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Monday 27 March 2017 | 28 Jumada II 1438 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Volume 22 | Number 7113 | 2 Riyals

Emir receives Libyan leader Ministry cautions citizens against Milestone Maldives travel

The Peninsula for Qatar's THE Foreign ministry has warned people against travel- ling to Maldives at the moment due to H1N1 outbreak in the island nation. The ministry announced this yesterday on solar project its official Twitter account. According to reports in Maldives Independent, a The Peninsula 29-year-old pregnant woman QSTec, the Middle who tested positive for the arking a major H1N1 flu virus died yesterday breakthrough in East and North Africa morning while undergoing the region’s solar (MENA) region’s treatment at the intensive industry, Qatar largest polysilicon care unit at the Indira Gandhi Solar Technolo- manufacturer, with Memorial Hospital in Malé. Mgies (QSTec) has successfully The death of the pregnant produced its first polysilicon at a plan to expand woman brings the H1N1 death its 8,000 metric tonnes per to over 50,000 toll to five this year. A annum (MTPA) manufacturing MTPA, successfully 79-year-old man who died at facility in Qatar. produced its first IGMH last week was the QSTec, the Middle East and fourth fatality. A 46-year-old North Africa (MENA) region’s polysilicon at its Ras Bangladeshi man died last largest polysilicon manufac- Laffan Industrial City week and two Maldivians, a turer, with a plan to expand to site. 27-year-old man and a over 50,000 MTPA, successfully 51-year-old woman, died ear- commenced operations at its lier this month. Ras Laffan Industrial City site. Europe and the United States The rapid spread of H1N1 “The first polysilicon pro- of America, SolarWorld AG, as Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya amid a seasonal outbreak of duced from our facility in Qatar well as the world’s leading solar and Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord, Fayez Al Sarraj, at Emiri Diwan the flu and viral fever represents a major milestone and semi-conductor technol- prompted schools and state yesterday. Al Sarraj briefed the Emir on the latest developments in Libya and the efforts to for QSTec and has paved the ogy company, Centrotherm AG. universities to close earlier way for a solar manufacturing As a result, QSTec has enhance security and stability. The Emir stressed Qatar's support to the Libyan people and this month. But the education base to be established within emerged as a globally inte- the government in their bid to reach a political solution through a comprehensive dialogue ministry decided to resume the region” said QSTec’s Chair- grated solar company, and and national reconciliation that respects Libya's unity and sovereignty. → See also page 2 the first term yesterday after man and CEO, Dr Khalid together, these companies have a week-long mid-term break. Klefeekh Al Hajri. formed a solar consortium of “We are now moving from excellence with an aim to the construction phase towards achieve greater efficiencies full scale production and it’s an right across the solar industry. incredibly exciting time for QSTec’s new state-of-the- Workers must get Friday off: Ministry QSTec and the region’s solar art facility includes a wide industry,” he added. range of environment- friendly Today, polysilicon is the key technologies, next generation The Peninsula asked employers to give a must be minimum 24 consecu- on different occasions. These raw material used in 90% of the reactors, energy efficient cool- weekly off day to workers on tive hours and fully paid. Friday include three days for Eid Al world’s solar modules. To this ing systems and advanced s part of an ongoing a Fridays. shall be the weekly rest day for Fit, three days for Eid Al Adha end, QSTec has made several waste treatment facilities that campaign to raise aware- Quoting article No. 75 of the all workers except shift and one day on the National strategic investments spanning recycle excess gases and water Aness about the rights of Labour Law, the Ministry said workers." Day. the entire solar value chain, for reuse in a closed loop sys- expatriate workers, the Ministry on its Twitter account that According to Article No. 78 The remaining three days including the largest integrated tem that reduces costs. of Administrative Development, "every worker must get a of Labour Law, a worker would be announced by the solar module manufacturer in → Continued on page 4 Labor and Social Affairs has weekly rest from the work. It deserves 10 fully-paid off days employers.

Qatar-UK investment Vodafone Qatar CEO Ian Gray awarded OBE forum to open today

The Peninsula in December 2015. He Lost lessons: is also currently Chair- Satish Kanady/London odafone Qatar’s man of Vodafone The Peninsula Students struggle CEO Ian Gray Egypt having served for admission Vhas been made on the board for LONDON: The high-profile Qatar-UK Business an Officer of the Most almost 17 years. & Investment Forum is set to open here today. The Excellent Order of the Prior to this, Gray event has brought together several Qatari Ministers, → Page 3 British Empire (OBE) acted as a Regional corporate heads and a largest-ever number of poten- for his services to Director for Vodafone tial investors. The Prime Minister and Interior trade relations both in Group, focusing on Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani Iraq reclaims 2 areas the UK and abroad as both Central and East- will deliver the key note address at the opening ses- part of The New Year ern Europe. sion. H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance; of western Mosul Honours 2017 lists. Gray is also UK H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al NINEVEH: The Iraqi army The New Year Co-Chairman of The Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce; H E Dr managed yesterday to reclaim Honours lists recog- Egyptian British Busi- Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Energy & two neighbourhoods of west- nise the achievements ness Council (EBBC) Industry: H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of ern Mosul from Daesh, and service of extraor- which was set up under Transport & Communications are among the Qatari according to a mılitary source. dinary people across the auspices of the Ministers who are expected to address various ses- "Army’s anti-terrorism the UK. Egyptian and British sions. → See also page 21 forces liberated the two Gray received his Governments in 1998 as neighbourhoods of Wadi Al OBE last week from a strategic body to facil- Ain and Rajm Al Hadid in the HRH The Prince of itate trade and QTA hosts 200 Italian travel agents western part of the city," Lt Wales at Buckingham investment links Gen Abdul Amir Yarallah said Palace. Gray joined between Egypt and the QATAR TOURISM AUTHORITY (QTA) organised . "The Iraqi flag has been Vodafone Qatar as CEO United Kingdom. the first ever mega ‘fam’ (familiarisation) trip to Qatar raised over the buildings in hosting 200 Italian travel agents for three days last these areas after our enemy → Ian Gray, CEO of Vodafone Qatar, being week, aimed at generating visitor growth from Italy. suffered great losses,” he said, granted an Officer of the Most Excellent The agents are affiliated with Viaggidea, part of the without specifying the bulk Order of the British Empire (OBE) by HRH Alpitour Group, one of Italy’s top three tourism oper- of these losses. Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. ators, which represents 27% of the Italian tourism → See also page 8 market. → See also page 2 02 HOME MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017

Emir receives messages from King Abdullah II of Jordan and King Mohammed VI of Morocco

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a verbal message from King Abdullah II of Jordan pertaining to bilateral relations, in addition to issues on the agenda of the 28th Ordinary Session of the Arab League Council to be held in Amman on March 29. The message was conveyed by Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Al Safadi during a meeting with the Emir at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. RIGHT: The Emir also received a verbal message from King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco pertaining to bilateral relations. The message was conveyed by Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Salaheddine Mezouar at the Emiri Diwan yesterday.

Emir greets QTA hosts 200 Italian travel agents President of Bangladesh

Three more trips mir H H Sheikh Tamim The agents are bin Hamad Al Thani affiliated with Esent yesterday a cable Viaggidea, of congratulations to Presi- one of Italy’s top dent of the People's Republic three tourism of Bangladesh Mohammed Abdul Hamid on the anniver- operators. sary of his country's Independence Day. QTA has three more Deputy Emir H H Sheikh mega familiarisation Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani trips planned this and Prime Minister and Inte- year from the US, rior Minister H E Sheikh UK and Germany. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Kha- lifa Al Thani also sent congratulations to President of The Peninsula the People's Republic of Bang- ladesh Mohammed Abdul atar Tourism Authority Hamid on the occasion. (QTA) organised the first ever mega ‘fam’ Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer, and QTA officials with Italian travel agents. Qatar and (familiarisation) trip to QQatar hosting 200 Ital- Costa Rica ian travel agents for three days last plan the perfect trip, site visits to Italian market.” He added, “Ita- "Qatar is without any doubt a Adriano Apicella, CEO Wel- week, aimed at generating visitor various hospitality establish- ly’s travel agents can offer their destination with great potential. come Travel Group, added, “I am exchange growth from Italy. ments in Qatar as well as a desert clients new and authentic expe- We are really grateful to Qatar deeply grateful for this valuable The agents are affiliated with safari to Khor Al Udaid’s majes- riences through visits to Qatar, Tourism Authority and Qatar opportunity which allowed 200 documents Viaggidea, part of the Alpitour tic sand dunes and inland sea. and we are pleased to provide Airways for supporting us in the of our best travel agencies to dis- Group, one of Italy’s top three QTA has three more mega fam them with the support they need implementation of the largest cover some of Qatar’s wonders he minutes of the tourism operators, which repre- trips planned this year through along the way.” ever fam trip hosted by Qatar, over three days. This has been a exchange of instru- sents 27 percent of the Italian which it will host agents, tour Since 2011, visitor arrivals which included the number one thrilling experience character- Tments of ratification of tourism market. The company operators and media from the from Italy have increased by network of travel agencies, the ized by high quality services and a cooperation agreement in held its annual summit in Doha, USA, UK and Germany. 47%. To build on that growth, Welcome Travel Group. Qatar perfect organization from QTA’s the cultural field between the allowing the travel agents oper- Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief QTA started operating a repre- proved its great tradition of hos- side. In addition to modernity Government of the State of ating under its umbrella to enjoy Tourism Development Officer at sentative office in Milan 18 pitality and thorough attention and to large investments we Qatar and the Government of the country’s authentic tourism QTA, commented, “This mega months ago. By the end of 2016, to detail, and we couldn't have have seen the attention to tradi- the Republic of Costa Rica offerings first-hand. fam trip is testament to the Qatar had recorded more than asked for more. Alpitour travel tion and culture paid in Qatar’s were signed at the Foreign The fam trip included a shared belief we have in the 33,000 Italian visitor arrivals. agents will give their maximum development, which distin- Ministry's headquarters. workshop on the destination’s uniqueness of Qatar’s tourism Paolo Guariento, Viaggidea support for the development of guishes and differentiates the The Minutes of the offerings and how visitors can offering and its relevance to the Brand Manager, commented, this fascinating destination." destination from others.” exchange of ratification instruments were signed by Qatar's Ambassador to Costa Rica Mohammed bin Kurdi Taleb Al Marri and Minister Hamad Dental Center of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Costa Rica Manuel Gonzalez Sanz on behalf of marks Oral Health Week the government of Costa Rica. Shooting range The Peninsula visit a number of schools and sports clubs around the country to be active amad Dental Center at engaging the public by provid- Hamad Medical Corpo- ing free dental check-ups and atar Armed Forces Gen- Hration (HMC) is hosting a counseling. They will also hold eral Command has number of activities at schools workshops and distribute edu- Qannounced that mari- and sports clubs between 20 and cation materials to students and time shooting range (O.B.D-28), 28 March in recognition of World sports club patrons. located east of Missaieed near Oral Health Day and GCC Oral “We are glad to be holding a Fisht Al-Hadid, will be active Health Week. series of activities during World from April 26 to May 1 daily World Oral Health Day aims Oral Health Day and GCC Oral from 06.00am to 05.00pm to raise awareness about the Health Week to highlight the Doha local time. important connection between importance of oral health. We are Dr Darwish poses for a group photo alongside famous football players – Abdulkarim Hassan, The range is located 40 oral health and a person’s general always keen to raise awareness Al Sadd Sports Club player and Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona FC player – and other officials and km to the east of Mesaieed, well-being and quality of life. Sim- among Qatar’s population about students during an event held at the Al Sadd Sports Club to mark the World Oral Health Day. an angle of 105 degrees from ilarly, GCC Oral Health Week aims the importance of oral health and Mesaieed port near Fisht Al- to unify activities and awareness the impact it has on overall health decay and other oral health prob- diseases can impact every aspect can all do to protect our oral health Hadid from the east, and programs that contribute to the and well-being,” said Dr Moham- lems, according to research by the of an individual’s life – including and overall well-being. It’s also extending until south of Shrao promotion of oral and dental med Sultan Al Darwish, Consultant Hamad Dental Center in 2014. Dr their ability to perform basic phys- important to seek professional island. Qatar Armed Forces health in all GCC countries. of Dental Public Health, Hamad Al Darwish says it is important for ical functions. dental care as soon as an oral General Command has called As part of activities planned Dental Center, HMC. the public to understand that good “Brushing one’s teeth twice a health problem arises,” noted Prof on those frequenting that area in recognition of the occasion, In Qatar, about 85 percent of oral health is much more than a day, flossing daily and consuming Johann de Vries, CEO and Direc- to take precautions for their Hamad Dental Center staff will schoolchildren experience tooth nice smile. He says that oral a healthy diet are simple things we tor of Hamad Dental Center, HMC. own safety. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 HOME 03 Lost lessons: Students struggle for school admission

“We do not have any community Some parents and schools in Qatar and so most of us are forced to send our children either to school officials are even International or other community suggesting two shifts to schools. Those who get education sup- tackle the problem. port from their companies always opt for international schools, or go for Brit- ish curriculum offered by Sri Lankan or Pakistani schools here. Some opt for Irfan Bukhari & Huda N V manifold in the past few years.” other curriculum like the Indian or Paki- The Peninsula “This step can bring great relief to stani,” said Abeo, a Nigerian expat. distressed parents who are unable to Adeel Akbar from Pak Shama School s the new academic year in get admissions for their children. Every told The Peninsula that the school has most community schools is school has a specific seats limit which received around 1,500 applications out round the corner, the trou- they cannot violate and therefore the of which a large number came from bles of a large number of introduction of two shifts will help both non-Pakistani communities. parents have not ended yet the parents and the schools,” said “But definitely, we cannot accom- dueA to a chronic shortage of seats. Deepak Kumar, an Indian expatriate. modate all the aspirants as the Like the Indian community, Egyp- According to the recently released authorities have allocated specific tian and Sudanese communities are also Ministry of Education and Higher Edu- intake-strength to schools which they facing shortage of seats in schools for cation data, Qatar has 304 Independent cannot violate,” he said, adding that their children. schools and 541 private schools (split admissions in Pak Shama School will be “My daughter is studying in primary into different educational levels), includ- closed in April. classes at the DPS-MIS and I thought we ing kindergartens, which together have For the Sri Lankan community, the could easily get admission there for my enrolled 296,323 students. education available here is not sufficient second child through the sibling admis- Statistical data for the 2016-2017 for their children to get an entry into sion system. However, when I academic year shows that International universities in their home country. assessment structure. The current CCE approached the school this year, they schools top the list of private schools “One of the biggest issues that we Changes being brought tests students throughout the year, declined saying they did not have any (422, including 161 kindergartens) with have with the education system here is reducing the burden of studies. From seats,” said Ameena, a mother of a DPS- a total of 144,449 students. Community that the curriculum is not approved by by India’s Central Board next year, students have to focus on one MIS student. schools came second (73, including 16 the Sri Lankan government. Even though of Secondary Education final annual exam. Each paper will be “Recently, the school said they had KGs) which together have 28,483 the schools here say they offer a univer- (CBSE) from this academic of 100 marks - 80 for the exam and 20 a few seats open and gave us time to log students. sal syllabus and children can get year are leaving schools for internal assessments. For students, on for online application. However, at On the other hand, the Pakistani admission anywhere in the world, the mostly in classes 10 and 9, this aca- the given time, the server was down and community is not facing shortage of university admission in Sri Lanka is not and parents confused. demic year, the move will be a huge in less than two hours the slots were seats. Riyaz Ahmed Bakali, Director, The possible. So we have to take our chil- burden,” said Mohammed, an Indian filled. Luckily, I had secured a seat for Next Generation (TNG) School, said: dren back home in early classes itself, expatriate. the child in another school,” she added. "Pakistan International School can or else we have to look for private uni- year that will begin in April this year. “The CBSE had announced a two- A K Srivastva, Principal, Birla Pub- accommodate around 3,500 students versities in Sri Lanka or go aboard for Also, according to the latest informa- semester system from Class 6 onwards lic School, said that it was true that the while there are other private schools like education,” a Sri Lankan national said. tion, marks of Class 9 would not be with half-yearly and annual examina- Indian community was facing problems TNG, the Bright Future and Pak Shama Meanwhile, changes being brought included in the Class 10 grade sheet- tions. However, we were told the three in getting admission for their children for the Pakistani community.” by India’s Central Board of Secondary cum-certificate of performance. Schools term system would be reinstated and due to a shortage of vacancies but he Bakali said that admissions in Paki- Education (CBSE) from this academic were also directed to submit the CCE we had changes in the lesson plan hoped the issue would be resolved in a stani schools offering Pakistani year are leaving schools and parents result data online to the Board. accordingly. Now again there is a year. “Six new Indian schools are being curriculum would continue until May confused. In January, the board had “The new system will be replacing grapevine saying that the two-semes- launched this year. It will help address as their academic session 2017-18 would announced the restoration of the Class the CCE (Continuous and Comprehen- ter system will be followed,” said a the chronic shortage, along with other start next month (April). “Admissions for 10 Board exams from the new academic sive Evaluation) with a remodeled teacher at an Indian school. measures which are underway,” he international curriculum would con- added. tinue till October as their sessions would “I have been running from pillar to start from September,” he added. post to secure a kindergarten admission Due to the availability of seats, other for my child. I visited almost all Indian communities, particularly from Arabic schools and tried through the manage- speaking countries like Egypt and Sudan, ment members but all in vain. Now I am are approaching Pakistani schools for forced to put my child in an international admissions. school, which is the only but an expen- sive option,” said Sanaa, an Indian expatriate. Due to the availability of Some parents and school officials are seats, other communities, even suggesting two shifts to tackle the particularly from Arabic problem. The owner of an Indian school, seeking not to be named, said that the speaking countries like immediate solution to the existing prob- Egypt and Sudan, are lem was the launch of two shifts. Though approaching Pakistani some more schools are set to open this schools for admission. year, it will not solve the problem as the population of Indian expats has increased

Customers can now buy TETRA Radios from Ooredoo Ooredoo to offer iPhone 7

The Peninsula have different demands on pro- Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Chief users), saving the business QR and iPhone 7 Plus RED fessional mobile radio services Operating Officer, Ooredoo 50 per device. “This device oredoo has announced a and Ooredoo offers a wide range Qatar, said: “Ooredoo is the sole launch and promotion is yet The Peninsula generation. host of new promotions for of technologies to industries, operator of Qatar’s TETRA net- another way Ooredoo is contin- The iPhone 7 and iPhone Oits TETRA service users to such as public safety organisa- work, which is part of our uing to modernise and update its oredoo yesterday 7 Plus are the best, most celebrate the launch that TETRA tions, transportation companies, award-winning Supernet. Along communication services for busi- announced that it advanced iPhones ever, devices that are now available for utility companies, and industrial with our growing TETRA port- nesses, as we push to be Qatar’s Owould offer the packed with unique innova- purchase from Ooredoo. companies, with a full portfolio folio, our customers can now premier ICT provider.” Al Kubaisi iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus tions, including breakthrough The Ooredoo TETRA service of TETRA services designed to directly purchase TETRA devices added. RED Special Edition in a camera systems, the best bat- is a professional mobile radio meet any need. and accessories from Ooredoo, In addition to a broad range vibrant red aluminium tery life ever in an iPhone, and two-way transceiver serv- To ensure that these impor- meaning Qatar’s TETRA network of TETRA-compatible applica- finish. immersive stereo speakers ice that also enables companies tant industries have a highly can grow easily and efficiently tions, Ooredoo’s TETRA services The introduction of this and a wide colour system all to deploy TETRA Applications, reliable, mission-critical commu- with its businesses.” include a full portfolio of com- special edition iPhone cele- in a water and dust resistant such as the TETRA Computer nication system, Ooredoo will From today until 27 June munications services, including brates Apple’s 10 year design. Aided dispatcher system, voice now sell TETRA devices in Qatar. 2017, all customers who replace group, individual and broadcast partnership with (RED) and Customers can order the recorder, automatic vehicle Business customers can now buy their old TETRA device and pur- calls; an extensive range of com- gives customers a way to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus location (AVL), and in-building TETRA devices from Ooredoo and chase a new one from Ooredoo patible handsets, and a contribute to the Global Fund RED Special Edition device solutions to augment traditional enjoy the advantage of the new will receive free reprogramming fully-supported operations and to bring the world a step in Ooredoo Shops and online GSM coverage weak-spots. TETRA offer for a limited period. (for existing users) and a free maintenance service, with a closer to an AIDS-free at Ooredoo.qa/eshop Different industries in Qatar Talking about the service, connection charge (for new 24-hour dedicated helpline. Certificates awarded to Holy Quran course participants

Sanaullah Ataullah Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani Holy The Peninsula Quran Contest and other officials of the Ministry. Sixteen Imams and teachers of he Ministry of Awqaf and Holy Quran from across Kyrgyzstan Islamic Affairs held a gradu- participated in the course. A week- Tation ceremony for a group long course was organised by the of Imams and teachers of Holy Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Quran from Kyrgyzstan for partic- Thani Holy Quran Contest under a ipating in a training course on Holy programme offered to non-Arabic Quran. speakers. The course was held at The graduation ceremony was Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mah- attended by Kyrgyz Ambassador to moud Islamic Cultural Center Qatar Nuran Niyazaliev, Sheikh during March 19 to 25. A teacher from Kyrgyzstan receiving a certificate for Hamad bin Abdullah Al Mehinna Al A group of famous scholars and participating in the Holy Quran training course. Marrai, Deputy Chairman of the the preachers from the Ministry deliv- Organizing Committee of Sheikh ered lectures. 04 HOME MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 Community College to hold Humanities Conference

Mohammed Osman aim of promoting scholarly dia- conference at the CCQ head- Al Naimi highlighted that shifts - morning and evening. The Peninsula logue and exchange, quarters yesterday. CCQ itself witnessed great Key speakers The conference will host par- contributing to the existing "We want social science and change in the last six years in The conference will ticipants from 14 countries and he Community College body of knowledge within the humanities take its natural posi- terms of facilities, the number of host participants from high-level keynote speakers of Qatar (CCQ) will humanities and social sciences tion and get the interests it students from 100 students to 14 countries and including US Ambassador to Qatar organize the 4th fields, said Dr Ibrahim Al- deserves like any other discipline 4,300 now and teaching 17 pro- high-level keynote Dana Shell Smith, said Dr Linda Humanities Confer- Naimi, President of CCQ. Since and its graduates have access to grams in both diploma and Lebile, Chair of Humanities and speakers including US ence under the theme then, the college is organising the labour market," he stressed, bachelor degrees. Social Sciences Department. Ambassador to Qatar. T“A Nation in Transition” on this event on an annual basis pointing out that the world "Therefore, the conference Ambassador Smith will speak March 29 - 30 at the City Center and this year the conference including Qatar is witnessing will examine lessons learned on “How Qatar’s 2030 Vision will Rotana in Doha. will explore and examine the great changes and "we want to from past failures, identify strat- CCQ is the second affect transition in Qatar and The college organised its various challenges and suc- know how these changes could egies for successful transition, largest college beyond" and Dr Hassan Al-Der- first Humanities Conference in cesses of transition, said Al serve the human being and our and help us recognise and specialised in ham, President of Qatar 2013 at the local level with the Naimi, speaking at a press societies in particular." acknowledge our roles and humanities after University will deal with the responsibilities to move all Qatar University. topic “A Nation in Transition” nations forward to a brighter and Dr. Adrian Holliday, Profes- future," he added. sor of Applied Linguistics at The CCQ is the second largest The conference will explore Canterbury Christ Church Uni- college specialized in humanities changes through different disci- versity, United Kingdom, wil after Qatar University and offers plines such as human capital, speak on “Cultural Change & Cul- 17 courses in two shifts with a vari- education, family, gender roles, tural Resilience”. ety of students whose average age tradition, religion, the media, What makes this year's con- is 27 years, said Dr Abdallah Haz- government, globalization, the ference different is the students' aimeh, CCQ Dean. economy, environment, differ- participation in essays and post- "It is a great opportunity for ently-abled and disenfranchised ers competitions and all the students and teaching staff persons. departments are represented in to take part in the conference Hazaimeh stressed that the the conference, Lebile said, add- where 20 papers will be pre- college is trying to maintain the ing that the conference is sented by the college lecturers," quality of education and expand- sponsored by Ooredoo, RasGas he added. ing opportunities working in two and QAPCO, among others.

Dr Abdullah Hazaimeh, Dean of Community College of Qatar (CCQ); Dr Ibrahim Al Naimi, President of CCQ; and Dr Linda Lebile, Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences Department, at a press conference at the CCQ headquarters yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula Solar industry set for huge growth

→ Continued from page 1 for further growth” said Dr Al high growth and QSTec is well In addition to this, QSTec’s Hajri. “We have brought positioned to meet this new facility has a 1.1 megawatt together high quality technol- demand.” QSTec is a joint ven- solar installation that includes a ogies, advanced R&D and ture formed between Qatar Solar ground mounted solar farm as expertise from polysilicon to (a wholly owned subsidiary of well as rooftop and solar car manufacturing technologies, Qatar Foundation for Education, parking shades and is a show- right through to integrated Science and Community Devel- case of sustainability. module production and the opment), SolarWorld AG and Qatar “QSTec has strategic invest- construction and development Development Bank, that is built on ments across the solar value of large scale turn-key solar a philosophy of quality, opera- chain and a network of global installations. The MENA region’s tional excellence and commercial partners that we can leverage solar industry is forecast for integrity.

FROM LEFT: Mohamed Al Hammadi, QSTec Chief Project Officer; Dr Khalid K Al Hajri, QSTec Chairman & CEO; Volker Kinzig, Sitec CEO; and Abdulla Al Buainain, QSTec Deputy Chief Project Officer. BELOW: The gas treatment plant. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 HOME 05 Rota trains QA switches off HQ lights for Earth Hour The Peninsula

o mark Earth Hour on Sat- 60 students urday, Qatar Airways Tswitched off the lights at its corporate headquarters between 8:30 and 9:30pm in an effort to encourage communities and to be leaders individuals to come together to highlight the importance of com- batting climate change. The Developing youth the delivery of projects and airline created an internal campaigns that address both awareness campaign to encour- The new programme local and global issues. age participation of its staff at provides a “This new programme, home and boost awareness of opportunity for the which started last week, is the global initiative. youth to develop being implemented in four Earth Hour, launched nine leadership skills and schools — two for boys and years ago, is the world’s largest values as well as an two for girls — in which 30 movement aimed at bringing understanding of male and 30 female students people together to protect the community are attending sessions to hone planet and highlight environ- their personalities and acquire mental issues. development issues. different skills they will need Speaking about the global To mark Earth Hour on Saturday, Qatar Airways switched off the lights at its corporate to be leaders of the future,” initiative, Qatar Airways Group headquarters between 8:30pm and 9:30pm. Abdulla Al-Bakri, Community Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, The students aged 15 Development Manager at said: “As part of our committ- awareness about the importance batting global climate change.” lights to ensure these are not left to 16 are attending ROTA, told the media at a ment to sustainability, we of energy conservation. We hope The airline seeks to reduce on during daylight hours. So far daily sessions for the press conference yesterday at participated in Earth Hour by that we have inspired our col- its environmental footprint. this year, a total of 87 timers have three-month Qatar Foundation Recreation turning off the lights at our cor- leagues and communities to join One initiative to help manage been fitted to 36 buildings with programme which Center. porate headquarters. This is an us in switching off the lights to electricity is a project to fit auto- plans to continue the project consists of ten The students aged 15 to 16 excellent opportunity to raise make a positive impact on com- matic timers to exterior building through the coming year. modules. are attending daily sessions for the three-month programme which consists of ten modules. Raynald C Rivera Managed by ROTA’s National The Peninsula Programmes Directorate, HBKU workshop explores storytelling ‘Tomorrow’s Leaders' adopts a ixty students from four youth-centered approach schools in Qatar are whereby young people are The Peninsula theme, Tell me a Story, explored “The goal of this workshop a certain age group’s level of taking part in a new encouraged to manage their the art of storytelling and how is to provide these administra- mental comprehension which leadership programme own learning and development amad Bin Khalifa Univer- to choose books for children that tors with the tools they need to will be reflected in the language launched by Reach Out as future leaders and carry out sity Press launched the address sensitive issues and be able to identify the power that and picture choice. STo Asia (ROTA) — a core pro- meaningful projects with the Hfirst of a series of three emotions, modelled after chil- literature has in informing and Aligning the age group of the gramme of the Education Above support and guidance of certi- literary workshops yesterday as dren’s books published by HBKU opening up a dialogue with chil- book to the target audience will All (EAA) foundation. fied professional development a part of its community outreach Press. dren about sensitive issues.” help with the next point which Dubbed “Tomorrow’s Lead- facilitators. campaign to help promote local “Books are published for two According to Aljassem, the is content choice. The best books ers”, the new programme Dr Abdulaziz Al Horr, the literature, literacy, discovery, different reasons: to entertain three criteria to consider when can relay messages to children implemented in collaboration creator of the programme cur- scholarship and learning. and/or to inform,” explains choosing literature that helps clearly while inspiring them to with the Ministry of Education riculum, said, “This The workshop, which was Aljassem. “It’s easy for teachers inform children include the age identify and question concepts and Higher Education, provides programme has been designed led by the Arabic Editor at HBKU and librarians and coordinators group, the content level and the and lessons learned. If a story a opportunity for the youth to to help young people in Qatar Press, Jameela Sultan Almass to choose books that will enter- physicality of the book. has the child asking questions develop leadership skills and acquire essential leadership Aljassem, was held in the Stu- tain their students; but how do First and foremost, it helps about the plotline or characters, values as well as an under- values, skills and competen- dent Center at Education City you choose the right book to to know the audience that you chances are it is too complex. standing of community cies that will allow them to and included teachers, librari- explain, for example, a death in are targeting and understand Finally, the physicality of the development issues, and gain become effective 21st century ans and academic coordinators the family? Or the immeasura- their comprehension level. book is almost as important as experience through leaders. from schools across Qatar. The ble bonds of family? Books should be chosen as per the content and age group.

The Pearl-Qatar before (left) switching off, and during (right) Earth Hour on Saturday. The Pearl-Qatar marks Earth Hour with shops and residents

The Peninsula hour on the last Saturday of March. Last year, 178 countries participated in the initiative. nited Development Company (UDC), mas- Participating in earth hour comes within UDC’s ter developer of The Pearl-Qatar, took part, commitment to its social responsibility towards Ualong with a number of shops and residents the local environment, evident by its efforts in inte- of the Island, in the “Earth Hour” initiative on Sat- grating sustainable practices into business decisions urday by switching off unnecessary lights from and by adopting conscious methods in the man- 8.30pm till9.30pm local time. agement and recycling of waste on the Island. Earth Hour, the largest climate support initi- UDC also adopts policies to ensure the opti- ative of its kind, aims to draw attention to and mal use of energy in all its projects, and organises raise awareness of the risks of climate change by events that aim to highlight environmental and encouraging participants to turn off lights for one social initiatives and concerns. 06 HOME MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017

Academic to Expert says Islam not against feminism speak on

popular in the western media. challenges of NU-Q lecture Muslim women … have effec- Years of western tively asserted their rights youth in region through an appeal to Shariah- colonisation have based norms specifying female skewed Islamic laws rights,” Wright said. The Peninsula and societal “Professor Quraishi-Landes behaviours in Muslim is a distinguished scholar who eorgetown University countries. This brings a practical, legal perspec- in Qatar’s Middle East- negatively affected tive to understanding feminism Gern Studies Student the global perception in the Islamic world, thus Association (MESSA) will host of Islam: Scholar expanding the perspective of our a public lecture by civil rights students,” said Everette E Den- activist Dr Sami Al Arian this nis, Dean and CEO. week, ahead of their annual Quraishi-Landes calls Quraishi-Landes is a profes- conference. Al Arian, who is for more Islamic sor of law at the University of currently a professor and education for Muslim Wisconsin-Madison, where she director of the Center for women. teaches courses in Islamic law Regional Politics at Istanbul and US constitutional law. She Sabahattin Zaim University, The Peninsula is also recognised for her work will be speaking at 6:00pm in comparative legal theory, and tomorrow at GU-Q’s Educa- he westernised defini- women in Islamic law. tion City campus. tion of feminism, and Asifa Quraishi-Landes speaking at Northwestern University in Qatar. Quraishi-Landes argues that “I'll be talking about the misconceptions that advocacy work for women’s challenges facing the youth surround Muslim fem- within Muslim societies. affected the global perception of how the international discourse rights in Muslim societies has today, particularly in the Mid- inists as being in She was introduced by NU-Q Islam, and created false divides has been set up, and how most been most successful when it dle East, and how they should Topposition to Shariah law, were Professor Zachary Wright, as between those who support people, including Muslim avoids western liberation vs prepare to face them,” said Al challenged in a session at North- well as NU-Q student, Sheikh westernized liberation, and those women, talk about this.” Islamic conservatism false binary. Arian. “I hope that the audi- western University in Qatar. Thani bin Hamad Al Thani, who grounded in Islamic law. In introducing Quraishi- Her research in Islamic constitu- ence will have a better In her session, "How Not to introduced her on behalf of the “There seems to be a West vs Landes, Wright noted that tional law, which remains an understanding of the major Talk about Muslim Feminism," student body. Islam polarity,” explained Qurai- women in Muslim societies important source for ethical prin- problems facing our world distinguished scholar and She argued that years of shi-Landes. “So, you’re either for would benefit from more edu- ciples in modern governments today, and what kind of edu- Islamic and US constitutional western colonisation have women’s rights and against cation in Islamic law. “Muslim across the Muslim world, shows cation and knowledge, as well law expert, Asifa Quraishi- skewed Islamic laws and soci- Islam, or for Islam and against societies think of Shariah as ulti- that Muslim women had more as tools and skills, they should Landes, spoke about the goal etal behaviours in Muslim women’s rights. And there is very mate justice, not the reductionist rights and freedom prior to the have to make it a better, and of women’s empowerment countries. This negatively little room in between. That’s image of hudud punishments so colonisation era. a more equitable and peace- ful world.” The lecture is one of the student-run events surround- ing this year’s MESSA’s Qatar Cool CEO shares leadership conference, which focuses on themes of power, influence, and authority in the Middle East. The one-day event, lessons with Texas A&M students which will be held on March 30, provides undergraduate The Peninsula with our students, who are the Al Jaidah advised they should students with a platform to next generation of engineering expect to make students to never present and publish their aca- asser Al Jaidah, CEO of leaders in Qatar.” stop reading—not just engineer- demic research to an audience Qatar Cool, recently spoke During the information ques- ing and technology articles and of peers and experts. Yto students, faculty and tion-and-answer forum, Al Jaidah publications, but everything from Al Arian is a prominent staff at Texas A&M University at advised students to continually philosophy to politics, because Palestinian human rights Qatar as part of the Dean’s Lead- try to understand other people that will open their breadth of advocate and community ership Series in the branch and cultures. He said that engi- knowledge. leader. While working as a campus’ building in Education neers tend to be introverts He told students mistakes tenured professor of compu- City. dedicated to their work, but that happen but they should try to ter science and engineering Yasser Al Jaidah, CEO of Qatar Cool, receiving a memento at Texas A&M at Qatar Dean Dr a successful career in engineer- learn from those mistakes and at the University of South César O Malavé said, “Leadership ing is not just about IQ; it’s also push past their comfort zones to Texas A&M University at Qatar. Florida in 2003, he was pur- is one of the six core values of about EQ, or emotional truly diversify their experiences sued by the US government every student at Texas A&M Uni- intelligence. and themselves. industry and said he used his Jaidah was the General Manager on various charges, resulting versity and this lecture series “Your team is only as good as He also reflected on his early experiences in that field to learn and Director of South Hook LNG in a prolonged legal battle gives our students an opportu- its members,” he said. “Emotional career as an electrical engineer what was needed to take Qatar in the United Kingdom, the larg- over which he eventually pre- nity to learn from some of the top intelligence goes hand in hand when he avoided the back office to the next level. est liquefied natural gas (LNG) vailed. After ten years in government and industry lead- with intelligence because you and chose instead to work with Al Jaidah heads Qatar Cool, terminal of Western Europe and detention, solitary confine- ers in Qatar. We are honoured to have to work with people from technicians in the field to build the third-largest district cool- provider of 20 percent of the ment, and under house arrest, have Mr Al Jaidah here with us to all different cultures and his own hands-on capabilities. He ing company in the world. United Kingdom’s LNG Al Arian relocated to Turkey share his experience and wisdom nationalities.” started in the oil and gas Before joining Qatar Cool, Al consumption. in 2015. QYH observes Earth Hour with residents

The Peninsula

atar Youth Hostels (QYH) marked Earth Hour on Saturday in the pres- Qence of 14 nationalities residing at their premises. The residents switched off unnecessary lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm to mark the occasion. QYH will organise a celebration in cooperation with The British School of Doha on March 29, coinciding with the Energy Conversation Week and The World Water Day. The event comes as part of QYH’s efforts to promote community awareness on most important global and local issues. "Qatar celebrates with the rest of the world, the World Water Day to increase QYH marks Earth hour at its headquarters. people’s awareness on the importance of water in all aspects of life and focus on its Development Manager at QYH. application named ‘Energy now’ and ranked judicious use and sustainable manage- “Students of the British School of Doha among top three teams in competition con- ment," said Amal Dib, Business have invented an energy conservation ducted by Microsoft titled ‘Code Camp’." Ride-hailing service starts promotion

The Peninsula enchanting setting of Qatar’s entering their preferred date country blessed with abundant desert. and time. natural beauty and a rich his- he month of March proved As part of the collaboration, “Careem is committed to tory and culture, Qatar has a special one for adven- Careem customers were able empowering local communi- enormous tourism potential Tture seekers and desert to book a unique desert safari ties and supporting local which remains largely lovers in Qatar as Careem, the tour through the Careem app at entrepreneurs everywhere we untapped. Careem is keen to region’s leading ride-hailing an unbeatable price of QR590 operate, and our collaboration work towards enhancing service, collaborated with 365 for a total of 5 guests. Valid with 365 Adventures formed Qatar’s image as a tourism des- Adventures, a Doha-based tour throughout the month of March, part of our efforts to bring more tination by teaming up with operator dedicated to making customers were able to take value and benefits to our cus- innovative local players such as Qatar the next tourist hotspot, advantage of the exclusive offer tomers in Qatar,” said Ibrahim 365 Adventures who share our to offer an unforgettable expe- by simply selecting ‘Adventure’ Manna, General Manager dedication to putting Qatar on rience for its customers in the car type on the Careem app and Emerging Markets. “As a the tourism map.” MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 HOME 07 Cuba invites more Lulu opens 'Eyexpress' at Al Gharrafa tourists from Qatar

Fazeena Saleem FITCuba 2017 grown by six percent com- The Peninsula pared to 2015. In 2016, 30 Cuban Ambassador percent of the tourists were ourism is a key area presents lure of from Canada and we Cuba is seeking to good climate, received 284,937 visitors promote in Qatar architecture, from the US despite the and attract more beaches, heritage blockade,” said Rodriguez. visitors soon, says and health tourism. Cuba has a rich mixture TEumelio Caballero Rodriguez, of various cultures of Euro- Cuban ambassador. Cuba Cuba treasures 253 peans, Africans and natives. seeks to welcome more visi- It is reflected in Cuban archi- protected areas, tors from here as the Cuban tecture, music, dance, food 257 national tourism sector is growing fast and handicrafts. Cuba is and it has fascinating attrac- monuments, and undertaking renovation pro- tions to offer for tourists. seven Unesco World grammes of its cultural “With its favourable cli- Heritage Sites. heritage sites such as colo- The eye care store of Lulu Group, ‘Eyexpress’, was inaugurated by Lulu Group Director Mohamed mate, beaches, colonial nial buildings in Havana and architecture and distinct cul- also coming to the event and Matanzas. Althaf last Thursday at Lulu Hypermarket, Al Gharrafa, in the presence of other dignitaries. tural history, Cuba is an they do explore tourist “There are 125 develop- attractive destination for attractions,” said ment tourism projects. Also, tourists. Cuba is one of the Rodriguez. there is opportunity for for- secured countries and many “Beside the traditional eign participation and spend their holiday in Cuba,” offers and other new tourist business opportunities in said Rodriguez yesterday. modalities, special space will building hotels, developing Culture and QCP pushes healthy “We do receive visitors be devoted at FITCuba 2017 and expanding marinas,” from Qatar. We hope more to the presentation of the said Rodriguez. Sports Ministry of our Qatari friends will updates business opportuni- Cuba treasures 253 pro- foods at schools plan their next holiday to ties in Cuba in the tourism tected areas, 257 national Cuba,” he added during a sector,” said Rodriguez. monuments, seven Unesco to mark World presentation on the upcom- The event was held at the World Heritage Sites, seven The Peninsula nutrition and unhealthy foods, ing Cuban International Cuban ambassador’s resi- Natural Biosphere Reserves Theatre Day and understand the benefits and Tourist Fair ‘FITCuba 2017.’ dence in the presence of and 13 Fauna Refuge among n the lead up to the eighth disadvantages of each. FITCuba 2017 is the most several officials including the other non-tourist zones. Qatar International Food At the school visits, the chefs important professional event ambassadors of Venezuela “Every province in Cuba QNA Festival (QIFF), organisers are preparing healthy and tasty of the Cuban tourism indus- and Uruguay as well as rep- has something special to Qatar Tourism Authority snacks in front of the students, try, to be held in Holguin, resentatives from the travel offer such as rich culture of he Ministry of Culture and (QTA) have partnered with helping them gain a visual under- Cuba, in May. Holguin, with industry. dance, music and literature, Sports, represented by the IQatar Culinary Professionals standing of where food comes its cultural plazas, excellent In the presentation, Rod- important cultural and his- TCenter for Theater Affairs, (QCP) to deliver a healthy food from and an appreciation of beaches, exotic environment riguez also highlighted toric heritage, vintage cars will organise a special celebration and nutrition awareness pro- healthy alternatives to common and infrastructures facilities, attractions that Cuba has to as taxis, modern and con- in Qatar National Theater today gramme at primary and middle snacks. Among the schools is one of the most attractive offer to tourists and about temporary architecture,” he to mark the World Theatre Day schools around Doha. included in the campaign are Al sites in Cuba for hosting FIT- the growth of the tourism added. Health Tourism is (WTD). QCP members, including Hekma, Lycee Franco-Qatarien Cuba 2017. industry in his country. among one of the other The celebration brings chefs from the Armenian-Leba- Voltaire, Doha English Speaking “It’s a professional gal- “Tourism in Cuba is enterprises Cuba has to offer together a number of institutions nese restaurant Mamig and local School, Qatar academy, Al Maha, lery, but many tourists are growing very fast, it has for tourists. of the Ministry of Culture and vegan restaurateur Ghanem Al Al Jazeera Academy, Pearling Sports, including the centres of Sulaiti, are helping students dis- Season, Lycee Bonaparte and Musical Arts, Visual Arts, Civilised tinguish between healthy Newton International. Conscience, Nomas and others. Programmes during the cele- brations includes various artistic and cultural events including a play — "The Wood Told Me", which is directed by Jassim Al Ansari and performed by a selec- tion of actors. This year, the Ministry of Cul- ture is also joining the global celebrations of WTD, as part of its ongoing efforts aimed at strength- ening the value of theatre and raising awareness about its edu- Prominent local vegan restaurateur Ghanem Al Sulaiti during cational role in the community. It also stems from the Ministry's a school visit. keenness to mark this event since 1981. Since 1962, World Theatre Day, set by the International The- atre Institute (ITI), has been celebrated by theatre profession- als, theatre organisations, theatre Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez, Ambassador of Cuba to Qatar, during the press briefing universities and theatre lovers all at his residence yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula over the world on March 27.

A Flower Each Spring focuses on rational use of water

The Peninsula

he 14th edition of "A Flower Each Spring" programme focused on the importance of rationalising water, pro- Ttecting its sources and ensuring its availability. Dr Saif Ali Al Hajari, Chairman of the programme of 'A Flower Each Spring', talked during the trip about the chal- lenges which face water use and the need to maintain the natural sources and to rationalise consumption. “Because of the importance of water, the United Nations has allocated World Water Day, on March 22 every year, which is about taking action to tackle the water crisis,” Al Hajari said. Al Hajari also stressed on the need to rationalise energy and electricity consumption. Municipality honours employees

The Peninsula

he Director of the Environmental Studies Center at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Dr Mohamed TSaif Al Kuwari, honoured a number of employees in the field of inspection on buildings and excavations. Khaled Al Hajri, from monitoring section at Doha Municipality won the first place, Mohamed Mubarak Al Marri from Wildlife Sec- tion at Environmental Protection, Reserves & Wildlife Department got the second place and Salem Al Safran, Assist- ant Director of Wildlife Department got the third position. Eight participants received excellent grade, 18 received 'very good' and 12 'good.' The total number of participants was 38. 08 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017

Sudan and Saudi to hold first joint Hamas blames Air Force drill Israel for Mazen's KHARTOUM: Sudan said yesterday it will begin this week a joint air force drill with Saudi Arabia, the first assassination such manoeuvres since Khartoum allied with Riy- adh after breaking ties with Gaza City Border closure Tehran in 2015. The exer- AFP cises will be held from The interior ministry in March 29 until April 12 in amas shut the cross- Gaza, run by Islamist Meroe, north of Khartoum, ing between the movement Hamas, and will involve hundreds Gaza Strip and said it was shutting of air force personnel from Israel yesterday the Erez crossing for both countries. after blaming the an indefinite period as HJewish state for the assassina- it investigates the Iran to sanction tion of one of its officials in the murder of one of its Palestinian enclave. The interior top official. 15 US companies ministry in Gaza, run by Islam- ist movement Hamas, said it was Hamas security forces stand guard at Erez border crossing into Israel, in the northern Gaza TEHRAN: Iran will impose shutting the Erez crossing for an Mossad and its "collaborators" Strip yesterday after it was shut by the Islamist movement after blaming the Jewish state for sanctions on 15 US companies indefinite period as it investi- for the killing of Mazen Faqha, for their support for Israel and gates Friday's murder. 38, who was shot dead by the assassination of one of its officials in the Palestinian enclave. its "terrorist actions", state It did not give details on the unknown gunmen. news agency Irna said. The reason behind the closure, though He was killed by four bullets Nahed Assida, called on "Pales- chants of "revenge" and "death where he was born, and Jenin. decision, which is largely sym- there was speculation authorities from a pistol equipped with a tinians in the West Bank and to Israel." It said he played an impor- bolic because the firms do not may be seeking to prevent those silencer. Israel has not com- Gaza Strip to respond to this Ismail Haniyah, until tant role in preparing two major do business with Iran, comes responsible for the killing from mented on the shooting. assassination." recently head of Hamas in Gaza, attacks. They included a suicide two days after the US leaving. Hamas security forces According to Israeli media, "The price of my husband's and Yahya Sinwar, who replaced attack in the Israeli settlement announced sanctions on a were deployed along the Gazan Faqha was responsible for cells blood is in your hands," she said him as leader, headed the pro- neighbourhood of Gilo in east number of foreign firms borders and exits by sea were also of Hamas's military wing, the during a women's conference in cession. According to Hamas, Jerusalem in 2002. The second accused of collaborating with banned, officials said. Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, in Gaza. Faqha's funeral on Satur- Faqha formed cells for the Islam- was a suicide bus attack later Iran's armament programme. Hamas officials have blamed the Israeli-occupied West Bank. day drew thousands of Hamas ist group's military wing in the that year in the northern Israeli the Israeli intelligence agency Yesterday, Faqha's wife, supporters into the streets with West Bank cities of Tubas, also city of Safed. 56 get jail terms for Egypt shipwreck 61 bodies found in Mosul district CAIRO: An Egyptian court US urged to spare civilians in Raqqa yesterday sentenced 56 peo- ple to prison terms of between more than a week after strike seven and 10 years over the Beirut the extremist group. The exiled Democratic Forces, who are MOSUL: Iraq’s military said yesterday that 61 bodies were recov- deaths at sea of at least 202 AP opposition coalition is taking closing in on Raqqa. ered from a collapsed building that Islamic State (IS) had migrants in September, judi- part in UN-mediated talks in Meanwhile, Islamic State booby-trapped in west Mosul, but there was no sign the building had cial officials said. The charges leading Syrian opposition Geneva. The SNC says it believes has warned that the Tabqa dam, been hit by a coalition air strike. The military statement differed from they faced included man- group is calling on the coalition forces were behind an which a US-backed Kurdish and reports by witnesses and local officials that said as many as 200 bod- slaughter, negligence, using a AUS-led coalition to stop airstrike that killed at least 30 Arab militia is trying to capture ies were pulled from the building after a coalition strike last week boat for unlicensed purposes, targeting residential areas in and civilians sheltering in a school from the militant group, is at targeted IS militants and equipment in the Jadida district. endangering children, and around Raqqa, the Islamic State in the countryside outside Raqqa imminent risk of collapse What happened on March 17 remains unclear and details are organising illegal immigra- group's de facto capital. on March 21. The coalition has because of airstrikes and difficult to confirm as Iraqi forces battle with IS to recapture the tion. Twenty-five people were The Syrian National Coali- said it is investigating. increased water levels. It also densely populated parts of the western half of Mosul. Eyewitnesses sentenced in absentia while tion says it is "increasingly The US has provided sub- said that the dam’s operations on Sunday described horrific scenes from the March 17 blast, with 31 others were present in concerned" about civilian cas- stantial air and ground support had been put out of service and body parts strewn over rubble, residents trying desperately to pull court. ualties in the campaign against to the Kurdish-led Syrian that all flood gates were closed. out survivors and other people buried out of reach. Sudan opens 'humanitarian corridor' for famine-hit S Sudan

Khartoum Commission said in a statement. and humanitarian coordinator AFP The corridor will be used to in Sudan, said in a statement. deliver aid from the town of El- The new aid corridor will udan said yesterday it will Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu, allow timely delivery of food open a "humanitarian cor- a town in famine-struck Unity and also cut reliance on more Sridor" for delivering food State, it said, adding that the expensive air operations, the UN aid to thousands of people suf- Sudanese presidency had said. The World Food Pro- fering from famine in South ordered the delivery of 10,000 gramme plans to deliver 11,000 Sudan, which split from the tonnes of sorghum — a staple tones of sorghum this week in north in 2011. food in the two countries — seven convoys of trucks that is South Sudan, the world's through the corridor. expected to feed 300,000 peo- youngest nation, has declared The United Nations wel- ple for three months, it said. famine in parts of Unity State, comed Sudan's decision to open At least 7.5 million people saying 100,000 people face the aid corridor, saying it across South Sudan — almost two starvation and another million showed Khartoum's "commit- thirds of the population — need are on the brink of famine. ment" to the people of South humanitarian assistance, the UN "The government of Sudan Sudan. "This decision also comes says. Sudan is currently hosting has agreed to open a humani- at a critical time just before more than 350,000 South Suda- tarian corridor for delivering aid South Sudan's rainy season, nese refugees, who have arrived to people affected by famine in which starts in May and usually since a brutal civil war erupted Unity State and Bahr El Ghazal," renders these roads impassa- in their country in December the Sudanese Humanitarian ble," Marta Ruedas, UN resident 2013, according to the UN.

Nigeria summons officials over immigration deals ABUJA: Nigerian lawmak- ers summoned the attorney general, account- ant general, minister of interior and four compa- nies to appear before a committee of parliamen- tarians over allegations that revenues were with- held from the immigration service. The companies per- formed services for the Nigeria Immigration Serv- ice (NIS) in public-private partnerships, a committee of lawmakers in the upper chamber of parliament chaired by senator Solo- mon Adeola were told by the head of the NIS. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 HOME 09 We thank all our readers, advertisers and well-wishers for winning

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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 10 VIEWS MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL Fruits of cooperation pec and non-Opec producers are meeting in Kuwait to assess the impact of a production cuts deal agreed in December. It was a landmark deal reached after several months of intense O and tough negotiations, in which Qatar and other Gulf countries took the lead role, and a deal which all key Opec producers had pinned their Can resettlement prevent hopes on at a time when oil prices were going only one way -- downward. Opec and 11 other leading producers including Russia agreed then to slash their combined output by almost irregular migration? 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of this year. As the producers meet in Kuwait now for a review of the output cut deal, the mood is upbeat. where refugees have few rights. She While fully realising the risks of The December agreement was called a historic Nassim Majidi & has applied for resettlement but with- crossing the Sahara and Mediterranean, deal, a rare act of cooperation between Opec and Jessica Hagen-Zanker out fully understanding the procedure. one interviewee, Yacob, reflected on the non-Opec producers. Gone are the days when Opec Al Jazeera While waiting without a timeframe, the options available to him: “I would have members could cut the production and see the young mother is left with more ques- preferred the legal way, but it is becom- prices shoot up. Non-Opec producers like Russia, tions than answers. Every day she ing difficult. Resettlement is scarce,” he the US and others are now pumping out huge y the time Dawit arrived in Ethiopia wonders why she has not been called for explained. Although he plans to persist quantities of oil, thus vastly reducing the ability of aged 29, he had been twice arrested an interview. with the legal routes for the time being, Opec to stabilize the market through unilateral and imprisoned by the Eritrean gov- he admitted considering irregular production cuts. The coming together of Opec and ernment. We met Dawit in a refugee Scarce opportunities alternatives. non-Opec producers proves that both sides camp called Adi Harush in Northern Despite the hopes of many like Limited or lack of access to legal BEthiopia, where he had settled nine months ear- Negesti, resettlement rates for Eritreans migration options can push refugees in recognize the need for cooperation and are now convinced of its benefits. The deal was responsible lier, hoping to build his future in the host country. are extremely slim, with some data sug- Ethiopia into taking irregular options. for bringing some sanity to the oil market by Despite being a qualified health professional, gesting that only one in 100 gets accepted. Our respondents confirmed that people his hopes were quickly dashed by the limited A mere 1 percent of refugees in Ethiopia — are increasingly opting for clandestine arresting a continuous employment options in Ethiopia. He could not the largest refugee hosting nation in routes to Europe, as they realise they price slide. The accord find a way of supporting himself, let alone his Africa — were resettled last year. have no viable future in Ethiopia. has lifted crude to more ageing parents back in Eritrea. The United States - which resettles People told us that they consider than $50 a barrel. Ethiopia is a leading country of asylum in 97 percent of Eritreans according to the resettlement process unfair, with The meeting in the region. Dawit is one of more than recent estimates, resettled only 1,783 specific nationalities and demograph- The oil production Kuwait is meant to cut deal must 700,000 refugees in the country. Western individuals in 2015. With President Don- ics receiving preferential treatment. assess the impact of the governments are eager to keep them there ald Trump’s January 27 travel ban, During our interviews, many com- be extended deal and to decide and are increasingly using aid to prevent or refugees were temporarily barred from plained about alleged corruption in the for another six whether the deal should reduce irregular onward migration. entering US soil. Despite Eritreans not resettlement allocation process, with months for the be extended for another These days, Dawit dreams of going to being included in the ban, refugee reset- some cases being expedited. “They are six months. Members simple reason Europe where he has Eritrean friends. He has tlement interviews have been put on not fairly distributing the resettlement will discuss the heard that they are allowed to work and hold in the region, including those for opportunities so some refugees risk that it has worked compliance of both study. Having applied for resettlement, he refugees of all nationalities in Ethiopia in their lives by leaving the camp and well. sides with the deal. feels disillusioned. Others who applied later anticipation of further policy changes. going on secondary movement,” one There is a broad than him have been accepted, but his turn has By offering the possibility of a differ- of the respondents who wanted to satisfaction with the not yet come. ent future, the hopes of resettlement remain unnamed, told us. level of compliance compels people to stay put for long peri- though there is still The Resettlement Obsession ods of time. Based on our interviews The way forward room for improvement. Resettlement programmes, which relo- with single mothers it may also lead There are a number of measures that Kuwait Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouk, who heads cate refugees from temporary camps to women to compromise their wellbeing, can pave the way for safe and official a joint ministerial committee tasked with Western host countries, have a number of for the sake of their children’s futures. means of migration for Eritreans, who overseeing compliance to the cuts, said at the objectives. On the one hand, they protect vul- We found that many mothers made the will probably continue to leave in signif- meeting: “We need to see conformity across the nerable refugees, on the other, they can be choice of resettlement so that their chil- icant numbers regardless of their board, to 100 percent.” According to the minister, if seen as a measure to prevent irregular migra- dren would not have to grow up in a statuses and classifications under inter- all producers fully complied with the historical deal tion. Given that it is not possible to apply for refugee camp, without rights to employ- national asylum laws. reached last year, “we may see a rebalance in the asylum before entering a country, resettle- ment and further education in Ethiopia. First, policy measures should recog- market in the third quarter of 2017.” He further ment is one of the few legal channels Women refugees are also aware that nise the diversity of Eritreans living in warned that crude oil stocks remained high and available to Eritreans to get to Western coun- migrating to Europe through irregular Ethiopia, who are in need of durable price volatility was on the rise. tries. As a virtually cost-free option, it has means often involves extortion and physi- solutions. When all options, including There is no doubt that the deal must be become the ultimate lottery for many. Yet cal and sexual abuse along the way, returns and local integration become extended for another six months for the simple those who apply end up paying a heavy price including detention and torture in transit intractable, resettlement becomes a de- reason that it has worked well. Ditching the in other ways. countries such as Libya. On the other hand, facto option for unaccompanied minors, agreement would again destabilize the market. At The dream of resettlement — known as if they remain in Ethiopia, their children youth, single men and women, families the same time, non-Opec members should improve buufis in the Somali language — is a common will not be able to attend school. Left with and the elderly. state of mind for many refugees in Dadaab little choice, they pin their hopes on being Second, legal pathways, like resettle- their conformity with the deal, which is currently camp in Kenya. A psychological condition resettled in a safe, third country. ment, should be developed, not estimated at between 50 to 60 percent compared created by a longing or desire for resettlement restricted. Resettlement programmes with the more than 100 percent compliance by the that becomes a constant preoccupation, it Desperate choices serve a vital protection function by Opec. creates a toxic combination of hope and disil- While aspirations of resettlement can offering safe passage. Beyond resettle- lusionment among Somali refugees in Kenya. initially prevent irregular migration, the ment, humanitarian visas, study The state of limbo has been known to cause effect dissipates over time. Our research scholarships and special categories for adverse psychological effects when resettle- found that as refugees fail to migrate women and children should be QUOTE OF THE DAY ment hopes are not realised. through formal chan- expanded. The same can be said of Eritrean refugees nels, the idea of Third, information about resettle- living in Ethiopia, who dream of leaving irregular transit ment should be made clearer and more through resettlement. While sacrificing other becomes more tolera- accessible. In our research, we found I appeal for us to intensify options, such as moving freely and potentially ble, and often the only that people are often uncertain about our exchanges, our trade, working in urban areas, refugees get stranded available means. how resettlement works, particularly in political and cultural indefinitely in camps, waiting for the outcome relation to timeframes and the rates of agreements. This is all the of their resettlement applications. acceptance. A more transparent process, more necessary because Resettlement shapes the way people think When all options, including and clear information about procedures about their futures, but it also shapes their returns and local integration and applications would allow asylum there is a resurgence of aspirations. For instance, Negesti, who is 34, seekers to make informed decisions, protectionism, isolationism arrived with her children in Addis Ababa, become intractable, resettlem- based on realities. and the questioning of... Ethiopia in 2013. Her husband had left before ent becomes a de-facto option This, in turn, would minimise the them, but she has not been able to find him. for unaccompanied minors, mental stress that many like Dawit expe- international institutions. Now on her own, she is worried about her rience when their lives are suspended children’s education and struggles to earn youth, single men and women, “in limbo”, and they lose the most form- Francois Hollande enough to feed them and meet their basic families and the elderly. ative years of their lives, during which French President needs in the expensive Ethiopian capital, they should be building their futures. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 OPINION 11 Hong Kong’s election: A vote without voters

outcome of the election will not Yuen Chan resolve the territory’s lack of Al Jazeera democracy. Whoever wins, it will be up to Hongkongers to continue making their voices heard, to keep making their preferences known, n Friday evening, thousands of people whether it’s for their leaders, legis- crowded into an open area along Hong lators or the policies that affect Kong’s famous harbour front — they their daily life. applauded, shouted slogans and waved Even without full democracy, their smartphones in the air, creating a they can make full use of the lim- Osea of lights against the night sky. ited representation they have, the “John Tsang! Get elected!” they cried in support of relative press freedom that still the city’s former finance chief and one of three can- exists and the independent courts didates running in the Chief Executive election. to defend what they have, and Judging from the crowd’s enthusiasm, you would work towards gaining more. be forgiven for thinking that this was a real election But in order to do so, they will and the people in the crowd had votes. The truth is, have to be able to see through the spin only 1,194 people from certain sectors of society and and not blindly fall for sophisticated skewed towards pro-Beijing forces, form the Election PR stunts. They will also have to Committee that will decide who wins. To get on to weigh up the relative merits of stand- the ballot, each candidate had to get 150 nominations ing their ground in the push for full from this select group. democracy in the face of an intransi- gent Beijing, against a more pragmatic A top-notch PR campaign approach that seeks gradual progress Since entering the race, Tsang has consistently Pro-democracy activists protest outside the venue of the Hong Kong chief executive election within existing limitations. led in opinion polls. He is mobbed by selfie-seeking in Hong Kong. At their recent 30th anniversary supporters wherever he goes and his savvy social concert, Hong Kong pop duo Tat media posts and live broadcasts garner thousands of and his willingness to work with the democratic imposes a system to screen candidates to make sure Ming Pair performed a number likes. opposition made him an unsuitable candidate. they are acceptable to Beijing when “one person, one involving dancers wearing masks But he is not the favourite to win. Instead it is his But it is precisely the same things that make him vote” is eventually introduced for election of the bearing the likenesses of Tsang, old colleague and the former number two in the gov- popular with the public. Despite being an establish- Chief Executive. Lam and Woo. They followed it ernment, Carrie Lam who is seen as the likely victor. ment figure, Tsang is seen as more willing to speak Some pro-democrats have already said that they with a rendition of the late David Lam has run a gaffe-strewn campaign — including up for Hong Kong and less likely to blindly follow would rather cast blank votes or vote for Woo than Bowie’s hit song Heroes. an admission that she didn’t know where to buy toi- China’s orders. His earlier public support for the vote against their conscience. Some don’t want to tie “We can’t rely on heroes to save let paper— that has tarnished her previous Hong Kong football teamin its World Cup qualifiers their political fortunes to a candidate who supports us,” said lead singer Anthony Wong. reputation as a capable administrator. against China also won him plaudits. the national security law and Beijing’s framework for “The one that gets elected in a few Despite this, Lam has been presented as Beijing’s Tsang is an unlikely political star. With a mop of screening candidates. days’ time won’t be your hero either. anointed one. Chinese officials allegedly summoned grey hair and the moustache that earned him the Whatever the result, Tsang and his team have Each of us has to be our own hero.” pro-establishment Election Committee members nickname Mr Pringles (after the logo for the potato succeeded on at least one count: They have turned a across the border to nearby Shenzhen to give them chips), his laid-back air and his somewhat halting rigged race between two career bureaucrats into a The writer is Senior Lecturer at the the message that Lam is the only candidate with Bei- speech, he is no smooth talker. Yet in the space of subject of impassioned debate in the community and School of Journalism and Communica- jing’s backing. Some members say they’ve received two months, he has become a phenomenon. galvanised people who don’t even have a vote. tion, Chinese University of Hong Kong. phone calls from Beijing’s representatives in Hong Part of this is down to a top-notch PR campaign One of the common refrains Tsang gets from Kong reaffirming that message. that has managed to connect with what many ordi- members of the public on his walkabouts is “You’ve China has said that there are four criteria for who nary Hongkongers are thinking and feeling after five won, you’ve already won.” can be Chief Executive: They must love the country years of Leung Chun-ying’s highly divisive and com- What exactly has he won? Well, popular opinion and love Hong Kong, be capable of governing, be bative rule. They see Lam as bringing more of the certainly. His poll advantage against Lam widened as trusted by the central government and be supported same and see Tsang as the only person who can stop the campaign progressed. He has also secured the by Hong Kong people. her election. qualified support of a significant section of the pro- Lam’s track record as current Chief Executive The last point is why most of the pro-democracy democracy camp, and the gratitude of mainstream D-RING ROAD Leung Chun-ying’s would-be enforcer means Beijing members of the Election Committee will be voting Hongkongers who see him as a vessel for their own POST BOX: 3488 can give her a pass on the first three, but she clearly for him, even though the third candidate, retired hopes of a respite from polarised politics, mutual dis- lacks broad public support. Tsang has strong public judge Woo Kwok-hing is standing on a more politi- trust and the stagnant governance of the past five DOHA - QATAR support, but pro-Beijing figures have briefed that he cally progressive platform. years. [email protected] is not entirely trusted by Beijing. One of the most popular of Tsang’s many slickly A commentary by a senior Hong Kong member of Divisions in the pro-democracy camp produced promotional videos features a heartfelt China’s top advisory body said Tsang’s failure to sign But reaching something like a consensus on the appeal from Tsang’s former political secretary Julian EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE a petition opposing the Occupy Central movement issue hasn’t been easy. By winning 326 seats, the Law Wing-chung, a former news editor at the TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 pro-democracy forces to a certain extent, became respected Ming Pao newspaper who is credited as FAX: +974 4455 7758 victims of their own success. They don’t have the brains behind Tsang’s slick PR operation. enough votes to elect their own candidate but they In it, Law thanks Tsang for being an open boss, MANAGING EDITOR Hongkongers have long have enough to create a sense of expectation among willing to listen to dissenting opinions and also for TEL: 4462 7505 their supporters that they can make an impact. “giving us an opportunity to dream”. The dream, he struggled to achieve their Even qualified support for Tsang within the camp says, is that whatever the outcome of Sunday’s elec- DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR dream of representative has created sharp divisions. Some see it as a betrayal tion, any political leader from now on will have to TEL: 4455 7769 government, and the of democratic ideals. Tsang is considered too busi- make a concerted effort to win Hong Kong citizens’ outcome of the election will ness-friendly; he has said he supports the enactment support and approval. of a controversial national security law (after wide LOCAL NEWS SECTION not resolve the territory’s consultations and with human rights safeguards); Hong Kong’s democratic struggle TEL: 4455 7743 lack of democracy. and he has said that the political reform process must Hongkongers have long struggled to achieve their take account of Beijing’s “831 framework” which dream of representative government, and the BUSINESS NEWS SECTION TEL: 4462 7535

SPORT NEWS SECTION Peru’s deadly floods ring alarm bell for Latin America TEL: 4455 7745 ONLINE SECTION TEL: 4462 7501 understanding of the way climate change affects Basic protection, including early warning systems to evacu- [email protected] Anastasia Moloney local weather patterns crucial, experts say. ate people in time and mapping of flood-plain areas, is still Meanwhile, surging urban populations across lacking in parts of Latin America, Nalesso added. Floods are Reuters PUBLIC RELATIONS cities in Latin America — a result of mass migration most acutely felt by Latin America’s poor. Tens of millions of from rural to urban areas in recent decades - make people live in the region’s urban slums, often built along river TEL: 4455 7613 eru’s deadly floods are a wake- them vulnerable to floods. banks and on precarious slopes prone to flooding and landslides [email protected] up call for cities across Latin “Urban flooding is a big issue in Latin America,” triggered by heavy rains. In some countries in Latin America, America to prepare better for said Niels Holm-Nielsen, regional coordinator for more than 60 percent of housing is informal, which tends to have ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT extreme weather as climate disaster risk management at the World Bank. “High lower structural quality, the World Bank’s Holm-Nielsen noted. TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 change and poor urban plan- population growth in cities and inadequate territo- Preventing the construction of new settlements in pre- FAX: 4455 7870 Pning, alongside rapid population growth, rial planning contribute to flood risks.” carious locations must be a priority, along with resettling [email protected] worsen the problem of flooding, experts Drainage and sewage systems have often failed people away from flood-prone areas, experts say. In Peru say. In Peru, the worst downpours in dec- to keep up with exploding populations and sprawl- about half a million people live on flood plains, according to CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT ades have triggered floods and landslides, ing urban slums, he said. Torrential downpours can a recent report by state water agency ANA. TEL: 4455 7857 killing at least 78 people and making leave cities from Port-au-Prince to Rio de Janeiro US-based environmental group Forest Trends urges gov- [email protected] around 70,000 homeless. The government with collapsed drains that lead to rivers of water ernments to look beyond traditional flood prevention like has declared a state of emergency. running through city streets. Investment is needed building dams, dikes and concrete walls along river banks, SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION The disaster has highlighted the heavy to unblock and maintain often outdated city drain- and consider protecting watersheds surrounding cities. TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 human toll and economic damage floods age systems, along with ensuring rubbish is As forests and wetlands have been cleared in the past FAX: 44557819 bring, raising questions over how well pre- collected to prevent drains getting clogged up. century to make way for cities and farmland, land has been pared the region is to deal with disasters. But Holm-Nielsen said how much governments degraded and soil eroded. This in turn reduces the ability of [email protected] “The issue of disaster risk prevention are spending on disaster prevention “is still not well soil to retain water, making cities more vulnerable to flood- still isn’t a priority for many governments understood” — and is part of the problem. In ing. “It’s a wake-up call to look beyond traditional in Latin America. There’s a long way to Colombia, for example, a March government survey measures,” said Gena Gammie, associate director of Forest All thoughts and views go,” said Mauro Nalesso, lead water spe- of 14.4 million households across the country Trends’ water initiative, speaking of the recent Peru floods. expressed in these columns cialist at the Inter-American Development showed that nearly a quarter of all homes are not “We need to be smarter about reducing our vulnerability Bank (IDB). “It seems that we are always connected to a sewage system. to destructive weather events.” are those of the writers, not waiting for the lessons learnt from the last Some elected officials are reluctant to invest in Protecting and restoring degraded ecosystems around of the newspaper. disaster. I always hope (it) will raise alarm flood prevention measures because they are largely cities, including forests, grasslands and wetlands, can help bells among governments in Latin Amer- intangible for city residents, in the way new schools contain floods because they collect and store water. All correspondence ica,” he told the Thomson Reuters or hospitals are not. “Infrastructure projects for These ecosystems absorb water in the rainy season and regarding Views and Foundation in a telephone interview. flood risk mitigation aren’t clearly visible,” the IDB’s slowly release it into streams and rivers during the dry sea- Opinion pages should be Climate change is expected to bring Nalesso said. “We’re taking about public works that son. “Watersheds act like sponges,” Gammie said. “Green more frequent and intense floods, are expensive and carried out over the long term. infrastructure — which is any intervention aimed to protect mailed to the droughts and storms, making a deeper There are always other priorities.” or enhance healthy watersheds — can help build resilience.” [email protected] 12 ASIA MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 Carrie Lam elected as Hong Kong Chief Executive Hong Kong Kong's autonomy and protect its AFP Beijing's favourite core values, including freedom The former career of expression and an independ- eijing favourite Carrie civil servant was ent judiciary. Lam was selected as chosen as next chief Asked how she would Hong Kong's new address concerns Beijing is tight- executive of the leader yesterday by a ening its grip, she said there was semi-autonomous mainly pro-China "no difference" between the Bcommittee, in an election dis- city by a mainly pro- Hong Kong government and Chi- missed as a sham by democracy China committee. nese authorities' views on activists who fear the loss of the She was widely seen safeguarding the city's status and city's cherished freedoms. as Beijing's favourite liberties. The former career civil serv- candidate. Beijing's Hong Kong and ant was chosen as next chief Macau Affairs Office welcomed executive of the semi-autono- Lam's win in a statement which mous city by a mainly pro-China represented Hong Kong and said she "was trusted by the cen- committee. She was widely seen rejected the vote outright. tral government". as Beijing's favourite Hong Kong was handed back Lam is intensely disliked by candidate. to China by colonial ruler Brit- the pro-democracy camp after Her main rival, ex-finance ain in 1997 under a "one country, promoting the Beijing-backed chief John Tsang who was per- two systems" formula designed political reform package that ceived as a more moderate to protect its freedoms and way sparked the protests of 2014. pro-establishment figure, had a of life. But 20 years on, there are It would have allowed the clear lead in opinion polls but serious concerns Beijing is public to vote for the city's leader trailed in the result. undermining the agreement. in 2017, but would have insisted New Chief Executive Carrie Lam (centre) speaking at a press conference after she won the It was the first leadership Critics say Lam will deepen candidates were vetted first. election in Hong Kong, yesterday. vote since mass "Umbrella Move- divisions but she insisted she Despite huge numbers the ment" rallies in 2014 calling for wants to unify politically polar- rallies failed to win concessions shelved ever since. He will step down in July after five with 777 votes against 365 for fully free elections failed to ised Hong Kong. and the package was voted down Critics also see Lam as loyal years in charge. Lam, 59, who will Tsang. The third and most lib- secure reforms. "My priority will be to heal in the legislature by pro-democ- to current unpopular chief exec- be the city's first woman leader, eral candidate, retired judge Woo Pro-democracy activists said the divide," she said. racy lawmakers in 2015. utive Leung Chun-ying, viewed was formerly his deputy. Kwok-hing, received just 21 none of the candidates truly Lam pledged to uphold Hong Political reform has been by opponents as a Beijing puppet. She won comprehensively votes. Hollande seeks to boost ties with Asia Al Qaeda leader dead Singapore Singaporean fighter pilots in in US drone strike AFP France and joint work on cyber-security. rench President Francois He was speaking at the Asia- Washington Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Hollande called yesterday Pacific campus in Singapore of AFP 2004. The Pentagon described Ffor efforts to intensify the France's ESSEC business school him as being a native of Paki- relationship between Europe after meeting French students, senior Al Qaeda stan's southwestern Balochistan and Asia in the face of resurgent teachers and business leaders commander linked region, though Pakistani "isolationism". during a visit focused largely on to major attacks in records said he hailed from the He was speaking in Singa- economic issues. Pakistan including country's populous Punjab pore, the first stage of the last Hollande was to hold talks the bombing of a province. international tour of his five- yesterday with his Singapore luxuryA hotel and an assault on Security analyst Amir Rana year term which will also take counterpart Tony Tan Keng a cricket team has been killed said Yasin was the latest in a him to Malaysia and Indonesia. Yam. in a drone strike in Afghanistan, series of Pakistani militant fugi- "I appeal for us to intensify Today he will open a forum Washington said yesterday. tives to have been killed across our exchanges, our trade, polit- French President Francois Hollande and Singapore President grouping 170 French start-ups Qari Yasin, a member of the the border in Afghanistan, ical and cultural agreements," Tony Tan Keng Yam meeting in the Istana Presidential Palace which have a presence in Sin- Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan including Qari Saifullah Akhtar, he said. in Singapore, yesterday. gapore and make a speech on group (Pakistani Taliban), was a former close associate of Mul- "This is all the more neces- the regional and international killed on March 19 in Afghani- lah Omar, who died in a clash sary because there is a Donald Trump. share "the same concept of inde- situation to the prestigious Sin- stan's eastern Paktika province, with Afghan security forces in resurgence of protectionism, iso- Europe, Hollande said, must pendence and security". gapore Conference. the Pentagon said. January. lationism and the questioning tell Asia that "we have much to Hollande cited the "very high Tomorrow he travels to "The death of Qari Yasin is "He was once a senior fig- of... international institutions," do together, much to defend and level" of military cooperation Malaysia, which has a continu- evidence that terrorists who ure and one of the Pakistani he said in a clear allusion to the much to promote". between Paris and Singapore, ing relationship with France in defame Islam and deliberately Taliban's few non-Pashtun United States under President France and Asia, he insisted, such as the training of defence matters. target innocent people will not leaders," said Rana, but added escape justice," Defense Secre- that Yasin had fallen inactive in tary Jim Mattis said in a recent years after fleeing to statement. Afghanistan. Pakistan and Pakistan allows Yasin, who went by several Afghanistan have long accused Pakistan to build fence along Afghan border aliases including Ustad Aslam, each other of habouring mili- General Sharif to was accused of plotting the Sep- tants who carry out attacks in Islamabad border, saying it was in the construction along the frontier tember 20, 2008 bombing on each others' countries. head 39-Muslim AP interest of both countries. but would move to prevent any the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad Taliban fighters on Thurs- The two countries share a such project. that killed dozens of people, day captured Afghanistan's nation force akistan says it has started 2,400km internationally rec- "Building fences or any con- including two US strategic southern district of building a fence along the ognized border known as the struction is not acceptable for servicemembers. Sangin, where US and British PAfghan border in areas Durand Line, which was drawn us and we won't allow anyone He was also said to have forces had suffered heavy cas- Karachi where it says militants have in the 19th century, when the to do it," he said. been behind a 2009 attack on ualties before it was handed Anatolia launched cross-border attacks, British dominated South Asia. Pakistan and Afghanistan a bus carrying the Sri Lankan over to Afghan personnel. a move that could worsen ten- The Afghan government has have long accused each other of cricket team in Lahore that The Taliban effectively con- akistan has allowed its sions with Afghanistan, which never recognized the border, turning a blind eye to Islamic killed six Pakistani police offic- trol or contest 10 of 14 districts former army chief Gen- has never accepted the colonial- which runs through the Pash- militants operating along the ers and two civilians, and in Helmand, the deadliest prov- Peral Raheel Sharif to era frontier. tun heartland, diluting the porous frontier, and Pakistan wounded six members of the ince for British and US troops lead a 39-nation alliance of General Qamar Javed Bajwa, power of Afghanistan's largest recently closed the border for team. over the past decade, blighted Muslim states led by Saudi the head of Pakistan's armed ethnic group on both sides. more than a month According to official Paki- by a huge opium harvest that Arabia. forces, announced the construc- Najib Danish, the deputy Bajwa said Pakistan is try- stani 'Most Wanted' lists he was helps fund the insurgency. The Defence Minister Khawaja tion of fencing in "high threat spokesman for the Afghan Inte- ing to develop a bilateral border also behind failed attempts to Pentagon has said it would Asif said in an interview, that zones" Saturday during a visit rior Ministry, said authorities security mechanism with kill former President Pervez deploy some 300 Marines this was aired yesterday, that the to tribal regions along the had not yet seen any signs of Afghanistan. Musharraf in 2003 and former spring to Helmand. government has agreed to issue a “ no-objection” certificate - a formal approval necessarily sought by a retired army officer Salvage operation to serve abroad- to General Australia braces for Sharif to join the post. In an interview minister Asif said that official docu- mentation in this regard had destructive cyclone not been done but the govern- ment had agreed in principle, Sydney currently expected to cross the adding that the government AFP coast between Townsville and had received a written request Proserpine on Tuesday morn- from the Saudi government. ustralians are bracing for ing, most likely as a category “When (Retd) General Raheel the worst cyclone in the four tropical cyclone, with wind Sharif joins he will define a Acountry's northeast in gusts up to 260kmh (162 mph) structure,” he said. several years, with residents near the centre. Debbie is The Saudi Arabia-led alli- evacuated and schools closed expected to develop into cate- ance that includes countries amid forecasts of destructive gory three yesterday. like Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, winds and rain. Cyclone Deb- "I think you could say that Malaysia, UAE, and other Gulf bie has been forming off the Debbie's probably the most sig- and African countries, has coast of Queensland state in nificant tropical cyclone since been formed “to protect the recent days, the official Bureau Yasi that we've had to deal with Islamic nation from the evils of Meteorology said yesterday, in Queensland," Bureau of Mete- of all terrorist groups and with its "very destructive core" orology Queensland regional organisations,” mainly Daesh. expected to hit land early Tues- director Bruce Gunn told the The formation of the alliance, day morning. Australian Broadcasting Corpo- The sunken ferry Sewol sits on a semi-submersible ship during its salvage operations at was announced by Saudi "The very destructive core ration, referring to a 2011 the sea off Jindo, South Korea, yesterday. defense minister. of Tropical Cyclone Debbie is cyclone. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 ASIA 13 Contribute to 'New Chinese PM in New Zealand India': Modi to people

New Delhi Monthly radio talk Nath Tagore shared by India and IANS Bangladesh. In his monthly radio He assured India's commit- rime Minister Naren- address 'Mann Ki ment as a strong partner of dra Modi yesterday Baat', Modi exhorted Bangladesh and asserted the two said India was march- all Indians to fight nations will work shoulder to ing from "Swaraj to black money and shoulder in ensuring peace, Su-raj" and urged the corruption by opting security and progress. P125 crore people to contribute Modi, who earlier dubbed for digital payments towards creating a "New India". than cash the March 11 assembly results in In his monthly radio address five states as the foundation for transactions. 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi exhorted a "New India", called upon cit- all Indians to fight black money izens to be more responsible and and corruption by opting for Calling for continuing contribute in their own ways digital payments than cash the war against towards realizing the dream of transactions. corruption and black a transformed India by 2022 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his wife Cheng Hong wave upon arrival in Wellington, Calling for continuing the money, Modi said the 75th year of independence. yesterday. Li Keqiang has arrived in New Zealand for high-level talks at a time that both war against corruption and India can see 2.5 "New India is neither a gov- countries are pushing to expand free trade. black money, Modi said India crore digital ernment project nor a manifesto can see 2.5 crore digital trans- transactions within of a political party. It is the joint actions within six months rather six months rather call and desire of 125 crore Indi- than wait for a year. than wait for a year. ans to transform India. "Within two months of its "Everything is not linked to launch, there had been 1.5 crore the budget or government funds. Nepal President to visit India downloads of BHIM app, this is "Just make sure you submit If every citizen pledges to be commendable...," Modi said. school fee of your children, do more responsible, performs his "If 125 crore citizens make a railway or airline bookings and duties, then this dream of a new Kathmandu will be her first foreign tour after Indian officials on April 18 in resolution, then we can achieve other transactions through the and transformed India can be IANS assuming office in October 2015. New Delhi, said Madan Kumar the target of 2.5 crore digital digital mode," he said and enu- easily realised," he said. The President will be meet- Bhattarai, Foreign Relations transactions within six months merated government initiatives "Service is the core of our epal's President Bidya ing her Indian counterpart Adviser to Bhandari. and not wait for a year." to promote digital payments. values. If we obey traffic rules, Devi Bhandari will begin Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Min- The itinerary of the visit is He added that after the Modi also wished prosper- pledge not to use petrol or die- Na state visit to India on ister Narendra Modi, External yet to be finalised, he added. November 8 demonetisation of ity for Bangladesh on its sel once a week, resolve to be April 17, a media report said Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Some minor agreements as a Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, there Independence Day on March 26 more responsible, if we do yesterday. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, gesture of friendly relations had been a huge increase in dig- and recalled the common mem- things step by step, we can The Nepal President's Office leaders from the ruling and between Nepal and India will ital transactions. ories of Nobel laureate Rabindra achieve a new India," he said. confirmed her India visit, which opposition parties and top likely be sealed during her visit. China prevents academic from returning to Australia Pakistan

Beijing but it could be related to his prominent defense attorney and repeated calls and faxed requests arrests AP research on human rights law- his associates caught up in the for comment. yers. Feng had been wrapping crackdown were among the Feng is a permanent resident n academic at an Austral- up a three-week trip research- country's top legal achievements in Australia but had entered 100 Indian ian university has been ing that topic. last year. Others have also been China on his Chinese passport, Aprevented by Chinese State security officials met arrested and accused of subver- Chen said. This implies that in fishermen authorities from returning to with Feng at his hotel in sion or endangering state this case, Chinese authorities Sydney because he's suspected Guangzhou and asked him dur- security. Rights groups and regard Feng as a Chinese citizen Karachi of endangering national secu- ing a two-hour conversation Western governments including and therefore not entitled to Aus- AFP rity, his lawyer said yesterday. who he met with in China and in the U.S. have urged China to tralian consular support. Border officials at an airport Australia in the course of his release the activists and lawyers However, the academic is akistan has arrested at in the southern city of research, Chen said. Chinese detained in the crackdown, while not being formally detained and least 100 Indian fisher- Guangzhou refused to let Feng authorities have staged a wide- critics have said the campaign is has not been arrested, his law- Pmen for illegally fishing Chongyi, (pictured) an associ- reaching crackdown on human aimed at silencing opponents of yer said. The incident comes as in its waters, officials said yes- ate professor at the University of rights lawyers across the coun- the ruling Communist Party. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang terday. The Maritime Security Technology Sydney, catch his try since July 2015, accusing such Feng had been studying the wrapped up a five-day trip to Agency (MSA) made the flight home on Friday and Sat- China right now," Chen said. attorneys of being a threat to crackdown closely, Chen said. Australia, where the two coun- arrests on Saturday night, and urday, according to Feng's Officials have not said why national security. China's Ministry of Public tries sought to boost trade ties. also impounded 19 wooden lawyer, Chen Jinxue. they suspect Feng of "endanger- The chief justice said earlier Security and authorities in Li was scheduled to fly to New boats, a security official said "He has no way of leaving ing national security," Chen said, this month that convictions of a Guangzhou did not respond to Zealand yesterday. on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media. "The 100 men would be taken to the court today," sen- 4 dead in southern Six dead in Bangladesh explosions ior police official Adeel Chandio said after the fisher- men were handed over to the Philippines bomb blast Dhaka near the country's main airport occurred when police and RAB police by MSA officials. IANS in Dhaka. That attack was rushed to the scene. Around 25 Every year dozens of Zamboanga City after ransom failed to be given claimed by Islamic State. people were injured in the sec- Indian and Pakistani fisher- Anatolia to the group. t least six persons, includ- The seriously wounded ond blast," he added. men are picked up in the On Thursday, two of the five ing two police officers, include Rapid Action Battalion Witnesses earlier blamed Arabian Sea after straying t least four people were Malaysian sailors being held hos- Awere killed in two explo- (RAB) Intelligence chief who has two people riding a motorcycle across maritime borders.They killed and 23 others tage since last year had been sions in Bangladesh's Sylhet city, been flown to Dhaka for better for the explosion at one end of often languish in prison even Awounded in a grenade rescued by government troops police said yesterday. treatment. the street where the militant after serving their sentences, attack in the southern Philip- in Sulu. Also on Saturday, a Fili- More than 40 others were One of the injured, Gulzar hideout is located. as poor diplomatic relations pines that appears to be pino tugboat skipper was rescued injured in the blasts on Satur- Ahmed, told bdnews24.com that The blasts came within an between the bitter nuclear foes unrelated to terrorism, officials by government troops, two days day near a militant hideout in some onlookers stopped a per- hour of a media briefing on a hamper the bureaucracy. Paki- said yesterday. after he was abducted with the city, some 240 km from cap- son carrying a black polythene raid at the hideout housing two stan released 219 Indian Army Colonel Cirilito Sobe- another crewman in the waters ital Dhaka. bag. "The blast occurred just buildings - one five-storey and fishermen as a "goodwill" ges- jana, commander of the Joint off Sibago Island in Basilan. Sylhet Metropolitan Police after he said that there was red the other four-storey. ture in January. But overall Task Force Sulu, said the bomb The military said Captain Additional Deputy Commis- spinach in the bag. Five to six Police said the militants relations have plummeted went off along the road of sitio Aurelio Agac-ac of Panama- sioner Zedan Al Musa said the people were injured in the rented a flat some months ago. since a deadly attack on an Lambayon in Busbos, an adja- nian-flagged MV Super Shuttle explosions came a day after a explosion," he said. Commandos rescued 78 Indian army base in the dis- cent town of the capital of Jolo, Roro 9 and his chief engineer suicide bomber blew himself up "Another large explosion people from the building. puted region of Kashmir. at around 7pm. Laurencio Tiro were seized by Citing an initial police the Abu Sayyaf group Thursday investigation, Sobejana said one afternoon. of the four fatalities was minor Meanwhile, Western Mind- and the 18 blast victims were anao Command chief Maj. Gen. rushed to a nearby hospital for Carlito Galvez confirmed that Kerala minister quits over sleaze talk shrapnel wounds. the Abu Sayyaf group suffered Sobejana said responding two casualties and two were behave with everyone very "I did not want to cling on security forces held one person, captured during the rescue Kozhikode politely," Saseendran said. to this post on technical grounds who might have planted an operations. He said the track- IANS "The need of the hour in the because then the complaint improvised explosive, now ing operations of scout rangers wake of this particular news would have come that a fair under police custody and the and special forces are ongoing. erala Transport Minister report is not to look into the probe can't happen. I don't wish incident was currently being "And hopefully in due time we A K Saseendran (pic- merits of the case but uphold to hear that and hence decided investigated. will rescue the remaining Ktured) resigned the morality of my party, gov- to quit," he added. No one claimed responsi- hostage." yesterday after an audio ernment and myself. Hence, I Earlier, Chief Minister bility for the attack. But the According to Galvez, the emerged in which he is heard am stepping down. Pinarayi Vijayan told the media military blamed the Abu Sayyaf rescue of Aurelio Agac-ac is a having a lewd conversation "I am ready to face any that he had taken the TV report for recent bombings in Sulu, a result of a combined effort of with a woman on phone. A five- probe by any agency and I have seriously and promised action. known stronghold of the the troops, the Philippine time Nationalist Congress Party conference here. The audio was no complaints against anyone." Saseendran is the second Daesh-linked terror group National Police, Civilian Volun- legislator, the minister released by Mangalam TV. But Asked if he smelt a conspiracy, minister to resign since the Left which has beheaded foreign teer Organisations, local announced the resignation at a the politician maintained he had Saseendran said this has to be Democratic Front (LDF) took hostages including a Malaysian, government and the hurriedly-called press done no wrong. "I always established in an investigation. power in Kerala last year. two Canadians, and a German community. 14 EUROPE MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 Bulgaria’s former PM Borisov bounces back

Sofia Victory in election Rights and Freedoms (MDL) AFP party, representing Bulgaria’s Borisov’s European Turkish minority, may have oyko Borisov, the Development of beaten them. karate-chopping Bulgaria party won The performance of the BSP, comeback specialist of around 32 percent, the successors to the Commu- Bulgarian politics, the exit polls showed, nist Party, was worse than looked to have done it ahead of the Socialist expected after its new leader Bagain yesterday as exit polls from Party, seen as closer Kornelia Ninova energised the a snap election put his pro-EU to Russia, on around party. centre-right party in first place. 28 percent. But its weak showing will be Borisov’s European Devel- a relief to observers who opment of Bulgaria (GERB) party thought that a Socialist victory won around 32 percent, the exit The performance of might see Nato member Bul- polls showed, ahead of the the BSP, the garia tilt more towards Russia. Socialist Party (BSP), seen as successors to the Moscow, which has long had closer to Russia, on around 28 Communist Party, close cultural and economic ties percent. was worse than with Bulgaria, has been accused Whether the burly former of seeking to expand its influ- expected after its A combination picture shows Kornelia Ninova (left), leader of the Bulgarian Socialist party, and firefighter and mayor of Sofia, ence in other Balkan countries new leader Kornelia Boiko Borisov, former Bulgarian prime minister and leader of centre-right GERB party, voting 57, can form a stable coalition Ninova energised the in recent months. remains to be seen, however. Ninova had said she was not in Sofia, yesterday. party. The European Union’s poor- content with Bulgaria being a est country, where the average “second-class member” of the ers in a recent interaction. Bulgaria is home to a has “abandoned” the values of monthly salary is just €500 power for barely a year. EU and that she would veto an The campaign also saw a spat 700,000-strong Muslim minor- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the ($540) and corruption is rife, has Both times Borisov quit extension of sanctions imposed erupt between Bulgaria and its ity, most of them ethnic Turks, founder of modern Turkey. been beset by instability for early, first in 2013 after mass by Brussels on Moscow. neighbour Turkey. while at least 200,000 ethnic The dispute boosted the years. This was the third elec- protests and then last Novem- But Borisov also said during "The big parties are totally Turks with Bulgarian passports United Patriots who blocked the tion in four years. ber after his candidate for the the campaign that he wanted disconnected from the reality of live in Turkey. border on Friday to stop voters Borisov, 57, once a body- presidency was beaten by an air more “pragmatic” ties with Rus- what is going on in Bulgaria and Ankara’s support for a new coming in from Turkey, before guard for Bulgaria’s last force general backed by the BSP. sia and Ninova, 48, insisted that that is outright irresponsible," party, Dost, which unlike the being dispersed by police. communist leader, has long Forming a coalition this time she remained committed to the said IT worker Alexander Nayde- main MDL party fervently backs Turkey and other EU coun- dominated national politics, will be tough. EU. “We are the party that ush- nov, 35. Turkish President Recep Tayyip tries are embroiled in a wider serving as premier from 2009 The nationalist United Patri- ered Bulgaria into the European "That is why I voted for one Erdogan, has irked Sofia. spat ahead of an April 16 refer- to 2013 and again from 2014 to ots looked to have come third Union and Nato and we stand of the smaller parties with the MRF leader Mustafa Kara- endum on creating an executive 2017. with around eight percent, by (our obligations in) these hope that they can act as a bal- daya has said that Turkish presidency that critics say will In between, the BSP was in although the Movement for organisations,” she told report- ance to the big ones." President Recep Tayyip Erdogan give Erdogan too much power.

Le Pen says euro Fillon ‘very likely’ exit 'wouldn’t wiretapped: Aide be chaos' Paris Reuters Paris misuse of public funds. Reuters “It wouldn’t be illegal but FRENCH presidential candidate that would, once more, be a Marine Le Pen sought yesterday t is “extremely likely” that democratic scandal,” Ciotti said. to reassure voters concerned over French conservative presi- As with other accusations her plans to withdraw the coun- Idential candidate Francois made by the Fillon camp in try from euro zone, saying it Fillon has been the subject of recent weeks, the wiretapping “wouldn’t be chaos” and she wiretapping in the course of a comments triggered some would seek “well-prepared” talks judicial investigation, a cam- criticism. with other EU countries. paign aide said yesterday, in the “I don’t believe at all that “The euro triggered a very latest accusations to be made there is any orchestrated oper- serious increase in prices and a by the Fillon camp against the ation there,” centrist Francois very steep drop in purchasing authorities. Bayrou, an ally of poll frontrun- power,” Le Pen said in an inter- Fillon, a former front-run- ner Emmanuel Macron said. view published in Le Parisien ner who is now lagging in polls “Conspiracy theories ... newspaper yesterday. following a financial scandal, keep one from looking at one’s French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron (right) shakes hands with a man during his visit “It is also a serious hindrance had earlier this week accused own responsibilities,” he said at Le Chaudron market in Saint-Denis, at the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, yesterday. to job creation because it trig- President Francois Hollande of of Fillon. gered a loss in competitiveness orchestrating a plot against him. Fillon had looked sure of for the French economy.” In comments reminiscent of winning the presidency after he She said talks on euro would US President Donald Trump’s won the candidate-selection French centre-right senators back Macron come at end of those negotiations, accusations against former pres- contest in his Republicans party after Germany’s general election ident Barack Obama, Fillon and last November. Paris Journal du Dimanche weekly to dialogue between the French peo- in September. “It must be done his team are now raising allega- But he has fallen to third Reuters say they would support Macron, ple and their representatives.” in a rational, well-prepared way,” tions of wiretapping. place — meaning he faces first- a former minister in Socialist Macron, an independent cen- she told Le Parisien, “I don’t want “It’s extremely likely,” law- round elimination on April 23 rontrunner in France’s pres- President Francois Hollande’s trist who created his own En chaos. Within the negotiation cal- maker Eric Ciotti, a close — since media revelations idential election, Emmanuel government, because of his pro- Marche! (Onwards!) party last endar I want to carry out ... the campaign aide, told Europe 1 prompted magistrates to open FMacron, received yet another European stance and bid to go year, is now topping the polls and euro would be the last step radio and CNEWS television in an inquiry into allegations he boost to his candidacy yesterday beyond the Left-Right political is forecast to beat far-right leader because I want to wait for the an interview yesterday, asked paid his wife and children hun- when nine centre-right lawmak- divide. Marine Le Pen in an election run- outcome of elections in Germany about reports that Fillon him- dreds of thousands of euros of ers decided to rally behind him. “Emmanuel Macron’s method off. The high number of in the fall before renegotiating it.” self said he was likely to have public money for work as par- The nine senators from UDI- is the right one,” they wrote, add- undecided voters, however, The Ifop poll showed that, been wiretapped in the course liamentary assistants they may UC centre-right parliamentary ing: “He wants to bring people means the ballot remains quite unlike voters overall, a majority of the probe into accusations of not have done. group wrote a joint op-ed in the together ... and trigger a new unpredictable. of FN voters back a euro exit.

Traffickers suspected of using Stretching for health migrant rescue boats as taxis

Rome Prosecutors are looking into “I am convinced it is not AFP how rescue vessels are funded always the operational centre following questions over the that calls on NGOs,” he told a n Italian prosecutor has amount of money being spent. parliamentary committee, refer- stepped up his investiga- Rescuers say they are forced ring to the centre in Rome which Ation into charity-funded to patrol near Libya to save lives is supposed to coordinate all migrant rescue boats in the because migrants are loaded rescue operations in this stretch Mediterranean after claims they into overcrowded dinghies that of the Mediterranean. are acting as a de-facto taxi are so flimsy they are destined “It is a question that needs service for people traffickers. to sink shortly after departure. investigation,” he said, as it would Vessels chartered by private “It is impossible to rule out suggest traffickers either on land organisations are in the spotlight direct contact” between non- or onboard the migrant boats may amid accusations they not only governmental rescue vessels be calling the rescue vessels encourage traffickers to set and traffickers in Libya, said directly, leaving them open to migrants out to sea by sailing as Sicilian prosecutor Carmelo accusations of complicity. SOS close to Libyan waters as possi- Zuccaro, who has been leading Mediterranee, which was named A woman exercises at the Seine River near Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, yesterday. ble, but also come to the rescue the probe but has not yet opened by the prosecutor, said it was not when the smugglers call. an official judicial inquiry. in contact with smugglers. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 EUROPE 15 Merkel’s party beats centre-left in state poll

Saarbrucken, Germany federal government” this year, AFP Test for Merkel calling the campaign until then The vote in the tiny “a marathon, not a sprint”. erman Chancellor Angela state of Saarland on Merkel’s right-hand man Merkel’s party easily won the French border, Peter Altmaier, the chancellery a regional election yester- chief-of-staff, said “it’s an out- G which has a day, dealing an early blow to come that gives us courage”. population of only one centre-left hopes of ending her The result suggested many more than decade-long reign. million, was seen as a voters in Saarland were fright- In the Saarland state vote bellwether ahead of ened by talk of a “red-red” held six months before a general the September 24 coalition between the SPD and election, Merkel’s Christian general election in the far-left Linke party, which Democrats (CDU) won 40 per- which Merkel will seek scored about 13 percent. cent against 30 percent for the a fourth term. Merkel, 62, had warned local Social Democrats (SPD), accord- voters last week that “red-red... ing to early results by public experiments should be avoided” broadcaster ZDF. president of the European Par- and urged them to stick with the Broadcaster ARD estimated a liament, took over in January. CDU’s “path of success”. slightly bigger lead for the CDU, of The “Schulz effect” has seen She had also cautioned at a 41 percent against 29.5 for the SPD, especially younger voters flock campaign event that a leftist coa- which has served as the unhappy to the more than 150-year-old lition would harm the economy junior partner to conservatives in workers’ party, which is now and “wall it in with taxes, so-called grand coalitions at both polling neck-and-neck at the bureaucracy and red tape”. state and national levels. national level with Merkel’s con- A starker warning came from The vote in the tiny state of servative bloc. the pro-business Free Democrats Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (centre), State Minister-President and top candidate of the Saarland on French border, But the new euphoria did not who cautioned against turning Christian Democratic Union Party, her husband Helmut (right) and Roland Theis of the party which has a population of only translate into strong results the Saarland into a modern version react on first exit polls after the Saarland state elections in Saarbruecken, yesterday. one million, was seen as a bell- SPD had hoped for in Saarland, of the former communist East wether ahead of the September a former coal mining region, Germany or “a GDR lite”. possible red-red coalition had have won 30 percent”. out of the state assembly. 24 general election in which which held the first of three Ger- The SPD’s Justice Minister “obviously penalised the SPD” Another leftist party, the The anti-immigration and Merkel will seek a fourth term. man state polls scheduled in the Heiko Maas admitted the out- by frightening part of the ecologist Greens, meanwhile right-wing populist Alternative The SPD have made strong run-up to the national election. come was “disappointing” and electorate. scored less than five percent, for Germany party just scraped gains in national opinion surveys Schulz conceded that “the conceded that “we had clearly But he praised the new party meaning they missed the hur- in with six percent, meaning it is since Martin Schulz, the folksy CDU clearly won” but insisted hoped for a better result”. leader, saying that “without Mar- dle for parliamentary now represented in 11 of Germa- and plain-spoken former that “our goal is a change of He said the debate over a tin Schulz, we wouldn’t even representation and were kicked ny’s 16 state assemblies.

Thousands join Facelift of historical monument anti-abortion N Ireland govt talks rallies in Romania have failed: Sinn Fein and Moldova Belfast and that it would not support Bucharest Reuters nominations to form a new AFP regional executive. orthern Ireland could be “This talks process has run THOUSANDS of people took set for a fresh election or its course. Sinn Fein will not be to the streets of Romania and Na return to direct British supporting nominations for Moldova in an anti-abortion rule of province after one of the speaker or the executive tomor- March for Life, including 2,000 two main parties negotiating to row,” Sinn Fein’s Northern in Bucharest, police said. form a new government said Ireland leader Michelle O’Neill According to organisers, yesterday that talks had run told reporters. rallies took place in more their course without success. “Sinn Fein is still intent on than 300 towns across the The nationalist and unionist honouring our mandate and two countries. “Women parties have until today to form agreements made. We want to see deserve better than abortion,” a new power-sharing govern- institutions restored, but when we read one of the banners, ment following snap elections said there will be no return to sta- while others said: “Life for this month or risk decision-mak- tus quo, we meant it.” woman and life for family.” ing being taken back to London Sinn Fein had collapsed pre- In Bucharest, young peo- for first time since 2007. vious government and surged to ple joined with families and Sinn Fein, province’s larg- within one seat of Democratic elderly at a rally also attended Visitors walk through one of the rooms of the Domus Aurea, a large palace built by the est nationalist party, said that Unionist Party at the March 2 by many priests from the Roman Emperor Nero in the first century, during a exhibition for the press about the new no substantive progress had election to deny pro-British powerful Orthodox church. visit whit a viewer bicolour to high technology 3D system, in central Rome. been made on any of the key unionist politicians a majority in “This word ‘abortion’ issues responsible for impasse the regional assembly . should not exist—it goes hand-in-hand with horror and death,” said a demonstra- tor called Alexandru Darie. “It should be banned.” Erdogan setting back integration in Germany by years: Schaeuble Abortion was banned in Romania during the commu- Berlin rallies aimed at drumming up veteran member of Merkel’s “You are fascists, you are. Be 16 in Turkey — after a Merkel ally nist regime of dictator Nicolae Reuters support among Turks in Ger- Christian Democratic (CDU) annoyed as much as you want said they were not welcome. Ceausescu, who was killed in many for a referendum that party, told the Welt am Sonntag with Nazi practices. If you draw On Wednesday, Germany’s 1989 after a popular rebellion urkish President Recep would strengthen the power of weekly newspaper, yesterday. swastikas on the walls of our Frank-Walter Steinmeier used pushed him from power. Tayyip Erdogan, who his presidency. “In a short time, it wilfully mosques and don’t hold anyone his first speech as president to It was then legalised in Taccuses Chancellor Angela Turks workers began mov- destroys the integration that has accountable, you cannot take off warn Erdogan that he risked 1990. That year, as many as Merkel of using “Nazi methods” ing to Germany in the 1960s and grown over years in Germany. this stain,” Erdogan said. destroying everything his coun- 992,000 abortions were reg- against Turks in Germany, is set- the country now has about 3 mil- The repair of the damage will Turkish voters living in Ger- try had achieved in recent years. istered, three times the ting back their integration by lion people of Turkish take years,” he said. many begin today casting their Erdogan responded by say- number of births. years, Finance Minister Wolf- background. Some are fully inte- Erdogan said in a speech in ballots in the constitutional ref- ing Europeans would not be able Since then, the number of gang Schaeuble has said. grated while others live in ethnic Istanbul yesterday: “You call the erendum. Last Tuesday, to walk safely on the streets if abortions has gradually Berlin is growing increas- communities with less contact president of Turkish Republic a organisers said Turkish leaders they kept up their current atti- decreased, although Roma- ingly frustrated about Erdogan with the majority population. dictator. When we call them fas- would hold no further campaign tude towards Turkey, his latest nia has one of the highest repeatedly accusing it of apply- “Erdogan’s rhetoric makes cists, they get annoyed. When we rallies in Germany before the salvo in row over campaigning rates within Europe. ing “Nazi methods” by banning me stunned,” Schaeuble, a call them Nazis, they get annoyed.” referendum — to be held on April by Turkish politicians in Europe. Spanish Socialist Diaz to run in primaries

Madrid make life difficult for conserva- Diaz, the 42-year-old daugh- Diaz as a pragmatist who will not Reuters tive Prime Minister Mariano ter of a plumber, heads up the support Rajoy’s policies but who Rajoy’s minority government and Socialist stronghold of Andalu- is known for reaching n influential regional will play a key role in passing or sia and has the backing of most compromises. leader in Spain’s Socialist blocking reforms. of the party’s leaders. “It’s one thing to forge pacts Aparty, Susana Diaz, threw The outcome of the Socialist “Spain needs us ... I want this and another to give yourself over her hat in the ring yesterday to primary in May could determine party to win again,” she told a to someone else,” Diaz told the lead the centre-left force before whether Rajoy will be able to see gathering of several thousand rally, as she defended her vision a primary that could hold the key out his four year term as he tries supporters in Madrid that for an “autonomous” Socialist for the country’s political to gain backing from the oppo- included two former Socialist party. stability. sition. He has yet to pass a budget prime ministers, Felipe Gonzalez Detractors see her as too Diaz, seen as more amena- for 2017, for instance. and Jose Luis Rodriguez close to the Socialist old-guard ble to striking deals with the Sanchez was ousted by the Zapatero. at a time when far-left Podemos government, will face a more party in October after 10 months The 138-year-old party came (“We Can”) has won over millions Andalucia's Socialists leader Susana Diaz gestures at a leftist rival, Pedro Sanchez, who of political stalemate, paving the second behind Rajoy’s People’s of voters with an anti-establish- tried to block Rajoy’s return to way for Rajoy to be re-instated Party in a June 2016 election but ment message. gathering to present her candidacy for primaries to preside power last year when he was for a second term when the its score was its worst ever, as Sanchez, 44, has strong sup- over Socialists Party in Madrid, yesterday. leader of the Socialists. Socialists abstained in a parlia- the rise of newer forces ended port among the Socialist party’s The Socialist party suffered mentary vote. The Socialists, four decades of a stable two- grassroots. she told a separate event in Patxi Lopez is also running in the an electoral rout last June but has known as PSOE, have been under party system. “The future cannot be led by Valencia yesterday. Socialist primaries but is seen as enough seats in parliament to interim management since. Socialist insiders describe whoever is still stuck in the past,” Former parliamentary leader an outside candidate. 16 EUROPE MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 UK reviewing security at Parliament Cops seek information

London on attacker's motive Reuters Call for cooperation London Technology the public support so far, but AFP ritain will review secu- companies must I am asking for more help,” rity at parliament, Basu said in a statement. cooperate more with ministers said yester- ritish police admitted “We still believe that law enforcement day, responding to yesterday they may Masood acted alone on the day criticism that a gate agencies and should Bnever know the motive and there is no information or Bfor vehicles was left open for a stop offering a “secret behind this week’s terror intelligence to suggest there time during a deadly attack on place for terrorists to attack on parliament, after are further attacks planned. Wednesday. communicate using releasing all but one of 11 peo- “Even if he acted alone in British-born Khalid Masood encrypted messages, ple held over the assault. the preparation, we need to was shot dead after killing four Interior Minister They have named establish with absolute clarity people including a policemen on Amber Rudd said. 52-year-old Briton Khalid why he did these unspeakable Wednesday when he rammed his Masood as the man who killed acts to bring reassurance to car into pedestrians and then four people in Westminster on Londoners, and to provide tried to force his way into par- uencies and in parliament.” Wednesday, but issued a fresh answers and closure for fami- liament in central London. David Lidington, leader of the plea for any information that lies of those killed and victims The Times showed footage House of Commons, told the BBC might explain why he did it. and survivors of this atrocity.” which seemed to suggest the gate security had been strengthened in “We must all accept that A total of 11 people were was left undefended while the last couple of years and there were Floral tributes to the victims of March 22 terror attack seen there is a possibility we will held on suspicion of prepara- policeman was being helped - armed guards on parliamentary never understand why he did tion of terrorist attacks in the on Westminster Bridge near Houses of Parliament in central an account government and estate at all times. “If the judgment this. That understanding may wake of the attack. London, yesterday. police officials said they could by our security experts is that there have died with him,” said sen- But only a 58-year-old neither confirm nor deny until need to be more armed guards at four people last week. there should be no place for ter- ior counter-terrorism officer man arrested in Birmingham, the investigation into the attack certain places then those armed There may be difficulties in rorists to hide. We need to make Neil Basu. the central English city where was completed. guards will be deployed accord- taking on technology companies sure organisations like What- A new breakdown of the Masood last lived, remained Interior minister Amber Rudd ingly,” he said. — in the United States, officials sApp, and there are plenty of attack revealed that Masood, in custody. told the BBC there would be “But I think before we rush to have been trying to make US others like that, don’t provide a a Muslim convert with a vio- One of the ten others who another review of security at the make conclusions about lessons technology firms provide a way secret place for terrorists to com- lent criminal past, took just 82 were released, a 32-year-old Palace of Westminster, but that to be learned about Wednesday’s around encryption, talks that municate with each other.” seconds to wreak havoc. woman, is on bail—the others such arrangements were contin- attack, it is important that police have intensified since a mass “We need to make sure our “Our investigation contin- have all been freed with no ually assessed. are allowed to get on with com- shooting in San Bernardino. intelligence services have abil- ues at pace. I am grateful for further action. “There are constant reviews pleting the interview of witnesses But while saying she was ity to get into situations like and updates so that we have right and of their own officers.” “calling time on terrorists using encrypted WhatsApp.” deputy assistant commissioner Rudd said the British case was form of defence in parliament. It Rudd said, technology com- social media as their platform”, According to technology in the Metropolitan Police, said different when asked about is not something we take lightly panies must cooperate more with Rudd also appealed for help from magazine Wired, end-to-end security services could view “the Apple’s opposition to helping the at all. As a result of this in the law enforcement agencies and owners of encrypted messaging encryption means messages can content of suspected terrorists’ FBI break into an iPhone from one normal course of business, there should stop offering a “secret place apps such as Facebook’s What- only be decoded by recipient and encrypted messages”. of the San Bernardino shooters. will be another review,” she said. for terrorists to communicate” sApp, backing away from seeking not by anyone in between, “The real question is, could “This is something com- “I think what this reinforces using encrypted messages. to introduce new legislation. including the company provid- lives have been saved in London pletely different. We’re not is the need to make sure secu- Local media have reported Asked for her view on com- ing the service. last week if end-to-end encryp- saying open up, we don’t want rity is absolutely watertight that British-born Khalid panies which offer end-to-end Brian Paddick, a home affairs tion had been banned? All the to go into the Cloud, we don’t because MPs do sometimes feel Masood sent an encrypted mes- encrypted messages, Rudd said: spokesman for opposition Lib- evidence suggests that the want to do all sorts of things like under pressure in their constit- sage moments before killing “It is completely unacceptable, eral Democrats and former answer is no.” that,” she said.

Segolene Royal Russia detains opposition leader amid protests eyes top Moscow along Tverskaya,” Navalny showing soap operas and films AFP tweeted from the van. about nature. UN post Thousands people filled Some cities officially sanc- housands of Russians dem- Pushkin square, with some tioned yesterday’s protest. In the Paris onstrated across the shouting “Russia without Putin”, Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Reuters Tcountry yesterday to pro- referring to President Vladimir about 2,000 gathered in the city test at corruption, defying bans Putin. Some climbed on lamp centre carrying signs like “No to FRENCH Environment Min- on rallies, which were called by posts and monument to poet corruption.” Some held up ister Segolene Royal said she prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Alexander Pushkin, shouting images of yellow rubber ducks, was running to lead the Navalny—who was arrested “impeachment!” Moscow police following reports that Medvedev United Nations Development along with scores of others. estimated protest turnout at seven has a special house for a duck on Programme (UNDP), at a time Navalny called for the pro- or eight thousand people. one of his properties. when the UN could see an tests after publishing a detailed Police moved to detain pro- In Saint-Petersburg, about abrupt cut in crucial United report this month accusing testers to clear the square, with 4,000 people gathered in the city States funding. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev some using truncheons and pep- centre. “We’re tired of the lies, Royal, the former partner of controlling a property empire per spray apparently dispersed we have to do something,” Ser- of Socialist President Fran- through a shadowy network of in the crowd. gei Timofeyev told reporters. cois Hollande and mother of non-profit organisations. “Over 130 people have been The Russian constitution his four children, has been a The report has been viewed detained in Moscow,” the group, allows public gatherings but heavyweight in French poli- over 11 million times on YouTube tweeted OVD Info, which tracks recent laws have criminalised tics for more than 30 years. but Medvedev has so far made Opposition supporters take part in an unauthorised anti- arrests at public events and protests unauthorised by city “It’s a way of continuing no comments on the claims. corruption rally in central Moscow, yesterday. reported earlier in the day that authorities, who frequently to be useful for the planet in Navalny has been rallying its website was down due to a refuse to grant permission for the future, but also to fight supporters in major Russian cit- hovered overhead. for people to start acting.” DDoS attack. rallies by Kremlin critics. against poverty,” she told ies in recent weeks. “We have all seen the movie, Police detained Navalny “The whole country is tired Local media estimated about France 24 television in an In Moscow, Navalny called it gives specific examples of cor- shortly after 1100 GMT as he was of corruption on such a scale,” 1,500 people turned out in each interview. on supporters to walk along the ruption and there has been no walking to protest, putting him in 50-year-old Natalia Demidova of the Siberian cities of Krasno- Royal was caught up in a main Tverskaya street, and peo- reaction,” said 26-year-old fac- a police minibus, and the sur- said. “Medvedev should be fired yarsk and Omsk. In most places controversy in December after ple congregated on the nearby tory worker Nikolai Moisey. rounding crowd briefly tried to once such exposes come to light.” authorities had not authorised eulogising Cuba’s Fidel Castro squares lined with dozens of “They steal and they lie but block it from driving off shouting Despite the dramatic scenes the rallies, and some of those at his funeral and ignoring his police vans and rows of riot still people will be patient to the “Shame!” and “Let him out!” in the city, state TV channels did who turned up to protest were human rights record. officers as a police helicopter end. The protest is a first push “Guys, I am all right, go on not cover the protests, instead detained by police. The current UNDP pres- ident Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister, will stand down on April 19. 34 hospitalised in gas leak US President Donald Spain PM backs economy Trump has proposed a 28 percent budget cut for diplo- macy and foreign aid, which minister for Eurogroup head includes an unspecified reduction in financial support for the United Nations and its Madrid comments Spain would like the agencies, as well as the AFP head of the Eurogroup to be enforcement of a 25 percent Spanish, Rajoy backed Spanish cap on US funding for peace- pain’s economy minister Economy Luis de Guindos for keeping operations. would be a good head of the post in an interview pub- UN agencies such as the Sthe Eurogroup of eurozone lished in several newspapers. . UNDP, the children’s agency finance ministers, Spanish Prime “What can I say. Certainly UNICEF, and the U.N. Popu- Minister Mariano Rajoy (pictured) the Spanish economy minister, lation Fund (UNFPA), are said yesterday as the current chair if you ask me this, is one of the funded by governments vol- faces calls to resign. most important and competent untarily. In 2016, the United Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijs- personalities in the Eurogroup,” States was the top contribu- selbloem, who is also Dutch the prime minister said. tor to the UNDP’s core budget, finance minister, has been under premier Matteo Renzi calling for De Guindos has served as with an $83m donation. pressure to step down since he Dijsselbloem to step down. Economy Ministry in the cen- Royal is the second min- said in an interview published Dijsselbloem’s job was tre-right government of Rajoy ister in France’s outgoing Monday in a German newspa- already up in the air after his since it took power in Decem- Emergency services work at the scene of a suspected government to aim for a top per that southern European party lost out in elections in The ber 2011. He had to steer through gas explosion in New Ferry, near Liverpool, in north- UN post. Culture Minister countries blew their money on Netherlands last week. His man- deep spending cuts as Spain west England, yesterday. A number of buildings collapsed Audrey Azoulay is among “drinks and women”. date as head of the Eurogroup tried to rein in its gaping deficit and 34 people were taken to hospital, two in a serious nine candidates seeking the Southern Europeans reacted lasts until January 2018. and oversaw a €41bn $44bn) condition, according to the North West Ambulance top job at Paris-based strongly, with Portugal’s prime Asked if in the wake of the European bailout of the coun- Service. UNESCO, the United Nations’ minister and former Italian controversy over Dijsselbloem’s try’s ailing banks. cultural agency. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 AMERICAS 17 One dead and 14 wounded in Ohio shooting Washington Gunman at large shooting investigations in 2015, AFP local news station WLWT The gunman remained reported. Someone was shot in unfire erupted in a at large following the the foot there on New Year’s Day, crowded Ohio club shooting. and a shooting victim was found early yesterday after in the parking lot in September, a personal dispute Although police said WLWT said. boiled over, killing there was no evidence Ohio Governor John Kasich Gone person and leaving 14 of a terrorism said his office was offering help to wounded as partygoers scattered connection, the attack local authorities. “You see things into the night, authorities said. inevitably raised like this and you begin to wonder, The gunman remained at memories of last where is it safe to go?” he said on large following the shooting at year’s rampage at a CNN. “I’ve offered, of course, all the Cameo nightclub in Cincin- club in Orlando. state assistance that is needed in nati that assistant police chief this — you know, in another ter- Paul Neudigate said was packed rible tragedy in our country.” with revellers. described the aftermath to ABC Although police said there “There are no indications News as a “large and compli- was no evidence of a terrorism this incident is terrorism cated homicide scene”. Police connection, the attack inevita- related,” he said on Twitter. were interviewing multiple wit- bly raised memories of last year’s It was unclear how many nesses, he said. rampage at a club in Orlando, shooters were involved. Author- According to its Facebook Florida. That mass shooting — ities initially said there were at page, Cameo admits “grown” which left 49 dead and 68 Police tape blocks access to crime scene after a mass shooting at the Cameo club in Cincinnati. least two, but Neudigate later partygoers aged 21 and over on wounded — was the deadliest tweeted that there was “only one Saturday nights. “It was a young terror attack in the United States reported shooter at this time, still crowd and we have had inci- since September 11, 2001. them as a result of firearms. This Iraq war veteran opened fire in elementary school in Newtown, investigating if others involved”. dents in the past, but this is the The gunman, Omar Mateen, year has seen a spike in gun vio- the baggage claim area of the Connecticut on December 14, The Cincinnati Police worst by far,” Captain Kimberly pledged allegiance to the Islamic lence, with 57 victims of shooting Fort Lauderdale, Florida airport, 2012 claimed the lives of 20 chil- Department said there were “15 Williams, the district’s police State jihadist group in a 911 call so far as of Thursday last week, killing five people. dren and six adults. Gunman gunshot victims, one deceased”. commander, told CNN. to police during the assault on compared to 31 during the same More notorious gun crimes Adam Lanza, who had a history The shooting was believed to “By the time... the shots the Pulse nightclub. period last year. in recent years include the ram- of mental illness, also killed his have stemmed from a dispute were fired, individuals ran out- But shootings have become a Elsewhere in the United page carried out by 21-year-old mother and went on to commit “between specific groups of side, so there was not a lot of common feature of life in Amer- States, a gunman opened fire on white supremacist Dylann Roof, suicide. individuals earlier in the day, people inside the club. I believe ica, where the right to bear arms Saturday on a double-decker bus who shot to death nine people The tragedy sparked calls for escalating to the nightclub trag- there was a large crowd earlier is protected by the US Constitu- on the Las Vegas Strip, killing one during a Bible study session at a stricter gun control laws, but bills edy,” according to a tweet from this evening, but just a lot of tion. Cincinnati, a city of 300,000 person and wounding another. historically African American banning assault weapons and the government of the mid- chaos when the shots went off,” people nestled along the northern Police said the suspect appeared church in Charleston, South expanding background checks western city. she said. banks of the Ohio River, had 66 to have “mental issues.” Carolina on June 17, 2015. on gun purchases were defeated Sergeant Eric Franz Cameo was the site of two homicides in 2016, all but nine of On January 6, a 26-year-old And a massacre at an in the US Congress. Gunman surrenders Fights erupt at pro-Trump rally after fatal shooting on a popular on Las Vegas Strip California beach Huntington Beach Las Vegas — hotel guests out over their Reuters AP balconies, party people on the pool deck — saw the tense sit- upporters of President man riding on a double uation unfold below. Donald Trump holding a decker bus on the Las Visitors were also hiding out Srally on a popular south- AVegas Strip pulled a gun inside some of the other promi- ern California beach clashed and started shooting, killing one nent casino properties affected, with counter-protesters and person and wounding another including the Bellagio, Paris, four people were arrested, law before barricading himself Planet Hollywood and Bally, enforcement said. inside in a standoff that lasted which in addition to hotels and Multiple fights broke out hours before he finally casinos also hold restaurants, and at least one Trump sup- surrendered. shops and attractions. porter was doused with pepper The standoff began about Las Vegas Police officer Larry spray when pro-Trump dem- 11am PDT on Saturday on the Hadfield said just before 3:30pm onstrators marching along bus when it was stopped on Las that the man, who had a hand- Bolsa Chica State Beach Demonstrators take part in a protest in support of Lava Jato (Car Wash) investigation in Rio Vegas Boulevard near the Cos- gun, surrendered without encountered a small group mopolitan hotel-casino. incident. Police did not open fire de Janeiro yesterday. opposed to the Republican “He was on the bus. He was and said they believe the man is president who had gathered to shooting people on the bus. He the only suspect. Terrorism or denounce the rally. was just contained to that loca- any connection to an earlier rob- Hundreds demonstrate in Brazil Four counter-protesters tion. He never exited the bus,” bery nearby that shut down a were arrested, three for ille- Clark County Assistant Sheriff part of the Bellagio has been gal use of pepper spray and Tom Roberts said. Two people ruled out. No other information Rio de Janeiro including around half a dozen recession in history may be one for assault and battery, were taken to the hospital after about the man has been released. AFP members of President Michel starting to tire of the seemingly Kevin Pearsall, a spokesman the shooting, University Medical By 4pm, pedestrians were Temer’s cabinet — there is pres- endless anti-corruption drive. for the California State Parks Center spokeswoman Danita back in the area and north- razilians furious at corrup- sure in Congress to try and slow Operation Car Wash has Police said. Cohen said. One died, and the bound traffic on Las Vegas tion took to the streets Car Wash down. Protesters uncovered a vast web of politi- The fights appeared to start other was in fair condition. boulevard had reopened while Byesterday to support a weren’t having any of that. cians and executives who fleeced in the early afternoon when For hours, crisis negotia- investigators worked to clean politically explosive probe into “We’re supporting Car state oil company Petrobras, with around a dozen anti-Trump tors, robots and armored up the other lane where the bus high-level embezzlement and Wash. It’s an operation that a lot of dirty money funneling into protesters dressed in all black vehicles surrounded the bus was still grounded. The bus is bribery. must go all the way,” said Ter- party election funds. refused to move from a bike with authorities uncertain if operated by the Regional The long-planned day of esa Kohler, 51, who was in Rio The probe got even bigger path to allow a larger group of there were any more victims Transportation Commission of nationwide demonstrations helping to organize the demon- this month with a request by pro-Trump supporters taking inside. Meanwhile, officers Southern Nevada. The agency kicked off in the capital Brasilia stration with the group Take to Prosecutor General Rodrigo part in the Make America Great swept into the casinos to warn said its bus driver was not hurt. and Rio de Janeiro. Protesters, the Streets. “We must punish Janot to open new investigations Again rally to pass. The con- tourists to bunker down until It’s unknown how many many wearing the yellow shirts the corrupt, make a real clean expected to target more than frontation escalated into a fight further notice, leaving these people were on the bus at the of the country’s beloved football up and build a new Brazil.” 100 politicians. And a week ago with more skirmishes quickly normally bustling pedestrian time of the shooting but it team, said a huge investigation There were hundreds gath- Brazilians got a shock on a new breaking out. areas and a road notorious for appears that those who were known as Operation Car Wash ered early in Brasilia and several front when police said they’d At least one person was taxi-to-taxi traffic completely there were able to flee. Police must not let up in intensity. thousand in Rio on the iconic uncovered a scheme to bribe pepper-sprayed by an anti- empty. The Strip was shut down have started a hotline in search With the number of politi- Copacabana beachfront. Ana- corrupt health inspectors at Trump protester, Pearsall for blocks in both directions. of those passengers to report cians targeted by the probe lysts say Brazilians weighed meatpacking plants to certify said. Park police estimated Some in the Cosmopolitan what they witnessed. rapidly increasing—reportedly down by the country’s worst tainted meat. that 2,000 Trump supporters flocked to the stretch of coastline located south of the ocean-side community of Huntington Beach. Around 20 Trump’s border-wall proposal faces many obstacles counter-protesters attended. Known as Surf City, USA, Hunt- Washington have to contend with unfavorable geog- $12bn-$15bn. Trump himself has sug- LEGAL CHALLENGES: Nearly all of ington Beach is located some AP raphy and many legal battles. A look at gested a cost of about $12bn. It’s unclear the land along the Texas border is pri- 64km south of Los Angeles. some of those obstacles: how much money Congress will approve. vately held — much of it by people whose Video footage from social resident Donald Trump has now laid MONEY: Trump promised that Mex- GEOGRAPHY: Roughly half of the families have been in the region for gen- media uploaded to the Los out exactly what he wants in the ico would pay for his wall, a demand 3,200km US-Mexico border is in Texas erations — and buying their land won’t Angeles Times’ website P“big, beautiful wall” that he’s prom- Mexico has repeatedly rejected. Trump’s and marked by the winding and twisting be easy, as presidents George W Bush and showed a chaotic scene with ised to build on the US-Mexico border. first budget proposal to Congress, a pre- Rio Grande. A 1970 treaty with Mexico Barack Obama discovered. Lawyers for men fighting in the sand and But his effort to build a huge hurdle to liminary draft that was light on details, requires that anything built near that river both administrations fought in court with a group of around 20 Trump those entering the US illegally faces asked lawmakers for a $2.6bn down pay- not obstruct its flow. The same treaty private landowners. Obama’s efforts to buy supporters, some carrying impediments of its own. ment for the wall. An internal report applies to a stretch of border in Arizona, privately held land in the Rio Grande Val- Trump flags, chasing a man It’s still not clear how Trump will pay prepared for Homeland Security Secre- where the Colorado River marks the inter- ley have carried over into Trump’s term. in a black mask away from for the wall that, as described in contract- tary John Kelly estimated that a wall along national boundary. Some fencing that is The Trump administration appears to be the beach and on to a free- ing notices, would be 30 feet high and easy the entire border would cost about $21bn. already in place along the frontier is built preparing for the legal fight and included way. The man was stopped on the eye for those looking at it from the Congressional Republicans have esti- well off the river, in some places nearly a a request for more lawyers to handle such by members of the California north. The Trump administration will also mated a more moderate price tag of mile away from the border. cases in its budget proposal. Highway Patrol. 18 AMERICAS MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 Tax reform: White House may bypass conservatives

Washington Brady said his committee had Warning president with Republicans alone, Trump failed to win over the at the top of his legislative Reuters been working on tax reform in we’ll take it and we’ll move for- Freedom Caucus lawmakers agenda now that the healthcare parallel with the failed health- Trump has put tax ward with it,” Priebus said. despite courting them inten- bill has failed. resh off a defeat on US care reform push. “We’ve never reform at the top of But he added: “I think it’s sively. Outside conservative Priebus said Trump was not healthcare legislation, stopped working,” Brady told Fox his legislative agenda more or less a warning shot that groups such as the Club for backing off his view that the tax the White House warned News’s “Sunday Morning Futures now that the we’re willing to talk to anyone. Growth and Heritage Action for reform bill needed a border tax. rebellious conservative with Maria Bartiromo. healthcare bill We always have been and I think America that are closely aligned He also said that the measure lawmakers that they “We will continue to make has failed. more so now than ever.” with the Freedom Caucus had would include a middle class Fshould get behind President Don- improvements. We are planning In an embarrassment for strongly opposed the Republi- tax cut that he said might help ald Trump’s agenda or he may to move this in the Ways and Trump, who had campaigned for can healthcare bill and urged to attract votes from moderate bypass them on future legislative Means committee in spring ... and Both Trump and the White House on what he said lawmakers to vote against it. Democrats. fights, including tax reform. have this ready for the Senate to Priebus have scolded were his skills as a dealmaker, In a tweet, Trump lashed out Senate Democratic leader The threat by White House go as well,” Brady said. hardline conservatives the healthcare bill was pulled on at both the Freedom Caucus and Chuck Schumer criticised Trump chief of staff Reince Priebus to Both Trump and Priebus who rejected Friday from the floor of the the conservative groups, saying over his handling of the health- build a broad coalition on tax have scolded hardline conserv- legislation backed by House of Representatives their actions had left “Democrats care bill and said Republicans reform that could include mod- atives who rejected legislation the White House to because it failed to draw enough smiling in DC.” Priebus was a would face the same conserva- erate Democrats came as the backed by the White House to overhaul Obamacare. support from within Trump’s “real shame” that conservative tive revolt on other issues. Republican head of the tax-writ- overhaul Obamacare. own Republican Party. lawmakers decided not to get “They’re going to repeat the ing committee in the House of Speaking on “Fox News Sun- Objections from members of behind the healthcare bill. same mistake they made on Representatives said he hoped day,” Priebus held out the proposed budget, the revamp of the conservative House Freedom “And I think the president is Trumpcare with tax reform,” to move a tax bill through his possibility of working with mod- the tax code and a renewed effort Caucus and from moderate disappointed in the number of Schumer told ABC. He urged panel this spring. erate Democrats as well as at healthcare reform. Republicans left leaders short of people he thought were loyal to Trump to go a different path: House Ways and Means Republicans to pass other aspects “If we can come up with a bill the votes needed for passage, with him that weren’t,” he said. reject the Freedom Caucus and Committee Chairman Kevin of Trump’s agenda, such as his that accomplishes the goals of the Democrats unified in opposition. Trump has put tax reform work with Democrats.

Peru floods Trump ally Stone offers to testify in Russian meddling investigation

Washington testify, Stone was among the the Russians,” he told ABC, add- Reuters Trump associates whose com- ing later, “There is no collusion, munications and financial none, at least none that I know oger Stone, a longtime ally transactions were being exam- about, in Donald Trump’s cam- of President Donald ined by the FBI and others as paign for president.” RTrump, said yesterday part of a larger investigation into At Monday’s intelligence that he has offered to testify possible links with Russian offi- committee hearing, Adam Schiff, before a congressional commit- cials, according to a January 20 the top Democrat on the panel, tee investigating possible report in the New York Times. cited concern over Stone’s com- Russian meddling in the 2016 Without citing any names, munications with WikiLeaks presidential election and ties to FBI Director James Comey con- founder Julian Assange and the Trump campaign. firmed at the committee’s public Guccifer 2, who claimed Stone, an informal adviser to hearing last week that the FBI responsibility for hacking the Trump, told ABC’s “This Week” was investigating possible Rus- Democratic groups. he had not received a reply from sian ties to Trump’s campaign The US intelligence commu- the House of Representatives as Moscow sought to influence nity has concluded that Russia intelligence committee on his the 2016 election. Stone said he was behind the hacking of Dem- A view of a flooded street in the province of La Union in Piura, northern Peru. The El offer of public testimony. was anxious to testify in ocratic Party groups during the Nino climate phenomenon is causing muddy rivers to overflow along the entire Peruvian Along with former Trump public. 2016 campaign. Russia has coast, isolating communities and neighbourhoods. campaign manager Paul Man- “I reiterate again, I have had denied the allegations of afort, who has also offered to no contacts or collusions with meddling. MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 MORNING BREAK 19

PRAYER TIMINGS

FAJR 04.15 am SHOROOK 05.31 am

ZUHR 11.39 am MAGHRIB 05.50 pm ASR 03.07 pm ISHA 07.20 pm

WEATHER TODAY

21oC 27oC Minimum Maximum

Yong Geun Choi, President, LG Electronics, Gulf, and other officials opening a premium brand showroom in Mall of Qatar. LG opens two premium brand showrooms

The Peninsula 90 awards at CES 2017, leading the way with the coveted, official G Electronics (LG), a global leader Engadget CES Best of the Best Awards, and technology innovator in con- for LG’s revolutionary new LG SIG- Lsumer electronics, has had the NATURE W7 OLED 4K TV grand opening of its premium brand complemented by a variety of best- showrooms in Mall of Qatar and on Air- of-show honours for the LG port Road. The new LG store located in SIGNATURE TWINWash washing Mall of Qatar and the newly renovated machine. W7 and TwinWash also won Partly cloudy with chance of scattered showroom on Airport Road opened top accolades from publications all rain at places at times. their doors to the public on March 22. over the world. The awards included HIGH TIDE 04:30 - 16:45 LOW TIDE 11:00 - 22:30 Located on the first floor, Shop no. Engadget Best of CES: Best TV Prod- 006, in Qatar’s largest premium shop- uct, Expert Reviews CES Top Picks: Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department ping destination – Mall of Qatar – and Best TV, TechRadar’s 2017 CES spread across 310 square metres, while Awards: Best in Show, The Verge: Best the other showroom located on the old TV, Better Homes and Gardens CES Airport Road has been renovated as per Editors’ Choice 2017 Innovation the latest LG Premiun Brand shop Awards, Consumer Technology Asso- guidelines. Both these new premium Yong Geun Choi, President, LG Electronics, Gulf, and other officials opening ciation 2017 CES Innovation Awards: LG showrooms serve as one-stop des- a premium brand showroom on Airport Road. Home Appliances and many more. tinations for customers, housing an Sajed Jassim Mohammed expansive line-up of LG’s latest and range of products is showcased within not have been possible without having Sulaiman, Vice Chairman & Managing innovative consumer products. dedicated areas in the showroom. a long-term trustworthy partner like Director, Video Home & Electronic Conceptualised with an intuitive Speaking at both grand openings, Video Home & Electronic Centre — Centre-Jumbo Electronics said, “The layout, the new premium brand show- Yong Geun Choi, President, LG Electron- Jumbo Electronics, whose team and opening of these two premium show- rooms are specifically designed to ics, Gulf, said, “Consumer satisfaction is management have been instrumental rooms from LG is yet another showcase LG’s cutting-edge technol- key for us at LG Electronics, and our pre- in LG’s leadership in Qatar.” indication of the robust retail sector ogy from across different business units mium brand showrooms are an The premium products that will Qatar has to offer. As LG expands, we including Home Appliances, Home embodiment of our commitment to our be available soon at the premium will continue to ensure LG’s premium Entertainment, Mobile Communica- customers in Qatar. This is further tes- brand shops include LG’s revolution- products are accessible and enjoyed tions, IT and Residential AC, providing tament to our commitment to give every ary new LG SIGNATURE products that by the avid Qatari consumer, and we a fully immersive hands-on experience. customer a holistic experience into our were unveiled in CES 2017 at Las look forward to the next chapter for A complete portfolio of LG’s premium complete line-up. This milestone would Vegas. LG Electronics won more than the brand in Qatar.”

Beauty and the Beast Jumbo family dances atop box-office

Los Angeles in seventh place with $7.6m. AP In the middle was Lionsgate's "Power Rangers," which earned a ot all reboots are created solid $40.5m to grab the No. 2 spot. equal. This weekend at the box The PG-13 take on the campy 1990s Noffice, nostalgia-driven fare television show tells the origin story was everywhere, from "Beauty and of the Power Rangers with a diverse the Beast" to "Power Rangers" and teenage cast of relative "CHIPS," producing both successful newcomers. and underwhelming results. Its audiences were 60 percent On the high end, Disney's live- male, while "Beauty and the Beast" action "Beauty and the Beast" crowds remained largely female. continued enchanting audiences in The divide allowed both to suc- its second weekend in theatres, eas- ceed in the crowded marketplace. ily topping the charts with $88.3m, "Power Rangers" didn't get the according to studio estimates best reviews, but audiences gave it a yesterday. promising A CinemaScore, suggest- A newborn female elephant-calf walks with its mother Indra at the On the low end, Warner Bros.' ing that it might have staying power Amersfoort Zoo in Amersfoort, Netherlands, yesterday. raunchy, R-rated "CHIPS" debuted in the coming weeks. 'Defeated' Paul Ryan teased by rockers Papa Roach

New York setback for President Donald Trump. trending on Twitter and the band itself seeking help. Justin Halpern, the writer AFP As the news broke, a writer tweeted weighed in. behind the original tweet, called the a fictitious line attributed to The New "When we feel defeated," the band trending story "my greatest accom- ours after his stinging failure on York Times saying that Ryan — an tweeted, "we listen to Paul Ryan." plishment in a career of incredibly health care legislation, US avowed fan of the 1990s "nu metal" In a likely sign the band realised mediocre accomplishments." HHouse Speaker Paul Ryan found genre — turned on the music as he left the item was satirical, it also tweeted He said he thought it was obvious himself being teased by a more unlikely a White House meeting in defeat. #RoachGate with a photo of Ryan, lift- that his mock anecdote was a joke, but source — rockers Papa Roach. "Within moments, the muffled ing weights while listening to music on added that Ryan was "such a tool it was Ryan came up short on votes in his sound of Papa Roach's 'Last Resort' earbuds, from Time magazine in 2012. believable." It was not the first time that key goal of overturning former presi- were heard blaring from the car as it On a more serious note, Papa Roach the musical tastes of the 47-year-old dent Barack Obama's signature health drove away," it said. said that "Last Resort" was about sui- Wisconsin congressman, have aroused care programme, in a major legislative The fake news item soon started cide and gave information for people interest. 20 HOME MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017