BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Smith double ton puts Australia in US increases pressure on Iran’s faltering oil exports command published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11298 September 6, 2019 Muharram 7, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Winning smile In brief

QATAR | Reaction Qatar, WHO, Silatech Ministry condemns Kabul explosion The State of Qatar has expressed join hands for UN its strong condemnation of the explosion that took place in the Afghan capital Kabul, which resulted in deaths and injuries. In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign action plan on health Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm position rejecting violence and terrorism, whatever the motives and reasons. By Joey Aguilar prise a high percentage of the health investing in the education, health and The statement expressed the Staff Reporter workforce,” Silatech added, citing skills of the populations to positively condolences of the State of Qatar that investments in their training and impact generations to come,” Silatech to the families of the victims and to development form as an investment said. the government and the people of atar, the World Health Or- in gender equality and women’s eco- “With women comprising a high Afghanistan, wishing the injured a ganisation (WHO) and Si- nomic empowerment. percentage of the health workforce, speed recovery. Qlatech have partnered to hold The session will also present “how investments in skills for the health a high-level joint event at the United job creation solves social problems sector workforce is also an invest- ARAB WORLD | Peace talks Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in by augmenting peace and stability in ment in gender equality and women’s New York on September 21 aimed at troubled political contexts.” economic empowerment, as also re- An admission of failure, accelerating action on the projected Speakers at the event are: Qatar’s affi rmed by the conclusions of the says Palestine offi cial global shortfall of 18mn health work- Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Commission of the Status of Women The resignation yesterday of US ers by 2030. HE Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, (E/CN.6/2019/L.3, 2019),” it noted. President Donald Trump’s Middle According to Silatech, the event WHO director general Dr Tedros Ad- WHO estimates that 57 countries East envoy is an “admission of will also highlight the importance hanom Ghebreyesus, European In- worldwide have a critical shortage of failure” for the White House’s much- and urgency of promoting education vestment Bank’s vice-president Am- health workers, equivalent to a global delayed Israeli-Palestinian peace and skills development in the health broise Fayolle, Silatech CEO Sabah defi cit of about 2.4mn doctors, nurs- plan, a senior Palestinian off icial said. sector, particularly for youth and Ismaeel al-Haidoos, Former Liberian es and midwives. Jason Greenblatt worked alongside women. president and WHO Goodwill Am- Some 36 of these countries are Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on “This side event precedes the bassador for Health Workforce Ellen in sub-Saharan Africa and Silatech the plan, which has been rejected in high-level meeting on Universal Johnson Sirleaf, and World Bank’s is developing programmes in four advance by the Palestinians. “I think it Health Coverage and the adoption of vice president for Human Develop- of them: Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali and is a final admission of failure,” senior its Political Declaration, which calls ment Annette Dixon. Senegal. Palestinian off icial Hanan Ashrawi for immediate actions to address the The session will be moderated by “All 36 countries will need to in- said. Page 3 global shortfall of 18mn health work- Femi Oke, an award-winning inter- crease their health workforce by ers,” Silatech said in a statement. national journalist, broadcaster, pro- about 140% to achieve enough cov- LATIN AMERICA | Environment “The meeting will call for action fessional moderator and co-founder erage for essential health interven- Qatar’s defender AbdelKarim Hassan (left) and forward Almoez Ali celebrate on the disease burden in the Global of the diverse moderators bureau tions to make a positive diff erence in after a goal against Afghanistan during their Group E qualifier for the Qatar 2022 Brazil to use graft money South and will highlight the explicit “Moderate The Panel.” the health and life expectancy of their FIFA World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup at the Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to protect Amazon gender focus on women who com- “Investing in human capital means populations,” Silatech noted. yesterday. Almoez scored a hat-trick in the match as Qatar won 6-0. Sport Page 1 The head of Brazil’s Senate said yesterday he signed an agreement with the Supreme Court to assign 1bn reais ($245mn) in graft money recovered in the Car Wash investigation to protect the Amazon. Sudan PM unveils cabinet Johnson to again seek snap polls “I thank all the institutions involved in this negotiation. Save our Amazon!” Senator Davi Alcolumbre wrote in a AFP Praise for Qatar AFP cide after parliament has failed them Battlelines were drawn across the Twitter message. Khartoum London so we can resolve this once and for all,” front pages of British newspapers af- Sudan’s Prime Minister Dr Abdalla a Downing Street spokesman said. ter a particularly bruising week of UK AFRICA | Violence Hamdok praised Qatar’s humani- The vote’s timing is still being de- politics did little to resolve the three- udan’s new premier yesterday tarian assistance for the flood-hit K Prime Minister Boris John- bated as the country hurtles towards year impasse. S Africa faces backlash unveiled the fi rst cabinet since people of his country. “We com- son called yesterday for an early an October 31 departure from the Eu- The Labour-backing Daily Mirror aft er xenophobic attacks Sveteran leader Omar al-Bashir’s mend the generous and appreciable Uelection after a fl urry of parlia- ropean Union without a plan for what branded Johnson “Britain’s worst PM” South Africa said yesterday it had overthrow, a major step in the coun- support provided by our brothers in mentary votes tore up his hardline Brexit comes next. for threatening a “reckless no-deal temporarily closed its diplomatic try’s hard-won transition to civilian Qatar, which has greatly contribut- strategy and left him without a majority. The prime minister was dealt a fur- Brexit”. missions in Nigeria as the country rule after decades of authoritarianism. ed to alleviating the suff ering of our Johnson also said he would “rather ther personal blow when his brother Jo The Daily Mail shot back by calling came under fire for a wave of The announcement had been de- people, and we highly appreciate be dead in a ditch” than delay Brexit said he was quitting his junior ministe- Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn a “chick- attacks on foreign-owned stores. layed for days as Prime Minister Ab- this assistance,” he said. beyond next month. rial role and not contesting his seat in en” for refusing on Wednesday to back Ten people were killed and dalla Hamdok mulled over the nomi- His government said it would make parliament in the new ballot. Johnson’s proposal to hold a general dozens of shops destroyed in nees proposed by the movement that a second attempt on Monday to trigger “I’ve been torn between family loy- election on October 15. xenophobic violence in and around led the months-long protests against four women, including the coun- the national polls after the opposition alty and the national interest – it’s an An opinion poll conducted by Johannesburg this week, triggering Bashir and also the generals who try’s fi rst-ever female foreign aff airs Labour party on Wednesday helped unresolvable tension & time for oth- YouGov on Monday and Tuesday angry demonstrations in several ousted him. minister, Asma Mohamed Abdalla, block Johnson’s fi rst bid. ers to take on my roles,” Jo Johnson showed Johnson’s Conservatives lead- African countries. Page 4 The 18-member cabinet includes Hamdok told a news conference. “It is now time for the people to de- tweeted. ing Labour by 35 to 25%. Page 8 Iran to further cut its commitment to nuclear deal zDetailed announcement “I am going to inform (European Iran’s arch-enemy Israel responded that would permit a French-proposed Union foreign policy chief Federica by calling for more international pres- credit line, which Tehran says could to be made tomorrow Mogherini) in a couple of hours about sure on the Islamic republic. bring it back to full compliance with Iran’s decision that will be imple- “This is not the time to hold talks the deal. AFP mented on Friday,” IRNA quoted For- with Iran; this is the time to increase “We can’t make it any more clear Tehran eign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif the pressure on Iran,” said Israeli Prime that we are committed to this cam- as saying. Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. paign of maximum pressure and we “Of course these steps are reversible The EU urged Iran to backtrack on are not looking to grant any exceptions ran is set to detail its latest cut to if the EU fulfi ls its promises to salvage moves to drop its commitments under or waivers,” Brian Hook, the State De- commitments under a 2015 nuclear the deal,” Zarif added. the deal, known as the JCPOA. partment co-ordinator on Iran, told Ideal tomorrow, in response to US Iran and three European countries “These activities we consider are in- reporters. sanctions and perceived inaction by – Britain, France and Germany – have consistent with the JCPOA,” said Eu- Iran’s Foreign Minister responded other parties to save the accord. been engaged in talks to reduce ten- ropean Commission spokesman Carlos by tweeting that the US Treasury was Iran’s atomic energy organisation sions and rescue the multi-party deal, Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela. “nothing more than a JAIL WARDEN.” spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi will which has been unravelling since the “We urge Iran to reverse these steps “Ask for reprieve (waiver), get hold a news conference on Tehran’s US withdrew in May last year. and refrain from further measures that thrown in solitary for the audacity. Ask third round of cuts in its nuclear com- But with no apparent agreement in undermine the nuclear deal.” again and you might end up in the gal- mitments since May, the semi-offi cial sight, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani French foreign ministry spokes- lows,” he tweeted. ISNA news agency reported yesterday. on Wednesday made good on a promise woman Agnes von der Muehll echoed Iran has expressed mounting frus- Iran is expected to inform the Euro- to take another step away from the deal this saying: “Iran must abstain from tration at Europe’s failure to off set the pean Union within hours of its decision between Iran and the fi ve permanent any concrete action that does not eff ects of renewed US sanctions in re- to further scale back its commitment members of the United Nations Secu- Some newspapers, highlighting the decision to further scale back commitments conform with its commitments (and turn for its continued compliance with to its 2015 nuclear deal with major rity Council, plus Germany (P5+1). to the nuclear deal, are pictured in Tehran yesterday. which) could impede de-escalation the agreement. world powers, the foreign minister “The atomic energy organisation (of moves.” But Britain said Tehran’s moves to said yesterday, according to state news Iran) is ordered to immediately start search and development, and abandon regarding research and development,” A senior US offi cial on Wednesday suspend limits on research and devel- agency IRNA. whatever is needed in the fi eld of re- all the commitments that were in place said Rouhani, without elaborating. ruled out any sanctions exemptions opment were “deeply concerning”. Gulf Times 2 Friday, September 6, 2019 QATAR

MME carries out pest control and cleanliness drives

The cleanliness section of the Department of General Services Aff airs in Al Daayen Municipality recently carried out a comprehensive campaign for pest control. The campaign was mainly aimed at combating insects and rodents at various areas within the administrative limits of the municipality. Spraying and fogging were conducted at parks, streets and garbage containers during the evenings. According to a statement by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), the section off icers addressed 7,698 sewage water removal requests and removed 32,356,150 gallons of wastewater in August. Al Sheehaniya Municipality, represented by the cleanliness section of the Department of General Services Aff airs, held a number of drives in various areas within the municipal limits in August. During the month, the department addressed 72 applications for insect and rodent control and 42 applications for manhole cleaning, a press statement by the MME said. These were in addition to the services, provided for commercial establishments and residential complexes in the municipality. Pest control activities by Al Sheehaniya Municipality. Fogging against insects carried out by Al Daayen Municipality.

Official

Qatar participates in ministerial meeting of Arab League

Demand spikes for Qatar participated yesterday in the ministerial meeting of the 104th session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council held at the headquarters of the Arab League’s General Secretariat in Cairo. Qatar’s delegation was chaired by HE the Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League Ambassador Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz al-Sahlawi. In addition to discussing the activities of the meeting and following up on the resolutions of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit that was held in Beirut last January, the meeting also discussed an article on the social and economic empowerment of Arab women in rural areas. The discussion was proposed by Tunisia. They will also discuss the TV sets during the establishment of an Arab centre for economic empowerment, based on a proposal by Palestine. The meeting also focused on a number of matters related to supporting the Palestinian economy and the joint annual meeting with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among other issues. — QNA Real Estate trading volume exceeds QR443mn in a week holiday seasons The trading volume of registered real estate between August 25 to August 29 at the Ministry of Justice’s real estate registration department stood at QR443,327,638. The department’s weekly report said that part from luggage and the trading included empty lands, residential units, multipurpose buildings, multipurpose empty lands, other travel accessories, residential buildings, residential complexes, a tower and a commercial building. Most of the trading took Atelevision (TV) sets are place in Al Rayyan, Doha, Al Da’ayen, Umm Salal, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and Al Thakhira. The trading volume among the sought after items of registered real estates between August 18 to August 22 was QR195,208,506. — QNA during the holiday seasons, es- pecially Eid al-Fitr and Eid al- Adha, it is learnt. The Eid breaks witnessed a surge in footfall in several hypermarkets and ap- Don’t send sick children to pliance shops across Qatar, with many customers looking for new TV sets. “We receive hundreds of resi- school, HMC urges parents dents who buy smart TVs before or during the holidays and this has become a sort of a tradition aking note of the prevail- only after dressing the wounds every year,” a long-time mer- ing trend where sick chil- and cuts. “They have to be chandiser of a popular TV brand Tdren are sent to school, a properly dressed and covered. told Gulf Times. senior physician from Hamad Open cuts and wounds cause He said preferred TV sizes of Medical Corporation (HMC) infection to other children,” he buyers, particularly expatriates has urged parents to keep them explained. travelling to their home coun- home unless they get permis- The physician suggested tries, range from 45 to 65-inch sion from a doctor. that school authorities should full HD LED TVs regardless of “Parents are least aware of provide a clean environment brands and prices. the ill eff ects of sending sick to the children and all surfaces A merchandiser of another TV sets on display at a hypermarket in Doha. children to school. Sick chil- and materials in the classrooms brand echoed similar views say- dren may pose a health threat should be cleaned regularly. ing they anticipate such surge in washing machines,” he noted. the holidays, noted that TV sets he stressed. Besides Filipinos, a as there is a possibility of other Parents should ensure that demand not only during the Eid “Also, for other nationalities, a in Qatar cost less compared to salesperson at another major hy- children getting infected,” said their children get proper im- breaks but also in December. “Of good TV set serves as a status the prices back home. permarket chain in Doha said In- Dr Mohamed Rahmathulla Sha- munisation and are vaccinated. all the home appliances, smart symbol.” Previously, he added that cus- dians and Arabs, as well as other feeq, assistant executive direc- “Vaccination saves students TVs are the most appealing since In addition, he pointed out toms authorities in the Philip- nationalities, have also become tor of infection prevention and from the threat of infection and owners get to enjoy them at home that special promotions dur- pines only allow Filipino expa- their regular customers for TV control at HMC. Dr Mohamed R Shafeeq seasonal diseases. with other members of their ing this period help entice many triates to carry a maximum of sets. “All schools should have a Parents should take extra families and friends,” he said. people to get new TV sets for 42-inch TV set into the country. He added that a number of clinic along with a nurse. If lowed in schools after a family care during the winter months “You can have more than one their own use or as a gift to their “Now, we can bring up to 65- companies such as security students are found to be ailing physician ensures that they are as children are more vulnerable TV set depending on the number relatives back home. Allan T, a inch and I am really thankful for agencies, which normally buy in or showing symptoms of ail- cured,” he said. to seasonal diseases such as the of rooms and sections of your Filipino expatriate who usually that because I and my kids love to bulk, also buy TV sets during the ments they should be referred Dr Shafeeq has asked parents fl u from November to March,” house but you won’t buy three travels to Manila in December for watch movies on a large screen,” holiday seasons. to the clinic. They should be al- to send their children to school he added. HBKU Press releases educational HMC sitting posture children’s titles for new school year

amad Bin Khalifa Univer- sity (HBKU) Press has re- Hleased several new edu- cational books for children. The books, including Alpha- bet Songs (Aghani Al Horoof), My Happy Language (Loghati Saeeda), and Melodies of the For- est (Alhan al Ghaba), are available in Arabic and vary in themes that both endorse the the language and encourage curiosity and cre- ativity among children. “These books are perfect for the new school year. Through our outreach work with teachers and educators around Qatar, we have determined that there is a great need for quality educational re- sources in Arabic, both for teach- Alphabet Songs (Aghani Al Horoof), My Happy Language (Loghati Saeeda), and Melodies of the Forest ing and for enjoyment,” HBKU (Alhan al Ghaba), are available in Arabic. Press senior editor Jameela al- Mass al-Jassem said in a state- sem added. Alphabet Songs was ra. It tells the story of Ahmed, a perfect book for animal lovers ment. written by award-winning chil- young boy who is bored by his that combines fun and interest- “These books are supple- dren’s author, Basma El Khatib. Arabic language books and wants ing facts with beautiful illustra- mentary teaching resources that Readers are encouraged to sing nothing to do with their uninter- tions that are sure to educate and encourage learning among stu- the Arabic alphabet from alef to esting stories. entertain. dents. They add to the long list yaa to learn all 28 letters in the Melodies of the Forest, trans- These books and the full col- of quality works that HBKU Press Arabic language. lated from Catalan, explores facts lection of HBKU Press’s works Hamad Medical Corporation yesterday tweeted an infograph about the correct sitting posture is committed to publishing with My Happy Language is the de- about diff erent animals through are available to purchase in book- for students to keep their spine healthy. those very aims in mind,” al-Jas- but work of author, Balsem Amu- song, poetry, and prose. It is the stores in Qatar. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD US Middle East envoy Greenblatt Six militants shot dead in Egypt to quit after peace plan is released AFP Cairo

Reuters/AFP for the Palestinians and neighbour- Washington/Ramallah ing countries but have yet to release ix suspected militants were killed yesterday in their proposals for resolving diffi - a shootout with police near the Bahariya oasis cult political issues like the status Ssouthwest of the Egyptian capital, the interior ason Greenblatt, President of Jerusalem. ministry said. Donald Trump’s special envoy US offi cials said the political plan Police carried out a dawn raid against “terrorist ele- Jfor the Middle East, plans to is now complete and will be made ments” in a desert area near Bahariya, roughly 300km resign once the long-delayed US public when appropriate. southwest of Cairo, the ministry said in a statement. peace plan for Israel and the Pales- Trump has said he will release A shootout led to the death of six suspects, the min- tinians that he has been working on it some time after Israel holds an istry said, adding that a number of hunting rifl es and is released, offi cials said yesterday. election on September 17 that will four assault rifl es were found at the site. Greenblatt, who had intended to decide the fate of Prime Minister Militants have launched several attacks in the vast stay only two years when he began Benjamin Netanyahu. desert area west of the Nile. working at the White House in early Whether Trump releases the plan In November 2018, an Islamic State group attack 2017, is eager to return to his wife immediately after the election or he killed six Copts and an Anglican after they left the and six children who stayed behind waits until a governing coalition is Saint Samuel monastery west of the Nile in Minya at their home in New Jersey, the of- formed, a process that could take province. fi cials said. weeks, remains unclear. IS carried out another attack nearby in May 2017, Greenblatt and White House The Palestinian Authority has killing 29 Coptic pilgrims, many of them children. senior adviser Jared Kushner, as boycotted the US peace eff ort since Tourists have also been killed in attacks, but the well as the US ambassador to Israel, late 2017 when Trump decided to violence has mostly targeted police and soldiers. David Friedman, have led the eff ort move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv In February 2018, the army launched a nationwide to develop a peace plan for Israel to Jerusalem and recognised Jeru- off ensive against the militants, focused mainly on and the Palestinians and have spent salem as the capital of Israel, re- North Sinai, where the Islamic State group has a sig- the entire Trump presidency work- versing decades of US policy. nifi cant presence. ing on the project. The resignation is an “admission Described by Trump as the “deal of failure” for the White House’s of the century,” the Republican much-delayed Israeli-Palestinian A Palestinian protester yells at an Israeli soldier during a confrontation atop an Israeli army vehicle during a Mursi’s 25-yr-old son dies of heart attack president’s plan to solve one of the peace plan, a senior Palestinian of- protest against Israeli forces conducting an exercise in a residential area near the Palestinian village of Naqura, world’s most intractable disputes fi cial said. northwest of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on Wednesday. The youngest son of deceased ex-president Mohamed has drawn deep scepticism from “I think it is a fi nal admission of Mursi died on Wednesday night of a heart attack in Palestinians. failure,” senior Palestinian offi cial most extreme, hardline govern- State Department’s Iran team, will vastly improve the lives of millions Cairo, a family lawyer said. Abdallah Mursi, 25, suff ered Trump called Greenblatt “a loyal Hanan Ashrawi said when asked ment in the history of Israel.” take on an increased role, a senior of Israelis, Palestinians and others the fatal cardiac arrest while at the wheel of his car, and great friend and fantastic law- about Greenblatt stepping down. The political details of the plan administration offi cial said. in the region,” he said in a statement. Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsoud told AFP. “A friend who yer” and said he would be leaving to “They tried to bash the Palestin- have remained under wraps, with Hook has accompanied Green- The developing peace plan, was with him was able to stop the car and take him to pursue work in the private sector. ians into submission, to blackmail Kushner refusing to say even blatt and Kushner on trips to the which Greenblatt and others have hospital,” said the lawyer. “His dedication to Israel and to us to accept whatever their plan whether it would off er Palestinians region. kept secret, is viewed sceptically Mohamed Mursi — who as Egypt’s first freely elected seeking peace between Israel and was. From the beginning it was a state of their own. Greenblatt, a former lawyer for among many in the Arab world be- president headed an administration loyal to the now the Palestinians won’t be forgot- doomed to failure,” she told AFP. Greenblatt will hand over much Trump, said he was grateful to have cause of expectations it will be a banned Muslim Brotherhood until he was deposed by the ten,” Trump said in a Twitter post. “I think the Palestinians as a of his Middle East responsibilities been part of the team to draft “a vi- pro-Israel vision. The US team says military in 2013 — died in court on June 17. Egypt had de- So far, the White House has out- whole are going to say ‘good rid- to Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz. sion for peace.” the plan will require concessions clared the Brotherhood a terrorist organisation in late 2013. lined a $50bn redevelopment plan dance’. He was an apologist for the Brian Hook, the leader of the “This vision has the potential to from the Israelis.

Teachers protest UN: Syria’s wheat crop has doubled, but food security is still a challenge

Reuters found. fl ict have also strained Syri- Dubai “This means that the coun- ans’ access to food with prices try will still heavily rely on steadily increasing over the wheat imports,” he said. past year largely due to higher yria’s wheat and barley The fi gures were based on fuel prices and the deprecia- crops this year improved the mission team’s visit to 10 tion of the Syrian pound on Shelped by favourable of the country’s 14 governo- the informal market, the re- rainfall and better overall se- rates in June and July. port said. curity but food security re- The mission was not able to Around 6.5mn people in mains a challenge, a joint reach Raqqa and Idlib due to Syria are estimated to be food report by the United Nations insecurity. insecure and in need of food Food and Agriculture Organi- Wheat in Syria is used in and support. zation (FAO) and the World the production of fl at bread, a An additional 2.5mn people Food Programme (WFP) said subsidised staple for a popu- are at risk of food insecurity yesterday. lation that has suff ered under and need support to strength- Wheat production for the a confl ict estimated to have en their resilience. 2019 season was estimated killed several hundred thou- The report also noted a at 2.2mn tonnes, up from the sand people and forced mil- “more frequent and intense” 29-year low of 1.2mn tonnes lions to fl ee their homes since occurrence of fi eld fi res in produced last year, the report 2011. 2019 and found evidence to said. The steady fall in output suggest some fi res were start- “It is an improvement but has put President Bashar al- ed maliciously in areas with a lot remains to be done...it is Assad’s government under active confl ict. still 50% less than the pre-war increasing pressure to import A Reuters report in June fi gures,” Abdessalam Ould grain — a process complicated tracked the crop fi re phe- Ahmed, FAO assistant direc- by fi nancial sanctions. nomenon across the border in tor general and regional repre- Ould Ahmed said it was dif- neighbouring Iraq and found sentative for the Near East and fi cult to predict how much the wide discrepancies between North Africa, told Reuters. government would have to federal government estimates The fi gure is far below a import this year as it depend- of deliberate fi res and local of- pre-crisis average of 4.1mn ed on how much food assist- fi cials’ and farmers’ accounts. Jordanian teachers clash with security forces during a protest in Amman yesterday. Thousands of public school teachers marched in central tonnes a year, the Crop and ance would be delivered and In Syria, the government esti- Amman demanding higher wages, just four days after the start of school year, as the Jordan Teachers Association’s demanded a 50% salary Food Security Assessment its capacity to import in light mates that 85,000 hectares of increase. Mission report, conducted of fi nancial diffi culties. crop have been burned by fi res jointly by the FAO and WFP, Almost nine years of con- in 2019.

Women and babies at risk in Yemen as funds crunch Washington in talks with Yemeni rebels, says US offi cial

forces clinics to shut: UN AFP Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia Saudi-led coalition rejects UN report By Lena Masri, Reuters ductive health facilities would London mean that in the immediate term, 100,000 women who ashington is in talks with Yem- A Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi batants to prevent them from being used to ing the Houthis controlling Yemen’s capital, may develop life-threatening en’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels movement yesterday dismissed as subjec- commit serious violations. are two of the biggest buyers of US, British The United Nations yesterday complications would not be Win a bid to end the country’s war, tive and biased a United Nations report that “The report was based on a number of and French weapons. warned that more than half its able to access the services they a top US offi cial said yesterday, the rst fi called for a ban on arms transfers to Yemen’s inaccurate assumptions by the UN experts... The report accused the coalition of killing reproductive health facilities in require.” such contact in more than four years. warring sides. which stripped it of objectivity and impartial- civilians in air strikes and deliberately deny- war-hit Yemen would close by The UNFPA, which supports The negotiations open a direct channel The report released on Tuesday said the ity,” said a statement published by the Saudi ing them food in a country facing famine. the end of this month, putting 268 clinics in Yemen, said it had between President Donald Trump’s admin- United States, Britain and France may be state news agency, SPA. The coalition said yesterday that it the lives of women and babies at raised just $33mn of the $110mn istration and the Houthis amid the threat of complicit in war crimes in Yemen by arming The coalition said it would provide a “com- remained fully committed to carrying out risk, unless it got more funding. it needed for 2019. a broader regional confl ict with Iran. and providing intelligence and logistics sup- prehensive and detailed legal response” at a its military operations under the rules of in- The UN Population Fund The funding shortfall has al- It also comes as the rebels have stepped port to the coalition, which the study said later time. It rejected the report’s assertion ternational human law and international hu- (UNFPA) said it had closed 100 ready forced the agency to stop up missile and drone attacks on neighbour- deliberately starved civilians. that the coalition had not cooperated or man rights law. The prospect of famine has facilities at the end of August buying in medical equipment ing Saudi Arabia, a key US ally which heads The panel of UN investigators who wrote provided information to the panel. created what the United Nations describes and would have to shut 75 more and supplies. a military coalition against the Houthis. the report recommended that all states Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emir- as the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis, this month, leaving 650,000 “The immediate impact is that “We are narrowly focused on trying to impose a ban on arms transfers to the com- ates, the main parties in the coalition fight- where 24mn people rely on aid. women and girls without access the quality of services is com- end the war in Yemen,” Assistant Secretary to vital services. promised,” said Owomuhangi. of Near Eastern Aff airs David Schenker told The facilities perform a crucial “Clearly you could lose a reporters during a visit to Al Kharj air base The Wall Street Journal reported last former president Barack Obama held brief The Riyadh-led coalition, assisted by role in treating pregnant and number of women and babies as near the Saudi capital Riyadh. month that Washington was preparing for talks with Houthi leaders in June 2015 to Western powers including the US, has lactating women for acute mal- result of the lack of quality,” he “We are also having talks to the extent direct talks with the rebels and that its ne- convince them to attend UN-sponsored struggled to oust a ragtag but highly moti- nutrition in a country pushed to added, citing the risk of prema- possible with the Houthis to try and fi nd a gotiating team would be led by Christopher peace talks in Geneva. vated tribal militia that specialises in guer- the brink of famine by conflict. ture babies dying for the lack of mutually acceptable negotiated solution to Henzel, who became the Trump adminis- But the Geneva conference and further rilla tactics. The UNFPA estimates that an incubator. the confl ict.” tration’s fi rst ambassador to Yemen in April. rounds of talks have failed to bring an end The rebels, for their part, have exposed 1mn pregnant women in Yemen In Yemen, a woman dies from Schenker gave no further details on the A State Department offi cial said yester- to the confl ict, which has pushed Yemen to the limits of Saudi Arabia’s military might, are malnourished. complications of pregnancy talks, which mark a renewed eff ort to end a day that “the US ambassador to Yemen and the brink of famine. menacing its cities with what Riyadh says “We are now trying to reach and childbirth every two hours, complex confl ict that has left tens of thou- other US diplomats talk to all Yemenis to Fatima Abo Alasrar, a scholar at the Wash- are Iran-supplied weapons. as many women as possible according to the UNFPA. sands dead and sparked what the United further US objectives in the country”. “We ington-based Middle East Institute, told AFP In a new front that threatens to tear Yem- with a minimum package of Due to the conflict, only about Nations labels the world’s worst humani- are focused on supporting a comprehensive that talks with the Houthis were not taking en apart, the Saudi-backed government reproductive health services, so half of Yemen’s health facilities tarian crisis. political agreement that will end the con- place “in a vacuum” but were “most likely was recently ousted from its interim capital that no woman dies giving life,” are functioning and many Senior Houthi offi cial Hamid Assem told fl ict,” the offi cial said. after consultations with the Saudis”. Aden by southern separatists — propped up said Nestor Owomuhangi, the women already have to travel far AFP he could neither confi rm nor deny the The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital Riyadh had reportedly hoped for a quick by top Saudi regional ally the United Arab UNFPA’s deputy representative to get to a clinic, risking being rebels were in talks with Washington. Sanaa and much of the country’s north in win against the Houthis, but instead waded Emirates. The feud has exposed simmering in Yemen. stopped at checkpoints along “That the United States says they are 2014, sparking a Saudi-led military inter- into a quagmire that has cost it billions of divisions within the anti-Houthi alliance “The closure of these repro- the way. talking to us is a great victory for us and vention the following March. dollars and hurt its reputation, while dev- that analysts say undermines their joint proves that we are right,” he said. US offi cials from the administration of astating the Arab world’s poorest country. campaign against the Houthis. Gulf Times 4 Friday, September 6, 2019 AFRICA SA strained by ‘Afrophobia’, riots upstage summit

Reuters exposed tensions between the contact community groups to South African counterparts that Cape Town host country and Nigeria, the see what role they could play, it was not safe to travel. continent’s two biggest econo- she said. “We are keeping our fi ngers mies. The riots began eight days ago crossed that things will normal- outh Africa yesterday Yesterday, Jim Ovia, chair- in Pretoria before spreading to ise by next week,” said NAM- promised to tackle the man of Nigeria’s Zenith Bank nearby Johannesburg. Board Agribusiness Manager Sprejudice fuelling a wave and a co-chair of the whole Both cities, in Gauteng prov- Tammy Dlamini. of riots and xenophobic attacks, Cape Town event, withdrew, ince, have large immigrant pop- Earlier in the day, Ramaphosa as growing international anger citing the “hypersensitivity of ulations. cancelled his appearance at the over the violence overshadowed the issues surrounding the lives Police yesterday reported 15 WEF plenary session to address a pan-African economic confer- and well-being of Nigerian citi- associated deaths since then, of a crowd protesting for a sec- ence in Cape Town. zens living in South Africa.” which Gauteng police commis- ond day about violence against President Cyril Ramaphosa Nigeria, whose vice presi- sioner Elias Mawela confi rmed women. said at least ten people had dent had boycotted the summit seven were directly linked to the Speaking in his place, Fi- died during a week of violence on Wednesday, also recalled its violence. nance Minister Tito Mboweni targeting foreign-owned busi- High Commissioner (ambassa- Police had also made 423 ar- said most South Africans disap- nesses, of whom two were for- dor) to South Africa. rests. proved of attacks on foreigners eigners. South African government In the Democratic Republic and the principle of freedom of “Over the past few days our offi cials have up to now largely of Congo’s second city Lubum- movement for the continent’s country has been deeply trau- blamed the attacks on criminals. bashi, residents protested out- citizens was key. matised and troubled by acts But Foreign Minister Naledi side the South African consu- But animosities were gener- of violence and criminality di- Pandor acknowledged some of it late and a South African-owned ating violence, and politicians rected against foreign nationals was being driven by “Afropho- shop was looted, witnesses told were partly responsible. and our own citizens,” he said in bia” — resentment of other Af- Reuters yesterday. “We have to go to our people a televised address. ricans living and working there. Some commercial links were politically to discuss what some He had hoped the three-day “There is a targeting of Afri- also aff ected. of them are doing is wrong.” World Economic Forum would cans from other parts of Africa, Tanzania’s national car- Central bank data yesterday serve as a shop window for his we can’t deny that,” she told rier yesterday suspended fl ights showed South Africa’s trade eff orts to revive South Africa’s Reuters on the sidelines of the from the commercial capital Dar balance swung to a defi cit in the ailing economy and boost intra- conference. “But, there is also es Salaam to Johannesburg, cit- second quarter while the cur- African trade. criminality.” ing ongoing violence that it said rent account defi cit widened. But the violence, which has Pandor said the government was a risk to its passengers. The economy grew more than also led to hundreds of arrests, was working to restore calm and In neighbouring eSwatini, the forecast in the same period but has all but eclipsed proceedings. was in constant contact with National Agricultural Marketing it had contracted sharply in the While the foreign victims’ Nigerian authorities. Board said trucks that normally previous three months, and the nationalities have not been The government would look carry farm produce south across heads of two local fi nancial fi rms made public, the rioting, and at school curricula to tackle the border were being kept in said yesterday that a meaningful Ivorian shop-owner Paul Dihi points to his looted shop in Johannesburg suburb of Malvern after South reprisal attacks, have above all “problematic attitudes” and their depot after advice from recovery was years away. Africa’s financial capital was hit by a new wave of anti-foreigner violence on Wednesday.

Tanzanian arrested with Germany supports tusks from 117 elephants A Tanzanian man has been arrested after authorities additional skills for found a stash of ivory buried under his house, esti- mated to come from around 117 elephants. The suspect, who had been sought by authorities UN Congo mission since 2016, had in his possession 338 pieces of el- ephant tusk, and 75 whole tusks, the minister of natural resources, Hamisi Kigwangalla, said in a statement DPA yesterday. He was arrested along with seven alleged Kinshasa accomplices, and the tusks are believed to have come from Tanzania and Mozambique. “Until his arrest on Tuesday, he was unable to move this erman Foreign Minister Heiko Maas yesterday sup- stock, because we have become extremely vigilant,” said ported the idea of making the world’s largest UN Kigwangalla. “I am giving a period of grace of one month Gpeacekeeping mission in Congo more effi cient. “It for any person in possession of elephant tusks to hand won’t work without a military component, it won’t work them in to authorities without facing prosecution.” without additional skills,” Maas said in the capital Kinshasa, Since 2016, around 1,000 poachers, some heavily on his last day of a two-country visit to Africa. armed, have been arrested in Tanzania whose elephant The minister also recommended better co-ordination be- population plunged 60% between 2009 and 2014 due tween peacekeeping and humanitarian activities. The resource- to poaching. In February a Tanzanian court sentenced rich central African nation has suff ered several civil wars in re- Chinese citizen Yang Fenlan — dubbed the ‘Ivory cent decades during which millions of people were killed. Queen’ — to 15 years in jail for her role in traff icking The UN, which has tried to stabilise the country for the tusks from more than 400 elephants. past 20 years with a 15,000 strong peacekeeping force, will Poaching has seen the population of African present a new deployment strategy in October. In December, elephants fall by 110,000 over the past decade to just the UN Security Council scheduled to decide on an extension 415,000 animals, according to the International Union of the peacekeeping force’s mandate. The precarious security for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The slaughter is situation in eastern Congo is also hampering the fi ght against being fuelled especially by demand in Asia, where ivory an Ebola epidemic, which has caused more than 2,000 deaths is used for jewellery and ornamentation. over the past 13 months.

Francis hails Mozambique peace deal, expresses solidarity with cyclone victims

AFP Maputo

ope Francis, on the fi rst full day of his visit to Mozambique, yes- Pterday heaped praise on a peace deal between government and rebels and off ered solidarity to victims of two devastating cyclones. His maiden visit to the poor south- east African country came a month after the government and the former rebel group Renamo, now the main op- position party, signed a historic treaty. Their 16-year civil war devastated the former Portuguese colony before developing into a fi tful truce, and Re- namo had never completely disarmed. In talks with President Filipe Nyusi, the Pope expressed his “personal grat- itude...for the eff orts made in recent decades to ensure that peace is once Pope Francis greets faithful from the Pope-mobile in Maputo yesterday. more the norm.” Reconciliation, he said, is “the best reconciliation we signed on August 6,” tion, I pray that, in God’s providence, path to confront the diffi culties and spokesman Jose Manteigas told AFP. constant concern will be shown by all challenges that you face as a nation.” “(May) the Pope’s profound mes- those civil and social groups who make He described the accord as “a land- sage be a source of inspiration to all people their priority and are in a position mark that we greet with the hope that Mozambicans in ending the confl ict, to promote the necessary rebuilding.” it will prove decisive.” political persecution and the violation The Pope also addressed an inter- The talks at the presidential palace of human rights.” religious group of young people, telling were also attended by Renamo chief Francis, the fi rst Pope to visit Mo- them not to be discouraged by personal Ossufo Momade and other opposition zambique since John Paul II in 1988, and social challenges, citing the exam- leaders. had arrived on Wednesday evening ple of the country’s late top footballer, Nyusi thanked the Pope for his sup- to a rapturous welcome by waving Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, who rose port and encouragement. and dancing crowds on the streets of from rags to play for the Portuguese But he also warned that prospects Maputo. club Benfi ca. for enduring peace were being threat- His three-day trip to the disaster- Known as the ‘Black Panther’, Da ened by an insurgency that erupted in prone country is the fi rst on a tour Silva moved to Benfi ca when he was northern Mozambique in 2017. of three African countries, including 19 and became a key fi gure when his “The eff ective peace that we long Madagascar and Mauritius. squad won the 1962 European Cup, for...has been threatened in the north- Cyclone Idai smashed into the coun- scoring twice in the 5-3 victory over ern province of Cabo Delgado, where try in March, only to be followed by Real Madrid in the fi nal. He won 11 faceless evil-doers sow terror, kill, Cyclone Kenneth in April. league titles and fi ve Portuguese Cups destroy and plunder the goods of de- More than 600 people were killed during a 15-year career with the Lisbon fenceless populations,” said Nyusi. and the lives of hundreds of thousands giants. Nyusi is hoping for a second term in of others were aff ected. “The severe economic hardships offi ce at general elections scheduled “I want you to know of my own par- of his family and the premature death for October 15. ticipation in your anguish and suff er- of his father did not prevent him from Renamo said the Pope’s visit should ing, and the commitment of the com- dreaming; his passion for football be a spur to ending the tensions of the munity to respond to this most diffi cult made him persevere,” said the Pope to civil war. situation,” Francis said. 2,000 youths from various religions, “May his presence seal the peace and “Amid the catastrophe and desola- including Muslims. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 5 AMERICAS Pentagon diverts funds to pay for Trump’s wall

Reuters Schools for the children of US In March, the Pentagon sent to not any guarantees that those West Point in Schumer’s state is tion policies as he aims for re- She said in a statement the Fort Washington military members from Kentucky Congress a broad list of projects funds will come. the most expensive project im- election in 2020. Huachuca project was already to Germany to Japan will be af- that could be aff ected. On Tuesday, the Pentagon pacted in the United States with Some $30mn in funds for an delayed. fected. A Pentagon offi cial said in a said the fi rst $1.8bn would come $95mn pulled from construction equipment building at Fort Hua- House of Representatives he Pentagon said on A daycare centre at Joint Base briefi ng that the department was from projects outside the United on its engineering centre. chuca in southern Arizona will be Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Wednesday that it would Andrews in Maryland – the home given a “lawful order” by Trump States, followed by projects in- The list of aff ected projects diverted to pay for the wall. call with fellow Democrats on Tpull funding from 127 of Air Force One – will also have to divert the funds. side the country. also includes roads, maintenance Republican US Senator Mar- Tuesday that the diversion of Defence Department projects, its funds diverted, the Pentagon She said that the Pentagon is Senate Democratic leader shops, equipment storage build- tha McSally of Arizona said she military funds “will undermine including schools and daycare said. working closely with Congress Chuck Schumer said the Trump ings and hazardous material fought to ensure no projects in our national security, quality of centres for military families, as it Trump declared a national and its allies abroad to fi nd fund- administration’s reallocation of warehouses. her state would be aff ected and life and morale of our troops”. diverts $3.6bn to fund President emergency earlier this year to ac- ing to replace money diverted for funds was a “slap in the face” to The wall was a central promise was guaranteed of that by former “That indeed makes America Donald Trump’s wall along the cess the funds from the military the wall. members of the US military. of Trump’s 2016 campaign and acting defence secretary Patrick less safe,” she added. US border with Mexico. construction budget. However, she added, there are The US Military Academy at remains central to his immigra- Shanahan.

San Francisco board approves naming the NRA a domestic terrorist organisation San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a resolution naming the National Rifle Association (NRA) a domestic ter- rorist organisation and encouraged other cities to do the same. Supervisor Catherine Stefani introduced the resolution after a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Northern California in July killed three people, including two children, and injured 17. Hurricane Dorian Citing recent mass shootings as well as a rise in hate crimes, the resolution accuses the country’s most influential gun lobbyist group of spreading “propaganda that misinforms and aims to deceive the public about the dangers of gun violence”, promoting extremist posi- tions and arming “individuals who would and have committed acts of terrorism” through its advocacy. Following the attack in Gilroy, 22 were killed in a shooting in El Paso, Texas, nine in Dayton, Ohio, and seven in Odessa, Texas. creeps up US coast “People are dying every day in this country,” Stefani said in an inter- view with KTVU-TV on Tuesday. “Doing nothing is not an option. And Reuters noon that more than 7” (18cm) of that’s what the NRA continues to do.” Charleston, South Carolina rain had fallen in parts of Charle- The resolution called for labelling the NRA a domestic terrorist organi- ston. sation and asking San Francisco’s city and county governments to Dorian was about 50 miles limit any business relationships its vendors and contractors may have eserted, rain-lashed (80km) off Charleston yesterday, with the organisation. streets in Charleston, wavering in strength between a It also called on San Francisco leaders to encourage other jurisdic- DSouth Carolina, vanished Category 2 and 3 on the fi ve-step tions, including cities, states and the federal government, to adopt beneath water yesterday as Hur- Saffi r-Simpson wind scale. similar positions on the NRA. ricane Dorian churned a few doz- It was forecast to possibly In response, the NRA said in a tweet that the decision is a reckless en miles off shore after reducing make landfall in North Carolina assault on “a law-abiding organisation, its members, and the freedoms parts of the Bahamas to rubble. early today. they all stand for”. Water pooled a few inches Life-threatening storm surges “This ludicrous stunt by the Board of Supervisors is an eff ort to deep near the centuries-old wa- and dangerous winds were possi- distract from the real problems facing San Francisco, such as rampant terfront. ble in much of the coast of South homelessness, drug abuse and skyrocketing petty crime, to name a In certain low-lying blocks, Carolina, North Carolina and few. The NRA will continue working to protect the constitutional rights it rose to a foot or more, as high Virginia, the National Weather of all freedom-loving Americans,” the organisation said in a statement tide approached and forecasters Service (NWS) said. to KTVU. warned of storm surges of up to Dorian whipped up at least 8’ (2m). three tornados in the region, of- A car drives past a fallen tree branch on Calhoun Street, in Charleston, South Carolina. John Rivers, 74, and his three fi cials said. children were among the few to One in North Carolina dam- most damaging storm ever to hit At least four storm-related Battery Street, which runs down be seen in the streets yesterday. aged scores of trailers in a camp the island nation. deaths have already been re- to the harbour, Brys Stephens They cleared drains of branch- ground in Emerald Isle, but no In the Carolinas alone, more ported. tried to keep the water away from es, leaves and debris, using a one was injured, North Caro- than 900,000 people had been Three people died in Orange his stately home, built in the ve- Documentary on shovel, a rake and their bare lina’s News & Observer reported. ordered to evacuate their homes. County, Florida, during storm randa-wrapped Southern style hands. Governors in the region de- It was unclear how many did preparations or evacuation, ac- that lures crowds of tourists to “We’re giving the water some- clared states of emergency, so. cording to the Orange County the city. The Band to kick off where to go,” Rivers said, shelter- closed schools, opened shelters, In Kill Devil Hills, in North mayor’s offi ce. He and his family pumped wa- ing temporarily from the driving readied national guard troops Carolina’s Outer Banks, Mark In North Carolina, an 85-year- ter out of the yard and tried to rain and gusts of wind under a and implored residents to take Jennings decided to ignore the old man fell off a ladder while reattach metal fl ood gates into Toronto fi lm festival covered walkway. warnings seriously, as fresh im- order, lining his garage door with barricading his home for Dorian, the perimeter wall. His daughter Caroline, 12, ages of the devastation wrought sandbags and boarding up his the governor said. “The gates have worked pretty pulled off her rubber boots one at by the storm in the Bahamas ear- home with plywood. More than 210,000 homes and well so far, and we’ve managed to Reuters to win top awards, including a time, emptying a stream of wa- lier this week continued to circu- The retired fi refi ghter planned businesses were without power keep water away from the house,” Toronto past Oscar best picture win- ter from each. late in the media. to stay put with his wife and in South Carolina and Georgia Stephens explained. “But we’ve ners Green Book, 12 Years a “I see this as a good life lesson At least 70,000 Bahamians two dogs: “We are ready to go. If early yesterday, according to lo- got another storm surge com- Slave, and Slumdog Millionaire. for my kids,” Rivers said. needed immediate humanitar- something happens, we can still cal electric companies. ing later on, so we’ll see then if it he Toronto International Fresh from rave reviews in Offi cials said yesterday after- ian relief after Dorian became the get out of here.” On Charleston’s historic South holds.” Film Festival opens on Venice, Phoenix will walk the Ta decidedly Canadian red carpet for the dark comic note with a documentary about book origin story Joker, and infl uential rockers The Band also receive a career award, kicking off 10 days of mov- along with Streep and New ies vying for attention in the Zealand’s Taika Waititi, the Global eff ort to aid devastated Bahamas gears up upcoming Hollywood awards writer-director behind World season. War II satire Jojo Rabbit. Meryl Streep, Nicole Kid- Hanks brings the world pre- Reuters 2,500 comments, mainly listing man, Tom Hanks, Joaquin miere of A Beautiful Day in the Nassau lost family members. Phoenix, Jennifer Lopez and Neighbourhood about the late, Dorian killed one person in Renee Zellweger are among the beloved US children’s TV show Puerto Rico before hovering over A-list stars expected in Toron- host Mister Rogers, while Kid- n international relief ef- the Bahamas for two days with to to promote movies includ- man stars in the adaptation of fort to bring humanitarian torrential rains and fi erce winds ing The Goldfi nch, Judy, and the epic best-selling 2013 novel Aaid to stunned residents that whipped up 12- to 18-foot A Beautiful Day in the Neigh- The Goldfi nch. of the Bahamas gathered pace (3.7- to 5.5m) storm surges. bourhood that are already gen- Zellweger takes on screen yesterday as Hurricane Dorian A fl ight from the US Agency erating Oscar buzz. and singing legend Judy Gar- churned northward off the coast for International Development Once Were Brothers: Rob- land in Judy, a biopic set around of South Carolina, threatening (Usaid) landed in the Bahamas bie Robertson and The Band some of her last performances storm surges and fl ooding. early yesterday with enough re- tells the story of the Canadian in 1968 in London. Aerial video of the worst-hit lief supplies to help 31,500 peo- songwriter and guitarist from Hustlers stars Lopez, Cardi Abaco Islands in the northern ple, bringing hygiene kits, water his early years backing Ronnie B and Lizzo as a group of pole Bahamas showed widespread containers and buckets, plastic Hawkins with future members dancers and strippers who devastation, with the harbour, sheeting and chain saws. of The Band and their stint in conspire to turn the tables on shops, workplaces, a hospital and Also arriving was a disaster as- the mid-1960s backing Bob some of their Wall Street cli- airport landing strips damaged sistance response team (DART) Dylan, as the folk legend made ents, while comedian Eddie or decimated, frustrating rescue plane that included a fi re and his controversial transition to Murphy reinvents himself and eff orts. rescue team from Fairfax County, electrifi ed rock. his screen character in Do- The United Nations estimated Virginia, to help the authorities It follows the confl icts and lemite Is My Name. more than 76,000 people were in search for survivors, Usaid’s Of- challenges the group faced en Other closely watched mov- need of humanitarian relief after fi ce of Foreign Disaster Assist- route to becoming one of the ies among the 245 feature fi lms the most damaging storm ever to An aerial view of damage from Hurricane Dorian in Marsh Harbour of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. ance said on Twitter. most infl uential bands in rock at Toronto include Ford v Fer- hit the island nation. A British Royal Navy vessel music history. rari, starring Matt Damon and The UN World Food Pro- hoosel, WFP spokesperson. ters revealed the scope of de- losses in the Bahamas amounted was providing assistance, and Ja- The fi rst Canadian docu- Christian Bale as the Ford team gramme (WFP) said that it “In a fi rst phase, the WFP will struction. to $7bn, including buildings and maica was sending a 150-mem- mentary to open the Toronto tasked with building a race bought eight metric tonnes of focus on the immediate procure- One of the storm survivors business interruptions, accord- ber military contingent to help festival in its 44-year history, car to challenge Ferrari in the ready-to-eat meals and was or- ment and distribution of up to on the Abaco Islands, Ramond ing to a preliminary estimate by secure Abaco and Grand Bahama, the movie was inspired by Rob- 1960s; Harriet, in which Tony ganising an airlift from Panama 85 MT of ready-to-eat meals for King, said he watched as swirl- Karen Clark & Co, a consultancy offi cials said. ertson’s 2016 memoir Testi- winner Cynthia Erivo plays US of storage units, generators and the most aff ected communities,” ing winds ripped the roof off his that provides catastrophic mod- Volunteers also ferried sup- mony and directed by Toronto- abolitionist Harriet Tubman; prefabricated offi ces for two lo- Verhoosel said. house, then churned to a neigh- eling and risk management serv- plies to the islands in a fl otilla of born Daniel Roher. and a fi lm of Bruce Springsteen gistics hubs, as well as satellite Dorian was rated a Category 5 bour’s home to pluck the entire ices. small boats. The Toronto festival has a giving a private performance of equipment for emergency re- hurricane when it killed at least structure into the sky. With telephones down in As many as 13,000 homes in reputation for bringing early songs from his new solo album sponders. 20 people in the Bahamas. “’This can’t be real, this can’t many areas, residents posted lists the Bahamas may have been de- attention to movies that go on Western Stars. The agency has allocated Authorities expect that be real’,” King recalled thinking. of missing loved ones on social stroyed or severely damaged, the $5.4mn to a three-month emer- number to rise, Prime Minister “Nothing is here, nothing at all. media. International Federation of Red gency operation to support Hubert Minnis said at a news Everything is gone, just bodies.” One Facebook post by media Cross and Red Crescent Societies De Blasio may end presidential bid 39,000 people, said Hervé Ver- briefi ng, as retreating fl oodwa- Total insured and uninsured outlet Our News Bahamas had said.

New York mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday he may drop out of the race to become the 2020 Democratic candidate as early as next month if he fails to muster more support. De Blasio, 58, is flagging in the polls on just 1% and faces an uphill battle to meet the criteria required to participate in a key television 400mn Facebook users’ phone numbers exposed: reports debate scheduled for mid-October. “I think the logical thing to say is I’m going to go and try and make the October debates and if I can, that’s a good reason to keep AFP several databases – including The server was not password- It added that many of the en- personal details, the company going forward, and if I can’t, I think it’s really tough to conceive of Washington 133mn US accounts, more than protected, meaning anyone tries were duplicates and that the disabled a feature that allowed continuing,” he told reporters. 50mn in Vietnam, and 18mn in could access the databases, and data was old. users to search the platform by It was the first time de Blasio has considered publicly that he could Britain, according to technology remained online until late on “The dataset has been taken phone numbers. quit. hone numbers linked to news site TechCruch. Wednesday when TechCrunch down and we have seen no evi- The exposure of a user’s phone Candidates in the crowded field will have to register 2% in four more than 400mn Face- The databases listed Facebook contacted the site’s host. dence that Facebook accounts number leaves them vulnerable recent polls and have at least 130,000 separate donors in at least 20 Pbook accounts were listed user IDs – unique digits attached Facebook confi rmed parts of were compromised,” a Facebook to spam calls, SIM-swapping – US states by October 1 to qualify for the debate. online in the latest privacy lapse to each account – the profi les’ the report but downplayed the spokesperson told AFP. as recently happened to Twitter De Blasio will miss the next debate, on September 12, after failing to for the social media giant, US phone numbers, as well as the extent of the exposure, saying Following the 2018 Cambridge chief executive Jack Dorsey – meet the criteria, with voters unconvinced he has what it takes to media reported on Wednesday. gender listed by accounts and that the number of accounts so Analytica scandal, when a fi rm with hackers able to force-reset defeat President Donald Trump at the polls. An exposed server stored their physical locations, website far confi rmed was around half of used Facebook’s lax privacy set- the passwords of the compro- Six candidates have already dropped out but there are 20 left. 419mn records on users across TechCrunch reported. the reported 419mn. tings to access millions of users’ mised accounts. Gulf Times 6 Friday, September 6, 2019 ASIA Police to hunt down Convicted separatists blamed for Papua unrest

Reuters About 6,000 be used to hold Wenda account- monitor the situation in some Jakarta able. areas. The decision was taken police and A spokesman for Indonesia’s after the online fl ow of “hoax military foreign ministry declined to information” had declined, the ndonesian police yesterday comment. ministry said in a statement. vowed to hunt down separa- personnel have Wenda, who has political The Internet restrictions Itists blamed for violent pro- been flown asylum in Britain, was quoted continued in places where pro- tests in the region of Papua, as in media as saying the Indone- testers torched buildings, such the government partially lifted in to Papua, sian government should focus as the cities of Jayapura and an Internet blackout imposed in reinforcing a on resolving the Papuan issue Manokwari, as well as some ru- French national Samuel Pierre Danguny (right) leaves court following a hearing on a drugs the easternmost area after three rather than making accusations ral towns like Deiyai, where ci- possession charge in Denpasar on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali yesterday. Indonesian weeks. heavy military against him. vilians were killed during a clash judges sentenced Danguny to four years in prison after he was convicted for possessing The region has suff ered its presence in a Papua and West Papua prov- between security forces and marijuana and hashish. most serious civil unrest in years inces, the resource-rich western protesters last week. since mid-August over per- region that has part of the island of New Guinea, Authorities and activists have ceived racial and ethnic discrim- endured decades were a Dutch colony that was in- given diff erent accounts on the ination. Some protesters have corporated into Indonesia after incident and the Internet black- Indonesia police identify couple behind church blast also demanded an independence of mostly low- a widely criticised UN-backed out has made verifying informa- referendum, something the gov- level separatist referendum in 1969. tion diffi cult. ernment has ruled out. The latest protests followed Dozens of people have been An Indonesian militant and parents so it’s them,” Indonesian of suicide bombings at churches About 6,000 police and mili- conflict racist slurs against Papuan stu- arrested across Papua and West his wife carried out January national police spokesman Dedi in Indonesia’s second-biggest tary personnel have been fl own dents, whose dormitory was Papua provinces for damaging suicide bombings at a Catholic Prasetyo told reporters. The city Surabaya last year, killing a in to Papua, reinforcing a heavy He said police had identi- tear gassed during their deten- property, police said. cathedral in the Philippines that couple had earlier tried to go dozen congregants. In January, military presence in a region fi ed the people behind the un- tion in the city of Surabaya on In Jakarta, several Papuan killed 21 people, Jakarta said to Syria to join the Islamic State two explosions ripped through that has endured decades of rest, accusing separatist leader Java island on Aug 17, Indone- students have been arrested and yesterday, citing DNA tests. group (IS) and subsequently a cathedral on the Philippines’ mostly low-level separatist con- Benny Wenda of orchestrating sia’s Independence Day, for al- charged with treason after join- Indonesian police said testing underwent an Indonesian Muslim-majority island of Jolo, fl ict. the unrest ahead of a UN Hu- legedly desecrating a national ing protests calling for an inde- performed on the couple’s government deradicalisation killing worshippers at Sunday “What’s happening in Papua man Rights Council meeting flag. pendence vote, at which separa- remains confirmed their programme. They were initially mass and security forces — now and abroad was designed that starts on September 9 to get Meanwhile, Indonesia’s com- tist symbols were displayed. involvement – after announcing identified as suspects in the raising fears about growing links by a group ... which I will hunt Papua onto the agenda “at the munications ministry said in a Police have also named a in July that they believed the Philippines church attack by two between militants in Southeast down,” national police chief Tito expense of the people”. statement it had ended a shut- prominent human rights lawyer attackers were married couple militants linked to Indonesian Asia. IS claimed responsibility Karnavian told a news confer- Police spokesman Dedi Pra- down of the Internet and data and activist, Veronica Koman, a Rullie Rian Zeke and his wife terror network Jamaah Ansharut for the cathedral blast, saying ence from the Papuan provincial setyo told media on Wednesday access for most parts of Papua, suspect in connection with her Ulfah Handayani Saleh. Daulah (JAD). two suicide bombers detonated capital of Jayapura. that diplomatic channels would though it would continue to Twitter posts about the unrest. “They shared DNA with their Members of JAD staged a wave explosive belts.

EU cautions Indonesia about Philippines to bring back retaliating against biodiesel duties ex-prisoners released early AFP Reuters The EU biodiesel market is porters that use dairy products members of WTO, we have rules Manila Jakarta worth an estimated 9bn euros from the EU, they pointed out of the game between partners,” ($10bn) a year, with imports from it will damage the Indonesian said Geurts. Indonesia worth about 400mn economy to have this kind of Indonesia’s director general of hilippine police pledged uropean Union representa- euros, the European Commission measure,” Quarto said. Charles- foreign trade at the trade minis- yesterday to track down tives to Indonesia yester- said last month. Indonesia’s to- Michel Geurts, the head of the try and the ministry’s spokesman Pnearly 2,000 ex-prison- Eday challenged a plan to tal dairy and egg imports in 2018 EU delegations to Indonesia, also declined to comment yesterday. ers including convicted mur- impose duties on European dairy were worth $1bn, trade ministry noted problems with shipments The EU countervailing duties derers and rapists who were let goods in retaliation for the bloc’s data showed, with most dairy of European spirits into Indone- are another blow for Indone- out early for good behaviour, in duties on palm biodiesel, warn- imports coming from Australia, sia in the past six months amid sia, the world’s biggest palm oil some cases years ago. ing such action would violate New Zealand, the United States suspicion this was linked to the producer, after the bloc said that Revelations in recent weeks World Trade Organisation rules. and Europe. “What the WTO biodiesel issue. palm oil should not be included about the inmates’ release have Indonesia’s Trade Minister does not allow, absolutely for- European spirit makers this as a renewable transport fuel due sparked outrage in the Philip- Enggartiasto Lukita said on Aug bidden by the WTO regulation, is year said they faced diffi culties to deforestation to make way for pines, with critics accusing au- 9 he was recommending to an in- retaliation, which is what’s sug- exporting drinks to Indonesia. plantations. thorities of gross incompetence ter-ministerial team a 20%-25% gested in this case of dairy prod- An Indonesian trade ministry Indonesia and Malaysia, the and possibly corruption. tariff on EU dairy products as the ucts,” the EU’s head of trade for offi cial said there were delays world’s second biggest palm oil “I have immediately directed appropriate response to the EU’s Indonesia, Raff aele Quarto, told in granting import licences for producer, have repeatedly said all police units nationwide to plan to impose 8% to 18% coun- a briefi ng. spirits from Europe, but denied the European measures against receive and account for (the tervailing duty on biodiesel from “In addition to that, if you see this was related to the dispute the edible oil industry are dis- ex-prisoners),” national police Indonesia. declaration of Indonesian im- over palm oil. “We are both criminatory. chief Oscar Albayalde told re- President Rodrigo Duterte porters. “Tracker teams... will be deployed”. role, yet also revealed many “If you do not... well you The controversy centres on other convicts with similarly know things can go wrong,” about 1,900 people convicted serious records had already added Duterte, who frequently of serious crimes such as rape, been freed. threatens perceived enemies murder and kidnapping who Since then there has been a with violence in his public were released early due to good steady drip of blame and con- comments. By yesterday police Thailand seeks $251mn for said that two men convicted conduct under a 2013 law in- fusion, with allegations the law tended to ease conditions at was never supposed to be ap- in separate murder cases, one the nation’s notoriously over- plied to serious crimes and the of whom had been freed from crowded prisons. These re- possibility raised that corrupt prison over a year ago, had sur- leases had gone largely unre- offi cials had played a role. rendered to authorities. palace budget, a 13% hike Resistance to putting the marked until news broke last Duterte waded further into month that a former politician the matter Wednesday by or- ex-prisoners back behind bars AFP ministration of Prayut Chan-O- numbers are likely to be the same. of the Crown Property Bureau convicted in the 1990s and sen- dering the ex-cons convicted has been muted, but opposition Bangkok Cha, a former coup maker turned There are planned increases (CPB), which has assets in banks, tenced to decades behind bars of the most serious off ences to lawmaker Carlos Zarate ex- civilian premier after a disputed in defence, fi nance and interior companies and prime real estate in a notorious rape and murder turn themselves within 15 days pressed concern over the legal poll. ministries, and a slight decrease that experts estimate to be worth case was about to get out early or face arrest, or worse. “If I impact. hailand plans to allocate The funds for the palace were in education. $30-$60bn. for good behaviour. were you, I would surrender to “My fear is that in so doing more than $251mn for included in a proposal released King Vajiralongkorn inher- Royal family fi nances remain The news sparked a fi erce the nearest police or military (arresting) we are sacrifi cing Tmonarchy “security” in by the budget bureau, which pro- ited one of the world’s wealthiest a closely guarded secret, and the backlash from the public and detachment wherever you are substantial rights just because the 2020 budget, a hike of more vided no detailed breakdown on and most powerful monarchies king is shielded from public scru- prompted President Rodrigo now because I do not need to we want to address this with than 13% year-on-year, accord- how the money would be used from his beloved father Bhumibol tiny and criticism by a royal defa- Duterte to halt the man’s pa- have a warrant,” Duterte said. speed,” he told AFP. ing to fi gures confi rmed by a gov- and were labelled only “security Adulyadej, who died in October mation law that carries up to 15 ernment spokesperson yesterday. fundamentals”. 2016. years per count. The proposal, which still needs The cabinet agreed on the 2020 Experts say his reign has been But Thais are still fascinated parliamentary approval, comes fi gures Tuesday, government more assertive than the revered by palace life. Photos of the newly four months after 67-year-old spokesperson Narumon Pinyos- Bhumibol, who was on the throne crowned king’s royal consort Fogging out diseases King Maha Vajiralongkorn was inwat told AFP. “Next there will for 70 years. The royal security showing the 34-year-old former crowned in an elaborate ceremo- be a drafting of the budget bill detail was quadrupled and beefed royal bodyguard and army nurse ny. which will be proposed to the up to number more than 1,600, in camoufl age fatigues, taking It is also the fi rst budget under parliament around the end of this authorities announced last year. part in military drills and fl ying a the staunchly pro-royalist ad- year,” she said, adding that the The new king took control small plane went viral last month.

Myanmar airport closes after plane skids off runway

Reuters transport plane slid off the run- tion, told Reuters by telephone. Airlines plane skidded on the Yangon way at Yangon international air- International fl ights would not runway of the Yangon interna- port in the morning after one of resume until the aircraft could be tional airport in heavy rain, lead- its engines failed, according to a removed, he said. ing to more than a dozen people yanmar’s largest airport government statement. “My husband is now stuck at being sent to hospital. Later that was forced to close tem- There were no injuries re- the airport in Dhaka, and can’t month, a Myanmar National Air- Mporarily after a military ported, but outbound fl ights come home as he planned,” said lines fl ight was forced to make plane skidded off the runway, were delayed and inbound fl ights Yu Lwin Soe, who was waiting at an emergency landing after its forcing inbound international suspended. “We are in a situation the airport with her toddler son. nose gear failed. In June 2017, a fl ights to be diverted, an offi cial that the airport has temporarily “We don’t know what’s happen- Y-8 military plane crashed into at the civil aviation department shut down,” Ye Htut Aung, Dep- ing or how long it will take,” she the Andaman Sea off Myanmar’s A worker operates a fogging machine to kill mosquito larvae to fight the spread of dengue said yesterday. uty Director-General of Myan- said. southern coast, killing all 122 fever and other mosquito-borne diseases in a resident area of Kathmandu yesterday. A Chinese-made Y-8-200F mar’s Department of Civil Avia- In May, a Biman Bangladesh people on board. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

China CO2 emissions to peak in 2022, ahead of schedule: researcher

Reuters sions to a peak by “around 2030” Development and Reform Com- Yunnan. Any change in the offi - from 2014 to 2016, China’s total tion and the possible approval of year. Eric Luo, chief executive Fuxian Lake, China was a key component of a global mission (NDRC), China’s top cial targets of the world’s biggest carbon emissions are believed new coal-fi red power projects, of Chinese renewable energy pact to tackle climate change planning body, said he had “ex- CO2 emitter is likely to have big to have rebounded starting from with offi cials now debating manufacturer GCL, said it was drawn up in Paris in 2015. treme confi dence” in Beijing’s implications for the global fi ght 2017. whether more capacity is re- unlikely another 300 GW would hina’s emissions of cli- Beijing has since promised ability to bring emissions to a against climate change, but Chi- According to estimates pub- quired to meet future electricity be necessary, adding that a 2022 mate-warming green- to show “the highest possible peak by 2022 on just a “business nese government offi cials have lished yesterday by Lauri Myl- shortages, said Yang Fuqiang, peak in carbon emissions was Chouse gases are likely to ambition” when reviewing its as usual” trajectory. remained cautious about revis- lyvirta, senior energy analyst senior adviser with the Natural plausible. peak by 2022 even without the targets, and a government think “China already has very ing their forecasts. with environmental group Resources Defense Council, a “After 2022, coal emissions introduction of tougher policies, tank has urged Beijing to intro- strong policies and for me, just Li Gao, head of the climate Greenpeace, emissions rose by US-based environmental group. should slow down, with the well ahead of an original target duce stricter measures for its continuing to do that could be department at the environment as much as 4% in the fi rst half of An industry group has fore- number of new coal plants fall- of “around” 2030, a senior gov- next 2021-2025 “fi ve-year plan”. enough,” he told Reuters on the ministry, warned last week that this year, driven by rising coal, cast China’s coal-fi red capac- ing,” he told Reuters. “Even if ernment researcher said yester- But Jiang Kejun, research pro- sidelines of the Fortune Sustain- the 2030 target was already at steel and cement consumption. ity to peak at 1,300 gigawatts they have approved another day. fessor with the Energy Research ability Forum at the Fuxian Lake risk from the trade war with One major concern has been (GW), an increase of nearly 300 200GW... it doesn’t make sense China’s pledge to bring emis- Institute, a unit of the National in the southwestern province of the United States. After slowing the rebound in coal consump- GW compared to the end of last to build so much.” One dead, 30 hurt as express train, truck collide near Tokyo

AFP Yokohama, Japan

n express train travelling at around 120km per hour Asmashed into a truck at a crossing south of Tokyo yester- day, sparking a blaze and killing the truck’s driver with around 30 others injured. The crash derailed the train’s front carriage and pinned the truck to a wall, as it burst into fl ames, spewing black smoke into the air and its cargo of citrus fruit onto the tracks. The force of the impact shat- tered the train’s front window and bent an overhead power line, with witnesses describing an in- tense fi re and panic among the 500 passengers on board as they sped through the crossing near Yokohama Station, south of To- kyo. “Emergency crews took 30 injured people into care. Of A train is seen derailed after a collision with a truck at a crossing in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. those, two sustained serious in- juries. Of those severely injured, service, the driver said he had such as a truck getting stuck on came more and more intense. So the hospital has confi rmed the applied the emergency brake – the crossing. This system kicked everyone rushed to get outside. death of one person,” a fi re de- but too late to prevent the colli- in and an alarm signal was fl ick- It was a panic,” this eyewitness partment offi cial told reporters sion. ering,” the spokesman spokes- said. at the scene. The local police The company said it had man. Another person who wit- confi rmed it was the truck driver launched an investigation into Eyewitnesses spoke of a fi erce nessed the scene said there were who was killed. “He was sent the accident that took place just fi re and panic, with TV images fl ames coming from the bottom to hospital but confi rmed dead” before noon. showing terrifi ed passengers of the truck and that the “smoke about one hour after the acci- “The maximum speed there is streaming from the carriages af- was awful”. Japanese police officers and aid workers gather at the scene where a train and a truck collided at a dent, a police spokesman said. set at 120km (75 miles) per hour ter the collision. Japanese trains have a well- crossing in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. National broadcaster NHK and we believe the train was trav- One man who was travel- deserved reputation for safety said the driver, 67, was pinned elling as fast as that,” a Keikyu ling in the fi rst carriage told na- and punctuality and accidents and smashed into the buff ers. hour and smashed into an apart- rail disaster since 1963 when 161 under the train. Another woman spokesman, who declined to be tional broadcaster NHK there are rare. Earlier this year, 14 In April 2005, a speeding ment tower. The driver and 106 people died in Yokohama after a in her 20s was also seriously in- named, told AFP. “There is an was a “sudden sound” and that people suff ered light injuries commuter train near Osaka passengers were killed and more freight train collided with a truck jured. According to the Keikyu abnormality detection system the impact left people in heaps. when a driverless train in subur- jumped the tracks on a tight than 550 people were injured. and was then hit by two passen- train company operating the there for emergencies and cases “I saw fl ames. Then the fi re be- ban Tokyo went the wrong way bend during the morning rush The crash was Japan’s worst ger trains. Solomon Islands to sever diplomatic ties Hapless alleged drug smugglers run with Taiwan, change alliance to Beijing aground on remote

Reuters we are closely monitoring the server said. Anti-graft agency Australian reef Sydney situation and development,” said Transparency Solomon Islands Joanne Ou, spokeswoman for has urged caution in changing Taiwan’s foreign ministry. ties over concerns that the Solo- AFP that resulted in the alleged he Solomon Islands in- Solomon Islands has been as- mons will not be able to hold fi rm Sydney smugglers being discovered tends to sever diplomatic sessing its Taiwan alliance since against Beijing’s interests. late Tuesday along with 40 Tties with Taiwan and align new Prime Minister Manasseh China is off ering to bankroll a bags fi lled with drugs. itself with Beijing, the leader of Sogavare took control after a development fund for the Solo- n alleged plot to smug- Western Australian Police a high-level government team general election in April and mons to help with a transition gle A$1bn of drugs into Commissioner Chris Daw- representing the South Pacifi c started looking for ways to im- away from Taiwan, which cur- AAustralia on a yacht un- son said the men had made a archipelago has said. prove the country’s economic rently provides an annual $8.5mn ravelled when a Frenchman and “pretty poor attempt” to cover The switch, which still needs prospects. contribution to the island nation. a Briton ran the boat aground the bags of drugs with seaweed to be formalised, would be a prize The former British protector- John Moff at Fugui, a Solo- on a remote reef off the coun- before they were arrested. for China in its bid to peel away ate, an archipelago of just over mons’ parliamentarian and head try’s west coast, police said “When those persons were allies from what it considers a 600,000 people, relies on timber of the task force evaluating dip- yesterday. under observation they tried wayward province with no right exports to generate income. The lomatic ties, said on Wednesday The two men— 51-year-old to conceal both the drugs and to state-to-state ties. Only 17 Solomons have recognised Tai- that Beijing would pay into a fund Antoine Dicenta and 34-year- themselves,” he told reporters. countries now recognise Taiwan. wan since 1983. even though it usually preferred old Graham Palmer — became Dawson said that while fo- Solomons lawmaker Peter It is the largest of the Taiwan- “grants, concessionary loans and stranded in the Albrolhos Is- rensic testing was ongoing to Shanel Agovaka told a parlia- National flags are seen at the Diplomatic Quarter, where Taiwan’s ally aligned Pacifi c countries, with sometimes gifts”. lands off Western Australia on determine the exact quantity mentary committee that after embassies are located, in Taipei, Taiwan. access to the airfi elds and deep- “But for you, we will give you Monday after their 15m yacht and type of drugs seized, the four decades of independence water ports dating back to World a (Rural Constituency Develop- “Zero” ran into a reef. street value was estimated and a long-term alliance with public, but the recording has not has been a diplomatic stronghold War II. A diplomatic shift threat- ment Fund) for a certain period,” to be “in the order of A$1bn” Taiwan, it was time to make a been broadcast. Agovaka is a sen- for Taiwan, where formal ties ens to divide the island nation. Fugui said, referring to recent ne- Forensic testing was (US$680mn). change. ior minister and leader of a gov- with six of the 16 island nations Sixteen MPs have cited poten- gotiations with Beijing offi cials. ongoing to determine the “The scale of the problem “We cannot sit for the next 40 ernment team convened recently make up more than a third of its tial “compromised freedoms” The Lowy Institute said in a exact quantity and type with illicit drugs that Australia years with our friends Taiwan. It to speak directly with Beijing. The total alliances. as a reason against the switch in report last month that Canberra of drugs seized, the street is facing is not small,” he added. is time that we make new friends government is waiting for a task Commenting during a regular an open letter last month, while and Washington are concerned value was estimated to Australian police were now — it’s time that we should move force report on the issue before daily news conference in Beijing, the country’s university student about the Solomons switching be “in the order of A$1bn” working with international on with our life,” Agovaka said it formally decides on a switch to China’s Foreign Ministry spokes- population is largely backing recognition to Beijing. “A switch (US$680mn) agencies to determine where on Wednesday, according to a Beijing. The task force is domi- man Geng Shuang would only say Taiwan. by any one (of the states that rec- the drugs came from, Dawson recording of the meeting in the nated by lawmakers who support that China was willing to have re- An observer at the commit- ognise Taiwan) may stimulate Police said the pair unloaded said, but “the fact that we’ve capital Honiara. “Our new re- a diplomatic change, two political lations with all countries on the tee hearings told Reuters there others” to abandon Taipei, the about one tonne of drugs — be- got European men before our lationship will deal with a One sources with direct knowledge of basis of the “one China” princi- would be push-back against a Australia-based think-tank said. lieved to include ecstasy and courts probably gives some China policy; a One China policy the issue told Reuters. ple. That refers to China’s stance switch, though it was not clear The number of nations rec- cocaine — from their yacht clue as to the origins”. that recognises only Beijing as China and Taiwan have fought that Taiwan and it both belong to if there were options to block the ognising Taiwan has been dwin- onto a smaller boat and ferried The two men appeared at a the offi cial government adminis- a tug-of-war for diplomatic rec- one China. government’s desire for change. dling, with El Salvador in Cen- it to a nearby island where they local court yesterday charged tration,” he said in the recording, ognition in the South Pacifi c for Taiwan said it is watching de- “The government is trying to tral America, Burkina Faso in took refuge. with importing a commercial a copy of which was obtained by decades, with some island na- velopments in the Solomons. make a relationship with China West Africa and the Dominican Local fi shermen alerted au- quantity of drugs. They are be- Reuters. tions switching allegiances for “Relationship with Solomon now, but to formalise it we need Republic in the Caribbean, all thorities to the stricken yacht, ing held in custody until their The meeting was open to the fi nancial gain. The South Pacifi c Islands currently is stable, but to wait for the report,” the ob- switching to China last year. sparking a sea and air search next hearing on September 20. Gulf Times 8 Friday, September 6, 2019 BRITAIN

VISIT DATA TRIAL POLITICS OFFBEAT 16% rise in violent crime Man denies killing retired Former Labour MP Berger Loch Ness monster could recorded on railways lecturer with crossbow joins Liberal Democrats be giant eel, claims study

The number of violent crimes recorded on the A man has denied murdering a retired lecturer The former Labour politician Luciana Berger Is the Loch Ness monster a shark? A giant railways rose by 16% last year, statistics showed. who was shot with a crossbow bolt as he has joined the Liberal Democrats, becoming catfish? A sturgeon? No, it’s a giant eel! Or In 2018-19, there were 13,591 such off ences – adjusted his satellite dish in Anglesey, north the second MP to join the party in a week. at least it could be, according to a study including attempted murder and serious and Wales. Terence Michael Whall, from the village The MP for Liverpool Wavertree and Remain published yesterday. “There is a very common assault – compared with 11,671 in the of Bryngwran on the island, pleaded not guilty campaigner said the party is the only one that significant amount of eel DNA,” professor previous year. The British Transport Police said to murdering Gerald Corrigan. A trial is due to has proven to be “unequivocal in wanting to Neil Gemmell, a geneticist at the University preventing serious violence and knife crime take place in January. Whall, 39, and three other stop Brexit”. In February she quit Labour over of Otago in New Zealand said after a year- on the rail network remained one of its highest men from north Wales also denied conspiring the party’s handling of anti-semitism cases long study of the lake. Tale of a giant creature priorities. There was also a significant rise in all to pervert the course of justice by allegedly and its approach to Brexit alongside six other lurking beneath the murky waves of Loch Ness crimes, with 68,313 off ences recorded between setting fire to a Land Rover Discovery found MPs to form the political grouping Change in Scotland have been around for more than April 1 last year and March 31, 2019, – a 12% burnt out. The trial is scheduled to begin on UK. The party split in summer and she since 1,500 years — fuelled by occasional sightings Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid increase on 2017-18. Adrian Hanstock, the deputy January 14 at Mold crown court in north Wales been sitting as an independent. Berger, who of “Nessie”. But Gemmell said his study had meets police recruits during his visit to chief constable of the BTP, said the record and is expected to last four to five weeks. A is Jewish, was a vocal opponent of Corbyn’s found no evidence of a monster-like Jurassic- the Metropolitan Police Training College in number of passengers using the railways was pre-trial review will be held in December, either handling of claims of anti-semitism and said era reptile in what is Britain’s largest body of Hendon, London, yesterday. behind the jump in crime rates. in Cardiff or Mold. she no longer felt welcome within the party. fresh water. Johnson’s brother quits parliament

Reuters “It’s been an honour to repre- London sent Orpington for nine years & to serve as a minister under three PMs (prime ministers),” Jo John- rime Minister Boris John- son said on Twitter. son’s younger brother, Jo, “In recent weeks I’ve been Phas resigned as a junior torn between family loyalty and minister and said he would also the national interest — it’s an step down as a lawmaker, citing unresolvable tension & time for a confl ict between family loyalty others to take on my roles as MP and the national interest. (member of parliament) & min- His surprise resignation ister,” he said. comes days after the prime min- The prime minister’s spokes- ister expelled 21 Conservative man issued a statement thank- lawmakers from the party for ing Jo Johnson for his service and failing to back his Brexit strategy, adding: “The PM, as both a poli- including Winston Churchill’s tician and brother, understands grandson and a former fi nance this will not have been an easy minister. matter for Jo.” He had been an MP for the Orpington constituency in Kent, south east England, since 2010, serving in several ministerial roles. Boris Johnson’s “do or die” Brexit strategy, and his hardline approach to enforcing it, is caus- Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel walk through a stables during a visit with the police in West Yorkshire, northern England, yesterday. “It’s been an honour to ing a realignment in the ruling represent Orpington for party, with several senior, more nine years & to serve as a pro-European members an- minister under three PMs nouncing they will not seek re- (prime ministers)” election. The Johnson family itself is Since taking offi ce in July, notoriously split over Brexit with Boris Johnson has tried to corral his sister Rachel having repre- the Conservative Party, which is sented diff erent parties opposed PM’s parliament shutdown deeply divided over Brexit, be- to Brexit, and his father Stanley hind his strategy of leaving the being a committed europhile and European Union on October 31, former European Commission with or without a deal. offi cial. That approach has shattered The opposition Labour Party traditional party loyalties and seized on the resignation, saying abuse of power, court hears caused him to lose both his par- it underlined a lack of trust in the liamentary majority and control prime minister. Reuters In a judicial review of that de- House of Commons as a “rig- makers voted this week to force Justice of England and Wales, of the Brexit process, pushing “Boris Johnson poses such a London cision, brought by campaigner marole” and saying he did not Johnson to seek a three-month said he and two other senior Britain deeper into a national threat that even his own brother Gina Miller who defeated the see “anything especially shock- delay to Brexit rather than leav- judges would aim to give their crisis ahead of the exit deadline doesn’t trust him,” said Labour government over another Brexit ing” about suspending parlia- ing without an agreement on Oc- verdict at 0900GMT today. and intensifying uncertainty education spokeswoman Angela rime Minister Boris John- issue two years ago, the high ment. tober 31, and there could soon be The ruling is likely to be ap- over what path the country will Rayner. son abused his powers by court was told parliament had “It breaches the legal principle a general election. pealed to the Supreme Court, take. It is not the fi rst time Jo John- Psuspending parliament never been suspended for so long of parliamentary sovereignty,” James Eadie, the government Britain’s highest judicial body, Jo Johnson, 47, who voted ‘Re- son, a former Financial Times from next week until shortly be- in the last 40 years. Pannick said. “What the prime lawyer, said the question of sus- which has pencilled in Septem- main’ in 2016, has previously journalist and a much less fl am- fore Britain is due to leave the Miller’s lawyer, David Pannick, minister is not entitled to do is to pension was “inherently and ber 17 to hear the case. expressed backing for a second boyant character than his brother, European Union, London’s High said comments from Johnson close parliament for fi ve weeks at fundamentally” political and not Pannick said the case was not referendum on whether Britain has caught the government by Court was told yesterday. showed that an important part of such a critical time without jus- a matter for the courts. about whether Britain should should leave the EU. surprise with a resignation notice. Johnson announced at the end his reasoning for the prorogation, tifi cation.” He said Pannick’s central argu- leave the EU or on what terms, He nevertheless accepted a job Last year, he quit then-prime of August that he would suspend or suspension, was that parlia- Johnson, who took offi ce in ment was that lawmakers would nor was it a criticism of Queen as a junior minister in the busi- minister Theresa May’s govern- parliament from mid-September ment might say or do something July, has promised to take Britain not be able to legislate over a no- Elizabeth, who agreed to the gov- ness and education departments ment, calling in a withering cri- to mid-October, just before Brit- that impeded the government’s out of the EU on October 31 with deal Brexit but that events of the ernment’s request for a suspen- when his brother became prime tique for another referendum to ain is due to exit the EU on Octo- Brexit plans. or without a withdrawal agree- last days “indicate that that is sion. minister, but quit that post yes- avoid her Brexit plans unleash- ber 31, so the government could He cited Johnson’s note to ment. just untenable” and rendered the He said Johnson’s case was terday with what was seen as a ing Britain’s greatest crisis since announce a new legislative pro- aides on August 16 dismissing The legal challenge has lost proceedings “slightly pointless”. that there was no precedence for parting shot at his brother. World War II. gramme. the September gathering in the some of its impact after law- Ian Burnett, the Lord Chief such legal action. Pilots could call off strike Princess Charlotte if BA negotiates: union starts school Reuters The great-granddaughter of London Queen Elizabeth, Charlotte is Reuters tions to those talks,” the airline agreeing a deal with their pilots fourth-in-line to the British London said in a statement. surely must be the desired out- throne, after — in ascending or- The pilots overwhelmingly come for British Airways,” he rincess Charlotte, daugh- der — six-year-old George, her voted for industrial action in July added. ter of Prince William and father William and her grandfa- ritish Airways pilots could and the airline, which is part of British Airways has said the Phis wife Kate, started ther Prince Charles. call off proposed strikes set IAG, failed in a court bid to stop strike action was unjustifi able as school yesterday, joining her Charlotte’s younger brother, Bfor September 9 and 10 if them. its pay off er was fair and that the elder brother Prince George at Louis, who is fi fth-in-line to the the airline agrees to come back to strikes would destroy the travel Thomas’s Battersea in southwest throne, celebrated his fi rst birth- the negotiating table, the British “Our members’ resolve plans of tens of thousands of London. day in April. Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) is very strong and they customers. Four-year-old Charlotte, George has been a pupil at said yesterday. remain very angry with BA, The airline said in August it dressed in the school’s uniform Thomas’s Battersea since 2017. The union has put forward a but they also want to leave was exploring options to supple- of navy blue with red trim car- He became the focus of at- new proposal in a letter to British no stone unturned in trying ment its fl eet with aircraft and digan and blue skirt, held her tention last month when US Airways chief executive offi cer to fi nd a resolution to their crew from other airlines, a prac- mother’s hand as she arrived at television host Lara Spencer Alex Cruz in an eff ort to reach dispute” tice known as wet-leasing, and the school, accompanied also by commented on reports he was a deal with the company, Balpa working with partner airlines to her father and her brother. taking ballet lessons by saying said in a statement Balpa has said that British Air- schedule larger aircraft to take Strict about children’s appear- “We’ll see how long that lasts.” Balpa said last month that the ways should share more of its more customers. ance, the London school empha- She issued a hasty apology after pilots would go on strike for three profi ts with its pilots. Ryanair members of Balpa sises that hair longer than shoul- being criticised for insensitiv- days in September in a dispute The union has also given no- have also announced a further der length must be tied back. ity. over pay that could disrupt the tice to the airline that it will call seven days of strikes as their lat- Charlotte had done so neatly, The school teaches 560 boys peak summer holiday season. on its members to strike on Sep- est walkout comes to an end. with a whispy ponytail. and girls between the ages of 4 The strikes could still go ahead tember 27. While widespread strikes over She also bore a backpack with and 13, with yearly fees for four- if the airline continues to refuse “Our members’ resolve is very pay and conditions a year ago a sequin-studded unicorn key- year-olds of around £19,000.The meaningful discussions, the un- strong and they remain very an- forced Ryanair to cancel hun- chain. charge for Charlotte, however, ion added. gry with BA, but they also want dreds of fl ights, the fi rst series Headteacher Helen Haslem will be discounted because her British Airways said it would to leave no stone unturned in of strikes since then in Britain, Helen Haslem, the head of the school, greets Princess Charlotte as greeted Charlotte with a hand- brother is already a pupil. meet Balpa. trying to fi nd a resolution to their Spain and Portugal has caused she arrives for her first day of school accompanied by her mother shake as the princess balanced The termly fee for a second “We continue to be available dispute,” Balpa general secretary, minimal disruption. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, father Prince William, Duke of on tip-toe to introduce herself, child is £6,305 against £6,429 for constructive talks, on the ba- Brian Strutton, said. IAG’s shares were 0.5% higher Cambridge and brother Prince George (not pictured), at Thomas’s watched by a beaming Kate, who for the fi rst, according to the sis that there are no pre-condi- “Avoiding strike action and at 426.3 pence at 0836 GMT. Battersea in London yesterday. wore a modest fl oral dress. school’s website. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 9 EUROPE

Turkey to return 1mn Syrians, warns of new migrant wave in Europe

Reuters der increasing pressure in Syria’s will provide support, or excuse YPG militia, which Ankara con- August, the Russian-backed Syr- Ankara northwest Idlib region where a us, but we are not going to carry siders a terrorist group. ian army has gained signifi cant Russian-backed government of- this weight alone. We have not Of that region, the proposed ground against rebel forces, some fensive has pressed north. been able to get help from the in- safe zone would cover only a of whom are backed by Turkey. urkey plans to resettle Only a small minority of Syr- ternational community, namely fraction. Nicholas Danforth, Istanbul- 1mn refugees in northern ians in Turkey are from the the European Union.” Last week, senior Syrian Kurd- based senior visiting fellow at TSyria and may reopen the northern strip roughly proposed Under a deal agreed between ish offi cial Badran Jia Kurd said it the German Marshall Fund, said route for migrants into Europe if for re-settlement, according to the EU and Turkey in March is necessary to re-settle refugees warning about refugees in the it does not receive adequate in- Turkish government data. 2016, Ankara agreed to stem the in their home towns. context of the safe zone allows ternational support for the plan, “We are saying we should form fl ow of migrants into Europe in “Settling hundreds of thou- Erdogan to pressure both Europe President Recep Tayyip Erdogan such a safe zone that we, as Tur- return for billions of euros in aid. sands of Syrians, who are from and the United States at once. said yesterday. key, can build towns here in lieu However, the number of mi- outside our areas, here would “What seems clear is that it Turkey, which hosts 3.6mn of the tent cities here. Let’s carry grant arrivals in neighbouring be unacceptable,” he said of the would be impossible to settle Syrian refugees, controls parts of them to the safe zones there,” Greece spiked last month. northeast. that many refugees in any zone north Syria where it says 350,000 Erdogan said. “Give us logisti- A week ago, more than a dozen In Idlib, where Turkey has achieved through negotiations Syrians have already returned. cal support and we can go build boats carrying 600 people ar- troops and where Ankara in 2017 with the United States and the It is setting up a “safe zone” Erdogan: Either you will provide support, or excuse us, but we are not housing at 30km (20 miles) depth rived, the fi rst simultaneous ar- agreed with Moscow and Tehran YPG,” he said. “This looks like with the United States in the going to carry this weight alone. in northern Syria. This way, we rival of its kind in three years. to reduce fi ghting, months of re- an attempt to build pressure for northeast where Erdogan said can provide them with humani- Last month, Interior Minister newed confl ict intensifi ed in re- more US concessions on the safe many more could be moved. our 450km border,” Erdogan said ington for further concessions tarian living conditions.” Suleyman Soylu said only 17% cent weeks and raised prospects zone, where some refugees could “Our goal is for at least 1mn of in a speech in Ankara. on the depth and oversight of “This either happens or oth- of refugees in Turkey hail from of another wave of refugees at then be resettled for purposes of our Syrian brothers to return to The comments come as Tur- the planned safe zone in the erwise we will have to open the northeast regions controlled by Turkey’s borders. domestic (Turkish) public rela- the safe zone we will form along key mounts pressure on Wash- northeast, and as it comes un- gates,” Erdogan said. “Either you the US-backed Syrian Kurdish After a truce collapsed in early tions.”

Serbia raps Croatia over New Italy cabinet sworn in AFP Afghan Rome resident Sergio Mattarella migrants swore in Italy’s new pro- PEuropean government yesterday, heralding a fresh start Reuters for the eurozone’s third largest Belgrade economy as the far-right falls from power. Brussels warmly welcomed erbia’s refugee agency has the coalition between the anti- accused Croatian bor- establishment 5-Star Move- Sder police of torturing a ment (M5S) and centre-left 16-year-old Afghan refugee and Democratic Party (PD), which of denying him and 15 other mi- is expected to markedly improve grants travelling with him their rocky relations between Europe right to claim asylum in the Eu- and Rome. Salvini: We’ll oppose (the government) in parliament, in the town ropean Union. “We’re ready to give our ut- halls, in the town squares, and then finally we’ll vote, and we’ll win. Croatia’s interior ministry most for the country,” M5S head dismissed the accusations as Luigi Di Maio, the new foreign “unfounded and ... absolutely minister, said. this will not be a government of Arcigay, Italy’s biggest LGBT incomprehensible” and said Prime Minister Giuseppe strife.” association, hailed the return of they stem from Zagreb’s deter- Conte’s government still faces New interior minister Lucia- the equal opportunities minis- mination to protect its own and votes in parliament on Monday na Lamorgese, a former Milan ter post in the cabinet – absent the EU’s borders against illegal and Tuesday. This photo handout issued yesterday by the press off ice of the Quirinale Presidential Palace shows security chief, takes over from in the last government – saying migrants. First on the cabinet’s to-do Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio thanking President Sergio Mattarella, with Prime Minister Giuseppe fi rebrand Salvini – the social that it is urgent to “combat ha- Relations – never very good – list is the 2020 budget, which Conte (right) in attendance, after signing an oath of off ice during a swearing-in ceremony of Italy’s new media populist who pulled the tred” fomented by the right dur- between the former Yugoslav re- has to be submitted to parlia- cabinet. League from the previous coali- ing its 14-months in power. publics of Croatia, an EU mem- ment by the end of September, tion last month, collapsing the Salvini was reported to have ber, and Serbia, which aspires to and then to Brussels by October line” role on key issues. The markets welcomed the one from the small left-wing government. refused to be in place at the in- join the bloc, have been further 15. Italy has put forward former new cabinet, with Milan’s FTSE Free and Equals party, and one Salvini had hoped to send Italy terior ministry to hand over the strained by the years-long mi- The pick of the PD’s Brus- centre-left premier Paolo Gen- Mib stock market up 0.5% after has no affi liation with any po- straight to the polls to take ad- keys to his successor. grant crisis, as asylum-seekers, sels-savvy Roberto Gualtieri as tiloni as its candidate for the in- the swearing-in ceremony. litical party – the new interior vantage of his soaring popularity Lamorgese “is the anti-Sal- mostly from the Middle East and fi nance minister was hailed as coming European Commission. US ratings agency Fitch minister. fi gures. vini”, said the Repubblica daily. Asia, cross the Balkans trying to “extremely positive, especially PD chief Nicola Zingaretti warned however that Italy Political watchers have Yesterday he predicted the “She has no social networks. She reach western Europe. for the relationship with the EU”, said it was an “excellent choice would quickly need to provide warned the tie-up between the new government “won’t last won’t ever be seen doing live Fa- Serbia, along with rights by Lorenzo Codogno, former for Italy, which returns to play- “clarity on important choices of M5S and PD – bitter foes until long”. cebook videos from the rooftop groups and international bodies chief economist at the Italian ing a leading role in Europe”. fi scal and economic policy”. just weeks ago – is fragile. “We’ll oppose it in parlia- of the interior ministry.” including the UN High Commis- Treasury Department. The previous coalition be- The new cabinet is the young- “We are very aware that the ment, in the town halls, in the Lamorgese will however be sioner for Refugees, has previ- European Commission Presi- tween the M5S and far-right est-ever in Italy’s post-war his- forces that make up this govern- town squares, and then fi nally tasked with handling Italy’s di- ously criticised Croatia’s treat- dent Jean-Claude Juncker con- Matteo Salvini’s anti-immigrant tory – the average age being 47 – ment have harshly opposed each we’ll vote, and we’ll win,” he visive immigration issue, a sub- ment of asylum seekers but its gratulated Conte and said that League had fought bitterly with and has more ministers from the other over the years,” PD heavy- said. ject that won Salvini votes as he statement on the Afghan teen- Italy’s new political era came at Brussels over its big-spend country’s disadvantaged south weight and new culture minister Posting a picture of a crucifi x, cracked down on charity ships ager was unusually strong. “an important moment for our budget and critics had be- than the wealthy north. Dario Franceschini said. “The Salvini insisted he was the man rescuing people attempting the It said the Croatian police late Union”, adding that he was sure moaned Rome’s sidelining in the Of the 21 ministers, nine hail path ahead is diffi cult, but ... to protect Italy’s “values, cul- perilous Mediterranean crossing last month had infl icted “physi- that Rome would play a “front- EU halls of power. from the PD, 10 from the M5S, we’ve agreed with Di Maio that ture, identity, freedom”. from Africa to Europe. cal and psychological torture” on him – including beatings and electrocution – that resulted in his suff ering fractured ribs and internal bleeding. “The Commissariat ... ex- Fashion infl uencer steals show at Venice fi lm festival presses concern and outrage over such practices, and warns ... the international commu- By Fiachra Gibbons, AFP Fozzi, 24, who had made the Such is Ferragni’s appeal that $40mn fashion line, Ferragni Maria, who was dressed to the nity about the excessive use of Venice long trip from Milan to see her her wildly lavish three-day nup- can no longer be dismissed as a nines for the premiere. “That violence by the Croatian border and waited outside the cinema tials in Sicily, where she tied fl ash in the pan. she has done it means I maybe police and blatant violations of till 1 am in the hope of a chance the knot with Italian rapper Fe- The infl uencer’s trailblaz- can do it too.” human rights,” it said in a state- he longest queues at the encounter. dez, reportedly made more of a ing story has become a Harvard But Ferragni won’t be moving ment. Venice fi lm festival have “She is the greatest role model splash online than the British Business School example of how on anytime soon. The teenager, who spoke to Tnot been to see Holly- for women in the world,” the su- royal wedding of Prince Harry social media fame can be mone- In the fi lm she is seen taking Reuters at a Serbian refugee wood stars like Brad Pitt or Scar- permarket cashier told AFP, her and American actress Meghan tised, with brands paying for her advice from veteran designer camp where he is now staying lett Johansson. hands shaking with emotion. Markle. to endorse their products. Diane von Furstenberg about with his 15 comrades, identifi ed Instead, the most hysterical “She did it all herself. All she The heavily-tattooed singer One American academic in how to stay the course. himself as Sharukhan. fans were those who thronged had was her smartphone and had proposed to her on stage in the documentary even credits Already at 32, Ferragni is a part He declined to give his full the Lido dreaming of a selfi e determination. She is an inspi- Verona with an enormous soli- her with “reinventing storytell- of social media history, having name for fear of being beaten with Chiara Ferragni, the fashion ration for women and we are so taire diamond ring while thou- ing by taking out the confl ict” to founded her Blonde Salad blog again if he tried to enter Croatia infl uencer who has become rich proud she is Italian,” she added. sands of his fans held heart- set the template for Instagram’s in 2009, which played on her once more. selling clothes and her starry Ferragni told screaming fans shaped cards aloft. “perfect life” aesthetic. resemblance to a living, breath- Sharukhan said the Croatian you-can-have-it-all lifestyle on that this “was one of the great- In the fi lm, major fashion Her fashion-conscious moth- ing Barbie doll, but one with an police had also smashed his cell- Instagram. Ferragni poses on the red carpet est days of my life” when she players including LVMH’s Del- er confi ded to the fi lmmakers astute business brain. phone and confi scated €600, While heartthrob Timothee as she arrives for the briefl y appeared on stage late on phine Arnault and Moschino’s that the dentist’s daughter was And we get fl ashes of her though they let him keep his Chalamet signed autographs for screening of the film Chiara Wednesday before a screening in Jeremy Scott queue up to trum- never interested in power and steely side as she accuses her Serbian dinars. 20 minutes before his premiere Ferragni – Unposted, presented a black Dior haute couture gown pet how the infl uencer – the “only wanted to be loved”. former boyfriend and business Other members of of The King, even kissing one out of competition during the by her friend and fellow Italian most powerful in the world, Fans in Venice told AFP that partner Riccardo Pozzoli of be- Sharukhan’s group showed lucky woman’s “Call Me By Your 76th Venice Film Festival on Maria Grazia Chiuri – who also according to Forbes magazine – it was Ferragni’s down-to-earth traying and trying to undermine bandaged limbs which they said Name” tattoo, the crowds were Wednesday evening. designed her wedding dress last has democratised fashion and to attitude that chimed most with her as she was about to give birth were also caused by Croatian po- nothing compared to those Fer- year. dismiss “the haters” who at one them even as she travelled the to her son Leone last year. lice brutality. ragni drew. Ferragni – Unposted, about her Earlier, the statuesque blonde time or another also included world fi rst-class in designer In a rallying call to her fans Asked about the accusations, Hundreds were turned away remarkable rise. had posted a video of herself plenty of style royalty. clothes. and followers, Ferragni said: Croatia’s interior ministry said from screenings of a new Ama- “You will never understand weeping at the fi lm to her 17.2mn With more than 17mn follow- “I don’t care how rich she is,” “You can do it alone ... you don’t it was not aware of this specifi c zon Prime documentary, Chiara our love for her,” said Angela Instagram followers. ers on Instagram and her own said 19-year-old art student need a man.” case. “We consider this to be an- other in a series of unfounded Russia getting and substantially unsupported allegations against the Croatian hot twice as fast police due to its persistence and Germans want Merkel to stay in offi ce until end of term determination in protecting the Russia is getting hotter 2.5 state border and the external times faster than the world as border of the European Union,” DPA The chancellor was particu- cial Democratic Party (SPD) as found that 61% believed that left Die Linke at 7%, and the a whole, the country’s federal the ministry said in a statement Berlin larly popular among members junior partner, has risen, with the coalition should continue to liberal FDP at 6%. environmental authority said. on its website this week. “The of her Christian Democratic 62% saying that it was doing the end of its term. Merkel’s successor as the Russia’s environment ministry allegations about the torture of Union (CDU), 88% of whom good work, up from 50% in Au- ZDF’s Politbarometer put head of the CDU, Annegret said in the report this week that migrants are absolutely incom- lmost three quarters of are happy for her to see out her gust. current support for the CDU, Kramp-Karrenbauer, fared the average rise of temperatures prehensible and have no real ba- Germans want Chan- fourth term, while a surprising A separate poll by rival pub- along with its Bavarian sister- poorly. in Russia since 1976 has been sis.” Acellor Angela Merkel to 85% of supporters of the Green lic broadcaster ARD came to party, the Christian Social Un- The ZDF poll found 71% 0.47° Celsius per decade. So far this year Croatian police remain in offi ce up to the end opposition party take the same a radically diff erent outcome, ion (CSU), on 28%, followed by doubting her ability to lead the That figure is “2.5 times more have prevented 9,487 attempts of her term in 2021, according view. with 67% dissatisfi ed with the the Greens on 24%. party, and in the ARD poll, 66% than the rate of increase for the at illegal border crossings and to a poll conducted by national According to the ZDF poll, coalition government’s per- The SPD came in at 15%, the expressed dissatisfaction with global temperature over the arrested 600 smugglers, some public broadcaster ZDF, pub- support for Merkel’s broad coa- formance. far-right Alternative for Ger- Kramp-Karrenbauer’s per- same period, 0.17-0.18 degrees from Serbia, it added. lished yesterday. lition, which includes the So- Nevertheless, the ARD poll many (AfD) at 13%, the hard- formance. Celsius per decade”, it said. Gulf Times 10 Friday, September 6, 2019 INDIA

RULING POLITICS LEGAL CONTROVERSY CRIME Court permits daughter Sonia ‘to name new Delhi Court orders protection Kerala CM skips event Man, son held for killing to visit Mehbooba Mufti party chief in 2-3 days’ for Muthoot employees for governor-designate mum in property dispute

The Supreme Court yesterday allowed the With the Delhi Assembly polls just five months The Kerala High Court directed the state Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was a The police have arrested a man for killing his daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief away, Sonia Gandhi, Congress interim chief, government to give protection to employees notable absentee yesterday morning when he 70-year-old mother with the help of his son over Minister Mehbooba Mufti to meet her. A bench yesterday met former state unit chiefs for of Muthoot Finance who report for work. The failed to turn up to receive governor-designate a property dispute at Jyoti Nagar in northeast headed by chief justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi an hour to thrash out the leadership issue as Muthoot Finance management had approached Arif Mohamed Khan at the special enclosure of Delhi, the police said. The woman’s grandson allowed Iltija Javed to visit Srinagar, provided she the party has been left headless since former the court after a section of its staff resorted to a the airport in Thiruvananthapuram. However, has been apprehended. According to police, first takes permission from the district authorities chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s death on July 20. strike with support from the Communist Party of a few of his Cabinet colleagues and officials Maya Devi was strangulated to death by her concerned on the issue of moving freely in the According to party sources, decision on the new India-Marxist (CPI-M)-backed Centre for Indian turned up to receive Khan, who will be sworn 50-year-old son Rajbir and grandson. During the city. She can meet Mehbooba Mufti in private on party chief will be taken within a week. However, Trade Union (CITU). The protesters stopped in today at the governor’s official residence investigation, the police found that Maya Devi had a date of her choice, it said. Iltija Javed, who is after the meeting, Delhi party in-charge P C non-striking employees from entering the off ice. by the chief justice of the Kerala high court a property dispute with Rajbir, the eldest of the presently in Chennai, had claimed that her mother Chacko, said, “She (Sonia Gandhi) has said we A video of a woman employee of the Kottayam Hrishikesh Roy. Former two-time chief minister four sons. “Rajbir was the only one present in the is under detention ever since the abrogation will announce the new Delhi chief in two-three branch being prevented from opening the off ice Oommen Chandy said it is a matter of courtesy house when the crime took place. He was taken of Article 370 which granted special status to days.” The meeting was attended by former entrance has gone viral. In the video, a man, to receive the governor-designate as well as into custody and questioned. Initially, he tried to Jammu and Kashmir. She said she was deeply Delhi party chiefs Ajay Maken, Aravinder Singh claiming to be a CITU worker, is seen threatening to send-off the governor at the end of the mislead the police, but later confessed that he concerned about her mother’s health. Lovely and Subhash Chopra as well as Chacko. the woman that he would kill her and her husband. gubernatorial term. killed his mother with the help of son,” said Thakur. Shopkeepers refuse to open despite easing of Kashmir curbs

Reuters In previous phases of protests Srinagar in Kashmir, separatist groups would issue offi cial calls for shutdowns and protests. month after the govern- This time, however, separa- ment withdrew Kash- tist leaders have been detained Amir’s autonomy, locked alongside mainstream politi- it down with thousands of ad- cians, including three former ditional troops and made mass chief ministers and hundreds of arrests, residents are resisting other civil society leaders. attempts by authorities to show In posters across Srinagar, some signs of normalcy return- which began appearing in late ing in the valley. August, shopkeepers have been Prime Minister Narendra asked to only open late in the Modi revoked special rights for evenings and early in the morn- Jammu and Kashmir state on ings to enable residents to buy August 5, striking down long- essentials. standing constitutional provi- In the commercial areas of sions for the region. downtown Srinagar, the major- To dampen the possibility of ity of shops remain shuttered. widespread protests, the gov- Despite security forces ask- ernment fl ooded Kashmir with ing owners to return to normal troops, imposed severe restric- opening hours, many have re- tions on movements, and cut all fused. telephone, mobile phone and In- “We were opening shops in ternet connections. the evenings for people,” said Thousands of people were ar- Mohamed Ayub, a Srinagar rested. shopkeeper. “The troops tell us New Delhi has since eased either to open the shops for the Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s son and MP Karti Chidambaram arrives at a CBI court in connection with INX Media case, in New Delhi yesterday. some of the curbs although no full day or don’t open in the eve- prominent detainees have been nings.” freed and mobile and Internet Rohit Kansal, the offi cial connections remain suspended. spokesman of the Jammu and Offi cials in Srinagar say that Kashmir state government, 90% of the Kashmir valley is blamed “anti-national” forces free of restrictions on daytime for preventing shops from open- movement, some landline phone ing. “Security forces have taken Chidambaram sent to Tihar connections have been restored note of it,” he said. and thousands of schools have Attendance in major govern- re-opened. ment offi ces in Srinagar is about However, checkpoints remain 50% and those in smaller, subor- in place and communication re- dinate offi ces in the city is sub- strictions make reporting from stantially lower, a state govern- jail economic off enders’ wing the region diffi cult. ment offi cial said, declining to be Despite the partial relaxation, named as he was not authorised IANS also allowed him to be kept in a On being asked about any 700 inmates, the majority of Apart from his clothes, he many students are boycott- to speak to the media. New Delhi separate cell with adequate ar- specifi c preparations, direc- whom are jailed for crimes will not be allowed to carry any- ing classes, shopkeepers are not At an offi ce of the state hous- rangements for his security. tor general of prisons, Sandeep against women though the thing from his home. opening up and public and private ing and urban development de- The court here sent Goyal said “a jail is a jail. We block has traditionally been Chidambaram will also have sector employees are not turning partment in western Srinagar, ormer fi nance minister P Chidambaram to 14 days’ judicial only follow the court’s orders. used to house economic off end- to eat the jail’s food in plastic up for work, in informal action only 30 out of about 300 staff Chidambaram has been custody in the INX Media case. No one lodged in a jail is spe- ers. utensils or he can get food from aimed at protesting against the were in attendance on most days, Flodged in jail number-7 The senior Congress leader, cial.” Chidambaram will not fi nd the jail canteen. government in New Delhi, ac- another offi cial said. “Only those which is for economic off enders who was arrested by the CBI He said Chidambaram would it easy to adjust to the stifl ing He will also be required to at- cording to interviews with seven who live nearby report to the of- in the capital’s Tihar Jail. in the case last month and had be treated like a normal pris- barracks which will be a far cry tend early morning prayers like government offi cials and dozens fi ce. The others come in once in a Chidambaram’s son Karti undergone interrogation, will oner. from his days in North Block. all other inmates. of residents of the valley. while,” the offi cial said. Chidambaram was also lodged be lodged in Tihar Jail till Sep- Chidambaram is facing trial In view of his advanced age, A jail offi cial, asked how new “For us, our identity at stake Government workers em- in the same jail earlier. tember 19. for fi nancial crimes and is also Chidambaram will be provided inmates are woken up in the and its safeguarding is our prior- ployed to tend Srinagar’s famous The court has allowed the With a high-profi le under- aged above 60 but Goyal only services of a physician to check morning, simply said: “Do you ity,” said Shabir Ahmad, a shop- Dal Lake have not turned up for former Union minister to take trial like Chidambaram set to be said “we will do what the jail his blood pressure at night. He think a high-profi le inmate like keeper from the old quarter of Sri- work in several weeks, offi cials his medicines along with him. lodged in the prison, one would manual says,” as he brushed may also be given personal use Chidambaram will be able to get nagar. “Let them restore it and we said, and the water’s surface has Since Chidambaram enjoys expect special arrangements to aside any security concerns. of the barrack that normally any sleep in the jail cell on his will re-start our businesses.” become clogged with weeds. Z-category security, the court be made. Jail number-7 houses 600- houses 10 inmates. fi rst night?”

Building collapse Motorist lampoon govt for Reprieve for eight jailed steep rise in traffi c fi nes in Muthoot murder case IANS than nine years in prison, they are Kochi expected to walk out of the jail. Reuters government became half ef- 100,000 people are killed and Paul’s father, M George Mut- Bengaluru ficient in collecting fines for nearly 500,000 injured every hoot, said he will approach the traffic violations, it will easily year in road accidents. he Kerala High Court yes- Supreme Court against the high cross the GST and IT (income “Shouldn’t people’s lives be terday cancelled the life court’s verdict. any motorists have tax) collections,” said one saved? There should be respect Tterm awarded to eight Paul belonged to the wealthy ridiculed the sharp Twitter user. for the law,” Nitin Gadkari, accused in the Paul Muthoot Muthoot business family which Mincrease in traffi c fi nes Another Twitter user joked: minister for road transport and murder case, while the father of is into private banking and has this week, lampooning the “At this rate government can highways, told the ANI news the victim said he would appeal numerous other business ven- poor state of roads and joking abolish GST & concentrate on agency. against the decision in the Su- tures. that the revenue from the fi nes traffi c fi nes.” Gadkari himself though was preme Court. The murder mystery was fi rst would soon exceed that from Media reported a tractor not spared on social media, On August 21, 2009, Paul investigated by the police and taxes. driver in Gurugram — near the with some were quick to re- George Muthoot, then 32, was later transferred to the crime The government hopes to capital, New Delhi — had to post old images of him riding a killed under mysterious circum- branch which arrested 14 people. bring order to the country’s cough up Rs59,000 in fi nes for scooter without a helmet. stances near Alappuzha while Later, Paul’s father sought a often chaotic roads with a ten- 10 violations, while a rickshaw People also posted pictures travelling in a car with Om Pra- CBI probe. The central probe fold increase in fi nes for more driver separately was hit with of huge potholes and asked kash and Rajesh – two men who agency took up the case in Janu- serious off ences to between fi nes that were nearly twice the what his department was doing are accused in several criminal ary 2010 and the CBI court in Rs5,000 and Rs100,000. cost of his vehicle. to fi x them. cases. the state capital on September 1, The new fi nes went into ef- “India’s fi scal defi cit will An artist had his video go vi- While nine accused were dis- 2015, sentenced all the accused fect on Sunday. soon turn into a fi scal surplus,” ral this week, after he dressed charged, one of them – Kari to life term. The fi nes come as economic said another Twitter user, re- up as an astronaut and pre- Satheesh – had failed to fi le his The motive for the crime, ac- growth has slumped to a six- ferring to the rate at which the tended to moonwalk across appeal at the high court against cording to the investigating agen- year low, and government government was raking in traf- potholed roads in the tech hub the Central Bureau of Investiga- cy, was the intervention and alter- data shows a slowdown in the fi c fi nes. of Bengaluru. tion (CBI) court judgement which cation by the accused after Paul’s growth of goods and services The size of the fi nes is partic- “Should we pay fi nes for sentenced all of them to life term. speeding vehicle knocked down a tax (GST) collections, raising ularly concerning in a country these roads? Or at least is the Satheesh was the one who had two-wheeler near Alappuzha. the prospect that Prime Min- where the per capita monthly government going to pay our stabbed Paul Muthoot. The accused and his group of ister Narendra Modi’s govern- income is only Rs10,500 ($147). hospital bills?” said another Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency services personnel rescue While the court cancelled the men who saw this followed Paul ment will miss its fi scal defi cit But offi cials say the heavy nes fi Twitter post, with an image of a woman after a residential building collapsed in Ahmedabad life term of the eight accused, and stopped his vehicle and after target this year. are needed to improve safety a man falling off a scooter on a yesterday. other charges will stand, but with a verbal altercation, stabbed him “If the traffic police and in a country where more than fl ooded road. all of them having served more to death. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 11

LATIN AMERICA

LAW AND ORDER ANGER LEGAL RULING CRIME Guatemala declares state Mastercard slammed Ex-first lady of Honduras Bayer told to deposit Remains of 10 people of siege as soldiers killed for halting card service gets 58 years in jail $69mn in soy patent row packed in plastic bags

Guatemala’s government has declared a state of A Venezuelan bank run by the military has The former first lady of Honduras, Rosa Elena A Brazilian judge has ordered Germany’s Bayer Mexican police have found the remains of 10 siege in five northeastern provinces in an eff ort slammed Mastercard for cutting off service to Bonilla, wife of ex-president Porfirio Lobo, has to deposit an additional 286mn reais ($69.4mn) people in an abandoned house in the west to regain control after three soldiers were killed the bank’s credit cards following US sanctions been sentenced to 58 years in jail on charges in an escrow account due to a patent dispute of the country, Jalisco state prosecutors by suspected drug traff ickers, authorities said. against the government of President Nicolas of fraud and undue appropriation of funds, a with local soybean farmers. Federal judge said. The remains, which were packed in Authorities will send more military and police Maduro. The measure is another sign of how spokesman for the nation’s highest court said. Vanessa Gasques in the state of Mato Grosso 17 plastic bags, were found in the town of personnel to Alta Verapaz, El Progreso, Izabal, US sanctions are aff ecting the functioning of Bonilla, 52, has been in custody since February ordered the company to make the deposit Tlajomulco de Zuniga, at about 600kms Peten and Zacapa provinces, a drug-traff icking Venezuelan state institutions. But the practical 2018. Her attorney said Bonilla was innocent within 48 hours. Bayer previously deposited north-west of Mexico City, a spokesman for corridor that runs from the Honduras to Mexico impact is limited because the bank is small and an appeal would be filed with the Central 11.9mn reais related to the case, corresponding the prosecutors said. The remains belonged borders. The measure will impose a curfew, and hyperinflation has reduced use of credit American nation’s Supreme Court. That would to 4% of the royalties in question from the to nine men and one woman. Media reports prohibit demonstrations and make it easier for cards, whose credit limits rarely keep up with be Bonilla’s last chance to avoid serving out genetically modified Intacta soybean seed. said they had been mutilated and were in the armed forces to detain people. The army price increases. “The Bank of the Armed Forces the sentence. Bonilla was accused of misusing The money will remain in escrow pending the an advanced stage of decomposition. Police said a group of suspected drug traff ickers denounces to its civilian and military clients...the the equivalent of $779,000 in funds between conclusion of the case. The decision marks were alerted by local people reporting “ambushed” a patrol of nine soldiers on Tuesday suspension of interbank services for its credit 2010 and 2014 that came from international another setback in the case for Bayer after bad smells coming from the house, which who were sent to detain an aircraft allegedly cards on the part of the American company donations and public funds, and which were completing its takeover of US-based Monsanto, was believed to have been occupied by transporting drugs. Mastercard,” the bank said. meant to be used for social programmes. which originally developed Intacta. criminals.

Uber Anger at Macri measures drivers are not Brazil ‘Car staff , rules high court Wash’ graft

Reuters Brasilia

Brazilian high court has ruled that Uber drivers Aare not employees of the probe facing mobile ride-hailing company, a decision that bolsters its business model in its second-largest mar- ket. The ruling by Superior Court of Justice, known as STJ, Bra- zil’s second-highest court, was taken last week and published on new hurdles Wednesday. It was the fi rst time a Brazilian Reuters made a lasting impact. ecutor Deltan Dallagnol have said superior court has ruled on the Brasilia Its fi ndings spurred a wave they see nothing inappropriate in issue, setting an interpretation of other investigations around the published messages. likely to infl uence future court Brazil and Latin America, tak- Moro has come under criti- decisions related to similar apps. razil’s biggest-ever corrup- ing down presidents and rattling cism for joining the Cabinet of “The app’s drivers have no hi- tion investigation, which global fi rms in sectors from oil President Jair Bolsonaro, who erarchical relation with the Uber Bjailed dozens including a trading to medical equipment. was elected last October after the company because their services are former president, has been threat- But the Car Wash team it- bribery conviction barred Lula — provided now and then, with no ened over the past week by a Su- self, which for years had Brasilia still one of Brazil’s most popular pre-established timetable and they preme Court ruling and push back holding its breath as it brought politicians — from running in the do not have a fi xed salary,” accord- from politicians seeking to curb down a string of business leaders election. ing to the unanimous ruling. investigative powers. and power brokers, has lost its The former president is serv- Brazil is the second biggest For the fi rst time, justices of aura of invincibility. ing a nearly nine-year sentence for market after the US in the number the top court have annulled a In a landmark decision last receiving a beachside apartment of trips by drivers for Uber Tech- corruption conviction by the week, the Supreme Court over- from an engineering company, and nologies, and Sao Paulo is the big- judge who oversaw the probe, turned the conviction of Al- is appealing another conviction gest city, ahead of New York and current Justice Minister Sergio demir Bendine, a former presi- that found he was given a country Mexico City. Moro, setting a precedent that dent of state-run oil company home in return for lucrative gov- Similar debates have raged in prosecutors fear could undo up to Petrobras. ernment contracts. other Uber markets, including 143 other convictions. A majority of justices found he In Moro’s new role in Brasilia, he Britain, where courts have found Investigators in the probe should have had a chance to make has also struggled with resistance that drivers are employees, and known as Operation Car Wash a closing argument after hearing from the political class that was the US, where a California court are already on the defensive, af- accusations against him from threatened for years by his anti- made it harder for Uber and other ter leaked messages appeared to plea-bargain testimony. graft fi ght. technology platforms to argue show Moro collaborating with Others convicted in the Car Moro has asked Bolsonaro to their drivers are independent con- prosecutors on their case against Wash probe have begun to fi le veto parts of a bill passed by Con- tractors. jailed former president Luiz Ina- appeals before the Supreme gress that would curb the powers The court added that tech- cio Lula da Silva. Court with the same argument. of prosecutors to probe suspects. nological tools now available al- Lula’s lawyers and supporters Lula’s lawyer Cristiano Zanin Meanwhile, Moro’s anti-crime low for new forms of economic are demanding a retrial, while Martins said the court ruling and package, an attempt to deliver on interaction in which the drivers Moro has denied any wrongdo- Moro’s exchanges with pros- Bolsonaro’s law-and-order cam- act as individual business people ing. ecutors leaked by The Intercept paign vows, is stalled in Congress. not employed by the owner of the “There’s no doubt this is Car news site have given the Supreme But the Car Wash investigators platform. Wash’s worst moment,” said Court the opportunity to rem- say they are not done yet. The case arrived at the STJ after former lead prosecutor Carlos edy what he called a “scenario Brazil’s top public prosecutor a driver sued Uber in Minas Gerais Fernando dos Santos Lima, now of abuses” committed by the Car Raquel Dodge last month extended state, seeking damages for lost in- retired. Wash team against the former for another year the Car Wash in- come after the ride hailing com- “The operation is strong president. vestigative task force that includes pany closed his account with it. enough to resist because we still “The messages made public by 15 prosecutors and an additional One local court said the case have the support of a majority of The Intercept and other media staff of 30. was a labour relations issue, in- Brazilians, but we are being be- outlets show that Sergio Moro From 2014 to July, Car Wash dicating that he was an Uber em- sieged from all sides of the politi- instructed and guided all the had brought 101 indictments ployee, but a second court tasked cal system,” he added. prosecutors,” Martins told Reu- against 445 people on charges specifi cally with handling labour After fi ve years of convictions ters. from bribery and money laun- cases took the opposite point of A demonstrator yawns as she participates in a protest against Argentine President Mauricio Macri and confessions, plus billions of Moro declined to comment for dering to obstruction of justice, view, a decision now upheld by government’s economic measures in Buenos Aires, Argentina, yesterday. dollars in recovered bribes, there this story. winning 158 convictions so far in the superior court. is no doubt that the probe has He and lead Car Wash pros- 50 trials.

Bogota ‘ready to defend US to give $120mn more against Caracas threats’ to help Venezuela migrants AFP right-wing Colombian President Bogota Ivan Duque to hunt down the dis- sidents while accusing Maduro of Reuters also on the visit. Chile, Brazil and other countries. providing them “shelter and sup- Bogota Colombia is the fi rst stop on Colombia has repeatedly la- olombia is “ready” to defend port.” a Latin American tour that will mented the lack of funding to itself against threats from Caracas has rejected the accusa- also take her, Sullivan and Green help migrants, saying other hu- CVenezuela, after that coun- tions. “Not only has the Colombian he US will give an addi- to Argentina and Paraguay. manitarian crises in Syria, South try’s president accused Bogota of government engaged Colombia in tional $120mn in humani- “This additional funding Sudan and Myanmar have re- seeking to provoke military confl ict, a worsening war, but it is using un- Ttarian assistance to help provides vital support, includ- ceived many times more in do- a minister said. founded accusations to threaten Latin America cope with the ar- ing emergency food and health nations from the international Faced with “threats” from Cara- Venezuela and provoke a military rival of millions of Venezuelan assistance, to vulnerable Ven- community. cas, “Colombian authorities will not confl ict with our country,” Maduro migrants fl eeing a crushing eco- ezuelans in Colombia, Ecua- The US said last week it give in to provocation, but are ready said during a military ceremony in nomic crisis, the state depart- dor, Brazil, and throughout the will provide 12,000 doses of to protect the sovereignty and peace Caracas. ment said. region,” the statement said. antiretroviral HIV medication of Colombians,” Foreign Aff airs He added he was placing military More than 4mn Venezuelans “This assistance brings the US to Venezuelan migrants in Co- Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said units deployed along the 2,250kms have fl ed their home country in contribution to the Venezuelan lombia, part of efforts to better in an audio statement sent to media border with Colombia on high alert, recent years amid political up- regional crisis response to more manage healthcare for migrants outlets. due to Colombia’s “threat of aggres- heaval and widespread shortages than $376mn.” and prevent the spread of the Venezuelan President Nicolas sion against Venezuela.” of food and medicine. “We salute Colombia and disease. Maduro earlier accused the Colom- Maduro also said that military Deputy secretary of state John neighbouring countries for their Unlike its neighbours, Colom- bian government of using dissident exercises would take place along the Sullivan and United States Agen- continued support as well, and bia has not imposed stringent Farc leaders’ rejection of a peace border from September 10 to 28, to cy for International Develop- we call upon other donors to immigration requirements, in- accord to try to “provoke a military “bring the armed system and the ment (USAID) head Mark Green make or increase contributions stead encouraging migrants who confl ict” with Venezuela, the lat- entire operational deployment into made the announcement during to help address the crisis,” the entered the country informally to est blow to highly tense relations full readiness.” a visit to the border city of Cu- statement added. register with authorities so they between the neighbouring South Colombia, along with the US cuta, Colombia, an epicentre of Colombia has received more can access social services. American nations. and more than 50 other countries, arriving migrants, the state de- Venezuelan migrants than any The government of Colombia The dispute between the two in January recognised Venezuela’s partment said in a statement. other country — it is now home frequently spars with Venezue- presidents comes after Farc leaders opposition leader Juan Guaido as Ivanka Trump, White House to more than 1.4mn. lan President Nicolas Maduro last week formally rejected a 2016 the country’s interim president and adviser and daughter of US Hundreds of thousands of over security and the migration White House adviser Ivanka Trump helps Graciela Alcocer make a peace deal and announced a return have continued to call on Maduro to President Donald Trump, is others reside in Ecuador, Peru, crisis. pastry during a visit to her bakery in Jujuy, Argentina, yesterday. to arms, prompting a pledge from step down. Gulf Times 12 Friday, September 6, 2019 PAKISTAN

Karachi among Authority takes Twitter world’s 10 least to task over censorship livable Indian actions in Kashmir neither responded offi cially nor content in support of Kashmir. the government of Indian Prime launched the #LetKashmir- phones and closure of TV chan- cities taking region back to dark given any reason for the suspen- Under the Prevention of Elec- Minister Narendra Modi. Speak campaign. nels. ages: Amnesty sion of these accounts. tronic Crimes Act 2016, the PTA The #LetKashmirSpeak cam- Amnesty International India A humanitarian crisis has The PTA said it is already is the sole body that can offi - paign aimed to highlight the hu- also dismissed recent state- been looming in the valley as Internews Internews making eff orts to engage with cially block access to unlawful man cost of the draconian com- ments made by Indian Minister people face shortage of food, Islamabad Islamabad Twitter to ensure freedom of ex- online content and take the issue munication blackout in Kashmir of External Aff airs S Jaishankar medicines and other things. pression for social media users up with relevant platforms in that was termed as an outright in an interview with Politico Patients are even being denied in Pakistan. cases where the PTA is unable to assault on the civil liberties of magazine, in which he had cited life-saving medical care, sug- arachi has been named he Pakistan Telecommu- It said it has invited Twitter`s block them because of technical the Kashmiri people by the In- security reasons as the main rea- gest reports. among the least livable nication Authority (PTA) administration for a meeting in grounds. dian government. son behind the communications Amnesty also condemned the Kcities in the world by the Thas raised the issue of Pakistan or anywhere they pre- Yesterday Prime Minister Im- In a press release, the rights lockdown. attempts made by the India gov- Economist Intelligence Unit suspension of tweets and block- fer in order to have meaningful ran Khan received a parliamen- group warned that depriving an “Amnesty does not believe ernment to restrict the freedom (EIU), a research and analysis di- ing of Twitter accounts appar- discussions and devise a work- tary delegation of Oman at the entire population of their right the current shutdown complies of the press, citing examples like vision of the Economist Group. ently related to Indian-adminis- able arrangement. Prime Minister Offi ce. to freedom of expression, opin- with requirement of necessity, the case of Kashmiri journalist Each year, the EIU gives 140 tered Kashmir with the Twitter Twitter has yet to respond, National Assembly Speaker ion and movement for an indefi - proportionality and legality set and author Gowhar Geelani who cities a score out of 100, on a administration. the PTA said. Asad Qaiser was also present nite period is akin to taking the out under Article 19 of the Inter- was arbitrarily stopped in New range of factors, such as living The telecom sector regula- Dawn reported last month during the meeting. region back to the dark ages. national Covenant on Civil and Delhi from boarding his fl ight to standards, crime, transport in- tor has also asked the users of that about 200 Twitter accounts During the meeting, the prime “The blackout has now been Political Rights, to which India is Germany earlier this week. frastructure, access to education the microblogging site to reg- had been suspended for appar- minister briefed the visiting a month old and cannot be pro- a party,” the press release noted. Amnesty stressed that the at- and healthcare, as well as politi- ister their concerns about the ently posting about Kashmir. delegation about the plight of longed any further by the Indian “Instead, it deprives the entire tempts made by the Indian gov- cal and economic stability. suspension of their tweets or The claim came from jour- Kashmiris in the Indian-admin- Government as it has grossly population of Kashmir of their ernment to create a public opin- This year, Karachi has been blocking of their accounts at the nalists, activists, government istered. impacted the daily lives of Kash- right to freedom of expression ion of “normalcy” in Kashmir ranked 136th on the list, mak- following e-mail address: con- offi cials and fans of the military The two sides reiterated the miri people,” said Aakar Patel, and opinion and access to cru- while curbing the freedom of ing it the fi fth least livable city in [email protected]. tweeting in support of Kashmir need to further enhance bilat- the head of Amnesty Interna- cial information, thus infl icting independent press had usurped the world, only managing to fare The PTA has said a total of 333 freedom. eral trade ties and to strengthen tional India. a form of collective punishment the voice of the people. better than Damascus in Syria, handles have been suspended Inter-Services Public Rela- mutual co-operation in various He added that it had also im- on the 8mn people of Kashmir,” Amnesty head in India Aakar Lagos in Nigeria, Dhaka in Bang- for posting tweets regarding the tions (ISPR) director-general areas. pacted the emotional and men- the rights group added. Patel, in a statement to the ladesh, and Tripoli in Libya. situation in Indian-adminis- Major-General Asif Ghafoor Meanwhile, global rights tal well-being of Kashmiris, The valley, which has been press, noted that the blackout The other countries on the tered Kashmir. had earlier said that the authori- group Amnesty International their medical care, as well as under a curfew since August 5, was no more a clampdown on list of the world’s 10 least livable Out of these, only 67 accounts ties had taken up the issue with has launched an urgent global their access to basic necessities remains cut off from the rest just the communication systems cities are Caracas in Venezuela, have been restored by Twitter so Twitter and Facebook regard- campaign to end the communi- and emergency services, tearing of the world due to the contin- of Kashmir, but a clampdown Algiers in Algeria, Douala in far. ing the suspension of Pakistani cations blackout imposed on In- families apart. ued blockade and suspension on the hearts and minds of the Cameroon, Harare in Zimbabwe, The PTA said Twitter has social media accounts posting dian-administered Kashmir by In response, Amnesty of Internet, mobile and landline Kashmiris. and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. At rank 136, Karachi’s over- PM’s Off ice all rating out of 100, which EIU stated was ideal, was 40.9: its issues warning stability rating was 20, health- to 27 ministries care 45.8, culture and environ- ment 38.7, education 66.7, and The Prime Minister’s Off ice infrastructure 51.8. has issued a “red letter” to 27 Karachi’s ranking has im- ministries over failure to submit proved by one spot in com- reports. parison with 2018, when it was According to a notification by the ranked 137th. Prime Minister’s Off ice, the letter For the fi rst time, the in- was issued on account of critical dex noted the eff ects of climate delay in completion of composite change on liveability, with Indi- tasks assigned under prime an capital New Delhi and Egyp- minister’s directives. tian capital Cairo plunging in This is the first time that the the rankings to 118th and 125th ministries have been sent a red place, respectively, due to “poor letter, which is a final warning and air quality, undesirable average a sign of displeasure. temperatures and inadequate The Prime Minister’s Off ice has water provision”. given the deadline of September “We expect problems relat- 9 to submit information on ing to climate change to put in- vacancies and postings at every creasing pressure on liveability level in the ministries. scores in the coming years, and The letter also called for details for the number of cities aff ected on off icers who are worthy of to grow,” Agathe Demarais of the promotions but have not been EIU said. promoted, government off icers Meanwhile, Austrian capital who have had disciplinary Defence drill Vienna retained its ranking as investigations against them the world’s most livable city. pending for three months, and Soldiers take part yesterday in a drill Vienna once again came ahead cars, machinery and items in Peshawar on the eve of Pakistan’s of Australia’s Melbourne, which that are not being used by the Defence Day, which marks the had held the top ranking for ministries. anniversary of the country’s second seven years before losing it to It further said that this red letter war with India between August and Vienna in 2018. will factor into the performance September 1965, with both sides The top two were followed by report of the concerned ministry claiming victory after it ended in a Australia’s Sydney, Japan’s Osa- and division. stalemate. ka, and Canada’s Calgary. Vienna – known for its con- venient public transport, re- Govt to issue freshing Alpine tap water, and varied cultural life – scored 99.1 health cards to points out of 100, as it did last journalists year. “Western Europe and North The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) America continue to be the most government has decided to issue livable regions in the world,” the Insaf health cards to journalists EIU said in a press release. and other media workers across Europe claimed eight of the the country. top 20 spots, with cities in Japan, With these cards, media Australia, New Zealand, and personnel will be able to avail Canada making up the rest. free medical treatment up to However, French city Paris RS725,000 at any government or dropped six places to 25th due private hospital. to the anti-government “yellow The cards will only be issued to vest” protest. journalists registered as voters at Improvements in liveabil- press clubs. ity that had taken place in cities Media workers whose in emerging markets in recent employment is confirmed by the years, thanks to greater stability newspapers and TV channels will as well as better education and also be provided with the cards. healthcare, are under serious PTI Central vice-president Zahid threat from an increasingly ad- Hussain said that voters list verse climate, it said. would be obtained from the presidents and secretaries of press clubs in September to issue the cards. “This process will be completed by October 30. We will start Pakistan sentences three in infamous wedding video killing working on this project in the coming two weeks,” he added. AFP/Internews of ordering the deaths of male The 2012 video showed the Men can be victims too, the women shown to the offi - Geo.tv that he is satisfi ed with Peshawar/Islamabad and female guests fi lmed at a women clapping as a man though it is rarer. cials were imposters, and that the court’s order. Monsoon season wedding. danced in the deeply-conserv- A relative of those in the vid- the death sentences were carried “It took so long, but fi nally we Three of the women in the ative mountainous area of Ko- eo, Afzal Kohistani, claimed the out. have some kind of justice,” he to continue till end district and session video were murdered, district histan, 175km (110 miles) north women in the video had been In March this year he was said. of September court in Besham, Khyber public prosecutor Attaullah told of the capital Islamabad. killed and took the rare step of gunned down in the northwest- Yasir has been single-handily APakhtunkhwa has sen- AFP yesterday. Men and women had allegedly pushing the case before the me- ern city of Abbottabad, igniting pursuing the case since Kohista- Pakistan Meteorological tenced three men to life in prison Those convicted were Umar been in the room together, in de- dia and the justice system. fury from activists who praised ni was murdered. Department (Met) director for the murder of women fi lmed Khan, the brother of one mur- fi ance of the patriarchal notion The Supreme Court investi- him as a rare example of a man Since 2012, members of his Sardar Sarfaraz has said that the enjoying themselves at a wed- dered woman, and Saier Khan of “honour” at the heart of strict gated, but a fact-fi nding team seeking justice in a so-called family has been either killed or monsoon season in the country ding, in a notorious years-old and Sabeer Khan, fathers of the tribal customs that separate met women who were purport- “honour” killing. displaced. is expected to continue till case that spotlighted so-called other two, he said. men and women at weddings – edly those shown in the video Three other men – Kohistani’s “At least 40 people were September 30. “honour killings”. “The court on Thursday though the video does not show and ruled they were alive. brothers – were later killed by a involved in the killing of my The Met department off icial told Five other accused were ac- awarded life imprisonment them together. One of the members of the rival family. brothers and the women,” he reporters that the rainfall system quitted. to three men each for murder, Women have been targeted for fact-fi nding team, activist Far- A Pakistani court convicted adds. “I am upset that fi ve peo- in the Arabian Sea and in Indian The case in the mountainous while fi ve others were acquit- bringing “shame” on their fami- zana Bari, told AFP yesterday six of their killers in 2014, but ple have been acquitted. More Gujarat had caused the sea northern region of Kohistan has ted,” he told AFP. lies for everything from refusing that she had long disagreed with their sentence was later over- people should have been con- breeze to stop in Karachi, leading attracted international attention The defendants’ lawyer Sar- marriage proposals to wedding the decision, fearing the women turned. victed, including the jirga elder to still and hot weather persisting since it fi rst emerged in 2012, faraz Khan said they would fi ght the “wrong” man and helping the team met were imposters. After yesterday’s verdict, Ko- who passed the order to kill the in the metropolis. when a local leader was accused the decision in a higher court. friends elope. Kohistani also insisted that histani’s brother, Bin Yasir, told women.” Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 13 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Muharram: The month of Allah

uslims must fear Allah guide you to your Lord, so you should and we also observe it.” Upon this, and take lessons from fear him?’ Then (Moosa) showed him the Messenger of Allah said, “We what Allah has told us in the great signs (miracles). But (Phar- have more right and we have a closer Mthe Qur’an regarding the aoh) belied and disobeyed; then he connection (awlaa) to Moosa than you Prophets and Messengers of Allah and turned his back, striving hard against have. So Allah’s Messenger fasted (on the previous nations. (Allah). Then he gathered his people the day of ‘Ashura ) and gave orders Allah said (which means): and cried aloud, saying, ‘I am you lord, that it should be observed.(4) “Indeed in their stories, there is a most high.’’’(An-Naazi’aat 79: 15-24) According to Muslim, the Prophet lesson for men of understanding. It Pharaoh claimed that the signs said of fasting on ‘Ashura that “It is (the Qur’an) is not a forged statement, Moosa brought were only magic and an expiation (of sins) for the previous but a confi rmation of Allah’s existing that he had magic that would overtake year.”(5) books (the Torah, the Injeel, and other the magic of Moosa. So Pharaoh gath- According to many authentic ahaa- Scriptures of Allah), a detailed expla- ered magicians from his kingdom and dith, fasting on ‘Ashura was obligatory, nation of everything, and a guide and they presented their magic, and Moosa but later made voluntary when the a mercy for the people who believe.” presented what he had from the signs, obligation of fasting the month of Ra- (Yusuf 12: 111) which Allah had given him. madan was revealed in the Qur’an.(6) And among the stories that Allah has Allah said (which means): The Prophet fasted on the day of narrated to us in His Book is what hap- “Thus truth was confi rmed, and all ‘Ashura and commanded that people pened in Allah’s month,(1) the sacred that they did was made of no eff ect. should fast on that day. The sahaabah month of Muharram,(2) and that is the So they were defeated there and then, (his companions) said: “Messenger story of Prophet Moosa, and Pharaoh and were returned disgraced. And the of Allah, it is a day which the Jews the tyrant of Egypt, in the Qur’an, Al- sorcerers fell down prostrate. They and Christians hold in high esteem.” lah tells us this story, which means, said, ‘We believe in the Lord of the Thereupon the Messenger of Allah “We recite to you some of the news ‘Aalameen (i.e. all that exists), the Lord said, ‘“When the next year comes, of Moosa and Pharaoh in truth, for of Moosa and Haaroon (Aaron).’” (Al- inshaa ‘Allah, we would fast on the a people who believe (i.e. those who A’araf 7: 118-122) 9th (i.e. the ninth as well as the 10th believe (ie those who believe in this At that time Pharaoh decided to in order to diff er from the disbeliev- Qur’an and in the Oneness of Al- try a diff erent plan - fear, force and ers).” But the Messenger of Allah died lah). Verily, Pharaoh exalted himself retaliation. Allah told Moosa to get before the advent of the next year.(7) in the land and made its people sects, every believer out of Egypt and direct Therefore we should fast that day and weakening (oppressing) a group (Bani them to where Allah would tell him. one day before it (the 9th), following Israa’eel) among them, killing their Pharaoh gathered his army and forces, the Prophet’s Sunnah and looking for sons and letting their females live. which were around one million soldiers the reward from Allah.(8) Verily, he was of the mufsidoon (those according to the seerah, and he chased We also benefi t from the story of who commit great sins and crimes, op- Moosa and his people, hoping to Moosa by learning that the Sunnah of the pressors and tyrants). And We wished destroy them completely. Moosa ended Prophets is to thank and praise Allah in to do a favour for those who were weak up at the sea with Pharaoh and his times of peace and when they gain vic- (and oppressed) in the land, and to army behind him. The believers were tory over their enemies. Moosa fasted on make them rulers and to make them afraid because the sea was in front of the 10th, the day on which Allah made the inheritors, and rulers and to make them and the enemy was behind them. his followers victorious over Pharaoh; them the inheritors, and to establish Allah says (which means): and this is another sign that the truth them in the land, and We let Pharaoh “And when the two hosts saw each will always defeat falsehood. and Haamaan (a minister of Pharaoh) other, the people of Moosa, said, ‘We The Prophet fasted on this day and their hosts receive from them that are sure to be overtaken. (Moosa) said, thanking Allah for the victory of the which they feared.” (Al-Qasas 28:3-6) ‘Nay, verily! With me is my Lord and people of the truth over the people of Pharaoh dominated the nation of He will guide me!’” (Ash-Shu’araa 26: falsehood. The victory in that time Israa’eel and enslaved them, killing 61-62) was for Moosa, but the Sunnah of the their newborn sons but letting their Whoever is close to Allah, Allah will prophets is one. This is the jihaad females live. The reason he commit- never let him down or leave him on his against the disbelievers - to make the ted this criminal act was the fear of the own. Allah ordered Moosa to strike the word of Allah the highest on earth. truth coming out from one of those sea with his staff . Moosa did so and the Victory always comes from Allah and newborn males. The nation of Israa’eel sea opened up for them to cross: victory is a ni’mah (bounty) from Allah used to know, according to what came Allah says (which means): for which we must thank Allah by be- to them from Prophet Ibraheem, that “And indeed We inspired Moosa ing obedient to Him. someone from his lineage would de- (saying): ‘Travel by night with ‘Ibaadi Some people nowadays create bid’ah stroy the king of Egypt. These glad tid- (My slaves) and strike a dry path for (innovation in the deen), and deviant ings were famous among the nation of them in the sea, fearing neither to be slogans and hold demonstrations, or Israa’eel; and the news of it was made overtaken (by Pharaoh) nor being afraid invent a state of mourning for them- known to Pharaoh. Pharaoh ordered his (of drowning).” (Taaha 20: 77) selves on this day. soldiers to kill all newborn boys of the Moosa walked across the path that nation of Israa’eel; on order to secure opened in the sea and the last of his NOTES: himself from destruction. people left the sea and every soldier of 1 The Prophet said, “The most However, all of the precautions that Pharaoh’s army was inside the path. excellent fast after Ramadan is Allah’s he made were not enough to protect At this time Allah ordered the sea to Lord of Haaroon and Moosa.’” (Taaha and has done righteous deeds, for such good, those who perform good deeds month, Muharram, and the most ex- him from what Allah wanted, which collapse upon them, drowning Pharaoh 20:70). are the high ranks (in the Hereafter).” solely for the sake of Allah and in cellent prayer after what is prescribed was for this newborn boy to be raised in and his army. Pharaoh threatened to crucify them, (Taaha 20:71-75) accordance with the Sunnah of the is praying during the night.” (Saheeh the house of Pharaoh. The will of Allah That was the victory of the truth but they were strong in their belief We also derived from this story the Prophet).” (An-Nahl 16: 128) Muslim, Volume 2 page 569 no.2611 ) cannot be stopped by any precautions over falsehood. The promise of Allah and refused to return to disbelief after lesson that falsehood, regardless of As Muslims, we should always fear 2 The sacred months are four: and His ability conquers anything. So was true - He made the people of believing. how big or the number of its adher- Allah and consider these lessons and Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram Allah chose for the Prophet Moosa to Moosa victorious over Pharaoh and his Allah said (which means): “Phar- ents, will be defeated by the truth and not follow the ways of those who were and Rajab. See Qur’an, At-Tawbah 9: be born safely, to be saved from being army. From this story we see how the aoh said, ‘Believe you in him (Moosa) the people of the truth are patient disobedient to Allah; but rather to obey 36-37. Waging war, killing and plunder killed, and also to be raised in Phar- truth is victorious, regardless of the before I give you permission? Verily! with whatever they are facing. This the Prophet and follow his guidance as are prohibited during these months. aoh’s own home under the protection size or seeming power of falsehood. He is your chief who taught you magic. is an example of an arrogant tyrant Allah told us, which means, It is prohibited to intentionally violate of Allah until he was an adult. Falsehood has its own limited time, So surely I will cut off your hands and with power, an army and a kingdom “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah the sanctity of one of the months and Later Moosa accidentally killed a but the truth is always victorious. This feet on opposite sides, and I will surely which he ruled, who pursued a few (Muhammad) you have a good example then make up for it, as the pre-Islamic person from Pharaoh’s people. Moosa story should enrich the hearts of the crucify you on the trunks of palm- who had no munitions or other means to follow for him who hopes in (the Arabs used to do in order to give was afraid that he would be captured believers and make them steadfast in trees, and you shall; know which of (of defence), but Allah was with them meeting with) Allah and the Last Day themselves a military edge. However, and be killed for this, so he fl ed to the the face of their enemies, regardless of us, (I, Pharaoh) or the Lord of Moosa and they had the force of Imaan in and remembers Allah much.” (Al- if you are attacked during one of these land of Madyan and abided there for size or seeming power of their enemies. (Allah) can give the severe and more their hearts. Allah gave them His vic- Ahzaab 33: 21) months, it is permitted, as mentioned some time. He married there and then The believer should also benefi t from lasting torment.’ tory, His guidance, His help; and in a This great event - the victory Allah in the ayah 2:194 to attack them as you returned to Egypt. On the way back this story by understanding that the They said, ‘We prefer you not over single moment the forces of falsehood gave Moosa and the believers over were attacked. Allah talked to him (by wahy)(3) revela- people of falsehood claim that they are the clear signs that have come to us, were destroyed. Pharaoh’s forces were Pharaoh and his army - occurred on 3. by revelation tion and told him he was a prophet and on the right path and are calling people and to Him (Allah) who created us. So destroyed in the sea and as Allah said the 10th of the sacred month of Mu- 4 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 551 the Messenger to Pharaoh. Allah told to the truth. In fact, the opposite is decree whatever you desire to decree, (which means): harram and the day is called Yaumul no. 2520 him many signs by which he will be true-they rely on lies and deception. for you can only decree (regarding) this “We fl ing (send down ) the truth ‘Ashura (the day of ‘Ashura). It is a day 5 Saheeh Muslim known as the prophet of Allah and they Pharaoh said to his people: “I guide life of the world.’ against the falsehood, so it (truth) that has great merit. Prophet Moosa 6 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 548 would show that he was a true prophet. you only to the path of right policy!” ‘Verily! We have believed in our destroys it, and behold, it (falsehood) is fasted on that day, and ordered the no. 2499 Moosa went to Pharaoh and showed (Ghaafi r 40:29) Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, vanished.” (Al-Anbiyaa 21: 18) people to fast that day. 7 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 552 him the signs of Allah but Pharaoh was But he was a liar. From this story we and the magic to which you did compel We also learn that Allah tests the Ibn ‘Abbas reported that when the no. 2528 arrogant and stubborn. also see that whoever knows the truth us. And Allah is better (as regards in prophets and the believers, and the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi 8 We may only single out this day Allah says (which means): and truly believes in it will not lose, comparison to your punishment).’ tests are sometimes very diffi cult, but wa sallam) arrived in Madinah, he as a day of fasting and not a day of “Has there come to you the story of regardless of what he or she endures of Verily! Whoever comes to his Lord in the end, victory is for the prophets found the Jews fasting on the day of celebration. Abu Moosa reported that Moosa? When his Lord called him in torment, torture or even death. An ex- as a mujrim (criminal, sinner, polythe- and the believers. Allah is with the ‘Ashura. The Messenger of Allah asked the people of Khaybar (most of them the Valley of Tuwaa. ‘Go to Pharaoh, ample is of the magicians. When they ist, disbeliever in the oneness of Allah prophets and the believers in victory them, “What is the signifi cance of this were Jews) observed fast on the day verily he has transgressed all bounds knew the truth, they believed in Allah and in His messengers) then surely, for and guidance. day that you fast on?” They said, “It of ‘Ashura and they treated it as “Eid (in crimes, sins, polytheism and disbe- and in the message of Moosa. him is Hell, therein he will neither die Allah says (which means): is the day of great signifi cance when and gave their women ornaments and lief). And say to hi, ‘Would you purify Allah says (which means): nor live. “Truly, Allah is with those who fear Allah delivered Moosa and his people beautiful dresses to wear. The Mes- yourself (from the sin of disbelief and “So the magicians fell down pros- But whoever comes to Him (Allah) him, keep their duty unto Him, and and drowned Pharaoh and his people. senger of Allah said, “You (only) fast on by becoming a believer). And that I trate. They said, ‘We believe in the as a believer (in the oneness of Allah) those who are Muhsinoon (doers of Moosa observed fast out of gratitude, this day.” (Saheeh Muslim) Benefi cial means to refl ect upon the Qur’an

llah Says (what means): “[This is] a One such way is to be acquainted with the to verses that were revealed in general terms One other helpful factor in refl ecting on and crites and every era has its own ‘Pharaohs’ and blessed Book which We have revealed Arabic language and its methods of expression. and verses that may have sounded confusing. understanding the Book of Allah, is referring oppressors. to you, [O Muhammad ], that they The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic, and can only Knowing all this makes a Muslim realise that to the trustworthy books of interpretation of A serious mistake in this regard is applying Amight refl ect upon its verses and that be understood according to the rules of this lan- in order to properly be able to refl ect upon the the Qur’an, and reading what the scholars have verses to those for whom it was not intended, those of understanding would be reminded.” guage, and all scholars attach great importance Qur’an, he must return to the biography of the said. Such books contain many of the interpre- like applying the verses about hypocrites to the [Qur’an: 38: 29] to learning the Arabic language and encourage Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the tations of the Salaf whether the statements of believers, or the verses about righteous people Refl ecting upon the Qur’an is one of the rea- their students to learn it. The one who does not authentic Sunnah. the companions or those who came after them . to the disbelievers, as this leads to clear and sons behind its revelation; it is the way to com- know the rules of the language could easily mis- Knowing the historical context in which Some of these books of Tafseer (i.e. interpreta- serious misguidance. prehend its rulings and fi nd out its objectives understand the following saying of Allah (which specifi c verses of the Qur’an were revealed tion) are by At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Katheer To conclude, we would like to remind the and meanings. The Qur’an will not be properly means): “And ask the city in which we were and increases the reader’s understanding, because and others. Reading these sources helps the reader with the following prophetic narra- understood, nor will its objectives be truly the caravan in which we came” [Qur’an: 12: 82] many verses were revealed pertaining to a person reading the Qur’an refl ect upon the tion, of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased realised except by pausing at each verse and and he will not be able to distinguish between certain incident. verses and better understand them. with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi giving it its due right of pondering to discover the sayings of Allah (which mean): “It is You we Without knowing the reason for its revelation Reciting the Qur’an attentively while think- wa sallam, said: “Any group of people that as- the meanings and wisdom within it. worship and You we ask for help” [Qur’an: 1: 5] and what it came down to address, one could ing of what one is reading is a matter that was semble in one of the Houses of Allah to recite All perfect praise is due to Allah, that we still and the saying: “We worship You,” and so on. read a verse but not really understand what it stressed in the Qur’an, and it helps one refl ect. and study the Qur’an, tranquility will descend see many Muslims reciting the Qur’an day and It must be pointed out here is that not every intends. For example the following saying of Allah says (what means): “Say, `I only advise upon them, mercy will engulf them, angels will night, which is good, yet many of them recite one who recites the Qur’an is asked to be a Allah (which means): “So do not weaken and do you of one [thing] - that you stand for Allah, surround them and Allah will make mention it without the due refl ection or understanding. grammarian; rather, all he needs to obtain is not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [seeking truth] in pairs and individually, and of them to those (the angels) in His proximity.” Thus people miss the main reason for which the enough knowledge and command on the lan- [true] believers. If a wound should touch you- then give thought`” [Qur’an: 34: 46]. This bet- [Muslim]. Note how the narration connected Qur’an was revealed, to apply its rules, adhere guage with which he can understand the Book there has already touched the [opposing] people ter helps the reader understand the Qur’an. reciting and studying, and made this a precon- to its commands and refrain from its prohibi- of Allah and refl ect upon it. a wound similar to it” [Qur’an: 3: 139-140]. Another important rule regarding refl ect- dition for the four magnifi cent virtues to be tions. An important practice which can help a This saying was addressed to the compan- ing upon the Qur’an is applying it to reality. achieved. In an attempt to practically apply the Words person refl ect upon the Qur’an is to study the ions, may Allah pleased with them, during This means (in short) that the Qur’an was not Perhaps the reason for the current situation of Allah (which mean): “And remind, for biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi the battle of Uhud in which they suffered revealed just for a certain period or a specifi c of Muslims is that we read the Book of Allah but indeed, the reminder benefi ts the believers.” wa sallam. We must know that he was the causalities fighting the disbelieving enemies. place; but is applicable during all times and do not refl ect upon it, and thus our application [Qur’an: 51: 55] we designate this article to ad- authentic interpreter of the Qur’an and that his They are being rallied to fight harder by Al- places. One can best understand The Qur’an coincides with our degree of refl ection which dress some important ways by which a person manners were all derived from the Qur’an. We lah’s reminder that they had already inflicted and feel it alive, when it is applied to reality and led us to our current situation. may ponder the Noble Qur’an and thus properly must also know that he was a practical Qur’an similar suffering upon these enemies during to the issues of the Muslim nation. For example, Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/ understand it. walking on earth, in the sense that he clarifi ed their previous battle of Badr. every era has its own disbelievers and hypo- emainpage/ Gulf Times 14 Friday, September 6, 2019 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 Guerrillas’ return to arms in Colombia complicates US policy

The Colombia peace deal that ended the hemisphere’s longest war is in jeopardy, potentially handing the Trump administration another Latin American crisis, threatening to unleash cocaine production and complicating US eff orts to topple neighbouring Venezuela’s government. Colombia was painstakingly attempting to overcome 55 years of civil war between successive governments and leftist guerrillas that claimed more than 250,000 lives. With enthusiastic support from the Obama administration, then- president Juan Manuel Santos brokered an end to the confl ict in late 2016 – and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his eff orts. But a week ago, dissidents from one of the signatories to that Automation to widen US’s agreement, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), announced they were taking up weapons again and would fi ght the government for better conditions for former combatants. “The state hasn’t fulfi lled its most important obligation, which is to guarantee the life of its citizens,” former Farc commander Ivan Marquez, whose real name is Luciano Marin, said in a video message. economic, social divides He claimed to have numerous followers, and he was reacting to the unexplained killings of several former guerrillas. The Colombian government and its US backers have sought to By Laura Tyson and Susan Lund some are close to retirement, others out, and as new ones are created, need more technical and specialised locations that are richer in growth skills to remain in the workforce, and downplay the rebellion. Berkeley have years to go before they qualify for Social Security. Making matters industries will be better positioned to have a chance at upward mobility. “The peace process is not in danger,” President Ivan Duque worse, one-quarter of Americans have to adapt and create employment Making eff ective training programmes said. Duque, whose commitment to the peace process has been he US labour market is posting nothing saved for retirement, and most opportunities for displaced workers. available to anyone who needs them questioned, said it was necessary to distinguish between the handful healthy numbers – for now. elderly Americans already rely on Social Projecting to 2030, MGI finds that should be a priority across the country. of dissidents returning to war and the thousands of former guerrillas Yet Americans’ economic Security for most of their income. just 25 urban areas could account for Employers will be the natural providers who remain a part of the transition to civilian life, a key component prospects vary signifi cantly, Moreover, automation will have a majority of net job growth in the of training for many workers. But of the peace process. T depending on who they are and where uneven eff ects across genders. Men, US, as has also been the case in the workers who require retraining to fi nd But Marquez’s they live, and these diff erences will for example, make up the majority of decade following the Great Recession. positions with new companies, or to But Marquez’s announcement underscored sharpen as the pace of automation picks drivers and assembly-line workers – Cities like Phoenix, Arizona, and switch occupations altogether, will need the fragility of a diffi cult up in the decade ahead. two highly automatable roles – while Austin, Texas, have diverse economies access to community colleges, online announcement and as yet far from complete For starters, some of the US women represent a majority of highly and high concentrations of tech and learning platforms, and other providers. reconciliation. economy’s largest occupational automatable administrative assistant business-services industries, which Nonprofi ts, education providers, underscored Santos invested enormous categories – food service, offi ce and bookkeeper positions. In MGI’s will expand alongside automation. industry groups, and all levels of energy in ending the war. support, manufacturing production, projection, women will account for In addition, some of the fastest government will have a role to play in the fragility Duque, his successor, comes and retail and customer service – are 47% of displaced workers and men employment growth could occur in retraining workers and placing them in from a right-wing party that highly exposed to labour-saving for 53% by 2030. But women also smaller cities, including emerging new jobs. of a diffi cult always believed the peace automation. Moreover, new research stand to capture an outsize share of tech hubs such as Provo, Utah, and Although automation threatens agreement was too lenient on from the McKinsey Global Institute net job growth, owing to their larger Bend, Oregon, university towns, and to deepen existing disparities in the and as yet far the guerrillas, who committed (MGI) fi nds that job displacement representation in health professions and retirement destinations. US, it also off ers an opportunity egregious atrocities, as did the within these sectors is likely to be personal care work. Not surprisingly, the road ahead will to boost productivity and upgrade from complete army and paramilitary units heavily concentrated among specifi c Many of these roles, however, are be much tougher for rural areas, many jobs. Making the most of the labour loyal to the government. demographic groups. low-paying, which raises questions of which never recovered from the Great surplus created by new intelligent reconciliation Under the peace accord, an Educational attainment emerges as about whether the gender wage gap will Recession. Job growth is likely to remain machines requires intelligent policies. estimated 7,000 Farc fi ghters the most critical factor determining close or widen. Based on current trends, fl at for the next decade in many rural Reaping the productivity gains that laid down their weapons and were to rejoin civilian life, along with the probability of automation-related it is likely that women will continue to counties, and it could continue to shrink new technologies enable and making 17,000 noncombatant followers. job loss. Individuals with a high-school face barriers to accessing high-wage, in the most distressed areas. economic growth more inclusive do Duque and US offi cials have branded the mutinous Farc members diploma or less are four times as likely high-skill jobs in the tech sector, As matters stand, labour-saving not have to be mutually exclusive as drug traffi ckers, whose once lucrative production of coca plants, to be in highly automatable roles which is expected to grow as a result automation is likely to widen America’s goals. How the benefi ts of automation the principal ingredient in cocaine, has suff ered with the return of than are individuals with a bachelor’s of automation. Today, women account economic and social divides in the are shared among workers from a peace and normality. degree or higher. People with no for about 47% of the labour force in the coming years. Communities across diverse array of backgrounds is not technologically predetermined. It is Colombia in recent years rejected US programmes to eradicate coca post-secondary education account for United States, but hold only 20-25% the US will need tailored strategies to of tech jobs. Increasing the share of manage this wave of change – from entirely up to us. – Project Syndicate by aerial spraying, in part because of health concerns. more than three-quarters of the overall displacement that could occur by 2030, women receiving a STEM education aff ordable housing in major cities to Production of the drug soared. based on a mid-point scenario of the (science, technology, engineering, and digital infrastructure that enables O Laura Tyson, a former chair of the Duque, who took offi ce a year ago, ramped up manual eradication pace of automation. maths) and removing gender inequities remote work in rural counties. But US President’s Council of Economic and last month, for the fi rst time since 2012, the land dedicated to Moreover, college- and advanced- in access to tech jobs will be essential all communities can expect to face Advisers, is a professor at the Haas coca production slightly declined. degree holders are not immune from for reducing women’s vulnerability to challenges relating to workforce School of Business at the University of During Colombia’s long years of war, violence became a cover in automation, particularly as artifi cial automation. redeployment and mobility, skills and California, Berkeley, a senior adviser some areas for massive coca production. intelligence systems grow more A fi nal factor is geography. training, economic development and at the Rock Creek Group, and a senior The peace process was meant to re-establish government sophisticated. But individuals who Automatable jobs are present in every job creation, and support for those external adviser to the McKinsey Global authority over all parts of the nation; stopping that could allow drug have achieved this level of education community, but they account for a undergoing occupational transitions Institute. Susan Lund is a partner of traffi ckers to operate unfettered, cialsoffi say. will enjoy greater job security relative larger share of employment in some triggered by automation. McKinsey & Company and a leader at Trouble in Colombia also complicates the US administration’s to people with no post-secondary places than in others. As jobs are phased Millions of mid-career workers will the McKinsey Global Institute. signature policy eff ort in Latin America: removing Venezuelan training – and if they do have to change President Nicolas Maduro from offi ce. jobs, they will have a wider range of Elliott Abrams, the US special representative for Venezuela, opportunities. accused Maduro of “complicity” in the renewed Colombia guerrilla Large and persistent variations in activity. educational attainment between racial The US has announced a new humanitarian aid package of $120mn and ethnic groups will show up in future for Venezuelan refugees and the countries, such as Colombia, job-displacement trends. For example, that shelter them. It brings to more than $376mn the US has given just 75% of Hispanic workers have at Venezuelans since 2017. least a high-school diploma, compared The State Department called the exodus the “largest external to 90% of white, African-American, displacement of people in the hemisphere’s history.” and Asian-American workers. Hispanic An estimated 4.3mn have left Venezuela, 1.4mn to Colombia alone. workers are also over-represented in The war left Colombia a bitterly polarised country. food-service jobs, and thus have the Rare is the Colombian who doesn’t know or isn’t related to a victim highest rate of potential displacement of the violence – someone killed or kidnapped. among all minority groups in MGI’s Shortly after the peace plan was signed at an elaborate ceremony in modelling. All told, more than one in Cartagena, with then-Secretary of State John F Kerry in attendance, four Hispanic workers – almost 7.5mn it was on the losing side of a referendum. – Tribune News Service individuals – could be displaced. By contrast, Asian-American workers, about 60% of whom have a bachelor’s degree or higher (compared to 40% for whites, 30% for African- To Advertise Americans, and 20% for Hispanics), are the least susceptible to job dislocation [email protected] by automation. Nonetheless, more than Display one in fi ve Asian-American workers are currently employed in highly 44466621 44418811 automatable roles. Automation will also aff ect workers Classified diff erently across age brackets. Of the 44466609 44418811 roughly 14.7mn workers under age 34 who could be displaced by 2030, almost Subscription half are in roles with high separation rates, implying that employers do [email protected] not have strong incentives to retrain and redeploy them. At the same time, some 11.5mn US workers over the Some of the US economy’s largest occupational categories – food service, off ice support, manufacturing production, and retail © 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved age of 50 could be displaced. While and customer service – are highly exposed to labour-saving automation. Gulf Times Friday, September 6, 2019 15 COMMENT Johnson and Trump are brothers in chaos

By Robin Niblett fi nancial power and unique natural and London human endowments, all of which give it some genuinely sovereign economic tools. rom the moment President Britain, on the other hand, is a Trump succeeded in his 2016 midsize power, with modest natu- election promise to deliver ral resources and a persistent cur- F“Brexit times 10,” through to rent account defi cit combined with Boris Johnson’s election in July as the a vulnerable currency. It depends for new leader of the Conservative Party its economic health on a close trading and British prime minister (Trump relationship with the EU. Brexit or has dubbed him “Britain Trump”), not, its foreign policy interests are there has been a remarkable politi- inseparable from those of its European cal symbiosis between the US and neighbours, with whom it shares a Britain. similar outlook on Russia, China and Today, both countries are deeply the Middle East – and similar risks riven socially – between winners and from immigration, pandemics and losers of globalisation, between rural terrorism. and urban voters, and between genera- As much as their politics echo each tions. These divisions also cut through other, Britain and the US will strug- their main political parties. In this po- gle to re-energise their long-standing larised environment, many British and special relationship. On the plus side, American politicians have concluded the two countries share deep and mu- that they must ride the populist tiger tually benefi cial cultural, business and rather than search for votes in a barren security linkages, which could allow centre ground. Compromise off ers few them to strengthen the transatlantic rewards now, and moderates seem to axis in the face of growing assertive- have left the fi eld. ness from Russia and China. But Brit- Under Trump, partisanship in the ain’s post-Brexit geopolitical isolation US has reached historic highs, leading and economic uncertainty will impose to congressional gridlock and govern- limits on its role as America’s principal ment by executive order. Pro-trade Re- ally. publicans are being led by an “America The more interesting question is fi rst” mercantilist. Internationalists British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets US President Donald Trump for bilateral talks during the G7 summit in Biarritz, France on August 25. whether, having entered the populist have resigned or been fi red. whirlpool at the same time, they might In Britain, after the contentious negotiate a new withdrawal agreement the mid-1990s in the face of ever more tion to the rigid power structures of helped to midwife: the harmonisation also be the fi rst among the Western result of the 2016 Brexit referendum, with the EU. competitive emerging markets. Dis- their homelands. The US engaged in- of economic regulations that impinge countries to emerge out the other side. politicians are scrambling to deal with The political opposition on both satisfaction with established parties ternationally only when it had become on national decision-making. Given the deep roots and historic resil- the fact that only 8% of Britons now sides of the Atlantic is torn between runs deep. the dominant superpower, able to set Instead, the Trump administration ience of their political systems, this is identify themselves “very strongly” veering further to the left in order to Second, both countries’ openness the rules of the game for itself and for has ripped apart the multilateral trad- entirely possible. with a political party, whereas over present a clear alternative to the sitting to immigration has heightened the others. ing system with a series of unilateral An agreement with the EU over 40% identify very strongly as a “Re- government and trying to get ahead of feeling of economic insecurity and, Britons carry a sense of national trade measures against both China Brexit would likely see the Conserva- mainer” or a “Leaver,” according to the the popular curve by rebuilding a more more important, threatened the sense exceptionalism from their island and allies across the world. Thanks to tives return to a centrist domestic latest British Social Attitudes Survey. moderate political agenda. of national identity among segments geography, the era of empire and their Brexit, Britain is about to weaken the agenda, given that their main internal This helps explain why Johnson’s These similarities are not a coinci- of their populations. Many Americans status as victors in World War II, with EU, the most advanced trading bloc in schism concerns Europe. And the 2020 new cabinet has signed up collectively dence but a refl ection of similar, deep- and Britons now want leaders who will the privileges that bestowed. Britain the world, cutting its combined gross presidential election provides the next to delivering Brexit by October 31, deal seated dynamics. First, the British take back control of immigration and was a reluctant member of the EU from domestic product by some 15%. potential hinge point for the US. or no deal with the European Union. It and American laissez-faire economic think of them fi rst. the outset. But we should not take the parallels Indeed, the election of a President also explains why Johnson felt he could models concentrated the gains of eco- Third, both the US and Britain share Today, both countries cling to the too far. The two countries face very Elizabeth Warren opposite a Prime prorogue, or suspend, parliament for nomic globalisation in multinational a narrative of historical exceptional- trappings of sovereignty. And both diff erent circumstances. The US can Minister Jeremy Corbyn in 2020 would a critical fi ve-week period through businesses and their shareholders, ism. Early European Americans forged are rejecting the next phase of the aff ord to adopt a unilateral posture, open another chapter in Anglo-Ameri- October 14, during which he hopes to leaving median wages to stagnate from their individualistic outlook in opposi- globalisation revolution that they confi dent in its size, economic and can symbiosis. – Tribune News Service

Three-day forecast Money for nothing TODAY Maximum Temperature : 410c Minimum Temperature : 340c

By Harold James new high-speed rail links, aircraft car- Italy and France no longer entertain The new narrative that has emerged SATURDAY Maximum Temperature : 410c Munich riers, or roads and bridges. that option. Of course, the euro does is ideal for populists. It holds that the But now, unconventional monetary not magically turn member-state fi nancial crisis discredited traditional Minimum Temperature : 320c policy has given rise to an unconven- governments into models of economic economics, and that “neoliberal- SUNDAY monetary-policy regime tional politics. In Europe, populist rectitude. On the contrary, they are ism” was a dangerous illusion. The Maximum Temperature : 410c centred on quantitative governments in Central and Eastern now eff ectively rewarded for acting neoliberal insight that came in for Minimum Temperature : 320c easing (QE) and zero or even Europe have been especially good at irresponsibly and unpredictably, while the greatest criticism after the crisis Fisherman's forecast Anegative interest rates has playing the new game. They can buy forcing monetary authorities into a was that fi scal restraint is a virtue and created an extraordinarily permissive off diff erent political factions, raise more accommodating position. rewards adherents with lower interest environment for politicians of a cer- child benefi ts, increase pensions, The most obvious example of this rates, cheaper credit, and enhanced WARNING Inshore : Nil tain disposition. Those who are willing reduce the retirement age, build infra- gambit is in the United States, where consumer spending. According to the Offshore : Nil to exploit current conditions to boost structure, and cut taxes all at the same President Donald Trump’s trade war critics, government spending is not their own popularity can expect clear time. If the opposition pushes new and Twitter threats are fuelling eco- only free, but also an unalloyed good. WEATHER Inshore : Hot daytime with slight sailing ahead – at least for now. spending proposals, the government nomic uncertainty and putting wind In this brave new economy, no one dust at some places at Throughout almost all of the ad- can simply adopt those ideas as its in the sails of doves on the Federal seems to be able to say authoritatively times, some clouds vanced economies, monetary and fi scal own, ensuring its hold on power. Open Market Committee. The Fed is how much debt is dangerous. But that Offshore : Misty at some places policymaking are interacting in a new This new blurring of monetary eco- now cutting interest rates to head off doesn’t mean there isn’t some level at first & some clouds and unique way. Consider, for example, nomics and fi scal policy will inevitably a growth slowdown. It is only a matter of debt that could trigger a dramatic WIND that the German government just issued lead to dysfunction. In the 1990s, of time before European populists – reversal. If depositors and investors Inshore : Northwesterly-North- easterly 08-18/21 KT 30-year bonds with a negative yield. when Europeans were considering British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, become nervous, debt could become Offshore : Northwesterly-Norther- That means it can borrow for free, and, whether to adopt the euro, the single Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor expensive again, making the existing ly 03-12/17 KT in theory, do anything it wants – at no currency was sold both as a disciplin- Orban, and Matteo Salvini (whose am- debt stock unsustainable. Only then bition remains to become the Italian will the populist magic stop working. Visibility : 4-8/3 KM cost. And Germany is hardly alone, ing instrument and as a means of Offshore : 1-3/4 FT which is why it is not surprising to hear sugarcoating the bitter tradeoff s of prime minister) double down on the Those who want to restore conven- a growing chorus of voices calling for conventional politics. Joining the eu- same strategy. tional politics and the old rules fi nd greater fi scal activism at the fi rst sign of rozone meant sacrifi cing some degree Compounding the dysfunction, themselves in an unenviable position. a growth slowdown. of sovereignty over fi scal policy; but populists have latched onto new intel- Although they do not wish for an end Around the region Obviously, the current situation membership would bring lower inter- lectual arguments, and are increas- to prosperity, they sound like they could have far-reaching monetary and est rates, thereby reducing the costs ingly presenting themselves as serious, do when standing next to populists. Weather Weather distributive consequences, given that of government debt and freeing up innovative thinkers. Their fi rst task Nobody wants to vote for Cassandra today Max/min tomorrow Max/min governments are gradually expropriat- resources for other uses. is to persuade voters that what they when Pollyanna is on the ballot. By the Baghdad Sunny 43/26 Sunny 41/26 ing from the traditional rentiers. But Under the new dispensation, the are doing is not dangerous. But this time Cassandra’s warnings are borne Kuwait City Sunny 48/32 Sunny 46/31 that is just the start. Politics itself has increased temptation to spend is still hasn’t been too diffi cult, given that out, it is always already too late. – Manama Sunny 42/33 Cloudy 41/34 always been about managing trade- there. But it comes with a new, pe- voices celebrating the demise of the Project Syndicate Muscat P Cloudy 36/29 M Sunny 36/29 off s. Money spent in one area cannot culiar limitation: the sugar fairy only old liberal order are now heard across Tehran Sunny 32/21 Sunny 34/21 be spent somewhere else. If nurses sprinkles her magic dust on countries the political spectrum. Throughout z Harold James is Professor of His- and doctors are paid more, teachers, that pledge to remain within the circle. the advanced economies, there is a tory and International Aff airs at Prin- police, or fi refi ghters will be paid rela- The moment the prospect of leaving widespread perception that since the ceton University and a senior fellow at tively less. Governments must choose is raised, the spell is broken, which is 2008 fi nancial crisis, the old rules have the Centre for International Govern- between cutting taxes and building why even Eurosceptic politicians in no longer applied. ance Innovation. Live issues Study shows mixed results for those giving up meat Around the world Guardian News and Media Writing in the BMJ, Tong and col- socioeconomic status were taken into rate of diabetes,” she said. Weather Weather London leagues report that they analysed data account, fi sh eaters had a 13% lower Tong suggested one reason vegetar- today Max/min tomorrow Max/min from more than 48,000 adults who risk of coronary heart disease than ians might have a higher risk of stroke Athens Sunny 32/22 Sunny 32/21 signed up to a wider study between meat-eaters, while vegetarians had a could be due to lower levels of choles- Beirut P Cloudy 29/25 M Sunny 29/25 egetarians have a lower risk 1993 and 2001, and who had no history 22% lower risk. terol, which could increase the risk of Bangkok S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 of coronary heart disease of heart attack, stroke or angina. Meanwhile, vegetarians had a 20% certain types of stroke. Berlin M Sunny 21/10 Cloudy 20/10 than meat-eaters but a As well as being asked questions higher risk of having a stroke than Alternatively, the association might Cairo Sunny 38/24 Sunny 35/24 Vgreater risk of having a on lifestyle and medical history, on meat-eaters. be down to vegetarians having lower Cape Town Sunny 23/13 Sunny 30/18 stroke, researchers have found. joining the study participants were There was no clear eff ect for fish- levels of certain nutrients, such as Colombo S T Storms 29/26 T Storm 29/26 Meat-eating has been decried as also quizzed about their diet, allowing eaters. Overall, the fi ndings mean that vitamin B12. Dhaka S T Storms 33/27 S T Storms 33/27 damaging for the environment, while the team to classify individuals as over a 10-year period, there would be However, others said the data sug- Hong Kong M Sunny 29/25 M Sunny 29/26 there are also health concerns: the meat-eaters, vegetarians, vegans or 10 fewer cases of coronary heart dis- gested that was unlikely. Istanbul M Sunny 27/19 P Cloudy 28/21 World Health Organisation has classed pescatarians. ease in vegetarians than in meat eaters “It may well be that people who Jakarta P Cloudy 33/24 Sunny 33/24 processed meat as a cause of cancer, Some of these questions were asked per 1,000 people, and three more cases follow alternative diets are less likely to Karachi P Cloudy 33/28 P Cloudy 33/28 and red meat as a probable cause. again in 2010 and participants were of stroke. take blood pressure lowering medication London Cloudy 18/10 P Cloudy 19/08 But as alternative diets take off , re-classifi ed if they had switched diet. While the latest study does not for hypertension and as a consequence Manila S T Storms 31/27 T Storm 30/27 researchers say further scrutiny is As the study involved very few ve- prove that meat-eating or vegetarian- suff er a stroke,” suggested Prof Tom Moscow P Cloudy 23/13 P Cloudy 23/12 important. gans, these individuals were grouped ism is behind the diff erences in risk, Sanders from King’s College London. New Delhi S T Storms 33/27 T Storm 33/27 “Vegetarian and vegan diets have with vegetarians in the analysis. Tong said the association between a The study has limitations, includ- New York Showers 22/17 M Sunny 27/17 increased hugely in popularity over The health of participants was fol- vegetarian diet and coronary heart ing the fact that it is based on self- Paris P Cloudy 22/13 P Cloudy 21/10 the past years … but we actually know lowed through medical records until disease supports previous research. reporting, and that not all participants Sao Paulo M Cloudy 21/14 M Sunny 29/17 very little about the potential health March 2016, during which time there “It was likely that the lower risk in answered questions in 2010. The study Seoul T Storm 28/22 S T Storms 28/22 benefi ts or hazards of these diets,” Dr were 2,820 cases of coronary heart both pescatarians and vegetarians are also mainly involved white people liv- Singapore Sunny 32/27 M Sunny 32/27 Tammy Tong, fi rst author of the study disease and 1,072 cases of stroke. related to the fact that they have lower ing in the UK, so it is not clear whether Sydney M Sunny 27/11 Cloudy 17/09 from the University of Oxford, told the The results reveal that once factors cholesterol, but also a lower BMI, the results would hold in other popu- Tokyo Clear 32/23 Cloudy 32/25 Guardian. including age, sex, smoking status and lower blood pressure and also a lower lations. Gulf Times 16 Friday, September 6, 2019 QATAR SC celebrates unveiling of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 logo

Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) employees celebrated the launch of the off icial logo of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with a group photo to mark the milestone on the road to the world’s greatest football showpiece, the SC tweeted yesterday. Jordan minister hails Qatar Airways’ investment

ordanian Transport Minis- tablished to create a cohesive dan is an integral market for Qatar employed as part of Qatar Air- ter Anmar Khasawneh hailed and distinctive working space Airways, where we operate three ways Group’s team to support the Jthe opening of Qatar Airways’ for Qatar Airways employees in daily fl ights to Amman using group’s development and con- new offi ce in Amman as the “fi rst Jordan’s Shmeisani area, widely wide-body aircraft, including the tribute to enhancing its services. Qatari-owned investment” in considered the principal fi nan- state-of-the-art Airbus A350. Qatar Airways entered into a the kingdom. cial and business district of Am- “The opening of our new of- codeshare agreement with Royal Khasawneh expressed the hope man, Jordan. fi ces in the kingdom comes as a Jordanian Airlines in 2015, allow- that it would spur a series of Qatari The offi ce embodies Qatar response to the growing demand ing both airlines to reach various investments within the country. Airways’ standard of excellence for quality fl ights, in addition to additional destinations around He further illustrated the “broth- and is uniquely designed with six serving as further confi rmation the world. erly relations between Jordan and fl oors characterised with curved that Qatar Airways has become The agreement recently ex- Qatar by highlighting the impor- winged stone detailing. the airline of choice for discern- panded to allow passengers to fl y tance of overcoming challenges The building is anchored by ing travellers from Jordan. We are to East Asia through Hamad In- that hinder progress” with regard the airline’s offi ces and off ers for looking forward to further en- ternational Airport. to the transportation sector. rent 24 well-appointed offi ces hancing our off erings and serv- Qatar Airways participates in On Monday, Qatar Airways had and showroom, with large under- ices in Jordan and are certain that several CSR initiatives in Jordan, celebrated the inauguration of its ground parking, round-the-clock the launch of our new offi ces will including its consistent sup- new offi ce in Amman, which was security and high quality on-site help us achieve our goal.” port to the King Hussein Cancer followed by an elegant VIP gala facilities management services. Qatar Airways launched its Center (KHCC) and Foundation. dinner. The offi ce opening was The building spans nearly fi rst fl ight to Amman in 1994. Representatives from the air- HE al-Baker and Jordanian Transport Minister Anmar Khasawneh among other dignitaries during the graced by Khasawneh and Qatar 2,000sq m of land and over Since then, Amman has con- line have visited KHCC on several opening of Qatar Airways’ state-of-the-art off ice in Amman. Airways Group Chief Executive, 11,000sq m of built up area. sistently been one of the airline’s occasions over the past years, in- HE Akbar al-Baker, dignitaries During the media roundtable primary destinations, with 21 cluding various characters from going treatment at the centre. ian aid packages to underprivi- Hashemite Charity Organization, and senior offi cials. held in Amman on the sidelines weekly fl ights from Doha. the Oryx Kids Club to distribute The airline also participated leged families in Jordan in co- Qatar Charitable Society and the The property has been es- of the event, al-Baker said: “Jor- More than 400 Jordanians are gifts to children currently under- in distributing humanitar- operation with the Jordanian Qatar Red Crescent.

Diversion on Shamal Road 15-hour traffi c closure on Al Furousiya Street

he Public Works Au- thority (Ashghal) has Tannounced a tem- porary traffi c closure on Al Furousiya Street in the di- rection from the Equestrian Intersection to Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Street until 3pm to- day. Traffi c in the opposite di- rection will remain open. The closure, implemented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffi c, is to facilitate completion of the asphalt-wearing process. During the closure, road users heading to New Rayyan Interchange via Al Furousiya Street will be required to use Al Qalah Street, than turn right towards Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Street to reach New Rayyan Interchange and con- tinue to their desired desti- nations as shown on the map. Ashghal will install road The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a temporary closure of one northbound lane signs advising motorists of on Al Shamal Road for a distance of 900m after Al Mazrouah Interchange until September 11. Three the closure and requested lanes will remain open for traff ic. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the closure and road users to abide by the requested road users to abide by the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety. speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety.