BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 England ease past Pakistan INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 - 4, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Aamal half-yearly REGION 5, 6 BUSINESS 1–7, 12-16 to draw net profi t surges 18,493.06 10,553.83 43.06 ARAB WORLD 6 CLASSIFIED 8-12 -77.79 +68.27 -1.13 INTERNATIONAL 7 – 21 SPORTS 1 – 12 23.5% to QR305.5mn level -0.42% +0.65% -2.56% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10161 July 26, 2016 Shawwal 21, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Qatar makes

QATAR | Diplomacy ‘big leap’ in Emir begins tour of Colombia, Argentina HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday headed to Colombia on an off icial three-day visit, before heading to Argentina on an off icial infrastructure visit. During the two visits, the Emir will discuss with Colombian President The Ministry of Transport and “The country rank has also moved of world-class transport infrastructure Juan Manuel Santos and Argentina Communications says it continues nine places to occupy the 15th posi- and mobility services not only for all President Mauricio Macri bilateral to work on the articulation of a tion globally with 5.6 points achieved, citizens and visitors but also Qatari and relations and ways to enhance them, long-term policy and strategy for compared to the 24th position in the global businesses,” the ministry said. in addition to a number of issues the transport sector in Qatar previous report in the fi eld of ports in- It added that Qatar’s modern trans- of common concern. A number of frastructure quality,” the report said. port sector aims at achieving fi nancial agreements and memoranda of atar has been ranked No 14 on “Qatar has also moved up to seventh and ecological sustainability, innova- understanding between Qatar and the global list of the 2015-2016 position globally in the fi eld of airport tion, accessibility, and inclusion for all both countries will be signed. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the opening session of the 27th QGlobal Competitiveness Index infrastructure quality after scoring 6.2 citizens, as well as attracting and ena- Arab League summit in Nouakchott yesterday. (GCI) report published by the World points compared to the 12th place last bling economic diversifi cation. SAUDI ARABIA | Security Economic Forum (WEF), according to year,” it added. The GCI defi nes competitiveness the Ministry of Transport and Com- The Ministry of Transport and as the set of institutions, policies, and Infi ltration munications. Communications said it continues factors that determine the level of pro- bid foiled “Qatar leads the Middle East and to work on the articulation of a long- ductivity of an economy, which in turn Five Saudi border guards were killed North Africa region at 14th place,” the term policy and strategy for the trans- sets the level of prosperity that the yesterday following an exchange Arab leaders vow report said, adding that the country port sector in Qatar, which will be “an country can earn. of fire with armed infiltrators at the has moved up two places globally af- important milestone” to achieve the Also, the GCI combines 114 indica- southern border in the Najran region, ter scoring 5.3 points compared to the Qatar National Vision 2030. tors that capture concepts that matter Saudi state news agency reported. 16th in the previous report last year. The Ministry said Transport in- for productivity. These indicators are “Border guard patrols at Al-Thar border to defeat terrorism As a refl ection of the infrastructure frastructure and services “are vital grouped into 12 pillars: institutions, in- post detected an armed group of development plans in the country, the elements in every citizen’s and busi- frastructure, macroeconomic environ- people trying to infiltrate across the report showed that Qatar has made a nesses’ daily life”. ment, health and primary education, border from diff erent directions at the Agencies fi nitive solution” to the confl ict and qualitative leap in the fi eld of roads in- “Bringing together and co-ordi- higher education and training, goods Khabash sector in the Najran region. Nouakchott, Mauritania welcomed a French and Egyptian ini- frastructure quality after moving up 13 nating all stakeholders in the sector market effi ciency, labour market -effi They were immediately confronted tiative to help revive dormant Israeli- places this year to secure the 21th po- under the umbrella of the Ministry of ciency, fi nancial market development, by the border guard who exchanged Palestinian peace talks. sition with 5.4 points achieved com- Transport and Communications will technological readiness, market size, fire with them and, with the support rab leaders, addressing the “Putting an end to Israeli occupation pared to the 34th position last year. ensure the development and provision business sophistication, and innovation. of land forces, successfully foiled their opening session of a summit, and establishing an independent state attempt,” the agency quoted a ministry Ayesterday promised to “defeat of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its off icial source as saying. Page 5 terrorism”, with the crises in Syria, capital will always remain the prime Iraq, Yemen and Libya the main focus focus and purpose of the Arab world,” EAST ASIA | Dispute of their talks. Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the secretary- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- general of the Arab League, said. Agreement to mad al-Thani took part, along with the Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Turkish parties agree to work exercise restraint leaders of Arab countries, in the open- Mansour Hadi called on his country’s China and members of the ing session of the 27th session of the Houthi fi ghters to surrender their Association of South East Asian Arab League Council at the summit weapons and withdraw from territo- Nations (Asean) yesterday agreed to level, held under the slogan of “Sum- ries they control. on constitutional changes exercise self-restraint in activities that mit of Hope”. The session was attended “The only solution to the crisis is for would complicate or escalate disputes by members of the offi cial delegation the (Houthis) to abide by the recom- Reuters in the South China Sea. The includes accompanying the Emir. mendations of the Gulf Arab initiative Istanbul refraining from “action of inhabiting” Opening the talks, Egypt’s Premier and UN Security Council resolution presently uninhabited islands, reefs, Sherif Ismail called for “an Arab strat- 2216 which calls for them to withdraw shoals, cays, and other features in the egy of struggle against terrorism”. from areas they seized and lay down the urkish Prime Minister Binali waters, the two sides said in a joint “We must recast the religious lan- heavy arms they have,” the Al Jazeera Yildirim said yesterday that po- statement following a meeting in the guage that terrorist elements exploit to website quoted President Hadi as say- Tlitical parties had found enough Lao capital Vientiane. Page 10 their own ends to sow terror, death and ing. common ground after a failed coup to destruction,” he said. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al- pass a limited number of constitution- PHILIPPINES | Crackdown Terrorists were defl ecting Islam’s Jubeir, talking about the confl ict in al changes. Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahceli, Republican message of peace, he added. Syria, said there could be no solution The aim of all parties was to draft People’s Party chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ‘No mercy’ warning Mauritania’s head of state Mohamed while President Bashar al-Assad was a new constitution after the abortive ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) chairman Binali Yildirim during a in war on crime Ould Abdel Aziz, who is hosting the still in power. meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara yesterday. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte summit, also slammed the “blind vio- “Thousands have been killed and yesterday vowed to show “no mercy” lence of terrorists” as well as foreign millions displaced in addition to the Flights ‘proceed July 15 coup, Yildirim said at a news Yildirim told reporters. in his bloody war on crime, warning interventions that feed instability in the destruction of the infrastructure of the uninterrupted’ conference after a cabinet meeting Earlier yesterday, Turkey ordered criminals that priests and human Arab world. country, as a result it is impossible for chaired by President Tayyip Erdogan. the detention of 42 journalists, broad- rights advocates cannot protect them The Mauritanian president also Bashar al-Assad to have any place in All Turkish Airlines operations and The government, opposition parties, caster NTV reported, under a crack- from being killed. A defiant Duterte called for fresh eff orts to end the Israe- the future of Syria, especially since his fl ights “are proceeding uninterrupted nongovernmental organisations and down following the failed coup. devoted a large chunk of his inaugural li-Palestinian confl ict, saying that re- hands are tainted with the blood of his and will continue to do so”, the national media had all come together, he said. President Erdogan has declared a state “State of the Nation” address to his gional instability would continue until own people,” he said. fl ag carrier of Turkey has said. Turkish The gendarmes and coast guard, of emergency. The government has said law and order campaign, which has the issue was settled. It is the fi rst Arab League summit Airlines serves 290 destinations in 116 which were under the command of these steps are needed to root out sup- claimed hundreds of lives since he Arab foreign ministers meeting ahead hosted by Mauritania since it joined the nations across the globe, including Doha. the Turkish armed forces, would now porters of the coup and won’t infringe on took off ice on June 30. Page 20 of the summit on Saturday urged a “de- organisation in 1973. Pages 4, 6 report to the civilian interior ministry, the rights of ordinary Turks. Page 15 QMIC app to restrict drivers from using mobile phones

By Joseph Varghese “We can embed this technology in “Therefore, we have decided to the system and enforce a policy for the will increase road safety,” he added. Staff Reporter a mobile through a software that can change the focus to the enterprises employees, we believe that we have a The use of mobile phones while driv- detect whether the person is driving (companies). With this technology, the chance to tackle mobile phone use while ing is a major cause of road traffi c ac- or not. It can also set the speed limit enterprises can control the phones of driving to a great extent which in turn cidents across the world. he Qatar Mobility Innovation within which the phone can be used. their employees. If an enterprise has a Centre (QMIC) will soon launch The software can be set in such a fash- large number of vehicles, the manager Tthe test of an application that ion that either the person can control of the enterprise can remotely control Ministry launches discussion forum can restrict people from using mobile the phone or the app itself will control the phones of the drivers and other em- phones while behind the wheel, Gulf the phone. ployees,” he highlighted. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has while driving, the practice is on the rise, Times has learnt. “So, when a call is received, the “To make the programme suc- launched a discussion forum on its especially with the spread of diff erent “We are going to pilot the technol- phone automatically sends a message cessful, each enterprise must have a website to address the risks of using apps and smartphone games. Some ogy that will target enterprises rather saying that the person is driving and policy or regulation of restricting the mobile phones while driving and motorists use mobile phones for a than individuals,” said Dr Adnan Abu- cannot take the call. Even if a person drivers and employees from using ways to prevent the practice. “It’s a lengthy period while driving, exposing Dayya, executive director and CEO, wants to call or send any message, the the phone while driving. The manag- widespread practice to use mobile themselves and other road users to the QMIC. app will not allow it.” ers can set the phones and instruct phones for talking, texting or using threat of traffi c accidents that may lead “We expect the enterprises to adopt However, according to the offi cial, the employees when to use the phone applications while driving a car. This to serious material and human loss, the the technology and follow it.” the major problem is the adaptability of and when it cannot be used. The wrong behaviour has great risks, which ministry has said. Dr Abu-Dayya said QMIC had been the technology. “We launched it some- software can also detect any viola- may end in disastrous consequences,” Seeking suggestions and comments working on the project since 2014. time back and our focus was on indi- tion on the part of the employees,” he the MoI said. “Global statistics indicate from the public, the MoI post raises “The whole concept of restraining viduals. We launched an android appli- continued. that the most serious traffi c accidents questions such as “How do you see the drivers from using mobile phones cation and if it is turned on, the phone Dr Adnan Abu-Dayya: QMIC executive Dr Abu-Dayya said that QMIC had happen when one uses a mobile phone this practice?”, “Do you think that there is a complicated process. It is a com- will follow the directions of the app,” he director and CEO. the best solution for the problem in while driving,” it added. are real situations where people need plicated model from user adoptability, pointed out. the region itself. “We need to increase The MoI noted that despite the eff orts to use the phone while driving?” and complicated from business perspective “But not many people were willing want to use it. We thought of giving in- awareness as well as the use of the made by traffi c authorities and “What are the appropriate solutions to as well as from technology viewpoint,” to use this app on their phones which centives but the usage was very low,” he technology. We also have to change the prohibiting the use of mobile phones reduce (the) grave practice?”. he noted. became a major hurdle. People did not lamented. mindset. If all the enterprises follow Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 QATAR

Transport Minister meets Italian envoy Official NHRC calls for laws Emir condoles to regulate duties of with Saudi king HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad domestic workers al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin he National Human Rights their legal rights. The report also courses on the implementation Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables Committee (NHRC) has calls for more inspection visits of the law to combat human traf- to the Custodian of the Two Trecommended the issu- to detention centres and reduce fi cking, the report states. Holy Mosques King Salman bin ance of laws to regulate the work the use of precautionary deten- The report notes that changes Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia of domestic workers and protect tion, replacing it with more cau- in the law with regard to the pro- condoling the death of Princess the rights of persons with dis- tious procedures. tection of expatriate workers’ Noora bint Msa’aed ain Abdul ability in Qatar. wages is a positive development. Rahman al-Saud. It has also sought the adop- As of now household This will considerably decrease tion of regulations for protection workers are not covered the number of complaints per- Al-Kuwari meets against domestic violence, local under Qatar’s labour laws taining to delayed payment, Arabic daily Arrayah has reported. which are more common in the HE the the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti met Italian Ivory Coast minister The recommendations made Meanwhile, the NHRC has construction sector, particularly ambassador to Qatar Guido De Sanctis in Doha yesterday. They reviewed bilateral relations between in NHRC’s annual report high- suggested that the Ministry of with small contracting compa- Qatar and Italy in the transport and communications sectors, and means of developing them. HE the Adviser at the Emiri light the need to review the cur- Municipality and Environment nies, it adds. Diwan and Qatar’s candidate to rent family law, according to the grant locals their assigned plots The new law that regulates the post of the director-general daily. of land only after providing them the entry, exit and residency of of the Unesco Dr Hamad bin The annual report also points with the necessary infrastruc- expatriates will further enhance Abdulaziz al-Kuwari met Ivory to the necessity of issuing legisla- ture and public facilities and the rights of expatriate workers, Coast’s Minister of Culture and tion that would protect the rights services. The waiting period for according to the report. The law Francophonie Maurice Bandaman of children and regulate the work this should also be minimised, it grant expatriates a number of English Club TV Channel in Paris yesterday. of domestic workers. As of now has said. new rights that will boost their Dr al-Kuwari presented his household workers are not cov- The recommendations also protection. election programme and vision ered under Qatar’s labour laws. include the creation of an NHRC Accordingly, the NHRC rec- for the development of the Further, it calls for the intro- offi ce at the Public Prosecution ommended that the depart- launched on Ooredoo service Unesco. Talks also dealt with the duction of new eff ective mecha- headquarters to receive relevant ments concerned should devise importance of Africa and the nisms to settle disputes outside complaints. In addition, Public and adopt eff ective and fl exible need to support programmes courts and ease such procedures Prosecution employees should regulations to implement the CTV Network Limited and in the basic tiers of Ooredoo tv “We are investing in the very relevant to Unesco, particularly to allow people to better exercise undergo intensive training law. Ooredoo have announced and Mozaic TV. best content for our users, and in the areas of education and Ethe offi cial launch of the Andrew Semchenko, CEO this means not just the latest heritage. English Club TV Channel in Qa- of the English Club TV Group, Hollywood blockbusters and The Minister of Culture and tar on Ooredoo’s TV service. commented: “Many people in family entertainment, but also Francophone in Ivory Coast, English Club TV is an edu- Qatar are looking to develop Arabic and educational con- praised Qatar’s role in supporting cational channel for people their language skills. It is an im- tent. I’m sure English Club TV Unesco in these critical areas. Chances of isolated rain forecast who want to study English. It is portant asset and helps people to will prove valuable for a host of Dr al-Kuwari will take part today broadcast in more than 76 coun- develop their careers and expand our customers from across the in the International Symposium tries in Europe, Asia, Africa and their international horizons. Our world, wanting to perfect their on Cultural Diplomacy in the Arab ight rain was reported ported from places such as Abu will see hazy to misty conditions the Middle East. channel will provide a signifi cant English or help their children World due in the German capital from the southern parts Samra, Batna, Umm Bab and at times. English Club TV is available resource for people across Qatar, learn.” Berlin and is scheduled to present Lof the country yesterday Mesaieed, with the weather of- The highest temperature in now on channel number 477 and since learning English with Eng- Ooredoo provides a wide a paper entitled ‘A Diplomatic evening, according to informa- fi ce tweeting around 10pm that the country yesterday was 46C, channel number 170 on Ooredoo lish Club TV is fun, interesting range of educational content Culture in A New International tion available on the Met depart- the situation was expected to which was recorded in Batna, tv and Mozaic TV respectively and eff ective.” via its entertainment portfolio, Approach’ in the opening session ment’s social media channels. improve gradually over the next followed by 45C in Sheehani- , and to ensure the educational Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, as well as through its mobile of the Symposium organised There are chances of isolated couple of hours. yah, Al Rayyan and other places. content is available for as many Director of Community & Pub- services on the Ooredoo Su- by the Institute for Cultural rain today as well, the weather The forecast for inshore areas In the capital, the mercury level as possible, the channel is placed lic Relations, Ooredoo, said: pernet. Diplomacy. offi ce has said. today says hazy to misty condi- reached a high of 44C in the Videos of rain as well as poor tions are likely in some places at Doha airport and Qatar Univer- visibility caused by windy and fi rst. It will be hot during the day sity areas. Four men jailed dusty conditions were posted and some clouds are expected Today, the maximum temper- on the department’s Twitter and by the afternoon along with a ature will be 43C in Abu Samra for conniving Facebook pages late yesterday chance of isolated rain. and 40C in Doha, Dukhan, Me- Man gets eight-year jail for causing to defraud bank evening. Low visibility was re- Off shore areas, meanwhile, saieed and Wakrah. A Doha Criminal Court has maid’s death, human traffi cking sentenced four men to four Life term in expat years in jail each for conniving to siphon off QR2mn from a local teacher’s murder Palestinian man has been After some time, the woman he had given the maid some bank. ibq unveils summer case upheld found guilty of causing discovered that the maid suf- antipyretics (substances that re- The court also ordered Athe death of a domestic fered from acute bronchitis and duce fever) and brought her back the dismissal of two of the The Court of Appeal has upheld help by not providing her with frequently used an inhaler to to the house. defendants, who were employees credit card campaign the ruling of a criminal court the necessary treatment and be- deal with the problem. When she Eventually, the maid’s condi- of the bank, from their jobs as sentencing an African man to ing involved in human traffi ck- told the defendant about this, he tion worsened and the employer well as their deportation upon life imprisonment for killing an ing. claimed that she was only suf- asked the defendant to take her serving the sentence, according nternational Bank of Qatar of extra points to use on their expatriate teacher. According to local Arabic fering from a cold. with him. to local Arabic daily Arrayah. (ibq) has launched a sum- next holiday. ” The defendant used to work as daily Arrayah, the Court of Ap- One night, when the maid had According to the daily, the de- The other two defendants were Imer credit card campaign, ibq credit cardholders who are a security guard in the building peal awarded a one-year prison a severe bout of coughing and fendant drove around the coun- clients of the bank. off ering customers double thanq registered for thanq and who will where the victim lived. term to the man in the maid’s also suff ered from shortness of try with the maid for around two The matter came to light when points on all purchases while us- travel overseas are eligible for According to local Arabic daily death case and ordered him to breath, the woman called the de- hours until he made sure that she the bank’s management got an ing their credit cards abroad. the programme. The off er is also Al Sharq, the defendant was pay QR200,000 as blood money fendant to take her to a hospital. died. audit of its operations conducted. The off er is available to exist- valid for ibq credit cardholders accused of attacking the woman, to her kin. It also sentenced the However, he did not respond. He then went home, where an It was revealed that the two ing ibq Titanium MasterCard, ibq not registered yet for the thanq strangling her with a wire and man to another seven years in jail The woman then took the absconding maid helped him as employees had connived with the Visa Platinum and ibq Visa Signa- rewards programme by signing then stabbing her several times and directed him to pay a fi ne of maid to the emergency depart- he tried to remove fi ngerprints two clients to submit counterfeit ture cardholders and will run until up online at www.thanqrewards. until she died. The incident took QR250,000 for traffi cking. ment of a hospital, but the staff from the body. documents in the bank. September 15. The double thanq com.qa at any time to start ben- place in November 2012. The convict is to be deported there said they were unable to They later dumped the body As part of the plan, the points will be awarded for foreign efi ting from the programme dur- The case details revealed that upon serving the prison sen- provide the necessary help as in the parking area of a building. employees would clear the currency spending overseas. ing the whole campaign. the defendant had gone to the tence. the patient did not have identity A doctor living in the building papers without the knowledge Hassan al-Mulla, head of re- ibq’s award-winning rewards woman’s apartment claiming The court acquitted a woman and residency documents. The found the body and reported the of their superiors in order to tail banking at ibq, said: “ibq’s programme, thanq, gives custom- that he wanted to help her with - a GCC citizen - for whom the woman then bought a few more matter to the police. facilitate financial gains worth thanq rewards programme is ers the possibility to gather points some issues, but attempted to maid used to work before her inhalers from the pharmacy and Investigations revealed that QR2mn. one of the best in the market across a wide range of ibq prod- sexually assault her and she tried death. gave them to the maid. the cause of death was severe Accordingly, the two employees and is highly appreciated by our ucts and services and then redeem to put up a resistance. Eventually, The woman had hired the The next morning, the de- bronchitis. made sure that the forged customers travelling every sum- them by booking fl ights with over he killed her. In court, the man maid through the defendant and fendant visited the woman’s It also came to light that the documents, used as loan mer. We warmly encourage our 800 airlines and accommodation admitted to killing the teacher asked him for her papers. How- house and took the maid with defendant used to host abscond- guarantees, would pass customers holding credit cards in 160,000 hotels worldwide, car as she used to mistreat him. The ever, he told her that the docu- him, claiming that he would ar- ing maids and let them work in unnoticed. to register to the programme to rental services and now for No- defendant was also subjected to ments were still being processed range for the required treatment. other places for a portion of their They were to get a share of the benefi t from an attractive bonus joom points from Ooredoo. a psychiatric test. and would be provided later. Later, the woman found out that salary and a commission. money in exchange for this. Qatar Charity distributes formula milk in Aleppo

QNA Doha

ore than 6,000 Syrian children have benefi ted from infant formula milk Mprovided by Qatar Charity for Aleppo within its urgent campaign for relief operations in the besieged city. In a press release issued yesterday, Qatar Charity said the project refl ects its continu- ing relief eff orts for the residents of the city of Aleppo, who are suff ering under diffi cult siege and humanitarian conditions, noting that it has provided 12,300 packs of milk for children, (benefi ting 6,150 children), for a month. The QR 284,830 project implemented in co- operation with the Turkish IHH Humanitar- ian Relief Foundation aims at providing milk for children and help mothers to secure basic food for their children in the besieged areas of Aleppo. Mohamed Rashid al-Kaabi, Director, Relief Management, QC, said the relief campaign for Aleppo is still ongoing due to the worsening humanitarian situation in the city because of the incessant shelling against civilians and the imposition of siege. Qatar Charity launched at the beginning of the month of May an urgent appeal for re- lief operations in Aleppo and has allocated a QR10mn emergency aid to meet the immediate needs of the city’s population. Qatar Charity personnel distributing formula milk to children in Aleppo. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 3 QATAR

Message from Russian FM

HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has received a message from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pertaining to bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them. The message was received by HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi during his meeting with the Charge d’Aff aires of the Russian embassy in Doha Andrey Stolyarov yesterday.

Fresh graduates in Qatar fi nd it challenging to get fi rst job

bout 53% of fresh conducted between May 8 and ‘lack of necessary skills’. When asked to rank the graduates in Qa- and May 22, 2016, from the However, for the industries most important attributes Atar believe that it is UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, which do hire fresh gradu- for them when selecting a challenging to fi nd their Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, ates, their lower salary job, ‘doing a job I feel pas- fi rst job, according to a sur- Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Mo- expectations (47%), com- sionate about’ emerged vey released by Bayt.com. rocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. pliance and willingness to as the most important at- Fresh graduates in Qatar All responses were collected follow instructions (39%) tribute for fresh graduates claim – according to the online. emerged as the key motiva- (38%) in Qatar. This was Bayt.com ‘Fresh Gradu- According to the survey, tions for hiring fresh gradu- followed by working for a ates in the Middle East and the majority of fresh gradu- ates ‘well-known organisation’ North Africa Survey’ – ates in Qatar claimed it was In addition to employ- (16%), and ‘competitive that the greatest challenge challenging or will be chal- ers preferring candidates salaries’ (15%). standing between them and lenging to secure their fi rst with work experience, The majority (64%) of a successful career is the job, with 22% of them rating respondents cited lack of fresh graduates surveyed in fact that candidates with it ‘very diffi cult’. understanding regarding Qatar feel they would have work experience are pre- As for the perceived bar- how to effectively search fared better in the job mar- ferred. riers to getting their fi rst for jobs (34%) and lack of ket, had they selected either The survey was done with job, those surveyed in Qatar knowledge as to where to a diff erent major (28%), the 4,247 fresh graduates, who believe the primary hur- find relevant jobs (28%) same major from a diff erent had completed their most dle for hiring fresh gradu- as the main challenges school (10%), or both a dif- recent qualifi cation in the ates in many industries are when trying to secure ferent major and a diff erent last three years, and was their ‘lack of experience’ their first job. school (26%). Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 QATAR

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with other Arab leaders at the 27th Session of the Arab League Council summit in Nouakchott yesterday. Emir takes part in Arab summit

QNA Minister, Yahya Ould Hadem- my brothers the leaders of Arab Nouakchott ine, Minister of Justice, Ibrahim countries participating in this Ould Dada, Minister for Foreign Summit, which is taking place Aff airs and Co-operation, Is- at a time when our nation is ex- H the Emir Sheikh selkou Ould Ahmed Izidbih, In- posed to dramatic challenges Tamim bin Hamad al- terior Minister, Ahmedou Ould- that require all of us to exert fur- HThani took part along Abdallah, Minister of Energy, ther eff orts to meet them, hop- with the leaders of Arab coun- Salem Ould al-Bashir, Qatar’s ing that the summit’s outcomes tries in the opening session of ambassador to Mauritania, Ab- would contribute to supporting the meetings of the 27th Session dulrahman bin Ali al-Kubaisi, and enhancing joint Arab action of the Arab League Council at Mauritania’s ambassador to Qa- to achieve the aspirations of our the summit level held under the tar, Sidi Ould Mohamed Laghdaf peoples. I ask the Almighty Allah slogan of ‘Summit of Hope’ in and members of the Qatari em- to help us all for the good of our Nouakchott, the capital of the bassy in Mauritania. peoples and pride of our nation.” Mauritania, yesterday. In a statement issued upon ar- Later in the afternoon, the The session was attended by rival the Emir said: “I am pleased Emir left Mauritania after tak- members of the offi cial delega- upon arrival to Nouakchott to take ing part in the opening session of tion accompanying the Emir. part in the 27th Summit of the the meetings of the 27th Session A number of Arab delegations Arab League, to extend my sincere of the Arab League summit. and guests also attended the ses- greetings and the greetings of the The Emir and his accompa- sion. Qatari people to my dear brother, nying delegation were seen off The Emir arrived in Mau- President of the Islamic Republic at the Nouakchott International ritania earlier yesterday. The of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Airport by Mauritanian Prime Emir and the accompanying Abdel Aziz, and the brotherly Minister, Yahya Ould Hademine, delegation were welcomed at people of Mauritania, wishing and Qatar’s ambassador to Mau- the Nouakchott International them progress and prosperity. ritania, Abdulrahman bin Ali al- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arriving in Nouakchott to take part in the opening session of the meetings of the 27th Session Airport by Mauritanian Prime “I would also like to salute Kubaisi. Page 6 of the Arab League Council summit yesterday. Right: HH the Emir being received by Mauritanian Prime Minister Yahya Ould Hademine.

Sudanese president hails Qatar’s role in Darfur peace

QNA not to rely on international meet their legitimate aspira- accordance with the terms Nouakchott initiatives which depend on tions. of reference agreed upon. the confl ict of stakeholders He reiterated support for Bashir affi rmed his coun- and their ambitions in the the legitimate government try’s condemnation of acts udanese President region. in Yemen led by President of terrorism and violence in Omar al-Bashir yes- He stressed the impor- Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi all its forms and manifesta- Sterday praised the tance of reaching a peaceful and its eff orts to restore le- tions experienced by broth- role being played by Qatar solution, which takes into gitimacy, security and sta- erly and friendly countries, to achieve peace in Darfur account the respect of the bility and reach a compre- calling for concerted Arab and its support for Sudan in will of the Syrian people and hensive political solution in eff orts to combat terrorism. regional and international fora. Addressing the 27th Ses- sion of the Arab League Council at the summit level hosted by the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, Ba- shir hailed the Doha Peace Agreement in Darfur which had a signifi cant impact in promoting trust, achiev- ing national unity and the launching of major develop- ment projects in Darfur. He lauded the eff orts be- ing exerted by Qatar to sup- port peace in Darfur, which is witnessing a remark- able stability and absence of rebel movements, while conducting building and re- construction projects. With regard to the Arab aff airs, the Sudanese presi- dent called to regain the Arab initiative in Syria and

QRCS to operate hospital in Yemen

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has pledged to support and operate Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz, Yemeni Minister for Local Administration and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Relief Abdalrguib Fath said. In a statement to Yemen News Agency, the minister said that the Qatari side has pledged to sup- port in the health sector through Qatar Red Crescent Society, not- ing that QRCS off icials ensured their readiness to run the hospi- tal for one year and to provide it with all medical equipment and aid to alleviate the suff ering of the sick people in Taiz. The Yemeni Minister hailed Qatar for its support to the Yemeni government during the diff icult conditions faced by the country. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 5 REGION Solar plane Cooling off nears end of historic trip

AFP old Piccard and his compatriot exceeding 30,000ft (9,144m) Abu Dhabi Andre Borschberg taking turns over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. at the controls of the single-seat Piccard has said he launched aircraft. the project in 2003 to show that olar Impulse 2 was yester- It took off from Cairo on its renewable energy “can achieve day approaching the end fi nal leg early on Sunday, having the impossible”. Sof its epic bid to become previously crossed Asia, North His dream looks set to come the fi rst sun-powered airplane America, Europe and North Af- true, but it did take much longer to circle the globe without a drop rica. than planned. of fuel to promote renewable en- Borschberg, 63, smashed the The attempt was initially ex- ergy. record for the longest uninter- pected to last fi ve months, in- When the experimental aircraft rupted journey in aviation his- cluding 25 days of actual fl ying. Kuwaitis walk as others sit on cafe terraces inside the Avenues Mall, the country’s largest shopping centre, yesterday in Kuwait City. touches down in Abu Dhabi in the tory with the 8,924-km (5,500- But the aircraft was grounded Kuwaitis limit their outdoors activities due temperatures soaring over 50C in the country. early hours of today it will cap a mile) fl ight between Nagoya, in July last year when its solar- remarkable 42,000-km (26,097 Japan and Hawaii that lasted powered batteries suff ered prob- mile) journey across four conti- nearly 118 hours. lems halfway through the trip. nents, two oceans and three seas. “#Si2 is both the 1st airplane The project has also been beset With Swiss explorer and of unlimited endurance & the by bad weather and illness which project director Bertrand Piccard only experimental aircraft al- forced Piccard to delay the fi nal in the cockpit, the plane is due lowed to fl y over cities!” he leg. to land at Al-Bateen Executive tweeted yesterday. While in the air, the pilot is Airport in the UAE capital where No heavier than a car but with constantly in contact with mis- Five Saudi guards killed in it launched its tour on March 9, the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the sion control in Monaco, where 2015. four-engine battery-powered a team of weathermen, math- By 1300 GMT yesterday, So- aircraft relies on around 17,000 ematicians and engineers moni- lar Impulse 2 had travelled more solar cells embedded in its wings. tors the route and prepares fl ight than 2,200km (1,400 miles) in Its broad wings and light strategies. clashes on Yemen border nearly 38 hours on its fi nal leg, weight make it particularly sen- “It’s a project for energy, for a fl ying over Qatar’s northern tip sitive to turbulence. better world,” Piccard told jour- AFP infi ltrate in several places” in rebels who control northern ing in northwestern Yemen have after crossing the vast Saudi The plane has clocked an aver- nalists in Cairo before taking off Riyadh the Najran area, the offi cial SPA Yemen. killed 82 people, including 48 desert. age speed of 80km (50 miles) an on the fi nal leg. news agency quoted a ministry A spokesman for the Iran- rebels. “Thanks to our lovely #sun, hour. A psychiatrist who made the spokesman as saying. backed Houthis said yesterday More than 6,400 Yemenis, #Si2’s batteries are fully The pilots use oxygen tanks to fi rst non-stop balloon fl ight ive Saudi Arabian border It said the frontier guards the rebels had fi red a ballistic most of them civilians, have been charged,” the Solar Impulse team breathe at high altitude and wear around the world in 1999, Pic- guards were killed yester- backed by the country’s army missile at a military camp in killed since last March, and the said on Twitter. suits specially designed to cope card had warned that the last leg Fday in clashes with “enemy thwarted the attempts to cross Saudi Arabia’s southern region fi ghting has driven 2.8 Yemenis “After a turbulent night from with the extreme conditions. of the Solar Impulse 2 tour would elements” who tried to infi ltrate the border which began at 0300 of Jizan, causing casualties and from their homes. extreme high temperatures, the They must withstand tem- be diffi cult because of the high the kingdom’s border with war- GMT. material damage. Kuwait has hosted Yemen sun rose above a desert of sand peratures inside the tiny cockpit temperatures. wracked Yemen, the interior Southern Saudi Arabia, espe- Yemeni military sources, peace talks since April, but the dunes above #SaudiArabia,” Pic- ranging from minus 20C (minus “It’s been two hours now I’m ministry said. cially border areas with Yemen, meanwhile, reported heavy negotiations have failed to make card tweeted earlier. 4F) to plus 35C (plus 95F). fl ying into high up and down The fi ve were killed in eight have come under sporadic at- fi ghting since Thursday on the any progress and the Gulf emir- Dubbed the “paper plane”, So- The plane, equipped with a drafts. And I can’t even drink. It’s hours of fi ghting when the Sau- tack since Riyadh took the lead Yemeni side of the border be- ate on Thursday gave the warring lar Impulse 2 is circumnavigating parachute and life raft in case of really exhausting...” he tweeted dis confronted “enemy elements in March 2015 in an Arab military tween loyalist forces and rebels. parties a 15-day ultimatum to the globe in stages, with 58-year- an accident, fl ew at an altitude on Sunday. of armed groups who tried to coalition battling Shia Houthi They said fi ve days of fi ght- strike a deal or leave the country. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Kuwait emir: threats facing the region pose new challenges

QNA Arab people’s aspiration for de- On Syria, he said that the vol- The emir then highlighted sultations for peace in Yemen, process, the emir said that Isra- ditions. Nouakchott velopment. ume of destruction, killing and that the humanitarian crisis in which Kuwait has been hosting el’s intransigence and arrogance He added that Iran needed to The emir made the statement homelessness is doubling, as is Syria is aggravating as the in- for more than two months have remain to constitute an obstacle respect international laws when to the opening session of the the suff ering of the Syrian people. ternational community watches not reached an agreement yet. to realizing the aspired compre- it comes mir of Kuwait Sheikh 27th Arab Summit that kicked He noted that Kuwait has on without managing to broker On Iraq, Libya, Somalia and hensive and permanent peace The Kuwaiti leader said that Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber off in Mauritania’s capital of hosted the First, Second and a political solution to the crisis. the Sudan, the emir said that the that goes in line with resolutions the Islamic Republic needs to Eal-Sabah said that ongoing Nouakchott yesterday. Third International Humani- On Yemen, the emir expressed situation in the four countries of the international community respect the the international law critical conditions, hazardous He said that the current threats tarian Pledging Conference for his hope that the confl ict in the remains a source of deep worry, and the Arab Initiative. on good neighbourliness, and events and accelerating changes facing the region have added new Syria, and co-chaired the fourth country would come to an end. and a clear threat to the region’s On ties with Iran, the emir also respect the sovereignty of have undermined stability of the dimensions to the challenges one, in a bid to alleviate the suf- He added that it was disap- security and stability. said that that any constructive other countries. region and dealt a blow to the facing joint Arab action. fering of the Syrian people. pointing that the political con- As for the Middle-East peace dialogue needs favourable con- Syria regime hits Aleppo as UN backs call for truce

AFP would be at today’s meeting in in with pieces of broken brick Syrian men carry injured children amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following reported air strikes on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria Geneva. and shattered concrete. Al-Mashhad in the northern city of Aleppo, yesterday. Russia’s Ria-Novosti news In Aleppo city itself, at least agency said deputy foreign min- 12 civilians were killed in bar- yria’s regime intensifi ed air ister Gennady Gatilov would rel bomb attacks by government strikes on rebel-held areas represent Moscow. forces on eastern rebel-held Sof Aleppo province yester- US Secretary of State John neighbourhoods, the Observa- day as a UN envoy prepared to Kerry and his Russian counter- tory said. Iranians meet US and Russian offi cials to part Sergei Lavrov were also due An AFP journalist at the Palestinians slam try to revive peace talks. to meet today on the sidelines of scene of one of the attacks in France called for an immediate an Asian summit in Vientiane, the Al-Mashhad district earlier ignoring humanitarian truce in Aleppo Laos. said civil defence workers were city after civilian deaths in the Earlier this month, the two struggling to retrieve survivors provincial capital and after four announced an agreement on who were still trapped under Israel plans for 770 ban on hospitals were bombed there on “concrete steps” to salvage a heavy debris. Sunday. failing nationwide ceasefi re in He said rescuers had managed Yesterday, air strikes and bar- Syria, a key step before negotia- to pull one boy alive from the Internet rel bombs killed 22 civilians in tions can resume. rubble, but the rest of his family rebel-held parts of the northern The February ceasefi re be- were dead and still trapped un- settlement homes province, and rebel rocket fi re tween the regime and non-mili- der a collapsed building. DPA on government areas killed three tant rebels – which was brokered Once Syria’s economic pow- Tehran more, a monitor said. by the US and Russia – remains erhouse, Aleppo has been DPA/AFP fl ects the failure of the inter- tunity for the international The bombardment came as largely in tatters. roughly divided between gov- Jerusalem national community to stop community to show its real UN Syria envoy Staff an de Mis- The Britain-based Syrian Ob- ernment control in the west and Israel’s settlement expan- commitment for the two- ifty-three per cent of tura was expected to meet top US servatory for Human Rights said rebel control in the east since sion,” he said in a statement. state solution and take all Iran’s population of and Russian offi cials in Geneva 10 civilians were killed in air mid-2012. he Palestinian leader- Hagit Ofran of Peace Now, needed action in order to have F80mn are members of today with the aim of reviving strikes on the rebel-held town of In recent weeks, government ship yesterday slammed the Israeli group that moni- Israel fully cease settlement a social network, despite the peace talks to end the fi ve-year Atareb in Aleppo early yesterday. forces seized parts of the only Tan Israeli project to build tors settlements’ expansion, construction,” Erekat said. sites being banned in the Is- confl ict. It said the strikes, believed to remaining supply route into the 770 housing units in the East said her group had already Israeli settlements in east lamic Republic, a study by the French Ambassador to the have been carried out by Russian city’s east, cutting off opposition Jerusalem settlement of Gilo. warned against the project in Jerusalem and the occupied Culture Ministry revealed yes- UN Francois Delattre compared warplanes, hit several locations districts from the outside world Saeb Erekat, the secretary 2012. West Bank are viewed as il- terday. Aleppo’s plight to that of Sara- including a market area. and prompting food shortages general of the Palestine Lib- But it advanced another legal under international law. In the 18-29 age group the fi g- jevo during the Bosnian war, Russia is a key ally of Presi- and spiralling prices. eration Organisation (PLO), stage in the long planning They are also considered ure is as high as 72%, the study and said “the Security Council dent Bashar al-Assad and began The government regularly said Gilo was built on land that and building process when it major stumbling blocks to by the ministry’s Internet de- simply cannot accept such war air strikes in support of regime bombs the east of the city, and belongs to East Jerusalem and was presented to a local com- peace eff orts as they are built partment showed. crimes – yes war crimes – to re- forces in September 2015. rebels often fi re rockets into nearby Palestinian villages. mittee early this week, Ofran on land Palestinians view as Even President Hassan Rou- peat again”. The Observatory -- which western districts. Israel’s unhampered ad- said. part of their future state. hani, some of his ministers and Syria and its allies are “de- relies on a network of sources The Observatory said at least vancement of the project “re- This is yet another oppor- A recent report by the dip- many clerics also have banned termined to besiege, starve and inside Syria for its informa- three civilians were killed by lomatic Quartet – the United Facebook and Twitter accounts, bomb Aleppo until they reach tion – says it determines what rebel fi re on western Aleppo yes- States, European Union, Rus- according to the fi ndings of the their military goal – eradicating planes carried out raids accord- terday. sia and the UN – said settle- report published in the Iranian the opposition – this is what the ing to their type, location, fl ight Syrian state news agency ment expansion was eroding media. siege is all about,” Delattre said. patterns and the munitions in- SANA said a pregnant woman the possibility of a two-state Thousands of Internet sites Britain’s UN Ambassador volved. and her child were killed. solution to the confl ict. are blocked in Iran, including the Matthew Rycroft said: “Enough Footage obtained by AFP of SANA also reported that four “I strongly condemn the much-loved social networking is enough now.” the aftermath of the strikes people had been wounded yes- recent decision by Israeli au- sites Faceboook and Twitter, but More than 280,000 people showed the local civil defence terday in rebel rocket fi re on cen- thorities to advance plans to users gain access using data tun- have been killed in Syria and unit trying to put out a fi re in the tral Damascus. build some 770 housing units nelling. more than half its population has rubble of one collapsed building. Rebel rockets also hit Old in the settlement of Gilo, built Until recently there were been displaced since the confl ict Nearby, people combed Damascus late Sunday after air on the lands of occupied Pal- 20mn users of social networks began with the brutal repression through debris trying to extract raids struck four makeshift hos- estinian towns and villages in Iran, but the report found the of anti-government protests in medicine from what appeared to pitals in Aleppo’s rebel districts, between Bethlehem and east fi gure has increased to more than 2011. be the remains of a pharmacy or jeopardising medical care for Freed Palestinian prisoner Mohamed al-Bashiti, who served 12 Jerusalem,” Nickolay Mlad- 43mn. US mission spokesman Paul clinic. more than 200,000 civilians be- years in an Israeli jail after he was convicted of being a member enov, UN special co-ordina- Measures taken by the au- Patin said Washington’s special Elsewhere in Atareb, crushed sieged there. of Hamas’ armed wing, is kissed by his aunt upon his release, in tor for the Middle East peace thorities to block the sites envoy for Syria Michael Ratney fruit and vegetables were mixed Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. process, said in a statement. have failed and are becoming increasingly absurd, observers say. Those responsible for policing the Internet face criticism and are the object of jokes. Many wonder how they could 279,000 Libyan kids arrest the more than 40mn Ira- nians who are fl outing the Inter- out of school: UN net ban. Man convicted AFP For more than two years, the eastern Tripoli city has been rocked by fi ghting be- of murdering tween forces loyal to the internation- ally-recognised parliament and armed girl (4) hanged he United Nations warned yes- groups including the militant Islamic terday that the Libya confl ict State group. A man convicted of murdering Twas preventing some 279,000 The violence has forced most schools a four-year-old girl was publicly children from attending school across in Benghazi to close in mid-2014, with hanged at a bus terminal in the war-torn country. only about a third reopening in Decem- western Iran yesterday, the “Recently released data from Libya’s ber last year. Tasnim news agency reported. Ministry of Education paints an alarm- To the west, the coastal city of Sirte The man was sentenced to death ing picture of education access,” the has lost more than three quarters of its after being found guilty of raping UN’s Offi ce for the Co-ordination of total population after IS overran it in and killing the girl before hiding Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA) said. June last year, OCHA said. her body under a highway bridge “A total of 558 schools across various It said that since April and May, in May. regions of Libya (were) classed as non- 35,000 people fl ed Sirte as forces loyal The decision to employ the death functional, aff ecting approximately to Libya’s UN-backed unity govern- penalty received backing from 279,000 school-age children,” OCHA ment launched an off ensive to retake the country’s highest court due said in a report. the city from the militants. to the heinous nature of the Schools had closed “due to partial or “Host communities are struggling crime. complete damage as a result of confl ict to provide assistance” as increasingly In Iran, cases involving murder, and fi ghting,” it said. more people fl ee Sirte, putting a burden sexual assault, armed robbery In some cities including Libya’s sec- on infrastructure,OCHA said. and drug-trafficking can lead to ond city of Benghazi, “a number of “Water and sanitation conditions are a death sentence, with schools have become shelters for the deteriorating rapidly and hospitals face child rape and murder nearly displaced, preventing children from shortages of beds and medical supplies always invoking capital accessing them,” it added. to aid growing numbers of patients.” punishment. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 7 AFRICA

16 children Regional armies struggle in among 38 dead in fi re

AFP last push against Boko Haram Antananarivo, Madagascar

Reuters the costs of fi ghting the group. which has the region’s strongest house fi re during a party in Diff a, Niger Boko Haram’s victims, which military, reinforce when needed central Madagascar on Sat- include 2.4mn displaced, live in then head back home. Aurday night killed 38 peo- hope that this month-old off en- “Each force is based in its ple, including 16 children, as the ou’ll all be able to go home sive - dubbed Operation Gama country of origin. There’s no blaze ripped through a thatched soon. Boko Haram is near- Aiki, or “fi nish the job” in the local integrated force with battal- roof, police said yesterday. Yly fi nished, Niger’s Inte- Hausa language - might succeed ions moving in perfect coordi- The victims - the youngest only rior Minister Mohamed Bazoum where others have failed. nation,” said Vincent Foucher, six months old - were trapped in- told a crowd of refugees seated Some have doubts. From West Africa researcher at Inter- side the house in Ambalavato vil- quietly on dusty, sun-baked fl ats. where he stays in southern Niger, national Crisis Group (ICG). lage of Ikalamavony district in the His words of optimism were refugee Usman Kanimbu sees The need for operational in- rural centre of the island. belied by the dozens-strong se- smoke rising from the coalition’s tegration in the fi ght against an The party-goers, including curity detail required to protect air strikes on insurgent positions enemy that knows no borders several relatives of the home him as he toured his country’s in Nigeria, the home he fl ed. was exposed during a similar owner, were celebrating the southern border. “We’ve fl ed eight times. Each regional off ensive early last year. renovation of the same house in Seven years into an insurgen- time we arrive somewhere Boko After troops from Chad and Ni- which they perished. cy that spread from Nigeria into Haram attacks again. We would ger drove Boko Haram from a string “Of the 39 people in the house, Chad, Niger and Cameroon, keep running, but we can’t af- of towns in Nigeria’s far north, 38 were killed, including 16 regional armies are now in a fi - ford to anymore,” he said. “I’m they waited in vain for the Nigerian children,” Herilalatiana Andri- nal push to defeat Boko Haram, not sure this will ever end.” army to arrive and hold them. Niger soldiers guarding with their weapons pointed towards the border with neighbouring Nigeria, near anarivosona, spokesman for the a once obscure Islamist sect As the sun sets over the Nige- “We were there for three or the town of Diff a. police, said, adding that the fi re turned deadly militant group. rian border, soldiers from Niger four months, but the Nigerian was an accident. But lingering divisions in peered over an earthen bern at troops that were meant to take contributors to foot the bill for tion as it is supposed to, Niger’s (463,300 sq miles) of territory - “A celebration had been held fol- the countries’ multi-national territory held by Boko Haram. over from us were not ready,” the MNJTF’s $700mn budget, President Mahamadou Issoufou is overstretched by Boko Haram, lowing the completion of the reno- joint task force (MNJTF) are The skies above the border- Niger’s Brigadier General Abdou however. Donors, led by Nigeria had to fl y to N’Djamena to lobby but also by the overfl ow of un- vations to the house,” he added. complicating that mission. lands now rumble daily with the Sidikou Issa said. and France, pledged $250mn in neighbour Chad for help. related Islamist violence from The blaze is believed to have “If there’s no strategy to at- sound of fi ghter jets. Chadian Niger and Chad withdrew, ac- February, just over a third of what Having played a lead role Mali to its west. started from embers of a fi re that tack Boko Haram together, we troops have ventured onto Lake cording to a source with knowl- was needed, but dispersal has along with France in a 2013 in- Cameroon has meanwhile de- had been used earlier to cook won’t ever fi nish with them,” Chad, a Boko Haram strong- edge of the operation, because been slow. The US has also aided tervention in Mali to drive back ployed thousands of troops, in- food for guests. Mahamadou Liman Ali, an hold. Regional military offi cers they feared becoming an occu- with intelligence and training. jihadist groups there, Chad’s cluding special forces, to its north It was swept by winds, spread- opposition lawmaker from say they are taking back ground pying force. Issa said the troops A senior MNJTF offi cer, who President Idriss Deby has be- to secure its own territory against ing fi rst to a bale of dry rice straw southern Niger, said in Niamey. from the insurgents. were overstretched logistically, asked not to be named as he was come indispensable in the fi ght a suicide bombing campaign. adjacent to the house before it At a time when the world’s The task force may indeed be however. Either way, the vacuum not authorised to speak, said the against West African Islamists. And while Nigeria’s Presi- caught hold of the grass thatch wealthy nations are focused on making headway against Boko they left allowed Boko Haram to money received so far was so little Two weeks after President Is- dent Muhammadu Buhari has on the roof. the fi ght against Islamic State Haram, which has fewer footholds reclaim positions and carry on that it only had covered the cost of soufou’s visit, Reuters visited a shown more willingness than Other villagers tried to rescue and Al Qaeda, fi nancial support than it once did. Its leader, Abu- cross-border raids. 11 vehicles and some radio equip- half-fi nished hotel complex in his predecessor to take on the the people trapped inside but for the MNJTF’s eff orts against bakar Shekau, may even be dead. The MNJTF was meant to pre- ment, with the individual armies the southern Niger city of Diff a insurgents, decades of graft have failed to open the door. Boko Haram, which has pledged But the MNJTF is a far cry from vent a repeat of those kinds of bearing the rest of the costs. that had been fully booked out hollowed out his military and it Only one 14-year-old boy its allegiance to IS, have fallen what it was conceived to be, a dedi- incidents. The African Union en- A Boko Haram attack last month by the Chadian army. The Chad- now faces resurgent militancy in managed to escape the inferno short of targets. cated 8,700-strong force blend- dorsed the force in January 2015 on Bosso, in southeastern Ni- ians were nowhere to be seen. the oil-producing Niger Delta. by jumping through a small That has left the task force’s ing soldiers from Nigeria, Niger, and a headquarters was established ger, which killed 32 soldiers and a Dozens of bungalows sat empty. The senior MNJTF offi cer said window, police said. members - including Chad, the Cameroon, Chad and Benin. in Chad’s capital N’Djamena to co- number of civilians, was the kind of It would take more than a the regional neighbours would Due to crime and frequent region’s capable but increas- Instead, the nations rely on ordinate forces against the ever- incident the MNJTF was created for. month for them to arrive. continue to improve the force. In muggings, the party guests chose ingly reluctant military power- their own armies to deal with Boko evolving threat of Boko Haram. But rather than the multi- Niger’s tiny army - 15,000 the meantime, they had no other to stay at the host’s house rather house - to shoulder the bulk of Haram threats. Troops from Chad, The AU has struggled to rally national force kicking into ac- troops to cover 1.2mn sq kms choice than to act. than return home at night.

Congo opposition leader jailed for role in protest Obama’s Ex-militants confi rm Congo Republic opposition leader Paulin Makaya was talks with Nigeria sentenced to two years in prison yesterday for his role in protests against a referendum proposing brother says Reuters bility for a series of recent a third term for President Denis Yenagoa attacks, would not be part of Sassou Nguesso, the High Court the dialogue. of Brazzaville ruled. “The Federal Government Makaya was charged on four Nigerian former mili- made it clear during our meet- counts including “incitement to vote for tant group said on ings that a negotiation with to disturb public order” during ASunday it has been criminals is out of the ques- a demonstration on October holding talks with the gov- tion,” MEND said. “The Niger 20 when thousands of people ernment to end a wave of at- Delta Avengers...fall under this took to the streets to protest the tacks on oil and gas facilities category.” constitutional referendum. Trump in in the Niger Delta which has The Niger Delta Avengers Nguesso has ruled Congo for crippled the country’s crude group had on Thursday said it all but five years since 1979, and output. was not aware of any talks with was re-elected in March after the On Thursday, the offi ce of the government. referendum passed. President Muhammadu Buhari Security sources have Makaya has denied the charges US election said the government was using linked the Avengers to and his lawyer Eric Ibouanga said oil fi rms and security agencies former commanders in he plans to lodge an appeal. Malik Obama: “Trump appeals to me and also I think that he is down to talk to the militants “to fi nd MEND. Both groups hail “The judgment brought by the Reuters and he speaks from the heart and to earth and he speaks from the heart and he is not trying to be a lasting solution to insecurity from the same area. correctional chamber is unjust Nairobi he is not trying to be politically politically correct. in the region”. Militants say they want a and illegal,” Ibouanga said. correct. He’s just straight-for- “The Movement for the greater share of Nigeria’s oil Four people were killed at the ward,” he said. Obama’s record in the White their father was born before go- Emancipation of the Niger wealth to go to the impover- march in October, when security resident Barack Obama’s Malik, a US citizen, has lived House saying he had not done ing to study at the University of Delta (MEND) wishes to con- ished Delta region. Crude sales forces opened fire after a crowd half-brother, Malik in Washington since 1985 where much for the American people Hawaii. fi rm that indeed it has been make up about 70% of nation- refused to disperse. Residents PObama, says he will vote he worked with various fi rms and his extended family despite Obama visited Nairobi, in in preliminary talks with the al income and the vast major- said the violence in Brazzaville for Republican nominee Don- before becoming an independ- the high expectations that ac- the fi rst ever trip by a sitting US Federal Government through ity of that oil comes from the was the worst since Nguesso ald Trump in the US election in ent fi nancial consultant. companied his election in 2008, president to the East African na- oil companies and law-en- southern swampland. retook power in 1997 at the end November because he likes the Trump’s stance against Mus- both in the United States and tion last July, and promised to forcement agencies,” the group Nigeria, an Opec mem- of a brief civil war. candidate and he is unhappy lims coming in to the United Kenya. visit more often when he leaves said in a statement. ber, was Africa’s top oil pro- Makaya, 49, has already been with his brother’s leadership. States was understandable even The two men appear to have offi ce. MEND is a major former ducer until the recent spate detained for 8 months following Malik, who is in his 50s, told to Muslims like himself, Malik drifted apart but were previ- Malik defended his right to militant group which signed of attacks pushed it behind his arrest. In addition to his Reuters by phone from Obama’s said. ously close. Malik has visited the criticise his brother, citing free- in 2009 an amnesty in ex- Angola. sentence, he was charged a ancestral home of Kogelo in “I’m a Muslim, of course, president in the Oval offi ce and dom of expression. change for cash and job train- Enforcing any peace deal 2.5mn CFA franc ($4,183) fine. western Kenya that he supports but you can’t have people going was also best man at Barack’s “To each his own. I speak my ing brokered by the previous would be diffi cult as the mili- Trump’s policies, especially his around just shooting people and wedding. mind and I’m not going to be put government. tant scene is divided into small focus on security. killing people just in the name of Obama’s election created in a box just because my brother It said the Niger Delta groups where leaders do not Pastor arrested “He appeals to me and also I Islam,” he said. much excitement in Kenya es- is the President of the United Avengers, a militant group control the unemployed youth for chaining son think that he is down to earth He criticised President pecially in Kogelo village where States,” Malik said. that has claimed responsi- they recruit. with padlock

A Nigerian pastor has been arrested after chaining his nine-year-old son in a room for several weeks with a padlock and Tide turns against Liberia’s biggest slum denying him food, police said yesterday. “We acted on a tip-off that a boy AFP “The swell will just wipe no longer use it for drinking or guaranteed place that will make staying with a married friend ple were sleeping in the market had been locked up in a room Monrovia away things. I sent my grand- cooking,” said Amie Myers, 33, a you say ‘I got hope for my life- for months. places and school buildings,” near a church at Atan in Ogun children to some friends and mother of six children. time’,” Doe said glumly. “I was sleeping on the fl oor, Nyan said. state. We forced the door open the big ones are on their own,” Some 90,000 people live in The authorities said at least beside the bed, with my kids,” There are now at least 3,000 and rescued him,” state police he fi shermen, hustlers and she said, describing losing her West Point, which covers just 4 4,000 people were made home- Quaye said. inhabitants “in a very seri- spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi market traders of West house and all her possessions sq kms (1.5 sq miles) - a fraction less in April alone, and are al- Sampson Nyan, Commis- ous condition” and needing said. TPoint have survived two to the waves. bigger than New York’s Central locating temporary shelters to sioner of West Point Township immediate help, Nyan said. He said the boy was found civil wars and an Ebola epidemic, The shacks are stacked to- Park - and this area is shrinking families further inland. said the slum was being hit by a Prefab structures have been chained to the ground with a but this resilient Liberian slum gether any which way, built from by the day. President Ellen Johnson double whammy. put up on a parcel of land away padlock in a room on Friday. cannot hold back the ocean that a variety of reclaimed materials. Some of the displaced have Sirleaf visited the stricken com- “Both climate change and from the slum at a cost initially “He was in a very bad shape, is slowly swallowing it. Sitting on a peninsula, jut- been living in markets, on munity in May, which was hit (coastal) erosion are combined estimated at $1.5mn. greatly emaciated because of The country’s biggest town- ting into the Atlantic Ocean, the the roadside or in the living less than two years ago by Eb- here. This is happening in sev- More permanent structures poor feeding. The boy told us his ship is being swallowed by the slum is being hit by rising seas - a rooms of friends for upwards ola spreading like wildfi re in eral parts of the country but have not yet been built because father was not giving him food sea, tearing the heart out of one consequence of global warming of a year. a place where everyone lives West Point is the worst of all,” of problems completing land regularly and that he had been of the capital’s liveliest neigh- - and coastal erosion, say local Fishing has traditionally been cheek-by-jowl. he said. purchases. locked up in the room for over bourhoods and leaving the offi cials. the main commercial activity in At the height of the epidemic “Erosion of the peninsula... Yet time is running out. one month,” Adejobi said. government struggling to re- West Point’s residents have West Point, but many are now the whole slum was quarantined, has been going on for more than “We have been talking to the “It is shocking and baff ling that a house thousands of displaced long battled poverty and drug having to abandon their life on leading club-wielding youths to a decade now. The sea has been president for the relocation of man who claims to be a man of residents. addiction is rife in the area. The the sea. storm a medical facility treat- creeping in. It became more in- the entire township,” Demore God could be involved in a such “Sometimes at 2am when community was torn apart when Fisherman Amos Doe, 45, ing Ebola patients. This was fol- tensive with the climate change.” Moore, chairman of West Point’s a barbaric and inhuman act,” he you’re sleeping the waves will the Ebola virus struck. But the stood by what remains of his lowed by a riot against security The slum started to disappear Disaster Victim Association, added. go straight on top of the house. encroaching sea water is add- house, now smashed into two by forces. in November 2014, with more said. He said the pastor, 40, told Before you come to, everybody ing to the struggle to meet basic the Atlantic. Bendu Quaye lost the father than 450 homes submerged as “The only solution is the re- investigators that he locked is confused; you’re soaked with needs. “It makes me feel sad because of her fi ve children to Ebola, and Ebola raged unchecked. location, otherwise the entire up his son to perform a ritual water,” said Cecelia Nimley, 56, “When it comes, the water in you know as a family man, liv- the 27-year-old is one of the few By April this year, “people township will be swept away by intended to stop him stealing. a lifelong resident of West Point. the wells gets salty, and we can ing beside the water, there is no who has been rehoused after were sleeping in the open, peo- the sea,” he added. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 AMERICA Leaks cloud Clinton nomination

AFP can Party’s fl agbearer in Cleve- resignation, eff ective at the end to go, with her leadership already DNC interim chair Donna Brazile with Clinton’s choice of a center- Philadelphia land last week, topped Clinton of the convention. under fi re and her impartiality indicated the drama was not yet left running mate, Senator Tim 48% to 45% in a two-way match- After a hard-fought primary called into question by the leaks. over. Kaine of Virginia, instead of a up CNN poll yesterday. The fi g- campaign, the party had been Shortly after she resigned, “I don’t know the substance more liberal fi rebrand like Sena- he Democratic Party ure represents a drastic six-point heading to the convention seem- Sanders said in a statement that but I do know there are lots of tor Elizabeth Warren. yesterday kicked off its convention bounce. ing far more unifi ed than the Re- Wasserman Schultz “has made stuff that we might have to apol- “Tim is an extremely bright Tnational convention to While the former secretary of publicans, whose fi ssures were the right decision for the future ogize for and that’s why I say you guy, a very nice guy. Are his po- anoint Hillary Clinton its presi- state is set to make history as the laid bare in Cleveland last week. of the Democratic Party.” got to own it, take full responsi- litical views diff erent than mine, dential nominee, as a row over fi rst female fl agbearer of any ma- Now the Democrats are strug- He called for new leadership bility and work with the staff to yeah, they are,” Sanders told leaked emails showing party jor American political party, the gling with the fallout from a that would “always remain im- create a diff erent culture at the CNN’s State of the Union, adding leaders sought to undermine process has fallen under a cloud scandal that threatened to mush- partial in the presidential nomi- DNC,” she told CNN. that “he’s a 100 times better than campaign rival Bernie Sanders that Trump has been all too eager room into a major crisis just as nating process, something which Brazile said there are likely Trump will ever be.” threatened to upstage the gath- to exploit. the party was supposed to coa- did not occur in the 2016 race.” “many thousands” of leaked e- Clinton’s campaign, meanwhile, ering. Anti-secrecy website WikiLe- lesce around its nominee. Wasserman Schultz said she mails still to come. was pushing the notion that Russia Sanders lost the primary race aks over the weekend released “The Democrats are in a total would still open and close the Sanders and First Lady was behind the email leaks in an but he has endorsed his bitter ri- nearly 20,000 e-mails from be- meltdown,” Trump taunted on convention, but the move carries Michelle Obama were to headline eff ort to help Trump win. val, and in a show of unity he has tween January 2015 and May Twitter. “E-mails say the rigged risks, especially if she is booed the fi rst day of the Democratic “Experts are telling us that been off ered a prime speaking 2016, gleaned by hackers who system is alive & well!” when she takes the stage. convention. Russian state actors broke into slot on day one of the four-day apparently raided the accounts Trump has long sought to Despite the swirling politi- Former president Bill Clinton the DNC, took all these emails, confab. of seven Democratic National scoop up disaff ected voters who cal chaos, Sanders made clear he is the star today, while President and now are leaking them out Sanders was to stress that the Committee leaders. Wasserman Schultz: eye of the feel Sanders — a self-described would not make an insurgent bid Barack Obama and Vice Presi- through these websites,” cam- party mission is to elect Clinton At least two of the messages storm democratic socialist initially for the nomination. dent Joe Biden take the stage to- paign manager Robby Mook told in November and prevent Re- showed senior committee mem- dismissed as a fringe candidate “We’ve got to elect secretary morrow. ABC. publican Donald Trump from be- bers were keen to undermine the der the damage that threatened — was denied a fair shot at the Clinton,” he told NBC’s Meet the Thousands of pro-Sanders “It’s troubling that some ex- coming the 45th president of the Sanders campaign by seeking to to revive tensions with Sanders nomination. Press. protesters have gathered in Phil- perts are now telling us that this United States. raise questions about Sanders’s followers, the Democratic Party’s Wasserman Schultz’s an- More emails are expected to adelphia. was done by the Russians for The brash billionaire, who was faith and heritage. chairwoman Debbie Wasserman nouncement came after Sanders be released in coming days, and Many in the Sanders camp the purpose of helping Donald formally nominated the Republi- Amid eff orts to draw a line un- Schultz abruptly announced her on Sunday repeated calls for her in an ominous sign for the party, have also voiced disappointment Trump.” After Nato, the WTO: Trump ready to rip up post-war order

AFP travel from Europe to the would make allies shoul- ago. This isn’t 50 years ago. Washington United States, Trump put der defence costs that the It’s not 30 years ago. We’re a forward a vision of Europe United States has borne for diff erent country today.” as an economic competitor decades. Trump said his demands oughening immi- to be bested at all costs. “Now, a country gets in- for a review of defense gration checks for Asked, in relation to the vaded. They haven’t paid. spending by US allies would Tthe French and Ger- British vote to leave the Eu- Everyone said ‘Oh, but we go beyond Nato. mans, questioning Nato ropean Union, whether a have a treaty’.” “We take care of Japan. obligations and hinting fractured Europe was good Trump: get out “We have countries with- We take care of Germany at an exit from the World for America, Trump equiv- in Nato taking advantage of and South Korea and Saudi Trade Organization: Don- ocated. than when it happened.” us. With me, I believe they Arabia and we lose on every- ald Trump cast further “No, no — but we’re Trump doubled down on are going to pay,” he said. thing,” he said. doubt on Sunday on US al- spending a lot of money in a recent warning that the US “If they don’t pay — “We can no longer be the liances and commitments Europe,” he said. might not meet its mutual Chuck — this isn’t 40 years stupid country.” around the world. “Don’t forget, Europe got defence obligations in Nato In his fi rst wide-rang- together, why primarily did under his presidency — if he ing interview since he was they get together? To beat deemed that a member state crowned the Republican the United States when it was not pulling its weight fi - Party’s White House nomi- comes to making money. In nancially. nee, the billionaire and po- other words, on trade. President Barack Obama litical novice spelled out his “Look at Airbus,” he said. weighed in, questioning stance on a slew of foreign “They got together, all Trump’s readiness to be policy, international trade of these countries got to- commander-in-chief in an and national security issues. gether so they could beat interview on CBS. If he wins in Novem- the United States. “Anybody who’s been pay- ber, he told NBC’s Meet the “Okay?” ing attention knows there is a Press, France and other na- Trump, who has already big diff erence between chal- tions hit by recent terror threatened to renegotiate lenging our European allies to attacks would be subjected or rip up the North Ameri- keep up their defence spend- to “extreme” immigration can Free Trade Agreement, ing, particularly at a time checks as a deterrent to at- went on to suggest that the when Russia’s been more ag- tacks on US soil. United States could pull gressive, and saying to them, Trump recently shift- out of the World Trade Or- ‘You know what? We might ed from calling for a ban ganization under his presi- not abide by the central tenet on Muslims entering the dency. of the most important al- United States to advocating In the interview, he put liance in the history of the freezing fl ows from what he forward a plan for punitive world,’” Obama said. calls countries “compro- import taxes of up to 30% Pressed on the issue by mised by terrorism.” on fi rms that move manu- Todd, Trump was unapolo- “We have problems in facturing activities abroad, getic, repeating that he Germany and we have citing NAFTA partner problems in France,” he Mexico as an example. said, arguing that in his When show host Chuck view the French “have to- Todd objected that such tally been” compromised plans would be challenged by deadly Islamist attacks at the WTO, he responded: in Nice and last year in “Doesn’t matter. We’ll Paris. renegotiate or pull out. “And you know why? It’s These trade deals are a dis- their own fault. Because aster, Chuck. World Trade they allowed people to Organization is a disaster.” come into their territory.” Asked if he was con- Asked about the risk his cerned such actions could proposal could drastically rattle the world economy limit the number of people — much as the Brexit vote allowed into the US, Trump has done — Trump was dis- said: “Maybe we get to that missive. point,” adding: “We have to “I’m the only one that be smart and we have to be said Brexit is going to hap- vigilant and we have to be pen,” he said. strong.” “What did it do? The Beyond questioning free stock market is higher now Gulf Times Tuesay, July 26, 2016 9 AMERICA Two teens shot dead at Florida nightclub

Reuters and Sean Archilles, 14. “Investiga- lamist extremist groups killed 49 pointing out that armed security Fort Myers, Florida tors are working very hard to deter- people in the deadliest mass shoot- guards were posted inside and out- mine a motive,” police said. ing in US history. side the club.”It was not kids at the “The Fort Myers Police Depart- Club Blu, located about 250km party that did this despicable act.” he shooting early yesterday ment would like to confi rm that this southwest of Orlando in the Gulf Cheryl Garn, a spokeswoman for outside a party for teenagers incident is not an act of terror (as it Coast city of Fort Myers, was host- Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort My- Tat a Florida nightclub, where has been referred) or terrorism.” ing a “swimsuit glow party” for ers, said victims arriving there were a 14-year-old and 18-year-old died Besides the two fatalities, a local people all ages, according to a fl yer as young as 12 years old. and as many as 17 other people were hospital said there were 17 other vic- posted on Twitter by local television One of them died at the hospital, wounded, was not an act of terror, tims, ranging between ages 12 and 27. station WINK. she said in a statement, while three the Fort Myers Police Department Police put the number of wounded To enter, patrons were not re- others were admitted, one of them in said in a statement yesterday. at 14 to 16, with their injuries rang- quired to show proof that they were critical condition and one in serious The latest burst of gun violence ing from minor to life-threatening. the legal age to drink alcoholic bev- condition. The second victim died at to wrack the state this summer took Police said three people had been erages. the scene of the shooting. place just after 12.30am EDT in the detained for questioning and that The nightclub said on its Face- Police said shots were also fi red at parking lot of Club Blu, where offi c- the area was deemed safe, although book page that the shooting oc- a nearby residence, where there was ers found “several victims suff ering roads in the vicinity remained curred when the venue was closing one minor injury. from gunshot wounds,” the city po- closed. and parents were picking up their Fort Myers police and the Lee lice department said in a statement. The shooting came six weeks af- children. County’s Sheriff ’s Offi ce were can- Police identifi ed the two dead as ter a massacre at a nightclub in the “We tried to give the teens what vassing the area for other people Stef’An Strawder, an 18-year-old Florida city of Orlando, where a lone we thought was a safe place to have who may have been involved, the basketball star at a local high school, gunman who sympathized with Is- a good time,” the statement said, statement said. Deadly wildfi re near LA spreads

Reuters Sunday, a Cal Fire spokeswoman said. One person Los Angeles suff ered non-life-threatening injuries and one structure was destroyed, the spokeswoman, Am- ber Anderson, said. fast-moving wildfi re that has killed one per- The fi re near Santa Clarita, fi rst reported Friday son and destroyed more than a dozen homes afternoon, has prompted the evacuation of 1,500 Ain the drought-parched canyons northwest residences and destroyed at least 18 homes, the of Los Angeles, had scorched more than 33,000 fi re department said in a statement. All the aff ect- acres of land by early yesterday, fi re offi cials said. ed communities were in or around the San Gabriel Authorities said the so-called Sand Fire grew Mountains, which is dotted with multi-million- from 22,000 acres, or more than 88sq km, a day dollar homes. earlier, fuelled by high winds and parched condi- About 100 commercial buildings in the path of the tions after years of drought. Firefighters battle flames in Placerita Canyon at fi re were under evacuation orders, fi re offi cials said. Nearly 3,000 fi refi ghters were battling to contain the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita, California. An “unexpected wind event” forced offi cials to the blaze, which was threatening a string of small cancel plans for residents to return to some areas, communities near Santa Clarita, a city about 65km ference on Sunday. “These are not normal times.” fi re offi cials said via a Twitter post late on Sunday. northwest of Los Angeles, fi re offi cials said. A 10,262-acre fi re was also burning in a coastal “All evacuations will remain in place,” they said. “This is the fi fth year of an ongoing drought, so we area of Monterey county, 480km northwest of The 14 Freeway was closed to traffi c because of have very extreme fi re behavior,” Los Angeles County Santa Clarita, prompting authorities to widen the threat posed by the blaze, the California High- Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby said at a news con- evacuation orders to several communities on way Patrol said on Twitter. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 ASEAN Asean goes easy on

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks to reporters after meeting sea row with China with US State Secretary John Kerry. AFP territorial claims and infuriated The Philippines launched the security challenge of the day, Asean solidarity is on display for “objective” during discussions. lationship on the globe”. Vientiane Beijing. legal challenge against China analysts say it risks becoming all to see,” regional expert Carl At a press conference after “We have diff erences ... and Instead, Asean, gathered in which claims vast swathes of a talking shop lacking in diplo- Thayer told AFP. the statement was issued, Chi- we work to manage those diff er- the Laos capital Vientiane for the the waters, including areas ap- matic clout. Asked if yesterday’s statement nese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ences,” he added. outheast Asian nations fi rst time since the ruling, called proaching its coasts and other Staunch Beijing ally Cambodia had been watered down, one dip- said regional leaders had “made The US says it takes no posi- ducked direct criticism of for “self-restraint” from all par- Southeast Asian nations. has been accused of scuppering lomat involved in the talks simply it very clear that Asean does not tion on the territorial disputes SBeijing yesterday over its ties in the strategic waterway in Three other members of the eff orts by the bloc to unite in a said “we had to come out with a take sides on the arbitration case but argues for free sea and air claims to the South China Sea, a soft statement that edged away bloc – Vietnam, Malaysia and call for China to abide by the tri- statement”, adding “we don’t or the so called ruling”. passage through what it consid- in a diluted statement produced from a showdown with regional Brunei – also have competing bunal’s verdict. want the world to say that Asean He also accused countries out- ers international waters. after days of disagreement that powerhouse China. claims with Beijing over parts of While most members want is in disarray”. side the region of “keeping the It has called on Beijing to ac- gives the superpower a diplo- The contested sea, through the South China Sea. to keep pressure on China over The decision is a boon to China temperature high” over the sea, a cept the tribunal ruling. matic victory. which some $5tn in shipping But the statement that fi nally its campaign of island-building and it quickly praised Cambodia clear rebuke to the United States. Earlier speaking to Southeast The 10-member Associa- passes annually, has been a emerged after days of wrangling in the contested water, they are – to whom it ladles out aid and After meeting Wang for dis- Asian ministers, Kerry said the tion of Southeast Asian Nations source of increasing tension be- has exposed deep divisions with- wary of angering such a vital loans – for holding out against cussions late yesterday, Kerry re- US would continue to push “a (Asean) avoided mention of a tween China and its Southeast in the regional grouping. trading partner. fellow members. mained upbeat describing the US rules-based international system ruling by a UN-backed tribunal Asian neighbours along with the With the bloc faltering in its “With Cambodia marching Beijing also thanked other relationship with China as “the that protects the rights of all na- in early July that rejected China’s United States. response to the region’s major to its own drum the erosion of staunch ally Laos for remaining most consequential bilateral re- tions whether big or small”. Top China, North Korea envoys hold talks in Laos

AFP Washington’s top diplomat of the two countries’ normal the Korean peninsula to a new tougher sanctions and push the its provocations with a series of Vientiane John Kerry also held talks with communication process,” an un- high, and fi nally led Washington state towards bankruptcy. missile tests. linchpin ally South Korea in Vi- named North Korean offi cial said and Seoul to announce earlier in But Beijing is wary of push- That has prompted Seoul and entiane, with both sides describ- after the sitdown. July the long-discussed deploy- ing the North too far, fearing a Washington to announce plans orth Korea’s new top en- ing relations as closer than ever Both Beijing – North Ko- ment a US missile defence sys- regime collapse that could cre- for a missile defence shield to be voy sat down with his in the face of Pyongyang’s sabre- rea’s main diplomatic protec- tem in South Korea to counter the ate a refugee crisis on its border deployed in South Korea by the NChinese counterpart yes- rattling. tor and economic backer – and threat from the North. and swing the regional balance of end of next year. terday with relations between “This is the right time for us to Pyongyang share a deep sus- The United States spearheaded power towards the United States. Those moves have riled China the secretive state and its historic send out a very clear and strong picion of Washington’s strong the drafting of a new toughened Ri, 59, was previously North and Russia. benefactor on edge as Pyongyang message to North Korea that our presence in the region. UN sanctions against Pyongyang Korea’s chief nuclear negotia- Japan is also in the Laos capital pursues its nuclear programme. alliance is stronger, deeper and But China has grown impatient in response to this year’s barrage tor at the long-stalled, six-party this week, a rare moment when North Korea’s Foreign Minister broader than ever,” Seoul’s For- with North Korea’s refusal to rein of weapons tests, which were talks aimed at halting the hermit all members of the six party talks Ri Yong-Ho, a career diplomat eign Minister Yun Byung-Se af- in its weapons programme after adopted unanimously in March state’s weapon’s programme. are in the same room. North Korea’s Ri leaves a bilateral and party princeling, was mak- ter a sitdown with Kerry. its fourth nuclear test in January by Security Council members, His new appointment in The US is due to hold sideline meeting with his Chinese ing his fi rst appearance at a major Little emerged from Ri’s meet- and a series of missile launches including China. May was seen as a signal that talks with China and Russia, but counterpart Wang Yi, on the diplomatic gathering in his new ing with his Chinese counterpart this year sparked global uproar. Washington has also urged Pyongyang wanted to ease its in- US offi cials said a meeting with sidelines of the Asean foreign role in the capital of fellow com- Wang Yi. Pyongyang’s repeated provo- China to use its leverage over ternational isolation. Pyongyang’s envoy is highly un- ministers meeting. munist Laos. “The meeting was held as part cations has pushed tensions on Pyongyang to implement the But Pyongyang has continued likely. More than 90% rape cases go Manatees from Singapore zoo head to unreported in Indonesia: poll Caribbean in fi rst repopulation scheme

By Beh Lih Yi, Reuters Magdalene and online petition tional Commission on Violence AFP Jakarta website, Change.org. Against Women said in a state- Singapore Sophia Hage, campaign direc- ment the fi ndings refl ected peo- tor at Lentera Sintas, said that ple’s low confi dence in the coun- ore than 90% of rape the high percentage of rape cases try’s law enforcement agencies in ingapore’s zoo said yester- cases in Indonesia go going unreported was the “tip resolving sexual violence cases. day that it will send two Munreported, highlight- of the iceberg” in the country of Indonesia’s President Joko Smanatees to Guadeloupe ing the country’s “deafening si- 250mn people. Widodo in May approved a law as part of the world’s fi rst re- lence” around sexual violence “It is a mirror of how sensitive which allows the death pen- population programme for the as victims fear being blamed, the issue is and that people don’t alty to be used as the maximum animal, which became extinct organisers of a recent poll on the want to talk about it,” Hage told sentence against child rapists, on the French Caribbean island issue said yesterday. the Thomson Reuters Founda- after the rape and murder of a in the early 20th century. The survey was carried out af- tion. “The number one reason 14-year-old girl in April prompt- Males Kai, seven, and Junior, ter the gang-rape and murder of they are not speaking up is be- ed a public uproar. six, will be the fi rst manatees a schoolgirl sparked public out- cause of the social stigma and the Off enders could also face – also known as sea cows – on rage. victims are afraid to be blamed, chemical castration and be the island since the species died It was published last week, on so there is a deafening silence tagged with an electronic chip to out. the same day the government around the issue.” track their movements under the Another 13 manatees of both pledged to set up a centre to col- Some 58% of the respondents law. genders from zoos around the lect statistics on rape, seen by – mostly women but also some The government said last week world will follow the pair to campaigners as an important men and transgender people – it was planning to set up a data the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin, step in helping prevent future said that they had experienced centre by 2017 to collect statis- a 15,000 hectare (37,000 acre) sexual assaults. verbal sexual harassment. tics about sexual violence against protected bay, the Asian city- Of the 25,213 respondents About 25% said they had been women and children. state’s zoo operator said. polled online, around 6.5% – or physically assaulted, including Women’s groups say the lack Any off spring from the group 1,636 people – said that they had being groped and kissed. of comprehensive data hampers will be reintroduced into the been raped and of these, 93% The survey was carried out in education and prevention of sex- wild as part of the repopulation said they had not reported the June. ual violence, and makes it harder programme. This photograph taken on May crime, fearing repercussions. Public fi gures and celebrities to refl ect the prevalence of the The species is listed as “vul- 25 shows visitors watching Two-thirds of the rape sur- supported it, and some 75,000 crime. nerable” on the International West Indian manatees swim in vivors were under 18, according people who had signed a petition “We support the decision but Union for Conservation of Na- a tank at the River Safari theme to the survey jointly conducted on Change.org calling for strong- the data centre should be friend- ture’s Red List of Threatened park in Singapore. River Safari by Lentera Sintas Indonesia, er laws against sexual violence, ly to all survivors and the vic- Species, with the West Indian will be sending two manatees to a support group for victims of were encouraged to take part. tims (to report cases),” Hage of variety becoming extinct in the the French Caribbean island of sexual violence, local magazine The government-backed Na- Lentera Sintas said. Caribbean due to overhunting. Guadeloupe, where they will be During the 30-hour journey, part of the world’s first manatee the mammals, from the River repopulation programme. Safari park next to Singapore’s main zoo, will be placed on can- it has been extinct for the past vases in custom-built open-top century,” Cheng Wen-Haur, 8 bodies crates lined with thick sponge deputy chief executive of zoo and periodically sprayed with operator Wildlife Reserves Sin- water to keep their skin moist. gapore, said in a statement. found “We have been very success- A gentle creature which ful in breeding manatees in our can grow to up to 4.5m (15’) in care for the past 20 years. We length, the manatee’s natural after boat are very happy that this success habitats are warm coastal wa- This handout photograph taken on July 23, made available by will now contribute to restock- ters, mangrove swamps and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, shows aquarist Sebastien Rives hand ing part of the species’ historic estuaries where they graze on feeding Kai and Junior with high fibre pellets at Singapore’s River capsize range in the Caribbean where plants. Safari theme park.

AFP Kuala Lumpur This undated handout photo released by the Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department yesterday shows off icers transporting a victim found at sea after a boat, carrying 62 Indonesians thought to be Thai leader eyes halal hub for restive south alaysia’s coast guard illegal immigrants, capsized due to strong waves at Batu Layar Beach, said yesterday that southern state of Johor. Mthey had retrieved eight AFP left over 6,500 people dead and to the economy in one of Thai- land can become number one” bodies after a boat capsized off she was sitting on my lap at the making their way back to their Narathiwat, Thailand eviscerated the economy which land’s poorest regions vowing in Southeast Asia, he added. the southern state of Johor at the time of the incident,” a rescued own country. depends heavily on agriculture. to drive investment despite the The southern rebels are fi ght- weekend with another 20 people man who lost his pregnant wife The offi cial added that those But the near-daily shootings ongoing violence. ing for greater autonomy from believed to be missing. was quoted as saying in The Star. rescued, and without proper hailand’s junta chief and bombings make few inter- “It is time to bring good eco- majority-Buddhist Thailand, Local media reported that the “It all seemed like a horrible documentation, would be de- has vowed to reboot the national headlines, while Bang- nomic activity here. I will do which they accuse of suppress- boat carrying 62 people – all In- nightmare.” ported and that the case was un- Tfl agging economy of the kok is accused of ignoring the everything for this area,” Prayut ing their distinct Muslim-Malay donesians and thought to be ille- Those rescued have been der investigation. kingdom’s poor and rebel-hit region’s plight. said during a rare visit to Nar- culture. gal immigrants – capsized late on handed over to the state’s immi- Johor state has a long coast- south, including by making the Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s mili- athiwat, one of the four insur- Rights groups say that sol- Saturday night. gration department. line and shares a maritime bor- Muslim-majority region a hub tary government, which came to gency-wracked states bordering diers’ history of heavy-handed So far, 34 passengers have been The English-language daily der with Indonesia, making ille- for halal produce. power in a 2014 coup, has failed Malaysia. raids, extrajudicial killings, tor- rescued and a search was ongo- cited an immigration depart- gal entry easy into Malaysia, the Thailand’s southernmost to revive peace talks with the “The government will sup- ture and other abuses in the re- ing, a coast guard offi cial said. ment offi cial as saying that the third largest economy in South- provinces have been wracked rebels. port every idea, particularly the gion have sewed deep mistrust “I could not save her although Indonesians were believed to be east Asia. by violence since 2004 that has Yesterday he turned his focus halal food business so that Thai- of the military among locals. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 11 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Summer on the Yangtze HK activists challenge poll ruling

Reuters new form did not have the rel- Hong Kong evant authority. Ng and Chan also said that they objected to what they saw hree Hong Kong ac- as “unlawful political screen- tivists have asked the ing of candidates in an elec- Thigh court to review tion”. an election commission rul- Other democratic lawmak- ing that could bar anyone who ers, including Democratic Par- advocates independence from ty chairwoman Emily Lau, have China from standing in an also refused to sign. upcoming poll, the fi rst legal The EAC declined to com- challenge to a decision that was ment on the judicial review supported by Beijing’s repre- requests. sentative in the city. EAC chairman justice Barn- For the fi rst time, candidates abas Fung Wah said last week for September’s Legislative that the new confi rmation Council election will be re- form had a sound legal basis. quired to explicitly pledge that Beijing’s chief representa- Hong Kong is an “inalienable” tive in Hong Kong, Zhang Xi- part of China, the Electoral Af- aoming, said separately last fairs Commission (EAC) said week that allowing independ- on Friday. ence activists to run for offi ce Previously, candidates only — or even use the election as needed to pledge to uphold a platform for their ideas — Hong Kong laws. would be a breach of the “one The activists — League of country, two systems” frame- Social Democrats members work that governs Hong Kong. People frolic in the Yangtze River during a hot summer day in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Avery Ng Man-yuen and Chan Hong Kong is a special ad- Tak-cheung, and Hong Kong ministrative region of China. Indigenous member Edward It is governed by separate Leung Tin-kei — have all re- laws from the mainland under fused to sign the new confi r- a “one country, two systems” mation form. framework agreed with Beijing They fi led two separate ap- when the British handed back plications for judicial review the former colony in 1997. dated Sunday, according to About one in six people in the fi lings, which were seen by Hong Kong want the special Reuters. administrative region of China Both review requests argued to become independent of the Seoul THAAD move that the new form was illegal mainland, a university poll has and that the offi cers tasked shown, although few think it with determining candidates’ will ever happen. eligibility with regard to the

Japan captured 115 whales in Pacific harms trust: China Japan ended its controversial whaling in the Antarctic in the annual whaling in the north- 2014 season. But it resumed China feels the THAAD system may strategic one,” Wang said late on Sunday anywhere in South Korea if the North in- confl ict, no confrontation, mutual respect western Pacific Ocean the operation in December spy on its airspace on the sidelines of a conference of foreign tended, the South’s military said. and win-win co-operation”. yesterday, capturing a total of 2015 and captured 333 minke ministers from the 10-member Associa- North Korea came under the latest But at an earlier encounter with Rice, 115 whales, the government whales in the Southern Ocean Reuters tion of South East Asian Nations in Vien- round of UN Security Council sanctions in top Chinese offi cial Fan Changlong, vice said. Since a fleet of Japanese during a two-month hunt. Japan Beijing/Seoul tiane. March after its fourth nuclear test in Janu- chairman of the Central Military Com- whalers departed from western off icially halted commercial Yun told Wang the deployment was ary and the launch of a long-range rocket mission warned that ties between the two Japan on May 12, 90 sei whales whaling in 1987, complying with aimed at protecting South Korea’s secu- the following month. powers could easily fray. and 25 Bryde’s whales have the international moratorium. hinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rity and that it would not damage China’s Failure to properly handle sensitive is- “We should be honest with ourselves been caught in the area under But critics say the country has has criticised South Korea’s deci- security interests, South Korea’s Yonhap sues between the US and China could that deep down in this relationship we’re its programme, the Fisheries used a loophole in the charter Csion to deploy an advanced US anti- news agency said. “very likely disturb and undermine” their still faced with obstacles and challenges,” Agency said in a statement. In of the International Whaling missile defence system to counter threats In a meeting with North Korean For- military-to-military relations, a top Chi- he said, adding that military ties had been March 2014, the International Commission to keep whaling from North Korea, saying it harmed the eign Minister Ri Yong Ho, who is also in nese offi cial told Rice yesterday. “impacted by some complicated and some Court of Justice in The Hague under the premise of doing it foundation of their trust. Laos, Wang said China and North Korea Rice is the highest-level US offi cial to sensitive factors”. ruled that Japan’s so-called for scientific research. Most The announcement by South Korea and were traditional friends, and China was visit the capital since an international “If we do not properly handle these fac- “research whaling” in the Japanese do not eat whale the United States this month that they committed to the Korean peninsula’s de- tribunal this month rejected China’s vast tors it will very likely disturb and under- Antarctic contravened a 1986 meat, but vested interests would deploy a Terminal High Altitude nuclearisation and to resolving problems territorial claims in the South China Sea mine this steady momentum of our mili- moratorium on whale hunting. continue to run the money- Area Defence (THAAD) unit has already through talks, the ministry added. — infuriating Beijing and fuelling tensions tary-to-military relationship,” he warned. The decision led Japan to halt losing operation, critics say. drawn protests from China that it would At a separate meeting in Beijing, Fan with Washington. Rice noted that “risks of unintended destabilise regional security. Changlong, one of the vice chairmen of Her trip is intended to prepare for a consequences” of the two countries’ forc- The decision is the latest move to the Central Military Commission that visit by President Barack Obama to a G20 es operating in ever-closer proximity had Dotcom ‘breached’ court order squeeze the increasingly isolated North controls China’s military, told US na- summit in the city of Hangzhou in Sep- been reduced thanks to better commu- Korea, but China worries the system’s ra- tional security adviser Susan Rice that the tember. nication and other confi dence-building Kim Dotcom has been accused a trust for his children was in dar will be able to track its military capa- THAAD deployment would only worsen The Permanent Court of Arbitration in measures. of breaching a court order breach of the court order. bilities. tension on the Korean peninsula. The Hague on July 12 denied the legal basis But despite progress, “we have chal- freezing his assets, Radio New However Dotcom’s lawyer Ron Russia also opposes the deployment. “The United States must stop this kind for Beijing’s claim to nearly all of the sea, lenges and diff erences to discuss and to Zealand reported yesterday. Mansfield said the loan was a “The recent move by the South Korean of mistaken action,” China’s defence min- parts of which are also claimed by neigh- manage”, she said. Dotcom’s assets were frozen new asset and was not covered side has harmed the foundation of mutual istry cited Fan as saying. bouring nations. In conversation with Xi, Rice stated that after he was arrested in 2012 by the court order. trust between the two countries,” Wang South Korea and the United States have In recent months Washington has sent the US viewed its relationship with China on US charges of copyright Dotcom was previously given was quoted by South Korean media as said THAAD would only be used in defence naval vessels close to reefs and outcrops as “the most consequential in the world infringement and money access to NZ$60,000 a month telling South Korean foreign minister Yun against North Korean ballistic missiles. claimed by Beijing to assert the principle today”. laundering relating to his to cover his living costs. Byung-se. North Korea has launched a series of of freedom of navigation, sparking anger “We view China’s success as being in former online storage and file Dotcom’s appeal against China’s foreign ministry, in a later state- missiles in recent months, the latest last in China which has built a series of artifi - America’s interest, given our growing in- sharing website Megaupload. his extradition to the US is ment, cited Wang as saying that South Ko- week when it fi red three ballistic mis- cial islands in the area capable of support- terdependence,” she said. Matt Sumpter, a lawyer for the expected to be heard next rea should think twice about the deploy- siles that it said was a simulated test of ing military operations. China rejected the tribunal ruling on the movie studio 20th Century Fox month. ment and value the good momentum of preemptive strikes against South Korean President Xi Jinping told Rice at a meet- South China Sea as “waste paper” and as- told the Auckland High Court If extradited and found guilty ties between Beijing and Seoul. ports and airfi elds used by the US military. ing yesterday that China was “strongly serted its right, if it chooses, to establish Dotcom’s decision to take out in the US, Dotcom and his three “THAAD is most certainly not a sim- The missiles fl ew 500-600km into the committed” to building good relations an Air Defence Identifi cation Zone con- a NZ$220,000 ($154,000) loan colleagues could face decades ple technical issue, but an out-and-out sea off its east coast and could have hit with the US based upon the ideas of “no trolling fl ights over the area. from his lawyers on behalf of behind bars.

Couple to raffle island resort Australia may hold ‘high-risk’ Beijing jails former An Australian couple are raff ling their tropical island resort and say they hope terrorists indefi nitely whoever holds the winning $49 ticket loves warm military offi cer for life weather. AFP to the community,” he said in a statement. Doug and Sally Beitz moved Sydney The proposal, to be discussed with state and to the remote Micronesian territory offi cials who must then pass legisla- Reuters Xinhua said without elaborating. as Guo, and died of cancer last year. island of Kosrae in the 1990s, tion, is similar to arrangements already in place Beijing Guo abused his position to help Before their retirement, the men but now want to return to igh-risk terror off enders may be kept in for sex off enders and extremely violent indi- others with promotions and took had been two of China’s top military Australia to enjoy being jail after their sentences fi nish, Austral- viduals in some states. “massive” bribes, either on his own offi cers who served together under grandparents. Hian offi cials said yesterday as they move Attorney-general George Brandis said the military court in China yes- or in connivance with others, Xinhua Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao. Instead of selling their 16-room to tighten security laws following attacks in the extension of detention would be a court super- terday jailed for life a former said. Xi was also a vice chairman with Kosrae Nautilus Resort to a United States and Europe. vised process with regular reviews and reas- Atop military offi cer for cor- Guo admitted to his crimes, ex- Guo and Xu from 2010-2012, before corporate bidder, they have Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the sessments. ruption, stripping him of his title of pressed regret and accepted the he became head of the party and mil- made it the first prize in a raff le proposed changes were prompted by an in- “It will of course only apply to individuals general and seizing his assets, the judgment. itary commission chief. — to be drawn on Tuesday with crease in the frequency and severity of attacks who, as they approach the end of a sentence of latest prosecution in president Xi He would not appeal, Xinhua said. Sources have told Reuters that Guo tickets at $49 each. around the world as he noted the recent mass imprisonment, continue to pose an unaccepta- Jinping’s drive against graft in the A commentary carried on the de- is also suff ering from cancer and the “We’ve tried to market it in a shooting in Orlando and a lorry attack in Nice, bly high risk to the community because of their armed forces. fence ministry’s website said the military had faced a quandary over way where we are attracting France. failure to be rehabilitated as a result of a penal Guo Boxiong, 74, was a vice chair- fi ght against graft was a “life and whether to put him on trial, in case people like ourselves,” Doug “In the wake of Orlando, Nice, and other sentence,” he said. man of the powerful Central Military death” struggle for the military. he died before reaching court, like Beitz told AFP yesterday. terrorist incidents, as well as our own experi- Brandis said the government would also move Commission until he stepped down “Corruption is the greatest threat former comrade Xu. The former firefighter ence... to lower the age at which people can be subject in 2012. our party faces, and is the top killer of Serving and retired offi cers have said he was hoping the we cannot aff ord for a moment to be compla- to a control order — which aims to prevent a Last year, the government said it the military’s fi ghting ability,” it said. said graft in the armed forces is so winner would be “someone cent,” Turnbull said. terror attack by limiting a person’s movements, would prosecute him for graft. Guo’s son, a major general, Guo pervasive it could undermine China’s who likes warm weather, In response to the evolving threat, he said communications and activities — from 16 to 14. The offi cial Xinhua news agency Zhenggang, was put under investi- ability to wage war. Xi has made end- likes meeting new people Australia, which has already ramped up secu- It would also legislate to introduce a new of- said in a report also carried on the gation too, last year. ing military corruption a top goal. from around the world, is rity laws since 2014, would move to keep high- fence of advocacy of genocide targeting those defence ministry website all of Guo’s It has not been possible to reach The anti-graft drive comes as Xi adventurous”. The prize risk terrorists in detention beyond the comple- preaching hate, he added. “illicit money and materials” had either Guo for comment and it is not steps up eff orts to modernise forces includes the manager’s tion of their sentences. The prime minister said the steps were nec- been confi scated and turned over to clear who their lawyers are. that are projecting power across four-bedroom residence, five “This legislation will enable additional pe- essary but proportionate. the state. His case follows that of Xu Caihou, the disputed waters of the East and rental cars, two 10-seater riods of imprisonment for terrorist offend- “They balance the need to keep the commu- Guo’s case was held behind closed who was a Central Military Commis- South China Seas, though China has vans, a pick-up truck and the ers who have served their sentences but are nity safe with our commitment to privacy and doors as it involved military secrets, sion vice chairman at the same time not fought a war in decades. resort restaurant, it adds. still judged to present an unacceptable risk the rights of the individual,” Turnbull said. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 BRITAIN/IRELAND

TRIAL ACCIDENT VERDICT PEOPLE CRIME Ex-footballer convicted Four-year-old critically Mechanic jailed for trading Can’t forgive kidnappers, Gunshots heard as teen third time for drink-driving injured ‘in hit-and-run’ in stolen superbikes says father of toddler stabbed after fleeing gang

Former England footballer Ray Wilkins was A four-year-old boy was knocked down by a A mechanic who supplied hundreds of The father of a toddler snatched from a A teenager was left in a pool of blood after yesterday convicted of drink-driving after suspected hit-and-run driver in north London. thousands of pounds worth of stolen Primark store by two teenagers says their lack being stabbed as he fled a gang of armed admitting being almost three times over the Police were yesterday hunting the driver of superbikes to criminals has been jailed for six of remorse has made it very diff icult for him attackers in north London. Neighbours limit. The former Chelsea and Manchester a silver Mercedes who sped off after it struck years. Ellis Thomas, 33, boasted “I can get as to forgive them. The two girls, 13 and 14, were were woken by the sound of gunshots and United star, 59, had been due to face the child as he crossed a road near his family’s many as you want” as he fixed up hundreds of sentenced last week to three years and three screams after the 17-year-old boy was left magistrates in Uxbridge a week ago after home in Green Lanes, Palmers Green. The boy bikes at his garage in Upminster and touted months’ detention after using sweets to entice for dead in Gladstone Avenue, Wood Green, being arrested near Heathrow Airport on was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition them for sale around the world. He sold 750cc the child out of the shop. Police later found at about 2am on Sunday. The teenager is July 1. But his lawyer told the court the ex- following the accident at 6.15pm on Friday. motorbikes for £1,400 each and high-powered troubling internet searches about rape and believed to have been fleeing a gunman midfielder could not attend as he was being Murat Cutcu, 30, who works at the nearby Ada models such as the BMW S1000RR for £2,500. exploitation on a tablet computer. Both had when he was caught and stabbed multiple treated for alcoholism. Wilkins was arrested supermarket, said the child and his mother Recorder Sacha Wass QC jailed Thomas, from tried to claim they abducted the two-year-old times after knocking into bins. He was taken on Northern Perimeter Road for driving his were regular customers and he had served Millwall, at the Old Bailey after a jury found him in April from the store in Newcastle following to hospital with injuries that are not believed Mercedes in the middle of a road straddling them moments earlier. The child was taken to guilty of conspiracy to handle stolen goods. The pressure from a third party. But police found to be life-threatening. A Metropolitan police a bus lane and charged the following day, hospital by London’s Air Ambulance in a critical judge added that the trial had only covered the there was no evidence of anyone else being spokesman confirmed officers from the accused of being almost three times over the condition, but police later confirmed that his last six months of Thomas’s criminal operation, involved in the kidnap, which did not result in Trident anti-gang unit were investigating the drink-drive limit. injuries were no longer life-threatening. which lasted for three years from 2012 to 2015. the girl coming to harm. incident. Goddard inquiry into child sexual abuse begins

Guardian News and Media “It is about understanding the London scale and scope of what has hap- pened in the past as a means of providing a better future,” she he fi rst of hundreds of peo- said. ple have begun giving tes- Sharpling, a former chief Ttimony to a public inquiry crown prosecutor, has experience into child sexual abuse, in an of investigating and analysing the unprecedented national “truth- scale of non-recent child abuse telling” project designed to cata- as the author of an inquiry into logue decades of suff ering. Savile for Her Majesty’s Inspec- More than 2,000 people have torate of Constabulary. contacted the Goddard inquiry to “I was really deeply shocked say they have suff ered abuse, and on a number of levels by what 600 have consented to take part was uncovered, particularly the in the truth project. culture of disbelief. I was very The inquiry was set up in 2015 concerned to have that so clearly in the wake of the Jimmy Savile demonstrated,” she said. scandal to gather evidence on his- “I feel greatly privileged to have torical institutional child abuse in been given the opportunity to Britain. The inquiry is also seek- make some diff erence. What this ing victims who were abused in inquiry must do is to get to the schools or other educational set- truth, to take a carefully consid- tings who reported the abuse to ered view of all the material that Prime Minister Theresa May poses for pictures with Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as she arrives at Stormont an institution. comes before us on an absolutely Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, yesterday. Dru Sharpling, the Goddard solid and incontrovertible evi- inquiry panel member oversee- dence base – that is really, really ing the truth project, encouraged important.” anyone who had suff ered child Panel members will travel sexual abuse within an institu- around the country to hear testi- tion, a private organisation or at mony, and take evidence via letter the hands of a person of public and e-mail. prominence to come forward. The project is modelled on “Yesterday was the fi rst day similar work in Australia, in which No return to border of what will be a comprehensive 5,500 people have taken part. engagement strategy across Eng- Sharpling said: “I can’t predict land and Wales to make sure that the numbers who will come for- victims and survivors feel confi - ward to us here. We are expecting dent in coming forward to speak more than 600 people to take part to us,” Sharpling said. initially but we are preparing for a The project will take evidence great deal more than 600. checks in N Ireland: May across the country, with trained “We want to encourage more to staff and counsellors in place to come forward. The information Reuters member of the European Un- Any new arrangements must anybody in the North,” said decades of fi ghting between provide support for victims, some they provide will be treated with ion. Nobody wants to return to also be agreed by all EU mem- McGuinness, who also raised Catholic nationalists seeking a of whom will be describing their the utmost respect. We may come Belfast the borders of the past,” May ber states. concerns about the future of united Ireland and Protestant experiences for the fi rst time. across people who are sharing said, referring to the freedom May was speaking after she projects that are funded by the unionists who wanted to keep “We have begun bookings for their experiences for the fi rst time, ritain does not want a re- of movement that has existed met the province’s leader, Ar- EU. Northern Ireland British. Over hearings in the truth project and and because we recognise that, we turn to border controls in between the countries since lene Foster, who campaigned Leaders south of the bor- 3,600 died in the confl ict. I hope that victims and survivors have put a support framework in will see this as an opportunity for place. I want to give an assurance BNorthern Ireland, Prime the 1920s. for Britain to leave the EU, and der have been seeking support Yesterday, a coalition of them to speak to someone who about that to anyone who is con- Minister Theresa May said yes- “What we do want to do is to Deputy First Minister Martin across the EU to preserve free- Northern Ireland politicians is empathetic,” Sharpling added. templating coming to see us.” terday on her fi rst visit to the fi nd a way through this that is McGuinness, a former Irish dom of movement and goods and human rights activists “If they consent, we will be us- The inquiry is due to hold hear- British province following the going to work, deliver a practical Republican Army commander across the island but acknowl- threatened a legal challenge ing their accounts, in suitably re- ings this week in seven of the 13 UK’s vote to leave the European solution for everybody to ensure who campaigned to remain. edged that controls at North- against any British government dacted form, as part of our pub- investigations that are being car- Union. that we come out of this with a McGuinness, who has de- ern Irish ports and airports move to leave the European lications at the end of the inquiry. ried out. These include the fi rst The June 23 Brexit vote has deal which is in the best interests manded a referendum to split may be required. Union unless the province’s There has been great suff ering and preliminary hearings into abuse raised a number of questions of the whole of the UK.” Northern Ireland from the UK Foster, who is the leader of peace process is protected. the experiences of those who come in the Anglican and Catholic for Northern Ireland, from its Northern Ireland voted to so it can remain in the European Northern Ireland’s largest pro- The group, which includes forward will not be forgotten.” churches, abuse carried out over- impact on 18 years of peace, to stay in the EU, with 56% vot- Union as part of a united Ireland, British party, said she told May members of the province’s two The testimony of victims as seas, and the conduct of the in- billions of pounds of EU fund- ing ‘Remain’, putting it at odds said he had a frank exchange with that there must be no inter- largest Irish nationalist parties part of the truth project will not surance industry. ing and the open border with with the UK’s 52%-48% result May emphasising the wishes of nal borders within the United said they would apply for a judi- have any direct legal consequenc- The investigation into abuse the Irish Republic, which will in favour of leaving. the Northern Irish voters. Kingdom and that the prime cial review if moves to exit failed es or lead to fi ndings of fact in in- outside the UK will focus on men be Britain’s only land frontier The border issue has arisen “I speak for the people of the minister had responded posi- to safeguard the Good Friday dividual cases. Sharpling said its and women who were transported with the bloc. because those in favour of leav- North, who are Unionist and tively to that. Agreement peace accord. aim was to build the biggest piece in the child migrant programme “We had a common travel ing the EU were adamant that Nationalist, and have made it Concerns have also been The accord, which gives the of research into child abuse over from the UK to Australia, Canada area between the UK and the Britain must be able to control clear that they see their future raised about the legal status of Republic of Ireland a role, con- decades and to identify themes to and other Commonwealth coun- Republic of Ireland many years its borders — and hence immi- in Europe...There is no good the 1998 Good Friday Agree- tains several references to the better understand what went on. tries. before either country was a gration — more closely. news whatsoever in Brexit for ment, which ended three EU. Sturgeon warns against ‘hard’ Brexit

AFP ture outside the single market with organised by the IPPR think tank. London only limited access and signifi cant re- In the coming months “the (UK) strictions on free movement”. nations that voted to leave can start Prime Minister Theresa May has fi guring out what Brexit actually does cottish First Minister Nicola said she will not trigger Article 50 of mean, while others like Scotland can Sturgeon yesterday warned the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, which starts focus on how to retain ties and keep SBritain was heading for a “hard” the two-year countdown to Brexit, be- open channels that we do not want to exit from the European Union against fore the end of the year to give time to close or dismantle”. Scotland’s wishes, which could pave consult with all nations in the UK. Despite a lifetime’s commitment to the way for independence. Unlike England and Wales, most Scottish independence, which was re- In a speech in Edinburgh, the Scot- voters in Scotland voted in the June 23 jected in a 2014 referendum, Sturgeon tish National Party (SNP) leader cited referendum to remain in the EU — and said breaking away from the UK was continuing access to the EU single Sturgeon said she would fi ght hard to not her fi rst priority. market and maintaining freedom of protect her country’s interests. “Protecting Scotland’s interest is movement with the bloc as two things As well as economic concerns, Scot- my starting point and I am determined that were key to Scotland’s economic land also wanted to preserve EU social to explore all options to do that,” she interests. protections and international alliances said. But she said the British government on crime and climate change, she said. “But if we fi nd our interests can’t be Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks at the appeared to be “heading towards a “At this stage we must keep all of our protected in a UK context, independ- conference of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) ‘hard’ rather than a ‘soft’ Brexit, a fu- options open,” Sturgeon told a meeting ence must be one of those options.” think-tank in Edinburgh, Scotland, yesterday. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 13 BRITAIN

Man dies, many hurt after shooting at party in Surrey village

London Evening Standard 2.30am following reports of a dis- ning for three years and attracted “You could see people coming of people left, I heard glass get- on behalf of the parish council and considerate neighbours.” London turbance. They found a man in more than 500 people to the vil- from the house covered in those ting broken. A similar event hap- on behalf of the community.” Residents said the house, next his thirties unconscious with a lage, about three miles from Ep- foil blankets and obviously ex- pened almost at exactly the same He added: “I walked up at 8pm to the popular Cock Inn, has both gunshot wound and several more som and close to the M25. tremely distressed.” Peter How- time last year, but this time a lot and there were people assem- indoor and outdoor swimming etectives yesterday revellers with serious injuries. The Witnesses described seeing top- ells, who lives near the property more people were here, hundreds bling. They weren’t people from pools and a gym. Yesterday debris launched a murder inves- man was pronounced dead at the of-the-range sports cars and 4X4s on Church Lane said hundreds had more. There was even security on the community. I could hear mu- from the party could be seen on Dtigation after a man died scene a short time later. Neigh- speeding away from the scene at gathered for Sunday night’s event. the door.” Local councillor David sic was being played but I couldn’t the lawn. The dead man has not and several more were injured at a bours said the house next to the around 2.30am. One said: “Sud- The 37-year-old said: “There were Preedy said: “It (the house) is rent- see much as the place has an en- yet been formally identifi ed and party in a quiet Surrey village. village church and pub hosted an denly all these brand new Land hundreds and hundreds of people ed out. I understand it is the sec- closed garden. People were mill- although Surrey Police confi rmed Offi cers and paramedics were annual party “for swingers”. Rovers and sports cars all started at this private party in the old bun- ond or third of these parties. When ing around. I called the police and the victim suff ered a gunshot called to a £1mn bungalow with They claimed the £75-a-ticket racing away. The police and ambu- galow behind the pub. it was clear that the repeat was be- asked them to patrol and make wound, there would be a post- swimming pools in Headley at “pool party” event has been run- lances arrived a few minutes later. “When the police arrived a lot ing organised, I notifi ed the police organisers know they should be mortem examination.

Andrew in China Town £300,000 lost to Green’s greed Olympic scams, say police to blame for

London Evening Standard London

raudsters are raking in BHS collapse: hundreds of thousands of Fpounds in scams involv- ing the Rio Olympics, police warned yesterday. Investigators say they have recorded 47 cases of fraud re- lating to the 2016 Games, with lawmakers losses to victims totalling nearly £300,000. Reuters those questions in new inquir- The lawmakers said Green, Action Fraud, Britain’s na- London ies. Chappell, company directors and tional fraud reporting body, Their damning report repre- assorted advisers all got richer or warned people to beware of pos- sents a test for new Prime Min- rich from the part they played in sible scams, saying the majority etail tycoon Philip Green’s ister Theresa May who promised the failure of BHS, with the only of the cases involved ticketing or greed and disregard for on taking offi ce to crack down on losers being the ordinary em- lottery scams. Crooks running Rcorporate governance led irresponsible corporate behav- ployees and pensioners. fake websites have sold or prom- to the demise of BHS and cost iour. “One person, and one person ised people tickets to the Games 11,000 jobs, a report by lawmak- Calling the report “concern- alone, is ultimately responsi- which do not exist. ers said, calling the collapse of ing”, May’s spokeswoman said: ble for the collapse of BHS,” said Conmen are also running lot- the stores group “the unaccept- “The prime minister has already Field in the statement. tery scams in which letters and able face of capitalism”. set out that we need to tackle “His (Green’s) reputation as e-mails inform victims that they Billionaire Green, 64, owned corporate irresponsibility, re- the king of retail lies in the ruins are the winner of a cash prize and BHS for 15 years before he sold form capitalism so that it works of BHS. His family took out of trip to the Olympics courtesy of the loss-making 180-store chain for everyone, not just the privi- BHS and Arcadia a fortune be- the event organisers in Brazil or to Dominic Chappell, a serial leged few.” yond the dreams of avarice.” the International Olympic Com- bankrupt with no retail experi- Employers’ group the Institute Green said when he appeared mittee. The “winners” may be ence, for £1 last year. of Directors said the collapse of before the committees last month asked to provide personal data It went into administration BHS “casts a long shadow over that he would “fi x” the hole in the including bank details. in April, and all remaining 114 British business” and called on pension scheme. He also admitted Other frauds involve stores are due to close in the next May to launch a review into UK it was a mistake to sell to Chappell. scammers telling victims they four weeks. corporate governance. The joint committee did not have won a cash prize, but asking The business was sold with a For Green, the report increases spare “twice-bankrupt chancer” for an upfront payment to secure £571mn hole in its pension fund, pressure to revoke his knight- Chappell. They said he was a the money. Cyber security fi rm which if not fi lled will leave hood, awarded in 2006 for serv- “manifestly unsuitable” buyer Kaspersky Lab warned recently 20,000 pensioners facing signif- ices to retail. The government who “in eff ect ... had his hands in that crooks targeting the Olym- icant cuts to their income. said on Saturday the honour was the till”, taking £2.6mn from the pics had been active since 2015. “(Green’s) rush to drive under review. business in addition to an out- It claimed that well organised through the sale of BHS - a chain “The only chance he has of standing £1.5mn family loan. international gangs were behind that had become a fi nancial mill- keeping that knighthood, which Chappell told the committees fake online sites and sophisticat- stone and threatened his reputa- seems to mean much to him and in June that he was part of the ed e-mail and phishing attacks. tion - was the culmination of a his wife, is paying up very, very downfall of the group, but said Cyber-criminals are also sorry litany of failures of corpo- generously on a pension settle- his turnaround plan was thwart- registering domains with rate governance and greed,” Par- ment,” Labour lawmaker Frank ed by the pension defi cit and names containing “rio” and liament’s Work and Pensions and Field, who chairs the work Green’s failure to make good on “rio2016”. Business Committees said in a and pensions committee, a promise to provide trade credit Their fake websites are pro- statement yesterday. told Sky News. insurance to suppliers. fessionally constructed and ap- The committees said Green A spokesman said The report also criticised An- pear legitimate. Pauline Smith, had a “moral duty” to fi nd a reso- Green had no imme- thony Grabiner, chairman of director of Action Fraud, said: lution for BHS pensioners. diate response to Green’s Taveta Invest- “It is absolutely key that eve- They said the demise of BHS - the report. Last ments vehicle, saying he ryone is wary of the fraudsters the biggest collapse in the Brit- week the tycoon represented the “apo- who are using an iconic sport- ish retail industry since Wool- was pictured gee of weak corporate ing event to exploit innocent worths in 2008 - begs much by media governance.” victims.” Prince Andrew (third right), speaks with Chinese ambassador to UK, Liu Xiaoming (second wider questions about gaps in holidaying Chappell and She warned people to be right), as they prepare to cut a ribbon during the inauguration of replica gate from the Qing company law and pension regu- on his su- Grabiner were not wary about purchasing tickets Dynasty in London’s China Town yesterday. lation that must be addressed. peryacht in immediately avail- at the last moment. The two committees will turn to Malta. able for comment.

Facing extradition Body of teen caught HMRC cleaners in rip current found

London Evening Standard ing treated as suspicious and the strike in pay battle coroner has been informed.” London The friends were pulled out Guardian News and Media tin Kelsey, said ISS had made qualify for working tax credits. to sea by a fi erce rip current off London “cynical mathematical calcula- HMRC said the pay of cleaners he body of a teenager the popular beach, which was tions to avoid allowing some of in its offi ces was not its responsi- from London who got packed with tourists on Sunday their lowest paid workers the mea- bility. Tinto diffi culty while afternoon. leaners working at HMRC gre benefi t arising from the new “HMRC greatly appreciates swimming with friends in the Mark Habben, 40, a zoolo- offi ces in Merseyside be- NLW”. the work cleaning staff do in our sea has been found, it was con- gist from Kent, said: “I was in Cgan a strike yesterday in a “They are a multinational cor- buildings. As cleaning staff are fi rmed yesterday. the water at the same time. The fi ght to be paid the “national living porate making hundreds of mil- employed by an external contrac- The 19-year-old was among tide was coming in really fast. It wage”. lions of profi t a year refusing to pay tor who set the terms and condi- three swimmers seen struggling was shocking. I went to see my Thirty workers employed by a few people on absolute poverty tions of their employment, HMRC in the water off Camber Sands in family to tell them I was okay ISS to clean the buildings via a wages a few pence an hour more. has no involvement in this process East Sussex on Sunday lunch- and I saw two people being re- complex subcontracting chain HMRC should not be in business over their pay,” a spokesperson time. suscitated on the beach. There are arguing that they are no bet- with them directly or indirectly,” said. The other two men, one in was stunned silence as everyone ter off despite the rise in manda- Kelsey added. The origins of the arrangement his thirties and the other aged looked on.” tory hourly rate, which from April The union maintains that the for HMRC buildings date back to 19, were given CPR on the sand Amy Wells, 22, an adminis- guaranteed workers £7.20 an hour, cut in hours has left workers under 2001 when the department sold before being airlifted to hospital. trative assistant from Bexley, because their employer off set the pressure to do more for less and off its estate of more than 600 They are understood to be in a witnessed the fi rst two rescues. increase by cutting workers’ hours. unable to deliver a proper service. buildings to Mapeley, a Bermuda- serious but stable condition. She said: “I could see some- HMRC is the government depart- The dispute highlights the dif- based off shore company, as part Sussex police said they were one in the water waving at the ment responsible for enforcing the fi culty governments face in tack- of a private fi nance initiative. The not treating the teenager’s death helicopter, and then a lifeboat, NLW. ling low pay when a large propor- deal was later condemned by MPs as suspicious and his next of kin police and sea rescue vehicle ar- Most of HMRC’s cleaners are on tion of employment is outsourced as bad value and as undermining had been informed. rived. While this was going on “poverty wages”, according to the and chains of responsibility are HMRC’s position as a tax collector. A spokesman said: “The man there was shouting coming from Public and Commercial Services opaque. George Osborne, the HMRC leases back buildings Lauri Love (centre) poses for photographers with his father who got into diffi culties at sea the sea a little way away from the Union (PCS), and several qualify former chancellor, introduced the from a subsidiary of Mapeley, and Reverend Alexander Love and mother Sirkka as he ar- at Camber has sadly been found other incident,” she added. for benefi ts in the form of working NLW of £7.20 an hour for those a further subsidiary, Salisbury FM, rives at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London dead. The 19-year-old, who “They were shouts for help. tax credits. Two work for HMRC over 25 in April, saying people in is contracted by Mapeley to man- yesterday. Lauri is facing extradition proceedings to the US had been visiting Camber, was There was a crowd of teenagers directly but top up their wages the UK needed a pay rise, and that age the day-to-day running of the and has been charged with allegedly hacking the computer found at 18.20BST (on Sunday) in the water, who then dragged with second jobs as cleaners in the he wanted to reduce taxpayers’ offi ces. Salisbury in turn subcon- networks of the US Army, Missile Defence Agency, Nasa and but was declared dead at the a teenage boy out, laying him on offi ces in the evenings after work. bill for welfare payments to those tracts the cleaning to ISS, whose other agencies. scene. His next of kin have been the beach then starting resusci- The PCS group secretary, Mar- in work but on pay low enough to headquarters are in Denmark. informed. His death is not be- tation.” Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 EUROPE

Tens of thousands of babies may be born with Zika disorders: study

AFP But for babies in the womb this referred to “live births”. Mathematical models of dis- bies and their families “needs to First baby with Zika-related microcephaly in Spain Paris Zika can be devastating – linked The projection was “a worst- ease progression are notoriously be put in place as soon as pos- to a brain-damaging disorder case scenario” he told AFP, “but prone to inaccuracies, as esti- sible”, said Jimmy Whitworth of Spain has recorded its first case of a baby born with the microcephaly called microcephaly that can lead a realistic one”. mates can be skewed by such fac- the London School of Hygiene & birth defect associated to the Zika virus, health authorities said yesterday. ens of thousands of babies to stillbirth or birth defects. It did not account for women tors as the infectiousness of the Tropical Medicine. The mother had been diagnosed with the virus in May and had decided may be born with debili- Among women in a high-risk who may be postponing concep- virus, the adaptative response of “More thaan 1,700 aff ected to keep the baby, a spokeswoman for the regional health authorities of Ttating Zika-related disor- early term of pregnancy, any- tion or having abortions as a re- the immune system and social babies have been born in Brazil Catalonia, where the baby was born, told Reuters. ders in the course of the outbreak thing between 1% and 13% have sult of the outbreak. and economic factors that help it so far, and the numbers are go- sweeping through Latin America foetuses develop microcephaly “I know that does not pro- to spread. ing to continue to increase in the and the Caribbean, researchers or other Zika-related complica- vide a very precise number, but I Experts not involved in the months ahead,” he said via the the annual number of pregnan- to keep the epidemic going, and said yesterday. tions, said the multidisciplinary think it’s valuable in that at least study said the new estimate may Science Media Centre. cies in the Zika-aff ected region at it dies out without infecting eve- Mathematical projections research team from the United it gives an order of magnitude be conservative. The research team predicted about 5.4mn. ryone. suggest about 93.4mn people States, Britain and Sweden. guess, which is better than hav- Derek Gatherer of Lancaster Olympics host Brazil will suf- But many of those, the new pa- Earlier this month, a study may catch the virus – including This meant “somewhere on ing no idea whatsoever.” University noted recent research fer more than double the impact per said, would not be aff ected by in the American journal Science some 1.65mn pregnant women – the order of tens of thousands The team used data on the which found that as many as 29% of any other country, with about Zika, due to the eff ects of “herd predicted the outbreak should be before the epidemic fi zzles out, a across the whole of Latin Amer- usual number of pregnancies, the of babies of Zika-infected moth- 580,000 pregnant women out of immunity”. over within three years. team reported in the journal Na- ica and the Caribbean who could prevalence of the mosquito spe- ers develop problems. 37.4mn total infections. This is a natural process The virus, fi rst discovered in ture Microbiology. realistically end up developing cies spreading the virus, weather If so, “over half a million” chil- Other aff ected countries in- whereby people become immune Uganda in 1947, took the world Eighty per cent of people will microcephaly or a related condi- conditions and socio-economic dren may ultimately be aff ected, clude Mexico, Venezuela, Co- to a virus after their fi rst expo- by surprise when it emerged, develop mild symptoms or never tion”, said study co-author Alex conditions that make people he said. lombia, Cuba, Haiti, Argentina sure, eventually reaching the and with such virulence, in Latin even be aware they have the vi- Perkins of the University of Notre more vulnerable, and disease Whatever the fi nal number, a and the Dominican Republic. point where mosquitoes cannot America last year. rus. Dame in Indiana, and specifi ed spread dynamics. support system for aff ected ba- Another recent study had put fi nd enough susceptible people There is no cure or vaccine. Police, cyber-security fi rms Turkey orders tackle ‘ransomware’ threat AFP users’ data after infecting their coalition of tech fi rms is the so- The Hague computers with malicious soft- called “Shade” ransomware. ware. “Shade” is spread via mali- Kaspersky Lab, one of the tech cious websites and infected utch police, Europol and fi rms supporting the project, e-mail attachments and uses a a coalition of cyber-secu- said that the number of victims strong algorithm for each en- the detention of Drity fi rms launched a new attacked by so-called crypto- crypted fi le, encrypting not only website yesterday to fi ght a surge ransomware was growing by the fi le’s content, but the fi le in “ransomware” which locks us- an alarming rate – rising from name as well. ers’ data until they pay criminals 131,000 in 2014-15 to 718,000 in Kaspersky Lab and Intel Secu- to retrieve it. 2015-16. rity prevented more than 27,000 The “No More Ransom” ini- “Ransomware is a top threat attempts since 2014 to attack us- tiative is the new online portal for EU law enforcement,” added ers with “Shade” ransomware. “aimed at informing the public yesterday’s statement. “Almost “Most infections occurred 42 journalists about the dangers of ransomware two-thirds of EU member states in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and helping victims to recover are conducting investigations Austria and Kazakhstan. Shade Reuters their data without having to pay into this form of attack.” activity was also registered in Istanbul ransoms to cyber-criminals”, Chief technical offi cer Steve France, the Czech Republic, Italy said a combined statement, is- Grobman from Intel Security, and the United States,” the state- sued from Europol’s Hague- one of the other tech fi rms in- ment added. urkey has ordered the based headquarters. volved in the scheme, said in It warns victims not to pay detention of 42 journal- The website www.nomoreran- March that the practice is grow- ransoms should their comput- Tists, broadcaster NTV som.org off ers advice on how to ing due to several factors – easy ers become infected with ran- reported, under a crackdown avoid data being taken hostage access to necessary software, somware but to immediately re- following a failed coup that has by ransomware, as well as more criminal networks which off er port it to the authorities. targeted more than 60,000 peo- than 160,000 decryption keys the service, and the diffi culty of “By making the payment you ple, drawing fi re from the Euro- in the event of a computer being tracking down the culprits who will be supporting the crimi- pean Union. infected. are able to hide in anonymous nals’ business. Plus, there is no The arrests or suspensions of Hackers have been stepping networks. guarantee that paying the fi ne soldiers, police, judges and civil up eff orts to turn their exploits One of the latest malicious will give you back access to the servants in response to the July into hard cash in recent years by programs targeted by the com- encrypted data,” the statement 15-16 putsch have raised con- locking unsuspecting computer bined law enforcement and the said. cerns among rights groups and Western countries, who fear President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is capitalising on it to tighten his grip on power. EU Commission President Trial over Jean-Claude Juncker ques- tioned Ankara’s long-standing aspiration to join the EU. murder of “I believe that Turkey, in its current state, is not in a position to become a member any time Demonstrators seen through a bullet hole in a hotel window near Istanbul’s Taksim Square wave Kremlin soon and not even over a longer Turkish flags on Sunday during the first cross-party rally to condemn the coup attempt against period,” Juncker said on French President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. television France 2. critic Juncker also said that if Tur- has blamed for the attempted root them out, wherever they from Western partners in the key reintroduces the death putsch. may be. aftermath of the coup. penalty – something the gov- Erdogan accuses US-based Gulen denies the allegations. Western countries pledged Nemtsov ernment has said it must con- Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, Prime Minister Binali Yildir- support for democracy in Tur- sider, responding to calls from who has many followers in Tur- im said on Saturday that au- key, but have also expressed This file photo taken on March 1, 2015 shows Russia’s opposition supporters at public rallies for key, of masterminding the coup thorities had taken around concern over the scale of sub- opens supporters carrying a banner bearing a portrait of Kremlin critic the coup leaders to be executed plot. 13,000 people into custody over sequent purges of state institu- Boris Nemtsov during a march in central Moscow. – it would stop the EU accession In his fi rst decree since the the coup attempt, including tions. process immediately. state of emergency was de- 8,831 soldiers. Last week, the minister for EU AFP Police closed off part of the pe- say the authorities have failed to Turkey abolished capital clared, Erdogan ordered the He promised they would have aff airs chided Western coun- Moscow destrian street next to the court bring the masterminds to justice punishment in 2004, allowing closure of thousands of private a fair trial. tries for not sending any repre- and did not allow journalists or and point the fi nger of blame at it to open EU accession talks the schools, charities and founda- The offi cers accused of stag- sentatives to demonstrate their others to approach, Tass state Chechen strongman Ramzan following year, but the negotia- tions with suspected links to ing the coup will stand trial in solidarity with Turkey since the Moscow military court has news agency reported. Kadyrov, as well as the Kremlin tions have made scant progress Gulen, who denies involvement an Ankara district laden with failed coup. begun an initial closed- Lawyer Vadim Prokhorov, who itself. since then. in the coup. symbolism for Turkey’s re- On Sunday, presidential Adoor hearing in the trial of represents Nemtsov’s family, told Kadyrov had a long-running Responding to Juncker’s Turkey wants the United cent history – the scene of an spokesman Ibrahim Kalin took the suspects in the shock murder AFP that he would submit “nu- feud with Nemtsov and has made comments, Turkish Foreign States to extradite the cleric. army show of strength before a to the opinion pages of the New of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov merous requests” to the court, calls to eliminate Russia’s “en- Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Washington has said it will do “post-modern coup” ousted its York Times to defend Turkey’s last year, a lawyer said. particularly on selecting the jury emy” opposition. Haberturk TV that Europe can- so only if there is clear evidence. fi rst Islamist-led government in actions. Nemtsov, a former deputy for the trial itself, which should Yesterday lawyers represent- not threaten Turkey regarding Foreign Minister Cavusoglu 1997. “Several thousand military prime minister and one of the be open to the public. ing Nemtsov’s family asked for the death penalty. said that ties with Washington Rights group Amnesty In- offi cers and their accomplices most prominent critics of Rus- Preliminary hearings were the case to be sent back to pros- Erdogan has declared a state will be aff ected if it fails to ex- ternational said it had received in law enforcement and the ju- sia’s President Vladimir Putin, set to continue today at 1000 ecutors and the charge to be re- of emergency, which allows him tradite Gulen. credible evidence of detainees diciary have been suspended or was gunned down on the evening GMT when the court was to rule classifi ed as murder of a public to sign new laws without prior He said he would hold meet- being subjected to beatings and arrested for having links to the of February 27, 2015, as he walked whether there will be a jury trial, fi gure aimed at halting his politi- parliamentary approval and ings with political and judiciary torture, including rape, since coup. across a bridge from the Kremlin. as the defendants have request- cal activities. limit rights as he deems neces- offi cials during a coming visit to the coup attempt. “Their removal from public Five suspects – all reportedly ed. Protesters held solo pickets sary. the United States. Erdogan has extended the posts makes the Turkish gov- Chechens – are currently in de- The fi ve defendants have been outside the court with slogans The government has said Erdogan has accused Gulen, maximum period of detention ernment stronger and more tention and face up to life in jail if named as Zaur Dadayev, Shadid on placards including “Question these steps are needed to root his former ally, of attempting for suspects from four days to transparent,” he wrote, adding convicted. and Anzor Gubashev, Bemirlan Kadyrov. Reinvestigate the case”, out supporters of the coup and to build a “parallel network” of 30, a move Amnesty said in- that at least 1,200 rank-and- They deny any guilt. Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Ba- and “Name the masterminds in won’t infringe on the rights of supporters within the military, creased the risk of torture or fi le soldiers have been released Russian investigators have khayev. Boris Nemtsov’s murder”, Grani. ordinary Turks. police, judiciary, civil service, other maltreatment of detain- so far. described the killing, whose According to investigators, a ru news website reported. NTV reported that among education and media with the ees. He also dismissed claims that brutality horrifi ed the world, as Chechen security offi cial named Mukhudinov has reportedly the 42 journalists subject to ar- aim of toppling the state. The government has said Erdogan had orchestrated the a hit ordered by a low-ranking Ruslan Mukhudinov – who has served in a Chechen unit called rest warrants was well-known “They are traitors,” Erdogan there would be no backtracking coup in order to launch a crack- Chechen offi cial and other “uni- been identifi ed as the ringleader Sever which supported Kadyrov, commentator and former par- told Reuters in an interview last on human rights and has ruled down. dentifi ed” suspects. but has fl ed abroad – approached a Kremlin loyalist. liamentarian Nazli Ilicak. week. out torture and curfews in the “The claim that this was a The session began at Mos- the other men in September 2014 Denied access to the pro- State-run Turkish Airlines He described Gulen’s network state of emergency. fake coup is no more credible cow District Military Court after and off ered them 15mn roubles Kremlin state media, Nemtsov said that it had fi red 211 em- as “like a cancer” and said he Ankara is increasingly ex- than the laughable claim that Russian investigators announced (about $235,000) to commit the had become a marginal fi gure in ployees, citing their links to a would treat them like a “separa- pressing frustration over what the 9/11 attacks were orches- last month they had completed murder. Russia but he remained a thorn in religious movement Erdogan tist terrorist organisation” and it says in the lack of solidarity trated by the United States.” their probe. Nemtsov’s family and allies the side of the authorities.

Off icer fines himself for breaking rule

No one is above the law in Norway, it would seem, after a police off icer fined himself for failing to wear a life jacket. Greece’s Chios isle in state of emergency as wildfi re rages Off icer Arne Stavnes was pictured in the pages of the Verdens Gang newspaper at the helm of his police boat during a patrol of Utoya island, 38km away from Oslo. Reuters authorities said yesterday. “It is very serious ... authori- harvest season for the product. most total destruction in some The photo prompted witty comments from readers who noted that Athens Dozens of fi refi ghters and air- ties are doing their utmost to deal Chios Mastic, a tree resin used cases,” a representative of the the skipper was flouting the law by not wearing his police-issue craft were deployed to fi ght the with it with land and air forces,” in the production of items as di- mastic producers association lifesaver – compulsory in Norway on vessels less than 8m long. forest fi re which broke out early said Christiana Kalogirou, gover- verse as liquor to beauty products told a local newspaper, Politis. The honest off icer moved to stay one step ahead of the criticism reece has declared a state yesterday, burning through olive nor of the Northern Aegean Pre- and a gum that can alleviate pep- Forest fi res are common dur- and published a photo of his self-issued 500 Norwegian kroner of emergency on the groves and mastic trees, an im- fecture, to which Chios belongs. tic ulcers, has a protected desig- ing the summer in Greece, where ($58, €53) penalty. GAegean island of Chios, portant source of income for the The wildfi re has destroyed nation of origin status within the dry weather and strong winds According to a 2015 survey, 80% of Norwegians were found to have which has been engulfed by a island, which has a population of mastic trees in the south of the European Union. can quickly fan fi res, devastating confidence in their police service. wildfi re raging out of control, about 52,000. island, just before the August “Unfortunately, there is al- large areas. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 15 EUROPE

Politicians targeted over Nice IS claims a second attack security questions on German soil in a week

Reuters AFP Islamic State” who had acted “in Merkel’s deputy spokeswom- do “represent a danger”. Paris Ansbach, Germany response to calls to target na- an Ulrike Demmer expressed the “We are seeing at this time tions in the coalition fi ghting” government’s “shock” after the how fragile psychological states, the extremists. rash of attacks but also warned terrorism and crime are mixing,” rance’s government closed Syrian asylum-seeker Europe’s economic power- against branding all migrants a he warned. ranks around Interior Min- who blew himself up house was already reeling after security threat. Europe has been on edge for Fister Bernard Cazeneuve Aoutside a German music four passengers and a passer-by “Most of the terrorists who months after a string of deadly yesterday and accused conserv- festival had made a video pledg- were wounded in an axe attack carried out attacks in recent attacks claimed by IS, includ- ative opponents of fanning alle- ing allegiance to the Islamic on a train in Wuerzburg on July months in Europe were not refu- ing bombings in Brussels and gations that his offi ce sought to State (IS) group, authorities said 18 which IS also claimed. gees,” she told reporters. “The Paris and the carnage at Bastille alter a report into policing on the yesterday, in the second attack Then on Friday, nine people terrorism threat (among refu- Day celebrations in the southern night of the deadly Nice attack. claimed by the militants in Ger- were killed in a shopping centre gees) is not larger or smaller than French city of Nice. Prime Minister Manuel Valls many in a week. shooting spree in Munich by a in the population at large.” Meanwhile, police released said he had full confi dence in The 27-year-old assail- German-Iranian teenager with Police said the Syrian man more details on Munich mall at- Cazeneuve, who on Sunday dis- ant wounded 15 people, four of a history of psychological prob- intended to target the open-air tacker David Ali Sonboly, say- missed an assertion by the head them seriously, near a cafe in lems but no apparent links to festival attended by 2,500 people ing that the 18-year-old was of Nice’s video surveillance that the southern city of Ansbach on Islamists. but was turned away as he did depressed and had spent two ministry staff pressured her to Sunday night when he set off a Already steeped in grief and not have a ticket, and detonated months in a psychiatric unit last indicate the presence of national bomb in his knapsack, killing shock, Germans were further the device outside a nearby cafe. A police off icer in protective gear inspects a knapsack used to carry year. police force offi cers at certain himself. rattled by news that a Syrian “If he had made it inside, an explosive device at the scene of the suicide attack in the The teen, who had both Ger- sites where the attack unfurled. “A video made by the assail- refugee had killed a 45-year-old there would certainly have been southern German city of Ansbach. man and Iranian nationality, was In a television interview, the ant was found on his mobile Polish woman with a kebab knife more victims,” a police spokes- obsessed with mass killings – usually unfl appable Cazeneuve phone in which he threatened at a snack bar in the southwest- man said. Ansbach, was already known to But Mayer told the BBC that including Norwegian right-wing hit out at right-wing politicians an attack,” Bavarian state inte- ern city of Reutlingen on Sunday. The attacker, who came to police, having been linked to a the 1.1mn migrants and refugees fanatic Anders Behring Breivik’s from Nice, led by the regional rior minister Joachim Herrmann Police, who had initially said Germany two years ago but had drug-related off ence. Germany let in last year repre- 2011 massacre – and spent a year president Christian Estrosi, who told reporters. “After that he an- the murder weapon was a ma- his asylum claim rejected after However, a social worker sented a “big challenge” for law preparing for the shooting spree. he accused of almost daily lies nounced in the name of Allah chete, concluded that the inci- a year, had tried to kill himself who knew him, Reinhold Es- enforcement, even as the infl ux At least 35 people were also and political broadsides in the that he pledged allegiance to (IS dent in which three others were twice in the past and had spent chenbacher, described him as has dwindled in recent months. wounded during Sonboly’s at- wake of the Nice massacre. chief) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, injured was likely a “crime of time in a psychiatric clinic. “friendly, inconspicuous and “We were not able to register tack, which began at a McDon- “This has to stop, there can the well-known Islamist leader, passion”. He was facing imminent de- nice” when he came to his offi ce and control all the migrants that ald’s restaurant and ended with be no room for doubt in the fi ght and announced an act of revenge Three of the four brutal in- portation to Bulgaria, where he pick up his welfare benefi ts, DPA crossed the German border,” him turning his 9mm Glock pis- against terrorism,” Valls said. against Germans because they cidents were in Bavaria, the was fi rst registered within the news agency reported. Mayer admitted. tol on himself. “I don’t have any doubts about were standing in the way of Is- southern state which has been European Union as an asylum- Stephan Mayer, a deputy from The president of a German Investigators have ruled out Bernard Cazeneuve.” lam.” a gateway for tens of thousands seeker and which had granted his Merkel’s conservative bloc, said police union, Rainer Wendt, has any link with IS militants, al- President Francois Hollande, IS later said via the militant- of refugees under Chancellor claim, a German interior minis- it was “completely wrong” to said that the government needed though he appeared to have who has publicly backed Caze- linked Amaq news agency that Angela Merkel’s liberal asylum try spokesman said. blame the government’s refugee to do more to determine whether planned the assault with chilling neuve, said that there was “no the attacker “was a soldier of the policy. The assailant, who lived in policy for the spate of assaults. individual migrants and refugees precision for a year. place for controversy or con- frontation” and that investiga- tors would establish the truth. Valls’ Socialist government is under fi re for not doing enough to prevent a 31-year-old Tuni- sian ploughing his rented truck Wagner festival opens through a crowd of revellers on a Nice beachfront boulevard, kill- ing 84 people. The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed responsibility for amid tighter security the attack. The ease with which Moham- ed Lahouaiej Bouhlel reached AFP Also cancelled was the usual production of Parsifal might the Promenade des Anglais in Bayreuth, Germany red carpet procession. be perceived as critical of Is- the 19-tonne truck, using an ap- The 140-year-old festival, one lam, a charge denied by director parently unblocked route, has of the highlights of Germany’s Laufenberg. become a focus for criticism of ermany’s legendary Bay- social and cultural calendar, Unlike past editions of the fes- security arrangements. reuth opera festival, dedi- opened with a performance of tival, all bags and cushions have Ten months ahead of general Gcated to the works of Ri- Wagner’s fi nal opera, Parsifal in been banned from the audito- elections, Estrosi and other local chard Wagner, opened yesterday a new production by German di- rium and cloakrooms while pa- conservatives have aggressively with extremely tight security in rector Uwe Eric Laufenberg. trons have to carry photo ID with criticised the strength of the na- the wake of a series of deadly at- Inside the theatre, a message them at all times. tional police force presence on tacks in the country. projected on the curtain said: Meanwhile, the approach road the night of July 14. “We have to send a message” “The Bayreuth festival dedicates up the Green Hill to the Fest- Valls accused them of copying that fear will not stop the fes- today’s performance to all vic- spielhaus has been blocked to the tone of US Republican presi- tival, fi lm actor Michaela May tims of the violent acts in recent cars. dential nominee Donald Trump, told the DPA news agency at the days and to their loved ones.” Star tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, whose campaign has been event. Tighter security on Bayreuth’s who is singing the title role in marked by insults and infl am- Out of respect for those killed mythic Green Hill – on which the Parsifal, was stopped and ques- matory rhetoric, and seeking to or wounded in attacks over the world-famous Festspielhaus fes- tioned by security personnel destabilise the government. last week in Ansbach, Munich tival theatre stands – has been in during a rehearsal break, because Responding to Cazeneuve’s and Wuerzburg – all in the state place since the start of rehearsals he was wearing army fatigues as comments, Estrosi told Europe 1: of Bavaria – organizers cancelled in June. part of his costume. “To insult elected offi cials is in a the lavish banquet that tradi- Town authorities called for The festival runs from July 25 way to insult the memory of the Police are seen at a checkpoint at the venue of Germany’s legendary Bayreuth opera festival tionally follows the fi rst per- stepped-up measures follow- until August 28 with 30 perform- victims. We are not instrumen- yesterday. formance of the festival. ing suggestions that this year’s ances of seven diff erent operas. talising anyone, we are only de- manding answers. The state has to stop obstructing the truth.” Nice, a French Riviera city of nearly 350,000 people and a stronghold of the hard right, is Iraqi charged with having ‘trace’ amounts of explosives in Poland France’s most heavily policed urban area and has an extensive network of surveillance cameras. AFP Poland has upped security “National prosecutors have told reporters, adding that cur- Lodz on Sunday and had been in 40,000 security personnel to Sandra Bertin, head of the Warsaw ahead of the World Youth Day launched an investigation,” he rently “there are no grounds for possession of notes on preparing protect Pope Francis, who ar- city’s CCTV camera network, event that will draw hundreds added. charging him with participating terrorist acts against French su- rives tomorrow, and the hun- told the Journal Du Dimanche of thousands of pilgrims from Prosecutor Beata Marczak in terrorist activity”. permarkets in Poland. dreds of thousands of pilgrims that she had been harassed by n Iraqi man has been around the world to the southern added that the man was detained Private news channel Polsat Polsat News described him meeting him during the July 26- an interior ministry offi cial who charged with possessing city of Krakow this week. last week and charged on Sunday News reported that the explosive as a 48-year-old who arrived in 31 youth festival. wanted a report that confi rmed Atrace amounts of explo- The Iraqi man was charged with “possessing trace amounts traces were found on the man’s Poland a couple of weeks ago af- Interior Minister Mariusz national police could be seen at sive material in Poland, offi cials in the central city of Lodz and of explosive material”. luggage and clothes at hotels in ter being expelled from Sweden. Blaszczak told reporters yester- two particular sites – a fact she said yesterday, days ahead of the remanded in custody for two “That does not mean we Lodz and Krakow. Earlier he had lived in Swit- day that around 200 people had said could not be confi rmed by Pope’s visit for a huge Catholic months, local court spokesman found enough explosive mate- It added that the man had zerland for several years. been stopped from entering Po- CCTV footage. youth festival. Pawel Urbaniak told reporters. rial to cause an explosion,” she been detained at the hotel in Poland will deploy more than land in the run-up to the festival.

Swedish authorities cut this year’s projection for the number of asylum-seekers Migrants on Serbia-Hungary border go on hunger strike The number of people expected to seek asylum in Sweden this year was halved amid tighter border checks introduced by the European Union and individual European states, a Swedish govern- Reuters They said they would refuse food until ment agency said yesterday. Horgos, Serbia Hungary opens the border. The Swedish Migration Agency said it now expects 30,000-50,000 “The food is (brought) here, but nobody asylum-seekers in 2016, down from its previous estimate in April of wants to eat it. The border stays closed so up to 100,000. bout 150 migrants, mainly from Af- we will sit here, they should open the bor- The agency added that it was planning for 34,500 asylum bids in ghanistan and Pakistan, started a der,” said Abdul Malek, an Afghan. 2016, including 3,000 unaccompanied minors, less than its previ- Ahunger strike yesterday in a fi eld in Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia’s minister for ous plans for 60,000 bids. Serbia on the border with Hungary to de- social aff airs, said authorities would pre- The agency attributed the drop to a deal the EU reached earlier mand passage to the European Union. vent any unrest. this year with Turkey, allowing for the return of asylum-seekers The group, which initially numbered Migrants said they will protest peace- that resulted in fewer arrivals to Greece. about 300 people, had travelled to the bor- fully. Other factors cited by the agency included the virtual closure der over the weekend from Belgrade and “We secured them accommodation and of the western Balkan route, as well as identification checks and settled in a fi eld about 100m from Hunga- all their needs, but we will not tolerate any- border controls introduced by Sweden and several other European ry’s wire-fenced frontier with Serbia. thing that would evolve into endangering Union states. Last month Hungary limited the number of public order,” Vulin said yesterday while A new Swedish legislation, which went into eff ect last week and of daily entries to a maximum of 30, creat- visiting a refugee camp in the area. temporarily restricts the possibility of being granted a residence ing a bottleneck in Serbia. According Serbia’s commissariat for permit, was also expected to contribute to fewer arrivals, the It also allowed police send back illegal refugees, about 3,000 migrants remained agency said. migrants detained within 8km of its border stranded in the country, including 800 The agency said its 2017 projections were more uncertain but that with Serbia. awaiting entry into the EU in camps at the the plan was for 51,000 bids, including 4,500 unaccompanied The migrants on hunger strike, wearing Horgos and Kelebija border crossings with minors. red baseball hats, told Reuters that they had Hungary. Last year, Sweden registered a record 163,000 asylum bids, travelled by train and on foot. Vulin said migrants deported from Hun- straining resources and capacity at reception centres and local Migrants, mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, sit on a field near the Some said they have already been deport- gary to Serbia must now apply for asylum or municipalities. Serbian-Hungarian border fence during a hunger strike near the village of Horgos. ed back to Serbia. face expulsion. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 INDIA

CONTROVERSY TERRORISM MONEY LAUNDERING PROTEST DISCIPLINARY ACTION Extortion case against NIA to investigate IS RBI imposes Rs50mn Telangana opposition Lawyers protest near JD-U legislator in Bihar suspect held in W Bengal penalty on bank leaders detained Madras High Court

A case of extortion was lodged against Bihar’s The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is formally The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed Police yesterday detained leaders of opposition Hundreds of lawyers yesterday held a ruling Janata Dal-United legislator Shyam taking over the probe of Islamic State suspect a penalty of Rs50mn ($754,000) on the Bank parties heading to Telangana’s Medak district to protest near the Madras High Court against Bahadur Singh yesterday, police said. Doctors Mohamed Masiuddin who was arrested by the West of Baroda for irregularities in anti-money express solidarity against the Mallanna Sagar amendments to the rules under the Advocates Vikram Singh Chouhan and Nawan Kishor Bengal police earlier in the month. Masiuddin, alias laundering (AML) provisions that came to light irrigation project. Congress leader and former Act prescribing disciplinary action against Pandey in Siwan district have alleged that Musa, was arrested on July 4 from a train in Burdwan in October 2015, the public sector lender said deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, unruly advocates. Police in large numbers the legislator demanded Rs2mn from them. and his subsequent interrogation revealed his yesterday. The Central Bureau of Investigation Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) were deployed and barricades were put The doctors also said Shyam threatened “links with foreign extremists including the IS.” The (CBI) had conducted raids in October 2015 at chairman M Kodandaram, Telugu Desam Party’s up on the roads as security measures. The them if the money was not paid. “A case investigators also suspect Musa’s involvement with over 50 locations to probe the illegal transfer Telangana unit working president Revant Reddy tension escalated a bit when the protesting has been lodged against Shyam Bahadur the Bangladeshi militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen of Rs61bn by the bank’s Ashok Vihar branch in and leaders of other opposition parties were lawyers tried to remove the iron barricades Singh in connection with alleged demand Bangladesh (JMB). While probing a blast at a house Delhi in the names of 59 companies in Hong arrested. They were on their way to meet villagers and enter the court premises. However they of extortion from the two doctors,” a district in Khagragarh in Burdwan district in October 2014, Kong. The companies, it was later found, were who were injured in police baton charge on were prevented by the police. Lawyers from police off icial said. However, Shyam has the NIA had busted a terror module of the JMB. “We registered on wrong addresses. It was alleged Sunday. The trouble began after people from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry staged the refuted the allegations. He is a controversial have got the government order and we are in the that there were 8,667 forex transactions from villages which are facing submergence due to protest. Traff ic in the area was also disrupted. legislator, who had embarrassed the party and process of registering a case to formally take over the Ashok Vihar branch of the bank during Mallanna Sagar project were heading towards On Saturday, the Bar Council of India (BCI) the government by dancing with bar girls at the investigations,” NIA Inspector General of Police August 1, 2014 to Aug 12, 2015, which had the Medak-Karimnagar highway to block it. The suspended 126 lawyers in Tamil Nadu from its diff erent marriage functions. Sanjeev Kumar Singh said. prompted the probe. opposition parties condemned the police action. roster.

Temple board Court clears fi rm on curbs on Salman Khan women

IANS Thiruvananthapuram in black buck he Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) that looks af- Tter the aff airs of the famed Sabarimala temple yesterday re- iterated stand on the ban on en- try of females in the age group of poaching cases 10 to 50. Addressing reporters here yesterday, TDB president Prayar The 50-year-old bachelor than’s Bishnoi community, a course. It’s the court’s judgement Gopalakrishnan said the custom was not in court to hear the Hindu group that regards wildlife and we have to respect it. So I of the temple for the past 800 judgement as sacred. respect the court’s judgement,” years is that women in this age Courts in India are often known Dhawan said at the press confer- group are not allowed and “we Agencies to take several years - and some- ence in New Delhi. do not wish to change that.” Jodhpur times decades - to pronounce Dhawan shares a friendly bond “We have submitted the as- verdicts because of a lack of re- with Khan who has worked sev- trological examination (dev- sources and too much paperwork. eral times with his father and di- aprasnam) of three commit- court in Jodhpur yester- The actor, known for playing rector David Dhawan. tees which forbids the entry of day acquitted Bollywood a tough guy in Hindi fi lms, is one Filmmaker Subhash Ghai women between 10 and 50 to the Asuperstar Salman Khan of of the Indian movie industry’s tweeted: “Acquittal (of) Salman temple to the Supreme Court, killing protected wildlife 18 years biggest draws and has starred in Khan is (a) story of bad times where the case is currently being ago, ending the latest long-run- more than 100 fi lms and televi- (and) good times. I fully believe heard. The last such examina- ning case against the actor. sion shows. in our judiciary with many doors tion took place on June 18, 2014,” Khan was convicted in 2006 of But he is no stranger to con- open to knock for fair justice.” said Gopalakrishnan. hunting rare black bucks while he troversy and was last year cleared However another fi lmmaker He said the authorities do not was shooting the fi lm Hum Saath in another long-running case of Ram Gopal Varma expressed dis- want to change the customs and Saath Hain in Rajasthan eight killing a homeless man in a hit- pleasure over the time it took for beliefs of Sabarimala temple. years earlier. and-run crash. the verdict. “We are not against the entry He was sentenced to one and More recently, Khan sparked “Only celebrity cases make us of women- of the 4 crore (40mn) fi ve years in jail for two separate outrage in June by saying that his realise how dead slow judiciary devotees who visited the temple cases of shooting the animals, but heavy training schedule for his works. It’s scary, it took 20 years in the last season, women ac- the actor has fi led appeals that new blockbuster movie Sultan left for court to decide Salman Khan is counted for half a million. All that have kept him from serving the him feeling “like a raped woman.” not guilty,” he tweeted. we wish to state and which has al- stints. Meanwhile Khan’s adopted sis- Ashoke Pandit, also a fi lmmaker, ready been intimated to the apex Khan spent a few days in jail ter Arpita Khan hailed the verdict. congratulated Khan and his father court is that women between 10 in April 2006 and August 2007 She has thanked his fans and and veteran lyricist Salim Khan. and 50 should not be allowed en- but was released on bail after the well-wishers for standing by the Actress Shweta Rohira posted: try,” said the TDB president. Rajasthan High Court suspended family during the tough period. “My happiness and relief knows The TDB’s statement is at var- both sentences and heard both “Thank you god for always no bounds today! Goodness wins! iance with the new Kerala gov- cases. showering us with your grace Love you bhai.” ernment which has a diff erent Yesterday High Court judge and blessings. Today is a big day However, the news didn’t go view and wishes to let women of Nirmaljit Kaur cleared the actor in for us. Thank you to all bhais and down well with some. all ages enter the temple. both cases, ruling that the pellets the family’s well-wishers for your A post on an unverifi ed page of The previous Oommen Chan- recovered from the animals were prayers, support, love and best actress Renuka Shahane on Fa- dy government was of the view not fi red from Khan’s gun. wishes. This wouldn’t have been cebook censured the judgment that the temple customs should “The honourable high court possible without you,” Arpita raising questions like “Who killed be followed. has not agreed to the prosecution posted on her Twitter page. the black buck and the chinka- “We are of the fi rm view that evidence or its documents in both However, no offi cial comment ras? Did the driver kill them? the apex court will not allow to the cases. Defi nitely, it’s a good has been released from the actor’s Did nobody kill them? Do judges alter the traditions, and in case thing that an innocent man has side. decide according to Buckworth- that happens, we are certain received justice,” Khan’s lawyer Actor Varun Dhawan, who had Lewis method? Who will pay for that no women in the age group Hastimal Saraswat told NDTV. refused to make a public comment the mental torture that Salman 10 to 50 will come to the tem- The 50-year-old bachelor was on Khan’s “raped woman” anal- has had to go through now that ple because beliefs will always not in court to hear the judgement ogy, said the court’s verdict must he has been declared not guilty? be adhered to,” Gopalakrishnan Salman Khan’s sister Alvira leaves the Rajasthan High Court after the judge acquitted the actor in but his sister Alvira was. be respected. Doesn’t the nation want to know added. Jodhpur yesterday. The case was fi led by Rajas- “I think the law has to take its the truth?” Entrance test students Oldest elephant in the world is in Kerala

IANS 1949, only Dakshayani and an- allege discrimination other elephant alive now. She Thiruvananthapuram was gifted to the TDB by the erst- IANS off ender or someone lesser than tion, said the candidates were in- while Travancore Royal family,” New Delhi other candidates,” he said. structed about proper dress code t 86, Dakshayani shows no said the TDB president. A female candidate suff ering in advance. signs of ageing and looks He also said three mahouts who from vitiligo skin condition, who “It is the fault of the candi- Afi t as she gets all set to en- tended to Dakshayani and are now everal students who yester- appeared for the exam at Kariappa dates and their parents. They are ter the Guinness World Records retired and two other mahouts day wrote the new National Marg centre, was asked to fold her all involved in unfair means, I as the oldest living elephant. who take care of her presently too SEligibility and Entrance Test full sleeves as high up as possible. would say. If tomorrow a candi- The Travancore Devasom will be honoured tomorrow. (NEET) complained they were “They asked me why I wore the date carries communication de- Board (TDB), the owner of the “On the same day we will treated badly by the invigilators - full-sleeved top. I said it was to vices inside the exam hall, what elephant,- has already written bring out a directory of the 33 some of the male candidates were hide my skin disorder. They asked would be your reaction? It would to the Guinness authorities stak- elephants that are owned by us told to take off their shirts. me to fold the sleeves up to the be that the CBSE failed to con- ing claim to Dakshayani being and would include the entire The test is held for admission to shoulder. It was very uncomfort- duct fair examination,” Sanyam the oldest living elephant in the history of every elephant,” said medical courses. able for me and very insensitive Bharadwaj, deputy secretary of world. Gopalakrishnan, adding now Some of the students said they on their part,” she said. the CBSE, said. The TDB owns 1,250 temples there are scientifi c ways to deter- also faced “religious discrimina- Some female candidates said Asked about removal of holy in south Kerala districts, in- mine the age of an elephant. tion” by being asked to remove they were asked to remove their threads and amulets, Bharadwaj cluding the famed Sabarimala Dr T Rajeev, a veterinarian the holy threads they wore while gold ear-rings. said: “We have not given this in- temple. They have 33 elephants looking after Dakshayani for the skull caps were allowed. Several students complained struction, but we had asked to which take part in the festivals of past six years, certifi es that she “Though they checked us of “religious discrimination,” and verify each and every candidate. their temples. is in good health. According to twice, I was asked to remove my said while their holy threads were Those who had to come in tra- TDB president Prayar Rajeev, Dakshayani has a strong full sleeved shirt before appear- removed and amulets thrown ditional dress were instructed to Gopalakrishnan said records dislike for hypodermic needles. ing for the test or else leave the away, some were allowed to wear reach early so that we could frisk show that Dakshayani is the old- “She will not allow me to examination hall. I was told it was their skull caps. them properly.” est. administer injections to her. to ensure that no one used unfair “I felt I was being discrimi- The offi cials said it was made “As a fi rst step to enter the Whenever I visit her, she would means,” a student, whose exami- nated against. Was my faith lesser clear that no extra arrangements Guinness, we are honouring her look whether I carry a syringe. If nation centre was in Janakpuri, than someone else’s? It’s great were made for safekeeping of on Wednesday, and we will be a syringe or needle is spotted she said. that some students were allowed clothes, accessories and jewel- working towards this. On the day gets agitated,” he said. He said when he asked where to to keep their skull caps on, but lery. a special postal cover of Dak- Elephant expert and assistant keep his shirt, he was told: “That’s what upset me was the unequal “On Saturday there was a pro- shayani from the Kerala Circle professor at the Kerala Veteri- your problem.” treatment,” a student said. gramme for candidates on All Postal Service would be issued,” nary and Animal Sciences Uni- “I was embarrassed and lost my Offi cials from the Central Board India Radio. I personally texted he said. versity Dr Arun Zachariah said focus even before the examina- of Secondary Education (CBSE), candidates to reach their centres “Of the 10 elephants that the captive elephants live longer tion started. It was as if I was an which conducted the examina- in time,” he said. Dakshayani: eyes world record. TDB had since its inception in than wild pachyderms. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 17 INDIA Sidhu takes on the BJP but mum on joining AAP

IANS to spell out his political future my roots and betray my home- his resignation from the Rajya On its part, the BJP has not ex- contest from outside Punjab. He opener, now a popular TV per- New Delhi and ducked questions on wheth- land? Should I stay away from Sabha on July 18, the opening pelled Sidhu or his wife who is a made it clear that he could not be sonality, said no party was er he planned to join the Aam Punjab just to cater to personal day of the parliament’s mon- member of the Punjab assembly. placated by a Rajya Sabha berth. “above or bigger than Punjab.” Aadmi Party (AAP). interests of some people?” soon session, there has been in- Sidhu said he had been elected Taking no names, Sidhu said: “The people of Amritsar have ormer Bharatiya Janata “I resigned from the Rajya Sidhu, who was not allowed by tense speculation that he might to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar “This was not the fi rst time I given me so much aff ection and Party MP Navjot Singh Sabha because I was told to not the BJP to contest from Amritsar team up with the AAP, which thrice since 2004 and pointed was being told to stay away from respect. I cannot betray their FSidhu yesterday said he turn towards Punjab and stay in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, did has emerged as a major player in out that in 2009 he was the lone Punjab... This is the third or trust.” gave up his Rajya Sabha seat as away from Punjab... Why should not take the name of any politi- Punjab ahead of assembly elec- BJP victor in 51 Lok Sabha con- fourth time.” Pressed by journalists to say he was repeatedly asked to stay I stay away from Punjab and on cal party or leader in his nearly tions due next year. stituencies in northern India. “What is my mistake?” asked if he would join the AAP and be away from Punjab which he was whose wishes?” a visibly angry 10-minute media address that While AAP leaders have hint- He claimed he was off ered a the former MP who has had re- its chief ministerial candidate, not prepared to do. Sidhu asked. was punctuated by Urdu cou- ed that Sidhu would campaign Lok Sabha seat by the BJP from peated run-ins with Punjab’s he replied: “That’s not the is- Addressing a press conference The cricketer-turned-poli- plets. for the party, the Congress has Kurukshetra in Haryana and ruling Akali Dal, a BJP ally. sue. You will see Sidhu wherever here, Sidhu, however, declined tician said: “How could I ignore Ever since Sidhu submitted repeatedly urged him to join it. west Delhi but he refused to The former India cricket Punjab’s interests lie.” Stranded in Gulf, duped Indians appeal for govt help

Reuters en against the agents “sending Chennai them with false promises and no proper documentation,” she said. ndian workers stranded in “It’s time the government in- the United Arab Emirates vestigated how workers are sent Iwith expired work permits, through these agencies without no pay and limited food, water proper documentation,” she told and sanitation have appealed to the Thomson Reuters Founda- the Indian government for im- tion. mediate repatriation and fi nan- According to the video ap- cial assistance. peal, the workers are confi ned to “Please help us reunite with a camp at Ghayathi in Abu Dhabi our families,” a migrant said in and include migrants from Sri a video clip, adding that there Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. were nearly 100 workers stuck “I last spoke to my husband a Schoolchildren walk toward their home in Srinagar yesterday. Kashmir has been under a curfew following the death of rebel commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight with with no money or documents to month back,” said P Chitra, the security forces on July 8. get back home. wife of one of the men who made Fifteen workers from Tamil the appeal. Nadu, who are among those at a “He said he hadn’t been paid camp for migrant workers, have for nine months and was fi nd- urged the Indian government to ing it diffi cult to buy food. Since bring them home immediately. then I haven’t heard from him.” “We received their complaint The UAE embassy in New Del- a few days back and sent it to our hi did not respond to a request mission in Abu Dhabi asking for for comment. Several injured amid immediate repatriation and en- The migrants say they have suring the companies they were not been paid wages since No- working for pay their salaries,” vember 2015. said an External Aff airs Minis- “Our employment contract, try offi cial who declined to be visas, labour card and the resi- named. dent identity card has expired, Government fi gures show but the sponsor has not renewed fresh Kashmir protests there are an estimated 6mn Indi- them, forcing employees to work an migrants in the six Gulf states without wages,” said the video Curfew continues for 17th reach south Kashmir – the cle to the nearby Humhama po- ed their shutdown call till July was negligible even as the gov- of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi and written appeal produced by day worst hit in the days of unrest lice station, an offi cer said. 29. ernment has ordered everyone Arabia, the UAE and Oman. the migrants. that has left nearly 50 people Farooq was also detained at Reminiscent of the 2008 and to report for work, an offi cial in Josephine Valarmathi of the Each migrant paid up to IANS dead and thousands injured. a police station near his house 2010 unrest, separatists have Srinagar’s civil secretariat said. non-profi t National Domes- Rs200,000 ($3,000) to an agent Srinagar Sources said police and para- when he defi ed restrictions and issued weekly protest calendars In a related development, the tic Workers’ Movement, based to get a job overseas. military forces baton charged attempted to march towards in the valley asking people when government yesterday asked in Chennai, said the number of The complaint lists the names and fi red pellets to chase away Anantnag. to open or shut their shops and its offi cials in the Indian High workers being traffi cked to the of the agents and demands ac- everal people were injured the protesters marching to- Other separatist leaders in- come out on the streets for Commission in Islamabad to Gulf from India was rising. tion against them, besides com- in fresh protests in Jammu wards Anantnag town square cluding Shabir Shah have also demonstrations. send their children outside Pa- But no action was being tak- pensation. Sand Kashmir yesterday where separatist leaders Syed been detained while Yaseen Meanwhile, another man in- kistan for their education. as residents defi ed a curfew to Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Malik of the Jammu and Kash- jured in the street protests suc- “It is a normal practice for all march to Anantnag in a more Umar Farooq had planned to mir Liberation Front has been cumbed on Sunday, taking the countries to review staffi ng and Jaitley to meet state ministers on GST volatile region in response to a address rallies and off er prayers lodged in a Srinagar lockup death toll to 49. related policies for their dip- call by separatists. in absentia for the dead. since violent protests erupted The summer vacation for lomatic missions, including in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley people into a customs union. Police said people from many Both Geelani and the Farooq across the Kashmir Valley fol- schools and colleges in the val- view of prevailing circumstanc- will meet state ministers The current monsoon session places in south Kashmir and were taken into preventive cus- lowing the July 8 killing of Hiz- ley offi cially ended on Sunday. es at those stations,” External today to put pressure on the of parliament could be the parts of old Srinagar took to the tody as they defi ed prohibitory bul Mujahideen commander Education Minister Naeem Aff airs Ministry spokesman Vi- opposition Congress Party to best chance for Prime Minister streets despite the strict curfew orders. Burhan Wani. Akhtar confi rmed the end of the kas Swarup said. back a long-delayed sales tax Narendra Modi’s government which continued for the 17th Geelani, who has been in de- But police said in a statement vacations. “With eff ect from this aca- reform whose chances have to adopt a landmark Goods day yesterday. tention at his residence in the that the “situation throughout But most educational insti- demic session, offi cials posted again been thrown into doubt and Services Tax (GST) before The government had tight- upscale Hyderpora neighbour- the Kashmir Valley remained tutes in the valley remained in the High Commission of In- by a parliamentary standoff. campaigning hots up for ened security across the Kash- hood, came out despite a tight peaceful and under control al- closed yesterday due to restric- dia in Islamabad have been ad- The proposed tax reform seeks state elections next year. “The mir Valley to thwart the Anant- security cordon around his though some stray stone pelting tions and the shutdown. vised to make arrangements for to replace a slew of federal meeting will discuss all pending nag march, fearing an outbreak house. But policemen outside incidents were reported from In Srinagar, shops and busi- education of their wards out- taxes and levies in its 29 states, issues on GST,” said Finance of violent protests if people stopped him and drove him away some places.” nesses remained closed for the side Pakistan, till further no- transforming the nation of 1.3bn Ministry spokesman D S Malik. came out in large numbers to in a bullet-proof armoured vehi- The separatists have extend- 17th day. Attendance in offi ces tice,” he said. No emergency signal Two arrested over Israeli woman rape from missing plane Agencies the car, two of whom raped her Shimla before fl eeing. The woman had been trying Agencies location of the plane,” Bargotra Coast Guard is continuing. We to meet up with friends who Chennai told reporters in Chennai. have also kept close liaison with olice yesterday arrested had already left for the nearby The ELT device is meant to families of all on board. two men suspected of rap- town of Keylong after they all start transmitting the plane’s We are keeping them in the Ping a 25-year-old Israeli arrived in Manali a few days escuers have failed to location the moment it touches loop and informing them how tourist in the popular resort town earlier. pick up any emergency water or in the event of a crash. the search is progressing.” of Manali, local offi cers said. Police viewed CCTV foot- Rtransmitter signals from “It is a serious concern and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal The arrests were made fol- age of the streets of Manali, an Indian Air Force plane that the matter will be taken up with Arup Raha said it was “unfor- lowing a complaint by the popular both with holidaying went missing last week with 29 the aircraft manufacturers,” Bar- tunate” that the aircraft has not woman that she was attacked foreigners and Indians, to help people on board, an offi cial said gotra said. been traced so far, describing it early Sunday after fl agging identify the suspects. yesterday, in the latest setback to An experienced pilot in Indian as a “very diffi cult moment.” down what she thought was The woman was being treat- a search operation in the Bay of defence forces said the mainte- Raha it was a “painful remind- a taxi and asking for a lift to a ed in hospital after she report- Bengal. nance of this equipment was an er” of the inherent risks person- nearby town. ed the attack, which took place Sixteen ships, a submarine issue. Bargotra said the search nel face in the execution of their “Two of the six accused of at about 3am, at the Manali and six aircraft have been de- will continue even it is is going to daily missions. raping an Israeli national have police station later on Sunday. ployed to search for the Russian- be a prolonged one. “IAF authorities are in con- been arrested. Both the men “She is being shifted today to made AN-32 that disappeared “We have requested the Na- stant touch with the family are locals,” said Sanjay Kumar, a bigger hospital in Mandi town on a routine re-supply fl ight to tional Institute of Ocean Tech- members of the missing person- the police chief of Himachal to carry out a proper medical ex- remote islands in the Bay of Ben- nology (NIOT) for their vessel for nel and they are being regularly Pradesh . amination,” Gandhi Ram, anoth- gal on Friday. the search operations,” he added. updated about the eff orts being “A search operation is on to er police offi cer in Manali, said. Rajan Bargotra, a senior Coast Indian Navy chief Admiral Su- made to trace the missing air- arrest the remaining four ac- India toughened punish- Guard offi cial, said the absence nil Lanba meanwhile said a total craft and personnel,” he said. cused. The vehicle involved in ments for rapists as part of an of signals from an emergency 250 hours of sorties have been The IAF remains committed the crime has also been recov- overhaul of sexual assault laws locator transmitter (ELT ) made fl own in search of the plane, and to providing the best possible ered,” Kumar added. in the wake of a fatal gang-rape the operation very diffi cult. all leads found are being fol- equipment and training to our Earlier yesterday police Su- in 2012 that shone a global “It is important to know why lowed. personnel so that they can ex- Senior Coast Guard off icial Rajan gives details of the search perintendent Padam Chand spotlight on frightening levels ELT has not worked as it could “The co-ordinated eff orts ecute their assigned missions operation for the missing AN-32 plane at a press conference in said the woman had alleged of violence against women in have helped narrow down the between Indian Navy, IAF and professionally, he said. Chennai yesterday. that there were six people in the country. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

COMMENT LAW AND ORDER WILDLIFE CRIME PEOPLE Drug lord must face justice Six arrested over killings Surfer in hospital after Four Guatemalans slain in agent’s murder: US of mayor, four others Costa Rica croc attack near Mexico border

The US Drug Enforcement Administration Six men have been arrested in connection with An American surfer was being treated in a Four Guatemalans were murdered by shots yesterday said that a veteran Mexican drug lord the murder of the mayor and four other people Costa Rican hospital after being attacked by to their heads in a house near the border with who denied killing an undercover DEA agent in a troubled town in Chiapas in southern Mexico, a crocodile so severely half a leg had to be Mexico for an unknown reason, Guatemalan must face justice in the US for the murder. Rafael off icials said. Gunmen opened fire at around amputated, local media reported. The man, police said. The killings of the two men Caro Quintero, co-founder of the now defunct 7am on Saturday during a multi-day protest in identified as Jonathan Becker, 59 and from and two women aged between 25 and 55 Guadalajara drug cartel, insisted in an interview the central square of San Juan Chamula, killing Arizona, was set upon by the crocodile while occurred in Malacatan, a town in southwestern published on Sunday by the Mexican magazine five people, including mayor Domingo Lopez crossing a river between beaches in Tamarindo, Guatemala 5kms from the border. Towns along Proceso that he did not kill DEA agent Enrique Gonzalez and two town off icials. A municipal in northwestern Costa Rica. He managed to the Mexican border have been affected by “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. DEA spokesman Rusty government driver and a town resident also were fight the reptile off and make it to shore, where increasing crime in recent years, especially Payne said the agency was unaware of the slain and about a dozen people were wounded local surfers helped him before he was taken related to drug trafficking. Guatemala forms interview and would not respond directly to it. But, and taken to hospitals. The government of to hospital. The crocodile ripped flesh from part of the notorious “Northern Triangle” of Payne said, Caro Quintero “is one of the biggest Chiapas said in a statement that “six suspects the calf of his right leg, resulting in wounds so Central American countries that are prey to Relatives wait for news outside a prison where fugitives in the history of DEA” and “we strongly have been detained as likely responsible” for the serious it had to be partially amputated, outlets extremely high levels of violence, much of it four members of the Barrio 18 group were killed believe he needs to come to the US to face justice.” attack and will be arraigned before a judge. including La Nacion and Teletica reported. attributed to vicious gangs. in Quezaltepeque, El Salvador.

Athlete reports Rio scrambles ‘police kidnap’ to be ready AFP Rio de Janeiro

New Zealand athlete liv- ing in Rio de Janeiro has Aaccused armed police of as athletes, briefl y kidnapping him and forc- ing him to go to an ATM machine to withdraw money. The incident, which the 27-year-old says took place Sat- urday, was the latest to raise wor- ries over security in Rio during the soldiers arrive Olympic Games starting August 5. “What did you guys get up to Reuters particularly aff ecting teams and Ipanema to Barra de Tijuca, yesterday? I got kidnapped. Go Rio de Janeiro from Australia, New Zealand and has suff ered repeated delays and Olympics!” tweeted Jason Lee, a Brazil. is still undergoing tests despite martial arts expert who is study- “There are some electrical is- a scheduled inauguration next ing Brazilian jiu-jitsu. ens of thousands of armed sues and some leaks,” he said, Saturday. According to Lee, he was re- troops fanned out across noting that a team of about 500 Even then, the new line will turning from a jiu-jitsu tourna- TRio de Janeiro as athletes workers is currently addressing operate only with partial service ment in a rental car when he was began to move in for the fi rst Ol- the problems. “It’s one of those until after the Olympics. stopped by two men in police ympics ever in South America. things with new buildings, but it As many as 500,000 visitors uniform riding motorbikes. In the fi nal stretch before the should not have happened.” are expected to travel to Brazil They demanded 2,000 reais Games start on August 5, more Eduardo Paes, Rio’s outspo- for the Games, many of them ($608) as a fi ne, saying his docu- than 60,000 troops took posi- ken mayor, at a press conference from the US. ments were not in order. tions across the city, part of an made light of the Australians’ Worries about security, the Lee told the New Zealand overall contingent of more than complaints, saying that repairs Zika virus and Brazil’s economic news site stuff .co.nz that when 85,000 soldiers, police and other would be made and that “I am crisis might discourage some he explained he did not have that security forces that will be de- just about to put a kangaroo in travellers and VIP guests and much money, the apparent po- ployed for the event at a time front of their building so it can around 28% of Olympic tickets lice then escorted him to a police of heightened fears after recent jump and make them feel at have yet to be sold. post and made him to get into an massacres in Germany, France home.” But authorities have left little unmarked car to drive with one and the US. The problems are not unlike to chance when it comes to pro- of them to an ATM. Meanwhile, authorities re- those before other big specta- tecting delegations and specta- According to Lee, when he routed traffi c in Barra de Tijuca, cles in Brazil, like the 2014 World tors. went to report the incident at a site of many game venues and Cup, for which stadium crews The massive troop deploy- police station later, he was told the Olympic Village, which will were still wielding paintbrushes ment, over twice that in place by an offi cer there “even we are house more than 11,000 athletes, and screwdrivers even minutes for the 2012 London Olympics, afraid” of the offi cers who alleg- coaches and staff . before kickoff . is meant to deter the sort of vio- edly carried out the assault. Olympic organisers are still The new subway line, which lence and street crime that are Yesterday, the police depart- scrambling to fi nish everything will connect the popular seaside common in Rio, a chaotic me- ment dedicated to dealing with from a beach volleyball venue to neighbourhoods of Copacabana tropolis of 12mn people. tourist matters issued a statement a new subway line, set to open confi rming that Lee had made the just days before the opening cer- Police arrest last Olympic attack plot suspect complaint about a “stop suppos- emony. edly by the military police.” At the village, where lines Brazilian police have arrested preparing attacks and had “An inquiry is being carried formed as athletes began check- the last remaining member of attempted to make contact out to investigate the crime,” the ing in, work crews were still what authorities have called online with an arms dealer statement said. making last minute repairs. an “amateur” IS-linked group in Paraguay to buy an AK-47 A senior offi cial regards crime a The Australian team’s refusal preparing attacks ahead of assault rifle. Justice Minister greater risk to the Olympics than to move into unfi nished living the Rio Olympics. The other 11 Alexandre de Moraes, however, terrorism, a rational concern accommodations follows local members were arrested earlier has said the members were given Rio’s persistent struggles media reports that some team and have been transferred to “absolutely amateur” and curbing violent criminal groups delegations, concerned over a maximum security prison “disorganised.” He also said and improving citizen security. similar issues, had sought to hire near the border with Paraguay, they had no specific targets. In an interview with Folha de their own maintenance crews off icials said. The group is The final member, who will Sao Paulo, Brazilian Justice Min- in order to make their quarters alleged to have attempted to be sent to federal prison, was ister Alexandre de Moraes said he suitable. form an extremist cell of which located by military police in does not consider terrorism the Mario Andrada, a spokesman several members had sworn Comodoro, a city in the western top security threat to the Olym- for the local organising commit- loyalty to the Islamic State state of Mato Grosso, off icials pics. “Crime is a greater concern A Brazilian Air Force personnel stands guard at the arrival level of the Galeao International airport in Rio tee, said organisers are aware of group. They were allegedly said in a statement. than terrorism,” Moraes asserted. de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. the problems with some rooms, Schoolchildren express Decision on Maduro hunger in drawings recall vote today AFP a second petition to be signed Caracas by 20% of voters, around 4mn Reuters global oil prices, Venezuela has quately, and some teachers had people. Caracas been in recession since early also fainted from hunger. The opposition MUD coali- 2014. “It’s dramatic, what we are enezuela’s electoral au- tion organised the initial peti- It suff ers from the world’s going through,” Hidalgo said. thorities will today an- tion which it said gathered 2mn hen children at a highest infl ation and is ex- “What kind of Venezuela are Vnounce whether moves to signatures. Catholic-run school periencing shortages of basic we going to have in 10 years?” stage a recall referendum against But many of those were dis- Win a poor neighbour- goods, from milk to medicines. Critics say Venezuela’s crisis President Nicolas Maduro can go carded, and the National Elec- hood of Venezuela’s Caracas is the fault of economic policies ahead after verifying signatures toral Council went on to invali- capital began fainting from “It’s dramatic, what we are under President Nicolas Ma- on an opposition-organised pe- date 600,000 more signatures. hunger, teachers asked them going through. What kind duro and his predecessor, Hugo tition. But the MUD says the remain- to draw or describe their most of Venezuela are we going Chavez. The outcome could open the ing signatures — twice of what is recent meals and what they ex- to have in 10 years?” But the government says it way to a vote to oust Maduro, the needed — have all been authen- pected to eat next. is the victim of an “economic chosen successor to late presi- ticated, with supporters submit- The responses were shock- Huge lines at shops and war” led by opposition politi- dent Hugo Chavez who is rul- ting fi ngerprints as proof. ing. pharmacies are now the norm, cians, businessmen and the US. ing over an economy crippled It is seeking to have the refer- Some of the 478 kindergar- and hungry residents are Alexis Marin, who runs by mismanagement and low oil endum held before January 10, ten and primary students had quickly stripping the nation’s the food programme for state prices. 2016, which would trigger fresh gone without breakfast and lush mango, coconut and pa- schools, said children were re- But the government has said elections. were skipping other meals. paya trees. ceiving proper supplies. the petition is riddled with fake If a recall vote were held after Others expected to eat only Depicting their latest meals, “With all the economic signatures and stated the refer- that date and succeeds, the con- bread, yucca or “arepa,” a form some students at Padre Jose war, they couldn’t destroy the endum cannot happen this year. stitution calls for Maduro to be of cornmeal fl atbread that is a Maria Velaz drew just mangoes school food programme,” he The head of the National Elec- replaced by his loyal vice presi- local staple. and plantains. told state TV. toral Council, Tibisay Lucena, dent, Aristobulo Isturiz. The drawings and texts at the One said he had eaten rice The children at Padre Jose told the Televen television net- Public support for Maduro has Padre Jose Maria Velaz school and beans for breakfast, lunch Maria Velaz at least had a work that the result would be plummeted amid scarcities of in western Caracas are another and dinner. Another said he happy reprieve: Nearby pri- given today. food and other basic goods. symptom of the oil-rich South had no breakfast. “We are wait- vate textile company Telares de For a referendum to be con- The president, who claims American nation’s deep eco- ing for food. I have pasta for Palo Grande and local charity A drawing shows what a student ate during the day at a Catholic templated, the signatures of just Venezuela is the victim of a plot nomic crisis and its eff ects on lunch,” he added. “I’m hungry.” Mi Convive recently organised school in Caracas, Venezuela. The student wrote, “I had plantain under 200,000 voters — 1% of by shadowy economic forces, nutrition and eating habits. School director Maria a party around a healthy meat and egg with butter for breakfast, for lunch I had soup or pasta with the registered electorate — have has invoked a state of emergency Due to the faltering social- Hidalgo said one in four chil- soup for all to mark the end of butter, for dinner on one day I had bread, on another plantain and to be verifi ed on the petition. and given greater powers to the ist economy and the plunge in dren there were eating inade- the school year. meat, and one other day we had nothing.” The next step would then be military. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 19 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Shariah body may back law to check honour killings

Internews The clause proposes that hon- Meanwhile, PPP Senator Islamabad our killing be declared a non- Farhatullah Babar, who has compoundable off ence. been instrumental in push- The CII, however, says nega- ing the proposed law, said that he constitutional body tion of a ‘compromise’ between the views of Islamic scholars that advises the legisla- the accused and the victim’s and clerics have been accom- Tture on the compatibility family is un-Islamic because it is modated by the parliamentary of laws with Shariah is likely to permissible in Shariah. committee that has drafted the endorse a proposed law against A CII member, Abdullah, said bill. honour killings in the country, it honour killing has been accepted “We have satisfied them was learnt from a senior offi cial. as a compoundable off ence in the [Ulema],” he added. A formal announcement will, proposed law but it will be the About a proposed 25-year however, be made by the Coun- prerogative of the judge hear- jail term in honour killing cas- cil of Islamic Ideology (CII) once ing the case to accept or reject a es, Senator Babar said the law the draft on the Honour Killing compromise “which is good”. would not allow any remis- Bill 2016 is tabled in parliament, Abdullah, who has also served sion to the convict in his/her added the offi cial who works at as chief secretary of Khyber- imprisonment.“The convict will the council’s secretariat. Pakhtunkhwa, says the judge not be entitled to any remission A supporter of All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference (APHC) chants slogans with others to condemn the violence in Kashmir during a “Apparently, a parliamentary should have the power to deter- and he/she will have to complete demonstration in Islamabad yesterday. panel has already addressed the mine whether or not a compro- 25 years in jail.” reservations voiced by the CII,” mise is acceptable. “The judge According to some legal ex- the offi cial said while requesting will have to make sure the com- perts, the provincial govern- anonymity.“I think the council’s promise has not been reached ments will have to make amend- objections have been taken care under duress by the accused ments in their jail manuals to of.” party.” deprive the right of remission to Daily urges Pakistan, India The CII has already ruled While serving as chief secre- the convicts of honour killing of- against crimes committed in the tary Abdullah had seen several fence. name of honour. Nonetheless, cases where the victim’s family However, Abdullah believes it has objected to one of the was either coerced or lured with there will be no need to amend clauses of the proposed law money into a compromise. the jail manual to deny the con- to put aside hardline stances which, it believes, is repugnant And the judges had no option victs remissions. “All it needs to Islamic injunctions. but to accept it. will be an executive order.” IANS rent circumstances (in Jammu Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sue on regional or international Islamabad and Kashmir) by its mainstream declared he was waiting for the level has ever truly been resolved politicians will only undermine day when Jammu and Kashmir, through warfare. its own stance,” the Daily Times where violent protests following “There is simply one solution akistan was yesterday said in an editorial. the killing of a rebel commander to this festering problem...a po- Afghan civilian casualties urged by a leading news- It said that raising slogans on July 8 has left over 45 people litical settlement acceptable to Ppaper not to sour its “al- “that sour Pakistan’s already dead, would become a part of all parties.” ready precarious relationship” precarious relationship with its Pakistan. For that, Pakistan and India with India by making controver- neighbour (India) is not a solu- “Pakistan should also refrain must put aside their hardline soar to record high, says UN sial statements on Kashmir. tion that could work in either from giving the impression that stances aside and fi gure out a “As far as Pakistan is con- short or long run”. it supports any kind of armed long-term solution to the Kash- cerned, politicking of the cur- The warning came days after struggle in Kashmir as no is- mir dispute, it said. AFP Assistance Mission in Afghanistan shameful”. It was the highest toll Kabul (UNAMA) said. ever recorded by the UN over a The casualties have reached six-month period. their highest level since the UN The statistics are a grim in- ivilian casualties in Af- began issuing its authoritative dicator of growing insecurity in ghanistan soared to a reports in 2009. Afghanistan as the Taliban step Pakistani group asks Jakarta to pardon drug convict Crecord high in the fi rst “Every single casualty docu- up their nationwide insurgen- half of 2016, the UN said yester- mented in this report – people cy and the Islamic State group day, with children in particular killed while praying, working, seeks to expand their foothold in AFP execution is imminent. our Muslim allies and save an in- session of 300 grams of heroin. paying a heavy price for growing studying, fetching water, recov- the east of the country. Islamabad Rights groups including Am- nocent Pakistani’s life.” He was not allowed access to insecurity as the confl ict esca- ering in hospitals – every civil- The UN report said insurgent nesty International have ex- Pakistan’s deputy ambassador a lawyer until about one month lates. ian casualty represents a failure groups including the Taliban pressed serious concerns about in Jakarta, Syed Zahid Raza, said after his arrest, the group said in The UN report, which comes of commitment and should be were responsible for the majori- rights group urged Islama- Ali’s conviction, alleging it arose earlier yesterday his embassy has a statement in May. days after the deadliest attack a call to action for parties to the ty – 60% – of civilian casualties. bad yesterday to try to halt out of beatings and torture and “approached all the concerned It added that while Ali was in Kabul since the Taliban were confl ict to take meaningful steps But it also reported a 47% in- Athe execution of a Pakistani he did not have a fair trial. high offi cials to convince them being interrogated by police, ousted from power in 2001, cited to reduce suff ering,” UNAMA crease in the number of casual- drug convict in Indonesia after his Maryam Haq, legal director that it was not a fair trial”. he was kept in a house for three increasing ground combat around chief Tadamichi Yamamoto said. ties caused by pro-government family was notifi ed he would soon at the Justice Project Pakistan Rights groups have claimed days and punched, kicked and heavily populated areas as the “Platitudes not backed by forces, compared to the same face a fi ring squad. (JPP), said: “He was tortured Ali, sentenced to death in 2005 threatened with death unless leading cause of casualties. meaningful action ring hollow period last year. Zulfiqar Ali, 52, was trans- relentlessly and deprived of his for heroin possession, was beat- he signed a self-incriminating Between January and June, 1,601 over time.” The report comes after the ferred yesterday to Nusakam- most basic legal rights. en into confessing. statement, which he later did. civilians were killed and 3,565 were The casualties include 1,509 deadliest attack for 15 years in bangan prison island off Java “Given that there is stronger Amnesty said Ali, a father of He was hospitalised and re- wounded – a four percent increase children – roughly one-third Kabul on Saturday killed 80 peo- where executions take place, evidence to support his innocence six, was arrested at his home in quired stomach and kidney in casualties compared to the same of the total – a fi gure the UN ple and left hundreds maimed, and Indonesian authorities than guilt, it is now time for the West Java province on November surgery after the beatings, the period last year, the United Nations described as “alarming and an assault claimed by IS. have told Pakistani officials his President of Pakistan to appeal to 21, 2004, and charged with pos- statement continued. Afghan Scouts learn to identify and avoid landmines

AFP Kabul

n his blue cap and green Scouts shirt, 16-year-old IAref Qasemi sits in a room in Kabul with dozens of other boys and girls, his eyes barely making it over the shoulders of his fellow Scouts. Under the dim lights they at fi rst appear like any other gig- gling Scout troop. Then the subject of the bright images projected on the wall sinks in: mines, of diff er- ent shapes and sizes, and other pieces of unexploded ordnance. Aref and his friends are not learning how to kayak or build a campfi re, the usual things learned by Scouts in other countries, but how to identify and avoid these deadly, brutal weapons. Millions of mines, impro- vised explosive devices (IEDs) Afghan Scouts attend a class at Scouts training centre in Kabul. Afghan Scouts listen to a deminer as they attend a class at the Scouts training centre in Kabul. and other pieces of ordnance are scattered across Afghanistan, was fi rst initiated in 1931, says of 34 provinces, according to mullahs our training manuals, “Sarandoi” – was adopted by away from drug use is what mat- when scouting was hailed as a the legacy of more than three national training commissioner Mohamed Tamim Hamkar, the and argue to convince them a law enforcement. ters,” he says. good and accepted part of the decades of war. Gul Ahmad Mustafa. Afghan program’s manager. campfi re doesn’t mean wor- “While scouting can thrive It also provides a rare path for culture,” Mustafa, the training They kill and maim dozens of Things however fell apart dur- Like fellow Scouts worldwide, shipping fi re or blasphemy,” the when supported by people, some girls, who Hamkar says make up commissioner, says. people each month, according ing the Soviet occupation of Af- they play games, learn fi rst aid 34-year-old adds. here are taking our boys for po- nearly 40 percent of Scouts na- It may yet be years before the to UN data – including, dispro- ghanistan in the 1980s, followed and fi eld crafts – but, lacking At times the children are asso- lice, thinking we are part of the tionwide. Afghan scouting programme is portionately, curious children at by civil war and Taliban rule, funds and facing spiralling vio- ciated with police, a dangerous interior ministry,” Hamkar said. While troops are segregated once again recognised interna- play. when traditional scouting was lence and insecurity, adventures perception in a country where There are rays of light too, by gender, the sexes do mix for tionally, organisers admit. “I once witnessed two of my banned. such as camping and hiking are law enforcement – accused of however. important subjects like mine “We started from zero, made friends killed when they picked But in 2010 the international all but impossible. many rights abuses and widely In a nation plagued by decades awareness. a lot of undeniable progress in up a piece of (unexploded ord- aid organisation PARSA, which Sometimes even simple mis- distrusted – are regularly tar- of violence and rampant drug The perception of Scouts in developing the Afghan scouting nance), thinking it was a piece of works to help children and wom- understandings can put people geted by insurgents. use, scouting gives some young the country is slowly improving, program, but we have to go much metal they could sell,” Aref says. en in Afghanistan, began at- in danger in Afghanistan’s ultra- Earlier this month more than people a path. Hamkar says. “We have been hav- further to reach a satisfactory “Learning how to identify and tempts to revive the movement, conservative culture. 30 young police cadets were “I have learned a lot from be- ing TV shows on the importance level,” says Hamkar. deal with mines is very impor- training troops of boys and girls Some years ago a campfi re killed in a suicide attack just ing a Scout – discipline in life, of scouting, to change the wrong He pauses, then adds: “But we tant. fi rst in remote Ghor province singalong in Kabul had to be a few miles from where Aref’s self-reliance and how to help impression about scouting.” are determined. These lessons might one day and in orphanages in Kabul. abruptly halted after mullahs scout troop was meeting. others,” says humble-looking “Sometimes when I see peo- Even if it requires the patience save my and my family’s life.” Today, more than 400 lead- accused the children of worship- The mistake stems in part 15-year-old Ehsanullah. ple praise our boys for contrib- of the Prophet Ayoub (Job), we Scouting has a long and proud ers have been trained and some ping fi re, says Hamkar. from the 1970s and 80s, when “But to learn how to be a good uting to society, it brings back will do it. history in Afghanistan, where it 2,000 Scouts are active in 13 out “We were forced to show the scouting’s local Pashto name – person, avoid violence and keep memories of good old times, We will get there.” Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 PHILIPPINES No mercy in crime war: Duterte President devotes large chunk of inaugural State of the Nation Address to his law and order campaign

Agencies Manila

hilippine President Rod- rigo Duterte vowed yester- Pday to show “no mercy” in his bloody war on crime, warn- ing criminals that priests and human rights advocates cannot protect them from being killed. A defi ant Duterte devoted a large chunk of his inaugural State of the Nation Address to his law and order campaign, which has claimed hundreds of lives since he took offi ce on June 30. “Show no mercy to them be- President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation cause they are not showing any Address yesterday. mercy to us anyway,” Duterte told lawmakers as he summa- on streets across the nation. wildly popular with many Fili- rised his orders to security forces ABS-CBN television has re- pinos. to eliminate alleged drug lords. corded 544 deaths since election He scored an unprecedented Duterte, 71, won the May elec- day. trust rating of 91% in a survey by tion in a landslide after promis- Yesterday Duterte declared independent pollster Pulse Asia ing to quickly eradicate crime by there would be no let-up in the this month. Duterte’s supporters clench fists during a rally outside the House of Representatives ahead of the president’s speech, in Quezon city, Metro Manila. unleashing security forces with campaign, ordering police and Church groups in the largely shoot-to-kill orders, and vowing local offi cials to “double your ef- Catholic nation, rights advo- cluding plans for new trains and helped to stifl e its implementa- He welcomed a landmark July from a teleprompter, he started that tens of thousands of people forts, triple them if need be.” cates and some sections of the airports, as well as free Internet tion. 12 arbitration ruling that invali- to ignore it and veered far off would die during his six-year “We will not stop until the last media have criticised the war Wi-Fi in public parks. “The poor (must) have free- dated China’s vast claims and script, attracting both applause term. drug lord, the last fi nancier and on crime and expressed alarm at “I am for the comfort and wel- dom of informed choice on the said international law should be and laughter. Police have reported killing the last pusher have surrendered what they have termed extraju- fare of the Filipino,” he said. number and spacing of children observed and solutions found for A speech expected to last ap- more than 200 drug suspects, or or put behind bars or below the dicial killings. Duterte also vowed to imple- they can adequately care and “peaceful resolution and man- proximately 40 minutes went on an average of 11 per day, since he ground if they so wish,” he said Duterte reiterated his plans to ment a landmark law mandat- provide for,” Duterte said. agement” of confl icts. for one hour and 32 minutes. assumed offi ce. to loud cheers. shift to a federal form of govern- ing the government to provide On the economic front, Du- His address was widely an- The budget for his address, They have insisted they have He said 120,000 people had ment that devolves power from free contraceptives to poor cou- terte said he would cut personal ticipated and the buildup domi- normally a top event on the so- only killed people in self-de- surrendered to police in the past central government to the re- ples and teach sex education in and corporate tax rates, without nated by promises by his aides of cial calendar of the country’s fence. month, and 70,000 were drug gions, saying France should be schools. giving fi gures. a rousing speech that would stir political and showbiz elite, was Media tallies have put the pushers. the model. The law was passed during He was noticeably brief in his patriotism. scaled back dramatically and death toll far higher, taking into “The sheer number and prob- Duterte also outlined a range of the previous administration of remarks about a festering dis- But, as has become typical of Duterte told guests to dress account the many bullet-rid- lem will drown us,” he said. measures to help address many Benigno Aquino but opposition pute with China over the South the Duterte’s unconventional down, refl ecting his disdain for dled or stabbed corpses found Duterte’s message has proved daily grievances of Filipinos, in- from the Catholic Church has China Sea. style, after 30 minutes reading opulence and lavish spending. Arroyo returns to Congress President declares truce After four years in detention, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now representing the second district of Pampanga, with communist rebels returned to the House of Representatives yesterday Agencies The communists’ armed scribed as “political prisoners.” for the opening session of the Manila wing, the New People’s Army, Duterte, who counts exiled 17th Congress. is believed to have fewer than rebel leader Jose Maria Sison Arroyo, wearing a polo barong 4,000 gunmen today, down as a friend, had said in recent and a neck brace, joined hilippine President Ro- from a peak of 26,000 in the weeks he was prepared to release the traditional breakfast of drigo Duterte yesterday 1980s, according to the military. 11 communist members to take congressmen. She later went Pannounced a unilateral But it retains support among part in the talks. to her office on the second ceasefi re with communist rebels the deeply poor in rural areas, His aides have already held floor before proceeding to the waging one of Asia’s longest and its forces regularly kill police preliminary discussions with session hall for the election of insurgencies, saying it is his or troops while extorting money Sison and other senior com- House officials. “dream” to end the rebellion. from local businesses. munist leaders, during which In the afternoon, the former In his fi rst State of the Nation Duterte, who assumed the they agreed to resume the peace president attended the first Address to Congress, Duterte presidency on June 30 after a process in Norway on August 20. State of the Nation Address of called for the rebels to recipro- landslide election win, said yes- The National Democratic President Rodrigo Duterte. cate as he laid the groundwork terday it was time to stop the Front of the Philippines, one Arroyo was under hospital for peace talks due to begin in violence. of the communist leadership arrest at the Veteran’s Memorial Norway next month. “We are going nowhere and it groups, welcomed Duterte’s Medical Centre (VMMC) for “To immediately stop vio- is getting bloodier by the day,” ceasefi re declaration and an- plunder in connection with the lence on the ground (and) re- he said. nounced its readiness to recip- alleged misuse of P366mn in store peace in the communities I Duterte’s predecessor Be- rocate. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes am now announcing a unilateral nigno Aquino revived negotia- In a statement, it signalled it Office (PCSO) intelligence funds ceasefi re,” Duterte told lawmak- tions soon after taking offi ce in fi rst wanted the amnesty for its from 2008 to 2010. ers. 2010 but shelved them in 2013, detained rebels but that it ex- She was released on Friday after “We will strive to have a per- accusing the rebels of being in- pected this to happen by August the Supreme Court dismissed manent and lasting peace before sincere about a political settle- 20. her plunder case for lack of my term ends. That is my goal, ment. Duterte describes himself as evidence. that is my dream.” The talks collapsed after his a socialist and was a student of Arroyo, in a television The communist insurgency government rejected the rebels’ Sison, a political science profes- interview, lamented that has killed about 30,000 people demand to release scores of their sor, at a Manila university in the Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos (in blue) attends the legislature session and the State of the she was a victim of political since the 1960s. jailed comrades, whom they de- 1960s. Nation Address yesterday. persecution. Militant groups allowed to hold rally near House

Manila Times ermo Lorenzo Eleazar, acting di- tractualisation of workers, stem Manila rector of the Quezon City Police unemployment and underem- District (QCPD). ployment, address landlessness An estimated 30,000 mem- of huge number of farmers, pov- n the day that President bers of various groups marched erty and hunger, militarisation Rodrigo Duterte deliv- to the Batasan Pambansa yes- on many rural areas and human Oered his fi rst State of the terday. rights violations, among many Nation Address, change was pal- Reyes said his group was hap- other concerns. pable. py because they were allowed Renato Magtubo, national For the fi rst time in years, there near the House of Representa- chairman of Partido Mangga- were no barbed wires, container tives. gawa (PM), and Reinhart Nu- vans, military tanks or phalanxes “He (Duterte) did what was ena of Protect Mindanao Group, of policemen clashing with ral- agreed on when we went to Ma- agreed with Reyes. lyists at Commonwealth Avenue lacañang to ask permission to get “Contractualisation, just like in Quezon City or in areas near near Batasan,” he told reporters. drugs, destroys lives, wrecks the House of Representatives. Reyes said they held a rally to families and ruins the future of Also for the fi rst time, mili- show their support to the presi- the youth,” Magtubo said. tant groups were allowed near dent. He described Duterte as “How can a decent life for a the House of Representatives as a leader who understands the family be sustained when bread- early as 8am. militant groups’ grievances. winners are paid poverty wages “This is historic because we “The big diff erence today is without benefi ts and who lose were never allowed to reach the president. The president un- their jobs after fi ve months? We Batasan Road since I joined ral- derstands. The president is not would like to see big time push- lies in 1992,” Renato Reyes, Bay- afraid to listen,” he said. ers of contractualisation, among an national chairman, said. He said they continued their whom are the richest capitalists, In the past SONAs, container tradition of holding a “people’s be penalised as criminals,” he vans were used to blocked rally- SONA” because it is where the real added. ists from getting near the House. situation of the country can be The peaceful holding of SONA The leadership of the Philip- elevated by simple folks like work- rallies pleased PNP chief Ronald pine National Police decided ers, farmers and the urban poor. “Bato” dela Rosa. not to put up barricades because Reyes however clarifi ed that Dela Rosa said it was the fi rst militant groups led by Bagong despite their “alliance” with time that policemen deployed Philippine boxing icon and now Senator Manny Pacquiao poses for Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) the Duterte administration, his to keep the peace did not feel Former Philippine president and now congresswoman Gloria Arroyo photos with Vice-president Leni Robredo as they arrive to attend the promised to hold a peaceful rally, group will continue to push the threatened by protesting mili- arrives to attend the legislature session and State of the Nation Ad- State of the Nation Address yesterday. according to Senior Supt Guill- government to stop the con- tant groups. dress. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Small details can Nepali president seeks boost traffi cking victims’ faith in consensus for new PM law, says judge Reuters aide Bhesh Raj Adhikari said. “There is no possibility of Kathmandu “The country has many prob- us joining,” senior UML offi - lems and all major parties must cial Pradip Gyawali said. “We’ll Thomson Reuters Foundation Men are traffi cked to India, unite to resolve them.” remain a strong opposition.” Kathmandu the Middle East and South- epal’s president held Nepal has been in a political Political instability has played east Asia to work on con- talks with leaders of crisis since September when a out against the backdrop of a struction sites, in hotels and Nthree main political par- constituent assembly approved contest for infl uence between ack of awareness of the restaurants. ties yesterday to come up with a a new constitution amid a politi- neighbours India and China. law and the social stig- The workers send home vi- consensus candidate for prime cal row with minority Madhesis India has long considered the Lma around human traf- tal remittances which make minister and try to end revolv- in the southern plains over the Himalayan nation its area of in- fi cking keep many victims in up nearly 30% of the coun- ing-door politics that has seen creation of federal states under fl uence, and has often faced ac- Nepal from approaching the try’s annual gross domestic 23 governments in 26 years. the new system. cusations of interference from courts, even as the number of product. Prime Minister K P Oli, fac- Ethnic Madhesis, who have Nepal. such cases being prosecuted is Many, however, face abus- ing defeat in a no-confi dence long complained of neglect by a India rejects the allegations slowly rising, a district court es such as lack of freedom vote in parliament brought ruling elite drawn from the hill but has grown concerned about judge said. of movement, long working by his allies, the former Mao- region, said the creation of the China’s involvement in Nepal’s Some 8,500 Nepalis are hours, unsafe working condi- ist rebels, resigned on Sunday, states would marginalise them infrastructure development. traffi cked every year, accord- tions and withholding of their opening the way for a political by dividing their homeland. Prospects for stability remain ing to the National Human salaries, say activists. tussle to lead the country of Maoist chief Prachanda said dim, at least until elections Rights Commission. Only a “These cases must also be 28mn people. the outgoing administration scheduled for 2018, analysts say. few hundred cases come to the tried as traffi cking cases, as we President Vidhya Devi failed to address grievances of “Nepal’s leaders have once courts, Tek Narayan Kunwar can deal with them quicker,” Bhandari had invited Oli, Mao- the plains people. He is con- more demonstrated that they are said. Kunwar said. ist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal sidered the frontrunner to suc- obsessed with politics as usual “It is a small but still signifi - “You can’t ban people from ‘Prachanda’ and the leader of ceed Oli, with the support of the at a time when they should be cant number, and an improve- going abroad to work, but we the Nepali Congress party, Sher Nepali Congress. working to rescue the economy,” ment from before,” Kunwar, need to be vigilant and pun- Bahadur Deuba, to discuss a Oli’s communist UML party said Kunda Dixit, editor of the judge at the Chitwan district ish those who exploit them,” new government, an aide to the said it would not support the Nepali Times weekly. court in Bharatpur, said. he said. president said. Maoists’ bid for power after Nepal’s economy grew by “People are still not aware Nepal “inconsistently im- “The meeting is to tell them to they had brought down Oli’s 0.77% in the year to July 15, the Bidhya Devi Bhandari: ‘The country has many problems and all major of their rights, or they are too plemented” anti-traffi cking move ahead unitedly,” president government. lowest rate since 2001/02. parties must unite to resolve them.’ scared to fi le a police com- laws, as many government plaint. They are also afraid offi cials continue to employ of the social stigma in the a narrow defi nition of human village,” he said. traffi cking, the US Depart- In his court, Kunwar has a ment of State said in its 2016 help desk for victims, the op- Traffi cking in Persons report. Source of tion to do a video conference, The Nepal government Mill worker arrested over or give in-camera testimony. prosecuted alleged traffi ckers Even ensuring that the toilet in 341 cases in the year to July arms used for women is clean, that there 2015, the report said, taking is drinking water, and that the on the prosecution of cross- progress of the case is posted border traffi cking cases. At the by cafe boy’s gruesome killing on the notice board helps build district level, courts convicted confi dence, he said. 260 traffi ckers during the fis- “You have to take care of the cal year, compared with 203 attackers AFP employed in hazardous industries. underage employment, he said. na, sparking furious protests little things; they make a big traffi ckers the previous year, Dhaka “We have arrested the mill’s Police inspector Jasim Ud- demanding justice for the child. diff erence to the victim,” Kun- it said. assistant administrative offi cer. din, who is investigating the Two men have been sen- war said. Activists say cases of traf- traced We’ve also launched a hunt for death, said senior mill em- tenced to death over that case. Nepal, both a source and fi cking increased after twin angladesh police yester- others accused including three ployees had been “angry” with Nationwide demonstrations a destination country for earthquakes struck Nepal last day arrested a spinning production managers who were the boy and his father who also were also held last July over the forced labour and traffi cking, year in April and May, which IANS Bmill worker for allegedly named in the case,” Rupganj worked there for entering a lynching of another 13-year- strengthened its anti-traffi ck- killed some 8,800 people and Dhaka torturing a nine-year-old boy police chief Ismail Hossain restricted area. old boy, who was tied to a pole ing law in 2007. Its implemen- left about 2mn homeless. to death with an air compressor, said. The boy had apparently gone and beaten to death after he was tation remains uneven how- Kunwar, who was named the second such incident in less Hours after the arrest, police to clean near a compressor at accused of stealing a bicycle. ever, with most victims being the best judge in 2013 by the olice in Dhaka have traced than a year, offi cers said. also raided the mill, one of the the mill, which supplies yarn to Six men were sentenced to women and children from ru- Judicial Council of Nepal, is the source of the state-of- Sagar Barman died of inter- country’s largest, and rescued textile factories making clothes death for that killing in the city ral areas with limited access to credited with introducing Pthe-art weaponry used to nal injuries in a Dhaka hospital 27 child workers, many of them for Western retailers. of Sylhet, which was captured resources and little knowledge several measures to speed attack an upscale cafe in Dhaka late on Sunday after his family aged under 14, Hossain said. “They inserted a high pres- on video and uploaded onto so- of the legal process. up traffi cking trials. He has on July 1 that killed 22 people, a alleges eight workers were in- “The children were returned sure nozzle through his rectum cial media. The boy was heard Besides commercial sex also taken steps to make top offi cial said yesterday. volved in forcing the compres- to their families. There are and turned on the machine. He pleading for his life. work, women are also traf- the process less onerous for “We are trying to arrest those sor into the boy’s rectum and some 4,000 workers in the fac- fell seriously ill immediately Mills and other factories are fi cked for forced marriages victims, ensure stiff er sen- who supplied the weapons,” the turning on the machine. tory,” he said, adding that police and was transferred to a Dhaka barred from hiring workers and domestic work, with tences and compensation Daily Star quoted Bangladesh In- The boy also worked at the suspect still more children were hospital where he died hours under the age of 18. But Unicef China and South Korea for victims. spector General of Police (IGP) A Zubaida Textile Mills in Rup- employed there. later,” Hossain said. estimates that 4.9mn children emerging as new destina- “They have already suff ered K M Shahidul Hoque as saying. ganj town, just south of the Police were still searching The incident comes after a aged from fi ve to 14 are work- tions in addition to India so much, and they are tak- “The arms used in the attacks capital Dhaka, one of millions for the mill’s owner and man- 13-year-old boy was killed in ing in numerous industries in and the Middle East, the ing a big step in coming for- were not very modern. We have of child labourers in impov- agers who have fl ed since the the same way last August in Bangladesh, many in hazardous National Human Rights ward. We have to protect and found the source from where erished Bangladesh, many boy’s death and face charges of the southwestern city of Khul- conditions and for little pay. Commission said. encourage them,” he said. the attackers got them (arms),” Hoque said, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The police chief had on Sun- day announced that the master- Irrigation project ceremony minds behind the Dhaka attack Romanian trekker have been identifi ed and their arrest is “a matter of time”. Hoque reiterated the need for is found dead a social movement against mili- tancy and mentioned that those running militant groups in Bang- AFP away by the river swollen ladesh have been identifi ed. Kathmandu because of monsoon rains,” He also mentioned that educa- Bajracharya said. tional institutions of the country Her body has been tak- are under vigilance as the ter- 26-year-old Roma- en to the tourist town of rorists who have been identifi ed nian has been found Pokhara for a post mortem, behind the recent attacks were Adead in Nepal after he said. students. going missing a week ago Nepal’s snow-capped Seven terrorists on July 1 at- while trekking alone in the peaks are a popular hiking tacked the Holey Artisan Bakery popular Annapurna re- destination, with around and O’ Kitchen Restaurant in gion, a police offi cer said 150,000 trekkers visiting Gulshan’s high-security dip- yesterday. the Annapurna and Everest lomatic enclave. They killed 22 The unnamed woman was regions every year. people, including 18 foreigners apparently swept away by a But the industry has suf- and two policemen, until the se- swollen river she was trying fered since a massive earth- curity forces ended the 12-hour to cross in the western dis- quake hit the Himalayan siege rescuing 13 hostages. trict of Kaski at an altitude nation in April 2015, killing Although the Islamic State of nearly 2,000m (6,560ft). almost 9,000 people. (IS) has reportedly claimed the A search and rescue team In October 2014 a major responsibility of the attack, found her body on a bank of snowstorm ripped across the government maintains that the river late on Sunday, said the Annapurna circuit, kill- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena (centre), and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (centre, left) taking part in a ceremony to the home grown militant outfi t district police offi cer Gajur ing 43 hikers, guides and mark the start of construction on an irrigation project in Moragahakanda yesterday. The $220mn irrigation project is expected to help Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) Siddhi Bajracharya. porters during peak trekking tens of thousands of farmers in the northwestern, northern and eastern parts of the island. was behind the attack. “We believe she was swept season. Deals with China will be honoured: Nepal leaders

IANS ture and connectivity sectors hind the toppling of the Oli gov- the Oli-led government with li Congress and the Maoist change of guard in Kathmandu. to the post of prime minister. Kathmandu and signed Nepal-China transit ernment aimed at derailing the India and China will be imple- Centre want to topple the Oli Incidentally, Minister for “For the last 10 years I am con- treaty which for the fi rst time deals with China. mented,” said Nepali Congress government. Information and Communi- stantly in touch with the Chi- ended India’s monopoly over president Sher Bahadur Deuba “There were rumours and cation Sher Dhan Rai recently nese leaders. The Chinese am- ven as a section of the In- Nepal’s third-country trade. “There were rumours and in parliament on Sunday. speculation about whether said that the reason behind top- bassador in Nepal has informed dian media sees resigna- During his visit to China in speculation about whether “We will honour them,” said the new government would pling the Oli government was to me that Chinese leadership will Etion of K P Sharma Oli as March, Oli struck several deals the new government would Deuba who is the man behind not implement the accords postpone the visit of Chinese be happy with my becoming Nepal’s prime minister a vin- that prompted China to be Ne- not implement the accords the comeback of Communist and understandings signed president. The visit would have the prime minister,” Prachanda dication of India’s stand, top pal’s partner in a big way. And and understandings signed Party of Nepal-Maoist chairman by the Oli government. But I opened doors for more Chinese claimed. Nepali leaders say the country it was speculated that the deals by the Oli government” Puspha Kamal Dahal aka ‘Prach- am assuring that all the pacts investments in Nepal. He also assured the people will implement accords with meant the end of India’s clout in anda’ as the next prime minister signed by Oli, who is my good “Nepali Congress and the that deals signed with China will both China and India. Nepal. However, top leaders in Ne- of Nepal. friend, will be implemented,” Maoists are really frightened be honoured by the next govern- One of the prime reasons India With Oli’s departure, people pal say that all agreements with “We have to keep good rela- said Deuba. with the scheduled visit of Chi- ment. was not happy with Oli was his in Kathmandu have been con- both India and China will be tions with India and China,” The Chinese president is slat- nese president,” Rai had said. “My party and I were behind growing tilt towards China. Oli cerned that agreements with respected. Deuba said in his statement in ed to visit Nepal in October, and However, Maoist leader Prach- the deals signed during Oli’s continued to woo Chinese in- China will not be honoured. “We would like to assure that parliament while replying to a there is speculation whether that anda said last week that “China visit to China,” he claimed in this vestment in energy, infrastruc- Some even saw a conspiracy be- agreements and deals signed by question as to why the Nepa- visit will be postponed due to will be happy” with his elevation regard. Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran ‘Remainers’ must carry on

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar with the Battle for Britain [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Put plainly, English nationalist party and the former 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) animosity toward the political arm of the Irish Republican 

 
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 ""  much market access if it imposes more generally. Just as important, doping sanction in the past from the Rio Olympics immigration restrictions on EU former Remainers must continue has led to widespread criticism. nationals. but it is on par with many other EU The question, then, is why the to explain to the English why the Perhaps the EU itself will abandon members, and it is far from having the Irish haven’t developed UK levels of free exchange of goods, services, It also brings back memories of the so-called free labour mobility in an attempt most EU immigrants per capita. animosity toward EU immigrants, and people with Europe is good for Osaka Rule which was nullifi ed in 2011 by the Court to appease the UK. Perhaps the EU In fact, the share of EU immigrants especially given the appalling way Britain. will make special exceptions to in the total population is twice as high in which the country was treated by The UK voted to leave the EU, of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). protect the British university sector, in Ireland. European institutions in the wake of but Brexit comes in two fl avours: German athletics chief Clemens Prokop yesterday or treat the UK like Liechtenstein, a As British policymakers navigate the 2008 fi nancial crisis. membership in the EEA, with access microstate with access to the single the post-Brexit landscape, they Surely, the British media bear to Europe’s single market and free named the IOC ruling “illegal” because of the CAS market. should consider the Irish example, considerable responsibility for the movement of people, or an exit ruling and because the presence in Rio of other In fact, with Remainers accepting given the similarities between the two diff erence. Ireland has nothing like the from the single market, followed by the argument that Britain should countries. mendacious, jingoistic gutter press unpredictable trade negotiations. athletes who have previously served doping bans. keep Europeans out, the UK – or at Ireland and the UK both have that thrives in the UK. There is still a huge amount to play Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) president least England and Wales, if pro-EU housing shortages, especially around Much of the blame, however, lies for: we don’t know which of these Scotland and Northern Ireland leave metropolitan centres such as Dublin with British political leaders. One the two outcomes English voters would Alexander Zhukov was also not happy with the – is headed for a “hard” Brexit, not and London. And they both have one hand, there are those who have choose. ruling but said the ROC won’t appeal the IOC ruling just from the Union, but from Europe’s public services that leave something to made careers out of attacking the EU, Unfortunately, it looks as though single market. If this happens, it will be desired – in fact, Ireland’s are much often on entirely specious grounds. the UK is now headed for the because of lack of time with just 11 days left until the cost the country dearly. worse than Britain’s. On the other, there are lukewarm second option – a “hard” Brexit – August 5 opening ceremony in Rio. The full extent of the fallout is While the Irish are not British, Remainers, such as former prime by default. For Remainers not to unknown, but we can expect it to be they are closer culturally than other minister David Cameron, who never make the case for EEA membership, However, he didn’t rule out such action from painful for many people and damaging Europeans. As we saw in 2008, when made a strong case for continued when they had previously been individual athletes, and judging by the 2011 ruling to many institutions. Irish referendum voters refused to membership in the EU. in favour of remaining in the EU, Russian athletes could be successful. Is there any merit to the claim that ratify the Treaty of Lisbon, there is a Now, even committed Remainers are is an astonishing abdication of the UK has become fl ooded with potential anti-immigrant voting bloc failing to make the case for continued responsibility. - Project Syndicate Decided during the 2007 world athletics newcomers from other EU member in the poorer parts of Dublin. These two-way labour mobility between the championships in Osaka, Japan, the IOC banned states? The chart accompanying the are the same kind of voters who turned UK and the EU, and for membership in zKevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke is article shows the percentage of EU out for the UK’s Brexit referendum – the European Economic Area (EEA). professor of economic history and athletes with doping suspensions of more than six immigrants in each EU country. The UK poorer people who have not felt the Ireland hasn’t had this problem. fellow of All Souls College, University months from the following Olympics, under article is at the upper end of the distribution, gains from globalisation. Notably, Sinn Fein, Ireland’s of Oxford. 45 of its Charter at the time. The IOC president It also brings Jacques Rogge said the measure was “to tell back memories them if you cheat there of the Osaka will be no Olympic Rule which was Games. I believe it will be a powerful nullifi ed in 2011 deterrent.” by CAS This ruling was challenged by the American Olympic committee USOC before the CAS, speaking of double punishment for one off ence, in order to have its 400 metres world and Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt compete at the London 2012 Games despite serving a 21-month A view of Tokyo: the city has been awarded the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, and in the years leading up to that event, it will move to the world’s centre stage. ban. The CAS ruled in USOC’s favour in October 2011, not because it was strictly against the Olympic ban The Tokyo the world needs but rather because it was not compliant with the WADA Code at the time and eff ectively a double By Yuriko Koike cities, our Tokyo has a richness all its founder, Akio Morita, who in many Japan had achieved so rapidly, but also Tokyo own. ways was the Steve Jobs of his era. to think and write freely – liberties punishment - with the WADA Code part of the Tokyo is Japan’s city of romance and This period was also notable often denied them under feudal rule Olympic Charter just as article 45. youthful ambition, and the home to because it was the start of another or imperial censorship in their home ruly great cities capture our both our imperial past and our J-pop type of transformation for the city, countries. The CAS judges however invited WADA and imagination, even when we present. It is our Silicon Valley, our toward sustainability. At the time, This was the Tokyo where Sun Yat- the IOC to amend the code in such a way that it have never visited them. Wall Street, and our Washington, DC. Japan relied heavily on imported sen, a founder and the fi rst president incorporated article 45 and that “the ineligibility TParis conjures renewal and It is an ancient city that reinvents energy; but when the oil shocks of of the Republic of China, took refuge. love, New York is about hustle and itself constantly and in surprising the 1970s sent energy prices soaring, This was the Tokyo where a young would be part of a single sanction.” dynamism and London represents ways. Just take a look at Rakuten, Japan responded with what was Chiang Kai-shek came to learn However, it was then decided for legal reasons to staid charm. Istanbul speaks of Japan’s big online retailer, which probably the fi rst sustained national modern military tactics, logistics and mystery, Rio de Janeiro of zestful recently made English its offi cial eff ort at energy independence. In organisation. drop the Osaka Rule in favour of doubling the length libertinism and Shanghai of rapid corporate language. Tokyo, the results could be seen by the This was also the Tokyo visited of bans in the WADA Code from two to four years reinvention. end of the decade, with heavy industry frequently by Rabindranath Tagore, And then there’s Tokyo. Of all replaced by gleaming towers of post- Bengal’s great national poet and for serious off ences - a timeline that automatically the world’s great cities, the world’s Like the world’s other industrial commerce. philosopher who inspired Mahatma covers the following Olympics. largest seems to lend itself least to glib great cities, our Tokyo Tokyo has much to be proud of, but Gandhi. Tagore was the fi rst non- reveries. my favourite period is one that few European to win the Nobel Prize in This in theory opens the door for Russians whose It doesn’t help that Hollywood often has a richness all its think about today. It is the Tokyo of Literature, and his great lecture, “The bans have expired to contest being barred from Rio, caricatures Tokyo beyond recognition. 1900, when the city stood for Asian Spirit of Japan”, captures Japan’s In the 1980s and 1990s, when Japan own modernity after a millennium of being seemingly limitless vitality, while but, given that Russia narrowly escaped a blanket posed a serious challenge to the United overshadowed by the West. also warning against misusing that ban, it appears unlikely that athletes will take this States’ global economic primacy, Tokyo has been awarded the 2020 The Tokyo of the early twentieth dynamism for nationalist purposes. fi lms such as Rising Sun, starring Sean Summer Olympic Games, and in the century was a direct result of the This Tokyo even shares today’s last step. Connery, and Black Rain, starring years leading up to that event, the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Many living link to Hollywood’s golden age: Michael Douglas, portrayed Tokyo in city will move to the world’s centre people outside of Japan associate the Olivia de Havilland, star of Gone With classic fi lm-noir terms – shadowy, stage. The Games are thus a defi ning Restoration with the imperialism and the Wind, was born there in 1916, the To Advertise menacing and peopled by grotesque moment – an occasion for Tokyo’s militarism that erupted in the 1930s, same time that Tagore was delivering composites of corporate titans and citizens to consider how we want to but this misses the point by reducing his lectures. [email protected] Yakuza gangsters. be seen, and how we see ourselves – an entire epoch to what happened in The early twentieth-century Tokyo Display More recently, The Fast and the similar to how the 1964 Games were a a single decade. The Restoration was is the one Japan and the world needs Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Furious: Tokyo Drift depicted a defi ning moment for postwar Japan. more fundamentally a modernisation today. With its inspirational vigour metallic and strangely depopulated Back then, Tokyo proudly stood up as crash course, a comprehensive and inclusive cosmopolitanism, what Classified metropolis, while the Bill Murray a city that, through hard work, self- national eff ort to catch up with the better image could one have for Asia’s Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 comedy Lost in Translation rather sacrifi ce, and imagination, had risen West as quickly as possible. future? - Project Syndicate off ensively portrayed Tokyo as from the ashes of World War II. By 1900, Japan had far exceeded the Subscription culturally incomprehensible and The Tokyo of 1964 was built by a Meiji leaders’ expectations. No longer zYuriko Koike, Japan’s former defence [email protected] bizarre. great generation that created “Japan, a hermit kingdom, Japan was a beacon minister and national security adviser, None of these Hollywood Inc”. It was a Tokyo of smokestacks for Asian modernisation. Indeed, was chairwoman of Japan’s Liberal stereotypes do justice to the real Tokyo and great industry, but also of many of the greatest names in modern Democratic Party’s General Council 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved that I and nearly 38mn other citizens new technologies and innovation, Asian history fl ocked to Tokyo, not and currently is a member of the call home. Like the world’s other great exemplifi ed by Sony and its self-made only to learn for themselves what National Diet. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 26, 2016 23 COMMENT Making sense of PML-N sweep in AJK

The victory follows a now the voters would react. analogy appeared to undercut the familiar pattern that sees the In no small measure, this pessimism 27-year-old Bilawal’s own stature, was accentuated by the divisive nature and seemed the kind of populist party in power at the Centre of political campaigning. sloganeering associated with the far clinching the honours in AJK The turnout was reportedly between right, not secularist PPP. 40-50% in most constituencies, but It was rejected quite decisively. as well still vigorous in form. The PTI was also cast away in The two old war horses, Pakistan inglorious fashion – making light of By Kamran Rehmat People’s Party (PPP), which was its much hyped “Naya Pakistan” (New Doha also the ruling party going into the Pakistan) mantra. vote, and Pakistan Muslim League- In fact, the humiliating defeat Nawaz (PML-N), ran an acrimonious its regional chief, Barrister Sultan f there’s one corollary that can campaign and they were not left Mehmood, the supposedly powerful be drawn from the Azad Jammu behind by the fi rebrand opposition former AJK prime minister (when & Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) taking a he was with the PPP), suff ered was IAssembly elections held last fi rst real shot at attracting the popular a sobering enough lesson for PTI Thursday, it is that Project Democracy vote since gaining traction in the 2013 chairman Imran Khan to tweet a is not only alive, but kicking. Some general elections. somewhat surprising message of 2.6mn votes were cast in a largely However, despite the usual white felicitation to the arch rival PML-N on peaceful milieu, auguring well for noise, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s winning the election. participatory politics. PML-N not only won, but did it Perhaps, that was the only saving A total of 423 candidates contested in grand style, stunning pre-poll grace which made PTI look less 41 seats on the basis of direct adult predictions of a split mandate giving embarrassing than the PPP, which franchise, the 10th time such an way to a coalition arrangement. invited ridicule by blaming the results exercise was undertaken. The PML-N grabbed 31 of the 41 on rigging – that familiar refrain Out of these, 29 seats were meant seats on off er, leaving both the PPP of losing candidates and parties in for all 10 districts of AJK and 12 (three seats) and PTI (two seats) Pakistan. for Pakistan-based refugees from licking their wounds; moreso the Since then, Mehmood has also Kashmir valley, Jammu and other former, since it had fi elded a newer deemed it fi t to hide behind the bogey areas. face to make a resonant pitch! of rigging to explain his Waterloo, but According to the AJK Election The results have thrown up Bilawal seems to have chastened since Commission, there were 26,74,586 questions aplenty for the old ruling famously warning Sharif of a more registered voters in all 29 party (PPP) as well as the aspiring telling street agitation than the one constituencies of AJK’s 10 districts, new one (PTI), but before that some instigated by Imran Khan in the fall of including 12,28,930 male and signifi cant observations are in order. UNEXPECTED BOOST: The triumph has provided Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a vital breather from the belligerent 2014. 10,06,772 female voters. First and foremost, even though the opposition campaign. But it goes without saying that both The election commission set up PML-N tore the script spectacularly the PPP and PTI have their tasks cut 5,429 polling stations with 8,008 in winning virtually all before them – Centre since those elected are reckoned belligerent opposition since three and failed methods of the recent out to revive their political fortunes booths in the constituencies. including nine of the 12 reserved seats to exercise control and have easier of his children were named in the past to pitchfork Bilawal Bhutto, before the 2018 general elections. The polls were held under tight for Pakistan-based Kashmir refugees access to funds. Panama papers for having off -shore the young scion of the grand old As for the PML-N, the triumph security with 17,000 personnel from – their victory follows a now familiar However, the sweeping curve has accounts and being the benefi ciaries party and its chairperson, to infuse should reinvigorate the resolve to the Pakistan Army and Rangers co- pattern that sees the party in power at made its presence felt because of the of properties abroad allegedly bought a youthful zest to its campaign and get down to business and reward the ordinating with the local civilian law the Centre (Islamabad) clinching the situation the PML-N found itself from this wealth. electrify the disappointed old party people in AJK for standing by them enforcement agencies, including the honours in AJK as well. going to the hustings. With both the PPP and the PTI – the voters. against all odds. AJK police, the Punjab and Khyber- In that sense, it is more of the same. The prime minister was away from latter has already announced a public However, in the end, his amateurish With a sweeping majority, they have Pakhtunkhwa provincial police and The simple explanation for this is that the country for more than one-and-a- campaign beginning next month to rhetoric based on branding Sharif as the option to even go against the run the Frontier Constabulary. the voters follow the aforementioned half months for health reasons during force Sharif to face accountability — a “Modi yaar” (pal of the Indian PM), of play and explore the prospect of a The elections came at a particularly trajectory because they feel their best which time, he had an open-heart taking that ammo to their respective and the failure of the ruling PPP in AJK coalition in good faith for the larger testing time given the prevailing bet in getting their base local level issues surgery in London as well. campaigns, doubts began to surface if to deliver combined to put the party Kashmiri cause. situation in neighbouring Kashmir, resolved eff ectively lies in electing For more than three months, Sharif would regain his mojo in AJK. out to pasture. leading to much cynicism about how people from the same ruling party at the Sharif has also faced the brunt of a The PPP dispensed with the tried The resort to the unfl attering zThe writer is Community Editor. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Waiting ordeal queue that morning, there were people loss, enhances the fruit firmness synthetic processes, but all are organic High: 40 C with diff erent medical problems, and slows down their natural compounds.” Low : 34 C Hazy to misty at places at first for patients including diabetics. degradation.” So the writer has nothing to worry. becomes hot daytime and some afternoon local clouds with chance Health centres are meant for It says the waxy coating can Have your apples without worry. And of isolated rain Dear Sir, looking after people’s wellness; appear milky sometimes, but if you remember: An apple a day keeps the therefore, I request the authorities rub it gently, you can actually get it doctor away, even if it is waxed! WEDNESDAY I went to the Umm Ghwailina concerned to allow the security to shine. “The natural wax on the High: 40 C Primary Health Centre a couple of staff to open the entrance door of all fruit of the apple contains about 50 Rajesh Low: 34 C days ago. I reached there at 6.45am clinics at least 30 minutes in advance individual components belonging to [email protected] Sunny and found a queue of patients of of the working hours and let the at least half a dozen chemical groups. diff erent age groups, consisting of patients enter inside and wait in the The major cyclic component of apple both nationals and expatiates, waiting reception area. This will help them fruit wax is called ursolic acid and is THURSDAY outside the entrance door which was to be relaxed ahead of seeing their highly water-repellent. Research has Please send us High: 39 C closed. It was quite hot even in the doctors. shown that ursolic acid is capable Low: 34 C morning and some of those standing of inhibiting various types of cancer your letters M Sunny in the queue were sweating and visibly O Balakrishnan cells and can serve as a starting uncomfortable. One elderly gentleman (Address supplied) material for synthesis of more By e-mail was looking desperately for a place to potent bioactive compounds such as [email protected] Fishermen’s forecast sit down. antitumour agents,” it further says. Apple worries Fax 44350474 OFFSHORE DOHA Security people informed us that That natural wax may even be good Or Post Wind: NE-E 08-18 KT as the clinic started at 7am, the door unfounded for you! Waves: 3-5/6 Feet would also open only at that time. And to the question: Is additional Letters to the Editor INSHORE DOHA Gulf Times Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT Though the clinic’s working wax added to fruits and vegetables? Waves: 1-3/4 Feet hours start at 7am, patients may Dear Sir, The same website replies: “In some P O Box 2888 be allowed in at least half an hour situations, additional food-grade wax Doha, Qatar Around the region before so that they could wait in an In reference to the letters, “Wax- is added to the outside of the produce Weather Weather air-conditioned area. The clinic’s coating on apples” (Gulf Times, July to augment the fruit’s natural waxy today Max/min tomorrow Max/min reception area is large enough to 25), I would say that the writer’s covering. Food-grade wax is safe to All letters, which are subject to Abu Dhabi Sunny 45/33 Sunny 44/32 accommodate a number of people. worries are unfounded. eat. editing, should have the name Baghdad Sunny 46/28 Sunny 46/29 Dubai As people visiting the clinic are sick, First of all, please understand “As mentioned earlier, apples do of the writer, address and phone Sunny 41/31 Sunny 40/31 Kuwait City Sunny 42/31 Sunny 46/33 they should not be kept waiting that apple is one of the fruits that produce their own waxy coating. number. The writer’s name and Manama Sunny 41/32 M Sunny 40/32 outside in this hot weather. They produces its own wax. According to Additional wax can be added, but it address may be withheld by Muscat Sunny 32/28 M Sunny 31/28 could be dehydrated as the humidity a website, “the natural wax produced depends on the maturity of the apple Riyadh Sunny 44/29 M Sunny 46/30 remains high these days. by the apple serves several vital after harvest and variety. Waxes request. Tehran Sunny 38/24 Sunny 37/25 Among the people waiting in the roles. It helps apples resist moisture are either derived from natural or Live issues What to do about superior’s foul language?

By Marie G McIntyre easily be dismissed and ignored, you Since I was hired, however, he has intention with an open-ended Tribune News Service need to present this problem as a again never mentioned retirement, deadline, your boss’s plans may very group. Without becoming angry or so there seems to be no defi nite well have changed. upset, describe the negative eff ects of timeline. Despite all that, requesting an this physician’s crude behaviour. Although headhunters assessment of your career potential UESTION: For example: “When Dr Smith is occasionally call me about other would certainly be reasonable. So I work in a angry, he curses at employees using opportunities, so far I haven’t instead of inquiring about your very small highly off ensive language, which is explored any of them. I would prefer manager’s future, ask him about your Around the world Qmedical very demoralising for the staff . If to remain with this company, but own. Weather Weather practice where one of the owners patients hear these outbursts, that only if I get the expected promotion. For example: “I really enjoy working today Max/min tomorrow Max/min has an extremely foul mouth. could hurt the reputation of the Should I ask my boss about his here and hope to stay with this Athens Sunny 36/23 Sunny 36/23 Whenever “Dr Smith” is upset, he practice. We’re afraid to give Dr Smith retirement plans? company for a long time. However, I Beirut Sunny 31/25 Sunny 30/24 S T Storms 34/26 curses at employees and uses bad this feedback, so we’re hoping that occasionally get calls from headhunters Bangkok 36/26 S T Storms Berlin S T Storms 27/17 Showers 24/17 language. This is highly off ensive you can talk with him.” A: Waiting for someone to retire about other opportunities, so I would Cairo Sunny 39/24 Sunny 38/24 to everyone on the staff , but we’re This assumes, of course, that the can be frustrating, especially when like to get your perspective on my career Cape Town Rain 14/09 P Cloudy 17/11 afraid of losing our jobs if we other owner is a responsible individual that person shows no signs of leaving. path here. What are your thoughts Colombo T Storms 28/25 T Storms 28/25 complain. What can we do about who is also disturbed by these But before initiating an awkward about that?” Dhaka Rain 29/25 I T Storms 33/26 Hong Kong S T Storms 31/29 T Storms 31/28 this? tantrums. But if not, then your only conversation, perhaps you should If your boss mentions you as his Istanbul Cloudy 30/22 Sunny 29/23 recourse is to fi nd a more professional review exactly what your boss said two successor, you can appropriately ask Jakarta P Cloudy 31/23 M Sunny 31/23 ANSWER: The bad news is that place to work. years ago. about his retirement plans. But if Karachi M Sunny 33/27 P Cloudy 33/27 small, privately-owned businesses During interviews, applicants not, then you can only assume that London M Cloudy 23/16 Showers 22/15 S T Storms S T Storms 34/26 provide few options for dealing with can easily mistake a manager’s something has changed in the past two Manila 33/25 Waiting for Moscow M Sunny 28/17 S T Storms 28/17 diffi cult owners. The good news, encouraging comments for a years. New Delhi I T Storms 33/26 T Storms 29/26 however, is that this medical practice boss’s retirement commitment. Making a fi rm decision New York M Sunny 35/23 Sunny 34/24 is apparently owned by more than about a new hire several years in zMarie G McIntyre is a workplace Paris P Cloudy 25/13 M Cloudy 26/17 one person. Since another owner can advance would be both strange and coach and the author of Secrets to Sao Paulo Sunny 28/16 M Sunny 26/11 Seoul P Cloudy 31/25 T Storms 27/23 approach Dr Potty Mouth as a peer, Q: When I was interviewing foolish, so this promotion may have Winning at Offi ce Politics. Send in Singapore S T Storms 31/25 T Storms 31/25 that’s where you should take your two years ago, my manager said been more of a possibility than a questions and get free coaching tips at Sydney M Sunny 17/09 Cloudy 17/06 concerns. he would retire in a few years and promise. And since retirement “in http://www.youroffi cecoach.com, or Tokyo Rain 27/23 Cloudy 29/22 Because a single complaint could that I could then take over his job. a few years” sounds like a vague follow her on Twitter @offi cecoach Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, July 26, 2016 QATAR Children at higher WB: Remittances risk of heat stroke, from Qatar up says HMC expert amad Medical Cor- they cannot perspire actively diffi culty in breathing and By Peter Alagos Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, pared to the same period in 2015, poration (HMC) has like adults. racing heart rate. Business Reporter and Egypt. showed a 10% spike. Expatri- Hreminded residents “If you park your car in the “The action to take in this This was echoed by Jakati, ates also took advantage of the to observe precautions and sun for around 10 minutes, situation is to get the af- who said the major portion of Al favourable exchange rates due to safeguard themselves, es- the temperature inside the car fected child out of the hot emittance outfl ow from Mana Exchange’s remittances the weaker South Asian curren- pecially children, against can rise by up to 10 degrees. It area. Take him or her to an Qatar increased in the fi rst went to South Asian countries. cies against the stronger dollar, heat exhaustion and heat gets higher as time passes by. air-conditioned area. Have Rhalf of 2016, fi gures from “Around 60% went to India spiking remittances,” Vaidian stroke throughout the hottest If a child is left behind in such them lie down, and start pro- exchange houses reveal. then to Nepal at 14%, followed explained. summer months. vehicle, he/she can easily de- viding them with plenty of Citing a 2016 World Bank by the Philippines (12%) and Kesavan said the buying and Dr Khalid al-Ansari, di- velop heat exhaustion and that cold fl uids to cool down,” he report, Qatar-UAE Exchange Sri Lanka (7%).” selling of foreign currencies rector, Paediatric Emergen- can result in heat stroke, which suggested. country head Mathai Vaidian Conversely, Vaidian said the dropped 14% in the fi rst half of cy Services at HMC, advised can be life-threatening,” Dr He noted that it will be help- yesterday said that Qatar and Philippines topped Qatar-UAE the year compared to the same that since most children are al-Ansari noted. ful to remove thicker clothes Saudi Arabia account for around Exchange’s list of recipients period in 2015, citing “local and out of school during this “If parents need to do and leave only light clothing half of remittances from GCC among South Asian countries, international economic factors.” time and tend to play out- something outside their ve- on while also applying cold states. followed by India. “The UAE, “But after Brexit, a little doors, most of their ac- hicles, they should always compresses on the body as “We, too, have witnessed our Bangladesh, Nepal, Jordan, growth is showing for both the tivities should be limited to take their children with them. needed in order to bring the outward remittances from Qatar Mathai Vaidian, country head, Egypt, and Pakistan are the other British pound and the euro last air-conditioned or shaded If there are adults attend- temperature down gradually. to the rest of the world strength- Qatar-UAE Exchange. largest benefi ciaries of remit- month and slightly in July,” said areas. ing to the children, it’s okay, “Usually within 30 to 45 ening year-on-year. Our remit- tances originating from Qatar,” Kesavan, referring to the June 23 He also stressed that chil- provided that the air-condi- minutes, the person should feel tances volume in H1 2016 is al- volume increasing around 5% over he noted. referendum where the UK opted dren should not be left by tioner is turned on,” he said, better. If the heat exhaustion most the same compared to the the same period last year. In the past six months, Kesa- to leave the European Union. themselves in cars parked out adding that leaving children continues and those symptoms same period last year,” he said. “The total volume is based on van said June posted the “highest According to Vaidian, remit- in the sun as it can result in heat unattended with the air- described were not attended to Al Mana Exchange senior the number of transactions. In growth” because of Ramadan, tances witnessed an eight-fold stroke. conditioner on in the car is promptly, the heat exhaustion manager Anand P Jakati said, this regard, the most number of which also coincides with the increase compared to average “Some parents tend to leave equally dangerous. will become heat stroke with “We have also experienced transactions during this period period when many Qataris and on a regular business day after their children unattended in “Carbon monoxide from body temperature reaching as growth in remittances from Qa- came from India. While it may expatriates go on vacation. the Brexit announcement, while vehicles parked outside under the car exhaust can come out high as 40 degrees or more,” he tar in the fi rst half of 2016. June not be a signifi cant increase, it is Vaidian said, “The holy month there was a marginal increase in the sunlight without realising through the air-conditioner warned. was a very good month for us, as a good sign considering the cur- of Ramadan showed a spike in foreign exchange. that the time that is required vents and whoever is in the Dr al-Ansari explained that well as March due to the increase rent economic situation, but we remittances in the fi rst half due “This was not surprising as for anyone to get heat exhaus- vehicle can suff ocate from car- the patient might start los- in the middle class population.” were still able to record a good to the sentiments of giving and travellers were bound to pur- tion or heat stroke in the car is bon monoxide poisoning,” he ing consciousness, experience Similarly, fi nance manager San- volume of business during this compassion associated with the chase due to the onset of holiday much faster,” he said, adding warned. fainting, and seizure activity thosh Kesavan said Al Zaman Ex- period,” he said. occasion. season, yet the weaker pound that children below four years Dr al-Ansari said that the and can even go into a coma. “If change recorded a spike in remit- The top countries aside from “Transactions to the Arab came as good news for those are at higher risk of heat stroke danger signs of heat illnesses that continues, the blood pres- tance outfl ow from Qatar in the fi rst India, according to Kesavan, countries during the fi rst 15 days planning their trip this summer,” and heat exhaustion when to look out for are dizziness, sure will drop and the person six months of 2016, with remittance include Nepal, the Philippines, of Ramadan in 2016, as com- he added. they go out in hot weather as tiredness, muscles cramps, can die,” he emphasised. Thousands benefi t from QRCS relief project in Somalia

ore than 175,000 peo- 10 informative courses for 641 up a surgical camp to treat seri- ple have benefi ted from women on how to deal with ous cases for free. They exam- Mvarious relief and de- malnutrition. ined 220 patients and performed velopment projects run by Qatar QRCS also rehabilitated and 78 general and orthopaedic Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in operated the Multi-Drug-Re- surgeries. Somalia in the last one year. sistant Tuberculosis Centre QRCS opened the Awdheegle In a statement, QRCS said at Forlanini Hospital, Mogad- Health Centre after its construc- that hundreds of thousands of ishu, serving 74 out of the 1,640 tion, and received 8,353 medi- drought victims from local com- patients it aims to help. cal cases and off ered maternal munities also benefi ted indi- The Afgooye Hospital build- and child health services to 700 rectly from these eff orts, which ing was rebuilt, enlarged, and benefi ciaries. were launched amid deteriorated equipped, providing much relief The hospital also organised economic, security, and living to a large number of Somalis. medical training courses for its conditions in Somalia. Some 60 medical and ad- staff , and vaccinated children QRCS also rehabilitated the ministrative personnel were in Awdheegle and neighbouring Medical Nutrition Therapy also hired to provide round- towns. Centre at the Badbaado refugee the-clock healthcare for Lower To reduce morbidity and camp and provided it with medi- Shebelle and Banaadir regions. mortality rates in Mareerey and cines, equipment and staff . The hospital treated more nearby towns, QRCS estab- In 2015, the centre received than 32,800 patients and 4,498 lished and furnished a health 632 malnourished children. It emergency cases over a year. It centre, which received over one A QRCS volunteer interacting with a child. treated 715 with severe respira- also vaccinated 2,071 children, year 18,829 patients, vaccinated tory infl ammation and malaria, performed 220 surgeries, and 598 kids, performed 270 natu- tients a day, or 22,820 a year. tions, provided 526 short stays ed care facilities in Yagoori and bulance. Together, the centres vaccinated 104 against com- conducted 16,866 laboratory ral deliveries, and hospitalised Maternal and child health had been accommodated, and a Kismaayo districts, including received 9,492 cases, off ered ob- municable diseases, distrib- examinations. 125 stays. services benefi ted 12,726 peo- town garbage collection system maintenance, water and power stetric services to 4,579 women, uted supplementary food ra- The hospital contracted three The Balad Health Centre was ple. The hospital also conduct- was set up. supply, installation of solar pan- and treated 2,676 malnourished tions to 632 mothers, and held surgeons from abroad and set rehabilitated to serve 66 pa- ed 7,254 laboratory examina- QRCS manages two integrat- els, and procurement of an am- children. LG launches OLED TV series in Qatar market

G Electronics yesterday said LG products have record- models. “Globally as well as TV today. “OLED has the unique black image and it improved they hoped to triple their OLED available for prices starting from launched their OLED TV ed a steady growth in the local across the region this has con- ability to turn each individual brightness and expanded its television sales while the com- QR12,000. Lseries and Super UHD TV market over the years and the tributed in a positive impact on pixel on or off . This enables the colour spectrum. pany expected the sales of UHD LG Electronics head of TV range in Qatar at a function host- growing awareness about the LG the sales of OLED,” he said while television to display perfect He said LG is the only televi- TV sets to double at the global sales I D Lee, regional market ed by local distributors Video brand among the people would expressing the hope that Qatar’s black and an infi nite contrast,” sion manufacturer today to meet level next year. director of LG Middle East Derek Home & Electronics Centre. contribute signifi cantly to its tech-savvy consumers would he added. both the Ultra High Defi nition The latest LG premium TV Sim, vice chairman and manag- With its arrival, Qatar has be- further growth. contribute signifi cantly to its C V Rappai, director and CEO, Alliance’s (UHDA) High Defi ni- lineup includes a host of mod- ing director of Video Home and come the fi rst Gulf state where Geun said LG has been con- further growth. Video Home and Electronic tion Resolution 10 and Dolby els such as LG E-6, EG97, UH95, Electronic Center Sajed Jassim the premium range of televisions stantly focusing on raising Another company offi cial said Centre, said the OLED TV lineup vision, both contributing to en- UH85 and UH77 in the range Mohamed Sulaiman and prod- are making their entry. awareness of OLED TVs and Organic Light Emitting Diode has delivered remarkably stun- rich the ‘theatre eff ect’ of the of 55 and 86 inches. The sets, uct marketing manager Ashley LG Electronics Gulf president hence a substantial growth in (OLED) has delivered the best ning picture quality alongside televisions. which will be sold at the retail Kochery were also present at the Yong Geun Choi in a statement sales is on the cards for the new picture quality of any type of the company’s patented perfect LG Electronics offi cials said outlets from this week, will be launch.

The new LG TVs–unmatched picture quality LG Electronics and Video Home off icials at the launch. I D Lee, Derk Lee, Sajed Sulaiman and C V Rappai among others are seen.