T60 with automatic performance in comparison to oth- system for driver and a monitoring of power and maximum 360NM the ANCAP report shows the Max- transmission in Qatar. er pickups in its category,” a press system. of torque. The manual transmis- us T60 scored high grades in all The Maxus T60 is now available statement noted. The auto AC and second-row sion T60 is powered by a 2.4-litre tests with an overall score of 35.46 at the Auto Class Cars showroom in In the interior, the new Maxus A/C vent provide “maximum com- Inline 4 naturally aspirated petrol out of 37. two options – 4X2 and 4x4 drive – T60 “is distinguished by its high- fort” to all passengers. with 136 horsepower and 5-speed The 6-automatic transmission to meet the diff erent needs of cus- er-quality fabric seats that makes In terms of safety, the new T60 manual transmission. Maxus T60 and the full range of tomers. the cabin more appealing. Besides, has airbags on its sides so all pas- Safety is a vital part of the T60, pickup trucks are at the Auto Class The T60 is a pickup truck pro- it is equipped with state-of-the- sengers are always well-protected. which is why it adopts both active Showroom on Salwa Road. duced by Chinese automaker Max- art technology features including Moreover, a string of safety con- and passive safety systems to avoid Customers can visit the show- us since November 2016. a 7” display screen with multiple fi gurations, including the Driver any potential problems. room from Saturday to Thursday, “The T60 takes design inspira- functions such as radio, MP5, Mir- Fatigue Monitor System, ensures The Maxus T60 became the fi rst 8am-9pm, and on Friday from The Maxus T60. tion from the strength, power, and ror Link, Bluetooth and USB”. that T60 drivers have comprehen- Chinese-manufactured utility to 5pm-9pm.

More than 40 companies to showcase their products at Indonesia Expo 2019

ore than 40 Indonesian com- potential business partnerships and tagline Gateway to Indonesian Prod- panies are set to showcase collaborations”, the organisers have ucts. Mtheir best products, rang- said in a press statement. The Indonesian embassy has invit- ing from paper, garment, jewellery, The event is taking place from today ed all business communities and the charcoal, manpower service, medical until November 19 at InterContinental public to attend the exhibition, whose equipment, food, IT, furniture to tyres Doha The City. opening hours are as follows: from at a product exhibition in Doha. A business delegation from the In- 1pm-8pm today and from 10am-8pm Indonesia Expo 2019 “provides a donesian Chamber of Commerce and tomorrow and on November 19. platform to the business communi- Industry and its chapter in Aceh prov- Further information and online reg- ties of the two brotherly countries for ince will also participate to boost the istration can be accessed at www.in- further co-operation and seeks new event, which is being held under the donesiaexpoqatar.com

Cleanliness drive

The General Cleanliness Department carried out various services and works across all municipalities in country in October, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) said in a statement. These included the removal of 72,306 tonnes of household waste, 7,790 tonnes of construction waste, 221 tonnes of recycling waste and 31,117 tonnes of solid waste, besides 38,978 tonnes of tree remains and mixed waste, and 7,080 tonnes of random waste, the statement noted. The department also removed 9,405 damaged tyres, 69 damaged signboards, 383 carcasses, and 39 abandoned vehicles. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 7 QATAR Baraha Souq unites culture, community and creativity he National Museum of lers meet to sell goods. People can them of the skills, wisdom and raha Souq provides local artisans Qatar (NMoQ) will take browse and buy locally designed struggles of their ancestors. and food producers with the op- Tthe community back to and made art, jewellery, fashion “We hope that today’s entre- portunity to bring their products to the roots of traditional Arabian and accessories, wellness prod- preneurs can fi nd inspiration in a wider audience. Visitors can buy courtyards this month by wel- ucts, homeware, the traditional Arabic courtyards unique products that are hand- coming visitors to Baraha Souq, it speciality coff ee and food — in- of yesterday.” crafted in Qatar. They can meet the has been announced. cluding local date products. Visi- Baraha Souq is operated by makers, support their development Opening on November 22, Ba- tors can also discover more about IN-Q Enterprises in partnership and experience a closer connection raha Souq is set to be a vibrant ar- Qatar’s traditions and customs, with Torba Markets, founders of to the country’s people and place.” tisan market that takes place eve- with a range of activities that of- the successful Torba Farmers’ The Museum Souq will open on ry other weekend. The market has fer fun, immersive experiences. Market. IN-Q Enterprises is the November 22 and continue until been carefully curated to show- Ahmad al-Namla, acting CEO commercial arm of Qatar Mu- May 2020. case and support local makers of QM, said: “The preservation of seums and works to enable QM Initially, the market will be open and food producers and provide a cultural heritage forms a key pil- to achieve its vision: to cultivate every second Friday and Satur- welcoming stage for cultural en- lar in Qatar Museums’ mission of artists and creative networks, and day, increasing in frequency in gagement, Qatar Museums (QM) creating a strong cultural sector promote and sustain the highest the coming months. The opening has said in a statement. within the country. By launch- standards for community en- times are Fridays from 2pm-7pm, Baraha Souq enables the Ba- ing Initiatives such as the Baraha gagement, creativity and enjoy- and Saturdays from 9am-7pm. raha area of NMoQ to follow its Souq, we are helping put local ment in Qatar and beyond. Local brands and artisans can time-honoured custom of being communities, young and old, in Philip Lawrie, general manager make enquires about stalls via a place where traders and travel- touch with their past, reminding of IN-Q Enterprises, added: “Ba- [email protected] Baraha Souq opens on November 22.

Twenty-eight members of the Kawader 2018-2019 cohort have started their training at leading partners and international financial institutions and firms. QFBA’s Kawader programme launches Applied Learning phase

atar Finance and progression and fuel their Business Academy’s leadership development. Q(QFBA) leading pro- The programme also pro- fessional development and vides direct access and an Qatarisation programme, in-depth look into leading Kawader, has launched its national and international Applied Learning phase. institutions in the fi nancial As part of this, 28 mem- services sector, enabling bers of the Kawader 2018- participants to take full ad- 2019 cohort have started vantage of industry relevant their training at leading courses towards profes- partners and international sional certifi cations off ered fi nancial institutions and by the Chartered Institute fi rms, such as the Qatar for Securities & Invest- Financial Centre Regula- ment, Institute of Learning tory Authority, Qatar Fi- and Management and CFA nancial Markets Authority, Institute. QNB, Qatar Exchange, PwC On this occasion, Dr and KPMG. Khalid al-Horr, CEO of In addition, some Applied QFBA said: “We are proud learning placements took to be a part of the Kawader place across internation- professional development ally at institutions located in and training programme, London and Singapore. facilitating young Qatari The Kawader Applied professionals to gain prac- learning module runs un- tical on-ground experi- til November 22, providing ence through our local and hands-on experience tai- international partners. We lored to develop the par- are actively paving the way ticipants skills to tackle a for our Kawader cohorts to real market environment, become key actors in Qatar’s refi ne their talent and capa- fi nancial services sector. bilities and strengthen their “Our work with young acquired knowledge to en- local professionals allows sure its practicality in fi elds them to become better such as auditing, fi nance, equipped to further advance business management, pro- their careers and contrib- curement, compliance, risk ute to diversifying Qatar’s management and credit economy, in line with our analysis, a press statement mission to work towards notes. transforming the human Through acquiring these development pillar of Qatar skills across various sec- National Vision 2030 into a tors within the fi nancial reality. It is very important landscape, Kawader gradu- that our programmes act as ates are supported with the mechanism for driven pro- knowledge and skills to grow fessionals to keep up with in their chosen fi elds upon rapidly changing develop- graduation. ments, evolving fi nancial Kawader is an innovative market requirements and training and professional practices.” development programme The seventh cohort of that diff erentiates itself the Kawader programme by off ering intensive and kicked off on September 5, holistic training combin- wherein 28 young and mo- ing academic learning with tivated Qataris were select- practical, on-the-job train- ed based on their skills and ing, the statement points capabilities to become fu- out. The programme is de- ture leaders of the fi nancial signed to train fresh Qatari services sector in Qatar. graduates and young Qatari The graduation ceremony professionals in the early is expected to take place stage of their career towards in February 2020 once accredited certifi cations the students complete all to fast-track their career course requirements. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR Qatar Charity showcases its water and sanitation projects at AidEx 2019 in Brussels

atar Charity (QC) took part in the AidEx (SDGs). By adopting the 2030 agenda, the world has Institutional Development Sector during the panel 2019, which was held on November 13-14 in Qatar Charity is always pledged to ‘leave no one behind’. This sentence is at Qatar Charity has discussion. Qthe Belgian capital Brussels and attended the core of what we do, and it is the goal of what we “Women and girls are a key pillar in water by more than 2500 dignitaries representing keen to design its do,” Al Kuwari added. managed to implement management in developing countries, as women 130 humanitarian organizations including UN “In order to make sure that no segments of have a broader knowledge of water resources, agencies, the European Union, and international programs according to the society are left behind, we have to change our more than 50,000 including water location, quality, and storage and governmental and non-governmental organizations approach to global change. Inclusion has to start management methods,” al-Ghamdi, emphasized, concerned with humanitarian aid and international the needs of the entire from the design of humanitarian assistance to its adding that Qatar Charity is currently engaging development. implementation. If this approach does not change, water projects during women in the planning, implementation, monitoring community, including we will miss out on our 2030 deadline to a better and evaluation stages of its projects. world,” Al Kuwari added noted. the past two decades. Al-Ghamdi, pointed out that Qatar Charity has Yousuf bin Ahmed women, children, the “A lot has to be done at policy-making level, but as NGOs, we can start by designing our programs The visitors praised the “Water Challenge” idea, around the needs of the underserved, the minorities Qatar Charity has al-Kuwari: A lot has elderly, and people with which contributed to draw attention to the world’s and the most vulnerable. We have to ensure their full water crisis and the suffering of millions of women participation in the global advancement efforts,” Al brought safe water and to be done at policy- and girls in fetching clean water to their homes. special needs. Kuwari urged. Panel Discussion making level, but as Global Water Crisis sanitation facilities Opening Remarks Qatar Charity held a panel discussion on WASH During its participation in the AidEx exhibition, “AidEx is now an important partner of Qatar and Women: Gender-Inclusive Water, Sanitation to 6,000,000 people NGOs, we can start by Qatar Charity showed its contribution to overcome Charity and we will continue to support the work and Hygiene Services, with the participation of the global water and sanitation crisis through that you do in bringing the international aid and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and between 2012 – 2017 in designing our programs interactive screens. By exhibiting ‘Hand Pump’, development community together around real Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council which requires significant physical exertion, pressing challenges, said Mr. Yousuf bin Ahmed Al (WSSCC). 44 countries and built around the needs of Qatar Charity shed light on the importance of Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity during his opening Mohamed al-Ghamdi, assistant CEO for water, highlighted the difficulties faced by many remarks at the AidEx 2019. Governance and Institutional Development Sector, more than 40,000 wells. the underserved, the communities to get water, and attempted to garner “The theme this year, inclusiveness, is a key Qatar Charity, Sandie Blanchet, director of the support for water projects in an innovative way, principle in the Sustainable Development Goals Unicef Office for Relations with EU Institutions, and minorities and the most as millions of women, girls and boys still use hand managed to implement more than 50,000 water Rockaya Aidara, policy advisor at WSSCC, spoke pump to get water across Africa and Asia. projects during the past two decades, ensuring the during the panel discussion. vulnerable. Visitors were given an opportunity to simulate local communities are trained on sanitation and Millions of women, girls The panel discussion explored how a gender- pumping water and raise points according to the hygiene, and establishing local committees to ensure inclusive approach can be achieved in water, Qatar Charity’s delegation headed by its “quantity” of water they pumped in a determined the continuity and sustainability of the projects. and boys still use hand sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The speakers CEO Yousuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari included Mr. period of time. These points will then be converted Qatar Charity has brought safe water and showcased relevant past experiences and projects Mohamed al-Ghamdi, assistant CEO for Governance to donations made by Qatar Charity towards specific sanitation facilities to 6,000,000 people between pumps to get water linking WASH and gender equality. & Institutional Development Sector, Mr. Faisal water projects. Reports of completion of these 2012 – 2017 in 44 countries and built more than “Qatar Charity is always keen to design its Rashid Al Fehaida, assistant CEO for International projects will be sent out to the visitors who have 40,000 wells to bring safe water closer to those who programs according to the needs of the entire Operations and Partnerships Sector, and Mr. Ahmed across Africa and Asia. participated in the water challenge. need it in 44 countries, al-Ghamdi noted, adding that Al Rumaihi, director of Relief and Partnerships. community, including women, children, the elderly, in Pakistan, Qatar Charity has built wells inside 12 and people with special needs,” said Mr. Mohamed schools, which contributed to increasing attendance al-Ghamdi, assistant CEO for Governance & rates to 89%. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 9 QATAR Qatar reaffi rms its support to Palestinians and Arabs in

The Amiri Guard marks the occasion. Amiri Guard honours winners occupied territories QNA tional law of the Palestinian people and other The report of the secretary-general has New York Arab people in the occupied territories, and shown that the demolition of houses and the refl ected a regrettable and disturbing reality revocation of work and travel permits as a of infantry competition of human rights and the humanitarian situ- punitive measure could amount to collective he State of Qatar has affi rmed that it ation in the occupied territories as a result of punishment prohibited by international hu- will continue to support the legitimate such violations. manitarian law and contrary to many human QNA ment got the first place as the ment won the fi rst place as the Tdemands of the Palestinian and Arab He noted that such practices were docu- rights provisions, he noted. Doha best faction, and the first po- best faction, he explained that brethren in the occupied territories to enjoy mented in other reports before the Commit- He said: “We reaffi rm the applicability of sition as the best faction lead- the main reason for this is sev- their inalienable rights. tee, and many other reports issued by various the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the ers, Lt Mattar Saleh Matar eral factors, the most impor- It has also stressed that the decision of the United Nations bodies and international and Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War he Amiri Guard has cele- al-Dossari. On this occasion, tant of which were good train- Israeli authorities to impose their laws, juris- human rights organisations. to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in- brated the closing of the Colonel Meshaal Mohamed ing, early preparedness, and diction and administration on the occupied The report of the secretary-general on Is- cluding East Jerusalem, and other Arab ter- Teighth Infantry Compe- al-Attiyah, Assistant Com- harmony and fruitful co-oper- Syrian Arab Golan is null and void and has no raeli settlements illustrates the increasing ritories occupied by Israel since 1967, and the tition 2019 and the graduation mander of Operations and In- ation among the various mem- international legal eff ect. Israeli settlement activities in the occupied resolutions of the General Assembly, includ- of the Amiri Guard’s found- telligence, thanked the Com- bers of the faction .He stressed Qatar expressed its rejection of illegal West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and ing resolution 73/99, stressing the need for ing courses for offi cers (9) and mander of the Amiri Guard that the contest contributes to practices in the Golan, which violated inter- notes the forced environment imposed on the Israel to respect the provisions of the Con- qualifying course (11), at Barzan and Deputy Commander of creating a spirit of competition national law and Security Council resolu- inhabitants of the occupied territory, which vention.” camp in the presence of Dep- the Amiri Guard for the un- among the various depart- tions, in particular resolution 497 and Gen- includes house demolitions, forced evictions Al-Jarba also stressed that a permanent, uty Commander of the Amiri limited support to the various ments and groups, and refl ects eral Assembly resolutions, the latest of which as well as settler violence, he added. just and comprehensive solution to the Pal- Guard Major General Hamad competitions that contribute the effi ciency and readiness was resolution 73/100. In this regard, al-Jarba said that the State estinian issue is the way to put an end to the Mesfer al-Shahwani, Inspec- to developing and enhancing of the staff of the Amiri Guard This came in the statement of the State of of Qatar reaffi rms that Israeli settlements practices that aff ect the human rights of the tor General, Assistant Com- the training level of the staff in the application of infantry Qatar before the Fourth Committee (Spe- in the Occupied Territories are illegal and Palestinian people, noting that this requires mander of the Amiri Guard, of the Amiri Guard, while movements, which is one of the cial Political Matters) of the United Nations an obstacle to peace, economic and social serious negotiations between the Palestin- and a number of departments noting that the infantry com- most important pillars of mili- General Assembly on the item, “Report of development as well as an obstacle to the ian and Israeli sides, based on the agreed and groups commanders. petition comes in conjunction tary control . the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli two-state solution, noting that the UN sec- terms of reference, and the resolutions of the At the beginning of the with the start of preparations At the end of the ceremony, Practices Aff ecting the Human Rights of the retary-general’s report on Israeli practices United Nations and the Arab Peace Initiative ceremony, the general re- for participation in the na- the Deputy Commander of Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the documented the excessive use of force by Is- in order to establish a viable Palestinian State port of the competition was tional march to celebrate the the Amiri Guard honoured the Occupied Territories”, delivered by Abdul- raeli security forces, particularly in the Gaza on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as reviewed, where the results National Day of the country. winners in the various branch- rahman Ahmad al-Jarba, member of the del- Strip, as well as other violations including its capital, and ending the Israeli occupation were as follows: The Opera- On the fact that the Opera- es of the competition and the egation of the State of Qatar participating in detention and ill-treatment, including ill- of the Arab territories, including the Syrian tions and Intelligence Depart- tions and Intelligence Depart- graduates of the two courses. the 74th session of the United Nations Gen- treatment of children and violations of fair Golan and the occupied Lebanese territory. eral Assembly. trial guarantees, and restrictions on freedom In addition, there is a need for an immediate Al-Jarba said that the attention given to of movement aff ecting other rights such as and complete cessation of settlement activi- the rights of the Palestinian people and other the right to health, the right to work and the ties, the return of refugees and the restora- Arab inhabitants in the occupied territories right to education.“Restrictions on freedom tion of the rights of the Palestinian people, by the international community and the re- of expression, assembly and association, as with emphasis on the need not to prejudice jection of Israeli practices aff ecting their well as assaults on workers who document the status quo of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and Is- rights is a principled position that refl ects human rights violations, also continue.” Is- lamic and Christian holy sites, especially the the international community’s commitment rael must comply with the demands of the Al Aqsa Mosque. to guaranteeing and promoting the human General Assembly in its various resolutions Concluding, al-Jarba thanked the assist- rights of all peoples, and rejecting violations under this item and desist from all measures ant secretary-general for presenting the re- of the that contravene international law, he added. ports of the secretary-general and the chair- international law, including international He further said that the continuation of man of the Special Committee to Investigate human rights law and humanitarian law. the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip is caus- Israeli Practices Aff ecting the Human Rights He said that the report of the Special Com- ing deterioration of the economic and hu- of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of mittee documented a wide range of viola- manitarian situation and the ability of the the Occupied Territories, for presenting the tions of the rights guaranteed under interna- population to enjoy their human rights. committee’s report.

Off icials pose for a group photo. QRCS opens residential town for Qatar reiterates backing for UNRWA

QNA infrastructure enhancement, portant United Nations agen- expenditure, increase effi ciency vulnerable families in northern Syria New York housing repair and construction, cies. Al-Muraikhi said that the and improve the use of available as well as fi nancing job oppor- UNRWA continues to play a vi- resources. tunities that contribute to the tal role in alleviating the plight In this regard, she referred QNA he State of Qatar reiter- recovery of the economy and the of the Palestinian refugees and to the June 2019 report of the Doha ated its continued sup- achievement of prosperity, add- providing them with protec- Multilateral Organisation Per- Tport to the United Nations ing that these factors contribute tion and support in the face of formance Assessment Network Relief and Works Agency for Pal- to establishing stability and in the challenges they face, not- (MOPAN), which noted in the atar Red Crescent Soci- estine Refugees in the Near East creating an environment condu- ing that those challenges will comprehensive evaluation of ety (QRCS) has recently (UNRWA), in order to enable it to cive to peace. continue as long as their plight UNRWA during the period 2017- Qopened Phase 1 of a res- fulfi l its “indispensable” man- In the framework of Qatar’s persists and until a just, last- 2018 its effi ciency and resilience idential town in northern Syria, date, stressing the importance of keenness to demonstrate its re- ing and comprehensive settle- and its achievement of humani- with funding from Qatar Fund the support of the international sponsibility and to share the ment of the Palestinian cause, tarian and development results for Development (QFFD). community and donors to the fi nancial burden, and in com- including the right of return in a challenging and resource- Executive Director of Relief UN agency. pliance with the General Assem- of refugees in accordance with constrained environment. and International Development This came in the statement of bly’s call in resolutions 73/92, international law and relevant She said that the Agency’s Division at QRCS, Dr Mohamed the State of Qatar before the UN 73/93 and 73/94, the State of United Nations resolutions, activities provide basic services Salah Ibrahim, stated, “Funded General Assembly Fourth Com- Qatar has increased its contri- in particular General Assem- in the areas of basic healthcare, by QFFD and implemented by mittee on Agenda Item: UN- bution to the Agency’s core re- bly resolution 194 of 1948, is basic and secondary education, QRCS, this housing project RWA, delivered by Shamma Saqr sources with a multi-year pledge reached. food, shelter, relief and social embodies our belief of the ne- fi ce in Syria.”We value the stra- It comprises 29 two-storey al-Muraikhi, member of the del- of $8mn annually, in addition She said that the role of the services to more than 5mn regis- cessity of meeting the needs tegic relations and ongoing co- buildings, each containing four egation of the State of Qatar tak- to the contribution it had an- UNRWA is particularly impor- tered Palestinian refugees in the of people and preserving their operation with the Turkish Red fl ats, with a total of 116 46sq ing part in the work of the 74th nounced last year to provide a tant in light of the instability in Occupied Palestinian Territory, dignity, with adequate hous- Crescent.” m, 2-BHK housing fl ats. Each session of the UN General As- $50mn support to the Agency’s the Middle East, calling for en- Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and ing. The winter is approach- For his part, Director of the fl at has all the power supply sembly. activities and programmes, suring sustainable funding for for them to enjoy basic human ing, and we all know how Disaster and Emergency Man- cables and a 1-m3 water tank. Al-Muraikhi highlighted that which was a key factor in en- the Agency, in order to enable rights, human development and snowstorms and fl ash fl oods agement Presidency of Turkey The purpose of the project is to the contributions of the State of suring that schools are opened it to provide services without an adequate standard of living. severely impacted on the tents (AFAD) in Gaziantep Bekir Sen shelter the most aff ected Syr- Qatar during the past eight years without delay, al-Muraikhi said. interruption in a predictable Member of the Qatari del- of internally displaced persons thanked QRCS and QFFD for ian families in camps, such as through Qatar Fund For Devel- She also highlighted the State manner and to fulfil its man- egation participating in the 74th (IDPs) in the past few years.” their initiative to construct orphans, widows, and persons opment and the Reconstruction of Qatar’s accession to the Ad- date under relevant General session of the UN General As- Dr Ibrahim thanked QFFD this project, which is the fi rst with disability. of Gaza Committee exceeded visory Committee of UNRWA Assembly resolutions. sembly, Shamma Saqr al-Mu- for making this project a reality, of its kind in the Al-Bab City. Thousands of IDPs live in $1bn, in addition to its contribu- under resolution 73/92, not- She referred to the UNRWA’s raikhi, also extended thanks to as well as for its contributions “My country,” he added, “is al- informal camps due to the de- tions to the civil society institu- ing that the State of Qatar has annual report which showed the UNRWA Offi cer-In-Charge to many other projects that ways willing to extend help for struction of their home towns tions. sought to join the Committee that the diffi culties of chronic Christian Saunders for his brief- QRCS implemented in many those in need everywhere.” The and villages. The project is es- She noted that the Qatari sup- because of its keenness to con- funding gap continue to aff ect ing, commending the great ef- parts of the world. project is built on a 20,000sq m timated to help up to 690 di- port has had a tangible impact, tribute effectively to provid- the Agency’s programme budget forts made by all staff of the UN He also commended the role land plot in the vicinity of Al- rect benefi ciaries, in addition highlighted by various UN re- ing various types of support to and threatens its operational Agency, to ensure the provision of Turkish partners, particu- Bab City, with 150 forest trees, to 3,150 indirect benefi ciar- ports, in addressing urgent and the Palestinian people and the activities and the eff ectiveness of vital services to millions of larly AFAD, in facilitating the water supply, sewage, and ies from the families of Syrian long-term needs in areas in- UNRWA, which is one of the of its core services, despite the Palestinian refugees under very work of the representation of- other infrastructural systems. workers and suppliers. cluding electrical power supply, largest, oldest and most im- measures adopted to rationalise diffi cult circumstances. Georgetown University to hold info session on IEDM programme tomorrow

eorgetown University is present- Continuing Studies in Washington, DC, “The graduates of our programme are organisations operating across borders.” ing an information session on its the IEDM executive master’s degree of- professionals working across many sec- Graduates of the programme include lead- Gone-year International Executive fers a blend of virtual learning and fi ve tors, including fi rst response, health, ing fi gures from Ooredoo, the Public Health Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Man- on-site international residencies that human and social services, military, hu- Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Public agement (IEDM) degree programme. provide critical hands-on experience and manitarian aid, planning, public policy Health, and the Ministry of Interior, among To be held at City Center Rotana Doha engagement opportunities with leading and government,” said Tim Frazier, faculty other prestigious organisations. at 7pm tomorrow, the session aims to help experts in the fi eld. Emergencies occur director of the programme. “The industry The information session will provide in- working professionals prepare for and re- without warning, but IEDM students will knowledge and strong critical-thinking sights about the programme’s onsite resi- spond to a wide variety of natural, tech- learn how responses to emergencies can and problem-solving abilities students dencies around the world,among others. nological and man-made disasters. be planned and prepared ahead of time to gain through the programme support their One can fi nd out more at scs.georgetown. Off ered by Georgetown’s School of develop organisation resilience. service in important leadership roles of edu/doha. Dr Tim Frazier Gulf Times 10 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR University’s law centre takes part in SDGs meeting

he Centre for Law and “It was an honour to be in- Development (CLD), part vited to participate in such an Tof Qatar University’s (QU) important event. The participa- College of Law (LAWC) partici- tion of the Centre for Law and Some of the dignitaries at the International Congress on Behavioural Health. pated in high-level discussions Development and the College of as part of the United Nations Law in the taskforce discussion Secretary-General’s Taskforce underlines the commitment of on Digital Financing of the Sus- Qatar and Qatar University to tainable Development Goals helping solve pressing issues of (SDGs) in Singapore recently. international concern,” Dr Tru- Under the auspices of the UN by said. Secretary-General António Gu- In 2018, a team of interna- QU conference discusses terres, the taskforce was estab- tional researchers based out of lished to identify strategies for the Centre for Law and Devel- harnessing the power of fi nan- opment and led by Dr Dahdal cial technology for the benefi t of was awarded a multi-million people and the planet. The task- riyal grant by the Qatar National force is set to present its fi nal re- Research Fund under its fl ag- port to the UN secretary-general ship grant scheme the National behavioural health issues in early 2020. Priorities Research Programme. The taskforce consists of The grant, entitled ‘Fintech and atar University (QU) and and the physical, mental and which tackles topics such as through eff ective activities that role in solving these particular central bank governors, CEOs Regtech: Building a resilient, the Behavioural Health- emotional well-being of an mental representations and at- involve everyone from family to challenges. from banks and fintech, as well inclusive and competitive legal Qcare Centre recently individual. titude toward mental illness schools and universities as well Chair of the congress, Prof as other industry thought lead- and regulatory framework for organised the second Interna- The IICBH’s main objective and psychological services in as other public and private in- Kaltham al-Ghanim stressed ers. The event in Singapore ex- 21st century fi nance in Qatar,’ tional Congress on Behavioural is to increase awareness and Qatari society and ‘Problems stitutions. the importance of the event plored the findings of the task- examines developments in fi - Health (IICBH) in the QU Re- understanding of behavioural of Field Practice in Behavioural QU has been doing its part in enabling access to health, force to date with a particular nancial technology and regula- search Complex. health by bringing together the Health’ that covers issues such to address behavioural health treatment and awareness focus on mobilising financing tory options for Qatari policy- The congress aims to provide most recent and progressive as social representations and issues by adopting a number services as a key element for for micro, small and medium makers. a multi-disciplinary platform knowledge and expertise. By stigma and protection and safe- of appropriate programmes in the overall well-being of the enterprises. “Financial technology is not for scholars, researchers, in- doing so, the congress strives ty mechanisms. the fields of psychology, so- human being and not just as Director of the CLD, Dr Jon only about the big end of town. structors and practitioners to to improve behavioural health QU vice president, Research ciology, health and medicine, a treatment to disease. The Truby and CLD section head of The work of this taskforce dem- present and discuss the latest within society by promoting & Graduate Studies, Prof Mar- and has organised various discourse that health is the Law and Policy Dr Andrew Dah- onstrates that innovations in fi ndings, developments, dilem- multi-level approaches and iam al-Maadeed said that vari- conferences and activities on absence of disease is no longer dal attended the meeting repre- fi nancial technology can have mas and solutions related to be- evidence-based practice and ous educational institutions the topic. The university has acceptable, she said, in light senting QU. In recent years, the trickle down eff ects that help havioural health. assessments. were invited to the congress to also signed agreements and of the advances in knowledge Centre of Law and Development solve some of the most challeng- Behavioural health de- The congress tackles two address challenges stemming MoUs including with the Be- related to health and human has been particularly active in ing issues facing the planet,” Dr scribes the interplay between main themes: ‘Contemporary from behavioural health. She havioural Healthcare Centre, beings’ physical and psycho- the fi nancial technology space. Dahdal said. behaviour mood and biology Issues in Behavioural Health,’ noted that solutions must come which has played a leading logical requirements.

Old, dilapidated buildings demolished

Doha Municipality’s Building Maintenance and Demolition team, in co-operation with the Mechanical Equipment Department, implemented four decisions of the Committee for Building Maintenance and Demolition at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME). These included the demolition of old and dilapidated buildings in order to ensure public safety and to preserve the aesthetics of diff erent places in the city, the MME said in a statement. Tamuq’s assistant professor Abandoned vehicles removed publishes new textbook

n assistant professor of is available in bookstores across is ideal for undergraduate or petroleum engineering Qatar. postgraduate studies in petro- Aat Texas A&M University “HBKU Press’s central fo- leum engineering, hydrology or at Qatar has published a new cus is to support and highlight related disciplines. textbook with Hamad Bin Kha- Qatari and regional academics “The book provides a much- lifa University (HBKU) Press on and provide them with a glo- needed reference on petro- the properties of rocks in pe- bal platform on which to share physics, which is also valuable troleum reservoirs. their ideas and research,” Dalia for researchers and profession- Dr Nayef Alyafei said he wrote Heiba, publishing specialist at als working in the oil industry,” the textbook ‘Fundamentals of HBKU Press said. Blunt said. Al Shamal Municipality’s general control section has carried out a campaign to remove Reservoir Rock Properties’ after Dr Nayef Alyafei with the book. “Dr Alyafei’s book is an im- “It is also of interest to the abandoned vehicles and equipment, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) said in his fi rst semester teaching the portant contribution to the ac- growing body of students, re- a press statement. During the two-day campaign, 56 abandoned cars were removed. In addition, reservoir petrophysics course faculty at Texas A&M at Qatar, ademic landscape both region- searchers, scientists and engi- 44 vehicles and cruisers were removed by their owners after the municipality put up warning for petroleum engineering stu- I need to show young Qataris ally and internationally and is neers working on fl ow in porous stickers, the statement said. dents in fall 2017. that I am able to do these things exemplary of the high standard media with a variety of applica- The course is fundamental and of course they can too, so of quality academic books that tions from hydrocarbon recov- and at the heart of the petro- hopefully I can inspire them HBKU Press is committed to ery to carbon dioxide storage. I leum engineering curriculum, to want to achieve their own publishing.” will certainly recommend this Dr Alyafei said. His students dreams as well.” Dr Alyafei is a Class of 2009 work to my own students and in that class said they enjoyed The book covers the essen- petroleum engineering gradu- colleagues, and use it in my their class notes and found tial concepts of rock proper- ate of Texas A&M at Qatar. He teaching.” them more useful than the ties aiding students, petroleum went on to earn his PhD at Im- Dr César Octavio Malavé, textbook, so they suggested he geoscientists and engineers to perial College London before dean of Texas A&M at Qatar, write his own textbook. understand petroleum reser- joining the faculty of his alma said Dr Alyafei’s textbook is just “It was a life goal for me to voirs. The project took about mater. one example of how the branch write a textbook,” he said. “I two years to complete and, in His PhD adviser, Martin campus is sharing knowledge wrote it for my students but I spring 2019, he used a test ver- Blunt, contributed a review of worldwide based on the ex- also wanted to leave a legacy sion in the course. He then in- the book, which is printed on pertise and experience of its for petroleum engineering corporated feedback from his the back cover. Blunt praises Dr faculty, as well as contributing students, something that will students to complete the book, Alyafei’s clear presentation of to building human capacity in stand out with my name on it. which is now a part of HBKU information and excellent il- Qatar by developing a new gen- As the fi rst Qatari to join the Press’s catalogue of books and lustrations, and said the book eration of engineering leaders. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD Car bomb kills 19 in northern Syria

AFP Beirut

car bomb killed 19 people, 13 of them civilians, in the ATurkish-controlled town of Al-Bab in northern Syria yes- terday, a war monitor said. The bomb, which struck a bus and taxi station in the town, also wounded 33 people, some of them seriously, the Britain- based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Turkey and its Syrian proxies control several pockets of ter- Palestinian demonstrators run away from tear gas fired by security forces during an anti-Israel protest ritory on the Syrian side of the near the settlement of Beit El in the occupied West Bank, yesterday. border as a result of successive incursions in 2016-17, 2018 and 2019. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing Army strikes Hamas targets but the Observatory said there had been persistent security in- cidents in the town since its cap- ture by Turkish troops from the in Gaza after rocket fi re Islamic State group in February 2017. The town, some 30 kilometres AFP northeast of Syria’s second city Gaza City Aleppo, was one of the western- This picture taken yesterday in the town of Al-Bab in Syria’s northern Aleppo governorate shows a view of most strongholds of the mili- destruction along the side of a road in the aftermath of a car bomb explosion that left over a dozen killed tants’ self-styled “caliphate” including several civilians. srael targeted Hamas in air which was fi nally eradicated by strikes on Gaza early yes- US-backed Kurdish forces in the same methods as Daesh,” the inside Turkey for the past 35 It paused after Turkey struck a Iterday after rockets were eastern Syria in March. defence ministry said on its of- years. truce deal with Russia, the main fi red at it from the Palestin- Turkey blamed the car bomb- fi cial Twitter account using an- The latest Turkish invasion, supporter of the Syrian govern- ian enclave, the army said, two ing on the Kurdish People’s other acronym for IS. which was aimed at creating a ment, to jointly patrol the border days after a fragile ceasefi re be- Protection Units (YPG) against There was no immediate re- buff er zone the whole length of area and oversee the withdrawal gan. whom it launched a new inva- action from the YPG, seen by the border, sparked an outcry in of Kurdish fi ghters from a new Hamas, the movement that sion further east last month. Ankara as a “terrorist off shoot” the West because of the key role Turkish-controlled pocket be- has de facto control over the Kurdish fi ghters “continue to of the Kurdistan Workers Party the YPG played in the US-led tween the towns of Tal Abyad Gaza Strip, had been spared the target innocent civilians using which has fought an insurgency campaign against IS. and Ras al-Ain. brunt of Israeli bombardment during this week’s fl are-up which focused on its ally Is- lamic Jihad. A ceasefi re has been in place since Thursday morning fol- lowing the wave of tit-of-tat air strikes and rocket fi re be- Demonstrators spill back tween Israel and Islamic Jihad — the territory’s second most Palestinian pupils sit in class where commemorative pictures powerful fi ghter group. of their late classmate Moaz Abu Malhous are displayed, at his The army said it launched school in Deir al-Balah town in central Gaza Strip, yesterday, two yesterday’s strikes after “two days after he was reportedly killed in a strike. onto bridge in Baghdad rockets were fi red from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli ter- immediate retaliatory rocket home to some 2mn people. AFP foreign embassies are based. Abdel Mahdi.“Get out, get out, Basrawi, a middle-aged man ritory” and were intercepted by fi re from Islamic Jihad, which Hamas has repeatedly said Baghdad Security forces retook three there’s no place for you here. from Basra volunteering for the air defences. set off air-raid sirens and sent it would not abandon its ally, of those bridges and nearby dis- Tonight, we’ll be in the Green search.“But we’ve multiplied It was not immediately Israelis rushing to bomb shel- but keeping out of the fi ght- tricts more than two weeks ago, Zone,” she said. our checkpoints so it doesn’t known who fi red the rockets. ters in the country’s southern ing helped it maintain a fragile nti-government demon- pinning the protesters back in Dozens climbed up into a happen again,” he said. Palestinian security sources and central regions. truce with Israel that has seen strators spread to a sec- Tahrir and on Al-Jumhuriyah large parking complex near the Activists and medics have said the Israeli strikes were The Israeli military said tens of millions of dollars in aid Aond bridge in the Iraqi bridge with volleys of tear gas, bridge, unfurling a sign in sup- described a climate of fear aimed at two Hamas sites in the around 450 rockets were fi red fl ow into Gaza since last year. capital yesterday after security live ammunition and even ma- port of demonstrators in near- setting in around Tahrir, say- north of the territory. at its territory during the fi ght- It was criticised in Gaza for forces retreated from a key area chine-gun fi re. by Tahrir. ing that anonymous threats, “Among the sites targeted ing and air defences intercept- not joining the fi ghting. where they had clashed with Yesterday morning, Iraqi Others set up checkpoints kidnappings and even killings was a military camp of the Ha- ed dozens of them. Likewise, Israeli Prime Min- protesters, AFP correspondents units pulled back from some around Tahrir, the morning af- are an attempt to snuff out the mas organisation and a military The military responded with ister Netanyahu came under said. of those areas and crowds of ter a bomb blast that shook the movement. compound used by the Hamas air strikes it said targeted Is- fi re from political rivals at Sit-ins have become the go- protesters chased them down, protesters. Late on Friday, activist Ad- naval forces,” a statement from lamic Jihad fi ghter sites and home for not holding Hamas to tactic for the regime change resuming their sit-in at the On Friday night, at least one nan Rustum was shot dead the Israeli military said. rocket- and missile-launching accountable for attacks from movement that erupted in early mouth of Al-Sinek bridge. person was killed and more near his home in Baghdad, “In addition an underground squads.After two days of fi ght- the territory it rules. October, with a general strike “The security forces with- than a dozen wounded in Tahr- his relatives said. And yester- infrastructure was also tar- ing which killed 34 Palestinians The violence came at a po- annnounced by activists for to- drew to another concrete bar- ir when explosives beneath a day, a person died of wounds geted.” and no Israelis, a ceasefi re was litically sensitive time for Isra- day. Protesters have occupied rier on Al-Sinek,” one protester parked car detonated, Iraq’s sustained the previous day in There were no reports of agreed. But it has so far been el, with no new government in Baghdad’s Tahrir (Liberation) said. state security forces said. protests in the southern city of casualties. It was the fi rst time precarious, with fi re coming place since a September elec- Square since October 24, spilling An elderly woman, who had Small clusters of men de- Nasiriyah. Hamas had been hit since this from both sides after the agree- tion ended in deadlock. over onto four bridges crossing travelled from the southern ployed around the square to More than 330 people have week’s escalation began with ment went into eff ect. On Thursday, Israeli military the river Tigris. port city of Basra to join the search all those entering it been killed since the protests Israel’s targeted killing of a top There have been three wars spokesman Jonathan Conricus The bridges link east Bagh- rallies, cheered in support. throughout the day yesterday. erupted in October and over Islamic Jihad commander early since 2008 between Israel told reporters that the army dad to the city’s west, including “You didn’t just lose us, you “We had a security breach 15,000 have been wounded, but on Tuesday. and Palestinian fi ghters in the had “wanted to keep Hamas out the Green Zone where the prime lost all of Iraq!” she said, ad- yesterday and this explosion officials are not releasing up- That strike triggered almost blockaded territory which is of the fi ghting”. minister’s offi ce, parliament and dressing Prime Minister Adel happened,” said Abu Karrar al- dated or precise figures.

Sudan verdict in Bashir graft Berri says situation in Lebanon Iran’s fuel protests trial on Dec 14 turn political The verdict in the corruption trial of Sudan’s ousted president Omar getting more ‘complicated’ al-Bashir is to be delivered on Reuters and tried to set fire to it”, the December 14, a judge announced Dubai state news agency IRNA said. yesterday, as his supporters staged Reuters calling to oust a political elite Videos posted on so- a protest outside the court. Bashir, Beirut they see him as part of. cial media from inside Iran who was overthrown by the army Safadi is a prominent busi- iot police and secu- showed protesters setting in April, has been on trial in a Khar- nessman and former member rity forces clashed fire to buildings and clashing toum court since August on charg- he situation in Lebanon of parliament from the city of Rwith demonstrators in with riot police. es of illegally acquiring and using is becoming more com- Tripoli. He was fi nance minis- Tehran and dozens of cities In other videos protest- foreign funds — off ences that could Tplicated, Lebanese Par- ter from 2011-2014 under Prime across Iran yesterday, Iranian ers blocked roads and set land him behind bars. Several hear- liament Speaker Nabih Berri Minister Najib Mikati, and was news agencies and social me- fires in the streets in Tehran ings have been held, including one was cited as saying by newspa- also previously minister of dia said, as protests against a and some other cities. Some yesterday, in the presence of the per Al-Joumhouria yesterday, economy and trade. rise in gasoline prices turned chanted slogans against top deposed leader who followed the comments that suggested a deal Foreign Minister Gebran political. officials. The videos and proceedings from inside a metal needed to form a new govern- Bassil was cited by Lebanese The reports said demon- other images on social me- cage. “It has been decided that ment had yet to be fi nalised. broadcaster MTV as saying that strators chanted anti-gov- dia could not be verified by on December 14 a session will be Lebanon appeared to move Safadi had agreed to be prime ernment slogans around the Reuters. “People are very held to deliver the verdict,” judge toward consensus on a new minister if he wins the support country, a day after the gov- angry here in Shiraz (city).I Sadeq Abdelrahman said. Authori- premier on Thursday after of the country’s leading parties. ernment increased the price of heard gun shots. Hundreds ties seized 6.9mn euros, $351,770 caretaker prime minister Saad The process for choosing a regular gasoline to 15,000 rials of people are in the streets. and 5.7mn Sudanese pounds al-Hariri, and Hezbollah and new premier requires President ($0.13) a litre from 10,000 rials They burned a police car this ($128,000) from Bashir’s home, its ally Amal agreed to back Michel Aoun, to formally con- and rationed it. morning,” a witness, who Abdelrahman said at the start of ex-fi nance minister Mohamed sult members of parliament on State television said police asked not to be named, told the trial in August. Bashir said at Safadi, according to political their choice for prime minister. clashed with what it called ri- Reuters by telephone. the time that the funds were the sources and local media. He must designate whoever oters in some cities and fi red Protests spread to least 40 remainder of $25mn received But no political force has Lebanese anti-government protesters gather around a ‘revolution’ gets the most votes. Hezbollah tear gas to disperse them. cities and towns yesterday, from a country’s de facto ruler. since formally endorsed Safadi bus that arrived from the north and is heading to the south, in and Amal have wanted Hariri One person was killed and Iranian media said. Several defence witnesses testified and no date has yet been set for central Beirut yesterday. to return as premier, but the several people were wounded Videos on social media in court, some backing up Bashir’s formal consultations required groups and Aoun, a Hezbollah in the city of Sirjan in Ker- showed riot police firing tear account. Against the backdrop of to designate a new prime min- according to Al-Joumhouria. non into its worst economic ally, have demanded the inclu- man province on Friday, the gas and using clubs to dis- trial in Khartoum, calls have grown ister. Hariri quit as prime minister crisis since the 1975-90 civil sion of both technocrats and ISNA news agency quoted a perse protesters in several from global rights groups, activists “Things are becoming more on Oct 29 in the face of protests war. Some protesters have re- politicians in the cabinet, while local official as saying yes- cities. and victims of the war in Darfur complicated and a quick solu- against ruling politicians who jected Safadi’s potential nomi- Hariri has insisted on a cabinet terday. A video shared on Twit- to transfer Bashir to International tion is needed to get Lebanon are blamed for rampant state nation, saying it would run composed entirely of techno- “People attacked a fuel ter showed protesters setting Criminal Court. out of this crisis,” Berri said, corruption and steering Leba- counter to nationwide protests crats. storage warehouse in Sirjan fire to a bank. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, November 17, 2019 AFRICA

West Africa boot camp seeks artifi cial intelligence fi x for climate-hit farmers

By Nellie Peyton, Reuters Its mission is to train local peo- He plans to bring his AI skills strengthen their understanding AI, diagnoses the problem and DIT director Nicolas Poussielgue. DIT plans to launch a bach- Dakar ple in using data to solve pressing to Ivorian startup ATA Solution, of crop losses, he said. recommends treatment. West African countries are elor’s degree in big data and a issues like the impact of climate which advises farmers on how to Data scientists across the con- A project launched in Kenya among those hardest-hit by cli- master’s in AI in 2020, each with change on crops. maximise scarce resources like tinent are beginning to experi- this year also uses AI to crunch mate change, according to scien- 25 students, he added. ata analyst Fabrice Sonzahi The Dakar Institute of Tech- land and water. ment with machine learning as big data and give smallholder tists, with populations that de- Not all the boot-camp partici- enrolled in a course on ar- nology (DIT), which opened in The company already collects a tool to help farmers cope with farmers recommendations such pend largely on agriculture losing pants are focused on agriculture, Dtifi cial intelligence (AI) in September, is running its fi rst 10- data such as soil PH, temperature increasingly erratic weather, as when to plant, in a bid to their livelihoods due to worsen- but it is one of the key areas in Dakar, hoping to help struggling week boot camp with nine stu- and moisture levels, said Sonza- from modelling the fastest route avert food shortages, accord- ing fl oods and droughts. which AI has the potential to make farmers improve crop yields in his dents in partnership with French hi, who works with the startup as to market, to detecting problems ing to French technology fi rm “For models of climate change, a diff erence in West Africa, besides home country of Ivory Coast. AI school VIVADATA. an analyst. in fi elds with drones. Capgemini. the basic calculations use phys- health and education, he said. He is part of an inaugural batch “I am convinced that by ana- With AI, that data could be In Cameroon, a new mobile But knowledge of AI and train- ics. Now you can add AI, which “The idea of the school is to of students at a new AI program- lysing data we can give (farmers) processed to show exactly when phone app called Agrix Tech al- ing opportunities are slim, espe- lets you have better results to have students who will create ming school in Senegal, one of better solutions,” said Sonzahi, and where farmers should add lows farmers to photograph a leaf cially in West Africa where fi xes for know what is going to happen their own startups and products,” the fi rst in West Africa. 30. water or fertiliser, and help aff ected by blight and then, using crop failure are sorely needed, said and where,” said Poussielgue. said Poussielgue. Violence mars state elections in Nigeria By Joel Olatunde Agoi, AFP Police helicopters hovered over Yenagoa, Yenagoa while soldiers and anti-riot police mounted roadblocks at major points, an AFP reporter said. poradic violence yesterday marred This week, a staff er at a radio station polls in two key Nigerian states de- was shot dead and many injured during an Sspite a heavy security presence after a attack on a political rally in Bayelsa, and bloody run-up to the elections. in Kogi state a campaign offi ce was burnt Southern oil-rich Bayelsa and central down. Kogi are among seven states where guber- “Already there have been several in- natorial elections are held at diff erent times stances of violence at election campaign from the general election due to court rul- rallies in both Bayelsa and Kogi states,” ings. Amnesty International said. Bayelsa has been ruled by the main op- Voters said yesterday they wanted a An October 30, 2019, file photo of South African police off icers forcibly removing refugees camping outside the Cape Town off ices of the United Nations position People’s Democratic Party since peaceful election. Council for refugees. Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999. “We crave a free, fair and hitch-free elec- Counting began yesterday evening. tions in Bayelsa. Everybody should be al- Election offi cials said results had been lowed to exercise his or her franchise with- trickling in but voting would continue in out harassment and intimidation,” Joseph areas where there had been stray violence. Cookey, a textile trader in the southern city In Bayelsa, the election was cancelled in of Port Harcourt, told AFP. Asylum-seekers detained on some stations in the Ogbia area following Housewife Alice Ebere urged “politicians the abduction of an election offi cial and the to shun violence and allow the wish of peo- burning of voting materials. ple to prevail”. Voting opened late in most polling sta- In Kogi where incumbent Governor Ya- tions in the state, with long queues forming haya Bello of APC is seeking re-election trespassing charges in S Africa in Yenagoa, the state capital, and elsewhere. against Musa Wada of PDP and 22 other In Otuoke, the hometown of former candidates, a boy was shot in the leg when a president Goodluck Jonathan, party thugs group of people stormed into a polling unit AFP men and one woman were taken into archbishop and several others at a They are mainly from Somalia, fought over the late arrival and distribution and snatched ballot boxes. Pretoria custody by the police at diff erent church in Cape Town on Friday. Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and the Demo- of voting materials. Local reports also said some party agents police stations,” said provincial po- The foreigners — many of whom cratic Republic of Congo. Many people were injured in the fracas. were beaten up at another polling booth in lice spokeswoman Mathapelo Peters also claim to be asylum-seekers — They say they suffer ill treat- The polls offi cially closed at 2pm, but the state. outh African police yesterday in a statement yesterday. had sought refuge at the church af- ment and discrimination and want electoral offi cials said those who had al- In Kogi, a total 35,200 police had been detained more than 180 for- They were being held on tres- ter they were evicted from a similar to be given a new life in another ready queued up would be allowed to vote deployed to protect some 1.5mn registered Seign nationals for storming passing charges and were expected sit-in protest at a building hosting country. even after the deadline. voters, according to INEC. the UN refugee agency in Pretoria, to appear before the Pretoria Mag- the UNHCR in Cape Town. South Africa boasts some of the Some 900,000 voters are eligible to vote Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation where they had been staging a sit-in istrate Court on Monday, she added. They turned violent after they world’s most progressive asylum for the candidates of 45 political parties in with 190mn people, has a long history of protest. The statement said police used were told to leave. policies, allowing foreigners to ap- 1,804 polling stations across Bayelsa. electoral violence, vote-buying, ballot- Hundreds of asylum-seekers water cannons to disperse the pro- “I asked the police not to inter- ply for refugee status and work dur- The leading candidates are David Lyon of stuffi ng and voter intimidation. started camping in front of the UN testers, who retaliated with rocks vene,” SAHRC commissioner Chris ing the process. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s Dozens of people were killed during the High Commissioner for Refugees and other objects. Nissen told AFP. “We want to leave But rights groups say the appli- All Progressive Congress (APC) and PDP’s 2019 general election which returned Bu- (UNHCR) on October 8, asking to The sit-in was cleared and hun- the door open for negotiations and cation system is fl awed and back- Douye Diri, a former senator. hari to power. be relocated to another country af- dreds of women and children were dialogue.” logged, leaving many asylum-seek- The winner of the election will replace In 2011, hundreds of people were killed in ter a spate of xenophobic violence in bussed to a repatriation centre on The church was calm yesterday, ers stuck in limbo for years. PDP Governor Seriake Dickson, who is post-election violence, mostly in northern September. the outskirts of Johannesburg as with some of the occupants slowly As the continent’s most industr- stepping down after two four-year terms, Nigeria. Protesters broke into the UNHCR “temporary accommodation”, said packing their belongings, said an ialised economy, South Africa is also the legal maximum. Buhari, the 76-year-old general who premises on Thursday after they Peters. AFP reporter. a magnet for economic migrants — a The Independent Electoral Commission headed a military regime in the 1980s, has were informed of a court order giv- Meanwhile, the South African Offi cially, South Africa is home to situation that has stoked resent- of Nigeria (INEC) said over 31,000 police promised to reform the country’s electoral ing them three days to vacate the Human Rights Commission (SA- 268,000 refugees and asylum seek- ment among jobless South Africans had been deployed in Bayelsa, as well as 87 system to ensure free, fair and credible site. HRC) said it would not press charges ers, according to government fi g- and fuelled sporadic outbursts of be gunboats, to prevent violence. elections. “One hundred and eighty two against foreigners who attacked an ures. xenophobic violence. SA carrier opens talks with striking unions

AFP labour dispute resolution body. business and return operations to Johannesburg “It is in the public interest that normal,” said Kemp. “We are explor- this dispute be resolved,” said an ing all possible avenues.” SAA human resources manager He added that it was a “critical outh African Airways yester- Martin Kemp in a statement yester- time” for the company. day started mediated talks with day, adding that the unions’ “will- SAA is one of the biggest airlines in Sunions, one day after its work- ingness to find a resolution” was Africa. ers launched an open-ended strike “laudable”. It employs more than 5,000 work- that forced the embattled airline to Unions fi rst threatened to strike ers, with a fl eet of more than 50 air- ground hundreds of fl ights. after SAA announced this week that craft providing dozens of domestic, More than 3,000 workers — in- almost 1,000 employees could lose regional and international fl ights cluding cabin crew, technical and their jobs as part of a restructuring each day. ground staff — started striking on process. But the carrier is deep in debt, de- Friday to demand higher pay and to Talks with management dead- spite several government bailouts, protest against restructuring plans locked after they failed to agree on and has not posted a profi t since 2011. involving heavy job losses. wage hikes, prompting unions to SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali told The walkout forced South Af- press on with their threats. AFP the airline was losing 52mn rand rica’s cash-strapped fl ag carrier to SAA is off ering a 5.9% pay rise, ($3.5mn) per day due to fl ight cancel- cancel more than 300 domestic and while unions are demanding an 8% lations. regional fl ights between Friday and across-the-board hike and a three- International flights are sched- tomorrow. year guarantee of job security. uled to resume today, said the air- South African Airways (SAA) said “Our eff orts are focused on fi nd- line, while regional and domestic unions had agreed to start talks yes- ing solutions that accommodate the flights remain cancelled until to- South African Airways workers hold placards during a strike over wages at SAA headquarters in Johannesburg. terday mediated by an independent employee demands, safeguard the morrow. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 13 AMERICAS

REPRIEVE HEALTH SLOWDOWN JUSTICE FIST FIGHT Court halts execution in American hospitals to be Canadian National Railway Ex-off icial pleads guilty in Judges suspended after high-profile Texas case forced to reveal rates prepares to cut more jobs college admissions scam public brawl in Indiana

A Texas appeals court has suspended the execution The Trump administration said on Friday it would The Canadian National Railway said on Friday The former president of a private tennis academy The Indiana Supreme Court has suspended three of convicted murderer Rodney Reed — who has begin forcing US hospitals to publish their prices it would cut management and union jobs, as in Texas pleaded guilty on Friday as part of county circuit court judges without pay for getting long claimed his innocence — in a case that has of care and the discounted deals they reach with the largest Canadian railroad operator grapples an agreement to cooperate in the ongoing into an early-morning fist fight outside a fast-food attracted widespread public attention and a insurers from 2021 in a bid to rein in healthcare with an economic slowdown. The company will investigation of the largest college admissions restaurant that ended with two of them getting celebrity-backed campaign. Reed, a 51-year-old costs. The Department of Health and Human lay off 1,600 employees in the United States and cheating and fraud scheme uncovered in US history. shot. The altercation involving Clark County Circuit African-American, was sentenced to death in 1998 Services (HHS) proposed a separate new rule that Canada, according to a report by the Globe and Federal prosecutors in Boston say that Martin Fox, Judges Andrew Adams and Bradley Jacobs and after being convicted by an all-white jury of the rape would force private insurance companies to give Mail. The announcement comes amid declining 62, helped pay bribes to coaches at two universities Crawford County Circuit Judge Sabrina Bell was and murder of Stacey Stites, a 19-year-old white patients cost estimates before they see a doctor or freight volumes as trade tensions have weighed who in exchange facilitated the recruitment of the “not merely embarrassing on a personal level,” the woman. His execution by lethal injection had been get treatment. The initiative is part of a wider eff ort on the North American economy. The number of children of wealthy parents as fake athletic recruits. Supreme Court said in a document released over set for November 20. The Texas Board of Pardons to ensure more transparency in the US healthcare people to be laid off could rise if demand from rail He pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering the weekend, “they discredited the entire Indiana and Paroles announced on Friday that it had “voted industry, which is notorious for being opaque when customers continues to decline, the newspaper conspiracy, prosecutors said. Fox is among 52 judiciary.” The fight took place in May, when the unanimously to recommend the governor grant it comes to costs. Currently, patients are often at said, citing a person familiar with the matter. A charged with participating in a scheme in which judges were attending a judicial conference in a 120-day reprieve.” The state appeals court then a loss when they seek guidance on how much a spokesman said the action includes sending some wealthy parents used bribery and fraud to secure Indianapolis. Jacobs and Bell were suspended halted the execution later in the evening. procedure will cost them. of its employees on temporary leave. the admission of their children to top schools. from their jobs without pay for 30 days.

Trump pardons WH budget offi cial testifi es in offi cers, restores SEAL’s rank in Trump impeachment probe war crimes cases Reuters Reuters istration abruptly removed her from would do “anything you ask him to,” Washington Washington her post earlier this year. according to Holmes. While Yovanovitch’s testimony The testimony by Holmes, an aide dominated headlines on Friday, a to top US diplomat in Ukraine Bill resident Donald Trump on Friday pardoned White House budget offi - closed-door deposition lawmakers Taylor, ties Trump more directly to two Army offi cers accused of war crimes in cial yesterday walked into held later in the day with David Hol- the pressure campaign in Ukraine to PAfghanistan and restored the rank of a Navy Aa closed session of the US mes, an US embassy offi cial in Kyiv, investigate the Bidens led Trump’s SEAL platoon commander who was demoted for House of Representatives impeach- could prove more consequential. personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. actions in Iraq, a move critics have said would un- ment inquiry of President Donald Holmes told lawmakers he over- Holmes’ statement appears to dermine military justice and send a message that Trump, where he testifi ed about the heard a phone call between Trump contradict Sondland’s previous battlefi eld atrocities will be tolerated. holdup of military aid to Ukraine. and Gordon Sondland, the US am- sworn testimony about his interac- The White House said in a statement Trump Mark Sandy, a career offi cial of the bassador to the European Union, in tions with Trump, in which he did granted full pardons to First Lieutenant Clint Lo- Offi ce of Management and Budget, which the president inquired about not mention the July 26 phone call rance and Major Mathew Golsteyn, and ordered is the fi rst person from OMB to tes- Ukraine’s willingness to carry out with the president. that the rank Edward Gallagher held before he was tify before the inquiry after three investigations of Biden and his son, Sondland, who has already revised convicted in a military trial this year be restored. political appointees defi ed congres- Hunter, who sat on the board of a his testimony once, is scheduled to “For more than two hundred years, presidents sional subpoenas to appear. Ukrainian energy company. testify publicly on November 20. have used their authority to off er second chances Sandy complied with a subpoena The phone call occurred one day Representative Eric Swalwell, a to deserving individuals, including those in uni- issued to compel his testimony, an after the now-infamous July 25 Democrat on the House Intelligence form who have served our country. These actions offi cial working on the impeach- Mark Sandy from the Off ice of Management and Budget, arrives for phone conversation between Trump Committee, told reporters yesterday are in keeping with this long history,” the state- ment inquiry said. a closed-door deposition as part of the House of Representatives and his Ukrainian counterpart at the that House leaders were consider- ment said. Trump’s pressure on Ukraine is at impeachment inquiry into President Trump. heart of the impeachment probe. ing bringing Holmes in for a public A Pentagon spokesperson said the Department the heart of the Democratic-led in- “So, he’s gonna do the investi- hearing. of Defense has confi dence in the military justice quiry into whether the Republican Twitter attack on a former US am- Trump blasted Marie Yovano- gation?” Trump asked Sondland, “In that (Holmes) statement that system. president misused US foreign policy bassador to Ukraine while she was vitch, a career diplomat, as she referring to Ukrainian president was released there was a lot to be con- “The president is part of the military justice to undermine former vice president testifying to an impeachment hear- explained on the second day of Volodmyr Zelenskiy, according to cerned about, particularly that more system as the Commander-in-Chief and has the Joe Biden, one of his potential oppo- ing in Congress, in an extraordi- televised impeachment hearings Holmes’ testimony. witnesses described the president’s authority to weigh in on matters of this nature,” nents in the 2020 election. nary moment that Democrats said how she had fought corruption in “He’s gonna do it,” replied Sond- obsession with investigating his po- the spokesperson said. On Friday, Trump launched a amounted to witness intimidation. Ukraine and how the Trump admin- land, adding the Ukrainian president litical opponents,” Swalwell said. In recent weeks, Pentagon offi cials had spoken with Trump about the cases, provided facts and emphasised the due process built into the military justice system. In 2013, prosecutors accused Lorance of il- legally ordering the fatal shootings of two men Twitter tightens bans on political ads and causes ahead of 2020 vote on motorcycles while on patrol in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. He was found guilty of two counts of murder. Reuters for the November 2020 presidential tions director for former vice presi- single out politicians they support “Universal healthcare is a cause, Last year, Golsteyn, an Army Green Beret, was Los Angeles election heat up amid growing pres- dent Joe Biden’s presidential cam- or target those they would like to see but is there a bill related to that? charged with murdering an Afghan man during a sure on social media companies to paign, said in a statement that he defeated in elections, or lobby for Are you talking about the bill or the 2010 deployment to Afghanistan. stop accepting ads that spread false appreciates Twitter will not allow political outcomes. cause? How is that determined?” Gallagher, a decorated SEAL team platoon witter Inc on Friday said its information and could sway elec- “disproven smears” to appear in Similarly, a group could run a gun Harvey said on Friday the new leader, was accused of committing various war political advertising ban will tions. ads, but said social media compa- violence awareness ad but could not policies were not expected to change crimes while deployed in Iraq in 2017. Tinclude references to politi- “We believe political message nies had more work to do to ensure call for a ban on assault weapons Twitter’s fourth-quarter revenue In July, a military jury acquitted him of mur- cal candidates or legislation, and it reach should be earned, not bought,” their sites are not rife with disinfor- used in mass shootings as a ban im- forecast. dering a captured Islamic State fi ghter by stab- will not allow ads that advocate for Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey mation. plies legislation, Twitter said. Political ad spend for the 2018 US bing the wounded prisoner in the neck, but it a certain outcome on social and po- said in announcing the ban. “We look forward to seeing how Ads intended to promote aware- midterm elections on Twitter was convicted him of illegally posing with the detain- litical causes. Rival Facebook Inc, saying it did the policy works in practice and in- ness about a cause would be allowed less than $3mn, the company re- ee’s corpse. The popular social media site, not want to stifl e political speech, tend to hold Twitter to its word,” he to target users at the state level or ported. That had led to his rank being reduced. which fi rst announced its political has refused calls from some politi- said. higher, but not by zip-code. Critics have said the ban would Golsteyn received word of his pardon from ads ban last month, had not previ- cians and others to follow Twitter’s Twitter will allow companies and And those advertisers will not be punish lesser-known candidates Trump, who spoke with him by telephone for sev- ously provided details on the new lead, and said it would not vet politi- advocacy groups to run ads that able to target people based on their taking on well-funded incumbents eral minutes, Golsteyn’s attorney Phillip Stack- policy. cal ads for misleading claims on its promote awareness and discussion political leanings, Twitter said. in local elections. house said in a statement. On Friday, it said it will defi ne po- site. about social causes, such as envi- Roy Temple, a partner at dig- If Facebook and Google — much “Our family is profoundly grateful for the pres- litical content as anything that ref- The ban is expected to take eff ect ronmental protection. ital media consultancy GPS Impact larger players in digital advertising ident’s action. We have lived in constant fear of erences “a candidate, political party, on November 22. But they will not be allowed to who has worked with political cam- — were to adopt similar policies it this runaway prosecution,” Golsteyn was quoted elected or appointed government Brad Parscale, campaign manager push for a political or legislative paigns, called the move “a gigan- would be “catastrophic” to down- saying in the statement. offi cial, election, referendum, ballot for US President Donald Trump’s change, especially if they are ad- tic cop-out” by Twitter’s CEO that ballot candidates who lack name The American Civil Liberties Union criticised measure, legislation, regulation, di- re-election bid, in a statement called vocating for something that ben- does not involve the loss of much recognition, said Eric Wilson, a po- the president’s action. rective, or judicial outcome.” the move, “yet another attempt to efi ts their business, Del Harvey, vice revenue, and he questioned the dif- litical strategist based in Washing- “With this utterly shameful use of presiden- Twitter said it will use a combina- silence conservatives, since Twit- president of trust and safety, said in fi culty of implementing the compli- ton, DC tial powers, Trump has sent a clear message of tion of automated technology and ter knows President Trump has the a conference call on Friday. cated policy. “If Facebook considers elimi- disrespect for law, morality, the military justice human teams to enforce the new ad most sophisticated online program Under the new policy for example, “I wouldn’t want to be the Twit- nating things like microtargeting, system, and those in the military who abide by the policies. ever known.” Sierra Club could still promote their ter employee who has to make these that’s when we would panic,” Wil- laws of war,” Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU’s The move comes as campaigns Bill Russo, deputy communica- causes, but they would not be able to calls and defend them,” Temple said. son said. National Security Project, said in a statement.

Suspected gunman in California high school shooting succumbs to self-infl icted gunshot

Reuters “We did not fi nd any manifes- Sheriff ’s offi ce said on Twitter, Los Angeles to, any diary that spelled it out,” out of respect for the victims and Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex their families. Villanueva said at a briefi ng. Two girls aged 14 and 15 were teenage boy who killed The gunman was publicly being treated at Providence Holy two classmates and identifi ed by law enforcement for Cross Medical Center in Mis- Awounded three others at the fi rst time on Friday as Nath- sion Hills, California, and were a southern California high school aniel Tennosuke Berhow. listed in good and fair condition, on his birthday before shooting Berhow initially survived his a hospital spokeswoman said on himself in the head died on Fri- self-infl icted gunshot wound but Friday. day of his wounds in hospital, the died at a local hospital on 3.32pm At the Henry Mayo Hospital in Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s of- on Friday, according to the sher- Santa Clarita, authorities said a fi ce said. iff ’s department. 14-year-old boy was treated and “Nathaniel Tennosuke Ber- Detectives worked through the released. how, 16, a Junior at Saugus High night to follow up on tips related Two other students who had School, was being treated for a to the shooting in Santa Clarita, been taken there died. self-infl icted gunshot wound to about 65km north of Los Angeles. Villanueva identifi ed one of the head, when he succumbed The incident, which was the students killed as Gracie to his injuries. His mother was caught on video, unfolded in 16 Anne Muehlberger, 15. present at the time of his pass- seconds, police said. He said the families of the ing,” the sheriff ’s offi ce said in a Arriving at school on his 16th other student killed and those written statement. birthday, Berhow pulled a.45 wounded did not authorise him The boy was carrying out a semi-automatic pistol from his to release their names. deliberate plan when he shot fi ve backpack in an outdoor court- The scene at Saugus High students at his California high yard, stood in one place and shot School was reminiscent of other school, then turned the gun on his victims in rapid succession mass shootings at US schools, himself, a local sheriff said on before turning the gun and fi ring including Marjory Stoneman Friday, but authorities said they the last bullet into his head. Douglas High School in Parkland, had no clues about what sparked Villanueva said authorities did Florida, where a former student the bloodshed. not know the origin of the gun with an assault rifl e killed 17 peo- Two of the other fi ve students used, or how the gunman got his ple on February 14, 2018. who were shot in the Thursday hands on it. It was the 85th incident of morning attack at the school All Hart District schools in gunfi re at a school this year, ac- in Santa Clarita died of their Santa Clarita were closed on cording to Everytown, a gun con- wounds. Friday, the Santa Clarita Valley trol advocacy group. Mourners visit a makeshift memorial in front of the school for victims of the shooting in Santa Clarita, California. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, November 17, 2019 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Bushfi res Chinese soldiers help rage across clean up HK streets Australia AFP rocks, tomorrow they will come Reuters in New South Wales,” NSW Ru- Hong Kong to take our lives,” said one Hong Melbourne ral Fire Service Inspector Ben Kong Facebook user under a Shepherd told Sky News. video showing the troops in Most national parks on the oldiers from the Chinese clean-up action. ozens of wild fi res mid-to-north coast of the People’s Liberation Army The city remains strewn with burned across broad state, including in the north- S(PLA) briefl y left their debris and barricades following Dswaths of Australia’s ern Blue Mountains will re- Hong Kong barracks yesterday a week-long campaign of road- east and west yesterday and main closed until further to help the clean-up after a week blocks, vandalism and protest fi refi ghters scrambled to shore notice as fi re danger remains of disruption caused by pro- that has shut down large chunks up defences ahead of hotter very high to severe, NSW Of- democracy protests, a rare and of the train and metro network weather and stronger winds fi ce of Environment and Her- highly symbolic troop move- and forced schools to shut and expected to bring more danger itage said on Twitter. ment unsolicited by the city’s universities to cancel classes. in the coming days. NSW Police said in a state- embattled government. Yesterday night, protesters Temperatures of above 40C ment that a 51-year-old man The action saw scores of sol- and police clashed again near (104F) have been forecast for has been charged after al- diers from the garrison, which is Hong Kong Polytechnic Uni- parts of Western Australia for legedly lighting a fi re which confi ned to the barracks under versity, where volleys of tears today before spreading east is now out of control in the Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, gas were fi red and petrol bombs next week and worsening con- state’s Northern Tablelands. with crewcuts and identical gym thrown. ditions in New South Wales Police alleged that “the kits conduct a lightning-quick The increasingly ugly scenes (NSW) and Queensland, two man lit the fi re as an attempt removal of bricks and debris this week prompted China’s states already stricken by dev- to back burn for the protec- near their base. President Xi Jinping to warn astating bushfi res. tion of a cannabis crop and Chinese state media has re- the “one country, two systems” Australia’s bushfi res are a perceived benefi t from re- peatedly warned that troops model governing Hong Kong common and deadly threat but covery work after the fi re could be deployed to quell an was being jeopardised by the the early outbreak this year in and made no attempt to con- unprecedented crisis in the protests. the southern spring has al- trol the blaze,” they said in a semi-autonomous city that has Semi-autonomous Hong ready claimed several lives statement. entered its sixth month. Kong enjoys more freedoms and destroyed more than 300 In New South Wales, four Confi rming the brief deploy- than the mainland, although Personnel from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) barracks in Hong Kong emerged on to the homes over the past week. people have died and 303 ment on Weibo, China’s Twit- many feel those liberties are be- city streets yesterday, to help the clean-up after a week of violence and disruption caused by pro- Severe fi re danger condi- homes have been destroyed ter-like social media platform, ing chipped away. democracy protesters. tions are expected to continue since November 9. the PLA said it acted to open Article 14 of the Basic Law - in NSW today where about 60 This year’s early bushfi re sea- a debris-strewn road outside Hong Kong’s mini-constitution dition to China but have billowed loon Tong PLA base, saying it felt mocracy activists during clean- bush and grass fi res are still son in the country is expected their Kowloon Tong barracks to since its handover from Britain into wider calls for democracy. “so good” to see them. ups across the city. burning, according to NSW to be long and brutal as a three- traffi c, winning “applause from to China in 1997 - allows the lo- Two people have died this “How did a Hong Kong that At the Hong Kong Polytechnic Rural Fire Service. year drought has left broad residents” in the process. cal government to request help month as the violence worsened, was doing just fi ne become like University in Kowloon, student Firefi ghters strengthened swathes of Australia’s east and The last time soldiers assisted from PLA garrisons in the city while the fi nancial hub has been this?” she added. protesters insisted they wanted to containment lines by back west more susceptible to fi re. in the city was in 2018 to clean- in the event of a public order pushed into a recession by the But pro-democracy protesters, maintain an occupation of the cam- burning around the Gospers In Queensland, there were up after a typhoon. breakdown. turmoil. who remained in the streets as night pus and keep control of one of the Mountain fi re, which is blazing several major fi res yester- A spokesman for Hong Kong’s Although it was not request- Meanwhile universities have fell, read the hour-long action from major tunnels to Hong Kong Island. across more than 112,000 acres day still of concern and gusty embattled government said the ed, the PLA’s cameo “sends a emerged as bases for a movement the barracks as a warning. “We are here for the long term,” (175 square miles) near Syd- winds are expected today, troop movement had not been subtle message that China is be- previously defi ned by its fl uid, “We don’t touch them (the PLA a 20-year-old student who iden- ney’s northwest outskirts, but worsening conditions after 16 requested by city authorities hind” the government, said po- unpredictable nature with stock- barracks) we don’t know what kind tifi ed himself only as E said. the fi re is yet to be contained. homes were destroyed in the but was instead a “voluntary litical analyst Dixon Sing. piles of weapons and supplies. of weapons they have and their Earlier yesterday morning Back burns are fi res deliberate- past week. community activity initiated by “It also gives a hint to the Hong Kong is a city divided mindset is also diff erent from Hong a group of around 500 people, ly lit to clear dry undergrowth. “Most of the state will ex- themselves.” protesters... that if things really and reactions to the movement Kong police,” said a 24-year-old mostly middle-aged and senior More homes are expected to perience high and very high Their appearance on Hong turn sour, China can still use the from inside the PLA garrison re- student protesters who identifi ed citizens, rallied outside the Hong be lost. conditions this weekend,” Kong’s streets raised tensions in PLA in a more naked manner,” he fl ected that schism. himself by the surname Leung. Kong government’s headquarters “Even if we bring in an extra Queensland Fire and Emer- a city rocked by a week of inten- added. A woman in her 50s who gave Arguments and scuffl es also to show support for the police, 1,000 fi refi ghters, we still don’t gency Services said on Twitter. sifi ed violence and chaos. The protests started against a her name only as Lee applauded broke out on Saturday between who have been heavily criticised have enough trucks and fi re- “Keep on keeping on - we’ll “Today they come to pick up now shelved bill to allow extra- the clean up eff ort near the Kow- pro-government and pro-de- over their handling of the crisis. fi ghters for every single home get through this together.” China bars Malaysia’s ruling party visit by Australian loses fourth by-election Reuters Its popularity plunged to 41% did not immediately respond to lawmakers Kuala Lumpur in July, well below the 64% rate a request for comments. recorded when it took over power Tanjung Piai is the second Reuters just over a year earlier, according seat that the ruling coalition Melbourne alaysia’s ruling coa- to a survey by independent poll- has lost since taking power, lition lost its fourth ster Merdeka Center. but the fi rst it has lost by such Melectoral contest yes- Discontent within the rul- a large margin. wo Australian lawmakers terday since coming to power ing coalition over Mahathir’s Besides uncertainty over the known for their outspoken last May, uncovering deepen- reticence on when he will hand succession plan, yesterday’s Tcriticism of the Chinese ing cracks in the young alli- over power to rival-turned-ally result refl ects the frustrations regime said they had been barred ance mired by uncertainty over Anwar Ibrahim surfaced even of Malaysians who continue from visiting the country next a succession plan for its top before the results were offi cial- to grapple with rising living month because of their “frank- leadership. ly announced. costs, an issue the coalition had ness about the Chinese Commu- The opposition secured a “This is a referendum on promised to address in its elec- nist Party”. majority of over 15,000 votes the PH led by Tun Dr M,” said tion campaign, said Adib Zal- The two conservative mem- to wrest the Tanjung Piai par- Syed Husin Ali, a former senior kapli, a Malaysia director with bers of parliament, Andrew liamentary seat, a rural con- leader with Anwar’s People’s Bower Group Asia. Hastie and James Paterson, were stituency in the southern state Justice Party, referring to Ma- “It’s a manifestation of vot- to take part in a study tour or- A man shows his inked finger outside a polling station after casting his ballot during the country’s of Johor, from Prime Minister hathir by his honorifi c. ers’ disappointment over un- ganised by China Matters, an presidential election in Colombo yesterday. Mahathir Mohamed’s ruling “The decision is clear. The fulfi lled election promises,” Australia-based think-tank, Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact. people are disappointed and Adib said. “Clearly the Tanjung which describes itself as working The coalition, led by the cen- want to teach PH and especial- Piai voters were not impressed to advance “sound” China policy. trist People’s Justice Party, had ly Tun Dr M. He should know with the PH government.” “We look forward to a time already been grappling with what should be done immedi- In a brief statement after the when the Chinese government Lankans vote in presidential plummeting public approval over ately. No more delays!” Syed results were announced, Anwar realises it has nothing to fear its management of the country in Husin said in a Twitter post. said the outcome was a shock from honest discussion and the the past year and a half. The prime minister’s offi ce for the coalition leadership. free exchange of ideas,” Hastie and Paterson said in a joint state- election marred by violence ment late on Friday. China Matters said in a sepa- Reuters standing in the poll, the third and the overall turnout is likely to rate statement the Chinese em- Colombo since the end of a decades-long be higher than any previous elec- bassy in Canberra had informed civil war in 2009. tion, the election offi ce said. Mekong countries, UN agree them that “at this time Mr The two main rivals are Counting of ballots will Hastie and Senator Paterson are oting has closed in Sri former defence secretary and carry on through the night and not welcome on a China Matters Lanka where elections SLPP candidate Gotabaya Ra- results are expected to be de- to jointly fi ght drug scourge study tour to Beijing.” Vwere held yesterday for japaksa, who oversaw the mili- clared by this evening, Desh- In August, China condemned a new president of the tour- tary defeat of Tamil separatists apriya told reporters. Reuters The traffi cking operations are vestigations and anti-traf- Hastie for his opinion piece in ism-dependent island nation 10 years ago, and government April’s attacks dented inves- Bangkok also being driven by increasingly fi cking operations together. Australian newspapers in which still struggling to recover from minister Sajith Premadasa of tor confi dence. Growth is at sophisticated criminal groups, “Before, co-operation at he warned about China’s infl u- the Easter Sunday militant at- the ruling UNP. Rajapaksa is its weakest pace in more than like the Sam Gor syndicate, that the operation level has been ence, comparing Beijing’s rise to tacks which killed more than the younger brother of former 15 years and Sri Lanka’s multi- ive Southeast Asian can funnel tonnes of drugs from pretty ad hoc but now we hope threat from Nazi Germany. 250 people. president Mahinda Rajapaksa. ethnic and multi-religious so- countries, China, and the Golden Triangle to countries it will be more organised, sys- Hastie is not a minister but is A convoy of buses carrying Security fears are high, with ciety is again under pressure. Fthe UN Offi ce on Drugs stretching from Japan to New tematic, and effi cient,” Doug- an infl uential member of Aus- Muslim voters was shot at just minority Tamils and Muslims Maithripala Sirisena, the out- and Crime (UNODC) have Zealand with the ability to adapt las said, adding that these tralia’s ruling Liberal-National before the polls opened in An- concerned the election could going president, is not among agreed to improve intelligence to law enforcement methods and cross border operations will coalition, and is the chair of par- uradhapura district in central see Gotabaya Rajapaksa take the candidates after deciding to sharing and law enforcement able to shift traffi cking routes to also be better monitored with liament’s intelligence and secu- Sri Lanka, police said. There power and return to the poli- stand down following criticism operations to fi ght drug traf- evade authorities. regular reports every year. rity committee, which is privy to were no injuries but witnesses cies of his brother, who could of his handling of the bombings. fi cking in the region by tran- “The challenge posed by “We have to be on top of the classifi ed information. said burning tires were used to become prime minister. Rajapaksa has vowed to snational crime groups. Sam Gor is massive ... they situation. That means good Australia’s overall relations block roads. Muslims, who make up nearly overhaul national security, Southeast Asia’s Golden Tri- traffi ck drugs out using mul- intelligence and good informa- with China, its most important Election Commission chief 10% of Sri Lanka’s 22mn popu- playing on the fears of the ma- angle - northern Myanmar and tiple borders at any one time. tion are necessary,” said Deputy trading partner, have deterio- Mahinda Deshapriya said vot- lation, say they have faced hos- jority Sinhalese Buddhists fol- parts of Thailand and Laos - has They are laundering money Commissioner of China’s Na- rated in recent years amid accu- ers from the minority commu- tility ever since the April suicide lowing the attacks. long been a hub of illicit drug through various businesses tional Narcotics Control Com- sations that China is meddling in nities were undeterred by the bomber attacks on three hotels Premadasa, whose father, production and traffi cking. across the Mekong,” said Jer- mission Andy Tsang Wai-hung. domestic aff airs. Canberra also attack and turned out in large and three churches. Ranasinghe, was assassinated While opium cultivation and emy Douglas, the UNODC’s The governments also fears China is seeking undue in- numbers at polling stations. That division has come on when he was president in 1993, heroin refi ning has fallen in the chief in Southeast Asia. agreed to work on improving fl uence in the Pacifi c region. According to the independ- top of long-standing griev- has sought to fi re up the coun- past decade, the area is now at Ministers from Cambodia, health services, preventive China Matters said the goal ent Centre for Monitoring ances of ethnic Tamils, who say tryside with promises of free the heart of the Asia-Pacifi c China, Laos, Myanmar, Thai- education and to intercept of the study tours organised for Election Violence, at least 196 they are yet to get justice for housing, school uniforms for methamphetamine trade, land and Vietnam agreed at and keep up with the chemi- Australian politicians and busi- violations were reported on human rights violations during students and sanitary pads for which the UNODC estimates the meeting in Bangkok yes- cals that are being used as ness executives is to “facilitate election day, including at least a 26-year civil war that ended women - touching on a topic to be worth as much as $61.4bn terday to regular intelligence precursors for the production informal discussion with citi- three assaults and 61 cases of in 2009. rarely discussed in public any- in 2018, up from an estimated sharing and conducting more of methamphetamine and zens of the People’s Republic of intimidation. More than 80% of eligible vot- where in south Asia but which $15bn just fi ve years earlier. integrated cross-border in- other synthetic drugs. China (PRC)”. There are 35 candidates ers turned up at polling stations has drawn women to his rallies. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 15 BRITAIN/EUROPE

Denmark to end consular aid to religious militants Denmark said yesterday that it planned to withhold consular assistance from Danish citizens who went abroad to fight for UK authorities look into Islamist groups such as the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria or Iraq. The announcement comes days after Turkey began sending back foreign religious extremists to their countries of origin, deporting Europeans including claims of electoral fraud those from France, Germany and Denmark. Guardian/DPA/AFP “The MPS special inquiry by the Conservative party in an Southampton FC, revealed his “We owe absolutely nothing to London team is responsible for investi- eff ort to persuade them to with- decision as nominations were foreign fighters who went to Syria gating all such criminal allega- draw their candidacies from the closing – meaning that it was and Iraq to fight for IS,” Foreign tions. Both allegations are cur- upcoming general election. too late for the party to put for- Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted. cotland Yard is assessing rently being assessed. “I believe these allegations ward an alternative. “This is why we are now taking two allegations of electoral “The MPS will not be provid- raise serious questions about Falconer’s letter to the po- measures against the access Sfraud after claims that the ing comment about individual the integrity of the upcoming lice includes a mention of Ann of foreign fighters to consular Tories off ered peerages to senior cases.” general election, and in particu- Widdecombe, the former Tory assistance by the foreign ministry Brexit party fi gures to persuade Farage has claimed that he had lar whether senior individuals MP now standing for the Brexit and Danish representations them to stand down in the gen- repeatedly been off ered a seat in at CCHQ [Conservative cam- Party in Plymouth Sutton and abroad,” he said. eral election. the House of Lords in an attempt paign headquarters] or No 10 Devonport. According to Danish news agency The Labour peer Lord Fal- to persuade him to “go quietly”. have breached two sections of Widdecombe said she was of- Ritzau, consular assistance coner has written to the Metro- He said that when that failed, the Representation of the People fered a role in the Brexit nego- usually consists of prison visits politan police commissioner and people working “deep inside No Act 1983.” tiations if she was prepared to and discussions with local director of public prosecutions 10” had tried to bypass him, go- He then cites the parts of the Farage: Knowing they couldn’t buy me off , there was a concerted stand aside. authorities about detention (DPP) calling for an investiga- ing directly to senior Brexit party act that refer to “bribery” and attempt from people who work deep inside [the prime minister’s Pressed on Widdecombe’s conditions. tion into what he said were “ex- fi gures and suggesting that eight “corruptly” inducing or procur- off ice]. claim, Gove said: “I haven’t spo- If parliament approves the ceptionally serious allegations”. of them could be made peers ing someone to withdraw as a ken to Ann and I don’t know an- measure, it would “apply to all He said that it should be in- if they could persuade him to candidate at an election. that the Metropolitan police also [Brexit Party] candidates and yone who has spoken to Ann for foreign fighters who travel to join vestigated as a matter of urgency withdraw more of his candi- Commenting on the letter examine these accusations.” off ering them jobs if they with- months now.” the Islamic State or other terrorist and must be looked at by police dates. on BBC Radio 4’s Today pro- The row came amid growing draw”. Commenting on whether he movements”, Kofod told Ritzau. in order to maintain public con- Prime Minister Boris Johnson gramme, Michael Gove said: pressure on Farage, in the run- “Knowing they couldn’t buy has asked anyone in the Con- “Denmark should not be forced fi dence in the integrity of the has acknowledged that there “I’ve got great respect for Char- up to the close of nominations me off , there was a concerted servative party if the claims are to help people who turned their election. may have been “conversations” lie Falconer but I think that this on Thursday, to stand down attempt from people who work true, Gove said: “I think the backs on us, represent a threat His letter to Cressida Dick between senior Tories and peo- sounds pretty nonsensical to Brexit party candidates in all deep inside [the prime minister’s prime minister has been very to Denmark’s security and fight and Max Hill QC refers to Nigel ple in the Brexit party, but fl atly me.” but a few dozen constituencies, offi ce],” Farage said in a video clear that we’re not engaging in against everything that we Farage’s claim that he and eight denied there had been any off ers Falconer said: “These are ex- to avoid splitting the pro-leave statement. pacts, negotiations – the deci- defend,” he said. other senior fi gures within the of peerages, saying that is “just ceptionally serious allegations vote. Suspicions that individual sion for the Brexit party to stand Brexit party were off ered peer- not the way we operate”. which the DPP must, in accord- The Brexit party leader had Brexit party candidates were down was, as I understand it, ages. In his letter, Falconer wrote: ance with his statutory duty, already said they would not con- coming under pressure to stand a unilateral decision that was German Islamic The Met said: “The MPS “I wish to raise with you as a fully investigate as a matter of test the 317 seats that the Con- aside were heightened after the taken because the leadership of [Metropolitan Police Service] matter of urgency a number of urgency. servatives won in the 2017 elec- prospective candidate for Dud- the Brexit party recognised that State suspect has received two allegations of recent reports in which senior “In addition, in order to main- tion. ley North announced that he if they stood in a range of seats placed in custody electoral fraud and malpractice fi gures in the Brexit party have tain public confi dence in the in- Farage said he did not blame would not be running. they would imperil the chance of in relation to the 2019 general alleged that some of their can- tegrity of our electoral processes Johnson personally but accused Rupert Lowe, a Brexit party a Conservative majority govern- A woman with German election. didates had been approached and this election, it is crucial a senior adviser of “calling our MEP and former chairman of ment.” nationality suspected of ties to the Islamic State (IS) group was formally placed in custody yesterday, a day after she landed in Frankfurt from Turkey. The woman, known only as NHS staff ‘working Nasim A, was expelled from Venice appeals for donations Turkey with another woman and was detained at Frankfurt airport 1mn hours a week on Friday, the federal prosecutor’s DPA However, state-run museums off ice said. Venice were to be closed again today. Yesterday, a federal court judge Water levels were around of unpaid overtime’ ordered her temporary detention 120cm above the normal sea upon the request of federal enice was bracing for its level early yesterday, according prosecutors. third severe fl ood in less to the city government. Party uses health service relevant degree courses by 9% The other woman was handed Vthan a week yesterday as At this level, St Mark’s data to show price of since then chancellor, over to the police in Lower the popular St Mark’s Square Square, where the Doge’s Palace widespread workforce George Osborne, scrapped Saxony, who later released her. began fi lling up with water once is located, remains submerged, shortages the bursary for nurses, mid- Turkey began deporting again. since it is Venice’s lowest point. wives and some other health foreign religious extremists Authorities in the Unesco- Dead rats were seen fl oating By Denis Campbell professionals in 2016. on Monday and has criticised protected lagoon city in north- in the water as residents worked Guardian News & Media NHS bosses privately regard Western countries for refusing to ern Italy have issued their high- to protect their properties. that as a serious mistake. repatriate their citizens who left est weather warning for today, Workers at the Acqua Alta Labour’s analysis highlights to join IS in Syria and Iraq. when waters are expected to bookshop, where books are al- ational Health Service the staff survey’s fi nding that The Federal Prosecutor accuses reach 160cm above the normal ready kept in bathtubs or a gon- (NHS) staff are working doctors and dentists work an Nasim A of having gone to Syria level by midday. dola to protect them from fre- Nover 1mn hours a week average of 3.6 hours a week un- in late 2014 to live on IS territory. The forecast means that vast quent fl ooding, expressed their of unpaid overtime to help the paid overtime. She married an IS fighter in early parts of the city are once again shock at the extent of the dam- health service deal with an un- Nurses do about three hours 2015 and later settled in Iraq. expected to be submerged. age this time around. precedented demand for care, and allied health professionals The couple later went back to Next week is also expected to “We had to throw hundreds according to research by the such as physiotherapists an av- Syria, where she was arrested in bring little respite, with more [of books] away,” employee Chi- Labour party. erage of 2.2 hours. early 2019 by Kurdish security bad weather forecast. ara told DPA by phone. “These Its estimate is based on an “With major staffi ng short- forces. Tuesday brought Venice’s are diffi cult days, but we keep analysis of data in the NHS ages across nursing and general worst fl ooding in over 50 years, going.” Staff Survey of the views and practice the NHS is ever more as water levels rose to 187cm. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, experiences of 497,000 health reliant on the commitment of UK Tories have Another wave of fl ooding the Vatican’s cultural represent- service personnel in England. staff to go the extra mile. That overwhelmed parts of the city ative, compared the destruction The most recent edition of commitment to patient care highest support on Friday. seen in Venice to the fi re that the survey, published in Febru- is a huge asset but it’s no sub- since 2017: poll Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said gutted Paris’ Notre-Dame ca- ary, found that many staff put stitute for having enough staff the damages caused would thedral in April. in extra hours for no extra pay, to meet demand,” said Anita British Prime Minister Boris amount to at least €1bn. That event prompted not only and that some do as much as 11 Charlesworth, director of re- Johnson’s Conservative Party He appealed to the interna- “technical discussions”, but also hours a week unpaid overtime. search and economics at the have the highest level of support tional community for donations brought many to tears “because Jonathan Ashworth, the Health Foundation think tank. since 2017, while the popularity to help the clean-up eff orts in a they saw a great symbol dying”, shadow health secretary, said “Ultimately, nursing short- of the main opposition Labour tweet posted in English and in- Ravasi was quoted by the Italian staff working beyond their ages are a policy choice not an Party has also been growing, a cluding the bank details for the news agency Ansa as saying. standard shift were paying the inevitability. We need to train poll published by the Sunday collection. “I would say that we have to price for the NHS’s widespread more staff and provide a better Telegraph newspaper showed. “#Venezia is a pride for all replicate this cultural sensitiv- workforce shortages. off er to the people currently in The opinion poll put support for of Italy, #Venezia is everyone’s ity,” he said. “The NHS is in crisis after the NHS so that fewer leave.” the Conservatives on 41%, up heritage, unique to the world. Much of northern Italy has Tourists are seen in Venice’s St Mark Square yesterday, three days nearly a decade of Tory cuts While the Conservatives 1%, while the Labour saw their Thanks to your help it can shine been contending with stormy after the city suff ered the highest tide in 50 years. and it’s a disgrace that its dedi- have pledged to boost the support rise to 33% from 30%. again,” he wrote. weather for several days now. cated staff , who always put NHS’s budget for its running The pro-European Union Liberal Schools – which are usu- Italy’s civil protection agency chaos to the Alpine province The Brenner railway con- their patients fi rst, are having costs by £20.5bn by 2023/24, Democrats were on 14% and the ally open in Italy on Saturdays issued its highest storm warn- of South Tyrol on Friday, with necting Austria and Italy was to pick up the pieces to fi ll the they have not said how they Brexit Party was on 5%. – remained shut, but the Doge’s ings for the greater Veneto re- several villages cut off and roads also closed for a spell after it gaps left by this crisis made in will tackle NHS understaffi ng. SavantaComRes surveyed 2,052 Palace landmark, famed for its gion, not including Venice, yes- blocked. was hit by a mudslide, with local Downing Street,” Ashworth An interim version of the British adults between November Venetian Gothic architecture, terday. Power cuts aff ected 11,000 of authorities warning of further said. long-awaited NHS People 13 and 14. reopened its doors yesterday. Snow had already brought people, local authorities said. mudslides and avalanches. The number of vacant posts Plan, unveiled in June, did in the NHS in England has ris- not include measures to boost en in recent years, leaving hos- numbers that would involve pitals, ambulance services and spending more money or alter- mental health services short of ing immigration rules. about 100,000 doctors, nurses However, Johnson last week ‘Black Pete’ protested as Dutch children hail St Nicholas and other staff . unveiled plans to make it easier “Boris Johnson’s Tories have for overseas doctors and nurses let the NHS, its staff and our to come to Britain and work in Reuters Campaigners against racism movement cancelled several country badly down by inten- the NHS. Amsterdam say exposure to such imagery is events throughout the country tionally slashing funding for Dave Prentis, Unison’s gen- hurtful to black people and dam- after the incident, but still held staff training and scrapping the eral secretary, said: “Chronic aging to children. protests in six cities, including nursing bursary,” Ashworth understaffi ng has left us with nti-racism campaign- But a shrinking majority of The Hague and Groningen, yes- added. a system propped up by the ers held protests in cities Dutch people say there is no rea- terday. Applications to study nurs- goodwill of devoted health Aacross the Netherlands son to change what they see as a The rally in The Hague at- ing have fallen by 30% and the workers. It’s no way to run a yesterday as Dutch children harmless tradition. tracted a few hundred protesters, number of students starting cherished national asset.” hailed the annual arrival of St A pageant in the city of Apel- holding “Black Pete is racism” Nicholas and a “blackface” char- doorn depicting the arrival of St signs and chanting “The Nether- acter who traditionally accom- Nicholas was broadcast on na- lands should be ashamed”. Germany’s Greens re-elect co-leaders panies him. tional television. In Dutch folklore, St Nicholas Parades in many cities were Edwin Wagensveld, leader travels once a year from Spain on The joint leaders of Germany’s Greens were both re-elected marked by a large police pres- of the Dutch wing of the anti- a steamboat laden with presents. yesterday with overwhelming majorities at a party conference in ence, after scuffl es between Muslim PEGIDA movement, was The appearance of his sidekick the western city of Bielefeld. groups who see “Black Pete” as arrested in Apeldoorn by police derives from a 19th century story Annalena Baerbock received 97.1% of the votes – a party record – racist and those who cherish the after refusing to go to an area by children’s author Jan Schenk- while her colleague Robert Habeck won 90.4% of the votes. character as a fun holiday tradi- designated for demonstrations. man that was illustrated with The Greens have been on the ascent in Germany amid rising tion led to arrests last year. He was dressed as Black Pete. People protest against the arrival of Saint Nicholas and ‘Zwarte Piet’ pictures of a dark-skinned Span- interest in environmental issues. Usually portrayed by white The United Nations has re- (Black Pete) in The Hague. ish Moor. Since Baerbock and Habeck took on the top jobs in the party in people in “blackface”, wearing peatedly called for any racist fea- A recent opinion poll showed early 2018, its performance in opinion polls has seen a boost of up frizzy wigs and prominent red tures to be eradicated from the Last week, police arrested four ered, smashing windows and 59% of all Dutch wanted to keep to 20 percentage points. lipstick, Black Pete has sparked pre-Christmas festivities but the people in The Hague after they throwing fi reworks in an appar- “Zwarte Piet” in “blackface”, The party made significant gains in a number of recent state intense discussion – and some- Dutch government has so far de- stormed a building where anti- ent attempt to intimidate them. while 26% said the tradition elections as well as in elections to the European Parliament in May. times clashes – in recent years. clined to take a stance. Black Pete activists were gath- The “Kick Out Black Pete” needed to be changed gradually. Membership has also risen sharply. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, November 17, 2019 EUROPE

Separatists take to Clashes on anniversary Barcelona’s main train of ‘yellow vest’ agitation station AFP Reuters Paris Barcelona

rench police fi red tear gas ozens of protesters and water cannon against crowded into Barcelona’s Fstone-throwing “yellow Dmain railway station yes- vest” protesters in Paris yes- terday in the latest show of dis- terday, on the fi rst anniversary sent to grip the city more than of the movement challenging a month after a Spanish court President Emmanuel Macron’s handed stiff prison sentences to policies. nine Catalan separatist leaders. There were clashes in other Protesters poured into Barce- French cities as activists rallied lona’s Sants station, some stag- to prove their movement is still a ing a sit-in while a handful scuf- force to be reckoned with, a year fl ed with police, heeding a call after the fi rst giant protest on by a separatist group known as November 17, 2018. CDR. Numbers attending the pro- The organisation had urged tests and levels of violence have people to show up at nine rail- sharply diminished in recent way stations across Barcelona months from the height of the in hopes of provoking what they movement, which began on the described as a “total blockage” back of frustration Macron was on social media. failing to address the needs of Police said the protest was ordinary French. limited to one station and pro- However, yesterday’s protests testers were removed after about – which demonstrators called Protesters overturn a car near Paris’s Place d’Italie during a ‘yellow vest’ demonstration marking the first an hour, joining a wider crowd “Act 53” of their weekly gather- anniversary of the movement. who had gathered outside the ings – marked the fi rst serious station, some waving separatist clashes for months in central not vanished from the scene. explicitly shunned any formal He has also tried to soften his fl ags. Paris between security forces “We’re here even if Macron leadership structure, acknowl- sometimes abrasive style. No arrests were made and and demonstrators. doesn’t like it,” demonstrators edge the declining numbers but Just weeks before the protests transit services were not dis- Tensions focused on the Place chanted as they arrived on the say the authorities’ response has erupted, Macron told a 25-year- rupted, authorities added. d’Italie square in southeast Par- outskirts of Paris yesterday, with not been suffi cient. old man looking for a job in Paris The regional capital Barcelona is. others singing “Happy Birth- “We shouldn’t still need to be that “if I crossed the street I’d has seen weeks of protests, at Police in full riot gear fl ooded day”. on the street one year on,” said fi nd you one”. times erupting in violence, since the area in tear gas and used wa- Police were deployed in Priscillia Ludosky, an entre- There were fewer reports of Spain’s Supreme Court sen- ter cannon after demonstrators numbers, especially along the preneur whose online petition violence and large-scale pro- tenced nine of the region’s lead- threw stones, set rubbish bins Champs-Elysees, which was against high fuel prices helped tests outside Paris but there ers to up to 13 years in prison over alight and overturned a car and again closed off to demonstra- kick off the movement, told the were clashes at Bordeaux and their role in a failed 2017 bid for set it ablaze, AFP correspond- tors following the ransacking Regards news site. Toulouse in the southwest, Catalan independence. ents said. of shops that followed a protest The “yellow vests” – named Nantes in the west and Lyon in On Wednesday Spanish po- A major shopping centre in the A riot police off icer stands near broken glass during a ‘yellow vest’ last March. for the glow-in-the-dark waist- the east. lice cleared out protesters who area closed after its doors dozens demonstration in Paris marking the first anniversary of the France has a long tradition of coats all French drivers must “If the movement disap- had trapped about 500 vehicles of protesters threw stones at the movement. violent protest, but the ferocity carry in their cars – posed the pears, I worry that society will while blocking a highway for windows of a neighbouring hotel of last winter’s demonstrations biggest challenge to Macron dehumanise and that would be more than 15 hours. complex. Earlier in the afternoon, Paris Paris from the east of France to and allegations of police brutal- since he came to power in 2017 the end of public services and A day earlier, French riot po- A number of demonstrators police chief Didier Lallement mark the fi rst anniversary, said ity shocked the country. on the back of promises of the reign of money the king,” lice used tear gas to force out and a freelance journalist were had banned the Place d’Italie he was disappointed at the vio- A poll by the Elabe institute sweeping change. said Vanessa, a protester 47, in protesters who spent more than injured during the clashes. demonstration, condemning the lence. published on Wednesday said Initially taken aback by the Nantes. 24 hours blocking the same Offi cers had arrested a total “damage and the systematic at- “We are going to look for a 55% of French people support or size and intensity of the move- The next major street chal- highway where it straddles of 129 people across the city by tacks against the security forces quieter place,” he said. have sympathy for the “yellow ment, Macron off ered billions of lenge to Macron, however, may France and Spain. 7pm (1800 GMT), Paris police and the fi re brigade”. The “yellow vests” want the vests”, although 63% said they euros in state aid and tax breaks not come from this weekend’s The push for secession in said. Police also fi red tear gas in the actions yesterday – their usual do not want the protests to begin – and scrapped a planned fuel protests but a strike called by the northeastern region, which The prosecutors’ offi ce said 78 Les Halles area, near the famed day of protest – and today, the in earnest again. tax hike – while embarking on a unions on December 5 to rally loomed large over last Sunday’s people were being held in cus- Pompidou Centre museum. anniversary day, to remind the The most prominent fi gures “Great National Debate” at town against his planned pension re- parliamentary election, was tody. Laurent, 50, who had come to French president that they have in the movement, which has halls nationwide. forms. back in focus this week after the deeply fragmented electoral re- sult handed separatist parties a chance to play a key role in un- blocking the political stalemate in Madrid.

Czechs rally Support for secession slips against PM, in Catalonia The number of Catalans who support regional independence fell to just under 42%, a poll showed on Friday, carried out president before Spain’s top court jailed nine separatist leaders. Conducted by the Catalan Reuters bis and President Milos Zeman regional government’s CEO Prague were unfi t for offi ce. survey institute, the figures Police estimated the crowd showed 41.9% were in favour of at 200,000 while organisers seceding from Spain, down from round a quarter of a pegged the turnout at 250,000. 44.0% in July. million Czechs rallied Babis and his populist ANO At the same time, the number of Aagainst the prime min- party remain by far the most those who want the northeastern ister and president yesterday popular but also the most di- region to remain part of Spain over concerns that the pair are visive political force due to the rose slightly to 48.8% from 48.3% chipping away at democracy in businessman’s background be- in the previous poll. the deeply divided nation cel- fore 1989 when he was a Com- The figures were based on the ebrating the 30th anniversary munist party member and had responses of 1,315 residents of the “Velvet Revolution”. contacts with the secret police. questioned between September Protesters from around Zeman, who has fostered 16 and October 7. the nation of 10.7mn fi lled warmer relations with Russia On October 14, the Supreme Prague’s Letna park, waving and China, described the pro- Court issued its explosive verdict, Czech and EU fl ags at the site tests as undemocratic because handing heavy jail terms to of the biggest rallies in Novem- they fail to respect a decision A man waves the Czech flag as demonstrators attend an anti-government rally in Prague yesterday, a day ahead of the 30th anniversary of the nine separatist leaders over an ber 1989 when communist rule to drop fraud charges against 1989 Velvet Revolution that led to the fall of Communism in former Czechoslovakia. abortive 2017 independence bid. in Czechoslovakia crumbled Babis and parliament’s rejec- peacefully weeks after the Ber- tion of demands for his own lin Wall fell. impeachment. Many in the crowd chanted “I would like to note that “we are here”, echoing the cry Andrej Babis had 1.5mn votes from 30 years ago during the in an election and I had 2.85mn Activists block Geneva airport’s private jet terminal protests that propelled Vaclav votes,” Zeman said in an inter- Havel into offi ce. view for news website Parla- Organisers want Prime Min- mentniListy.cz. “Against that, Reuters ly absurd,” the Facebook post added. ister Andrej Babis to sever ties the participation at Letna is a Geneva Extinction Rebellion was founded in to his Agrofert business that small fraction.” Britain last year, inspiring waves of dis- they say represents a confl ict A quarter of a million Czechs ruptive actions around the world to call of interest, or step down by the protested in June when a new limate change activists blocked for rapid cuts in carbon emissions and end of the year. justice minister was brought in Geneva airport’s private jet the repair of collapsing ecosystems. Babis – a billionaire busi- as Babis faced a criminal inves- Cterminal yesterday in protest “Our politicians are only taking small nessman – has said that he has tigation over subsidy fraud. against what they said is an absurd form measures, to satisfy citizens, while at resolved any issues by moving While state prosecutors of transport. the same time saying that we have to his assets to trust funds. dropped that probe, the Euro- Geneva is a hub for the private jets of make eff orts, that if everyone one makes “Some of our politicians do pean Commission is looking the rich and powerful who either live eff orts, we can fi ght against climate not understand why we are into Babis for potential con- nearby or travel to the lakeside city for change,” said a protester who gave his here. Others do not want to fl icts of interest related to farm its private banks, auction houses, hospi- name only as Nicolas, 27, a student. spoil the holidays,” said Ben- subsidies. tals and United Nations offi ces. “Making only people responsible can’t jamin Roll, vice-chairman of Both Zeman and Babis have Dozens of activists sat in front of the work when you have private jets compa- the Million Moments for De- kept a low profi le in the lead- small terminal building, linking arms in nies like this one, behind us, which keeps mocracy Association, which up to the 30-year anniversary peaceful protest. on emitting tonnes and tonnes of CO2 in organised the protest. “The of the “Velvet Revolution” to- Police cordoned off the area. the atmosphere,” he said. struggle for freedom and de- day, which will feature events “We have blocked the private jet ter- The company that operates the termi- mocracy never ends.” around the city and a reenact- minal to defend the principle of climate nal said yesterday’s protest had caused The speakers, including ment of the student protest in and social justice,” Extinction Rebel- few complications as traffi c was light former dissidents who spoke at 1989 that sparked the wider lion’s Geneva chapter said on Facebook. but it was not clear how much longer the the 1989 rallies, said that Ba- rallies. “This means of transport is complete- demonstration would last. Extinction Rebellion activists block the entrance to a terminal at the Geneva Airport. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 17 INDIA

Govt drops plan to let forest offi cials use force after protests

Reuters ers and earmark more land for giving more rights to indigenous think-tank Centre for Policy Re- lation and are among its most 150mn people to inhabit and live forest rights violations planned New Delhi reforestation, but land rights people and forest dwellers. search in New Delhi. impoverished. off about 40mn hectares of for- for today would go ahead, said groups said this would make for- “Therefore we are complete- “However, this comes just Millions of indigenous peo- est land. advocacy group Campaign for est dwellers vulnerable to evic- ly withdrawing the so-called before crucial state elections in ple are already at risk of be- But states have been slow to Survival and Dignity. ndia has dropped plans to tion. draft, so there should not be a eastern India. There is no guar- ing removed from forests after implement the law, and more “We welcome this withdrawal, give forest offi cials the right The amendments were pro- doubt in anybody’s mind that antee that several of these pro- their land claims were rejected than half the claims were reject- which has clearly been done to Ito use force against indig- posed in March, triggering pro- this government is taking away posals will not re-emerge in an- under the Forest Rights Act ed, often on fl imsy grounds, in- avoid the mass protests planned enous people and open up more tests in several parts of the coun- the rights of tribals,” he told other form at a later time,” she (FRA), a law enacted by the digenous activists have said. across the country, as well as land for commercial plantations try in the months following. reporters late on Friday in New told the Thomson Reuters Foun- previous government that is Earlier this year, the Supreme to avoid negative fallout in the after nationwide protests. Another protest is planned for Delhi. dation. being challenged in the Su- Court stayed its ruling that or- Jharkhand (state) elections,” the Proposed amendments to a today. The withdrawal was “ac- India’s 104mn tribal people - preme Court. dered the eviction of millions of group said in a statement. century-old Indian Forest Act Environment and Forests Min- knowledgment that there were also known as Adivasis, or “orig- The FRA, passed in 2006, forest dwellers whose land claims The next hearing in the case aimed to give offi cials the power ister Prakash Javadekar said the serious objections to the draft”, inal inhabitants” - make up less aimed to improve their lives by were rejected by states. against FRA is set for November to arrest and shoot at encroach- government was committed to said Kanchi Kohli, a researcher at than 10% of the country’s popu- recognising the right of at least A nationwide protest against 26. Shiv Sena MPs allotted seats with opposition in parliament

IANS forts underway to form a stable New Delhi government minus the BJP, the ruling party is raving and rant- ing against the second-largest he Shiv Sena has been al- party’s (Sena) possible alliance lotted seats with the op- with the NCP and Congress, the Tposition in the winter ses- third and fourth-largest parties sion of parliament, which begins respectively. tomorrow, sources said yester- “The BJP is now confi dently day, adding the new arrange- claiming that despite having only ment is a fallout of the party’s 105 MLAs, it will form the next decision to part ways with the government. It is also predicting ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in that even if any other govern- Maharashtra. ment comes to power, it would The Shiv Sena has 18 MPs in not last too long, or beyond six the Lok Sabha and three in the months,” the Sena said in an Rajya Sabha. editorial in the party newspaper The sources said Shiv Sena Saamana yesterday. MPs Sanjay Raut and Anil De- Ridiculing the BJP, the Sena sai will no longer occupy seats said that “the tall claim is com- A woman breathes in oxygen mixed with aromatherapy via a nasal cannula, at an oxygen bar in New Delhi. behind the treasury benches in ing from the very same party Rajya Sabha in accordance with which had gone to the governor standard parliamentary proce- and expressed inability to form dures. The sources added new the government”. seats have been allotted to them This is despite BJP president with opposition MPs. and Home Minister Amit Shah’s The Shiv Sena parted ways assertion two days ago that the with its long-time ally after the party can prove the support of 145 Maharashtra assembly elections MLAs and will form the govern- Oxygen bar sells clean after failing to arrive at a con- ment. However, the Maharashtra sensus over a power-sharing ar- BJP leaders seem to have discarded rangement for the post of chief the claim, the editorial said. minister. “Now, (former chief minister The two parties together got Devendra) Fadnavis is telling his 161 seats, 16 more than the re- legislators to remain ‘bindaas’ quired halfway mark of the state (carefree) as they would form the air to Delhi residents legislative assembly to form a government... Under the cover government. of president’s rule, attempts are DPA sential oils such as lavender if the therapy had a psychologi- a short while, even in high con- those countries do not have haz- The Shiv Sena has, meanwhile, being made at ‘horse-trading’,” New Delhi and lemongrass through tubes cal eff ect, but did make them centrations, has no benefi t, add- ardous pollution levels. teamed up with the Congress and it said. strapped to their noses, with feel refreshed. ing it has no scientifi c basis. Kumar brushes off the criti- the Nationalist Congress Party The Sena editorial came against a 15-minute session costing “There is a good fragrance Several Delhi residents, like cism, saying he is looking to (NCP) to draft a Common Mini- the backdrop of the BJP’s consist- t a time when air pollu- Rs299 ($4). in my nose and my body feels Kapil Gulliya, who works with a make profi ts and planning to mum Programme for a possible ent claims since the past 23 days tion in Delhi has been “There is a tremendous re- light,” businessman Aman Bat- fi nancial services fi rm, described open another oxygen bar at Del- coalition government in Mahar- that it will return to power with Ahitting dangerous levels, sponse to this fi rst-of-its-kind ra, who tried the therapy at the the oxygen bar a gimmick, mis- hi’s international airport to help ashtra which has been placed Fadnavis as the chief minister, an oxygen bar in the Indian capi- oxygen bar in Delhi,” said owner oxygen bar in a south Delhi mall, using the alarm over pollution for passengers deal with jet lag and under president’s rule. though the party has not said from tal is off ering customers a burst Ayavir Kumar, 26, who opened told the news website Scroll. commercial purposes. travel fatigue. The Shiv Sena has decided where it will get the numbers to of fragrant, purifi ed oxygen, for Oxy Pure in May, adding that the Other customers also told “What use is 15 minutes of Under normal circumstances, to skip a crucial meeting of the achieve the magic fi gure of 145 for a price. purifi ed oxygen can off er peo- other news outlets that the ther- oxygen when pollution is many the air humans breathe con- BJP-led National Democratic Al- a simple majority. Over the past fortnight, Delhi ple relief from toxic air, fatigue, apy energises the body, calms times the international safe lim- tains only about 20% oxygen. liance to be held today, and thus  Even as a joint delegation has seen a public health crisis, sleep disorders, hangovers and the nerves and helps with sleep. its here, equal to smoking 30 Extremely high levels of oxygen its parting of ways with the rul- of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress with authorities twice declar- even depression. Saloni, 29, came to the bar to cigarettes a day?” can be actually harmful, includ- ing coalition is almost certain. postponed their meeting with ing a pollution emergency and An oxygen bar had opened in give a dose of oxygen to her skin Besides rejuvenating Delhi ing causing lung damage. “No Shiv Sena representative Governor B S Koshyari yester- shutting schools while advising Delhi in 2015, but closed shortly cells before her cousin’s wed- residents overwhelmed by pol- Sessions at the Oxy Pure are will attend the NDA meeting. day, citing logistical reasons, the the elderly and infants to stay after. ding. lution, Kumar said the oxygen limited to only 15 minutes to This is nearly fi nalised,” party latter announced a fl ood relief indoors. “We get 30-40 people who “People may have diff erent bar was also aimed at athletes, minimise risk to customers. spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP package for the distressed farm- Yesterday, Delhi was shroud- come in to take in oxygenated air reasons...but yes, when pollution since oxygen therapy helps in “I would like to stress that Oxy Sanjay Raut told reporters in ers in Maharashtra. ed in a pale yellow haze as an everyday. We are also providing is literally choking us, 15 minutes muscle recovery. Pure does not cure any diseases. Mumbai yesterday. Shiv Sena legislative party offi cial air quality index ranged portable cans to customers who of oxygen is pure bliss,” she said. He says he got the idea when It is not for medical purposes. It Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said that between “very poor” to “severe” can carry it where they want,” he Many people were stupefi ed he fi rst saw an oxygen bar at a is for rejuvenation, like a spa, or cautioned its former ally against the leaders of all the parties as levels of up to 470 on a scale added. by the bar’s concept, taking to hotel in Los Angeles some three massage centre,” said Kumar. taking its defeat in Maharashtra well as legislators who are in reaching 500 at several moni- Some customers, who suff er social media, with one remark- years ago. “It is embarrassing,” said Ku- to heart, or it would lose mental diff erent parts of Maharashtra toring centres. the ill eff ects of pollution - itchy ing: “This city has offi cially gone Oxygen bars are not uncom- mar, adding: “Our governments balance and slide to ‘insanity’. could not reach Mumbai for vari- At Oxy Pure, customers can eyes, runny nose and throat in- mad.” mon in countries like Canada have not been able to ensure even The Sena said that with ef- ous reasons. inhale oxygen infused with es- fections - say they were unsure Doctors say taking oxygen for and France, but unlike Delhi, clean air for people to breathe.”

Trial run Parliament session to take up Kerala police refuse to let Citizenship, 34 other bills women pray at temple IANS everything was in place and that IANS Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Par- duced afresh in the winter ses- Sabarimala he would be meeting the state New Delhi si, and Christian illegal migrants sion. It will have to be passed by advocate general to understand from Afghanistan, Bangladesh both houses in order to become the Supreme Court verdict. and Pakistan, eligible for citizen- a law. olice did not allow three “Today, we will be monitoring he nearly month-long ship of India. There has been strong oppo- women from Andhra the entire arrangement... de- winter session of parlia- The bill is a key BJP plank sition to the bill in Assam and PPradesh to pray at the pending on the situation, things Tment beginning tomorrow which is aimed at granting na- other northeastern states. famed Sabarimala temple in Ker- will be reviewed,” Behra said. will see over 35 legislations taken tionality to non-Muslim immi- The Personal Data Protec- ala yesterday. The two-month-long Sabar- up, including the controversial grants from neighbouring coun- tion Bill deals with handling and Though the temple tradi- imala temple festival offi cially Citizenship Bill, which amends tries. processing of consumer data by tion disallows women in the age opens at 5am today. the defi nition of illegal migrant, Under The Citizenship Act, corporate entities, while intro- group of 10-50 years from enter- The three women who were and the Personal Data Protection one of the requirements for citi- ducing restrictions and penal- ing the temple precinct, the Su- barred entry came from Vijaya- Bill. zenship was that the applicant ties. preme Court on Thursday made wada in Andhra Pradesh. They The session, which will end on must have resided in India in the The proposals are based on it clear that it had not stayed it were part of a group of pilgrims December 13, will see a total of 20 last 12 months, as well as for 11 of a report submitted by Justice B September 28, 2018 verdict al- who were stopped at the Pamba sittings. the previous 14 years. N Srikrishna in July 2018. The lowing women of all ages to enter base camp. Currently, there are 43 bills Now the amendment relaxes draft bill has gone through two the shrine. After checking their IDs the pending in parliament. Of these, the second requirement - from 11 updates based on inputs received The Kerala government has three women were separated 12 are listed for consideration years to six. from industry. also has said it will not make any from the group. and passing and seven are listed The BJP-led government had The Transgender Persons eff ort to let women pray inside The police later said they for withdrawal. Twenty-seven introduced the bill in its previ- (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, Security personnel stand guard at a railway station, as a the temple. briefed the women about the bills are listed for introduction, ous tenure but could not push it introduced in the Lok Sabha on train is being run for a trial between Srinagar and Banihal Last year, the police provided temple tradition, and that they consideration, and passing. through due to protests by oppo- July 19 this year by Minister for in south of Kashmir Valley in Srinagar yesterday. Train security to women who faced agreed to stay back. The others The government is likely to sition parties. The bill had lapsed Social Justice and Empower- services in Kashmir where suspended on August 5 when stiff resistance from right-wing were allowed to proceed. push for passage of the Citizen- following the dissolution of the ment Thaawarchand Gehlot, was the government stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special and who chased them away. The temple that resembled a ship Bill that seeks to amend the last Lok Sabha. passed by the Lok Sabha on Au- status and split the region in to two federal territories. Police chief Loknath Behra fortress a year ago wore a peace- Citizenship Act, 1955 to make The bill is likely to be intro- gust 5. told reporters yesterday that ful look yesterday. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, November 17, 2019 INDIA

MYSTERY CONTROVERSY ERROR COMPLAINT ACCIDENT New Zealand woman Adityanath censures minister Odisha govt withdraws Vivekananda statue on Navy’s trainer aircraft found dead in Delhi over threatening call to cop controversial brochure JNU campus vandalised crashes in Goa, pilots safe

A New Zealand woman who came to marry Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath The Odisha yesterday withdrew a controversial Delhi police yesterday received a complaint against An Indian Navy MiG 29k twin-seater trainer her boyfriend in New Delhi according to Indian yesterday admonished a minister for allegedly booklet that said Mahatma Gandhi died due to Jawaharlal Nehru University students for allegedly aircraft crashed a short distance from the customs has died in mysterious circumstances, lashing out at a police off icer for registering accidental reasons. School and Mass Education vandalising and defacing Swami Vivekananda’s Dabolim international airport yesterday after police said yesterday. Tuiali Polly Anne, 49, a case against the Ansal group. Adityanath Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the error was statue on the campus on November 14. The its engine caught fire following a bird-hit, arrived in the national capital on Friday night summoned Swati Singh after an audio clip of unintentional. “The government has already statue was planned for unveiling in January next officials said. Pilots M Sheokhand and Deepak along with her Australian-origin boyfriend, who the minister’s conversation with the police withdrawn the booklet. A new booklet with year. The complaint was filed by Buddha Singh, Yadav ejected safely, they said, adding the has been detained for questioning. Sources said off icer went viral on social media on Friday. In the correct information will be printed and the chairperson of Swami Vivekananda Statue navy has ordered an inquiry. “At about 11.45 the couple checked into a hotel on Friday night the audio clip, Singh was heard yelling at the circulated within a month,” Dash said in the Installation Committee of JNU. The statue installed this morning, a MiG twin-seater aircraft on a adding they wanted to get married according police off icer. “Fake cases are being registered. state assembly. The booklet triggered a row in on January 5 this year has not been unveiled and routine training sortie encountered a flock to Indian customs and rituals in India. Yesterday High command has clear directions that no the state. Congress leader Narasingh Mishra is covered with a cloth. Singh alleged the base of of birds after takeoff from INS Hansa air base morning, the woman’s health suddenly case will be registered against Ansal. It’s a high- on Friday demanded an apology from Chief the statue has been vandalised with objectionable at Dabolim, Goa. The pilot observed the left deteriorated following which she was rushed profile matter. The investigation is underway. Minister Naveen Patnaik holding him responsible message and cloth covering it has been partially engine had flamed out and the right engine to hospital. Doctors declared her dead and the The CM is aware of the case,” the minister can for the blunder. The booklet published on the torn. He said the incident took place between 4am had caught fire,” the navy said in a statement. body was sent for postmortem. The sources said be heard telling the police off icer. “The report occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of and 6am on November 14. He said the objectionable The accident occurred around noon, shortly the woman suff ered a cardiac arrest. Police have has been registered following an investigation,” Gandhi said he “died due to accidental reasons messages had political remarks. “These messages after takeoff from the Dabolim airport. “There informed the New Zealand embassy about the the police off icer replies. “It’s false. Close the in a sudden sequence of events on January 30, are particularly directed towards a political party is no loss of life or damage to property on woman’s death. case,” the minister says. 1948 at Delhi’s Birla House”. and are obscene in nature,” he said in the complaint. ground,” the statement added.

Opposition demands Congress to resignation of Goa CM hold ‘save IANS Panaji

he opposition Congress party yesterday ques- Ttioned Goa Chief Minis- India’ rally on ter Pramod Sawant’s purchase of large tracts land in Mahar- ashtra’s border district of Sind- hudurg just ahead of the recent Maharashtra state assembly elections. Sawant and his wife cam- November 30 paigned extensively in Sindhu- durg during the elections. IANS Earlier, the Congress slammed India tax fi les saying the matter But the chief minister has New Delhi the Bharatiya Janata Party over was sub-judice and said truth claimed that the land deals were a minister’s statement rejecting will prevail as the company is a above board and that he had the opposition’s charge of eco- not-for-profi t organisation. nothing to hide. he Congress yesterday nomic slowdown and said the “What is sub-judice need not Addressing a press conference accused Prime Minister ruling party was insulting the be commented upon,” Surjewala in Panaji yesterday, Congress TNarendra Modi’s govern- people without knowing the re- said. spokesman Pawan Khera de- ment of leading the country to- ality of the country. “But I can assure you that manded the chief minister’s res- wards starvation, and said the The Congress’ remarks came a the majesty of law will prevail ignation over the land deals and main opposition party it will day after minister Suresh Angadi and the truth will come out in allegedly instigating a campaign hold a mega rally in the national dismissed the opposition’s criti- the open as Young India is a in Sindhudurg’s Dodamarg sub- capital on November 30 against cism over the state of economy, not-for-profit company and district - from where the land the anti-people policies of the asserting that “airports and neither (Narendra) Modiji and was bought - for merger into Goa. administration. trains are full and people are get- nor his cronies can change this “What is it about Dodamarg in Speaking to reporters after ting married” and this indicates inalienable truth,” Surjewala Maharashtra that the chief min- a meeting of the party leaders, that the country’s economy is said. ister of Goa, who belongs to the Congress general secretary K C “doing fi ne”. Surjewala was responding to BJP, goes to campaign against Venugopal said: “We have de- Congress spokesman Ran- a question after an Income Tax the joint candidate of the BJP cided to hold a mega rally against deep Singh Surjewala said: “BJP tribunal rejected former Con- and Shiv Sena in the Sawantwadi the anti-people policies of the ministers have lost their mind gress president Rahul Gandhi’s assembly segment? A group government to highlight the and they are insulting the peo- application to make Young India created by Sawant talks about people-oriented issues against ple.” a charitable trust. merger of the sub-district with the central government.” He The Congress leader that on On Friday, the Income Tax Goa. We demand to know if this said the party will hold a “Bharat one hand, the demand for bread Appellate Tribunal said Young talk of merger is inspired by the Bachao” (save India) rally on and other essential commodities India was a commercial organi- investments made by Sawant in November 30 at Delhi’s Ramlila have fallen and people do not sation. With the rejection, the the sub-district,” Khera said. Maidan as the people were suf- have money to eat. “And on the income tax case of Rs100 crore Quoting from sale documents, fering. other hand, the arrogant minis- against Gandhi will open again. Khera said that some land trans- According to party leaders, ters of BJP are insulting people Last year, the Gandhi, his actions were executed on October the rally will be addressed by the by saying that the marriages are mother Sonia and senior Con- 24, soon after the Maharashtra party’s interim chief Sonia Gan- going on. Do they want to stop gress leader Oscar Fernandes polls. During the poll campaign, dhi, former party president Ra- marriages?” fi led a petition in the Supreme Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thack- hul Gandhi and general secretary Slamming the BJP, the Con- Court challenging a decision of eray had chided Sawant for can- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. gress leader said: “Is this the ar- the Delhi High Court which had vassing for independent candi- Slamming the government on rogance of BJP that is speaking? rejected their application for the date Rajen Teli against the the the issues of economic slow- ...and they are unable to see the reassessment of their income tax Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party down, agrarian distress and un- miseries of the people and they for 2011-12 in connection with alliance’s nominee. employment, Venugopal said: are unable to see the reality at the National Herald case. The Congress also raised ques- “We also discussed the leakage grass root level.” The top court had then al- tions about the inconsistency in of NSSO (National Sample Sur- Surjewala said the rural econ- lowed them to approach the tri- prices of land parcels which were vey Offi ce) report and food items omy has fallen by 9% and even bunal for a swift hearing of the purchased by Sawant. and everything, it is very shock- in urban areas, the demands of appeal. “What kind of a transaction ing. There is a perception in the cereals and pulses have fallen by The I-T department began an is this where he allegedly buys country that this government is 15% and edible oil by 10%. inquiry after a complaint was 2,966 acres of land in 2016 for leading to a starvation like situa- He said even the latest data on fi led by senior BJP leader and a meagre Rs38 lakhs but in the tion due to its bad policies.” import and export shows a sharp Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian same area, he spends Rs14 lakhs Venugopal said that during the drop. Swamy before a trial court in for 4.39 acres in 2019,” Khera meeting, the party leaders dis- “The BJP should look at the connection with the National asked. Congress workers stage a demonstration against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kolkata yesterday. The cussed the economic slowdown, mirror of reality,” he added. Herald case. Currently, the Gan- But the chief minister has main opposition party said yesterday it would hold a mega rally against the anti-people policies of the farmers stress and huge unem- Meanwhile, the Congress re- dhis and Fernandes are out on maintained had nothing to hide. BJP government in New Delhi on November 30. ployment. fused to comment on the Young bail.

All papers given to police, says father Nirbhaya’s parents want case of IIT student The father of an Indian Institute of Technology transferred to another judge Madras (IIT-M) student ,who committed suicide on November 9, said yes- IANS “We knocked the doors of In December last year, the terday he had submitted New Delhi the court as justice in the mat- parents of Nirbhaya approached all documents in his pos- ter is getting delayed due to the the court to fast-track the pro- session to the Tamil Nadu unavailability of the judge,” cedure to hang all four convicts. police. Fathima Latheef, Delhi court has admitted Kushwaha said. The 23-year-old was bru- 19, a first year MA Humani- an appeal by the parents She said all legal remedies tally gang-raped on December ties and Development Aof a gang-rape victim of the convicts have been ex- 16, 2012 inside a moving bus in Studies student hanged seeking transfer of the case to hausted. “Yet the case cannot South Delhi by six people. The herself from a ceiling fan another judge to fast-track ex- proceed due to unavailability of victim, who was severely as- in her hostel room, alleg- ecution of the four convicts. the judge. We have approached saulted, was thrown out on the edly for religious bias. The parents of Nirbhaya who the court seeking its direction road along with her male friend. She was a class topper at was gang-raped in 2012, on to the jail authorities to expedite She died after a fortnight. IIT-M. Her father Abdul Thursday approached the Pa- the execution process of the rape The sheer brutality of the Latheef said no student tiala House Court to expedite the convicts,” she added. gang-rape shocked the nation should suffer the fate of procedure for hanging the four On October 31, the Tihar Jail and led to tightening of rape laws. his daughter. He said his rapists, as the two judges hearing administration issued a notice Of the six convicts, one com- daughter wanted to study the case earlier were transferred. to the convicts stating the death mitted suicide by hanging himself in IIT-M and he was also The appeal fi led by lawyer See- penalty would be executed in in prison, while another, a juve- comfortable in sending ma Samriddhi Kushwaha was ad- seven days if they did not chal- nile, served the maximum pun- her to Chennai. mitted by District Judge Yashwant lenge the verdict through a mer- ishment of three years in a reform The police questioned Singh, who has slotted the matter cy plea. home and was set free in 2015. Abdul Latheef yesterday for hearing on November 25. Under the law, the convicts The other four rapists were morning. While no suicide The two judges hearing the can plead for mercy from the convicted and handed the death note was found in Fathima’s case earlier were transferred, president and seek commutation sentence by a trial court in 2013, room, a note on her mobile following which the matter of of death sentence to life impris- which was confi rmed by the phone mentioned some the execution was adjourned, onment. If the president allows Delhi High Court in March 2014. A file picture of Nirbhaya’s parents Asha Devi and Badri Singh attending a prayer meeting organised to faculty names as the cause and hence justice in the case was the mercy petition, then the The Supreme Court upheld the mark the sixth anniversary of the rape case in New Delhi on December 16, 2018. The parents have sought of her death. getting delayed, the parents said. convicts may escape the gallows. high court’s verdict in 2017. early execution of the convicts. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 19 LATIN AMERICA

Parents of missing Bolivia’s Anez threatens migrants begin Mexico Morales with charges crossing AFP Foreign Minister Karen Longaric AFP La Paz announced on Friday that Venezue- Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico lan diplomats would be sent home for “violating diplomatic norms.” olivia’s interim leader Jeanine “All the diplomatic personnel rep- caravan made up of 50 par- Anez said on Friday that exiled resenting Maduro at Venezuela’s ents of disappeared Central Bex-president Evo Morales would embassy in Bolivia will be allowed to A American migrants depart- have to “answer to justice” if he re- leave the country for having inter- ed on Friday from Mexico’s south- turns, as fi ve of his supporters were fered in internal state affairs,” said ern border for a cross-country killed in fi erce clashes with security Longaric. journey in search of their missing forces. Bolivia also fi red all its ambassadors relatives. Morales resigned and fl ed to Mexico except those to Peru and the Vatican. This is the fi fteenth time the Mes- after losing the support of Bolivia’s se- It is part of a concerted eff ort to re- oamerican Migration Movement curity forces following weeks of pro- verse the last 13 years of foreign policy (MMM), a non-government organi- tests over his disputed re-election that under former union leader Morales. sation, has set up a caravan to travel has seen 15 people killed and more than The government withdrew from two across Mexico in search of migrants 400 wounded. regional blocs — ALBA and UNASUR — who entered the country and went “He knows he has to answer to justice. made up of left-wing allies. missing. There is electoral crime. There are many Christopher Sabatini, senior fellow Composed of 45 women and fi ve allegations of corruption in his govern- for Latin America at Chatham House, men, the caravan entered Mexico’s ment,” Anez told journalists in La Paz. said Anez had her priorities wrong. southern Chiapas state through The former president has said he was “Now is not the moment to weigh Guatemala and will travel some willing to return to bring peace to Bo- into the larger ideological battles in the 5,000km to cities that undocument- livia. region but to try to repair Bolivia’s torn ed Central Americans are known to Five Morales supporters died on political and social consensus,” said pass through on their way to the Friday outside Cochabamba in central Sabatini, also a lecturer in the School United States. Bolivia, a political stronghold for the of International and Public Aff airs at “The missing migrants in Mexico ex-president, as thousands of coca Columbia University. are many. There are estimates of growers tried to reach the city to join a “Regional polarization played out on between 70,000 and 120,000 miss- protest against Anez. a national stage will only infl ame divi- ing. Many are in mass graves, oth- But they were blocked by police, who sions and make it more diffi cult to fi nd ers in clandestine graves, others stopped them from crossing a bridge. a consensus exit to the polarised divi- in morgues,” MMM leader Martha An AFP correspondent saw the bod- sions in the country.” Sanchez told AFP. ies at a hospital, though authorities did In addition to the violence out- A Bolivian indigenous woman, a supporter of Bolivian ex-president Evo Morales, gestures in front of soldiers during a “Others are hiding somewhere in not report any deaths in the clashes, side Cochabamba, there were smaller protest against the interim government in La Paz on Friday. Mexico, living more or less normal only that 100 people were detained. clashes between Morales supporters lives, working, but they have not Media reports said eight were and security forces in La Paz on Friday, UN rights chief warns Bolivia crisis could ‘spin out of control’ been able to communicate with their wounded. with protesters breaking down street families.” “This is a real massacre, it is a geno- barricades and fending off volleys of The UN rights chief yesterday voiced violence, it is likely to make it much to the deaths and hundreds of injuries The caravan will travel north cide, I deplore all these deaths,” Evo tear gas. alarm at the deadly crisis in Bolivia, warn- worse,” she said. suff ered in recent weeks, “the situation through 13 states along the so- Morales told CNN from Mexico. A group of mostly indigenous pro- ing that excessive force by police was “I am really concerned that the is being inflamed by widespread arrests called Gulf of Mexico route un- The protesters carried “weapons, testers had marched from El Alto to the “an extremely dangerous development” situation in Bolivia could spin out of and detentions.” til it reaches the northern city of guns, Molotov cocktails, homemade seat of government in La Paz, which and could see the situation could spin control if the authorities do not handle it She said that more than 600 people Monterrey, searching for missing bazookas and explosive devices,” was protected by a police barricade. out of control. sensitively and in accordance with inter- had been detained since October 21, persons and sensitising residents Cochabamba police commander Colo- Anez has come under fi re for alleg- Michelle Bachelet’s comments came national norms and standards governing “many of them during the past few and authorities about the drama nel Jamie Zurita said. edly attacking the indigenous com- after she received reports that at least the use of force, and with full respect for days”. The UN rights chief urged Bolivian of those who traverse Mexico in “They used dynamite and deadly munity in tweets that have since been 17 people — two more than the toll human rights.” authorities to make data available on the search of better lives in the United weapons like the Mauser 765 (rifl e). deleted. reported by the media — had been killed The UN High Commissioner for number of people arrested, injured and States. Neither the armed forces nor the police While the worst of those was found in connection with the protests that have Human Rights issued her statement killed during the protests. The journey will conclude on are equipped with such a calibre, I am by AFP’s fact-checking service to be rocked Bolivia in recent weeks, including after five supporters of Morales were She called for “prompt, impartial, trans- December 3, and four meetings be- worried,” he said. a fake, in another Anez refers to Mo- 14 in the six days since the now exiled killed Friday in violent clashes between parent and (thorough) investigations into tween mothers and children are The crowd was dispersed after dark rales’s Aymara community as “Sa- ex-president Evo Morales resigned on protesters and security forces outside them to ensure full accountability,” and planned, including one in Monter- by riot police, with the support of the tanists.” Questioned about these November 10. Cochabamba. also urged Bogota to refrain from using rey. army and a helicopter. messages, Anez accused the Morales “While the earlier deaths were mostly She stressed that Bolivia was “split the army during protests. “This situation “They are people that we lo- Despite its interim nature, the new administration of using “digital war- the result of violent confrontations and people on both sides of the political is not going to be resolved by force and cated in the course of the year, government has proved ruthless to- riors” to falsify Twitter accounts. between rival protesters, the most divide are extremely angry.” repression,” she insisted. and we invite their mothers to wards Morales’s left-wing allies. Anez, 52, was deputy senate speaker recent ones appear to be the result of “In a situation like this, repressive ac- “All sectors have the right to make come so that they can meet again, Since proclaiming herself acting before taking over the top job to avoid unnecessary or disproportionate use of tions by the authorities will simply stoke their voice heard — this is the basis for because otherwise they could president on Tuesday, Anez’s adminis- a power vacuum — a move endorsed by force by the police and army,” she said in that anger even further and are likely democracy,” she said, urging “all actors, not see each other,” Sanchez ex- tration has set about breaking ties with the Constitutional Court. a statement. to jeopardise any possible avenue for including protesters, to renounce vio- plained. socialist Cuba and Nicolas Maduro’s Those further up the political hier- “This is an extremely dangerous dialogue,” she said. lence in order to pave the way towards a Since the caravans started 15 years Venezuela. archy had resigned along with Morales, development as, far from quelling the Bachelet also warned that in addition peaceful solution to the current crisis.” ago, the movement has located 310 Anez’s fi rst foreign policy decision leaving her as the highest ranking offi - migrants, she said. was to recognise Venezuela’s opposi- cial in the country. The search eff ort involves visiting tion leader Juan Guaido as the coun- Protests have fl ared across Bolivia nearest rival, centrist Carlos Mesa, by recommended new elections after it area they reviewed — technology, the prisons and shelters in addition to try’s president, joining a group of since Morales was declared the winner just enough to avoid a second round. found “irregularities that range from chain of custody of ballots, integrity of displaying photographs of missing around 50 countries. of the October 20 election, beating his The Organization of American States serious to indicative” in virtually every the count and statistical projections. undocumented migrants in public places in hopes of fi nding clues to their whereabouts. Migrants often lose touch with their families because they fear Cuba cries foul as ejected doctors head home from Bolivia being persecuted by authorities, or lack resources to communi- By Marc Frank, Reuters On Friday, the foreign ministry said Alto, and the central city of Cochabamba, Cuban cooperators,” President Miguel respected health service and generates cate. Havana it was terminating its medical mis- where at least fi ve protesters were killed on Diaz-Canel tweeted on Friday. export earnings by sending more than The migration of Central Amer- sion as offi cials were fostering violence Friday and hundreds reportedly detained. Bolivia’s interim Foreign Minister 30,000 health workers to more than icans across Mexico to the US against the doctors by claiming they The four doctors still in custody were Karen Longaric said on Friday upon 60 countries. The United States has has ebbed and flowed, but wors- he fi rst of around 700 Cuban were instigating rebellion. picked up on Wednesday after with- announcing Cuba would fl y home its accused Cuba of mistreating its doc- ened over the last year with the doctors are scheduled to fl y The Communist-run island nation drawing a signifi cant amount of cash doctors that “there have been a number tors and pressuring them to take part in emergence of large northbound Thome from strife-torn Bolivia was a key ally of former leftist presi- from the bank, which the government of accusations that Cuban citizens political activities. It has asked govern- migrant caravans, which have over the weekend as offi cials railed dent Evo Morales, who resigned under charged was to fi nance protests. The have been involved in these aggressive ments to stop contracting them. strained relations between the against what they charged was slander pressure last Sunday and fl ed to Mexi- Cuban foreign ministry countered the acts that have tormented our country Cuba denies the charges and says two neighbours. and mistreatment by Bolivia’s conserv- co after weeks of protests and violence doctors withdrew the same amount of in recent days.” they are part of the Trump adminis- Under threat of tariffs from ative interim government. over a disputed October 20 election. money every month to cover expenses of Brazil and Ecuador have acted simi- tration’s eff orts to slander the country Washington, the Mexican govern- Cuba said yesterday that 10 doctors, Cuba has backed Morales’ assertion 107 doctors working in the La Paz area. larly against Cubans in recent months even as it applies new sanctions on top ment has deployed some 27,000 including the co-ordinator of its medi- that he was toppled in a foreign-backed “Cease the irresponsible anti-Cuban as they aligned themselves more close- of old to deny it revenues used in part soldiers at its northern and south- cal mission, were detained this week coup. Protests by Morales’ supporters expressions of hate, lies, defamations ly with the United States. to provide free health services to its ern borders since June, halting mi- and four remained in custody. have continued in capital La Paz, nearby El and instigations to violence against The Caribbean island nation has a population. grant flows. Opposition rallies to revive stalled eff ort to oust Maduro

Reuters make us grow accustomed to liv- ing the morning and were to hold Caracas ing in misery,” Guaido tweeted on marches in the afternoon. Friday night. The Caracas metro, the capi- Masked men on Friday forced tal’s principal form of public he Venezuelan opposition their way into the offi ces of op- transport, said it was closing a yesterday held nation- position party Popular Will, to group of stations in the area of Twide protests in the hope which Guaido belongs. the protests for maintenance. of reviving a stalled movement to Opposition leaders called the Critics said it was an attempt oust President Nicolas Maduro, incident an intimidation eff ort in to weaken the demonstrations. who has held on to power despite the run-up to the demonstrations. The Socialist party called a an economic crisis and aggres- The opposition has been in- separate rally in Caracas in sup- sive US sanctions. spired by the resignation of Bo- port of Bolivia’s Morales. Opposition leader Juan Guaido livian president Evo Morales, a Venezuela has for years suf- kick-started a groundswell pro- Maduro ally who was accused of fered under hyperinfl ation and a test movement in January by manipulating the results of an collapsing economy, spurring an invoking the constitution to as- election in October but later re- exodus of more than 4mn seek- sume an interim presidency af- signed after violent street pro- ing better access to food and ter declaring Maduro’s 2018 re- test. medicine. election a fraud. But change in Venezuela con- More than 50 countries have But the energy has waned and tinues to hinge on a shift in alle- recognised Guaido as Venezue- frustration is mounting as Ma- giance of the armed forces, which la’s legitimate president and the duro remains in control and the remain loyal to Maduro and the United States has implemented a economic meltdown continues ruling Socialist Party. sanctions program that has crip- to push Venezuelan migrants That contrasts with Bolivia’s pled Venezuela’s oil exports. across the country’s borders. military leaders, who urged Mo- Maduro dismisses Guaido as a “The dictatorship has under- rales to step down. puppet of the United States, and estimated the Venezuelan peo- Demonstrators in cities around blames the economic problems People hold placards saying “No more Maduro” during a protest march against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas yesterday. ple. They have not been able to the country staged rallies dur- on US sanctions. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, November 17, 2019 PAKISTAN

Rs100bn in tax Court clears Sharif to go evasions unearthed abroad, no bond needed in four Cabinet panel says indemnity ECL [Exit Control List] issue of months bond was NAB idea Nawaz is most appropriate and workable. “In the media on November Internews DPA/Internews 12, 2019, it was widely broadcast Karachi Islamabad/Lahore that the federal government is agreeable to a one-time permis- sion to Nawaz for four weeks, akistan’s corporate sector iling former prime min- subject to him or Shehbaz sub- has been found involved ister Nawaz Sharif is al- mitting an indemnity bond of Pin at least Rs100bn in tax Alowed to seek medical the amounts determined by the evasion and avoidance during treatment abroad and does not accountability courts. the last four months, senior tax need to adhere to conditions “This being so, the NAB au- offi cials reveal. set for him to leave the country, thorities appear to be agreeable.” Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) judges ruled yesterday. However, the committee was Karachi, the biggest revenue col- “The court has allowed Na- mindful that in terms of Rule lecting arm of the Federal Board waz Sharif to have medical Nawaz Sharif: had been expected to be flown in an air ambulance 3(c) of 2010 Rules, a person who of Revenue (FBR), unearthed treatment from abroad and re- to a London clinic on Tuesday but the departure was delayed after had been convicted by a court of Rs100bn worth of tax fraud in jected the conditions set by the government asked him to submit a surety bond of Rs7bn ($44.8mn). law for any off ence should re- the July to October period of the government,” Shehbaz Sharif, main on the ECL for so long as current fi scal year, offi cials say. the former premier’s younger Sharif was serving a jail term [may] evolve a mechanism to the said order of placing him on In the ongoing audit and ex- brother, told reporters mo- for corruption, but was given ensure that if Nawaz is permit- the ECL was in force and till his amination, the unit detected Rs- ments after the decision was an- bail on medical grounds. ted to travel abroad he will make conviction attained fi nality. 100bn of tax avoidance/evasion nounced in Lahore. The three-time ex-premier himself available, if and when “The convictions of Nawaz by at least 12 companies, senior Sharif had been expected to suff ers from several medical required by the concerned fo- have not attained fi nality,” stat- offi cials of LTU Karachi said. be fl own in an air ambulance conditions including chronic rums,” stated a NAB letter writ- ed the report. They did not reveal names of to a London clinic on Tuesday Shehbaz Sharif: submitted a written assurance to the court that diabetes, cardiovascular issues, ten to the government on No- “Therefore, the federal gov- the off ending companies. but the departure was delayed former premier Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan after his and a low blood platelet count. vember 11. ernment is not in a position to Inland Revenue commission- after government asked him to medical treatment. Sharif, 69, became prime In view of the letter’s content, lift the name of Nawaz from the ers Zulfi qar Memon and Gird- submit a surety bond of Rs7bn minister three times but has the subcommittee asked NAB ECL but having said so, look- hari Mal also shared information ($44.8mn). written assurances from the judges in their chamber. never completed a full term. representatives Umer Randhawa ing at the gravity of his medical about the performance of the The move was challenged by PML-N president. According to the details of the He was removed by the coun- and Qamar Shehzad Phaphra condition and the past practice unit as per instructions of the the family in Lahore High Court Shehbaz Sharif’s counsel Am- draft, “Nawaz Sharif will return try’s Supreme Court in 2017 over about the “specifi c mechanism” of the federal government, he FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi. where they argued that Sharif jad Pervaiz told the court that to the country as soon as he re- corruption. to ensure Sharif’s return to Pa- could be granted a one-time Mal said that one case alone would return after the treat- former prime minister Nawaz covers after his treatment. Meanwhile, a government re- kistan after a successful medical permission, which does not involved the tax concealment of ment. Sharif was ready to assure the “He [Nawaz Sharif] will face port has revealed that it was the treatment. amount to lifting his name from Rs23bn. Pakistan Muslim League – court that he would return to his cases as soon as he returns to National Accountability Bureau The NAB apprised the sub- the ECL,” stated the report. Notices have been issued to Nawaz (PML-N) president She- Pakistan after he recovers. the country.” (NAB) that pushed for seeking committee that there was no PML-N president Shehbaz the companies for recovery of hbaz Sharif submitted a draft of He added that the former pre- The affi davit further said that an indemnity bond to secure mechanism except for securing Sharif had on November 7 re- the amount, he said. undertaking to the court, assur- mier was going abroad on the Sharif will return to the country Sharif’s return. an indemnity bond and granting quested that the name of his The commissioner said that ing that former prime minister recommendations of doctors. as soon as the doctors allow him. The detailed report of the a one-time permission. elder brother Nawaz be removed the LTU posted 16% in revenue Sharif would return after urgent The court also asked the “Nawaz Sharif is travelling federal cabinet’s subcommit- Later, the subcommittee di- from the ECL. collection growth during the July medical treatment. PML-N president what role he abroad on the recommenda- tee, which was tasked to de- rected the NAB to submit a clari- The cabinet committee then to October period. The court had asked for a would play as a brother to ensure tion of the Pakistani doctors,” it cide the matter, states that it fi cation. sought comments from the He attributed the growth to written affi davit from the Sharif that Sharif returns to Pakistan. added. was the NAB’s idea not to al- Upon this, the NAB authori- NAB, the specialised healthcare reforms and initiatives by the family, guaranteeing that the During the court recess, She- The former premier can stay low the former premier to leave ties on November 13 submit- secretary, the Punjab medical government. former premier would return to hbaz Sharif’s lawyer submitted out of country for four weeks, the country without evolving a ted: “As per the media source/ education department, and the The tax offi cial said that banks Pakistan after receiving treat- the two-page draft of the affi da- said Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyer proper mechanism to ensure his reports, the proposed mecha- principal of the Lahore Services are the major revenue source ment. vit to the court. Parvez, and can be extended if return. nism stipulated by the federal Institute of Medical Sciences during the fi rst four months of Earlier, the court had sought The draft was then sent to the needed. “The federal government government for dealing with the (SIMS)/Services Hospital. the current fi scal year. Besides refi neries, oil market- ing and textile companies also performed well in revenue con- tribution, he added. All in a day’s work The LTU Karachi released Dutch Queen to Rs21bn as sales tax refund dur- ing the period under review, af- ter the change of sales tax regime eff ective from July 1, 2019. visit Pakistan Memon said that the law re- quiring banks share information with the tax authorities was in- troduced in 2013. later this month However, as the law had been stayed by the courts, the FBR is unable to receive informa- Internews about 21% of adults in Pakistan tion with exception of specifi c/ Islamabad now have a bank account; in identifi ed cases from banks, he 2014 the percentage was 13%. added. Despite this increase, 99mn A court recently advised the ueen Maxima of the Pakistani still do not have ac- FBR and the Pakistan Banks’ As- Netherlands will visit cess to fi nancial services such sociation to resolve the issue. QPakistan from Novem- as a bank account, insurance, Tax offi cials further said ber 25-27 as a special advocate loans, pensions or digital pay- LTU Karachi identifi ed around of the UN Secretary-General ment methods, limiting their 100,000 individuals who have for Inclusive Financing for De- chances of development. commercial gas connections but velopment. This particularly concerns not the mandatory sales tax reg- In a series of meetings, she people in poverty, women, istration. will discuss the progress of small businesses and people in The offi cials said the Large access to fi nancial services to remote agricultural areas. Taxpayers Unit gathered infor- improve the economic position During her stay in Pakistan, mation from Sui Southern Gas of the country’s inhabitants, a Queen Maxima will also speak Company and other tax offi ces statement received from Pa- with, among others, interna- and cross-verifi ed them with the kistan embassy in the Hague, tional development partners, list of sales tax registered indi- Netherlands said. representatives from the fi n- viduals. The monarch would be visit- tech sector, State Bank of Paki- The LTU Karachi has jurisdic- ing Pakistan at the invitation of stan governor Reza Baqir, Ad- tion over 5,056 units. the government. viser to the Prime Minister on The unit has jurisdiction It is a follow-up to the UN Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, over a company having over visit in February 2016. and Usman Mubin, the chair- A youth rides his loaded horse cart amid heavy smog conditions in Lahore. Rs400mn turnover or Rs20mn Queen Maxima focuses, man of the National Database as tax contribution in a year. among other things, on the im- and Registration Authority portance of fi nancial services (NADRA). for women. She is also expected to call Only 7% of women in Paki- on President Dr Arif Alvi and stan are believed to have a bank Prime Minister Imran Khan. account, and gender-based Queen Maxima will also at- ‘STEAM’ school for Sikh community opens in Peshawar data collection is needed to un- tend the launch of the “Micro- derstand their specifi c access payments Gateway”. and use needs. This is a central bank initia- Internews for the Sikh community-based fi liation in all schools in the members of the Muslim, Sikh, Corridor and creating interfaith Another way to connect tive to reduce the cost of small Peshawar in Peshawar was inaugurated by province. Christian, Hindu communities harmony. more people is to digitise gov- payments in order to stimulate Special Assistant to the Khyber Addressing the ceremony, and those from other faiths in Kamran Bangash added that ernment payments such as so- digital payments. Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minis- Kamran Bangash said that the the race for the country’s united information technology training cial benefi ts. Since 2009, the monarch, he fi rst Science, Technol- ter on Science and Information school is a gift from the KP gov- development,” Kamran Bangash will not be limited to Peshawar, In addition, “fi ntech” off ers as a UN special advocate, has ogy, Engineering, Art and Technology Kamran Bangash, ernment to the Sikh community said. but will soon be off ered in other great possibilities for simple been committed to making fi - TMathematics (STEAM) and Adviser to the KP Chief Min- to mark the 550th anniversary of The offi cial added that Prime districts of the province in the banking, for example via a mo- nancial services accessible to school for the Sikh community ister on Education Ziaullah Ban- Baba Guru Nanak. Minister Imran Khan had di- form of STEAM schools so that bile phone. all, particularly those of the in the province has been inaugu- gash. He further said that the mi- rected the use of all available re- everyone can contribute to the To be able to do this safely low-income groups, and small rated in Peshawar, with classes Addressing the gathering, they nority community of the prov- sources to make Pakistan a wel- development of the country. and effi ciently, changes to and medium-sized business- expected to commence in the said that the Science and Infor- ince is enjoying their rights on a fare state. Ziaullah Bangash said that the regulations are also needed to es, and thus increasing their school from tomorrow. mation Technology Department par with the majority community The best example of this is how government will continue its ef- ensure privacy, among other chances of economic and social The Baba Guru Nanak School should provide equal opportu- members. the country marked the 550th forts to facilitate minorities in things. development, the statement of Science, Technology, Engi- nities for all sections of society, “We are striving to improve the anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak getting an education and all basic According to Global Findex, said. neering, Art and Mathematics irrespective of their religious af- country’s economy by combining Dev Ji by opening the Kartarpur amenities.

Green Climate Fund elects Pakistan ministry off icial as co-chair of its board Farmers in Punjab to organise ‘begging’ protest actions

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has elected decision after receiving the nomination of co-chair of the Green Climate Fund.” Farmers in Punjab have announced plans to stage On November 28 the farmers would protest at a member from Pakistan to its board, the the second co-chair from the developed The ministry of climate change said that a “begging march” on the provincial metropolis Islamabad Super Market, says Pakistan Kissan ministry of climate change said. countries. the GCF is the largest international climate on November 27 against what they termed as Ittehad (PKI) president Khalid Mahmood Khokhar. Representing a developing country, Nauman The off ice term of both the co-chairs will start change fund, which has committed over “stepmotherly” treatment being meted out to the He said the farmers would also refuse to pay their Bashir Bhatti from the ministry of foreign on January 1. $7bn since 2015, and has secured additional agriculture sector. tube-well electricity bills, having failed to demand a aff airs will serve in the 24-member board of Speaking with the media, Adviser to Prime funding for over $9.8bn until 2023. The “Kissan Kashkol (begging bowl) March” will flat Rs5 per unit facility. the Green Climate Fund as co-chair for the Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin During the past three years, Pakistan has begin in Lahore on November 27, with farmers Khokhar said that PKI members would burn year 2020. Aslam said: “It is an honour, responsibility been able to secure three projects from the begging motorists on The Mall to help them meet electricity bills on November 20 in front of press The board, however, will take a formal written and opportunity for Pakistan to be elected as fund with total worth of $121mn. crop expenses. clubs at the district level. Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES Binay wants Police to crack down more special on illegal use of sirens education

By Darwin Pesco bile and motorcycle security Manila Times will only be for the president, centres set up vice president, Senate presi- dent, speaker of the House of he Philippine National Representatives, chief justice By Javier J Ismael SB 1150 seeks to institution- Police (PNP) has said it of the Supreme Court, other Manila Times alise an adequate and relevant Twill intensify its crack- authorised government of- educational programme for down on motorists using si- ficials and foreign delegates children and youth with special rens, blinkers and unauthor- during national events. enator Maria Lourdes needs (CYSN) through the es- ised motorcycle escorts. In Gamboa’s new direc- “Nancy” Binay is pushing tablishment of SPED Centres. “We are imposing existing tive, only patrol vehicles and Sfor the establishment of This will provide all CYSN measures against the indis- motorcycles, rescue vehicles, special education (SPED) centres the opportunity to be educated criminate use of prohibited si- fire trucks, ambulances and for children with special needs. in the most enhancing environ- rens, bells, horns, whistles or patrol vehicles of the Scene of Binay has fi led Senate Bill (SB) ment consistent with the provi- similar gadgets that produce the Crime Operatives and the 1150, an Act incorporating a sys- sion of quality education that staggering sounds, as well as Special Weapons and Tactics tem of special education in all best meet their needs. motorcycle security escorts team are allowed to use sirens public and private elementary The measure calls for the cre- when traversing highways or blinkers. and secondary schools nation- ation of a Bureau of Special Edu- and major thoroughfares for Gamboa said the PNP mo- wide for children and youth with cation (BSPED) to institutional- personal advantage and easy torcycles and mobile cars are special needs. ise and govern special education passage,” Lt Gen Archie Fran- only “authorised for police According to the Country Re- in the Philippines. cisco Gamboa, PNP officer in patrol purposes, not for wed- port by the Department of Social The full continuum of educa- charge, said in a statement. dings, birthdays, and funer- Welfare and Development and tional services shall also be made Gamboa directed all PNP als.” the Department of Health, there available by the BSPED to CYSN unit commanders to ensure The PNP acting chief tapped are about 4,124,833 persons with below school age through regular strict enforcement of Memo all unit commanders to deploy disabilities in the Philippines. home visits, consultations, day- Circular 2017-049 or the police and traffic personnel for Of these, 21% are children care activities and any media or “Policy on the Provision of the immediate assistance to emer- aged 0 to 19. But only around 7% programmes. PNP Mobile and Motorcycle gency vehicles, such as ambu- of these children have access to BSPED shall function as a reg- Security Coverage.” lances and fire trucks, caught educational opportunities. ular bureau of the Department Under the circular, PNP mo- in traffic along Edsa. Lt Gen Archie Francisco Gamboa According to Binay, the of Education, under the direct present educational system pro- supervision of the secretary of vides for limited SPED centres. Education. Go off ers fi nancial aid to fi re victims

By Javier J Ismael legal drugs. “We have rehabilita- Manila Times tion centres where you can bring your relatives who are addicted to drugs,” he said, emphasising enator Christopher Law- that rehabilitation centres were rence “Bong” Go dis- operational nationwide for those Stributed fi nancial and who wish to reform themselves. relief assistance to victims of To strengthen the govern- a fi re that razed 16 houses on ment’s campaign against illegal Gonzales Street, Barangay 69, drugs, Go fi led in the Senate a Caloocan City on November 7. measure that seeks to establish a The 48 aff ected families, drug abuse treatment and reha- comprising 148 individuals, bilitation centre in every prov- gathered at the evacuation ince. centre of the village to meet Under Senate Bill 399, or an Go, who was accompanied by “Act Providing for the Estab- representatives of the Depart- lishment and Support of a Drug ment of Social Welfare and De- Abuse Treatment and Rehabili- velopment, National Housing tation Centre in Every Province Authority and Department of Throughout the Philippines,” Trade and Industry to give ad- one drug abuse treatment and ditional assistance to the vic- rehabilitation centre shall be es- tims. Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go distributed financial and relief assistance to victims of a fire tablished in every province under “Wherever you are, I will go that razed 16 houses on Gonzales Street, Barangay 69, Caloocan City. the supervision of the Depart- to you to extend help and leave ment of Health. If passed into behind a smile in your hour of lems. I have asked the diff erent vide uniforms and school sup- locate in the provinces. law, the centre will be tasked to need,” Go told the fi re victims. agencies to also give assistance plies for the aff ected school- He encouraged the residents provide care, treatment and ac- “We are here to provide some to the fi re victims,” Go said. children, and off ered to pay the to continue supporting the gov- commodation to persons found help and solution to their prob- The senator pledged to pro- fare of those who wanted to re- ernment’s campaign against il- to be drug dependents. Nancy Binay Court acquits Palace will not seek extra powers former lawmaker of graft charge for infrastructure programme By Catherine S Valente tion of the projects will not be Manila Times hampered,” he added. By Ma RL Tolentino said. The fi ling of HB 5456 came af- Manila Times The court added that the ter Senate Minority Leader Fran- prosecution failed to estab- alacanang is now re- klin Drilon said the administra- lish that Relevo, Mendoza and jecting the proposed tion’s infrastructure programme he Sandiganbayan has Dumpit knew that the sup- Mmeasure granting spe- was a “dismal failure” since only acquitted former La porting documents to the dis- cial powers to President Rodrigo nine of the initial 75 fl agship TUnion Second District bursement voucher and check Duterte to fast-track the imple- projects have started construc- Rep. Thomas Dumpit Jr and were falsifi ed. mentation of the ‘Build, Build, tion. two others of graft charges in The three were also acquit- Build’ programme. Panelo, however, had dis- connection with the Priority ted of one count of malversa- In a statement, Palace spokes- missed Drilon’s claim as “base- Development Assistance Fund tion and one count of malver- man Salvador Panelo said the less,” saying that projects such (PDAF) scam. sation through falsifi cation. “belated” bill fi led by Albay Rep. as the Metro Rail Transit 3 reha- In a decision promulgated The Offi ce of the Ombuds- Joel Salceda was “no longer a bilitation, Metro Manila subway, on Nov 8, 2019, the court’s man fi led the four cases in priority legislative agenda” of Subic-Clark railway and Mind- First Division granted the 2017. The Ombudsman alleged the president. anao railway were at various demurrer to evidence fi led that Dumpit “unilaterally Salceda fi led on Wednesday stages of development. by Dumpit. It also acquitted chose and requested” KMBFI House Bill (HB) 5456, giving Du- ‘Build, Build, Build’ is the Du- Romulo Relevo and Rhodora as “project partner” in imple- terte “Special Powers to urgently terte administration’s hallmark Mendoza of the National Agri- menting livelihood projects utilise all necessary government programme that promised to business Corp (Nabcor). to farmers in his legislative resources, exercise police power usher in the Philippines’ “golden The court said no evidence district costing P14.5mn. The and employ executive actions age of infrastructure.” was presented to show that funds came from his PDAF and measures to ensure the ef- Duterte had also asked Con- Dumpit “had a palpably and allocation. It claimed that fective implementation, recon- gress in his fi rst State of the patently fraudulent and dis- KMBFI unduly profi ted from fi guration, and harmonisation President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to “implement and maximise what is presently available under the Nation Address in July 2016 for honest purpose showing evi- the “fi ctitious transaction.” of national and local government laws for the purpose.” emergency powers to solve traf- dent bad faith.” But the anti-graft court projects.” fi c in Metro Manila. “He did not act with gross threw out the case. “While we respect the wis- “One of the inherent powers ‘Build, Build, Build’ programme came two days after he described He said the emergency pow- inexcusable negligence in the “Considering the entirety dom of Congress and laud the of the State is the power of emi- “is now rolling with 35 ongo- HB 5456 as a good idea, not- ers would allow him to open up release of the fund to KMBFI of the evidence presented by gentleman from Albay in seeing nent domain where pertinent ing constructions; 32 projects ing that the emergency powers blocked roads and construct (Kasangga sa Magandang the prosecution, it is clear that the importance of this fl agship government offi ces, through the about to commence construc- would address several issues that roads and train lines. Bukas Foundation Inc.) or in accused Dumpit, Relevo and infrastructure programme of the Offi ce of the Solicitor General, tion within six to eight months; were causing delays in the im- But three years later and half- the implementation of the Mendoza did not appropriate, current government, we consid- may expropriate or initiate pro- 21 in the advanced stages of gov- plementation of the infrastruc- way through his term, no emer- project,”it added. misappropriate or permitted er this proposed measure belated ceedings therefore to acquire ernment approval and 12 in the ture projects. gency powers have been granted “Accused Dumpit did not another person to take public and no longer a priority legis- private property for public use,” advanced stages of feasibility “I think, Congressman Sal- to Duterte to solve the traffi c perform an act which mani- funds. They have exercised lative agenda of the president, Panelo said. studies.” ceda’s proposal is a good idea. problem in the metropolis. fested that he unilaterally their duties with the degree of given that we only have less than “This power is particularly es- “We expect 38 projects to be One of the reasons why the In his previous speeches, Du- chose KMBFI as the imple- diligence required of them un- three years left in offi ce,” Panelo sential in securing rights of way, completed by 2022, 22 partially projects are experiencing delays terte has said he no longer want- menting NGO (or non-gov- der the law,” it said. said. an issue that hampered the con- operational or at substantial is because of the problem con- ed an emergency power and he ernment organisation) of the It pointed out that the three Panelo, who also serves as Du- struction of vital infrastructure. completion, and while 40 are to cerning the right of way,” Panelo would just “let Edsa rot.” livelihood project. He was not accused did not know each terte’s top legal counsel said, Du- The current agencies involved be completed beyond 2022, all said during a Palace press brief- But Malacanang is still hope- a party to or a signatory of the other personally, and “they terte would instead “implement in the infrastructure programme projects will be started within ing on Thursday. ful for the passage of a bill grant- two MOAs (or memorandums were not shown to have unity and maximise what is presently are presently utilising this proc- the governance of this Adminis- “Some owners disagree and ing emergency powers to Duterte of agreement) between Na- of action and purpose to com- available under our laws for this ess,” he added. tration,” Panelo said. even seek a TRO. But with emer- to improve the traffi c situation in bcor and KMBFI,” the court mit the crimes charged.” purpose.” The Palace offi cial also said the Panelo’s latest statement gency powers, the implementa- Metro Manila. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, November 17, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES ‘Global warming’ brings a tidal wave of woes for Venice

Residents in the Italian city of Venice, a Unesco world heritage site, are used to the canals inching higher every year around this time. But this year has brought the worst fl ooding to Venice in half a century, and the second-worst since record- keeping began. Venice sits on a tidal lagoon, just above sea level, so the city’s squares and streets often get wet at high tide. The city is made up of more than 100 islands inside a lagoon The tiny plastic packages that off the north-east coast of Italy. This week, though, the water peaked more than 6ft above the usual level and at least one death has been blamed on the fl ooding already. are fuelling Asia’s waste crisis About 85% of Venice has been fl ooded by this year’s “acqua alta,” or “high water”, CBS News reported. with villagers – some of whom had people – generated at least 810,000 said “the sachet economy ... is basically Venice has been aff ected by extraordinarily high tides By Shashank Bengali Manila, Philippines never used shampoo before – that metric tonnes of plastic litter that part of (economic) development.” and fi nds itself now in a state of calamity and alert. competitors began packaging salt, wasn’t properly disposed, the most of Despite environmental concerns, According to BBC meteorologist Nikki Berry the recent talcum powder, toothpaste, soap any urban area in the world. forecasters believe the global market for fl ooding in Venice was caused by a combination of high wo dozen children fanned and skin cream in small, throwaway In their analysis, the Philippines plastic packaging will continue to grow out along a creek near their packages. trailed only China and India in the by more than 3% annually, reaching spring tides and a meteorological storm surge driven by elementary school, fi lling sacks Management expert C K Prahalad, quantity of plastic debris it allowed to $269bn by 2024, according to one strong sirocco winds blowing north-eastwards across Twith litter left by residents of in his 2004 book The Fortune at the seep into the ocean, where scientists analysis. the Adriatic Sea. When these two events coincide, we see the concrete shacks lining the waterway. Bottom of the Pyramid, wrote that believe it is endangering aquatic species “You can’t change from plastic what is known as Acqua Alta (high water). When they’d fi nished the morning companies could realise $13tn in profi ts and contaminating the food chain. packaging without a clear substitute,” clean-up, the students emptied a large every year by selling to the half of the “They’re very light, easily blown and said Bert Guevara, vice-president of the The government garbage bag to study its contents. A globe that lived on less than $2 a day. carried by the wind and the water – so Philippine Alliance for Recycling and declared a state of stream of shiny plastic scraps spilled A sachet revolution rippled across the there are coastal communities that are Materials Sustainability, a consortium This year has emergency in the city, onto the school’s driveway. developing world: brightly coloured just inundated with sachets,” said Beau of manufacturers and industry groups one of the world’s top Bearing the names of familiar packets with corporate logos dangling Baconguis, regional plastics campaigner that includes Unilever and Coca-Cola. brought the worst international brands of coff ee creamer, from roadside stalls and market shelves for GAIA. The group opposes proposals to ban touristic destinations, biscuits, laundry detergent and candy, everywhere, promising safe and The group recently analysed single-use plastics or restrict sales of fl ooding to Venice which has about the discarded packaging illustrated one hygienic products for all. collection eff orts in 21 Philippine cities sachets. 50,000 residents, but of the biggest environmental challenges But all those pint-sized pouches and found that sachets made up more “We have over-demonised plastic, in half a century about 20mn tourists facing Asia’s booming cities. The ushered in a waste nightmare. than half of all household plastic waste. and now people want to solve the palm-sized packets known as sachets Their complex construction – The lion’s share of consumer packaging problem in one or two years,” he said. visit every year. have exploded in emerging economies, multiple layers of polymers, aluminium came from just a handful of companies “We are pushing for science-based Hotels were forced to cancel reservations, some allowing low-income consumers to buy and fi lms designed to keep products – including Nestle, Unilever and Procter solutions.” reportedly as far ahead as December, as news on single servings of almost any product. fresh in soggy tropical heat – renders & Gamble. In the industrial Manila suburb submerged Venice spread around the world. But the packaging cannot be easily sachets almost impossible to recycle. Each company has announced plans of Paranaque, GAIA and local recycled, and in cities like Manila Although small-scale initiatives in to phase out hard-to-recycle plastics authorities recently opened a factory The tides have been worsened by sirocco winds with spotty waste collection, the used the Philippines and elsewhere are over the next decade. Unilever – maker to manufacture parking bumpers and blowing from Africa, and there are fears that global pouches have piled up in empty fi elds, attempting to repurpose sachets, the of Dove and Vaseline – has said it will bricks using shredded sachets. warming is increasing the frequency and severity of collected in sewers and spilled into vast bulk of the waste must be dumped reduce its use of plastic by 2025 by The “eco-bricks” – made of sand such floods. rivers and oceans – adding to a glut of in landfi lls or incinerated – but the low- enhancing collection eff orts, increasing and gravel, mixed with 15-18% sachets plastic waste that Asian countries have income neighbourhoods that rely most the use of paper and other alternatives – are said to be fi ve times as strong as It has been a perfect storm of high winds, a fl ood, and begun to regard as an environmental on the pouches are often the ones least and introducing new delivery models standard bricks, Guevara said, and could a city that sits only 4 or 5ft above sea level. But experts crisis. likely to have reliable trash collection. such as refi ll stations. soon be used in city construction. and some government offi cials say what’s making things “For people who live on a day-to-day In Philippine cities, waste pickers Activists say the Philippine Over the noise of jets landing at worse in Venice is climate change and rising sea levels. basis, sachets are a reality of life – but who gather plastic for recycling leave government has failed to enforce its Manila’s nearby international airport, they are also one of the biggest waste sachets behind because they have no waste management law, which requires Guevara touted the potential of a 20- “This is the result of climate change,” Venice Mayor problems we face,” said George Oliver value. local governments to collect trash from foot mound of sachets rising from one Luigi Brugnaro said. De La Rama, a spokesman for the Pasig “The industry knew that there was every neighbourhood and prohibits corner of the tin-roofed warehouse. It has been a little under four years since 196 countries River Rehabilitation Commission, the little collection or recycling capacity manufacturers from using “non- Once it gets going, he said, the facility negotiated the Paris Agreement, under which they government agency overseeing the when they started selling here,” environmentally acceptable” packaging could process 1 tonne of sachets per day. cleanup this month. Hernandez said. “We are shouldering material. That sounds like a lot, but consider committed to taking steps to limit the increase in global As environmental groups sound the burden of their product – they are Philippine offi cials have resisted this: According to government statistics, average temperature this century to well below 2C over the alarm over harmful plastic debris, profi ting at our expense.” toughening rules around plastic the Philippines generates more than pre-industrial levels, and ultimately to limit that increase Western consumer goods companies are Scientists Laurent Lebreton and products, saying they don’t want to 4,600 tonnes of plastic waste daily. to 1.5C. searching for ways to reduce the use of Anthony Andrady recently estimated harm consumers. At an event on marine “We have to start somewhere,” sachets and make them easier to recycle. that in 2015, metropolitan Manila – a pollution this year, Ricardo Calderon, a Guevara said. - (Los Angeles Times) Despite the 2015 agreement, global carbon emissions In Manila, manufacturers are investing coastal megacity of more than 15mn senior environment department offi cial, Tribune News Service increased 1.7% in 2017 and a further 2.7% in 2018; it has in plans to turn used plastic into bricks, been estimated that the rate of increase in 2019 will be tiles and classroom chairs. among the highest on record. Meanwhile, the number of sachets in the environment continues to explode. The last four years have been the hottest on record, with The Philippines, an archipelago 2019 on track to make it fi ve. with more than 105mn people spread But analyses suggest that fast action now can reduce across 7,600 islands, consumes about carbon emissions within 12 years and hold global 59.7bn sachets every year, according to the Global Alliance for Incinerator increases below 2C and perhaps 1.5. Alternatives, or GAIA, an advocacy While debate rages on whether climate change is group. That’s enough to cover all of entirely to blame for Venice fl ooding, the fact remains metropolitan Manila – or roughly half that multilateral environmental agreements are one of the of Los Angeles – in one foot of plastic. For consumer goods giants, sachets most eff ective ways in which various governments meet were “a brilliant marketing tactic to environmental commitments to mitigating and adapting capture the low-income market and to climate change. good for brand visibility, but no one thought of the consequences,” said Von Hernandez, a Philippine environmental activist and global coordinator of Break To Advertise Free From Plastic, an advocacy group. Since Americans Harold Ross and [email protected] Yale Kaplan patented the fl exible, Display single-use plastic food pouch in 1955 – making the fi rst ketchup and soy 44466621 44418811 sauce packets possible – multinational corporations have used sachets to sell Classified tiny quantities of every conceivable 44466609 44418811 product. The fi rst to realise the potential of Subscription sachets in Asia was a family-run Indian company called KavinCare, which in [email protected] the early 1980s introduced 0.3-ounce pouches of shampoo, good for one wash. A man operates a brick-pressing machine that mixes shredded sachet laminates with wet cement to produce an ecobrick at a © 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Sold for pennies, it was such a hit facility run by Green Antz Builders Inc in Taguig City. (Xinhua Photo/ Manila Times) Gulf Times Sunday, November 17, 2019 23 COMMENT The digital money revolution

By Huw van Steenis Moreover, the needs – the potential London returns – are even greater in many emerging markets, particularly when it comes to cross-border payments. ow radically will digital cur- According to the World Bank, the rencies change our methods average cost of sending international of exchange and the way peer-to-peer remittances averages Hthat we think about money? around 7% of the sum. Eff orts to With innovation in digital payments improve the main payment channels barrelling ahead, these questions are are ongoing. TransferWise, for now commanding the attention of example, claims to have reduced the the World Economic Forum and other average cost of cross-border transfers international institutions. for its clients to 0.74%. But less well- Regardless of how Facebook’s own trodden routes remain a challenge, digital-currency moonshot, Libra, owing to the hurdles posed by anti- fares, it has already provided a wake- money-laundering rules and poor data up call for fi rms and policymakers quality. around the world. “If revolution there Given the concerns that Libra has is to be, let us rather undertake it than raised, some central banks have begun undergo it,” Otto von Bismarck once to explore the option of issuing their said. The question for policymakers is own digital tokens. Others are studying not whether to try to shape the digital- the thorny legal and regulatory money revolution, but how. challenges posed by digital money, so Digital money is already a key that they can safeguard monetary and battleground in fi nance, with fi nancial stability. For her part, Lael technology fi rms, payment processing Brainard, a governor on the US Federal In China, Alipay and WeChat Pay already control more than 90% of all mobile payments. companies, and banks all vying Reserve Board, recently suggested that to become the gateway into the the risks of cryptocurrencies outweigh sector can fl ourish when central banks done – and stress-testing payment Fourth, all countries need to support Payments innovation is moving burgeoning platform-based economy. the benefi ts. By contrast, the People’s act as a platform for innovation, as fi rms for their fi nancial resilience and stronger messaging standards to at a dizzying pace. Some ideas The prizes that await the winners Bank of China is forging ahead – BoE Governor Mark Carney has shown cyber-security protections. improve cross-border payments, may fail to get off the ground, could be huge. In China, Alipay and though not toward the decentralised by granting non-bank payment fi rms Third, governments need reduce costs, and prevent fraud. Just as while others may need to pivot to WeChat Pay already control more or “permissionless” blockchain model access to the BoE payments system. to champion better digital postal codes help mail get to the right become commercially viable. Other than 90% of all mobile payments. envisioned by crypto enthusiasts. But success will depend on how identification, which is essential place, so too could better tagging of issues, like market dominance or And in the last three years, the four The PBoC wants to use cryptography easily new providers can access the to improving financial inclusion, payment senders and recipients. cybersecurity risks, will undoubtedly largest listed payment fi rms – Visa, to issue tokens to mainstream banks, central-bank infrastructure, which curbing cyber fraud, and reducing Fifth, and critically, policymakers become more prominent in policy Mastercard, Amex, and PayPal – have which will then be passed on to will require well-designed application costs. Some countries have already need to create a roadmap for the debates. increased in value by more than the customers within the existing two- programming interfaces through which made impressive progress on this decline of cash. In Sweden, cash On balance, however, the economic FAANGs (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, tiered banking system. to receive and share information. front. India, for example, has largely payments have fallen by 80% over the and social benefi ts of a frictionless, Netfl ix, and Google). In a way, Libra is Hence, if the European Central Second, policymakers should usher cracked the identification problem past decade, and many other developed fraud-free, and trusted global actually crashing the party late. Bank (or others) wanted to be the fi rst in the next generation of payments with its Aadhaar programme, which markets are just 5-10 years behind. payments system will likely outweigh The opportunities off ered by digital central bank to issue digital money, the regulation. Rules need to be updated to dramatically simplifies the process Digital payments bring many benefi ts, the risks. – Project Syndicate money are clear. Across Western opportunity is there for the taking. To refl ect the increasing complexity and through which networks can know but the Swedish experience shows that countries, moving money is overly policymakers considering the options shifting risks of the current system. As their customers. Countries that without a co-ordinated plan, the pace  Huw van Steenis, a former senior costly and ineffi cient, and those who presented by digital money, I would the cost of payments falls, the value do not have a tradition of issuing of change risks excluding some groups adviser to Bank of England Governor end up paying the most are often the off er fi ve recommendations from my of data will grow. Yet existing rules national ID cards have more work in society. As payment habits shift, Mark Carney, is Chair of Sustainable ones who can least aff ord to do so. BoE report. pertaining to data sharing, security, to do, but their governments can each country will need a strategy to Finance at UBS and a member of the As I argued in a report for the Bank First, monetary authorities should and liability are mostly rudimentary. co-operate with the private sector, improve its payments infrastructure World Economic Forum’s Global Future of England (BoE) earlier this year, create the infrastructure to enable Given the fl urry of new entrants, or use existing high-quality national – including broadband and mobile- Council on the Monetary and Financial improving these processes could yield alternative payment methods to there is a case to be made for tiering data sets such as passport and tax telephony networks – so that no one is System. signifi cant returns and social benefi ts. connect to one another. The private regulation – as the Singaporeans have numbers. left behind.

Green markets for equitable growth Three-day forecast TODAY amounts of risk and reaping huge The 1997 Kyoto Protocol attempted and sequester CO2 from the air Maximum Temperature : 300c By Graciela Chichilnisky and Peter Bal Minimum Temperature : 240c New York rewards. That eventually led to to use a system of tradable quotas to could be safely scaled up to capture the 2008 crisis, which brought the establish a price on CO2 emissions. and store a signifi cant share of total MONDAY global financial system to the brink While several countries ultimately emissions. This process would be so Maximum Temperature : 290c he climate crisis and the 2008 of collapse. With the system having refused to join the protocol – the US cost-eff ective that the captured CO2 Minimum Temperature : 240c fi nancial crisis are two sides undergone little meaningful reform, signed, but didn’t ratify it – the carbon could profi tably be sold in the carbon TUESDAY of the same coin. Both were acute systemic risks persist to this market that it created (designed by one market. Maximum Temperature : 270c Tborn of the same toxic feature day. of us, Chichilnisky) helped to make Of course, CO2 emissions are far Minimum Temperature : 210c On the environmental front, clean energy more profi table and dirty from the only contributor to the of the world’s prevailing economic Fisherman's forecast model: the practice of discounting unbridled resource extraction energy less so. climate crisis. But other types of green the future. Protecting humanity from destroyed developing-country Although the Kyoto Protocol markets can also be created. Even WARNING ecosystems, while encouraging collapsed, the world has built upon before the Kyoto Protocol, the Chicago both environmental and fi nancial ruin Inshore : Expected thundery rain requires an entirely new approach to rapidly rising consumption – most this work, and some of its largest Board of Trade launched a private at places associated growth – one that does not sacrifi ce fundamentally, of energy – in the economies – China, the European market for rights to emit sulphur with strong wind tomorrow at the altar of today. developed world. Today, despite Union, and several US states, including dioxide. The UN is now considering Offshore : Expected thunder rain associated with strong In a sense, both crises can be traced accounting for only about 18% of California – are now using emissions- using similar markets to protect wind and high sea back to the same event: the creation of the global population, the advanced trading schemes. The value of traded biodiversity and watersheds. WEATHER a new international order after World economies consume about 70% of the global markets for CO2 allowances By enabling actors to buy and sell Inshore : Scattered clouds and c of rain at places maybe War II. The Bretton Woods institutions world’s energy, the vast majority of surged by 250% last year, and now rights to use the global commons, thundery with blowing that underpinned the order – the which (87%) comes from fossil fuels. exceeds $178 billion annually. such green markets naturally dust at times World Bank and the International The North-South divide is thus A revived global carbon market combine efficiency and equity. And Offshore : Partly cloudy to cloudy with sctd rain maybe Monetary Fund – encouraged rapid inextricably linked to carbon dioxide would help cut the Gordian knot of yet the enduring North-South divide thundery at times globalisation, characterised by a sharp emissions. And, in fact, it has reared its economic growth and environmental – and especially the rift between the WIND increase in resource exports from the head in every United Nations climate degradation. Moreover, it would cost US and China – is hampering our Inshore : Southeasterly-North- easterly 08-18/28 KT Global South to the Global North. The negotiation, with the countries that virtually nothing to create and operate. ability to seize their potential. We Offshore : Southeasterly-Easterly revival of neoliberal economic policies have contributed the most to climate off er A scheme off ering market-based have the tools to arrest, and even 10-18/28 KT – including the removal of trade change – beginning with the United effi ciency would appeal to developed reverse, climate change. It is time Visibility : 4-8/2 KM barriers, wide-ranging deregulation, States – often standing in the way of economies, while developing countries to come together and use them. – Offshore : 3-5/9 FT would support it because mandatory Project Syndicate and the elimination of capital-account eff ective action. Around the region controls – in the late 1970s accelerated Resistance usually comes down emissions limits would apply only to Weather this process. to a single consideration: current high- and middle-income economies,  Graciela Chichilnisky, Professor Weather tomorrow Max/min While this system spurred economic prosperity. Thus, the only as was the case in the Kyoto Protocol. of Economics and Mathematical today Max/min Sunny 22/08 unprecedented economic growth realistic solution to the climate crisis The potential of a global carbon Statistics at Columbia University, is Baghdad Sunny 22/08 P Cloudy 23/13 and development, it had serious is to replace fossil-fuel-based energy market continues to grow. Last year, Director of the Columbia Consortium Kuwait City T Storm 24/17 S Showers 26/22 downsides. Financial innovations with renewables quickly and cost- the US National Academies of Science, for Risk Management, co-founder and Manama M Sunny 29/23 Sunny 28/21 outpaced – or simply escaped – eff ectively enough to keep the engines Engineering, and Medicine and the CEO of Global Thermostat, and co- Muscat P Cloudy 28/21 Rain& Snow 06/03 regulation, enabling the finance of growth running. Fortunately, we Intergovernmental Panel on Climate author of Reversing Climate Change. Tehran Rain& Snow 06/03 industry to expand its influence over already know that this is possible. The Change reported that “negative Peter Bal is co-author of Reversing the economy, assuming massive key is a global carbon market. emissions technologies” that remove Climate Change.

Live issues Diabetes tied to increased risk of hidden spinal fractures Around the world Weather Weather By Lisa Rapaport more likely than those without the broken bones. with the greatest risk seen in heavier today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Reuters Health disease to have vertebral fractures, the Type 2 diabetes has long been linked people, particularly obese men. Athens Cloudy 21/14 M Sunny 23/14 analysis found. to an increased risk of complications One limitation of the results is that Beirut Sunny 26/18 Sunny 24/17 And individuals with both diabetes like heart attacks and strokes, nerve the smaller studies included in the Bangkok M Sunny 34/26 P Cloudy 34/27 eople with type 2 diabetes and vertebral fractures were more than damage, kidney failure, vision analysis didn’t examine in detail how Berlin Showers 09/08 Showers 10/03 are more likely than others to twice as likely as others to experience deterioration and premature death. the risk of broken bones or premature Cairo P Cloudy 27/17 M Sunny 28/14 develop spinal fractures that broken bones elsewhere in the body. People with diabetes also have an death varied based on body mass. Cape Town Cloudy 18/13 Sunny 18/14 Psometimes have no obvious “Currently, there are no specifi c increased risk of fractures of the Another drawback is that Colombo S T Storms 29/25 S T Storms 29/25 symptoms but are tied to increased guidelines for the assessment hip and other broken bones, the researchers lacked data on what Dhaka Sunny 31/21 Sunny 31/21 risk of future broken bones, a research of fracture risk or treatment of researchers note. type of treatment people with Hong Kong Sunny 24/19 Sunny 26/14 review suggests. osteoporosis in individuals with People with diabetes in the study diabetes used, making it impossible Istanbul Sunny 21/12 P Cloudy 22/13 The analysis focused on so-called type 2 diabetes,” Fjorda Koromani of who didn’t have vertebral fractures to determine whether diabetes Jakarta M Sunny 34/25 P Cloudy 34/25 vertebral fractures, also known as Erasmus University Medical Centre still had a 94% higher risk of broken medication infl uenced the outcomes. Karachi P Cloudy 29/17 M Sunny 29/17 compression fractures, that happen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and bones compared to those without Still, the results suggest that London Cloudy 08/05 P Cloudy 09/-1 when bones in the spine weaken and colleagues write in Diabetes Care. diabetes. And people with vertebral vertebral fractures may represent an Manila P Cloudy 32/27 P Cloudy 31/26 crumple, often in the lower back. “Based on our fi ndings, we suggest fractures without diabetes had a 73% underrecognised health risk for people Moscow Cloudy 07/03 Cloudy 06/03 These fractures can be caused by that individuals with type 2 diabetes higher risk of broken bones. with diabetes, the study authors New Delhi Sunny 28/16 P Cloudy 26/14 injuries or by osteoporosis and may should be systematically assessed for When people had both diabetes conclude. New York Cloudy 08/06 Rain 08/04 have few symptoms, but they can lead the presence of vertebral fractures,” and vertebral fractures, they were “Notoriously, presence of vertebral Paris P Cloudy 07/03 Rain 07/04 to problems like severe chronic pain or they write. 2.4 times more likely than those with fractures in patients with type 2 Sao Paulo M Sunny 24/14 M Cloudy 23/17 reduced height. Moreover, when people with neither condition to experience broken diabetes also constitutes a call Seoul Rain 11/03 M Cloudy 07/-3 The current study included data diabetes do have vertebral fractures, bones. for attention to potentially frail Singapore P Cloudy 32/26 S T Storms 31/26 from 15 prior studies with a total of the study team advises, this would be People with both diabetes and individuals at higher risk of mortality Sydney S T Storms 19/14 Cloudy 23/15 852,702 men and women. Overall, a good reason to start treatment for vertebral fractures were also more than that expected from type 2 Tokyo Clear 19/10 Cloudy 22/12 people with type 2 diabetes were 35% osteoporosis to help prevent future likely to die prematurely than others, diabetes alone,” the researchers write. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, November 17, 2019 QATAR PM briefed on Ashghal infrastructure projects

PM visits Mesaimeer comprising a total of 6.1km road- Interchange Upgrade and works. Citizens’ Subdivisions Al-Muhannadi recalled that Development projects in the fi rst tunnel of the Mesaimeer south of Doha Interchange was opened to traffi c in October this year, six months QNA ahead of schedule, and said other Doha parts will be opened soon, with the project scheduled for com- pletion next year. E the Prime Minister The new three-level inter- and Minister of Inte- change is the fi rst of its kind in Hrior Sheikh Abdullah bin Qatar and it includes nine tun- Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani has nels to provide free fl ow traffi c. visited the Mesaimeer Inter- The 6.1km long interchange change Upgrade project and Citi- consists of three to four lanes in zens’ Subdivisions Development each direction to accommodate projects in the south of Doha. about 20,000 vehicles per hour The prime minister was briefed in both directions. on the progress of works in both Al-Muhannadi pointed out that projects. Ashghal is committed to its inte- He stressed that the citizens’ grated plan to serve the citizens’ subdivisions are the top priority subdivisions as a top priority. of the government under the di- Work is ongoing in several ar- rectives of His Highness the Amir eas such as Al Wukair South, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Tha- HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Al Ebb, Leabaib, Al Kharaitiyat, ni, as the Amir clarifi ed in his re- Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani being briefed by Ashghal president Dr West Muaither and other areas Ashghal officials with HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin cent address to the Shura Council. Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi. to provide services to more than Khalifa al-Thani during his visit to one of the projects. The prime minister urged 16,500 residential subdivisions. speedy completion of infrastruc- role of Qatari youth in building He pointed out that more than Ashghal is also working ten- Al Thumama Stadium and facili- He said that the new inter- isting citizens’ residential sub- ture projects, especially projects their country. 65% of the project is complete, dering similar projects to serve 12 tates ease of access to Al Janoub change would signifi cantly im- divisions as a top priority, with related to the development of Public Works Authority (Ash- including the development of areas in the state covering 16,900 Stadium. prove traffi c and save more than projects to serve 12 areas cover- citizens’ subdivisions, express- ghal) president Dr Saad bin Mesaimeer Interchange and parts subdivisions. Darwish clarifi ed that project 70% of travel time. ing 16,900 subdivisions, includ- ing happiness about the partici- Ahmed al-Muhannadi said that of roads connected to the inter- Ashghal’s Highway Projects work is progressing for the com- Ashghal Road Projects depart- ing Al Wajbah East, Duhail, Umm pation of Qatari engineers in the Ashghal strives to complete the change, such as Rawdat Al Khail department manager Bader Dar- pletion of the interchange before ment manager Saud al-Tamimi Lekhba, Rawdat Al Jahhaniya, implementation of all projects Mesaimeer Interchange develop- Street, Industrial Area Road, E- wish said that the Mesaimeer In- the start of the much-awaited said that Ashghal is taking over Semaisma and Jeryan Najima under Ashghal, and stressing the ment project. Ring Road and Doha Expressway, terchange directly connects with 2022 FIFA World Cup. the development of new and ex- among others. ‘First of its kind’ Mesaimeer Interchange takes shape

he Mesaimeer Interchange is the “fi rst of its kind” in Qatar con- Tnecting six main roads, namely E-Ring Road, Doha Expressway, the southern part of Doha Expressway, Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, Industrial Area Road and Rawdat Al Khail Street. The Public Works Authority (Ash- ghal) said in a statement yesterday that the interchange provides vital a traffi c link between the south, central and north of the country. Also, it links traffi c from the south through the southern part of Doha Expressway, the main carriageway of Doha Expressway and North Road. The interchange also links traffi c between the Industrial Area and cen- tral Doha through Rawdat Al Khail Street intersecting D-Ring Road, C- Ring Road and B-Ring Road, as well as connecting the neighbourhoods of Nuaija, Al Thumama, Abu Hamour, Al Mamoura and Mesaimeer. It also provides ease of access to Al Wakrah, Al Wukair and the Industrial An aerial view of a bridge. Area. The road is located in a busy area that hosts many vital facilities, including cal Department, schools, health cen- cludes nine tunnels to provide free- in both directions, while the other one linking Al-Wattiyyat Interchange, and four underpasses for easy access the upcoming Al Thumama Stadium, tres and commercial entities. fl owing traffi c,” Ashghal noted. connects E-Ring Road with the south- which is a strategic link between the of vehicles to the neighbourhoods of Al one of the 2022 FIFA World Cup venues. The interchange includes an intel- The 6.1km long interchange consists ern part of Doha Expressway in one southern part of Doha Expressway and Thumama, Mesaimeer, Abu Hamour, Three pedestrian bridges have been ligent transport system wherein sur- of three-four lanes in each direction to direction, ensuring the smooth fl ow of its main carriageway. Nuaija, Al Wakrah and Al Wukair. included in the project to ease people’s veillance cameras and vehicle number accommodate about 20,000 vehicles traffi c in all directions. This link provides free-fl owing traf- The interchange is also important in access to the stadium. monitors will be installed along with per hour in both directions. The interchange also includes pe- fi c between the north and south of the terms of the provision of free-fl owing The interchange also serves many an emergency traffi c system to ensure The interchange also contains two destrian and bicycle lanes along 23km country through Doha city. traffi c for commuters from these areas important educational, health and better traffi c control. major bridges. with three pedestrian bridges. The project is one of the vital inter- to Hamad International Airport, the commercial facilities such as the Med- “The new three-level interchange One of them connects Rawdat Al The Mesaimeer Interchange inte- changes in the country as it consists southern areas, Doha city as well as the ical Commission, Qatar Meteorologi- is the fi rst of its kind in Qatar and in- Khail Street and Industrial Area Road grates with Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor of two levels comprising three bridges northern parts of Qatar.

Ashghal focuses on projects to develop residential subdivisions

he Public Works Author- ity (Ashghal) has contin- Tued with its work in 10 residential areas to develop roads and infrastructure for citizens’ residential subdivisions cover- ing Al Shamal, Al Wukair South, Al Ebb, Leabaib, Al Froosh, Al Off icials and dignitaries during the field visit. PICTURE: Thajudheen Kharaitiyat, West Muaither, Al Nasiriyah North, Rawdat Eqdaim and Izghawa as well as other vital areas to serve more than 16,500 residential subdivisions. Al Karaana Lagoon project completed The project includes the provision of roads, a drainage From Page 1 A group of students from bilitation project at Al Karaana The main rehabilitation works network, rainwater drainage Al Karaana Primary, Pre- Lagoon was implemented by were completed six months network, street lighting, an in- Meanwhile, Ashghal organ- paratory and Secondary In- French company Suez, while ahead of schedule, Ashghal said. telligent transportation system, ised a tree-planting activity dependent School for Boys EGS provided the initial studies The project was scheduled to be street planning and other works during the Al Karaana Lagoon participated. and design as well as consultan- completed by the middle of next that will improve the quality of project site tour. The reclamation and reha- cy services. year. citizens’s lives, Ashghal has said in a statement. The authority is also on the verge of launching similar projects to serve 12 regions cov- All steps for implementation of National Address Law completed ering Mebaireek, East Al Wajbah, Duhail, Umm Lekhba, Rawdat Al From Page 1 patriate, has to register his data in a simple and 4 will be fi ned an amount not exceeding Jahhaniya, Semaisma and Jeryan form that includes the residential address , QR10,000. Providing incorrect data know- Najima and others to serve more subdivisions, is supposed to Al Wukair South neighbourhood Lt Col Dr Abdullah Zayed al-Sahli, head land phone number, mobile number, e-mail, ingly will also draw a fi ne. than 16,900 subdivisions in these serve more than 4,500 residen- with main roads and facilitating of the National Address Section at Public employer’s address for government and pri- In the event of a change in the national areas and the projects are in the tial plots and Ashghal has already transportation between Doha, Al Security, said the MoI has been working to vate sector employees, and permanent ad- address data , such information should be stage of tendering and awarding. provided road and drainage serv- Wukair and Al Wakrah. complete the steps required for the imple- dress abroad, if any. A legal representative updated as per Article 4 of the Act. If the Ashghal has already completed ices to more than 2,000 of them. The project also includes the mentation. “The process of registering the can also furnish the details on behalf of the person does not notify the competent au- projects for road and infrastruc- The project aims to provide provision of safe entries to all data of the national address for citizens and resident. For minor children, the guardians thority of the change or update it during ture services in 11 residential infrastructure for Al Wukair area residential and commercial fa- residents could be done through Metrash2 have to register the data and they will be re- the scheduled period, the given data will be areas serving more than 10,000 through construction of major cilities to be built in the area. app or MoI service centres. An offi ce will be sponsible for the legal transactions and the considered as valid and productive for all subdivisions covering Al Mashaf drainage networks along 166km, This includes installing street- allocated to facilitate the process of regis- validity of the given data,” he said. legal proceedings as per Article 5 of the Act. West, New Slata, Al Aziziya East, a rainwater drainage network light poles and signboards to en- tering national address of the citizens. The If any person fails to register the data The MoI offi cial stressed that the aim of Al Wukair North, Al Sailiya, and a 310km-long groundwater hance traffi c safety. National Address Section will be based in within six months from the date of the com- maintaining a register of national address is Rawdat Al Hamama and Bani drainage network. The project started in April Onaizah Service Centre,” he said. mencement of the offi cial registration proc- to ensure access to residents in all matters of Hajer, where projects were ex- The road works include inter- 2018 has already covered around Lt Col al-Sahli explained that the reg- ess, he will be punishable under Article 6 personal and offi cial interest. This measure ecuted from 2012-2018. nal and external roads network 56% of works, and is planned for istration procedures are easy and simple. of the National Address Act. Anyone who is also a qualitative leap in the conduct of ju- The project at Al Wukair with a total length of 172km, completion in the third quarter “Every resident, whether a citizen or an ex- violates any of the provisions of Articles 3 dicial procedures. South, one of the new citizens’ with 27 intersections linking the of 2020.