BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Duhail set up Sadd fi nale with Doha Bank posts big win over 5% increase in Q1 Gharafa profi t to QR381mn published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10797 April 23, 2018 Sha’baan 7, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Offi cial reception for Sierra Leone president PM opens In brief Cityscape

QATAR | Phone talk Emir congratulates Qatar show Cuban president His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim By Joey Aguilar UDC’s Gewan Island bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone Staff Reporter conversation yesterday with Cuban His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio who was accorded an project unveiled President Miguel Diaz-Canel. The off icial reception ceremony upon his arrival at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. Page 2 Emir congratulated Diaz-Canel on the he seventh edition of Cityscape United Development Company (UDC) has assumption of the presidency and Qatar, an annual event high- upped the ante for Qatar’s luxury property wished him well. They also discussed Tlighting the rapidly growing real market with the launching of its Gewan the friendly relations and co-operation Emir meets Maronite Patriarch of Antioch estate sector in the country, was inau- Island project, unveiled by HE the Prime between the two countries and ways to gurated by HE the Prime Minister and Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh develop them, as well as discussing a Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani number of issues of joint interest. Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday at Cityscape Qatar 2018, which formally at the Doha Exhibition and Convention opened yesterday. See Pages 7, 8, 9 Centre. QATAR | Reaction HE the Minister of Energy and In- Qatar condemns dustry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, ties to entities keen to tap into “an un- Kabul explosion HE the Minister of Transport and rivalled audience of real estate inves- Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed tors from around the world and many Qatar has strongly condemned the al-Sulaiti, and other public and private of the big names in the local property explosion which took place in the sector offi cials, also joined HE Sheikh industry,” according to the organisers. Afghan capital, Kabul, and left several Abdullah in touring the four-day exhi- HE Sheikh Abdullah also led inaugu- dead and injured. In a statement bition. ration of United Development Compa- yesterday, the Foreign Ministry HE Sheikh Abdullah also met with ny’s (UDC) pavilion at Cityscape, un- reiterated Qatar’s firm position representatives from some of the lead- veiling the company’s latest real estate rejecting violence and terrorism ing local and international develop- project, Gewan Island. It is expected to regardless of motives and reasons. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met in Doha yesterday at his off ice at the Emiri Diwan with the visiting ers, including Qatar Rail, United De- be completed by the end of 2021. It expressed the condolences to the HB Cardinal Patriarch Moran Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. During the meeting, velopment Company, Qatari Diar and The opening of Cityscape Qatar yes- families of the victims, the government they reviewed topics related to the role of religions in promoting the values of tolerance and co-existence among peoples. In Msheireb Properties, among others. terday also witnessed Qatar Rail’s sign- and the people of Afghanistan, wishing that context, the HB Patriarch praised Qatar’s role in this field, and thanked the Emir for hosting the Lebanese community and The event, which concludes on ing of its fi rst naming rights agreement a speedy recovery for the injured. providing generous care for them. Page 2 Wednesday, opens various opportuni- with Qatar Insurance Group. To Page 9 Gulf Times 2 Monday, April 23, 2018 QATAR Emir, Sierra Leone president Speaker meets discuss ways to enhance ties delegation of

is Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Hmad al-Thani and Si- Qatari-European erra Leone President Julius Maada Bio held yesterday an offi cial round of talks at the Emiri Diwan. At the beginning of the meet- Friendship Group ing, His Highness the Emir wel- comed the Sierra Leone presi- dent, congratulating him on E the Advisory Coun- opments in the legislative and the Advisory Council and taking on the presidency, and cil Speaker Ahmed bin legal fi elds. the European Parliament, as wished him success. HAbdullah bin Zaid al- He also briefed them on the well as the relations of Qa- His Highness the Emir Mahmoud met yesterday with role and functions of the Ad- tar with the European Union stressed that the visit will push a delegation of the Qatari- visory Council, as well as the countries will witness fur- bilateral co-operation to wider European Friendship Group in eff orts of Qatar to combat ex- ther strength in co-operation horizons and will help realise the European Parliament. The tremism and terrorism. and co-ordination in various mutual interests. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holding talks with Sierra Leone President Julius delegation was led by Ramona The Speaker spoke to the fi elds during the coming pe- For his part, President Maada Maada Bio yesterday. Manescu. delegation about the unjust riod. Bio thanked the Emir for the gra- During the meeting, they blockade imposed on Qatar, The delegation also ex- cious reception and the ration to elevate bilateral co- They focused especially on tion ceremony upon his arrival at discussed the development of and its violation of interna- pressed their hope of a solution hospitality. operation further to achieve the agriculture, education, tourism, the Emiri Diwan. parliamentary relations be- tional law and disregard for the in the near-term for the GCC He pointed out that his visit aspirations of the two friendly infrastructure and investment His Highness the Emir later tween the Advisory Council principles of good neighbour- crisis through dialogue, stress- to Qatar is the fi rst to the region peoples. opportunities. hosted a luncheon banquet in and the European Parliament, liness and the basis on which ing its support for all eff orts ex- in general since he assumed the The Emir and the president The talks also dealt with the honour of President Maada Bio and reviewed a number of is- relations between countries erted to achieve this goal. presidency, something that con- discussed ways to enhance bilat- most relevant regional and and his accompanying delegation. sues of common interest. should be based. The meeting was attended fi rms the strength of bilateral eral relations, and the prospects international issues. A number of their excellen- The Advisory Council The delegation of the Qa- by Nasser Khalil al-Jaidah, Mo- co-operation. for enhancing bilateral The Sierra Leone president cies the ministers attended the Speaker briefed the delegation tari-European Friendship hammed Abdullah Abdulghani, He then expressed his aspi- co-operation. was accorded an offi cial recep- banquet. on what Qatar was witnessing Group praised Qatar’s growth Dahlan Jamaan al-Hamad, Dr in terms of economic growth and development in various Hessa al-Jaber, Reem Moham- and the development in vari- fi elds, expressing their hope med al-Mansouri, members of ous fi elds, as well as the devel- that the relations between the Advisory Council. (QNA) Iraqi transport minister calls on PM

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with Iraqi Transport Minister Kadhim Finjan al-Hammami and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of their visit to Qatar. During the meeting, they reviewed relations between the two countries and ways of developing them in various fields. HE the Advisory Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud and other Council members with the visiting delegation.

PM, FM meet Maronite Patriarch of Antioch

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with HB Cardinal Patriarch Moran Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of their visit to Qatar. During the meeting, they discussed a number of topics of joint interest.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met yesterday with HB Cardinal Patriarch Moran Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, who is currently visiting Qatar. The meeting discussed ways to promote a culture of interreligious dialogue and co-existence among peoples.

PHCC launches oral and dental health programme for students Primary Health Care in a streamlined manner In a statement, al-Yafei said school year, 2018-2019, Corporation (PHCC) lunched in addition to a full dental that the trial programme targeting kindergartens and a school-based oral and examination and provision results showed that a large schools through receiving dental health programme to of preventive treatment number of school students kindergarten students in accommodate all students at in schools including the had a dental decay rate of health centres for the “My various levels of government provision of fluoride 82%, while 37% of students teeth” programme, while education, (kindergartens, protective fillings, as well have lost one or more years a medical cadre the dental elementary, preparatory and as the involvement and due to tooth decay, while programme consisting secondary schools) in order sensitisation of parents on the average number of of dentists and oral and to promote the principle of the oral health status of their teeth aff ected by the decay dental hygienists will visit ‘prevention better than cure’ children. of the students examined government elementary within the framework of the Najat al-Yafei, head of the was six teeth, which is schools via mobile dental National Strategy to health. programme, said, “My very high and about 80% clinics. The new programme, named teeth” trial programme was of students needed a The programme, for the first “My teeth”, aims to provide wrapped up at PHCC last therapeutic intervention for phase, will be included in educational and awareness- February and March where their teeth. kindergartens and primary raising information on two schools where included, The new oral and dental schools in 2018-2019 and how to prevent oral and where both of them were health programme will then progressively cover all dental diseases to school primary schools including be implemented from levels of school in the coming and kindergarten students about 700 students. the beginning of the next years. (QNA) Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 3 QATAR Sierra Leone fi rst lady Iranian artist’s work on show at Katara

ome 30 unique master- pieces by Iranian artist visits Education City SMohamed Khaza’i are showcased at an exhibition, atar Foundation (QF) vice chairper- inaugurated by Katara - the son and chief executive offi cer HE Cultural Village general man- QSheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani ager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al- welcomed Fatima Maada Bio, the fi rst lady Sulaiti at Building 19. of Sierra Leone, to Education City yesterday. The event, which will run Sheikha Hind met Bio at QF headquar- until the end of the month, ters, where she was given a comprehensive presents various artistic ex- presentation highlighting QF’s diff erent periences to the audience and education institutes, science and research highlights the convergence be- centres, and community development tween the Persian decoration initiatives. and the beauty of Arabic crafts- During the visit, Bio learned how QF’s manship based on bilateral her- fl agship development, Education City, itage and innovation. serves as a hub of academic excellence, The artist, who lives in Ja- Iranian artist Mohamed Khaza’i briefs Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti housing a range of educational facilities, pan, said that he mixed a vari- about his works. from QF schools to partner universities and ety of artistic forms, including its homegrown research institute, Hamad “the beauty of Persian orna- look-like colours, which he uses bian horses due to their cultural Bin Khalifa University. ment and the magic of Arabic in compact paper paintings. symbolism. Following the presentation, Bio and the calligraphy.” “This gives the impression “This exhibition combines accompanying delegation were taken to the He added that his works are that my works are on copper,” the Arab and Persian cultures open-air viewing platform on the eighth grounded mainly on master- the artist stressed. through their majestic and their fl oor of QF headquarters, where they were ing fi ne details by working on He said he was inspired by value, translated into cross- shown the infrastructure of Education City various materials and tools, in- the beauty of nature in his fertilisation between the two Sheikha Hind welcomes Sierra Leone first lady. and discussed future plans at QF. cluding oil colours and copper- various works, including Ara- cultures,” the artist pointed out.

Sidra Medicine to host scholarship ‘open day’ Beach and harbour cleaned of refuse

idra Medicine, a specialist team about scholarship oppor- ly provided computers. Upon of future Qatari healthcare healthcare organisation for tunities in medical and allied graduation, scholarship recipi- professionals. Schildren, young people and health related fi elds. Students ents are off ered a position at Dr Kholode al-Obaidli, chief women and a member of Qatar will also hear from healthcare Sidra Medicine. learning offi cer, stated, “Scholar- Foundation, will host a schol- professionals who have ben- The Scholarship Open Day ship Open days are the fi rst build- arship open day for national efi ted from Sidra Medicine’s at Sidra Medicine is an annual ing blocks in addressing a pressing students interested in pursuing healthcare scheme about their event. This is the second time, need to build a national workforce studies in the medical fi eld. experience. the healthcare organisation has of healthcare professionals able The event will take place on Scholarships include fi nancial hosted the open day, with last to deliver world-class care to the April 25 from 9am to 9pm at and non-fi nancial assistance in year’s edition welcoming more people of Qatar. Healthcare is one Sidra Medicine’s Main Hospital a variety of universities in Qa- than 100 students, out of which of the noblest professions and Atrium in the Women’s Building. tar and internationally, covering 15 were shortlisted for scholar- Sidra Medicine is committed to The Medical and Health- Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, ships. The initiative is part of ensuring that talented nationals care Scholarships Open Day is Nutrition and other fi elds of Sidra Medicine’s National De- have the necessary training tools, a chance for Qatari students study. velopment Strategy 2.0, which mentorship programmes and The Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s (MME) Public Cleaning Department has cleaned and those students with Qatari Students will also be able to highlights the organisation’s learning opportunities to become Abu Fontas Beach and Al Wakrah Harbour of the refuse left behind by operators of boats, fishermen mothers to talk to Sidra Medi- apply for scholarships online commitment to investing in future leaders in Qatar’s growing and beach goers. cine’s national development and on the spot using special- the growth and development healthcare fi eld.” Gulf Times 4 Monday, April 23, 2018 QATAR Lusail City on course to

become most advanced KidZania Doha is located in Aspire Zone. usail City is on its course erating in Lusail to optimise, au- to become one of the most tomate and innovate. Lusail City Ltechnologically advanced includes four exclusive islands and connected cities in the and 19 multipurpose residential, KidZania Doha holds site visit world, thanks to an agreement mixed use, entertainment and between Vodafone Qatar and Qa- commercial districts. The Voda- tari Diar Real Estate Investment fone Qatar built telecommuni- idZania Doha, the also an opportunity to support pioning role-play globally for Company. cations infrastructure that will award-winning Qatar National Vision 2030 by almost 20 years, and currently The extensive agreement re- benefi t an estimated 450,000 Kedutainment concept, encouraging an active interest partner with over 1,000 global inforces Vodafone Qatar’s com- people – the eventual population has hosted sponsors and an in experiential learning,” the companies. We are very proud mitment to signifi cantly grow its of Lusail. elite group of investors for a statement noted. to partner with each and every fi xed line network across Qatar “Our 5G network coupled with site visit and progress observa- KidZania Doha has signed one of you. and will see the business build a our gigabit connectivity will tion. partnership agreements with “We are in the fi nal stages world-class telecommunications open up a huge range of possi- The visitors undertook a tour many public and private in- of preparing for the opening infrastructure in the truly vision- bilities for the city’s residents, of the premises and got a sneak stitutions, including Qatar of KidZania Doha in 2018 and ary single development that is employees, businesses, visi- peek at the site progress. Airways, QNB, the Ministry welcoming children from Qatar Lusail City. The pact was signed tors and developers. We will be A press statement from Kid- of Economy and Commerce, and all over the world. We are by Sheikh Hamad Abdulla Jas- combining broadband Internet Zania Doha said businesses in Qatar National Library, Rayy- proud that we will contribute sim al-Thani, Vodafone Qatar’s access, television and telephone Qatar have been “keen about an Water, Al Motahajiba, Jo- to the achievement of Qatar CEO, and Nabeel al-Buenain, his Sheikh Hamad and al-Buenain after inking the pact. with wireless services and off er- expanding” this year and some tun Paints, Abdul Samad Al National Vision 2030 through counterpart at Qatari Diar Real ing smart services and new ap- of them have recently set up Qurashi and Fairytale Salon. the development and empow- Estate Investment Company. build an extensive, high-speed content, video on demand and plications that will ensure Lusail establishments in KidZania, a “Further partnership agree- erment of children.” Vodafone Qatar will be the fi bre technology network capa- home entertainment to thou- is one of the most advanced cit- 5,500sqm miniature city and ments are expected to be an- KidZania Doha will provide a fi rst telecom operator to provide ble of handling speeds of up to sands of the city’s residents. The ies in the world,” Sheikh Hamad theme park for children in As- nounced soon. Demand from unique educational and enter- indoor mobile coverage for the 1Gbps across an area that spans city’s businesses will also have said. pire Zone. businesses is picking up and tainment experience, off ering more than 10 buildings (includ- 38sqkm. access to a wide range of enter- Al-Buenain said Lusail Smart “Infl uencing brands help KidZania expects to sign more 42 establishments where chil- ing infrastructure and com- This network will enable the prise services including smart City sets new standards for com- create a real-life experience sponsorship agreements in the dren will be able to role-play mercial buildings) owned and provision of ‘triple play’ services solutions and new applications munity facilities and services, for the children. That’s why very near future,” the state- ‘adult jobs’ in up to 60 pretend managed by Qatari Diar, in addi- that combine voice, high speed such as smart security, asset promising an excellent quality of sponsors believe the partner- ment added. roles, learning a variety of val- tion to superior outdoor mobile Internet and multimedia over tracking and smart metering. life, convenience, security as well ship with KidZania provides Ric Fearnett, governor of ues — including self-reliance, coverage throughout Lusail City. IP, and which provides access These technologies of the fu- as maximum effi ciency and sus- a unique platform to not only KidZania Doha, said during the teamwork, honesty, integrity Moreover, Vodafone Qatar will to high-defi nition TV, premium ture will help the businesses op- tainability. educate children, but provides event: “We have been cham- and giving back to society.

QIB hosts activities for Earth Day atar Islamic Bank (QIB) in fi ve of its biggest branches. The munity services mirror this sense marked Earth Day 2018 plants were off ered to customers of responsibility. We implemented Qby adopting a range of ac- in QIB’s Corporate Branch, Salwa these activities and participate in tivities as part of its community Road branch, Al Gharafa branch the 2018 Earth Day to encourage a service programmes. (Q-Mall), Fanar branch, and the greener way of living for all.” The celebration emphasised Old Airport Road branch. 2018 marks the 48th year since the importance of the bank’s ef- Commenting on the day, QIB’s the launch of the Earth Day con- fort and its contribution to the Group CEO Bassel Gamal stated: cept. Since then, the Earth Day sustainability objective in Qatar. “Here at QIB, we understand the network has grown into a world- It witnessed the participation of impact corporations can have on wide movement. QIB’s partici- the Bank’s management, employ- social and environmental issues pation in the Earth Day is a small ees, and customers. QIB partnered such as reducing pollution, emis- contribution towards encouraging with Al Sulaiteen Agricultural and sion, and waste. The well-being of social change aiming to leave be- Industrial Complex (SAIC) to dis- the environment we live in is im- hind healthier surroundings for the QIB Group CEO Bassel Gamal along with members of senior tribute 450 free plants to the public portant to us, and our bank’s com- future generations in Qatar. executive management during Earth Day celebrations. QIB senior executive management joined Earth Day activities. Mercedes Benz C-Class recall

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in collaboration with Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles, has announced the recall of Mercedes Benz C-Class model of 2017 because the cooling hose clip may not be installed correctly. The MEC said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing eff orts to protect consumers and ensure that automobile dealers follow up on vehicles’ defects and repair them. The MEC said that it will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and will communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out. The MEC has urged all customers to report any violations to its Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through the following channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: [email protected], Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar

QRCS signs agreement with QGMD

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and the Qatari German Medical Devices Co (QGMD), a leading Qatari medical supplier, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in medical supply, hospital equipment, and technical training for health- related and humanitarian purposes. Secretary- General of QRCS Ali bin Hassan al-Hammadi and Chairman of QGMD Hamad Khamis al-Kubaisi signed the agreement. Serving as a framework for co-operation, the agreement involves procuring QRCS’s short- term and long-term needs of medications, medical consumables, and medical equipment. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 5 QATAR Winning inventors feted

oredoo Group chief executive Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al- OThani and Ooredoo Qatar chief executive Waleed al-Sayed have con- gratulated the seven Qatar Scientifi c Club members who won medals at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (inventionsGeneva). The innovators showcased and rep- resented Qatar at the event, which saw the participation of more than 600 in- ventors from 40 countries. The senior management at Ooredoo Qatar welcomed the young scientists to Ooredoo Tower, where the team under- took a tour of the company’s headquar- ters and innovations lab. They also received a gift from Oore- doo for their hard work and dedication. Accolades won by the Qatar team at Ooredoo off icials with the visiting Qatar Scientific Club members. the International Exhibition of Inven- tions Geneva included four gold medals deaf children to learn sign language. Qatar Scientifi c Club to Ooredoo, not and two silver medals. Saleh Sufran bagged silver for his just to celebrate the six members’ win The gold medal-winning inventions “Sammam” invention, while Salem al- but also to discuss collaboration and were Nasser al-Marri’s portable house, Shahwani and Mohamed al-Mohanna- support for the future.” Mohsin Hussein al-Sheikh’s project di won silver for their comprehensive “The skill and innovation shown by “Oxy” – a cooler for a water tank, vehicle fi re protection system. the winning group is a proud moment Rashed al-Mohannadi’s “Seeb” health The Qatar team was headed by for our country,” he added. “I congratu- monitor for labourers at worksites, and Rashed al-Ruheimy. late everyone involved in the event and Mohamed Hassan al-Jufairi’s “Sidu” – Speaking at the event, Sheikh Saud wish the winners the best of luck for the a robot that provides instructions for said: “We’re delighted to welcome the future.”

NU-Q appoints new director

regory Ferrell Lowe, a scholar our media industries and technology and professional in the fi eld of emphasis,” said NU-Q dean and chief Gmedia management, has been executive Everette E Dennis. appointed as director of the Commu- Lowe joins NU-Q from the Univer- nication Programme and professor of sity of Tampere, Finland, where he had communication in residence at North- served as professor of media manage- western University in Qatar (NU-Q). ment in the Faculty of Communication In addition to his administrative re- Sciences since 2008. Lowe: in addition to his administrative sponsibilities, he will teach courses in Lowe has also taught at George responsibilities, he will teach courses media management and economics. Washington University in Washington, in media management and economics. He will succeed Professor Scott Cur- DC. tis, who returns to the faculty after fi ve Lowe holds a PhD in Radio-Televi- for the RIPE International Initiative for years as director. sion-Film from the University of Texas Public Service Development in Media, “Professor Lowe’s creative connec- at Austin and a master’s degree in mass and will take over as chair of the World tions linking academia and media in- communication from Ohio State Uni- Media Economics and Management dustries, as well as his substantial ex- versity. Conference at the conclusion of the perience as a teacher and scholar, will In addition to his academic posts, May event in Cape Town. add immeasurably to our faculty cadre Lowe served as president of the Euro- His publications include 10 edited at NU-Q and to new coursework that pean Media Management Association books and e-Books, as well as 45 ref- students can take as we further develop for two terms, is continuity director ereed and scholarly publications. Gulf Times 6 Monday, April 23, 2018 QATAR

Crystal Serenity makes maiden visit Qatar Airways to introduce Qsuite on fl ights to Shanghai Doha Port yesterday welcomed Crystal Serenity, belonging to Crystal Cruises, on her maiden call to Qatar as part of the ongoing 2017-18 cruise season. The cruise ship arrived with 661 passengers and 639 crew members, Qatar Ports Management Company atar Airways’ award- ther demonstrating the strength allowing passengers in adjoining (Mwani Qatar) said on its Twitter page. winning Business Class of our commitment to the Chi- seats to create their own private Qseat, Qsuite, will make nese market,” Qatar Airways room, a fi rst of its kind in the in- its China debut on fl ights to Group chief executive Akbar al- dustry. Shanghai from May 15, it was an- Baker said. Adjustable panels and mov- nounced. “With Qsuite, we have rede- able TV monitors on the cen- Long known for pioneering fi ned industry norms and have tre four seats allow colleagues, industry fi rsts, Qsuite continues truly revolutionised Business friends or families travelling to- to redefi ne premium travel with Class travel by off ering passen- gether to transform their space Airline to add three more weekly its patented quad seating confi g- gers a First Class experience in into a private suite, allowing uration, and will shortly provide a Business Class cabin, bringing them to work, dine and socialise Shanghai-bound travellers the unparalleled infl ight comfort, together. opportunity to experience this luxury and style to our discern- According to Qatar Airways, frequencies to Amman in May new standard of luxury. ing customers,” he added. these new features provide the “Shanghai was Qatar Airways’ Patented by Qatar Airways, ultimate customisable travel fi rst gateway to China in Octo- Qsuite features the industry’s experience that enables passen- atar Airways will add and Amman, passengers can ber 2003. It is therefore fi tting fi rst-ever double bed available gers to create an environment three additional weekly now choose from a variety of that we have chosen it to intro- in Business Class and private that suits their own unique Qfrequencies to Amman, departure and arrival timings duce our award-winning Qsuite cabins for up to four people with needs. the capital city of Jordan, com- throughout the day, providing product on fl ights to China, fur- privacy panels that stow away, Qsuite has set a new standard mencing on May 2 and 3, it was them with increased fl exibility in luxury travel, and is already announced. in making their summer travel fast collecting awards since its The additional frequencies, plans,” he added. launch at ITB Berlin last year. which arrive just in time for the The additional frequencies Earlier this month, Qatar Air- summer holiday season, will will also enable travellers from ways won a Crystal Cabin Award increase the airline’s weekly Jordan to connect seamlessly to for ‘Best Cabin Concept’ in rec- services to Amman to 12. Qatar Airways’ extensive global ognition of Qsuite’s innovative Known for its unique blend of route network of more than 150 design. The award, announced old and new, this bustling city is business and leisure destina- at the Aircraft Interiors Exposi- fi lled with restaurants, art gal- tions. tion that took place in Hamburg, leries, traditional coff ee shops Commencing on May 2, Germany, was decided by a jury and historic landmarks, cater- Amman, Jordan, is filled with restaurants, art galleries, traditional QR400 will depart Doha at of 28 international experts to ing to both business and leisure coff ee shops and historic landmarks, catering to both business 4.40pm and arrive in Amman distinguish pioneering on-board travellers. and leisure travellers. at 7.40pm, with the same fl ight innovation by airlines. Amman also provides con- operated every Monday and Qatar Airways currently has venient access to Jordan’s many “Amman is constantly wel- to visit Jordan during the sum- Wednesday. 31 weekly fl ights to six main- magnifi cent historic and natu- coming more travellers from all mer,” Qatar Airways Group chief On May 3, QR402 will de- land China gateways: Shanghai, ral sites, including Petra, Jerash, over the world, and we are de- executive Akbar al-Baker said. part Doha at 8.25am and arrive Shanghai-bound travellers will soon have the opportunity to Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wadi Rum, Aqaba and the Dead lighted to provide increased serv- “By off ering three additional in Amman at 11.25am, and this experience Qsuite. Chongqing and Chengdu. Sea. ices to our passengers who wish fl ights a week between Doha will recur every Thursday. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 7 QATAR

Minister highlights Cityscape 2018’s contribution to Qatar’s economy PM unveils UDC’s Gewan Island project HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim By Peter Alagos Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti yesterday Business Reporter said Cityscape Qatar 2018 will contribute to supporting the national economy by promoting nited Development Company various development projects (UDC) has upped the ante for in real estate and other projects. UQatar’s luxury property market The exhibition also enhances with the launching of its Gewan Island the role of the private sector project, unveiled by HE the Prime Min- as a key partner in sustainable ister and Interior Minister Sheikh Ab- development as it includes a dullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani number of companies off ering at Cityscape Qatar 2018, which formally the latest real estate projects opened yesterday. and provides companies, busi- The ceremony was held in the pres- nesspersons and the private ence of HE the Minister of Energy and sector with the opportunity to Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, engage in dialogue and deal- HE the Minister of Transport and Com- ings, according to HE al-Sulaiti. munications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Su- The minister highlighted, laiti, UDC chairman Turki bin Mohamed in a statement made on the al-Khater and UDC president and CEO sidelines of Cityscape, the Ibrahim Jassim al-Othman, along with role played by the Ministry other public and private sector offi cials of Transport and Commu- at the UDC booth inside the Doha Exhi- nications in supporting the bition and Convention Centre. country’s plans to diversify the Al-Khater said: “We are pleased to un- HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani views the scale model of the Gewan Island project after the unveiling ceremony economy through a number of veil the model of Gewan Island, which held at Cityscape Qatar 2018 yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma its pioneering projects such as celebrates the diverse urban landscape and the Qatar Rail project and other real estate mix along The Pearl-Qatar. The and will be accessible through three tract “a warm, welcoming, and youthful Giardino Village is one of the most cessfully wrapping up Phase 1 and 2 of infrastructure projects that innovative and modern island responds to main roads. community seeking an urbane and vi- luxurious and promising residential ar- sales. include roads and bridges. the requirements of the community and its “This strategy refl ects our strong brant lifestyle.” eas on the island, off ering a wide range Al Mutahidah Towers consist of high- Al-Sulaiti also noted that the cultural needs, providing a distinctive mix commitment to continuing our excep- The island includes a theme park, of landscaped gardens in a unique at- end connected towers off ering accom- current edition has seen a sign- of properties including entertainment, re- tional development work, improving our an air-conditioned outdoor ‘Crystal’ mosphere. modation units of various dimensions, ing of a number of agreements tail and residential units. services, upholding our partnerships, boardwalk, which acts like the island’s Similarly, Cityscape witnessed the including studios and luxury apart- on important projects, in addi- “The island is surrounded by green spac- and contributing more broadly to diver- spine, a green park, and a waterfront launch of the third sale phase of resi- ments, as well as high-level penthouses. tion to the communication and es that refl ect our commitment to provid- sifying Qatar’s economy, in line with the retail esplanade that will attract new dential units at Al Mutahidah Towers The towers also boast of panoramic infrastructure projects that were ing a sustainable environment for residents. requirements of Qatar National Vision brands to Doha. in Viva Bahriya precinct after suc- sea-views and direct access to the beach. proposed. Qatar Rail signed We are confi dent that the local market will 2030 and its development strategies,” The island will also be home to enter- important contracts with QNB, attract domestic and international capital al-Othman stressed. tainment facilities, a sports club, and a Ooredoo and Qatar Insurance. with high investment returns.” He added: “After closely examining a mosque. The minister expressed pleas- Speaking to reporters on the sidelines number of real estate projects, we chose The island’s design incorporates a ure that the participation of Qatar of the event, al-Othman said Gewan’s to develop Gewan. This project is part of number of sustainability features to re- Rail in Cityscape 2018 comes as development is part of UDC’s fi ve-year our long-term commitment to diversify- duce the use of vehicles and encourage part of eff orts to promote sustain- strategy, which involves QR5.5bn worth ing our income sources and investments walking and biking through dedicated able development in the country. of investments, of which approximately while undertaking leading residential pedestrian and cycling networks, in ad- It will also see the promotion QR2.5bn is for Gewan Island, which is and investment projects in the local real dition to roads connecting the island to and sale of naming rights for a situated next to The Pearl-Qatar and estate market in order to achieve the best the public transportation network. number of Qatar Rail stations to spans 400,000sq m with a total built up returns for shareholders and investors.” The island was also designed to reduce companies, before they open. area of 388,000sq m. The island, which derives its name urban heat by incorporating green roofs, These stations are essential He said the island project is expected to from the full-round, pink-tinted and shading, and refl ective surfaces, where to the Metro project, which is be completed by the end of 2021 and will perfectly shaped pearl from Qatar’s ma- applicable. being completed as scheduled. accommodate 3,000 residents and 6,000 rine heritage, will support a mix of prop- Al-Othman also said UDC will be Al-Sulaiti stressed that the visitors, including working professionals erty types, catering for diff erent accom- signing today three major contracts re- stations have global designs, for a total of 9,000 visitors per day. modation and investment needs. lated to Gewan Island’s development taking into consideration that It will comprise of 611 units, including According to al-Othman, the island and contracting works. they include the Qatari heritage 558 apartments, 26 waterfront villas, 21 was designed as an extension to The Cityscape Qatar 2018 also featured and splendour, and that opera- beachfront villas, and six island villas, Pearl-Qatar, off ering its residents a UDC’s second stage sale of a mix of prop- tions will be optimal in order to in addition to 21,000sqm of retail space comprehensive living space by merging erties at Giardino Village, which include ensure the achievement of the and a number of residential buildings. entertainment and retail outlets with villa plots and low-rise building lots com- principle of full sustainability The island has 100,000sq m of road smart technologies. prising a ground fl oor and three or fi ve The Gewan Island project is situated next to The Pearl-Qatar and spans 400,000sq and durability of stations. – QNA networks and 20,000sq m of open space, He said the project is expected to at- stories as well as villas under construction. m with a total built up area of 388,000sq m. Qatar Rail signs three major agreements at Cityscape 2018

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter

atar Rail yesterday signed three major agreements in as many Qareas at the Cityscape Qatar Conference and Exhibition 2018 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Cen- tre (DECC). The agreements were signed in the presence of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Minister of Transport and Communi- cations Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti by Qatar Rail’s managing director and CEO Abdulla Abdulaziz Turki al-Sub- aie among others. The contracts were those with the Qatar Rail CEO Abdulaziz Turki al-Subaie and QNB Group CEO Ali al-Kuwari Qatar Insurance Group (for nam- (right) at the signing as HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh ing rights), QNB (for the ticketing of Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and HE the Minister of Transport the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram) and and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti look on. PICTURES: Shaji Ooredoo (telecommunication services Kayamkulam for those using Lusail Tram services). At the signing with the QNB, Qatar Rail authorities announced plans to have the bank as its strategic partner and the offi cial `Acquirer Bank’ for all TravelCard and Fare Media payments. As per the agreement, Qatar Rail will accept payments made with all major credit and debit cards issued in Qatar and worldwide. The payments will be made possi- ble directly at the stations through the Travel Cards Vending Machines, on a dedicated web site, and through a mo- bile app. Speaking on the occasion, al-Subaie said as “one of the country’s largest payment solution providers, the QNB has the scale and capabilities, along with the technology framework to help us keep our customers and merchants at the forefront of innovation.” Qatar Rail CEO Abdulaziz Turki al-Subaie and Ooredoo COO Yousuf Abdulla QNB Group CEO Ali al-Kuwari said: al-Kubaisi at the signing ceremony. HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister “As a strategic partner and the offi cial Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and HE the Minister of Transport Acquirer Bank, the QNB Group is ex- and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti witnessed the signing. tremely happy to off er its support to facilitate payments in this landmark muters to use the Ooredoo Supernet to use, pedestrian-friendly develop- project which will bolster the develop- access voice and data services during ments around rail transit stations that ment of the transportation sector in their trips.” would act as community hubs within Qatar.” At its impressive booth that simu- walking distance, parking and other Later, the agreement with Ooredoo lates the design of the Doha Metro sta- features that are expected to enhance was inked. tions, Qatar Rail has showcased design the use of public transport use and The telecom partner was repre- of the Doha Metro staff uniform with overall accessibility. sented by its COO Yousuf Abdulla al- its sleek and modern lines and match- Qatar Rail is developing the TOD Kubaisi. ing colours. projects with the aim of enhancing He said “Ooredoo is providing Qatar Another attraction on display is the transit ridership, non-fare revenue, in- Rail with the country’s most advanced design of the Doha Metro cards, which duce economic growth and the private network infrastructure for the Lusail are used to access the metro and tram. sector engagement. Light Rail Transport system, trans- The rail company has also exhibited The visitors to the booth can also ex- forming passengers’ digital experienc- the Transit Oriented Developments perience a high-quality virtual reality es. We are proud to be enabling com- (TOD), which are high density, mixed- ride on board the Doha Metro. Gulf Times 8 Monday, April 23, 2018 QATAR Msheireb Downtown Doha is ‘now 88% complete’

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

sheireb Downtown Doha (MDD), Msheireb MProperties’ (MP) fl ag- ship urban regeneration project, is now 88% complete with some areas of the project operational, it was announced. Speaking to reporters at the opening of Cityscape Qatar 2018 yesterday at the Doha Exhibi- tion and Convention Centre, MP sales and leasing director Lee Talbott said they have opened phase one of the project, which include the Msheireb mosque, Off icials and staff of Msheireb Properties at the opening of Cityscape Qatar 2018 yesterday at DECC. Qatar Academy – Msheir- eb (school), Msheireb prayer form part of MDD – dubbed as sion 2030 as well,” Talbott said. brands, cafes and restaurants to HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani is ground, Amiri Diwan and the ac- the world’s largest certifi ed sus- MP’s residential sales and recreational ‘edutainment’ ar- accompanied by Msheireb Properties assistant CEO Ali al-Kuwari at the opening of Cityscape Qatar claimed Msheireb Museums. tainable and smart downtown leasing manager Nusair al-Ejli eas. The central downtown loca- 2018, yesterday. “We are also very excited to community, according to MP. echoed Talbott’s statement say- tion off ers quick “on-the-door announce the launch of our fi rst The project features 100 ing that “majority of those units step” access for residents and and the main hub station for Qa- ental) at Cityscape Qatar 2018. outlets in the area even during residential tower, ‘Wadi One,’ mixed-use buildings, 800 resi- are almost reserved.” those working in the new com- tar Rail. Three large-scale masterpiece the summer due to innovative with 72 apartments which will dential units, more than 300 MDD aims to provide resi- mercial hubs of the downtown According to MP, all these models have also been displayed cool pool systems, designed to be ready to move in at the end retail units and 17 commercial dents, as well as domestic and area, MP said. features are complemented by at the event, highlighting the push chilled air from the ground of this year,” he added. “It off ers buildings, including four ho- foreign visitors, a unique shop- Apart from a variety of re- the project’s modern, smart city “magnifi cence and grandeur” of up. some of the best views if not the tels, a school, three mosques, ping experience with its “inno- tail off erings, al-Ejli noted that infrastructure for seamless con- the project and its iconic Barahat The Mandarin Oriental hotel best views in Qatar.” Msheireb Museums, and the vative retail outlets,” which will MDD also features a one-of- nectivity and communication. Msheireb, which is considered as and the Cultural Forum are both The Qatar Financial Cen- Galleria Mall, among other es- operate year-round. its-kind traffi c and transport Meanwhile, MP has partnered Qatar’s biggest open-air square. located next to Barahat Msheireb. tre (QFC), which is expected to tablishments. In a press statement, MP not- options such a free-of-charge with Novo cinemas to showcase It features the largest retractable Once 100% complete, Talbott move all its business to MDD in “The whole project has been ed that it is also creating attrac- tram rides, more than 10,000 MDD’s development via the new roof in the Middle East, allowing said MDD will be hosting some the second quarter of 2019, and done in phases and will be com- tive investment opportunities by parking spaces spread over six fl ythrough video from two of its for all-year-round use. 20,000 to 30,000 residents and fl agship brands such as Novo pleted by 2020, which is also in creating a range of leasing op- underground fl oors, pedestrian- four hotels (Al Wadi Hotel Doha Residents and visitors will en- another 30,000 workers in the cinemas and Al Meera, will soon line with the Qatar National Vi- tions, from the most luxurious friendly streets, bicycle lanes by MGallery and Mandarin Ori- joy dining at 11 food and beverage district, excluding tourists. Just Real Estate launches ‘Baywalk Tower’

By Peter Alagos located in Lusail Marina district, Business Reporter and Buyukyali, an innovative new development in Istanbul, Turkey, that represents an excellent addition ust Real Estate (JRE) has offi cially to any property portfolio, with ex- launched the Baywalk Tower, its ceptional investment returns. Jlatest project situated at The JRE showcased its portfolio of Pearl-Qatar following yesterday’s premium real estate investment op- formal opening of the four-day Cit- portunities from a 360sq m stand, yscape Qatar 2018 at the Doha Exhi- which was designed “to engage visi- bition and Convention Centre. tors into a real experience of aff ord- JRE chairman Nasser al-Ansari able luxury stopover.” said: “The Baywalk launch attracts The pavilion is divided into two a high-level of interest and the scale main divisions showcasing a mock- models of our other new projects is up of the awarded most sophisti- allowing visitors to get a clearer pic- cated business tower, THE e18hteen, ture of what each has to off er. We and a residential unit from the Bay- are generating strong leads from our walk Tower, mirroring the high-end participation through valuable face- living atmosphere that characterises time with investors, developers, and the project. The JRE stand includes other real estate sector leaders.” a special VIP lounge to welcome Baywalk Tower, located in the JRE chairman Nasser al-Ansari presents the scale model of the company’s guests, discuss projects, and register Viva Bahriya neighbourhood on The latest project, the Baywalk Tower during day one of Cityscape Qatar 2018. new client details. Pearl-Qatar, is the perfect destina- PICTURE: Jayan Orma “Cityscape is very successful for tion for families and those seeking a JRE. It is the perfect platform to dis- more relaxed pace of life with a pris- The Baywalk Tower features 244 well as a swimming pool and quick play our premium real estate invest- tine, sandy beach on their doorstep. apartments in one, two, or three- access to the crystal-like beaches. ment opportunities, and strengthen The new, modern masterpiece bedroom options and eight Chalets In addition to the unveiling Bay- our position as market leaders,” al- shines new light on sophisticated in one and two bedrooms. The tower walk Tower and displaying a scale Ansari said. beachside living and meets the incorporates a state-of-the-art fi t- model of the project, JRE also For more information on JRE, visit growing desire for a relaxed lifestyle ness centre, including a gym, mas- showcased models of the new ‘THE www.jre.com.qa or download the destination for both residents and sage and sauna room, a children’s e18hteen’ project, the company’s JRE App from the Apple App Store international visitors. play area, and a community room, as award-winning commercial tower or Google Play Store.

Barwa Real Estate to showcase projects

arwa Real Estate Group Based on creating a new has announced its par- architectural model for the Bticipation in Cityscape group that achieves the ideal Qatar 2018, which formally balance between traditional opened yesterday and will run and modern architecture and until April 25 at Doha Conven- inspired by Qatari heritage, tion and Exhibition Centre. the new philosophy aims to At Barwa’s booth, the develop integrated urban group will showcase a selec- communities that provide tion of its real estate projects, all the requirements of the most prominently the Lusail residents of these projects, Land Project. Barwa will also al-Mohannadi said. display models of a number The Lusail Land Project is of other projects with di- strategically located in Lu- versifi ed objectives, includ- sail City, the largest project ing the Aff ordable Housing in the Middle East and one Development for Workers - of the largest in the world. Salwa Road and Dara project. Spanning over 3.5mn sq m, Barwa Real Estate Group the project aims to create an CEO Salman bin Mohamed integrated residential city to al-Mohannadi said Cityscape provide 15,000 housing units Qatar 2018 attracts a large to accommodate more than number of real estate devel- 40,000 people with all serv- opers from all over the world, ice facilities and vast green off ering an exceptional plat- spaces of up to 1mn sq m. form to present projects and The residential village (Al- strengthen relations with in- Freij), which is the centre vestors and experts in the real of the project, will be built estate development sector. in the old style, such as the Al-Mohannadi stressed popular houses (Al Liwan). that the exhibition will Al-Mohannadi added that present an opportunity to Barwa is also off ering the showcase a number of Barwa’s Dara Project in Lusail City. most prominent projects such Located in the northern as the Lusail Land Project, part of Fox Hills Zone, the which the group intends to project consists of Dara A, launch soon after obtaining whose construction is near- the required approvals. ing completion, and Dara He said the project “will B-F which the Group plans be a surprise to the real es- to launch soon. tate market” and an icon of Dara A has four residen- Barwa Real Estate projects, tial buildings with a built-up and will represent “a living area of 41,112sq m consisting example” of Barwa’s new of fi ve fl oors and 271 apart- development philosophy. ments of diff erent sizes. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 9 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD Five civilians killed in regime shelling on IS-held district

AFP Beirut UNSC agrees to ‘strengthen dialogue’ on Syria HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani inaugurated Cityscape Qatar UN Security Council members and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 2018 yesterday. He was joined by HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, HE the Minister ive civilians have been killed in yesterday concluded a two-day informal working meeting in Sweden, agreeing of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti and other dignitaries. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam 24 hours in regime shelling on a on the need “to recreate and strengthen dialogue” internally and on Syria. Fsouthern district of Syria’s capi- “There is need to reinvigorate the UN-led political process,” Peruvian ambas- tal held by the Islamic State group, a sador to the UN Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, the current council president, said in monitor said yesterday. a statement. The council has been deeply divided on the topic of Syria, most Syrian troops are waging an intense recently on how to respond to an alleged chemical attack on the Damas- PM opens Cityscape Qatar exhibition bombing campaign against Yarmouk, cus suburb of Douma on April 7. They have repeatedly failed to agree on a a Palestinian refugee camp on the response to the attack. After their weekend session, the ambassadors also edge of Damascus, and nearby dis- agreed to “intensify eff orts” in regard to the humanitarian situation in Syria, From Page 1 estate purchase, and take advantage of velopment Planning and Statistics in tricts that are held by IS. An elderly and were committed to establishing “an independent and impartial attribution Katara Hospitality highlighted its Salwa exclusive deals, special off ers and pay- H2 2017 increased by 4.2% compared to man was killed yesterday in shell- mechanism” on chemical weapons. Meza-Cuadra did not take questions after Beach Resort in Doha, scheduled to be ment plans on the show fl oor. the same period in 2016, with the value ing on Yarmouk, and another died reading the statement on behalf of the council. completed next year. The resort is dubbed Besides supporting Business-to- of transactions also increasing 4.5% after he was wounded in bombard- as “the Middle East’s premiere destination Business industry developments, a to QR15.7bn. October 2017 recorded ment there the previous day, said the beach resort,” featuring a private beach, DTZ Qatar-hosted conference provid- the greatest volume of sales by value Britain-based Syrian Observatory for (UNRWA), said the bombardment had humanitarian workers to distribute marina and yacht club, a themed water ed a platform for discussion on current QR6.52bn since July 2015,” he said. Human Rights. pushed most Yarmuk residents to fl ee food and medicine. Yarmuk was once park, dive centre and a shopping mall. market aff airs in the real estate sector. Looking at the residential sector, A woman, her husband, and their their homes and put the area’s last a densely populated and thriving dis- Barwa Real Estate is showcasing its DTZ showed a market overview, citing DTZ maintains that property will be child were killed in shelling in Yarmuk hospital out of service. trict of the capital, but it has been rav- Dara project, a commercial and resi- key fi gures and developments on the Qa- driven by population increase. late Saturday, it said. “This brings to 11 “Since the start of fi ghting four aged by violence since Syria’s confl ict dential complex with 1,820 units in tari real estate sector, residential, com- “It is anticipated that the majority of the number of civilians killed since the days ago, most of the 6,000 civilians broke out in 2011. Syria’s government Lusail. Ezdan and Astad are showcas- mercial, retail and hospitality sectors. the population increase in the coming shelling escalated on Thursday,” said in Yarmouk camp have been forcibly imposed a crippling siege on it in 2012, ing some of their latest developments In a statement, DTZ director Mark years will be generated by expatriates Observatory head Rami Abdel Rah- displaced to the neighbouring area of and fi ghting among rebels and rival and upcoming projects in the country. Proudley highlighted the real estate in the service industry, as construction man. Yalda,” he said. “The last functioning militants has exhausted residents. According to organisers, the event sales activities in comparison to the projects complete. DTZ expects this to The bombing and clashes continued hospital inside Yarmouk, Palestine In 2015, IS overran most of Yar- provides a chance for homebuyers and previous 12 months. drive demand for aff ordable residen- into yesterday, Abdel Rahman said, Hospital, is now completely unable mouk, and the small numbers of other investors to network, gain valuable mar- “The number of real estate transac- tial property,” according to the report. with air strikes, artillery, and surface- to operate,” Gunness said. He called rebels and militants, including from ket insight, seek advice on their next real tions recorded by the Ministry of De- Business Page 1 to-surface missiles hitting the neigh- on all sides to allow civilians to leave Al Qaeda’s former affi liate, that had a bourhood. Chris Gunness, spokesman safely, for the sick and wounded to presence there agreed to withdraw just for the UN Palestinian refugee agency be evacuated, and for safe access for a few weeks ago. Qatar Rail seeks off ers for retail space on Green Line

ollowing the successful launch Lusail) and Wakrah last October. convenience stores and general retail. of retail space opportunities at On the Green Line, the retail shops The online registration will run up to Fthe Red Line stations of Doha numbering around 45 units over May 24. Metro, Qatar Rail yesterday announced 2,150sqm, across eight stations are Qatar Rail officials at their City- the availability of the Green Line re- available. scape booth said the applications for tail spaces at the stations between Al In addition to the retail outlets, the retail spaces could be submitted Mansoura and Al Riff a (near Rayyan stations will also include dedicated via Qatar Rail’s online retail portal Stadium). spaces for 20 ATMs and 15 vending (retail.qr.com.qa). This was formally announced at the machines to serve metro users and Those interested can also visit the Cityscape Qatar 2018 yesterday. Qatar neighbourhood customers. rail company’s booth at the exhibi- A picture taken yesterday, shows smoke billowing from the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, south of the Syrian capital Rail had announced 100% occupancy At the stations, retailers will be of- tion to find out more about avail- Damascus, during regime strikes targeting the Islamic State group in the camp. rates for commercial spaces at the Red fered four main types of spaces in- able retail spaces and the application Line stations between Legtaifi ya (near cluding services, food and beverage, process.

QIC in pact to name West Bay station atar Insurance Group has signed a partnership agree- tar Rail while launching the fi rst station in West Bay under ment with Qatar Rail under which West Bay station the name of Qatar Insurance Group in co-ordination and Qtakes the name of the insurance group. partnership with Rail Project, included in major infrastruc- This agreement was signed by Sheikh Saoud bin Khalid bin ture projects under execution and supportive to the Qatari Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Insurance Group board member, and economy within the Qatar National Vision 2030,” Sheikh Abdulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie, managing director and chief Saoud said. Qatar Insurance Group always endeavours to co- executive of Qatar Rail. operate with its partners for enhancing the economic growth This initiative is included in the corporate social respon- in order to achieve sustainable development, progress and sibility (CSR) agenda and stations’ naming rights are a stra- welfare of all Qatari people, he added. tegic aspect of Qatar Rail, through which it endeavours to “Metro is one of the most important means of transport execute partnerships with the companies and leading Qatari attracting large and varied segment of users. In addition, and global trademarks for the purpose of promoting its serv- stations generally represent attraction points for the occu- ices in the stations and enabling it to reach a wider range of piers of the neighbourhood, which is a unique opportunity market targeted segments. for the companies to promote its trademarks and services,” “It is our pleasure to meet today with our partners in Qa- al-Subaie said.

POLITICS French president urges US to stick with Iran N-deal French President Emmanuel Macron said he has no “plan B” for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option. In a Fox News interview yester- day, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a “very important” role to play in re- building Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants. President Donald Trump has said he wants US forces to leave Syria as quickly as pos- sible, but Macron warned that Iran, which has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s most supportive ally, will overrun Syria if the countries exit too quickly. Macron and Trump will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House tomorrow.

CONFLICT Israeli forces injure three Palestinians Israeli snipers stationed at the Gaza border yesterday fired live ammunition at two Palestinian youth during ongoing protests east of Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, QNA reported. Medical sources said Israeli snipers shot the two youth in their feet and injured another. East of Gaza city. Israeli soldiers used live ammunition and fired teargas canisters at protesters. Gulf Times 10 Monday, April 23, 2018 AFRICA

Music festival 2 suicide bombers Zimbabwe nurses Rwanda-Congolese musician Pascal Lokua hit Nigeria mosque Kanza performs call off pay strike yesterday on the stage of the Femua music AFP festival in the Abidjan AFP Kano district of Marcory. Harare

wo suicide bombers killed four Muslim housands of Zimbabwe nurses who were sacked worshippers in a mosque in a northeast Ni- after they went on strike for better wages have Tgerian town still being rebuilt after virtual Tbeen told to return to work by their union, in a bid destruction by Boko Haram in 2014, sources told to allow fresh negotiations with the government. AFP yesterday. Some 15,000 nurses fi ghting for better work condi- The bombers, a man and a woman, detonated tions walked out of public hospital wards last Monday, their explosives inside the mosque during morn- paralysing major hospitals resulting in patients being ing prayers on Saturday in the town of Bama in turned away. Borno state. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, dismissed The pair “blew themselves up in a mosque while them a day after, accusing them of being “politically people were praying” said Baba Shehu Gulumba, motivated.” Bama local government chairman. “To pave way for re-opening of negotiations and pro- An earlier toll listed three deaths. tection of our workers we have decided to call off the “Another victim died at the hospital in Maidug- industrial action,” the Zimbabwe Nurses Association uri,” taking the toll to four, Shehu Gulumba later said in a statement on Saturday night, urging all nurses told AFP. to report for duty by today. The nurses said their strike A senior military offi cer in Bama earlier con- had been politicised, but gave no details. “It is highly re- fi rmed that three people had died, adding that grettable that our cause of collective job action has been nine people were also injured. highly politicised,” said the statement. “Some of the injured are in a critical condition Madagascar calm as The nurses are demanding better wages and are com- and may hardly make it. They have been trans- plaining about lack of basics in government hospitals, ferred to Maiduguri for better medical care,” said including drugs. After sacking the striking nurses, the the military offi cer, who asked not to be named. government resorted to hiring unemployed nurses and The attack came two weeks after residents be- recalling those who have retired to fi ll the vacant posts. gan returning to the town which was destroyed by troops quell protests The nurses on Friday fi led an urgent application in Boko Haram four years ago. court seeking to have their dismissals nullifi ed. Bama, a major trading hub on the road to Cam- AFP “I came here to pay homage to those mutiny that allowed Rajoelina — then They asked the High Court to “restrain and interdict” eroon and home to 270,000 people, was captured Antananarivo killed yesterday here,” said protester Antananarivo mayor — to become the the government “from terminating the services of some in September 2014, forcing residents to fl ee to Nirina, who refused to give her surname. country’s unelected transition president striking nurses and to stop the government from recruit- Maiduguri, the state capital. “I was afraid that there would be more until 2014. ing new staff ”, according to a statement from the coun- When it was retaken by the Nigerian military ozens of soldiers yesterday tem- deaths today, but fortunately the soldiers Rajaonarimampianina’s arrival in pow- try’s human rights lawyers. The court ruling is yet to be in March 2015, 85% of the town had been demol- porarily threw a cordon around left,” she added, saying that she thought er brought a temporary end to Madagas- handed down. ished by the extremists. Da public square in Madagascar’s more soldiers had been deployed. car’s long series of political crises. The dismissal of the nurses was seen as a hardline re- Borno state offi cials said it would require 40bn capital where opposition protests against She said she and other protesters were “I have lived under diff erent regimes in sponse by the country’s new leadership to growing la- naira ($111mn) to rebuild the town, a staggering new electoral laws have left two people calling for President Hery Rajaonar- Madagascar but it is this one, under Ra- bour unrest. amount in the impoverished region. dead in the restive island nation. imampianina “to resign”. jaonarimampianina, which is the worst,” According to offi cials 11,000 homes had been The soldiers later vacated the square in Rajaonarimampianina, who returned said protester Aime Abel Jocelyn, who rebuilt which residents said represent one-third Antananarivo, clearing the way for some yesterday from a trip abroad, is expected travelled 500km from the town of Be- Loud blasts again rock Timbuktu of those destroyed. 100 opposition activists to gather, an AFP to address the nation. troka. “I came here to help bring change... On April 5 the state’s information commis- reporter at the scene said. Elected in 2013, Rajaonarimampianina to fi nd a solution for my country.” everal loud explosions yesterday rocked the north- sioner Mohamed Bulama said 1,200 people had The demonstrators are protesting against has not yet announced whether he will The European Union mission in Mada- ern Mali city of Timbuktu near military bases returned to the town in a phased resettlement of new electoral laws that the opposition claim stand for re-election. gascar in a statement called on the coun- Swhere last week, one UN peacekeeper was killed the 100,000 displaced residents living in camps in could stop some candidates from standing in But two former heads of state have al- try’s political actors to exercise restraint and seven French troops were wounded by Islamist mili- Maiduguri. upcoming presidential elections. ready mooted runs: Marc Ravalomanana, and expressed its support for “credible, tants, a resident and a UN source said. Boko Haram has been notorious for suicide at- The large Indian Ocean island is due to who was president from 2002 to 2009, transparent and inclusive presidential The UN source said that the UN peacekeeping mission tacks on civilian and military targets in response hold polls in late November or December. and Andry Rajoelina, who removed him elections in 2018”. base in Timbuktu known as the ‘Super Camp’ was once to army off ensives that have put pressure on the Two people died in violence on Sat- during a coup. The African Union representative in again targeted by mortar fi re, although that informa- militant group. urday, hospital chiefs updated yester- Both were barred from running in 2013 Madagascar, Ahmed Youssouf Hawa, also tion could not be immediately confi rmed. Youba Cisse, Recent days have seen a lull in such attacks. day, and at least 16 were wounded after and their parties have been involved in called for calm, restraint and account- a trader in Timbuktu, told Reuters he heard at least three However, on Friday, 10 people including four clashes between thousands of opposition the protests. ability. loud detonations coming from the direction of the camp. militia fi ghting the militants were injured when activists and security forces in the square. Madagascar endured several years of “Madagascar does not need to plunge The April 14 car bomb and rocket attacks on the heav- two female suicide bombers attacked Amarwa Authorities had declared the Saturday turmoil after Ravalomanana was ousted back into a diffi cult situation just a few ily fortifi ed bases by militants disguised as UN peace- village in Konduga district, 38km from Maiduguri, protest illegal, but opposition activists as president in the 2009 coup. months before the elections,” he said in a keepers marked a particularly daring assault amid an according to militia sources. defi ed the order. He was overthrown following an army statement. upsurge in violence in Mali and neighbouring countries. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 11 AMERICAS

10 held in Georgia 4 shot dead in Nashville, as neo-Nazis fi ght protesters

AFP police hunt for suspect Washington

AFP AR-15 rifl es were used to kill 58 en people were arrested on Saturday when Washington people in Las Vegas last October, a rally attended by a handful of neo-Nazis while Florida school shooter Nikolas Twas met with hundreds of counter-pro- Cruz in February opened fi re on his testers in a usually quiet Georgia town, local me- olice were yesterday hunt- former high school with an AR-15, dia reported. ing for a semi-nude gunman killing 17 students and staff mem- Hundreds of police offi cers were deployed in Pon the run after a pre-dawn bers. Newnan, Georgia — around 65km southeast of shooting at a Waffl e House restau- In the wake of the Florida mas- Atlanta — ahead of the event organised by the Na- rant in Nashville, in the southern US sacre, student survivors launched tional Socialist Movement, one of the US’s largest state of Tennessee left four people a gun control campaign — drawing neo-Nazi groups. dead. hundreds of thousands to demon- There were fears the event could escalate into a The Metropolitan Nashville Po- strations — and businesses includ- repeat of the violence that stemmed from a white lice Department wrote on Twitter ing Walmart and Dick’s Sporting supremacist rally last August, in Charlottesville, that the shooting occurred in an area Goods took measures to restrict ac- Virginia. However, only a few dozen far-right southeast of the city at 3.25am. cess to assault rifl es and fi rearms in members showed up, among them the move- Three of the victims died at the general. ment’s leader Jeff Schoep. scene and a fourth at a hospital, However, Congress remains dead- “We’re against illegal immigration. We’re while two others people were being locked on the contentious issue. standing up on a pro-white platform. And we’re treated for injuries, police said. Meanwhile, an ABC News/Wash- trying to get our message out,” he said. “A patron wrestled away the gun- ington Post poll published on Friday According to local media, the ten arrested at man’s rifl e. He was nude & fl ed on suggested that support for a ban on the rally, held in a downtown park, were counter- foot. He is a white man with short assault weapons has risen sharply in protesters. hair,” the department said. the past few months. “The rally has ended, it was very peaceful for the Having twice identifying the In all, 62% of those polled said most part. No injuries to any public safety or pro- shooter as “nude,” police later they support a nationwide ban on testers. We had a handful of arrests,” the Coweta tweeted that the gunman had shed the sale of assault weapons, up from County Sheriff ’s Offi ce said in a statement. his coat and was last seen wearing 50% in mid-February and 45% in On Friday, locals covered the surfaces and paths black pants but no shirt. late 2015. of Greenville Street Park with chalk messages and Police said that “murder warrants “Assault weapons” were banned drawings representing love and peace. are now being drafted against Travis in the US from 1994 to 2004, when “Today we’re standing together to unite a group Reinking,” a 29-year-old from Mor- Law enforcement stand outside the Waffle House where four people were killed in Nashville, Tennessee. the prohibition lapsed. of people against this hate group. We’re showing ton, Illinois who was earlier identi- But even when the ban was in ef- them that we don’t support this. It’s not welcome fi ed as a person of interest. He then went inside the restau- Waffl e House family. We ask for style assault rifl e, saying it was the fect, manufacturers came up with here in America,” counter-protester Robert Allen Local police spokesman Don rant where more shots were fi red, everyone to keep the victims and weapon used in the shooting. cosmetic modifi cations so rifl es did said during the rally. Aaron told a televised news briefi ng and a patron was hit, before some- their families in their thoughts and AR-15s have been repeatedly used not meet the offi cial defi nition of an The event came a day after neo-Nazis in Ger- that Reinking had arrived in a pick- one was able to grab his rifl e from prayers,” Waffl e House wrote on by mass shooters in the US, where assault weapon, and other function- many, which is witnessing a revival of far-right up truck, and opened fi re on people him, Aaron said. Twitter. the debate over gun control is fi erce ally similar semi-automatic rifl es and ultra-nationalist groups, marked Adolf Hit- gathered outside the restaurant. “This is a very sad day for the Police posted a photo of an AR-15- and gun violence is frequent. were never banned at all. ler’s birthday with the start of a two-day festival.

In bumpy road to his Romney fails to win Utah GOP backing for senate confi rmation, Pompeo Agencies votes from delegates at the Utah GOP not always been political allies. Romney “I’m with the president’s domestic Washington convention Saturday to head to the No- excoriated Trump in the 2016 presiden- policy agenda of low taxes, low regula- vember election unopposed, but he tial campaign and said he was a “fraud” tion, smaller government, pushing back faces committee vote earned only 49.12%, CNN and other me- who was “playing the American public against the bureaucrats,” Romney said. itt Romney’s restart of his po- dia reported. for suckers.” “I’m not always with the president on litical career hit a roadblock Romney was considered the politi- Trump responded that Romney had what he might say or do, and if that hap- By Patricia Zengerle, Reuters nounced opposition, Pompeo MSaturday. The 2012 Republican cal favourite by political observers and “choked like a dog” in his 2012 campaign pens I’ll call them like I see them, the way Washington will not be approved by the com- presidential candidate and former Mas- US President Donald Trump endorsed against president Barack Obama. I have in the past.” mittee unless someone changes sachusetts governor failed to win the Utah Romney in February. The president said Despite the criticism, Trump briefl y Romney was criticised by some del- their position. Republican Party’s nomination, which on Twitter in February that Romney “will considered making Romney his Secretary egates for being a latecomer to the state, he Senate Foreign Rela- The committee can vote to means he must face 11 challengers in a June make a great Senator and worthy succes- of State. moving to Utah relatively recently, CNN tions Committee will send the nomination to the Sen- primary for the US Senate seat being va- sor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full sup- Romney said in February that he gen- reported. Tvote today on President ate unfavourably. cated by retiring US Senator Orrin Hatch. port and endorsement!” erally approves of Trump’s agenda, but Romney’s campaign could not be Donald Trump’s nominee to be This would still allow a vote in Romney needed at least 60% of the But Romney and the president have would call out the president if needed. reached for comment yesterday morning. secretary of state, CIA Direc- the full Senate. tor Mike Pompeo, who could be This is extremely rare. the fi rst nominee for the posi- The last Cabinet member re- Shark-bite victim was attacked tion not to win support from the ported unfavourably by a com- panel. mittee but eventually confi rmed Earth Day earlier by a bear and a snake That would not stop his Senate was Henry Wallace, who became confi rmation, but it could cast a secretary of commerce in 1945. t was third time unlucky for a Colorado man attacked shadow on his relationship with Because at least one Demo- by a shark in Hawaii — as he had already been mauled Congress. crat not on the committee, Heidi Iby a bear and bitten by a rattlesnake, all in less than The Senate confi rmed Pompeo Heitkamp, plans to support him, four years, local media has reported. as CIA director in early 2017 with Pompeo is likely to be confi rmed Dylan McWilliams, 20, was bodyboarding in the ocean a 66-32 vote. if there is a vote in the full Sen- off Kauai on Thursday, when what he believed to be a ti- Those who oppose him for ate, unless another Republican ger shark around 2m long chomped him on the leg, the the State Department job say he comes out against him. Honolulu Star Advertiser reported. is too hawkish and socially con- Republicans have a 51-49 Sen- The outdoorsman — who said he has worked as a servative — he has had ties to ate majority. survival training instructor — was able to swim around anti-Muslim groups — to be the But with Paul a fi rm “no” and 30m back to shore, where a bystander called in the country’s top diplomat. Senator John McCain absent due paramedics. But he is now one of Trump’s to illness, Pompeo can receive at “I didn’t know if I lost half my leg or what,” he said. most trusted advisers and has most 49 Republican votes. McWilliams, of Grand Junction, western Colorado, re- taken the lead in preparing for The committee can vote to ceived seven stitches in hospital — just months after he the upcoming summit with send a nomination to the full was given nine staples in his scalp following an altercation North Korean leader Kim Jong- Senate without a recommenda- with a black bear at a Colorado summer camp last July. un. tion, which would still allow a As he slept outdoors, McWilliams said he was awoken There are 11 of Trump’s fellow vote. by the bear biting the back of his head. Republicans and 10 Democrats The committee can decline to It then dragged him, only dropping its grip as he on the Foreign Relations Com- send the nomination to the full punched it and poked it in the eye. mittee. Senate. “I guess I was just in the wrong spot at the wrong If at least 11 of the 21 commit- That is considered unlikely, time,” he said of the attack, which caught the attention of tee members back Pompeo, he Senate aides have said, because media outlets worldwide. would be recommended favour- at least a few committee Demo- The two attacks followed his fi rst run-in with a rattle- ably to the full Senate. crats would not want to deny snake during a Utah hiking trip. However, since Republican Pompeo, a former congress- Participants dress with costumes made with plastic bags during the Earth Day Parade in Vancouver on However, he told the Star Advertiser, the bite was not Senator Rand Paul and all 10 man, consideration by the full Saturday. Hundreds of people took part in the activity to show support for environmental protection. severe, and he was only ill for a couple of days. committee Democrats have an- Senate. “My parents are grateful I’m still alive,” he added. Trump travel ban faces Supreme Court showdown

By Lawrence Hurley, Reuters el ban or any other major Trump policy Trump fi rst sought to im- lated case, the justices on April As a candidate, Trump prom- In defending the ban, the ad- advisor during the Bush admin- Washington immigration policy, including his plement a week after taking offi ce 17 invalidated a provision in a ised “a total and complete shut- ministration has pointed to a istration, said in an interview. move to rescind protections for in January 2017, and issue a ruling US law requiring deportation of down of Muslims entering the waiver provision allowing people The arguments in the case follow young immigrants sometimes by the end of June. immigrants convicted of certain United States.” from targeted countries to seek US missile strikes this month in one he fi rst big showdown at called Dreamers brought into the The lead challenger is the state crimes of violence. The Justice Department argues entry if they meet certain crite- of the targeted countries, Syria, af- the US Supreme Court United States illegally as chil- of Hawaii, which argues the ban Trump’s administration and Trump’s statements as a candi- ria. ter Trump’s administration blamed Tover President Donald dren. violates federal immigration law the prior Obama administration date carry no weight because he The State Department said President Bashar al-Assad for a Trump’s immigration policies is It has previously acted on and the US Constitution’s prohi- had defended the provision. was not yet president. that as of last month 375 waivers chemical weapons attack on Syrian set for Wednesday when the jus- Trump requests to undo lower bition on the government favour- Trump has said the travel ban The policy’s challengers also to the travel ban had been granted people near Damascus. tices hear a challenge to the law- court orders blocking those two ing one religion over another. is needed to protect the United point to views he has expressed as since the policy went into eff ect “Lots of people have pointed fulness of his travel ban targeting policies, siding with him on the “Right now, the travel ban is States from terrorism by Islamic president, including his retweets on December 8. out the hypocrisy of the presi- people from several Muslim-ma- travel ban and opposing him on keeping families apart. It is de- militants. in November of anti-Muslim Some former Republican sen- dent on the one hand being will- jority countries. the Dreamers. grading our values by subjecting Just before the latest ban was videos posted by a far-right Brit- ators and offi cials who served ing to bomb Syria and on the oth- The case represents a test of Trump’s immigration policies a specifi c set of people to be den- announced, Trump wrote on ish political fi gure. in Republican former president er hand being unwilling to accept the limits of presidential power. — also including actions taken igrated and marginalised,” Ha- Twitter that the restrictions In a court fi ling last week, US George W Bush’s administration refugees and immigrants from Trump’s policy, announced against states and cities that pro- waii Lieutenant Governor Doug “should be far larger, tougher and Solicitor General Noel Francisco, have signed onto legal briefs ask- that country who are trying to in September, blocks entry into tect illegal immigrants, intensi- Chin said in an interview. more specifi c — but stupidly that representing Trump in court, ing the high court to invalidate escape,” lawyer Omar Jadwat of the United States of most people fi ed deportation eff orts and lim- The Supreme Court on De- would not be politically correct!” said those retweets “do not ad- the ban. the American Civil Liberties Un- from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria its on legal immigration — have cember 4 signalled it may lean The challengers have argued dress the meaning” of the travel “I think the travel ban is a ter- ion, which challenged the travel and Yemen. been among his most conten- toward backing Trump when it the policy was motivated by ban policy. ribly misguided policy that ap- ban in a separate case in Mary- Chad previously was on the list tious. granted the administration’s re- Trump’s enmity toward Mus- Francisco cited Trump state- peared to be motivated more by land, said in an interview. but Trump lifted those restric- The conservative-majority quest to let the ban go into full ef- lims, pressing that point in lower ments complimentary toward a political intention of the presi- Venezuela and North Korea tions on April 10. Supreme Court is due to hear fect while legal challenges played courts with some success by cit- Muslims and Islam, including in dent than by any real national also were targeted in the travel The high court has never de- arguments on Wednesday on out. ing statements he made as a can- a May 2017 speech in Saudi Ara- security need,” John Bellinger, ban but those restrictions were cided the legal merits of the trav- the third version of a travel ban In another immigration-re- didate and as president. bia. the State Department’s top legal not challenged in court. Gulf Times 12 Monday, April 23, 2018 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Malaysia performs autopsy on murdered Palestinian

AFP At the crime scene, police chief Mohamed Fuzi Harun said No arrests have been made so a threat to Israel,” he told AFP Kuala Lumpur markers indicated 14 bullets had a task force has been formed to far and the murder weapon has outside the victim’s Malaysian been sprayed at the victim, some investigate the killing but would not been recovered, he said as he apartment. “Fadi is a Hamas of them hitting a wall. not speculate on the motive or appealed for witnesses to come member and knows how to make n autopsy was being car- An iron grille hit by a bullet whether foreign assassins were forward. rockets. So (Israel) think he is ried out yesterday on the was dented. Malaysian Home involved. Photos of the two Palestinian representative to dangerous.” Abody of a Palestinian pro- Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suspects provided by witnesses Malaysia Anwar al-Asha said Batsh leaves a wife and three fessor who was gunned down was quoted by the state-run showed they looked like Europe- Fadi’s body will be taken back young children. He had lived in in what his family claim was an Bernama news agency as say- ans but police could not confi rm to the Palestinian territories for Malaysia for the past 10 years. assassination by Israel’s Mossad ing Batsh was “an electrical en- they were in fact from Europe, he burial after it is handed back to Ahmad Abu Bakar, 33, a foreign spy agency. Fadi al-Batsh, 35, gineer and an expert at making told a news conference Sunday the family. “We are now talk- student studying in Malaysia, was killed in a drive-by shooting rockets”. In a statement from afternoon. ing to the handling company to said he had known the victim for on Saturday, according to Ma- the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the When asked if there was evi- make the arrangements,” he told two years. laysian authorities. victim’s family said: “We accuse dence of foreign involvement AFP. “He is friendly and he preaches He was walking from his high- the Mossad of being behind the in the killing, he said: “It is still Mohamed Shedad, 17, a stu- good things. He never preached rise apartment to dawn prayers assassination.” premature to conclude. “We dent and a relative of the victim, any hatred. I am shocked by the at a local mosque in the Kuala Hamas said Batsh, described want to ensure a complete probe. also blamed Mossad for the kill- killing,” he said. It was the sec- Students of Palestinian professor Fadi al-Batsh, who was killed in a Lumpur suburb of Gombak when as a research scientist specialis- We are still investigating the ing. “It is defi nitely the work ond high-profi le killing of a for- drive-by shooting on April 21, hug each other outside the compound he was shot by two gunmen rid- ing in energy issues, was one of motive. I urge people not to make of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever eigner in Malaysia in just over a of the forensic wing of the Hospital Selayang in Kuala Lumpur. ing a motorcycle, offi cials added. its members. Malaysia’s police any conclusion.” person, anyone who is clever is year.

Kim heralds more economic reforms North Korean leader Kim Jong- those in the South in 2016, un’s promise to build “socialist according to the most recent economic construction” statistics available from Seoul in his nuclear-armed but – Pyongyang itself does not impoverished and isolated publish figures even for GDP N Korea’s nuclear pledge country could herald more growth. The situation has Chinese-style economic been improving as Pyongyang reforms, according to analysts quietly allows the market – but he will never explicitly to play a greater role in its say so. economy under Kim. Alongside the declaration It recorded its fastest adds momentum to talks Saturday that the North had expansion in 17 years in 2016, completed the development according to the Bank of Korea, Reuters of its nuclear arsenal and no the South’s central bank – Seoul more atomic or missile tests although that is threatened were needed, Kim proclaimed by recent UN Security Council that the “new strategic line” sanctions imposed on sectors outh Korea’s preparations for the ruling Workers’ Party such as coal, fish and textiles for its fi rst summit with would be “socialist economic over its weapons programmes. SNorth Korea in more than construction”. Kim intends to pursue a decade are in full swing this The three words appeared a “essentially the Chinese-style week, offi cials said yesterday, a total of 56 times in the report economic programme he is day after the North’s pledge to by the off icial KCNA news busily implementing”, said end its nuclear tests raised hopes agency on Kim’s speech and Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk but also scepticism. the subsequent party decision. Group. North Korea said on Satur- It has a long way to go. “Economic reforms which day it was suspending nuclear For a time after the Korean War are not going to be called and missile tests and scrapping the North was wealthier than economic reforms.” its nuclear test site, and instead the South, benefiting from a In neighbouring China and pursuing economic growth and Japanese colonial decision to nearby Vietnam, Kim has two peace ahead of planned summits concentrate industrialisation examples of Communist parties with South Korea and the United there as it had more mineral that have embraced capitalism States. resources and more without threatening the rule The announcement was wel- hydroelectric power potential of the one-party state — even comed by leaders around the than the largely agricultural reinforcing their positions by world including US President southern end of the peninsula. delivering increasing prosperity. Donald Trump. But some have But that situation reversed as Deng Xiaoping’s “Reform and expressed doubts about the the North – long considered Opening” in the 1980s started North’s intentions and South Ko- one of the most state- a decades-long economic rean President Moon Jae-in will controlled economies in the boom that propelled China be under intense international world – suff ered from decades from a lumbering backwater scrutiny when he meets North of economic mismanagement, to the world’s second-largest Korean leader Kim Jong-un on worsened when the demise economy and a crucial driver Friday. Kim with a South Korea delegation in Pyongyang. of the Soviet Union ended of global growth. Beijing calls “North Korea has a long his- the financial support that had it “Socialism with Chinese tory of raising the issue of de- include a commitment to scrap sole focus this week, staying in for the summit with Kim, who main channel between the two helped to plug the gaps. characteristics”, and off icials nuclearisation and has commit- existing nuclear weapons and the presidential Blue House to will be the fi rst North Korean sides over the Winter Olympics Average incomes were have long pressed Pyongyang ted to freeze its nuclear weapons missiles, and there are doubts he prepare with no outside engage- leader to set foot in the South in February. The two leaders are less than one-twentieth of to follow its example. programmes in the past. We all would ever give up the nuclear ments, a Blue House offi cial said since the 1950-1953 Korean War. expected to talk over the newly remember how those pledges and arsenal his country has been de- on Sunday. Today, the two Koreas will hold installed phone for the fi rst time commitments went down over veloping for decades. South Korea’s presidential se- another round of working-level this week, before the summit, while South Korea said it signi- denuclearisation agreements, past decades,” said Nam Sung- Kim said North Korea no long- curity service met offi cials from talks at the Tongil Pavilion on South Korea said on Friday. fi ed “meaningful” progress that the latest in 2012 when the North wook, a professor of North Ko- er needed to test nuclear bombs the military as well as the UN the North Korean side of Pan- A senior US diplomat for East would create good conditions for launched a long-range rocket af- rean Studies at Korea University or intercontinental ballistic mis- Command on Saturday to dis- mumjom to discuss protocol, Asia, Susan Thornton, arrives successful summits with it and ter agreeing to a moratorium on in Seoul. siles now that his country had the cuss security at the border truce security and media coverage of in Seoul to meet South Korea’s later with the United States. missile testing. Experts also say “Although the North’s an- weapons, and he would gear all village of Panmunjom, where the the summit. Moon now has a foreign minister as well as its Kim is expected to meet Trump that North Korea’s off er not to nouncement is quite dramatic, eff orts toward economic devel- inter-Korean summit will take direct phone link with Kim on top nuclear negotiator. Trump in late May or early June, the fi rst test or transfer nuclear weapons it’s natural for the world to be ex- opment. Moon, who welcomed place, the offi cial said. For the his offi ce desk, instead of having called North Korea’s off er to meeting between sitting lead- appeared a statement of an aim to tra sensitive to every word spo- Kim’s announcement as a “ma- past few weeks, South Korea has to communicate through a hot- freeze testing and close its only ers of the two countries. US of- be a “responsible” nuclear weap- ken by Kim.” jor” step toward denuclearisa- been renovating Peace House, on line at the Joint Security Area in known nuclear testing site “very fi cials say North Korea had in ons state, rather than an inten- Kim’s announcement did not tion, is making the summit his its side of Panmunjom, to prepare Panmunjom, which had been the good news” and “big progress”, the past repeatedly reneged on tion to denuclearise.

Australian govt under pressure over bank revelations World’s ‘oldest person’

Reuters O’Dwyer was the latest cabinet ers would “benefit from the the ABC the government’s re- financial advice for a decade dies in Japan aged 117 Melbourne member to express a change of action we have taken, they will sponse showed that it was from after they had died, and that heart about the Royal Commis- benefit from the Royal Com- “another planet”. others had been deliberately Japanese woman born in ‘Guinness World Records’ had sion investigation, which she mission,” she said. “They’ve learnt absolutely charged for no service. the fi nal year of the 19th been conducting research with he Australian govern- previously opposed as an “in- She was asked nine times nothing from all of the scan- The coalition government Acentury and believed a view to certifying Tajima as ment came under fresh quiry looking for something to during the interview on the dalous revelations that we’ve under Prime Minister Malcolm to have been the world’s old- the oldest person alive after the Tpressure yesterday over inquire about”. “Insiders” programme if the heard over the last little while Turnbull established the Royal est person died on Saturday, previous record holder, Vio- its reluctance to hold a judicial She told state broadcaster the government regretted not es- in the Royal Commission,” he Commission in November, fol- Kyodo news agency said. She let Brown of Jamaica, died last inquiry into the banking sec- ABC that the powerful inde- tablishing the Royal Commis- said. lowing 18 months of campaign- was 117. year at 117, Kyodo said. tor which has exposed wide- pendent inquiry would in fact sion sooner, but failed to an- The Royal Commission heard ing from the opposition Labor Nabi Tajima, born in 1900, The organisation recognised spread misconduct and regu- benefit customers, and credited swer each time. explosive testimony last week, and Greens parties over a series died from old age at a hospital a 112-year-old Japanese man, latory shortcomings. Minister the centre-right government Labor’s shadow finance including admissions that some of scandals at the country’s top on her native southwestern is- Masazo Nonaka, as the world’s for Finance and Revenue Kelly for its establishment. Custom- minister, Jim Chalmers, told customers had been charged for banks. land of Kikaijima, Kyodo said. oldest man earlier this month. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 13 BRITAIN

May, Rudd under further pressure over Windrush scandal

Guardian News and Media senior Labour fi gures called on even entitled to go to the Na- The prime minister has apolo- the situation was heartbreaking, the party’s obsession with bring- “And what we ended up with London Rudd to resign. tional Health Service,” she said. gised and pledged to pay com- but that as a minister he had con- ing down net migration. was, I think, the unintended con- Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew “It couldn’t be worse and yet pensation in an attempt to end sulted widely and made changes to “I think we were all responsi- sequences of the policy we are Marr Show, the shadow foreign the home secretary thinks ‘I can the row over the injustices meted the way the policy was to work. ble. I would hold myself respon- now implementing.” heresa May and her Home secretary, Emily Thornberry, said apologise and it will be alright’. out to children of Windrush-era “We put together a panel of ex- sible as part of the government,” Warsi’s remarks, which rein- Secretary, Amber Rudd, it was hard to imagine a worse out- Well, it won’t be.” migrants who had been unable perts, bringing together people she said. force criticisms made before the Thave come under further come from the policy brought in The shadow chancellor, John to produce the documents de- from the equalities sector, homeless “What happened unfortu- weekend by the former deputy pressure over the impact on the through a series of new laws from McDonnell, backed Thornber- manded by the Home Offi ce to charities, local authorities to help nately during those years and prime minister Nick Clegg, who Windrush generation of the gov- 2010 to create a hostile environ- ry’s position. “If we are going to establish their right to remain. support work around this and actu- has continued is that we had an chaired the Cabinet sub-com- ernment’s immigration policy. ment towards illegal immigrants. restore any sense of integrity to She and Rudd have, however, ally made changes to the way some unhealthy obsession with num- mittee on immigration from 2010 The former Cabinet minis- “How much worse can it get? politics, they have to resign,” he repeatedly blamed offi cials for the of the things were done,” he said. bers. We were wedded to unreal- to 2015, undermine Rudd’s in- ter Sayeeda Warsi made it clear People have died, they have lost said. “The home secretary now way they implemented the policy. Warsi, a former Conservative istic targets, targets that we still sistence in her statement to the it was the policy itself that was their jobs, and people working should accept her responsibili- James Brokenshire, an immigra- party chair and Cabinet minister, haven’t met unfortunately a dec- Commons last week on blaming at fault, rather than the way of- in the National Health Service ties, just as May said when we tion minister between 2014 and said on the same programme that ade on – and yet we continue to offi cials for thinking about policy fi cials had implemented it, while all their lives are suddenly not were in power.” 2016, told ITV’s Peston on Sunday it was a failed policy caused by remain wedded to targets. rather than people.

Parents plan boycott of school Sats tests Turnbull pays visit When children across England start their week of Sats tests next month, 30 primary schools will be under particular scrutiny. That is because children from those schools have Premier seen performed poorly once they have moved to secondary schools. That has raised suspicions that their good Sats results – more properly known as key stage 2 tests – were the result of cheating. Children from other primary schools feeding the same facing revolt secondary schools, meanwhile, have performed roughly as expected. “For example, if the children were predicted 10 Bs (at GCSE), they would get 10 Cs,” said Dave Thomson, chief statistician at Ed- ucation Data Lab, which carried over customs out the analysis. “I don’t think we can say with absolute certainty why this is happening but it war- rants further investigation.” Cheating is one of the many reasons why Sats continue to face serious opposition. Parent union plans groups such as Let Our Kids Be Kids plan to boycott Sats this Guardian News and Media secretary, would resign. ing a potentially diffi cult debate year by taking their children out London But yesterday a source close to in the Commons on Thursday on of primary school when the tests Gove reiterated the environment customs union membership. She start on May 14. secretary’s opposition. “Michael said it would be an opportunity Last year a headteacher of a heresa May could face a believes respecting the referen- for a calm debate about the real- Leeds primary school locked the Cabinet revolt on a cus- dum result means taking back ity of leaving the customs union Sats papers in a cupboard and Ttoms union as peers pre- control of trade policy. He fully based on the evidence that select took the children to the Captain pare to infl ict more defeats on supports the prime minister’s committees were hearing as they Cook Museum in Whitby instead. the government over the EU position that this means leaving investigated its potential impact. In 2010 nearly 15,000 children withdrawal bill in a key week for the customs union.” “If every time we debate these in London did not take Sats after the future of the UK’s relations Treasury select committee issues or pass an amendment all a boycott and had continuous with Europe. chair Nicky Morgan said hysteria we end up with is this hysteria assessments instead. Amid Brexiter threats of a and leadership speculation is not and leadership speculation, that Campaigners against Sats object leadership challenge, the former in Britain’s interest. is not in Britain’s interest,” she to the huge pressure primary Cabinet minister Nicky Morgan Although the loss of other said. schools are under to deliver im- who chairs the Treasury com- pledges in negotiations have “The majority of the party provements year after year, which mittee, told the challengers to be been reluctantly accepted, such would not entertain a leadership they say encourages schools to careful what they wished for. as the promise to reclaim control contest at the moment and those teach only the core subjects of “This sabre-rattling is not over fi shing quotas from March who want to ... should think very reading, writing and mathematics, coming from the section of the 2019, accepting continued carefully if they really want to in- almost abandoning art, music, party that I represent. It is com- membership of a customs union tervene in the negotiations in the foreign languages and even sci- ing from the pro-Brexit section would be of a diff erent and much way a leadership contest would.” ence, which is only assessed in a of the party and is deeply un- larger scale. Meanwhile in the Lords, the random selection of schools. helpful,” she said. Downing Street sources also government is braced for more “Schools are judged, compared Although it has not been offi - dismissed the idea. “The posi- defeats as peers begin a second and ranked on these results,” said cially confi rmed, there are well- tion remains very clear: we don’t week of votes on the EU with- James Bowen from the National founded reports that govern- think staying in a customs union drawal bill today. Last week, 24 Association of Head Teachers. ment ambitions to avoid a hard is the right thing to do and it isn’t Tory peers backed the customs “If the scores aren’t good enough, border in Ireland either through government policy to do so,” a union amendment. teachers start fearing the implica- technological innovation or spokesperson said. The most diffi cult vote today tions and the interventions they regulatory alignment have been Any customs union makes it is likely to be on the EU charter might face – even the future of the rejected in preliminary negotia- eff ectively impossible to nego- of fundamental rights. The gov- school. The stakes are far too high.” tions in Brussels. tiate free trade deals with other ernment nearly lost a vote in the Those stakes are high enough That has led to speculation countries – one of the govern- Commons on a similar amend- for some teachers to risk their that May is preparing to concede ment’s key ambitions and a cen- ment, which seeks to incorporate careers. Over the last 12 months, on a customs union, which has tral justifi cation for leaving the the charter into the legislation. It three headteachers have been been a red line since the prime EU. is one of the few major aspects of taken to a disciplinary panel of minister’s conference speech in But a meaningful vote on re- EU law that has been left out. the National College for Train- October 2016. maining in the customs union is The government argues that ing and Leadership – now the Reports over the weekend likely in the next few months. At the rights it protects are already Teaching Regulation Agency – for suggested a “wargaming” exer- least 10 Tory backbenchers have protected by UK law. But they altering Sats papers after they cise into the consequences of a signed an amendment to the also say that it provides more had been completed. In each Prime Minister Theresa May and Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull prepare to plant concession showed that not even trade and customs bill support- protection than it is needed. case the heads resigned or were an English oak tree in the grounds of the prime minister’s country residence, Chequers near leading Brexiters such as Michael ing continued membership. Campaigners fear that means the dismissed. Ellesborough, northwest of London. Gove, the environment secretary, Morgan is one of the 12 select government will seek to dilute or Boris Johnson, the foreign committee chairs who are back- them.

Welsh fi nance minister Sunny London Ex-police race adviser mulls bid to succeed Jones accused of racial crime Guardian News and Media Last year, Adunbi was alleg- London edly shot by a police offi cer us- Guardian News and Media Another possible candidate is people in Labour who had been ing a Taser electrical weapon in Cardiff Vaughan Gething, who fi ve years “stirring it up”. Easton. A video of the alleged ago became the fi rst black min- Asked if there were people try- former race relations ad- incident was widely shared on ister in any of the devolved UK ing to undermine Jones, he said: viser to the police who social media and made headlines he Welsh Finance Secre- administrations. “Of course.” Awas allegedly injured around the world. tary, Mark Drakeford, has Whoever succeeds Jones will Jones paid tribute to his wife, Lisa, when a police offi cer fi red a stun Police constable Claire Bod- Temerged as an early front- inherit an administration and par- and family as he announced his de- gun at him has been charged with die, of Avon and Somerset po- runner to succeed Carwyn Jones ty rocked by the death of Sargeant. cision at the Welsh Labour confer- a racially aggravated off ence. lice, is due in court today for a as Welsh fi rst minister. The pressure on Jones increased ence on Saturday: “In any normal Judah Adunbi, also known as pre-trial hearing in relation to Jones said on Saturday he last week when opposition parties political career, you expect to be put Ras, was arrested at his home in that case. She denies a charge of would step down in the autumn, in Wales criticised the government through the wringer, and even have Bristol on Wednesday and will common assault. having experienced “the darkest for blocking the full publication your integrity challenged. appear in court next month. The Justice 4 Judah campaign of times”. He has been under in- of a report examining claims that “I don’t think anyone can know Adunbi, of Easton, Bristol, was called on the public to support tense pressure since the Labour news of Sargeant’s dismissal was what these last few months have charged with a racially aggravat- Adunbi at court. “We encourage AM (assembly member) Carl leaked in the days before he killed been like. No one that is, apart ed public order off ence following campaign supporters to gather Sargeant killed himself four days himself. from Lisa and the kids. They have an alleged incident at a betting outside Bristol magistrates court after being sacked as a minister Jones’s announcement came carried me through the darkest of shop on the city’s Stapleton Road today at 1.30pm to show some over harassment allegations. a day after lawyers for Jack times. I have asked too much of on March 29. solidarity,” they said. Drakeford is experienced and Sargeant, Carl’s son, published a them, and it is time for me to think The 64-year-old, who is a Avon and Somerset police well-respected with Welsh La- letter accusing Jones of causing about what’s fair for them.” former member of an independ- said: “A 64-year-old man has bour. He won plaudits in his former considerable distress, though it On the inquiry he said: “I intend ent advisory group to Avon and been charged with a racially ag- job as health minister by defending is not believed the letter prompt- – as I’ve always maintained – to be Somerset police, has been re- gravated public order off ence the Cardiff administration against ed his decision to step down. here to give every answer to every leased on conditional bail to ap- following an incident at a betting Tory attacks on its record on run- The main inquiry into how question. But I intend to stand pear at Bristol magistrates court shop in Stapleton Road, Bristol. ning the NHS in Wales. Jones handled the sacking has down in the autumn, allowing for on May 22. “Ras Adunbi, of Easton in He is also a key fi gure in the not yet begun. a new fi rst minister to take their His solicitor, Tony Murphy, of Bristol, was arrested on April Welsh government’s Brexit ne- On BBC Radio Wales’s Sunday place by the end of this year.” Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, said he 18 and subsequently charged gotiations with the UK govern- Supplement, the Welsh govern- Jones’s departure means the loss would be challenging the charge. with a racially aggravated pub- ment. ment minister and independ- of an excellent election campaign People sit in deckchairs on the South Bank, in central “Ras Judah has a long history lic order offence. He has been Asked if he would stand, Drak- ent AM Dafydd Elis-Thomas leader, who has guided Welsh La- London, yesterday. The Met Off ice had earlier forecast of challenging racism in all its released on conditional bail to eford said he would think about it paid tribute to Jones and said he bour to a string of victories during temperatures to reach 23C in the capital. forms and he shall be resisting appear at Bristol magistrates “very seriously”. had “nothing but contempt” for his nine-year tenure. this prosecution,” Murphy said. court on May 22.” Gulf Times 14 Monday, April 23, 2018 BRITAIN Hospital vows to improve training after death of teenager

Guardian News and Media Talented athlete Oliver McGow- those treating him: “Please do not sistant coroner Dr Peter Harrow- ily was extremely disappointed by “It is clear from the evidence the same thing again. Sue Jones, London an, who had epilepsy, cerebral pal- give me antipsychotics, I don’t like ing said olanzapine was a “sig- the conclusion. “We found the in- that no reasonable adjustments the director of nursing and quality sy and autism, died at Southmead them, they mess with my brain.” nifi cant contributory factor” to the quest process to be frustrating and were made for Oliver in A&E on his at the trust, said: “As the coroner hospital in Bristol after being given But the teenager was given the teenager’s death. But he said the disheartening, with North Bristol arrival at Southmead hospital. We heard Oliver was very ill when he hospital trust has promised a drug for schizophrenia and bipo- drug and suff ered a severe brain in- drug had been properly prescribed, NHS trust adopting a defensive believe this environment height- arrived at our emergency depart- to improve training for staff lar disorder. jury. His parents gave permission and that the occurrence of the approach and the coroner being ened his anxiety and was not ap- ment with his epilepsy becoming Aafter the death of a teenager During an inquest at Avon cor- for life support to be withdrawn condition neuroleptic malignant ferociously protective of the doc- propriate for a teenager with au- increasingly diffi cult to control. with mild learning diffi culties who oner’s court his family said that after being told that if he sur- syndrome (NMS) could not have tors who treated Oliver,” she said. tism and a learning disability.” “This was a very complex case, was given antipsychotic medica- both they and the 18-year-old vived he would never walk again, been predicted as it was a “very “We remain adamant that Ol- She said she was horrifi ed that our staff had to make some very tion even though he and his family had implored doctors not to ad- be blind and have no memories or rare adverse eff ect”. iver would not have died if he had the consultant neuropsychiatrist diffi cult treatment decisions, and had warned that the medication minister olanzapine. McGowan’s language. Speaking afterwards, McGow- not been administered the olanza- who prescribed the olanzapine, Dr did their very best at every stage of could cause him serious harm. father, Tom, said his son had told Giving his conclusion, the as- an’s mother, Paula, said the fam- pine, which we expressly forbade. Monica Mohan, said she would do his care. Instant payouts Stone stacking championships off er lifeline to Scotland’s rough sleepers

Guardian News and Media servatives’ 2017 election manifesto Edinburgh pledging to do so by 2027, and the SNP government experimenting with more fl exible outreach op- utreach workers in Scot- tions. tish cities can make instant The personal budgets for out- Opayouts of up to £200 for reach workers were put in place by anything from haircuts to hotel the Housing Minister, Kevin Stew- rooms as part of a radical approach art, over the winter in Glasgow, to entrenched rough sleeping. Edinburgh and Aberdeen as part of The funding, directly from the recommendations from the Scot- Scottish government, is being tish government’s homelessness made available to frontline staff and rough sleeping action group working with the hard core of street chaired by Jon Sparkes, the chief homeless who refuse to engage executive of the homelessness with services or access any accom- charity Crisis. Competitors take part in the European Stone Stacking Championships 2018 in Dunbar, Scotland, yesterday. The European Stone Stacking Championships are Europe’s modation on off er. “We’ve been using the fund largest championships for all Stone Stacking and Rock Balancing artists and practitioners. The overall winner of the European Stone Stacking Championship will receive They can now commit to on- daily, and it’s made a big diff erence financial support for flights to the World Stone Balance Championship in Llano, Texas, the following year. the-spot spending to pay for cloth- knowing it is there to fall back on”, ing, copies of lost documents or said Megan Thomson, the chair of even a night in a nearby hotel to the Simon Community’s intera- help build trust with some of the gency street network in Glasgow. hardest to reach members of the The charity was given £250,000 to street community. fund the personal budgets in Glas- Hugh Hill, the director of serv- gow and Edinburgh, and estimates ices at the homelessness charity that about half was spent over the Simon Community Scotland, de- winter. “There weren’t as many big scribes it as “out of the box thinking spends as we thought there would to connect with people who won’t be,” said Thomson, explaining Ex-Tory councillor urges connect with anything, regardless that much of the funding has been of how tough that life may be”. spent on purchases that were “a Outreach workers for the Glas- drop in the ocean”, while making a gow-based charity who have used huge diff erence to the individuals the new fund in the city centre concerned. over the winter told the Guardian “Little things like a haircut or a about the dramatic diff erence this shave are a big deal. We’ve spent people to vote Labour instant fl exibility has made to their £8 to get someone’s clothes prop- work, both in terms of their ability erly laundered. He was aggressive Guardian News and Media Brexit-based leadership coup”. had led to his failure to be re-se- if they vote for the Labour can- horizon planning suggests that to think creatively about people’s and threatening to everyone else London Barnet has been held by the lected. didates”. Khatri said: “I hope the there may be a further £32.5mn needs and to build confi dence that but now he has a good relationship Conservatives since 2002, but the “My time at the council has residents deliver the right result of cost pressures in 2020-21 and they can respond positively to their with the laundry staff . It’s all about local Labour group hope to take been overshadowed by the disas- on May 3 – Conservatives losing this will need to be covered from circumstances. Larger spends of establishing trust.” deselected Conservative control of it on May 3 – though trous Capita contracts, which is control.” reserves and additional savings up to £2,000 are discussed back at Thomson has many examples on Barnet council – one there are fears that the recent an- falling apart at the seams,” he said. Richard Cornelius, the leader plans to be identifi ed,” the audi- base with a senior manager. of relatively small outlays mak- Aof the key battlegrounds tisemitism scandal in the party “Four years on, issues still keep of the Conservative group, has tors, BDO, said. This week, legislation has come ing a big diff erence: £10 for a copy in next month’s local elections – may dent turnout in heavily Jew- crawling out of the woodwork. insisted the deselection of Khatri Cornelius said: “The contract into force imposing legal duties on of an old bank statement or a birth has used his valedictory speech ish wards. This contract represents poor and two colleagues was simply (with Capita) has delivered results English councils to prevent home- certifi cate, one of the many forms to urge voters to back local Labour The borough, which includes value for money, and the residents “democracy”, and the council will for Barnet. We have saved money.” lessness. But charities say it fails of identity essential to accessing candidates. Sury Khatri resigned Margaret Thatcher’s old par- are being fl eeced.” campaign locally on its record. And he denied the spat had to address the factors – includ- basic support but repeatedly lost in the party whip in March, losing liamentary seat of Finchley and Khatri then told the chair of the A report presented to the com- anything to do with Brexit. “The ing changes to the welfare system the chaos of life on the streets; £160 the Tories their majority on the Golders Green, has been a test- meeting, Hugh Rayner, another mittee by the council’s auditors Conservative party on Barnet and council cuts – driving the rise for a television for a family fl eeing council, when he was not selected bed for large-scale outsourcing of Conservative, who chose not to said fresh cuts will have to be council has not taken any position in rough sleeping, which has in- violence who had two young chil- to stand again in the north London public services, through two huge stand again in the marginal ward made in the borough, in order to on Brexit - we’re about bins, not creased south of the border for dren in need of entertainment in a borough. contracts with Capita, which have of Hale, “this is your last meeting close a “budget gap” of £39.5mn national strategy.” seven consecutive years. strange city; some coins for the gas Speaking at his fi nal meeting seen it dubbed “easyCouncil”. too, as you have stood down ... all over the next two fi nancial years. Asked about Khatri’s state- The Scottish and UK govern- meter for a young woman tempted of the council’s audit committee, Khatri said that, as well as his I can say is that the people of Hale “The savings targets are signifi - ment, he said: “He’s expressed his ments have committed to eradicat- back on to the streets because her Khatri claimed he had been the political stance, he believed his will get a signifi cant upgrade in cant and achievement of these will views, and he’s been consistent: I ing rough sleeping, with the Con- temporary fl at was so cold. victim of a “rightwing and hard criticism of the Capita contracts the quality of their representation be inherently challenging. Initial can’t fault him on that.” Windsor readies to cash Hither Green burglary suspect arrested in on royal wedding craze Guardian News and Media Jeeves was detained by offi c- London ers from the Metropolitan police’s homicide and major crime com- AFP A coff ee cup costs £25, while est” in the upcoming nuptials will mand, with support from offi cers Windsor the price of a plate has been set at result in even higher visitor fi gures man suspected of being an from the territorial support group £49 and a tube of shortbread bis- next month, Brand Finance said. accomplice in a burglary in and Kent police offi cers. He was cuits costs £5.95. The line has been Police are preparing for more Awhich one of the intruders taken into custody at a Kent sta- rom biscuits to traditional created by the Royal Collection than 100,000 people to visit was stabbed to death earlier this tion. mugs, businesses and Wind- Trust, which manages the royal art Windsor, around 30kms west of month has been arrested, police Scotland Yard said it was not Fsor residents are making the collection and the contents of the London, for the wedding day. have said. looking for anyone else in con- most of royal wedding fever with various palaces. Locals are ready for the wind- Billy Jeeves, 28, who had been nection with this investigation, less than a month to go to the nup- But royal wedding memorabilia fall, charging tourists and global on the run since the incident on though they stressed that inquir- tials of Prince Harry. has extended far beyond the offi - TV stations sky-high prices to stay April 4, was tracked to northern ies would continue. Within hours of Harry’s pro- cial souvenirs. in the town. Kent and arrested on suspicion of The incident was the subject posal to Meghan Markle being an- Between the memorabilia, sou- Weeks ahead of the celebration, two counts of burglary, theft and of national attention and tem- nounced in November 2017, online venir magazines and fashion items, one house in the town centre — possession of a controlled sub- pers were frayed when friends and store Jewlr.com had created “The royal enthusiasts are also expected advertised as “ideal for the royal stance. family of Vincent sought to mark Duchess” replica engagement to spend more on food and drinks wedding” — is charging £3,500 Henry Vincent, 37, was killed the site of his death with fl owers ring. as pubs have been granted late clo- per night. An apartment which is during the incident in Hither and other tributes. Excitement over the white coat sures over the wedding weekend. a “50-second walk from the cas- Green, southeast London, after a Some people repeatedly tore Markle wore following the en- The combined boost to the tle” can be rented for the night for struggle broke out between him down the monuments, only for gagement prompted the website of economy has been estimated at £2,100. and the 78-year-old homeowner, them to be replaced soon after- its designer, Canadian brand Line, £120mn by the Centre for Retail But the fi nancial benefi ts are Richard Osborn-Brooks. The lat- wards. The tensions led police to to crash. Research. The royal wedding could expected to reach well beyond ter was arrested over the death, step in to appeal for calm. Seven years since the last high- overall bring more than £1bn to the the wedding day, thanks to the but released and told he would “I do not want anyone to feel profi le royal nuptials — the wed- UK this year, according to consul- “Meghan Eff ect” of fans paying face no further action shortly af- intimidated or that they are not ding of Prince William and Cathe- tancy fi rm Brand Finance, includ- particular attention to her fashion terwards. being allowed to respond in a dig- rine Middleton — Britain has raced ing £300mn in tourism. choices. Following the incident, police nifi ed way to a tragic death,” said to prepare for the national event. Foreign visitors fl ocked to the “Now, as she becomes a mem- appealed for information about chief superintendent Simon Do- An offi cial royal wedding col- UK in April 2011, when Prince Wil- ber of the royal family, that eff ect an alleged accomplice and said he binson. lection of commemorative china liam married Kate, with numbers on brands is likely to grow even A worker hand-paints a commemorative mug, with a message may have escaped in a white van. “We would urge members of was promptly launched, using jumping by 350,000 year-on-year. more,” said Brand Finance, pre- celebrating the forthcoming wedding of Prince Harry and his The vehicle was found burned out the public to respect the wishes of 250-year-old methods and mod- A weakened pound coupled dicting her allegiances will switch US fiance Meghan Markle, at the Emma Bridgewater factory in on the evening of April 7 in Orp- those who choose to place fl owers ern-day prices. with “an incredible media inter- to UK designers. Stoke-on-Trent, central England. ington. and other tributes in the area.” Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 15 EUROPE Germany’s Social Democrats choose fi rst female chair

Reuters resigned after his campaign for itself – coming up with new Nahles was credited with ral- ground – as the party largely did Berlin September’s election earned policies and pushing fresh faces lying support from a reluctant during the last legislative period. the SPD its worst showing since into the foreground – to bring party for a renewal of the “grand With her blunt style Nahles is 1933. the SPD back from the brink and coalition” with Merkel’s con- likely to animate political debate ermany’s Social Demo- Nahles had been widely ex- make it an electoral force to be servatives that also governed and may make Merkel’s life more crats (SPD) elected An- pected to win but the result yes- reckoned with again. Germany from 2013 to 2017. uncomfortable. Gdrea Nahles as their fi rst terday is second-worst for an “You can renew a party while But discord is already growing She vowed in September to hit ever female leader yesterday, SPD party leader in the post-war it’s in government. I want to in the coalition over issues in- the conservatives “squarely in hoping that she can reinvigorate era, with some members un- prove that from tomorrow,” cluding immigration, eurozone the jaw” after four years in coali- the country’s oldest party after it happy about the renewed Mer- Nahles said in an impassioned reform and how to handle the tion with them. suff ered heavy losses in Septem- kel tie-up that Nahles pushed speech before the vote, address- diesel emissions crisis. Not having a position in gov- ber’s election. for likely having voted for her ing widespread concerns in the Nahles could pull her party out ernment gives her more freedom Some 66% of SPD delegates opponent – Simone Lange, the SPD that it would have been of the alliance with Merkel if she to do so. at a congress voted for Nahles, 41-year-old mayor of the north- easier to reinvent the party in is unhappy with how it is work- She must also heal deep di- a plain-speaking former labour ern city of Flensburg. opposition. ing and has a prime opportunity visions within the party which minister and Catholic mother of The SPD remains in the dol- Germans are not confi dent to do so in the half-time review remain over its decision to join one who has close links to trade drums, with an Emnid poll for in her abilities – the Emnid poll after two years when the parties once again a coalition with Mer- unions and once said she wanted newspaper Bild am Sonntag found less than a quarter believe will assess progress made. kel. to be either a housewife or the showing its support at 18%, lag- Nahles can make the SPD suc- It is yet to be seen whether Cracks have also emerged in German chancellor. ging Merkel’s conservatives on cessful in her new role – a job Nahles, with her leftist roots, the SPD in recent weeks over The 154-year-old SPD, jun- 33% and not far ahead of the far- that also requires her to try to will seek to shift the party left- its Russia policy and welfare re- Nahles is applauded by German Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor ior partner in Chancellor An- right Alternative for Germany win back voters the SPD has lost wards with an eye to a potential form, more than a decade after Olaf Scholz (left). SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil (right), and other gela Merkel’s governing coali- (AfD) on 13%. to the AfD. future coalition with the Greens the party spearheaded Germa- senior party off icials after she was elected as party chairwoman during tion, had to fi nd a new leader Nahles, 47, must now preside A former leader of the party’s and far-left Linke, or fi ght Mer- ny’s liberalisation of the labour a party rally in Wiesbaden, Germany. to replace Martin Schulz, who over the party’s eff orts to revamp more radical Jusos youth wing, kel by sticking to the centre market.

Turkish new party cleared Armenian police detain to run in June polls almost 200 in protests Reuters Reuters Istanbul/Ankara Yerevan

fl edgling Turkish political rmenian police detained party founded by a popu- three opposition leaders Alar former interior minis- Ayesterday and held nearly ter will be allowed to run in snap 200 protesters during the latest June elections, authorities ruled demonstrations against the ap- yesterday, after 15 parliamentar- pointment of the former presi- ians from the main opposition dent Serzh Sarkisian as prime switched parties to bolster its minister. ranks. Protesters accuse Sarkisian of Turkey’s top electoral board clinging to power after he was ruled the nationalist Iyi (Good) appointed premier this month Special police forces guard a police station during a demonstration Party would be allowed to par- following 10 years as president. called by the opposition in central Yerevan. Arrested opposition ticipate in the polls, a board of- Tens of thousands of oppo- leaders were believed to be held in the building. fi cial said. nents have marched through the President Recep Tayyip Er- capital Yerevan, blocking streets ice confi rmed the three opposi- meeting after accusing his op- dogan this week called for snap in the city centre and staging sit- tion leaders had been detained ponents of trying to “blackmail” parliamentary and presidential ins. on suspicion of organising an il- the authorities. elections on June 24, more than a Under a revised constitution legal protest. “This is not talks, not a dia- year earlier than scheduled. approved in a 2015 referendum, Almost 200 people have been logue, it’s just an ultimatum, The announcement wrong- most state powers have shifted taken to police stations by law blackmail of the state, of the le- Prime Minister Sarkisian rises to leave a televised meeting with anti-government protest leader footed the troubled opposition to the prime minister while the enforcement, Interfax news gitimate authorities,” Sarksyan Pashinyan shortly after it began in a hotel in Yerevan. and brings the president closer presidency has become a largely agency cited police representa- had said. to his long-sought goal of a ceremonial post. tives as saying. Armenia seceded from the So- lier attempts by police to break In a statement, the European premier, angering opposition presidency with sweeping ex- Police said in a statement that Seven people had been tak- viet Union in 1991 but remains up the march with batons and Union’s foreign policy arm called leaders. ecutive powers. opposition politician Nikol Pa- en to hospital, the ministry of dependent on Russia for aid and shields. for more dialogue and a peaceful “I am telling you: you have no His most credible challenge shinyan and two other lawmak- health said in a statement. investment. The police called on protest- resolution: “All those who have understanding of the situation is seen coming from Meral Ak- ers had been “forcibly removed” According to the law, the de- Many Armenians accuse the ers to stop the situation from been detained while exercising in the country. The situation is sener, who last year founded the from the protest. tainees must either be released government of corruption and escalating, Interfax news agency their fundamental right of as- diff erent to the one you knew Iyi Party after splitting with the A Reuters reporter witnessed within 72 hours, or a crimi- mishandling an economy that said, quoting an offi cial state- sembly in accordance with the 15-20 days ago,” Pashinyan told nationalist MHP, which is sup- the “red berets”, as Armenian nal case can be opened against has struggled to overcome the ment. law must be released immedi- Sarkisian yesterday. porting Erdogan. special forces are known, grab them, leading to a longer-term legacy of central planning. “If these demands are not ful- ately. It is of utmost importance “The situation in Armenia Earlier yesterday, 15 deputies one lawmaker by his hands and arrest. Demonstrators continued to fi lled, the police have the right to that all parties involved show re- has changed, you don’t have the from the secularist CHP joined feet and carry him behind the Opposition leader Pashin- march in large numbers in the take demonstrators into custody straint and act responsibly.” power of which you are told. In the Iyi Party to give it the num- police cordon. yan had earlier held talks with capital, blowing vuvuzelas and and to use force,” Interfax cited Parliament voted last Tues- Armenia, the power has passed bers required to stand in the The public prosecution serv- Sarksyan, who walked out of the sounding car horns, despite ear- the statement as saying. day to allow Sarksyan to become to the people,” he said. polls. Parties with 20 or more depu- ties are recognised as groups in parliament and then automati- cally have the right to run can- didates. Lithuania wants more Nato anti-aircraft systems The CHP has 116 members in the 550-seat parliament after the departures. By Andrius Sytas, Reuters “Yes, of course (we are ask- missiles from Raytheon Com- Nato to increase defences in the them fast”, he said. “We need to The unusual move was neces- Vilnius ing)”, he told Reuters this week. pany after a deal in March. Baltics immediately but he ex- ensure that (air defences) could sary to challenge Erdogan, CHP “We are talking not only about Patriot missile defence inter- pects the alliance to show great- be deployed (in the Baltics) at offi cials said. the Patriots but also other ca- ceptors are designed to detect, er commitment at a Nato leaders any time necessary.” “Our friends will not go down ithuania wants the United pabilities, such as short-range track and engage unmanned summit in July to deterring any The Nato began improving the in history as MPs who left their States to bring more de- Avengers, and other systems to aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise threat in the Baltics. region’s defences after Russia’s Karoblis: We need to ensure party. They will go down as he- Lfence systems such as create a regional architecture of missiles and short-range or tac- One diffi culty is that other Crimea annexation, including that (air defences) could be roes who saved democracy,” long-range Patriot and short- air defence, because we are not tical ballistic missiles. Nato members face defence gaps putting four multinational bat- deployed (in the Baltics) at any CHP spokesman Bulent Tezcan range Avenger missiles to the able to do that ourselves.” However, the small Baltic after years of better ties with talions of about 1,000 troops to time necessary. told a news conference. “This is Baltics where some fear Russia is Lithuania, Latvia and Esto- countries cannot aff ord costly Russia following the end of the rotate in each Baltic state and not an easy task. It is a hard one. more powerful in the air. nia, once ruled from Moscow military jets or advanced air de- Cold War that made such de- Poland. Baltics) is not improving,” said But these days of one-man rule The country has asked Wash- but now part of the Nato and the fences, making them reliant on fences unnecessary. But the alliance has shied Karoblis, sitting in his ministry are where we show our strength ington to install the systems European Union, need Western the United States and the Nato “We would like to have the away from deploying perma- next to a painting depicting a and ability to accomplish hard more regularly for exercises, help despite growing defence to fi ll the gap. permanent deployment of nent military capabilities, partly Lithuanian cavalry battle with tasks.” arguing that the North Atlan- budgets due to their small econ- From Kaliningrad, a Rus- ground missile systems and to avoid escalating tension with Russian Bolsheviks, almost a A masterful campaigner, Er- tic Treaty Organisation (Nato) omies. sian exclave on the Baltic Sea, other capabilities, but we un- Russia. hundred years ago. “One of the dogan has won nearly a dozen needs to know the region well in Poland was equally alarmed any aircraft or missiles could derstand that a quite signifi cant The Kremlin says that the places where (the Nato) unity elections and dominated Tur- case of confl ict, Defence Min- by Moscow’s seizure of Crimea reach most of Poland, Lithuania, part of these capabilities were Nato, not Moscow, is the risk to could be tested is the Baltic key since his Islamist-rooted AK ister Raimundas Karoblis told in 2014 and is spending more Latvia and Estonia. lost by the Nato after the Cold peace in Europe. countries. This is, at least, a the- party swept to power in 2002. Reuters. than $5bn on buying Patriot Karoblis did not expect the War and it’s diffi cult to rebuild “The security situation (in the oretical possibility.” French public fi gures call for national fi ght against ‘new anti-Semitism’

DPA/AFP Merkel acknowledges that Germany has a new anti-Semitism problem were no longer in safety in certain eral of them tortured – by radi- more likely to be attacked be- Paris cities and because their children cal Islamists because they were cause of their religion than Mus- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has acknowledged by Muslims in Germany in recent weeks, the latest of could no longer go to school”. Jews,” the appeal said in refer- lims. the problem of anti-Semitic views held by Middle East- which saw a perpetrator attack a man wearing a Jew- “We demand that the fi ght ence to terrorist attacks in Tou- Growing anti-Semitism was ome 300 French public ern refugees and other immigrants from Arab nations. ish skullcap in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district while against this democratic failure louse and Paris in 2012 and 2015, being ignored because “part of fi gures, including former In an interview with Israeli broadcaster Channel 10 shouting “Yahudi”, an Arabic word for Jew. that is anti-Semitism becomes as well as several killings in Paris the French elites” saw Islamist Spresident Nicolas Sarkozy News, Merkel said that Germany is experiencing “new Merkel also spoke about older forms of anti-Semitism a national cause before it’s too and its suburbs. extremism as “an expression of and three former prime min- phenomena whereby refugees and others of Arab ori- in Germany, saying that the fact that Jewish kindergar- late. Before France is no longer Most recently, an 85-year-old social revolt” and because of cal- isters, have called for the fi ght gin that are bringing a diff erent form of anti-Semitism”. tens, schools and synagogues still had to be protected France,” reads the manifesto that Jewish woman who had escaped culations “that the ‘Muslim vote’ against anti-Semitism to become There have been a number of anti-Semitic attacks by police around the clock is “depressing”. is also co-signed by celebrities deportation to Nazi death camps is 10 times larger than the ‘Jewish a “national cause”. like actor Gerard Depardieu. in the 1940s was killed in her vote’”, they added. French Islam should “lead the The signatories condemned Paris apartment last month in “We expect French Islam to way”, the signatories added in a France “has become the The country’s half-a-million- spurred on by rising Islamist rad- what they called a “quiet ethnic what authorities are treating as lead the way,” the signatories manifesto published in newspa- theatre of a murderous anti- plus Jewish community is the icalism, particularly in working- purging”. an anti-Semitic murder. wrote. “We demand that the per Le Parisien that singled out Semitism”, the signatories, who largest in Europe. class neighbourhoods. They also accused the media of The signatories criticised “the fi ght against this bankruptcy of Islamist extremism as being be- also included Chief Rabbi Haim However, it has been hit by a The manifesto added that remaining silent on the matter. denunciation of ‘Islamopho- democracy that is anti-Semitism hind growing violence against Korsia and former archbishop of wave of emigration to Israel in some 50,000 Jews had been “In our recent history, 11 Jews bia’”, arguing that offi cial fi gures become a national cause before it French Jews. Strasbourg Joseph Dore, wrote. the past two decades, said to be “forced to move because they have been murdered – and sev- showed French Jews are 25 times is too late.” Gulf Times 16 Monday, April 23, 2018 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup Yechury re-elected CPM chief ahead of 2019 battle

By Umaima Shafiq IANS by a 95-member new Central year ahead of general elections, India shall remain united,” he of putting forward alternative as decided by the party Con- Hyderabad Committee, which also elected Yechury said the CPM’s fi rst goal said to thunderous applause by policy framework against ruling gress.” a 17-member new politburo. Ta- was to oust Modi’s government. delegates gathered from across classes’ policies,” he said. Yechury said the party would Man arrested pan Sen and Nilotpal Basu are He said the CPM would mount India. The Marxist leader claimed not let India become a surrogate he Communist Party of the new faces in the politburo. a challenge to the neo-liberal He said he would try to ful- that all hopes of the ‘class en- or junior partner to US imperial- for murder India (Marxist) yesterday “Yechury’s election was off ensive aggressively un- fi l the immense responsi- emy’ to see a weakened CPM had ism. of nurse Tunanimously re-elected unanimous. There was no con- leashed by the Modi gov- bility of this offi ce to the been belied. The fi ve-day conclave saw Sitaram Yechury as its general test,” Sarkar said. ernment. best of his capability. He said the party was now de- the groups led by Yechury and A 30-year-old man was secretary for another three years Yechury, who has been a “We are declaring to “If there is one mes- termined to change the course of former general secretary Prakash arrested for the April 6 and he pledged to take steps to member of the CPM since 1974 the country and to the sage that has gone out India’s destiny. Karat agreeing to amendments in murder of a nurse in his oust the government of Prime when he joined its student wing, whole world that we from this 22nd party “We are embarking on a new the draft political resolution. neighbourhood. Minister Narendra Modi. was fi rst elected the party gen- will not allow sec- Congress, it is course of intensifi ed struggle in The resolution, while ruling Her body was found in a gunny Yechury’s re-election took eral secretary in 2015. ular democratic that the CPM defence of our country and in the out a political alliance with the bag at a vacant plot near the place on the last day of the par- Born in Chennai, Yechury was foundations of has emerged interest of our people, to change Congress party, made it clear Koyambedu vegetable market ty’s 22nd Congress here. educated in Delhi’s Jawaharlal India to be torn united and de- India for the better. Our main that it was ready for an under- in Chennai. CPM leader and former Tripu- Nehru University, a city where he asunder by termined to car- task today is to defeat the BJP- standing with that party. It reit- The victim, Velvizhi, ra chief minister Manik Sarkar has spent most of his life. these commu- ry our the revo- led government. All necessary erated that its fi rst and foremost lived near Ajith and his said Yechury, 65, was elected Re-elected to the top post a nal forces and lutionary task measures are being undertaken goal was to defeat the BJP. wife Mahalakshmi’s flat at Choolaimedu area. Mahalakshmi and Velvizhi worked as nurses at a homecare centre, while Ajith was a driver in the same company. However he lost his job but pretended that he had got another job. When Mahalakshmi asked for Modi and Xi to his salary, he visited Velvizhi and tried to borrow money and her gold chain but she refused. An angry Ajith strangulated Velvizhi and tied her body in a sack that he later transported to Koyambedu in hold informal an auto-rickshaw. He pawned the chain, escaped to Kerala and returned only after a police summons. Police acted based on the complaint of Velvizhi’s father. talks in China The body was later recovered. In a similar incident, Alam Bhai, a mason from Kolkatta, was arrested for murdering an elderly couple at their third- floor apartment at Taramani also in Chennai. He had this weekend reportedly attacked them for payment arrears. The couple Agencies China’s ambitious Belt and gerous separatist, is also facing owned several properties and Beijing Road initiative of transport and the cold shoulder. had three adult children who energy links bypasses India, In March, India issued an un- lived in other parts of Chennai. apart from a corner of Jammu precedented ban on Tibetans rime Minister Narendra and Kashmir, but involves India’s holding a rally with the Dalai Lama Teenager rewarded Modi will visit China later neighbours Sri Lanka, Nepal and in New Delhi to mark the 60th an- Pthis week for an informal the Maldives. niversary of the start of the failed for catching thief meeting with President Xi Jin- Modi’s previously unan- uprising against Chinese rule. ping, as eff orts at rapprochement nounced Wuhan trip is even more Other areas of disagreement In a rare gesture, a 17-year-old gather pace following a testing unusual in that he will visit Chi- remain, however, between Beijing boy was rewarded for catching year in ties between the two giant na again in June for a summit in and New Delhi. a thief, who ran away after neighbours. Qingdao of the China and Russia- China has blocked India’s snatching a gold chain from The Chinese government’s top led security grouping, the Shang- membership of a nuclear cartel a doctor at Anna Nagar in diplomat, State Councillor Wang hai Co-operation Organisation, and it has also been blocking UN Chennai last week. Yi, said the two will meet on Fri- which India joined last year. sanctions against a Pakistan- Surya was standing outside day and Saturday in the central It is almost unheard of for for- based militant leader blamed for a shop, when a heavy built Chinese city of Wuhan. eign leaders to visit China twice in attacks on India. man came running out of Dr “Our common interests far such close succession. India and China have a long Amutha’s clinic nearby. The outweigh our diff erences. The two Xi is also extending Modi the history of mistrust as they jostle doctor also followed shouting countries have no choice other rare honour of a meeting outside for regional supremacy. that the man had stolen than pursuing everlasting friend- of Beijing, which almost never China has fostered closer ties her chain. Surya chased the ship, mutually benefi cial co- happens unless there is a multi- with Pakistan in recent years, man for several yards before operation and common develop- lateral summit taking place. while India is revamping its mili- tripping him up. As he fell, ment,” Wang told reporters after Earlier in the day, Swaraj and tary and bolstering its partnership Surya and his friend pinned meeting External Aff airs Minister Wang pledged to improve bilateral with the United States. him to the ground and got the Sushma Swaraj in Beijing. ties. Both nations say they are com- chain back. “The summit will go a long “This year, under the guid- mitted to solving longstanding The man was handed over way towards deepening the mu- ance of our leaders, China-India border disagreements through to police with the help of tual trust between the two great relations have achieved good de- dialogue, but progress has been passersby. Hearing of the neighbours,” he added. velopment and Madam Minister glacial. incident, Police Commissioner “We will make sure that the in- have made a very important con- India and China went to war A K Vishwanathan called Surya formal summit will be a complete tribution to that which we highly in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh, and gave cash reward. success and a new milestone in appreciate,” Wang said. with Chinese troops temporarily the history of China-India rela- “On the eve of closing of capturing part of the Himalayan tions.” China’s NPC (National People’s territory. Bike tour for Modi has sought to re-set ties Congress) this year, President Xi The dispute remains unre- girls’ education after disputes over issues includ- Jinping received a very important solved, with India considering ing their disputed border with Ti- phone call from Prime Minister Arunachal Pradesh one of its Seventeen Finnish bikers bet and other issues. Narendra Modi. The two leaders northeastern states while China began their road tour through The Asian giants were locked had very in depth exchange and stakes claim to about 90,000sq 17 countries to advocate in a 73-day military stand-off in reached important consensus on km of the state. rural girls’ education from a remote, high-altitude stretch of furthering the China-India rela- In February, Beijing lodged an Kanchipuram, about 70km that boundary last year. tionship. We must work very hard angry protest with New Delhi over from Chennai this week. At one point, soldiers from to implement that,” Wang added. a trip by Modi to the state. The team will pass through the two sides threw stones and Modi’s nationalist government But Modi called Xi in March to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and punches. has reversed course on its rela- congratulate the Chinese leader Uttar Pradesh to enter Nepal. The confrontation between tionship with Beijing apparently on his re-appointment as presi- From there they will enter the nuclear-armed powers in the after realising its hardline on Chi- dent, with New Delhi saying both China, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Himalayas underscored Indian na was not working. agreed that “as two major powers Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, alarm at China’s expanding secu- Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader growing rapidly, bilateral rela- Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the rity and economic links in South the Dalai Lama, who lives in India tions between India and China are Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing yesterday. Asia. and who China considers a dan- vital”. Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia and Estonia to reach Finland. They plan to complete this tour within 65 days. Karzai visits Taj Mahal The tour sponsored by Finland’s Peter Pan Bike and Temple festival begins amid Chennai’s SFA Motorcyle Rental was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister Vellamandi Natarajan and concern over elephant welfare Transport Minister M R Vijayabhaskar. By Ashraf Padanna Peta India had released im- In 2015, the Supreme Court Thiruvananthapuram ages from the last year’s fes- said if any owner or festival com- tival, showing elephants with mittee treated elephants cruelly, Boy dies after open wounds, painful abscesses, they would be held liable for con- fall in mall s Kerala is gearing up for cracked nails, impaired vision tempt. the famed temple festival and lameness being paraded. The Kerala High Court in 2016 A 10-year-old boy died when Aof Thrissur Pooram, ani- “Mahouts were caught hitting issued orders against parading the strap of his bag got caught mal rights activists are cautious. the animals with ankuses – il- unfi t elephants and asked the in the moving hand rail of an In the build-up to the festival, legal weapons with a sharp hook district magistrate to “ensure escalator at the multi-storied the biggest event of its kind, a mass on one end – and wooden sticks,” that use of any such animal is ex- Express Mall on Mount Road in percussion ensemble and a parade it said in a statement. cluded.” Chennai last week. of elephants began last week. “Many were denied drinking “Thrissur Pooram is a specta- Naveen reportedly lost his Thrissur town will witness the water, forced to walk and stand cle of suff ering for the elephants balance and fell from the culmination of the festival early on hot tar roads for hours and which are chained, beaten, and escalator down two floors. Thursday morning with spec- hobbled with short, heavy chains paraded with open wounds,” Peta He sustained head injuries tacular fi reworks, drawing thou- that severely restricted their India chief Dr Manilal Valliyate and died four days later at the sands of people. movement.” said in a statement. government hospital. The federal environment The Wildlife Protection Act, “Forcing elephants to live in His father, an auto- ministry’s Project Elephant has 1972, prohibits capturing el- temples instead of their jungle rikshaw driver, blamed asked Kerala authorities to en- ephants, yet many captive el- homes and to take part in loud, the mall authorities for lax force the wildlife protection laws ephants are thought to have been chaotic processions is inherently security. However the mall and report the action taken. caught illegally in the wild. cruel.” management claimed that the People for the Ethical Treat- Peta says 289 elephants are He wanted the temple au- boy had been taking pictures ment of Animals (Peta) India being held in Kerala without val- thorities to recognise the grow- on his mobile phone that welcomed it as a positive step but id ownership certifi cates, despite ing public concern over elephant snagged his shoulder strap. warned that “only an end to el- numerous court orders to protect welfare and switch to using “me- Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai poses in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra yesterday. Investigations are underway. ephant use can eliminate abuse.” the jumbos. chanical elephants” instead. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 17 INDIA

MYSTERY EVENT CONTROVERSY SPIRITUALITY FUEL SHOCK Sister seeks probe into Navy chief in Iran to BJP govt obstructing water Dalai Lama praises Petrol price touches record death of Latvian woman attend symposium flow into Odisha: Patnaik India’s secularism Rs74.40 per litre in Delhi

The sister of a missing Latvian tourist, whose Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba yesterday Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Petrol price in Delhi touched Rs74.40 per litre body was found near Kovalam, said yesterday arrived in Tehran to participate in a three-day yesterday asked the ruling the Biju Janata yesterday praised India’s efforts in maintaining yesterday, the highest since May 2014, as per the that she would meet Chief Minister Pinarayi symposium aimed at strengthening maritime Dal workers to make people aware that the communal harmony and said the country’s daily price listed by state-run Indian Oil Corporation Vijayan today to seek a proper probe into the co-operation between different countries in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Chhattisgarh and uniqueness lies in maintaining its secularism. (IOC) under its dynamic pricing regime. On incident. The body of Liga Skromane, 33, was the Indian Ocean region, an official statement the central governments have obstructed “India follows a tradition which is secular; it September 14, 2013, the petrol price in Delhi had found on Saturday in a highly decomposed said. During his visit, Lanba will hold bilateral the flow of the Mahanadi water into Odisha. respects all religions and also equally respects touched Rs76.06. In Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai state near Kovalam. Her sister Ilzie identified discussions with the Commander of the “It is the duty of party workers to go to the the non-believers, which is unique. It is the too, petrol prices climbed to new highs of Rs77.10, the body, police said. Liga went missing last Iranian Navy, and other participating chiefs of people and make them understand this,” greatness of the nation that different religions Rs82.25 and Rs77.19 respectively, the IOC said. The month. Meanwhile, the Kerala government has navies and heads of maritime agencies during Patnaik, who is also the BJD president, co-exist – in the spirit of brotherhood and previous high in these cities was Rs78.03 (Kolkata, announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs500,000 the 6th edition of the Indian Ocean Naval said in Bhubaneswar. He said the central sisterhood,” he said. The Dalai Lama was August 2014), Rs82.07 (Mumbai, March 2014) and to the family of Liga and the Department of Symposium (IONS) in Tehran starting today. government did not co-operate with the speaking at the Nehru Memorial Museum Rs76.93 (Chennai, July 2014). Diesel also touched Kerala Tourism has informed Ilzie that the He is leading a four-member Indian delegation Odisha government despite a Supreme Court and Library at the Teen Murti Bhavan in new record levels yesterday, with prices in Delhi, state government would bear the expenses of to Iran for the IONS, conceived by the Indian order to form a tribunal to resolve the water New Delhi during an event co-organised by Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai at Rs65.65, Rs68.35, transporting the body to their home country. Navy in 2008. dispute. Antarrashtriya Sahayog Parishad. Rs69.91 and Rs69.27 respectively. Don’t blame media, PM tells BJP lawmakers

IANS them and I have seen in the New Delhi last three years, they have stopped giving statements.” He said that only those giv- rime Minister Narendra en the responsibility should Modi yesterday advised talk and issue/give statements PBharatiya Janata Party but “we should not get into all leaders not to give “masala” things. We should not stand in (fodder) to the media by get- front of the camera to guide ting into every issue as soon the country”. as they saw journalists, say- Appreciating the work of ing such “mistakes” aff ect the the BJP MPs and MLAs at the country, party and the indi- grassroots level, Modi said his vidual’s image. government is focusing on ed- “Often, our workers say that ucation for children, opportu- the media is doing this, the nities for youth and medicine media is doing that. Some- for the elderly. times, they also claim that He asked all the party Girls offer juice to Swati Maliwal, chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women, to end her hunger strike which she staged demanding stricter laws for rape in India, in New certain news is given more air MLAs to undertake at least Delhi yesterday. time. But have we ever thought one developmental work for that it is our mistakes that villages under them which sometimes provide them ma- would help take the villages sala,” the prime minister said forward, and also invited during an interaction with suggestions to celebrate the BJP MPs and state legislators 150th birth anniversary of through the Narendra Modi Mahatma Gandhi with the mobile app. focus on “Swachhta Abhiy- He also suggested to the an” (cleanliness drive). President okays death party leaders not to blame “Your connect with people the media for reporting their directly has ushered in a posi- statements as due to their own tive change by ensuring that mistakes the real issue gets di- schemes reach the grassroots verted. as well as concerns of people “We rush to do an analysis reach the lawmakers. The BJP of any big topic as soon as we leaders should be involved in for rapists of children see the cameras. It is not the every work that is being un- media’s fault – we have to con- dertaken in the society for the Agencies The ordinance was signed into vestigation of rape, stipulating “I welcome the law and end ously against those who sexually trol ourselves. Only those who welfare of people,” the prime New Delhi law by President Kovind and an that probes have to be completed my fast here,” the 33-year-old assault young girls. have a responsibility to speak minister said. offi cial notifi cation to the eff ect within two months. said. “People ridiculed me when I should speak to the media. If Answering a question on was published on the govern- Several thousand people According to a DCW member, decided to go on hunger strike. everyone starts speaking, then improving the lives of peo- resident Ram Nath Kovind ment gazette yesterday. joined rallies and demonstra- Maliwal, who had only water But today I can say that a woman the issue gets diverted and it ple in the villages, the prime has signed an ordinance It will be valid for six months, tions in India in the recent days, during her hunger strike, said can achieve anything. I thank aff ects the country, the party minister stressed on collective Pthat allows stringent pun- during which it has to be ratifi ed protesting the cases of rape of she had lost around 7kg in nine each and everyone for support- and our individual image,” said power of the people residing in ishments for sexual violence by the parliament. young girls. days. ing our battle,” she added. Modi. villages. against children, including the The new law introduces the Four more rapes and murders As per medical reports shared “We had sent more than fi ve The prime minister said “The development of vil- death penalty for those convict- maximum punishment of the of young girls were reported by the women’s body, her sugar lakh letters to our prime minister that the ruling party leaders lages is not a work of only the ed of raping girls below the age of death penalty for those who rape from cities last week adding to level and blood pressure re- that were received by DCW but no should only speak about the budget or the government... 12 years. children under 12 years. the public anger. mained unaff ected while she action was taken. Finally, I had to issues they are expected to The people also need to be The government had passed Under the earlier law, the In a related development, Del- continued her hunger strike. take the step of going on fast. Our and they should not get into aware of their rights and du- the ordinance on Saturday, fac- maximum punishment for child hi Commission for Women chief “Due to my health condition, demands were so strong that the every issue. ties. The biggest strength of ing public anger over recent cas- rape was life in prison. Swati Maliwal ended her nine- doctors have advised me to stay government had to bend and im- Recalling some contro- any village is its unity,” he es of rape of young girls. The minimum punishment is day fast yesterday. in hospital for some days. I will mediately take action to imple- versial statements made by said. An 8-year-old girl was gang- a 20-year jail term or life impris- “I didn’t expect that our pro- resume work soon and will en- ment the new law,” Maliwal said. some party MPs during the He also mentioned about raped and murdered in Jammu onment. test will take such a large shape. sure that our eff orts don’t go in “But this is not the end of our early years of his govern- social activist Anna Haz- and Kashmir while in Uttar Minimum prison sentences It is a historic win for all of vain,” she added. fi ght, this is just the beginning. ment, Modi said: “Initially, are’s village, where he had Pradesh a 16-year-old girl was for rape against girls under the us who have been demanding Maliwal went on an indefi nite We have a long way to go. If the when we formed the gov- stressed on cleanliness and allegedly gang-raped by a rul- age of 16 and women have also stringent law to punish convict- hunger strike at the Rajghat and government doesn’t implement ernment, there were a few how that village had now ing Bharatiya Janata Party law- been raised. ed rapists,” a visibly frail Maliwal refused to break it despite failing the law within three months as MPs – around 8-10 – they become a model for others maker, triggering nationwide The government has also laid said at a press conference organ- health and requests from many promised, then I will again start would speak a lot. I spoke to to follow. outrage and protests. down measures for speedy in- ised at Rajghat here. till the government acted seri- my protest,” she added. 14 Maoists killed in Record 175,000 Indians to go for Haj this year

Maharashtra gunfi ght IANS Lucknow, 14,200 from Mumbai, Mumbai 11,700 from Kochi, 11,610 from Kolkata, 8,950 from Srinagar, Agencies for the left-wing insurgency in They claim to be fi ghting for 7,600 from Hyderabad, 6,700 Gadchiroli, Maharashtra the region. the rights of the indigenous trib- inority Aff airs Minister from Ahmedabad, 5,550 from “It is a major success for our al people, including the right to Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Bengaluru, 5,500 from Jaipur counter-insurgency operations land, resources and jobs. Myesterday said a record and 5,140 from Gaya. t least 16 suspected Mao- as Gadchiroli is considered a Offi cials believe that an entire 175,000 pilgrims from India will A total of 4,000 pilgrims from ist guerillas were killed Maoist stronghold,” police said. active ‘dalam’ (unit) may have go on Haj this year after the cen- Chennai, 3,250 from Varanasi, Ayesterday in a gunfi ght in Among those killed were been wiped out in yesterday’s tral government increased the 2,950 from Guwahati, 2,800 Maharashtra, police said, yet an- high-ranking unit commanders, gunfi ght, along with its high- pilgrims’ quota for the second from Nagpur, 2,100 from Ranchi, other violent clash in the coun- identifi ed as Vijender N Rauthu, ranking commanders and other consecutive year. 450 from Goa, 430 from Manga- try’s longest-running confl ict. 51, and Dolesh Madi Atram, 36. most-wanted Maoists. “... for the fi rst time after In- lore, 350 from Aurangabad and Police said nearly 100 rebels Both carried big cash rewards It is the single biggest police dependence, a record 1,75,025 254 from Bhopal will also visit were intercepted in a remote for- on their heads and were wanted action against Maoists in the pilgrims from India will go for Haj Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage. est in Gadchiroli district, rough- for many serious crime, ranging past 38 years since the birth of this year and that too without any As many as 1,28,002 pilgrims – ly 900km east of Mumbai, and from murders, arson, attacks on the Naxalite movement in the subsidy,” Naqvi said at a training including around 47% females – ordered to surrender. security forces and kidnappings. district. camp organised for pilgrims at the will go on the pilgrimage through But the guerrillas opened fi re, The Maoist insurgency began As it continued to spread in ad- Haj House in Mumbai. the Haj Committee of India while sparking a battle with special in the 1960s, inspired by Chi- joining districts like Chandrapur Besides, the minister said, for 47,023 will opt for the services of police units that lasted hours, nese revolutionary leader Mao and spilled over to neighbouring the fi rst time, Muslim women private tour operators. police said. Zedong, and has cost thousands states in central India, police de- from India will go for Haj without Naqvi said 355,604 applica- “We are continuing with of lives in almost daily incidents ployed specially trained forces to a “mehram” (male companion). tions were received for Haj this search operations in the area. So of violence. tackle the growing menace. “A total of 1,308 women ap- year, including 189,217 male and far we have recovered 16 bodies,” Thousands of armed men and In February 2013, police elimi- plied for Haj pilgrimage without 166,387 females. the state’s head of anti-Maoist women – also known as Naxals nated six Maoists in Govindgaon mehram. All of them have been He said at least Rs570mn less operations, Sharad Shelar, said. – have fought authorities in the in Aheri taluka of Gadchiroli exempted from the lottery system will be paid to airlines this year The police suff ered no casual- so-called “Red Corridor” that while in December 2017, seven and allowed to proceed for Haj.” even after ending the Haj subsidy. ties. stretches through central and Maoists were killed in the forest Minority Aff airs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi speaks at the Haj This year there are 19,000 pil- A total of Rs9.73bn will be paid to Police claimed it was a setback eastern India. of Kallade in Sironcha taluka. training camp at Haj House, in Mumbai yesterday. grims from Delhi, 14,500 from airlines for 128,002 pilgrims. Gulf Times 18 Monday, April 23, 2018 LATIN AMERICA Economic crisis forces slowdown at Venezuela universities

AFP America’s best. But the acute so that every teacher, student can’t support their families.” professors, working full time, earn my faculty, and my tutor’s car whose government is widely Caracas economic and political crisis has or employee comes about three Universities across the oil- 3.9mn bolivars a month, equiva- has broken down and she can’t blamed for mismanaging the forced students to drop out in times a week,” said Judith Aular, rich Latin American country are lent to $10 on the black market — have it repaired. Transportation economy after oil prices plum- droves, and teachers are follow- the LUZ’s rector. facing the same problem. Since only enough at current rates to buy doesn’t work,” the 23-year-old meted, said new bills will be is- eachers unable to pay the ing them out of the country. Lectures and study material 2016, when the crisis sparked fi ve kilos of meat. said. sued in June that lop three zeroes bus fare to get to class, Last month, the University are given out over the internet by the fall in the price of oil be- Danilo Fuenmayor, fresh from Venezuelans struggle with off current values in a bid to ease Tstudents stuck in long su- of Zulia (LUZ) in northwestern the rest of the time. gan to deepen, 25% of teaching completing his economics stud- cash shortages because the gov- pressure on the public. permarket lines in the quest for city of Maracaibo cut courses to It’s an attempt to curb Ven- staff , and 40% of the students ies at LUZ, said he was relieved ernment can’t print new bills The crisis is also causing aff ordable food: Venezuela’s ac- three days a week to try to ease ezuela’s growing brain-drain, at Oriente University in the east- that he only had to turn up for fast enough to keep pace with the shortages of food, medicine and ademics say the deep economic the problems that students, pro- as teachers and students seek ern city of Cumana have packed lectures three days a week dur- world’s highest rate of infl ation, essential products like auto- crisis is paralysing the country’s fessors and employees are facing to leave the crisis-torn country, their bags and emigrated, ac- ing his last month. “I had to walk estimated to reach a staggering parts, the lack of which has left universities. just to turn up each day. said Aular. “We allow teachers cording to the university’s direc- three kilometers because I didn’t 13,000% this year by the Interna- 80% of the bus fl eet paralysed, Venezuela’s universities have “We are working every day, to look for another source of in- tor Milena Bravo. have cash for the bus,” he said. tional Monetary Fund (IMF). according to the public transport long ranked as among Latin but we are organising ourselves come. With what they earn, they The country’s most experienced “Fifteen professors have left President Nicolas Maduro, union. Conservatives seen keeping power in Paraguay polls

Reuters “I am going to lead a wide na- Asuncion tional dialogue,” Abdo told re- porters before going to cast his ballot. araguay citizens yesterday Later he visited the tomb of cast their vote in an elec- his father, as he did on the day of Ption for a new president, the primary election in Decem- with the Colorado Party expect- ber when he won the nomination ed to keep power but lose seats of the Colorado Party. in Congress, which could com- Abdo’s conservative policies plicate its pro-business agenda and family history are a concern and raise the risk of higher taxes to some voters who have doubts on the country’s key farm sector. about his commitment to clean Mario Abdo, a 46-year-old up government. former senator who campaigned “This is a country of corrup- for the Colorado Party on an tion and until we end that we will anti-corruption platform, sup- not move forward. Mario Abdo is A man with goods looted from a store walks along a street after protests over a controversial reform to the pension plans of the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute (INSS) ports current low-tax policies a son of the dictatorship and I do in Managua, Nicaragua, yesterday. aimed at stimulating foreign in- not think he will govern well,” vestment and agricultural pro- said Edgar Gonzalez, 45, on his duction in Paraguay, the world’s way out of his voting station No. 4 soybean exporter and a in a high school in the upper- major supplier of beef. middle-class neighbourhood of Trinidad in Asuncion. Abdo is the son of the Grains-dependent Para- late private secretary of guay produced more than 10mn dictator Alfredo Stroessner, tonnes of soy last year and is try- Death toll rises in anti-govt who ruled Paraguay with ing to attract investment needed an iron hand for 35 years to reach its goal of 20mn tonnes by 2028. Abdo, who set the stage for Polls say Abdo’s party is likely governing with a minority in Con- to lose some of the 20 seats it has gress by calling for dialogue with in Paraguay’s 45-member sen- protests across Nicaragua opposition parties, has promised ate, which last year debated a to fi ght pressure to raise taxes de- bill to slap a 10% tax on soybean Reuters At least two protest marches That number could not be in- or political upheaval that has the poorest in the Americas. spite calls from the opposition for exports. Managua were planned in Managua. dependently verifi ed. at times plagued Honduras, El Ortega was a driving force in a levy on soybean exports. “The push for an export tax Late on Saturday, local me- Most of the dead were aged Salvador and Guatemala in re- the overthrow of one of Latin Pre-election opinion polls will intensify after the election, dia said a reporter was shot and between 15 and 34, she said. cent years. America’s most notorious re- showed him 18 to 20 points which is likely to see the empow- nti-government protests killed during a live broadcast The police crackdown on But top Nicaraguan business gimes when his Sandinistas ahead of candidate Efrain Ale- ering of the Frente Guasu, a ma- in Nicaragua entered a from Bluefi elds, a town on the demonstrators and curbs on lobby COSEP has backed peace- ended the Somoza dynasty’s gre, a lawyer from the centre- jor proponent of the initiative, Afi fth day yesterday as Caribbean coast hit by the un- some media in the past few ful protests against the govern- long rule of the country in 1979. left GANAR coalition. and a party which is expected to the death toll from the violence rest. days have fueled broader criti- ment, and said it would not en- He was elected president Outgoing president Horacio substantially increase its pres- rose and looting was reported in Graphic footage of the inci- cism of Ortega, who has gradu- ter talks with Ortega to review in 1984, but a civil war, which Cartes, who tried but failed to ence in Congress,” said Thomaz some areas, aggravating the cri- dent soon spread onto local and ally tightened his hold on the the social security plan until he pitted the Sandinistas against change the constitution to allow Favaro, an analyst for consul- sis around longstanding Presi- social media. country’s institutions since he had ended police repression and US-backed right wing Contra him to seek a second consecu- tancy Control Risks. dent Daniel Ortega. Lissett Guido, a Red Cross returned to power over 11 years restored freedom of expression. rebels, hurt his popularity, and tive term, is running for a senate Abdo may have to support the The Red Cross said at least spokeswoman, said there were ago. A former Marxist guerrilla he was voted out in 1990. seat. export tax to safeguard other seven people had died and hun- seven confi rmed deaths and Pope Francis yesterday called and Cold War antagonist of the Not until a 2006 election did Abdo is the son of the late pri- parts of his investment-friendly dreds had been injured in the that the number would likely for an end to the violence in US, Ortega has presided over a Ortega reclaim the presidency. vate secretary of dictator Alfredo agenda. demonstrations, while a local rise. Nicaragua and called for diff er- period of stable growth with a Now 72, he has maintained Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay “Uncertainty over the level human rights organisation said The government had report- ences to be “resolved peacefully blend of socialist policies and an uneasy relationship with the with an iron hand for 35 years. of taxation for the agriculture it had registered 25 deaths. ed “almost 10” by late on Friday. and with a sense of responsibil- capitalism. US, toning down his Cold War Abdo, who was 16 when Stro- industry will thus likely persist The protests began on Wednes- Marlin Sierra, director of hu- ity.” But critics accuse Ortega and rhetoric but forging close ties essner’s regime ended in 1989, in the short-to-medium term,” day over plans to increase worker man rights organisation CE- Nicaragua has been one of the his wife, Vice President Rosario with US adversaries such as the has vowed to respect human Favaro said. contributions and lower pen- NIDH, said it had logged 25 more stable countries in Central Murillo, of trying to establish a late Venezuelan leader Hugo rights and democratic institu- The winner of the election will sions, and some stores in Mana- deaths, mostly caused by fi re- America, largely avoiding the family dictatorship. Chavez and his successor Nico- tions if elected. take offi ce on August 15. gua were looted at the weekend. arms and rubber bullets. turmoil caused by gang violence The country remains one of las Maduro. Mexico leftist leads in Book fair opens 96-year-old woman enrols in high school presidency race: poll AFP Palacios grew up in poverty Tuxtla Gutierrez in an indigenous village and spent her childhood helping Reuters ing fi rm Mitofsky also showed al Action Party (PAN), has slipped her family farm corn and beans Mexico City Lopez Obrador pulling further since he came under attack from uadalupe Palacios instead of going to school. ahead. In that poll, Lopez Obra- rivals over allegations of fi nancial stands out in her high As an adult, she went to dor garnered 31.9% support, up impropriety in a property deal in Gschool class in Mexico, work selling chickens at mar- exican leftist Andres from 29.5% in a Mitofsky survey his home state of Queretaro. and it is not just because of her ket, married twice and had six Manuel Lopez Obrador last month. Anaya, 39, has denied any gray hair, her deeply creased children. Mhas widened his lead in Anaya trailed in second with wrongdoing. Runner-up in the skin or her 96 years. Along the way, she picked up the race to win the July 1 presi- 20.8% and Meade polled at 16.9%. last two presidential contests, Palacios, who is seeking to arithmetic, but never learned dential election, opening up a gap Lopez Obrador, a 64-year-old Lopez Obrador has promised an live out her dream of fi nish- to read and write. When she of 22 percentage points, a poll by former mayor of Mexico City, “austere” budget, to be achieved ing high school by her 100th turned 92, she said, she decid- newspaper Reforma showed. has capitalised on widespread by battling corruption and cut- birthday, is also the most en- ed it was time, and enrolled in a The April 12-15 voter poll disenchantment with the PRI ting government waste. thusiastic student in the class- literacy programme. showed Lopez Obrador winning over political corruption, rising He has threatened to undo the room. “Now I can write letters to 48%, a jump of six points from levels of violence and sluggish centrepiece of President Enrique “I feel ready to give it my my boyfriends,” she said with a February survey by Reforma. economic growth to consolidate Pena Nieto’s economic agenda, all. Today is a marvellous day,” a laugh. His nearest rival, Ricardo Anaya, his lead in recent weeks. the opening of the oil and gas in- she said on her fi rst day of high But she did not stop there: who heads a right-left coalition, He says Mexico should reduce dustry to private investment. school in the southern state of In 2015, she enrolled in a pri- dropped six points to 26%. its economic dependence on for- However, several top advisers Chiapas, wearing the school mary school programme for Running third was Jose An- eign powers, and has vowed to say Lopez Obrador is unlikely to uniform of a white polo shirt adult learners. In less than four tonio Meade, candidate of the put US President Donald Trump make major changes. with a black skirt and her own years, she completed both pri- ruling Institutional Revolution- “in his place” if he wins. Lopez Obrador has raised personal touch: a pink sweater. mary and middle school. ary Party (PRI), whose backing Trump’s barbs against Mexi- doubts over the future of Mexico “Dona Lupita,” as she is af- But there was no adult remained steady at 18%, the poll can immigrants and complaints City’s $13bn new airport, now fectionately known, was wel- learning programme for high showed. that Mexico has taken advantage well under construction. Argu- comed with applause from her school – so she decided to en- The fi gures for the three of the US over trade have made ing it is too expensive and tainted fellow students at High School rol in a regular public school, stripped out the 19% of re- him very unpopular south of by corruption, he is threatening Number 2 in the city of Tuxtla with classmates eight decades spondents who expressed no the border, and a Lopez Obrador to scrap the hub for a cheaper Gutierrez, the state capital. younger. preference. The poll surveyed presidency could usher in a tes- alternative. That has put him at Dominican President Danilo Medina cuts the ribbon She diligently took notes in Already, she is looking be- 1,200 voters and had a margin of tier bilateral relationship. loggerheads with Mexico’s rich- to inaugurate the 21st International Book Fair of Santo her chemistry and mathemat- yond high school: She would error of 3.7 percentage points. Support for Anaya, a former est man Carlos Slim, who has a Domingo at the National Theatre, in Santo Domingo. ics classes and even strutted like to be a kindergarten teach- A separate survey by poll- leader of the centre-right Nation- major stake in the project. her stuff in a dance class. er someday. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 19 PAKISTAN PM Abbasi advises predecessor Sharif to face court

Internews preme Court in the Panamagate general elections,” said one of the The same day, Abbasi landed in Islamabad case. aides of the PM, requesting ano- London to attend the Common- Other PML-N leaders, in- nymity. wealth Heads of Government cluding the new party president However, a senior leader who is Meeting (CHOGM). rime Minister Shahid Shahbaz Sharif and Abbasi, are known to be a trusted confi dante The three-day event (April 18- Khaqan Abbasi has advised of the view that Sharif should of Sharif, claims that the former 20) concluded on Friday and Ab- Pformer prime minister Na- return to Pakistan and face trial, prime minister is in no mood to basi was expected to return home waz Sharif not to prolong his stay regardless of the possible out- prolong his stay in London. the same day. in London and come back to face come. “After months of political can- However, he extended his stay the trial pending against him in During a meeting between the vassing, (Sharif) has built a nar- to meet Sharif. the accountability court. former premier and his succes- rative that he is being targeted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sharif and his daughter Mar- sor in London on Sunday, Ab- by discriminatory accountabil- (PTI) chairman Imran Khan also yam Nawaz are likely to return to basi is said to have advised Sharif ity and he would face trial, come fl ew to Britain, to take part in a Sharif: left for London last week with some members of his family. Pakistan soon, but may seek ex- that his presence in Pakistan is what may. fundraising event in Manchester emption from court appearance necessary to politically boost the “But if he skips [the trial] and that took place yesterday. Sharif and Maryam for exemp- would push forward the slogan for the next hearing, it is learnt. ruling party ahead of the general takes refuge in London, wouldn’t The presence of three politi- tion from hearing for one- day of “sanctity of vote” during its Some in the Pakistan Muslim elections. it amount to his political annihi- cal bigwigs in the UK gave rise to (Friday) but dismissed their ap- election campaign. League – Nawaz (PML-N) be- PML-N leader Ishaq Dar was lation?” the senior leader pointed speculation that something was plication seeking exemption Talking to newsmen, he said lieve that Sharif should stay on in also present at the meeting. out. “He is fully aware of the sit- afoot and that the government from personal appearance for a that the PML-N would contest London on the pretext of his ail- “(Sharif)’s absence from the uation and will never allow this to and opposition leaders could be week. the election and succeed. ing wife and skip the court pro- country in the wake of his on- happen.” trying to hold secret delibera- The court remarked that if re- He also said that the name ceedings even if an exemption is going trial in the accountability On Wednesday, the former tions on the caretaker set-up us- quired, the accused could fi le a of the caretaker prime minister not granted. court will allow the opposition prime minister, his daugh- ing “indirect channels”. fresh exemption plea on the next would be decided by him and There is a likelihood that Shar- parties to contend that (Sharif) ter, son-in-law Captain (retd) Sources have denied this. hearing, today. Leader of Opposition in the Na- Abbasi: extended his stay in the if may face conviction in the trial escaped to skip trial … this could Safdar, and some other family On Friday, the Accountabil- Meanwhile, Prime Minister tional Assembly Syed Khursheed UK to meet Sharif. initiated on the orders of the Su- adversely aff ect our party in the members left for London. ity Court accepted the request of Abbasi asserted that the PML-N Shah.

One week left to make changes to voters lists Those who want changes in the voters’ list record have only one week left to do so, as the election authorities would freeze electoral rolls by May 1. General election Besides the SMS service, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has put on display the latest electoral rolls at more than 14,000 display centres across the country where voters can check their data. There are three forms that need Members of the PTM and student activists at the demonstration to be completed in order to make in Lahore. likely on July 26 changes to the list: Form 15 to register missing voter or transfer Internews Sources at the ECP are of the complete their term on June 1. Minister Abbasi announced at a of vote from one area to another Islamabad view that the commission will If the assemblies – national public meeting that the elections area, Form 16 to delete a vote in move the summary on the issue and provincial – are not dis- would be held on July 15. case of death of a voter, and Form Activists from tribal and the president will decide the solved earlier, the next elections On that occasion, a senior 17 for correction of credentials of or the upcoming 2018 gen- election date. will be held within 60 days of Election Commission source had a voter. eral elections, July 26, 28 These sources said that any the completion of the term i.e. by said: “If the maximum 60 days The display period started on region stage rally in Fand 29 are the three most political party, or even the prime August 1. period is squeezed to 45 days (to March 26 will end on April 24; likely options for polling day to minister, can propose the elec- The prime minister has re- hold election on July 15), it will after that the ECP would finalise be held. tion date. peatedly said the government create problems for the Commis- the voters list. Lahore despite ban Under the law, the election However, it is the Commission will complete its term and will sion.” Before enactment of the Elections date will be announced by the which is empowered to propose continue till June 1. The ECP offi cial was of the Act 2017, a voter was allowed to president after consultation with the date for the polls. The Election Commission view that during the last general apply for changes till the election AFP/DPA rights and prosperity,” said fel- the Election Commission of Pa- According an ECP source, if sources said that upon the com- elections, because of time con- schedule is announced. Lahore low PTM leader Ali Wazeer, kistan (ECP). parliament is to complete its pletion of the assembly’s term, straints, the ECP had to go by- The new law stipulates that the who was briefl y detained be- Although neither the Consti- term, the most likely date for the the Commission will suggest pass the Printing Corporation of voters list will be frozen a month fore the rally. tution nor the Election Act 2017 elections would be July 28, a Sat- holding elections within the last Pakistan, became an issue raised before the term of the national housands of Pashtuns An AFP reporter at the scene mentions any role of the prime urday. week of July. by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and provincial assemblies expire. defi ed the authorities estimated about 5,000 people minister in deciding the date of The source said that July 26 (a After the fi nalisation of the (PTI). Tand held a mass rally in attended the rally – smaller the elections, incumbent Shahid Thursday) and July 29 (a Sunday) candidates list, the Commission The ECP is considering a 55 to Lahore yesterday, chanting an- than recent protests, but a sig- Khaqan Abbasi has been cited by will also be considered. would need 21 days to allow for 56-day schedule for the upcom- a commentator has said, are do- ti-military slogans just hours nifi cant showing considering a credible source as having dis- July 27 is unlikely because it the ballot papers to be printed by ing elections. ing it to save the candidates and after security forces cracked Lahore lies far from the move- cussed the possibility of the last falls on a Friday. the Printing Corporation of Pa- Those political parties wanting the political parties from extra down on their leaders. ment’s base in northwest Pa- Sunday of July (July 29) as elec- The present National As- kistan. to reduce the election schedule spending on their election cam- The rapidly-growing Pa- kistan. tion day. sembly and the government will A few months back, Prime to the minimum possible time, paign. shtun Protection Movement The protest went ahead de- (Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, spite authorities refusing to PTM) has rattled Pakistan’s issue permits, citing security powerful military since it burst reasons. onto the scene three months “We do not accept the Paki- ago with a nationwide cam- stan that is for the generals and For Pakistani dockworkers in Dubai, kushti is a way of life paign against alleged abuses the mullahs, we want a Paki- against ethnic Pashtuns by se- stan for the Sindhis, for the Ba- curity forces. loch, for the Pashtun, and for By Alison Tahmizian Meuse, The Pashtuns are a fi ercely the working class of Punjab,” AFP independent ethnic group that said PTM supporter Fanoos Dubai straddle both sides of the bor- Gujar, referring to the coun- der between Pakistan and Af- try’s major ethnic groups. ghanistan. The rally was held hours af- very Friday evening in Du- Both the Afghan and Paki- ter offi cials in Lahore detained bai’s bustling Deira district, stani Taliban are dominated by several PTM leaders late on Ea sandy lot is transformed Pashtuns, leading to repeated Saturday, following raids on into the ring of champions. military operations in the re- Punjab University and a hotel. It is kushti wrestling night and gion. A local police offi cer con- Kala Pehlwan is ready to fi ght. However, the PTM’s leader- fi rmed the raids but said the As the sun sinks below tower- ship says that Pashtun civilians activists have been released. ing palm trees, dozens of men – have borne the brunt of the The PTM came to promi- many in tunics, others in T-shirts army’s long fi ght against mili- nence in February after the – begin to form a circle. tants and are calling for an end killing of a young social media Most are Pakistani or Indian, Mohammed Arsalan, also known to what they say are rampant star in Karachi unleashed fes- from the cross-border region of as Kala Pehlwan, works at the extrajudicial killings and “dis- tering anger at authorities over Punjab, where kushti is a beloved fish market in Dubai. appearances”. alleged targeting of Pashtuns. pastime. Despite a far-reaching media Criticism of the armed forc- They are also a pillar of the They work hard and sleep in blackout, the movement has es, especially their counter-in- United Arab Emirates’s work- shifts. nonetheless drawn thousands surgency operations, is largely force. AFP obtained permission to of supporters, in one of the seen as a red line in the country, Veteran wrestlers, now ref- fi lm at the men’s residence but strongest challenges to Paki- hence the media blackout. erees, pour water over the inner was unable to because it would stan’s security establishment “Local media is not cov- ring to minimise dust. have disrupted the group’s sleep- for years. ering the event (in Lahore) A peanut vendor drags a rick- In this file photo taken on March 16, Pakistani immigrant workers in the United Arab Emirates take part in a ing patterns. PTM leader Manzoor Pa- though some of the reporters ety cart around the circle, tend- kushti competition in Dubai. “We all have our jobs here. shteen addressed supporters are present,” Usman Khan, a ing to the crowd – now three Some are porters, some work in yesterday in the rally in La- reporter at local TV channel rows deep. The winner is declared when ping hub that is Dubai. Kala Pehlwan says kushti is a the fi sh market,” Iqbal says ahead hore: “We are in Lahore to tell told DPA. “Clink, clink, clink,” ring out a fi ghter manages to pin his op- The stalls bear the names of way of life back in Muzaff argarh. of a Friday match. you tales of our suff erings and Pashtuns account for 15% of wooden cymbals with bells. ponent to the ground on his back. Emirati owners, but South Asians “In our town, it’s a tradition But kushti, he adds, “is our nothing else.” Pakistan’s population, with a The wrestlers unabashedly If the fi ght starts going over are the face of the market. to learn wrestling. Everybody tradition. It’s where we come to “We are striving for rule of majority of the 30mn-strong strip down to their underwear, 20 minutes, the referees declare “We have connections from grows up on kushti. They do not de-stress”. law, protection of basic human group living in the northwest. donning yellow, red, or even fl o- a tie. Pakistan at the fi sh market,” says have bad habits like cigarettes or Iqbal wrestled for more than ral-patterned loincloths. On this evening, Kala Pehlwan Pehlwan. drugs. Everyone is trying to be fi t two decades in Dubai before “Kala Pehlwan, son, come to fi nds himself overpowered – and This is where he learned about for a fi ght.” passing the torch to the next 375 literacy centres for children the ring! Suhail, son, come to the faced with a challenge. the kushti matches when he ar- Pehlwan – whose real name is generation, whom he takes the ring,” cries out 50-year-old Mo- “Find me a fi ghter that can rived in Dubai six years ago. Mohammed Arsalan – took his time to train each evening before The Punjab Literacy Department has set up 375 literacy centres hammed Iqbal – a Dubai kushti beat me,” his opponent taunts. The brawny fi ghter enters the nom de guerre from a hometown work. for the children of brick kiln workers in Rawalpindi district, senior fi xture. Pehlwan, 26, huddled with delivery area, crossing paths with legend who shares his fi ghting “It’s not hard to get a space off icials of the department said yesterday. Glaring, the opponents swipe friends and came up with a plan. his mentor, Mohammed Iqbal, style. for these fi ghts because in Dubai Besides bringing schooling to children at brick kiln, the literacy one another’s bodies with sand They would fi nd a challenger who is pushing a cart of fi sh. He says a proper diet, coach they always want entertainment department has set up 17 centres in Adiala Jail to educate women, – a reciprocal move to counter – not from Dubai, but from their “When I enter the market eve- and training are key to success. and encourage us. children, and elderly prisoners. sweat. hometown of Muzaff argarh in the ryone is excited. They recognise Eating right is his biggest chal- “The (authorities) say that ar- The department has opened 65 centres for people who had missed The day’s matches are quick – Punjab region of Pakistan. me and know my name. And if lenge in an expensive metropolis. ranging fi ghts like this is better out on schooling and another 35 centres under the Education for All sometimes under a minute – and Within days, they had gath- there is any problem, they come Here, the fi sh market has some than fi ghting in anger where you Project. hard fought. ered the money, throwing in 50- to help me because I’m famous,” benefi ts. live or at your workplace,” said These centres are aimed at raising Punjab’s literacy rate to 100% as A foot is trapped between a ri- 100 Dirhams (roughly $15-25, Pehlwan says, grinning. “Fish is my favourite dish. It Iqbal. per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. val’s legs, a fi ghter fl ips over his €12-20) each to pay for a plane That evening, Mohammed is the healthiest food because in Pehlwan says he can earn 500- opponent’s shoulders to escape ticket. Shahzad – the challenger from Dubai, most things are coming 600 Dirhams ($135-$165) on a his grip. “I can’t meet you tonight, I’m Muzaff argarh – tags along. in frozen form but fi sh is fresh. good night – the money collect- Two shot dead in sectarian attack One pins his match down on going to the airport,” Pehlwan Dressed in a crisp, blue tunic, Every other day I am eating a fi sh ed in a plastic bag by the referee his stomach and throws sand in tells AFP one Monday evening. Shahzad, 22, says he didn’t hesi- from the market. We are getting and champion – but kushti is not Two people were shot dead in southwestern Pakistan yesterday. his face before getting restrained Two days later, AFP met him at tate when he received Kala Pehl- free fi sh from our employer at the about money. Three Hazara men were travelling together on the outskirts Quetta by the referees. his workplace, Dubai’s gleaming wan’s call. end of the day,” Pehlwan says, re- “We can’t enjoy life, we can’t when two men on a motorcycle opened fire on them, killing two and Spectators dart into the ring to Waterfront Market. “The other fi ghter beat my turning to stack crates. have a good time if we don’t have wounding the third, a police off icial said. fi lm fi ghts. Row upon row of ice-topped friend and challenged him to fi nd For Pehlwan and many of his wrestling in Dubai,” he said. “It is a sectarian target killing,” senior police off icer Syed Attaullah Others watch in rapture, stalls are laden with fresh fi sh someone who can knock him out friends, Dubai is a temporary When Friday night comes Shah told Reuters. breaking out in cheers at decisive from Oman, Sri Lanka and be- ... so I came to Dubai,” he ex- stage in life – a place to save cash around again, it’s the visiting No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. moments in the match. yond – a testament to the ship- plained. before returning home. challenger Shahzad who wins. Gulf Times 20 Monday, April 23, 2018 PHILIPPINES Tirades against Sereno ‘not an attack on court’

By Catherine S Valente urgent action on Duterte’s al- appointees. The president ear- female chief justice and the done? Through impeachment,” Manila Times leged intrusion into judicial lier urged allies in Congress youngest to be named to the he said. matters. to hasten the impeachment of post, will outlast her colleagues Acting Chief Justice and A report, initiated by mem- Sereno, saying she was “bad” as she is not scheduled to retire Senior Associate Justice Anto- resident Rodrigo Duterte bers of the Integrated Bar of the for the country. until 2030. nio Carpio told reporters last was not attacking the ju- Philippines, National Union of Recently, Duterte called on Senate President Aquilino week the magistrates would Pdiciary when he called for People’s Lawyers, Free Legal Sereno to resign because of Pimentel on Saturday said the decide on the case in May by the immediate removal of Chief Assistance Group and other her supposed ignorance of the chief justice could only be re- holding a special en banc or Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, lawyers’ groups, was report- country’s laws. moved through “the hard way” full-court session. Malacanang said. edly submitted to Diego Garcia “If you are that ignorant, you or by conviction by the Senate An unimpeachable source In a television interview, Pal- Sayan, the UN special rappor- better go. You are just risking in an impeachment trial. said that during the court en ace spokesman Harry Roque Jr teur on the independence of the country into a chaos. You He stressed this point when banc’s Tuesday session in Ba- said the impeachment case and judges and lawyers. should leave,” the president asked whether the Supreme guio City, the magistrates came quo warranto petition seek- The lawyers reportedly ar- said. Court would violate the Con- to an agreement that the vot- ing Sereno’s removal were an- gued that the president’s ti- Roque, however, made it stitution if it decided to remove ing should be held on May 17 chored on her failure to fully rades against Sereno were part clear that the call to impeach Sereno through the quo war- through a special session. declare her wealth. of attacks on judicial inde- the chief justice did not origi- ranto petition filed by the so- The whole month of May is “This is not about the presi- pendence. nate from the Executive branch. licitor general. supposed to be decision-writ- dent attacking the institution. Sereno is facing two efforts He pointed out that some “If the end result of the quo ing month, during which the It’s about the chief justice her- seeking her ouster from office: of Sereno’s colleagues in the warranto is to remove from court is on recess. The source self admitting to violating an an impeachment complaint in Supreme Court have testified service a ranking government said that the ponente of the Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno existing law which will have an Congress over alleged failure against her and sought her in- official, who can only be re- case, Associate Justice Noel Ti- impact on the integrity of the to declare her true wealth, and definite leave. moved through impeachment jam, was given until April 23 to Sereno ample time to consider ter its last en banc session on court itself,” Roque said dur- a quo warranto petition seeking “Where is the attack on the as provided in the Constitu- circulate the final draft ponen- resignation. The Sereno camp April 24 in Baguio. They are on ing an interview with the ABS- to nullify her appointment at judiciary when the judiciary it- tion, don’t you think you’ve vi- cia or ruling on the case among questioned the “rush.” recess in May and are supposed CBN News Channel. the Supreme Court. self wants to cleanse itself from olated that principle?” he said the justices. Lawyer Josalee Deinla, one of to resume session on June 5. “If there is a threat to the in- Like the impeachment case, within?” Roque said. in a radio interview. Thereafter, other members Sereno’s spokespersons, argued The quo warranto is an impor- dependence of the court, the the quo warranto petition is “If the Supreme Court says Pimentel added, “Impeach- of the court will have until May that the court was supposed to tant case which if granted will integrity of the court, it is the based on her failure to sub- that it is within its jurisdiction, able officials have security of 11 to submit their respective be on break after the sessions in upend our justice system as we chief justice herself,” he added. mit her wealth declarations, or so be it. And again, where is the tenure. They have fixed term.” separate concurring and dis- Baguio. know it. Roque made the remarks af- statements of assets, liabilities attack on the judiciary there?” “How will they be removed? senting opinions. “We cannot help but ask why The Supreme Court has not ter lawyers’ groups called on and net worth, to the Judicial he added. Through the hard way and for The source said that vot- the rush? The Supreme Court even heard the side of any of the the United Nations (UN) to take Bar Council that screens court Sereno, the country’s first grave reason. And how will it be ing was set on May 17 to give is supposed to be on break af- intervenors,” Deinla said.

Tourism department Palace vows ‘must decide on better service casino at Boracay’ amid drop

By Jing Villamente offi cials committed lapses in in ratings Manila Times the conduct of their mandate that led to the sorry state of the island. By Ralph Villanueva ndersecretary Martin If any village offi cial will be Manila Times Dino of the Department found guilty of negligence, Uof the Interior and Lo- that offi cial may be suspended cal Government (DILG) yester- or jailed, Dino said. alcanang yesterday day said the issue on whether “Barangay offi cials, particu- said the Duterte ad- a casino should rise in Boracay larly the chairmen, are in the Mministration will con- or not should be left to the De- frontline. They sign and issue tinue to work hard to serve the partment of Tourism (DoT) and clearances. It is possible that people amid the huge drop in the the Philippine Amusement and money changed hands,” the of- satisfaction ratings of the Cabi- Gaming Corp (Pagcor). fi cial said. net. “The issue on casinos in Bo- Former president Gloria Ar- The Social Weather Stations racay should be discussed by royo, now a lawmaker of Pam- (SWS) survey for the fi rst quar- the Department of Tourism panga, called on the Filipino- ter of 2018 showed that Duterte’s or the Philippine Amusement Chinese community to help Cabinet netted a +28 satisfac- and Gaming Corporation. We soften the blow of the closure of tion rating, a ten-point dip from in DILG are in charge of guid- the world famous Boracay island. last quarter’s record-high rating. ing local offi cials to ensure She urged the Filipino- Palace spokesman Harry Canadian ambassador John Holmes and other volunteers collect garbage during the Pasig River clean-up drive. that they really are doing their Chinese community to invite Roque, Jr said the Cabinet will jobs,” Dino explained. tourists to visit other areas. work double time to highlight He issued the statement af- “With 1mn Chinese tourists policies and programmes of the ter another DILG executive, who came to the country, the Duterte administration that will Assistant Secretary Epimaco Filipino-Chinese community have great impact on Filipinos. Densing, made comments on should do their part in mak- “We take note of the latest the issue which Dino said was ing sure that the country keeps Social Weather Stations survey Hundreds take part in an encroachment of the turf such momentum by inviting showing a +28 net satisfaction of other agencies. Densing more Chinese tourists to the rating, which the polling fi rm had said that a casino should country amid the Boracay clo- classifi ed as “moderate’,” Roque not be put up in Boracay. Dino sure,” Arroyo said. said. He pointed out though that said establishments may oper- “I would want those Chinese a number of government agencies Pasig river clean-up drive ate anywhere “provided they tourists who know only Boracay had made signifi cant strides in comply with all the laws and to be able to go to other parts of their areas and fi elds. By Catherine A Modesto ticipated included Profes- cleaned up four areas — Sta. improved. In the 1990s, the riv- regulations, including envi- the Philippines rather than go to “The departments under the Manila Times sional Women of AMCHAM Ana, Quiapo, Pureza and San er was biologically dead, now it ronmental ones.” Bali or Phuket. I hope that the executive branch will continue to (PWOA), a committee under Juan River tributary. is thriving with life and positiv- “If it would be benefi cial to Filipino Chinese members of the serve the nation and the best in- the American Chambers of Taga-ilog, the group that ity,” said George the residents, why not? If they Federation, in your own areas, terest of our people by bringing a undreds of volunteers, Commerce, Adapt Ergonomic pitched the clean-up drive, Oliver G de la Rama, head of adhere to and abide by the laws would be able to bring them to comfortable life to disadvantaged including Canada’s Workplace Solutions Inc., said, “In Laguna de Bay, we the and regulations of the land be- other areas that are unknown to and marginalised families, un- Hambassador to the Phil- American Women’s Club of didn’t see a lot garbage. In Sta. public information, advo- fore they are built,” he explained. China so we don’t lose them (to mindful of the distraction and po- ippines John Holmes, joined the Philippines, American As- Ana, San Juan area, that’s where cacy and tourism division of the As the undersecretary in other countries),” she said in her litical noise,” Roque said. hands to clean the Pasig River, sociation of the Philippines, the big problem is — the gar- PRRC. charge of barangays, Dino will speech during the Mid-Term The SWS survey, conducted scooping up sacks of garbage. Cargill, 3M, Dow Chemicals bage coming from Marikina De la Rama said another fl y to Boracay on April 26, the Regional Members’ Association from March 23 to 27, 2018, used Various sectors joined the Philippines, Inc. and the Pasig River, Quezon City.” clean-up campaign will be day the island will be closed, Conference of the Federation face-to-face interviews of 1,200 #Salikalikasan, a clean-up River Rehabilitation Commis- The volunteers collected held, this time at the to confer with offi cials of three of Filipino-Chinese Chambers adults (18 years old and above) na- drive hosted by the Philip- sion (PRRC), the lead agency sacks of garbage in the two- confl uence of Pasig River and barangay (village) that have ju- of Commerce and Industry, tionwide: 300 each in Metro Ma- pine Coast Guard Auxiliary mandated to rehabilitate the hour clean up project. Manila Bay, in Baseco, Manila, risdiction over the island. Dino Inc. (FFCCCII) held over the nila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and (PCGA). Those who par- Pasig River.The volunteers “Pasig River has signifi cantly with Senator Cynthia Villar. said he wants to know if these weekend. Mindanao. Go extends aid to repatriated fi shermen from Indonesia

By Catherine S Valente Indonesian President Joko Widodo when Barangay Panacan for documentation. Manila Times the two leaders meet during the 32nd The Navy’s BRP Davao del Sur picked Association of Southeast Asian Nations up the fi shermen from Manado on April (Asean) Summit in Singapore next week. 13 and transferred them to the BFAR ship. resident Rodrigo Duterte’s special “I am currently looking for ways to as- Go emphasised the need to educate Fil- assistant Christopher Lawrence sist the repatriated Filipinos and expedite ipinos on territorial issues to avoid being P“Bong” Go has pledged assistance repatriation process of other Filipinos apprehended by other nations. and support to Filipino fi shermen de- left detained in Indonesia,” Go said, add- In the meantime, he said his offi ce has tained in Indonesia. ing that he was also talking with Foreign co-ordinated with the BFAR to provide Go made the pledge a day after wel- Aff airs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano re- the fi shermen fi shing gadgets and equip- coming 31 fi shermen repatriated from In- garding the concerns of the Filipino fi sh- ment. donesia on Friday in Davao City. ermen in Indonesia. The Department of Social Welfare and “I’m happy that our government has “There are still many Filipinos who have Development, on the other hand, has been doing its best to repatriate our coun- remained in Indonesia as detainees after been tapped to provide them with liveli- trymen from Indonesia,” he said. illegally entering, overstaying or fi shing in hood and the Technical Education and Go, one of the possible Senate bets of Indonesian territories,” he added. Skills Development Authority with skills the ruling PDP-Laban political party in The 31 fi shermen who were detained in training. the 2019 mid-term polls, said he would North Sulawesi either for illegal fi shing Go gave each repatriated fi sherman bring up the issue of overstaying Filipinos or overstaying, arrived on board Lapu- P3,000 cash and grocery packs. in Indonesia to the attention of the chief Lapu, a ship of the Bureau of Fisheries and “We will continue to help our fi sher- executive. Aquatic Resources (BFAR). men. We need to give them proper assist- He also expressed hope that Duterte They were taken to the Navy station ance so that this would not happen again,” Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go hands a pail of groceries to one of the fishermen would be able to discuss the issue with of the Eastern Mindanao Command in Go said. repatriated from Indonesia, watched by Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt Gen Benjamin Madrial Jr. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Another tiger found dead in Nepal

In yet another setback to tiger conservation eff orts of Nepal, Five years of agony: Factory a female tiger was found dead some 3km from sector off ice in Chitwan National Park yesterday. This is the fourth tiger to die in the past one month in the district. Conservation off icial Abinaya Pathak informed that the tiger disaster survivors await justice had injuries on its neck and stomach area. Pathak said it By Sam Jahan and now runs a grocer’s store near No witness has yet given evi- about the crumbling pillars at might have died due to the Shafiqul Alam, AFP the factory ruins, said. dence. “Some witnesses have Rana Plaza before the collapse. injuries sustained after a battle Savar, Bangladesh More than 2,000 injured work- already gone missing,” he said. His fi lm is key evidence now. with another tiger. ers from the nine-storey com- Union leaders said the pain- But Huda is now seeking ways to Another female tiger was found plex, which collapsed like a pack fully slow pace of the trial has fl ee the country after he was de- dead near the Rapti river at the he pain of waiting 10 of cards, have similar stories. “created a climate of impunity”. tained for 42 days and charged park in Sauraha around a month hours with her leg Many have spent all their “We thought the Rana Plaza with “inciting” workers’ pay ago. Pathak said that tiger too had Tcrushed by bodies under compensation on medical disaster would help workers to protests. died after clash with another tiger. the rubble of the Rana Plaza fac- bills, according to ActionAid unionise and hold protests for “The police took me away in Tiger cubs remain with their tory was hell for Nilufer Begum. Bangladesh. improved rights. But the op- a car, blindfolded. I was cuff ed mother for around two years. But the fi ve-year wait for justice Begum says the slow wait for posite has happened,” said Mo- and dangled on a rod in the car. Both the dead tigers were around has been just as agonising. justice is the only thing that hammad Ibrahim, a top labour Then, they beat me with sticks,” three years old. Off icials assumed Bangladesh tomorrow marks keeps her going. activist. he said. the tigers might have fought for the fi fth anniversary of one of “None of us wanted to enter Ibrahim said garment factory “They hit me on my head and food and territory. the world’s worst industrial dis- the factories that day,” she re- owners use “local goons”, the po- ears with gun butts. I barely can Two other tigers were found asters, a building collapse that called. “They forced us to work lice and the government to crack- hear in my right ear,” he said. dead at Ratnanagar-based killed more than 1,130 workers despite pillars that crumbled down on any hint of protests. Police rejected the allega- Panchakanya Community Forest and spotlighted the Western the day before. Five years have Garment manufacturers have tions, saying Huda was detained in the district. One male tiger, clothing brands benefi ting from passed and no one has been Journalist Nazmul Huda standing on the the site of the former Rana an outsized infl uence given the for breaching Internet laws. with multiple injuries, was found the country’s low wages. tried or punished.” Plaza garment complex in Savar, northwest of Dhaka. $30bn of textile exports account At weekends, Sultan Mol- dead on Friday while another But there is mounting anger “The building owner is hav- for some 80% of Bangladesh’s lah visits the Rana Plaza ruins died on March 21. this anniversary over the glacial ing a great time in jail. All the conditions at the Bangladesh tions has been faster than the total. which are now a vast hole fi lled As per a recent census, there are pace of the court case against other accused are out on bail. factories which employ some trial of Rana Plaza owner, So- Ibrahim was one of the 41 with hyacinths. 198 tigers in Nepal of which 120 those arrested in the aftermath The factory owners and the 4mn workers with wages start- hel Rana, and nearly 40 oth- leaders detained in December Mollah has been gripped by were found in Chitwan district. of the tragedy. managers who threatened to fi re ing at $65 a month, among the ers – including factory offi cials 2016 when thousands of work- guilt at having let his reluctant The weight of three bodies us if we didn’t work are free,” world’s lowest. and government inspectors who ers staged protests for higher daughter go to do her shift that and rubble crippled Begum’s said the tearful mother of an Groups which oversee safety were charged with murder. wages. day where she perished in the Lanka makes fare right leg on April 24, 2013. 11-year-old boy. upgrades say Bangladesh fac- Rana was jailed for three years He said he received a death collapse. The 38-year-old has had to “So many of us have lost tories have improved. The 20 last August for failing to declare threat from police. “My heart is shattered when meter mandatory undergo operations which have limbs or been crippled. But now reported accidents last year was his personal wealth to Bang- “Some 1,700 workers were I think of her. I try my best to for three-wheelers cost twice the $3,500 compen- everyone has forgotten us and the lowest in recent years. ladesh’s anti-graft commis- fi red and none got back their forget the past,” he said. sation she received, forcing her the disaster,” she added. A group representing more sion. He also faces the murder job,” he said. “The garment “But how could I forget when Sri Lanka’s transport ministry to borrow from relatives and Rana Plaza’s collapse trig- than 100 European brands still charges. owners have become more I see all these murderers roam- yesterday said it had been made charities. gered international outrage. warned however that “major Proceedings are dragging on powerful since the disaster.” ing freely? No one has yet to obligatory for all three-wheel “I am counting the hours to European and US cloth- life-threatening safety con- and prosecutors say a verdict Whistleblower journalist face any justice and I doubt they services in the island country to my death. The muscles in my ing brands, including Primark, cerns remain” among the 4,500 could take fi ve more years. Nazmul Huda was feted after ever will,” said the 50-year-old fix a meter and issue a receipt at leg are wasting away. My kid- Mango and Benetton, were textile plants. Prosecutor Mizanur Rahman the disaster for being the lone father with his own personal the end of the trip. neys are failing,” Begum, who pressured to improve pay and The work to improve condi- blamed repeated adjournments. reporter to write and broadcast agony. The new rule had been announced on April 1, but a two week grace period had been issued following a request made by the taxi drivers’ association. A transport ministry off icial told Xinhua that passengers could now Cricketer Nepal making fresh bid request a receipt at the end of their trip and those who faced any problems could lodge a complaint at the nearest police station. Sri Lanka’s three-wheels, more held with to revitalise Saarc popularly known as tuk tuk’s, is a popular mode of public transport among the locals and tourists. IANS understanding between India region. In the capacity of the Bangladesh decided to skip the The ministry off icial said the Kathmandu and Pakistan through dialogue ongoing chair of Saarc, it is summit blaming Pakistan for police had been vested with meth pills with regards to Saarc. Nepal’s responsibility to take not co-operating on combat- powers to arrest any three wheel “I have requested Indian initiatives to make Saarc dy- ing cross-border terrorism in driver who will not adhere to the epalese Prime Minis- Prime Minister Narendra Modi namic,” he said. South Asia. new rule and fail to fix a meter. AFP plagued Rakhine state, ter K P Sharma Oli said and Pakistani Prime Minister Nepal has been asking Saarc However, Pakistan vehe- “This new law has been made Chittagong where authorities say Nyesterday that Nepal Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to re- member states to organise the mently denied the charges, compulsory to regularise the methamphetamine labs had been holding negotia- move their misunderstandings Saarc summit as early as pos- saying it was sincerely work- public transport system as we One of Bangladesh’s top produce tens of millions of tions with India and Pakistan regarding Saarc,” Oli said. sible, which has not been held ing to curb cross-border ter- have found that many three female cricketers could yaba pills that are shipped to to revitalise the South Asian He said the Saarc process since Nepal held the 18th Saarc rorism. wheelers are yet not metered, be jailed for life after Bangladesh. Association for Regional Co- should not be derailed due to summit in 2014 in Kathmandu. Saarc is a regional body which leads to passengers being caught with 14,000 Off icials this month said drug operation (Saarc). misunderstanding on bilateral The 19th Saarc summit, founded in 1985 in South complaining that they often get methamphetamine (meth) traff ickers had been more The prime minister said that issues between Saarc member scheduled to be held in Is- Asia, comprising Afghanistan, cheated,” the off icial said. pills, police said yesterday. active since August, when Nepal, as the current chair of states. lamabad on November 9-10 in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Currently, there are around Nazreen Khan Mukta, who nearly 700,000 Rohingya Saarc, has been making sin- “Nepal believes that Saarc 2016, was cancelled after In- Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and 750,000 operating three- plays first-grade cricket in the refugees fleeing violence in cere eff orts to remove mis- plays an eff ective role in this dia, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. wheelers as taxis in Sri Lanka. Dhaka Premier League, was Myanmar began pouring into returning from a match in the Bangladesh. southeastern city of Cox’s Gangs have been using the Bazar when police stopped Rohingya refugees as mules and searched the team bus at and hiding drugs in fishing Chittagong. boats used for ferrying the “During our search, we persecuted Muslims to safety. Hundreds of mountaineers gearing caught her with 14,000 yaba Authorities said last month pills she had kept in packets,” that 9mn yaba pills were local police chief Pronob seized in less than three Chowdhury said, using the months as the refugee influx local name for tablets of reached its peak. Nearly 2mn up to climb world’s highest peak methamphetamine mixed were discovered in a single with caff eine. haul. Chowdhury said the Ansar Dhaka has been planning to IANS ing on favourable weather, and VDP star would be charged introduce the death penalty Kathmandu generally falls after mid-May. with drug traff icking, an for yaba traff icking to try to Besides expedition, this off ence that can carry a curb the drug’s popularity is also the prime time when maximum sentence of life in and use. ith the onset of spring trekkers gather in the base camp prison. Bangladesh in 2017 seized season, more than and surrounding locations like Cox’s Bazar borders more than 40mn pills, double W346 mountaineers are Kalapatthar and Gokyo Lake. Myanmar’s conflict- the previous year’s haul. attempting to climb the world’s Moreover, the Everest base highest peak Mt Everest in May. camp also works as the base According to Nepal’s tour- camp for neighbouring peaks ism department, the offi cial like Lhotse and Nuptse. government body which issues Thus, Everest, known as Sa- climbing permits for the Ever- garmatha in Nepal, is likely to est expedition, altogether 38 see a congestion this season as US: Lanka slow in Nepali and foreign teams have over 2,000 trekkers, porters, taken the permits for expedi- guides and mountain enthusi- tion this year. asts are gathering in the base Dinesh Bhattarai, director camp. But the government transitional justice general of the tourism depart- claims that it should not be ment told Xinhua, “This year, termed as a traffi c jam. 346 mountaineers from 38 “Everest is a lifetime experi- Agencies sexual abuse committed by gov- teams have received permits ence for many so they gather Colombo ernment and security sector of- for Mt Everest. Among them, and attempt (to climb it) in this fi cials against wives who came four are Nepali teams with 20 spring season. The expedition forward seeking information members while the remaining period can go up to 90 days orture remained endemic about their missing husbands are foreigners from diff erent while not all climbers reach the throughout Sri Lanka or against war widows who at- countries.” top of the world on the same Yaks carry goods to Everest Base Camp in the Everest region some 140km northeast of the Nepali Tin 2017, the US has said, tempted to claim government The number is likely to in- day, so it does not arouse the capital Kathmandu. The route is a busy gateway for tourists, climbers and porters heading to the Mount highlighting limited progress benefi ts based on their deceased crease within next week as question of traffi c jam as often Everest region in Nepal. made by the government in es- husbands’ military service,” the many climbers have been ap- portrayed,” an offi cial at the de- tablishing additional transitional report added. proaching the department partment of tourism said. appointed by the government. the gateway to Everest,” said expedition was halted for two justice mechanisms. The government made limited for the permits, leading to a In 2017, the department had With the beginning of Ever- Bhattarai. consecutive years in 2014 and The US State Department, in a progress toward establishing high possibility of tourism re- issued climbing permits to est season every year, the is- The expeditions are car- 2015 due to a massive avalanche report released on Friday, men- additional transitional justice vival of the quake-shattered 43 groups among which 445 sues of competitions, records ried by both foreign and Nepali killing 16 Sherpa guides and a tioned arbitrary or unlawful kill- mechanisms, the report said. country. climbers succeeded in making and safety also arise. The Nepali agencies, usually led by those 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed ings by government or its agents. However, the arbitrary arrests The majority of climbers atop the 8,848m peak. government says its sole prior- who have already stood atop the 19 people. “Torture remained endemic and detentions have seen a drop have already reached the Ev- Mt Everest has not only been ity is on safety of the climb- mountain several times, often The spring season is not all throughout the country,” the compared with 2016. erest base camp, a seven-day an identity of this least devel- ers and it discourages making with some world records. about Mount Everest but it is report said, adding that the de- “Police sometimes held de- trek from the nearest airport, oped country but also a major records. This year, a majority of also the favorable season for tainees had complained of tor- tainees incommunicado and for acclimatisation where they source of revenue. According “Safety is the fi rst concern climbers are from the United several other mountains. Al- ture and mistreatment, forced lawyers had to apply for permis- will spend at least one and a half to the Nepali regulation, every for which we try to make the States, followed by India and together 698 climbers will at- confessions and denial of basic sion to meet clients authorities months to reduce the risk of al- foreigner needs to pay $11,000 expedition agency and climb- China. More than 54 Chinese tempt to climb 22 mountains human rights. reportedly released detainees titude sickness. as royalty while a Nepali ers responsible. We have always climbers including a double of the Himalayan country this “Excessive use of force against ci- with a warning not to reveal in- An expedition to the world’s climber has to pay Rs75,000 stressed on the availability of amputee are trying their luck spring, including Ambadablam, vilians by police and security forces formation about their arrests or highest peak usually takes 75 ($710) to scale the moun- enough oxygen bottles and life- this spring. Lhoste, Kanchanjunga, Nuptse, also remained a problem,” it said. detentions under the threats of to 90 days, while the climb- tain. Every climber has to pay saving drugs before the expe- Nepal’s high hopes on Ever- Manaslu, Dhawalagiri and “There were also reports of re-arrest or death. ing window is short, depend- separately for a liaison offi cer dition team leaves for Lukla, est revived since 2016 after the Annapurna among others. Gulf Times 22 Monday, April 23, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES New study shows how HIV evades the immune system

It is heartening that scientists have just discovered a new mechanism by which HIV evades the immune system, and which shows precisely how the virus avoids elimination. The new research shows that HIV targets and disables a pathway involving a number of biological molecules that are key in blocking viral activity and clearing infection. A team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin has identifi ed the mechanism that enables HIV to evade the immune system, paving the way for a new The ‘Next Eleven’ and curative treatment, according to a study published in EBioMedicine, which is a collaborative online journal from Cell Press and the Lancet. HIV remains a major global health problem, with over 40mn people infected worldwide. Whilst people living with the virus have been treated with anti-retroviral the world economy therapy for over 30 years, this favoured therapeutic option merely prevents the progression of the disease to Aids – it doesn’t provide a cure. The discovery of this By Jim O’Neill simply because it was the number of its economy is about half the size of investment professionals to understand London players on a soccer team. When others China’s, but larger than Japan’s and is that the N-11 as a bloc has grown by mechanism will provide a shot in the arm to develop an would point out that we had excluded more than twice the size of India’s. around 4.5% so far this decade, after eff ective treatment for the virus and opens the door to a more populous countries such as These divergences help to explain growing by almost 4% in the previous new era of research in this area. n a recent holiday in Congo and Ethiopia, I would muse that why a number of new acronymic decade. Given the size of its output, During any viral Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ethiopia could be the N-11’s Ole Gunnar groupings have since been carved the N-11’s growth is contributing infection our immune Laos, I couldn’t resist Solskjaer, in reference to Manchester out of the N-11, including the MINT signifi cantly to the world economy, New revelation system produces a Othinking about these United’s brilliant sub-in scorer during (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey) alongside the primary drivers of China countries’ economic potential and the 1990s. and the MIST (swapping in South and India. may explain why powerful molecule ongoing policy challenges. After all, in Then as now, the N-11 comprised Korea for Nigeria). I didn’t devise I kept reminding myself of this (interferon), which 2005, my Goldman Sachs colleagues a mixed bag: South Korea, Mexico, these groupings, but I have come to be fact while travelling around Vietnam, HIV is still not a ‘interferes’ with the and I had listed Vietnam as one of the Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, associated with them, having produced where my tranquility was repeatedly infection and the Next Eleven (N-11) – all countries with the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, a BBC radio documentary on the MINT interrupted by blaring headlines about curable disease the potential to become important and Vietnam. These countries have countries in 2014. At any rate, they US President Donald Trump’s tweets replication of viruses. economies during this century. extremely diverse economic and social were in keeping with earlier points I had and escalating violence in the Middle Interferon activates an assembly line of molecules in our Vietnam reported that its real conditions, and very diff erent levels of raised; namely, that by 2010, Mexico, East. cells – via the interferon signalling pathway – which (infl ation-adjusted) GDP growth was wealth. For example, South Koreans Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey Before heading to Vietnam, I had the causes the body to make antivirals that help to clear the 7.4% in the latest quarter, outpacing now enjoy a standard of living similar would each account for more than 1% of privilege of writing a review for Nature infection. China. And, according to the World to that in the European Union, which global GDP. of Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Bank’s forecast, Vietnam, along with makes many analysts’ persistent Eight years later, the MIST Wrong About the World – and Why However, when patients are being treated with Cambodia and Laos, is on track to categorisation of South Korea as an economies still have a chance to Things Are Better Than You Think, a anti-retroviral therapy, HIV is not fully cleared by maintain a similar level of growth for “emerging economy” all the more account for around 2-3% of world brilliant book by the late physician Hans our immune system. Therefore, the team of scientists the year. baffl ing. GDP in the future. None is likely to Rosling, which his daughter published from Trinity College Dublin investigated whether the The N-11 never acquired the cachet Meanwhile, Mexico’s and Turkey’s reach the size of any of the BRIC posthumously this year. Factfulness virus was somehow blocking the interferon signalling of the BRIC acronym, which I coined levels of wealth haven’t come anywhere economies, except, perhaps, Russia. is one of just a few recent works to in 2001 to describe a bloc of emerging near that of South Korea, and yet they Owing to its current problems, focus on the remarkably positive things pathway and thus avoiding the immune response that is economies (Brazil, Russia, India, and are considerably wealthier than the Russia’s GDP is now around the same happening in the world. Rosling, along designed to cure viral infection. The fi ndings confi rmed China) that stood to have a signifi cant rest of the N-11, some of which remain size as South Korea’s. If it doesn’t with Harvard University’s Steven their suspicions. impact on the world economy in the among the poorest countries in the sort itself out soon, its GDP could Pinker, was right to be optimistic. An Commenting on the mechanism that HIV uses future. The N-11 countries weren’t world. At the same time, Asian N-11 fall below that of Mexico, or even unblinkered view of the world reveals to prevent eradication, Nigel Stevenson, Assistant at the level of the BRICs, but nor was countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia. many promising signs, especially for either acronym intended to be an Vietnam have grown signifi cantly since Of the other seven N-11 economies, the global economy. – Project Syndicate Professor in Immunology at Trinity, said: “We investment theme. Rather, N-11 was 2005, while Mexico’s performance has Nigeria, Vietnam, and perhaps Iran discovered that HIV promotes the destruction of the simply a label we applied to the next been somewhat disappointing, and stand out for having the most potential. zJim O’Neill, a former chairman of anti-viral interferon signalling pathway. Essentially, 11 most populous, highest-potential Egypt’s even more so. Still, each faces serious obstacles to Goldman Sachs Asset Management HIV uses the machinery in our own cells to do this, and emerging economies after the BRICs. Collectively, the N-11 comprises becoming a $1tn economy, never mind and a former UK Treasury Minister, the virus is thus able to reduce the production of many Around the time that we published some 1.5bn people, and its current accounting for 2-3% of world GDP. is Honorary Professor of Economics the 2005 paper “How Solid are the nominal GDP is around $6.5tn. In other Looking beyond each of these at Manchester University and former important anti-viral molecules. Without these anti- Brics?”, in which we fi rst identifi ed the words, while its population is slightly countries’ individual prospects, what is Chairman of the British government’s viral molecules, our immune system can’t clear viral N-11, I often joked that we chose 11 larger than that of China or India, important for economic observers and Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. infections.” “Our new revelation sheds new light on how HIV avoids elimination, which, in turn, may explain why HIV is still not a curable disease. We feel this discovery could mark a paradigm shift in our understanding of how this virus evades our immune response. It should open the door to a new era of HIV research aiming to cure and eradicate this deadly virus.” According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 76% [60–88%] of all pregnant women living with HIV globally received medicines that prevent transmission to their babies in 2016. Almost 21mn people were receiving antiretroviral treatment by mid-2017. Further, 53% [39–65%] of people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral treatment in 2016. The WHO African Region is the most aff ected region, with 25.6mn people living with HIV in 2016. The African region also accounts for almost two thirds of the global total of new HIV infections.

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Vietnam’s real (inflation-adjusted) GDP growth was 7.4% in the latest quarter, outpacing China. Gulf Times Monday, April 23, 2018 23 QATAR Commerce minister at Hanover Fair WCM-Q study provides insights into diseases

esearchers at Weill Cornell obesity, cardiovascular disease found in blood, urine and saliva. Medicine - Qatar (WCM- and diabetes, as well as life- This study has now been RQ) have used comprehen- style choices, such as exposure published in the international sive molecular measurement to cigarette smoke or unhealthy journal Human Molecular Ge- techniques to better understand food choices, force our body to netics and can be accessed at how human cells respond to dis- respond by eliminating toxic the following URL: https://doi. ease. molecules from the body. org/10.1093/hmg/ddy006. Dr Karsten Suhre, profes- “This response leaves so- Dr Shaza Zaghlool, the fi rst sor of physiology and biophys- called epigenetic marks on the author of the study and who ics and director of the college’s genome which tell the cells which performed all the data analyses, Bioinformatics Core, led a team genes they need to activate. Epi- explained: “If your pancreas is of researchers from institutions genetic marks are like little fl ags already crumbling because you across the globe who studied how – their presence or absence at have diabetes, then it is already individual diff erences in lifestyles specifi c locations on the genome very late to intervene, but if we and health leave an imprint on a can tell how well a cell is faring in can spot the disease earlier by person’s epigenome – a series of its response to a health challenge. looking at some of the markers chemical modifi cations to a per- For instance, some of them can we identify in our study, there son’s genome that have the abil- serve as early indicators for the may be room for intervention.” ity to switch genes ‘on’ or ‘off ’. onset of diabetes.” “Knowing that certain factors HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani has participated in the off icial opening They researched how disor- Their study was entitled ‘Deep are associated with each other is ceremony of the Hanover International Industrial Fair, which was opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the presence of ders like diabetes, cancer and molecular phenotypes link only a fi rst step in dealing with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Hanover Mayor Stefan Schostok and German Engineering Federation President Carl Martin cardiovascular disease, in con- complex disorders and physi- the problem. Understanding Welcker. The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to Germany, and a junction with exposure to envi- ological insult to CpG methyla- which of these factors are actu- number of senior Qatari businesspersons as well as distinguished leaders and political figures and more than 100 CEOs from the ronmental factors like smoking tion’ and is the fi rst study that ally driving the disease will allow world’s leading industrial companies, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) said in a statement yesterday. The participating and lack of exercise, aff ect the analyses such a broad spectrum us to pinpoint specifi c molecules Qatari entities will showcase the country’s leading initiatives, projects, services and products, opportunities and incentives available biochemical make-up of small of molecular measurements, that we can target with drugs. to investors and businesspersons looking to invest in various sectors in the country. Qatar is participating in the event as the off icial molecules and proteins as they including metabolomics, lipid- This is what we started to do. It’s sponsor of the opening ceremony, while the MEC has arranged for a 990sq m pavilion involving 15 entities from the public and circulate within the human body. omics, proteomics and glycom- about an integrated approach to private sectors. Dr Suhre says, “Complex ics to measure all possible kinds developing new therapies,” she disorders, including extreme of small molecules that can be added. British Food Fest big draw at LuLu outlets QU Health launches he British Food Festival is Department for International of LuLu Group International — new PhD programmes currently under way at all Trade/Invest Northern Ireland recently purchased the iconic TLuLu Hypermarket out- as well as QBBF offi cials from all Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, lets in the country. The festival areas of business in Qatar. Scotland for £82mn. The hotel is atar University (QU) grammes will be held on April showcases well-known British Since the opening of LuLu set on the prominent Princes Av- Health yesterday an- 23. It will provide prospective branded foodstuff s as well as new Group’s export logistics ware- enue and is steeped in history. Qnounced the launch of students with the opportunity to ranges, LuLu Group has said in a house in Birmingham in 2013, Turkman spoke on the strong new PhD programmes in Bio- learn about the programmes and statement. The festival’s inau- off ering a wide range of “best- membership links between LuLu medical Sciences, Medical Sci- their curriculum and to express guration took place recently at quality products” from across and QBBF with both parties ences and Pharmaceutical Sci- their expectations and concerns. LuLu Hypermarket - Al Messila, the UK, the export business has supporting each other to forge ences. They are designed to train Dr al-Derham said, “As Qa- Bin Omran, and was offi ciated by increased 10-fold, the statement greater business links. Members doctorate-level scientists to tar’s national university, QU is British ambassador Ajay Sharma. notes. During the ambassador’s of the Doha Jazz performed live investigate and introduce solu- committed to provide the labour Qatar British Business Forum speech at the opening of the during the opening ceremony. tions to major health problems in market with qualifi ed graduates (QBBF) chairman Emad Turk- festival, it was noted that Y In- Dignitaries and customers had Qatar. The announcement came who are capable to contribute to man and British Chamber of ternational (UK) Ltd, a subsidi- the opportunity to view several at a press conference attended by human and social development Commerce managing director ary of the billion-pound retail Dignitaries cutting the ceremonial cake. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil well-known attractions and en- QU president Dr Hassan al-Der- in the State of Qatar. Therefore, Peter Cook joined the ribbon- giant LuLu Group International, joy past and present iconic fi lms ham, vice president for Medical the University is committed to cutting ceremony along with a is investing a further £15mn into Advanced Manufacturing Hub. He noted that on top of past and music associated with the and Health Sciences and College fulfi lling the needs of the la- host of other offi cials and digni- a new 160,000sq ft European This will create a further 80 jobs, investments in UK hospitality, monarch and history of the UK. of Medicine dean Prof Egon Toft, bour market and the society for taries from the British embassy’s headquarters in Birmingham’s taking the total workforce to 240. Twenty14 Holdings Group — part The festival ends tomorrow. College of Health Sciences dean qualifi ed and trained graduates and Biomedical Research Centre in all fi elds and sectors. Since director Prof Asmaa al-Thani, the establishment of QU Health and College of Pharmacy dean which comprises the colleges of Dr Mohamed Diab. Health Sciences, Medicine and The four-year programmes Pharmacy, QU has been keen include a total of 60 hours of to build solid partnerships and QU, Amwal to collaborate in credit coursework and disser- collaborations with institutions tation research. All courses are from the health sector with the taught in English. Collabora- aim to uplift the services that the tions will be established with country provides to its citizens local and international institu- and residents.” tions to align the new PhD pro- Prof Toft said, “This marks executive training, education defi nitely a note-worthy devel- grammes with international standards. opment in the Health Cluster’s atar University College Admission to the PhD pro- progress in general, and the syn- of Business and Eco- grammes is open for the aca- ergy and collaboration of the Qnomics (QU-CBE) yes- demic year 2018-2019, with member colleges in particular terday signed a memorandum courses beginning in Fall 2018. leading to innovative and im- of understanding (MoU) with For the fi rst academic year, QU pactful health and medical edu- Amwal Company to establish Health will enrol 15 candidates cation. We are very optimistic collaboration in the fi eld of ex- (5 per programme). Graduate of the results of this initiative, ecutive training, education, and scholarships will be off ered to as it will contribute to attracting research. The MoU was signed top-ranked students. highly competitive scientists ea- by QU vice president for Aca- An open day for PhD pro- ger to pursue their PhD.” demic Aff airs Dr Omar al-Ansa- ri and Amwal Company founder and chairperson Sheikha Hana- di Nasser bin Khaled al-Thani, in the presence of CBE dean Dr QU, Amwal to collaborate in areas of executive training, education Khalid Shams al-Abdulqader and offi cials from both institu- sponsorships. Both parties will isation of joint conferences and QU’s commitment to shape the reer, in line with the goals of tions. also co-operate on the provi- workshops. future generation of experts Qatar National Vision 2030.” The terms of the MoU include sion of professional training for Dr Omar al-Ansari said, and professionals by off ering Sheikha Hanadi said, “It is a collaboration between both par- senior and graduate students, “The agreement will serve as a them high-quality academic great honour to sign a MoU with ties in the fi eld education and the sponsorship of the Finance platform to exchange knowl- programmes and by equip- QU. This is in line with our aim research; student internships, Club, and hiring CBE graduates edge and best practices that ping them with the skills, to exchange best practices and competitions, and awards; as after graduation. Other areas of will be of invaluable benefi t competencies and mindset experiences with the leading well as student scholarships and collaboration include the organ- to our students. It also shows needed for a successful ca- institutions in Qatar.” Dr Hassan al-Derham Prof Egon Toft Nama, QU launch venture campaign AFG appoints Entrepreneur in Residence FG College – University of ocial Development the relationship between peo- Aberdeen has appointed Center-Nama in col- ple and productivity, infl uence AEbraheem al-Samadi, a Slaboration with Qatar productivity, recruit produc- Kuwaiti entrepreneur as ‘Entre- University (QU) launched a tive staff , and encourage staff preneur in Residence’. one-month ‘Nama Abkhas’ to be more productive and A highly successful young entre- campaign yesterday at College ensure workers’ safety. One of preneur, al-Samadi has developed of Business and Economics. the other programmes provid- highly successful retail businesses in It is a part of the graduation ed by campaign is ‘Procure- the Gulf region as well as in Europe project campaign targeting ment and Inventory Control’ and the US. Al-Samadi said, “I am Qatari/non-Qatari, male/fe- that helps trainees identify the excited and honoured to be appoint- male new entrepreneurs, and importance of purchasing, as- ed Entrepreneur in Residence. I be- small business owners aged sess project requirements and lieve in the importance of role mod- The AFG College ceremony to appoint entrepreneur in residence. 18-45 years. steps of eff ective purchasing, els and am passionate about passing The campaign off ers a range fi nd out the importance of in- on entrepreneurial knowledge.” demic) and members of the AFG the further development of Qatar’s of services to small business ventory control, use and check Al-Samadi has been nominated College – University of Aberdeen entrepreneurial ecosystem in line owners, such as providing jun- Nama off icials at the launch of the campaign at QU yesterday. records regularly, and learn the for and awarded numerous busi- Student Advisory Board for En- with the new Five Year National ior investors and youth with skills that assist him/her to ness and lifestyle awards includ- trepreneurs in Qatar: Sheikh Ab- Strategy 2018-2022.” the necessary expertise and help entrepreneurs defi ne use the fi nancial constraints control project inventory. ing Ahlan Hot 100, CEO Maga- dulla al-Thani; Ahmed al-Haider The role of ‘Entrepreneur in skills to manage successful customers and competitors, in project development, use The campaign also provides zine, CEO of the Year and Arabian and Abdulrahman al-Theyab. Residence’ has been created to business ventures, assisting satisfy clients, improve sales fi nancial records, and prepare other services like ‘Project Plan- Business Start Up of the Year. He Buckle said, “Appointing an En- provide students with a successful in the preparation of feasibil- skills, set marketing plans, and the budget. ning’ programme that focuses was presented with his ‘Entre- trepreneur in Residence is part of an entrepreneurial role model who ity studies and proper project prepare the ‘Financial Con- Based upon the ‘Productivi- on how to plan the project, de- preneur in Residence’ certifi cate ongoing commitment to nurturing will also be active in supporting planning. There is a market- straints’ programme that will ty and Staff Management’ pro- velop sales plan, costs and cash by Linda-Jane Buckle, director entrepreneurship on our campus. further student focused projects ing programme in order to help trainees understand and gramme, trainees can identify fl ow plan for the project. of Business Development (Aca- We are focused on contributing to encouraging entrepreneurism.