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MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10510 July 10, 2017 Shawwal 16, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Sri Lankan FM, ICC chief prosecutor

In brief

QATAR | Diplomacy Al-Muraikhi meets Gambian minister HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi has met with the Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs, Hussein Dabo, on the His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake and sidelines of the 44th session of the OIC his accompanying delegation at his off ice at Al Bahr Palace. The meeting reviewed relations of co-operation between the two Council of Foreign Ministers in Abidjan, countries and means of enhancing and promoting them in all fields, especially in the political areas and economic partnership. QNA reports. During the meeting, they Talks also dealt with the latest regional and international developments, mainly the Gulf crisis. The Sri Lankan minister stressed His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday with the discussed bilateral relations, ways his country’s stance to resolve the crisis through constructive dialogue. Page 2 Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, at of strengthening them as well as a his off ice at Al Bahr Palace. They reviewed the latest developments in the region, number of issues of common concern. particularly the aftermath of the GCC crisis and the violations of international HE al-Muraikhi also briefed Dabo on the accords and human rights committed by the four siege countries. Bensouda praised latest developments pertaining to the Qatar’s handling of the crisis. The meeting also dealt with co-operation ties between siege imposed by some OIC member Qatar and the ICC. states on Qatar. He stressed that zIn her meeting with HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman imposing unilateral measures against al-Thani, Bensouda expressed regret over the human rights violations committed Qatar is against the UN Charter and a by the quartet that imposed air, sea and land blockade on Qatar. She praised Qatar’s flagrant violation of international law, mature way of dealing with the crisis. Page 2 which has resulted in serious violations Panel set up to of human rights.

QATAR | Shipping Mwani Qatar handles Private sector ‘proves 212 vessels in June claim damages Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) yesterday said it handled ability to overcome 212 vessels last month across its diff erent ports in the country. These 212 vessels were hosted at Hamad Port, Doha Port and Ruwais Port, Mwani eff ects of blockade’ Qatar informed in a tweet yesterday. from siege states Earlier, it was announced that Mwani he Qatari private sector has prov- Qatar had inaugurated, along with its en its resilience and ability to partners, five new direct service lines „PM opens Compensation Claims Committee HQ Tovercome the eff ects of the eco- between Hamad Port and diff erent „Public and private sectors can seek damages nomic blockade imposed by Saudi Ara- ports in the region and beyond in less bia and its allies, a top offi cial of Qatar than 20 days. Chamber (QC) has said. Various sectors have opened new REGION | Travel Agencies Doha channels to import foodstuff and con- US lift s gadget ban on struction materials since the beginning of the siege, QC chairman HE Sheikh Kuwait Airways fl ights atar yesterday announced it Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani stressed in a Kuwait Airways yesterday announced was establishing a committee statement yesterday. that the US authorities had lifted a ban Qto pursue compensation claims The private sector’s eff orts in this Qatar Chamber chairman HE Sheikh on personal electronic devices on board potentially worth billions of dollars over area ensured the continued fl ow of such Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani. flights bound for the US, after American the country’s blockade by the Saudi-led goods into the local market at the same off icials inspected security measures bloc. pace to prevent any shortage of con- to establish more industries, especially on flights, QNA reported. Kuwait Attorney General HE Dr Ali bin Fetais sumer goods, he noted. in the food sector. Businessmen would Airways passengers will be able to carry al-Marri said the Compensation Claims There is constant communication be given new advantages and incentives, personal electronic items on board all Committee would deal with cases in- between Qatar Chamber and the com- encouraging them to contribute more US-bound flights departing from Kuwait cluding major companies, such as Qatar petent ministries and institutions to in the fi eld, and with all facilities that International Airport, the carrier said in Airways, and individual Qatari students HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa remove all obstacles facing business would help them launch local produc- a statement relayed by Kuwaiti news who have been expelled from the coun- al-Thani with Attorney General HE Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri and other off icials at the sectors with a view to ensuring the sus- tive projects, according to the offi cial agency Kuna. The US Transportation tries where they were studying. opening of the Compensation Claims Committee headquarters in Doha yesterday. tained fl ow of goods and preventing Qatar News Agency. Security Administration lifted the ban “This committee will receive all any shortage, especially in foodstuff , he He noted that an initiative launched after US off icials inspected the security claims, whether from the public sector, 140 Qatari pupils studying in the UAE, manent and its mission shall not end said. by the single-window committee, measures on Kuwait Airways flights, it private sector or individuals,” al-Marri Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. with the end of the crisis. HE Sheikh Khalifa indicated that Qa- which was formed as part of a project said. Page 4 told journalists at a press conference in The Compensation Claims Commit- The diff erence between politics and tar Chamber holds daily meetings with to streamline investor services, has Doha. tee, which was opened by HE the Prime law is that in law there is continuity, un- traders and suppliers to discuss all ob- contributed to expediting the issuance Potential plaintiff s such as Qatar Air- Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh like politics, which could be stopped by stacles faced by them in this regard and of industrial licences under the theme QATAR | Humanitarian ways, banks or individuals will be able to Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Tha- certain conditions, he added, emphasis- to refer the obstacles to the competent “Own a factory within 72 hours”. The Qatar Charity tie-up fi le claims related to the siege in courts ni, will be overseen by al-Marri, as well ing the right to compensation for civil or authorities to fi nd immediate solutions. initiative also included the introduction with UN bodies at home and abroad, including in Paris as offi cials from the ministries of foreign criminal damages, which is guaranteed He also praised the co-operation ex- of 250 industrial opportunities in vari- and London, al-Marri said. aff airs and justice. by law. tended by various ministries and gov- ous sectors, he added. Qatar Charity (QC) has consultative On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United The committee would receive all In this context, al-Marri referred to ernment institutions, saying this has HE Sheikh Khalifa said the “unjust status and memberships at a number Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt an- claims, sort and decide them and then Arab and European similar cases, where provided solutions to all the problems siege” imposed on Qatar did not aff ect of UN entities as well as international nounced they had cut all ties with Qatar, refer them to the relevant jurisdictions, countries are still paying compensation faced by Qatari traders and opened new the Qatari market, while companies and regional humanitarian accusing Doha of supporting Islamist whether at the local level (the Qatari after decades of damages resulting of horizons for businessmen to expand from the blockading countries were organisations. In a report released extremists. Doha denies the accusations. courts) or at the level of the interna- wars or crises. their activities in order to cover any heavily aff ected as they lost their pres- yesterday, QC said it has made 93 Qatar has said thousands of its citi- tional courts in cases requiring inter- From a legal point of view, each fi le defi cit that may result from the siege ence in Qatar. co-operation agreements worth more zens have been aff ected by the isolation national arbitration through overseas submitted to the committee shall be in the supply and demand balance - by Further, he stressed that Qatar was than $126mn, with the UN entities, measures. law fi rms commissioned by the com- studied and decided upon separately, increasing domestic production and ex- able to immediately secure its require- humanitarian organisations besides Doha’s National Human Rights Com- mittee to handle the claims, al-Marri taking into account its specifi cs in terms panding import channels from abroad. ments of all kinds by importing such international and regional charities. mittee in June said the sanctions repre- explained. of violation or damage to the plaintiff , The coming period, he said, would goods from alternative markets “at the Page 2 sented a violation of the rights of some He said the committee would be per- he concluded. Pages 2, 20 see a focus on encouraging businessmen same cost and with better quality”. Save the Dream establishes 8 Tillerson, Turkish FM discuss Gulf crisis new chapters around the world „US Secretary of Later Tillerson held talks three other Arab countries ave the Dream, a global non-profi t according to a press statement. State due in Kuwait with Turkish President Re- have blockaded and broken movement established by the In- Locations that have registered by lo- today cep Tayyip Erdogan in a bid relations with Qatar, home to Sternational Centre for Sport Se- cal NGOs and representatives to become to iron out a series of disputes the largest US military base curity (ICSS) and Qatar Olympic Com- Save the Dream Chapters include Bo- Agencies on issues ranging from Syria in the region. mittee, has taken a “signifi cant step” in gota (Colombia), Thessaloniki (Greece), Istanbul to last year’s failed coup. He plans to spend the the next phase of its global expansion by Prague (Czech Republic), Yaounde He arrived in Istanbul week talking to leaders of the announcing the establishment of eight (Cameroon), Belo Horizonte (Brazil), from Ukraine. Gulf capitals, receiving them Save the Dream Chapters in key loca- Buenos Aires (Argentina), Napoli (Italy) urkish Foreign Min- Tillerson is scheduled to in Kuwait or shuttling among tions around the world. and Istanbul (Turkey). ister Mevlut Cavu- arrive in Kuwait today for regional capitals, according As part of Save the Dream’s overall As part of their involvement, the new Tsoglu met in Istanbul talks on the Gulf crisis. Ku- to senior US offi cials, who mission of promoting and protecting the chapters will utilise Save the Dream’s yesterday with his US coun- wait has been leading me- cautioned that a fi rm sched- values of sport in young people and help international network of partners and terpart Rex Tillerson, who diation eff orts to resolve the ule is not yet set. further engage with local communities, ambassadors to conduct a range of local is now visiting Turkey as he crisis. The US has become “in- the new chapters – which span nine lo- community projects, which will provide begins his tour of the region. After weeks of pub- creasingly concerned that cations and cities across four continents opportunities and tools for young people Turkish diplomatic sources lic statements and private the dispute is at an impasse - will see representatives and NGOs through sport and aim to achieve several told Anadolu news agency phone calls, Tillerson has at this point,” Heather Nau- based in each location conduct a range key objectives. These include developing that the two sides discussed decided to personally inter- ert, the spokesperson for the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US Secretary of State Rex of social projects and initiatives to help skills, instilling ethics and promoting so- the Gulf and Syrian crises be- vene in the ongoing Gulf dis- US State Department, had Tillerson shake hands within their meeting in Istanbul, as Turkey’s Foreign give more young people access to sport, cial innovation through sport. sides the war on terrorism. pute after Saudi Arabia and said. Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu looks on. Gulf Times 2 Monday, July 10, 2017 QATAR

PM, Foreign Minister meet Sri Lankan FM OFFICIAL

Emir issues decrees

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued the following decrees: 1.Decree No 39 of 2017 ratifying a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-operate in the fields of desalination of seawater and sewage water treatment and their reuse between the governments of Qatar and Cyprus signed in Doha on 27/01/ 2014. 2. Decree No 40 of 2017, ratifying an agreement between the governments of Qatar and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake, and the accompanying delegation, in Doha yesterday. Talks Panama for avoidance of double dealt with relations between Qatar and Sri Lanka and means of enhancing them in addition to the latest developments in the region. HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also taxation and prevention of fiscal met Ravi Karunanayake, and the accompanying delegation, yesterday. Talks dealt with bilateral relations between the two countries and means of enhancing them in addition to issues of common concern. The evasion with respect to taxes Foreign Minister briefed his Lankan counterpart on the latest developments in the Gulf crisis and the illegal measures taken against Qatar. on income and its annexed protocol signed in New York on 23/09/2010. 3. Decree No 41 of 2017, ratifying an agreement establishing a Joint Economic, Trade, and FM receives chief prosecutor of ICC Technical Committee between the governments of Qatar and Azerbaijan, signed in Baku on Crisis has proven 08/03/2016. 4. Decree No 42 of 2017, ratifying an MoU to co-operate in the financial policy and budgeting aff airs fields, between the Ministries of Finance in Qatar and Qatar’s credibility: Azerbaijan, signed in Baku on 08/03/2016. The MoUs and agreements shall have the power of law in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution. Justice Minister The decrees stipulate that they shall be eff ective starting from their date of issue and shall be QNA published in the Off icial Gazette. Doha zCompensation Claims Committee reflects Emir’s Emir ratifies keenness to protect rights he launch of the Compen- of Qatari people Cabinet decisions sation Claims Commit- z Crisis confirms Qatar’s Ttee refl ects High High- transparency and firm HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met the visiting Chief His Highness the Emir Sheikh ness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin legal commitment Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda in Doha yesterday. Talks dealt Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Hamad al-Thani’s keenness to z Qatar will take all legal with the regional developments, especially in Syria and Libya. The Foreign Minister briefed the yesterday ratified the following protect the rights of the Qatari steps to preserve its ICC chief prosecutor on the latest developments related to the Gulf crisis and the illegal measures Cabinet decision: people, who have been unjustly security, stability and the taken against Qatar. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court expressed regret over 1. Cabinet decision No 25 of aff ected by the siege imposed on rights of its citizens and the human rights violations relating to international law and international humanitarian law arising 2017 expropriating certain real Qatar, HE the Minister of Justice residents from the siege. She praised the manner in which Qatar has managed the crisis, expressing property for the public benefit. Dr Hassan bin Lahdan Saqr al- z Qatar respects bilateral admiration for the Qatar’s role, describing it as the right approach in dealing with such crises. 2. Cabinet’s decision No 24 of Mohannadi said. and regional agreements Moreover, the ICC chief prosecutor expressed her gratitude for the support provided by Qatar to 2017 expropriating certain real The Minister said the new step HE the Minister of Justice Dr and treaties the International Criminal Court. property for the public benefit. comes within the directives of Hassan bin Lahdan Saqr the Emir which include protect- al-Mohannadi Instruments of ing the right of compensation to said, noting that these abuses citizens who are facing aggres- governed by multi agreements, are documented and would be ratification sive measures that aff ect wide conventions and treaties. the subject of legal action. categories and segments of the The MoJ is home for all Qatari The Compensations Claims Transport Minister meets ICAO official His Highness the Emir Sheikh society. specialists in legal matters and Committee will follow up on Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani In press statements on the oc- it provides all the attention and each case with full attention yesterday issued the following casion of the inauguration of the training for them, including the regardless of the degree of sus- instruments of ratification: Committee’s Headquarters here Public Prosecution, the Supreme tained damages, he explained. 1. Approving a draft yesterday, HE al-Mohannadi Judicial Council (SJC) along with By being part of the Commit- Memorandum of Understanding said the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) lawyers, the Minister stressed. tee, MoJ will also help in receiv- (MoU) for co-operation in the is eager to follow up on the coun- In this context, the Minister ing, screening and following up field of health between the try’s legal position on the matter. said Qatar is a State of institu- on requests of aff ected parties governments of Qatar and the He said the ministry recently tions, and respects bilateral and in addition to taking the appro- Philippines signed in Doha on hosted a meeting with directors regional agreements and trea- priate legal measures within its 16/04/2017. of legal aff airs in the State, es- ties, stressing that the crisis specifi ed legal jurisdiction and 2. Approving a draft MoU for co- pecially in legal bodies directly confi rms its transparency and through the legitimate and legal operation in the field of culture related to the repercussions of fi rm legal commitment as op- channels. between the Ministry of Culture the crisis, in order to develop posed to that of the siege coun- The Minister of Justice urged and Sports in Qatar and the the appropriate mechanism to tries, which haven’t respected all citizens and residents not to National Committee for Culture strengthen Qatar’s legal position these agreements. be dragged into the defamation and Arts in the Philippines signed and to follow up on the damages Qatar will not hesitate to take and abuse campaign targeting in Doha on 16/04/2017. arising out of the siege internally all legal measures to preserve its Qatar and to comply with the 3. Approving a draft MoU and externally. security, stability and the rights statements of the Government between Qatar Central Bank HE al-Mohannadi said that of its citizens and residents, he Communications Offi ce and (QCB) and Bank of Bangladesh this would be co-ordinated said, adding that Qatar will also other offi cial entities calling for signed in Doha on 08/05/2017. through the newly-formed take all the appropriate measures restraint in the standoff over this His Highness the Emir Sheikh committee, in which the MoJ is to achieve this goal domestically campaign. HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti met Chris Dalton, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani a member, to review all social, and at the international level in HE al-Mohannadi noted that Chief of Airspace Management and Optimisation Section at International Civil Aviation also issued an Instrument economic and legal damages to line with international laws and the Ministry is taking the ap- Organisation (ICAO) and Elie El Khoury Regional Off icer for Air Traff ic Management, Search and of Accession approving the citizens and various legal enti- regulations, he said. propriate legal measures to pros- Rescue (ATM/SAR) at ICAO. The meeting discussed Qatar’s technical file, submitted to ICAO, on accession to the Charter of the ties (juridical and natural per- Qatar has been subjected to a ecute those defaming Qatar and the violations of aviation safety and security committed by the siege countries and their serious Secretariat of the Conference sons) as a result of the illegal systematic and unfair campaign it welcomes communication on consequences. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority Abdullah bin on Interaction and Confidence unprecedented measures in in- of all kinds of abuse targeting means of backing Qatar’s legal Nasser Turki al-Subaey. Building Measures in Asia ternational relations, which are it and its symbols, the Minister position in this regard. (CICA). Qatar Charity enjoys partnership Ministry issues statistics with UN, humanitarian bodies on building permits

QNA nature of the monthly permits in sued, data indicates that the new QNA ing UN entities: United Nations of the global Start Network. in Lebanon and Sudan. Doha terms of their geographical dis- building permits (residential and Doha High Commissioner for Refu- Such contributions highlight At the regional level, QC has a tribution (according to the mu- non-residential) constitute 55% gees (UNHCR), World Food Pro- QCs interest in co-operation, consultative status at the Organ- nicipalities) and types of these (225 permits) of the total building gramme (WFP), International and show the scale of its projects isation of Islamic Co-operation he Ministry of Develop- permits (buildings, additions, permits issued during the month of atar Charity (QC) has Organisation For Migration across the world through its since 2014. ment Planning and Sta- fencing) as well as details about June 2017, while the percentage of consultative status (IOM), Food and Agriculture partnerships with UN agencies They co-operated in co-ordi- Ttistics published the 30th categories of the diff erent types additions permits constituted 43% Qand memberships at a Organisation (FAO), United Na- and international organisations. nating humanitarian response in issue of the monthly statistics of buildings, whether they are (175 permits), and fencing permits number of UN entities as well tions Children Fund (Unicef), QC has a consultative status OIC member-states and in shar- of building permits issued by all residential or non-residential. constituted 3% (11 permits). as international and regional United Nations Offi ce for the at the United Nations Economic ing information and experiences municipalities in Qatar. As per the data, during the In the residential buildings cat- humanitarian organisations, Co-ordination of Humanitar- and Social Council since 1997 on the situation in the member- Building permits data is of month of June 2017, 124 building egory, data shows that villas per- a matter which highlighted its ian Aff airs (OCHA), United Na- where the two sides co-operated states as well as building capaci- particular importance as it is permits were issued in Rayyan mits top the list, accounting for contributions and showed the tions Development Programme in highlighting QC’s contribu- ties in humanitarian fi eld and considered an indicator for the Municipality. This is 30% of the 49% (97 permits) of all new resi- scale of its co-ordination with (UNDP) and United Nations tion in UN eff orts in develop- organising joint events, confer- performance of the construction total permits issued during the dential buildings permits, followed authorities concerned at the in- Relief and Works Agency for Pal- ment and humanitarian area and ences and consultative meet- sector, which in turn occupies month. Doha municipality came by dwellings of housing loans by ternational level. estine Refugees in the Near East promoting global peace. ings, among others. a signifi cant position in the na- in second place with 92 permits 40% (80 permits) and apartments In a report released yesterday, (UNRWA). QC has been a member of In- In 2016, QC became a member tional economy. (22%), followed by the munici- buildings 7% (14 permits). QC said it has made 93 co-oper- QC’s important partnerships ternational Organisation For of Start Network. The release of this monthly pality of Al Da’ayen with 71 per- On the other hand, commercial ation agreements valued at more include a consultative status at Migration (IOM) where the two The Network’s members co- data follows co-operation be- mits (17%), and Al Wakrah with buildings were found to be in the than $126mn, with the UN enti- the United Nations Economic sides’ co-operation focused operate in co-ordinating during tween the Ministry of Develop- 49 permits (12%) . forefront of non-residential build- ties, humanitarian organisations and Social Council, Observ- on helping migrants in confl ict disasters for better humanitarian ment Planning and Statistics and The rest of the municipalities ing permits with 52% (14 permits), in addition to international and er Member of International zones to overcome challenges response, mobilising resources the Ministry of Municipality and were as follows: Al Khor 28 permits followed by industrial buildings regional charities. Organisation for Migration facing them along with facilitat- from government bodies to pro- Environment to make use of the (7%), Al Sheehaniya 22 permits such as workshops and factories It added that co-operation (IOM), a consultative status ing the safe return to their home vide the necessary support and existing electronic link between (5%), Umm Slal 18 permits (4%), with 19% (5 permits), governmen- memorandums and agreements at the Organisation of Islamic countries. respond to the needs of victims the two ministries and intends and Al Shamal 7 permits (2%). tal buildings with 15% (4 permits), were signed with the follow- Co-operation, and a member To this end, they co-operated of crises and disasters. to give a brief overview of the In terms of type of permits is- then mosques with 7% (2 permits). Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 3 QATAR

Ford and 60 students join research Lincoln models on engineering challenges recalled he Ministry of Economy ore than 60 of Qatar’s salination technologies, un- electrical components, and as- and Commerce (MEC) has brightest school stu- derstanding the phenomenon sembling the walkie-talkie. In Tannounced a recall of Ford Mdents are taking part known in the oil and gas in- the chemical engineering labs, Edge models of 2016-2017 and in the Future Engineers and dustry as “viscous fi ngering” they experiment with diff er- Lincoln-MKX and Continental Summer Engineering Academy - which can cause issues in oil ent types of water to investigate models of 2017 because the driv- (SEA) programme until July 13, production, and using voice respective purity levels. Par- er airbag cushion may not com- at Texas A&M University at identifi cation software to ticipants in Future Engineers pletely fi ll, or the cushion may Qatar (Tamuq). recognise and identify voices will brainstorm other tools and detach from the airbag mod- The two programmes form based on infl ection, pitch, ca- equipment that should be in- ule in the event of driver airbag part of a broader initiative dence and accents to enhance cluded in an emergency kit and deployment. called Dhia: Engineering Lead- cybersecurity. prepare a poster and presenta- The recall is being carried out ers, a partnership between Tex- National Vision Scholar Sai- tion of their fi ndings, according in collaboration with the Ford as A&M at Qatar and longtime datul Zaheda said, “The growth to a press statement. and Lincoln dealer in Qatar, collaborator Maersk Oil Qa- and development of Qatar de- “Our goal is to introduce Almana Motors Co. tar. Dhia aims to attract young pends on people who can both students to the diverse fi elds In a statement, the ministry Qataris to choose educational identify the country’s need for of engineering that are driving has said the recall campaign pathways in science, technolo- advancements and at the same Qatar’s development,” said Dr comes within the framework gy, engineering and mathemat- time have the skills to inno- Brady Creel, director of the out- of its ongoing eff orts to pro- ics (STEM), which are critical to vate these ideas. And this pro- reach programmes. “Along the tect consumers and ensure the success of Qatar National gramme has given me a deeper way, we help students develop that car dealers follow up on Vision 2030. look into how engineers are not essential skills in teamwork, vehicle defects and repair SEA is an elite academic en- only the ones who provide solu- communication and critical them. richment programme for 24 tions, but they are the ones who thinking, which are critical in The MEC will co-ordinate academically outstanding grade push for change to begin with, technical careers.” with the dealer to follow up on 12 students who have been making them the very backbone Student participants also maintenance and repair works named National Vision Schol- of this country.” partake in presentations, in- and communicate with custom- ars. SEA introduces students to In Future Engineers, which cluding talks on the Arab sci- ers to ensure that the necessary advanced topics in engineering Two students engaged in a project work. runs parallel to SEA, more than entifi c renaissance and Qatar’s repairs are carried out. and science while teaching im- 30 students in grades 10, 11 grand challenges for engineer- The ministry has urged all portant problem-solving skills. are learning how to communi- neering professor Dr Mansour Topics under investigation and 12 are working on a desert ing, demonstrations of chem- customers to report violations The students are working cate their technical ideas and Karkoub. “It helps ease their this year include designing a emergency kit that will in- istry and physics concepts, and to its Consumer Protection with Tamuq faculty and techni- will present their research fi nd- tech-phobia, and gives their smart construction helmet clude an emergency commu- a visit to Tamuq’s Immersive and Anti-Commercial Fraud cal laboratory staff on real-life, ings at the end of the two-week education a sense of purpose as that will improve the health nications device and a water Visualisation Facility. Students Department through the hot- relevant, hands-on research programme. well as a future to look forward and well-being of workers desalination kit. in both programmes are also line: 16001, e-mail: info@mec. projects related to Qatar’s re- “Introducing students to en- to. That is our goal as educators, in Qatar by protecting them During the 10-day pro- learning interviewing skills and gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, search challenges in energy, gineering research at an early and that is why I have been tak- from the blazing heat of the gramme, the future engineers how to design technical docu- Instagram: MEC_Qatar and environment, healthcare and age has a great eff ect on their ing part in this event for the past summer sun, experimentally are 3D-modelling and print- ments, as well as how to apply the mobile app for Android cybersecurity. The teams also careers,” said mechanical engi- three years.” evaluating diff erent water de- ing the enclosure, soldering the to Texas A&M at Qatar. and iOS: MEC_Qatar Qatar dedicated to Mathaf to launch arts and investing in digital drive: Ooredoo education programme athaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art will atar ranks as the Arab tar’s economic competitiveness, Mlaunch a summer pro- world’s “most innova- supporting employee produc- gramme for students this week Qtive country”, thanks to tivity and job creation, and en- aimed at stimulating creativ- Qatar National Vision (QNV) hancing the citizen experience. ity and appreciation of modern 2030’s government-led dig- “Ooredoo is working closely and contemporary art in the ital transformation, Ooredoo with a wide range of Qatari gov- Yousuf al-Kubaisi, COO, region. has said, citing the World Eco- ernment agencies to deliver Ooredoo Qatar. The initiative, presented by nomic Forum’s latest Global strong success through innova- Qatar Museums (QM) under Competitiveness Report. tive digital services, from ad- Ministry of Culture and Sports the leadership of its chairper- One of the biggest factors, vanced network infrastructure - in partnership with Ooredoo son, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa Ooredoo says, is Qatar rank- to next-generation mobile apps.” - launched the ‘Sports for All’ bint Hamad bin Khalifa al- ing as the world’s second-best Providing the foundation for mobile app for residents to fi nd Thani, forms part of its com- in government procurement of smart services, the Ministry of their nearest sports arena. mitment to host educational advanced IT. Transport and Communications “Qatar’s organisations can and community engagement Talking about its continued recently inaugurated Ooredoo’s leverage the Ooredoo advantage, programmes. investment in Qatar’s digital expanded Qatar Data Centre. which makes Ooredoo ‘Best for In a statement, QM said drive and QNV 2030, Ooredoo The Ministry of Foreign Af- Business’, thanks to its breadth Mathaf’s education summer Qatar chief operating offi cer fairs is also connecting over 100 and depth of talent, best fi xed programme would enable stu- Yousuf al-Kubaisi said: “Oore- diplomatic missions worldwide and mobile networks, broad- dents to explore diff erent art doo is dedicated to providing with Ooredoo network infra- est portfolio of ICT services and mediums in the Mathaf col- global best practices and tech- structure, including secure solutions, and the fact that it has lection and learn about diff er- nologies for our government and phone and video conferencing been a trusted partner for 60 ent concepts and practises in businesses partnerships. These solutions. years,” Ooredoo said in a press modern and contemporary art Mathaf’s education summer programme will give students an opportunity to experiment with drawing, collaborations are driving Qa- Supporting healthy living, the statement. through observation, discus- painting, sculpture and mixed media inspired by the museum’s collection. sion, research and creative ac- tivities. Throughout the week, stu- dents will have the oppor- tunity to experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture NBK celebrates new and mixed media inspired by the museum’s collection – which is one of the world’s largest specialised collection of its kind. Facebook milestone “It is our commitment at Mathaf to develop learn- ing programmes that cre- asser Bin Khaled (NBK) ate spaces for creativity and Automobiles, the au- learning for the local com- Nthorised general distrib- munity, nurture emerging utor of Mercedes-Benz in Qa- talent and allow students tar, yesterday announced a new to work together to explore milestone in its social media and develop an interest and presence – of having more than an appreciation for art and 100,000 Facebook followers. the museum’s collection,” “The new record is considered Mathaf’s learning and out- an important benchmark in the reach deputy director Maral company’s history, as it endeav- J Bedoyan said. ours to connect with its online The programme, which is QM’s initiative aims to foster creativity among young students. community through engaging free of charge and off ered in and value-adding content”, NBK English and Arabic, is open for three sessions over the course of years) sessions are scheduled the museums’ collection and Automobiles has said in a press all students aged between 8 and one week. for July 17 to 19 and July 31 to advocate for art education and statement “This new achieve- 14 years. Sessions for Group A (8-11 August 2. creative learning. Interested ment reiterates the company’s Students will be split into years) will be held from July 11 QM said the initiative comes students can register by sending leading position in the Qatari groups depending on their to 13 and from July 24 to 26, 9am as part of Mathaf’s commit- an email to mathaf_education@ market and luxury car segment.” age, with each group attending to 12noon. The Group B (12-14 ment to increase knowledge of qm.org.uk Khaled Shaaban, general manager of NBK Automobiles, said: “We are proud to announce this new landmark that show- cases the high level of interest and engagement on social me- Ball to raise funds to support rescued animals dia by our customers and fans, now celebrating more than Celebrating 100,000 followers on Facebook. 100,000 Facebook followers. he Annual Paws Ball is ment from the organisers said. “Last year’s Paws Ball was a they can be placed in responsi- This is testament to our com- The NBK Automobiles page can visit @NBKMercedesBenz back for the second year “Enjoy a delicious 3-course resounding success, with more ble, loving homes. Profi ts from mitment in providing the high- on Facebook is receiving more NBK Automobiles has built Tin a row, and will be held meal, live music and a DJ, and a than 150 people dining and this event will contribute to- est quality as a business in Qatar followers and comments from its success by establishing solid, in the Grand Ballroom of Grand silent auction and raffl e prizes. dancing until the early hours of wards food and supplies for the with premium Mercedes-Benz the fans each day as additional longstanding relationships with Hyatt Doha, on October 20. The theme this year is ‘Glitz ‘n the morning.” animals, veterinary bills, and products, models and off ers, as interactive content, images, vid- its customers, and through off er- Qatar residents have been in- Glam’, so think sparkles, glitter, Founded in 2014, Paws Res- upkeep of their animal retreat. well as creating an engaging, eos and news is released for new ing a wide range of products that vited to join the Paws Rescue Qa- feathers and shine – a fantastic cue Qatar is a non-profi t animal Tickets are priced at QR550. content-driven, interactive on- models, products, off ers and appeal to car enthusiasts who tar and Grand Hyatt Doha teams opportunity to get dressed up shelter dedicated to providing To register interest, one can line community for our brand events, the statement notes. To appreciate quality and style, the for a “fabulous night of tail- while helping to raise money for a safe haven for homeless and send an email to pawsball@ enthusiasts and consumers.” follow the Facebook page, one statement adds. wagging entertainment”, a state- a good cause,” the release said. rescued animals in Doha until pawsrescueqatar.org Gulf Times 4 Monday, July 10, 2017 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD Oman promotes picturesque mountains to tourists

man, which has a “natu- cool climate makes the resort the Salim al-Mamari, director-gen- rally-blessed terrain”, is ideal location for GCC residents eral of Tourism Promotion at the Ogetting ready to welcome looking for special luxury short Ministry of Tourism. GCC visitors this summer. stays or to spend time on the Wadi Mastal in Wilayt Nakhal, The Ministry of Tourism is hiking trails in Wadi Ghul,” the located 150km from Muscat, is looking to promote the pic- statement added. another option for visitors look- turesque mountains of Oman The hotel facility is one of ing to explore the traditional through various means, includ- the newest eff orts in Oman to Omani way of life. A viewing ing luxury stays, hiking and promote mountain tourism and platform off ers spectacular exploring rural villages in the promote itself as a year-round views of the surrounding moun- mountains, according to a press Salim al-Mamari destination by off ering special tains. statement issued in Doha. tariff s for Omanis and GCC resi- In addition to the moderate Located a few hours’ drive It is a popular sightseeing and dents. hiking trails and viewing plat- from Muscat, Jebel Shams and hiking area with a number of vil- “Oman is the preferred des- form, visitors can experience Jebel Akhdar make up the “most lages in the vicinity. tination for people who wish rural Oman as the area is farmed striking mountains of the Al For luxury stays in the moun- to escape the desert heat and by locals growing vegetables and Hajar Mountain range”, the tains, the Anantara Al Jabal Al skip the beaches in the summer exotic fruit trees. Visitors also statement noted. Jebel Shams is Akhdar Resort and Alila Jabal months. The country’s moun- have the opportunity to walk the highest peak in the Arabian Akhdar and other hotels and tains - Jebel Akhdar and Jebel among organically grown fruit Peninsula and often referred to resorts off er “plush luxury with Shams - off er moderate tem- trees such as pomegranates, ap- as the ‘Grand Canyon’ of Oman. incredible canyon views”. “The peratures in the mountains,” said ricots and cranberries. A view of Jebel Akhdar.

GU-Q students connect with Ceasefi re agreement Indonesian entrepreneurs

hree Georgetown Uni- ate students from Georgetown that I really want to try my hand versity in Qatar (GU-Q) University’s main campus in at building something mean- holds ahead of talks Tstudents recently met Washington, DC, who were to ingful,” explained al-Mulla.“I with board members of the be in the country for the ‘Hoyas saw that Qatar is really invest- AFP tion and the opposition, in two.” Indonesian Young Entrepre- in Jakarta’ project run by the ing a lot in its youth in working Beirut The United States has largely neur Association (Himpunan Georgetown University Centre towards the 2030 Vision by try- stepped back from involvement Pengusaha Muda Indonesia) in for Leadership and Govern- ing to promote innovation and in the diplomatic process to re- Jakarta, in a bid to increase the ance. entrepreneurship through vari- ceasefi re brokered by the solve the Syrian confl ict since level of collaboration between “Students in Georgetown, ous initiatives in Qatar Founda- United States, Russia and President Donald Trump took Indonesian entrepreneurs and both in DC and Qatar, see a tion, Qatar Development Bank AJordan brought quiet yes- offi ce in January. their counterparts in Qatar and wide range of opportunity in and other places. terday to frontlines in southern Trump said he had discussed the US. Indonesia,” said Iskander.“We “Being Qatari, and having a Syria ahead of fresh UN-spon- the confl ict with Russia’s Presi- During their trip to the think building bridges and passion for Asia (for instance, sored peace talks on the coun- dent Vladimir Putin in a series of Southeast Asian nation, GU-Q opening channels with both I speak fl uent Mandarin), I felt try’s six-year confl ict. tweets yesterday, two days after students Hythem al-Mulla formal and informal organisa- it was right to try to connect A monitor said clashes and they met on the sidelines of the (SFS’19), Irsyad Iskandar (SFS’ tions and networks would help the dots and build networks shelling had halted in the three G20 summit in Hamburg, Ger- 18) and John Robling (SFS’ lay the groundwork for current between Qatar and Asia in gen- southern provinces covered by many. 19) met with the association’s and future Hoyas (Georgetown eral. After seeing all that Indo- the truce, Deraa, Quneitra, and “We negotiated a ceasefi re in chairman and vice-chairman, students) who want to come nesia has to off er, I believe it Sweida, as it went into eff ect at parts of Syria which will save as well the chair of the National and see what this country is all would be a shame not to try to noon local time. lives,” he wrote on Twitter. Tax Centre and the head of eco- about.” make use of all the opportuni- The ceasefi re deal was an- “Now it is time to move for- nomic creativity. In addition to fostering the ties available in both coun- nounced Friday by Russian For- ward in working constructively With the students’ diverse support networks needed for tries.” eign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and with Russia!” international backgrounds, the future collaborations, the stu- Established in 1972, the In- comes as Syrian government and A Free Syrian Army fighter carries weapons as he walks past damaged Earlier on Saturday, Trump’s meeting included participants dents used the opportunity to donesian Young Entrepreneur opposition delegations are due buildings in a rebel-held part of the southern city of Deraa, yesterday. national security adviser HR from three diff erent nationali- share details of the business Association reaches more than to attend a new round of talks in McMaster had described cease- ties. environment in Qatar and the 25,000 entrepreneurs in Indo- Geneva from today. ing talks in May in the Kazakh ian state has background on it,” fi re zones as “a priority for the The trip also preceded the region. “My motivation for vis- nesia, with 274 branches in 33 “The main fronts in the three capital Astana to set up four “de- Boutros Marjana told the news- United States”. Washington’s in- arrival of fi ve undergradu- iting Indonesia is due to the fact provinces. provinces between regime forces escalation” zones in Syria. paper. volvement in the agreement has and opposition factions have Implementation of that deal “The fi nal word on adding been interpreted as a sign it may seen a cessation of hostilities has been delayed as the three southern Syria to the ‘de-escala- be cautiously re-engaging with and shelling since this morning, sides try to agree who will moni- tion’ zones belongs to the Syrian eff orts to end the war, which has with the exception of a few scat- tor the zones, one of which is lo- state, and there is co-ordination killed more than 320,000 people tered shells fi red on Deraa city cated in southern Syria. with Russia on that,” he added. since it began in March 2011 with before noon,” said Rami Abdel There has been no offi cial On Friday, before the cease- anti-government protests. Rahman, the head of the Britain- comment from Syria’s govern- fi re deal was announced, a del- Jordan borders the southern based Syrian Observatory for ment on the announcement, egation of rebel factions that at- area covered by the truce and is a Human Rights. and there was no mention of the tended talks in Astana expressed key supporter of the main mod- The monitor said the cease- ceasefi re on state television’s opposition to any ceasefi re for erate rebel faction there. fi re was holding by early Sunday noon news bulletin. just one part of the country. Israel, which has occasionally evening. The Al Watan newspaper, In a statement, the factions launched what it describes as re- The Syrian regime had an- which is close to the regime, said they were concerned about taliatory fi re against government nounced its own unilateral quoted the head of Syria’s parlia- “secret meetings and under- positions in Quneitra province, ceasefi re on Monday but fi ghting mentary Foreign Relations Com- standings between Russia, Jor- said it would “welcome a genu- had continued on front lines in mittee suggesting the agreement dan and America on a deal for ine ceasefi re in Syria”. the three provinces. was negotiated in consultation the south of Syria, separate from A UN offi cial on Saturday said The ceasefi re deal comes after with Damascus. the north.” the deal created positive mo- regime allies Russia and Iran and “No details on the agreement Such an agreement “would di- mentum ahead of the Geneva rebel backer Turkey agreed dur- were presented, but the Syr- vide Syria, as well as the delega- talks resuming. Georgetown students with board members of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneur Association.

Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian Met dept predicts reveal lifting of US laptop ban hot and humid

Reuters dress fears that bombs could be nounced on June 29 enhanced conditions today Dubai concealed in them. security measures for fl ights Royal Jordanian, which fl ies to the country, requiring ad- to New York, Chicago and De- ditional time to screen passen- hot and humid day is expected around oyal Jordanian and Ku- troit from Amman, Jordan, gers and electronic devices for the country today along with poor vis- wait Airways said yes- lifted the ban after new security possible explosives. Aibility in some places in the early hours Rterday passengers could measures were implemented The new US measures, which of the day, the Qatar Met department has said. take laptops and large elec- for take eff ect within three weeks The weather offi ce has also forecast poor vis- tronic devices in the cabin on US-bound fl ights, airline of the announcement, will af- ibility in off shore areas at fi rst due to fog. fl ights to the United States, the President Stefan Pichler said in fect around 325,000 passengers The detailed report says hazy to misty/foggy latest Middle East airlines to be a statement. a day travelling on 180 airlines conditions are expected in some inshore areas exempted from a US ban. State-owned Kuwait Air- from 280 airports around the in the early hours of the day, followed by hot and Royal Jordanian and Kuwait ways, which fl ies from Kuwait world, according to the US De- humid daytime conditions with some clouds. Airways join Emirates, Etihad to New York via Ireland, said partment of Homeland Secu- Visibility may drop to 2km or less in certain Airways, Qatar Airways and the ban was lifted after US offi - rity. areas at fi rst. Turkish Airline who each an- cials inspected security meas- Airlines that fail to meet the Hazy to misty/foggy conditions are also nounced last week a lifting of ures on its fl ights. new security requirements likely off shore at fi rst along with some clouds. the ban. US offi cials did not imme- could still face in-cabin restric- A maximum temperature of 44C is expected in In March, the United States diately respond to an e-mailed tions on electronic devices. Abu Samra today, followed by 43C in Dukhan banned laptops and other large request for comment on the Saudi Arabian Airlines (Sau- and 41C in Doha. electronic devices on direct lifting of the ban aff ecting the dia) has said it expects the ban Yesterday, the maximum was 47C in Shee- fl ights originating at 10 air- Jordanian and Kuwaiti carriers. to be lifted on fl ights from Jed- haniya, Batna, Karana and Jumayliyah, while in ports in eight countries, to ad- The United States an- dah and Riyadh by July 19. Doha it was 40C.

Former VP arrested New sewage system plan

DPA cused of corruption. The 47-year- Reuters work on its design, the state- Tehran old politician was not able to pay the Riyadh ment said. bail — estimated at the equivalent of Construction is expected $1.4mn — and was therefore forced to to start in 2019. ormer Iranian vice president Ha- be taken to prison in the interim, ac- ubai is planning to The tunnels will replace mid Baghaei was arrested yester- cording to ISNA. build a new 30bn electricity-powered pump- Fday at the front door of his house Baghaei ran alongside Ahmadinejad Ddirham ($8.17bn) ing stations to cut costs in in Tehran, the ISNA news agency re- as a top candidate for Iran’s hardline deep-tunnel sewage system sending sewage out to Du- ported. political faction in the country’s pres- to be completed in 2025, the bai’s two waste treatment Grounds for the arrest were not re- idential election in May. emirate said yesterday. plants, which produce ir- leased, but Baghaei, who held office Neither received permission from Dubai Municipality has rigation water for the arid under former president Mahmoud the election supervisory body to be on completed feasibility stud- city’s dozens of mega- Ahmadinejad, is believed to be ac- the final ballot. ies for the project and begun projects. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 5 ARAB WORLD

Palestinian activist Issa Amro arrives for a hearing at the military court yesterday, in the town of Betunia, near the West Bank city of Ramallah. Military court trial begins for top Palestinian activist

AFP West Bank. In June 2016, he was said evidence would be presented Ofer Military Prison charged with 18 counts, some dating that Amro had “taken part in riots, back to 2010, according to Amnesty attacks on soldiers, calls to violence, International. and prevented security forces from rominent Palestinian activ- Speaking to reporters outside the doing their work”. ist Issa Amro went on trial in an court, the 37-year-old called the trial Two soldiers took the stand yester- PIsraeli military court yesterday a “joke” and said he had no trust that day and testified about a demonstra- on accusations of inciting violence, Israel’s military justice system would tion on February 26, 2016. charges rights groups call a bid to si- treat him fairly. Amro and Fareed al-Atrash, anoth- lence him. His lawyer Gaby Lasky told re- er activist, are said to have “incited The trial began at the Ofer military porters the “Israeli military cannot violence” in that demonstration. court in the occupied West Bank, but stop non-violent demonstrations “I think we proved it wasn’t an il- was adjourned until October 22 after with weapons, so they’re doing it legal demonstration and it was not a two witnesses testified. through criminalisation of...freedom violent demonstration, and incite- Amro is the founder of Youth of speech and freedom of demonstra- ment is not carrying slogans” criti- Against Settlements, a campaign tion.” cal of Israel’s occupation, Lasky told group in the city of Hebron in the An Israeli military spokesman has reporters.

CONFLICT Minister denies ‘breakthrough’ in prisoner swap talks Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday denied ers. Two Israeli soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, are reports of a “breakthrough” in talks with Hamas over returning believed to have been killed in the 2014 war in Gaza and their Israeli citizens and bodies of soldiers held in Gaza in exchange remains held by Hamas. Three Israeli civilians, all said to be for Palestinian prisoners. According to Lebanese daily Al- mentally unstable, are also believed to have entered Gaza and Akhbar, Israel and Hamas were on the brink of an initial deal to be held by Hamas. They include Avera Mengistu, an Israeli in which the Gaza rulers would provide information over the Jew of Ethiopian descent, and two others, Hisham al-Sayed missing Israelis in return for the release of groups of prison- and Juma Abu Ghanima. Gulf Times 6 Monday, July 10, 2017 ARAB WORLD Iraq declares victory in ‘liberated’ Mosul

AFP ond city in ruins, thousands hold was the most violent,” he tory it once controlled and after Mosul dead and wounded, and nearly a said, an Iraqi fl ag draped over his Mosul the coalition is aiming million people forced from their shoulders. to oust the militants from their homes. IS swept across much of Iraq’s Syrian stronghold Raqqa, which raq declared victory against And enormous challenges lie heartland in a lightning off en- is under assault by US-backed the Islamic State group in ahead, not just in rebuilding Mo- sive in mid-2014, proclaiming a Arab and Kurdish forces. IMosul yesterday after a gru- sul but in tackling the continued “caliphate” straddling Iraq and Iraqi forces launched their elling months-long campaign, presence elsewhere of IS, which neighbouring Syria. campaign to recapture Mosul in dealing the biggest defeat yet to remains a potent force. A US-led coalition launched October, seizing its eastern side the militant group. Photographs released by his military operations against IS in January and launching the Prime Minister Haider al- offi ce showed Abadi dressed in a in Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, battle for its western part the Abadi’s offi ce said he was in black military uniform and cap, carrying out waves of air strikes next month. “liberated” Mosul to congratu- shaking hands with police and against the militants and send- But the fi ght grew tougher late “the heroic fi ghters and the army offi cers. ing advisers to work with local when Iraqi forces entered the Iraqi people on the achievement His offi ce said Abadi held ground forces. densely populated Old City on of the major victory,” three years meetings with commanders French President Emmanuel the western bank of the Tigris after IS declared its self-styled in Mosul and issued a series of Macron, whose country is a key River that divides the city. caliphate from the city. commands on “sustaining vic- part of the coalition, was among In recent days, security forces The fi ghting did not seem to tories and eliminating the de- the fi rst world leaders to off er his have killed militants trying to be completely over, with gunfi re feated remnants” of IS, as well as congratulations. escape their dwindling foothold and explosions still audible in “establishing security and sta- A handout picture released yesterday, shows Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (centre) greeting army “Mosul liberated from Dae- in Mosul, as Iraqi units fought to the city, but Abadi’s arrival had bility in the liberated city.” off icers upon his arrival in Mosul. sh,” he tweeted, using an Arabic retake the last two IS-held areas been expected for days as a sig- Iraqi forces celebrated, waving acronym for IS.”Homage from near the Tigris. nal of the formal end of the bat- fl ags and fl ashing victory signs, Jassem, a member of the elite Jassem, who fought in most of “I took part in fi ghting in Ra- France to all those, with our Earlier yesterday Iraq’s Joint tle for Mosul. after Abadi arrived in the city. Counter-Terrorism Service, said the other main battles of the war madi and Tikrit and Salaheddin troops, who contributed to this Operations Command had said The victory comes at an enor- “This victory is for all Ira- at the police base where Abadi against IS, said Mosul was the and Baiji and Al-Qayara...but victory.” it killed “30 terrorists” trying to mous cost: much of Iraq’s sec- qis, not just for us,” Mohanned met commanders. toughest. the fi ghting here in (IS’s) strong- IS has lost most of the terri- escape across the river.

Heavy clashes erupt east of Libya’s capital

Reuters attack on the capital. Tripoli Since the GNA arrived in Tripoli last year it has co- opted some of the many eavy clashes erupted armed groups that had a yesterday between presence in the capital. Hrival factions on the But it has made little coastal road east of the Lib- progress integrating them yan capital Tripoli, accord- and the security situation ing to a witness and local has remained highly vola- reports. tile. Groups aligned with The clashes broke out the self-declared national when an armed group op- salvation government and posed to the UN-backed largely drawing on support Government of National from the western city of Accord (GNA) in Tripoli Misrata have battled to hold tried to approach the capi- their ground. tal and were confronted by The two sides clashed forces that have aligned yesterday near the coastal themselves with the GNA, town of Garabulli, about the witness said. 50km east of Tripoli. The fi ghting exposes the “The ground is shaking GNA’s vulnerability to mi- under my feet,” said a resi- litias that gained infl uence dent who asked not to be during and after Libya’s 2011 named.”The noise from the uprising. clashes is so loud that I think The anti-GNA forces, the groups fi ghting are using which are aligned with a heavy artillery.” previous, self-declared gov- GNA-aligned brigades ernment, were driven from closed the coastal road in Tripoli late in May and have Tajoura, an eastern suburb been trying to regroup. of Tripoli, and built sand The GNA recently issued barriers to try to block their a warning about a counter- rivals’ advance.

TRAGEDY Egyptian migrants found dead

Libyan aid workers recovered the bodies of 19 migrants believed to be Egyptians in Libya’s eastern desert, a Red Crescent spokesman said yesterday. The migrants appeared to have been smuggled into Libya by foot and have perished due to high temperatures and hunger, said Khaled al-Raqi, a Red Crescent spokesman in the east Libyan city of Tobruk. They were found on Saturday more than 400km south of Tobruk, in the Jaghboub desert, Raqi said. Seven of the migrants were identified from papers or identity cards, and the rest were thought to be Egyptian, he said. The seven came from Assiuyt and Minya, areas on the River Nile south of Cairo, and from Kafr el Sheikh, in the Nile Delta north of Cairo. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 7 AFRICA Fractious Senegal poll campaign under way

AFP don in June 2016 and now lives Dakar abroad, and an amnesty would lift any doubts over his eligibility in politics, observers said. enegal yesterday kicked off Another list of candidates will campaigning for parlia- be fi elded by the mayor of Dakar, Smentary elections later this Khalifa Sall, who has been jailed month, with a record number since March on suspicion of em- of candidates vying to weaken bezzling about $2.9mn in city President Macky Sall — includ- funds, charges which he has de- ing 91-year-old ex-leader Ab- nied. doulaye Wade. Sall’s lawyers have asked a Wade, president from 2000 to court to grant him conditional 2012, has been living in France release in order to lead the cam- for the past several months, but paign, ahead of his expected run is expected to return to Dakar against the president — with today to lead the campaign for whom he is not related — in 2019. his Senegalese Democratic Party An eff ort to present a united (PDS). opposition front fell apart in May “I will campaign, but not the over diff erences between sup- same way as when I was young,” porters of Wade and those of Sall he told a local television station on who should head the shared Friday. list of candidates. A parliamentary victory for That led to a record 47 lists be- the opposition would give Wade ing presented to voters, up from Locals ride a boat down a river near the southeastern oil city of Warri, in Delta state, Nigeria. the means to obtain an amnesty 24 in the 2012 vote, with 165 seats for his son, Karim, who enjoyed up for grabs on the July 30 elec- considerable ministerial powers tion. under his father, but was sen- The opposition parties hope tenced to six years in prison in to secure a majority that would 2015. force President Sall into a “co- Karim Wade was also ordered habitation” government, which to pay a fi ne of more than 210 mn would hamstring his ability to euros for “illicit enrichment”. push his agenda through parlia- Patience runs thin in He received a presidential par- ment. Mugabe in Singapore Nigeria oil heartland for medical check-up

Reuters feel Abuja is ignoring their needs, lead- tration, groups such as the New Delta “This latest Osinbajo move...is all Abuja ers say they will resort to the only tactic Avengers and the Niger Delta Marine about revenue. How do we get the Niger AFP recent years and authorities in that has ever yielded results: attacks on Force have formed in recent months. Delta calm enough that we can continue Harare March arrested two journalists oil facilities. “Call for resuming attacks when the to derive revenue to sustain our budgets?” over a report alleging that he was he Nigerian government’s eff orts “The people of the Niger Delta can hold government is diligent in actualising the Others are also bitter that the govern- “in bad shape” to secure peace in the oil heart- this government or any government to terms of the agreements and requests ment only appears to respond to violent imbabwe’s 93-year-old In 2016, the government had Tlands of the Niger Delta are empty ransom because we are the people feeding made will not help matters,” said the act- action, while peaceful activism and pro- President Robert Mugabe to deny that he had died abroad promises, community leaders say, threat- the nation,” said Godspower Gbenekama, ing president’s spokesman. tests have historically achieved little. Zis in Singapore for a “rou- during his annual vacation. ening a return to violence that would a chief in the Kingdom of Gbaramatu. That the Delta needs help is not in dis- The government “is treading on a path tine medical check-up”, state Mugabe has declined to derail any broader recovery in the crude- “This peace is a graveyard peace,” he pute. that is disastrous...setting a precedent media reported yesterday. name a successor and his ruling dependent economy. said. “Nobody can assure anybody that Roads are pitted and scarred. Holes that they will only negotiate with the “President Mugabe on Friday ZANU-PF party has been riven With Africa’s biggest economy mired nothing will happen in the Delta.” gape in the walls of school buildings and Delta when they start blowing stuff up,” left the country for Singapore by factionalism for years. in recession, delegations including Act- A spokesman for the acting president playing fi elds are fl ooded. Ramshackle said Richard Akinaka, who represented for a routine medical check-up,” Despite Mugabe’s advanced ing President Yemi Osinbajo have held rejected suggestions the government was stalls crowd the streets, standing in pools the youth in Rivers state for a meeting the Sunday Mail newspaper re- age, the party last year endorsed talks since February with community not doing enough. of muddy water and blocking traffi c. with Osinbajo. ported. him as its candidate for the 2018 leaders in the restive oil-producing states “The government has not reneged and Every 10m are signs off ering hope of a He dismissed the meeting with one The paper said the veteran rul- general elections. in Nigeria’s southeast. will never renege on any agreement,” he diff erent nature: Communion with God; word — “bogus”. er is expected back in Zimbabwe The leader is not the only Af- Oil exports are now set to exceed 2mn said, pointing to more spending on an Redemption Ministries; Hope Centre The communities have also asked for midweek. rican president currently abroad barrels per day (bpd) in August, the high- amnesty programme for ex-militants and Parish; Success Education Centre; High ownership of oil blocks, and for all states Mugabe’s medical trips to the for treatment for an undisclosed est in 17 months, from as little as just over progress on a clean-up project. Flyers House of Bliss Ministries. in Nigeria to become fi scally independ- Southeast Asia city state have condition. 1mn bpd at certain points last year. He added it was just a matter of time But the communities of the Niger Delta ent — a move that would see oil revenues become more frequent in recent Nigeria’s Muhammadu Bu- That is due to a steady decline in at- for other agreements to come to fruition, also have more earthly demands. pooled in the southeast. years. hari has been in London since tacks on pipelines, providing a much- such as the planned opening of a fl agship Some want environmental clean- The problems of the Delta may not be His previous visit was in May, May 7, and his lengthy absence needed injection of cash into Nigerian university in October and of small-scale ups from oil spills that have devastated easily solved: enmity runs deep between also said to be for a “routine has caused political uncertainty government coff ers. refi neries with community ownership in swathes of forest and waterways; others locals and the federal government, vio- medical check-up”. in Africa’s most populous na- But ex-militants and local chieftains the fourth quarter. want roads and better power supply; oth- lence is often the answer and some of In 2011 and 2014 he had eye tion. say that since those “town hall” discus- An inter-ministerial group met regu- ers jobs and the regional university. the demands may not be as attainable as surgery in a hospital in Singa- Angola’s President Jose Edu- sions, little has been done — the gov- larly with Osinbajo to discuss the Niger Many in the Delta are cynical about the community leaders hope. pore. ardo dos Santos recently spent ernment has not followed up on issues Delta and a “technical committee” liaised government’s stated desire to improve the “We don’t have a very big agenda,” said Mugabe now walks with dif- a month in Spain for medical raised, is stalling on key demands and has between the government and aff ected region’s lot. Gbenekama, the Gbaramatu kingdom fi culty and sometimes dozes off treatment and last week offi cials not even appointed a full-time negotiat- communities, he also said. The peace talks are “lies and deceit,” chief. “The general agenda of the Niger during meetings. announced that he had gone back ing team. Some locals, however, are in no mood said Annkio Briggs, a leading activist in Delta people is the political and fi scal re- His health has been the sub- for what was described as a “pri- If the Niger Delta people continue to to wait. In a sign of their mounting frus- the southeastern oil city of Port Harcourt. structuring of this nation.” ject of increased speculation in vate visit”. Ghana eyes surfi ng to boost tourism numbers

By Stacey Knott, AFP his board, trying to catch the eye of the “We have not developed our beaches. Kokrobite, Ghana judges sitting on a wooden platform, We have not done anything, it’s a raw looking out to sea. opportunity for anyone who wants to The 19-year-old from Busua started come.” rett Davies paced up and down surfi ng fi ve years ago and described his Attracting surfers is seen as a good the sloping sands of Kokrobite fi rst time on the waves as “like having a way to bring in middle-income earners Bbeach in Ghana, organising surf- new girlfriend”. to Ghana, plugging a growing gap be- ers from 20 diff erent countries at his “I was so happy,” he said. tween budget travellers, volunteers and annual international competition. Now he, too, wants to see Ghana be- those on business. Along the beach, some 30km west come a surfi ng destination in its own “The gap between the low end and of Accra, dotted with dug-out fi sh- right — and one day represent the West the high end is very huge, it’s an un- ing boats, Rastafarians were selling T- African nation at overseas competitions. tapped market,” said Aggrey. shirts and small children were playing According to the World Bank, “It is because people aim at mak- in the sand. 897,000 international tourists visited ing profi t so they hike the price or rate Davies, 42, is leading the push to Ghana in 2015. In comparison, just over looking for the high-end travellers.” bring surfers to the West African nation 1.1mn went to Kenya and 8.9mn trav- The high cost of fl ights and accom- as a way to help boost the country’s un- elled to South Africa. modation in Ghana has been blamed for der-developed tourism sector. But the World Travel and Tourism deterring tourists. The British national already runs a Council (WTTC) estimates numbers A stay at a standard three-star ho- surf school at Kokrobite and has helped for Ghana could jump to nearly 1.3mn tel in the capital can set travellers back to bring surfi ng to Busua, near the bor- this year and more than 2mn by 2027. $100 a night, while fl ights even within der with Ivory Coast. In the last few years travel and tour- West Africa can be eye-wateringly ex- “The greatest thing about surfi ng ism have directly contributed $1.3bn to pensive. in Ghana is that we have uncrowded Ghana’s economy — the equivalent of The head of the Ghana Tourism Au- world-class waves that appeal to the about 3% of gross domestic product. thority, Kwesi Agyemang, said there are beginner and intermediate market,” he Tourism generally focuses on natural plans to start targeting diff erent inter- told AFP. attractions like waterfalls and national est groups and improve regulation. Young surfers pose with their boards for a picture during the international surf day competition on Kokrobite Beach, Ghana. “Most well-known destinations are parks, historic slave forts and cultural The authority’s work includes tar- very localised and very intimidating to activities. geting other countries for visitors. since January this year, has put a fresh offi ce and casino. In the 2017 budget, decades and well down on 14% in 2011. the average surfer.” But with some 550km of unspoiled The government’s National Tourism emphasis on tourism and wants to de- Ghana’s fi nance minister Ken Ofori- Davies accepted that government At the competition, which was held coastline, watersports on the Atlantic Development Plan in 2012 noted there velop Accra’s under-developed and Atta said tourism could help address help was needed but, whatever hap- last month, local reggae boomed from Ocean, off the palm tree-lined golden were “completely virgin” beaches in impoverished beach front. soaring levels of debt and high unem- pens, he will be encouraging people to the speakers stacked in the corner of a sands, are being seen as a major draw. Ghana’s Western Region because of The Marine Drive Tourism Invest- ployment. ride the waves. car-park. “Surfi ng has a huge potential,” lack of access. They showed “great po- ment Project aims to develop nearly Ghana, once celebrated for its rapidly “Ghana is just about to explode due In the water, Emmanuel Ansah cut said Ghana tourism specialist Gilbert tential for development”, it added. 100 hectares of the shoreline with ho- growing economy, saw rates of growth slow to surfi ng tourism and it’s very exciting across the breaks, deftly manoeuvring Abeiku Aggrey. Ghana’s new government, in power tels, shopping malls, theme parks, an to some 3.6% in 2016 — the lowest in two times for surfi ng in Ghana,” he added. Gulf Times 8 Monday, July 10, 2017 AMERICAS McCain says Steer wrestling! Republican healthcare bill is likely dead

Reuters ends its Medicaid expansion. also off er plans that do comply with Washington It also goes beyond repealing the regulations. Obamacare by cutting funding for Cruz’s amendment has drawn the the Medicaid programme beginning support of conservative senators senior US Republican sena- in 2025. and groups, who say the amend- tor yesterday predicted that White House Chief of Staff Reince ment will help lower premiums. Athe Republican bill to roll Priebus said yesterday on Fox News But moderate Republicans and Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colorado wrestles a steer in a rodeo at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. back Obamacare would likely fail, that US President Donald Trump outside critics say it will erode adding to growing signs that the bill expected Congress to pass a bill to protections for people with pre- is in trouble. repeal and replace Obamacare. existing conditions and make their “My view is that it’s probably go- Republican Senator Ted Cruz said insurance unaff ordable. ing to be dead,” Senator John McCain, yesterday failure to pass the bill was Senate Majority Leader Mitch a senior US Republican, said on the “not an option,” and said the Senate McConnell aims to hold a vote on CBS programme, Face the Nation. eff ort must focus on lowering pre- the legislation, which needs the Liftoff delayed for Trump’s bold space plans The Senate bill, which faces uni- miums. support of at least 50 of the Senate’s fi ed Democratic opposition, has He pointed to an amendment he 52 Republicans, before a six-week been further imperilled during a off ered that is being scored by the recess that begins on July 29. Yet week-long recess where several nonpartisan Congressional Budget even McConnell cast doubt on the By Kerry Sheridan, AFP stretch in 1971 under President Richard it laid out no new visions. The next budget for Republican senators have had to re- Offi ce, which assesses the impact of bill’s prospects for passage. Cape Canaveral Nixon. Nasa is to be unveiled in February 2018. turn to their states and face constit- legislation. Speaking at a luncheon in his Nasa is currently headed by an “act- “Everybody is waiting, everybody is uents strongly opposed to the bill. Cruz’s amendment would allow home state of Kentucky, McCon- ing administrator” — engineer Robert impatient in the space community,” said Senators return to Washington insurers to off er plans that do not nell said if Congress fails to follow he White House has championed a Lightfoot, who took over when former Logsdon. today. comply with Obamacare’s mandate through on a seven-year pledge to new era of US leadership in space, astronaut Charles Bolden, an Obama ap- On one side are champions of the old The Senate bill keeps much of that they charge sick and healthy repeal Obamacare, then it must act Tbut its aspirations are complicated pointee, stepped down. way of doing business, whereby Nasa Obamacare intact but strips away people the same rates and that they to shore up private health insurance by tight budgets, vacancies in top posts Also empty is the chief of the White oversaw the building of rockets and most of its funding. cover a set of essential health ben- markets, comments seen as provid- and the rising role of private industry in House’s Offi ce of Science and Technology spaceships, paid for by lucrative US gov- It repeals most Obamacare taxes, efi ts, such as maternity care and ing a pathway to a bipartisan deal to aerospace innovation, experts say. and Policy, once a key player in crafting ernment contracts. overhauls the law’s tax credits and prescription drugs, as long as they fi x the health system. During a speech last week at Nasa’s Nasa’s agenda. A modern-day example is aerospace Kennedy Space Center, Vice President It is common for incoming presidents giant Lockheed Martin being paid bil- Mike Pence delighted hundreds of space to review their predecessor’s space plans lions by the US government to construct agency employees and contractors by and issue a course correction early on. Nasa’s Orion deep-space capsule, which pledging that “under President Trump, Although Trump may be late in the may one day carry humans to Mars. we will achieve more in space than we process, “he has now created a mecha- On the other side is the burgeoning Lopez release boosts Maduro rivals ever thought possible.” nism for taking a look at the current pro- private space industry, with players like Pence promised a “return to the Moon,” gram,” Logsdon explained. SpaceX and Boeing building the next as well as “American boots on the face of That mechanism is the revival of the generation of spaceships to ferry astro- Reuters maker clad in a white T-shirt bear- For more than three months, tear Mars” and a “constant presence in low- National Space Council — announced nauts to low-Earth orbit and the Interna- Caracas ing Lopez’s image, as she gathered gas, rubber bullets, rocks and petrol Earth orbit.” last month — accompanied by an external tional Space Station. with friends for the rally. bombs have fl own between protest- But as the fl ag-waving enthusiasm advisory group of industry experts. Already, SpaceX and another private While Lopez was at home with his ers and security forces in hotspots faded, some were left wondering what Pence, a long-time space enthusiast, is company, Orbital ATK, have received bil- alvanised by the release two young children, his wife Lilian around the Opec member nation. exactly Pence meant. heading the National Space Council, now lion-dollar-plus Nasa contracts to help from jail of hardline leader Tintori, who has campaigned for him Four years of brutal recession “‘Moon’ could mean anything — com- in its third iteration after last shutting build cargo ships to tote supplies to the GLeopoldo Lopez, Venezue- around the world including meeting have underpinned the protests, as mercial, robotic, international or other- down in 1993. orbiting outpost, but the companies took lan opposition supporters yesterday US President Donald Trump in the millions of Venezuelans suff er food wise,” said Phil Larson, a White House The council aims to guide space policy on a large share of the funding — and the marked 100 days of protests against Oval Offi ce, was due to address the shortages, runaway infl ation and space adviser under president Barack by including the secretaries of state, de- risk — themselves. a socialist government they blame crowd later at a public square. long shopping lines. Obama and formerly an offi cial with pri- fence, commerce, transportation and It remains unclear which way of do- for political repression and eco- Lopez, 46, was sentenced to While foes slam him for incom- vately owned SpaceX. homeland security, along with intelligence ing business in space will win out under nomic misery. nearly 14 years in jail on charges of petence and failed socialist poli- Larson described a series of recent and military leaders and the Nasa chief. Trump. As in past protests over the last inciting violence during 2014 pro- cies, Maduro blames an “economic space-themed orations by Pence as “no The council will hold its fi rst meeting His call for the US to exit the Paris cli- three months, which have led to at tests against President Nicolas Ma- war” against him by pro-opposition cake, just icing.” before summer is out, Pence said. mate accord angered the CEO of SpaceX, least 90 deaths, people dressed in duro that led to 43 deaths. businessmen and Washington. John Logsdon, former head of the After that, the dollars allocated to Nasa Elon Musk, who walked away from his white and carrying national fl ags But he was surprisingly granted The opposition is organising an George Washington University Space — and the projects they fund — will tell advisory role to the president after the took to the streets for a planned house arrest and transferred before unoffi cial referendum on Maduro Policy Institute, agreed. much of the story. announcement earlier this year. gathering on a major highway in dawn on Saturday due to what the next weekend, after which they are “I think (Thursday’s) speech was, of “Any big changes are likely to come But analysts doubt that SpaceX — or east Caracas. Supreme Court called “irregulari- promising “year zero”, a presumed course, short on substance because there next year,” Logsdon said. other top players — would refuse a spot Many protests have ended in ties” in his case and for health rea- reference to an escalation of tactics is no substance,” Logsdon said. Trump’s proposed budget for Nasa at the table when it comes to forging the clashes between masked youths sons. Lopez looked robust, however, that could include a general strike Some are skeptical of the White — which has yet to be hammered out by future of US spacefl ight. and security forces, with hundreds when he later appeared to supporters. or march on the presidential palace. House’s soaring rhetoric because crucial lawmakers — called for $19.1bn in spend- Eric Stallmer, president of the Com- arrested and thousands injured The government seems to be cal- Maduro, in turn, is seeking to leadership positions remain unfi lled. ing, a 0.8% cut from the previous year. mercial Spacefl ight Federation, an indus- since the unrest began at the start culating his return home may ease create a new super body called For instance, the US space agency set a The proposal cancelled plans to drag try group, said he was “upbeat” about the of April. domestic protests and international a Constituent Assembly, which dubious record on the Fourth of July: the a small asteroid into orbit around the new National Space Council. “We’re not giving up. That censure, but opposition leaders are would have powers to rewrite the longest span of time that a newly elected Moon, where astronauts could study it at “I think there is a great role that com- Leopoldo is home fi lls us with the viewing it as vindication for their constitution and dismiss the cur- president has gone without naming a new length. mercial industry will play in helping strength to keep fi ghting,” said strategy and have vowed to step up rent opposition-controlled legisla- Nasa chief. It also erased several Earth science mis- shape the national agenda moving for- Maria Garcia, a 54-year-old home- their street tactics. ture, via a July 30 vote. The previous record was a 164-day sions and axed a Nasa education offi ce — but ward.” Wildfi res rage as California sizzles Klan protests Lee statue removal AFP Downtown Los Angeles tied the Los Angeles 1954 record of 96 degrees Fahren- heit (36 Celsius) while the city’s Agencies northwestern suburb of Woodland New York he fi rst major wildfi res after Hills reached a high of 109 degrees, the end of California’s fi ve- breaking the record of 108 set in Tyear drought raged across the 2006. few dozen Ku Klux Klan members and support- state Saturday, as it was gripped by a “Dangerous and potentially life- ers shouted “white power” at a rally on Saturday record-breaking heatwave. threatening heat is expected through A in Charlottesville, Virginia where they protested Some 3,000 fi refi ghters were bat- (today), when high temperatures against a city council decision to remove a statute hon- tling several blazes with triple-digit between 100 and 110 degrees are ex- ouring Confederate General Robert E Lee. temperatures recorded in valleys and pected for many interior sections of The group was guarded by scores of police and out- inland areas. southwest California,” the National numbered by hundreds of counter-protesters who A wildfi re in the Sierra Nevada Weather Service (NWS) said in a waved signs denouncing racism. foothills north of Sacramento was statement. Anti-KKK protesters raised their voices in chants only 2% contained by early evening The weather service attributed the and shouts, drowning out speeches from the white su- and had destroyed 10 homes, heat wave to a “strong upper-level premacists, live video feeds on social media showed. scorching 2,000 acres of forest and high-pressure system centered over There were no initial reports of violence at the rally sparking evacuations and road clo- the desert southwest,” adding that that lasted less than an hour. sures. the heatwave could continue. The Klan group that brandished Confederate fl ags The California Department of “Hot temperatures will create a and signs with anti-Semitic messages was separated Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal- dangerous situation in which there from crowds by a ring of fencing and a heavy police Fire) said fi ve residents and a fi re- is an increased threat of heat-related presence. Later police fi red tear gas cannisters when fi ghter had sustained minor injuries. illnesses. The extended heat wave some protesters refused orders to disperse. Meanwhile a blaze that forced will also bring elevated fi re weather Twenty-three people were arrested, but offi cials evacuations in San Luis Obispo conditions through the weekend,” could not confi rm their affi liations. County tripled in size from Satur- said the NWS. In February, the Charlottesville City Council voted day morning to 19,000 acres by the California Governor Jerry Brown 3-2 to remove the statue from the park once named evening. in April declared the offi cial end of for Lee and make plans for a new memorial to remem- Fanned by hot, dry winds, it was the state’s drought that lasted more ber the southern city’s enslaved population, The Daily just 10% contained, CalFire said. than fi ve years. Progress, the local newspaper reported. At least one Some 17 wildfi res in various states But he kept in place water report- person who participated in the Klan rally against the of containment were burning in Cal- ing requirements, as well as bans on statute removal could be seen with a holstered pistol. ifornia Saturday, from the Six Rivers practices like watering during or fol- Confederacy statues and fl ags have been removed National Forest in the north to the lowing rainfall and hosing off side- from public spaces across the United States since 2015, San Bernardino Forest east of Los walks. after a white supremacist murdered nine black parish- Angeles. “This drought emergency is ioners at a South Carolina church. Critics of the monu- An excessive heat warning has over, but the next drought could be ments say they foster racism by celebrating leaders of been extended for much of southern around the corner,” Brown said in a the Confederacy in the pro-slavery South during the California, with temperature records statement. “Conservation must re- US Civil War. Supporters say they represent an indel- being broken across the region. main a way of life.” Motorists drive past flames from the ‘Wall Fire’ along Forbestown Road in Oroville, California on Saturday. ible part of US history and part of regional heritage. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 9 ASIA Students Cries for justice on begin space station anniversary of critic’s simulation murder in Cambodia Reuters tics and Astronautics and the Beijing project’s principal architect, said AFP man Premier Hun Sen for 32-years and everything needed for human Takeo, Cambodia has a dark history of usually unsolved ac- survival had been carefully cal- tivist killings. ealed behind the steel culated. In the 1990s and early 2000s such as- doors of two bunkers in a “We’ve designed it so the housands gathered yesterday at sassinations were common, but they had SBeijing suburb, university oxygen (produced by plants at the grave of a prominent Cambo- become rarer in recent years. students are trying to fi nd out the station) is exactly enough to Tdian critic who was gunned down Spooked that the bad days may have how it feels to live in a space sta- satisfy the humans, the animals, a year ago in a murder that sparked wide- returned, tens of thousands turned out tion on another planet, recycling and the organisms that break spread anger and scepticism over the al- for Kem Ley’s funeral in scenes that rat- everything from plant cuttings to down the waste materials,” she leged killer’s motives. tled the government. urine. said. Kem Ley, a popular and charismatic Kem Ley criticised Cambodian politi- They are part of a project But satisfying physical needs political analyst, was shot twice in the cians of all stripes, but he was particular- aimed at creating a self-sus- is only one part of the experi- head as he sipped coff ee in Phnom Penh ly scathing about the endemic corruption taining ecosystem that provides ment, Liu said. Charting the — a brazen assassination that sent shock- that blights the country. everything humans need to sur- mental impact of confi nement in waves through the country’s already be- Shortly before his murder he gave a vive. a small space for such a long time leaguered activist community. radio interview about an investigative Four students from Beijing is equally crucial. Unemployed former soldier Oeuth Ang report that detailed some of the mil- University of Aeronautics and “They can become a bit de- admitted carrying out the killing and was lions of dollars amassed by Hun Sen’s Astronautics entered the Lu- pressed,” Liu said. “If you spend sentenced to life in March after a brief family. nar Palace-1 yesterday with the a long time in this type of envi- trial. The government has strongly denied aim of living self-sufficiently ronment it can create some psy- His declared motive, that the murder any responsibility in his killing. for 200 days. They say they are chological problems.” was revenge for an unpaid $3,000 debt, A woman looks at the grave of Cambodian critic Kem Ley during the first anniversary Hun Sen faces crunch national polls happy to act as human guinea- Liu Hui, a student leader who caused broad disbelief and was not cross of his murder at his mother’s home in Takeo province. next year and has dramatically ramped up pigs if it means getting closer to participated an initial 60-day examined in court because he eff ectively his rhetoric in recent months. their dream of becoming astro- experiment at Lunar Palace-1 admitted his guilt. versary more than 100 local and foreign hard to believe Oeuth Ang, who rarely Last month he called on critics to “pre- nauts. that fi nished yesterday, said that “I don’t know whether they made up organisations called on the government held down a job, could aff ord to lend pare coffi ns” and warned he would elimi- “I’ll get so much out of this,” she sometimes “felt a bit low” that debt story but I don’t believe it at all,” to reopen the case after a “fl awed trial”. $3,000 — more than twice the average nate “100 or 200 people” if stability was Liu Guanghui, a PhD student, after a day’s work. Kem Ley’s 77-year-old mother Phok Se, “There has been no transparency in annual salary in Cambodia. threatened. who entered the bunker yester- The project’s support team has told AFP as well-wishers began gathering the murder investigation and there are “One year has passed and yet we are Hun Sen portrays himself as a leader day, said. “It’s truly a diff erent found mapping out a specifi c set at the family home in Takeo province. still many unanswered questions in this nowhere near uncovering the full pic- who has brought growth and security to life experience.” of daily tasks for the students is “There has been no justice for us so case,” the statement read, adding there ture of what happened to Kem Ley,” Chak the war ravaged nation. President Xi Jinping wants one way that helps them to re- far,” she added, echoing the sentiments of was “compelling evidence” Oeuth Ang Sophea, from the Cambodian Center for Critics say corruption, inequality and China to become a global power main happy. But the 200-day many at the ceremony. had accomplices. Human Rights, told AFP. right abuses have become entrenched in space exploration, with plans group will also be tested to see In a joint statement to mark the anni- Many friends and supporters fi nd it Cambodia has been ruled by strong- during his years in offi ce. to send the first probe to the how they react to living for a dark side of the moon by 2018 period of time without sunlight. and to put astronauts on the The project’s team declined to Mongolia’s new president to be inaugurated today moon by 2036. The Lunar Pal- elaborate. ace 365 experiment may allow “We did this experiment with Battulga Khaltmaa, a former martial opposition Democratic Party candidate, Battulga earned 50.6% of the ballots speaker, acknowledged the election them to stay there for extended animals...so we want to see arts star and business tycoon, will be won against Enkhbold Miyegombo, from against Enkhbold’s 41.1%. About 8.3% cent results and appointed a team to periods. how much impact it will have inaugurated today as Mongolia’s new the ruling Mongolian People’s Party of the votes were abstentions, according organise the inauguration ceremony, For Liu Hong, a professor at on people,” Liu, the professor, president after a decisive win in the (MPP), as the country is dealing with an to the country’s election commission. Mongolia’s Montsame news agency Beijing University of Aeronau- said. country’s runoff election. Battulga, the economic downturn. Enkhbold, who is the parliament reported.

Vietnam seizes 3 tonnes of ivory hidden among fruit shipment

AFP Hanoi

ietnamese authorities have seized nearly three tonnes of Vivory hidden among boxes of fruit, offi cials said yesterday, the latest haul to spotlight the country’s key role in the global wildlife smuggling trade. Police in the central province of Thanh Hoa found 2.7 tonnes of tusks inside cartons on the back of a truck that was on its way to Hanoi, accord- ing to a report on their website. “This is the largest seizure of smug- gled ivory ever in Thanh Hoa prov- ince,” the report said. State media said the elephant tusks originated from South Africa. The truck driver claimed he was un- aware of what he was transporting, ac- cording to a report in state-controlled Tuoi Tre newspaper. Police declined to A policeman and a customs officer inspecting seized ivory. comment further when contacted by AFP yesterday. in 1992 but the country remains a top Chi Minh city, all in crates of wood, in- The global trade in elephant ivory, market for ivory products prized locally cluding a hefty two-tonne haul packed with rare exceptions, has been out- for decorative purposes, or in tradition- into a single shipment. lawed since 1989 after populations al medicine despite having no proven In 2015, 2.2 tonnes of tusks, origi- of the African giants dropped from medicinal qualities. nating from Mozambique, were dis- millions in the mid-20th century to Weak law enforcement in the com- covered and seized northern Hai around 600,000 by the end of the munist country has allowed a black Phong port. 1980s. market to fl ourish, and Vietnam is also And last week authorities in Hong There are now believed to be some a busy thoroughfare for tusks traf- Kong seized 7.2 tonnes of ivory, the 415,000, with 30,000 illegally killed fi cked from Africa destined for other largest haul in the city for three dec- each year. Prices for a kilogram (2.2 parts of Asia, mainly China. ades. While low level couriers are pounds) of ivory can reach as high as Last October, Vietnam customs au- sometimes arrested across Asia very $1,100. thorities discovered about 3.5 tonnes few wildlife traffi cking kingpins are Vietnam outlawed the ivory trade of elephant tusks at Cat Lai port in Ho brought to justice. Temple site gets heritage status

Reuters true masterpieces,” Unesco said on its Two other sites in Cambodia al- Phnom Penh website. ready have heritage status, including Unesco said the area had been iden- the popular Angkor Wat in Siem Reap tifi ed as Ishanapura, the capital of the province where parts of the Lara Croft: he UN cultural organisation ancient Chenla Empire, a Khmer civi- Tomb Raider fi lm were shot. added an ancient temple site lisation that fl ourished in the late 6th Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, an Tin Cambodia to its world herit- and 7th centuries and preceded the 11th century temple on the border be- age list, the government said yester- Khmer Empire. tween Thailand and Cambodia, were day, bringing the number of heritage Its remains cover an area of 25 square listed as World Heritage Sites in 2004 sites in the Southeast Asian country to kilometres. and 2008, respectively. three. The site has become increasingly Sambor Prei Kuk was added to the Sambor Prei Kuk, or “temple in the popular with foreign tourists.” The de- list on Saturday along with other sites richness of the forest” in the Khmer cision of the Unesco’s World Heritage in China and India. language, located 206km north of the Committee is another massive pride for Tibetan rights groups criticised capital Phnom Penh, is home to nu- the nation,” the Ministry of Culture of Unesco’s decision to extend world merous temples, ten of which are oc- Fine Arts said in a statement yesterday. heritage status to an extensive pla- tagonal. Tourist arrivals in Cambodia rose 5% to teau area in a heavily Tibetan area, “Some of these elements, including 5mn last year. About 5.5mn tourists are saying it reinforces Chinese control lintels, pediments and colonnades, are expected to visit the country this year. of the region. Gulf Times 10 Monday, July 10, 2017 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA N Korea Japan hit by torrential rain warns of ‘tipping point’

AFP During Saturday’s drill, Seoul long-range B-1B Lancer bomb- ers reportedly fl ew close to the heavily-fortifi ed border be- orth Korea yesterday tween two Koreas and dropped lashed out at a live-fi re 900kg bombs. Ndrill the US and South Pyongyang described the Korea staged in a show of force joint drill as a “dangerous against Pyongyang, accusing military gambit of warmon- Washington of pushing the pe- gers who are trying to ignite ninsula to the “tipping point” the fuse of a nuclear war on the of nuclear war. peninsula”. The allies held the rare live- “A small misjudgment or fi re drill as tensions grew over error can immediately lead to the peninsula following the the beginning of a nuclear war, North’s fi rst intercontinental which will inevitably lead to ballistic missile (ICBM) test another world war,” it said. Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers conduct a rescue operation after heavy rain in Asakura, Japan. held last week. Tension has been high as The test sparked global the US administration un- alarm as it suggested North der President Donald Trump Korea now possessed an ICBM and the North’s regime under capable of reaching Alaska, a leader Kim Jong-un have ex- major milestone for the reclu- changed hostile rhetoric for sive, nuclear-armed state. months. Yesterday’s drill, designed Tension further escalated to “sternly respond” to po- after Tuesday’s ICBM test, a tential missile launches by milestone in the North’s dec- the North, saw two US bomb- ades-long quest for weapons ers destroy “enemy” missile capable of reaching the US. China’s ailing Nobel batteries and South Korean The impoverished, isolated jets mount precision strikes country has staged fi ve nuclear against underground com- tests — including two last year mand posts. — and has made a signifi cant The North’s state-run Ro- progress in its missile capabil- dong newspaper accused ity under Kim, who took power Washington and Seoul of in 2011. ratcheting up tensions with In another drill held after laureate repeats plea the drill, in an editorial titled the ICBM test, US and South “Don’t play with fi re on a pow- Korean troops fi red ballistic China’s rights activists have been put der keg”. missiles simulating an attack down harshly by Beijing “The US, with its dangerous on the North’s leadership “as military provocation, is push- a strong message of warning,” Agencies ing the risk of a nuclear war the South’s military said at the Beijing on the peninsula to a tipping time. The US Missile Defense point,” it said, describing the Agency said Friday it would peninsula as the “world’s big- soon test an anti-ballistic mis- iling Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, gest tinderbox”. sile system in Alaska. who is currently receiving cancer Atreatment in northern China un- der medical parole, has repeated his wish to be treated abroad and for his wife to live in freedom after his death, a group of Liu’s supporters said yesterday. Relatives of those detained in what is known as the “709” crackdown protest in front of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate in Beijing. Australian PM to A US and a German doctor visited Liu on Saturday at the First Hospital of “mouthpiece” and for “helping the gov- that led to the detention of hundreds of They did, though, say that the campaign China Medical University in Shenyang, ernment to rationalise the eff ective im- rights lawyers. has pushed activism further outside the inaugurate work where he is being treated for advanced prisonment of Liu Xiaobo”. Liu was sen- But while that has taken a lot of law- system, limiting avenues of redress within liver cancer. tenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for yers who previously could represent peo- China’s courts, and leaving international The doctors said yesterday they believe subverting state power and remains under ple seeking redress from the Communist pressure as a main focus for the activists. on submarines he can be moved overseas for treatment strict supervision at the hospital. Party system out of circulation, it is not The government has made reforms to but it would have to happen soon. “There is a reason why Liu Xiaobo chose preventing activists from communicat- professionalise the legal system and im- “Liu Xiaobo and his family have re- leaving the country for treatment as his ing, and in particular seeking to lobby for- prove the average person’s ability to settle Reuters in Paris on Saturday. Macron quested that the remainder of his care last wish,” the Freedom for Liu Xiaobo Ac- eign governments to take a stance against disputes in court, but the party has reject- Sydney said France would do every- be provided in Germany or the United tion Group said. rights abuses in China, activists and dip- ed a separation of powers in China and few thing necessary to meet the States,” Joseph M Herman of the Univer- “In this country, his voice, his name lomats say. lawyers work to actively fi nd and defend requirements of the contract, sity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has become taboo; his body has also been On July 9, 2015, the authorities launched people who are alleging there have been ustralian Prime Minis- the Sydney Morning Herald re- and Markus Büchler of the University of ravaged by this regime; only his free soul what rights groups say was a co-ordinated abuses of government power, as rights ter Malcolm Turnbull ported. Heidelberg said in a joint statement. longs to break free from imprisonment in attempt to quash China’s rights move- lawyers do. Ais due to inaugurate at DCNS was left reeling after “While a degree of risk always exists in its last day.” ment, in what is known as the “709” “They burned the fi eld but the roots a French shipyard work on a details from more than 22,000 the movement of any patient, both physi- Liu also wants to earn the freedom of his crackdown because of the date of the remain and new shoots are constantly ap- new fl eet of submarines that pages of documents relating cians believe Mr Liu can be safely trans- wife, Liu Xia, who has been under house event. pearing,” one Western diplomat said, de- will form the centrepiece of to submarines it is building for ported with appropriate medical evacu- arrest and is suff ering from depression, The core members of the movement clining to be named. Australia’s defence strategy for India were published in The ation care and support. However, the the group said. were described by the offi cial paper of Feng Chongyi, an Australia-based ex- decades to come. Australian newspaper, leading medical evacuation would have to take Liu wants his wife to be able to live the ruling Communist Party, the People’s pert on China’s rights activists at the Uni- Australia selected French to concerns about its ability to place as quickly as possible.” abroad after his death. Daily, as “a major criminal gang that has versity of Technology Sydney, said that naval contractor DCNS in protect sensitive data. Meanwhile, the hospital said that “a “His demand is very clear, that he wants seriously damaged social order”. President Xi Jinping had aimed to “elimi- April 2016 to build its fl eet of Australia’s new fl eet of sub- Chinese expert said the transportation to save his wife,” Liu’s friend, Mo Zhixu, Two years on, most of the detained have nate” the rights lawyers and other forms of 12 submarines, ahead of other marines is the centrepiece of process for the patient is not safe”. Buech- told DPA. been sentenced and are in prison or under organised resistance with the crackdown. off ers from Japan and Germa- its defence strategy unveiled in ler and Herman said the treatment he was Chinese authorities have rejected Liu house arrest; many made public confes- Feng was himself prevented from leav- ny, sealing one of the world’s February 2016, which called for receiving was appropriate, the hospital and his wife’s requests to travel overseas sions and were sentenced in what their ing China for a week in March and was most lucrative defence con- an increase in military spend- added. Liu, 61, suff ers from metastasised for treatment, but in response to an inter- families say were either secret or scripted subjected to daily interrogations during tracts. ing of nearly A$30bn over the cancer in its fi nal stage. national outcry have allowed the foreign trials. that time. At a joint press briefi ng with next 10 years to protect stra- He has a large build-up of abdominal doctors to visit him. They weren’t allowed independent rep- Those detained did get fi nancial and French President Emmanuel tegic and trade interests in the fl uid and is in a “critical condition”, the Liu is the co-author of a document resentation and were defended by govern- moral support from other lawyers, said Macron in Paris, Turnbull said Asia-Pacifi c region. hospital said. signed in 2008 by 300 intellectuals, calling ment-appointed lawyers. Feng, who is an Australian permanent res- he would open the project of- The fi rst submarines are ex- The treatment he is currently receiv- for a free, democratic and constitutional Other activists and lawyers were picked ident with a Chinese passport. fi ce at the DCNS Cherbourg pected to enter service in the ing is mainly palliative, after doctors on Chinese state. up in the months before and after that date. China has rejected international criti- shipyard. early 2030s, with the remain- Thursday announced they had stopped He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Beijing’s campaign did not spell the end cism of the crackdown and defends its de- “This is the largest and most der commissioned by 2050. giving him cancer-fi ghting drugs so as not in absentia in 2010 for his work campaign- of rights activism in China, according to tention and persecution of rights lawyers ambitious military project in Construction will be done pri- to overwhelm his liver. ing for human rights in China. Western diplomats, who say their embas- saying that they are criminals who pose a Australia’s history,” Turnbull marily in the southern Austral- Liu’s supporters, however, chided the Yesterday was the second anniversary of sies are meeting activists on an almost threat to China’s national security and so- told reporters at Élysée Palace ian city of Adelaide. hospital for becoming the authorities’ a major Chinese government crackdown daily basis. cial order. In China’s murky waters, global sewage fi rms seek rewards

Reuters three times, and raise urban wastewater ervoir of the Three Gorges Dam, the ter projects across the country, but the Changzhou and runs another at a sew- major projects, said Xue Xiaohu, gen- Changzhou, China treatment by 50mn cubic metres a day, world’s biggest power station span- focus on a large-scale clean-up has age works in Wuxi. eral manager at Jiangsu Greenway that equal to 20,000 Olympic-size pools. ning the Yangtze River in central Hubei gained impetus recently. Emefcy says its small-scale units sells water treatment technology to the This has opened the fl oodgates to province. China’s latest fi ve-year plan released can treat 20,000 litres a day, take two textiles industry. lobal sewage and water treat- sewage specialists, like Israel’s Emefcy, But change is afoot, Tong said. in 2016 emphasises tackling pollution, months to install and have signifi cantly China has promised to give envi- ment fi rms are eyeing oppor- RWL Water — controlled by Ron Lauder Local offi cials will be forced to im- while in an action plan published in lower energy costs, making them ideal ronmentally friendly projects a leg up Gtunities in an unsavoury place: from Estee Lauder and France’s Veolia, prove sewage capacity under new legis- 2015 the government vowed to improve for the rural market. by providing banks more incentives to a growing pile of waste in China, the who want to grab a share of the mar- lation that make them directly respon- water quality nationwide by 2030, RWL Water venture is set to merge lend and encouraging green fi nancing. world’s most populous nation. ket with China’s annual environmental sible for water quality. pledging to spend billions of dollars. with Emefcy in July to “accelerate pen- Off shore players have the added hur- The country has been for years bat- spend estimated at 3tn yuan ($441bn) Cities need to hike treatment rates to Local authorities, meanwhile, have etration” in China’s rural wastewater dle of navigating local rules and typi- tling contamination from fertiliser over the next fi ve years. 95% by 2020 from 92% in 2015, while struggled to fund their plans, opening sector. cally also need to team up with local run-off s, heavy metals and untreated “Right now the problem of waste- rural regions in central and western the door for more private sector in- They will be competing with local partners. sewage. water from agriculture and the coun- China need to reach 50%. volvement. players such as state-run Beijing En- “There are challenges in dealing with A survey in 2015 showed nearly two tryside is very serious and wastewater “The market is massive,” said Wong- Emefcy plans to put eight small- terprises Water Group and China Wa- local governments and that’s why our thirds of China’s underground water treatment work is a weak link,” said Jin Yong, China CEO for Emefcy, which scale sewage treatment units into ter Investment, and others like Beijing partners kick in,” said Yong from Eme- and a third of its surface water was unfi t Tong Weidong, vice-chairman of the estimates the potential market oppor- operation in China by the end of this Sound Environment and Kangda Inter- fcy, which has a number of Chinese for human contact. legal work commission of China’s par- tunity in Beijing and nearby provinces year and is currently building a local national. partners including Zhejiang Provincial To reverse this, China has pledged liament. at over $1bn. factory. Stricter environmental standards are Energy Group and Jiangsu Jinzi. to lay 126,000km of new sewage pipes Recently, there were reports of vil- Foreign players have been in China It has installed a mobile plant around drawing in companies of all sizes, but “Technology is our core skill and we by 2020, enough to circle the globe lages dumping sewage into the res- for a while, such as Veolia that has wa- the size of a van at a school in southern big state-owned fi rms still dominate will focus on that.” Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 11 BRITAIN ‘Cheaper’ Heathrow airport third runway plans submitted

Guardian News and Media there were “cheaper and better London airport and would bring which over-charges airlines and sengers, and how airlines at the said would save motorists using merely an option with additional London ways” to expand Britain’s biggest new neighbourhoods under the in turn raises fares for passen- heart of these plans will benefi t the M25 almost a decade of incon- savings of £1.5bn, whereas the rest airport in proposals sent to the fl ightpath. gers, is not the right model for the passengers. We look forward to venience. of our proposals save up to £5.2bn government as part of a public Arora said his alternative plans future,” Arora said. “Heathrow working with the new govern- “One of the options we have without the need to amend the wealthy hotel operator consultation. for a third runway and new ter- needs competition and innova- ment to discuss these issues and proposed to government includes runway location.” has submitted plans for a In a long-awaited and contro- minal would involve less disrup- tion which puts passengers and how our proposals can help im- a possible shift of the runway so Other savings would come Athird runway at Heathrow versial decision announced in Oc- tion to local communities, partly airlines at the heart of the expan- prove the airport’s expansion.” that it does not impact on the from changes to the terminal de- which he claims would be £6.7bn tober, ministers chose to back ex- because a smaller amount of land sion project. Arora, who has a portfolio of M25 and M4; as we know the M25 sign and taxi way system, which it cheaper than the airport’s current pansion at Heathrow rather than would be required. “We are now calling on the hotels at Heathrow and other lo- junction being aff ected threatens claimed would allow the same rise scheme. at Gatwick airport. It paves the “We want passengers to be at government to consider more cations, suggested that savings the deliverability of the whole in capacity as the current scheme, Surinder Arora, founder and way for hundreds of thousands the heart of our plans and the carefully how competition can could be made by moving the project. We appreciate this is a and scrapping some plans such as chairman of the Arora Group, said more fl ights a year at the west current monopoly at Heathrow, improve Heathrow’s off er to pas- planned new runway, which he politically sensitive issue but it is expansion of Terminal 2.

Thousands of teachers US residency have quit, states data for terminally Guardian News and Media London

lmost a quarter of the teachers who have qualifi ed Asince 2011 have already left ill baby to the profession, according to of- fi cial fi gures that have prompted further concerns about the pres- sures on the profession. Of those who qualifi ed in 2011 alone, 31% had quit within fi ve years of becoming teachers, the be proposed fi gures show. The offi cial rate of dropouts Guardian News and Media of Charlie’s parents. parents and have instead decided from the profession was published London Lidington said: “It is right that to remove his life support, which as the government came under judges interpret the law, inde- will kill him.” pressure to relax the 1% pay cap pendently and dispassionately. The children’s hospital previ- that has been placed on teachers’ harlie Gard should be given As ministers and as a govern- ously won an order to say his life pay until 2020. residency in the US so he ment we have no role to play in support should be turned off in a Analysis of offi cial fi gures show Ccan receive experimental the Charlie Gard case, as would case that went all the way to the that more than 27,500 teachers treatment in the country, con- be the case in any other proceed- European court of human rights. who trained between 2011 and gressmen have said as the termi- ing in court.” They said his condition, caused by 2015 had already left the job by last nally ill baby’s parents prepare He added: “I do not envy the a rare mitochondrial disease, was year. It means that just over 23% of to launch a renewed legal bid for judges who are having to take deci- irreversible and that further treat- about 117,000 teachers who quali- treatment. sions on this. It must be incredibly ment could cause him suff ering. fi ed over the period have left. Republican representatives pressured – probably emotional, The degenerative genetic con- The fi gures follow complaints Brad Wenstrup and Trent Franks under the judicial professionalism, dition aff ects the cells responsible by Tory MPs that the overall are expected to table a bill in the US a really emotional, heartwrench- for energy production and respi- schools budget is too small and House of Representatives today to ing case for them to have to decide. ration, leaving Charlie unable to needs to be increased. bring Charlie and his parents to the “But they are independent, they move or breathe without a venti- Justine Greening, the education US from Britain. know their duty is to decide the lator. secretary, is known to be sympa- The intervention comes as more case on the basis of what they gen- On Friday, it was announced thetic to both relaxing the pay cap than 350,000 people signed a pe- uinely consider to be in the best that the hospital had applied to and increasing public spending on tition urging the baby’s doctors interests of Charlie himself.” the high court for a new hearing schools, but is one of a series of to allow him to receive treatment Charlie’s parents, Connie Yates to decide whether Charlie should cabinet ministers making spend- abroad, and his family said the and Chris Gard, joined support- be given the experimental drug, ing demands on Philip Hammond, “fi ght is not over”. ers in a rally yesterday near Great as urged by doctors in the US and the chancellor. In a joint statement, the US pol- Ormond Street hospital where Rome. Angela Rayner, the shadow ed- iticians said: “Our bill will support he is being treated. A petition, “Two international hospitals ucation secretary, who uncovered Charlie’s parents’ right to choose which asks the hospital to follow and their researchers have com- the fi gures showing the number what is best for their son, by mak- the wishes of Charlie’s parents, municated to us as late as the of teachers leaving the profession, ing Charlie a lawful permanent was handed to doctors during the last 24 hours that they have fresh said they highlighted the “sheer resident in the US in order for him protest before a fresh court bat- evidence about their proposed ex- scale of the crisis that the Tories to receive treatments that could tle over his treatment. It reads: perimental treatment,” the hospi- have created in teacher recruit- save his life. “It is unacceptable that you have tal said in a statement released on ment and retention”. “Should this little boy to be or- refused to follow the wishes of his Friday. “Teachers are leaving our dered to die because a third party, classrooms in record numbers, overriding the wishes of his par- Charlie Gard’s mother pleads for US treatment and the crisis is getting worse ents, believes it can conclusively year after year. We are now at determine that immediate death is The mother of Charlie Gard has “The specialists are in America the point that more teachers are what is best for him?” called for permission to take and that’s where we want to leaving than staying,” she said. The justice secretary yesterday him to the US for experimental go,” Gard said. “He should “The government has serious said it was right that the courts treatment because “there’s have had this chance a long questions to answer on the im- decide on what was in the 11th- nothing to lose”. Charlie’s time ago now. They said that it pact of their policies such as the month-old’s best interests, adding parents, Connie Yates and Chris wasn’t fair to leave him on the continued cap on public sector that the government had no role to Gard, spoke to supporters and ventilator for three months for a pay, and their failure to tackle the play in the case. members of the press at a rally treatment they didn’t think was issues like excessive workload The lord chancellor, David yesterday near Great Ormond going to work. He’s now been that aff ect teachers in the class- Lidington, expressed sympathy Street hospital, where he is left for seven months with no room. with the judges involved in the being treated. Gard said the treatment.” Acknowledging the “It is time that ministers fi nally “heartwrenching” case when hospital was fantastic and its treatment only had a 10% chance admitted that we are at a crisis Connie Yates and Chris Gard, parents of terminally-ill Charlie Gard, pose with a petition of signatures asked on Sky News’ Ridge On doctors were specialists in a lot of working, Yates said it was point, and came up with a proper supporting their case, prior to delivering it to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in central Sunday whether it was right that of conditions, but not Charlie’s. worth trying anyway. plan of action to deal with it.” London yesterday. judges could overrule the wishes Brexit may never Cancer suff erer wins compensation happen, feels Cable London Evening Standard ing able to work from home if she London felt ill, but they were ended, the tribunal heard. Guardian News and Media living standards suff er and un- byn were trying to “expel” 49 She was told to produce letters London employment increased. A recent unsupportive MPs, referring to personal assistant at a from her doctors confi rming she Survation poll suggested 53% of list published on a local Facebook property investment fi rm was well enough to work, and had people would back a second refer- page of the left-wing Momentum Awho was harassed and dis- to take at least half a day of sick rexit may never happen endum on whether to accept the group, but which was disavowed criminated against by her boss leave, on reduced pay, if she had a because of the diffi culties terms of the fi nal Brexit deal, with by the national leadership. after being diagnosed with breast medical appointment. Bit will cause, according to 47% opposed. “We have a generous policy to cancer has won almost £50,000 in The Hideaways Club fought Sir Vince Cable, the next LibDem “I’m beginning to think that refugees and if they come they compensation. the claims, arguing it had treated leader. The former business sec- Brexit may never happen,” he will get food and accommoda- Eimear Coghlan, 34, was ini- Coghlan fairly and made decisions retary, who is the only candidate said. “The problems are so enor- tion,” Cable said. “I don’t know tially treated with “sympathy and in the interest of her welfare. But to replace Tim Farron as head of mous, the divisions within the what will happen, it’s a symptom concern” by Poonam Dhawan- judge David Pearl ruled that Cogh- the pro-EU party, said he was two main parties are so enormous of very, very deep division.” Leach, chief executive of The lan, who resigned in September beginning to think Britain would I can see a scenario in which this Cable said he backed higher Hideaways Club in Kensington, 2015, had suff ered disability dis- never leave the EU – especially if doesn’t happen.” tax rises than the 1p proposed in after learning she had an aggres- crimination, harassment and the economy crashes. Cable also invited “refugees” the LibDem manifesto, saying sive form of the disease in Decem- “injury to feelings”, awarding her “There is an imminent issue, from Labour to join the Liberal increases were needed to avoid ber 2014. £47,700. which is whether the government Democrats, arguing that Jeremy more cuts to public spending and She had been Dhawan-Leach’s Claims of direct discrimination, continues to pursue the so-called Corbyn’s popularity could fall continue to target a balancing of assistant for more than a year, en- constructive dismissal and vic- hard Brexit – leaving the customs when younger voters realise how the books. joying an “amicable” relationship, timisation, were dismissed. union and single market. We have strongly he backs Brexit. He was recently criticised for Central London employment tri- The judge said Dhawan-Leach got to work with other people. We “(Corbyn) is very pro-Brexit, claiming Theresa May’s rheto- bunal heard. was a “very demanding manag- did last week – there was a motion and a hard Brexit, and when that ric on “citizens of nowhere” was However, relations began to er” and e-mails sent to the fi rm’s in parliament led by some Labour becomes apparent the divisions like something from Hitler’s Mein “fray” as Coghlan needed to go for HR consultants revealed the de- MPs (that) we supported, to try to in the Labour party will become Kampf. But Cable said he had ac- medical appointments. Dhawan- cline of her relationship with head off that disastrous outcome.” more real and the opportunity for cidentally compared her to the Leach said she had “not done a Coghlan. He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr us to move into that space will be wrong murderous dictator: “I single day’s work” in three months She had at fi rst been sympathet- Show that “the whole question of substantial,” the MP for Twicken- got my literary reference wrong since her diagnosis. ic in discussing fl exible working continued membership will once ham argued. – I think it was Stalin who talked Liberal Democrat member of parliament, Vince Cable, speaks on Coghlan had been given fl exible conditions but later complained again arise” if people saw their He claimed supporters of Cor- about ‘rootless cosmopolitans’.” the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show in London, yesterday working conditions, including be- about Coghlan’s productivity. Gulf Times 12 Monday, July 10, 2017 EUROPE

COMMON ENEMY POLITICS RELIC ANNUAL EVENT FRAUD RAP Muslim leaders stand up Turkish opposition rally Poland evacuates thousands 4 injured on third day of Russia’s Bolshoi calls off against terrorism in Berlin culminates in Istanbul after finding WWII bomb Pamplona bull-run fest Nureyev ballet premiere

Around 30 Muslim leaders from across Europe Tens of thousands of people massed yesterday Authorities in Bialystok, Poland, evacuated about Four people were hurt, but none gored, The Bolshoi Theatre has postponed the world gathered yesterday for a rally against terror for a rally of Turkey’s main opposition party in 10,000 people from their homes yesterday yesterday on the third day of the week-long premiere of Nureyev, a ballet about famous in Berlin at the site of a deadly truck attack in Istanbul. A sea of people filled the vast shoreside morning after a 500km World War II-era bomb San Fermin festival in northern Spain in which Russian dancer, weeks after its director Kirill December, claimed by the Islamic State group. square in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul was found during construction work. Residents bulls chase red-scarved runners through Serebrennikov was questioned as a witness in a The event, which attracted a few hundred for the rally marking the end of a 450km “justice on about 60 streets in the northeastern city near the streets of Pamplona. The run, which fraud investigation. The long awaited premiere participants, was part of a “March of Muslims march” from Ankara to Istanbul by Republican the Belarus border, along with those living on 45 yesterday included bulls from the Puerto of the ballet about Rudolf Nureyev, one of the Against Terrorism” by imams who set off by bus People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an streets in two suburbs, had to leave after military de San Lorenzo ranch, was quick at just two first Soviet artists to defect to the West, was due from Paris on Saturday. The gathering in the AFP correspondent said. Kilicdaroglu began the experts determined there was a risk the bomb minutes and 22 seconds, with the herd led to be held on July 11 but the Bolshoi has said on German capital took place at the Breitscheidplatz 25-day trek to protest the arrest of one of his MPs could explode while being extracted from the by a bull named Huracan. The daily bull run its website it would not take place. The theatre square, where a Tunisian who had failed in his and it rapidly grew into a major march protesting site by a crane. Evacuations were also carried starts at 8am and usually lasts between three said it would hold a briefing today about the attempt to seek asylum ploughed a hijacked alleged injustices under President Recep Tayyip out along the route soldiers were to take to and five minutes. There are eight runs in total postponement. Serebrennikov said it was the lorry through crowds at a Christmas market, an Erdogan’s rule. “Nobody should think this march bring the bomb to a military base where it would during the festival, which ends on July 14. theatre’s decision but declined to comment attack that killed 12 people. The Islamic leaders is the last one. It’s the first step,” Kilicdaroglu told be destroyed. Such bombs are often found at The festival attracts runners from all over the on the reasons for the delay, according to the also held a prayer for the victims. the crowds who roared back “Justice!”. construction sites in Poland. world. Vedomosti daily.

Migrants once Germans furious over again drawn to deadly Spanish G20 ‘orgy of violence’ route to Europe Reuters The Social Democrats (SPD), Berlin trailing Merkel’s conservatives by By Leticia Farine, AFP 12-15 percentage points in polls, Madrid squarely blamed Merkel. ermans yesterday expressed “The invitation to the G20 was anger over violence that hit issued by the Chancellor. She was he number of migrants arriving on Spain’s southern Ga G20 world leaders’ sum- the host... That some conserva- coast has more than doubled in 2017 from last year as mit in Hamburg, raising awkward tives are now pushing responsibil- Tthey avoid passing through confl ict-wracked Libya on questions for Chancellor Angela ity onto the SPD and Olaf Scholz is their way to Europe. Eight boats carrying 380 people have Merkel less than three months be- cheap,” one of the SPD’s deputies been rescued since Wednesday in the Alboran Sea, which fore an election. Ralf Stegner told RND media. connects northeastern Morocco and southeastern Spain, in About 20,000 police struggled Behind heavy security, Merkel the Western Mediterranean. to contain several hundred anti- used her negotiating skills to forge “We are worried because we are seeing numbers which we capitalist militants who torched a compromise between a range of have not seen in years. And it’s a dangerous area, where the cars, looted shops and hurled Mol- views. currents are very strong,” said the spokesman for the Span- otov cocktails and stones during She persuaded leaders to agree ish branch of rights group SOS Racisme, Mikel Araguas. the July 7-8 summit. on trade, energy and Africa while Last week, an infl atable dinghy that had apparently set Tens of thousands more people acknowledging diff erences with out from Morocco with 52 people aboard was fl ipped over demonstrated peacefully. the United States on climate after being hit by a strong wave. Only three survivors were Overall, 476 offi cers suff ered in- change. rescued by the Spanish coastguard. juries ranging from cuts and fi re- However, she wasn’t even in- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) called it work burns to eye damage from volved in what was for many the “the worst tragedy in the last decade in the Spanish Medi- laser pointers. diplomatic highlight — the fi rst terranean” involving migrants. Police said yesterday they had encounter between Trump and The Italian sea route remains the most popular for mi- arrested 186 people and took 225 Putin. grants. Italy has accepted around 85,000 of the 100,000 into custody. Seeking to limit the damage people who have arrived in Europe by sea this year according German newspapers devoted far from the security problems before to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). more space to pictures of police the September 24 parliamentary But the Spanish route further west is gathering pace. fi ring water cannon onto hooded election, Merkel has promised Between January and June, more than 6,400 people were anarchists and other protesters Local residents clean the street yesterday after demonstrations at the G20 summit in the Sternschanze district compensation to Hamburg resi- rescued at sea between Morocco and Algeria and Spain, ac- than they did to Merkel’s diplo- of Hamburg. dents whose property was dam- cording to the IOM, compared to 8,100 during all of 2016. matic balancing act with fellow aged. The fi gure is close to the more than 9,000 migrants who leaders of major world economies. Inside, a political scientist de- the image of their country — even Merkel had wanted to demon- She can also defl ect some of arrived in Greece during the period. “Embarrassment for Germany” scribed the scenes as an ‘orgy of though violence has aff ected a strate to G20 partners, including the anger which was directed at The vast majority of migrants who come to Europe are was Tagesspiegel’s description. violence’. number of international meetings Putin and Turkish President Tayy- Scholz, a Social Democrat, for un- sub-Saharan Africans fl eeing poverty or confl ict in their “The pictures of helpless police International media have fo- around the world over the years. ip Erdogan, her commitment to derestimating the risks. home countries. Most leave nations such as Guinea, Gambia who could not secure state order cused more on US President Don- Merkel was forced to defend her freedom of speech and rejected the He has been widely castigated or the Ivory Coast and make their way to Libya where they and protection of property are a ald Trump’s fi rst meeting with choice of Hamburg, saying other notion that some cities were out of for appearing complacent before hope to cross over by boat to Italy. political catastrophe,” column- his Russian counterpart Vladimir cities, like London, had hosted bounds as summit venues. the summit, saying Hamburg was But the word is getting out that this route is becoming ist Gerd Nowakowski wrote in the Putin at the summit, as well as similar meetings. The strategy has backfi red, said used to hosting big events and that more risky, with “ever harder controls”, said Helena Maleno paper. Trump’s diverging views on cli- Hamburg, a seaport which is some commentators. “I can barely many residents would barely no- Garzon of migrant aid agency Caminando Fronteras. Top-selling Bild am Sonntag mate change and trade from those Germany’s second biggest city, has breathe with anger because Chan- tice the gathering. Many migrants passing through Libya, wracked by chaos splashed pictures of masked anar- of the other leaders. a strong radical leftist tradition. cellor Merkel and Hamburg mayor Scholz defend himself, saying: since the 2011 toppling of Muammar Gaddafi with rival mi- chists and politicians on its front Nevertheless, an Emnid poll It was also home to an Al Qaeda (Olaf) Scholz trivialise the brutal “We did not underestimate the litias and administrations seeking to control the oil-rich page with the headline “Criminals showed that a majority of Germans, cell that carried out the 9/11 at- riots as ‘not acceptable’,” wrote a danger. It was not a mistake to hold country, have reported dramatic tales of abuse in the coun- and Losers”. 59%, believed the riots damage tacks on US targets in 2001. commentator in Bild am Sonntag. the summit in Hamburg.” try. Migrants have reported being sold “on a slave market”, according to the IOM. Amnesty International has complained of migrants being tortured and jailed while the UNHCR has published reports by migrants of “appalling” conditions at Libya’s migrant detention centres. As a result some migrants prefer to make EU-Norway crab row could fuel future oil tensions in the Arctic their way to Morocco or Algeria and from there cross the Mediterranean to Spain. Adding to the appeal of this route is the fact that the sea By Pierre-Henry Deshayes, AFP ple here too,” Norwegian Fisheries Svalbard Treaty signed in Paris are Svalbard, in line with the concept merous others, will probably come crossing is shorter and it costs less. Prices charged by peo- Oslo Minister Per Sandberg tells AFP. at the heart of the problem. of an economic zone that did not and claim a share of the cake,” he ple smugglers have fallen to around 900 euros ($1,000) per Norway, which is not a member The treaty recognises Norway’s exist when the treaty was signed. says, referring to oil. person, compared to 1,500-2,000 euros in 2016, said Andres of the EU, has slammed Brussels for “full and absolute sovereignty,” but The snow crab, fi rst recorded in The cake could prove to be very Garcia Lorca, the Spanish central government’s deputy del- n the face of it, a relentless authorising European vessels from gives the signatory nations an equal the Barents Sea in 1996, is an inva- appetising as the Norwegian Pe- egate in the southern province of Almeria. battle between the Euro- mainly Baltic nations to fi sh for right to economic activities on sive, and more importantly, a sed- troleum Directorate in April dou- Morocco also appears to have softened its controls, said Opean Union and Norway in crabs in the Svalbard area, saying it Svalbard and its territorial waters. entary species as it lives in perma- bled its estimates of hydrocarbon Araguas. European Union border agency Frontex for its part a remote part of the Arctic is about violates its national sovereignty. The core issue is to agree on the nent contact with the seabed. reserves in the Norwegian part of says it has not noticed “any change in border vigilance” on snow crabs. But the real fi ght may A Latvian ship has already paid geographical scope of the treaty and This means that the rules that the Barents Sea. A large amount the part of Morocco. Recent social unrest in northern Mo- go beyond who gets to catch the the price. In January, a ship called how far all signatory states benefi t apply to snow crabs are more simi- of the 17.7bn barrels in the region rocco’s Rif region also appears to have added to the migra- modest crustaceans around Sval- The Senator was intercepted by from an equal access to resources. lar to oil than to fi shing. could be in southeastern Svalbard, tory pressure. “There were numerous migrants from the Rif bard, a unique Norwegian archi- Norwegian coast guards while crab With a strict interpretation of The crab dispute could create a according to the directorate. region in the month of June, there had not been so many Mo- pelago in the Barents Sea. fi shing around Svalbard, and re- the treaty, Oslo says the agree- “precedent” that “would have impli- “I think snow crab is a trial bal- roccans since the 1990s,” said Maleno. What is really at stake is oil, cently received a hefty fi ne. ment applies only to the 12-mile cations for oil and gas,” warns Harald loon,” says Per Arne Totland, an au- The risk of dying does not deter migrants. Over 2,200 some experts say, and a coming “What happened is totally new,” (19.3km) limits of the territorial Sakarias Brovig Hansen, a researcher thor and expert on Svalbard issues. people have lost their lives this year trying to cross the Med- race for the commodity of which says Sandberg. “The EU is una- waters surrounding Svalbard and at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute. “In this case, Russia, the United iterranean Sea from North Africa, according to UN fi gures. there is a lot in the polar region. bashed to make this kind of a deci- not any further. “We fear a domino eff ect. If an States, the EU and China share a “It is urgent and necessary to be aware of the seriousness “No country wants to give up sion without consulting us.” But Brussels has a more loose in- actor is recognised as having the common interest in obtaining the of the situation. They can’t continue to close doors,” said the resources without receiving any- The EU and Norway’s confl ict- terpretation of the treaty and says right to fi sh for snow crabs in ac- widest access to the resources that president of migrant charity Andalucia Acoge, Elena Tajuelo. thing in return. That is the princi- ing interpretations of the 1920 it covers 200 miles (321km) around cordance with the treaty, then nu- the treaty could give them.” UNHCR spokeswoman in Spain, Maria Jesus Vega, said if Europe does not give the migrants a solution, “the solu- tion will be given to them by mafi a networks that take ad- vantage of their desperation.” Spain’s interior ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

German caves of world’s oldest ice age art named World Heritage Site

he United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cul- tural Organization (Unesco) yesterday named as TWorld Heritage Site a group of caves in Germany that contain the world’s oldest ice age artwork. According to World Heritage Committee, the six caves located in the Swabian Alps of south-western Germany contain the earliest artwork representing fi gures in the world and provide important knowledge of how art de- veloped. Among the archaeological fi nds in the caves was the 40,000-year-old human fi gurine Venus of Hohle Fels. Since the 1860s, excavations in the caves have pro- duced numerous fi gurines from as old 43,000 years ago, including representations of mammoths, lions, horses and musical instruments, as well as female fi gures and animal-human hybrids. The fi nds are among the oldest evidence of artistic ac- tivity by early humans. Cultural experts and historians are meeting until July 12 in southern Poland to decide the status of more than 30 sites nominated to the World Heritage List. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 13 INDIA

TRAGEDY DISASTER OBITUARY CRIME CLARIFICATION Toxic home-brewed liquor 16 killed in lightning Veteran actor Sanyal Uber driver held Beef not banned in kills 14 in Uttar Pradesh strikes in Bihar dies in Kolkata aged 71 for raping woman Goa, reiterates minister

At least 14 people died after drinking illegally- At least 16 people were killed and half a dozen Veteran actor Sumita Sanyal, who had worked A driver with cab aggregator Uber has been Claiming that the centre’s notification banning the brewed poisonous alcohol in Uttar Pradesh, others injured in lightning strikes in diff erent in both Bengali and Hindi cinema, passed away arrested for raping a woman at his house in sale of cattle for slaughter has had no impact on prompting authorities to launch a crackdown and parts of Bihar yesterday, off icials said. According at the age of 71 in Kolkata yesterday. Sanyal was Ghaziabad, the police said yesterday. While the the tourism sector, Goa Tourism Minister Manohar order a probe. The villagers fell ill after drinking to off icials of the Bihar state disaster department, best known for her role in superhit Bollywood attack on the woman took place on Thursday, Ajgaonkar yesterday said that tourists would get the alcohol at two locations in Azamgarh district five persons were killed in Vaishali district, flick Anand starring Amitabh Bachchan and 45-year-old Kamal Kumar was arrested only whatever dishes they want in Goa. “Beef is not on Thursday night. “Many of those who drank followed by three in Bhojpur district and two Rajesh Khanna. Sanyal was married to film on Saturday because the woman had diff iculty banned in Goa. The tourists will get whatever the liquor started complaining of stomach pain each in Buxar and Samastipur districts. Besides, editor Subodh Roy, and had acted in over recollecting the area where it took place, a police they want to eat. They can eat whatever they and headache,” an off icial said yesterday. The first one person each died in Saran, Araria, Patna and 30 Bengali films, including the Dilip Kumar off icer said. On Thursday, the 38-year-old woman, like,” Ajgaonkar said at the Travel and Tourism death was reported on Friday, Singh said, adding Aurangabad districts. The state government starrer Sagina Mahato in 1971. “Saddened at the a resident of Kalyanpuri in east Delhi, visited Fair organised in Kolkata. The minister also that 14 people are still being treated in hospital has announced compensation of Rs400,000 passing of veteran actress Sumita Sanyal. My Karkardooma courts for some work. She met the claimed that the tourism sector in Goa has had no and that “a magisterial probe” has been ordered to the families of each victim. Lightning strikes condolences to her family, friends and fans,” Uber diver outside the court and told him she was hiccups after the implementation of the Goods into the matter. Local media reported a death during the June-September monsoon season are West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee looking for a job, the police said. “Kumar told her he and Services Tax (GST) from the beginning of this toll of between 18 and 21, but Singh said medical common, with villagers housed in bamboo and tweeted. Sanyal’s debut movie was Khokhababur might have some work for her but took her to his month. Ajgaonkar described security to be the off icials had confirmed only 14 deaths. grass huts more at risk. Pratyabartan which released in 1960. residence where he raped her,” a police off icer said. topmost priority in Goa’s tourism sector. Gandhi ‘will Flood-hit be face of opposition in 2019 election’

IANS “Abraham Lincoln had said, New Delhi ‘You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the peo- ple all the time, but you cannot ongress vice president fool all the people all the time’. Rahul Gandhi may be el- You can’t keep talking about Cevated as party chief on propaganda if the ground is slip- completion of the organisational ping underneath your feet. This election process in October and is the same as the India Shining he will be the opposition’s face campaign that you saw in 2003- in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 2004,” Scindia said. party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia However, he added that the has said. Congress has to get its act together. Scindia, 46, who is party’s chief “I think it is important that we whip in the Lok Sabha, also said also get our act together and put Large parts of the Kaziranga National Park, Assam, have been submerged by flood waters. Park authorities have flown in drones to ensure security of animals in the that the time for introspection is our best foot forward. In all the park. An off icial said some animals have started to migrate towards the Karbi Anglong Hills crossing the National Highway-37. over and the party has to act soon state elections, there has to be a on a gameplan to improve its pros- clear strategy as well as for the pects in the 2019 elections. 2019 Lok Sabha elections.” He claimed that the Narendra With Punjab being the only Modi government will face de- major state won by the Congress feat in the next elections in the since its debacle in the 2014 Lok same way as the fi rst National Sabha elections, Scinidia said Democratic Alliance (NDA) gov- every party goes through crests ernment led by Atal Bihari Vaj- and troughs, and recalled that payee had lost power in 2004 de- the Congress had led alliance Nagaland political crisis spite its “India Shining” slogan. governments in 2004 and 2009. “Rahul Gandhi is leading the “But after that, for multiple party and he will be leading the reasons, we were not able to hold party,” Scindia said when asked on to the trust of people and, who will be the party’s face in the therefore, we need to start act- next general elections. ing on a new game plan. I think deepens, ministers sacked To a question if Gandhi will the time for introspection and also be the face of the larger op- the time for understanding the position, Scindia said: “I cer- reasons is over now. We are three IANS day after his predecessor, T R Patton, Sangtam, Aye, Imchen, who is a non-legislator, to re- cent disturbing developments tainly think so. I think the oppo- years down from the 2014 elec- Kohima Zeliang wrote to the governor, as well as Shetoyi, Nuklutoshi, sign and pave way for me (Ze- aff ecting the normal function- sition is united in their support tion and we need to start acting staking claim to form a new Deo Nukhu, Naiba Konyak, liang) to take over as the chief ing of the government. for Gandhi and he will lead the on that gameplan,” Scindia said. government. Zeliang claimed he Benjongliba and Zeliang. minister.” “The current issue is within opposition onslaught.” To a question on whether the he crisis within Naga- has the support of 33 NPF legis- Zeliang, along with 41 leg- Acharya is in Maharashtra the NPF party and will be re- “Absolutely” was his response party is promoting young lead- land’s Naga People’s lators and seven Independents. islators, is camping at Borgos and he is expected to return to solved at the earliest to bring when asked if Gandhi should be ership, Scindia, who is into his TFront (NPF) government Liezietsu, who is also the NPF resort in Assam’s Kaziranga Na- Nagaland in a few days. about normalcy in the state. elevated as the party chief. Asked fourth term as MP, said meritoc- has deepened further with supremo, has also sacked four tional Park. The fresh political instability The mandate of the people will if the elevation will happen at the racy and capability are important Chief Minister Shurhozelie NPF legislators and six Inde- “All 41 of us are together and has come at a time when Liezi- be respected and the present completion of party’s organisa- and not considerations of age. Liezietsu yesterday sacking four pendent legislators, as parlia- we are waiting for governor Ach- etsu is gearing up for the July 29 crisis will be resolved in the tional elections in October, Scin- “There is always more that top ministers and 10 parliamen- mentary secretaries. arya to invite Zeliang to form the by-election from the Northern larger interest of the people of dia said: “I think so. Yes, yes!” can be done and I don’t think it is tary secretaries following a de- The Nagaland government is- government,” Imchen said. Angami-I assembly constitu- the state,” Liezietsu stated. There has been recurrent necessarily about being young or mand for his removal. sued notifi cations terminating “We don’t care about (sus- ency. Stressing that the NPF-led speculation about Gandhi’s ele- old. I think it has got to do with Liezietsu recommended gov- the appointment of Zeliang as pension from the party) it be- Liezietsu was sworn in as government will complete its vation, with many leaders in the capability. You may be a young ernor P B Acharya remove Home advisor (fi nance) and Nuklotoshi cause those people who have chief minister on February 22 full term, he appealed to the past having suggested that he person and you may be capable, Minister Yanthungo Patton, as advisor to chief minister. signed the suspension order do this year after Zeliang resigned state’s people to remain calm. should take over from his mother or you may be very incapable and Power Minister Kipili Sangtam, Apart from the sackings, the not have the grassroots sup- following violent protest by In the truncated 59-member Sonia Gandhi, who is the long- you may be a very old person. National Highway and Politi- NPF disciplinary action com- port,” he said but refused to di- tribal groups who were op- assembly, the ruling Democrat- est-serving chief of the party. “So you have to promote cal Aff airs Minister G Kaito Aye mittee which met on Saturday vulge more details. posed to his move to hold civic ic Alliance of Nagaland coali- Scindia, a member of parlia- meritocracy...you have to pro- and Forest and Environment and also suspended 10 legislators In his letter to the governor, polls with 33% reservation for tion government comprises 47 ment from Guna, alleged that mote capability and not based on Climate Change Minister Im- from the party’s primary mem- Zeliang said: “The legisla- women. NPF legislators, four Bharatiya the Modi government is high on whether someone is young or old kong L Imchen from the cabinet. bership. tors also urge the present Chief The chief minister said that Janata Party and eight Inde- speeches and low on performance. or medium-aged,” he said. The development comes a Those suspended include Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu, he was deeply pained by the re- pendents.

Slum blaze Three more farmers end Kerala minister faces lives in Madhya Pradesh fl ak for racial remark By Ashraf Padanna “Sudhakaran’s remarks have Thiruvananthapuram marred the state’s image at IANS committed suicide by jumping upset as he had a Rs400,000 the international level. It’s an Bhopal in front of a train. He, however, debt and had failed to pay a insult on the Kerala diaspora said the reason behind the sui- Rs50,000 electricity bill. erala’s opposition Con- spread across the world. It will cide was not yet known. Sub divisional magistrate gress party has asked also hit infrastructure projects he spate of farmer sui- Tiwari said the Government (revenue), Pradeep Tomar, said Kthe state government to in the state badly,” Chennithala cides in Madhya Pradesh Railway Police (GRP) is investi- the reason behind the suicide apologise for a minister’s racial warned Tcontinues unabated. gating the case. was not yet known. comments against a top World The minister made the in- Three farmers committed sui- Similarly, Jhalkan Singh, 33, Earlier, on July 5, three farmers Bank offi cial. sulting remarks against Dr cide in the last two days under consumed insecticide on Sat- committed suicide. Public Works Depart- Aritua at a public meeting in pressure from banks and mon- urday in Vidisha under the lim- The Bharatiya Janata Party ment Minister G Sudhakaran, Kasaragod while attacking the eylenders, taking the number of its of Garhakota police station. (BJP) government in Madhya a senior leader of the ruling World Bank team for threaten- farmer deaths to 45 in 28 days. The farmer, who owned 11 acres Pradesh has categorically ruled Communist Party of India ing to withdraw funds if work A debt-ridden farmer yes- of land, was distressed after his out waiving of farmers’ loans. (Marxist), has written a letter on the road projects failed to terday killed himself by jump- crop was destroyed and he was Farmers in Madhya Pradesh regretting his remarks against gain momentum. ing in front of a train in Madhya unable to pay back his debt. had launched a protest last Dr Bernard Aritua, a senior Dr Aritua provides technical Pradesh’s Sagar district. Shakuntala Bamnia, offi cer month demanding better prices specialist in infrastructure de- input on projects in countries Tekram Kurmi, 48, was the in-charge of Kurwai police sta- for their produce and debt relief. velopment and strategic issues like the UK, Germany, eastern owner of six acres of land in tion, said he had met Jhalkan’s On June 6, fi ve protesting at the World Bank. Europe, Africa and the Mid- Pipariya village under the limits of wife Rani but she never men- farmers were killed in police fi r- The international fi nancial dle East. He was scheduled to Garhakota police station. Tekram tioned about any debt. ing in Madhya Pradesh’s Mand- institution has reportedly tak- visit the state later this month. owed money to the bank and It is suspected that Jhalkan saur district, while one injured en up the matter with the fed- However, this is now uncertain. moneylenders. Besides his crop committed suicide as his wife farmer died later. eral government and informed The minister had also alleged was also ruined, his family said. often remained sick. The couple Though the protest was called its intention to withdraw from that the Kerala State Transport Tekram went for a walk yes- have a three-year-old daughter. off following the government’s the Rs15bn road projects in the Project (KSTP), entrusted with terday morning, after which Another farmer Maniram, 45, intervention, farmers have been cash-strapped state. building state highways sup- his family was informed that he consumed insecticide on Friday ending their lives over debt and “The chief minister (Pi- ported by the lending agency, had killed himself by jumping in in Ghusgawan village in Morena other problems. narayi Vijayan) should apolo- was corrupt and the World front of a train near Girwar rail- district. He was admitted to a To pay tribute to the farm- gise to the World Bank team Bank offi cials were responsible way station. local hospital initially and then ers killed in Mandsaur, farmers’ head (reviewing the notori- for its slow progress. The min- R N Tiwari, the offi cer in- taken to Gwalior for treatment leaders began the ‘Kisan Mukti People help firefighters douse a fire that broke out in a ously sluggish road building),” ister has raised the graft al- charge of Garhakota police sta- but he died later. Yatra’ on July 6 with the assist- Kolkata slum yesterday. opposition leader Ramesh legations many times since he tion, confi rmed that the farmer Maniram’s family said he was ance of social institutions. Chennithala said. assumed offi ce last year. Gulf Times 14 Monday, July 10, 2017 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Women slumdwellers battle extreme heat with touch of paint

Thomson Reuters Foundation The simple change worked. Through by Ahmedabad-based Mahila Housing a programme manager at MHT. “A Ahmedabad knows fi rst hand the Roundup Ahmedabad the month of May — usually the hottest Trust (MHT), a non-profi t that is teach- fl ash fl ood can destroy their belong- dangers of extreme heat. A major heat- time of year with temperatures reach- ing women to be more resilient in 100 ings, heat stress aff ects their work and wave in 2010 caused more than 1,000 By Umaima Shafiq ing nearly 45 degree Celsius (113 degrees slums in fi ve cities. their health. So it’s important they are deaths. In 2013, the city adopted a Heat eenaben used to dread the Farenheit) on many days — Meenaben, The organisation, which focuses on equipped to manage the eff ects of cli- Action Plan that includes a warning sys- onset of summer every year. has been able to sit in her home and even upgrading and redeveloping slums and mate change,” she said. tem, and works with civil society groups MHer small two-room home in work, sewing quilts and bedcovers. helping women secure property rights, Increasingly extreme heat is one of to try to protect the city’s most vulner- a slum in Ahmedabad would get so hot “We used to really suff er from the is also helping women deal with climate the many eff ects of climate change in able people. MHT knows the dispropor- Wife accuses that she could not sit indoors for several heat. We could not sit inside, we could change pressure, through techniques India, where a modest 0.5 degree Celsius tionate eff ect of climate change on the hours in the day, even with a ceiling fan not work, people were falling sick,” she such as rainwater harvesting and com- rise in average temperatures over the last city’s poorest residents, and is trying to actor of domestic running. Two months ago, however, said. “This year it has been so much bet- posting. 50 years has led to a nearly 150% hike in do something about it. violence she agreed to try an experiment: A non- ter. “They work so hard to improve heatwaves that kill at least 100 people. It is experimenting with refl ective profi t organisation that works in the The paint brought the temperature their lives, their homes. But even one The number of recorded deaths due to paint, insulated ceilings and modular Popular actor and TV show host Ramesh Dutt Colony where she lives, on down by several degrees, and I have been setback from something like fl ash heatwaves in 2015 — more than 2,400 — roofs in homes in Ramesh Dutt Colony. Daadi Balaji’s wife Nithya has the outskirts of the city, painted her tin able to sit in my home, do my work,” she fl oods or a heatwave can have a big was higher than the death toll from any These are low-cost options that can filed a police complaint against roof with white refl ective paint, to try to said. impact and cause them to slip back other natural disaster that year, accord- bring down indoor temperatures by sev- her husband alleging domestic reduce the heat. The refl ective paint is an experiment into poverty,” said Bharati Bhonsale, ing to government data. eral degrees, Bhonsale said. violence. Nithya claims Balaji physically abuses and insults her after consuming alcohol. She said Balaji had even influenced police to dismiss the case until Poll campaign she approached the city police commissioner’s off ice. The couple have a daughter and Nithya said she is not able to go back to her parents’ home as she Violence fl ares had married Balaji without their consent. Nithya said Balaji had lived off her salary early in their marriage but became abusive after achieving fame. Balaji began his career as a in Darjeeling, comedy actor and has acted in dozens of films in two decades. However he became popular only through television, particularly Vijay TV, where he currently hosts three talent shows. Balaji protesters hold dismissed Nithya’s claims terming them as ‘a small marital dispute’. Investigations are underway. Rajnikanth’s daughter funeral rallies granted divorce IANS Tamil film icon Rajnikanth’s Darjeeling younger daughter Soundarya has been off icially granted divorce from her businessman husband, poradic incidents of vio- Ashwin Ramkumar, by a family lence and funeral rallies by court in Chennai. Spro-Gorkhaland protesters The couple wed in 2010 and marked the 25th day of the GJM- have a four-year-old son Ved. sponsored indefi nite shutdown Soundarya has confirmed in the north West Bengal hills through social media that they yesterday after a fresh fl are-up had separated through mutual following the death of three ac- consent but did not give details tivists allegedly in police fi ring. about child’s custody. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha Soundarya is a film producer (GJM) leadership claimed that and animation enthusiast. Her three of their activists were shot films cover Sultan the warrior, dead by police on Saturday. Kochadaiiyan and Vellai Illa “Three of our men were killed Pattadhari-II. by police on Saturday. Two died in Darjeeling town while another supporter was shot in Sonada Gorkhaland supporters march during a rally in memory of activists Businessman held (nearly 17km away from Darjeel- killed on Saturday during clashes with police, according to the Gorkha in terror probe ing),” GJM assistant general sec- Janmukti Morcha (GJM), in Darjeeling, yesterday. retary Binay Tamang said. A 36-year-old businessman Amid tight security arrange- a police outpost in Darjeeling’s ties in the hills - the Gorkha Jan- was arrested in Chennai by ments by police and other secu- Pokhari yesterday. mukti Morcha and the Gorkha a Rajasthan police team for rity forces, the GJM supporters State Education Minister National Liberation Front - suspected links to terror outfits. yesterday afternoon held three Partha Chatterjee strongly criti- claimed that one of the deceased, Haroon Rashid, a native of funeral rallies with the bodies of cised the vandalism in the hills Tashi Bhutia was their active Ramanathapuram district, owned the deceased. and claimed that “some foreign party member. a mobile phone and money “We took out two funeral ral- countries” close to GJM are fuel- A police complaint lodged at exchange business in Chennai. lies in Darjeeling bazar area ling the ongoing agitation. Sonada police outpost by the He was arrested based on a tip off and one more rally in Sonada to “What they are doing is un- victim’s family alleged that Bhu- from another youth apprehended pay out last tribute to the three democratic and condemnable. tia was shot by police while he in February in Rajasthan. Gorkha brothers who were killed It is obvious that some foreign was on his way to buy medicines. Police claim that Haroon helped on Saturday. countries close to GJM are infl u- The incident triggered a fresh to transfer cash through conduits “We do not have any arms with encing the agitation,” Chatterjee fl are up on Saturday as GJM and to terror organisations like us. The arms are with police. So alleged. GNLF activists torched the Son- Isis on the pretext of selling it is obvious that the shots were Two columns of army were ada railway station and a traffi c mobile phones. He was taken fi red by them,” said Tamang. deployed in the region on Satur- police booth and attacked the to Rajasthan accompanied by Police denied it was to blame. day after three persons died and Sonada police outpost. One po- his elder brother. In a separate Earlier in the day, police ac- a policeman sustained injuries in liceman was injured. incident, two militants of the cused the agitators of setting the a sudden escalation of violence The picturesque Darjeeling banned National Democratic sub-divisional offi ce in Kurseong with pro-Gorkhaland activists hills have been on the boil since Front of Bodoland from Assam on fi re, resulting in the building engaging in widespread arson last one month over a demand were arrested from Coimbatore. getting partially burnt. and vandalism targeting a rail- for a separate state of Gorkha- K Upan Posumatri and N Bikram United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) presidential candidate Meira Kumar addresses a press The pro-Gorkhaland activ- way station, police outposts and land with the GJM calling for an Posumatri were tracked down conference in Srinagar yesterday.. ists also torched the Pokhribing government offi ces. indefi nite shutdown till the de- based on an interstate alert Panchayat offi ce and vandalised Two prominent political par- mand is fulfi lled. from the directorate of military intelligence. They had been living in Coimbatore with their families since 2014. Their families were let off with a warning. Investigations Skills display are underway. Punjab and Haryana Accused in teen’s Computer operator commits suicide brace for canal protest death sent to custody

A 29-year-old computer operator IANS rangements for fl owers which IANS meet someone known to him. He working at the late chief minister Chandigarh would be given to commut- Faridabad then started working there. Jayaram Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad ers from Punjab. The workers The DCP said that the murder estate committed suicide by would also urge the commut- weapon, a knife, was yet to be re- hanging at his house in the ith the Indian Na- ers to pressurise the Punjab olice yesterday interrogated covered. He said the accused had nearby Kotagiri hill resort. tional Lok Dal (INLD) government to complete the the main accused in the admitted to the crime. Police have ruled out a suspicion Wdetermined to go construction of SYL canal,” Plynching of 16-year-old Ju- “There is no reference to beef that Dinesh’s death was linked ahead with its protest today over Chautala said. naid Khan in Faridabad even as a in the complaint of the victims to the deaths of four employees the SYL Canal issue by stopping Chautala added that the dep- local court remanded the accused and also questioning of the ac- of Kodanad estate earlier this vehicles coming into Haryana uty commissioners of Ambala, to two-days police custody. cused,” Dev said in reply to a year. The police said his suicide from Punjab, authorities in Har- Jind, Fatehabad and Sirsa have The accused, aged 30 years, was question whether the killing was note stated he had ended his life yana have geared up to ensure been informed of the protest to arrested from Dhule in Maharash- linked to objections over beef. due to failing eyesight and his law and order. be held between 9am and 3pm tra on Saturday. He was produced Junaid was brutally beaten and girlfriend’s refusal to marry him. Meanwhile, Punjab authori- today. Chautala will visit all fi ve in a court in Faridabad yesterday stabbed to death on a local train Police added that Dinesh was ties have decided not to send protest points by helicopter. and police remand was sought. at Ballabhgarh in Haryana on June just a data entry operator with buses from state-run compa- Terming the INLD call a The identity of the man is 22 by a group of people following no access to important files in nies to Haryana today as a pre- “mere show-off ” that would not being revealed by the police an argument over seats. The mur- Jayalalithaa’s estate. cautionary measure. help achieve nothing, Hary- quoting legal provisions. He be- der triggered nationwide outrage. Meanwhile investigations INLD leader Abhay Singh ana Agriculture and Farmers’ longs to Palwal district in Harya- Junaid and cousin brothers continue into the death of a Chautala yesterday said all nec- Welfare Minister Om Prakash na and was working as a security Hasim Moin and Shakir Moin security guard and Jayalalithaa’s essary arrangements had been Dhankar said yesterday: “The guard in a private company in had boarded the train going from former car driver in April. The made to carry out the protest state’s claim on the SYL canal Delhi, Government Railway Po- Ghaziabad to Mathura after Eid two died the same week. While in which all vehicles entering is legally strong and the INLD lice (GRP) deputy commissioner shopping on June 22. The ac- the guard died in an armed Haryana from Punjab will be threat to prevent the entry of of police (DCP) Kamal Dev told cused, along with around a dozen attack at the estate the driver stopped. He said the protest will Punjab vehicles into Haryana media in Faridabad yesterday. other persons, boarded the train at was killed in a road accident. remain peaceful. will not only dent it but also “We are interrogating him. It Okhla and ordered Junaid and his Another car driver at the estate The INLD is seeking immedi- spoil the peaceful atmosphere in is an ongoing, open investiga- brothers to give them their seats. too lost his wife and daughter in ate construction of the Sutlej-Ya- the state.” tion. A fi nal picture will emerge When they refused, they bru- a road accident near Kerala and muna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab The Haryana government has only after completion of the in- tally beat the three and also is under judicial custody. Their to bring more water to Haryana. sought 10 additional companies Students of Balbhavan, in Bengaluru demonstrate terrogation,” he said. stabbed them and dumped them links to Jayalalithaa’s property “As a gesture of goodwill of central paramilitary forces to Kalaripayattu skills. Kalaripayattu is a martial art, which He added that the accused at Asaoti railway station in Palw- documents stored in Kodanad towards the people of Punjab, maintain law and order during originated as a style in Kerala. stayed at his home (in Palwal dis- al district. The police have made are under the police scanner. our workers have made ar- the protest. trict) and went to Dhule later to fi ve arrests earlier in this case. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 15 PAKISTAN

HONOUR CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT SURVIVAL HERITAGE Pakistan re-elected to Cement sales in Pakistan Islamabad to get Toolkit for heatwave Islamabad’s Lok Virsa to UN environment body rise by 3.7% in 2016-17 IT Park by 2020 management launch digital catalogue

Permanent representative of Pakistan to the Cement despatches in Pakistan increased 3.71% The federal capital of Pakistan will have an With Pakistan facing arguably its hottest ever The Lok Virsa heritage museum in Pakistan’s United Nations Environment Programme to 40.3mn tonnes in 2016-17, the All Pakistan Information Technology (IT) Park by 2020 year with new temperature records being Islamabad is all set to launch a computerised Raza Bashir Tarar has been unanimously Cement Manufacturers’ Association (APCMA) as a new state-of-the-art facility is being formed, a toolkit for city governments to catalogue next month to provide online re-elected as the vice chair of the Committee said yesterday. The construction sector has established to facilitate the sector. The IT Park, support heatwave management planning assistance to scholars, students, citizens on of Permanent Representatives (CPR) Bureau been booming for the last three years, fuelling being established under financing from Korea has been launched. The toolkit will serve as folklore and cultural heritage. “Currently, the from the Asia Pacific Group for the period demand for cement in the economy. The Eximbank through Economic Development Co- a guideline for disaster managers to devise heritage library off ers unparalleled opportunities 2017-2019. The development comes during industry’s capacity utilisation was 89% in 2016-17, operation Fund (EDCF), is spread over an area of an effective response to heatwave-related for self-directed learning and exploration by the 139th CPR meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya. highest in over a decade, while manufacturers 47.7 acres. The cost estimate for the first phase is hazards. The toolkit was launched during a people of diverse ages, interests, backgrounds, Pakistan’s Mission in Nairobi is accredited as continued to invest in adding more capacity, $88.25mn for which loan agreement has already regional workshop on ‘Heatwave Management and abilities,” an off icial of the Lok Virsa said, the permanent mission to the United Nations according to a report by Topline Securities. The been signed. Sources at Ministry of IT on Sunday Planning in Asian Cities’ by National adding that it would be launched on August Off ice in Nairobi, United Nations Environment industry despatched 2.72mn tonnes of cement in said Software Technology Parks (STPs) are a Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 12. He said that the heritage library provides Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Human June against 3.35mn tonnes in the same month major factor in facilitating IT companies and play collaborations with LEAD Pakistan and CDKN valuable benefits as sources of national, Settlements Programme. a year ago. a major role in development of the IT industry. yesterday. regional, and local identity. China, Pakistan to strengthen science, tech ties

Agencies the China-Pakistan Economic out substantial co-operation Islamabad Corridor, adding that co-oper- on scientifi c and technological ation on science and technology innovation under the Belt and is an important content in the Road Initiative. hina and Pakistan have bilateral relations. He said both sides should de- agreed to strengthen bi- Wan, also vice chairman of velop more channels on people-to- Clateral co-operation on the Chinese People’s Political people exchanges and joint research science and technology under Consultative Conference Na- and development so as to boost the Belt and Road Initiative. tional Committee, said the two socio-economic development. The agreement was made sides have carried out a series Also on Saturday, Wan and his on Saturday during a meeting of pragmatic co-operation such Pakistani counterpart Rana Tanveer between Pakistani President as joint laboratory construction Hussain attended the inauguration Mamnoon Hussain and visit- and young scientists’ exchanges. ceremony of Pakistani Subcentre ing Chinese Minister of Science He added that China is will- of China-South Asia Technol- and Technology Wan Gang who ing to strengthen co-operation ogy Transfer Centre and signed two is here for the 18th Session of the on scientifi c and technological agreements on co-operation. Pakistan-China Joint Commit- innovation with Pakistan under Proposed by China in 2013, the tee on Science and Technology the Belt and Road Initiative and Belt and Road Initiative refers to Co-operation, reports Xinhua provide support to build a com- the Silk Road Economic Belt and news agency. munity of innovation. the 21st Century Maritime Silk Wan said China and Pakistan Hussain said Pakistan cher- Road, aiming at building a trade are all-weather strategic co- ishes the friendship with China and infrastructure network con- operative partners and bilateral and expressed gratitude for Bei- necting Asia with Europe and ties enjoy a smooth development jing’s long-time support, adding Africa along the ancient trade with the steady construction of that Pakistan is willing to carry routes of Silk Road. Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain meets Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang in Islamabad, Pakistan, on July 8. Pakistan frees 78 Indian fi shermen CPEC expected to boost insurance industry AFP and many boats lack the tech- Karachi nology to fi x their precise loca- tion. Internews ro-economic factors. The fi shermen often languish Islamabad Investments constitute akistan yesterday released in jail, even after serving their about 76% of total insurance 78 Indian fi shermen held terms, as poor diplomatic ties industry assets as of June 30, Pfor trespassing into its ter- between the two neighbours he China-Pakistan Eco- 2016. ritorial waters, offi cials said. mean fulfi lling bureaucratic re- nomic Corridor (CPEC) Consequently, the insurance “The fi shermen were released quirements can take a long time. Twill provide new oppor- industry may face fi nancial from Karachi’s Landhi jail,” an Relations between India and tunities for the local insurance risks ie an adverse change in offi cial of the provincial home Pakistan have plummeted since industry especially the non-life the capital markets or a “low department of Sindh, Naseem a deadly attack on an Indian sector, the State Bank of Paki- for longer” interest rate envi- Siddiqui said. army base in the disputed region stan (SBP) said in its annual Fi- ronment. The freed fi shermen are ex- of Kashmir in September, that nancial Stability Review 2016. If there is a “low for longer” pected to cross over into India New Delhi blamed on Pakistan- “Pakistan is expected to rate environment, insurers’ today. based Islamist group Jaish-e- witness continued growth in investment income will suff er Siddiqui said “298 Indian Mohamed. almost all sectors of the insur- and they may invest in higher fi shermen are still imprisoned Kashmir has been divided be- ance industry with signifi cant risk securities in search of and will be released on comple- tween India and Pakistan since growth expected in the Takaful greater profi tability. tion of the verifi cation of their the end of British colonial rule segment,” said the report. In addition, while the low nationalities by India.” in 1947. However, the report noted yields aff ect both sides of the Indian and Pakistani fi sher- Both claim the Himalayan that the operations and in- balance sheet, they generally men are frequently detained for territory in full and have fought vestment returns of the in- imply lower capital ratios for Indian fishermen board a train at a railway station as they prepare to return home after being released illegal fi shing since the Arabian two wars over the mountainous surance industry are subject long-term business such as life from Landhi Prison in Karachi yesterday. Sea border is not clearly defi ned region. to market volatility and mac- insurance. Tribal areas’ economic revival a Herculean task

Internews jority of the displaced families militant groups. should be granted special re- electricity supply to new in- that they were yet to ascertain youth, Aamir Afridi, a student leader from Khyber Agency, de- Islamabad to their respective areas, busi- “The revival of all such big laxations including complete dustrial units but unfortunately the contribution of major sec- ness community too has started factories would require huge abolition of sales and income tax industrialists in Fata could not tors to their otherwise shattered manded more skill development clamouring for revival of busi- fi nancial assistance from the for at least two decades as part get any benefi t from it and in- economy. trainings for educated local ith demands and ness activities in the tribal areas. government that could not be of the proposed mainstream- stead they preferred to install Commonly known as Dr GG youth alongside creation of em- pleadings for a com- “Unfortunately, the govern- seen in the near future,” said the ing plan of Fata with rest of the new industrial units in Khyber among his friends, the turbaned ployment opportunities for such Wplete overhaul of the ment off ers very little as com- former senator. country. Pakhtunkhwa owing to lack of MNA from Orakzai, who also young people within Fata. existing administrative setup in pensation to the local business- However, destruction and Zahid Shinwari, an indus- capacity to utilise such lucrative served as parliamentary leader Afridi said that involvement of Pakistan’s Federally Adminis- men and industrialists for the monetary losses caused during trialist from Khyber Agecy and opportunities,” said Shinwari. of six independent MNAs from local youth in economic activi- trative Tribal Areas (Fata) doing monetary loses they incurred the over one decade of militancy former president of Khyber Pa- He said that another opportu- Fata, said that they were yet to ties was vital for development of rounds since tabling of a con- due to militancy,” said Haji Ghu- and subsequent military opera- khtunkhwa Chamber of com- nity for economic revival of Fata conduct a market labour sur- tribal areas. stitution amendment bill in the lam Ali, a former senator and tions to the industrial sector in merce and industry, was critical was wasted for the same reasons vey in Fata and thus had no idea “It will also save young people parliament after the six-mem- founding president of Tribal Ar- Fata were not the sole reasons of tribal entrepreneurs for not when the then federal govern- about the actual size of local from falling prey to otherwise ber reforms committee fi nalised eas Chamber of Commerce and for closure of almost all the ma- having a dynamic and visionary ment approved another package markets in most parts of Fata. ‘lucrative’ off ers by militant or- its report and presented it before Industry. jor industrial units in tribal areas leader. in the name of Economic Revival Refereeing to the proposed ganisations,” he said. the federal cabinet, business He said that all the machinery, except marble units. of KP-Fata (ERKP-Fata). Fata reforms and 10 years plan of He said that Fata Develop- community and industrialists furniture and other necessary “It is unfortunate that succes- “Unfortunately, the “It is time that entrepreneurs mainstreaming, Dr GG insisted ment Authority had in the recent from the region have also raised equipment including doors and sive federal governments have government off ers very in Fata sit together and sort out that such surveys should be car- past imparted skill development their voice for a comprehensive windows of his ghee mills in Ba- imposed various taxes, includ- little as compensation to remedies to handle such situ- ried out and economic mapping trainings to thousands of tribal relief package for the economic jaur were looted when militants ing sales tax and income tax, the local businessmen ations and get maximum eco- should be done before ‘anything youth in diff erent trades but the revival and rehabilitation of the were in control of the region pri- on tribal industrialists despite and industrialists for nomic benefi ts from such op- else was to be done’. same authority failed to provide militancy-ravaged region, most- or to military operations of 2009 a clear cut exemption granted the monetary loses they portunities,” he said. Diff ering with Dr GG asser- a conducive atmosphere to those ly bordering Afghanistan. and 2010. to industrialists in Fata under incurred due to militancy” But MNA from Orakzai Agen- tions, Zahid Shinwari, however, skilled people to utilise their The nearly 15 years of mili- “The government then off ered the Constitution of Pakistan,” cy Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal sees the insisted that the existing admin- technical skills in Fata. tancy, which Fata Secretariat me a paltry amount of Rs4mn said Yousaf Shah Mohmand, the He said that business commu- possibility of economic revival of istrative system ‘was mother of “Majority of the trained and had at one time termed as an in- as compensation for monetary owner of a marble factory in Mo- nity, especially tribal industrial- Fata through a diff erent though all evils’ in Fata and an obstruc- skilled youth have either gone to surgency, completely destroyed loses I had incurred due to mili- hmand Agency. ists, could not get any benefi t from not very optimistic angle. tion to economic rehabilitation other major cities of the country the then existing industrial in- tants’ vandalisation of my ghee “Claims about restoration a multibillion economic revival He said that revival of eco- of the war-ravaged region. or the Gulf States in search of a frastructure that forced most of mills, which is still not rehabili- of peace and successful culmi- package for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nomic activities in Fata or any “Anything less than a com- decent employment opportunity the industrialists to not only fl ee tated owing to its huge cost of nation of military operations and Fata announced by the then part of the country could not be plete repeal of FCR will not en- as these are nonexistent in Fata,” their respective regions but also reconstruction,” said Ali. would be a total farce as long as prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani possible unless the exact size of courage the local entrepreneurs said Afridi. shift their industries to settled He said that another ghee the people of Fata are not able to in 2010 owing to some internal the economy of a particular re- to invest in their own areas and He added that economic re- districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mills in Bara, Khyber Agency, a revive their shattered businesses diff erences among them and also gion was not known and a proper help in creating employment vival of Fata would remain a and Punjab. match factory and a wool factory in their own areas without any due to absence of a centralised and economic mapping of that re- opportunities for the skilled and dream unless conducive atmos- With completion of various in North Waziristan too had been hindrance,” he said. visionary leadership. gion was not carried out. educated youth,” he said. phere for investment and proper military operations in diff erent closed since long owing exten- Mohmand suggested that the “The package included repeal “We have no data or economic About exploiting the skills utilisation of skilled tribal youth parts of Fata and return of ma- sive damage caused to those by aff ected business community of various taxes along with free mapping of Fata,” he said, adding and tapping the talent of tribal was not ensured. Gulf Times 16 Monday, July 10, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Opponents to focus on Marawi ‘has become absence of rebellion

By Llanesca T Panti pended the writ of habeas cor- Manila Times pus in Mindanao last May 23 in response to the Marawi City cri- sis caused by a series of attacks n fi ling their motion for re- from the Maute group that was big challenge for govt’ consideration before the seeking to establish a caliphate ISupreme Court, opposition in Mindanao. By Jeff erson Antiporda are using illegal drugs. “The lawmakers at the House of Rep- The Constitution provides Manila Times challenge has become bigger resentatives will focus on the that the president can only de- because of Marawi. But it also absence of rebellion in Mindan- clare martial law and suspend exposed the side of extremism ao and the lack of facts to argue the writ of habeas corpus in cas- oreign Aff airs Secretary and the relationship of illegal against President Rodrigo Du- es of rebellion, invasion or when Alan Peter Cayetano ad- drugs to extremists,” Cayetano terte’s declaration of martial law public safety requires it. Fmitted that the crisis in said in an interview. in Mindanao. The same Constitution also Marawi City caused by the Is- Both the Moro Islamic Lib- Rep. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao mandates Congress to review lamic State (IS)-linked Maute eration Front (MILF) and Moro is referring to the petition that the president’s martial law dec- group has become a bigger National Liberation Front the “Magnifi cent 7” is expected laration which is only limited to challenge for the Rodrigo Du- (MNLF) have condemned the to fi le in the coming week. 60 days. terte administration but it also attacks by the terrorist group, “The main issue here is that The Constitution gives showed that the government stressing that there was no jus- did the president have enough Congress the power to revoke was “anti-terrorism.” tifi cation for launching an of- information to declare martial such a declaration in a joint Cayetano said that the ac- fensive against civilians. law in the whole of Mindanao, session— a revocation that tions of the Maute group had Al-Haj Murad Ibrahim, MILF particularly on the rebellion? cannot be set aside by the exposed the relationship of il- central committee chairman, That is the focal point here be- president. legal drugs to extremism that said in a statement that the cause the Supreme Court, in its But in Duterte’s case involving discouraged other Moro rebels MILF stood “in solidarity with ruling, has said that it is not im- Marawi, both the House and the in Mindanao from joining them. the people of Marawi and Lanao portant whether the president’s Senate decided not to convene Cayetano said eff orts by the del Sur.” The two groups also information is true or enough,” in a joint session and instead Maute to “suck in” other armed reiterated their commitment Baguilat said in a radio interview adopted separate resolutions groups in Mindanao that were Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has admitted that the Marawi crisis is a challenge for the to the peace process. Cayetano yesterday. supporting the president’s dec- willing to have a peaceful set- Rodrigo Duterte administration. said that crisis in Marawi has “The Supreme Court should laration of martial law. tlement with government did shown that the government was explain why it found enough The president, however, can not work. from escalating into a bigger 23. The confl ict also displaced 11 kilogrammes of high-grade engaged in a war against terror- grounds to say that there is re- ask Congress to extend martial He added that continuous war. More than 200 people, over 180,000 residents and left “shabu” (methampheta- ists. bellion in Mindanao and thus, law if necessary. communication between the including civilians and soldiers some parts of the city heavily mine hydrochloride) believed “So now it is a war against the need to declare martial law,” Duterte had said that he would government and other rebel have been killed since the Mau- damaged. to be from Maute terrorists, terrorism and our Muslim Baguilat said. wait for the recommendation of groups in Mindanao helped in te group, led by Isnilon Hapilon, Government forces, in one strengthening the findings brothers and sisters know that President Rodrigo Duterte the police and military before preventing the Marawi crisis attacked Marawi City last May of their operations, also seized that the members of the group it is anti-terrorism.” declared martial law and sus- making a decision. Robredo’s victory will be Soldiers injured in rebel clash receive treatment overturned: Marcos Jr

Manila Times denied allegations by the Robredo camp that he was Manila fi shing for evidence and that he did not know where cheating took place. “I have identifi ed already the three provinces ormer senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Mar- where we were cheated enough to overcome her cos Jr yesterday said he was confi dent the lead,” Marcos told Manila Times. Felection victory of Vice President Maria Le- He said his lawyers were ready for Tuesday’s pre- onor “Leni” Robredo would soon be overturned liminary conference, the fi rst part of the protest. with recounts in just three provinces. The Marcos camp aims to prove the protest’s Marcos made the statement ahead of Tuesday’s merit based on pieces of evidence it had gathered. preliminary conference on his election protest in “In fact, for the last three months volunteers connection with the 2016 vice-presidential race from provinces where cheating occurred never before the Supreme Court sitting as Presidential stopped coming to us, to give their affi davits and Electoral Tribunal. pinpoint to us where these documents are. Marcos identifi ed the three provinces as Cama- We have voluminous fi les of pieces of evidence,” rines Sur, Robredo’s home province, Iloilo, baili- said Marcos, son and namesake of the late strong- wick of erstwhile ruling Liberal Party leaders, and man Ferdinand Marcos. Negros Oriental. “One year has passed, it is too long since May 9 The former senator and Ilocos Norte governor last year. People approached us because they want the public to know what really happened,” he added. He urged the camp of Robredo not to resort to delaying tactics, pointing out that people needed to know who really won the 2016 vice presidential election. Marcos, who lost the vice presidential race by 263,473 votes, accuses Robredo of benefi ting from “massive electoral fraud, anomalies and irregu- larities” such as pre-shading of ballots, pre-loaded data storage cards, misreading of ballots, malfunc- tioning vote-counting machines, and an “abnor- mally high” unaccounted votes or “undervotes.” In his protest, Marcos is assailing the election re- sults in 39,221 clustered precincts. He paid for a recount in 36,465 clustered pre- cincts, and wants the results annulled for the re- maining 2,756. Marcos last April 17 paid the P36mn fi rst instal- ment of the protest fee, which will cover recount expenses. The P30mn second and last instalment is due on or before July 14. Robredo paid P8mn for her counter-protest Soldiers are treated after being injured in an encounter with suspected Abu Sayyaf militants at Camp Bautista Hospital in Jolo, Sulu, last May 2. The remaining P15.4mn is also due on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao yesterday. Leni Robredo: facing challenge on July 14. Ormoc still reeling from blackout, aftershocks

By Jaime Piliapil male whose leg was amputated. went wayward. Arnolfo Mon- to the nearby city hall for fear of Manila Times/Ormoc City One of the fatalities was from tesclaros, 45, a janitor at a city a tsunami. There was no tsunami Barangay Cabaog-an in Ormoc, hall and a former overseas Fili- however, as a result of the quake an 18-year-old woman who was pino worker in war-torn Syria, that was tectonic in origin. hree days after a 6.5-mag- hit by falling debris. The other said he was mopping the fl oor The Ormoc airport resumed nitude earthquake, Or- fatality was from the adjacent of the multi-purpose hall on the operations on Saturday after a Tmoc City residents are town of Kananga, which was also second fl oor of the three-storey “thorough inspection” by avia- beginning to recover from the severely hit by the quake. building when the earthquake tion offi cials following the mag- trauma, but the city continues to Gomez said fi ve barangay (vil- happened. nitude 6.5 earthquake, said an experience aftershocks and has lages) were aff ected by the quake “It was very strong. Parts of offi cial of the Department of yet to restore its power supply. in Ormoc, with some 500 houses the sprinklers fell and the tiles of Transportation. “24 hours after a Mayor Richard Gomez yester- in need of repairs. the fl ooring cracked. I also went magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit the day said “the lives of our con- Yesterday, Gomez and his under the table,” he told Manila province of Leyte…the Depart- stituents are back to normal mi- wife, Ormoc City Rep. Lucy Times. ment of Transportation, through nus the power supply. But people Torres-Gomez, distributed re- Kimberly Urboda, 27, who the Civil Aviation Authority are reminded of their trauma as lief goods, including sacks of rice works at the information offi ce of the Philippines, was able to incessant aftershocks are felt donated by former senator Fer- of city hall, said she worried over complete thorough inspection from time to time.” dinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. her mother when the tremor oc- of Ormoc Airport, including its The blackout, which also hit Former Davao representative curred. “My 63-year-old moth- runway and passenger terminal Bohol and Samar islands, could Anton Lagdameo gave cash as- er told me that two brownouts building,” Undersecretary for last three more days, the actor- sistance to relatives of the dead preceded the jolt and she ran to Aviation Manuel Tamayo said in turned politician said. and those severely injured. the guardhouse of the church for a statement on Saturday. “People at the Leyte Electric Representative Gomez safety,” she told this newspaper. “The painting of displaced Co-operative 5 are still assessing thanked Marcos for the help, Mayor Gomez sought safety threshold markings to warn air- the extent of damage and doing saying the Marcos family and the Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez (second from left) and wife Leyte representative Lucy Torres-Gomez under his offi ce table when the craft of the damaged portions of repairs as quickly as possible. We Romualdez family of Tacloban (third left) discuss relief operations with former Tacloban City representative Martin Romualdez (left) quake struck at 4.03pm of July the runway was also completed,” expect power to resume maybe City were the fi rst ones to extend and former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. 6. City hall workers also ducked Tamayo added. this evening or at the most in two assistance following the earth- and covered, the standard re- The quake, which struck eight or three days,” he said. quake. Marcos’ mother, Ilocos pecially in times of calamities. Hospital following the quake. A tal, namely Melody Rodina, 16, sponse to a quake. kilometres southwest of the The quake that hit Jaro town Norte representative Imelda We help one another,” Marcos total of 31 adults were admitted, who was complaining of head But pandemonium took place town of Jaro, damaged the air- in Leyte on Tuesday claimed Marcos, hails from Tacloban. said. mostly hit by falling debris. trauma, and Joel Quititar, 17, at New Ormoc City National port’s runway surface, prompt- the lives of two people and in- “Bayanihan (community) More than 100 persons were As of yesterday, two of the 100 whose right leg was in cast after High School when students ran, ing aviation authorities to close jured 72 others, including a fe- spirit is inherent to Filipinos es- rushed to the Ormoc District were still confi ned at the hospi- the motorcycle he was driving yelling and crying as they rushed it temporarily. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Fishermen 12 nations defend power arrested IANS Colombo

hree Indian fi shermen were arrested and a fl at Tbottom trawler was de- plant near Sundarbans tained for illegally fi shing in the Sri Lankan waters, the media re- press conference in Dhaka. (SEA) of its south-west region, “Our Prime Minister Sheikh its overall conservation. The Bangladesh will carry out the ported yesterday. By Mizan Rahman He said Turkey moved the including the Sundarbans, be- Hasina’s global image along Sundarbans saves us from natu- SEA shortly,” the adviser said. The arrests were made by Sri Dhaka Bangladesh issue in Unesco fore starting the project ‘to with achievement of the UN’s ral disasters; we will do nothing Refuting environmental ac- Lankan navy’s northern naval World Heritage Committee’s which we agreed’. highest environmental accolade that aff ects it,” Choudhury said tivists’ concern with the dis- command ship when it was on 41st session of the World Her- - Champions of the Earth also replying to a question. semination of fl y ash, he said routine patrol on Saturday, the welve countries stood itage Committee in Krakow of “A total of 12 countries helped Bangladesh to gain the He said that the government is the power plant will produce Colombo Gazette reported. by Bangladesh’s Rampal Poland earlier this week when voiced in favour of confi dence of Unesco to carry set to use the ultra-supercritical ash in solid form which would The three were engaged in Tcoal-based power project all these countries stood by the Bangladesh which fi nally on with the project,” he said. technologies at the Rampal pow- be used for other industrial bottom trawling in Sri Lankan in persuading Unesco to lift its coal-fi red project under convinced the World State minister for power, er plant to make it sure that the purposes. waters, about 13Nm northwest of objection over the project while Bangladesh-India joint ini- Heritage Committee of energy and mineral resources project could do little harm to the Chowdhury said the govern- the Kovilam Point. Dhaka earlier successfully con- tiative. Unesco to withdraw its Nasrul Hamid, power division world’s largest mangrove forest. ment agreed to ensure neces- The trawler was brought to Ka- vinced the UN organ in revising Bangladesh joined the session objection from Rampal secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, He also assured the Commit- sary dredging along with ad- reinagar and the fi shermen were its stance, prime minister’s ad- as an observer on the sidelines. power plant” Bangladesh Power Develop- tee of Bangladesh’s full co-op- equate fresh water fl ow into handed over to the Jaff na assistant viser Tawfi q-e-Elahi Chowd- “Through lifting of the ment Board chairman Engineer eration in ensuring conservation the Sundarbans and preventing director of fi sheries for action. hury said yesterday. Unesco objection, the inter- Chouhdury said Bangladesh Khaled Mahmood, Power Cell of the outstanding universal val- poaching and over extraction of This comes after a series of ar- “A total of 12 countries includ- national debate over Rampal earlier placed its arguments to Director General Engineer Mo- ue of the Sundarbans, a prized its resources. rests by the island nation this year, ing Turkey and Finland voiced coal-fi red power plant has been Unesco in a presentation de- hammad Hossain and director possession of the nation. The power division secretary claiming that Tamil fi shermen il- in favour of Bangladesh which resolved,” Choudhury said. tailing technological aspects of general of foreign ministry were “Unesco was concerned with told newsmen that the fi rst unit legally entered Sri Lankan waters. fi nally convinced the World The Unesco committee, he the project highlighting gov- present at the conference. the World Heritage Site but we of the power plant will go into Eight fi shermen were arrested Heritage Committee of Unesco said, however, requested Bang- ernment’s special measures to “We are not only concerned have successfully convinced production in June 2019 while by the Sri Lankan navy on July 6 to withdraw its objection from ladesh to carry out Strategic check environmental impact on about the Sundarbans status as them about the use of latest and the second unit in December the for fi shing in the island nation’s Rampal power plant,” he told a Environmental Assessment the Sundarbans. a World Heritage Site but also most sophisticated technology. same year. territorial waters. Commander of Missing BNP leader’s wife barred from US navy calls visiting Britain

By Mizan Rahman hours, they told me they Dhaka can only allow my chil- on PM Hasina dren, not me, to go to the UK,” she said. ahsina Rushdir As she wanted to know the Agencies ey and arms fi rst. Commander Luna, the wife of reason, Luna said an immigra- Dhaka Harry B Harris agreed with her Tmissing Bangladesh tion offi cial said, “We can’t on the issue. Nationalist Party (BNP) permit you to leave the coun- The Bangladesh govern- leader M Ilias Ali, yester- try for the sake of the state’s eiterating that terrorists ment has involved the imams of day alleged that she was security.” have no boundary and re- mosques, teachers, guardians obstructed by immigra- Later, she together with Rligion, Bangladesh Prime and civil society members in tion offi cers at Shahjalal her daughter Saiyara Nawal Minister Sheikh Hasina yes- creating mass awareness against Airport from going to the and son Labib Sarar returned terday emphasised the need for militancy and is getting positive UK for joining her son’s home. stopping the sources of terror response from them, she said. graduation ceremony. Luna said she was supposed fi nancing and arms supply. The prime minister also men- Talking to newsmen, to attend her eldest son Abrar She was speaking during a tioned that common people are Luna said she along with Ilias graduation ceremony at meeting with US Pacifi c Com- giving information to law enforc- her two children went to the University of West Eng- mand Commander Harry B ers about terrorists and militants. the airport in the morning land, Bristol next week as his Harris Junior at her Dhaka Hasina said the people of to go to London by a Biman guardian. Cantonment offi ce. all religions are living here in Bangladesh Airlines fl ight Ilias Ali, BNP’s the then or- Briefi ng the reporters, PM’s Bangladesh with harmony and at 10am. ganising secretary, went miss- press secretary Ihsanul Ka- everybody is performing their “As I went to the immi- ing along with his driver, An- rim said the prime minister laid religious rituals freely. gration after collecting my sar Ali, on the midnight of 17 emphasis on sharing informa- Harris briefed the prime min- boarding pass, the offi cials April, 2012. tion on terrorist and militant ister about terrorist and militant there told me to give my Since then, BNP has been activities between Dhaka and activities across the world and passport and other docu- blaming the security agencies Washington. off ered training to law enforce- ments for examination. for his mysterious disappear- Hasina also put importance ment agencies of Bangladesh in Commander of US Pacific Command Harry B Harris Junior during a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh After keeping me waiting ance, an allegation denied by on stopping the sources of mon- this regard. Hasina in Dhaka yesterday. for around one and a half the government. Main opposition party not Cafe attack suspect Fire at remanded in custody garment to back charter amendment DPA restaurant to free the hostages. factory Dhaka Mahfuz, who is also wanted in a bomb blast case in the Agencies as CPN-UML has emerged county” to bring on board all ing any consultations with Indian state of West Ben- IANS Kathmandu victorious and had a better sections of society. his party before tabling the nvestigators yesterday gal, was arrested on Saturday Dhaka showing than ruling Nepali Several violent agitations amendments in the House. remanded in custody a along with three other sus- Congress, the largest party in have taken place in Madhes But the ruling parties dis- Ikey suspect linked to the pected members of banned epal’s main opposition parliament, in the fi rst and sec- since the promulgation of the missed Oli’s stance as just a last year’s deadly cafe siege Islamist outfi t Jamaatul Mu- devastating fi re that broke party will not support ond rounds of local elections. constitution, leaving at least 60 pressure tactic because UML is in the Bangladeshi capital jahideen Bangladesh (JMB) out on Saturday night at Na constitution amend- The victory is being attrib- people dead and scores, includ- also seeking some kind of credit that left 20 civilians dead, in the northern Bangladeshi A an eight-storey ready- ment bill aimed at addressing uted to UML’s pro-nationalist ing security personnel, injured. for constitution amendment police said. district of Chapainawabganj, made garment factory build- the grievances of Madhes- agenda, strong leadership of Oli proposal and wants to be part of A Dhaka court granted a plea Rahman said. ing in Savar on the outskirts of based parties, its leader said and the party’s sleek organisa- The UML dubbed consultations. by investigators for custodial “The court granted inves- Bangladesh capital Dhaka was yesterday, according to local tional base after Oli became its the amendment as “Our precondition is to interrogation of Sohel Mah- tigators plea for interrogation brought under control early yes- media. chairman two years ago. an ‘anti-national’ withdraw the constitution fuz, who is believed to have of the suspect for seven days,” terday; there were no casualties. Madhesi parties have de- A two-thirds majority is re- move designed to amendment proposal tabled in supplied arms and explosives the spokesman said adding Fire service offi cial Shafi qul manded the amendment to the quired to pass the constitution split Nepal that also the parliament fi rst,” Oli said. to the Islamists who attacked that the suspect is also be- Islam told journalists that the fi re statute as a precondition for amendment bill in parliament. disturbs the ethnic “Then we can discuss how rel- the Holey Artisan Bakery in lieved to be one of the planners broke out on the fi rst fl oor of the their participation in the local Those favouring the amend- harmony existing for evant it is and whether it should Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic of the cafe attack. factory and gutted the fi rst and election slated for September ment do not enjoy majority. centuries be approved or not.” area in July last year, po- The Islamic State militant second fl oor by that time they 18 in province no 2, considered Only a split voting in UML-led The erstwhile government lice spokesman Masudur group claimed credit for the arrived at the scene. the Madhesi heartland. opposition alliance will ensure Oli, a leftist leader once led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal had Rahman said. assault in Dhaka but investi- There were no casualties, he “We will not allow its passage,” two-thirds majority. seen as close to India, now has tabled a constitution amend- The jihadists killed nine gators said the home-grown said, adding no one was trapped said CPN-UML leader K P Shar- The UML dubbed the very acrimonious relations ment bill in parliament on re- Italians, seven Japanese, one JMB had carried it out. inside the building. ma Oli in his hometown Jhapa. amendment as an ‘anti-nation- with New Delhi following the viewing the demarcation of Indian, a US citizen, two Bangladesh launched a “About half an hour before the It has a hidden design to split al’ move designed to split Nepal infamous blockade of Nepal- some federal boundaries and Bangladeshi nationals, and clampdown against the mili- fi re started, the factory was closed hill, mountain and Tarai (Madhes) that also disturbs the ethnic India border in the wake of the making constitution Madhes- two policemen during a 19- tants in response to the res- for the day at about 8:30pm (local regions, he said. “It is also against harmony existing for centuries. Madhesi uprising. friendly including ensuring the hour siege at the cafe. taurant attack and killed near- time) on Saturday. So there was no the national interest, so the UML Ruling Nepali Congress, Maoist He also criticised the rul- presence of Madhesi people Army commandos killed fi ve ly 70 suspected members of one inside the building.” is not going to support it.” Centre and some other parties ing Nepali Congress and CPN in various state organs on the militants and one of their as- the banned Islamist group in Offi cials also said the country Oli’s hardline position comes have called it “a necessity of the (Maoist Centre) for not hold- basis of population ratio. sociates when they stormed the the past year. was lucky enough to avoid a big fi re accident this time as the fi re- fi ghters reached there timely. The blaze at the building of Medlar Apparels started at around 9:15pm (local time), fi re Bridge planned at India-Bangladesh border to boost trade service control room offi cial Mahmudul Haque told Xinhua. He said the fi re that originat- IANS “Offi cials of India and Several bilateral issues were a number of steps to make it Railways adviser Dibban- location of the bridge be made ed at the store room on the fi rst Aizawl, India Bangladesh held a meet- also discussed in the meeting, a reality.” jan Roy, who also attended as closer as possible to the near- fl oor of the building engulfed the ing at Tlabung town (Mamit he added. “Bangladesh Prime Minister the meeting, said that the est land custom station in the whole fl oor swiftly. district) and discussed to Bangladeshi offi cial Row- Sheikh Hasina had given ap- bridge would not only im- Bangladesh side. A total of 12 fi re fi refi ghting units ndia and Bangladesh have speed up the works for the shan Ara Khanam, who led proval to construct the bridge prove road connectivity be- After the meeting, offi cials brought the fl ames under control decided to construct a proposed bridge between his country’s delegation, and linking roads,” the offi cial tween the two regions but of the two countries inspected at around 11:54pm (local time), he Ibridge over Mizoram’s the two countries across said: “The proposed bridge added. also strengthen the ties be- possible locations to construct said, adding the fi remen arrived in a Khawthlangtuipui river to fa- Khawthlangtuipui river (also would be an important The Mamit district is ad- tween the people of the two the bridge. prompt and timely manner. cilitate trade and improve com- known as Karnaphuli river),” linkage between India and jacent to Khagrachari district countries living both sides of Mizoram shares a 318km The cause of the fi re at the munication between the two Mizoram commerce offi cial J Bangladesh. The Bangla- of Chittagong hill tracts of the borders. unfenced border with factory could not be known neighbours, an offi cial has said. Hmingthanmawia said. desh government has taken southeast Bangladesh. It has been proposed that the Bangladesh. immediately. Gulf Times 18 Monday, July 10, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Saving the emerging

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] markets from Trump Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) By Erik Berglof is one exception, it is the automobile By “informalising,” incumbents Mexico, for example, has a large illicit Fax 44350474 Mexico City industry, which is heavily dependent can outcompete new entrants, who narcotics industry that is fuelled by on open borders with the US. All told, then exit the market, having wasted US demand. The Mexican drug trade trade with the US accounts for more signifi cant resources. Levy’s apt fuels corruption and loss of life on a t is easy to sympathise with Mexico than 80% of Mexican exports and 25% name for this process is “destructive scale that, today, is second only to the now that US President Donald of its GDP, up from 10% before Nafta. creation,” as opposed to “creative confl ict in Syria. It is increasingly clear Trump has turned that country Accordingly, weak US growth in destruction,” which is a key driver that the war on drugs cannot succeed. Iinto a political pinata. If Trump the wake of the 2008 fi nancial crisis of productivity, particularly as Worse, it undermines the functioning GULF TIMES gets his way, Mexico’s northern border has hurt Mexican industry, and falling economies move closer to the of government, most recently that led will feature a “big, beautiful wall,” oil prices have amplifi ed that pain. In technology frontier. by President Enrique Pena Nieto. and the North American Free Trade recent years, Mexico’s growth rate has To its credit, Mexico, like many What Mexico needs now is not Agreement, which is crucial to Mexico’s been far below potential. Although other emerging economies, has sympathy, but predictable US policies. economy, will be renegotiated to satisfy labour productivity signifi cantly undertaken signifi cant reform. If all parties come to the table in Trump and Putin an “America fi rst” agenda. And if that increased under Nafta, total factor Talented Mexican technocrats, most good faith, Nafta actually can be were not enough, Mexican capital and productivity – a better measure of of them trained in the US, have made renegotiated to serve everyone better. currency markets will bear the brunt of long-term competitiveness – has been substantial improvements to the A border wall, however, is not in the pain from unstable US monetary and constant, and sometimes negative, for country’s macroeconomic framework, anyone’s interest. More people move fi nally come face fi scal policy. 25 years. and helped it weather recent storms. from the US to Mexico than the other But Mexico is not alone, and its According to Santiago Levy of Although Trump’s attacks pushed way around; if anything, the US needs experience is relevant for all emerging the Inter-American Development the peso down by as much as 50%, more newcomers to help make up for economies because Trump has called Bank, the range of productivity infl ation has increased by only a few labour shortages, particularly in the to face in Hamburg into question the entire framework of among Mexican fi rms has widened percentage points since his election. care sector. And common sense US global trade and openness. dramatically during the Nafta The problem, as Levy shows, is that drug policies would probably do more Few countries have embraced years. While the number of high- Mexico’s competitiveness-enhancing than anything else to help Mexico The two have been subject to much speculation and globalisation more wholeheartedly productivity fi rms has increased, the reforms have not gotten to the root of develop. scrutiny over the past several months, so it was natural than Mexico, which is now one of the number of low-productivity fi rms has the productivity problem. Although Still, it is ultimately up to Mexico most open economies in the world. increased more. Worse, Levy fi nds that Mexico exports more than all other to confront its productivity and that their fi rst meeting would generate huge interest in Emerging economies in general have surviving fi rms do not create more Latin American countries combined, inclusive-growth challenges. Mexico their home countries and around the world. pursued export-led growth strategies jobs, while new fi rms that do create its export sectors’ effi ciency gains is now among the most unequal The just-concluded G20 summit in Hamburg saw similar to that of the Asian Tigers jobs are often less effi cient than those have been off set by policies that emerging economies in the world. In Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin come face to face (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, they are replacing. systematically funnel resources China, by contrast, income inequality and Taiwan). But Mexico has gone For Levy, informality and illegality toward low-productivity fi rms with is decreasing, thanks to rising wages for the fi rst time. Trump called it an “honour” to meet further, by embracing manufacturing are at the root of this phenomenon in non-salaried workers. and the provision of improved health Putin, while the latter said he was “delighted” to meet as a way to diversify its economy away Mexico, and may also help to explain These policies can be found insurance and other services to the US president. While any meeting between two of from oil extraction. what has happened in other emerging across emerging economies. But in workers. If Pena Nieto’s government Unfortunately, Mexico and many economies struggling to move from Mexico, they are deeply rooted in the cannot deliver more growth for more the most powerful people on earth would naturally other emerging economies began middle- to high-income status. In country’s laws and institutions, and of Mexico’s people, the country garner attention, this one was particularly keenly adopting these policies just as China’s a 2012 working paper, Levy draws a social subsidies and micro-lending Trump loves to malign might end up watched because of the investigation in the US over the great opening-up was accelerating. crucial distinction between formal and schemes have reinforced them. It with a Trump of its own – and a leftist Trump campaign’s possible ties to Putin’s Russia. Mexico’s traditionally strong informal fi rms, and their respective is understandable that the Mexican one at that. – Project Syndicate industries, such as textiles, could not productivity. Based on census data, government would want to protect So, what does one make of the meeting? Opinion compete and were essentially wiped he fi nds that in Mexico, “the majority non-salaried workers, but it seems zErik Berglof, a former chief is varied and divided. According to one analysis, the out; and incipient industries that had of fi rms are informal but legal,” and to have done so at the expense of economist at the European Bank for meeting “cemented a bond that will defi ne the Trump once shown great promise, such as concludes that surviving fi rms have productivity growth. Reconstruction and Development, is consumer electronics, were crushed. adapted by converting salaried jobs Imperfect institutions and weak Professor of Economics and Director at presidency – for better or for worse”. On one level, The China shock did eventually that are covered by government state capacity are common features in the Institute of Global Aff airs, London it was just an initial meeting between two powerful recede, but Mexico never fully employment insurance into non- most emerging economies, but their School of Economics and Political men who understand the power of creating and regained its competitiveness. If there salaried work. eff ects are refl ected in diff erent ways. Science. manipulating imagery. But it was more than that, mainly because the range of issues on their combined agenda was exhaustive. The Trump-Putin relationship, according to some, has the potential to shape the lives of millions. Going into the details, some observers felt Trump’s words made American foreign policy suddenly sound more mature than what it has been of late. At the summit, they said, Trump returned US policy on Russia “towards something resembling normalcy. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the very model of a pragmatic, well-briefed president at work”. Others, meanwhile, felt that the White House allowed Russia to shape The Trump-Putin early impressions of the meeting between relationship has Trump and Putin but the potential to responded quickly with its own account shape the lives of of the session that millions cast Trump as the aggressor who led off by expressing concerns about election meddling. Putin got his version of events out fi rst, telling Russian state The 2,000-mile US-Mexico border is partially fenced, but the US president plans to build a wall to stop illegal immigrants from Latin America. media outlets that he and Trump discussed “a lot of issues such as Ukraine, Syria, other problems, some bilateral issues”. Omitting any mention of a conversation about political interference, Putin raised the possibility that Trump hadn’t brought it up during their meeting. But The infl ation target trap the White House did not allow that notion to stay for long. Press secretary Sean Spicer gathered reporters for By Daniel Gros The tightening of the labour market For the Fed, the problem is less imbalances that arose during a news conference where Tillerson said Trump made Brussels should have led to higher wages, severe. The US is experiencing the boom years were corrected meddling the fi rst topic and that he and Putin “had a which would ultimately translate into somewhat higher infl ation than the more quickly, and most European higher prices. But this mechanism, eurozone and Japan are, and the Fed policymakers would welcome some very robust and lengthy exchange on the subject”. entral banks have a problem: the so-called Phillips curve, seems has a dual mandate: not just price rebalancing as well. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters growth in much of the to have broken down. In both the stability, but also full employment. But the real question is not that Trump accepted Putin’s assurance that Russia world is accelerating, but United States and Japan, despite Having achieved the latter, it can whether inflation closer to 2% did not interfere in the election. An unnamed “senior Cinfl ation has failed to take low unemployment, wages are not declare at least half a victory and would be desirable. QE is a policy off . Of course, for most people, increasing, at least not at the rate gradually start lifting rates. for desperate times. Today, the administration offi cial” followed up by telling CNN growth without infl ation is the ideal historical experience would indicate. But there is another reason why economic environment is totally that Trump did no such thing. combination. But central banks have And the wage increases that are missing infl ation is more of a problem different than it was just a few Overall, it was felt that Trump made it through his set the goal of achieving an infl ation occurring, such as in the US, are not for the eurozone. During the bubble years ago: financial markets are rate of “below, but close to 2%,” as the having the impact on prices that one years before the 2007 crisis, prices buoyant, financing conditions are fi rst face-to-face meeting with Putin “without any European Central Bank puts it. And, would expect. and wages increased sharply in highly favourable, the economy is gaff es”. “There was no bear hug, no Trump-style at this point, it is hard to see how that The reasons for this are not well the eurozone periphery, relative to expanding satisfactorily, with no bombast. Trump did not claim, as he once did, that can be achieved. understood. Last year, low oil prices Germany, which was plagued by sign of deflation. his special bond with Putin would make ‘great deals’ Central banks never pretended that could be blamed; but, even when high unemployment and stagnant In a recent speech, ECB President they could steer infl ation directly. oil prices rebounded somewhat, wages. Over time, those economies Mario Draghi observed that easy. Most important, Trump fi nally made it clear that But they thought that by providing infl ation remained low. Another, more became uncompetitive. When capital reflationary dynamics are “slowly he accepts the 68-year-old obligation to defend Nato rock-bottom interest rates and structural reason is that the prices infl ows suddenly stopped, they could taking hold.” Taking him at his word, countries from Russian pressure,” one analysis read. generous liquidity conditions in the of the goods comprising a large part not cope, requiring them to increase markets immediately traded the euro wake of the 2008 global fi nancial of the consumer price index tend to exports. up, because investors concluded crisis, they could push investment and fall over time, because they can be Now Germany is practically at that, under these circumstances, consumption upward. In 2009, when produced increasingly effi ciently in full employment, but wages are not negative rates and asset purchases To Advertise fi nancial markets were in turmoil and low-wage countries, particularly in increasing at much more than 2% – far would no longer be warranted. the economy was in free-fall, the US Asia. In addition, retailers’ margins are lower than the 5% rate that prevailed But the ECB quickly denied this [email protected] Federal Reserve took matters a step being squeezed, owing to competition when Germany last had such low interpretation. Display further, initiating large-scale asset from online shops. unemployment (below 4%), nearly That was a mistake. It makes Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 purchases, or quantitative easing (QE). This problem of “missing infl ation” 30 years ago. The resulting lack of no sense to continue with policies The ECB followed suit in 2014-2015, is especially acute in the eurozone and infl ation is not only contributing to designed for a thunderstorm when the Classified when defl ation appeared (wrongly, in Japan. Because the Bank of Japan (BOJ) Germany’s very high current-account sun is shining again. The ECB need Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 hindsight) to threaten the eurozone. and the ECB have defi ned success surplus; it is also making it harder for not reverse course completely, but The Fed’s actions certainly helped exclusively in terms of achieving their the peripheral countries to improve it could declare victory in the fi ght Subscription to stabilise fi nancial markets. The ECB infl ation target, they are now in a their competitive position vis-a-vis against defl ation and start exiting [email protected] also claims that its bond purchases, quandary. The ECB, in particular, now Germany. its emergency policies. – Project after fi nancial markets had already has little choice but to continue its The ECB must set its monetary Syndicate normalised, sparked economic growth expansionary policies, including QE, policy on the basis of the eurozone 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved and fostered employment. But the until it sees some sustained increase in average. But it would clearly be zDaniel Gros is director of the Centre impact ended there. infl ation. more comfortable if the competitive for European Policy Studies. Gulf Times Monday, July 10, 2017 19 COMMENT US and N Korea need to talk — but how?

AFP il,” said DeTrani who regards Kim Washington Jong-UN as a more “reckless” leader. Rather than using third parties, some voices are pushing for the US fter North Korea’s shock to establish semi-formal relations demonstration that it by setting up a North Korea Interests can strike the American Section in Pyongyang, staff ed by Amainland with an US diplomats, and allowing a North intercontinental missile, US offi cials Korean counterpart in Washington. say their focus remains on fi nding But after a channel is opened, then a diplomatic solution to avert a what? catastrophic confl ict. Scott Snyder, a Korea expert at the But with Washington reluctant to Council on Foreign Relations, says the be seen to be rewarding Pyongyang, fundamental problem is that the US whose leader Kim Jong-Un has been cannot accept North Korea’s demand taunting the Americans, can the two to back off its regional military stance sides manage to sit down and thrash protecting South Korea and Japan. out their diff erences face to face? “The problem is where the North Analysts and diplomats who are Koreans want to go with this is exactly veterans of previous fl are-ups in the place where we don’t want to go,” tensions between the two countries he said. acknowledge there are huge obstacles Frank Aum, a former Defence in the way of talks — not least because Department offi cial now with the they have no diplomatic relations. US Korea-Institute at Baltimore’s But they also say talks are not only Johns Hopkins University, said the possible but really the only viable Trump administration had to adapt by solution, whether talking directly or accepting — at least internally — that via third parties — including senior it is eff ectively dealing with a nuclear US politicians outside the Trump power that needs to be contained. administration. Aum supports intensifying the “The only way out here is existing approach of applying diplomacy,” said James Clapper, who economic pressure on North Korea spent years as a US intelligence chief via sanctions and trying to get in South Korea and was later Director China to bring its infl uence to bear of National Intelligence under Barack on Pyongyang — arguing that such Obama. In a photo taken on July 6, 2017, soldiers of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) watch a fireworks display as part of celebrations marking the July 4 launch of the tactics helped persuade Iran to curb Donald Trump said in May that he Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, in Pyongyang. its nuclear program during Obama’s would be “honoured” to meet with presidency. Kim under what he called the right test, saying his nuclear and ballistic and a possible slowdown in their times offi cials acting only in a semi- sought to get North Korea to free “It took three years for sanctions on circumstances, in essence demanding missile programmes could be “on programme. offi cial capacity. Americans detained as spies or illegal Iran to begin working,” he said. North Korea fi rst halts its nuclear and the table” if the US dropped what he But that process collapsed in Such meetings can be turgid, with prosyletisers, Kim Jong-Il was willing The Trump administration though ballistic missile programmes. called its “hostile policy”. 2009, and since gaining power North Koreans reading off a playlist to meet and deal with US emissaries is no fan of the Iran nuclear deal, While the US president promised a While Pyongyang has been seeking two years later, Kim Jong-un has of positions believed dictated directly like former presidents Bill Clinton calling it one of the worst in history. “pretty severe” retort to North Korea’s to engage Washington in bilateral talks dismissed talks for his determination by Kim. and Jimmy Carter, and former UN And Scott Snyder, a Korea expert at intercontinental ballistic missile for decades, Washington has insisted to achieve nuclear status, as much It takes a lot of work to bridge ambassador Bill Richardson. the Council on Foreign Relations, said (ICBM) test, his Defence Secretary Jim on indirect and informal contacts. for his domestic political stature as language and cultural gaps, according Such meetings have been rare under the Iran model won’t work because Mattis’ response was to echo Britain’s Through the 2000s, a six-party demonstrating the country’s military to people who have participated. Kim Jong-Un but he did meet with Pyongyang already has a proven wartime leader Winston Churchill format — including China, Russia, prowess. Nevertheless, “there’s an ability to former basketball star Dennis Rodman nuclear capability and its leadership famous mantra that it is “better to Japan, and South Korea — appeared to Since then, contacts have been build some trust,” said Joseph DeTrani, who has been a regular visitor to North was much more immune to outside jaw-jaw than war-war.” draw North Korea, then under Kim’s through forums, seminars involving a former State Department envoy to Korea over the years. pressure. And Kim also appeared to leave the father Kim Jong-il, toward some former offi cials, academics, the six-party talks. “We had periods when there were “The regime benefi ts from political door open for talks after Tuesday’s level of outside nuclear monitoring humanitarian representatives and at And in the past, when the US agreements, that was with Kim Jong- isolation,” he said. Weather report Silence over Grenfell Tower safety test Three-day forecast TODAY High: 41 C Reuters polyisocyanurate (PIR) called Celotex The building control department of at Grenfell Tower was carried out prior RS5000. the local Royal Borough of Kensington to installation. Please see attached Low : 33 C London Inshore: Hazy to misty/foggy at The aluminium panels, which had a and Chelsea council (RBKC), which BBA certifi cate,” the spokeswoman places at first becomes hot daytime polyethylene plastic core were called is responsible for checking that the said in the June 29 e-mail. and humid with some clouds. he cladding system used on Reynobond PE, and made by New building and plans are consistent with The certificate Rydon provided London’s Grenfell Tower York-based Arconic Inc, previously regulations, declined to say if it had showed the panels met a separate TUESDAY would only have met British known as Alcoa Inc If all the elements checked the tests had been carried out. standard on the surface spread of High: 43 C regulatory standards if the of the insulation system had Police think the cladding system at fire. Low: 33 C T Sunny two main materials had passed a key achieved a separate and demanding Grenfell Tower may have contributed Asked specifi cally about the BS 8414 safety test together, according to a government standard called “limited to the rapid spread of last month’s test, the Rydon spokeswoman said: Reuters analysis of the building code combustibility”, in separate tests, then fatal fi re. “More technical questions would be and data on the materials. a combined test would not have been They have said they are better directed at Harley as it’s their WEDNESDAY Three weeks after the June 14 fi re, necessary, according to the building investigating possible criminal area of expertise.” High: 43 C neither the two companies involved regulations. behaviour and the role of all the Executives and a spokesman at Low: 33 C in the cladding on the Grenfell Tower But Reynobond PE and Celotex companies involved in the building. Harley, a small company with few Sunny nor the local authority which enforces did not meet the combustibility test The Department for Communities assets, declined to comment for this the building codes have addressed by themselves, according to safety and Local Government, the story. questions from Reuters about whether experts and product specifi cations government department which is It said in a statement on its website Fishermen’s forecast that test was ever conducted and its published by the manufacturers. responsible for setting the regulations last month it was not aware of any OFFSHORE DOHA outcome. This meant that the two materials enforced by building control, has said link between the fi re and the exterior Wind: NE-N 03-13 KT The test is required to show combined would need to pass another the cladding system used at Grenfell cladding to the tower. Waves: 01-03 Feet whether both materials when used test known as the BS 8414 test, did not comply with the building rules An offi cial at RBKC, the Royal INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT together were suffi ciently resistant to according to the building regulations. it oversees. Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Waves: 1-2/3 Feet combustion. This involves setting a fi re under a It has not said why and declined to declined to provide details of the Without proof that it had been three-storey mock-up of the proposed answer detailed questions on its legal specifi cation it approved or what Around the region carried out, the cladding system would wall construction. reasoning. checks it conducted to ensure the Weather Weather not have met building regulations. Both standards, set out in the The test used to assess combined actual construction met the approved today Max/min tomorrow Max/min The cladding work carried guidelines to the building code, aim materials must be commissioned from plan, citing the ongoing police Abu Dhabi Sunny 42/33 M Sunny 41/33 about by Rydon Group Ltd, the to prevent a fi re spreading quickly a government approved independent investigation into the fi re. Baghdad Sunny 49/32 Sunny 47/31 Dubai Sunny from inside and up the exterior walls, testing agency. A spokeswoman for Saint Gobain Sunny 43/33 42/33 main contractor on the 2014-2016 Kuwait City Sunny 46/34 Sunny 51/36 refurbishment of the building, and something that happened at Grenfell Reuters was unable to determine said its BR 135 combustibility Manama Sunny 42/33 Sunny 44/34 its subcontractor Harley Facades Tower. which, if any lab was used. certifi cation of Celotex was based Muscat Sunny 34/32 Sunny 36/33 involved attaching insulation boards In a June 29 e-mail, a Rydon, which had a turnover of on tests conducted with a non- Riyadh Sunny 46/32 Sunny 47/33 to the tower’s concrete facade and spokeswoman for Rydon Group Ltd 249mn pounds last year, told Reuters combustible cement façade panel. Tehran M Sunny 39/28 M Sunny 38/24 covering them with aluminium says it “met all building regulations” the materials it used were suitable for She declined to say if Celotex had composite panels. but did not say if the BS 8414 test use in tall buildings. ever passed the BS 8414 test with France’s Saint Gobain said the stipulated in the building codes had “Laboratory testing of the fi re a fl ammable façade panel such as insulation used was its brand of been conducted. resistance of the cladding system used Reynobond PE. Live issues What causes sleep terrors in children?

Tribune News Service or hitting something, a sleep terror electronics – including cellphones, try to wake your child. The phase Washington DC itself isn’t harmful and doesn’t pose TV, computers and video games – also of sleep during which a sleep terror any health risks. Most of the time, can help. Read books together, play happens makes it unlikely that a children don’t remember having a a quiet game, or spend time talking child will respond to attempts to Around the world UESTION: My seven- sleep terror. Because of that, sleep to help your child wind down before wake him or her. Weather Weather year-old daughter has sleep terrors are usually more upsetting for bed. If a child doesn’t seem to be able Shouting or shaking a child during today Max/min tomorrow Max/min terrors. What causes this, other members of the household than to get enough sleep at night, consider a night terror could make the episode Athens Sunny 37/23 Sunny 37/24 Qand when can we expect they are for the child who actually has a daytime nap. As much as possible, last longer. In most cases, a sleep Beirut Sunny 31/28 Sunny 32/28 Bangkok S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 them to be fi nished? them. keep the stress level in your home terror will stop on its own. Never Berlin T Storms 26/16 Rain 23/15 Answer: It’s hard to pinpoint why Sleep terrors tend to run in low, and help your child work through punish a child for having a sleep terror Cairo Sunny 39/25 Sunny 41/24 some children experience sleep terrors families. So if a parent had them stressful or upsetting situations. or threaten punishment if it happens Cape Town M Sunny 13/08 Sunny 14/07 and others don’t, but fatigue and as a child, then his or her children To reduce the risk of a child hurting again. That only increases a child’s Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/27 T Storms 29/26 stress seem to be frequent triggers. are at an increased risk for them, himself or herself during a sleep terror, stress and could worsen the situation. Dhaka 30/26 T Storms Hong Kong P Cloudy 31/28 S T Storms 31/28 Anyone can have a sleep terror, but too. Sleep terrors are most likely to create a safe bedroom environment. Treatment usually isn’t necessary Istanbul Sunny 30/21 Sunny 29/20 they are most common in children happen when a child is overtired Place sharp, heavy or fragile objects for sleep terrors. But if they Jakarta I T Storms 31/24 S T Storms 32/24 younger than 12. In most cases, they or feeling a significant amount of out of your child’s reach at night. signifi cantly disrupt your home Karachi M Cloudy 31/28 S T Storms 31/28 stop by the time a child reaches middle stress. Sleeping in new surroundings Securely lock doors and windows. Put regularly, make an appointment with London Showers 24/14 Showers 21/14 Manila T Storms 32/26 T Storms 33/26 school or high school. or in a loud or noisy environment gates across stairways. Children who your child’s healthcare provider. He Moscow Showers 20/12 M Sunny 24/13 Sleep terrors, also called night may contribute to sleep terrors. In have sleep terrors shouldn’t sleep on or she can help evaluate the situation. New Delhi P Cloudy 37/27 S Showers 33/27 terrors, are occasional episodes of children, fevers may sometimes the top level of a bunk bed. In rare cases, a child who has frequent New York M Sunny 29/23 P Cloudy 33/23 screaming and fl ailing while a person trigger a sleep terror. When a sleep terror happens, sleep terrors may benefi t from an Paris Rain 23/15 Showers 23/17 Sao Paulo M Sunny M Sunny 24/12 is still asleep. In some cases, sleep One of the best steps you can take stay with your child until it is evaluation with a sleep medicine 24/12 Seoul T Storms 28/23 P Cloudy 30/23 terrors may involve sleepwalking. to help prevent sleep terrors is to finished. If necessary, gently specialist. In most cases, however, Singapore I T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 29/26 Although the behaviour that happens make sure your child is well-rested. restrain the child from getting out sleep terrors fade away as a child ages, Sydney M Sunny 17/07 M Sunny 16/09 during a sleep terror can put a child A regular bedtime routine that is of bed, or lead the child back to without any medical intervention. - Tokyo Clear 33/24 Clear 32/23 at risk for physical harm from falling relaxing and doesn’t involve any bed. Speak softly and calmly. Don’t Mayo Clinic News Network Gulf Times 20 Monday, July 10, 2017 QATAR Siege countries are behaving like political adolescents: al-Attiyah l Crisis undermines future the Arab armies were defeated GCC member countries sign cause Qatar deals with credibil- relations between Saudi Arabia of Gulf Co-operation Council by Israel. The decision to impose an agreement to this effect and ity, stressing that Qatar did not and Qatar. such an unprecedented embargo abide by it. behave like political adolescents. He expressed his apprecia- on the country was announced In addition, he said that the “But the blockading countries tion for the efforts of the Emir E Abdullah bin Hamad without any mention of clear UAE has not stopped using Qa- are behaving as if they were chil- of Kuwait to resolve the dispute, al-Attiyah, president, reasons, he said. tari gas until now because 30% dren - if you do not do what they emphasising that Qatar is ready HAbdullah Bin Hamad “Our Arab brothers accused of the electricity generated in ask for, they fight with you.” to deal with all the possible turns Al-Attiyah International Foun- Qatar without any warning or Abu Dhabi depended on Qatari He said that before the advent of the situation. He said that the dation for Energy and Sustain- notice of funding terrorism,” gas. He wondered if Qatar was a of the holy month of Ramadan recent meeting of the foreign able Development, has termed he said, wondering when and terrorist country as they claim, the foreign minister of Bahrain ministers of Egypt, Saudi Ara- the decision to impose air, land where Qatar has supported why would they buy gas worth had visited Doha and during his bia, UAE and Bahrain in Cairo and economic embargo on Qatar extremism. millions of dollars from it. Does visit, he appreciated the rela- failed before even it had started by Saudi Arabia and its allies as He pointed out that if the this mean they were paying the tionships between the two coun- as the demands of the siege impulsive and exotic. problem was regarding Qatar’s money to enable Qatar to pay the tries, as Qatar had arrested some countries have no justification or Quoting from a recent inter- relations with Iran and the militants?, he asked. wanted persons in Bahrain and foundations. view with Al Araby TV, local Ar- GCC countries wanted to cut He stressed that Qatar is handed them over to Manama. He pointed out that the crisis abic daily Arrayah said al-Atti- their political and economic committed to honour all the He hoped that Saudi Arabia has undermined the future of the yah wondered how the date (June relationships with Tehran, Qa- contracts it has signed for the would not have headed such a Gulf Co-operation Council and 5) chosen by the siege countries tar would be ready to abide by delivery of gas. strange alliance against Qatar Qatar has learnt the lesson that to announce the blockade co- the conditions of such a move He said that Qatar has not cut with all its contradiction due it cannot trust its Arab brothers incided with June 5, 1967 when on condition that all the six the gas supply to the UAE be- to the deep social and strategic as the case was before. HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah Emir’s portrait adorns Alfardan Towers Flying cows and exploring new avenues: how Qatar is feeding itself under blockade

By Raf Sanchez, The Telegraph Qatar’s ties with Iran, Saudi Doha Arabia’s regional rival, and with Turkey, which Riyadh views with suspicion because of its f everything goes according support for the Muslim Broth- to plan, a specially-config- erhood. Instead, Doha has em- Iured transport plane will braced the two large non-Arab land in Qatar later this week countries even more closely as and lower its ramp to send 140 it looks to them for food. German cows blinking into the Al-Khayatt, the president of desert sunlight. Power Holding International, Every two or three days after hopes his airlifted cows will that there will be more planes help Qatar eventually become A huge portrait of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani adorns the Alfardan and more cows, until 4,000 completely self-sufficient in Towers in West Bay. PICTURE: Ram Chand cattle have arrived in Doha. milk production. The cattle will The airlift is the brainchild be brought in from the US, Aus- of Moutaz al-Khayyat, an Arab tralia and Germany and kept in businessman based in Doha, Qatari businesses are rushing to bring in more cows to increase air-conditioned hangars. and is just one of many initia- domestic dairy production. He first thought of the idea tives borne from the crisis after years ago but decided to mas- Support for Emir Saudi Arabia and its allies im- action to open new shipping flights to Tempelhof airport. sively speed up its implemen- posed a blockade on Qatar last lines, harness the capacity of “The point the Western tation after Qatar’s neighbours month. state-owned Qatar Airways, world wanted to make was: we moved against it. “The crisis is The country is home to about and subsidise food imports. will make Berlin survive despite giving new opportunities for 2.6mn people but it imports Qatar’s ability to keep itself the siege that it faces,” he told local businessmen to increase 90% of its food and has only fed has given its leaders con- The Sunday Telegraph. “It’s their business and open up new a few days of fresh water in fidence they can endure a long not practicality or pragmatism, lines of work,” he said. reserve. So when Saudi Ara- blockade. Saudi Arabia and its it’s about ideology. If the price Another dairy business, bia abruptly shut Qatar’s only allies, who accuse Qatar of sup- of Qatar’s independence is to Ghadeer Dairy Company, is land border on June 5 there was porting terrorism and interfer- airlift every single pint of milk racing to build new generators genuine concern that the nation ing in their affairs, announced then we will do so.” as it tries to meet a quadrupled might go hungry. this week the blockade would Products with a short shelf demand for its milk. But four weeks later, the stay in place. life, like vegetables and dairy Qatar has not been able to shelves of Doha’s gleaming Kuwait continues to act as products, are the most sensitive completely shield its residents supermarkets are still full and mediator but there is no sign part of the disrupted supply from rising prices, especially on dishes like quinoa salad with that the crisis will end soon. chain. Qatar is for now depend- fresh produce. crispy tofu and soy glazed short For now, Qatar is having no ing on imported Turkish milk, In a supermarket in Al Na- ribs with celery are available in problem keep its people fed. leaving Arab shoppers to squint jma, a city neighbourhood, its luxury restaurants. Fahad al-Attiyah, Qatar’s at the unfamiliar language Jamal Youssef, an Egyptian A more serious shortage ambassador to Moscow, com- on the labels and occasion- construction driver buying to- was averted by suppliers who pares the situation to the Berlin ally complain about its foreign matoes, which are dearer, said: turned to Turkey and Iran to airlift of 1948, when the Soviet taste. “It’s shway mishkele, not kbeer A woman and her son writing their messages on the ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural in Doha replace what once came from blockade of West Berlin was The irony of the blockade is mishkele”. A little problem, not Saudi Arabia, and government broken by thousands of supply that it was meant to weaken a big problem. Gulf crisis: Latest Twitter war conjures up genies l Social media goes open its own branch of the famed otherworldly after the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Ashghal officials mark the launch of the ‘Tamim Al Majd’ initiative at their head office. creation of a hashtag and Wizardry from JK Rowling’s accusing Qatar of “dealing Harry Potter book series. with genies” Others posted pictures and GIFs of the character Albus Al Jazeera Dumbledore, head of JK Rowl- Ashghal unveils ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural Doha ing’s Hogwarts school, showing evident exasperation. One Twitter user posted a GIF he Public Works Author- The launch by Ashghal is part stressed that the ‘Tamim Al he latest Twitter war of the character “Jafar” from the ity (Ashghal) has un- of an initiative by several govern- Majd’ mural reflects cohesion surrounding the crisis children’s movie Aladdin, imply- Tveiled a ‘Tamim Al Majd’- ment and non-government enti- and solidarity among the Qa- Tin the Gulf has taken a A picture posted along with a Another picture making fun of ing evil Qatari genies had been themed mural at its headquarters ties in Qatar to set up billboards tari people to come together supernatural turn after a sen- tweet, ridiculing the accusation the news enraged over the accusations. to express loyalty to Qatar and and murals across Qatar with the and move forward under one ior correspondent with a Saudi Nour al-Mohanadi posted a His Highness the Emir Sheikh ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait, high- command. Arabia-based news network Qatar offer to bring down spirits in return for Qatar’s compli- GIF of a line of ghosts merrily Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. lighting the cohesion among the Mohamed Ali Darwish, tech- accused Qatar of witchcraft. and harness genies to solve the ance on 13 points, including punching in for a day at work, The board has been placed at Qatari people and their loyalty to nical support director, said: “We According to Al Jazeera, hun- crisis,” wrote Abajoud. The Qa- to shut down Al Jazeera Me- writing: “Just another day at the entrance of the Ashghal HQ the homeland and His Highness are proud to share the presence dreds of social media users over tari remittances to Jinn, Al-Ara- dia Network, to scale back ties work in Qatar.” in West Bay. the Emir, the authority said in a of the mural board in Ashghal to the weekend sarcastically hit biya correspondent writes, “are with Iran and to close a Turkish Others posted videos and Ashghal launched the mural in press statement. express our appreciation for and back online under the hashtag done via black market”. military base. photos of witches hiding. the presence of its president Dr Dr al-Mohannadi expressed pride in our beloved country, “Qatar deals with genies”, created Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE Qatar has rejected the demands. Amr al-Nasser posted a pho- Saad bin Ahmed al-Mohannadi, pride in setting up the mural, Qatar, and to continue our ef- after Al-Arabiya’s Khalil Walid and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar Twitter users, many of to from the popular American assistant president Abdullah which highlights the pledge forts to build a strong State.” Abajoud posted a series of tweets on June 5 over allegations the them displaying Qatari flags in cartoon The Simpsons, poking Hamad al-Attiyah, directors, of allegiance by the staff and Mishal Sultan al-Hitimi, accusing Doha of conjuring spir- country funds “terrorism” and their user profiles, responded fun at a strange group photo managers and a number of em- their persistent efforts towards director of Shared Services, its to assist it in its dispute with is too close to Iran - allegations to allegations of sorcery and taken with a mysterious glow- ployees. Everyone present was achieving the authority’s goals said the inauguration of Ash- neighbouring Gulf countries. Qatar has repeatedly denied. witchcraft with humour. ing orb during US President keen to write messages of sup- and projects that serve the ghal’s ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural “Sorcerers from African coun- The Saudi-led group offered Several Twitter users sug- Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi port for His Highness the Emir nation. “is the least we can do for our tries get millions of dollars after to end the blockade last month gested it was time for Doha to Arabia in May. on the board. On his part, al-Attiyah homeland”.