BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1

Doha Bank H1 net profi t Hungarian teen Milak rises 10.2% to QR519mn smashes Phelps record published in since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11255 July 25, 2019 Dhul-Qa’da 22, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Prime minister meets Pakistani counterpart

REGION | Diplomacy Iran open to tanker swap with Britain Iran hinted yesterday it is open to a tanker swap with Britain as the owners of a UK-flagged ship seized by the Islamic republic expressed hopes for “positive progress” after speaking to its crew. The seizure of the Stena Impero has been seen as a tit-for-tat move after British authorities detained an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar this month on suspicion it was shipping oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. Page 6

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Air raids kill 20 civilians in northwest Syria Bombardment by the Syrian regime and its Russian ally killed 20 civilians HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the accompanying delegation, during his short visit to the including five children yesterday in country. HE the Prime Minister hosted a dinner banquet in their honour. Page 3 the latest violence to hit northwest Syria. The Syrian regime and Russia have stepped up their deadly raids on the Idlib region since late April, despite an international deal intended to prevent a full-scale ‘1,700 apartments, villas off ensive. PM Johnson promises AMERICA | Politics added in second quarter’ Trump: Mueller hearing an ‘embarrassment’ O Marginal drop in rents in some Qatar areas US President Donald Trump Transactional volumes for houses a bold new Brexit deal By Pratap John yesterday described Robert Mueller’s Business Editor declined 25% quarter-on-quarter testimony to Congress on the Russia (QoQ) and 14% year-on-year (YoY). O Vows to quit EU by end of October, come what may probe as an “embarrassment” to the The median ticket size for residential nation, mocking his Democratic rivals mix of 1,700 apartments and vil- houses was QR2.8mn. Reuters for asking the former special counsel las were added in Qatar in the The fi ve largest ticket sizes were London to appear on Capitol Hill. Trump had Asecond quarter (Q2) of this year, seen in The Pearl, New Salata, Lusail said he would not watch the day’s bringing the total stock to 294,700 units and for dwellings rang- proceedings, but after the first of two as of June-end, according to research ing from 1,400 sq m to 5,500 sq m. oris Johnson promised in his fi rst congressional hearings in the House and consultancy fi rm ValuStrat. As many as 53 transactions were speech as prime minister to lead Judiciary Committee, he made his Apartment supply consisted of recorded for residential buildings. BBritain out of the European Un- feelings known. Page 8 some 1,500 units from delivered Rawdhat Al Khail, Al Sadd, Najma, Al ion on October 31 with “no ifs or buts” projects in The Pearl, Lusail, Fereej Bin Wakrah and had the largest and warned that if the European Union EUROPE | Weather Mahmoud, Old Ghanim, Fereej Abdul transacted prices. refused to negotiate then there would Aziz, Musheireb and Al Dafna. As of May 2019, transactional vol- be a no-deal Brexit. 20th-century warming Completion of villas and com- ume in The Pearl and West Bay La- Johnson, who has been hailed by US unmatched in 2,000 yrs pounds in Al Kheesa, , Umm goon was 274 units with a total value President Donald Trump as Britain’s World temperatures rose faster Salal Ali and The Pearl added 200 new of QR612mn. Trump, is sending the strongest message in the late 20th century than at properties to existing stock, it said. Residential median asking rents yet to the EU that he will be taking a dis- any other time in the last 2,000 An estimated 9,000 units are pro- declined 5.6% YoY and 1.5% QoQ, tinctly tougher approach to negotiating a years, according to research jected to be completed by end-2019, ValuStrat said. Median monthly ask- revision of the Brexit divorce deal. released yesterday which experts with 35% expected in Lusail, 35% in ing rent for apartments fell 1.1% quar- He took over from Theresa May at one said undermines climate deniers The Pearl and the remaining units terly and 5.4% annually, it said. of the most perilous junctures in post- questioning of mankind’s role in across other areas such as Fereej Bin Secondary apartment locations World War Two British history - the global warming. Page 12 Mahmoud, Nuaija, Musheireb, Ona- such as Al Wakrah, Old Airport, Najma United Kingdom is divided over Brexit Britain’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a speech outside 10 Downing Street iza, Al Dafna, Al Sadd, , Al and Al Mansoura experienced highest and weakened by the three-year political in London yesterday. BUSINESS | Internet Khor and Abu Hamour, ValuStrat said. annual declines in rents of up to 13%. crisis that has gripped it since a 2016 ref- In terms of residential sales, the Median monthly asking rent for vil- erendum vote to leave the bloc. ate and we are forced to come out with to agree to revise the divorce deal that Legal penalties dent ValuStrat report showed that median las fell by 4% QoQ and 7.1% YoY. “We are going to fulfi l the repeated no deal.” May agreed last November but failed to Facebook profi t transacted ticket sizes for houses in- Villas in , , Ain promises of parliament to the people Just hours after arriving in Down- push through the British parliament. Facebook yesterday reported that its creased by 12% quarterly and 3% an- Khaled, Abu Hamour, Al Khor and and come out of the EU on October 31, ing Street, the new Conservative Prime The gambit, an admission that three profit in the recently ended quarter nually. Umm Salal Mohamed experienced no ifs or buts,” Johnson, 55, said after Minister began work with one of the years of Brexit talks have failed, sets the plummeted due to costs of a US QoQ increase in median transacted annual falls in rent up to 12%, ValuS- arriving at the premier’s offi cial resi- biggest culls of senior government jobs United Kingdom up for a showdown privacy settlement in a quarterly prices can be attributed to larger ticket trat said. dence, No 10 Downing Street. in recent British history, changing all with the EU and thrusts Johnson towards update that was largely better than sizes of housing transactions experi- The second quarter 2019 ValuS- “We can do a deal without checks of the main ministers. Most of his ap- a potential constitutional crisis, or an expected and set its share price enced in areas such as Al Kharaitiyat, trat Price Index (VPI)-Residential, at the Irish border,” he said. “It is of pointees were Brexit supporters. election, at home. He has just 99 days higher. Profit in the second quarter Al Markhiya, Lusail, Abu Hamour, displayed an overall 6.3% annual and course vital at the same time that we Johnson’s bet is that the threat of a to renegotiate and ratify the so called fell 49% from a year ago to $2.6bn Madinat Al Khalifa and Rawdhat Al 0.8% quarterly decline in capital val- prepare for the remote possibility that no-deal Brexit will persuade the EU’s Withdrawal Agreement that the EU has while revenues increased to $16.9bn. Hamama. ues. To Page 3 Brussels refuses any further to negoti- biggest powers - Germany and France - repeatedly refused to amend. Page 11 New bridge set to be opened at tomorrow

he Public Works Authority (Ash- will also establish a direct link between HE the Prime Minister and Inte- opened in 2021. ghal) has made one more giant these areas. rior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin The corridor will have the fi rst cable- Tleap in its race towards opening The new bridge with four lanes will Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and stayed bridge in Qatar as well as the the prestigious Sabah Al Ahmad Cor- go fully functional by 2020 remarkably Sheikh Nasser al-Mohamed al-Ah- largest intersection, longest bridge and ridor. bringing down traffi c congestion and mad al-Sabah, representative of Ku- deepest and longest bi-directional tun- Ashghal yesterday announced that a reducing travel time by 60% between wait Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad nel. It will establish a direct link among new 850m-long bridge will be partially the areas. The bridge will accommodate al-Jaber al-Sabah, had launched more than 25 residential areas and fa- opened tomorrow at Al Luqta on Sabah more than 16,000 vehicles per hour in Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor project on cilitate easy access to fi ve 2022 FIFA Al Ahmad Corridor. With the open- each direction. February 24 this year. World Cup stadiums. ing, two lanes from Al Luqta towards Al While announcing the partial open- Described as the first of its kind in As part of the project, E-Ring, F- Rayyan and from to Al Luqta ing, Ashghal project engineer Ali Ibra- Qatar, Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor as- Ring, , Al Bustan, Bu Erayy- will be available for traffi c. him said the new development is one of sumes much importance. With a total en, roads and sections of Al The new bridge, according to a state- the key milestones of the construction length of 25km from Hamad Interna- Markhiya Street will be upgraded. The ment from Ashghal, will ease conges- works of Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor. tional Airport to Umm Lekhba Inter- project will link southern parts of the tion in the area ensuring free traffi c fl ow “The bridge facilitates easy access to change (known as Landmark Inter- country with northern Qatar by devel- from Al Gharrafa and Al Luqta towards Al Rayyan Road and Khalifa Avenue,” change) and works at a total area of oping Expressway (Al Wakrah By- and Al Rayyan. The bridge Ashghal project engineer Ali Ibrahim. he said. 37km, the corridor is expected to be pass). To Page 3 Gulf Times 2 Thursday, July 25, 2019 QATAR

SJC to provide Moroccan envoy presents credentials Qatar-Chad bilateral ties reviewed registration services at Rayyan centre

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will provide registration services at the Al Rayan Services Centre of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs. The addition of registration services at the centre, which will be available during the evening, will contribute to the speedy completion of transactions and the achievement of the council’s objectives in developing the judicial system and achieving rapid justice. The Al Rayyan Centre provides authentication services of the Supreme Judicial Council during the morning period only. The Supreme Judicial Council HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi, HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met provides its services to the public yesterday received a copy of the credentials of the ambassador of Morocco to Qatar, Mohamed yesterday with Charge d’aff aires of the embassy of Chad to the state Bakri Ali Bakri. During the in several centres, including Al Setri. HE al-Hammadi wished the new ambassador success in his duties, assuring him all support meeting, bilateral relations between the two countries were reviewed, as well as topics of mutual Rayyan, Oniza, Al Daayen, Al Hilal for the promotion of bilateral relations in various fields. interest. and Al Wakrah. – QNA

FM sends message to Public cautioned against Croatian counterpart leaving kids in hot cars

QNA Prevention Programme. ture, especially on hot days, in- system could put children at risk. Doha He added: “Throughout the creasing their risk for dehydra- “Deaths from heatstroke summer in Qatar, the tempera- tion and heat stroke,” explained can happen even when cars are ture inside a parked car can be Dr Consunji. parked in the shade and winding ith the hot and humid as much as 40C hotter than the He explained that even cars the window down a few centi- weather expected to outside temperature. Even on a parked in the shade can get hot metres has little eff ect on rising Wcontinue throughout relatively cool day, the tempera- very quickly and that the young- heat. August and September, the Ha- ture can be over 20C hotter.” er the child, the greater their “Additionally, the colour of mad Trauma Centre is warning “Most of this temperature rise sensitivity to heatstroke, and the the seats and interior do not af- The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and members of the public about the can happen within the fi rst fi ve faster they can become dehy- fect rising heat and large cars European Aff airs of Croatia, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, received dangers of leaving children alone minutes of turning off the engine drated. heat up just as fast as small cars. a written message from HE the Deputy Prime Minister and in vehicles. and air conditioning, putting Dr Consunji also warned “It is not safe to leave a child Minister of Foreign Aff airs, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman “With the summer tem- children left inside the vehicles against leaving children in unattended in a vehicle for al-Thani, pertaining to the bilateral relations and ways to peratures upon us, we would at great risk for high fever, de- parked cars even if the engine is any amount of time, even for a boost and develop them. The message was handed over by like to remind the public of hydration, seizures, heat stroke, left running and the air condi- minute. Qatar’s ambassador to Croatia Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa the increased risk of leaving and even death. Dr Rafael Consunji tioning is on. “If you have to leave your car during a meeting with the head of the Division for Global and children alone in hot cars,” “Hot days bring dangers for He explained that air condi- for any reason, always take your UN Political Issues at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and said Dr Rafael Consunji, Di- everyone, but for children, the temperature will rise fi ve times tioning cannot always be relied child with you,” said Dr Con- European Aff airs, Tihomir Lulic, in Zagreb yesterday. rector of the Hamad Injury dangers are magnifi ed. A child’s faster than an adults tempera- upon and any failure in the cooling sunji.

ACTA organises competition on fighting graft Ministry of labour launches Zakat Fund spends The Administrative Control and Transparency Authority over QR33.5mn on (ACTA) launched yesterday a competition for students on ways to protect and fight corruption. occupational heat stress study tuition fees project The authority said that the competition aims to encourage youth to play a bigger role QNA heat stress risks as well as the tion sectors, in addition to a rise in summer temperatures in QNA private schools and universi- in enhancing the values of Doha appropriate way of alleviating it. number of sites related to the the GCC is one of the risks that Doha ties in Qatar for the new aca- transparency, integrity, and 2022 FIFA World Cup. the state focused on placing the demic year 2019-2020 from respect for the rule of law. The The protection of labourers The SC’s projects undertook a appropriate policies to address. September. top three will get QR 25000, he Ministry of Admin- from the risks they face number of techniques to tackle He stressed that the study they he assistance provided The documents required QR15000, and QR10,000, istrative Development, is the state’s moral duty occupational heat stress, most are about to undertake will be one by the Department of to open the fi le of assistance respectively. They will also be TLabour and Social Aff airs towards them. The rise in prominently the cooling tech- of the most valuable in terms of TZakat Fund of the Min- include a valid residence per- given the opportunity to present has begun a study on measuring summer temperatures in nology that is used in all of its providing insight into the nec- istry of Endowments and Is- mit, a salary certifi cate for their ideas at a high-ranking the impact of occupational heat the GCC is one of the risks sites. essary measures that need to be lamic Aff airs to the families the student’s guardian from international conference on the stress on productivity at various that the state focused on Assistant Undersecretary for taken to protect workers. entitled to tuition fees dur- the employer, a bank account role of education in promoting sites in Qatar. placing the appropriate Labour Aff airs at the Ministry Meanwhile, the director of ing the academic year ending statement, a stock exchange the rule of law, which will take The study is conducted in co- policies to address of Administrative Develop- ILO Project Offi ce for Qatar said 2018/2019 amounted to more account, a certifi cate from the place in Vienna in October. operation with World Labour ment, Labour and Social Aff airs that there is no clear consensus than QR33.5mn, benefi ting 3, Traffi c Department for owned Students between 10 and 21 Organisation, Supreme Com- The two-month study will be (MADLSA), Mohamed Hassan on the best methods of address- 406 students. cars, a lease agreement, a Kah- years old can participate in mittee for Delivery & Legacy carried out by the University of al-Obaidli, said that the protec- ing occupational heat stress. He The fund explained that ramaa invoice, a certifi cate the competition. The authority (SC) and will look to place a stra- Thessaly’s FAME Laboratory in tion of labourers from the risks welcomed the study, saying it is these amounts are paid only of indebtedness if any, Qatar encouraged those interested to tegic framework that helps com- Greece. It will focus especially they face is the state’s moral duty a new contribution in that re- to eligible families who have Credit Bureau disclosure, as log on to its website. panies evaluate the occupational on the planning and construc- towards them. He added that the gard. students enrolled in various well as other documents relat- levels of education within the ing to study, fees and medical country and in accordance documents for people with with the rules and regulations disabilities. of Shariah. The head of the Zakat Bank- Head of Zakat Banking ing Department pointed out Department, Faiz Moazzi that it is not possible to assist QRCS ‘Little Hearts’ project kicks off in Bangladesh al-Shammari, said that the university students who are fund’s management has an eligible and resident of Qa- office for the project. He tar who are educated abroad, QNA staff at NICVD, so that they can pointed out that these aids since the regulations govern- Doha undertake such sophisticated are disbursed according to ing the work of the Zakat Fund procedures on their own. the fees approved by the Min- are concerned only with pro- “The purpose of this convoy is istry of Education and Higher viding assistance to eligible atar Red Crescent Soci- to treat kids who have been suf- Education, and not exceeding families within Qatar only. ety (QRCS) initiated the fering since their birth,” said Dr QR12,000 for primary stu- The Family Assistance Of- QLittle Hearts project in Mohamed S Ibrahim, Executive dents, QR15,000 for middle fi ce in the Zakat Fund receives Bangladesh, targeting a total of Director of QRCS Relief and In- school students, QR18,000 applications throughout the 80 kids with congenital heart ternational Development Divi- for secondary students and school year to allow eligible defects who have had their sion and the head of mission. QR20,000 for the students at families to receive assistance, hearts catheterised by physi- “It gives hope to the parents, university, without a maxi- especially with the timing of cians from Qatar, on the basis who are too poor to aff ord the cost mum limit for students in the school year in some schools of a co-operation agreement of treatment. It is a long story of special needs centres. in the country. with its Bangladeshi counter- pain”. For the success of this con- Al-Shammari said that The committee holds meet- part. voy, Dr Ibrahim expressed big the Zakat Fund Administra- ings twice a week to consider The Qatari Red Crescent Soci- thanks to the medical team, the tion receives applications for the fi les submitted and the ap- ety said in a statement yesterday benevolent donors of Qatar, the family assistance in tuition proval of the aid to the benefi - that within three days of the start Regulatory Authority for Chari- fees for students enrolled in ciaries. of the project, which will continue table Activities (RACA), Hamad until next Sunday, the medical Medical Corporation (HMC), Qa- convoy treated 43 targeted chil- tar Airways, and BDRCS. dren in Bangladesh, at National The medical convoys are one Institute of Cardiovascular Dis- of the leading medical projects Qatar condemns bombing in Pakistan eases (NICVD) in Dhaka. implemented by the Qatar Red The statement pointed out Crescent Society with the sup- atar yesterday strongly condemned the bombing attack that the convoy includes a vol- port of donors and benefactors that took place in a market in the outskirts of Quetta city, unteer medical team in the fi elds in Qatar, and they have worked Qsouthwestern Pakistan, killing two people and wounding of cardiac catheterization and with their brothers from pa- others. In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign anaesthesia of children, as well The QRCS medical convoy treated 43 children in Bangladesh, at National Institute of Cardiovascular tients around the world, espe- Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s fi rm stance on rejecting violence and ter- as psychological and moral sup- Diseases in Dhaka. cially those who are deprived of rorism, regardless of the motives and reasons. port services for children, within poverty, the need and the lack The statement expressed Qatar’s condolences to the victims’ Box of Joy, an initiative imple- Doha, with support from Qatar Another contribution by the building, providing practical of resources for treatment and families, the government and the people of Pakistan, wishing the mented by QRCS volunteers in Airways. medical convoy is capacity- training for the local medical health services. injured a speedy recovery. - QNA Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 3 QATAR Five ICT features PM meets Pakistan’s Imran Khan make Al Janoub Stadium unique l Janoub Stadium in Al In a statement yesterday, the recorded in similar stadiums the opening ceremony. The Wakrah City, the latest Supreme Committee for Deliv- around the world. More than entire event fully utilised the A2022 FIFA World Cup ery & Legacy highlighted the 2.2TB of data was transferred stadium sound system, which Qatar stadium to be launched, fi ve key ICT innovations at the over the Wi-Fi system during consists of 42 loudspeaker sys- is one of the most technologi- stadium. They are Wi-Fi serv- the fi nal. tems, with no additional over- HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani meeting cally advanced arenas of its ices, 5G connectivity, light and Al Janoub Stadium is one of lay sound systems deployed. with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Doha yesterday. type in the world. sound, Sports in a Box infra- the fi rst stadiums in the world Integration between light and Al Janoub Stadium was structure, and integrated safety to be equipped with 5G mobile sound systems provided full showcased for the fi rst time and security systems. communications signals that synchronisation in real-time to when it hosted the 2019 Amir More than 1,000 Wi-Fi ac- cover the entire spectator area. produce stadium hype eff ects, Cup fi nal between Al Duhail cess points are deployed across During the fi nal, signal speeds without the need for any pre- and Al Sadd in May. the stadium to enable high- in excess of 1GB were recorded. programming. The 40,000-capacity venue, density connectivity for fans The indoor building solutions The innovative Sports in a Sale of 10.7 tonnes recorded designed by legendary archi- and the operations team. Dur- provided full strength mobile Box infrastructure is deployed tect Zaha Hadid, boasts state- ing the Amir Cup fi nal, the signals across the stadium, to run the applications, serv- of-the-art information tech- peak bandwidth consumption transferring more than 6TB of ers and security infrastruc- nology and communications reached 2GB and served more data during the fi nal. ture for the stadium with full on fi rst day at Dates Festival (ICT) features for the benefi t than 8,500 devices simultane- Smart LED lights within the redundancy. Sports in a Box of fans, players, offi cials and ously – more than twice the stadium were programmed is a technology concept being he ongoing fourth Lo- media. overall wireless associations for light show eff ects during piloted by Qatar’s Aspire Zone cal Dates Festival at Souq Foundation in partnership with TWaqif, which opened on DELL Technologies to intro- Tuesday, is evoking a good re- duce compact, scalable and sponse. As per fi gures, released portable ICT infrastructure de- by the Ministry of Municipality ployment for on-the-fi eld spe- and Environment (MME) yester- cifi c needs of the global sports day, the festival marked the sale of industry. 10,752kg dates on the opening day. More than 1,200 CCTV A total of 11,210kg dates were cameras are deployed within made available for the sale on the the stadium and its vicinity fi rst day. A total of 2,500 visitors to support surveillance op- visited the festival on the fi rst day. erations. 40 high megapixel The organisers this year expect cameras provided full cover- a sale of more than 250 tonnes of age of the entire spectator area dates at the festival which runs during the fi nal. The stadium until August 3. Last year, the fes- Spectator Access Control tival attracted about 54,000 visi- The fourth edition of the Local Dates Festival has evoked a good response. System is equipped with 83 tors and sold 205 tonnes of fresh turnstiles with a total system dates worth QR1.7mn. help local farmers get market for tended by 73 farmers in 2018. capacity of 63,900 passages The fourth edition of the fes- dates. More than a dozen local The date varieties on sale at per hour. The peak passages tival is organised by the MME varieties are on sale at the event the festival include Al- Khalas, per hour recorded during the and Souq Waqif management participated by 85 farms across Al-Shishi, Al-Khenaizi, Al-Barhi, fi nal was 20,000 – 31% of the as part of Qatar’s eff orts to pro- Qatar in addition to Hassad food Al-Iraqi and Al-Silji, Al-Saqai, The Smart LED lights within the stadium were programmed for light show eff ects during the Amir Cup final. total system capacity. mote locally grown products and company. The festival was at- Nabt Saif, Al-Lulu and Al-Razizi. Bedaya Centre organises Ford Ranger 2016- 2017 models recalled fashion styling workshop Vodafone promotes parents’ digital literacy The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with The Bedaya Centre for coordinate garments/accessories s part of its commit- Almana Motors Company, has Entrepreneurship and Career to plan the complete look for their ment to raise digital lit- announced the recall of Ford Ranger Development (Bedaya Centre), a simulated clients. Aeracy awareness in the models of 2016-2017 due to a joint initiative by Qatar Development On this occasion, Bedaya Centre country, Vodafone Qatar has possible crack in the front brake hose Bank and Silatech, has organised a general manager Reem al- invited all employees operat- that could lead to the loss of brake workshop, in collaboration with Fifty Suwaidi said: “We are delighted ing in companies located at fluid and causes increased brake One East, on fashion styling during to collaborate with Fifty One Qatar Science and Technology pedal travel and stopping distances. the second episode of the 2019 East for the second time. Due to Park (QSTP) to learn how to The ministry has said that it will co- summer camp, which was held from their longstanding experience, keep their children safe in the ordinate with the dealer to follow up on July 14-25. we were able to highlight the digital world. the maintenance and repair works and With Fifty One East’s unparalleled importance of fashion, which Hundreds of people attend- will communicate with customers to expertise of more than 70 years and has started gaining momentum ed the event that came under ensure that the necessary repairs are substantial knowledge in the fashion around the globe off ering endless the banner of Vodafone Qatar’s carried out. industry, its stylists were able to opportunities for those interested award winning online safety share tips about the industry and in working in this field by advising, programme, AmanTECH. teach the students the guidelines choosing and co-ordinating With schools closed for the Porsche Panamera, and outlines in styling, as well as clothes for customers in an era summer holidays, children diff erent aspects of fashion design where our dynamic lives require are spending a signifi cant Porsche Cayenne as a career. The participants were us to be in the best image and amount of time online. Us- models recalled subsequently asked to select and best appearance as possible.” ing a series of quick interac- tive activities, the employees The Ministry of Commerce and were taught core skills around Industry, in collaboration with Porsche YouTube and YouTube Kids Centre Doha Al Boraq Automobiles, diff erences, Snap Chat Map Some of the people who attended the event, which is under Vodafone Qatar’s award winning online has announced the recall of Porsche features, and how to setup safety programme, AmanTECH. Panamera models of 2016-2010 and parental safety settings and Porsche Cayenne models of 2010-2003. managing their child’s activ- power parents and to help human resources offi cer at and 17 with a focus on aware- The recall is due to a possible defect ity on devices. them equip their children Vodafone Qatar. ness, education and techni- in the gear selector cable bushing, “Qatar is one of the most with the right tools and Vodafone Qatar launched cal support. The AmanTECH allowing the transmission to be in a connected countries in the understanding to navigate AmanTECH in 2014, which programme includes ongoing diff erent gear when the shift lever world and children are ex- the digital world safely and has been working through a workshops, an online source is in Park (P), which may lead to an posed to technology from to take full advantage of three-pronged approach to for information, and tips for increased risk of an unintentional a very young age. At Voda- its benefi ts,” said Khames reach out to parents, teachers, parents at www.vodafone.qa/ rollaway occurring if the parking fone Qatar, we aim to em- Mohamed al-Naimi, chief and children aged between fi ve AmanTECH. brakes are not applied.

Temporary traffi c shift at Makkah New bridge to be opened at Al Luqta Al Mukarramah Interchange From Page 1 All roundabouts will be con- verted into more effi cient and Ashghal has started the con- safer signallised junctions. Be- he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has struction of the cable-stayed sides, 17 interchanges will be announced a temporary traffi c diversion at bridge. The 1,200m-long bridge upgraded. These interchanges TMakkah Al Mukarramh Interchange from to- that extends prior to Haloul will have 32 bridges, 12 vehicular morrow and from August 2 in two phases. Roundabout through Faleh Bin underpasses and 12 pedestrian The diversion has been announced in order to al- Nasser intersection on Salwa bridges that will enhance con- low the opening of the new bridge at Al Luqta and Road is set up as part of the nectivity and provide smooth accelerate the completion of the second phase of project. And it’s aimed at en- traffi c movement. 65km of pe- the remaining works of Makkah Al Mukarramah suring free traffi c fl ow between destrian and cycle paths along Interchange and service road. Hamad International Airport with 1.5mn sqm of landscaping As per the plan, Ashghal will upgrade the old and the areas of Bu Hamour, will be also be carried. roundabout connecting Makkah Street and Sabah Mesaimeer and Al Waab. With The corridor also off ers easy Al Ahmad Corridor into two levels interchange. four lanes in each direction, the access to some of The new junction will include one new bridge and bridge will accommodate more stations including the Economic signalised junction under the bridge. than 16,000 vehicles an hour. Zone, Al Waab and Old Rayyan. An aerial view of new bridge. From Al Gharrafa towards Al Rayyan and Al Waab: During the fi rst phase of diversion, vehicles coming from Al Gharrafa towards Al Rayyan will Road users heading from Makkah Street towards Al be diverted from Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor to the Gharrafa North have been asked to turn right on a bridge. The signalised junction will remain open to service road from Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor. Vehi- those coming from Makkah Street in the direction of cles heading from Makkah Street towards Al Rayy- ‘1,700 apartments, villas added in second quarter’ Al Rayyan. an and Al Waab south can proceed under the new From Al Waab and Al Rayyan towards Al bridge and turn left on a service road adjacent to From Page 1 West Bay Lagoon witnessed the A quarterly capital depreciation experienced quarterly capital Gharrafa: The second phase will be on August the bridge. Road users coming from Makkah Street highest overall decline in values between 1% to 3% was observed depreciation of less than 1%. when traffi c will be shifted temporarily on the can use the new U-turn under the bridge and turn Villa and freehold apartment followed by Lusail and The Pearl. in clusters of Ain Khaled/Abu Gross yields for residential bridge, under the bridge on service roads. Those to the same street. Traffi c coming from Al Rayyan prices saw marginal QoQ declines All villa locations experienced Hamour, Old Airport/Najma, Al units averaged at an overall 5% coming from Al Rayyan and Al Waab area towards and Al Waab South towards Makkah Street East can of 0.8% and 0.4% respectively. marginal declines against the Wakrah and Al Khor. adjusted to 6% for apartments Al Gharrafa North can make use of the bridge. make use the service road heading to the right. Amongst freehold apartments, previous quarter. The remaining clusters and 4.5% for villas, ValuStrat said. Gulf Times 4 Thursday, July 25, 2019 QATAR

Qatar condemns attack on municipality of Mogadishu

The State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation of the explosion that targeted the Municipality of Mogadishu building, causing deaths and injuries. In a statement yesterday, the Ministry Summer in Qatar programme of Foreign Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm stance on rejecting violence and terrorism, regardless of motives and reasons. The statement expressed Qatar’s condolences to the victims’ families, the government and the people of Somalia, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. Meanwhile, Somali authorities announced that the Mayor of Mogadishu and other off icials were injured in the ‘on the right path to success’ suicide attack. Deputy governor of Banadir province Mohamed Abdullah Tolh told Somalia News Agency yesterday that the mayor and the Governor of Bnader and a number of heads Convention Centre (QNCC). By Joey Aguilar South Indian stars set for movie awards extravaganza of the directorates of the capital and directors working in the Staff Reporter Another comedy show is set municipality headquarters suff ered minor injuries. (QNA) to enthral the audience at QNCC on August 15, which will feature The eighth South Indian and accounts for about 50% he Summer in Qatar (SiQ) Omid Djalili and Nemr. International Movie Awards of annual domestic box off ice programme 2019, now “Tickets have been sold out two (SIIMA) is set to take the stage collections. Tmore than half-way since weeks before the event,” said al- on August 15-16 as part of SIIMA, which is held outside its launch on June 4, has attracted Jumaili, adding that there is also the Summer in Qatar (SiQ) India, aims to introduce a and engaged more people to ex- a huge demand for SiQ’s family programme. broader audience to South India perience and take part in various shows such as The Smurfs, Hello The prestigious awards will see cinema, continuing to build upon tourism off erings and activities Kitty Live, the Blue Man Group, a galaxy of South Indian stars the ever-widening popularity of taking place across the country, it and an Arabic concert during the light up Doha’s firmament for the Indian cinema. is learnt. upcoming Eid al-Adha holidays two-day event. Managed by One FM 89.6, “One of the main indications of next month. SIIMA is the most-viewed award SIIMA will be held at the Lusail (SiQ’s) success is the collabora- “All the activations have wit- show in the industry, with Indoor Arena, which has a tion between diff erent stakehold- nessed people going there and awards across four languages: capacity of 8,000 people. ers starting from the preparation enjoying the activities, and one of Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Tickets range from QR50 to phase during Ramadan. We have the reasons is the engagement,” he Malayalam. QR3,000, and are available at more than 30 stakeholders all stressed. The show, taking place during aynatickets.com. coming together to present the Khalid al-Jumaili Apart from the activations the Qatar-India 2019 Year of SiQ includes a plethora biggest SiQ (this year),” Khalid al- in the mall, al-Jumaili said that Culture, will see 100 awards of entertainment shows, Jumaili from the Qatar National Studios, Alchemy and Radio One many of QNTC’s partners such as in 50 categories handed out music concerts and comedy Tourism Council (QNTC) said. FM Qatar. Katara – the Cultural Village and over the two-day extravaganza. performances by top The QNTC-organised pro- Al-Jumaili noted that the in- Souq Waqif, among others, are Indian ambassador P Kumaran international artists, including gramme, which concludes on crease in the number of visits to also organising their own activi- will attend the festivities, which summer camps for children and August 16, partnered with pub- various malls, the purchase and ties as part of SiQ. begin on India’s Independence youth, thrilling experiences and lic and private sectors, including entries to the raffl e draws, and the “These add a big value compar- Day. sporting tournaments in addition the Ministry of Commerce and large number of visitors, especial- ing to the previous years where South India cinema, though less to exciting travel, hospitality and Industry, Ministry of Munici- ly families, at the Entertainment malls are the main focus of SiQ well known than its northern retail promotions running until pality and Environment, Qatar City, among others, indicate that activities,” he pointed out. counterpart, is far more prolific, August 16. Museums, Qatar Airways, Ka- the programme is on the right path Meanwhile, QNTC also enticed tara – the Cultural Village, Qatar to success. many foreign visitors, especially Foundation, Private Engineer- About ticketed shows, he cited those who are eligible for visa- from these countries “growing by working closely with them to get ing Office, Katara Hospitality, the success of the recently-held free entry, to visit Qatar during the the numbers.” fi nal reports on how eff ective it is Al Rayyan Hospitality, Marriott Doha Comedy Festival, featuring summer, according to al-Jumaili. About the Electronic Travel Au- and how much many people uti- International hotels, nine par- renowned South African comedi- He noted that the impact of thorisation (ETA) system, which lised it and how many people ap- ticipating malls, and other event an Trevor Noah, who entertained such visa facilitation created a is managed by the Ministry of plied, how many people actually partners such as QSports, Social the crowd at the Qatar National positive impact, with arrivals Interior, al-Jumaili said: “We are got the ETA and visited Qatar.”

Ooredoo offers greater choice of channels on Zee Family Package at no extra cost

Ooredoo announced yesterday now includes 17 channels so they can access their favourite that it has doubled the number instead of the previous nine, programmes from home, and we’re of channels on the Zee Family with no change to the monthly sure the new channels on the Zee Package, meaning customers now subscription, so the Zee Family Family Package will be extremely get a greater choice for the same Package will continue to be popular.” price. available at QR35 a month. Cinema, Zee Telugu, and Zee at Ooredoo, said: “We’re delighted Customers who do not yet have The Zee Family Package, a New channels include WION, Zee Kannada. to be off ering our Ooredoo tv Ooredoo tv can sign up and collect popular programme package Talkies HD, Zee Marathi HD, Zee Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, director, customers a greater choice of their set-top box from any Ooredoo from the Indian subcontinent, Yuva, Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla PR and Corporate Communications entertainment at no extra cost, shop in Qatar. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 5 QATAR 6,000 schoolchildren take part in Generation Amazing sessions QNB moves closer to full digitisation with contactless cards

NB Group has launched full-fl edged contactless Qcards on its credit, debit, and prepaid products portfo- lio, while it has been actively More than 6,000 schoolchildren have participated in sessions delivered by Generation Amazing in Qatar, the Supreme Committee deploying Point of Sale (PoS) for Delivery & Legacy (SC) said. “Generation Amazing uses the power of sports to positively impact lives and create sustainable terminals that can process both social development in communities,” the SC tweeted. contact and contactless transac- tions. The move comes within the group’s strategy to enhance its leadership in the development of innovative digital banking solu- tions and to fully digitise its fi - nancial transactions. With their latest add-on on contactless payment capabil- ity, it opens the door to imagi- nation and creativity allowing QNB head off ice cardholders to transact safely using chip-enabled wearables at convenience of paying without “We continue to invest and any terminal that are Near Field having to pull out a card, memo- innovate in technology to ensure Communication (NFC) terminal rising a PIN code or fumbling for that our customers’ demands in Qatar or overseas. cash. and changing lifestyle needs are Whether the cardholder Moreover, with these new met.” chooses a watch payment ac- wearable payment products, She added that QNB is aligned cessory, a fi tness wristband or a QNB’s customers can enjoy with the Qatar government’s vi- keychain, the QNB contactless greater convenience and speed. sion of becoming a cashless so- smart chip will fi t perfectly into The innovative technology ciety by further advancing elec- any lifestyle and allow the cus- shares the same level of protec- tronic payments in the market. tomer to experience seamless tap tion and security as a regular The introduction of QNB’s and pay transactions. chip and PIN transaction. wearable payment products and QNB is replacing its entire QNB was the fi rst bank in Qatar leverage the contactless transac- ‘SriLankan Travel Fest’ off ers huge discounts cards suite in its Qatar operation, to introduce seamless contactless tions is another testament to the and becoming fully-contactless payment services in 2012. vision where cardholders can use enabled is supported by the Since then, QNB has been their cards for payments instead riLankan Airlines has ellers the freedom to travel any- fer, with limited numbers of Colombo and also connects to state-of-the-art instant card is- working on several fronts within of using cash exclusively. launched a ‘SriLankan time from July 27, 2019, to July seats for certain destinations over 1,000 cities in 160 coun- suance capabilities that QNB has the cards and payment services QNB Group’s presence STravel Fest’ off ering a 15, 2020, on Business Class. and discounts being awarded tries through its oneworld strategically invested in. to leverage the alternative pay- through its subsidiaries and as- discount of 40% on Business The promotion can only be on a first-come-first-served partner airlines. With about 30 locations in ment solutions and continue its sociate companies extends to Class to over 35 destinations booked until July 28, 2019. basis. Sri Lanka’s national car- Qatar that has this capability, dominance as the market leader 31 countries across three conti- when booked through its on- The SriLankan Airlines More details are available rier has won a string of recent QNB expects a smooth and easy in banking innovation. nents providing a comprehen- line channel www.srilankan. “Travel Fest” for Economy class on www.srilankan.com/sri- international awards includ- experience for customers to get Heba al-Tamimi, general sive range of advanced products com. An upcoming promotion travel that would follow shortly lankan-travel-fest. ing ‘World’s Leading Airline to their cards replaced. manager QNB Group, Retail and services. will off er a discount of 25% on enables passengers to enjoy A member of the oneworld the Indian Ocean’ at the World The NFC technology allows Banking, said: “QNB is the fore- The total number of employ- Economy class tickets when travels from September 15, 2019 global airline partnership, Travel Awards; and ‘Asia’s customers to make transac- runner in introducing new pay- ees is more than 30,000 oper- booked through the airline’s of- to July 15, 2020. SriLankan Airlines operates a Leading Airline to the Indian tions that are less than QR100 ment technologies that are safe, ating through 1,100 locations, fi cial online platform. More than 35 destinations route network of 111 cities in Ocean’ at World Travel Awards by simply tapping it on the PoS secure, and most importantly, with an ATM network of more The ongoing off er gives trav- are up for grabs in this of- 48 countries from its hub in Asia Australasia. and gives QNB customers the convenient for our customers. than 4,400 machines. Gulf Times 6 Thursday, July 25, 2019 REGION/ARAB WORLD Iran is open to UK tanker swap, says Rouhani

AFP (Tuesday),” the Swedish shipping com- In reaction to the Iranian denials, Tehran pany said in a statement. Trump insisted on Tuesday that the US It said “everyone was safe with good downed a drone. co-operation with the Iranian personnel “You can see it laying right down ran hinted yesterday it is open to a onboard”. on the bottom of that beautiful bed tanker swap with Britain as the own- “We do of course appreciate this step of water,” the US president said in Iers of a UK-fl agged ship seized by the and that this is a fi rst sign that we will remarks posted on the White House Islamic Republic expressed hopes for soon see more positive progress from the website. “positive progress” after speaking to its Iranian authorities,” said its chief execu- Iran’s Defence Minister Brigadier- crew. tive Erik Hanell. General Amir Hatami responded to The seizure of the Stena Impero has Iran’s high-seas standoff with Britain Trump yesterday by saying the Islamic been seen as a tit-for-tat move after Brit- comes amid rising hostilities between the republic had put on display the wreckage ish authorities detained an Iranian tanker Islamic republic and the United States. of the US drone it shot down. off Gibraltar this month on suspicion it The arch-enemies have been locked in “If anyone claims that they have was shipping oil to Syria in breach of EU a battle of nerves since President Donald downed one of our drones they must sanctions. Trump withdrew the US from a landmark show its (wreckage),” Hatami said ac- “We don’t want tensions with some 2015 deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear cording to the semi-offi cial Isna news Pupils gesture in front of a mural painting of a protester killed during anti-government protests in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. European countries,” Iran’s President programme and began reimposing sanc- agency. Hassan Rouhani said in comments to a tions. During the cabinet meeting, Rou- cabinet meeting posted on his govern- Since the Trump administration began hani also said Iran would be open to talks ment’s website. a “maximum pressure” campaign against should there be a “ceasefi re” in US eco- In a clear reference to the tense stand- Iran this year, the situation has worsened nomic sanctions against the Islamic re- off with the British, Rouhani said if they with drones downed and tankers myste- public. Murals commemorate were to “cease the incorrect acts that riously attacked in sensitive Gulf waters. “In this regard some countries are in- they have done, including that of Gibral- The Revolutionary Guards yesterday termediaries, though they themselves tar, Iran’s response would be” appropri- denied losing a drone and challenged the say they are not mediators and are just ate to their actions. Americans to prove Trump’s claims they expressing their own views,” said Rou- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards could fi nd it at the bottom of the sea af- hani. Sudan protest martyrs Corps seized the Stena Impero on Friday, ter the US military said it downed an un- “There has been correspondence from surrounding it with attack boats before maned aircraft last week. both sides on this issue and we are con- troops rappelled onto its deck from a “I offi cially declare that none of Is- tinuing this,” the Iranian president added. AFP These murals are specifi cally drawn demand of those who died for us,” said helicopter. lamic Iran’s drones have been downed,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Khartoum on the walls of protesters’ own homes Bahri resident Mujahid Sadeq. The oil tanker and its 23 crew have Guards’ Major-General Hossein Salami visited Tehran in June for talks aimed at or in their neighbourhoods. “I didn’t know Mattar before, but since been impounded at the southern was quoted as saying on the force’s offi - defusing tensions between Iran and the Diab and her team got their moti- now we all know him.” port of Bandar Abbas for allegedly break- cial website. United States. udanese protester Walid Abdel- vation from a protest catchcry: “Our A student in Britain, Mattar was ing “international maritime rules”. “If our enemies have any claims on Earlier this month French President rahim was shot dead last month martyrs didn’t die, they are alive back to visit family and had just cel- The owners of the vessel said yester- downing Iranian drones, they should Emmanuel Macron sent his top diplo- Sin Khartoum but for his mother among the revolutionaries!” ebrated his 26th birthday when he de- day they had fi nally been able to speak to show their proof,” he said. matic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, to Iran he is still alive - thanks to a colourful “The idea is to immortalise their cided to spend a night with the dem- the crew of 18 Indians, three Russians, a Iran, which last month shot down a “to piece together a deescalation” strat- mural of his smiling face on a wall of legacy in their own homes and to onstrators at the sit-in. Latvian and a Filipino. US Global Hawk drone that it said had egy. their home. make the people of their neighbour- His death in the raid had evoked a “Stena Bulk can confi rm that we have ventured into its airspace, has repeatedly Both Japan and France have denied “The painting keeps him alive,” said hoods proud of a martyr who sac- campaign of solidarity on social media had direct communication with the crew denied it lost any of its own unmanned acting as intermediaries between Iran Maiyssa Omar, her voice choking as rificed his life for Sudan,” Diab, 29, under the hashtag #blueformattar. of the Stena Impero since late yesterday aerial vehicles. and the United States. she talked of her son, who was killed told AFP. “We decided to draw his face here during a three-day nationwide civil “Graffi ti makes martyrs come alive because this is a big area where the disobedience campaign in June. and reminds people of them even if the maximum number of people can see The campaign had been launched in people themselves did or did not sup- it,” said Eythar Gubara, a member of response to a brutal raid on a weeks- port the revolution.” Diab’s team. long sit-in in the capital on June 3 that Diab said painting each mural costs Some of the paintings Diab has left dozens of demonstrators dead and her about $635 given the high prices of drawn are also of protesters killed in hundreds wounded. colours and tools she uses. a September 2013 crackdown on anti- “When I see his painting it gives me “But martyrs took to the streets and austerity rallies. strength. I feel proud to be a mother of died for us. This is the least we can do They include Babikir Anwar whose a martyr,” Omar told AFP as she looked for them,” said Diab, who has drawn face Diab has drawn on a wall of his at her son’s face painted on the wall about 30 portraits of protesters killed family’s home in the neighbourhood of of their one-storey house in Bahri, a in Khartoum. Shambat. northern district in Khartoum. For years such artwork remained “We will not forget you Bakur,” is The portrait is part of a campaign underground amid censorship im- written below the painting, referring launched by Sudanese artist As- posed by heavy-handed security to his nickname. sil Diab to draw murals and graffi ti to agents of Bashir’s regime, who con- “It makes me feel that he is with me, commemorate demonstrators killed sidered it anti-establishment or pure as if he is sitting in front of me,” said in the months-old protest movement vandalism. Anwar’s mother Adawiya Mohamed, that has rocked the northeast African But artists say everything changed dressed in a black traditional robe. country. since the protests erupted, with doz- “I’m happy that Sudan still remem- Doctors close to the protest move- ens of murals fl ourishing across Khar- bers his legacy.” ment say 246 people have been killed toum’s walls since the initial weeks of Diab said drawing the graffi ti had across Sudan since demonstrations the uprising. not been easy. erupted in December. The capital’s neighbourhoods like Often her team faced resistance Offi cials have given a lower death Bahri, a regular site of protests, be- from the feared paramilitary group toll. came a canvas for artists like Diab. the Rapid Support Forces, who are ac- The protests initially broke out One such painting on a blue col- cused by rights group of carrying out against the regime of veteran leader oured wall of a youth club in Bahri is of the June 3 raid. Omar al-Bashir. protester Mohamed Mattar, who was “It was a dangerous experience, but Following his ouster by the army on one of dozens killed in the June 3 raid worth taking the risks,” Diab said. April 11, protesters continue to agitate on the protest camp. “I was interested in immortalising against the ruling generals who seized “This painting inspires me to par- the legacy of these martyrs in the best power. ticipate in the protests to achieve the way that I knew through graffi ti.”

Fish tanks: Jordan sinks military hardware for underwater museum

AFP Aqaba, Jordan

unken tanks, a troop carrier and a submerged helicopter: SJordan yesterday opened its fi rst underwater military museum off its Red Sea coast. The kingdom is hoping the 19 decommissioned pieces of military hardware, submerged at depths up to 28m, will attract tourists to the already popular diving resort of Aqaba. The Underwater Military Muse- um Dive Site includes several tanks, an ambulance, a military crane, a troop carrier, an anti-aircraft bat- tery, guns and a combat helicopter, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said. This combination of handout pictures released by Jordan’s Aqaba Special The sunken items have been “sta- Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) shows (clockwise from top) a battle tank, an tioned along the coral reefs imi- armoured vehicle, an AH-1 Cobra helicopter, and an anti-aircraft vehicle of the tating a battle tactical formation”, Jordanian Armed Forces submerged to be part of a new underwater military ASEZA said in a statement. museum. The museum aims to off er a “new type” of museum experience com- folk group, AFP photographers there ardous materials” from the hard- bining “sports, environment and said. ware to protect the marine ecosys- exhibits” for divers, snorkellers and The northern Red Sea is popu- tem. visitors on glass-bottomed boats, it lar with divers attracted by its coral It said the museum would allow said. reefs, which are in relatively good the creation of artifi cial reefs and The launch was marked by a cer- health despite global reef depletion promote the recovery of the area’s emony with music from the Jorda- due to global warming. natural reefs by “drawing visitors nian Armed Forces band and a local ASEZA said it had removed “haz- away to an alternative site.” Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 7 AFRICA

CAR court must Google introduces new intensify probe into war abuses, maps feature in Nigeria says rights group Reuters maybe a journey they don’t usu- Lagos ally take, to be able to discover the info they need to make that AFP some $1mn for 2019 had already journey,” said Jeff Albertson, a Bangui, Central African Republic emerged at the court and called ommuters making their Google senior product manager on donors to offer more finan- way through Nigeria can who worked on the develop- cial support. Cnow hear travel advice ment. special court investigat- “It is difficult to find such ex- in a local voice on Google Maps The map will include infor- ing human rights abuses pertise on the spot, so it is often under new features aimed at at- mation on the expected fare, A in Central African Re- necessary to recruit foreigners, tracting more users in Africa travel time and even photos of public must intensify its work which takes longer and is more that were unveiled by the com- the bus stops to help guide com- to deliver justice on war crimes expensive,” said court spokes- pany yesterday. muters. and violations, Human Rights person Nelly Mandengue. The local accents feature, un- Outside Lagos, Google is ex- Watch said. Critics have cast doubt over veiled at an event in the com- panding street view imagery to In a report released yester- whether the court will target mercial capital Lagos and also Abuja, Benin City, Enugu and day, the rights watchdog said high profile militia leaders and available on Google Assistant, is Nitin Kashyap, Google product manager of the Bolo app, speaks on stage at the Google event in Lagos yesterday. Ibadan. the Special Criminal Court political figures amid concern the fi rst move by the US technol- Google has worked hard to ex- needs to recruit more judges, that arrests could destabilise ogy giant to off er such a service Google’s motorcycle direc- jan, Google’s director of product to a new neighbourhood to find pand in West Africa, especially prosecutors and staff and get the security situation. in Africa. tions will also be available in management. information. Nigeria, the continent’s most more government and interna- “It is difficult to imagine Rapidly expanding popula- Benin Republic, Ghana, Rwanda, “We’re going market by mar- Google partnered with local populous country with an esti- tional support. that it will pursue the leaders tions, increased mobile phone Togo and Uganda from today, the ket based on popularity.” startup Road Preppers Tech- mated 190mn citizens. The court consists of 25 judg- of the most important armed penetration and crowded cities company said. In the coming months, the nologies Ltd to gather data on Last year it unveiled Wi-Fi es, 13 from the CAR and 12 for- groups, or the close entourage that are often poorly signposted The technology behemoth maps feature will also allow the different routes available, hotspots across Lagos, and in eigners, and has a total budget of the head of state,” said Hans have led technology fi rms to owned by Alphabet Inc said it is users in Lagos to seek direc- and aims to tell users the best 2017 it launched a programme to of $67.9mn to probe crimes de Marie Heungoup, a political identify African countries as po- aiming to capture new users and tions on what it calls “informal options available based on train millions of Africans in tech during more than a decade of scientist from the International tential growth areas. expand its appeal beyond just transit” - such as yellow danfo traffic, weather and road con- skills to make them more em- ethnic and religious conflict. Crisis Group. They are now off ering trans- drivers. minibuses that ply virtually ditions. ployable. It is backed by the United Na- One of the world’s poorest and port features from detailed maps “There are 10mn (motor- every road in Lagos, but about “What we’re really hoping is Google declined to say what tions and the European Union. most unstable nations, CAR has to motorcycle ride-hailing serv- cycles) in Nigeria, it’s hugely which it is difficult for outsid- for people who might be mak- sort of investment it was putting The court currently only has suff ered several violent crises ices. popular,” said Ramesh Nagara- ers or even Lagosians travelling ing a trip to an unfamiliar town, into the new developments. 20 domestic judicial police of- since 2003 when former presi- fi cers, directed by prosecutors dent Francois Bozize seized pow- and judges, to investigate crimes er in a coup. from a succession of confl icts. The country spiralled into “Central Africans have wait- bloodshed after Bozize was ed so long to see justice for the overthrown in 2013 by a mainly Cape Town restaurant serves insect menu many killings, rapes, and other rebel alliance called the Seleka. atrocities committed in the Much of its territory fell to Central African Republic,” said armed groups trying to control AFP opened its doors this month, been investigating insects as a and have no carbohydrate value. scorpions. “I knew then that I Elise Keppler, associate inter- gold, diamond and oil depos- Cape Town is off ering an alternative food viable protein substitute. The bugs are bred by two local wanted to hide insects in food, national justice director at Hu- its, hampering attempts to build source to the city’s mainstream “In general insects are really farmers and delivered straight to incorporated into little gourmet man Rights Watch. peace and national reconcilia- culinary experience. high in protein and fat, compa- the restaurant. dishes, to introduce to South Af- “The Special Criminal Court tion. opane worms are a tra- The restaurant was opened by rable to red meat in their protein Mealworms and mopane ricans,” Barnard said. holds promise but it’s had a Earlier this year, the gov- ditional snack in South Gourmet Grub, a company that and fat content. The insects we worms are some of the creepy- The restaurant serves mopane slow start and needs to inten- ernment and 14 armed groups MAfrica, but a Cape Town has already introduced Cape use, the black soldier fl y larvae, crawlies that chef Mario Barnard worm polenta fries, and black sify investigations so trials can signed a peace agreement nego- restaurant is set to crawl into the Town to dairy-free ice cream are much higher in zinc, iron and has included in his dishes. fl y larvae chickpea croquettes be initiated based on strong, tiated in Sudan’s capital Khar- history books as the fi rst to serve a made from insect milk. calcium than beef,” she said. In 2015, he went to Thailand paired with a mopane hummus compelling evidence.” toum, the eighth deal aimed at full menu of bug-infused delicacies. Co-founder and head of prod- According to Bessa, the in- and for the fi rst time experienced and topped off with a sprinkle of Despite international pledg- resolving conflict in the CAR The Insect Experience, which uct development Leah Bessa has sects are also high in dietary fi bre dishes made with tarantulas and dried mealworms. es, HRW said a funding gap of since 2013. Gulf Times 8 Thursday, July 25, 2019 AMERICA Mueller reiterates he did not ‘exonerate’ President Trump

Reuters Nadler, praised Mueller and gle with answers, several times 2016 US election with a scheme Washington said no one, including Trump, is asking them to repeat their ques- of hacking and propaganda to “above the law.” tions. sow discord among Americans The Intelligence Committee’s “That went a little fast for me,” and boost Trump’s candidacy. ormer special counsel Rob- Democratic chairman, Adam Mueller told Doug Collins, the Democrats focused on fi ve ert Mueller said yesterday Schiff , accused Trump’s 2016 committee’s top Republican, at actions by Trump that Mueller Fin his long-awaited US campaign of “disloyalty to coun- one point. had investigated as potential ob- congressional testimony that he try” for inviting, encouraging Mueller avoided being drawn struction of justice, including at had not exonerated President and making full use of Russian into arguments with Republicans one point telling his White House Donald Trump of obstruction of election meddling. who hammered away at his in- counsel to remove the special justice and defended the integ- But Trump’s Republican allies quiry, often frustrating lawmak- counsel. rity of his inquiry under repeated on the committees tried to paint ers with responses such as “I am “Obstruction of justice strikes attacks by conservative Republi- Mueller’s investigation as un- not going to get into that.” at the core of the government’s can allies of the president. fair to the president, with Louie “And if I can fi nish,” Mueller eff orts to fi nd the truth and to During a day of sometimes Gohmert heatedly telling the told Republican Matt Gaetz after hold wrongdoers accountable,” dramatic high-stakes political decorated War veteran the congressman interrupted him. Mueller testifi ed. theatre, the former FBI direc- and long-time federal prosecu- In a comment sure to disap- Under questioning by Nadler, tor answered questions publicly tor “you perpetuated injustice” point Republicans, Mueller said Mueller acknowledged that the for the fi rst time on his inquiry and conservative congressman he would not answer questions report detailed “multiple acts by in back-to-back hearings, with Guy Reschenthaler calling the about the origins of the Russia the president that were capable of Democrats and Republicans tak- manner in which the inquiry was probe in the FBI before he was exerting undue infl uence over law ing familiar positions at a time conducted “un-American.” Former special counsel Robert Mueller and former deputy special counsel Aaron Zebley prepare to testify named to take over the inquiry enforcement investigations, in- of deep partisan divisions in the “Welcome, everyone, to the before the House Intelligence Committee in the Rayburn House Off ice Building in Washington, DC. in 2017 or about a controversial cluding the Russian interference United States. last gasp of the Russian collusion dossier compiled by a former and obstruction investigations.” The hearings, with Mueller conspiracy theory,” said Devin But hours later at the outset of “It is not a witch hunt,” Muel- forded an opportunity for Amer- British intelligence agent. “Well, the fi nding indicates... facing a rapid-fi re succession of Nunes, the Intelligence Commit- the second hearing Mueller cor- ler added. icans, who may not have pored Republicans have tried to por- that the president was not excul- questions and often sidestep- tee’s top Republican. rected himself. Trump has accused Mueller of over the lengthy and sometimes tray the investigation as a politi- pated for the acts that he allegedly ping or merely referring lawmak- Mueller’s 448-page report, re- “As we say in the report and having confl icts of interest, in- dense report, to hear his conclu- cally motivated attack on Trump committed,” Mueller told Nadler. ers to the text of his investigative leased in redacted form on April as I said at the opening, we did cluding saying Mueller wanted sions in a highly charged hearing cooked up by Democrats and Attorney General William report, appeared to do little to 18, did not reach a conclusion on not reach a determination as to the president to appoint him as scheduled by Democrats, with various enemies. Barr, a Trump appointee, subse- move the Democrats who con- whether Trump committed the whether the president commit- FBI director after fi ring James Trump running for re-election Democrats entered the hear- quently cleared the president of trol the House of Representatives crime of obstruction of justice in ted a crime,” Mueller said. Comey. in 2020. ings hoping his testimony would obstruction of justice after re- closer to launching the impeach- a series of actions aimed at im- Trump has claimed that the Mueller disputed Trump’s ac- White House spokeswoman rally public support behind their ceiving Mueller’s report. ment process to try to remove peding the inquiry, but did not Mueller inquiry resulted in the count, saying he had not sought Stephanie Grisham told report- own ongoing investigations of In his opening statement to the Trump from offi ce even as he exonerate him. president’s “complete and total the FBI job from Trump. ers the fi rst hearing was “an epic the president and his adminis- Judiciary Committee, Mueller re- seeks re-election in 2020. The report also said the in- exoneration.” Mueller noted that Justice embarrassment for the Demo- tration. iterated that his team had decided Mueller spent 22 months inves- quiry found insuffi cient evidence “Did you actually totally ex- Department ethics offi cials con- crats.” Democrats are deeply divided not to make a determination on tigating what he concluded was to establish that Trump and his onerate the president?” Nadler fi rmed he had no such confl icts. During the hearing, Trump over whether to launch the im- the question of obstruction. Russian interference in a “sweep- campaign engaged in a criminal asked Mueller during the fi rst “Let me say one more thing,” posted tweets from others that peachment process set out in the “Based on Justice Department ing and systematic fashion” in the conspiracy with Russia. hearing. Mueller said. said Mueller was cowering and US Constitution for removing a policy and principles of fairness, 2016 US election to help Trump Mueller caused confusion “No,” Mueller replied. “Over the course of my career, that the inquiry was a hoax. president from offi ce for “high we decided we would not make a and the president’s conduct. when he testifi ed while being Mueller, accused by Trump of I have seen a number of challeng- Mueller, 74, was surrounded crimes and misdemeanours.” determination as to whether the He appeared for more than questioned by Democratic Repre- heading a “witch hunt” and trying es to our democracy. The Russian by news photographers as he Mueller said he would not talk president committed a crime. 3-1/2 hours before the House of sentative Ted Lieu during the fi rst to orchestrate a “coup” against the government’s eff ort to interfere took his place in the packed hear- about the “impeachment issue.” That was our decision then and Representatives Judiciary Com- hearing that he would have sought Republican president, said his in- with our election is among the ing room, showing little apparent Mueller’s inquiry detailed remains our decision today,” Mu- mittee, then testifi ed to the to indict Trump were it not for a quiry was conducted in “a fair and most serious.” emotion as he scanned the scene. numerous contacts between eller said. House Intelligence Committee. Justice Department policy against independent manner” and that The interrogation of Mueller, a During his interrogation by Trump’s 2016 presidential cam- Mueller did say that a presi- The Judiciary Committee’s bringing criminal charges against members of the special counsel’s reluctant witness who appeared lawmakers in both parties, Muel- paign and Russia at a time when dent could be charged with a Democratic chairman, Jerrold a sitting president. team “were of the highest integrity.” only after being subpoenaed, af- ler sometimes appeared to strug- the Kremlin was interfering in the crime after leaving offi ce.

Storm front

Sailboats ride the waves in the harbour during a tornado on Tuesday in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in this screenshot from a social media video obtained by Reuters yesterday.

Trump’s new asylum border rule clears initial legal hurdle in Washington court

Reuters the crisis at our Southern border,” Ken that challenged the Trump adminis- Washington Cuccinelli, the acting director of US tration rule in the US District Court for Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Northern District of California. said on Twitter. The Trump administration has is- he Trump administration yes- Increasing numbers of Central sued a rapid-fi re series of anti-immi- terday turned back an initial le- American migrants, many of them gration edicts recently, as the issue is Tgal challenge to a new rule that families with children, have been ar- shaping up to be a focus of the 2020 bars almost all immigrants from apply- riving at the border after fl eeing vio- presidential campaign. ing for asylum at the US-Mexican bor- lence and poverty in countries such as Voters rewarded Trump for his anti- der when a federal judge in Washington Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. immigrant rhetoric in the 2016 election rejected a request to block it. The rule would require them to fi rst campaign, sending him to the White But the new rule still faces other pursue safe haven in a third country House after he promised to build a wall challenges, as Judge Timothy Kelly through which they had travelled on on the US-Mexico border and called in US District Court for the District their way to the United States. for a ban on Muslims entering the of Columbia only ruled on a tempo- The judge’s decision was in response United States. rary restraining order and the lawsuit to a lawsuit fi led by the Capital Area Last week, the administration issued against the substance of the rule will Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. Oral ar- another rule to expedite deportations go forward. guments took place on Monday. for immigrants who have crossed ille- Moreover, a separate but similar The advocacy group issued a state- gally within the last two years and are lawsuit is also seeking a temporary re- ment yesterday saying it was disap- caught anywhere in the United States, straining order against the asylum rule pointed by the ruling but that it would eliminating a level of judicial review and was due to be heard in a federal keep fi ghting. and expanding a program typically ap- court in California. “We had hoped to obtain immediate plied only along the southern border The rule, which went into eff ect on relief from the potentially drastic con- with Mexico. July 16, will remain in force for now, sequences of this rule, which we fi rmly Democrats have blasted the policies as enabling immigration judges to deny believe violates US law and the Consti- cruel, faulting the Trump administration more asylum claims. tution,” said Mitchell Reich, one of the for warehousing migrants in crowded “DHS’s new Asylum Rule stands in attorneys representing the coalition. detention facilities along the border and DC Court ruling! A major victory for The suit is similar to an action led separating immigrant children from the @realDonaldTrump’s eff orts to stop by the American Civil Liberties Union adults they have travelled with. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 9 HOL STIC Wellbeing This is climate emergency Are you getting the most out of your sleep?

fee before napping so it kicks-in our bodies to align ourselves to in approximately the same time the ideal, our preferred and most it is to wake up. When it comes benefi cial sleep cycle possible. to weekends, don’t sleep in, just nap longer in the afternoon. If you Food wake up only with an alarm, that Are you mindful of what you means you have to tweak your are eating closer to the time you sleep schedule to make it as ideal should be going to bed? Go for as possible where you wake up light dinners full of protein to naturally and satisfi ed without an help your muscles recover with a alarm. One interesting tip to keep bit of carbs to help you get tired in mind is to reserve your bed for and feeling sleepy. Avoid caff eine Msheireb is an example of how sleep time only, condition your and nicotine more towards the Qatar — and the rest of the Mid- By Reem Abdulrahman Jassim mind and body to understand the evening and decrease the amount dle East — can cut emissions to al-Muftah purpose and value of your bed. of fried foods, bad carbs and re- help fight climate change, by fi ned sugars from your general using fewer fossil fuels and less Exercise diet to avoid energy bumps and water. More than 100 buildings in hy do we need sleep? Are you exercising? And when late night heartburn. Try to in- Msheireb, including apartments, of- It’s as simple as, to are you exercising? We all know crease your consumption of foods fices, hotels, a shopping mall and a Wrest, relax and recover. that exercising is a good way of that are rich in magnesium, sele- school are fitted with solar panels, Our bodies need to externally exerting energy, therefore, one of before your bedtime. Don’t forget and less through to the night. Our nium, potassium, calcium, mela- solar water heaters and overhangs switch off at the end of the day to the reasons why we eventually feel that breathing and stretching are brains release more melatonin (a tonin and/or fatty acids such as designed to shade the surrounding allow it to focus and turn on the tired. Physical activity also helps also low intensity forms of exer- hormone that helps you sleep) chickpeas, lentils, beans, seeds, areas and walkways. maintenance switch internally. tear your muscle fi bres leading to cise that also may help you sleep when it is dark. Consequently, spinach, nuts, whole grains, ba- Similarly, the new Lusail City is an We need to make it the most ben- your muscles eventually requiring earlier and increase your sleep limit yourself from bright and nanas, cherries, kiwis and salm- By Ghanim al-Sulaiti example of a project with sustain- efi cial experience possible for a good night’s sleep to rebuild and benefi ts. backlit devices the closer you are on. Lastly, try not to leave the ability at heart. Lusail is being both our minds and our bodies. strengthen. Exercise also releases to your bedtime. Keep your room most of your beverage intake to designed with plenty of trees and Sleep most importantly helps endorphins that make you feel Light and Noise cool, dark and as comfortably si- the evening hours as we would Human-produced pollution is green spaces, perfect to boost our bodies recover and specifi - good and happy as well as cortisol Are you aware of the lighting lent as possible to keep your body want to reduce and limit the causing climate change that is dan- Qatar’s ecosystem. But climate cally restore and repair our or- which increases your metabolism around you throughout the day? aware of its soon-to-be dormant number of bathroom trips during gerous now and will become much change is a global problem, and ac- gans, muscles, immune system, and body temperature, meaning You should try to expose yourself mode and biological clock tim- sleep. more dangerous in the future. It tion by many countries across the hormones and so much more. As it’s not the best idea to work out to natural light during the day ing. We have to teach and train When it comes to our sleep, is real and it is already happening. world, including the entire Middle we know, it helps our bodies keep make your goal to relax and not to Human-caused climate change has East region, will be needed to suc- strong and healthy as well as our sleep, do not over stress yourself already been proven to increase cessfully address the problem. brain function. So, how can we by thinking about sleeping. Be the risk of floods and extreme rain- Sea level is rising at the fastest rate try to sleep better and get the mindful, create an environment fall, heatwaves and wildfires with in 3,000 years, an average three most out of our sleep? Let’s talk and gradual routine to get you into implications for humans, animals millimetres per year — and as a mindfulness… your sleep zone, fi nd and balance and the environment. peninsular nation, this should be of that zone and keep it consistent. More cities have recently declared a concern to us all. Schedule Be aware of your mind and the ‘climate emergencies’, including Climate change and increase in Are you aware of your sleep games it is playing and try miti- Manchester, Paris, Cologne, Sydney temperatures is making Qatar cycle? Do you know when you gating those risks by beating your and the biggest city yet to join even more vulnerable to the lack usually get tired and when you mind to it. Do not let the worries the movement, New York. Here in of water and food insecurity. Every naturally wake up? The most im- of tomorrow get you tired before Qatar, our country is one of the few single drop of water that is used portant thing is that you should the new day even starts. Teach that emits more carbon dioxide in Qatar currently needs to be start trying to sleep and wake up and train yourself to not worry, per person than any country in the desalinated. at the same time every day. De- manage your stress and calm your world — which is a problem as the Going forward, we need to ensure pending on your schedule, it will own mind with your mind. If you world tries to combat in climate that as individuals, as families, as vary but try to be mindful and have any other tips, please let me change and avoid challenges rang- households or as companies — we understand your needs as well as know by reaching out to me on my ing from more extreme weather to have climate change on our minds your work day routine require- Instagram. sea level rise. each day as a reminder of the ments. Napping is helpful but However, Qatar is eager to demon- threat our planet is facing. Coming only when it’s up to 20 minutes. The author is a wellness advocate strate that the country is commit- together, discussing, educating and One trick is to drink a bit of cof- and infl uencer @keys2balance. ted to protecting the environment changing our lifestyle can have and reducing carbon footprint. a greater impact than you might In line with Qatar National Vision imagine. But we need to hurry up, 2030, Qatar aims to reduce its as time is running out. dependence on fossil fuels, reduce Don’t be shocked by your subconscious energy consumption and the na- The author is an expert in vegan tion’s carbon footprint. wellbeing and health. and deeper thought which would New areas of Doha such as Instagram handle: @Ghanim92 eventually produce a solution. After all, if we stopped getting caught up in the emotion of a thought, we could spend more time dealing with the action it might trigger. For example, I just thought about how tired I am of writing. Now instead of Wellness Meal Plan being harsh on myself and saying things like “you’re not a true writer”, “you’re lazy”, “how can you be tired of something you love?” (which would then lead to me avoiding writing tasks, pressuring myself By Sanah Thakur to always be happy when I write, etc) – I could trace the origin of this thought. I am tired because it’s Have you ever have had a thought late at night and I’ve been writing and immediately bullied your- consistently for weeks. I am tired self into believing it was utterly of writing because it causes me a atrocious for your brain to have significant amount of mental eff ort conjured that thought? I mean and exhaustion to carry the task out. seriously, ‘How could I even think of I am using the word tired in my head such a thing? I’ve looked at people because I feel less energetic about who have annoyed me and painted approaching a writing task than a detail picture of the pain I could I usually am. Instead of associat- cause them after which I’ve disci- ing negative words with the term plined myself for having thought ‘tired’, I can focus on the situation of such a mean action. But it was in which I am using the word. I am me who thought these things, no physically and emotionally tired, matter how horrible or disturbing, but that doesn’t devalue how much random or weird, and there’s no a- ‘Subconscious’ is an excuse to a situation where you get angry thoughts float around, triggering I am passionate about something. point pretending they belong to a detach ourselves from the owner- with someone you love – like your and strengthening other thoughts As you can see, instead of letting Chia Pudding with Rose Water and Cashew Butter diff erent part of me. The ‘subcon- ship of the thoughts. parents, siblings or close friends. that were suppressed, until the one my thoughts use the excuse of ‘the scious’ thoughts we have are as b- Good thoughts are not the only You love them but because of their day when we release this collection subconscious’, I can focus on the Why are Chia seeds good for you? equally ‘us’ as the conscious ones. ones that should be acknowledged behaviour in a specific situation you of thoughts. Soon we’ve dissoci- message underlying the thought Chia seeds off er a long list of important nutrients, including fibre, Acknowledging thoughts that don’t by the brain. dislike them at that very moment. ated ourselves from the voice that rather than blaming it on the protein, manganese and calcium, along with plenty of antioxidants feel like ‘us’ , tracing them back to c- A thought is an electrical trans- However, in the world we live in, say- expressed the suppressed thoughts medium I supposedly believe it’s and omega-3 fatty acids. their roots and dealing with their mission between synapses, so any ing we dislike people we love is not and excused it as a release of anxi- coming from. Not only that, but recent research has found that chia seeds benefits reality, actually has better conse- judgment of whether it’s good or a statement we can shout out from ety. Technically, it was a release of Let’s make our lives simpler and are even greater than scientists initially realised. Chia seeds health quences than the punishment we bad is based on your own interpre- our windows like a lover announcing stress as the suppression did cause stop judging our subconscious. benefits, include promoting healthy skin, reducing signs of ageing, waste our time thinking about. tation and biases. a romantic epiphany. So instead, we the biological response, but why Every layer of your brain belongs to supporting the heart and digestive system, building stronger bones, So how do you deal with these ‘sub- d- Suppressing a thought causes convince ourselves we didn’t mean wait for the build up? you and is still you. After all, you can and more. So here’s a delicious Chia pudding recipe to keep you conscious’ thoughts? The secret anxiety. the angry statements we shouted Life would much simpler if still be you with another person’s beautiful inside and out. lies in the way we react to them – in at the loved one or the thoughts we every time we had a thought, we heart but not with someone else’s really not being shocked by your To move forward from the last point, had. We suppress our real thoughts addressed it objectively. If we were brain. Ingredients: subconscious. There are layers to it’s important to realise the biologi- about the situation to ensure we intrigued by the thought rather than 1 cup of white Chia seeds the shock that you have to address, cal consequences of being shocked stay true to our ‘conscious’ personal- judgmental about its existence. The author can be contacted on 1 cup of thick coconut milk with the main ones being: by your subconscious. Imagine ity. Now these deeper, subconscious Intrigue would lead to questioning Instagram @sincerelysanah 1 cup of cashew milk 1/4 cup of shredded coconut 1/4 cup of rose water A handful of pistachios A handful of raspberries Selfie 2 tbs of cashew butter 2 tbs of any sticky sweetener self care. I am a big advocate for obsession on the other hand is a to take care of ourselves first to be questions I would ask to determine 1/2 a spoon of coconut oil cultivating daily practices that en- lack of concern or consideration of there for others and have healthy if I have a healthy level of self love: courage kind, loving, encouraging other people in the pursuit of one’s relationships. 1- What are ways you are taking Method: self-talk as well as daily rituals for own personal profit and pleasure. I try to maintain healthy self-love care of yourself? Soak the Chia seeds in the coconut milk and cashew milk. Add the us to maintain balance and nurture Self-obsessed people tend to care a with the view that when I do 2- What are your feelings when you Rose water, pistachio, shredded coconut and your sweetener to the ourselves but there is the other end little too much about their outward something for myself I want to be hear the term self-love or loving mix. Keep in the fridge to soak overnight. Serve cold with raspberry, of the spectrum. appearance, they are often narcis- of the greater good of other people yourself? nuts and cashew butter. Melt the coconut butter and cashew butter I think it has become diff icult to sistic, vain and arrogant. too. When you want to decide if 3- What would be the benefits of together and drizzle on top of the pudding. measure where one ends and the In the past many of us failed to something is positive for you and taking better care of yourself? other begins. Someone who loves take care of ourselves for fear of positive for others, try and imagine 4- What happens if you don’t take Enjoy the taste of eating right. themselves is generally a pleasure appearing selfish, that resulted in a pure soul like Gandhi or Mother care of yourself? to be around, they tend to be hon- many of us becoming worn down Teresa. Imagine what they would Asking yourself powerful questions est and open about life. Self-ob- and stressed. have said or done in that situation, challenges you to dig deeper and By Shefa Ali sessed people can be challenging The more time passes in which we then you have a good way to gauge understand how you really feel, I to be around, they often put down don’t give ourselves the time, love, the situation. It is simple. Some- hope you find this tool useful. Let others, including friends. and attention we need, the less we times we forget that we always me know your thoughts, send me a There is a fine line between self- Self-Love means taking care of can truly be there for other people. have this choice in every situation. message on Instagram. love and self-obsession. We live in one’s well-being and happiness, Also, if we do not find ourselves de- As a coach I ask myself and my a world in which we are constantly this involves taking care of yourself serving of our own love, often we clients questions to get a better The author is a consultant and bombarded with messages about emotionally, physically, spiritually, find ourselves also not deserving of understanding of the inner work- coach. Instagram handle: @miss_ the importance of self-love and financially and intellectually. Self- another’s love. Essentially, we need ings of the minds, here are a few shefa, Website: missshefa.com Gulf Times 10 Thursday, July 25, 2019 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

DISPUTE SENTENCING CRIME SEPARATION CRACKDOWN Australia MasterChef Australian IS supporters Chinese man arrested in Malaysia’s ex-king divorces Nepal searches for more judges get the chop jailed for mosque arson Cambodia for murder former Miss Moscow child abuse victims

The hosts of Australian television’s popular and Two men who set fire to a Melbourne A Chinese national accused of killing his Malaysia’s former king has divorced a Nepalese police yesterday were long-running MasterChef cookoff have walked mosque in an Islamic State-inspired attack pregnant girlfriend and burning her remains in Russian ex-beauty queen just months after searching for more child victims of an out of the kitchen en masse amid a dispute over intending to terrorise the Shia community Phnom Penh late last month was arrested as news of their wedding emerged and he Australian arrested for allegedly abusing pay. Producers announced that Tuesday night’s were jailed for 22 years yesterday. A third he re-entered Cambodia, a police investigator abdicated, his lawyer said. The former Miss two boys, the latest foreigner to be season finale was the last time Matt Preston, man, who was recruited following an earlier said yesterday. Yang Yang was arrested at Moscow, however, says she is still married accused of paedophilia in the Himalayan Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris would failed attempt to burn down the same Phnom Penh International Airport on Tuesday to Sultan Muhamed V, and has continued to country. The 62-year-old paragliding pilot adjudicate exotic dishes ranging from adobo mosque, was sentenced to 16 years for morning, more than three weeks after the post pictures of the couple on social media. was arrested on Tuesday after police to sambal. “Despite months of negotiation, the crime. The men – Ahmed Mohamed, burnt remains of his girlfriend were found at The sultan stepped aside as Malaysia’s raided his rented house in the tourist 10 has not been able to reach a commercial 26, Abdullah Chaarani, 28 and Hatim a remote construction site in the capital, said monarch in January after just two years on town of Pokhara following a tip-off . Police agreement that was satisfactory to Matt, Gary Moukhaiber, 31 – torched the Imam Ali James McCabe, operations director of the the throne when reports of the marriage said the pilot, who had been working and George,” Network 10 said in a statement. Islamic Centre in December 2016 in the night Child Protection Unit (CPU). McCabe said Yang surfaced last year. His abdication was the in Nepal for three years, was caught The departure comes after Calombaris was fined before spray painting “The Islamic State” confessed to killing the 27-year-old Chinese first by a monarch in the country’s history. “red-handed” with two boys aged 12 and for underpaying staff at his own restaurants on one of the building’s walls. They were woman and was accused of premeditated The sultan “has irrevocably divorced Ms 14. “He has been living here so we need by millions of Australian dollars. The country’s found guilty of terror-related charges in May murder, which carries a life sentence. The Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko on June 22, 2019 to investigate if there are other victims attorney-general even weighed in on the dispute, after the jury determined the crimes. Judge deceased was earlier reported to be between 12 by three talaqs in accordance with Sariah or if he is connected with a network of suggesting Calombaris got off lightly with an Andrew Tinney said the men were motivated and 17 years old based on an examination of the laws”, said a statement from his lawyer, Koh paedophiles,” local police off icial Dan A$200,000 fine. by “hatred” and “intolerance”. remains. Tien Hua. Bahadur Karki said.

No IS link China warns of war over any to Lanka Easter attacks: Taiwan independence move probe Reuters China responded by saying it safeguard national sovereignty, increased its defence expendi- In Beijing, asked how Chi- shatter the “one country, two Beijing would impose sanctions on US unity, and territorial integrity,” ture... and undermined global na’s military would handle systems” formula under which fi rms involved in any deals. he said. strategic stability.” escalating protest violence in the former British colony AFP Defence ministry spokesman The United States is the Taiwan’s Mainland Aff airs Hong Kong’s widening crisis returned to China in 1997. Colombo hina warned yesterday Wu Qian told a news briefi ng on main arms supplier to Taiwan, Council said later in a statement over a controversial extradition Wu also said reports of a that it was ready for war a defence white paper, the fi rst which China deems a wayward that Beijing’s “provocative be- bill, Wu referred only to the secret pact with Cambodia Cif there was any move like it in several years to outline province. Beijing has never haviour... seriously violated the territory’s garrison law, which granting China’s armed forces ri Lanka’s Easter attacks toward Taiwan’s independence, the military’s strategic con- renounced the use of force peace principle in international he said “already has a clear exclusive access to part of the that killed 258 people accusing the United States of cerns, that China would make to bring the island under its laws and relations, challenging stipulation”. Southeast Asian nation’s Ream Swere carried out by local undermining global stability its greatest eff ort for peaceful control. regional safety and order”. That law states that the Hong Naval Base on the Gulf of Thai- extremists who drew inspira- and denouncing its arms sales reunifi cation with Taiwan. The United States has no for- “We urge Beijing authorities Kong government can request land were “not in accordance tion from but were not linked to the self-ruled island. “However, we must fi rmly mal ties with democratic Tai- to renounce irrational, mali- the People’s Liberation Army with the facts”. to the Islamic State group, a top The Pentagon said this point out that seeking Taiwan wan, but is bound by law to help cious acts such as the use of (PLA) garrison’s assistance to “China and Cambodia have investigator said yesterday. month the US State Depart- independence is a dead end,” provide it with the means to force, and to improve cross- maintain public order. in the past carried out positive Ravi Seneviratne, the head ment had approved sales of Wu said. defend itself. strait relations and handle is- But legal scholars say it is a exchanges and co-operation on of the Criminal Investigations weapons requested by Taiwan, “If there are people who dare The Chinese ministry said the sues including Hong Kong very high threshold, and some military drills, personnel train- Department, said the suicide including tanks and Sting- to try to split Taiwan from the United States had “provoked rationally, so that it can be a retired security offi cials say ing and logistics,” he said. “This bombers who targeted three er missiles estimated to be country, China’s military will intensifi ed competition among responsible regional member,” any involvement by PLA units kind of co-operation does not churches and three hotels had no worth $2.2bn. be ready to go to war to fi rmly major countries, signifi cantly it said. in Hong Kong security would target any third party.” direct link to the foreign jihadi group. “They followed the IS ideol- ogy, but our investigations have not shown any link between them,” Seneviratne told a parlia- mentary panel probing security South Korea, Four dead in rebel attack and intelligence lapses leading to the April 21 bombings. He noted that remnants the local group identifi ed as National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) had Russia trade on Thailand army base persuaded IS to claim the attack two days after the deadly events in Sri Lanka. Reuters NTJ leader Zahran Hashim had Yala/Bangkok made a video with his fellow sui- charges over cide bombers pledging allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi. nsurgents have killed four The video was released by the IS security personnel in Thai- two days later. Iland’s Muslim-majority Within fi ve days of the attack, space intrusion south, the regional security police raided the location where force said yesterday, amid an- the NTJ recorded the video and ger over allegations that a rebel recovered the IS fl ag they used as Reuters and has recently seen a fl are- suspect was tortured into a a backdrop. Moscow/Seoul up in tension between South coma. The NTJ had also used the same Korea and Japan. Two soldiers and two armed type of explosives that IS was Russia’s public state- civilian volunteers were killed known to have used in its attacks. ussia’s embassy in Seoul ments on the issue have not in the bombing and shooting Sri Lanka was tipped off of yesterday said that mentioned any technical attack at a checkpoint in Pat- an impending attack by Indian RMoscow had not apolo- problems, nor has Russia an- tani province late on Tues- authorities based on informa- gised for an alleged airspace nounced any investigation or day, security force spokesman tion from an Islamic extremist in violation the previous day, acknowledged a violation of Pramote Prom-in said. their custody. after South Korea said that a South Korean airspace. He rejected any link between Sri Lanka’s police chief Pujith Russian attache had expressed Yoon said in a later briefi ng the attack and the question- Jayasundara and the top defence “deep regret” and blamed that after the attache admit- ing of Abdullah Isamusa, 32, ministry bureaucrat Hemasiri malfunctioning equipment. ted a possible mistake and who was taken to an army camp Fernando are currently facing A Russian military aircraft expressed regret, which was from his home on Saturday and criminal charges over their al- entered airspace near a group taken as Moscow’s offi cial po- found unconscious with fl uid leged negligence to prevent an of islets claimed by both South sition, Russia “altered” its ac- on the brain a day later. Isamusa attack. Korea and Japan on Tuesday, count by sending a document remains in hospital. Several NTJ operatives were during a long-range joint air stating that it did not violate “We have exerted more known to have travelled to In- patrol with Chinese jets, ac- any airspace. pressure on insurgent groups, dia to meet with fellow extrem- cording to South Korea and Russia also accused South blocking their access to villages ists there, according to the Japan, which both scrambled Korean fi ghter jets of threat- to recruit more people. With- Security investigate the checkpoint that was attacked by insurgent at Pattani, yesterday. Sri Lankan military. fi ghter jets in response. ening the safety of Russian out that access they’re resort- They have said that the NTJ South Korean warplanes aircraft by interfering with ing to the same barbaric ways,” group and civil society groups body of insurgent groups, lives of nearly 7,000 people may have received foreign ex- fi red fl ares and hundreds of their fl ight and failing to Pramote said. condemned the interrogation which has been in peace talks. since 2004, according to moni- pertise in assembling what is warning shots near the Rus- communicate, Yoon said. It was the deadliest attack while many in the region voiced Security force spokesman toring group Deep South Watch known as “Mother of Satan” sian aircraft, and the incident Seoul’s defence ministry in the largely ethnic Malay re- fury on social media. Pramote rejected accusations group. Peace talks have largely bombs which contain triacetone triggered a round of diplomat- said Russia was “distorting gion since January. As with “We strongly condemn this of abuse and said an independ- stalled. triperoxide, or TATP. ic protests by countries in the the truth” and it had evidence most such attacks, there was no inhumane act of cowardice, ent investigation was taking Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat Another investigator, Shani region. to support its claim. claim of responsibility. the severe violation of human place into the interrogation. were part of an independent Abeysekara, told the same par- An unidentifi ed Russian Russia’s Ministry of De- Anger in the south has surged rights and gross negligence The insurgency in predomi- Malay Muslim sultanate be- liamentary panel Wednesday military attache in Seoul told fence did not respond to a re- over allegations that Isamusa during the interrogation proc- nantly Buddhist Thailand’s fore Thailand annexed them in that the CID had found 105kg South Korean offi cials on quest to clarify the confl icting was abused and left with brain ess,” said Abu Hafez al-Hakim provinces of Yala, Pattani and 1909. Some rebel groups want (230 pounds) of explosives from Tuesday that the plane ap- accounts. injuries. An umbrella rebel of the MARA Patani umbrella Narathiwat has claimed the an independent state. a NTJ hideout earlier this year. peared to have “entered an “The document says that unplanned area due to a device they might take a responsive malfunction”, said Yoon Do- measure if similar fl ights by han, South Korea’s presiden- the South Korean Air Force tial press secretary. recur,” Yoon said. “Russia has conveyed its An offi cial at the defence deep regret over the incident ministry earlier told report- Rumours spark Bangladesh lynchings and said its defence ministry ers it believed the intrusion would immediately launch an could not have resulted from a investigation and take all nec- system error. AFP “We have analysed every incidents are particularly brutal. murder, and at least fi ve others of people’s distrust in the exist- essary steps,” Yoon said. He did not elaborate, but Dhaka single case of these eight kill- Local media said they start- detained for their role in spread- ing law and order system”, Dhaka “The offi cer said such a another offi cial told Reuters ings. Those who were killed by ed after reports circulated of ing the rumour on social media. University sociology professor situation would have never that the two countries plan to lynching mobs – no one was a a young man allegedly found Police are so concerned about Monirul Islam said. occurred if it followed the ini- hold working-level talks on ight people have been child kidnapper,” Patwary told carrying the severed head of a the deadly fallout in rural towns But he did not rule out the tially planned route.” Thursday in Seoul to clarify killed in vigilante lynch- reporters in Dhaka. child in the northern district of that offi cers are trying to coun- possibility that some peo- Hours later, Russia’s em- what happened. Eings in Bangladesh sparked More than 30 other people Netrokona. ter the web rumour using loud- ple were deliberately trying to bassy in Seoul said there had While troops and naval by rumours on social media of have been attacked in connec- Among the latest victims speakers. trigger panic or unrest in the been no apology. ships from Russia and China children being kidnapped and tion with the rumours. was a single mother-of-two, “We are building aware- community. “The Russian side did not have taken part in joint war sacrifi ced as off erings for the Patwary said police stations Taslima Begum, who was beat- ness about the rumour and ask The bridge – which is set to make an offi cial apology,” the games before, they have not construction of a mega-bridge, across the country had been or- en to death in front of a Dhaka people not to get panicked,” a be Bangladesh’s biggest – is be- embassy in Seoul said, adding conducted such air patrols in police said yesterday. dered to crack down on rumours, school on Saturday by a mob police chief in northwestern ing built on the Padma, a major it had noted many inaccura- the Asia-Pacifi c region to- The victims – which include and at least 25 YouTube chan- which suspected her of be- Chapainawabganj district said. tributary of the Ganges. cies in the comments by South gether, according to Russia’s two women – were targeted by nels, 60 Facebook pages and 10 ing a child kidnapper, a police Some 6.1mn Ansar paramili- Rumours of human sacri- Korea, Interfax reported. Ministry of Defence. angry mobs over the rumours, websites have been shut down. offi cial said. tary security forces and village fi ces being required for a bridge The incident comes at a China’s defence ministry said spread mostly on Facebook, AFP has identifi ed several A deaf man was also beaten to guards have also been asked to in Bangladesh have surfaced delicate time for a region that on Wednesday that China and that said human heads were posts still on Facebook that share death outside the capital that day warn villagers, according to me- before, with several people at- has for years been overshad- Russia did not enter the airspace required for the massive $3bn the rumour, however. while trying to visit his daughter. dia reports quoting Ansar major tacked in 2010 over another owed by hostility between the of any other country during their project, police chief Javed Mob lynchings are common Police said eight people have general Kazi Sharif Kaikobad. structure, according to local United States and North Korea joint patrols on Tuesday. Patwary said. in Bangladesh, but the latest been arrested over Begum’s The lynchings could be “a sign media. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 11 BRITAIN Johnson sacks Hunt as foreign minister, Hammond quits

AFP/Guardian News and Media Earlier Philip Hammond quit tive and treasurer of the Con- son, the outgoing chancellor or some combination of all four. ment, Davis warned the Tories coon who has given the party London as chancellor before Boris John- servative party, also stood down said the headroom built up in “After a decade when the af- risked a “very bad outcome” of more than £4mn over the past son entered Downing Street. yesterday morning. the public fi nances could only termath of the 2008-09 reces- putting Jeremy Corbyn in No 10 six years, said he would consider Hammond, a staunch op- Johnson has repeatedly prom- be used for tax cuts and spend- sion meant we had no choices, if the party were not properly re- taking up the role if it were of- ew Prime Minister Boris ponent of a no-deal Brexit, said ised to take the UK out of the EU on ing increases if a Brexit deal were this is a luxury which our suc- sourced. fered. Johnson sacked foreign the new prime minister should October 31, with or without a deal. secured. cessors should use wisely.” The mining executive, who In his letter, Davis said John- Nminister Jeremy Hunt be “free to choose a chancel- In his resignation letter to In his letter to May before Hammond handed his resig- has been one of the party’s most son, who was elected leader yesterday, as he prepared to re- lor who is fully aligned with his Theresa May, Hammond said: her resignation as prime min- nation to May after her fi nal ses- generous donors over the past on Tuesday and became prime place most of the Cabinet. policy position”. His departure “Despite the uncertainty created ister, he said: “We bequeath to sion of prime minister’s ques- six years, wrote to Conservative minister yesterday afternoon, Hunt, who had been Johnson’s follows other key resignations by the unresolved issue of Brexit, our successors genuine choices, tions. benefactors yesterday, saying “should be free to choose a team rival for the top job, tweeted that including David Gauke as justice we have been able to make no- once a Brexit deal is done: the It is highly unlikely he would “one of my greatest bugbears at CCHQ”. He added: “Good pol- he was “kindly” off ered another secretary, Rory Stewart as inter- table progress in rebuilding the ability to choose, within the have been given a job by Johnson has been the lack of unity in our itics is not a cheap exercise and role but turned it down to become national development secretary public fi nances and preparing fi scal rules, between increased even if he had wished to carry party”. Johnson is expected to if we are not properly resourced one of more than a dozen Cabinet and David Lidington as Cabinet the British economy for the op- public spending, reduced taxes, on, given their diff erences over appoint another chief executive and fi nanced, we will risk a very ministers heading out the door, Offi ce minister. portunities ahead.” higher investment or progress Brexit. within days. bad outcome – Jeremy Corbyn in some of them voluntarily. Mick Davis, the chief execu- In a pointed message to John- towards faster debt reduction – In his resignation state- John Griffi n, the minicab ty- No 10.” Johnson must decide if UK wants deal or not: Barnier

Guardian News and Media the withdrawal agreement and London hold back on paying the UK’s multibillion-pound fi nancial settlement until a free trade deal ichel Barnier has said is agreed. He has warned the UK he is unsure of the sub- must leave the EU by October 31 Mstance of Boris John- with or without a deal. son’s Brexit plan and the “clev- Earlier in the day, the Euro- Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party, Boris Johnson, during an audience in Buckingham Palace, London, yesterday, where she invited him er” new prime minister must pean parliament’s Brexit steer- to become prime minister and form a new government. now decide whether to try to seal ing group held an “extraordinary a deal or let Britain crash out. meeting” to discuss the devel- Speaking on Johnson’s fi rst day opments in London. in offi ce, the EU’s chief negotiator A statement from the MEPs, said it was “a very important mo- led by the former Belgian prime ment for Brexit”, with the UK due minister Guy Verhofstadt, warned to leave the bloc with or without a that recent comments “not least deal in just three months. those made during the Conserva- “We look forward to hearing tive party leadership campaign, New PM overhauls cabinet what the new prime minister, have greatly increased the risk of a Boris Johnson, wants, what are disorderly exit of the UK”. the choices of the UK,” Barnier Verhofstadt told reporters said, after his own consultations the EU would not countenance with the European parliament on a fresh negotiation on arrange- the new British leadership. ments to replicate key aspects with Brexit hardliners “Is it an orderly Brexit? … Is of the withdrawal agreement it a no-deal Brexit? The no-deal and cushion the impact of a no- AFP EU on October 31, no ifs or buts,” derestimating the implications minister in a meeting yesterday “no deal” threats and warning of Brexit will never be the choice deal Brexit. The EU insists that a London he declared outside Downing of a disorderly divorce. with Queen Elizabeth II. the dire economic consequences of the EU, but we are prepared stand-still transition period will Street. European Council president His ascent is the culmination if they are enacted. and for an orderly Brexit. We will only be granted if the withdrawal The 55-year-old leader said Donald Tusk was quick to con- of a lifelong ambition for the He is one of several Conserva- work along the next few weeks agreement, including the con- ew Prime Minister Boris “the doubters, the doomsters, gratulate Johnson, but added politician who, with his jokes tive MPs who say they could or months with the new UK tentious backstop, is ratifi ed by Johnson named Brexit the gloomsters are going to get it pointedly: “I look forward to and absurd anecdotes, has en- bring down the government to government in the best possi- parliament. Nhardliners to top posts wrong again”. meeting you to discuss — in de- joyed celebrity status in Britain stop Britain crashing out of the ble way, in the very constructive Verhofstadt said: “Politicised yesterday, replacing most of the But he added that Britain tail — our cooperation.” for decades. European Union. spirit to facilitate the ratifi cation language from the Conservative cabinet after vowing to get a new would “prepare for the remote Irish Prime Minister Leo Var- But his election with fewer Priti Patel, another fi erce Brex- of the withdrawal agreement.” leadership raising the spectre of divorce deal with the European possibility that Brussels refuses adkar, whose country would be than 100,000 votes from Con- iteer who had to resign from gov- Asked whether he knew what a no-deal Brexit is unhelpful, ir- Union or leave without one by any further to negotiate and we hardest hit by a “no deal” Brexit, servative party members leaves ernment in 2017 after holding un- Johnson would seek from Brus- responsible and only increases October 31. are forced to come out with no- was more blunt. him vulnerable to charges that offi cial meetings with top Israeli sels, Barnier said: “No. We are the risks of a catastrophic sever- The former London mayor deal”. “Any suggestion that there can he has no mandate to govern. offi cials during a holiday there, ready to listen and to work with ance, which could destabilise the has pledged to break the political Shortly after, he named Do- be a whole new deal and negoti- A YouGov survey yesterday was named as interior minister. him in a constructive way. We global economy. deadlock that has left Britain in minic Raab as foreign minister. ated in weeks or months is totally found his approval rating was Gavin Williamson, who was will wait for the new decision, “We are united in the view crisis and forced his predecessor Raab has said he would sup- not in the real world,” he said. just 31% among the public, and sacked from the government the new declarations of the UK that a no-deal exit will not be Theresa May to delay Brexit twice. port a suspension of parliament US President Donald Trump opposition Labour leader Jeremy earlier this year for allegedly government. mitigated by any form of ar- But he faces opposition from in order to push through a no- was one of the fi rst to congratu- Corbyn challenged him to call an leaking details of a deal involving “I met Boris Johnson once. We rangements or mini-deals be- within his own Conservative deal Brexit if necessary. late Johnson on his victory say- election. Chinese company Huawei, be- spoke once in the past. It was tween the EU and the UK. party and across parliament to Johnson’s supporters hail his ing he would be “great” and de- Johnson has indicated he does comes education minister. a very particular moment dur- “Boris Johnson will fi nd the his threat of a “no deal” exit, wit and optimism, and say his scribing him as “Britain Trump”. not want a vote before he can de- Johnson also named Michael ing the opening ceremony of the European parliament an open while EU leaders warn they unconventional approach can The new Johnson government liver Brexit. Gove, whose betrayal scuppered Olympics of London, fantastic and constructive partner. I look will not renegotiate the divorce rescue Britain from its current will be seeking to repair ties with His fi rst cabinet appointment his chances of taking over the games, so we are waiting now. forward to alleviating Johnson’s agreement they struck with May. limbo. Washington, after a rift caused was Sajid Javid, the son of Paki- leadership in 2016, as a cabinet We will work, we are ready, we concerns regarding the immi- Within hours of taking offi ce, But he has only a wafer-thin by the leak of diplomatic cables stani immigrants who has been enforcer. will work. I think he is clever. I’m nent accession of Turkey to the Johnson signalled his new ap- working majority in parliament, criticising the White House. moved from the interior minis- Johnson had already named at the disposal of the union. We EU, following the claims of the proach by replacing top ministers. and is a divisive fi gure among the Johnson was on Tuesday cho- try to become fi nance minister. as a top adviser Dominic Cum- are ready to work in August.” Leave campaign, whilst explain- “We are going to fulfi l the re- wider public. sen to be leader of the governing He replaces Philip Hammond, mings, a combative character Johnson has said he wants to ing the EU has no rules on the peated promises of parliament to Rivals accuse him of having no Conservative party by its mem- who quit hours earlier after re- who helped lead the victorious scrap the Irish backstop from packaging of kippers in the UK.” the people and come out of the real plan for Brexit, and of un- bers, and was confi rmed prime peatedly condemning Johnson’s “Vote Leave” campaign in 2016. UK’s ‘fi rst girlfriend’ May tells Corbyn to quit in parting shot stays on the sidelines Reuters prompting huge cheers from her London Conservative lawmakers and shouts of “more”. AFP ing Street from Buckingham heard her screaming at him dur- May herself survived a confi - London Palace to take up the reins of ing a late-night row. utgoing Prime Minister dence vote in December but after power, Symonds was front and Symonds yelled “get off me” Theresa May issued a her Brexit deal was roundly re- centre among dozens of staff and and “get out” amid the sound of Oparting shot to opposi- jected by parliament three times, oris Johnson’s girlfriend aides cheering his arrival from things being smashed, according tion Labour leader Jeremy Cor- even after she promised to go if it Carrie Symonds looked further down the road. to a recording made by one neigh- byn yesterday, using her fi nal was passed, she bowed to pres- Bon as the former mayor Newspapers have been rife bour and given to . weekly parliamentary question sure from her lawmakers to let of London entered his Downing with rumours over her future Police attended the scene but session to suggest he follow her someone else take over. Street headquarters for the fi rst role as the nation’s “fi rst girl- took no further action. lead and quit his job. May also used her fi nal ap- time as prime minister — but friend” and whether she will The couple have not been liv- May, who offi cially handed pearance in parliament as it remains unclear if she will be also live at his 10 Downing Street ing at the residence since the over to her successor Boris John- prime minister to pay tribute to moving in too. headquarters. incident, and recently bought son yesterday, stepped down af- her husband, Philip, who was Twice-married Johnson, 55 — He refused to discuss the mat- a three-storey, four-bedroom ter just over three years in the job, watching from the public gallery. confi rmed as the country’s new ter on several occasions dur- house about a mile away, ac- having failed to deliver Britain’s May, 62, appeared to be fi ght- premier by Queen Elizabeth II af- ing the campaign, telling party cording to reports. exit from the European Union. ing back tears as she left, stopping ter becoming the ruling Conserva- members last week: “I just don’t Symonds is the daughter of Many Labour lawmakers are to shake hands with the speaker, tives’ leader on Tuesday — is dat- talk about people I love.” Matthew Symonds, a co-found- unhappy with Corbyn’s leader- John Bercow, on her way out. ing the party’s 31-year-old former The couple are believed er of The Independent news- ship, particularly his handling of Praising the link between director of communications. to have been living to- paper, and Josephine McA- a long-running anti-Semitism lawmakers and the constituents Symonds is an avid environ- gether in south London fee, a former lawyer there crisis within the party and his they represent as “the bedrock mental campaigner and previ- after Johnson and now with whom he had an equivocation over Labour’s of our parliamentary democ- ously worked on his re-election estranged wife Mari- extra-marital aff air. position on Brexit. But he has racy”, May’s voice quivered as campaign as London mayor in na Wheeler, 55, con- She grew up in south- strong support among the par- she fi nished: “That duty to serve 2012. The two have been a pub- fi rmed their separa- west London, attending ty’s grassroots and in 2016 he my constituents will remain my lic, but largely discreet, couple tion last September. the exclusive Godolphin survived an attempt to oust him. greatest motivation.” since Johnson split last year from Symonds was and Latymer private “Perhaps I could just fi nish The hour-long session saw his wife of 26 years. thrown into the school before study- my exchange with him by say- lawmakers from across the po- He is the fi rst prime minister spotlight in June ing theatre studies and Outgoing prime minister Theresa May, accompanied by her husband ing this: as a party leader who litical divide pay tribute to May’s since Edward Heath in 1970 to take when neighbours history of art at War- Philip, gestures after making a speech outside 10 Downing street has accepted when her time was public service and sense of duty, offi ce without a spouse by his side. called the police wick University in in London yesterday before formally tendering her resignation at up, perhaps the time is now for despite voicing their disagree- As Johnson arrived in Down- after they over- central England. Buckingham Palace. him to do the same,” May said, ment with many of her policies. Gulf Times 12 Thursday, July 25, 2019 EUROPE

WARNING STOPPAGE POWER PLAY OUSTED CLEARED Russia wary of danger from Fuel problem grounds France to try again Romania foreign, interior Judge drops graft case abandoned chemical plant planes at Schiphol with solar road plan ministers axed in reshuff le against Berlusconi

A Russian state off icial yesterday warned that an A problem with refuelling yesterday at French local authorities said yesterday that Romania’s foreign and interior ministers were An Italian judge has dropped a corruption case abandoned chemicals factory in Siberia could Amsterdam-Schiphol airport grounded several a high-profile “solar highway” experiment ousted yesterday as part of a reshuff le to help against former Italian prime minister Silvio cause an environmental disaster akin to the 1986 dozen planes and stranded hundreds of in Normandy had failed, but vowed to try boost the ruling centre-left coalition after a Berlusconi linked to a stake held by his holding Chernobyl nuclear accident unless urgent action passengers, airport off icials said. “Aircraft Fuel again with new panels on a shorter stretch series of scandals and poor showing in European company Fininvest in asset manager Banca is taken to tackle it. The Usolyekhimprom plant, Supply, a third party company that controls of road. “As time went on, we realised that on elections. Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, Mediolanum, Berlusconi’s lawyer said yesterday. which produced chlorine and other chemicals aircraft fuel supply, currently has a fault in their an economic and financial level, in terms of a 78-year-old veteran politician who started his The judge said the investigation highlighted in the Irkutsk region, was abandoned due to system,” spokeswoman Willemeike Koster told producing electricity, it was a failure,” said Alain career in 1966 under the communist regime of some “anomalies” but that the evidence bankruptcy in 2017, according to Russian news AFP. “That means that planes cannot be refuelled Pelleray, a senior regional off icial in the Orne Nicolae Ceausescu, will be replaced by 46-year- gathered was not enough to proceed with the agencies. But the factory still contains an array of right now, which is causing delays,” she added. department. From the time the 1km long road old Ramona Manescu, the first woman to hold case, two legal sources told Reuters. In 2014, toxic substances, the head of state environment No precise reason was given, but “it has no was inaugurated with great fanfare in December the post. The reshuff le also claimed the scalp of Fininvest, which owns 30% of Mediolanum, was watchdog Rosprirodnadzor said. The off icial, relation with the heat,” the spokeswoman said. 2016 until March this year, the experimental Interior Minister Carmen Dan, who came under ordered by the Bank of Italy to sell just over 20% Svetlana Radionova, said she had discovered wells The problem blocked around 50 planes within route had produced 229 megawatt hours (MWh) fire for the brutal crackdown by security forces since Berlusconi was no longer deemed fit to filled with oil waste that could potentially burst and a few hours at one of Europe’s busiest hubs in of electricity, far less than an initial forecast of on anti-government protesters in Bucharest in own more than 10% of a financial company after flow into the Angara, a major Siberian river. peak holiday season. 642MWh, he added. August last year. being convicted of tax fraud.

20th-century warming ‘unmatched’ in 2,000 Heatwave smashes years, fi nds study

By Patrick Galey, AFP The study found that tem- Paris peratures in the Little Ice Age and other anomalous periods did not rise or fall in European records orld temperatures global lock-step as had long rose faster in the been assumed, and varied re- Reuters Wlate 20th century gionally for much of the last Brussels than at any other time in the 2,000 years. last 2,000 years, according to “When we go back in the research released yesterday past these are really regional elgian zookeepers yester- which experts said under- phenomena, but they are not day fed chickens in giant ice mines climate deniers ques- global,” said Nathan Steiger, Bcubes to tigers as northern tioning of mankind’s role in from Columbia University’s Europe baked in record tempera- global warming. Lamont-Doherty Earth Ob- tures during another heatwave As Europe sweltered in servatory. that climate experts believe could a second record-breaking This is in marked contrast become the new normal. heatwave in a month, the to current warming trends. For the second time in a month, a three peer-reviewed papers “Whereas in the contem- high pressure system drew scorch- off ered the most detailed porary warm period it really ing air from the Sahara desert, overview of regional temper- is global — 98% of the globe breaking records for Belgium and ature trends dating back two has this coherent warming the Netherlands, and threatening millenia. after the industrial revolu- the same in Britain, Germany and Climate variability — the tion — and that very much France in a heatwave that is due to fl uctuation of surface tem- stands out in contrast to the last until tomorrow. peratures over time — has climate variability that’s In Spain, a wildfi re in the north- A girl plays with her dog in a water fountain in Brussels. People cool off in the fountains at Toldbod Plads in Aalborg, Denmark. long been the subject of de- happened before in the past ern province of Zaragoza was al- bate. 2,000 years.” most under control, but there was While average global A second paper, in Nature a risk of further outbreaks, espe- temperatures are currently Geoscience, examined rates cially in eastern parts, where the around one degree Celsius of surface warming, averaged temperature was set to rise as high hotter than pre-industrial over sub-periods each a few as 41 Celsius. times, there have been a decades long. Italian authorities issued fi re number of periods of cooling They found that pre-in- alerts for the Mediterranean island and warming over the centu- dustrial temperature fl uctua- of Sardinia, where temperatures ries. tions were largely driven by were expected to climb above 40C. This had led sceptics of volcanic activity. They also put 13 cities on their manmade global warming to But they also concluded highest “red” weather alert — suggest that human activity that humans had never wit- warning of a possible health threat is not the main driver of cli- nessed such rapid global for everyone, not just the frail and mate change. warming as in the latter part infi rm. Researchers used data of the 20th century. In Portugal, the largest wildfi re compiled from nearly 700 Author Raphael Neukom so far this year, which raged over temperature indicators, from from the University of Bern, the weekend, was put out by more tree rings, sediment cores, Switzerland, told AFP the than 1,000 fi refi ghters on Tuesday, coral reefs and modern ther- fi nding “highlights the ex- but the country remained on high mometer readings, to provide traordinary character of cur- alert. a comprehensive timeline of rent climate change”. Further north, the temperature our planet’s recent climate A third study found that in Belgium struck 39.9C, smash- A French Republican Guard off ers a bottle of water to a colleague in the Baby elephant Ben Long cools off in his pool at the zoo in Leipzig where history. global temperatures lead- ing the country’s previous high courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris. temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius. The fi ndings are clear: at ing up to the industrial pe- of 36.6C in June 1947 in records no point in modern human riod were cooled by a series dating back to 1833, according to Germany issued a heat warning “This is the nicest thing that history did temperatures rise of volcanic eruptions, which David Dehenauw, the head of fore- for the entire country and said its could happen,” said Munich resi- so quickly and so consist- led to droughts in Africa and casting at the Royal Meteorologi- own record of 40.3C could be bro- dent Manuela Lukas. ently as in the late 20th cen- weak monsoons. cal Institute. ken today. “It is sad the winter is so long tury — the period where the Commenting on the stud- It is set to be even hotter today. At Pairi Daiza, a zoo in western and there are not so many beauti- world’s post-war, fossil fuel- ies, Mark Maslin, Professor The institute had on Tuesday is- Belgium, keepers fed chickens in- ful days in Germany either, so you powered economy reached of Climatology at Univer- sued its fi rst ever “code red” warn- side giant ice cubes to their tigers have to take advantage of it and unprecedented heights of sity College London, said ing — a system it has used for 20 and watermelons, also encased in just enjoy it.” production and consump- their results “should fi nally years — urging the public to drink ice, to their bears. However, climate specialists tion. stop climate change deniers plenty of water and keep out of the Visitors also received a free bot- said such heatwaves are becoming The fi rst paper, published claiming that the recent sun. tle of water. more frequent as a result of global in the journal Nature, exam- observed coherent global The temperature is expected to “We made caves with air condi- warming. ined regional temperature warming is part of a natural exceed the local record of 40.4C in tioning inside for pandas, as they “With further climate change trends over time. climate cycle.” Paris today, where the chief archi- are the most vulnerable to such there could be a 50% chance of Scientists have long known “This paper shows the tect of rebuilding at the fi re-rav- hot weather, but they still prefer to having hot summers in future. of periods of unusual climate truly stark diff erence be- aged Notre-Dame cathedral said stay outside, because they love the That’s similar to saying that a activity, such as the Little Ice tween regional and localised the heatwave risked precipitating space,” zoo spokesman Mathieu normal summer in future will be Age, a centuries-long epoch changes in climate of the the collapse of the vaulted ceiling. Goedefroy said. as hot as our hottest summers to where northern Europe ex- past and the truly global ef- The Netherlands hit its own Children on holiday frolicked in date,” said Declan Finney, a re- A chimpanzee enjoys an ice cream made of curd and cherries in perienced colder winters on fect of anthropogenic (man- all-time high of 38.8C, breaking a fountains, while adults swam and search fellow at the University of its enclosure at the zoo in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, where average than in the start of made) greenhouse emis- record dating from 1944. enjoyed ice cream. Leeds in Britain. temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius. the 20th century. sions.” Flying Frenchman to fulfi l Channel crossing ‘dream’

By Zoe Leroy and Stuart His plan hit choppy waters the last four months to catch up. He also has plans to develop a Williams, AFP initially as the French maritime Without disclosing precise fl ying car. Saint-Inglevert, France authorities refused to give the timings, he said he planned to Zapata’s fl yboard, which is project their blessing — while leave Sangatte between 6am and about the size of a skateboard, stopping short of an outright ban 8am to have the “best chances of is powered by fi ve small jet en- daredevil French inventor — due to busy shipping traffi c in success”. gines that allow the rider to fl y said yesterday he is ready the Channel. “We created a new way of fl y- at speeds of 190kph. It is fuelled Ato realise his dream of fl y- But the maritime authorities ing. We don’t use wings. You are by kerosene stored in the rider’s ing between France and Britain said they lifted their “unfavour- like a bird, it is your body that is backpack and Zapata will today across the Channel on a jet-pow- able opinion” after receiving fl ying. It is a boyhood dream. carry 47kg of it. ered “fl yboard” after fi nally over- guarantees from Zapata about his “We want to walk a little bit in He aims to maintain an average coming bureaucratic obstacles. refuelling plans and safety. the footsteps of the pioneers of speed of 140kph for the crossing Franky Zapata, a former jet “I feel good. The hardest thing aviation,” he added. and expects to be around 15m to skiing champion, aims to soar for me was the authorisations,” Zapata sprung to national 20m above the water. above the Channel “like a bird” Zapata said Wednesday at a news prominence at the July 14 Bastille If all goes to plan, he will make today morning in a scene likely conference in Saint-Inglevert Day military parade when he one refuelling stop on a boat in to resemble a science fi ction outside Calais. “It was a lot of soared above the Place de la Con- mid-channel to pick up a second fi lm. stress.” corde in Paris in front of world pack of kerosene. In a tribute to past aviation he- The fl amboyant native of Mar- leaders including President Em- The device is controlled by a roes, the 40-year-old has picked seille, southern France, said “the manuel Macron and German handheld throttle, which Zapata the day that marks 110 years since wind could cause issues” but Chancellor Angela Merkel. activates to take off after strap- pioneer Louis Bleriot made the added that he could refuel twice He carried a rifl e during that ping himself into a pair of boots fi rst airplane fl ight across the if conditions were really poor. demonstration and the French attached to the board. Channel on July 25, 1909. “The wind strength is still defence ministry said it was Zapata said that if he arrives Zapata plans to take off from high, it could make the crossing studying how the fl yboard could successfully on the English coast Sangatte on the northern French more complex,” he said. be used by its troops. one of his fi rst ambitions will be coast just outside Calais, make Zapata said he suff ered a seri- Zapata has said he is ready to to fi nd a good meal. the 35km crossing in 20 minutes, ous injury at the end of February work with the armed forces, but “For three months I have had and land in Britain around Dover which left him with 20 fractures insists the main point of the de- to keep an eye on what I eat. I Zapata CEO Franky Zapata flies a jet-powered hoverboard prior to the Bastille Day military parade down in a location that has yet to be in diff erent parts of his body but vice is to revolutionise travel for think a good restaurant would do the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris in this July 14, 2019, file photo. disclosed. then trained three times a day for civilians. me the power of good,” he said. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 13 EUROPE

CAUSE UNKNOWN ACCIDENT SECURITY IN THE DOCK POLITICS Two Britons die in light 22 Poles injured after tour Cybersecurity firm raided Kosovo ex-PM questioned Spain socialists, far-left in plane collision in France bus crashes in Turkey over Bulgaria data breach at war crimes court last-ditch govt talks

Two British light aircraft collided mid-air At least 22 Polish citizens were injured, including Police investigating Bulgaria’s biggest-ever International prosecutors yesterday questioned Spain’s socialists and far-left Podemos party were yesterday after taking off from an airstrip in the three seriously, after a bus crashed down a wooded data breach have detained a manager of a Kosovo’s ex-prime minister and wartime guerrilla yesterday locked in last-ditch negotiations to agree southern French Alps, killing two fliers while a slope near the southern Turkish resort of Kemer on cybersecurity company, raided its off ices and commander Ramush Haradinaj in the latest in a series on a coalition government before parliament votes third survived the accident, local authorities said. Tuesday, a Polish ministry and Turkish and Polish seized computers, they said yesterday. The of war crimes proceedings against him. Haradinaj on whether Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez remains A pilot and passenger in one of the planes had media reported yesterday. “Seven people are still in company, Tad Group, has become a focus of the left the hearing at the special court for Kosovo in The in power. Struggling to overcome their diff erences, been declared dead, a statement from the local hospital. Amongst these seven, three are seriously investigation. Another of its employees, Kristian Hague along with Jakup Krasniqi, a spokesman for representatives from both parties raced against the government off ice in the village of Digne-les- injured,” Ewa Suwara, a spokeswoman for the Polish Boykov, is the only person so far charged with his former Kosovo Liberation Army. “I responded clock to try and secure a deal for what would be Bains said, adding that they were aged 37 and Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, told reporters yesterday. involvement in last month’s cyber attack on today to the special tribunal’s request, as a suspect,” Spain’s first post-dictatorship coalition government. 18 and were both British. The pilot of the second Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper said Russian and the tax agency, in which nearly every Bulgarian Haradinaj told reporters outside the special court’s Sanchez, who won just 123 parliamentary seats plane, who was also British, survived the crash Norwegian tourists were also on board, adding that adult’s financial records were compromised. high-security buildings. “I used my right to remain out of 350 — short of a majority — lost a first post- with light injuries after the collision close to the a total of 25 were wounded, mostly by broken glass, Boykov, 20, has denied wrongdoing. He has been silent,” he said. Haradinaj was the commander of election confidence vote on Tuesday. In a second, Italian border. An investigation has been opened and taken to hospitals. Suwara said 38 Poles were released from custody but banned from leaving the ethnic Albanian guerrillas in the Western Kosovo decisive vote today, the socialist premier needs to determine the cause of the accident, the on board and added the country’s consular services the country. Police and prosecutors searched region of Dukagjin, where heavy fighting and abuse Podemos’s 42 lawmakers to back him, as well as a statement added. have contacted the families of those injured. Tad Group’s premises on Tuesday. of civilians occurred on both sides during the war. few others from regional parties.

Salvini says coalition with Merkel protegee starts 5 Star party is back on track

By Angelo Amante, Reuters high-stakes defence job Rome By Paul Carrel, Reuters Germany’s east, in which success is Berlin crucial to her prospects. eputy Prime Minister Matteo Sal- She immediately ran into trouble vini said yesterday Italy’s govern- last week after giving a lacklustre tel- Dment was back on track after a hancellor Angela Merkel’s pro- evision interview and saw her public slew of building projects were approved, tegee, Annegret Kramp-Kar- support — already fl oundering — take indicating he had dropped a threat to Crenbauer, yesterday pledged to a further dip. bring down the coalition. push for increased military spending Kramp-Karrenbauer brings no de- Salvini, of the far-right League, said “in our own interests” as Germany’s fence experience, but comes with a last week he would ditch his cabinet new defence minister — a role likely track record — albeit brief — of push- partner the 5-Star Movement unless it to make or break her chances of suc- ing the military’s case. stopped opposing measures close to his ceeding her mentor. In March, she said Germany’s cred- party’s heart, including myriad infra- Kramp-Karrenbauer, who lacks ibility with its Nato partners was at structure projects and greater regional high-echelon government experi- stake unless it raised defence spending. autonomy. ence, grabbed the defence role to build She underlined Germany’s Nato “I have always said that if the govern- her credentials for the chancellery — a commitment to boost military spend- ment does things, the government will go high-stakes move that will demand ing towards a target of 2% of economic ahead. Between yesterday and today there she build up a military many Germans output, adding: “We are a reliable ally, have been good signs of things being un- remain uneasy about deploying. bearing a fair share of the joint duties.” blocked,” said Salvini. Merkel, who turned 65 a week ago, Aiming to make a better fi st than The League leader said the government is aiming to stage-manage her gradual von der Leyen of cleaning up the had yesterday agreed to unlock 50bn eu- exit from politics and hand over power armed forces and boosting morale and ros ($55.75bn) of frozen funds to spend to Kramp-Karrenbauer, who replaced military readiness, she paid tribute to on an array of programmes, including the her as chair of their Christian Demo- the service of Germany’s armed forc- building of roads, schools, hospitals and crats (CDU) in December. es. “This service needs respect, this railways. “It’s been a beautiful, produc- At a swearing-in ceremony yester- service needs support,” she said. tive morning,” Salvini said on a Facebook day, Kramp-Karrenbauer — known In 2017, von der Leyen criticised Live, sounding more upbeat than he has in as AKK after her initials — began “weak leadership” in the armed forc- many days. the tricky task of promising to seek es, provoking dismay among soldiers’ The easing of tension fed through to spending hikes that the CDU’s Social representatives, after an offi cer was the fi nancial markets that often fret about Democrat coalition partners want to arrested on suspicion of planning a Italy’s huge national debt levels, with 10- limit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulates new Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer after she took the oath racist attack to frame refugees. year government bond yields falling to a At the same time, she stressed that of off ice during a special session of the Bundestag at the main hall of the Paul-Loebe-Haus parliamentary annex in Berlin. Adding to the challenges Kramp- 33-month low. shaping up the Bundeswehr (armed Karrenbauer faces, the Social Dem- Adding to Salvini’s good mood was the forces) was in Germany’s own inter- our Bundeswehr,” she told lawmakers when Ursula von der Leyen quit to be- backfi ring as she inherits the task of ocrats are wary of committing to fact Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had ests — presenting thinly veiled resist- to loud applause. come president of the European Com- reviving a demoralised and under- Britain’s plan for a European-led na- announced on Tuesday that work on a ance to US President Donald Trump’s “It is about a Bundeswehr that can mission, will raise Kramp-Karren- equipped Bundeswehr dogged by val mission to ensure safe shipping rail link with France, known as the TAV, demands that Berlin boost its military fulfi l the tasks we give it — it is about bauer’s profi le and give her a chance to scandals and right-wing extremism. through the Strait of Hormuz. should proceed because it would cost budget. our own interests. If the Bundeswehr reverse her declining popularity with With the defence job, she also ties “We must always examine scrupu- Italy too much to walk away unilaterally “To speak quite plainly, this is not is to demonstrate the capabilities a view to succeeding Merkel by 2021. herself to the binds of cabinet loyalty lously requests for support from our from the project. about wishes from abroad, this is not (that) we demand and expect of it, But her move into a role dubbed — while as CDU chair she must still partners — we mustn’t affi rm hastily, The TAV has been a long-standing bone about an arms build-up, it is about then the defence budget must rise.” “the ejector seat” — such is the career mastermind the party’s strategy for nor issue knee-jerk rejections,” she of contention between the League and equipment and personnel — it is about The defence job, vacated last week damage to recent incumbents — risks three autumn regional elections in said. 5-Star, with Salvini’s party demanding that the costly Alpine rail line be complet- ed while 5-Star called on it to be scrapped. “We convinced the prime minister last night that we need fast, safe and less pol- luting trains...luckily the ‘no’ parties Russia detains Navalny as opposition decries new crackdown in Italy are getting fewer,” said Salvini, painting the TAV decision as a clearcut victory for the League. AFP The latest crackdown on Russia’s health,” Putin’s top opponent quipped. The would-be opposition candi- to register the representatives of the op- Salvini’s comments make a government Moscow opposition politicians came as they “I have been detained and am now at dates have also been meeting with position, accusing them of faking some collapse look highly unlikely, but some have fought to get on the ballot for the a police station wearing shorts like a supporters and staging pickets outside of the signatures and refusing to review clouds still hover over both the coalition Moscow parliament elections in Sep- stupid man,” the 43-year-old said. Moscow City Hall over the past week. evidence that they were authentic. and the League leader. ussian opposition leader Alexei tember amid falling approval ratings His spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh Investigators said in a statement The Kremlin dismissed the opposi- The party’s drive to hand greater au- Navalny was arrested yester- for President Vladimir Putin. said Navalny faced up to 30 days in they would “question the organisers tion’s complaints but many Russians tonomy to the regions remains blocked, Rday and faced up to 30 days in They have however been disquali- prison for calls to stage an “unauthor- and participants of unauthorised ral- are furious at what they perceive as with Conte struggling to fi nd a formula prison, in an apparent move by the fi ed on what critics say are spurious ised” rally. lies and pickets”. electoral interference. that will be acceptable both to the League authorities to prevent a major protest reasons. Navalny has already served a 10- The protests involved “threats to After the protest, 17 independent and 5-Star, which is worried that the re- rally this week. Navalny and other anti-Kremlin day jail sentence for allegedly violat- use violence against members of the candidates including Ilya Yashin and form could hurt its southern strongholds. Investigators also opened a crimi- politicians threatened to stage a major ing a protest law earlier this month. electoral commissions”, the Investi- Lyubov Sobol issued a joint state- Salvini himself is still under pressure nal investigation into obstructing the rally on July 27, near the mayor’s of- Navalny’s arrest came after more gative Committee said in a statement. ment, accusing Moscow mayor Sergei over allegations that his party sought work of election offi cials after Nav- fi ce, unless Moscow’s authorities reg- than 22,000 people rallied in the Rus- The opposition politicians have Sobyanin of sparking a “political cri- funds via an illicit oil deal with Russia. alny’s allies and ordinary Muscovites istered opposition candidates within sian capital last Saturday to demand worked hard to get on the ballot pa- sis” in the city of some 15mn people. He has dismissed the accusations, but staged a series of pickets and rallies in seven days. independent politicians be allowed to per as they seek to capitalise on anger On Tuesday, the disqualifi ed politi- has so far dodged demands that he ad- the Russian capital in recent days. Navalny said yesterday he was de- run in the September 8 vote. over declining living standards and cians met with the country’s election dress parliament over the scandal. For that off ence the protest leaders tained as he was leaving his Moscow The opposition said Saturday’s au- unchecked corruption. They say they chief, Ella Pamfi lova, who admitted “If I am interested in espionage, I will could face up to fi ve years in prison. home to go jogging and buy fl owers for thorised protest was the largest since were made to jump through countless that the situation was “unfair”. watch a James Bond fi lm. I promise you A co-ordinator of Navalny’s Mos- his wife’s birthday. 2012, when tens of thousands rallied hoops, and each had to collect roughly The talks however led nowhere, the that...we have not asked, received or been cow headquarters, Oleg Stepanov, “People are right when they say against election fraud during parlia- 5,000 signatures to be eligible. opposition said, accusing Pamfi lova given money from anyone, anywhere in said he had also been detained. that sport is not always good for your mentary polls. But electoral authorities still refused of trying to play for time. the world,” Salvini said. Insects replace pesticides in Spain’s ‘Sea of Plastic’

By Emmanuelle Michel, AFP space — produces tomatoes, cu- The use of insecticides surged Bioline Iberia, in the heart of the ing that many farmers still use Dalias, Spain cumbers, courgettes, peppers in the 1960s, but farmers have Sea of Plastic. fungicides and various other and aubergines all year round to adopted new methods under Inside hermetically closed substances to disinfect soils. supply Europe’s supermarkets. pressure from consumer groups rooms with tightly controlled “Farmers continue to use hey work for me night Last year 2.5mn tonnes of pro- as well as the fact that their crops temperature and humidity levels, chemicals in a not very rational and day,” smiles Antonio duce was exported from Almeria, have become increasingly resist- employees raise four species of way, because they are recom- TZamora, standing in his half of Spain’s total vegetable ex- ant to the chemicals. mites to be sold in the region as mended, they are sold to them. greenhouse. His minuscule em- ports. “We have had to change well as in Portugal and Morocco. Often they use them as a routine, ployees are bugs that feed on the Like Zamora, virtually all pep- course. The use of pesticides be- The company projects produc- without really knowing why,” she parasites threatening his peppers. per growers in Almeria have came excessive,” said Jan van der tion of a trillion insects this year. said. Zamora, like most of his col- replaced insecticides with so- Blom, an expert in biocontrol at Several other factories of the Even “organic” greenhouses — leagues, no longer sprays his crops called “biological control” using Coexphal. same type have sprung up in with 2,000 hectares certifi ed as with pesticides, instead hanging insects. Encarnacion Samblas of en- recent years around the Sea of such or seeking the label — often small bags of mites on the plants, About 60% of tomato growers vironmental group Ecologists in Plastic, and roughly 30 fi rms sell pay little heed to biodiversity or leaving them to attack parasites have done the same, along with Action described the change as a insects, at steadily decreasing fail to take proper care of the soil, while sparing his produce. a quarter of courgette producers, “very positive step”. prices. the ecologist said. He owns two hectares in the according to the producers’ asso- “In many cases the reduction “Spain can be considered the She noted that European regu- so-called ‘Sea of Plastic’, some ciation Coexphal. in the use of chemical products largest area in Europe and per- lations on these issues are lack- 30,000 hectares of greenhouses Consumption of insecticides has been drastic, and the sub- haps the world in terms of the ing. A red velvet mite walks on a pepper plant flower at a greenhouse in in southeastern Spain’s Almeria in Almeria — where agriculture stances that are still in use are use of biological control,” said An increase in the amount of Dalias, Spain. province, where much of Europe’s employs some 120,000 people softer,” she said. Bioline Iberia director Federico land used for farming has put fruits and vegetables are grown. and accounts for 20% of eco- French agricultural coop- Garcia. pressure on water resources in an farming methods favour the Samblas noted another prob- The sparkling mosaic of white nomic output — has dropped by erative InVivo, which has yearly But the road to truly green arid region, Samblas added. growth of parasites, arguing that lem: old greenhouse plastics of- plastic bordering the Mediter- 40% since 2007, according to lo- sales of 5.5bn euros ($6.2bn), farming remains long, said Sam- Agronomist Jose Manuel the region should halt produc- ten fi nd their way into the Medi- ranean — which is visible from cal authorities. recently opened a “biofactory”, blas of Ecologists in Action, not- Torres warned that year-round tion during the summer. terranean. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, July 25, 2019 INDIA

TRAGEDY TRANSPORT JUDICIARY POLITICS CRIME 1 killed, three feared - trains Court rejects AAP Congress to oppose bill on Two arrested in Kolkata for trapped in coal mine cancelled for 2 weeks legislators’ appeal RTI, asks BJP allies to follow harassing, assaulting girls

One worker was killed and three were trapped Important trains linking Mumbai and Pune including The Delhi High Court yesterday dismissed a The Congress will oppose a bill to amend the Two men were arrested for allegedly harassing in a landslide at a state-run coal mine in Odisha, the and Pragati Express will be petition by rebel Aam Aadmi Party legislators Right to Information (RTI) Act in the Rajya Sabha and physically assaulting two girls in Kolkata, off icials said yesterday. A huge portion of the cancelled for a fortnight from July 26 to enable challenging a single bench order against the and urged allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata police said yesterday. “Evan Chauhan and Zulfikar open cast mine owned by Coal India caved Central Railway tackle the problem of falling anti-defection proceedings initiated against Party, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Shiv Khan, both residents of Beniapukur area, were in late Tuesday night, trapping 13 workers, boulders in the treacherous - them by the Delhi assembly speaker. A Division Sena to oppose it too. Senior Congress leader P L arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly harassing company spokesman Dikken Mehra said. Nine ghats sections, an off icial said yesterday. The CR will Bench presided by Chief Justice D N Patel and Punia told IANS yesterday: “We will not allow the two young girls the night before,” a police off icer workers were rescued from the debris and were take up a massive restoration work to ensure the Justice C Harishankar refused to entertain RTI Amendment Act to pass in the Rajya Sabha.” said. According to the police, the men, riding discharged from hospital after receiving first problem of toppling boulders and minor landslides, the petition filed by Devendra Sehrawat and He said the government was trying to dilute the a scooter allegedly made lewd comments to aid for minor injuries, he said. “The body of which becomes widespread during heavy rain, is Anil Bajpai. “The court observed that it is the RTI Act. Urging the National Democratic Alliance the two girls at around 11pm on Monday. When one worker has been recovered. Rescue work resolved. “The services get badly disrupted due to prerogative power of the speaker to evolve his (NDA) partners to oppose the bill, Punia said: the girls protested, the men followed them and is under way to find workers who are missing,” this problem mainly in the South-East Ghats from own procedure to conduct the proceedings “The JD-U and the Shiv Sena should oppose the attacked them, taking advantage of the deserted he added. The mine which has a production mid-June, aff ecting mobility and safety of the trains in the house,” the court observed. “We see no bill as RTI brings transparency.” On Monday, the roads. “The two accused fled when the girls cried capacity of 20,000 tonnes a day, was shut negotiating this section. The CR’s Mumbai Division reason to entertain this plea as we find that no Lok Sabha passed the bill amending the RTI Act, for help. One of the victims took note of their after the accident. “While the aff ected patch has undertaken various infrastructure works to error has been committed by the single judge,” 2005 amid objections by the opposition which two-wheeler’s number and registered a complaint will remain shut, operations at the two other prevent this,” said the off icial. Over the next fortnight, the bench said. “We see no reason to impose alleged that it was an attempt to undermine at our police station. Accordingly, the youths were patches at the mine can be restarted in the next several trains will be cancelled or diverted, which is a mathematical formula on the speaker about the law and make the transparency panel a arrested from their home yesterday and their few days,” Mehra said. likely to hit passengers on these and other sectors. what to decide first.” “toothless tiger”. scooter has been seized,” the off icer said. Shah defends terror bill as opposition slams govt

Agencies has it, China, Israel, European law. Opposition leaders, minori- New Delhi Union... Everyone has done it.” ties, right activists and others if Shah said if a terrorist group they disagree with the homoge- was banned, a terrorist could neous idea of India that this gov- controversial bill giving easily set up another. He said the ernment is trying to thrust upon the government sweep- government had only brought us, the opposition runs the risk Aing powers to designate an amendment to the law which of being labelled as anti-nation- individuals as terrorists passed was enacted by the Congress al,” Moitra said. In this photo taken on July 17, a herd of wild buff aloes is seen wading through floodwaters at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. a major hurdle in parliament government and whose provi- “Why is the opposition called yesterday, as opponents warned sions were later made stringent. anti-national every time we disa- the legislation was too broad and Opposition lawmakers re- gree with the government on issues open to abuse. mained unconvinced, however. of national security and policing?” It comes in the wake of Prime “Is this government assuring Shah said no one would harass Minister Narendra Modi’s re- us that the law will not be mis- genuine social activists. Rare rhinos among more than 200 sounding victory in general elec- used in future?” asked Congress “There are in fact many so- tions in May, and amid accusa- member Karti Chidambaram. cial activists who are doing good tions that his ruling Bharatiya “Are you putting processes in work. But we will smash the ur- Janata Party (BJP) is trying to place under which misuse will ban Maoists.” animals killed in Kaziranga fl oods stifl e dissent in the world’s larg- not happen?” He accused the Congress of est democracy. Shah said that what the Con- double standards. The main opposition Con- gress governments did “was “When you (opposition) Agencies swamp deer, two buff aloes, 18 Rangers patrolling the mines outdoors.” Many thatched gress party – which led a parlia- right and what the BJP-led gov- question us you don’t see who Guwahati wild boar and three porcupines. had seen water buff aloes, rhi- houses collapsed and sheds mentary walkout as the bill was ernment is doing is also right”. brought the law and amend- He said another 16 hog deer nos, elephants and even tigers were blown away. debated – warned the proposed “The law was enacted in 1967 ments, who made it stringent. and a sambar had been hit by in the quarries. The fatalities raised the death law was “draconian” and could by a Congress government-led It was brought when you were evastating fl oods have speeding cars while trying to The park has set up a Special toll from fl ooding and accidents turn India into a “police state”. by then prime minister Indira in power. What you did then was killed more than 200 cross a highway that passes Rhino Protection Force to guard during the monsoon season in The bill has to be passed by the Gandhi and amendments made right and what I’m doing now is Dwild animals – includ- through Kaziranga. the more than 2,400 rhinos in Bihar to more than 105. upper house Rajya Sabha before to it in 2004, 2008 and 2013 when also right,” Shah said. ing 17 threatened one-horned Sivkumar, who has proposed the park against poachers. The offi cial said the ood fl it becomes law, with the gov- the Congress was in power. Who “A government fi ghts terror- rhinos – in one of India’s best- giving AK-47 rifl es to park One notorious poacher was situation in the state remained ernment needing to court votes made the law stringent? What ism; it shouldn’t matter which known national parks, offi cials rangers to prevent poaching detained this month and Siva- grim and was expected to wors- from smaller parties and inde- you did was right, what we are party is in power,” he added. said yesterday. during the fl oods, said some kumar said earlier that a select en as neighbouring Nepal was pendents for it to pass. doing is also right,” Shah said. Under the Unlawful Activities Forty percent of Kaziranga animals were starting to return. group in the force would be giv- witnessing heavy rains and wa- Home Minister Amit Shah de- He asked opposition members (Prevention) Amendment Bill, National Park in Assam has “The fl ood situation is im- en automatic rifl es for patrols ter from the overfl owing rivers fended the bill in the Lok Sabha, about their concerns over pow- a person can be designated as a been left under water follow- proving gradually,” he said. during the fl oods. there may fl ow in to Bihar. the lower house, yesterday, saying ers of states when the Congress terrorist on broad grounds. ing 10 days of torrential rains Rangers and volunteers res- At their worst, the fl ooding The offi cial said heavy rain- it was necessary to keep law en- had made changes to the law to They include causing damage that have also killed more than cued 69 stranded animals – covered 90% of the park. fall in Nepal since Monday was forcement agencies one step ahead make it stringent. Shah said Con- to any property, using criminal 71 people in the northeastern including three rhinos and an The torrents have inundat- bound to worsen the situation of those deemed to be terrorists. gress member Manish Tewari force against any public func- state. elephant – but some had since ed more than 4,000 villages in Bihar. “The only purpose of this law had asked what was the need for tionary or being likely to “strike The Unesco-listed heritage died at a rehabilitation centre, across Assam, forcing hundreds Latest reports suggest that is to root out terrorism. We will tough laws and underlined that terror in people”. site is home to the world’s big- park offi cials said. of thousands into emergency the water level in major rivers is ensure that this law will not be terror-related problems were re- Police will also be able to detain gest population of one-horned Sivkumar said a Supreme camps. continuing to rise and embank- misused,” he said, before the bill solved through political dialogue. a suspect for 180 days, instead of rhinos and draws thousands of Court ban on mining in the Meanwhile, at least 39 people ments have been breached at was passed by acclaim. “There is need for tough laws to the usual 60 to 90 days allowed tourists from around the world nearby Karbi Anglong hills, or- were killed by lightning across several places. Shah said terrorists such end terrorism,” the minister said. under current legislation. each year. dered in April, had helped save the eastern state of Bihar during Bihar Water Resources Min- as Indian Mujahideen’s Yasin Several other opposition lead- Human rights groups warned But it has been stricken by lives as the area became a sanc- monsoon storms, offi cials said. ister Sanjay Jha said embank- Bhatkal, who was under the ra- ers, including the Trinamool the proposed law will give the the fl oods, and as the waters tuary for animals which fl ed the The deaths were reported on ments were breached at several dar for years, would have been Congress’s Mahua Moitra, ob- government unbridled oppor- start to recede workers fear the rising water. Tuesday and yesterday, an offi - places due to heavy rainfall. caught much earlier if he had jected to the changes, saying the tunity to brand citizens as ter- animal toll will rise. “The animals used to avoid cial said from the disaster man- “We are working to repair been designated a terrorist. law could be misused to target rorists even before they commit Park director P Sivakumar the highlands because of the agement control room in state embankments,” he said. “There’s a need for a provision individuals. any crime. said that 205 animals, includ- mines. They were afraid of capital Patna. Jha said the government was to declare an individual as a ter- “If the Centre wants to tar- Amnesty International India ing 17 rhinos, an elephant, 112 coming into contact with hu- The victims were “mostly doing everything possible to rorist. The UN has a procedure get someone, they will get them said it could become a tool of re- hog deer, 12 sambar deer, seven mans,” he said. farmers or homeless who were help the fl ood victims. for it, the US has it, even Pakistan somehow with the help of some pression, and criminalise dissent.

Rain dance Two BJP legislators set to join Political instability will Congress in Madhya Pradesh continue, says HDK

IANS and labourers and weaker sec- IANS the Congress earlier. Kol has also mour of keeping the minority Bengaluru tions with less than Rs125,000 Bhopal been in the Congress earlier. government at its mercy, the op- per annum family income, he A triumphant Congress later ex- position should hold a no-trust said he had signed an order to pressed the hope there would more vote right away. We are prepared arnataka’s caretaker waive their loans from money wo Bharatiya Janata Par- defections from the BJP. “Some for it, here and now. Is the oppo- chief minister H D Ku- lenders and pawnbrokers un- ty legislators yesterday more BJP MLAs are in touch with sition ready?” he asked. Kmaraswamy yesterday der the amended state Debt Tcross-voted in favour of Kamal Nath. Let us wait and The chief minister said that said political instability would Relief Act. Madhya Pradesh’s ruling Con- watch,” said a party leader. the BJP has been making such continue in the state even after “Even in the midst of politi- gress to help pass a bill on pre- Kamal Nath had earlier chal- claims right from the day his the next government is formed cal crisis and unforeseen de- vention of mob lynching in the lenged the opposition to try and government took offi ce. “Let me due to uncertainty over its lon- velopments over the last three assembly. buy out the ruling party legis- make it clear the opposition’s gevity. weeks across the state, they The opposition BJP said it lators in the state. He was re- claims are bogus and our MLAs “I have told all senior of- did not come in the way of im- would discuss the issue later. sponding to BJP leader Gopal are not for sale.” fi cials to implement the vari- plementing the state-run pro- Yesterday’s developments Bhargava’s boast that “we can Amid thumping of desks by ous schemes, programmes and grammes and welfare schemes bring to an end speculation over bring down the government the the ruling coalition members, he waiver of loans taken by farm- by the offi cials concerned,” he the survival of Chief Minister moment the No 1 and 2 leaders said this government is here for ers, landless labourers and said. Kamal Nath’s government, es- give a go ahead.” fi ve years and Madhya Pradesh weaker sections without wor- Thanking President Ram pecially following the collapse of But Kamal Nath retorted: “Your will create history by setting up rying and paying undue atten- Nath Kovind for signing on Karnataka’s ruling coalition. No 1 and 2 have the wisdom not to new benchmarks of development tion to the political crisis and July 16 the bill the state legis- The two BJP legislators – Shar- give you the go ahead. Everyone bringing prosperity to every class. the uncertainty over the next lature had passed in February ad Kol and Narayan Tripathi – are knows about the skills of your No Kamal Nath said that he had government’s survival,” Ku- to amend the Debt Relief Act, reportedly joining the Congress. 1 and No 2. Our government will maintained certain probity in his maraswamy said, a day after he Kumaraswamy said a gazette Tripathi, who has been elected complete fi ve years. If you are so political life and tried to set an ex- School girls perform a Punjabi dance called ‘Giddha’ to lost a trust vote and resigned notifi cation was issued on the from Maihar several times, is a sure, why don’t you bring a no- ample. He said no one has raised celebrate the Teej festival on the occasion of the Sawan (rain) as chief minister. amended Act on Tuesday for known party-hopper and has confi dence motion right away?” questions or made any allegations month, in Amritsar yesterday. As a farewell gift to the poor, availing the debt relief in the been in the Samajwadi Party and “Instead of this everyday cla- in his 45 years of political life. including landless farmers next 90 days. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 15

LATIN AMERICA

LEGAL CRIME DEFENCE DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS DATA Peru court to decide Four held over hacking of Bogota ‘could spend $1bn Expelled German envoy Murders in Mexico surge to on Fujimori’s release Brazil minister’s phone on new air force planes’ returns to Venezuela record in first half of 2019

Peru’s Supreme Court yesterday began a Brazilian federal police have arrested four Colombia is examining proposals from the Germany’s ambassador to Venezuela has Murders in Mexico jumped in the first half of hearing to decide whether to free opposition people over the hacking of cell phones US, Spain and Sweden as it look to replace its returned after being expelled by President the year to the highest on record, according to leader Keiko Fujimori from pre-trial detention belonging to Justice Minister Sergio Moro and ageing military aircraft, the South American Nicolas Maduro’s government in March over off icial data, underscoring the vast challenges related to a corruption case linked to Brazilian prosecutors involved in a massive corruption country’s air force said. Replacing around Berlin’s backing of opposition leader Juan President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces construction giant Odebrecht. Keiko, the probe. The arrests come after an investigative 20 Israeli Kfir fighter jets, which Colombia Guaido’s claim to the presidency. Daniel Kriener in reducing violence in the country. There were daughter of disgraced and jailed former website last month began publishing excerpts bought three decades ago, could cost more has arrived back in the nation to “once again 14,603 murders from January to June, versus president Alberto Fujimori, was herself from leaked Telegram messages that show than $1bn, air force sources, who were not perform his duties from Caracas,” the German the 13,985 homicides registered in the first six incarcerated on October 31 last year when she Moro, the powerful judge behind the so-called authorised to speak publicly, said. “Diff erent embassy said on Twitter. In March, Venezuela months of 2018, according to Mexico’s national was ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for Car Wash inquiry, had conspired to keep jailed countries, including Spain, Sweden and declared Kriener “persona non grata” as he public security off ice. Mexico is on course to up to three years. She is accused of accepting leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva out of the US, have made formal proposals to was given 48 hours to leave the country. surpass the 29,111 murders of last year. For $1.2mn in illicit party funding from Odebrecht the 2018 presidential race that he was widely Colombia to replace the squadron,” the air Maduro’s government had accused Kriener years Mexico has struggled with violence as for her 2011 presidential campaign. “Today expected to win. In a statement, police did not force said in a statement. Despite budget of “interference” after he welcomed Guaido consecutive governments battled brutal drug we’re asking for justice. We have only one identify the suspects arrested in the operation limitations, President Ivan Duque has said back at Caracas airport following the National cartels, often by taking out their leaders. That aim: for Keiko Fujimori to be freed,” said the dubbed Spoofing that involved raids in three he is in favour of modernising the country’s Assembly speaker’s controversial trip abroad to has resulted in the fragmentation of gangs and 44-year-old politician’s lawyer Giuliana Loza. cities across Sao Paulo state. military equipment. meet allied regional leaders. increasingly vicious internecine fighting.

Maduro attends military exercises launch The ‘American Dream’ of many migrants turns to Mexican one

AFP “When you know the route well, Tapachula, Mexico you know how to go about” cross- ing the border, said Rodrigo. The nine points along the riv- onduran Rolando Rodrigo er most often used by migrants arrived last week in the crossing into Mexico are now HMexican city of Tapachula permanently guarded by security with his family, just one stop on forces. the long route to the US and the Given the diffi culties in getting dream of a new life free from the to the US “with my wife, we think poverty and gang violence that we’d like to stay here for a couple wracks their homeland. of years,” said Rodrigo, who used But faced with increased con- to repair computers for a living. trols by Mexican authorities, at Honduran, Guatemalan and El the behest of Washington, to Salvadoran migrants have been stem the fl ow of migrants head- reaching southern Mexico in un- ing north from Central America, precedented numbers since Oc- they’re considering postponing tober. their “American dream” for the In late May US President Don- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends the launch of military exercises under the name “Campana Libertadora Simon Bolivar 2019” on the 236th anniversary of time being. ald Trump threatened to hammer the birth of South American liberator Simon Bolivar, in Caracas yesterday. Just hours after US Secretary of Mexico with new trade tariff s un- State Mike Pompeo and Mexican less it acted decisively to stem the Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard migrant wave. exchanged congratulations on Ebrard said on Monday that the “signifi cant progress” in a deal to migrant fl ow had been reduced slow down the wave of undocu- by “around 36.2%,” and that he mented migrants heading for US would meet Pompeo again in 45 soil, Rodrigo wandered about Ta- days to discuss progress. pachula’s central square with his While Rodrigo mingled three-year-old son Gadiel asking amongst other migrants in Ta- Trump mulls Guatemala for money to feed his family. pachula — including Cubans, Hai- The 29-year-old arrived in tians, Indians and Bangladeshis — Mexico on Friday with his wife another Honduran, Jose Jimenez, Miriam, Gadiel and a young was trying to relax with his wife daughter. Iris and daughter Aline. They’ve taken a modest hotel Threatened with death by drug room in this south Mexican town, traffi ckers from his neighbour- ban in row over migrants but only have enough money for a hood, Jimenez opted to quit a sta- few nights’ stay. ble job and leave for somewhere Reuters or all of the above. Guatemala from Congress, which is on a “national actors” for damag- try deal was brought by several They crossed the border into safer. They crossed the Suchiate Washington/Guatemala City has not been good,” Trump summer recess. ing relations with the US and former foreign ministers, the Mexico over rugged, hilly terrain just over a month ago, crucially wrote. Migrant remittances ac- said they would be responsible if country’s rights ombudsman near Tacana, a 4,000-metre high before the Mexican authorities In response, Guatemala’s counted for 11% of Guatema- Trump puts tariff s on the coun- and a former presidential can- volcano near the border where stationed thousands of security S President Donald President Jimmy Morales lan GDP in 2017, according to try. didate. they saw no sign of Mexico’s Na- forces along the river. Trump said he is consid- blamed the country’s top court the IMF, a total of $8.2bn. The Jovel said in a tweet any meas- Morales called the politicians tional Guard. The family has requested asy- Uering a “ban,” tariff s and and political opponents for un- United States is Guatemala’s ures by the US would be the re- “petty” and said they were at- In June, Mexico deployed thou- lum in Mexico, as well as a human- remittance fees after Guatemala dermining his close ties to the main trading partner, with bi- sponsibility of actors she said tacking the country’s govern- sands of soldiers and police offi c- itarian visa that would allow them decided not to ink a safe third US. lateral trade of some $4.7bn were ignorant of foreign rela- ability. The White House did ers, both near its southern border to travel to the US border. country agreement that would Morales was due to sign a deal through May this year, central tions. not immediately respond to a with Guatemala and its northern But not everyone agrees over have required the poor Central with Trump last week that would bank data shows. The foreign ministry also is- request for comment. border with the US to slow the mi- where they should ultimately set- American country to take in have made the country act as an “The constitutional court, sued a statement blaming the Trump has made restricting grant fl ow, which has come prin- tle. “Where will I work?” Jimenez more asylum seekers. asylum buff er zone to reduce im- without any understanding and country’s top court for the situa- immigration a cornerstone of cipally from impoverished and asked his six-year-old daughter. “Guatemala ... has decided migration to the US. without the right to interfere in tion, but retracted the statement his presidency and re-election crime-ridden Central American “Monterrey,” she replied, refer- to break the deal they had with Instead he cancelled the foreign relations, wrongly took shortly afterwards. campaign. He has pushed Gua- countries. ring to the prosperous northeast us on signing a necessary Safe planned summit with Trump at a stance against the national in- In the past the Morales gov- temala, Mexico and other coun- Rodrigo’s family carefully Mexican industrial city, where her Third Agreement. We were ready the White House after the coun- terest,” Morales said in a state- ernment has clashed with the tries in the region to act as buff er avoided the heavily guarded Such- father spent two months working to go,” Trump tweeted. try’s constitutional court ruled ment posted on Facebook. court, which it considers aligned zones and take in asylum seekers iate river that forms part of the in 2007. His wife, though, still has “Now we are looking at the he could not ink such an agree- Guatemala’s Foreign Minister with the opposition. The case who would otherwise go to the Mexico-Guatemala border. her eyes on the US. ‘BAN,’ Tariff s, Remittance Fees, ment without prior approval Sandra Jovel blamed unnamed against the third safe coun- US.

Taxi drivers protest Cutting demand key to Bogota orders Uber to fi ghting cocaine: Colombia beef up data security Reuters residents, the Superintenden- Bogota cy of Industry and Commerce DPA who want the most cocaine,” coca bushes by force, 35% of the said in a statement, adding that San Juan de Pasto, Colombia Romero said in an interview. “They farmers start growing the plant Uber will have four months to feel entitled to judge others, but in again, according to fi gures given olombia has given ride- show it is protecting users from reality, the US society demands... by the governor. But when farm- hailing app Uber Tech- fraudulent or unauthorised ac- olombia cannot win its more and more coca,” he added. ers voluntarily replace coca with Cnologies four months to cess to their accounts, among battle against the cocaine Drug traffi cking is “a global other crops, only 1% of them sow improve its data security, the other things. Ctrade unless the US and problem,” which authorities in the plant again. commerce regulator said, af- The company should also de- Europe assume their “share of Narino cannot solve by them- Glyphosate, Romero observed, ter a 2016 data breach aff ected velop a protocol for handling the responsibility” and reduce selves, Romero stressed. “If the has also not helped to reduce more than 260,000 of the South future data security breaches, the demand for the drug, Camilo US and European societies were coca cultivation in Narino, where American country’s residents. training for its staff on the issue, Romero said. able to reduce the demand (for co- millions of litres of the herbicide Last year, Uber agreed to pay and put in place a permanent Romero is the governor of Co- caine), that would help us a lot.” were sprayed in vain until the a fi ne of $148mn in a settlement monitoring system to determine lombia’s south-western Narino Under pressure from Wash- previous government stopped reached in the US for failing to whether the new measures are department, which has about ington, Colombian President the practice in 2015. disclose the massive breach. adequate, the regulator said. 46,000 hectares of coca, the Ivan Duque is adopting a harder The governor accuses Duque of The settlement followed a The required improvements plant used to make cocaine. line in the fi ght against drug traf- violating the 2016 peace deal with 10-month investigation into must be certifi ed by an inde- That makes Narino the biggest fi cking. He is widely seen as giv- the guerrilla group Farc, which es- the breach, which exposed per- pendent third party chosen by producer among the 32 depart- ing priority to the forced manual tablished voluntary crop substitu- sonal data from around 57mn Uber, the statement said, and ments in Colombia, where the eradication of coca plants rather tion as the preferred method to rid accounts, including 600,000 will continue to be monitored for White House Offi ce of National than to voluntary programmes to the country of coca. driver’s licence numbers. fi ve years. Drug Control Policy puts the to- substitute coca with other crops. Only about 17,000 families out Uber is popular in Colombia Uber’s Colombia offi ce said in tal surface under coca cultivation The government is also seek- of more than 60,000 families in even though the government a statement it has already shown at 208,000 hectares in 2018. ing permission from the National Narino who want to replace coca says its use is illegal. local authorities that it has “im- Washington has stepped up Drug Council to eradicate coca with other crops are receiving The country has not yet spe- plemented various technological the pressure on Colombia to stop fi elds by aerially spraying them funds and assistance from the cifi cally regulated transport improvements to the security of the cocaine trade, with President with glyphosate, a weedkiller government, Romero said. services like Uber, but has said it our systems” in 2016 and after. Donald Trump threatening to classifi ed as “probably carcino- The government has, however, will suspend for 25 years the li- “We have also implemented decertify the country as a partner genic” by the WHO in 2015. denied that it is abandoning the cences of drivers caught working signifi cant changes in our cor- in the war against drugs. Romero says both strategies strategy of voluntary crop sub- Demonstrators clash with security forces during a protest for the platform. porate structure, to ensure the “I feel really uncomfortable have proved unsuccessful in the stitution and pledged to assist organised by taxi drivers against Uber and MUV apps in Of those whose data was respective transparency in front about an attitude adorned with past. more than 100,000 Colombians Asuncion, Paraguay. compromised by the breach, of regulators and users in the fu- morality when they are the ones When security forces uproot who have uprooted coca plants. some 267,000 are Colombian ture,” it added. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, July 25, 2019 PAKISTAN

Army chief meets Imran Khan says to meet Pompeo

Internews Washington

Taliban in peace push hief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa visited the AFP and I will try my best to amongst them,” added Khan. But the major hurdle has so far the way for a withdrawal of in- proxies such as the Taliban- CUS State Department and Washington get them to talk to the Afghan Khan on Tuesday met with been the Taliban’s refusal to ne- ternational troops about 18 years allied Haqqani group. met with Secretary of State Mike government.” US Secretary of State Mike gotiate directly with the Afghan after the 9/11 attacks on the Khan made an unusual Pompeo, said Inter-Services Speaking at the US Institute Pompeo, who emphasised government. United States, which led the US on-the-record admission Public Relations Director General akistan’s Prime Minister for Peace, a bipartisan federal the importance of working “It’s not going to be easy be- to launch an off ensive that dis- that Pakistan had in the past Major General Asif Ghafoor. Imran Khan has said he body, Khan said he had been together and “Pakistan’s sig- cause there’s no centralized lodged the Taliban government pursued this policy, which it According to the army’s Pwould meet with the Tali- contacted by the Afghan Tali- nifi cant role in supporting command, it’s a devolved move- from . calls “strategic depth,” be- spokesperson, during the meet- ban after returning to his coun- ban “a few months back”, after the Afghan peace process and ment,” Khan cautioned about Pakistan was the Taliban’s cause it feared encirclement ing the two leaders discussed try, as part of eff orts to end 18 his election win in July 2018, but counterterrorism,” according the insurgent group. main sponsor when it seized with a government in Kabul regional security issues and years of war in Afghanistan. did not take a meeting at that to a US statement. “But we feel that if we all work power in Afghanistan during that had fallen under Indian Afghan peace process. Khan spoke in Washington on time because Kabul was not in The US peace envoy to Af- together, we feel this is the best the 1990s, and its ongoing in- infl uence. In the meeting, the importance his fi rst offi cial trip to the United favour of it. ghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, chance of there to be peace in fl uence over the group is seen But he insisted that was no of an Afghan-led process and States, where President Donald The militants reached out to left for Kabul on Monday for the Afghanistan.” as key to facilitating a political longer the policy. Afghan-controlled solution were Trump hosted him at the White him “because I always main- latest round of talks. From there Khan also stressed that Af- settlement. “Today, there is no concept in noted, according to the ISPR. House a day earlier. tained there was no mili- he is to head to Doha, Qatar. ghanistan’s presidential election This infl uence has also Pakistan of ‘strategic depth’ be- In another tweet yesterday, He said he had also spo- tary solution” to the war in Khalilzad has had several in September “must be an inclu- opened Pakistan up to ac- cause we feel that by interfering Maj Gen Ghafoor quoted the ken with Afghan President Afghanistan, he said. meetings with the Taliban in the sive election where the Taliban cusations that it is fuelling in Afghanistan... we have actu- COAS as saying: “Pakistan at- Ashraf Ghani, and now, when “So because of that, I had a past year, the most recent being also participate”. the fi ghting in Afghanistan ally done a lot of damage to our taches great importance to re- he goes back, “I will meet the certain amount of credibility on July 9 in Doha. A breakthrough could pave through the use of militant own country,” he said. storing a robust bilateral re- lationship based on mutual respect, trust and shared values.” The COAS also met the top US military leadership during his visit to Pentagon. Upon his ar- rival, the army chief was given a US visit aimed to dispel 21-gun salute. During his series of meetings, the COAS also met with Sena- tor Lindsay Graham and General (retd) Jack Keane to talk about misunderstanding: PM the security situation. Senator Graham recalled his visit to Pakistan, appreciating Internews In his address, the PM ex- peo, adding that it was crucial the country’s role in improving Washington pressed hope that following his to build mutual trust in order to the security dynamics, stated the departure from the US, people fully comprehend things. DG ISPR. would have a better understand- The premier stated that Paki- The army chief briefed about akistan Prime Minister ing of the dynamics of Pakistan- stan is diligently playing its part the improved security situ- Imran Khan has said that US ties. in the Afghan peace process and ation in the country, result- Phis fi rst offi cial visit to the PM Imran shed light on the on the subject he has the support ing in opportunities for foreign United States was aimed at dis- losses faced by Pakistan in fi ght- of the army and nation. businesses to invest in Pakistan. pelling misunderstanding about ing the war on terror for the sake “Pakistan is now trying its “Bilateral relationship holds Pakistan. of US, saying that the ally lost best to get Taliban to get on potential for both countries and Khan was addressing the 70,000 people and billions of the table to start this dialogue would also assist in regional members of the US Congress rupees. and so far, we have done pretty stability,” said the army chief. during his visit to the Capi- He said that the previous well,” said the prime minister, tol Hill, according to Pakistan governments failed to tell the although cautioning that it will embassy in Washington. ground realities to the US in this not be an easy process. The prime minister said that regard. “There were 40 diff erent Earlier upon the prime minis- over the years there has existed militant groups operating within ter’s arrival, he was given a warm a lot of misunderstanding about Pakistan.” welcome by host US House of the country. “Pakistan is not The prime minister said that Representatives Speaker Nan- Bilawal understood here, specifi cally Pakistan fought for its survival cy Pelosi and other Congress in the last 15 years, when this while the US expected it to ‘do members. war on terror was being fought more’. PM Imran said that it was The prime minister later left supports in Afghanistan and the borders very important that he met US the US yesterday to return home of Pakistan,” he told those in President Donald Trump and upon successful completion of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan make brief statements to attendance. Secretary of State Mike Pom- his three-day offi cial visit. reporters before a meeting at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. US talks

Internews Karachi

akistan Peoples’ Party Property taxation rates raised in 20 cities (PPP) chairman Bilawal PBhutto has supported Pa- kistan’s eff orts on engaging with Internews This is for a second time in of market value. Only a few Karachi, the value of residential commercial area of Bath Island “The new rates will be applica- the world community. Karachi fi ve months that the tax author- years ago the offi cial DC rate plots (open and built up) has that fell in Category 1. ble from Wednesday (today) but The PPP chairman, in a se- ities have revised the valuation was around 10% of the market been increased up to 44%, with “We believe it should fall in the market will take at least one ries of tweets, commented on rates to bring them on a par with value. minimum increase of 8%. Category A-1,” he added. or two months to understand its PM Imran Khan’s maiden US he Federal Board of Rev- the market rates. In addition to Karachi, La- Mohamed Hassan Bakshi, Bakshi said that the valua- impact,” said property dealer visit and meeting with Presi- enue (FBR) has revised In February, the FBR had hore, Islamabad and Gwadar, chairman, Association of Build- tion rates for Hyderabad were Maaz Liaquat. dent Donald Trump at the White Tthe valuation tables for revised upward the property the new rates for commer- ers and Developers (Abad), said unjust and the FBR needed to He said that the market value House. taxation of property in 20 cities valuation table for 21 cit- cial and residential properties that the new valuation table for revisit them. “They [FBR] did of plots in some parts of DHA “I’ve many reservations about including the federal and pro- ies, including Karachi, to do in Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Karachi was somehow ‘encour- not take [us] into confi dence City along the Superhighway our PM, his undemocratic poli- vincial capitals and Gwadar. away with sale and purchase Faisalabad, Gujrat, Hydera- aging’, but there was need for [before notifying the new was far below compared to the tics and economically fatal po- For each city, the FBR issued of residential/commercial/ bad, Jhang, Jhelum, Mardan, improvement. rates]. We hope that Shabbar new FBR rate. “After the as- lices. I also believe much of his a separate notifi cation said that industrial properties on Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, He said in some areas of Ka- Zaidi will give us time to rec- set declaration scheme, people conduct abroad particularly his the value of immoveable prop- the deputy commissioner’s Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargod- rachi the FBR value of property tify our complaints.” have money and there is no is- jalsa is unbecoming of a PM who erties on the basis of diff erent (DC) rate. ha, Gujranwala and Sukkur had had surpassed the market value. Real estate agents said there sue of liquidity but such things is supposed to represent Pakistan categories has been revised with With the recent increase, the been revised. He said that some areas were was still more work to be done to need to be addressed fi rst,” he not just PTI,” Bilawal tweeted. eff ect from July 24. FBR rates reached around 80% According to the new rates for wrongly categorised like the build confi dence of the market. added. “Having said that in the great- er national interest everyone should support Pakistan’s eff orts to engage the world. I therefore unconditionally support govern- ments eff orts. Political parties “Will always provide con- Musharraf’s treason trial structive criticism when needed but will always support Pakistan asked to fi le asset fi rst.” put off , once again Hafiz Saeed remanded to declaration Internews On May 2, Musharraf’s plea of the former military dictator Islamabad for adjourning the hearing of his lingered on and he left Pakistan 14-day custody case till the end of Ramadan was in March 2016. Internews party; and (b) The statement accepted by the special court Musharraf’s previous lawyer, A court in Pakistan yesterday Islamabad contains an accurate fi nan- special court tasked with which decided that the proceed- Safdar, had earlier told the court remanded to custody Hafiz Saeed cial position of the political former president Per- ings would be held after June 12. that his client was ready to ap- after a hearing following his arrest party. Avez Musharraf’s treason The former president has pear before the court and record last week on terrorism financing he Election Commis- The statement of ac- trial adjourned the proceedings been declared an absconder by his statement under Section 342 charges, his lawyer said. sion of Pakistan (ECP) counts is to be submitted on against him for a month as the the special court as he has not of the Criminal Procedure Code Yesterday, an anti-terrorism Treminded the politi- Form-D as provided in the law ministry has yet to fi nalise been appearing before the court but could not do so because of court in Gujranwala, near the cal parties to fi le their state- Elections Act, 2017. Printed selection of a lawyer to repre- since March 2016, when he left his serious ailment. He said the eastern city of Lahore, remanded ment of accounts for fi nan- Forms are available, free of sent him. Former military ruler Pervez the country. former president was too sick Saeed to custody for 14 days cial year 2018-19 on or before cost, in the Election Com- Acting Law and Justice Sec- Musharraf. Currently, Musharraf lives in to record his statement even while counter-terrorism off icials August 29. mission Secretariat, Islam- retary Arshad Farooq Fahim Dubai and has been unable to through a video link. complete investigations, the Political parties are re- abad and in the offi ces of the told the three-judge special to represent Musharraf in the attend hearings in Pakistan as Safdar had also argued that the lawyer, Imran Fazal, said. quired to fi le with ECP their provincial election com- court headed by Balochistan treason case at state expense. he is reportedly receiving medi- interior secretary recorded his US off icials have long pressured statement of accounts every missioners, Punjab, Sindh, High Court Chief Justice Ta- They were Syed Ali Zafar, Raja cal treatment for a rare disease. statement before the special court Pakistan to try Saeed, who is year. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and hira Safdar that the law minis- Amir Abbas, Shah Khawar, Ish- The Supreme Court had in in 2016, saying that Musharraf designated a terrorist by the United The statement to be sub- Balochistan. try had shortlisted lawyers as faq Naqvi, Tahir Malik and Riaz April instructed the special was allowed to leave the country States and the United Nations. mitted to the ECP shall ac- The statement shall be ad- defence counsel in the treason Hanif Rahi. court to conclude the trial of the on “humanitarian grounds”. He is the founder of Lashkar-e- company the report of a dressed to the Secretary, Elec- case against Musharraf but Fahim told the court that former military dictator even if He said that the then gov- Taiba (LeT), or the Army of the chartered accountant with tion Commission of Pakistan, could not fi nalise their names lawyers Ali Zafar and Amir Ab- he does not appear before it. ernment was convinced that Pure, a militant group blamed by regard to the audit of ac- Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, due to various reasons. bas had declined. He said that Musharraf was booked in a the accused required medical the United States and India for the counts of a political party Islamabad and shall be deliv- The special court had on June another lawyer had demanded treason case in December 2013. treatment abroad and subse- attacks that killed more than 160 and a certifi cate signed by ered through an offi ce bearer 12 barred Musharraf’s lawyer excessive fee, while the rest He was indicted on March 31, quently let him go. people. an offi ce-bearer authorised of the party, duly authorised Salman Safdar from arguing on said they needed more time to 2014, and the prosecution had According to his lawyer, He has denied any involvement by the party head stating by the party head. his behalf and directed the law go through the case. tabled the entire evidence be- Musharraf was 76 years of age and said his network, which spans that: (a) No funds from any Statements received ministry to appoint a defence Fahim requested the court to fore the special court in Sep- and suff ering from various dis- 300 seminaries and schools, source prohibited under the through post, fax, courier lawyer. adjourn the case to give the law tember the same year. eases and, therefore, his doc- hospitals, a publishing house and Elections Act, 2017 were service or any other mode On June 27, the ministry sug- ministry time to fi nd lawyers However, due to litigation tors had advised him not to ambulance services, has no ties to received by the political shall not be accepted. gested the names of six lawyers who could represent Musharraf. at appellate forums, the trial travel to Pakistan. militant groups. (Reuters) Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 17

PHILIPPINES Graft charges fi led over sale of disputed Makati property

By Manila Times charges case fi led by RC Brick- In the complaint, RC said it sued by the Makati City Registry letters from RC expressing will- agreement inherently operated RC said Magat was the spe- Manila woods Corporation (RC) over the was “surprised to receive a letter of Deeds. ingness to pay and settle the full grossly to the disadvantage of the cial assistant to the chairman of purchase of a disputed building dated, April 17, 2019, from a cer- RC questioned the auction sale amount of loan and interest. government since RC gave the RJ Productions Inc., a company consisting of the medium-rise tain Rolandao L Magat (also a re- by the Makati City Regional Trial “UCPB, in selling the subject UCPB a higher purchase price owned by Jacinto. raft charges have been AM Flores Building and a parcel spondent to the complaint), who Court on October 20, 2016, as Carl property” to Magat, “entered into for the same property,” the com- The Manila Times tried to get fi led before the offi ce of of land located on Mariano and now claims to be the owner of the John Rufi n — UCPB’s legal assist- a contract that is grossly disad- plainant added. in touch with Jacinto, but he did Gthe ombudsman against General Luna Streets in Barangay property, but without presenting ant of consumer loans, ROPA and vantageous to the government” RC said Jacinto was the true not respond to repeated calls. key offi cials of the government- Poblacion, Makati City. any proof therefor. Apparently, replevin — who attended the fore- as RC had previously off ered to third-party buyer of the disputed The 18-page complaint was fi led owned United Coconut Planters The property was part of the Magat is the third-party buyer closure proceedings, was allegedly repurchase or buy back the prop- property. on June 10 against the respondents Bank (UCPB) and undersecretary two real estate mortgages (REM) of the disputed property from “not authorised to enter and sub- erty at a higher amount of P70mn “Further verifi cation revealed for criminal off ences in violation Ramon “RJ” Jacinto, presidential required for security to avail of a UCPB.” mit a bid” on behalf of the UCPB. compared to the UCPB’s purchase that respondent Magat is just be- of Section 3 (Corrupt Practices of adviser on economic aff airs and credit line of up to P20mn from The property was apparently Rufi n submitted a bid for price of P50mn, as published in a ing allegedly used as a ‘dummy’ by Public Offi cers) under Republic information technology commu- UCPB. sold despite RC’s questions on P32,743,327.77 on behalf of UCPB. newspaper, RC said. respondent Jacinto, as borne out Act 3019 or the “Anti-Graft and nications, over a disputed multi- The fi rst REM, dated June 3, the legality of its auction sale and The auction was conducted af- “Clearly, when respondents by the photographs” where he and Corrupt Practices Act.”. The re- million property in Makati City. 2014, was for the loan of P15mn, acquisition by UCPB, which was ter the UCPB denied RC’s request preferred respondent Rolando a certain “Jane Doe” “were caught spondents were also charged with Jacinto was a respondent to while the second, dated July 1, made offi cial through the Certifi - to pay condoned penalties on L Magat over RC as buyer of the surreptitiously inspecting the grave misconduct under Section 2, the graft and grave misconduct 2014, was for the loan of P5mn. cate of Sale on June 30, 2017 is- October 5, 2016 after a series of disputed property, the same sale property,” the complaint said. Article 7 of the Constitution. Federalism Seized items crushed is a risk to economy, BSP chief warns

By Manila Times time to discuss the issue, given Manila the lack of support from the 17th Congress. Philippine Chamber of Com- iokno Bangko Sentral ng merce and Industry president Pilipinas (BSP) gover- Ma. Alegria Limjoco agreed Dnor Benjamin Diokno has with Diokno’s assessment of the strongly opposed plans to change economy, saying the economic or amend the Constitution, say- development story is at its most ing it would be “very disruptive” promising today. for the economy. “Our government enjoys “We are really in a very nice broad political support, the busi- place. We are now in Goldilocks ness sector has never been more economy. Just right — not too confi dent than we are now. Mo- hot or too cold,” Diokno told par- mentum is on our side,” she said. ticipants of The Manila Times’ Limjoco said she expected 2019 Economic Review held in even better conditions for do- A bulldozer flattens a confiscated Ferrari during the destruction of seized items at the Philippine Bureau of Customs premises in Manila. Makati City. ing business in the coming years He pointed out that the econ- with the implementation of the omy was projected to grow well ease of doing business and infra- within 6% this year, while in- structure modernisation. fl ation was forecast to average In the same forum, Bank of 2.7%. the Philippine Islands president The country’s gross interna- Cezar Consing said the country tional reserves, the fi rst line of was becoming an investment- defence against exchange rate led economy. “For the last two to volatility, are suffi cient to cover three decades, a common theme seven-and-a-half month worth was that growth is consumption- Govt ‘not against probe’ of imports, he added. led. That is not true anymore. In- Diokno warned that any dis- vestment is now a growth factor,” ruptions now such as Charter Consing said. change would “rock the boat.” He noted that investments in “I have said this before. The the transportation and commu- move to change the Constitution nications sector had been grow- into crackdown on drugs to (allow the shift to) federalism ing by 7% to 8%. will be very disruptive at this “That growth is closer to By Manila Times In a news briefi ng, Palace charges, but do not meddle with with how the president is doing review and a probe of the Duterte time. That’s not profi table. So Asean (Association of Southeast Manila spokesman Salvador Panelo said the state of aff airs,” Panelo said. his job. administration’s drug war. let’s not rock the boat,” he said. Asian Nations) average. So, it’s the government was not stop- He said the premise of the The SWS poll found that of the The resolution was backed by Although he did not elaborate, good to see growth rate in things ping foreign groups from inves- survey was based on what critics 1,200 Filipinos surveyed, 60% 18 of the 47 member countries, Diokno previously declared that that matter right? Transporta- alacanang said the gov- tigating. of the government were raising agreed with the statement, “The while 14 others opposed it and 15 the best time to change a country’s tion, communications… every- ernment was not stop- He, however, maintained that against the drug war. “Who will government should not block abstained. Constitution is in the fi rst half of thing that speaks of investment,” Mping any investigation the legal system in the country SWS ask but the people here in the investigation of international Last week, Duterte said he the term of the current adminis- Consing pointed out. of the Duterte administration’s was suffi cient to probe the drug the Philippines? If they believe groups, like the United Nations, would only face a Filipino court tration, not the second half. On the other hand, Diokno drug war, but insisted any move crackdown. “We are not stop- the criticisms of the opposition, into the killing by the Philippine and “not a Caucasian” one. President Rodrigo Duterte ad- said the central bank was look- by any foreign group to probe ping any probe. Our reaction is, then that is their premise,” Pan- police of so many drug suspects “And maybe they can reim- mitted on Monday that the issue ing closely on the sources of was an “assault on the Philip- you cannot do that to us, because elo said. who supposedly fought back.” pose death penalty then die in on federalism was complicated. economic growth to better de- pines’ sovereignty.” we are a sovereign state. Our jus- According to him, the admin- Only 15% disagreed, while 25 per- Filipino hands… I will not an- He said the shift to a federal form termine its monetary policy set- The statement came as a So- tice system is running smoothly istration’s stand on barring the cent were undecided. swer a Caucasian asking ques- of government would not happen tings. cial Weather Stations (SWS) here,” Panelo said. United Nations Human Rights This amounted to a net agree- tion, or white man there. You during his tenure. With better infl ation dynam- survey found that three in fi ve He echoed chief justice Lu- Commission (UNHRC) from in- ment rating of +45, which must be stupid. Who are you? I The president did not mention ics, the central bank has some Filipinos wanted the govern- cas Bersamin’s statement that vestigating the drug war would the SWS considered as “very am a Filipino, we have our courts Charter change in his State of the scope to consider easing its ment to allow foreign groups to the justice system in the coun- not change. He said Duterte’s strong.” The survey was fi elded here. Why would you have to Nation Address. He later told re- monetary policy to help sustain investigate the drug war of Pres- try is “robust.” “We are already high trust and approval rating weeks before the UNHRC ap- bring me somewhere else? I porters that it was not the right the growth momentum. ident Rodrigo Duterte. investigating it all. We are fi ling meant that Filipinos are satisfi ed proved a resolution calling for a would not like that,” he added.

Motorcycle ban on Senate resolution highway opposed

By Manila Times the end. They may implement it honours Pacquiao again,” he said in a media briefi ng Manila in Manila yesterday. By Manila Times tory over Keith Thurman to God support the passage of a bill cre- “Legal action is always open Manila and country. Thank you for all for ating the Philippine Boxing and otorcycle ride-hailing even with consultation with the your love and support. Combat Sports Commission so fi rm Angkas is seek- stakeholders,” Inton added. “At 40 years old, I can still that the country will be known Ming to push for legal The ban, which started last he senate has unanimous- fi ght someone who is 10 years as the boxing and combat sports remedies against a ban on small July 22, prohibits motorcycles ly adopted Resolution 3, a younger than me. I can still give capital of Asia. “I am ready to motorcycles along the Osmena with engine displacement under Tconsolidation of resolu- a good fi ght and entertain the work with all of you in overcom- Highway – from Sales Bridge to 400cc, and those coming from tions honouring senator Em- fans,” he added. ing the challenges in the 18th Magallanes. the East Service Road in Taguig manuel “Manny” Pacquiao for The senator from General Congress. Together as champi- Representing Angkas, Ariel City from using the northbound bringing honour to the Philip- Santos City said “I believe that ons of the Filipino people, we Inton, member of the Lawyers portion of Osmena Highway pines. ability and power and respon- shall emerge victorious and con- for Commuter Safety and Pro- starting from Sales Bridge in Senator Christopher Law- sibility has a purpose. And that tinue our fi ght for the country,” tection, said the company may Pasay City. rence “Bong” Go filed Senate purpose I believe is to inspire Pacquiao said. fi le for an injunction or tem- George Royeca, Angkas head Resolution 20 commending the people and I continue my In his resolution, Go said Pac- porary restraining order (TRO) for regulatory and public aff airs, Pacquiao for his victory against boxing career for the purpose quiao has brought “immense against the ban on sub-400cc also said in the press briefi ng that American boxer Keith Thurman of inspiring our people to rise pride and joy to Filipinos the motorcycles on Osmena High- the ban was eff ectively discrimi- and taking the World Boxing above their limitations and world over with his accomplish- way, which Skyway Operations nation against motorcycle riders, Association (WBA) super wel- overcome their circumstances,” ments as a boxer.” He added that and Maintenance Corporation branding it as “anti-poor” and terweight championship belt on Pacquiao said. Pacquiao had managed to ac- (Somco) had imposed. “anti-commuter”. Sunday. “There are many who say that complish what no other boxer Somco has been leading the “What’s worse is that the ban Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., there won’t be another Manny in history had done, capturing operation and maintenance, in- also aff ects commuters who are Juan Miguel Zubiri, Maria Lour- Pacquiao. But I believe that we 12 world titles in eight separate cluding toll collection operation, forced to take a longer route, re- des Nancy Binay and Richard have many boxers who are just weight divisions. of the Skyway system since De- sulting in a longer travel time Gordon also fi led Resolutions 21, waiting for an opportunity, wait- “Senator Manny Pacquiao cember 2007. and higher fares because of the 22, 25 and 26, respectively, com- ing for our help,” he added. has, time and again, fought for Inton said that while there was detours,” Royeca was quoted as mending Pacquiao. “It is high time for us to invest the pride and welfare of Fili- a possibility that the involved saying in a statement. These were consolidated into in our boxing talents who are pinos in and out of the boxing party would agree to discuss the Due to the ban, aff ected mo- Resolution 3, wherein all sena- loaded with potentials. The so- ring, all the while displaying issue with Angkas, the group torcycle riders have to take a di- tors became co-authors. called diamond in the rough can true grit and bravery, repeated- would remain “open for legal ac- version to Pasong Tamo Exten- In accepting the resolution, just be around the corner.” ly taking on the toughest chal- tion.” sion to reach their destination in Pacquiao said, “I off er my vic- He called on his colleagues to lenges,” Go said. Manny Pacquiao: inspirational boxer “Suspension of the ban is not Pasay, Makati, or Manila. Gulf Times 18 Thursday, July 25, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Police shouldn’t be coerced into enforcing immigration laws

After a series of victories in their fi ght against the Trump administration’s war on immigration, Los Angeles and other so- called sanctuary cities lost a battle last week: An appellate court ruled that the US Department of Justice may give preference in awarding grants to police departments that agree to help the federal government catch and deport immigrants. The decision is troubling. For one thing, it rewards President Trump’s focus on immigration to the exclusion of other critical public safety issues. And it could embolden his administration in its eff orts to bully local police into enforcing immigration law, which is solely a federal responsibility. Worse, the decision upholds rules that essentially require cities to undermine their own proven public safety strategies in order to improve their chances of obtaining federal dollars for public safety. The Los Angeles Police Department, which serves a large Women on top in the immigrant population, long ago recognised that if people living in the country illegally view local cops as immigration agents, they are less likely to report crimes, co-operate in investigations or interact with them at all. That is dangerous. The case stems from a lawsuit fi led by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer in 2017 challenging new rules for the federal government’s world’s democracies long-standing Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS grant programme, which provides money to hire police offi cers. Led by then- crowded – than ever. Angela Merkel Front), also has a woman leader, four congresswomen who have attorney general Jeff Sessions, the Department of Justice announced By Nina L Khrushcheva Moscow has become Germany’s third-longest- Marine Le Pen, who in 2011 succeeded been in Trump’s crosshairs. And it would give extra points in the new scoring criteria to agencies that serving chancellor since becoming the her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, with two of the five frontrunners to take said they would use the money to help with the “control of illegal first woman to fill that post in 2005. the goal of making his extreme views on Trump in the 2020 election are immigration.” Agencies also got bonus points if they committed to S President Donald Trump’s Another woman, Annegret Kramp- more palatable and broadening the women. giving federal authorities access to local jails so they could interview recent declaration that four Karrenbauer, currently Germany’s party’s appeal. None of these women needs people in custody to determine if they are in the country illegally, and Democratic congresswomen defence minister, is likely to succeed Likewise, former British prime men’s validation. But that does not 48-hour notice before releasing them. U of colour – Ayanna Pressley, her in 2021. minister Theresa May was tasked with mean that they would not welcome Feuer argued that the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan The surge of women in politics cleaning up the mess made by her men’s support, whether political, male predecessor, David Cameron. personal, or even artistic. For criteria confl icted with Los Omar, and Rashida Tlaib – should “go spans Europe – and the political Local police back” to their countries was another spectrum. Dalia Grybauskait , Having called the Brexit referendum example, Philipp Stölzl is staging a Angeles Police Department reminder of his blatant racism and Lithuania’s own “Iron Lady,” who to appease the Euroskeptics in his contemporary adaptation of Giuseppe have plenty to do policies. In particular, sexism. (Three of them were born became her country’s first female Conservative Party, his only choice Verdi’s Rigoletto in Austria. In his he argued that the city’s in the United States, and the fourth president in 2009 (she left office this was to resign when the vote didn’t view, Rigoletto – in which a court without adding detention facilities, unlike became a US citizen as a teenager.) month), holds centre-right views go his way. May, who also opposed jester attempts to end the licentious county jail, rarely hold people But it also highlighted the rising but is not affiliated with any political leaving the European Union, was activities of his powerful employer immigration for more than 48 hours and profiles of women in politics – a trend party. The conservative Erna Solberg, somehow supposed to make it work. – is the ideal opera for the #MeToo don’t have scheduled release that will continue, no matter how who became Norway’s prime minister (It couldn’t, so she didn’t.) era. Perhaps that is why a woman, enforcement to times. It would be virtually much it terrifies insecure men like in 2013, has managed to strike a Female representation is also on Australian opera director Lindy Hume, impossible to give federal Trump. balance between libertarianism and the rise at the European level. During is bringing her own adaptation of their workload authorities 48 hours’ advance A century ago in Europe, leading the welfare state. Yuliya Tymoshenko her tenure as Europe’s competition Rigoletto to Seattle next month. notice without holding suffragists – such as Inessa Armand, twice became Ukraine’s prime commissioner, Denmark’s Margrethe In today’s world, as in Rosa Luxemburg, and Clara Zetkin – minister in a political environment Vestager took bold steps to rein in Big Rigoletto, men continue to hold individuals in jail longer, which would violate the 4th Amendment had little choice but to seek powerful saturated by male chauvinism. Tech. Former French finance minister disproportionate power, which they protection against unreasonable seizure. men to validate their aspirations. One The liberal conservative Kersti Christine Lagarde, who became the often use in ways that prevent women Instead, Los Angeles submitted an application for $3.1mn to hire such man was Soviet leader Vladimir Kaljulaid became Estonia’s first female International Monetary Fund’s first from gaining more. But, judging by offi cers to focus on mentoring and partnerships with residents in Lenin, who advocated the elimination head of state, and its youngest-ever female managing director in 2011, the fast-growing number of women one of the city’s deadliest neighbourhoods. The city’s application of “old laws which placed woman in president in 2016. And last month, is now set to be confirmed as the on the political stage – and given that was denied, while Sessions announced that 80% of the new inequality in relation to man.” Armand the social democrat Mette Frederiksen European Central Bank’s first female they include fascists, liberals, greens, grantees had “agreed to co-operate with federal immigration was (allegedly) romantically involved was elected as Denmark’s youngest- president. And Merkel’s protégé, and socialists – the days of male authorities in their detention facilities.” with Lenin, and Zetkin interviewed ever prime minister, and the second Ursula von der Leyen, will take over supremacy are numbered. No wonder Last year, a federal judge agreed with Feuer and issued a him on “the women’s question” in woman to hold the office. Meanwhile, as the European Commission’s first that we are witnessing a backlash from nationwide ban on giving bonus points for illegal immigration 1920, following his 1919 speech on another powerful female politician, female president. “alpha males”. – Project Syndicate enforcement within the Community Oriented Policing Services the “tasks of the working women’s the nationalist Pia Kjærsgaard, who As for the US, though former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton z Nina L Khrushcheva is Professor programme. movement in the Soviet republic.” co-founded the Danish People’s Party, This approach was understandable, resigned as the speaker of Denmark’s lost to Trump in 2016, she set an of International Affairs at The New Now, a three-judge panel of the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals but it proved ineffective. Lenin parliament after holding that post for important precedent (and won more School. Her latest book (with Jeffrey has reversed the earlier ruling. In its 2-1 decision, the majority said the insisted that only socialism – with four years. votes). The 2018 midterm elections Tayler) is In Putin’s Footsteps: law that created the COPS programme gave the Department of Justice its promise of equality for all – could Yet another far-right party, France’s brought a record number of women Searching for the Soul of an Empire broad authority to award grants according to the administration’s liberate women. “Wherever the power National Rally (formerly the National to the US Congress, including those Across Russia’s Eleven Time Zones. priorities, and that using community policing funds to address of capital is preserved,” he declared immigration enforcement is “entirely reasonable.” Moreover, the in that speech, “the men retain their majority said that the scoring criteria “encouraged, but did not coerce, privileges.” an applicant to co-operate on immigration matters.” But, while over 80% of women But that opinion overlooks the fact that encouraging cities to in the Soviet Union aged 15-54 had help with immigration enforcement, particularly in Los Angeles jobs (as of 1983), few had careers. and other cities with large immigrant populations, contradicts the During the Stalinist era, women were explicitly told to return to the “family entire purpose of the COPS grant programme, which is to foster front.” My own grandmother was trust and partnership between the police and the community. forced to give up her position as an Until now, federal courts have largely blocked the Trump educator after my grandfather, Nikita administration’s attempts to tie funding to immigration Khrushchev, was appointed the head enforcement, including the president’s executive order to withhold of Ukraine’s Communist Party in federal dollars for sanctuary cities. Those rulings have bolstered the 1937. She was supposed to serve as an arguments from Los Angeles and other cities that they shouldn’t example for other working wives of be pressured by the Trump administration into becoming satellite political functionaries. arms of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, particularly Today, not only are there very few when such work could discourage crime reporting and witness co- women in Russian President Vladimir operation, which makes communities less safe. Putin’s government; their roles are Local police have plenty to do without adding immigration largely ceremonial. Tellingly, in a country where domestic abuse kills a enforcement to their workload. — Tribune News Service woman every 40 minutes, on average, an amendment decriminalising some forms of domestic violence To Advertise sailed through the Duma (Russia’s parliament) in 2017, before being [email protected] signed by Putin. Display By contrast, while many European democracies lagged behind the Soviets 44466621 44418811 on women’s suffrage – Belgium, France, and Italy granted women Classified full voting rights only in the 1940s – 44466609 44418811 they have turned out to be far more conducive to women’s professional Subscription rise. Forty years ago, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, though [email protected] often inflexible and dogmatic, helped to break the proverbial glass ceiling. And, in the last 15 years or so, the Christine Lagarde, who became the International Monetary Fund’s first female managing director in 2011, is now set to be © 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved ladder has gotten higher – and more confirmed as the European Central Bank’s first female president. Gulf Times Thursday, July 25, 2019 19 COMMENT Is politics getting to the Fed?

By Robert J Barro economy had long since recovered, at augur a growth slowdown sometime Cambridge least in terms of the unemployment in the future. It is telling that Powell rate. The nominal federal funds has not mentioned (at least that I have rate was not placed on an upward heard) the fact that the nominal and rom the early 1980s until the trajectory until the end of 2016, real federal funds rates remain well start of the fi nancial crisis starting under then-Chair Janet below long-term normal values. (This in September 2008, the US Yellen and rising gradually to 2.4% in deviation is even more apparent for FFederal Reserve seemed to December 2018 under her successor, interest rates in some other advanced have a coherent process for adjusting Jerome Powell. Throughout the countries, such as Germany and its main short-term interest rate, the period up to late 2016, the negative Japan.) federal funds rate. Its policy had three real federal funds rate was well below The desire to restore normalcy key components: the nominal interest its own long-term normal. should still be putting upward pressure rate would rise by more than the rate of It is hard to view today’s nominal on rates, just as it did during the period infl ation; it would increase in response federal funds rate of 2.4% as high. of rate increases between December to a strengthening of the real economy; With an inflation rate of 1.7%, the 2016 and December 2018. Indeed, it and it would tend toward a long-term real federal funds rate is only 0.7%. was Bernanke’s earlier failure to initiate normal value. And yet the Fed’s “high”-interest- the normalisation process that made Accordingly, one could infer the rate policy was fiercely attacked by things more diffi cult than necessary for normal rate from the average federal Wall Street, which regarded it as a Yellen and Powell. funds rate over time. Between January mistake, and as the cause of the weak My view is that the shift in 2019 1986 and August 2008, it was 4.9%, stock market from the end of 2018 away from normalisation is primarily and the average infl ation rate was 2.5% through early 2019. Many financial due to the intense opposition to further (based on the defl ator for personal commentators argued that the Fed rate increases last December, when the consumption expenditure), meaning should pause its monetary-policy loudest objections came, notably, from that the average real rate was 2.4%. “normalisation” and eventually shift stock-market analysts and the Trump The long-term normal real rate can to interest-rate cuts. administration. be regarded as an emergent property of That view is not crazy if you are The entire point of central-bank the real economy. From an investment focused solely on boosting the stock independence is to establish a credible and saving standpoint, economic market. On average, interest-rate cuts monetary policy by insulating the equilibrium balances the benefi t from do tend to stimulate the stock market relevant decision-makers from such a low safe real interest rate (which by making real returns on bonds less infl uence. That is what we learned provides low-cost credit for investors) competitive. But that does not mean it from the early 1980s, when Fed Chair against the benefi t from a high real is good economic policy always to be Paul Volcker hiked the federal funds rate (which implies higher returns for cutting rates, as US President Donald rate up to the level necessary to choke savers). Trump seems to think. off infl ation. The big diff erence, of In the Great Recession, the federal It is no secret that Trump regards course, is that President Ronald Reagan funds rate dropped precipitously, the stock market’s performance as an supported Volcker, whereas Trump is reaching essentially zero by the end of indicator of his own performance. But Powell’s chief antagonist. 2008. That was appropriate, owing to it has been surprising to see the Fed Powell’s challenge, then, is to the depth of the crisis. But what few join the rate-cutting bandwagon. In Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee maintain Volckerian discipline and expected was that the federal funds early 2019, it indicated that it would meetings in Washington, in this March 21, 2018, photograph. independence in the face of growing rate would remain close to zero for pause its rate increases, and now it political pressure. At the moment, his so long, through the end of then-Fed is signalling a sequence of rate cuts justify the move toward rate cuts as GDP growth suggest. There may be evidence that the Fed should “get prospects for success are not great. - Chair Ben Bernanke’s term in January in the near future. I, for one, cannot consistent with that prior policy. First, something to that argument, given ahead” of a slowing real economy. Project Syndicate 2014 and beyond. see how the Fed’s sudden reversal fi ts he points out, rightly in my view, Trump’s trade war and worsening The danger, then, is that the Fed will The Fed’s prolonged low-interest- with the coherent monetary policy that infl ation has remained tame. prospects for global growth. Even so, be tempted to cut rates as a result of z Robert J Barro is Professor of rate policy, which was supplemented that it maintained from 1984 until the Then, he argues that the economy’s it does not follow that rates should be external pressure, on the assumption Economics at Harvard University and by quantitative easing (QE), seems fi nancial crisis. prospects may be weaker than low cut before actual economic weakness that it can always rationalise cuts by a visiting scholar at the American misguided, considering that the Nonetheless, Powell has tried to unemployment and recent strong real appears – I do not know of convincing pointing to variables that seemed to Enterprise Institute.

Crackdown, separatist uprising infl ame Cameroon prisons Three-day forecast by the socio-political crisis that began communities which chafe at what they over the past year security forces at such TODAY AFP Maximum Temperature : 390c Libreville in 2016 in the Anglophone areas and the see as discrimination from the French- facilities have “used torture without fear post-election crisis,” said Maximilienne speaking majority. of repercussion.” Minimum Temperature : 330c Ngo Mbe, director of the local REDHAC Some prisons have been fi lled with Prison overcrowding is also blamed FRIDAY rushed inside disease-ridden rights group. English-speaking activists accused of on the fi ght against Nigeria-based Maximum Temperature : 410c cells, with no beds, little food “The situation in Cameroonian militancy by the authorities, but who are Boko Haram jihadists, which have Minimum Temperature : 330c and even less hope, inmates prisons has become catastrophic... How yet to face trial. launched numerous attacks in the SATURDAY in Cameroon’s prisons were is it that people languish in prison for In Buea, the capital of an English- country. Maximum Temperature : 420c C Minimum Temperature : 310c already tense before an infl ux of political two or three years without being tried.” speaking region, tensions erupted at For years, prisons in Cameroon’s The Cameroon prison population has a prison on Tuesday housing many big cities have struggled, says Marie detainees and Anglophone separatists Fisherman's forecast stirred up an explosive mix. increased steadily from 23,500 in 2013 separatist inmates – a day after the Morelle, a geographer at the University At an overcrowded central prison in to almost 31,000 in December 2017, revolt in Yaounde. Paris 1, and specialist in the country’s WARNING Gunshots were heard around the prisons. Inshore : Expected poor visibility the capital Yaounde this week, hundreds according to the last report published at some places by early of prisoners revolted against their poor in 2018 by the National Commission prison and fl ame and smoke were seen In the north of the country, the jailing morning conditions in an upsurge of violence for Human Rights and Freedoms of rising from its roof, witnesses said. of Boko Haram fi ghters alongside the Offshore : Expected poor visibility broadcast on Facebook. Cameroon. Prisons have increasingly become crackdown on suspected separatist at some places at first WEATHER On Monday, videos spread across Kondengui prison, the scene of the political incubators, according to militants has accentuated overcrowding Inshore : Misty to foggy at places social media of prisoners ransacking and riot, was built to accommodate 1,500 analysts, also because the opposition in the northern Maroua prison, she said. by early morning burning the Kondengui jail library and a inmates but is estimated to house more MRC party has faced a crackdown. The arrival of political prisoners becomes relatively hot daytime with some sewing workshop before security forces than double. Party chief Maurice Kamto has been in recent years has encouraged the clouds, humid by night crushed the munity. Some prison occupancy rates are held in jail in Yaounde since January expression of grievances, Morelle added. Offshore : Misty to foggy at first Filming on their phones, inmates three times over normal capacity, after claiming the 2018 presidential Mutinies in Cameroon prisons are not and some clouds WIND posted parts of their protest, chanting: according to offi cial data. election results were rigged. uncommon. In 2015, a revolt broke out Inshore : Northeasterly-South- “We want more to eat than porridge,” Rights groups say prisons also suff er The offi cial victor – President Paul in the prison of Garaoua in the north, easterly 05-15 KT and “We want to go to trial.” from a prevalence of tuberculosis, HIV, Biya, now in power for 36 years – has following the death of an inmate. Offshrore : Northeasterly-South- A day later, security services had AIDS, cholera and scabies. long sought to control the political space He died of suff ocation after being easterly 03-10 KT reestablished control. Since 2017, fi ghting between in the country. locked in a disciplinary cell measuring Visibility : 4-8/2 KM But the riot highlighted the crisis government troops and English- Last month hundreds of opposition 4 metres squared and packed with 22 in the central African nation’s speaking separatists demanding supporters were also arrested. people. Offshore : 1-3/4 FT In 2016, a riot erupted in the same prisons, exacerbated by a crackdown independence in two western regions Many have been released but after the Around the region on opposition parties, Boko Haram has killed hundreds and forced nearly Kondengui prison riot, lawyers for MRC prison over a lack of drinking water. Weather militants, and a separatist uprising that 500,000 people from their homes. members still detained said several had A year later in Baff oussam in the west, Weather tomorrow Max/min has rocked English-speaking regions The government has rejected been taken to a security force detention prisoners protested jail conditions and in today Max/min Sunny 44/28 since 2016. the demands for autonomy and facility. Kumbo a jail was partially destroyed by a Baghdad Sunny 47/28 Cloudy 47/33 “Prison overcrowding is exacerbated cracked down on English-speaking Human Rights Watch has warned that riot and fi re. Kuwait City Sunny 48/34 Manama Sunny 39/33 Sunny 41/34 Muscat P Cloudy 34/30 Sunny 36/31 Tehran Sunny 40/27 Sunny 40/26 Live issues Why is Portugal so prone to wildfi res?

AFP a fast-spreading fi re can quickly any gaps in vegetation that can slow or The peak fi re season, which used to Lisbon overwhelm their eff orts to contain it. stop a wildfi re, said Carlos da Camara, run from July to September, now starts Once they have a fi re under control a climatologist at the University of in June and ends in October. Portuguese fi refi ghters need to do Lisbon. “Weather conditions and the Around the world oor forest management and a better job of keeping it contained “Forty years ago there was a natural characteristics of our forests make Weather Weather fi refi ghting techniques make by, for example, using chemical fi re discontinuity (to forests) because there large-scale fi res inevitable,” Interior today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Portugal especially vulnerable retardants as in other countries, was agriculture. Minister Eduardo Cabrita told Athens Sunny 33/23 Sunny 34/23 Pto wildfi res as climate change Domingos Xavier Viegas, an expert The landscape has changed,” he told reporters during a visit on Tuesday to Beirut Sunny 30/25 Sunny 29/26 makes hotter, longer summers more on forest fi res in Portugal at the cable news channel SIC Noticias. areas ravaged by fi re in Castelo Branco. Bangkok T Storm 32/26 S T Storms 33/26 likely, experts warned as the latest University of Coimbra, told AFP. Since younger people move to cities But he said government measures Berlin Sunny 34/19 Sunny 32/19 blazes struck this week. “Often a fi re is controlled at night in search of better opportunities, introduced after the country’s Cairo Sunny 37/24 Sunny 37/24 The exodus of people from the and then it rekindles in the morning,” much of the population of the deadliest wildfi res in history when 114 Cape Town Showers 16/11 Sunny 18/10 countryside to cities compounds the he said. countryside is made up of elderly people died in two separate blazes in Colombo S T Storms 28/26 S T Storms 28/26 problem, they added. “It is natural that there be fi res. landowners who often fail to clear June and October 2017 were starting to Dhaka T Storm 31/27 T Storm 31/26 About 850 fi refi ghters were working The problem is that in Portugal they brush from their plots and from make a diff erence. Hong Kong S T Storms 30/26 P Cloudy 29/26 yesterday to extinguish the embers quickly transform into large-scale around their homes, providing These include a gradual reduction Istanbul Sunny 28/19 Sunny 29/20 of three major blazes which ripped ones.” undergrowth that is fuel for wildfi res of eucalyptus cultivation, new rules Jakarta M Sunny 34/24 M Sunny 33/23 through the heavily forested Castelo Experts say Portugal needs to plant once hot weather arrives. requiring property owners to clear Karachi Cloudy 33/29 Cloudy 32/29 Branco region, 200km north of Lisbon, more oak, chestnut and other more Portuguese towns and villages are a 50-metre radius around isolated London M Sunny 38/20 M Cloudy 26/18 since Saturday. fi re-resistant trees instead of the often nestled in or next to forests, and houses and the use of goats to clear Manila T Storm 32/26 S T Storms 31/26 The fl ames scorched large areas and pines and eucalyptus found across the many farmers and residents continue woodland of undergrowth. Moscow Showers 22/17 P Cloudy 27/18 left a trail of blackened destruction. country. to burn dead leaves on their land even Portugal registered around 12,200 New Delhi T Storm 31/25 T Storm 27/24 This is a familiar scene in Portugal, Despite the combustion risks, in drought conditions, said Viegas. wildfi res last year, compared to an New York M Sunny 30/21 Sunny 31/22 where wildfi res break out every quick-growing eucalyptus trees, a “There is still a lack of awareness of average of 20,000 blazes per year Paris M Sunny 42/22 S Showers 29/17 summer, from the southern Algarve highly fl ammable species, are planted fi re risks,” he added. recorded between 2009 and 2018, Sao Paulo P Cloudy 26/14 P Cloudy 27/15 tourist region to the country’s more to meet demand from Portugal’s key Da Camara said summers in Portugal Cabrita said. Seoul T Storm 27/23 T Storm 28/23 verdant northern edge near the paper pulp industry. have become hotter, drier and longer “Climate change and the traits of Singapore P Cloudy 31/27 P Cloudy 31/27 Spanish border. Large swathes of central and due to climate change, which boosts the our forests demand a response which Sydney Sunny 19/08 M Cloudy 20/09 Most fi refi ghters in the Atlantic northern Portugal are covered in risk of wildfi res — a theory supported by is already being given. We must keep Tokyo Cloudy 33/24 Cloudy 29/24 coast country are volunteers and unbroken stretches of forest, without numerous peer-reviewed studies. up this work,” the minister added. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, July 25, 2019 QATAR

Lecture highlights role of Arabian thoroughbreds in social life of Qataris

By Joseph Varghese shaped social life in the country. pool or jacuzzi. They are provided Mohamed Shaheen, a horse Staff Reporter “Al Shaqab hosts more than air-conditioned stables and cared owner who attended the event, 1,000 Arabian horses and many with the best living conditions,” said: “ I learned useful informa- of them take part in international continued the offi cial. tion about Arabian horses, their he thoroughbred Arabian competitions. So far, 17 horses Al-Marri also described the history and what makes them horses have been an inte- from Qatar have won internation- features of the Arabian horses, one of the fi nest breeds. I own a Tgral part of Qatari social al competitions and 14 were from their specialities as well as the horse, so I know about their be- life for centuries, noted an offi cial Al Shaqab,” he explained. colours. haviour, but it is refreshing to hear from Al Shaqab, a member of Qa- He noted that Qatari horses such The lecture provided an in- from experts and read more about tar Foundation. as Gazal Al Shaqab, Marwan Al formative journey into the world horses.” “The Arabian horses have been Shaqab, Al Adeed Al Shaqab, Wadi of Arabian horses and highlighted “Horses have been an impor- part and parcel of our life from the Al Shaqab, Fadi Al Shaqab, Kahil Al the welfare of them and how they tant part of people’s lives in the time of our forefathers. They have Shaqab and Hariry Al Shaqab were are cared for. Arab world, especially in Qatar, so been also used for transportation winners of international competi- The library is focusing on ani- it is important for us to know more in the earlier days,” said Fahad tions in diff erent years. mals, their future and their inter- about these animals. Identifying al-Marri, protocol and interna- According to al-Marri, several actions with humans as the theme the breed of a horse is a diffi cult tional relations co-ordinator at people from diff erent countries for July. task for those who are not ex- Al Shaqab, during a lecture titled visit Al Shaqab and the visits to After the lecture, the audience perts in this fi eld, but the speaker ‘The History of Horses in Qatar’ at the facility is open to the public also had the opportunity to visit shared interesting information Qatar National Library yesterday. free of cost. Al Shaqab, where they got a closer with us at the event and we got Al-Marri spoke about the “The horses are well treated at look at the beauty of the animals to know more about the diff erent prized breed that originated in the Al Shaqab as they get some of the and learned more about their breeds,” added Israa Abdullah, Fahad al-Marri, with an Arabian horse at Al Shaqab, yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Arabian Gulf and how they have best facilities such as swimming place in Qatar’s heritage. another participant. Sidra launches trauma programme

idra Medicine, a member continue to call 999 – for a child Key services at Sidra Medicine’s Children’s Emergency Department in Qatar. Our collaboration with Services said: “Our CED is well of Qatar Foundation, has requiring life-saving treatment Hamad Medical Corporation and prepared to receive multi-system Slaunched the paediatric or immediate medical attention. The Children’s Emergency Depart- and compassionate healthcare. help to minimise fear and allowing Qatar Ambulance Service is inte- trauma patients for both major trauma programme, marking The child will be assessed by ment at Sidra Medicine provides Paediatric operating rooms and the child to cope better with the gral in ensuring that trauma cas- and minor cases. With the launch the full ramp up of the hospital’s the fi rst responder team from some unique and key services as other advanced diagnostic and painful condition. es are dealt with immediately and of our trauma services, we are paediatric emergency services. Qatar Ambulance Service who the children are at first thoroughly treatment equipment in a state- Parent education on techniques to in the most effi cient manner.” now in a position to provide the By opening the trauma pro- will now bring the majority of triaged or assessed before the of-the-art facility with child-sized help their child throughout their jour- The Sidra Medicine Children’s best care for children suff ering gramme, Sidra Medicine is major trauma patients children level of trauma is determined. equipment and operated by staff ney in the hospital are also off ered. Emergency Department (CED) from signifi cant traumatic inju- equipped and capable of provid- aged 14 and below to Sidra Medi- Some of the key services are: trained in paediatric care. Access to multi-lingual staff and will be one of the key depart- ries. This is a key milestone for ing care for all traumatised chil- cine. Emergency and trauma care Pain assessment and man- medical interpreters which can be ments involved in the day to day us, as July 2019 marks one year dren. Young trauma patients (without charges) for children and agement at Sidra Medicine is received in-person or through a functioning of the trauma pro- since our CED was opened. We These may include severe and brought to Sidra Medicine by air young people:(i) Major trauma (14 delivered by teams of specially language support line by phone or gramme and a key point of entry are working very closely with life threatening injuries or ill- or land ambulance are immedi- years of age) and (ii) Minor trauma trained healthcare professionals on video. Sign language interpre- for the majority of trauma pa- Qatar Ambulance Service to en- nesses including major motor ately evaluated and stabilised by (up to18 years). consisting of doctors, nurses and tation is also available. tients. sure that the process is managed vehicle accidents or pedestrian a multidisciplinary trauma team A multi-disciplinary team of child life specialists. Access to social workers and The CED is staff ed by an expe- as smoothly as possible for level head injuries. of physicians, nurses and allied paediatric medical and surgical It involves age-appropriate pain the child advocacy team in the rienced team of surgeons, physi- 1 and level 2 trauma patients up Sidra Medicine’s Trauma Pro- health professionals. specialists who care for all paedi- assessment tools validated for use case of suspected child abuse or cians, nurses, nurse practitioners to the age of 14, whether they are gramme is now part of a compre- The patient will be given com- atric patients including trauma. in children and the use of phar- neglect. and other healthcare specialists, coming in by land or air ambu- hensive Qatar Trauma System led prehensive multidisciplinary Experienced nurses, nurse prac- macological (medications) and More details about the Chil- all highly trained and certifi ed in lance.” by Hamad General Hospital. care from arrival to integration titioners and allied health profes- non-pharmacological methods dren’s Emergency Department are paediatric emergency care and Patients seen in the Children’s By joining the system, Sidra back into the family and com- sionals trained to provide quality (psychological techniques that available at www.sidra.org. trauma. Emergency Department at Sidra Medicine will be the main pae- munity. It is open 24 hours a day, seven Medicine for emergency or trau- diatric trauma centre and care The activation of trauma pro- days a week. ma care are not charged. of the majority of major trauma gramme marks months of pre- Dr Guy Brisseau, general and at Sidra Medicine where diff er- work our teams and partners Prof Khalid al-Ansari, chair, Their consultation and treat- patients (age 14 and below) in the paredness and simulation train- thoracic surgeon at Sidra Medi- ent multi-disciplinary services have achieved to ensure that cru- Department of Emergency Medi- ment charges are covered under country. ing across all services in the cine said: “The launch of trauma and teams have come together. cial emergency and trauma serv- cine at Sidra Medicine and chair Qatar’s national healthcare sys- Parents or caregivers should hospital. is a truly integrated programme We are immensely proud of the ices are available for all children of Qatar’s Paediatric Emergency tem.

One of the speakers makes a point during the debate. Experts at Doha Debates strive for consensus on globalisation

xperts from diverse perspectives During the debate, Khanna ac- Benjamin’s position, ‘Think globally argued the merits, consequenc- knowledged globalisation’s challenges and act locally’, and Khanna’s position, Ees, and future of globalisation while arguing “the backlash that we ‘Globalisation doesn’t fail. We do’, came in a solutions-focused Doha Debates talk about today is not against glo- in at 29.48% and 29.27% respectively. programme yesterday. balisation, but rather the governments After the Majlis segment, which A production of Qatar Foundation, it that have failed to manage it for the builds consensus and bridges divides, was held at the TEDSummit 2019 con- benefi t of their societies.” the audience at TEDSummit and ference in Edinburgh, Scotland. Benjamin expressed greater con- around the world voted a second time. The debate’s participants, with the help cern, saying: “Globalisation gives too Khanna surpassed Benjamin with of a confl ict resolution expert, bridged much power to big, multinational 35% of the vote, yet Msimang main- diff erences, found common ground, and corporations that destroy local busi- tained her lead with 39% of the vote. agreed on recommendations to help en- nesses, exacerbate inequalities, crush The poll will remain live on Twitter sure globalisation benefi ts all. democratic movements, overturn local @DohaDebates for the next seven days. The programme included questions regulations, and make decisions that QF Education City university stu- and suggestions from audience mem- aff ect the lives of billions of people.” dents were among the attendees in Ed- bers in person, as well as millions of Msimang argued that globalisation inburgh, and the debate was shown at people around the world watching the is a “smokescreen,” a polarising term Qatar National Library. debate via Twitter livestream. that muddles and overshadows the Amjad Atallah, managing director, The debate’s speakers were Parag true underlying issues. Doha Debates, said: “This programme Khanna, an Indian-American CEO, inter- She encouraged people everywhere was a phenomenal success, thanks to national strategist, and author; Sisonke to take action locally, adding “talking our terrifi c speakers, engaged attend- Msimang, a South African writer whose about your hopes and fears is a far bet- ees and viewers around the world, and work focuses on race, gender, and equal- ter starting point than talking about our remarkable partnership with TED. ity; and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of this abstract thing called ‘globalisa- With Doha Debates quickly garnering the women-led American grassroots ad- tion.’” followers in 215 nations and territories, vocacy organisation, Codepink. The debate’s in-person and online it’s clear that people everywhere are The programme also featured bridge- audiences voted twice on key globali- eager for solutions-focused dialogue building “connector” Govinda Clayton, sation questions. on the hot topics of our time.” moderator, Ghida Fakhry, and digital During the fi rst vote, Msimang’s po- The next live Doha Debates pro- correspondent Nelufar Hedayat, who sition, ‘Make it concrete, not abstract. gramme is scheduled for September 10 shared questions and comments from Stand up’, was the clear winner, with in Cape Town, South Africa, with the livestream viewers around the world. 41.35% of the audience’s votes. global water shortage crisis as the topic.