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BUSINESS | 21 SPORT | 30 Azerbaijan keen to Sheikh Ali to lead lure investments Qatari charge at from QIA Al Shaqab

Tuesday 28 February 2017 | 1 Jumada II 1438 Volume 21 | Number 7086 | 2 Riyals

Emir to meet Qatar & Azerbaijan sign several deals Bahrain's PM today

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin EMIR H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of Hamad Al Thani will meet Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev oversaw today morning at the Emiri the signing of several agreements. Diwan, with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, where they will The Peninsula review fraternal relations and means of enhancing them to atar and Azerbaijan yesterday serve the interests of both signed several agreements to peoples. They will also dis- strengthen bilateral coopera- cuss the latest developments tion in various fields. The Emir in the region. QH H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev oversaw the signing of the Hamad Port-Truck agreements. Aliyev left Doha yesterday Route link road opens evening after his two-day official visit, Qatar News Agency reported yesterday. THE Public Works Authority The two sides signed Memorandums (Ashghal) opened a road link- of Understanding in the fields of culture, ing the new Hamad Port and youth and sports, and between the ports Truck Route, which falls within department of Qatar and its Azerbaijani the scope of works of the New counterpart. Qatar Civil Aviation Author- Orbital Highway project. The ity signed a Memorandum of opening ceremony was Understanding with the Civil Aviation attended by Minister of Trans- Administration of Azerbaijan. The two Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, during talks at the Emiri Diwan, port and Communications H E sides signed a protocol amending the yesterday. Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Min- cargo agreement. They also signed a coop- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani also present. → More pictures on page 3 ister of Municipality and eration agreement on the protection of Environment H E Mohammed endangered species in their natural bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi and habitat. They also discussed a number of regional Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh the accompanying delegation at the Emiri Ashghal President Eng Saad bin The agreements were signed after the and international issues of joint interest, Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani Diwan yesterday. The Azeri President and Ahmed Al Mohannadi, along Emir and Azerbaijan President held a particularly the latest development in the and a number of ministers also attended the accompanying delegation were seen with a number of senior offi- round of official talks in the Emiri Diwan. region. the talks and the signing ceremonies. off at HIA by the Minister of Economy and cials of relevant authorities and They reviewed bilateral relations and The Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdul- The Emir hosted a luncheon banquet Commerce HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim institutions. the means to enhance them in all fields. lah bin Hamad Al Thani, the Prime in honour of President Ilham Aliyev and bin Mohammed Al-Thani. → Full report on page 6

FUEL Ooredoo among top 50 brands

PRICE HIKE The Peninsula

oredoo is the fastest-growing of any of the major telecoms Obrands in the region, rising in value by 48% from 2016 to 2017 and featuring in the top 50 telecoms brands in the world, according to a new report by leading valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. According to the report, Ooredoo’s 100 billboards featuring brand value has consistently increased since the company began Al Ghafa trees installed its global brand roll-out, which the report calculates as $3.1bn in 2017. THE Ministry of Municipality and Environ- With more than 138 million custom- ment installed 100 billboards featuring Al Ghafa ers, the Ooredoo brand is becoming trees, to create awareness about the endangered one of the most widely-recognised plant which represents Qatari heritage. These communications brands in the world Ooredoo Chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani billboards have been installed in the main streets 5Dirhams (left) and Deputy Group CEO Waleed Al Sayed. Petrol prices will today. and places, and it aims to spread awareness go up by 5 dirhams The news comes as Ooredoo hosts about environmental issues specially among from March 1. one of its largest and most technolog- world. Brands are first evaluated to This information is then used to students. ically-advanced product determine their strength, based on rank the world’s 500 most valua- Meanwhile, the environmental monitor- demonstrations at Mobile World Con- factors such as marketing investment, ble telecoms brands. Ooredoo has ing department caught a number of violations gress 2017 taking place in Barcelona familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction risen to become the 47th biggest committed by a company in Al khor. The com- this week, said a press release. and corporate reputation, and this is telecoms brand in 2017, appearing pany had put up offices and sanitation station QR1.70 The report, Telecoms 500 2017, used to determine what proportion in the top 50 for the first time in its without permit at work site. The ministry has Price of super values the brands of operators and of a business’s revenue is contributed history. taken legal action against the company. grade petrol for a infrastructure companies around the by the brand. → Continued on page 6 litre. It was QR1.65 in February. QR1.60 Many motorists caught for wrong overtaking Price of premium Sanaullah Ataullah of the Traffic Department located punishments. Many motorists I visited the investigation unit of Representative of contract- grade petrol for a The Peninsula at street No. 52 of Doha-Indus- unaware of this rule have been the seizure section of Traffic ing company said a bus litre. It was QR1.55 trial Area. caught by the radars or the traf- Department at street No. 52 of belonging to his company was in February. any erring motorists Article 64 of the Traffic Law fic patrolling team, The Peninsula Doha-Industrial Area. The offi- seized for two weeks for have been caught as has stipulated jail for one week has learnt. cial at the counter asked me to repeated violation two days in a Mthe traffic authorities up to one year and fines of “I received a message on pay a fine of QR1,000 and row. have intensified monitoring QR3,000 to QR10,000 for viola- Sunday night from the Traffic warned me of a seizure of my The bus was caught earlier QR1.55 on vehicles engaging in tions including wrong overtaking. Department through Metrash vehicle for a month in case of for wrong overtaking and was wrong overtaking and other The revised traffic law provides notifying about a traffic viola- repetition of the violation,” given a warning. Price of Diesel for a serious violations of the traf- for a reconciliation paying a fine tion (wrong overtaking) by my "After paying the fine I The authorities have been litre. It was QR1.50 fic law. of QR1,000. car and asking me to report to received a message which read tough over such violations and in February. The vehicles caught flouting Overtaking at “continuous the seizure section”, a motorist “vehicle plate No. … is no longer no leniency has been shown in Source: Ministry of Energy and Industry. the rules have been summoned line” leading to exits and inter- told The Peninsula. wanted by investigations sec- terms of punishment, it has been to the Vehicles Seizure Section sections will also result in similar "The next day early morning tion," he added. learnt. 02 HOME TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 QTA and SUQ announce Emir meets Algeria Speaker deal to train tour guides

The Peninsula Ten courses needed for tour guides to achieve these standards, and are atar Tourism Author- Ten fast-track grateful to our partners at ity (QTA) and Stenden courses led by expert Stenden University Qatar for University Qatar SUQ instructors providing the expertise to sup- (SUQ) have will be offered port this initiative.” Qannounced a new AlKuwari added that QTA between February partnership through which tour and October. will subsidise the cost of train- guides working in Qatar will ing for Qatari tour guides, as part have access to specialised train- of its commitment to attract and Initiative part of ing programmes that will hone develop more home grown tal- their skills and make them eli- several schemes ent to the sector. gible for an official tour guide planned by QTA to “Stenden University Qatar is licence. increase standards the sole provider of university- The initiative is part of sev- of tourism services. level tourism and hospitality eral that have been introduced management education in the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with the Speaker of the People's National by QTA to raise the standards of State of Qatar. We can proudly say Assembly of Algeria Dr Mohammed Al Arabi Ould Khalifa, at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. tourism service providers as consultation with the UN World that many of our graduates hold The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the Advisory Council H E Mohammed bin Qatar welcomes a growing Tourism Organisation. key positions in different govern- Mubarak Al Khulaifi. number of tourists, said a press “QTA ensures tourism estab- mental and nongovernmental release. lishments, including hotels, tour organisations in Qatar, and play Ten fast-track courses led operators, and providers of an important role in the overall by expert SUQ instructors will tourism products and services, economic, social, human, and Emir condoles be offered between February operate at the highest standards environmental development of Qatar to take part in Arab and October. The courses will and are able to perpetuate the country. We feel privileged to with Saudi King take place for 8 hours a day over Qatar’s culture. We also work enter into a partnership with health ministers' meeting a period of 10 days and is open hand in hand with the industry Qatar Tourism Authority and be QNA to practicing tour guides and to ensure they have the tools to directly involved in the education desert safari guides, as well as follow these practices,” said Saif and certification of all tour guides QNA required to improve health care mir H H Sheikh Tamim eligible residents interested in AlKuwari, PR & Communication in Qatar," stated Dr. Ivan Ninov, in the region. Another topic on bin Hamad Al Thani sent taking up this activity. Director at QTA. “As tour guides Executive Dean at Stenden Uni- atar will participate in the the meeting's agenda is a project Eyesterday a cable of con- By completing the course play a crucial role in shaping versity Qatar. 47th meeting of the minis- for Arab integration in the field dolences to the Custodian of and passing the related assess- tourists’ experiences of a desti- QTA and SUQ officials also Qters of health in the Arab of medicine. The agenda also the Two Holy Mosques, King ments, tour guides will have met nation, it was a natural next step confirmed that two lengthier World, which will be held at the includes discussing Arab coop- Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud the code of standards associated for us to develop a new code of and more in-depth programmes Arab League headquarters on eration with China and India in of Saudi Arabia, on the death with the new QTA-issued standards for those operating in are under development, and will March 1. The meeting will discuss healthcare. The ministers will of Princess Al Bandari bint licenses for tour guides, which this field. We recognize the be made available to less expe- a number of topics including the also discuss financial backing Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. was developed based on inter- importance of providing the rienced tour guides or those who health of mothers and babies, as of the healthcare sector in Pal- Deputy Emir H H Sheikh national best practices and in training and academic support are new to the field. well as the health legislation estine and other nations. Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Inte- rior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khal- Gulf committee on food standards discusses food safety in region ifa Al Thani also sent condolences. The Peninsula and discussed a number of for Specifications and Standardi- This year the committee is specifications related to processed Emir also sent condo- projects including health spec- zation, and was attended by working on 94 plans and is con- or prepackaged food. The commit- lences to Acting Governor he 24th meeting of Gulf ifications for food factories and officials from Saudi Arabia, the sidering a number of tee also suggested holding a meeting General of Papua New Guinea Technical Committee for the expiry of food products. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, recommendations. Last year, there to discuss new specifications for Theo Zurenuoc on the death TStandards of Food and two-day meeting was organ- Qatar, Kuwait and Standardiza- were 73 projects including some energy drinks and packing of of Papua New Guinea's Gov- Agriculture began yesterday ised by Qatar General Authority tion Authority for GCC. important ones like the tobacco products. ernor-General Michael Ogio.

Farewell ceremony

Secretary-General at the Foreign Ministry, Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, held a farewell ceremony in honour of Ambassador of Turkey to Qatar Ahmad Demirok and Ambassador of Jordan Zahi Mohammad Al Samadi.

No HIV-tainted bananas: Ministry

Huda N V though the website is not the “These are absurd hoaxes The Peninsula real CNN. with no basis in fact. The HIV “Specialists have made it cannot survive outside the he Ministry of Public clear that the colour changes human body, so it’s not possible Health has scotched may appear in bananas as a for the virus to live in any food Trumours in the social result of certain fungal infec- items, let alone bananas. This is media about HIV-tainted tions or due to lack of some just an updated version of bananas. The Ministry, in a clar- minerals,” the Ministry said in equally bogus messages that cir- ification issued yesterday, stated the statement issued culated in the media,” a health that the rumours have been yesterday. expert said. around for two years. According to experts, there The story is part of a long- The widely circulated mes- are a variety of plant diseases running "infection of fake news sages claim that people are that can cause bananas to take about disease-laden food items". injecting HIV-infected blood a red discolouration. This Earlier, food items like Pepsi, into bananas and are warning includes Nigrospora, a fungal shawarma and fruits like water- people to avoid eating bananas disease that causes the centre of melon and orange,had similar that contain a red colour inside. the banana to turn dark red, and “infections.” In one recent version, which is mokillo, a bacterial disease that The Ministry has urged presented as a ‘breaking news’ can also cause red discoloura- social media users to investigate report from CNN, it claims that tion in bananas. However, these the accuracy of these any mes- some bananas have been tested diseases are not a threat to sages or warnings before positive for HIV. human health, according to forwarding them to others. The The post included a photo experts. public have also been advised featuring a red-streaked The Ministry also stressed to seek information from the banana. The screenshot is that it has not been proven that Ministry on issues concerning made to resemble a breaking AIDS can be spread through health, food and safety instead news alert from the CNN, food. of causing unnecessary panic. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 HOME 03

Qatar and Azerbaijan sign agreements

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in Doha yesterday. Later, Emir and President of Azerbaijan witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between the two countries. Sidra's research branch opens three main labs

Fazeena Saleem The Peninsula Precision medicine The three labs which idra’s research branch are operational at has opened three main Sidra are Omics Core, labs and the state-of- Genomics Core and the-art facilities have Deep Phenotyping been brought into oper- Core. Sation recently with high calibre expert teams from all over the world. The research The outstanding translational infrastructure aims research infrastructure at Sidra to enable the aims to enable the implementa- implementation of tion of precision medicine, said precision medicine. Dr Ena Wang, Acting Chief Research Officer at Sidra. “Sidra’s research branch disorders that are affecting the Dr Ena Wang (left), Acting Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medical Research Centre; Max Renault, Director, Research Operations, aims to advance the understand- local population,” she added. and Wei Liu, Associate Level Director, Clinical Genomic Core. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula ing of the pathophysiological The three labs which are mechanisms of diseases, develop operational at Sidra are namely in the wider Middle East,” said and international level. We can “As a biological system, the Further, at a national level early prevention, accurate diag- Omics Core, Genomics Core and added. support clinical whole genome zebrafish model offers distinct Sidra’s research branch has col- nostic and advance therapeutics, Deep Phenotyping Core and the The Omics Core lab at Sidra sequencing and clinical testing advantages for researchers. It laborations with Qatar Genome and improve the health outcomes fourth core lab, a Clinical can help with the extraction of requests. At a national level, we has stable, easily observable Programme, Qatar University, of the women and children of Research Center is under DNA from a range of sample provided the sequencing support and testable development Qatar Biomedical Research Insti- Qatar,” said Dr Wang yesterday development. types including saliva and blood for the first phase of the Qatar behaviors. It is cost-effective, tute, Qatar Biobank, Weill Cornell on sidelines of a media tour of “The state-of-the-art facili- samples, the Genomic Core lab Genome Program,” said Max its genome is fully sequenced Medicine in Qatar, Texas A&M, the labs. ties have been brought into handles sequencing of DNA Renault, the Director of Research and its embryonic development National Center for Cancer Care “Our research teams are cur- operation and are staffed by high extraction samples and the Deep Operations at Sidra. is very rapid,” said Wei Liu, and Research, Interim Transla- rently working on several calibre scientific teams,” said Dr Phenotyping Core (DPC) Labs Sidra is also preparing to Director of Clinical Genomic tional Research Institution (iTRI), research programmes that align Wang. possesses technologies some of open a Zebrafish facility and it Core at Sidra. Hamad Bin Khalifa University, with national priorities and “We are competitive at an which are unique to the whole would provide researchers “It will be a key facility for Anti-Doping Lab Qatar. Also at health care needs to help facili- international level now, creating Middle East and North Africa access to state of the art equip- identifying genes in disorders an international level Sidra is tate prevention, early and comprehensive Qatari genomic Region. ment and facilities for studying like cancers and cardio-vascu- working in close collaboration targeted intervention for certain databases which will form the “The Genomic Core lab can vertebrate development biology lar disease in humans, and help with organisations from the conditions such as cancer, obes- building blocks for Precision support clinical requests inter- and developing zebrafish mod- identify potential new treat- United States, Europe, Thailand ity, preterm birth and genetic Medicine, not only in Qatar, but nally but also again at a national els of diseases. ments,” he added. and Japan.

Al Muraikhi Over 3,000 to attend Qatar women's conference meets ministers

The Peninsula ala will address the gathering. that the whole society. For this, she needs inister of State for A special magazine as part of the event to learn and live by the Quran and the Foreign Affairs H E ver 3,000 women are expected to will be released by GIO President P Ruk- teachings of the Prophet (Peace be upon MSultan bin Saad Al attend the Qatar Women’s Confer- sana, said Programme Convener him), she added. Muraikhi met separately with Oence to be held under the Thawyibba Arshad at a press conference The female companions of the Prophet the Lithuanian Foreign Min- patronage of Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al yesterday. (PBUH) are examples of some of the best ister Linas Linkevicius and Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center (Fanar) “The conference aims at enlightening women in Islam, she added. Paraguayan Foreign Minister on March 3 from 6pm at the QFA Audito- women about their status and rights in Talk shows, debates, story sharing Eladio Loizaga on the side- rium in Al Wakra Sports Club. Islam. Women are a part of the society and table talks were organised in vari- lines of the high-level Dr Sabreena Lei (pictured), the and they have a key role to play in the ous parts of Qatar as part of the meetings of the 34th session Director of Tawassul Europe, will be development towards a truly Islamic soci- conference. of the Human Rights Council, the chief guest of the event, which will ety and beyond,” said Nafeesath Beevi, The Media Convener Suleikha Bash- currently underway in be inaugurated by Dr Ameena Al Jabir the Chief Chairperson of the eer, General Convener, Sareena Bahseer, Geneva. of Qatar University. P Ruksana, Pres- conference. Vice-Chairman Naseema Teacher, Sha- The two meetings ident, Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO), "If a woman is knowledgeable about feena Siraj and Meharban K C also reviewed bilateral relations and Shihab Pukkottur, Secretary, this world and the hereafter, she will be attended the press conference held in and means of boosting and Jama’ate Islami Public Relations, Ker- able to improve her family, and through Doha. developing them on all fronts. 04 HOME TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 Research links genetic variations to disease

Qatar-based study Physiology and Biophysics, has To achieve such a large-scale analysed the genetic data of study the researchers had to WCM-Q study more than 1,300 individuals from bring a protein measurement analysed the genetic Europe, Asia and the Middle East tool capable of handling very data of more than and identified over 450 genetic high volumes of data to Qatar for 1,300 individuals from variants, many of which are the very first time. The study Europe, Asia and the involved in serious diseases. marks the very first time the tool, Middle East and However, the study went a provided by US-based company step beyond conventional Somalogic, has ever been used identified over 450 genome studies, which gener- outside of the USA. This platform genetic variants. ally focus on simply attempting is now available for use by all to identify genes which are asso- researchers in Qatar. The human genome ciated with disease. Moreover, the blood samples essentially acts as a In contrast, Dr Suhre’s used by the researchers were series of blueprints research aimed to understand in sourced from a previous study that tell the body how greater detail the many complex that was conducted in collabo- to produce the chemical processes involved in ration with the dermatology approximately 20,000 translating the information held department of Hamad Medical different proteins that within genes into the actual Corporation in Qatar. The study are the building physical characteristics of dis- also performed all genetic anal- blocks of our body. eases. Discovering the secrets of yses through the WCM-Q these intricate chemical proc- genomics core facility. esses – known as ‘pathways’ - is Importantly, the paper com- essential to provide a basis for bined analysis of the genome, The Peninsula the development of a new gen- Dr Karsten Suhre, Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at WCM-Q. RIGHT: A DNA strand. known as genomics, with anal- eration of drug therapies and ysis of an organism’s proteins, atar-based research more effective diagnostic tools genome into new drugs or treat- Explaining the research fur- WCM-Q research is different known as proteomics. This com- has revealed many for a host of complex diseases. ment, it is not enough to simply ther, Dr Suhre said that the because in addition to analysing bined approach, called previously unknown “Since the human genome know which genes are involved human genome essentially acts the cohort’s genomes and health ‘multiomics’, helps researchers links between genetic was first mapped in its entirety in a disease – we know a lot of as a series of blueprints that tell states the study also examined understand the interactions Qvariations and a series in 2003, researchers have been that already. Rather, we need to the body how to produce the more than 1,100 proteins. between genes and the proteins of debilitating conditions, includ- working to understand the func- understand the roles that dis- approximately 20,000 different The project conducted the that they encode. ing Alzheimer’s disease, heart tion of every gene in our body so ease-associated genes play in the proteins that are the building world’s first GWAS (genome- The groundbreaking study, disease, autoimmune disorders that one day we can use this pathways that lead to disease. So blocks of our body. In recogni- wide association study) to entitled ‘Connecting genetic risk and cancer. knowledge to truly cure complex the challenge for medical science tion of this, the research aimed analyse more than 1,100 proteins to disease endpoints through the A ground breaking study by diseases, like diabetes and can- is no longer to simply find out to understand how variation in in 1,300 individuals – no previ- human blood plasma proteome’, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar cer,” said Dr Suhre. what genes are involved in which genes influences the proteins ous study of this kind has has now been published in the (WCM-Q) researchers, led by Dr “However, in order to trans- disease but to work out precisely that are made from them and analyzed such a large cohort nor prestigious UK-based journal Karsten Suhre, Professor of late this knowledge of the human how they are involved.” how this leads to disease. The so many different proteins. Nature Communication. QFSW launches Social Nissan X-Trail and Patrol Work Culture project recalled

The Peninsula values and common principles The Peninsula among the Foundation’s centres, atar Foundation for Social as well as to take the profes- he Ministry of Economy Work (QFSW) recently sional and ethical oath of social and Commerce, in col- Qlaunched its “Social Work work. Tlaboration with Saleh Al Culture” project, at its 2017 The event, which saw the Hamad Al Mana Company, annual forum organised at the participation of QFSW affiliate dealer of Nissan vehicles in Qatar National Convention centres, was held in the pres- Qatar, has announced the Center. The project is considered ence of Amaal bint Abdullatif Al recall of Nissan X-Trail and one of the foundation’s funda- Mannai, CEO of the Foundation, Patrol models of 2009-2013 mental objectives in the field of the Board of Directors, the Exec- over a potential defect in the personal and professional utive Directors of the passenger air bag inflator. development of all of its Foundation’s affiliate centres, The Ministry said the employees, as leaders of social heads of departments and sec- recall campaign comes within work. tions, in addition to all QFSW the framework of its ongoing The “Social work culture” staff, members of the media, and efforts to protect consumers project aims to encourage the other dignitaries. and ensure that car dealers Qatar Foundation for Social Work employees at its 2017 annual forum. staff at the Foundation and its “This year, the annual forum follow up on vehicle defects affiliate centres to learn about comes in the context of celebrat- and repairs. the basic principles of social ing the social work culture carries with it a testament to growing this environment,” said to exchanging fruitful ideas for The Ministry said it will work, which are essential to project and the huge number of what QFSW and its affiliate cen- Al Mannai. further growth. coordinate with the dealer to boost their ability to address achievements we have marked tres provide in terms of an ideal During the event, QFSW The forum also saw a range follow up on the maintenance challenges in achieving the over the past years, thanks to the environment for innovation, cre- employees met together to dis- of activities and fun games, and and repair works and will objectives of the humanitarian commitment of our staff, their ativity, teamwork. Going cuss the progress they have the Foundation’s distinguished communicate with custom- social message in the long term, dedication to work, and their forward, we will spare no effort achieved on both a personal and employees have been ers to ensure that the repairs in addition to exploring pivotal outstanding performance, which to continue nurturing and a professional level, in addition honoured. are carried out. Registration opens for Aspire Torch Run

The Peninsula

spire Zone Foundation (AZF) yester- day announced the opening Aregistration for the sixth annual Aspire Torch Staircase Run from today. The race is scheduled to take place on March 18 at the Torch hotel in Aspire Zone. This year’s edition is open for partici- pants 16 years and older and will feature several categories for both male and female participants in different age groups, includ- ing 16 to 17 year olds, 18 to 39 year olds, and 40 years and above, as well as an open category for the hotel’s wait staff. The route of the Aspire Torch Staircase Run will consist of 1,304 stairs, as runners will have to make their way to the top of the 300m tower to the 51st floor. Those who finish the race in the shortest time will receive valuable cash prizes. Speaking about the registration open- Participants celebrate reaching the top during ATSR 2016. ing, Abdullah Al Khater, Events Manager at AZF, said: “Since its launch in 2012, as a environment, which motivates them to take Previous editions of the run generated first of its kind event in the Middle East, part in all sorts of athletic activities.” unprecedented success on par with inter- ATSR has become a key event on the cal- Al Khater added, “We encourage all national tower-running competitions, endar of every sports enthusiast in Qatar sports enthusiasts in Qatar to take part in including Empire State Building Run-Up and an important part of AZF’s offering to the race as a way to challenge themselves in New York, USA, and Berlin Sky Tower the community. As part of our core mis- and discover their true potential. This type in Germany. Over the past two editions, sion to build a culture of physical activity of competition requires a high level of fit- ATSR attracted more than 600 participants and healthy lifestyle in Qatar, we are keen ness and endurance, but everyone is from both local and expat communities to engage community members with AZF’s encouraged to attempt the summit and give alongside other tower runners from all over various sporting events in an exciting it their best shot.” the world. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 HOME 05

Advisory Council Call to raise discusses law on hygiene awareness on QNA he Advisory Council held yesterday its Tregular weekly ses- rare diseases sion under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the Advisory Fazeena Saleem Rare Disease Day Council H E Mohammed The Peninsula bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi. A rare disease, also At the outset of the he importance of referred to as an meeting, the agenda for increasing awareness orphan disease, is the day was read out and in Qatar about disor- the council ratified the any disorder that Dr Mamoun Elawad (sixth from left) with his team at Sidra’s Gastroenterology clinic. ders that affect a affects a small minutes of the previous small percentage of percentage of the meeting. Tthe population mainly due to population. authorities, industry represent- mark awareness of rare diseases appearing in childhood and, The council reviewed genetic causes has been atives, researchers, health as knowledge is not as wide- without medical intervention, a draft law for public emphasised as the ‘Interna- professionals and anyone who spread in the community. The causing loss of life. cleanliness and hygiene tional Rare Disease Day’, which The role of clinical has a genuine interest in rare dis- only way some people know Referring to the importance and agreed to refer it to is being marked today. research in fighting eases,” said Dr Elawad. about rare diseases is either of clinical research in rare dis- the Services and Public However, lack of knowl- rare diseases has “Supporting such initiatives because they are living with the eases Dr Elawad said, “Clinical Utilities Committee to edge about such disorders is not been emphasised. also helps disease sufferers condition or have a family mem- research is very important examine it further. limited to Qatar and it’s a chal- understand they are not alone in ber or close friend who has a rare whereby research is conducted Meanwhile, the Serv- lenge faced by other countries are important,” he told The their medical journey and that disease. Acknowledging rare dis- through which both the physi- ices and Public Utilities as well, says Dr Mamoun Ela- Peninsula. there are doctors and research- ease day can help not only those cian and the researcher can Committee held yesterday wad, Division Chief of A rare disease, also referred ers who are dedicated to living with rare diseases but also directly interact with human a meeting under its rap- Gastroenterology , Sidra Med- to as an orphan disease, is any providing them with treatment, families, friends and the wider subjects. In the case of physi- porteur Saqr Fahd Al ical and Research Center. disorder that affects a small cures and preventive measures,” community who can play a cru- cians such as my self – it helps Mereikhi. “People only get to know percentage of the population. he added. cial role in providing the us find new and better ways to The committee exam- about it because either they Although the disease may be Rare Disease Day takes place necessary help and support,” said understand, detect, control and ined a draft law on have a rare disease or a family rare, patients and families share on the last day of February each Dr Elawad. Rare diseases include treat the conditions.” “Clinical regulating the provision of member of a close friend. How- a common struggle. year. The main objective of Rare cystic fibrosis, muscular dystro- research also allows us to group electricity and water. ever, this isn’t only limited to “I also believe awareness Disease Day is to raise awareness phies and Mendelian disorders, patients in a way so that we can The committee Qatar – it is a wider challenge shouldn’t be restricted to the among the public and decision- which are diseases that affect a study their conditions in a more decided to present its everywhere. This is why community level – it should makers about rare diseases and few people. However, because focused manner – it helps give report on the draft law to acknowledging and supporting also seek to raise awareness their impact on patients' lives. they are rare, they are usually a wider view of the problems the Advisory Council. initiatives like Rare Disease Day among policy makers, public “It is crucial to have a day to much more severe, usually they are experiencing. " HMC participating in annual meet of Arab Hospitals Federation

The Peninsula The two-day forum, being healthcare developments in the providing safe, compassionate ministers as they meet with “Setting Priorities for Meeting the held in conjunction with the 47th region. and effective care to all its attendees and participants. HMC Challenges of Arab Women’s amad Medical Corpora- meeting of the Executive Board HMC is participating in the patients while remaining abreast will be participating in a scien- Health: Vision 2030”, while the tion (HMC) is of the Arab Health Ministers forum at the invitation of the of the latest regional and inter- tific programme during the other conference will focus on Hparticipating in the 18th Council, is expected to attract Arab Hospitals Federation for the national developments in the forum, which will include two health management issues and annual forum of the Arab Hos- hundreds of health care leaders ninth consecutive year. The health care sector. conferences being held at the will be titled: “Transforming pitals Federation (MedHealth and providers from the Arab forum's objective is in line with The forum will feature same time. The first conference Value and Sustaining Impact: The 2017) in Cairo, Egypt. states to discuss recent HMC’s commitment to debates by various Arab health will be held under the theme, Next Prospectus in Healthcare”.

Qatar University students at the Tamkeen Club camp organised by Qatar Charity. QU students take part in camp organised by QC

The Peninsula University, provided and partnership between Qatar equipped a site where the camp Charity and the students' clubs wenty-five students from took place in Al Shahaniya city, of Qatar University in many various faculties of Qatar Qatar. social areas and voluntary ini- TUniversity participated in The camp is a platform to tiatives that take a remarkable "Tamkeen Club", a camp organ- help students develop their role in community service and ised by Qatar Charity to help capabilities in the field of vol- regional development based on students develop their capabil- untary work, taking initiatives Qatar’s vision for 2030. ities in the field of voluntary and time management”, said Ali “Time Commitment” ranked work. Al Gareeb, QC’s Public Relations first among the most significant The students formed four manager. Qatar Charity contrib- areas in the competition. The teams who defiantly competed uted to the club's success by second value which is worthy looking forward to winning a fulfilling the camps voluntary highly promoting through the value-based competition. objectives that are represented competition, and which also The students have been in getting a rise in Qatar Univer- wasn’t less important than the exerting themselves to challenge sity students' values through first one is “Compliance and and to deservedly win the com- taking up the challenge, said Obedience”. petition during the two-day Faisal Al Haythami, the camp's The third valuable area in camp. supervisor. the competition that Al Hay- "Our considerable interest QC’s camp has actually been thami talked about was “Benign toward universities’ students lies the right choice to undertake the competition” since it prevents in supporting them and contrib- activity resulting in reaching the students from cheating, deceiv- uting to the development of their peak of a success and achieving ing others, and using twisted life skills, so QC sponsored their goals. He expressed his manners which contradict with "Tamkeen Club" camp at Qatar appreciation for the ongoing the spirit of transparency. 06 HOME TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 DIFI's annual family forum begins tomorrow

The Peninsula thank them for their cooperation, and look forward to its outcomes and rec- oha International Family ommendations which will contribute to Institute (DIFI) will hold its strengthening the family.” second annual Family Pol- The forum will discuss the following icy Forum from March 1 to topics: The historical, social and legisla- 2. The event aims to provide tive context for the issuance of family law Da platform for discussion and debate sur- in Qatar and its role in supporting family rounding policy issues related to the Arab policies; Family law: Substantive and pro- family, and to help identify priorities for cedural provisions between legislation The Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani (second from right) attending policy makers in the region. and societal reality; The perspective of This year’s forum is titled ‘Ten Years lawyers on family law and its applica- an event to allot plots of land to private companies, yesterday. Since the Issuance of Family Law in tions in the courts; Cases of reconciliation Qatar: Experiences and Aspirations’, and in family disputes and the role of civil will be held in partnership with the Legal society; judicial protection of the family: Ministry allots 119 plots to private firms and Judicial Studies Center of the Min- Applications from the Qatari courts. istry of Justice; the Faculty of Law at The first Family Policy Forum was held Qatar University; the Qatar Lawyers in May 2016 in collaboration with the Min- The Peninsula members of the technical committee range between 2,001 and 5,000 sqm. Association; and Qatar Social Work. istry of Administrative Development, at Manateq and representatives of pri- Twelve plots are between 5,001 to Noor Al Malki Al Jehani, Executive Labour and Social Affairs in Qatar; and the he Ministry of Economy and vate companies. 10,000 sqm. Only two plots area Director of DIFI, said: "The Issuance of Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Commerce allotted 119 plots of Priority was given to companies measuring 10,001 to 20,000 sqm. Family Law in Qatar in 2006 is consid- Ministers for Labor and Social Affairs, Tland to private companies fully owned by Qatari citizens. Show- The Ministry is keen to launch ini- ered one of the most important legislative under the title ‘Rethinking the Work-Fam- through a raffle draw yesterday to rooms, commercial shops, clinics, tiatives to support a diversified and achievements related to the family in the ily Reconciliation Policies in the GCC’. DIFI, build multi-use facilities in logistics banks, restaurants among other competitive economy that could serve past ten years, and this forum is the first a member of Qatar Foundation for Edu- areas of Al Wakra, Birkat Al Awamir facilities will be built on the allotted the coming generation, said the Min- event to be held to review and discuss cation, Science and Community and Aba Al Salil. plots. ister. The move is aimed at activating the practical experiences of the law’s Development (QF), seeks to support The event was attended by the The plots of land are of different role of private sector to participate in application by experts and specialists. research and policy studies which aim to Minister of Economy and Commerce sizes. The plots measuring from 1,000 the development of the country, he We sincerely appreciate our partners and protect the Arab family. H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, to 2,000 sqm number 86. Fifteen plots added.

Ooredoo has Ashghal opens road linking Hamad Port and Truck Route rolled out QNA the project with the same qual- brand in ity and according to the specified he Public Works Authority deadline. eight markets (Ashghal) opened yester- The Minister stressed that the day a road linking the new partial openings of New Orbital T Continued from page 1 Hamad Port and Truck Route, Highway project which is sched- which falls within the scope of uled to take place in April and Since beginning the works of the New Orbital High- July reflected the magnitude of rebranding process in 2013 way project. the great achievement made in with a special ceremony at The opening was attended by this project. the Mobile World Congress, Minister of Transport and Com- Minister of Municipality and Ooredoo has rolled the Oore- municationsH E Jassim bin Saif Environment H E Mohammed doo brand out in eight Al Sulaiti, Minister of Municipal- bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi praised markets in the Middle East, ity and Environment the rapid execution of the con- North Africa and Southeast H E Mohammed bin Abdullah Al struction of the road, pointing Asia. During that time, its total Rumaihi, and Ashghal President out that Ashghal delivered its brand value has grown from Dr Eng Saad bin Ahmed Al work by the agreed deadline. The less than $1bn to more than Mohannadi, along with a number Minister highlighted the impor- $3bn, propelling it into the top of senior officials of relevant tance of the road especially in 50. Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser authorities and institutions. providing free flowing traffic Al Thani, Group CEO, Oore- The attendees were given route for heavy vehicles from doo, said: “Ooredoo continues presentation and paid a field visit and to Hamad Port. to evolve and reach new cus- to a number of work sites of the Ministers and officials at the opening of a road linking the new Hamad Port and Truck Route, The Minister added that tomers and new markets New Orbital Highway project to yesterday. upcoming launch of new roads around the world. We have learn about the progress attained within New Orbital Highway set our operations the target in the project and the time table interchanges with Mesaieed vehicle movement. The road Saif Al Sulaiti appreciated the project will provide distinct of becoming data experience for implementing its various Road, consists of 4 lanes in each provides new access to the new efforts made by Ashghal to open transport services, particularly leaders across our global phases. direction. It forms a free flowing Hamad Port, Mesaieed, Al Wakra the road linking between Hamad with respect to traffic safety on footprint, and to enable eve- The newly opened road, traffic route to Truck Route, and the temporary Truck Route. Port and Truck Route, express- roads due to the separation of ryone to enjoy the internet on which is approximately 5 km in helping to alleviate congestion, Minister of Transport and ing his confidence that Ashghal trucks lanes from those dedi- Ooredoo networks. This length and multilevel and better manage heavy Communications H E Jassim bin will complete the next phases of cated for light vehicles. report demonstrates the progress we have made to date, and also the incredible momentum of our brand.” As part of the Ooredoo UK Parliamentary team visits Fifa organising panel HQ brand roll-out, the company executed a major moderni- sation process which has The Peninsula included network invest- ment, customer service British parliamentary del- revamps and digital content egation visited the boosts across its Aheadquarters of the markets. Supreme Committee for Deliv- In its pursuit of data expe- ery & Legacy (SC) this month to rience leadership, Ooredoo learn about the rapidly advanc- has invested in building ing preparations for the 2022 world-class networks, offer- FIFA World Cup Qatar™. ing 4G services in eight out of The delegation, led by 10 markets and launching 4G+ Qatar’s Ambassador to the UK services in a number of key Yousef Al Khater, included eight markets. The company is also Members of Parliament and testing 5G solutions to sustain other dignitaries, including the Ooredoo’s leadership in this British Ambassador to Qatar Ajay area. As a reflection of the Sharma. “Qatar was delighted to success of this strategy, rev- host again a parliamentary del- enue from data increased to egation from the UK, whose The British Parliamentary delegation visiting a stadium site and taking stock of World Cup 2022 preparations during their 40% percent of Group Reve- agenda also included a look at visit to Doha. nues in 2016, a new record for the preparations for the 2022 the company. World Cup,” said Al Khater. enjoy good living conditions. The Qatar and the UK and the deter- Thawadi and Communications the stadium, including the Other highlights from the He added: “The delegation delegation also learnt about the mination to build on them in the Director Fatma Al Nuami. recently installed structure for Telecoms 500 2017 report discussed progress with those SC’s commitment towards years ahead,” concluded the The UK delegation also took its modular seats. include AT&T overtaking Ver- overseeing the preparations and ensuring the tournament leaves Ambassador. the opportunity to visit the con- Using modular seating will izon as the most valuable saw for themselves the work a positive long-term legacy.” During their visit to the SC struction site of Al Bayt Stadium allow almost half of the stadium’s telecoms brand in the world, taking place to get the world- The visit also included an Legacy Pavilion, an interactive — Al Khor City, where they vis- 60,000 seats to be donated to and Huawei retaining the top class stadiums and infrastructure audience with Emir H H Sheikh exhibition that tells the story of ited the adjacent Al Bayt Village, football development projects spot in the infrastructure ready. They witnessed first-hand Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, which houses those working on abroad after the 2022 FIFA World table. The Mobile World Con- the efforts made to ensure those “This was a sign of the remark- the delegation was welcomed by the site. They witnessed the rap- Cup Qatar, contributing to the gress 2017 runs until 2 March involved in the construction ably close relations between SC Secretary General Hassan Al idly progressing construction of tournament’s global legacy. in Barcelona, Spain. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 HOME / GULF 07

Qatar condemns Gulf cyber attacks on rise: Experts attack on police bus in Bahrain Maraj, a ministry director. Growing concern Maraj said the attempted International breach originated in Iran, and Agencies conference in the singled out "Bahraini people Saudi Arabian capital living in Iran." Quasai Alshatti, atar has strongly con- comes after the Director General of Kuwait's demned the criminal Central Agency for Information Qexplosion that targeted Shamoon 2 virus in Technology, said financial insti- a police bus in Bahrain, injur- January reportedly tutions in his country have also ing five policemen. disrupted labour been targeted. A statement released by ministry computers. The Shamoon virus was first the Foreign Ministry said deployed against the Saudi Qatar condemns the crimi- Bahrain and Kuwait energy sector in 2012. nal act that aims at were also the targets "There is no way you can undermining security and of increasing attacks prevent the attack," Almotairi stability in Bahrain. Qatar over the past year. said of the virus. After the 2012 emphasises its solidarity and Shamoon hacking, US intelli- support for the government Riyadh gence officials said they and people of Bahrain. AFP suspected a link to Saudi Ara- The Ministry expressed bia's rival Iran. The oil and Qatar's full support for meas- ulf countries must gas-rich region's organisational ures taken by Bahrain to tighten coordination infrastructure against hacking is maintain security and to fight an increasing still new, as experts become stability. number of cyber increasingly focused on combat- The Bahraini policemen attacks, experts said ing rising attacks. were wounded in a bomb Gyesterday, as one official blamed Saudi Arabia's National attack Sunday near the vil- hackers in Iran. Cyber Security Centre has been lage of Jaw, south of the The comments came at an Participants at the second International Cyber Security Conference, in Riyadh yesterday. set up over the past two years capital Manama, the Interior international conference in the but was only formally opened ministry said. Saudi Arabian capital after the General of the Saudi National targeted. "If we cooperate we increasing attacks over the past this month. "We need more "Terrorist blast in police Shamoon 2 virus in January Cyber Security Centre, told the will be able to protect all sec- year, according to cyber secu- attention to cyber security and bus near Jua village. Police- reportedly disrupted labour min- conference. tors," he added, reporting that rity experts. we need to add more profession- men injured and they are in istry computers. "There is an increase in tar- his centre responded to 124 Hackers tried to penetrate als to the field of cyber security," a stable condition. Necessary All Gulf Cooperation Coun- geting GCC countries," he said, "breaches" last year. the computer systems at Bah- said Saudi Prince Bandar Al steps are being taken," the cil (GCC) countries are at risk, noting that both financial and GCC members Bahrain and rain's Interior Ministry, said Mishari, Assistant Interior Min- ministry said on its Twitter Saleh Almotairi, Director government bodies have been Kuwait were also the targets of Lieutenant Colonel Bassam Al ister for Technology Affairs. account. Saudi Arabia may raise petrol prices by 30% from July

Khobar riyal. However, that still kept Saudi Ara- familiar with the matter who declined respond to a request for comment. which cash handouts will be given to Reuters bia among the countries with the to be identified. Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih had low to medium income Saudis. cheapest gasoline prices in the world. Two other industry sources con- said the gasoline price will be linked to “People have already started to audi Arabia may increase its The government now wants domes- firmed a 30 percent rise was being a benchmark price. switch to lower grade gasoline and if domestic gasoline prices by 30 per- tic fuel prices to be on a par with considered. A third source said a deci- Analysts say, the country, the larg- they haven’t then they will do it this year, Scent from July, industry sources international levels by 2020. The move, sion had yet to be taken on the exact est economy in the Gulf region, is likely the cash handouts will alter consumer said, part of a reform plan by the world’s part of reforms to ease the burden of increase and the mechanism for doing to follow the mechanism of the United behaviour but may benefit other sec- top oil exporter to align its fuel prices subsidies on government finances, will it. “There might be a change in the date Arab Emirates and link domestic fuel tors in the economy,” said Mustafa with global benchmark levels. drive energy efficiency and cut con- or the percentage of the increase in line prices to international ones. Ansari, an energy analyst at APICORP. In December 2015, the kingdom sumption, sources say. with the financial burden that citizens As the government tries to curb Analysts say demand growth for raised the price of 95 octane gasoline to “Basically, a 30 percent is what eve- may shoulder,” one of the sources said. wasteful consumption, the fuel increase motor fuel did not drop in 2016 after the 0.90 riyal ($0.24) per litre from 0.60 ryone is talking about,” said a person The Saudi Ministry of Energy did not is linked to “The Citizen Account”, from December 2015 rise but it slowed.

On the guard

Police troopers patrol outside the Sana'a airport in Yemen, yesterday.

Yemen faces famine if aid not stepped up: UN official

Sana'a "We now face a serious risk accords have failed to end a AFP of famine if the international conflict that O'Brien said has community doesn't step up with cost more than 7,500 lives and N humanitarian aid chief funding and respond and the left 40,000 people wounded. Stephen O'Brien warned parties in the conflict continue O'Brien, who was to meet Uyesterday in Yemen that to restrict humanitarian access," later in Sana'a with Shia Houthi the war-torn and impoverished said O'Brien, who flew in on rebels who control the capital, country faces "serious risk of Sunday. appealed for the warring par- famine" unless international He told a news conference ties "to facilitate commercial donors step up their response. that 19 million of Yemen's imports of food, fuel and med- The under-secretary-gen- 26-million population now icine from all ports and a eral for humanitarian affairs, needed humanitarian aid, and resumption of commercial speaking in the southern city of "seven million Yemenis don't flights" to import-dependent Aden where he met President know where their next meal is Yemen. Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, also coming from". The war pits Hadi's interna- urged both sides in Yemen's The United Nations has tionally recognised government two-year-old war to grant called for $2.1bn in humanitar- against Houthi rebels allied with humanitarian access to the con- ian aid for Yemen, where UN forces loyal to former president flict zones. mediation and seven ceasefire Ali Abdullah Saleh. 08 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017

Thousands flood into Sudan from Jets pound Syria as talks continue famine-hit South Beirut Plea to Russia Khartoum AP & AFP Reuters Syria's opposition t least 11 people were urged Russia, a key ore than 31,000 South killed in air strikes ally of President Sudanese refugees - on Syria's rebel-held Bashar Al Assad, to Mmostly women and Idlib province yes- put pressure on children - have crossed the terday, opposition Damascus to help border into Sudan this year, activistsA said, in the latest spasm kick-start sputtering fleeing famine and conflict, of violence to mar UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva. the United Nations refugee talks in Geneva between the Syr- agency said yesterday. ian government and the The United Nations opposition. unconfirmed reports that a top declared famine last week in Syria's opposition urged Rus- Al Qaeda official was killed in an parts of South Sudan’s Unity sia, a key ally of President Bashar airstrike, also in Idlib. State, with about 5.5 million Al Assad, to put pressure on The SITE Intelligence Group, people expected to have no Damascus to help kickstart sput- which monitors extremist reliable source of food by July. tering peace talks in Geneva. groups, said Abdullah Muham- “Initial expectations were The High Negotiations Com- mad Rajab Abdulrahman, the that 60,000 refugees may mittee (HNC), the main deputy to Al Qaeda leader Ayman arrive through 2017, but in the opposition group at the UN- Al Zawahiri, may have been killed first two months alone, over sponsored talks, said it expects in a US airstrike on an unmarked 31,000 refugees arrived,” a to meet a Russian delegation sedan on Sunday evening. It cited statement from the office of Tuesday in the Swiss city. reports circulating on Jihadist Smoke billows following air strikes on a rebel-held area in the southern city of Daraa in Syria's the United Nations High Com- "We sincerely hope to per- social media accounts. The north- Daraa province, the cradle of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar Al Assad's regime, missioner for Refugees suade Russia to stand by the western province falls largely yesterday. (UNHCR) in Khartoum said. Syrian people," said HNC under the control of an Al Qaeda- More than a million peo- spokesman Nasr al-Hariri after linked rebel coalition. Hundreds compartment of the beige Kia Al Masri was a close affiliate following the 9/11 attacks before ple have fled South Sudan since his latest talks with UN Syria of thousands of Syrians displaced sedan but no damage to the to late Al Qaeda founder Osama releasing him in a prison exchange a civil war erupted in 2013 after envoy Staffan de Mistura. by fighting are living as refugees engine block. The roof was Bin Laden and was once the chair- with al-Qaida in Yemen in 2015. President Salva Kiir’ fired Vice "We hope that Russia will bet there. blown open on the right side of man of the organization's A senior official at a rival President Riek Machar. Fight- on the Syrian people and will not Images of the vehicle pur- the vehicle. The Britain-based management council, according jihadist faction in northern Syria ing between government bet on one person who has ported to have been carrying Syrian Observatory for Human to a Washington Post report cit- urged caution over the reports, forces and Machar-led rebels decided to destroy the whole of Abdulrahman, known more Rights reported that a top Al ing leaked US intelligence saying other top Al Qaeda officials has caused the largest mass Syria so as to remain in power," widely by his nom de guerre Abu Qaeda official was killed in a documents dating back to 2008. in Syria had staged their own exodus of any conflict in cen- he added, referring to Assad. Al Khayr Al Masri, showed dam- drone strike, but could not con- Iranian authorities are deaths only to defect from the tral Africa since the 1994 Separately, there were age to the passenger firm it was Al Masri. believed to have jailed him organisation. Rwandan genocide. Some 328,339 South Sudanese refugees have sought refuge in Sudan, NEWS BYTES including about 131,000 in Ethnic and religious violence 2016, many exhausted, mal- nourished and ill, having Iran tests missiles in naval exercise walked for days. More than again grips Nigeria's Kaduna 80 percent of the latest arriv- TEHRAN: Iran's navy has test-fired the latest versions of the als were women and Nasir and Dehlaviyeh missiles during military exercises in the children. The fighting has Kaduna the state — Kaura, Jema'a and National Emergency Manage- Gulf, local media reported yesterday. "The latest naval cruise uprooted more than 3 mil- AFP Zangon Kataf — have been riven ment Agency (NEMA) disputed missile called Nasir was test-fired during Velayat 95 naval lion people and the UN says by conflict for the last three dec- the figures. Land and grazing manoeuvres in the southern waters of the country," said continuing displacement ong-standing tensions ades. But the clashes between the rights have long been seen as the Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan, according to the Fars presented “heightened risks between herdsmen and Muslim, largely Hausa-speaking root of the fighting, although news agency, adding that the missile had successfully hit its of prolonged (food) under- Lfarmers have flared up Fulani cattle drivers and the politics, religion and ethnicity target. Tasnim news agency said the Dehlaviyeh, a laser- production into 2018”. In the again in Kaduna state, northern mainly Christian farmers have are also driving factors. The guided missile, had also been successfully tested. fighting, food warehouses Nigeria, leaving possibly hun- escalated since December, when Kaduna state governor, Nasir el- have been looted and aid dreds dead in tit-for-tat violence. a Fulani chief was killed. Rufai, blamed the latest attacks workers killed. Earlier this month at least 21 peo- The Roman Catholic Church on herdsmen from as far away Drop in rhinos killed by poachers South Sudan is rich in oil ple were killed and several homes last month claimed more than as Chad in the east and Mali to resources. But, six years after were destroyed when suspected 800 local Christians have died the west.tional cattle routes JOHANNESBURG: South Africa says poachers killed 1,054 independence from neighbour- cattle drivers attacked five farm- in that time and 27,000 people bring nomadic Fulani from rhinos in the country last year, a 10.3 percent drop from 2015. ing Sudan, there are only 200km ing communities. have been forced to flee, while about 14 African countries into The environmental affairs department on Monday attrib- of paved roads in a nation with Three districts in the pre- 16 churches and 1,500 homes southern Kaduna as they seek uted the decrease to increased security and other measures an area of 619,745 sq km. dominantly Christian south of were destroyed. Police and the out pastures for their herds. designed to thwart the poaching of rhinos in South Africa, home to most of the world's rhinos. Their horns are coveted in parts of Asia, especially Vietnam. The department says poachers killed 46 elephants in the flagship Kruger National Israeli aircraft Park in 2016, an increase in an area that was mostly unaf- fected by the Africa-wide slaughter of elephants. attack Hamas targets in Gaza Kenya to pull govt ads in private media NAIROBI: Kenya will ban government adverts in private Gaza media, according to a leaked memo, as the presidency Reuters announced plans to launch its own free newspaper. Govern- ment advertising currently brings in some $19m per year for ISRAELI aircraft carried out the country's newspapers, according to an official at the Gov- a series of strikes in Gaza yes- ernment Advertising Agency. The letter from state house chief terday, wounding at least four of staff Joseph Kinyua said that cabinet ministers had approved people, witnesses said, after the creation of a newspaper to be known as MY.GOV "that a rocket fired from the Pales- will articulate the government's agenda in a deeper and more tinian territory hit an empty accurate way for a better appreciation of government's effort area in southern Israel. to improve the livelihoods of the citizens". The Israeli military said its planes attacked five posi- tions belonging to Hamas, the Gambia committed to 'one China policy' Islamist group that runs the Iraqi forces advance through Mosul's Jawasaq neighbourhood yesterday, during an offensive Gaza Strip, in response to the BANJUL: Gambia’s new government has endorsed the “one to retake the area from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. rocket strike. China” policy and said it would not establish any official rela- Witnesses said the four tions or contacts with Taiwan, continuing a policy adopted in wounded were bystanders. March 2016 by the government of former leader Yahya Jam- Forces reach key Mosul bridge There was no immediate meh. The policy affirms the Chinese position that there is only claim of responsibility for the one China and Taiwan is part of it. Taiwan made informal rocket attack. Israel said that contacts with the new government in an attempt to secure a Mosuul end of the fourth bridge," Brig- "ribbon bridge" across the Tigris it holds Hamas accountable change of policy, senior Gambian government officials said. AFP adier General Yahya Rasool that will allow the connection for what happens in the Senior Chinese officials attended new president Adama Bar- said. The spokesman for the of the western side's active front territory. row’s swearing-in ceremony. For years, China and Taiwan raqi forces battling the Joint Operations Command was lines to the already retaken east The group has observed have tried to poach each other’s allies, often dangling gener- Islamic State group in west referring to the southernmost bank. Rasool said that the inte- a de-facto ceasefire with ous aid packages in front of leaders of developing nations. IMosul reached the city's of five bridges -- all of which are rior ministry's Rapid Response Israel since a 2014 war but southernmost bridge yesterday, damaged and unusable -- across force had now fully retaken two small armed cells of jihadist a key step in efforts to defeat the the Tigris River that divides the neighbourhoods on the west Salafis have continued to US lauds Turkey's role in fighting Daesh jihadists in their stronghold, a northern Iraqi city. bank, while forces from the elite occasionally launch rockets spokesman said. "That means the bridge is Counter-Terrorism Service have at Israel. When those attacks ANKARA: The commander of a US aircraft carrier strike group The move, a little more than under control on both sides," retaken another further west. occur, Hamas usually orders conducting missions against Daesh has described the importance a week into a major push on said Rasool. "The street fighting is its fighters to vacate poten- of Turkey’s involvement in fighting the terrorist group in Syria and Mosul's west bank, could allow Government forces retook intense, these are populated tial targets for Israeli northern Iraq. Speaking onboard the USS H W Bush aircraft car- Iraqi forces to extend a floating the east bank from IS a month neighbourhoods," Rasool said. retaliation. rie, Rear Admiral Kenneth Whitesell said: "We can’t do this now bridge between the city's two ago, completing a key phase in "But our forces are fighting deep Israeli Defence Minister without Turkey’s cooperation and friendship. You are very impor- halves and pile pressure on the an offensive on Mosul that in the west, the enemy is bro- Avigdor Lieberman said Israel tant for us to be able to do our mission." He described the ties jihadists. began on October 17 and has ken." Iraq forces were also had “no desire or intention to between the two countries as a "very good relationship, a very "The Rapid Response force involved tens of thousands of retaking desert territory south- initiate any military move in friendly relationship". Whitesell said their role in the Mediterra- and the federal police have lib- fighters. west of the city in order to the Gaza Strip” but that it nean was to conduct strike operations on Daesh targets in Syria erated Jawsaq neighbourhood Engineering units will be further cut off Mosul from IS- would not tolerate even a and northern Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. and now control the western expected to deploy a so-called held territory in Syria. “drizzle” of rocket fire. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 ASIA 09

King Salman conferred honorary doctorate

The custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (second left) with Malaysian King Muhammad V (second right) and Prime Minister Najib Razak (left) in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. RIGHT: University Malaya Vice-Chancellor Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah presents the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters to King Salman at the University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. Thai generals lead royal Park's graft probe to end today funeral pyre ceremony Seoul Bangkok Royal cremations in Thai- Reuters The special AFP land are grand events. No prosecutor's office Impeached leader budget has been publicly outh Korean special pros- hailand's generals took released but authorities are ecutors investigating will make its final centre stage yesterday at spending millions of dollars giv- Simpeached President Park indictments before tells court of regret Ta ceremony blessing the ing Bhumibol a huge send off. Geun-hye were denied permis- its investigation into start of construction of an enor- Few Thais have ever seen a sion to extend their probe and the scandal closes Seoul President Park reiterated that mous funeral pyre for the late monarch's funeral. question her in person yester- AFP her only fault was trusting King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a The widely admired Bhu- day amid a graft scandal that on Tuesday (today): Choi and seeking advice from vivid illustration of the army's mibol was the world's longest threatens to topple her from Official. SOUTH Korea's president her longtime friend, who took intimate links to the palace. serving monarch until his Octo- office. expressed "belated regret" care of her daily affairs for Prime Minister Prayut ber death. "The special prosecutor's yesterday over the scandal years, including her wardrobe Chan-O-Cha led the ceremony, Designs for the funeral pyre office will make its final indict- thrown from office, is expected that triggered her impeach- choices. which saw a crane erect first of show palace architects intend ments before its investigation next month. ment, as the Constitutional "In retrospect, I have a series of giant steel pillars that to build a pyre more than 50 into the scandal, which has The office of Prime Minister Court wrapped up hearings belated regret that I should will form the cornerstones of metres high, complete with engulfed the highest levels of Hwang Kyo-ahn, acting as pres- on her fate and her support- have been more cautious with what will be a largely wooden nine spires and covered in politics and business in South ident since Park was impeached ers screamed threats outside. my trust in her," she said in her pyre next to Bangkok's sprawl- sculptures of mythical beasts. Korea, closes on Tuesday by parliament in December, said In a statement read out by final defence to the court's ing Grand Palace. The pyre will represent (today), spokesman Lee Kyu- Hwang had rejected a request by her advocate yesterday, eight sitting judges. The ceremony was infused Mount Meru, a mountain that chul said. prosecutors for a 30-day exten- with the religious ritual that is the allegorical centre of the A Constitutional Court rul- sion of their investigation. permeates palace life with Bud- universe in Buddhist, Hindu and ing on whether to uphold the "The special prosecutor's disappointed by the outcome," refusal to allow audio or video dhist monks chanting mantras Jain cosmology. impeachment, which would office regrets that the in-person Lee said. recordings of the questioning, and Hindu Brahmin priests Bhumibol's body will be result in South Korea's first dem- questioning of the president "The sticking point had been resulting in a breakdown in blowing conches as workers in placed at the centre before it is ocratically elected leader being could not happen and is deeply over the presidential office's negotiations last week," Lee said. hard hats fixed the pillar to a set alight with the belief his spirit concrete plinth. will return to the mountain. EU expands North Korea sanctions Bomb explodes Brussels The European Council, com- ballistic missile programmes," it in Indonesia; AFP prising the EU's 28 member added. states, said the new measures EU sanctions against North attacker dead he European Union include restrictions on trade in Korea date back to 2006 and are imposed additional sanc- coal, iron and iron ore, plus a part of international efforts to Bandung Ttions on North Korea ban on imports of copper, nickel, reverse a nuclear and ballistic AFP yesterday over nuclear and bal- silver and zinc from North missile programme which listic missile tests carried out in Korea. experts believe is intended to INDONESIAN police shot dead defiance of the UN Security "The sale of new helicopters give Pyongyang the capability an attacker during a firefight Council. and vessels to North Korea was to hit the US mainland. at a government office yester- The decision, implementing banned, while tighter controls A UN report last week said day after a small bomb was set a November UN resolution, were introduced on the trans- many states were failing to off in a public park. comes with North Korea in the port, finance and property implement sanctions effec- No one apart from the international spotlight after the sectors". tively while North Korea got attacker was hurt in the inci- assassination in Kuala Lumpur "Member states will also curb around many of them by using dent in the major city of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha attends a ceremony to airport of Kim Jong-Nam, the any teaching, training or scien- middlemen and front compa- Bandung on Java island, mark the start of construction of royal crematorium for late estranged half-brother of leader tific links which might benefit nies, notably in Malaysia and which police said was linked king Bhumibol Adulyadej, in Bangkok, yesterday. Kim Jong-Un. North Korea's nuclear and China. to a "terrorist network". It was the latest assault in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, where there has been a surge in attacks and plots linked to South Korea accuses North of organising Kim's assassination the IS group. After the blast at about Seoul listed by the United Nations as the isolated state, was assassi- Koreans as suspects or as intelligence said the North's 8:30am, which witnesses said Reuters a weapon of mass destruction. nated by agents of the North. wanted for questioning. embassy official in Kuala came from a bomb made from South Korea is acutely sen- "Among eight suspects in Another South Korean law- Lumpur, Hyon Kwang Song, a pressure cooker, the attacker outh Korean intelligence sitive to developments in its this case four are from the min- maker briefed by the was linked to the state security fled into a building belonging believes suspects wanted unpredictable nuclear-armed istry of state security and two intelligence agency, Kim Byung- ministry and part of the support to local authorities. Sfor the murder of the half- neighbour, and intelligence who actually took action are kee, said the North Koreans had team. Police exchanged fire brother of North Korea's leader agency officials have briefed from the foreign ministry," Lee operated in three teams. Malaysian police have said with the man inside and part included several officials who lawmakers on the sensational Cheol-woo, one of the lawmak- Two teams, each including they may issue an arrest war- of the building was set ablaze worked for the reclusive state's killing of the estranged half- ers briefed by South Korean officials from both North rant for the diplomat if he does during the hour-long foreign and security ministries, brother of the North's leader intelligence, said. Korea's state scurity and foreign not cooperate, but it is unclear standoff. according to lawmakers in Kim Jong Un. "That is why it is a case of ministries, were responsible for if they can do so given he has The attacker, whom Seoul. North Korea has not terrorism led by the state, hiring women in Indonesia and diplomatic immunity. authorities did not identify, Kim Jong Nam was killed acknowledged the victim is Kim directly organised by the min- Vietnam and bringing them to The one North Korean in was shot during the firefight earlier this month at a Malay- Jong Nam. istry of state security and the Malaysia to carry out the attack. police custody, Ri Jong Chol, and died later in hospital. sian airport by assassins using But South Korean and US foreign ministry," Lee added. The third team provided was also believed to have been Local police chief Anton VX nerve agent, a chemical officials believe Kim, who had Malaysian police have iden- "support". part of the support team, said Charliyan said nobody else capable of killing in minutes and criticized his family's control of tified a total of eight North He said South Korean Kim Byung-kee. had been hurt and everyone had been evacuated. 10 VIEWS TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL Helping Greece reece is still struggling to emerge from the economic turmoil it is mired in and is at the mercy of debtors in its desperate efforts to restructure the economy. Even as talks continue between G Athens and the debtors, the former wants a humanitarian approach to its problems rather Turkish security in focus as than a rigid economic solution that will pile more misery on its people. It found some support in its efforts in this regard when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called for Athens to be constitutional referendum looms granted substantial debt relief, but the IMF plea was rebuffed by Germany. “Greece must not be granted a ‘bail in’ that would involve creditors after reaching the northern outskirts of campaigns in eastern and southeastern taking a loss on their Adam McConnel Al Bab. From time to time, Daesh suicide Anatolia to prevent the PKK from imple- loans, Germany’s deputy finance minister said. Anatolia bombers inflicted serious casualties on menting its cold-weather re-supplying Germany is Greece’s biggest creditor and also not only the Free Syrian Army (FSA) but and munitions transportation efforts. makes the biggest contribution to the European also on the Turkish forces aiding them. These campaigns are occurring both Stability Mechanism, the eurozone’s bailout fund. urkey is now heading towards the Critics began to disparage the operation, near urban regions and in the country- There have been differences between Greece, April 16 constitutional referendum claiming that Turkey had gotten itself side, and even in the mountains under creditors and other institutions about the aid which, if passed, will effectively stuck in a swamp. But now the FSA and extreme weather conditions. The extent package for Athens and the measures the latter change the Turkish political system the Turkish military have taken control and duration of these operations are should be taking to put its economy back on track. from a parliamentary democracy to of Al Bab from Daesh despite the unprecedented. In other words, there is Ta presidential democracy. Because of the extremist group’s use of thousands of no sign that the Turkish military’s ability Greece agreed yesterday to more reforms in talks with creditors in a bid to break the stalemate in Turkish state’s institutional weaknesses and local citizens as human shields. to tackle multiple security challenges talks which has held up additional funding for the periods of unstable coalition governments, For those approaching the issue simultaneously, and to bring those chal- troubled euro zone country. Officials from the past elections have often been marked by objectively, the reason for the FSA’s lenges to a successful conclusion, has European Commission, the ESM, the IMF socio-political tension and violence. slowdown on Al Bab’s fringes was been affected by the failed July putsch. If Consequently, there is little doubt that the always obvious. The FSA and Turkish anything, the Turkish military’s effi- and the European extremists targeting Turkish society will forces had to advance cautiously, taking ciency seems to be increasing, its tactics Central Bank are due attempt to use violence in the coming weeks. great care to protect the lives of citizens and weaponry are improving, and its to return to Athens this Three months ago, in November, I pro- caught up in the conflict. Daesh is a conflict experience is deepening. week for further talks. vided an analysis for Anadolu Agency of the novel phenomenon in modern warfare: Indications from the Turkish govern- Greeks have ongoing effort to extirpate Fetullah Gulen’s The organisation observes absolutely no ment are that Manbij, northern Syria, still suffered enough, and cult from Turkish state institutions. rules or ethical standards for warfare. infiltrated by PYD/PKK elements despite Greek financial it’s time for them to In that article, I suggested that the Turkish Al Bab’s defences were predicated on official US denials, is the next target after crisis must be make a new beginning security situation in the previous year may the fact that thousands of civilians were mopping-up operations in Al Bab are approached from and move on. The have been compromised by Gulen’s adherents still in the city, and that intense bombing concluded. This will consolidate geo- Greek economy has a humanitarian in Turkish state security institutions. I also would kill scores and cause an interna- graphically the territory taken under the shrunk by more than a noted that, despite the analyses appearing in tional outcry. And Daesh feels no protection of Operation Euphrates Shield viewpoint. quarter over the past the international press, the inability of the var- compunctions about gunning down to the west bank of the river. In Al Bab, as decade and though the ious violent extremist groups to attack Ankara civilians — even in large numbers — try- in Jarabulus previously, citizens can now worst is ever, the and Istanbul in the months following the coup ing to escape from their grasp. return to the city and begin rebuilding recovery is yet to gain appeared to indicate that Turkish security To delay the FSA, Daesh also created their lives with Turkish assistance. the momentum forces had not been weakened in the after- a complex system of primitive defenses Even though the violence that Turkey required for economic math of the failed July 2016 coup attempt. such as trenches, plus thousands of IEDs has suffered in the past 18 months makes health. And the pain Furthermore, at the same time that Turk- and mines placed everywhere in and such an evaluation seem counterintuitive, hasn’t been equally shared. The older generation ish security forces were engaged in thwarting around the city. Underpinning that was Turkish security forces have improved has suffered the most, especially the pensioners, various domestic threats to Turkish society, an intricate network of tunnels exca- their performance greatly in the past 10 whose income has been cut by half and even more, last August the Turkish military initiated vated under the city to provide attack years. Until 2007-2008, Turkish security followed by the youth, many of whom are unable Operation Euphrates Shield against Daesh in and escape points that were difficult to institutions were weak and professional to find jobs as the unemployment rate officially northern Syria. That operation quickly estab- identify even with drones from the air. standards were generally low, despite stands at 23 percent. The medical services have lished control over Jarabulus, pushed south In order to attack Daesh’s defenses improvements achieved in the police been hit, with some vital drugs not available. past Dabiq, and then approached Al Bab. with a minimum of casualties to their forces in the previous five to six years. Greece’s economic crisis must be seen as a Tragically, however, in December and own forces and to civilians, Operation After the Turkish military’s influence in humanitarian issue while economic measures are early January once again Turkey experienced Euphrates Shield paused north of Al Bab the political sphere weakened, Fetullah being put in place for a cure. Looking at it from a a wave of violence involving all of the groups and began to analyse its defenses. Gulen’s adherents began to assert their humanitarian perspective would involve granting that I had mentioned in that original article, At the same time, hundreds of Daesh influence over the security forces much some concessions like debt relief. It’s true that this the PKK/TAK, Daesh, and the DHKP-C, plus a targets were destroyed by careful, pin- more strongly, which hindered government crisis has been caused by financial shooting carried out by a young man appar- pointed bombing, and Daesh’s ability to efforts to carry out reform in those institu- mismanagement and creditors are usually in no ently connected to Gulen’s cult. assist the city’s defenders was slowly tions. Over the last decade, Turkish security mood to do anything that would be seen as The attacks included major PKK truck constricted through the bombing and forces had to simultaneously reform and rewarding those who caused the crisis. But those bombings in Istanbul and Kayseri, the assassi- cutting off of supply routes. carry out difficult security operations on nation of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Several dozen Turkish soldiers have multiple fronts and against multiple organ- who mismanaged the economy are not those who a New Year’s Eve Daesh assault which took been martyred during this operation, isations trying to attack them. In retrospect, are suffering now. the lives of nearly 40 people, and an but the direct threat that Daesh arma- it may be that the challenges which the attempted PKK attack on the Izmir court- ments presented to Turkish citizens in Turkish security forces faced in the 2007- house that claimed two more lives. border regions has been eliminated. Not 2016 period prepared members who were The final incident involved RPG attacks on only have Turkish security forces now not connected to Gulen’s cult to face police facilities and a local ruling Justice and successfully wrested Al Bab from Daesh diverse and multidimensional threats after Development (AK) Party office in Istanbul at after a period of prepa- the failed July 15, 2016 coup. QUOTE OF THE DAY the end of January, a method that the DHKP-C ration and softening, So as Turkey approaches the April 16 had used many times previously. The incidents and then intense urban referendum, citizens understand that all occurred between December 10 and January warfare. At the same their security forces still face numerous 20. Since then there thankfully have been no time, they have carried threats posed by violent extremists. But This budget will be further serious incidents in Istanbul or Ankara, out extensive winter whether it is cutting off PKK supply a public safety and though the PKK detonated another vehicle routes in snow-bound mountain passes national security budget. bomb in Sanliurfa, killing two, including a boy or meticulously eradicating Daesh mili- who had gone outside to feed a kitten. It is clear that the PKK especially tants in urban warfare, the past seven It will include an historic It is clear that the PKK especially contin- continues to exert great efforts to months provided ample proof that Turk- increase in defence ues to exert great efforts to carry out violence carry out violence against Turkish ish security forces remain highly spending to rebuild the against Turkish society. As the referendum society. As the referendum effective and have developed new depleted military of the approaches, the apparent coordination among approaches, the apparent capabilities. United States of America those trying to harm Turkish society and cre- coordination among those trying In the coming months and years, ate instability has caused widespread anger, reestablished confidence in the security at a time we most need it. but also intensified citizens’ determination to to harm Turkish society and forces’ ability to protect Turkish society resist the aims of such barbarous acts of vio- create instability has caused from such threats will be an important Donald Trump lence. Across the border in northern Syria, widespread anger. element in the continued stabilisation US President Operation Euphrates Shield appeared to stall and normalisation of Turkish society. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 OPINION 11 Canada’s own immigration ban

estimated one million registered Dafina Savic and unregistered refugees from & Debbie Folaron Turkey, some 30,000 were of Al Jazeera Domari origin. Political polarisa- tion and ethnic and religious divisions often make it impossible for Syrian Domari populations to hile the world is outraged, and stay in official refugee camps. rightly so, by recent policies south After meeting with President of its border, we are quick to forget Trump, Trudeau reiterated that we that not too long ago the Canadian ought to be an example for the government imposed its own ban of world by being the open country Wsorts, one that aimed to restrict entry into the country we are. Now is a crucial time for of a specific group of people fleeing persecution. Trudeau to demonstrate his and the It did so on the premise that these people were country’s true commitment to “bogus refugees” undeserving of Canada’s protection refugees. and explicitly targeted them as “criminals”. A step in the right direction Earlier this month, Anthony Housefather, Mem- would be to end the two-tier ber of Parliament for Mount Royal delivered a Designated Countries of Origin poignant speech during the emergency debate on the system and suspend the Safe executive order signed by United States President Third Country Agreement with Donald Trump to ban refugees and immigrants of the US, and to implement Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. authentic review and assess- Housefather shed light on Canada’s own issues of ment of each refugee claimant’s xenophobia and the politics of fear. From the Chinese case on the basis of merit. Exclusion Act, to the rejection of Jewish refugees Only then can the light of true aboard the St Louis, he cited example after example justice prevail, and hope be given of the darker side of Canada’s past. to Roma and others who have suf- And although these historic examples rung strong fered the consequences of Canada’s and true, where was mention of the more recent failed legal system. It is, indeed, instances of injustice and discrimination in Canadian only by facing our darker moments immigration policy? that we can hope to learn from In 2013, financed with Canadian taxpayer money, them. Canadians marching with the banner “Refugees Welcome” and urging the government to increase the government initiated a billboard campaign in the predominant countries of origin of Roma claimants. Canada’s resettlement commitment. Dafina Savic is the founder of Roma- It sought to deliberately deter Roma from seeking nipe, a Montreal-based, not-for-profit asylum in Canada, stating that “people who make a their countries of origin. In this climate of ani- in Europe in mid-February to finalise the CETA organisation seeking to fight discrimi- [refugee] claim without sound reasons will be proc- mosity and hostile attitudes towards Roma, agreement, all issues affecting Roma were left off the nation against Roma worldwide and essed faster and deported faster.” many Roma refugee claimants were being taken agenda and conveniently unaddressed. Debbie Folaron is associate professor The billboards were placed in countries such as advantage of by their legal representatives and in Translation Studies at Concordia Hungary, a country which is still listed as “safe” subjected to biased decision-making at the A ‘two-tier’ refugee system University, Montreal, Canada. under the current government. Immigration and Refugee Board. Despite recent court decisions and widespread Until the federal court deemed it unconstitutional Despite increasing refugee acceptance numbers criticism that the DCO creates a “two-tier” refugee in 2015, refugee claimants from the Designated under the current administration, Canadian authori- system, the “Safe Country” Review Panel was Country of Origin (DCO) list were denied their right ties continue to practice racial profiling against recently dropped from the mandate of the current to appeal in cases of rejection, so as to avoid “abuse” Roma. In 2015, dozens of Hungarian Roma with valid Minister of Immigration Ahmed Hussen. of the system. travel documents were prevented from boarding This not only means that the DCO list will remain The Conservative government’s policy and rheto- flights to Canada for allegedly lacking proper docu- as is, but also that no panel of experts will be dele- ric targeting Roma asylum seekers as “bogus and mentation to enter the country due to their Roma gated to review and reassess the human rights fraudulent refugees “undeserving of Canada’s pro- ethnicity. situation of the countries listed. D-RING ROAD tection” were not only effective in blocking Roma With little attention from the media, in May 2016 While a designated “Safe Country” may be safe POST BOX: 3488 from entering the country. the Canadian government reinstated visas on Bul- for most of its inhabitants, it is by no means safe for They also served to embed in Canadian garia and Romania to curb Roma immigration. all. Without a thorough review of the policy in Can- DOHA - QATAR media and political discourse the very stereo- However, with European Union hesitation ada, Roma refugees fleeing persecution and racism [email protected] types and hate Roma were seeking to flee in and the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the in Europe will be left behind while our very own ban Canadian-EU Comprehensive Economic and will be left unaddressed. Trade Agreement (CETA), the move proved to be As raised in a recent opinion article published by EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE problematic, and the Trudeau administration Al Jazeera, Roma are often made to be the culprits of TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 Without a thorough review was forced to lift the visa requirements on those anti-refugee sentiment in Europe, while they are FAX: +974 4455 7758 countries. fleeing those very issues. Even in situations of violent of the policy in Canada, Such disagreements regarding CETA ratifica- conflict certain populations are not granted equal MANAGING EDITOR Roma refugees fleeing tion are reminiscent of the pressures that had attention, treatment and compassion. TEL: 4462 7505 persecution and racism in stalled the agreement under the previous govern- Noteworthy is the European Roma Rights Centre ment and which eventually led to the imposition (ERRC)’s report that the Domari populations, who Europe will be left behind DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR of discriminatory policy measures against Roma have been present in the Middle East for thousands TEL: 4455 7769 while our very own ban will refugees. of years, have been equally, if not doubly, affected by be left unaddressed. However, the more it changes, the more it’s the the ongoing crisis and violence in the region. same thing. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was According to a 2014 ERRC report, out of the LOCAL NEWS SECTION TEL: 4455 7743

BUSINESS NEWS SECTION TEL: 4462 7535

Celebration and sorrow in Black History Month SPORT NEWS SECTION TEL: 4455 7745 a growing population of freed slaves, there would also the world in which I was raised. It was a world that Colbert I King have been no need to train preachers, teachers and taught us, through history books and popular culture, that ONLINE SECTION The Washington Post other leaders to address those problems — and no black people had no history worth knowing; that we were TEL: 4462 7501 need for Howard University. Similar circumstances barely part of America’s past; that we had no traditions, no [email protected] led to the founding of other African American literature, no intellect. It was a world that told us we deserved schools of higher learning. to be ignored. PUBLIC RELATIONS No American slavery, no American black col- If education were equated with indoor plumbing, we aking lemonade out of lem- leges. St Mary’s Church wasn’t an inspiration born were relegated to the outhouse. TEL: 4455 7613 ons can still leave a sour out of diocesan polity. It became the first African Negro History Week/Black History Month sought to teach [email protected] taste. This year my alma American Episcopal congregation in the nation’s otherwise. The annual celebration still does. mater, Howard University, capital for much the same reason other black And that is a good thing. The sesquicentennial and annual ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT and my church, St Mary’s churches were created in this city more than two Black History Month celebrations give us moments to pause TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 MEpiscopal, will celebrate their sesquicen- centuries ago. Simply put: White churches — sol- to remember the giants who came before us, to learn about FAX: 4455 7870 tennials. Both celebrations mark the emnly committed to the brotherhood of man under their struggles and to pay tribute to their achievements. [email protected] founding of institutions compelled by our the fatherhood of God — weren’t all that accommo- There is much to celebrate. country’s ugly racial history. dating to black Christians. But those commemorations don’t blot out the bad things CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Had there been no slav- Tuesday marks the end of Black History Month, in our past, take away the painful memories or make up for TEL: 4455 7857 ery, or no 19th- century an annual commemoration created in 1926 as the losses that those bad things caused. [email protected] nation’s capital burdened by “Negro History Week” by Carter G Woodson and the Nor do they mask the changes taking place before our chaotic conditions engulfing Association for the Study of African American Life very eyes: The displacement of black and brown neighbor- SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION and History. hoods with younger, better- educated, more affluent white TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 As with the founding of Howard and St Mary’s, millennials. The socioeconomic disparities — more than $60 FAX: 44557819 the raison d’etre for a Black History observance million allocated to renovate Murch Elementary School in the [email protected] It was a world that taught rests less upon aspirational yearnings and more prosperous upper Northwest Van Ness neighborhood, while upon a need for remediation of racial ugliness. Savoy Elementary School in poverty-stricken Southeast was us, through history books The 1920s were a time in the District when my shut and its students parceled out to other schools because it and popular culture, mother and father, and their siblings and friends, was overrun with rodents and bedbugs. All thoughts and views that black people had no had to walk past white schools on the way to the The radical changes in priorities — a family leave pro- expressed in these columns history worth knowing; one school set aside for kids of their color. gram costing tens of millions of dollars and primarily It was a time when black people kept their chins benefiting non-DC residents; a city commitment to keep are those of the writers, not that we were barely part of up and moved past department stores, and movie operating, for at least the next four years, a no-fare streetcar of the newspaper. America’s past; that we had theaters, and restaurants that wouldn’t serve people line along gentrifying H Street NE at $8 million annually. no traditions, no literature, who looked like them. Closing out observance of Black History Month, and sur- All correspondence no intellect. It was a world Those were days when, among all the people veying the evolving DC landscape and the drift of things, the regarding Views and who made laws, and all the people who enforced sour taste lingers. Opinion pages should be that told us we deserved to laws, and all the people who judged laws, not one be ignored. black face could be found. The writer is a weekly columnist for The Washington Post, special- mailed to the That was not only my parents’ world, but it was ising in urban and national affairs. [email protected] 12 ASIA TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017

5 Azeri soldiers Anti-Duterte senators lose key post dead in clashes with Armenian Control of Senate Manila Leila de Lima, the chief critic of war on drugs. Reuters Duterte's anti-narcotics crack- More than 7,700 people have In a motion led by down, who since Friday has died since Duterte unleashed his separatists Senator Manny our Philippine legisla- been remanded in police cus- bloody campaign eight months Pacquiao three tors who supported a tody on drug-related charges. ago, a third in police raids and Baku senators lost their staunch critic of leader Political observers said the sting operations. Reuters leadership of house Rodrigo Duterte's war sudden realignment indicated The authorities deny activ- committees and one on drugs lost impor- moves by Duterte to strengthen ists' claims that many of the FIVE Azeri soldiers were killed was ousted as pro- Ftant positions in the Senate his control over the powerful other deaths were extrajudicial in clashes with Armenia- tempore, the Senate's yesterday, drawing political lines 24-seat Senate. killings. backed separatists along the second highest in the upper house in a tighten- Dozens of lawmakers in the "If this is the price to pay for boundary with the breakaway ing of the president's grip on lower house have switched loy- showing up at the streets ... for Nagorno-Karabakh region, position. power. alties to his party since he took talking about democracy, if this convicts who ran narcotics busi- Azerbaijan's defence minis- In a motion led by Senator office last year. is the price to pay, I'd gladly nesses in jails. try said yesterday, with each Political observers Manny Pacquiao, a famous box- The four senators who lost pay," said Paolo Benigno Aquino She dismisses the accusation side accusing the other of an said the sudden ing champion and close ally of their posts had attended a rally (pictured), who was voted out as part of a vendetta by the attempted incursion. realignment indicated Duterte, three senators lost their on Saturday to mark 31 years as head of the Senate education president. Clashes over control of moves by Duterte to leadership of house committees since the "People Power" upris- committee. With De Lima detained, the Nagorno-Karabakh, which strengthen his control and one was ousted as pro-tem- ing that removed dictator De Lima, a former justice Senate has a minority bloc of five lies inside Azerbaijan but is over the powerful pore, the Senate's second highest Ferdinand Marcos. minister who has called Duterte members, which will now be led controlled by ethnic Armeni- 24-seat Senate. position. The demonstration turned a "sociopathic serial killer", is by Antonio Trillanes, another ans, have stoked fears of a All four had backed Senator into a march to denounce the accused of taking bribes from critic of the president. wider conflict breaking out in the South Caucasus, which is crisscrossed by oil and gas pipelines. The Azeri defence minis- Philippine envoy vows try said the clashes had occurred early on Saturday in the remote Khojavend and to eliminate criminals Fizuli regions. It said the separatists had handed over the bodies of the Geneva More than 6,500 people have five dead soldiers yesterday. AFP been killed in Duterte's drug war, Nagorno-Karabakh's self- launched after he took office declared defence ministry he Philippine foreign min- eight months ago. said its side had suffered no ister told the UN rights Rights groups and the UN have casualties in the clashes. Tcouncil yesterday that sounded the alarm over prospect International mediators Manila would "destroy crimi- that the state was serially perpe- urged the two sides "to keep nals" in a defiant defence of trating extra-judicial killings. heavy military equipment in President Rodrigo Duterte's drug "It is lamentable that inter- its present positions and to war. national observers, are more allow recovery of the dead". "There can be no middle focused on the so-called human Fighting between ethnic ground for the well-being of our rights of criminals but have done Azeris and Armenians first people. We will not be kind," nothing to help in eliminating the erupted in 1991 and a cease- Perfecto Yasay told the opening drug problem that has grown to fire was agreed in 1994. of the 47-member council's main pandemic proportions," he said. Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Perfecto Rivas Yasay gives a speech during a meeting But Azerbaijan and Arme- annual session in Geneva. Duterte's highest profile of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. nia have regularly traded "We will not hesitate to critic at home, Senator Leila de accusations of violence destroy criminals who seek the Lima, was arrested last week on innocent and her arrest was an the leader of death squads dur- was "very concerned" about the around Nagorno-Karabakh wholesale destruction of our drug trafficking charges. act of revenge for her decade- ing his time as mayor. arrest and was watching the sit- and along the Azeri-Arme- society," he added. De Lima has said she is long efforts to expose Duterte as The UN rights office said it uation "very closely." nian border.

China bird flu Call to toughen protection death toll German hostage beheaded hits 108 Manila "If this video is confirmed, of aboriginal in Australia AFP then of course this is one of the most horrible things imagina- Sydney Šimonović, who said the Beijing slamist militants in the Phil- ble," Gabriel said. Reuters figures were likely to underes- Reuters ippines have beheaded the The Abu Sayyaf, blamed for timate the extent of the IGerman hostage they were the worst terror attacks in Phil- ustralia is failing to pro- problem, said aboriginal CHINA reported another 8 holding for ransom, the govern- ippine history, had demanded a tect its female indigenous women were often caught in a fatalities from H7N9 bird flu ment in Manila said yesterday. ransom of $600,000 be paid by Apeople from violence, cycle of violence, beginning in since mid-February, the gov- A video posted by the Abu Sunday to spare him. which is aggravated by high childhood. ernment said, taking the death Sayyaf group, which was mon- The group had previously levels of inequity, the United "Indigenous children are toll so far this winter to at least itored by intelligence group released videos showing a hag- Nations said yesterday. about seven times more likely 108 and stirring further con- SITE, showed Jurgen Kantner gard Kantner appealing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait than non-Indigenous children cerns about the spread of the (pictured) being killed by a payment of the ransom. Islander Australians rank near to be subjected to abuse or deadly virus. knife-wielding man. Kanter was abducted from the bottom of every social and neglect and about 10 times "China reported as many Shortly after the video his yacht, the Rockall, off the economic indicator, which more likely to be in out-of- as 79 deaths from the same appeared, government envoy life. We all tried our best. But to southern Philippines last year. exacerbates tension in commu- home care," the UN said. virus in January," the govern- Jesus Dureza confirmed the Ger- no avail," said Dureza. The vessel was found drift- nities of the world's longest With a troubled upbringing, ment said. man's death. Military officials in the south ing on November 7, with the continuous civilisation. a disproportionately high The National Health and "We grieve as we strongly said they had not yet found the body of Kantner's female com- "They are 34 times more number of indigenous woman Family Planning Commission condemn the barbaric behead- German's body. panion Sabine Merz with a likely to be hospitalised as a end up in prison, a figure exac- did not disclose the location ing of yet another kidnap In Germany, Foreign Minis- gunshot wound. result of domestic violence and erbated by government policies, of the fatalities or the infec- victim," Dureza said. ter Sigmar Gabriel said Berlin "Apart from Kantner they up to 3.7 times more likely than most notably incarceration for tion rates. "Up to the last moment, had not yet received official are now holding at least 19 for- other women to be victims of unpaid fines, which Šimonović Chinese disease control many sectors including the confirmation from Philippine eigners and 7 Filipino hostages," violence," Dubravka Šimonović, said affected indigenous peo- experts have warned the pub- Armed Forces of the Philippines authorities that the video was military spokesman Brigadier UN special rapporteur on vio- ple more than the lic to stay alert for H7N9 avian exhausted all efforts to save his genuine. General Restituto Padilla said. lence against women, said. non-indigenous people. flu, with the commission say- ing more than 340 cases of human infection have been reported since October. South Korea and Japan Pro-democracy activists denounce Hong Kong elections are also battling their own major avian flu outbreaks and have culled millions of Hong Kong Chan said he welcomed them to Her platform instead focused chickens. AFP sit in. on livelihood issues, the city's The virus is likely to strike The chief executive of the housing crisis, the economy and in winter and spring, and ro-democracy protesters semi-autonomous Chinese city youth development. farmers have in recent years yesterday gatecrashed a will be chosen on March 26 by a After the event Lam ramped up measures such as Ppress conference by Hong 1,200-strong committee, most approached the protesters and cleaning regimes to prevent Kong leadership hopeful Carrie of whose members are broadly presented her campaign pam- the disease. Lam, displaying banners criti- pro-Beijing. phlet. Some demonstrators tore China has confirmed five cising a "rigged election" as the Lam, a former deputy leader it up and threw pages at her. bird flu outbreaks among woman seen as China's favour- of the Hong Kong government, Lam and her colleagues poultry this winter, which has ite unveiled her policy. was in charge of promoting a eventually left hurriedly while led to the culling of more than Around a dozen activists Beijing-backed political reform the media and protesters sur- 175,000 birds. including Joshua Wong, the face package rejected as a sham by rounded them. China, the world's third- of 2014's mass pro-democracy the pro-democracy camp in Lam's campaign said she had largest producer of broiler protests, entered the venue min- 2014. garnered more than 400 nomi- chickens and the second-big- utes before the start and The proposal would for the nations from members of the gest consumer of poultry, has demanded to be allowed to com- first time have allowed all Hong election committee -- a mini- also closed some live poultry municate their messages to Lam. Kong voters to elect their leader, mum of 150 are needed -- and A poster depicting former chief secretary and chief executive markets after people and Protesters chanted slogans but would tightly control those would formally submit her can- election candidate Carrie Lam is held up by a group of pro- chickens were infected by the and unfurled banners demand- eligible to stand. didacy today. democracy protesters, in Hong Kong, yesterday. avian flu strains. ing the public get the right to vote Lam said yesterday that divi- "Former financial secretary The government did not for the city's top post. sions in society had made it John Tsang, who has won sup- specify where each human They were allowed to stay difficult to restart discussions port from some members of the ex-judge Woo Kwok-hing have nominations respectively," local infection case took place. after campaign manager Bernard about political reform. pro-democracy camp, and secured 160 and 180 media reported. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 ASIA 13 Senior Taliban leader dead in Kunduz air raid

Peshawar Raid in Afghanistan The group maintains that its Reuters fight is against foreign military Mullah Abdul Salam forces and the foreign-backed senior Taliban com- Akhund, who oversaw government, not ordinary mander has been a Taliban offensive Afghans. killed in an air raid that briefly seized On Sunday, its leader, Hibat- in northern Afghan- Kunduz city in 2015, ullah Akhundzada, urged istan, the armed had previously been Afghans to plant more trees in groupA said yesterday. reported dead several a statement, calling on civilians Mullah Abdul Salam times by Afghan and fighters to "plant one or sev- Akhund, who oversaw a Tali- eral fruit or non-fruit trees for officials. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane preparing to take off from the Benazir ban offensive that briefly seized the beautification of Earth and Kunduz city in 2015, had previ- the benefit of almighty God's International airport in Islamabad, yesterday. ously been reported dead The raid killed creations". several times by Afghan Akhund and eight The message, carried on officials. official Taliban outlets, was a other Taliban PIA issued notice for overloading Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban shift from the usual fiery rhet- members, Sher Aziz spokesman, confirmed Akhund's oric against the Afghan death in a statement blaming the Kamawal, a senior government and Nato forces. Islamabad Shah were issued notice for let- was not done in this case". United States. police commander in The US-led Noto forces in Reuters ting extra passengers travel on "Such type of violation/ Akhund was one of three northern Afghanistan, Afghanistan did not immediately jump seats and in the cockpit on irregularity cannot be ignored fighters killed in an air raid by said. respond to requests for com- he Pakistan International PIA flight PK-743. in which safety of the passen- an unmanned aircraft in the ment. Akhund had led the Airlines (PIA) has issued The development came after gers is at stake." Kunduz province, a senior Tal- insurgents to mount several Tnotice to a pilot and two an inquiry committee found the According to sources, Cap- iban official in the province told A US military spokesman attacks in Kunduz since 2011. other staff members for loading allegations to be true. tain Adil will not be able to the news agency on condition said an American jet had car- The Taliban seized the pro- seven extra passengers on a "Passengers travelled on the operate flights after being issued of anonymity. ried out a bombing raid in the vincial capital Kunduz city for Karachi-Madina flight, officials flight were over the aircraft con- the notice. "He was on a journey a few city on Sunday, but the com- about two weeks in September said yesterday. According to PIA figuration (including jump The Civil Aviation Authority days ago and stopped at a house mand did "not have 2015, in their biggest victory spokesman Danyal Gilani, "dis- seats), which is a clear violation is also investigating allegations at Dasht-e-Archi town [in Kun- confirmation of the results". since they were toppled from ciplinary action has been taken of SOP [standard operating pro- of safety violation against the duz] when the drone fired Taliban gains in the Hel- national power by a US-led against all concerned officials" cedures] and violation of Captain. However, Captain Adil missiles," the official said. mand and Uruzgan regions, invasion in 2001. for violation of air safety regu- passenger safety," read a report denied that he allowed extra The raid killed Akhund and where they also threaten pro- The militants briefly over- lations on January 20, Dawn signed by Manager Operations passengers to travel on jump eight other Taliban members, vincial capitals, have underlined ran the city again in October last online reported. Sohail Jaffar Ali. seats and demanded a transpar- Sher Aziz Kamawal, a senior the group's growing strength year before they were beaten Captain Anwer Adil, senior In such cases, the aircraft ent inquiry against "whoever police commander in northern and exposed weaknesses in the back by Nato-backed Afghan purser (air hostess) Hina Turab should be parked again to allowed passengers on Afghanistan, said. government. forces. and terminal manager Akbar Ali offload extra passengers, "which jump-seat".

350 held in Traditional bread UN envoy decries Pakistan on drug charges violence against

Islamabad Myanmar Rohingyas IANS

t least 350 suspects, Yangon throats, houses being set alight including Afghan and AFP with people tied up inside and AUzbek nationals, were very young children thrown arrested in search operations ohingya refugees who into the fire. across Pakistan, the Army said. fled violence in Myanmar Almost 73,000 Rohingya According to the Inter- Rhave told how govern- have arrived in Bangladesh Services Public Relations, ment forces gang-raped since the military unleashed a arms and drugs were also women, slit people's throats and four-month campaign of vio- recovered in the operations, threw children into burning lence in Myanmar's Rakhine The News International houses, a UN envoy has said state which the UN has said may reported yesterday. after a mission to neighbouring amount to crimes against The law enforcement Bangladesh. humanity. agencies arrested over 30 Yanghee Lee said the The Rohingya are a state- suspects in Peshawar, the accounts given by Rohingya less, mainly Muslim minority capital of Khyber who had crossed into Bangla- who have long suffered dis- Pakhtunkhwa province. At desh since a crackdown across crimination in predominately least 75 persons were the border in October indicated Buddhist Myanmar, where detained in Bannu city and a the violence was "far more many people consider them dozen Afghans in Kashmore extensive" than she had previ- illegal immigrants. in Sindh. Over 160 persons, ously realised. Most of the refugees are A man preparing a traditional bread at a roadside retaurant in Karachi, yesterday. including Afghans, were "There was not a single now living in squalid camps in arrested from different parts. account I heard which was not Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar dis- harrowing," said the human trict which borders Rakhine. rights observer in a statement Myanmar says its opera- after her four-day visit to Bang- tions, which began last October, 170 peacocks die ladesh ended on Friday. "I was were aimed at tracking down Witness protection rule by year-end especially affected by a mother militants who attacked police of contagious who repeatedly expressed border posts in Rakhine and Karachi Rule 2016 and shall come into bodily injury or there is a likeli- regret for mistakenly thinking have now ended. Internews force at once. hood that he will be killed, disease that her son had been brought The country's de facto Under these rules, unless forced, intimidated, harassed or out from their burning house. leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a he Witness Protection Rule there is anything repugnant in corrupted to prevent him from Islamabad "She heard him screaming Nobel peace laureate, has faced has been partially the subject or content, a chief testifying or to testify falsely or Internews for her and managed to save his criticism for failing to act Timplemented throughout witness protection officer is the evasively because or on account life but burn scars have been against the crackdown. Sindh province of Pakistan, person nominated for the of his testimony; and he is not a ome 170 peacocks have seared onto him -- scars which Lee accused Myanmar of including southern port city of designation through the act. For law enforcement officer, even reportedly succumbed to I saw with my own eyes." continued discrimination and Karachi, and it will be the purpose of the act, any such if he would be testifying against San avian disease in Paki- Lee said she heard "allega- urged authorities there to act to completely implemented by the person admitted to the other law enforcement officers. stan's Tharparkar region, tion after allegation" of horrific prevent further rights abuses, end of the year, sources in the programme shall be known as A meeting of the advisory local media reported. events, including the slitting of and investigate those alrea Sindh government said. a “witness”. board regarding Tharparkar's honorary Moreover, a recent meeting at A senior official said that any implementation of the Sindh district game warden Talook the Chief Minister House person who has witnessed or Witness Protection Programme Chand Valasai confirmed the discussed appointing a senior has knowledge or information was recently held in the death toll, saying at least 30 officer with extensive on the commission of a crime committee room of the home birds died in various parts of experience as a consultant for and has testified or is testifying department for a detailed the desert during the last complete implementation of the or about to testify before any discussion of the programme. couple of days. Witness Protection Programme judicial or quasi-judicial body Government sources said The sudden spike in the (WPP). or before any investigating the agenda of the meeting was deaths of the birds has Considering protection of authority may be admitted into approval of Witness Protection sparked doubt and fear witnesses as well as speedy and the programme. Rules, approval of SNE (New) among local experts as well fair trial of cases, the provincial The offence in which his Witness Protection Programme, as natives who said it might government had appointed testimony will be used is a crime allocation of funds, posting of be an onset of the Newcastle Counter-Terrorism Department or its equivalent under special Witness Protection Unit (WPU) disease, locally known as (CTD) Sindh Chief MG laws; his testimony can be deputy director and approval of Ranikhet, a contagious avian SanaullahAbbasi to head the substantially corroborated in its recruitment policy. disease, Dawn reported. WPP after formulating a law material points; he or any The participants were the Abdul Majeed Junejo, called the Witness Protection member of his family within the home secretary, IG prisons, chairman of Joru union Rohingya refugee Mujibullah shows his hand, which was Rule. second civil degree of CTD’s Abbasi, Sindh Prosecutor council near Mithi, told the These rules may be called consanguinity or affinity is General Shahadat Awan, the law local journalists that during hacked during a beating by soldiers, as he sits at a makeshift the Sindh Witness Protection subjected to threats to his life or secretary and others. past couple of weeks, refugee camp in Teknaf, in Bangladesh. 14 ASIA TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 BMC mayoral 60% cast vote race deadlock in fifth phase continues Mumbai IANS

ith a face-off of UP election between the Shiv WSena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suspense Lucknow continued yesterday over who IANS Peaceful voting would bag the plum post of Mayor of the country's rich- illions voted yes- Barring minor est civic body, BrihanMumbai terday in the fifth incidents of violence Municipal Corporation. phase of the Uttar and technical Senior leaders of both Pradesh assembly problems in the sides kept stirring the hot polls spread Electronic Voting cauldron by asserting that Macross 51 constituencies in 11 dis- Machines (EVMs), the they would bag the BMC's top tricts, officials said. balloting concluded post - indicating none was People queue up to vote during the state assembly election, in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, An estimated 60 per cent of peacefully, the poll willing to compromise on the yesterday. the 1.8 crore electorate exercised panel said. Amethi issue. Some peace-brokers their franchise between 7am and and Sultanpur saw suggested equally sharing the 5pm in the country's most pop- healthy voting, with cent in Gonda and Balrampur constituency of Congress Vice booths to decide the fate of 607 post for two-and-half years ulous state, the Election more than 60 percent districts, 58 in Faizabad and Sant President Rahul Gandhi. candidates. Amethi had the max- each, while power brokers Commission said. of the voting. Kabeernagar (58), 60 in Bahra- BJP's first timer Garima Singh imum number of 24 contestants. threw up several 'formulae' Barring minor incidents of ich and 61 in Basti district. is pitted against Gayatri Prajap- At many places, people were still to break the deadlock, but the violence and technical problems As it has happened in the first ati of the ruling Samajwadi Party standing in queues even after the Shiv Sena adopted a "wait and in the Electronic Voting said the voting percentage was four rounds that began on Feb- and Congress' Ameeta Singh in 5 pm deadline. Officials said peo- watch" stance. Machines (EVMs), the balloting set to surpass the turnout of ruary 11, polling opened in the Amethi besides 21 other candi- ple already in the lines would be Party MP and Saamana concluded peacefully, the poll 2012. morning slowly but picked up dates. It is one of those allowed to vote. Executive Editor Sanjay Raut panel said. Amethi and Sultan- The voting ranged from 52.4 speed as the day progressed. constituencies where the Con- Election has been cancelled reiterated that the state gov- pur saw healthy voting, with per cent at Siddarthnagar to 65 There were long queues of men gress-Samajwadi Party alliance in Alapur in Ambedkarnagar dis- ernment of Chief Minister more than 60 percent of the per cent each in Shravasti and and women voters at all polling hasn't worked. trict following the death of the Devendra Fadnavis "contin- electorate voting. One official Ambedkarnagar. It was 53 per stations in Amethi, the Lok Sabha Voting took place in 18,822 Samajwadi Party candidate. ues to be on notice period" and hinted that everything would be known by March 9, when the Mayoral elections are due. Ramjas College clashes reignite intolerance debate Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane dismissed New Delhi Army officer killed in the Kargil insisted she won't be intimidated. which controls the Delhi Univer- father. War killed him." BJP MP speculation of the party mov- IANS war, was compared to under- "I am not afraid because I am sity Students Union, after ABVP Pratap Simha from Mysuru ing a 'no-confidence motion' world don Dawood Ibrahim by fighting for the right thing," she activists were blamed for the posted an image of Dawood on against the BJP-Shiv Sena elhi University student a BJP MP while Union Minister said, adding she was getting attacks on students, teachers and Twitter with the words "I didn't state government in the Gurmehar Kaur, whose Kiren Rijiju wondered who was numerous threats on phone and journalists in the campus. kill people in 1993, bombs killed upcoming budget session. Dcampaign against the "polluting" her mind. social media besides filthy Students opposed to the them." "The Shiv Sena will not ABVP has gone viral, found her- But Kaur got the endorse- comments. Ramjas College violence of Feb- The MP added: "At least give up power till it is pushed self at the centre of a major row ment of Congress Vice President "It would be very nice if I get ruary 22 and the online threats Dawood did not use the crutches and thrown out of the govern- yesterday as the ruling BJP and Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Min- protection. Fear is not in my against Kaur have decided to take of his father's name to justify his ment," Rane said. the opposition traded charges ister Arvind Kejriwal and many blood. My father took a bullet for out a march in the Delhi Univer- anti-national stand." Both Rijiju His statement came in the over the Ramjas College clashes, others for her stand against the the country and I am also ready sity today. The issue triggered a and Simha faced widespread wake of some Congress lead- reigniting the intolerance ABVP and violence on the cam- to do that," she added. Kaur, 20, war of words between the BJP flak. Rahul Gandhi tweeted: ers' musings that the party debate. pus. The Delhi Commission for told the media that nobody had and the Congress. "Against the tyranny of fear we would consider extending Facing death and rape Women (DCW) urged the police the right to threaten any woman "Criticise the government stand with our students. For support to the Shiv Sena if it threats after her social media to act against those threatening with rape. but don't abuse the mother- every voice raised in anger, walked out of the BJP-led campaign against the RSS stu- her. Kaur, a student of the pres- Kaur took on the Akhil land," Rijiju said, after Kaur also intolerance and ignorance there governments in the Centre dent wing, Kaur, daughter of an tigious Lady Shri Ram College, Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, posted: "Pakistan did not kill my will be a Gurmehar Kaur." and in Maharashtra.

NEWS BYTES 7 dead in Sri Lanka bus shooting

Colombo Aruna Udayashantha, alias AP Samayan, who police say was a INS Viraat to retire on March 6 major underworld figure. even people were killed There have been a number MUMBAI: A glorious era of the flagship of the Indian Navy, yesterday when gunmen of shootings targeting prison the INS Viraat, will end next Monday with her decommis- Sshot at a bus transporting buses. Another suspected gang sioning after 57 years of service, including 27 with the Royal prisoners to a court in southwest leader was injured in a prison Navy, a top official said here. Chief of Naval Staff, Admi- Sri Lanka, news reports said. bus shooting in the capital last ral Sunil Lanba - who was once the executive officer of the Police said five inmates and March. ship in 1998 - will be present for the momentous occasion, two guards died in the attack Police set up roadblocks along with some officers and men from India and United near the town of Kalutara. Nine after six people were killed in Kingdom who serve with her, Flag Officer Commanding in others are in hospital. two separate incidents on that Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra, The bus was transporting a day, news agency reports. said. At sunset on March 6, the Naval Ensign and Commis- prominent underworld suspect The attackers reportedly sioning Pendent will be lowered for the last time on board and other prisoners to court. blocked the bus and sprayed Sri Lanka's police officers inspecting a prison bus after gunmen INS Viraat symbolizing the end of her glorious era in Indian Police say the shooting bullets through the windows as opened fire in Colombo, yesterday. naval history, Vice-Admiral Luthra said taking around a resulted from a feud between the prisoners were being taken media contingent on board the ship for the last time. The two gangs. The gunmen escaped to court for questioning. ceremonies of the Guinness Record holder warship shall be after spraying the bus with Nine other prison guards spokesman for the Prison ambush was the deadliest gang- commemorated by releasing a book on her history. bullets. were taken to hospital with inju- Department said. related attack in Sri Lanka in Among those killed was ries, Thushara Upuldeniya, Police said yesterday's bus living memory. Rs2m looted from van in Bihar PATNA: Two motorcycle-borne assailants yesterday shot First Antyodaya dead a cashier and security guard of a cash van in Bihar's Violent incidents after Burhan Wani's Nalanda district and looted Rs2 million from the van, police Express train said. The incident took place near a petrol pump in Sohsarai police station area, about 100 km from here, a police officer death leave 2,580 CRPF men injured flagged off said. District police officer J.P. Yadav said: "Cashier Ranjit Kumar and security guard Brij Nandan Prasad were shot New Delhi dead by criminals when they were on way to refill cash in New Delhi and Kashmir began July 9, a day obstructing our counter-mili- IANS an ATM." The police were investigating the incident. IANS after the death of Wani in a gun- tancy operations as they are fight with security forces. Over under duress by the militants. ndian Railway Minister total of 2,580 Central 90 civilians were killed and However, the situation has Suresh Prabhu yesterday Reserve Police Force around 12,000 injured in the improved compared to last Iflagged off the first Anty- Two earthquakes jolt Nepal A (CRPF) personnel have violence. year," Prasad said. odaya Express — a long been injured in over 200 violent "An additional 158 compa- Prasad, who will retire from distance, fully unreserved, KATHMANDU: Two moderate earthquakes measuring incidents in Jammu and Kash- nies (over 16,000 personnel) of the service on February 28, also superfast train service — 4.6 and 4.7 on the Richter scale jolted Nepal yesterday, mir after the killing of Hizbul the CRPF were deployed in said that the Home Ministry as between Kochi's Ernakulam officials said. According to the National Seismological Mujahideen militant Burhan Jammu and Kashmir consider- well as the Central Welfare Fund Junction and Howrah Junc- Centre (NSC) of Nepal, the two temblors that hit Ramech- Wani last July. Data from the ing the surge in violence both in of CRPF will provide financial tion through video hap district were aftershocks of the massive 2015 quake CRPF said that its troopers were terms of militant activities and assistance to the troopers conferencing from Rail Bha- that killed over 8,850 people. The first occurred at 9.22 injured in 142 stone pelting inci- law and order situation," outgo- injured in the stone pelting van here, an official statement a.m., and the second followed at 10.06 a.m. Schools in the dents, 47 grenade blasts, three ing CRPF Director General K. attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. said. districts were closed following the aftershocks and there firing incidents and 43 instances Durga Prasad said. He also said The CRPF chief said that the Antyodaya Express is a were reports of damages on old structures. The tremors of acid attacks or petrol or ker- the attacks on the force's per- Home Ministry would provide long distance, fully unre- were also felt in various parts of the Kathmandu Valley, the osene bomb attacks in the state. sonnel by Jammu and Kashmir's Rs 2,500 to those who suffered served, superfast train NSC added. On February 18, an aftershock was recorded Of the injured troopers, 122 civilians came as they were minor injuries and Rs 7,500 for service, for the common man at Dhading district. inflicted grievous injuries, the threatened by the militants. the personnel injured to be operated on dense data said. The unrest in Jammu "Locals in the state are grievously. routes. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 EUROPE 15 Brexit bill faces delay in House of Lords London of what will happen to semi- AFP Members of the autonomous Scotland and The Times reported that Scottish First ritain's Lords were on House of Lords, Minister Nicola Sturgeon could a potential Brexit col- known as peers, will make a formal request as soon as lision course with begin proposing next month for a new independ- Prime Minister amendments to the ence referendum. The House of Theresa May's govern- Commons, where May does enjoy Bment yesterday as they weighed bill on triggering a majority, overwhelmingly changes that could delay a land- Article 50 of the EU's approved the Brexit bill without mark bill to trigger the EU exit. Lisbon Treaty — a any changes. If peers approve the Government supporters have bill without amendments it will be warned Britain's upper house of formal notification of sent — after a final reading on parliament against any hold-ups, Britain's intention to March 7 — directly to Queen Eliz- warning that the unelected leave the bloc. abeth II to sign into law. chamber itself could be abol- However, if there are ished if it defied the result of the changes, the bill could bounce Brexit referendum. Sunday, Heseltine also suggested between the two houses as they But a source from the oppo- that the Brexit decision could be try to agree on its final wording, sition Labour Party in the Lords, reversed before Britain actually potentially derailing May's time- where the Conservative govern- leaves the European Union. table. The government was forced ment does not have a majority, "My opponents will argue to seek parliamentary approval said amendments "would be that the people have spoken, the An advertising van with an anti-Brexit poster drives through central London yesterday. in January after losing a high-pro- likely to win handsomely" in mandate secured and the future file court battle in which judges defiance of the government. cast. My experience stands to leave the bloc. The proposed changes are that ministers are considering ruled May must consult lawmak- And Michael Heseltine, a top against this argument," he said. The government has said it expected to be on defining the plans to limit benefits for new ers before beginning the EU Conservative, has also said he Members of the House of plans to do so by the end of parameters of a parliamentary immigrants and grant five-year divorce proceedings. plans to rebel against the govern- Lords, known as peers, will begin March, firing the starting gun on vote on the final Brexit deal as visas to migrant works in key sec- Dick Newby, leader of the ment by pushing for an proposing amendments to the a maximum two years of negoti- well as measures to guarantee the tors, such as software engineering, Liberal Democrats in the upper amendment to ensure a parlia- bill on triggering Article 50 of the ations to work out a divorce and rights of three million EU health and social welfare, farm- house, said there was strong sup- mentary vote on any final Brexit EU's Lisbon Treaty — a formal the terms of future post-Brexit migrants living in Britain. ing and hospitality. Another key port among peers for protecting deal. In an article in the Mail on notification of Britain's intention relations. The Sunday Times reported concern for ministers is the issue the rights of EU citizens.

French Institute Queen's Guard in Athens UK's child abuse attacked inquiry hearings ATHENS: Greek police said arsonists targeted the French cultural institute in Athens yes- start after 3 years terday causing minor damage but no injuries. A car parked outside the building was London from British child migration torched, damaging a second Reuters programmes in which thou- vehicle nearby. The uniden- sands of youngsters, many in tified attackers also smashed ritain's inquiry into his- state care, were sent out to windows at the institute. torical child abuse, former colonies such as Aus- The French Institute con- Bdogged by problems since tralia, Canada, and New ducts cultural and educational it was launched three years ago Zealand. programmes. There were no and leading to the resignation In 2010, then British prime immediate claims of respon- of three chairmen, finally began minister Gordon Brown apol- sibility, and it was not clear holding its first public hearings ogised for the "shameful" policy why the institution was tar- yesterday. which operated between 1930 geted, police said. Greece's The inquiry, one of its larg- and 1970 and led to an esti- Foreign Ministry condemned est and most expensive ever mated 130,000 children being Members of the Queen's Guard march towards Buckingham Palace in London yesterday. the attack, calling it a "mind- undertaken, was set up in July sent abroad from orphanages less and criminal act against Thousands of tourists flock to see the Old Guard soldiers protecting Buckingham Palace 2014 by now-Prime Minister and other institutions, often an institution that is a symbol line up and be replaced by a New Guard, which marches in from the nearby Wellington Theresa May in her former role without their parents of Greek-French Barracks to the sound of a military band. as interior minister after a knowledge. friendship." series of shocking abuse scan- The multi-million pound dals dating back decades, some inquiry has been riven by set- involving celebrities and backs since it began in the politicians. aftermath of 2012 revelations It is expected to take some that the late former BBC TV Britain's oldest MP and Labour veteran dies at 86 five years to complete. presenter Jimmy Savile was one In a number of cases, vic- of Britain's most prolific London values in action," his family said Kaufman was one of the few tims said institutions had abusers. AFP in a statement. prominent Jewish politicians in actively covered up cases at the The first three figures The octogenarian first Britain and was a well-known behest of powerful establish- appointed to lead the investi- ritain's oldest serving MP stepped into the House of Com- critic of Israel, calling for sanc- ment figures including senior gations stepped down, the latest and a veteran lawmaker mons in 1970 and has tions against the country over its lawmakers, spies and police being New Zealand High Court Bfor the opposition Labour represented his constituents in treatment of Palestinians. officers. "This is an important Judge Lowell Goddard who party, Gerald Kaufman (pic- Manchester, north-west Eng- During his time in parlia- day for the work of the inquiry," resigned last August. The fol- tured), died on Sunday at the age land, ever since. ment, he saw nine prime Chairman Alexis Jay said. lowing month, its most senior of 86, his family announced. Labour leader Jeremy Cor- minister take the reins of power. "Today marks ... the opening of lawyer also quit. Kaufman died after several byn paid tribute to Kaufman, When Kaufman was most the first public hearing in which The current chairman is months suffering from an undis- whom he described as "an iconic recently re-elected, in 2015, he the inquiry will hear live and social care expert Jay, who closed illness. and irascible figure" within the was 64 years older than the read evidence from oversaw a 2014 investigation "Sir Gerald dedicated his life party. "He loved life and politics. youngest parliamentarian, complainants." into wrongdoing in the north- to serving those who he believed I will deeply miss him, both for Mhairi Black of the Scottish Yesterday the inquiry began ern English town of Rotherham would benefit most from a his political commitment and National Party who was then hearing evidence about those which revealed some 1,400 Labour government and Labour constant friendship," Corbyn said. just 20. who suffered abuse resulting children had been abused.

Scotland should not hold new Ash Monday in Athens referendum: UK govt spokesman

London from the European Union. The Times newspaper Reuters "The question is not whether reported that May's government there could be a second refer- was preparing for Scotland to he threat of a new Scottish endum, it is whether there call a second referendum. independence referendum should be one — and the clear Sources said last week that Tis creating unnecessary answer to that is no," the the semi-autonomous Scottish uncertainty and division, a Brit- spokesman said. government, which is run by the ish government spokesman said "The threat of one is creat- pro-independence Scottish yesterday, reiterating Prime ing unnecessary uncertainty and National Party, was increasingly Minister Theresa May's view that division." confident it could win a new there was no need for another Scots rejected independence independence vote. vote on the issue. by a 10-point margin in a 2014 "The decision to remain in The comments came in referendum, but the issue has the UK was made by the Scot- response to media reports that resurfaced following the vote tish people in 2014 and all the Scottish nationalists were pre- last June to leave the EU. evidence at the moment shows paring to demand a fresh vote, Scottish voters overwhelm- people in Scotland don't want possibly as early as next month ingly backed staying inside the another referendum," the Brit- People take photos as kites fly during the Ash Monday public holiday at Filopappou hill to coincide with May's plan to bloc in the referendum, but Brit- ish government spokesman in Athens, Greece, yesterday. formally trigger Britain's exit ain as a whole voted to leave. said. 16 EUROPE TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 Deadlock continues Royal outing in Northern Ireland

Belfast Under the peace deal, elec- Reuters Snap elections tions lead to coalition talks between the largest unionist and Snap elections on crimonious cam- nationalist parties — almost cer- paigning ahead of Thursday in Northern tainly the DUP followed by Sinn Thursday snap elec- Ireland has increased Fein. But throughout the cam- tions in Northern antagonism between paign Sinn Fein has repeated Ireland has pro-British unionists preconditions that the DUP says increasedA antagonism between and Irish nationalists. it will not accept. pro-British unionists and Irish As well as insisting that Fos- nationalists and exacerbated The power-sharing ter temporarily stand aside as fears devolved power may government collapsed DUP leader, Sinn Fein wants revert to London for the first in January after Sinn Northern Ireland to set down time in a decade. Fein nationalists rights for Irish language speak- The power-sharing govern- withdrew support for ers into law. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands pose with their daughters ment collapsed in January after Democratic Unionist Foster, whose father nar- Sinn Fein nationalists withdrew rowly avoided being killed in an Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane in the alpine ski resort of Party First Minister support for Democratic Union- IRA shooting, insists she will Lech am Arlberg, Austria, yesterday. Arlene Foster. ist Party First Minister Arlene never accede to new Irish lan- Foster after she refused to step guage legislation, saying of Sinn aside during an inquiry into a Northern Ireland," Foster said Fein's demands that "if you feed scandal around heating in a column in the Belfast Tele- a crocodile, it will keep coming subsidies. graph yesterday, saying that in back and looking for more." Many see the rift as a symp- the event that Sinn Fein come Providing Polish translations Hungary & Slovakia want EU action tom of a deeper split in the first, they will push for a vote on of official documents would be British province between Irish unification. more appropriate, she said. nationalists, balking at the pros- "Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein "There have been a lot of pect of border posts going up would use an election victory for insults exchanged but other than against food 'double standards' with Ireland after Britain's exit vindication of their position that that there will be no change," from the European Union, and the border between the UK and Brian Feeney, a Belfast-based Budapest carried by national news agency Central European countries Unionists who fear a new push the EU should be the Irish Sea," historian and political commen- Reuters MTI. Hungary also welcomed a have called in the past few weeks for a united Ireland. she said referring to the presi- tator, said of the elections. Slovak proposal that the Viseg- for the EU to ban using inferior While no one predicts a dent of Sinn Fein, the IRA's "Sinn Fein walked away and ungary and Slovakia will rad Four countries — the Czech ingredients in products sold return to the violence that killed former political ally. they are not going back into an ask the European Com- Republic, Hungary, Poland and under the same brand in some 3,600 people in the three dec- Despite pleas from Dublin executive this year," he Hmission in a joint motion Slovakia — should hold a meet- EU markets, a practice that is ades before a 1998 peace deal, and London to avoid a further predicted. to consider legal means to elim- ing as soon as possible about the legal as long as the ingredients some forecast a setback in com- souring of relations, the two While the return of North- inate "double standards in issue, the ministry said. are declared on the packaging. munity relations and parties have used the campaign ern Ireland's 1.8 million people quality" of food products sold by Czech Prime Minister "(Hungary) expects the EU to government paralysis which to rally their sectarian bases. to direct rule from London has companies in Eastern Europe Bohuslav Sobotka said yester- examine the issue and come up could weaken the province's Sinn Fein has warned of long been anathema to Irish and in the west, Hungary's agri- day the Visegrad group prime with legal solutions, so that con- voice in Brexit talks which will DUP "arrogance and contempt" nationalists, some commenta- culture ministry said yesterday. ministers would discuss food sumers in Hungary, Slovakia, determine its political and eco- towards Catholic nationalists tors have noted that this could The ministry said the two quality at a summit in Warsaw Austria, and Germany, can buy nomic future. and said on posters that Sinn deprive the DUP of a voice dur- countries would submit the on Thursday. the same quality of a manufac- The election "may well be Fein is the only option for those ing Brexit negotiations while motion at the March 6 meeting He said the problem needed turer's brands," said a statement the most dangerous one for who "really want an Irish Sinn Fein can use the Irish gov- of the EU's farm and fishery a European solution and the by the Hungarian agriculture unionism since the creation of Republic." ernment to lobby its interests. council, according to a statement Commission should get involved. ministry. Authorities demolish Nemtsov's memorial Ukraine separatists

Moscow AP issue ultimatum to oscow municipal work- ers have demolished the Mimpromptu memorial to end rail blockade Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on the day he was Kiev Wednesday the blockade is not killed two years ago. Reuters taken down, we will introduce Nemtsov, a former deputy a system of external manage- prime minister, was shot dead ro-Russian separatists in ment on all companies late on February 27, 2015, just eastern Ukraine said yes- registered in Ukraine's jurisdic- outside the Kremlin wall in an Pterday they would take tion that operate in the DNR apparent contract killing. control of Ukraine-run busi- and LNR," leaders Alexander Thousands of mourners nesses in rebel-held areas if the Zakharchenko and Igor Plot- marched across Moscow on Sun- Ukrainian government does not nitsky said. day and brought flowers and lit end a rail blockade that has They also said they would candles to the bridge where he halted coal supplies. stop selling coal to Ukraine and was killed. For the past month, a group send future coal supplies to Activists who tend to the of Ukrainian lawmakers and Russia or elsewhere. makeshift memorial said yes- veterans have blocked some Ukraine's largest steel pro- terday that municipal workers rail traffic in eastern regions — ducer, Metinvest, is one of the took away all the flowers and a move opposed by the biggest employers in eastern pictures in the early hours. government as it prevents coal regions on both sides of the But by later in the morning, produced in separatist territory front line. Nemtsov supporters flocked to from reaching Ukrainian power The blockade has already the bridge to bring more Flowers surround a portrait of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow at the site plants and the steel industry, forced it to halt production flowers. where Nemtsov was shot dead, during the second anniversary of his assassination, yesterday. whose exports are a keystone temporarily at one of its mills of the economy. and several coal mines. In a joint statement, lead- Metinvest said it would be ers of the so-called Donetsk and "unacceptable" for separatist Man arrested Luhansk People's Republics officials to take control of its Spain coast guard rescues 257 (DNR and LNR) said the block- businesses in rebel-held areas, ade had caused many saying this would force it to halt in Sweden for businesses to suffer in rebel- the affected operations. spying Tibetans held areas and that it went Heorhiy Tuka, Ukraine's migrants at sea at weekend against the spirit of the 2015 deputy minister for issues relat- Minsk peace agreement. ing to rebel territories, STOCKHOLM: Sweden has "We are forced to announce dismissed the separatists' threat Madrid various ports in southern Spain make it, dying on the way. arrested a man suspected of that if by midnight on to seize the companies. AFP such as Almeria and Motril, Another 13,000 crossed the Med- spying on Tibetan refugees for where they were attended to by iterranean to Italy and Greece. an unnamed foreign power, he Spanish coast guard the Red Cross. The Spanish territory of the Swedish intelligence serv- rescued 257 migrants try- Some were suffering from Ceuta in northern Morocco, ice SAPO said yesterday. Ting to cross the hypothermia but none were in which with the enclave of "The arrested man is sus- Mediterranean to Europe from any serious condition, the Melilla further east forms the pected of having, at the Morocco in inflatable dinghies spokeswoman said. The coast only land frontier between request of another country, in an "intense weekend," they guard also said they had pulled Africa and the European Union, illegally gathered information said yesterday. a body from the sea not far from has also been the scene of unrest about people in the Tibetan Sunday evening was partic- the small stretch of water recently as hundreds of migrants community in Sweden," SAPO ularly difficult with five boats between Gibraltar and Morocco, have stormed the border fence. said in a statement. "The carrying 210 people from sub- but they were not able to say On February 17, nearly 500 information has been passed Saharan Africa rescued, while whether it was that of a migrant. migrants managed to get on to intelligence officers the remaining 47 were recov- According to the Interna- through the double wire, six- working for a foreign power." ered from their dinghies on tional Organization for Migration, metre high fence in one of the SAPO would not disclose Saturday afternoon, a spokes- around 1,000 migrants arrived biggest breaches since the bor- his name or nationality, nor Activists warm themselves at a fire in a camp at Kryvyi Torets woman for the coast guard said. in Spain by sea between January der barrier was reinforced in which country he was work- They were all taken to 1 and February 22, and 38 did not 2005. ing for. station as they take part in a rail blockade in Donetsk region. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 EUROPE 17 French election turns ugly over political attacks

Paris could detect the influence of US AFP The latest comments President Donald Trump in the French campaign. ournalists accused of bias. from conservative "The way that Trump has Judges said to be taking Francois Fillon, who defied the justice system and orders from the president. has accused the attacked the media, calling them The country in a state of Socialist government 'fake news', I think in a way it's J"near civil war." This isn't encouraging Fillon and Marine America's bitter presidential of failing to protect Le Pen to copy," he said. "They election campaign last year, but candidates, underline can see that it seems to work in France's in 2017. the increasingly the United States," he said. The latest comments from Fillon, a 62-year-old former conservative Francois Fillon, ugly tone of France's prime minister, faces allegations who has accused the Socialist campaign. he paid his wife for 15 years as a government of failing to protect fake assistant, while one of Le candidates, underline the Pen's aides was charged last increasingly ugly tone of France's Fillon, the former frontrun- week over allegations the party campaign. ner whose bid has been thrown defrauded the European Clashes in the western city into turmoil by a corruption parliament. of Nantes at the weekend dur- investigation, also said his cam- Both deny any wrongdoing ing a demonstration against paign events were being but their attacks have repeatedly far-right leader Marine Le Pen disrupted "every day" by far-left questioned the independence and and attacks on buses transport- activists. neutrality of the justice system ing her supporters were Both Fillon and Le Pen have ahead of a two-stage presiden- "unacceptable," he said also attacked judicial investiga- tial election on April 23 and May yesterday. tions into their use of allegedly 7. Polls currently show independ- French presidential candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains party Francois Fillon and On Sunday evening, he fake parliamentary aides as an ent centrist Emmanuel Macron accused the government of "fail- attempt by outgoing Socialist as the most likely winner, though lawmaker and Meaux Mayor Jean-Francois Cope (left) visit the Museum of the Great War in ing to create the conditions for President Francois Hollande to analysts caution against any firm Meaux, near Paris, yesterday. the peaceful exercise of democ- influence the election. forecasts after a rollercoaster racy," accusing it of allowing "a Fillon has described an campaign and the surprises of would be illegal," Justice Minis- She attacked media groups Faced with Fillon's and Le climate of near civil war to inquiry launched in January as Brexit and Trump in 2016. ter Jean-Jacques Urvoas told a who "sob about having lost the Pen's mounting defiance, Prime develop in the country." an "institutional coup d'etat" and Fillon was the clear frontrun- newspaper. confidence of readers who jus- Minister Bernard Cazeneuve Seven police officers were has accused journalists of trying ner until January when Le Pen went ahead with her tifiably are going on the internet responded yesterday. injured on Saturday in Nantes to carry out a "lynching" and an newspaper Le Canard Enchaine rally in Nantes where she deliv- to get their news," she said. "In politics, especially dur- including one with serious burns "assassination". brought his wife's job to light. ered a speech laced with Last week, she refused to be ing campaigning, you need a when anarchists and vandals Herve Le Bras, a veteran "To imagine that investiga- criticism of how French democ- questioned by anti-corruption certain dignity, a high-minded- began throwing rocks and fire- political observer and head of tions could have been ordered racy had been corrupted by the investigators, saying she would ness, and respect for the truth," bombs during an anti-Le Pen research at the EHESS social sci- on Fillon or Marine Le Pen is political establishment, the not respond to summons during he said during a visit to a farm protest. ences university in Paris, said he completely absurd because it media and financial interests. the presidential campaign. show.

Macron's bid France's left-wing candidates refuse to unite gathering Paris Hamon said Monday, speaking year. Their disagreements on AP on France Inter radio. Less than other major issues proved to be two months before the election, a major deterrent. While Hamon momentum he two main left-leaning Hamon has sealed an alliance wants to reform the European candidates in France's with the environmental party's Union to pursue more social PARIS: Independent can- Tpresidential election won't presidential candidate Yannick policies, Melenchon wants didate Emmanuel Macron's join forces after all. Socialist Jadot, who gave up his bid and France to leave European trea- campaign for the French presi- Benoit Hamon and far-left can- joined the Socialist hopeful. ties and Nato. dency is gathering momentum, didate Jean-Luc Melenchon, a But Hamon, who pledges a "With 50 days left before the according to two polls pub- former member of the Socialist universal income to all citizens first round, it's not possible to lished yesterday that showed Party who is supported by the and wants to reduce France's settle the difference that, for him closing the gap with far- Communists, both announced reliance on nuclear power, will example, divides us on the right leader Marine Le Pen in over the weekend that they are face a major hurdle in the essential question of Europe," the first round of voting. staying in the race, putting the 65-year-old Melenchon. Both Melenchon's statement said. Until now polls have given Left at risk of disappearing after left-wing men are running The last time the Left missed Le Pen a clear lead in the first the first round of balloting. neck-and-neck in opinion polls, out on the second round of the round on April 23 but have In France's two-round pres- well behind far-right National presidential election was in shown her losing the decisive idential election, voters will be Front candidate Marine Le Pen 2002, when far-right leader second round on May 7 to choosing among a host of can- or independent centrist Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of either Macron or the other didates on April 23 — and the Emmanuel Macron. Marine, went through ahead of main challenger, centre-right top two vote-getters go on to After they dined together in then-Socialist Prime Minister candidate Francois Fillon. compete in a presidential run- a Parisian restaurant, Melen- Lionel Jospin to face Jacques In an Ifop-Fiducial poll for off on May 7. The exact number chon issued a statement saying Chirac. That year, the French Paris Match, Macron, a of presidential candidates will he and Hamon could not put left-wing parties failed to unite 39-year-old former banker, is be set by the end of March. aside their differences but ahead of the election and eight now seen gathering 24.5 per- Despite opinion polls sug- agreed on a "mutual respect candidates close to the Left ran cent of the votes in the first gesting that neither left-wing code" throughout their for the presidency. round, below Le Pen's 26 per- candidate has a chance of campaigns. "I'm telling left-wing voters cent but well ahead of Fillon's reaching the second round, they Both men have harshly crit- and French citizens that the Left 20 percent. have shown little appetite for icized Socialist President could be absent of the second That chimed with another joining forces since the 49-year- Francois Hollande's austerity round of the presidential elec- French presidential election candidate for the left-wing poll by Opinionway, which also old Hamon won the Socialist politics and found a common tion," Hamon said. "This would French Socialist (PS) party Benoit Hamon (right) with former showed Macron gaining 1 point primary last month. ground on criticizing an unpop- be extremely dangerous for the presidential candidate for the Green Party Europe-Ecologie-Les to 24 percent, while Le Pen was "I would have preferred a ular labor reform bill that has country because the Right we Verts (EELV) Yannick Jadot as they meet unionists of the General stable at 26 percent and Fillon union around my candidacy," led to violence in the streets last have is extremely brutal." Confederation of Labour (CGT) in Paris, yesterday. unchanged at 21 percent.

Rose Monday parade in Germany Hungary starts construction of second border fence

Budapest Hungary. Orban was also a rare still prevent hundreds of illegal Reuters EU leader to endorse US Presi- border crossings per day and dent Donald Trump, who is escort back dozens of migrants ungary has begun build- seeking to built a wall along the who manage to break through, ing a second line of fence US-Mexico border. the government says. Halong its southern bor- A barbed-wire fence is Poles for the second fence der with Serbia, a government already in place, erected in 2015, are already standing near the spokesman said yesterday, a when Hungary was part of the border station Kelebia, and con- move likely to exacerbate crit- main overland route for hun- struction materials have also icism from some of the country's dreds of thousands of migrants been shipped to the border European Union partners. and refugees, many fleeing the elsewhere. Prime Minister Viktor war in Syria. Orban's chief of staff, Janos Orban's right-wing government It effectively blocked that Lazar, last week said the gov- considers migration to be one route to Germany, where many ernment had earmarked 38bn of the largest threats to the sta- were heading, but Hungary has forints ($130m) for the fence and tus quo in the EU. But officials said a second fence would make containment camps to hold in Brussels and some other EU the barrier more effective and migrants. He said the second centres are distressed by some hold back migrants while border fence, which will extend of his go-it-alone policies. processing their asylum only to the Hungary-Serbia bor- A European Parliament requests. der for now, would be built as committee, for example, was Although the pressure on the soon as the weather permitted Carnival revellers at the "Rosenmontag", Rose Monday parade in Fulda, Germany, yesterday. due yesterday to discuss the border is far from the peak of and would be standing by the state of fundamental rights in the 2015 crisis, border patrols end of spring. 18 AMERICAS TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 Kansas city holds vigil after shooting death of Indian

Washington profound loss after the death of down a sidewalk near the city’s around him were happy.” boasted of having killed two Mid- Naidu was quoted as saying by the AFP his dear friend of nine years. Ball Conference Center, holding The ceremony, which dle Eastern men, The Kansas City Press Trust of India. “It’s hard to believe he is not posters with messages about opened with Hindu, Christian, Star reported. A GoFundMe online fundraiser undreds of people with me, not with us anymore,” peace and unity, and chanting Jewish, Muslim and Sikh prayers, Purinton has been charged page was quickly set up after the marched and prayed in Madasani said. slogans such as “Together we was held at the packed commu- with premeditated first-degree shooting, and as of Sunday had Hthe Midwestern US city “What happened that night stand, divided we fall!” and nity center, with a large overflow murder and two counts of collected more than $630,000, where an Indian expatriate was is something we all wish didn’t “Unity is part of community!” crowd forced to stand outside. It attempted premeditated first- much of it in small contributions killed and another wounded in happen, but it happened.” During the rally, the city of ended with the audience light- degree murder and is being held of $5 and $10. The money is to help a suspected hate crime that has Throngs of concerned citi- Olathe tweeted: “We stand ing candles and singing John on a $2m bond. The FBI is try- with the funeral expenses “and prompted calls for action. zens and mourners marched together in our grief; in our sup- Lennon’s “Imagine.” ing to determine if the shooting other ongoing grief / recovery sup- Indians at home and in the through the Kansas City suburb port of the victims, their family During the attack, the alleged was a hate crime. port costs” for Kuchibhotla’s United States have expressed in memory of the slain man, & friends. And always, we stand suspect, Adam Purinton, 51, India’s Information and widow Sunayana Dumala. shock at Wednesday’s shooting 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchib- together. #OneOlathe.” reportedly screamed racial slurs Broadcasting minister reacted Meanwhile, Madasani’s father in the Kansas community of hotla, and in celebration of Madasani, who had been and told the two Indian men, harshly to the attack, stating that Jagan Mohan Reddy, a chief engi- Olathe that saw a drunk white Madasani’s survival. taken to the hospital after the who had been living in the the United States must “unequiv- neer with the Telangana state man scream racial slurs and The event also honoured Ian shooting, was greeted with United States for several years ocally respond and condemn such government, said he and his wife allegedly open fire on two young Grillot, a white bar patron being applause when he hobbled into and working as aviation systems incidents”. “USA should respond would spend at least a week in the Indian engineers, killing one. hailed a hero for trying to help. the room on crutches, and later engineers for GPS manufacturer to this incident. American Presi- US before “taking stock of what to Alok Madasani, the 32-year- He is being treated in hospital for told the audience about how his Garmin, to “Get out of my coun- dent and people of America, they do (next).” “They lost a dear friend old Indian engineer who gunshot wounds in the chest and friend, whom he would meet at try.” He was arrested after police should come out openly to con- (Kuchibhotla) in the attack but survived, told a prayer vigil Sun- hand. Bundled in winter coats, the bar almost weekly, was got a tip from a bartender in a demn such actions... and then take somehow, by God’s grace, my son day that he was suffering marchers stretched for blocks “always making sure the people nearby town that the suspect strongest action,” M Venkaiah survived,” Reddy said. US takes its seat at UN Human Rights Council

Geneva for the council’s effectiveness. AFP Concerns remain Assuming the US keeps its Trump’s State seat, there is “significant con- he US claimed its seat Department has not cern” about Washington’s yesterday on the yet named an envoy capacity to take a leadership role Human Rights Coun- based on Trump’s early moves, to the body and was cil under the new according to Fisher. presidency of Donald represented at “When the administration TTrump, whose election has pro- yesterday's session has issued an executive order voked deep concern over the by veteran foreign that bans travel from seven body’s future. service officer Erin mainly-Muslim countries it Over its 11-year history, the Barclay. erodes the US’ moral credibility council has come in for criti- HRW also reacted to and ability to engage in initia- cism, including allegations that tives around the UN,” Fisher media reports that it has, at times, been co-opted said. Trump’s travel ban has by rights abusers who push res- the US was been blocked in court. Revellers from the Grande Rio samba school perform during the carnival parade at the olutions attacking their considering quitting The precursor to the rights geopolitical rivals, with genu- the council — before council was the UN Commission Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. ine rights issues marginalised. its term expires in on Human Rights, a body deemed But the 47-member panel 2019 — over the so dysfunctional that former UN has had successes — thanks to body’s treatment of secretary general Kofi Annan Carnival in Rio to continue support from Barack Obama’s Israel. scrapped it. When the new coun- administration which held a seat cil was born in 2006, the US on the council for most of his administration of George W Bush eight-year term, civil society “Clearly ‘America First’ does did not fight for a seat or mean- after gruesome accident groups say. Many of the issues not suggest an approach that ingfully engage, according to a prioritised by Obama’s UN (prioritises) multilateral engage- January report from the Council Rio de Janeiro Carnival director Elmo Jose $1bn in revenues, according to envoys — including violations ment,” said John Fisher of on Foreign Relations (CFR) think- AFP put some of the blame on jour- officials. Brazilians living in North Korea, Myanmar, Sri Human Rights Watch (HRW) in tank. The early years saw nalists and bystanders who he through two years of steep Lanka and South Sudan — Geneva, referring to Trump’s countries like Algeria, Pakistan io carnival organisers said had strayed into the Sam- recession and nearly 13 percent remain on the agenda. foreign policy doctrine. and Saudi Arabia controlling the insisted the show will go bodromo stadium’s parade unemployment have grasped In a keynote address, United HRW also reacted to media council, the CFR said, arguing that Ron with a second round of runway. But “we will continue this year’s carnival as a chance Nations Secretary General Anto- reports that the US was consid- things began to turn when samba parades after a truck car- the show,” he said. to let off steam. In Rio especially, nio Guterres warned that the ering quitting the council Obama’s administration secured rying a float ran into bystanders, The daughter of one victim the thrill of hosting the Olym- world was facing “a time of — before its term expires in 2019 a seat in 2009. injuring 20. criticised organisers, saying they pics six months ago has given urgency” and that the council — over the body’s treatment of The US began “to chip away The accident on the first put entertainment ahead of way to the grim reality of rising was needed more than ever. Israel. “A decision by the United at the council’s deficiencies night of the elite samba school safety, even delaying inspection crime and the state govern- “Disregard for human rights is States to withdraw from the UN while strengthening its capacity championship occurred late on of the truck after the accident, ment’s near bankruptcy. a disease, and it is a disease that Human Rights Council over its as a credible international Sunday when the colourful float when it was allowed to continue While most schools pick is spreading,” he said. criticism of Israeli policy and its human rights institution,” it said. at the tail end of the Paraiso do on its way to finish the parade. politically safe themes for their “The Human Rights Council overall effectiveness would be The think-tank noted that US Tuiuti school swerved on the “They didn’t allow it because parades, the Imperatriz Leopol- must be part of the cure.” Trump’s a misguided and shortsighted influence on the council was crowded runway, crushing peo- they didn’t want to hold up the dinense school waded into the State Department has not yet step,” the group’s UN director decisive in setting up major ple against a fence. Eight of parade,” Rafaela Anastasia said. debate over indigenous rights, named an envoy to the body and Louis Charbonneau said. probes in Burundi, North Korea, them, including journalists cov- “My mother was trapped against agribusiness expansion into was represented at yesterday's Pro-Israel groups have Syria and other hotspots. ering Rio’s biggest party, were the fence and they were wor- once pristine lands, and the session by veteran foreign serv- repeatedly noted that the Jew- Even if Trump’s rights- hospitalized and three remained ried about the parade,” she future of the ever-threatened ice officer Erin Barclay. ish state has been targeted by related pronouncements have in serious condition. added. “For the love of God, it’s Amazon rainforest. Trump’s international more rights council resolutions been “limited”, he has “stressed Despite the drama, the surreal.” Floats on Sunday included agenda remains murky but than any other nation. Pales- the need for the United States to Paraiso do Tuiuti parade soon The samba parades and portrayals of the jungle, indig- rights advocates have warned tinian President Mahmoud be seen as winning on the inter- continued, followed by five rival street parties known as “blocos” enous musicians, piles of skulls that the early signs do not bode Abbas, who addressed the open- national stage”, it said. And schools, lasting through the provide a huge boost to Rio’s and a giant head of a crying well for either the council or the ing session, said his people’s engaging with the council could night. A champion will be economy, attracting more than indigenous man, crushed by a broader human rights agenda. issue would be a “litmus test” “advance these goals”, it argued. announced tomorrow. a million tourists and almost log the size of a bus. Water slowly restored in Chile capital after floods ELN rebels claim role Santiago “We’ll be restoring potable AFP water service slowly and grad- ually, starting first thing in the in Bogota bombing he Chilean authorities morning and continuing worked yesterday to throughout the day,” client Bogota government into a cease fire Trestore water to some 4.5 service manager Eugenio Rod- AFP with attacks like this. “The million people in the capital riguez said. ceasefire will be reached when Santiago, whose supply had to The storms started on Sat- olombian ELN rebels the ELN understands that it is be cut after deadly floods con- urday, sending mudslides and claimed responsibility on reached by de-escalating, not taminated a major river. rubble surging into the Maipo CTwitter for a February 19 escalating the conflict,” the gov- Three people died in the tor- river, which supplies most bombing in Bogota that killed ernment’s negotiator in talks rential rains and landslides that homes in the capital of 6.5 mil- a police officer and seriously with the ELN, Juan Camilo hit central Chile over the week- lion people. wounded several others. The Restrepo, wrote on Twitter. end, emergency officials The decision to cut off the attack outside a bullring fol- Santos is trying to achieve meanwhile said, revising an ini- water supply prompted many lowed the start of talks this a “complete peace” by seeking tial death toll of four. people to go out with buckets month between the govern- a deal with the ELN, the last Nineteen people remain and pans to collect water at ment and the National active Colombian rebel group. missing, they added. Production some 200 emergency taps Liberation Army, which aim to Preliminary talks with the of potable water had been “par- opened by the authorities. Oth- end to five decades of conflict. rebels opened on February 7 in tially” restarted, said Aguas ers rushed to supermarkets to The government of Presi- Ecuador. Santos signed a his- Andinas, the private company stockpile bottled water. Classes dent Juan Manuel Santos said toric disarmament accord last responsible for most of Santia- in affected schools have been the ELN was “very mistaken” if year with the Revolutionary People walk along a damage road after a flood near Santiago. go’s water supply. cancelled. it thought it could pressure the Armed Forces of Colombia. TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017 AMERICAS 19 Trump plots $54bn hike in defence spending

Washington hike would be unusual given that Reuters Budget proposal the United States is not engaged in a major war, although its spe- resident Donald Trump The President does cial forces and Air Force are is seeking what he not have the final say active against Islamic State in called a “historic” on federal spending. Iraq and Syria. increase in military An official familiar with the spending of more than proposal said Trump’s request Officials familiar with P9 percent, a huge rise even as the for the Pentagon included more Trump’s proposal said United States has wound down money for shipbuilding, military major wars in Iraq and Afghan- the defence increase aircraft and establishing “a more istan and remains the world’s would be financed robust presence in key interna- strongest military power. partly by cuts to the tional waterways and choke Trump will seek to boost State Department, points” such as the Strait of Hor- Pentagon spending in the next EPA and other non- muz and South China Sea. fiscal year by $54bn in his first defence programs. That could put Washington budget proposal and slash the at odds with Iran and China. The same amount from non-defence United States already has the spending, including a large message to the world in these world’s most powerful fighting US President Donald Trump arrives for a National Governors Association meeting at the White reduction in foreign aid, a White dangerous times, of American force and it spends far more than House budget official said strength, security and resolve. any other country on defense. House in Washington, yesterday. yesterday. We must ensure that our coura- Spending in the most recent The president does not have geous servicemen and women fiscal year was $584bn, accord- about $50 billion annually on the battalions – or as many as Reuters the United States has the final say on federal spend- have the tools they need to deter ing to the Congressional Budget State Department and foreign 10,000 more Marines – boost the “fallen behind on nuclear ing. His plan for the military is war and when called upon to Office, so Trump’s planned assistance. Navy from 276 to 350 ships and weapon capacity.” He pledged to part of a budget proposal to Con- fight in our name, only do one $54bn increase would be a rise More than 120 retired US submarines, and raise the ensure that, “We’re going to be gress, which, while it is thing: Win,” he said. of 9.2 percent. The next fiscal generals and admirals urged number of Air Force tactical air- at the top of the pack.” controlled by his fellow Repub- Officials familiar with year starts in October. Congress yesterday to fully fund craft from 1,100 to 1,200. Trump also said on Monday licans, will not necessarily follow Trump’s proposal said the In a speech to conservative US diplomacy and foreign aid, But he has not said where he would talk about his plans for his plans. Budget negotiations defence increase would be activists on Friday, Trump prom- saying that “elevating and he would place the extra hard- infrastructure spending in a with lawmakers can take months financed partly by cuts to the ised “one of the greatest military strengthening diplomacy and ware and forces or made clear speech to Congress on Tuesday. to play out. State Department, Environmen- buildups in American history.” development alongside defense what they will be used for. The “We’re going to start spending Trump told state governors tal Protection Agency and other A second official said the are critical to keeping America United States has been shutting on infrastructure big,” he said. at the White House that his non-defence programmes. State Department’s budget could safe.” some of its military bases in Treasury Secretary Steven budget plan includes a “historic “We’re going to do more with be cut by as much as 30 percent, Trump has previously said he recent years. Mnuchin, speaking on Fox News increase in defence spending to less and make the government which would force a major would expand the Army to Trump has also said he would on Sunday, said Trump’s budget rebuild the depleted military of lean and accountable to the peo- restructuring of the department 540,000 active-duty troops from bolster the development of mis- would not seek cuts in federal the United States of America.” ple,” Trump said. and elimination of programs. its current 480,000, increase the sile defenses and cyber social programs such as Social “This is a landmark event and Such a military spending The United States spends Marine Corps from 23 to 36 capabilities. Last week, he told Security and Medicare. US President given new options to fight IS group Bush backs

Washington advisors soon. Trump made potentially risky — way. government, including its spy Chiefs of Staff, told a Washing- ‘welcoming’ AFP defeating the Islamic State group He must also choose whether agencies, State Department and ton audience last week. “In this a key pillar of this election cam- to back Kurdish-led forces who Department of Homeland particular case we’re talking immigration he Pentagon has finished paign. The group is already on the have shown most success in tak- Security. about ISIS, but it’s also Al Qaeda plans to intensify the fight back foot, losing territory around ing the fight to the Islamic State While broad in scope, the and other groups that present a policy Tagainst the Islamic State Mosul and with its self-declared group in northern Syria, but options outlined in the review trans-regional threat.” group, officials said yesterday, capital of Raqqa looking increas- which Turkey strongly opposes. are preliminary and will be He stressed the importance presenting Donald Trump with ingly vulnerable. So far the White House and refined in the coming weeks, of renewed military action com- Washington options to meet a key campaign But Trump faces a string of the Pentagon are being tight- Davis said. “It’s a plan to attack ing alongside diplomatic and Reuters pledge. difficult decisions if he wants to lipped about what options an enemy, and I don’t think we political efforts. “All of us who “The White House will begin set up the United States to deliver Trump is being presented with. are going to want to telegraph have participated in these con- ormer Republican US reviewing the recommenda- a coup de grace. Former presi- “Don’t expect a big rollout of too much of it,” Davis said. flicts over the last 15 years realize president George W Bush tions,” the official said. Trump dent Barack Obama was reluctant this as it is still preliminary and The options presented to that anything we do on the Fdiverged sharply from had demanded that top brass to put significant number of US we don’t want to telegraph our Trump will likely include more ground has to be in the context Donald Trump’s new admin- find additional ways to defeat boots on the ground, fearing a actions in advance to the US troops being sent to the Mid- of political objectives or it’s not istration yesterday, saying he jihadists who still control a swath repeat of difficulties in Iraq and enemy,” said Pentagon spokes- dle East, and would see the going to be successful,” Dunford supported a welcoming immi- of northern Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan. man Navy Captain Jeff Davis. Pentagon taking a more aggres- said. gration policy and praising the have inspired attacks on the West. Trump must decided On January 28, Trump gave sive stance in other key areas. Since the coalition effort to media as “indispensable to That review is now complete, whether to intensify Obama’s the Pentagon 30 days to come “This is not about Syria and defeat IS began, the jihadists democracy”. and Defense Secretary Jim Mat- air-and-ally based approach or up with a comprehensive review Iraq, it’s about a trans-regional have lost much of the ground In a wide-ranging inter- tis will present the findings to deploy the might of the US mil- of the fight against IS. The review threat,” General Joe Dunford, they once held and tens of thou- view with NBC’s “Today” show, Trump’s top national security itary in a more decisive — and includes input from across the who is chairman of the Joint sands have been killed. Bush said he did not know if a special prosecutors was needed to investigate contacts between Trump associates and US Navy secretary Border crossing Russia but added, “We all need Demonstrators in answers”. Bush was asked if nominee Philip he had seen signs that Trump was trying to close the rift in Bilden withdraws NY defend media the US electorate after his divisive campaign against WASHINGTON: Philip Bilden Democrat Hillary Clinton. He has withdrawn his nomina- New York a resurgence in public interest acknowledged that his own tion as secretary of the US AFP incisive news reporting. presidency from 2001 to Navy, the Pentagon said, The New York Times, for 2009 began after a conten- marking the latest in a series bout 250 people demon- instance, has gained hundreds tious election but that it was of nominees to remove their strated in support of the of thousands of subscribers “hard to compare times”. names from consideration to Anews media, amid even as the media’s battle with He said that Trump is still serve under President Don- stepped up attacks on the press Trump has intensified. in the early stage of his pres- ald Trump. by President Donald Trump. Despite cold weather, pro- idency and that Americans “This was a personal Although New York, a Dem- testers gathered outside the have “got to take the man at decision driven by privacy ocratic bastion, has been the entrance to the headquarters his word.” concerns and significant scene of numerous demonstra- of the New York Times in mid- Asked whether he sup- challenges he faced in sep- tions since Trump’s election, town Manhattan, some with ported Trump’s travel ban on arating himself from his this was the first protest organ- bandages across their mouths people from seven majority business interests,” Defence ized expressly to show support and carrying placards citing the Muslim countries, Bush said, Secretary Jim Mattis said in for the media. US Constitution guarantee of a “I am for an immigration pol- a statement, adding that he The White House on Friday free press. The demonstration icy that is welcoming and that would soon suggest a new barred journalists from seven later shifted from the New upholds the law.” nominee. news organizations, including York Times to the nearby Bush also called for reli- “While I am disappointed, the New York Times and CNN, offices of Fox News, then to gious tolerance. “One of our I understand and respect his from attending an off-camera those of NBC News. great strengths is for people decision, and know that he briefing in press secretary Sean “Anytime an authoritarian to be able to worship the way will continue to support our Spicer’s office. person or dictators take charge they want to or not worship nation in other ways.” That followed Trump’s fron- they always stifle the press. It’s at all,” he said. Bush had Concerns over the ability tal attack on the media earlier in always the first thing they do. made a point of supporting of Bilden, a prominent busi- the day, in a speech to an annual We are in the first steps of fas- Muslims and praising Islam’s nessman and private equity conservative convention in cism,” said Donna Marie Smith, teachings as peaceful. investor, to separate from his which he railed against “fake a retired school teacher and Trump has branded some vast holdings, many of which A man carrying luggage belonging to a couple who claimed news” and called the media the longtime Times subscriber. news outlets as “the enemy are in Hong Kong, clouded his “enemy of the people.” “We have to continue of the people” but Bush said: to be from Turkey after they crossed the US/Canada border nomination. Paradoxically, Trump’s marching and the press has to “I consider the media to be and were arrested yesterday in Champlain, New York. The secretary of the Navy attacks on the media during the keep covering it,” she said, add- indispensable to democracy, serves as the chief executive There continues to be an increasing number of people presidential campaign and after ing, “I do think we will that we need an independent officer for both the Navy and crossing the US border into Canada illegally. his defeat of Democratic candi- overcome even though I don’t media to hold people like me the Marine Corps. date Hillary Clinton have boosted know how long it will take.” to account,” he said. 20 MORNING BREAK TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2017

PRAYER TIMINGS Heritage site in Education City FAJR 04.42 am SHOROOK 05.58 am

ZUHR 11.47 am MAGHRIB 05.37 pm ASR 03.06 pm ISHA 07.07pm

WEATHER TODAY

15oC 24oC Minimum Maximum

A residential unit, identified as the House of Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani built in 1935, is overlooking the present Al Rayyan area which is now a hub of educational and medical marvel structures in the Education City and is situated at Sidra’s Outpatient Department. It is one of Expecterd low visibility at northern the heritage sites within Education City being preserved and restored by Qatar Foundation. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula and western areas of the country at first. Hazy to misty/foggy at places at first becomes mild daytime.

HIGH TIDE 06:15 - 18:15 LOW TIDE 12:45 Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department Irvine Sellar, creator of Shard Tower, dies at 82

LONDON: Irvine Sellar, who created and developed the Shard skyscraper in London, died on Sunday after a short illness. He was 82. A career that included a stint as a Carnaby Street retailer in “swinging London” in the 1960s reached its pin- nacle with the completion of western Europe’s tallest tower in July 2012. The 310-meter (1,017- foot) Shard designed by architect Renzo Piano has since become a landmark of the Southwark district on the south bank of the River Thames. Sellar, who had no for- mal training as a developer, formed a partnership with the state of Qatar to finance the Shard and the adjacent London Bridge Quarter. Construction of a third building, Shard Place, is under way, according to a statement yesterday. Irvine’s son, James, will take over the running of the Sellar Group. Sellar switched from retail to real estate in the early 1980s because “prop- erty and retail go hand-in-glove,” he said in a 2010 Bloomberg interview. His company, Ford Sellar Morris, developed depart- ment stores and other commercial buildings for several years until a reces- sion at the start of the next decade led to its collapse in 1991. Sellar lost £28m. Undeterred, he set up Sellar Property Group a year later and completed projects including the Pompey Cen- tre, a retail park in the southern English city of Portsmouth. “You can throw me in the desert and I’ll find a way of making a living,” he said in the interview. “We all have an element of ego. It’s just nice to leave a legacy and say, well that’s an achievement.”