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Tuesday 19 September 2017 | 28 Dhul-Hijja 1438 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Volume 22 | Number 7289 | 2 Riyals

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Prime Minister meets Ambassador of Pakistan Qatar condemns FM: Terrorism statement of Bahrain fight not just a Interior Ministry QNA security issue he State of Qatar con- demned the statement Tissued by the Bahraini The Peninsula Interior Ministry on the detention of 15 Bahraini boats atar’s proactive policy Fighting against carrying 20 sailors, describ- of war on extremism terrorism should ing it as a desperate attempt and terrorism is a con- not be confined to escalate the ongoing dip- structive option that to the security lomatic dispute. Qaddresses the social An official source at the roots of the abhorrent phenom- dimension, but also Ministry of Interior said yes- enon, said Foreign Minister H E should focus on terday that the detention of Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrah- addressing economic the fishing boats, which ille- man Al Thani. gally entered Qatari waters, and social causes Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani Fighting against terrorism is not a new procedure. All should not be confined to the that lead to despair with Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Qatar, H E Shahzad Ahmad. He also unauthorised fishing boats security dimension, but also and extremism, the met Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H E Mohammed Ali Sobhani. Talks dealt receive a warning to leave should focus on addressing eco- Foreign Minister said. with aspects of cooperation between Qatar and each of Iran and Pakistan and prospects Qatari waters, and if they are nomic and social causes that lead of their development and enhancement in various fields. → See also page 2 non-compliant, they are to despair and extremism, he referred to the competent added. authorities. The Foreign Minister was creating job opportunities for The crew will be yesterday addressing the first youth and contributing to solv- released within three days, Ministerial meeting of the follow- ing the problem of while the ships will be up mechanism of “Tunis-2020” unemployment and addressing Qatar leads in countering terrorism detained until the court International Conference on Eco- causes that leads to violence and makes a decision. nomic and Investment Support extremism. The source said the Min- in New York. Qatar Development Fund QNA Command, Qatar is a significant governing the principles of istry of the Interior, Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin has allocated $250m as loans to supporter of the Global Commu- mutual cooperation on represented by the Coast and Hamad Al Thani announced, support a number of important atar is a regional leader nity Engagement and Resilience counter-terrorism. Borders Security Department, during the “Tunis 2020” Confer- investment projects in Tunisia in in countering terrorism Fund. Qatar is the only Arab state The purpose of the MOU is to has repeatedly warned the ence, Qatar’s contribution with some sectors including educa- and has made signifi- to join GCERF and will host the further advance the significant fishermen not to fish in Qatari $1.25bn to support Tunisia’s tion, health and economic cant contributions to December 2017 GCERF Board progress that Qatar has made to waters and not to use harm- economy and enhance its devel- empowerment within the frame- Qglobal efforts to defeat Meeting. counter-terrorism and create a ful fishing practices. opment path. work of the Qatari contribution, terrorism. In addition to hosting On July 11, Qatar and the template for others in the region These warnings were The Foreign Minister stressed he said. Al Udeid Air Base, the forward United States signed a historic to replicate. issued without a response. the importance of this support in → Continued on page 7 headquarters for US Central Memorandum of Understanding → Continued on page 7 → Continued on page 2

Qatar reiterates support for Qatar to generate 500 MW solar power by 2020 The Peninsula Manager and Managing Director percent of the country’s needs in solution to Fahad Hamad Al Mohannadi. this sector making it one of the atar is set to generate 500 He was addressing a press biggest projects in the region with Syrian crisis megawatt solar power by conference yesterday to sign a a total cost of nearly $3bn. Qmid-2020 as the land for VIP and international express He touched on the Facility E Geneva the project has already been allo- post services contract between project, also known as Ras Rakan, QNA cated and the project cost will be the company and Q-Post. Fahad which QEWC has announced and around $500m. Hamad Al Mohannadi said that will provide 2,000 to 2,500 MW atar reiterated its support Qatar Electricity and Water investor companies will be of electricity and 100 million gal- to all efforts aimed at Company (QEWC) has said that named soon, with global firms lons. At $3bn, the mega project Qreaching a political solu- an area of land has been allocated taking part as well so as to sup- will cost nearly the same as Umm tion in the Syrian conflict based for the project in Al Kharsaah, port the diversification-based Al Houl. on the terms of Geneva 1 com- which is set to produce 500 to Qatari economy. Al Mohannadi stressed that munique and the relevant 1,000 MW. It will cost a total of Al Mohannadi added that Qatar is not reliant on anyone in Security Council resolutions. nearly $500m in its the first phase more than 92 percent of Umm Al terms of electricity production, Ambassador H E Ali Khal- with a capacity of 500 MW. Houl project, which is due to be the fuel required for electricity fan Al Mansouri, Qatar’s “The project will complete on ready in 2018, is complete. The production and the chemicals permanent representative to QEWC General Manager and Managing Director Fahad Hamad time and expected the produc- project will produce 2,500 MW that the electricity and water pro- the United Nations Office in Al Mohannadi (right) with Q-Post Chairman and Managing tion to stand at 500 MW by of electricity, 130 million gallons duction sector needs. Geneva, made the remarks Director Faleh Mohammed Al Nuaimi at the event yesterday. mid-2020,” said QEWC General of water and will provide 25 → Continued on page 4 during an interactive dialogue with the Independent Interna- tional Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, taking place at the 36th session Snapchat’s Al Jazeera blockade an attack on media INSIDE PAGES of the Human Rights Council. He said it is important for all The Peninsula Jazeera Media Network as direct pressure on the owners of social laws. “We make an effort to Qatar’s Ambassador the agreements made in dif- attack against the freedom of media platforms and content dis- comply with local laws in the to Spain: QNA did ferent paths to obtain fter banning Al Jazeera on expression which will have det- tribution companies. This step is countries where we operate,” a comprehensive ceasefire and Saudi’s TV screens and rimental consequences to the a clear attack on the rights of Snapchat spokesperson said in not distort news to all humanitarian aids to Ablocking access to its site media industry. Calling on Snap journalists and media profession- a statement on Sunday. PAGE 7 reach all of Syria. on the internet, Saudi Arabia Inc and other global media als to report and cover stories Morad Rayyan, head of Incu- Regarding the report pub- government has now forced organisations to reject demands freely from around the world.” bation and Innovation Research lished on the policies made to Snap Inc. to remove content of of oppressive regimes to silence Mostefa Souag further stated at Al Jazeera, said the move was change the population struc- Al Jazeera from snap-sharing journalists. “We at Al Jazeera, object to any “unprecedented”. “Snapchat is 136 nominees from ture in Syria, he said it is a app Snapchat. Al Jazeera Media Network’s form of censorship and restric- a US-based company, publicly military strategy followed by Resultantly, Snapchat has Dr Mostefa Souag, Acting Direc- tions to freedom of the media traded, and it stands for freedom 30 countries submit the Syrian regime and its allies blocked access to Al Jazeera tor General, said: “We find and the right to access of expression.” nominations for since day one of the Syrian rev- news articles and videos in Saudi Snapchat’s action to be alarming information. “We are working on contin- olution, which fits its security Arabia following a request from and worrying. This sends a mes- Saudi Arabia’s government gency plans to ensure our Sheikh Hamad award needs and ensures continua- the government, a spokesper- sage that regimes and countries told the social media company content is available on other PAGE 7 tion of its political power. son for Snap Inc said. can silence any voice or platform that the Al Jazeera Discover Pub- platforms,” Rayyan said. → Continued on page 4 An action considered by Al they don’t agree with by exerting lisher Channel violated local → Continued on page 3 02 HOME TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017

PM meets Iran ambassador Emir greets Merkel’s call to President of Chile resolve Gulf EMIR H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent yester- day a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, on crisis swiftly the anniversary of her coun- try’s Independence Day. Deputy Emir H H Sheikh The Peninsula efforts to mediate in this con- Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani flict as well. and Prime Minister and Inte- atar conflict should There is an agreement that rior Minister H E Sheikh be swiftly resolved, it is extremely important to Abdullah bin Nasser bin Kha- said German Chan- fight terrorism, reported Angela lifa Al Thani also sent cellor Angela Merkel, Merkel. The Emir assured her congratulations to President Qpushing for an end to that Qatar too intends to do of the Republic of Chile on the the current Gulf diplomatic cri- everything it can to fight Islam- anniversary of her country’s sis. All sides, she said, should ist terrorism. The region is Independence Day. come together around the facing “enormous challenges”, negotiating table as soon as said the Chancellor, and Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani possible. pointed to Yemen and the cur- with the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammed Ali Sobhani. Talks during Germany too would like to rent cholera epidemic there. the meeting dealt with cooperation between Qatar and Iran, in addition to a number of Seminar on help resolve the conflict in line In view of the German gov- topics of common concern. with its values, said Merkel, fol- ernment, all countries in the Exit Permit lowing a meeting with the Emir region must redouble their of Qatar H H Sheikh Tamim bin efforts to halt the funding of Grievances for Hamad Al Thani, the German terrorism. Embassy in Doha said in state- Federal Minister for For- communities ment released yesterday. eign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel Mesaimeer Services Centre provides Speaking at a press confer- visited the Gulf at the begin- The Peninsula ence with HH the Emir, the ning of July. During his visit Chancellor reported that her he stated clearly, “ We firmly 2,79,101 services in first half n the framework of “extremely frank talks with the believe that stopping the enhancing communication Emir” had focused on the situ- financing of terrorist organi- Iand interaction with expa- ation in the Gulf – the conflict sations and extremists – no Sidi Mohamed The Ministry of Interior Emergency Service received triate communities in Qatar, between Qatar and its matter by whom or from The Peninsula (MoI) said that it approved over 188,771 calls per month - 6,258 the Public Relations Depart- neighbours. where – is absolutely essen- 220,000 entry visa applications calls per day, 261 calls per hour ment of the Ministry of HH the Emir had made it tial: with no ifs and buts, and he Mesaimeer Services and more than 180,000 travel and five calls per minute. Interior, in association with clear that the Qatari side is in a practicable and transpar- Centre has provided a total permits/notifications through Now, 211 electronic services Exit Permit Grievances Com- doing all it can to make ent manner. If better Tof 2,79,101 services to peo- Metrash 2 application during the are available through Metrash2 mittee, will be conducting an progress, she added. mechanisms for this can be ple in the first half of this year. month. The MoI also added on and the website of the Ministry. induction seminar on the It is a matter of concern, she developed, then this crisis It has issued 1,16,406 visas, its official twitter account that The number of subscribers to functions of the Committee said at a press conference, that could even ultimately 69,677 residence permits and it approved over 75,000 resi- Metrash2 has reached 328,000 for the members of the “even one hundred days after strengthen our instruments in 18,634 fingerprint scannings. dence permits and handled over so far. Indian, Bangladeshi and Sri the conflict erupted, there are the fight against terrorism. Mesaimeer Services Centre 860,000 inquiry calls during the The service is available in six Lankan communities in Qatar still no signs of a solution”. She However, this requires good- is one of the MoI service cent- month. languages including Arabic, at 6 pm today at Officers’ Club reported that they had also dis- will, de-escalation and a ers that provides many services Through Metrash 2, it pro- English, French, Spanish, Urdu at the headquarters of Civil cussed the situation in Libya dialogue on all sides.” including visa, residence per- vided more than 60,000 traffic and Malayalam. Defence beside Al Ahli Hos- and Syria. During his visit to the to mit, fingerprint, traffic and much services during the month. Metrash 2 services include pital in Bin Omran area. In the Qatar crisis, the Ger- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait more. It issued 8,754 traffic About 51 mllion transactions many services like visa, resi- The Head of the ‘Exit Per- man government is supporting and Qatar, Sigmar Gabriel services, and 3,103 Qatari pass- were made through the Minis- dence, traffic violations, travel mit Grievances Committee’ Kuwait’s efforts to mediate. The urged all parties to the conflict port services. It also provided try’s website and Metrash 2 in exit permit, transfer vehicle Brig. Salim Saqr Al Muraikhi, Chancellor expressed Germa- to embrace the will to 62,527 other services during first the first half of 2017. ownership, community police, along with officers from ny’s appreciation of American compromise. half of the year. The Ministry, through its 999 renewal of driving license, issue Human Rights and Search emergency service, handled or replacement for damaged and Follow-Up Departments 1,132,627 calls. driving licence, CID in addition of the Ministry of Interior and The data indicated that 999 to different inquiries. officials from the National Human Rights Committee and Ministry of Labour, will attend the seminar. During the seminar, the Qatar condemns statement representatives of the com- munity organisations will be given a chance to clarify the of Bahrain Interior Ministry doubts related to the serv- ices of the participating Continued from page 1 treaties and covenants relating departments in the The official source under- to international maritime Seminar. lined that the State of Qatar does conventions. The officials will explain not allow any unlawful breach All parties must abide by this to community members the on its maritime borders, and is in order to ensure maritime functions of the Exit Permit committed to international safety. Grievances Committee. US-Islamic World Forum concludes

New York identify the main issues that are opportunity to exchange views QNA not agreed upon by different on political, economic and sci- political groups. entific topics of common interest he 13th session of the US- The second session, on “Ref- in order to reach practical Islamic World Forum, ugees and Cities”, made a results and solutions that serve Torganised by the Ministry number of recommendations on the Islamic world. of Foreign Affairs and the best practices for cities facing The Forum addressed top- Brookings Institution, concluded challenges related to migration, ics of significant importance, in New York City yesterday. especially the political, eco- which included current crises, Held under the theme “Cri- nomic and social challenges Arab opinion and identity, and sis and Cooperation”, the they face in dealing with the how democracy and develop- two-day Forum included work- influx of refugees and migrants. ment are compatible with issues ing sessions on a number of The participants stressed the of religious freedom, in addition important topics, with the par- need to understand the differ- to issues related to social ticipation of a distinguished ences between refugees and change, economic growth, cul- number of politicians, officials, migrants, including the special ture, arts and women’s rights. academics, opinion leaders, needs and protection of refugees The event represents an businessmen, culture and media under the international law. important occasion for strength- professionals from the US and The last session of the ening the relations and from all parts of the Islamic Forum discussed the post-con- cooperation between the Islamic world. flict reconstruction in war-torn world and the United States by The second and final day countries in the region. correcting many misconceptions witnessed several discussions The US-Islamic World Forum, about the Islamic world and its in two sessions. The first focused organised by the Permanent current issues, especially that on the political future of Islam, Committee for Organizing Con- the vision of the State of Qatar, and the future of traditional ferences at the Foreign Ministry, inspired by the directives of HH Islamists and their relationship began on Sunday in New York. the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin with other groups and ideolo- The 13th session of the Hamad Al Thani, seeks to high- gies in the light of the current Forum discussed several issues light the bright face of Islam and political realities in the Middle related to the relations Muslims and remove the stere- East and South Asia. between the US and the Islamic otypes or misconceptions that The participants also dis- world, the Middle East peace have spread in recent years. cussed the experiences of Islamic process, economy, security, First held in 2011, the US- movements in national contexts human development, science Islamic World Forum held all its and stressed the need to evaluate and technology, and the role twelve sessions in Doha with the the mechanism of dialogue under of the press and media. exception of one session held in ideological divisions and to The Forum represents an Washington in April 2011. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 HOME 03 Complaints about transport as schools reopen

Amna Pervaiz Rao back at 2pm. They charge QR315 where all other parents gather The service we provide gives a A few Indian schools provide The Peninsula Unaffordable per child which is not affordable to drop their children, which is remarkable security assurance; satisfactory transportation to the A majority of parents as we live in the middle of the a hectic duty as well. Moreover, we regularly check seat-belts, students and parents without any ith the opening are facing problems city but due to transportation we pay QR 700 for each kid, due mark attendance and keep an complaints of fare and timings, of schools, issue we (parents) are left with to safety issues we don’t prefer eye on each student which is our which makes the school trans- in finding an parents’ com- no choice,” said a mother of three depending on private taxis.” responsibility. Last year, we portation trustworthy. plaints about affordable and daughters studying in Bright “The school provides a lot of received three complaints in A student from Birla Public school trans- convenient school Future International School. safety assurance, which is the total from parents, but if the bus School said: “I have been avail- Wportation have started transportation. While transport fares of only reason we manage to bear is late or stuck in traffic we ing the school transport since resurfacing as they express con- international schools are very the fare and send our children inform the parents in advance,” 6th standard. We have never cerns over fares, timings and Some parents are high, parents are unable to using school transportation,” she said a transport coordinator of a been late to school in the past safety of the system. unable to cope with understand how to cope with the added. school. few years, and only on the first The Peninsula spoke to a the work routine work routine and children’s Interaction with a transport “We charge QR700 per day of school we reach a bit late number of parents and officials and children’s transportation issues, particu- coordinator showed the other month for each kid which is due to the traffic hustle on and found that a majority of par- transportation issues. larly the fare. side of the story and he comparatively cheap as the pri- roads as everyone comes back ents were facing problems in A parent of a student study- explained the previous and vate taxis ask for QR2,500 per to their daily routine. Our finding affordable and conven- ing at Gems American Academy present records of their trans- month per child, which does not school charges QR300 per ient school transportation. routine for my children. They told The Peninsula: “The school portation services. include safety of the children at month; we leave home at 6am “I recently shifted to Najma. used to leave home at 5am and transportation does not offer “Our school is located in Al- all. The charges that we get are and reach home before 3pm. Earlier, when I used to live near arrived home back at 3pm. To door-to-door service. We live Wakra, we provide door-to-door approved by the Ministry, which The bus we use makes the jour- Qatar Foundation I faced a lot of get rid of this problem we shifted near Landmark Mall and we service to children living in is not applied by the school ney to home enjoyable due to timing issue which created a bad to Al Najma where my kids come have a specific dropping point Wakra which also requires time. itself,” he noted. our friends.”

Qatar envoy meets Lebanese Vice-PM Snapchat Al Gannas Society launches special blockade of library at Hunting & Falcons Expo Al Jazeera an attack on media QNA He pointed out that the Suhail exhibition will be full of surprises Continued from page 1 l Gannas Society is such as announcing the launch of “We are urging them launching the society’s membership and receiving (Snapchat) to review the deci- Alibrary project during applications. sion that was made. They Katara International Hunting The applicant must be were that ones who invited and Falcons Exhibition (Suhail) Qatari to complete the form and us to be one of their news in its first edition, which starts also and over the age of 18. Dur- partners for the region.” tomorrow and continues until ing the exhibition days, “The channel will still be September 24. passports will be issued for the available outside of Saudi Al Gannas Society Chairman, birds in cooperation with the Arabia in 14 other Middle Ali bin Khatem Al Mehshadi, which recognized the falconry Ministry of Municipality and Eastern countries, alongside (pictured) said that the library as a global human heritage in Environment as well as the other broadcasters. project includes more than 150 2010. announcement of the calendar “The conflict is the lat- books on falconry and hunting He added that Al Gannas of competitions by the end of est example of a technology in Qatar, the Arab world and the Society will work on the presen- this year, including the Qatar Qatar’s Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, Ali bin company being pinned in world, in Arabic, English and tation of future projects through championship 2017, which will Hamad Al Marri, with Lebanon’s Vice-Prime Minister and the crosshairs of geopolitics other languages in order to pre- its own wing at the exhibition, take place between Nov. 2 and Health Minister, Ghassan Hasbani, at the Qatari embassy as it navigates censorship of serve the heritage of falconry in which includes everything related 4, and the championship of Al in Beirut, yesterday. They discussed bilateral relations and content on its platforms,” Qatar and the world, and to to the society and its achieve- Gannas Society will be held from ways to develop them. the Wall Street Journal enhance the efforts of Unesco, ments locally and internationally. Nov. 29 to Dec. 2. reported. 04 HOME TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 HIA and QA sign MoU with Kahramaa on Tarsheed

Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker; Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer; Kahramaa President Engr. Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari and other officials at Kahramaa Awareness Park (KAP) in Al-Thumama at the MoU signing ceremony.

The Peninsula encouragement and practical improvements that can be collaborate with Kahramaa on passengers travelling annually Energy conservation lifestyle suggestions and tech- adopted for implementation by this important project that will through the award-winning o achieve energy con- nology to reduce consumption facilities management teams.” generate further awareness facilities of Hamad International This project will servation in line with of water and electricity.” “Collaborations of this kind about the importance of sustain- Airport. Environmental respon- generate further the Qatar National “Hamad International Airport will work to achieve Qatar ability in Qatar. Our vision for sibility is at the core of HIA’s Vision 2030, Hamad awareness about the and Qatar Airways are partnering National Vision goals especially HIA as a state-of-the-art, tech- day-to-day operations. We are International Airport importance of with Tarsheed to meet shared with emphasis on environmen- nologically-advanced airport is advancing our aim to improve Tand Qatar Airways yesterday sustainability in objectives for energy and water tal development. Also, both to ensure that it has minimal energy efficiency by 30 per cent signed a Memorandum of Under- Qatar: Akbar Al Baker conservation and we are very parties work together to impact on the environment and by 2030 and we are fully com- standing (MoU) with Kahramaa’s pleased with these partnerships. achieve comprehensive sus- protects the future of Qatar for mitted to developing a National Programme for Conser- Officials also toured Hamad International Airport and tainability in keeping with the generations to come. With the sustainable future for our airport vation and Energy Efficiency, the state-of-the-art Qatar Airways are well positioned Qatar National Strategy 2017- most modern facilities at our fin- by effectively managing the envi- ‘Tarsheed’. Kahramaa to increase awareness and empha- 2022 with a Tarsheed target of gertips we will do everything in ronmental impacts of our Qatar Airways Group CEO Awareness Park sise Tarsheed’s principles and bringing down per capita con- our power to make sure this operations.” Akbar Al Baker and Hamad after signing MoU. goals to its employees and to cus- sumption of electricity by 25 partnership has tangible results The agreement provides a International Airport Chief Oper- tomers travelling through the per cent and of water by 35 per confirming Qatar’s commitment framework for HIA and Qatar ating Officer, Engr. Badr airport or on board the award- cent in 2022. This is additional to long-term sustainability.” Airways to work with Kahramaa Mohammed Al Meer met Kah- Park. Addressing the press con- winning airline. A number of joint to generating more than Hamad International Airport together on technical collabora- ramaa President Engr. Essa bin ference Kahramaa’s President communication initiatives will be 500MW of Solar Energy by Chief Operating Officer, Engr. tions as well as community Hilal Al Kuwari at Kahramaa Engr. Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari, implemented.” 2020 to be contributed by a Badr Mohammed Al Meer, said: awareness and development in Awareness Park (KAP) in Al-Thu- said: “Tarsheed’s mission is to “Through these MoUs, Tar- number of entities in Qatar.” “We are pleased to partner with relation to conservation technol- mama to sign the MoU. empower all Qatari citizens and sheed has planned energy audits Qatar Airways Group Chief Kahramaa to increase awareness ogy, energy efficiency systems, They also toured the state- residents through provision of expected to contribute practical Executive, Akbar Al Baker said: on energy and water conserva- awareness, and, in the near of-the-art Kahramaa Awareness information, awareness, recommendations for efficiency “We are very proud to tion to more than 30 million future, renewable energy. Qatar Airways launches limited edition amenity kits Zakat Fund distributes QR17.3m

The Peninsula passengers travelling on Qatar enjoy a luxury amenity bag ear plugs complete the range in August to needy families Airways’ medium-haul routes created exclusively for Qatar with the addition of a BRIC’S new range of limited will be offered amenity kits Airways by stylish Italian signature luggage tag for First The Peninsula rules approved by Zakat Fund, edition amenity kits from from leading fashion brand luggage brand BRIC’S. The Class. which guarantees the delivery A luxury luggage brands Nappa Dori featuring a new miniature versions of the Medium-haul customers he total aid provided by of assistance to beneficiaries in BRIC’S and Nappa Dori have series of destination images Bellagio and Sintesis suitcase flying in First Class and Business the Zakat Fund at the need. made their debut on board printed on the kits canvas features a hard-shell with a Class enjoy bespoke luxury TMinistry of Endowments Zakat Fund added that Qatar Airways flights for exterior, including Thailand, Tuscan leather trim. Each bag amenity kits developed by and Islamic Affairs for needy these aids are provided after passengers flying in First Class the Netherlands, China and contains exclusive products artisan brand, Nappa Dori, families in the country last comprehensively assessing and Business Class. Doha. from Italy’s Castello Monte which has gained global August amounted to QR17.3m, each beneficiary and undertak- BRIC’S limited edition Frequent travellers can add Vibiano Vecchio, the recognition for its luxury the fund said. ing a social and field research. luxury amenity kits come in a the new keepsake designs from environmentally friendly olive handcrafted travel and fashion The aid is distributed to The cases are then presented selection of four colours for both brands to their collections, oil company. accessories. The kits feature people registered with the fund to specialized committees who autumn – yellow, navy blue, which combine vintage and The skin care range includes select images from destinations and included permanent and meet almost on a daily basis to blush and tan – and will be contemporary styles and lip balm, hydrating facial mist, around the world served by temporary aids and also coin- asses the cases. The fund presented to passengers flying contain a range of must-have and anti-ageing moisturiser in Qatar Airways, and contain cided with Eid Al Adha and the receives zakat from their main long-haul in First Class and handy travel accessories. Business Class, with added socks, eyeshades and lip balm beginning of the academic year. branch in Salwa road and other Business Class. First Class and Business Night Recovery Cream for First from Castello Monte Vibiano The funds were distributed branches in different areas of First and Business Class Class long-haul passengers can Class kits. Socks, eyeshades and Vecchio. as per the Shariah and legal the country.

Qatar reiterates support for Qatar to generate 500 MW Syria solution solar power by 2020 Continued from page 1 Continued on page 1 The ambassador added this strat- done online but the delivery Mohannadi said. The new egy starts with a firm blockade of Al Mohannadi said that requires a regulatory role, system might eventually cities and the starvation of its people the electricity sector in which Q-Post will assume. cancel the storage system in parallel with random bombing Qatar is fully independent He highlighted the completely and introduce using heavy weapons, including and the country depends on importance of Q-Post an electronic system that chemical ones, to destroy the infra- its own resources in this explaining that QEWC has six provides materials through structure, especially the hospitals, regard. companies operating in Ras global suppliers, making the obliging the people to choose either Al Mohannadi signed Laffan, Mesaieed, Umm Al global market act as ware- to die of starvation or sickness, or the contract along with Houl, Ras Abu Funtas and houses, he added, noting agree to terms that force them to sur- Q-Post Chairman and Man- Dukhan and they need mate- that Q-Post will play a render and flee. The events that took aging Director Faleh rials delivered to their major role in this process. place in Al Qusayr, Homs, Darayya Mohammed Al Nuaimi. Al locations and some suppli- For his part, Al Nuaimi and other cities are clear examples, Mohannadi said signing the ers don’t know the locations said the services that HE the ambassador added. contract with Q-Post is or the names of companies Q-Post will provide for Qatar’s permanent representative related to supplying impor- and they insist on delivering QEWC will help in facilitat- to the UN Office in Geneva said the 34th tant and urgent materials to a specific location where ing and accelerating the paragraph of the report published by for QEWC, noting that any companies can then go to process of shipment deliv- the commission on the methods imple- company has a material collect their shipments. ery and will enhance the mented by the Syrian regime to strip control system that classi- Q-Post will find a mecha- importance of achieving the dissidents, displaced and refugees fies materials into nism for electronic integration among national of their possessions is evidence that the processing long-term mate- communication that helps in companies so as to promote regime continues to hold on to these rials, medium-sized following up on the locations the Qatari economy and strategies. materials for specific pur- to which the materials are serve the goals of Qatar The ambassador called on the poses, and small-sized delivered. National Vision 2030. international community, especially materials that are con- These steps will help in He added that Q-Post the Security Council, to take firm stantly purchased. reducing the need for stor- will provide shipping and stance on bringing those responsible Each of these classifica- age that cost companies supply services for QEWC for the crimes and violations in Syria tion, he said, requires money and might lead to in order to drive down the since 2011 to justice in addition to services, adding that Q-Post the expiry of some materi- costs by obtaining prices providing additional support to the will greatly assist QEWC in als. It will also drive down that make it possible to neutral entities to investigate those express delivery of materi- the cost of insurance on offer the services easily and crimes. als as purchases are now inflammable materials, Al at competitive cost. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 HOME 05

Secretary-General of SCO meets Qatar envoy Outgoing Ecuador Ambassador honoured

Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Rashid Alimov, met Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, held yesterday with Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the People’s Republic of China, Sultan bin a farewell ceremony at the Diplomatic Club in honour of Ambassador of Republic of Salmeen Al Mansouri, in Beijing. The meeting discussed aspects of enhancing cooperation Ecuador to the State of Qatar, Kabalan Abisaab, on the occasion of the end of his tenure and issues of common concern. in the country. A number of heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the country and Foreign Ministry Department directors attended the ceremony. Lulu Group launches REO Fashion store in Al Khor

The Peninsula from Lulu Group Qatar Region. state-of-the art production tech- Speaking on the new initia- REO is a specialty apparel and niques, REO stores have all the tive, an official spokesman of Lulu ulu Group is making inroads accessories retailer for men, elements to lure customers in Group said, “The new concept was into value fashion through women and kids, targeting the modern times. True to their perceived with an aim of revolu- Lthe launch of its newest and youthful and trendy customers, tagline “fashionably together,” the tionizing the fashion industry with specialised fashion store concept with special focus on middle- store is set to make shopping a trendy and comfortable attire at named REO at Lulu Hypermar- income customers and families wonderful experience for shop- affordable prices. We wish to ket, Al Khor. across the Middle East. pers with value for money make high-end, quality fashion REO is a 100% private label It offers a distinct combina- – anywhere, anytime. more accessible to our custom- development launched by the tion of style and quality at Launching its initial chain of ers. We have a broad range to suit Lulu group, with an aggressive attractive prices, addressing fash- stores in all GCC countries, the all styles and budgets while expansion plan in the years to ion needs for multiple lifestyle group is intending to open 15-18 upholding our values around come. The new store is designed occasions. The store is expected stores by end of the year. Most of quality.” to cover an area of 1100 Sq metres to remain popular destination for the stores will be adjacent to Lulu Lulu group has always been in the initial phase. REO Fashion trendy fashion apparel, footwear, department stores but with a a one-stop shop for the diverse store is designed with a contem- lingerie, and a host of other acces- unique and distinct look and feel population of the Middle East porary and classic touch. The store sories, with special focus on casual and a perfect REO brand region with an international has smart interiors and is well attire. REO offers affordable fash- demarcation. assortment of products from sev- equipped with modern facilities ion for the modern, Some of the stores will also be eral countries. The group has Mohamed Althaf, Director of Lulu Group, inaugurates the REO tailored to meet the needs and quality-conscious customers. It standalone stores in malls. In the succeeded in all its endeavors in Fashion store, at Lulu Hypermarket in Al Khor, yesterday, in modes of modern shopping. provides fashion for all occasions next two years, the group has the region in the past. The strength the presence of REO team and senior officials from Lulu Group Mohamed Althaf, Director of and fashion for all seasons at fair- planned to open 50 stores in the of the group in establishing the Lulu Group, has inaugurated the est rates. Middle East, with few stores in new fashion concept is because Qatar Region. REO Fashion store by cutting rib- With its extensive range of lat- Malaysia, Indonesia, and India as of its widespread presence in the bon, yesterday, in the presence of est, stylish, and comfortable well. The group has also set its tar- region, its knowledge of the sourcing network, engagement of Europe, and involvement of buy- REO team and senior officials designs carefully crafted with get to open 200 stores by 2020. extensive customer base, good professional designers from ers and retail specialists. 06 HOME TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017

Registration for Ambition program continues

QNA

inistry of Education and Higher Education Msaid that registration for Ambition program for sec- ondary school graduates continues for Qataris, chil- dren of Qatari women, Qatar-based births, GCC nationals and holders of Qatari documents holders. The ministry said that the first phase of registration process will end on Septem- ber 30, with the second phase starting on December 1 and The staff, students and other officials of the Doha Institute of Graduate Studies (DI) during the event. ending on December 31. Ambition is a scholarship programme that adopts high school certificate holders who wish to pursue a teaching DI launches ‘Tamim Scholarship Program’ career. It entails important benefits such as rewards dur- ing the university study Amna Pervaiz Rao orientation aimed to familiarise This year we are proud to received information about admissions cycle reached 3500, period and immediate hiring The Peninsula students with the university announce a brand new scholar- course registration, general rules of whom 1633 have nominated in Qatar schools after gradu- environment as well as the rules ship programme which is and regulations, and services and completed the required doc- ation. Those wishing to enroll oha Institute of Graduate and regulations governing aca- “Tamim Scholarship Program”, offered by the Institute to uments. The Admissions Office in the program should com- Studies (DI) yesterday demic studies. this programme is dedicated to enhance their experience dur- declared an increase of applica- plete all stages of education Dannounced “Tamim Talking to The Peninsula, the students with merit. Another ing their study. The Faculty of tions with 8.5 percent compared in Qatar schools (excluding Scholarship Program”, during Monair Ouanaimi, Director of scholarship programme which Social and Human Sciences, has to the academic year 2016-17. children of Qatari mothers), the orientation session of its third Enrolment and Student Affairs, is based on financial needs. This also introduced a master’s pro- The Doha Institute for Grad- obtain a secondary school batch of students for the aca- said, “This year we have enroled year we also introduced new gramme in Journalism, the first uate Studies was established in certificate or equivalent with demic year 2017-18. 170 students which include 72 school of behaviour sciences of its kind in Qatar and one of 2015 and graduated its first a final grade of at least 80 Dr Yasser Sulaiman Maali, Qatari students and 20 other which offers two programmes, the very few in the Arab region. cohort of students in June 2017. percent, unconditional Acting President of the Institute, nationalities. Forty percent of the Masters of social work and Mas- Dr Abdelrahim Benhada, The fall semester will commence admission from Qatar Uni- and Dr Hind Al Muftah, Vice- students, who are enroled this ters of social psychology next Dean of Student Affairs, in September 24 and the next versity School of Education, President for Administrative and year, are Qataris. Presently we year we aim to add clinical psy- announced that the total number admissions cycle for the aca- and pass the personal Financial Affairs, were present have 66 faculty members com- chology as well.” of applicants for the master’s demic year 2018-19 will start on interview. during the event. The ing from all around the world. In addition, students programmes for the 2017-18 October 1. Stomach botox injections not Envoy hosts WISE Prize for Education Jury The Peninsula WISE team, and guests were also several high-level visits and honoured at a high-level round- meaningful exchanges over effective to treat obesity: Study he Qatari Ambassador to table discussion on today’s recent years. Germany, Sheikh Saoud global education challenges at Stavros N. Yiannouka, CEO, Tbin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Bundestag – Germany’s fed- WISE, a member of Qatar Foun- The Peninsula hosted the WISE Prize for Edu- eral parliament. Jürgen Klimke, dation (QF), outlined the work cation Jury for its final a member of the Bundestag rep- of WISE, including the WISE sing botox injections to deliberations meeting at the resenting Hamburg, hosted the Prize for Education and other the stomach to treat Arab Culture House, Villa Cale, gathering. initiatives. The members of the Uobesity does not lead to in Berlin recently. At the Bundestag, Klimke 2017 WISE Prize for Education long-term weight loss, a study The WISE Prize for Educa- welcomed the guests and spoke Jury are, Dr Jrg Drger, Member by researchers at Weill Cornell tion Laureate will be announced briefly of his involvement in of the Executive Board, Bertels- Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) and and introduced at the World exchanges with the MENA mann Foundation (Germany), Hamad Medical Corporation Innovation Summit for Educa- region, particularly within the Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser bin (HMC) has found. tion 2017, which is taking place context of the 2017 Germany- Khaled Al Thani, Founder and Botox, more commonly used in Doha from November 14-16. Qatar Year of Culture. He noted Chairperson, Amwal (Qatar), Dr. as a cosmetic treatment to The Prize is the premier recog- his interest in education chal- Madhav Chavan, President, reduce the appearance of skin nition of an individual or team lenges facing his country, and Pratham Education Foundation wrinkles, works by causing par- for outstanding, life-long Germany’s role in supporting (India) and Vicky Colbert, tial muscle paralysis that makes achievement in any field of edu- education causes globally. Founder and Director, Fundacin the overlying skin look cation. The Laureate(s) receive Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrah- Escuela Nueva (Colombia). Yian- smoother. The theory behind the specially designed WISE man Al Thani also addressed the nouka chaired the WISE Prize botox injections to the stomach Prize for Education gold medal, roundtable, welcoming the Jury deliberations. Dr Chavan is that by paralysing the mus- and an award of US$500,000. WISE Prize Jury and noting the and Colbert are themselves cles involved in moving food the Ambassador Al Thani, the strong ties between Qatar and WISE Prize for Education stomach will feel fuller, helping WISE Prize Jury, members of the Germany as indicated by the Laureates. WCM-Q researchers pose for a photograph at WCM-Q the patient feel less hungry, eat yesterday. less and lose weight. However, after a compre- who had stomach botox injec- weight loss placed all partici- hensive review of all published tions had lost weight after one pants on a very low calorie papers on the subject, the month, and patients reported liquid diet for eight weeks. Fur- EAA kicks off RAEL initiative again WCM-Q and HMC researchers feeling full earlier after eating thermore, the effect of the botox found no evidence that stomach less food than previously. injections wears off after three botox injections in obese But in most studies, after to six months. The Peninsula at all low-skilled workers at Foundation Recreation Center. patients leads to effective long- three to six months, patients had Hadya Elshakh, a final-year partnering organisations who The RAEL Programme will take term weight loss. Furthermore, either regained the weight they WCM-Q medical student and ducation Above All (EAA) have low levels of English lan- place over a 16-week period that botox injections to the stomach had lost, weighed more than volunteer Research Assistant in with over 60 volunteers guage and literacy and are keen is split into two terms. The first can also cause harmful side- they did before the procedure, the college’s Clinical Research Eare going to teach low to develop their skills in this term began this week and will effects, such as pain and or had minimal total body Core, is the lead researcher on skilled migrant workers helping area. The initiative enables last for eight consecutive weeks, swelling in the area of the injec- weight loss. Other studies exam- the review. She said, “We exam- theme to improve their English migrant workers to develop while the second term will start tion, nausea and indigestion. ined by the team found little ined a large number of research language skills. their ability to effectively com- in February 2018. The quality of the studies difference in appetite, weight studies, both clinical trials and EAA foundation, through its municate at a basic level in This year, over 60 volun- examining the role of stomach loss and feelings of fullness case-based studies, and found programme Reach Out To Asia English in their daily activities. teers from partnering botox in weight loss was gener- between subjects who had botox no compelling evidence for the (ROTA) has launched its Adult To kick-off the RAEL initia- organisations and EAA’s ROTA ally poor, the WCM-Q and HMC injections with those who had use of botox injections to the English Literacy (RAEL) Pro- tive this year, the local are entrusted with the task of researchers found. Some stud- saline injections. stomach for treatment of obes- gramme again this year. non-profit hosted its first ‘Train- helping low-skilled workers ies reviewed by the researchers The only trial that demon- ity. It does not appear to lead to Launched in 2009, the RAEL ing for Trainers’ workshop improve their English language reported that obese patients strated significant total body long-term weight loss.” programme is aimed recently, at the Qatar skills. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 HOME 07

Move to boost 136 nominations from 30 Katara & Turkish Embassy ties

countries for SHATIU 2017 The Peninsula

The Peninsula The total amount of the awards has been he General Manager of the increased from $1m to $2m and the French Lan- Cultural Village Founda- ome 136 nom- guage has been selected as second language Ttion- Katara, Dr Khalid bin inees from alongside English language for the awards of the Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, yesterday met over thirty books translation. Turkish Ambassador, Fikret countries SHATIU 2017 has three major categories, Ozer, and his accompanying have submit- including translation prizes, which are subdivided delegation, in the presence of Sted for Sheikh Hamad into the following; translation from Arabic into the Director of ‘Yunus Emre’ General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation- Katara, Award for Translation English, translation from English into Arabic, trans- -the Turkish Cultural Centre in and International Understanding (SHATIU) 2017. lation from Arabic into a language other than Doha, Mohamed Ikaj. Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, yesterday met Turkish The number of nominees has doubled compar- English, translation from a language other than The meeting was aimed at Ambassador, Fikret Ozer, and his accompanying delegation, ing to the previous year with 87 nominees. English into Arabic. Winner of the first prize in enhancing cultural ties in the presence of the Director of ‘Yunus Emre’ - the Turkish The deadline for the award was on August 31, this category is awarded (US$100.000),the sec- between Katara and the Turk- Cultural Centre in Doha, Mohamed Ikaj. and all judging committees have started evalua- ond (US$60.000) and the third (US$40.000). ish Embassy in Doha. A tion of the submitted translation works. The second category is achievement prizes, proposal was discussed on the folklore and culture through a Village. Stressing on the impor- Commenting on the significant increase of awarded to translations from Arabic into languages cooperation between the two wide array of events, festivals, tance of strengthening the nominees and new categories of awards, Dr Hanan and includes 10 sub-categories of translation from entities in the maritime herit- and cultural weeks. He under- cultural ties between the two Al Fayadh, the Award’s Media Consultant, said Arabic to Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Persian and age field by presenting the lined that culture builds real countries by opening new hori- some 27 nominees have submitted their contri- Urdu and vice-versa and each will have a prize Turkish marine culture with its communication bridges zons of cooperation through butions and thus the number of competitors for of $100,000. Whiel the is for that the third cate- various perspectives, in alli- between people from all walks participation in upcoming fes- the single book translation awards has rose from gory has Prize for International Understanding ance with Katara traditional of life. tivals hosted by the Cultural 87 to 109 nominees under the new categories. and awarded to individual(s) and/or institution(s) festivals. For his part, the Turkish Village, which ideally reflects The judging committees started assessment with substantive contribution to building a cul- Dr Al Sulaiti praised the Ambassador expressed his hap- the strong and friendly Qatari- process two days ago and more precisely on Sep- ture of peace and promoting international role of the Turkish embassy in piness towards this fruitful Turkish relations that have been tember 17, the President of the Award added. understanding and its total value is $200,000. highlighting the Turkish cooperation with the Cultural consolidated over the past years. Qatar’s Ambassador to Spain: QNA did not distort news Madrid Trump, who decided to mediate dialogue. And this is what really established an unprecedented plat- In response to a question about markets in the country were re- QNA in the crisis and coordinated this happened, he added. form for freedom of the press, Riyadh’s listing of alleged terrorist supplied goods. telephone call in order to Asked about the reason for through which intellectuals express organizations or associated individ- “The four countries that atar’s Ambassador to Spain, advance the dialogue process. the angry reaction from Riyadh, their opinions. For Egypt or Saudi uals staying in Qatar, HE the impose the siege are not industrial H E Mohammed Jaham Al During the phone conversa- His Excellency said: “We are Arabia, this margin of freedom of Ambassador said: “We have been countries, they buy from abroad QKuwari, said that dialogue tion, the Saudi Crown Prince committed to informing our pub- expression is disturbing. Why? given a list of this, and we are ready to resell, so it is enough that we to solve the Gulf crisis was inter- made a proposal to HH the Emir lic, and I have the impression Because there are two visions in the to discuss this. The list includes found new direct shipping sources rupted after alleged distortion of for the appointment of envoys to that the Saudi regime is pursu- Arab world: the first wants reform organizations working on impor- in Europe and Asia,” he said. news by Qatar News Agency resolve controversial issues. ing another policy.” Al Kuwari and the second wants to maintain tant projects with the United HE the Ambassador pointed (QNA), stressing that QNA did not After that, Qatar News Agency stressed that the closure of Al the status quo, and Al Jazeera pur- Nations. Thus, the accusation by out that the most affected in this distort news. reported the news of the tele- Jazeera is an internal affair sues the first one. The regimes in Saudi Arabia for these organizations crisis are the peoples of the Gulf In an interview with Spanish phone call, stating that the call related to the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt surprises us.” As for the damage countries and not the economic ABC newspaper, Al Kuwari said was coordinated by President Qatar, adding that the rejection want the continuation of the cur- caused by the siege imposed on relations, as our Arab societies that Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Trump, while Saudi Arabia did of an agreement between the rent regimes, he said, adding that if the State of Qatar, HE the Ambas- are closely interrelated. It is nat- Hamad Al Thani spoke, on Sep- not mention that and only stated State of Qatar and Turkey or not something happened in the streets sador explained that the damage ural that the families are tember 8, with the Saudi Crown that it was HH the Emir who ini- establishing relations with some of Saudi Arabia, Al Jazeera is obliged was not only to Qatar but also to distributed in Qatar, Saudi Ara- Prince after another telephone tiated the call. Riyadh claimed countries is also a flagrant attack to inform people of what is happen- the rest of the Gulf States, point- bia and the UAE. “They are the conversation between H H the that we “distorted” the news, and on the sovereignty of Qatar. ing, whether it is good for the ing out that its initial impact was ones who pay the price of the Emir and US President Donald announced the interruption of He added that Al Jazeera had authorities or not. avoided in only two days, and the blockade and that is not fair.” QU Health & Al Ahli Hospital sign MoU Fazeena Saleem The Peninsula

n a new partnership Qatar Uni- versity (QU) Health and Al Ahli IHospital will work together in the fields of education, research and training. An agreement was signed by Dr Egon Toft, QU Vice-President for Medical and Health Sciences and Dean of the College of Medi- Dr Egon Toft (left), Vice-President for Medical and Health cine (CMED) and Jamal Saleh Sciences and Dean of the College of Medicine, Qatar University Hammad, Al Ahli Hospital Deputy (QU); and Jamal Saleh Hammad, Deputy CEO and Director of CEO, and Director of Projects and Projects, MediCare and Al Ahli Hospital; addressing the media MediCare yesterday in the pres- prior to an MoU signing at QU yesterday. ence of faculty, officials and staff Pics: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula of both institutions. The open-ended agreement Strategy. Our collaboration with excellence.” According to the MoU, between QU Health and Al Ahli Al Ahli Hospital will enrich the aca- both institutions will also cooper- Hospital will offer and participate demic and research experience of ate to provide students with in Continuing Medical Education our medical and health students clinical training, based on the areas and Continuous Professional to build their capacity and prepare relevant to Al Ahli Hospital’s range Development (CPD) activities, and them for leadership roles within of services. The MoU between QU will promote and perform joint the health care sector. It also high- Health and Al Ahli Hospital will research projects in areas of lights QU Health’s vision to become also focus on other areas of col- mutual interest to generate new a catalyst for innovation at the laboration including exchange of scientific and practical results national level and to be recognized information related to teaching which are applicable to Qatar. regionally for excellence in inter- and research in fields of mutual Dr Toft said, “This MoU will professional health education and interest, exchange of publications, benefit both QU and Al Ahli Hos- interdisciplinary health research. reports, or academic material as pital in their respective roles as key We strongly believe that this coop- well as the cross-appointments for partners in contributing to the eration will lead towards more faculty members working at QU National Health success and and in clinical settings. Qatar leads in countering terrorism Continued from Page 1 we seek to defeat terrorism in all organisations with the US Depart- “For two decades, Qatar has forms and bring those that support ment of Homeland Security; partnered with the United States, it to justice.” enhanced implementation of the United Nations, and key allies Since the signing of the MoU, UNSC resolution designation to address terrorism and extrem- Qatar has built on its strong foun- groups and regular reports to the ism wherever it exists at home, in dational programmes to address UN 1267 committee; enhancement the region, globally,” said terrorism and extremism with: of boarder control and aviation Abdulaziz Al Ansari, Chairman of direct cooperation between the security on adherence with UNSC National Counter-Terrorism Com- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minis- 2178; establishment of a fully func- mittee. “This year Qatar was try of Interior, Central Bank, State tional and operational domestic presented with the opportunity to Security, and Public Prosecution designations regime; independent further enhance cooperation with and the US State Department, audits and review of informal American intelligence and law Department of Treasury, Depart- financial and charitable sector; enforcement agencies around ment of Homeland Security, protocols for capacity building, counter-terrorism and be the first Department of Justice and Federal technical assistance and training and only country in the region to Bureau of Investigation; increased expertise with the Department of commit to this MoU.” information sharing on known Justice and Department of “We signed the MoU because suspected terrorist and terrorist Treasury. 08 HOME TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 QU roundtable discusses Africa’s growth prospects

The Peninsula development. Dr Haroon Bhorat “The Gulf and Africa” addressed the recent growth atar University (QU) record in Africa since the “lost yesterday held a discussions aimed to decades” (1980s and 1990s) until roundtable discussion provide an overview on the 2000s when the situation on “The Gulf and the growth prospects changed. He referred to the QAfrica” aimed to pro- in Africa and to address famous Economist article on the vide an overview on the growth the Africa-Gulf relations. “fastest growing economies in FROM LEFT: Dr Afyare Elmi, Associate Professor of Gulf Studies, Qatar University; Prof Haroon prospects in Africa and to the world: 2001-2010” that listed Bhorat, Professor of Economics and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit, University address the Africa-Gulf faculty and students. the 10 fastest growing countries of Cape Town; Pravin Gordhan, former minister of finance, South Africa; and Dr Abdullah relations. Pravin Gordhan addressed in the world among which six Baabood, Director of Gulf Studies, Qatar University, attending a roundtable discussion on ‘The The event featured three dis- the democratic, economic and countries were African with Gulf and Africa’ at the Qatar University, yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula cussions moderated by QU Gulf social development of the Afri- Angola on top. He also stressed Studies Center (GSC) Director Dr can continent since the 1980s the importance of manufactur- world, and these investments are piracy off the coast of Somalia lining in the horizon. Given its rich Abdulla Baabood, and presented until the 21st century. He high- ing and low-wage manufacturing subject to numerous border dis- which has been a threat to inter- resources, Africa is becoming by Pravin Gordhan, former min- lighted the impact of to ensure sustainable growth in putes requiring regional national shipping. even more important for all glo- ister of Finance of South Africa; globalisation on the continent in Africa, and the necessity of build- cooperation.” Dr Abdulla Baabood said: bal economic powers and China Dr Haroon Bhorat, Professor of general and the middle and ing economic complexity and Dr Afyare Elmi addressed “The importance of the African is a good example. The Gulf coun- Economics at the University of working classes in particular. He capabilities to pursue economic Africa’s position against the continent cannot be overstated. tries too are becoming more Cape Town; and Dr Afyare Elmi, pointed to the important role of development. “By 2100, 37 out blockade on the State of Qatar. The sleeping tiger has had many active in Africa for many reasons, GSC Associate Professor of Gulf democracy, transparency and of 100 or 3,7 of every 4 workers He highlighted the importance setbacks and faces numerous including historical, cultural, Studies. wise governance to ensure Afri- on the planet will be African”, he of the historical, cultural and economic, social and political social, economic and strategic Attendees included QU Pres- ca’s progress and growth, and to said. religious factors in driving for- challenges but there is a good links and interests. This event ident Dr Hassan Al Derham, strengthen its relations with the He added: “Africa is witness- ward the relations between the opportunity for Africa to over- gives a good introduction on the Ambassador Extraordinary and world. He also highlighted the ing a massive development in Gulf and Africa. He also high- come these challenges and to Africa-Gulf relations and we look Plenipotentiary of South Africa steps undertaken by the African investment such as the rail, ports, lighted the impact of security prosper. The “African Century” is forward to similar events in the Prof Shirish M Soni, and QU VP countries to regulate their eco- telecommunications, and roads. issues and instability in the Afri- not just a dream as the continent future to explore more specific for Academic Affairs Dr Omar Al nomic systems and policies in However, the continent is still can continent on the Gulf region has enormous but un-realized issues of the Africa-Gulf Ansari, as well as QU officials, order to ensure a dynamic lagging behind the rest of the and the world, as well as the potential and there is a silver relations.” Qatar to host international conference on entrepreneurship The Peninsula businesses interested in the theory and “ICEIRD is a perfect match for Qatar as responsible for delivering a successful for Entrepreneurship Director said, “In practice of university-industry links as it is a regional hub where academics, event, in collaboration with a profes- preparing for the conference, two inter- atar has won the bid to host the well as innovation, entrepreneurship, innovators and entrepreneurs can con- sional conference organiser. national committees were formed: a International Conference on and regional development. tinue to learn and share knowledge Dr Khalid Al Abdulqader, Dean of scientific committee and another indus- QEntrepreneurship, Innovation and First held in 2007, ICEIRD has been within and outside the walls of a con- College of Business and Economics at try and community committee. I look Regional Development (ICEIRD) in Sep- taking place annually for the past 10 ference hall.” He added, “The hosting of QU said, “Our collaboration with QTA forward to ICEIRD 2018 adding great tember 2018. The rights to host the field’s years in Europe; for its second decade, this event comes as part of our contin- to bid for and host this event, boosts value to the entrepreneurship commu- leading conference was secured through it will rotate worldwide and be hosted uous efforts to work with local partners our efforts to invite academics to Qatar nity both locally and in the region.” a joint bid between Qatar Tourism in a different region every year. The 2018 to attract international events and boost and collaborate with international uni- Professor Panayiotis Ketikidis, Authority (QTA) and Qatar University edition will be the first edition to be business events tourism’s contribution versities. We look forward to hosting Founder of ICEIRD, said, “Taking the 11th (QU) which was presented in Thessalo- hosted in the Middle East. to the national economy.” this event and building on QU’s repu- ICEIRD beyond Europe is a step towards niki, Greece. Owing to the country’s state-of-the- Over 250 conference delegates are tation as one of the best universities to satisfying global demand for the ICEIRD is a three-day conference art facilities and tourism assets, Qatar expected to visit Doha in October next in the region, particularly in the area wealth of knowledge that the confer- organised by the University of Sheffield has a strong track-record in success- year to attend the conference for which of entrepreneurship education and ence has produced through its wide bringing together academics, university fully hosting large-scale international Qatar University will be ‘local host’. A research.” network over the past decade. We are technology managers, entrepreneurs, conferences and events. Between 2014 local host is an organization that acts QU is home to the Center for Entre- highly honoured that the ICEIRD 2018 policy-makers and businesses to foster and 2016, Qatar hosted a total of 56 as a focal point between the host coun- preneurship, an AACSB-accredited will be hosted by the University of Qatar and promote innovation-led growth. The events affiliated with the International try and the association. This centre that has been identified as one and are confident that being hosted in conference offers a platform for aca- Congress and Convention Association. organisation is usually in the same field of the 35 best institutions in Entrepre- a true regional innovation hub will fur- demics, university technology managers, Ahmed Al Obaidly, Director of Exhi- as the association, and officially bids neurship Education worldwide in 2017. ther expand the conference’s entrepreneurs, policy-makers and bitions at QTA commented saying, for hosting the event. It is also Dr Mahmoud Abdellatif, Center network.” ASTAD participates in Qatar Girl Scouts Association attends New Delhi meet

consultancy event in Kuwait QNA

The Peninsula QATAR Girl Scouts Association is partic- ipating in the 36th Assembly of the World ASTAD marked a strategic step Association of Girl Guides (WAGGGS,) towards cooperation with the which opened yesterday in the Indian Kuwaiti public sector by capital New Delhi with the attendance of accepting an official invitation 146 member associations and organisa- to be the platinum sponsor for tions under the slogan “For Her World.” ENCON1, a major consultancy The assembly, which continues till event for government projects Friday, is the main decision-making body held in Kuwait. The event was of the WAGGGS and convenes every three inaugurated by Kuwait’s Min- years. ister of State for Cabinet Affairs The session discusses a number of and acting Minister of Informa- issues and topics related to the work of tion, Sheikh Mohammad the Assembly and its strategic plan for Abdullah Al Mubarak Al Sabah, the period 2018 to 2020, the develop- representing the Prime Minis- ment of educational programs for women ter of the State of Kuwait, counselors and other administrative and Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al excellence that we have built financial issues. Qatar’s girls scouts at the New Delhi meeting. Hamad Al Sabah. The event is in Qatar over the years will being held by the Federation prove to be beneficial to our cli- Engineering Offices, the Cen- ents in Kuwait and the wider tral Agency for Public Tenders region.” and the General Secretariat of Assured that the forum will MINI steals the show in Frankfurt the Supreme Council for Plan- open new horizons for cooper- ning and Development in ation between ASTAD and The Peninsula the exterior and interior of the concept study Kuwait. Kuwait, Eng. Al-Khalifa form a precisely harmonised overall pack- During the three-day event explained that the ENCON1 INI is shaping the future of urban age for thrilling performance. that is being held from Septem- Forum was the perfect platform mobility by providing driving fun in The MINI Electric Concept showcased in ber 17-19, ASTAD Chief for ASTAD to open the door for Mincreasing diversity. At the 2017 Frankfurt for the first time embodies a whole Executive Officer, Engineer Ali potential Kuwaiti business rela- Frankfurt Motor Show, the British premium new dimension of the brand’s characteris- Al Khalifa (pictured), delivered tionships as ASTAD expands into brand gives visitors an impression of how tic go-kart feeling, now combining it with a key note speech at the open- new markets. the unmistakable MINI feeling will develop locally emission-free mobility. The concept is derived from spectacular motor racing suc- ing ceremony, sharing updates Eng Al Khalifa added: in future to cover a broader range beyond vehicle conveys a message of sustainable cess. 50 years ago the classic Mini achieved its on construction in the region “ASTAD’s strategic steps towards the current model programme. Innovative urban transportation in MINI style while at third outright victory at the Monte Carlo Rally. and discussing ASTAD’s major building partnerships in Kuwait concepts and technologies provide additional the same time previewing a volume produc- The MINI ACV 30 concept study presented 20 contribution towards the Qatar began earlier this year when we room for individual flair and highly emo- tion model that will follow soon. years ago, demonstrated just how much the National Vision 2030. initiated a tender for consul- tional experiences, while continuing to The first purely electrically powered model’s racing career influenced not only the During his speech, Eng Al tancy services on projects at the enhance the thrilling agility and exemplary MINI to be manufactured in large-scale pro- history of the classic Mini but also the devel- Khalifa said: “As a Qatari lead- Kuwait International Airport efficiency that are typical of MINI. duction will go on the road in 2019 opment of the modern MINI. The Anniversary ing project and asset along with The Associated Engi- The MINI John Cooper Works GP Con- – precisely 60 years after the classic Mini Concept Vehicle that came out right on time management firm, it is our neering Partnership Office. We cept showcased at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor was first launched. It will make electromo- to mark the 30th anniversary of the car’s third responsibility to ensure the suc- have also held several meetings Show radiates pure power and uncompro- bility a highly emotional experience that triumph at the “Monte” showed how the clas- cessful delivery of building and in Kuwait with government offi- mising sporty flair. With a design inspired combines driving fun, style and individual sic Mini’s characteristic design features – such infrastructure projects in Qatar cials with plans to sign MOU’s to unmistakably by motor racing, it arouses the flair – as is characteristic of the MINI brand. as the hexagon radiator grille and the large ahead of the 2022 FIFA World participate in the successful expectation of authentic, unadulterated and Lots of driving fun on a small surface circular headlamps – could be transferred to Cup and the Qatar National completion of the Kuwait highly intense race feeling. Together with a area – this traditional principle will remain a modern vehicle concept. The foundation Vision 2030. We believe the National Development Plan spirited turbo engine and suspension tech- an integral part of MINI in the future, too. It stone was laid for a new era full of driving fun experience, knowledge, and ‘New Kuwait 2035’. nology designed for use on the race track, is a fundamental element of its character that and individual style in a variety of forms. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 09

Vote campaign 12 dead in Syria sends more Nigeria suicide troops across bombings MAIDUGURI: Suspected sui- cide bombers killed at least 12 people and injured 26 oth- ers in northeast Nigeria’s Euphrates river state of Borno, epicentre of the Islamist militant Boko Haram insurgency, the chair- Beirut man of the local emergency Reuters agency said. The attacks are The convergence the latest in a series of bomb- yrian troops crossed to of the Syrian army ings in the restive northeast the eastern side of the offensive from that have killed at least 200 Euphrates river in Deir people since June 1, accord- Al Zor yesterday, state the west and the ing to a Reuters tally. “Three media and a monitor- separate SDF suicide bomber infiltrated a Sing group reported, increasing settlement called Mashimari, operation from the their presence in an area where in Konduga Local Govern- US-backed forces have also east has increased ment,” said Ahmed Satomi, advanced. tension between Peter Mwaniki (left), rides on his camel during a voluntary campaign to support Kenya’s chairman of Borno’s State A commander in a militia the two sides. president and his Jubilee Party in Nairobi, yesterday. Doubts are growing over Kenya’s Emergency Management of the US-backed Syrian Dem- ability to hold a rerun of its presidential election in just one month as key players remain Agency (SEMA). The area is ocratic Forces (SDF) confirmed unable to agree on how to conduct a credible vote. around 35 kilometres south- Syrian army units had crossed east of the state capital, and said his fighters were ready said they would not allow the Maiduguri. Another SEMA to drive them back. army to cross the river and official said the suicide “If there are clashes would consider shots fired in bombers joined a gathering between us and them - we’re their direction as an attack. of farmers in Mashimari ready for those if the forces of The SDF has advanced to Turkey starts trial of 30 newspaper before detonating their the regime don’t go back to the within kilometres of the river, devices around 11:45 am as other bank,” Ahmed Abu while the Syrian army has they mingled with the group. Khawla of the SDF’s Deir Al Zor retaken much of the city, most staff for links to coup attempt military council said. of it on the western side. Russia’s foreign ministry The U.S.- and Russian- Tunisia offers said on Friday Syrian govern- backed offensives against Istanbul Gulen, the US-based cleric and agency quoted Alpay as ment forces crossed the river Islamic State have generally Reuters former ally of President Tayyip saying. to mediate in for the first time in their offen- stayed out of each other’s way Erdogan. Gulen is blamed by The indictment calls for sive against Islamic State in with the Euphrates often act- hirty journalists and news- Ankara for instigating the failed three consecutive life sentences Libya crisis Deir al-Zor province. ing as a dividing line. Talks have paper executives from a July 2016 coup, but denies any for the Zaman staff on charges Yesterday’s crossing took been under way to extend a for- TTurkish newspaper which involvement. of attempting to overthrow the TUNIS: Libyan military place near a southern suburb mal demarcation line, officials was shut down last year went Zaman was first seized by constitutional order, the Turk- strongman Khalifa Haftar vis- of the city seized by the army have said. on trial yesterday, facing life the Turkish government in ish parliament and the Turkish ited neighbouring Tunisia on Saturday, the British-based President Bashar al-Assad sentences over charges that they March 2016, months before the government, and says the news- yesterday for talks with Pres- Syrian Observatory for Human has vowed to recapture all of had links to a failed coup coup attempt, and then closed paper had exceeded the limits ident Beji Caid Essebsi, who Rights said. Syria. Assad controls the main attempt. down by a government decree. of press freedom and freedom offered to act as a mediator The convergence of the Syr- urban centres in the west of the The former employees of the Twenty-two of the suspects of expression. between rival Libyan fac- ian army offensive from the country. Zaman newspaper are charged have been in pre-trial detention “I accept that this is an tions. Libya, which plunged west and the separate SDF The SDF, dominated by the with “membership of an armed for months, including 73-year- armed terrorist organisation, but into chaos after the ouster operation from the east has Kurdish YPG militia, controls terror organization” and old columnist Sahin Alpay. I was never a member of it,” col- and killing of dictator Mua- increased tension between the much of Syria’s northeast. Syr- “attempting to overthrow” the “If it had ever crossed my umnist Ali Bulac told the court mmar Gaddafi in 2011, has two sides. ian rebel groups hold pockets government, parliament and the mind that the Gulenist move- in Silivri, the site of a large two rival governments and The SDF said they came of territory in western Syria. constitutional order through ment would take a role in a coup prison about 60km west of the parliaments, as well as sev- under attack from Syrian forces Islamic State’s shrinking terri- their links to cleric Fethullah attempt, I would never have city. He had not paid close atten- eral militia groups battling to and Russian jets backing them tory includes much of oil-rich Gulen. written a column in the Zaman tion to the Gulenist movement’s control its oil wealth.“The on Saturday, after Abu Khawla Deir Al Zor province. Zaman was affiliated with newspaper,” Dogan news activities, he said. stability of Libya is a necessary condition for the stability of Tunisia,” Essebsi said, calling on Libyans to “overcome their Iraqi court orders differences” and “to work to Iraq set to expel 500 build a state”. In a statement, suspension of he said Tunisia did not want to “interfere in Libya’s internal Kurdistan wives of IS militants affairs” but rather to “facilitate dialogue between the differ- referendum ent components of the Libyan Baghdad The spouses and their chil- people”. BAGHDAD: The Iraqi Federal AFP dren were moved Sunday from Supreme Court yesterday issued a camp run by international aid an order to suspend the refer- raq moved 500 wives of agencies 60km south of Mosul, Uganda detains endum procedures scheduled for Islamic State group jihadists said the official, who asked to the separation of the Iraqi Kurdis- Ito a detention centre in prep- remain anonymous. 11 protesters tan Region, which is scheduled aration to deport them after they A senior Iraqi security offi- for September 25. were captured along with 800 cial said the 509 women and 813 The court said in a state- children, a councillor said children held 13 different nation- KAMPALA: Ugandan police ment that the suspension of the yesterday. alities from Europe, Asia and the have detained a lawmaker referendum was taken in the The women and children Americas. A government official and 10 others who were presence of all members of the were detained in Iraq’s second said around 300 of them were arrested while protesting court and based on article 151 city Mosul, capital of Nineveh Turkish. “They are foreigners against a plan that they of the Iraqi Civil Procedure Law province and IS’s main strong- who entered the country ille- charge would enable the No. 83 of 1969. hold in the country until Iraqi gally,” a minister said. country’s long-term president The government of the forces retook it in July. “Legal measures must be to rule for life. Emilian region has rejected the deci- “They are in a holding centre taken against them because, Kayima, a police spokesman A Kurdish vendor waits for customers at a market in the sions of the Iraqi government in Tal Kayf under the control of when they were detained, they in the capital Kampala, said and the Iraqi Council of Repre- mainly Kurdish Iraqi city of Kirkuk, yesterday. Iraqi security forces, so their were in an area controlled by ter- they are holding a prominent sentatives to stop the cases can be examined before rorists.” The Norwegian Refugee opposition member of par- referendum, as well as the Haider al-Abadi has filed a separation process of any prov- they are eventually expelled from Council said they group were liament and others accused rejection of international calls request to the federal court on ince in Iraq, and accordingly the the country,” the Nineveh prov- mostly from Turkey, Azerbaijan, of staging an unlawful not to conduct. Prime Minister the unconstitutionality of the court approved the request. ince councillor said. Russia and Tajikistan. assembly.

Egypt court acquits Irish citizen after 4 years in jail Palestinian PM plans Gaza visit after Hamas concessions CAIRO: An Egyptian court yesterday acquit- Ramallah Hamdallah plans to travel Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian factions, the seen as a rival government and ted Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa after four AFP to Gaza City to meet Hamas but it has had no control in Cairo-based organisation’s created in March. In a statement years in jail on accusations he participated officials and assert the gov- Gaza for a decade — after the spokesman Mahmoud Afifi they called on Abbas to “take in clashes with police in August 2013, a judi- alestinian Prime Minis- ernment’s control over Islamist movement Hamas said in a statement. urgent steps to cancel all his cial official said. ter Rami Hamdallah is ministries, Nabil Shaath, a seized the territory in a near In recent months Abbas punitive decisions and meas- Halawa, who has an Egyptian background, Ppoised to visit Gaza for senior adviser to Abbas, told civil war in 2007. has sought to squeeze Hamas ures against our people in the was arrested in Cairo after the clashes talks, a senior official said yes- journalists in the West Bank Hamdallah has not visited by reducing power supply to Strip.” between police and supporters of former terday, after Hamas agreed city of Ramallah, as a first step the territory since 2015, and the strip, with the two million Shaath said Abbas wanted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi who were steps towards resolving a dec- towards implementing a a previous attempt at a unity residents receiving only three to reverse the punitive meas- protesting his July 2013 ouster by the ade-long split with its West larger agreement. government fell apart that or four hours of mains elec- ures, but he did not give a military. Bank-based rival Fatah. “We await the first steps year, with the two sides tricity per day as a result. timetable. “When the pres- It was not immediately clear whether he Hamas announced Sun- on the ground. We want to see exchanging blame. He has also reduced the ident supported these also has Egyptian citizenship. Prosecutors day it had agreed to demands Mr Hamdallah received by The head of the Arab salaries of some employees in economic measures (against had said the clashes led to the deaths of 44 by president Mahmud Abbas’s Hamas, the door to all the League on Monday hailed the Gaza, while the number of Gaza) he said they will stop people, the official said. Fatah party to dissolve what ministries open,” he said. steps taken by Hamas and Gazans receiving PA permits immediately once the self- The court also acquitted three of Halawa’s is seen as a rival administra- “That really could happen in called for full reconciliation. to travel for medical care has rule governance of Hamas sisters, co-defendants in the same case who tion in Gaza, while saying it the next 24 hours.” Ahmed Aboul Gheit “wel- declined. Hamas yesterday- ends and the consensus gov- were released while on trial in November was ready for elections and Abbas’s internationally comes the important positive called for the measures to be ernment takes place. He 2013 before they travelled back to Ireland. negotiations towards form- recognised Palestinian developments” regarding reversed after dissolving the so- didn’t put any other condi- The Irish government welcomed the ruling. ing a unity government. Authority (PA) is located in the “ending the division” between called administrative committee, tions whatsoever.” 10 VIEWS TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL Nato support ato is again being asked to send more troops to Afghanistan to help the US and Afghan forces there. Washington made the request to Nato during a meeting of its Military Committee in Tirana Nrecently. The organization has said it will take a month to respond to the request, but chances are A step towards Palestinian unity? that the US demand is likely to be accepted. Afghanistan is sliding deeper into chaos and the Taliban is expanding its presence perilously by Hamas’ decision to bury the single winner of the elections to run capturing more territories and launching more Daoud Kuttab hatchet with Dahlan is possibly both Gaza and the West Bank. suicide and bomb attacks as Afghan forces struggle Al Jazeera linked to its desire to end Gaza’s Past agreements focused on the to cope. There is a danger that all that the US and financial predicament and find a gov- need to allow the return of the PA’s Nato have achieved in Afghanistan will be wiped out ernment sponsor. This plan appears presidential guards to the border if Taliban’s rampage goes unchecked. Afghanistan to have worked, as Cairo leadership crossings in the north and south of remains an unfinished job for the US and Nato, and — which has strong ties to Dahlan — Gaza, to allow a unity government to the more they try to keep away from another he number one priority for any world agreed to do just that and played an operate in Gaza until presidential and involvement, the more they are forced to come back. leader should be the well-being of active role in the process that led to parliamentary elections take place and Nato had transferred security responsibilities to his/her own people. For Palestinian Sunday’s decision. to reform the PLO in a way that would Afghan forces in 2014 but now has around 13,000 President Mahmoud Abbas, how- Hamas has been ruling the Gaza allow Hamas to become part of the soldiers stationed in the country on the alliance’s ever, following this basic principle Strip for over a decade, but the Ramal- highest Palestinian decision-making longstanding mission. Tis challenging, as his concern for his people lah-based PA continues to pay the body. Despite Hamas agreeing to all The situation in Afghanistan is so dire that the has to include the besieged people of the Gaza salaries of public service employees in these principles on paper, the world needs to do more to help the government of Strip. The complicated situation in the Hamas- Gaza, as well as a variety of public implementation of any such agreement President Ashraf Ghani to defeat the Taliban. It’s controlled Gaza makes it difficult for Abbas service costs such as electricity and has proven to be tricky in the past. realization of the seriousness of the situation that to determine his priorities, causing internal water. The PA also continues to pay the Also, there is still the issue of the has forced US President Donald Trump to change his politics to sometimes influence his percep- guaranteed monthly stipend of families problematic international border Afghan strategy. Last month, Trump cleared the way tion of Palestinian national interests. of Palestinian martyrs and prisoners between Gaza and Egypt. Gaza has proven to be a difficult nut to whether they live in the West Bank Egypt has been at odds with Hamas for the deployment of crack, but recent geopolitical changes in the (including East Jerusalem) or the Gaza since Sisi overthrew former President thousands more US region produced a rare opportunity for Strip. Legally, the Palestinian govern- Mohamed Morsi in a 2013 military troops to Afghanistan, Abbas to reinforce his influence on the strip. ment in Ramallah has waived the need coup and outlawed his Freedom and backtracking from his It’s a measure Abbas seems to have embraced this oppor- for Gazans to pay any taxes, although a Justice Party, strongly linked to the of the failure of promise to swiftly end tunity and placed enough pressure on number of fees are still being collected Muslim Brotherhood. Dahlan and his America’s longest war, the government Hamas to produce dramatic results: On by the prevailing powers. UAE sponsors have been hinting that begun after the terror Sunday, Hamas has agreed to talks with the For its part, Israel has placed a land they are eager to see closer ties in Kabul that the attacks of September 11, rival Fatah movement and expressed its and sea blockade on Gaza, in addition between Hamas and Egypt and a new US and Nato are 2001. willingness to hold general elections in the to having destroyed the international relationship between Egypt and Hamas being asked to At the same time, Palestinian territories. airport of the Strip, which was opened has indeed been formed in the last there are differences of send more troops. with lots of fanfare in the last year of couple of months. But there is still no opinion about tackling Putting pressure on Hamas the Clinton presidency in 1999. easy solution to the border problem. Taliban. Pakistan For a long time, Hamas has not been International efforts to break up the Israel, the US and the international believes that talks with willing to accommodate the return of the Israeli blockade have failed to produce community are not likely to allow the the Taliban alone can Ramallah-based Palestinian National the desired humanitarian border between Gaza and Egypt to bring peace to the war-torn country and Trump Authority (PA) leadership to the Gaza Strip. breakthrough. remain open. Also, Egypt is not keen to administration’s ‘militaristic approach’ in Syria, Iran, Qatar and Egypt have been Thanks to his Emirati sponsors, empower Hamas any further in this Afghanistan represented a failed policy. Heading to supportive of the group, allowing them to Dahlan is in a good position to help way, as it accuses its leadership of New York to participate in the United Nations resist international as well as domestic deliver a substantial amount of providing support to Islamic militants General Assembly, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif pressures to cede control of Gaza. Recent humanitarian aid to Gaza, which that have been attacking Egyptian said he could not understand how the American developments in the region, however, put would help the Hamas leadership to soldiers on the Sinai Peninsula on a military could succeed in Afghanistan now when it Hamas in a tight spot. survive the Israeli blockade and to nearly daily basis. had not during the ‘surge’ under the Obama Hamas leaders abroad have been forced counter Abbas’ decision to reduce administration with a far bigger force. He requested to abandon their ambitions in Syria and the financial support. Yet, Dahlan’s return The only way forward Washington to work with countries in the region that rise of anti-Muslim Brotherhood strongman to Gaza is unlikely to solve the The siege on Gaza and the split have influence over the Taliban. His argument Abdel Fatah Al Sisi in Egypt has resulted in besieged strip’s fundamental problems between Gaza and the West Bank have makes sense. Pakistan is the most important the blocking of the Rafah crossing. Mean- and end the destructive rivalry gone on way too long. In addition to neighbour of Afghanistan, a neighbour which has while, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab between Hamas and the PA. the human cost, the situation has huge influence over Taliban which the US is trying to Emirates (UAE) started to put immense Numerous attempts to resolve the crippled the ability of Palestinians to defeat, and for the same reason any attempts to pressure on Qatar to end its support for conflict that has produced two negotiate as a united people. bring peace to the country will be difficult, if not Hamas. competing Palestinian leaderships The only way to resolve the current impossible, without the cooperation and involvement These developments weakened Hamas, have done little to ease living stalemate is for Hamas to swallow its of Pakistan. Trump needs to work more closely with and Abbas decided that the time was ripe to conditions of the nearly two million pride and allow Abbas’s presidential Islamabad before drafting an Afghan strategy and put pressure on the group to surrender the Palestinians trapped in the tiny Gaza guards back in control of the terminals control of the Gaza Strip. Strip. While many reconciliation in and out of the Strip and follow up on explore areas of cooperation. As he is categorically opposed to using arrangements and agreements were all other aspects of past reconciliation Also, it’s a measure of the failure of the violence against fellow Palestinians, the produced and publicly announced over agreements. Most importantly, Hamas government in Kabul that the US and Nato are being Palestinian president’s first move was to the years, none have been executed, needs to hold presidential and asked to send more troops. stop paying Gaza’s energy costs. This reduc- leaving the people of Gaza parliamentary elections in Gaza. tion in financial support caused political disappointed. Once such elections are held, the difficulties for Hamas, but has not immedi- Currently, the Egyptians appear to PLO should be reformed to include ately delivered a concrete victory for Abbas. have found a compromise agreement, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. A QUOTE OF THE DAY Instead, the pressure from Ramallah has but it is unclear if this reformed and unified PLO can hold a produced a strange bedfellow to the newly will lead to a long-term Palestine National Council session and elected Hamas leadership: Mohammad solution unless there is such a meeting can set an agreed on Dahlan. a guarantee for national strategy and elect those who The UK government is elections and a will carry on the torch in the post- driven from the front The Dahlan factor mechanism to allow a Abbas era. and we all have the In 2007, Dahlan led a coup against the Sunday’s press release by Hamas newly elected Hamas government and was agreeing to dissolve the administrative same destination in eventually forced to leave the Strip. The Dahlan’s return to Gaza committee and to allow for elections our sights -- and that Gaza native, who, over the years, became a appears to be satisfactory to all parties. beloved protege of the UAE leadership, has is unlikely to solve The question remains whether this is getting a good deal recently agreed to cooperate with his the besieged strip’s time they will indeed follow through for Brexit with the former nemeses in Gaza in order to return fundamental problems on their promises and commitments. European Union. to his homeland. More importantly, he will and end the destructive continue needling Mahmoud Abbas, who rivalry between Hamas The writer is an award-winning Palestin- Theresa May threw him out of the Fatah movement, and the PA. ian journalist, is a former Ferris professor British Prime Minister which Dahlan once had high hopes of tak- ing over. of journalism at Princeton University. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 OPINION 11 Why Aung San Suu Kyi isn’t protecting the Rohingya

squarely at the crisis. She has yet to visit the center of the Group investigation revealed, this political and social This stubbornness could be multi- Joshua Kurlantzick violence, and in her public comments, she has refrained movement is building extensive services at the community plied by a feeling of betrayal: The very The Washington Post from criticizing the armed forces. This month, she claimed level. Buddhist nationalist groups offer what the ICG calls countries, rights organizations and that there was an “iceberg of misinformation” circulating “a sense of belonging” for many young Buddhists. Such international leaders who for decades about the situation in Rakhine. Her office has mocked groups are the type of grass-roots organizations that no supported Suu Kyi are now inveighing supposed “fake news” about the plight of the Rohingya. politician likes to alienate. Suu Kyi does not depend on the against her. Suu Kyi has not been totally yanmar is essentially run by one of the And her spokesman told local news outlet Frontier Myan- movement’s support — many hard-line Buddhist national- inactive on the Rakhine crisis. She cre- world’s most lauded humanitarians — a mar that Rohingya “are holding weapons — swords, ists view her as soft on the Rohingya - but she also ated a commission of experts, chaired Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a democ- daggers, catapults and home-made rifles” — and then probably does not want a major rift with it. Since taking by former UN secretary general Kofi racy icon. Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads the seemed to give non-Rohingya carte blanche to shoot control of the government — at least, the ministries not Annan, to investigate the violence. This party in charge of the government, suf- Rohingya if they perceived danger from them. controlled by the military — Suu Kyi has made clear that was an important step, and her govern- Mfered more than two decades of repression, including a Why did somebody who achieved so much good she has two major priorities: trying to improve Myanmar’s ment has rhetorically committed to long house arrest, rather than leave the country or aban- become complicit in so much ugliness? There are several economy and, most important to the government, making implementing the panel’s don her quest for elections. possible, interlocking reasons. peace with the ethnic armies that have waged long insur- recommendations. Yet since her party took power last year, Suu Kyi - the First, Suu Kyi’s current silence is consistent with her gencies in northern and northeastern parts of the country. Meanwhile, Suu Kyi may see that, country’s de facto leader, though not its official president - approach to the Rohingya for years: She has never dem- Suu Kyi has launched an ambitious peace process despite criticism of how she has han- has stood by and watched the slaughter and flight of onstrated much sympathy. On the campaign trail before with a number of insurgent groups,clearly seeing it as dled the Rakhine crisis, most powerful hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya, a Muslim the November 2015 election, she strove to avoid discuss- essential to her legacy and to making the country whole. foreign governments are not going to minority more than a million strong. In 2016, Myanmar’s ing violence in Rakhine, even though an earlier wave had Her father, the independence leader Aung San, tried to lay punish Myanmar. The White House military was engaged in a campaign of brutal suppression destroyed Rohingya communities and no militant group the groundwork for a federal Myanmar and prevent this put out a statement this past week not- in Rakhine state, in the west of the country. Then, scat- had yet emerged there. When she did speak about the civil conflict, but he was assassinated not long after he ing that it was “deeply troubled” by the tered attacks by Rohingya militant groups on police posts Rohingya, she called reporters into a news conference came to an initial agreement with ethnic minority groups. violence in Rakhine but has done little prompted an even harsher counterattack from the gener- shortly before the vote and told them not to “exaggerate” So all other issues are second to the economy and the else. Elsewhere, Delhi has stood along- als, reportedly joined by vigilante groups and other state the difficulties that the Rohingya faced. peace process, as a government spokesman told The New side Suu Kyi in condemning Rohingya security forces. That cycle intensified further this summer. It’s possible that this disinterest reflects Suu Kyi’s per- York Times, playing down the relative importance of terrorist groups and has threatened to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and sonal views, but it’s impossible to know for sure. One of “democracy and human rights, including press freedom.” deport Rohingya seeking shelter in other monitors have cited expulsions of Rohingya from her best-known biographers, Peter Popham, has written Suu Kyi may also believe that her ability to stop the India. Beijing blames the Rohingya towns, campaigns to burn whole villages and killings by that Suu Kyi is not, at her core, a bigot: She has had senior brutal military campaign in Rakhine state is limited. militants for the violence. This month, the armed forces in Myanmar (which is also called advisers who are Muslims (although not Rohingya). And Although she is the de facto head of government, the top Suu Kyi’s security adviser noted that Burma). In recent weeks alone, some 370,000 Rohingya “one of the key figures in persuading her to dive into the general, Min Aung Hlaing, maintains a great degree of “friendly countries” such as China have fled into Bangladesh, according to United Nations democracy movement” was a best-selling dissident Mus- power. Myanmar’s constitution gives the armed forces would block any resolution at the UN estimates. The UN rights chief calls the campaign in lim author, Maung Thaw Ka, Popham notes. control over the military budget and over ministries related Security Council criticising Myanmar. Rakhine a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” NPR But Suu Kyi does represent her party. And there was to security issues; they are also allotted 25 percent of seats Suu Kyi can still make a difference, noted that “reports of unbridled murder and arson, rape little concern among the NLD rank and file in 2015, or even in parliament. Perhaps the army will have less power at though. By speaking out more about and persecution have followed [Rohingya] out of Myan- now in 2017, about violence against the Rohingya. Many some point in the future, after a period of civilian rule and a the plight of the Rohingya, she could mar’s western state of Rakhine, sketching a stark portrait NLD members, like a significant share of the Buddhist change in the constitution to reduce its role in politics. boost international aid efforts to keep of government violence.” majority, simply think that the Rohingya are outsiders — Another problem is that foreign pressure on her to stop Rohingya in camps in Bangladesh - Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party called “Bengalis” by many Burmese — who do not deserve the Rohingya crisis seems to have made her even more and temporary places of shelter inside was also repressed and brutalised by the armed forces to live in the country, even though some have been there intransigent. Suu Kyi has always been known as stubborn. Myanmar - from dying. And in the end, during the long era of military rule, refuses to look for generations. Last year, Suu Kyi reportedly asked the US (How else does one survive decades under house arrest and she is the popularly elected leader in ambassador in Myanmar not to refer to the group as other repression?) She also is known to keep her own coun- Myanmar; while Buddhist nationalist Rohingya, a sign that she sees them this way, too. sel. She does not have many voices in her inner circle groups and generals might dislike a That means there is no political benefit to challenging pushing back or offering critiques of her actions — voices visit by her to Rakhine, they would be By speaking out more about the majority views toward the Rohingya. The NLD did not put that could argue for a change in her Rakhine policy. She has unlikely to stop her. She knows these plight of the Rohingya, Suu Kyi up any Muslim candidates during the 2015 national elec- a small staff and reportedly gets little input from NLD mem- things. But she has watched the could boost international aid tions. Other former pro-democracy leaders, who also bers of parliament. Fergal Keane, a longtime chronicler of humanitarian crisis unfold anyway. efforts to keep Rohingya in camps were harshly repressed by the military during the decades Suu Kyi for the BBC, noted that “last December, when Vijay of junta rule, have expressed far stronger anti-Rohingya Nambiar, the UN Special Representative to Myanmar, urged in Bangladesh — and temporary sentiments than Suu Kyi ever has. Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Rakhine state, he was rebuffed.” places of shelter inside Myanmar. These sentiments coincide with a growing Buddhist Why? Because, as one Suu Kyi adviser told Keane, she sim- nationalist movement. As a recent International Crisis ply did not want to be seen as following outside orders.

D-RING ROAD POST BOX: 3488 Fierce storms haven’t slowed growth along US coastlines DOHA - QATAR [email protected]

area more resilient to big storms, said the Jeff Donn council chairman, Mark Lazarus. Such EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE AP measures give people “a sense of com- TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 fort,” said Laura Crowther, CEO of the FAX: +974 4455 7758 local Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors. MANAGING EDITOR Risk researchers say more is needed. TEL: 4462 7505 ising sea levels and fierce storms “We’re getting better at emergency have failed to stop relentless pop- response,” said Tobin at the University of DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR ulation growth along US coasts in South Florida. “We’re not so good at long- TEL: 4455 7769 recent years, a new Associated term control of urban development in Press analysis shows. The latest hazardous areas.” Rpunishing hurricanes scored bull’s-eyes on The Federal Emergency Management LOCAL NEWS SECTION two of the country’s fastest growing regions: Agency helps recovery efforts with com- TEL: 4455 7743 coastal Texas around Houston and resort munity relief and flood insurance areas of southwest Florida. payments. The agency did not immedi- BUSINESS NEWS SECTION Nothing seems to curb America’s appe- ately respond to a request for comment. It TEL: 4462 7535 tite for life near the sea, especially in the provides community grants for projects warmer climates of the South. Coastal devel- aimed at avoiding future losses. Some SPORT NEWS SECTION opment destroys natural barriers such as projects elevate properties, build flood TEL: 4455 7745 islands and wetlands, promotes erosion and barriers, or strengthen roofs and windows flooding, and positions more buildings and A file photo of flood waters caused by Tropical Storm Harvey against high winds. Others purchase prop- ONLINE SECTION people in the path of future destruction, encompassing the Motiva Enterprises LLC in Port Arthur, Texas. erties subject to repeated damage and TEL: 4462 7501 according to researchers and policy advisers allow owners to move. But coastline com- [email protected] who study hurricanes. “History gives us a les- — welcomed 16 percent more people. That area took a second direct hit from Irma munities face more storm threats in the son, but we don’t always learn from it,” said after it made first landfall in the Florida Keys, where damage was far more future. PUBLIC RELATIONS Graham Tobin, a disaster researcher at the devastating. Global warming from human-gener- University of South Florida in Tampa. That Overall growth of 10 percent in Texas Gulf counties and 9 percent along Flori- ated greenhouse gases is melting polar ice TEL: 4455 7613 city took a glancing hit from Hurricane Irma da’s coasts during the same period was surpassed only by South Carolina. Its and elevating sea levels at an increasing [email protected] — one of the most intense US hurricanes in seaside population, led by the Myrtle Beach area of Horry County, ballooned by pace, according to the National Oceanic years — but suffered less flooding and dam- more than 13 percent. and Atmospheric Administration. That ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT age than some other parts of the state. Nationally, coastline counties grew an average of 5.6 percent since 2010, while amplifies storm surges and other flooding. TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 In 2005, coastal communities took heed inland counties gained just 4 percent. This recent trend tracks with decades of Also, some climate models used by scien- FAX: 4455 7870 of more than 1,800 deaths and $108 billion development along US coasts. Between 1960 and 2008, the national coastline pop- tists predict stronger, more frequent [email protected] in damages from Hurricane Katrina, one of ulation rose by 84 percent, compared with 64 percent inland, according to the hurricanes as another effect of global the worst disasters in US history. Images of Census Bureau. warming in coming decades. “There will CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT New Orleans under water elicited solemn Cindy Gerstner, a retiree from the inland mountains of upstate New York, be some real challenges for coastal TEL: 4455 7857 resolutions that such a thing should never moved to a new home in January in Dunedin, Florida, west of Tampa. The ranch towns,” predicted Jamie Kruse, director of [email protected] happen again — until Superstorm Sandy house sits on a flood plain three blocks from a sound off the Gulf of Mexico. She was the Center for Natural Hazards Research inundated lower Manhattan in 2012. Last told it hadn’t flooded in 20 years — and she wasn’t worried anyway. “I never gave it at East Carolina University in Greenville, SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION year, Hurricane Matthew spread more a thought,” she said during a visit back to New York as Irma raked Florida. “I always North Carolina. “We’ll see some of these TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 deaths, flooding and blackouts across Flor- wanted to live down there. I always thought people who lived in California on homes that are part of their tax base FAX: 44557819 ida, Georgia and the Carolinas. From earthquake faults were foolish.” becoming unlivable.” 2010-2016, major hurricanes and tropical Her enthusiasm for her new home was undiminished by Irma, which broke her Hazard researchers said they see [email protected] storms are blamed for more than 280 deaths fence and knocked out power but left her house dry. nothing in the near term to reverse the and $100 billion in damages, according to In Horry County, where 19 percent growth has led all of South Carolina coast- trend toward bigger storm losses. As a data from the federal National Centers for line counties, Irma caused only minor coastal flooding. The county’s low property stopgap, communities should cease build- All thoughts and views Environmental Information. taxes are made possible by rapid development and tourism fees, allowing retirees ing new high-rises on the oceanfront, said expressed in these columns Harvey, another historically big hurri- from the North and Midwest to live more cheaply. Ironically, punishing hurricanes Robert Young, director of the Program for cane, flooded sections of Houston in recent farther south in recent years has pushed some Northerners known locally as “half- the Study of Developed Shorelines at are those of the writers, not weeks. Four counties around Houston, where backers” to return halfway home from Florida and to resettle in coastal South Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, of the newspaper. growth has been buoyed by the oil business, Carolina. North Carolina. He said big changes prob- took the full force of the storm. The popula- Add the area’s moderate weather, appealing golf courses, and long white ably will not happen unless multiple giant All correspondence tion of those counties expanded by 12 percent strands — the county is home to Myrtle Beach — and maybe no one can slow devel- storms overwhelm federal and state budg- regarding Views and from 2010 to 2016, to a total of 5.3 million opment there. “I don’t see how you do it,” said Johnny Vaught, vice chairman of the ets. “The reason why this development still Opinion pages should be people, the AP analysis shows. During the county council. “The only thing you can do is modulate it, so developments are well continues is that people are making same years, two of Florida’s fastest-growing designed.” money doing it,” he said. “Communities mailed to the coastline counties — retirement-friendly Lee Strong building codes with elevation and drainage requirements, careful emer- are still increasing their tax base — and [email protected] and Manatee, both south of Tampa gency preparations, and a good network of roads for evacuation help make the that’s what politicians like.” 12 ASIA TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 Fleeing Rohingyas a security threat: India

New Delhi Terror links very serious and potential threat AFP to the national security of India,” “Some of the Mittal said in a written submis- he Indian government Rohingyas with sion to the Supreme Court. told the country’s top militant background The statement highlighted court yesterday that are also found to be the “serious potential” for an the Rohingyas who very active in “eruption of violence against the have fled Myanmar are Jammu, Delhi, Buddhists who are Indian citi- Ta serious security threat as it Hyderabad and zens who stay on Indian soil”. sought to justify moves to deport Mewat and have It also said the government up to 40,000 of the refugees. been identified as had intelligence indicating links Mukesh Mittal, a senior home having a very serious between Rohingya refugees and ministry official, said the and potential threat Islamic State and other extrem- Supreme Court must let the gov- to the national ist groups. Rohingya community ernment to take a decision in leaders have denied any link People holding placards during a protest against Myanmar’s persecution of Rohingya Muslims, in security of India,” Indian interests because of with Islamist extremism. Ahmedabad, yesterday. Mittal said in a Rohingya links to extremist The statement came in written submission groups. response to a petition filed at the biggest democracy, to follow the collective punishment. If there is shanties in India’s Jammu region The case is being heard as to the Supreme Supreme Court challenging a international principle of non- credible evidence of militancy in the Himalayas where they say Bangladesh struggles with more Court. government decision to deport refoulement which prohibits against individuals, that should they have faced hostility from the than 410,000 Rohingya who the Rohingya, many of whom sending back refugees to a place be brought before the court,” she majority Hindu community there. have flooded across the border feel the fallout from the crisis. have been in India for the past where their lives are in danger. said. The United Nations says The government of Hindu since August 25 when the mili- “Some of the Rohingyas with decade. Many experts have ques- “India should not be behaving there are 16,000 registered nationalist Prime Minister tary in Buddhist-dominated militant background are also tioned where India could send like the abusive Myanmar gov- Rohingya in India, but many more Narendra Modi said last month Myanmar launched a crackdown found to be very active in Jammu, the Rohingya. ernment,” said HRW’s South Asia are undocumented. The govern- it had asked state authorities to on the minority group. Countries Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat and Human Rights Watch urged director Meenakshi Ganguly. ment puts the figure at 40,000. identify and deport Rohingya liv- across the region fear they will have been identified as having a India, the world’s “There should be no About 7,000 of them live in ing in their territory.

UP govt brings out White TN Speaker disqualifies 18 dissident MLAs of AIADMK Chennai Kovind and Finance Minister of the House. He also wrote to The disqualified MLAs are: AIADMK MLAs who took sides Paper on its IANS Arun Jaitley in the national cap- the Election Commission notify- Thanga Tamilselvan, R Murugan, with Dinakaran, one of them, S ital, is reaching Chennai today ing the vacancies in the House Cho. Mariappan Kennedy, K T K Jakkaiyan, shifted his loyalty predecessors ighteen AIADMK MLAs morning and may issue orders after the disqualification. Kathikamu, C Jayanthi Pad- to the Chief Minister. owing allegiance to rebel summoning a special session of With this, the effective manabhan, P Palaniappan, V. The 18 MLAs have neither Eleader T T V Dinakaran the Assembly for the Chief Min- strength of the 234-member Senthil Balaji, S Muthiah, P quit their party membership nor Lucknow were yesterday disqualified by ister to prove his majority. House (where late Chief Minister Vetrivel, N G Parthiban, M Koth- joined another political party, IANS Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Assembly Secretary K Boop- J Jayalalithaa’s seat remains andapani, T A Elumalai, M grounds on which an MLA can P Dhanapal, giving the ruling athy said that after the vacant) has come down to 215. Rengasamy, R. Thangadurai, R. be disqualified. A furious he BJP-led government side an edge in a show of disqualification under the Tamil And against a half-way mark of Balasubramani, ‘Ethirkottai’ S G Dinakaran told reporters that the in Uttar Pradesh yester- strength which now seems Nadu Legislative Assembly (Dis- 109, Chief Minister E Palaniswami Subramanian, R Sundararaj and Speaker’s decision was a “short Tday brought out a White imminent. qualification on Ground of claims to enjoy the support of 114 K Uma Maheshwari. cut” to gaining majority but said Paper on its predecessors and Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Defection) Rules 1986, the 18 MLAs. The DMK and its allies have Though notices were issued the matter will be taken to the accused them of “presiding who met President Ram Nath MLAs have lost their membership 98 members. by the Speaker initially to 19 Madras High Court today. over anarchy” in the state and causing total collapse of the state economy. Reeling out statistics at a NEWS BYTES press conference here, Chief Shiv Sena threatens to pull CBI arrests Minister Yogi Adityanath said loan dues of Public Sector Units in Uttar Pradesh stood out of Maharashtra govt Colonel for Shrine opens doors to Yesudas at Rs35,952.78 crore in 2011- 12 but rose to a whopping Mumbai authorised the Sena Presi- leaking THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Legendary playback singer K J Rs75,950.27 crore by 2015-16. IANS dent to review the situation Yesudas has been given permission to pray at the famed Sree The state’s fiscal deficit has and take an appropriate deci- Padmanabhaswamy temple here on the occasion of Vijaya- been above three per cent, he fter nearly three years sion... The party will fully information dashami, a member of the erstwhile Travancore Royal family added. The Chief Minister said in the ruling alliance in support him,” Raut said. said yesterday. As per the tradition of the temple anyone who as against Rs13,804 crore ear- AMaharashtra, the Shiv “About (continuing in) the New Delhi believes in Hinduism is given permission to pray. Yesudas, marked for minorities’ welfare Sena yesterday said it is state government... we are on IANS born to a Roman Catholic family, in a letter sent through a between 2012-13 and 2016- “upset” with its partner the the verge of taking a final deci- special messenger to the temple authorities, sought permis- 17, Rs4,830 crore remained Bharatiya Janata Party and sion. Wait and watch,” Raut he CBI yesterday sion to pray. The issue was discussed by the temple yesterday unspent. Chief Minister Devendra Fad- said. Party sources indicate a arrested a serving sol- and the permission was granted. Vijayadashami falls on Sep- He charged the earlier navis and will consider the final decision may be taken Tdier, Col Ajay Kumar tember 30, and Yesudas will also render a song that day at state governments led by the option of quitting the shortly, after the ongoing Singh of the Army Medical the temple. Speaking to reporters, Aditya Varma of the royal Samajwadi Party and the government. Pitrupaksh period ends and is Corps, and three others for family, confirmed that the executive committee meeting of Bahujan Samaj Party of “plun- At a closed-door meeting likely to be announced at leaking sensitive information the temple has given permission for Yesudas to pray at the dering” the state coffers and of party leaders, legislators, Thackeray’s annual Dassehra about inspections, number of temple. “He has to follow all the rules and regulations stipu- giving a go-by to public wel- MPs and ministers, Shiv Sena Rally later this month. seats and other such matters lated and if he does that he can come and pray,” said Varma. fare and development of UP. President Uddhav Thackeray On his part, Kadam said being dealt by the Medical The representative of the royal family is a member of the Accusing the previous was barraged with complaints Sena legislators’ develop- Council of India (MCI) with temple committee. governments of financial mess about how their development ment works proposals were regard to various colleges. and chaos, Adityanath said works were held up by the not being taken up by the Apart from Singh, those total government loans as on government, files didn’t move government and ministers held include Santosh Kumar, Two Ryan school officials arrested March 31, 2007, were pegged and decisions were not did not have the powers to a lower division clerk in MCI, at Rs1,34,915 crore but rose to implemented. do their work. and two private persons NEW DELHI: Two senior officials of the Ryan International a staggering Rs3,74,775 crore Sena Rajya Sabha MP “The elected leaders have Susheel Kumar and Sachin School here have been arrested in connection with the bru- by March 31, 2017. The White Sanjay Raut and Environ- apprised Thackeray about all Kumar. They were arrested tal murder of a seven-year-old boy in the school premises last Paper delves on other aspects ment Minister Ramdas this and said the time has from Delhi. week that sparked massive public outrage. As police set up of governance like law and Kadam, who interacted sep- come to take a decision. The The suspects were pro- at least a dozen teams to probe the brutal murder of Pradhu- order, farmers’ condition, sale arately with the media, legislators are confident that duced before a city court man and shaken parents associations of Ryan International of sugar mills, working of Pub- confirmed the intra-party Thackeray will make the which sent them to a five-day Schools in Mumbai, Delhi, Noida and other places protested lic Works Department and developments. right move in the matter,” Central Bureau of Investiga- seeking their children’s safety, the SC yesterday issued notice alleged bias in giving state “The legislators have Kadam said. tion (CBI) custody. to the Central and Haryana governments on a plea by the boy’s government jobs. The agency also con- father seeking a CBI probe into the September 8 killing of his ducted searches at nine son who was found with his throat slit in a school washroom. places in Delhi, Chennai and Police said they also questioned the school staff even as a sep- Puducherry, including Singh’s arate probe team team left for Mumbai to interrogate school Anuj Vihar residence here, CEO Ryan Pinto and director Augustine Pinto. A senior Guru- Actor Dileep denied bail for fourth time and recovered Rs2 crore in gram police officer said that the school’s northern India head cash along with some incrim- Francis Thomas and HR head Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Kochi The Magistrate’s Court in inating documents. Santosh Sunday night after their questioning. IANS Angamaly had heard Dileep’s Kumar’s residence hereand bail plea and the prosecution on a private medical college was court yesterday turned Saturday and reserved the order also raided. Crocodile strikes panic in UP village down Malayalam actor for yesterday. It is the second Singh, who is empanelled ADileep’s (pictured) fourth time the Angamaly court has as ‘assessor’ in the MCI, was AGRA: A nearly nine-foot-long crocodile, that entered a vil- bail plea in the actress abduc- turned down Dileep’s plea. The about to receive Rs10 lakh lage in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district and struck panic, has tion case even as the Kerala High Court too had dismissed bribe through two hawala been rescued and released into the river, officials said yester- High Court posted for next week his bail plea twice. operators. Susheel Kumar, day. The massive reptile was safely rescued by Wildlife SOS, the anticipatory bail pleas of his During hearing on Shah’s resident of Sagarpur in west an NGO, and released in the Chambal river, in the presence actress-wife as well as actor- bail plea, the High Court yester- Delhi, was caught while tak- of forest department officials. The crocodile was spotted in director Nadir Shah. His wife Kavya Madhavan day asked the prosecution to file ing the Rs10 lakh from the Paroli village in Fatehabad tehsil of Agra district. The villag- Dileep was questioned twice was questioned once and Shah relevant details pertaining to his two hawala operators at ers managed to keep the crocodile from venturing deeper into and arrested soon after the sec- twice. Both approached the High questioning in a sealed cover Chandni Chowk as alleged the village. A team of two rescuers from Wildlife SOS, accom- ond round of questioning on July Court last week for anticipatory and posted the case for Septem- gratification on behalf of both panied by forest officials, carried out the rescue operation. 10 on charges of conspiracy. bail. ber 25. public servants. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 ASIA 13 Nepal holds final phase of landmark election

Kathmandu Turnout over 70% running high in these districts in AFP » the run-up to the 18 September Most of the country elections, giving rise to security epal yesterday com- has already voted, concerns that caused delays to pleted its first local but the local polls scheduled food distributions,” elections for nearly had been repeatedly Pippa Bradford, WFP’s Nepal two decades, a key delayed in a head, said. Protests erupted after step in the country’s southern province a new national constitution was Nprotracted post-war transition to adopted in 2015, nearly a dec- bordering India a federal democracy. Most of the ade after a long-running civil which was the scene country has already voted, but the war ended with a peace of deadly ethnic local polls had been repeatedly agreement. delayed in a southern province turmoil two years Ethnic minority groups, bordering India which was the ago. especially in the south, said the scene of deadly ethnic turmoil charter left them marginalised two years ago. The province around the cit- and agitated for a greater stake The government deployed ies of Birgunj and Janakpur was in Nepal’s future governance. troops and sealed the border hardest hit by deadly monsoon Simmering tensions have Voters queue before casting their ballots during the third phase of the Nepalese local elections before the ballot, fearing violence flooding last month that killed remained. A political party rep- at a polling station at Birgunj Parsa district, in Kathmandu, yesterday. in the third phase of voting which over 150 in Nepal and more than resenting the Madhesi ethnic covered around 2.6 million peo- 1,200 across South Asia. minority, who live in the low- stance, angering some voters now the Madhesi party has also The local polls are a final step ple. The election commission put Some aid agencies, includ- lands that border India, had who still refused to vote yester- betrayed us by going to elections in the agreement that ended a turnout at over 70 percent as ing the UN’s World Food refused to take part in the local day without those crucial without amending the constitu- brutal 10-year Maoist insurgency booths closed. There were a few Programme, suspended aid dis- polls unless an amendment to the concessions being made. tion,” said Saroj Mishra, a in 2006. They pave the way for arrests for voter fraud but no tribution before the polls. constitution was passed. “The big parties have always resident of Janakpur, who boy- provincial and general elections reports of unrest, it said. “Political tensions have been The party later softened its pushed our agendas away and cotted yesterday’s vote. later this year. Nawaz Sharif’s wife wins Lahore by-election Karachi Police clash with

Lahore candidate of Khan’s Pakistan reserved police protesters AFP Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party took 37.6 percent of the vote, up from Karachi Many protesters were akistani opposition leader 35 percent in the last poll. Shah Anatolia arrested and sent to an Imran Khan’s party said Mehmood Qureshi, the PTI dep- unknown location. Protesters Pyesterday it had built uty chairman, said the shrinking arachi Police yesterday said that even after consistent momentum in a by-election for of the PML-N’s winning margin used force to disperse pleas, provincial government ousted Prime Minister Nawaz from 26 percentage points to Kprotesters from reserve has not paid heed. Sharif’s parliamentary seat, about 12 in a constituency where police, reported media. The ex- “Reserve Police also gave despite finishing second, but the it has been so dominant showed officers from reserved police sacrifices, in Razaqabad blast, biggest inroads were made by its vulnerability in closer-run of Sindh were protesting 16 of our officers were killed,” two new Islamist groupings. races in Punjab in 2018. against their dismissal from the protesters said. Sharif’s wife Kulsoom won ”If this happens in one of the service. This was the secound occa- the by-election with 49.3 percent strongest constituencies of PML- These police officers sion yesterday that Karachi of the vote in the eastern city of N, the prime minister’s belonged to Larkana, Dadu, Police used force against Lahore - a handsome margin of constituency which they’ve had Sukkur and other districts of protesters. victory but down from the 61 per- since 1985 … That means there Sindh. When one ex-police Earlier, Karachi Police had cent garnered by the ruling Activists of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif party is a surge for PTI, there is a tilt officer tried to light himself up, used water cannons and batons Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz celebrating victory in by-election in Lahore. for PTI,” said Qureshi. PTI can- Karachi police attacked the to disperse teachers who were (PML-N) party in the constituency didate Yasmin Rashid, a protesters and used batons. This protesting for similar cause. in an election in 2013. July, and an indication of province. A general election is gynaecologist from the area, resulted in injuring several Many teachers got injured while The vote was seen as a whether the corruption allega- due next year. yesterday disputed the count protesters. others were arrested. barometer of support for Nawaz tions levelled at the Sharif family The election commission’s and filed a petition with the elec- in the wake of his disqualifica- have had an impact in their preliminary results released yes- toral commission to suspend the tion by the Supreme Court in power base in the vast Punjab terday showed that the results.

Suicide bombing Pakistan prepares toughest policy for US

leaves one dead Karachi mutual cooperation on terror- its options in the wake of antag- Internews ism-related issues and onistic actions by the world & 12 injured in non-cooperation in US strategy power. akistan has decided to for Afghanistan. The last option He has been told that Paki- Balochistan town adopt toughest diplomatic may include a ban on using stan’s reservation can be Ppolicy with the US, if any Pakistani land for Nato supplies removed only when Trump Quetta sanctions are imposed on it or to Afghanistan. administration contacts feder- AFP its ally status is lowered. However, the policy will be ation informally and holds In this regard, the federal implemented in view of the dialogue. man was killed and 12 government has prepared a Trump’s diplomatic policy for However, according to others wounded in a three-option ‘toughest diplo- Pakistan and with the approval sources, Pakistan will continue Asuicide bomb blast matic policy’. of the National Security its actions under the Afghan rec- near a security forces vehicle According to federal sources Committee. onciliation process policy. It will Dismissed policemen of the Sindh Reserve Police (SRP) in southwest Pakistan yester- yesterday, the policy includes US Ambassador David Hale also maintain its policy of try- day, officials said. gradually limiting diplomatic has met Pakistani authorities ing to solve issues with US throw stones to Pakistani policemen during a protest in The explosion occurred in relations with the US, reducing recently amid Pakistan mulling through dialogue. Karachi, yesterday. a town in Balochistan prov- ince near the border with Afghanistan, police and local government said. A spokesman for the par- Afghanistan to expand Violence displaces 50,000 Afghans: UN amilitary Frontier Corps confirmed the attack and said Kabul capture them. means that life-saving human- their vehicle was the target of saffron cultivation Anatolia Though some of the targeted itarian action is poised to the bombing but personnel districts briefly fell to the Tali- become ever more important,” remained safe as the driver Kabul saffron was produced against resh violence in five dis- ban, and were later recaptured he added. managed to speed away. IANS 6 tonnes last year, according to tricts of Afghanistan forced by the security forces, the inten- Aid workers continue to face No groups immediately the ministry. Fmore than 50,000 people sity of the fighting forced a large danger in delivering services in claimed responsibility but he Afghan government has Afghan saffron in terms of to flee their homes last month, portion of the population to flee. Afghanistan. Last week, a female Taliban militants have previ- launched a plan to expand quality has been named as the the UN said yesterday. Dominic Parker, country Spanish physiotherapist associ- ously carried out several Tthe cultivation of saffron world’s best by the Interna- The UN Office for the Coor- head of the UN organization, ated with the International bomb attacks in the area. next year, in the latest move to tional Taste and Quality dination of Humanitarian Affairs said that a reassessment of the Committee of Red Cross was Balochistan, which bor- boost the domestic economy in Institute in Brussels. (OCHA) said in its latest report changing military development killed in Balk province. Abduc- ders Iran and Afghanistan, has the militancy-hit country, In local Afghan markets, 1 that up to 35,000 people have and humanitarian situation is tion and kidnapping, in particular oil and gas resources but is authorities said yesterday. kg of saffron is priced at 25,000 been uprooted in two provinces taking place in Afghanistan. of foreigners, by both militants afflicted by Islamist militancy, The Ministry of Agriculture, afghanis ($375) to 110,000 — Badghes and Faryab — this “President Trump has and criminals is a recurring phe- sectarian violence. Irrigation and Livestock will afghanis ($1,654) depending on September, due to clashes announced a new strategy for nomenon in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, At least take measures to expand saf- the quality. The Afghan gov- between militants and security Afghanistan, and is sending The UN agency criticized twelve Taliban militants have fron cultivated areas to 3,000 ernment has taken measures to forces. More than 250,000 peo- more troops to continue the Trump for not addressing the been killed during operations hectares across the country in invest in the agricultural sector ple have fled their homes due to United States’ longest war in his- issue of civilian casualties in eastern Nangarhar prov- 2018, a ministry spokesman to further create job opportu- conflict in Afghanistan since tory,” he said. caused by Nato airstrikes. OCHA ince of Afghanistan, an official said. Saffron cultivation has nities and to boost the country’s January, the report added. “The UN has recently cited two airstrikes carried out said yesterday. The provin- expanded to 31 of the country’s economy. Large groups of armed mil- acknowledged the changes in by international forces on 28 cial governors spokesman 34 provinces from only one Three decades of war have itants stormed district centers the country and now character- and 30 August that, according Attullah Khogyani said in a province a few years ago, had a devastating impact on the in Faryab, Badghes, Ghazni, izes Afghanistan as a country in to a UN probe, killed at least 28 statement that nine ISIS mil- reports Xinhua news agency. agriculture sector in the land- Paktika, Paktiya and Logar conflict rather than one emerg- civilians and injured 16, all itants were killed. In 2017, about 6.5 tonnes of locked country. provinces last month, in a bid to ing from post-conflict. This women and children. 14 ASIA TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 Mahathir says he doesn’t want to be Prime Minister

“Lots of people feel that Najib has tough to win more seats than the ruling nemesis, including opposition icon Mahathir said he doesn’t destroyed much that has been built for coalition. The Election Commission last Anwar Ibrahim who was imprisoned on this country,” he said. year redrew electoral boundaries that Mahathir’s watch, to accept Bersatu into want to be prime minister “People are calling our leader a critics said created more Malay-major- Anwar’s opposition coalition. again and that his aim crook. That is not something I would like ity seats to ensure victory for Najib Anwar was Mahathir’s deputy until is simply to topple Najib to see perpetuated. It must change back though opposition parties are contest- he was sacked in a power struggle in and restore Malaysia’s to the days when we were doing well.” ing it in court. 1998 and later imprisoned on charges Najib has sacked critics in his own A doctor by training, Mahathir is of corruption and sodomy that Anwar reputation. He keeps government including an attorney-gen- credited with transforming Muslim- said were trumped up. a hectic schedule, eral and deputy prime minister and majority Malaysia from an economic Anwar was freed in 2004 but in 2015 crisscrossing the country to muzzled the media since the corruption backwater into a modern trading nation he returned to prison following a sec- speak at political rallies. scandal erupted two years ago. The US that has leapt past most of its Southeast ond conviction that critics said was a and several other countries are inves- Asian neighbours in living standards. political conspiracy to break up the tigating allegations of cross-border But his rule was also clouded by author- opposition. Mahathir’s comeback is a Kuala Lumpur embezzlement and money laundering itarianism and maverick outbursts on boost to the opposition that has been AP at 1MDB, a state investment fund set up Mahathir said he doesn’t want to be the international stage. “Whatever may plagued by infighting. His popularity and previously led by Najib to promote prime minister again and that his aim be the differences in the past, the prob- with ethnic Malays may also make the ormer Malaysian strongman economic development but which accu- is simply to topple Najib and restore lem that we face with Najib is far greater. opposition more palatable to those vot- Mahathir Mohamad (pictured) mulated billions in debt. Malaysia’s reputation. He keeps a hec- If we don’t get rid of him, we will achieve ers, who are the bedrock of Najib’s ruling says the opposition alliance The US Justice Department says at tic schedule, crisscrossing the country nothing,” he said. Mahathir said he once coalition. Recently, the alliance campaigning to topple the least $4.5bn was stolen from 1MDB by to speak at political rallies. He has thought Najib would be admired like his announced they would contest elections country’s corruption-tainted associates of Najib, and it is working to undergone two heart bypass surgeries father — Malaysia’s second Prime Min- under a single logo and have a common Fleader can win the next general elec- seize $1.7bn taken from the fund to buy but shows no sign of slowing down. ister Abdul Razak Hussein — but Najib constitution. tions and pull Malaysia back from a slide assets in the US, potentially its largest Despite speculation that Najib may went “from bad to worse” with the 1MDB Mahathir said there is a deep reser- into kleptocracy. asset seizure ever. call elections this year, Mahathir said he scandal. voir of anger among urban voters, and The energetic 92-year-old, Asia’s Its complaint filed with a US District believes polls will be held in 2018 It turned the former mentor into while the rural poor might not feel longest-serving leader before stepping Court says more than $700m landed in because Najib wants time to strengthen Najib’s most strident critic. Mahathir affected by the graft scandal, they are down in 2003, has made a high-profile the accounts of “Malaysian Official 1,” his support in eastern Sabah and often voices his criticism on his blog, upset by a higher cost of living that return to politics in a bid to oust his pro- which it did not name but through Sarawak states on the island of Borneo. Chedet.cc, taken from a childhood nick- partly stems from an unpopular goods tege, Prime Minister Najib Razak, who descriptions of that official’s role in the The two states, both strongholds of rural name given by his sisters, and attended and services tax. has clung to power despite an epic cor- fund and government, as well as other Malay support for the governing a massive street rally in Kuala Lumpur Najib’s meeting last week with Pres- ruption scandal that involved hundreds details, made clear was Najib. A state- National Front coalition, jointly contrib- last year that called for Najib’s ident Donald Trump was aimed at of millions of dollars passing through ment in January 2016 from Malaysia’s ute about a quarter of parliamentary resignation. seeking political legitimacy, Mahathir his bank accounts. Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali, seats and helped Najib win the 2013 polls Mahathir then formed the Bersatu said, but it backfired after he pledged Mahathir told The Associated Press who replaced Abdul Gani Patail follow- despite losing the national popular vote party together with Najib’s former dep- billions of dollars of investment for the in an interview that the disparate oppo- ing his sacking by Najib for pursuing an to the opposition for the first time. uty Muhyiddin Yassin, who was sacked US economy while there are economic sition coalition he has spearheaded to investigation, said the millions in Najib’s “We will win support on the ground,” last year for questioning the premier problems at home. “This country has contest elections due by mid-2018 is accounts were a political donation that Mahathir said. “We hope to win with a about the scandal. the capacity to become a fully devel- tapping into anger at the corruption was mostly returned. Najib has denied simple majority.” Even more dramatically, Mahathir oped country if the right policy and plans scandal and the rising cost of living. any wrongdoing. Yet gerrymandering will make it this year persuaded his former political are carried out,” he said.

Mob attacks Peace bell Thai army under fire Indonesia Communists for $10m faulty blimp Bangkok submitted a letter urging the meeting AFP Office of Auditor General (OAG) of Thailand to investigate why Jakarta hailand’s army came taxpayer money was wasted on AP under fire yesterday for the airship. Tits $10m purchase of a “We are asking the OAG to mob opposed to pub- faulty blimp that was finally launch an investigation against lic discussion of dumped after eight hapless a former army chief... the cab- AIndonesia’s 1965 mas- years, the latest scandal over inet and other officials sacre of communists tried to military spending in the junta- involved” in the controversial force its way into a Jakarta run country. purchase, Janya said. building where they believed The kingdom’s defence Army chief Chalermchai communists were meeting, budget has nearly tripled over Sittisart tried to temper the dis- injuring five policemen. the last decade, a period where content by promising to make Jakarta police spokesman the military has seized power use of the airship’s expensive Argo Yuwono said 22 people twice. cameras. were arrested early yester- Pricy purchases — such as According to officials, the day for rioting and five $1bn set aside for Chinese sub- blimp’s tarpaulin exterior had officers were injured in the A man tolls the peace bell to mark the 86th anniversary of the September 18 Incident marines — have frequently expired after eight years in the confrontation. at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall in Nanjing in China’s eastern Jiangsu province, been met with criticism from a tropical climate. The melee came a day yesterday. The “September 18 Incident” took place in 1931, when Japanese soldiers blew public feeling the pinch of a But criticism of the pur- after police blockaded the up a railway in Manchuria as a pretext to taking control of the entire northeastern region flagging economy. chase, and additional money building on Saturday to stop a few years before the outbreak of World War II. The latest target of ire, the spent on its ultimately ineffec- a public forum on the massa- Aeros 40D “Sky Dragon”, was tive maintenance, flared online cre, in which historians say purchased in 2009 for the pur- where Thais voiced anger over half a million people were pose of surveilling an other examples of seemingly killed, from going ahead. insurgency flaring in Thailand’s wasteful military spending. Bonnie Setiawan, an far south. The most infamous is the organiser of the forum, said Manila holds Asean ministers’ meet But the 46.6-metre airship military’s multi-million-dollar about 200 people were spent most of the past eight purchase of bogus bomb detec- trapped in the building, which years grounded and plagued by tors — known as GT200 — that is home to a legal aid insti- Zambonga City country’s capital city of Manila. of Korea will also actively join a series of malfunctions, leaks led to the detention of scores tute, for hours on Sunday Anatolia The gathering, dubbed “the 11th as dialogue partners for the and the costly helium refilling. of innocent people a decade night while more than 1,000 ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on 4-day meet as part of the Phil- In 2012, it crashlanded into ago. people protested outside. inisters, senior officials, Transnational Crimes (11th ippines’ chairmanship of the a rice field when the pilot lost Two British fraudsters were The protesters shouted and delegates from the AMMTC)”, includes Thailand, Asean’s 50th founding anniver- control while on a patrol mis- jailed in 2013 for making mil- that the people inside were Mmember countries of Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, sary this year, Secretary of sion, according to local media. lions from selling the GT200 members of the long-out- the Association of Southeast Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Interior and Local Governments After news leaked of its and similar devices to govern- lawed Indonesian Communist Asian Nations (Asean) gathered Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei. and AMMTC head Catalino Cuy decommissioning last week, ments including Thailand, Party and threw rocks, he said. yesterday in the China, Japan, and the Republic told reporters in Manila.” activist Srisuwan Janya Mexico and Iraq. Indonesia held a ground- breaking symposium on the massacre last year, breaking a half century of near silence on the issue, but the military, Indigenous Bangladeshis attacked over land Islamic groups and senior fig- ures in the government are opposed to unearthing the Manikjor Chhora Pahari people in the Longadu - sought-after land in densely a million Paharis from nearly a declared a protected area under truth, saying it could revive Reuters area of Rangamati, one of three populated and low-lying dozen indigenous groups. colonial rule. After the partition communism. The Indonesian districts that comprise the Chit- Bangladesh. The lush region, in the coun- of the Indian subcontinent, the Communist Party was the ipon Chakma’s octogenar- tagong Hill Tracts region, where “This is all staged drama,” try’s southeast, is rich in natural special provisions for the indig- third largest in the world with ian parents were visiting most of Bangladesh’s ethnic said Ripon Chakma, executive resources, particularly timber enous population were diluted. an estimated 3 million mem- Rthe village of Manikjor minorities live. director of Trinamul, a local non- and bamboo. Possibilities for oil Following an armed conflict, bers when an unsuccessful Chhora in the southeast of Bang- The attack came after the profit group that works for the exploration have also been the Bangladesh government coup by pro-communist mil- ladesh for a religious ceremony body of a Bengali was found near rights of the Pahari identified. agreed to the Chittagong Hill itary officers in 1965 triggered when the arson attack took place Dighinala road in neighbouring community. The region has been the site Tracts peace accord in Decem- a monthslong bloodletting by in early June. Khagrachari district, according “These attacks are happen- of violent ethnic conflict for dec- ber 1997 that promised a the army and Islamic groups Chakma’s parents survived, to police. The Bengali settlers ing to grab the land. Otherwise, ades, which has displaced tens measure of autonomy to the that engulfed the country and but an elderly neighbour, accused the mountain-dwelling why would they burn houses in of thousands of indigenous peo- Pahari people, and gave them ushered in the Suharto Gunamala Chakma, succumbed Pahari community of the Longadu for a death in ple. The lands they vacated were economic, social and political dictatorship. to the flames that engulfed her killing. Dighinala?” occupied by Bengali settlers. rights. Yuwono said police mud-walled home. The Paharis deny the accu- The Chittagong Hill Tracts Activists say the government The government promised blockaded the forum on Sat- Police said settler Bengalis sation, and say the arson attacks region of Bangladesh, which has failed to honour an agree- to undertake development for urday because organisers — the majority ethnic group — were pre-planned and mask a shares borders with India and ment signed 20 years ago to their economic empowerment, hadn’t requested permission set light to more than 200 homes more sinister motive of driving Myanmar, spans just over 13,000 restore their lands in the Chit- while allowing them to keep for it. and shops of the indigenous them from their fertile uplands sq km, and is home to about half tagong Hill Tracts, which were their cultural practices. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 ASIA 15 UN urged to press Myanmar on Rohingyas

Yangon AFP Myanmar has ressure grew on suggested it will not Myanmar yesterday take back all who as a rights group had fled across the urged world leaders to impose sanctions border, accusing Pon its military, which is accused them of links to of driving out more than Rohingya militants. 410,000 Rohingya Muslims in an orchestrated “ethnic cleans- ing” campaign. The call from Human Rights Minister Sheik Hasina. She will Watch came as the UN General use the General Assembly to Assembly prepared to convene press Myanmar to take back all in New York, with the crisis in the Rohingya massing in shanty Rohingya refugees stretch their hands to receive aid distributed by local organisations at a makeshift camp in Cox’s Bazar, Myanmar high on the agenda. towns and camps in Bangladesh It also came on the eve of a near the border. Bangladesh, yesterday. RIGHT: A Rohingya refugee arrives at a camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, yesterday. highly-anticipated national Human Rights Watch also address today by Myanmar’s called for the “safe and volun- civilian leader Aung San Suu tary return” of the displaced as Kyi, her first on the crisis in it urged governments around Expectant mothers in Rohingya influx: Dhaka Rakhine state. the globe to punish Myanmar’s The exodus of Rohingya army with sanctions for the Dhaka crossing have been women and warned of intolerable conditions “genocide” being perpetrated refugees from mainly Buddhist “ongoing atrocities” against the AFP children, with aid agencies in camps around the border town against the Rohingya, a reviled Myanmar to neighbouring Rohingya. warning of an unfolding of Cox’s Bazar. minority denied citizenship Bangladesh has sparked a “The United Nations Secu- angladesh said yesterday humanitarian crisis as author- Haq added that roughly inside Myanmar. humanitarian emergency. Aid rity Council and concerned there were 70,000 preg- ities struggle to provide basic 16,000 toilets have been built “Bangladesh wants a diplo- groups are struggling to provide countries should impose tar- Bnant and breastfeeding facilities for the desperate across the sprawling camps to matic — not military — solution,” relief to a daily stream of new geted sanctions and an arms mothers among the wave of civilians. improve woeful sanitation stand- Haq said. The government has arrivals, more than half of embargo on the Burmese mil- Rohingya refugees who have In a briefing on the relief ards, and check-posts erected to promised to build new camps whom are children. itary to end its ethnic cleansing entered the country after fleeing effort Monday, Information Min- ensure security for those camp- large enough to host 400,000 Myanmar has suggested it campaign against Rohingya violence from Myanmar in the ister Hasanul Haq said a huge ing in open spaces. refugees, but has also rehashed will not take back all who had Muslims,” the group said in a past three weeks. number -- roughly one in six -- The minister ruled out a mil- an old plan to turn a desolate fled across the border, accus- statement. The UN says 415,000 civil- of the new arrivals living in the itary solution to the crisis, island into a new home for the ing them of links to Rohingya Myanmar’s military was hit ians from the Rohingya Muslim camps were expectant or new deflecting calls from hardline Rohingya. militants whose raids on police with Western sanctions during minority have arrived in Bang- mothers. Islamists for Bangladesh to The existing camps are full, posts in August triggered the its 50-year rule of the country. ladesh since August 25, “Special care has been under- defend the persecuted Muslim but Bangladesh has issued strict army backlash. But most have been lifted in overwhelming refugee camps taken for 70,000 pregnant and minority. orders that the Rohingya do not Any clear moves to block recent years as the generals near the border that were unpre- breastfeeding mothers,” Haq told At least 20,000 hardliners leave designated areas, fearful the refugees’ return will likely have allowed a partial transi- pared for the sudden influx. reporters. rallied in Dhaka on Monday that nearby cities could be anger Bangladesh Prime tion to democracy. The majority of those The United Nations has demanding an end to the swamped. 20,000 join Rescued Filipino priest talks of need for harmony Bangladesh Manila “I still believe in an interfaith and recovery,” said Soganub, abduction, Soganub appeared in take down the video. rally supporting AP relationship, that we can be who appeared remarkably a video, apparently taken under Other freed hostages have united as Muslims and Chris- healthy with a long, white beard, duress by the militants, in which talked about female captives Rohingya issue or more than 100 days, tians, that we’re not enemies,” and was in a jovial mood as he he said he was with about 200 being abused and forced to Catholic priest Teresito Suganob said on board an air thanked his rescuers. other hostages and that his cap- marry some of the militants. Dhaka FSoganub’s life was threat- force plane that brought him to Asked how he was, Soganub tors wanted the military to Some hostages were shot and AFP ened by every air strike, gunshot Manila. said with a laugh, “Physically withdraw its forces from the city. others were forced to loot and artillery bombardment that Soganub has long promoted strong, handsome.” “We want to live another houses, handle daily chores like t least 20,000 Islam- targeted his Islamic State group- a dialogue between Muslims and He smiled and waved before day, we want to live another cooking or made to wear black ists marched in aligned captors in the southern Christians in the country’s south, being ushered out of a military month,” Soganub said in the uniforms and carry firearms to ABangladesh yesterday Philippines. regional assemblyman Zia hall without taking any ques- video while standing alone in fight alongside the militants, the in protest against the violence When Soganub, 51, began Alonto Adiong said. tions. Soganub was among many front of partially burned build- military said. which has driven the talking yesterday about his cap- Top military and defence civilians abducted in May when ings. In another video, the Soganub said in the inter- Rohingya Muslim minority tivity following his rescue by officials met Soganub and he was hundreds of militants waving IS- militants were shown smashing view on board the air force plane from neighbouring Myanmar Philippine troops in Marawi city, briefly presented to a huge group style black flags laid siege to religious statutes, in what the yesterday that he and other hos- across the border into squalid there were no bitter condemna- of journalists, photographers and mosque-studded Marawi, a cen- military said was an attempt to tages were fed rice, sardines, refugee camps. tions. He spoke of how Muslims TV cameras at the military tre of Islamic faith in the south foment a religious war. Military noodles and corned beef taken White-robed protesters and Christians should live in headquarters. of the largely Roman Catholic officials asked Facebook and from grocery stores by the chanting “God is great” assem- peaceful coexistence. “Pray for me, for my healing nation. A few days after his other social media companies to gunmen. bled outside Bangladesh’s largest mosque before a planned “siege” of the Myan- mar embassy in the capital Population of elderly Dhaka. The turnout eclipsed a similar rally after weekly prayers last Friday, when 15,000 demonstrators urged hits record in Japan the government to go to war against Buddhist-majority Tokyo workforce longer to battle labour Myanmar over the “genocide” Reuters shortages. of Rohingya Muslims. The government estimates, Police strengthened secu- winging dumbbells and released yesterday, are a stark rity before yesterday’s rally, chewing gum, several eld- reminder of the challenges posed deploying extra officers Serly Japanese gathered at a by years of a declining birthrate, around Dhaka amid fears the shrine in downtown Tokyo yes- which is now at 1.45 births per demonstrators could turn vio- terday in sweltering woman. Many economists say a lent. The hardline temperatures, belying their age developed country needs a birth- Hefazat-e-Islami group had and importance in one of the rate slightly above 2.0 to prevent vowed hundreds of thousands world’s most rapidly ageing its population from shrinking. of its followers would lay societies. Japan has been struggling siege to the Myanmar The event to mark Respect with a declining workforce for embassy, but police halted the for the Aged Day in Japan drew decades, and its elderly ratio is march before it reached the over 200 people in an exercise the highest among Group of mission. “Around 20,000 meant to increase their body Seven nations, followed by Italy people joined the protest,” strength and balance. at 23.0 percent, Germany at 21.5 deputy commissioner of The exercise was more than percent, and France at 19.7 per- Dhaka Metropolitan Police just symbolic, as the number of cent. Official figures showed Anwar Hossain said. people aged 65 and above has 35.14 million Japanese people There was “tension” but risen to a record high of 27.7 per- were 65 or older. the crowd was slowly dis- cent of Japan’s population, The number of people aged persing, he added. Hefazat government figures showed. 90 or above also topped two mil- officials put the attendance Significantly, those in this age lion for the first time. Natsu figure much higher, with sup- category who still work has also Naruse, a participant in the exer- Members of the Philippine Marines 1st Brigade conduct clearing operation at the main porters from across hit a record, highlighting efforts cise who recently turned 100 battle zone to liberate the ruined city from the presence of Daesh terrorists in Marawi City, Bangladesh pouring into the by the public and private sectors years old, encapsulated Japan’s capital to rally. Philippines. to keep more elderly in the challenge. 16 EUROPE TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 Catalonia will face brutal impoverishment: Spain

Madrid Belgium, is slated to hold an AFP independence referendum on “The general October 1, which Madrid and atalonia would suffer impoverishment of Spanish courts have declared “brutal” impoverish- the society would illegal. ment if it splits from The referendum has not had Spain, with a deep be brutal. GDP an impact on the economy plunge in its eco- could fall between because financial markets do Cnomic output, Spain’s not think Catalan independence economy minister warned yes- 25 and 30 percent is a “minimally viable and terday ahead of a disputed and unemployment acceptable scenario”, the econ- independence referendum in double,” Economy omy minister said. the region. Catalonia’s pro-secession “The general impoverish- Minister Luis de regional government argues ment of the society would be Guindos said in an that an independent Catalo- brutal. GDP could fall between interview with radio nia would be able to decide 25 and 30 percent and unem- its own fiscal policy and ployment double,” Economy Cope. investments, which would Minister Luis de Guindos said boost its GDP. in an interview with radio It says Catalonia currently Cope. pays billions more in taxes to Protesters chant and hold up ballot papers with the proposed question for a referendum on An independent Catalonia “The independence of Cata- Madrid each year than it gets breaking away from Spain during a rally in favour of a planned referendum on the independence would find itself outside of the lonia would be absolutely back in investments and serv- of Catalonia in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. eurozone so 75 percent of its irrational from an economic ices but this would end if the products would be slapped with point of view,” the minister region split from Spain. region’s GDP. Spain’s central lonia’s economic output. Its unemployment rate tarifs, banks would have to relo- said. The Catalan government government, which uses a dif- Catalonia, home to around 7.5 stood at 13.2 percent in the cate, and the region would have Catalonia, which accounts estimates it pays ¤16bn ($19bn) ferent calculation, puts the million people, is tied with Madrid second quarter, lower than the to set up its own currency, he for a fifth of Spain’s economy more to Madrid than it gets back, figure at around 10 billion for the title of Spain’s richest 17.2 percent rate posted for all added. and is roughly the size of or about 8.0 percent of it the euros, or 5.0 percent of Cata- region. of Spain.

Lady Gaga postpones Putin watches as Russia intensifies war games European leg of tour LONDON: Lady Gaga has postponed her world tour’s Moscow wore a dark suit and looked European leg until next year Reuters relaxed as the firing range in because of ongoing health front of him, in the Leningrad problems, the tour’s promoter resident Vladimir Putin region, was briefly transformed said yesterday. The six-week observed Russia’s biggest into a war zone. part of the Joanne World Tour Pwar games in years on Tracer bullets lit up the was set to kick off in Barce- Monday, watching as his forces murky skyline, battle tanks lona on Sept. 21 and end on successfully repelled an imagi- churned across muddy terrain, Oct. 28 in Germany. Lady nary enemy and launched a shells exploded, helicopters fired Gaga was also due to perform tank-led counter offensive, part missiles, planes roared overhead in Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, of an exercise that has rattled the and hundreds of paratroopers the Netherlands, France, Brit- West. and armoured vehicles were ain, Denmark and Sweden. NATO officials say they are dropped from the skies. “Lady Gaga is suffering monitoring the “Zapad-2017” The paratroopers, inserted from severe physical pain that (“West-2017”) war games with behind the lines of their imagi- has impacted her ability to per- “calm and confidence”, but many nary enemy, then waged war form,” tour promoter Live are unnerved about what they against what the defence minis- Nation said. “She remains see as Moscow testing its ability try called “illegal armed under the care of expert med- to wage war against the West. formations.” ical professionals who Russia says the exercise is The over-arching Zapad war recommended the postpone- rehearsing a purely defensive games, which began on Sept. 14 ment.” The promoter said the scenario. and run to Sept. 20, are taking 31-year-old singer-song- Putin, commander-in-chief place in western Russia, Russia’s writer “plans to spend the of Russia’s armed forces, sat in a exclave of Kaliningrad, and Bela- next seven weeks proactively command centre flanked by his rus, a Russian ally which borders working with her doctors to defence minister and the chief of Ukraine as well as NATO mem- heal from this and past trau- his General Staff, and used bin- ber states Poland, Latvia and mas that still affect her daily Russian President Vladimir Putin uses a pair of binoculars while watching the Zapad-2017 oculars to peer through a cold Lithuania. life, and result in severe phys- drizzle at the simulated conflict Moscow says almost 13,000 war games, held by Russian and Belarussian servicemen, with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ical pain in her body.” unfolding before his eyes. Russian and Belarussian service (left) and Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov (second right), Lady Gaga, whose hits The Russian leader has personnel are taking part, as well at a military training ground in the Leningrad region, Russia, yesterday. include “Bad Romance” and appeared at similar events in as around 70 planes and “Poker Face,” also pulled out the past, sometimes donning a helicopters. disclosed, however, and have nuclear warhead, hitting a tar- deployed 600 paratroopers to of a performance last week in military uniform, and uses them It says almost 700 pieces of complained about what they say get at a firing range in the Baltics during Zapad. Brazil after being hospitalized to bolster his image among Rus- military hardware are being is the lack of transparency about Kazakhstan about 480km away. As a precaution, the United with “severe physical pain.” sians as a robust defender of the deployed, including almost 250 the exercise, an allegation Rus- Moscow says it is the West States has also temporarily Earlier this month, Lady Gaga country’s interests on the world tanks, 10 ships and various artil- sia rejects. that threatens stability in east- taken over guardianship of the postponed a Montreal concert. stage. lery and rocket systems. As part of the same drills, ern Europe because NATO has airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Lady Gaga said Monday on This time, the 64-year-old NATO officials have said they Russia on Monday said it had put a 4,000-strong multina- Estonia, which lack capable air Instagram that’s she been hon- president, who is widely expected believe the exercises involve successfully test fired a ballistic tional force in the Baltics and forces and air defence est about her “physical and to run for re-election in March, more troops than Moscow has missile capable of carrying a Poland, while the US Army has systems. mental health struggles” and has been “searching for years to get to the bottom of them.” “As I get stronger and when I feel ready, I will tell my story Family in Moscow court to get files Eiffel Tower starts work in more depth, and plan to take this on strongly so I can not on anti-terror upgrade only raise awareness, but on Swedish diplomat’s death expand research for others Paris who suffer as I do, so I can help AFP make a difference,” she wrote. Moscow Dupuy in July launched a legal the Lubyanka prison in July AFP case against the FSB — the suc- 1947. orks began yesterday to boost security at the Eiffel Tower Son of Nazi architect cessor of the Soviet-era KGB In 2000, the head of a Rus- as an anti-terrorism measure, city hall said, with bullet- dies in Germany Russian court yesterday — to force it to drop its refusal sian investigative commission Wproof glass walls set to go up around the world’s most began hearing a lawsuit to release the full archive on the said Wallenberg had been shot visited monument. The changes come after a string of jihadist BERLIN: Albert Speer Jr., the Afrom descendents of diplomat. and killed by the secret police, attacks in the French capital over the past two years in which more son of Adolf Hitler’s chief Swedish diplomat Raoul Wal- The move was the latest but gave no specific details. than 200 people have died. architect who had his own lenberg against the FSB security twist in the family’s decades- Sweden officially declared A bulletproof glass wall will be installed around the monu- accomplished architectural service to try to get more details long battle against Moscow to Wallenberg dead in 2016. ment’s gardens under the 30-million-euro ($36-million), career but struggled to dis- on his death in a Soviet jail. find out the truth about what An FSB representative Mon- nine-month works, the city’s tourism chief, Jean-Francois Mar- tance himself from his father’s Wallenberg used his diplo- happened to Wallenberg. day asked the court to reject the tins, said. Visited by six to seven million people each year, the legacy, has died. He was 83. matic powers to help thousands “Up to now a whole number latest demands in part because landmark already has a permanent police patrol. The architecture firm he of Jews flee Nazi-controlled of circumstances of his presence it said the archives include But Paris councillors voted unanimously in March to boost its founded, Albert Speer + Part- Hungary during World War II in a Soviet prison remain details about the “personal life” security due to the “particularly high terrorist threat”. ner GmbH, said Speer died and has been compared to Ger- unknown,” Darya Sukhikh, a of other Lubyanka inmates. Last month a 19-year-old former psychiatric patient leapt over Saturday in Frankfurt. Speer many’s Oskar Schindler. lawyer for Dupuy, told the The documents from 1947 a security barrier at the tower wielding a knife, saying he wanted was 12 when his father was After the Soviets entered Meshchansky district court in can only be made available in to attack a soldier. Some 7,000 troops have been deployed under convicted in Nuremberg of war Budapest just before the end of Moscow. 2022 after an official 75-year an anti-terrorism operation known as Sentinelle, patrolling streets crimes and sentenced to 20 the war, Wallenberg was jailed “His fate still bothers not waiting period to declassify the and guarding tourist hotspots, since the jihadist attack at the offices years in prison. He told the in the notorious headquarters just his family but quite a few documents has passed, the FSB of Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015. Sueddeutsche Zeitung news- of the secret police in Moscow, people.” The USSR in 1957 made said. Martins said the renovations “will not disrupt visitors’ arrival paper in an interview in 2010 where he died. public a document saying Wal- “You can wait for these in any way” and that tourists would still be able to walk up to the he was “annoyed” to always be Wallenberg’s niece Marie lenberg died of heart failure in deadlines,” he told the family. tower for free, after passing through security checks. asked about his father. TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 EUROPE 17 Paris Fire Brigade anniversary France opens door to talks on Iran N-deal

Paris other leaders. Iranian President AFP Foreign Minister Hassan Rowhani is scheduled to speak tomorrow. rance warned yester- Jean-Yves Le Drian Trump is due to decide day that salvaging the told reporters ahead before October 15 whether Iran Iran nuclear deal was of the UN General has breached the 2015 nuclear “essential,” but left the agreement, and critics fear he door open to further Assembly that may abandon an accord they Ftalks to ward off any US threat scrapping the 2015 think prevents Tehran from to walk away from the landmark agreement would building a nuclear bomb. agreement. launch an arms race US Secretary of State Rex Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Tillerson will join his Iranian Le Drian told reporters ahead of with “neighbouring counterpart Mohammad Javad the UN General Assembly that countries that would Zarif tomorrow for a meeting of scrapping the 2015 agreement the so-called E3+3 on the nuclear French Defence Minister Florence Parly attends a ceremony to mark the 206th anniversary feel encouraged to would launch an arms race with head into the same deal, chaired by the European of Paris Fire Brigade at the Hotel des Invalides, in Paris, France, yesterday. “neighbouring countries that Union. would feel encouraged to head direction.” Turning to North Korea, Le into the same direction.” Drian said that “very strong” US President Donald Trump pressure from sanctions would has threatened to scrap the Germany and Russia are also compel leader Kim Jong-Un to nuclear agreement, describing part of the deal. Under the come to the negotiating table to Street art museum opens in Berlin it as the “worst deal ever nuclear deal, Iran surrendered put an end to his missile and negotiated.” much of its enriched uranium, nuclear programs. “Military “France will try to persuade dismantled a reactor and sub- action is not required,” said the Berlin including portraits, pop art and of whose works grace or have President Trump of the impor- mitted nuclear sites to UN foreign minister. AP activism. graced facades on the street out- tance of this choice, even if it can inspection, while Washington “To bring North Korea to the The scene so far has lacked side and elsewhere in the city. be completed by work after and Europe lifted some negotiating table, the only pos- treet art has a new, perma- an “informative hub,” Young One of Banksy’s “Gangsta Rats” 2025,” he said ahead of a meet- sanctions. sible way is to apply very strong nent home in Berlin. said Monday. She said that part is also present. ing between Trump and French Iran and North Korea are set pressure,” he added. S Works by artists from of the idea is “teaching people The museum also hosts a President Emmanuel Macron to dominate the annual gather- The UN Security Council last around the world have gone on a new language, which is the library that centers on street art later in the day. ing of world leaders that week imposed a new raft on show at the Urban Nation language of street art, graffiti photographer Martha Cooper’s Under the nuclear deal, cer- formally opens today with a sanctions on North Korea after Museum for Urban Contempo- and urban contemporary art.” archive of books and tain limits on Iran’s uranium series of addresses by Trump it carried out its sixth and most rary Art in the German capital, A staircase decked out in magazines. enrichment are set to expire in and Macron among powerful nuclear test. located at one end of a street British artist Ben Eine’s colored Young envisions the 2025 and critics have said this that is already something of a lettering links the two floors of museum — four years in the is the weakest part of the deal. giant art gallery. the new museum, which fea- making — as “an archive and a “It’s essential to maintain Iran respecting nuclear accord The opening exhibition, tures work by artists familiar hub” in a city that is itself an (the agreement) to prevent a spi- which will last for around nine from the streets of Berlin and urban art hub. ral of proliferation that would FRANCE is ‘vigilant’ about Iran’s compliance with its nuclear months, aims to introduce vis- beyond. “There’s so many people encourage hardliners in Iran to accord but “all signs are that it’s respecting its commitments,” itors to the culture of urban art. There’s a wall by Portuguese here from all over the world liv- pursue nuclear weapons,” Le French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. Yasha Young, the museum’s artist Vhils, works by New York- ing here because Berlin is still in Drian said. Tearing up the accord would be a blow to efforts to limit creative director, worked with based Iranian duo Icy and Sot, the spirit of, maybe, old New France and the United States nuclear proliferation, and “we are trying to convince President eight curators from various Sao Paulo-based Marina Zumi York,” she said. “It is affordable, are among the six powers that (Donald) Trump of the pertinence of this view,” Le Drian said countries to produce a show and France’s Mademoiselle it is good for an artist to be here, negotiated the landmark agree- at a press conference in New York. that explores strands Maurice, among others — some the networks are great.” ment with Iran. Britain, China,

US students in May rebukes Johnson over Brexit intervention acid attack in

London minister offered her foreign secretary little UK could make payments of around 10 France forgive Bloomberg support in the row he’s having with the U.K. billion pounds a year to the EU during a May and Johnson haven’t spoken statistics watchdog about whether Britain transitional exit period, May refused to assailant K Prime Minister Theresa May since his article was published, does pay the 350 million pounds ($475 mil- rule it out. “Lots of figures have been slapped down Foreign Secretary according to a government official. lion) a week to the EU. “The reality is, year thrown around,’’ she said. “Negotiations Paris UBoris Johnson for his unauthorised They are due to meet in at the on year the amount of money that the UK are about a lot more than money. They’re AP intervention in the Brexit debate, but fell United Nations in New York, where pays into the EU changes, for a whole vari- about how we withdraw and get that short of firing him. “This government is both are attending the UN General ety of factors,’’ she said. orderly process of withdrawal, but they’re he four American college driven from the front, and we’re all going Assembly. And she pushed back at Johnson’s sug- also about how we build that deep and students attacked with to the same destination,’’ May told report- gestion that the money should go to the special partnership for the future.’’ Tacid at a Marseille train ers on board her plane as she traveled to accusation that he was mounting a lead- National Health Service, a referendum- May and Johnson haven’t spoken since station have forgiven their Ottawa. “Look, Boris is Boris. I am clear ership bid and undermining her approach year pledge from Brexit supporters that his article was published, according to a assailant, who reportedly suf- that what the government is doing and to Brexit days before she is due to give a Johnson revived. “ That will be a decision government official. They are due to meet fers from a mental illness, a what the Cabinet is agreed on.’’ keynote speech in Florence, Italy. that will be taken at the time and will be in at the United Nations in New York, university spokesman said May was responding to Johnson’s May said his piece in the Daily Tele- taken by the government,’’ May said. where both are attending the UN General yesterday. 4,200-word article on Friday that led to graph was unapproved. In return, the prime Asked about the possibility that the Assembly. The four women, on a study-abroad year, have all said they intend to remain in Europe to continue their stud- ies, the spokesman for Boston After poll boost, right-wing AfD College, the private Jesuit school they attend, told The Associated Press. The women “have stated starts anti-Islam campaign their intention to remain in Europe for their studies and Berlin percent, potentially making it very quickly during the first have offered forgiveness to AFP Germany’s third-strongest term, so that by 2021 we are able the woman who attacked party. to govern.” them, an individual who ermany’s right-wing pop- But Merkel’s CDU and its Founded as an anti-euro police say suffers from men- ulist AfD party ramped up Bavarian allies CSU slipped two party, the AfD recorded a surge tal illness,” said Boston Gattacks yesterday against points to 36 percent, close to the in support after it began capi- College spokesman Jack immigration and Islam as its poll all-time low of 35 percent when talising on unease in Germany Dunn. The four were attacked ratings jumped in the final the Social Democrats (SPD) led over the arrival of more than on Sunday morning at the stretch of election campaigning, by Gerhard Schroeder defeated a million asylum seekers since Saint Charles train station in while Chancellor Angela Mer- them in 1998. 2015. the southern French city. A kel’s party dipped. Merkel’s conservative alliance Its members now sit in 13 of 41-year-old woman has been The Muslim religion “does however still commanded a 16 state assemblies and, eyeing taken into custody by police not belong in Germany”, said a huge lead over the SPD of her the national parliament, have in the case. Two of the stu- top candidate of the Alternative top rival Martin Schulz, which plastered towns and cities with dents had asked for prayers for Germany, Alexander slipped to 23 percent. posters carrying the slogans for their assailant in Facebook Gauland, who argued that its The trend suggests the AfD “Burkas? We prefer bikinis” or posts late on Sunday. “political doctrine is not com- will not only be the first right- “New Germans? We make them One of the women, patible with a free country”. wing nationalist party to enter ourselves!” Michelle Krug, said she was Gauland and the other top the German parliament since Its supporters have loudly Top candidates of Germany’s anti-Islam, anti-immigration one of two who got hit in the AfD candidate, Alice Weidel, 1945 but, depending on what disrupted Merkel’s rallies, where AfD (Alternative fuer Deutschland) party, Alice Weidel (left) eye with “a weak solution of have stirred controversy before coalition emerges, could also they loudly jeer, boo and whis- and Alexander Gauland, leave after a press conference about hydrochloric acid.” She asked Sunday’s general election. lead the opposition in the tle in a bid to drown her out. immigration and Islam, in Berlin, yesterday. friends to “please consider Gauland has argued Ger- Bundestag. One such protester — who thinking about/praying for our many should be proud of its Weidel’s ambitions do not shouted “traitor” at Merkel on immigration,” but now “we have truck driver born in Stralsund. attacker” so she can receive veterans of two world wars. And stop there. She told the Frank- Saturday in her Baltic coast con- uncontrolled immigration, ter- As alarm has grown over the help. “Mental illness is not a Weidel has reportedly employed furter Rundschau daily on stituency Stralsund — said he ror attacks”, he said. AfD’s rise, Schulz, who has choice and should not be vil- an asylum seeker without pay- Saturday that “the aim of all par- was voting AfD because “the “For me, she is not electa- described the party as “far-right” lainised,” Krug wrote, adding ing tax, a claim she has denied. ties is not to be the opposition, issues they raise relate to me”. ble, and untenable for the and its leaders as “racists”, she planned to continue her Latest polls show the AfD at but to govern”. “All our lawmak- “Merkel said 12 years ago people,” said the man, who warned however against ostra- “incredible opportunity” to 10-12 percent, up from eight-10 ers should gain professionalism that there must be controlled identified himself only as a cising its supporters. study in France. 18 AMERICAS TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017

Brazil Army Trump wants chief dismisses general’s hint UN to control at intervention Sao Paulo Reuters

razil’s Army com- bureaucracy mander dismissed a Bgeneral’s suggestion United Nations that members of the Army’s AP Trump more recently High Command endorse some sort of “military inter- resident Donald has praised a pair of vention” if high courts fail to Trump made his unanimous council stem political corruption, the debut at the United votes to tighten online services of Brazil’s two Nations yesterday, sanctions on North biggest newspapers said. using his first At a gathering of freema- Korea over its Pappearance to urge the sons in Brasília last Friday, 193-nation organisation to continued nuclear General Antonio Hamilton reduce bureaucracy and costs weapons and ballistic Mourão had suggested his fel- while more clearly defining its missile tests. lows at the High Command mission around the world. think the current timing is not UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (left), US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley But while Trump chastised favourable for military inter- the UN — an organisation he appearance at a global body, (right rear), President Donald Trump (centre) and Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai vention but that it could sharply criticised as a candidate when he stood at Nato’s new wait for a meeting on United Nations Reform at the UN headquarters yesterday in New York City. eventually take place through for president — he said the Brussels headquarters in May “successive steps,” Folha de United States would “pledge to and scolded member nations will be the first time world lead- the head of the Palestinian few months after announcing S Paulo said. be partners in your work” in for not paying enough and ers will be in the same room and Authority later in the week, that he was withdrawing the US “Either institutions sort order to make the body a more refused to explicitly back its able to take the measure of though the White House has from an international climate out the political problem, effective force for peace across mutual defence pact. Trump. downplayed this week as a mile- agreement — negotiated during through the judiciary branch the globe. While running for office, The president yesterday stone in peace negotiations. US the Obama administration and of power and withdrawing “In recent years, the United Trump labelled the UN as weak praised UN Secretary-General national security adviser H R signed by nearly 200 countries from public life all those ele- Nations has not reached its full and incompetent, and not a Antonio Guterres, who also spoke McMaster said “Iran’s destabilis- — but amid speculation that he ments involved in illicit acts, potential due to bureaucracy friend of either the United at the reform meeting and said ing behaviour” would be a major might be softening his or then we will have to and mismanagement,” said States or Israel. But he has sof- he shared Trump’s vision for a focus of those discussions. While position. impose that,” Mourão was Trump, who rebuked the UN for tened his tone since taking less wasteful UN to “live up to its seated next to Netanyahu, a Gary Cohn, one of Trump’s quoted as saying by O Estado a ballooning budget. “We are office, telling ambassadors from full potential.” The US has asked vociferous critic of the Iran top economic advisers, reiterated de S Paulo newspaper on not seeing the results in line UN Security Council member member nations to sign a decla- nuclear deal, Trump declared during a meeting with energy Sunday. with this investment.” countries at a White House ration on UN reforms, and more “you’ll see very soon” when ministers that Trump will pro- Army Commander Edu- The president pushed the meeting that the UN has “tre- than 120 have done so. The pres- asked if the US would stay in the ceed with the withdrawal plan ardo Villas Bôas dismissed UN to focus “more on people mendous potential.” ident also kicked off his maiden agreement. unless terms more favourable to Mourão’s comments by say- and less on bureaucracy” and Trump more recently has speech at the world body by Nikki Haley, the US ambas- the US can be negotiated, said a ing there is “no possibility” of to change “business as usual praised a pair of unanimous referring to the Trump-branded sador to the UN, said Trump’s senior White House official, who a military intervention in and not be beholden to ways of council votes to tighten sanc- apartment tower across First criticisms were accurate at the insisted on anonymity to discuss Brazil. the past which were not work- tions on North Korea over its Avenue from the UN. time, but that it is now a “new details of a private meeting. Bôas told Estado that ing.” He also suggested that the continued nuclear weapons and The speech began a busy day” at the UN. An organisation Major European powers that sup- since 1985, when a 21-year US was paying more than its ballistic missile tests. week of diplomacy for Trump, that “talked a lot but didn’t have port the pact have said it cannot military dictatorship came to fair share to keep the New Trump’s big moment comes who is slated to meet separately a lot of action” has given way to be renegotiated. an end, the military was “not York-based world body today, when he delivers his first with more than a dozen world a “United Nations that’s action- Trump riffed on his campaign responsible for any source of operational. address to a session of the UN leaders along the sidelines of the oriented,” she said, noting the slogan when asked about his turmoil in the nation’s life, But he also complimented General Assembly. The annual UN. His first bilateral meeting Security Council votes on North main message for the General and it will continue to be like steps the United Nations had gathering of world leaders will was yesterday with Israeli Prime Korea this month. Assembly. that.” taken in the early stages of open amid serious concerns Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Guterres has proposed a “I think the main message is While Mourão, currently reform efforts and made no about Trump’s priorities, during which he declared that massive package of changes, and ‘make the United Nations great.’ the army’s head of finance, threats to withdraw US support. including his policy of “Amer- they “are giving it an absolute Haley said the UN is “totally mov- Not again, ‘make the United hinted that there could come His measured tone stood in ica First,” his support for the UN go’” in Middle East peace talks. ing toward reform.” Nations great,’” Trump said as he a time when the army would stark contrast to his last maiden and a series of global crises. It Trump is slated to meet with Trump arrived at the UN a left the UN building. have to impose military action, he said it would not be to take power from civilians, Folha said. An action would aim at “telling people, US official urges changes to national monuments: Report ‘Beware, let’s fix this now so the country can move for- ward and not continue the Washington relaxing current restrictions and selling to allies. With Grand had sent his recommendations American sacred sites, outdoor way it is,’” the newspaper Reuters within some of the monuments’ Staircase-Escalante being to the Republican president after recreation destinations, and nat- quoted him as saying. boundaries for activities such as remote, and oil and coal being reviewing more than two dozen ural wonders to the goodwill of The army command did he head of US Department grazing, logging, coal mining and plentiful elsewhere, it is uncer- national monuments. Trump polluting industries is a recipe not immediately respond to of the Interior called for commercial fishing, according tain if energy interests would ordered the review in April as for disaster,” Sierra’s head request for comment. Mourão Tchanges to the manage- to a copy of the memo that the actually drill and mine there, if part of his broader effort to Michael Brune said. could not be found by Reu- ment of 10 national monuments Post obtained. the monument’s boundaries increase development on fed- Besides reducing the four ters to comment on his that would lift restrictions on The Grand Staircase-Esca- were changed. eral lands. sites, Zinke called for changes at remarks. activities such as logging and lante monument has areas that Interior Department spokes- Energy, mining, ranching Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Mourão, in the army since mining and shrink the area cov- “contain an estimated several woman Heather Swift referred and timber industries have Waters, New Mexico’s Organ 1972, was discharged from ered of at least four of the sites, billion tons of coal and large oil questions about the report to the cheered the review, while con- Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Brazil’s South Military Com- the Washington Post reported. deposits,” Zinke’s report said, White House. servation groups and the outdoor Grande del Norte, two Pacific mand and transferred to the US Interior Secretary Ryan suggesting that it could be “The Trump Administration recreation industry threatened Ocean marine monuments and federal capital of Brasília in Zinke recommended that Pres- opened to energy production if does not comment on leaked lawsuits over what they see as another marine one off the New 2015 for administrative work ident Donald Trump reduce the Trump makes a reduction in documents, especially internal an effort to undo protections of England coast. after publicly criticising boundaries of the monuments the footprint of the drafts which are still under critical natural and cultural The monuments targeted in former Brazilian President known as Utah’s Bears Ears and monument. review by the President and rel- resources. the memo were created by Dilma Rousseff. Grand Staircase-Escalante, The Trump administration evant agencies,” White House The Sierra Club, an environ- former presidents George W Rousseff was impeached Nevada’s Gold Butte and Ore- has promoted “energy domi- spokeswoman Kelly Love said mental group, said Zinke had Bush, a Republican, and Demo- last year after she was found gon’s Cascade-Siskiyou. nance,” or plans to produce more in a statement. “sold out” public lands. “Leaving crats Bill Clinton and Barack guilty of doctoring budget Zinke also called for coal, oil, and gas for domestic use Last month, Zinke said he the protection of Native Obama. accounts. Protesters make good on threat to disrupt St Louis business

St Louis judge acquitted Jason Stockley of protection because of the unrest, the AP first-degree murder in the 2011 death band and concert promoter Live of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Nation said in a statement. hen a former police officer Smith. Within hours, downtown Singer Ed Sheeran also called off was acquitted in the fatal came to a standstill as marching pro- a show. The St Louis Symphony and Wshooting of a black suspect, testers blocked traffic. The a Shakespearean Theatre group can- protesters vowed to show their dis- demonstrations went on through the celed performances too. dain by disrupting business in weekend, with protest crowds swell- Democratic state Rep Bruce downtown St Louis. They quickly ing to thousands of people and Franks, a protest organiser, said succeeded. spilling into a posh area of restau- making the entire community The unrest that followed Friday’s rants and bars in western St Louis, uncomfortable is an important part ruling closed large corporate offices, the hip Delmar Loop area of nearby of the demonstrations. Franks said shut down restaurants and even University City and even into two protests would continue, but he did forced U2 to call off a concert that shopping malls. not say when or where. would have drawn 50,000 fans into More than 140 people were “Folks got to pay attention, the heart of the city. And protest arrested. The protests forced U2 to right?” Franks said yesterday. “Do People continue to march after the not-guilty verdict in the murder trial of Jason organisers may not be done. cancel a concert at the Edward Jones we just say, ‘Oh, it’s another case Stockley, a former St Louis police officer, charged with the 2011 shooting of Anthony The demonstrations engulfed the Dome, St Louis’ largest venue. Police where an officer’s found not guilty Lamar Smith, who was black, in St Louis, Missouri, yesterday. St Louis region after a said they could not provide normal and leave it at that?’ TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 AMERICAS 19 US flies warplanes amid tensions with North Korea

Seoul Show of force AP The United States he US military flew often sends powerful advanced bombers military aircraft in a and stealth jets over show of force in the Korean Peninsula times of heightened and near Japan in drills animosities with Twith South Korean and Japanese North Korea. warplanes yesterday, three days after North Korea fired a missile The US warplanes over Japan. also conducted The United States often sends powerful military aircraft in a formation training show of force in times of height- with Japanese ened animosities with North fighter jets over Korea. The North launched its lat- waters near the est missile as it protested against southern island of tough new UN sanctions over its Kyushu, according to sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. the Pacific Yesterday’s flyovers over the Command. Korean Peninsula involved two US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers, US F-35B stealth jet fighters and South Korean F-15K fighter jets flying over South Korea B-1Bs and four F-35Bs from the during a joint military drill aimed to counter North Korea’s latest nuclear and missile tests. US military and four F-15K power in North Korea in late fighter jets from South Korea, 2011, his nation has tested weap- the equilibrium of real force with Young-moo told lawmakers yes- essentially moral kidnapping,” to collapse and cause a wave of according to the South Korean ons at a torrid pace. The country the US and make the US rulers terday that it is “not proper” to the People’s Daily said in a com- refugees to cross the border into and US militaries. The US and flight-tested two intercontinental dare not talk about military reintroduce US nuclear weap- mentary. It also noted that China and American troops to South Korean planes practiced ballistic missiles in July. Its option” for the North. ons. He previously said the idea sanctions should not harm “legit- move into North Korea. China’s attacks by releasing live weap- nuclear test in September was Alarmed by North Korea’s should be “deeply considered” imate economic and trade foreign ministry said yesterday ons at a firing range in South its most powerful to date. advancing weapons programs, by the allies, inflaming already- exchanges between North Korea that military threats being made Korea, the US Pacific Command Many experts say it’s only a many conservatives in South heated debate on the issue. and the outside world” and the by North Korea and the US were said in a statement. matter of time until Kim achieves Korea have called for the reintro- Meanwhile, China’s Commu- lives of everyday people. counterproductive. The US warplanes also con- his stated objective of possess- duction of US tactical nuclear nist Party newspaper yesterday China accounts for about 90 “Some related parties keep ducted formation training with ing reliable nuclear-tipped weapons in the South. But the lib- criticized the United States for percent of North Korea’s trade sending threatening messages Japanese fighter jets over waters missiles capable of striking any- eral-leaning government of demanding that Beijing put more and sends largely free crude oil both in words and deeds that near the southern island of where in the mainland US President Moon Jae-in said it has pressure on North Korea to rein shipments to the North. Beijing include warnings of military Kyushu, according to the Pacific State media on Saturday no intention of requesting that the in its weapons programmes. has been increasingly frustrated actions to each other,” ministry Command. quoted Kim as saying that North US bring back such weapons. “The so-called ‘China’s with North Korea’s nuclear drive, spokesman Lu Kang told report- Since Kim Jong Un took Korea’s final goal “is to establish South Korean Minister Song responsibility theory’ is but it still doesn’t want the North ers at a regular briefing. Trump eyes Hurricane Maria bears down on Caribbean Manifesto military seized from Pointe-à-Pitre school shooting parade AFP urricane Maria strength- suspect’s home for July 4 ened rapidly yesterday as Hit blasted towards the Spokane United Nations eastern Caribbean, forcing AP AFP exhausted islanders — still recovering from megastorm uns, ammunition, a S President Donald Irma — to brace for the worst Molotov cocktail and a Trump yesterday again. Gschool yearbook with Urevealed plans to The US National Hurricane pictures of faces marked with transform America’s Inde- Center (NHC) said the “major X’s were seized by police from pendence Day celebrations hurricane” had intensified to the home of a Washington next July 4 into a vast military Category 3 as it approached the state high school sophomore parade, styled on France’s French island of Guadeloupe, the accused of fatally shooting a Bastille Day. base for relief operations for classmate and wounding “We’re actually thinking several islands devastated by three other students, accord- about Fourth of July, Penn- Irma this month. ing to court documents filed sylvania Avenue, having a Islanders on neighbouring in the case. really great parade to show Martinique, which is also part of Investigators last week our military strength,” Trump France, were ordered to stay Members of the Guadeloupe Adapted Military Service Regiment gather detritus, as they clean also found a “manifesto” in said at the start of a meeting indoors under a maximum-level the home of 15-year-old Sandy Ground on the French Caribbean island of Saint-Martin, after it was hit by Hurricane Irma. with French President “violet” alert. Caleb Sharpe, said the docu- Emmanuel Macron on the As heavy rain beat down, Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico “We’ll seal everything as announced a red alert ahead of ments made public Friday margins of the UN General energy supplier EDF said power and the US and British Virgin tightly as we can and then we’ll Maria’s arrival. that emerged in the media Assembly in New York. had been cut off from 10,000 Islands through Wednesday certainly go and stay with “We’re watching its trajec- yesterday as students During brief remarks, homes on Martinique, which has night -- conditions that could friends for the night,” she said. tory very closely, and we’re returned to Freeman High Trump raved about his visit a population of some 400,000. cause life-threatening floods and - ‘Worst-case scenario’ - preparing for the worst-case School for the first time since to Paris last July 14 -- which The NHC warned the hurri- mudslides. Criticised for the pace of scenario,” said local official Anne last week’s shooting. featured military fly overs, cane was already packing Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, relief efforts in their overseas Laubies. The Dutch navy The documents did not parades of horse guards, maximum sustained winds of St Lucia and the British island of territories devastated by Irma, tweeted that troops were head- provide details about what assorted tanks and other mil- 200 kilometres (125 miles) an Montserrat are also on alert. Britain, France and the Nether- ing to the two tiny neighbouring was written in the manifesto itary hardware. hour and would strengthen fur- In Guadeloupe’s biggest lands said they were boosting islands of Saba and St Eustatius discovered in a notebook. “To a large extent, ther over the next two days with town Pointe-a-Pitre, Elodie resources for the Caribbean as to ensure security following Another notebook had a list because of what I witnessed its eye expected to move through Corte, the boss of a metalwork- Maria approaches. widespread complaints of loot- of chemicals. we may do something like the Leeward Islands by Monday ing company, said there had “We are planning for the ing and lawlessness on St Martin The Molotov cocktail was that on July Fourth in Wash- evening. been frantic preparations to limit unexpected, we are planning for after the first hurricane. described as a “practice” ington down Pennsylvania Maria could produce a “dan- the damage from the storm. the worst,” said Chris Austin, French Interior Minister incendiary device but the Avenue,” said Trump, indicat- gerous storm surge accompanied “We spent the morning head of a UK military task force Gerard Collomb said 110 more documents provided no more ing he had discussed the event by large and destructive waves” strapping down the aluminium set up to deal with Irma, as the soldiers would be deployed to details. with White House chief of that would raise water levels by to stop it from flying away if the British Virgin Islands readied for the region to reinforce about The school near the small staff John Kelly. as much as nine feet (2.7 metres), winds are strong,” she said. the storm. 3,000 people already there town of Rockford near Wash- “We had a lot of planes it said. But she worried that the tor- On the island of St Martin, shoring up security, rebuilding ington state’s border with going over, and we had a lot Up to 20 inches (51 centime- rential rains forecast could flood which is split between France infrastructure and distributing Idaho was closed Thursday of military might and it was tres) of rain could drench the her home. and the Netherlands, authorities aid. and Friday. really a beautiful thing to see,” he said. “We’re going to have to try and top it.” “We’ll see if we can do it this year, but we certainly will Three dead as charter bus ploughs into NYC building be beginning to do that.” America’s Independence Day is associated with fire- New York through the intersection with- Liljefors, 55. Sixteen other peo- working to make sure it was A person answering the works and barbecues rather AP out applying its brakes. ple were hurt, some of them secure, the mayor said. phone there declined to com- than the country’s military “The tour bus was flying,” seriously, in the crash, which Metropolitan Transportation ment; there was no immediate might. Trump aides, speaking charter bus owned by a Mike Ramos, a witnesses to the happened at 6:15am in the Flush- Authority Chairman Joe Lhota response to an email seeking on condition of anonymity, company with a record of crash, told the Daily News. ing neighbourhood of Queens, said that although the investiga- comment. have confirmed that they con- Asafety problems barreled “There was people pinned under city officials said at a briefing. tion has just begun, the evidence Federal Motor Carrier Safety sidered a military parade for through an intersection, the front of the city bus. A lady The charter bus was empty of indicates there was “an enor- Administration records show his inauguration last January. slammed into a city bus and then was crying and screaming, ‘Get passengers at the time of the mous amount of speed.” that a Dahlia bus was also Since then Trump has ploughed across a sidewalk and me out! Get me out!’” he said. crash. “We want to make sure we involved in a fatal crash in Con- embraced military backdrop into a building yesterday, killing One of the people killed was Mayor Bill de Blasio said he understand what happened and necticut in February 2016. for several speeches and pres- three people. a pedestrian on the sidewalk, was shocked by the “sheer prevent this from ever happen- One of the company’s buses idential visits, travelling twice The wreck, which was cap- identified by police as Henry destruction.” ing again,” he said. was driving through a snow- to the USS Ford aircraft car- tured by a security camera, Wdowiak, 68, of Queens. The A building that houses a Signage on the charter bus storm to reach the Mohegan Sun rier. Just this week he ripped away the facade of a fried other dead were the charter bus number of retail stores, includ- showed it was from the Dahlia casino when it overturned on appeared in front of a B-2 chicken restaurant and started driver, Raymond Ming, 49, and ing the restaurant, received Group Inc, which has its depot a Interstate 95 in Madison, east of bomber at a military base just a small fire. The video appeared a passenger on the Metropolitan substantial impact from the few blocks from where the New Haven. One person died, outside Washington. to show the charter bus racing Transportation bus, Gregory crash, and experts were wreck happened. and 36 people were injured. 20 HOME TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017

PRAYER TIMINGS HBKU Press MME releases 45th edition of magazine

FAJR 04.04 am publishes Iraqi critic The Peninsula SHOROOK 05.21 am Abdullah Ibrahim’s he Public Relations Department at the ZUHR 11.28 am MAGHRIB 05.36pm Ministry of Municipality and Environment ASR 02.55 pm ISHA 07.06 pm has released the 45th edition of the Min- autobiography istry’s magazine (Municipality and Environment), which contains the min- WEATHER TODAY The Peninsula Tistry’s news, reports and studies made by different sectors at the ministry. o o amad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) In its opening under the title ‘supporting 32 C 38 C Press has published the autobiog- national products’ the magazine refers the Minis- Hraphy of Iraqi intellectual and critic try’s efforts to develop agricultural sector to Minimum Maximum Abdullah Ibrahim titled ‘Amwaj’, written contribute to increase local products and to achieve in 600 pages over the course of 15 years. self-sufficiency. The ministry’s plan aims to The autobiography is a cultural and decrease imports and depend on local products to political reflection of Ibrahim that spans face any emergency conditions like the ongoing critical times of change from Kirkuk to unjust siege imposed by the neighbouring coun- Istanbul and finally, to Doha. His personal tries since the beginning of June. story is told amidst a background of a Many efforts have been mentioned in the mag- country crumbling under forces of tyr- azine, like “2nd Local Dates Festival”, the “Fifth anny, occupation, and civil war. Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition” The autobiography begins with the (Agriteq), The Winter Vegetable Markets etc story of a young Ibrahim who was born The magazine also mentioned the Minister of and raised in Kirkuk to a family of farm- Municipality and Environment H E Mohammed bin ers and landowners. The Kirkuk of his Abdullah Al Rumaihi’s speech at the 40th Session childhood was a picturesque place where of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the mosaic of people from many different which he stated that the wise policy pursued by places and religions lived together har- Qatar’s political leadership has thwarted the plans moniously and were neighbours in every of the siege countries. sense of the word. But things changed with the start of the Iran-Iraq War when Ibrahim was con- scripted into the Iraqi army to fight for Iraq. After the traumatic war, he left the Experts call for early diagnosis of country to escape the political tensions, ending up teaching Arabic literature in Libya, then in Qatar, where he currently dementia to ensure optimum care resides. Passing through these countries Hazy to misty at places at first accentuated Ibrahim’s memories of home, becomes hot daytime with as did his sadness at each successive wave The Peninsula international community in the glo- and visual perception), must be sig- chance of local rainy clouds by of violence that engulfed it and his bal effort to raise awareness about nificantly impaired to be considered afternoon and humid by night. memories. n view of the World Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s and dementia. As our dementia. “In this book, I have sought to recon- Month, September, Qatar has population increases and we have Dr Al Hamad said, “Elderly cile my private life during a very public Ijoined the international cam- older people living longer, we have people with dementia often have HIGH TIDE 04:30 – 16:30 LOW TIDE 09:45 – 23:15 time in history when my country was going paign organised to challenge the more incidences of Alzheimer’s. multiple medical comorbidities Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department through an undoubtable period of tyr- stigma that surrounds dementia Engaging with communities is an (meaning they have one or more anny,” said Ibrahim who started writing and to raise awareness about important way to help people additional diseases or disorders); the autobiography in 1976. Alzheimer’s disease. understand the symptoms and what having a diagnosis early ensures “I share with the reader the experi- This year marks the sixth Glo- support and treatment options are optimum care plans are put in ences that I have gone through as a record bal World Alzheimer’s Month and available.” place for the management of their in history and it is my hope that the pru- the theme for 2017 is “Remember Reiterating that the focus of this physical health conditions.” dent reader will quickly recognise the tone Me”, highlighting the importance year’s theme is early diagnosis of “This year, as part of World of racial, religious, sectarian and cultural of early detection and diagnosis of dementia, she added, “In our Mem- Alzheimer’s Month, the Depart- bias throughout the biography. I count dementia. ory Clinics at Rumailah Hospital we ment of Geriatrics, in association very much on my frank acknowledgment Dementia is the general term regularly see patients referred for with Qatar Foundation for Elderly of mistakes and the desire to overcome used to describe a decline in men- evaluation because of memory Care (Ehsan), Primary Healthcare them. One should not be ashamed of his tal ability severe enough to interfere problems, but a real concern is that Corporation (PHCC) and the mistakes but proud to leave them behind,” with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease often we see families bringing their World Innovation Summit for he added. Ibrahim holds a doctorate in is the most common type of demen- loved ones at a later stage, once Health (WISH), have planned a Literary criticism and ancient Arabic lit- tia and specifically affects the parts symptoms have progressed series of education events to raise erature studies from Baghdad University of the brain that control thought, significantly.” awareness about the need for and has worked at several universities in memory, and language. There is no single test to deter- early detection. We are organis- Iraq, Libya and Qatar. He specialises in Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, Chairper- mine if someone has dementia and ing different sessions for the studies of narrative, literary criticism and son of Geriatrics and the Long Term symptoms can vary greatly. Gen- general public in community and cross cultural dialogues and has more than Care Department at HMC, explained erally, at least two of the core healthcare settings, as well as tar- 14 published books and 30 scientific the significance of recognising mental functions (memory, com- geted training for healthcare papers published in leading trade maga- World Alzheimer’s Month, “During munication and language, ability professionals,” added Dr Al zines to his name. September each year, we join the to focus, reasoning and judgment Hamad.

FM: Terrorism fight not 2nd edition of ‘A Symphony just a security issue of Films’ starts on Thursday Continued from Page 1 The Qatar Development Fund is currently preparing a mechanism to finance these projects and will announce the The Peninsula projects funded in the coming months. He noted that the Fund has financed developmental and humanitarian projects he Doha Film Institute in Tunisia with more than $30m in the areas of housing and Cinema (DFI Cinema) health, as well as supporting the families of martyrs. Tpresents the second edi- Sheikh Mohammed said that Qatar and Tunisia have tion of the thematic series, ‘A a long history of cooperation in the field of development, Symphony of Films’ from Sep- noting that the Qatari Friendship Fund in Tunisia has pro- tember 21 to 26 at Katara vided with development grant of $97m following its launch Drama Theatre and Opera in 2013. It also seeks to offer job opportunities in order House. of help them of achieving their ambitions and to protect Honouring the collabora- them from extremist ideologies. The Qatar Friendship tion of film and music legends, Fund succeeded in collaboration with local partners in and underpinning the value Tunisia since 2013 of offering more than 10,400 direct that music – and silence – concert will be accompanied relationship to the seventh art. job opportunities and 265,00 indirect jobs through 3,400 brings to movies, ‘A Symphony by the Qatar Philharmonic This is part of our awareness small and medium companies. It seeks to offer 15,000 of Films’ this year will feature Orchestra and are presented and film education initiative job opportunities for Tunisia youths by the end of 2018. seven films including Score: A by the British Council and the to bring different facets of cin- Film Music Documentary, Bat- Department for Culture, Media ema to audiences in Qatar and Georgetown University School of man, Bicycle Thieves, Stalker, and Sport. nurturing home-grown Pather Panchali and A selection of works from talent.” Continuing Studies to host meet Metropolis. Dr. Mollison’s career spanning Tickets to the musical per- The specially curated pro- two decades will be the high- formances are available at The Peninsula gramme will also include a light of the evening, with an qatarphilharmonicorchestra. masterclass by British com- array of epic and microscopic org and are priced from QR75 he Georgetown University School of Continuing poser and songwriter Dr. forms of composition. Among to QR200. Other than Azur & Studies will host a symposium under the theme of Deborah Mollison on ‘Becom- the pieces to be performed are Asmar: The Princes’ Quest and T‘Leadership and Resilience in Emergency Manage- ing a Film Composer.’ The the opening titles from The the Deborah Mollison master- ment’ tomorrow. The public event, which will be held masterclass is presented in Boys of Sunset Ridge, The Irish class, which are free (subject between 11am and 1pm at Georgetown University in collaboration with the British Empire, East is East, Infinite to early reservation), all other Qatar’s Education City campus, will celebrate the launch Council and the Department Justice, Tied to a Chair, Wild screenings are priced QR35. of the University’s new regionally focused Executive Mas- for Culture, Media and Sport. Weather and the end theme Students and holders of Qatar ter’s in Emergency and Disaster Management degree. On September 22, ‘A Sym- from Heather’s Painting. Museums’ Culture Pass get a The keynote address at the symposium will be deliv- phony of Films: Music from Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief discounted rate of QR25. Tick- ered by HE Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Britain and Qatar’ will see a Executive Officer of DFI, said: ets can be purchased from Energy and Industry. There will also be a panel discus- special performance at 7.30pm “After the success of the first Katara Drama Theatre (Build- sion with industry experts including John Galt, country by Dr. Mollison, Dana Al- edition of ‘A Symphony of ing 16) and Drama Theatre emergency and security manager for Qatar Shell, Dominic Fardan (Necromancer and Films’, we are delighted to entrance from September 22 Genetti, vice president and joint interest manager at Exx- Intertwined), Nasser Nasseb bring to film enthusiasts a sec- to 25. Tickets are also availa- onMobil Qatar, and Khalid Al Hashmi, assistant (Four Seasons) and Wael Binali ond series of some all-time ble for purchase online at undersecretary for cybersecurity at the Ministry of Trans- (Earth and Niramaya. The great films that depict music’s www.dohafilminstitute.com. portation and Communication.