BUSINESSBUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Turkish food Serena exporters calling for to face more trade Sharapova, routes to Qatar Nadal downs Gasquet published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10838 June 3, 2018 Ramadan 18, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

30,000 stickers to be distributed tomorrow In brief ‘One year on,

QATAR | Offi cial Amir congratulates siege has little president of Italy His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday cables of congratulations to Italian President Sergio Mattarella eff ect on Qatar’ on his country’s National Day. HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister DPA because it is seen as cleaner than oil crisis is damaging to all economies Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Amman that the rest of the Gulf produces. So, of the Gulf Co-operation Council Khalifa al-Thani also sent a similar Qatar will continue to have signifi cant (GCC), as there is political risk in cable to Italian Prime Minister income,” she said. countries which were seen previously Giuseppe Conte. t’s been a year since four Arab Giving another reason for Qatar do- as safe. countries severed economic and ing well, Kinninmont said Doha has Kinninmont said the blockade does EUROPE | Politics Idiplomatic links with Qatar but the enough friends in the region that it has not look eff ective. “The quartet will Gulf state has so far managed to sur- been able to make up for the loss of ac- say the boycott will gradually have Sanchez sworn in vive the eff ects of the blockade with cess and over the past year, more Asian more eff ect on Qatar, and [it will] as Spain’s new PM little damage, a senior international countries had launched direct ship- eventually be forced to compromise. Spain’s Socialist chief Pedro Sanchez analyst has said. ping routes to the Hamad Port. Yet Qatar is also preparing for the long was sworn in as prime minister On June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, According to her, Qatar Airways has term.” yesterday after ousting veteran Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt imposed been trying to minimise the eff ect of Asked if the quartet would try to conservative leader Mariano Rajoy, economic and political sanctions on the siege by establishing new routes. take further steps against Qatar, she with Catalonia’s separatist president Qatar, accusing it of supporting ter- To a question on the impact of the said they have already tried to support promptly calling for talks over rorism, a charge that Doha vehemently Gulf crisis on the blockading coun- Qatari opposition, but there isn’t much the region’s independence drive. and constantly denies. tries, the Chatham House analyst said Qatari opposition for them to support. Sanchez, a 46-year-old economist Jane Kinninmont, senior research it has some negative impact for Dubai, “So I would not say that is something with no government experience, has fellow and deputy head of the Mid- “which always had an image of being that could go very far.” made a spectacular comeback to the dle East and North Africa programme politically neutral and safe. This is On the 2022 Qatar World Cup, she front line of politics. Page 21 at the London-based Chatham House the fi rst time international businesses said the tournament could be an op- international think tank said Qatar was operating in Dubai found that local portunity to wind down the embargo, Gulf Times and its sister Arabic daily Arrayah will distribute 30,000 stickers carrying QATAR | Event not aff ected by the siege because it has politics can interfere with their busi- “because otherwise, millions of Sau- the image of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, along with huge resources, and allies providing it ness.” dis are going to be very annoyed if they the newspapers tomorrow. Qatar to host 2019 MSC with alternative trade and transport She said Saudi Arabia is already deal- miss out on the World Cup taking place cyber security summit routes. ing with many other concerns: “They next door”. Qatar will host the Munich Security “It is the world’s biggest supplier of have the war in Yemen, the stand-off The IMF said last month that the Conference (MSC) Cyber Security liquefi ed natural gas and has a huge ad- with Iran and all the domestic changes direct economic impact on the host of Summit in 2019. The summit will be vantage because of its role in the world Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman is the 2022 World Cup has been manage- hosted in partnership with the MSC energy market. Many countries are in- busy with.” able and that growth performance re- Qatar trying continuously and Qatar’s National Cyber Security creasing their demand for natural gas The IMF has noted before that the mains resilient. Committee (NCSC). Page 6 to protect workers’ rights RAMADAN THOUGHT Defence Minister, Mattis discuss Gulf crisis E the Minister of Administra- cern about the diffi cult situation faced tive Development, Labour and by Palestinian women, calling for in- Wealth and children are the adorn- Social Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al- tensifi ed eff orts to support their access ment of the life of this world. But the H Jafali al-Nuaimi stressed that Qatar is to the basic rights to work, as set forth good righteous deeds, that last, are making continuous eff orts at the leg- in ILO conventions. better with your Lord for rewards islative and institutional level on pro- HE Dr al-Nuaimi participated in the and better in respect of hope. tecting the rights of workers and pro- International Forum of Solidarity with (Qur’an 18:46) viding decent work conditions for men the Workers and the People of Pales- Prayer times and women alike. tine, which was held at the UN head- In his speech during participating in quarters in Geneva. Fajr....3.15 Zuhr....11.32 Asr....2.56 the 107th session of the International On the sidelines of the conference, Maghrib.....6.24 Isha.....7.54 Labour Conference, HE Dr al-Nuaimi HE the Minister met with Jordan’s commended the Director General of Minister of Labour, the President of Fasting times the International Labour Organisation the Conference; Palestine’s Minister Iftar today ...... 6.24pm (ILO) on his report to the conference, of Labour and the Minister of Labour Imsak tomorrow...... 3.05am which included the initiative of em- of Benin. He also met with ILO Di- powering women to work and pushing rector General Jay Ryder and head of towards their equality with men, which the ILO Employers’ Group Mthunzi refl ects the importance of the ILO’s Mdwaba. The meetings dealt with bi- contribution to achieving sustainable lateral relations as well as means to development 2030. promote co-operation and exchanging The minister expressed Qatar’s con- expertise.

‘Mueller behind Russia probe leaks’

American President Donald Trump to the Fake News Media? Should be suggested yesterday that Special looking at Dems corruption instead?”, Counsel Robert Mueller is deliberately Trump tweeted. Trump’s lawyers leaking to the press documents about his argue that he cannot be accused of HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah met with US Defence probe into possible collusion with Russia. obstructing justice because he has Secretary James Mattis in Singapore yesterday. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations of common interest and “Is the Special Counsel/Justice the constitutional power to end the means of enhancing them. The meeting tackled the latest developments in the region, particularly the Gulf crisis. Page 7 Department leaking my lawyers letters investigation. Sheikha Hind highlights Education City’s teaching model

E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad laboration Can Promote New Models in graduates in Qatar within each speci- we have achieved. It is my hope that al-Thani, Vice Chairperson Higher Education’. ality could have upon the nation’s fu- through our combined wealth of knowl- Hand CEO of Qatar Foundation The panellists discussed how higher ture,” said Sheikha Hind. “Beyond Qa- edge and alignment of experiences, we (QF), yesterday took part in a panel education institutions are pushing the tar, our partner universities must fulfi l can begin to arrive at a new international discussion hosted by QF and Inside boundaries of innovation by adopting a mandate that prepares global citi- model of success,” she added. Higher Ed at the St. Regis in Wash- new teaching models and exploring the zens who are ready to meet the chal- Earlier in the week, Sheikha Hind at- ington, DC. idea of going abroad. lenges that will greet the industries of tended the United Nations Youth Dia- Sheikha Hind was joined by Prof Sheikha Hind highlighted QF’s ap- the future.” logue at the UN Headquarters in New Thomas Banchoff , Georgetown Uni- proach to innovation in education, us- “Wherever we live, ours is a world York where she delivered an opening versity; Victoria Rosner, Columbia ing Education City, and the co-opera- that is connected like never before. That address to global thought leaders, edu- University; and Dr Sukant Misra, Texas tion between its partner universities, gives us a unique opportunity to share cators, and inspiring young people. On Tech University. The panel discus- as a notable example. “Each partner best practices, create lasting partner- the sidelines of the Dialogue, Sheikha sion, moderated by Scott Jaschik, In- university was hand-picked due to ships that span continents, and ulti- Hind also held a meeting with Amina J side Higher Ed, was titled ‘Innovation their world-renowned specialisations mately instil our young people with the Mohamed, deputy secretary-general of from Home: How International Col- and impact that producing young tools they need to surpass everything HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani with other panellists. the United Nations.

Gulf Times 4 Sunday, June 3, 2018 QATAR

Temperature goes up to 48C

Scorching conditions were temperature yesterday at daytime is again expected in experienced around the 48C, followed by Shee- the country along with slight country yesterday as the haniya, Karana, Jumayliyah dust in some places at times. Qatar Chamber adopts initiatives temperature went up to 48C, and Ghuwairiyah at 47C, Misty and humid conditions weather charts showed. Turayna, Dukhan and Umm are likely off shore. The Qatar Met department Bab at 46C, Abu Hamour A maximum temperature of advised people to avoid and Shehaimiya at 45C, and 46C is likely in Abu Samra direct exposure to sunlight. Doha (airport) and the Qatar today, followed by 45C in for the disabled in private sector Abu Samra and Batna University area at 44C. Dukhan and 42C in Doha and recorded the highest Today’s forecast says a hot Al Khor. atar Chamber has reiterated its sup- Qport for initiatives aimed at qualifying and recruiting people with dis- abilities in private sector institutions and companies. Chairman Sheikh Kha- lifa bin Jassim al-Thani announced this during the Chamber’s general as- sembly meeting held in the presence of 40 people with disabilities and members of Qatar Society for Reha- bilitation of Special Needs (QSRSN) headed by Khalid al-Shuaibi. Sheikh Khalifa said the Chamber “strongly urges” Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani with dignitaries from Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of Special local companies to re- Needs headed by Khalid al-Shuaibi. cruit trained and qualifi ed people with special needs that stems from the social cial responsibility, “and its “in appropriate jobs.” He responsibility of compa- keenness on merging people also announced that Qa- nies”. He also expressed his with disabilities in labour tar Chamber “will bolster readiness to recruit some market.” communication and co-or- of them in his companies. He said the Chamber had dination” with QSRSN “to Board member Mohamed organised many training bridge it with private sector Gohar al-Mohamed also programmes that address institutions and companies, called for the support of the needs of people with and enable members fi nd initiatives to recruit people disabilities. jobs”. with special needs. Qatar Chamber will also Qatar Chamber board Qatar Chamber direc- dedicate one of its staff member Mohamed al-Ah- tor general Saleh al-Sharqi members to co-ordinate babi said recruiting people said the initiative is part of with QSRSN to reach local with special needs “is a duty the Chamber’s role in so- companies, he added.

Qatar promotes harmony between citizens and residents

Chairman of the Doha International Centre Executive Director of International Develop- for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) Dr Ibrahim bin ment at Qatar Charity, Mohamed al-Ghamdi, Saleh al-Nuaimi aims to support and promote member of the Board of Directors of the a culture of interfaith dialogue, peaceful coex- DICID, said that Qatar Charity seeks to help the istence among believers of diff erent faiths, and needy around the world. For his part, Jamshid the stimulation of religious values as a solution Ibrahim, Chairman of the Indian Youth Com- to the issues and challenges facing human- mittee, said that such events are aimed at ity. In a speech during the annual Ramadan spreading the culture of peaceful coexistence gathering of the Indian Community, organised among members of the Indian community, by the DICID in co-operation with Qatar Char- who come from diff erent cultural and religious ity and the Youth Committee of the Indian backgrounds, especially among young people Community in Qatar, Dr al-Nuaimi stressed who play an important role in guiding society that Qatar has always promoted peace and and consolidating the values of peaceful harmony between citizens and residents. coexistence.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, June 3 ,2018 QATAR

Qatar attends meeting of panel on spectator violence

Qatar participated in the regular meeting of Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s the standing committee on the European security administration. Convention on Spectator Violence and The Qatari delegation gave a presentation Misbehaviour at Sports, which was held at on the progress of construction work at the Qatar to host MSC cyber the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. venues for the 2022 World Cup. Qatar participated in the meeting as The standing committee’s secretariat gave an observer. Its delegation was led by a detailed report on Qatar’s preparations Ahmed Mohamed al-Sulaiti, head of in all areas, particularly those related to the communication department of the staging the tournament according to global security summit in 2019 Ministry of Defence at the Supreme standards in security and safety.

QNA discussions that question Doha the fundamental norms of foreign policy and the grow- ing signifi cance of cyber se- atar will host the Mu- curity in the Middle East. nich Security Con- On 24 May 2017, Qatar was Qference (MSC) Cyber the target of a cyber-hack Security Summit in 2019. that served as the pretext to The summit will be host- the illegal blockade launched ed in partnership with the in June 2017 by the govern- Munich Security Confer- ments of Saudi Arabia, UAE, ence and Qatar’s National Bahrain and Egypt. Cyber Security Committee Sophisticated malicious (NCSC), established in 2013 programmes were installed and chaired by HE the Prime on Qatar’s state news agency Minister and Minister of In- website and deployed to post terior. fabricated statements at- HE the Minister of Trans- tributed to His Highness the port and Communica- Amir. tions Jassim Seif Ahmed Qatar’s Ministry of Inte- al-Sulaiti, Chairman of the rior presented evidence to Qatar’s National Cyber Se- prove the cyberattack origi- curity Committee (NCSC) nated from the United Arab said: “The summit will bring Emirates. together cyber experts and In 2013, HE the Prime decision-makers to discuss Minister and Minister of the most pressing issues in Interior established the Na- what is an ungoverned space tional Cyber Security Com- in foreign and security poli- mittee to address Qatar’s cy. cyber agenda at the national “As Qatar found after its level and to ensure that all state media was hacked last public and private entities year, hostile acts by foreign are adopting the objectives governments can now be of the National Cyber Se- perpetrated beyond the rule curity Strategy, which aims of law from behind a com- to: safeguard the nation’s puter screen. It’s important critical information infra- for the international com- structure; respond to and munity to fi nd solutions so recover from cyber-attacks; that these actions can be establish a legal framework punished and prevented in and regulations to establish the future.” a safe and secure cyberspace; The summit in Doha will foster a culture of cyber se- bring together participants curity that promotes safe from government, interna- and appropriate use of cy- tional institutions, business, berspace; and enhance Qa- academia and the military to tar’s national cyber security raise awareness about online capabilities. security issues and the rami- The Munich Security fi cations and the impact on Conference (MSC) is the international governance. world’s leading platform for The summit will include a debates on international se- full-day programme of panel curity policy. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 7 QATAR

Defence Minister holds meetings in Singapore

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah met Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Co-ordinator of the National Security and Home Aff airs Minister Teo Chee Hean in Singapore yesterday. They discussed areas of co-operation between Qatar and Singapore and ways of developing them. HE al-Attiyah also met Singaporean Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and the country’s Foreign Aff airs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. During the meetings, a number of issues of common interest between the two countries, and means of enhancing and developing them were discussed. QDB joins building materials exhibition in Algeria

atar Development Bank Alhababi Wooden Furniture & and learning opportunities, (QDB), through its ex- Aluminium Factory, Qatar Steel through our export develop- Qport development agen- Industries Factory, Astad, Na- ment agency, Tasdeer. cy Tasdeer, has participated in tional Paints Factories, Artisant, “Keeping our vision aligned the 21st International Exhibition Al Ikhtyaar German Upvc Win- with Qatar National Vision 2030 of Building, Building Materials dows & Doors Co, Qatari Ca- to achieve sustainable develop- And Public Works (Batimatec) nadian for Energy and Electri- ment, as well as economic diver- held recently in Algeria as part cal Industries, Al Hodaifi Cable sifi cation, we aim to empower of its vision to help promote the Compounding Company, Al Be- SMEs by aiding their growth growth of small- and medium- daya Steel Industries, Al Muftah through such initiatives wherein sized enterprises (SMEs). Fiberglass Products, Qatar Inte- they can participate at exhibi- Batimatec is considered the grated Plastic Bags Factory, and tions of such scale and showcase largest event in the continental Modern Recycling Factory. their mettle to the world.” region, and is a platform for the QDB CEO Abdulaziz bin Batimatec has become “a exchange of experience, tech- Nasser al-Khalifa said, “Our most sought-after show” over nology, and knowledge in the strategy has always been to the years through successive building industry and related develop and promote exports editions. It is the largest pro- sectors. During the event, QDB from Qatar to international fessional gathering of the con- hosted a Qatar pavilion to sup- markets, as well as enhance struction sector on a continental port Qatari SMEs and help them the competitiveness of Qatari scale where all branches of the promote their products in inter- exporters. In line with this, building, building materials, and national markets. we are pleased to participate public works are represented. Companies under the Qatar at Batimatec, which serves as Its 2017 edition witnessed the pavilion included Qatar German the best platform for sharing participation of 1,224 exhibitors, Pipes Company, International global best practices and in- including 624 national compa- Welding Rods Factory, Elan Sig- novative ideas, beyond pro- nies and 600 foreign companies nage, Doha Waterproof Factory, viding networking, business from 24 countries. The Qatar pavilion supported Qatari SMEs by helping them promote their products in international markets.

Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 11 QATAR NBK’s Tyreplus centres off er ‘best car service’

asser Bin Khaled & Sons, is open from Saturday to Thurs- Sheikh Faleh bin Nawaf al- the authorised dealer of day, from 8am to 11pm, and in Al Thani, Operations director – NMichelin, has announced Wakrah from Saturday to Thurs- Auto at Nasser Bin Khaled (NBK) that it is off ering motorists in day, from 8am to 1pm and then Holding, said: “NBK Holding is Qatar the “best car service for from 4pm to 9pm. committed to providing motor- safe and comfortable driving” Along with fully equipped ists in Qatar with best-in-class through Tyreplus service cen- workshops for all tyre and vehicle car services and solutions. As the tres. services, the showrooms off er a main contact with the road and a The Tyreplus network, sup- wide variety of major tyre brands major factor for safety, tyres are a ported and certifi ed by Michelin, along with value-added services very important part on any vehi- is a dedicated centre for selling such as lubricants, batteries, wip- cle. At Tyreplus, we are pleased and repairing tyres and other ers, suspension, AC gas fi lling and to provide the best high-end general car services. braking systems “under one roof services to all cars using premi- Spread across two big service for customer convenience”, a press um-quality products by a pro- centres, Tyreplus in Al Gharafa statement noted. fessional and well-trained team”.

Off icials attend the launch of the gift card. Mall of Qatar unveils prepaid gift card

he Mall of Qatar has an- out of gift-giving by enabling QR100 for every QR500 that and ‘Shop & Get’ campaigns,” nounced the launch of the recipient to make their own they spend on gift cards. said Stuart Elder, Mall of Qatar Tthe country’s “fi rst-ever” choice, from any mall outlet,” And across the mall, a ‘Shop CEO. mall gift card. the statement notes. & Win’ promotion will give D Anand, general manager of The Mall of Qatar Gift Card is Gift cards can be purchased anyone who spends QR300 at QIB’s Personal Banking Group, a prepaid card, powered by Qa- at Customer Service Desks and any of the retailers to enter a said: “We value the relationship tar Islamic Bank (QIB), available provide a “convenient payment draw for a chance to win a jack- we have with our partners and are in selected denominations from method, secured by a chip and pot gift card, preloaded with always working towards meet- QR100 to QR5,000. four-digit security code”. Card- QR100,000. ing their needs by off ering them The gift card can be used at holders can even check their re- “We pride ourselves in con- tailored products and services all Mall of Qatar stores, restau- maining balance at any ATM. tinuously raising the standards that help grow their businesses. rants, kiosks and entertainment To celebrate the launch of of our off erings to truly deliver Our experience combined with centres – even at the mall’s lux- the gift card, Mall of Qatar is immersive customer experienc- our platforms enabled us to sup- ury AlRayyan Hotel, Mall of Qa- off ering two customer promo- es. We’re happy to introduce the port Mall of Qatar to launch the tar has said in a statement. tions. Until June 17, early-bird Mall of Qatar gift card and even fi rst-of-it- kind Prepaid Gift “Mall of Qatar believes its purchasers will enjoy a ‘Shop & more excited to see the many Card, which we are confi dent will gift card represents the perfect Get’ reward – receiving a free happy faces participating and enrich the customers’ shopping gift solution – taking the worry additional card preloaded with winning with our ‘Shop & Win’ experience.” The Tyreplus network is a dedicated centre for selling and repairing tyres and other general car services.

QU centre hosts lecture on innovations in access to justice in Africa

he Centre for Law and Universidad Pontifi cia Comillas technological developments haran Africa and offered some Development (CLD) at (Madrid). that have been implemented recommendations for advanc- TQatar University College The lecture was part of the to expand justice, along with ing justice in the region. of Law (QU-LAWC) recently CLD guest lecture series. other changes currently shap- CLD director Dr Jon Truby hosted a guest lecture on ‘In- Dr Dubin discussed the re- ing the justice landscape in the said: “CLD is focusing on re- novations in Access to Justice cent innovations in access to Sub-Saharan Africa region, in- search in technological ad- for Africa’s Poorest: Lessons justice in sub-Saharan Africa, cluding the use of university vancements in a number of legal Learned, Insights Gained’. highlighting both the successes legal clinics and one-stop shops fields and the available advan- The lecture was presented by and challenges in bringing ac- to provide more multi-dimen- tages. The access to justice op- Dr Adam Dubin, professor of cess to justice to poor, vulner- sional approaches to providing portunities offered from this politics, New York University - able and geographically isolated justice. case study mean similar tech- Madrid campus, and assistant populations. Further, he highlighted the niques can be employed else- professor of law, faculty of law, He also discussed the recent challenges still facing Sub-Sa- where.” Experts attend the lecture at the Centre for Law and Development (CLD) at Qatar University College of Law. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, June 3, 2018 QATAR

Police College team crowned champions May population highest-ever in Qatar’s history

By Ramesh Mathew lation touched the 2.7mn mark. Usually, it is the month of Staff Reporter After reaching an all-time November that the country’s high, Qatar’s population is ex- population comes close to the pected to witness a fall over May levels as many people visit atar’s population of the next 2-3 months as a large the country during this pe- about 2,732,000 peo- number of expatriates usu- riod owing to better weather Qple at the end of May is ally go on vacation during this conditions. the highest ever recorded in the period. Qatar’s population had hit country’s history. The numbers resume in- the 2mn mark for the fi rst time This represented a rise of creasing after the summer hol- in October 2013. Since then, around 0.9% over the previ- idays, when schools reopen. more than 720,000 people ous month’s fi gure of 2.706mn The lowest population in the have been added to the fi gure, and 1.2% over the May 2017 country over the past one year data show. population of 2,700,539 peo- was recorded in the month of While the country housed ple, according to information August 2017. There were some 687,092 females at the end of Under the patronage and in the presence of Lieutenant General Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem, Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed provided by the Ministry of 2,446,328 people in the coun- April 2018, the entire popula- Forces, the Police College team was crowned champions of the 2018 Ramadan football championship for off icers. The Police College Development Planning and try that month, which was tion was less than that in April team won the trophy by beating the Military Police team in the final in a penalty shootout. A number of senior off icers of the Armed Statistics. around 254,000 fewer than the 2003, according to fi gures pub- Forces were also present at the awarding ceremony. May last year was also the population recorded in May lished by the Qatar Statistical fi rst time the country’s popu- last year. Authority earlier. 1,000 Bangladeshi nationals attend QC’s Iftar

round 1,000 Bang- operation, cohesion and a number of activities and Cultural Centre, one of ladeshi citizens at- solidarity among the com- competitions. the Qatar Charity Centres Atended a commu- munity members, espe- This large Iftar table and for Community Develop- nity Iftar organised by Qatar cially in the holy month of associated programmes ment, in co-ordination Charity (QC) as part of its Ramadan. were organised at Qatar and co-operation with the Baraha programme, which The community Iftar Sports Club under the su- Bangladesh Qur’an Sunnah is aimed at enhancing co- programme also included pervision of the Friends Parishad. The participants in- teracted with the Baraha programme, which also included speeches deliv- ered by some preachers, in an atmosphere “that supported brotherliness between members of the community, encouraged the exchange of views and ideas, promoted human values and strengthened the bonds of compassion”, QC said in a statement. The community mem- bers thanked Qatar Char- ity and philanthropists in Qatar for supporting their Iftar programme, associ- ated activities and events. They also underlined the The community Iftar programme also included a number of activities and competitions. importance of the continu- ation of organising various nah Parishad, said organ- tive contributes to raising community members had. with each other and know events and activities that ising such Iftar tables and religious and social aware- He added that the speech- the importance of the holy enhanced co-operation programmes for the Bang- ness, he thanked the do- es also contributed to con- month of Ramadan. between Muslim commu- ladeshi community in Qatar nors and Qatar Charity for veying the true message of He requested that the ar- nities in general and dur- “off ers us valuable oppor- organising the table and Islam and Holy Qur’an to the ray of programmes for the ing Ramadan in particular. tunities to know each other associated programmes audience, wishing that more community should be ex- They hoped for more co- and supports interaction and activities. such events were held. panded and the Iftar ta- operation and partnership among the Bangladeshi Rezaul Haq Masum, a For his part, Mohamed ble should be organised at between the Bangladeshi community, one of the larg- Bangladeshi community Reza al-Karim, another a larger venue so that the community residing in the est communities in Qatar, member, said the speeches Bangladeshi community largest possible number country and QC. which includes tens of thou- delivered at the Iftar ta- member, expressed pleasure of Bangladeshi commu- Mohamed Rachid Chow- sands of Bangladeshi Mus- ble contributed to cor- at attending the Iftar table as nity members could be dhary, president of the lims”. recting the false infor- it provided an important op- brought to attend diff erent Bangladesh Qur’an Sun- Noting that the initia- mation that some of the portunity to communicate community programmes. QRCS distributes food packages to 1,825 families in Myanmar

atar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has implemented Qa Ramadan Iftar food aid project for households aff ected by confl ict, poverty and unemployment in three states of Myanmar. The initiative came under the organisation’s annual Ramadan Campaign 1439 AH. Carried out at a total cost of $72,527 (QR264,723), the project in- volved the distribution of food par- cels to 1,825 households, or around 12,500 people. It comprised three phases - Shan State (Lashio city): 400 parcels; Ra- khine State (Sittwe city): 1,000 par- cels; and Mandalay Region (Meiktila district): 425 parcels. Each parcel contained 40kg of basic food staples such as rice, pasta, vegetable oil, dried beans, canned beef, pepper, onions, garlic, sugar and condensed milk. The project was co-implement- ed by QRCS’s offi ce in Myanmar and Muslim Aid, an international The project is part of QRCS’s Ramadan Campaign 1439 AH. charity established in the UK in 1985 to provide help to people who QRCS has been working in My- Ramadan Campaign 1439 AH, ment projects in Qatar at a value are victims of natural disasters or anmar since 2012, serving the vic- which involves QR84mn worth exceeding QR10mn. confl ict or suff ering from poverty, tims of confl ict and disasters, with of humanitarian and devel- Also, Ramadan projects are cur- hunger, disease, illiteracy, dis- operations in shelter, healthcare opment projects. These in- rently being undertaken in Qatar crimination, homelessness, debt, and livelihood, the organisation has clude international projects in and 15 other countries with a budget unemployment, injustice, depriva- said in a statement. It focuses on 20 countries at a total cost of of QR12,360,000. These include tion, or lack of skills and economic Rakhine State. QR62mn, as well as health, so- Ramadan Iftar, Eid clothing and opportunities. The project is part of QRCS’s cial, qualifi cation and develop- Zakat ul-Fitr. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 13 QATAR HBKU, QU delegates attend education conference in US howcasing Qatar’s commit- cellence in Qatar and the region.” ment to its higher education HBKU and QU delegates partook Ssector, delegates from Hamad in exclusive networking opportu- Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and nities at this year’s programme, Qatar University (QU) participated which featured plenary speeches, in the internationally renowned concurrent sessions, workshops, Nafsa Annual Conference and Expo signature programmes, poster in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (US) fairs, leadership programmes and from May 27 to June 1. a dedicated career centre, among Qatar’s participation was well other attractions. represented with the HBKU and With a student body of more QU delegates assembling within than 600 students from all over a dedicated Qatar Pavilion for the the world currently enrolled duration of the conference. across its wide range of graduate A non-profi t organisation, Naf- programmes, HBKU’s core values sa’s mission is to foster education refl ect this spirit of cultural and and understanding among people academic diversity through in- of diverse backgrounds in an eff ort clusive, cross-departmental dis- to build leadership within a global covery. Equally, QU champions community. With nearly 10,000 inclusion and diversity with 35% attendees visiting from more than of its student body composed of 3,500 institutions and organisa- HBKU and QU delegates assembling within a dedicated Qatar Pavilion for the duration of the conference. international students among its tions in over 100 countries, Naf- approximately 20,000 students. sa’s annual conference attracts a ternational arena to display their continued success as an emerg- Aff airs Dr Khalid al-Khanji noted, The 2018 conference theme of wide range of academic experts drive for superior education and ing global destination for higher “QU is pleased to participate in the “Diverse Voices, Shared Commit- within a uniquely comprehensive reconfi rm their collaborative ef- education. During the course of internationally renowned Nafsa ment” committed to the explora- international education event. forts. HBKU is a member of Qatar this conference for international Annual Conference and Expo. Our tion of authentic collaborations Qatar’s participation thus Foundation for Education, Science, educators, we were able to share participation is signifi cant at this across various boundaries, and “reconfi rms the nation’s position and Community Development. Qatar’s unique experiences with time when Qatar has been under- how the understanding of alterna- as a pioneer and regional leader of Describing HBKU as a research- our global partners, and by ac- going an illegal blockade. It also tive narratives may challenge old innovation and academic excel- driven leader in the region, vice- tively engaging with preeminent contributes to promoting Qatar ideas and lead to new solutions lence in the international educa- president of Student Aff airs Mar- thought leaders from the worlds as an incubator for education and and possibilities in academia. tion landscape”, according to a yam Hamad al-Mannai explained: of academia, research and science, research, and to highlighting QU’s HBKU and QU’s co-operation in press statement. “Our strategic partnerships and our institutions return home to- role as the country’s fi rst national Philadelphia comes as the latest in This year marks HBKU’s fourth strong bonds with other local day with greater ideas for our own institution of higher education a series of knowledge-sharing and participation in the Nafsa confer- educational institutions, such local academic community.” committed to advancing quality exchange of expertise exercises by ence, giving HBKU and QU an in- as QU, are paramount to Qatar’s QU vice-president for Student higher education and research ex- Qatari institutions. QCS launches initiative for cancer patients atar Cancer Society (QCS) keenness to play its role both psy- He thanked Aura Entertainment has launched periodic vis- chologically and physically.” Services and Palma Group for the ges- Qits to cancer patients at the He pointed out that the visits ture and hoped that more partnerships National Center for Cancer Care emphasise the importance of psy- with all State institutions will con- and Research in collaboration with chological support for this group tribute to the deployment of commu- The QCS initiative carried out in collaboration with Aura Entertainment Aura Entertainment Services and and help them overcome the stage nity awareness of cancer and ways to Services and Palma Group. Palma Group. of treatment with great patience prevent it.” The initiative aims to provide and determination. Nabil Barakat, managing direc- their families by bringing a smile paigns in helping children resist psychological and social support “These visits aim to raise the tor at Aura Entertainment Serv- to their faces and providing them disease and defeat it. “I thank all for cancer patients and provide community’s awareness of cancer ices, said: “We understand the im- with hope and encouragement to those who are working to support positive impact to treatment. and remove the fear and shame as- pact cancer can have on a patient cope with cancer.” such activities in every available Omar al-Twaissi, sponsorship sociated with it to emphasise that and on family life. For this reason, Dr Tahani Saker, CEO of Palma way and for their participation in and marketing at QCS, said: “This like any other disease, cancer can we partnered with Qatar Cancer Group, emphasised the impor- all events for cancer patients and initiative emphasises the charity’s be cured,” he added. Society to support patients and tance of such events and cam- awareness events.” Vodafone Qatar and Hifz Al Naema distribute Ramadan food baskets

odafone Qatar and Hifz Al Naema Social Centre have joined hands to distribute Ramadan food baskets that will benefi t more than 150 Vfamilies in need and to raise awareness about food waste. The baskets were delivered by Vodafone Qatar’s head of Public Sector Mohamed al-Yafei and the company’s brand ambassador, Ali bin Towar al-Kuwari. Vodafone Qatar and Hifz Al Naema off icials. The baskets contain essentials such as chicken, rice, pasta, lentils and milk, enough to feed an entire family throughout the holy month, Vodafone Qatar has said in a statement. Also, Vodafone Qatar and Hifz Al Naema will use their social media channels to run videos and competitions aimed at raising awareness about food waste. Food waste is a huge issue in Qatar, Vodafone said. Accord- ing to latest statistics, food comprises 50% to 60% of total waste in Qatar, with 300kg wasted a year per person, which “clearly refl ects the massive amounts of food wasted”. Al-Yafei said, “Throughout the holy month, we have been encouraging people to say thank you via our ‘Shukran’ Ramadan campaign to encourage everyone to appreciate everything and everyone in their lives. Our work with Hifz Al Naema is our way of sharing our blessings and hope that our drive to raise food waste awareness will make people think about the negative eff ects of this.” Youssef al-Khulaifi , Public Relations offi cer at Hifz Al Naema, added: “The Ramadan basket is one of several projects organised by the centre during the holy month for families registered with us. “I’d like to express my sincere appreciation for Voda- fone’s support for this project. Hifz Al Naema welcomes partnerships and collaborations with companies, govern- ment and private institutions, as part of the corporate so- cial responsibility needed to contribute to realising Qatar National Vision 2030.” Hifz Al Naema is a social awareness centre that utilises, rationalises, and recycles resources available to society in the best way possible. The centre off ers its services to those in need, and raises awareness about food waste in Qatar. Hifz Al Naema was launched in 2008 as a commu- nity initiative, and is the fi rst food bank in Qatar. The centre has two main sections: the Food Bank, which is concerned with maintaining surplus food and dry foods, and the Charity Warehouse, which preserves surplus clothing and furniture, as well as electrical and electronic devices. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, June 3, 2018 RAMADAN/QATAR/REGION

Supplications from the Qur’an

slam attached great importance You grant the Kingdom to whom You tainly failures (losers).” [Qur’an 7:23] to supplicating, as it is the direct will, and expropriate the Kingdom from Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, Imeans through which the slave whom You will. You bring honour to bestow on us Mercy from Yourself, and communicates with his Lord. As Mus- whom You will and You let whom You dispose of our aff airs for us in the right lims we do not need any mediators will be disgraced. In Your Hand is all the way”.[Qur’an 18:20] between us and Allah. In this article good, for You are Powerful over every- Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, we will highlight some supplications thing. You cause the night to gain on we do believe, so forgive us and have that were mentioned in the Qur’an and the day, and You cause the day to gain mercy on us, for You (Allah) are the the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu on the night. You bring the living out most Merciful of any who show mercy”. ‘alaihi wa sallam. of the dead and You bring the dead out [Qur’an 23:109] of the living, and You give sustenance Allah Says (what means): “Our Supplications from the Qur’an to whom You will without measure”. Lord, Your reach is over all things Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, [Qur’an 3:26-27] in mercy and knowledge, so forgive condemn us not if we forget or fall into Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, those who repent and follow Your way error. Our Lord, lay not on us a burden truly You know what we conceal, and and preserve them from the torment like that you laid on those before us. what we reveal, and nothing is hid- of the blazing Fire. Our Lord, grant Our Lord, lay not on us what we have no den from Allah whether on Earth or in them that they enter Paradise which strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and Heaven”. [Qur’an 14:38] You have promised them and the forgive us, and have mercy on us, You Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, righteous of their fathers, and their are our Protector, so give us Your help forgive my parents and the faithful wives, and their posterity for You are against the faithless people.” [Qur’an (people) when, the Day of Judgment Exalted in might, full of wisdom. And 2:286] comes. Our Lord, avert from us the preserve them from ills, for one whom Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, wrath of Hell, for its wrath is indeed a You preserve from ill –on that Day of not for naught have you created that grievous affl iction. It is such a bad place Judgment – You bestow mercy on (Heavens and Earth and what is be- to stay and abide”. [Qur’an 25:65] him, and that is the supreme success”. tween] Glory be to You, so shield us Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, [Qur’an 40:7-9] from the penalty of the Fire. Our Lord, in You we trust, and to You we return in Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, Malabar Gold & Diamonds relief activities in Cyclone Mekunu-affected areas in Salalah, Oman. whom you admit to the Fire, you have repentance, to You is the destination (of let not our hearts deviate after You have covered them with shame. Our Lord, all Your creation).” [Qur’an 60:7]. guided us, And grant us Mercy from forgive us our sins, and blot out from us Allah Says (what means): “Our Your own presence, for You are (Allah) our iniquities, and gather us with those Lord, forgive us our sins, and anything Granter of bounties without measure. righteous (in the Hereafter). Our Lord, we may have done that transgressed Our Lord, You are He that will gather all grant us what you promised us through our duty, and establish our feet fi rmly the people together against a day which Malabar Gold & Diamonds Your Messengers, and do not shame (when facing Your enemies) and help us there is no doubt, for Allah never break us on the Day of Resurrection. Truly against those that resist faith”. [Qur’an his promise”. [Qur’an 3:8-9] You, Allah never break Your promise.” 3:147] Article source: http://www.is- [Qur’an 3:191-194] Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, lamweb.net/emainpage/ in cyclone relief campaign Allah Says (what means): “Our Lord, we have wronged our own souls, and if You are the Master of the Kingdom, You do not forgive us, then we are cer- alabar Gold & Diamonds has said it is continuing with re- Mlief activities in areas aff ected by Cyclone Mekunu and contributing in a variety of ways. The company started the relief activi- ties in Salalah, Oman right after the cy- clone struck. A team from Malabar Gold & Diamonds led by Muneer Moideen, assistant branch head, got involved in the relief activities by distributing gro- ceries, water bottles, Iftar kits, etc. More than 10,000 residents from Sala- lah, Mirbat, Thaka, Haff a, Daris, Dalkuth, Rakyuth benefi ted from the relief cam- paign, the company said in a statement. Najeeb K, regional head - Mala- bar Gold & Diamonds, Oman, said: “We would like to express our deepest of requests we are receiving, we are ex- age of its net profi t for the benefi t of sympathy and off er our sincere help to tending our relief campaign to other af- the needy in the markets it operates. It those suff ering from the impact of Cy- fected areas as well.” undertakes social welfare activities all clone Mekunu. We are hoping the ear- Malabar Gold & Diamonds is “al- year long, focusing on fi ve priority ar- liest possible recovery and are praying ways at forefront when it comes to eas – the medical and educational sec- to the Almighty for restoration of the CSR activities”, the statement noted. tors, environment as well as housing aff ected areas. Considering the number The group sets aside a fi xed percent- and women’s empowerment. MEC highlights initiatives to fi ght food waste in Ramadan

QNA 130,000 meals, and by the end of 2017, it had distributed a to- Doha tal of more than 2.5mn meals. The centre has 10 buses which collect food and redistribute it to needy families from low- income groups during Ramadan. he world wastes 1.3bn tonnes of food annually, equiva- The centre’s 27 staff members are distributed among the lent to US$1tn, and a quarter of this amount can feed various work categories. Tthe poor and hungry around the globe, according to Head of Public Relations in Hifz Al Naema Centre, Youssef recent statistics. al-Khulaifi , told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the holy The concept of ‘food waste’ means food, suitable for hu- month of Ramadan is characterised by being one of generos- man consumption, that is destroyed or disposed of at diff er- ity with guests, and with the poor. ent levels and stages of the supply chain - from production to He pointed out that this urge for generosity sometimes household consumption. crosses a line to reach a state of extravagance that leads to From an economic perspective, food waste is seen as inef- unjustifi ed waste. fi ciency in the spending money which it can be used or saved He also highlighted that the wisdom of fasting is to experi- or invested and stimulate the economy. ence the life of people in need of the weak and the needy. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) high- In response to a question about the extent to which society lighted that the food waste from the social perspective is responds with the centre, al-Khulaifi stressed that the Qatari to boast of the quantities and types of edible items that are society was a generous one. served simply for bragging and showing off . He added that this was evident in the amount of commu- During Ramadan, statistical reports indicate that half of nication the centre receives daily from individuals and com- the food is disposed of by throwing in the garbage by indi- panies. He also noted that the real problem was trying to ad- viduals and families, indicating that the food provided ex- equately meet that response. ceeds the capacity of the person, and this is prohibited by the The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). (FAO) estimates that about 815mn people of the 7.6bn people The MEC launched a number of awareness programmes in the world, or 10.7%, were suff ering from chronic under- during Ramadan, under the slogan, “Less than Duty” to pro- nourishment in 2016. mote consumer culture, defi ne his rights and duties and sup- Almost all the hungry people live in lower-middle-income port him to plan properly and benefi t from the virtues of this countries. There are 11mn people undernourished in devel- holy month. oped countries. These initiatives, according to the ministry’s website, in- The organisation recalls that 1.3bn tonnes of food prod- clude all the activities related to organising, supporting and ucts, one-third of all food produced globally, is wasted or lost motivating them, such as the subsidised sheep initiative and each year. the list of reduced consumer goods, as well as conducting The Ministry of Economy and Commerce called on con- intensive inspections before and during the Ramadan, and sumers to take some precautionary measures to reduce food awareness programmes on various consumer and commer- waste, such as setting a food budget for one week or a month cial topics. and committing to it, buying less food when shopping and In order to fi ght the waste of food and to rationalise con- estimating the need of each individual when cooking. sumption, the “Grace Preservation” Centre was established One should also be mindful of the fact that some food in Qatar 10 year ago. items spoil before being consumed. Expiry date, as well as After a year of its establishment, it distributed about the incorrect storage of food aff ects the period of its validity.

Death toll tops 100 in fi ght for Yemen port

AFP are in dire need of food aid. Medics in Houthi rebels had ambushed a military Khokha the southern Aden governorate, where convoy in the coastal district of Al-Du- the Yemeni government is based, said rayhmi in Hodeida governorate. they had received the bodies of 52 peo- Loyalist fi ghters, backed by Saudi he battle for a major rebel-con- ple, including 20 soldiers, between Arabia and the United Arab Emir- trolled port in Yemen has left Friday and yesterday, bringing the toll ates, last week announced they had Tmore than 100 soldiers and in- to at least 110 killed in clashes since launched an operation to enter Hode- surgents dead in less than a week, med- Wednesday. ida city and seize the rebel-held port. ics and military sources said yesterday. The remainder appeared to be rebels, Hodeida lies 230 kilometres from Yemeni forces are fi ghting to close the medics said. the capital Sanaa, which the Houthis in on the Red Sea port of Hodeida, the Speaking on condition of anonym- seized in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led main conduit for humanitarian sup- ity, a source in the pro-government military intervention in Yemen the fol- plies into a country where 22mn people military coalition said yesterday the lowing year. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 15 REGION/ARAB WORLD

US-led coalition Thousands at funeral for Gaza raids kill 12 in woman as border tensions rise

Syria’s AFP Hasakeh Gaza City housands of Palestinians attended the funeral yes- AFP Tterday of a young female Beirut volunteer medic killed by Israeli fi re in violence on the border in southern Gaza. t least 12 civilians — Hours later, Israel said fi ght- members of the same ers in the Palestinian enclave Afamily — have been killed fi red projectiles at the south of in US-led coalition raids on the the country, raising fears of a Islamic State group in north- fresh escalation just days after eastern Syria, a monitor said a ceasefi re brought an end to the yesterday. worst fl are-up since a 2014 war. “The air strikes and artillery Razan al-Najjar, 21, a volun- fi re (Friday night) by the inter- teer with the Gaza health minis- national coalition on the village try, was fatally shot in the chest of Hidaj, held by IS in the south- near Khan Yunis on Friday. ern sector of Hasakeh province, Ambulances and medical killed at least 12 people,” the crews attended the funeral, with Britain-based Syrian Observa- her father holding the white tory for Human Rights said. blood-stained medics’ jacket The civilians — including two she wore when she was shot, as women and their children — mourners called for revenge. belonged to the same family, it Israeli troops have shot dead added. over 120 Gazans since March The deaths bring to “20 the 30 during border protests de- number of civilians killed by manding the return of Palestin- the coalition in 24 hours east of ians to land they fl ed or were ex- the Euphrates River”, said the pelled from during the 1948 war Observatory, which relies on a surrounding Israel’s creation. network of sources across Syria The demonstrations have for its reports. On Thursday, been accompanied by smaller eight other civilians were killed clashes as youths hurl stones Palestinian mourners carry the body of 21-year-old Razan al-Najjar for her funeral after she was shot dead by Israeli soldiers, in Khan Yunis, yesterday. in coalition strikes in Deir Ezzor at Israeli soldiers and attempt province, south of Hasakeh. to breach the border fence, at projectiles, while the other was are allegedly killed” by Israeli IS militants have lost most of times laying explosive devices believed to have fallen short of fi re “are thoroughly examined” the self-proclaimed “caliphate” on the fence or throwing gre- its target and hit within Gaza, by an internal military commit- they once controlled in large nades. according to the army. tee. parts of Syria and neighbouring Palestinians in the besieged A Palestinian security offi cial The UN envoy for the Middle Iraq since 2014. coastal enclave have also been then said an Israel tank fi red at East, Nickolay Mladenov, said Today, the militants hold less using kites carrying cans on a Hamas observation post east in a tweet that “Medical work- than 3% of Syria, according to fi re to set ablaze Israeli fi elds, of Gaza City, but there were no ers are #NotATarget!” and that the Observatory said. torching extensive patches of casualties. “Israel needs to calibrate its use In Deir Ezzor, the mainly agricultural land near Gaza. The launches were the fi rst of force and Hamas need to pre- Kurdish Syrian Democratic Following the funeral, several since Israel said it struck scores vent incidents at the fence.” Forces — supported by the US- Gazans were wounded in clash- of fi ghter sites in Gaza earlier The Palestinian Medical Re- led coalition — are trying to es east of Khan Yunis, health this week in retaliation for a lief Society said Najjar was shot dislodge militants from the east ministry spokesman Ashraf al- barrage of rockets and missiles “as she was attempting to pro- bank of the Euphrates. Qudra said. fi red from the territory. vide fi rst aid to an injured pro- The coalition said Friday its air The Israeli army said “a Prime Minister Benjamin tester”, with three other fi rst strikes in Syria and Iraq had “un- fi ghter cell” had infi ltrated from Netanyahu said after the strikes responders also hit by live fi re intentionally” killed 892 civil- southern Gaza. that Israel’s military had de- on Friday. ians since its bombing campaign Soldiers shot at the Palestin- livered the “harshest blow” in “Shooting at medical person- began nearly four years ago. ians, who returned to the en- years to Gaza fi ghters. nel is a war crime under the Ge- More than 350,000 people clave. Palestinian groups in Gaza, neva conventions,” the PMRC have been killed in Syria’s war Hours later, the army identi- including the strip’s rulers Ha- said in a statement, demanding since it started in 2011 with a fi ed “two launches” from Gaza mas, said a ceasefi re deal was Relatives mourn over the death of Razan al-Najjar during her funeral, in Khan Yunis. “an immediate international re- brutal crackdown on anti-gov- at southern Israel, where air raid reached after the fl are-up, al- sponse to Israeli humanitarian ernment protests. sirens sent residents to bomb though there was no confi rma- Najjar was killed included ing to damage security infra- planted a grenade and returned law violations in Gaza”. Najjar’s It has since spiralled into a shelters. tion from Israel. “thousands of rioters” at fi ve structure”. Shots were fi red at to Gaza, it said. death brings the toll of Gazans complex confl ict involving world The Iron Dome aerial defence The army said that the dem- locations along the border, an army vehicle and a Pales- The army said that cases such killed by Israeli fi re since the powers and foreign militants. system intercepted one of the onstrations on Friday at which “burning tyres...and attempt- tinian had crossed into Israel, as Najjar’s “in which civilians end of March to 123.

PEOPLE Sisi sworn in Minister: Iran has no for second Jordan protests snowball over presidential term forces or bases in Syria Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in for a second term as Egyp- price hikes, income tax draft law tian president yesterday amid Agencies confi scating private properties a crackdown on his opponents, Damascus and hindering the repatriation after a landslide victory in a March of Syrian refugees, including AFP election in which all serious op- government opponents. Amman ponents had withdrawn. Egyptian yrian Foreign Minister Al-Moallem defended the air force fighter planes drew the Walid al-Muallem said law yesterday, calling it “nec- Egyptian flag across the sky in Syesterday that Iran has essary.” undreds of Jordanians red, white and black smoke, while no combat forces or bases in “Terrorist organisations demonstrated in the helicopters buzzed over the former his war-torn country. have burnt property records Hcapital Amman for a military chief’s motorcade as he Last month, Israel announced and messed with private prop- third consecutive day yester- approached parliament early yes- it hit “almost all” Iranian infra- erties. It is necessary to organ- day against price hikes and an terday. “I assure you that accepting structure sites in Syria in doz- ise these properties in order to income tax draft law driven by the other and creating common ens of air strikes launched in return rights to their eligible IMF recommendations to slash spaces between us will be my big- response to a barrage of rockets owners,” he said. its public debt. gest concern to achieve consen- that Tel Aviv said Iranian forces Many Syrians fl ed their Protests have gripped the sus, social peace and real political had fi red into the Israel-occu- homeland without any legal country since Wednesday, when development in addition to our pied Golan Heights. papers. Obtaining these docu- hundreds fl ooded the streets of economic development,” Sisi said Iran denied involvement in ments would be almost impos- Amman and demonstrated in in a speech after he took the oath. the attacks on Israeli positions. sible as many fear arrest if they other cities to demand the fall It was followed by a 21-gun salute in “There is no Iranian military return, according to rights ad- of the government. celebration, as lawmakers clapped presence on the Syrian lands, vocates. Last week the government and cheered. “I will not exclude but advisers working with the Meanwhile, the Muallem adopted an income tax draft anyone from this common space Syrian army,” al-Moallem said linked any talks on the future law, yet to be approved by par- except those who chose violence, at a press conference in the of a rebel-held southern re- liament, aimed at increasing terrorism and extremist thought capital Damascus. gion with the departure of US taxes on employees by at least as a way to impose their will,” Sisi He added that the Iranian forces from another area bor- 5% and on companies by be- added during the ceremony, broad- advisers were in Syria at Da- dering Iraq and Jordan. tween 20-40%. cast live on television. mascus’ request. Al-Moallem Regime ally Russia has It is the latest in a series of accused Israel of circulating called for a meeting with the economic reforms since Am- “baseless lies” on Iran’s mili- United States and Jordan on man secured a $723mn three- LEGAL tary presence in Syria. the future of the southern year credit line from the In- “The Israeli raids and ag- provinces of Daraa and Qunei- ternational Monetary Fund in Lebanese woman gression on Syrian military tra, bordering Jordan and 2016. The loan, intended to detained for insult positions resulted in victims the Israeli-occupied Golan support economic and fi nan- among our armed forces,” he Heights. In recent weeks, Da- cial reforms, has the long term An Egyptian prosecutor ordered said without giving specifi c fi g- mascus has sent military re- objective of reducing Jordan’s Demonstrators try to urge drivers to stop their cars on the street during a protest in Amman, yesterday. the detention of a Lebanese ures. Israel fears a permanent inforcements to the two prov- public debt from about 94% of woman who posted a video on presence of arch-rival Iran in inces, which comprise some of GDP to 77% by 2021. hundreds of protesters were ing food prices. Police said tion. They said the income tax her Facebook page describing an Syria, which has been locked in the closest rebel-held areas to “This will be accomplished back on the streets outside the some demonstrators overnight law does not serve the eco- incident of sexual harassment in a civil war for seven years. the capital. through reforms to bolster eco- prime minister’s offi ce in Am- “attacked” law enforcement nomic and social interests of Egypt, charging her with insulting Half of Syria’s pre-war pop- President Vladimir Putin nomic growth and gradual fi scal man in demonstrations called agents and had “tried to attack the people. Egyptians, state news agency ulation of 22mn has been dis- has spoken with Israeli Prime consolidation,” the IMF says on by trade unions. public and private property”. Trade union representatives MENA reported yesterday. Mona placed due to the confl ict. Minister Benyamin Netanyahu its website. Some demonstrators blocked Under the proposed new law, met yesterday with Prime Min- el-Mazboh has been held since In April, Syrian President about proposed talks. “We Prices have steadily risen in roads with their cars, while anyone with an annual income ister Hani Mulki to demand the Thursday when she was arrested Bashar al-Assad issued a con- have not yet entered into ne- recent years in Jordan, a coun- others held signs reading: “The of 8,000 dinars ($11,000) or bill be revoked, but without any at Cairo airport at the end of her troversial law demanding Syr- gotiations over the southern try of 9.5mn. people of Jordan will not kneel.” more would have to pay income agreement. stay in Egypt after her outspoken ians, including the millions front,” Muallem said at a press On Thursday, the govern- Protests were also held in tax, while businesses would The premier told reporters video went viral on social media, who fl ed the country, claim conference in Damascus. ment announced it would raise several other cities, includ- face steep tax increases. Evad- that more meetings would fol- security sources said. ownership of their properties “The indicator will be the fuel and electricity prices from ing Irbid and Jarash in the ers would be heavily fi ned. low, while the head of Jordan’s The prosecutor’s detention order within 30 days, or risk forfeit- withdrawal of the United Friday, sparking protests across north, Zarqa in the east, and A majority of deputies — 78 main union, Ali Obus, called for was for four days. Reuters could ing them to the state for rede- States from our land in At- the country. It later froze the the southern city of Maan, out of 130 MPs — issued a state- “the state to maintain its inde- not reach Mazboh for comment or velopment. Tanaf” near the Iraqi and Jor- move under orders from King which was rocked by deadly ment Friday saying they would pendence and not bow to IMF immediately verify the authenticity The law has raised fears of danian borders, Muallem said. Abdullah II. But Friday night, riots in the late 1980s over ris- vote against the draft legisla- demands”. of the 10-minute video. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, June 3, 2018 AFRICA

WATER WOES OUTBREAK CIVIL STRIFE HISTORY JUSTICE 5 new Ebola cases in DR Shebaab militants seize Museum to document bloody Ex-minister sentenced in Congo: off icials town in central Somalia past of Idi Amin dictatorship Congo-Brazzaville

Health authorities in Democratic Republic Somalia’s militant Islamist group Shebaab Uganda will build a museum dedicated to A court in Congo-Brazzaville has sentenced a of Congo said yesterday they had detected has retaken a small town in the centre of the its political past, including the eight bloody former government minister to ten years in prison five fresh suspected cases of Ebola in the country after it was abandoned by government years of Idi Amin’s regime, a tourism off icial on charges of violating state security and being deadly outbreak aff licting the northwest of the troops, residents said yesterday. Fighting said yesterday. “We have had nine heads of complicit in the illegal possession of weapons. country. Three new cases were recorded in the broke out in the town of Muqokori, about 300 state including Amin,” said Stephen Asiimwe, According to the indictment, Jean-Martin Bikoro area and two in Wangata, the national kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu, late executive director of the Uganda Tourism Board. Mbemba currently lives in France and wanted to health ministry said in a statement. Both lie on Friday, almost a month after government “So much happened during Amin’s time. There “organise a popular insurrection in 2013”. He was in the northwestern province of Equateur. DR troops ousted the insurgents. “Shebaab were human rights issues.” Human rights groups sentenced on Friday in absentia. The former ally Residents wait at the National Office of Congo and the UN World Health Organisation attacked from various sides. After one hour estimate that at least 400,000 people died at of long-serving President Denis Sassou Nguesso Drinking Water for water in Bouake, central are rushing to contain the outbreak that has of fighting, the government forces left and the hands of Amin’s military and spy agencies. had held numerous positions in the Republic of Ivory Coast, after the largest dam of the sickened more than 50 people in recent weeks, Shebaab seized control,” Hussein Nur, a local Amin seized power in 1971 in a military coup that the Congo government between 1997 and 2012, Societe de Distribution de l’Eau de la Cote with 25 dead. The outbreak was first declared elder, told Reuters by phone. The militant group ousted civilian president Milton Obote. Amin was including justice minister. “There were never any d’Ivoire (Water Distribution Company of on May 8 in Bikoro, a remote area in the rural claimed that 47 government soldiers had died removed in 1979 by Tanzanian troops and the weapons in this case. Nothing was found,” said Ivory Coast) dried up. northwest of the vast central African country. in the fighting. Uganda National Liberation Front. Mbemba’s lawyer, Alphonse Dianguitoukoulou. UN mission struggles in troubled C Africa

By Amaury Hauchard, AFP keeping troops and militias in a fl ash- Libreville point Muslim enclave of the city. Muslims accused UN soldiers of kill- ing 17 men, while MINUSCA said the ix months ago, the UN Security violence erupted with an ambush of its Council agreed to send an addi- troops during a security sweep. Stional 900 troops to the Central On May 1, religious-toned violence African Republic (CAR), reinforcing spread when armed men stormed one of its biggest peacekeeping mis- a Christian church in the middle of sions in one of the world’s most dan- a service, killing worshippers and a gerous countries. priest. In response, a mob burned a So far, just 400 have arrived — a wor- mosque and lynched two people be- rying sign of the problems that the UN lieved to be Muslim. mission, known by its French acronym Twenty-four people died and around MINUSCA, is having in coaxing coun- 170 were injured. tries into sending men to the fl ashpoint Since its deployment, MINUSCA has nation. lost 73 people, three of them since the Malians shout slogans as they protest against the lack of transparency of the presidential election’s campaign in Bamako yesterday. Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ivory start of the year. Coast and Uruguay are among the Command and disciplinary prob- countries which were approached, but lems within MINUSCA have added to without success, a UN source said. the mission’s woes. In the end, Nepal agreed to provide Accusations range from “passivity” 12 hurt as Mali opposition clashes with riot police 600 troops and Rwanda the other 300, in the face of attacks against civilians to the source said, adding, “They should sexual abuse and collusion with armed all be there before the mission’s man- groups. Almost a third of the allega- AFP ance for Peace — the party of the cur- of the injured, women and young peo- We’re demonstrating to call for trans- date is renewed” in December. tions of sexual abuse reported in all 15 Bamako rent President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ple, which explains the blood on my parent elections and equal access” MINUSCA has been in CAR since UN peacekeeping missions worldwide — fi ring tear gas and beating demon- clothing in some of the pictures that to the state broadcaster ORTM, said April 2014, tasked with helping to sta- in 2017 concerned MINUSCA. strators with batons. are being circulated,” he wrote. Oumar Sangare, head of an associa- bilise the country after a brutal sec- In March, Gabon decided to with- t least 12 people were injured “At least 12 people were injured, Diarra was fi nance and economy tion which “supports change in Mali.” tarian-tinged civil confl ict that France draw its 444 soldiers amid allegations when opposition demonstra- including a policeman and at least minister between 2015 and 2016. “You see, our march was peaceful. helped to dampen. of sexual abuse and inadequate equip- Ators clashed with police yes- one politician,” a doctor at the nearby He is one of around 15 candidates in And it was an anti-democratic power It currently has 11,000 troops and ment. terday at a banned political rally in Gabriel Toure hospital told AFP. the presidential election on July 29. that gassed us. The dictatorship will 2,000 police in a complement of nearly Negotiations are in hand to per- Bamako, just two months ahead of “I was slightly injured when I took The Bamako authorities had banned not pass,” said Ousmane Kone, a ma- 13,500 people. suade Gabon to keep these men on the Mali’s presidential election, according part in a march calling for credible the “peaceful march”, organised by the son who took part in another demo in But commentators question whether ground. to an AFP reporter on the scene. elections,” former fi nance and econ- Coalition for Alternation and Change, the city centre, similarly broken up by the mission can achieve much, given “Their departure planned for June Police attempted to break up a rally omy minister Mamadou Igor Diarra in view of the state of emergency still police. the scale of CAR’s problems. has been postponed until September of several hundred people outside the tweeted. in place. President Keita, 73, announced his The country is in disarray and most 30,” a UN source said. headquarters of the Democratic Alli- “Thank God I was able to help some “Why do you want us to keep quiet? candidacy for a second term on May 28. of its territory remains in the hands of In 2016, 120 Republic of Congo rival militias, many of them claiming to troops were dismissed after accusa- protect Christian or Muslim communi- tions of sexual assault and various ties. forms of illegal traffi cking, and last year “Like many UN missions, MI- a battalion of more than 600 of their NUSCA presents several major weak- colleagues was sent home amid similar Ivory Coast wants private boost for West Africa competitiveness nesses. Foremost, it is undersized and suspicions. “The fundamental problem under-equipped. Up against the mul- for the contingents of Blue Helmets (in tiplication of ‘hot spots’, the mission is the CAR) is not their quantity but their AFP that time as he addressed a competi- solutions to factors which hamper ca- May of a special economic zone strad- completely overwhelmed,” the Inter- quality,” argues Vircoulon. Abidjan tiveness forum in Abidjan. pacity to produce and export”. dling Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and national Crisis Group (ICG) think tank The UN says it is responding to these Noting that Africa’s share of global Faman Toure, chairman of Ivory Mali to bolster regional integration. said at the end of 2017. problems. In 2017, it opened internal GDP rose from 1% to more than 4% Coast’s chamber of commerce — or- The region comprises seven French- Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist at the inquiries into killings in incidents in- est African economies need between 2001 and 2014, he added that ganising the meeting with the World speaking countries — Benin, Burkina French Institute of International Rela- volving soldiers from the Moroccan, to tap deeper into the pri- “vigorous economic reforms and pub- Economic Forum — said the growth Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal tions (IFRI), is more blunt: “It’s not just Rwandan and Mauritanian contin- Wvate sector if they are to lic and private restrictions underpin trajectory in the region’s eight coun- and Togo, as well as Portuguese-speak- that nobody wants to go into the Cen- gents, and appointed human-rights boost competitiveness and continue these performances”. tries was “encouraging” after closing ing Guinea Bissau, with the group having tral African quagmire — it’s that this lawyer Jane Connors to vet allegations the region’s strong growth, Ivory But to improve the scenario still on seven % in 2017. a combined population of some 90mn. quagmire is pointless.” of sexual abuse. Coast Prime Minister Amadou Gon further he said “the African private “With a rate of private investment In the wider context, although the Events in recent months have heav- “We have acknowledged the problem Coulibaly has said. sector should improve productivity rising 21.2% in 2015 and 22.1% in 2016, International Monetary Fund is bank- ily underscored such grim assessments. and now we are going to do our best, we “West African states in general have and its performances to make the best the sub-region is at the head of the ing on sub-Saharan African growth of Bangui saw its bloodiest fl are-up in are doing our best, to reply to this key embarked on a strong growth dynamic of opportunities on the continent”. global level,” said Toure, adding that it 3.4% in 2018, from 2.8% in 2017, a May two years on April 9-10, when 27 peo- issue,” UN chief Antonio Guterres told since the start of the millennium,” Coulibaly urged the private sector to refl ected the increased interest of pri- report highlighted a heavy debt bur- ple were killed and more than 100 were AFP during a visit to Bangui, the CAR Coulibaly said, pointing to an aver- invest in “technological innovation... vate investors in the region. den with more than a dozen countries wounded in clashes between peace- capital, last October. age growth of 5% for the region during and work with governments to fi nd Toure highlighted the creation in rated in debt distress or at risk. Zimbabwe’s contested voter roll a key battleground

By Reagan Mashavave, AFP was the basis of former president “The biometric voter regis- The Zimbabwe Electoral Com- and confi dence in this roll.” Zimbabwe, potentially threaten- 38, who registered to vote at the Harare Robert Mugabe’s fi nal election tration process captures one’s mission (ZEC), which organises Sara Rich Dorman, a lecturer ing the constitutionality of our last minute. victory — a 61% landslide — as biometric details hence it is elections, has so far refused to at the University of Edinburgh election including the independ- Mnangagwa, 75, of the ruling “a systematic eff ort to disenfran- envisaged that it will get rid of open the roll to public scrutiny, and author of the book Under- ence of the ZEC...(and) the right ZANU-PF party will square-off added out with babies, chise” voters. multiple registrations and dead arguing that to do so would cre- standing Zimbabwe, warned that to vote for the diaspora and pris- against the MDC’s 40-year-old dead people and phantom They estimated that around people on the voters roll,” said ate confusion. Zimbabweans were hungry for oners,” said Chimhini. Nelson Chamisa in the presiden- Pvoters, Zimbabwe’s elec- 1mn electors had been robbed of Tawanda Chimhini, director of “It’s rather sad that (the ZEC) transparency. “The ZEC must be able to op- tial race. toral roll has long been a conten- their political voice. the Election Resource Centre, a have chosen not to do this be- “We know that every voter erate independently without the Chamisa replaced founding tious feature of its elections and President Emmerson Mnan- non-profi t poll monitor. cause unfortunately it feeds the roll since independence has been interference of the executive.” party leader Morgan Tsvangi- is accused of being the rotten gagwa, who took over from Mu- But poll watchers and opposi- perception that they have some- deeply fl awed,” she said. The opposition has com- rai after the former trade union core of vote rigging. gabe with support from the mili- tion parties warn that will not be thing to hide,” said Piers Pigou, “The verifi cation process this plained that the ZEC is heav- stalwart, who served as prime The list of voters eligible to tary last November, has vowed a enough to ensure the election’s the International Crisis Group’s time seems substantially im- ily stacked with former military minister in a power-sharing gov- cast ballots in elections due on break with the past — promising credibility. Zimbabwe researcher. proved, but if the list is still based personnel who could lean to- ernment with Mugabe, died of July 30 will be a major focus for an election free of violence, in- Demand for an independent An independent audit of the on old, problematic voters rolls, wards the ruling ZANU-PF pow- cancer in February. foreign observers deployed to the timidation and fraud. audit of the register has intensi- voter register at various stages then we cannot be 100% confi - er structure, and have called for it Former president Mugabe, country in an eff ort to ensure the To allay fears of phantom vot- fi ed in recent weeks after voter of its compilation is “the criti- dent,” added Rich Dorman. to be “demilitarised”. 94, has not been seen in public vote’s credibility. ers, Zimbabwe has produced a registration closed on Friday. cal missing factor” in the much- Activists also say that key con- But for ordinary voters, the in recent months, although he In previous ballots, manipulat- new register featuring biometric “There must be an external anticipated and closely watched stitutional changes adopted in biggest concern will be that the has been linked to a new politi- ing the voter roll has been one of voter data for the fi rst time. audit of the voters roll,” said election, Pigou said. 2013 have not yet been made law, elections are peaceful. cal party made up of disgruntled the strategies used to fi x results. In recent weeks, voters have Douglas Mwonzora, secretary “There is one fundamen- which could threaten the consti- “People have to be very ma- former ZANU-PF members. In 2013, observer group Zim- even been able to inspect and general of the main opposi- tal problem that we are seeing tutionality of the polls. ture, no violence — just cast So there may yet be surprises babwe Electoral Support Net- verify their details to avoid prob- tion Movement for Democratic here...and that is its failure to re- “A number of laws remain your vote to build our nation in to come in Zimbabwe’s election work described the voter roll that lems on polling day. Change (MDC) party. ally invest and build credibility unaligned to the constitution of peace,” said Victor Murembeni, other than the electoral roll. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 17 AMERICAS

Bumpy road for California Democrats targeting Republican House seats

By Sharon Bernstein, Reuters Republican Party’s leader, Don- number of independents, leaving Institute of California, a polling between Los Angeles and San Di- ers in 2016 chose Hillary Clinton May survey of likely voters showed Sacramento ald Trump, in the 2016 presiden- the party in third place, said Paul and public policy think tank. ego, 16 candidates will appear on over Trump for president, but re- that most likely voters in the 10 Re- tial election. Mitchell, vice president of Po- “Some of the exuberance Tuesday’s ballot. turned Republicans to Congress. publican-held California districts “It’s the fi rst time in years that litical Data, which analysed reg- about Democrats taking this Five Republicans, eight Demo- Two representatives, Darrell viewed as very close by the Cook s Californians prepare to California elections have mat- istration information from the over has maybe gotten a little bit crats, a Libertarian and an in- Issa and Ed Royce, chose not to Political Report were supporting go to the polls on Tues- tered in national politics,” said state this week. ahead of itself.” dependent have fi led papers to run for re-election this year. Republicans for Congress. Aday to choose candidates Raphael Sonenshein, executive But that decline does not give So many enthusiastic new- challenge Republican Represent- Rohrabacher and Mimi Walters State Republican Party Chair- in primary elections, the state’s director of the Pat Brown Insti- the Democratic Party an easy win comers have tossed their hats ative Dana Rohrbacher. are seeking re-election in com- man Jim Brulte said the polls and quirky electoral rules and a sof- tute for Public Aff airs at Califor- on Tuesday. in the ring in an eff ort to unseat One of the Republican chal- petitive races. a strong presence in early voting tening of support for Democrats nia State University Los Angeles. The party has its own chal- vulnerable incumbent Repub- lengers, former State Assembly- Many voters in those districts indicate Republicans in the state among suburban voters could “The House races are critically lenges. licans or to claim seats vacated man Scott Baugh, is considered are affl uent and suburban, a are becoming more engaged as disrupt the party’s ambitious important.” If voters select Democratic by resigning Republicans that well known enough to possibly group that has been leaning to- the election approaches, possibly plan to wrest as many as 10 seats Voters on Tuesday will also candidates who are too progres- they may simply divide the anti- make it into the second position ward choosing Democrats for alleviating a so-called enthu- from Republicans in California. be choosing candidates to run sive for conservative areas of Trump vote among themselves. after Rohrabacher, a situation Congress in November, accord- siasm gap he had feared would November’s general elec- in next November’s election in California, it might prove diffi - That dilution of the vote mat- that would lock Democrats out of ing to recent Reuters polling. keep Republican voters at home. tion could change the balance of primaries in New Jersey, Missis- cult for Democrats to win in No- ters more in California because of the race. Orange County is more eth- “Based on what we’re seeing power in the US Congress, where sippi, Alabama, Iowa, Montana, vember. its so-called jungle primary. Key to the Democrats’ eff orts nically diverse than in the past, now, my concerns have been al- Republicans control both cham- South Dakota and New Mexico. Yet if more moderate candi- It does not hold separate party is suburban Orange County south a change that generally leads to layed,” Brulte said. bers. The California Republican dates win in the primaries, fi red- primaries. of Los Angeles, where four con- more support for Democrats. Absentee ballots received so Democrats need to win 23 seats party’s biggest problem is a con- up progressives may decide not to Instead, the top two vote-get- gressional districts were once the But Reuters/Ipsos polling over far show Republicans punching nationwide to have a majority in tinuing decline across the state vote in November, leaving more ters advance to the general elec- heart of rock-ribbed California four weeks in May shows a sof- above their weight, accounting the House of Representatives, that began decades ago. room for Republicans to win. tion regardless of party. Republicanism. tening at the national level of for 34% of ballots returned even considered a very real possibility. For the fi rst time, the number “The Democrats have their work For example, in the 48th Con- In all four districts, some of support for Democrats for Con- though they only amount to 26% Most of California’s congres- of registered voters who are Re- cut out for them,” said Mark Bald- gressional District, which in- which include parts of San Diego gress among suburban voters. of registered voters, according to sional districts did not go for the publicans slipped below the assare, who runs the Public Policy cludes affl uent coastal towns and Los Angeles counties, vot- And the Public Policy Institute’s Political Data.

Immigrant rights rally Immigrant rights advocates participate in rally at the Federal Building in lower Manhattan, New York, on Friday against the Hawaii volcano Trump administration’s policy that enables federal agents to take migrant children away from their parents at the border. In co-ordinated marches across the country, people are gathering outside US Immigration and crater falls quiet Customs Enforcement (ICE) field off ices, US attorney’s off ices, By Steve Gorman, Reuters blast through the rubble at the bottom At least 75 homes — most of them in and the Deparment of Justice Los Angeles of the vent, and these may or may not be the hard-hit community of Leilani Es- headquarters in Washington, DC, larger than previous explosions,” he said. tates — have been devoured by streams of to put increasing pressure on the “It’s also possible that the vent could be- red-hot molten rock creeping across the Trump administration’s family s lava continued to pour vigorous- come permanently blocked, ending the landscape since May 3. separation policy at the border. ly from the ground through fi s- explosions entirely.” Lava fl ows also have knocked out pow- Asures at the foot of Kilauea Volca- In any case, the volcano’s behaviour er and telephone lines in the region, dis- no, the month-old eruption on Hawaii’s ultimately hinges on the ebb and fl ow of rupting communications. Big Island has entered a new, seemingly huge rivers of molten rock called magma, Another issue has been the occurrence calmer phase inside the summit crater, the term for lava while it remains under- of a phenomenon called Pele’s hair — government scientists said on Friday. ground. fi ne, glass-like fi bres of volcanic material But vulcanologists monitoring and The steady collapse of the crater’s in- produced by fountains of lava and carried measuring Kilauea’s every move during ner walls, caused by magma draining out aloft by the wind. Peru gets out of jail to win prisoners ‘World Cup’ the past four weeks hastened to add the of the summit and oozing downslope un- The fi lament, named for the mythical latest change in the volcano’s behaviour, der the volcano’s surface, has also greatly goddess of volcanoes, can cause skin, eye while undoubtedly signifi cant, leaves enlarged the mouth of the vent, which and respiratory irritation like fi breglass. By Carlos Mandujano, AFP The initial phases of the month- “In football, just like in a com- them uncertain about what will follow. has grown in size from about 12 acres to Residents have been warned to avoid Lima long competition, which involved munity, we face a team and we The summit crater, which began eject- 120 acres, Anderson said. exposure to Pele’s hair, one of several air- shackled inmates crisscrossing the have to understand that’s it’s not ing ash and volcanic rock in periodic, At the same time, the Kilauea sum- borne volcano hazards including emis- country in buses amid high security, an enemy but the other side, you daily eruptions in mid-May, has largely mit itself has sunken, or subsided, by at sions of sulphur dioxide gas, wind-blown t sounds like a punchline: how was played in dusty exercise areas. have to play by the rules of the fallen quiet since Wednesday, Kyle An- least 1.5m in elevation as the magma level ash and noxious clouds of laze — a term does a team of prisoners win the The prize for the fi nalists? Playing game.” derson, a US Geological Survey (USGS) continues to drop, exerting tremendous combining the words “lava” and “haze” IWorld Cup? On penalties! in the wide open spaces of the capi- Like a real tournament, the tour- geophysicist, told reporters in a confer- pressure on seismic faults to create nu- — formed when lava reacts with seawater That’s how Peru did it, getting out tal’s massive 60,000-capacity Lima nament was grouped into four ence call. merous earthquakes, mostly small trem- to form a mix of acid fumes, steam and of jail to beat Russia in a tense fi nal Stadium. “host” prisons in cities in Ancon, The apparent reason, newly revealed in ors, in the immediate vicinity. glass-like specks. at the giant Lima Stadium last week. For security reasons, the stands at Chimbote, Ica and Lima. footage recorded by drone aircraft fl own Although the summit crater of Kilauea The latest upheaval of Kilauea, one It wasn’t the real thing — that be- the stadium were almost empty. The semi-fi nals were played in over the summit, is that tons of rocky has fallen silent for the moment, many of of the world’s most active volcanoes, gins in Russia later this month — but The few family members permit- Lurigancho, which has the dubious material shaken loose from the inside the two dozen volcanic fi ssures running comes on the heels of an earlier erup- a deadly serious competition never- ted per player were vastly outnum- reputation of being the most over- walls of the crater vent have plugged up through populated areas on its eastern tion cycle that began in 1983 and con- theless that Peru’s prison authori- bered by 200 armed police wearing crowded of Peru’s 69 prisons. the bottom of the void, Anderson said. fl ank continued to spout and ooze lava tinued almost nonstop for 35 years, ties are calling the fi rst World Cup bullet-proof vests. Built to houses 3,500 prisoners, it What happens next is unknown. and toxic gases that prompted the evacu- destroying 215 dwellings and other of prisons. But that did not stop them from is home to 9,700 inmates, many of “It’s possible that new explosions will ation of some 2,500 residents. structures. Anticipation of the Andean na- living the moment as if they were them categorized as “highly dan- tion’s fi rst appearance at a World fans, and players, in a real World gerous.” Cup fi nals in 36 years has reached Cup fi nals. “Overcrowding is critical in Pe- fever pitch, and for its chronically Peru, represented by Lurigancho ruvian prisons, where there are overcrowded prisons, the shadow prison, beat “Russia” — a team from 187,000 inmates. But you sense it prison tournament provided a rare, Chimbote prison in northern Peru less when there is order,” Vasquez Nicaragua buries victims of latest violence sweet breath of freedom. — on penalty kicks after it ended all said, after handing out the winners’ “At last I can breathe a little air,” square at full time. medals after the fi nal. sighed Francis Valero, a tattooed The champions received a cup, “The inmates may have violated AFP six weeks of near continuous protests. aggravated,” said the former presidents, 27-year-old locked up in Lima’s gold medals and sports outfi ts as the rules, they may have commit- Managua Ortega has rejected calls to step down including Colombia’s Andres Pastrana, Lurigancho jail for drug traffi cking. prizes. ted a crime, but football unites and the Catholic Church, which has tried Mexico’s Felipe Calderon, and Spain’s “We are hoping this will help us “I feel free for a moment, I know them along with the nation with the to mediate the confl ict, has refused to Felipe Gonzalez, part of the Democratic get reintegrated into society for that I will go back very soon. This country’s participation in the World unerals took place across Nicara- resume the talks for as long as govern- Initiative in Spain and the Americas. good conduct.” title, I dedicate it to my family, the Cup.” gua on Friday for 16 people killed in ment “repression” continues. Hundreds of people packed into a Each of the 16 prisons included sacrifi ce was worthwhile,” said vic- For inmate Omar Jaramillo Men- Fone of the bloodiest days of protest A group of 21 former Latin American church in Managua for the funeral of in the unique competition took the torious Lurigancho player Thomas dez, in jail for aggravated robbery, in the country where weeks of anti-gov- leaders urged the Organization of Ameri- 14-year-old high school student Or- name, and the colors, of a country Manuel Aguirre, serving a sentence it was a chance to get a feel for life ernment demonstrations have left more can States and the Lima Group of Latin lando Cordoba. He was hit by a bullet participating in the fi nals. for aggravated robbery. outside prison walls again. than 100 dead. American states to take “urgent measures” while marching in a protest at the Central All the matches observed the na- “The magic of football is that it “For us it represents something There seemed little prospect of an ear- in the face of “serious attacks” against de- American University on Wednesday. tional anthems of each participating has what establishes the rules of a important, that we, as human be- ly return to negotiations Friday between mocracy and human rights in Nicaragua. The teenager’s body was draped with “national team” and offi ciating at community,” said National Peniten- ings, reintegrate into society and the government of President Daniel Or- “The anti-democratic reality of which a blue and white scarf bearing the legend the matches were a trio of profes- tiary Institute head Carlos Vasquez become better people in the future,” tega and the opposition after more than Nicaraguans are victims is sustained and “Nicaragua Libre.” sional referees. told AFP. he said. Thousands in Argentina protest against utility costs, IMF

AFP Mayo. Demonstrators carried ban- cost of living increase of almost Buenos Aires ners declaring “Bread and Work” 10% between January and April and “Out with the IMF.” alone, and that a Central Bank “There should already be a gen- survey that puts infl ation expec- ens of thousands of dem- eral strike. They cannot distract us tations at 22%, well above its 15% onstrators marched in the with the World Cup or with Mes- target. TArgentine capital Friday to si,” said Pablo Moyano, one of the Macri on Thursday used his protest talks between the govern- leaders of the main CGT union. veto to scrap a law placing curbs ment and the IMF amid fresh pub- The march was called by the on utility prices, citing the need lic anger over a hike in utility prices. Confederation of Workers of the for fi scal discipline. Even as demonstrators gath- Popular Economy (CTEP) which The opposition-sponsored ered on Plaza de Mayo to bring groups half a million people law, approved hours earlier by political heat to bear on Presi- without registered employment. the Senate after heated debate, dent Mauricio Macri for vetoing The leadership is close to the would have rolled back prices curbs on electricity, gas and wa- Catholic hierarchy and Pope for public utilities to November ter costs on Thursday, his fi nance Francis, a former archbishop of levels, and linked future hikes to minister was announcing painful Buenos Aires. salary increases. new measures designed to reas- Its leader Juan Grabois said It was the fi fth time since sure the markets. that given a widening gap be- Macri became president in De- Nicolas Dujovne announced tween the middle class and the cember 2015 that he exercised $780mn worth of public spending poor, “Argentina is unviable and his veto, a move that will likely cuts at a press conference at the the people will rebel.” deepen his unpopularity and government’s Casa Rosada palace. Another leader, Daniel Menen- which comes after a damaging Among the targets of the cuts dez, said Macri’s decision this currency run saw the Argentine were technical assistance agree- week to veto curbs on utility prices peso lose 20% against the dollar ments with universities, labour approved by Congress only gave and a decision to go to the IMF. agreements, and perks such as the added impetus to the protest. Opinion polls say as many as use of state cars, travel and bo- In tandem with other meas- 75% of Argentinians oppose any nuses, the fi nance minister said. ures, the aim of the cuts an- agreement with the IMF, which The march had begun on May 28 nounced by Dujovne is to reduce many link to painful memories of from across the South American the fi scal defi cit from 3.9% of past economic and social crises, country’s 23 provinces, culminat- GDP to 2.7% this year. including a 2001 sovereign debt People shout slogans as they hold a banner that reads ‘Damned increase of utility tariff s’ during a demonstration in Buenos Aires on Friday. ing in the mass protest in Plaza de Critics meanwhile point to a default blamed on the lender. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, June 3, 2018 ASIA

Vietnam’s top offi cials Myanmar ‘willing to take under scanner in back Rohingya refugees’ corruption Reuters sibility to Protect (R2P) frame- so it’s not war crimes. Crimes cleansing”, an accusation My- insurgents on security posts. crackdown Singapore work of the United Nations. against humanity, that could anmar rejects. Thaung Tun said that the The so-called R2P frame- be a consideration, but we need Myanmar and Bangladesh narrative of what happened in work was adopted at the 2005 clear evidence. These serious agreed in January to complete Rakhine was “incomplete and Reuters yanmar is willing to UN World Summit in which charges should be proved and the voluntary repatriation of misleading”. Hanoi take back all 700,000 nations agreed to protect their they should not be bandied the refugees within two years. “Myanmar does not deny MRohingya Muslim ref- own populations from geno- about lightly.” Myanmar signed an agree- that what is unfolding in north- ugees who have fl ed to Bangla- cide, war crimes, ethnic cleans- Since August 2017, about ment with the United Nations ern Rakhine is a humanitar- ietnam’s current and desh if they volunteer to return, ing and crimes against human- 700,000 Rohingya Muslims on Thursday aimed at eventu- ian crisis,” he said. “There is no former information min- the country’s National Secu- ity and accepted a collective have fl ed a military crackdown ally allowing the Rohingya shel- denying that the Muslim com- Visters and several other rity Adviser Thaung Tun said responsibility to encourage and in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, tering in Bangladesh to return munity in Rakhine has suff ered. senior offi cials have been ac- yesterday. help each other uphold this many reporting killings, rape safely and by choice. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu cused of “very serious” viola- He was speaking at the commitment. and arson on a large scale, UN It also said it would set up and other ethnic minorities tions linked to state telecoms Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional “If you can send back and other aid organisations an independent commission have suff ered no less.” fi rm Mobifone and BIDV bank, security conference in Singa- 700,000 on a voluntary basis, have said. to investigate “the violation of He said that while the mili- part of a widening crackdown on pore, where he was asked if the we are willing to receive them,” The United Nations and aid human rights and related is- tary had the right to defend corruption. situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine Thaung Tun said. “Can this be agencies have described the sues” in Rakhine State follow- the country, if investigations An inspection committee from state, where most Rohingya live, called ethnic cleansing? crackdown on the Rohingya as ing the army operation there in showed they had acted illegally, Thaung Tun, National Security the country’s ruling Commu- could trigger use of the Respon- “There is no war going on, “a textbook example of ethnic response to attacks by Rohingya action would be taken. Adviser, Myanmar. nist party said the offi cials were responsible for allowing a loss- making deal in which Mobifone tried to buy a 95% stake in a pri- vate pay-TV service called Audio Vietnam’s president visits Japan Visual Global. IMF releases $250mn “The violations caused big losses to the state assets, badly aff ected Mobifone’s operation of Lanka loan, seeks and privatisation process and the reputation of the party and the information ministry,” the com- airline shake-up mittee said in a statement on its website. The six offi cials named in the AFP widely used in rural Sri Lanka case included Information Min- Colombo for cooking and in lamps, was ister Truong Minh Tuan, his also more than doubled last predecessor Nguyen Bac Son month, while gasoline prices and the former chairman of state he International Mon- increased by just under 15%. telecommunications company etary Fund (IMF) an- The IMF said Sri Lanka Mobifone, Le Nam Tra. Tnounced the release of should also implement a Separately, the committee said the latest instalment of Sri pricing policy for electricity, the former chairman of state- Lanka’s $1.5bn bailout yes- which is currently subsidised controlled lender BIDV Tran terday, but warned that re- for households and small Bac Ha and two other execu- structuring the loss-making businesses. tives at the bank had committed national airline was essential “It is essential for the au- violations in lending 4.7trn dong to sustain economic recovery. thorities to implement an au- ($206.18mn) to 12 companies in- The IMF welcomed the is- tomatic pricing formula for volved in a corruption case at Vi- land nation’s increase in fuel electricity and a restructuring etnam Construction Bank. prices last month – a precon- plan for Sri Lankan Airlines,” The committee said the offi - dition for it to receive $252mn IMF’s deputy managing direc- cials’ punishment would now be of the three-year loan ap- tor Mitsuhiro Furusawa said in considered. In Vietnam, the in- proved in June 2016. a statement. spection committee investigates Sri Lanka’s economy has One of the biggest drags on wrongdoing before making a de- Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang, left, and his wife Nguyen Thi Hien, right, pose for pictures during a farewell call made by Japan’s been on the mend since the the country’s balance sheet is cision on how to sanction those Emperor Akihito, second left, and Empress Michiko, second right, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo yesterday. IMF bailout, but growth in national carrier Sri Lankan, found responsible. 2017 was more sluggish than which has accumulated losses BIDV and Mobifone did not expected and at 3.1% was the and debts of over $2bn and is a immediately respond to a re- slowest in 16 years. huge burden on taxpayers. quest for comment. Deputy The release of the latest The government has failed Information Minister Hoang tranche of the loan had been to privatise the airline due to Vinh Bao told a news conference held up pending the govern- a lukewarm response from the ministry would follow the ment agreeing to raise fuel pric- investors while an attempt to conclusions of the inspection Knight riders to the rescue: es to recover production costs fi nd an international partner committee. and do away with subsidies. to revive it has also failed. Vietnam’s ongoing corruption The IMF said the price hike Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s real crackdown has reached the ener- by state-run Ceylon Petro- estate sector has been expand- gy, banking, police, telecoms sec- leum Corporation, in some ing rapidly – raising concerns tors as well as to provincial levels, Vietnam vigilantes bust crooks cases by as much as 130%, was of a bubble – and the Central with a former politburo member a “major achievement” that Bank of Sri Lanka has said the sentenced to 31 years in prison, would reduce fi scal risk. sector is under close watch to the fi rst offi cial of such high- By Mai Nguyen, Ruters The price of kerosene oil, prevent fallout for banks. ranking to face trial in decades. Ho Chi Minh City

ietnam’s “street knights”, hurtling Vthrough the streets of Whale dies in Thailand after Ho Chi Minh City, are not your typical medieval warriors. Their stallions are scooters. They wear rubber fl ip-fl ops, swallowing 80 plastic bags not metal boots. And their shining armour is a tracksuit jacket billowing like a cape. AFP marine and coastal resources a marine biologist and lecturer The band of bike-riding un- Bangkok said on their Facebook page at Kasetsart University, said the paid vigilantes chases down yesterday. bags had made it impossible for petty criminals in Vietnam’s A veterinary team tried “to the whale to eat any nutritional largest city and the neighbour- whale has died in south- help stabilise its illness but fi - food. ing province of Binh Duong, ern Thailand after swal- nally the whale died” on Friday “If you have 80 plastic bags in where residents grumble about Alowing more than 80 afternoon, the post said. your stomach, you die,” he said. rising crime and ineff ectual plastic bags, offi cials said, end- An autopsy revealed 80 plastic At least 300 marine animals policing. ing an attempted rescue that bags weighing up to 8kg (18lb) in including pilot whales, sea tur- “Whenever there’s a call I failed to nurse the mammal back the creature’s stomach, the de- tles and dolphins perish each show up,” said one of them, to health. partment added. year in Thai waters after Nguyen Thanh Hai, who gets Thailand is one of the world’s Photos accompanying the ingesting plastic, Thon said. 50 to 100 calls for help every “Street knight” Nguyen Thanh Hai, right, and his team ride as they patrol on a street in Thu Dau Mot city. largest consumers of plastic post showed a group of people “It’s a huge problem,” he said. day about robberies, drugs, bags, which kill hundreds of using buoys to keep the whale “We use a lot of plastic.” and even kidnappings. “Even driver who becomes a street Police in Ho Chi Minh City he said. “My passion didn’t die.” marine creatures living near the afl oat after it was fi rst spotted The pilot whale’s plight gen- at midnight, when I can barely knight in his spare time. are underfunded and lacked After the two deaths, wor- country’s popular beaches each on Monday and an umbrella to erated sympathy and anger keep my eyes open.” “He always asks me when I’m training, the US government ried families begged some of the year. shield it from the scorching sun. among Thai netizens. Hai, 47, keeps a notebook re- going to go out again.” said in a report on crime and vigilantes to stop. The small male pilot whale The whale vomitted up fi ve “I feel sorry for the animal cording details of the roughly The men don’t see themselves safety last year. “My fi ancée asked me to quit, became the latest victim af- bags during the rescue attempt that didn’t do anything wrong 4,000 criminals he has helped as heroes, they said, but they The city’s police department and I agreed,” said Mai Truong ter it was found barely alive in before it died, the department but has to bear the brunt of hu- catch and turn over to police do appreciate the occasional did not immediately comment Xuan Huy, a 44-year-old Viet- a canal near the border with said. man actions,” one Twitter user during 21 years as a part-time gesture of thanks. when contacted by Reuters, but namese-American who works Malaysia, the department of Thon Thamrongnawasawat, wrote in Thai. crime fi ghter, though he gets no Crime is low in Communist- some vigilantes say they work as a security guard in California. monetary reward. ruled Vietnam, but petty theft closely with offi cers. Huy, who left Vietnam in “You don’t think about mon- and similar minor crimes are a Barred by law from carrying the 1990s, returns to spend his ey when you do this,” he added. growing problem in urban areas weapons, many have received summers fi ghting crime with He is among a group of about like Ho Chi Minh City, home to police training on legal issues the street knights. 30 men in Ho Chi Minh City, 8.6mn people. and use martial arts for self- “I feel so proud every time I and 1,500 in the province, who Last year, the former Saigon defence, since their work can be help someone, but it’s also very have modifi ed their bikes with ranked as the third least-safe dangerous. tiring,” he said at a Binh Duong police-like sirens and upgraded city worldwide, after Caracas Last month, two were coff ee shop that is an unoffi cial engines that can reach speeds and Karachi, on the Safe Cit- stabbed to death in Ho Chi Minh group headquarters. of more than 170kph (106 mph). ies Index of the Economist In- City and three badly injured in “I’ve been peppersprayed Videos of their high-speed telligence Unit, which rates clashes with thieves. and had my head smashed,” he chases have gone viral on so- personal security in 60 cities. Sin described a fi ght with a said. “It’s very dangerous and cial media. One shows thieves Some crime victims, hoping suspected thief who cut himself the thieves have more weapons weaving between trucks and for a faster response, turn to the and rubbed his blood into Sin’s now. It’s no fun.” cars along a twisting, suburban vigilantes before the police. wound. After learning that the His ruminations on leaving highway, with the group in hot “Police have so many jobs, suspect had HIV, Sin worried he the group were interrupted by pursuit. we just can’t blame them,” said could have been infected. two people asking for help. Huy “My little son gets so excited one of them, Nguyen Viet Sin, “I wanted to quit, but af- and his friends jumped on their when he sees me on YouTube,” whose father is a policeman. “If ter I recovered and could still bikes. said Pham Tan Thanh, a everyone shares the eff ort, soci- see clips of robberies on social “I can’t help it,” he said as he Volunteers and government marine veterinarians from Department of Marine and Coastal Resources rescuing a 31-year-old Binh Duong taxi ety will be much better.” media, I hit the road again,” sped off . “It’s in my blood.” sick male pilot whale at sea in the coastal area of southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 19 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Singapore Style statement will bear some costs of summit: minister

Reuters Singapore

ingapore will bear some of the cost of the planned Ssummit between US Presi- dent Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, its defence minister Ng Eng-hen said yesterday, a day after Trump put the meeting back on agenda. Kim’s trip to Singapore, which would be the furthest he would have travelled as leader, poses logistical challenges that are likely to include using Soviet- era aircraft to carry him and his limousine, as well as dozens of security and other staff . The Washington Post reported earlier that some unresolved logistical issues relating to the summit were who would pay the hotel bills of the leader of the Models present creations from a Muslim fashion house during the holy month of Ramadan in Surabaya yesterday. Indonesia will celebrate the festival of Eid on June 15. cash-strapped country, whose economy has been squeezed by a series of UN and unilateral sanc- tions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Singapore, a small but wealthy Southeast Asian city-state, is determined to successfully host the summit and is willing to foot at least some of the bill. “Obviously yes, but it is a cost that we’re willing to bear to play Mattis accuses Beijing of a small part in this historic meet- ing,” Ng told reporters without elaborating, when asked if Sin- gapore will be bearing the cost of the summit, which is scheduled for June 12. Kim Chang-son, the de facto chief of staff for the North Ko- maritime ‘intimidation’ rean government was seen this week at The Fullerton, a central- AFP other maritime features into umnist Josh Rogin asked Mat- cifi c. Mattis characterised this ly located, fi ve-star hotel that is Singapore hardened military facilities, tis whether he thought it was action as an “initial response”. a refurbished government build- Mattis said. unproductive for Trump to pick But “there are much larger con- ing overlooking the Singapore China has also landed heavy fi ghts with allies on trade. sequences in the future when river. hina’s military build-up bombers on Woody Island in the “Certainly we have had some nations lose the rapport of their Media reports said he was in in the South China Sea Paracel Islands. unusual approaches, I’ll be can- neighbours”, he warned. Singapore to meet US offi cials to Cand its deployment of “Despite China’s claims to the did with you,” Mattis replied. “They believe that piling work out logistics for the sum- high-end weapons systems in contrary, the placement of these “But I’m reminded that so mountainous debts on their mit The Fullerton was North the disputed waters is designed weapon systems is tied directly long as nations continue dia- neighbours and somehow re- Korea’s lodging of choice, the to intimidate and coerce neigh- to military use for the purposes logue, so long as they continue moving the freedom of politi- Washington Post said. bours, US Defence Secretary Jim of intimidation and coercion,” to listen to one another and cal action is the way to engage The presidential suite may Mattis said yesterday. Mattis told the Shangri-La Dia- to pay respect to one another, them. Eventually these things set the government back by at His broadside at a security logue. He also blasted Chinese nothing is over based on one de- do not pay off .” least 8,000 Singapore dollars summit in Singapore drew a President Xi Jinping for reneg- cision, one day.” Delegates hoping for clar- ($6,000) a night, it said. sharp rebuke from a Chinese ing on a 2015 promise made at In a dig at China, which the ity on Trump’s intentions for The hotel declined to pro- general, who lashed out at “ir- the White House that Beijing Pentagon has accused of us- a scheduled June 12 summit vide the room charge for the responsible comments” on the would not militarise the island ing “predatory” economics to with North Korean leader Kim presidential suite.There was no contested sea and insisted Be- features in the South China Sea. US Secretary of Defence James Mattis (centre), with Japan’s exploit neighbours, Mattis said did not get much from Mat- confi rmation on the location jing was simply defending its But Chinese Lieutenant Gen- Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera and Australia’s Defence the US supports the peaceful tis, though he said the issue for the meeting between Kim territory. eral He Lei issued a fi ery re- Minister Marise Payne pose for a picture before a trilateral resolution of disputes, “free, of the permanent deployment and Trump although there are a Speaking just 10 days before sponse, telling the summit that meeting on the sidelines of the 17th Asian Security Summit of the fair and reciprocal trade and of about 285,000 US troops in number of sites in Singapore that President Donald Trump is due “irresponsible comments from IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, yesterday. investment” and adherence to South Korea will not be “on the can guarantee security protec- to meet North Korean leader other nations cannot be ac- international rules and norms. table”. Mattis has tried to avoid tion, including hotels that have Kim Jong Un, Mattis also said cepted”. China claims almost the en- here to stay in the Asia-Pacifi c Despite frequent warnings weighing in on the summit, de- experience hosting high-security the US military continues to “As long as it is on your own tire resource-rich sea, through region and that allies should from Washington about China’s ferring questions to the State events, local media and a Singa- support diplomats pushing for territory you can deploy the which $5tn in shipping trade stick with Washington instead rising might and the pitfalls of Department and Trump’s na- pore government offi cial said. the “complete, verifi able and ir- army and you can deploy weap- passes annually, with compet- of aligning with Beijing. its “Belt and Road” global infra- tional security team. Among the potential venues reversible” denuclearisation of ons,” he said. ing claims from Brunei, Malay- But the message might be a structure initiative, Beijing has “On the Korean peninsula, mentioned as the site of the sum- the Korean peninsula. “It is for the sake of defend- sia, the Philippines, Taiwan and tougher sell for Mattis, who is faced few consequences for its we hold the line with our allies, mit include the Shangri-La Ho- Beijing has deployed a range ing ourselves,” he added, and Vietnam. generally popular on the inter- South China Sea build-up and supporting our diplomats who tel, which hosted Indian prime of military hardware including warned Beijing would take “fi rm Mattis’ address in Singapore national scene, after his boss sweeping territorial claims. lead this eff ort,” Mattis said. minister and defence chiefs from anti-ship missiles, surface-to- measures” if other countries returned to a theme that he and this week imposed metals tariff s One modest exception came “Our objective remains the around the world this weekend, air missiles and electronic jam- sent ships and aircraft close to other senior US offi cials have on some of America’s closest last week when the Pentagon complete, verifi able, and irre- and the Capella hotel on the re- mers across the South China what it considers its islands in hammered home since Trump allies in the name of “national disinvited China from biennial versible denuclearisation of the sort island of Sentosa. Sea, where it has built islets and the South China Sea. took offi ce — that America is security”. Washington Post col- maritime exercises in the Pa- Korean peninsula.”

CRIME Soaring aspirations Japan mom held for dumping Australian cattle station for newborn’s body A Japanese mother who alleg- edly delivered and killed her sale as good times lift beef newborn baby at a Tokyo cafe before dumping the corpse in a locker was arrested yesterday, Reuters buyers.“There have been some receding and there’s a big mas- police said. Sydney inquiries from the US, Asia, sive area of feed to utilise.” Officers found the decomposing Central Europe and Hong- “I don’t know if ‘discount’ is body of an infant, who appeared Kong-based capital groups,” he the right word, but it is the to have been choked to death, ustralia’s second largest told Reuters by telephone yes- preferred option to sell to an in the locker last month after cattle station with a land terday. Australian buyer. Even if an unpleasant smells were reported Aarea larger than Lebanon The station’s owners, how- international buyer has more there. The 25-year-old mother, is for sale with the owners hop- ever, are keen to sell to a do- money,” Dunn said. Mao Togawa, was detained on ing for a domestic buyer in order mestic buyer to avoid the time In April, it was reported that suspicion of abandoning a body, to avoid government approval it takes for foreign firms to get British private equity firm Ter- according to a spokesman for delays incurred by a foreign sale. approval from Australia’s For- ra Firma which bought Con- the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Clifton Hills Station in the eign Investment Review Board. solidated Pastoral Co (CPC) in Department. The suspect is northeast corner of the state of Any foreign bid would attract 2009, was seeking more than Students launch a Kongming lantern asking for success in the upcoming national college likely to also later face a murder South Australia, near the centre government scrutiny and new A$1bn ($775mn) for its Austral- entrance exam, or “gaokao”, in Luan, Anhui province, China. charge as she largely admitted of the country, covers 1.65mn rules were announced early ian cattle stations: a 20 per- the allegations, local media said. hectares (4,077,239 acres) and this year. Concern over Chi- cent-plus premium to a 2017 has 18,300 head of cattle and ap- na’s expanding interests mean asset valuation. proval for 21,500. that sellers of agricultural land CPC’s 16 properties across It is the latest station to be must now market the holdings northern Australia have a put on the market in recent to Australians first. 400,000 head carrying capac- months as cattlemen capitalise One of the owners of Clifton ity and cover 5.5mn hectares Nappies on beaches as cargo ship drops containers on favourable market condi- Hills, Neil Dunn, told Reu- (13.6mn acres), about the size tions with upbeat beef export ters he was hoping the station of Croatia. forecasts, good weather and a would fetch up to A$50mn. The business, which includes Reuters The YM Effi ciency, operated by Taiwan impossible,” Roads and Maritime Services strong location, close to Asian He said it could take up to a 90% interest in two Indone- Sydney shipping company Yang Ming Marine executive director Angus Mitchell told a markets. 12 months to clear a sale to a sian feedlots, had A$881mn in Transport Corp, was sailing from Taiwan television channel yesterday. Wally Cooper, managing foreign buyer, by which time assets, according to a March to Sydney when it encountered fi ve-metre The Liberian-registered vessel rolled director of stock and station the conditions would have 2017 valuation. cargo ship lost 83 containers over- swells in the Tasman Sea, about 30km off heavily in the foul weather causing the agent Rural Property & Live- changed, along with cattle An interested party who board during heavy seas off Australia Australia’s east coast late on Thursday. 83 containers to slide off , while another stock, said he had fielded up to prices. “It’s a whole different did not want to be identified Aand items including nappies and san- “They’re 40-foot containers, they sit 30 were damaged, the New South Wales 60 inquiries for the station, in- season,” Dunn said. confirmed to Reuters that the itary pads are washing up on beaches while about a foot or two off the water...even in Roads and Maritime Service said yester- cluding all stock, plant and ma- “At the moment everything property was still on the mar- there are fears the ill-fated containers will the best of conditions they’re diffi cult to day. Television pictures showed some con- chinery, mostly from domestic is good. Flood waters are just ket. pose a hazard for shipping and whales. spot, but at night and in a swell, almost tainers spilt open and hanging precariously. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, June 3, 2018 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Pressure grows Ireland gives Britain two on May to tackle weeks for border plan anti-Islam Reuters border open, fi nding a practi- that is supposed to mark signifi - a government offi cial said that it “These convoluted arrange- Sinn Fein, the main Irish nation- Tory bias Dublin cal solution is still proving to be cant progress on the issue. is considering a proposal giving ments only arise because of the alist party in Northern Ireland, elusive. “If there is no progress on the Northern Ireland joint UK and government’s failure to make it said the proposal would not The EU and Dublin insist Brit- backstop, we are in for an uncer- European Union status so it can clear to the EU that regardless of solve the border issues. By Chris Johnston ritain must submit written ain’s withdrawal treaty must tain summer. At this point we trade freely with both. EU negotiators’ attempts to keep “Once again this shows the Guardian News & Media proposals on how it plans lock in a backstop arrangement need written proposals on the The idea would be to create us in the Customs Union and the lack of knowledge of border ar- Bto keep a frictionless bor- guaranteeing that Northern Ire- Irish backstop consistent with a 10-mile (16km)-wide trade Single Market, we are leaving,” eas and the concerns they face,” der on the island of Ireland af- land will abide by EU regulations what was agreed. We await writ- buff er zone along the border for Democratic Unionist Party MP Anderson said. “The creation of heresa May is under grow- ter Brexit in the next two weeks in case a future trade pact does ten proposals from the British local traders such as dairy farm- Sammy Wilson said in a state- a buff er zone would merely move ing pressure to investigate or face an uncertain summer not remove the need for border side.” ers after the United Kingdom ment. the problem away from the bor- TIslamophobia in the Con- of talks, Irish Foreign Minister controls. Under the EU proposal, if all leaves the bloc “Instead of moving from one der and hide a hard border in a servative party after a top Tory Simon Coveney was quoted as London has signed up to this other attempts to avoid a hard However that idea, which the set of half-cooked ideas to the buff er zone.” peer echoed calls made this week saying yesterday. but disagrees with the EU’s border fail, Northern Ireland offi cial said may not be put to other, it is now time for the gov- The Irish Times reported by the Muslim Council of Britain The border between British- means of achieving it. would form a “common regula- the EU as Britain is still debating ernment to put down its foot and that Coveney, Prime Minister (MCB) and Sayeeda Warsi. ruled Northern Ireland and the “In the next two weeks, we tory area” with the bloc, in eff ect its own preferred Brexit strat- make it clear to EU negotiators Leo Varadkar and other sen- Mohamed Sheikh said that an rest of Ireland will be Britain’s need to see written proposals. It keeping the British province in a egy, was dismissed by offi cials that the Prime Minister stands ior ministers including Finance independent inquiry is required only land frontier with the EU needs to happen two weeks from customs union with the EU. in Dublin, Brussels and by the by her commitment that no deal Minister Paschal Donohoe have to “show we will not tolerate any after it leaves the bloc. the summit,” Coveney told the Britain has rejected this as a pro-Brexit Northern Irish party is better than a bad deal.” repeatedly told their British form of discrimination within While both sides say that they Irish Times newspaper, referring threat to the constitutional in- that supports Britain’s minority Martina Anderson, a member counterparts that concrete pro- our own party”. are committed to keeping the to a June summit of EU leaders tegrity of the UK and on Friday government. of the European Parliament for posals are needed soon. His call comes after the MCB accused the Tories of failing to take the issue seriously. Lady Warsi, the party’s former chair, has said that the failure is “embarrassing” for the party and that her calls over the past two years had gone unheeded. In an open letter to the prime minister, Lord Sheikh said Mus- lim voters “cannot bring them- selves to vote Conservative be- cause they simply do not believe Cumberbatch: I did it out of, well, the Conservative party can and I had to, you know. will support Muslims”. His letter highlighted a number of incidents, includ- ing the “smear campaign” con- ducted by Zac Goldsmith against Sherlock Sadiq Khan before the 2016 Lon- don mayoral election. Goldsmith’s decision to label actor his Labour rival as a “’terrorist sympathiser’ was an absolute disgrace, even for the most ar- stops dent Conservative supporter – Muslim or not. “Such conduct not only em- mugging barrassed the party but alienated many Conservative members from the campaign, and voters,” Reuters At the Derby Sheikh wrote. London Attempts to raise the issue Above: Visitors take a selfie with Goldsmith, Conserva- yesterday on the second day tive party chiefs and then prime ctor Benedict Cumber- of the Epsom Derby festival in minister David Cameron were batch, known for his por- Surrey. “ignored”, he said. Atrayal of fi ctional crime- The party donor was a top fi ghter Sherlock Holmes and Right: Queen Elizabeth II arrives at adviser to Cameron and ran the comic book superhero Doctor the festival yesterday. Conservative Muslim Forum. Strange in the Marvel movies, The MCB said this week that has been hailed a hero for chas- Goldsmith’s campaign was evi- ing away four assailants as they dence of a wider problem of “dog mugged a cyclist in London. whistle anti-Muslim racism” in Cumberbatch, 41, jumped out the party. of his taxi and ran to the aid of Harun Khan, the head of the the man working for food deliv- MCB, called for a “genuinely in- ery company Deliveroo as he was dependent inquiry” into Islamo- set upon by the muggers, the Sun phobia in the Tory party. newspaper reported. He questioned why no ac- “The cyclist was lucky, Ben- tion had been taken against Bob edict’s a superhero,” Cumber- Blackman, the Harrow East MP, batch’s Uber driver Manuel Dias after he hosted a hardline Hindu told the Sun. “Benedict was nationalist, Tapan Ghosh, in courageous, brave and selfl ess. parliament in October 2017. If he hadn’t stepped in the cy- In his letter, Sheikh said he clist could have been seriously had raised the issue with May. injured.” “Regrettably, the response The attempted robbery took fell short of the swift and deter- place on Marylebone High mined action required,” he told Street, just around the corner the prime minister. from Holmes’ fi ctional home on The peer, who entered the Baker Street. Lords in 2006, also said it is a “One of the males attempted “great disappointment” that to grab the victim’s cycle ... he Muslims he had recommended was then punched in the face, as potential Tory candidates in struck on the head and hit with A Red Devils parachutist in action at the festival yesterday. Actress Helen Mirren (left) is seen on second day of the Epsom Derby Festival. the last general election were not his helmet,” the Metropolitan chosen. Police said in a statement, add- ing that the incident took place in November last year. “Nothing was reported sto- len. The victim did not require hospital treatment. No arrests have been made,” the statement Britons ‘risking skin damage and cancer’ added. Cumberbatch, who has played the fi ctional detective in TV se- Many consumers are and publicised widely via social dermis, the skin’s thickest layer, sive rivals, Cable added: “All the long-lasting damage resulting health, she added: “It’s a sign ries Sherlock since 2010, has also unaware the SPF rating on media. is typically indicated by a sepa- products will have met the same from UVA rays.” that your skin is trying to repair starred in fi lms such as The Hob- suncreams does not measure The move – ahead of hotter rate star rating. rigorous tests so consumers are Skin cancer is one of the most the damage UV has caused in bit, Avengers: Infi nity War and all-round sun protection, temperatures forecast in the UK The RPS’s assistant chief sci- simply paying more for a nicer common cancers in the world. your cells.” The Imitation Game, where he scientists say this weekend – follows earlier entist Colin Cable, who wrote smell or superior packaging.” In the UK, rates of one form, “And getting a sunburn just portrayed British World War II calls by the RPS for manufactur- the material, said: “It’s clear that Separate research from the malignant melanoma, have been once every two years can triple codebreaker Alan Turing. By Rebecca Smithers ers to introduce simpler label- members of the public do not chemist chain Superdrug also steadily rising since the mid- the risk of melanoma, so don’t Dias said the actor ran up to Guardian News & Media ling after it warned that failure understand the confusing label- revealed widespread consumer 1970s. let sunburn catch you out,” Os- the assailants and pulled them to understand the complicated ling system we have. confusion. According to Cancer Research gun said. away, shouting “leave him “dual protection” system could “The fi rst, most important In its survey of nearly 1,000 UK, incidence rates are pro- Professor Helen Stokes-Lam- alone” before they fl ed. ritons are putting them- be putting people at risk of skin thing is to choose the cream that consumers, 26% were unaware jected to rise by a further 7%, to pard, chair of the Royal College Cumberbatch told the Sun he selves at risk of sunburn, damage and even cancer. off ers the best protection for that the SPF of a product was a 32 cases per 100,000 people by of GPs, said: “Sunny weather is was not a hero: “I did it out of, Blong-lasting skin dam- Many consumers are unaware you, including both an SPF and measure of a sunscreen’s ability 2035. great for getting outside and do- well, I had to, you know.” age and even cancer as a result that the SPF rating displayed on star rating. to prevent UVB from damaging “The more easily you burn, ing physical activity, which is ul- of their ignorance about how to labels does not measure good skin, and 8% wrongly thought the more important it is to pro- timately good for people’s health choose and use sun care protec- all-round protection from po- According to Cancer the SPF was a measure of how tect your skin whenever the sun and wellbeing. Visa payment tion, England’s senior pharma- tential sun damage, the RPS Research UK, incidence many minutes a product will is strong,” said Fiona Osgun “But the sun can cause short cists have warned. says. rates are projected to rise stop someone burning for. from Cancer Research UK. “The and long-lasting damage to peo- system back up Amid rising skin cancer rates Sun creams are designed to by a further 7%, to 32 cases Also, 20% wrongly thought a best ways to protect your skin ple’s skin, so if you are planning in the UK, the Royal Pharma- protect skin from UVA and UVB per 100,000 people by 2035 fi ve-star rating meant protec- are spending time in the shade to spend time in the sun, it’s es- Visa said yesterday that its ceutical Society (RPS) has for (ultraviolet A and B) radiation, tion against both UVA and UVB and covering up with clothes, a sential to protect yourself by payment system was back up and the fi rst time published an on- which can both increase the risk rays. hat and sunglasses. wearing loose clothing that cov- running after an outage left some line guide on how to select and of developing skin cancer. “The second is to apply “The most misunderstood “For the parts you can’t cover ers your skin, a wide-brimmed customers in Europe struggling correctly use the right products SPF (sun protection factor) enough, and the third is to en- factor when buying sun care up, use sunscreen with at least hat, appropriate eye protection to make purchases. to keep safe in the sun. indicates the amount of protec- sure that you reapply it regu- is that people think that SPF SPF15 and 4 or 5 stars. and to use a high-factor sun- The system went down for about The new material, which was tion off ered against UVB, which larly if out and about in the sun, equals everything,” said Simon “But remember that sun- screen on any exposed areas,” six hours on Friday because a written to be understood by is the main cause of sunburn, ideally every two hours, even if Comins, commercial director of screen should be used as a last she said. “hardware failure” in Europe and consumers as well as by the so- damaging the skin’s more su- products specify only one daily Superdrug. “But while choos- line of defence, and not to stay “Hot conditions can also was not due to a cyber-attack or ciety’s 45,000 members, was perfi cial epidermal layers. application.” ing the right SPF is important out in the sun longer or to sun- cause dehydration, so it’s im- other malicious activity, the card posted last month on the “open Protection from UVA rays, Cheap products are often just to protect skin against burning, bathe.” portant to ensure you drink lots giant said. access” section of its website which penetrate deep into the as eff ective as their more expen- it doesn’t protect against the Tanning was not a sign of good of water.” Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 21 EUROPE Italy’s new premier Sanchez sworn Conte begins work

AFP Rome in as Spain PM taly’s new prime minister Giuseppe Conte attended a AFP Imilitary parade on his fi rst Madrid full day in offi ce yesterday, while his outspoken deputy Matteo Salvini was to head to Sicily as pain’s Socialist chief Pedro part of his campaign against il- Sanchez was sworn in as legal immigration. Sprime minister yesterday The military parade, which after ousting veteran conserva- Conte attended alongside Presi- tive leader Mariano Rajoy, with dent Sergio Mattarella, marked Catalonia’s separatist presi- Republic Day for the foundation dent promptly calling for talks of the Italian Republic in 1946. over the region’s independence Conte was fi nally sworn in drive. on Friday afternoon at the head Sanchez, a 46-year-old of an anti-establishment and Conte takes part in the ceremony yesterday to mark the anniversary economist with no government eurosceptic government, end- of the Italian Republic (Republic Day) at Rome’s Piazza Venezia. experience, has made a spec- ing months of uncertainty since tacular comeback to the front elections in March. “The immigration question any public statements since be- line of politics. The 53-year-old academic remains a hot-button issue, even ing appointed, both Di Maio and However, he faces a tough heads a government of minis- if the number of new arrivals has Salvini have been much more road ahead, leading a minor- ters from the anti-establishment fallen,” said Salvini, an ally of outspoken. ity government with support of 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the French far-right leader Marine EU Commission chief Jean- diverse parties ranging from far- far-right League Party, the fi rst Le Pen. “I’ll be in Sicily on Sun- Claude Juncker called yester- left Podemos to Catalan separa- populist coalition in a founding day. The situation is now calm day for Conte’s new eurosceptic tists. EU member. but only because of the rough Italian government to be treated He took the oath of offi ce be- A political novice, he inherits seas.” with respect, having earlier told fore King Felipe VI in the Zar- a daunting list of issues from his More than 150 migrants, in- Italians to work harder and stop zuela Palace near Madrid in the predecessor Paolo Gentiloni, in- cluding nine children, disem- blaming the EU for the country’s presence of Rajoy, just a day cluding the fi nancial travails of barked from a rescue ship late problems. after toppling the latter in a his- companies such as Ilva and Ali- Friday in Sicily. “We should show respect to- toric no-confi dence vote. talia, a Group of Seven summit in Salvini had said after being wards Italy,” Juncker said in an That move was sparked by Canada and a key EU summit at sworn in that he would ask his interview with the German press fury over a corruption scandal the end of the month, as well as ministry’s experts “how to re- group Funke Mediengruppe. that struck Rajoy’s conservative the thorny question of immigra- duce the number of arriving mi- Juncker said Italy must not Popular Party (PP). Sanchez thanks outgoing premier Rajoy in the presence of King Felipe VI during the swearing-in tion. grants and increase the number suff er the same fate as thrice- “I promise to faithfully fulfi l ceremony at the Zarzuela Palace near Madrid. Immigration is the bugbear of of expulsions”. bailed out Greece whose dignity the duties of the post of prime Conte’s interior minister, Sal- As premier, Conte will be re- was “trodden under foot” by its minister with conscience and Many participants wore yel- ing offi ce in Italy (see report on in exchange for awarding public vini, the 45-year-old leader of sponsible for pushing through creditors when left-wing Prime honour, with loyalty to the king, low, the colour that has come to the right). contracts in a vast graft scheme the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam the anti-austerity and pro-secu- Minister Alexis Tsipras took of- and to guard and have guarded symbolise the separatist cause. Sanchez has promised his between 1999 and 2005. League, who announced on Fri- rity promises that the two popu- fi ce in 2015. the constitution as a fundamen- “We need to sit down at the “main priority” will be to re- An absolute majority of 180 day he would visit Sicily to see list parties campaigned on. “That must not happen again tal state rule,” he said. same table and negotiate, gov- spect Madrid’s defi cit reduction lawmakers voted for the motion the situation for himself at one of Salvini and Economic Devel- in the present case with Italy,” He is the fi rst Spanish prime ernment to government,” Torra commitments to the EU. on Friday to loud applause and the main landing points for refu- opment Minister Luigi Di Maio, Juncker said. “Italians have a minister to take the oath with- said. “This situation we’re going He has also vowed to imple- shouts of “Yes we can”. gees fl eeing war, persecution and head of the M5S, also serve as clear understanding of what is out a Bible or crucifi x. through cannot go on for even ment the 2018 budget drawn up Sanchez vowed to tackle “all famine across North Africa and deputy premiers to Conte. good for their country. They will Sanchez has yet to name his one more day.” by Rajoy’s government. the challenges which the coun- the Middle East. While Conte has hardly made sort it out.” cabinet and it is only when their As opposition leader, Sanchez His arrival at the prime min- try faces with humility”. names are published in an of- was deeply critical of Catalo- ister’s offi ce crowns an astound- Sanchez may struggle to gov- fi cial government journal in the nia’s secession bid. ing comeback. ern, however, as his Socialists WWII shell defused at Brussels airport coming days that he will fully He backed Rajoy’s imposition Sanchez led the Socialists to have just 84 seats in the 350- assume his functions. of direct rule on the region in two crushing general election seat parliament. Bomb disposal experts have defused a Second World War shell No sooner had he taken of- October after separatist leaders defeats in 2015 and 2016, and All of his allies in the no-con- found during building work at Brussels’ international airport, Minister fi ce than Catalonia’s separatist declared independence. was forced out by fellow mem- fi dence motion stressed their off icials said yesterday. president Quim Torra called for However, he softened his tone bers – but re-elected him as vote against Rajoy was not a The shell was discovered during excavation work on part of the talks. as Catalan separatist lawmak- party head in May 2017. blank cheque for Sanchez. apron located “at a safe distance” from the terminal buildings, doubts The wealthy region’s inde- ers in the national parliament Even then the Socialists were “Our ‘Yes’ to Sanchez is a ‘No’ the airport said in a statement, meaning there was no danger to pendence drive shows no sign backed his no-confi dence mo- often sidelined as Podemos, to Rajoy,” Joan Tarda of Catalan passengers and no disruption to flights. of dying down despite divisions tion. centre-right Ciudadanos and pro-independence party Es- Construction work was halted and a 100m safety perimeter put in families among its 7.5mn inhabitants. He has said that he wants to Rajoy’s PP took centre stage in querra Republicana de Catalun- place when the shell was found, the airport said. “Prime Minister Pedro “build bridges” with the new politics. ya (ERC) told parliament. Belgium’s military bomb disposal squad, known by the acronym Sanchez, let’s talk, let’s address regional government. That all changed on May 25 Sanchez will only be able to DOVO, was called in to neutralise the device overnight. with gay this issue, let’s take risks, you The EU-friendly Rajoy, 63, when the Socialists fi led a no- implement policy initiatives “DOVO was able to dismantle the shell without having to detonate it. and us,” Torra said. had been in power since 2011. confi dence motion against Ra- “that allow him to obtain an Brussels Airport wishes to thank DOVO and all services and partners He spoke as his own regional His ousting comes at a time joy. easy majority” in parliament, involved for the good collaboration,” it said. parents executive was sworn in at an of political instability in Europe, The move came a day after said Fernando Vallespin, politi- Millions of shells and other munitions fell in Belgium during the First emotional ceremony in Barce- with a new eurosceptic, anti- a court found former PP offi - cal scientist at the Autonomous and Second World Wars and DOVO is regularly called out to deal lona. establishment government tak- cials guilty of receiving bribes University of Madrid. with unexploded ordnance. ‘exist’

DPA Politicians blast AfD Tears at funeral for murdered schoolgirl Rome taly’s new families minis- ter set tempers rising on his leader’s Nazi remark AFP Ifi rst full day on the job with a La Tour-du-Pin, France media interview in which he said families with same-sex parents DPA congress for young party par- do not “legally exist at the mo- Erfurt, Germany ticipants that comes a month ourners wept and hun- ment”. before the federal party con- dreds of well-wishers Lorenzo Fontana’s comments gress in the city of Augsburg. Mlaid down white fl ow- came during an interview for the omments by a leader of Thuringia’s AfD leader Bjo- ers at the funeral on Saturday daily newspaper Corriere della the right-wing Alterna- ern Hoecke, who was also a of Maelys de Araujo, a French Sera, in which he was asked what Ctive for Germany (AfD) guest at the congress, has also eight-year-old abducted from a he would do for such families party, characterising the Nazi created a stir in the past with wedding and murdered. now that he has taken the posi- regime as a mere speck in a long his calls for “a 180° turn” in the Maely’s body was found in tion of minister. national history, were blasted politics regarding how history February, six months after the “Do rainbow families exist?” in short order yesterday. is remembered. schoolgirl went missing from he asked, using a common term During a meeting of the Hoecke, whose membership an August 27 wedding in a case for families started by gay peo- AfD’s youth organisation in in the party has been disputed which shocked the whole coun- ple. “They do not legally exist at the eastern state of Thuringia, due to comments calling for try. the moment.” Alexander Gauland said: “Hit- Germans to stop atoning for “Nine months are lives have A former European Parliament ler and the Nazis are just bird the Holocaust, spoke to an es- been broken ... I spent nine member, Fontana has never been (expletive) in more than 1,000 timated 400 AfD supporters years of happiness with you,” shy about his conservative fam- years of successful German yesterday who had gathered in said her tearful mother, Jennifer ily values. history.” the western city of Bruchsal. Cleyet-Marrel, at the funeral in He says that as minister, he Gauland did not deny Ger- He called for an end to the the central eastern town of La- wants to reduce the number of man responsibility for the Nazi “asylum industry”, saying that Tour-du-Pin, which was decked abortions in order to reverse It- regime, saying: “Only those Germany is in an absurd situa- out in white balloons to symbol- aly’s sinking birth rate. who acknowledge the past have tion due to its policy on migra- ise a lost innocent child. Fontana is a member of the the power to shape the future.” tion and refugees. Nordhal Lelandais, a former A picture taken yesterday shows white balloons and a photograph of French schoolgirl Maelys De anti-immigrant League party, However, he did underscore In response to the AfD gath- soldier aged 35, admitted in Araujo, who was abducted from a wedding and murdered last year, outside the church of La which just formed a government that it was only a piece of Ger- ering, some 900 counter- February to killing Maelys, but Tour-du-Pin, central eastern France, before her funeral ceremony. in coalition with the anti-estab- many’s “illustrious” history, protesters from other parties, claimed yjay he accidentally lishment 5-Star Movement. which spans far beyond that churches, associations and struck her in the face. service which was broadcast on Among those present were “This could happen to any- League head Matteo Salvini, period. other civic groups had formed His testimony led investiga- big screens in the town square the parents of Arthur Noyer, a one. They are fi nally going to who has also said in the past that “Fifty million victims of war, a human chain, while 1,000 tors to her remains but the exact where some 200 people, some soldier Lelandais has confessed be able to lay her to rest,” said he is against same-sex couples the Holocaust and all-out war people had gathered on the cause of death has not been es- who had come a considerable to killing in April last year. Sebastien, 45, a resident of La- having children, said yesterday are for the AfD and Gauland edges of Hoecker’s speech to tablished. distance, gathered to pay their Maelys is to be buried at a pri- Tour-du-Pin who came to pay that Fontana is allowed “to have just ‘bird (expletive).’ This is protest with drums, whistles The 400-capacity church respects along with members of vate ceremony following the fu- his respects and sign a book of his own opinions”. what the party looks like be- and chanting. was full to bursting for the the media. neral in her nearby home village. condolences. Gay rights groups jumped on hind its civic mask,” said An- The main diff erence between Fontana’s comments. negret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the mother party and the youth The head of Gaynet, Francesco general secretary of the rul- group is their attitude towards Lepore, called it a “wrong and ing Christian Democrat (CDU) the EU, said Damian Lohr, head insulting opinion”. party, yesterday. of the Young Alternative: “The Gabriele Piazzoni, head of the Lars Klingbeil, general sec- European Union must die so ‘Grandparents have right to grandchildren’ Arcigay group, also lashed out. retary of the CDU’s coalition that Europe can live.” “In the last 24 hours, we’ve partner, the Social Democrats, Yesterday Meuthen had read countless statements from called the comments “a hor- called on the youth wing mem- Reuters after a Bulgarian woman sought “The notion of rights of ac- child’s grandparents,” the EU minister Salvini and minister rifying trivialisation” and said bers to join the main party in its Brussels access to her grandson after her cess refers not only to the rights Court of Justice said. Fontana that could have come it’s a shame that such people fi ght for a better Europe. daughter and the child’s father of access of parents to their The court added that deci- out of a newspaper from at least were in the German govern- The youth wing aims to cre- divorce. child, but also to the rights of sions regarding parental re- half a century ago.” ment. ate a programme during its randparents have the The woman had requested access of other persons with sponsibility and rights of ac- Homosexual marriage was Gauland and another AfD congress. right to see their grand- seeing the child one weekend whom it is important for the cess should continue to be made only approved by Italy’s last gov- leader, Joerg Meuthen, were The organisation estimates Gchildren, the European each month and twice a year for child to maintain a personal re- by the court of the country in ernment, but those couples do speaking at a two-day federal that it has 2,000 members. Union’s top court said this week holidays. lationship, among others, the which the child resides. not have a right to adopt. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, June 3, 2018 INDIA

POLITICS DIPLOMACY PROTEST CRISIS ADMINISTRATION Congress to name new Sushma leaves for S Africa, Congress to call for Rahul to address farmers Sena warns of protest, Kerala unit chief next week to attend key meetings Odisha shutdown in Mandsaur on June 6 demands full-fledged CM

Senior leaders from the Congress in Kerala External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj left The Congress Party will call for a shutdown Congress President Rahul Gandhi yesterday The Shiv Sena yesterday threatened to start a have been summoned to Delhi to meet party yesterday for a five-day visit to South Africa during in Odisha over the Mahanadi river issue, state threw his weight behind farmers protesting statewide agitation within a month if Goa doesn’t president Rahul Gandhi next week to decide which she will participate in the Brics (Brazil, Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said nationwide ahead of the first anniversary of get a full-fledged chief minister to replace the the new state chief. A top Congress leader Russia, India, China, South Africa) Foreign Ministers yesterday. He said the date will be decided the deaths of seven farmers in police firing in ailing Manohar Parrikar. He is under treatment said they would meet Gandhi on June 6 and 7. Meeting on June 4 and chair the IBSA (India, Brazil, after discussions with like-minded political Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur on June 6 last for pancreatic cancer in a US hospital. “How Former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, South Africa) ministerial meetings and also attend parties and other organisations. He alleged year. In a tweet that came a day after a 10-day can a state continue to function like this in the Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, a series of events to commemorate the incident in that both the central and state governments farmers’ protest began on Friday, Gandhi said absence of a chief minister? There are so many present party president M M Hassan, among which Mahatma Gandhi was ousted from a train do not have any concern for the people of he would address a rally in Mandsaur on urgent issues, including the resumption of the others, are expected to meet the Congress compartment. Swaraj is expected to have meetings Odisha and are shedding crocodile tears on June 6 to highlight the agrarian issues in mining industry which need to be tackled,” chief. The meeting assumes significance after with the top leadership of South Africa. On June 7, the Mahanadi water crisis. Patnaik said that the country. “Every day about 35 farmers Shiv Sena’s state president Jitesh Kamat said the massive election debacle that the party 1893, on a train trip to Pretoria, Gandhi was ordered Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from commit suicide in our country. To attract in Panaji. “If the Bharatiya Janata Party does suffered in the Chengannur bye-election, by a white man to move from first class to third giving any assurance to Odisha to resolve the government’s attention towards the agrarian not appoint a full-fledged chief minister within which the ruling Communist Party of India class. Gandhi, who had a first class ticket, refused dispute with Chhattisgarh during his recent crisis, farmers are forced to protest for 10 a month, the Shiv Sena will launch a statewide (Marxist) won. and was thrown off the train in Pietermaritzburg. visit to Cuttack. days,” he said. agitation,” added Kamat.

Attempting suicide no more crime, Millions join says ministry

IANS New Delhi ‘tweet protest’

ttempting suicide is no more a crime in India Aand there will be no more electric shocks for mentally ill children, according to a state- against hike ment by the Health Ministry. “Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 309 of the In- dian Penal Code, any person who attempts to commit suicide shall be presumed, unless proved other- wise, to have severe stress and shall in fuel prices not be tried and punished under the said Code,” according to the Men- IANS “The BJP government strate- Development Minister Prakash tal Healthcare Act 2017 notifi ed by Mumbai gically froze the prices of diesel Javadekar said the government ministry on May 29. and petrol in Karnataka during was looking at a ‘long-term’ fi x to As per the Act, the government the campaign before the May as- the issue of the rise in petrol and will have the duty to provide care, illions of people across sembly elections. However, the diesel prices, adding that the so- treatment and rehabilitation to the country tweeted to fuel prices have been witnessing lution lies with state governments the person who attempts suicide MPrime Minister Naren- a continuous hike since then,” also as they too levy their taxes. and has severe stress, to reduce dra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Nirupam said. He said petrol prices were de- the risk of recurrence of attempt Minister Devendra Fadnavis “The government has been regulated during the rule of the to commit suicide. yesterday demanding a cut in waiving huge loans of business- Congress-led United Progres- The 2017 Act, which clearly de- fuel prices in a unique ‘Tweet men who fail to repay their loans sive Alliance government. fi nes mental illness, replaced the Morcha’ organised by the Con- but blatantly exploits the poor “The government is working Mental Health Act 1987. Aimed at gress Party. who reel under infl ation for the on a long-term solution with transforming the mental health- The online protest was organ- past four years,” he added. states. They are also equal stake- care regime in the country, it is ised by Mumbai Congress presi- “It is a myth that fuel price holders. They also levy their enacted to harmonise India’s laws dent Sanjay Nirupam and au- hike aff ects the rich or the up- taxes and therefore all have to with the Convention on Rights of thor Sucheta Dalal and joined by per middle class alone. High fuel work together to come out with Persons with Disabilities and its prominent Mumbaikars, celeb- prices have an infl ationary eff ect a solution,” Javadekar said in Optional Protocol. rities and civil society members. across the system. It increases Kolkata. The treatment and rehabilita- “The objective of this protest transport charges and costs and “The issue is petrol and diesel tion cost for persons with mental is to build public pressure on this hurts the poorer people prices. It is an international phe- illness living below the poverty the non-responsive BJP govern- when prices of basic commodi- nomenon and during Congress line, even without the posses- ments at the Centre and in state ties and vegetables are impact- regime, they de-regulated pet- sion of a BPL card, or those who and to spur them to act on rising ed,” said Dalal. rol,” Javadekar added. are homeless would be free of fuel prices,” Nirupam said. Hence, the entire economy Javadekar also said a protest any charge at all mental health The “Tweet Morcha” was a suff ers while the government has by farmers nationwide will stop establishments run or funded by follow-up to last week’s series of been levying a series of unrea- once the government announces the appropriate government. street processions organised by sonable charges of fuel. This is support prices for crops. Further, the Act bans electric the Congress, but lack of posi- highly unacceptable, she added. “They will get to understand shock as a method of treatment tive action from the government Yesterday’s protest was the when the prices are declared. for mentally ill children. It also has agitated the people further, second “Tweet Morcha” af- The agitation will stop then,” he bans electric shocks for adults with he said. ter the fi rst one held last year said. mental illness without the use of “Mumbai has seen a consistent against the unfair charges levied Javadekar said the govern- muscle relaxants and anaesthesia. hike in fuel prices despite the price by banks on customers. ment’s plan was to provide a Sterilisation of men and women as of crude oil decreasing interna- Following that protest, the “long-lasting” solution to the a treatment for mental illness is also tionally. While this has disrupted Reserve Bank of India was forced issue. prohibited. And, it also prohibits ty- the budget of the common man, to take action against the unfair “I will not try to comment. ing mentally ill persons with chains. the Bharatiya Janata Party gov- trade practices of banks within I don’t want to subscribe (to) “Every person with mental ernment has reached new heights 72 hours. motives now for farmers’ agi- illness shall have a right to live of insensitivity as they decided In New Delhi petrol was sold tation. People are seeing it and with dignity... There shall be no to reduce the petrol prices by one at Rs78.20 per litre, down from people are responding to it,” he discrimination on any basis in- paisa. This is not acceptable to the Rs78.29 on Friday. said when asked if he sensed any cluding gender, sex, sexual ori- masses,” he added. In Mumbai and Chennai, the political agenda in the 10-day entation, religion, culture, caste, The tweets, demanding an prices were Rs86.01 and Rs81.19, protests. social or political beliefs, class or immediate cut in the fuel prices, respectively, down nine paise Among the states where farm- disability,” says the Act as it tries were sent to the prime minister from Friday’s levels. ers are demanding loan waiver to bring the mentally ill at par Supporters of Trinamool Congress hold cut-out replicas of LPG cylinder during a protest against the and the Maharashtra chief min- In Kolkata, petrol price fell by and the right price for crops are with the physically ill in terms of the hike in fuel and LPG prices, in Siliguri yesterday. Protests were called across India in response to ister using #TweetMorcha and eight paise to Rs80.84. election-bound Rajasthan and provision of healthcare services. the increased cost of petrol, diesel and LPG. #CutFuelTaxes. Meanwhile, Human Resource Madhya Pradesh. No threat to Kerala from Telangana marks Nipah virus, says IMA foundation day IANS opening of schools from June Hyderabad 1. IANS ments and the private sector 23 hospitals worldwide, sent the Telangana was carved out Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode need to be complimented for fi rst batch of supplies to a gov- of Andhra Pradesh as the 29th eff ectively containing the out- ernment hospital treating two elangana celebrated its state of the country in 2014 af- break. patients who tested positive for fourth formation day ter a long people’s struggle. he Indian Medical As- “Of the 18 positive cases, the deadly virus. Tyesterday with Chief Rao, who was leading the sociation (IMA) yester- 16 have died and the remain- The consignment contained Minister K Chandrasekhar movement since 2001, paid Tday said Kerala need not ing two are recovering at a high-quality N95 masks, body Rao declaring that his goal was rich tributes to the martyrs worry about the Nipah virus as Kozhikode hospital. In all we bags and PPE kit with N95 to free farmers from the loan of Telangana. In his address the state is completely safe from had sent 193 samples of which specifications, health authori- trap. at the main offi cial function, it now. 175 were negative,” the minister ties said. The main official cel- he recalled that the state was Tourism Minister Kadakam- said. Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, an NRI ebration was held at Parade achieved after a struggle with pally Surendran too said the state “Almost 2,000 people have tycoon who heads the conglom- Grounds in the state capital, the belief that only statehood was indeed a safe destination as been reported to have come in erate, sent his private jet as cargo where the chief minister un- to Telangana could change the around 300 doctors arrived in contact with the aff ected and fl ights were not immediately furled the national flag and destiny of its people. Kerala from various parts of In- this fi gure might go up. Things available. reviewed a colourful parade KCR, as the TRS chief is dia for an IMA conference to be are in control, but we have to be “We commend the Kerala gov- by police. popularly known, said his gov- held at Kovalam. very careful,” she said. ernment and the health authori- State ministers, MPs, legis- ernment implemented several “The arrival of renowned There were anxious mo- ties for their diligence in helping lators and other public repre- welfare schemes during the doctors to Kerala has an im- ments yesterday morning when control the spread of this virus,” sentatives hoisted the Tricol- last four years to help the peo- mense significance,” said it was wrongly reported that a a press release quoted Dr Vayalil our in the districts while the ple. He listed the programmes Surendran. 38-year-old woman had died in as saying. day was also celebrated with launched for the welfare of IMA president Ravi Kannur district due to the virus. “As health professionals, it’s enthusiasm at government various sections of the society. Wankadekar, who is in the capi- However, it was clarifi ed later our responsibility to help in any offi ces. The ruling Telangana He spoke in detail about the tal city for the IMA conference, that she had died of other causes capacity the state needs. We’ll Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the schemes launched for farm- said the virus outbreak does not and did not carry the Nipah vi- continue to work with the gov- opposition parties also organ- ers, the latest being the Rythu hold any threat. rus. ernment to help eradicate the ised the celebrations at their Bandhu scheme under which “Around 300 doctors arriv- zOur correspondent Ashraf threat.” respective offi ces to mark the farmers will get Rs8,000 per ing in the state itself shows that Padanna adds: Dr Vayalil, who also heads the day. acre each every year as crop the virus isn’t a threat at all,” he A plane-load of protective Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi, is For the fi rst time the Tel- investment support. He said said. gears arrived in Kozhikode as the also a member of the state NRI angana Formation Day was this scheme brought smiles on State Health Minister K K state grapples with the Nipah Commission, a semi-judicial also celebrated in schools as the faces of farmers, who no Shailaja said that medical teams virus. body looking into the complaints Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao speaks at an event to the government shortened the longer need to borrow money of the central and state govern- VPS Healthcare, which runs of expats. celebrate Telangana formation day in Secunderabad yesterday. summer vacation to ensure for cultivation. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 23 INDIA Kashmir on edge after CRPF jeep mows down protester

IANS Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s off er a congregational funeral pended in Srinagar and Budgam Minister of State in PMO Ji- Sameer Tiger allegedly by the in Budhshah Chowk when mili- Srinagar visit next week to review the prayer. districts. tendra Singh said the Nation- security forces. tants hurled a grenade at a CRPF situation after the govern- Security forces used tear The speed of broadband In- al Conference leader’s tweet While shops, other business- vehicle in the evening. ment’s May 16 decision to call smoke shells to quell the angry ternet connections was also re- smacked of “the double stand- es remained closed and public “A CRPF jawan and a pedes- undreds of slogan- a ceasefire during the month of mourners who were shouting duced to prevent uploading of ards of Kashmir-centric politi- transport remained off the roads trian were injured in this attack. shouting residents fasting. anti-India and pro-freedom slo- provocative posts and pictures. cians”. at most places, three-wheelers They have been shifted to hospi- Hyesterday attended the Srinagar is already tense af- gans. The death of the Srinagar man “Security forces are soft tar- and private transport was seen tal,” the police said. funeral of a 21-year-old man ter Kaiser Ahmad succumbed to Authorities placed separatist triggered sharp criticism from gets for these politicians but plying in the uptown and city Minutes later, another gre- who along with two others was his critical internal injuries in a leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq former chief minister Omar they can’t speak against the outskirts. nade was lobbed at another injured on Friday when a para- Srinagar hospital after the Cen- under house arrest at his Nigeen Abdullah, who said if the gov- militants as they can strike Meanwhile two explosions CRPF vehicle in Magarmal Bagh military vehicle ran over pro- tral Reserve Police Force (CRPF) residence to prevent his partici- ernment’s “ceasefi re means no back,” the BJP MP from Udham- rocked Srinagar yesterday as in Srinagar. However, no casual- testers in an already volatile jeep hit protesters in the old city pation in the funeral procession. guns, so use jeeps”. pur said. militants lobbed two grenades ties were reported. Srinagar. neighbourhood of Nowhatta - a Jammu and Kashmir Libera- “Earlier they tied people to He said the criticism of secu- at two CRPF vehicles at diff er- Earlier, three CRPF troopers The city remained on edge as hotbed of anti-government pro- tion Front (JKLF) chairman Ya- the fronts of jeeps and paraded rity forces who risk their lives ent places, injuring two people, and three civilians were injured authorities imposed restriction tests in the valley. sin Malik was also arrested in them around villages to deter protecting the country was “un- police said. in a grenade attack in Fateh Ka- and snapped mobile Internet The death of the man triggered Srinagar. protesters. Now they just drive fortunate”. It was the second such attack dal area of Srinagar. services amid a Ramadan cease- more angry protests. Hundreds The authorities imposed re- their jeeps right over protestors. Separatists have called for a yesterday. Militant outfi t Jaish-e-Mo- fi re in Jammu and Kashmir. of people yesterday marched to- strictions in old city areas to Is this your new SOP,” Abdullah general strike against civilian Two persons including a hamed has claimed the respon- The incident and subsequent wards and gathered near a grave- maintain law and order and mo- said and tagged Chief Minister killings and the desecration of CRPF trooper and a civilian sibility for the attacks in Fateh protests occurred days before yard in Eidgah grounds here to bile Internet services were sus- Mehbooba Mufti. the grave of Hizbul commander were injured in a grenade attack Kadal and Budshah Chowk. AAP, Congress trade barbs over alliance ahead of polls

IANS tweet from Sharma. “A joker fi rst New Delhi day dreams of three Lok Sabha seats off er, then next day realises nobody on earth will even spare he Aam Aadmi Party yes- a single seat for a party which terday asked the Congress fi nished a poor third in all seven Tto “show guts” and an- Delhi seats in 2014 and lost its nounce its candidates for the security deposit in four seats.” seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats for Adding to the Twitter war was the 2019 general elections. Delhi Congress spokesperson AAP was responding to Delhi Sharmistha Mukherjee. She chal- BJP members stage a protest rally in Kolkata over the alleged killing of party activists in Purulia yesterday. The BJP said a 32-year-old man found hanging from a high-tension Congress chief Ajay Maken’s lenged the AAP and asked if Kejri- tower in Dabha village of Purulia district yesterday morning was a prominent party worker. The party accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of killing him. statement ruling out an alliance wal can openly reject the possibili- with Chief MinisterArvind Ke- ty of an alliance with the Congress. jriwal’s party. “Instead of you chirping, let Kejriwal’s media adviser Na- your leader Arvind Kejriwal gendar Sharma said Maken, “af- come out openly and reject the ter being rejected in politics”, was possibility of an alliance. Plant- trying his hand at psephology. ing false stories in the media and “Having led his party to secu- personal abuses will not lead you rity deposits being lost in 63/ 70 anywhere,” Mukherjee said. By-election losses due Delhi constituencies, he is now “(The) AAP is facing an ex- measuring graphs. Show guts istential crisis. No wonder it is and declare your seats,” Sharma desperate for an alliance with the tweeted. Congress, a party and its leaders He said the Kairana by-elec- whom Kejriwal abused unabash- tion result in Uttar Pradesh clear- edly. If he has courage and convic- ly indicated that non-BJP parties tion, let him immediately quash to low turnout, says BJP need not be led by the Congress. rumours and reject these stories “This old party hobnobs with as false as Maken is doing.” IANS ence in voting percentage has however, retained the Palghar and Bahujan Samaj Party came all-party meeting that all elec- the BJP and treats other parties She said between the 2015 Kolkata brought a diff erent result,” BJP parliamentary seat in Mahar- together. It often happens in tions henceforth would be con- with disdain. Its Delhi unit is a assembly and the 2017 Munici- leader and Human Resource ashtra while its ally Nagaland politics. It is not a threat to the ducted using EVMs coupled virtual BJP front,” Sharma said. pal Corporation of Delhi elec- Development Minister Prakash Democratic Progressive Party BJP,” he added. with Voter Verifi able Paper Au- The Delhi Congress chief also tions, the AAP lost vote share by he Bharatiya Janata Party Javadekar said at a press confer- (NDPP) bagged the Nagaland Meanwhile, Chief Election dit Trail (VVPAT) machines. dismissed speculation of an alli- 54.30% and the Congress gained yesterday claimed the ence here. seat. Commissioner O P Rawat yes- VVPAT is also being used ance with the AAP, saying Kejri- by 118.66%. Tsignifi cantly lower vot- “We are a thinking party. We The minister said the BJP’s terday ruled out bringing back along with EVMs for enhanced wal was responsible for the rise “No rocket science required to ing percentage was responsible are not a dynast. We are already overall rise in the country can- ballot papers for elections said transparency and credibility in of the BJP and Prime Minister understand which party is los- for the party’s defeat in two out analysing in detail, till the booth not be belittled by the recent the electronic voting machines the voting process, he said. Narendra Modi. ing or gaining ground rapidly. No of three Lok Sabha by-elections level. We will take the necessary results and refused to accept were being made a ‘scapegoat’ “EVM has been made an easy “The one who has defamed wonder the AAP is so desperate this week and said it would in- action,” he said. that opposition unity in certain as the EVMs cannot speak ‘scapegoat’ by political parties the Congress and has created a for alliance with (the) Congress.” trospect and analyse the rea- However, said the BJP has states is a threat to the ruling and political parties needed to because it cannot speak and monster called Modi is Arvind Mukherjee said Maken had sons for the loss “up to the won 14 states in the last four party. blame someone or something political parties need to blame Kejriwal. I, as the president of been consistently exposing the booth level”. years. “That is an achievement. “We were ruling in six states for their defeat. someone for their defeat,” he Delhi Pradesh Congress Com- failures and misdeeds of the AAP “Out of three (Lok Sabha If we have lost two by-elections, when we came to power in 2014. “There is absolutely nothing said, and claimed that India’s mittee, on behalf of all the Con- government since the last three- seats) we lost two, and won one. it is ok. We will analyse.” Now we are ruling in 20 states. about the integrity of the sys- conduct of free and fair elections gress leaders and workers, con- and-a-half years. “No wonder, There is a diff erence between Out of the four Lok Sabha That’s a victory,” Javadekar tem... However, time and again was admired all across the world. fi rm that no one from our party AAP members are crying for his general elections and by-elec- by-elections held in three states claimed. whenever there are eruptions “It is creditworthy that de- wants to support Kejriwal. When blood.” tions. In general elections the last Thursday, the BJP lost the “In West Bengal, Trinamool on this, we clarify the issue,” spite such a large electorate, the the people are not supporting She said the AAP and the BJP voting percentage in all these crucial Kairana Lok Sabha seat retained its seat, there was no Rawat said here. Election Commission is able him, we will also not support.” were both “jumla parties and spe- three seats was more than 70%. in Uttar Pradesh and Bhandara- opposition unity here. In Uttar He said the election watch- to publish results in just a few This triggered a sarcastic cialise in creating false narratives”. Now it is 50%. So the diff er- Gondiya in Maharashtra. It Pradesh the Samajwadi Party dog last July announced at an hours.”

Rains lash Mumbai; PM holds talks with three die, fl ights hit

IANS to the M T Agarwal Hospital Mattis in Singapore in Mulund, but were declared Mumbai dead. IANS across the extraordinary breadth The prime minister then visited A third person died in another Singapore of our relationship”. the National Orchid Museum here re-monsoon showers such incident in Bhandup East. “It has assumed new signifi - where an orchid was named after accompanied by gusty The India Meteorologi- cance in the changing world. And, him - Dendrobrium Narendra Modi. Pwinds lashed Mumbai cal Department (IMD issued rime Minister Narendra Modi an important pillar of this part- “A strong and robust tropical and surrounding areas yester- a storm warning for Thane met US Defence Secretary nership is our shared vision of an orchid which produces upright day while three people were and surrounding areas, with PJames Mattis on the side- open, stable, secure and prosper- infl orescences up to 38cm long electrocuted, offi cials said. chances of thunderstorms, lines of the Shangri-La Dialogue ous Indo-Pacifi c region,” he said. with 14-20 well-arranged fl ow- The rains started in the lightning, strong winds and and went on board an Indian Navy The three-day Shangri-La ers,” spokesperson Kumar said. evening in many parts of Mum- rains in many parts. ship at a naval base in Singapore Dialogue that commenced on Modi also visited the Mariam- bai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Several areas of Mumbai yesterday, the concluding day of Thursday is a Track I annual in- man Temple, which is the oldest Ratnagiri after dense cloud suburbs experienced brief his three-nation tour of southeast ter-governmental security forum Hindu temple in Singapore built formation since late after- power outages and snapped Asia, before departing for India. organised by the International In- in 1827. noon, and later developed into cable connections following External Aff airs Ministry stitute of Strategic Studies (IISS) Following the visit to the tem- a thunderstorm with lightning a technical snag in the Inter- spokesperson Raveesh Kumar think tank. ple, Modi, accompanied by Singa- and continuous drizzling. connecting Transformer of the tweeted that the focus of conver- Modi started his engagements pore Culture Minister Grace Yien, Flight operations at the MSETL in Kalwa on Friday. sation with Mattis was on the re- yesterday with a meeting with visited the Chulia mosque which Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj “To minimise the incon- gion in the context of Modi’s key- Singapore Emeritus Senior Min- was built by Chulia Muslim mer- International Airport were hit venience, we have ensured note address on Thursday at the ister and former prime minister chants from India’s Coroman- with delays in arrivals and de- that the Reliance Energy’s Shangri-La Dialogue. Goh Chok Tong. dal coast under the leadership of partures and diversions of sev- Dahanu Power Plant runs at In his speech, Modi said that “Starting the day meeting with Anser Sahib. eral domestic, international its full capacity of 500 MW. India’s vision for the Indo-Pacifi c a veteran leader and an advocate “Demonstrating the age-old and cargo fl ights. We may continue rotational region is that of a free, open and of deeper India-Singapore en- people-to-people contact be- In the fi rst rain-related load-shedding in some areas inclusive region that embraces all gagement!,” Kumar said in a sepa- tween our two countries,” Kumar tragedy, two persons includ- till normalcy is restored in the in a common pursuit of progress rate tweet. said in a separate tweet. ing a minor girl, were elec- grid to reduce discomfort to and prosperity. Following the meeting, the two Modi and Yien together also trocuted when they came in our customers,” a Reliance En- He also said that India’s global leaders unveiled a plaque to pay visited the Buddha Tooth Relic contact with a live wire during ergy spokesperson said. strategic partnership with the US tribute at the immersion site of Temple and Museum. heavy rains in Khindipada of Temperatures dipped sharp- has overcome the hesitations of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes at Clif- Singapore is home to around Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with US Defence Bhandup Wast here. ly in Mumbai, from the average history and “continues to deepen ford Pier in the city state. 800,000 people of Indian origin. Secretary James Mattis in Singapore yesterday. The victims were rushed of 35 to around 26 degrees. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, June 3, 2018 PAKISTAN

First Sikh female reporter makes it to KP points out fl aws national airwaves

Internews reporter in the region, if not Peshawar the country. “I was consistently told by my close relatives that I was in Fata merger law s if being a member of going down the wrong path. a very small minority But now, even my strongest Internews on the issue of fi nancing,” Khan Constitution Amendment, pro- pay much attention to its legal out the necessary resources to Anot known for achieve- critics are proud of me,” Kaur Peshawar wrote, demanding “a binding vided for executive authority of implications and possible fallout. set the ball rolling in the tribal ments in higher studies was smiles, adding: “No talented and written commitment” from the federation over the Fata and The letter pointed out that region, now part of Khyber Pa- not daunting enough, one Sikh woman can be stopped from Islamabad without waiting for had empowered the president to because of the amendment, the khtunkhwa. woman has braved the odds forging ahead and achieving he Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the outcome of the National Fi- issue directives for its govern- Nizam-e-Adl Regulation would “They are our brothers and we from within her own commu- her goals if she wants to.” (KP) government has nance Commission award, which ance. also lose its legal basis, leading owe it to them. We wouldn’t wait nity to fulfi l her dream of be- Explaining her motivation Traised a number of legal, it added, could take a long time. Khan further pointed out the to administrative vacuum in the for the federal government to coming a journalist. for getting into the fi eld of constitutional and fi nancial is- However, perhaps one of the lack of a “saving” clause in the Malakand Division. start the process,” he pointed out. “It was diffi cult to study fur- journalism, she said that she sues with the federal government most serious issues highlighted constitution amendment for It was suggested that the pro- Khan said that he had already ther, and that too journalism, wished to highlight societal regarding merger of the Federally in the letter pertained to the abo- facilitating transition and pro- vincial government would prom- begun deliberations and the nec- where you have to be in con- issues, including those being Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) lition of Article 247. tection of action already taken, ulgate an ordinance now to pro- essary spadework on creation stant contact with men,” says faced by minority communi- with the province, and identifi ed The chief secretary wrote that which might result in adminis- vide legal cover to the regulation of a new administrative system, 24-year-old Manmeet Kaur. ties, specifi cally by young and their possible fallout on the Fata’s without the powers to make reg- trative, legal and “prosecutional” as well as to the role of the Levies depending on the availability of Not only did she have to educated female members of transitioning and mainstream- ulations by the president, the ex- vacuum. in the division. resources from the federal gov- break with tradition around the society. ing. isting regulations would have no “If not solved, the same will Offi cials in Peshawar say ernment, but would move ahead higher education amongst her Kaur accepts that [becoming In a letter addressed to the legal footing. not stand judicial scrutiny,” his that the issues were raised dur- with the money available in his community – Sikhs make up a journalist] is a challenge. ministry of states and frontier re- “The proposed Regulations for letter said. ing a meeting in Islamabad and province. a dismal 2% of those in higher “Yes, there are threats to mi- gions (Safron), KP chief secretary Fata will not have any legal basis It said that leaving the term threadbare discussions were held The plan included a situation- education – she faced a host of norities, while journalists have Muhammad Azam Khan recalled for promulgation, creating an “Tribal Areas in a truncated (Ar- with offi cials of the Safron min- based and time-bound conver- other hurdles as well. their own problems since they that the federal government had administrative vacuum,” the of- ticle) 246 created doubts and left istry and former special assistant sion of tribal areas into properly Having graduated from the are being targeted, but I adopt- announced a fi nancial package of fi cer warned. many questions answered”. to the prime minister, Barrister administered areas and identifi - Jinnah College for Women in ed this profession as a mission Rs1tn over 10 years for the Fata, The letter said that the Action “Legal minds of the federal Zafarullah Khan. cation of areas for staring direct the provincial capital, Kaur and I have accepted it as a chal- out of which Rs200bn was to be in Aid of Civil Power Regulation, government should clarify it and Chief secretary Khan, mean- policing mechanism as soon as wanted to take a diff erent path lenge,” she said. provided during the fi rst three also enforced under Article 247, [provide] rationale of retaining while, expressed optimism that possible and conversion of Lev- and pursue a career in journal- Despite the hard road to ar- years with the assurance that the would lose its legal cover as a re- it. Furthermore, the legal minds all the problems would be over- ies and Khasadars into police, ism rather than waste herself rive at this position, Kaur said funds would not lapse and would sult and all actions taken under should also propose measures as come in due course of time. besides fi nalisation of the Local by staying home. she never did expect to be ap- only be used in the region. the aforementioned regulation to how best to use the term ‘Trib- He said that the transition Government Act based on the Hence, she joined the Uni- preciated by those within her “(There is) no consensus for would become illegal. al Areas’,” it said. entailed massive infrastructure province’s law but with some versity of Peshawar’s journal- community, who are now hap- provision of fi nances. The federal The chief secretary proposed Under the new scheme of development and recruitment to modifi cations considering the ism programme to complete py to have a minority female government and the provinces promulgation of ordinances both things, the erstwhile tribal agen- put in place the required admin- ground realities. her master’s degree. journalist. disagree on provision of funds. by the federal and provincial gov- cies will be called tribal districts. istrative, security and judicial “It [the merger] is good for Kaur said that when she told “I got special treatment, No reforms could be implement- ernments to provide protection It is evident that in the rush to machinery. the country and we will ensure her family about her plans to special importance and im- ed. The three-year plan cannot to rules and regulations in the get the amendment passed from “Without funding, nothing that it [the bill] is implemented pursue higher education, they mense respect, I cannot ex- be undertaken. Transition with- erstwhile Fata. both the houses of parliament can be done,” Khan said. seamlessly as soon as possible in were not happy. plain it,” Kaur gushed, having out money is only paperwork,” Article 247 of the Constitu- and the provincial assembly, par- He hastened to add that the accordance with the aspirations “It was really diffi cult for me recently joined a new television the offi cial communication said. tion, which has been done away liamentarians and legal wizards provincial government would and expectations of the people,” to continue,” she said. news channel in the provincial “Provinces are ambivalent with after adoption of the 25th of the federal government did not tighten its own belt and fork Khan added. However, just when Kaur capital. thought that an impasse had She is, however, by no means been reached with her family, the fi rst member of her com- she found a pillar of support munity to attain stardom on from an unlikely source – her television. uncle. Nearly a decade ago, Taran- The beat is fading for She said her uncle not only jeet Singh broke into local tel- stood up for her, he stood by evision. her and extended to her all the Hailing from Lahore, Singh Ramadan drummers support she needed to con- gained prominence for his tinue her studies, to become shows on the state-run Paki- arguably the fi rst Sikh female stan Television (PTV). By Khurram Shahzad, AFP Millions of devout Pakistanis Rawalpindi observe the fasting month of Ra- madan. From sunrise onwards they ab- al Hussain saunters stain from food and drink, break- through Rawalpindi’s ing their fast at sunset with Iftar. Navy signs deal with Lempty streets at 1am shat- Then in the hours before dawn tering the silence with synco- they eat once more, with sehri, pated drum beats, awakening the morning meal, giving them China for two frigates startled Pakistanis so they can a fi nal opportunity to consume eat one last meal before the day’s water and juice and plates of food Ramadan fasting begins. before the day-long fast. Internews dia directorate said in a press “Wake up and eat your morn- Drummers once provided the Islamabad statement. ing meal!” he howls along with heartbeat to the sehri ritual but It described the Type 054A the Bhangra-inspired beats ema- their future is uncertain as more frigate as an “extremely potent nating from his dhol drum. Pakistanis connect to the grid he Pakistan navy has and state-of-the-art warship”, Hussain has been faithfully and purchase smartphones. announced that it is equipped with latest weapons, hitting the streets every Ram- Now, people almost univer- Tpurchasing two multi- including long-range missiles adan for the last 35 years, walking sally rely on phone alarms, digital role Type 054A frigates from and hi-tech sensors, and ca- with his tasselled drum for miles clocks or public announcements ‘Ramadan drummer’ Lal Hussain beats his drum as he makes calls at doors to ‘wake up and eat your sehri China. pable to undertake operations through the deserted byways and on loudspeakers to rouse them morning meal’ at Bani, an old residential area in Rawalpindi. The contract for the acqui- in all domains of naval warfare. back alleys of the city’s old quar- from their slumber in time for sition of two warships from The ship has a stealthy de- ter. sehri. to wake their fellow Muslims for Even as his fellow drummers we enjoy it in the same manner,” the China Shipbuilding Trad- sign and is primarily designed Mothers and children peek “Need is the mother of inno- sehri. have retired or abandoned the says Yasir Butt. ing Company Ltd (CSTC) was for air defence. through their windows to catch vation,” says Uxi Mufti, former “Hardly a dozen drummers tradition, the 66-year-old per- And with Pakistan’s frequent signed at the ministry of de- The frigate is equipped to a glimpse of the drummer as director general of Pakistan’s are left in Rawalpindi,” Hussain sists undaunted as he battles power cuts, Hussain says that fence production. conduct anti-surface and anti- he passes, while men greet him national institute of culture and tells AFP as he makes his rounds hepatitis C – determined to keep he is ultimately more reliable The navy said that Pakistan’s submarine warfare missions. in the streets off ering small heritage. “Now when (the drum- through the city of some 5mn the practice alive for as long as than residents’ battery-reliant fl eet of Type 054A warships According to websites on amounts of cash as thanks for his mers) are not required, they are people. “There used to be a drum possible. phones. would grow to four by 2021. naval issues, the Type 054A service. vanishing.” beater in every street but now His dedication has endeared “There are people who tell me “The induction of these frigate has a length of 134m and However, this centuries-old Every year fewer drummers many of them have gone. The him to residents. to continue with drum beating ships will substantially en- abeam of 16m. tradition is becoming rarer in Pa- fan out in the cities and villages younger generations have adopt- “It rekindles (memories of) as they don’t trust their mobile hance the Pakistan navy’s war The standard displacement kistan. across Pakistan during Ramadan ed other professions.” our forefathers, our culture, so phones,” he says. fi ghting capabilities, while ef- is 3,600 tonnes, while the full fectively contributing towards displacement is 4,000 tonnes. maritime security operations Each vessel is estimated to in the region,” the navy’s me- cost $250mn.

Pre-monsoon rains expected from June 15: offi cial UN medals for fallen peacekeepers The UN has honoured at a solemn ceremony 128 military, police and Internews According to the Met depart- events with dust storms are ex- fi rst half of the month. didan, Sibbi, and Sukkur, it was civilian personnel from 38 countries, including seven Pakistanis, Lahore ment forecast, the intense heat- pected till June 15. Hot weather continued in most 49°C. who lost their lives while serving in peacekeeping operations wave is likely to prevail in most During the second half of the parts of the country yesterday. Lahore’s maximum tempera- throughout 2017. parts of the country during the month, the weather is likely to Mohenjodaro, Dadu and ture was 44°C, but the 30% hu- Yesterday’s ceremony marked the annual International Day of s the severe heat wave fi rst half of June. remain rainy, with two to three Shaheed Benazirabad were the midity made the weather sultry Peacekeepers during which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal was continued to grip Paki- The temperature will remain 1° rainy spells likely in upper parts hottest places in the country, and unbearable. awarded posthumously. Astan, the Meteorological to 2° Celsius above the long term of the country, including North- with a maximum temperature of Relief came in the late after- Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Department has forecast pre- average in the plain areas of the east Punjab, Upper Khyber Pa- 51°C. noon when easterly winds blew ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, accepted the awards on behalf of the monsoon rains from June 15. country. khtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and The maximum temperature in away humidity from the city. families of the seven fallen peacekeepers. The monsoon season begins Mostly dry weather condi- Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Larkana, Jacobabad, Bahawal- Multan recorded 46°C maxi- They are Sepoy Hazrat Bilal, Naik Abdul Ghafoor, Naik Muhammad in Pakistan on July 1 and lasts till tions with chances of one or two Temperatures are likely to drop nagar, and Turbat was 50°C, and mum temperature, Faisalabad Ali, Sepoy Muhammad Ishtiaq Abbasi, Sepoy Tariq Javed, Naik September 30. isolated rainfall/thunderstorm by 2°C to 3°C compared to the in Bhakkar, Rahim Yar Khan, Pa- saw 45°C, and Sargodha 44°C. Attaur Rehman, and Sepoy Yassir Abbas. Poll nomination papers for reserved seats sought

Internews lic the schedule for the general The revised list of candidates He issued the public notice in creased to fi ve from four. tices in their respective constitu- nomination paper for a National Peshawar elections, according to which the will be made public on June 27 relation to the nine seats reserved In Peshawar, fi ve returning encies. Assembly constituency, or a nomination papers could be fi led and the date for withdrawal of for women in the NA from KP, offi cers – Mohammad Saeed All returning offi cers for the Rs20,000 fee with the nomina- from June 2 to June 6, and polling nomination papers will be June 22 seats reserved for women in Amjad, Shah Waliullah Hamid general seats are judicial offi cers. tion paper for a Provincial As- he relevant returning of- will take place on July 25. 28. the KP Assembly, and three seats Hashmi, Javedur Rehman, Tan- The Election Commission of sembly seat. fi cers for the National The names of the nominated Allocation of symbols to the reserved for non-Muslims in the veer Iqbal, and Abid Sarwar – is- Pakistan has already announced Under Section 132 of the Elec- TAssembly and Khyber candidates will be displayed on candidates and list of contesting KP Assembly. sued the public notice for NA-27 that the priority lists of candi- tions Act 2017, the limit of elec- Pakhtunkhwa Assembly con- June 7 whereas scrutiny of nomi- candidates will be issued on June Unlike previous polls when to NA-31 constituencies, respec- dates for the seats reserved for tion expenses incurred by a can- stituencies and seats reserved nation papers by the returning 29. the National Assembly constitu- tively. women and non-Muslims have didate for the National Assembly for women and non-Muslims offi cers will take place until June Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) encies in Peshawar began from The number of provincial as- to be submitted until June 6 and is Rs4mn, whereas that of a can- issued public notices across the 14. Election Commissioner Pir Maq- NA-1 Peshawar-I, after the de- sembly constituencies in Pesha- thereafter, no changes could be didate for the Provincial Assem- province here yesterday, inviting The last date for fi ling of ap- bool Ahmad is the returning of- limitation of constituencies, the war has been increased to 14 from made to those lists. bly is Rs2mn. nomination papers by the candi- peals against the decisions of the fi cer for the seats reserved for National Assembly constituen- the previous 11. The minimum permissible age A candidate is required to open dates for the general elections. returning offi cers will be June 19, women and non-Muslims in the cies of Peshawar starts from NA- The returning offi cers of all for a candidate under the Consti- a separate bank account for elec- The offi cers issued the public while the last date for deciding Provincial Assembly and wom- 27 Peshawar 1. 14 constituencies – from PK-66 tution is 25 years. tion expenses and provide this notice under Section 57 (3) of the the appeals by the appellate tri- en-reserved seats in the National The number of NA constitu- Peshawar I to PK-79 Peshawar- The candidates had also to de- information in his or her nomi- Elections Act 2017, making pub- bunal will be June 26. Assembly (NA) from KP. encies of Peshawar has also in- XIV – have issued the public no- posit a fee of Rs30,000 with the nation papers. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 25 PHILIPPINES Senate to summon Garin, Abad again over fund diversion

By Jeff erson Antiporda cember 29, 2015, signed by former executive dication of the release of funds was the DoH Manila Times secretary Paquito Ochoa, which at the same being able to fund the construction of 217 of time sought the realignment of P3.5bn to the 3,700 targeted rural health centres. procure the Dengvaxia vaccines. Asked if former president Aquino would he Senate will summon anew two Garin, in a recent radio interview, denied be invited, Ejercito said the Senate would Cabinet secretaries of former presi- the allegation and claimed that there was see where the investigation would lead and President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to participate in a summit with South Korean leader Moon Tdent Benigno Aquino linked to the al- no request for a P10.6bn transfer from Phil- to determine whether there would be a need Jae-in where South Korea’s help for the rehabilitation of Marawi City will be tackled. leged diversion of P10.6bn in funds intended Health because there was simply no fund. for it. for the health insurance premiums of senior Asked for his reaction, Ejercito said the “But as for now the ones directly involved citizens, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said. former government offi cials would have their in the issue were Abad, Garin, and Padilla,” “They (offi cials) will be given the chance to chance to explain their side and that it would said Ejercito. air their side. But it would be under the com- be best if they would give their statements News of the supposed diversion of funds mittee on Accountability of Public Offi cers while under oath. alarmed the Coalition of Services of the Eld- Philippines, S Korea and Investigations (Blue Ribbon),” Ejercito Ejercito, however, was not convinced with erly (Cose) and Confederation of Older Per- said in an interview. the initial explanation of Garin, noting that son Associations of the Philippines (Copap). The senator was referring to former budget documents submitted to his committee in- “Senior citizens have not totally maxim- secretary Florencio Abad and former health dicated that there was a request for a fund ised the benefi t of Mandatory PhilHealth secretary Janette Garin. Also summoned was transfer. Coverage law, thus recent issues on Phil- to sign four pacts former Philippine Health Insurance Corp One of the documents Ejercito’s commit- Health funds for senior citizens concerns ad- (PhilHealth) president Alexander Padilla. tee obtained was the August 5, 2015 letter vocates for older persons’ rights like us,” says The Offi ce of Sen. Richard Gordon, who signed by Garin and Padilla, addressed to Emily Beridico, Cose executive director. heads the blue ribbon committee, confi rmed Abad. Cose and Copap called for a comprehen- that there would be an inquiry on the alleged In the letter, Garin and Padilla were asking sive and transparent investigation, to hold all during Duterte visit fund diversion to health facilities. Abad for the immediate release of P10.6bn persons and agencies involved accountable. PhilHealth Chief Operating Offi cer Ruben in unprogrammed appropriation for the De- “The government should ensure that our John Basa, in last Tuesday’s hearing of the partment of Health (DoH) to augment the sector will not be aff ected by this current By Ralph Villanueva pines’ Department of Trade of both countries, with about Senate Committee on Health and Demogra- 2015 Health Facilities Enhancement Pro- controversy and we can continue accessing Manila Times and Industry and South Korea’s 1.6mn Korean tourists to the phy led by Ejercito, named Abad, Garin and gramme. the PhilHealth insurance regardless of the Ministry of Trade, Industry Philippines and 450,000 Fili- Padilla as being responsible for diverting Garin and Padilla said the fund would be outcome of the investigation,” said Dioscoro and Energy. pino tourists to Korea in 2017, P10.6bn from the Miscellaneous Person- used for the construction of health stations in Benalla, Copap president. he Philippines and South A loan agreement on the New aside from the expatriates in nel and Benefi ts Fund (MPBF) of the 2015 identifi ed public elementary schools; equip- Republic Act 10645 or the Mandatory Korea will be signing Cebu International Container each country,” he added. national budget to the health facilities en- ment provision for village health stations; PhilHealth Coverage Law was signed in 2014 Tat least four bilateral Port Project, he said, will also Abella said agricultural and hancement programme. and infrastructure upgrading and equipment to provide universal PhilHealth coverage of agreements during President be signed by the Philippines’ environmental co-operation The realignment request for P10.6bn was provision for rural health rural health units senior citizens. COSE and Copap lobbied for Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Seoul, Department of Finance and the and market access for Philip- contained in a memorandum dated on De- and urban health centres.Ejercito said an in- the passage of the law. Foreign Aff airs Undersecretary Export-Import Bank of Korea. pine exports, especially okra, Ernesto Abella has said. “The signifi cance of this visit avocado and tropical fruits, will Duterte will visit South Ko- basically has to do with con- also fi gure in the summit. rea from today until June 5. veying to the Republic of Korea Aside from the meeting with In a news briefi ng, Abella the importance of its partner- the South Korean leader, Du- said a Memorandum of Under- ship with the Philippines and terte will take part in a business Fake standing (MoU) will be signed to reaffi rm the strength of Phil- forum and the E-Mart Philip- Employers warn of mass between the Philippines’ ippine-Republic of Korea rela- pine Food Festival. Department of Transporta- tions,” Abella noted. He will also meet with the cigarettes tion (DoTr) and the Ministry In Seoul, Duterte is expected Filipino community in South of Land, Infrastructure and to participate in a summit with Korea, composed of workers, layoff s over wage hike Transport of Korea on co-op- South Korean leader Moon Jae- students, professionals, mis- seized eration in the transportation in where South Korea’s help to sionaries and spouses of Kore- sector. the Philippines for the reha- ans. Agencies of goods and services. tantly anti-worker and unjust He added that an MoU on bilitation of Marawi City will About 68,000 Filipinos live By William Depasupil Manila The Makabayan bloc’s House to deny wage hikes because scientifi c and technological co- be tackled. and work in South Korea, ac- Manila Times Bill No 7787 is proposing a na- of the allegations that it will operation between the Philip- Abella said the South Ko- cording to Abella. tional minimum wage of P750, jack up prices,” Zarate said. pines’ Department of Science rean government has donated Duterte’s visit, his fi rst to mployers said the pos- while the Trade Union Con- “On the contrary, prices have and Technology and South Ko- $100,000 (P5.2mn) to the Phil- South Korea, comes about 10 oint elements of the Bureau sibility of workers get- gress of the Philippines’ House already been increasing for rea’s Ministry of Science and ippine Red Cross in connec- months before the 70th an- of Customs–Enforcement Eting laid off was not an Bill No 7805 seeks a more “re- years but wages are stuck at Information and Communica- tion with the rebuilding of the niversary of establishment of Jand Security Service (BoC- empty threat but an expected alistic” across-the-board wage some P500 in Metro Manila tion Technology will also be city that was devastated by the diplomatic ties between Manila ESS) and the Philippine National consequence should a national increase of P320. and, worse, P300-plus in signed. terrorist Maute Group during a and Seoul on March 3, 1949. Police (PNP) raided three ware- minimum wage of up to P750 many provinces even if the Another MoU on Trade and fi ve-month siege in 2017. The last Philippine Presi- houses full of fake cigarettes and be imposed as a means to help “That is not a threat. That cost of living already skyrock- Economic Co-operation, ac- “There will also be a refer- dent to visit South Korea was cigarette raw materials worth at cushion the impact of the Du- is the truth. What is the eted to P1,200 for a family of cording to Abella, will also be ence to social co-operation Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno least P.5bn in Meycauyan City, terte administration’s tax re- choice of employers if six,” he added. signed between the Philip- or the protection of nationals Aquino, in 2014. Bulacan. form programme. their cost of production Zarate said it was erroneous Customs Commissioner Isid- Jose Roland Moya, director increases? We need to insist that nationwide wage ro Lapena ordered the raid fol- general of the Employers Con- to do a balancing act” hikes was inflationary. lowing intelligence reports that federation of the Philippines “Increases in wages will dutiable and prohibited goods (Ecop), said companies were Both bills argue the need to lead to decrease in profits were being stockpiled in three also reeling from the eff ects of adjust the minimum wage due but won’t affect the basis of Eleazar named capital region chief warehouses in Block 4 Lot 2, the Tax Reform for Accelera- to the implementation of the price,” he said. Block 4 Lot 2B, and Block 2, Lot tion and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act TRAIN law, which imposes Moya pointed out that the 8, Panply Marketing Warehouse due to the increase in the cost an excise on fuel and other proposed wage increases in Agencies respective posts for only around two months. in Muralla Industrial Subdivi- of their raw materials, Philip- goods. the House were “detrimental” Manila At least 28 top police offi cials will be reshuf- sion, Meycauayan City. pine Daily Inquirer reported. Critics of the law said this to micro, small and medium- fl ed based on the performance assessments by an Also recovered were alleged Should the government or- had led to a spike in the cost size enterprises, which ac- oversight committee. fake Bureau of Internal Revenue der a signifi cant wage increase, of basic commodities. counts for 99% of the total he Philippine National Police chief on Fri- Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, current PNP (BIR) tax stamps, and cigarette- Moya said businesses might A party-list representative number of business in the day ordered a major reorganisation of the spokesperson and head of the Police Community making machines. suff er huge losses which could on Friday described as “an- country. “If we increase the TPNP’s top command and named Chief Relations offi ce, was named chief of the Western But authorities did not fi nd either lead to layoff s or clo- tiworker, unjust, erroneous” minimum wage that much, it Supt. Guillermo Eleazar as offi cer-in-charge Visayas police. Earlier this week, PNP chief Di- any person inside the warehouse sures. “That is not a threat. the arguments of big busi- would jack up the cost of pro- of the National Capital Region Police Offi ce rector General Oscar Albayalde told a media fo- owned by a certain Johnny Calu- That is the truth. What is the nessmen that raising wages duction and make them very (NCRPO). rum that the fi rst reshuffl e of PNP offi cials under ban and Panply Marketing Corp. choice of employers if their was inflationary. uncompetitive,” he said. Eleazar, the current Calabarzon police direc- his term was forthcoming. “The owners still have 15 days cost of production increases? Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Asked what wage increase tor, will replace outgoing NCRPO chief Camilo He said a PNP oversight committee had warned from the date of inspection to We need to do a balancing act,” Isagani Zarate said in a state- rate would be acceptable to Pancratius Cascolan, who was appointed head “those whose performance were below par, and produce evidence of payment Moya said. ment that raising wages na- employers, Moya said that of the PNP Civil Security Group, Philippine Daily those not aligned with our program thrusts.” otherwise a warrant of seizure Two bills have been fi led in the tionwide was “good for the was a matter best left to the Inquirer reported. However, Albayalde clarifi ed that not all of the and detention will be issued by House of Representatives to help working people and for the regional wage boards to The reassignment of Eleazar and Cascolan were PNP offi cers to be reshuffl ed would “necessarily the Bureau,” Lapeña said. workers cope with the rising cost economy as whole.” “It is bla- decide. met with some surprise, as both had been in their be a non-performer.” Poe wants cash assistance, fuel vouchers for poor

By Jeff erson Antiporda necessary to help the poor cope or the entirety of the Train Law, other subsidies to the mini- Poe’s committee learned that Manila Times with rising prices especially as saying it was necessary to earn mum-wage earners, the unem- only 4.4mn families had received school opening looms. additional revenues to fi nance ployed and the poorest 50% of the cash transfers. “Many people feel the eff ects various infrastructure pro- the population as provided in the For 2018, the government has f the government has no in- of higher prices, not just brought grammes and projects. law. allocated P25.67bn for the cash tention to listen to propos- about by the Train Law but the The Train Law imposed a new A representative from the transfer programme under the Ials seeking to suspend the world market, the prices of oil, P3 tax for every litre of kerosene, Transportation department, General Appropriations Act to imposition of excise tax on pe- but there are safety nets that we P2.50 for every litre of diesel and who was present during the help low-income households troleum products under the Tax should be able to implement im- bunker fuel and P1 for every kilo- committee hearing in Albay, told cope with the infl ationary im- Reform for Acceleration and mediately and it’s in the hands gram of liquefi ed petroleum gas. Poe that they have a self-im- pact of the tax reform law. Inclusion (Train) Law, it should now of the government to make Under Section 82 of the posed deadline or until end-June Of the P25.67bn, P24.49bn is at least fast-track implementa- sure that those subsidies are tax reform law, jeepney fran- to publish the rules for the Pan- under the account of the Land tion of programmes that would distributed on time,” she noted, chise holders are entitled to tawid Pasada Programme. Bank of the Philippines, which cushion the impact on the poor during a hearing in Albay on the fuel vouchers; minimum-wage About P977mn is appropri- will distribute the allocation via of rising prices of fuel and other eff ects of the tax reform law on earners and the poorest 50% of ated for the programme this ATMs or through rural banks, goods. public transportation on Friday. the population are qualifi ed for year, which would be distributed non-government organisations Sen. Grace Poe made the call The senator, also during a fare discounts, discounted Na- to some 179,000 jeepney fran- and co-operatives. as the price of liquefi ed petro- hearing in Iloilo last week, called tional Food Authority rice and chise holders, according to the “We should be able to imple- leum gas or LPG has increased by for the immediate suspension of free skills training; and a total Department of Transportation. ment immediately the safety as much as P3.40 per kilogram fuel excise taxes amid mount- of 10mn low-income house- But transport and consumer nets. even as fuel prices have also gone ing complaints that the law ag- holds will each receive P200 per groups and student leaders, It is in the hands of the gov- up for three consecutive weeks. gravated price hikes on the back month this year and P300 per who were also present during ernment to make sure that those Poe, who heads the Senate of rising global fuel costs and month in 2019 and 2020. the hearing, also told Poe that subsidies are distributed on time Committee on Public Services, weakening peso. Poe urged the government the Transportation department to our countrymen, especially said social mitigating measures, But the Department of Fi- to release the guidelines to im- has not discussed with them the the poorest who are aff ected by such as fuel vouchers, fare dis- nance has opposed calls for the plement the fuel vouchers, ad- possible subsidies they could get this, so that they will be given a Grace Poe: voice of the poor counts and cash subsidies, are suspension of specifi c portions ditional 10% fare discount and under the Train Law. reprieve,” Poe said. Gulf Times 26 Sunday, June 3, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES No more Mr Nice Guy: Canadian PM Trudeau gets tough

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a reputation for playing it safe on burning political issues, showed a new level of grit in the face of two crises, and it may help him win re- election in 2019. On Thursday, Trudeau hit back at punishing US tariff s on steel and aluminium with Can$16.6bn (US$12.8bn) in duties on US goods, and accused American President Donald Trump of lacking “common sense.” His actions and words were in stark contrast to the charm off ensive he launched after Trump’s inauguration in 2016. The amateur pugilist traded in his “sunny ways” for fi ghting Controlling the Supreme words. He also launched the largest trade action that Canada has taken in eight decades. Canadians, industry and even opposition parties applauded the prime minister’s unusually pointed rebuke of Trump and retaliatory tariff s. “Trudeau uttered some of the harshest words a prime minister Court of Finance has directed at an American administration in decades,” said Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert, calling this a “watershed Historically, Congress set fi nancial Supreme Court of Finance. vice-chair for supervision, Randal moment in the Donald Trump-era Canada/US relationship.” By Simon Johnson Washington, DC rules and the Federal Reserve – along In his important new book, Unelected K Quarles, suggest the potential “It is not every day that a Canadian head of government with other regulators – decided on Power: The Quest for Legitimacy in for a steady erosion of safeguards, pointedly notes that he is dealing with a US administration that implementation. In the decades leading Central Banking and the Regulatory cheered on by Trump and the Treasury is short on common sense” or “that a prime minister uses a news here has been a great deal up to the crisis of 2008, there was a State, Paul Tucker, a former deputy Department. (Brainard remains on the conference to dig in his heels in a trade negotiation,” she noted. of concern recently about broad bipartisan consensus in favour of governor of the Bank of England, Board, at least for now.) Two days earlier the prime minister stuck his neck out to potential action by the US allowing large fi nancial fi rms to do as traces this story and its implications Ideally, in Tucker’s view, vital issues save an oil pipeline project, likely alienating environmentalists TCongress to roll back the 2010 they saw fi t. That included borrowing more deeply. As Tucker explains, the – like how much to regulate so-called but picking up broader Dodd-Frank fi nancial reforms, enacted more and running up their debt increased concentration of power in the too-big-to-fail banks – should be support with his defence in the wake of the 2008 crisis. In the relative to the size of their shareholder hands of central banks is not limited to decided at the congressional level, “Trudeau uttered of the energy sector. end, while the Republican-controlled equity. The reasoning, which was fully the United States – the United Kingdom in part because this implies more University of Ottawa House of Representatives wanted endorsed at the Fed, was that such large and the eurozone confront a version of transparency and real accountability. Of course, Congress is perfectly capable of some of the professor Patrick Leblond a broad repeal, the Senate could be fi rms – with assets in the trillions of the same issue. (I am an unpaid member persuaded only to support relatively dollars – employed smart people who of the Systemic Risk Council, which is making mistakes; but that is why there harshest words said in an interview minor relaxation of the rules for small could fi gure out how to manage highly chaired by Tucker.) are elections. with AFP that Trudeau’s and medium-size banks. Unfortunately, leveraged balance sheets safely. When a political party seeks to What we have now, however, is a prime minister newfound swagger “will given the politics of fi nance in the In September 2008, the wave of advance a broad ideological agenda an extreme delegation of authority help the Liberals in the Trump era, this does not mean that the failures and near-failures at global and there exists a Supreme Court, the that precludes transparency has directed at next election.” fi nancial system will remain relatively banks (and insurance companies and smart political strategy obviously is and accountability. The Fed can If the Canadian safe. mutual funds) demonstrated that this to appoint people to that court – the substantially change the details of an American economy tanks as a result President Donald Trump has a broad view was deeply mistaken. But the Board of Governors of the Federal how resilient the banks are without of a trade row, however, deregulation agenda, supported by political system’s overall response was Reserve System, in this case – who will any further congressional action. administration in that may change. “We House and Senate Republicans. Most of paradoxical. Instead of stripping powers implement the party’s programme. Congressional intent does matter – and know that the incumbent the key powers to regulate fi nance have from central banks, the Federal Reserve During the Obama administration, the Republicans have clearly indicated decades” party suff ers (at the ballot already been delegated to the Federal – as well as the Bank of England and the the Fed became clearer-thinking and that the needle should point toward Reserve – ironically by the Dodd-Frank European Central Bank – became much more eff ective on financial regulation. letting the bigger banks do what they box) when the economy is bad,” Leblond said. legislation itself. And the president more powerful. Governor Dan Tarullo sensibly want. Since 2016, Canada and the United States have sparred over appoints the people who have complete There were two reasons for this weakened the jurisdiction of the Federal That is a shortsighted approach, softwood lumber and aircraft, while also endeavouring to control over regulation at the Fed. This outcome. First, central banks had the Reserve Bank of New York, which and shifting the political burden of negotiate, along with Mexico, a revamp of the North American is a dangerous combination. tools – cheap credit and expansionary had become largely captured by big pursuing it to an unelected body is Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). Washington had granted Canada Trump does not adhere to some monetary policy – necessary to avert a banks. Chair Janet Yellen was acutely extremely dangerous. The next time and Mexico an exemption on the metals tariff s to give the parties standard conservative positions, like deeper crisis. Second, modern fi nance aware of the problems that result from a crisis erupts, the legitimacy of the time to successfully renegotiate the 1994 continental trade pact. favouring free trade. But he knows very is far too complex and evolves too fast unregulated fi nance. Governor Lael Fed – and other central banks – will be But those talks are now bogged down. well what he wants with regard to the for any piece of legislation to address Brainard was also very supportive, as called directly into question. – Project On Thursday, the US announced tariff s of 25% on steel and 10% relationship between government and fully. Someone has to be in charge of was Sarah Bloom Raskin before she Syndicate on aluminium from Canada and others, from Friday. business: he wants the government to oversight in a more detailed way. The became Deputy Treasury Secretary. Canada responded with duties of 25 % on US steel and stop telling business what to do. On this crisis damaged the Fed’s reputation, But now all of that is changing. It zSimon Johnson is a professor at MIT’s has never been completely clear how Sloan School of Management and the aluminium, and 10% on consumer goods such as ketchup, orange issue, the president stands in a direct but all plausible alternative regulators line of ideological descent from Ronald looked worse. So the Dodd-Frank Yellen’s successor, Jerome Powell, co-author of White House Burning: The juice, sailboats and washing machines, which will take eff ect July Reagan, who strongly believed that legislation ended up granting even more thinks about fi nancial regulation. And Founding Fathers, Our National Debt, 1. government was the problem. power to the Fed, making it in eff ect the early indications from the Fed’s new and Why It Matters to You. “The government of Canada is confi dent that shared values, geography and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism,” Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday. “We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail, but we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration.” He said Ottawa would try to convince Washington to repeal the tariff s, but the Trump administration has so far stood rm.fi In a Twitter message, the American president lashed out at Canada for treating US farmers “very poorly for a very long period of time.” “If President Trump thinks this move will give him leverage in the Nafta negotiations, I think Canada’s response shows he’s wrong,” Leblond opined. “Canada has negotiated in good faith, but at some point if you punch us in the face, we’ll punch back,” he said. In the end, “this fi ght is not going to be resolved through diplomacy or at the G7 next week; it’s going to be political developments in the United States,” he added, noting that Canadian tariff s on US consumer goods aimed to sway voters in key districts in the upcoming US mid-term elections.

To Advertise [email protected] Display 44466621 44418811 Classified 44466609 44418811 Subscription [email protected]

US President Donald Trump knows very well what he wants with regard to the relationship between government and business: he wants the government to stop telling © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved business what to do. Gulf Times Sunday, June 3, 2018 27 COMMENT Managing China’s global risks

By Andrew Sheng and Xiao Geng investment and widening wealth and immersed in a long-term competition Hong Kong income inequality. for technological and strategic These structural risks are largely a supremacy. To stay ahead, they will use result of China’s transformation from every kind of leverage and instrument he world economy and an agriculture-led economy to one at their disposal. If this competition is international system are now driven by manufacturing exports. As left unchecked, it will surely have far- characterised not only by technology continues to progress, reaching spillover eff ects. Tdeep interconnectedness, with robotisation becoming more Risks are normally mitigated through but also by intensifying geopolitical accessible, companies that once relied avoidance, hedging, insurance, and rivalries. For China, the situation is on cheap labour and manufacturing diversifi cation. But the Chinese and complicated further by US President exports increasingly need to produce US economies are both too big and Donald Trump’s evident view of the goods and services closer to domestic too interconnected to fail, making country as a strategic competitor, consumers in open and globally avoidance and hedging far too dangerous rather than a strategic partner, not competitive markets. and costly. Insurance would also to mention massive domestic social In this context, China’s only be impossible, owing to the lack of change and rapid technological option is to abandon its low-cost markets. Diversifi cation may work, disruption. The only way to mitigate manufacturing export model and move if both countries pursue a variety of the risks that China faces is with a up global supply chains. To that end, low-cost, high-return, co-operative tough, continuous, and comprehensive the government has already introduced win-win options. These include reform strategy. industrial strategies – “Made in China technological innovation that addresses A key risk is fi nancial. At least four 2025” and “Internet Plus” – to support social problems and promotes inclusive “mismatches” lay at the root of past technological development, adoption, growth; further market opening; global fi nancial crises, and three and innovation. The US, however, tough measures against rent-seeking of them plague China today. First, has taken these industrial policies speculators and interest groups; and tax with its bank-dominated fi nancial as evidence of mercantilist state reforms to improve income and wealth system, China (along with Europe and intervention that justifi es punitive distribution. many emerging economies) suff ers trade tariff s and other sanctions. The fact that trade negotiations from a maturity mismatch, owing to Complicating matters further for are being pursued in tandem with short-term borrowing and long-term China, the rush to create an open, talks over North Korea’s nuclear lending. Yet, unlike many emerging market-oriented economy has fuelled programme suggests that China and economies, China does not struggle corruption and rent-seeking. And, as the US understand that, in today’s with a currency mismatch, thanks to recent European post-crisis experience The Chinese government has introduced industrial strategies such as “Made in China 2025” and “Internet Plus” to support interconnected global system, co- its large foreign-exchange reserves and has shown, it is politically very diffi cult technological development, adoption, and innovation. operation is necessary for managing persistent current-account surpluses, to carry out structural reforms when multiple global risks. But if China is which make it a net lender to the rest of vested interests have captured the non-market-based economies as moral hazard, the cycle is likely to be widely among the population. truly to build a balanced, resilient, the world. regulatory system. That is why Chinese they make the transition to a market- repeated. A widely shared positive real ROE and anti-fragile real economy and But China has not avoided the President Xi Jinping has been engaged oriented economy. In this fast-moving Abandoning the distorted and would mean less fi nancial repression fi nancial system, it will need to go third mismatch, between debt and in a comprehensive anti-corruption cycle, housing and fi xed-asset prices imbalanced incentive structure, and a fairer income and wealth further, developing a comprehensive equity: The credit-to-GDP ratio campaign – often misrepresented as a (as well as the currency’s value) will and ensuring that both creditors distribution. Meanwhile, with more set of risk-sharing mechanisms. It is doubled over the last decade, from power grab – since assuming offi ce in increase faster than productivity and debtors share and manage risks, skin in the game, venture capital would a task that can no longer be ignored or about 110% in 2008 to 220% in 2012. growth in the tradable sector, owing would help break the cycle. China be more accountable to investors and postponed. – Project Syndicate 2017, highlighting China’s under- Yet China’s problems extend beyond to supply constraints. As households could create a system in which broad savers. developed long-term capital structural imbalances to two types of and investors borrow cheaply to invest equity stakes – held by pension, In addition to structural and zAndrew Sheng is Distinguished and equity markets. Nor can cyclical macroeconomic risks. The fi rst in rapidly appreciating housing and social security, or sovereign wealth cyclical risks, China must address Fellow at the Asia Global Institute at policymakers afford to ignore the risk stems from the business cycles in fi xed assets, bubbles form and then funds – are professionally managed, the “gray rhino” (highly likely, but the University of Hong Kong and a fourth mismatch – between ultra- advanced, market-based economies, burst, spurring crises. Yet, because the thereby guaranteeing not only that the often ignored) strategic risks arising member of the UNEP Advisory Council low nominal interest rates and the where interest rates, infl ation rates, usual response – socialisation of bank long-term risk-adjusted ROE is higher from the intensifying Sino-American on Sustainable Finance. Xiao Geng, relatively higher risk-adjusted return and growth rates rise and fall together. losses, with a privileged few keeping than the real (infl ation-adjusted) GDP geopolitical rivalry. Here, the emerging President of the Hong Kong Institution on equity (ROE) for investors – The second type of risk refl ects the the profi ts and bonuses they accrued growth rate and the nominal interest trade war is just the tip of the iceberg. for International Finance, is a professor which has contributed to speculative cycle experienced in underdeveloped, while the bubble was growing – creates rate, but also that the gains are shared The US and China are set to become at the University of Hong Kong. How to pay for Africa’s education gains Three-day forecast

TODAY lower middle-income status, defi ned Commission on Financing Global the healthcare sector. For example, Maximum Temperature : 420c By Graca Machel Minimum Temperature : 320c Johannesburg by the World Bank as a per capita gross Education Opportunity, where I the International Finance Facility for national income (GNI) between $1,026 serve as a commissioner, has helped Immunisation was created to provide MONDAY and $4,035. As countries approach this to develop a solution. Called the fi nancing for GAVI, the Vaccine Maximum Temperature : 420c frica is in the midst of an level of development, new investments International Finance Facility for Alliance. Eventually, billions of Minimum Temperature : 310c education crisis. Despite will be needed to pay for health and Education, this innovative approach dollars in new funding was mobilised TUESDAY pledges to improve access education upgrades, and mobilising aims to help lower-middle-income to help vaccinate more than 640mn Maximum Temperature : 420c Ato education for all children domestic tax revenue will become countries invest in education – children and save over 9mn lives. The Minimum Temperature : 320c a critical component of budgeting especially programs for women and economic returns were also dramatic; by 2030, many African governments Fisherman's forecast are failing to fund this ambitious strategies. girls – in more sustainable ways. one study that surveyed outcomes component of the UN Sustainable At the moment, however, estimated By leveraging $2bn in donor in 73 countries found that every $1 WARNING Development Goals (SDGs). There tax revenues in most countries will guarantees, we aim to deliver about spent on immunisations translated Inshore : Nil is still time to address the fi nancing be insuffi cient to cover the costs $10bn in grant and concessional into $18 in healthcare-related savings. Offshore : Nil shortfall, but only if new investment associated with improving educational education funding to countries that The education fi nance facility has the strategies are embraced with vigour. outcomes. As a result, an education- need it most. But there is a catch: potential to produce a similar impact. WEATHER Inshore : Hot daytime with slight Today, roughly half of the world’s funding crisis threatens to dash hopes governments seeking to access these Millions of young people around dust at places at times young people, including some 400mn of sustained rapid growth and lasting funds must fi rst demonstrate an the world, and particularly young girls, are not being educated to prosperity. interest in and capacity for long-term girls in Africa, are failing to excel WIND Inshore : Southeasterly-South- succeed in the workplace of the future. Traditional forms of international educational reform. because they continue to be denied westerly 05-15 KT This challenge is most acute in Africa; aid will continue to play a role in the This approach is designed to access to quality education. With although 75% of girls in Sub-Saharan development of Africa’s education improve grants’ eff ectiveness and give just 12 years to go before the Offshrore : Southeasterly-North- Africa start school, only 8% complete sector. And yet, owing to the projected countries the ability to strengthen expiration of the SDGs, Africa’s easterly 05-15/18 KT secondary education. Sub-Saharan increases in GNI, most lower-middle- their economic resilience with a education crisis must be moved to Visibility : 4-9 KM Africa is the only region where women income countries will no longer better-educated workforce. Research the top of the development agenda. still do not enrol in or graduate from qualify for the grants and low- or shows that in lower-middle-income Government leaders routinely claim Offshore : 2-4 FT tertiary education at the same rates zero-interest loans that are currently countries, every $1 spent on education that children are our future. If they as men. available. As a result, millions of young increases the earning power of truly believe it, programmes like the These problems are well known, if Africans will suff er the eff ects of a graduates by $4. In other words, International Finance Facility for Education must be given the priority not always addressed. Less understood paradox in international development: our long-term goal is broader than Around the region is the contradictory impact that countries will be too prosperous to building schools or teaching math; it is they deserve. – Project Syndicate Weather Africa’s future growth will have on the qualify for the best funding options, to create conditions for lasting social Weather tomorrow Max/min availability of education funding. but too poor to meet the educational and economic change. zGraca Machel, the founder of the today Max/min M Sunny 43/27 By 2030, nearly 30 countries in needs of their citizens on their own. Similar funding strategies have Graca Machel Trust, is a member of the Baghdad M Sunny 41/27 Sunny 42/30 Africa are expected to have reached Fortunately, the International already proved to be successful in Africa Progress Panel and The Elders. Kuwait City Sunny 39/29 Manama Sunny 44/33 Sunny 41/32 Muscat Sunny 38/32 Sunny 37/32 Tehran T Storms 26/18 M Sunny 31/22 Live issues It’s not clear which ADHD treatments work

By Lisa Rapaport is characterised by social and on reducing disruptive behaviour that their situation, said Dr Timothy Reuters Health behavioural problems as well as can make it hard for children to make Wilens, chief of the division of challenges in school like diffi culty with friends or do well in school. child and adolescent psychiatry at focusing or sitting still. Stimulant In the current analysis, the Massachusetts General Hospital in lthough many doctors off er medications can help with some small studies of cognitive training Boston. patients with attention behaviour and attention issues. showed no benefit at all or only a “It is important to assess the level Around the world defi cit hyperactivity Almost two-thirds of these kids are short-term improvement in ADHD of impairment related to the ADHD, Weather Weather Adisorder (ADHD) a variety of prescribed stimulants, which should symptoms, researchers note in the as well as contributing factors to the today Max/min tomorrow Max/min treatments in addition to drugs, a new be among the fi rst treatments tried for journal Pediatrics. These studies child’s problems that will ultimately Athens M Sunny 31/21 M Sunny 31/22 review suggests there’s not enough the condition, Kemper said by e-mail. were too small, however, to draw need to be addressed,” Wilens, who Beirut S T Storms 26/22 S T Storms 27/22 evidence that medication alternatives The American Academy of broad conclusions about how well wasn’t involved in the study, said by Bangkok S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 work. Pediatrics, which advises most cognitive training might really e-mail. Berlin Showers 26/16 P Cloudy 27/15 Researchers examined results from primary care providers for kids, work. “For children over age 6 years, Cairo M Sunny 33/22 Sunny 34/21 54 studies of non-pharmaceutical recommends that doctors prescribe Similarly, studies looking at child or medications should be considered Cape Town Sunny 14/09 Sunny 17/10 ADHD treatments like cognitive stimulants or behaviour therapy, or parent training programmes yielded fi rst line therapy for ADHD and Colombo T Storm 29/26 T Storm 29/26 behavioural therapy, parent training, both. mixed results, measuring diff erent nonpharmacological treatments Dhaka Rain 31/25 Rain 32/26 special diets, and supplements Because it’s diffi cult to diagnose types of interventions in diff erent should be considered adjunct to Hong Kong P Cloudy 32/28 T Storms 31/28 like omega-3 fatty acids. Overall, ADHD in children younger than 4 ways, which made it hard to determine medication in specifi c groups,” Wilens Istanbul Sunny 24/14 Sunny 26/18 these studies were too small, brief years old, many doctors recommend how well these approaches might added. Jakarta I T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 or varied in how they measured behaviour therapy as a fi rst approach work. Given the lack of clear evidence to Karachi P Cloudy 34/28 P Cloudy 34/28 results for researchers to draw firm with preschoolers, particularly if In addition, the studies that tested recommend alternatives to treatment London S Showers 25/13 Cloudy 20/12 conclusions about which approaches parents or teachers can work with supplements containing omega-3 fatty with medication, parents may want to Manila P Cloudy 33/27 P Cloudy 34/27 might actually work for kids with children to help improve focus, acids also failed to show meaningful consider cost as a way to decide what Moscow P Cloudy 26/14 Cloudy 26/13 ADHD. concentration and interactions with changes in ADHD symptoms based on options they try fi rst, advised Aaron New Delhi Sunny 42/32 Sunny 42/33 “Just because we did not fi nd other kids. With older children, assessments of children done by their Seitz, director of the Brain Game New York Cloudy 18/12 Rain 17/12 scientifi c evidence, does not mean medication may be the fi rst approach, parents or teachers. Centre at the University of California, Paris P Cloudy 26/17 T Storms 26/16 that these treatments are ineff ective,” alone or in combination with Because ADHD can mean diff erent Riverside. Sao Paulo S Showers 16/13 Cloudy 17/13 said senior author Dr Alex Kemper behaviour therapy. symptoms from one kid to the “Don’t spend your life-savings on Seoul P Cloudy 32/17 P Cloudy 28/18 of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Some forms of behaviour therapy next, children need an accurate and some non-traditional approach that Singapore P Cloudy 32/27 T Storms 32/27 Columbus, Ohio. for ADHD are designed to help comprehensive diagnosis before promises the world but charges an arm Sydney S Showers 17/12 Rain 15/12 More than 1 in 10 US kids are kids improve focus, attention and it’s really possible to decide which and a leg,” Seitz, who wasn’t involved Tokyo Clear 28/18 Clear 27/18 diagnosed with ADHD, which organisation, while others concentrate treatments might work best in in the study, said by e-mail. Gulf Times 28 Sunday, June 3, 2018 QATAR Maserati woos patrons with exclusive Ramadan off er

lfardan Sports Motors, the brand-new Maserati during this QR5,000 of Maserati’s stylish choice, including added-val- offi cial dealer of Maserati holy month,” Alfardan Sports merchandise. ue benefi ts and services,” said Ain Qatar, has announced Motors said in a statement. Alternatively, customers have Charly Dagher, general man- that it is off ering clients a “re- As part of the off er, every cli- the choice of receiving cashback ager of Maserati Qatar, Alfardan markable deal” on its complete ent is entitled to a one-year of QR50,000 when they purchase Sports Motors. range of luxury sports cars this full comprehensive insurance a new car. The exclusive off er is valid Ramadan to celebrate the sea- scheme and warranty and service “Ramadan is an inspiring until the end of Ramadan and son’s spirit of giving. packages that protect the vehicle month of happiness, harmony includes the stylish coupe — “Reaffi rming its commitment for fi ve years. and community spirit. We be- GranTurismo models, the sports to service excellence, the deal- The off er also includes other lieve it’s the perfect time to executive sedan – Ghibli, the lat- ership is focused on providing services such as glass tinting, connect with our clients and est generation of Maserati’s fl ag- a rewarding experience to new paint and leather protection, in gift them the peace of mind ship sedan – Quattroporte, and The exclusive off er is valid until the end of Ramadan. customers upon the purchase of a addition to gift vouchers worth when owning a Maserati of their its fi rst-ever SUV — the Levante. QF treats community at Garangao festival atar Foundation (QF) has cel- ebrated Garangao with an ar- Qray of cultural activities and fun games. The event, which took place on Friday at Al Shaqab in Education City, brought together hundreds of families from around the country. During the night of festivities, chil- dren were given a chance to turn re- cycled materials into art, play giant scrabble boards, relax in a designated reading lounge, enjoy pony rides, play football games and solve fun riddles and brainteasers. Maryam al-Mansoori, a Qatari moth- er who participated in the event with her two sons, said: “I’m grateful to Qatar Foundation for organising these fun ac- tivities for our children. Garangao is all about putting a smile on children’s faces and teaching them the important values of sharing, teamwork and friendship.” Additionally, young visitors to the event were given an opportunity to meet Rashed and Nora, popular characters from ‘Siraj’, QF’s animated educational TV series that teaches the Arabic alpha- bet in a fun and educational way. Sarah Ali Abdullah, a visitor to the event, said: “My family enjoyed the interactive storytelling session - the storyteller is really talented and knows how to keep the children engaged. My Children taking part in an event. daughter is having a wonderful time taking part in word games and pony loved traditions with people from other have so many educational and fun ac- Garangao is a popular children’s fes- rides.” cultures.” tivities together in one place. The event tival traditionally celebrated across the Abdullah added, “I’ve seen families Mohamed al-Muhannadi, another caters to children with diff erent inter- Arabian Gulf region midway through Ra- and children of all nationalities here. I visitor to the event, said: “My children ests and opens their minds to creativity madan. On this night, children sing the think QF’s Garangao activities off er a enjoy taking part in QF’s Garangao ac- while connecting them to the core tradi- special ‘Garangao song’, wear traditional great opportunity to share our most be- tivities each year. It’s a brilliant idea to tions of the Qatari culture.” clothes, and collect nuts and sweets. Community members participate in Garangao festivities.

Garangao celebrated at HIA MoI unit entertains children

Passengers passing through Hamad International Airport (HIA) were able to take part in the celebrations of Garangao, a Ramadan tradition with deep roots in the Qatari culture that celebrates heritage. Also, media guests were invited to celebrate Garangao, which takes place on the 14th day of Ramadan, at HIA where a ‘musaher’ (traditional drummer) was parading around the terminal, accompanied by the Joud & Saoud mascot characters handing out sweets to The General Directorate of Drug Control has organised a large celebration for children to mark Garangao at Gulf Mall, children. Present on the occasion were Abdulaziz al-Mass, vice-president (commercial and marketing) at HIA, along the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said in a tweet. Many traditional events and competitions were held as they brought joy with members of the management. to the hundreds of participating children.

MoI safety tips during Ramadan

he Ministry of Interior (MoI) People have been advised to be and block other vehicles. has reiterated some impor- patient while stuck in a traffi c jam “Be extra cautious while driving Ttant tips for safe driving dur- and co-operate with other motor- at Iftar time,” the advisory notes, ing the holy month of Ramadan. ists, road users and security per- adding that people should also Posted on the MoI’s Facebook sonnel. avoid rushing home or any other page, the advisory covers various Also, motorists should avoid Iftar destination at the last minute. key aspects of driving. parking their cars in a random “Start early and reach safely.” “Avoid driving if you’re tired or manner in front of mosques Finally, motorists have been The General Directorate of Traff ic celebrated Garangao night as part of its ‘Ramadan and Safe Driving’ campaign with the wide participation drowsy, it will save your life as well as and other public places, which urged to ensure that they get proper of children and their families. The directorate also held an awareness exhibition that included a play titled Salem and Garangao. (that of) others,” the ministry said. may create traffic congestion rest and sleep.