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THURSDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10184 August 18, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 15, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Barshim makes history with Olympic silver medal EUROPE | Discussions A graduate of the world-renowned ing my sporting journey – I’ve set a EU leaders set to Aspire Academy for Sporting world record, I’ve won Olympic medals Excellence, Barshim is a product of but the most important thing is to set a meet for Brexit talks Qatar’s sporting infrastructure and plan with the coach and work towards Italian Prime Minister Matteo shows the progress that the state it. The world record and the Olympic Renzi will meet with German continues to make on the sporting gold medal are both goals for me.” Chancellor Angela Merkel and field. Fifteen competitors entered the French President Francois Hollande Olympic high jump fi nal and by 2.33 on an Italian island on Monday to A Correspondent metres, 10 of the fi eld were still in the discuss the EU’s way forward after Rio de Janeiro contest. However, by 2.36 metres, only Britain’s shock vote to quit the Barshim, Bondarenko and Drouin re- bloc. The gathering on the island mained in contention. Bondarenko of Ventotene comes three weeks atar high-jumper Mutaz Essa chose to pass at this height whilst before an informal EU summit Barshim made history on Tues- Barshim and Drouin cleared easily with in Bratislava, which is to be held Qday evening by becoming the their fi rst attempts. without Britain and is intended to fi rst-ever athlete from the country The bar then moved to 2.38 metres map out a post-Brexit course for to claim a silver medal at an Olympic and Drouin cleared fi rst time. Barshim the European Union. Games. had three valiant attempts at the height The 25-year-old from Doha cleared but couldn’t quite clear the bar, leaving EAST ASIA | Nuclear 2.36 metres, but was pipped to gold by the ball in Bondarenko’s court. With Canada’s Derek Drouin who jumped two failures at the same height, Bond- North Korea ‘resumes a season best 2.38 metres in a closely- arenko chose to gamble and attempt plutonium production’ contested high jump fi nal at the Olym- 2.40 metres but it didn’t pay off , mean- North Korea says it has resumed pic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. ing Bondarenko settled for bronze and plutonium production from spent Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko took Barshim moved into second place and fuel rods and has no plans to stop the bronze medal clearing a height of claimed a historic silver medal for Qa- nuclear tests as long as the United 2.33 metres. tar. States still “threatens” Pyongyang, Barshim, the London 2012 bronze Speaking about Barshim’s momen- Kyodo News reported yesterday. medallist, has written himself into the tous achievement, Qatar Olympic The North’s Atomic Energy Institute, record books following his 2014 World Committee president HE Sheikh Joaan which has jurisdiction over the Indoor gold medal and achieving the bin Hamad al-Thani said: “On behalf country’s main atomic complex second highest jump in history with of the whole Qatar Olympic Commit- Yongbyon, told Kyodo it had been 2.43 metres, also in 2014. tee, we pass our huge congratulations producing highly enriched uranium A fi erce competitor, Barshim had his to Mutaz Barshim for becoming Qa- for nuclear arms and power “as eyes on the gold medal and is already tar’s fi rst-ever Olympic silver medal- scheduled”. Page 9 thinking about the next steps on his list. This is the biggest achievement in historic sporting journey. Qatar’s Olympic history and we are so MALAYSIA | Shipping Speaking after his competition, he proud of him. Barshim celebrates after winning the silver medal. said: “We aimed for the gold and we “We know that he will have inspired a Mutiny behind tanker’s will always aspire to achieve that. I’m new generation of sporting heroes and Hamad al-Thani was the fi rst to call progress that the state continues to peting in the javelin qualifi cation. change of course very thankful for the silver medal and connected new audiences to Olympic Barshim following his silver medal make on the sporting fi eld. The show jumping team narrowly An oil tanker which was first will aim to win gold in Tokyo 2020. It sport. Qatar has made huge progress on winning performance and Barshim Further Aspire Academy graduates missed out on a spot in the team fi nal reported to have been hijacked and was a diffi cult fi nal – every technical the sporting fi eld over recent years and dedicated his medal to him. will compete in the Olympic Games after fi nishing ninth in round two, with sailed into Indonesian waters, was error made a diff erence, plus there were I would like to pass my thanks to HH A graduate of the world-renowned this week with double World Junior only eight progressing but still made likely taken over by its own crew 15 athletes in the fi nal which is quite a the Emir for all his eff orts and dedica- Aspire Academy for Sporting Excel- Champion Ashraf Elseify going in the history by becoming Qatar’s fi rst-ever due to a dispute with their employer, large number. tion to developing sport in Qatar.” lence, Barshim is a product of Qatar’s hammer throw fi nal later at the games, show jumping team to compete in an authorities said in Kuala Lumpur “I have a lot to be thankful for dur- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin sporting infrastructure and shows the and javelin thrower Ahmed Bader com- Olympic Games. Pages 1-7 Sport yesterday. Vier Harmoni, carrying 900,000 litres of diesel worth around 1.6mn ringgit ($390,000), went missing after leaving the Tanjung Pelepas port on the eastern Oil rally coast of Peninsular Malaysia on After scorching heat, Earth Half the world’s population Tuesday before it was relocated in the waters off Batam, Indonesia. likely to get respite in 2017 continues watches Rio Games, says IOC Page 9 Reuters an El Nino event warming the Pa- Reuters DPA evision and marketing chief. AMERICAS | Personality Oslo cifi c. And Nasa this week cited a 99 % New York Rio de Janeiro While digital channels broadcast chance that 2016 will be the warmest 81,500 hours of sports coverage at the Love Story director year, ahead of 2015 and 2014. 2012 Games, the amount will increase Hiller dies at 92 he Earth is likely to get relief In a welcome break, a new annual il’s rally extended for a fi fth day round half of the world’s 7.3bn two and a half times in Rio de Janeiro, he Versatile and prolific Canadian in 2017 from record scorch- record is unlikely in 2017 since the ef- yesterday, helped by a weak- inhabitants will view some of the told reporters. film director Arthur Hiller, whose Ting temperatures that bol- fect of El Nino - a phenomenon that Oer dollar and an unexpected A2016 Olympics as digital plat- Traditional television channels are sentimental Love Story starring Ali stered governments’ resolve last year can disrupt weather patterns world- drawdown in US crude and gasoline. forms have strongly expanded since the broadcasting 125,000 hours from Rio, MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal stands as in reaching a deal to combat climate wide every two-seven years - is fading. Crude futures have gained as much previous Games, the International Ol- 25% more than in London. one of the most popular romantic change, scientists said yesterday. “Next year is probably going to be as 13 % since Thursday after reports ympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday. “We expect around half the world’s movies ever made and the biggest July was the hottest single month cooler than 2016,” said Phil Jones of that Opec was getting ready for an out- “On the digital side is where we’ve population will have consumed the hit of 1970, died yesterday at the age since records began in the 19th cen- the Climatic Research Unit at Britain’s put freeze deal with producers outside seen the really big increase from Lon- Games on some media platform,” Lum- of 92. tury, driven by greenhouse gases and University of East Anglia. Page 7 the group. don,” said Timo Lumme, the IOC’s tel- me said.

Move to streamline customs process at Abu Samra border post

he customs clearance procedures Al-Kuwari pointed out the Customs post duties,” al-Kuwari said. at Qatar’s Abu Samra border Clearance Single Window, Al-Nadeeb, Regarding the preparations for the Tpost, whether for goods or trav- had very positive outcomes on the rush of travellers for the Haj pilgrim- ellers, is to be soon conducted by one daily operations of the border post, and age to Makkah, the offi cial pointed out entity, a senior offi cial said yesterday. eased all the required procedures for that the LCD has established a special “This will be implemented soon traders and importers. hall where pilgrims could fi nish the through the exchange of information “The processes of customs clear- clearance process with ease and speed, between the Land Customs Depart- ance of goods diff er based on their type. while spoiling any eff orts by smugglers ment (LCD) at the General Authority For instance, food products and other who could try to take advantage of the of Customs (GAC) and the Ministry of consumer goods should be cleared as large numbers of travellers to pass on Interior (MoI),” LCD director Murshid quickly as possible to avoid potential illegal things. Shaheen al-Kuwari announced. damage to them, while durable goods “We have high-end technical in- In a statement released yesterday, the including plastic products, which rep- spection machines and pilgrims pass offi cial observed that the entry and exit resent 70% of the imported stuff , have through a designated passage for in- procedures had undergone great tech- other procedures,” he said. spection to avoid any delay,” he said. nical advancements, expediting the Imports of animals and livestock have Similarly, the procedures for the en- process while ensuring the country’s completely diff erent procedures of clear- try and exit of GCC citizens are very safety and security. ance. However, in all such operations, simple and take only a few minutes. It “Though the process has become Murshid Shaheen al-Kuwari: Land Trucks waiting at Qatar’s Abu Samra border post. the LCD makes its best eff ort to provide will also be further developed to ad- simple and speedy, all required meas- Customs Department director speedy and secure clearance process. dress any technical issues that may ures are taken to combat illegal activities goods between the two countries. most sophisticated digital technology. “GAC has highly sophisticated cause potential delay. like smuggling, customs evasion and the with improving the effi ciency and re- There is an e-link between the customs In addition, the operations department equipment that can scan trucks and The Permanent Committee for Abu entry of bad goods, in particular when it ducing any inconvenience for travellers departments of the two sides. has delegated four employees to follow cargoes within a maximum of five Samra border post has plans to acquire comes to food products,” he explained. and businesses. “From time to time, we encounter up such issues and enhance the eff orts minutes, producing very accurate more sophisticated equipment and The decision to conduct the customs Co-ordination is progressing with some minor technical issues due to the of co-ordination between the two sides results. Protecting the country in constantly improve the skills of its staff clearance procedures at Abu Samra Saudi Arabia’s customs authorities diff erences between the systems in use, to expedite the processes,” the offi cial terms of security, health and food is in preparation for Qatar hosting 2022 border post through one entity is in line to ease the movement of persons and but these are often resolved using the stressed. an integral part of Abu Samra land FIFA World Cup. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, August 18, 2016 QATAR

Qatar-Russia ties discussed In brief

Emir sends National Day greetings

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent cables of congratulations to Indonesian President Joko Widodo on his country’s National Day. HH the Emir, HH the Deputy Emir and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh HE the Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah holding talks with Special Representative of Russian President for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Bogdanov in Doha yesterday. Talks covered bilateral relations and ways of promoting them. Separately, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi also met Russian Deputy Foreign al-Thani have also sent cables Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. Bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern were discussed. of congratulations to Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. Ministry recalls Chevrolet Trailblazer models

First three lines of Doha Metro, The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in collaboration with Jaidah automotive, has announced the recall of Chevrolet Trailblazer 2006-2007 models over possible Lusail LRT to open by 2020-end defect in the driver’s window and door module. By Santhosh V. Perumal ing as of the beginning of June tried to incorporate the lessons region and at the same time in- I of the long-distance portion in The MEC said the recall campaign Business Reporter 2016, more than 100km of tun- learned from diff erent major crease trade by linking regional 2016 and expect these tenders to comes within the framework of nels out of the total 111km have projects in Qatar to avoid de- ports via a rail network. be released during the coming its ongoing eff orts to protect been dug. lays from certain risks that may “Trade among the GCC coun- year,” said al-Subaie, who is also consumers and ensure that car he fi rst three lines of “We anticipate fi nishing the arise, al-Subaie said on the pro- tries is currently growing at 5% the chairman of the executive dealers follow up on vehicles’ Phase I of the Doha Metro remainder by the last quarter of gramme delivery side, it is work- per annum, and the added infra- committee of Qatar Rail. defects and repair them. Tand the Lusail LRT (light 2016. 100% of the tunnels for ing according to the original structure will boost this fi gure Asked about Qatar Rail can The MEC will co-ordinate with rail transit) are expected to be up the Lusail LRT have been com- time schedule. further,” al-Subaie said, adding change the public transportation the dealer to follow up on and running by the end of 2020, pleted,” he said. “The contract also includes a it will also remove substantial system, he said the ease of access the maintenance and repair according to Qatar Rail. In 2016 Qatar Rail will be bonus clause for contractors for traffi c from the road network, to stations is another area it is works and communicate with “We are still on schedule to awarding the mechanical engi- the early completion of mile- with each train estimated to car- focused on. customers to ensure that the open the fi rst three lines of phase neering and plumbing contracts, stones; we are the fi rst major ry the same amount of goods as “We are placing walking and necessary repairs are carried out. one of the Doha Metro and the as well as the architectural sub- project in Qatar to incentivise 300-400 trucks. biking facilities, and feeder The MEC has urged all customers Lusail LRT by the end of 2020,” contracts, to complete the fi t- construction in this way,” he The development of the long- buses, in the neighbourhoods to report any violations to its Qatar Rail managing director out for all of the 37 metro sta- said. distance rail system in Qatar is around the stations to enlarge Consumer Protection and Anti- Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki tions for Phase I. The full-scale On the long distance network, part of the overall GCC rail net- the catchment area,” he said, Commercial Fraud Department al-Subaie told Oxford Business mock-up for the metro trains which is expected to align with work development, which Qatar adding the technology for tick- through the following channels: Group in an interview. and LRT trams will arrive in the Gulf Co-operation Council Rail is now co-ordinating, and eting, delivery planning and Hotline: 16001, e-mail: info@mec. The construction of the Doha Doha for the fi rst time in 2016, (GCC) wide coverage; he said this is due to be completed by the journey updates will also be de- gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Metro is currently operating at he said. this is an opportunity to create third quarter of 2019. veloped to the highest possible Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC full capacity with over 32,000 Highlighting that it also stud- a safe and effi cient passenger “At present, we have the abil- service levels for a project of this mobile app for Android and IOS: workers at present, he said, add- ied other similar rail projects and network for Qatar and the wider ity to start construction of Phase scale. Al-Subaie MEC_Qatar Florida varsity students visit HMC QA inducts 60 Qatari students group of 40 healthcare MBA students from Flor- Aida International Univer- sity, US, visited Hamad Medical into internship programme Corporation (HMC) on Sunday as part of their programme’s in- ternational residency. atar Airways has in- to equip them with the tools ance coach to ensure that each ternship students will have Their visit to Qatar was part ducted 60 new national necessary to become success- of them made the most of their learned how to collaborate of a wider regional study tour, Qstudents into its Sum- ful leaders in the fi eld of their internship experience. and work well as team mem- which included stops in Dubai mer Internship Programme choice after graduation. bers, and have developed and Abu Dhabi, to learn more as part of the airline’s Al Darb “Qatar Airways’ Al Darb “Today’s Qatari students skills in planning and man- about the healthcare systems in Qatarisation Programme Qatarisation Programme represent the future of all aging resources successfully, the GCC region. that fosters national talent offers the opportunity for business in our country, and will be able to exhibit During their visit, students Dr Abdullatif al-Khal addressing students from Florida International throughout the country’s avia- young nationals to ‘test including the aviation personal responsibility by were introduced to HMC as a University during their visit to HMC. tion industry. the waters’ of the business industry, and we are keen working on multiple assign- leading academic health system, The students were immersed world in one of the region’s, to equip them with the ments with different dead- with a focus on clinical care, ed- Service and has home and resi- clinical care – and is committed into Qatar Airways’ workplace, if not the world’s, leading tools necessary to become lines. ucation, and research. Students dential care. to building a legacy of healthcare giving them the opportunity companies, where we fos- successful leaders in the Interns who participate also learned about the health- In January 2016, HMC expertise in Qatar. to acquire essential vocational ter a diverse workforce and fi eld of their choice aft er in the Summer Internship care context in Qatar, healthcare achieved the signifi cant dis- HMC collaborates with key skills that will help them to be encourage a culture of in- graduation@ Programme are eligible to data, quality management, pre- tinction of becoming the fi rst partners who are experts in Qa- successful in their future ca- novation throughout. We’re receive course credit from a ventive healthcare, and national healthcare system across the tar and beyond, including Weill reers. offering a world of oppor- This year’s interns re- number of universities. Pres- health policy. globe to have all its hospitals ac- Cornell Medical College-Qatar, The induction ceremony, tunity, so that Qatari youth ceived opportunities within ently, there are nine local and Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, HMC’s credited by Joint Commission the Institute for Healthcare Im- held at the Oryx Rotana in can unlock a wealth of pos- numerous departments at international universities deputy chief medical offi cer and International under the Aca- provement and Partners Health- Doha, celebrated the fourth sibilities and successes in Qatar Airways’ headquarters that will award class credit director of Medical Education, demic Medical Centre accredi- care, Boston. year of the Summer Intern- their future.” in Doha, including Capi- to students who complete a addressed the visiting MBA stu- tation programme. HMC is also the fi rst hospi- ship Programme, which has While on the Summer In- tal Projects, Commercial, Qatar Airways internship: dents. The National Ambulance tal system in the Middle East to seen many students par- ternship Programme, interns Finance, Communications Virginia Commonwealth HMC is the main provider of Service, Home Healthcare Serv- achieve institutional accredi- ticipate since its inception in began their placement with and Marketing, Informa- University, Northwestern secondary and tertiary healthcare ice, Stroke Service and Palliative tation from the Accreditation 2012. four days of training in the fi eld tion Technology, Human University, Qatar University, in Qatar and one of the leading Care, have all received this pres- Council of Graduate Medi- Qatar Airways, senior vice of business communications Resources, Qatar Airways Stenden University, the Uni- hospital providers in the Middle tigious accreditation since 2011. cal Education – International, president Human resources, etiquette and eff ective pres- Holidays, Qatar Duty Free, versity of Colorado (US), Ar- East for more than three decades. HMC is leading the devel- which demonstrates excellence Nabeela Fakhri, said: “Today’s entation skills to prepare them Customer Experience, Engi- izona State University (US), HMC manages eight hospitals opment of the region’s fi rst in the way medical graduates Qatari students represent the to work in a professional envi- neering, and Technical divi- University of Utah (US), Uni- – fi ve specialist hospitals and academic health system – com- are trained through residency, future of all business in our ronment. Following their in- sions, as well as at the Oryx versity of Huddersfield (UK), three community hospitals – as bining innovative research, top- internship and fellowship pro- country, including the avia- duction training, the students Rotana. and Leeds Beckett University well as the National Ambulance class education and excellent grammes. tion industry, and we are keen were paired with a perform- By the end of August, in- (UK).

Dynamic Sport seasonal collection goes on sale New Sony high power audio system Barwa Bank names atar’s leading de- even more tooth with a single touch of a 10th draw winners partment store Fifty powerful, NFC smartphone or tablet. QOne East and global with punchy The phone or tablet’s bat- arwa Bank has an- jeed Abdulrahman MA Alyafei. The new collection of electronics major Sony have and deep tery can be charged from the nounced the winners of The draw’s 10th round was Dynamic Sport is now launched the ‘party perfect’ bass notes XB7 over USB while playing Bthe 10th round of draw conducted under the supervision available at all Sports GTK-XB7 one-box high power that defi ne music. There is also an au- for Thara’a, its Shariah-com- of a representative of the Quali- Corner stores in Qatar. audio system in the country. today’s high dio input for connecting MP3 pliant savings account. tative Licence and Market Con- The Qatari-inspired and The system claims to deliver energy hits.’ players or just about any other The winners, Khalid Mohd trol Department at the Ministry designed brand provides ‘the most remarkable, excit- The high- sound source. S al-Kuwari, Jamal Abdu AH of Economy and Commerce. a wide range of ing and premium experience in lights of Sony GTK-XB7 The GTK-XB7 high power al-Ammari, Faisal Ahmed RA Thara’a off ers account hold- sporting clothes, fulfilling the comfort of your home with the XB7 are audio system will be available Alnaimi, and Noora Rashid ers the chance to benefi t from diff erent family require- Sony’s new audio system that ‘fabulous sound, massive low at Fifty One East store located ES al-Enazi, each won a cash cash rewards up to QR1mn, a ments. Known for its high prides itself to be all about that frequency response from two in Al Maha Centre on Salwa prize of QR10,000. fi rst for Islamic banks in Qa- standards, this season’s bass.’ 16cm woofers, colour chang- Road in addition to all branches Also, a cash prize worth tar. Based on several criteria, collection from Dynamic Sony’s unique ‘Extra Bass’ ing 3-way line lights, strobe of Virgin Megastore as well as QR5,000 was awarded to the Thara’a account holders are el- Sport incorporates new sound uses DSP (digital signal fl ashes and speaker light ef- major retailers in Qatar. following clients: Daleen igible for a number of periodic colours and comes in processing) technology that fects which interact with the More information on the Munther M Alkhatib, Taleb draws for cash prizes. Total- “all sizes for all genders ‘cleverly processes frequencies music.’ Sony GTK-XB7 one-box high Mohamed TA Ahmed, Has- ling QR3mn, Thara’a cash re- and ages”, according to a according to the source while The XB7 can be placed verti- powered audio system can be san Ahmed AM al-Mutawa, wards are distributed on both a statement. maintaining excellent audio cally or on its side. One-touch had from http://www.sony- Khalid Nawaf, Saoud Ali AA monthly and biannual basis to quality.’ listening allows streaming of mea.com/en/electronics/hi- al-Tamimi, Mohamed Gamal customers holding a minimum ‘Music sounds and feels tracks and playlists via Blue- fi -systems/gtk-xb7 Mohamed Zian, and Abdulma- balance of QR10,000. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 3 QATAR/REGION Philippine minister Ajman ruler meets Qatar’s envoy in Saudi Arabia over stranded workers

AFP new their residency permits, workers leave the country. return to work in the kingdom Riyadh meaning they could not leave Arribas said Philippine offi - later, Arribas said. UAE Supreme Council member and Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid al-Nuaimi, the country and could not access cials and the Saudi labour min- The stranded Filipinos worked meeting Qatar’s Consul General to Dubai and Northern Emirates, Abdulaziz bin Mohamed their bank accounts, he said. istry are co-ordinating “to im- in a variety of jobs including en- Hassan al-Hammadi, on the occasion of assuming his duties. The meeting reviewed relations ilipino and Saudi offi cials Some living in company ac- plement the general provisions gineering, technical and offi ce between the two countries and means of strengthening them on all fronts. Crown Prince of are working together to commodation “did not have of the directive from the king.” positions. Ajman Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid al-Nuaimi attended the meeting. Fhelp thousands of strand- food”, Arribas added. Sources in March said that de- ed workers under a directive About 7,000 of the Filipinos “Their salaries have not layed receipts from the govern- from Custodian of the Two Holy worked for Saudi Oger Ltd, while been paid, some of them for ment, whose oil revenues have Mosques King Salman, a diplo- 3,000 were with Saudi Binladin as long as eight months” dropped signifi cantly over the mat said yesterday as the Philip- Group and the rest with other past two years, left employees of pines labour secretary visited. fi rms, Arribas said. Labour Secretary Silvestre the kingdom’s construction gi- Scaling new heights The roughly 11,000 Filipinos King Salman earlier this Bello yesterday thanked King ants struggling while they wait Gunmen kill are among tens of thousands month ordered various measures Salman for his help. for salaries. of workers aff ected by financial to help aff ected foreign workers. Bello, who met his Saudi The Saudi Gazette reported policeman in troubles at the kingdom’s major These include a waiver of counterpart Mufarrej al-Haqba- yesterday that a Pakistani min- construction fi rms. penalties for expired work and ni, handed over a letter of grati- ister had also arrived in the king- Saudi Arabia “Their salaries have not been residency permits, payment for tude from President Rodrigo dom to try to help more than paid, some of them for as long fl ights home, and for food and Duterte, Arribas said. 10,000 of his countrymen who as eight months,” Iric Arribas, accommodation when the em- Before leaving for Saudi Ara- are similarly stranded. Agencies charge d’aff aires at the Philip- ployers were no longer meeting bia Bello told Philippines tel- In early August India’s min- Dubai pine embassy, said. their obligations. evision that Duterte wants the ister of state for external aff airs, “It turned into a humanitarian Lawyers hired by the Saudi workers back as soon as possible. VK Singh, met with Haqbani to crisis.” government will handle claims “The majority of them would discuss the plight of about 2,500 policeman was shot Workers were unable to re- for delayed salaries, even if like to go home” and perhaps Indian workers. dead by masked gun- Amen in the Qatif dis- trict in Saudi Arabia’s East- ern Province yesterday, state news agency SPA said, the latest in a string of attacks there this year. RAF provides treatment for Four assailants opened fi re on a police station before dawn, SPA reported. One policeman was fatally injured in the attack and cancer patients in Yemen died before arrival at hospi- tal, an offi cial said. “The police building and QNA a patrol car were damaged,” Doha said the statement carried by the offi cial Saudi Press Agency. heikh Thani Bin Abdullah Qatif was one of three Foundation for Humani- Saudi cities targeted in co- Starian Services (RAF) has ordinated bomb attacks on carried out a six-month-long July 4. healthcare programme in Yem- A suicide bomber struck en’s various provinces, including near a Shia mosque kill- provision of treatment for 286 ing himself and two others. cancer patients, 38% of whom The Saudi government said Kuwaiti boys practise climbing near a beach in the Fahaheel are enrolled offi cially at the Na- Islamic State was likely be- district some 35km south of Kuwait City. tional Centre for the treatment hind the attacks. of tumours in Yemen. In a statement today, RAF said that the programme, which was implemented in collaboration with a number of partners in Yemen contributed to saving the VLCC’s anti-obesity drive patients’ lives by enabling them to return to their normal lives and earn a living to support their families. becomes an annual event The statement empha- sised that the programme had achieved great success in the LCC has expressed its tions, skin and haircare treat- lifestyle as one of the main rea- provision of treatment for the continued commitment ments, beauty services and sons for surging obesity rates in needy despite the exceptional Vtowards helping reduce personal care. the country. situation experienced by Yemen. the incidence of obesity in Qatar. According to a study pub- Kiram Tbayli, regional tech- Meanwhile, two aircraft car- The company has been lished in medical journal The nical head of slimming opera- rying 50tonnes of medicines Damaged buildings are pictured in the war-torn southwestern city of Taiz, Yemen, yesterday. “widely commended” for its Lancet by an international tions at VLCC, said: “The high and medical supplies arrived anti-obesity awareness cam- consortium of researchers led prevalence of obesity and dia- in Sanaa international airport, ternational Airport announced and other international humani- The meeting, which was held paign, which was launched in by the University of Wash- betes is attributed primarily to the World health Organisation yesterday that the airport re- tarian organisations. in Aden, also dealt with the role India in 2000 and implement- ington’s Institute of Health unhealthy lifestyle practices. (WHO) said yesterday. ceived three planeloads of hu- In a related development, of the International Organi- ed in Qatar in 2006, it has said Metrics and Evaluation, Qatar For this reason, VLCC concen- According to a statement re- manitarian aid provided by the Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister zation for Migration (IOM) in in a statement. ranked fi fth globally in terms trates on raising food aware- leased by the organisation’s of- United Nations, the World Food and Minister of Interior Major counting the number of illegal VLCC’s anti-obesity drive of its prevalence of overweight ness and encourages individu- fi ce in Yemen an aid plane arrived Programme (WFP) and the In- General Hussein Mohamed immigrants and in providing has now evolved into an annual and obese adults. als to exercise more to build a at Sana’a International Airport ternational Committee of the Arab discussed with representa- shelters for them as well as the event, continuously aiming to The study found 55% of Qa- healthy society and reduce the yesterday, while the other plane Red Cross (ICRC). tives of international organisa- co-ordination between the le- raise awareness about obesity tar’s female population to be prevalence of chronic and non- arrived on Tuesday, adding that The Arab Coalition to Support tions working in Yemen, the is- gitimate Yemeni government, and educate the public on de- obese with a body mass index chronic diseases.” they were carrying 50tonnes of Legitimacy in Yemen announced sue of illegal immigration and represented by the local authori- veloping daily healthy habits of of 30 and above. It also found In this regard, VLCC has medicines and emergency medi- on Monday the reopening of the arrival of large number of ties and international organisa- nutrition and physical activity. that 44% of men were obese. pledged to off er advanced cal supplies. Sanaa International Airport for Ethiopians to the Yemeni terri- tions to curb illegal immigrants VLCC specialises in scien- The journal identifi ed long- treatments to help Qatar com- An offi cial source at Sana’a In- aircraft of the United Nations tories through illegal means. process to Yemen. tifi c weight management solu- term exposure to an unhealthy bat obesity. Shenoy Jewellery shop-in-shop opens Pari Gallery recognises best employees

atar luxury retailer Pari Gallery has honoured its Qbest employees at a spe- cial ceremony in Doha. The awarded personnel came from all departments from the retailer’s four showrooms in Qa- tar. “These men and women were recognised for their achieve- ments in sales, customer service and team support,” the company said in a statement. Addressing the awardees, Pari Gallery general manager Salman Abdul said they did not experience any setback despite the current market situation in the region. There is much optimism for the coming months as the brand plans Pari Gallery and Shenoy Jewellery recently unveiled the newest shop-in-shop at Hyatt Plaza. to bring tourists closer to world- Gracing the event was master jeweller Govinda Shenoy and Pari Gallery general manager Salman famous brands by working with The ceremony was held at Pari Gallery, Hyatt Plaza. Abdul Rahim. Sharing their experiences with select VIP guests and high-profile customers, Shenoy airport and hotel managements, it and Abdul Rahim reiterated their commitment to a “lifetime guarantee of providing world-class was observed. the event also celebrated the the company’s aggressive cam- agement of Pari Gallery is very luxury jewellery and topnotch customer service”, according to a press statement. With Pari Gallery He congratulated the em- breaking of sales records set paigns in terms of promotions, thankful to Qatar Tourism Au- in Qatar as the exclusive partner, both brands are poised to off er more collections and “captivate ployees for their contributions last 2015. “So far, Pari Gallery brand awareness and the infl ux thority for its intensifi ed tourism more loyal and prospective connoisseurs”, the statement notes. Pictured are off icials and and extended his support to the has achieved a staggering 35% of customers coming from other programmes that have brought dignitaries at the opening. showroom management teams. increase in sales. This signifi - parts of the GCC region,” the additional quality customers to Meanwhile, the retailer said cant increase is attributed to statement noted. “The man- showrooms.” Gulf Times 4 Thursday, August 18, 2016 ARAB WORLD

Jordan allows in ill child aft er support campaign

Jordan has allowed a sick Syrian child Jordan declared the area a “closed military to enter the country from a border area zone” in June, after a suicide bombing where thousands of refugees are stranded, claimed by the Islamic State group killed the army said yesterday, after an online seven soldiers near a makeshift desert camp campaign. where more than 100,000 Syrians are stuck. A video of the child that was posted online This cut off aid access to the Syrians, who Russia launches Syria last week shows the boy crying with a have been gathering at the border for severely inflamed testicle. months attempting to flee their country’s The video provoked a wave of sympathy on five-year civil war into Jordan. social media, with the launch of the Arabic- In a statement, the army thanked “all those language hashtag Let_the_Rukban_child_in. who helped to relay the image of the sick The child and his family are among tens of child in order to treat him”. strikes from Iran again thousands of Syrians who are stuck around Jordan says it is already hosting nearly the Rukban border crossing in the northeast 1.4mn refugees, of whom 630,000 are regis- of the kingdom. tered with the United Nations. Reuters Moscow

ussia launched a second day of air strikes against Syrian mili- Rtants from an Iranian air base, rejecting US suggestions its co-oper- ation with Tehran might violate a UN resolution as illogical and factually incorrect. State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday called the Iranian deployment “unfortunate,” saying the United States was look- ing into whether the move violated UN Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. Russia bristled at those comments yesterday after announcing that Rus- sian SU-34 fi ghter bombers fl ying from Iran’s Hamadan air base had for a second day struck Islamic State tar- gets in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province, Residents inspect their damaged homes after an air strike on Old Aleppo, Syria. destroying two command posts and killing more than 150 militants. Bashar al-Assad, while the United news conference, after holding talks ments carried by Iranian state news “It’s not our practice to give advice States believes the Syrian leader must with Murray McCully, New Zealand’s agency Irna. to the leadership of the US State De- step down and is supporting rebel foreign minister. He specifi ed that the jets were us- partment,” Major-General Igor Ko- groups that are fi ghting to unseat Iran and Russia are the two ing the Nojeh airbase in Iran’s west- nashenkov said in a statement. him. staunchest backers of the regime ern Hamadan province to refuel. “But it’s hard to refrain from rec- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei of President Bashar al-Assad, with Hamadan is much closer to posi- ommending individual State Depart- Lavrov said yesterday any US dismay Tehran commanding thousands of tions of the Islamic State extremist ment representatives check their own over Moscow’s military co-operation troops fi ghting for him on the ground group than the base Russia had pre- logic and knowledge of basic docu- with Iran should not distract from ef- while Russia provides airpower. viously been using, Khmeimim, in ments covering international law.” forts to realise the US-Russia deal on Both oppose calls for Assad to step coastal northern Syria. Moscow fi rst used Iran as a base from co-ordinating action in Syria and se- down as a way of resolving the con- “The matter should be considered which to launch air strikes in Syria on curing a ceasefi re. fl ict that has killed more than 290,000 a strategic and necessary co-oper- Tuesday, deepening its involvement in Lavrov said there were no grounds people since it erupted in March 2011. ation in the fi ght against terrorism,” the fi ve-year-old Syrian civil war and to suggest Russia’s actions had vio- Meanwhile, a top Iranian lawmaker said former Iranian foreign minister angering the United States. lated the UN confi rmed yesterday that Russian Ali Akbar Velayati, who is currently Russia’s use of the Iranian air base resolution, saying Moscow was not warplanes are using an airbase on its a foreign policy consultant to Iran’s comes amid intense fi ghting for the supplying Iran with military aircraft territory. supreme leader. Syrian city of Aleppo, where rebels for its own internal use, something The operations have been author- The co-operation isn’t in violation are battling Syrian government forces the document prohibits. ised by Iran’s Supreme National Se- of UN resolutions and has been ap- backed by the Russian military, and as “These aircraft are being used by curity Council and are based on a deal proved by Syria, he added. Moscow and Washington are working Russia’s air force with Iran’s agree- between Iran, Russia, Syria and Iraq, Earlier, the speaker of Iran’s parlia- towards a deal on Syria that could see ment as a part of an anti-terrorist the head of parliament’s national se- ment, Ali Larijani, denied that Rus- them co-operate more closely. operation at the request of Syria’s curity committee, sian warplanes were using Iranian Russia backs Syrian President leadership,” Lavrov told a Moscow Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said in com- territory. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 5 ARAB WORLD

Palestinian policemen stand guard outside the headquarters of the Central Elections Commission in the West Bank town of El Bireh yesterday. Palestinians take fi rst step towards local polls

Reuters tions, which were last held 10 years The last legislative election was Gaza/Ramallah ago. held in 2006 and Hamas scored a sur- No new date has been set for either prise victory. legislative or presidential elections, While registration has only just be- alestinian political parties be- despite the mandates having long gun, the rivals are already exchanging gan registering candidates for since expired. accusations. Pmunicipal elections yesterday, The electoral process has repeatedly Hamas says the Fatah-backed Pal- the fi rst step in years towards a demo- been scuppered by tensions between estinian Authority is cracking down cratic vote. Fatah and Hamas, and it remains to be on rivals in the West Bank, arrest- The Palestinian Authority based seen whether the municipal vote will ing some and hindering its campaign in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied in fact go ahead as planned. there, while Fatah says Hamas has West Bank, has called the elections for “If this election succeeds, it will be threatened its members in Gaza. Oct. 8, with an estimated 2mn Pales- the fi rst breakthrough towards rec- “Arrests will only increase the sup- tinians eligible to cast ballots. onciliation,” said Hanna Nasser, the port for Hamas and despite our con- Hamas, which controls Gaza, has chairman of the Palestinian Central demnation, we are determined to go given its backing to the process and Election Committee. “Better to begin ahead with the vote,” Hamas spokes- is ramping up its electoral machine, late rather than never.” man Sami Abu Zuhri said. hoping to mount as strong a challenge The last municipal ballot was held Fatah’s spokesman, Osama al-Qa- as possible to the Fatah led by Presi- in 2012, although voting only took wasmi, said: “Hamas must stop sabo- dent Mahmoud Abbas. place in a fraction of the West Bank’s taging the election. We want these In that respect, the municipal ballot 350 municipalities, and Hamas in elections to be a road towards unity is seen as a proxy for legislative elec- Gaza did not recognise it. and not to prolong division.” Gulf Times 6 Thursday, August 18, 2016 ARAB WORLD

A fighter from the pro-government forces loyal to Libya’s Govern- Sudan faces aid funding shortfall ment of National Unity (GNA) looks at GNA forces’ ve- AFP help up to 4.6mn people, includ- ordinator for Sudan, said at a “If we do compare it to other hicles burning after Khartoum ing tens of thousands of South press conference marking World global emergencies of a compa- a suicide bomber Sudanese refugees who fl ed to Humanitarian Day. rable size, we are relatively poor- of the Islamic State Sudan to escape violence and “There is no doubt that this ly funded,” she said. group detonated he United Nations said food shortages. year we are in a worse situa- Sudan’s healthcare sector has his explosives close yesterday it faces a short- Of the $952mn needed, as of tion with regard to the level of been especially impacted this to a group of sol- Tfall of hundreds of mil- the beginning of August UN aid funding.” The United Nations year by low funding. diers on Tuesday in lions of dollars for Sudan’s 2016 agencies have managed to raise and its aid agencies had raised “The health sector require- an area of central humanitarian needs after it only $242.6mn. $604.3mn in 2015 for Sudan after ment is $60mn, and it is only Sirte, known as launched a global appeal last “We still are very, very low in a global appeal for $1.04bn. 13% funded so far,” Naeema al- District Two. month to raise $950mn. terms of the total funding re- Ruedas said Sudan’s aid fund- Gasseer, World Health Organi- The UN’s 2016 humanitarian quirement,” Marta Ruedas, UN ing was being hit by a number of sation representative in Sudan, response plan for Sudan aims to resident and humanitarian co- confl icts worldwide. said. Wave of suicide attacks in Sirte

AFP oust the militants from the Sirte, Libya city. An IS fi ghter blew up his vehicle close to a group of slamic State group mili- soldiers and journalists, tants in Libya have car- wounding several, said an Iried out nine suicide AFP photographer. bombings in one day in a Five of the bombers at- failed bid to hold a central tacked using cars, one on district of Sirte, pro-gov- a motorbike and three on ernment forces said yester- foot, said the pro-GNA day. forces, which published The attacks on Tuesday several photos of the bomb- in the coastal city left nine ers’ corpses. pro-government fi ghters IS seized Sirte, 450km dead and 82 wounded, said (280 miles) east of Tripoli, in Reda Issa, a spokesman for June 2015 and turned it into forces allied with the unity its North African strong- government. hold, but they now hold just They took place as forces a few pockets of the city. loyal to the Government Pro-GNA forces launched of National Accord (GNA), an off ensive in mid-May to backed by US air strikes, retake the city, which they advanced on Sirte’s cen- entered on June 9, facing tral District Two as part of heavy resistance as they a three-month off ensive to moved towards the centre.

Gaza heritage

A Palestinian bride wearing traditional clothing poses for a photo during a mock wedding as they take part in an event, under the patronage of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations in Gaza, celebrating Palestinian culture in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 7 AMERICA July was Earth’s hottest month in modern times

AFP ministration came just two days the warmest July on record by July also marks the 15th consec- higher than 113F during July. or cooler-than-normal tem- ture departures have all occurred Miami after the US space agency Nasa re- 0.11 degrees.” utive month of breaking monthly “The highest maximum tem- peratures last month included in the past 13 months. leased its climate data, which also Scientists say the heating trend temperature records, “the long- perature during July 2016 was re- the northwestern United States, Heat records were broken even found July was a record-breaking is being driven by fossil-fuel est such streak in the 137-year corded in Mitribah, Kuwait when eastern Canada, southern South though El Nino has ended, and oaring temperatures month. burning, and is made worse by record,” NOAA said. temperatures soared to 126.5F on America, southwestern Australia, neither the warming trend of El worldwide made July the “July is typically the hottest the ocean warming phenomenon The report found above-av- July 22,” it said. north central Russia, Kazakhstan, Nino or the cooler La Nina pre- SEarth’s hottest month in month for the globe, and last known as El Nino, which came to erage warmth across most of the In Bahrain, the average temper- and India. vailed across the tropical Pacifi c modern times, setting a new month didn’t disappoint,” said a an end last month. Earth, with new records observed ature of 96.8F for the month was Ocean temperatures were also Ocean during July 2016. high mark for global heat in 137 summary of the monthly report July’s global average of temper- in parts of Indonesia, southern the nation’s highest July tempera- at a record high, amid concerns La Nina is “slightly favored to years of record-keeping, US by NOAA. atures taken over land and ocean Asia, and New Zealand. ture since national records began that warming waters are con- develop during August-October government scientists said yes- “July 2016 was 1.57 degrees surfaces was the “highest for any Scorching temperatures were in 1902. tributing to the spread of coral 2016, with about 55-60% chance terday. Fahrenheit (0.87 degree Celsius) month in the NOAA global tem- seen in part of the Gulf region, New Zealand, Spain and Hong bleaching worldwide. of La Nina during the north- The report from the National above the 20th-century average, perature dataset record, which with several locations across Ku- Kong were also unusually warm. NOAA said the 13 highest ern hemisphere fall and winter Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- breaking last year’s record for dates back to 1880.” wait experiencing temperatures Places that saw near-average monthly global ocean tempera- 2016/17,” NOAA said. Trump shakes up campaign team again as Clinton surges

AFP nounced the shake-up and ac- The Republican nominee has New York cused Bannon of presiding over a been badly damaged since deni- website that “peddles divisive, at grating the parents of a Muslim Flames flare up next to electric poles from the Blue Cut wildfire near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, California, on Tuesday. times racist, anti-Muslim, anti- American soldier killed in Iraq, onald Trump yesterday Semitic conspiracy theories.” and was accused last week of in- restructured his campaign “We absolutely expect with citing violence against Clinton in Dteam for the second time this change for Donald Trump a remark about the right to bear in two months, fending off sug- and the campaign as a whole to arms. gestions that his presidential run double down on more hateful, di- A string of prominent Repub- California wildfi re poses is in crisis as polls show Hillary visive rhetoric, more conspiracy licans have announced they will Clinton cruising towards victory. theories, more wild accusations,” not be voting for Trump as US The Republican White House said campaign manager Robby newspapers report of a campaign nominee, who is tanking in swing Mook. in crisis and staff ers unnerved by states to his Democratic rival, “He has offi cially won the fight a candidate apparently incapable of reeling in crass remarks. threat to 82,000 people hired a news executive from a vir- to let Trump be Trump,” he told ulently anti-Clinton website as reporters. “He keeps telling us While his media-saturated, his campaign CEO and promoted who he is, it’s time that we be- populist, outsider campaign AFP 10:30am (1730 GMT) on Tues- was staying with friends in California is in its fi fth year a leading Republican strategist to lieve him.” The shake-up comes fended off 16 rivals to win the Los Angeles day and has already burned Pinon Hills. of a record drought and parts of campaign manager. with chairman Paul Manafort Republican nomination, Trump through 30,000 acres (more “It’s the fourth time in 30 the state are sizzling in a heat- That CEO is Stephen Bannon, under fi re in the press after being has refuted suggestions that he than 12,000 hectares), accord- years but it’s the fastest grow- wave with temperatures top- executive chairman of the popu- named in a Ukrainian corruption should change tack to win the fi re raging east of Los ing to the multi-agency Inciweb ing fi re I have ever seen,” she ping 104F (40C). lar conservative website Breitbart scandal. November election from the cen- Angeles spread rap- information site. said, trembling. Strong seasonal gusts known News, and the new manager is Clinton is leading Trump, tre. Aidly yesterday, posing More than 34,500 homes Among the equipment al- as the Santa Ana winds com- leading Republican pollster Kel- 47.3% to 41.2%, according to the “Everybody talks about, ‘Oh a threat to more than 82,000 were threatened and 82,640 ready deployed were 152 fi re en- plete the perfect conditions for lyanne Conway. Real Clear Politics polling aver- well, you’re gonna pivot’. I don’t people and prompting the gov- people were under evacuation gines, eight air tankers plus two wildfi res. “I am committed to doing age. wanna pivot,” he told Wisconsin ernor of California to declare a warnings. Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), Another major blaze has been whatever it takes to win this The Republican languishes news station WKBT-TV. “I mean state of emergency. “There is imminent threat and eight helicopters, including burning 160km north of San election, and ultimately become behind her in virtually every key you have to be you. More than 1,300 fi refi ghters to public safety, rail traffi c and night fl ying helicopters. Francisco since Saturday. president,” the New York billion- battleground state, raising the If you start pivoting, you’re not were battling the giant blaze structures in the Cajon Pass, The inferno has claimed one The Clayton fi re has burned aire announced. prospect of a Clinton landslide being honest with people.” and more were on the way, but Lytle Creek, Wrightwood, Oak high-profi le victim so far: the about 4,000 acres. Nearly 2,400 The Clinton campaign de- win. It is the second personnel as of early yesterday they had Hills and surrounding areas,” Summit Inn, an old-fashioned fi re personnel are fi ghting the shake-up at the top since June been unable to contain the in- Inciweb said. diner on the world-famous blaze, which is 40% contained, 20 when Trump dropped his fi rst ferno. “Please follow the evacuation Route 66 that counted celebri- according to Cal Fire. manager, Corey Lewandowski, Dramatic local TV news foot- instructions, as this is a very ties like Elvis Presley and Clint More than 175 buildings have who was sidelined by Manafort age captured from the front line quickly growing wildfi re.” Eastwood among its clientele. been destroyed as the blaze and courted controversy after al- of the blaze showed “fi rena- At a gas station in the outpost There was little left than the moves aggressively to the north. legedly grabbing a Breitbart re- does” – tornado-like fl aming of Pinon Hills, 16km northwest sign, hanging above the smoul- In central California’s wine porter. vortexes – sent spinning into of the fi re, Jeannine Yglesia was dering ashes. region, the Chimney fi re burned Bannon, a former naval offi cer the air by the unusual fero- buying ice with her 24-year-old Two fi refi ghters were slightly 7,300 acres near the city of San and investment banker, is seen as ciousness of the inferno. son. injured after being surrounded Luis Obispo. a maverick. “We have very, very dry “I have 17 to 18 people stay- by fl ames. It has destroyed 40 buildings An October 2015 profi le by brush, thick fuel, it helps move ing at my house now, friends They were treated at a hospi- since starting on Saturday, and Bloomberg Politics described him it along very quickly,” Lynne and their families that have had tal and released, and were back 25% of it was under control. as “the most dangerous political Tolmachoff , spokeswoman for to evacuate from Wrightwood,” on the line fi ghting the blaze, And in the scenic coastal area operative in America.” state fi refi ghting agency Cal she said. Inciweb said. of Big Sur, the Soberanes fi re He is “a bit of a street fi ghter, Fire, said. “It is very danger- “They cannot go back and Several area roads were had scorched more than 76,000 willing to go right at his oppo- ous to the public and also to the don’t know about their house,” closed, as was the Mountain acres and was 60% contained. nents, and make sure that they fi refi ghters.” she said, before being inter- High ski resort in Wrightwood, More than 3,000 fi refi ghters know that in politics, all is fair,” Governor Jerry Brown de- rupted by her cellphone. which hosts hiking and other were battling the huge blaze. Lewandowski told CNN. clared a state of emergency for “I have to go! My daughter outdoor activities in warmer Twenty-two major fi res are Bannon’s arrival will be seen, San Bernardino County, just is telling me we may have to months. currently raging across the at least by some, as a demotion of 100km east of Los Angeles, evacuate as well,” she said ur- Tolmachoff said it was rare to western United States. Manafort, the seasoned Repub- where the so-called Bluecut gently. have so many people evacuated. Among those, there were six lican adviser returning to presi- Fire was quickly growing, al- Gail Nieto, a 65-year-old Some are holding out. in California, four in Wyoming dential politics for the fi rst time though the cause remained un- woman buying groceries, was “We do have people who and three each in Colorado and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally on in 20 years after working as a lob- clear. forced to fl ee Wrightwood on chose not to evacuate. They Montana, according to the Na- Tuesday in West Bend, Wisconsin. byist for controversial clients. The blaze began around Tuesday night to evacuate and cause trouble,” she said. tional Interagency Fire Center.

Louisiana residents Prison-made combat helmets Muslim family sues begin cleanup as ‘put US soldiers’ lives at risk’ school over forced

fl ood waters recede AFP However, investigators did not much of the helmet manufacture ‘terrorist’ confession Washington uncover any evidence that sol- to Unicor, a wholly-owned gov- diers or marines had died as a ernment corporation operated AFP mate the impacts that it would result of defects in the helmets, within the US Bureau of Prisons to Reuters due to his disabilities, eventu- Walker, United States have,” Louisiana Governor John efective combat helmets which failed ballistics tests and employ federal inmates. New York ally responded that he would Bel Edwards said on Tuesday. produced for the US mili- were made with substandard ma- According to the report, Unicor blow up the fence outside the The National Weather Serv- Dtary using prison labour terials. directed inmates to falsify manu- school, the complaint said. lood waters receded in ice forecast waterways would in Texas put soldiers’ lives at risk, All but 3,000 of the helmets facturing records to indicate hel- 12-year-old Muslim stu- Following the incident, southern Louisiana yes- fall back below fl ood stage as according to a report released yes- were recalled or quarantined by mets had passed inspection. dent with learning dis- school offi cials yelled at Fterday, after a days-long late as tomorrow, depending on terday by a Justice Department military offi cials. In at least one instance, a De- Aabilities was forced by Nashwan and instructed him to deluge that inundated vast ar- the area. In areas that have dried watchdog agency. ArmorSource, an Ohio defence fence Department inspector cer- New York school offi cials to sign admit he was a member of Is- eas, claimed 11 lives, and im- out, many residents began the Poorly supervised inmates also contractor tasked with making the tifi ed entire lots of helmets over a a false confession stating he was lamic State before forcing him pacted some 40,000 homes. recovery process. used dangerous, improvised tools, bulk of the helmets, agreed with fax machine. a “terrorist,” his family claimed to sign a false confession and Residents were cleaning up They were gutting their including makeshift hatchets, the Justice Department in March An unannounced visit by in- in a $50mn federal lawsuit. searching his belongings, the in many neighbourhoods, and homes in a race against mould. which could easily have become to pay $3mn for producing the de- spectors in 2010 at a federal prison Nashwan Uppal, a seventh lawsuit said. trying to assess the scope of the In Walker, a town of 6,000 prison weapons, according to the fective equipment under the False in Beaumont, Texas found inmate grader at a middle school in Police offi cers were also devastation left by heavy, unre- people east of Baton Rouge, Justice Department’s Inspector Claims Act. employees using dangerous im- East Islip, New York, was har- called and searched Nashwan’s lenting rains that overwhelmed heaps of belongings were out- General. Paul Garcia, chief contracting provised tools, “degrading prison assed by bullies who called home, according to the lawsuit. rivers and sent them fl ooding side waterlogged homes strewn Nearly 150,000 of the helmets offi cer at ArmorSource, said that security,” the report said. him a terrorist and demanded Uppal, 12, is a US citizen of over their banks. on front lawns. were made between 2006 and his company had no comment. Representatives of Unicor, to know what he planned to Pakistani background. “When you have a storm that Everything from scrapbooks, 2009, a period during which the ArmorSource continues to sup- known formally as Federal Prison “blow up next,” according to A spokesman for the East is unnamed, wasn’t a tropical television sets, furniture to dry White House ordered “surges” in ply equipment to the Defence De- Industries, and the Bureau of Pris- the lawsuit. Islip Union Free School Dis- storm, wasn’t a hurricane, a lot wall, carpeting and insulation combat troop levels in Iraq and partment. ons did not immediately respond Uppal, who did not under- trict on Long Island declined to of the times people underesti- was being thrown out. Afghanistan. ArmorSource subcontracted to requests for comment. stand what they were saying comment on pending litigation. Gulf Times 8 Thursday, August 18, 2016 AFRICA

order to eke out limited global supplies. The lower dose protects for 12 months but does not give lifelong immunity. One dead in protests “People are coming in large numbers to get vaccinated. There is a lot of enthusiasm,” said Eu- gene Kabambi, a WHO spokes- man in Congo. after DRC massacre He acknowledged the challeng- es of such a vast vaccination drive, including keeping vaccinations The government of DRC has struction and Democracy (PPRD), a police offi cer while a witness who cold in areas without electricity. been ineff ectual in stopping according to an AFP correspondent would not be named said he had “We are in an urban milieu insurgent groups on the scene. been shot at point blank range by a where more than 7mn people The protests caused further ten- policeman. await their vaccine,” he said. AFP sion in the Democratic Republic of At least six demonstrators were At a school in the Kinshasa Beni, DR Congo Congo, where the United States has arrested in a violent manner, district of Lingwala, a few doz- warned of more violence should thrown into a military jeep to be en people, mostly children, had Kabila hold on to power after his taken to an unknown destination, waited for over three hours before young man was shot dead mandate expires in December. an AFP reporter on the scene said. A Congolese child receives vaccination against yellow fever at the Kalembe-Lembe pediatric hospital, their vaccinations arrived. yesterday when security Security forces stepped in after The deadly protests came a day in Lingwala district of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa. At other locations in the city, Aforces opened fi re at a crowd hundreds gathered in the town’s after DR Congo prime minister things ran more smoothly. protesting the government’s al- main street on the last day of a Augustin Matata was booed by have been blamed by the gov- criminal networks funded by kid- Angola, part of a World Health Close to 100 people lined up at leged failure to protect civilians af- three-day mourning period called hundreds of demonstrators out- ernment and the UN mission in nappings, smuggling and logging. Organization-led (WHO)cam- a vaccination site outside a church ter a gruesome massacre in eastern by civil society groups over the side Beni’s town hall, where he gave the country on the rebel Allied Thousands of people in Demo- paign against an epidemic that in the Gombe district. DR Congo. gruesome murder of dozens of a short speech after a three-hour Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly cratic Republic of Congo’s capital has mostly aff ected Angola. Tables were set up with cold Police and troops fi red tear gas people on Saturday night. whistle-stop visit. Islamist armed group of Ugandan Kinshasa queued up yesterday for Health offi cials expect to vac- boxes for the vaccine and yellow and warning shots to break up an One person “was killed by a bul- Matata visited the massacre site origin. emergency yellow fever vaccina- cinate 14mn people over the next medical boxes for waste disposal. angry protest in the town of Beni let to the back”, hospital doctor along with senior army and police The group has been present in tions aimed at limiting one of the 10 days, including 8.5mn in Kin- Joel Lina, 32, came for a vacci- where 51 civilians were hacked to Jeremie Muhindo told AFP, adding offi cials. Democratic Republic of Congo worst outbreaks in decades that shasa, where there are fears of a nation at the Gombe church after death last weekend in the latest in a that fi ve people had been injured “What did he come for? We don’t for more than two decades and has killed hundreds in the region far wider spread. hearing about the impact of yel- string of attacks blamed on rebels. in the clashes, including three by need humanitarian aid, but peace,” is accused of a litany of human this year. That adds to the 13mn in An- low fever in Angola. An effi gy of president Joseph Ka- gunfi re. said Germain Katembo, a survivor rights abuses. Makeshift clinics in churches gola and 3mn in Congo already “It’s a very evil disease,” he said bila was burned on the town’s main The head of Beni’s civil society of the weekend massacre who lost The ADF, opposed to Uganda’s and schools opened across the vaccinated this year. after his injection.”That hurt for market, as were fl ags of Kabila’s movement Gilbert Kambale con- three members of his family. president Yoweri Museveni, is densely populated city of over 10 Those queuing will receive a a little while, but now it’s getting ruling People’s Party for Recon- fi rmed the young man was killed by The killings in and around Beni thought to be deeply embroiled in mn and in other areas bordering one-fi fth dose of the vaccine in better.”

South African economic hubs set for opposition rule

Reuters Johannesburg

outh Africa’s two main opposition parties have put aside huge ideological diff erences to unseat the rul- Sing ANC in major cities it has controlled for 22 years, they said yesterday. The African National Congress lost its majority in the local governments that rule Pretoria, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth this month, its worst electoral perform- ance since coming to power after apartheid, leaving the other parties free to discuss coalitions. In the end, the gulf separating the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party with a largely white voter base, and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was too great to form formal coalitions, but they made a pact which will allow the DA to rule the country’s economic hubs. Mmusi Maimane, a black politician whose leadership of the DA since last year has helped reform its image as a party for wealthy whites, welcomed the EEF’s agreement to vote for it in the municipalities concerned. “It is quite clear that we would never agree on ideo- logical issues,” Maimane said.”I welcome their off er to say that they will vote for us.” EFF leader Julius Malema, a former ANC youth leader who split from his former mentor president Jacob Zuma in acrimonious circumstances to form the breakaway party in 2013, said although he saw the DA as “white racists” it was worth making a pact with them to defeat the ANC. “We are caught between two devils. The DA is a better devil than the ANC. We are not in bed with them,” he told reporters in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg. “We will vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power.” The EFF and DA, which both said they would not work with the ANC because their supporters had voted for change, are far apart in terms of policy, approach and ex- perience. The DA is pro-business while the EFF wants to redis- tribute land from whites to blacks without compensation. Malema said his party would work with the ANC only if it removed Zuma, made education free for all and nation- alised banks and mines. ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said his party could not accept those conditions. “You don’t take those decisions on your feet, or under pressure from the opposition, you don’t do that,” he told Talk Radio 702. With EFF votes, the DA is now likely to form a minor- ity administration in Tshwane, which includes the capital Pretoria, Malema said, adding that his party’s support in Johannesburg hangs in the balance over an outstanding issue with the DA. Malema said the EFF would assist the DA in the sym- bolically important Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing hub Port Elizabeth, although the DA said it would rule there without EFF help after forming a coalition with smaller parties. But even with the coalition it had formed and the EFF’s support, the DA is unlikely to form a government in the industrial region of Ekurhuleni that lies next to Johannes- burg and hosts the country’s main airport, Maimane said. Some analysts said the minority governments may de- scend into wrangling, slowing decision-making or trig- gering new elections at a time when the country teeters on the verge of recession. Other analysts felt that close scrutiny on budgets by ri- val parties may help fi ght corruption. “The fact that there are coalitions in the fi rst place, that no party has a majority, is good for governance because now they are all keeping tabs on each other,” said head of research at NKC African Economics, Francois Conradie. “The spending is going to happen in a cleaner and bet- ter way.”

Julius Malema during a media briefing in Alexander township near Sandton, South Africa. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 9 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA North Korea Top London-based envoy defects to South

AFP Apart from the obvious and Seoul extremely damaging PR vic- resumes tory his defection hands to South Korea, Thae is likely outh Korea said yesterday to prove a crucial source of that North Korea’s deputy up-to-date intelligence on Sambassador to Britain had the state of the North Korean defected to Seoul, in a rare and leadership and its policy pri- damaging loss of diplomatic orities. plutonium face for Pyongyang. All North Korean defectors The Unifi cation Minis- who make it to Seoul undergo try said Thae Yong-Ho — the an intense, months-long de- number-two at the North’s briefing at the hands of South mission in London — had de- Korean intelligence — largely fected together with his family in an effort to root out any po- and they were now in the South tential spies. production Korean capital. In Thae’s case, the inter- “They are under govern- rogation will be a lengthy one North Korea’s Atomic ment protection and are going and he and his family will Energy Institute, which has Pyongyang calls South’s leader ‘psychopath’ through necessary procedures likely remain in sort of protec- jurisdiction over its main with related institutions,” min- tive custody for some time to Yongbyon nuclear facilities, North Korea yesterday labelled “This is just a lame excuse and istry spokesman Jeong Joon- Thae Yong-ho: under government protection guarantee their safety. also told Kyodo it had been South Korean President Park she should know that no one Hee told reporters. Over the years, nearly 30,000 producing highly enriched Geun-Hye a “psychopath” after will be taken in by such sophism Jeong declined to reveal Kim Jong-Un’s leadership. North Korean defectors have North Koreans have fl ed pover- uranium necessary for she made a speech slamming of a puppet that can do nothing Thae’s defection route, citing “Awareness that the North been making headlines re- ty and repression in their coun- nuclear arms and Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions without an approval of her US the diplomatic sensitivities in- Korean regime has reached cently, largely due to an unu- try and settled in the South. power “as scheduled” and defending the deployment of master,” the spokesman said.“This volved for the concerned coun- its limit is spreading and the sual group defection in April But the number of defectors a US anti-missile system. is no more than nonsense talked tries. solidarity of its ruling class is by a dozen waitresses and their — who once numbered more Reuters In her televised address on by a psychopath,” he added in a “On his reasons for defec- weakening,” Jeong said. manager who were working at a than 2,000 a year — has nearly Tokyo Monday, Park had stressed that statement carried by the North’s tion, Minister Thae cited dis- It was a pointed comment North Korean-run restaurant in halved since Kim Jong-Un took deploying the Terminal High off icial KCNA news agency. gust with (North Korean leader) that was clearly calculated to China. power after the death of his Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) North Korea has threatened to Kim Jong-Un’s regime, admi- resonate — even if Thae’s de- A North Korean army colonel father and former leader Kim orth Korea says it has system was an act of “self-de- take “physical action” against the ration for South Korea’s free, fection falls far short of signal- who had handled spying opera- Jong-Il in December 2011. resumed plutonium pro- fence” in response to the North’s THAAD deployment, saying any democratic system and the fu- ling any imminent collapse of tions on South Korea was an- Those who still managed to Nduction by reprocessing expanding nuclear weapons South Korean ports and airfields ture of his family,” Jeong said. the regime in Pyongyang. nounced to have defected last fl ee in recent years often had spent fuel rods and has no plans programme. A spokesman for hosting US military hardware Increasingly isolated inter- Since Kim succeeded his late year. And, in July, an 18-year- families already settled in the to stop nuclear tests as long as the North’s Committee for the would become a target. Beijing is nationally because of its nucle- father Kim Jong-Il as supreme old student, who was in Hong South, or were relatively well- perceived US threats remain, Peaceful Reunification of the also opposed to the move, seeing ar weapons programme, North leader in 2011, he has carried Kong for an international off and well-connected mem- Japan’s Kyodo news agency re- Country said Park’s argument was it as a US bid to flex its military Korea maintains relatively few out a series of high-level purges maths contest, reportedly bers of the elite in search of ported yesterday. “preposterous” and unfounded. muscle in the region. overseas embassies, and defec- aimed at consolidating power sought asylum in the South better lives. North Korea’s Atomic Energy tions by diplomats of Thae’s and surrounding himself with Korean consulate in the city. The highest-ranking defec- Institute, which has jurisdiction stature are extremely rare. loyalists. Thae was believed to have tor to come to the South was over its main Yongbyon nuclear reopened the Yongbyon plant to had already succeeded in mak- The last such case was that of But analysts say continued worked at the embassy in Hwang Jang-Yop, the North’s facilities, also told Kyodo it had produce plutonium from spent ing “lighter and diversifying” the North Korean ambassador support is contingent on keep- London for 10 years, with chief ideologue and former tu- been producing highly enriched fuel of a reactor central to its nuclear weapons, and that it to Egypt who defected to the ing the Pyongyang elite in the one of his main tasks being tor to Kim Jong-Il. uranium necessary for nuclear atomic weapons drive. had no intention of halting nu- United States in 1997. privileged lifestyle to which to counter the image of North He made a high-profi le de- arms and power “as scheduled”. North Korea vowed in 2013 clear tests. Jeong said Thae’s defec- they are accustomed — a task Korea as a nuclear pariah state fection via the South Korean “We have reprocessed spent to restart all nuclear facilities, “Under conditions that tion refl ected the loss of faith made far tougher by tightened and notorious human rights embassy in Beijing in 1997 and nuclear fuel rods removed from including the main reactor at the United States constant- among North Korea’s elite in UN sanctions. abuser. died in Seoul in 2010. a graphite-moderated reactor,” its Yongbyon site that had been ly threatens us with nuclear the institute told Kyodo in a shut down. weapons, we will not discon- written interview. North Korea had said in Sep- tinue nuclear tests,” the insti- CONSERVATION The institute did not mention tember that Yongbyon was op- tute was quoted by Kyodo as Australian zoo celebrates birth of one of world’s rarest monkeys the amount of plutonium or en- erating and that it was working saying. riched uranium it had produced, to improve the “quality and North Korea will also build a Peeping out from her mother’s arms, Embe, for “baby” in honour of her southeast Asian Vietnam and China, as “endangered”. Kyodo said. quantity” of its nuclear weap- 100,000-kilowatt light-water a Francois’ Langur, makes her debut at heritage, was born with bright orange hair, a “With only around 2,000 individuals left in The UN nuclear watchdog, ons. North Korea conducted its nuclear reactor for experi- Sydney’s Taronga Zoo where she was born colour distinction believed to make it easier the wild these animals are in trouble,” the zoo the International Atomic En- fourth nuclear test in January. mental use, the institute was on July 21, in what conservationists hailed as for the black-haired adults to take care of their said, citing poaching as a threat. “The birth of ergy Agency (IAEA), said in June According to Kyodo, the quoted as saying, but it did not great news for one of the world’s rarest spe- infants. The International Union for Conser- this female at Taronga is great news for the North Korea appeared to have North Korean institute said it provide further details. cies of monkey. Embe, the Vietnamese word vation of Nature lists the species, found in species.”

MARITIME Japan protests more Chinese ship ‘intrusions’ Canberra, PNG agree to Japan lodged a fresh diplomatic protest with China yesterday, accusing the country of again sending its coast guard ships into close immigration camp waters surrounding contested islands in the East China Sea. The two countries are locked in a AFP Minister Peter O’Neill said in a published graphic images of two long-running dispute over the un- Sydney statement following talks with Aus- bloodied Afghan men who had al- inhabited islets and tensions over tralian Immigration Minister Peter legedly been attacked with an iron them have been a frequent irritant Dutton in Port Moresby. bar by locals on Manus. between the countries. ustralia agreed yesterday to The government is also facing Tokyo has lodged at least 32 pro- close a camp for asylum- “Today we can announce...the criticism about the plight of some tests through diplomatic channels Aseekers on Papua New Guin- closure of the Manus Island 442 asylum-seekers on Nauru, af- since August 5 over what it says ea, one of two controversial Pacifi c detention centre and that’s a ter thousands of leaked incident re- have been 29 intrusions. island centres attracting growing very good outcome” ports last week detailed allegations Those sparked Kenji Kanasugi, for- criticism, but said none of the hun- of widespread abuse and self-harm, eign ministry chief of Asia-Pacific dreds of men there now would be re- “It is important that this proc- including children wanting to kill aff airs, to phone Guo Yan, minister settled on its soil. ess is not rushed but carried out in a themselves. at the Chinese embassy in Japan, Canberra’s policy of sending asy- careful manner.” “Today we can announce...the the Japanese ministry said in a lum-seekers who arrive by boat to Canberra has been under pres- closure of the Manus Island deten- statement. outposts on Papua New Guinea and sure to shut the Australian-funded tion centre and that’s a very good the tiny Pacifi c state of Nauru was Manus facility, which as at June 30 outcome,” Dutton told Sky News, thrown into turmoil in April when a held 854 men, following a PNG Su- without specifying a time frame. COMMEMORATION PNG court ordered the Manus Island preme Court ruling declaring that Closing the camp shows the gov- Indonesia sinks centre closed. holding people there was unconsti- ernment’s policy of refusing to re- “Both Papua New Guinea and tutional and illegal. settle asylum-seekers in Australia foreign boats to Australia are in agreement that the The centre was in the spotlight was working, he said, adding that mark I-Day centre is to be closed,” PNG Prime this week after Australian media the policy would not change. Indonesia sank dozens of im- pounded foreign boats to mark Independence Day, an off icial said yesterday, as President Joko Widodo steps up a campaign to Mutiny cited in Malaysian tanker incident stop foreign fishermen from “steal- ing” in its waters. Since elected, President Joko Widodo has Reuters leaving the Tanjung Pelepas port on the eastern coast of intensified a campaign to exercise Kuala Lumpur Peninsular Malaysia on Tuesday before it was relocated Indonesia’s maritime sovereignty in the waters off Batam, Indonesia. Malaysian and Indo- and has sunk and blown up scores nesian authorities had been conducting search opera- of foreign vessels. “Today we off er n oil tanker which was fi rst reported to have been tions in the area to locate the vessel. 60 boats” to be scuttled in eight hijacked and sailed into Indonesian waters, was First Admiral Mohd Taha Ibrahim of the Malaysian locations, fisheries ministry off icial, Alikely taken over by its own crew due to a dispute Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said early in- Mas Achmad Santosa, said. with their employer, Malaysian authorities said yester- vestigations suggested the ship’s disappearance was not “This is a gift (for Indonesia) and day. caused by theft or robbery.“Was closely related to inter- goes to show our consistency in Vier Harmoni, carrying 900,000 litres of diesel worth nal disagreements between its owner, leaser and crew,” enforcing the law,” Santosa added. around 1.6mn ringgit ($390,000), went missing after MMEA said in a statement. Gulf Times 10 Thursday, August 18, 2016 BRITAIN

Airlander takes off Convicted preacher ‘was able to avoid arrest for years’

While authorities struggled as to why Choudary was able to viting support for a proscribed It contains numerous new to prosecute him, Choudary teeter along the boundaries of organisation. powers, including the ability to The Airlander 10 hybrid airship makes its maiden flight at Cardington Airfield in Britain yesterday. radicalised hundreds of youth legal acceptability for so long. There’s also the off ence of ban “extremist” organisations, Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s giving direct or indirect encour- gag individuals and empower Guardian Today programme, David An- agement of terrorism or dis- local councils to close premises London derson QC, the independent seminating terrorist material. used to “promote hatred”. reviewer of terrorism legisla- “These are useful off ences, “It may be we need to be tion, said the criminal law for they’re being increasingly used, more clever than we already he terrorism watchdog tackling the likes of Choudary but one would have to admit are in assembling evidence Cypriot held over Briton’s murder has hinted that laws de- might need to be refi ned. that until now the law has bare- that can be used in a criminal Tsigned to tackle extrem- “I think this is a problem ly touched Anjem Choudary. court,” Anderson said. “The ists will need to be reviewed to we’ve been wrestling with for In the meantime a lot of peo- way forward is refi ning the ap- AFP tody for eight days is said to be the girlfriend of the ensure fi gures like the convict- 15 or 20 years, how to deal with ple have been radicalised and, plication of the criminal law.” Nicosia 22-year-old and is accused of being an accessory to ed preacher Anjem Choudary someone who doesn’t actually yes, we do need to look at what Choudary and his groups are the crime. The Greek Cypriot woman is suspected can be dealt with more swiftly. themselves commit, prepare or might be done if there are im- believed to have motivated at of taking a change of clothes to her partner and Offi cials say that Choudary instigate acts of terrorism but pediments, technical reasons least 100 people from Britain 48-year-old Cypriot woman was remanded then going to Ayia Napa again to pick up his hidden had avoided arrest for years who helps create a climate in why it’s not as easy to get con- to pursue militancy, includ- into police custody yesterday in connection mobile phone, police said.Police have issued arrest “despite his apparent sympa- which extremist views are ac- victions under these laws as it ing organisations committed to Awith the killing of a British man in the sea- warrants for the two murder suspects and another thy for extremism”, but was ceptable. should be.” campaigns of murder against side resort of Ayia Napa, authorities said. George compatriot who is said to have helped them escape fi nally convicted in July of sup- “The criminal law has al- Anderson said it was “very the West. Low, 22, was stabbed to death early on Sunday in the to the Turkish-held north of the island. porting Islamic State (IS). ready moved in the terrorism diffi cult to craft a law that can He is also linked to foiled party resort in the southeast of the Mediterranean During the remand hearing yesterday a police in- The 49-year-old and his fi eld much further than in oth- clearly distinguish people who plots to kill in the UK over a holiday island. vestigator told a district court in Larnaca that the acolyte Mohamed Rahman, 33, er areas. are dangerous from people decade ago, youngsters who Two men wielding knives attacked Low, from Turkish Cypriots took exception to the Britons uri- now face up to 10 years in jail We have already these pre- who are simply revolting”. The have fl ed to join IS in Syria, Kent, England, and another British man near a nating in a public place and a row ensued. for inviting support for a pro- cursor off ences. government unveiled its new leaving their families dis- nightclub in Ayia Napa, police said. Police be- Low sustained a fatal neck wound while his friend scribed organisation, but Brit- There was the one he was counter-extremism bill in the traught, and the alleged fuel- lieve the attackers were two Turkish Cypriot men suff ered four stab wounds to the back but is expect- ish authorities face questions convicted for the other day: in- Queen’s speech in May. ling of violence across Europe. — aged 22 and 42. The woman remanded in cus- ed to recover. UK faces challenge on strategy to stop radicals

Reuters has been expanding slowly,” said Butt, Choudary was convicted last month reins, said in a speech in February. mond admitted in May the issue was “a versities exposes vulnerable people to London 30, who is taking the British govern- although this could not be reported un- “So while by no means all extremism minefi eld”: “The line between accept- their messages. ment to court over its counter-extrem- til Tuesday to avoid prejudicing the jury leads to violence, it creates an environ- able and non-acceptable behaviour is They point out that graduates or stu- ism strategy. in a separate case. ment in which those who seek to divide fi ne and fraught with dangers,” he said. dents at British universities have been o his detractors, including the “Before it was just somebody com- It ended a streak of many years dur- us can fl ourish.” Last September, Butt, 30, who runs involved in numerous militant plots British government, Salman Butt mitting crimes or calling for violence ing which he served as the leader of May, in her former guise as interior a discussion website Islam21c, was one including Emwazi and Nigerian “un- Tis an extremist whose views on and then they expanded more and banned organisations but dodged pros- minister, was responsible for draw- of the fi rst to fall foul of the moves to derwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdul- Islam fl y in the face of Britain’s values more to everyday people who happen ecution by carefully managing his pub- ing up a proposed Counter-Extremism clampdown on non-violent extrem- mutallab. and help foster an atmosphere where to maybe criticise certain aspects of lic remarks. bill with bans for individuals or groups ists after being identifi ed by a secretive Rupert Sutton, director of Student young Muslims can be radicalised by the government policy or hold certain Critics questioned why it had taken deemed extremist and closures of cross-government Extremism Analysis Rights, an organisation that campaigns militants. conservative Islamic views,” he told so long to act against someone who had places where radicals thrive, including Unit, established to pick out groups or against extremism on university cam- Even though he is not accused of Reuters. been a leading radical Islamist fi gure for mosques. individuals of concern. puses, said people with controversial supporting militant groups or violence, The problem facing Britain and other two decades and whose followers had The activist, who has a biochemis- views were often given a platform where the British authorities believe it is only Western governments is the same one been involved in militant plots and acts For those such as prime minister try doctorate, was named in a Downing their opinions were not questioned. by cracking down on activists like Butt with which they have wrestled since of violence across the world. May, tackling extremism means Street press release on “hate speak- “They’re too often given a free pass,” and denying a forum for their ideas to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the “There should be zero tolerance to- no longer tolerating those who ers” as one of six fi gures who gave talks he told Reuters. “If you put it as a di- be widely heard that the threat posed by United States: how to stop their young wards any cleric — Muslim or other- reject: democracy, free speech, at university campuses and were “on chotomy between either freedom of jihadis and groups such as Islamic State citizens being radicalised without been wise — who advocates extremist views equality and the rule of law record as expressing views contrary to expression or ban them from speaking can be countered. seen to censor critics. and rejects British values,” Britain’s British values”. that is too binary. But critics, ranging from civil rights Thousands of Muslims, including top-selling Sun newspaper said. “Brit- However, there is still no sign of the A later explanation given by the What we need to think about is how groups to leading academics and law- more than 800 Britons, have left Eu- ain has been tolerant of men like Chou- legislation, with the home offi ce (inte- government to parliament said he we are going to make it so that when makers, say what the government is rope for Iraq and Syria, many to join Is- dary for too long.” rior ministry) saying it would come in had appeared to compare homosexu- they do come to speak they face chal- trying to do amounts to a curb on free lamic State (IS), while the recent deadly For those such as new British Prime “due course”. One main obstacle is who ality to paedophilia and had spoken lenge rather than being banned.” speech which could drive a wedge be- attacks seen in Paris, Brussels and Nice Minister Theresa May, tackling ex- decides who or what is extremist. alongside figures from CAGE, a cam- He said the focus should be on us- tween the authorities and Britain’s are a graphic illustration of the risk tremism means no longer tolerating “Providing a clear defi nition of ex- paign group that gained attention for ing existing legislation to tackle peo- 2.8mn Muslims posed by some lured to a violent Islam- those who reject the country’s values: tremism is a diffi cult task and the gov- contacts with Mohamed Emwazi, the ple like Choudary, even if he had long They argue if anything such plans ist cause at home. democracy, free speech, equality and ernment has yet to succeed in doing now-dead British militant known as proved adept at ensuring he did not will only make the problem worse and The revelation on Tuesday that An- the rule of law. it,” said senior opposition Labour law- “Jihadi John” who appeared in Is- break the law. amount to an attack on the fundamen- jem Choudary, Britain’s most high- “Where non-violent extremism goes maker Harriet Harman, head of the UK lamic State videos beheading foreign “When someone is as eff ective at tal liberties the government wants to profi le Islamist preacher, has been unchallenged, the values that bind our parliament’s joint committee on human captives. it as Choudary is, you are going to get protect. convicted for inviting his followers to society together fragment,” May, who rights which produced a critical report But those who back the govern- people saying: ‘How is he allowed to “Over the last few years the circle of support Islamic State has again brought had been interior minister for six years on the government plans in July. ment’s intent say allowing extremists go around on the street doing this?’” who and what is considered extreme the issue to the fore. before taking over the Downing Street Even Finance Minister Philip Ham- free rein in public forums or at uni- he said.

Brexit impacting people’s purchasing power

AFP Similarly, Dell computer group likely to see impact on some prices,” on average by just 2.1% in the year London said it now had to factor the cost of he told AFP. up to l August, a slowdown from the components, denominated in dollars, “Around 40% of food in the UK is breakneck growth of recent years, into the price of its product. imported.” according to website Rightmove. rom computers and cars to British group Headlam explained Price comparison website mysu- Britons hoping for a pay rise to com- carpets and food, Britain’s de- that the pound’s plunge had also in- permarket.com has already reported pensate for increased costs are likely to Fcision to leave the EU is begin- creased the cost of its domestic fl oor an increase of 1% in the price of an be disappointed, according to analysts. ning to hit consumers in the pocket, coverings, imported mainly from average basket of supermarket goods “It looks probable that consumer having already spread uncertainty Belgium and the Netherlands, by in July, blaming “fears of Brexit” for purchasing power will be signifi cant- through the property market. around 6%. the second consecutive month of ly diluted over the coming months as The consequences of the shock All eyes are now turning to food price hikes. infl ation trends higher and earnings vote have so far been mainly theoret- and property, which have been rela- There are also fears over the UK growth is limited,” warned Howard ical, but recent data suggest that the tively unscathed, but which many housing market, but defl ation is more Archer from IHS Global Insight. country’s tumbling currency is about fear could see similar fl uctuations. of a concern than price rises in this “Companies may well look to to reach the High Street. Fierce competition among su- key sector. clamp down on workers’ pay as they The pound has lost 10 to 15% of its permarkets desperate to maintain Figures released Monday showed strive to save costs in a more diffi cult value against the euro and the dollar market share normally provides a that residential rents for new lets in environment.” raising the price of goods primarily bulwark against sharp inflation in London had fallen for the fi rst time in Workers lucky enough to see a supplied by foreign companies such food prices, but Brexit could rewrite six years, according to the fi rst study rise in their salary thanks to a fall in as automobiles, computers, clothing the rules, said Fraser McKevitt, an published on the issue since Britain low-skilled immigration are unlikely and some foods. analyst at Kantar group’s London voted to leave the European Union. to enjoy a marked increase in living Peugeot told AFP that it had raised office. While good news for tenants, it will standards due to the general slow- prices by an average of 2% since Au- “We wouldn’t expect to see any- leave landlords worse off . down of the post-Brexit economy, a gust 1 for models of its three fl agship thing come through immediately, but In addition, homeowners have report published by the Resolution brands: Peugeot, Citroen and DS. if sterling does remain weak, we are seen the value of their property rise Foundation said Tuesday.

J K Rowling returns to Harry Potter’s world

Reuters Called Pottermore Presents, the series is a col- don stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. London lection of Rowling’s writing for Pottermore.com, The e-books, approximately 10,000 words as well as new stories about characters including long, are intended for tablets, cellphones and Potter’s potions master Horace Slughorn, Hog- other mobile devices and as a supplement to the ritish author J K Rowling is delving back warts headmistress Professor Minerva McGona- original Harry Potter books, which have sold into the world of Harry Potter for a series of gall and Ministry of Magic bureaucrat Dolores more than 450mn copies worldwide. Bshort e-books with new stories about some Umbridge. “Rowling’s writing in these collections reveals of her characters from the Hogwarts School of The e-books will be available on the Potter- intricate details of her characters’ lives, their Witchcraft and Wizardry. more website as well as through digital book sell- histories, as well as her inspiration,” Pottermore Pottermore, the digital publishing and e-com- ers. chief executive Susan Jurevics said in a statement. merce world founded by Rowling for fans of the They are the latest extension of the Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the boy wizard, said yesterday it would be releasing franchise, which includes seven books, eight movies, fi rst of three Potter spin-off movies, is due for re- three short e-books starting September 6. three theme park attractions and the sold-out Lon- lease worldwide in November. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 11 EUROPE

Hollande meets Pope Turkey begins to free 38,000 from prisons

AFP from Istanbul’s Silviri prison hours af- US vice president Joe Biden will Istanbul ter the announcement. travel to Ankara next week, the White One of the freed prisoners Turgay House announced, in the highest Aydin, was quoted as thanking Erdog- ranking visit to Turkey by any Western urkey yesterday began freeing an and saying: “I am very happy be- offi cial since the coup. the fi rst of some 38,000 prison- cause I am released from prison. I was Turkey has been deeply upset by Ters not linked to the failed coup not expecting it.” what it has described as the lack of who are to be released in a move aimed Bozdag said in an interview with A- solidarity shown by Western leaders in at relieving pressure on prisons over- Haber television that the parole could the wake of the coup bid and is sure to crowded with putsch suspects. in the end apply to 99,000 out of Tur- press Biden on the extradition issue. The parole decision came as Turkey key’s current total prison population “If the US does not send him (Gu- presses on with the biggest purge in its of 214,000. len) to Turkey, relations will not be modern history after the July 15 bid by According to Anadolu, the total ca- the same as they were before July 15,” rogue elements in the military to oust pacity of Turkey’s prisons is for 187,351 Bozdag said, warning Washington not president Recep Tayyip Erdogan from people. to “lose” the Turkish people. power. Hurriyet columnist Akif Beki wrote And in the latest dispute between Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said on August 11 that “prisons are jam- Berlin and Ankara, the Turkish for- the release was “not an amnesty” but packed” amid the post-coup purge eign ministry reacted angrily to a France President Francois Hollande and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve exit the church of San Luigi dei the measure could eventually apply and asked: “How can that many be ar- leaked German government docu- Francesci in Rome before Hollande’s meeting with the Pope at the Vatican. Hollande met Pope Francis three weeks to almost half of the Turkish prison rested without making any space?” ment that described Turkey as a after a Catholic priest was killed in a jihadist attack in France. population which has swelled to over Turkey is in the throes of a three- “platform” for Islamists. 200,000 since the attempted coup. month state of emergency imposed af- Meanwhile, security forces have It will not apply to convicts guilty ter the coup, which the authorities de- sealed and raided the premises of of murder, terrorism or state security scribe as an attempt by the US-based the pro-Kurdish daily Ozgur Gun- crimes, or the thousands detained af- preacher Fethullah Gulen to overthrow dem following a court order to shut ter the putsch. the existing order. it down. “The regulation refers to crimes Gulen vehemently rejects the charges A Turkish offi cial said the clo- committed before July 1, 2016. The but Turkey has embarked on a relent- sure had nothing to do with the state crimes committed after July 1, 2016 less drive to expel what Erdogan calls of emergency but was because the Burkini bans cause are outside its scope,” Bozdag said on his “virus” from all public institutions. court found the paper was acting as a Twitter. In the latest move yesterday, the au- mouthpiece for the outlawed Kurdis- “As a result of this regulation, ap- thorities fi red another 2,692 civil serv- tan Workers’ Party (PKK). proximately 38,000 people will be re- ants mostly from the police, the offi cial Ozgur Gudem said in a statement on leased from closed and open prisons at gazette announced. Some 75,000 peo- its website that two dozen people were the fi rst stage.” ple have already been dismissed from detained in the police raid. ripples in France According to Turkish offi cials, over their jobs over alleged links to Gulen. Meanwhile, one of the paper’s board 35,000 people have been detained Turkey has pressed the United States members Asli Erdogan – a prominent since the coup attempt although al- to extradite Gulen to face trial back writer – was detained in a police raid AFP which one mayor sought to pass off “Alas, I don’t think the French mod- most 11,600 of them have since been home, with prosecutors already de- on her home, Turkish media said. Paris on hygiene grounds, have been widely el has worked very well,” he told Cor- released. manding a symbolically tough punish- However the paper still managed ridiculed. riere della Sera, saying the burkini bans The state-run Anadolu Agency said ment of two life sentences and 1,900 to distribute a four-page edition, with “France cites latest threat to secu- were “a potential provocation” and the fi rst convicts began to be released years in jail. the headline “We will not give in.” he decision by a handful of rity: The Burkini,” the International could make France even more vulner- French mayors to ban the Islam- New York Times teased in a front-page able to attack. Tic burkini swimsuit has divided headline last week. The rash of bans comes as tensions the country and shocked its neigh- “The French emphasis on keeping mount in the mainly conservative bours, with critics seeing the prohibi- religious attire out of public life can at south in the wake of the Nice attack. tions as profoundly discriminatory. times seem strange to foreigners,” the Last weekend, youths on a beach Yesterday, Prime Minister Manuel paper wrote, noting that head-cov- on the French Mediterranean island Valls waded into the debate, saying the ering bathing suits had been worn by of Corsica came to blows with a group garment was “not compatible with the several Arab athletes at the Rio Olym- of Muslim families, reportedly after values of France and the Republic” and pics without causing disturbances. a tourist snapped pictures of women that he supported towns that banned For Britain’s Daily Telegraph, the bathing in burkinis. it. burkini bans enacted in the name of Five were arrested yesterday over The remarks by the Socialist premier combating extremism were themselves the mass brawl, in which fi ve people propelled the latest row over the place “foolish acts of fanaticism”. were injured. of Islam in France from the beaches While expressing understanding for For sociologist Michel Wieviorka, onto the political front benches. France’s security jitters, the paper found the brouhaha is proof of a “radicalisa- Valls cited the tensions in France af- there to be “no earthly reason why ban- tion on all sides – by nationalists, sec- ter a string of jihadist attacks – includ- ning them (burkinis) would help to ularists and Islamists”. ing July’s truck massacre in Nice – for thwart France’s violent Islamists”. “Politicians should try to calm ten- backing mayors who barred a garment “If anything, it is more likely to al- sions and stop creating hysteria,” he “founded on the subjugation of wom- ienate and upset moderate Muslims,” it told AFP, asking politicians and bur- en”. added. kini wearers to both step back from the The burkini, which covers the body Islamic dress has long been a subject fi ght. and hair, is a “provocation” that risks of debate in France, which was the fi rst France’s Human Rights League causing “public disorder”, he told La European country to ban the Islamic took aim at Valls for backing the anti- Provence daily, echoing the mayor of face veil in public in 2010, six years af- burkini mayors, accusing him of “par- Cannes, where three women have been ter outlawing the headscarf and other ticipating in the stigmatisation of a fi ned 38euros ($42) for sporting the conspicuous religious symbols in state category of French people who have swimsuit. schools. become suspect, by virtue of their Valls however ruled out implement- Proponents of these bans argued faith”. ing any nationwide ban. that religious symbols should be rel- Jean Bauberot, a sociologist spe- His intervention came as the mayor egated to the private sphere. cialising in secularism, saw the bans as of the northern resort of Le Touquet Critics note however that the meas- proof of an illiberal drift in the home of announced he would follow the lead of ures mainly target the Muslim minor- liberty, equality and fraternity. his counterparts in the south. ity and impinge on freedom of religion. “You can be shocked by the head- Le Touquet’s right-wing mayor Italian interior minister Angelino scarf or the burkini, and we can and Daniel Fasquelle told AFP he had yet to Alfano said yesterday he believed the should debate it, but without banning catch sight of a burkini in his town but French model – which stresses the it. That’s democracy: tolerating diff er- did not want to be caught “off guard”. need for immigrant communities to ence, accepting otherness,” he told the Beyond France’s shores the bans, assimilate – had failed. Liberation newspaper. German held over bomb plot scare

AFP Germany suff ered two attacks festival runs from September 17 to Berlin claimed by the Islamic State organisa- October 3. tion in July – an axe rampage on a train However, Bavarians are on edge in Wuerzburg and a suicide bombing in after jihadist militant group Islamic erman police yesterday arrested Ansbach. State claimed two attacks in July, one a 27-year-old convert to Is- In Wuerzburg, the 17-year-old at- on a train near Wuerzburg and one at Glam on fears he was planning a tacker was shot dead by police after in- a music festival in Ansbach, in which bomb attack, but later said they found juring fi ve people. In Ansbach, 15 peo- asylum-seekers injured 20 people. no evidence to back the suspicion. ple were injured after a failed Syrian On top of that, an 18-year-old Ger- “The suspicion has not been con- asylum-seeker detonated an explosive man-Iranian killed nine people in a fi rmed,” a police spokeman said. device outside a music festival, killing shooting rampage in a shopping centre “No dangerous objects were found himself. in Munich. in the (individual’s) apartment,” he Organisers of the world’s biggest “We want to do everything we can in added. beer festival, Munich’s Oktoberfest, terms of security so that the people of The spokesman also rejected me- have raised security after Islamist at- Munich and their guests can revel in a dia reports that material linked to the tacks in Germany last month, includ- relaxed way. We looked at all options,” Islamic State jihadist group had been ing banning rucksacks, introducing deputy Munich mayor Josef Schmid uncovered. security checks at all entrances and told reporters. The man is still being questioned by erecting fencing. The city has increased the number police. Drawing some 6mn tourists, the of stewards to as many as 450 from 250 Police had earlier announced the Oktoberfest is a major highlight last year and erected a two-metre high arrest of the unidentifi ed man in the of the year for residents, who of- metal fence around Theresienwiese, northeastern state of Brandenburg ten wear traditional lederhosen or the open ground where the Oktober- over fears that he had been planning an dirndls, and visitors from all over fest is held, to ensure nobody can avoid “explosive attack”. the world travel there. This year’s the checks, he said. Gulf Times 12 Thursday, August 18, 2016 INDIA Jaishankar Celebration time ready for parley in Pakistan IANS New Delhi

mid escalating bilateral tension over the unrest in Kashmir Valley, India said Ayesterday that Foreign Secretary S Jais- hankar will go to Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterpart, but will focus on “as- pects” related to cross-border terrorism. According to sources, while accepting the invite by Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, India has conveyed that it “rejects the self-serving allegations (of Pakistan) over Jammu and Kashmir in totality” and asserted that the northern state is an integral part of In- dia “where Pakistan has no locus standi”. “Since aspects related to cross-border ter- rorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam BSF soldiers and school students performing a traditional dance at a Raksha Bandhan programme organised at the Attari-Wgha border yesterday. focussed on them,” the sources said. Jaishankar speaks at a press conference in On Monday, Indian High Commissioner to New Delhi yesterday. Pakistan Gautam Bambawale was handed over an invitation addressed to Jaishankar to visit New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and Pakistan “for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir training people fi ghting in Jammu and Kashmir. dispute that has been the main bone of conten- India-Pakistan ties have become frosty after tion between India and Pakistan”. large-scale violence broke out in Jammu and Jaishankar’s acceptance of the invite comes Kashmir following the killing of rebel com- as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on mander Burhan Wani on July 8. Bihar ‘hooch’ tragedy toll hits 13 Tuesday commented that going to Pakistan Over 60 people have died in clashes with se- was akin to “going to hell”. curity forces in Kashmir Valley. IANS The administration yesterday victims had complained of uneas- refuted the rumours of spurious The foreign secretary’s would be the second Amid the frostiness, three Indian MPs are Patna ordered a probe after families iness and breathlessness, followed liquor consumption. high-ranking visit after that of Union Home visiting Islamabad for the fi rst South Asian claimed it to be a hooch tragedy. by stomach pain and vomiting, af- “It is a matter of coincidence Minister Rajnath Singh who was in Islamabad Association of Regional Co-operation (Saarc) The opposition Bharatiya Janata ter they consumed “desi” alcohol that they died one after another in early this month for a Saarc ministerial. Young Parliamentarians’ Conference. s the toll in the mystery Party (BJP) has targeted the chief on Tuesday evening. a span of few hours,” Ranjan said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s scheduled Indian lawmakers Kalikesh Narayan Singh deaths in Bihar’s Gopalganj minister for the tragedy. Their condition deteriorated on The incident has exposed that visit to the neighbouring country to attend a Deo of Biju Janata Dal of Odisha, Devji Patel Adistrict climbed yesterday to Senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Tuesday night and later they died despite total prohibition on liquor two-day Saarc fi nance ministers meeting later of Bharatiya Janata Party and Alok Tiwari 13, opposition blamed Chief Minis- Yadav said: “If there is total ban on in the hospital, the police said. consumption in Bihar since April 5 this month is still under a cloud. The confer- of Samajwadi Party are participating in the ter Nitish Kumar for the tragedy. liquor in Bihar, how come the poor Rahul Kumar, Gopalganj District this year, alcohol is available in the ence is on August 25-26 in Islamabad. event. “Three more people died today, are dying after consuming it? The Magistrate, constituted a three- black market. Rajnath Singh’s visit was clouded in contro- The two-day conference is aimed at off er- including an early morning death Nitish Kumar-led government has member team and ordered a probe Additional Director General of versy after he landed amid anti-India protests by ing young parliamentarians’ a narrative in the and two later during the day, taking failed to enforce the liquor ban.” into the incident. “It is too early to Police Sunil Kumar said at least several groups. He also faced-off with his coun- run-up to the Saarc summit Pakistan is to host the overnight death toll to thirteen,” All victims of the supposed say anything about the exact cause 4,707 people were arrested dur- terpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan over Jammu in November. a district offi cial said. Two more are hooch tragedy were residents of of the deaths,” Kumar had said. ing the last four months and 3,719 and Kashmir during their respective speeches, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in- reported to be critical at a govern- Nonia Tola locality. Gopalganj Superintendent of FIRs were lodged in connection and skipped a dinner invite to Saarc ministers. vited to attend the Saarc summit. ment hospital, the police said. Families had reported that the Police Ravi Ranjan had, however, with fl outing of the liquor ban.

PM extends greetings on Malayalam New Year Adoor Gopalakrishnan completes 50 years in entertainment world Prime Minister Narendra Modi yester- day extended greetings to the people IANS left the government job of a statistical at the start of Chingam, the first Thiruvananthapuram investigator to study cinema at the Film month of the Malayalam new year. Institute of India, Pune in 1962 and since “On the start of Chingam, the first graduating from there in 1965. month of the Malayalam new year, my he master craftsman decorated In his career, he has won the National greetings to the Malayali community. with numerous national and in- Film Award 16 times besides numerous May the year bring joy and peace,” Tternational awards — Adoor international awards and also the cov- the Prime Minister said. Gopalakrishnan — has completed half- eted Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2004. For Hindus in particular, the first a-century as a fi lmmaker and is currently The international recognitions that day of the Chingam is considered busy with his latest Malayalam fi lm titled have come his way include a French or- auspicious for weddings, moving into Pinneyum. der, the highest decoration in France in a new home, buying a new vehicle The 75-year-old, popularly known as 1984, Lifetime Achievement Award at and to start new ventures. Adoor, has never been in a hurry to make Cairo International Film Festival, honour Although Vishu (first of Medam fi lms. at the London Film Festival, the British month) is the astronomical new year In a career that began way back in 1965 Film Institute awards to mention a few. day in Kerala, the off icial Malayalam with a 20-minute short fi ction fi lm titled While all his fi lms have won rave re- new year falls on the first day of A Great Day, he has scripted and direct- views, some of the most acclaimed Chingam. ed eleven feature fi lms and about thirty fi lms include Elippathayam, Mukamu- Most of the temples across the short fi lms and documentaries. kam, Anantharam, Nizhalkuthu and state witnessed a huge rush as Hindus The last fi lm that he directed was in Swayamwaram. In 1984, Adoor won a began the day by visiting temples. 2008 which was Oru Pennum Randaa- Padma Shri, to which was added the Women in Kerala were seen num (A Climate for Crime) which was a Padma Vibhushan in 2006. dressed in their best, mostly in the 115 minute long feature fi lm. His only daughter Aswathi is an IPS traditional saree. Adoor did his graduation from Gan- offi cer belonging to the Maharashtra dhigram Rural University in 1960 and cadre.

Congress warns against shift in Kerala prohibition policy

By Ashraf Padanna Former chief minister Oommen CPM (Communist Party of India- outlets functioned at malls in de- 16 highlighting phased prohibition Thiruvananthapuram Chandy announced a phased pro- Marxist). The opposition will op- veloped countries. and reduction in consumption as a hibition policy in 2014, cancelling pose tooth and nail any move to “Prohibition can be achieved only major achievement of his govern- license to some 730 hotels to serve reopen these bars.” through awareness and not through ment along with big ticket infra erala’s opposition Congress alcohol, closing down 10% of the Tourism minister A C Moideen law. We have launched programmes projects like roads, bridges, a green- party yesterday warned the liquor outlets each year and increas- had last week written to the ex- as part of the campaign against sub- fi eld airport and a seaport, a metro Kstate’s communist govern- ing taxes to a prohibitively high level. cise (liquor) minister T P Ram- stance abuse in all schools.” and welfare schemes including criti- ment against any shift in its prohi- Soon, some of the hoteliers came akrishnan demanding a review of The new government is yet to fi - cal care assistance to poor patients. bition policy. out with allegations that ministers the alcohol policy citing cancella- nalise its licensing policy, which usu- But all swept under the deluge “If (Chief Minister) Pinarayi had taken a huge amount of money tions of bookings for conferences ally is done before each fi scal year. of unproven corruption allega- (Vijayan’s) government is planning as bribes to renew licenses ahead of and representation from the state’s Ahead of the elections, CPI-M tions and communal polarisation, to sabotage the phased prohibi- the 2014 parliamentary elections, thriving tourism industry. general secretary Sitaram Yechury despite stellar performances in tion policy of the state accepting but they were yet to be proved. Ramakrishnan soon responded had said his party would continue the 2014 parliamentary elections bribe from the liquor lobby, we will “The (Congress-led) UDF saying the long queues in front the Congress-led government’s where the UDF established a lead not allow it,” former home minis- (United Democratic Front) formu- of (a very few) liquor outlets is “a policy, key ally Communist Party in 80 assembly segments. ter Ramesh Chennithala said in a lated the liquor policy (to enforce disgrace to the State” and the raids of India (CPI) diff ered. Though Chandy was initially statement here. total prohibition by 2024) jointly his department carried out in the Pinarayi Vijayan then said that reluctant to take the drastic step His statement follows remarks after deliberations at various lev- last two months revealed that sub- prohibition was a dangerous idea, fearing a backlash as liquor was in a Malayalam weekly publication els,” he said. stance abuse had considerably in- and his party believed in absti- one of the primary tax revenue the other day that the liquor policy “That was a daring attempt to creased. nence, a view that even Congress earners for the state, which tops in of the previous Congress-led gov- rein in the liquor lobby, which no “The policy of the LDF (Left leaders like Shashi Tharoor aired per capita alcohol consumption, ernment did not help it in elections other government had made. Peo- Democratic Front) government is earlier as it hit the tourism indus- and the adverse impact on the hos- when its strength was reduced to ple know of the unholy alliance abstinence and not prohibition,” try and encouraged bootlegging. pitality industry, another major 46 in the 140-member assembly. between the liquor lobby and the he said, pointing out that liquor Chandy went to the polls on May contributor of taxes. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 13 INDIA Heptulla, New Year celebration and Mukhi appointed governors IANS Badnore, a senior BJP leader from Rajas- New Delhi than, has replaced Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, who was holding additional charge of Punjab after Shivraj Patil’s term ormer federal minister Najma Heptulla, ended last year. who resigned last month after cross- Badnore, a four-time MLA from Rajasthan, Fing 75 years of age, has been appointed was fi rst elected to Lok Sabha from Bhilwara Governor of Manipur. Parliamentary constituency and retained the Heptulla was among four governors named seat in 2004. by the federal government along with those In 2010, Badnore was elected to the Rajya A man off ers a pastry to a youngster at a fire temple during the Parsi New Year celebrations yesterday in Ahmedabad. for Assam, Punjab and Andaman and Nico- Sabha and served as member of various par- bar Islands. liamentary committees. Former Member of Parliament V P Singh The 73-year-old Jagdish Mukhi has been Badnore has been appointed Governor of appointed Lt Governor of Andaman and Punjab, which is scheduled to have assembly Nicobar Islands in place of Lt General A K polls next year, said an offi cial communique Singh Mukhi (Retd)., a BJP veteran from Del- from the Rashtrapati Bhawan. hi who represented the Janakpuri assembly In other appointments, senior BJP leader constituency for six terms. Supreme Court: No one below Jagdish Mukhi has been appointed Lt Gov- He also served as Leader of Opposition ernor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in the Delhi assembly. He was also fi nance Banwarilal Purohit will be the Governor of minister of Delhi during the BJP regime from Assam. 1993-1998. Heptulla, 76, had resigned from the union Purohit, a former Congressmen from Ma- 18 to form human pyramid cabinet on July 12, almost a week after Prime harashtra who later joined the BJP, has been Minister Narendra Modi expanded his Coun- three-time Member of Parliament from Nag- cil of Ministers. pur. IANS The bench said this while allow- or amending the circular, which the Nevshe told the court that last She had to resign on age grounds as the BJP He also served as MLA in Maharashtra. New Delhi ing two Mumbai High Court direc- top court had put on hold saying it year the number of cases reported in an unwritten code had fi xed the maximum In the 1980s, Purohit gained ownership of tions passed in 2014. would hold hearing on the entire in hospitals across Maharashtra age for ministers at 75. the Nagpur daily newspaper The Hitavada However, the bench expressed its matter in October. was more than 1,000. She will replace V Shanmuganathan, who as from the Servants of India Society. he Supreme Court on misgivings as to how the authorities Additional Solicitor General It was on the public interest liti- Meghalaya Governor was holding additional Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Wednesday said nobody un- will “control or supervise” that chil- Tushar Mehta, appearing for Ma- gation of Patil — secretary of NGO charge of Manipur. Manipur, like Punjab, is Balakrishna Acharya was so far holding ad- Tder the age of 18 will be al- dren below the age of 18 do not par- harashtra, told the court that the Utkarsh Mahila Samajik Sanstha headed for assembly elections next year. ditional charge of Assam. lowed to participate in human pyr- ticipate in human pyramid formation. ‘Dahi Handi’ festival was rooted in — that the High Court had passed a amid formation in the ‘Dahi Handi’ The decision came as the court the tales of Lord Krishna stealing number of directions on August 11, festival on Janmashtami on August restored the 2014 petition by some butter when he was aged 12 to 14. 2014, which were put on hold by the 25 in Maharashtra. ‘Dahi Handi’ organisers challeng- However, lawyer Nitesh S Nevshe apex court three days later. An apex court bench of Justice ing the High Court order holding who appeared for Swati Sayaji Patil The Maharashtra government Anil R Dave and Justice L Nag- that youngsters below the age of 18 told the court that 156 persons who had approached the apex court to DMK members suspended from eswara Rao also said the height of would not participate in the human suff ered falls during the festival seek clarifi cation on its 2014 order the human pyramid should not be pyramid formation and the same were admitted in government hos- after the Mumbai High Court asked more than 20ft, observing that on too would not be more than 20ft. pitals in 2011 in Mumbai alone. it to do so in the wake of a contempt Tamil Nadu assembly for a week the grounds of religious feeling ac- The High Court had also issued Of this, 142 cases were of serious petition fi led by Patil for the viola- robatics could not be permitted. directions on the framing of rules injuries. tion of its August 11, 2014, order.

IANS Stalin prior to the state assembly elections, Chennai which the DMK members opposed. Leader of Opposition Stalin, who entered the house, demanded the remarks be ex- amil Nadu assembly Speaker P Dha- punged. Juveniles nabbed for planting bombs in Assam napal yesterday suspended all the op- However, the Speaker said the AIADMK Tposition DMK members for a week fol- member did not mention any names and so lowing bedlam in the house. declined to expunge the remarks. IANS lice (SP), Mugdhajyoti Mahanta the SP said while adding that the use civilians to carry out their jobs Leader of the House and Finance Minis- The DMK members continued to interrupt Guwahati said, “The two schoolchildren, one militants, however, did not pay like planting bombs and explo- ter O Panneerselvam moved a resolution for the proceedings, after which the Speaker or- a student of Class IX and the other them. sives,” the SP said adding that it suspending the DMK legislators and it was dered the assembly marshals to evict them. of Class X, of the Kakoraj Higher “Accordingly, the two school- makes the job easier for the ULFA adopted by the house. The marshals bodily lifted Stalin and left ssam police have nabbed Secondary School were assigned by children left their home on August cadres. The DMK has 89 members, including party him in the assembly lobby. two schoolchildren from four cadres of the anti-talk faction 11 and planted the bombs in diff er- The ULFA faction had on August chief and former Chief Minister M Karunani- Later, speaking to reporters, Stalin said the Aeastern Assam’s Tinsukia of ULFA.” ent areas of Tinsukia and Charaid- 12 sprayed bullets on innocent ci- dhi, who did not attend yesterday’s session. DMK members were suspended so that they district on Wednesday for their al- “The four cadres of ULFA, armed eo districts. vilians in Philobari area of Tinsukia The DMK’s ally Congress with eight mem- would not participate in the debate on the leged involvement in planting the with AK series rifl es, promised “We have arrested them on spe- district killing 2 persons and injur- bers will continue to participate in the as- demands for grants for the Police Depart- four bombs that went off on the them money if they could plant the cifi c information and they have ing seven. sembly proceedings. ment on August 22. morning of Independence Day in bombs in selected areas. admitted their involvement in the The outfi t and several other an- It all started with ruling AIADMK member He said the next course of action will be Tinsukia and Charaideo districts, “The cadres told them that the crime,” said the SP. ti-talk faction militant outfi ts had Gunasekaran making a comment about the taken after discussion with party chief M the police said yesterday. bombs were programmed and they “As there are not many cadres called for a shutdown and boycott ‘Namakku Namey’ tour of DMK leader M K Karunanidhi. Tinsukia Superintendent of Po- would explode only on August 15,” left with the outfi t now they often of Independence Day.

Boat race New model land leasing law promises greater security for tenant farmers

By Rina Chandran, Reuters “So productivity remains low and mobility as they are tied to the land,” Mumbai tenant farmers are poor. We can’t af- he said. ford this,” said T Haque, chairman of Some states including Punjab, the land policy department at Niti Haryana, Gujarat and Maharashtra everal Indian states are adopt- Aayog in New Delhi. give tenants the right to purchase ing a model land leasing law “For poor farmers, leasing is a way leased land after a period of tenancy. Saimed at giving poor tenant to increase the size of the land hold- This has discouraged landlords farmers greater access to benefi ts, ing, improve their livelihood, and from leasing their land in some of the such as credit, while also protecting give them security of tenancy,” he most fertile areas, Haque said. the rights of land owners. told the Thomson Reuters Founda- The model law proposes quicker Madhya Pradesh drafted a law on tion. litigation in case of disputes. land leasing last month based on Tenant farmers are mostly landless Matters related to land and prop- recommendations from government labourers who try to eke out a liv- erty make up about two-thirds of all thinktank Niti Aayog. ing from growing crops on someone civil cases in the country, according States including Uttar Pradesh, else’s land. to a recent study by Bengaluru-based Gujarat, Odisha, Punjab and Bihar They pay the landlord a percentage Daksh, a legal advocacy group. are expected to follow suit. of the output in rent. Fear of lengthy court cases may The model Land Leasing Act, pro- While nearly 60% of India’s popu- discourage land owners from signing posed by the Niti Aayog in April, rec- lation is dependent on agriculture on, said Aruna Urs at the Takshashila ommends that all lease arrangements for a living, land holdings are small Institution thinktank. be made formal, and gives tenant and fragmented, and productivity is “Instead of cajoling the unwill- farmers access to benefi ts including among the lowest in the world. ing landowners, a fi nancing scheme farm credit, insurance and compen- The model law can help consoli- should be designed for tenants to buy sation for crop damage. date farm holdings and increase pro- out the land,” he wrote in a recent It also protects the landlord’s ductivity, said Haque, who is also blog. ownership of the land. persuading states to digitise their Activists also fear that the law may At least a fi fth of India’s land hold- land records. make it easier to lease land for indus- ings are managed by tenant farmers The law off ers several benefi ts to trial purposes. and in some states, it is as much as half. land owners too, he said. “There should be a viable ceil- Most states ban or restrict leasing of “Some land owners don’t lease ing on land to be given on lease and agricultural land to prevent the abusive out their land because they are afraid it should be given only to landless, tenancy arrangements of the past. tenant farmers will claim owner- agriculture labourers or unemployed But the result is that leases are ei- ship,” said Haque. youths,” Sunilam at Bhoomi Adhikar Locals participate in a boat race held yesterday at Hajo, in Kamrup district of Assam. ther informal or concealed, with few “So the land goes uncultivated, Aandolan said in development blog rights for tenant farmers. and owners have no occupational Down to Earth. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, August 18, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

‘El Chapo’ elder son Rousseff admits errors, confi rmed abducted

AFP insists she is innocent Mexico City AFP Brasilia son of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was among a Agroup kidnapped from a bar in razil’s suspended President Dil- the Mexican resort city of Puerto Val- ma Rousseff admitted she had larta, authorities confi rmed Tuesday. Bmade mistakes, but said she had Seven gunmen in pickup trucks done nothing worthy of impeachment swooped on the upscale bar and res- in an address just over a week before taurant Monday around dawn and ab- she goes on trial. ducted several victims. Rousseff , accused of using illegal Investigators said it was likely part of budgetary manoeuvers to cover up the a settling of scores between rival drug depth of the country’s economic prob- cartels. lems during her 2014 re-election, fac- “Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 29, is es trial in the Senate starting August the son of Joaquin (Guzman) Loera, this 25, four days after the Olympic Games has been confi rmed,” and he is among end in Rio. those being held, regional public pros- She looks near certain to be expelled ecutor Eduardo Almaguer told a news from offi ce. conference. With her impeachment trial loom- He said Guzman Salazar was one of ing, the Brazilian Federal Supreme the four people who have so far been Court also authorized Tuesday the identifi ed among six abducted. opening of an investigation into Rous- He added that “various security seff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio agencies” had confi rmed that Guzman Lula da Silva, for allegedly trying to Salazar was the son of “El Chapo.” obstruct a corruption probe into the The elder Guzman is the jailed boss state oil fi rm Petrobras. of the powerful Sinaloa cartel and one In a letter to the Brazilian people of the most notorious drug lords in the that she read out in the capital Brasilia, world. Rousseff repeated her suggestion that Rousseff : faces trial in the Senate Authorities initially said 10 to 12 Brazil hold new elections to get out of people had been kidnapped, but after the political crisis. nation so that we can build a new way be necessary for the Senate to close thirds majority at the end of the judge- ing over from her political mentor analysing security camera footage and Rousseff said that if she was spared forward.” the impeachment process underway, ment session in order to remove her Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, founder interviewing witnesses, they said there by the Senate, she would back a refer- But Rousseff , a former leftist guer- recognising, given the irrefutable evi- from offi ce. If that happens, interim of the leftist Workers’ Party. were in fact six men abducted. endum on holding early elections and rilla who was imprisoned and tortured dence, that there was no crime of re- president Michel Temer would stay on She was re-elected in 2014 but her They had earlier said that one of electoral reform to carry out a “deep under the military dictatorship in the sponsibility.” until scheduled elections in 2018. mandate rapidly got bogged down as them may have been another of Guz- transformation” of a system that most 1970s, repeated her insistence that “I am innocent,” Rousseff insisted. The Globo news organization re- economic output plummeted, unem- man’s sons, Ivan “El Chapito” (Little Brazilians consider rotten. forcing her out through impeachment “There is no injustice more devastating ported that the actual judgement vote ployment rose and a huge corruption Chapo) Guzman. She also struck a humble note. amounts to a coup. than to condemn an innocent person.” will take place between August 30-31. scandal tainted many of her allies, as well “El Chapo” staged a spectacular jail- “I have listened to the tough criti- “It would be an unequivocal coup, The fi nal judgement phase in the The president of the Supreme as members of the opposition. Starting break last year only to be recaptured in cisms of my government, for the errors followed by an indirect election,” she impeachment process is expected to Court, Justice Ricardo Lewandowski, in 2015, her allies began to drift away. In January. committed,” she said. “I accept these said. “We have to strengthen democ- take several days before a vote. will preside. May of this year, she was suspended to He is now in a maximum security criticisms with humility and determi- racy in our country, and for this it will The Senate must vote by a two- Rousseff was elected in 2010, tak- face impeachment proceedings. federal prison in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez and fi ghting extradition to the United States. Raid on rights lawyer The chief prosecutor said only fake identity documents had been found at comes under fire the scene of Monday’s kidnapping, in a posh restaurant called La Leche in the A raid on a high-profi le Guatema- Haiti fi nds fi rst microcephaly Pacifi c coast city’s chic hotel district. lan human rights lawyer’s home by Prosecutors said initial evidence armed men identifying themselves as suggested a rival cartel called Jalisco police was condemned Tuesday as an New Generation was behind the ab- apparent act of “intimidation.” duction. The raid occurred Monday on the case linked to deadly Zika Jalisco New Generation emerged in residence of Ramon Cadena, a law- Puerto Vallarta in 2010 after the death yer who was a witness in the trial of of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel, a former dictator, Efrain Rio Montt, Reuters city of Mirebalais earlier this summer. Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel. accused of ordering genocide against Port-au-Prince Boston-based Partners in Health It has become one of violence- indigenous people during the 1980s. and its sister organisation, Haiti- plagued Mexico’s most powerful drug Cadena is also the Central Ameri- based Zanmi Lasante, said in a state- gangs in recent months by defying the can director for the International aiti has identifi ed its fi rst ment on August 9 that two babies had authorities with a series of brazen at- Commission of Jurists (ICJ). Cadena case of the birth defect mi- been born with microcephaly in their tacks and ambushes. was elsewhere in Guatemala at the Hcrocephaly linked to the Zika University Hospital Mirebalais. time of the raid, but the armed men virus, a senior health ministry offi cial US health offi cials have conclud- made members of his family and the said on Tuesday. ed that Zika infections in pregnant property’s guard kneel down outside Gabriel Thimothe, director general at women can cause microcephaly. while the place was ransacked for the ministry of public health and popu- The World Health Organization has more than an hour and a half. lation, said the case was confi rmed on said there is strong scientifi c consen- Colombia “They went over the whole place, Saturday by the US Centers for Disease sus that Zika can also cause Guillain- turned everything upside down, took Control and Prevention (CDC). Barre, a rare neurological syndrome away a personal computer and two Haiti has confi rmed 14 cases of the that causes temporary paralysis. cracks down cellphones,” Cadena said. birth defect since March, up from The connection between Zika and It was, he said, “a message of in- previous reports of two cases, Ray- microcephaly fi rst came to light last timidation.” mond Grand Pierre, the director of fall in Brazil, which has now con- on rebel The Swiss-based ICJ concurred, the Department of Health and Family fi rmed more than 1,600 cases of calling Cadena “the latest victim of in the Ministry of Health, said. microcephaly that it considers to a recent wave of harassment and in- In the other 13 cases, authorities be related to Zika infections in the gold mines timidation against human rights de- have not established a link to micro- mothers. fenders and legal and environmental cephaly although the number may Haiti’s healthcare system is still activists in Guatemala and neigh- indicate Zika is more widespread in suff ering from the fallout of the 2010 AFP bouring Honduras.” Haiti than previously thought. earthquake that killed about 300,000 Timbiquí, Colombia It said the raid was “deplorable According to a chart provided by people and a still-ongoing cholera evidence that human rights lawyers the Centers for Disease Control, Haiti epidemic that began shortly after- in Guatemala cannot carry out their has recorded nearly 3,000 Zika cases. ward, killing about 8,600 people and olombian authorities said Tues- activities without fear of reprisal.” But the World Health Organization infecting 707,000. day they have dealt a major blow The Offi ce of the High Commis- says the overwhelming majority of Health facilities were also para- Cto leftist guerrilla army ELN’s sioner for Human Rights in Guate- cases of the virus in the island nation lysed this year by a months-long fi nances with a “historic” military op- mala said on its Twitter account that are suspected and not confi rmed. strike by medical residents over pay eration against illegal gold mines. it was “concerned about the illegal Thimothe said the baby with Zika- and working conditions, which Thi- Gabriel Thimothe, director general at the ministry of public health and popu- President Juan Manuel Santos said raid.” linked microcephaly was born in the mothe said had largely ended. lation, speaks to Reuters in Port-au-Prince. on Twitter that two people had been arrested and 26 excavator machines confi scated in raids on illegal mines in the southwestern department of Cauca — a “high-value target,” he wrote. “We calculate that the ELN and other armed groups were extracting 18kg of Cuba sticks to modest reform plan despite poor results gold a day through illegal mining. One kilo is worth 115mn (Colombian pesos),” or about $38,000, said Defence Minis- By Marc Frank, Reuters Five years ago the reform plan au- earnings and less Venezuelan oil. ter Luis Carlos Villegas. Havana thorized small business, but forbade “When the revolution senses dif- The army called it a “historic op- “concentration of property”; the new fi cult times, it has always attempted eration” and a “signifi cant blow” to the one adds to that “wealth.” to assert more central control,” said fi nances of the ELN and other armed uba on Tuesday published pol- The previous document called for Zimbalist. groups. icy guidelines for the next fi ve a signifi cant reduction in the state’s The only apparent recognition of A recent report by the Colombian Cyears that signal no new do- participation in the sale, distribution the poor economic results of reforms Mines Association found that 88 % mestic initiatives although it upgraded and pricing of food in favor of private to date is in the section on foreign in- of the 50 tons of gold produced each foreign investment to “fundamental in initiative and market forces, while the vestment. year in the country comes from illegal certain sectors.” new one omits this. Five years ago the plan termed for- mines. The 275-point social and economic In practice the state has once more eign investment complementary to Colombia is the scene of a more than plan, coming at a time of weak economic taken control of distribution and is local eff orts in some sectors, while fi ve-decade confl ict that has drawn growth and drastically reduced supplies setting prices. the new one states it is “an important in leftist guerrilla groups, right-wing of Venezuelan oil, is extremely similar to Economist Andrew Zimbalist, a source for the country’s development,” paramilitaries and criminal gangs. one Cuba adopted in 2011, which called Cuba expert at Smith College in the and “fundamental in certain sectors.” The various armed groups use drug for decentralisation of its state-run United States, said he was not sur- “The more full-throated endorse- traffi cking and illegal mining to fi nance economy, support for some small busi- prised the “new plan is old and if any- ment of foreign investment could themselves. ness, recognition of market forces and Cuban dilemma: reform or perish thing appears to be a mild retreat from eventually transform and uplift the After nearly four years of peace talks, the need for more foreign investment. liberalisation of the economy.” Cuban economy,” said Richard Fein- the government is close to signing a The reforms in the 20ll plan have, need for a swift streamlining of the United States and other western coun- He said detente with the United berg, author of a new book, “Open peace deal with the largest guerrilla however, yet to be fully implemented economy and greater freedom, con- tries, there is no sign Cuba is ready to States and the economic crisis in Ven- for Business: Building the New Cuban group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces because of stiff bureaucratic resist- tinues,” said John Kirk, an author of do more than tweak its Soviet-style ezuela made Cuba’s leaders feel more Economy.” of Colombia (FARC).It has also agreed ance, President Raul Castro said at a many books on Cuba. economy. vulnerable. “But that will depend on if it is re- to hold talks with the ELN, or National Communist Party Congress in April. “The key question is whether ideo- Centralised planning and a state The government last month an- fl ected in an accelerated approval by Liberation Army, the second guerrilla “The struggle between hard-liners logical intransigence will trump prag- monopoly on the means of production nounced cuts in fuel and energy and the bureaucracy and an overall im- group. and the bureaucrats opposed to mean- matism,” he said. lead off the new guidelines, as they did a reduction in imports, citing a lack provement in the business climate,” he But formal negotiations have not ingful reform, and liberals who see the Despite improved relations with the previous ones. of hard currency caused by low export said. started. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 15 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN South Asia must not remain prisoner of past, says Pakistan

IANS should not remain a “prisoner Co-operation (Saarc) Young the Lok Sabha while Tiwari is people dead in the aftermath of must not remain a “prisoner of and developing economies could Islamabad of the past”. Parliamentarians’ Conference in from the Rajya Sabha. the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen the past” but it should radiate provide ample opportunities to “South Asia must not remain Islamabad on Tuesday. The two-day conference is commander Burhan Wani on July fresh ideas and aspirations of our work together to address com- a ‘prisoner of the past’ but it Indian representatives Ka- aimed at offering young parlia- 8. combined future. mon challenges,” Radio Pakistan mid rising tensions be- should radiate fresh ideas and likesh Narayan Singh Deo of mentarians’ a narrative in the In his Independence Day He said: “Statesmanship de- reported. tween India and Pa- aspirations of our combined Biju Janata Dal of Odisha, Devji run-up to the Saarc Summit speech on Tuesday, Indian Prime mands that we confront our is- He highlighted that the goal of Akistan in the wake of future,” Radio Pakistan quoted Patel of Bharatiya Janata Party Pakistan is to host in Novem- Minister Modi came out openly sues judiciously and address holding this conference was to violence in the Kashmir Valley, Sadiq as saying. and Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi ber. in support of “freedom” of Ba- them honestly with an aim to build bridges between the future Pakistan’s National Assembly He was addressing the inau- Party are attending the fi rst such Sadiq’s comments come in the lochistan and the Kashmir under solve them sincerely.” leaders of South Asia on a plat- Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said gural ceremony of the First South meeting. wake of violence in Jammu and Pakistani control. “He outlined that shared cul- form that supports continued on Tuesday that South Asia Asian Association of Regional Deo and Patel are members of Kashmir that has left at least 65 Sadiq said that South Asia tures and histories of the region, engagement and co-operation. Online voting Heading home likely for 8mn non-resident Pakistanis

Internews to give the responsibility of reg- posal to give the right to vote Islamabad istration of overseas Pakistanis to overseas Pakistanis has been and the operation related to the continuing for quite some time. voting exercise to Nadra. The Supreme Court, on a pe- he National Database He said a report had been tition fi led by Pakistan Tehrik- and Registration Author- sought from Nadra within two e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Tity (Nadra) has informed weeks on how much time would had directed the Election Com- a parliamentary committee that be required for the registration. mission of Pakistan in 2012 to giving the right of vote to 8mn study whether Pakistanis living overseas Pakistanis through the The ECP had announced abroad could exercise the right Afghan refugees sit on a truck with their belongings at the registration centre of the United Nations High Commissioner for Internet is viable according to giving the right of vote to and work out a plan in the light Refugees (UNHCR) before returning to Afghanistan in northwestern Pakistan’s Peshawar yesterday. The United Nations refugee their studies. those holding national of the experience of other coun- agency has increased assistance package for registered Afghan refugee families, who are opting to return to Afghanistan under the Briefi ng the sub-committee of identity cards for overseas tries. UNHCR facilitated voluntary return programme. the parliamentary committee on Pakistanis The ECP had announced giv- electoral reforms, Nadra offi cials ing the right of vote to those said here this week that to ensure Nadra authorities said they holding national identity cards this would require registration had the capacity to register for overseas Pakistanis follow- of overseas Pakistanis and their 140,000 overseas Pakistanis in a ing the court verdict but failed to biometric fi ngerprints. year, and that capacity could be work out feasible modalities for Convener of the sub-commit- enhanced if resources were made the purpose. Samia Shahid killing: ex-husband tee and Law Minister Zahid Ha- available. The options discussed includ- mid later said that the overseas The committee asked Nadra ed setting up polling stations Pakistanis under the plan would to prepare a set of recommenda- in embassies and consulates in be provided with a code and tions to propose measures and over a dozen countries where they would be able to cast their the requirement of resources to large numbers of Pakistanis live and father to remain in custody votes using a designated mobile accelerate the registration proc- or work and expatriates in other phone. ess. countries being allowed to cast He said the committee agreed Though the work on a pro- their votes through postal ballot. Guardian News Service The two men, who appeared Pakistan to visit her parents in Shakeel, a cousin who lives Islamabad before the Jhelum district mag- Pandori, the family’s ancestral next to the compound in Pan- istrates court, were remanded village in Punjab. dori owned by Shahid’s father, Chances of sudden change in Pakistan govt remote: experts for an initial four days on Sat- The family had made con- a Bradford-based businessman. olice in Pakistan have urday over allegations that they fl icting claims about how she She caused further anger by The chances of a sudden change of government in All agreed that the military would retain its been given an additional conspired to kill the Bradford- died, including that she had marrying Mukhtar Syed Kazam, Pakistan are remote as the military is not prepared ‘dominating influence’ over the civilian set-up but Pfi ve days to question the born Shahid because she had died of a heart attack. a member of both a diff erent clan to bring down the civilian set-up, says ambassador would not bring it down. two main suspects in the al- shamed her family. Members of the high-level and a diff erent sect of Islam. Robin Raphel. “The military does not want snap elections,” leged “honour killing” of Samia Their lawyer, Mian Mohamed police inquiry ordered by Pun- Kazam said he had been so fear- The former US assistant secretary of state for said Raphel, a respected Pakistan sympathiser Shahid, a British woman who Arif, said he anticipated further jab’s chief minister privately say ful for his wife’s safety in the village South Asia was among half a dozen American in Washington who recently faced an FBI had divorced and remarried extensions of the remand pe- they need to collect more evi- that he begged her not to travel to scholars – and a Pakistani journalist – who investigation for her alleged friendly relations with against the will of her family. riod and said the investigation dence on the case. Pakistan when she was told her analysed the current political situation in Pakistan Pakistani diplomats. A judge at Jhelum district would probably take a month. Despite initial claims by local father was gravely ill, a claim that at a recent seminar in Washington. In June, she was cleared of charges and allowed court ruled Shahid’s ex-hus- Shahid, a 28 year-old de- police that there were no signs later turned out not to be true. The speakers highlighted diff erent weaknesses to resume her work as an expert on South Asian band, Chaudhry Shakeel, and scribed by Bradford friends as of injury on Shahid’s body, pho- The case became a top gov- and strengths in the current political set-up and aff airs.Raphel thinks that if elections are held now, her father, Mohamed Shahid, a “happy and bubbly” woman, tos that later emerged showed ernment priority after Bradford its relations with the country’s powerful military “likely beneficiary will be Imran Khan” but the should remain in custody while was found dead in the home of heavy bruising around her neck. MP Naz Shah raised the matter establishment. elections will take place as scheduled, in 2018. police continue with the high- her ex-husband on 20 July, less Her family had never ac- with Pakistan’s Prime Minister profi le investigation. than a week after travelling to cepted Shahid’s divorce from Nawaz Sharif. Corneal transplants plagued by misconceptions

Internews tory of blindness in our family,” tients have registered with PEBS tion and religious and culture Karachi she said, still reluctant to accept for corneal transplant. misconceptions hampering the reality. There are many diff erent con- job, he added. Recently, Amber brought her ditions which can damage the Sharing his observations, I was shattered when the son to the Pakistan Eye Bank So- structure and shape of the cor- president of the Ophthalmo- doctor disclosed that my ciety (PEBS) hospital after she nea leading to visual impairment logical Society of Pakistan, Dr “newborn son had defec- was given hope that a corneal and blindness. Idrees Adhi, said corneal dis- tive eyes and would never be transplant may further improve These include infectious, nu- eases causing blindness were able to see. He didn’t even off er his eyesight. tritional, infl ammatory, inherit- among the three common causes me false hope that could give me PEBS was established in 1974 ed, and degenerative conditions. of blindness in the country and the strength to bear this shock,” to provide quality eye care free “In addition, workers in de- concerted eff ort was required to recalls Amber, a young mother, of cost. veloping countries are increas- promote corneal donation. whose fi rst child, Yaqub, was Yaqub was among four pa- ingly exposed to occupational “Given the fact that deceased born in 2011 with congenital tients called in to the hospital on injuries as safety protocols are organ donation is being success- glaucoma in both eyes. the day a pair of donated corneas often ignored. Minor injuries fully carried out in countries like Since then, her family in this from Sri Lanka was to be trans- heal on their own but deeper in- Saudi Arabia and Iran shows that largest Pakistani city has been to planted. juries can cause scarring, result- it has the approval of diverse re- numerous ophthalmologists and The procedure involves care- ing in a haze on the cornea that ligious schools of thought.” Yaqub has undergone various ful assessment to judge the most impairs vision,” he said. “Our religious schol- treatments that included two suitable candidate, and only two According to experts, unlike ars must come forward and surgeries – one for the cataract are selected and given the cor- many countries including sever- clarify the issue to the com- and the other to reduce intraoc- neal transplant in one eye each. al Muslim ones where eye banks mon man in the media, and ular pressure inside his eyes. Yaqubs waited hours which have been successfully devel- the trend set by Abdul Sattar These eff orts did pay off to however, proved futile as the oped and corneal blindness has Edhi Sahib on corneal dona- an extent and Yaqub, over four- corneas were transplanted to signifi cantly declined, tion should be a step towards and-a-half years of age now, can two other patients. Pakistan still remains far be- encouraging cadaveric dona- fi nally see with one eye. The 28-year-old Sumaira A doctor examining a patient at the Pakistan Eye Bank Society. hind in generating its own cor- tion.” “He can only see in his left Yasmeen, registered with the neas as the spirit of cadaveric eye Ophthalmologists of the eye and that, too, after bring- PEBS for corneal transplant for by reputable doctors. Waiting for a miracle is also PEBS, corneal blindness con- donation is yet to be built-up in country, he said, needed to work ing things, for instance a book, months, also had to leave, disap- “It hurts me a lot when peo- 12-year-old Munib, another pa- tributes 5% to the total burden of the country. together to set up well-organised close to his eye. I am thankful pointed. ple look at me in a strange way. I tient enlisted with PEBS for cor- blindness in the country. “Pakistan annually imports eye banks for the preservation of to God for this miracle as I was A resident of Landhi, Yasmeen spent my time doing household neal transplant. “It is estimated that there are two to three dozen corneas; all donated eyes, making teams to told that he would never see,” has been blind for the past fi ve chores as I couldn’t even com- Despite having a lens replace- 100,000 corneal blinds in Paki- are a gift from Sri Lanka. retrieve eyes, and maintaining she said. years. plete my schooling due to fi nan- ment surgery four years ago, he stan. These people, mostly be- Locally, the few donations registers for needy patients. Time has brought solace to “I lost vision in the right eye cial constraints.” continued to have blurred vision longing to the underprivileged come from the Parsi commu- “All these eff orts are in their the family but they still wonder after a stone injury. I can only “My mother supports me a and gradually completely lost sections of society, can have nity,” said Dr Wasiq. infantile stage in Pakistan and why blindness struck their child. sense slight light now,” she re- lot but she is worried about my the ability to see, following an a perfectly normal life if their The country has all the exper- ophthalmologists must play “They say it might be our cousin counted, adding that she experi- marriage prospects,” she said, injury. damaged corneas are replaced tise and facilities to start cornea their role in organising corneal marriage which led to the dis- enced no improvement in her vi- while sharing how visual im- According to Dr Qazi Wasiq, with healthy ones,” he explained. grafting on a wider scale and the donations and eye banking,” he ease. However, there is no his- sion despite receiving treatment pairment has aff ected her life. senior ophthalmologist at the So far this year, he said, 35 pa- only lacking is of public motiva- said. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, August 18, 2016 PHILIPPINES Baby girl born mid-air on fl ight to Philippines

AFP into labour on board the Cebu loud screech, and a few sec- mineral water and dressed care centre of a hospital in the New Delhi Pacific Air flight on Sunday as onds later, there were tinier, her in baby clothes donated city,” a Hyderabad airport secu- it flew from Dubai to Manila, cute screeches, and it was by fellow passengers flying rity offi cial told AFP, requesting her fellow passenger Missy when we knew the baby was with infants. anonymity. woman gave birth to a Berberabe Umandal posted on born. Luckily, she only had to The pilot conducted an “The newborn and mother premature but healthy Facebook. push ONCE,” Umandal said in emergency landing in the are fi ne and under medical su- Ababy girl mid-fl ight Panicked fl ight attendants her post, with a picture show- southern Indian city of Hy- pervision.” while travelling from the United started calling out for medical ing the mother holding her derabad so the mother and The woman, her own mother Arab Emirates to the Philip- assistance – discovering two newborn, wrapped in a blan- newborn could receive medical who was travelling with her, and pines, forcing the plane to carry nurses among the passengers – ket. attention before continuing on the baby were given three-day out an emergency landing in In- before turning the front of the The mother’s nationality is to Manila. temporary visas, which would dia. cabin into a makeshift delivery not known. “After initial examination most likely be extended until The mother, whose due date room. Flight attendants and by the medical staff , they were parent and child were fi t to fl y, was two months away, went “We only heard one semi- nurses cleaned the baby with moved to the mother and child the offi cial said. Image posted on Facebook by Missy Berberabe.

ESCAPE Duterte ‘willing’ to face Philippine soldiers and policemen escort Indonesian hostage Mohamed Safyan after he escaped from Abu Sayyaf captors, in Jolo, Sulu, in southern probe into drug killings Philippines yesterday. MILITANCY Reuters Sayyaf seizes Philippines teacher in Sulu

hilippines President Ro- drigo Duterte said yes- Suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits Pterday his government is abducted a public school teacher willing to face any inquiry into on her way to work in Patikul the deaths of hundreds of sus- town, Sulu, on Tuesday. Reports pected drug dealers and users said Edrina Manalas Bonsil, who as human rights groups express teaches at Tuup Elementary alarm over extrajudicial kill- School, was travelling on a jeep ings. when five gunmen flagged down Nearly 600 suspected drug the vehicle along Kanague village peddlers and users have been and forcibly took her. No individual killed in police operations since has claimed res ponsibility for Duterte took power six weeks ago, the abduction but police said police say, but rights groups put Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures while delivering a the Abu Sayyaf Group may be the number at more than 1,000. speech during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine behind it. There was no immediate “We are willing to submit our- National Police (PNP) headquarters in Quezon city, metro Manila, statement from the Department selves for an investigation be- Philippines, yesterday. of Education in the autonomous fore anybody,” Duterte said in a region but the military said opera- speech at the national police of- dent to do that.” to stop the drug trade. tions against the terrorist group fi ce, adding some of the killings Duterte won the presidency “I myself, who ordered the are continuing in Sulu. were carried out by drug gangs. in May on a single platform of campaign against drugs, take full Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte talks with Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua “But do not attribute acts of suppressing crime and drugs, and sole responsibility for it,” (right) during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters UTILITY other criminals upon my gov- declaring war on narcotics on his Duterte said, cautioning police in Quezon city, metro Manila, yesterday. Below: Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos and Chinese No power crisis, ernment. fi rst day in offi ce. against using excessive force in ambassador Zhao Jianhua pose for a picture during the Police Service Anniversary event. The fi ght against drugs will He has identified 160 of- making arrests. says Energy chief continue unrelenting until we ficials, police and judges in a “Do not kill if you’re not in have destroyed the apparatus name-and-shame campaign danger of losing your life.” The Department of Energy operating in the entire country.” (DOE) on Tuesday assured law- There have been cases when makers there will be no power police offi cers have killed sus- crisis in the country — this pected drug dealers in hand- year at least — despite rotating cuff s, in police custody or inside brownouts that hit Luzon in prison cells, civil rights lawyers late July and early this month. have said. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi Police have said they will not said there will be enough sup- condone wrongdoing but that ply to meet power demand in some may have been killed by Luzon, during the organisational rogue offi cers. meeting of the Senate Com- In another public event, mittee on Energy. Luzon has a Duterte attacked Senator Lei- “dependable” energy supply of la de Lima, who will open a around 13,100 megawatts (MW) public inquiry next week into while demand is around 9,700 drug-related killings, saying MW, the Cabinet official said. “So she was only playing politics for this year we have enough and linked her driver to the supply. There was a shortage drugs trade. last August 5, because 11 power “It’s character assassination,” plants went on outage,” Cusi ex- an emotional de Lima told re- Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos (right) pastes a seat marker plained. He said it would irrespon- porters at the Senate. “It’s so with his name on the back of Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, sible for him to declare a power foul. Zhao Jianhua during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Phil- crisis when DOE data showed that I did not expect the presi- ippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Manila yesterday. supply was adequate. President vows to free NDF leaders Philippine food

Manila Times munist rebels in his fi rst State of giant buys Aussie Manila the Nation Address last July 25. The president, however, re- voked the truce fi ve days later resident Rodrigo Duterte because of the failure of the snack maker has assured the National communists to declare their PDemocratic Front (NDF) own ceasefi re. that its detained consultants The Duterte administration AFP made 200mn packets a year. will be released to allow them has so far secured the release of Manila URC is one of the largest food to attend the formal resumption communist leaders Benito and and beverage companies in the of peace talks in Oslo, Norway, Wilma Tiamzon, and Ariel Ar- Philippines and has a market next week. bitrario and Porferio Tuna. hilippine food giant Uni- capitalisation of US$9bn. This after the leaders of the The NDF is still seeking the versal Robina Corporation It already has a large presence NDF, the political arm of the release of Tirso Alcantara, Re- Psaid yesterday it would in Southeast Asian markets and in Communist Party of the Phil- nato Baleros Sr., Kennedy Ban- buy Snack Brands Australia for 2014 it bought 150-year-old New ippines (CPP) that has been gibang, Alexander Birondo, US$460mn, the latest big deal in Zealand snack company Grif- waging a Maoist rebellion for Winona Birondo, Ma. Con- a global shopping spree by Fili- fi n’s for NZ$700mn (US$610mn). decades, met with Duterte in cepcion Araneta Bocala, Pedro pino fi rms refl ecting the nation’s Fuelled by one of the fastest- Malacañang on Monday to dis- Codaste, Edgardo Friginal, Re- economic rise. growing economies in Asia, a host cuss the upcoming talks. nante Gamara, Edie Genelsa, URC said it had sealed an of cashed-up Filipino companies In a statement released by Alan Jazmines, Ernesto Loren- agreement to buy the Austral- have in recent years embarked on the Offi ce of the Presidential zo, Loida Magpatoc, Alfredo ian company – maker of popu- global expansion plans that ana- Adviser on the Peace Process Mapano, Ruben Saluta and lar local brands including Ket- lysts say are the biggest ever seen on Tuesday, chief negotiator Adelberto Silva. tles, Thins, CC’s and Cheezels from the Philippines. Silvestre Bello 3rd said Duterte In a statement, Presidential – for Aus$600mn ($460mn) as Bargain prices in struggling had ordered the Bureau of Im- Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said part of its ambitions to expand economies abroad and rock- migration and the Department Duterte was willing to “walk the throughout the Asia-Pacifi c. bottom borrowing rates have of Foreign Aff airs to assist the extra mile for peace.” “With this acquisition, URC fuelled the acquisitions, accord- NDF consultants who will par- Peace advocates pin paper doves during a peace summit held at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon Dureza, who went to Malay- plans to create a wider footprint in ing to analysts. ticipate in the talks. City Tuesday. The participants pushed for the resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic sia last Saturday for separate Oceania with (Snack Brands) pro- In 2015, local instant noodle “The president assured NDF Front Communist Party of the Philippines. peace negotiations with Mus- viding a solid anchor in the highly fi rm Monde Nissin announced lawyers present during the meet- lim rebels, will lead the govern- competitive Australian market,” it had bought British meat sub- ing in Malacañang yesterday (Au- said he told the NDF that it could that I retain the control of the various government posts. ment’s panel in Oslo. chief executive offi cer Lance stitute manufacturer Quorn for gust 15) that the NDF consultants help “shape a government with- military and the police, and Formal talks are scheduled to The Oslo talks are expected to Gokongwei said in the statement. 550mn pounds ($833mn). Two will fl y to Oslo,” Bello said. out necessarily going into the they can have the mundane take place from August 20 to 27 tackle issues on socioeconomic re- Snack Brands was de- years earlier the Philippines’ Del In his speech during an complicated task of coalition.” matters of government. As a in Oslo, Norway. forms, political and constitutional scribed in the statement as Monte Pacifi c acquired the con- oath-taking ceremony for new “And I said that maybe, what matter of fact, they are there,” To support the resumption reforms, security and immunity the second largest producer sumer food business of unrelat- presidential appointees in Ma- would come out of these talks the president said, referring to of the negotiations, Duterte guarantees, cessation of hostilities of salty snacks in Australia, ed, US-based Del Monte Foods lacañang on Monday, Duterte in Oslo, is where I would insist activists he had appointed to declared a ceasefi re with com- and disposition of forces. and on its website said it for $1.675bn. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Dhaka, India vow eff orts Sri Lanka plans policy to contain terrorism for war By Mizan Rahman Dhaka displaced angladesh and India have reached a consensus to Bcontain militancy and ter- IANS “It demonstrates the govern- rorism through exchanging au- Colombo ment’s commitment in rebuild- thentic information. ing the lives of displaced fami- Information Minister Hasanul lies on a rights-based approach. Haq Inu revealed this yesterday he Sri Lankan govern- Affi rming a durable solution while talking to reporters after ment yesterday said it goes beyond resettlement and a meeting with his Indian coun- Thas prepared a policy to it includes provision of protec- terpart Venkaiah Naidu in New deal with war-aff ected fami- tion, housing, water, sanitation Delhi, said a Foreign Ministry lies. and healthcare, primary educa- statement in Dhaka. The cabinet had approved tion, a good living standard and Inu said information minis- the framing of a policy on du- access to livelihood etc.” tries of the two countries will rable solutions for confl ict- “Also they should be social- work together to resist distortion aff ected displacement, Xinhua ised without any discrimina- of history, falsehood, rumour, news agency quoted Media tion based on their gender, militancy, terrorism and com- Minister Gayantha Karuna- ethnicity, age, language, po- munalism through the exchange tillake as saying. Thousands litical opinion, religion, caste, of authentic information. were displaced during the living place etc,” the minister Besides, Bangladesh and In- fi ghting between Tamil rebels said. dia will work together to make and the military at the end of He said the policy was sub- two documentaries on the life the 30-year civil war in May mitted to the cabinet by D M of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur 2009. Swaminathan, Minister of Rahman and the 1971 Liberation He said the policy was pre- Prison Reforms, Rehabilita- War on the eve of the birth cen- pared after discussions with tion, Resettlement and Hindu tenary of Bangabandhu in 2020 relevant ministries, national, Religious Aff airs. and the golden jubilee of inde- provincial and district-level The government has imple- pendence of Bangladesh in 2021 stakeholders, UN agencies, mented various welfare pro- respectively, he said. civil society organisations and grammes for the kin of soldiers Indian Information and the displaced communities. who sacrifi ced their lives. Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate a Nepal to enhance ties with China new radio channel ‘Akashbani Maitree’ at Kolkata for the au- Nepal accords China a place of priority in its foreign relations and will dience of Bangladesh, Indian strengthen co-ordination and co-operation with China, visiting Nepali states of Paschimbanga, Assam Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said here yesterday. and Bihar. The Maitree chan- Mahara, visiting here as a special envoy of new Prime Minister Pushpa nel will air programmes prepared Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, reiterated the new Nepal government’s both by India and Bangladesh. Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu (right) meets with Indian Minister of Information & Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi yesterday. position during his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, The two ministers agreed in Xinhua news agency reported.Mahara said Nepal will strengthen co- principle for signing a memoran- casting related communication Ministry Mohamed Nasir Uddin Inu is scheduled to meet In- Vivekananda Foundation and In- ordination and co-operation with China and implement all consensu- dum of understanding (MoU) by between India and Bangladesh. Ahmed and its senior information dian National Security Adviser dia Foundation during his stay in ally reached accords between the two countries. It also abides by the the information ministries of the Bangladesh High Commis- and public relations offi cer Mir Ajit Doval and deliver speeches India. one-China policy, he added. Li said China appreciates the importance two countries to enhance the ex- sioner in Delhi Syed Muazzem Akram Uddin Ahmed were among at Jawharlal Nehru University, He is expected to return home attached to relations by the new Nepali government. change information and broad- Ali, joint secretary of Information others, present at the meeting. Observer Research Foundation, on August 21.

JUSTICE Philippine Making a splash police arrest ex-bank manager Four elephant calves killed

Philippine police yesterday arrest- ed a former manager of a Manila after being hit by train bank linked to $81mn stolen from the Bangladeshi central bank’s ac- count at the Federal Reserve Bank IANS of New York, broadcaster ABS-CBN Colombo reported. Unknown cyber crimi- nals tried to steal nearly $1bn from the Bangladesh Bank account our elephant calves died between Feb 4 and Feb 5 and suc- when they were hit by a ceeded in transferring $81mn to Fpassenger train in Sri Lan- four accounts at Rizal Commercial ka yesterday, police said. Banking Corp in Manila. Maia De- The baby elephants were guito was arrested in a supermar- walking on a newly-constructed ket in Manila’s business district. railway line in Vavuniya dis- Police served an arrest warrant trict when they were hit by the related to a perjury case filed by Colombo-bound Thaleiman- former RCBC president Lorenzo nar Express train, Xinhua news Tan. The broadcaster said Deguito agency reported. will be held until off ices open today “The Wildlife Department to- when she can post bail of 6,000 gether with the Sri Lanka Railways pesos ($130). In April, Tan filed a civil has been trying to identify paths complaint against Deguito for abuse which wild animals usually fre- of rights and defamation, arguing he quent. Along these routes trains was protecting his reputation after usually reduce their speed and Deguito testified that he was aware are very cautious. Yesterday’s ac- of the opening of five questionable cident took place in an area where Sri Lankan children look at the body of an elephant at Cheddikulam, some accounts at her branch. The stolen A Nepalese boy splashes in a pool of water collected from a stone spout near the Patan there have been no wildlife move- 260 kilometres north of Colombo yesterday, after it was hit by a train. funds were deposited in four or five Durbar Square in Lalitpur, about five kilometres south-east of Kathmandu yesterday. Patan ments,” a railway offi cial said. accounts, and later laundered into Durbar Square, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is best known for its rich cultural heritage, Elephants are considered sa- killed every year, mostly by an- tations. The accident is said untraceable gambling chips in two particularly its tradition of arts and crafts. cred in Sri Lanka and are legally gry villagers and farmers, when to be one of Sri Lanka’s worst casinos in Manila. protected. However, many are they trespass into human habi- involving wild animals. Flood-hit nation plans to keep food safe in home silos

Thomson Reuters Foundation are reported damaged, including astating of the last two to three especially cattle, means rural ship across the country,” said bated by climate change are hap- As part of a government ef- Dhaka nearly 17,000 houses that have decades. families face losing important Mozharul Huq, secretary general pening more often, according to fort to help people manage been washed away completely “This fl ood is the worst in assets. of the Bangladesh Red Crescent.” Atiq Rahman, executive director climate risks, the “household and over 65,000 partially lost to the last 30 years, aff ected peo- The government is respond- “Homes have been completely of the Bangladesh Centre for Ad- silos” will be given to coastal ith millions of Bangla- riverbank erosion. ple say,” said Adith Shah Durjoy, ing to immediate relief needs, destroyed, (and) there’s a short- vanced Studies. and river-bank dwellers so they deshis hit by devastat- Around 110 deaths have been disaster operations co-ordinator alongside local and international age of clean water and lack of “In the northern districts, can keep their grain dry when Wing monsoon fl oods in reported due to drowning, most for the International Federation aid agencies, Durjoy said. toilets. People’s livelihoods have agriculture — particularly rice waters rise. the past month, the government of them minors, according to of Red Cross and Red Crescent been left in tatters.” and vegetables — is damaged, The World Bank is providing and aid agencies are helping government health offi cials. Societies (IFRC) in Bangladesh. Made of polypropylene Mahbubur Rahman, emer- alongside losing lives,” he said of $8.37mn to procure the silos them with emergency food and The water has now started Some poor families also suf- copolymer food-grade gency response and prepared- the current fl oods.“Disastrous from local company Madina shelter, while working to im- receding but experts expect fered in the fl oods two years ago, plastic, the silos look ness co-ordinator for CARE events are hitting more fre- Polymer Industries Ltd, under prove protection against future another bout of fl ooding this he noted. like earthenware pots, and Bangladesh, said humanitarian quently than before.” the project to modernise food disasters. month as rainfall has increased “The self-recovery capac- can protect grain relief had yet to reach hundreds There can also be consider- storage. By June 2019, the govern- upstream in India and Nepal, ity of these people is destroyed from chemical, thermal of thousands of people. able climate variability across Made of polypropylene co- ment will distribute half a mil- whose rivers fl ow through Bang- by repeated fl oods,” he told the and weather eff ects International charity CARE is the country, he added. polymer food-grade plastic, lion “household food silos” to ladesh to the Bay of Bengal. Thomson Reuters Foundation. providing food and basic shel- For example, in April the the silos look like earthenware people in areas prone to storms Of the total number of peo- An assessment by the hu- The Bangladesh Red Crescent ter to more than 2,500 families northeastern districts of Su- pots, and can protect grain and fl ooding, to keep their food ple aff ected by the latest oods,fl manitarian team said the food Society has so far distributed in Bogra and Kurigram districts, namganj and Sylhet saw flash from chemical, thermal and stocks safe from water and other around 2mn live in Jamalpur, security and livelihoods of peo- food to more than 27,000 people, with funding from the British floods, while Barind Tract in weather effects. threats. Kurigram and Gaibandha — ple in aff ected areas had been and is using water treatment kits and US governments. the northwest was suffering They are equipped with a Bangladesh’s Humanitar- Bangladesh’s poorest districts, dealt a serious blow by the recent to provide clean drinking water Much of Bangladesh’s land is from drought. seal that keeps the food inside ian Co-ordination Task Team — where around a third of the pop- fl oods. to 15,000. a low-lying delta plain, meaning Experts say major cyclones dry even if the silo remains un- made up of government and UN ulation falls below the poverty There are acute food shortages Yesterday, the IFRC launched many parts of the country regu- and floods are causing fewer derwater for a long time during experts, aid agencies and donors line. in some areas, as household food an emergency appeal for $1.7mn larly go under water. deaths than in the past, thanks floods. — estimates that some 3.7mn These northern areas were stocks have been damaged and to support its Bangladesh arm Monsoon fl oods often inun- to alerts and evacuations. The government will also people in 19 districts have been also hit by severe fl ooding in food production hampered. in reaching 105,000 people with date homes and fi elds, causing But vulnerable households build eight large silos that can aff ected by the recent fl oods September 2014. People are eating only one or emergency assistance. crop losses and damaging food are losing their ability to cope store 535,000 tonnes of grain to which began in mid-July. Aid workers report that the two meals a day, instead of three, “The fl oods have infl icted stocks. as growing climate stresses respond to needs during natural More than 250,000 houses latest fl oods are the most dev- and a lack of fodder for animals, signifi cant damage and hard- But natural disasters exacer- push them deeper into poverty. disasters around the country. Gulf Times 18 Thursday, August 18, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran Ambiguity marks Britain’s

P.O.Box 2888 stance on leaving the EU Doha, Qatar [email protected] The UK’s connection with the UK, which would benefi t far would, in a soft Brexit, be extended, integration of a core group of countries? Telephone 44350478 (news), Europe has long been semi- more from deeper ties with, say, the essentially becoming permanent. For people who believe that it does, 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) emerging economies of Asia and South An eff ective soft Brexit agreement particularly in France and Germany, Fax 44350474 detached America. Hard Brexit is, in essence, an would have to go beyond these issues Brexit provides an opportunity to amputation. to defi ne Britain’s relationship to streamline and clarify the rules – and By Harold James A “soft” Brexit would reflect Europe. This would demand not just the objective – of the game. London the view that the UK is still a part soul-searching in the UK, but also the But others prefer to maintain some of Europe, and that Britain still establishment of a clear vision of what degree of ambiguity, which facilitates has much to gain from close EU Europe actually is. consensus on complex issues and rexit means Brexit, Theresa ties, with the City of London, in The UK’s connection with Europe helps keep leaders in power. German GULF TIMES May, the United Kingdom’s particular, depending on openness has long been semi-detached. “We Chancellor Angela Merkel falls into new prime minister, insists. to foreign workers, both skilled and are with Europe, but not of it,” this category, making her a kind of a BIt is a simple and powerful unskilled, and frictionless capital Winston Churchill told the House of continental counterpart to May. slogan that sends an unmistakable flows. Commons in 1953 during a discussion This strategy of using vagueness message to all who have been hoping As such, the UK must continue of a proposed European defence to create space for disparate political for a reevaluation of June’s referendum to play by EU rules and ensure that community. “We are linked, but not systems and mindsets – and, at Barshim’s leap result. economic and political relations combined. We are interested and times, even to persuade the many to The UK, it seems clear, will be with Europe remain central to British associated, but not absorbed.” support the decisions of the few – will leaving the European Union. But that policy. That seems to refl ect the stance – continue to impede eff orts to defi ne is where the clarity ends. expressed by Cameron and former Europe, thereby undermining the of trust delivers When Charles de Gaulle stood on The British are quite chancellor of the exchequer George negotiation of a soft Brexit. the governor’s balcony in Algiers Osborne – that helped to set the stage The British are quite comfortable on June 4, 1958, he told a crowd of comfortable with for Brexit. In response to the euro with ambiguity. French Algerian settlers, “Je vous crisis, they argued that Europe needed The most important single silver for Qatar ai compris !” (“I have understood ambiguity more fi scal integration, but without work of British literary analysis in you!”). Within a few years, he would the UK; there would be no British the twentieth century is William negotiate Algerian independence, Such a soft Brexit would amount to fi nancial participation in future euro Empson’s Seven Types of Ambiguity. infuriating those same settlers. the triumph of a realistic worldview rescue operations. Solidarity (at least According to Empson, ambiguity With a leap of 2.36 metres in the high jump event “Understand”, it turned out, did not over a self-defeating perspective the kind that costs money) stopped at implies the possibility that alternative at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday night, Mutaz Essa mean “sympathise”. underpinned by an implausible notion the English Channel. views can be taken, “without sheer May’s favourite sound bite could be of sovereignty. It is the UK’s better But, like de Gaulle’s declaration misreading”. Barshim has stamped his mark on Qatar’s sporting similarly misleading – a possibility option. But there are major obstacles and May’s slogan, Churchill’s From a statement that reveals the history as the greatest Olympian the country has that has not been lost on her to choosing it. statements employed the language of author’s “complicated” perspective produced. Conservative Party’s pro-Brexit right. A soft Brexit, in the current context, political ambiguity. Both proponents to one that highlights a fundamental Does the “Brexit” of which May speaks would not diff er much from the and opponents of Brexit appealed confl ict in the author’s mind, All of 24, Barshim bagged the silver medal behind entail the kind of “hard” departure compromise with the EU that former to Churchill’s spirit during the Empson’s poetic ambiguities certainly Derek Drouin of Canada, who took gold by clearing from the EU that many, if not most, prime minister David Cameron’s referendum campaign. do not seem out of place in politics – 2.38m while Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine claimed “Leave” supporters want, or will she government negotiated in February The most reasonable interpretation, especially British politics today. pursue a softer approach? – the deal that 51.9% of UK voters somewhat surprisingly, was summed The question now is whether bronze with a jump of 2.33m. A “hard” Brexit would entail rejected in June. up by Boris Johnson, a leader of the Europe’s 27 sources of ambiguity can Barshim’s eff ort was an improvement on his the severing of all existing links As part of that compromise, the Leave campaign and Britain’s new tolerate a 28th. — Project Syndicate between the UK and the EU: no more EU recognised the possibility of foreign secretary: with regard to bronze-winning performance as a 20-year-old at the contributions to the common budget multiple currencies within the Union Europe, Churchill was pro having his zHarold James is professor of history London Games in 2012, and he now becomes the only and an end to free labour mobility. and accepted the UK’s right to place cake – and pro eating it. and international aff airs at Princeton sportsman from the country with two medals at the This position assumes that Europe temporary limits on social benefi ts In any case, the problem of defi ning University and a senior fellow at the is in economic and cultural decline, that encourage migration. That Europe remains. Does the EU’s survival Center for International Governance Olympics. and thus has nothing much to off er “emergency brake” on migration depend on the deeper and closer Innovation. The athlete, who took to high jump as a 15-year-old, was no prodigy but was always considered blessed with enough potential to make a mark on the world stage provided he put his heart and soul into it. That, however, was no problem as the young teen proved a coach’s delight at Aspire Academy, putting in the extra hours and adapting his slender frame to the rigours of the cut-throat world of international athletics. By the time he was 17, Barshim was winning events at junior Asian events and became the junior world champion in 2010 to announce his arrival on Aft er a bronze in the global stage. 2012 and a silver Two years later, he was in London in 2016, isn’t competing with it only logical accomplished seniors at the Olympics despite for his fans to suff ering from a painful expect a gold in back problem that 2020? caused doubts in his mind. Barshim suff ered the back injury early during the year in early 2012 and was to reveal later that he was not fully fi t at the London Olympics. A stress fracture in the fi fth (L5) Lumbar vertebrae was found to be the cause of the problem. In an interview for the IAAF, Barshim had stated: British £10 and £20 bank notes. Britain’s annual inflation rate edged higher last month, off icial data showed this week, and is set to climb further as a weak pound “It started hurting bad before the (2012) World Indoor caused by the Brexit vote raises import prices. Championships and then I had to stop a bit. Before the Olympics, I had to stop again, but we have a really good sports centre in Doha and I also received treatment in Warsaw.” After his Rio de Janeiro heroics, Barshim has already Air pollution’s true costs announced his intention to compete at the Tokyo

Olympics in 2020, but if he stays fi t and healthy he can By Simon Upton Consequences of Outdoor Air the Caucasus region, and other pollution to quantify what people’s even extend his Olympic journey well until 2024 when Paris Pollution, estimates that outdoor air parts of Asia, such as South Korea, health is worth to them. pollution will cause 6-9mn premature where ageing populations are highly On average, individuals would he will be only 32, an age when many athletes are at deaths annually by 2060, compared vulnerable to air pollution. be prepared to pay around $30 to the peak of their powers. ir pollution takes years off to 3mn in 2010. That is equivalent The impact of air pollution is reduce their annual risk of dying At an interaction with the media in Qatar a couple of people’s lives. It causes to a person dying every 4-5 seconds. often discussed in dollar terms. By prematurely by one in 100,000. Using substantial pain and Cumulatively, more than 200mn 2060, 3.75bn working days per year well-established techniques, these years ago he had said that the biggest struggle he faces Asuff ering, among adults and people will die prematurely in the next could be lost due to the adverse “willingness-to-pay” fi gures were is maintaining his weight, saying he survives only on children alike. And it damages food 45 years as a result of air pollution. health effects of dirty air – what converted into an overall value of cornfl akes for weeks on end. production, at a time when we need to economists call the “disutility of premature deaths caused by outdoor feed more people than ever. This is not Air pollution can illness.” The direct market impact air pollution, as illustrated, for But the boy who grew up “nothing special, like any just an economic issue; it is a moral of this pollution in terms of lower example, in the OECD’s Mortality Risk kid in Qatar” has lived up to the promise shown by him one. be produced both worker productivity, higher health Valuation in Environment, Health and and also to the expectations his country had from him. Air pollution can be produced spending, and lower crop yields, Transport Policies. both outdoors and indoors. For the outdoors and could exceed 1% of GDP, or $2.6tn, By that measure, the global cost of After a bronze in 2012 and a silver in 2016, isn’t it only poorest families, indoor smog from annually by 2060. premature deaths caused by outdoor logical for his fans to expect a gold in 2020? coal- or dung-fi red cooking stoves is indoors Massive as they are, however, the air pollution would reach a staggering typically the more serious problem. dollar fi gures do not refl ect the true $18-25tn a year by 2060. Arguably, As economies develop and start to There will also be more pollution- costs of air pollution. Premature this is not “real” money, as the electrify, motorise, and urbanise, related illness. New cases of bronchitis deaths from breathing in small costs are not related to any market outdoor air pollution becomes the in children aged 6-12 are forecast to particles and toxic gases, and the pain transactions. To Advertise bigger issue. soar to 36mn per year by 2060, from and suff ering from respiratory and But it does refl ect the value people Cleaner technologies are available, 12mn today. For adults, we predict cardiovascular diseases, do not have a put on their very real lives – and the [email protected] with the potential to improve air 10mn new cases per year by 2060, up market price. value they would put on policies that Display quality considerably. But policymakers from 3.5mn today. Children are also Nor does the experience of would help to delay their very real Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 tend to focus myopically on the costs being increasingly aff ected by asthma. constantly inhaling foul-smelling deaths. of action, rather than the costs of All of this will translate into more air, or forcing your child to wear a It is time for governments to stop Classified inaction. pollution-related hospital admissions, face mask just to play outside. These fussing about the costs of eff orts to Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 With economic growth and rising projected to rise to 11mn in 2060, from burdens weigh far more heavily limit air pollution and start worrying energy demand set to fuel a steady 3.6mn in 2010. on people than any price tag can about the much larger costs of Subscription rise in emissions of air pollutants These health problems will be represent. allowing it to continue unchecked. [email protected] and rapidly rising concentrations of concentrated in densely populated Nonetheless, the truth remains Their citizens’ lives are in their hands. particulate matter (PM) and ozone in areas with high PM concentrations, that policymakers tend to respond - Project Syndicate the coming decades, this approach is especially cities in China and India. In more to hard fi gures than to abstract 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved untenable. per capita terms, mortality is also set experiences. So the OECD examined zSimon Upton is director for the A new OECD report, The Economic to reach high levels in Eastern Europe, myriad economic studies on air Environment, OECD. Gulf Times Thursday, August 18, 2016 19 COMMENT A formula to fi ght poverty in America

The US is a global outlier The programme is an 18-month income (UBI), which would sever the in tying much of its social employment-training programme link between employment and income. that also provides support services Swiss citizens roundly rejected that safety net to employment for families – including computer- approach in a recent referendum, but literacy classes, resume assistance, the energy devoted to more radical By Laura Tyson and parenting classes, and tutoring for approaches to help those who need it Lenny Mendonca children – through its non-profi t is welcome, even if the specifi cs of UBI Berkeley umbrella agency, Reading and Beyond. and its cost have yet to proven. Located in the poorest postal code Examples like the Bridge Academy in California, the programme has – and others, such as the Federal rom 2005 to 2014, the real helped 1,200 families who enrolled Home Visiting programme – show income of two-thirds of voluntarily and is funded to serve an that initiatives that are deeply rooted households in 25 developed additional 2,300 families over the next in and tailored to the needs of the Feconomies was fl at or fell. two years. To date, 80% of enrolled communities they serve, and that Only after very aggressive government families have gained employment or are driven by evidence of eff ective intervention in taxes and transfers signifi cant wage growth, and 80% of outcomes, can work. have some countries been able to hold those that do, retain these gains a year Unfortunately, we too often families at least even. later. Thirty % have achieved full self- embrace the opposite approach: This experience holds lessons reliance within just 18 months. broad-brush national programmes for countries like the United States, The Fresno scheme, funded by with no focus on outcomes. where inequality and income an innovation grant from the SNAP Consider the US Department of distribution loom large in the run- (formerly food stamps) programme, Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition up to November’s presidential and is rigorously outcome-based and Service. congressional elections. What can the quantitatively assessed. It has Approximately 88% of its $82bn US learn from what works? generated $22 of benefit for every in annual spending goes to direct aid The US is a global outlier in tying dollar invested, with $16 going to the (SNAP, or “food stamps”) while only much of its social safety net to families and $5 going to taxpayers 0.33% goes to providing people the employment. Social-welfare spending (mainly in the form of higher skills they need to avoid government averages 23% of GDP in Europe, but revenues and reduced outlays for assistance. Even worse, none of the only 16% in the US. And the US is food stamps). skills-focused programmes have data an especially distant outlier when it While the circumstances in Fresno to evaluate them. comes to families: only three other are particular to the agricultural A “progressive federalist” programme countries – Tonga, Suriname and economy there, Weber believes would substantially increase this type Papua New Guinea – lack a national the programme is scalable and is of spending and rigorously evaluate policy on paid family leave. already extending it to two other it. Such a programme would set high There are, however, many California counties (San Joaquin offi cial poverty rate in the US seems we both sit on its board of directors) strengthening families, improving the federal standards but allow cities and successful policy initiatives in the US. and Napa). Through a broader eff ort stuck at roughly 15%. argue for targeted spending, particularly quality and quantity of work available, states to innovate, then fund what For example, Pete Weber, a retired with California Forward’s Economic On the right, Speaker of the US in early education; linking college and breaking the cycle of recidivism. works. It’s time to think diff erently and business executive from Fresno and a Summit, Weber is embedding the House of Representatives Paul Ryan’s to careers; and reducing criminal The EITC also has broad backing align our thinking – and our spending member of the California Republican lessons from Fresno in an eff ort to Expanding Opportunity in America recidivism. Democratic presidential (more than three-quarters of – with what actually works. — Project Party’s executive committee, is at the move a million families out of poverty anchors the view that America already nominee Hillary Clinton’s policy economists surveyed by the American Syndicate forefront of a nationwide movement in the state by 2025. spends enough and just needs to platform proposes new programmes to Economic Association support of eff orts to think boldly about how to New approaches such as that taken spend it better. Ryan’s plan focuses address these issues, with a particular expanding it). There is also broad zLaura Tyson, a former chair of the move families out of poverty and into by the Fresno Bridge Academy come at on integrating programmes into an focus on family leave and early consensus on the need for better US President’s Council of Economic self-suffi ciency. a time when both the left and the right “opportunity grant,” expanding the childhood and college education. quantitative assessment of what works. Advisers, is a professor at the Haas The Fresno Bridge Academy, are questioning current anti-poverty earned income tax credit (EITC), and Many if not most scholars who have Others, especially many in Silicon School of Business at the University founded by Weber in 2010, has programmes. By some estimates, since criminal justice reform – all while explored the topic, such as a joint Valley’s technology world and some in of California, Berkeley, and a senior received statewide and national president Lyndon B Johnson launched encouraging economic growth, so that eff ort by the Brookings Institution and the labour movement, are concerned adviser at the Rock Creek Group. acclaim for its results – not only its his “War on Poverty” in 1964, total job creation does the heavy lifting. the American Enterprise Institute, that technology will outpace job Lenny Mendonca, senior fellow at the success with individuals in need, spending on the fi ght has exceeded On the left, organisations like the include elements from the left and the creation and leave many out of work. Presidio Institute, is a former director but also its cost eff ectiveness. $22tn. Yet the front isn’t moving. The Opportunity Institute (full disclosure: right – particularly strategies aimed at They would prefer a universal basic of McKinsey & Company. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Limit children’s of them spend hours playing video kindness, being involved, and knowing path in various aspects, political High: 42 C games, missing out the fun of social your child’s friends and what your parties must have a thoughtful Low : 34 C Hazy to misty at places at first screen time interaction. child does with them. approach towards issues that have an becomes hot with slight dust and some local clouds, becomes And some of the video games have infl uence on the lives of other people. realtively humid by night. Dear Sir, questionable content and this could Zeeshan Ali Therefore it’s time for the refi ned make children playing them violent [email protected] youth of today to come forward and FRIDAY Our world has been fl ooded with and aggressive. sway the political network in the High: 41 C monitors and screens. They are, Because of this, limiting a child’s country in the quest of prosperity. Low: 32 C literally, everywhere and people spend screen time is quite important. But to In the quest Sunny quite a lot of time, staring at them complicate matters, some screen time of prosperity Ramachandran Nair and communicating through them. can be educational for children as well (e-mail address supplied) Children seem obsessed with them as as support their social development. SATURDAY they are born into a screen-dominated Some experts recommend Dear Sir, High: 40 C world. Parents, themselves addicted to discouraging media use by children Please send us Low: 32 C screens and monitors, fi nd it tough to younger than age two and limiting The Indian president’s address on your letters Sunny control their children’s screen time. older children’s screen time to no the eve of the country’s Independence Screen time includes watching more than one or two hours a day. Day reiterates the fact that attacks on By e-mail television, using the Internet on Unstructured playtime is more minority sections cannot be tolerated. [email protected] Fishermen’s forecast electronic devices such as mobile valuable for a young child’s developing They will have a negative impact Fax 44350474 OFFSHORE DOHA phones, tablets and playing video brain than is electronic media. Despite on the progress of a culturally-rich Or Post Wind: NE-SE 03-13/17 KT games. the fact that many digital media country like India. Letters to the Editor Waves: 1-3/4 Feet When parents limit children’s programmes claim to be educational, India had recently witnessed Gulf Times INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT screen time, they get more hours to children younger than age two are a number of cases where people P O Box 2888 Waves: 1-2 Feet study, socialise and sleep, helping more likely to learn and remember belonging to some castes became Doha, Qatar them to do better in school and behave information from a live presentation victims of political intolerance, Around the region well with others. than they are from a video. apparently upsetting the country’s All letters, which are subject to Weather Weather Children spend an average of seven It also makes sense for parents to communal harmony. India’s editing, should have the name of the today Max/min tomorrow Max/min hours a day using screens, according apply the same rules to children’s real traditional values can never condone writer, address and phone number. Abu Dhabi Sunny 47/32 Sunny 46/31 The writer’s name and address may to a study. This leaves very little and virtual environments. This means such practices. Baghdad Sunny 44/27 Sunny 44/27 be withheld by request. Dubai time for outdoor activities. Some playing with your child, teaching As the country is on an evolving Sunny 44/31 Sunny 44/31 Kuwait City Sunny 46/32 Sunny 45/32 Manama Sunny 42/32 Sunny 42/32 Muscat Sunny 35/26 Sunny 33/26 Riyadh P Cloudy 43/30 M Sunny 43/29 Live issues Tehran Sunny 33/22 Sunny 33/22 The wonders of solitude

By Michael T Dolan and in our souls, seems to be rapidly and escape to the woods. device spewing noise from our ever- The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS disappearing. Though not yet dusk, the Earth is connected, mute-neglected, wireless As are our ways of escaping it. quickly spinning away from the sun world. The park benches far away from the as I set foot on the trail. Immediately Again, I ran from the noise. Slipping he sound of stone and crowds where the misfi t introverts the canopy branching out above me and sliding along the trail, I came to gravel crushing under gather to be independent together? seems to quicken the Earth’s rotation a stop a quarter of a mile deeper into tyres signalled my escape They used to be relatively safe spots toward darkness. Rain from the night the woods. Above my panting breath, Twas at hand. The small lot for quiet. Our open-carry permit for before has left the ground slick, soft I listened. sat empty, as it usually is, and the cellphones has changed all that. and shoe-suction muddy. It is not long All was quiet. I had outrun the trailhead stood in front of me, waiting before my presence is noticed. extrovert, and I smiled. patiently as it always does. I envy early man and A fl y buzzes by my ear and I swat it Standing in silence and breathing The asphalt road, with its winding away, continuing down the path. He in the stillness, the slightest sound Around the world path to the impatient world I was the quiet he must follows me, though, and whizzes by behind me caught my attention. Weather Weather running from, lay behind me. I my other ear just a few steps later. I Turning, I saw a black and red today Max/min tomorrow Max/min stepped out of the car, and soon my have known swat again and quicken my pace. He butterfl y fl uttering directly in front of Athens Sunny 37/23 Sunny 36/24 feet touched unpaved earth. comes at me still, louder and faster, me. In the quiet of the woods, I could Beirut M Sunny 31/26 Sunny 31/27 S T Storms 34/28 My solitary sentence began. Today, I fi nd myself increasingly whizzing and whirring – and taunting actually hear her wings beat together. Bangkok 34/27 Cloudy Berlin Cloudy 22/11 M Sunny 26/16 Such prison breaks have become playing the role of the involuntary too, I am certain of it. Nature’s quintessential introvert was Cairo Sunny 38/22 Sunny 37/23 increasingly necessary for my soul, as eavesdropper. The stage changes – the The game continues minute after talking – perhaps even singing – and Cape Town Sunny 22/13 P Cloudy 19/10 day by day it seems this extroverted waiting room, the checkout line, ball- minute as I maddeningly slap, swat my smile grew. Like listening to a Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 world into which I was born grows fi eld bleachers or the bus – yet the and thwack at the air, a madman alone shooting star, I thought. Dhaka S T Storms 32/26 S Showers 32/27 Hong Kong T Storms 30/27 T Storms 30/27 more and more extroverted, thriving noisy play goes on. in the woods. I watched her extemporaneous Istanbul Sunny 31/22 M Sunny 30/23 on ever-increasing noise, exposure, Perhaps we could bring back the I walk faster still, but the fl y, an dance into the distance. Dance as if Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 M Sunny 32/24 activity and connectivity. It’s Times phone booth, those all-but-extinct extrovert himself, is persistent, no one were looking. A butterfl y must Karachi P Cloudy 33/27 P Cloudy 32/27 Square sprawl, its echoing din far- props from the past. Not to provide demanding attention, buzzing in my have said that. London Cloudy 24/14 Rain 21/15 T Storms T Storms 30/26 reaching. privacy to the caller, but to give quiet ear. When I fi nally left the trail and Manila 31/26 Moscow Rain 27/16 Showers 24/16 I run from the neon lights, and to the rest of us. In nature I had sought refuge from pulled off that gravelly parking lot, New Delhi S T Storms 33/27 S T Storms 33/28 envy early man and the quiet he must Need to make a call? Enter the the extroverted world outside it, darkness had already enveloped the New York P Cloudy 29/23 M Sunny 32/24 have known. Imagine a world so quiet booth, no quarters needed. Herman and yet nature’s chief extrovert was Earth. Paris Showers 27/16 Showers 26/16 that the sound of a shooting star Munster was onto something when he sabotaging my retreat. Each buzz was But my soul was shining. Sao Paulo Cloudy 21/16 P Cloudy 31/19 Seoul I T Storms 33/26 P Cloudy 33/26 echoes across time as the past streaks installed that coffi n phone booth in his another marimba ringtone; each whirr Singapore S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 32/26 by in the night sky. Our ancestors hallway. I may even follow suit myself, a banner-towing airplane turning the zMichael T Dolan Sydney Sunny 21/09 M Sunny 23/10 knew such quiet in their souls. That just to bury the noise. ocean horizon into a billboard; and (www.conversari.com) is a writer from Tokyo Rain 31/26 Cloudy 32/25 quiet, however, both in the world In the meantime, I run away from it, each deafening drone just another West Chester, Pennsylvania. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, August 18, 2016 QATAR Qatar Airways passengers to benefi t from code-share pact with Vueling

atar Airways has an- to benefi t from the fl exibility nounced a code-share and convenience provided by Qpartnership with the code-share on diff erent Vueling Airlines, off ering pas- European and Middle Eastern sengers enhanced travel across routes.” Europe from today. Qatar Airways Business Qatar Airways passengers Class customers will be able to can now connect to 67 popu- enjoy the comfort of Vueling lar routes of Vueling Airlines’ Airlines Excellence Class, extensive network. Vueling with fast-track security, ac- Airlines fl ies to 24 destina- cess to premium lounges and tions in Spain, 16 in Italy and priority boarding and seat- four in Portugal, in addition ing. The benefi ts also extend to a number of destinations to frequent fl iers, with Qatar Qatar is keen to protect its natural resources and local environment. in France, Croatia, Germany, Airways Privilege Club mem- Malta, the Netherlands and bers eligible to earn Qmiles the Czech Republic. on Vueling Airline code-share The new partnership will al- fl ights. low seamless connectivity via The new code-share agree- the airlines’ common gateways ment, which builds upon the of Barcelona El Prat and Rome interline agreement signed Fiumicino. Qatar Airways op- between the two carriers in erates double-daily fl ights October 2014, is eff ective im- Campaign set to expand between both cities and its mediately and bookings can be state-of-the-art hub, Hamad made via Qatar Airways from International Airport in Doha, today. linking Vueling Airlines’ Euro- Qatar Airways is one of the pean network with Qatar Air- fastest growing airlines op- ways’ global network of more erating one of the youngest than 150 destinations. fl eets in the world. Now in its green cover in desert Qatar Airways Group chief 19th year of operations, the executive Akbar al-Baker said: airline operates a modern fl eet he Ministry of Municipality and ous strategies, plans, programmes and been adopted to further protect the “Our new code-share agree- of 190 aircraft fl ying to more Environment (MME) will soon projects to protect and develop the natural wealth of the country. In ad- ment with Vueling Airlines than 150 key business and lei- Tlaunch a greening drive in the country’s natural resources, in par- dition, there is a project to study the will allow even greater oppor- sure destinations across six desert areas near Al Shamal Road. ticular improving the green cover of impact of banning camel grazing in tunities for passengers across continents. “The initiative is a part of the the Qatari desert, in order to have a the open and renewing the ban for two Europe to connect to the glo- This year, travellers will project launched in 2014,” said engi- sustainable environment, achieving more years to help wild plants fl ourish. bal Qatar Airways network. continue to see Qatar Air- neer Ahmed Mohamed al-Sada, as- one of the goals of Qatar National Vi- MME is also implementing a project “Code-share partnerships ways expand its global reach, sistant undersecretary for environ- sion 2030. to link all the air quality monitoring and airline alliances continue with over a dozen new des- ment aff airs. “Since its launch, fi ve areas have stations across the country to a unifi ed to play an important role for tinations to explore. So far in In an interview published by the been greened,” al-Sada recalled. They electronic system. Combating climate Qatar Airways. The further 2016, the airline has launched ‘Municipality and Environment’ mag- are Al Ghafat, Al Wakrah, Simaisma, change is a part of the environmental addition of these code-share routes to Los Angeles (US), azine in Arabic, the offi cial highlighted Busalila and Al Bassir. vision of the country. routes will off er an enhanced Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Syd- the MME’s eff orts in preserving Qa- Al-Sada pointed out that MME ex- MME tweeted yesterday in Arabic and unrivalled global network ney (Australia), Boston (US), tar’s environment across air, land and erts great eff orts to maintain biodiver- that its environmental control room and improves our competitive Birmingham (UK), Adelaide sea. sity in the country. A project to create received reports about a total of 482 off ering.” (Australia), Yerevan (Arme- Ahmed Mohamed al-Sada MME implements a number of vari- a national biodiversity database has violations in the fi rst half of this year. Vueling Airlines’ chairman nia), Atlanta (US), Marrakech and CEO, Javier Sanchez- (Morocco) and Pisa (Italy). Prieto, said: “There are in- New routes including Wind- creasingly closer ties between hoek (Namibia), Helsinki (Fin- Qatar Airways and Vueling, land), Krabi (Thailand) and LuLu draw winners receive car keys and this agreement will enable Seychelles will follow later in passengers from both airlines the year.

Winners of the LuLu Mercedes Benz car promotion held at LuLu Hypermarket receive a symbolic key of the Mercedes Benz E-200 from Shaijan MO, regional director of LuLu Hypermarket Group. The new car owners are Glenn Marqueda Amper (coupon No 1514751), Mohamed Sujon, (1931557), Judy Lagmay Caberto (2474883), Faaez Ahmad Alavi (0825379), Drona Prasad Pokhrel (0304594), Mohamed Shawkat Hussain Bhuiyan (0859389), Adel Aly (0375382), Vairamani Periasamy (0743200), and Abdulrasheed Thekke Mayangiyil (0446918). Other off icials from LuLu Hypermarket were also present during the ceremony. The new partnership will allow seamless connectivity via the airlines’ common gateways, including the city of Barcelona. NU-Q’s Class of 2020 Vodafone rewards best retail achievers ‘largest in its history’ odafone Qatar recently held a recognition event orthwestern University world,” said dean and CEO Ever- Vto commemorate the best in Qatar (NU-Q) is wel- ette E Dennis. “I can’t think of a achievers among its retailers. Ncoming the largest class better way to open the academic Under the Vodafone Al Mu- it has enrolled since establishing semester.” mayaz Programme, Vodafone a campus in Doha, with a week- “As we prepare to move into invited more than 300 retailers long orientation session. our new building in Education to celebrate their eff orts, which The event City, we are better positioned to was also in line with the compa- will con- welcome additional students. ny’s commitment to build and clude with a Our new home will be a setting strengthen relationships with convocation where the ever-changing nature mass market outlets, according address on of media can be dissected, stud- to a statement. August 21, ied, and understood,” Dennis The event featured entertain- titled “How noted. ment from all over India, in- Do You Want A longtime columnist and cluding celebrities Shruthy Me- to Be Re- contributing editor for News- non and Kottayam Nazeer, and membered?’ week magazine, Cose is a former saw Vodafone give away prizes. delivered by editorial page editor of the New Participants included retailers Ellis Cose, an York Daily News and has also and distributors, in addition to Ellis Cose author, jour- been a contributing editor and Vodafone Qatar sales, market- nalist, com- press critic for Time magazine. ing, operations, networks and Participants pose for a group photo at the Vodafone Mumayaz event. mentator, and educator of con- A Chicago native, he has a channels teams who joined in siderable distinction. master’s degree in Science, the festivities. Mumayaz Programme and event regular meetings with its mass ously enhance its mass market each area,” the company said. “His visit is fortuitous for us, Technology and Public Policy Rasha El Azharay, Consumer aim to reward and recognise our retailers to update them on the performance. These meetings Participants in the Al Mu- not only to help launch our lat- from George Washington Uni- Business Unit director of Vo- retailers for their eff orts and latest products and services be- also aim at engaging and con- mayaz event expressed joy at the est class with a presentation, versity. dafone Qatar, said: “Our part- commitment to support Voda- sides networks improvement, versing directly with shop own- surprises in store for them, espe- but also by dint of his knowledge Cose will be delivering his ners are keys to our success and fone and be our ambassadors in the statement noted. ers and managers in order to cially the recognition and appre- and intelligence on matters of address at the Carnegie Mellon therefore we place very high the market.” “The feedback and insights collect fi rst-hand input, which ciation of their accomplishments class and race at a time of great University in Qatar building in importance on the feedback Aiming to engage with all its Vodafone gleans out of these forms the basis for developing in front of their families, friends upheaval in the US and wider Education City. they have about us as well. Our stakeholders, Vodafone holds meetings is essential to continu- bespoke services and solutions to and the Vodafone team.