BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Irish-bred Sovereign Debt INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 4, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 Saudi Arabia’s $2tn REGION 5, 6 BUSINESS 1-12 collects Aramco vision runs 20,753.38 10,925.40 54.01 ARAB WORLD 6 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 -56.94 -27.26 -0.44 INTERNATIONAL 7-17 SPORTS 1-8 into market reality feature -0.27% -0.25% _-0.81% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10375 February 25, 2017 Jumada I 28, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Qatar voices concern over In brief linking terror with religion QATAR | Weather Thundery rain QNA forecast today New York Thundery rain is expected with strong wind at places inshore today, E the Foreign Minister’s special the Met Off ice said. The off shore envoy on counter-terrorism forecast is one of strong wind, high Hand disputes’ settlements, sea and thundery rain at places. Dr Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani, has The speed of northwesterly wind warned against linking violence and could reach up to 25 knots inshore terrorism with religion, beliefs and while off shore it could reach up to ideologies. 28 knots, both with thundery rain. Addressing a meeting on the United The maximum temperature of 22C is Nations’ counter-terrorism eff orts, expected at Mesaieed, Wakrah and in al-Qahtani expressed regret at the in- Doha, followed by 21C at Al Khor, 20C creasing tendency of linking terrorism at Ruwais and 19C at Dukhan and Abu and extremism to religion. Samra. The minimum temperature He stressed the importance of dia- of 16C is expected at Al Khor, Dukhan logue on a national, regional, and in- and Abu Samra, followed by 17C at ternational level on protection against Mesaieed and Wakrah, and 18C in extremism. He highlighted the role of Doha and at Ruwais. Construction of the E-Ring Road pedestrian bridge under way. PICTURE: Ram Chand Doha Centre for Interfaith Dialogue in promoting a spirit of understanding REGION | Casualties between diff erent cultures and faiths. Meanwhile, Qatar’s permanent rep- UAE serviceman resentative to the United Nations HE killed in Yemen ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bint A UAE serviceman was killed while Seif al-Thani said that Qatar remains on duty with the Saudi-led Arab committed to all UN counter-terror- coalition’s Operation Restoring Call for more pedestrian ism eff orts. Hope in Yemen, the general HE Sheikha Alia praised the plans command of the UAE armed forces of national and regional entities con- announced yesterday in a statement cerned with counter-terrorism and carried by state news agency WAM. preventing extremism. She said that The serviceman was named as violent extremism is one of the big- Khalid Ali Gharib al-Beloushi. bridges in Doha, suburbs gest security challenges facing the Meanwhile, a Jordanian F-16 world. Qatar’s permanent repre- warplane crashed in Saudi Arabia Residents of Doha have sought Ashghal expects the bridge to be road usage awareness among them. by a large number of visitors every sentative stressed the need for strong yesterday but its pilot survived, the more pedestrian bridges across ready by the second quarter of 2017. Early this month, the Ministry of In- day”. This is because many visitors are measures at the national, regional, Saudi-led military coalition said, arterial roads, especially near Sources point out that while peo- terior (MoI) stressed the need for both often forced to park their vehicles on and international levels. She also adding “technical reasons” caused government off ices and hospitals ple have been calling for a similar pedestrians and motorists to observe the other side of the road due to lack highlighted the important role that the crash. bridge in the vicinity of LuLu Hyper- safety rules in order to avoid road ac- of space near the offi ces, he explained, sustainable development and human By Ramesh Mathew market on D-Ring Road for some- cidents. The MoI issued an advisory, adding that people should have access rights can play in counter-terrorism ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Staff Reporter time now, residents and shopkeepers listing the dos and don’ts for diff erent to convenient and safe road-crossing efforts. from other parts of Doha — such as types of road users. options. Sheikha Alia stressed that extrem- Iraqi forces enter Muntazah, New Slata, Bin Mahmoud, Some residents felt that pedestrian ism cannot be defeated without part- western Mosul s the installation of a pedes- Fereej Al Nasr, Al Sadd and Al Hilal — “There is a pressing need bridges should also be built near hos- nership between the UN and its mem- Iraqi forces yesterday entered a trian bridge across E-Ring Road have also highlighted the necessity of for pedestrian bridges on a pitals and clinics located along major ber-countries as well as NGOs. west Mosul neighbourhood for the Agains momentum, residents installing pedestrian bridges across number of roads. These will roads. There is also a demand for a She highlighted Qatar’s commit- first time since the October launch of a number of localities in Doha and the arterial and busy C-Ring and D- benefi t walkers as well as similar facility near the Medical Com- ment to all UN’s counter-terrorism of a massive off ensive to retake its neighbourhood have called for the Ring roads. motorists and provide people mission in Abu Hamour, according to eff orts. The country was keen on co- the city from the Islamic State construction of similar facilities in The authorities had earlier said there with a safe option for crossing the sources. operating with all international au- group. The push on Al-Maamun, those areas. were plans to construct about 160 pe- busy roads while also making “There is a pressing need for pedes- thorities to end violent extremism, a small neighbourhood on the Recently, the Public Works Au- destrian bridges in diff erent parts of things more convenient” trian bridges on a number of roads. the ambassador added. southwestern edge of Mosul, came thority (Ashghal) installed the steel Qatar in the coming years. Pedestrian These will benefi t walkers as well as She also reviewed Qatar’s efforts to after government troops retook the structure of the E-Ring Road pedes- safety has been a major cause for con- Meanwhile, a city resident said there motorists and provide people with a quell the threat of terrorism, includ- airport, which commands access trian bridge, located between the Al cern and a survey on accidents involv- is a “greater need for installing pedes- safe option for crossing busy roads ing strategic partnership agreements to the city from the south, and a Thumama signal and the intersection ing walkers had highlighted the need trian bridges urgently in places that while also making things more con- signed with the UN in that field. nearby military base. Page 6 where it meets Airport Street. for better facilities as well as proper house government offi ces frequented venient,” said another resident. Page 18 Heritage livestock on show at Katara No sign of thaw

he Cultural Village Foundation — Katara played host to a large Tnumber of visitors yesterday as curtains went up on the sixth edition in Syrian talks of Halal Qatar Festival. The theme of the nine-day festival Reuters He took no questions. centres on a distinct feature of the Qa- Geneva De Mistura was holding bilateral tari heritage, one that is drawn from meetings with the delegations yester- the deserts of Qatar — sheep and goat day to establish a plan for this round of breeding. The festival will present spe- N mediator Staff an de Mistura negotiations that could run into early cifi c methods that help in breeding and handed working papers focused March. raising sheep and also showcase nu- Uon procedural issues to delega- The opposition delegation, which merous traditional events along with tions at Syrian peace talks yesterday, is not fully under one umbrella, said it educational and recreational activities. but there appeared little prospect of the had also received a paper. Halal Qatar, which runs until March opposing sides meeting directly soon. “There is a paper about the proce- 4, is an opportunity to revive the Qa- Opposing sides in the war came dural issues and some ideas to begin the tari heritage and relive their simple face-to-face at the UN for the fi rst political process,” lead negotiator Nasr lives amidst the dunes, at Al-Mazain, time in three years on Thursday, to hear al-Hariri told reporters. Al-Mazad Auction, and sheep barns mediator Staff an de Mistura — who is Hariri sought to once again stress presentation. looking to lay the foundations for ne- that the opposition’s priority was to Inaugurating the festival, Katara gotiations to end the six-year confl ict begin negotiations on a political transi- general manager Dr Khalid bin Ib- — urge them to co-operate. tion with a transitional governing body, rahim al-Sulaiti, said it is one of the But tensions were palpable among suggesting it would not back down most important events hosted by the participants at (Friday’s) opening cer- on its demands that Syrian President Cultural Village, as it attracts local and emony. Bashar al-Assad step down. regional visitors. In a short statement to reporters af- “We have heard from Mr de Mistura “Katara has always recognised the ter more than two hours of discussions positive ideas and suggestions, I be- necessity of promoting local enter- with the UN envoy, the government’s lieve he is more enthusiastic to be en- prises in a manner that is both sus- chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja’afari gaged seriously in political transition,” tainable and competitive. Halal Qatar told reporters that they had discussed he said. Festival is in line with its eff orts to nothing more than the format for the “Political transition” is a phrase un- provide a platform to such businesses, coming days. derstood by the opposition to mean a to display their live-stock products to “At the end of the meeting de Mis- removal of Assad or at least an erosion the public. Children petting sheep at the Halal Qatar Festival which opened at Katara yesterday. The festival runs until March 4. tura gave us a paper and we agreed to of his powers. “An exciting expansion of the event study this paper. We shall inform him But his government has rejected any this year involves allocating more committee chairman Khalid al-Sh- The festival provides visitors a rare event has always been a big hit with of our position,” he said. suggestion that it could be on the table, prizes that include 27 cars for the win- ahawani explained that Al-Mazan opportunity to interact with livestock children, who are delighted with the He corrected an interpreter who de- and at previous peace talks in Geneva ners,” he said. contest stresses on 12 new terms and breeders and businesses, and purchase chance to observe livestock penned up scribed it as a “document”, and gave no his negotiators consistently tried to Halal Qatar Festival organising conditions. products of exceptional quality. The in enclosures at the Village premises. details of what it said. steer away from it. Page 6 Gulf Times 2 Saturday, February 25, 2017 QATAR

Expat jailed for Experts to speak on diverse cheating company topics at Qumra Talks Doha Misdemeanour Court has sentenced an umra 2017, the industry the fi lm, TV, technology and share their perspectives and ductions and recoup on their dience through his career, de- ib, the fi rst female managing AArab expatriate man to six initiative by the Doha online worlds to share their in- real-world knowledge that per- investment. This session will scribing lessons learned along director at Al Jazeera Media months in jail and imposed a fi ne QFilm Institute (DFI) to sights on topics that add value fectly complement the intimate provide a general overview of the way and demonstrating how Network; Moeed Ahmed, who of QR5,000 on him for embez- nurture the next generation of to participants by off ering new discussions, mentoring ses- the Video-On-Demand indus- all those skills come together in leads the Innovation & Incuba- zling the money of the company fi lmmaking talent, will host the perspectives into areas that are sions and networking opportu- try, present specifi c case studies The Simpsons, in a lively class tion Group of the Digital Divi- he used to work for. inaugural Qumra Talks from redefi ning the fi lm and media nities at Qumra.” and discuss the role, limits and featuring rare animated clips. sion at Al Jazeera; and Dr Yaser Local Arabic daily Arrayah re- March 5 to 7. ecosystem. On March 5, from 3pm to future of digital distribution as On March 7, from 3pm to 5pm, Bishr, the executive director of ported that the defendant, who There will be interactive Fatma al-Remaihi, CEO, DFI, 5pm, Under the Milky Way CEO a long-term solution to reach the session on ‘Al Jazeera’s Stra- the Digital Division at Al Jazeera was a manager at a human re- discussions led by industry said Qumra Talks are informa- Pierre Alexandre Labelle, Front wider and more engaged audi- tegic Pivot to Digital,’ will ex- Media Network. sources development company, experts covering diverse top- tive and inspirational sessions Row Filmed Entertainment ences in the Mena Region. plore how Al Jazeera conceived Qumra 2017 programming used to organise lectures for a ics that refl ect key industry that enable participants to ab- managing director Gianluca Mike Reiss, acclaimed Amer- and implemented a long-term includes industry meetings number of public and private developments, from writing sorb contemporary industry Chakra, and Ifl ix head of Mid- ican television comedy writer strategic pivot from traditional designed to assist in propel- entities. for animation to the power of trends and update their knowl- dle East and North Africa Nad- and producer, who has won media organisation to digital- ling selected projects to the However, he broke the terms digital media and its increas- edge and skills. er Sobhan will mark the fi rst four Emmys writing for The fi rst media brand. It will also next stages of development, and conditions of his employ- ing relevance in modern sto- “For the inaugural session, Qumra Talk on ‘International Simpsons, will take centrestage present some digital products through master classes, work- ment contract and collected the rytelling. we have chosen topics that not Distribution and Marketing.’ on March 6, from 3pm to 5pm, that were successfully incubat- in-progress screenings, be- income from the lectures in his Organised in partnership only refl ect key industry devel- They will share their insights as he discusses ‘Writing and ed and launched by Al Jazeera spoke matchmaking sessions own account and not that of the with the Northwestern Univer- opments but also highlight cre- on the direction of the digital Production Animation.’ Con- such as AJ+ and Sadeem. The and tailored workshops with company. The issue was dis- sity in Qatar, Qumra Talks is a ative writing and the increasing fi lm distribution value chain tributing writer to two dozen panellists are: Jonathan Powell, industry experts. Qumra will covered at a regular audit of the series of three specially curated role of technology in reshaping and how independent pro- animated fi lms, including Ice who is responsible for launch- be held from March 3 to 8 at company’s accounts. discussions, open to the pub- modern story-telling. ducers can best use emerging Age, Kung Fu Panda and Des- ing Al Jazeera’s latest digital Souq Waqif and the Museum of lic, that gathers leaders from “The chosen experts will platforms to both fi nance pro- picable Me, he will take the au- property, Sadeem; Dima Khat- Islamic Art.

Maid steals Demand for trailers Beautified yard ATM card expected to increase Filipina maid has been sentenced to one year jail By Ramesh Mathew expected to increase signifi - Aand ordered to be deport- Staff Reporter cantly once all phases of con- ed for stealing QR9,000 using struction are completed, and her employer’s ATM card. a number of large vessels have Local Arabic daily Arrayah re- railer companies are already arrived there. ported that the maid’s theft was expecting a windfall in Taking note of these devel- caught in the ATM camera. Toperations in the com- opments, a logistics profes- She admitted using the card, ing years due to the antici- sional said trailer operators and spending QR1,200 from the pated growth in operations at stood to gain substantially stolen money while transferring the new Hamad Port and hec- from growing operations at QR3,000 to her home country. tic construction activity in the port. “The enhanced ca- The court also ordered her the run-up to the 2022 FIFA pacity will require enhanced to pay the remaining cash, World Cup. support and logistical sys- QR4,800, to the victim. A large number of infra- tems, and trailers play a big structure projects are being part in this. So, operators can implemented in the country expect a boost to their busi- along with stadiums for the ness in the coming years,” he 2022 mega event. “These re- observed. quire the services of a large Major infrastructure Violations number of trailers and other projects, including roads, rail- heavy equipment. The op- ways and other works, are also erators look forward to doing expected to continue for some reported some serious business thanks time and this provides anoth- to these developments,” said a er big business opportunity logistics professional. for truck and trailer operators, n January, Al Rayyan Munici- Sources in the industry told according to the sources. “For pality conducted 740 regular Gulf Times that the demand instance, massive infrastruc- Ifood health inspection tours, for trailers would improve tural activities in the south- in addition to three sudden in- considerably over the next ern parts of Qatar are likely spections, where 104 violations two years as a signifi cant rise to further raise the demand reports were issued with 88 being is expected in the movement for trailers and trucks,” said Doha Municipality’s Municipal Services Department has beautified a yard near Omar Al Mukhtar street intersection with the University reconciled after paying the fi nes. of goods from the new port. one of them, adding that the Street. New potting soil was added and a new irrigation network installed for various plants. A small fountain has also been placed in During the same period, the The early operation of Ha- demand has been particularly one of the yard’s corners. inspectors destroyed 44 whole mad Port started on December high for used trailers. carcasses of sheep unfi t for hu- 24, 2015. Since then, the port Expressing optimism, a man consumption, sent 26 food has seen intensive activities, trailer operator said things samples to the central lab for paving the way for the gradual are looking positive for them HMC programme tests and conducted 132 fi eld in- shift of the current Doha Port in view of the projects be- spections to issue new commer- operations to it. ing undertaken across the helping nurses cial licences. Capacity at Hamad Port is country. hone skills CMUQ students A total 22 nurses from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) are driving positive change in their units through the ‘Leadership for Change’ programme. see opportunities QU-CMED faculty First created over 20 years ago by the International Council of Nurses, the programme was launched to help nurses gain the skills needed to take a greater role in the in GIS study attend workshop on leadership of healthcare services. Qatar is the sixth country in the region to implement tudents at Carnegie Mel- the Leadership for Change lon University in Qatar programme, which is run in more S(CMUQ) are learning test methodologies than 60 nations. about the emerging fi eld of Ge- “Nurse leaders are critical to health ographic Information Systems system improvements, as well (GIS), an area with enormous round 50 faculty and sen- Board of Medical Examiners lege over the period of the last as improvements in their work potential within Qatar. ior clinicians from vari- (NBME), a leading US academic few months,” said Dr Brownell places. The Leadership for Change GIS professionals visualise Aous health institutions organisation in service to the Anderson, NBME vice president programme has been an instrumental multiple elements of geographi- in Qatar and the Gulf region public and health professions. for international programmes. part of helping many nurses hone cal data concurrently. “It’s a way took part in workshop at Qatar “We are always working to The NBME was founded in their skills and become visionaries, of making sense of big data,” says University College of Medicine serve the community of Qa- 1915 in Philadelphia, US, with strategic thinkers, eff ective planners Chadi Aoun, associate teach- (QU-CMED). tar and ensure alignment of our the mission to protect the health and managers of change,” said Dr ing professor of information The participants were briefed curriculum with international of the public through state-of- Badriya al-Lenjawi, HMC’s executive systems. “For instance, imagine on the methodologies and tools standards,” QU vice president for the-art assessments worldwide, director, Nursing and national looking where clinics are located Chadi Aoun with some of the students taking the GIS course. to write test items and assess- Medical and Health Sciences and committed to research and de- coordinator, Leadership for Change. within Qatar, and then plotting ment of medical competencies CMED dean Dr Egon Toft said. velopment in evaluation and Launched in Qatar in 2013, out where the people are who the data, we realised there were for exactly this reason: “I be- using multiple choice questions. He noted that the continuing measurement. Leadership for Change is a need access to those clinics. GIS no streetlights. Adding a street- lieve GIS is something that The activity was part of a se- professional education work- The NBME develops and partnership between the World can inform policy on where clin- light is simple solution that can be in high demand. As data ries of meetings by the Interna- shop aims to improve the com- manages the US Medical Licens- Health Organisation’s Off ice ics should be located, closing could prevent future accidents.” becomes more public, it will tional Foundations of Medicine petency of faculty in construct- ing Examination. Carrying out for Eastern Mediterranean, the service gaps and increasing rates Last semester, the students unleash opportunities. A lot is (IFOM) and International Over- ing quality multiple questions its mission, the IFOM exami- International Council of Nurses, of early diagnosis.” visited the Center for GIS to see happening in GIS in Qatar—to- sight Committee (IOC) taskforce, for medical students. nations measure the student’s the Ministry of Public Health, Noor El-Sakka, a junior in the professional application of pography, zoning, street num- which ran from February 19 to 23. “This is the second time I have core knowledge expected in- HMC and the Primary Health information systems, studied what they were studying. Qatar bers—but I want students to Described as fi rst-of-their- come to the college, and I am ternationally at critical points Care Corporation (PHCC). GIS in the new course off ered created the facility in 1992 with also explore thematic aspects kind in the GCC, the meetings glad to have the opportunity to in their undergraduate medical This is the third year the programme in the fall of 2016: “GIS is a tool the goal of implementing a high that can have a potentially were organised by the National observe the progress of the col- education. has been off ered in Qatar and signals that helps you to fi nd the prob- resolution digital topographic high impact on quality of life, the first time non-Qatari nationals lem, and once you can visual- database. It provides a consist- such as health, education, and have been invited to participate. ise the problem, you can make ent framework for a wide range transport.” During the first two years, the recommendations of ways to of GIS users, including more As part of her studies, al- programme was exclusively off ered solve it.” than 60 government and semi- Hor and her team looked into to Qatari nationals, this year eight To illustrate the impact of government agencies in Qatar. infrastructure needs during the of the 31 participants are long-term GIS, information systems sen- “I was amazed to see that the World Cup 2022. “We wanted residents. ior Farjana Salahuddin de- Center for GIS uses the same to capture the city and make “We have participants from HMC, scribed an investigation she did software tools we learned to use suggestions about what Doha PHCC, Qatar Petroleum, Sidra and into accident rates in one US in class,” said Roda al-Hor, a will need for the event. For in- Aspetar. The year-long programme county. “We looked at accidents senior in information systems. stance, we plotted out where uses a tested methodology based and then plotted out factors “It’s a good tool to have as we people would be, and how far on action learning and prepares like speed zones, pedestrian enter the workplace. GIS skills injured or ill people would have nurses for full participation crossings, weather and light- are not something employers to travel to reach a hospital. in health planning, policy and ing. We saw that one area had are expecting, so it makes us Where there are no hospitals management,” added Dr al- a high number of accidents at valuable as new employees.” nearby, we suggested tempo- NBME test development director Amy Morales speaks to participants at the workshop. Lenjawi. night, and when we looked at Aoun created the GIS course rary emergency clinics.”

Gulf Times 4 Saturday, February 25, 2017 QATAR Picasso-Giacometti expo off ers workshops, interactive events

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

tudents and teachers in Qa- tar will have the opportu- Snity to take part in a series of workshops and educational programmes organised by Qa- tar Museums (QM) as part of the ‘Picasso-Giacometti’ exhibition, dedicated to two of the most im- portant artists of the 20th cen- tury. In a statement, QM Fire Station Artists in Residence Programme director Khalifa bin Ahmed al- Obaidly said such interactive pro- grammes aim to engage and inspire school and university students and members of the community who visit the Fire Station in the next few months. Some of the activities include training for teachers in a three- Giacometti’s Annette (Circa 1952) and other sculptures. Pablo Picasso’s The Death of Casagemas (Paris, Summer of 1901). hour long session, which will en- able them to conduct self-guided Picasso (1881-1973) and Alberto lifa al-Thani, the Musee national tours of the exhibition for students; Giacometti (1901-1966) show has Picasso-Paris and the Fondation and run workshops and equip been attracting a large number Giacometti, showcases the two teachers with materials to have of residents and visitors since its artists’ early sculptures, paint- post-visit discussions with stu- opening on February 22 at the Fire ings, sketches on newspapers and dents. Station’s Garage Gallery. other materials, photographs, In addition, all schools will be in- A fi rst-of-its-kind in the Mid- and interviews with the artists, vited to the exhibition and hands- dle East, the exhibition presents among others. on workshops at the Fire Station a unique collection of more than The ‘Picasso-Giacometti’ ex- Education Studio, where students 120 masterpieces that provides hibition, organised by the Fonda- can create their own art based on artists, art students, and the pub- tion Giacometti and curated by the artworks from the show. lic a broader view of the artists’ its director, Catherine Grenier, Besides the guided tours and art characters and personality. “The was previously on show in Paris workshops with QM educators for exhibition refl ects an important earlier this year at the Musee na- families, the exhibition will also in- era in the history of art and show- tional Picasso-Paris. It will con- clude four replicas of Giacometti’s cases the work of two artists, clude on May 21. works for visually impaired visitors whose innovations have inspired “Both Picasso and Giacometti to interact with and enjoy – a fi rst so many worldwide,” al-Obaidly were born sons of artists and were for QM. noted in his preface on a self- exceptionally gifted at drawing at “This is an open invitation to all guided handbook for visitors. an early age,” Grenier said. “Both Qatar Museums organised a panel talk to coincide with the recent opening of the Picasso-Giacometti exhibition. The opening lecture had both art lovers to embark on a journey The show, a collaboration be- shared a fascination with the link Catherine Grenier, curator and director of the Fondation Giacometti; and Laurent Le Bon, director at the Musee national Picasso-Paris discuss the of artistic and spiritual inspira- tween QM, under the patronage between the living and the dead exhibition, its concept, development and curation. The exhibition brings together more than 120 works drawn from the notable collections of the tion in this art space,” the senior of its chairperson, HE Sheikha and the limits of representation in Musee national Picasso-Paris and the Fondation Giacometti in Paris, as well as exceptional loans from French and other international collections, QM offi cial stressed. The Pablo Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Kha- art.” covering paintings, sculptures, sketches, photographs and interviews with the artists. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 5 REGION Desert life Saudi king woos investments with Asia tour

Reuters signed 15 preliminary agree- Riyadh ments with China — ranging from house-building in Saudi Arabia to water projects and oil audi Arabia’s King Sal- storage — during a visit by the man starts a month-long king’s powerful son, Deputy SAsian tour tomorrow Crown Prince Mohamed bin to build ties with the world’s Salman, who is spearheading fastest growing importers of the economic reform plan. Saudi oil and promote invest- It has also agreed to invest ment opportunities, including up to $45bn in a new technolo- the sale of a stake in its giant gy fund with Japan’s SoftBank state fi rm Saudi Aramco. Group. The octogenarian monarch, While it pushes ahead with An Emirati man sits holding his camels in the Hameem desert, some 170 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi yesterday. who has overseen the launch its diversifi cation eff orts, Saudi of an ambitious economic re- Arabia is at the same time seek- form plan since his accession ing to cement its position as the two years ago, is expected to world’s biggest oil exporter and visit Malaysia, Indonesia, Ja- establish itself as the dominant pan and China. oil supplier to Asia’s emerg- In a sign of the importance ing markets. In China, which is which the kingdom places on challenging the United States as strengthening economic ties the world’s biggest oil consum- with Asia, Indonesian offi cials er, Saudi has just been pipped by say Salman will be accompa- Russia as the top supplier. Iran govt complies with nied by a 1,500-strong entou- Saudi Arabia has yet to an- rage including 10 ministers. nounce Salman’s trip, but of- Energy Minister Khalid al- fi cials in Malaysia say he will Falih and Aramco executives start his tour there tomorrow, will travel with him, sources accompanied by his son Prince told Reuters, on the king’s fi rst Mohamed. trip outside the Middle East The king, who is thought to N-deal: UN watchdog and North Africa since he vis- be 81, will travel to Jakarta and ited the United States in 2015. Bali in Indonesia from March AFP of low-enriched uranium, mate- atomic watchdog noted that Iran matically scaled back nuclear ing the core of the Arak reac- Saudi offi cials are keen to 1-9, and Japan from March 12 to Vienna rial which can be used for peace- had crept above the 130-tonne activities in order to put atomic tor which could have given Iran court Asian investors for the 14, offi cials in those countries ful purposes but when further limit set by the deal. weapons out of its reach — an weapons-grade plutonium. sale of a 5% stake in Aramco in told Reuters.Indonesian Cabi- processed for a nuclear weapon, But since then, Tehran has aim Tehran always denied hav- But the deal, endorsed by the 2018, which is expected to be net Secretary Pramono Anung ran is complying with a land- has not risen about the agreed shipped out the excessive ing — in exchange for the relief European Union, has been on the world’s biggest IPO, and said the government hopes the mark atomic deal signed with level of 300 kilos. amount and the latest report of crippling sanctions. shaky ground since the recent have solicited fi nancial ad- visit will bring Saudi invest- Imajor world powers in 2015, The level of so-called heavy showed that its current stock The agreement extends to at inauguration of US President vice from banks with links to ments of up to $25bn. according to a report from the water has not exceeded the per- was just above 124 tonnes. least a year the length of time Donald Trump who called it the China. Salman is also expected to UN nuclear watchdog seen by mitted level of 130 tonnes, as it The report also noted that Tehran would need to make one “worst deal ever negotiated” and Asian banks and companies go to China, although neither AFP yesterday. did briefl y during previous re- “Iran has not conducted any nuclear bomb’s worth of fi ssile has threatened to dismantle it. are also expected to play major Saudi nor Chinese offi cials The International Atomic porting periods. uranium enrichment or related material — up from a few months Tensions between Iran and roles in the kingdom’s plans have confi rmed the visit, before Energy Agency’s report showed Heavy water, a modifi ed form research and development activ- before the accord. Washington soared further after to develop non-oil industries spending the last two weeks of that Iran “has not pursued the of normal water, is used in cer- ities” at its Fordo nuclear plant. Steps taken by Iran included the Islamic republic carried out a and expand its international March on holiday in the Mal- construction of the existing tain types of nuclear reactors. Verifi cation by the IAEA has slashing by two-thirds its ura- missile test on January 29. investments, all part of the dives, according to a Maldives heavy water research reactor” Plutonium for use in nuclear continued as agreed, according nium centrifuges, cutting its The White House responded crude exporting giant’s at- diplomat. and has “not enriched uranium” weapons can be extracted from to the fi fth quarterly assessment stockpile of uranium — several by slapping fresh sanctions on tempts to reduce dependence Local newspaper Mihaaru above the 3.67 percent-limit im- fuel rods used in heavy water since the pact was struck in July tonnes before the deal, enough Tehran’s weapons procurement on oil revenues. reported that three resorts have posed on Tehran. Iran’s stockpile reactors. In November 2016, the 2015. Under the accord, Iran dra- for several bombs — and remov- network. The kingdom in August been reserved for his stay. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, February 25, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Russia vows to veto sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons

Reuters damental principle of presumption the resolution if it was put to a vote. are. It is ridiculous.” The draft resolu- Wilson said yesterday it would be put used mustard gas, according to reports United Nations of innocence before the investigation Russia is the largest international tion seeks to blacklist 11 Syrian military to a vote as soon as possible. seen by Reuters last year. is over,” Vladimir Safronkov, Russia’s backer of the Syrian government of commanders and offi cials and 10 gov- Earlier, the head of the French mis- Assad’s government has denied its deputy UN ambassador, said after a Bashar al-Assad. ernment and related entities involved sion to the UN said the credibility of forces have used chemical weapons. ussia is ready to veto a draft Security Council meeting to discuss “How much longer is Russia going to in the development and production of the Security Council was at stake over The discussions coincide with talks resolution calling for sanctions the text. continue to babysit and make excuses chemical weapons. the issue. between representatives of Assad’s Ragainst Syria over the use of There is “tremendous pressure” on for the Syrian regime?” US ambassa- It calls for an asset freeze and travel “What is at stake here frankly is the government and his opponents with chemical weapons on civilians, a top the UN-Organisation for the Prohibi- dor to the UN Nikki Haley said later. ban for the individuals and entities credibility of the Security Council,” he UN mediator Staff an de Mistura which Russian diplomat to the United Na- tion of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) She told reporters that after an across all UN member states. told reporters. started on Thursday in Geneva. tions said yesterday, prompting a re- joint inquiry into the use of chemical “overwhelming” vote to investigate On Thursday, two diplomats told The UN-OPCW inquiry found that The nearly six-year-long confl ict in buke from the United States. weapons in Syria to produce a one- whether Syria was using chemical Reuters the resolution could be put up Syrian government forces were re- Syria has killed at least 300,000 peo- “There is an argument that the sided result, he told reporters. weapons, “the results have come out for a vote as early as next week. sponsible for three chlorine gas attacks ple and displaced millions, according resolution itself contradicts the fun- “We will veto it,” Safronkov said of and people don’t like what the results UK ambassador to the UN Peter and that Islamic State militants had to groups that monitor the war.

Palestinians, Israel troops Suicide bomber kills 51 clash in West Bank’s near town taken from IS Hebron AFP The town was also seen as AFP Al-Bab, Syria a prize by Syrian President Hebron Bashar al-Assad’s forces, who had advanced to just 1.5 kilo- suicide bomber at- metres from its outskirts in re- undreds of Palestinian tacked Turkish-backed cent weeks. protesters clashed with Arebels outside the Syrian The battle against IS around HIsraeli soldiers yesterday town of Al-Bab yesterday, kill- Al-Bab is just one front line in in the powderkeg West Bank city ing 51 people in a major blow Aleppo province. of Hebron on the anniversary of just hours after they hailed its West of the second city, a 1994 massacre carried out by a capture from the Islamic State which government forces took far-right Jewish settler. group. full control of in December, Soldiers fi red tear gas and The bomber blew up a vehicle fighting flared with rebels in sound grenades to disperse the packed with explosives outside its western suburbs even as crowd as cannons doused them a rebel command centre in the peace talks got under way in with stinking water, an AFP cor- village of Susian, eight kilome- Geneva. respondent said. tres northeast of Al-Bab, the Exchanges of rocket and ar- There was no report of inju- Syrian Observatory for Human tillery fire first broke out on ries. Rights said. Wednesday, centred on the Jewish settlers, of whom 500 The Islamic State group rebel-held district of Rash- are entrenched in the centre of claimed responsibility the sui- ideen, the Observatory said. the city of around 200,000 Pal- cide attack. The government responded estinians, hurled stones at the In a statement distributed with intensive air strikes on protesters who also pelted sol- online, the group said its suicide Thursday that killed at least 32 diers with stones. bomber “drove his car bomb rebel fighters. Settler Baruch Goldstein on into the middle of a gathering of A fragile ceasefire between February 25, 1994 mowed down Turkish soldiers and apostates government forces and other 29 Palestinians inside Hebron’s working in Susian.” rebels has been in force since Cave of the Patriarchs, before The blast devastated the twin late December, brokered by being lynched. command posts and also seri- regime ally Russia and rebel Also yesterday, dozens of ously wounded a large number backer Turkey. Palestinians staged a protest in of fi ghters, the Britain-based It has led to a sharp reduc- Hebron against US President monitoring group said. tion in fighting in many areas. Donald Trump who has voiced It said the majority of those But parts of the country strong support of Israel, pelt- killed were civilians. An image grab taken from an AFP video shows the aftermath of a suicide bomb attack targeting Turkish-backed fighters just outside the Syrian which are held by IS or its ing a huge portrait of America’s Field commander Abu Jaafar border town of Al-Bab yesterday. militant rival, former Al Qaeda leader with shoes. of the Mutasem Brigades said affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, “This is a Palestinian product. rebel fi ghters, Turkish soldiers, Abu Jaafar, who was near Su- kilometres south of the Turkish blown open by bomb blasts, to take Al-Bab last year. are not covered by the truce. He will get it in his face, him and and civilians from Al-Bab had sian at the time of the attack, border, was the militants’ last and boxes of food and medicine It has proved the bloodiest The talks in Geneva be- everybody supporting him,” said called a meeting in Susian “to said hospitals in the area were stronghold in the northern Syr- were scattered on the ground. battle of Ankara’s campaign tween government and opposi- activist Issa Amro. organise a security apparatus full of wounded. ian province of Aleppo. In the town’s south, rescu- accounting for most of the 71 tion representatives formally “Today we are here to send the and set a plan for rebuilding Al- Separately, two Turkish sol- An AFP correspondent inside ers and bulldozers were pulling Turkish losses so far. opened on Thursday. message to the Trump adminis- Bab”. diers were killed in a suicide at- Al-Bab said stray cats were out bodies from under the rub- Yesterday, the Turkish army They are the fourth round tration that we exist, we deserve “This information reached tack in Al-Bab yesterday as they on the bombed-out streets yes- ble, careful not to detonate any said in a statement that “con- of UN-brokered negotiations, full rights as everybody in the the (IS) sleeper cells, which pre- were carrying out road checks, terday, sniffi ng at the bodies of mines left behind by IS. trol of all neighbourhoods in aimed at ending a confl ict that world. pared a car bomb” that deto- Prime Minister Binali Yildirim alleged IS fi ghters. Turkey sent troops into Syria Al-Bab have been secured” by has dragged on for nearly six We disrespect this president nated at Susian around 0800am said. Doors of shops in the town’s last August. With its support, opposition fighters supported years and claimed more than who does not see us as equal hu- (0600 GMT), he said. The strategic town, just 25 main marketplace had been the rebels launched an off ensive by Ankara. 310,000 lives. man beings with everyone.”

UNREST Yemen fighting and suicide Jordanians protest bomb kill 48 Iraqi forces punch into western A suicide bomber killed eight against price hikes people at a Yemeni army base Mosul, launch air strikes in Syria yesterday as clashes between pro-government forces and Houthi AFP and venting anger at the price rebels left 35 dead and five civilians Amman rises.“The people of Jordan are Reuters After crossing the frontline, died in shelling. The bomber blew on fi re, all because of the rise South of Mosul, Iraq soldiers unwrapped the blood- up his vehicle at the entrance to in prices,” some chanted, AFP soaked bandages around his leg Najda Camp in Abyan province’s undreds of Jordanians correspondents said. and poured iodine on the bullet capital Zinjibar, just 55 kilometres protested yesterday “The government that rais- S-backed Iraqi forces wound. from second city Aden where the Hacross the kingdom es prices must fall, the gov- pushed into western In another incident, a Reuters government is based. The attacker against the government’s de- ernment that impoverishes UMosul yesterday after correspondent saw a dozen ci- failed to get through the gate and cision to impose new taxes on people must go,” was another retaking the city’s airport from vilians fl eeing towards Iraqi se- heavy exchanges of fire ensued as a string of goods and services, rallying cry, as demonstrators Islamic State, as aid agen- curity forces from the outskirts other assailants tried to penetrate it. calling on the cabinet to re- held up signs that read: “Rais- cies warned the most danger- of Mamoun. The explosives were concealed in sign. ing prices is playing with fi re.” ous phase of the off ensive was Defeat in Mosul would likely the back of a pick-up truck under a The government earlier this Similar protests were also about to begin for hundreds of deal a hammer blow to Islamic pile of firewood, the sources said. month imposed new sales tax- staged in the northwestern thousands of civilians. State’s self-styled caliphate in Al Qaeda, which has taken advan- es on Internet and mobile use, city of Salt, as well as in the Troops disarmed booby traps areas it seized in 2014. tage of nearly two years of fighting bread, domestic fuel and pet- regions of Karak and Madaba, planted by retreating militant But the group still controls between loyalists and rebels who rol, cigarettes and fi zzy drinks. south of the capital. fi ghters in the airport, which swathes of territory in neigh- control Sanaa to entrench their Around 1,500 Jordanians The price rises come as the army plans to use as a base bouring Syria and patches in presence in swathes of the south, took to the streets of down- Jordan faces a public debt of from which to drive Islamic northern and western Iraq from claimed responsibility for the at- town Amman after week- about $35bn and after Am- State from Mosul’s western dis- where it could fi ght a guerrilla- tack, the SITE Intelligence Group ly prayers at the Husseini man struck a deal with the tricts and deal a decisive blow to style insurgency in Iraq, and reported. Mosque in a protest organised International Monetary Fund the group. Iraqis react after Iraqi troops entered Mosul’s southern neighbourhood of plot attacks on the West. by the opposition Muslim to secure a $723mn three-year As they did, Iraqi fi ghter Jawasaq yesterday. Iraqi air strikes yesterday tar- Brotherhood. credit line. jets dropped bombs on Islamic geted Islamic State sites in Syr- NEGOTIATION The demonstrators marched The loan, the IMF said in State positions inside Syria gerous phase of the battle was Sami al-Aridi, a senior com- ia, including a factory for mak- Saudi minister from the mosque to the seat August, is aimed at supporting yesterday. It was the fi rst time about to begin for the 750,000 mander, told Reuters. ing car bombs, said a colonel in of the nearby municipality Jordan’s to push through with the Iraqi government publicly civilians believed to be trapped Separately, federal police and Iraq’s military intelligence. in talks with Iran chanting slogans demanding an economic and fi nancial re- acknowledged striking militant inside Mosul. an elite Interior Ministry unit “We gave orders to the air team over Haj the ouster of the government form programme. targets inside Syria. “There is a real danger that known as Rapid Response ad- force command to strike Islamic The new off ensive comes af- the battle will be raging around vanced into the Hawi al-Josaq State positions in Hosaiba and A Saudi minister held talks with ter government forces and their them for weeks and possibly and al-Danadan districts after Albu Kamal inside Syrian ter- an Iranian delegation about the TENSION allies fi nished clearing Islamic months to come,” said acting breaching a berm and a trench ritory as they were responsible possibility of Iranian pilgrims Copts flee Sinai after militant attacks State from eastern Mosul last country director Jason Kajer. set up by Islamic State north of for recent bombings in Bagh- rejoining the annual Haj, state month, confi ning the insur- The United Nations has the airport, a spokesman said. dad,” Prime Minister Haider al- media reported late Thursday. Dozens of Coptic Christians have left Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula after a gents to the western sector of warned up to 400,000 civilians Early raids in the city’s west Abadi said in a statement. The kingdom’s minister in charge string of militant attacks killed three Christians in the restive province, the city, which is bisected by could be displaced by the new have so far been restricted to A source close to Syria’s for- of pilgrimages, Mohamed Bentin, church off icials said. On Thursday, suspected Islamic State militants the Tigris river. off ensive amid food and fuel thinly-populated areas. eign ministry said the raid had discussed with the Iranians killed a member of the minority in the North Sinai city of El-Arish Commanders expect the bat- shortages. The government encouraged been carried out in “complete “arrangements concerning par- and set his house on fire. About 250 Christians took refuge in the tle in western Mosul to be more Iraqi forces launched attacks civilians to stay in their homes, co-ordination” with the Da- ticipation of the Iranian faithful in Evangelical Church in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya, said church diffi cult, in part because tanks on several fronts. but some were caught in the mascus government. this year’s Haj,” the official Saudi deacon and administrator Nabil Shukrallah.“They’ve come running and armoured vehicles cannot Counter-terrorism forces crossfi re. On the ground in Mosul, Press Agency said. with their children. It’s a very diff icult situation. We’re expecting 50 or pass through the narrow al- clashed with Islamic State in- Jamal Abdelnasser, 14, was Western advisors are increas- It did not give more details but 60 more,” he said.Other church off icials said they have also received leyways that crisscross ancient side the southwestern district shot in the leg by Islamic State ingly present close to the front- said the meeting took place on Copts fleeing the peninsula. Families sat in the Evangelical Church’s districts there. of Al-Mamoun and took full when the militants stormed his line, helping co-ordinate air Thursday in the Red Sea city of courtyard amid bags filled with their belongings and blankets, some The International Rescue control of the Ghozlani military home to take up sniper posi- strikes and advising Iraqi forces Jeddah. of them still terrified of the danger they escaped. Committee said the most dan- base yesterday, Major General tions. as the battle unfolds. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 7 AFRICA One-third of needed aid pledged for Lake Chad region

DPA/Reuters/AFP development aid budget. ner was for this year, Brende told “They are the fi rst responders tory they controlled in 2014, their Stockholm/Oslo Of the more than 10.7mn peo- delegates. ... if we don’t step up they will all attacks and the counter opera- ple aff ected, almost a quarter Sigmar Gabriel, foreign minis- face a life of hunger and famine in tions by Nigerian authorities still have been forced to fl ee their ter of Germany, said his country some areas of northern Nigeria,” disrupt vital economic activity, onors have pledged “a homes due to confl ict or food was contributing €120mn in the OCHA head O’Brien said. offi cials say. third” of the $1.5bn that shortages. coming three years. Ministers from Chad, Cam- The most urgent need is to Dthe UN estimated was Attacks are blamed on the “We must not look away, must eroon and Niger also underlined reach 2.8mn people with rice or needed this year to alleviate the Islamist militant group Boko not turn a blind eye to the suff er- the funding urgency, and their sorghum, or cash to buy supplies, crisis in northeastern Nigeria as Haram, which for years has ter- ing in the Lake Chad region,” he commitment to take on Boko by July, the UN World Food Pro- well as neighbouring Chad, Niger rorised northeastern Nigeria and said. Haram. gramme (WFP) said. and Cameroon. attacked its neighbours, disrupt- The donor host countries said The presence of Boko Haram “We are in the lean season and The pledge of $457mn for 2017 ing trade and local economies, they had agreed to continue to militants has prevented farmers people’s supplies are depleted. was part of $672mn pledged over and targeting schools and health ensure the pledges were acted on. from planting crops or accessing We need to avoid a famine,” Ab- the three coming years, Nor- clinics. Nigerian Foreign Minister Ge- Lake Chad to provide water for dou Dieng, the WFP’s country wegian Foreign Minister Borge More than 7mn people are off rey Onyeama said the crisis their animals. director for West and Central Af- Brende told a news conference. struggling with food insecurity, was “one of the largest and grav- Fishermen have also been pre- rica, told Reuters. Norway hosted the one-day O’Brien: in one morning we have raised a third of (the amount the UN and over a half million children est in the world” and that his vented from accessing the lake Christos Stylianides, EU com- meeting along with Nigeria, estimates is needed). are severely malnourished. government had allocated $1bn which is shared between Cam- missioner for humanitarian Germany and the UN emergency “Boko Haram’s terror has to assist millions living in areas eroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad, aid management, said the bloc agency OCHA on the crisis en- (OCHA) estimated that $1.5bn Others, including the United caused a displacement crisis. aff ected by Boko Haram’s vio- aid experts say. planned to allocate €105mn to gulfi ng the Lake Chad region. was needed this year for the four States, were to announce their Now it has become a severe food lence. Boko Haram militants have the crisis this year. In addition to raising funds, countries, where almost 11mn contributions later but “hu- and nutrition crisis,” Brende told Fatima Shehu, of the Nigerian killed around 15,000 people and In addition to the foreign min- another aim was to highlight people are aff ected, and O’Brien manitarian organisations and the delegates in the Norwegian capi- civil society coalition NESCOB in forced more than 2mn from their isters of the three host countries, the “truly massive” crisis, said noted that “in one morning we UN could get a lot done now at an tal, Oslo. the northeastern state of Borno, homes during a seven-year in- ministers from the aff ected re- OCHA head Stephen O’Brien. have raised a third of that”. early stage”. Norway pledged 1.6bn kroner reminded delegates that the host surgency. gion, and representatives of UN The UN’s Offi ce for the Co-or- Brende said 14 countries made The new US administration ($192mn) for the coming three- communities “are the largest do- Despite having been pushed agencies, the African Union as dination of Humanitarian Aff airs pledges. has said that it intends to slash its year period, of which 729mn kro- nors”. out of the vast swathes of terri- well as donor countries attended.

Moves to allow land to S African police break up be seized without anti-immigrant protests payment AFP/DPA/Reuters Pretoria

Reuters Johannesburg outh African police fi red rubber bullets, tear gas and Sstun grenades to break up outh Africa will amend its clashes between local protest- laws to allow expropria- ers and immigrants in Pretoria Stion of land without com- yesterday at a march against for- pensation for owners as it tries eigners. to speed up the redistribution of Shops and homes owned by land to its black majority, Presi- migrants have been looted and dent Jacob Zuma said yesterday. torched over the last two weeks, Expropriation without com- with some South Africans al- pensation would mark a radical leging that the properties were policy departure for Zuma’s rul- brothels and drug dens. ing African National Congress Attacks against foreigners in (ANC), shifting from a willing the country have erupted regu- A man holds his South African identity document after he was set buyer-willing seller approach to larly in recent years, fuelled by upon by a mob in Pretoria. more radical alternatives. high unemployment and dire Most of South Africa’s land poverty. commit such crimes and work alone so we can sort them out,” remains in white hands. Armed police had formed a with government to have them he said, pointing at a group of “We need to take bold steps barrier between rival crowds arrested, without stereotyping foreign shop owners. that will transform our economy, of citizens and non-nationals and causing harm to innocent Police said at least 136 people including land ownership, very marching in Pretoria, but both people,” the statement said. had been arrested over the last fast,” Zuma said in a speech out- sides began shouting at one an- The Nelson Mandela Foun- 24 hours in relation to the march. lining agricultural policy. “We other and brandishing rocks and dation criticised “the growing The Nigerian government are busy amending (laws) to en- sticks, prompting police to dis- A South African off icer aims to behaviour of ‘othering’ among this week called for the African able faster land reform, includ- perse the angry mobs. fire rubber bullets to disperse Africans”, adding that the coun- Union to step in to stop “xeno- ing land expropriation without Shops were shuttered in Ma- Somali and foreign nationals try’s late fi rst democratic presi- phobic attacks” on its citizens in compensation as provided for in rabastad, an area of western clashing with South African dent had fi rmly condemned South Africa, claiming 20 Nige- the constitution.” Pretoria where many foreign nationals during the protest xenophobia. rians were killed last year. Zuma referred a bill allowing nationals have their stores, march against illegal In the last week, more than South African authorities dis- state expropriation of land back and roads were blocked as the immigrants yesterday. 20 shops have been targeted in miss such numbers, saying many to parliament last week because marchers gathered. Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria, violent deaths in the country are lawmakers failed to facilitate ad- Some of the foreigners car- Left: South Africans who took while residents in Rosettenville, due to criminal activity rather equate public participation. ried rocks and sticks, saying part in the protest march are south of Johannesburg, attacked than anti-immigrant sentiment. That bill enabled the state to they were ready to protect their rounded up by police. at least 12 houses. In 2008, South Africa expe- acquire land without the owners’ stores. “We have decided to not leave rienced its worst bout of xeno- consent by paying an amount One Somali shopowner, 37, “Residents in some commu- the house (during the march),” phobic violence, which left 62 determined by the offi ce of the said he feared for his life. nities blame non-nationals for Alain Bome, a 47-year-old from people dead. Valuer-General. “My shops get looted a few the escalating crimes especially the Democratic Republic of the In 2015, at least seven people Analysts say the ruling party’s times a year,” he said. drug traffi cking,” the presidency Congo who has been in South died in similar unrest in Johan- new, more hardline approach is “We support the police,” said in a statement yesterday. Africa for 14 years, told AFP. nesburg and the Indian Ocean in response to calls for the sei- South African marcher Aysha Zuma called for South Af- “We know very well there have city of Durban as African im- zure of white-owned land by the Ali, 25, told AFP. “Nigerians are looking for peace. People say we demonstrators who wielded ricans not to use migrants as been attacks. We are scared.” migrants were hunted down and opposition Economic Freedom very bad, they are bringing drugs foreigners are here to sell drugs? rocks and machetes. a scapegoat for the country’s A 34-year old South African, attacked by gangs. Fighters party. into our community. I support They can search our shops.” President Jacob Zuma con- widespread crime, but said the who declined to be named, said Finance Minister Pravin It is also a way to shore up the protest.” Some offi cers shot rubber demned the latest wave of xeno- government would crack down a Zimbabwean took his job at a Gordhan said this week that 35% support in the ANC’s rural polit- As police struggled to impose rounds at close range at protest- phobic unrest, saying that there on drug-dealing and illegal im- manufacturing plant because he of the labour force was unem- ical base ahead of internal party control, Mohammed Abdi, 31, ers lying on the ground, and po- had been “destruction of prop- migrants. was willing to work for less. ployed or has given up looking elections in December. from Somalia, told AFP: “We are lice used water cannon against erty directed at non-nationals”. “Let us isolate those who “The police must leave us for work.

Seven soldiers slain in Nigeria attack

At least seven soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram attack on military positions in northeast Nigeria, a civilian vigilante and a security source Boko Haram leader kills spokesman over ‘plot’ said yesterday. The attack happened in the town of Gajiram, about 80km by road north of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, on Wednesday afternoon. AFP The tape appears to have been He also renewed calls for the geria, is on the brink of defeat as A military source in Maiduguri and a civilian vigilante, Babakura Kolo, Kano meant for circulation only within release of Boko Haram members a result of its counter-insurgency both told AFP on Thursday that the fighting lasted for about two hours the armed Islamist movement. in custody. operations since early 2015. and that three soldiers were killed. Shekau’s claim appears to lend In the December audio record- Sporadic attacks and suicide But Kolo said yesterday that the toll was had risen and that it was “now he leader of Boko Haram’s weight to reports of infi ght- ing, Shekau accused Abu Zinnira bombings persist but analysts seven, including one lieutenant, and six rank and file. Yesterday, three main faction, Abubakar ing within Boko Haram, whose of plotting with another senior tracking the confl ict have been bodies of soldiers were found but four more bodies were found during TShekau, has admitted insurgency has killed at least commander called Baba Ammar intrigued by the apparent split Shekau is seen in this file picture a search”. killing the group’s purported 20,000 in northeast Nigeria since to take over leadership of the in the group and how it may de- taken from a Boko Haram video. The security source said three militants were also killed and troops spokesman over an apparent plot 2009 and left 2.6mn homeless. group. velop. were combing the area to find other rebel fighters. to oust him, he said in an audio Shekau has been the most He accused them of send- Last August, the Islamic State and his indiscriminate killings of AFP contacted the military for comment but there was no immediate recording obtained by AFP. visible face of Boko Haram over ing fi ghters to carry out raids group, to which Shekau pledged his lieutenants for the split. response. In the 50-minute tape of a the years, claiming attacks and without his consent, spreading allegiance in March 2015, an- Ideologically, Barnawi’s fac- Fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Barnawi were suspected of carrying out meeting with the inner circle launching rambling, often barely rumours among his lieutenants nounced that Abu Musab Al- tion has opposed Shekau’s indis- the attack, said Kolo. of his militant Islamist group, coherent tirades against the gov- that he intended to kill them and Barnawi was now Boko Haram’s criminate targeting of civilians, The Islamic State group, to which Boko Haram is aff iliated, announced Shekau said he killed “Tasiu” – ernment in a series of videos. portraying him as unfi t to lead. leader. vowing instead to hit “hard” that Barnawi was leader last year. also known as Abu Zinnira – who But Abu Zinnira has acted on Abu Zinnira and “other ele- Barnawi’s father, Mohammed targets such as the military and He split from the faction following long-time Boko Haram leader appeared in several video mes- occasion as de facto spokesman ments” had tried to make him Yusuf, founded Boko Haram in police. Abubakar Shekau in opposition at his indiscriminate attacks on civilians. sages. and appeared in video record- out to the rank and fi le as being 2002. Shekau in the recording de- Barnawi has instead vowed to hit only “hard” targets such as the “You should hear me: I killed ings, including those about the “not on the right track”, Shekau He was killed in police custody nounced his detractors as divi- military and police. Tasiu, hear me well,” he told the more than 200 schoolgirls kid- added. in 2009, after which Shekau – his sive infl uences. His group is believed to operate in northern Borno state, towards Lake gathering in Hausa, which is napped from the town of Chibok “Tell me, what is the punish- deputy – took over. “Devil’s advocates are at work, Chad and the border with Niger. widely spoken across northeast in April 2014. ment ... for the people that plot Shekau has rejected the change trying to instil doubt in the According to the security source, the insurgents went door to door Nigeria. He was always shown in mili- against their leader?” he asked. in leadership and maintained he minds of our fi ghters after realis- collecting recently distributed food aid for residents. Shekau states the date of the tary camoufl age, wearing a tur- “By our code of allegiance we was still in charge – a position he ing we are gathering momentum Kolo said vigilantes had been told by arrested Boko Haram suspects meeting – December 18 – and ban and with his face covered. don’t hesitate to pass appropri- reiterated at the December meet- for real jihad,” he said. “They try that they sourced most of their food from Gajiram and Monguno, a said that it had been called to dis- In one video released in August ate sanction on any one of us that ing. to confuse whoever they see get- garrison town 60km away. cuss “those elements grumbling last year, Abu Zinnira warned commit an off ence.” Followers of the two factions ting close to me and distance him Nigeria’s government wants the hundreds of thousands of displaced over the killing of Tasiu”. that the remaining girls still be- Nigeria’s military claims that have reportedly clashed while from me, they are going about people staying in camps and host communities to return to their homes AFP received a copy of the re- ing held would die if troops at- Boko Haram, which in 2014 held Barnawi has blamed Shekau’s dampening the spirit of our as soon as the military makes areas safe again. cording earlier this month. tempted to rescue them. territory across northeast Ni- high-handed leadership style fi ghters.” Gulf Times 8 Saturday, February 25, 2017 AMERICAS

Move to remove Clintons’ name from Trump pledges huge Little Rock airport

Reuters the US House of Representa- Little Rock, Arkansas tives, which accused him of obstructing justice by lying under oath about a sexual re- military build-up he largest and busi- lationship with a White House est airport in Arkan- intern, Monica Lewinsky. Reuters/AFP tries became embroiled in the Tsas would no longer be He was acquitted in a Senate National Harbour, courts and he had to fi re his na- named after the only president trial the following year. Maryland/Washington tional security adviser, Michael and fi rst lady from the state if a Hillary Clinton served as Flynn, for lying about Russian bill introduced in the legisla- attorney to the city’s airport contacts before Trump took of- ture on Thursday succeeds. commission during her hus- resident Donald Trump has fi ce. The legislation would pro- band’s tenure as governor of said that he would make With the federal budget still hibit public buildings or civil Arkansas. Pa massive budget request running a defi cit, Trump will works from being named for At the conclusion of her for one of the “greatest mili- have to square his request for a anyone living or who served husband’s presidency she won tary build-ups in American his- military build-up with his plans in public offi ce in the 10 years a Senate seat in New York. tory” in a feisty, campaign-style to cut taxes for most Americans prior to the structure’s com- She was appointed secretary speech extolling robust national- and for corporations. pletion. of state by President Barack ism to eager conservative activ- During his speech, he com- The bill makes no mention Obama, who defeated her for ists. plained about spending caps that of former president Bill Clin- the 2008 Democratic presi- Trump used remarks to the were put in place on the defence ton or former secretary of state dential nomination. Conservative Political Action budget dating back to 2011. Hillary Clinton, for whom the Clinton won the nomination Conference (CPAC), an organi- Trump also heaped criticism Little Rock airport was re- last year but was defeated by sation that gave him one of his on what he called purveyors of named four years ago – as Bill President Donald Trump. fi rst platforms in his improbable “fake news”, seeking to clarify and Hillary Clinton National Rapert, whose Senate dis- journey to the US presidency, to a recent tweet in which he said Airport/Adams Field – but its trict does not include Little defend his unabashed “America some in the US news media author does not hesitate to Rock, said he introduced the fi rst” policies. should be considered an “enemy identify its target. legislation after “several Ar- Ahead of a nationally televised of the people”. “You have a president who kansans across the state” had speech to the US Congress on “I’m against the people that was impeached for having an expressed to him their “dis- Tuesday, Trump outlined plans make up stories and make up aff air with an intern in the Oval comfort” with naming its larg- for strengthening the US mili- sources. They shouldn’t be al- Offi ce and then disbarred,” said est airport after the controver- tary, already the world’s most lowed to use sources unless they Trump: nobody is going to mess with us. Nobody. It will be one of the greatest military build-ups in state Senator Jason Rapert, the sial Clintons. powerful fi ghting force, and oth- use somebody’s name. Let their American history. bill’s author and one of the Ar- He conceded his legislation er initiatives, though he again of- name be out there,” Trump said. Trump blasts FBI for not stopping leaks to media kansas legislature’s most out- might not win approval. fered few specifi cs. “Let there be no more sources.” the peaceful Scandinavian coun- spoken conservatives. “But we can prevent this sort He said he would aim to sub- Trump has repeatedly chosen try was undergoing signifi cant President Donald Trump took the unusual step yesterday of publicly criti- Former president Clinton of thing in the future,” Rapert stantially upgrade the military in to make news media criticism a unrest or attack. cising the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), saying that it was failing was impeached in 1998 by said. both off ensive and defensive ca- focus of his public remarks since “I took a lot of heat on Swe- to stop national security leaks to the media, even from within the agency. pabilities, with a massive spend- taking offi ce on January 20. den,” he said. “Take a look at The Republican’s rebuke, posted on Twitter and Facebook, comes with his ing request that would make the He intensifi ed his verbal at- what happened in Sweden. I love administration on the defensive against allegations of improper links to country’s defence “bigger and tacks on Sweden, France and Sweden. Great country. Great Russia, with several investigations into the matter underway on Capitol better and stronger than ever be- Germany Friday, painting swaths people. I love Sweden. But they Hill and at the FBI. fore”. of Europe as a Islamist militant- understand, right, the people Accusations against Trump and his cohorts have come from news reports Fatal heroin overdoses “And, hopefully, we’ll never infested hellscape. over there understand I’m right.” based on unnamed government sources. have to use it, but nobody is going “Take a look at what’s hap- The speech allowed Trump to “The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security ‘leakers’ that have to mess with us. Nobody. It will pening in Sweden. Take a look at put his stamp fi rmly on the con- permeated our government for a long time,” Trump said. “They can’t quadrupled in 5 years be one of the greatest military what’s happening in Germany. servative political movement, even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being build-ups in American history,” Take a look at what’s happened even as some activists fretted given to media that could have a devastating eff ect on US. FIND NOW.” Trump said. in France. Take a look at Nice and that his immigration and trade The social media posts from Trump, a voracious consumer of cable news, Reuters Experts say there is a link With appeals to people on wel- Paris,” he said. (see also page 11) policies go too far. came as CNN was airing a story on how the FBI rejected a recent White Atlanta between heroin use and much fare to go to work and pledges Trump trained his sights on With Trump in the White House request to publicly deny news reports about alleged communica- higher rates of prescription to follow through on his vow to Paris in particular, recounting House and Republicans hold- tions between Trump associates and potential Russian spies during the opioid painkiller usage. build a wall on the US-Mexican the story of a friend who used to ing majorities in both houses 2016 presidential campaign. he number of deadly Due to its falling price, her- border, Trump drew rounds of visit every year. of Congress, the CPAC and the CNN’s report was based on “multiple unnamed US off icials briefed on the heroin overdoses in the oin can cost as little as one- applause from the large gathering “I have a friend, he’s a very, thousands of conservative activ- matter”. TUnited States more than tenth that of prescription pills, of conservatives, many of them very substantial guy. He loves the ists who fl ock to the event each A White House off icial told CNN the request to the FBI came only after the quadrupled from 2010 to 2015, Rich Hamburg, executive vice- wearing hats emblazoned with City of Lights,” he said. year from across the country are agency indicated the news reports were not accurate. a federal agency said yesterday, president of the non-profi t the president’s campaign slogan, After not seeing his friend for seeing their political infl uence US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the as the price of the drug dropped group, Trust for America’s “Make America Great Again”. a few years, Trump said he asked: rising. 2016 presidential campaign to tip the result in Trump’s favour. and its potency increased. Health, said on Thursday. His speech was heavy on the “‘How is Paris doing?’” In an interview with Reuters There were 12,989 overdose “You are 40 times likelier to nationalist overtones from his The US leader said his friend on Thursday, Trump talked about deaths involving heroin in use heroin if you started with campaign last year, focusing responded: “Paris? I don’t go imposing some form of a border fi ce, and worried that he might She said that the order, which 2015, according to the National opioid painkillers,” he said. heavily on promises to boost US there anymore. Paris is no longer tax to encourage more US manu- take the US economy in the caused protests and chaos at air- Centre for Health Statistics, “Heroin is part of America’s economic growth by retooling Paris.” facturing. wrong direction. ports the weekend after its en- compared with 3,036 such fa- larger drug abuse problem.” international trade deals, rolling Trump added: “That was four He called the Chinese “grand Abby Oliver, of Grand Rapids, actment, was “rolled out a little talities fi ve years earlier. Yesterday’s study found that back regulations and boosting years, four or fi ve years, he hasn’t champions” of currency ma- Michigan, who interns for a local bit haphazardly” and she worried In 2010, heroin was involved the percentage of overdose energy production, gone there.” nipulation that hurts US exports Republican Party organisation, that Trump could go too far on in 8% of US drug overdose deaths from prescription drugs Trump is looking to put behind He also defended contentious and he talked of expanding the said that while she wanted to see immigration policy. deaths, a study by the Atlanta- such as oxycodone and hy- him a rocky fi rst month in offi ce. comments linking immigration US nuclear arsenal. the United States better control “I don’t want it to become (a based centre said. drocodone fell to 24% in 2015 An executive order he signed and crime in Sweden. Several CPAC attendees voiced its borders, she had concerns situation where) people are being By 2015, that proportion had from 29% fi ve years earlier. aimed at banning people from He earlier issued baffl ingly concerns about some of Trump’s about the “controversial” travel ripped apart from their families,” jumped to 25%. Over the same period, the seven Muslim-majority coun- opaque remarks that suggested actions in his fi rst month in of- ban executive order. Oliver said. The centre’s research was percentage of overdose deaths based on death certifi cate data blamed on cocaine rose to 13% and did not examine the un- in 2015 from 11% in 2010, ac- Harvard names Rihanna its humanitarian of the year derlying causes. cording to the study. But a 2015 study by the US In 2015, the four states with Rihanna has been named the 2017 Harvard She has also set up a scholarship programme for Centres for Disease Control the highest drug overdose Trudeau, Trump talk University Humanitarian of the Year. The singer Caribbean students studying in the United States, and Prevention found that the death rates were West Virginia, from Barbados will be given the award in person on and supports eff orts to give girls better access to declining price of heroin and New Hampshire, Kentucky and campus on February 28, the university announced. education in the developing world. its increasing purity might be Ohio, the study said. border co-operation “Rihanna has charitably built a state-of-the-art centre “It is for these philanthropic initiatives and other causing more people to use it. While overdose death rates for oncology and nuclear medicine to diagnose and acts of compassionate sharing that the students and The latest statistics come as increased for all age groups, treat breast cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital faculty of the Harvard Foundation chose to honour authorities in several parts of those aged 55 to 64 saw the Reuters come to refugees and has so far in Bridgetown, Barbados,” Harvard Foundation Rihanna with the 2017 Humanitarian of the Year the US grapple with opioid and largest percentage increase, Ottawa avoided political fallout with director S Allen Counter said. Award,” Counter said. heroin crises. the study found. Trump, opponents and allies alike are pushing the Liberal anadian Prime Minis- government for a solution to il- ter Justin Trudeau and legal border crossings. CUS President Donald Brian Pallister, the Conserv- Trump discussed border co- ative premier of the province of operation in a phone call on Manitoba, called on the federal Democrats set to pick new leader Thursday as pressure mounted government for more resources in Canada over rising numbers to deal with the infl ux of asy- of asylum-seekers arriving lum-seekers, some of whom AFP During a debate with several Trump White House must be from the United States. have lost fi ngers to frostbite in Washington DNC candidates on Wednes- “met with fact and outrage”, he The phone call, which fol- the dangerous crossing. day night, Perez and Ellison ex- added. lowed a positive meeting be- Asylum-seekers cross ille- pressed similar views about how But at the same time, the focus tween the two leaders in Wash- gally because Canada’s policy S Democrats, licking their they would run the party. has to return to struggling Amer- ington last week, also covered under the Canada-US Safe wounds from last year’s They acknowledged that it icans. “We’ve got to get back to the softwood lumber trade Third Country Agreement is to Uelection debacle, will pick needs to take a solid economic talking to people and about peo- dispute, among other issues, turn back refugees if they make a new leader this weekend to take message to working-class and ple in terms of their everyday Trudeau’s offi ce said in a state- claims at border crossings. the fi ght to President Donald middle-class Americans, many lives.” ment. While Pallister said his prov- Trump and his Republicans. of whom said during last year’s The three candidates pledged The number of asylum- ince will welcome those in need With opposition Democrats campaign that they felt aban- to remain neutral should sit- seekers crossing into Canada with “open arms and open preparing for crucial 2018 mid- doned by Democrats. ting Democrats be challenged at isolated and unguarded bor- hearts”, his call for a national term elections and the nation’s Perez, 55, said Democrats need by more liberal candidates in the der crossings has increased in strategy to deal with the arriv- next presidential race on the dis- to “get back to basics” by mak- 2018 midterm elections in the recent weeks amid fears that als adds to opposition criticism tant 2020 horizon, nothing less ing house calls in all 50 states and Perez Ellison. Republican-controlled Con- Trump will crack down on ille- that Trudeau has put national than the future of the party is at establishing a year-round organ- gress. gal immigrants, and photos of security at risk by embracing stake. ising presence to remind Ameri- zens vote in the states. that Ellison’s bid is notable be- And they portrayed the Demo- smiling Canadian police greet- asylum-seekers. The race to chair the Demo- can workers that the Democratic Ellison, 53, is the insurgent cause “he was the one who pre- crats as a party desperate for a ing the migrants have gone vi- As of February 13, some cratic National Committee Party represents their values and in the race, a supporter of lib- dicted early that I would win!” reenergising from the ground up. ral. 3,800 people had made an (DNC) features front-runners interests. eral Bernie Sanders during the Beyond Perez and Ellison, a Grossman, one of the former The White House said asylum claim in 2017, up from Tom Perez, a Hispanic-American “When we lead with our mes- Democratic primaries who, like dark horse has emerged: Pete DNC chairs, said Trump was far Trump emphasised the impor- the same period last year and and former secretary of labour sage, our message of economic Perez, has pledged to reclaim the Buttigieg, the charismatic more adept than Hillary Clin- tance of working closely with on track to approach the 2008 under Barack Obama who is the opportunity, that’s how we win,” party’s reputation of standing for 35-year-old mayor of South ton, the Democratic presidential Canada on cross-border issues, peak of 36,867, said Scott establishment pick, and Keith he said during the debate broad- fair trade, jobs, infrastructure in- Bend, Indiana. candidate he defeated, at show- “including implementation of Bardsley, spokesman for Public Ellison, a black Muslim con- cast on CNN. vestment and the preservation of He has earned support from ing Americans that he could feel his administration’s actions to Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. gressman from the party’s pro- Perez also warned that Demo- Social Security. former presidential candidate their pain. protect America from terror- Warmer weather could spur gressive wing who has left open crats must reform their party’s “That’s what we do,” said Elli- Martin O’Malley, former DNC “He did, and she didn’t, and ist attacks by foreign nationals more arrivals. the prospect of pushing to im- presidential primary system, son, who was endorsed by Sand- chair Steve Grossman, and Ver- that was the diff erence,” Gross- and others”. Polls show Canadians are peach Trump. which he said has created “a cri- ers. mont ex-governor Howard Dean, man told CBS radio earlier this Offi cials say Trump will soon split over whether Canada The race is narrowing – one sis of confi dence” because of its Trump “stole a Democratic himself a one-time presidential month, as he said the new DNC issue a new executive order to should be accepting more or of the second-tier challeng- lack of transparency. message” by constantly remind- candidate and DNC chair. chair will be tasked with bringing replace the administration’s fewer refugees. ers, South Carolina Democratic The current system includes ing working-class and middle- “The wolf is through the gates that message home to voters. directive suspending travel to But even Liberal legisla- Party chairman Jaime Harri- the use of several hundred so- class voters during the campaign and eating our sheep right now. Today’s winner needs a major- the United States by citizens tors are starting to hear from son, dropped out of the race on called “super-delegates” – DNC that he was the candidate who We’ve got to take it to the real ity of the DNC’s 447 members. of seven mostly-Muslim coun- constituents concerned about Thursday and supported Perez members, party grandees and listened to their concerns. opposition, which is the Repub- Roll Call newspaper reported a tries. a sudden infl ux of the mostly – and culminates in a vote today lawmakers who can vote for Trump no doubt is watching licans,” Buttigieg said in the de- number of ballots would likely be While Trudeau has won African, Middle Eastern and at a DNC meeting in Atlanta, whomever they choose in the the DNC race closely. bate. needed for a candidate to emerge positive headlines for his wel- Asian asylum-seekers. Georgia. primary, regardless of how citi- Earlier this week he tweeted The falsehoods peddled by the victorious. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 9 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

DIPLOMACY HUMAN RIGHTS TOURISM MISHAP PROTEST Australia sued over Infamous Thai tiger ‘Record’ anti-venom saves Myanmar Buddhists decry minors in adult jails temple to reopen as zoo boy from deadly spider Thai temple crackdown

Australia is being sued for $80mn in Jakarta over The infamous tiger temple in Thailand’s A 10-year-old Australian boy Around 100 Buddhist monks and nationalists claims it held juvenile Indonesian people-smug- Kanchanaburi province is set to reopen in a has survived a bite from one in Myanmar staged a protest against Thailand gling suspects in adult prisons or for long periods few months as a zoo next to the temple itself, of the world’s deadliest spiders yesterday, denouncing the government of the in immigration detention, a lawyer said yesterday. sources confirmed yesterday. The tiger temple, after taking a record 12 vials neighbouring country for its actions against a The class-action lawsuit was launched Thursday once a popular tourist attraction 125km north- of anti-venom, local media re- temple that has defied orders to hand over a at a court in the capital on behalf of 115 Indone- west of Bangkok, was closed down by the Thai ported. Matthew Mitchell was wanted monk. For the past week, Thai police sians allegedly detained when they were minors, authorities in June 2016, following allegations helping his dad clear out the and soldiers have surrounded the Dhammakaya said the lawyer representing them, Lisa Hiariej. by animal rights groups of animal abuse and back shed at their home north temple to try to bring in the former head abbot They were either held in immigration detention wildlife traff icking. Yesterday, local website of Sydney when he was bitten who is wanted on money-laundering charges. The centres for longer than three months, or in adult Khaosod reported that the facilities were to on the finger by a funnel-web challenge from the temple is one of the biggest jails, both situations that break Australian laws, reopen in March, citing a local tour website that spider, that had been lurking in his shoe. “It sort of to Thailand’s military rulers since a 2014 coup. Bill Shorten, leader of Australia’s opposition Labor said Hiariej. The minors were detained when they advertised a tiger temple tour package priced clawed onto me and all the legs and everything Dhammakaya has been trying to encourage Party (left) meets Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin arrived in Australia on people-smuggling boats at 10,550 baht ($302) available from March crawled around my finger and I couldn’t get it off ,” supporters abroad to protest against the govern- Netanyahu in Sydney. between 2008 and 2012. onwards. he said. ment’s actions and use of an emergency law. N Korea lashes out at China over VX nerve agent killed coal import ban

AFP those of Rodong Sinmun, the of- Jong-nam, say police Seoul fi cial mouthpiece of the ruling Workers’ Party. The tone was Reuters identifi ed sarin and VX as the fo- also more akin to Pyongyang’s Kuala Lumpur cus of the North Korean chemi- orth Korea denounced denunciations of the US. cal weapons programme. its chief ally and diplo- It was “utterly childish” to VX in liquid form can be ab- Nmatic protector China for think that the North would stop X nerve agent, a chemical sorbed into the body through “dancing to the tune of the US” its nuclear weapons and in- the United Nations clas- skin or eye contact and does not after it banned coal imports in tercontinental ballistic missile Vsifi es as a weapon of mass evaporate easily. After giddi- apparent punishment for a mis- programmes if a few pennies destruction, was used to kill the ness and nausea, exposure to VX sile launch. of money were cut off , said the estranged half-brother of North quickly progresses to convul- Beijing and Pyongyang have a KCNA essay. Its scientists and Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a sions and respiratory failure be- relationship forged in the blood technicians were “working hard bizarre murder in Malaysia last fore death, according to the US of the Korean War, but ties have in do-or-die spirit”, it added. week, police said yesterday. Centers for Disease Control and begun to fray in recent years, China said yesterday that Kim Jong-nam was killed on Prevention (CDC). It can be fatal with China increasingly exasper- Beijing and Pyongyang were February 13, shortly after be- after 15 minutes, according to the ated by its wayward neighbour’s still “friendly neighbours” but ing assaulted at the airport in US Army’s Edgewood Chemical nuclear antics. Last week it an- reaffi rmed its opposition to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Biological Center. nounced the suspension of all the North’s nuclear ambitions. Lumpur, by two women who Police chief Khalid said au- coal imports from the North — a “China’s position on the nuclear wiped the chemical on his face thorities intended to sweep Kua- crucial foreign currency earner issue is unequivocal and consist- as he prepared to board a fl ight to la Lumpur airport, and other lo- for Pyongyang — for the rest of ent. The (North) is well aware of the Chinese territory of Macau. cations the suspects had visited, the year. that,” foreign ministry spokes- South Korean and US offi cials for “radioactive” material. It came days after a missile man Geng Shuang said. have said they believe North VX is not known to contain launch personally overseen by The latest launch — the Korean agents assassinated Kim radioactive elements and calls to leader Kim Jong-un in what was fi rst since Trump took of- Jong-nam. He had been living police for clarifi cation went un- perceived as Pyongyang’s fi rst fi ce — showed some progress in with his family in Macau un- A Malaysian woman walks past the forensics wing of the hospital in Kuala Lumpur where the body of Kim answered. Malaysian authorities show of force against new US Pyongyang’s missile technology, der Beijing’s protection and had Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is being kept. on Thursday requested Interpol President Donald Trump. An es- Seoul’s military said. The North spoken out against the North to put an alert out to apprehend say bylined “Jong Phil” and car- — barred under UN resolutions Korean regime. the victim’s family to come for- fore carrying it out on Kim. One tasteless and odourless, and is four North Korean suspects who ried by the North’s offi cial Korea from any use of ballistic missile Malaysian police were in- ward to help with the inquiry, of the women had suff ered from outlawed under the Chemical are believed to have fl ed from Central News Agency slammed technology — staged two atomic vestigating whether the VX — while North Korea has demand- the eff ects of the chemical and Weapons Convention, except Malaysia on the day of the at- Beijing’s move. tests and many missile tests last which is believed to be the most ed the body be handed over to had been vomiting, Khalid said. for “research, medical or phar- tack. It did not identify China by year in a quest to develop a nu- toxic known nerve agent and is its embassy directly, sparking Airport camera footage re- maceutical purposes”. It can be They also want to question the name, referring instead to “a clear weapon capable of hitting banned globally except for re- tension between the two usually leased on Monday by Japanese manufactured as a liquid, cream second secretary at the North neighbouring country”. the US mainland. search — was brought into the friendly countries. broadcaster Fuji TV shows the or aerosol. Experts say it has no Korean embassy, though he has “This country, styling itself a Trump has described the country or made there. Malaysia’s chemical weapons moment they assaulted Kim commercial uses. diplomatic immunity. The mur- big power, is dancing to the tune North as a “big, big problem” “If the amount of the chemical analysis unit found traces of VX, Jong-nam. “This is not something you der has strained relations be- of the US,” it said. “It has unhesi- and vowed to deal with the issue brought in was small, it would be or S-2 Diisopropylaminoethyl In later clips he is seen asking make in a kitchen lab. This is tween North Korea, which has tatingly taken inhumane steps “very strongly”. The KCNA ar- diffi cult for us to detect,” police methylphosphonothioate, on airport offi cials for medical help, something that is made in a very been increasingly isolated in re- such as totally blocking foreign ticle came as the murder in Ma- chief Khalid Abu Bakar told re- swabs taken from the eye and and rubbing his eyes and stum- sophisticated chemicals weap- sponse to its nuclear and missile trade related to the improvement laysia of Kim’s half-brother Kim porters. face of the victim, according to bling as he entered an airport ons lab,” said Bruce Bennet, a programmes, and Malaysia. of people’s living standard,” it Jong-nam, in what is suspected The two women suspects — police. “Other exhibits are un- clinic. Authorities said he com- senior defence researcher at the North Korea has said Malaysia added. to be a Pyongyang plot, domi- one Vietnamese and the other der analysis,” Khalid said in a plained of dizziness and died on California-based RAND Corpo- should be held responsible for “Righteous voices” had con- nates world headlines. Indonesian — are in police de- statement, citing a preliminary the way to hospital. ration. North Korea is believed the killing of one of its citizens, demned the move, it said, while The North angrily denied in- tention along with a North Ko- report. Authorities raided an apart- to have the world’s third-largest though it has not acknowledged “the hostile forces are shouting volvement on Thursday, blaming rean man. Seven other North Police have said the two wom- ment in an upscale Kuala stockpile of chemical weapons, that the victim is the half broth- ‘bravo’ over this”. Malaysia for “immoral” handling Koreans are wanted in connec- en were paid to carry out the as- Lumpur suburb on Wednesday according to the Nuclear Threat er of North Korean leader Kim The format was unusual for of the case and for plotting with tion with the case, including a sault and had been told to wash in connection with the killing, Initiative project, which analy- Jong Un. KCNA, which tends not to carry Seoul to frame Pyongyang. diplomat at the embassy in Kuala their hands before fl eeing from but no chemicals were found, ses weapons of mass destruc- Malaysia has recalled its am- editorials or commentaries of It did not confi rm the dead Lumpur. the airport. They had rehearsed said an offi cial with direct tion. bassador from Pyongyang for its own, preferring to reproduce man’s identity. Malaysia has repeatedly urged the attack in shopping malls be- knowledge of the matter. VX is South Korean analysts have consultations.

Japan clocks out early for ‘Premium Friday’ Plan to save Great

AFP dreds of deaths due to strokes, heart attacks and suicides. Barrier Reef set Tokyo In December, the head of Ja- pan’s biggest advertising agency apan’s Prime Minister spent Dentsu resigned in response to back, say experts yesterday afternoon medi- the suicide of a young employee Jtating while staff at some of who regularly logged more than the country’s biggest fi rms quit 100 hours of overtime a month. AFP report said. Last year’s bleach- work early — in time for a bit of More than one in fi ve Japanese Sydney ing killed two-thirds of shallow- shopping or maybe a train ride. companies have employees who water corals in the north of the Welcome to Premium Friday, work such long hours they are 2,300-km long reef, although Japan’s latest bid to tackle two at serious risk of dying, accord- ustralia’s plan to rescue the central and southern areas es- perennial problems — sluggish ing to a government survey pub- beleaguered Great Barrier caped with less damage. The gov- consumer spending and no- lished in October. AReef has been set back at ernment has pledged more than toriously long working hours This hard-driving offi ce cul- least two decades after the fragile Aus$2.0bn (US$1.5bn) to protect blamed for a national health cri- ture spawned the image of the ecosystem suff ered its worst-ever the reef over the next decade, but sis known as karoshi, or death weary salaryman who worked bleaching last year, experts said researchers noted a lack of avail- from overwork. The new work- all day, drank with the boss all yesterday. able funding. life balance scheme, which night, and was back at his desk The vast coral reef — which The latest assessment comes launched this week, calls on early in the morning. That has provides a tourism boon for Aus- after the Great Barrier Reef Ma- employers to let staff off around changed over the decades and tralia — is under pressure from rine Park Authority warned the 3pm on the last Friday of every Japan’s once-booming economy agricultural run-off , the crown- Queensland State government of month. Employees of Japan’s distilling has slowed. of-thorns starfi sh, development an “elevated and imminent risk” Major fi rms including auto- company group Suntory visit But putting in long hours is and climate change. of mass-bleaching this year. makers Nissan and Toyota, bev- a museum after finishing work still viewed as a sign of dedica- Last year swathes of coral suc- With heavy use of coal-fi red erage giant Suntory and broker- yesterday in Tokyo. tion at many fi rms, even if Japa- cumbed to devastating bleaching, power and a relatively small pop- age Nomura are taking part in nese workers’ productivity lags due to warming sea temperatures, ulation of 24mn, Australia is con- the government-backed initia- off isn’t.” Word has not reached behind that of their US and Eu- and the reef’s caretakers have sidered one of the world’s worst tive. But it’s not mandatory and out to some people, however. ropean counterparts. warned it faces a fresh onslaught per capita greenhouse gas pol- many companies have opted “When I told my friends about “We’re hoping to boost in the coming months. Canberra luters. Researchers highlighted out, while some analysts ques- Premium Friday, they were like, spending by changing our life- updated the UN’s World Herit- that the government’s rescue plan tion whether it will really boost ‘What are you talking about?’” style, the way we work and the age committee on its “Reef 2050” does not do enough to address spending or do much to change said Nami Kawasaki, another way we think,” Masanao Ueda, rescue plan in December, insist- climate change, noting that “new Japan’s punishing work culture. Suntory employee. Mobile car- director of the industrial policy ing the site was “not dying” and coal mines pose a serious threat” Still, the idea was a hit with Sun- rier SoftBank is letting its staff bureau at Keidanren — Japan’s laying out a strategy for incre- to the reef’s heritage area. tory employee Maki Suzuki, who leave early and, from April, will biggest business lobby — told mental improvements to the site. While the plan has a strong fo- said she often works late into the put an extra 10,000 yen ($90) AFP. But an independent report cus on improving water quality, night or even into the early hours in their pockets a month. Other But it could be a hard sell. commissioned by the committee environmental groups too have when things are busy at the of- fi rms are jumping at the chance Many Japanese employees don’t concluded that the government been critical of the government fi ce. to sell things to workers with ex- take all their regular annual leave had little chance of meeting its for inactivity on global warming. “This is a good opportunity tra time on their hands. Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe (centre) attends a concert for Premium Friday. and fi rms are not increasing own targets in the coming years, “These independent experts to plan something that we don’t One railway operator is of- wages, meaning workers will not adding that the “unprecedented” have given Unesco a far more ac- usually do,” said the 34-year- fering a special train ride with plans to spend the afternoon at a ence,” he told reporters at a reg- spend more money for Premium bleaching and coral die-off in curate assessment of progress old, as she visited a Tokyo art bento boxes, while early birds Zen meditation temple, followed ular briefi ng earlier. Friday. 2016 was “a game changer”. “Giv- than the rose-coloured-glasses museum with colleagues Friday can get discounts on everything by a music concert. “But as soon as I’m fi nished “This campaign will not sud- en the severity of the damage and version released by the Austral- afternoon. from matchmaking services to Top government spokesman here, I’m going to be doing denly boost spending or stop the slow trajectory of recovery, ian and Queensland Governments “Taking a long holiday is too cancer checks. Yoshihide Suga was also keen something” for Premium Friday. long working hours,” said Naoko the overarching vision of the 2050 late last year,” said World Wildlife high a hurdle for many Japa- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call it a day. “Unfortunately I Every year, Japan’s long work- Kuga, analyst at Tokyo’s NLI Re- Plan... is no longer attainable for Fund Australia head of oceans Ri- nese, but taking an afternoon was taking it down a notch with have to hold this press confer- ing hours are blamed for hun- search Institute. at least the next two decades,” the chard Leck. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, February 25, 2017 BRITAIN

VERDICT INDUSTRIAL ACTION LAW AND ORDER PEOPLE SETBACK Right-wing extremist RMT calls for new Southern Police find £1mn in cab Migrants discovered in Sponsors’ pull-out to gets five-year jail term talks to end rail dispute as part of crime seizures fruit lorry at market hit Chelsea flower show

A right-wing extremist from London was jailed for RMT leaders yesterday called for “urgent” fresh Scotland Yard seized a record £73mn from Fifteen migrants were yesterday found hiding The number of set-piece show gardens planned five years yesterday for terrorism and hate crimes talks with Southern Railway, raising hopes of convicted criminals last year, including nearly inside fruit pallets in a lorry at New Spitalfields for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show is down by over his social media posts. Sean Creighton was an end to the near year-long dispute. Union £1mn in cash found in a black cab. The Met said Market. The stowaways, said to be mainly from more than half after several big-name sponsors sentenced at a court in London after using social leader Mick Cash has written to Charles Horton, the total was the largest confiscated in London in a Iraq, were discovered by workers at the market pulled their backing. There will be only eight media to call for Muslims and Jews to be killed. An managing director of GTR, Southern’s parent single year since the Proceeds of Crime Act came in Leyton in the early hours. They are believed show gardens — which can cost as much as investigation was launched after a photograph company, asking for a meeting “in an attempt to into force in 2002. The largest single cash seizure to have sneaked into the UK from Spain, police £400,000 — at the Royal Horticultural Society’s was posted online of Creighton, 45, holding an bring a resolution to the long-running dispute”. He came when off icers stopped a taxi in east London said. The driver of the lorry was arrested, along world-famous event in May, the first since the assault rifle and standing in front of a Nazi flag. warned, however, that should talks fail the union’s and found a black holdall in the passenger section with two others, for “facilitating illegal entry Brexit vote. The extravagant creations lining The probe uncovered his wider hate campaign, executive committee will meet next Tuesday containing £943,000 in notes. Detectives believe to the UK”, a spokesman for the Met said. The the show ground’s Main Avenue see the world’s including leaving off ensive stickers in public and to consider ordering further strike action. The the cash was being moved around London by a group included a family-of-five who have been most talented landscape designers pit their skills ownership of a “White Resistance Manual 2.4” RMT has staged 29 24-hour strikes in protest criminal network. In another case police issued a taken to hospital for treatment. Several workers against each other in the battle for a gold medal document with details of weapons and explosives. over the implementation of driver-only operated £6,328,119 confiscation order after two men were at the market claimed the situation was “out of or the coveted “Best In Show” award. However, Creighton was described as a “committed racist” trains, where the driver has responsibility for the convicted for a money laundering operation linked control”, with reports of stowaways in lorries they are dependent on huge sponsorship from by prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford. carriage doors and not the guard. to brothels across London. “about twice a week”. backers such as banks and City law firms. Government intervention ‘has led to rise in energy bills’

Guardian News and Media but very much at the expense of London consumers paying 58% more than they were in 2003. On the aff ord- ability front we haven’t looked af- inisters should establish ter consumers.” a new energy commis- However, as the report ac- Msion to spur on construc- knowledges, most of the price tion of power stations because increases came from higher gas successive governments have prices, not the 10% added by re- failed to encourage enough fresh newable energy subsidies. power capacity in the UK, accord- The peers, who include the ing to a House of Lords report. former chancellor Norman Lam- Subsidy-backed growth in re- ont, and a former head of the civil newable energy projects, such as service, Andrew Turnbull, said windfarms, has deterred the con- security of supply should become Labour Party candidate Gillian Troughton (left) looks away as Conservative Party candidate Trudy Harrison smiles after winning the Copeland by-election in Whitehaven, struction of new conventional the key aim of energy policy, above Britain, yesterday. power plants, the economic aff airs decarbonisation and cost. committee claimed. “Low-carbon but chronically The peers envisage the new en- unreliable electricity is not ac- ergy commission would oversee ceptable. Similarly very cheap auctions where all technologies, prices at the expense of frequent including fossil fuel power plants, shortages would be unacceptable,” competed for guaranteed electric- the report says, which also claims ity prices. The auctions would cap fossil fuels have remained cheaper carbon emissions. than renewable sources. Labour MPs turn on At present the government only But Paul Massara, the former allows low-carbon power, such as chief executive of npower who windfarms and new nuclear power now runs the renewable energy stations, to compete in auctions fi rm North Star Solar, said the for such deals, known as contracts committee was simply wrong for diff erence. to say fossil fuels were always The infl uential cross-party cheaper than renewables, and Corbyn over poll defeat group of peers concluded that condemned the report as “back- successive governments have got ward looking”. Darren Baxter, a re- London Evening Standard They overturned a Labour which is what this government is Labour MPs since 1935, but the result. The prime minister then their priorities wrong on energy searcher at the Institute for Public London majority of 2,564 in a swing of doing.” The defi ant Labour chief party’s campaign was under- woke her husband Philip to break policy by giving priority to car- Policy Research thinktank, said: more than 6%. It is the fi rst time added: “We will continue.” mined by Corbyn’s record of op- the news to him, said sources. bon emissions cuts – a statutory “A failure to keep the pace up with since 1982 that a government Corbyn’s critics stressed that posing nuclear power, the major She was expected to travel up duty under the Climate Change decarbonisation, as suggested in eremy Corbyn was yesterday party has taken a seat from the they were not plotting another local employer. to the constituency to stage a Act – over keeping costs down and this report, would be a disaster left humiliated by a “disas- opposition in a by-election. attempted leadership coup, fol- Theresa May was woken by victory appearance with winner keeping the lights on. for the north (of England) and its Jtrous” by-election defeat in There was good news for Cor- lowing his re-election last year. text message with the Copeland Trudy Harrison. The report has sparked an angry growing low-carbon economy.” a former Labour stronghold and byn at Thursday’s by-election Instead the battle has turned response. Robert Gross, director Hollick told the Guardian that faced calls from his party’s MPs in Stoke Central, where Labour to putting pressure on the I’m not going anywhere, declares Ukip’s Nuttall of the centre for energy policy and the government had microman- to consider his future. smashed Ukip leader Paul Nut- 67-year-old leader to step aside technology at Imperial College, aged the energy market and did Senior backbencher David tall’s bid to become an MP in before 2020 unless his polling Stranded in a pitch black car election count by a throng London, said: “The term ‘post not need to interfere as much. He Winnick said the Labour leader’s a tricky three-way contest. In improves. park and besieged by reporters, of reporters, Nuttall seemed truth’ has become over-used. Yet said the government “should now “sense of duty” meant he should a dire turnout of 37%, Labour Winnick said the Copeland Paul Nuttall’s campaign ended to have written his own it would be possible to take all the allow the energy commission to think of stepping down before won with 7,853 votes to Nuttall’s result proved Corbyn was “sim- as it began — in chaos. “Where’s epitaph when he said a few evidence the committee presents move forward, to run auctions, to the 2020 election. meagre haul of 5,233. ply not acceptable to a large the car?” bellowed one-time minutes earlier: “I’m not going and tell a completely diff erent fi ll the gap and to build a properly Long-term critic John Wood- Corbyn admitted that he was number of people who would Ukip leadership hopeful Lisa anywhere.” It was the end of a story: there’s been huge success in balanced (energy system)”. cock said the party was head- “very disappointed” by the re- normally vote Labour”. Loyalists Duff y as she realised Nuttall’s brutal campaign for Nuttall, who growing renewables and reducing Hollick denied the report was ing for a “catastrophic” general sult in Copeland. rallied to Corbyn, however, with escape from the scene of had been dogged throughout emissions from the power sector.” anti-renewables. “Exactly the election rout and Corbyn should But after being asked whether shadow cabinet member Cat a historic defeat had been over his supposed connections Lord Hollick, the committee’s opposite. We see renewables very consider what was best for its he would now fall on his sword, Smith hailing his “incredible thwarted by disorganisation. to the Hillsborough disaster. He chair, said: “We are critical of the much as the way forward,” he said, supporters. The attacks came he said: “I was elected to lead achievement”. Shadow chancel- Yet again, Ukip had been let had also been accused of lying drift that’s taken place over the last arguing that more public money after the Conservatives made this party to oppose austerity lor John McDonnell called for down by its own incompetence. on his nomination form about 15 years or so, which has delivered should go into R&D in renewables history by ousting Labour from and oppose the re- distribution party unity. Harried from the Stoke by- his permanent address in Stoke. on the decarbonisation agenda and energy storage. Copeland after 80 years. of wealth in the wrong direction, Copeland had been held by Storm death under probe Film promo ‘Dishonest’ Heathrow as calm weather returns leafl et slammed London Evening Standard to deliver economic benefi ts to London passengers and the wider econ- Guardian News and Media in place yesterday in the north- lands ambulance service said she omy worth up to £61bn, tens of London west of England and Scotland. was also treated for injuries to her thousands of local jobs, £2.6bn in Train services still aff ected by face, hand and chest before being onservative town hall compensation for local communi- the storm included those run by taken to Royal Stoke university chiefs accused the govern- ties, six domestic fl ight routes, a nvestigations are continu- Arriva Trains Wales, Great North- hospital for further care. Cment of “misleading” up Heathrow pledge to create 5,000 ing after a woman was killed ern, Greater Anglia, London Mid- The top wind speed of 94mph to 3mn people over the impact of a new apprenticeships and £700mn Iby fl ying debris during Storm land, Southern, Stansted Express was recorded in Capel Curig, third runway at Heathrow. of noise insulation for homes. Doris, which wreaked havoc and Virgin Trains. There were no north Wales, on Thursday morn- The leaders of Wandsworth, Ravi Govindia, leader of across the UK with winds of up to delays reported at airports and ing. Richmond, Hillingdon and even Wandsworth council, said: “This 94mph. Highways England was reporting The weather system, which Theresa May’s Windsor and consultation is clearly designed The 29-year-old woman died only minor delays on the roads. brought gales, snow and rain to Maidenhead council tore into the to mislead millions of people. The after sustaining head injuries As Doris cleared to the east, the much of the UK, caused travel department for transport over a government’s publicity material is when she was struck by “wooden Met Offi ce warned drivers to be disruption throughout Thursday consultation leafl et sent to around shamelessly one-sided.” debris” while walking past a cafe wary of ice in Scotland, Northern on the roads and the rail network, 1.5mn households and businesses, Attacking the lack of fl ight in Wolverhampton city centre. Ireland and north-west England. brought down trees, grounded an estimated 3mn people. The path details, he said: “The gov- In Milton Keynes, a girl was “It’s an ice risk so when people planes and toppled large vehicles. DfT was accused of a “dishon- ernment’s dishonest approach is taken to hospital after a sports hall could face some diffi cult driving Network Rail imposed a speed est approach” over the expansion undermining the fragile trust our ceiling collapsed at Southwood conditions,” the meteorologist limit on some lines while Hea- with the “shamelessly one-sided” residents have in politics.” middle school, while two elderly Alex Burkill said earlier. throw airport reduced its fl ight leafl et which councils say failed to Wandsworth claimed that some people sustained neck injuries As relatively calm weather re- schedule. include: areas which may be overfl own when a tree crashed on to their car turned, the devastation left by A number of roads were closed, Proposed new fl ight paths. from a bigger Heathrow were not in Shropshire. Doris became clear. including the M6 Thelwall Via- The fact that there could be included in the leafl et consulta- West Midlands police were A man was in a serious condi- duct in both directions in the up to 260,000 more fl ights a year. tion exercise, including Clapham, working with Wolverhampton tion in a central London hospital, north-west, and the QE2 Bridge That tens of thousands of Lambeth, Pimlico, Marylebone, council to establish the events following reports of “debris fall- in Dartford, Kent. In Scotland, the people would get less respite from Westminster, Streatham, Mayfair leading to the woman’s death. ing from the roof of a building” by M80 was closed in both directions noise. and Kennington. “The lady’s family have been Victoria station at about 3pm on because of snow, which also shut That a third runway is ex- Richmond council leader Lord informed and are being sup- Thursday. schools and led to the cancella- pected to increase air pollution. True claimed that communities ported at this tragic time,” a force In Stoke-on-Trent, a woman in tion of some ferry services. Actors Dan Stevens and Emma Watson pose for An alleged increase in road around Heathrow already suff ered spokeswoman said. her 60s was taken to hospital with In Ireland, almost 46,000 photographers at a media event for the film Beauty traffi c. more noise and air pollution than Yellow severe weather warn- a serious head injury after being households had no electricity on and the Beast in London. However, the leafl et highlighted similar ones near any other Euro- ings from the Met Offi ce remained hit by a carport roof. West Mid- Thursday morning. that a third runway was expected pean airport. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 11 EUROPE German intelligence service spied on international media: report

AFP worked extensively with US fugi- On the list seen by Der Spiegel these claims. The BBC’s mission widespread tapping worldwide, Berlin tive intelligence contractor Ed- were several dozen numbers of is to bring accurate news and in- including of Chancellor Angela ward Snowden and has reported the British Broadcasting Corpo- formation to people around the Merkel’s mobile phone. on US and German espionage ration (BBC) at its London head- world and our journalists should Merkel, who grew up in com- ermany’s foreign intel- scandals, cited only documents it quarters and in Afghanistan, as be able to operate freely and safe- munist East Germany where ligence service BND long had seen. well as of the BBC World Service, ly, with full protection for their state spying on citizens was ram- Gspied on journalists of Der Spiegel reported that the it said. sources. pant, declared repeatedly that the BBC, the New York Times, BND had listed at least 50 tel- A number used by the New “We call upon all governments “spying among friends is not on” Reuters and other media, news ephone and fax numbers and e- York Times in Afghanistan was to respect the operation of a free while acknowledging Germany’s weekly Der Spiegel reported yes- mail addresses of journalists or also on the list, as were mobile press.” reliance on the US in security terday. newsrooms on its list of “selec- and satellite telephone numbers Reuters and the New York matters. Media rights group Reporters tor” keywords for surveillance of news agency Reuters in Af- Times did not immediately reply However, to the great embar- Without Borders labelled the al- since 1999. ghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. to requests for comment from rassment of Germany, it later leged surveillance “a monstrous A Spiegel journalist told AFP The BND declined to comment AFP. emerged that the BND assisted attack on press freedom”, voiced that the list was thought to have on the matter, Der Spiegel said in Germany had reacted with the NSA to spy on European tar- fears the eavesdropping was con- covered only part of the BND’s an excerpt of an article to be pub- outrage when information leaked gets. tinuing and said it was planning international media targets at the lished in full in its weekly edition by former US National Secu- Berlin last June approved new legal action, according to Der time, and that it was unknown which hits newsstands today. rity Agency (NSA) contractor measures, including greater In 2013 it was revealed that US agents were carrying out widespread Spiegel. whether surveillance had ceased A BBC spokeswoman said: Snowden revealed in 2013 that oversight, to rein in the BND fol- tapping worldwide, including of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile The magazine, which has or was ongoing. “We are disappointed to hear US agents were carrying out lowing the scandal. phone.

Le Pen snubs police interview request 136 with diplomatic AFP/Reuters €340,000 ($360,000). Paris Le Pen, who sits in the Euro- pean Parliament, has furiously denied accusations she broke rench far-right presiden- the rules by using parliamen- tial candidate Marine Le tary funds to pay Griset as well FPen refused yesterday to as bodyguard Thierry Legier attend questioning by investi- for jobs in France rather than at status seek asylum gating magistrates over claims the European Parliament. she broke the rules on the use Le Pen, who has vowed to AFP/Reuters based Islamic preacher Fethullah various off ences including ter- key will submit an extradition is under way in the southern city of European Parliament funds. call a referendum on France’s Berlin Gulen of having orchestrated the rorism and murder. request (for the two) ... this case of Mugla, near the luxury resort Le Pen, who is one of the membership of the European putsch, and launched a sweeping Data for 2016 would only be looks a lot more serious,” a Greek where Erdogan and his family frontrunners in the race, told Union if elected, has described crackdown against his followers. available in 2018, it added. government offi cial said, without evaded the soldiers, fl eeing in a AFP that she refused to be the investigation as a vendetta. ore than 130 Turkish Some 43,000 people in Tur- Meanwhile, Greece said yes- giving details. helicopter before their hotel was questioned by anti-corruption She is not the only presiden- diplomats, soldiers and key have been arrested over their terday that it was expecting an The Turkish security offi cial raided. investigators during the presi- tial candidate facing accusa- Mtheir family members suspected links to Gulen’s move- extradition request from Turkey confi rmed that was likely but did Three of those suspects are be- dential campaign. tions over “fake jobs”. have sought refuge in Germany ment, and 100,000 fi red or sus- for two Turkish soldiers who not say whether the request had ing tried in absentia. “I will not respond (to the Her conservative rival Fran- since last July’s failed coup, ac- pended. have claimed asylum and are sus- been formally submitted. Arik and Cetin are not part of summons) during the election cois Fillon is fi ghting claims cording to German government Many of them are teachers, pected by Ankara of links to last “They have been on the run that indictment, according to a campaign,” she said. “During he paid his wife more than data in documents seen by AFP police, magistrates and journal- year’s failed coup attempt. since (the coup) and are being copy obtained by Reuters. this period, there cannot be the €700,000 for parliamentary yesterday. ists. The naval commandoes are sought,” the security offi cial said, “They initially claimed doing neutrality or calm necessary work that she might not have “The government is aware of The scale of the crackdown accused of being members of a giving their names as Fatih Arik diff erent professions ... when we for the justice system to func- carried out. 136 asylum applications fi led has raised international concern, team that attempted to assassi- and Halit Cetin. ascertained their identity, we re- tion properly.” Yesterday the Le Paris- by diplomatic passport holders with Germany among the most nate Erdogan on the night of July He confi rmed that Turkish au- alised they were members of the The candidate’s lawyer Ro- ien newspaper reported that from Turkey. They also include vocal in raising questions over 15, a Turkish security offi cial told thorities were in touch with their military,” a Greek police offi cial dolphe Bosselut said he was France’s fi nancial prosecu- family members,” said the inte- the mass arrests. Reuters. Greek counterparts over the is- told Reuters. surprised by the “sudden rush” tor has asked an investigative rior ministry in a written reply to That and a string of other spats Eight other members of the sue. Greece’s defence minister in the investigation. magistrate to open a probe into a query from a lawmaker. have contributed to fraying ties Turkish military fl ew to Greece The two men, former mem- Panos Kammenos told Ant1 TV: Le Pen’s personal assistant the allegations against Fillon. The ministry said however that between Ankara and Berlin. by helicopter last year in the af- bers of a special operations unit “Greece condemned the coup Catherine Griset was charged The report followed an ear- it did not have data on how many Turkey has also been push- termath of the failed attempt to in Turkey’s navy, have been held attempt from its inception, on Wednesday with breach of lier media report on the web- among the applicants are actu- ing for Berlin to extradite alleged topple Erdogan. at an undisclosed location in and from there on it’s Greece’s trust in the probe into allega- site of French TV station M6 ally diplomats and how many are supporters of Gulen and PKK Greece’s top court has declined northern Greece since applying courts which will decide, based tions that her National Front that the prosecutor was likely soldiers who were stationed at militants. to extradite them, in a case which for asylum on February 20. on Greek laws and international (FN) party defrauded the Eu- to publish a statement on the Nato bases. In its written note, the inte- has strained relations between The trial of 47 Turkish soldiers conventions, the extradition or ropean Parliament of about matter. President Recep Tayyip Erdog- rior ministry said it extradited 60 Nato allies Greece and Turkey. charged with attempting to kill not of someone who seeks asy- an’s government has accused US- people back to Turkey in 2015 for “We would expect that Tur- Erdogan during the failed coup lum.”

Cyprus unity talks Concrete measures Merkel’s ‘stalled until April’ bloc edge

AFP Cypriot side and from Turkey, Nicosia but I don’t expect this to hap- ahead of pen before April’s referendum” on expanding the powers of the reek Cypriot leader Ni- presidency in Turkey, Anas- SPD again cos Anastasiades said tasiades told the English-lan- Ghe believes UN-backed guage Cyprus Weekly. talks on reunifying Cyprus Anastasiades has said the Reuters will remain stalled until after vote by Greek Cypriot MPs on Berlin Turkey’s April 16 referendum commemorating the Enosis on presidential powers, in an referendum was “untimely” interview published yesterday. and “unfortunate”, but has ar- erman Chancellor Angela Anastasiades, who heads the gued that his Turkish Cypriot Merkel’s conservatives island’s internationally-recog- counterpart overreacted. Gheld a narrow opinion nised government, has held 21 In the newspaper interview, poll lead yesterday over the cen- months of negotiations with the Greek Cypriot leader said tre-left Social Democrats (SPD), his Turkish Cypriot counter- he worried that his personal whose support has surged in re- part Mustafa Akinci that many rapport with Akinci was now cent weeks. have seen as the best chance in under threat. The Ipsos poll put the con- years for a settlement. “I never attacked Akinci servative bloc at 32% while the But Akinci this week sus- personally – we had agreed to Social Democrats, enjoying a re- pended his participation in the maintain a positive climate. vival in fortunes since nominat- talks in protest at the Cyprus But now ... they have also em- ing former European Parliament parliament’s approval of a law barked on personal attacks and president Martin Schulz as its that will see Greek Cypriot our friendly ties are in jeop- candidate to replace Merkel, was schools mark the anniversary ardy,” Anastasiades said. “I, at 30%. of a 1950 referendum in sup- personally, don’t hold grudges Several recent polls have port of union with Greece. ... and I’m all ready and willing Concrete blocks are seen on a street, placed to prevent a potential terrorist attack in the manner of what had occurred last year in Berlin shown the SPD, the junior part- “I hope there are second to go back to the negotiating and Nice, during the Roermond carnival, in downtown Roermond, the Netherlands. ner in Merkel’s ruling coalition thoughts from the Turkish table.” and lagging the conservatives for years, ahead. Oskar Niedermayer, politics professor at Berlin’s Free Univer- sity, said the SPD was in a “hype period” ahead of September’s Sweden fi res back at ‘inaccurate information’ with ‘facts’ national election. While he said every poll that showed the party close to or AFP Addressing supporters, the Sweden, the remarks sparked in- Swedish soil took place in De- has “been linked to the number “If a woman in Sweden reports ahead of the conservatives was Stockholm US president listed places that dignation in the Nordic country cember 2010. of immigrants”. that she has been raped by her giving it a boost, “we’ll only re- have been targeted recently by and have led to a fl urry of news “No one was harmed but the “Despite the fact that the husband every night for a year, ally be able to talk about the terrorists, citing Paris, Brussels, reports about Sweden’s im- attacker,” who blew himself up number of immigrants in Swe- that is counted as 365 separate trend stabilising if the situation weden has sought to set Berlin and Nice, and appeared migration challenges and suc- in central Stockholm, the min- den has increased since the off ences; in most other coun- remains the same in two months’ the record straight after to suggest that something had cesses. istry said. 1990s, exposure to violent tries this would be registered as time”. SDonald Trump linked im- happened in Sweden on Febru- The country took in 244,000 It also rejected the allegation crimes has declined,” and “re- a single off ence, or would not be The Ipsos poll put the anti- migration to a supposed rise in ary 17. asylum-seekers in 2014 and that Sweden had seen “a major search shows that there is no ev- registered as an off ence at all,” immigrant Alternative for Ger- violence in the Scandinavian “You look at what’s happening 2015, the highest number per increase in gun violence”. idence to indicate that immigra- the ministry said. many (AfD) third with 12%, country, publishing “facts” to in Germany, you look at what’s capita in Europe. “In general terms, violence tion leads to increased crime”. Foreign ministry spokeswom- comfortably above the 5% correct “simplistic” and “inac- happening last night in Swe- The foreign ministry post late has decreased in Sweden in the The ministry admitted that an Sofi a Karlberg told AFP that threshold needed to enter par- curate information”. den. Sweden, who would believe on Thursday addressed claims last 20 years. At the same time, the number of reported rapes the government wanted to pub- liament. The foreign ministry posted this? Sweden. They took in large about violence, rape, alleged surveys repeatedly show that has risen but stressed that the lish the text to “provide a correct In the survey of 1,045 people on its website a series of claims numbers. They’re having prob- “no-go zones”, and social “col- people in Sweden and in other numbers could be misleading. and balanced image of Sweden”. carried out from February 17 to that have been circulating in the lems like they never thought lapse” among other things. Western countries have a per- “But the defi nition of rape “It’s not usual for Sweden 20, the far-left Linke reached media since Trump made his re- possible,” he said. On terrorism, the foreign ception that violence is actually has broadened over time, which to be used as a battering ram in 10% while the Greens had 7% marks about Sweden in a speech Apart from the fact that no ministry said that the sole at- increasing,” it said, acknowledg- makes it diffi cult to compare the other countries’ political de- and the pro-business Free Dem- in Florida on February 18. major incident happened in tempted terrorist attack on ing that the Swedish perception fi gures. bates,” she added. ocrats (FDP) at 5%. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, February 25, 2017 INDIA

CRIME CELEBRATION CONTROVERSY VIOLENCE POLITICS Three-year-old raped, Carnival festivities Censors block release One dead, two injured Stalin, Gandhi discuss murdered in Delhi kick off in Goa today of ‘lady-oriented’ film in Delhi shootout Tamil Nadu situation

A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped, murdered Even as Goa waits with bated breath for the state India’s censor board has refused to certify a A youth died and his two friends were critically A day after Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and her face mutilated beyond recognition by assembly election verdict on March 11, the state’s film it describes as “lady-oriented”, sparking a injured in a shootout between two groups at leader M K Stalin met President Pranab Mukherjee a teenager who was caught after he dumped residents get their ‘legitimate’ opportunity to furious response from the director, in the latest a wedding in New Delhi, police said yesterday. and submitted a memorandum on the events that her body at an isolated place in a west Delhi let their hair down during the much anticipated case to highlight fears over creative freedom in Police said the incident took place after the two took place in Tamil Nadu assembly last week, he neighbourhood, police said yesterday. A police carnival festival starting today. The festival, the country. In a letter, the Central Board of Film groups clashed following a heated exchange met Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday off icer said the accused, 16, off ered the girl, living marked by its colourful float parades, will first Certification (CBFC) told the makers of Lipstick of words. At one stage, one of them fired a gun. and discussed the political situation in the state. with her parents in Rohini’s Narela area, some hit the streets of the state capital Panaji today, Under My Burkha that it would not clear the The youths, identified as Shekhar Yadav, Vikas “It was a courtesy call. He enquired about her sweets as she was playing outside her home. He before moving on to other towns like Margao, Hindi film for general release. “The story is lady Arya and Harneet Singh – all 25-28 years of age (Gandhi’s) health and she enquired about party then took her to a public toilet where he allegedly Vasco and Mapusa. According to the state oriented, their fantasy above (sic) life” it read. – received two to three bullet injuries and were supremo Karunanidhi’s health. It was a formal raped her and then killed her at a nearby isolated tourism department, in addition to maintaining The film won an award at the Tokyo International taken to the nearby Batra Hospital. “Harneet discussion. They also discussed the political area. “The accused even defaced her face to the traditional and cultural essence of Carnival, Film Festival last year and also aired at the MAMI Singh was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital, situation in Tamil Nadu,” said a DMK leader. The conceal her identity,” the off icer said. The minor’s the focus this year will also be on “weeding out Mumbai Film Festival in October. Shrivastava while Shekhar Yadav succumbed to his injuries leader said it “was also a strategy call” as Stalin was body was sent for an autopsy and doctors have non eco-friendly floats, polluting junk vehicles described the CBFC’s ruling as an “assault on in the hospital,” the off icer said. Police have in the capital for the first time after becoming the confirmed the sexual assault. and a total crackdown on indecency”. women’s rights”. booked six persons in the case. DMK working president.

Book launch Patient dies as hospital fi ghts over Dileep fi les unpaid bill

IANS complaint Kolkata

man, who was critically injured in a road accident Ain West Bengal, died yes- terday night due to “inadequate over actress treatment” and “delayed release” by a private hospital, as it did not allow his shifting to a state-run hospital unless the family paid up the full amount, the kin alleged yesterday. It came only a day after Chief attack claims Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday pulled up city-based By Ashraf Padanna Dileep’s mentor and director throughout that night and into the private hospitals for “unethical Thiruvananthapuram Kamal and many others have also next morning taking her for medi- money-making”. come forward to defend him. They cal examinations and complet- Trinamool Congress (TMC) stressed that all those who person- ing other formalities. Now he will leader Madan Mitra intervened to alayalam superstar ally knew the actor would never think twice before rushing to help ensure a refund of the paid bill and Dileep has fi led a com- believe the rumour-mongers. anybody,” Lal lamented. warned the hospital in question – Mplaint with the Kerala Kamal admitted that professional Without naming actor-turned- Apollo Gleneagles. police seeking an investigation “issues” did exist between the two politician K B Ganesh Kumar, Lal Thirty-year-old Sanjoy Roy, a into a campaign against him on stars. ridiculed allegations that the new resident of Dankuni in Hooghly social media in connection with crop of Kochi fi lmmakers were district, was critically injured in a the recent assault on a leading engaging the underworld, push- road accident on February 16. He actress in a moving car in Kochi. ing drugs and brokering land deals. was admitted to the Apollo Glene- A day after the dramatic arrest Kumar had made these claims agles Hospitals here where he was of the alleged molester, now in ju- while speaking to the media im- put on ventilator on the pretext of dicial custody, Dileep said he was mediately after the attack. a CT scan, Roy’s kin alleged. deliberately being dragged into the “If these allegations were true He was later shifted to the controversy by portraying him to they would not have made such state-run SSKM Hospital, where be the plot conspirator. Dileep said he was fantastic fi lms winning a lot of he breathed his last. His family has Though no police offi cer has deliberately being dragged recognitions nationally and inter- alleged that Apollo delayed Roy’s contacted him, Dileep claims that into the controversy by nationally,” countered Lal. release demanding full payment so-called online news portals were portraying him to be the “They are all very good profes- of the bill. In a showdown with the abuzz with conspiracy theories plot conspirator sionals which many old timers fi nd hospital management over phone, claiming he masterminded the at- hard to digest. These critics should which was aired live on television, tack on the actress due to profes- “The pain the media reports end beating about the bush and a former Bengal minister warned sional rivalry. infl icted on Dileep has been im- say on which sets they do drugs,” Rana Dasgupta, chief operating There were reports that the two mense,” said actor-director Lal. Lal dared. offi cer of the hospital, to be ready were not on good terms and the Incidentally it was Lal to whom the Lal said he had kept away from to face “dire consequences” given actress, a close friend of his former actress turned to for help after her the media as he did not want to Banerjee’s crackdown on private wife Manju Warrier, had to keep harrowing ordeal last Friday. reveal what the victim told him or healthcare establishments. away from the Malayalam fi lm in- “He was restless until the culprit the police. Lal said he had called Incidentally, Banerjee had dustry and concentrate on Tamil, was in police custody. I have never the police chief at 11.15pm and the pointed out on Wednesday that Telugu and Kannada fi lms. seen him so disturbed,” he said. Lal police had immediately respond- the maximum complaints regard- Earlier Kerala Chief Minister said he was also upset that pro- ed. Lal added he had stopped the ing excess billing were against Pinarayi Vijayan too tried to dispel ducer Anto Joseph, who arrived to actress’ driver, Martin, and hand- Apollo. rumours of alleged ‘external in- help the actress after he was called ed him over to the police. “The ball has started rolling and volvement’ in the case. by local legislator P T Thomas, had Lal’s production unit had sent I can’t assure you that you will be “I understand Pulsar Suni been dragged into the controversy the car to Thrissur to pick up the excused. I am not a member of (whom the police arrested from a with some media reports alleging actress from her home on her re- the Cabinet and the fi nal decision court while trying to surrender) his role in the crime. quest as she wanted to stay over- rests with the CM. But I think you planned everything. The police Joseph had called Suni on his night at actor Remya Nambeesan’s are going to face dire consequenc- won’t go after any imaginary cul- phone in a bid to trace the ac- home in Kochi. es,” Mitra warned Dasgupta. prit,” Vijayan said in Kozhikode cused’s location. He had then Meanwhile, the police produced Mitra dubbed the hospital yesterday. handed over the phone to the po- Suni and his accomplice before an management as “arrogant”. “It’s not proper on the part of lice. However, this was later mis- Aluva magistrate. The duo have Roy’s wife questioned why her the media to spread rumours about interpreted and he was made out been remanded him in judicial husband was never removed from Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh attends the book launch of A History of Ancient the involvement of anyone else. to be a party in the conspiracy by custody for two weeks. The police the ventilator. and Early Medieval India in New Delhi yesterday. There is no indication of any such some section of the media. said they would move the court for plot,” he added. “Joseph stood by the actress their custody on Saturday.

Bollywood stars Victim of moral policing Ex-chief of ‘cheapest in Kerala found dead smartphone’ fi rm held AFP hunt for four other offi cials of New Delhi Ringing Bells who were named in Agencies vened, Aneesh and his friend Kerala,” Vijayan had warned. Ayam’s complaint. Thiruvananthapuram warned that they were on the The police were left red- Ringing Bells, based in the cusp of committing suicide af- faced this week after another he former managing di- Delhi satellite city of Noida, was ter being insulted and humiliat- couple from Thiruvanan- rector of a little-known set up in September 2015 and be- young man who was at- ed on social media by the moral thapuram live-streamed their TIndian company that gan selling mobile phones via its tacked, fi lmed and tar- policing gang. exchange with two constables claimed to be selling the world’s website last February. Ageted with a video on “I am standing somewhere on Tuesday after they were ac- cheapest smartphone has been The demand for the Freedom social media by moral vigilantes between life and death. The rea- cused of indecency. Vishnu S S, arrested for fraud, police said 251, which was priced at Rs251, was on Valentine’s Day, was found son why I have reacted strongly 24 and Arathy S A, 23, who had yesterday. so great that its website crashed hanging outside his home in to the incident is so that no one met at a park in the Kerala capi- Mohit Goel, boss of the do- within hours of the launch. Kerala’s Palakkad district. A in Kerala should go through tal, were harassed, questioned mestic handset maker Ringing At the time, Ringing Bells re- suicide note been has been such a situation,” Aneesh told and fi ned exactly a week after Bells, was taken into custody in portedly claimed that it was re- found in which he has cited the reporters in Kollam. Valentine’s Day. Ghaziabad after a distributor ceiving hundreds of thousands of harassment on Valentine’s Day According to the police, the “Having someone’s arm complained it had not received hits per second, without clarify- as the reason for taking the ex- man was upset and stayed aloof on my shoulder is not wrong. phones worth Rs1.6mn (around ing how many of those were con- treme step, police said. after the incident, as claimed Booking people for as small a $24,000). verted into orders. The man, 22, and his woman by his friends. He hung himself reason as this has to stop,” Ar- Ayam Enterprises said it had Goel has reportedly said Ring- friend were harassed by fi ve from a tree outside his house on athy told the media. paid Rs3mn ($45,000) after Goel ing Bells was ready to pay back its men near a beach in Kollam Thursday. As the police came under a persuaded it to distribute the distributors by March 31. on February 14. The accused The state human rights com- barrage of criticism, state police Freedom 251 smartphone in No- “The payments of several dis- threatened and videotaped the mission, taking of note of the chief Loknath Behara said he vember 2015 but only received tributors were pending and we couple, asking the woman hu- suicide, has asked the police to wished “it had not happened” 1.4mn rupees’ worth. have promised to pay them by miliating questions and circu- fi le a case. Police sources said and public display of aff ection, Deputy superintendent of po- March 31. I still don’t know what lated the video on social media, they have fi led a case of abet- while frowned upon by society, lice, Manish Kumar Mishra, said transpired,” Goel told the Hin- the police said. The gang al- ment of suicide against the ac- is not illegal. Goel had been arrested in Ghaz- dustan Times daily. legedly tried to assault her and cused. Last year in Malappuram dis- iabad, which is on the outskirts Goel quit as Ringing Bells’ when the man stepped in to de- Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister trict, a man was beaten to death of New Delhi, and was presented managing director in Decem- fend her, he was attacked. Pinarayi Vijayan also asked the by a gang in a suspected case in court yesterday. “He’s been ber, handing over the reins to After the couple complained state police chief to take strict of moral policing. Instead of charged with fraud and forgery. his brother. Mishra said at least to the police, the men were ar- action on incidents of moral po- informing the police, the gang Bollywood actresses Deepika Padukone and Neha Dhupia Investigations into the matter three other similar cases have rested. licing incidents. “Such criminal took it upon themselves to de- take part in a promotional event in Mumbai. will continue,” Mishra said. been fi led against Goel over the After the authorities inter- activities will not be tolerated in liver justice. Mishra said police were on the past year. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 13

INDIA

CRIME COMMENT OFFBEAT TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER Cash handler held Kashmiri youth not afraid Goa chief minister’s pool Two firemen die in Bihar top off icial arrested over fake notes in ATM of death: Farooq Abdullah picture goes viral Delhi cylinder blast in test paper leak case

Delhi police have arrested a cash handler after Kashmiri youth picked up arms “for a cause” A photograph of Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Two firefighters were killed and two injured The Bihar Police yesterday arrested the state’s notes in a state bank ATM were replaced with and they cannot be intimidated with death Parsekar baring his upper torso in a resort when a cooking gas cylinder exploded while staff selection commission chairman from children’s toy bills, an off icer said yesterday. threats, former union minister and state chief pool has gone viral on social media. The they were extinguishing a blaze in a snack neighbouring Jharkhand in connection with Mohamed Isha is accused of stealing the real minister Farooq Abdullah said yesterday. image of Parsekar staring contemplatively shop in New Delhi yesterday morning. Five a leak of question papers, an off icial said in cash and substituting it with fake bills earlier Addressing party workers at the Nawa-i-Subha into emptiness, from the swimming pool firetenders were rushed to the spot after a fire Patna yesterday. Sudhir Kumar, a senior Indian this month when he was refilling the State Bank headquarters of the National Conference, was uploaded via the chief minister’s off icial broke out at a food and snacks shop in west Administrative Service (IAS) off icer who heads of India machine in New Delhi. “After entering Abdullah added that “our generation was Facebook account. The normally conservatively Delhi around 5.35am yesterday. “There was the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC), the ATM with the cash bag, Isha removed deceived, but the fight for our rights has been attired leader had to endure a brief spell of a minor fire in the shop. But an LPG cylinder was arrested along with four of his close the notes from the ATM tray and replaced on since 1931”. The veteran politician blamed trolling following the upload given the caption exploded when our men were busy dousing relatives from Hazaribagh, the off icial added. A them with the dummy cash,” the off icer said. both India and Pakistan for not understanding accompanying the photo, which was later the flames,” a Delhi Fire Service off icial said. Special Investigation Team of the state police “We interrogated him at length and he has the basic reality of the struggle people in edited. The first caption quizzed his followers Hari Singh Meena, 55, died at the spot and was interrogating Kumar and he would be confessed to the crime.” The dummy Rs2,000 Kashmir have been waging and the travails playfully. “Relaxing after elections. Guess who? his colleague Hariom, 56, later succumbed brought to the Bihar capital later, an off icial at bills were marked ‘Children Bank of India’ — and they have been suff ering. Hitting out at Prime Guess where?” Soon after the criticism, the to his injuries. Firemen Naveen and Ravinder the state police headquarters said. Kumar was carried the misspelt pledge “I promise to pay Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah said “his photo caption was edited to read “Communing received minor injuries and are being treated absconding since February 10, after the leak the barer two thousand coupens”. words should be for unity and not for division”. with nature. A refreshing experience”. at B L Kapur Memorial Hospital. surfaced. Outrage after engineer killed in possible US hate crime

Reuters are twice as well off as other Amer- New Delhi icans, with an average household income of more than $100,000. The Southern Poverty Law orking, partying and Center said the number of hate travelling across the US, groups in the US rose for a second WIndian aviation engi- year in a row in 2016, linking the neer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was liv- increase to Trump’s presidential ing his American dream in Kansas candidacy, and this week’s inci- City. dent has further heightened con- That dream was shattered on cerns among Indians about their Wednesday. treatment there. A local man shot dead Kuchib- “Thank God my son survived hotla, 32, and wounded his col- the fi ring,” Madasani’s father, Ja- league Alok Madasani in a case US ganmohan Reddy, told The Hindu federal authorities are investigat- newspaper. “After the nightmar- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is received by Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao and other dignitaries on his arrival in Coimbatore yesterday. ing as a possible hate crime. ish incident, do we really need to Local media quoted eyewitness- go and work in (the) US?” es saying the attacker shouted “get After obtaining a bachelor’s out of my country” before open- degree in technology in India, ing fi re as the colleagues shared an Kuchibhotla left his home town of after-work drink in a local bar. Hyderabad for El Paso, Texas, to The shooting has sparked pursue a master’s degree in elec- outrage in India, with criticism trical engineering, according to his mounting that US President Don- LinkedIn profi le. Kanpur train accident ald Trump’s “America First” rhet- He then worked as a software oric is fuelling intolerance towards and systems engineer at Rockwell immigrants. Collins, Iowa. The Indian government ex- Married about four years ago, pressed its shock and condemned Kuchibhotla, who called himself the incident, but Kuchibhotla’s “Srinu” on his Facebook page, relatives called for more action. and his wife spent their early years a conspiracy, says Modi “The government should voice of marriage watching Bollywood this out strongly, because our movies, celebrating New Year’s IANS spirators from across the border”. mafi a was not only out to loot the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). despondent face of Chief Minis- brothers, sisters and our relatives eve by clicking selfi es and travel- Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) “If the enemies want to run the poor but was also engaged Modi also claimed that the BJP ter Akhilesh Yadav. are there,” Kuchibhotla’s brother, ling across the US. their business from the other in jeopardising the future of the had got huge support from the “You have given a stable gov- Venu Madhav, said. “Four states, 1,500 miles, three side of the border, people in youth . people in the fi rst four phases of ernment at the Centre... and Television, standing outside his days and fi nally at Dallas to end rime Minister Narendra Gonda need to be cautious. If Modi said: “When I was polling and that the writing on now you have to strengthen our home in the southern city of Hy- year 2013,” his wife wrote on her Modi yesterday termed such people are elected who help thinking about speaking on the the wall was evident from the hands further...,” he urged. derabad. “If you really look into Facebook page at the time. Plast November’s train ac- the conspirators, will Gonda be issue, I must honestly admit I this incident, this is not done by Later, Kuchibhotla cident in Kanpur a “conspiracy” safe? If Gonda is not safe will the was slightly scared as this topic a teenager or a burglar,” Madhav switched jobs to join Garmin and urged people not to vote for nation be safe?” Modi said. heard on television... could give Scared PM tries to spread communalism: Rahul said, referring to the 51-year-old International as an engineer, those “who help conspirators”. “The people of Gonda are pa- ideas to anti-social elements in attacker. working on designs and Speaking at an election rally triots, they should be in power. other parts of the nation to rep- Congress vice president Rahul every Indian, 20mn jobs, loan Through a window, rela- fl ight test activities. here, Modi also slammed the There should be no mistake in licate the SP modus operandi.” Gandhi yesterday slammed Prime waiver to the farmers. Modi has tives could be seen sitting On Thursday, he and his Akhilesh Yadav government elections, whether it is the Sa- Inspired by the public ap- Minister Narendra Modi, saying been benevolent towards the quietly, one woman wip- colleague Madasani were for “protecting and patronis- majwadi Party (SP) or the Ba- plause, Modi said the “copying “when he gets sacred, he tries rich and has waived their loans, ing away tears. at Austins Bar and Grill in ing” the “copying mafi a” that hujan Samaj Party (BSP), none mafi a” business has to end. to create tension between two but not the loans of farmers,” he Kuchibhotla was Kansas when the shooting harmed the future of the youth. of them should win. Vote for the He also slammed the law and religions”. “When Modi gets scared, added. “We (Congress) waived one of many ambitious took place. Kuchibhotla’s Modi said: “Gonda shares its Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and order situation in the state. Modi he tries to spread communalism off the loans of the farmers, gave young Indians who go former colleague, Ka- border with Nepal... Few days make it victorious.” said: “No justice can be expected and create tension among people them food security and MNREGA,” abroad each year in vipriya Muthuramalingam, back there was a train accident... Modi also accused the from the police stations (in Ut- belonging to two religions. He tries said Gandhi. He also said the Modi search of a better edu- fondly remembered him as Some people were caught and Akhilesh Yadav-led-SP govern- tar Prades) as they are helpless. to spread poison in the society,” government has not been able to cation and career pros- a dear friend who would the police found out that it was a ment of protecting and patron- They await nod from SP bosses.” said Gandhi during a public rally send “a single person accused of pects. never be confrontational. conspiracy... the conspirators are ising the “copying mafi a” in the Urging the people to uproot the here. Attacking the prime minister, keeping black money” to jail and More than 3mn Indi- “It’s tragic,” she told Re- on the other side of the border.” state which was harming the fu- corrupt government in the state, Rahul Gandhi said: “He keeps lying. that 94% of black money is still ans live in the US. uters. “He was at the wrong He said people should not vote ture of the youth. Modi asked them to “end” the rule He promised to give Rs1.5mn to stashed away in foreign countries. As a community, they place at the wrong time.” for anyone who would “help con- The prime minister said the of SP and warned them against

Chennai metro works BJP to leverage on Shiv Sena, BJP vie for Maharashtra victory

IANS seats will be boosted,” he said. Mumbai mayor post Pathak also pointed out that Lucknow Maharashtra has a sizable pres- IANS However, according to the of- “Both parties have done ex- ence of people from Poorvanchal Mumbai fi cial fi gures released by the State ceedingly well, but neither have erked by its success in the and it was only natural that “the Election Commission (SEC) got the clear numbers. I suggest Maharashtra civic polls, the winds of change will blow from late on Thursday, in the current they should discuss and share PBJP has decided to use it for Mumbai to Poorvanchal which is day after a hung house 227-strong BMC house, only fi ve the post of mayor for two-and- a “major political push” to further yet to go to polls”. was thrown up in the Bri- independents were elected. half years each in the interest its prospects in the remaining Party insiders said that so far Ahanmumbai Municipal Three have already joined the of Mumbai,” Athawale said in a three crucial rounds of assembly they were “edgy” about the im- Corporation elections, the two Shiv Sena, leaving only two in- statement. elections in Uttar Pradesh. pact of demonetisation on the biggest parties - Shiv Sena and dependents ‘unattached’ so far, He appealed to the Sena to “re- Senior Bharatiya Janata Party Uttar Pradesh polls, but now the the Bharatiya Janata Party – yes- raising a question mark over BJP spect the mandate” of the people strategists say the Maharash- tide was changing in their favour. terday struggled to cobble up Mumbai president Ashish She- in favour of the two saff ron par- tra poll outcome is “certain to It is learned that BJP chief suffi cient numbers to grab the lar’s public claim. ties and not seek support of the boost our prospects” in the Hindi Amit Shah has told the state unit mayor post. The Sena leadership faced Congress-NCP for controlling heartland state. to milk the victories of the party In a major boost to the Sena pressure from cadres who ex- the BMC administration, which The BJP on Thursday fi nished both in Odisha and Maharashtra eff orts, two rebels who contested pressed vehement opposition to has a staggering Rs370bn budget. neck-and-neck with the Shiv civic polls as an example before as independents, walked back allying with the BJP, as “it would The Congress may consider Sena in the race for control of the “UP electorate”. to the party fold, while an in- spell the end of the Shiv Sena”. extending support to the Sena India’s richest and biggest civic Shah said the party should dependent corporator extended Prominent Sena activist Sub- but it’s uncomfortable since the body, the Brihanmumbai Munici- highlight the “tight embrace of support. hash Talekar urged Thackeray party continues to be a ruling ally pal Corporation, and also grabbed the BJP by people”, especially af- Party chief Uddhav Thack- to solicit support from the Con- of the BJP in Maharashtra and the eight other civic corporations in ter demonetisation. eray beamed approvingly as this gress, Nationalist Congress Party Centre. Maharashtra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the Sena tally up from the and the Maharashtra Navnirman Also declared elected along- BJP state unit general sec- has also been referring to the poll 84 seats it won, to 87, making it Sena but warned against joining side the Shiv Sena (84+3) and retary Vijay Pathak confirmed results in Gujarat, Chandigarh, the largest single entity so far in hands with the BJP in the interest BJP (82) are the Congress with 31 that the ongoing polls were Faridabad and Odisha in his elec- the country’s biggest and richest of the party’s survival. seats, Nationalist Congress Party “indeed set to get a big fillip” tion rallies. civic body. Union Minister Ramdas Atha- (nine), Maharashtra Navnir- in favour of the party. “In the The big Maharashtra win will The BJP which came close by wale of the Republican Party of man Sena (seven), Samajwadi first four rounds, we have done now fi nd mention in his speeches bagging 82 seats had claimed the India (A) urged both the BJP and Party (six), All India Majlis-e- exceedingly well and now that as he pitches for a full majority in support of four unknown inde- Sena to sit together and hammer Ittehadul Muslimeen (two), in- A tunnel boring machine (TBM) makes a breakthrough at the BJP has shown great results Uttar Pradesh, which in the 2014 pendents and a purported tally of out an amicable solution to the dependents (fi ve) and one from a the Central Station in Chennai yesterday. in Maharashtra, it is but natural general elections sent 71 BJP law- 86 to bid for the mayor’s post. issue. local party. that our mission of 300-plus makers to the Lok Sabha. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, February 25, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

PROTEST STEPPING DOWN PROBE CRACKDOWN ECONOMY Brazilian foreign minister New graft claims hit Colombia freezes FARC Brazil unemployment resigns for health reasons Argentina president assets under peace deal hits new record high

Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra has Argentina lawmakers launched a fresh conflict Colombian prosecutors seized $98mn worth Brazil’s unemployment rate hit a new record high tendered his resignation for health reasons, of interest case against President Mauricio of buildings, land and assets belonging to the of 12.6% between November and January, off icial according to media reports Wednesday. In Macri, alleging airline routes were unfairly leftist Farc force as it disbands under a peace data showed yesterday, despite government a letter to President Michel Temer cited by allocated to a company controlled by his deal, an off icial said. “We have frozen property assertions of economic recovery. news channel Globo, Serra said he needs at family. Opposition lawmakers filed a case worth nearly 282mn pesos” belonging to the That meant 12.9mn out of work, deepening least four months of rest. Serra, 74, recently in a federal court alleging that routes were Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the sense of crisis for ordinary people in Latin underwent spinal surgery. Serra, of the allocated “in an irregular manner” to the airline public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez America’s biggest country after two years centre-right Brazilian Democratic Movement Avian, one of the deputies, Rodolfo Tailhade, told a news conference. Authorities “also of recession. At nearly 13mn jobless, that’s Party, became foreign minister last year said on the radio. The lawmakers say low-cost managed to identify property that is the result a 34.3% increase from 12 months ago. The Workers of mining company El Teniente when Temer took the helm after the ouster carrier Avian is controlled by the Macri Group of illegal activities such as drug traff icking,” he unemployment rate has dented the popularity protests in front of BHP Billiton’s off ices from the presidency of Dilma Rousseff . The of the conservative president’s family. They said. The Farc are demobilising after signing a of the market-friendly government of President in Santiago, yesterday, in solidarity with Sao Paulo native is a former senator and allege it and another company, FlyBondi, got peace accord with the Colombian government Michel Temer, who took over last year after the miners of the Escondida mine who are governor of Sao Paulo state and has run for preferential treatment in the allocation of the last year following more than half a century of impeachment of president Dilma Rousseff with holding an indefinite strike. president twice. routes. conflict. promises to restore the economy to health.

Carnival kicks off in Brazil despite Mexico voices ‘worry and recession, tensions irritation’ to Trump aides Reuters São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest me- Rio de Janeiro tropolis, and Salvador, a city in the northeast where proces- Reuters sions of giant fl oats serve as Mexico City arnival festivities stages for pop stars and other kicked off in Brazil yes- performers. Cterday, with offi cials Rio de Janeiro might be in exico expressed “worry in Rio de Janeiro, site of the carnival mode but partygoers and irritation” about US country’s best-known revelry, still want to have their say on Mpolicies to two of Presi- preparing to hand the key of hot button issues ranging from dent Donald Trump’s top envoys, the city over to “King Momo,” corruption to US President giving a chilly reply to the new a fi gurehead who traditionally Donald Trump’s Mexico bor- administration’s hard line on im- presides over the partying. der wall. migration, trade and security. Despite an ongoing reces- The intense samba parade Comments by Trump about a sion and police strikes that contest at the Sambodromo “military operation” to deport raised security concerns in stadium will feature a lavish criminals added to the tense at- recent weeks, thousands of portrayal of France under the mosphere, and prompted a clari- locals and tourists swarmed Sun King, Louis XIV, complete fi cation from Homeland Security across Rio for the start of the with over-the-top wigs and chief John Kelly, one of the US of- fi ve-day festival, which the recreations of his gardens. fi cials visiting Mexico City. city expects will draw more The story of how the French The US government angered than 1mn visitors and gener- monarch’s high fl ying fi nance Mexico earlier this week by say- ate about $1bn for the local minister, Nicolas Fouquet, was ing it was seeking to deport many economy. arrested on charges of embez- illegal immigrants to Mexico if The celebration, known zling money to fund his Vaux- they entered the United States for block parties and the big- le-Vicomte chateau and other from there, regardless of na- budget spectacle of parades at luxuries, will resonate directly tionality. It is the latest point Rio’s offi cial Carnival venue, with the 70,000 corruption- of friction between neighbours this year plays out as Brazil weary Brazilians at the Sam- that have also been at odds over seeks to emerge from a two- bodromo. “It’s a fable and it’s Trump’s vow to build a wall on year recession, its worst on funny because it’s very cur- the border and his attempts to record, and political volatility rent. Thieving is something browbeat Mexico into giving that last year led to a presiden- that spans the centuries,” said concessions on trade. tial impeachment. Rosa Magalhaes, the artistic “There exists among Mexicans A limited police strike in director of the Sao Clemente worry and irritation about what Rio, and a far bigger stoppage samba school, who also direct- are perceived to be policies that by police in the neighbouring ed the closing ceremony at the could be harmful for the national US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (left) listens to Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray as they off er a joint press conference at the Foreign state of Espirito Santo, earlier Rio Olympics. interest and for Mexicans here Ministry building in Mexico City. this month prompted fears of The rival Imperatriz Leopol- and abroad,” Foreign Minister a crime surge during Carnival. dinense samba school has al- Luis Videgaray told a news con- its dealings with Trump, follow- sional and constructive. Looking Mexico relies heavily on ex- thing would be to have agree- The strike in Espirito Santo, ready provoked controversy ference. ing jibes that Pena Nieto should stern as he stood beside the US ports to its neighbour. But stakes ments that work for both equal- which lasted a week, led to a with its preparation of a Sam- He was speaking after talks stand up to his counterpart. visitors, Videgaray said it was are also high for the United ly,” Osorio Chong said in com- spike in murders, thefts and bodromo display depicting the in the Mexican capital with US If the United States taxes im- “a complex time” for US-Mex- States, not least because a break- ments at the Foreign Ministry. assaults. fate of indigenous tribes under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ports from Mexico, there will be ican relations, which have gone down in relations with Mexico In a concession to Mexican But policing in Rio by this pressure from agribusiness and Kelly, who later met with a response that “hits them where downhill quickly since Trump’s could aff ect extensive co-opera- concerns, both Kelly and Till- week had returned to normal and deforestation along the President Enrique Pena Nieto. it hurts,” La Jornada and Reforma election last November. tion on the fi ght against narcotics erson acknowledged the need and pre-Carnival street parties Xingu river. The Mexican leader scrapped a reported Videgaray as saying, Videgaray and Pena Nieto have and stemming the fl ow of Central to stop arms and drug proceeds have been celebrated without The marching song, per- summit meeting with Trump in based on recordings obtained of been criticised at home for be- American illegal immigrants that moving south, and praised Mex- major disruptions. Offi cials formed by some 3,000 danc- January as tensions rose. Tiller- a closed-door session with law- ing too willing to engage with reach the US border. ico’s extensive programs to turn have deployed outdoor urinals ers, refers to farmers’ “greed” son and Kelly emphasised tradi- makers. Videgaray warned of the Republican president, who Interior Minister Miguel Angel back Central American immi- across the city and some of- and the “monster” of a hydro- tionally strong US-Mexico ties counter-taxes and tariff s target- has repeatedly cranked up ten- Osorio Chong said the two coun- grants travelling north. “There is fi ces and stores, wary of van- electric dam that “steals land and both sides pledged further ing US congressional districts sion with the country ahead of tries needed to strengthen intel- no mistaking that the rule of law dals, have boarded up windows from its children, devours the dialogue on migration, trade and most reliant on exports to Mexico key meetings. Opposition politi- ligence sharing, as well as take matters along both sides of our and doors. The festival, whose forests and dries up the rivers.” security issues. Pena Nieto said if Trump started limiting trade. cians and a handful of protesters more action to stem the fl ow of border,” Tillerson said. roots lie in a tradition of carnal The song is causing an up- the talks were a sign of the will to There were some signs of con- demanded that Pena Nieto snub weapons and drug money from None of the offi cials made di- indulgence before the austere roar in Brazil’s powerful agri- build a constructive relationship. geniality behind closed doors. the visitors, and even Economy the United States and to shut rect references to the deporta- Catholic season of Lent, offi - business lobby, which accuses Two Mexican newspapers Tillerson drank tequila with Minister Idelfonso Guajardo had down criminal organisations. tion of immigrants from third cially ends next Wednesday. the samba school of damaging leaked comments from Videga- Mexican counterparts at dinner, said the meeting with the presi- “Mexico needs the United States, countries to Mexico, or to pay- Major carnival parades and the reputation of one of the ray, however, that bolstered the a person familiar with the event dent might not happen, depend- and the United States also needs ing for the border wall planned other festivities will also take economy’s most important perception that Mexico is tak- said. Pena Nieto’s offi ce de- ing on the tone of the talks in the Mexico. Our countries will al- by Trump, a red-fl ag issue for place in other cities, including sectors. ing a more robust approach to scribed the US offi cials as profes- morning. ways be neighbours so the best Mexico. In the spotlight Cuba says it foiled plot to destabilise country

Reuters and serious provocation against defended its move as “impec- Havana the Cuban government, gen- cable act of transparency,” say- erating internal instability, ing it had contacted the coun- damaging the country’s inter- tries from which invitees were ommunist-ruled Cuba national reputation,” the state- travelling to inform them of the said it had foiled a seri- ment by the foreign ministry plot, hoping they could be dis- Cous plot aiming to desta- read.The ministry accused Al- suaded from travelling. bilise the country by preventing magro of “an ambition agenda “There was no lack of dec- the chief of the Organisation of of auto promotion with attacks larations by defenders of the American States travelling to against progressive govern- false persecuted, allies of past the island to attend an award ments like those of Venezuela, dictatorships and unemployed ceremony organised by dissi- Bolivia and Ecuador.” politicians willing to ally them- dents. In a letter to the dissidents, selves with vulgar mercenaries The opposition group, which Almagro said he had assured in the service of foreign inter- the government called “anti- the Cuban authorities he did ests,” the ministry said. Cuban and illegal,” had invited not have an anti-Cuban agenda. The dissident group that had OAS Secretary General Luis Al- The OAS’s only interest was to organised the award ceremony magro to Havana to honour him “help move Cuba closer to the is led by the daughter of late de- for shining a light on violations values and principles upheld by mocracy activist Oswaldo Paya, of human rights in the Ameri- the organisation in relation to who died in a 2012 car accident. cas. democracy and human rights,” Rosa Maria Paya accuses the Cuba, which views the he said. Cuban government of causing British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John performs at the 58th Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile. Washington-based OAS as an Cuba had earlier prevented the crash, a charge it denies. imperialist instrument of the other international invitees, Paya went ahead with the United States despite its fl edg- including a former Chilean ceremony in the Paya family ling detente with its Cold War minister and an ex-president of home in Havana as planned, al- Guatemala navy keeps eye on Dutch ‘abortion ship’ after protests foe, denied Almagro and other Mexico, from travelling to Cuba though she said she would keep international invitees visas and to attend the award ceremony, his prize until he could pick it up issued a blistering statement. stoking tensions across Latin in person. Guatemala’s navy dispatched group to carry out its activities ship was being “detained” illegally Jose, south of the Guatemalan The incident comes at an America. That looks unlikely to hap- a vessel to watch over a Dutch in the country,” the military said by the military, which it accused capital, prompted fierce protests awkward time as US Presi- Chile said it was recalling its pen soon. In its statement on “abortion ship” carrying activists in a formal complaint to the of “obstructing a lawful protest by Christian groups. dent Donald Trump considers ambassador to Cuba for con- the events, Cuba denounced a vowing to help women circumvent prosecutor’s off ice issued on against the state’s restrictions on They disrupted a news whether to continue normalis- sultation while Mexico’s foreign recent neo-liberal, imperialist the country’s longstanding instructions from President Jimmy the Guatemalan women’s right to conference by the activists, who ing relations with the Carib- ministry said on its Twitter ac- off ensive against certain Latin prohibition on terminating Morales. safe abortion.” counted 10 people from Brazil, bean island. count that it “regretted” Cuba’s American countries that had pregnancies. The group, Women on Waves, said The arrival of the Dutch- Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, “The plan ... consisted of decision. plunged millions back into pov- “The military will not permit this in a statement that their sailing registered ship in the port of San Spain and Guatemala. mounting in Havana an open The Cuban foreign ministry erty. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 15 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Census to help detect Find common ground to illegal foreigners

Internews combat terrorism: US Lahore The US says it is willing The US government was will- ministration was better placed tive for Afghanistan and Paki- The question is whether it “We believe that US long- to help both Pakistan, ing to help both governments in to play an eff ective role in bring- stan, told the Voice of America would serve the US and Afghan term interests are best served by ne of the major targets of Afghanistan in finding a fi nding a common ground for ing peace to the Pak-Afghan re- radio that the United States government purposes for that supporting Pakistan’s eff orts to the forthcoming census common ground for joint joint actions against the terror- gion because unlike the Obama was always aware of the need step to be taken?” combat violent extremism and Oin Pakistan is stated to be actions against the terrorists ists operating from both sides of administration, it did not have to engage the Afghan Taliban Dobbins said that the gov- build a more stable, tolerant, the detection of foreigners, espe- operating from both sides of the border, the sources said. any baggage. and that’s why it placed the Pa- ernment in Kabul might not democratic society,” said the of- cially Afghans living in Pakistan the border Gen John Nicholson, the top At one discussion, a former kistani Taliban (TTP) on its ter- support the move to label the fi cial when asked for comments as its nationals and repatriating US commander in Afghani- State Department offi cial with rorist list but did not designate Taliban because they “hope on Pakistan’s latest anti-terror them to their country or taking Internews stan, also indicated this when a vast experience in that re- the Afghan Taliban. eventually to be able to launch operation. them to task if involved in any Islamabad he told the US Senate’s Armed gion also stressed the need for In the case of the Afghan Tal- some process of reconciliation”. “Pakistan has suff ered greatly criminal or terrorist activity. Services Committee this month negotiating with the Afghan iban, “the deterring factor has The Trump administration at the hands of terrorists and According to offi cial sources, that the United States was Taliban. The offi cial argued that long been a concern that apply- would go ahead with the desig- violent extremists. The United launch of a fresh military op- he United States has seeking to set up an “enduring “demonising the Taliban was a ing the terror label to the group nation only if it “wants to create States has long stood in solidar- eration against terrorists in the urged Pakistan and Af- counter-terrorism platform” in mistake as it reduced the room would restrict US and Afghan an obstacle to communication ity with the people of Pakistan country in addition to the pres- Tghanistan to avoid a con- Afghanistan. for a dialogue”. government diplomatic con- with the Taliban”. and all who fi ght the menace of ence of Rangers in Punjab was frontational approach and fi nd a He said there could be no The offi cial pointed out that tacts with the Taliban, making A spokesman for Afghan terrorism,” the offi cial added. being considered an opportune minimum common ground for peace in Afghanistan with- now that the US administra- peace talks more diffi cult”, the President Ghani told the VOA Reports in the Pakistani me- time to detect and “throw out” combating terrorism. out Pakistan’s support and he tion wanted to engage with the VOA observed. he was unaware of any proposal dia suggested that Pakistani the foreigners who had been Diplomatic sources said that in would urge Pakistani offi cials Taliban, “there’s a resistance, “There is no doubt that the to designate the Taliban as a ter- troops also shelled some terror- able to live here as Pakistani conversations with Pakistani and to work with the Afghans for particularly here in the United Taliban occasionally attack ci- rorist organisation. ist hideouts along the Afghan nationals. Afghan offi cials, both in Wash- defeating terrorism. States where people do not un- vilians intentionally, not acci- Meanwhile, a spokesperson border. The action, aimed at They said in all deputy com- ington and in Islamabad and Ka- In recent discussions at derstand why their government dentally, and that’s the defi ni- for the US State Department targets close to Mohmand and missioners would be the focal bul, American offi cials have asked Washington think-tanks, some is talking to the demons”. tion of terrorism,” Dobbins said. strongly supported Pakistan’s Khyber tribal agencies, caused persons for the census starting them also to devise a mechanism American experts on Afghani- Recently, James Dobbins, a “And, thus, the designation eff orts to eliminate terrorist an angry reaction from the from March 15 primarily to count for resolving their disputes. stan argued that the Trump ad- former US special representa- would be accurate enough. hideouts. Afghan government. Pakistani population. But its undeclared aim was to also single out those who were not Pakistanis but had some- how managed to show they were by acquiring national identity Afghan cards and other documents like Gas leak behind Lahore blast: minister passports. They said the foreigners deportation would be singled out by check- AFP speculation, authorities re- fl ow of verifi ed information. ing their family tree before 1979 Lahore vised their assessment at a Thursday’s explosion sent when Russia invaded Afghani- fl ight from press conference in Lahore panic through Lahore, where stan, pushing millions of Afghan yesterday. reports of a second blast refugees into Pakistan. n explosion that killed “Yesterday’s explosion was were quickly debunked. Most Mere presence of Pakistani Germany seven people and caused an accident. It was not caused schools and restaurants were national identity cards or own- Apanic in the Pakistani by explosives or a result of ter- closed yesterday. ership of property bought here city of Lahore was caused by a rorism,” Punjab provincial law The organisers of the Lahore would not be taken as a proof of half empty gas leak and not a bomb as po- minister Rana Sanaullah said Literary Festival, the country’s one’s Pakistani nationality. lice had earlier stated, a Pun- yesterday. biggest, said it had been scaled Afghan nationals living in Pa- jab provincial minister said “The presence of gas cyl- back from three days this kistan since 30 to 40 years ago AFP yesterday. inders and leakage has been weekend to just one. “In light would have to show their family Berlin The blast on Thursday confi rmed on the site,” he con- of the present circumstances, history before that. This would wounded dozens in the pro- tinued. “We got the forensic we feel it’s optimal,” Razi Ah- separate wheat from chaff . vincial capital, already on edge report this morning and the re- mad, CEO of the festival, said. Offi cial sources said that the he German government after a suicide attack just ten sults and conclusions are that The incident also spread antecedents of people would admitted yesterday it de- days earlier killed 14 people, there was no indication of ex- panic through social media, be checked with biometric ma- Tported fewer than half the part of a deadly wave of mili- plosives or related materials.” where users exchanged dire chines and verifi ed through Afghans who were due to be re- tant violence that has rippled Debris had blocked the fo- warnings purporting to be Security off icials stand at the site a day after an explosion in Nadra record. Those not coop- patriated on a charter plane ear- across Pakistan this month. rensics team from access- from intelligence agencies. The Lahore, yesterday. erating would be taken to task lier this week, after some went Multiple police and admin- ing the site, he said, while the military later denied issuing as “this is going to be the real into hiding. istration offi cials had earlier analysis took up to eight hours. the messages. Attacks over the last fortnight were claimed by the Islamic cleanup operation,” a senior Fifty Afghans whose asylum stated on the record that the Sanaullah blamed the confu- The rumours underscored include a bomb in Lahore on Feb- State group or the Pakistani offi cial said. requests had been rejected were explosion in a posh area of the sion on chaos in the aftermath growing nervousness across ruary 13 which killed 14 people, Taliban, have dented optimism All Afghan refugees are ex- to have boarded the aircraft for eastern city, which blew out of the incident, and suggested the country after a series of and a devastating suicide blast after the country appeared to pected to return to their country their home country late Wednes- windows and crumpled cars, authorities were considering assaults shook Pakistanis em- at a Sufi shrine in Sindh province be making strong gains in its by December this year, accord- day, but “in fact, only 18 got on was a bomb. reforming the provincial press boldened by what had been a that left 90 devotees dead. decade-and-a-half long war ing to the deadline extended by the fl ight,” said interior ministry But amid rumours and department to streamline the prolonged lull in violence. The incidents, most of which on militancy. the UN. spokesman Tobias Plate. But he sought to play down the issue, saying that “if one looks at other fl ights, the numbers are al- ways below that of the planning fi gure”. Tajikistan to join road link “There are always a few who UNODC programme don’t turn up because of dif- ferent reasons - health reasons, Internews access to Pakistan’s ports, in- accommodate Kabul’s demand. successful applications for ur- Islamabad cluding Gwadar, without hav- But while Afghanistan’s gent rights protection of which ing to depend on Afghanistan. President Ashraf Ghani threat- there are three cases here. to empower police It will provide safe passage to ened to cut off Pakistan’s ac- “Others go into hiding or seek hile Afghanistan is traders from both Pakistan and cess to Central Asia if it did not asylum in churches,” he said, reluctant to fi nalise a Tajikistan. include India in the transit deal, adding that the proportion of Internews operation amongst neighbour- more common among the Wtransit trade agree- Trade between the two China revived QTTA to further no-shows increase when the Islamabad ing countries to eff ectively fi nd youth of the country be-tween ment with Islamabad, Tajikistan countries has risen steadily tap the potential of the China- planned expulsions are known common solutions. the ages of 25 to 39 than is to 24. is poised to join a separate ini- from $15m in 2011 to $90mn in Pakistan Economic Corridor, ahead of time. According to UNODC, Paki- It is estimated that 860,000 tiative which will connect Paki- 2016, and Tajikistan wants to offi cials said. “That’s why the government he UN Offi ce on Drugs stan is currently being consid- or 0.8% of the population stan to Central Asia, bypassing bring the volume up to $500m. QTTA provides Pakistan a has initiated several measures, and Crime (UNODC) ered as one of the world’s busi- are regular heroin users and Afghanistan entirely. Up till now, Pakistani trad- gateway to Central Asia by us- including for example no longer Tyesterday launched est drug traffi cking corridors 320,000 (0.3%) are opium Offi cials said that Tajikistan’s ers have had to rely on the land ing the Karakoram Highway announcing such fl ights in ad- a countrywide programme, mainly due to the cultivation of users. request for inclusion into the route through Afghanistan to which links Gilgit-Baltistan to vance,” added the spokesman. which is aimed at empowering opium poppy and cannabis in According to the fi ndings, Quadrilateral Traffi c in Tran- access Tajikistan and other Cen- China’s Xinjiang region – as a This week’s group were part law enforcement and criminal Afghanistan. cannabis is the most commonly sit Agreement (QTTA) a deal tral Asian States. Pakistan and transit corridor. of a third wave of repatriations agencies to combat illicit drug Afghanistan produces al- used drug, with a prevalence of between China, Pakistan, Kyr- Afghanistan had been negotiat- With Pakistan’s exports de- from Germany to Afghanistan traffi cking, its use and crime most 40% of drugs like hash- 3.6% of the population, equiv- gyzstan and Kazakhstan for ing a transit trade agreement but clining by over $4bn over the since December under a disputed across Pakistan. ish and heroin which are routed alent to 4mn users nationwide. facilitating transit traffi c and Kabul’s insistence that India be last few years, it has looked Afghan-European Union deal The $70mn programme will through Pakistan. According to UNODC representative to Pa- trade has been approved. The included in the arrangement led to tap the potential of Central aimed at curbing the infl ux of help enhance the skills and a report, Drug Use in Pakistan kistan Cesar Cuedes said that Central Asian state will now to a deadlock in discussions. Asian and Russian markets. migrants. knowledge of law enforce- 2013, it was estimated that six the programme also envisions become a formal participant Due to tensions with India Kyrgyzstan has off ered a route Nearly 80 Afghans, all men, ment and criminal justice per cent of the population of to be “working together against once its parliament approves over unrest in Occupied Kash- to Russia to Pakistani traders. have so far been sent back af- agencies in overcoming the the country had used control- illicit traffi cking, drug use and the move, they said. mir and Delhi’s attempts to At the same time, Pakistani ter their asylum applications multi-faceted threats posed by led substance, including mis- crime, while promoting the Inclusion in QTTA which implicate Islamabad in rebel ports provide landlocked Cen- were rejected by the German transnational organised crime use of prescription drugs. rule of law for a safer society was signed in Islamabad in 1995 attacks on military instal- tral Asian states the closest government. and would foster greater co- Meanwhile, drug use is much for all in Pakistan.” will grant landlocked Tajikistan lations, Pakistan could not maritime facilities for trade. Civilian cost climbs in Afghanistan’s air war

DPA He was later told the US during aerial strikes rose by 40% then-president Hamid Karzai to tion on the ground are often diers on the ground, the US mili- Nangarhar’s Shirzad district, Kabul controllers of the unmanned in 2016, according to Pentagon threaten to sever ties altogether. stonewalled or blatantly lied to. tary must increasingly rely on says about 30 civilians were drone were given the wrong statistics released in December. Karzai’s outrage particularly After the deaths in Sangin, Afghan forces for intelligence on killed there in airstrikes in the co-ordinates for the strike. But the tally of civilian casualties over casualties during night provincial offi cials insisted that enemy locations. past year, but that communities he drone missile hit the Although civilian casualties from these missions grew much raids brought some success. the attacks targeted areas with- Inexperienced pilots of the are afraid to formally complain tower in Jendakhel at 8am have been one of the most divi- faster, by 99%, to 250 dead and 340 In that year the commanders of out residential buildings, while nascent Afghan air force are also in case the Taliban punish them Tas fi ve men climbed up sive issues in the more than 15- injured, the UN said in its annual the Nato-led forces and separately the UN published its own fi nd- a big part of the problem, being for consorting with foreigners. to keep watch for Islamic State year confl ict, people claim that report published in February. commanded US forces introduced ings that mostly women and statistically three times more “The Taliban do not want us fi ghters who had been harassing the “collateral damage” is being Earlier this month, at least rules limiting the scope of combat children had died. likely to open fi re than those to talk to authorities or go to the their village for months. increasingly hushed up. Many 19 civilians died in air strikes measures against the insurgents if Offi cial silence and conceal- from the US. Americans,” says Wahid.”They Mistaken for the enemy, they in Afghanistan also want the air on three villages in the Sangin civilians were endangered. ment of civilian deaths also re- Moreover, the number of vic- are afraid that we will give them became some of the latest victims strikes to continue in the fi ght district of Helmand province as As well as the humanitarian fl ects the harsh realities of the tims is probably higher than in- information about them.” of US air strikes in Afghanistan. against the Taliban and IS. Taliban forces were engaged. considerations, the deaths were fi ght against the Taliban, who dicated, since the UN must have Babur Khan, whose brother All were killed, their bodies The US and the Afghan gov- Over the years, the deaths simply turning the population are again a potent force in the three independent sources to died when the tower in Jenda- crushed under the debris. ernment are standing their of large numbers of civilians in against the war eff ort. country and killed 6,785 soldiers verify each death. khel was hit, says the same thing “The attack was a huge mis- ground about the necessity. “Air single attacks have strained the While civilian deaths and in- and police offi cers in 2016 alone. UN staff have less and less ac- – people fear the Taliban and take,” says Babur Khan, brother strikes are simply indispensa- Afghan government’s relations juries often triggered mass pub- The government’s armed cess to areas controlled by the keep quiet. of one of the men, recounting ble,” a top military source in Ka- with its Western allies. lic protests, the current Afghan forces are overstretched, and Islamists and acknowledge pos- Everyone who leaves or enters his family’s loss weeks later at a bul said. “They are often the last In 2009, 39% of all civilian government is conspicuously Kabul currently controls only sible under-reporting of civilian the district can be stopped by in- hotel in Jalalabad, the capital of means to stop the Taliban.” casualties were infl icted by in- quiet about the issue. around 57% of the country. casualties in general. surgent patrols and questioned, Nangarhar province. The amount of weapons fi red ternational forces, prompting Those who seek informa- But with less than 10,000 sol- Abdul Wahid, a resident of he says, Gulf Times 16 Saturday, February 25, 2017 PHILIPPINES De Lima: from high-fl ying lawyer to rights crusader

AFP of lowly paid lawyers, inves- Manila tigating extra-judicial kill- ings, abductions and human rights violations by the Phil- hilippine drug war crit- ippines’ notoriously corrupt ic Leila de Lima was a security forces. Phighly paid lawyer who Another one of her main switched focus mid-career to targets was Duterte, who had human rights, a decision that for years faced allegations would draw her into the deadly of running death squads in world of President Rodrigo Davao that killed hundreds of Duterte. drug addicts and petty crimi- De Lima was arrested yes- nals as part of a ruthless an- terday on drug traffi cking ti-crime campaign. De Lima charges she insisted were opened a probe into the so- manufactured to silence her called Davao Death Squads. opposition to Duterte’s anti- She left the commission crime crackdown, which has with the probe unfinished in claimed more than 6,500 lives 2010 to become justice secre- in eight months. tary in the administration of De Lima, 57, began her ca- Benigno Aquino, who swept reer as one of the brightest to power on a pledge to fight legal prospects in the Philip- corruption. Senator Leila De Lima, a former human rights commissioner who is one of Duterte’s most vocal opponents, waves to her supporters after appearing at a court in Muntinlupa City, pines, having scored the eighth As justice secretary she suburban Manila yesterday. highest mark in the country’s prosecuted cases linked to the annual lawyer licence exams misuse of huge amounts of in 1985. legislators’ so-called pork- She worked as a law clerk for barrel funds, and raided the the House of Representatives country’s biggest prison to and as a legal aide of a Supreme dismantle the perks accorded Court associate justice, while to inmates convicted of drug building a successful law prac- offences. tice that specialised in helping She left the cabinet in late Top critic of Duterte’s prominent politicians in elec- 2015 to run for the Senate, tion court challenges. winning a seat last year at the De Lima helped now-Senate same time Duterte was elect- President Aquilino Pimentel ed president. Junior to unseat a senate elec- As Duterte launched a Dav- tion rival, and future senator ao-style anti-crime crack- Alan Peter Cayetano beat a down across the Philippines suit alleging he was not a Fili- that would go on to claim drug war arrested pino citizen and therefore not thousands of lives, De Lima qualifi ed to run for offi ce. was one of the few politicians AFP high-profi le prisoners at the na- chiefs also expressed concern. Ironically, Pimentel and willing to criticise him. Manila tional police headquarters. “We are following the situa- Cayetano are now among the “I will have to destroy her The detainees’ rooms are tion very closely,” said spokes- most powerful allies of Du- in public,” Duterte said in spartan, but are comfortable woman for the UN High Com- terte, a longtime mayor of the August last year, and then he highest-profi le critic compared with the nation’s no- missioner for Human Rights, southern city of Davao who proceeded to build a case al- of Philippine President toriously crowded jails. Ravina Shamdasani. won presidential elections last leging she was one of the na- TRodrigo Duterte’s brutal De Lima and her supporters Duterte’s aides insisted year after promising to kill tens tion’s biggest drug traffick- drug war was arrested yesterday insisted that Duterte orches- they had a strong case against of thousands of criminals. ers. on charges she said were meant trated the charges not just to De Lima and said her arrest De Lima’s life turned in “Throughout my entire to silence her, but she vowed to crush her opposition, but also to showed even the most power- 2008 when she accepted life, I never imagined myself keep fi ghting the “sociopathic intimidate anyone else who may ful people would be brought to her first government post as becoming a victim of a hu- serial killer”. want to speak out against the justice if they broke the law. chairwoman of the govern- man rights violation myself,” Speaking to journalists min- president or his drug war. “The war on illegal drugs ment’s independent Com- De Lima, a divorced mother- utes before armed police in fl ak “People are afraid,” Father targets all who are involved mission on Human Rights. of-two, said in October as she jackets detained her, Senator Robert Reyes, an activist priest and the arrest of an incum- During two years in the job insisted the charges against Leila de Lima insisted she was who spent the night at the Sen- bent senator demonstrates she worked with a small team her were absurd. innocent of the drug traffi cking ate with De Lima and other sup- the president’s strong resolve charges that could see her jailed porters, said after her arrest. to fight pushers, peddlers and for life. “If the government can arrest their protectors,” presidential “It is my honour to be impris- a powerful person like her, what spokesman Ernesto Abella said. Robredo calls for fi ght against poverty oned for the things I am fi ghting chance does the little man have? Duterte, 71, won the presi- for. Please pray for me,” De Lima, That is the implied message of dential election last year after Vice President Maria Leonor ambition. President, we call 57, said outside her Senate offi ce her arrest.” promising during the campaign “Leni” Robredo yesterday you to task. On behalf of the where she had sought temporary Supporters of Senator Leila De Lima display placards outside a court in Vice President Leni Robredo, to eradicate drugs in society called on President Rodrigo Filipino people, whose daily refuge overnight after an arrest Muntinlupa, Metro Manila. a member of De Lima’s opposi- by killing tens of thousands of Duterte to help the poor by struggles are escalating, we warrant was issued on Thursday. tion Liberal Party and elected people. He launched the crack- focusing on the war against ask you to focus on the war “They will not be able to si- president is a murderer and a so- tion’s biggest prison when she separately from Duterte, de- down immediately after taking poverty and to lead the that really matters: the war lence me and stop me from ciopathic serial killer,” she said was the justice secretary in the scribed the arrest as “political office in June and police have country in respecting human on poverty. Our people are fi ghting for the truth and justice in the 10-minute video that was previous government. harassment”. Amnesty Inter- reported killing 2,555 drug sus- rights, Manila Times reported. hungry, jobless and poor,” the and against the daily killings and posted on her Facebook page. “I will have to destroy her in national said Thursday that it pects since then, with about Speaking at a forum hosted vice president said. “Please use repression by the Duterte re- De Lima, a former human public,” Duterte said then as he would regard De Lima as a pris- 4,000 other people murdered by the UP School of Econom- your leadership to point the na- gime.” rights commissioner, said her began a campaign to tarnish her oner of conscience. in unexplained circumstances. ics where she earned her tion towards respect for rule of De Lima also recorded a po- arrest was an act of revenge for reputation, including by mak- “The arrest of De Lima is a Amnesty has warned that bachelor’s degree, Robredo law, instead of disregard for it; to lemical video just before her her decade-long eff orts to ex- ing unsubstantiated allegations blatant attempt by the Phil- police actions in the drug war said that the Philippines uphold the basic human rights arrest in which she called for pose Duterte as the leader of about her sex life. ippine government to silence may amount to crimes against cannot be saved by “false enshrined in the institution, in- Filipinos to show courage and death squads during his time as The senator was last week criticism of President Duterte humanity. prophets of change who claim stead of encouraging its abuse. oppose Duterte’s drug war, mayor of southern Davao city. charged with three counts of and divert attention away from Duterte has repeatedly urged that they are the people’s Be the leader you promised which has seen more than 6,500 Duterte fi rst raised allegations drug traffi cking, and the arrest serious human rights viola- police to kill drug addicts as last hope.” “Poverty is the real to be, and stop the lies that people killed since he took offi ce in August that De Lima had been warrant was issued on Thursday. tions in the ‘war on drugs’,” i t well as traffickers. problem, but we are distracted are distorting the truth in our eight months ago. running a drug traffi cking ring De Lima was taken yesterday said. But his aides insist he has by political agenda and society today,” she added. “There is no doubt that our with criminals inside the na- to a special detention centre for United Nations human rights never broken any laws.

Probe launched over fi sh deaths in Negros President says Beijing misunderstood

By Eugen Y Adiong report (on the fi sh kill)to DENR minister’s remarks on South China Sea Manila Times/Bacolod City through the Environmental Management Bureau that caters to water pollution concerns,” Reuters trip on Thursday to the Phil- low” Washington’s foreign poli- he Community Environ- Gerangaya said. Manila ippines to sign about 40 joint cy, and confl ict with Beijing was ment and Natural Re- The DENR, along with the lo- projects worth billions of dollars. not an option. Tsources Offi ce (CENRO) cal government of Pontevedra, No reason was given by either “We cannot go to war because is investigating reports of a fi sh took water samples for labora- hilippine President Rod- side. we cannot aff ord it,” he said.”And kill in rivers of Pontevedra, Ne- tory testing.Pending the result, rigo Duterte said yester- However, yesterday, the Chi- as much as possible, the bilateral gros Occidental aff ecting three environment offi cials suspect Pday he was not sure why nese government announced relations between the two coun- barangay (villages). that the discolouration of water China’s commerce minister had the appointment of a new trade tries would be enhanced and im- Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, was caused by wastewater of cancelled a trip to his country, minister to replace Gao, as part proved and trade and commerce CENRO chief, said they sent bio-ethanol plant Roxol Bioner- and that Beijing misunderstood of a reshuffl e ahead of a crucial between the two countries a team to validate the reports gy Corp (RBC) located at neigh- his foreign minister’s comments Communist Party meeting later greatly improved.” received by the Department of bouring Barangay Nagasi in La about its militarisation in the this year. But that could be aff ected by Environment and Natural Re- Carlota City. Gerangaya said South China Sea. Establishing better relations Yasay’s comments that Asean sources (DENR) Central Offi ce “there is no other cause of water Duterte said he wanted solid with China has been a key plank members were “unanimous in on Wednesday that the fi sh kill contamination in the area, only ties with China and there was of Duterte’s sometimes perplex- their expression of concern” has initially aff ected upstream the plant’s wastewater fl owing no urgency in pressing it to abide ing foreign policy, which has about “very unsettling” devel- portions of Barangay San Juan into the river.” by last year’s arbitration ruling seen him lash out at major do- opments. as shown by dead tilapia fl oat- Production of other marine on the Philippines’ maritime Duterte: keen on strong China ties nors and investors such as the He mentioned China by name, ing in the river. products like crabs and shells boundaries and sovereign rights, United States and European Un- something the 10-nation group- Pontevedra Mayor Jose Benito has also been aff ected by the which went in favour of Manila China putting weapons installa- and this is what I had committed ion. ing is often reluctant to do. Alonso said the fi sh kill spread recurring water pollution, he and infuriated Beijing. tions on its manmade islands in to do when I was there, that we He is keen to tap China for China’s foreign ministry to portions of rivers in Baran- added. On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary the Spratlys. will talk as friends,” he said, re- loans, tourists and infrastruc- spokesman, Geng Shuang, on gay 1 and 2. River waters in the “Since 2015, the plant’s waste- Perfecto Yasay, the chairman of “The problem is I think Sec- ferring to a trip he made to China ture. Thursday told a regular briefi ng area have discoloured and the water has been discharged into a meeting of foreign ministers retary Yasay was misunderstood last year. Yesterday Duterte said the that Yasay’s remarks were “baf- number of dead fi sh has in- the river particularly when the of the Association of South East by the Chinese government,” China’s Commerce Minister Philippines’ longstanding alli- fl ing and regrettable”, and he creased, the mayor said. substance in its treatment facility Asian Nations, said the region Duterte said in a speech. Gao Hucheng decided at the last ance with the United States did hoped Yasay would “speak and “We already submitted the overfl ows,” Gerangaya said. had “grave concerns” about “I would like to assure China, minute to postpone an offi cial not make it “duty bound to fol- act cautiously”. Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Gas price increase blow to garment sector

Bangladesh’s decision to raise natural gas prices for the second time in under two years, likely Bangladesh Islamists seek to lead to higher costs for the country’s $28bn garment export industry, its economic mainstay. Gas prices will rise by an average 22.7% in two phases starting next month, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced late on Thursday. removal of court’s statue Rahman Murshed, a senior off icial with the BERC said Supporters of Hefazat-e- whelmingly secular, to refl ect yesterday that the hike was Islam protest against the Muslim traditions. necessary to minimise the gap statue of Greek goddess Bangladesh has seen increas- between the purchased price of Themis installed at the ing tension between hardliners gas and subsidized retail rates country’s Supreme Court and secularists in recent years, in the country. Gas is currently last year suff ering a spate of killings of sold at nearly half the imported atheist bloggers, religious mi- price. AFP norities and foreigners. Murshed said the “rationalised Dhaka Security in the area around prices” will be eff ective in two Baitul Mukarram, the country’s phases in March and June. national mosque in the capital, Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, undreds of support- has been increased, local police president of the Bangladesh ers of a hardline Bang- chief Rafi qul Islam said, add- Garment Manufacturers and Hladesh Islamist group ing that “at least 1,000 people” Exporters Association, said the staged protests yesterday call- were thought to have joined a price hike was a blow to the ing for the statue of a Greek rally there. world’s second-largest apparel goddess installed at the Su- Hundreds of protesters exporter that largely depends preme Court to be destroyed or joined a similar rally in the on low wages and trade deals removed. country’s second largest city with Western countries to stay The sculpture of Themis, the Chittagong, local police said. competitive. blindfolded deity of justice and In ancient Greek mythology “At present demand is low and order, has ruffl ed feathers in the Themis was depicted with her the price of readymade garments Muslim-majority nation since eyes shielded and the scales of is decreasing by the day,” it was unveiled late last year on justice in her hands. Rahman said. “Now our cost of the premises of the country’s Her image is used to repre- production will increase, lowering top court. sent fairness, law and custom in our competitiveness further.” Crowds led by the funda- countries across the world. He said it was early to say how mentalist Hefazat-e-Islam Hefazat spokesman Azizul much costs will rise due to higher group spilled onto the streets Haque Islamabadi said that electricity prices linked to the gas of Dhaka after Friday prayers, statues or honouring idols are price revision. demanding the immediate re- “strongly prohibited in Islam” Power plants consume 40% moval of the statue. and accused secular forces in of the total gas bought by They chanted slogans and the country of a “conspiracy”. Bangladesh, and the price for wielded placards with slogans “We want the statue of the them will rise by 34%, said such as “Demolish the statue on Greek Goddess to be removed Murshed. the court premises and replace immediately. It doesn’t refl ect Households use 13% of the it with the Qur’an”. the Islamic culture of the Mus- gas consumed in Bangladesh, The protests come as hard- lims of our country,” he said. the transport sector about line Islamists try to push a Court offi cials have defend- 6%, fertilisers 6.5% and the series of changes in school ed the statue as “a symbol of industrial sector about 17%, said textbooks, which are over- justice”. Activists from Hefazat-e-Islam shout slogans as they take part in a protest in Dhaka yesterday. Murshed. MoU inked for development of Sylhet Lankan agents

IANS Finance Minister Abul Maal been a part of the former Assam the people around us who are velopment projects for Rajshahi Dhaka Abdul Muhith witnessed the province of India. It has been a making our surroundings hab- at the cost of 210mn taka. A MoU signing. focal point for 1971 Liberation itable,” he said, referring to In- has recently been signed in Ra- target refugees Under the MoU, three projects War. Many eminent person- dian Prime Minister Narendra jshahi in this regard. ndia and Bangladesh yester- - construction of a fi ve-storeyed alities of Bangladesh come from Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ The High Commissioner said day signed a memorandum Kindergarten and High School this very city. It has been a hub launched in October 2014. the Indian government also Iof understanding (MoU) for Building, a six-storeyed Cleaner of commercial activities. We are “It has created a general sanctioned an amount of 120mn the sustainable development Colony Building and Develop- proud to be associated with this awareness among the people of taka for the sustainable develop- who sheltered of Sylhet city with fi nancial aid ment of Dhupa Dighipar area city, that too in the educational India, including the rural and re- ment of Khulna city. “A MoU for from India. - will be implemented with fi eld,” the High Commissioner mote areas of the country about the Khulna projects is likely to be Indian High Commissioner 242.8mn taka. said, bdnews24 reported. keeping our surroundings and signed shortly,” he said. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Ad- The signing was the follow- “We are happy that Govern- environment clean”. The inking of the agreement ditional Secretary of the Eco- up of an earlier MoU which was ment of Bangladesh decided to He highlighted India-Bangla- comes a day after Indian For- eign Secretary S Jaishankar was Snowden, say nomic Relations Division Shah signed by the two governments construct a building for persons desh relations that began with Aminul Haque and Sylhet in April 2013 for the implemen- who are engaged in cleaning the the 1971 War of Independence in Dhaka and called on Prime City Corporation CEO Ena- tation of sustainable develop- city,” he said, referring to one of and hoped that “this good rela- Minister Sheikh Hasina to dis- mul Habib signed the tripar- ment projects in socio-econom- the projects which is the con- tionship will continue for times cuss preparatory aspects of her tite agreement yesterday in ic sectors of Bangladesh. struction of a six-storied Clean- immemorial”. proposed visit to India in April, besides other aspects of bilateral lawyers Sylhet, a metropolitan city in “Sylhet is an ancient city and er Colony. The Indian government will northeastern Bangladesh. a historically vibrant city. It had “We all should take care of carry out similar sustainable de- relations. AFP itary and government offi cials Hong Kong about their exact whereabouts and telephone numbers, with “clear intentions to locate” ri Lankan refugees them, said Tibbo. Migrants who sheltered fugitive “There’s actually a treaty Couple jailed for murdering Swhistleblower Edward between the Hong Kong gov- Snowden in Hong Kong have ernment and the Sri Lankan bound for been targeted by agents from government for extradition... their home country, a lawyer All they would have to do is and legislators have said. make the formal request to spouses wed in Nepal prison NZ held The story of how impov- the government, and they’ve erished refugees helped the never done that,” Tibbo said. former National Security “It’s quite clear that the Sri AFP AFP Agency contractor, who ini- Lankan government has an in- Kathmandu Colombo tiated one of the largest data terest in our clients’ relation- leaks in US history, evade au- ship with Mr Snowden.” thorities in 2013 only emerged But Sri Lankan authorities man and a woman each ri Lanka yesterday arrested in September, propelling them have denied this claim. serving time for killing 18 people suspected of try- into the media spotlight. “The police have no inter- Atheir fi rst spouses have Sing to leave the country il- Snowden’s former hosts Su- est in the two individuals or married in a prison in western legally for New Zealand, a navy pun Thilina Kellapatha and ex- their families,” a senior police Nepal - but won’t be able to spokesman said. soldier Ajith Pushpakumara source said in Colombo. consummate the marriage un- A joint team of navy and police from Sri Lanka told reporters “The Sri Lankan police do til the groom is released in 14 offi cers took the men into custo- on Thursday they were “scared not have the time or the re- years. dy during a pre-dawn operation and nervous” about the agents’ sources to send people to The couple are both in Ka- outside Colombo as they tried to activities in Hong Kong. Hong Kong as alleged.” likot district jail where Dilli board a fi shing trawler, spokes- “I don’t feel stable... I don’t Tibbo said they notifi ed the Koirala, 33, is serving a 20- man Chaminda Walakuluge said. have a normal life now,” said city’s immigration depart- year sentence for murdering Sri Lankans have sought asylum Supun, a target of politically ment and would soon report his wife, while Mimkosha in New Zealand in the past, most motivated violence, according it to the police. Neither im- Bista has another four years of them members of the island’s to his protection claim. mediately responded to AFP’s to serve for killing her hus- Tamil minority who say they are Accompanying the asylum request for comment. band. fl eeing persecution at home. seekers, their lawyer Robert Lawmakers To and Mok also The match between the con- “The information we have is Tibbo and pro-democracy law- said they would urge the Hong victed murderers, who had that they were trying to go to makers James To and Charles Kong government and the police never met prior to the marriage New Zealand,” Walakuluge said. Mok believe Sri Lankan agents to off er protection to the asylum ceremony, was set up by Koi- “We handed the men to the have targeted the pair. seekers and ensure their safety. rala’s mother - also in prison police for further action while In an incident which tipped The city’s 11,000 margin- for helping her son kill his fi rst we look for the people smugglers Tibbo off , another asylum alised refugees spend years in wife. involved.” seeker from Sri Lanka was al- limbo, hoping the government “He murdered his wife and I It was the largest arrest of legedly approached by two will support their asylum did in my husband. His mother would-be migrants in Sri Lanka agents identifying themselves claims. likes me and that is one of the since the navy stopped 54 people as offi cers from Sri Lanka’s But with fewer than 1% of reasons I drew close to him,” from leaving the island in a fi sh- Criminal Investigation De- cases successfully substantiated Bista, 30, said after the wed- ing trawler in May 2014. partment (CID), which has by city authorities, most refu- ding ceremony, according to Later that same year, 37 people previously been accused of gees live in fear of deportation. Republica newspaper. Prisoners Dilli Koirala, left, and Mimkosha Bista are blessed by an off icial, right, as they take part in were arrested outside Sri Lankan kidnapping and torture. The Sri Lankan families A wedding ceremony was their wedding ceremony inside Kalikot district jail in Kalikot, some 388km from Kathmandu. waters after being turned back by The agents, who were car- want to go to Canada, which performed by a local priest on Australia’s coastguard. rying fi les containing in- has a track record of taking in Thursday morning, witnessed female prisoners. But we have ed to get hitched because they position to look down upon Breaking the immigration law formation and photographs refugees. by jail staff and fellow inmates, decided to allow them to have a thought they would be unlikely one another,” the groom Koirala carries a maximum penalty of about Snowden’s temporary “I think the world owes them prison offi cial Sanjay Mahato face to face chat twice a month,” to fi nd anyone else willing to said, according to local media. two years in jail. hosts, asked for specifi c de- quite a heavy debt for ... (their said. he added. marry them. Kalikot district jail is a small The authorities have also tails about them, Tibbo said. help to) advance the cause of peo- “They are not allowed to stay Lawyer Danam Raj Bam, who “Since we both happen to prison in rural western Nepal prosecuted dozens of people for The asylum seekers’ families ple who are concerned about sur- together in the jail as we have attended the unusual marriage, have committed the same kind with just 53 prisoners - 50 men organising illegal boat trips, in- in Sri Lanka were also harassed veillance and privacy violations by separate sections for male and said that the couple had decid- of crime, we won’t be in any and three women. cluding several naval personnel. and threatened by police, mil- governments,” Charles Mok said. Gulf Times 18 Saturday, February 25, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Mumbai’s fi sherfolk fear

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] world’s tallest statue Telephone 44350478 (news), AFP 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Mumbai Fax 44350474 fi tting tribute to a local legend or a grotesque misuse of money? The decision to build Athe world’s tallest statue just off Mumbai’s coast has divided the city. GULF TIMES But the traditional Koli community, who depend on fi shing for their livelihoods, fear they will be worst hit by the construction, warning that it threatens their centuries-old existence. UN chief’s concern India will spend Rs36bn ($530mn) on the controversial memorial to 17th century Hindu warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji. about Islamophobia Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in December. At 190 metres it will be twice the a timely reminder height of America’s Statue of Liberty and almost 40 metres taller than the world’s current tallest memorial — a United Nations secretary-general’s recent statement statue of Buddha in China. In this photograph taken on January 4, 2017, Indian fishermen from the Koli community get off their boat onto a handmade expressing fears that “Islamophobia” in some parts of the world The Koli fi shing community, polystyrene dinghy to come ashore in Mumbai. is fuelling terrorism, refl ects the concerns voiced by Qatar time Mumbai’s original inhabitants and and again with regard to the global fi ght against the scourge. whose goddess “Mumbadevi” lends opposing the bronze statue, which of the city, it’s going to aff ect the Shivaji created India’s fi rst navy. Visiting Saudi Arabia on February 12, the head of the United her name to the city, say the decision will depict Shivaji brandishing a sword economy. There is going to be a huge The development comes as the Nations, Antonio Guterres, said: “One of the things that to build it on a rocky outcrop a couple while charging on a horse, has received amount of damage.” BJP government in neighbouring fuel terrorism is the expression in some parts of the world of kilometres off the coast will sound almost 43,000 signatures. Critics question why Mumbai needs Gujarat builds a 182-metre statue to the death knell for their traditional way Some 2,000 fi shermen, many of such a lavish statute when the city Vallabhbhai Patel, a former Indian of Islamophobic feelings and Islamophobic policies and of life. whom live in shanties surrounding already has several smaller Shivaji statesmen who was one of the senior Islamophobic hate speeches. “The breeding ground for fi sh will be Machhimar Nagar, operate 350 boats memorials. The city’s airport, main fi gures in the country’s independence “This is the best support that Daesh can have to make its own completely destroyed,” Krishna Tandel out of the picturesque cove, catching train station and museum are named movement and an icon of the Congress propaganda,” Guterres said, using an Arabic acronym for the says, unfurling a net at Machhimar a melange of fi sh to sell at markets and after the Hindu hero while there is also Party. Islamic State group. Nagar bay, which is tucked behind feed their families. a Shivaji Park. Analysts say political parties are Guterres was apparently reacting to a recent spike in such the high-rises of Mumbai’s southern Residents say disruption caused by IndiaSpend, a non-profi t data wanting to build ever-more impressive sentiments which has buttressed the popularity of right wing fi nancial district. construction will decimate their fi shing journalism website, estimates that a statues to claim popular historical politicians in some countries. The project has divided India’s stocks — including pomfret, Mumbai micro-irrigation project could provide fi gures as their own. The UN chief was also echoing the fears expressed by some US commercial capital and highlights a mackerel, seer fi sh, prawns, and crabs water to thousands of farmers in the The symbolism this creates political obsession with statues in the — while heavy traffi c ferrying tourists drought-prone state for the cost of translates into votes in India’s identity- senators following President Donald Trump’s Extreme Vetting country as parties seek to appeal to from three terminals will block access building the statue. based politics, they say. Executive Order issued in late January. The order (aka Muslim regional identities with ever greater to the sea and disrupt wave patterns. For the same sum, dozens of “Everyone wants to take credit. ban), which has been suspended by a court, temporarily banned effi gies of historical figures. “We have been fi shing for decaying Shivaji-era forts could be This identity politics has become citizens of seven predominantly-Muslim countries from entering Supporters say the memorial is a generations. It is our business and now restored instead, it says. so vulgar now that everybody wants the US and permanently blocked refugees from Syria. fi tting tribute to someone many locals our livelihoods are at stake,” 32-year- The Bharatiya Janata Party-led to have these statues,” political US Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said consider a hero of Maharashtra state, of old Tandel says, demanding the statue Maharashtra government, in coalition commentator Kumar Ketkar said. in a joint statement: “We fear this executive order will become which Mumbai is the capital. be built on land. with Shiv Sena, which means “Shivaji’s The BJP’s Shaina says 400 Koli a self-infl icted wound in the fi ght against terrorism,” adding Shivaji fought the Muslim Mughal Environmentalists agree that the Army”, dismiss environmental families will be “rehabilitated at the that Trump’s executive order “may do more to help terrorist empire, is revered by the Maratha caste project, which is due to be completed concerns and say the project will draw earliest” but that’s little consolation and trumpeted by Hindu nationalist by 2021, will cause immense harm to a 10,000 visitors every day. to the residents of Machhimar recruitment than politicians. vibrant marine ecosystem. Shaina NC, a spokeswoman for the Nagar who just want their culture to improve our security.” Opponents insist it is a gross waste “There’s a huge diversity of fi sh, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, claims continue. “This is the best Another Republican of money which would be better fauna and invertebrates there. Fish it will be an “iconic” memorial akin to “Even if the government provides Senator, Ben Sasse of spent on improving health, education catches, sewage, and tidal currents the Statue of Liberty that will make its us with other jobs, it won’t give us support that Nebraska, warned the and infrastructure in the teeming will change,” wildlife biologist Anand money back through tourism. the recognition we deserve,” says Trump administration metropolis of more than 20 mn people. Pendharkar said. Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut Tandel.”It’s our way of life and it should Daesh can have against “losing touch A petition on the change.org website “It’s going to aff ect the food base says the sea is the best site because go on.” with reality…..If we send to make its own a signal to the Middle East that the US sees all propaganda” Muslims as jihadis, the terrorist recruiters win by telling kids that America is banning Muslims and that this is Is Donald Trump a populist? America versus one religion.” Yet, this is the reality that Qatar has been warning about all along, the reality that some Western politicians are fi nally By Francis Wilkinson Washington, DC, to a hard-working Of course, Trump also plays the are we condemned to see this through, waking up to, the reality that the UN Secretary-General Antonio New York people. card of being a consummate deal- knowing that in so many other places, Guetrres spelt out in Saudi Arabia. Second, every populist operates maker – the business leader as savior, from Italy to Venezuela, a populist regime ended in wreckage? At every given opportunity in various forums, Qatar has voiced with a symbolic and ultimately moral who will run the entire country like an he word “populist” is distinction between the “real people” enterprise. MUELLER: There has been a its concerns regarding the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment and the regularly applied to President and those who don’t belong. We have seen this phenomenon in tendency to think that almost by spread of Islamophobia, and stressed that policies based on ‘fear Donald Trump. Think back to how Nigel Farage other nations; what we haven’t seen defi nition populists cannot really of Muslims’ feed the narrative of militant organisations such as T Is it because his politics, and celebrated Brexit as a “victory for is a combination of the businessman- govern. the Islamic State. policy, tend to be crude and crowd- real people” – with the obvious as-savior with the reality TV star/ Their policy ideas are supposedly so Qatar has always rejected any attempt to point fi nger at a pleasing? Because he built a political implication that the 48% of Brits who comedian in one person. simplistic that they’ll soon be exposed certain religion or race as being violently extremist or terrorist. base on division and resentment? sought to stay in the EU weren’t quite It’s as if Silvio Berlusconi and Beppe as unworkable; moreover, populists It has rejected attempts to associate extremism with a certain Because he strikes poses reminiscent real. Grillo were merged into one. are said to have succeeded as leaders faith as seen in Islamophobia. Just yesterday, addressing a of previous populists, from Alabama Thus, citizens who don’t share the All of this is important to understand of protest movements and are bound United Nations meeting on counter-terrorism eff orts, Qatari Governor George Wallace to billionaire populist’s conception of the “real Trump, but it’s not essential to to discover that, logically, you cannot Ross Perot, with a dash of Juan Peron people” – and hence do not support the populism, as I defi ne it. really protest against yourself once you Foreign Minister’s special envoy on counter-terrorism and and Andrew Jackson? populist politically – have their status WILKINSON: What is it about are in government. disputes’ settlements Dr Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani warned “What is Populism?” is the title of cast into doubt. American democracy – or Western These are comforting thoughts for against linking violence and terrorism with religion or beliefs a 2016 book by Jan-Werner Mueller, WILKINSON: I’ve heard people say, democracy more broadly – that created liberal democrats in these very dark and ideologies. He expressed regret at the increased tendency of a politics professor at Princeton in essence, “Hey, Trump’s supposed an opening right now for a populist to days, but they are also somewhat naive. linking terrorism and extremism to a religion. University and a visiting fellow at the to be a populist but he’s putting all win the White House? We have plenty of examples of So, what is the fundamental reason for Islamophobia? None Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, these super-rich guys in his Cabinet.” MUELLER: I don’t believe that there populists being successful (at least on other than HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Austria. How should we interpret a “populist” is something about the structures of their own terms). They can govern as Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, I interviewed Mueller, via e-mail, to who staff s up with billionaires and American democracy as such that make anti-pluralists, refusing to recognise has eloquently explained the root cause of Islamophobia. get his views on Trump, populism and intends, as far as we know, to cut taxes it more vulnerable to populism. the legitimacy of any opposition and what’s in store. signifi cantly for the wealthy? Is little- But polarisation and, in particular, attacking institutions – from the courts Cautioning people against viewing Muslims through the What follows is a lightly edited guy economics central to the populist the extreme partisanship of the to news media and civil society – that narrow prism of religion, Sheikha Moza told a gathering at St transcript. claim, or does it suffi ce to identify Republicans in the last quarter century stand in their way. Antony’s College at the University of Oxford on May 26, 2015: WILKINSON: I want to start by enemies, condemn elites and impose or so played an important role in Think of Viktor Orban in Hungary “Alongside a genuine interest in Islamic civilisation, there exists asking you to answer the question authoritarian rule? Which of these making Trump possible. or Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. I a fear of real, living Muslims. For example, a Muslim is fi rst and raised by the title of your book: “What ingredients are essential and which are After all, Trump did not win as the am not saying these regimes will last foremost identifi ed as a Muslim, rather than simply a human is Populism?” In the US, we’ve often garnishes? candidate of a third party committed forever. being. Whether they are Pakistani, Malaysian, Senegalese, or had a somewhat benign view of the MUELLER: Traditionally, the to anti-establishment politics; But these fi gures have been taking even British-born, their multiple identities are levelled under a term, recalling William Jennings Bryan meaning of the word “populism” in the rather, he became the leader of a very their countries in a clearly authoritarian constructed monolith of Islam. and other fi gures who appealed to the US has indeed been associated with a established party – with the blessing of direction (all in the name of little guy, but never managed to gain grassroots revolt against Wall Street. very established fi gures such as Rudy democracy), and neither domestic nor “Let me remind you, however, that Islam has never been suffi cient power to show us what they But if you fi nd anything worthwhile Giuliani, Chris Christie and, especially, international actors have been able to monolithical, but has from the start been a vast container for would do. in my more general, not historically Newt Gingrich. (As Tory Brexit exert any real moderating infl uence. diverse cultures and ethnicities. The homogenisation of Muslims How do you defi ne populism, which specifi c theory of populism, then it supporter Michael Gove showed in It’s much more diffi cult to attack, let into a fearful and unknowable ‘other’, separate from the beauty has the sound of something oh so should be clear that it’s not about Britain, the support of anti-intellectual alone disable, the judiciary in the US. and nobility of Islam and its civilisation, is at the root of Muslim- pleasantly popular? particular policy content. intellectuals can be especially useful for But other checks on presidential power phobia.” MUELLER: Not everyone who If you tell me what you think about populists.) have proved remarkably ineff ective so Sheikha Moza’s words are more relevant today than ever before criticises elites is automatically a taxes, or immigration, or global The most important factor far. and, coupled with UN secretary-general’s recent observations populist. governance, I will not necessarily be explaining the outcome of the election The congressional GOP keeps falling about Islamophobia, should serve as a guide for all right- Rather, populists always claim able to say whether you’re a populist is partisanship – around 90% of in line, and self-identifi ed Republican that they – and they alone – properly or not. self-identifi ed Republicans voted for voters seem to fi nd White House actions thinking people. represent the people, or what they But if a politician says, in eff ect, as Trump. attractive enough. frequently call “the real people” or “the Trump did in his inaugural address, “If I As a third-party populist candidate, Some of the news media have been silent majority.” This perhaps initially rule, the people rule,” the case is clear. Trump may have at most received 20% extremely alert and critical. To Advertise innocuous-sounding rhetoric has two Note, then, that the populist’s to 25% of the vote – what many far- But audiences are highly segmented consequences that are detrimental for promise is not that he is just like any right populist parties in Europe get. (and include those catered to by court [email protected] democracy. ordinary person; rather, it is that he This also shows that the story of an sycophants such as Fox News host Sean Display First, all other political contenders alone will do what the people want. unstoppable wave of populist triumphs Hannity). It’s not obvious, under those are condemned by populists as part of a (In that sense, populists also abjure – Brexit, Trump and now supposedly conditions, that news media can make Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 self-serving, corrupt elite. political responsibility; it’s not they Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine that much of a diff erence. Classified This is never just a matter of who decide, but the morally pure and Le Pen in France – is misleading. Plus, populists positively want Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 disagreeing about policy – which is uncorrupted people.) The outcomes depend much on confrontation and confl ict. completely normal in a democracy. So it’s naive to think that all it takes whether conservative elites decide to They want to keep a Kulturkampf Subscription Rather, populists make it personal: to discredit them is to point out that collaborate with far-right populists or going, as long as they think they [email protected] Their competitors are crooked Trump belongs to a particular elite, or not. can prove that their supporters are characters who betray the people. to reveal that an “outsider” politician WILKINSON: The US having indeed the “real people,” the authentic Consider how Trump’s inauguration like Geert Wilders in the Netherlands commenced this uncertain journey, do majority, opposed only by a minority 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved speech opposed a self-serving has in fact spent his entire life in the you have any insights on how Trump’s that betrays the homeland. – Tribune establishment, enriching itself in Dutch parliament. populist train might be derailed? Or News Service Gulf Times Saturday, February 25, 2017 19 COMMENT How ‘voluntary’ are UK refugee returns?

By Lotte Lewis Smith/ IRIN Eritreans were overturned by judges such tactics fail it looks to trusted successful, compliant returns per London on appeal in 2015), the Home Offi ce organisations to “persuade” people to year”. The NGO’s Trustees’ Report, encourages people seeking asylum leave the UK voluntarily. published in March 2016, notes that who’ve had an initial negative decision As one senior manager noted in 2014: the International Resettlement Team he UK Home Offi ce is to accept voluntary return in order to “It’s a matter of trust; they [NGOs such “exceeds” these “demanding targets by accelerating its drive for avoid destitution. as Refugee Action] can have discussions a very large margin”. “illegal” migrants and those For non-European nationals, with migrant groups that the Home NGO “dilemma” Trefused asylum to return home destitution is considered a breach of Offi ce can’t… realistically we know Hibiscus Initiatives claim to have voluntarily – a tactic publicised as more the conditions under which they can that there’s a concern about engaging provided a “human and caring service” cost-eff ective and “humane” than legally stay in the UK and can be used as directly with the government.” to 3,115 people at immigration detention forced returns. grounds for enforced removal. One NGO benefi ting from this centres last year. But how “voluntary” are these “Voluntary”? strategy is Hibiscus Initiatives, a Kayla*, a Zimbabwean woman returns really? And how have NGOs In late 2015, the Home Offi ce cut registered charity with “teams” based detained at Yarl’s Wood, recalled her become complicit in this strategy? nearly £2mn in funding to Refugee at the Yarl’s Wood, Colnbrook, and experiences of the charity: “They said The UK is the only EU country with Action, a charity that ran the UK’s Harmondsworth detention centres. that if I don’t return voluntarily I will no time limit on immigration detention. Assisted Voluntary Return programme The charity runs an “International stay in detention… I don’t feel like they Since being refused asylum, 19-year- from 2011. Resettlement” project – funded by are supporting me; I think they are the old Aamir* from Afghanistan has been Refugee Action claimed to deliver the Home Offi ce since 2012 – which same as the guards – they just want to held at Harmondsworth Immigration “free impartial, independent and provides “independent advice to please the Home Offi ce.” Removal Centre, near Heathrow confi dential advice” regarding detainees and practical assistance Another detainee, Mark*, talked to Airport, for eight months. voluntary return. to make resettlement in their home IRIN over the phone from Colnbrook He has no idea when he’ll be released Starting in January 2016, the Home country easier”. Unlike Refugee Action, detention centre about his encounters or deported. Offi ce began running an in-house which was transparent about its with Hibiscus Initiatives: “They Without adequate access to legal or Voluntary Return Service (VRS). Refugee fi nancial relationship with the Home kept talking to me about returning psychological support in detention, and Action described the change as “part of Offi ce, Hibiscus Initiatives doesn’t list voluntarily, returning freely… But I am no release date, Aamir is considering a wider strategy by the government to the Home Offi ce as one of its funders on in detention, how would it be free? They “voluntarily” returning to Afghanistan, strengthen the ‘hostile environment’ and its website. didn’t listen to me when I said I want to a country where a prolonged confl ict create stronger incentives for voluntary However, its fi nancial statements fi ght my case, to stay with my kids here has worsened in the past year, return”. VRS seeks to “achieve” 31,500 show that in the year ending March in the UK… All they do is tell me I would displacing hundreds of thousands from removals over three years, with a budget 2016, the Home Offi ce paid the charity be better off leaving… It’s not advice; it their homes. of £18,638,296. to coerce her and her young child want to sign documents consenting to a total of £400,000, accounting for feels like a command.” “I can’t sleep or eat. There is no one It mainly targets people in the UK into accepting voluntary return to “voluntarily” return. 68% of its “contract income”. The At the time of publication, Hibiscus to talk to. I feel like I’m going crazy,” he “illegally”. Another related programme, East Africa by threatening to cut her She was consequently required to Home Offi ce told IRIN it “has no Initiatives had not responded to several told IRIN. “I don’t want to go back to called “Assisted Voluntary Return”, asylum support when her initial asylum travel more than two hours every day contract with Hibiscus Initiatives” requests for comment from IRIN. Afghanistan – my whole family is dead provides up to £2,000 to help returnees application was refused. to report at the centre “until further and a spokesperson described the But Frances Webber, a former human there – but I am scared I’ll kill myself if I “fi nd somewhere to live, fi nd a job Whilst at her local Home Offi ce notice”. Once there, Hannah said she organisation as “a registered charity rights barrister and vice-chair of the don’t leave this place soon.” or start a business” and is aimed reporting centre, Hannah said she was faced verbal abuse and intimidation who provide independent returns Institute of Race Relations who has The primary targets of the UK Home specifi cally at survivors of traffi cking, approached by an employee who asked from employees who, in addition to facilitation support and advice to written about the politics of voluntary Offi ce’s Voluntary Return Service, families, unaccompanied minors, people if she would consider returning home threatening to cut her asylum support, non-EU detainees”. But government return, noted: “NGOs such as Hibiscus though, are people outside of detention with ongoing asylum cases, and people “voluntarily” and even off ered to help told her she could be arrested if she documents show that the Home Offi ce Initiatives… face the dilemma that their who are living on a minimal support who have exhausted the appeals process. pack her bags and order her a taxi to the didn’t comply. made 10 grants, each over £25,000, concern for people’s safety, well-being grant. Whilst people who opt for voluntary airport. Had she given in to the pressure and to the charity between August 2015 and rights comes up against, and must In April, as a result of the 2016 return may not come into direct According to Hannah, she proceeded signed the form agreeing to voluntary and August 2016, under the category cede to, Home Offi ce enforcement Immigration Act, that support – £73.90 contact with restraints, guards, or to threaten her and her son with return, Hannah would have lost the of “Immigration Enforcement”. The strategy, which off ers ‘voluntary return’ a week for families/£36 for single adults physical force, the transition to a Home deportation if she didn’t accept this right to submit a fresh asylum claim and grants are drawn from the EU’s Asylum, solely as an alternative to indefi nite and government-contracted housing Offi ce-run service has raised concerns “help”, and told her to go away and could have faced forced return if she Migration and Integration Fund detention, persisting destitution and – will be discontinued for those whose about “voluntariness”, particularly think about it. later tried to withdraw her consent. (AMIF), which lists Hibiscus Initiatives enforced deportation. initial asylum claims have been refused. when off ered to people faced with the The next time Hannah visited the Hibiscus Initiatives The Home as “State/federal authorities”, and The most they can do is sugar-coat Although an initial asylum refusal is prospect of indefi nite detention and centre, she told staff she was preparing Offi ce refused to comment about describes the purpose of the project the pill.” by no means the end of the legal road enforced removal. a fresh asylum claim – evidenced with individual cases like Hannah’s, but as “to support the UK priority on (87% of refusals of asylum claims by Hannah* said the Home Offi ce tried a letter from her lawyer – and didn’t IRIN’s investigation found that when returns by contributing towards 600 *Names have been changed

LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 22 C Low : 18 C Inshore: Partly cloudy to cloudy with chance of scattered rain may be Penal action against employee thundery at places at times.

to the employee after completion of contract as it is valid for three years to secure my payments. But the SUNDAY By Nizar Kochery High: 21 C Doha permit procedures or renewal, unless and it cannot be terminated without business was not profi table and the employee requests in writing that mutual agreement before its expiry. now he is absconding. Now the Low: 13 C the employer shall retain the passport The tenant responded that they will company is under liquidation and M Sunny uestion: We found that or travel document provided that such fi le a case for the termination. Is it the liquidator has notifi ed to submit one of our employees passport or travel document should be possible to terminate the contract the claim. I submitted the claim to received some money returned to employee upon request. In under the current circumstance? the liquidator. The company does MONDAY Qas commission from the the event of breach of this provision, Please advise. not have assets to settle the debts. High: 23 C supplier without our knowledge the violator shall be subject to fi ne not DV, Doha How does the liquidator settle the Low: 12 C and due to these acts, the company exceeding QR25,000. debts of the company? Is it in the Sunny incurred loss. The suppliers Even as per the old law (Law No. A: The tenant can request the court order of submitting the claim? acknowledged that the employee 4 of 2009), a sponsor is bound to for termination of the contract as per Please advise. has received the money several return the passport of his employee Article 632 of the civil laws of Qatar. HG, Doha Fishermen’s forecast times and employee has written after such mandatory formalities As per Article 632, in the event serious OFFSHORE DOHA an apology letter addressed to as stamping of visa and renewal of unforeseen circumstances arise in A: According to Article 313 of the Wind: NW 14-24/28 KT the company related to this issue. residence permit are over. connection with either party which Commercial Company law, the Waves: 5-8/10 Feet Based on this, is it possible to make the continuation of the lease liquidator shall settle the debts of INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW 08-18/25 KT initiate any action against him? unduly burdensome to such party, the the company after the payment Waves: 1-3/4 Feet Now our board has decided not to Termination of court may, on demand by such party of liquidation expenses including continue with employee. In such lease contract and upon a comparison of the interests remuneration of the liquidator in Around the region a case, can we terminate him as he of both parties, terminate the lease the following order of priority: Weather Weather is under a defi nite term contract? Q: Our company has a real estate and fairly indemnify the other party. (1) amounts due to the company today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Please advise. division and we have entered into employees; (2) amounts due to the Abu Dhabi Cloudy 25/20 Showers 22/17 HN, Doha a lease agreement with another state; (3) rent due to the landlord of Baghdad Sunny 23/07 Sunny 24/08 Dubai Cloudy 26/21 Showers company for three years. Now Settling debts of any property rented to the company 23/18 Kuwait City Sunny 22/09 Sunny 23/10 Answer: The company can initiate we received a notice from the the company and (4) other due amounts each in Manama P Cloudy 19/14 M Sunny 21/13 penal action against him as per the tenant stating that they are not in accordance to its preference with Muscat M Sunny 26/21 M Sunny 26/21 penal laws. According to Article 146, a fi nancial position to continue Q: I invested money in one of my respect to operative legislations. Riyadh Cloudy 18/10 Sunny 20/08 any employee who asks, accepts with the lease contract and they friend’s company and he agreed Tehran Sunny 14/03 Sunny 14/02 for himself or for another person, wish to terminate the contract. We to include me in the partnership. zPlease send your questions by money or profi t or a simple promise refused to accept the termination of He has issued company cheques e-mail to: [email protected] of something of the kind, without the knowledge or consent of his employer, to undertake any of the acts assigned to LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR him or abstain from said acts, shall be considered as the receiver of a bribe and According to Article 17 of Law No. Upon the request of any heir of shall be punished with imprisonment 21 of 2015, the people responsible for the deceased expatriate or any entity for a period not exceeding three years an expatriate’s residence shall be as which responsible, the recruiter shall or a fi ne not exceeding fi fteen thousand follows: (1) the employer, with respect bear the expenses of transfer to the riyals or both. The company can to the expatriate arrived for work; (2) country of origin or to the permeant terminate the employee under Article the head of the family, with respect to place of residence of the deceased 61of the Labour law. the members of family residing with expatriate. him in the state. A female expatriate’s According to Article 21, the residence may continue to be the expatriate may transfer to another Confiscation of responsibility of the head of the family, employer before the expiry of employees’ passports even if she works. If the marriage ends the employment contract, upon for any reason, any family member the approval of the employer, the Q: I am working as HR manager may transfer to another recruiter, competent authority and the Ministry of a company which undertakes after the approval of the competent of Labour and Social Aff airs. Upon the subcontracts from QP and other authority; (3) Host, with respect approval of the competent authority similar government entities. As to the visiting expatriates; and (4) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Around the world per our company policy, we hold Competent authorities in the country Aff airs, the expatriate may transfer Weather Weather the passport of the employees with with respect to expatriate who arrived Residency permit and the expiry of the to another employer immediately today Max/min tomorrow Max/min the company and recently I came for any other purpose. grace period, or the expiry of duration after the end of the labour contract of Athens M Sunny 19/11 Showers 17/10 to know that as per the new law A recruiter, whether a natural or of the visit or the purpose for which he limited duration or after the lapse of Beirut Sunny 20/12 Sunny 21/13 Bangkok S T Storms S T Storms 33/25 fi ve years of work with the employer if 32/26 it is illegal to hold the passport. legal person, shall meet the following was authorized to enter the country; Berlin M Cloudy 08/04 S Sunny 08/04 But we require the passport for conditions: (1) be a Qatari national or (2) incur the expenses of deporting the contract is of unlimited duration. Cairo P Cloudy 26/12 P Cloudy 26/12 renewals and other pass for the an expatriate residing in the state in the expatriate when required in An expatriate worker may, upon Cape Town Cloudy 22/15 Cloudy 26/16 worksites. Is it legal to hold the accordance with the provisions of the accordance with law. If there is the approval of the employer, the Colombo S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 31/24 Sunny 30/17 passport? Please advise. law and if such a recruiter is a legal evidence that the expatriate was competent authority and the Ministry Dhaka 29/16 Sunny Hong Kong Cloudy 13/12 P Cloudy 18/15 YT, Doha person, then its head offi ce or a branch working for another entity in breach of of Labour and Social Aff airs, transfer Istanbul S Showers 17/06 Cloudy 09/04 offi ce shall be located in the State, and provisions of this law, such entity shall to another employer if the recruiter Jakarta T Storms 31/24 S T Storms 31/24 A: Confi scation of employee’s (2) be qualifi ed to bear the obligations bear the expenses of the repatriation. dies or if the corporate body is Karachi Sunny 33/18 Sunny 33/18 passport by the employer or its towards the expatriate imposed If such entity is unknown, the dissolved for any reason. London Showers 11/09 Cloudy 12/07 Manila P Cloudy 32/24 S Showers 31/24 representative is not in conformity thereon by law. expatriate shall bear the expenses and The Minister or representative shall Moscow M Cloudy -1/-9 M Cloudy -2/-4 with law; companies have no valid As per Article 19, the recruiter shall in the event, the expatriate fails to pay approve the temporary transfer of New Delhi Sunny 29/13 Sunny 28/12 justifi cation for retaining passports. undertake the following: (1) notify such expenses, the recruiter shall bear an expatriate to another employer if New York S Showers 14/03 Sunny 09/02 The only authority allowed to hold the competent authority within the expenses; and (3) the recruiter there are legal claims fi led between the Paris P Cloudy 11/06 Cloudy 13/08 T Storms T Storms 26/19 the passport is the judicial authorities 14 days as of the date on which the shall bear the expenses for the burial expatriate and the recruiter, provided Sao Paulo 27/20 Seoul Sunny 08/-4 Sunny 08/-4 concerned or in cases specifi ed by the expatriate’s resignation or dismissal of the body of the dead expatriate in the Ministry of Labour and social Singapore T Storms 32/24 T Storms 31/24 law. As per Article 8 of the Entry, Exit or refusal to leave the country after the designated cemeteries in the state, Aff airs approves the request of the Sydney Showers 21/19 Rain 22/19 and Residence law, the employer shall the cancellation or expiration of the irrespective of the reason for death. employee subject to the Labour Law. Tokyo Clear 11/03 Clear 13/02 return the passport or travel document Gulf Times 20 Saturday, February 25, 2017 QATAR DJWE gets boost Bovet 1822 debuts timepieces in Doha from social media By Peter Alagos Business Reporter By Peter Alagos Business Reporter wiss luxury watch- maker Bovet 1822 he six-day Doha Jewellery and Shas presented two Watches Exhibition, which is now new timepieces – the Vir- Tin its 14th installment, helped tuoso VIII and the Réci- Qatar secure a place in the international tal 20 Astérium – which map for luxury goods, with social media the company launched in playing a signifi cant role. January 2017, at the Doha Blue Salon vice-chairman Nabil AR Jewellery and Watches Abu Issa said social media has played “a Exhibition. very strong role” in raising awareness “As usual, we always and in promoting the exhibition. bring the novelties that “The organisers of DJWE had invit- we introduce to the mar- ed top bloggers from the GCC; and it’s ket. In January 2017, we amazing because it was very eff ective in launched our new tourbil- terms of getting the word out to a wider lons … Bovet has always audience,” Abu Issa told Gulf Times yes- a very high standard in terday. terms of fi nishing but here “People from both Qatar and other we raised the bar again,” Bovet sales director Kurt Hefti. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam parts of the region have been coming to said sales director Kurt the exhibition looking for pieces that Hefti. were posted online by these bloggers; so The Virtuoso VIII rep- that worked out very well for the exhibi- resents the very essence tion, and technology has played a role in The Blue Salon pavilion at the Doha Watches and Jewellery Exhibition. of the Fleurier Grandes bringing so much attention to the event,” Complications collection. he stressed. that people may enjoy and appreciate The Virtuoso VIII is, how- Aside from social media, Abu Issa also them.” ever, the fi rst timepiece in underscored the role of e-Commerce in He also expressed big hopes for Qatari the Fleurier Collection to the jewellery and watches industry. “So- jewellery brands in the global market, reprise an inclined crys- cial media is taking over big time. As a citing government support and social tal aperture along the 12 company, Blue Salon has a department responsibility from the private sector as o’clock to 6 o’clock axis, dedicated only to social media,” he said, among the key factors that would help like the innovative case adding that the company plans to add propel Qatari jewellery brands further of the Récital 18 Shooting more websites. Abu Issa also noted that into the international market. Star presented in 2016 and the market for high-end watches and “The exhibition is a good platform for that of this year’s Récital jewellery in Qatar “is doing well.” Qatar’s jewellery industry to further gain 20 Astérium. “Qatar is a good market for high-end international recognition. There is a pa- The movement of this The Virtuoso VIII. The Récital 20 Astérium. jewellery, especially the very limited vilion here that is only for Qatari jewel- new ambassador for the edition pieces. Mainly, these items are lery designers, and I think that is a result collection also features a ous predecessor, reprising sions, including requests Asked about Bovet’s sought after by collectors. And these of this event and people saw an opportu- number of signifi cant in- the characteristic shaped for unique pieces. presence in Qatar, Hefti people, including myself, show a lot of nity to do business,” he pointed out. novations, as well as three case to present an unprec- Collectors can choose said: “We are working with passion in what they do. They’re not go- He added: “The pavilion showcases of the patents pioneered edented mechanical dis- from red gold, white gold Blue Salon and have been ing to stop,” Abu Issa noted. high-quality products and soon they by the Braveheart Tour- play that showcases the or platinum cases, which for more than two years. It Abu Issa said Blue Salon is always may be seen in bigger exhibitions and billon, which was initially volumes and decoration of can be customised by the is absolutely a wonderful seeking to increase its presence in the events…it’s a big push for them; Qatari presented in 2015. the timepiece. manufacture’s artisans in relationship; they’ve done exhibition by including added value to bloggers have even covered participating The Récital 20 Astérium Only 60 Astérium a tradition that has distin- an excellent job for us, and the wide range of brands under its wing, Qatari brands to give them further expo- Blue Salon vice-chairman Nabil AR Abu seamlessly continues the movements will be manu- guished Bovet 1822 for 195 it is a great pleasure work- “and to bring in more unique items so sure.” Issa. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam. tradition set by its illustri- factured across all ver- years. ing for them.” Czapek recreates antique pocket watches with its Quai des Bergues collection

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

zapek is recreating the spirit of antique pocket watches with Cits Quai des Bergues collection at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE), which concludes today at the Doha Exhibition and Con- vention Centre. “The idea is the time travel of a pocket watch that ends on the wrist of a gentleman,” Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel told Gulf Times at the brand’s booth in the Blue Salon pavil- ion. He also highlighted the rich history Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel highlights one of their popular timepieces of the brand and legacy of its founder, at the DJWE. PICTURE: Thajudheen François Czapek. The CEO noted that Czapek’s collection is a mix of the But nobody remembers Czapek, a model is the ‘secret sentence and sig- best craftsmanship and some original totally forgotten watchmaker, accord- nature’ carved almost unnoticed on its and unique ideas that have never been ing to the CEO. “Until people realised dial. done before. Czapek, a Czech-born what he did and realised his works de- “It is something that we make be- Polish watchmaker, was a man who served to be revived.” spoke, only on order, when a customer made very soft, subtle but very clear In November 2015, Swiss entrepre- wants to have it because all these di- changes to classical watches. neurs de Roquemaurel, Harry Guhl, als are handcrafted so they are made After Czapek parted way with An- and a watchmaker transformed the one by one, we can introduce some toni Patek in 1945, he founded Czapek iconic watch company into a con- elements to change them,” he added. & Cie, which fl ourished. He became temporary boutique brand when they Czapek also created a smaller version a watchmaker for Napoleon III and launched the fi rst model in Geneva. of the original model, which debuted wrote a book about watchmaking. One of the unique features of this in Doha.

Exclusive pieces at central exhibition of DJWE

This year’s Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition brings visitors a specially curated central exhibition, presenting vintage and privately- owned pieces, never shown in Qatar before under the theme ‘Once upon a time… luxury’. Qatar’s leading luxury jewellery retailers, Fifty One East, Alfardan Jewellery, Ali Bin Ali and Al Majed Jewellery, contributed to the exhibition, providing significant jewellery and accessories which showcase exceptional master craftsmanship. Displaying over 15 exclusive pieces, the a matching powder case and lipstick Van Cleef & Arpels. Their collection central exhibition enables jewellery holder detailed with diamond flowers, includes a striking gold and diamond aficionados to see a unique 18k yellow a square yellow gold ladies wristwatch necklace and earring set which was gold pocket watch detailed with a with invisible clasp, and a purse made part of the former collection of Princess 30-minute counter and perpetual of 12 articulated panels. Soraya of Iran. calendar presented to King Fuad of Alfardan Jewellery have bestowed a Al Majed Jewellery has displayed two Egypt by the Swiss colony in 1929. dazzling Piaget watch, featuring 217 collections of striking natural pearls: a Boucheron, the famous French brand beautiful baguette cut diamonds with vast necklace featuring 2,569 individual available at Fifty One East, have lent a watch face which displays a radiant pearls connected to five pieces of pieces from its museum in Paris sunshine detail white diamonds and a jewellery set dating from 1902-1954. These include Ali Bin Ali has presented a wealth of displaying natural pearls, diamonds exquisite gold and diamond brooches, 1950s jewellery from the revered brand and enthralling emeralds.