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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10183 August 17, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 14, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Qatar face Germany in handball quarters

In brief Additional paediatric QATAR | Economy Bond off er ‘successful’ An off er of QR3bn ($825mn) of Qatar government bonds, the clinics open first domestic government bond off er this year, was successful and showed liquidity in the Qatari banking system is healthy, a central bank off icial told Reuters yesterday. “It was a very successful auction with big demand. It shows liquidity is at Sidra fine. The demand was fine from both Islamic and conventional banks,” The Sidra Outpatient Clinic skull) and congenital malformations. the off icial said. He did not provide currently has over 25 clinics, The paediatric orthopaedics clinic further details of the sale, saying allied health and clinical services is headed by Dr Jason Howard, who is they would be announced later. and will be fully operational by the division chief of orthopaedic sur- January 2017 gery. This clinic is staff ed by fellow- REGION | Toll ship-trained paediatric orthopaedic idra Medical and Research Cent- surgeons and experienced nursing and Rocket kills seven er (Sidra) has announced the allied health professionals. The clinic civilians in Saudi Sopening of three additional pae- specialises in the treatment of general Saudi Arabia suff ered its worst diatric clinics at the Sidra Outpatient paediatric orthopaedic conditions in- civilian death toll yesterday in cross- Clinic. Neurosurgery, urology and cluding: clubfoot, hip dysplasia, limb border shelling from Yemen. A rocket Qatar handball team captain Abdulrazzaq Murad celebrating after the team beat Argentina 22-18 on Monday to reach the orthopaedics consultation clinics are deformity, and others. fired by rebels in Yemen killed seven quarter-finals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Qatar next face Germany today for a spot in semi-finals. Page 1 Sport now open for referral-based paediat- The clinic will also accept refer- civilians in Najran city in the highest ric patients. rals for more specialised paediatric reported number of non-combatant The paediatric urology clinic, orthopaedic conditions including casualties in the kingdom’s south. headed by Dr Joao Luiz Pippi Salle, neuromuscular disorders (eg. cerebral “It killed four citizens and three the division chief of paediatric urol- palsy) and spinal deformities (eg. sco- residents,” the civil defence ogy, will provide consultation for liosis). spokesman in Najran city said of the children with acquired and congenital Currently, the Sidra Outpatient rocket strike, the off icial Saudi Press Inspectors destroy fi ve tonnes of lesions of the kidney, ureters, bladder, Clinic is accepting referral-based Agency reported. Page 4 urethra, gonads and genitalia, and the patients from Hamad Medical Cor- counselling and therapy of antenatally poration (HMC), Primary Health AMERICA | Release watermelons unfi t for consumption (occurring or present before birth) Care Corporation and the QF Primary The US in largest identifi ed lesions. Health Care Centre. While consul- Dr Salle and his team also apply “in- tations with the Sidra surgical team detainee transfer nspectors from Doha Municipality’s novative surgical techniques” for the are based out of the Sidra Outpatient Fifteen Guantanamo Bay detainees Health Department yesterday de- treatment of urinary incontinence, Clinic, all surgical procedures and have been transferred to the United Istroyed fi ve tonnes of watermelons reconstruction or revision of the re- operations are currently being con- Arab Emirates, the largest such at the Abu Hamour Central Market as nal pelvis and also treat children born ducted at HMC hospitals. release in years, the Pentagon the fruits were found “unfi t for human with atypical genitalia. Sidra is collaborating closely with announced yesterday. consumption”. The paediatric neurosurgery clinic other healthcare institutions in Qatar The latest transfers bring the The move came as part of the daily is under Dr Khalid al-Kharazi , who is to expand the referral network as and remaining population of the inspection tours conducted at the mar- the acting division chief of paediatric when more clinics and services are detention centre down to 61. Since ket to ensure the safety of products on neurosurgery. The clinic will provide launched. The Sidra Outpatient Clinic display. the September 11, 2001 attacks, about paediatric consultation for the treat- currently has over 25 clinics, allied The watermelons were deemed un- 780 inmates have been housed in ment of brain and spinal diseases in health and clinical services and will be the US military-run facility. Page 4 suitable for consumption due to some children including brain tumours, fully operational by January 2017. changes in their colour and taste, it was traumatic brain injuries and hydro- Sidra Medical and Research Center learnt. But good-quality watermelons were cephalus. will be a groundbreaking hospital, re- still available in large numbers at the Watermelons at the Abu Hamour Central Market. PICTURE: Ministry of Municipality Dr Kharazi’s team also treats spi- search and education institution, fo- fruits and vegetables market yesterday, and Environment Twitter page nal tumours, craniosynostosis (a rare cusing on the health and well-being being off ered at prices starting from condition in which a baby develops or of children and women regionally and QR5 for a medium-sized piece. the variety and size, while a similar box much time there in the heat. is born with an abnormally-shaped globally. Sidra represents the vision Vendors also displayed various types of cucumbers cost QR15-35. Potatoes At the fi sh market, prices of almost of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser who of local dates at the market, with some cost QR15-25 per sack. all varieties were slightly higher than serves as its chairperson. The high- available for QR8 for a box of 8kg. Better Grapes, meanwhile, were available for other days though many were available tech facility will not only provide varieties were available for up to QR20 prices starting at QR10 for a medium- in good quantities. world-class patient care but will also for the same amount. sized box, going up to QR35. The price of small tuna started at help build Qatar’s scientifi c expertise In general, prices of most vegetables While most of the products on dis- QR8/kg, while prawns cost QR15-50 and resources. and fruits were around the average levels play were imported ones, the dates had depending on the size and origin. Some Sidra is also part of a dynamic re- for this time of the year. Some, though, largely been procured from local sourc- varieties cost even more. search and education environment were priced a bit on the higher side. es. Small sheri fi sh cost QR12/kg, sar- in Qatar and through strong partner- A box of 7-8kg of tomatoes cost Despite the good availability of fruits dines QR8-10, small hamour QR15 and Currently, the Sidra Outpatient Clinic is ships with leading institutions around QR20-25, with a smaller box being sold and vegetables, there were not too many zubaidi QR30. accepting referral-based patients from the world, it is creating an intellectual for QR14. The price of a box of egg- customers at the market yesterday. Though the fi sh market is a closed, Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary ecosystem to help advance scientif- plants, weighing around 6-7kg, ranged Those present were keen to wrap up air-conditioned facility, the number of Health Care Corporation and the QF ic discovery through investment in between QR15 and QR25 depending on quickly as they did not want to spend customers was limited there as well. Primary Health Care Centre. medical research. Marijuana haul at airport Stage set for comedy festival

he General Authority of Customs Legal procedures were initiated ixing stand-up, storytelling Saleh, Fadi al-Shahry, Abdullah Said- renowned regional talent,” he added. (GAC) has foiled an attempt to against the accused, who was referred and surrealism, Doha pre- an, Wadah Sewar, Ahmed al-Sham- QSF is organised by QTA in partner- Tsmuggle seven kilos of marijuana to the authorities concerned. Mpares for a three-day com- mari, Ibrahim Khairallah , Mohamed ship with the private sector to energise into the country. GAC president Ahmed bin Ali al- edy festival running from August 18 to Qaraawi, Rajai Kawas, Abdulrahman hospitality, retail and entertainment The contraband was found hidden Mohannadi thanked the offi cer who de- 20 as part of the Qatar Summer Festi- al-Shaikhi, Bashar al-Jazzaf, Zaid sectors, especially in traditionally off - inside the bag of an Asian passenger at tected the smuggling attempt and laud- val (QSF) celebrations. al-Soudaa, Mouad Alnafi i, Mutassem peak seasons. Hamad International Airport. ed him for his alertness while on duty. Organised by Social Studios and Trabzoni, Nicholas Khoury, Ibrahim More Qatari talent will be show- The Customs offi cer-in-charge or- Al-Mohannadi also honoured the presented by Qatar Tourism Author- Saleh, ‘Shiyyab’, along two Qatari tal- cased on the festival’s stage this year, dered a full search of the man’s bag- offi cer, stressing that Customs person- ity (QTA), the Doha Comedy Festival ents, Hamad al-Amari and Mohamed with Mohamed al-Tamimi joining Ha- gage on suspecting foul play. The illicit nel played a vital role in protecting the will see 18 comedians from around al-Tamimi. mad al-Amari for the fi rst time. drugs were then found hidden in a bag, country against the harmful eff ects of the region perform at Qatar National “Our aim is to boost the entertain- Al-Tamimi has performed 18 stand- wrapped in plastic. narcotics. Convention Centre from 8pm to 11pm . ment sector in Qatar by sowing the up routines in Qatar so far, with per- The popularity of the show, which seeds for home-grown talent. Stand- formances in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia featured its fi rst edition last year, is up comedy is inspired by the region’s planned for the coming period. evident this year as it returns with culture and tradition, and bringing “My routine will revolve around my three times the number of stand-up together Arab talents from around the daily personal situations in Qatar as a talents. Middle East region is a way to enrich result of my interaction with a specifi c Though unheard of just a few years the viewers’ experience,” Social Stu- sect from the society. I call on every- ago, solo stage comics have now blos- dios managing director Hamzeh Zaher one to come and join us and enjoy the somed across the Middle East, draw- said. show,” he said. ing huge crowds in countries, includ- “Qatar is a pioneer in so many fi elds, Al-Amari was fi rst inspired to join ing Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the and, since comedy is a refl ection of a the comedy scene in Ireland, where he UAE, Yemen, Lebanon and Jordan. society’s reality, the Doha Comedy was born and raised. He has so far per- GAC president Ahmed bin Ali al- Popular comics from around the Festival seeks to mirror this advance- formed 65 stand-up routines in Qatar Mohannadi with the Customs off icer Arab world expected to gather in ment in the entertainment industry and is founder of the YouTube channel The contraband found in the passenger’s bag. responsible for the seizure. Qatar for the festival include: Badr by growing local talent and attracting “Assa Ma Shar”. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 QATAR

Message from Venezuelan president Humidity Rota opens levels to rise today

rise in humidity levels is expected in Doha and the registration A eastern/northern coastal areas of Qatar today along with a slight drop in temperature, the Met department has said. Low visibility is also likely at some places in the early hours of the day, according to the weather for leadership report. The detailed forecast for in- shore areas today says hazy to misty conditions are expected in some places at fi rst, followed by a hot day with slight dust and some local clouds. It will be rela- programme tively humid by night. Hazy to misty conditions are each Out To Asia (Rota), youth to hone their leadership and highly skilled leaders of also likely in off shore areas. in partnership with Exx- skills and lay the foundation tomorrow. ExxonMobil Qatar Visibility, meanwhile, may drop RonMobil, has opened for a successful future. As the is committed to harnessing the to 2km or less in some places. registration for its annual Lead- future leaders of tomorrow, our potential of Qatar’s youth, as HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a written message from Venezuelan Yesterday, a maximum tem- ership Training Programme, youth will go on to represent we believe it is key to cultivat- President Nicolas Maduro, pertaining to relations between Qatar and Venezuela and ways to perature of 47C was recorded in Youth Challenge, which aims to Qatar at a regional and interna- ing Qatar’s thriving society.” develop them. HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi was handed Sheehaniyah, Batna and Turay- develop the leadership, commu- tional level one day, it is imper- Registration for the Rota the message yesterday when he met Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, Venezuelan vice-president for na, followed by 46C in Karanah nication and community service ative they have the necessary Leadership Training Pro- political sovereignty, peace and security, and minister of the people’s power for foreign aff airs. and Jumayliyah. In the capital, skills of young people in Qatar. know-how to become effective gramme, part of Qatar Founda- the mercury level reached a high Extensive training provided leaders.” tion for Education, Science and of 44C in the Qatar University during the Rota Leadership At the start of the training Community Development (QF), area and 43C in the Doha airport Training Programme will better programme participants will closes mid-October. Interested area. prepare candidates, aged be- be provided with a detailed de- participants are encouraged visit Today, the maximum tem- tween 16 – 26, to play an active scription of the project, includ- the website: www.reachouttoa- perature is expected to be 41C in role in the development of their ing work mechanism, types of sia.org Ooredoo announces Mobile Doha and Abu Samra and 40C in communities and engage in local projects required from groups, Following an initial screening Dukhan. and international humanitarian and implementation require- process, shortlisted candidates action. ments. will be required to attend a brief Money Suzuki car winner The fi rst phase of Rota’s Alistair Routledge, President interview. Successfully selected three-phase Youth Challenge and General Manager for Exx- candidates will be announced project will take place from Oc- onMobil Qatar, said: “Our part- from September 5 until mid- oredoo has announced enter the next competition as I simple on-screen instructions. Ministry recalls tober 26 - 29 in Doha and will nership with Rota enables us to October. the winner of its Ooredoo am proof that dreams really can Once registered, users can focus on leadership and the fun- fulfil our shared objective of The third and fi nal phase of OMobile Money (OMM) come true.” check their balance, transfer Lexus models damentals of team work with a empowering youth in Qatar, as the Rota Leadership Training Suzuki competition. The win- To win the competition, cus- money around the world in- specifi c focus on social project the annual Leadership Training Programme will end in March ner, Stephen Okyere, received tomers simply have to transfer stantly through MoneyGram, management. Programme demonstrates. It’s 2017 at EMPOWER, Rota’s an- his prize in a ceremony held at money internationally or pur- and complete daily tasks such he Ministry of Economy Abdulla al-Bakri, Communi- an honour to join forces with nual youth-led conference, Ooredoo’s headquarters. chase Ooredoo services with as Hala top-up (with 10% extra and Commerce (MEC) ty Development Manager, Rota, Rota and to be able to offer our where participants will be re- Okyere, a labourer from Gha- Ooredoo’s award-winning mo- credit) recharge data (with 25% Thas announced the recall said: “Since it began in 2013, strategic input to help Qatar’s quired to deliver a fi nal project na, said: “I can’t believe this has bile money service via their extra recharge bonus). Users can of Lexus IS-F models of 2010- the programme has assisted youth become the successful presentation. happened to me. I can’t thank mobile phone or the Ooredoo also pay Ooredoo bills or send 2011, IS-Convert/GX460 mod- Ooredoo enough for this prize Money App. money locally to another mobile, els of 2009-2011 and ES350 and and the Ooredoo Mobile Money New customers can register securely and reliably, 24 hours a IS250 models of 2006-2011 due Team for giving me this chance. for Mobile Money for free with day, seven days a week. to a defect in the airbag infl ator I use Ooredoo Mobile Money be- a valid Qatar ID at any Oore- For more information, cus- kit on the passenger side. cause it’s simple to understand, doo Shop, by dialing *140#, tomers can ask about Mobile The recall is being carried out Almana Motors opens new Ford reliable, and the fees are aff ord- or by simply downloading the Money in any Ooredoo Shop or in collaboration with Abdullah able. I wholeheartedly encourage free “Ooredoo Money” App on visit the Mobile Money section Abdulghani & Bros Co, dealer of everyone to use the service and their mobile and following the on the Ooredoo website. Lexus vehicles in Qatar. The ministry has said the re- and Lincoln service centre call campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing eff orts to protect consumers and ensure lmana Motors Company, owners. The new layout allows care while off ering professional that car dealers follow up on ve- the exclusive distribu- for dedicated customer service and international standards,” hicle defects and repairs. Ator of Ford and Lincoln in desks and client waiting areas, said Ian Partridge, general man- The MEC will co-ordinate Qatar, has opened a new service in addition to private rooms,” the ager, Almana Motors Company. with the dealer to follow up on centre in the Industrial Area. statement notes. “Our team of highly skilled tech- the maintenance and repair The new facility will allow the The new service centre is op- nicians is on hand to provide the works and communicate with company to better serve cus- erated by 36 certifi ed techni- very best service to all our cli- customers to ensure that the tomers and further its commit- cians, who have the necessary ents’ vehicle needs and, through necessary repairs are carried out. ment to providing the “highest training to meet all require- additional tools available within The ministry has urged all level of customer care”, it has ments across the Ford and Lin- the new facility, we can now of- customers to report violations said in a statement. coln model line-ups. Whether fer faster service times to our to its Consumer Protection and Measuring 7,800sqm, the it’s a routine oil change or a more customers.” Anti-Commercial Fraud De- new facility is located on larger complicated engine repair, the The new service centre is open partment through the call cen- premises adjacent to its previous new centre will be able to fa- seven days a week, from 7am to tre: 16001, e-mail: info@mec. location in the Industrial Area, cilitate all customer needs, the 9pm. While walk-ins are wel- gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Street 23. company has said. comed, customers are encour- Instagram: MEC_Qatar and the “It has been designed to of- “Moving our service centre to aged to make prior appoint- mobile app for Android and iOS: fer a greater luxurious comfort these new facilities is in line with ments through Almana Motors’ Stephen Okyere receives the prize from Ooredoo off icials. MEC_Qatar. for visiting Ford and Lincoln car our mission to focus on customer call centre. QU announces admissions Domasco unveils ‘immersive off er’ for Fall 2016 semester oha Marketing Services exemplary fi t and fi nish along total of six airbags – front, front Company (Domasco), the with advanced seating comfort side and side curtain. Dauthorised distributor for and ergonomics,” the statement Talking about the special atar University (QU) has are distributed based on the col- demic and university life; meet Honda in Qatar, has announced notes. “back to school” off er, Domasco announced that it ad- lege of enrolment. and interact with other students an “immersive off er” for cus- The refi ned cockpit of the Ac- managing director Faisal Sharif Qmitted 2,441 Qatari and September 3 and 4 are the two in their college by participating tomers. cord focuses on an advanced and said: “Coupled with this intel- 1,214 non-Qatari students for orientation days specifi ed for in activities; seek advice from With the purchase of every intuitive driving interface with ligent and luxurious car, we are Fall 2016. male students while September current QU students and learn new 2016 Honda Accord, cus- the full 8-inch colour Intelli- giving the key to an immersive All Qatari applicants who 5 to 8 have been assigned for fe- about various academic support tomers will get up to QR10,000 gent Multi-Information Display mobile virtual reality experi- achieved the acceptance criteria male orientation sessions. Failing and student services available to cash-back along with a Sam- (i-MID). The i-MID can display ence. With the Samsung Gear were admitted on the bases of to attend the orientation session them; receive academic advice sung Gear VR virtual real- audio settings, turn-by-turn di- VR virtual reality headset and availability and capacity within would cancel the student’s admis- and course selection through ity headset and Galaxy S7 Edge rections, time and trip informa- Galaxy S7 edge smartphone, each college and major, QU said sion for this semester, QU said. meeting with academic advis- smartphone, Domasco has said tion, LaneWatch and Rearview endless hours of entertainment in a statement. The New Student Orientation ers; and know how to use the QU in a statement. Camera displays, incoming calls, The Honda Accord. awaits our customers.” The admission decisions are is the starting point for all new portal and email. “The always popular, bench- SMS text messages, and parking Greig Roff ey, head of sales and correlated with students’ at- students in order to be fully pre- The QU Parents Programme mark-setting Honda Accord re- sensor alerts. Audio dial controls 18” aluminium wheels project a marketing at Domasco Honda, tendance to orientation sessions pared from their very fi rst day of will hold an open day on Sep- defi nes the segment standards make it easy to select radio sta- sporty, nimble image, and LED added: “The Accord retains Hon- that will be held from September the semester. tember 24 to promote commu- with its luxurious and intelligent tions, music tracks and more, daytime running lights enhance da’s best-selling qualities while 3 to 8, the statement notes. The orientation includes the nity partnership between the features. With its generous in- while the Electric Parking Break visibility while accenting the displaying a luxurious style, Attending New Student Ori- following opportunities: meet university and students’ parents. terior dimensions, the Accord engages with the push of a but- sharp exterior styling. sporty performance and a vast entation is mandatory to ac- the college deans and depart- Parents will be invited to join a provides outstanding leg and ton and enhances convenience The Accord’s top safety rat- array of smart features. We invite quaint and familiarise new stu- ment heads and get to know them campus tour to know more about shoulder room for all occupants. for the driver. ings refl ect Honda’s commit- everyone to visit our showroom dents with the opportunities closely in order to know whom to QU’s facilities and the adopted Stylish and upscale cabin fea- Integrated dual exhaust with ment to overall vehicle safety. and take advantage of the cash- that QU off ers. Orientation days seek help from during the aca- teaching mechanism within QU. tures high-quality materials, chrome fi nishers combined with The 2016 Accord comes with a back off er up to QR10,000.”

Doha-based customer is MashreqMillionaire

ashreqMillionaire has I intend to deposit this money C-Ring Road Branch Manager, “As one of the most inno- announced Doha- in my family’s name, to secure Mashreq Qatar, at a specially vative savings schemes in the Mbased Puthenveetil their future, partially in Mashreq organised event held at C-Ring region, MashreqMillionaire Suryanarayanan as the winner of itself and I’m also planning to Branch. has consistently proven to be a QR1mn in the recent draw. The donate some of it to charity. I am risk free – capital guaranteed “longest standing and risk free” very grateful to Mashreq Qatar “Suryanarayanan is among investment opportunity that saving scheme has created more for this once-in-a-lifetime op- more than 200 customers changes the lives of customers millionaires over the years than portunity given to me,” said a who have been made forever. We off er MashreqMil- any other programme in the re- beaming Suryanarayanan. millionaires over the years” lionaire certifi cates for QR gion. The winning certifi cate for 1,000 each that can be pur- The winner described the QR1mn was handed over to Asif said: “Suryanarayanan is chased within minutes through prize as “unbelievable”. “I’m still Suryanarayanan by Tooran Asif, among more than 200 custom- our award winning online bank- pinching myself as I have never Head of Retail Banking Qatar ers who have been made million- ing system or our branches,” won anything like this before. and Maryam al-Muhannadi – aires over the years”. Asif concluded. The winner is seen with Mashreq Qatar off icials. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 3 QATAR Turkish fi rst deputy prime minister hails Emir’s support

QNA pressing his belief that there Doha is a desire to restore normal relations after Russia un- derstood what was being urkish First Deputy plotted to spoil the relations Prime Minister Omer between the two countries. TFaruk Korkmaz has He added that the Russian praised HH the Emir Sheikh president was in permanent Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s contact with Turkish presi- support for Turkey and Presi- dent during the failed coup dent Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempt, which confi rms and his stand against the Russia’s standing with the failed coup attempt, which he Turkish state and its un- said proved the distinct rela- derstanding that the “par- tions between the two coun- allel entity’’ seeks to strain tries and the two peoples. relations between the two In an interview with Qatari countries. daily Al Sharq published yes- He also emphasised that terday, Korkmaz highlighted the coming days will wit- the developing relations be- ness co-operation in all in- tween Qatar and Turkey at ternal and external fi les at all levels, especially after the the highest possible level. failed coup attempt, affi rm- On Syria, Korkmaz said ing that bilateral relations Omer Faruk Korkmaz Turkish and Russian presi- will grow further in the com- dents discussed the is- ing period . On the readiness of the that democratically and not sue, especially since there He called on Qatar to in- “parallel entity’’ to carry by warplanes and tanks, are two different points of vest in the fi eld of education out the failed operation, he stressing that the United view, stressing that Turkey in Turkey, emphasising that explained that the entity States has been asked to will not give up its stance this would fi ll a major gap claim that they stay away hand over Gulen to Turkey. towards the Syrian issue after the Turkish govern- from politics and that they About the existence of and his country’s position ment closed all schools of are a far cry from plots and a relationship between is clear since the outbreak the “parallel entity”. He also intrigues and they are loyal Fethullah Gulen and the of the revolution which is expressed surprise at the to the state and the Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Party with the desire of Syrian existence of many European people. They also claim that (PKK), Omer Faruk Kork- people to obtain freedom universities in Turkey, but their leader Fethullah Gulen maz said that it is normal and dignity and to have a no Arab university. does not aim to hold po- that the two sides co-oper- democratic government, About the results of the litical positions, but he only ate with each other to over- noting that this will be investigation into the failed aims to serve his followers throw the Turkish state, and achieved only with a new coup attempt, Korkmaz said and supporters, Korkmaz what “concerns us is that transition stage without that so far the offi cial inves- added. both organisations carry out Bashar al-Assad. tigations have not indicated He pointed out that if terrorist operations against Korkmaz stressed that that there are any states in- the putschists have any Turkey and its people.” the committee formed be- volved in the failed coup at- demands and objections On the other hand, Ko- tween the two countries is tempt, but said that there are to the performance of the rkmaz indicated that Turk- an evidence that both sides doubts about the involve- president and the govern- ish president’s recent visit agree on the need to resolve ment of some countries. ment, they must declared to Russia was positive, ex- the crisis. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD 15 Guantanamo detainees transferred to UAE

AFP tention centre down to 61. take Yemeni detainees, given that supervision and undergoing reha- Amnesty International USA’s se- “The continued operation of Obama urgently wants to close Washington Since the September 11, 2001 they can’t go home because of the bilitation programmes. curity and human rights program the detention facility weakens the facility before he leaves offi ce attacks, about 780 inmates have civil war in their nation. Amnesty International USA director, said. our national security by draining at the start of next year but has been housed in the US military- “The United States is grateful welcomed the announcement as One of those transferred is an resources, damaging our relation- been continually thwarted by Re- ifteen Guantanamo Bay run facility. to the government of the United a sign President Barack Obama Afghan called Obaidullah, who al- ships with key allies and partners, publican lawmakers. detainees have been trans- According to a State Depart- Arab Emirates for its humanitari- is serious about closing the con- legedly had hidden land mines in and emboldening violent extrem- Still, the United States has in Fferred to the United Arab ment offi cial, speaking on condi- an gesture and willingness to sup- troversial facility before he leaves 2001. He was detained for 14 years ists,” Ambassador Lee Wolosky, recent months accelerated the rate Emirates, the largest such release tion of anonymity, 12 of the men port ongoing US eff orts to close” offi ce. without trial. the special envoy for Guantanamo at which detainees who have been in years, the Pentagon announced are from Yemen and three are Af- Guantanamo, the Pentagon said in “It’s a signifi cant repudiation of Monday’s announcement rep- closure, said in a statement. approved for transfer are released on Monday. ghans. a statement. the idea that Guantanamo is go- resents the largest transfer of “The support of our friends and from the facility. When Obama The latest transfers bring the The Pentagon has previously Once transferred, former in- ing to be open for business for the prisoners under the Democratic allies -- like the UAE -- is critical took offi ce, there were 242 detain- remaining population of the de- struggled to fi nd a third country to mates are usually freed subject to indefi nite future,” Naureen Shah, Obama administration. to our achieving this shared goal.” ees at Guantanamo. Houthis used talks to rearm: coalition

AFP by this negotiation, to re-organise restore security in Yemen. Days before the suspension of Riyadh their force, re-supplying their Coalition warplanes resumed peace talks on August 6, 12 Saudi forces and getting back to fi ght- major strikes around the rebel- soldiers were killed in border ing. held capital Sanaa last week fol- clashes during the most serious he Saudi-led coalition bat- They don’t have any political lowing the collapse of the talks fi ghting in months along the fron- tling rebels in Yemen ac- agenda,” Brigadier General Ahmed in Kuwait after three fruitless tier. Tcused the militants yester- Assiri, the coalition’s spokesman, months of negotiations. Since Last week, the coalition said it day of using peace negotiations said. then bombing has continued. intercepted two ballistic missiles to rearm, after an escalation of He said the coalition, which The coalition says the sus- fi red at southern Saudi Arabia. fi ghting following the talks’ sus- launched strikes against the Shia pension of the talks followed in- Questioned over what has pension. Houthi rebels in March last year, creased ceasefi re violations by been accomplished by almost 18 “They were deceiving people would do “whatever it takes” to the rebels, who are allied to forces months of fi ghting, Assiri said the loyal to former Yemeni president rebels are weaker than they were Saudi-led coalition probes ‘strike on hospital’ Ali Abdullah Saleh. in March last year when coalition Assiri said the rebels had vio- operations began. The Saudi-led coalition bombing dead, it said. lated the ceasefi re -- which was But the “smuggling (of) weap- rebels in Yemen launched an UN Secretary-General Ban in conjunction with the UN-bro- ons to Yemen does not stop,” he investigation yesterday after Ki-moon said he was “deeply kered talks – “since day one”, As- said, despite a coalition blockade an air raid that allegedly killed disturbed” by the intensification siri said. of the territory. 14 people at a hospital Doctors of air raids in Yemen. As a result, the coalition was Riyadh accuses its regional Without Borders supports. Meanwhile, shells fired by forced to provide “reactive” air rival Tehran of supporting the The Paris-based aid agency Houthis killed seven civilians in support to Yemeni troops while Houthis. said another 24 people were southern Saudi Arabia, Saudi the talks continued, he said. Asked how long the coalition wounded in the strike that hit the state television reported. Now that heavier bombard- can sustain the operation, Assiri hospital on Monday in Abs in the Saudi Ekhbariyah television said ments have resumed, the coalition said that the operation was “for rebel-held province of Hajja. projectiles fired by the rebels aims to support Yemen’s gov- national security, for (the) stabil- Yemeni security forces take part in a raid in Ja’awla a northern neighbourhood of Aden where they found A Doctors Without Borders landed at an industrial area in the ernment to regain control of the ity of the region”. an underground storage reportedly used by rebels to store weapons and ammunition yesterday. Yemeni (MSF) staffer was among the southern city of Najran. country as well as to protect Saudi “It takes whatever it takes,” he authorities have trained hundreds of soldiers in Aden over the past two months to retake the nearby borders, Assiri said. said. province of Abyan. West Bank youth killed in clash with Israeli troops

Agencies Hashhash, according to the camp early yesterday gas, and fi ring .22-calibre Ramallah, West Bank Hebron hospital offi cial and began questioning resi- rounds. Walid Zaloum, who said dents and searching homes, At least fi ve Palestinians Abu Hashhash was killed the agency said, citing lo- were taken to a local hospi- Palestinian youth by a bullet that entered cals. tal in Yatta for their injuries, was killed yesterday through his back and struck Groups of residents the offi cial Palestinian Wafa Aand dozens of pro- above his heart. threw stones and explosive news agency said. testers were injured during The Palestinian health devices at the soldiers, who An ambulance transport- clashes with Israeli troops ministry said he was 17 were at the refugee camp to ing a young man who had at the Fawwar refugee camp years old. conduct a weapons search, been seriously injured in in the occupied West Bank, Abu Hashhash is the fi rst according to the Israeli the scuffl es was allegedly the Palestinian health min- Palestinian fatality this army. stopped by Israeli forces istry said. month in a confrontation The soldiers respond- from leaving the camp for The dead youth was with Israeli forces. ed by using riot dispersal about an hour, the Maan named Mohamed Abu The forces surrounded methods, including tear agency said, citing locals.

Members of the Palestinian Red Crescent and medics evacuate on a stretcher a Palestinian youth who was wounded during clashes with Israeli soldiers conducting searches in the Palestinian al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, yesterday. Iran arrests suspected British spy

DPA citizenship in Iran and a ghari-Ratcliff e, a dual na- ISNA news agency. Tehran second unspecifi ed West- tional of Iran and Britain In Iran, those found guilty ern nation, was arrested last who worked for the Thom- of espionage could face the week on suspicion of carry- son Reuters Foundation, death penalty or a long spell ran has arrested a dual- ing out economic espionage was arrested at Tehran’s in prison. national it suspects of for the British, Dolatabadi airport as she tried to leave Similar cases in the past Iworking for the British was quoted by Tasnim news the country. have failed for lack of evi- secret services, Public Pros- agency as saying. She was detained for 45 dence, or the accused have ecutor Abbas Jafari Dolata- Iran does not recognise days before being charged been expelled from the badi said yesterday. dual nationality. of working for the Western country following political The individual, who has In April, Nazanin Za- secret services, according to negotiations. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 5 ARAB WORLD Russia launches fi rst Syria Libyan forces retake central air raids from Iranian base area of Sirte AFP Moscow is looking to expand into Moscow a permanent facility – is home to only short-range planes and Reuters erupted that led successfully to fi ghter jets, meaning long-range Sirte, Libya the recapture of neighbourhood ussia said yesterday its bombers had to be deployed from Number 2 with the co-operation warplanes fl ew out of an southern Russia. of a tank unit to confront Islamic RIranian airbase for the fi rst The use of the Iran base could ibyan forces said yesterday State snipers,” said Rida Issa, a time to bomb militant groups in help boost Moscow’s fi repower they had taken one of the spokesman. Syria, as fi ghting raged for control by cutting the time it takes for its Llast districts in central Sirte “The neighbourhood is now of the ravaged city of Aleppo. jets to reach their targets, military held by Islamic State militants, completely under control of our The deployment marks a major analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said. battling snipers and car bombs in forces,” he said, adding that his switch in the bombing campaign “Bombers can transport more their campaign to recapture the side had also made incursions the Kremlin launched in Sep- bombs if their fl ight time is entire city. into neighbourhood Number 1, tember to support Syrian leader short,” he said. Forces aligned with Libya’s situated in the heart of Sirte, the Bashar al-Assad, as until now Ali Shamkhani, secretary of UN-backed government in Tripoli hometown of late Libyan dictator Moscow had only fl own raids out Iran’s Supreme National Security are three months into a campaign Muammar Gaddafi . of its bases in Syria and Russia. Council, told state news agency to oust Islamic State from their The Misrata-led forces had Russia’s defence ministry said Irna that Moscow and Tehran former North African stronghold faced four vehicle-borne bombs, long-range bombers and fi ghter “exchange capacities and facili- and have encircled the militants two of which they had destroyed jets took off from the Hamedan ties” in the fi ght against terror- in a shrinking section of the city on the ground before they could base in western Iran and “con- ism in Syria. centre. reach their targets, Issa said. ducted a group air strike against An unnamed military source Since Aug. 1, their progress has “One unfortunately exploded targets of the Islamic State and told Interfax news agency on been aided by US air strikes on Is- near our forces but there are no Jabhat al-Nusra” in Aleppo, Deir Monday that Russia had also sent lamic State vehicles, weapons and casualty fi gures, and the fourth Ezzor and Idlib. requests to Iran and Iraq to fi re fi ghting positions. one was bombed by a warplane. The strikes destroyed militant cruise missiles across their air- The US Africa Command said it We do not know whether it was targets including weapons depots space. had carried out a total of 48 strikes US air strike or our air defence.” and command centres, “killing a Russian deputy foreign min- as of Sunday. The government-backed forces large number of fi ghters,” Mos- ister Mikhail Bogdanov was in The Libyan forces are com- have been carrying out their own, cow said. A resident of the Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood of Aleppo inspects the damage caused by reported air Tehran on Monday, where he dis- posed mainly of brigades from the regular air strikes over the Medi- The Syrian Observatory for raids that targeted rebel-held areas in the northern city yesterday. Air raids on two rebel-held districts cussed the “high mutual interest” western city of Misrata. terranean coastal city with a fl eet Human Rights said air raids yes- of Syria’s battleground second city Aleppo killed 19 civilians, including three children. of deeper co-operation between After they secured key sites of ageing fi ghter jets. terday against two rebel-held Russia and Iran in the Middle south of central Sirte last week, At least three combatants from districts in Syria’s second city of ern districts of Aleppo said there both sides exchanging accusa- gime, with Tehran commanding East, his ministry said. fi ghting shifted into neighbour- those forces had been killed and Aleppo killed 19 civilians. were heavy air strikes throughout tions of indiscriminate attacks thousands of troops fi ghting for Defence Minister Sergei hood Number 2, which the bri- 30 wounded in yesterday’s clash- Observatory head Rami Ab- Monday night and into the day against civilians. him on the ground as Russia pro- Shoigu has held several meetings gades said they had now cap- es, according to Akram Gliwan, del Rahman said the strikes on yesterday in Tariq al-Bab and Al- The UN Commission of In- vides airpower. over the past year with Iranian tured. a spokesman at Misrata’s central Tariq al-Bab and Al-Sakhur, Sakhur. quiry on Syria said in a statement Both oppose calls for Assad to counterpart General Hossein “On Tuesday morning clashes hospital. which left three children among Men were seen pulling debris it was “gravely concerned for the step down in a bid to resolve the Dehghan, most recently in June the dead, were carried out by ei- and rubble from the ground fl oor safety of civilians” in Aleppo and confl ict that has killed more than in Tehran, where they pledged to ther Russian or regime aircraft of a building, while others zipped called for “immediate attention 290,000 people since it erupted deliver a “decisive” battle against Morocco arrests four over alleged IS ties and had also wounded dozens of corpses into black body bags. and response” to their plight. in March 2011. “all terrorist groups”. people. The increased fi ghting has Human Rights Watch accused Moscow has so far used war- Shoigu also said in comments Morocco yesterday arrested four men allegedly linked to the Islamic Fighting for control of the raised concerns for the estimated Syrian and Russian warplanes of planes stationed at its Hmeimim aired on Monday that Russia State militant group and planning attacks in the kingdom’s economic shattered city, a former economic 1.5mn civilians still in Aleppo, having repeatedly used incen- airbase outside the Syrian coastal and the United States were close capital Casablanca, the interior ministry said. hub in northwestern Syria, has including some 250,000 in rebel- diary weapons against civilians city of Latakia, as well as ships in to joining forces in some form It said authorities had dismantled “a terrorist cell of four extremists intensifi ed after regime troops held areas. in northern Syria, saying it had the Caspian Sea and a submarine around Aleppo. who were active between Casablanca and Mograne”, a rural area some seized control of the last sup- Since mid-2012, Aleppo has documented their use at least 18 in the Mediterranean, to bombard But US State Department 50km (30 miles) north of political capital Rabat. ply route into rebel-held areas in been divided between opposi- times since June. Syrian territory. spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau Initial findings in the investigation pointed to the men having “pledged mid-July. tion control in the east and gov- Iran and Russia are the two But Hmeimim – which a sen- refused to confi rm any collabora- allegiance” to IS and preparing to attack “vital sites in Casablanca”, it An AFP correspondent in east- ernment forces in the west, with fi rmest backers of the Assad re- ior Russian offi cial said recently tion. said. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 AFRICA Marikana massacre marked AFP “It has become quite clear that Johannesburg if you are poor and you are black and you are not connected, this government simply does not care outh African opposition for you,” said Maimane. parties slammed the ruling His comments come just two SANC yesterday for failing to weeks after the African Nation- deliver on its promises, four years al Congress (ANC) suff ered its after police killed 34 striking worst poll results since 1994, los- DA leader Mmusi Maimane and miners at Marikana in a massacre ing majority control of the largest EFF leader Julius Malema (right) that shocked the world. metropolitan areas, including the addressing the rally. “There has been no justice that capital Pretoria and business hub has taken place for those who Johannesburg. “In the four years since the died in Marikana,” Mmusi Maim- Traditionally an ANC strong- tragedy, government has been ane, leader of the main opposi- hold, residents of Marikana’s hard at work to address the re- tion Democratic Alliance (DA), Wonderkop township where vitalisation of distressed min- for the same demand of 12,500,” Ian Farlam recommended an in- told reporters. most of the miners live instead ing communities, and to fi nd said Siphamandla Makhanya, vestigation into the conduct of He was speaking at a rally of voted for the radical left Eco- sustainable solutions that are of one of the leaders of the 2012 then-police commissioner Riah thousands of miners commem- nomic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in benefi t to all,” it said. strike. Phiyega, but no-one has been orating the fourth anniversary the August 3 local elections. But many were sceptical of the “Workers have forged closer directly prosecuted for the mas- of the worst police violence in “We are going to make sure progress made. and closer towards what the oth- sacre. South Africa since the end of that our people in this ward get When rock drill operators in er died for – they are closer now “The Farlam Commission has white-minority rule in 1994. houses, water and electricity,” Marikana launched their strike than any other time to the 12,500 come and gone and yet numerous The Marikana mine workers EFF leader Julius Malema told the four years ago, they demanded demand, but that’s the only thing questions remain unanswered,” were gunned down on August crowds at yesterday’s rally. “We a minimum wage of 12,500 rand that has changed,” Zwelinzima Association of Mineworkers and 16, 2012 after police were de- are eating this elephant called the ($940). Vavi, former general secretary of Construction Union (AMCU) ployed to break up a strike at the ANC piece by piece.” It is a goal they still haven’t the powerful ANC-allied trade head Joseph Mathunjwa told the Lonmin-owned platinum mine The ruling party was notably reached, with infl ation and the union group Cosatu, told local thousands of gathered miners. northwest of Johannesburg. absent at the rally. depreciating rand cutting into broadcaster ANN7. “The squalor, “There are still no answers as to Four years later, nobody has Instead, the government re- whatever wage increases they the poverty all over – very little why 500 heavily-armed police been prosecuted for the shoot- leased a statement saying that it have received. has changed since 2012.” with artillery and helicopters ings, while miners continue to “joins the nation in remembering “As we speak today, we are still A lengthy judicial inquiry into shot and killed those workers Miners gather during the rally. live in dire poverty. this tragic event”. struggling, we are still fi ghting the shooting led by retired judge here.”

Zambia police arrest 150 over election protest

AFP Monday, blockading roads with logs hails from the south and enjoys be delayed due to the rejection of the Lusaka and burning tyres. widespread support in the region. results by the opposition. “The people of Southern Province Hichilema, who was making his “I am appealing to you to be were very sure that Hichilema was fi fth bid for the presidency, claimed peaceful,” Lungu told supporters at ambian police said yesterday going to win ... and this sparked riots that there were clear signs of fraud a rally. “We have a bit of time before that they had arrested 150 op- ... resulting in the arrest of 150 peo- and vote rigging over the four days it I am sworn in, because I hear some Zposition activists over protests ple,” the province’s police commis- took to release the results. people have gone to court.” that erupted after President Edgar sioner Godwin Phiri in a statement. The poll results put Lungu nar- “This is not to say the election was Lungu was declared the winner of a Hichilema, who heads the United rowly ahead with 50.35% of the vote fraud. By going to court they can- highly-contested vote. Party for National Development against 47.63% for Hichilema, a dif- not frustrate the will of the people. Supporters of opposition leader (UPND), has rejected Thursday’s ference of about 100,000 votes. Zambians are magnanimous. They Hakainde Hichilema took to the poll as rigged and the party said it The outbreak of violence prompt- will wait for the judicial process to streets in Southern Province after would formally challenge the result. ed Lungu to call for calm, telling be exhausted until their president is the election results were released on The 54-year-old businessman supporters his swearing-in would sworn in.”

Kenya sacks poll off icials

Kenya will replace its top electoral off icials, a cross-party parliamentary committee said yesterday, granting victory to the opposition which had branded them biased and led protests for them to be sacked. Nine new commissioners will take over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission well before next August’s general election, a key demand of Raila Odinga’s opposition CORD coalition which said it had feared a rigged vote. At least four people died in protests that CORD had been staging weekly, raising concerns of a return to ethnic violence that killed 1,200 people after a disputed election in 2007. The protests began in April but CORD suspended them after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ruling Jubilee coalition agreed to form a joint parliamentary committee to resolve the dispute. That committee issued its report yesterday.

Vaccination drive starts

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola began one of the biggest ever emergency vaccination campaigns in Africa this week, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to curb a yellow fever epidemic that has killed hundreds this year. Health off icials expect to vaccinate 14mn people over the next 10 days, including some 8.5mn in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, where the disease’s presence has sparked fears of a far wider spread. Vaccinations started in Angola on Monday and about 41,000 health workers have been deployed across more than 8,000 sites with 17.3mn syringes available regionally, the WHO said. There are about 6,000 suspected cases in the region. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 7 AMERICAS Trump pledges ‘extreme vetting’

of immigrants Mashuk Uddin, brother of Thara Uddin, and imam Akonjee’s son Saif Akonjee arrive at the Queens Criminal Court for the arraignment of Oscar Morel in Queens. Trump is trying hard to align his message “nation building” and called for a “new ap- On the home front he also proposed setting with popular requirements proach” in partnership with foreign allies to up a “commission on radical Islam” which “halt the spread of radical Islam”. would include “reformist voices in the Mus- AFP Trump vowed to work “very closely” with lim community” to root out jihadist networks New York Nato, sidestepping previous criticism of the and stop radicalisation of young Americans. NY man due in court, charged North Atlantic Treaty Organization after say- The Clinton campaign responded by stat- ing that a Trump presidency would not auto- ing that any policy submitting immigrants to onald Trump has laid out a US blue- matically leap to members’ defence. ideological tests was a “ploy”. with slaying of imam print for defeating global terrorism “I have previously said Nato was obsolete But vice president Joe Biden, who on Mon- Din partnership with Nato and Middle because it failed to deal adequately with ter- day hit the 2016 campaign trail with Clinton East allies, demanding extreme restrictions rorism. for the fi rst time, trashed Trump as unquali- Reuters “The defendant is accused of Citing unnamed police on immigration and likening the fi ght to the Since my comments, they have changed fi ed for the White House and accused him of New York the murder of a highly respected sources, the New York Times, Cold War. their policy and now have a new division fo- endangering the lives of US troops. and beloved religious leader and the New York Daily News and The Republican nominee, who is tanking cused on terror threats, very good,” he said. Biden’s folksy demeanour and ability to his friend,” Brown’s statement other outlets reported yes- in the polls following weeks of self-infl icted Trump said he believed the United States connect with working-class voters is consid- New York City man was said. “Their deaths are a devas- terday that detectives who disasters, made his pitch to be a security could fi nd “common ground with Russia” in ered an asset for Clinton particularly among due in court yesterday to tating loss to their families and searched Morel’s basement strongman as the Democratic vice president the fi ght against the IS group – a claim bound blue-collar white male voters who lean to- A face charges he gunned the community that they served apartment in Brooklyn found accused him of imperilling the lives of Ameri- to do little to silence critics who accuse him ward her Republican rival. down and killed a Muslim imam as men of peace.” an unlicensed revolver hidden cans. of being soft on Russian president Vladimir “No major party nominee in the history of and his assistant on a street in Brown said Morel’s motiva- in a wall that authorities be- “We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism Putin. the United States of America has known less the borough of Queens over the tion remained unclear and that lieve he used in the execution- just as we have defeated every threat we faced He said his administration would “aggres- or been less prepared to deal with our nation- weekend, police said. the possibility it was a hate style killings. at every age,” said Trump in Ohio, a battle- sively pursue joint and coalition military op- al security than Donald Trump,” Biden said. Oscar Morel, 35, of the bor- crime was one theory being ex- Police also found clothes in ground state considered essential to winning erations to crush and destroy ISIS”, another Trump’s accusation that Obama and Clin- ough of Brooklyn, was charged plored. his apartment that matched the US presidential election. name for IS, and be a “friend to all moderate ton created the Islamic State group had im- with second-degree murder just Robert Boyce, the New York what the gunman had been His foreign policy address marked the lat- Muslim reformers in the Middle East”. perilled the lives of US troops, Biden said. hours after hundreds of mourn- police department’s chief of wearing, according to the media est attempt by the Trump campaign to get At home he demanded new immigration “If my son were still in Iraq and I say to all ers gathered for the outdoor fu- detectives, told a news confer- reports. their maverick candidate back on message as screening, saying that the perpetrators of a those who are there, the threat to their life has neral of the two men on Monday. ence on Monday that surveil- Akonjee and Uddin were shot his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton surges series of attacks in the United States – in- gone up a couple of clicks,” he said. The killings shocked the lance video showed the suspect in the head at close range after ahead in the polls. cluding the September 11, 2001, hijackings, Meanwhile, The New York Times reported neighbourhood’s Bangladeshi getting into a black GMC sport leaving Saturday prayers at the Watering down his highly contested asser- the 2013 Boston bombings and the recent that corruption investigators in Ukraine say community. utility vehicle after the shoot- Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in the tion that Barack Obama and Clinton created mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub – in- an illegal, off -the-books payment network Morel has been charged with ings. Ozone Park neighbourhood of the so-called Islamic State extremist group, volved “immigrants or the children of immi- earmarked $12.7mn in cash payments in one count of fi rst-degree mur- That vehicle was then in- Queens. Trump said IS was “the direct result of policy grants”. 2007-2012 for Paul Manafort, now Trump’s der, two counts of second-de- volved in a hit-and-run three Police said there was no decisions” made by the president and former “We should only admit into this country campaign chairman. gree murder and two counts of miles away in Brooklyn shortly known connection between the secretary of state, referencing chaos in Iraq those who share our values and respect our Manafort denied any wrongdoing, saying second-degree criminal posses- afterward. man being questioned and the and Libya. people,” he ventured, promising to temporar- he had “never received a single ‘off -the books sion of a weapon, Queens dis- After offi cers located the murder victims. He claimed the extremist group, which is ily suspend immigration from “the most dan- cash payment’”, or worked for the govern- trict attorney Richard A Brown SUV, the suspect rammed a de- Mayor Bill de Blasio, address- the target of US-led air strikes and Special gerous and volatile regions of the world” that ments of Ukraine or Russia. said in a statement yesterday. tective’s car several times in an ing the funeral, promised the Forces operations in Iraq and Syria, was “fully export terrorism. Donald Trump was to take his presidential Morel faces the possibility of attempt to escape, but was ar- city would bolster the police operational” in 18 countries and had “aspir- “In the Cold War, we had an ideological campaign to Milwaukee, yesterday, the lat- life in prison without parole if rested, Boyce said. presence in the neighbourhood ing branches in six more”. screening test. The time is overdue to develop est US city to be rocked by violent protests he is convicted of killing Imam He said the suspect is be- even though the motive behind The real-estate tycoon and former real- a new screening test for the threats we face following the fatal police shooting of a black Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara lieved to have worked at a ware- the killings was still unclear. ity TV star promised to end the US policy of today. I call it extreme vetting.” man. Uddin, 64. house in Brooklyn. Page 17

Curfew brings quieter night in Milwaukee

Reuters city to be gripped by unrest after high- in particular, who were travelling in the Milwaukee profi le police killings of black men over streets,” Barrett told a news conference the past two years. Monday. Many of the offi cers involved in the “Those people, in my mind, were ilwaukee’s curfew on teenag- earlier shootings were white, however, deliberately trying to damage a great ers and community leaders’ and the victims were unarmed. neighbourhood, in a great city.” Mcalls for restraint brought Famed for its breweries, Milwaukee The curfew for minors under the age relative calm to the city overnight after is one of the most racially divided US of 18 began at 10pm. two nights of riots sparked by the fatal cities, with a black population plagued On Sunday, there were 30 instances shooting of a black man by a black po- with high levels of unemployment that of shots fi red, Flynn said. lice offi cer. are absent in the mostly white suburbs. Offi cers did not return gunfi re all Sylville Smith, 23, was killed on Sat- Mayor Tom Barrett said on Mon- night, in a show of “tactical and stra- urday afternoon after he was stopped day that nightly curfews on teenagers tegic restraint”, he said. for acting suspiciously and then fl ed. would remain in place “for as long as Bullets struck an armoured police Authorities said he was carrying an necessary”. vehicle’s windshield, and a rock broke illegal handgun and refused orders to Barrett has urged state offi cials to through a police car windshield, send- drop it when he was shot. release a video of Smith’s shooting as ing glass fragments into the eyes of two Peaceful demonstrations in the soon as possible in hopes that, by cor- offi cers, the chief said. Sherman Park area where Smith died roborating the police department’s Another offi cer’s “riot helmet re- turned into violent protests on Satur- account, it would convince protesters ceived a graze wound to the back of it, day and Sunday nights. that the use of deadly force was justi- probably from a fi rearm”, Flynn said, Shots were fi red, and some rioters fi ed. adding that the offi cer had not suff ered torched businesses and police cars. Barrett said he had not seen the serious injuries. Angry crowds pelted riot police with video. City politician Khalif Rainey — who bottles and bricks. Wisconsin state law requires police represents the Sherman Park neigh- Eight offi cers were wounded, and shootings be investigated by an inde- bourhood — issued a plea for peace dozens of people were arrested, police pendent state agency, which controls Monday, calling Milwaukee residents said. such evidence. to “put down the bricks and put away One person suff ered a gunshot Flynn said on Sunday that the body the guns”. wound. camera video showed Smith was hold- “Yes, our neighbourhood has prob- But Monday night was much quieter ing a gun and had turned toward the lems. after a citywide curfew for teenagers offi cer, and appeared to show that the Yes, it is unjust that many of us are took eff ect at 10pm (0300 GMT). Po- offi cer acted within the law. denied economic opportunities be- lice said there were six arrests and no Because the audio from the video cause of the colour of our skin and the reports of major property damage. was delayed, the police chief said, it zip code in which we were born. “We think we are in, comparatively was unclear when the offi cer fi red his Yes, too many of our young people speaking, a positive place,” Milwau- weapon. are mired in frustration, hopelessness kee police chief Ed Flynn told report- “It appears at this hour that a lot and crime,” Rainey said. ers as it became apparent the curfew of parents and guardians have taken “But you can’t fi x the roof of a burn- was being respected. “We had folks very, very seriously the curfew that has ing house.” from the community step forward gone into eff ect tonight,” the Milwau- The Milwaukee offi cer who shot to take a leadership role in reducing kee Journal Sentinel quoted Mayor Tom Smith was now staying with relatives tensions.” Barrett as saying. out of town for fear of his safety, Flynn Milwaukee has become the latest US “There were groups of young people said.

Alberta may sue over speared bear

Reuters “We will introduce a ban on ness company and had been a univer- Toronto spear hunting this fall,” he said. sity athlete, according to the business’ “In the meantime, we have asked website. Fish and Wildlife officers to inves- He was not immediately available lberta may fi le charges against tigate this incident to determine if for comment. an American hunter who pub- charges are warranted under exist- In an e-mail to the Toronto Star Alished a video of himself killing ing laws.” newspaper, Bowmar said he believes a black bear with a spear, wildlife of- Local media reported the video de- it was an ethical kill and that “no one fi cials said yesterday as the Canadian picts Josh Bowmar, a javelin thrower cares more about these animals than province moved to ban spear hunting. and hunter, and that he had fi rst up- us hunters”. The video, which sparked outrage loaded the video in June. Last July, American dentist Walter online, shows a man baiting a trap for It appears to have been taken down, Palmer touched off a global controver- a black bear and then impaling the bear but has since been uploaded onto other sy when he killed Cecil, a rare black- with a spear with a camera attached to YouTube accounts. maned lion, with a bow and arrow out- it. “I drilled him perfect,” Bowmar ju- side Hwange National Park in Western Alberta environment ministry bilantly tells the camera. “That was the Zimbabwe. spokesman Kyle Ferguson said the longest throw I ever thought I could The country said it would not charge spear hunt was “unacceptable” and ever make.” him because he had obtained legal au- “archaic”. Bowmar runs an Ohio-based fi t- thority to conduct the hunt. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 ASEAN Suu Kyi heads Getting ready for I-Day celebrations to China with dam project clouding ties

Reuters would push the government to Yangon resume the project, insisting the contract was still valid. A government commission yanmar leader Aung has begun reviewing several San Suu Kyi is head- hydropower projects, includ- Ming to China today ing Myitsone, and is due to re- for what is likely to be her port by Nov 11. government’s biggest dip- China’s Global Times news- lomatic test, with the fate paper, an infl uential tabloid of a suspended dam project, published by the Communist backed by China but opposed Party’s People’s Daily, said by many people in Myanmar, yesterday the commission was in the balance. a “sign that might herald the Myanmar’s former military restoration of the China-in- rulers were shunned by the vested project”. West and close to China, which It also noted that Suu Kyi has been on a diplomatic of- was visiting China ahead of fensive since Suu Kyi’s govern- a trip to the United States in ment came to power in April, September, and that China’s aiming to forge good ties with friendship with Myanmar was its resource-rich southern crucial. neighbour. “As Myanmar’s largest Finding a solution to the neighbour, it is necessary for $3.6bn Myitsone dam project Suu Kyi to attach importance will be important for Suu Kyi to China,” the newspaper who needs China’s co-opera- said. tion in talks with Myanmar’s Other Chinese projects in ethnic minority armed groups Myanmar have also proved operating along northern bor- controversial, including the ders with China. Letpadaung copper mine, “If the Chinese leaders which has sparked repeated bring up a specifi c issue like protests, and twin Chinese oil the controversial Myitsone and gas pipelines across the mega-dam project, of course country. Suu Kyi will be in we’ll explain to them what China for four days at the in- Schoolchildren parade with Indonesian national flags a day before the Independence day at Kuta on the resort island of Bali yesterday. Indonesia today marks the 71st we’ve been doing,” Myanmar vitation of Premier Li Keqiang. anniversary of its independence from Dutch rule. foreign ministry permanent She will also meet President secretary Aung Lynn told Xi Jinping. Reuters. Former Myanmar Elements in China have for President Thein Sein angered years maintained contacts China in 2011 when he sus- with northern Myanmar rebel pended work on the hydro- groups and militias, some of power dam, at the confl uence which are led by ethnic Chi- of two rivers in the Ayeyar- nese commanders, so China’s wady river basin, after it drew help could be key as Suu Kyi’s widespread protests on envi- government seeks to promote ronmental grounds. peace and stability in lawless Indonesian president About 90 % of the dam’s border regions. power would have gone to Chi- Her government is holding a na. At the time, Suu Kyi also peace conference, with most of called for the project’s suspen- the country’s ethnic minority sion. armed groups due to take part, China said in March it on Aug 31. vows to defend territory

AFP and does not contest ownership Jakarta of any territory there.But Bei- jing’s claims overlap Indonesia’s Singapore arrests two exclusive economic zone — wa- resident Joko Widodo ters where a state has the right to pledged yesterday to de- exploit resources — around the over Pokemon Go fi ght Pfend “every inch” of In- Natunas. donesia’s land and maritime There has been a rise in clash- territory, following clashes with es there between Indonesian pa- AFP for aff ray, an off ence which Chinese vessels around Indone- trol and navy boats and Chinese Singapore carries a jail term of up to a sian islands in the South China fi shing vessels and coastguards. year, a Sg$5,000 ($3,700) fi ne Sea. After one such encounter in or both. In a state of the nation ad- June, Widodo visited the Natu- wo Singaporean men They were the fi rst people dress he also said Indonesia was nas on a warship. have been arrested af- to be arrested in the city-state “actively involved” in seeking a His defence minister has since Tter getting into a fight — where fi ghts in public are peaceful solution to the broader outlined plans to improve an triggered by the hugely popu- rare — in connection with the regional dispute about owner- airstrip and deploy surface-to- lar mobile phone game Poke- game. ship of islands in the Sea. air missiles, drones and other mon Go, local police said yes- Pokemon Go enables users Widodo’s underscoring of In- military hardware to the remote terday. hunt fi ctional digitised animal donesia’s sovereignty over the islands. In his wide-ranging ad- The fi ght broke out between characters like the furry yel- Natunas islands — and the re- dress Widodo also warned that a motorist and a pedestrian on low Pikachu, which have been source-rich waters surrounding Indonesia must respect human Sunday at the carpark entrance scattered around the world, them — comes at a time of high rights or risk failing to become a of a mall in Singapore’s popu- often in unlikely locations. maritime tensions between Bei- “productive, developed, or win- lar Orchard Road shopping The game has become a glo- jing and Jakarta after repeated ning” country. district. bal craze, with crowds of play- clashes there. The former furniture sales- According to a police state- ers dashing to locations to try “We are developing regions Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivers a speech at the parliament in Jakarta yesterday. man promised upon election ment, the pedestrian was to snag characters. like Entikong, Natuna, and in late 2014 to address historic playing the augmented real- In the ten days since it Atambua so the world can see mote Indonesian territories bor- seized for illegally fi shing in In- ing illegally around the Natu- rights abuses. But he has since ity game on his phone while launched in Singapore, the po- that Indonesia is a big country, dering Malaysia and East Timor donesian waters. nas drew a sharp rebuke from been criticised for authorising crossing the road. lice have issued safety warn- and every inch of its land and respectively. The government has previ- Beijing. Unlike several of its the execution of drug traffi ckers, The motorist honked his ings urging pedestrians to be water is truly taken care of,” he His comments come as Jakarta ously said that Chinese ships Southeast Asian neighbours, In- remaining silent during an anti- horn at the player, setting off aware of their surroundings said in a televised address which prepares to mark independence would be among those scuttled. donesia has long maintained it gay backlash and appointing an an argument which led to the and watch out for traffi c while did not refer directly to China. day celebrations today by scut- The sinking in May of a large has no maritime disputes with alleged war criminal as his secu- fi ght. Both men were arrested playing. Entikong and Atambua are re- tling dozens of foreign boats Chinese vessel ship caught fi sh- China in the South China Sea rity minister.

Two killed by ammonia leak at chemical plant Second arrest warrant issued Minister sacked for Two workers were killed and three injured by an ammonia dual citizenship leak yesterday at a Malaysian chemical plant, the company over Thai tourist site blasts Questions about Arcandra’s said. AFP “Five contractors were aff ected. Jakarta citizenship began swirling at The company however regrets AFP But yesterday’s warrant was tight-lipped on the motive of been adamant that the deep the weekend when it emerged to inform that two fatalities Bangkok the fi rst to tie a suspect directly the attackers or the identities of south confl ict has not spread that he possessed US and In- have been reported,” Petronas to planting one of the bombs. anyone detained. north, fearful that such an ad- ndonesian President Joko donesian passports. Chemicals Group said in a “The military court in Nakhon Thailand’s junta, which seized mission might harm the crucial Widodo sacked his energy Tahar held US citizenship statement. The firm is a unit of military court in south- Si Thammarat has issued an ar- power in 2014, and the police tourism industry. Iminister late Monday just since being naturalised four state energy group Petronas. ern Thailand has issued a rest warrant for attempted arson quickly ruled out international Instead they have hinted at weeks after fi lling the key cabi- years ago, but had not surren- The leak happened at its plant Asecond arrest warrant for and bomb material possession,” terrorism, saying the perpetra- involvement of factions with- net post, following revelations dered his Indonesian passport. in the eastern state of Sabah. an unnamed suspect involved in General Srivara Rangsipram- tors were “local saboteurs”. in the so-called “Red Shirt” his new appointee improperly “To respond to public ques- Petronas Chemicals produces last week’s co-ordinated bomb kul told reporters, referring to a A number of analysts say the movement loyal to ousted pre- held Indonesian and United tions regarding the citizenship a range of petrochemical and arson attacks against a town in Thailand’s south. most likely culprits are there- mier Thaksin Shinawatra. States passports. of energy and mining minister products including olefins, string of tourist resort towns, He did not name the suspect fore militants who have fought a The military toppled Thaksin Arcandra Tahar, a former oil Arcandra Tahar, and after ob- polymers and fertilisers. police said yesterday. or provide further details about lengthy but local insurgency in in 2006 sparking years of debil- and gas executive who lived in taining information from vari- The company said the leak had No one has claimed respon- their alleged involvement. Thailand’s three southernmost itating protests culminating in a the US for 20 years, was dis- ous sources, the president has been contained and authorities sibility for the bombing spree, The attacks — which in- provinces. second coup against an elected missed as a cabinet minister fol- decided to honourably remove are investigating the cause. which hit tourist towns in the cluded bombs in the popular The attacks bore many hall- administration run by his sister lowing days of controversy sur- Arcandra Tahar,” State Secre- Petronas is Malaysia’s only For- country’s south, killing four tourist destinations of Hua Hin, marks of the southern insur- Yingluck in 2014. rounding his dual citizenship. tary Pratikno said. tune 500 firm and the single and wounding dozens, includ- Phuket and Phang Nga — were gents, who never claim their The Red Shirts have denied Indonesian law does not al- Pratikno, who like many In- largest source of government ing European visitors. highly unusual in a country operations, including co-ordi- any suggestion of involvement low for dual nationality. donesians goes by one name, revenue and of national One man was detained last where foreign visitors are rarely nated multiple strikes and the and accused the junta of us- An Indonesian must re- said in a televised address that export earnings. week on suspicion of carrying caught up in political violence. type of devices used. ing the bomb blasts to roll out a nounce their citizenship should Tahar’s dismissal would take out one of the arson attacks. Authorities have remained But the junta leadership has fresh crackdown against them. they take another passport. eff ect yesterday. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 9 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

S Korea releases N Korean Claims of refugee abuse restaurant defectors are fabricated: Nauru AFP AFP “Most refugee & advocate false allegations,” he added. ers and refugees on the island Seoul Sydney claims on Nauru fabricated to However, the documents have suff ered “severe abuse, inhu- achieve goal to get to Aust. So sparked demands for greater mane treatment, and neglect”. called ‘reports’ based solely on scrutiny of operations in Nauru, The report accused Australia’s outh Korea said yester- auru has dismissed as these claims,” the government where some asylum-seekers government of failing to address day that its intelligence “fabricated” claims that tweeted yesterday. have lived for three years, with serious abuses as it pursued Sservice had fi nished in- Nasylum-seekers faced In a second tweet, the repub- refugee advocates and journal- what appeared to be a “deliber- vestigating 13 North Korean violence, abuse and humiliating lic accused the Australian left- ists rarely granted access. ate policy to deter further asy- restaurant workers whose joint treatment while living in Aus- wing media, Greens MPs and “Instead of smearing vulner- lum-seekers from arriving in the defection triggered accusations tralian immigration facilities on refugee advocates of “using ref- able refugees, the Nauru and country by boat”. from Pyongyang that they were the Pacifi c island, saying that ugees as pawns for their political Australian governments should Off shore detention has bipar- kidnapped. the refugees had become politi- agendas. Very sad”. be investigating human rights tisan support in Australia, but A unifi cation ministry offi cial cal pawns. Australia, which since 2013 violations and putting an end doctors, lawyers and refugee ad- said that the dozen waitresses The release of more than has denied asylum-seekers ar- to them,” said Amnesty Inter- vocates have strongly criticised and their manager had been “re- 2,000 leaked reports of inci- riving by boat resettlement even national’s senior director for re- the camps, arguing that some leased into society” last week. dents on Nauru detailing allega- if they are found to be refugees search, Anna Neistat. asylum-seekers suff er from They had all been working at a tions of widespread abuse and and sends them instead to Nauru In this handout picture taken on August 10 and released on Monday “The evidence is incontro- mental health problems due to North Korea-themed restaurant self-harm, including children or Papua New Guinea’s Manus by GETUP, an injured Afghan at the Manus Island detention centre vertible and Australia is going their prolonged and indefi nite in China. wanting to kill themselves, have Island, has also expressed scep- is lying on the floor after he was allegedly attacked by a group of to have to end this shameful detention. Their arrival in the South in sparked new calls for a parlia- ticism about the reported inci- Papua New Guinean men whilst out on a day release. Australia is chapter of its history and reset- In April, a young Iranian refu- April made headlines as the larg- mentary inquiry. dents. facing growing opposition demands for an inquiry into its treatment tle these refugees,” she said in a gee died after setting himself on est group defection for years. Hitting back at the claims Australia’s Immigration Min- of asylum-seekers on remote Pacific islands after further allegations statement yesterday. fi re on Nauru. While Seoul said they fl ed contained in the leaked docu- ister Peter Dutton last week said emerged of abuse against refugees. A report based on interviews Canberra has long defended voluntarily, Pyongyang claimed ments, which date from 2013 to that some of events reported in last month with those detained its policy of denying asylum- they were kidnapped by South 2015, the Nauruan government the leaked fi les involved “false smugglers and they want to to the extent of self-harming on Nauru conducted by re- seekers resettlement in Austral- Korea’s National Intelligence said asylum-seekers had made allegations of sexual assault”. come to our country,” the min- and people have self-immolated searchers from Amnesty In- ia, saying it has prevented deaths Service (NIS) and waged a vocal up most of them in hope of being “Because in the end peo- ister said. in an eff ort to get to Australia ternational and Human Rights at sea and secured the nation’s campaign through its state me- relocated to Australia. ple have paid money to people “Some people have even gone and certainly some have made Watch found that asylum-seek- borders. dia for their immediate return. For all North Korean defec- tors, life in the South begins with intensive NIS interrogation that can last for months and is aimed at weeding out possible spies. They are then sent to a reset- World’s fi rst quantum tlement centre for three months’ training, after which they are free to start new lives in South Korean society. Arguing that the high-profi le satellite is launched nature of the restaurant workers’ case made them unusually vul- nerable, the NIS had announced AFP The term describes what Al- from a plane at 100,000m above in June that they would remain Beijing bert Einstein described as the the sea level exactly into the in protective custody rather than “spooky” phenomenon of par- slot of a rotating piggy bank,” being sent to the centre. ticles exerting infl uence on each the agency quoted the project’s Now that they have been re- hina has launched the other at a distance, including chief commander, Wang Jianyu, leased, the unifi cation ministry world’s fi rst quantum the ability for paired particles as saying. said it would provide no further Csatellite, state media re- to mirror each other at faster- Developing the new technol- details of their situation “for ported, in an eff ort to harness than-light speeds. ogy is a major goal for Beijing, safety reasons”. the power of particle physics to Unlike traditional secure which included it in its most Nearly 30,000 North Koreans build an “unhackable” system communication methods, recent fi ve-year plan, released have fl ed poverty and repression of encrypted communications. China’s proposed system uses in March. at home to settle in the capitalist The launch took place at photons to send the encryption “The newly-launched satel- South. 1.40am in the southwestern keys necessary to decode infor- lite marks a transition in China’s But group defections are rare, Gobi Desert, the offi cial Xinhua mation. role – from a follower in classic especially by staff who work in news service said, and comes as The data contained in the information technology (IT) the North Korea-themed res- China’s quantum satellite – nicknamed Micius – blasts off from the Jiuquan satellite launch centre in the US, Japan and others also bursts of subatomic particles development to one of the lead- taurants overseas. China’s northwest Gansu province. seek to develop applications for is impossible to intercept: any ers guiding future IT achieve- the burgeoning technology. attempts at eavesdropping will ments,” Xinhua quoted Pan Beijing has poured enormous cause them to self-destruct, Jianwei, the satellite project’s resources into the race, one of Xinhua said, letting users know chief scientist. several cutting edge projects the that their communications have China “can expect a global world’s second largest economy been compromised. network of quantum commu- Software maverick has pursued as part of its mas- Scientists have shown the nications to be set up around sive national investment in ad- trick can be used to transmit 2030”, he said. vanced scientifi c research, on messages over relatively short Beijing had previously identi- McAfee warns China everything from asteroid min- distances: the current record is fi ed the development of quan- ing to gene manipulation. around 300km, according to an tum technology as a national The satellite – nicknamed article in the journal Nature. priority. of hacking weakness Micius after a 5th century BC But technical hurdles have But Edward Snowden’s rev- Chinese philosopher and sci- kept long-range communica- elations of spying operations by entist – will be used in experi- tion out of reach. the US National Security Agen- AFP devices, and the more that are ments intended to prove the The satellite will attempt to cy heightened China’s pursuit Beijing connected, then the higher the viability of quantum technol- send secure messages between of spy-proof methods. risk of a potential hack becomes.” ogy to communicate over long Beijing and Urumqi, the re- The country is also one of McAfee, 70, is the colourful distances. gional capital of Xinjiang in the several working on building the hina leads the world in founder of an antivirus software It would also further in- country’s far west. world’s fi rst quantum com- connecting everyday de- company who once fl ed Belize vestigations into some of the Success will require the sat- puter, which would use sub- Cvices to the Internet, but after police sought to question more unusual properties of ellite is precisely oriented to its atomic particles’ properties in is creating huge hacking vulner- him in a murder case. sub-atomic particles, including earth-bound receiving stations, processors that can operate at abilities for itself and others by He has since returned to the “quantum entanglement”, Xin- Xinhua said. speeds far faster than current doing so, renegade American United States, where he an- hua said. “It will be like tossing a coin technologies allow. software pioneer John McAfee nounced he was running for McAfee speaking at the China Internet Security Conference in Beijing. warned yesterday. president. Hackers had already been able He amassed an estimated And we have not noticed it by and jing’s protection of its domestic to gain control of devices such as $100mn fortune during the early large,” he said. “You may think- Internet, which is heavily cen- safes and heating controls, and days of the Internet in the 1990s, ing I am exaggerating, that I am sored and blocks many foreign take over the computer systems but lost most of it to bad invest- an alarmist. I am friends with websites, for its seeming security Three soldiers dead as tank slips of automobiles and aeroplanes, ments and the fi nancial crisis. many of the hackers who have against the large-scale breach- he said. He was living with a 17-year- the capability to do enormous es seen recently in the United “China is taking the lead in old female in Belize when police damage if they so chose.” States. and plunges into river in Taiwan putting intelligence into devices, came looking for him to discuss Chinese companies such as “You may notice that last year from refrigerators to smart ther- the killing of his neighbour – a Xiaomi have been praised for in- America suff ered hundreds of mostats, and this is our weakest crime of which he maintains his novation in adding Internet con- major hacks from all around the AFP link in cyber security,” he said in innocence. nectivity to a variety of devices world,” he said, and added that Taipei Beijing. He was briefl y incarcerated including air purifi ers and rice he had “heard nothing” of simi- “I am hoping that in the short and fl ed the Central American cookers, allowing users to switch lar hacks on China. time I am here I can raise a warn- country. them on from work or on their “Now perhaps that’s the gov- hree soldiers were killed ing fl ag that we have to take se- McAfee’s at times dire and way home. ernment’s control of the press, when a tank slipped and curity of these devices even more alarming speech in Beijing came Such connections create new I don’t know,” he said. “But I do Tplunged into a river dur- importantly than our large com- as his new company MGT Capital weaknesses that could leave us- know that within certain indus- ing heavy rains following an puters or our smart phones,” he prepares to launch cyber security ers’ networks especially vulner- tries of China, the awareness annual fi ring drill in southern told a conference of Internet se- products later this year. able to hacking, McAfee said. of cyber security threats is far Taiwan, offi cials said yesterday. curity professionals. “Because “Our species has never before However, in a briefi ng with re- greater than our awareness in The CM11 armoured vehi- there are so many more of these faced a threat of this magnitude. porters he also commended Bei- America.” cle carrying fi ve soldiers was returning to camp in south- ern Pingtung county around 10.30am (0230 GMT) after Japan issues warning of heavy rain, Unemployed Japanese man arrested for completing the fi ring test when winds as tropical storm nears Tokyo not paying taxi fare after 850km trip it slipped from a bridge and fell upside down into the Wangsha Authorities in Japan have issued heavy rain and strong wind A Japanese man was arrested for allegedly stiff ing a taxi driver after river, the army said. warnings as a tropical storm swirled towards the country’s heavily having promised to pay when embarking on an 850km (528-mile) The driver managed to escape populated eastern coast, urging caution over possible flooding. journey, police said yesterday. with light injuries but four oth- Tropical Storm Chanthu, packing wind speeds of up to 108kph, was Takafumi Arima, 26 and jobless, climbed into the cab in Yokohama, ers were trapped inside the ve- The CM11 armoured vehicle lies upside down in a river, killing three several hundred kilometres southeast of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo, late on Saturday and told the driver to go to Matsuyama hicle and showed no signs of life of the five soldiers inside. yesterday evening, the meteorological agency said. on the island of Shikoku in southwestern Japan, a Matsuyama police when they were rescued. On its current track it may make landfall in eastern Japan, including off icer told AFP. The army initially said they fonso Yang, a military spokes- investigate the cause of the in- Chiba prefecture, southeast of Tokyo, early this morning before Arima had allegedly said he would pay the fare upon arrival and the were all killed but later revised man. cident, her spokesman said. heading through the Tohoku region of northern Japan, the agency driver believed him, the off icer added. the death toll to three as one According to the army, the The accident happened days said. But after driving overnight for more than nine hours, the fare meter soldier was revived after emer- driver was unable to make a left before Tsai is due to preside The storm was expected to aff ect a wide area, the agency said, came to ¥270,000 ($2,600) and Arima confessed that he had no gency treatment and was trans- turn when the vehicle fell into over an annual live-fi re exercise cautioning the public to prepare for strong winds and flooding. money, the off icer said. ferred to a military hospital in the river. codenamed “Han Kuang 32” It rained intermittently in Tokyo from afternoon yesterday but there “The driver then called police, which led to Arima’s arrest,” the off icer neighbouring Kaohsiung city. President Tsai Ing-wen ex- (Han Glory), also in Pingtung were no reports of injuries or damages due to the approaching said, adding his motive of the road trip was unknown and was to be “We are still investigating the pressed her condolences and county next week, the island’s storm. investigated. cause of the accident,” said Al- demanded the military speedily main yearly drill. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 BRITAIN Historical re-enaction Deliveroo apologises over pay in tech clash

Reuters London

ood delivery fi rm De- liveroo apologised on FMonday and said Brit- ish riders could opt out of its new payment system after it became the latest high-fl ying A Deliveroo rider in London. tech start-up to face criticism for the employment terms giv- Workers aged 25 or over are en to its staff . entitled to receive the national The London-based com- living wage of 7.20 pounds, but pany, valued at more than $1bn those who are self employed do after a recent funding round, not. said a proposed plan to pay Two drivers for taxi app Uber riders per delivery and not per have taken the fi rm to an em- hour had been a trial that its ployment tribunal in Britain, staff could opt out of if they arguing they should get holiday preferred. and sick pay. The new system of payment “Individuals cannot opt out per delivery had prompted staff of the rights they are owed, protests, criticism from the nor can an employer decide government and condemna- not to aff ord individuals those tion from the opposition La- rights,” said a spokesman for Historical re-enactors portraying members of the 82nd Airborne 505th regimental combat team of the United States Army take part in the ‘Lytham 1940s Wartime Festival’ in bour party which accused De- the department of business, Lytham St Annes, north west England. The two-day festival features displays, exhibitions, musical entertainment and live-action re-enactment of life during the Second World War. liveroo of off ering a return to a energy and industrial strategy piecemeal “Victorian system” when asked about Deliveroo. by cutting costs and increasing The dispute in Britain fol- insecurity for staff . lows two years of court and “We communicated this to regulatory battles in Silicon our drivers really badly. Valley, the spiritual home of I believe I should apologise tech startups, over how dozens for that,” Dan Warne, manag- of on-demand delivery com- ing director of UK and Ireland, panies pay drivers as contrac- told Reuters. tors rather than as full-time “If they don’t like the lack employees. Choudary faces jail over of security that they feel they “I think that we are in an would have with the per deliv- evolving industry, an evolving ery system... economy and there’s a chang- then they can revert to the ing nature in the way people old system and we’re very work,” Warne said. comfortable doing that.” British employers have The dispute echoes similar turned more cautious about ‘inviting support for IS’ standoff s in the United States hiring and the price of homes and elsewhere between staff for sale fell by the most since Anjem Choudary has been on the while Michael Adebolajo, one of the men and fast-growing tech plat- late 2015, according to surveys brink of imprisonment for a while who hacked to death British soldier Lee forms such as Uber which pro- that added to signs the econ- Rigby on a London street in 2013, had at- vide an instant service to cus- omy has stumbled since the Reuters tended protests Choudary had organised. tomers through workers who Brexit referendum. London Last year, the trial of a teenage Muslim are self employed. But shoppers seem to have convert found guilty of plotting to behead With their distinctive black brushed off the shock of the a soldier in London was told he had fallen and teal jackets, Deliveroo June vote to leave the European njem Choudary, Britain’s most in with al-Muhajiroun. riders have become a familiar Union, another survey showed, high-profi le Islamist preacher The group’s infl uence is said to extend sight on London streets since suggesting consumer spending Awhose followers have been linked far beyond Britain. the fi rm started trading in 2013, will soften the hit. to numerous plots across the world, has Those connected to it include Abu delivering food from restau- Many economists believe been found guilty of inviting support for Hamza al-Masri, jailed for life in the Unit- rants which do not have their Britain is heading for a reces- Islamic State (IS). ed States last year for terrorism-related own delivery service. sion followed by years of slow Choudary, 49, was convicted at Lon- off ences. The fi rm, which competes growth because of uncertainty don’s Old Bailey court of using online lec- Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the gunman who with the likes of Just East and about its future trading rela- tures and messages to encourage support shot and killed a soldier in Canada’s capi- UberEats, says it has around tionship with the EU. for the banned group which controls large tal and then stormed parliament in 2014, 6,000 riders in Britain, with Earlier this month, the Bank parts of Syria and Iraq. followed Choudary on Twitter, although 3,000 in London, using either of England cut interest rates He is well-known abroad, making reg- the preacher told Reuters at the time he mopeds or, more commonly, and took other measures to ular TV appearances in the wake of attacks had no links to him. bikes. soften the impact of Brexit, by Islamist militants to blame Western “Over and over again we have seen peo- Active in 12 countries across which it believes will push up foreign policy for targeting Muslims. But ple on trial for the most serious off ences Europe, Asia and the Middle the unemployment rate sharp- in Britain, the tabloids denounce him as a Anjem Choudary: denies the terrorism charges who have attended lectures or speeches East, Deliveroo tested a sys- ly. “hate preacher”. given by these men,” Haydon said in a tem in fi ve areas in London One of Monday’s surveys “These men have stayed just within the ism charges and claimed the case was po- ings, Choudary has always denied any statement. last week where riders received showed the proportion of em- law for many years, but there is no one litically motivated, were found guilty last involvement in militant activity and had Both Choudary and Rahman say they £3.75 per delivery rather than ployers expecting to increase within the counter terrorism world that month but their convictions could not be never been previously charged with any abide by a “covenant of security” which the current £7 per hour plus staffi ng over the next three has any doubts of the infl uence that they reported until yesterday for legal reasons. terrorism off ence. forbids Muslims from carrying out attacks one pound per delivery. months dropped from 40% have had, the hate they have spread and They are due to be sentenced in Septem- Rahman served two years in jail for en- in non-Muslim lands where their lives and Deliveroo said they believed before the vote to 36% after it. the people that they have encouraged to ber and could face a jail sentence of up to couraging followers to kill British and well-being are protected. the new system would en- The CIPD, a human resourc- join terrorist organisations,” said Dean 10 years each. American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq “We’re living in a global community able riders to earn more while es group, and staffi ng fi rm Haydon, head of London police’s Counter Choudary, the former head of the now during a protest in 2006. and no doubt Muslims around the world working fewer hours and said Adecco Group UK & Ireland, Terrorism Command. banned organisation al-Muhajiroun, be- Al-Muhajiroun has been regarded as who have their eye on what’s happening in that during the trial the average also said one in fi ve employers Prosecutors said that in postings on so- came infamous for praising the men re- a breeding ground for militants since it Syria and Iraq or want to know about the hourly fees for riders had dou- expected to reduce investment cial media, Choudary and his close associ- sponsible for the 9/11 attacks on the Unit- was founded in the late 1990s by Syrian- Shariah (law) will come across us at one bled at the busiest times. in training and skills as a re- ate Mizanur Rahman, 33, had pledged alle- ed States and saying he wanted to convert born Islamist cleric Omar Bakri, who was point or another,” Choudary told Reuters But Deliveroo’s new pay sult of Brexit, which will push giance to the “caliphate” declared by Abu Buckingham Palace into a mosque. banished from Britain in 2005, and was in 2014. scheme has made headlines in up the cost of imports because Bakr al-Baghdadi and said Muslims had a Despite his often controversial com- banned under anti-terrorist laws in 2010. “That does not mean that we’re encour- Britain where there is mount- of the fall in the value of the duty to obey or provide support to him. ments and refusal to condemn attacks by Police said it was suspected of being the aging people to carry out any acts of ter- ing public anger over low pay pound. Seven per cent planned Both men, who had denied the terror- Islamists such as the London 2005 bomb- driving force behind the London bombings rorism.” and job insecurity. to invest more. UK backs expansion of world’s largest wind farm

Reuters said around 10GW of capacity could be installed wider world. It’s all part of Britain remaining London by the end of the decade. an outward-looking country as we head toward Prime minister Theresa May has told Brexit,” the source said. China’s leader that Britain wants to strengthen China’s $11.3tn economy is currently more ritain yesterday approved plans to expand trade and business ties, an attempt to reassure than four times as big as Britain’s at $2.4tn. an off shore wind farm project that could the world’s second largest economy after Lon- Cast as the jewel illustrating a ‘Golden Era’ of Bultimately have more than 600 turbines don delayed a $24bn nuclear project. relations between the two powers, the fi nanc- spread across an area of the North Sea more than May’s surprise decision to review the build- ing deal for the Hinkley Point nuclear project in twice the size of London. ing of Britain’s fi rst nuclear plant in decades up- southwestern England was signed in Downing The Hornsea Two windfarm project, to be set China, which questioned whether Chinese Street during a state visit to Britain by Xi last built by Dong Energy, is part of Britain’s push money was still welcome in Britain just weeks year. to invest in new electricity generation capacity after the June 23 Brexit vote to leave the Euro- May’s predecessor, David Cameron, said the needed to overcome a squeeze on power sup- pean Union. Hinkley Point project was a sign of Britain’s plies in the next decade. After Beijing’s expression of frustration, May openness to foreign investment, but May is All but one of Britain’s existing nuclear plants, Hinkley Point A and B nuclear power stations are seen near Bridgewater in Britain. wrote to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Ke- concerned about the security implications of which produce around a fi fth of the country’s qiang saying Britain attached great importance the planned Chinese investment, according to a electricity, are set to close by 2030 as they come expected to generate around 1.8GW of electric- ($7.79bn) in the UK, and Hornsea Project Two to Sino-British cooperation. former colleague. to the end of their operational lifespans. ity, enough to power up to 1.6mn homes, Dong provides us with another exciting development Britain “looks forward to strengthening co- May’s most striking corporate intervention And the government plans to close coal-fi red Energy said in a statement. opportunity in off shore wind,” Brent Cheshire, operation with China on trade and business and since winning power in the turmoil which fol- plants by 2025 as a part of its eff orts to meet cli- The Danish company has already secured Dong Energy’s UK Chairman said. on global issues”, China’s foreign ministry said, lowed the Brexit vote indicates a more cautious mate targets. planning permission for the adjacent 1.2GW The two sites together, at 3GW, would also citing the letter. view of Chinese investment and a willingness to Plans for a new 18bn pound nuclear power Hornsea One development. have a similar capacity to the Hinkley C nuclear A source in May’s offi ce confi rmed the con- take a tough line with EU allies such as France. plant, Hinkley C, are currently under review Earlier this year, Dong Energy made a fi nal de- project, which, if it goes ahead would be built tents of the letter, which was hand-delivered by Under plans drawn up by Cameron, French amid spiralling costs and concerns over Chinese cision to go ahead with this project, which it said by French company EDF with fi nancial backing Alok Sharma, parliamentary under secretary of utility EDF and China General Nuclear Power investment in the project. could begin generating electricity in 2020 and from a Chinese state-owned company. state at the foreign and commonwealth offi ce: Corp would fund the cost of building two Are- If built, Hornsea Two, some 89km off the would be the world’s largest off shore wind farm. The government said its next round of renew- “This is part of what you’d expect the prime va European Pressurised Water Reactors at the coast of Yorkshire, will have 300 turbines and is “We have already invested 6bn pounds able funding will focus on off shore wind and has minister to do in terms of our relations with the Hinkley C nuclear plant in Somerset. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 11 EUROPE

France defends ban on Turkey seeks 1,900-year burqini

Reuters Paris prison term for Gulen AFP approved by prosecutors in the tional 1,900 years in prison for schools linked to Gulen, calling he French government has Istanbul western Usak region, Gulen is Gulen is one of the heaviest ever them “terror organisations” and defended municipal bans charged with “attempting to demanded in Turkey since the “nests of terror”. Ton body-covering Mus- destroy the constitutional order death penalty was abolished in Gulen, a reclusive cleric in lim burqini (also spelled burkini) urkish prosecutors have by force” and “forming and run- 2004 as part of the country’s bid who has lived in the US since swimwear but called on mayors demanded two life sen- ning an armed terrorist group” to join the European Union. 1999, has been repeatedly ac- to try and cool tensions between Ttences and an additional among other accusations, the Yesterday Yildirim called for cused of running a “parallel communities. 1,900 years in prison for US- Anadolu news agency reported. a fair trial instead of the death state” since a corruption scandal Three Mediterranean towns – based Muslim preacher Fethul- The so-called Fethullah Ter- penalty for suspected coup plot- embroiling then premier Erdog- Cannes, Villeneuve-Loubet and lah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for ror Organisation (FETO) – the ters, in comments seen as softer an and several of his ministers Sisco on the island of Corsica – masterminding last month’s at- name Ankara gives the group led after Erdogan had suggested erupted in 2013. have banned the burqini, and Le tempted coup. by Gulen – had infi ltrated state that the government could bring Ankara wants Washington to Touquet on the Atlantic coast is But in a step back from threats archives through its members in back capital punishment. extradite Gulen to face trial, in- planning to do the same. to reintroduce the death penalty the state institutions and intel- “A person dies only once dicating that any failure to deliv- The mainly conservative may- in the wake of the July 15 failed ligence units, according to the when executed,” Yildirim said in er him will severely damage ties. ors who have imposed the ban putsch, Prime Minister Binali indictment. parliament. “There are tougher Foreign Minister Mevlut Ca- say the garment, which leaves Yildirim said a fair trial would The group has used founda- ways to die than the death (pen- vusoglu discussed the extradi- only the face, hands and feet represent a harsher punishment tions, private schools, compa- alty) for them. That is an impar- tion process in a telephone call exposed, defi es French laws on for coup plotters than execution. nies, student dormitories, media tial and fair trial.” yesterday with US counterpart secularism. Ankara is sweeping ahead outlets and insurance compa- The prospect of the death Yildirim: There are tougher ways to die than the death (penalty) for John Kerry, the foreign minis- The burqini debate is particu- with a crackdown that has seen nies to serve its purpose of tak- penalty being restored had them. That is an impartial and fair trial. try said, and US Vice-President larly sensitive in France given some 100,000 people either de- ing control of all state institu- stunned the EU, which makes Joe Biden is due to visit Turkey deadly attacks by Islamist mili- tained or lose their jobs, worry- tions, it added. the abolition of capital punish- Turning to Europe, Erdogan tude of the crackdown prompted to discuss the issue later this tants, including bombings and ing Western allies, with simul- It has also collected funds ment an unnegotiable condition said if what Turkey faced had worries among its EU partners. month. shootings in Paris which killed taneous raids yesterday against from businessmen in the guise for joining the bloc. taken place in the West, “they Yesterday police raided doz- Turkey has meanwhile sent a 130 people last November, which companies in Istanbul suspected of “donations” and transferred Erdogan said yesterday that would both introduce capital ens of companies in Istanbul in fi le to Greece asking for the ex- have raised tensions between of helping to fi nance the Gulen the money to the US through it was only natural to discuss punishment and declare a non- search of 120 suspects including tradition of eight soldiers who communities and made people movement. front companies, and by using whether to introduce the death stop state of emergency”. chief executives, Anadolu said. fl ed in a helicopter soon after the wary of public places. Gulen, who lives in a secluded banks in the United Arab Emir- penalty after the botched coup, “Believe me, they do not have The suspects are accused of coup, Anadolu said. The socialist government’s compound in Pennsylvania, has ates, South Africa, Tunisia, and blasted Europe for its criti- the patience, strength and faith fi nancing Gulen’s activities, but The eight men – two com- minister for women’s rights, vehemently denied that he and Morocco, Jordan and Germany, cism. that we have,” he said. the identity of the fi rms was not manders, four captains and two Laurence Rossignol, said munic- his supporters were behind the Anadolu reported. “If the people have such a de- Turkey declared a three- immediately clear. sergeants – were given a month’s ipal bans on the burqini should coup attempt. The symbolic punishment of mand, (parliament) will discuss month state of emergency after Erdogan has vowed to eradi- extension for their asylum re- not be seen in the context of In a 2,527-page indictment two life sentences and an addi- it,” he said. the coup and the sheer magni- cate businesses, charities and quests last month. terrorism but she supported the bans. “The burqini is not some new line of swimwear, it is the beach version of the burqa and it has the same logic: hide women’s Wave of car burning moves to poor Stockholm suburb Finnish bodies in order to better control them,” Rossignol told French daily newspaper Le Parisien in an Reuters In August alone, 48 vehicles health interview. Stockholm were set on fi re in Malmo and France, which has the larg- 60 more in June and July. est Muslim minority in Europe, On Monday, 13 cars were set minister estimated at 5mn, in 2010 intro- wave of car burnings alight in several diff erent parts duced a ban on full-face niqab across Sweden that has of the city. and burqa veils in public. Aseen more than 2,000 Late on Monday, two cars resigns Rossignol said the burqini vehicles damaged or destroyed were set on fi re in Stockholm’s had sparked tensions on French this year, moved on Monday Husby and seven cars were set beaches because of its political to the Stockholm suburb of on fi re in the southern suburb Reuters dimension. Husby, where riots began three of Haninge. Helsinki “It is not just the business of years ago and spread across the No arrests have been made. those women who wear it, be- capital’s poorer suburbs. “We can’t say if it is young- cause it is the symbol of a po- Police have arrested only one sters or criminals or whatever. innish Health Minister litical project that is hostile to suspect – a 21-year-old male We assume little things but we Hanna Mantyla said yes- diversity and women’s emanci- in the southern city of Malmo don’t know,” Stockholm police Fterday that she was step- pation,” she said. whose car contained cans of spokesperson Kjell Lindgren ping down for personal reasons On Saturday, a brawl broke out gasoline – and they are appeal- said. just as the three-party ruling between Muslim families and a ing for help nationwide in a The 2013 riots started a coalition seeks to fi nalise a com- group of young Corsicans in Sis- country that prides itself on its debate about social inequal- plicated healthcare reform that co after a tourist took pictures of low levels of crime. ity, poverty and immigration in nearly led to the government’s women bathing in burqini. “This crime is very hard to Sweden and Malmo University collapse last year. The mayor banned burqinis on investigate,” Malmo police’s criminology researcher, Manne The reform aims to tackle the Monday. Lars Forstell said. “We don’t see Gerell, said it was typically dis- rising cost of caring for Finland’s Apart from the Paris attacks, any patterns and we don’t have Firefighters extinguish a fire which had damaged cars after the vehicles were set alight late on advantaged young men who ageing population by cutting a Tunisian deliberately drove any suspects.” Monday, in Malmo. were responsible for the fi res. spending by €3bn ($3.4bn), part a truck into crowds in Nice on “We need all the help we can “There are a few major rea- of a wider, long-term €10bn na- July 14, killing 85 people, and get,” he said. Department told Reuters that The fi res have centred on on fi re in total between Janu- sons. One that is often men- tional savings plan. a Roman Catholic priest had Yesterday the centre-right an action plan would be pre- Stockholm and Malmo – Swe- ary and July, according to the tioned is that these youth or But the three coalition part- his throat cut in church by two opposition called on the gov- sented in the “next couple of den’s third biggest city, and Swedish National Council for young men, when interviewed, ners have struggled to agree on French Muslims. ernment to act and the Justice days”. 2,027 vehicles have been set Crime Prevention. say it is fun or exciting,” he said. some aspects of the reform, in- The string of attacks have cluding whether the healthcare made many people jumpy. sector should be opened up fur- On Sunday, 41 people were in- ther to private players. jured in a stampede in the Rivi- In November, Prime Minister era town of Juan-les-Pins when Juha Sipila threatened to break holiday makers mistook the Vienna zoo hails rare birth of giant panda twins up the coalition when the part- sound of fi recrackers for gunfi re. ners clashed over the allocation Villeneuve-Loubet mayor Li- of resources between districts. onnel Luca, member of the hard- AFP the delivery happened inside a named after 100 days because Mantyla has been the Finns line Droite Populaire faction of Vienna dark nesting box and was only up to 50% of newborns do not party’s lead negotiator on the the conservative Les Republic- observed via an infrared cam- survive, Dungl explained. healthcare reform. ains party, said the burqini was era. But so far the siblings, which A Finns party member, parlia- an ideological provocation. giant panda on loan More than a week passed be- are being monitored around the mentarian Pirkko Mattila, will “Since the Nice attack, the from China to Austria fore zookeepers realised there clock, are doing very well, she be her replacement and starts population is particularly sensi- Ahas given birth to two was a second one. added. next week, the party said. tive,” he told Le Parisien. naturally conceived twins, an “The cubs have little round Female pandas are only fertile Finns Party leader Timo Soini, He said the burqini raised hy- exceptionally rare event for the bellies and panda mummy Yang for a couple of days every year. who is also the foreign minis- giene issues and could make res- endangered species, Vienna’s Yang is very relaxed,” zoologist Yang Yang and her partner ter, told a news conference the cue at sea more diffi cult. famous Schoenbrunn Zoo said Eveline Dungl said. “You rarely Long Hui, both aged 16, are al- healthcare reform was on track The Collective against Islam- yesterday. see them because Yang Yang ready the proud parents of Fu but challenging. ophobia in France (CCIF) fi led a Measuring around 15cm (6”), constantly warms them be- Long, Fu Hu and Fu Bao, born “There are no major disa- complaint yesterday against the the pink, hairless cubs arrived tween her paws ... what you can in 2007, 2010 and 2013 respec- greements, but coalition parties bans with the Conseil d’Etat, on August 7, it announced in a hear very clearly are their suck- tively – and all conceived natu- have diff erent priorities... and France’s highest administra- statement. ling and grunting noises when rally. nothing is ready until the whole tive court, which is expected to This handout picture taken on Monday and released yesterday Initially the zoo thought she feeds or licks them.” The twins are expected to package is ready. It is a diffi cult hand down a ruling in the com- by the Schoenbrunn zoo in Vienna shows a video grab of Yang mother Yang Yang had only giv- In accordance with Chinese have their fi rst public outing in reform, as we saw last year,” he ing days. Yang holding her twins. en birth to one panda because tradition, the cubs will only be four months’ time. said. Call for global database for women exposed to Zika

By Marlowe Hood, AFP “Potentially thousands of only via the blood-sucking in- Estimates vary widely, for ex- Some of the more than 4,000 women, but that the statistically now infected 10,000 people. Paris pregnancies are aff ected world- sects, Zika is now thought to be ample, as to what percentage of gynaecologists and obstetricians signifi cant threshold for new The United States registered wide,” he told AFP. conveyed through sex and blood foetuses of women infected with to whom the appeal was made fi ndings is 1,000. its fi rst locally transmitted cases Zika can cause crippling birth transfusions as well. Zika during the fi rst trimester have provided data on patients – At present, details on only 160 of Zika in Florida in July. wiss doctors have asked defects, and is suspected to trig- But much remains unknown. are at risk of microcephaly, char- who remain anonymous – using pregnancies exposed to Zika can Since February 2016, 11 coun- thousands of colleagues ger other neurological disorders. “Does sexual transmission to acterised by brain damage and standardised online forms. be found in the scientifi c litera- tries have reported evidence of Sworldwide to provide data The disease has swept through a pregnant woman also induce small heads. To encourage contributions, ture, and gaps often make com- person-to-person infections, for the fi rst global registry of Latin America, the Caribbean foetal abnormality? Why do Research on French Polynesia, Baud has promised that doctors parisons diffi cult or impossible. probably via sex. women exposed to Zika, the and beyond since 2015, prompt- some babies developed abnor- hit by Zika in 2013, put the odds who participate will be listed as The new online registry gath- In four out of fi ve cases, the vi- team’s lead researcher said yes- ing the World Health Organisa- malities while others don’t? Who at one in a hundred, while anoth- co-authors in future journal ar- ers data on the general health of rus causes no symptoms. terday. tion (WHO) to declare an inter- is at risk?” er study from Brazil – the coun- ticles. the women, blood profi les, medi- Those who do feel sick have Such a database is urgently national public health emergency “The only way to answer these try hit hardest by the epidemic so National and professional as- cations taken, exposure to diff er- reported fever, rash, body aches needed to better understand the in February this year. questions is with ‘big data’,” far – concluded that the risk was sociations have also pledged ent viruses, and other relevant and conjunctivitis, or pink eye. deadly virus and how it is trans- As of early August, 65 coun- which can reveal otherwise hid- twice that high. to pass on the request to their factors. Baud and three colleagues mitted, said David Baud, a phy- tries have reported mosquito- den patterns, Baud said by phone. Yet another team of scientists members. Last week, US health authori- published a comment explaining sician in the obstetrics research born transmission in the last 20 What the world has seen so far reported foetal problems in 29% Baud said he would publish ties declared a public health their initiative in the peer-re- unit of the University Hospital in months. could be “the tip of the iceberg”, of women exposed to Zika during preliminary fi ndings after his emergency in Puerto Rico due to viewed journal The Lancet Infec- Lausanne. Initially thought to be spread he added. their pregnancies. team had information for 100 the outbreak of Zika, which has tious Diseases. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 INDIA British-era bunker found in Mumbai

IANS Mumbai

forgotten 150m long, under- ground British-era bunker Ahas been unearthed inside the sprawling Raj Bhavan complex at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai, an offi cial said yesterday. Governor C V Rao and his wife Vinodha and senior offi cials went around the bunker yesterday. Around three months ago, some old-timers informed the Governor of the existence of a tunnel inside the Raj Bhavan on the shores of the Arabian Sea. He asked to get it opened. Accordingly, on August 12, the PWD staff broke open a temporary wall that had been erected at the Mourners look on during the funeral of four civilians at Aripanthan Magam village in Budgam district on the outskirts of Srinagar. tunnel’s entrance on the eastern side. The revelation was surprising. Instead of what was believed to be an underground tunnel, it turned out to be a huge barrack with 13 rooms of varying sizes spread over an area of more than 5,000 square feet. The bunker opens with a 20-feet 5 killed in fresh tall gate and a ramp on the western side. There are long passages con- necting small to medium room on both sides. The bunker’s rooms are named Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump and Work- Kashmir strife shop and there are scores of lamp recesses in the gangway. AFP opened fi re and another three died of their rounds during the protests that also left Though the underground bunker Srinagar injuries. eight people injured. had apparently been closed after A further 12 protesters were taken to a The deaths come a day after a total India’s independence in 1947, it has nearby hospital for treatment. of nine people were killed in a series of remained surprisingly intact and ecurity forces shot dead fi ve peo- The identities of the four who died were clashes and gun battles across the region, has a drainage system with inlets ple and wounded another 20 during not immediately known but all were young including a commander of the CRPF. for fresh air and light. Maharashtra Governor C V Rao and his wife Vinodha pose outside a Sprotests yesterday in Kashmir, ac- men. Authorities have imposed a curfew in An aide to the Governor said that British-era underground bunker found in Maharashtra Raj Bhavan in cording to witnesses and security sources. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a large parts of Kashmir since July 9 dur- according to the book, “History of Mumbai. Four people were killed in Aripanthan security offi cial confi rmed to AFP “a pa- ing an upsurge in violence sparked by the Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra”, it was village after residents took to the streets trol party fi red on the protesters. killing of a top militant commander called formerly known as Government nors, the Government House at Malabar Hill, lashed by Arabian Sea to protest what they said were aggressive Four have died”. Another protester was Burhan Wani in a gunfi ght with security House and served as the residence Parel was the Governor’s offi cial on three sides. It has its own private tactics by members of the security forces shot dead in Larkipora village in south forces. of the British Governors since 1885 residence. beach and a mile long forest. during an overnight patrol designed to en- Kashmir after residents clashed with More than 60 civilians, mostly young when Lord Reay converted it into a After the discovery of the Bun- In October 2010, a huge and force a curfew. paramilitary troopers, according to wit- men, have been killed in clashes between permanent residence. ker, Rao has said he would consult well-maintained tunnel believed One resident said one protester was nesses. protesters and security forces, and thou- Before that, while the Malabar experts to preserve it. to be over two centuries old was killed immediately after members of A senior police offi cer in the region and sands more injured in the region’s worst Hill residence served as the Sum- Maharashtra Raj Bhavan is built discovered in the premises of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) witnesses told AFP that forces fi red live violence since 2010. mer Residence of British Gover- on lush green 50 acres of land at Mumbai GPO.

100 students to receive training as interfaith dialogue practitioners ABVP seeks arrest of

By Ashraf Padanna ing and interreligious engagements training activities for two months tivities and enhance their skills Amnesty offi cials over Thiruvananthapuram at various levels from healthy dia- from early September. through proper training to make logues to harmonious coexistence Dr Panakkal has started visiting them peace builders,” he said. with selected 100 students,” KAI- educational institutions meeting “It will nurture a religious soci- anti-India slogans he Vienna-based King Ab- CIID fellow Dr Abbas Panakkal potential candidates. ety that longs for interreligious en- dullah bin Abdulaziz Inter- said. The course materials will also be gagements and coexistence to fos- Tnational Centre for Inter- KAICIID is an intergovernmen- available online besides real and ter openness and develop a creative IANS religious and Cultural Dialogue tal organisation jointly established virtual contact classes. sense for intercultural and inter- Bengaluru (KAICIID) will help train 100 by Austria, Saudi Arabia, Spain The participants will get certifi - faith understanding and actions.” young volunteers to promote in- and The Holy Sea and collaborated cates from KAICIID which meets The project will also formu- ter-religious dialogue in Kerala. with the UN agencies, national all expenses including transport late a systematic syllabus and bout 200 Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad This “fellow initiative” Peace governments and internationally and accommodation. mechanisms for peace education (ABVP) activists protested here yesterday, seek- Education and Training (PET) active religious and interreligious “This will be an academic train- and training besides creating new Aing the arrest of Amnesty India representatives was unveiled at the G20 Interfaith groups. ing to facilitate interreligious ren- awareness. for organising an event where anti-India slogans were Conference held in Thiruvanan- “We promote and employ inter- dezvous by developing a sense of “This is a pilot program. So we allegedly raised. thapuram recently in the wake of faith dialogue to support confl ict virtuousness, integrity, coexist- thought of beginning with stu- As the activists marched towards the Police Commis- increasing Daesh (Arabic for Is- prevention and resolution, sus- ence, shared heritage and tradition dents from various institutions. sioner’s offi ce to submit a memo, police blocked them at lamic State) activities in the state. tainable peace and social cohesion, of peace and harmony in everyday We will have a larger target group Raj Bhavan. When the ABVP activists refused to disperse, At least 21 youngsters, includ- mutual respect and understand- life,” he explained. in the next phase,” said Dr Pana- police caned them and took about 30 of them into pre- ing six women, three of them in ing among diff erent religious and It includes convincing authori- kkal, ventive custody. advanced stages of pregnancy, and cultural groups and counteract Abbas Panakkal ties the need of peace studies and also a project co-ordinator of “Registering an FIR and fi ling a case of sedition and four children, disappeared from the abuse of religion to justify op- IRD training in institutions, dis- G20 Interfaith Summit and di- rioting against the organisation (Amnesty) is an eye- the state in June, and some of them pression, violence and confl ict,” he built on the antiquity, chronicle, cussions on new curriculum devel- rector of international relations, wash as they (police) are trying to hush up the issue. later informed their parents that said. memoir and development policy opment, faculty meeting on mod- Ma’din Academy, Kerala. We want the organisers and those who raised anti-India they were with the “Islamic State” They select the candidates to equip these students with an ules and allocation of class hours, “We hope the complete the en- slogans to be arrested and jailed,” ABVP city convener fi ghters. through aptitude tests and moti- interreligious understanding in workshop of composing modules tire project in Kerala within six Prem told the media. However, Indian intelligence vation sessions. Kerala where Muslims and Hindus for trainers and facilitators and months. It will set a model for uni- “Police not only gave the organisation permission to agencies could not either confi rm “After successful completion of had developed better co-existence directions for practical sessions in versities here to follow.” hold the event but also did not act against the anti-na- them joining Daesh or their where- the pilot project, a peer team will from prehistoric time.” the society. “In the following year, these tional elements though they were present at the event abouts so far even after the arrest take the feedback and evaluate the Muslims constitute 26.56% of “The aim also includes the crea- selected students will be trainers, when the slogans were raised,” Prem said. of some of the people allegedly en- infl uence of peace education and Kerala’s 33.3mn population which tion of interreligious awareness and they could infl uence the com- Police booked a sedition case against Amnesty India on gaged in indoctrination. training,” he said. is 54.73% Hindu and 18.38%, among the future religious leaders. munity and society they serve in Monday night for the anti-India slogans allegedly raised “This will be an academic “The primary responsibility is Christian. The students will get lessons future, contributing to sustainable at the event it organised here on August 13. project for trainers of peace build- to develop materials and modules The project will impart intensive in interfaith experiences and ac- development.” “We have booked a case of sedition and rioting under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against Am- nesty on a complaint that anti-India slogans were raised,” Deputy Police Commissioner T R Suresh told IANS. The charges, including sedition, rioting, unlawful as- sembly and promoting enmity were mentioned in the FIR police fi led two days after the ABVP lodged the complaint with audio-video evidence. The activists also protested against Amnesty on Sun- day at United Theological College in the city centre where the event was held. “We are investigating the complaint and checking the video to ascertain the charges and identify those who raised the slogans for culpability,” Suresh said. The sedition charge under section 124A of the IPC amounts to an attempt to cause hatred or contempt or excite disaff ection towards the government of India. The 90-minute event was held, ostensibly, to interact with a few Kashmiri families who were victims of human rights violations in the state. The FIR has not named any individual but implicated Amensty India for holding the event and allegedly al- lowing slogans to be raised against the country and the Indian Army. Claiming they were yet to receive a copy of the FIR from police, Amnesty executive director Aakar Patel regretted that holding an event to defend constitutional values was being branded ‘anti-national’. “As police were informed about the event in advance, they were present at the venue. Registering a case of se- dition on a complaint against us shows a lack of belief in fundamental rights and freedom in the country,” Patel said in a statement here. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 13 INDIA Social media helps bring aid to Assam’s fl ood-aff ected

By Azera Parveen Rahman, IANS in that. As the mainstream media kept Having themselves seen and lived Chennai, like snakes, deer, and mon- were able to contribute 50kg of lac- ziranga National Park, said that all shops Jorhar fl ashing news of fl ooded roads and traffi c through a terrible episode of fl oods last keys. So we thought we could help. Plus, togen (baby milk formula) for the rhi- ran out of lactogen once word spread jams in Gurugram in the National Capi- year, people from all walks of life got in we have the experience in helping dur- no calves,” Krishnan said. He and his that the rescued calves need milk. “The tal Region, far away from the spotlight touch with NGOs or government agencies, ing fl oods, since we played a big role in teammates, Nishanth and Robin, con- locals volunteered to donate milk pack- n this age of social media, no event heartbreaking photographs of people some simply reached out to friends in As- rescue and relief work during the Chen- tinued their eff orts once back in Chen- ets... we heard that a lot of people from can remain ignored for long and the grappling for their lives in Assam’s fl oods sam, to bring relief material like dry ration, nai fl oods last year,” Krishnan told IANS. nai, and thanks to his social media fol- outside Assam have also volunteered to Ifl oods in Assam are no exception. started circulating on social media. clothes, medicines and other necessities. Kaziranga was one of the worst af- lowing, they raised Rs400,000 for the send milk for the rhino calves. This is Every year, fl oods hit the northeaster As posts began to be ‘shared’, such Chennai-based Shravan Krishnan, a fected in the fl oods which came in three fl ood-aff ected animals. heartening news,” said Arun Das. state, ravaging districts and aff ecting as news about the hapless rhino calves wildlife conservationist, is one of those waves this year. Nearly 90% of the na- The upkeep of a rhino calf, especially The immediate need is of medicines, millions of people. This year, the dev- orphaned in Kaziranga, it caught the who used the social media extensively to tional park was inundated, along with its milk requirement, is an expensive since the risk of water-borne and vec- astation was on a bigger scale, with much-needed attention of many across put together relief eff orts for the victims villages in the vicinity. After meeting everyday aff air — a calf needs about six tor-borne diseases loom large. “Social many calling it the worst fl oods in the the state’s borders. Attention trans- of the Assam fl oods. “Along with some offi cials of the Wildlife Trust of India packets of lactogen every day. media is a powerful tool. We in Assam last two decades. lated into enquiries, and fi nally to the of my friends in Chennai, I decided to (WTI), they found out that eight rhinos The wildlife centre called for help to and in the northeast feel ignored by the Even as people and animals grappled to much-required relief eff orts. help in Kaziranga after we saw some calves which were orphaned and res- adopt a calf for two years by taking care mainstream media regarding our issues, survive, help came from across the coun- Among the many who stepped for- horrifi c pictures of people and animals cued, were in need of milk formula. of its expenses. A shopkeeper in Boka- but the social media is helping us turn try. And social media played a big role ward to help were people from Chennai. suff ering. We rescue wild animals in “We put together a fundraiser and khat, the town in the vicinity of Ka- the tide,” said teacher Lakshmi Gogoi. Goa Tourism Knots that bind ... lambasted in CAG report

IANS which account for most of the tourism footfalls. Panaji “Except for the construction of a parking lot at Baga and toilets and changing rooms in Calan- gute, there were no changes in the infrastructure he Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) facilities like parking, toilets, changing rooms and has hauled up Goa’s tourism ministry on access roads,” the report said. Tmultiple grounds — from beach cleanli- “Seven beaches out of 13 verifi ed by the audit ness to tourist safety and, more generally, for poor team along with department personnel did not planning. have identifi ed parking lots, eight did not give The scathing criticism, contained in its latest toilets and 12 were without changing rooms,” the report, ironically comes at a time when the min- report further stated. istry has been patting itself on the back for a 30% “Only fi ve vehicles out of 12 available were be- A man arranges rakhis at his roadside stall in Kolkata ahead of the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan tomorrow. rise in footfall this year. ing utilised for patrolling. Further, only 92 police- “The follow-up audit of promotion of tourism men (500 personnel had been promised for tourist in Goa shows some action has been initiated by safety) of India Reserve Battalion were deployed the department for implementing recommenda- at tourist places and no action was initiated to tion relating to construction of sewerage and sol- create the additional 500 posts,” the report said. id waste management projects and commence- The report also observed slackness on the part ment of tourism projects.” of the tourism authorities as far as eff ective tour- Most primitive primate bones found in Gujarat “However, the department is yet to implement ism promotional measures are concerned. recommendations regarding introduction of a “We observed that the department has not new tourism policy. The cleanliness and ameni- framed any plan, policy or guidelines for elec- IANS researchers Kenneth Rose, Pro- clades: Strepsirrhini and Hap- ed to about 55mn years ago, the ties for tourists are still lacking,” the CAG report tronic and print media campaigns, advertise- New York fessor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins lorhini,” Rose said. study said. said. ments and promotional activities,” the report University School of Medicine. “But many of the Gujarat Their analysis, Rose said, sug- Criticising the tourism authorities for not said. Researchers from Des Moines bones show features that do not gests the Gujarat primates are binding enough safeguards into multi-crore con- It also said that the inability of the tourism cache of exquisitely pre- University in the US, H N B clearly belong to one clade or the close descendants of the com- tracts awarded to beach cleaning contractors, the ministry to integrate environment impact assess- served 25 tiny bones, Garhwal University, Wadia In- other,” Rose said. mon ancestor that gave rise to the report said that performance on this count was ment (EIA) processes at the feasibility stage of Afound in a coal mine in stitute of Himalayan Geology, This suggests that the little adapoids and omomyids found below par. tourism projects had led to delays in their com- Gujarat, appear to be the most Dehradun, Panjab University, primates represent a very early on the northern continents. “We observed that the beach cleaning works pletion. primitive primate bones yet dis- Chandigarh and the Royal Bel- stage of primate evolution, ac- The Gujarat primates were by the contractors was unsatisfactory due to “The GTDC (Goa Tourism Development Corp) covered, according to an analy- gian Institute of Natural Sci- cording to Rose and lead author adapted for climbing the tall dip- non-deployment of adequate manpower, non- apprised that EIA was not required in usual gov- sis by an international team re- ences in Brussels also contrib- Rachel Dunn, Assistant professor terocarp trees of ancient rain- placing of adequate dust bins and non-removal ernment projects. The reply was not acceptable searchers. uted to the study published at Des Moines University. forests but were less specialised of garbage. The mechanical cleaning envisaged on ground of inordinate delays in execution of The bones, belonging to an- online in the Journal of Human The newly discovered group than present-day leaping lemurs in the contract was yet to commence. It was also central fi nancial assistance projects owing to cient, rat-sized, tree-dwelling Evolution. of 25 tiny bones, all from some- or slow-climbing lorises, ac- seen that the department has not initiated any public agitations, coastal zone management is- primates, represent a very early Their assessment of the bones where below the neck of the cording to the researchers. measures to penalise persons who litter at tourist sues and dropping of two projects (Goa Haat and stage of primate evolution, the bolsters the idea that primates animals, are considerably more Their limbs and joints suggest places,” the report said. Convention Centre),” the report said. researchers said. native to what is now India primitive than the oldest known more generalised climbing, as in The CAG report has also said that the ministry Goa’s conventional tourist season starts in Oc- “These are the best preserved played an important role in the primate fossil, Teilhardina, present-day mouse lemurs and shortchanged the issue of safety of tourists, by tober and winds up in March, when the mild win- and most primitive bones we very early evolution of primates, which fi rst appears in deposits at dwarf lemurs. undercutting on the number of personnel deput- ter sun works as a good break for travellers from have from the fi rst fi ve mn years mammals that include humans, the beginning of the Eocene, al- Because of such features, the ed for safety of the around four mn tourists who Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and other of primate evolution, but there’s apes and monkeys. most 56mn years old. researchers are not sure which visit the state every year. European countries from the harsh winter in their not enough evidence currently “All other primate bones found They are also more primitive clade some of the bones belonged Safety apart, the CAG also pointed out the lack countries. for us to fi gure out when these so far around the world clearly than a relatively complete skel- to, suggesting that they repre- of promised facilities like parking lots, chang- About 4mn tourists visit Goa annually, nearly primates reached India or where belong to one or the other of eton of the primate Archicebus, sent the most primitive primate ing rooms and toilets on Goa’s popular beaches, half a million of whom are foreigners. they came from,” said one of the the two primate groups, called found recently in China and dat- anatomy known. Modi makes a name abroad, his minister unmakes it

e have had multiple years ago at the Glasgow Com- none the wiser but of course with In a democracy, only be viewed as criticism of the reports of your minis- monwealth Games Indian Olym- bags-full of goodies for their near it has to be government. Wter for sports trying to pic Association secretary-gener- and dear ones. Judges of the Supreme Court enter accredited areas at venues Delhi Diary al Rajeev Mehta was arrested for Vij, too, explained why he was even-handed and even High Courts sometimes with unaccredited individuals. drunken driving. going. “Haryana’s delegation has make asides in the course of their When the staff try to explain that If Goel has gone to Rio to boost timed its trip to Rio in sync with judgements that are critical of the this is not allowed, they report the morale of Indian participants the events in which Haryana’s he Chief Justice of India executive. These are debated and that the people with the minister in the Games, Haryana’s Sports sportspersons are participating. is very annoyed. And for discussed and, more often than have become aggressive and rude By A K B Krishnan Minister Anil Vij is going one It will be a boost to our state’s Tgood reason too. The Modi not, praised for their candour and sometimes push past our better by leading a nine-member players.” government is dragging its feet and relevance. But to “criticise” staff …Should our protocol team team of politicians and offi cials, But then the minister showed on the appointment of judges to the Prime Minister’s Independ- be made aware of further exam- including the media advisor to his magnanimity when he said: the higher courts even as cases ence Day speech is defi nitely a ples of this type of behaviour, the do you expect from an Indian rale for these Games, I am sorry the state chief minister. Again, “But that does not mean that we are piling up beyond counting fi rst for a Chief Justice of India accreditation of your minister politician? Even when caught I don’t have an answer. But you your guess is as good as mine as will not watch players of other and Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and opinions are divided on Jus- will be cancelled and his privi- with their pants down, they can can very well take a guess and it to what such an individual has states in the Olympics.” is trying to do all he can and a bit tice Thakur’s speech to lawyers at leges at Games withdrawn.” come up with excuses of the most will be the right one! to do with the Olympic Games. Really? Players from Andhra more to set things right. a function in the national capital. That was Sarah Peterson, Con- implausible nature. Offi cials and politicians ac- Additional Chief Secretary K K Pradesh, Punjab etc. owe a big Perhaps that “bit more” part While senior Supreme Court tinental Manager for Rio 2016 Goel says he had walked on to companying Indian sports teams Khandelwal, who is part of the “thank you” to Vij! went a little overboard on India’s lawyer Aryama Sundaram and Organising Committee, writ- the fi eld of play to “encourage” have always been a law unto delegation, explained the noble The earlier Congress govern- Independence Day on August 15. former cabinet secretary TSR ing to Rakesh Gupta, the Indian the Indian hockey team. Empiri- themselves. The discrimination intent behind the visit: “Apart ments had been hauled over the It is the day when the Prime Subramanian were of the view that Chef-de-Mission. The minister cal evidence shows the “encour- begins the moment they take from encouraging players, the coals for letting ministers and Minister takes the centre stage— the Chief Justice should have been concerned is none other than Vi- agement” had had little impact off to foreign shores. While the aim is to see how such an event offi cials go on foreign junkets at she/he does it every day at every a little more circumspect, usual jay Goel, the former head of the on the players. The team lost to athletes are shunted out to the is organised. We have scheduled the drop of a hat. Prime Minister event, but August 15 is extra spe- suspects like Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Ja- Belgium in the quarter-fi nals. Be economy seats—most famously a number of meetings with offi - Narendra Modi took offi ce with cial—by addressing the nation national convenor and Delhi Chief nata Party (BJP) who, after being that as it may, did the minister described by Shashi Tharoor as cials. How to use the infrastruc- the promise that that bad old or- from the ramparts of Delhi’s his- Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Con- put to pasture for more than two really think that his presence on “cattle class”—these offi cials, ture that is made at a subsequent der will change. But has it? toric Red Fort. This was Modi’s gress Party spokesperson Randeep years, was given a lifeline in the the fi eld would make a diff erence who are duty-bound to look af- stage after the event gets over Almost from the day he be- third speech and it went on for Surjewala felt that Justice Thakur form of a Rajya Sabha seat and apart, of course, from the fact ter the welfare of the men and will also be seen and analysed,” came Prime Minister, Modi had nearly 120 minutes as he elaborat- had said what had to be said. subsequently elevated to the post that it would have been a distrac- women under their charge, travel Did anyone bother to tell been globe-trotting trying to sell ed on his government’s achieve- Between them the executive of a junior minister. tion for the players? business class and some even get Khandelwal that India is no- the India story to heads of states ments one by one and also laid out and the judiciary have to keep a In diplomatic parlance, Peter- Reports suggest that Goel was themselves upgraded to fi rst class. where near hosting the Olympic and governments and CEOs of a road map for the future. fi ne balance without which de- son’s letter is equivalent to Goel more interested in taking “self- On landing, the athletes have to Games? And if the delegation multinational corporations in his But Justice Thakur is annoyed mocracy itself will be meaning- being warned of being persona ies” with the players which, one share rooms in games villages and wanted to study how facilities attempt to attract foreign invest- that “our popular Prime Min- less. Agreed that it was perhaps non-grata. can surmise, will soon adorn the such other accommodations as like stadiums are used after the ments to this country. Except ister” did not say a word about the last resort for Justice Thakur Rio de Janeiro is a long way ‘ego wall’ of the minister’s offi ce. are provided by the organisers but Games, they should have gone to for his diehard enemies, almost how he planned to tackle the ju- to say these things so openly, but away from Delhi and the min- If you were to ask me how many the offi cials ensconce themselves the venues like London or Beijing everyone will admit that Modi dicial appointments issue. If he imagine a scenario if the Prime ister and his cronies must have times Goel had visited the Indian in fi ve-star hotels with all the at- where the previous two Games has done a wonderful job so far. had written to the Prime Minis- Minister or the Cabinet Secre- felt that they could introduce hockey team at Delhi’s national tendant luxury. were held. The sorry state of fa- But people like Vijay Goel, if left ter about his misgivings it would tary or the Chief Election Com- Brazilians to the VIP culture stadium, which is just a fi ve min- Minister Goel is not the fi rst to cilities that Delhi built for the alone, are more than capable of have been par for the course. But missioner, not to forget the three which they indulge in profusely utes’ fl ight for the crow from the be charged with fl outing the es- 2010 Commonwealth Games is a undoing what Modi has so pains- Justice Thakur chose an open chiefs of the armed forces, take to back home. Goel has denied any minister’s bungalow, during its tablished norms of the host na- grim reminder that offi cials who takingly achieved through his forum to air his views which, ac- airing their views in similar fash- wrongdoing. Of course what else practice sessions to boost its mo- tion or the event as such. Just two go on these “study” tours return travels. With friends like these… cording to many observers, could ion. Mind boggles! Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

Dino-mania Medina is sworn in for second term as president

AFP Santo Domingo

he Dominican Republic’s President Danilo Medina was sworn in yester- Tday for his second term, after riding an economic boom to win re-election in a landslide despite deep and lingering pov- erty. Dressed in a white suit with the red, white and blue presidential sash draped across his Dominican Republic President Danilo A man pushes a pram while visiting the Cal Orcko Cretaceous Park in Sucre, Bolivia. chest, Medina took the oath of offi ce before Medina acknowledges lawmakers’ applause the Caribbean tourist paradise’s National after receiving the presidential sash at the Assembly. national congress in Santo Domingo. His audience included Presidents Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia Some political analysts warn that Me- and Rafael Correa of Ecuador, three of Latin dina, fresh off a crushing victory, is unlikely America’s most outspoken leftists. to make deep structural changes needed to Medina, a 64-year-old economist and secure long-term growth. ‘El Chapo’ son may be among head of the centrist Dominican Libera- “He is not a reformist at heart,” the Eura- tion Party (PLD), won the country’s May 15 sia Group consultancy summed up after his election with 62 % of the vote after push- win. ing through a constitutional amendment to The PLD party has been in power for 12 allow him to stand for a second four-year years in the Spanish-speaking country, Mexico abduction victims term. which shares the island of Hispaniola with On the eve of his second inauguration, his its troubled neighbour, Haiti. government boasted of its accomplishments The president, who faced seven challeng- AFP likely settling of scores between ri- sons who have been active in run- fake identity documents had been over the past four years: investment in edu- ers, has profi ted from a divided opposition Mexico City val drug cartels. ning the Sinaloa cartel, whose dom- found at the scene of Monday’s kid- cation, loans and support for small farmers, and the breakup of the once-powerful Do- The authorities initially said 10 inance in Puerto Vallarta has been napping, in a posh restaurant called and a sharp drop in poverty, from 42.2 % of minican Revolutionary Party (PRD). to 12 people had been kidnapped, eclipsed since a rival gang, Jalisco La Leche in the Pacifi c coast city’s the population to 32.3 %. The economy grew His top rival, Luis Abinader, came from a exican authorities said but after analysing security camera New Generation, emerged in 2010. chic hotel district. seven % last year and is on track to grow six PRD breakaway faction. yesterday they are in- footage and interviewing witnesses, El Chapito is known for his fl ashy He said initial evidence suggested % this year, according to the UN’s Economic In a country that endured the dictatorship Mvestigating whether the they said there were in fact six men lifestyle, fl aunting his luxury cars, Jalisco New Generation was behind Commission for Latin America and the Car- of Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961), US military son of dreaded drug lord Joaquin abducted. private planes and exotic jungle cats the kidnapping. ibbean. interventions, and lifetime politicians such “El Chapo” Guzman was among a They said one of them may have in social media accounts purported Jalisco New Generation emerged The boom is thanks largely to tourism as three-time president Joaquin Balaguer, group of people kidnapped from a been Ivan “El Chapito” (Little to belong to him. after the death of the local boss of dollars from foreigners fl ocking to the coun- some voters worry about the PLD’s iron grip bar in the resort city of Puerto Val- Chapo) Guzman, whose father is His father is currently in a maxi- the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio “Nacho” try’s luxury hotels and beaches. on power. larta. the jailed boss of the powerful Si- mum security federal prison in the Coronel. But lingering poverty “will continue to Medina, however, can brush that off : he Seven gunmen in pickup trucks naloa cartel. northern city of Ciudad Juarez, af- It has become one of violence- threaten stability in the long term,” warned enjoys an 89 % approval rating, according to descended on the upscale bar and “The possibility exists,” Jalisco ter staging a spectacular jailbreak plagued Mexico’s most powerful the economist Pavel Isa Contreras. a pre-election poll by Mexican consultancy restaurant Monday around dawn state prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer last year only to be recaptured in drug gangs in recent months by de- More than 3mn of the island’s 10mn peo- Mitofsky, making him the most popular and abducted multiple victims, in told Radio Formula. January. fying the authorities with a series of ple are still estimated to live in poverty. leader in Latin America. what investigators have called a Ivan is one of several Guzman The chief prosecutor said only brazen attacks and ambushes.

Maduro ratings fall to nine-month low Opposition urges enezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s approval rating fell to Va nine-month low of 21.2% in boycott of election July amid calls from government crit- ics for a recall referendum next year, according to a local pollster Datanalisis. ‘farce’ in Nicaragua The poll of 1,000 people, con- ducted July 13-21, also showed more than three-quarters of those sur- AFP June ordered the ouster of veyed disapproved of Maduro’s ten- Managua the head of a key opposi- ure, while 93.6% saw the country’s tion party, and the electoral situation negatively. tribunal has stripped many Only 22.1% believed that Maduro icaragua’s opposi- opposition lawmakers of should fi nish his term. tion called Mon- their seats and replaced Maduro’s three-year tenure has Nday for a boycott them with deputies hewing been marked by a severe deteriora- of November presidential to the government line. tion in the country’s economy, with and legislative elections, Ortega has also said he daily looting and food riots due to dismissing the vote as a will not permit foreign ob- shortages of the most basic goods. “farce” engineered to re- servers in to monitor the Triple-digit infl ation, a collapse of elect President Daniel Or- elections. the local currency on the black mar- tega and allow him to start Polls suggest the presi- ket and severe recession have added a ruling family dynasty. dent and his wife, Rosario to the country’s woes. “We herewith declare Murillo, enjoy majority The 53-year-old president blames the absolute invalidity of support in the electorate. the country’s crisis on an economic these fraudulent elections The opposition is made war waged by the opposition and and demand real elec- up of small parties which, Washington. tions,” the National Coali- together, would garner On Friday, Maduro raised the Cuban policemen stand guard near a hotel as fans wait for American pop star Madonna in Havana on Monday. tion for Democracy said in no more than six % of the country’s minimum wage 50%, a statement read by a rep- vote. making it equal to $23 a month at the resentative, Violeta Gran- Murillo, already chief black market exchange rate. era, at a news conference. government spokesperson Thousands of Venezuelans She said the November 6 and a cabinet minister, is streamed across the border with Madonna celebrates 58th birthday in Havana election — in which Ortega seen by many in the op- Colombia on the weekend to buy to is seeking a third straight position as an eminence buy food and other basics as the two term with his wife as his grise. countries’ borders were offi cially AFP old model whose father is Cuban dancer and Madonna is the latest in a string of US running mate — “will only If the couple are victori- reopened after being closed by Ven- Havana fi tness trainer Carlos Leon. celebrities to visit Cuba since its historic go to strengthen a dynastic ous in the November elec- ezuela a year ago. American photographer Steven Klein and rapprochement with long-time enemy the dictatorship.” tion, which appears likely, The timing of the referendum over stylists B Akerlund and Andy Lecompte are United States was announced in December The coalition urged vot- she will become vice presi- the president is critical because re- adonna yesterday celebrated her travelling with them, it said. 2014. ers to “reject...this elec- dent. calling Maduro in 2016 will trigger 58th birthday in Havana, dancing to Madonna posted a picture of herself to her Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Katy toral farce,” abstain from Nicaragua is one of the fresh elections, while a successful MCuban beats during a night on the Twitter account with the caption “Cuba Li- Perry, Kanye West, Usher, Paris Hilton, and voting or cast a blank bal- poorest countries in the vote to remove him after January 10, town and drawing crowds as she toured the bre.” It shows her wearing a revealing black Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian have all lot. Western Hemisphere. 2017 would mean the vice president city. dress with yellow fl owers and smiling as she toured the Caribbean island recently. Ortega, a 70-year-old Ortega has championed would takeover as head of state for The Material Girl’s visit got a write-up in tips a black hat. US citizens are still offi cially banned from former leftist rebel, has plans for a canal to cut the remainder of the current term the Cuban Communist party’s offi cial news- Videos posted online by fans show her travelling to Cuba as tourists under the em- tightened his grip on pow- across the country to rival through early 2019. paper, Granma, which reported that she dressed in the same outfi t strolling through the bargo Washington has maintained on Havana er this year. His current the one in Panama. Maduro’s approval ratings hit their “toured diff erent city squares to start the fi rst streets of Old Havana and dancing to Cuban since the 1960s. rule dates back to 2007, But so far the Hong nadir in October at 21.1%, though day of her visit, which will last until Wednes- beats at a restaurant in the historic city centre But President Barack Obama’s administra- after he served a previous Kong-based company they rose to 33.1% in February, ac- day.” as onlookers cheer. The news site Cubadebate tion has loosened travel restrictions, enabling term between 1985 and meant to carry out the cording to Datanalisis fi gures. The It said the US pop superstar was in Cuba said Madonna is planning a “big party” with more Americans to make the trip under per- 1990. $50bn project has not poll had a margin of error of 3.04%. with her eldest daughter, Lourdes, a 19-year- the “rhythms and fl avors” of Cuba. mitted categories such as “cultural exchanges.” The supreme court in started work on it. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 15 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Pakistan PM Memorial mural

Afghan women walk past a mural bearing the image of reiterates stand Afghan AFP reporter Sardar Ahmad (right) painted on a barrier wall at the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul on August 15. Sardar Ahmad, 40, was shot dead along with his wife and two on Kashmir of his three children when four teenage gunmen IANS tional terrorism, cross-border attacked the Serena hotel in Islamabad infi ltrators, weapons, narcotic Kabul on March 21, 2014. and fake currency”. And on Monday, Indian Prime Minister rime Minister Nawaz Narendra Modi, in his annual In- Sharif yesterday reiter- dependence Day address, openly Pated his resolve to extend came out in support of “inde- Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic pendence” in Balochistan, Gilgit and political support to the “in- and Pakistan-held Kashmir. digenous freedom struggle” in The world needed to The Times said there was Jammu and Kashmir. take stock of the latest “sadly...nothing new about any Sharif made the remarks to “brutalities against of this as Pakistan and India Sardar Yaqoob Khan, the out- unarmed innocent have long held intransigent po- going President of the Pakistani Kashmiri people who sitions, and indulged in political side of Kashmir, Radio Pakistan are heavily sacrifi cing point scoring that has eff ectively reported. for attainment of their precluded the possibility of any The prime minister said the inalienable right to meaningful progress (in nego- world needed to take stock of the freedom” tiations)”. Pak Taliban faction denies latest “brutalities against un- While urging New Delhi to armed innocent Kashmiri people indeed look bleak between Pa- talk Kashmir, the daily said Pa- who are heavily sacrifi cing for kistan and India and it would kistan must address India’s se- attainment of their inalienable require extraordinary diplomatic curity concerns and apprehend right to freedom”. manoeuvring to reshape rela- all those linked to cross-border links to Islamic State, Qaeda Sharif’s remarks came a day tions from here,” the Daily Times terrorism. after Indian Prime Minister said in an editorial. However, it said that Modi’s Narendra Modi, in his Independ- It said “things are spiralling “confrontational” stand vis- Reuters the group’s leader, Omar Khalid That heightened fears that IS In the statement, Khorasani ence Day speech, openly came from bad to worse” as Pakistan a-vis Pakistan on India’s Inde- Islamabad Khorasani said, using the Ara- had gained a fi rmer foothold in Pa- said his group had no intention out in support of “freedom” for and India have engaged in a war pendence Day was “in appall- bic acronym “Daesh” to refer to kistan, a country of 190mn people of fi ghting to install Islamic law Balochistan and the Kashmir of unsavoury words. ingly bad taste”. Islamic State. where a myriad of local militant beyond Pakistan. governed by Pakistan. Pakistan dedicated its Inde- “Modi’s remarks would wors- Pakistani Taliban “Those in Daesh or Al Qaeda outfi ts exist with the means of He also said that there Islamabad termed Modi’s Red pendence Day on August 14 to en Pakistan-India relations and breakaway faction that or any other mujahideen move- launching major attacks. were no Islamic State fi ghters Fort speech a “diversionary tac- the cause of “independence” in give teeth to Pakistan’s allega- A claimed responsibility ment are our Muslim brothers. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, behind a present in the areas where his tic”. Foreign policy chief Sartaj Jammu and Kashmir where mili- tions,” it said. for the bombing of a hospital But we do not have any or- series of bombings including fi ghters were operating, largely Aziz said: “The contrast between tants are fi ghting against Indian The News International too last week said yesterday it had ganisational link with any of in a public park in Lahore in along the lawless border with the Indian Kashmir and the Azad troops. said that neither India nor Paki- no links with Islamic State, them. With Daesh and Al Qaeda March, has never specifi cally Afghanistan in Pakistani tribal Jammu and Kashmir could not New Delhi in turn accused Is- stan was in any mood for diplo- whose leadership also said it we have never had an organisa- disavowed Islamic State before. areas. be more stark.” lamabad of exporting “interna- macy now. was behind the attack. tional link before, and even to- Khorasani made no men- Islamic State has been try- The Kashmir Valley is wit- Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, which day we have no organisational tion of the Quetta bombing in ing to expand its presence in nessing weeks of unrest trig- briefl y declared allegiance to link with them,” Khorasani said. the audio message released on Afghanistan and Pakistan as its gered by the July 8 killing of rebel Pakistan off ers India pact on non-testing of N-arms Islamic State in 2014, said in an Jamaat-ur-Ahrar claimed Tuesday. territory shrinks in Syria and commander Burhan Wani. audio statement that its fi ght responsibility within hours The group, designated a Iraq but faces competition from Five civilian protesters were Pakistan yesterday off ered immediately without waiting was solely against the Paki- for the suicide bomb in the “global terrorist” group by local militants. killed in fi ring by security forces India a bilateral arrangement for the entry into force of stani state and that linking it to southwestern city of Quetta the United States earlier this Security offi cials and ana- yesterday, taking the death toll to 65. on “non-testing of nuclear the CTBT at the international trans-national Islamist mili- that killed more than 70 peo- month, emerged in 2014 after lysts say that Islamic State re- All educational institutions, weapons”. level,” a Foreign Office tant networks was wrong. ple, most of them lawyers, on Khorasani, the Pakistani Tali- mains - for now - more of a shops, public transport and “In the larger interest of statement said. “We want to make it clear August 8. Later, Islamic State, ban commander in the Mohm- “brand name” in South Asia other businesses have remained peace and stability in the Such a pact “could set the tone that our movement has no con- based in Iraq and Syria, also and tribal area, broke off to form than a cohesive militant force in shut since July 9, a day after region, as also in the global for further mutually agreed nection to Daesh or Al Qaeda,” claimed responsibility. his own organisation. much of the region. Wani was killed. context, Pakistan has indicated measures on restraint and Meanwhile, a Pakistani news- the possibility that the two avoidance of arms race in South paper said yesterday that rela- countries may consider a Asia”, it said. tions between India and Pa- bilateral arrangement,” the Both India and Pakistan are kistan look bleak after the two Foreign Off ice said. nuclear powers. countries indulged in a war of “The bilateral non-testing But neither has signed the Girl, parents drown in latest ‘selfi e’ deaths words on their Independence arrangement, if mutually Nuclear Non-Proliferation Days on August 14 and 15. agreed, could become binding Treaty (NPT). “At the moment, things do AFP in Beesian village, some 200km “Seeing both his wife and year-old daughter and six- Peshawar north of Islamabad. daughter drowning, the father year-old son who witnessed the The deep, rocky and fast- Atif Hussain also jumped in to event. ‘Camera-integrated fine’ for traff ic violations fl owing river is popular for rescue them but he met a simi- “Both of them are in the protec- n 11-year-old girl white-water rafting. lar fate,” Khan added. tive custody of the local admin- Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, is all set be presented to the Punjab Assembly in the next ses- drowned yesterday af- “The girl, Safi a Atif, was try- “The dead bodies of the istration and they will be handed to introduce ‘camera integrated fining’ on traff ic rules sion for final endorsement to the proposed amend- Ater falling into a river in ing to take a selfi e along the mother and daughter have been over to their family members when violations which will be enforced after amendments ments, an off icial privy to the information here said. northern Pakistan while at- river when she slipped and fell,” recovered while we are still they arrive,” he said. to the relevant laws. He said that traff ic violators would receive fine tickets tempting to take a selfi e and her local police offi cial Arshad Khan looking for the body of Hus- The incident was confi rmed Off icial sources say Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has at home address under the newly- approved scheme. parents also died trying to save said, explaining the incident sain,” he added. by other administration offi - also approved increase in all traff ic violations fine for The cameras would take snapshots of violation as her, offi cials said. was witnessed by other tour- He said the parents were doc- cials and family members of the motorcyclists (over-speeding, red-lane violation, etc.,) evidence and the traff ic off icial concerned, after ana- The drownings occurred ists. tors from Punjab province and deceased. by Rs100 besides increasing fine for juvenile driving lysing it, would dispatch the fine ticket to the violator’s in the Kunhar river that fl ows Safi a’s mother Shazia Atif had taken their family to the One offi cial said the govern- from Rs300 to Rs500. home address, giving him a specific time period to through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa then jumped in to save her area on holiday. ment had put up signs warning After approval of the summary, a bill to this eff ect will pay fine. province, at a hilly tourist spot daughter but was swept away. They are survived by a nine- people not to go near the river. Afghan air force needs more pilots, as well as more planes

Pilot shortages mean some “Sometimes we have to wait a of passengers to a military base 2,000 applicants, said a US of- planes stand idle; Afghan air week for a helicopter to evacuate in southern Afghanistan. fi cer who advises Afghan re- force tiny, demands on it are our casualties,” added the of- On the return trip, he might be cruiters. growing; Coalition advisers fi cer, stationed in a remote area carrying more passengers, casu- But fi nding qualifi ed appli- saying skill levels improving; close to the Pakistani border. alties or cargo, and may have to cants can be a challenge, as pi- Troops, police fighting Advisers for the US-led Nato make several stops on the way, lots, crew chiefs, and mainte- Taliban desperate for more coalition, which is training Af- he added. nance workers have to be literate air support ghan armed forces now the al- “Sometimes we fl y from 7am and usually must be able to speak liance’s main combat mission is until 6pm. We have a limit and English. Reuters over, say they are struggling to if we fl y more we become ex- Foreign contractors have been Kabul fi eld enough experienced pilots hausted.” used to help with maintenance, and crews. At least nine aircraft were but offi cials have been hesitant “Our challenge is the hu- lost last year, most to accidents to use them in more sensitive he Afghan air force is lim- man capital,” said Colonel Troy or maintenance issues, offi cials military roles, or in a way that ited not only by its size. Henderson, commander of the said. the Afghan government may not T Despite numbering US So far in 2016, the Afghan air be able to aff ord in the long term. only 130 aircraft, there are not Air Force’s expeditionary ad- force has lost only two Mi-17 Coalition trainers are some- enough pilots and crews to fl y visory group in Kabul, noting it helicopters, which advisers said times used to help fl y C-208s, them all. is relatively easy to buy aircraft indicated that pilots were be- but both coalition pilots and for- The shortage is hampering but more diffi cult and slower to coming more experienced. eign contractors are only allowed Afghan security forces’ ability fi nd and train pilots. Aircraft have been a lifeline to fl y to international bases, to fi ght Taliban militants, who The roughly 130 aircraft are over the past year to ground Henderson said. are once again gaining territory not enough, according to Major troops cut off by Taliban fighters Pilots and other crew mem- in the north and south of the General Abdul Wahab Wardak, in areas like Helmand and Kun- bers are being trained abroad as country. commander of the Afghan air duz, but the lack of crews means well as in Afghanistan, Wardak Troops on the ground are cry- force. the air force cannot keep up, said said, including the United States, ing out for more air support, And the problem is now com- Nazar Mohamed, another trans- Czech Republic and United Arab which ranges from fi ring on the pounded by a lack of trained port pilot. Emirates. enemy to evacuating casualties crews for existing aircraft. Crew members of a C208 cargo airplane prepare for flight at a military airfield in Kabul. “There are fewer pilots and Even once pilots have been from the battlefi eld. The United States has pro- more operations,” he said, run- trained, gaining experience can The day Afghan aircraft can vided a growing number of more units, Henderson said. with a corresponding decrease in transport planes out of Kabul, ning through pre-fl ight prepara- take years, said US Brigadier meet the high demand is still a advanced aircraft in the past As the US-led coalition scaled support and reconnaissance mis- for example, there are six crews tions in the cramped cockpit of a General David Hicks, who com- long way off . year, seeking to make up for the back operations, Afghan air force sions from around 60,000 in 2014 for 12 aircraft, Henderson said. C-208. “If there are deaths and mands the coalition’s air force “Three weeks ago, two of our withdrawal of most internation- missions more than doubled to just under 33,000 in 2015. Twenty-four pilots are sched- injuries everywhere, how can training operation. policemen were wounded in a al forces. from 10,060 in 2014 to 22,260 As more aircraft have been uled to rotate in soon, which will our schedules keep up?” “They are young,” he said of fi ght with the Taliban and we But in the process of building in 2015. fi elded by the Afghans, crew minimise, but not completely Despite the challenges, reten- incoming Afghan pilots. “These waited for fi ve days to transfer a special operations air wing and From January to May 2016, shortages are limiting the de- overcome the shortage, he add- tion remains relatively high in guys are out front, leading the them to a hospital,” said a border training crews to fl y new aircraft Afghan aircraft fl ew 6,930 mis- ployment of widely used aircraft ed. the air force, with month-to- sorties, and they’re making the police commander in the east- like the small A-29 attack air- sions. that form the backbone of the air “We have a critical situa- month rates usually above 90%, decisions that I didn’t make until ern province of Kunar, who spoke craft and C-130 cargo planes, US Air Force combat sorties force. tion,” said C-208 pilot Saifuddin according to the US military. I’d been fl ying for three, four or anonymously because he was not coalition advisers had to pull dropped from nearly 13,000 in Among the unit that fl ies Popal, speaking at Kabul airport For the latest offi cer class of fi ve years. Building that experi- authorised to speak to the media. experienced pilots from other 2014 to fewer than 6,000 in 2015, small Cessna C-208 propeller as he prepared to fl y another load 110 students, there were around ence just takes time.” Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 PHILIPPINES

CRIME Manhunt launched for armed group

The Caraga Region police Duterte seeks P3.35tn launched a manhunt for a group of armed men involved in a shoot- ing incident that wounded six farmers, including a minor on Sat- urday evening in Purok 7, Zillovia village in Talacogon town, Agusan del Sur. Chief Inspector Charity Galvez, Caraga police spokes- national budget for 2017 woman, identified the wounded victims as Albert Gomez, 54; Edu- Manila Times placed by our eff orts to ramp up ardo Hecali, 57; Antonio Bautista, Manila transportation projects,” Presi- 50; Jomar Tawide, 20; Mark Jean dent Duterte said in his budget Tawide, 21; and a 12-year-old boy. message. The victims were drinking liquor he Duterte administration The Armed Forces of the Phil- at the house of Gomez, except for yesterday asked Congress ippines (AFP) meanwhile sought the minor who was sitting beside Tfor a P3.35-tn national a P130.6-bn budget for next the victims, when the suspects budget for 2017, up by 12% from year, 15% higher than this year’s. arrived and opened fire at them. this year’s outlay, with the in- “This will be used to intensify The gunmen escaped on board crease going to the country’s the AFP’s counter-terrorism ef- motorcycles. hosting of next year’s Asean forts and to protect our borders,” meetings and rice subsidies for Duterte said. TRAGEDY the poor. The Revised AFP Modernisa- Teenager who President Rodrigo Duterte President Duterte tion Programme in particular sought a tenfold increase in the will get P25 bn to acquire more rescued drowning budget of the Offi ce of the Presi- of a top aide, Cabinet Secretary weapons and equipment for sol- dent (OP) to P20bn. Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr diers. victims dies Of this amount, P19.3bn will The Duterte administra- The Philippine National Police go to maintenance and other op- tion also hiked the budget for (PNP) sought P110.4bn, higher A 19-year-old boy died after rescu- erating expenses, while P747mn the conditional cash transfer or by 24.6% than this year’s budget. ing three people in a beach resort will be for personnel services. Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino The PNP plans to hire 10,000 in Mariveles on Sunday. Rovic Capital outlay is just at Programme, to P78.7bn in 2017 additional police offi cers and to Valcalares, 19, from Cagayan de Oro P660,000. from P62bn this year, to include fund its “capability enhance- City, among teenagers who were Secretary Benjamin Diokno of rice subsidies for the poor as ment programme.” on-the-job training at a shipbuilding the Department of Budget and promised by the president dur- “My government will dou- and bridge construction company Management attributed the rise ing the campaign. ble or even triple its eff orts to in Pasig City, Metro Manila, went to the country’s hosting of Asso- This was included under the bring drug pushers and crime swimming at a resort in Agwawan ciation of Southeast Asian Na- proposed P129.9-bn budget of syndicates behind bars as well in barangay Sisiman. He and some tions (Asean) meetings next year, the Department of Social Wel- as to put a stop to terrorism,” companions rescued the three which will cost P15bn. fare and Development (DSWD) the president said in his budget beach-goers who had shouted for “We are hosting the golden submitted to Congress. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno (fourth from left) submits the Duterte administration’s proposed message. help as the water became turbulent. anniversary of Asean which is Of the P78.7bn, P23.4bn will P3.35-tn national budget for 2017, dubbed ‘A Budget for Real Change,’ to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez Diokno also said there would Valcalares’ body was recovered on at P15bn. This is really under the be spent for rice allowances of (seventh from left). be a budget for new 550-bed Monday morning. OP. 3mn CCT households. hospitals and rehabilitation cen- Once the budget is approved, Eligible households will be be given rice subsidy,” Diokno Sustainable Livelihood Pro- zones and housing assistance for tres for 2017, with each centre ACCIDENT this amount will be disbursed to given 20 kilos of rice monthly for said. gramme involving micro-en- calamity victims. costing P700mn. various agencies that will need 12 months starting 2017. Benefi ciaries get cash incen- terprise development and em- A P7.3-bn allocation was pro- The president promised to in- Three-vehicle the money for the Asean host- There are at least 4.62mn tives provided they comply ployment facilitation for half a posed for the Department of crease the salaries of policemen, crash kills 1 ing,” Diokno told reporters after families under the programme. with the following conditions: million families. Transportation, for the resettle- soldiers, and other uniformed submitting the Duterte admin- “There are cases where there children should be present in Aff ordable housing for the ment of informal settlers to be personnel. A driver died instantly while 20 istration’s maiden budget pro- are two benefi ciary families in school 85% of the time and fam- poor will have P15.4-bn budget. aff ected by the North to South “We will pursue a law that passengers were injured after posal. the same household. This [rice ily members should undergo Of this amount, P12.6bn will Railway Project. increases the base pay of uni- a mini-bus figured in a head-on Also contributing to the in- subsidy]is 20 kilos per household regular medical check-ups and go to the National Housing Au- “This shows our commitment formed personnel [and]reforms collision with a Manila-bound bus crease was Duterte’s Executive times 12 [months]. This is not a attend family development ses- thority for socialised housing, to the policy of no demolition the pension system of retirees,” early Monday morning in Rosales, Order (EO) No 1 which placed 12 one-to-one correspondence. sions. particularly the resettlement of without relocation to provide said Duterte in his budget mes- Pangasinan. A tricycle and its driver agencies under the supervision Every benefi ciary [family] will The DSWD will maintain a informal settlers from danger support to those who will be dis- sage. and three passengers were also hit. 72 Quezon City cops Nine dead, six missing amid fl ooding relieved from posts DPA for alleged drugs link Manila ine people were killed Manila Times The list included three and six went missing Manila operatives from Police Sta- Nafter days of heavy mon- tion 1 (PS-1), two from PS-2 soon rains caused fl ooding and (Masambong), 12 from PS-3 several accidents in the Philip- eventy-two Quezon City (Sangandaan), six from PS-4 pines, disaster relief offi cials policemen were relieved (Novaliches), four from PS-5 said yesterday. Sfrom their posts on Mon- (Fairview), two from PS-7 More than 20,000 people were day because of their alleged in- (Cubao), five from PS- 8 (Li- also forced to fl ee their homes volvement in illegal drugs. bis), 13 from PS-9 (Anonas), in the aff ected areas, including Quezon City Police District ten from PS-10 (Kamuning), the capital Manila, according to (QCPD) Senior Supt Guillermo three from PS-11 (Galas), Ricardo Jalad, head of the coun- Eleazar said the policemen eight from PS-12, one from try’s Offi ce of Civil Defence. come from diff erent stations ANCAR (Anti-Carnapping). Most of those killed drowned and units. Three of the police officers in fl oods and swollen rivers, Some were members of An- are facing charges of viola- while two died when a collapsed ti-Illegal Drugs Units. tion of R.A. 9745 (Anti-Tor- wall crushed their homes, he “We will subject them to ture Act), theft and arbitrary added. investigation and validation detention; three have pend- Four of the missing are work- to make sure that the ongo- ing cases of robbery, extor- ers who were trapped in a tunnel ing change we eff ected will be tion, illegal arrest, arbitrary project in the eastern province to the maximum, to attain the detention, perjury and plant- of Quezon when a fl ashfl ood oc- change expected by all of us, so ing of evidence. curred, while two are fi shermen that the people of Quezon City Eleazar said the re- who sailed in the bad weather, will feel more secure about lieved policemen will be Jalad said. their police,” Eleazar said in a reassigned to the District Heavy rains have battered a news briefi ng. Headquarters Support Unit wide area in eastern and northern He said 69 of the police of- (DHSU) in Camp Karingal, parts of the Philippines since last fi cers were reported to have Quezon City. week, according to the weather “alleged involvement in illegal Last month, the QCPD also bureau. The rough weather was drugs.” relieved 53 anti-drug person- expected to continue throughout “There is an Inspector and nel but 17 were cleared from the week after a new low pressure Chief Inspectors who were involvement in illegal drugs area was spotted off the country’s also included in the list, along and were returned to their eastern coast, with junior police offi cers with posts. the bureau said, warning of the ranks of PO1, PO2s and Eleazar said the 69 police the possibility for more fl oods SPO3s and 4.” offi cers will be investigated. and landslides. Children swimming in floodwaters of Manila bay, metro Manila. Marcos fi les complaint against election panel

Manila Times tionary Protective Order (PPO) questionable resolution on 12 the public announcement of the Cotobato — which were said to Manila issued by the Supreme Court sit- July 2016,” Rodriguez told re- PPO) was the Comelec trying to have been kept secret from po- ting as the Presidential Electoral porters after the fi ling the mani- fast-track the stripping activity litical parties and candidates. Tribunal (PET), which is hearing festation. before the PPO could be offi cial- Rodriguez also claimed that ormer senator Ferdinand Marcos’ allegations of election Rodriguez pointed out that ly served on them?” the Marcos many of Marcos’ witnesses were “Bongbong” Marcos Jr has fraud against Vice-President on July 12, the PET publicly an- manifestation said. harassed by supporters of Robredo. Fyesterday sought the help Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. nounced that it had granted Mar- Rodriguez said the stripping Witnesses from Quezon, Cav- of the Supreme Court amid his Vic Rodriguez, spokesman cos’ prayer for a protective order in of the VCMs and CCS units ite, Leyte, Masbate, Northern ongoing election protest, accus- of the former senator, said the accordance with PET rules. raised the possibility that elec- Samar, Cebu City and Zam- ing the Commission on Elections Comelec pushed through with However, Marcos found out tion data could be tampered with boanga City complained that (Comelec) of defying the high the stripping even after the Mar- that on the same day, the Come- because the Comelec resolution they were being forced to recant court’s order to preserve and cos camp wrote the poll body lec issued a resolution approving itself had admitted that “the au- their statements in exchange for protect all data and equipment four times asking it to preserve the backup of SD cards and CCS dit logs during the election will money, he said. used during the May 9 elections. and secure all the data and audit units in connection with the be modifi ed to include the activ- Others were threatened with In a seven-page manifesta- logs contained in servers used stripping of the VCM and CCS ity performed after election.” criminal cases for perjury or fal- tion, Marcos said the Comelec during the elections. scheduled on July 16. He also noted that the Come- sifi cation. issued a “highly irregular” or- “Instead of replying to the “Was the timing of the same lec limited the stripping activity “Next week, protestant Mar- Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman of former senator Ferdinand der to strip the data in the Vote written requests and complying merely coincidental or was it to its warehouse in Santa Rosa, cos will be submitting an addi- Marcos Jr, talks to reporters after filing a seven-page manifestation Counting Machines (VCMs) and with its Constitutional mandate meant to indirectly violate the Laguna when there were six tional manifestation to this hon- asking the Supreme Court to take the Commission on Elections to Canvassing and Consolidation to preserve the integrity of the terms of the PPO? Second, (since other warehouses — in La Un- ourable tribunal and submit the task for defying the tribunal’s order to preserve and protect election System (CCS) laptop units. elections, the Comelec decided the stripping activity would be ion, Albay, Cebu, Zamboanga del testimonies of the complaining data and equipment. He also bared attempts to pressure witnesses in This was despite the Precau- to unilaterally issue its highly done on July 16, or four days after Sur, Misamis Oriental and South witnesses,” Rodriguez said. Marcos’ election protest into backing out. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Central bank says no plans to sue Fed, SWIFT

Reuters the spokesman for Bangladesh Bank. options, including the legal (option),” and reporting breaches lies largely with to “immediately” notify the US central In the Feb 4 heist, the hackers pep- Dhaka/New York He declined to provide reasons for Saha said yesterday. “We look forward the correspondent bank, in this case bank when it learned it was hacked, and pered the Fed with payment requests, the turnabout. A source close to the to co-operation both from the Fed and Bangladesh Bank. Saha said there was no to give the Fed “a reasonable opportunity four of which were fi lled. Much of the Asian central bank last month said it SWIFT.” link between the decision not to pursue to act” on cancellation requests. money disappeared into casinos in the angladesh’s central bank said it was preparing litigation to seek com- Offi cials from the Fed and Bangla- a lawsuit and the contract. “We were as- The Fed was bound to then “make rea- Philippines.Reuters reported last month has reversed its plans to sue the pensation, claiming errors by the New desh Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul sessing options, and we prefer co-oper- sonable eff orts” to halt any fraudulent that Bangladesh Bank did not realise it BFederal Reserve Bank of New York Fed and SWIFT had made Bang- Muhith were not immediately available ation,” he said. payments it had made. had been hacked and did not attempt to York and the SWIFT money transfer ladesh Bank vulnerable. for comment. The shift came as meet- Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mo- The New York Fed is liable for acting alert the New York Fed until two days af- network, and instead intends to seek In the February heist, hackers issued ings were to begin in New York yesterday hamed Razee Hassan, who is heading the on unauthorised payments only if it does ter the money had been sent. their help recovering $81mn stolen by false transfer orders on the SWIFT net- between offi cials from Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Bank team in the New York not comply with agreed authentication By that time, a weekend in New York, cyber thieves in February. work to move funds out of Bangladesh the New York Fed and SWIFT. meetings, said the bank operates under messages, or fails to exercise good faith the Fed took two more days to respond. “At the moment we have no plan to Bank’s account at the Fed. It also comes after the New York Fed the standard Fed contract. when fi lling a payment request, accord- Reuters also reported that the New go for any legal action against the Fed Bangladesh’s fi nance minister had last week published its standard con- He did not comment on any possible ing to the contract. York Fed attempted and failed to cancel bank or SWIFT; rather we will seek also said in March he was weighing le- tract with correspondent banks, which lawsuit. The standard contract includes a The published contract notes litiga- the payments and did not immediately their assistance,” said Subhankar Saha, gal action.“We only assessed diff erent spells out that the burden of preventing requirement for the correspondent bank tion must be heard in a US court. inform Bangladesh Bank of its eff orts. Slain imam was beloved Nepal’s factions in Bangladeshi enclave urged to unite Reuters New York

mam Maulama Akonjee was a devout spiritual leader Ibeloved by his Bangladeshi for stability Muslim community, according to those who knew him in the Reuters New York City neighbourhood Beijing where he lived, worshipped and died violently. Nearly everyone who knew hina’s Foreign Minister the cleric and his religious as- Wang Yi said yesterday sociate Thara Uddin asked the Che hoped all political fac- same question: What reason tions in Nepal would unite and would anyone have to gun down promote stability, after Nepal two revered, humble men as sent an envoy to Beijing to clear they left their mosque in the up questions over the future of Ozone Park section of Queens bilateral agreements. on Saturday? Nepal’s Maoist Prime Min- In a diverse neighbourhood ister Prachanda, 61, who led a with a reputation for tolerance decade-long insurgency that and relatively low crime, the ended a feudal monarchy, re- mystery has raised suspicions placed communist KP Oli this among many residents that the A man cries as community members take part in a protest to demand end to hate crime after the funeral month amid uncertainty about a brazen, daylight murders were service of Imam Maulama Akonjee, and Thara Uddin in the Queens borough of New York City. slew of deals made by Oli during inspired by hatred of their reli- a visit to Beijing in March. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) speaks with Nepal Premier’s gious or ethnic identities. before fl eeing. A man was be- stead was known for his kind- Al Furqan mosque to pray. She Those deals included permis- special envoy Krishna Bahadur Mahara (left) during their meeting at An outdoor funeral was held ing questioned by detectives on ness, humility and abhorrence described the imam as a “nice, sion for Nepal to use Chinese the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs in Beijing yesterday. for the two men on Monday. Monday, but he had not been of violence, Khan said. decent” man of strong faith, railways, roads and ports to trade Badrul Khan, founder of charged in connection with the Rana Miah, 38, said he had and she couldn’t imagine why with third countries, and sig- reached by the two countries’ prime minister in as many years Ozone Park’s Al Furqan Jame killings. known Akonjee since 2003. anyone would target him. nalled a shift by the landlocked leaders” and deepen cross-bor- — has also raised doubts over Mosque, said he had known A motive had not yet been Miah’s brother is married to the “He never fought. He en- Himalayan nation away from its der transport, trade and energy a planned visit by President Xi Akonjee for a long time. established, and police had not imam’s daughter. couraged Muslims in the com- traditional reliance on overland co-operation, the foreign minis- Jinping in October, which would The 55-year-old cleric, a fa- discovered a connection be- “He taught people at the munity to pray, encouraged us trade with its southern neigh- try said in a statement. be the fi rst by a Chinese presi- ther of seven, emigrated to the tween the suspect and victims. mosque and visited them at to pray fi ve times every day, to bour, India. Mahara told Wang the foun- dent in two decades. United States from Bangladesh Khan, who spoke at the fu- their homes to teach them, with come to the mosque, to remem- Wang told the envoy, one of dation of bilateral ties was fi rm Mahara had said he was car- several years ago, he said. neral for the two men in Ozone what time he had. He also used ber Allah.” Prachanda’s trusted lieuten- and would not change because rying an invitation from Presi- Judging from what he knew Park on Monday, told Reuters to cook for his family,” Miah She said she was inclined to ants from the insurgency period, of the new government, accord- dent Bidhya Devi Bhandari to about the imam, Khan said he that the imam was a man of said. Miah said Akonjee and think the murders were moti- Krishna Bahadur Mahara, that ing to the Chinese statement. the Chinese leader to come as could think of only one reason simple routines who lived and Uddin used to walk together vated by hate. China’s friendship toward Nepal Prachanda led a Nepali upris- planned. the fatal shooting could have breathed his religious faith. from the mosque to the block Aktar said she has become would not change even with the ing in the name of the Chinese Nepali offi cials have said happened: “This is a hate crime, “This imam is a speaker, a where they both lived. afraid to wear her hijab in pub- political shift. revolutionary leader Mao Ze- Prachanda would send another nothing else.” translator for us,” Khan said, Akonjee had booked a ticket lic, not because of the killings “China expects that all politi- dong, but it did not enjoy the deputy, Bimelandra Nidhi, as an Police say the gunman referring to the cleric’s role on to return to Bangladesh at the but because of what she sees cal forces in Nepal will strength- overt backing of Beijing. emissary to India this week to stalked the men, who were interpreting the Qur’an. “His end of the month to visit his is an escalating national anger en unity and jointly advance The confl ict ended in 2006 give reassurances that closer ties dressed in religious garb, as whole life was his job, praying mother, who is ill, Miah said. against Muslims. Nepal’s peace, stability and de- when the rebels laid down their with China would not come at a they left Al Furqan on Satur- here, then going home.” Hasina Aktar, 33, a stay- The funeral took on political velopment,” Wang said. arms under a peace deal. cost to India. day afternoon and then shot Akonjee never expressed po- at-home mother, said her fa- overtones given the circum- He said China hoped “to Instability in the young re- China and India compete for them point-blank in the heads litical views in public, but in- ther and husband both go to stances of the killings. carry out the consensus already public — Prachanda is the eighth infl uence in Nepal.

Lankan Flood-hit elephant that travelled 1,700km dies Four navy AFP than 1,700 kilometres from the northeast- women Dhaka ern Indian state of Assam after being sepa- rated from his herd in severe fl ooding. arrests The animal ran amok and charged into held in n elephant thought to have trav- a pond after Bangladesh forest offi cials hit elled at least 1,700 kilometres from him with a tranquilliser dart last Thursday. illegal AIndia into Bangladesh after becom- Local villagers jumped into the pond to cafe attack ing separated from its herd by fl oods died save the four-tonne animal from drowning yesterday despite last-ditch eff orts to save by stopping it from toppling into the water. migrants him. A mahout was also critically injured probe The distressed animal was tranquillised during another rescue eff ort on Monday three times in sometimes dramatic bids after being kicked by the again tranquil- Agencies to try to transport him to a safari park in lised elephant. Reuters Colombo Bangladesh, after he washed across the Local media blamed excessive tranquil- Dhaka border in late June. lising for the animal’s death, saying he be- He was eventually given huge amounts came too weak to stand. ri Lanka Navy prevented an of saline and chained in a paddy fi eld in a But Paul said the long journey was re- angladeshi security forces illegal migration attempt northern village to help him recover, but he sponsible, adding that rescue eff orts had said yesterday they had Sto Australia by boat and was “too weak and tired” from his ordeal, been hampered by the thousands of curi- Barrested four women sus- detained 18 would-be asylum offi cials said. ous villagers following him. pected of being members of a seekers yesterday. “It breathed its last at around 7am (0100 “In the end it became too tired by travel- home-grown militant group The naval personnel appre- GMT),” the government’s chief wildlife ling such a great length. It had been sepa- blamed for an attack on a Dhaka hended the 18 Sri Lankans who conservator Ashit Ranjan Paul said. rated from its herd for some two months cafe last month in which 22 peo- were heading towards Australia “We have given our highest eff ort to save and did not get the nutrients that it need- ple were killed. in the seas 40 nautical miles off the animal. At least 10 forest rangers, vets ed,” he said. Five young men attacked the Batticaloa on Monday morning, and policemen have constantly followed it “Thousands of villagers followed it eve- upmarket cafe on July 1, an as- ColomboPage online newspaper for the last 48 days. But our luck is bad,” he ryday as it entered into Bangladesh and sault claimed by Islamic State. reported. The migrants left from said. then travelled to villages and river islands Bangladeshi residents gather around the body of an elephant swept into the Three of the attackers were Valaichchenai onboard a Multi- Paul said the animal likely travelled more across the Brahmaputra river.” country from India by floodwaters in Jamalpur yesterday. from affl uent Dhaka homes who Day Fishing Vessel named “Blue had broken off contact with their Star”. families months earlier. The Navy managed to seize Police believe that Jamaat- them on a tip-off received by ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, a intelligence personnel and the banned group that has pledged suspects were brought to the Activists protest against thermal power plant allegiance to Islamic State, Trincomalee harbour. played a role in organising the Subsequently the personnel group. were handed over to the Crimi- IANS ka’s Shahbagh intersection, one of the to be built in Bagerhat district, about many power experts and green activists, The four women were arrest- nal Investigation Department Dhaka major public transportation hubs in 180km from Dhaka. Protesters also held a the Bangladesh Power Development ed in an overnight raid in the — Maritime Division for fur- Dhaka, and staged demonstration for procession on the Dhaka University cam- Board (PDB) and Indian National Ther- capital, based on information ther investigations. about one hour demanding cancellation pus and broke through police barricades. mal Power Corporation (NTPC) in April from a regional militant leader The Navy warned the gen- ctivists of Pragatishil Chhatra of the Rampal Thermal Power Plant’s Several persons were injured during 2013 signed three major agreements for who was detained last month, eral public not to involve in Jote, an alliance of Left-leaning construction, Xinhua news agency re- a scuffl e with the law enforcers while implementation of the plant. said Rapid Action Battalion high risk sea-borne migration Astudent organisations in Bang- ported. breaking through the barricades. Under the deals, the Bangladesh-In- spokesman Mizanur Rahman to Australia based on false in- ladesh, yesterday blocked Dhaka roads Naima Khaled Monika, Pragatishil According to the protesters, discharge dia Friendship Power Company, a joint Bhuiya. “Three of them are formation provided by hu- to protest against a $1.5bn power plant Chhatra Jote leader, said they will stage from the plant like fl y ash and sulphur venture between the PDB and the NTPC students of a private university man smugglers and reiterated near Sundarbans, the world’s largest demonstrations across the country to- dioxide will have disastrous conse- with 50:50 share, will implement the and the other one is working as that such attempts would fi- mangrove forest which straddles both morrow. quences for the fauna and fl ora of the project in which offi cials claim that super an intern in the Dhaka Medical nally end up in them getting Bangladesh and India. She urged the government not to go mangrove forest — a Unesco World Her- critical technology would be used to curb College and Hospital,” he told arrested. The agitating students blocked Dha- ahead with the proposed 1,320 MW plant, itage site. Amid severe criticism from the much talked-about carbon emission. Reuters. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran EU leaders should present

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar a clear choice to Britain [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), If Britain becomes the now be delayed until Britain’s trading the many tangible benefi ts of EU depend on strong bonds of citizenship 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) only European country terms are clarifi ed. If Brexit goes membership beyond technocratic and generous welfare states. Fax 44350474 ahead, this will take many years. abstractions about the single market: Imagine, for example, that apart from Russia to As Britain’s economy sinks into environmental improvements, rural EU leaders endorsed Denmark’s recession, and the government’s subsidies, fi nancing for science, recent proposal to allow national exclude itself from the EU promises of a quick “successful Brexit” infrastructure, and higher education, governments to diff erentiate between single market, it will not prove unrealistic, public opinion and the freedom to live and work welfare payments to citizens and will shift. May’s small parliamentary throughout Europe. recent immigrants, or that it extended succeed economically majority will come under pressure, By excluding spurious intermediate to all of Europe the Swiss plan for an GULF TIMES not least from the many enemies she options such as the “Norwegian” or “emergency brake” against sudden By Anatole Kaletsky made by purging all of former prime “Swiss” models – which May has, immigration surges. Imagine them London minister David Cameron’s allies from in any case, rejected, because they easing the counterproductive budget offi ce. The main decisions on Brexit imply free movement of people – the and banking rules that have suff ocated will therefore be made not in London EU could make Brexit’s economic southern Europe. Imagine, fi nally, Amid green shoots he legend of King Canute but in Brussels and Berlin. implications unequivocally clear. that the EU acknowledged that describes how an early In making these decisions, London would cease to be Europe’s centralisation of power has gone too Anglo-Saxon king showed European leaders must answer two fi nancial capital because regulations far and formally ended the drive for of recovery, oil market This subjects the limits of royal questions: Should Britain keep the would be deliberately changed to “ever closer union.” power. Canute set his throne by the sea main benefi ts of EU membership if shift business activities into EU Such reforms are considered and commanded the rising tide to turn it rejects EU rules and institutions? jurisdictions. For the same reason, unthinkable in Brussels, because back. When the sea rose as usual and And should some of these rules and many UK-based export industries they would require treaty changes awaits deal on output soaked Canute, he told his courtiers: institutions be reformed to make the would become non-viable. and could be rejected by voters. But “Now let all men know how empty is EU more attractive to voters, not just Facing this prospect, businesses voters who opposed previous EU the power of kings.” in Britain but throughout Europe. on both sides of the English Channel treaties for centralising power would Oil bulls have taken heart from a few words of British Prime Minister Theresa would be impelled to campaign almost certainly welcome reforms optimism emanating from Opec. May, whose motto is “Brexit means Britain now faces openly for Britain to keep full EU that restored authority to national Global oil prices jumped after Opec’s president said Brexit”, seems to believe that Canute’s membership, instead of quietly parliaments. The real obstacle to message was about democracy, not what economists call lobbying for special deals for their reform is not the diffi culty of treaty last week the group will hold informal talks in Algiers astronomy: he should have held a own sectors. The media might even change; it is the bureaucracy’s next month and Saudi Arabia signalled it’s open to referendum. Though May opposed the “radical uncertainty” point out the constitutional absurdity resistance to ceding power. discussing an output freeze to stabilise markets. Prices United Kingdom’s withdrawal from of a representative democracy The European Commission remains the European Union, she now has a The answers to both questions are treating a narrow referendum obsessed with defending the acquis hit the highest levels in more than fi ve weeks in early new mantra: “We will make Brexit a obvious: “No” to the fi rst; “Yes” to the majority as permanently binding on communautaire, the collection of trade yesterday. success because people voted for it.” second. parliamentary decisions. powers “acquired” by the Union, Amid rising hopes of a deal to freeze production, hedge This is nonsense. If Britain becomes EU leaders should present a clear Hard-core nationalists might pay which EU doctrine dictates must the only European country apart choice: either Britain remains an no attention, but enough marginal never be returned to nation-states. funds increased their bullish long positions in West from Russia to exclude itself from EU member after negotiating some Eurosceptics would probably Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission Texas Intermediate crude by 17,154 futures and options the EU single market, it will not additional reforms to satisfy public reconsider their positions to fl ip the president, and his chief of staff , combined during the week ended August 9, according to succeed economically, regardless of opinion; or it disengages completely 52%-48% Brexit majority the other Martin Selmayr, have even welcomed how people vote. Democracy would and deals with the EU on the same way. Brexit as a chance to “strengthen the the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. not have prevented the ocean tides, basis as “any country in the World The reversal of public opinion would acquis” by centralising power even Meantime, US oil producers added rigs for the seventh driven by gravity, from drowning Trade Organisation, from Afghanistan become near-certain if European more. week in a row, the longest period of expansion since the Canute if he had stayed on his throne, to Zimbabwe”, which is how Britain’s leaders genuinely heeded UK voters’ Juncker, like May, should recall fi nal days of the drilling boom in early 2014, according to and a referendum will not turn Institute for Fiscal Studies describes message, not by facilitating Brexit, but King Canute. The tide of national back the economic tides driven by the most plausible alternative to full by recognising the referendum as a democracy is rising across Europe, and Bloomberg. Rigs rose by 15 to 396, after seven were added globalisation. membership. wake-up call for EU reform. slogans about “ever closer union” will last week, Baker Hughes said on Friday. Businesses understand this. By making exit conditions non- Suppose EU leaders invited the not reverse it. European leaders must This year’s uptick in prices, along with companies’ That is why Britain now faces what negotiable, while off ering room for British government to negotiate acknowledge reality – or watch Europe economists call “radical uncertainty”, manoeuvre on the terms of continuing on the policies that dominated the drown. - Project Syndicate increased effi ciency, has prompted Moody’s Investors a situation where risks cannot be membership, Europe could shift referendum and are also fuelling Service to raise its global outlook for integrated and rationally quantifi ed, making changes attention to the second, constructive resentment in other European zAnatole Kaletsky is chief economist independent oil and gas producers to “stable” from in interest rates, taxes and currency question: Can voters be persuaded to countries: loss of local control over and co-chairman of Gavekal values largely ineff ective. As the feel positive again about the EU? immigration; the transfer of power Dragonomics and the author of “negative” for the fi rst time in nearly two years. Bank of England has noted, many Addressing this question from national parliaments to Brussels; Capitalism 4.0, The Birth of a New Producers seem to have hit a bottom, said Steven Wood, investment and hiring decisions will seriously would focus attention on and erosion of social models that Economy. managing director for the energy team at the rating agency. Despite green shoots of optimism in the market, it still is not a rosy path of steady recovery for The the oil market. Not all International analysts are convinced that the Saudi comments Energy Agency will translate into an expects output freeze when Opec members meet in non-Opec Algeria on September output to rise 26-28. Russia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Libya, all pose by 300,000bpd hurdles. next year Tehran argues it needs to regain market share lost during years of sanctions softened only in January; Opec’s second largest producer Iraq has agreed with oil majors on new contract terms which will see output rise further next year by up to 350,000bpd; current British Prime Minister Theresa May: Though May opposed the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, she now has a new mantra: “We will make Brexit production declines in Nigeria and Libya only raise a success because people voted for it.” This is nonsense. If Britain becomes the only European country apart from Russia to exclude itself from the EU single market, it question of what level they should limit supplies at. will not succeed economically, regardless of how people vote. Russia, with its output hovering near an all-time high of 10.85mn bpd, has sent confl icting signals on a dialogue, while continuing to boost production. Interestingly, Saudi Arabia itself has raised its output to record levels in July due to rising seasonal domestic demand and its customers asking for more. The hidden danger of big data The International Energy Agency expects non-Opec output to rise by 300,000 bpd next year. By Carlo Ratti and Dirk Helbing Italo Calvino presciently called the look at the world in a diff erent way. its current form, often excludes the Cambridge “memory of the world”: a full digital Contrary to the traffi c-fl ow transformational or counterintuitive Oil, for sure, is much more than a fuel. It is a force even copy of our physical universe. scenario described above, optimised ideas that propel humanity forward. bigger than its trillion dollar market; a fact explained As the Internet expands into new suggestions – which often amount A certain amount of randomness in beyond doubt by the impact of consistently lower oil n game theory, the “price of realms of physical space through to a self-fulfi lling prophecy of your our lives allows for new ideas or modes anarchy” describes how individuals the Internet of Things, the price of next purchase – might not be the best of thinking that would otherwise be prices on the Middle East as well as the whole world. acting in their own self-interest anarchy will become a crucial metric paradigm for online book browsing. missed. And, on a macro scale, it is True, few analysts expect oil prices to return to the Iwithin a larger system tend to in our society, and the temptation to Big data can multiply our options necessary for life itself. high levels seen a few years ago any time soon. But oil reduce that larger system’s effi ciency. It eliminate it with the power of big data while fi ltering out things we don’t If nature had used predictive companies say global energy future envisages rising is a ubiquitous phenomenon, one that analytics will grow stronger. want to see, but there is something to algorithms that prevented random almost all of us confront, in some form, Examples of this abound. Consider be said for discovering that 11th book mutation in the replication of DNA, demand and population growth, making oil an important on a regular basis. the familiar act of buying a book through pure serendipity. our planet would probably still be at fuel for decades to come. Despite the emergence of For example, if you are a online through Amazon. Amazon has a What is true of book buying is also the stage of a very optimised single- renewables, global energy security depends mainly on city planner in charge of traffi c mountain of information about all of its true for many other systems that are cell organism. management, there are two ways you users – from their profi les to their search being digitised, such as our cities Decentralised decision-making fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. can address traffi c fl ows in your city. histories to the sentences they highlight and societies. Centralised municipal can create synergies between human The world is in need of a stable oil market with price Generally, a centralised, top-down in e-books – which it uses to predict systems now use algorithms to and machine intelligence through equilibrium. approach – one that comprehends what they might want to buy next. monitor urban infrastructure, from processes of natural and artifi cial the entire system, identifi es choke traffi c lights and subway use, to waste co-evolution. Distributed intelligence points and makes changes to eliminate The world today is disposal and energy delivery. might sometimes reduce effi ciency in them – will be more effi cient than Many mayors worldwide are the short term, but it will ultimately simply letting individual drivers make awash in data fascinated by the idea of a central lead to a more creative, diverse and To Advertise their own choices on the road, with control room, such as Rio de Janeiro’s resilient society. The price of anarchy the assumption that these choices, in As in all forms of centralised IBM-designed operations centre, is a price well worth paying if we [email protected] aggregate, will lead to an acceptable artifi cial intelligence, past patterns where city managers can respond to want to preserve innovation through Display outcome. are used to forecast future ones. new information in real time. serendipity. - Project Syndicate Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 The fi rst approach reduces the cost Amazon can look at the last 10 books But with centralised algorithms of anarchy and makes better use of all you purchased and, with increasing coming to manage every facet of zCarlo Ratti directs the Senseable Classified available information. accuracy, suggest what you might society, data-driven technocracy is City Laboratory at the Massachusetts Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 The world today is awash in data. want to read next. threatening to overwhelm innovation Institute of Technology and heads In 2015, mankind produced as much But here we should consider what and democracy. This outcome should the World Economic Forum’s Global Subscription information as was created in all is lost when we reduce the level of be avoided at all costs. Agenda Council on Future Cities. Dirk [email protected] previous years of human civilisation. anarchy. The most meaningful book Decentralised decision-making Helbing is professor of computational Every time we send a message, make you should read after those previous is crucial for the enrichment of social science at the Swiss Federal a call, or complete a transaction, we 10 is not one that fi ts neatly into an society. Data-driven optimisation, Institute of Technology (ETH) in 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved leave digital traces. We are quickly established pattern, but rather one conversely, derives solutions from a Zurich and heads the FuturICT and approaching what Italian writer that surprises or challenges you to predetermined paradigm, which, in Nervousnet initiatives. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 17, 2016 19 COMMENT Faster, higher, stronger... and cleaner

It is against the spirit of contributed to my election. Though My government will manage the my team and I face a steep learning Games very diff erently. First, we will the Games to stand by and curve, we also have a clear goal: a introduce transparency in contracting. reap huge profi ts while the successful 2020 Games that enhances This is a taxpayer-funded event – rather than derails – Tokyo’s future. for public consumption, so those city that opens its doors to We’ve started by acquainting bidding on government projects the world bears crushing, ourselves with the Games’ history, should not expect the same level of with an eye on the long-term confi dentiality as in private-sector generational costs economic and social impact on host contractual arrangements. After all, cities. Sadly, the record isn’t good. there is nothing secret about the By Yuriko Koike Olympic host cities have often biggest sporting event in the world. Tokyo been saddled with debt, and Second, we will delegate oversight their cityscapes have been laden of the Games to specially selected with unused and unusable sports accountants and anti-corruption he Summer Olympic facilities. And, worst of all, the specialists. There is simply too much Games in Rio de Janeiro are Games too often bring public money at stake for “business as usual.” underway, and as much as corruption that lingers long after Finally, we will remind other TI would like to sit back and they’ve gone, like a chronic infection stakeholders of their own watch every hour of them (I admit, for the host city’s politics. responsibilities. The International I snuck a peek of the wondrous Part of the reason for this poor Olympic Committee (IOC), corporate Kohei Uchimura competing for historical record is that the process sponsors, and television networks his gymnastics gold medal), I fi nd for organising and managing the around the world should all want the myself engrossed in a diff erent games is often dispersed, leaving Games to be aff ordable and free of kind of spectatorship: I’m poring no real accountability. National corruption. over spreadsheets, contracts and governments of course assume partial It is against the spirit of the Games organisational charts. responsibility, and bear part of the to stand by and reap huge profi ts while Now that I have been elected cost, but government offi cials have far the city that opens its doors to the governor of Tokyo, which will host the too many responsibilities to devote world bears crushing, generational 2020 Games, I am quickly preparing themselves to the process entirely. costs. myself and my team for the gruelling As such, the host-city government When I travel to Rio to accept the tests of management that lie ahead itself often picks up the slack and Olympic fl ag that will be raised over of us. bears the lion’s share of the cost. But, the Tokyo Summer Games, I will ask In particular, we must become again, because of limited resources the IOC how it intends to safeguard world-class cost-control accountants, and expertise, to say nothing of the spirit of the Games, in Tokyo and so that the Games are a success not venality, city governments are not well in all the Olympics going forward. just for the athletes, but also for the positioned to control costs. The Olympic motto has long been citizens of Tokyo and all Japanese. We Finally, there are organising “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. I intend want to take pride in our Games, and committees made up of local grandees to propose to the IOC, and to the we cannot do that if we hobble future and businesspeople, who help raise Olympic sponsors that, in Tokyo, we generations with debt. The Tokyo funds for the Games. But these add a fourth objective: cleaner. they inhabit must not be dotted with committees also have signifi cant Only when we guarantee a cleaner, white-elephant structures that served Cranes at a construction site are reflected on a commercial building in Tokyo. The Japanese capital will host the 2020 infl uence over key decisions about corruption-free Games for the host a single purpose in 2020, only to mar Games. Olympic host cities have often been saddled with debt, and their cityscapes have been laden with unused and government outlays, such as where cities – and a cleaner, doping-free the skyline for years and decades after. unusable sports facilities. major facilities will be built, who will Games for the athletes – will we truly Admittedly, I am coming to the task build them, and so forth. live up to the Olympic spirit.— Project late in the day, and some of the plans governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, forensic review of contracts already cities, cost overruns are already piling Under this fractured arrangement, Syndicate, for the Games – such as the layout of resigned over a spending scandal, so signed in preparation for the Games, up, and those leading the process everyone is responsible for everything, event spaces around the city – have I doubt that prudent budgeting has with our purpose being to put the so far appear to have done little to which means that no one is zYuriko Koike, incoming governor already been set into motion by my been the credo in planning for the interests of Tokyo’s citizens and the prevent waste. responsible for anything. Hence the of Tokyo, was Japan’s former defence predecessors. Games up to now. athletes who will compete here fi rst. In fact, I suspect that public Games’ disheartening record of waste, minister, national security adviser, and My immediate predecessor as My team will conduct a careful As with many past Games in other anxiety about government profl igacy corruption, and public debt. a member of the National Diet. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Safe roads lower the number of traffi c violations sprinkler system at the garden is garden after the watering. The High: 41 C fi rst. Qatar, in general, has very good changed. garden is for people to enjoy and Low : 33 C Expected low visibility early morning are up to us roads, clear markers, no heavy rain The sprinklers are now put on relax. Hence it is requested that at places. and educated drivers. The Traffi c from around 7pm to 10pm. This is Baladiya authorities change the Dear Sir, Department is putting stringent the time people and children come water sprinkler timing at the Airport controls, more surveillance and fi nes to the garden for walk and play. As Garden to start from 11pm when it is THURSDAY With reference to the report on road to curb unsafe behaviour. water sprinklers are put on, the whole empty. High: 40 C crash statistics in Qatar (“First half of The MDPS fi gures show that there garden becomes wet, including some Low: 33 C year sees 3,114 road accidents”, Gulf are 4,380 traffi c violations on a day. benches. NT Sunny Times, August 14), thanks should go to For this, we are all responsible and It becomes slippery and very (Full name and e-mail address the Ministry of Development Planning we should take a pledge and assure inconvenient to walk around the supplied) and Statistics (MDPS) for its great the Traffi c Department that we will FRIDAY eff orts in collecting and compiling bring this fi gure to half by the end of High: 41 C the necessary data and making them this year. By putting safety fi rst and Low: 32 C public. integrating safe behaviour into our Please send us Sunny Qatar, according to the data daily activity (including driving) we presented in the report, has one road can achieve accident reduction. Let us your letters accident death every alternate day. contribute to prevent injury and save Fishermen’s forecast Seventeen accidents occur daily, life. By e-mail OFFSHORE DOHA resulting in injury to people and or [email protected] Wind: SE-NE 03-12/15 KT damage to vehicle or property. Both Vijaykumar Dhandha Waves: 1-3/4 Feet these fi gures are on level with the ones (Address supplied) Fax 44350474 INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15/20 KT in developed countries if ones takes Or Post Waves: 1-2 Feet into account Qatar’s population and Change watering Letters to the Editor the number of vehicles on road. Around the region However, the number of traffi c time at garden Gulf Times Weather Weather violations at 801,524 in the last six today Max/min tomorrow Max/min months is alarming and raises the P O Box 2888 Abu Dhabi Sunny 44/32 Sunny 46/32 red fl ag. In terms of safety, every Dear Sir, Baghdad Sunny 44/27 Sunny 44/27 Doha, Qatar Dubai traffi c violation is a near-miss that Sunny 44/32 Sunny 44/32 Kuwait City Sunny 46/33 Sunny 45/32 could have led to an accident. In I would like to thank the Ministry Manama Sunny 43/33 Sunny 42/32 other words, near-miss is a potential of Municipality and Environment All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the Muscat Sunny 35/28 Sunny 34/27 situation that may have resulted in (Baladiya) authorities for maintaining name of the writer, address and phone number. The Riyadh P Cloudy 44/31 P Cloudy 43/30 injury or damage in slightly diff erent the Old Airport Garden in good Tehran Sunny 33/23 Sunny 33/23 circumstances. condition. But it will be great if the writer’s name and address may be withheld by request. To improve road safety, we need to timing of the watering through the Live issues Need to declutter? Don’t bother

By Oliver Burkeman whole government department fully tendencies, it’s a harsh truth we Listen to Marie Kondo and other New York occupied. have to keep relearning: treating evangelists of a clutter-free life, and “I spent days experimenting your digital “possessions” like your you’d be forgiven for thinking that the with neurotic tagging systems, physical ones is a loser’s game. key to serenity in a consumerist world t’s a mysterious truth of tedious backup processes and album You could spend a lifetime trying is getting rid of your stuff . the digital era that we can management,” Brian Chen wrote in to keep them tidy. But as Chen notes, Yet that soon becomes a fixation Around the world build self-driving cars and the New York Times recently, before you’d be making a bad “search/sort on getting your surroundings just Weather Weather astronauts can tweet from concluding that the only way to tradeoff ”: it would take so long, and right – when being “zen”, in this today Max/min tomorrow Max/min I Sunny Sunny 36/23 space – yet there’s still no half- manage your photos is to give up. search technology is now so good, context, is really a matter of finding Athens 36/23 decent, non-maddening system for that you’d be wasting countless peace of mind whatever your Beirut M Sunny 29/24 Sunny 29/26 S T Storms S T Storms 33/27 organising the photos you take on hours. That’s also why you should surroundings. Bangkok 34/27 Rather than Berlin P Cloudy 22/12 P Cloudy 22/12 your smartphone. Actually, it’s not abandon your complex hierarchy of In a recent case study (which I found Cairo M Sunny 35/24 Sunny 37/23 that mysterious: there are simply obsessing over e-mail folders and use a single archive via Science Of Us), neurologists in Cape Town Sunny 22/14 Sunny 23/13 too many photos. instead, and chuck every document Lisbon told of a 65-year-old woman Colombo T Storms 29/26 S Showers 29/26 Back in pre-digital days, when into an “everything bucket” app, such who, following a stroke, temporarily Dhaka T Storms 31/27 S Showers 32/26 tidiness, look for Hong Kong T Storms 29/28 T Storms 29/27 nobody owned more than a few as Evernote. lost her sense of “mine”. Istanbul Sunny 30/20 Sunny 31/22 thousand snaps, arranging them peace of mind Accept the mess – which, if you None of her material possessions Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 P Cloudy 32/25 in albums made sense. Then came like keeping things orderly, won’t – or her cats – felt like hers, though Karachi M Sunny 33/27 P Cloudy 33/27 software that tried to replicate albums, whatever your feel good at first. I speak as someone she knew intellectually that they London Sunny 26/16 Cloudy 25/15 T Storms T Storms 30/26 which worked for a bit. who regularly deletes e-mails from were. The feeling vanished after a few Manila 29/26 surroundings Moscow Showers 22/13 M Sunny 26/16 But now that it’s normal to return my spam and trash folders, not days. But it didn’t seem to make her New Delhi P Cloudy 33/27 S T Storms 34/27 from a day trip with 100 snaps, a because I need the space but because miserable, and to me it sounds rather New York M Sunny 32/23 P Cloudy 32/24 threshold’s been breached. Upload them, blurry mistakes and it offends me to think they’re still healthy. Paris Sunny 31/18 Rain 26/16 Naturally, the same goes for all, to the least bad service, Google there. Instead of trying so hard to get Sao Paulo Sunny 29/16 Cloudy 19/15 Seoul M Sunny 35/25 S Showers 33/26 e-mails, electronic documents, Photos. Then rely on its search Letting go of the craving for organised or decluttered, you could Singapore S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 33/26 bookmarked websites and so on: we’re function to fi nd what you need when tidiness isn’t only useful in a digital try asking: how much of your Sydney M Sunny 23/09 Sunny 21/10 each expected to manage a volume you need it. context, though: it applies to physical disorganisation could you aff ord to Tokyo Rain 35/24 Cloudy 31/26 of data that once might have kept a For those of us with neat-freak possessions, too. stop caring about?- Guardian News Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, August 17, 2016 QATAR Mathaf’s curatorial camp aims to promote creativity uilding on the success of Shawky, with Mathaf curators the 2015 inaugural pro- and educators.“Our curato- Bgramme, Mathaf: Arab rial summer camp follows ini- Museum of Modern Art, Doha tiatives such as Project Space, organises its second Curatorial dedicated to new tendencies in Summer Camp from September artistic production and emerg- 4-9. ing curatorial practices and The camp highlights Mathaf’s highlights the role that the mu- commitment to exploring ar- seum plays as a site of knowl- tistic production and curatorial edge production and debate, practices, and builds on the his- and our commitment to sharing tory of curatorial, educational new perspectives on art in rela- and community engagement tion to its contexts,” Mathaf di- programmes designed by the rector Abdellah Karroum said. museum to stimulate creativity, The programme interrogates enquiry, appreciation and debate curatorial thinking and practices around modern and contempo- to introduce ideas and debates rary art in the region. on art discourse and the practi- Local and regional curators are cal application of curating. The invited to participate in the six- programme is open to local and day camp that includes a series regional creative professionals, of lectures, talks, discussions, students and scholars interested tours and other creative presen- in developing a contemporary tations by curators and profes- critical discourse on practices in sionals in the fi eld. art and curating. Guest lecturers this year in- Those interested in applying clude curators Vasif Kortun, should e-mail a one page letter director of Research and Pro- of interest, CV and a 250 word grammes of SALT Istanbul; and curatorial proposal related to Kristine Khouri, independent curating archives, to: Mathaf- researcher and curator. They [email protected] by join Mathaf director Abdel- August 18. lah Karroum, museum’s cura- The Curatorial Summer tors and local archive special- Camp initiative comes as part ists to participate in a variety of Mathaf’s ongoing curatorial of sessions during the Curato- Mathaf hosts Curatorial Summer Camps annually. and research project, Doha Art rial Summer Camp. Topics ad- Map, a collaborative mapping dressed in the programme in- possibilities for documenting, bitions and other creative en- and creative community par- featured a number of pres- Carolyn Christov–Bakargiev, experiment to locate creativ- clude curating archives, artist’s archiving and sharing histories counters in the Arab region. ticipated in 2015’s successful entations and workshops de- Juan Gaitan, Jean-Hubert Mar- ity and artistic production in archives and regionally specifi c of cultural production, exhi- Members of Qatar’s artistic three-month programme that livered by curators including tin and Egyptian artist Wael Doha. Qatar Airways unveils rebranded Airline off ers discounts for summer festival cabin crew recognition scheme atar Airways is off ering across the region to visit Doha discounts of up to 25% and experience the exciting Qa- Qoff on fl ights to Doha, tar Summer Festival. atar Airways’ Customer as well as off ers on Qmiles and “With 25% discount on fl ights Experience team has more, to entice tourists from the to Doha, travellers can also take Qannounced the rebrand- GCC region, to experience the advantage of incredible hotel ing of its cabin crew recognition Qatar Summer Festival celebra- deals and enjoy an amazing en- programme – Kafou, which tions. tertainment programme during means “job well done” and the The special promotion, de- the Qatar Summer Festival. We addition of colleague feedback livered in partnership with Qa- want to spread the word that to help recognise superior serv- tar Tourism Authority (QTA), is Qatar is the number one choice ice as it happens on board Qatar available on fl ights to Doha from for families looking for a getaway Airways fl ights. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bah- this August, and we are pleased Kafou combines feedback rain and Oman, in both Economy to be able to facilitate travel to from multiple sources and con- and Premium cabins. our home city.” solidates the data into a single Travellers from Doha can also QTA chief marketing and system for easier processing, enjoy a special summer pro- promotions offi cer Rashed al- faster recognition of stellar motion of up to 40% on select Qurese said: “The Qatar Sum- cabin crew, and integration into destinations across the national mer Festival is one of the mar- the cabin crew performance carrier’s expanding network to keting initiatives planned by system. more than 150 destinations. QTA for the annual festival cal- Kafou elevates the former The Qatar Summer Festival is endar to encourage families from recognition programme for a month-long series of special the region to come and enjoy the the benefi t of Qatar Airways’ events, promotions and enter- innovative festival entertain- 10,000 cabin crew members tainment for families, refl ecting ment programme during the with faster feedback loops and the rich culture and heritage of month of August. the ability for the Customer Qatar. Taking place this month, “We are particularly encour- Experience leadership team to the nationwide festival is one aged by the extremely positive provide kudos and share cus- of the largest annual events in response at the festival venues tomer and colleague feedback. Qatar, attracting visitors from so far, and we look forward to Customers can continue to throughout the GCC region. welcoming further visitors from provide feedback in their pre- This year the festival will see throughout the region.” ferred method – through direct the largest-ever Entertainment As part of the summer pro- feedback on board, via “Tell Us” City at the Doha Exhibition and motion, travellers can take ad- forms provided on all aircraft, Convention Centre, featuring vantage of special discounts or via “Tell Us” on the Qatar games, rides, entertainment, and and packages in 56 hotels in Airways website, http://www. Qatar Airways’ new cabin crew recognition programme, Kafou means “job well done.” food. The festival programme Qatar, choosing from “pay for qatarairways.com/qa/en/tell- also features a three-day Doha two nights and stay for three” or us.page. Feedback is factored board to constantly challenge feedback programme, so that ways on board service world- tionalities, speaking more than Comedy Festival, “Street Mad- “pay for fi ve nights and stay for in to the cabin crew member’s themselves to deliver customer all of us – fellow colleagues and class. Jonathan Michelsen, 160 languages. ness” at Al Gharafa Sports Club, six” in hotel apartments by vis- review of overall guest experi- experience that is personalised, our loyal passengers – can take Elbert Hernandez, Hiba Rqfi q, Qatar Airways cabin crew and fi rework displays at the Cor- iting www.qatarsummerfestival. ence delivery and is taken into purposeful, and pleasant. part in congratulating cabin Clarence Virtudazo and Natha- have consistently ranked as one niche to celebrate the opening qa/en/promotions. consideration for their annual “Qatar Airways is extremely crew for a job well done.” nael Hovee were recognised for of the world’s best cabin crews, and closing of the festival. Travellers must book to travel performance review and career proud of the young men and The programme re-launch Safety First, Ambassadors of including being awarded Best Qatar Airways senior vice by August 31 to benefi t from progression path. women who serve as our brand was celebrated yesterday at an the Brand, Business Awareness, Airline Staff Service in the Mid- president Commercial GCC, Le- these great off ers. Qatar Airways senior vice ambassadors on board, and offi cial ceremony in Doha, rec- and Leadership. dle East three times. For a full list vant, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Africa, Flights can be booked through president Customer Experience their commitment to excel- ognising cabin crew who best The cabin crew community of Qatar Airways’ awards, follow and Indian sub-continent, Ehab any Qatar Airways sales of- Rossen Dimitrov said: “We en- lence, and as such, we wanted demonstrate the values that at Qatar Airways is highly-di- http://www.qatarairways.com/ Amin, said: “There is no better fi ce, preferred travel agents, or courage our crew members on to extend upon our existing have helped make Qatar Air- verse, comprising over 120 na- us/en/our-awards.page. time to invite our friends from through qatarairways.com.

Mannai Auto in ‘guaranteed buyback’ promo on GMC’s Acadia, Terrain

annai Auto has launched a advanced styling and technology. gave vehicle owners a premium price limited time off er giving all This is the major reason custom- against market depreciation. Mnew owners of GMC Acadia ers choose GMC. Our new summer That successful campaign contin- or Terrain models the option to resell campaign offering guaranteed buy- ues to be implemented today as a ma- their vehicles to Mannai Auto at the back to customers, if required, is an jority of those qualifying owners are maximum redeemable value of the car, extension of this brand philosophy. using their buyback option to upgrade considering usage and age. We are committed to delivering de- to the latest models. The buyback off er is open to all pendability and reliability in every- So we are confi dent that this cam- customers and can be redeemed if the thing we do.” paign, in addition to providing assur- customer has to leave the country. The off er will help people and their ance to people who want to invest in It is valid for new vehicle purchases families in Qatar buy a brand new ve- a family vehicle, will also build confi - until the end of August 2016. hicle with the assurance that they can dence in new owners who will love the Mahmoud Skhiri, general sales return it to Mannai Auto without wor- performance, styling and convenience manager of Mannai Auto Group said: rying about fi nding a new buyer for of owning a GMC.” “We expect all our vehicles to perform their vehicles if they are to leave the This off er is valid in conjunction at the highest level every time a cus- country. with independent fi nancial solu- tomer gets behind the wheel. Skhiri added: “Mannai Auto tions off ered by banks in Qatar, as GMC customers are looking for launched a similar off er in 2015 with per the terms and conditions of each 2016 GMC Acadia SLT premium drive quality coupled with a guaranteed buyback option that institution.