International FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017 12 Classmates rescue Indian child bride

JAIPUR: An Indian teenager sent to live nearby village to live with her husband helped the friends unite. At first police for girls in India is 18, but millions of with a much older husband who she and his family. refused to listen to them, but they children are married when they are married aged just 11 has returned to But her classmates tracked her down found a number for the topmost admin- much younger, particularly in poor rural school after being rescued by her class- to her new home, some walking bare- istrative official of the district scribbled areas. The custom is particularly strong mates, a children’s charity said yester- foot for miles to reach her. “They some- on the walls of the police station and in Rajasthan where politically powerful day. The 16-year-old girl, who cannot be how tracked down the house and met enlisted his help. village councils have an iron grip over named for legal reasons, was married off the girl who told them that she wanted “I made some phone calls to the offi- social and moral life. The Hindustan by her family in the western state of to continue studies and was not willing cials and authorities and she was res- Times daily yesterday said the teenager Rajasthan, where child marriage is par- to stay with her husband and in-laws,” cued and rejoined the school after returned to the school to a hero’s wel- ticularly prevalent. In May, relatives said Gopal Singh, a teacher with the that,” district collector Siddarth come and has since asked the local fam- forced her to leave school and go to a non-profit Sakhi Bal Niketan which Mahajan said. The legal marriage age ily court to annul her marriage.—AFP

Zambia president blames rivals for state of emergency

LUSAKA: Zambian President Edgar Lungu yesterday justified imposing a state of emergency by alleging that opposition parties were behind a string of arson attacks intended “to create terror and panic”. Lungu denied he was establishing a dictatorship in -until recently a relatively stable country-and said his political rivals were trying to overturn last year’s election results. Several fires, including one that burnt down the main market in the capital on Tuesday, have been at the centre of rising political tensions in Zambia. The state of emergency-which increases police pow- ers of detention and arrest-is “to curb lawlessness”, Lungu told a press conference at his State House resi- dence. “The theory (by opposition parties) is that they put pressure so that we begin renegotiating the result of the last elections,” he said. “There is a deliberate ploy by the opposition... We won the elections and the win- ner takes it all. Their idea was to create terror and pan- ic.”Zambia has enjoyed relative stability since its first multi-party election in 1991. But last year’s election was marked by clashes between rival supporters, and opposition leader remains in detention on treason charges. Hichilema was arrested in April after his convoy allegedly refused to give way to the presidential motor- HADERA: In this handout photograph released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) yesterday Indian Prime Minister cade. He narrowly lost the elections to Lungu, and has , left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk on Olga Beach in Hadera.—AFP alleged that the result was rigged. Modi caps Netanyahu bromance Sad day for the country The president, who announced the state of emer- gency in a televised address late Wednesday, dismissed with barefoot beach stroll accusations of growing authoritarianism. “Zambia is the most accomplished democracy in this region or the JERUSALEM: Indian Prime Minister Wednesday at a joint press conference detente. Israel is India’s third-largest whole Africa. If this is dictatorship, then there is no Narendra Modi capped a historic three- highlighting water and agricultural supplier of weapons after the United democracy in Africa,” he said. “I know that people think I day visit to Israel yesterday with a bare- technology. States and Russia. Earlier this year, am targeting political players, I am not targeting any foot stroll along the Mediterranean Netanyahu touted Israel’s ties with Israel’s state-owned Israel Aerospace political player. I am only trying to bring sanity,” he shore with Israeli counterpart Benjamin the world’s most populous democracy Industries announced over $2 billion in added. Netanyahu. The two leaders’ exuber- as a “marriage made in heaven,” while air and missile defense contracts with Parliament has suspended 48 lawmakers from ance for warming bilateral ties has tak- Modi proclaimed that their goal was “to India. Modi and Netanyahu, both lead- Hichilema’s for National Development en the form of bear hugs, build a relationship that reflects our ers of nationalist parties, said they dis- (UPND), which boycotted an address by Lungu in greetings on social media and shared priorities and draws on endur- cussed greater security cooperation, March. The government has also increased pressure on pledges for increased trade and coop- ing bonds between our peoples.” encompassing counterterrorism and media outlets that support the opposition. “I don’t think eration. Modi and Netanyahu yesterday Though India kept a frosty distance cybersecurity. Amid a handful of high- there is justification for declaring a state of emergency,” paid their respects to Indian soldiers from Israel during the Cold War, align- level trade agreements, three Israeli Lusaka-based analyst Neo Simutanyi said. “It will incon- killed fighting with the British Army ing itself with the Soviets and favoring defense firms announced a new deal to venience people and create more tension.” He said par- during World War I before taking a spin the Palestinian cause, the past two provide India with top-of-the-line com- liament must approve the measure within seven days on the beach in an Israeli-designed decades have seen New Delhi forge bat drones. mobile desalination buggy. ever closer diplomatic and trade rela- Modi’s visit, the first by an Indian otherwise it will lapse, and that lawmakers would be The two sipped water produced by tions with the Jewish state. prime minister, marks 25 years of diplo- required to renew it every 90 days. the machine, served in wine glasses, Bilateral trade has skyrocketed from matic relations. He visited the Yad Tobias Simbule, a 43-year-old newspaper vendor in before Modi hitched up his pants and $200 million in 1992, when India and Vashem Holocaust memorial, Lusaka, said he feared for Zambia’s future. “We have waded ankle-deep into the surf. Israel established diplomatic ties, to embraced a boy whose parents were gone back to the one-party state which we rejected in Netanyahu did not roll up his slacks, $4.16 billion in 2016, according to the killed in a 2008 massacre in Mumbai 1991. Today is really a sad day for this country,” he said. which got soaked. Israeli agriculture Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv. Even so, carried out by Islamic militants, and The UPND has yet to react to the president’s move, but and water technologies have been a that figure remains far below Israel’s addressed an ecstatic crowd of Indian the smaller MMD opposition party said Lungu should major draw for Indian investment and nearly $40 billion in annual bilateral Jews in Tel Aviv. Modi did not meet have allowed investigators to probe the cause of the the subject of several deals signed dur- trade with its largest partners, the US with any Palestinian officials during his market fire. “He should reverse his decision and allow ing Modi’s visit. “India admires the suc- and EU. Both countries appear set on visit. Indian and Palestinian officials say Zambians lead normal lives,” party president Nevers cess of people of Israel in overcoming reducing that gap. Billions of dollars in there was no snub, noting that Mumba said.—AFP adversity to advance, innovate and Israeli arms sales to New Delhi have Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas flourish against all odds,” Modi said formed the bedrock of diplomatic visited Modi in India in May.—AFP