QATAR | Page 2 BUSINESS | Page 1 Strategy to boost private investments, INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 3, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 REGION 4 BUSINESS 1-7, 12-16 says QCB Civil Defence Intersection 18,529.29 10,920.08 42.85 ARAB WORLD 4, 5 CLASSIFIED 8-11 -14.24 +130.86 +1.05 INTERNATIONAL 6 – 17 SPORTS 1 – 12 to open by September-end governor -0.08% +1.21% +2.51% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10175 August 9, 2016 Dhul-Qa’da 6, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Qatari players celebrate

In brief Al-Sada

REGION | Decision sees path Saudi to raise visa fees and traffi c fi nes Saudi Arabia’s cabinet has approved proposals to raise a range of government fees, including visa to oil price charges and fines for some traff ic violations, the off icial SPA news agency said yesterday. New visa fees approved by the cabinet include a charge of 8,000 Saudi riyals ($2,133) for a two-year multiple entry permit. A three-month recovery multiple exit and re-entry visa will cost 500 riyals; previously, such a Opec plans to hold informal talks visa cost 500 riyals for six months. in Algeria next month The cabinet also approved changes to civil aviation fees, SPA said By Pratap John without giving details, and set heavy Chief Business Reporter fines for “drifting”, in which thrill- seeking Saudi motorists spin and Qatar’s Jeff erson Santos Pereira, left, celebrating with Cherif Younousse after beating the Spanish duo of Pablo Herrera and skid their cars at high speed. Adrian Collado in their beach volleyball group match at the Rio Olympics yesterday. It was the first win for the Qataris who he oil market is “on the path to were beaten by hosts the USA in their opening match. More Olympics on pages 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 12 of Sport. rebalancing” despite the recent EAST ASIA | Tension Tdecline in global oil prices, said HE the Minister of Energy and Indus- Japan ‘on alert to try Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada. destroy missile’ Al-Sada, the current president of Japan’s newly-appointed defence the Organisation of Petroleum Ex- minister yesterday ordered the porting Countries (Opec), said the nation’s military to be ready to Supreme Committee booth group would hold informal talks at a destroy any missiles fired by North conference in Algiers in September. Korea that threaten the country, “Expectation of higher crude oil local media reported. Tomomi Inada demand in the third and fourth quar- issued the order, public broadcaster ters of 2016, coupled with decrease in NHK said. Inada’s appointment as in Bayt Qatar a big draw availability, is leading the analysts to the defence minister came last conclude that the current bear market Wednesday, the same day North QNA is only temporary and oil price would Korea fired a ballistic missile that Rio De Janeiro Sheikh Joaan meets IAAF president increase during the later part of 2016,” HE al-Sada: Opec’s current president. landed just 250km off its coast - al-Sada said in a statement yesterday. hitting Japanese-controlled waters for “Opec continues to monitor devel- Brent crude rose $1.12, or 2.5%, to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al- toured Bayt Qatar’s various pavilions the first time. he Supreme Committee for De- opments closely and is in constant de- settle at$45.39. Thani, Qatar Olympic Committee and listened to a presentation about livery and Legacy (SC) booth at liberations with all member states on Oil tumbled into a bear market last (QOC) president and head of the its contents and objectives and Qatar’s WORLD | Health Bayt Qatar in Rio De Janeiro is ways and means to help restore stabil- week, ending a recovery that saw pric- T Qatari delegation taking part in Rio achievements in the fi elds of sports, attracting a large number of visitors, ity and order to the oil market.” es almost double from a 12-year low in 2016, yesterday met Lord Sebastian development and cultural heritage. A medical its supervisor Mohamed Yousef al- An informal meeting of Opec mem- February. Coe, president of the International He praised the initiative of Bayt breakthrough Hammadi said yesterday. ber countries is scheduled to take The renewed decline keeps pres- Association of Athletics Federations Qatar, noting that QOC had always Scientists have found a single class Highlighting the large turnout place on the sidelines of the Interna- sure on many member countries that (IAAF) and member of the been at the forefront to support the of drugs that can kill the parasites at the pavilion, he said the visitors tional Energy Forum, which groups are still unable to balance their budg- International Olympic Committee International Olympic movement’ responsible for three tropical diseases were keen to know about Qatar’s producers and consumers, in Algeria ets, Bloomberg said. Opec ministers (IOC), who visited Bayt Qatar. Coe projects. that aff ect millions in Africa, Asia preparations to host the World Cup from September 26 to 28, the state- last met in June when they rejected a and Latin America - Chagas disease, in 2022. ment said. proposal to adopt a new output ceil- leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness. “The majority of visitors are aware al-Thani had a significant impact the biggest sporting event in the world Oil prices settled up nearly 3% yes- ing, sticking to a policy of unfettered In a study published in the journal and well informed about the venues on the success of Bayt Qatar and the to be hosted by the State of Qatar for terday amid renewed speculation that production. Nature, scientists at the Genomics of the World Cup fi nals. The ques- state’s participation in the Olympics the fi rst time in the Middle East,’’ he Opec would try to restrain output, Al-Sada said “the latest drop in Institute of the Novartis Research tions were objective and refl ected a in general. said. easing oversupply worries that pres- prices won’t last”. Foundation found the compound can clear understanding of, and a great Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) Al-Jaber made a presentation about sured the market to three-month lows The recent slide in prices refl ects cure all three diseases in mice, and passion for, the World Cup’’, al-Ham- president Khaleel Ibrahim al-Jaber Qatar’s hosting of the 2023 FINA last week, a Reuters dispatch said. weaker refi ning margins, a surplus of does not harm normal human cells in madi said. also lauded the SC’s participation in World Championships in the Lecture The Wall Street Journal reported last refi ned products, in addition to the laboratory tests. He said that Qatar’s participation Bayt Qatar. Hall in Bayt Qatar in Rio. week that Opec countries such as Ven- UK’s vote to leave the European Union in the Olympics refl ected the com- He praised SC ’s participation through The presentation was attended by ezuela, Ecuador and Kuwait want to or Brexit and its impact on the fi nan- PHILIPPINES | Crackdown mittee’s policy to promote the coun- a pavilion located in the heart of Bayt Asian Athletics Association (AAA) take another stab at co-operation be- cial markets. try in international forums and Rio Qatar which, he said, demonstrated the and Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) tween the 14-nation group and non- Some Opec offi cials had said a re- Offi cials linked to 2016 presented a good opportunity to importance of its role and refl ected the president Major General Dahlan al- members such as Russia. vival of talks on a global oil production drugs trade surrender achieve the goal. eff orts made by its offi cials to organise Hamad, Anti-Doping Laboratory The energy minister of Russia, the freeze could be discussed at an infor- Dozens of Philippine government Work on Bayt Qatar had started a distinct version of the FIFA World Cup Qatar (ADLQ) executive-director world’s biggest oil producer, said crude mal meeting of Opec and non-Opec and police off icials turned a long time ago in co-ordination that would fascinate the whole world. Dr Mohamed al-Sayrafi , along with prices were not at levels that warrant- in Algeria in September, if oil prices themselves in yesterday, a day after with the Qatar Olympic Commit- Al-Jaber said he was participating members of the Bayt Qatar Commit- ed intervention. But he remained open weaken, Reuters said. President Rodrigo Duterte linked tee (QOC) which provided all facili- in SC’s activities as a volunteer and tee in Rio 2016. to negotiations with Opec. Opec member Iran has been the them to the drugs trade, stepping ties to participate in this important wished to be the fi rst offi cial sport vol- Meanwhile, QOC secretary-general US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) main opponent of a freeze as it looks up a war on narcotics that has killed event, he said, adding that the spon- unteer. Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman al-Kuwari crude settled up $1.22, or 2.9%, at to raise its output to levels seen before hundreds since he took off ice in sorship and presence of QOC Presi- “Volunteering is a great honour to has praised the positive results of Qa- $43.02 per barrel. WTI hit April lows the imposition of now-ended Western June. Page 16 dent HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad serve Qatar as the FIFA World Cup is tari athletes in Rio. beneath $40 a barrel last week. sanctions.

Single Asean visa ‘in the pipeline’ Suicide bombing strikes hospital

By Joey Aguilar countries in the near future to entice Kwok Pun said that some were criti- Reuters bility for attacks in the past that it was Staff Reporter more visitors from diff erent countries cising the bloc for moving too slow on Quetta, Pakistan not involved in. around the world. integration and using the European “The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Citing that the Asean region was Union as a model. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar (TTP-JA) takes he move to have a single Asean becoming more politically stable, “That is not our intention. We suicide bomber in Pakistan responsibility for this attack, and visa is now in the pipeline but Chaiyindeepum noted that attracting started out basically as fi ve countries killed at least 70 people and pledges to continue carrying out such Tit may take some time before investments would be easier. trying to fi nd ways of working and co- Awounded more than 100 yester- attacks,” said spokesman Ehsanullah it is materialised, Thai ambassador As it aims to become a single mar- operating together and that has moved day in an attack on mourners gathered Ehsan in the statement. Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum has said. ket, he added that investors saw eco- to 10 countries,” he noted, stressing at a hospital in Quetta, in the south- Only last week, Jamaat was added to Similar to Schengen, Asean coun- nomic interdependency as a benefi t that they had brought down a lot of western province of Baluchistan. the United States’ list of global terror- tries are planning to issue a visa to and an advantage. obstacles. The bomber struck as a crowd ists, triggering sanctions. people outside the region that will al- “Eventually it will benefi t us all, as Echoing the statement of Chaiyin- of mostly lawyers and journalists Friends comforting a lawyer after the The White House condemned the low them to apply once and travel from well as investors; we have completed deepum, Pun said the bloc had given crammed into the emergency depart- killing of his colleagues in the bomb attack. “We remain resolute in join- one Asean country to another. the Asean Community and we hope to Asean nationals the chance to visit ment to accompany the body of a explosion s in Quetta yesterday. ing with the people of Pakistan in “Now we have already started with complete the Asean Economic Com- member countries without any visa, in prominent lawyer who had been shot confronting terrorism in Pakistan and two countries, Thailand and Cambo- munity in 10 years,” the envoy said. a way, like GCC nationals. and killed in the city earlier in the day, “There are many wounded, so the across the region,” it said in a state- dia; people can apply once and they Currently, nationals of the Asean “To the next stage, there is some- Faridullah, a reporter who was among death toll could rise,” said Rehmat ment. can travel to these two countries,” the member countries do not require a thing they have to work on, so it is not the wounded, told Reuters. Saleh Baloch, the provincial health Television footage showed scenes of envoy told reporters at a press confer- visa to travel within the bloc. the same idea as the EU but EU serves Abdul Rehman Miankhel, a senior minister. chaos at the hospital in Quetta, with ence at the Singapore embassy yester- He noted that Asean now had spe- as a model,” he added. offi cial at the government-run Civil Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the panicked people fl eeing through debris day. cial arrangements for seven profes- “We are moving towards a common Hospital, where the explosion oc- Pakistani Taliban group, claimed re- as smoke fi lled the corridors. Chaiyindeepum, who also sits as the sions such as doctors, architects and market; the AEC is a vision for us to curred, told reporters that at least 70 sponsibility for the attack in an e-mail. The motive behind the attack was vice chairman of the Asean Commit- accountants, among others who could complete by 2025, so in 10 years time, people had been killed, with more It was not immediately clear if the unclear, but several lawyers have been tee in Doha, said the implementation work within the region. we should have this AEC, we are work- than 112 wounded, as the casualty toll group had carried out the bombing, as targeted during a recent spate of kill- would be extended and cover all Asean Singaporean ambassador Wong ing hard back home,” he said. Page 3 spiked from initial estimates. it is believed to have claimed responsi- ings in Quetta. Page 15 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 QATAR

Defence Minister meets US Centcom chief Qatar-Kuwait ties reviewed

HE the Minister of State for Defence Aff airs, Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah holding talks with General Joseph Leonard Votel, Commander of US Central Command (Centcom). Talks dealt with co-operation between Qatar and the US and means of enhancing it, in Director General of Public Security Staff , HE Major General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi, met Kuwait’s addition to regional and international issues. The meeting was attended by Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces, HE Major General outgoing ambassador to Qatar Mutib Saleh al-Mutawtah yesterday in Doha. Talks dealt with Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem, and US ambassador to Qatar, Dana Shell Smith. relations between Qatar and Kuwait and means of enhancing them.

Poor visibility due to HMC gives tips to protect fog forecast for today oor visibility is expected in meanwhile, are expected in off - parts of the country in the shore areas at times today along Pearly hours today due to with some clouds. fog, the Qatar Met department Visibility may drop to 1km or has said. less in some areas in the early children from drowning The weather offi ce also tweet- hours today, according to the ed yesterday that “suitable weather report. amad Medical Corpora- that small children and those weather conditions for sea ac- Yesterday, the maximum tem- tion (HMC) has remind- who are inexperienced or weak tivities were expected to prevail perature recorded in Qatar was Hed families to pay atten- swimmers should wear lifejack- throughout the week”. 46C in Sheehaniyah, Batna, tion to their children’s safety ets or a personal fl otation aid The detailed forecast for in- Karanah and some other places, around swimming pools, the sea when in or near water, even with shore areas today says misty to followed by 45C in Turayna and and other sources of water, in- parents around, while noting foggy conditions are likely in some 44C in the Qatar University area cluding those at home. that these devices are not a sub- places at fi rst, followed by a hot and Al Rayyan. The advisory comes at a time stitute for adult supervision. day with slight dust. There is also Today, the mercury level is ex- when temperatures and humid- Dr Saifeldeen pointed out that a weak chance of localised rain in pected to reach a high of 42C in ity levels continue to soar in the learning CPR could be very use- the central parts of the country. Doha, Mesaieed, Wakrah and Al country, and many families head ful as the fi rst few minutes fol- Hazy to misty conditions, Khor. for the beach or pool for a dip. lowing an accident in water are In Qatar, drowning is a lead- critical. “Keep your training up ing cause of death and serious to date and keep CPR instruc- disability in children, and the tions with your fi rst-aid kit, number of child deaths from and by the pool, if you have one. 32 tonnes of dates sold at festival drowning is rising annually, ac- Kulluna off ers free CPR training, cording to Kulluna Health and and anyone interested can send Safety Campaign chairman and a message through our website, ore than 32 tonnes of the organisers of the festival, head of HMC’s Hamad Interna- www.kulluna.qa” dates and 1,408 seed- said around 200 people visit the tional Training Centre, Dr Kha- Kulluna has provided educa- Mlings have been sold at festival on a daily basis. lid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen. tion on CPR and children’s safe- the Local Dates Festival over 10 He stressed that the number Ninety per cent of cases of ty in engaging and interactive days, the Ministry of Municipal- of visitors increases signifi cantly drowning involve children aged ways in more than 70 schools in ity and Environment (MME) has on weekends due to the arrival of 10 or under, with 70% younger Qatar. “We hope we don’t reach said. tourists from neighbouring GCC than four years old, according to Parents should ensure constant supervision of kids while swimming. the point where we need CPR. The festival is being held at states and other countries. a press statement from HMC. Unfortunately, even if we man- Souq Waqif until August 14. The festival has also been at- “Most drowning incidents in following measures to keep chil- him or her. Don’t leave children and dexterity, he suggested. age to successfully resuscitate a In a press statement yesterday, tended by HH the Father Emir Qatar occur at home, in private dren safe in and around water: on their own around or in the wa- “Always close the doors to child, children can end up with the MME said 4,444kg of dates Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al- swimming pools and bathtubs. parents should ensure constant ter, even if they can swim, even if bathrooms and drain paddling severe disability,” he said. were sold on Thursday, 4,125kg Thani, HE the Minister of Mu- Though we don’t have open supervision, prevent uninten- they’re wearing lifejackets. Su- pools, baths and buckets imme- “Kulluna means ‘all of us’. on Friday and 3,550kg on Sat- nicipality and Environment lakes and rivers in Qatar, some tional access to sources of water, pervision means you can see and diately after use. About 70-80% We strongly believe in shared urday, taking the total quantity Mohamed bin Abdullah al- incidents of drowning do occur teach children how to swim, set hear them, and can reach them of drowning cases happen when responsibility. We provide ed- sold since the festival’s launch Rumaihi and other dignitaries, in the sea because families often clear rules for family members very quickly, because drowning the child is not supposed to be ucation and information, but on July 28 to 32,772kg. including ambassadors of some go to the beach for picnics and when near water and enforce can take seconds to happen and it in the water,” Dr Saifeldeen said, parents and other members of Berghash al-Nuaimi, one of countries. leisure activities at this time of them, wear lifejackets or person- often happens in silence.” stressing that barriers alone are the community need to share the year,” said Dr Saifeldeen. al fl otation aids and learn how to Unintentional access to not enough and direct supervi- the responsibility in ensur- “Almost all the drowning inci- perform cardiopulmonary re- sources of water can be prevent- sion is still essential. ing that they make children’s Minister meets Moroccan envoy dents in swimming pools in Qa- suscitation (CPR). ed by installing a secure gate or He mentioned that there are safety a priority, through direct tar happen when the parents are Constant supervision is the key other barrier, which must be a number of schools or clubs in supervision as well as by learn- HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin not present and either one child to keeping a child safe around wa- checked on a regular basis to Qatar where children can learn ing and seeking information Abdullah al-Rumaihi met the ambassador of Morocco to Qatar Al Makki or a group of children are left to ter, stressed Dr Saifeldeen. “You ensure that the barrier is work- how to swim and parents them- from organisations like HMC Kawan in Doha yesterday. swim alone by themselves.” will not be aware that a child is in ing properly and serving its pur- selves can teach their kids, with and Kulluna,” Dr Saifeldeen During the meeting, they discussed means to promote co-operation Kulluna has highlighted the trouble unless you are watching pose as a child grows in height direct supervision. He explained concluded. between Qatar and Morocco in diff erent fields of common interest.

Aspire’s ‘Splash and Dash’ programme kicks off New features in Ooredoo Extra Website

he third season of Aspire can register at the programme’s oredoo has encouraged Gaming portal which enables customers can preview, buy, and Zone Foundation’s “Splash registration desks in Aspire customers to visit its Qatar’s smartphone users to play gift a tone through the website. Tand Dash” programme has Dome between 6pm and 9pm OOoredoo Extra website, games on-the-go, and off ers The Ooredoo Extra feature kicked off , off ering members of every Sunday and Wednesday. as the company has released a subscribers the ability to down- was developed to bring more the local community another op- The programme has a capacity of host of new services on the dedi- load and play unlimited games on ease and convenience to cus- portunity to stay fi t and active 100 participants per day. cated site since its launch. a daily, weekly or monthly basis. tomers by managing their own during the summer months. Aspire Zone Foundation or- Ooredoo Extra was designed As well as the SmartWoman App, services. The programme is open to ganises a number of community to give customers a one-stop- designed to support and develop Demand for premium serv- all swimming and running en- events and activities throughout shop for all of the company’s women with its content in the ices has risen strongly in 2016, thusiasts aged 9 and above. It the year, during which it opens entertainment, add-ons, and country, and provides educa- particularly as more customers takes place every Sunday and its advanced and well-equipped news-based services, and since tional content, social networking enjoy the speed and reliability of Wednesday from 7pm to 9pm in facilities to all community mem- its launch has grown to provide and social impact information for Ooredoo’s 4G and 4G+ services, the indoor Warm-Up Track and bers, off ering them the oppor- services and features in a host female Ooredoo customers only. made available on its Supernet. swimming arena within Aspire tunity to practice their favour- of categories including Music, The Ooredoo Extra site also Ooredoo Extra is available Dome. The new season of the ite sport and physical activities Games, News, Sports, Health & includes a dedicated MyTones now for free at http://extra. programme will continue until with the objective of becoming Education, Islamic and more. page that allows users to cus- ooredoo.qa, or can be accessed the end of August. a favourite sports destination for Popular content on Oore- tomise their calling experience. through Ooredoo’s main website Those interested in taking part the entire community. ‘Splash and Dash’ provides another opportunity to stay fit and active. doo Extra includes the Ooredoo Thanks to the MyTones section under ‘4G+ Mobile’. Civil Defence Intersection to open by end of September

he Public Works Author- Mohamed Bin Thani Street, as Sports Roundabout towards Tel- ity (Ashghal) has said the well as the installation of related evision Roundabout. Tfi nal stage of the conver- utilities pertaining to power, “The reconfi gurations come sion of the Civil Defence Round- sewage and drainage lines. as part of the Development of about into a signal-controlled To increase road capacity, the Intersections and Roundabouts intersection has kicked off . Medical City Intersection has Project in several areas in Greater The intersection is due to open been upgraded by widening the Doha, aimed at enhancing traffi c to traffi c by the end of September left-bound route to three lanes, fl ow and reducing the congestion as scheduled, according to a press for those heading towards Ha- in major areas,” the statement statement from the authority. mad Medical City via the Civil noted. The reconstruction comprises Defence Intersection. The authority is currently expansion of the intersecting A third lane has also been working on a wide range of in- routes from three to four lanes, added to the left-bound route frastructure programmes across The works will enhance free-flowing traff ic and are being carried out The reconstruction includes the installation of utilities such as power, including Al Istiqlal Street and for motorists coming from the the country. in full swing to complete the project on time. sewage and drainage lines. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 3 QATAR New Asean panel head keen on Team to develop database on traffi c

he National Commit- transportation project that in- attracting more Qatari investors tee for Traffi c Safety volves encouraging the use of T(NCTS) has formed a school buses, a traffi c village By Joey Aguilar team to develop a comprehen- project as well as plans to build Staff Reporter sive database on traffi c in the a number of pedestrian bridges country. and underpasses to prevent ac- The team’s members represent cidents involving walkers. he Association of South diff erent stakeholders involved in Brigadier al-Malki, mean- East Asian Nations the area of traffi c safety. while, said the Ministry of In- T(Asean) Committee in In an interview with the terior will set up a new highway Doha (ACD) is planning to hold police magazine (Al Shurta patrol police force in the near another investment forum with Ma’ak), NCTS secretary Briga- future to enforce traffi c regu- Qatar Chamber aimed at at- dier Mohamed Abdullah al- lations and laws and ensure tracting more Qatari investors. Malki stressed that the data- the safety of all road users. In Speaking at the ACD turnover base would benefi t all entities this regard, he said 50 police ceremony yesterday at the Sin- concerned with traffi c safety personnel have been trained – gapore embassy in Doha, Philip- and security in Qatar. in co-operation with RasGas pine ambassador Wilfredo San- The database will be cre- Company Limited – by experts tos told reporters that he wanted ated based on the committee’s from Northwestern University, to organise a second forum with belief that traffi c statistics and Chicago, US. Qatari businessmen and various data are vital for drawing up He noted that the NCTS is groups in the country to increase proper strategies. closely following up on the im- awareness about Asean. The NCTS has also lined up plementation of projects that “Asean is a big region with a number of future projects are part of the requirements more than 600mn people and to enhance safety on Qatar’s for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a GDP (gross domestic roads and ease potential con- regarding traffi c safety and product) of more than $2.6tn, gestion. These include a school transportation. that is a big market and we can use this as an incentive for Qa- taris to engage with us, not only Financial aid for Gaza varsity students Qataris but actually the GCC,” the envoy noted. Chairman of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza Santos wants to build on the Strip ambassador Mohamed Ismail al-Emadi has said that Qatar will initiatives started by Singapo- provide $500 to every hearing impaired student graduating from rean ambassador Wong Kwok the Islamic University in Gaza. Pun, who offi cially handed over Speaking at the commencement of a class of deaf students of the the ACD chairmanship to him university, the ambassador expressed his hope that the students yesterday. graduate to make beneficial contribution to their society. The ceremony at the chancery The ambassador added that Qatar has continued its support since also marks the 49th founding the visit of HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani anniversary of Asean. in October 2012. A sum of $620mn was paid, out of which $407mn While each Asean country was as grant and $60mn as wages. Another $80mn was used for pursues its own bilateral ini- Ambassadors of seven Asean embassies in Doha at the ACD chairmanship turnover ceremony yesterday at the Singapore embassy. electricity generation and a further $33mn to provide basic needs to tiative, Santos stressed that the citizens of Gaza after the war. chairman’s task was to support in the economic and trade areas Asean–GCC relations. Thailand) to promote politi- gion closer together.” and complement these embassy is something that will challenge “Those are just plans but I hope cal and economic co-operation He noted that Asean now is Islamic Dawah builds mosques in Africa initiatives that will bring more us not only during my time but to maximise my one-year chair- and regional stability, according the seventh largest economy investments and trade to region. in the years to come,” he ex- manship; of course it will coincide to Pun. Later, Brunei, Vietnam, in the world and the third larg- Qataris have donated for the construction of 79 mosques in 18 He believes that Qatar, with plained. with our (Philippines) hosting of Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia est market with a population African countries at a total cost of about QR5mn. At least 40,000 its sovereign wealth fund, can As a bloc, he said ACD aims the Asean Summit next year, and joined the bloc. of 622mn. In 2014, it attracted worshippers benefited from the “Construction Of Mosques” project use its resources to invest in the to promote the Asean region as celebrating its 50th founding an- In his speech, Pun said Asean $136bn of foreign direct invest- being implemented by the Islamic Dawah Organisation in 42 African Asean region. a trade and investment destina- niversary,” he said. countries now share a com- ment. countries. Director General of the Islamic Dawah Organisation “There are opportunities for tion in Qatar and the whole GCC. Asean was formed on August mon desire for peace, security, “But, there is still much work Off ice in Qatar, Hammad Abdul-Qader, said the organisation had us to explore with Qatar, and Santos is also planning to 8, 1967 by fi ve South East Asian stability, and prosperity, citing to be done to make it more in- embarked on the construction of 26 mosques in Gambia, 22 in how we will use these opportu- hold dialogues with other countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, increase in “people-to-people tegrated and connected,” Pun Somalia and 5 mosques in each of Uganda, Senegal and other nities to obtain concrete projects GCC countries to strengthen the Philippines, Singapore and linkages and bringing the re- pointed out. African countries. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Air raid kills nine ‘Germany attack helper used civilians in Yemen

Reuters four people returning from a Dubai market were killed when their vehicle was hit as it passed a Saudi mobile from IS area’ grocery store. Saudi-led coalition air Five people in the store Reuters Minister General Mansour al- Al-Turki had said earlier that Islamic State has claimed help Germany investigate at- strike killed nine civil- also died in the air strike, Berlin Turki, did not specify which of Saudi and German security ex- responsibility for an attack in tacks in Germany claimed by Is- Aians outside the Yem- they said. two violent Islamist attacks last perts had examined evidence Bavaria in which a 17-year-old lamic State. eni capital Sanaa on Sunday Saba, the state news agency month this referred to. showing that one of the attack- refugee wounded fi ve people “Germany and other western night, residents said, as forces run by the dominant Houthi audi Arabia confi rmed yes- One was an axe attack on ers in Germany had been in con- with an axe before police shot countries have been successfully loyal to the exiled government movement, said 12 people died terday it was helping Ger- a train near Wurzburg that tact through social media with a him dead, and for a bombing in working together with Saudi stepped up an off ensive in the including six members of the Sman investigators track wounded fi ve people and an- member of Islamic State using a Ansbach, southern Germany, Arabia on fi ghting terrorism for a area. same family, and that some Islamic State militants behind other was a bomb in Ansbach in Saudi phone number. which wounded 15 people. long time,” she said. The strike hit Odhar village bodies were burnt beyond rec- attacks in Germany and said one southern Germany that caused Turki said the suspect was in The 27-year-old Syrian, who Information passed on by in the Nehm area, which has ognition. had been in contact with some- 15 injuries. an unspecifi ed “country of con- carried out the Ansbach attack, Saudi Arabia had been key in been at the centre of renewed The agency said 17 others one using a Saudi-registered “The investigation found that fl ict” and declined to say wheth- had pledged allegiance to Islam- helping prevent terrorist at- fi ghting between support- were wounded. mobile phone. the Islamic State contact per- er he was a Saudi citizen. ic State on a video found on his tacks in Germany in the past, ers of President Abd-Rabbu A spokesman for the Saudi- In a rare comment on its se- son was not in Saudi Arabia but “The investigation is still on- phone, investigators said. she said. Mansour Hadi’s government led coalition referred inquiries curity operations, Riyadh con- rather was in contact from the IS going between experts in both Der Spiegel said traces of the German interior ministry and Iran-allied Houthi forces. to the Yemeni government. fi rmed that Saudi and German area,” the statement said, refer- countries to try to fi nd the par- chat indicate that both men had spokesman Tobias Plate said the UN-backed peace talks to A government military security experts had met and ring to the area in Syria and Iraq ties to the case,” Turki said in re- been infl uenced by, and taken government welcomed Saudi end Yemen’s confl ict broke spokesman said he was check- exchanged information on the controlled by the militant Islam- sponse to a question on a report instructions from, unidentifi ed Arabia’s off er and added that down over the weekend, and ing the report. contact made via social media, ic State group. by news magazine Der Spiegel. people before the attacks. co-operation with the security pro-government forces said At least 6,400 people but the Middle Eastern contact The statement said the at- Saudi Arabia, which says it is German foreign ministry authorities there was of “signifi - they had begun an off ensive to have been killed in Yemen’s was not located in Saudi Arabia. tacker in the other incident had always ready to work with foreign spokeswoman Sawsan Chebli cant value”. He declined to com- retake Sanaa. 16-month war, half of them A statement by the Saudi Ara- no connection whatsoever with countries to fi ght terrorism, rarely told a news conference yesterday ment on the status of investiga- Two residents of the Nehm civilians, according to the bian embassy, citing Interior Saudi Arabia. speaks publicly on specifi c cases. that Saudi Arabia had off ered to tions. area reached by telephone said United Nations. Turkish Airlines starts Iranians hunt Pokemon despite ban direct fl ights to Erbil AFP social media sites, including Facebook Tehran and Twitter. urkish Airlines has added It banned Pokemon Go just a few fl ights to Erbil, Iraq which are days after it was released in early July, Tdirectly operated from and to ran was quick to ban global gam- citing national security concerns be- Gaziantep Airport. ing craze Pokemon Go, but as with cause the wildly popular game leads Already having the world’s 4th Imany of the Islamic republic’s In- users to real-life locations via GPS largest fl ight network and fl ying to ternet controls, tech-savvy youths maps on their mobile phones. 290 destinations in 116 countries, have carried on regardless. “Because this game is a mixture of Turkish Airlines continues to expand In the ornate grounds of Mellat Park virtual and physical games, it can pose its extensive network. in Tehran, a teenage boy, buried in his lots of problems for the country and The fl ag carrier, has been ranked as phone, suddenly stops in front of a people in terms of security,” deputy the “Best Airline in Europe” for the man sitting on a bench with his wife attorney general Abdulsamad Khoram sixth consecutive time. and young daughter – both covered Abadi told the Tasnim news agency on Beginning from August 5, round- from head to toe in black chador robes. Friday. trip fl ights between Gaziantep and The family stop their conversation He confi rmed Pokemon Go had Erbil will be operated 2 times per Additionally, for the operations to and stare at the boy, who appears to be been unanimously banned by the High week in both directions. the destinations, there is a special of- pointing his phone at them. Council for Cyberspace. Introductory round trip fares are fer for Miles&Smiles members, with Then, the boy moves on, completely “These games can become a means available from Gaziantep to Erbil, a 25% reduction in the miles needed oblivious – his mind is in the virtual for directing guided missiles and even Iraq starting at $178 (including taxes to redeem either award tickets or up- world of Pokemon. cause disruptions to ambulances and and fees). grades. Iran blocks many global news and fi re trucks,” Alireza al-Davoud, a hard- liner-linked analyst told Tasnim, add- Iranians play on the Pokemon Go app in northern Tehran’s Mellat Park. Iran was ing he feared the US developers of the quick to ban the global gaming craze, but tech-savvy youngsters have carried on game were using it to spy on Iran. regardless. But the ban has done little to stop determined gamers hunting down around 30 gamers, mostly in their teens conservative authorities, the meet-up Pokemon creatures. and 20s. in Mellat Park draws little attention Iran’s youthful and highly connected “It just shows how little data there since everyone is glued to their phones. population is used to bypassing inter- is about Iran on the Internet,” says One family does fi gure out what is net censorship on a daily basis, using 15-year-old Shayan, complaining happening and stops to ask the youths “VPNs” that mask the location of their about the lack of features in Tehran. how it works. phones and computers. Pokemon Go automatically assigns “Look how cool it is,” says Shireen, Most phone shops sell pay-as-you- creatures and play areas based on ex- who is with her husband and four- go VPN cards featuring the logos of isting map data, which is fairly limited year-old son. banned sites such as Facebook and in the Iranian capital. “I really like it because you have to YouTube. Some people have travelled from the move. The authorities rarely crack down on town of Karaj, 30km west of Tehran, to I will let my son play it, but only after this behaviour, preferring to discourage play here, adds Shayan. he’s 15,” she laughs. access to foreign sites, rather than rig- The city’s notorious traffi c is another As everywhere, the game is popular idly enforce censorship. annoyance. because it drags gamers off their sofas The bigger problem for Pokemon Go “Last night, there were seven of us and into the real world. fans in Iran is the lack of “Pokestops” stuck in traffi c for an hour trying to go “After a day of work, I would have and “Gyms” to discover. and capture three Gyms,” says Hossein, never come outside if it wasn’t for this Mellat Park is a relative hotspot, with 26, laughing. game,” says Siavash, who says he lost one Pokestop and two Gyms. Although gatherings of young men 4kg in the fi rst two weeks after it came On a recent evening, it had attracted and women are frowned upon by Iran’s out. Kuwait vows to foil plots against state’s security

The Kuwaiti cabinet has stressed its resolve to deter anyone seeking to tamper with the country’s security and stability, urging everyone to co-operate with security apparatuses to combat any attempt aiming to undermine the country’s security, state news agency KUNA reported, citing a cabinet statement. In its weekly meeting yesterday, the cabinet stressed the Kuwaiti society’s rejection of the “abnormal acts” that contradict with Islam and the country’s values. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry had arrested a Filipino woman who pleaded allegiance to the IS group on charges of plotting a “terrorist act” to undermine security and stability of Kuwait. Meanwhile, the cabinet called on all sports sides to put the interests of the state ahead of personal interests, and work hard together to advance the Kuwaiti sports movement. It expressed regrets over Kuwaiti athletes’ deprivation of competing in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics under the Kuwaiti flag due to the sports suspension placed on the country. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 5 ARAB WORLD Rivals brace for key battle of Aleppo

AFP Al-Watan, a Syrian daily close of fi ghters for this next battle”. Beirut to the government, reported yes- In Istanbul, Syrian National terday the army had received Coalition chief Anas al-Abdeh “the necessary military rein- said he was confi dent the whole yrian regime forces and forcements to launch the battle city could now be taken: “I think rebel factions sent hundreds to retake the areas from which it it is just a matter of time.” Sof reinforcements to Aleppo withdrew.” Washington’s UN envoy Sa- yesterday as both sides braced It said a military operation by mantha Power said: “Neither for a crucial battle to control the Syria’s armed forces was “immi- side will be able to win a swift or country’s second city. nent and inevitable.” decisive victory in the battle for Fighting for Syria’s former eco- Aleppo has been roughly di- Aleppo.” nomic powerhouse is intensify- vided between government forces Abdel Rahman said hundreds ing after an opposition advance in the west and rebel groups in the of opposition fi ghters had arrived at the weekend broke through a east since fi ghting fi rst broke out in Aleppo from the surrounding three-week government siege of there in mid-2012. province and neighbouring Idlib. the city’s rebel-held east, dealing An AFP correspondent in the Most were from the Fateh al- a major setback to regime troops. eastern districts said shelling Sham Front, formerly Al Qaeda Libyan forces allied with the UN-backed government fire weapons during a battle with IS fighters in Sirte. Rebel forces on Sunday an- and sporadic clashes were hitting affi liate Al Nusra Front, that leads nounced a bid to capture all of Aleppo but there were no signs the Army of Conquest. Aleppo city, which if successful yet of signifi cant new off ensives. “Whoever wins (in Aleppo), would mark the biggest opposi- After years of stalemate, fi ght- the war will not end. It is however tion victory yet in Syria’s fi ve- ing for the city entered a new an important battle, the result of year civil war. phase last month when govern- which will set the course of the But forces loyal to President ment forces took control of the confl ict,” said Syria expert Tho- Libyan govt forces close Bashar al-Assad are putting up a last supply road into rebel areas, mas Pierret. fi erce fi ght and have begun pour- surrounding some 250,000 peo- Pierret said a rebel win would ing in reinforcements. ple in eastern districts. confi ne the regime to an arc of The main opposition coalition In a desperate bid to break the territory between the west- said yesterday it was only a mat- siege, a coalition of rebels, Islam- ern coastal areas and the Golan in on IS militants in Sirte ter of time before rebels take all ists and militants overran a series Heights, while a regime victory of Aleppo, but the United States of buildings in a military acad- could lead to the “collapse” of the AFP coastal city located 450km (280 Pro-GNA forces entered the Al-Dollar district, which the warned there would be no quick emy on the southwestern edges of insurgency. Tripoli miles) east of Tripoli. Sirte in June, but their progress pro-GNA forces took last week victory. Aleppo on Saturday before link- The rebel advance at the week- Sirte has been a stronghold slowed as the militants hit back and where VIP guests attend- The Syrian Observatory for ing up with rebel groups inside end cut off a key regime access of the militant group since June with sniper fi re, suicide attacks ing events at the Ouagadougou Human Rights said some 2,000 the city. route on the city’s southern edg- orces loyal to Libya’s Gov- last year. and car bombings. complex used to be accommo- pro-regime fi ghters from Syria, Emboldened by the victory, the es, previously used to ferry sup- ernment of National Ac- Yesterday, the loyalists said Since Thursday pro-govern- dated. Iraq, Iran and Lebanese Shia fi ghters – largely grouped under plies to around 1.2mn residents in Fcord said yesterday they they had seized an area of guest ment forces have been battling On Sunday, the loyalist forces movement Hezbollah had arrived the banner of the Army of Con- western districts. had seized a new sector near the houses close to the Ouaga- to reach the conference centre. said they would soon begin a fi nal in Aleppo since late Sunday. quest – set their sights on recap- Overnight, regime forces Islamic State group’s command dougou conference centre, the “Our forces have targeted assault to retake Sirte from IS. “Both sides are amassing their turing all of Aleppo. brought in trucks carrying food centre in Sirte. complex from the era of slain Daesh snipers and their mines,” The United States has since fi ghters in preparation for the The Army of Conquest on Sun- and fuel into western neighbour- The pro-GNA forces have dictator Muammar Gaddafi the statement said, using an Ar- last Monday been carrying out great battle of Aleppo,” Observa- day announced “the start of a new hoods via the northern Castello been engaged in a military oper- where the militants have their abic acronym for IS. air raids on IS positions in the tory head Rami Abdel Rahman phase to liberate all of Aleppo”, Road instead, the Observatory ation since May 12 to retake the headquarters. The guest houses are east of city at the GNA’s request. said. pledging to “double the number said.

A woman carries her baby on a street as civilians fleeing the zones controlled by the Islamic State (IS) group arrive in the northern Syrian town of Manbij on Sunday, a day after Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) retook it from IS. A coalition of Arab and Kurd fighters seized the Islamic State (IS) group stronghold of Manbij, two months after launching an operation to cap- ture the strategic city in northern Syria. 77 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails start hunger strike

QNA deterioration in their health conditions The international community and Ramallah due to their continuing hunger strike in many human rights groups, including protest of being detained without charge Israeli and Palestinian, have strongly or trial. criticised the administrative detention eventy-seven Palestinian de- The commission also warned about policy, accusing Israel of using it as a tainees in Israeli jails have begun the serious health condition of detainee routine form of collective punishment San open-ended hunger strike in Belal Kayed who has been on hunger against Palestinians as well as using it solidarity with fi ve hunger striking ad- strike for 57 days, saying he could die at when failing to obtain confessions dur- ministrative detainees, according to the any moment, according to (WAFA) news ing interrogation. Commission of Detainees and Ex-De- agency. Palestinian detainees have continu- tainees Aff airs. Under administrative detention rules, ously resorted to open-ended hunger The commission said the fi ve detain- Israel may detain Palestinians without strikes as a way to protest their illegal ees – namely Belal Kayed, Mohamed charge or trial for up to six month intervals administrative detention and to demand Balboul, Mahmoud Balboul, Ayyad Her- that can be renewed indefi nitely by mili- an end to this policy, which violates in- emi, and Malek Qadi – have seen rapid tary courts on the basis of secret evidence. ternational law.

Saudi to host 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims

QNA Palestine Haj Committee chief Abdul reservations through Saudia,” al-Dakan Jeddah Aziz al-Saleh, along with Egyptian em- was quoted as saying in local media. bassy’s Abdel Hadi al-Omari and Abdul During the meeting, a review of Jabbar al-Husami, head of the Saudi events during the previous year and a audi Arabia will host nearly 1,000 Arabian Airlines (Saudia) in Egypt. documentary fi lm made by the direc- Palestinian pilgrims this year The visitors programme directorate torate was shown, featuring the pil- Sunder the Custodian of the Two has mandated early training as a way grimage’s most prominent events and Holy Mosques Haj Visitors Programme. to provide best services to the pilgrims recommendations for the coming year. Most of them are relatives and family in co-ordination with the authorities Al-Dakan thanked the offi cials at members of those who have been mar- concerned. “This will ensure that all the Saudi embassy as well as the Sau- tyred, Arab News reported yesterday. pilgrims obtain the required visas from dia staff in Egypt for their eff orts. He Deputy Chief of the Haj visitors pro- the Saudi embassy in Egypt and are hailed the kingdom’s role in providing gramme Zaid al-Dakan recently met supplied with return travel tickets and pilgrimage services to the Palestinians. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 AFRICA

Kenya deports War veterans’ leaders Taiwanese to China

Reuters snub Mugabe speech Nairobi/Taipei Reuters/AFP Harare aiwan said yesterday that it had lodged a complaint Twith Kenya over the de- eaders of Zimbabwean portation of fi ve of its nationals war veterans boycotted a to China after a court acquitted Lspeech by President Rob- them of charges of running ille- ert Mugabe yesterday to hon- gal telecoms operations. our fi ghters of the country’s A Kenyan magistrate’s court independence war, widening a acquitted the fi ve Taiwanese na- rift with Africa’s oldest leader, tionals and 35 Chinese citizens whom the veterans have asked to last Friday after the prosecution step down. failed to prove its case against The Zimbabwe National Lib- them. eration War Veterans Asso- In her ruling, trial magis- ciation (ZNLWVA) last month trate Joyce Gandani said the fi ve denounced Mugabe, 92, as a should be repatriated to their divisive dictator, in a jolting re- country of origin, Taiwan, but buke underlining mounting an- Mugabe: Things like protests John Chen, a representative ger over economic woes. don’t pay because usually they of the Taiwanese government The ZNLWVA executive was end up being violent protests. based in South Africa, said they absent from National Heroes had instead been sent to China. Day celebrations in the capital said because we are being perse- Kenya, along with a large ma- to honour living and dead fi ght- cuted continuously, there is no jority of other countries around ers of the 1970s liberation war reason why we should go there. the world, has no diplomatic re- against white minority rule. In fact if you go there, you will lations with Taiwan and consid- This is the fi rst time leaders of never know what they will think, ers the island part of China, in the group have failed to attend maybe they will think of arrest- line with Beijing’s position. the celebrations since ZNLWVA ing us or other comrades who “Kenyan authorities sent in a was formed in 1990. have not been arrested.” clandestine manner the fi ve Tai- The group has anchored Mugabe’s government has ar- wan nationals, together with 35 Mugabe’s election campaigns rested and charged war veterans’ Chinese, on board a plane char- since 2000, when the fi rst ma- leaders in a crackdown against tered by the Chinese government jor opposition to the president his former allies. which fl ew to China at 23.40 lo- emerged with the formation in In his 50-minute speech, Mu- cal time last night,” Chen said in 1999 of the main opposition gabe did not mention the war a statement sent to Reuters. party Movement for Democratic veterans, but instead accused Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Change (MDC) led by Morgan activist pastor Evan Mawarire of Mugabe supporters wave the country’s flag as they sing during a gathering to mark the National Heroes Day celebrations in Harare. in a statement it had expressed Tsvangirai. calling for violent anti-govern- a “serious protest” to the Ken- ZNLWVA secretary general ment protests. them be peaceful not to be like stones – we do not want that.” and other public workers, which low authorities to seize phones yan government and said it was Victor Matemadanda said his Mawarire’s #ThisFlag move- the ones advocated by Mawar- Mugabe accused his oppo- could stoke political tensions and laptops, seen as a bid to curb working with the island’s min- group had boycotted yester- ment last month led a protest ire,” Mugabe said. nents of trying to topple him in a nation plagued by drought, the use of social media to organ- istries of justice and mainland day’s event because it had lost over delayed salaries for public “Things like protests don’t through protest, “like in the a drop in mineral prices and ise anti-government demon- aff airs to defend the interests its meaning. sector employees that closed pay because usually they end Arab countries”. chronic cash shortages – all fac- strations. of the fi ve deported citizens via “We said as an executive we businesses, government offi ces, up being violent protests,” the “Where has the vote gone?” tors behind unrest against Mu- Information Communica- communication channels with have no reason to attend be- schools and hospitals – the most president added. “What does it he asked. “That is the democ- gabe, the only leader independ- tion Technology Minister Supa China. cause it (National Heroes Day) is signifi cant popular defi ance of help to go in the streets with the racy. You have forgotten democ- ent Zimbabwe has known. Mandiwandzira defended the Asked about the case, Mwen- not intended to achieve the true the long-ruling Mugabe in a intention to show that you are racy?” Mugabe’s government is bill saying it had been planned da Njoka, the spokesman for goal to honour the war veterans,” decade. able to throw stones? To throw Zimbabwe is struggling to drafting a Computer Crime and a long time ago and was similar Kenya’s interior ministry, said: Matemadanda told Reuters. “We “If protests are allowed, let stones, to hit the police with pay salaries to soldiers, police Cyber Crime Bill, which will al- to legislation in other countries. “They were taken back where they came from ... we don’t have a relationship with Taiwan.” In April Taiwan accused China of kidnapping eight of its na- tionals from Kenya after they Tensions in Chad as Deby were acquitted in a cyber crime case. China views Taiwan as a way- ward province, to be brought is sworn in for a fi fth term under Beijing’s control by force if necessary. Defeated Nationalist forces AFP The opposition, which con- The election campaign was fl ed to the island in 1949 after a N’Djamena tests Deby’s re-election, has marred by a clampdown on civil war with the Communists vowed to maintain a general demonstrations by unions and now in control in Beijing. strike throughout the day fol- rights groups demanding a Only 22 countries around the had’s President Idriss lowing a government crack- change of leadership and demo- world recognise Taiwan. Deby took the oath of of- down at the weekend. cratic reforms. Relations between Taiwan and Cfi ce yesterday for a fi fth One young protester was shot Arrests and disappearances China improved after the Chi- term in power, facing dogged dead on Sunday, opposition and of activists are common in the na-friendly Ma Ying-jeou took resistance from an opposition police sources said, with Ke- nation of 12mn people. power in 2008 as Taiwan presi- that alleges his re-election was bzabo saying he had been hit The situation in the oil-pro- dent and signed a series of land- a “political hold-up”. by live bullets fi red by security ducing semi-desert country, a mark trade and business deals. With tensions high a day forces to disperse the protest- key player in the fi ght against But China has looked on with after the death of a protester ers. west African Islamist militant suspicion at Taiwan since Tsai during an opposition march, Kebzabo said he was “sur- groups, has been tense in recent Ing-wen and her independence- around 14 African heads of state prised and disappointed” by months. leaning DPP won presidential attended the swearing-in cere- France’s decision to send a The opposition has laid par- and parliamentary elections in mony, including the presidents high-ranking representative. tial blame on France, claiming Deby (left) is seen during his inauguration as president yesterday in N’Djamena. January. of Nigeria and Niger, both, like The opposition wants the in- that it has turned a blind eye Chad, battling the Boko Haram ternational community to rec- to alleged human rights viola- militant group. ognise the “dictatorial nature” tions. “I am the president of all of Deby’s regime. Chad is an active ally of Chadians,” Deby said in his in- He told AFP that the opposi- Western nations and its neigh- auguration speech. tion was planning on holding a bours in the battle against the ANC soul-searches after vote haemorrhage The 64-year-old veteran general strike to create what it Nigeria-based Islamists of Boko leader promised “a relentless called a “dead city” in protest Haram. battle against terrorism every- against Deby’s return to power. N’Djamena is also the head- By Susan Nanji, AFP “Where we have shown areas where it threatens our interests Kebzabo had on Saturday de- quarters for France’s Barkhane Johannesburg of weakness, we are going to get and our security”. clared: “We are in the right. It’s anti-militant force. better and improve – that’s who Other Chadian allies, includ- the government that is acting Despite the regime’s strict we are,” the unionist-turned- ing leaders of Mali, Burkina illegally by preventing political security set-up, Chad has seen he ruling African National businessman said last week as Faso and Mauritania, gathered parties from expressing them- unusual social tension this year. Congress (ANC)’s historic the poor results poured in. for the ceremony at a large hotel selves.” The gang rape of a schoolgirl Tlosses in South Africa’s Critics say urban and middle in the capital N’Djamena. Opposition activists have by the sons of senior offi cials local elections have called into class voters have begun to tire of French Defence Minister also announced the fi ling of triggered angry demonstrations question the leadership of Presi- the continuous controversy sur- Jean-Yves Le Drian from the a complaint in court alleging around the country, which were dent Jacob Zuma as head of the rounding 74-year-old Zuma, and former colonial power also at- “high treason” by Deby, claim- severely dealt with by the au- continent’s most industrialised warn of a serious backlash if the tended, sparking opposition ing “illegal taking of power by thorities. nation. ANC fails to act fast. dismay. violence” and “misuse of public The government has also The ANC last week suff ered “The ANC is in big trouble,” Deby, who fi rst came to pow- money”. been weakened by a diffi cult what analysts called a “savage analyst Koffi Kouakou told AFP. er in 1990, was re-elected in a The opposition called Deby’s economic situation linked to indictment”, garnering less than “The only way to perhaps at- fi rst-round vote in April with re-election a “political hold- the collapse in the price of oil. 54% of ballots cast – an eight- Ramaphosa: Where we have shown areas of weakness, we are going tempt to save the ANC is by hav- around 60% of ballots cast, up”, saying that its own count Strikes by offi cials over late point drop from the last local to get better and improve – that’s who we are. ing President Zuma resign and against almost 13% for opposi- showed no candidate won out- salary payments have been poll in 2011 and its worst showing having the team that surrounds tion leader Saleh Kebzabo. right in the fi rst round. growing. since the fall of white-minority from weak leadership and po- The ANC has staunchly de- him cleaned up. If not, the ANC rule in 1994. litical divisions, some in the ANC fended him. is in real big trouble in the long Of the country’s six most admit that all is not well. But after the poor showing term.” Somalia sets presidential vote for October 30 populous cities, the ANC won “There is something wrong on at the polls, the party would be But Zuma, who has thus far an outright majority in only a national level that we are not “much more open to a change of survived every curveball thrown Somalia will hold a delayed presidential vote on Hassan Sheik Mohamud is starting his campaigns one: Durban, Zuma’s traditional paying attention to,” the party’s leadership than they would have his direction, may not be on his October 30 with parliamentary polls starting to win a second term. stronghold. secretary general Gwede Man- a been one week ago”, said Rich- way out just yet. next month, an off icial statement sent to AFP said Mohamud’s current mandate expires on But it suff ered embarrassingly tashe said at the weekend. ard Calland, a political analyst at “I don’t think he is likely to go yesterday, in what international backers hope will September 10 but the regional governments have in the capital Pretoria where it Analysts say the party leader- the University of Cape Town. without a fi ght,” said Calland. signal a long-awaited return to stability. agreed to extend his term up to October 30. came second to the main oppo- ship has been stubborn in refus- “Urgent steps must be taken “It’s more likely he will survive The UN-sponsored Somalia Federal Indirect But Somalia’s vote will be a “limited franchise sition Democratic Alliance (DA), ing to rein in its controversial (to) tackle the elephant in the until the end of next year”, when Electoral Implementation Team (FIEIT) met with election” rather than the one-person-one-vote which also scored big in Nelson president. room. It is clear that Presi- the ANC may vote to recall him the leaders of the country’s regional governments election promised in Somalia’s constitution, though Mandela Bay, a southern munici- Zuma, who has three more dent Jacob Zuma has become a at its next national elective con- along with the president to decide on the electoral more inclusive than the last polls in 2012. pality named after the country’s years to serve out his term, has huge liability,” wrote columnist gress. calendar, it said in the statement. Clan elders will select parliamentarians while iconic late leader. been dogged by scandal through- Onkgopotse Tabane in the Busi- In the meantime at least two The FIEIT said parliamentary voting will be held each of Somalia’s federal states will choose The election was largely seen out his presidency. ness Day newspaper yesterday. rival ANC camps will start wran- from September 24 to October 10. representatives to a new upper house. as a referendum on Zuma’s rule, Last month, South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ram- gling to succeed Zuma – one in “The election for the speaker will be held on 25th The two houses of parliament will vote for a but it also highlighted the declin- highest court ruled that he pay aphosa – an anti-apartheid support of Ramaphosa, and the October and the presidential elections will be held president. ing popularity of the party that back public funds spent upgrad- heavyweight – is the presumed other backing Zuma’s ex-wife on 30th October 2016,” the statement said. The vote will involve up to 14,000 delegates led South Africa’s anti-apartheid ing his private Nkandla residence frontrunner to replace Zuma and outgoing chairwoman of The list of the candidates for the presidency is yet chosen by clan elders and organised into six US- struggle. with facilities including a chick- should he be forced out before the African Union Commission, to be published off icially but the sitting president style “electoral colleges” to choose 275 MPs. And as Mandela’s party reels en coop and a swimming pool. the end of his term. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 7 AMERICA Family of Muslim teen held for homemade clock sues school

AFP an alarm clock he had made at “Those are violations of his The lawsuit asks for no spe- sticks,” Mohamed told the news disguise his appearance out of Chicago home to his Dallas-area school civil rights,” Mohamed’s attor- cifi c dollar amount. conference. fear for his safety. to show his teacher, who took the ney Susan Hutchison said at a The incident thrust Moham- He and his family have left “Over there, it doesn’t matter clock from him. press conference announcing ed into the national spotlight, Irving, a Dallas suburb, because what religion you are. You’re still he family of a Muslim Hours later, Mohamed was the lawsuit. “The only justice we earning him an invitation to the of the incident, and now live in treated the same,” he said. teen arrested for tak- pulled from class and arrested by have in our American legal sys- White House from President Qatar where he attends a private The Irving Independent Ting a homemade clock to police. tem is money. So, we are suing Barack Obama. high school. School District responded in a school – only to have it mistaken They later called the device a for justice.” The US Department of Justice “I lost my creativity, because statement saying it “continues for a fake bomb – fi led a law- “hoax bomb,” even though it was The family has received no launched a civil rights probe of before I used to love building to deny violating the student’s suit yesterday claiming his civil a clock. apology, Hutchison said, and the school district, which con- things,” he said, adding that rights” and does “everything rights were violated. The Irving Independent their previous letter requesting tinues. while visiting his former Texas possible to ensure each student Ahmed Mohamed was 14 years School District suspended Mo- $15mn in compensation was re- “I got a lot of support in the hometown, he wears a hooded is achieving his or her maximum old last year when he brought hamed for three days, anyway. jected. beginning, but it’s the hate that sweatshirt, glasses and hat to potential.” Ahmed Mohamed Republicans put forward conservative alternative

Reuters public offi ce and is unknown to Washington American voters. In addition to also lacking a quick source of campaign cash, epublicans disenchanted he will face immediate hurdles with Donald Trump as the to try to get his name on enough Rparty’s presidential candi- ballot papers to make himself a date plan to put forth a conserva- serious candidate. tive alternative, former top House Texas, for example, requires Republican aide and former CIA third-party candidates to get Donald Trump delivers an economic policy address at the Detroit Economic Club yesterday. offi cer Evan McMullin, his new more than 79,000 signatures campaign announced yesterday. from residents who did not vote The development was fi rst in either the Republican or Dem- reported by MSNBC and Buz- ocrat primary. zFeed. And the deadline for that was McMullin could not be imme- in early May. Deadlines to get on diately reached for comment. the ballots have also lapsed for McMullin will be pitched as the large states of North Caro- an option for conservatives who lina, Illinois and Florida. Trump targets taxes in have never warmed to Trump and The best McMullin could like- who remain adamantly opposed ly hope for would be to simply to Democrat Hillary Clinton, al- play spoiler to Trump in a hand- though his chances of success in ful of states, eating away at the the Nov. 8 election are near zero. New York real estate developer’s “He is running, fi rst and fore- ability to win states that are gen- most, out of a deep love for this erally reliably Republican. Detroit economic speech country, and because he under- McMullin would join two oth- stands the true brand of Ameri- er third-party hopefuls – Gary Reuters giving the appearance of a coor- with trillions of dollars of prof- who have the very least,” he oper who has never held elected can leadership that is required Johnson, who was nominated Detroit/Washington dinated eff ort to rattle him. its overseas to bring the money said. public offi ce, touts his practi- to be Commander-in-Chief,” an by the Libertarian Party, and Jill He was also cheered repeat- home with a 10% levy. Trump’s eff ort to shift the fo- cal experience on economic e-mail sent by his campaign to Stein, who will represent the edly by the crowd. He would establish new provi- cus came after what was widely matters and potential to create supporters said. Green Party. epublican Donald Trump Trump’s remarks appeared sions for working parents deal- viewed as the worst week of his jobs, blaming President Barack Trump was formally anointed In recent polls that includ- sought to regain momen- targeted at both an affl uent busi- ing with childcare costs. presidential campaign and in- Obama for what he calls a weak his party’s nominee last month ed Trump, Clinton, Stein and Rtum for his White House ness community and working His trade plan went against cluded strong attacks by critics recovery from the economic re- after beating 16 rivals in the pri- Trump, the third-party candi- campaign yesterday by propos- people, in particular those who party orthodoxy but is aimed at on his temperament and suit- cession. mary contests. dates have both struggled to get ing sweeping tax breaks, cuts to have suff ered from a decline in helping rebuild what he depicts ability for the White House. Yesterday, he repeatedly de- But many Republicans have above 10 percentage points each federal regulations and a revival US as a middle-class shattered by Yesterday, Trump waited for scribed Clinton as a candidate been concerned about Trump in the polls. of the stalled Keystone XL oil manufacturing in cities such job outsourcing in recent dec- the frequent disruptions by who would rely on policies that policies such as his proposal to McMullin has been a frequent pipeline project. as Detroit. ades. protesters to end, smiling and have not worked. put a temporary ban on Muslims critic of Trump on social media, The New York businessman He said his plan would include Trump said he would rewrite refraining from his practice at “She is the candidate of the entering the country and about calling him an authoritarian and used an address on the econo- imposing a temporary morato- the landmark Nafta trade deal campaign rallies of asking secu- past,” Trump said. “Ours is the his free-wheeling, often insult- criticising his stance on civil my to try to turn the page after rium on new federal regulations, that Clinton’s husband, then- rity to “get them out of here.” campaign of the future.” ing rhetoric. rights as well as his refusal to re- a week of missteps in which he reducing rates for income and President Bill Clinton, signed in A group called the Michigan Reaction from the crowd was McMullin has never held lease his tax returns. came under heavy criticism, in- corporate taxes, and establish- 1994 linking the economies of People’s Campaign took credit mixed.Some liked his message, cluding from some in his own ing new provisions for working the United States, Mexico and for the protests, which were such as insurance executive Sal party, and rival Democrat Hillary parents dealing with childcare Canada. aimed at Trump’s recent com- Giammursta. Boy, 10, dies on world’s tallest water slide Clinton surged ahead in opinion costs. He would also withdraw the ments about sexual harassment. “There were too many pro- polls with three months to go His tax plan refl ected tradi- United States from the Trans “You’ll have to answer to testers. But I think he laid out a Authorities in the US state what happened to the boy, until the Nov 8 election. tional Republican thinking that Pacifi c Partnership trade deal women, Mr Trump,” one woman good bullet point on how he’s of Kansas yesterday were except to say the slide was Trump followed prepared lowering taxes can generate backed by President Barack shouted. going to solve the economic investigating the death of a closed after his death. remarks rather than using the economic growth and creating Obama. Clinton is to outline an eco- problems with his trade poli- 10-year-old boy on what is A park website says two to free-wheeling style at rallies jobs. He would also bring back the nomic vision of her own in cies,” he said. billed as the world’s tallest three people are typically that has often produced contro- He proposed a broad package Canada-to-Texas Keystone oil Michigan on Thursday. Others wanted more details. water slide, the park said. strapped to a raft and then sent versial comments. of tax cuts, lowering tax brack- pipeline project that Obama has In a statement ahead of “People were looking for more Caleb Schwab, the son of down a “jaw-dropping” 168-ft, He also kept his cool as some ets for individuals based on in- turned down. Trump’s speech, her cam- substance,” said lawyer Al Ro- a Kansas state legislator, 7-in slide (51.4m). 14 protesters jumped to their feet come to 12%, 25% and 33%, and “We now begin a great na- paign said his plan would give galski. was killed on Sunday on the They are then “blasted back and shouted at him at intervals reducing the corporate tax rate tional conversation about eco- tax breaks to the wealthy and The Detroit speech was Verruckt, a towering water slide up a second massive hill and as he spoke at the Detroit Eco- from the current 35% to 15%. nomic renewal for America. It’s big companies, and would hurt Trump’s fi rst on the economy at the city’s Schlitterbahn water then sent down yet another gut nomic Club. He would eliminate the es- a conversation about how to working families and trigger a since he announced a 13-man park. wrenching 50-ft drop for the Most of the interruptions were tate tax levied on the assets of make America great again for recession. team of economic advisers late The park gave no details on ultimate in water slide thrills.” at one- or two-minute intervals, the dead, and allow businesses everyone...especially for those Trump, a real estate devel- last week. Delta passengers frustrated, resigned over huge delays

Reuters EDT (0630 GMT), forcing the ated: “It’s been a brutal start this In Newark, airline workers Newark, New Jersey cancellation of about 365 fl ights. morning,” it added. pushed carts loaded with bags The airline said fl ights began Gloria Ojo, a buyer for a fash- of chips and bottled water along taking off again at about 8:40am ion company, was on her way to a queue of passengers which yasha Arthur was meant EDT (1240 GMT). Montreal, Canada for business snaked through Terminal B. to be at work in Atlanta Arthur complained about a via New York City. Near the end of the line, Dan- Nyesterday. lack of agents at the counter, At the airport, she was told iel and Laura Merza and their two Instead, she found herself where only three of more than a fl ight 3716 from Baltimore- children still hoped to make it to stuck at New Jersey’s Newark dozen desks were open. Washington International Air- Tampa, Florida, for a vacation. airport with hundreds of other She fl ies between Atlanta and port was delayed for 20 minutes. They were booked to fl y via frustrated passengers after Delta Newark a few times a year, and An hour later she learned it Detroit, but Laura Merza said Air Lines Inc computer systems said she might have to reconsid- had been cancelled. she thought she saw her fl ight were hit by a power outage. er her next visit after yesterday’s The 28-year-old said she had switched to Atlanta online be- “This is ridiculous,” said the delays. not heard anything from Delta fore Delta’s website stopped 39-year-old AT&T employee Many travellers vented their since then. working for her. who had to use a vacation day anger on social media, making “Utter confusion across the Both parents said the kids after being stranded at Newark #Delta a top trending topic. board,” Ojo wrote in an online would fi nd it tough if they ended Liberty International Airport. Delta meanwhile used its message.”I won’t be fl ying with up being stuck in Newark all day. “I don’t understand what is Twitter account to reply directly them again unless if I get an “They’re going to be bored,” going on here. It’s just a mess,” to many of those who com- amazing voucher that can take Daniel Merza said. she said as she stood in a long plained. me somewhere grand.” “They’ll fi ght,” his wife la- queue at Delta’s check-in coun- After one traveller thanked In Minneapolis, Delta em- mented. ter. the airline for helping him and ployees off ered apologies along Other passengers were sur- Non-working Delta kiosks are empty as passengers line up to check in after Delta Air Lines’ computer The power outage struck Del- his family get home, @Delta said with snacks to passengers whose prisingly sanguine about their systems crashed yesterday, grounding flights around the globe, at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta ta’s computers around 2:30am his tweet was greatly appreci- fl ights were grounded. predicament. International Airport yesterday. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 ASEAN

Junta poll win sends Thai opposition now country ‘backwards’ AFP Bangkok

referendum victory for Thailand’s ruling gener- Aals over a new constitu- looking to 2017 vote tion is a “backwards” step for the country, the toppled ex-premier Reuters said Cherdchai Tontisirin, a said yesterday as the democracy Khon Kaen, Thailand former Puea Thai member of movement reels from its fi rst poll parliament for Khon Kaen. defeat in a decade. “I do not take this result with The bitterly-divided kingdom n Thailand’s rural heartland, a heavy heart,” said Cherdchai, has been ruled by a junta for two supporters of former prime who in the past helped mobilise years since Yingluck Shinawat- Iminister Thaksin Shinawatra Red Shirts from Khon Kaen to ra’s government was booted from say they will focus on winning an participate in the street protests offi ce. election next year, even though that have punctuated the past The majority “yes” vote in Yingluck: The vote was ‘not up to they would have to govern on decade in Bangkok. “The people support of the charter was the international standards because military terms if they win. of the northeast did not approve fi rst test of public opinion since it was not free and fair’. Thais handed the junta of the referendum, and some ac- the 2014 coup, although inde- Prime Minister Prayut Chan- cepted this draft because they pendent campaigning and open ta’s ban on campaigning. ocha a convincing victory in wanted to see an election happen debate was stifl ed ahead of the But it was a sign of a popula- Sunday’s referendum on a mili- soon.” polls. tion wearied by a cycle of coups tary-backed constitution, reject- The ban on campaigning and The draft was heavily criti- and bloody protests that have ed by both major political parties the limited debate on the consti- cised in the poll run-up for defi ned Thailand’s “lost decade” because it would restrict future tution meant many voters lacked clauses that embed military of political confl ict. democracy. a full understanding of what it power and straitjacket the role of Anxiety over the ill health Despite a military ban on cam- contained, said Chuchat Loasu- elected offi cials. of 88-year-old King Bhumibol paigning ahead of the referen- wan, a member of the local elec- “With this new constitu- Adulyadej has compounded the dum and the detention of dozens tion commission outside Khon tion in place, the country has crisis. of activists and students who op- Kaen. moved backwards and away from His reign has seen fi ve tumul- posed the charter, the opposition Chuchat was tasked with ex- the path towards democracy,” tuous decades with powerful appeared to accept the electoral plaining the referendum to vil- Yingluck told AFP. elites now jostling for position verdict. lagers, but said the law against The vote was “not up to in- ahead of the eventual transition. “There will be no protest campaigning made him reluctant ternational standards because it Democracy is on the back- movement,” said Sabina Shah, a to say too much. was not free and fair”, she added. burner throughout this period, former local leader of “Red Shirt” “It was uncomfortable,” he Sunday marked her family’s according to Thitinan Pongsu- Shinawatra supporters in the said. “They wouldn’t let us say fi rst loss at the polls since a char- dhirak, a politics expert at Chu- northeastern city of Khon Kaen. much because if we did, we might ter referendum in the wake of a lalongkorn University. “We’ll wait for the election. It A Thai co-ordinator for New Democracy removes a ‘No’ installation at Thammasat University after the ‘Yes’ be breaking the law or misleading 2006 coup that toppled Thaksin “There is an implicit under- will inevitably be the Puea Thai victory in the constitutional referendum. people.” Shinawatra – Yingluck’s bil- standing of the military being Party, or whatever they become, Thaksin called the constitu- lionaire elder brother who sits at a midwife to a transition. This winning,” she said, referring to turmoil pitting the Shinawatras military’s ambition was to make a farmer who voted against the tion a “folly” in the run-up to the crux of Thailand’s political is why people cut them some the political party that carried against the military-royalist es- future coups unnecessary by us- referendum, speaking in a vil- the referendum and said it would schism. slack,” he said. Yingluck Shinawatra to power in tablishment. ing clauses in the new constitu- lage among verdant rice paddy perpetuate the power of the junta The Shinawatra clan have won The military says the new con- a landslide in 2011. But even if Shinawatra allies tion to weaken political parties fi elds near Khon Khaen. “Not a and make Thailand ungovern- all general elections since 2001, stitution will end endemic polit- The anti-junta opposition has win the 2017 election, they will and oblige future governments to chance.” able. scooping up votes by promising ical corruption and pave the way laid low since Prayut toppled fi nd it diffi cult to scrap the new follow a 20-year national devel- Thailand’s northeastern Isan Yingluck said yesterday that greater wealth and opportunity for a general election next year. Yingluck’s government in a 2014 charter or reverse the military’s opment plan set by the army. is its poorest and most popu- she accepted the result but that to the nation’s poor, especially But critics warn the charter coup, confi dent in its ability to power over future elected gov- The ruling military council has lous region – and a stronghold of the charter was undemocratic in the long neglected north and will introduce a tightly control- win back power at the ballot box ernments. said the charter will pave the way Shinawatra support. (see accompanying report on northeast. led partial democracy under the and keen to avoid a confrontation “We are not going to oppose for a general election in 2017, en- But even there, opposition the right). Yingluck’s pro-democracy stewardship of the military and with a junta that has quashed any this constitution but we are sure clean politics and end Thai- seems to have weakened. “I’m not surprised at the result Puea Thai party had been widely its royalist allies. sign of dissent. certain it will lead to trouble,” land’s caustic political divide. Preliminary results show that of the referendum because there assumed to still enjoy mass sup- Once formally adopted, it will The Red Shirts are supporters Thanawut Wichaidit, spokesman Critics say the charter is the 51% in the region voted against was no chance to show opinions port and maintain the power to allow for a junta-appointed sen- of Yingluck and her billionaire for the Red Shirt United Front of military’s attempt to make good the charter, compared with more or debate the constitution fully,” mobilise their voters. ate – including six seats reserved brother, Thaksin, who was oust- Democracy Against Dictatorship on its failure to banish Thaksin than 60% there who voted “no” Yingluck said in a Twitter post But initial results from the for military commanders. ed in a previous coup in 2006. group told Reuters. “It will be from Thai politics after the coup in the last charter referendum in on Monday. “I am sad and dis- northeast showed only a narrow The upper house will keep Thaksin and his allies have diffi cult to undo this charter even in 2006. 2007. appointed for a country that is majority in support of the party elected lawmakers in check, won every election since 2001, if a government we want comes “If these laws become per- The desire to see a quick elec- going to step backward by using position, with the “no” vote while courts and other watchdog but have been removed from to power.” manent, then it will be impossi- tion may have convinced some a constitution that looks demo- squeaking by with 51%. bodies will be given increased power either by the courts or in Interviews with offi cers, in- ble for the Shinawatras to come voters to vote in favour of the cratic but in fact is not real de- Experts said the vote in part powers – despite already being coups during a decade of political cluding two generals, showed the back,” said Chaloem Butrphu, charter, despite reservations, mocracy.” refl ected the impact of the jun- accused of political bias.

Over-par belly handicaps Cambodia PM’s golf game It’s tough at the top. Cambodia’s prime minister, who has been in power for three decades, is worried his growing pot belly is aff ecting his golf swing. Hun Sen, 64, made the frank admission in response to an old video that Hun Sen receives leadership award had been posted to his Facebook page by a user claiming the leader had suff ered a stroke two years ago and sought treatment in Singapore. The stroke rumour is something Hun Sen, who has vowed to remain in By Erin Hale, DPA Kuan Yew and Malaysia’s Ma- UN-led transition to democracy prime minister in 1998. off ice for at least another decade, has always denied. Phnom Penh hathir Mohamad. in 1991. “Asean is sometimes referred “You don’t need to worry to such a level about the health of Prime Minister Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia Hun Sen accepted the award to as a club of autocrats. They Hun Sen,” the premier said during a speech in southern Kandal province. under various titles for over 30 at the think tank’s annual lead- seem to value being a long term “Don’t say that the prime minister suff ered a stroke. It’s better you say that ambodian Prime Minis- years. ership forum, held in Vientiane, leader as a mark of huge success the prime minister is worried about his weight gain and his belly getting ter Hun Sen received the Originally a commander in Laos, this year. to be desired,” says Ou Virak, who bigger, which makes it diff icult for him to swing while golfing,” he added. CAsean Lifetime Achieve- the communist Khmer Rouge While separate from Associa- heads local think tank Cambodia Hun Sen is renowned for his off -the-cuff marks during his speeches. ment Award as one of the bloc’s party, which ruled Cambodian tion of Southeast Asian Nations Future Forum. His unpredictable commentary has also extended to Facebook, a platform longest serving heads of govern- from 1975 to 1979 and attempted (Asean), the forum is supported Cambodian academic Van- he has recently embraced with gusto, often posting lengthy tirades and ment on Saturday evening, de- to create a racially pure, peasant by the regional bloc. narith Chheang, a lecturer at the surprisingly intimate photos. spite his past as a former Khmer utopia, killing more than a mil- The choice of Hun Sen for the University of Leeds in Britain, In yesterday’s speech he said he had put on 3kg in recent days while Rouge commander during the lion people, he later defected to award raised some eyebrows in said the award was logical given relentlessly touring the country as part of a plan to visit all 25 provinces, 1970s. Vietnam during a period of inter- Cambodia, as many members of Hun Sen’s length of service, often sleeping in his chauff eured car. The award, presented by the nal purges in the late 1970s. the opposition Cambodia Na- despite a less than democratic But he swiftly added he remained in fine fettle: “I am still very strong. Malaysian think tank Asia Strat- Hun Sen was later appointed tional Rescue Party believe Hun record. Sometimes, I feel I am just 25 years old.” egy and Leadership Institute, has as head of Vietnamese-occu- Sen’s party may have rigged the “[The award] just refl ects the Golf is a game few Cambodians can aff ord. The average per capita income Hun Sen: has ruled Cambodia previously been given to South- pied Cambodia, from 1985 until last national election in 2013. long-serving state leadership re- according to the World Bank is $1,158. under various titles for over 30 east Asia’s longest-serving lead- 1989, and refashioned himself as He also staged a coup in 1997, gardless of political ideology and years. ers, including Singapore’s Lee a democratic leader during the which resulted in his victory as leadership type,” Chheang said. Online chats spoil Singapore rocket attack plan

By Kanupriya Kapoor, Reuters have been radicalised over so- daughter lived in a modest one- as wide an audience as possible, It could be that Indonesia’s Batam, Indonesia cial media, specifi cally using storey house in a row of many making it diffi cult for counter- would-be Islamist militants are Facebook, rather than directly,” just like it. His Facebook account terrorist forces to track his fol- no more capable of sophisticated said police spokesman Boy Rafl i showed that he enjoyed cycling lowers. strikes than they were in Janu- t was social media chatter Amar. and hiking. “They may have gotten one ary when a gun and bomb attack that gave him away. “They have been in communi- “We are shocked that a com- cluster but there are probably by four militants in Jakarta, was I Changing his profi le pic- cation with Bahrum Naim in Syr- pletely ordinary person like him many other clusters out there,” quickly snuff ed out. ture on the LINE messaging app ia. It looks like he sent funds and can be like that, can be suspected she said. Last month a suicide bomber to a banner pledging “Indonesian instructions to them,” he added, of being involved in radicalism,” In a blog post after the co-or- on a motorcycle tried to attack a support and solidarity for ISIS” referring to the suspected mas- said neighbour Rubiyati, who dinated attacks on Paris last No- police station in the city of Solo probably didn’t help. termind of the Singapore plot goes by one name. vember, Naim urged his Indone- on Java island, but managed to Had it not been for all that, who left Indonesia in 2015 to join Monalisa, a 23-year-old who sian audience to learn from that kill only himself and wound a po- Gigih Rahmat Dewa’s plot to the frontlines of Islamic State. attended Batam’s state polytech- assault and explained how it was lice offi cer. Indonesian anti-terror police conducting a raid at a house in Batam launch a rocket attack on the Multi-ethnic Singapore, nic institute at the same time as easy to move jihad from “guerril- According to police spokes- on Friday. city-state of Singapore from a sandwiched between two large, Gigih, described the IT student la warfare” in Indonesia’s equa- man Amar, investigators had nearby Indonesian island might Muslim-majority nations, has she knew until 2014 as a normal torial jungles to a city. drawn connections between Jan- Attack group has ‘dozens of members’ never have been uncovered. never seen a successful attack by guy who was “positive, cheerful, Just last month Indonesian uary’s attack in Jakarta and the Gigih, 31, and fi ve accomplices Islamist militants. humble and friendly with every- security forces killed their most- botched suicide bombing in Solo. Indonesian authorities said yesterday that several suspected were arrested on Batam island But the government of the is- one”. wanted militant, Santoso, who He said the Batam group had Islamist radicals arrested last week on suspicion of plotting to attack on Friday after an investigation land state has said repeatedly it is She was, however, surprised had been hiding in a jungle. been acting as an agent for In- neighbouring Singapore were part of a group that has “dozens of that showed how much Indone- only a matter of time. in March of that year when Gigih But analysts say he posed a far donesians who wanted to go and members” and has been active for two years. sia’s Islamist militants now rely According to police, Gigih and changed his LINE group chat smaller threat than the cells of fi ght with Islamic State in Syria Counter-terrorism forces arrested six men on Friday on Batam island, on social media, including with his group had been instructed picture to a photo of a group of Islamists quietly growing in ur- and Iraq, and for militants from just to the south of Singapore. a Syria-based Islamic State (IS) by their mentor in Syria to fi re a people holding up an Islamic ban areas of the main island, Java. China’s ethnic Uighur Muslim The arrests come amid mounting concern about the spread of Islamist militant who allegedly directed rocket at Singapore’s Marina Bay, State banner. Kasiman, chief of the neigh- minority who wanted to enter ideology in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. them to stage attacks. a glitzy downtown waterfront There was no preaching by bourhood association where Indonesia. National police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar said the group mostly It also underlined how mili- area that hosts a Formula One hardline Islamists on campus Gigih lives in Batam, told Reu- But it was Facebook posts that recruited members online and was taking instructions from Bahrun tants in the world’s most popu- Grand Prix and is home to a ca- and so it is unlikely he was radi- ters that the house had been gave them the breakthrough on Naim, an Indonesian who has joined Islamic State (IS) in Syria. lous Muslim nation, once tight- sino resort and offi ce blocks. calised there, she said. “But what under surveillance for about fi ve the plot to hit Singapore. “The GRD group has been in operation for two years and has dozens knit under the Jemaah Islamiah Residents of Batam, 15km people do off campus or online is months before Friday’s raid. “Their terrorist action plans of members,” Amar told a news conference in Jakarta, referring to group and internally focused, are south of Singapore, said they another matter.” Experts say a rocket attack on were in Facebook,” he said, with- the group named after its leader Gigih Rahmat Dewa. “This group splintering into smaller gangs were dismayed to learn that the Jakarta-based security ana- Singapore from a nearby island is out giving detail. “They didn’t is an extension of Bahrum Naim’s vision and mission. We cannot loosely linked to Islamic State six local men, fi ve of whom were lyst Sidney Jones said Naim, the feasible, but police found only a announce it but they were dis- underestimate them.” with increasingly regional ambi- local factory workers, were ex- Syria-based militant, appeared stash of bomb-making material, cussing it – communicating on Counter-terrorism off icers rounded up the six men after tracking them tions. tremists. to be using virtually every avail- fi rearms and arrows during their social media between all the for months on social media. “The men in Batam seem to Gigih, his wife and infant able form of social media to reach search of the ringleader’s home. members.” One of the suspects was later released, Amar said yesterday. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 9 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Pokemon Go master says he’s not done with game just yet Akihito ‘indicates’ Reuters Hundreds fi ned in Taiwan Tokyo Nearly 350 drivers in Taiwan were slapped with fines for playing on their phones ick Johnson, who claims to be the after Pokemon Go launched on the island, fi rst person to capture all 145 crea- which has already resulted in broken legs Ntures now available in Pokemon Go, and museum bans. says that he is not ready to put away his A total of 349 fines were issued since the desire to abdicate smartphone just yet and hopes for new fea- game launched in Taiwan on Saturday, tures. with the majority of the off enders driving Reuters The 28-year-old tech employee from motorcycles, according to the National Tokyo Brooklyn, New York, who refers to himself Police Agency. as the “world-fi rst Pokemon Go master” on Drivers face fines of T$3,000 ($95) if his Twitter account, announced last week caught using their phone, while motorcy- mperor Akihito, 82, in a rare that he had completed his quest after trav- clist have to hand over T$1,000. video address to the public elling across the globe for the smartphone Eyesterday, said he worried that game. age may make it diffi cult for him to “I’ll defi nitely carry on playing it. There’s it’s a good excuse to exercise for me still, so fully carry out his duties, remarks still a handful of the legendary Pokemon I’ll be keeping up the regimen.” widely seen as suggesting he wants they haven’t released yet, so I’m looking Apart from Pokemon (“pocket mon- to abdicate. forward to when they do that,” Johnson told sters”) types found everywhere, there are Public broadcaster NHK reported Reuters in an interview in Tokyo yesterday. others exclusive to regions. last month that Akihito, who has “I’m hoping they add some of the more Johnson, who says his tips for other play- had heart surgery and been treated asked for features like player versus player ers is to maximise the social aspect of the for prostate cancer, wanted to step battling and more direct interaction with game and create online and offl ine networks down in a few years – which would other players. It’s still a great way to sort of to fi nd rare creatures, caught his last re- be unprecedented in modern Japan. hang out with friends and go outside and gional Pokemon in Sydney. Once considered divine, the em- peror is defi ned in the constitution as a symbol of the state and the unity of the people. He has no political power. Akihito stopped short of saying outright that he wanted to abdicate, People watch Emperor Akihito’s video address on a large screen in Tokyo. which could be interpreted as inter- fering in politics: “When I consider retire, but such a step would need or’s age and the burden of his offi cial humiliating defeat in World War II. that my fi tness level is gradually changes to the law. duties, it was necessary to consider With Akihito apparently rejecting declining, I am worried that it may Akihito has been cutting back what steps could be taken. a regency, the only options would become diffi cult for me to carry out on offi cial duties, with his heir, The idea of abdication has sparked appear to be revising the Imperial my duties as the symbol of the state 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhi- opposition from Abe’s conservative Household Law or enacting a spe- with my whole being, as I have done to, taking his place. base, which worries debate of the cial law allowing him to abdicate, until now.” There were limits to how far that imperial family’s future could widen said Naotaka Kimizuka, an expert in Akihito took the throne after the could go, he said yesterday. to the topic of letting women inherit monarchies at Kanto Gakuin Uni- death in 1989 of his father, Hirohito, The emperor also seemed to cast and pass on the throne, anathema to versity. in whose name Japan fought World doubt on whether it was appropriate traditionalists. “They will either revise the law War II. to use an existing system that would Naruhito’s only child is a daugh- without touching on (female) suc- He has sought to soothe the allow Naruhito to take over as regent ter. Only males can inherit the Chry- cession, or pass a special law,” he wounds of the war in Asia during if his father were incapacitated. santhemum Throne, which after said, adding steps could be taken trips overseas and tried to bring the “Even in such cases (of a regen- Naruhito would pass to his brother, next year. “It felt as if the emperor monarchy closer to the people. cy), however, it does not change the Prince Akishino and then to nine- were saying ‘Please hurry’.” Akihito feels strongly that an em- fact that the emperor continues to year-old nephew Hisahito. It was the second time Akihito had peror’s full performance of his du- be emperor until the end of his life, Other conservatives worry de- addressed the public in a video mes- ties is integral to his constitutional even though he is unable to fully voting political energy to discuss- sage. role, experts say. carry out his duties as the emperor,” ing abdication could sidetrack Abe’s The fi rst was after a massive Opinion polls show the vast ma- Akihito said. push to revise the US-drafted paci- earthquake, deadly tsunami and jority of ordinary Japanese sympa- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told fi st constitution, which many con- nuclear crisis hit northeast Japan in thise with the emperor’s desire to reporters that, in view of the emper- servatives see as a symbol of Japan’s March 2011.

Australian may face more terror charges A member of an Australian anti-immigration group accused of planning an attack may face additional charges in what the government said was the first time federal terrorism laws had been used to target such right-wing groups. Phillip Galea, 31, has been charged with acts done in preparation for a terrorist act and collecting or making documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act, after being arrested in Melbourne on Saturday. Victoria state Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther told reporters that he or his associates may face additional charges. Galea will return to court today for his next hearing. “That’s always a possibility given that we’re in an early part of the investigation,” Guenther said yesterday. Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown Islamist radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. But far-right activist groups and political parties opposed to Islam and Asian immigration are on the rise in Australia. Justice Minister Michael Keenan said that the charges showed that Australia’s tough new counter-terrorism laws, which some Muslim leaders have said unfairly subjected them to racial profiling, were in fact unbiased. “This is the first time in the history of Australia that we have used Commonwealth terrorism laws to charge someone who is alleged to have been a right-wing extremist,” Keenan told reporters in Perth. Galea was a fixture at rallies held by the far-right True Blue Crew, group co- founder Kane Miller told Reuters. Yesterday Miller distanced himself and the organisation from Galea, whom he said had never openly discussed any alleged plot. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 BRITAIN/IRELAND Irish priest – icon of the confl ict dies Daly spent decades as a peace mostly Protestants, who wanted it to remain es, was shot in the thigh two years ago as part campaigner in Derry part of the United Kingdom. of a long-running feud over who would con- Daly campaigned for innocent victims of trol the local branch of the organisation. Agencies the Troubles, including the Birmingham Six, The UDA and other so-called loyalist Belfast who were wrongly convicted of bombing two groups are opposed to Northern Ireland leav- Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) picket at Victoria Station. pubs in the city and spent 16 years in jail in ing the United Kingdom and joining the Re- one of Britain’s most notorious miscarriages public of Ireland. he priest who waved his white blood- of justice before being acquitted in 1991. Based in Protestant, working-class com- stained handkerchief at British troops “Bishop Edward will be remembered as a munities, they fought republican paramili- Ton Bloody Sunday in 1972 in what fearless peace-builder,” archbishop of Ireland tary groups such as the Irish Republican Army Travel misery as strike begins became one of the enduring images of the Eamon Martin said in a statement. (IRA) during the three decades of violence in Northern Irish confl ict, died yesterday aged “His untiring advocacy... earned him re- the province known as The Troubles. 82, the Irish Catholic church said. spect from some, suspicion from others.” The UDA and the rival Ulster Volunteer Reuters of conductors, staff who current- ond staff member on trains while Edward Daly, who went on to become a Northern Ireland deputy fi rst minister Force (UVF) offi cially ended their activities in London ly have responsibility for opening negotiations continued. bishop and peace campaigner, was shown on Martin McGuinness, who has admitted to the wake of the peace process, but authorities and closing the carriage doors. However, the talks failed as television around the world leading a group being an active Irish Republican Army mem- say they remain active in drug running, ex- The RMT union, one of Brit- GTR said in times of disruption, of men carrying a dying youth past Brit- ber on Bloody Sunday, said Daly had been “a tortion and violence. undreds of thousands of ain’s most militant, says South- there might be occasions when ish troops who had opened fi re at a crowd of constant right through the course of the last Periodically, feuding gangs — even those in train commuters in Lon- ern wants to extend the use of they would let trains run with Catholics after a protest march, killing 13. 40 odd years”, noting he had been critical of the same organisation — clash over territorial Hdon and southern Eng- driver-only operated trains and just a driver. Daly, who went on to spend 19 years as the IRA as well as all other sides in the con- control, and violence has broken out recently land were facing misery yester- so reduce the safety role the con- The company’s chief execu- Bishop of Derry and decades as a peace cam- fl ict. between the UDA and UVF. day as rail staff began a ve-dayfi ductors play. tive Charles Horton said their paigner, died early yesterday, the Irish Bish- James Brokenshire, Britain’s secretary of Detective chief inspector Justyn Galloway strike in a safety row over who Govia Thameslink Railway planned changes would improve ops’ Conference said in a statement. state for Northern Ireland, said: “He was an said police were pursuing several lines of en- opens and closes the doors. (GTR), Britain’s largest train op- services for passengers and had His testimony about the events Bloody iconic fi gure in civic life, and he will long be quiry for what he described as a “brutal and Southern, which runs trains erator which owns Southern, provided guarantees about the Sunday helped garner public opinion to the remembered as a cleric who worked tirelessly senseless killing”. from destinations such as says the changes would lead to future role of conductors but the side of the protesters. to promote peace for all.” “Tensions within loyalist paramilitarism Brighton and Gatwick Airport, fewer train cancellations as serv- RMT had refused to negotiate. It was rejected by the British authorities at Police in Northern Ireland appealed and criminality are among those lines of en- has said only 60% of its services ices would no longer require both “The RMT union is letting the time, but was proved accurate in a 2010 for calm yesterday after a prominent para- quiry but they are not the only ones. would operate during the week- drivers and conductors. everyone down and the action inquiry that concluded that the civilians had military was shot dead in Belfast, escalating Our early assessment is that this was not a long stoppage, the longest British “Our fi ght is with the company they are taking this week is un- been killed without justifi cation, prompting fears of an internecine turf war in Protestant sectarian attack,” he said in a statement. rail walkout for almost 50 years, and the government who have necessary, unacceptable and un- an apology from prime minister David Cam- working-class communities. Local police superintendent Paula Hilman and no trains would operate at all dragged this franchise into total justifi ed,” he told BBC radio. eron. John Boreland, 46, a leading member of added: “We already have a signifi cant polic- on some routes. meltdown,” said RMT general The opposition Labour Party The 1972 killings changed the course of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), was ing operation in place across north Belfast, so The strike adds to the prob- secretary Mick Cash.”We share accused the government of fail- the Troubles that erupted in the late 1960s, shot at close range several times outside his I am appealing for people to be calm and not lems of weary passengers who the anger and frustration of pas- ing to help resolve the dispute boosting the Irish Republican Army’s vio- home on Sunday evening, the Police Service take the law into their own hands.” have suff ered months of can- sengers and we cannot sit back because of an anti-union agen- lent campaign for Northern Ireland to secede of Northern Ireland said. Northern Ireland fi rst minister Arlene Fos- cellations and delays because while jobs and safety are com- da but Prime Minister Theresa from the United Kingdom and become part of He had been warned by police about his ter, leader of the pro-British Democratic Un- of high levels of staff sickness, promised on these dangerously May’s spokeswoman said the the Republic of Ireland. safety within the past few months, the force ionist Party, said she was “shocked and dis- while in July Southern axed 341 overcrowded trains.” strike would not solve anything. A 1998 peace deal, brokered after more said, adding that he was believed to have been gusted” at the murder. trains, about 15 %, to provide During mediation talks last “It is not helping passengers than 3,600 had died, has largely ended the killed with a shotgun. Deputy fi rst minister Martin McGuinness, what it said would be a more reg- week, the union said it had of- travelling on these trains wheth- confl ict that pitted mostly Catholics, who Boreland, who had served time in jail for of the republican Sinn Fein party, said it was ular service. fered to call off the strike if GTR er people have concerns about wanted a united Ireland, against Unionists, extortion, intimidation and fi rearms off enc- “shameful”. The dispute centres on the role promised there would be a sec- safety or not,” she said

New Labour members can vote in elections

AFP among the party’s grassroots, but sharply at odds London with an overwhelming majority of Labour MPs. They believe he is an incapable leader driving them towards a third straight general election de- ive new members of Britain’s crisis-hit main feat. opposition Labour Party won a court case A YouGov poll of 1,772 adults conducted be- Fyesterday allowing them to vote in its leader- tween August 1 and 2 put Prime Minister Theresa ship contest — a decision aff ecting 125,000 people. May’s Conservatives on 42% support, Labour on The party’s governing National Executive 28%, Ukip on 12% and the Liberal Democrats on Committee had decided people who had been 8%. members for less than six months up to July 12 The Labour Party could take the high court rul- could not vote in the contest between embattled ing to the court of appeal and if it does, a hearing leader Jeremy Corbyn and relatively unknown could take place later this week. challenger Owen Smith. Corbyn’s campaign manager John McDonnell, The high court said the NEC’s decision Labour’s fi nance spokesman, appealed to the amounted to a breach of contract, in a ruling that party not to appeal, calling the prospect “appall- increases the voter base by around a quarter. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. ing”. The fi ve new party members claimed they had Smith, little known even at Westminster until been “frozen out” of the leadership contest. Bookmakers William Hill immediately slashed he announced his candidacy, called for an exten- The high court verdict was being interpreted their odds on Corbyn winning from 1/10 to 1/16. sion of the timetable in the leadership contest fol- as a victory for socialist stalwart Corbyn, already “This already looked an unequal contest, but lowing the ruling. runaway favourite with the bookmakers to win this new ruling seems to spell the death knell Ballot papers in the leadership contest are due the contest. for Smith’s hopes,” said William Hill spokesman to be posted to members, trade unionists and reg- “Corbyn boosted by new members’ ruling,” Graeme Sharpe. istered supporters on August 22 and the winner said the Financial Times newspaper. Labour is in deep crisis with Corbyn popular announced on September 24.

Britons will decide how to spend £1bn shale gas fund

Reuters London

ritons living near “fracking” developments will be able to decide how a £1bn ($1.3bn) shale gas wealth Bfund should be spent, either by accepting direct per- sonal payments or supporting projects such as railways or fl ood defences, the government said yesterday. Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Sunday that some tax proceeds from new shale gas developments could go directly into local residents’ pockets, showing her sup- port for the nascent industry that she hopes can ease Brit- ain’s growing reliance on imported gas. In a consultation published yesterday outlining how the shale wealth fund should be run, the government said pay- ments to individual communities, where residents could decide what to do with the money, should not exceed £10mn over the 25-year lifespan of the fund. Residents would be given the choice of receiving pay- ments directly or picking a project that would help their community. “Local communities should be the fi rst to benefi t from the Shale Wealth Fund, and they should get to decide how a proportion of the funding is used,” the government said in its consultation document. Payouts to communities from the wealth fund will come on top of shale gas operator payments of £100,000 per exploration well and a 1% share of shale gas site rev- enues. INEOS, which controls Britain’s largest shale gas sites, has pledged to increase the percentage of its revenue it would pay to communities to 6%. It said these payments could add up to £2.5bn. Shale gas developers welcomed the government’s proposal. “The onshore oil and gas industry in the UK continues to believe that local people should share in the success of our industry and be rewarded for hosting sites on behalf of others in the country,” said Ken Cronin, chief executive of the UK Onshore Oil and Gas body. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 11 EUROPE European intelligence database seen aiding fi ght against militants

Reuters which exposed intelligence gaps. pected Islamist militants collect- German interior ministry. ropol and Interpol, but spy agen- In another case, the former the rotating EU presidency at the Berlin/Amsterdam A total of 130 people were ed by members of the Counter- A refi nement of earlier data- cies are generally reluctant to French spy Claude Moniquet time, played a key role in setting killed in those attacks. Terrorism Group, which groups bases, the new system is designed share intelligence data, except on has been quoted as saying that up the database. Hosted by the Dutch intelli- all 28 European Union countries, to make it easier to cross-refer- a case-by-case or bilateral basis. France did not pass on informa- Dutch offi cials urged global European counter-ter- gence service in The Hague, the Switzerland and Norway. ence material provided by diff er- Lack of co-operation was a fo- tion about Mehdi Nemmouche, counter-terrorism offi cials to rorism intelligence data- database went live on July 1, the Its creation marks a step for- ent countries’ security services, a cal point after the Paris attacks. a French-Algerian dual national, agree to greater sharing of bank- Abase designed to gener- German interior ministry and the ward in the fi ght against Islamic Dutch security offi cial said. Several of those involved in the who shot four people at the Jew- ing details and key data about ate greater intelligence sharing German domestic intelligence State (IS), which is focused in- “If we see one of our targets attacks had been on the radar of ish Museum in Brussels in 2014. potential militants after missed among allies to avert deadly Is- agency (BfV) said. creasingly on orchestrating travelling to Amsterdam, we authorities in other countries. After Abdesalam’s arrest, US signals in Paris. lamist attacks has gone online “The intelligence database will large-scale and “lone wolf” at- haven’t been checking until now Abdelhamid Abaaoud, sus- offi cials privately disparaged In the past, they said, coun- after overcoming traditional re- make it much easier and quicker tacks as it suff ers setbacks and if his brother or nephew is also pected mastermind behind the European intelligence-gather- tries often failed to share lists luctance by spy agencies to shar- to share information about pos- loses territory in Iraq and Syria. travelling,” the offi cial said, giv- Paris attacks, for instance, had ing and said they were working of suspects whose assets had ing information. sible threats,” said one intelli- “We need a close exchange ing an illustration of the way the mocked European frontier con- closely with European authori- been frozen, making it possible European offi cials were gence offi cial. of information that is rapid and new database worked. trols and boasted how easy it was ties to ensure they had the train- for someone blacklisted in one spurred into setting up the The database enables Europe- comprehensive, based on the European police agencies have for him to move between Syria ing needed to prevent another country to drive across the bor- project by the Paris attacks last an intelligence agencies to share relevant legal and privacy regu- long shared information about to his Belgian homeland and the Paris-style attack. der and use their bank cards in a November by Islamist militants real-time information about sus- lations,” said one offi cial at the potential criminals through Eu- rest of Europe. The Netherlands, which held neighbouring country.

Teenager convicted of killing Survey: New polls won’t refugee centre resolve Spain’s deadlock worker Reuters votes both times, struggling to yesterday’s opinion poll. Madrid get backing from rivals to form a The Socialists would come a government. slightly improved second if an- AFP The PP would maintain its other election were held, the poll Stockholm third election in Spain leading position in another elec- showed, on 23.1% of the vote would do nothing to re- tion, winning 32.5% of the vote, versus 22.7% in June. Asolve a deadlock that the survey showed. It did not give an estimate of Swedish court has sen- has left the country without a But that would be a slight drop parliamentary seats. tenced a teenaged Ethio- new government for over seven from the 33% it garnered in a An alliance of far-left parties, Apian asylum-seeker to months, an infl uential sur- June 26 election and would still Unidos Podemos (“Together We psychiatric care for fatally stab- vey suggested yesterday, piling leave it far from a parliamentary Can”) would come third with bing a young woman working at pressure on leaders to fi nd an- majority. 19.6% of the vote, down from a youth refugee housing centre other way out of the impasse. The political paralysis has yet 21.1% in the last ballot, while in January. Two elections – in December to derail Spain’s economic re- Ciudadanos would come fourth The teen, identifi ed in court and June – delivered hung par- covery, with a booming tourism with 12%, down from 13%. documents as Youssaf Kha- liaments after the rise of newer season encouraging businesses The PP was the only one of the liif Nuur, had been charged with political forces ended four dec- to hire and households to spend. four main parties to win more murder but the district court ades of a stable two-party sys- But without a government, seats in parliament in June com- in the southwestern town of tem. Spain will struggle to deliver its pared with December, racking up Gothenburg found him guilty of Now, state pollster Centro de 2017 budget plans to Brussels in 137, though that was still short of involuntary manslaughter and Investigaciones Sociologicas time for a mid-October dead- the 176 needed for a majority in aggravated assault. said, the number of people who line – raising concerns over how the 350-strong lower house. “Youssaf Nuur, through his not even bother to vote is on the long its economy can continue Surveys show a vast major- heedless behaviour, caused Al- rise. to outperform eurozone peers. ity of Spaniards are still more exandra Mezher’s death. He is “A third election would be ri- And voters are growing in- concerned with underlying eco- therefore guilty of involuntary diculous, what a waste of money. creasingly weary. nomic problems such as Spain’s manslaughter,” the court wrote. Politicians’ job is to govern and Some 13.4% of the 2,500 peo- This picture taken on June 26 shows Rajoy casting his vote at a voting station in Madrid. An influential high unemployment rate than A court-ordered examination sort this out, what have they ple surveyed in early July said survey has suggested that a third election would do nothing to resolve a deadlock that has left the with the political vacuum. found Nuur was mentally un- been doing for a year?” said Be- they would abstain in another country without a new government for over seven months. But some are alarmed that stable, and this may have meant atriz Claver, a fi nancial consult- election, versus the 11% record- the talks appear to be going no- that he did not know that the ant taking a break in a square in ed in its last survey of voting in- zens) party, a natural ally for the It has only promised to ab- to break the deadlock, though where. stabs to Mezher’s thigh would central Madrid. tentions in early June. PP on economic matters, has stain in a confi dence vote to in- most parties concede it would be “I am worried, I think that we cause her to bleed to death, the Negotiations between Span- The historic rivalry between opposed giving its support to vest a new PP prime minister, damaging. can’t trust in any change hap- court said. ish leaders have yet to bear fruit the PP and the Socialists as well Rajoy and called for a new face while the Socialists have, since “Holding a third election pening soon,” said metro worker Mezher, a 22-year-old of Leb- after the latest election, with the as diff erences over policy and at the helm of a potential PP-led December, insisted they would would turn us into the laughing Ivan del Fresno, 37, adding he no anese origin, was stabbed as she conservative People’s Party (PP) leadership have hampered the minority government after the vote against the PP. stock of Europe,” PP parliamen- longer cared what form of gov- tried to break up a fi ght in the of acting Prime Minister Mari- talks. PP was battered by a series of Rajoy warned last week a tary spokesman Rafael Hernan- ernment emerged from the ne- centre for unaccompanied mi- ano Rajoy, which won the most The liberal Ciudadanos (Citi- corruption scandals. third election might be needed do told a news conference after gotiations. nors. Nuur also attacked another person who tried to help Mezher, resulting in the conviction for aggravated assault. Nuur neither denied nor ad- Serbia PM appoints mitted the events, telling the court that he had no memory of what had happened. openly gay minister After undergoing psychiatric care, Nuur was ordered deported from Sweden and banned from AFP since starting EU accession returning before 2026. Belgrade talks. Nuur’s exact age has not been More than 80% of Serbia’s determined. 7mn people are Orthodox He told the court he was 15, erbian Prime Minister Christians. but the prosecution argued that Aleksandar Vucic an- At Belgrade’s Gay Pride he was at least 18. Snounced a new cabinet march in 2010, hardline na- After examining bone x-rays line-up yesterday that includ- tionalists attacked partici- and dental records, the court French artist Saype posing with his massive painting in the ed the fi rst openly gay ministe- pants and clashed with po- sided with the prosecution. background. rial candidate in the conserva- lice, wounding 150 people and A lawyer for Mezher’s fam- tive Balkan country. prompting offi cials to ban the ily, Hans Gaestadius, told news Ana Brnabic, 40, is set to be parade for the next three years. agency TT that they were “dis- appointed minister for state It has taken Vucic more than appointed” by the verdict as they administration, pending par- three months to put together a had hoped for a murder convic- Artist eyes record with liamentary approval of the cabinet after his Serbian Pro- tion, and they planned to appeal. cabinet today. gressive Party won re-election The January 25 killing sparked “Her personal choices do in snap polls in late April. outrage in Sweden amid a fl are giant hillside portrait not interest me, she is welcome Serbia’s parliament, where in violence linked to the migrant The painting said to be the world’s largest biodegradable painting, in the Serbian government,” he has majority support, is due crisis, especially at overcrowded is seen on the Chaux-de-Mont ski slope above the Alp resort of Vucic told reporters when meet this afternoon to vote in reception centres. AFP Legros, better known as Saype, Leysin. The 100m long and 100m wide painting is made with flour, asked about Brnabic’s sexual- the new ministerial candidates. According to the Swedish Mi- Geneva to paint a pipe-smoking shep- linseed oil, water, and biodegradable natural pigments. ity. “I told her that what inter- Brnabic, who studied in gration Agency, the number of herd onto 10,000sq m (12,000sq ests me is the work you can do.” Britain, has worked as the head threats and violent incidents at yards) of grass near Leysin in the down the hill, it would take me what I wanted to refl ect on,” he Homophobia is widespread of NALED Serbia, the National asylum facilities more than dou- rmed with a spray gun Alpine canton of Vaud. half an hour to go and fetch it,” told the paper. in Serbia and other Balkan Alliance for Local Economic bled from 2014 to 2015 as Swe- and lugging buckets of Keen to protect the environ- he told the 24 Heures newspaper. According to Guinness World societies, and Belgrade has Development, a public-private den witnessed a record number Afl our, water, and pig- ment, Saype, 27, used only nat- Saype had to make several Records, Saype’s work is slightly come under pressure to boost association that aims to im- of migrant arrivals. ment, a French artist has over- ural products for his artwork, emergency repairs to the paint- smaller than the largest painting protection for minorities, in- prove the business environ- A country of 9.8mn, Swe- come storms and burrowing which will gradually fade as the ing, fi lling in the burrows made on any surface. cluding the LGBT community, ment. den took in more than 160,000 moles to turn a hectare of Swiss grass grows and as rain falls. by moles, before its offi cial That honour belongs to asylum-seekers in 2015, putting hillside into what is believed to Altitude and the sheer scale launch over the weekend. Croatian artist Duka Siroglavic, it among the EU states with the be the world’s largest painting of the project were challenges “I painted an immense man. whose Wave covers 10,800sq m Erdogan: I want to reset Russia ties highest proportion of refugees on grass. for the artist. But he is nothing compared to of canvas and was fi rst exhibited per capita. It took fi ve days for Guillaume “If I forgot a bucket of paint the immensity of nature. That’s outside a university in Zagreb. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with Russia’s Tass news agency published yesterday that he wants to reset relations with Russia from a clean slate and restart co- operation in a range of sectors. Erdogan was speaking on the eve of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg intended to end a period of high No good deed goes unpunished: Russian kills wife’s saviour tension after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border last November. Russia imposed trade sanctions on Turkey and the number of AFP old culprit and his wife were berian Buryatia region said in a ran off and fetched a knife, inves- loss, while the other survived. Russian tourists visiting the country fell by 87% in the first half of Moscow drinking on the shore of Siberia’s statement. tigators said, based on witness Investigators said the at- 2016. Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest But “despite the fact that the testimony. tacker’s actions were “not only As Turkey’s relations with Europe and the United States are strained freshwater lake around 4,400km men had rushed over and practi- He then ran up and “threat- criminal but also quite immoral”, by the fallout from its failed coup, Erdogan may be hoping his trip Russian has been detained east of Moscow. cally saved the life of his wife”, the ened them with reprisals”. which “could signifi cantly in- to Russia will give the West pause for thought. after stabbing to death a The couple went swimming man started drunkenly shouting As the rescuers tried to disarm crease the sentence”. Erdogan, in his Tass interview, repeatedly referred to Putin as “dear” Aman who had just helped and the woman got into diffi cul- at the rescuers and pushing one him, he stabbed two of them, one The detained man is claiming or “respected” Vladimir and called him a friend. save his wife from drowning, in- ties, but a group of young men of them, investigators said. in the hip and one in the neck. self-defence. “This visit strikes me as a new milepost in our bilateral relations, vestigators said yesterday. nearby heard her screams and As the group of young men The 27-year-old man who was He is charged with severe bod- starting again from a clean slate,” Erdogan told Tass. “A new page The crime took place on Sat- helped her husband pull her out, revived the woman and took her stabbed in the hip died in hospi- ily harm leading to death and will be opened in Russo-Turkish ties. This new page will include urday evening when the 51-year- investigators for the eastern Si- over to a campsite, the husband tal after suff ering massive blood could serve up to 15 years in jail. military, economic and cultural co-operation.” Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 INDIA

Waterworld Parliament passes historic GST bill IANS GST will end tax terrorism, corruption and help states, says prime minister New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday Prime Minister said while the Kharge earlier bluntly asked BJP lead- said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) country often hears people and public ers, including the Prime Minister, on ndia yesterday took a major step bill will go a long way in helping states, leaders talk about corruption, there is why their party had opposed the GST towards a unifi ed goods and serv- support small entrepreneurs and also also a need to ensure that the system is Bill when the UPA was in power. Iices tax regime across the country, curb the menace of corruption. corrected. “We are getting all the blame, a with parliament passing the relevant Intervening during a debate on the Modi said he has always main- perception has gone that we (Con- constitution amendment bill in what GST bill in the Lok Sabha, the prime tained that small businesses are the gress) stalled the GST. Actually it is you is seen as the most radical indirect tax minister asserted that the new tax law country’s strength and his government all (BJP) who opposed it,” Kharge said reform in over six decades. will be an important step towards get- has worked hard to bring necessary in the Lok Sabha while participating in The Lok Sabha passed the amend- ting the country rid of “tax terrorism” changes in the GST law to ensure that the debate. ments to the bill adopted by Rajya and also make “consumers the king”. “consumer and small businesses will During his reply, Modi maintained Sabha during its passage last week. “In our country there is a trend of gain tremendously”. Small business will that having seen the issues concern- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was kaccha bill-pucca bill (fake bills and feel more secure with this, he said. ing GST as the Gujarat chief minister, present in the Lok Sabha when the bill original bills),” prime minister said, and He also said a big message of the now that he is Prime Minister, saying: was passed. asserted that the proposed uniform tax GST law will be that “consumer will “I find it easy today to address these Intervening during the nearly six law will be technology based. be the king”. Prime minister said the problems”. hour debate on the bill, he said Goods Henceforth business houses and Goods and Services Tax Bill was “a very He said it is true, a trust deficit had A local carries his belongings as he wades through the flooded banks of the and Services Tax (GST) bill will go a entrepreneurs “will be forced” to insist big and important step” towards get- come to stay between states and River Ganga after heavy rains in Allahabad yesterday. long way in helping states, support only on pucca bill (original) bill which ting the country rid of “tax terrorism”. the Centre earlier. However, he said small entrepreneurs and also curb the will “end corruption in the long run”. Earlier, Modi started his speech by now good relation has developed as menace of corruption. He described GST as a “Great Step paying tributes to freedom fighters on members rose above party aff iliations He said that the new tax law will by Team India, Great Step towards the eve of the anniversary of the Quit in Parliament to talk about GST. be an important step towards getting Transformation and Great Step towards India movement. Modi also strongly countered Veer- the country rid of “tax terrorism” and Transparency”. “As we remember them (the freedom appa Moily’s contention that the NDA also make “consumers the king”. Trying to answer various issues fighters), the two houses of parliament, government had consulted only Rajya Saudi directives to address The Constitution (One Hundred raised by members, including M the parliamentarians collectively are Sabha leaders on the uniform tax law and Twenty-Second Amendment) Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjun Kharge taking a very big and important step and thereby reduced the Lok Sabha to Bill, 2014 and amendments were fi rst (both Congress), the prime minister towards getting rid of tax terrorism,” a “junior partner”. woes of Indian workers declared approved by a two-thirds said that the new law will benefit states, Modi said, referring to the Quit India “Such description was uncalled for,” majority with 443 members of the especially those which are considered movement that was launched on PM said and maintained that when his lower house voting in its favour in the backward. August 9 in 1942. government began consultation on By Irfan Mohammed, IANS Saudi Arabia”. Construction giant Saudi fi nal vote and none against. “It will address the problem of imbal- Trying to dispel notions of a few the GST, he had met both Congress Jeddah Oger shut down, laying off hundreds of AIADMK, which had staged a walk anced development,” he maintained. opposition leaders that the BJP-led gov- president Sonia Gandhi, a member of workers from India. out in the Rajya Sabha, did so in the The Rajya Sabha had on August 3 ernment would try to steal the limelight Lok Sabha, and Manmohan Singh, a The Indian government has success- Lok Sabha too. unanimously passed the Constitution and take all the credit for passing the Rajya Sabha MP. n a ray of hope for hundreds of dis- fully drawn the attention of the Saudi The government had moved amendment bill to pave the way for GST, he said “this should not be seen as “One is a Lok Sabha MP and other tressed Indians and workers of other side, and several prospective Saudi em- amendments in the Rajya Sabha to introduction of a pan-India Goods and a victory of any single party”. is from Rajya Sabha. I treated both the Inationalities rendered jobless, Saudi ployers are coming forward to hire job- the bill, which was passed by the Lok Services Tax regime. “It is due to the victory of all political house equally. Question of treating Lok Arabian King Salman has issued a series less Indian nationals belonging to Saudi Sabha in 2015, to accommodate con- Prime Minister’s absence in the parties and victory of Indian democ- Sabha as a junior house does not arise,” of directives to address their problems Oger in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. cerns of opposition, notably the Con- Rajya Sabha during last week’s debate racy,” Modi said. he said. and also earmarked 100mn Saudi riyals Saudi employers along with Indian gress. fetched him strong criticism from oppo- The Lok Sabha, which had already Modi said passing the GST bill would ($26mn) for the workers. diplomats and Saudi labour ministry offi - The new regime — the idea for sition parties, including Congress. passed the GST Constitution Amend- go a long way in creating a new tax According to a statement issued by cials are visiting the labour camps in Jed- which was mooted some 13 years ago For greater part of the day Modi yes- ment Bill in May 2015, took it up on mechanism. Saudi labour ministry, 100mn riyals dah and meeting with job seekers. They — seeks to subsume all central indi- terday sat through during the debate Monday again to approve the modifica- He directed Finance Minister Arun ($26mn) has been earmarked to address held interviews yesterday for some hun- rect levies like excise duty, counter- and was also present in the house after tions made in it by the Rajya Sabha last Jaitley to ensure that 16 states ratify the concerns of workers and end their dreds of skilled and unskilled workers. vailing duty and service tax, as also making his speech in the evening. week. the bill at the earliest and also that suff erings. “In a series of eff orts we have launched state taxes such as value added tax, Explaining on how GST will contrib- The government had moved six of- adequate steps are taken to ensure King Salman instructed the labour the facilitation for prospective employer entry tax and luxury tax, to create a ute to end corruption, Modi said the ficial amendments, including scrapping early passage of the draft legislation on minister to meet with representatives and employee, interested and agreed single, pan-India market. new mechanism will also end leakage of 1 per cent additional tax. integrated GST, the central GST and the of the aff ected countries to brief them workers can continue their jobs with new Some items, notably potable alco- or pilferage in the entire supply chain. Congress floor leader Mallikarjun state GST. about the measures initiated by Saudi employers with new contract,” said Noor hol and petroleum products, will be Arabia to address the issues. Rahman Sheikh, Indian consul general. outside its purview for now. He directed the ministry of informa- He declined to reveal the number of Replying to the debate, Finance ister by calling it “retrograde in nature”. This apart, while the centre will Even though the idea of a pan-In- tion to highlight the eff orts taken to ease jobs off ered by Saudi employers, and Minister Arun Jaitley said that de- “We were the creators of the GST. have have to take Parliament’s nod dia GST was fi rst mooted in 2003, it the suff erings of the workers, especially added that if both parties agreed on mand for reducing the indirect taxes We were the fi rst to bring the GST. We again for its version of the GST, states was seven years later that a formal bill Indians and Filipinos. mutual terms then most of the jobless and hiking direct taxes is not practi- support it. Those who are passing the too will need to do the same, which was fi rst introduced. King Salman also announced to in- workers of the current crisis can be ac- cal, adding corporate tax in India was GST now, why were they opposing it may not be a quick process. But this lapsed when the United crease the number of labour complaint commodated in new jobs. kept “competitive” on purpose, in when they were in the opposition? To reach a compromise, the gov- Progressive Alliance (UPA) was voted dispute tribunals to 30 in the country. He also hailed King Salman’s prompt comparison with other countries. “Had they agreed to our conditions ernment had to concede to two main out and the Modi government took The king directed the Passport De- action to address all the aspects of the Jaitley hit out at the Congress, say- on the GST earlier, the delay wouldn’t demands of the Congress — scrapping over. partment to facilitate exit visa and other distressed workers. ing the 18% cap on GST rate was sug- have happened.” the proposal to levy a 1 per cent addi- In 2014, a recast bill was introduced procedures for distressed workers, and Indian External Aff airs Minister Su- gested by the party when the bill was “We were never against the GST. tional duty so that states get compen- in the Lok Sabha on December 19, and in this direction Saudi authorities are shma Swaraj stated in Parliament that passed in the Lok Sabha and later ta- We always wanted to pass it. It is sated for at least two years and make was passed by it fi ve months later on joining hands with Indian offi cials in India would make eff orts to fi nd alter- bled in the Rajya Sabha. wrong to say that we blocked the GST the dispute resolution mechanism May 6, 2015. Jeddah to facilitate possible employment native job options for those who wish to Leader of the Congress in the Lok Bill,” he said. stronger and empowered. The bill was then referred to a Se- opportunities for Indian workers. continue in Saudi Arabia and the same Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge took a dig Following the passage by parlia- But the third demand — of specify- lect Committee of the Rajya Sabha for The statement emphasised that “one was reiterated by her junior colleague V at Prime Minister Modi, saying he had ment, at least 50 % of the states will ing the GST rate in the bill itself was examination which submitted its re- particular case of Saudi Oger is not re- K Singh when he visited workers’ camps opposed the bill as Gujarat Chief Min- have to ratify it for it to become law. not acceded. port on July 22, 2015. fl ecting the general phenomenon of last week in Jeddah. 50 young Kerala innovators get Facebook push

By Ashraf Padanna viding them with access to its “India is known for great tech- startup ecosystem for college dents with a priceless oppor- second phase of Startup Village plications and was incubating Thiruvananthapuram developer teams. nology and engineering talent, students. tunity to absorb and learn from for a national scale-up aiming at more than 70 physical and 500 In a statement issued here, and we are keen to create more “SV.CO will explore more technology companies such as providing a fully digital incuba- virtual startups in just over the telecom incubator based in opportunities for students to such collaborations and provide Facebook,” said its chair Sanjay tion framework to 5mn students three years. acebook is off ering guid- the southern state’s port city of share their creativity and inno- campus startups with the right Vijayakumar. in 3,500 engineering colleges Its success also prompted oth- ance and mentorship to Kochi said they would also get vation to the world.” opportunities to succeed,” he “Students will get to meet tal- across the country. er state governments to emulate FIndian engineering stu- an opportunity to present their SV.CO is the digital platform said. ented professionals from around India’s National Science and the same model, helping Startup dents aspiring to become en- ideas to the Facebook team and launched last month by Startup The students will be part of the world and learn all about cre- Technology Entrepreneurship Village set up its fi rst offi ce out- trepreneurs through SV.CO, the get feedback on them. Village, a public-private partner- the FB Start programme and in ating successful startups.” Development Board has approved side Kerala, in Visakhapatnam, world’s fi rst digital incubator for “We are pleased to support ship venture which is ranked No 1 addition to off ering guidance The student startups for the SV.CO as its Host Institute. Andhra Pradesh, in 2014. students launched by Kerala’s their goal of providing a platform incubator in India. in building products, Facebook six-month “Silicon Valley Pro- Former Chief Minister Oom- It also prompted Kerala to Startup Village. to students to build sustainable Infosys co-founder Kris will also contribute to the course gramme” will be selected from men Chandy opened the Star- adopt a student startup policy As part of this six-month en- startups,” the statement quot- Gopalakrishnan, who is the chief content of the SV.CO’s pro- across the country. tup Village in 2012 with an initial off ering grace marks and attend- trepreneurship programme, it ed Satyajeet Singh, Facebook’s mentor of the venture, said it gramme framework. Each startup would comprise mandate to support 48 startups ance for young innovators who will host 50 students for six days product partnerships in charge, would support SV.CO in its mis- “The purpose of the visit to three to fi ve students. in fi ve years. want to pursue their projects in Menlo Park, California, pro- as saying. sion of building a world-class Silicon Valley is to provide stu- SV.CO was launched as the It received over 6,000 ap- while still on the campus.

‘Under UDF, Mani got a clean chit in bar scam’

IANS Vigilance Department — who gave him “I do not know why he has a grouse Thiruvananthapuram a clean chit on two occasions in the bar against me, as I have been close to him scam. We honestly do not know why since I became a cabinet colleague in he left us,” said Chennithala. 1987. I personally do not have anything day after the UDF split with the “His decision came after he agreed against him, even though his party or- Kerala Congress-Mani quitting to be with the UDF protest to be held gan of late has been attacking me,” said Athe alliance after being partner against the state government on Chennithala, who pointed out that for 34 years, the Congress said yester- Wednesday,” added Chennithala. Mani leaving the UDF is no personal day that it was under the UDF rule that With Mani’s departure, the United setback to him. former fi nance minister K C Mani got a Democratic Front’s strength in the “We are not going to open any clean chit in the bar scam. 140-member house slid from 47 to 41. dialogue with him as we feel that After a hurriedly convened meeting Mani’s party had been a constituent we have done no wrong to him and of the Congress-led United Democrat- of the UDF since 1982. moreover the reasons he gave for ic Front here yesterday, Leader of Op- Even after the original Kerala Con- leaving us have no merit,” said Chen- position and UDF chairman Ramesh gress broke up, Mani remained with nithala. Chennithala said the reasons that the Congress. Meanwhile, Mani is fi rm on his deci- Mani gave for leaving the alliance do He has been a legislator since 1967. sion to break off from the UDF. not hold water. Mani had been cut up with a sec- “Under no circumstances will there “He was with us for 34 years and the tion of the Congress leadership ever be any change in our stand that we Congress had always held him and his since he quit as Finance Minister in took yesterday. From now on, we will party in high esteem, and even at his 2015 over an adverse remark by the be equi-distant from all the political time of crisis in the bar scam, it was Kerala High Court in the bar scam, fronts in the state and we will sit as a me as Home and Vigilance Minister — when Chennithala was the Home separate block in the assembly,” Mani after a quick verifi cation done by the Minister. told reporters in Kottayam. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 13 INDIA Mehbooba moots talks on Kashmir imbroglio

IANS criticised the Prime Minister’s silence INLD supporters take out a protest march against the crop insurance New Delhi over the unrest in Kashmir. scheme. Lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha de- manded a discussion and also asked the hief Minister Mehbooba Mufti government to call an all-party meeting yesterday pitched for peace talks on the issue. Cto solve the Kashmir problem and “Today it’s one month of curfew, eve- INLD protests crop urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rything has stopped. I don’t think any step in to heal wounds of the people of the state had curfew for 30 days after In- turmoil-hit state, battling a month of a vi- dependence. School, colleges are shut, insurance scheme olent unrest that has claimed over 55 lives. there is almost nil attendance in secretar- Mehbooba Mufti arrived here on an iat,” Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi unannounced trip and met Home Minis- Azad said. IANS The protestors were led by ter Rajnath Singh and National Security “The government, and specially the Gurgaon former Haryana deputy speaker Adviser Ajit Doval. Prime Minister, are mute spectators. In- Gopi Chand Gahlot and other She is expected to meet Prime Minister dia’s crown is on fi re but the heat is not senior party leaders. Narendra Modi today. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti meets federal Home Minister reaching the government in Delhi.” upporters of the Indian The protestors later handed Offi cials said the chief minister and Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in New Delhi yesterday. Communist Party of India-Marxist National Lok Dal (INLD), over a memorandum to Addi- the federal home minister discussed the leader Sitaram Yechury said the the situ- Sthe main opposition party tional Deputy Commissioner V P month-long unrest in the Kashmir Val- She said the central government must Normal life in the Kashmir Valley has ation in Kashmir was worse than Israel- in Haryana, yesterday held a Singh to be forwarded to Gover- ley that has left more than 5,000 civilians initiate the “peace process” that former been completely thrown out of gears for Palestine confl ict. march here to protest against the nor Kaptan Singh Solanki. and security forces personnel injured. prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had the past one month due to a government- “In such a situation how can we remain Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yoja- Under the scheme, farmers “I believe there is a need to heal wounds started to resolve the long-standing dis- enforced curfew and separatist-called silent? Why are we using pellet guns? It’s na (Prime Minister’s Crop Insur- avail of insurance cover against (of Kashmiris). If dialogue can do that, let pute. shutdown. inhuman, it’s criminal, even Israel does ance Scheme). crop loss due to natural calami- us do it,” she said, referring to a political “There will be a chance to continue the The curfew was imposed immediately not use it against Palestinians,” Yechury They claimed that the pre- ties and pay a uniform premium initiative involving India, Pakistan and dialogue that was begun during the gov- after the death of the militant com- said. mium paid under the scheme of 2% for kharif crops and 1.5% the people of the state, to end the Kash- ernment of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. mander to prevent people from taking to Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav was being forcibly collected from for rabi crops. mir dispute. “We want peace in Jammu and Kash- the streets for pro-freedom demonstra- said that the government’s “silence on Haryana farmers, especially For annual commercial and Mehbooba Mufti was speaking to re- mir and I am hopeful that the Centre tions. this issue is hurting”. those who have taken agricul- horticultural crops, farmers pay porters after her meeting with the home will extend the hand of friendship to the But despite the restriction, people fre- Following this, Minister of State for tural loans from banks. a premium of 5%. minister in the North Block here. Kashmiris. quently come out on roads. Parliamentary Aff airs Mukhtar Abbas The protestors, including The remaining share of the “The situation in Jammu and Kashmir “Jammu and Kashmir can become a Many of these protests have turned Naqvi said the government is ready to de- women, carrying banners and premium, as in previous schemes, has been bad for the past one month. I bridge between India and Pakistan.” violent. bate the issue. “We want peace in Kash- posters and shouting slogans will continue to be borne equally am hopeful that Prime Minister Narendra Some 56 people have been killed and Protesters throw stones at security mir...and people of Kashmir have repeat- against the union and state BJP by the Centre and the respective Modi will take this opportunity to try to thousands injured in the weeks of tur- forces who retaliate with bullets and pel- edly defeated powers that have tried to governments, demanded that state governments. heal the wounds of the Kashmir people,” moil, triggered by the July 8 killing of let guns. disrupt peace. We are ready to debate on the scheme should not be imple- Haryana Agriculture Minister she said. rebel commander Burhan Wani. Opposition parties in New Delhi have the issue,” Naqvi said. mented in Haryana. Om Prakash Dhankar said over The INLD workers gathered 20% farmers in the state have at the Old Jail Complex near the opted for the scheme. Sohna Chowk and, after a short The protestors also raised the rally, marched towards the Mini- issues of property and develop- Awareness campaign Secretariat here, which houses ment taxes charged by the state offi ces of the state government government, claiming it was not departments, including the Gur- providing basic amenities to the gaon Deputy Commissioner. state’s residents.

School manager held for banning national anthem

AFP pendence day celebrations at M Lucknow A Convent School in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh state. “The guilty has been sent to jail ndian police have arrested the under relevant laws for insulting manager of a private school the national anthem and fl aring Ion charges of insulting the na- up communal sentiments,” said tional anthem after he allegedly Vijay Yadav, local deputy inspec- barred staff from singing it on the tor general of police. premises, offi cials said yesterday. Media reports said Haq be- Zia ul Haq was taken into cus- lieved certain words in the na- tody after several staff , including tional anthem, “Jana Gana the school principal, resigned Mana”, written by Nobel laureate School students perform a street play during the Swachh Bharat Mission awareness campaign in Patna. over his refusal to let them sing Rabindranath Tagore, were un- the anthem on the eve of Inde- Islamic.

Powerful reactor likely for second Teenager electrocuted as rains lash Kolkata

Indo-Russia nuclear power plant IANS he accidentally touched an electric fuse on Road going under water,” said Kolkata Mu- Kolkata waterlogged Ramesh Mitra Road in south nicipal Corp Mayor-in-Council member Kolkata’s Bhowanipore, police and eye-wit- Tarak Singh. By Anjali Ojha, IANS Russian nuclear safety regulatory ment has been increased twofold nesses said. All KMC mayor-in-council members New Delhi authorities have collaborated at compared to the previous gen- teenager was electrocuted and har- Commuters, including people returning rushed to the headquarters to monitor the Kudankulam to enhance the safe- eration nuclear power units and ried commuters had to negotiate from offi ces, faced the brunt of the rains as situation. ty of the reactors substantially. currently equals 60 years,” the Awaterlogged streets and traffi c snarls many of the areas in the south and central “All KMC pumps are being operated. In s the world’s fi rst Genera- We expect the 1,200 MW unit also offi cial said. as life was thrown out of gear in the city fol- Kolkata went under ankle-deep to waist- some areas, branches of trees fell causing tion 3-plus nuclear power to have highest standards of safe- “The project provides us with lowing heavy monsoon showers yesterday high water. obstructions,” said an offi cial manning the Aunit was connected to ty and reliability,” he said. the possibility to build refer- evening. A tram stood still in the Ballygugne area as KMC control room. the electricity grid in Russia last According to the Strategic Vi- ence nuclear power plants across The off -and-on drizzle witnessed in the the tracks were submerged under water. However, the city police said there were week, experts in India said the sion for Strengthening Coopera- areas with diverse natural and city since the morning increased its ferocity Buses, mini buses, taxis could not move or no reports of any injuries. next nuclear power plant that tion in Peaceful Uses of Atomic geographical conditions and between 5pm and 6pm, uprooting trees and crawled at a snail’s pace. The Met department said the rains were India and Russia are to jointly set Energy Between India and Rus- technogenic impacts. It can be branches which blocked important thor- The important Short Street close to the caused by a cyclonic formation over Bay of up may get a similar reactor. sia, both sides have plans to build implemented on sites with nine oughfares. landmark St Xavier’s College was blocked Bengal adjacent to the Southern Bengal dis- The Unit 6 of Novovoronezh complete construction and com- diff erent foundations, from rocks “While the city recorded 38.3mm rains after a tree was uprooted. tricts and centred in the Sundarbans region. Nuclear Power Plant in Russia has missioning of 12 power units in to soft soils,” the offi cial said. over 24 hours till 5pm, there was a spate of In south Kolkata, Jodhur Park recorded It was likely to gain in strength and devel- the most powerful VVER-1200, the next two decades. The main feature of VVER- heavy shower measuring 38 mm, mainly be- 104mm of rains, while the fi gure registered op into a depression over the next 24 hours. with 20 % more capacity than While Kudankulam is the fi rst 1200 project is its unique com- tween 5pm and 6pm,” said an offi cial at the in the Chetla area was 90mm. Consequently, most districts in southern earlier generation VVER-1000 re- plant with six units — two of bination of active and passive Regional Meteorological Centre here. “We have received reports of areas like Bengal are likely to receive heavy to very actors that India has at Kudanku- which are functioning now, the safety systems, and the nuclear A teenager studying in class 8 died after Southern Avenue, Ballygunge and Theatre heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours. lam Nuclear Power Plant. site for the second plant is yet to power unit is equipped with two It was connected to the Rus- be fi nalised. protective shells with a ventilat- sian power grid on Friday. Vladimir Angelov, Director for ed space between them. Eminent nuclear scientist and Projects in India for ASE, the en- The internal protective shell former Chairman of the Nuclear gineering and construction di- ensures that the space where the Ekka run Power Corp of India M R Srinivas- vision of Russian state atomic reactor is placed is sealed, while an told IANS that India expects to power corporation Rosatom, in an external shell is designed to resist build similar units at the second interview to IANS earlier had said natural disasters like tornadoes, site where India and Russia will be VVER-1200 type reactors will be hurricanes, earthquakes, fl oods, setting up a nuclear power plant. constructed in India with imple- or accidents like explosions or “The launch of the new 1,200 mentation of the most up-to-date plane crashes. MW NPP, such as the one at safety technological solutions. Passive safety systems in the Novovoronezh is of interest for Rosatom offi cials, meanwhile, plant are capable of functioning India. We expect to build the told IANS all of post-Fukushima even in case of a complete loss of larger size units at the second site requirements have been applied power supply, offi cials said. that is likely to be made available to the new Novovoronezh NPP A core melt localisation device for Russian reactors,” said Srini- nuclear units. (CMLD), or a the “core catcher”, vasan, who has played a key role The VVER-1200 units have is installed at the bottom of the in the development of India’s nu- better power economy, and in- station protective shell. clear power programme. volve lesser staff , a Rosatom of- It is made for localisation and He also said that the safety fi cial said. cooling the molten core material features at Kudankulam Nuclear “Due to the broad automa- in case of a hypothetical accident Power Plant, built by India and tion and centralization of func- which can lead to damage of the Russia, were good, but those in tions and processes, the amount core. “The “core catcher” allows to the VVER 1200 plants are ex- of staff , as opposed to nuclear preserve the integrity of the protec- pected to be better. units of the previous generation tive shell and thus to exclude radio- “India is satisfi ed with the with reactors like VVER 1000, active emission in the environment Participants race in the famous ‘Ekka’ - horse drawn cart - race, organised every year during the Hindu holy month of Shravana in safety provisions of Russian Nu- has been reduced by 30% to 40 even if the hypothetical accident is Allahabad. clear Power Units. Indian and %. Design life of the main equip- severe,” the offi cial added. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 LATIN AMERICA Argentines Mudslides claim 40 march in lives in east Mexico rally for Reuters Mexico City more jobs

udslides triggered by in- AFP tense rainfall in eastern Buenos Aires MMexico killed 40 peo- ple at the weekend as saturated hillsides collapsed onto modest esponding to a call by Pope Francis, thousands of Ar- homes in the wake of now-dissi- gentines marched from church through the streets pated Tropical Storm Earl. Ron Sunday in a mass protest demanding more jobs The death toll rose late on Sun- and less poverty. day after state governors in the two Catholic worshippers marked the feast of Cajetan, pa- most aff ected states confi rmed tron saint of the unemployed, praying to him at the church two more deaths from a series that bears his name in Buenos Aires. of mudslides that struck hillside Thousands joined a street procession from the church in communities. the west of the city to central Plaza de Mayo square in front The head of national emergency of the presidential palace. services previously put the death They marched under the slogan “bread and work” to the toll at 38, the vast majority of din of drums and yells of “More jobs!” whom were found in Puebla state, It was the latest in a series of protests against job cuts and while the remainder died in neigh- utility rate hikes this year under the government of con- bouring Veracruz. servative President Mauricio Macri. Rafael Morena Valle, governor Labour unions say 200,000 jobs have been cut in various of Puebla state, said canine units sectors since Macri took offi ce in December. were searching for the missing, His government says 52,000 private sector jobs and but the number of unaccounted 11,000 public posts were cut between January and May. for residents was unclear. At a mass in the church, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Images of the damage from Earl, Mario Poli, read out a letter from the Argentina-born Pope broadcast on Mexican television, Francis who expressed concern over “high levels of unem- showed massive mudslides bury- ployment” in his homeland. ing entire hillsides, trees felled A recent study by Catholic University estimated that and buildings creaking under col- 1.4mn people fell in poverty in Argentina in the fi rst quarter lapsed walls and roofs. of this year. On the Pacifi c coast, Mexico’s Argentina is the third biggest economy in Latin America Baja California peninsula braced but is stricken by high infl ation. for another major storm to strike A Mexican soldier helps dig out damaged homes in the community of Tlaola, Puebla in eastern Mexico in the wake of Tropical Storm Earl. “The Pope asked us bishops to support the people’s calls as early as today. for bread and work. That is why we are here,” one of the or- Tropical Storm Javier was gen- The centre of the storm was ex- of Huauchinango in the rugged the Gulf coast state after Earl Before striking Mexico, Earl bat- ganisers of the march, Eduardo Farrel, told AFP. erating maximum sustained winds pected to strike the southern tip Sierra Norte de Puebla mountains, crossed the Yucatan peninsula. tered Belize last Thursday, smash- Macri insists his austere reforms and his devaluation of of 80kph on Sunday night and was of Baja, home to the beach resort site of the worst destruction so far. “We continue to monitor rivers ing car windows and punching the peso currency are necessary to strengthen the economy forecast to become a hurricane, of Los Cabos. At least 25 of the Eleven people have died in Ve- that are above critical levels,” Ve- holes in the roofs of Belize City’s in the long run. the US National Hurricane Center deaths in Puebla state were con- racruz, buried in landslides after racruz Governor Javier Duarte said wooden houses. “For every job that is offi cially created, three or four jobs said in a statement. fi rmed on Sunday near the town intense rainfall and fl ooding struck in a post on Twitter on Sunday. It also fl ooded parts of the coast. in the underground economy disappear,” said Farrel.

Ecuador woos tourists as quake hits economy

By Sebastien Malo, Reuters which momentarily is nonexist- New York ent.” The strongest quake in Ec- uador since 1979 has tested the lmost four months after country’s resilience at a time of a devastating earthquake economic diffi culties due to low Ahit Ecuador, a leading oil prices in this small member of government minister has ap- the Organization of the Petrole- pealed to tourists to return to the um Exporting Countries (Opec). fi nancially-struggling Andean Some $3.3bn will be required to country. rebuild aff ected areas, according Nearly 700 people were killed to authorities. and about 6,200 injured on April President Rafael Correa has 16 in the strongest earthquake to announced a raft of measures hit Ecuador in almost four dec- to fi nance the emergency with ades, leaving about 8,650 people funding sources ranging from living in government shelters, loans from the International according to government fi gures. Monetary Fund and other multi- Maria Duarte, Ecuador’s Min- lateral lenders to plans to sell as- ister of Urban Development and sets and increase some taxes. Housing, said she was “totally” But he also described many optimistic about the pace of re- ill-built constructions in Ecua- construction with the repair or dor as “death traps” built as such rebuilding of 26,000 homes in to “save a few pennies” and has the works or planned. urged residents to push mayors Longer term she said the gov- to enforce construction stand- ernment had to improve the con- ards. struction of buildings in Ecuador Duarte said municipal build- which is prone to earthquakes. ing requirements were rarely Two tremors struck the north- respected or enforced in remote west coast again in May, leading areas of the country and in the to one death in the same region disaster’s aftermath more than as the April quake. 60,000 inspections of buildings Inmates work in carpentry workshop at the Punta de Rieles prison in Montevideo. But for now she appealed to and other structures had been tourists to return to Ecuador to conducted. help put the country back on “There is a weakness at the track. municipal level,” she said in the “We have several types of vic- interview that was conducted in tims, not all are victims due to Spanish. “One of the great...challenges Enterprising jail inmates make the destruction of their homes,” she told the Thomson Reuters and the great goals that we need Foundation in a interview during is much, much more control over a visit to New York City. construction.” “There are people who remain The hardest-hit areas, the coastal provinces of Manabi and bricks and pizzas in Uruguay without jobs and whose only form of sustenance was tourism, Esmeraldas, are tourist hubs whose beach towns fuel Ecua- By Mauricio Rabuff etti, AFP his mate — an herbal drink pop- Inmates can keep taking part and paid for with credit earned produce to traders outside the dor’s vital tourism industry, Du- Montevideo ular in Uruguay — and goes to in the prison operations once by working. prison as well as other prison arte said. his cement mixer. “I just work they get out, even if that means The name of the prison sweet inmates. Some 1.5mn foreign vacation- and work,” he says. coming back to work voluntarily shop sums up the spirit of the Javier, a 45-year-old Span- ers fl ocked to Ecuador last year, lvaro Brusti had never Brusti turns out 400 concrete within the prison walls. initiative: “New start.” iard, faces a possible 25-year contributing $1.7bn dollars to the worked in his life before building blocks a day. They are Congressional prisons com- Elsewhere in the jail, a young jail term but says he still has not nation’s otherwise largely oil and Ahe wound up behind bars sold to retailers as well as to oth- missioner Juan Miguel Petit long-term prisoner identifying been sentenced. export-dependent economy. for armed robbery. er prisoners’ families. His earn- warned recently that the situ- himself as Fernando has set up a He would not discuss his al- But that source of income is Now after fi ve years inside, ings go into a prison account. ation in some of Uruguay’s jails tattoo parlour. leged crime. now at risk, Duarte said, with the the 34-year-old is running his He gives most of it to his fami- was “serious and explosive.” He bought the equipment “They are supposed to take government only releasing eco- own company, in an unusual ly and claims the rest in the form He spoke after a series of kill- with money he earned by work- one day off your sentence for nomic data for the fi rst quarter of scheme at a Uruguayan jail. of vouchers to buy goods made ings in one notorious prison. ing in jail. every two days worked,” he says. the year so far. The Punta de Rieles prison by other prisoners. At Punta de Rieles, prison di- He talks as he inks a red and “But that’s up to the judge. It’s The central bank has said it east of the capital Montevideo Uruguayan authorities say rector Luis Parodi, 65, is seeking black eye on the hand of a fellow quite a twisted system.” will need to revise its full-year looks like many other peniten- 60% of inmates leaving prison to buck the trend. inmate. He has been in preventive projections for 2016 economic tiaries from the outside, with end up being recidivists. Unlike many of his counter- “Tattoos always go down well custody for the past 10 years as growth as a result of the tremor, high walls and barbed wire. Brusti wants to avoid being parts who are former members here,” he says. the wheels of Uruguayan justice but has not yet provided an up- But inside, the facility and one of them. When he gets out, of the security forces, Parodi is Outside on the prison slowly turn. dated fi gure. its 700 inmates defy the Latin he wants to set up a brick factory a teacher. grounds, Francisco Javier and He likes Punta de Rieles’ work “Despite all the eff orts we are American stereotype of prison of his own. “Prisoners are just like us. Gustavo Cordero look after a and business system, but be- making, there are certain regions overcrowding and violence. “I’ve got two years and four When you allow one to be your greenhouse. lieves it has its limits. that haven’t recovered,” said Du- They have a bakery, pizzeria, months left. I am behaving my- equal, he acts like it,” he says. Their lettuce and basil plants “A prisoner never gets reha- arte who was in New York to plan ice cream parlour, a greenhouse self,” he says. “Dignity begets dignity.” grow without soil, the roots im- bilitated. He just matures and Habitat III, a UN conference on for growing lettuce and a brick “I’ve suff ered a lot. Now I When relatives visit, inmates mersed in liquid nutrients. gets wiser,” Javier says. cities to be held in October in factory, where Brusti works. want to get out and do things can take them for a pizza or ice The pair invested $3,000 in “In jail, you don’t live. You Duarte ... tourists welcome Quito. He gets up at 5.30am, drinks properly.” cream served by other prisoners the greenhouse. They sell the survive.” Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 15 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Army orders special combing operations after Quetta blast Carnage as suicide bomber strikes hospital in Quetta; Death toll 70

Agencies Quetta/Islamabad

akistan Army Chief Gen- eral Raheel Sharif yester- Pday ordered special comb- ing operations after a powerful explosion in a Quetta hospital left at least 70 people dead. General Sharif told intelli- gence agencies to initiate “spe- cial combing operations to target those involved in terror attacks”, a spokesperson for the military said. The army chief earlier chaired a high-level meeting that was attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch and the Commander of the Southern Command. Inter-Services Public Rela- tions (ISPR) quoted the army chief as saying that the bomb- ing was specially targeted at the Pakistani bystanders react at the site after a bomb explosion at a government hospital premises in Quetta First responders and volunteers transport an injured man away from the scene of a bomb blast outside a China-Pakistan Economic Cor- yesterday. hospital in Quetta yesterday. ridor (CPEC). General Sharif also visited ball bearings tore through the one another. jured, he said. on his body,” bomb disposal unit of them children, in a crowded park. dated information. the injured at the Civil Hospi- hospital yesterday and killed at Many of the victims were clad in “People were beating their chief Abdul Razzaq said. Balochistan, which borders The crowd, mainly lawyers tal. Critically injured individu- least 70 people, as witnesses the black suits and ties traditionally heads, crying and mourning. The Pakistani Taliban fac- Iran and Afghanistan, has ma- and journalists, had gone to the als were shifted to the Combined described tearful staff rushing worn by Pakistani lawyers. They were in shock and grief.” tion Jamaat-ur-Ahrar yesterday jor oil and gas resources but is hospital after the death of the Military Hospital (CMH). towards the smoking blast site to An AFP journalist was about Pervez Masi, who was injured claimed responsibility for the affl icted by Islamist militancy, president of the Balochistan Bar The ISPR said the injured were help the wounded. 20 metres away when the bomb by pieces of fl ying glass, said suicide bombing. sectarian violence and a separa- Association in a shooting earlier also being fl own to Karachi. The bomber struck a crowd of went off . the blast was so powerful that “The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pa- tist insurgency. yesterday, said provincial home Separately, Prime Minister some 200 people gathered at the “There were huge black clouds “we didn’t know what had hap- kistan Jamaat-ur-Ahrar takes “The death toll has risen to secretary Akbar Harifal. Nawaz Sharif condemned the Civil Hospital in Quetta after the and dirt,” he said. pened”. responsibility for this attack, 70 and there are 112 injured,” the Bilal Anwar Kasi was targeted attack and ordered authorities to fatal shooting of a senior local “I ran back to the place and “So many friends were mar- and pledges to continue carrying head of the provincial health de- by two unidentifi ed gunmen as tighten security. lawyer earlier in the day. saw dead bodies scattered eve- tyred,” he said. “Whoever is out such attacks. We will release partment, Dr Masood Nausher- he left his home for work. He and the head of Pakistan’s More than 100 were wounded, rywhere and many injured peo- doing this is not human, he is a a video report on this soon,” wani, told reporters. Pakistan is grimly accustomed powerful military visited Quetta offi cials said. ple crying. There were pools and beast and has no humanity.” spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan Offi cials said mobile phone to atrocities after a nearly dec- to express their condolences. Video footage showed bodies pools of blood around and pieces Police confi rmed the attack said in an e-mail. jammers had been activated ade-long insurgency. Facebook activated its safety strewn on the ground, some still of human bodies and fl esh.” was a suicide blast. The Islamist movement is the around hospitals in the area – a But security had markedly im- check for Quetta in the wake of smoking, among pools of blood Nurses and lawyers wept as “The bomber had strapped same that carried out the Easter Day regular precaution after an at- proved in 2015, when the death the attack. and shattered glass as shocked medics from inside the hospital some 8kilos of explosives packed bombing the eastern city of Lahore tack – making it hard to contact toll from militant attacks fell to A suicide bomb packed with survivors cried and comforted rushed out to help dozens of in- with ball bearings and shrapnel in March that killed 72 people, many offi cers on the ground to get up- its lowest since 2007.

Christian clerics, MPs invited to American, Australian kidnapped vet marriage bill Interior ministry wants say Top Christian clergymen from by gunmen in police uniform across the country along with in visa issuance procedure minority lawmakers will gather in the capital next week to reach AFP “Two foreign professors, one The US State Department said a consensus over the proposed Internews The meeting took place after The interior ministry offi cials, Kabul American and the other Aus- it was aware of reports of the Christian Marriage and Divorce Bill, Islamabad US national Matthew Barrett - who were given just 24 hours to tralian, were abducted at gun- kidnapping of an American but 2016, it emerged yesterday. who was blacklisted and deport- complete their inquiry, present- point from Dar-ul-Aman road declined to comment further. Representatives of all churches will ed from Pakistan in 2011 - man- ed their report to Nisar during unmen wearing police in the centre of Kabul city,” in- The Australian government gather at the ministry of human he interior ministry of Pa- aged to clear the immigration the meeting yesterday. uniforms kidnapped an terior ministry spokesman Sediq confi rmed the “apparent kid- rights on August 10 to discuss the kistan wants to directly process at Islamabad’s Benazir The report identifi ed a visa of- GAmerican and an Aus- Sediqqi said. napping” of one its citizens, cit- bill drafted by the ministry on the Tweigh in on granting or Bhutto International Airport on fi cial at Pakistan’s consulate in tralian in the heart of Kabul, offi - “Indications are that they ing its embassy in Kabul, but also issue of marriage and divorce, said withholding visas to foreigners Saturday. Houston as responsible for the cials said yesterday, the latest in were kidnapped by a criminal refused to elaborate due to secu- an off icial. following the arrest of a black- Although he managed to leave incident, stating that the offi - a series of abductions of foreign- group.” rity considerations. Sources in the rights ministry said listed US citizen who managed to the airport after clearing im- cial issue Barrett a visa within ers in the confl ict-torn country. The driver and a guard inside “We continue to advise Aus- that several meetings have taken clear immigration at the Islama- migration, FIA offi cials arrested 24 hours without checking his The two professors at the the vehicle, both unharmed, tralians not to travel to Afghani- place since the ministry drafted bad airport. him from a guesthouse in the record. American University of Afghan- have been held for questioning, stan because of the extremely the law. However, the bishops and “Pakistan’s embassies abroad federal capital a few hours later. Barrett was issued a four-year istan were seized from their ve- another security offi cial told dangerous security situation, pastors from across the country will be asked to fi rst seek the [in- They registered a case against visa. hicle on Sunday evening, as the AFP. including the serious threat of failed to reach unanimity. terior] ministry’s consent before him for violating Pakistani im- The inquiry report also kidnappers smashed the pas- Four gunmen wearing police kidnapping,” the government Subsequently Law Minister Zahid a visa can be issued to a foreign- migration laws and obtained his found FIA officials man- senger window and hauled them uniforms were involved in the said in a statement. Hamid called them on August 10 er,” a ministry spokesman said three-day remand from a mag- ning the Immigration Desk at away at gunpoint. abduction, according to a West- This appeared to be the fi rst so that the process of consultation yesterday. istrate. the Islamabad airport guilty No group has so far claimed ern offi cial in Kabul. reported abduction related to a could be carried forward. He said an understanding In the aftermath of the epi- of negligence while clearing responsibility for the abduc- The Afghan capital is infested private university in Afghani- Bishop Nasir Samuel, secretary had been reached in a high- sode, Interior Minister Nisar Barrett for entry. tions, which come three days with organised criminal gangs stan. general of the Supreme Council of level meeting chaired by Inte- ordered top ministry offi cials to According to the ministry after a group of foreign tourists who stage kidnappings for ran- The elite American University Churches in Lahore, said there is rior Minister Chaudhry Nisar ascertain whether Barrett had spokesman, Nisar has direct- were ambushed by the Taliban in som, often targeting foreigners of Afghanistan, which opened in no need to enact fresh legisla- Ali Khan and attended by top gained entry into Pakistan be- ed FIA to devise a new policy western Herat province, under- and wealthy Afghans, and some- 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 tion. The Bible, according to him, offi cials of the interior ministry, cause of negligence of offi cials framework for immigration to scoring the growing insecurity in times handing them over to in- students, was not immediately does not sanction any addition of police and the Federal Investiga- or if there were other factors in- prevent such incidents in fu- Afghanistan. surgent groups. reachable for comment. divorce grounds in the law. tion Agency. volved. ture. Pakistan in contact with Saudi over retrenched labourers

Internews Pakistanis are among the top Commenting on the evacu- few are associated with the oil it. No, in the planning commis- deprive the country of valuable “We are monitoring closely Islamabad three immigrant nations. ation of hapless workers cur- industry. sion there is no project currently educationists. and not particularly worried, Manzoor ul Haq, Pakistan rently huddled in labour camps “I know that some very well looking into this issue”, he said “The fi ve-year bond period of for migration from Pakistan to ambassador in Saudi Arabia, without a visa, since that ex- reputed doctors and bankers over the phone, discussing the teachers who acquired doctor- the Middle East is still quite akistan is in constant said on the phone from Riyadh pired when they lost their job, he are Pakistanis but I am not sure problem that has the potential to ates under HEC sponsorship is high. Based on whatever little touch with the Saudi gov- that the mission was persistent- said the Saudi government had about others”, he said. become a crisis. expiring. Some have already left we know about the profile of Pernment to resolve issues ly pursuing the cases of the 8,520 granted them permission to stay He said: “For a country that and many more are planning to people leaving the country to being faced by retrenched Paki- Pakistani workers who have been till the fi nal settlement. “We are ready to fl y lacks the capacity to absorb its move out as our pay and perk work abroad, my hunch is that stani workers in the kingdom. laid off by two companies Saad “We are ready to fl y re- retrenched workers back indigenous human resource in structures are not competitive”. the composition is shifting to- It has mobilised its mission Trading and Contracting Com- trenched workers back home any home any day but they the economic mainstream and A senior offi cial researcher wards better skilled, higher there to support distressed na- pany, Al-Khobar (520 workers) day but they do not wish to come do not wish to come back requires a growth rate of over 8% who was not permitted to in- earning people. In place of raw tionals, while the situation has and Saudi Oger Limited (8,000 back home without settling their home without settling their to deal with the unemployment teract with media privately said labour, IT professionals, en- served to alert the State Bank workers) - to help them claim dues. They have been asked by dues’’ issue, the return of migrants is that Pakistan’s dependence on gineers, nurses, beauticians, about the possible impact on re- several months’ unpaid salaries the Saudi government to desig- bound to increase stress in the a steady infl ow of remittances, fashion designers, bankers, ac- mittances. and withdrawn service benefi ts. nate someone to receive dues on Dr Nadeem Javed, chief econ- labour market. particularly from Saudi Ara- countants and doctors are go- An insight into the profi le of “We are in touch with the their behalf by giving power of omist, Planning Commission, “The return of experienced bia, the country’s single biggest ing there.” the Pakistani workforce in the management of those compa- attorney. We have volunteered who was in Saudi Arabia recently construction labour at a time source, can’t be over empha- “No I do not expect any Middle East or a sense of urgency nies and the relevant Saudi of- our services in this regard but with the Planning Minister Eh- when the country is at the cusp sised, specially at a time when dent in remittance inflow in to understand and evolve a strat- fi cials for an amicable resolution hardly 300 of the 8,520 workers san Iqbal, agreed that there was of a construction boom in the the government had decided not the near term. The impression egy to deal with the emerging of the issue”, he said. showed willingness”, he elabo- a need to take stock of the situ- wake of CPEC related projects to seek the IMF programme. that the pace of remittance situation in the long run, seems “We have distributed cash rated. ation in the broader context of may actually prove to be a bless- “Yes, reserves are currently growth has slowed down is to be missing in offi cial circles. sustenance allowances and are According to him, there are readjustments in economies and ing in disguise”. reasonably high but no one must not correct. Yes inflows were The readjustment in the Gulf providing food in labour camps in all about 2.6m Pakistanis in the impact on resident Pakista- In this regard he mentioned forget that export earnings are exceptionally high in 2015 but economies to the oil price crash where there is a need. The relief Saudi Arabia. nis. the concept of ‘brain circulation’ not even half of import payment it was because instead of the and future uncertainties are be- activities of the Pakistan em- He did not have any data map- “Yes it would help to evolve a referring to the gain of intellec- obligations. The country also two, three Eids that fell in that ginning to impact the labour bassy cover all major cities of the ping the profi le of Pakistani more eff ective strategy in order tual capital of the host nation for has huge foreign debt obliga- year”, she explained. market and economy of the kingdom where Pakistanis are immigrants but believed that to deal with the issue if we have skilled labour. tions while repayment schedules The SBP said it was closely home countries of immigrant concentrated including Riyadh, more than 85% are construction factsheets detailing the profi le He was more worried about are quite rigid. Pakistan can’t monitoring the situation but workers who make up as much Dammam, Taif and Jeddah. We workers. and other related information the brain drain of experienced aff ord a major dent in remit- formal comments on the issue as over 30% of the population in enjoy the full blessing and sup- The rest are associated with about the workers. If such details faculty from seats of learning in tance infl ows expected to be over were not received till the dead- some Gulf States. port of Islamabad”, he said. the service industry and a very are available I am not aware of Pakistan and thought that would $21bn in the current fi scal. line of this article. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 PHILIPPINES Senator Manny Pacquiao Dozens of offi cials preaches death penalty surrender AFP Catholic Church, the religion of Manila 80 percent of Filipinos. Local government and has hit back at activists in- But Duterte has vowed to in- police off icials turned censed by the surge in the kill- troduce executions by hanging themselves after Duterte ings of suspected drug traf- hilippine boxing icon- for “retribution”. linked them to drug trade; fi ckers. turned-senator Manny Pacquiao said yesterday he Supreme Court reminds Alarmed human rights PPacquiao used the Bible to also preferred death by hanging president only the court groups have urged the United defend restoring the death pen- or fi ring squad to reduce drug- can discipline judges Nations to condemn the rise in alty for drug traffi ckers as “ap- related crimes. extrajudicial killings. proved by God”, backing a con- Asked by a colleague if this Reuters The Philippine Senate is to troversial proposal of President was because hanging was cheap- Manila hold a legislative inquiry. Rodrigo Duterte. er than lethal injection, Pacquiao Dela Rosa reprimanded the The eight-division cham- said in jest: “You’ll just kick the police offi cers on Duterte’s pion and devout evangelical chair. We can also say the chair ozens of Philippine list, threatening to kill them if Christian used his first sen- was just knocked down.” government and police they continued to protect drug ate speech to argue for capital Pacquiao said he fi led sev- Doffi cials turned them- traders and resell seized drugs. punishment, calling it lawful eral bills on the death penalty selves in yesterday, a day af- At one point, he challenged and moral “especially in the including for drug crimes, rape ter President Rodrigo Duterte them to a fi stfi ght. eyes of God”. and murder because Philippine linked them to the drugs trade, “I am mad with what is “When the government pun- laws “lacked teeth”. stepping up a war on narcotics happening,” Dela Rosa said in ishes, it’s not an individual act. But he did not answer ques- that has killed hundreds since a speech to local offi cials and That’s approved by God. tions on whether there were any he took offi ce in June. police. “I am ashamed. We That’s what the Bible says”, studies showing that the death More than 400 suspected should be the ones arresting Pacquiao said. penalty led to lower crime rates. drug dealers have been killed these people, but we are pro- “Having read the Bible on a In his 20-minute speech, Pac- by police across the Philip- tecting them. I will kill you if regular basis, I am convinced quiao repeatedly quoted Bible pines since Duterte took over, you will not change.” that God is not just a God of passages, prompting another offi cials say. All police offi cers linked to mercy but he is also a God of jus- colleague to refer to him as a Broadcaster ABS-CNN the drug trade were disarmed, tice.” Philippine boxing icon-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao ponders as he is interpelated by a colleague after “pastor”. put the number at over 800, investigated and could face Pacquiao was elected to the delivering his privilege speech on restoration of the death penalty during a session at the senate in Manila He said he saw no contradic- though this includes execu- criminal and administra- senate in May on the back of on August 8, 2016. tion between his beliefs and his tions by anonymous vigilan- tive cases if there was strong his popularity as a sports star support for the death penalty. tes. evidence, said national police among Filipinos, who consider Duterte has declared a bloody fice on June 30, police have clude reported summary ex- Addressing critics of the pro- Yesterday, 27 mayors and spokesman Dionardo Carlos. him a national hero. crackdown on crime, especially reported killing over 400 drug ecutions. posal, Pacquiao said: “God al- 31 police offi cers, including a “They will be accorded due He and Duterte are politi- illegal drugs, telling police to suspects while the country’s The Philippines abolished the lows the death penalty to disci- colonel, went to the national process,” he added. cal allies and both hail from the shoot drug suspects. largest broadcaster ABS-CBN death penalty in 2006 follow- pline the people and to punish police offi ce in the capital, Besides local offi cials and southern Philippines. Since Duterte assumed of- put the death toll at 852 to in- ing staunch opposition from the those wrongdoers.” Manila, to clear their names, police offi cers, Duterte’s list fearing the president’s order to included two retired police hunt them down if they failed generals, soldiers, paramili- to surrender within 24 hours. tary members, judges and a Several local offi cials re- former lawmaker. ported to regional police of- In a letter, Supreme Court Ramos to ‘rekindle’ fi ces to beat the deadline set Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Philippine lawmaker by Duterte, who won the elec- Sereno on Monday told the tions in May on a single plat- president the court alone had relations with China form of fi ghting crime and the right to discipline judges. drugs. One judge named by Du- On Sunday, he identifi ed terte died eight years ago and AFP Philippines a sweeping victory seeks to ban Trump about 160 offi cials in a name- two others have already been Manila last month when it ruled that Chi- and-shame campaign. removed. na’s claims over most of the South “I want to change,” a Cebu- Meanwhile, in his maiden China Sea were invalid. Reuters of Representatives, Congress- (http://bit.ly/2aEP0S5) based businessman tagged as speech to the Senate, boxing x-Philippine president China has refused to recognise Manila man Joey Salceda said, “There “An immigrant from Af- a top-level drug traffi cker told icon Manny Pacquiao sup- Fidel Ramos left for Hong the tribunal’s decision. is no feasible basis or reasonable ghanistan who later applied for reporters after he met national ported Duterte’s drug war and EKong yesterday to “rekin- A longtime advocate of closer justifi cation to the wholesale and received US citizenship, police chief Ronald dela Rosa. proposal to restore the death dle” ties with Beijing that have Philippine-Chinese ties, Ramos Philippine lawmaker is labelling of Filipinos as coming an illegal permanent resident Nicknamed “the punisher” penalty for drug crimes, and soured over a territorial dispute said he would be gone for four seeking to permanent- from a ‘terrorist state’ or that from the Philippines were con- and “Duterte Harry” for his advocated execution by hang- in the South China Sea. to fi ve days to meet with old Aly ban US Republican they will be a Trojan horse.” victed from plotting to join Al brutal fi ght on crime, Duterte ing or by fi ring squad. Ramos, 88, whom President Ro- Chinese contacts, former gov- presidential nominee Don- Salceda was referring to Qaeda and the Taliban in order drigo Duterte named as his envoy ernment offi cials who are now ald Trump from visiting the Trump’s comments at a rally on to kill as many Americans as for talks with Beijing, stressed that working in the private sector. Southeast Asian nation after Thursday in Portland, Maine, possible,” Trump said. Pokémon GO craze hits Philippines he was not going as a negotiator, but He added that formal bilateral the billionaire called it one of in which he took another swipe People of Philippine descent that he hoped to reopen dialogue talks would only take place after the “terrorist nations.” at immigrants. living in the United States The global craze over for cartoon monsters. In a between the two countries. this trip, but hinted that he may Trump has no major busi- “We are letting people come number around 4mn, making smartphone game Facebook post, the MMDA “I am just the icebreaker, to re- travel on from Hong Kong to ness in the Philippines, but in from terrorist nations. That up the second largest popula- Pokémon GO has reached announced that its Metrobase, kindle, to warm up again our good, mainland China for further in- developer Century Properties should not be allowed because tion of Asian Americans, Sal- the Philippines, with the which is frequented by traff ic friendly relations with China,” formal talks. Group Inc is building a $150- you can’t vet them. There’s no ceda said, citing data from the Metropolitan Manila violators, has been designated Ramos, who served as president Asked if he would bring up the mn Trump Tower, a high-rise way of vetting them, you have US State Department. Development Authority as a “Wallflowers Pokémon form 1992 to 1998, said. decision of the UN-linked Perma- residential building under li- no idea who they are. This could A former reality TV star, (MMDA) joining in the fun on Gym,” where captured Ties between Manila and Bei- nent Court of Arbitration, Ramos cence from the American real be the great Trojan horse of all Trump has won support par- Sunday as aspiring Pokémon Pokémon creatures can be jing have cooled especially since said “it is not up to me to bring it up estate mogul. time,” Trump said in a clip of ticularly from white blue-col- “trainers” began hunting trained for battle. a UN-backed tribunal handed the because that is not my mission”. In a bill fi led in Manila’s House his speech posted to YouTube. lar US workers. Burial of Marcos in heroes’ cemetery triggers debate

Reuters Manila

he Philippines has begun preparations for the burial Tof late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at a cemetery for nation- al heroes, a decision that drew criticism from the vice president and could polarise the country. President Rodrigo Duterte said he was fulfi lling a campaign promise to have Marcos, who ruled with an iron fi st for two decades, interred at the heroes’ cemetery as a former president and soldier. On Sunday, Defence Secre- tary Delfi n Lorenzana assigned armed forces chief of staff Gen- eral Ricardo Visaya, to handle arrangements for the burial next month, in line with “the verbal order of the president to imple- ment his campaign promise”. “I am just implementing a Former lawmaker Satur Ocampo (right), tortured and imprisoned during martial law, gestures as he This file photo taken on March 26, 2010 shows former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos looking at the presidential directive, whatever speaks during a peace forum in Manila yesterday, while National Democratic Front peace panel embalmed body of her husband former leader Ferdinand Marcos prior to an election campaign trip in the I think is immaterial,” Lorenzana consultant Randall Echanis (centre) and Tinay Palabay of a human rights organisation (left) listen. town of Batac, Ilocos norte province, north of Manila. told reporters yesterday. “He deserved to be buried at amassing wealth illegally. Marcos, in a vote for the vice in a speech to soldiers on Sun- record is fraught with myths, secretary general of rights group been towards achieving unity to the heroes’ cemetery based on Vice-President Leni Robredo presidency in May. day, referring to the cemetery. factual inconsistencies,” the Karapatan. move the country forward. And the criteria from the military said she opposed Duterte’s deci- She said Duterte’s decision Meanwhile Philippine activ- agency said. Former lawmaker Satur it is this kind of pronouncement regulations.” sion to transfer the strongman’s would not bring unity but would ists and a historical body have “A doubtful record does not Ocampo, tortured and impris- that we hope could end the dec- Marcos was a soldier and remains from his home town of “deepen the unhealed wounds” criticised President Duterte’s serve as sound, unassailable ba- oned during martial law, said a ades of divisiveness,” Marcos Jnr guerrilla leader during World Batac in the northern Philip- of Marcos’ victims. plan to give Marcos a hero’s sis of historical recognition of hero’s burial for Marcos would said on his Facebook page. War Two when the former US pines to the cemetery. Some Roman Catholic bishops burial, saying the ex-leader lied any sort, let alone burial in a site not bring national closure as Du- Marcos was elected president in colony was occupied by Japa- “Mr Marcos is no hero,” she and left-wing activists also op- about his military record. intended, as its name suggests, terte promised. 1965 and re-elected four years lat- nese forces. said in a statement. “How can posed Marcos’ burial. The National Historical Com- for heroes.” “Disunity will continue ... er but imposed martial law a year As a dictator in the 1970s and we allow a hero’s burial for a “It is a great insult,” said mission of the Philippines re- The activists urged the presi- Duterte should not aggravate before his second term ended. ’80s, Marcos, his family and man who has plundered our one prominent bishop, Arturo leased a study over the weekend dent to reconsider. the injustice done to martial law In 1986, he was ousted in a cronies amassed an estimated country and was responsible for Bastes. questioning Duterte’s stand that “We call on President Du- victims.” “people power” revolt and fl ed $10bn in ill-gotten wealth and the death and disappearance of Duterte brushed off the criti- Marcos was qualifi ed for a hero’s terte not to give a platform for Marcos’ son and political heir, to Hawaii where he died three thousands of suspected com- many Filipinos?” cism. burial because he was a soldier the Marcoses to whitewash the former senator Ferdinand Marcos years later. munist rebels and political foes Robredo, a human rights ad- “I see nothing wrong in having during World War II. crimes they committed. This Jnr, thanked Duterte for granting His remains were returned in were killed. vocate, defeated the dictator’s Marcos buried at the Libingan ng “Marcos lied about receiv- man does not deserve any form the family’s longstanding wish. the early 1990s and have been His wife, Imelda, denies son and namesake, Ferdinand mga Bayani,” the president said ing US medals... (his) military of honour,” said Tinay Palabay, “Our campaign has always kept in a family mausoleum. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 17 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL/MALDIVES

Journalists detained over ‘rumours’ on Hasina’s son

By Mizan Rahman dat Ulla Khan, Executive edi- Dhaka tor Maksudul Alam and staff reporter Pranta Palash, a re- porter of the online newspaper hree journalists in- said. cluding acting edi- RAB said, there are allega- Ttor of an online news tions of spreading rumours portal were detained and the against them. government yesterday can- “They have been brought celled all temporary and per- in on allegations of spread- manent accreditation cards ing rumours. Whether we let issued for the banglamail24. them go or show them arrest- com. ed will depend on information “The government has we get from them,” RAB-3 scrapped the accreditation chief Khandaker Golam Sar- cards of the online media war said. banglamail24.com’s nine jour- A banglamail reporter said nalists, including its editor,” an that the online media ran a offi cial announcement said in story on a report published by Dhaka yesterday. a portal named Todaynews71, It also said the press infor- which said Prime Minister mation department took the Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Coral at South Male Atoll in the Maldives. action through an order. Wazed Joy had died in a plane The release, however, did crash. not mention the reason behind The banglamail report criti- the cancellation of their ac- cised the baseless story and creditation cards. also ran a ruling Awami League However, elite security force leader’s comment. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) He said that they were re- late Sunday picked up the edi- quested by an official of the tor of the Dhaka-based online PM’s Press Wing to retract newspaper and two other the story, but the banglamail Lankan beaches hit staff ers on charges of spread- authorities decided not to do ing rumours. so. The elite police unit raided “At around 11pm Sunday, the offi ces of banglamail24. RAB came to the offi ce and com late on Sunday and picked took the three away. They also by untreated sewage up its acting editor Shaha- seized a computer.” Untreated sewage is being released coral mortality already observed,” said from tourist facilities into the water Ameer Abdulla, the research team leader 34 companies to and senior advisor to IUCN on marine bio- Agencies diversity and conservation science. Colombo “We are expecting this mortality to in- stop production of crease if bleached corals are unable to re- cover.” ourists have fl ocked back to Sri Bleaching occurs when abnormal con- low quality drugs Lanka’s palm-fringed beaches since ditions, such as warmer sea temperatures, Ta bloody civil war ended in 2009, cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic but environmentalists warn unchecked algae and thus become drained of colour. By Mizan Rahman production by 20 pharmaceu- development means some areas are now Bleached corals risk dying if conditions Dhaka tical companies within seven so polluted, swimming there is a health do not return to normal. days over poor quality medi- hazard. Land and ocean surface temperatures cines. Sewage from thriving hotels and guest- ‘Jungle Beach’ in Sri Lanka. rose to record highs in 2015 and at the be- he high court yesterday Later on June 13, respond- houses pours, often untreated, out into the ginning of this year, according to scien- ordered 20 pharmaceu- ing to four supplementary water polluting the sea and shore. resident Harsha Swadesh, 26, enjoying a Beaches in the former war zone in the tists. Ttical companies and 14 petitions by the defence, Even the country’s own tourism minis- game of volleyball with friends. “The sea is island’s north, where tourism is still rela- The surge has coincided with an excep- other antibiotics manufac- chamber judge of the su- ter says he has stopped swimming in the rough and it is not very clean.” tively new, remain cleaner. tionally strong El Nino — a cyclical phe- turers to stop production and preme court justice Mirza seas close to capital Colombo because of Unawatuna, just south of the historic But Jayaweera said the situation was nomenon that disrupts weather around supply as well as withdraw all Hussain Haider also upheld the dirty water. port city of Galle, is promoted as a pris- deteriorating there too — notably at the the Pacifi c and is driven by sea tempera- of their medicines which have the HC order and sent the More than 2mn visitors now head to the tine beach perfect for snorkelling and is popular Nilaweli beach in the eastern dis- ture. been found to be of low qual- four supplemental petitions tiny Indian Ocean island every year, more famous for its coral reefs. trict of Trincomalee. Often hailed by travel Warmer seas are a main culprit for the ity. to the regular bench of the than four times the number that came in But researchers say it is among the most guides as one of Sri Lanka’s “most perfect decline of coral reefs — considered among An HC bench comprising apex court for hearing. 2009. polluted, with many guesthouses dump- beaches”, visitor numbers have jumped in the most diverse and delicate ecosystems justice Salma Masud Chow- On June 15, the supreme Yet there are fears it is becoming a vic- ing their raw sewage into the ocean, espe- the past few years. on the planet. dhury and justice Kazi Md court upheld the high court tim of its own success. cially at night. Industry expert and environmental “Bleaching events are becoming more Ejarul Haque Akond passed order that asked the govern- Guesthouses have sprung up to cater for “Sometimes the current brings back specialist Srilal Miththapala believes Sri frequent and more severe due to global cli- the order after hearing a sup- ment to stop production by soaring numbers of visitors — but often most of the stuff back to the beach in the Lanka needs to make urgent changes to mate change,” Abdulla said. plementary petition in this 20 pharmaceutical companies with little thought for how to deal with the morning and it is awful,” said one tour- ensure the tourism industry survives long Coral reef and bleaching experts from connection. over quality of medicines. waste they produce. ism industry fi gure who asked not to be term. 11 countries and international institutions Advocate Manzil Morshed On September 20, 2014, the Many simply discharge raw sewage named. “A few years ago, we tried to shift the fo- and universities helped conduct the sur- fi led the petition on behalf parliamentary standing com- straight into the sea, exposing bathers to Tourism minister John Amaratunga said cus from beaches to eco-tourism, but the vey at the height of the 2016 El Nino event, of Human Rights and Peace mittee on health and family potential health issues. visitor numbers have soared since the end vast majority still visit us for our beaches,” the statement said. The Maldives, a nation for Bangladesh, responding welfare formed a fi ve-member The problem is most acute just south of Sri Lanka’s 37-year-long Tamil separa- he told AFP. of 1,192 tiny coral islands, contain around to a report, titled ‘Low qual- probe committee to identify of Colombo at Mount Lavinia, an upscale tist war. “The beaches predominate the tourism 3% of global coral reefs. ity medicines of 34 companies pharmaceutical companies neighbourhood and resort known for its “This year, our target is 2.2mn tourists, industry and that is why it is absolutely It is one of the most vulnerable coun- still exist in market’, published that produce substandard and Golden Mile of beach. but we may end up with 2.5mn,” Amara- important for us to clean up and protect tries to the impact of climate change since by vernacular daily Dainik Sa- adulterated medicines. Environmental engineering expert Ma- tunga told AFP. the beaches.” its average land height is only 1.5m above makal on June 28. After visiting 84 drug man- hesh Jayaweera said the bays in Mount But he conceded unchecked growth Coral reefs in the Maldives are under sea level. The writ petition was fi led ufacturing entities, the com- Lavinia were now so polluted that people could be having a negative impact on severe stress after suff ering mass bleach- The Maldives is not the only place where with the HC seeking a direc- mittee submitted a report to should not bathe in them. the environment, admitting that he has ing this year as sea temperatures soared, a coral reefs are threatened. tive to revoke the licenses of the standing committee on “When you look at the water you won’t stopped swimming in the coastal waters top conservationist body warned yester- Reefs worldwide have been facing wide- 20 pharmaceutical companies February 1, 2016 where it rec- notice it. But at certain times of the year, off Colombo after seeing sewage fl owing day. spread bleaching since mid-2014, accord- and 14 antibiotics manufac- ommended scrapping the li- the water in Mount Lavinia is so fi lthy it is into it from a southern suburb of the city. Around 60% of Maldives’ coral colonies ing to the US National Oceanographic and turers for their failure to pro- censes of 20 for producing worse than taking a dip in a cess pool,” he “I also used to go and bathe at Wella- have been bleached, with the fi gure reach- Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). duce quality medicines. substandard medicines — the said. watte... I stopped it when I saw the canal ing 90% in some areas, the International And this year, Australia’s 2,300km long Earlier on June 7, the HC or- same 20 companies on whom Levels of faecal contamination at Mount bringing in all the sewage into the sea,” he Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Great Barrier Reef the world’s biggest coral dered the government to stop the HC order was passed. Lavinia are 60 times higher than maxi- explained. said in a statement. ecosystem — is suff ering from its worst mum safe limits, said Jayaweera, of Sri He insisted the government was trying to It cited data from a survey it carried out bleaching in recorded history. Lanka’s University of Moratuwa. get the tourist industry to clean up its act. with the Maldives Marine Research Center In a bid to rein in the problem at home, Many visitors are unaware of the dan- Authorities have started registering (MRC) and the US Environmental Protec- the Maldives government has created a gers, but locals are more aware of potential guest houses to try to ensure they dispose tion Agency (EPA). national task force and a monitoring pro- issues. of their waste without harming the envi- “Preliminary fi ndings of the extent of gramme, in cooperation with the EPA and Seven die in Nepal the bleaching are alarming, with initial “We just come here to play,” said local ronment. IUCN. helicopter crash

AFP Pokhrel said rescuers from the 19 policemen Kathmandu army and police have reached the area. North Korean diplomat “They are trying to retrieve arrested helicopter crashed into the bodies,” Pokhrel told AFP a hillside in Nepal yes- by telephone from the crash Aterday, killing all seven site. By Mizan Rahman people on board including a Nepal, still reeling from last Dhaka baby, offi cials said. year’s devastating earthquake deported for smuggling The Kathmandu-bound that killed nearly 9,000 peo- Fishtail Air helicopter was ple, has suff ered a number of he Anti Corruption Commis- By Mizan Rahman chief of mission, to leave Bangladesh by yes- importing goods without following the due carrying six passengers when air disasters in recent years. sion (ACC) yesterday arrested Dhaka terday for his illegal activities. process. The UN Security Council imposed it lost contact with air traffi c Four people, including T25 graft suspects, including 19 Privileges and immunity for members of fresh sanctions on North Korea unanimous- control about 30 minutes af- three staff from medical policemen, from diff erent parts of the diplomatic mission are set out in the ly adopting resolution 2270 (2016) in March ter taking off from the western charity Doctors Without Bor- Bangladesh in separate graft cases. he North Korean government has Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Rela- this year. district of Gorkha. ders (MSF), died in June 2015 ACC deputy assistant director withdrawn its diplomat Han Son Ik tions, whose preamble states that such According to the resolution, all states Among them was a new when a helicopter crashed Abul Kalam Azad of its Pabna district Tfrom Bangladesh for his illegal ac- immunities and privileges are granted shall inspect the cargo within or transiting mother seeking medical treat- while delivering aid to quake offi ce arrested the 19, who joined the tivities that went beyond diplomatic privi- not to benefit individuals but to ensure through their territory, including in their ment in the capital. survivors. police showing fake freedom fi ghter leges. the effective discharge of the functions of airports, seaports and free trade zones, that Villagers alerted authorities That incident came three certifi cates, ACC public relations The diplomat, fi rst secretary of the North diplomatic missions as representatives of has originated in the DPRK, or that is des- after they noticed thick smoke weeks after a UH-1Y Huey offi cer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya Korean Mission in Dhaka, left Dhaka for states. tined for the DPRK. rising from a hillside 22km helicopter came down on a re- told newsmen. home yesterday afternoon complying with Customs offi cials seized a consignment In March last year, Bangladesh expelled north of the capital. lief mission in the north of the All the detainees were earlier at- a Bangladesh government request, a senior of tobacco and electronic products, worth another North Korean diplomat after he was “There were fi ve adults and country. tached to Rajarbagh Police Lines in foreign ministry offi cial told newsmen. 35mn taka, from the Inland Container Depot caught smuggling $1.4mn worth of gold. one infant on board as well as Six US Marines, two Nepali the capital. According to the case The North Korean embassy in Dhaka (ICD) at Kamalapur in Dhaka last month. Bangladesh Customs offi cials found Son the pilot,” said Ramesh Shiwa- soldiers and fi ve villagers were statement, the detainees, in collu- wrote to the ministry of foreign aff airs The North Korean diplomat purportedly Young Nam, the then fi rst secretary of the koti of Fishtail Air. killed. sion with others, joined the trainee confi rming his departure from Dhaka for brought the items without following due North Korean embassy in Dhaka, trying to “There are no survivors,” The European Union in 2013 recruit constable post of Bangla- Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, via process. smuggle 27kg of gold into the country. Shiwakoti told AFP. “Without banned all Nepalese airlines desh police in the freedom fight- Kunming. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) The diplomat was released in accordance an investigation, we cannot tell from fl ying there following in- ers’ quota, but they showed fake Earlier, the ministry of foreign aff airs wrote to the foreign ministry seeking ap- with diplomatic protocol but Bangladesh what caused the accident.” ternational alarm over Nepal’s certificates. asked Han, who was also working as deputy propriate actions against the diplomat for asked North Korea to withdraw him. District chief Bishnu Prasad air safety record. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran Re-create a fl exible

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] and democratic EU Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Brexit has turned “Leave” Unfortunately, Europe is using EU. Her new “Brexit ministry” has democracy in Britain – and could turn Fax 44350474 the wrong threats and incentives to defi ned Britain’s main objective as the tide of anti-EU populism across (whether the EU or the achieve this. France is demanding that tariff -free access to Europe and free- northern Europe. euro) into a realistic option Britain accelerate its exit. Germany trade agreements with the rest of the The EU has a long history of is playing the “good cop” by off ering world. That means abandoning the adapting in response to political in every European country access to the single market, but only interests of Britain’s fi nancial and pressures in important member states. in exchange for immigration rules business services, because services are So why is this strategy not being By Anatole Kaletsky that Britain will not accept. These are unaff ected by tariff s and are excluded considered to counter the existential GULF TIMES exactly the wrong sticks and carrots. from most free-trade deals. threat of Brexit? London Instead of rushing Brexit, Europe’s As a result, the new government will The answer has nothing to do with leaders should be trying to avert it, by soon be politically vulnerable. In fact, supposed respect for democracy. The ow should the European persuading British voters to change most British voters already disagree Brexit vote is no more irreversible than Union (EU) respond to the their minds. The aim should not be to with its negotiating priorities. Post- any other election or referendum, Phelps’ 19 Olympic narrow decision by voters negotiate the terms of departure, but referendum polls show voters giving provided the EU is willing to adopt Hin the United Kingdom to negotiate the terms on which most priority to single-market access over some modest reforms. to leave? European leaders are now British voters would want to remain. immigration restrictions by a two-to- The real obstacle to a strategy of focusing, rightly, on how to prevent one margin or more. persuading Britain to remain in the EU gold medals may other countries from leaving the EU or Many Leave voters Making matters worse for May, is the EU bureaucracy. The European the euro. The most important country her slender parliamentary majority Commission, once the EU’s source to be kept in the club is Italy, which are already having depends on disgruntled “Remain” of visionary creativity, has become a faces a referendum in October that rivals. As the British economy sinks fanatical defender of existing rules and stand the test of time could pave the way for the anti-euro second thoughts into recession, trade deals prove regulations, however irrational and Five Star Movement to take power. illusory and legal and constitutional destructive, on the grounds that any Europe’s fear of contagion An EU strategy to avoid Brexit, far obstacles proliferate, May will fi nd it concessions will beget more demands. If Michael Phelps were a country, it could put to is justifi ed, because the Brexit from ignoring British voters, would hard to maintain the parliamentary Concessions to British voters on shame several nations when it comes to their overall referendum’s outcome has show genuine respect for democracy. discipline needed to deliver Brexit. immigration would inspire the southern transformed the politics of EU The essence of democratic politics is A strategy to avert Brexit therefore countries to demand fi scal and banking medal count ever since the Olympics began in 1896. fragmentation. Before, advocates responding to public dissatisfaction has a good chance of success. The reforms, eastern countries would On Sunday, Phelps won the 19th Olympic gold medal of leaving the EU or euro could be with policies and ideas – and then EU could advance this strategy by seek budget changes, and non-euro ridiculed as fantasists or denounced trying to change the judgment calling May’s bluff on “Brexit means countries would demand an end to their of his astonishing career as he helped the US men’s as fascists (or ultra-leftists). This is no of voters. That is how numerous Brexit”. May should be told that only second-class status. team to victory in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay to longer possible. referendum outcomes – in France, two outcomes are possible: either The Commission is right to believe Brexit has turned “Leave” (whether Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Britain loses all single-market access that demands for EU reform would take his personal tally to 23. the EU or the euro) into a realistic Italy and Greece – have been reversed, and interacts with Europe solely extend well beyond Britain. But is this With the US men having medalled in every Olympics option in every European country. even when deeply emotional issues, under World Trade Organisation a reason to resist all change? That type Once Britain gives the Union formal such as abortion and divorce, were rules, or it remains an EU member, of rigidity broke up the Soviet Union 4x100 freestyle relay since the event was introduced in notice (by invoking Article 50 of the involved. after negotiating reforms that could and nearly destroyed the Catholic 1964, there was every chance Phelps was going to add Treaty of Lisbon), that option will If European leaders tried the same persuade voters to reconsider Brexit Church. It will destroy the EU if the enter the mainstream of political approach with Britain, they might be in a general election or a second bureaucracy remains incapable of to his haul. debate everywhere. Research by the surprised by the favourable response. referendum. reform. Swimming second in the relay, Phelps took over from European Council on Foreign Relations Many Leave voters are already having This binary approach, provided It is time for Europe’s politicians to has found 34 anti-EU referendum second thoughts, and Prime Minister EU leaders showed genuine fl exibility overrule the bureaucrats and re-create Caeleb Dressel, just 0.02 seconds behind France and in demands in 18 other countries. Even if Theresa May’s uncompromising in their reform negotiations, could a fl exible, democratic EU capable of a few powerful strokes the 31-year-old gave his team each of these challenges has only a 5% negotiating position will paradoxically transform public attitudes in Britain responding to its citizens and adapting chance of success, the probability of at accelerate this process, because voters and across Europe. Imagine if the to a changing world. Most British voters the lead. least one succeeding is 83%. now face a much more extreme version EU off ered constructive immigration would be happy to remain in that kind of Already far and away the most decorated Olympian Can the genie of disintegration of Brexit than they were promised by reforms – for example, restoring Europe. - Project Syndicate be put back in its bottle? The EU’s the Leave campaign. national control over welfare of all time, the 31-year-old Phelps showed that he had breakup may well prove unstoppable May has stated unequivocally that payments to non-citizens and zAnatole Kaletsky is chief economist lost none of his speed or killer instincts after coming once Britain leaves; but Britain has immigration control is her over- allowing for an “emergency brake” on and co-chairman of Gavekal not yet invoked Article 50. The bottle riding priority and that Norway or sudden population movements – to Dragonomics and the author of out of a brief retirement to provide Team USA with its could still be sealed before the genie Switzerland can no longer be models all members. Such reforms would Capitalism 4.0, The Birth of a New fi rst win in the event since Beijing, narrowly holding escapes. for Britain’s relationship with the demonstrate the EU’s respect for Economy. off France and Australia. “It was crazy, I was standing on the block while Caeleb (Dressel) was coming in and I actually thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest,” said Phelps. The American “Having the amount of excitement cheering made his in the stands during Olympics debut that race I don’t know at the age of 15 at if I have heard anything like it.” the 2000 Games It was not unusual in Sydney to see Phelps, who returned for one last tilt at the Olympics after initially retiring following the London Games, standing on the podium, but it was to see the 19-time champion overcome with emotion. The victory was too much for his younger teammates, who won their fi rst Olympic medals Prime Minister Theresa May: as the British economy sinks into recession, trade deals prove illusory and legal and constitutional obstacles proliferate, May will find it and had to be consoled by their vastly-experienced hard to maintain the parliamentary discipline needed to deliver Brexit. teammate. With his teammates in tears, Phelps smiled and laughed and hugged them as they took a victory lap around the pool deck. Phelps’ 19 gold medals are the most by any single The benefi ts of a gap year athlete in the history of the Olympic Games. In second By Rebecca S Fahrlander social skills. I also spent most of the California, taking in the counter the daily reality of being treated place with nine gold medals each are Soviet gymnast The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS fi rst half-year taking training and culture of San Francisco and the diff erently as a woman. For example, Larisa Latynina, Finland running great Paavo Nurmi, classes, aptitude tests, and learning celebrity glow of LA. This was the although I had scored far higher on from others. start of my lifelong love of the Golden a computer aptitude/IT training American swimmer Mark Spitz and athletics great aking a break between high As I look back now, I realise that I State. programme test than the young man Carl Lewis. school and university - a learned many valuable lessons from A trip with co-workers to Las Vegas who sat next to me in my department, gap year - has been trending that experience. left me with an impression of how he was called into the training class Having made his Olympics debut at the age of Tin recent years in the West. lives can take the wrong path. Being well before I was. Indeed, my gap years 15 at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Phelps, who as a Prince William famously took a The gap year off ers underage (and thus barred from casinos) were over and I left for college before gap year to travel and volunteer for and totally uninterested in the main being called up for that programme. child suff ered from attention defi cit hyperactivity worthy causes. More recently, Malia an opportunity to activities the city is known for, I spent Perhaps most important, I learned disorder (ADHC), is easily one of the most successful Obama decided to postpone entering much of my time there observing people that human potential must not be university for a year. make a transition as well as attending concerts and shows. wasted; that each of us must strive to sportsmen of all time. The gap year off ers an opportunity I found the city to be as sad as it was do the most with his time and talents; With a few more swimming events lined up at the to make a transition between two between two stages glamorous - a place where people found that it was up to each of us to take the stages of a young life - taking a themselves stranded due to bad choices initiative rather than wait for someone Rio Olympics, Phelps could take his personal tally break from formal education and of a young life they had made. else to recognise one’s strengths and higher, making it pretty much impossible for anybody substituting the informal learning From these trips, I realised that I talents. I could not wait around for from travel and work in the so-called First, I learned enough about myself wanted to travel more throughout the someone to invite me into a certain else to overtake him in the future. real world. to begin to sort out what I wanted world. I also learned that travel itself life. I had to make that life myself. A few decades back, when it was to do. I realised I was not suited to was not enough; that being happy Thus, by the end of my gap years, I not quite as common as it is today, I a business career. I was good at the with what one was doing 52 weeks a had an appreciation of the university took my gap year. Actually, I took two. work I did, but I could not envision year was central to a happy life. experience and what a diff erence it To Advertise An honors student, I certainly was spending a lifetime of days in that I learned about hierarchies and, could make in my life. As my second academically prepared to go straight environment. I wanted to use my mind perhaps ironically, the importance of summer of work drew to a close, I gave [email protected] to college. However, I felt I needed a and creativity more, and to make a education. The people with higher- notice and entered college, eager to Display break. Also, unlike many teenagers, diff erence in the world. I wanted to level positions, which usually required embrace the experience, do my best, Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 I had no work experience. I was not have control over what, where and more education, were clearly treated and make up for lost time. sure what I wanted to do with this how I did my life’s work, not be so with more deference. It was also easy I pushed through my undergraduate Classified seemingly endless road of life, and stifl ed by bureaucratic rules. to see that college aff orded better degree in two years and nine months, Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 thus took time off to work in a large Second, it was during my gap years opportunities in general for more my gap years behind me but informing corporation and do a bit of travel. that I began to travel and to learn I interesting and autonomous work. my path ahead. Subscription In many ways, it was a rational could go anywhere. Of course, I had It was also in my gap years that [email protected] transition from classes to this travelled with my family before this, I learned the reality of women’s zRebecca S Fahrlander environment. This corporate world but during my gap years I planned inequality in work and society. Even ([email protected]) is an required some of the same qualities trips and travelled by myself or with a as a child, I had questioned the adjunct professor of psychology and 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved as school, including persistence, friend. limitations placed on women. But sociology at the University of Nebraska punctuality, and math, reading, and I planned a couple of trips to as a worker myself, I learned about Omaha. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 9, 2016 19 COMMENT What’s Imran Khan up to, now?

Always accused of being the backing of the powerful security by critics of being impatient and impatient and impudent, establishment. impudent. Khan, then, was spearheading a Here he was, trying to be patient he tried stoicism and a movement over the 2013 elections and consultative, for a change, and it consultative mantra, for a that he alleged were massively rigged backfi red! to prevent his party from taking a fair But not all of this necessarily had change, but it backfi red shot at power. the makings of political naiveté. While Khan failed to force Sharif Circumstances also favoured the By Kamran Rehmat to resign on a virtual solo flight – he ruling party a great deal as Sharif, Doha only briefly enjoyed support from after a belated response to the Panama moderate cleric Tahir-ul Qadri, a charges with an appearance in the naturalised Canadian citizen, who parliament – where, too, PTI’s Khan mran Khan has taken to the had his own grouse with the Sharifs was neutralised by PPP’s Khurshid streets, again. The fi rebrand after more than a dozen of his Shah (the opposition leader in chairman of the opposition party cadres were killed in Lahore the lower house of the bicameral IPakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf following a violent police crackdown legislature), who successfully (PTI) began a so-called Ehtesab – he managed to wiggle out a pact prevented Khan from a prepared (accountability) campaign on Sunday with the government for an inquiry onslaught by leading a preconceived aimed at pressurising Prime Minister by a Supreme Court chief justice joint opposition walkout – fl ew to Nawaz Sharif to come clean about led-judicial commission. London for a medical procedure that the fi rst family’s off shore companies The commission however, led to a prolonged recuperation at the named in the Panama Papers. dismissed charges of any organized peak of the Panama heat. The Sharif family denies any mass scale rigging – one of a slew of Ramadan and sweltering summer wrongdoing, but more than fi ve terms of reference that many critics provided further encore to dilute the months into the scandal - with a suggested was poorly conceived by the Panama eff ect. veritable list of the world’s who’s who, PTI on the negotiating table. Led to believe that a joint including heads of state with off shore This blew the wind out of Khan’s opposition would force the wealth stashed in Panama – the sails though subsequently, he did win Sharif government to agree to a ambers are still fl ickering in Pakistan. a few Brownie points when his party fully-fledged inquiry, but which Certainly, there’s no dearth of political appeared to have the better of the predictably came a cropper over capital to be made. draw in the four symbolic National hotly disputed terms of reference, As was to be expected, the Sharif Assembly seats whose bona fi des Khan has eff ectively parted ways with government and the opposition were he had challenged as a benchmark the opposition to hit the road again. quickly drawn into a battle of attrition to prove the PTI was undone by an However, it is unlikely he would over the issue, which seemed to unite uneven playing fi eld! make much headway given the tried, a largely disparate and ineff ective But by then, the PTI had lost BACK TO THE FUTURE: In all likelihood, the PTI chairman is trying to regain lost ground after ceding space to the rudderless PPP. tested and failed solo fl ight in the past. opposition since Sharif’s return to much of its verve, especially after So it begs the question – why? power following the 2013 general Ayaz Sadiq, the deseated National the PTI with a chance to get its Nawaz Sharif, signed a decade ago in that the PPP, once again, actually In all likelihood, the accountability elections. Assembly speaker, regained his mojo back, but in a clever display London that stipulated that neither “delivered” to the ruling PML-N by spin is more of a calculated bid to What seemed to tilt the scales this coveted custodian’s role following a of political chess, the PPP used the party would try to bring down containing Khan on the pretence of regain lost ground and pitchfork the time was the apparently diff erent role hard-fought bye election victory in opportunity to lure the desperate the other’s government or invite/ a united opposition front, which it PTI as the main challenger to the the secular Pakistan People’s Party the PML-N stronghold. PTI into a marriage of convenience engage with the establishment to the had no intention of carrying to the PML-N in the 2018 elections rather (PPP) assumed – raising the mercury Before the row over Panama Papers on the premise of a united front to detriment of the system. extent it would lead to a meltdown and than bring down a government that by fronting the opposition alongside erupted in March this year, PTI challenge the PML-N, but which The two parties wisened to that therefore, compromise its own future fancies itself for an encore. the PTI for a judicial inquiry into the appeared to be struggling for political many pundits predicted, would be a conclusion after each smarted from prospects. There is, of course, a bit of time fi rst family’s acquired assets. relevance with a self-destructive ruse to contain Khan’s belligerence the pitfalls of a zero-sum rivalry Late to the party, Khan now realises between now and then to see if Imran In the frenzied 2014 street agitation streak to boot as evident in a public for its own benefit. during much of the Nineties, which he may have blundered politically by Khan will be consigned to being an led by Imran Khan, the PPP had display of dissension in the party The PPP and PML-N have largely enabled the same establishment to use ceding space to the rudderless PPP at eternal bridesmaid, a subject perhaps, bailed out Sharif by throwing its lot hierarchy as stalwarts began to jostle stuck to the so-called Charter of them for its own ends. his own party’s cost. for another time. with the beleaguered prime minister for greater clout and say. Democracy their leaders, slain former In the latest episode, too, the There’s a stark irony in this, too, amid fears that Khan’s campaign had The Panama Papers provided prime minister Benazir Bhutto and commentariat reached the conclusion since Khan has always been accused zThe writer is Community Editor. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Points to ponder consider impartially and in an makes clear that people in general have demonstrates his commitment to his High: 42 C unbiased manner, and propose to realised the importance of emergency duties and responsibilities. Low : 33 C Hazy to misty at times with some on career changes the management that for any career procedures. The safety briefi ngs to The Dubai incident calls for people clouds. change, the job assigned should be passengers on fl ights do help passengers to understand the value of travel Dear Sir, related one way or another to the to cope with such extreme situations. insurance and how it could help one that has been carried out by the But I have seen many regular passengers them in unforeseen circumstances. WEDNESDAY The letter “Need to embrace career employee earlier. This will ensure not paying much attention to safety People lamenting about their baggage High: 44 C changes” (Gulf Times, August 8 ) gives harmony and success to both the announcements and tips given in the destroyed in the fi re aboard must Low: 32 C food for thought. As a human resources employer and employee. introductory briefi ngs after boarding as realise how lucky they were to escape Sunny (HR) professional with more than a Also, I would like to point out that they have become quite routine to them. from a near-disaster, as everything decade of experience in Qatar, I feel that the concept of job rotation has not The evacuation procedure followed they have possessed can be regained organisational changes are inevitable been popular in this part of the world. in Dubai was a great achievement but life, once lost, is lost forever. THURSDAY throughout the globe and Qatar is no When there has been a high demand for the airport rescue team and the High: 42 C exception. But career changes triggered and expectation all around, it is Emirates airline. Still the unfortunate Ramachandran Nair Low: 33 C by organisational restructuring need always advisable to position persons incident claimed a fi refi ghter’s life. It (e-mail address supplied) Sunny careful study and scrutiny before being of competence, ability, effi ciency to embraced, in the overall interest of the tap the desired results. Compromises establishment as well as its employees. bring no tangible results to anyone. Please send us your letters Fishermen’s forecast One can “embrace” a change in While the idea and concept of career OFFSHORE DOHA career, subject to the fact that the change is welcome, this needs to be Wind: NE-NW 03-10/15 KT person doing that has got some exercised with utmost caution, foresight By e-mail Waves: 1-3/4 Feet background, knowledge, experience and thoughtfulness on the part of HR. INSHORE DOHA [email protected] Wind: NW-NE 05-15/20 KT and inclination to perform the new Fax 44350474 Waves: 1-2 Feet function he or she is deputed to do. V Kalyanaraman Or Post A person who has all along been [email protected] Around the region involved in site execution activities Letters to the Editor Weather Weather cannot be assigned, all of sudden, Gulf Times today Max/min tomorrow Max/min The importance of Abu Dhabi P Cloudy to the contract department as the P O Box 2888 Sunny 44/32 43/31 level of thinking, understanding Baghdad Sunny 46/28 Sunny 47/30 emergency procedure Dubai and comprehensive abilities diff ers Doha, Qatar Sunny 43/32 Sunny 40/32 Kuwait City Sunny 45/33 Sunny 46/33 altogether from his or her previous Manama M Sunny 42/33 Sunny 42/33 line of work. Several examples can be Dear Sir, All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name of the Muscat P Cloudy 37/32 M Sunny 38/32 cited to support this point. writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name and address Riyadh Sunny 43/28 Sunny 43/29 As a matter of abundant caution, The evacuation from Dubai Emirates Tehran Sunny 37/24 Sunny 37/25 it is always advisable for the Flight 521, moments after the Boeing may be withheld by request. human resources department to 777 crash-landed in Dubai recently, Live issues Sometimes the only solution is a new job

By Marie G McIntyre duties I’ve been given. When it’s time to reconsider your reluctance giving him answers. If you want Brad Tribune News Service I asked human resources to to “abandon” your boss. to become more self-suffi cient, then review my position, I was told Karen is a grown woman whose you must stop rewarding his needy that despite my title, I am not problems are clearly of her own behaviour. Although you don’t have to UESTION: considered a manager because I making, so you have absolutely no be rude, you do need to be consistently My don’t do performance reviews. obligation to save her from herself. non-responsive. manager They suggested that I should just Instead, you need to save your own In the future, when Brad asks Around the world Qdoesn’t like refuse to do Karen’s tasks. career by getting out of this crazy for assistance, be prepared to off er Weather Weather dealing with people. I can’t seem to fi nd a solution place. some standard discouraging replies. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min “Karen” usually asks me to handle to this problem. Our higher-level Examples might include “I’m sorry, Athens M Sunny 33/24 Sunny 36/24 any matters involving the staff manager never intervenes in but I really don’t have time to talk Beirut Sunny 31/26 Sunny 31/26 S T Storms 34/27 or other departments, while she department issues, so he won’t How to deal with right now,” or, “That’s probably a Bangkok 33/26 S T Storms Berlin P Cloudy 20/10 P Cloudy 19/09 spends her time working on the be any help. Human resources a needy colleague question for your manager,” or, “I Cairo Sunny 37/25 P Cloudy 36/25 computer. She also has me rewrite is obviously useless. Karen says don’t think this is something I can Cape Town Sunny 21/08 Sunny 27/12 her e-mails because she has a she would be lost without me, so help with”. Colombo T Storms 30/27 T Storms 30/26 history of getting into confl icts. I can’t abandon her. What should Q: One of my co-workers is To avoid seeming harsh, always Dhaka S T Storms 30/26 T Storms 29/26 Hong Kong S T Storms 32/28 T Storms 31/27 Although my offi cial job title is I do? constantly asking me for advice. remember to deliver these comments Istanbul Cloudy 32/25 M Sunny 31/23 assistant manager, I have many For example, “Brad” might want with a friendly smile. If you keep this Jakarta S T Storms 32/24 M Sunny 33/25 duties that are not management- ANSWER: To sum things up, you me to review a report or give my up and avoid off ering any advice, Karachi Cloudy 32/28 Cloudy 32/27 related. Whenever I propose have an immediate supervisor who opinion about a project plan. eventually Brad will fi nd a new London M Sunny 21/11 M Cloudy 20/13 T Storms T Storms 30/26 delegating certain tasks to the shuns human interaction and insults Although Brad earns twice what security blanket. Manila 29/26 Moscow P Cloudy 26/13 Sunny 27/15 staff , Karen says the staff members her staff , a senior manager who refuses I do, he seems unable to operate New Delhi S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 31/26 are too stupid to be trusted. As to manage and an HR department independently. I’ve tried to be zMarie G. McIntyre is a workplace New York M Sunny 31/24 T Storms 29/26 a result, I’m stuck doing a lot of that advises you to blatantly defy your helpful, but his questions take up coach and the author of Secrets to Paris P Cloudy 22/10 P Cloudy 21/12 work that should really belong to boss. It’s no wonder you’re feeling a lot of time. What can I do about Winning at Office Politics. Send in Sao Paulo Cloudy 22/14 S Showers 17/09 Seoul I T Storms 34/24 M Sunny 33/23 other employees or my boss. hopeless, because that is one screwed- this? questions and get free coaching tips Singapore S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 To make it worse, my pay is up organisation. at http://www.yourofficecoach.com Sydney M Sunny 20/13 M Sunny 22/08 based on a job description that Since you can’t fi x this A: Your pesky colleague continues or follow her Tokyo Clear 37/25 Cloudy 33/25 does not refl ect the management dysfunctional management culture, to ask questions because you keep on Twitter @officecoach. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, August 9, 2016 QATAR US-Manila WCM-Q programme CPA pact helps train future to benefi t Qatar fi rms

By Peter Alagos Qatari researchers Business Reporter our Qatari scientists have received ompanies in Qatar will certifi cates marking their comple- stand to gain from the Ftion of the sixth Biomedical Research Cmutual recognition Training Programme for Nationals. agreement (MRA) between US The annual programme is held by Weill and Philippine accountancy Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q) and institutions once it is estab- aims to help create the scientists of the lished, an offi cial of the Philip- future by giving talented Qatari gradu- pine Business Council-Qatar Philippine Business Council- ates the opportunity to spend six months (PBC-Q) has said. Qatar chairman Greg Loayon. working in WCM-Q’s state-of-the-art “The MRA means it vali- laboratories learning key scientifi c re- dates the credentials of Fili- Picpa Qatar will be sending search and administrative skills. pino CPAs hired by compa- around 20 of its members to This year four graduates - Naira al- nies in Qatar, and that they the Las Vegas conference, said Thani, Khaloud al-Turki, Moza al-Ku- have the qualifications of an Loayon, who will be speaking wari and Njoud al-Naama - who have international certification at the event. He will be joined backgrounds in biology, sociology and body. These CPAs are already by Picpa Qatar Chapter in- biomedical science, have completed the holding responsible posi- coming president Emma Vi- programme. Interns who complete the tions in many Qatar-based tor, who was invited to sit in training learn a variety of skills that will companies,” said PBC-Q the board of the MRA com- help in their long-term research ca- chairman Greg Loayon yes- mittee. reers, including practical bench work, Dr Khaled Machaca and the graduates. terday. “A mutual recognition project design and research administra- The formal presentation of agreement with the US bol- tion, among many other key competen- funding opportunities as well as working has been working in the laboratory of Dr have worked in and I off er them my sin- the MRA, Loayon told Gulf sters the qualifi cations of cies. Now in its sixth instalment, the with the fi nance department to track ac- Alice Abdul Aleem, assistant research cerest congratulations for completing the Times, will be held during Filipino CPAs, and gives com- programme has trained 28 interns and is counts and balances. professor of neuroscience, and assistant programme. the Philippine Institute of panies in Qatar the assur- closely aligned with Qatar Foundation’s “I would like to get involved with the research professor of neurology, inves- “More than that, though, they are con- Public Accountants’ (Picpa) ance that these accountants Qatar Research Leadership Programme. research industry in the future as it’s tigating a potential genetic cause of the tributing to Qatari research capacity; they ‘2016 Picpa International managing their businesses are Khaloud al-Turki has a degree in soci- an area that’s growing across the coun- disease microcephaly. Njoud now hopes to are the next generation of home-grown (US-RP) MRA Convention’ equally qualifi ed with CPAs in ology and business from Qatar University try and I’ve been really happy to work at eventually join a PhD programme. scientists and research administrators from September 5 to 9 in Las the US,” pointed out Loayon, (QU). She said QU had encouraged her to WCM-Q.” Dr Khaled Machaca, associate profes- who will make a very real contribution Vegas. who added that there are more join the Biomedical Research Training Njoud al-Naama has a degree in biology sor of research at WCM-Q, said the four to not only the creation of a knowledge- The MRA is a formal under- than 500 Picpa Qatar Chapter Programme and that she had spent her from Cornell University and is a graduate interns had great futures ahead of them. based economy, but to the creation of standing between the Philip- members. time working in research administration. associate in research at Sidra Medical and Machaca said: “Khaloud, Njoud, Moza knowledge itself. pine’s Board of Accountancy Unlike Qatar-based li- Khaloud said: “I have been working on Research Center. She wanted to gain more and Naira have all proven to be great assets “I wish them the very best of luck for the (PBOA) and Picpa, and the US censed Filipino engineers a project with the grants team to look at research experience at WCM-Q. Njoud to the college and the laboratories they future.” International Qualifi cations and architects, who are now Appraisal Board (US-IQAB) required by the state to take and National Association of a qualifying exam, Loayon State Boards of Accountancy said the Qatar government (Nasba), Picpa Qatar’s offi cial recognises the qualification website said. for accountants duly certified It explained that the MRA by international accountancy allows “qualifi ed accounting bodies. professionals to practice the In February, Filipino engi- accounting profession in the neers and architects working US without having to com- in Qatar have been given one pletely pass all written ac- year by the government to counting examinations and comply with the requirement vice versa”. to take a qualifying exam af- “Once the agreement is ter accreditation issues of signed by both parties, Philip- professionals working in the pine-licensed CPAs can prac- country was put under the tice as a recognised accounting spotlight. professional in the US by pass- Since the old curriculum ing the state’s Business Law lacks two years, Philippine and Taxation Examination ambassador Wilfredo San- only (combined and counted as tos earlier said “authorities one),” it said. are not recognising the full It added that once estab- equivalency of our diplo- lished, the Philippines “will mas”. be the seventh country to gain Only recently, the Philippine global recognition in the prac- government implemented the tice of accountancy… This is K to 12 programme under the ultimately advancing our ac- “Enhanced Basic Education counting profession into the Act of 2013”, which now adds global practice without terri- grades 11 and 12 to the school torial boundaries.” curriculum.

Handball player Abdulrazzaq Murad of Qatar poses ahead of the Rio Olympics. (Photo by Konstantinos Zagkas/Qatar Olympic Committee) QTA rebrands Qatar Airways ‘proud to support for unifi ed Team Qatar’ at Rio Olympics image and voice eaching a new milestone in the organisation’s growth, Qa- atar Airways is cheering on Team guests can experience the airline’s hospi- education. The entire airline group will be the Qatar Olympic team, transporting over tar Tourism Authority (QTA) has launched a new corporate Qatar athletes as the offi cial airline tality. cheering for Team Qatar and wishes them 12 tonnes of equipment and other special- Rbrand and domain name. Qpartner of the largest-ever Qatari A social media campaign promoting well every step of the way.” ised items. This step aligns QTA’s corporate brand with the Qatar desti- Olympic team. The men and women will the QOC’s presence is currently running Commenting on QOC’s partnership A Facebook contest is currently off ering nation brand, launched last November, and unifi es the organisa- compete in beach volleyball, equestrian, using the hashtag #YallaQatar, and led with Qatar Airways, Dr Thani Abdulrah- one lucky winner the chance to win a trip tion’s online presence under the single domain name of visitqatar. boxing, swimming, athletics, weightlift- by the president of the QOC HE Sheikh man al-Kuwari, secretary general of the of a lifetime to Rio to watch Team Qatar at qa. ing, shooting, judo, handball and table Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani. The Commit- Qatar Olympic Committee said: “It is a the Olympic Games. The launch of the corporate brand and subsequent domain tennis. tee is running the social media campaign very exciting time for Olympic sport in Fans are encouraged to like and com- change, follow on from the unveiling of the Qatar Destination As the offi cial airline of Team Qatar the so that Qatar residents can post their Qatar and we are thrilled to have such a ment on the Team Qatar video on the Brand and the Qatar Business Events brand late last year, which carrier is also sponsoring Bayt Qatar, a encouragement to the country’s athletes supportive partner join us ahead of the QOC’s Facebook page and to insert the served to bolster the consistency of image and voice across all hospitality house designed to provide a and share their thoughts about the com- Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Our Team Qa- hashtag # YallaQatar for the chance to platforms. The new domain name will be refl ected in QTA’s e- Qatari cultural element to the events. petition. tar athletes have been working incredibly win a round-trip pair of Business Class mail addresses and all websites managed by QTA, thereby placing Bayt Qatar’s venue is designed to “bring Qatar Airways group chief executive, hard to ensure they are in the best shape of tickets from Doha to Brazil fl ying with Qa- the ultimate call to action at the forefront of all of QTA’s online the soul of Qatar to the heart of Rio”, ac- Akbar al-Baker, said: “We are so proud to their lives and this support will give them tar Airways, as well as hotel accommoda- interactions. cording to the Qatar Olympic Committee be supporting the Qatar national team and a timely boost in the fi nal stages of their tion for fi ve nights in a fi ve-star hotel, two QTA has also launched the fi rst phase of a new corporate web- (QOC). Located in Casa Daros, a former to be present in Rio. training. We hope that the whole nation Samsung mobile phones with an interna- site, to give more access to the public and media to up-to-date in- museum, the venue will provide a special “As the national airline of the State of will join Qatar Airways in getting behind tional data package, tickets to the Rio Ol- formation about the authority’s eff orts to plan, regulate, promote Garangao night for children, featuring Qatar, we are committed to growth and our athletes and celebrate their incredible ympic Games to cheer on Team Qatar and and develop a sustainable tourism sector in Qatar. an outdoor souq and special exhibitions development and supporting the com- achievements in the true spirit of Olymp- unlimited access to Bayt Qatar. Work is also underway to make VisitQatar.qa pages promoting and fi lm screenings. Qatar Airways will munities in which we serve through vari- ism.” The winner of the Facebook contest will Qatar as a destination available in multiple languages including also host a photo corner and booth where ous initiatives including sport, culture, Qatar Airways Cargo has also supported be selected at random today. French, Italian and German.