QATAR | Page 3 SPORT | Page 3 Qatar win three silver medals INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 3, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 4 BUSINESS 1–12 at Asian Fresh food fl ooding 21,413.59 8,922.72 44.28 ARAB WORLD 4 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 +93.55 -6.76 -1.24 INTERNATIONAL 5–13 SPORTS 1–8 local supermarkets meet +0.44% -0.08% -2.72% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10508 July 8, 2017 Shawwal 14, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Moving messages!

In brief Qatar rejects

QATAR | Telecoms false claims of Saudi-led bloc People writing messages on a classic car near the Mamoura Complex in Doha, Boris Johnson arrives in ti-Qatar group for accusing Doha of parties to get behind Kuwait’s mediation yesterday to show their support and love for the country and its wise leadership. Saudi leaking the list of demands, saying the eff orts, which the UK strongly supports, Qatar inhabitants are also turning up in big numbers to pen their messages and Mattis aff irms US-Qatar ties claims were baseless and could be re- and work towards de-escalation and Gulf thoughts on huge billboards featuring a portrait of His Highness the Emir Sheikh futed with evidence. unity for the sake of regional stability,” Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani - titled ‘Tamim Al Majd’ or ‘Tamim the Glorious’ - that have Tillerson to travel to Kuwait The Foreign Ministry’s statement re- the foreign offi ce said in a statement. Network name changes been set up at a number of places. Others are expressing solidarity through stickers on Monday ferred to His Highness the Emir’s letter The statement also said that Johnson to ‘Tamim al Majd’ on their vehicles and the Qatari national flag. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Page 16 to the Emir of Kuwait, the mediator in will discuss security and bilateral is- Agencies this crisis, in which he had confi rmed sues with a “particular focus on work- Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar have Doha/Washington Qatar’s appreciation, as Emir, govern- ing together to address the common changed their network names to ment and people, of his sincere and threats of extremism, radicalisation ‘Tamim al Majd’ to express solidarity generous eff orts to end this crisis. and terrorism.” with His Highness the Emir Sheikh atar has expressed regret over The letter further expressed Qatar’s US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. The false accusations in statements readiness to co-operate on and inves- has reaffi rmed America’s strategic se- telecom service providers made Qatar rich enough Qissued by the four blockading tigate all the allegations that do not curity partnership with Qatar, Penta- the announcements on Twitter to countries in Cairo and Jeddah, describ- infringe on its sovereignty under the gon said. inform users about the change. ing them as baseless. patronage of the esteemed mediator It was also announced that Secretary “Qatar will always be free, elevated to face threats of An offi cial source at the Foreign himself or whomsoever he designates. of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Ku- by the spirits of the loyal,” Ooredoo Ministry in Doha said yesterday that In a joint statement released late on wait - the key mediator in the crisis - tweeted. ‘Tamim al Majd’, or ‘Tamim the claims by Saudi Arabia, the Unit- Thursday, Saudi Arabia and its allies on July 10 to discuss the row. the Glorious’, is the title of the ed Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt said that Qatar’s refusal of their list Mattis, who spoke with HE the portrait by contemporary Qatari blockade: minister about Qatar’s interference in internal of 13 demands was proof of its links to Minister of State for Defence Aff airs artist Ahmed bin Majed al-Maadheed aff airs of other countries and fi nancing terror groups and threatened to im- Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah by that has become the face of the terrorism are baseless allegations. pose further sanctions on Doha over its phone, discussed the status of opera- Qatari resilience in the face of the E the Finance Minister Ali tar since June 5. The accusations contained in both refusal to bow to their ultimatum for tions against ISIS. ongoing blockade. Sherif al-Emadi has said the He compared his country with the statements represent an attempt to ending the Gulf crisis. Qatar hosts a vital US-led command Heconomic fundamentals of status of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bah- smear Qatar, and run contrary to the “All political, economic and legal centre at the Al Udeid air base, from QATAR | Diplomacy Qatar are in a better position than its rain and Egypt. “Bahrain and Egypt are established bases of relations between measures will be taken in the manner where raids are launched against ISIS. rivals’ and that the country is rich at junk bond level,” he said. countries, the source added. and at the time deemed appropriate to “Secretary Mattis and Minister al- Ghana expresses enough to face threats of the blockade, “If you look at Saudi Arabia, they Qatar’s position of rejecting and preserve the four countries’ rights, se- Attiyah affi rmed their commitment support to Qatar Al Jazeera reports. are having genuine issues with their condemning all forms of terrorism is curity and stability,” the statement said. to continued US-Qatar co-operation Ghana’s Foreign Minister Shirley Speaking to The Times newspaper, fi nances. We are the fastest-growing consistent and known, the source said. A similar document was issued on and deepening their strategic partner- Ayorkor Botchway received in Accra he said the State’s huge fi nancial re- country in the region, 40% faster than “The State of Qatar is an active Wednesday after the foreign ministers ship,” a Pentagon readout of the con- yesterday copies of credentials of serves, built on the sale of natural gas the nearest Gulf Co-operation Council member committed to combating ter- of the quartet met in the Egyptian capi- versation stated. Mohamed bin Jaber al-Kuwari as over decades, meant it could withstand country [the UAE].” rorism and its fi nancing at regional and tal Cairo. Saudi Arabia is leading a four-coun- Qatar’s (non-resident) ambassador sanctions. On Monday, Qatar delivered its re- international levels. The international Meanwhile, British Foreign Secre- try blockade of Qatar in the region’s extraordinary and plenipotentiary “We have sovereign wealth funds of sponse to a list of 13 demands from community attests to that.” tary Boris Johnson arrived in Saudi biggest crisis in years. to Ghana. The minister expressed 250% of gross domestic product, we Saudi Arabia and the three other Arab Qatar remains ready to “co-operate Arabia yesterday as part of a tour that Mattis stressed the importance of Ghana’s support to Qatar, praising have Qatar Central Bank reserves, and countries that cut ties with it and im- and review all claims that do not con- will also take him to Qatar, the United de-escalating tensions “so all partners the Kuwaiti mediation eff orts we have a ministry of fi nance strategic posed a land, air and sea embargo amid tradict the sovereignty of the State of Arab Emirates and Kuwait in a bid to in the Gulf region can focus on next regarding the current crisis in the reserve,” he told paper. a major diplomatic crisis. Qatar,” the source added. help ease Gulf tension. steps in meeting common goals,” the GCC. Meanwhile, El Salvador’s Further, HE al-Emadi said the HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mo- The source also criticised the an- “The Foreign Secretary will urge all readout added. deputy minister of foreign aff airs for country is rich enough to sustain de- hamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has foreign investment, Luis Merino, met spite sanctions. A Saudi Arabia-led said the country will do “whatever it Qatar’s acting charge d’aff aires in bloc has imposed a blockade on Qa- takes to protect our people”. El Salvador Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Horr. The meeting reviewed means of enhancing co-operation prospects. The Salvadorian deputy Neutrality unacceptable when minister expressed hope that the Hamad Port operating current Gulf crisis will be solved through peaceful and diplomatic means as well as mutual dialogue. ‘at full capacity’ as usual related to rights: NHRC chief EUROPE | G20 summit Neutrality is unacceptable when followed by 29 in Saudi Arabia and 25 in ment institutions in the blockading Trump, Putin in fi rst amad Port is operating “at full ships were docking at Hamad Port, it comes to human rights and the Bahrain, Dr al-Marri told Unesco. countries to criminalise sympathy with capacity” and the only change unloading sheep from Australia and “punishment of peoples,” National the State of Qatar as well as the violation face-to-face talks Hhas been that the Doha-bound food products from Turkey, while there Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Some 85 violations against of the right to expression and speech. US President Donald Trump and ships were transiting through two Om- was also a vessel carrying cars made in Chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri Qatari students have been He said in a remarks after the meet- Russian leader Vladimir Putin ani ports, rather than the Emirati Jebel South Korea. Offi cials said the port re- said during his meetings with offi cials committed in the UAE, ing that the blockading countries have engaged in a “very robust exchange” Ali Port, its director has said. ceived 212 ships in June and could proc- from the French Foreign Ministryin followed by 29 in Saudi Arabia promoted hate speech and suppressed over claims Moscow meddled in Abdulaziz Nasser al-Yafei said yes- ess 7.5mn containers a year. Paris, the offi cial Qatar News Agency and 25 in Bahrain, Dr al-Marri the right to freedom of opinion and ex- America’s elections, during their terday that there has not been an in- Egypt can’t ban Qatari ships: reported. has told Unesco pression, in stark contradiction to inter- first face-to-face talks yesterday at crease in traffi c since the beginning of Suez Canal chief The NHRC has also submitted a re- national conventions and agreements. a fractious G20 summit. From the the blockade by Saudi Arabia and its al- The chief of the Suez Canal, one of port to the United Nations Education- He pointed out that the NHRC has Dr al-Marri called on universities outset of the blockbuster encounter, lies, according to Al Jazeera. the world’s busiest water corridors, has al, Scientifi c and Cultural Organisa- monitored the violations commit- and educational institutions in the the US property tycoon fired the “The only thing that has happened is said the Egyptian authorities cannot tion (Unesco) detailing the violations ted against Qatari students by educa- blockading countries to put aside po- key question that has weighed on that the ships in the past were depend- ban Qatari ships from crossing the vi- committed by educational institutions tional institutions in the blockading litical diff erences by consider the rights his presidency, pressing the ex-KGB ing on Jebel Ali Port (in Dubai) as a hub tal waterway, a report on The New York against Qatari students in the blockad- countries, especially the UAE, which of Qatari students and removing obsta- agent “on more than one occasion” port, but now we are co-operating with Times website says, citing AP. Suez ing countries. include not allowing them to take the cles and to their right to education. on the vote interference claims, said our brothers in the Sultanate of Oman, Canal chairman Mohab Mamish, a re- The report was fi led by Dr al-Marri fi nal examinations, withholding cer- In a related context, Reporters With- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who and we thank them, of course, for their tired navy admiral, said in a statement during a meeting with Eric Falt, Unesco tifi cates of graduation, closing their out Borders (RSF) has condemned the was in the meeting. But Tillerson’s generous co-operation with us and the yesterday that the canal authorities are assistant director-general for external educational accounts and arbitrarily siege countries’ demands regarding the counterpart Sergei Lavrov quickly quickness of their action,” he said. abiding by the government’s severing relations and public information, at the terminating their registration without closure of Al Jazeera Network. added that Trump “accepted” Putin’s Al-Yafei also said there were plans to of relations with Qatar. However, in- organisation’s headquarters in Paris, giving reasons. Offi cials at RSF have told Dr al-Marri denial of Moscow’s role in propelling increase the port’s capacity, and that ternational treaties prevent them from according to Al Jazeera. The NHRC also handed over what had during their meeting at the Qatari em- him to the White House, after they were continuing on schedule. barring Qatari ships from using the ca- Some 85 violations against Qatari been registered so far on the promotion bassy in Paris that they fully condemn hearing the Russian out. Page 9 Yesterday evening, at least fi ve large nal as a passage, he added. students were committed in the UAE, of hate speech, the decision of govern- those demands. LNG expansion move ‘makes strong commercial sense’ LNG expansion move ‘makes defi cit we forecast to form in the mar- Increasing its export capacity would Qatar has some of the lowest LNG pro- cubic metres) as of 2026, it said with QP lieve it to be a “signifi cant” threat to strong commercial sense’ ket in the mid-2020s and the opportu- allow Qatar to buoy its share in a rapid- duction costs globally due to several fac- targeting supply growth over the next fi nal investment decisions elsewhere. nities to drive down development costs ly expanding market, BMI said, adding tors, not least the large cut of condensates fi ve to seven years, the added LNG would “It is probable that the added supply atar’s decision to enhance lique- during the current down-cycle,” said without the 23Mta capacity addition, and other liquid yields. It said breakeven be well-timed to plug this shortfall. from Qatar will crowd out some higher fi ed natural gas (LNG) produc- BMI, a Fitch company. Qatar’s share in the global LNG trade would depend on project design. With the LNG market fi rmly in a cost prospective supply. But given the Qtion by 30% to 100mn tonnes Qatar Petroleum (QP) recently an- would fall from around 30% currently BMI said the decision has likely down-cycle and with few new invest- host of other issues being faced, it will per annum (Mta) makes “strong” com- nounced its intention to increase LNG to around 17% by 2026. been taken in response to the consen- ment decisions being taken, the com- not be the major decider of the pace or mercial sense and it could lift Doha’s export capacity from 77Mta to 100Mta “A large market share puts Qatar in sus view that from the mid-2020s, the pany is well-placed to drive down de- size of investment decisions on new market share in global LNG market, thus over the next fi ve to seven years. The a better position to negotiate with its LNG market would tilt from a surplus velopment costs in negotiations with projects. It is also worth noting that, putting it in an advantageous position to additional feed gas would be devel- buyers. Although, given the increasing of supply back into a defi cit. its service providers, it said. based on our forecasts, the additions in negotiate with buyers, according to BMI. oped from the giant North Field, after diversity of sellers and rising market li- Forecasting (in the absence of the Although the additional capacity Qatar will not be suffi cient to meet the “The Qatari LNG expansion makes the government lifted a drilling mora- quidity, it is unlikely to regain its previ- added Qatari supplies) a defi cit form- from Qatar raises competition for other defi cit, leaving open opportunities to strong commercial sense, given the torium on the fi eld in April. ous pricing power,” it said. ing from 2024, rising to 71.5bcm (billion prospective suppliers, BMI did not be- other sellers,” it said. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, July 8, 2017 QATAR Qatar-Cuba cultural ties reviewed SMEs get market boost at Entertainment City

By Peter Alagos Business Reporter

any small compa- nies such as those in Mthe food and beverage business are getting a boost in terms of market share thanks to their presence at the Entertain- ment City – the centrepiece of the Qatar Summer Festival 2017, Cuban ambassador Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez has held a meeting with Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim an offi cial has said. al-Sulaiti, general manager of Katara - the Culture Village Foundation. During the meeting, they The Entertainment City, discussed ways of enhancing cultural co-operation between Qatar and Cuba. which was launched recently by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in partnership with QSports, has attracted many families and visitors to Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. It runs until September 5. Contaminated fi sh, goods destroyed QSports founder and CEO Adil Ahmed said 70% of the food concessionaires participating at he Ministry of Munici- of 60 warnings and detection QSF 2017 are small businesses, pality and Environment of two violations. Affi davits while 30% are “established or T(MME)’s Agriculture from the violators were also re- branded vendors”. Quarantine Offi ce inspected ceived. “We wanted to give these 6,114 consignments of im- Also, Al Khor and Al Thakhira small businesses the opportuni- ported farm produce weigh- Municipality’s Health Control ty to expand their presence in the ing around 294,364 tonnes at Section intensifi ed its inspec- local market. While it is true that various ports in the country in tion campaigns at food estab- people still look for more estab- June. lishments during the Eid holi- lished and branded products and Of these, 102 consign- days. The personnel destroyed services, we want to have a good ments weighing around 16.9 420kg of fi sh, which was found mix of vendors at the festival. Ice cream made from camel’s milk. PICTURE: Peter Alagos tonnes were destroyed for be- Fish unfit for consumption. unfi t for human consumption, “These small vendors want to ing infected with bugs, while as well as 1,450kg of diff erent get their name out there, so we’re because it is ice-cream made seen so far, they have added in Qatar, we can have a very nice, one consignment weighing 20 foodstuff for the same reason. just helping them get a larger from camel’s milk,” he said. value to the event. Many visitors high-scale event in the country. tonnes was inspected for ex- The Health Control Section share of the market. We haven’t Sophie Ndiaye of KTL Event are saying that this year is com- Within Qatar we can do some- port. A number of plant health of Doha Municipality conduct- forgotten that QSports was once Organisation & Conference pletely diff erent from previous thing amazing,” Ndiaye empha- certifi cates were also issued, ed 171 inspection tours during a small company, which is why Management noted that this festivals. This is because we have sised. according to a statement. the Eid holidays at various lo- we understand the value of how year’s QSF involves more local innovation, quality and profes- Ahmed also lauded the sup- Meanwhile, Al Wakrah Mu- cations within its jurisdiction. diffi cult it is to break into the companies compared to previ- sional service,” Ndiaye pointed port of QTA and other organisa- nicipality’s Health Control The campaign resulted in market,” Ahmed told Gulf Times. ous festivals. out. tions in promoting the country’s Section conducted inspection Rotten farm produce. the issuance of one violation Ahmed said one of the local “We used to have interna- She also stressed that QSF tourism and leisure sector. tours during the recent Eid report. The campaign covered food businesses, Camels Back, tional companies participat- 2017 is an “opportunity for “Qatar Summer Festival 2017 holidays to ensure the safety of unfi t for human consumption. diff erent food outlets to ensure has gained popularity among ing in previous festivals but this small- and medium-sized en- fi ts well with the tourism strat- food available at diff erent out- Similarly, Al Daayen Munici- the safety of the products on visitors at Entertainment City. year, the private sector and local terprises and other companies to egy of Qatar. We’re very pleased lets. The Health Control Sec- pality has conducted intensive display and that workers there “We’ve given some fi rst-timers companies in Qatar have the op- get more recognition in the local and I have to emphasise that the tion has also destroyed around search campaigns at food out- were complying with relevant like Camels Back the opportu- portunity to show what they can market”. role of Qatar Tourism Author- 60kg of fi sh at the Al Wakrah lets during the Eid holidays. food safety and hygiene regula- nity to tap further into the local off er. “What we need to point out ity has been exceptional in this Fish Market as they were found These resulted in the issuance tions. market. Their product is unique “And based on what we’ve here is that with local companies whole process,” he said. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 3 QATAR Hamad Port equal to the challenge of handling electronics

By Ramesh Mathew frastructure facilities at the Staff Reporter new port in Doha,” he said, adding that hardly any demur- rage-related issues have been holesalers and im- reported by businesses. porters of electronic Demurrage is a charge pay- Witems and home ap- able to the owner of a chartered pliances are optimistic about ship in respect of failure to load their business as goods con- or discharge the ship within the tinue to arrive in the coun- time agreed. try from diff erent parts of the Representatives of some world thanks to the continuous major importers of electronic services provided by shipping gadgets and home appliances liners. say the arrival of more liners “Hamad Port has started from places such as the Far East showing its capacity to cus- will help those in the business tomers across the world,” said as a large chunk of these prod- an entrepreneur who feels the ucts is manufactured in coun- newly built port on the south- tries located in that region. Shelves filled with fresh milk. ern side of Doha should be able “Such services are certainly to provide even better services welcome,” says a senior offi cial in the coming days. of a fi rm that occupies a key He feels the current situa- position in the country’s elec- tion gives the port a “great op- tronic goods market. One just portunity” to demonstrate its needs to be careful about the capacity and, in turn, help gen- operational costs and prevent it erate more business. from going up, he adds. The traders are also confi - A number of vessels have ar- dent that the ongoing blockade rived at Hamad Port carrying will have “minimal impact” on diff erent types of goods, in- Fresh food fl ooding their business. cluding foodstuff , over the past Replying to a query, a few days and more are expect- spokesperson of a business ed. These ships have come from group said contrary to what is the Far East, Oman and Turkey. being claimed by sections of Meanwhile, retail outlets the regional media, businesses selling electronic items expect in Qatar have little to worry higher sales when families start about. returning to the country from Qatar supermarkets “None of those people seems their summer vacation, ac- to be aware of the growing in- cording to sources. By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

resh vegetables and fruits from local farms and abroad are continuously Health services ‘not Farriving in hypermarkets and other outlets in Qatar, it is learnt. Besides, fresh items such as dairy and aff ected by blockade’ poultry products are arriving from Qatar as well as countries in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Australia, providing resi- QNA cautions to provide all supplies, dents “with an array of options at reason- Doha medicines and required neces- able prices”, say sources. sities in order to off er high- Speaking to Gulf Times, a source from quality health services in dif- a leading hypermarket in Qatar said cargo he Ministry of Pub- ferent conditions, it said. planes fl y tonnes of fresh produce almost lic Health (MoPH) has The ministry added that it every day from countries such as India, Tconfi rmed that services continues to implement the Iran and Turkey. provided by the health sec- planned health projects that “We have enough for residents and the tor to citizens and residents of aim to maintain the sustainable growing demand for locally-produced Qatar will not be aff ected by development of health serv- vegetables has also prompted local farms the blockade imposed on the ices and increase the potential to produce more,” he noted. “There is country, stating that the min- and capabilities of the health also a plan to bring fresh milk from In- istry has enough potential to sector, as part of its ongoing dia.” sustain health services at the strategies and plans designed The store off ers a variety of vegetables same level. to improve the Qatari popula- from Iran such as green beans, capsicum The MoPH always takes pre- tion’s health. and cucumber, while fl at beans, red chilli and canary melon come from Turkey, which also supplies fresh milk and other dairy products such as laban and yogurt. Other varieties of vegetables such as pumpkin and bottle gourd come from Alecso asked intervene Oman, while garlic, turmeric, ginger and onions are imported from India along with other products. for Qatari students Bangladesh supplies string beans, round eggplant and papaya. Fruits such as apple, orange, banana, Fresh vegetables at a supermarket. QNA Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi. mango, plum, avocado, pear and pineap- Tunis The message included a re- ple come from diff erent countries, includ- are being patronised by many residents. An employee cited a growing demand capsicum, lettuce, green beans, corn, quest to the organisation to ing Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, Africa, Spain, “They fi nd the eggs here tasty and for local produce such as tomato, cap- jackfruit, chilli, asparagus and mango in intervene to resolve the is- Kenya, the Netherlands, Italy, Holland, cheaper compared to some imports, but sicum, cucumber, and white and brown large quantities. he assistant director- sue of Qatari and non-Qatari India and the Philippines. we also get eggs from Lebanon and Oman,” mushrooms. Many supermarkets also have local general of the Arab students who were prohibited Locally-produced and organic veg- he said. “The economic blockade has given “Customers look for these items every fresh herbs and leaves such as mint, spin- TLeague Educational from continuing their studies etables, mostly cucumber, tomatoes, egg- residents plenty of choices now.” day and as far as I know local farms are ach, kangkong, molukhiya, dill, ruwid, red Cultural and Scientifi c Or- in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bah- plant, lemons and mushrooms, are also In another supermarket, many of the trying to further increase their production cheera and palak at reasonable prices. ganisation (Alecso), Mohamed rain and Egypt due to the siege available in nearly all stores, the sources root crops on its shelves such as sweet to meet the demand,” he said. Besides an array of dairy products from Abdul Bari al-Qudsi, received imposed by the four countries. point out. potato, potato, beetroot and turnip, apart He added that countries such as Hol- various countries such as Denmark and yesterday a message from HE Qatar’s ambassador to Tuni- According to the sources, a large volume from eggplant, green beans, white cabbage land, Thailand, Spain, France and the US fresh and organic milk from the UK are the Minister of Education and sia Saad bin Nasser al-Humaidi of eggs comes from Qatari farms and these and white radish, were from Morocco. are also continuing to export items like also available. Higher Education Dr Mohamed delivered the message.

QRCS medical training centre conducts course More than 2mn benefi t from

atar Red Crescent (QRCS) medical training centre has Qatar Charity’s campaign held a training course on ‘quality of performance and Qpatient well-being’ for 20 medical service providers in Qatar, as part of the continuing education programme of QNA mented as part of the campaign covered the Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP). The Doha several areas in the government, semi- two-day course was delivered by medical trainers at QRCS’s government and private sectors. medical division and workers’ health centres. Each participant QC stressed that they provided dis- received a certifi cate for the renewal of medical licence with atar Charity (QC) has announced counts and direct benefi t, supported the QCHP. that more than 2mn people with- projects with direct social impact, and Also, QRCS’s medical training centre off ers courses on first Qin and outside Qatar benefi ted allocated halls and places to collect do- aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic life support. from its Ramadan campaign, titled ‘Your nations, which made it easier for em- Accredited by the health authorities in Qatar and the Amer- Giving is Life’. The campaign was con- ployees of QC to perform their mission ican Heart Association, these courses are designed for medi- ducted featured a number of projects at In this context, Qatar Charity appre- cal and health practitioners — doctors, pharmacologists, lab home and abroad. The initiative includ- ciated support for the campaign from technicians, etc. ed mainly Iftar for fasting people, Eid all sides, including the government and All medical workers in Qatar are invited to attend these clothing and Zakat al-Fitr, along with a semi-government sectors along with na- benefi cial courses to improve their skills and be updated with number of awareness projects, at an esti- tional institutions and companies, which the latest developments and best practices in the profession, mated cost of QR30,750,572, QC said in a contributed to the success of the Ram- QRCS has said in a statement. Course participants. press statement.The partnerships imple- adan initiative by sponsoring its projects. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, July 8, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD

US, Russia reach ceasefi re agreement for southwest Syria The United States, Russia and At least 23 Egyptian soldiers Jordan have reached a ceasefire and “de-escalation agreement” in southwestern Syria, one of the combat zones in a six-year-old civil war, Washington and Mos- cow said yesterday. The ceasefire will go into eff ect killed in deadly Sinai attack tomorrow, Russian Foreign Min- ister Sergei Lavrov and Jordan’s Reuters They have killed hundreds of had killed and injured a total of a region beset by violence and suspected of involvement and ingly shifted beyond the Sinai Petra news agency said. Cairo/Ismailia soldiers and police since 2013, 26 soldiers, without providing a war. Security sources described destroying six of their vehicles, deep into Egypt’s heartland, The deal was announced after a when the military ousted Presi- breakdown of the fi gure. yesterday’s attack as a co-or- according to a video released often targeting minority Coptic meeting between US President dent Mohamed Mursi. The attack is the most severe dinated strike, with car bombs by the military showing aerial Christians. Donald Trump and Russian Presi- t least 23 Egyptian sol- The two cars blew up as they in Sinai since at least July 2015, blowing apart checkpoints as footage of air strikes. Separately yesterday, a dent Vladimir Putin at the G20 diers were killed when passed through two checkpoints when Islamic State militants as- gunmen in four-wheel drive ve- The military posted photos homeland security offi cer was summit of major economies in Atwo suicide car bombs outside of a military compound saulted simultaneously a slew of hicles shot down soldiers run- of fi ve dead militants in blood- shot dead outside his home in the German city of Hamburg. tore through military check- just south of Rafah, on the bor- checkpoints and military sites ning for cover. soaked fatigues lying in the Qalubiya, a province just north US Secretary of State Rex Tiller- points in North Sinai province der with the Gaza Strip, the se- around North Sinai. Militants in armoured vehi- sand. It did not name their af- of Cairo, while on his way to son said the area covered by the yesterday, security sources said, curity sources said. At least 17 soldiers were killed, cles meanwhile fi red rocket pro- fi liation. prayers, an Interior Ministry ceasefire aff ects Jordan’s security in one of the bloodiest co-ordi- No group claimed responsi- according to an offi cial tally. pelled grenades at a military site “Law enforcement forces statement said. and is a “very complicated part of nated assaults on security forces bility for the attacks. Yesterday’s bombings present just beyond the checkpoint, the in North Sinai succeeded in Responding to the Sinai at- the Syrian battlefield.” in years. The security sources said an- a challenge for general-turned- sources said. thwarting a terrorist attack on tack, Prime Minister Sherif Is- Russia and Iran are the main Islamic State militants are other 26 soldiers were injured in president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, The military carried out a some checkpoints south of Ra- mail stressed the need for coun- international backers of Syrian waging an insurgency in the yesterday’s attacks. who describes militancy as an counter-attack almost imme- fah,” a military statement said. tries to unite against those who President Bashar al-Assad while rugged, thinly populated Sinai The military put the casual- existential threat and himself as diately after, deploying fi ghter The bloody assault comes as support terrorism and to “dry Washington supports some of Peninsula. ties lower, saying the attacks a bulwark against extremism in jets to kill over 40 militants militant attacks have increas- up their sources of funding.” the rebel groups fighting for his ouster. “I think this is our first indication of the US and Russia being able to work together in Syria, and as a result of that we Mass wedding had a very lengthy discussion IS mounts diversionary regarding other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on to de-escalate the off ensive in Mosul south areas,” Tillerson said. The Syrian conflict has killed nearly half a million people, according to the Reuters able to reach the sites, the dis- Britain-based Syrian Observatory Mosul/Tikrit placed people could run short for Human Rights, destroyed cit- of water at a time of midsum- ies and forced millions of others mer temperatures well over 40 to flee the country. slamic State militants at- Celsius, it said. Backed by Russian air power, As- tacked a village south of The insurgents were still in sad has regained ground in the IMosul, killing several peo- control of half the village by last year or so that he lost to the ple including two journalists, yesterday evening, security rebels earlier in the war. even as they were about to lose sources said. The Syria deal appeared to be their last redoubt in the city to In Mosul, IS clung to a the main point of agreement at an Iraqi military onslaught, se- slowly shrinking pocket on the first meeting between Trump curity sources said yesterday. the Tigris west bank, battling and Putin, who also discussed The assault on Imam Gharbi for every metre with snipers, Moscow’s alleged interference in village appeared to be the sort grenades and suicide bomb- the US 2016 presidential election of diversionary, guerrilla-style ers, which forced Iraqi troops and North Korea’s nuclear ambi- strike Islamic State is expected to fi ght house-to-house in tions. Lavrov said the accord to employ as US-backed Iraqi densely-populated blocks. includes “securing humanitarian forces regain control over cit- The Iraqi military has fore- access and setting up contacts ies IS captured in a shock 2014 cast fi nal victory this week in between the opposition in the off ensive. what used to be the de facto region and a monitoring centre Security sources said IS in- capital of IS’ “caliphate” in that is being established in Jor- surgents had infi ltrated Imam Iraq, after a grinding eight- dan’s capital.” Tillerson said that Gharbi, some 70km south of month, US-backed off ensive by and large the objectives of the Mosul on the western bank of to wrest back the city, whose United States and Russia in Syria the Tigris river, on Wednesday pre-war population was 2mn. “are exactly the same.” evening from a pocket of terri- But security forces faced fe- But Washington and Moscow tory still under their control on rocious resistance from several Omani grooms attend a mass wedding ceremony of 25 couples in the Al-Mudhaibi province yesterday. have long been at odds over Syr- the eastern bank. hundred militants hunkered ia. The US has often called for the Two Iraqi journalists were down among thousands of removal of Assad, who it blames reported killed and two oth- civilians in the maze of alley- for the shooting of protesters at ers wounded as they covered ways in Mosul’s Old City. the start of the conflict and, more the security forces’ counter- Mosul was by far the larg- recently, for launching chemical attack to take back the village est city seized by Islamic State weapons attacks on civilians. yesterday. in its off ensive three years ago US-led strikes ‘claim another 119 civilian lives’ Russia and Iran strongly back An unknown number of ci- where the ultra-hardline group the Syrian leader, who gives both vilians and military were also declared its caliphate over ad- countries a strategic foothold in killed or wounded. joining parts of Iraq and Syria. AFP that in May it completed an analysis of 141 re- Aside from probing civilian death reports the Mediterranean Sea. Despite The fi ghting forced the UN- Stripped of Mosul, IS’ do- Washington ports of civilian deaths dating back to when that came in from coalition pilots and through the ceasefire deal, Tillerson said affi liated International Organ- minion in Iraq will be reduced operations to defeat the Islamic State group social media and other channels, military that the United States still sees isation for Migration to sus- to mainly rural, desert ar- got underway in late 2014. investigators also began wading their way “no long-term role for the Assad pend relief operations at two eas west and south of the city review of past air and artillery strikes “To date, based on information available, through a huge backlog of hundreds of allega- family or the Assad regime. And sites where it houses nearly where tens of thousands of has found that another 119 civilians (the coalition) assesses that, it is more likely tions reported by the website Airwars.org. we have made this clear to every- 80,000 people near Qayyara, people live, and the militants Awere killed by the US-led coalition in than not, at least 603 civilians have been un- The London-based collective of journalists one. We certainly made it clear in just north of Imam Gharbi, a are expected to keep up asym- Iraq and Syria, pushing the total number of intentionally killed by coalition strikes” since and researchers has always had civilian death our discussions with Russia.” UN statement said. metric attacks on selected tar- such deaths to 603. the anti-IS campaign began, the statement tolls that are wildly divergent from those ac- With water trucks no longer gets across Iraq. In a statement yesterday, the coalition said read. knowledged by the coalition.

ARREST Concern over detained Chinese Unesco puts Hebron on Uighur students Egyptian authorities detained dozens of students from China’s minority Muslim Uighur com- endangered heritage list munity living in Egypt this week, raising fears they will be returned to China and arrested, other Ui- AFP ghur students and Human Rights Warsaw Watch said. The arrests began July 2 and since then mostly male Ui- ghur students have been detained nesco yesterday declared during raids on shops, restaurants the Old City of Hebron an and student accommodation in Uendangered world heritage Cairo, according to Uighur stu- site, sparking outrage from Israel in dents and New York-based Human a new spat with the Palestinians at Rights Watch. Uighurs were also the international body. detained in Cairo and Alexandria The UN’s cultural arm voted 12 airports as they tried to flee the to three — with six abstentions — country after the arrest began, to give heritage status to Hebron’s students told Reuters. There was Old City in the occupied West no immediate comment from Bank, which is home to more than Egyptian authorities. Uighurs 200,000 Palestinians and a few speak a Turkic language and live hundred Israeli settlers. in China’s far western region of “Just inscribed on @Unesco Palestinian children play with a ball outside their house in the old town of the Xinjiang. Hundreds have died in #WorldHeritage List & World Her- West Bank city of Hebron. Xinjiang in the past few years, itage in Danger List: Hebron/Al- mostly in unrest between the Khalil Old Town,” the organisation Nations of inherent bias against it The few hundred Israelis live around 10 million Uighur people, said on its offi cial Twitter feed. and there have been a number of closed off in several small, intercon- who call the region home, and the The vote drew a sharp denun- disputes at the organisation where nected settlements that most of the ethnic majority Han Chinese. The ciation from Israeli Prime Minis- Palestinian President Mahmoud world consider as illegal, with Pal- government has blamed much of ter Benjamin Netanyahu, who de- Abbas has sought to take the battle estinians largely banned from en- the unrest on separatist militants, scribed it as “another delusional for statehood. tering and using nearby streets. though rights groups and exiles decision by Unesco.” In May, Unesco passed a resolu- Israel seized the West Bank in the say that anger over tightening Chi- Brought by the Palestinians, the tion condemning Israel’s role as 1967 war in a move considered ille- nese controls on the religion and resolution declared Hebron’s Old the “occupying power” in annexed gal by the United Nations. culture of Muslim Uighurs is more City to be an area of outstanding east Jerusalem in another decision The Israelis living in Hebron are to blame. China routinely denies universal value. slammed by Israel which sees the protected by hundreds of Israeli sol- any repression in Xinjiang. The resolution was fast-tracked entire city as its unifi ed capital. diers, with Palestinians saying the “In the past few months, the on the basis that the site was under Hebron claims to be one of the settlements makes their lives im- Chinese government had ordered threat, with the Palestinians accus- oldest cities in the world, with its possible. Uighur students studying abroad, ing Israel of an “alarming” number origins dating back to the Chalco- The Unesco committee usually including those in Egypt, to return of violations, including vandalism lithic period — more than 3,000 votes via a show of hands but this home. There are reports that and damage to property. years BC. time, Croatia, Jamaica and Poland Chinese authorities have detained The Palestinian foreign ministry Hebron’s Old City is home to an requested the secret ballot, prompt- family members of these students hailed yesterday’s decision a “suc- ancient burial cave. ing a heated discussion which re- to force them to come back,” Hu- cess” for Palestinian diplomacy. Hebron is also a stark symbol of quired the chairman to call in man Rights Watch Asia researcher Israel has long accused the United the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict. security. Maya Wang told Reuters. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 5 AFRICA 67 saved Land movement after being left for dead in desert

AFP tween two and three days with Niamey only very short petrol and toilet stops on the way. Many do not make it. iger authorities rescued In early June, at least 44 67 West African mi- Libya-bound migrants, includ- Ngrants in Niger’s north- ing women and babies, died ern desert this week after traf- of thirst in the Sahara desert fi ckers left them there without after their vehicle broke down food or water, a humanitarian in scorching conditions. A lo- source told AFP yesterday. One cal radio station said 52 bodies of the migrants later died. were discovered. “Sixty-seven migrants near Later that month, 24 mi- death were saved (Wednesday) grants were rescued in the same by defence and security forces area, but dozens more were near the town of Seguedine in presumed dead. the middle of the desert,” the The migrants were part of a source said. group of at least 70 people who The migrants had left the had left Agadez for Libya. town of Agadez “on three vehi- According to IOM, 600 West cles” before being “abandoned Africa migrants have been without provisions by the traf- saved since April from the Ni- fi ckers,” the source added. ger desert after being aban- Agadez is a remote town in doned by smugglers. Niger on the edge of the Sahara That part of the Sahara that has become the smuggling Desert, known as Tenere, has capital of Africa, where traf- become “an actual open-air fi ckers prey on would-be mi- cemetery”, local offi cials have A BLF (Black First Land First) activist poses with the movement’s flag next to a street performer outside the High Court in Johannesburg. The High Court in Johannesburg grants headed for a better life warned. has ruled in favour on the South African National Editors’ Forum’s (Sanef) application for an interdict against Black First Land First. Sanef wants the court to order BLF to in Europe. Seguedine lies about In May 2015, the govern- stop intimidating 11 journalists. BLF has threatened to continue its protests against these journalists, whom it accuses of racism. 635km to the northeast of Aga- ment in Niamey adopted a law dez. banning the illegal traffi cking Last year, the International of migrants with those found Organization for Migration guilty facing a prison sentence (IOM) recorded 335,000 mi- of between one and 30 years, grants heading northwards out and fi nes of up to 30mn CFA of Niger, some heading for Al- francs ($52,000). geria, but most going to Libya Libya has long struggled to in hope of either fi nding work control its southern borders there or boarding a boat to Eu- with Sudan, Chad and Niger, rope. even before the 2011 uprising Harare faces delays on The 750km trip from Agadez that toppled dictator Moamer to the Libyan border takes be- Kadhafi .

China, France eye arrears, reforms: IMF Zimbabwe’s foreign debt of would facilitate resolution of ar- from salaries to agriculture. The government has not said of just $150mn. This year’s defi cit $7bn is half of GDP rears with bilateral creditors,” the “The marked increase in public what it will do with the maize it forecast is $400mn. The budget Gambian port upgrade IMF said. debt is crowding out private sec- has bought — essentially who it does not include any ‘Command Reuters The IMF also said Zimba- tor activity, aggravating liquidity will sell to and for how much. Agriculture’ spending. Harare bwe should not seek to clear its shortages, and exacerbating debt That information is needed to Chinamasa issued a state- to rival Dakar $1.75bn arrears through agree- distress,” the IMF said. work out how much the scheme ment in the state-owned Herald ments that would worsen its debt Zimbabwe has been facing will cost the government. newspaper on June 28 defending imbabwe is yet to reach a situation. Zimbabwe’s foreign shortages of cash and foreign However, the Grain Mill- the maize subsidies: “The com- Reuters ture for an overall envelope of deal with the World Bank debt stands at more than $7bn, currency since last year, forcing ers Association of Zimbabwe, a mand agriculture programme Banjul 140mn euros,” he told Reuters Zand other foreign lenders more than half of its GDP. banks to limit daily withdrawals grouping of the 100 biggest pri- was designed to (mobilise) sus- in an interview. “We hope to over clearing arrears and reforms, On April 27, Zimbabwean Fi- while importers, including min- vate millers, has agreed to buy tainable and aff ordable funding agree the fi nancing in the next the International Monetary Fund nance Minister Patrick China- ing companies, have struggled to 800,000 tonnes of maize from for our agriculture so as to en- hinese and French com- six months.” said, warning that reliance on masa said the southern African pay for their goods abroad. the state for $194mn this season, sure food security, eliminate im- panies are bidding to An offi cial at CCCC con- central bank fi nance could fan nation had met all conditions to Zimbabwe’s budget defi cit will or $242.50 a tonne, its chairman, ports of food, to increase exports Chelp Gambia build up its fi rmed that one of its sub- infl ationary pressures. clear arrears to the World Bank increase by nearly $120mn this Tafadzwa Musarara, told Reu- from this sector and reduce pov- Atlantic port Banjul to be what sidiaries was bidding for the President Robert Mugabe’s and African Development Bank, year due to a maize subsidy, cal- ters. erty.” industry sources say could be a contract, without specifying government has not received paving the way for possible fu- culations show, in a scheme crit- At this price, the government Despite government asser- rival to neighbouring Senegal’s which. foreign funding since it started ture funding from the IMF. ics of President Robert Mugabe would lose $147.50 for every tions that the subsidies will help Dakar. It would be one of the In a sign of their interest, a defaulting on its external debt in But the IMF warned that Zim- say will be open to abuse and tonne it buys from farmers and farmers and feed the nation, op- fi rst major structural changes witness saw a Chinese delega- 1999 and the country is relying babwe’s borrowings from its saddle a troubled economy with sells to these private millers, to- position leader Morgan Tsvan- in Gambia following the end tion visiting the port last week. on domestic borrowing and taxes central bank and domestic banks more debt. Facing an election in talling $118mn, according to Re- girai said the scheme is typical of President Yahya Jammeh’s Tambedou confi rmed Bol- to fund its national budget. to plug its budget defi cit was un- 2018, Mugabe says the subsidy uters calculations. of the practices that have taken more than 20-year rule in Jan- lore’s off er, without giving the The IMF said in a statement sustainable and had “signifi cant will make Zimbabwe self-suffi - Finance Minister Patrick Chi- root during Mugabe’s 37 years in uary. price, and said this included yesterday after a meeting of its potential for generating infl a- cient in the grain and help strug- namasa did not respond to Reu- power. State-owned China Com- both infrastructure costs and executive board this week that tionary pressures.” gling farmers. ters requests for comment on the He said it would benefi t ruling munications Construction the rental concession. although Harare cleared its ar- The World Bank has forecast Mugabe’s government an- subsidy calculations. ZANU-PF party members who Company (CCCC) says one of Chinese interest in the rears with the fund last year, a 3.2% annual infl ation rate in nounced the scheme last year as The fi nal cost could be much acquired land after the violent its subsidiaries has made a bid project follows China’s re- talks with the World Bank and Zimbabwe at the end of this year, part of a ‘Command Agriculture’ higher if the government buys eviction of 4,000 white commer- for a 140mn euro ($159.91mn) sumption of diplomatic ties other multilateral lenders faced before accelerating sharply to drive, saying it would pay farm- more grain, with the southern cial farmers from 2000. contract Gambia has launched with former Taiwan ally Gam- delays. 9.6% at the end of 2018. ers $390 a tonne for maize this African nation forecast to grow “Who is benefi ting? The same to redevelop the port. bia last year under the “one “It (Zimbabwe) is yet to reach The government’s domestic harvest to encourage farmers to 2.1mn tonnes of maize this year, ZANU-PF elites who took the France’s Bollore Group has China” policy, which states agreement with the World Bank borrowing stands at more than plant. fi nancial analysts said. land,” Tsvangirai told Reuters. also submitted an off er to de- that self-ruled Taiwan is part and other multilateral institu- $4bn and is seen growing as the Nearly 70% of Zimbabwe’s Domestic debt now stands “The Treasury has to fork that velop the port for hundreds of China. tions on the settlement of ar- government struggles to raise population is rural-based and at $4bn after a 2016 defi cit of out and it’s not sustainable. It’s a of millions of dollars, sources President Adama Barrow’s rears, and undertake reforms that money to fi nance everything survives on agriculture. $1.4bn — from an initial forecast fi scal nightmare.” told Reuters, and was part of a new government reaffi rmed recent delegation of French in- that position in February. vestors to the country. China is also a major market The port was run by a state for Gambia’s exports, which agency during Jammeh’s rule. globally are mainly peanuts, It is considered to have stra- wood, cashews, fi sh and fruit. tegic potential thanks to its Upgrading the port will take easy access to Atlantic ship- 30-36 months to complete, Hamlet marks role in slave trade ping lanes. Tambedou said. Abdoulie Tambedou, man- Gambia is poor. It ranks 173 AFP in the hope of seeing “children pass their He heads a multidisciplinary team tak- west, pacts on the trade among Africans aging director of the Gambia out of 189 countries on the UN Kanga-Gnianze, Côte d’Ivoire exams” and having other wishes granted, ing a census of Ivorian sites linked to the were fulfi lled, Aka Kouame said. Ports Authority said there had Human Development Index, farmer Claude Nguessan Nguessan told slave trade. “The need to remember... must enable already been several off ers. below Haiti. It is badly in need AFP. National authorities would like to see peoples to rebuild,” Ivorian Vice-Presi- “The Chinese are interesting of key infrastructure develop- he hamlet of Kanga Gnianze is In grimmer days, the place named Kan- studies published. dent Daniel Kablan Duncan said. “It’s a in investing in the infrastruc- ment. absent from many maps of Ivory ga, or “slave”, and Gnianze, meaning “wa- The ceremony of purifi cation practised means of contributing to the culture of TCoast, but the rural community ter”, was a transit point for captives from at Kanga Gnianze is still mysterious. peace.” attracted stars and scholars this week to the north and east being force-marched to Villagers like to think that it is positive. A small delegation of Afro-Americans Three detained in Uganda for staging mark its place in the sorry memory of slav- the Gulf of Guinea. “The slaves arrived here weary and this took part in the ceremony, including Kelly ery. The village lies about 100km north of purifi cation gave them the energy, the Page Jibrell, a native of Washington DC mock funeral for president Clad all in white, France’s most capped today’s commercial capital Abidjan on the resistance to carry on,” declared Aubin who has spent two years working in Ivory former football hero Lilian Thuram coast. Kouassi Yapi, rocking his 18-month-old Coast’s shea butter business. Three men have been arrested in Uganda for staging a mock marched between two rows of men in On Thursday, Thuram and the numer- son on his knees. The members had undergone DNA tests funeral for President Yoweri Museveni in protest at a plan red scarves and warrior garb, armed with ous Ivorian hosts were joined for a Slave Yapi, 34, says he got the story from his and learned that their ancestors came to remove the presidential age limit of 75 years, police said clubs. Route ceremony by the likes of Benin’s grandfather and will one day tell his son. from Ivory Coast. yesterday. Police on Thursday found the men, who included At the end of the line, a medicine man former president Nicephore Soglo (1991- “This monument is a good thing. “It’s fantastic. two university students, parading a coffin in the south-western waited. 96) and historian Elikia M’Bokolo from the So that we remember,” he adds. I have been doing work... for two years city of Mbarara, spokesman Samson Kasasira said. The coffin The 1998 World Cup winner, who has Democratic Republic of Congo. But for Aka Kouame, the ceremony may before I knew I had DNA connecting me to was topped by a portrait of the president and carried the been an ardent anti-racist militant since Participants inaugurated a marker stone have been “like in other places in Togo... the very place,” said Jibrell. inscription: “Rest in peace Museveni.” The men had gone ahead hanging up his boots, gave the witch doc- to locate Kanga Gnianze among signifi cant aimed at taming the slaves to make them With an eye on her six-year-old son with the protest despite having been denied permission to tor an egg by way of an off ering. spots in the Slave Route Project launched more docile before they leave” Africa be- Aden, she exclaimed that she initially stage it, Kasasira said, adding that they would be charged with After chanting for a while and a sym- by Unesco in 1994. hind forever. turned down DNA tests because she sedition. The arrests followed reports that a faction of ruling bolic washing of hands, the Ivorian Its goals include turning silence about “This remains to be shown,” the profes- “believed in a pan-African identity”, but party legislators want to change the constitution to remove the medicine man gave his visitor a small slavery into study, identifying and pre- sor added. then she grew too curious “to know my presidential age limit of 75 years, which would leave Museveni, pebble and a branch of peace, then serving data and contributing to a shared He evoked the European slave treaty roots.” 72, ineligible to run for the presidency in the next elections daubed a circle of fine white clay on his “culture of peace”. that led to the deaths of thousands of Af- “It feels like an honour,” Jibrell ex- in 2021. The ruling National Resistance Movement has nearly forehead. “There is much research still to be done ricans and the deportation in appalling claimed after passing through the water. 70% of the seats in parliament. Critics say that Museveni, who In a small village whose very name de- here and elsewhere in the country on slav- conditions of more than 10mn men and “After all these centuries, our blood, our has ruled the East African country since 1986, has become rives from the purifi cation of slaves, folk ery,” said Aka Kouame, a historian at the women to the Americas. spirit are still connected, and we’re cel- increasingly repressive of the freedom of speech. request such rituals by the sacred stream Felix Houphouët-Boigny library. Even when slavery was abolished in the ebrating that today.” Gulf Times 6 Saturday, July 8, 2017 AMERICAS

APOLOGY LEGAL DISEASE LAW AND ORDER SETTLEMENT Canada makes payout Hawaii bid for US travel Outbreak of hantavirus Mentally ill convicted Bieber’s hotel case closed to ex-Gitmo inmate ban exemption rejected infections kills three murderer executed after $6,000 donation

Canada yesterday formally apologised to a A US judge has rejected Hawaii’s bid to exempt Five people have been stricken with the rare, A man convicted of killing a prison guard and a A judge in Brazil closed legal proceedings Canadian citizen held at Guantanamo Bay for grandparents from President Donald Trump’s rodent-borne hantavirus illness in Washington police off icer during a jailbreak has been put in against Justin Bieber after he paid a fine of $6,000 a decade and said it had reached a financial temporary travel ban but ruled that the state state since February, three of whom have died, in Virginia despite last minute pleas over his mental for wall-tagging a historic hotel in 2013, court settlement with him. Omar Khadr was captured could ask the US Supreme Court directly to the state’s worst outbreak of the disease in at least condition. William Morva, a 35-year-old dual off icials said. Judge Rudi Baldi Loewenkron in Afghanistan in 2002 at age 15 after a firefight clarify which parts of the order should take 18 years, public health off icials reported. The three US-Hungarian citizen who human rights activists made the decision after confirming the Canadian with US soldiers and spent a decade in the eff ect. US district judge Derrick Watson in fatal cases also mark the highest death toll from say suff ered from a mental disorder akin to pop idol made a donation of that amount to the prison on a US military base on the eastern tip Honolulu had been asked to interpret a ruling hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Washington schizophrenia, died by lethal injection at 0115GMT National Cancer Institute in May, as prosecutors of Cuba. Khadr pleaded guilty to killing a US from the US Supreme Court that revived parts state during a single year since the respiratory yesterday. Morva had originally been jailed for had recommended. During a 2013 stay in Rio de army medic and became the youngest inmate of Trump’s March 6 executive order banning ailment was first identified in the “Four Corners” attempted armed robbery. But in 2006 he escaped Janeiro, Bieber — then 19 — tagged the wall of the held at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Khadr people from six Muslim-majority countries for region of the US Southwest in 1993. The disease from a Virginia prison hospital, beating up a deputy Hotel Nacional after refusing for security reasons later recanted and his lawyers said he had been 90 days. Watson said he “declines to usurp the has been found to be transmitted to humans from and taking his pistol, which he then used to kill a to spray graff iti in an area where he had received grossly mistreated. The settlement marks the prerogative of the Supreme Court to interpret deer mice, either through contact with urine, guard. He used the weapon to shoot dead another permission from the mayor. Then singer reportedly end of a C$20mn ($15.55mn) civil suit Khadr its own order.” Hawaii said it would appeal droppings or nesting materials of infected rodents sheriff ’s deputy a day later during a manhunt close also went on a rampage in his suite, breaking launched against Ottawa. against Watson’s ruling. or by inhaling dust contaminated with the virus. to the campus of Virgina Tech university. various objects valued at nearly $6,000 in total. Families grieve Travel chaos looms inmates hacked to death in Mexico jail riot

AFP gled in guns and drugs with im- Acapulco punity. He described a grim existence for the rest of the inmates. s shell-shocked families “They’re criminals and all, but waited to identify the de- they shouldn’t have to pay for it Acapitated and mutilated like that,” said the man, who bodies of their loved ones after served fi ve years at Las Cruces, a grisly prison riot in Mexico, an three of them in the maximum- ex-inmate called the jail a “time security wing where the riot bomb” where gangs reigned. erupted. Twenty-eight inmates were He called the gangs’ de facto killed as rioters beheaded and rule “a plague.” hacked their rivals to death on “It’s impossible to end it,” he Thursday at the Las Cruces said. “You kill 10, another 20 are prison in Acapulco, the latest born.” explosion of violence in Mexico’s The dead at the forensic serv- often lawless jails. ice headquarters included two Amtrak track workers work inside the tunnel at New York’s Penn Station, the nation’s busiest train hub, which will be closing tracks for repairs causing massive Overnight, dozens of griev- brothers, whose elderly relative disruptions to commuters in New York City, NY. ing relatives gathered outside had to be held up by two young the Pacifi c coast resort town’s men as she feebly made her way morgue waiting to be called in to inside to identify them. identify their loved ones’ bodies. Nearby, a morgue worker tak- As they waited in agony, the ing a cigarette break described red and blue of police sirens the scene at the prison when he fl ashing across their faces, they arrived. “As soon as you went in- spoke in hushed tones about side, you could smell the blood,” what they described as the abys- he said. mal conditions inside the jail, “There were four beheaded Trump voter fraud panel to which holds nearly 2,200 in- bodies at the entrance. The rest mates — 65% over capacity, ac- were piled up on top of each oth- cording to offi cial fi gures. er in the laundry area, like trash. “He didn’t have to tell me how It was manic in there.” badly they treated him inside. Forensic investigators found You could see it a mile away,” one fi ve bullet casings inside — ap- meet as states’ refusal rises 25-year-old woman said of her parently fi red by prisoners, he dead relative, fearful of giving said. The rest of the inmates her name. were beaten and stabbed to Reuters pression tactic by Trump, a The commission will meet tary of state Kris Kobach, the A Republican commission “The mafi a ruled in there. The death, he said. Washington Republican who won the presi- on July 19 to swear in mem- commission vice chairman, on member, former Ohio Secre- others lived in fear.” Mexico’s prisons are fre- dential election by securing a bers, formulate objectives and Wednesday said such reports tary of State Ken Blackwell, de- One man waiting outside, quently hit by riots, killings and majority in the Electoral College discuss next steps after asking were false. fended the panel, telling CNN himself a former prisoner, said jailbreaks. resident Donald Trump’s tally of delegates even as he lost the 50 states to turn over po- He said in a statement sent by that fraud with even “one vote the prison was eff ectively gov- This was the country’s dead- commission to investigate the popular vote to Clinton by tentially sensitive voter infor- the White House that 14 states per precinct... can change the erned by gangs — like many liest prison violence since 49 Ppossible election fraud some 3mn votes. mation, according to a General and Washington, D.C., had re- course of history.” in Mexico, where corruption inmates were killed in February will convene this month, a gov- The Electronic Privacy In- Services Administration (GSA) jected the request outright. A court fi ling in the Electron- abounds in the penitentiary sys- 2016 in a riot at the Topo Chico ernment notice said yesterday, formation Center, a watchdog notice published in the Federal Matthew Dunlap, Maine’s ic Privacy Information Center tem and the multi-billion-dollar prison in Monterrey, in the as more US states have refused group, has fi led a lawsuit to Register. Democratic secretary of state case also showed the panel narcotics business has fuelled northeast. to hand over at least some voter block the commission’s data A June 28 letter from the and a commission member, yes- plans to house data on White an explosion of powerful, ultra- “We’re mad. We’re furious.... data. request until its privacy impact election panel sought names, terday dismissed Trump’s claim House computers rather than at violent drug cartels. This can’t keep happening,” said Trump created the presiden- can be weighed. the last four digits of Social that millions of voters illegally the GSA. “It’s a time bomb,” said the Luciano Pelaez, a 66-year-old tial advisory commission on There is a wide consensus Security numbers, addresses, cast ballots. “We just don’t see The Washington Post, which man, puffi ng nervously on a construction worker who was election integrity in May, after among state offi cials from both birth dates, political affi liations, that,” he told CNN. “People are earlier reported the fi ling, noted cigarette and asking not to be waiting to fi nd out whether a claiming without evidence that parties and election experts felony convictions and voting incredibly law abiding.” GSA would be required to follow identifi ed for fear of reprisals by loved one was dead or alive. millions of people voted illegally that voter fraud is rare. histories. Although Maine is one state specifi c privacy requirements. the cartel lookouts he said were But Hilario Salas, a lawyer who for his Democratic rival, Hillary States rejecting the commis- As of Wednesday, at least 44 that has pushed back at the US intelligence agencies have hovering nearby. represented inmates at Las Cruc- Clinton, in the 2016 election. sion’s attempts to gather voter states had refused to hand over at commission’s request, Dun- concluded that Moscow tried He described a facility in es, was bleak on the prospects for US civil rights groups and information have called it un- least some of the data requested, lap said he hopes the panel can to tilt the election in Trump’s which the jailers were powerless change. “This is our daily bread in Democratic lawmakers have necessary and a violation of the Washington Post said. tackle voting issues including favour. Moscow has dismissed over their prisoners, who smug- Mexican jails,” he said. called the panel a voter sup- privacy. Republican Kansas secre- ballot access and hacking. the accusations. Mum accused of slaying $10mn legal fight Dangerous fugitive family smiles in court captured in Texas Tribune News Service mate helped him dupe correc- Washington tional offi cers during inmate Tribune News Service eras,” judge Michael Thorpe told because it was her fi rst encoun- counts by making dummies Atlanta Martinez. “It’s really not a good ter with US Immigration and out of clothes and toilet paper. idea. Probably not to your ben- Customs Enforcement (ICE), it state prisoner who es- With a diff erent inmate who efi t. I can’t physically stop you was unknown how long she has caped from one of South also escaped, Causey rode the he mother accused of from doing it, but it ain’t a good been the country, according to ACarolina’s maximum- trash truck until they jumped stabbing to death four of idea.” Bryan Cox, a spokesman for the security prisons was captured off on Percival Road. They Ther children and their fa- The judge advised her against agency. in Texas yesterday. dumped their clothes and got a ther appeared in court for the not obtaining an attorney, but Police identifi ed the victims Jimmy Causey, 46, was ap- ride to the Leesburg Road exit fi rst time yesterday morning – Martinez adamantly shook her late Thursday. prehended by the Texas de- on Interstate 77. That’s where smiling for cameras and telling head. Her next court date is July The father was Martin Rome- partment of public safety at Causey’s ex-girlfriend spot- the judge she doesn’t want an 20. ro, age 33. The four siblings killed 3.05am, said Sommer Sharpe, ted him and called her father, attorney. Martinez is also charged with were two-year-old Axel, four- spokeswoman for the depart- who reported the men to the “I don’t need an attorney,” stabbing her fi fth child, a lit- year-old Dillan, seven-year-old ment of corrections. authorities. Isabel Martinez said through an tle girl, who was airlifted to a Dacota and 10-year-old Isabela Additional information was Causey and the second in- interpreter. hospital and expected to remain Martinez. not immediately available. mate were caught two days Martinez, 33, is accused of hospitalised for two or three Nine-year-old Diana Romero Causey had been on the run later at a Ridgeland hotel when killing four of her children and weeks, according to a GoFund was also stabbed and fl own by since lam Wednesday. He was a pizza delivery woman told their father early Thursday Me page set up by family mem- helicopter to Children’s Health- serving life sentences at Lie- The State she became suspi- morning at the family’s home in bers. care of Atlanta. ber Correctional Institution cious after the men in the room Loganville, Ga. She was arrested She is charged with fi ve The four kids and father were in Dorchester County for the would not let her get a clear later Thursday and is being held counts of malice murder, fi ve already dead when police arrived 2002 home invasion of a well- view of their faces. without bond at the Gwinnett counts of murder and six charg- at the family’s mobile home known Columbia, South Caro- The bizarre delivery made County jail. es of aggravated assault. Also, around 5am Thursday. Martinez lina, attorney, his wife and Trainer uneasy to the point that Her behaviour in court was bi- an immigration hold was placed had called 911 at 4.47am re- their daughter. she told her husband, who called zarre and erratic as she smiled to on Martinez, which means the questing help. Wednesday was the second police, she recounted to The the media and gave two thumbs- government suspects she may Investigators have yet to say time Jimmy Causey, 46, broke State newspaper 12 years ago. up to the cameras. She put her be in the country without legal whether a confession followed, Media personality Milo Yiannopoulos speaks outside the out of prison. Causey’s criminal his- hands together as if she was permission and could be eligible but Gwinnett Police corporal off ices of Simon & Schuster publishing company in New York In 2005, while serving time tory is nearly eight pages long praying and had a smirk on her for deportation. Deon Washington said that Mar- City yesterday. Yiannopoulos is promoting a new book and at Broad River Correctional and goes back to just after he face. Immigration offi cials said tinez is the “primary suspect,” filing a $10mn legal complaint against Simon & Schuster Institution, Causey hid in a turned 19, according to the “I’m going to caution you to yesterday that Martinez illegally adding investigators are “not following the publisher’s decision to cancel his book deal. dumpster that was carried off state law enforcement divi- cut off the display for the cam- entered the US from Mexico. But searching for anyone else.” by a trash truck. Another in- sion. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Call for UN criticism of North Korea Reuters ICBM that some experts be- KCNA news agency quoted a Hamburg lieve has the range to reach the foreign ministry spokesman as US states of Alaska and Hawaii saying. US Ambassador to the and perhaps the US Pacific United Nations Nikki Haley he United States, Japan Northwest.The United States said on Wednesday she would and South Korea yester- has cautioned it is ready to use propose new UN sanctions on Tday agreed to push for a force if need be to stop North North Korea. quick UN Security Council reso- Korea’s nuclear missile pro- Security Council diplomats lution to apply new sanctions on gram but said it prefers global said yesterday the United States North Korea after its test launch diplomatic action. had not yet circulated a draft of an intercontinental ballistic The United States, South resolution to the 15-member missile (ICBM) this week. Korea and Japan “decided to council. Meeting at a Group of 20 press for the early adoption of Russia objects to a Secu- nations summit in Germany, a new UNSC resolution with rity Council condemnation of US President Donald Trump, additional sanctions to dem- North Korea’s rocket launch South Korean President Moon onstrate to (North Korea) that because the US-drafted state- Jae-in and Japanese Prime there are serious consequences ment labelled it an ICBM, a China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning sails past Lamma island (top) as it arrives in Hong Kong yesterday. Minister Shinzo Abe promised for its destabilising, provoca- designation that Moscow disa- to apply “maximum pressure” tive, and escalatory actions,” grees with. to counter North Korea’s nu- they said in a joint statement. Russia’s resistance does not clear threat. North Korea yesterday de- augur well for Washington’s But the three nations might scribed the missile test as a planned push to impose new Aircraft carrier visit to HK reveals struggle to convince Russia and “gift package” and vowed to UN sanctions on North Korea. China, permanent members of deliver more. China, North Korea’s only the Security Council, to back “The US will receive more big ally and its main trading quick sanctions on Pyongyang. ‘gift packages’ of different partner, has called for restraint new era in Chinese military outreach Following a nuclear weapons sizes from the DPRK (North over North Korea and made test by North Korea in Sep- Korea) in endless succession, clear it does not want to be tar- tember it took the UN Security as it tries harder to destroy, by geted by any US sanctions. Reuters Kong garrison — split between security expert at Hong Kong’s soldiers are kept well away Council three months to agree means of sanctions and pres- South Korea’s Moon said in Hong Kong bases in the city and across the Lingnan University. from potential trouble spots strengthened sanctions. sure, the overall national power Hamburg he was in favour of mainland border in southern “In part, we can see them and red-light areas — a far cry Taking a major step in its and strategic position of the dialogue with North Korea de- Guangdong — has already em- attempting to foster a greater from Hong Kong’s reputation missile program, North Korea DPRK which have been dras- spite the “nuclear provocation” ollowing this weekend’s barked on more intense train- sense of nationality in Hong as a rollicking liberty port for on Tuesday test launched an tically boosted,” the official of the test launch. historic visit of China’s ing and live-fi re drills in recent Kong.” Western servicemen dating Ffi rst aircraft carrier, Hong months, including helicopter The Hong Kong garrison has back to the Cold War. Kong is expected to play host to exercises. yet to respond to Reuters’ ques- Trevor Hollingsbee, a more frequent military displays “The days of visiting US tions, while a Hong Kong gov- former naval intelligence as Beijing seeks new ways of ships and sailors being the ernment spokesmen referred analyst with the British De- Katy Perry promo slammed for ‘cruel’ koala joke forging nationalist sentiment most obvious military fi gures inquiries to the PLA. fence Ministry, said that with Pop superstar Katy Perry has been slammed by level? Pathetic. Cruelty to animals is not a joke”, one across the free-wheeling fi nan- in Hong Kong is starting to die Under Hong Kong’s consti- its helicopters, ranks of light animal activists for telling her pet dog to “chase user wrote on Facebook. Following the backlash cial hub. out...there is a sense now that tution, the Chinese govern- tanks, air defence missiles some koalas” in a promotional video for the Austral- a Myer spokeswoman said the company had While the troops of the Peo- Hong Kong is ready for more ment is responsible for foreign and fast corvette ships the ian leg of her global tour. removed the reference to koalas in the video. ple’s Liberation Army stationed PLA displays,” said one foreign aff airs and defence. Hong Kong garrison was now The plug for Perry’s “Witness” tour next year, which It replaced the line with: “OK Nugget, it’s time to get in barracks across the former envoy. A recent article in the Despite living within a free stronger than the British units also pushes the country’s top department store you a puppy passport”. British colony will remain a Communist Party’s ideologi- and staunchly capitalist city they replaced — even though Myer and its 8,000 ticket giveaway for the shows, Perry is not the first celebrity to come under fire in low-key presence, more robust cal journal Qiushi, or Seeking for two decades, PLA troops Hong Kong was well protected featured the singer telling the poodle: “Let’s go Australia over her dog. public engagement and displays Truth, quoted senior PLA offi c- remain largely sealed within by the PLA’s broader southern chase some koalas, Nugget.” In 2015 Hollywood star Johnny Depp and his then- of China’s growing military ca- ers on the need to improve both their Hong Kong barracks, forces. Koalas on Australia’s east coast are listed as vulner- wife Amber Heard also caused a storm when they pabilities are likely, according combat capabilities and the kept away from local media “They remain a highly sym- able to extinction, with dog attacks, habitat loss failed to declare her two dogs on arrival into the to local offi cials, foreign envoys “safeguarding of sovereignty and fed a strict diet of Com- bolic presence and the whole and vehicle strikes among the top causes of the country. and analysts. through education” in Hong munist Party and military situation is a bit odd, in military population decline. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor drew the ire “The visit will help to stir Kong. propaganda, say those famil- terms,” he said. “This is just absolute ignorance from Perry and of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who the patriotism of Hong Kong An editorial in Hong Kong’s iar with the garrison. “Unlike the situation under Myer, and inappropriate on so many levels,” wildlife ordered Depp’s dogs Pistol and Boo to “bugger comrades and help people to pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po news- While some of the PLA’s the British, there is no com- vet Claire Madden told Queensland’s Courier Mail. off ” back to Hollywood or face being put down in a love the country and love Hong paper yesterday urged more Hong Kong properties sit just pelling strategic need to keep “Perry is a role model to so many young people, case dubbed War on Terrier. “Johnny Depp all over Kong more,” Ding Yi, a vice ad- military activities to stir na- 10 kilometres from the bor- such a force in Hong Kong it- and this just destroys all the good work we do to again,” complained one Facebook user on Myer’s miral of the Chinese navy, told tional feeling locally and “pro- der, they live a similar exist- self...and even if they do show try to encourage people not to let their dogs come page. “Arrogance and disrespect for Australia.” reporters after the Liaoning mote the return of the people’s ence to Chinese peacekeepers themselves more, they’ll ulti- into contact with koalas.” Perry, the first user to garner 100mn followers on steamed into Hong Kong waters hearts.” “We can see their (PLA) in far more potentially hostile mately be kept well away from The retailer also came under fire on social media. Twitter, has not commented about the video on fl anked by two Type 52 destroy- posture is starting to change states. the broader community.They’ll “How could you even think this was OK? On any social media. ers from its strike group. and they moving to a new role,” Their families are kept back remain deeply cautious about The 8,000-strong Hong said Zhang Baohui, a mainland in mainland China, and young Western infl uence.”

DEFENCE US bombers challenge Beijing Myanmar urged to grant in sea flyover At least 11 dead in Japan rain, Two US bombers have flown over Rohingya citizenship the disputed South China Sea, the US Air Force said yesterday, assert- ing the right to treat the region as in- rescuers dig through rubble Reuters ternational territory despite China’s Bangkok claim to virtually all of the waterway. The flight by the B-1B Lancer bomb- Reuters ers from Guam on Thursday came Asakura, Japan he head of the UN refu- as US President Donald Trump and gee agency urged Myan- Chinese President Xi Jinping pre- Tmar yesterday to grant pare for a meeting on the sidelines housands of Japanese citizenship to the Rohingya, a of a G20 summit in Germany. Asked rescuers searched yes- stateless Muslim minority in the about the flight by the two US Tterday for victims of Asian country where sectarian bombers, Chinese Foreign Ministry freak rains that have killed at violence has displaced tens of spokesman Geng Shuang said there least 11 people and left hun- thousands since 2012. UNHCR High Commissioner for was no problem with freedom of dreds cut off from the outside On his fi rst offi cial visit to Refugees Filippo Grandi gestures navigation or overflight for the East world by landslides. Southeast Asia, UN High Com- during a news conference at a and South China Seas. “But China Torrential rain hit south- missioner for Refugees Filippo hotel in Bangkok, yesterday. resolutely opposes individual coun- west Japan on Wednesday and Grandi this week met communi- tries using the banner of freedom of was still moving north yester- ties in the towns of Sittwe and opment investments that must navigation and overflight to flaunt day. Maungdaw in Myanmar’s Ra- be inclusive of the two commu- military force and harm China’s According to the latest fi g- khine state, home to a large pop- nities,” he said. sovereignty and security,” he said. ure, more than 140,000 people ulation of Rohingya Muslims. Last October, Rohingya insur- were under orders to evacuate He also met Aung San Suu Kyi, gents launched deadly attacks on their homes while authorities Myanmar’s de facto leader. Myanmar guard posts near the ELECTION issued new warnings of land- Tensions have risen again in Bangladesh border, provoking a Mongolians vote slides across the island of Ky- recent days after village admin- military crackdown in which the ushu. Parts of Fukuoka prefec- istrators were murdered and United Nations says hundreds in their first ture were hit by 600.5mm (24 troops killed three people while were killed, more than 1,000 presidential runoff inches) of rain in the 48 hours clearing a Rohingya militant homes burned and some 75,000 to 10:40am yesterday (0140 camp.“It’s important to work on Rohingya fl ed to Bangladesh. Mongolians cast ballots yesterday GMT), more than 1.5 times the granting citizenship to the Mus- The United Nations has es- in the country’s first-ever presiden- usual rain for the month, the lim community, that has been tablished a fact-fi nding mission tial runoff after the first round of meteorological agency said. deprived of citizenship for many to investigate crimes against hu- elections failed to produce a clear Eleven people had been years,” Grandi told reporters in manity allegedly committed by winner following campaigns tainted killed while 14 were unac- Bangkok. Myanmar’s military during the by corruption scandals. counted for, public broadcast- Japanese policemen and members of Self-Defence Forces (SDF) take part in search operations for Myanmar’s government re- counter-off ensive. Many voters in the resource-rich er NHK said. missing people at a flood area in Toho village, Fukuoka prefecture, yesterday. gards the approximately 1mn Suu Kyi’s administration has nation of 3mn people sandwiched “It came in from the back,” Rohingya as illegal migrants rejected the allegations and op- between Russia and China were one man told NHK as he gazed bris of splintered wood and ing that much,” said Sumie both largely rural but rivers from neighbouring Bangladesh poses the mission. so fed up with their politicians at his house, shattered by a mud hoping to reach about Umeyo, a resident of Asakura were also rising in the city of and denies them citizenship, In the latest unrest in the re- that they launched a campaign to surge of mud and wood. 500 people cut off by land- city. “But they spoke of record- Kitakyushu, which has a pop- even though Rohingya families gion, a Rohingya man was killed submit blank ballots. Businessman “The whole area has been slides, NHK reported. breaking rain and it started rain- ulation of some 950,000 and have lived there for generations. and six wounded when they were and judoka Khaltmaa Battulga of buried. There aren’t any words Large boulders and uproot- ing heavily, then they began issued evacuation orders for Grandi also said that more in- attacked by a mob of Rakhine the opposition Democratic Party for this,” the man said in a ed trees blocked streets as res- closing the roads.We looked several districts. vestment was needed in the re- Buddhists this week. (DP), who led the first round, faces quivering voice. idents with heavy bags picked outside and the roads were like The rain was caused by a low gion. In Thailand, more than parliament speaker Mieygombo About 12,300 soldiers, po- their way carefully through rivers,” Umeyo said. pressure area over the Pacifi c “It is one of the poorest states 102,000 refugees from Myan- Enkhbold of the ruling Mongolian licemen and fi remen clam- their neighbourhoods. Fukuoka and neighbouring that fed warm, moist air into in the Union of Myanmar and mar live in nine camps along the People’s Party (MPP). bered across expanses of de- “At fi rst, it wasn’t rain- Oita, the hardest hit areas, are Japan’s seasonal rainy front. there’s an urgent need for devel- Thai-Myanmar border. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, July 8, 2017 BRITAIN/IRELAND

TRIBUTE LAW AND ORDER REALTY TRAGEDY HEALTHCARE Man held in connection House price growth falls Girl, 14, dies after school Hospital to re-examine with Manchester attack to four-year low: Halifax minibus collision case of terminally ill baby

The police yesterday arrested a 19-year old man at House prices fell unexpectedly in June, dragging A 14-year-old girl has died after the minibus she The hospital treating a terminally ill baby boy an airport in northern England in connection with the annual rate of growth to the lowest level in and her schoolmates were travelling in during an yesterday said it would examine claims that he a suicide bomb attack in Manchester which killed four years in the latest sign that consumers are art trip was involved in a serious accident with a could be treated after US President Donald Trump 22 people after a pop concert in May. “The man shying away from major spending commitments. bin lorry. A second teenage girl has been taken to and Pope Francis drew international attention to was arrested on suspicion of off ences contrary The average cost of a home fell by 1% over the hospital with minor injuries following the collision the case. The hospital had been due to withdraw to the Terrorism Act and remains in custody,” month to £218,390 according to Halifax, one of yesterday and several others were treated at the life support for Charlie Gard after his parents lost Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. It was the scene, emergency services said. The bus was appeals in British courts and the European Court of Off icers said the man was held at Liverpool’s first drop reported by Halifax in five months and carrying 21 students from year 9 and year 12 and Human Rights to have him undergo experimental John Lennon airport and they were a searching surprised economists who had forecast a 0.2% three teachers from John Taylor high school in treatment. “Two international hospitals and their a property in the south of the city, located near increase. Annual house price inflation fell from Burton-on-Trent, Staff ordshire. An ambulance researchers have communicated to us as late as to where the attacker Salman Abedi, 22, lived. 3.3% in May to 2.6% in June, the weakest since spokesman said the girl “suff ered serious injuries the last 24 hours that they have fresh evidence London mayor, Sadiq Khan, pays his respects at It is understood that the arrested suspect is not May 2013. Martin Ellis, a housing economist in the collision and it immediately became about their proposed experimental treatment,” the Hyde Park memorial on the anniversary of Hashem Abedi, the younger brother of suicide at Halifax, said house prices had flattened as apparent that nothing could be done to save her Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children said in a the 7/7 attacks in London yesterday. bomber Salman Abedi, who is being held in Libya. consumers took a more cautious view. and she was confirmed dead at the scene”. statement. Grenfell Tower Harry in Leeds fi re probe chief heckled by angry residents

Guardian News and Media “That’s my job, that’s my train- London ing, and that’s what I intend to do. Now if I can’t satisfy you because you have some preconception he chair of the inquiry into about me as a person that’s up to the Grenfell Tower disaster, you.” Andrea Newton, vice-chair TSir Martin Moore-Bick, has of Lancaster West Residents Asso- been accused of failing to com- ciation, said afterwards: “We are mand the respect of survivors and calling on Theresa May to allow residents, who asked him to take three further weeks for residents more time to draw up the terms of to make submissions on the terms reference when he met them. of reference. One person present said that “We are not in a position to go the retired judge “lost the room” on holiday. We are still grieving at the almost three-hour meeting and need time to organise.” She Prince Harry arrives for a visit to the Leeds Children’s Hospital in Yorkshire yesterday. in a north Kensington community said that Moore-Bick had listened centre. to residents. “I don’t care which Joe Delaney, of the Grenfell judge presides over the inquiry Action Group, said Moore-Bick but they need to give us longer to “wasn’t jeered or booed. It was (make submissions in the terms of more scepticism. You could hear reference).” people sighing and tutting.” A civil servant who was with “It got a bit loud before the end. the judge described the meeting The man couldn’t even control the as “lively”. There was no mass de- crowd and hold them. I have heard mand for the former judge to stand public speakers who can shut up a down. Corbyn critics win poll stadium full of thousands of peo- The session, which began at ple. This man couldn’t hold a room 7pm, was held in Latymer com- with 200 or so people,” Delaney munity church in the shadow of told BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday the burnt-out shell of Grenfell morning. Tower. The building’s windows Though the former appeal court and walls were still plastered with judge was heckled, he left saying notices seeking information about to key Labour panel that the exercise had been “very missing victims of the inferno. It useful”. Much of the heated de- was organised by the Lancaster Guardian News and Media of the party, and Ian Mearns, a deselection by local members fi cials disavowed the comments the existing trigger ballot sys- bate revolved around problems West Residents Association and London staunch supporter of Corbyn, who do not feel they have been but Labour MPs such as John tem is the way forward. I do of parliamentary timetables and open to residents of the surround- did not have enough support suffi ciently loyal to the leader- Woodcock claimed it was an at- believe constituencies have the anger that MPs’ holidays should ing estates whose identities were from fellow MPs to make the ship. tempt to intimidate her while on right to select their candidate apparently dictate the pace of the checked at the door. ritics of Jeremy Corbyn cut. Allies of the leader, including maternity leave. and that’s the current system. I inquiry. A couple of residents who have won election to the The elections show that crit- the shadow minister Chris Wil- Momentum, the grassroots don’t see any need to drastically Moore-Bick had told the meet- emerged before the end of the Cparty’s parliamentary ics of the leadership in the par- liamson, have been open about group, was also forced to play change the rules. ing he was eager to resolve the meeting said that they had given committee, as the struggle be- liamentary party are not ceding suggesting MPs should be bet- down a list of 49 Labour MPs “We need to do what we did terms of reference for the inquiry the judge a “run for his money”. tween allies and opponents of power lightly to Corbyn, despite ter held to account by the party who should “join the Liberals”, at the election: young people as soon as possible so that he could One added: “He’s not giving any the leader continues despite a the strengthening of his posi- membership. which was posted by a branch in from the Progress side and the start taking evidence. For that to answers but I suppose he can’t do new eight-point poll lead for tion after Labour performed be- “Those MPs who are popular South Tyneside. A spokesman Momentum side joining forces happen, parliament must receive that yet.” Melvyn Akins, 34, said Labour. yond expectations in the general with their members, which may for the movement said it had together, enthused and wanting notice before the summer recess residents felt frustrated, angry and Among those elected to the election. well be the vast majority, should been taken down as it did not Labour to win. on July 20. confused. “It was always going to infl uential backbench body, A poll for YouGov and the have no problem getting rese- accord with its national values “We took giant strides under “I can’t do more than assure you be an uphill struggle (for the chair which has a weekly meeting Times has put Labour eight lected. But it’s unreasonable to and that Momentum centrally is Jeremy at the election just gone that I know what it is to be impar- of the inquiry),” he said. “People with Corbyn, were Neil Coyle, points ahead of the Conserva- think we as MPs can avoid any not supporting the idea of dese- and we’re knocking on the door tial,” Moore-Bick told the meet- feel abandoned. Graham Jones, Angela Smith tives on 46% of the vote, sug- contest,” he said. lections. of 10 Downing Street. It’s not a ing. “He was saying he was going to and Ruth Smeeth. They will gesting Corbyn could win a na- There was also a furore on Ian Lavery, the Labour party pipe dream – we’ll win the next “I’ve been a judge for 20 years, look into things but the residents now play a role in the commit- tional vote. Thursday after a new party of- chairman, attempted to calm election and that’s why the To- and I give you my word that I will have many immediate needs. Peo- tee’s work as shop stewards for Given Corbyn’s strong posi- fi cer in Wavertree warned the concerns among MPs yesterday, ries are running scared. We have look into this matter to the very ple believe arrests should be made the party’s backbenchers. tion, many in the centrist wing Labour MP Luciana Berger that telling the Mirror: “I don’t see to pick up the cudgel and run best of my ability and fi nd the facts and if there aren’t arrests then jus- Clive Lewis, seen as a poten- of the party are gearing up for a she needed to “get on board” deselection as the way forward.” with the idea that we can be in as I see them from the evidence. tice won’t have been done.” tial future leader from the left battle against the possibility of with the leader. Other local of- He added: “What I believe is offi ce in a short period of time.” Vandalism fears must not Official visit Gems worth £3mn stolen from art fair stop Thatcher statue: May London Evening Standard stealing items from the stand of London the Switzerland-based jewellers Boghossian. Police are examining AFP has attracted vandals in the past. objected saying it was not sure CCTV footage but there were London In 2002, a protester decapitated Thatcher’s family approved. etectives were yesterday reportedly no witnesses to the an Italian marble statue of Thatch- “Numerous times we have re- investigating the theft of theft, which took place between er in London’s Guildhall Library. quested assurances from the ap- Dup to £3mn worth of jewel- 5pm on Tuesday and 9.30am on rime Minister Theresa May Following her death, graffi ti plicant that they have approval lery from an art and antiques fair Wednesday. called for plans to put up a went up around London including from the family for the statue. To in Chelsea. A source at the fair said the ex- Pstatue of “Iron Lady” Mar- one mural reading “Burn in Hell date we have not had those assur- Thieves stole the gems from a hibition had been protected by se- garet Thatcher outside the parlia- Maggie”. ances,” the Royal Parks said in a stand at the Masterpiece art fair, curity guards and that organisers ment to go ahead despite concerns Responding to a planning ap- letter. Ivan Saxton, the co-founder which is monitored by round-the- were working with police. Workers it could be targeted by vandals. plication for Thatcher’s statue to of the Public Memorials Appeal clock security teams. there said they were “amazed” by “I understand there are a be put up in Parliament Square, a Trust which raised funds for the One theory is that the crime the audacity of the theft. number of issues that have been conservation group said a prin- statue, last year said that Thatch- involved professional thieves who One said: “There were security raised around the statue,” the ciple of leaving a 10-year gap be- er’s daughter Carol was opposed to used distraction techniques. (staff ) everywhere. It was not the Conservative leader told the BBC tween the death of a subject and because “there’s no handbag”. A worker at the event likened normal hospital security — these yesterday. the installation of a statue should Thatcher was famous for her it to the Pink Panther jewel theft were all suited and booted and re- “There should be no sugges- be adhered to. wide selection of handbags, which fi lms. The fair boasts of being a ally meant business. I am very sur- tion that the threat of vandalism “While Lady Thatcher was also became a symbol of steadfastness, “leading international event” for prised this has happened.” should stop a statue of Margaret widely respected it cannot be said and can now fetch tens of thou- viewing and buying the “fi nest The fair was held in a tented Thatcher from being put up,” said that she was uncontroversial in sands of pounds at auctions. works of art”. structure in the hospital grounds. May, who has dismissed parallels this country,” The Thorney Island Her programme of privatisa- Among the 44,000 visitors at The artworks were yesterday be- with her fearsome predecessor. Society said. tions and deregulation helped turn this year’s event in the grounds of ing removed from the site follow- The plan is to put up the “There is a strong case for the around Britain’s ailing economy the Royal Hospital Chelsea were ing the end of the exhibition. £300,000 bronze statue on Par- 10-year rule to be respected — and she is also credited with play- Kirstie Allsopp and Andrew Lloyd Last month, an article in maga- liament Square next to political there should be a decent inter- ing a leading role in ending the Webber. zine The Jewellery Editor de- greats such as wartime prime min- val before permanent statues are Cold War. Princess Takamado of Japan (right), Irish President Items on sale included a one- scribed how Boghossian “lights ister Winston Churchill and In- erected, especially when they are But she remains a divisive Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina walk through off 1968 Riva Lamborghini for just up Masterpiece London 2017 with dian independence icon Mahatma controversial enough to risk van- fi gure, particularly in Britain’s the gardens of his residence Aras an Uachtarain. The under £2mn and a light installa- a dazzling array of jewels”. No one Gandhi. Thatcher, who was Con- dalism.” working-class heartlands, which princess visited a Kaduura tree planted by Crown tion by the Chilean artist Ivan Na- was available to comment from servative prime minister between The Royal Parks organisation, suff ered devastating industrial Prince Akihito in 1985, at Phoenix Park, Dublin, during varro for £700,000. the company, which is based in 1979 and 1990, died in 2013 aged which manages the land on which decline as a result of the economic her visit to the country. The thieves are thought to Geneva but opened a store in Bond 87, leaving a divisive legacy that the statue would be installed, also rebalancing. have struck overnight this week, Street in 2013. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 9 EUROPE

MIGRATION LEGAL CRIME POLITICS DEFENCE Three Swedish men get Mugs with Hitler image Bags full of cash: Sarkozy Russia releases opposition Austria to end Eurofighter jail for bomb attacks seized at airport aide convicted of tax fraud leader Navalny from jail programme early: minister

Three men with ties to the Swedish neo-Nazi Customs Germany have a warning for A former adviser to former French president Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny walked Austria plans to end its Eurofighter jet programme movement were sentenced yesterday to up holidaymakers on souvenirs and other kitsch: Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted yesterday of tax free yesterday after 25 days in jail for organising early and replace it with a cheaper fleet of aircraft to eight and a half years in prison for bomb Coff ee mugs with Hitler’s portrait, swastikas fraud and money laundering after being caught unauthorised protests against President Putin’s bought or leased from another government, its attacks in western Sweden over the past and other Nazi symbols are strictly prohibited. trying to take hundreds of thousands of euros in rule. “Today at 9am (0600 GMT) Alexei Navalny defence minister said yesterday amid a legal year. Viktor Melin, 23, received the longest Such items are freely available, for example, cash out of France. Boris Boillon, 47, was given a was taken from the cell block to the Moscow battle over the jets with Airbus. Austria sued the sentence for carrying out bomb attacks on a in countries like Bulgaria, but their import one-year suspended prison sentence and barred central district police department and they have Eurofighter consortium in February, alleging left-wing bookstore and an asylum centre and into Germany is banned. “This is not a trivial from holding public off ice for five years. Customs now let him out of there,” his spokeswoman deception and fraud linked to a near 2bn euro an attempted bombing of a second asylum off ence: It’s a crime,” a customs spokesman stopped Boillon at Paris’s Gare du Nord railway Kira Yarmysh wrote on Twitter. The 41-year-old jet order in 2003. Austria’s 15 Eurofighters jets centre. One man was seriously wounded in the said. A 39-year-old man was caught with 13 such station in July 2013 with luggage stuff ed with was sentenced to 25 days in police cells for could be phased out from 2020. The use of the asylum centre attack. A 50-year old man, Jimmy dubious mugs in his luggage at Dusseldorf 350,000 euros and $40,000 in undeclared cash organising a day of protests on June 12 against Eurofighter planes for 30 years — the normal Jonasson, was sentenced to five years in prison airport, and a criminal case has been launched as he was about to board for Belgium. The court off icial corruption and Putin’s rule that saw life span — would cost up to 5bn, largely for for assisting in two of the attacks and a 20-year against him. The cups will be destroyed after the ordered the seizure of the funds and the payment more than 1,700 detained. A crowd of some maintenance. Buying a new fleet comprised of 15 old man, Anton Thulin, got one year and six investigation. It was likely that the man was not a of a fine of 95,036 euros as well as the payment of 50 journalists and supporters as well as four single-seater and three twin-seater supersonic jets months for assisting in the attempted bombing. right-wing extremist. 30,000 euros to the French government. members of pro-Kremlin groups were waiting. over the same period could be 2bn cheaper. Turkish Deputy PM unwelcome, say Dutch

Reuters key’s relations with Western Amsterdam countries, which have stepped up their criticism of Ankara’s record on democracy and hu- he Dutch cabinet said man rights. yesterday Turkey’s Dep- Turkey says the crackdown Tuty Prime Minister Tu- is necessary because of the grul Turkes was not welcome gravity of the security threats to visit the Netherlands for a facing it. ceremony among Turkish ex- Turkish authorities have patriates to commemorate the seized or appointed an ad- anniversary of last year’s failed ministrator to 965 companies military coup in Turkey. with total annual sales of some Relations between the Nato 21.9bn lira ($6bn) in the year allies deteriorated sharply in since an attempted coup in July Demonstrators face policemen during a protest in Hamburg. March when the Dutch, on the 2016, Deputy Prime Minister eve of their national election, Nurettin Canikli said yesterday. barred Turkish ministers from Under the emergency rule speaking at rallies of ethnic imposed after the coup, Turk- Turks in the Netherlands, cit- ish authorities took control of ing security concerns. companies suspected of having President Tayyip Erdogan, links to followers of Fethullah who wanted to encourage Turks Gulen, the US-based Muslim living in Europe to back his plans cleric blamed by Ankara for the G20 protesters force in a referendum for increased failed military takeover. powers, accused the Nether- The 965 companies under lands of acting like a “banana state management control, republic” and his foreign minis- based in 43 provinces across ter described the country as the Turkey, have assets totalling “capital of fascism”. some 41bn lira ($11.3bn) and “In view of the current con- employ 46,357 people, Canikli Melania to cancel tour dition of the bilateral relation- said in a written statement. ship...the cabinet fi nds a visit Turkey took control of a Police have called for reinforcements them to disperse in a peaceful manner. by the Turkish deputy prime bank, industrial companies from other cities There were clashes with police as the minister or any other member and media fi rms as part of the demonstrators gathered at piers on the of the Turkish government un- crackdown on companies ac- DPA banks of the Elbe River and at the busy desirable,” the Dutch cabinet cused of links to Gulen. Hamburg traffi c junction Berliner Tor. said in a statement. He has denied involvement More than 1,000 people dressed in “This decision is logical in in the putsch. white and purple set off from the piers, view of the events in March,” it The purge has alarmed Tur- amburg police have requested ur- chanting, “Get lost! Get lost!” Police added. key’s Western allies and human gent backup from across Germany used batons against the demonstrators, Turkey has said it plans com- rights groups, who say Presi- Hto contain violent protests on the witnesses said. At Berliner Tor more than memoration events in several dent Tayyip Erdogan is using fi rst day of the Group of 20 summit that 200 people charged, leading to scuffl es European cities that have a large the coup as a pretext to muzzle caused delays for US President Donald with police. Police helicopters were cir- ethnic Turkish diaspora and the dissent, a charge he denies. Trump and trapped his wife, Melania, in- cling overhead. foreign ministry in Ankara crit- Anti-terror offi cers in Is- side her residence. “Our aim is fi rst to get into the blue icised the Dutch stance. tanbul detained 29 suspected Police confi rmed that urgent backup has zone, then ultimately into the red zone,” “The statement...is telling in members of the Islamic State been requested due to the “many crimes” German police charge protesters. A car on fire in Hamburg. said Christian Blank of the anti-globalisa- terms of this country’s under- jihadist group who were alleg- being committed across Hamburg. tion group Attac. standing of democracy”, Turk- edly preparing a “sensational A state offi cial said that 200 cersoffi arson attacks on civilian and police cars, while rioters threw incendiary devices at a “Once there we want to paint it with our ish foreign ministry spokes- attack” in Turkey, police said were already en route to the city from the smashed windows and other damage to nearby train station and set patrol cars on colours according to our motto ‘colour the man Huseyin Muftuoglu said. yesterday. south-western state of Baden-Wuerttem- property, and an attack on a police heli- fi re, German police tweeted. red zone’. We want to send out a signal to- Military offi cers attempted Twenty-two foreigners were burg. copter. Police advised people to avoid the day, we want to bring our topics today to to overthrow Erdogan and his among those detained in over- A spokeswoman for Melania Trump told Police said that 20 protesters had at- area and keep their distance from the the man and woman on the street.” government last July in a coup night raids, the Istanbul police DPA that the fi rst lady was unable to leave tacked security guards at Hamburg’s Hotel rioters. The group Block G20 — Colour the Red attempt that quickly collapsed. headquarters said, without her residence for G20-related events be- Park Hyatt, which is hosting Russian Pres- Another 200-strong sit-in block- Zone had announced earlier that its mem- Erdogan accused European giving details of their nation- cause her team had “not received the all- ident Vladimir Putin, South Korean Presi- ing traffi c at a crossing near Hamburg’s bers would use whatever means they could governments of being slow and alities. Police seized several clear from police to leave”. dent Moon Jae In and Australian Prime Schanzenviertel district was cleared by to disrupt the summit. Police corralled insuffi ciently vigorous in their electronic devices and one gun Earlier, police physically removed more Minister Malcolm Turnbull. police without the use of water cannon. some 200 members of the group by St condemnation of the coup, in during the operation. than 80 protesters from a road near Ham- A police helicopter was targeted with A DPA photographer saw between 25 Michael’s Church in the centre of the city. which more than 240 people The 29 detained, many of burg’s Outer Alster lake, which was part a signal fl are, but the device narrowly and 30 burnt-out cars on the Elbchausee Police said that 111 offi cers were injured on were killed. whom had fought in war zones, of a possible route from Trump’s hotel to missed the vehicle, police said, adding that riverside boulevard. Thursday when the 12,000-strong “Wel- Since then, Turkey has jailed were part of an IS cell about to the summit venue. Police had earlier been protesters had smashed the windows of Television footage showed other burn- come to Hell” protest turned violent. more than 50,000 people commit a “sensational attack” unable to disperse them with water can- the Mongolian consulate and slashed the ing cars in the Blankenese district of Ham- Twenty-nine people were detained pending trial and suspended in Turkey, police said without non. tyres of a car belonging to the Canadian burg. Black smoke could be seen rising overnight to Friday, with 15 remanded in or dismissed some 150,000, giving further details. Trump’s entourage ended up taking the delegation. over the west of the city. custody, police said. including soldiers, teachers Turkish police on Wednes- long way around the city, resulting in a de- German Finance Minister Wolfgang At the same time, hundreds of demon- Protesters attacked police with bot- and civil servants, over alleged day detained six suspected layed arrival at the venue, where German Schaeuble was forced to skip an event in strators in various parts of the city tried to tles, fi recrackers and other objects, while links with the exiled Muslim members of IS planning a Chancellor Angela Merkel was waiting to central Hamburg on the sidelines of the break through the security cordon around shop windows were smashed as protest- cleric Ankara blames for the bomb attack on an opposition greet him. summit because due to the security threat, the meeting venue to disrupt the begin- ers roved through the city.Some 100,000 failed coup. protest march led by the Re- Authorities were dealing with a series of organisers said. ning of the summit. people are expected to join the main G20 The large-scale purges have publican People’s Party (CHP) protests across the city yesterday, includ- A police station in the Altona district Several junctions were blockaded by protest taking place at Hamburg’s Deich- added to the strains in Tur- leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. ing two sit-ins blocking traffi c, dozens of of the city was attacked earlier on Friday, the demonstrators. Police have asked torplatz today.Business page 1 Italy should admit ‘fi xed number’ of migrants

AFP a fl ood of migrants, mostly sub-Saha- backed an urgent European Commis- start of the year — an increase of 46% Offi cials had been expecting to move and hygiene concerns and causing ten- Rome ran Africans, crossing the Mediterrane- sion plan to help crisis-hit Italy, which compared with the first six months of out 1,600 migrants, but according to sions with locals. an Sea from Libya, a journey that has so earmarks 35mn euros ($40mn) in aid 2016. Francois Ravier, a senior regional offi - Europe’s migrant infl ux began in far claimed more than 2,200 lives this for Rome as well as proposals for work- Paris police on Friday moved out cial, “experience shows that there are 2015, centring on Greece, where hun- ormer Italian prime minister year, UN fi gures show. ing with Libya and other countries to nearly 2,800 migrants who had been always more people than estimated”. dreds of thousands of people, many Matteo Renzi, the head of the rul- According to the International Or- stem the fl ow of migrants. living rough in the north of the city, Paris became a gathering point for mi- of them fl eeing war and poverty in the Fing Democratic Party, yesterday ganization for Migration (IOM), the The ex-Italian premier also warned in the latest operation to ease strains grants after the closure last October of Middle East and Afghanistan, crossed said Italy should allow only a “fi xed country has accepted around 85,000 of that countries which fail to help with caused by a human infl ux to Europe. the notorious “Jungle” near Calais — a from Turkey. number” of migrants into the country the 100,000 people who have arrived the migrant crisis “will suff er the con- The evacuation, which went ahead makeshift camp near the Channel coast The crisis receded in 2016 under an as it grapples with a wave of people ar- this year — an infl ux that has revived sequences” in upcoming European Un- smoothly, entailed moving out mi- where thousands lived in the hope of agreement with Turkey to clamp down riving by sea from North Africa. fears of a return to the European Un- ion budget negotiations. grants who had been living around climbing aboard trucks or trains to get on illegal border crossings. “There has to be a fi xed number of ion’s migrant crisis of 2015, when hun- “These countries that take Italy’s an aid centre set up in the Porte de la into Britain. However, it revived this year, focus- arrivals. dreds of thousands of people arrived on money but build walls, if we become Chapelle area last November. Friday’s evacuation was the 34th to ing instead on sea crossings from Libya We should not feel guilty if we are not the continent in search of a better life. tougher and more determined in the The Paris regional authority said take place in Paris in the last two years. to Italy, mostly by people from sub-Sa- able to welcome everyone,” Renzi said The massive wave has also exacer- discussions for the (EU) 2020-2026 2,771 people, including 161 described The previous operation was on May haran Africa. in a video posted on his party’s website. bated tensions with neighbouring Aus- budget in the coming months, they will as “vulnerable”, were taken mainly to 9, when more than 1,600 migrants were On Thursday, EU interior ministers “We have to save everyone, but we tria, which this week threatened to send suff er the consequences,” he said. school gymnasiums that have become moved out from the same area. pledged to back a plan to help Italy, are not able to welcome everyone into troops to its border with Italy to stop Government data released Thurs- available during the summer holidays. Aid workers said around 200 more which has accepted around 85,000 Italy,” he said. migrants entering. day showed that Italy has received Charity groups took part in the op- migrants had been coming into the area people since the start of the year and Italy has been struggling to cope with On Thursday, EU interior ministers 73,000 asylum applications since the eration. every week recently, raising security says it is overwhelmed. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, July 8, 2017 INDIA

LAW AND ORDER CLOSE CALL CONTROVERSY TRAGEDY PEOPLE Curfew imposed in Maharashtra CM again Film censor board chief Mumbai siblings drown Actor Vikram arrested for Burhan Wani’s hometown escapes copter accident snubs Congress leader as water pipeline bursts model’s death in car crash

Curfew was imposed yesterday in slain Hizbul Mu- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani yesterday Two minor siblings yesterday drowned when Actor Vikram Chatterjee was yesterday arrested jahideen commander Burhan Wani’s hometown had a narrow escape yesterday when his helicop- wondered why Mumbai Congress president a water pipeline suddenly burst and washed in connection with the death of model Sonika Tral in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district ter took off suddenly as he was about to board Sanjay Nirupam had penned a letter to the Cen- them away near the Indira Nagar slums in Chauhan in a car accident, police said. Vikram ahead of his first death anniversary. As pro- it in Raigad district, a top off icial said. According tral Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demand- Mumbai, officials said. The children, nine-year was at the wheel on April 29 when the accident Burhan Wani posters appeared at many places to Raigad’s acting collector P D Malikner, the ing that Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar - on old Priyanka Doiphode and her infant brother, happened. He was intercepted by the police while in south Kashmir districts of Pulwama, Kulgam, incident happened when Fadnavis came to the the Emergency period - be screened for the eight-month-old Vignesh, were washed away in travelling in a car near a south Kolkata Mall at Shopian and Anantnag, authorities clamped an JSW Steel Company’s helipad in Alibaug and was party ahead of its release to “ensure that our the gushing water as the 72-inch pipeline burst. around 12.15am. Vikram has already been charged indefinite curfew in Tral. All roads leading to the preparing to board the waiting helicopter. “As the leaders are not shown in a bad light”. Why is he The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder town have been sealed and contingents of police CM came near the door, the chopper suddenly asking the CBFC to show him the film? It is not Mumbai Fire Brigade and the Disaster Manage- and rash and negligent driving. According to the and Central Reserve Police Force were deployed. took off , tilted sideways and hovered around two- our property for us to show it to him. He should ment Cell were activated for rescue and relief police, the car’s forensic report revealed its speed The Jammu-Srinagar national highway is being three feet in the air... its rotating wings came very ask the producer or director,” Nihalani said. The operations. Both the siblings were declared was between 95 to 115km per hour a few seconds manned by multi-layered security provided by the close to his head,” Malikner said. However, an alert letter emerged in the media on Tuesday. The dead on arrival at the Bhabha Hospital Bandra before the accident. During police interrogation, army, the CRPF, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, security personnel acted swiftly, lunging forward CBFC chairperson saw no reason to react to and V N Desai Hospital in Santacruz, an official the actor confessed to consuming alcohol on the the Sashastra Seema Bal and state police. to save the CM from any injury, Malikner added. the letter. from the Bandra police station said. night of the accident.

Rahul Protest cripples Bengaluru questions Lalu alleges premier’s ‘silence’ on China issue political plot

IANS New Delhi as CBI raids ongress vice-president Rahul Gandhi yesterday Cquestioned the govern- ment on the stand-off with Chi- na on the border and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the issue. target family “Why is our prime minister si- lent on China?” Gandhi tweeted. IANS and 2014 this land was trans- ya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for Following Gandhi’s tweet, New Delhi/Patna ferred at a very low cost to Lara conspiring against him because Congress spokesperson Randeep Projects owned by Lalu Prasad’s the government wanted him to Singh Surjewala also hit out at family. surrender before them. the government, saying Modi’s he Central Bureau of In- “The land was valued at Rs320 “This is a conspiracy against silence was baffl ing even as con- vestigation (CBI) yester- as per the circle rates and the me and my family. Modi is going frontation with China was esca- Tday carried out raids at the market rate was Rs940mn at the towards dictatorship.” lating. residences of Rashtriya Janata time. It was transferred to Lara He said the raids were be- Surjewala said in tweets that Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad, his Projects at a mere Rs6.5mn.” cause he had initiated a politi- the government should spell out wife Rabri and son Tejashwi Ya- Lalu dismissed the allega- cal movement against the BJP. its response as China was using dav, who is Bihar’s deputy chief tions saying the railway’s cater- “On August 27, we are holding provocative and aggressive lan- minister, for allegedly receiving a ing service is an autonomous rallies in Bihar to tell the peo- guage. three-acre plot of land as a pay- body and “not a single file from ple how me and my family are He said it is the government’s off in leasing two railway hotels it comes to the railways minis- being attacked due to political solemn duty to protect its and to a private company when Lalu ter”. vendetta,” Lalu Prasad told the Bhutan’s borders and territory. was railways minister. “I dare anybody to show that press in Ranchi. “As confrontation escalates, Lalu has denied the charges there was one fi le, one approval, However, the government yes- PM’s silence on China is baf- and dubbed the Central Bureau which I gave as railways minister. terday said it had nothing to do fl ing. How did the situation spi- of Investigation (CBI) raids a po- In 2006, some hotels were given with the case. ral? Why did the government not litical conspiracy done at the be- to private parties through open Union Information and Broad- consult political parties? China hest of the Bharatiya Janata Party tender to the highest bidder.” casting Minister M Venkaiah & Chinese ambassador are us- (BJP)-led central government. He also sought to know how Naidu said it was a “fashion” ing provocative and aggressive Scores of CBI offi cials searched his son Tejashwi, a minor then, these days to blame the BJP-led language vis-a-vis Indo-China at least a dozen locations in Del- and wife Rabri - a former chief central government for anything standoff . Will the PM tell what’s hi, Gurugram, Patna, Ranchi and minister - who was not holding and everything “to cover up their our response?,” Surjewala asked. Bhubaneswar. any offi ce at the time were made own faults”. The Congress attack came as CBI additional director Rakesh accused in the case. “The law is taking its own Modi and Chinese President Xi Asthana said Lalu had illegally The RJD leader blamed Prime course. The government or the Jinping met in Hamburg, Ger- favoured Sujata Hotels through Minister Narendra Modi, BJP party (the BJP) has no role in it,” many, yesterday, smiled, shook the Indian Railways Catering and chief Amit Shah and the Rashtri- Naidu said in Delhi. hands and held a conversation on Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) a range of issues at a BRICS lead- when he was railways minister ers’ informal gathering. from 2004 to 2009. Tejashwi Yadav calls Republic TV ‘anti-national’ Surjewala also sought to know Asthana said the tender for how the stalemate in ties could the development, maintenance RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s younger to calm his son. Reacting to be resolved. He also took a dig and operation of BNR Hotels in son and Bihar deputy chief min- Tejashwi’s remarks, Republic TV at Modi’s remarks in which he Ranchi and Puri was “rigged” to ister Tejashwi Yadav yesterday channel editor-in-chief Arnab appreciated the momentum in favour Sujata Hotels in exchange lashed out at an English news Goswami said, “If Lalu and his Brics under the chairmanship of for 10 plots comprising three- channel reporter during a press son calls Republic TV anti-na- President Xi. acres in Patna’s Shaguna More conference in Patna and dubbed tional, I take it as a compliment.” “Will the PM tell the nation area. the channel “anti-national”. After the press conference, Lalu’s what’s the way forward to solve A case was registered on July 5 When a Republic TV news supporters were seen signalling the stalemate or if heaping praise for “criminal conspiracy, cheat- channel reporter posed a query the Republic TV reporter to leave. is the only way forward? ing and criminal misconduct,” on the raids, an angry Tejashwi After its launch earlier this year, “India’s solemn duty is to pro- Asthana said. responded, “Your channel is an the news channel has carried tect its and Bhutan’s borders and Bengaluru witnessed traff ic chaos yesterday as metro train services were shut due to a “Three acres of land in west- anti-national news channel. We out “exposes” on the RJD chief, territory. What is the govern- protest by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) staff yesterday. The staff were ern Patna was transferred by De- have completely boycotted your alleging corruption and also on ment and PM doing to address protesting the arrest of their colleagues by the police after a clash between BMRCL staff and light Marketing Company that is channel,” the state minister said. his “connection” with jailed Siwan these strategic concerns?” he the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force personnel on Thursday. known to the Yadav family,” he Lalu Prasad was seen trying don Shahbuddin. asked. said, adding that between 2010 Admissions process to Politician detained Railway station IITs halted by top court sheds colonial name AFP changing the name of Mumbai’s Mumbai main railway station, built in the IANS It further directed the regis- students have already taken place 1880s, from Victoria Terminus to New Delhi trar generals of the high courts and they have been admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. to inform them by today of the the IITs. In all there are about uthorities are moving to Lord Elphinstone was the gov- nature of cases and the number 36,000 seats. strip Mumbai’s railway ernor of Bombay Presidency from he Supreme Court yes- of petitioners involved in respect Venugopal told the court that Astations of their British 1853 to 1860 and after the station terday ordered a halt to of JEE-IIT-Advanced pending of the two petitioners before it, names, an offi cial said yesterday, named for him was changed on Tfurther counselling and before them. one has already got admission to as leaders seek to purge the city Tuesday a Shiv Sena MP said he admissions to IITs in respect of The court directed that the IIT Bombay. of remnants of its colonial past. had other stations in his sights. entrance tests under JEE-Ad- copy of its order be communi- The court was told that “one Elphinstone Road station — “I have demanded that Currey vanced across the country. cated to all the registrar generals. petitioner had secured 185 marks named after a British-era governor Road station be named Lalbaugh, “No counselling or admission to Observing that the uniform ap- out of total of 366 and the second — offi cially became Prabhadevi Sandhurst Road station as Dongri, the seats in ITT JEE-Advanced shall plication of seven marks strikes at petitioner has already taken ad- station this week, and ministers Reay Road as Ghodapdeo, Cot- take place until further orders,” said the root of Article 14 (equality be- mission in IIT Bombay”. say more changes are in the works. ton Green as Kalachowki, Mum- the bench of justice Dipak Misra and fore law), the bench indicated that Appearing for the petitioners’ “We are working to rename rail- bai Central as Nana Chowk, Grant justice A M Khanwilkar as it directed it may opt for the “re-evaluation” candidates, senior counsel Vikas way stations as per locally known Road as Gaondevi, etc,” the Press the further hearing of the matter on of the answer sheets. Singh said bonus marks could names instead of older names,” Trust of India news agency quoted July 10. The court also indicated the not be given to someone who had Diwakar Raote, transport minister politician Arvind Sawant as saying. The court’s order came on pe- option that those who have not attempted the two questions for Maharashtra said. Critics say the name changes titions by two candidates who not attempted these two ques- which contained the error. Raote is a member of the Shiv are a cynical ploy to appeal to the have challenged the grant of sev- tions would be left out but those He said that there were thou- Sena, a local Hindu national- local Maratha community which en marks to all the candidates for who have attempted it, right or sands of students who have se- ist party which pushed through make up the bulk of Shiva Sena’s errors in two questions - one in wrong, will get the marks. cured same marks in the merit the renaming of India’s fi nancial support base, while historians chemistry and other in maths - Appearing for the central gov- list. About 2.35 lakh students capital from the British name lament any attempt to eradicate in the Hindi version of the paper. ernment, attorney general K K appeared in IIT JEE-Advanced Bombay to the local Marathi the city’s history. While the chemistry question Venugopal told the bench that examination. Actress-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly was detained name Mumbai in 1995. “(Name changes) are an eras- carried three marks, the maths the “problem will have to be Last Friday, the Supreme Court by police near Michael Nagar area when she along with It is currently the junior partner ure of our city’s past. Every historic question was of four marks. solved and it was impossible to had sought the government’s re- other BJP leaders was on her way to the riot-hit Baduria in a coalition with the Bharatiya milestone in the city’s development The bench also ordered that identify who answered in Hindi sponse to a petition challenging area in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district yesterday. Janata Party in Maharashtra and is being whitewashed as those un- no high court will entertain any papers”. the grant of seven extra marks to The situation in communal violence-hit Baduria and its has long campaigned for colonial dertaking these renaming exer- petition in respect of the JEE-IIT He informed the bench that all candidates who had appeared adjoining areas remained peaceful yesterday, police said. monikers to be scrapped. cises don’t see the nuances of these -Advanced from now onwards. currently counselling of 33,000 for the entrance examination. In 1996 it was instrumental in names,” historian Sifra Lentin said Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 11 PAKISTAN Shell asked to pay at least

Malala Yousafzai had been attending $2.4mn after tanker fi re a school in Birmingham. AFP who had gathered to scavenge What OGRA says and demands but the tanker involved in ac- local emergency services and Islamabad for the spilled fuel, despite cident had four axles instead of police to review their response. warnings by the driver and z Shell never checked if the private tanker it had hired complied with the fi ve recommended to carry In response to questions by police to stay away. safety standards such a load. AFP, a Shell Pakistan spokes- Malala akistan yesterday ordered Health offi cials and police z Tanker involved in accident had four axles instead of the five The report also claimed person said that the compa- Shell Pakistan to pay at yesterday put the death toll, recommended to carry such a load the tanker’s fi tness certifi cate ny was still investigating the Pleast $2.4mn in com- which has continued to rise z Shell told to pay Rs1mn compensation to the families of each was “fake”, and that Shell Pa- incident. fi nishes pensation after more than 200 since the accident, at 218 peo- deceased, Rs500,000 for each of the injured kistan “failed to provide the “Shell Pakistan is presently people were killed when one of ple and said 38 victims were preloading checklist”. reviewing the Oil and Gas Reg- its tankers overturned and ex- still in hospital, some in critical It lambasted Shell Pakistan’s ulatory Authority Investigation school ploded in a devastating inferno condition. Rs500,000 for each of the kistan about the accident, but emergency response as “casual”. report in detail. last month. “OGRA (Oil and Gas Regula- injured,” he added. had not yet received an answer. OGRA ordered all oil compa- “It would be unhelpful to The tanker contracted by tory Authority) has found Shell That would require Shell OGRA’s investigation found nies in Pakistan to fully imple- speculate on factors that may AFP Royal Dutch Shell’s local sub- Pakistan responsible for the oil pay at least $2.48mn to the that Shell never checked if the ment safety standards, organise have contributed to the inci- London sidiary crashed on a main high- tanker incident and imposed a families of the dead so far. It private tanker it had hired com- trainings for drivers to deal with dent whilst other investigations way in central Punjab province fi ne of Rs10mn ($100,000) on was not immediately clear plied with safety standards, ac- emergencies and spills, and do are still ongoing, but we respect while carrying some 50,000 it,” authority spokesman Imran how many wounded would cording to a report seen by AFP. regular medical checkups. the role of the regulator and n 2012, a Taliban gunman litres of fuel from Karachi to Ghaznavi said. receive compensation, or if The report said that Shell had It also asked them to organise will consider the report as we shot her in the head for ad- Lahore on June 25. “Shell Pakistan has also the death toll might continue informed the authority previ- awareness campaigns through co-operate with investigations Ivocating education for girls It exploded minutes later, been ordered to pay Rs1mn to increase. ously that its lorries met tech- mass media warning people by authorities and as we con- in her native Pakistan. Yes- sending a fi reball through compensation to the fami- Ghaznavi said OGRA had sent nical standards and that they about dangers in case of acci- duct our own investigation,” the terday, Nobel Peace laureate crowds from a nearby village lies of each deceased and a list of 21 questions to Shell Pa- upgrade contracted vehicles, dents and spills, and called on spokesperson said. Malala Yousafzai completed her schooling in Britain, calling the achievement “bittersweet”. “Today is my last day of school and my fi rst day on @Twitter,” she wrote on her newly opened account, which gained more than Tariq Bajwa is named new 134,000 followers in three hours. Yousafzai, who will be turning 20 this month, had been attending a school in the city of Birmingham where she was treated after the central bank governor shooting in October 2012. After blogging and campaign- ing for girls’ education in her na- Reuters pleased to appoint Tariq Bajwa ordered an inquiry into what he same page,” Hashmey said. tive Swat valley, she was shot as Karachi/Islamabad as Governor State Bank of Paki- termed a “mind-boggling” ru- “Certainty is good”. she rode back to her village on a stan (SBP) for a period of three pee tumble. He also said it was The rupee, trading at bus after taking an exam. years from the date he assumes not the SBP’s job to worry about 105.50/75 against the dollar Yousafzai has since become a glo- akistan yesterday ap- offi ce,” the fi nance ministry said the current account defi cit. yesterday, has regained some bal icon for girls’ education, winning pointed former fi nance on its offi cial Twitter feed. Dar blamed the rupee’s fall of the losses since Wednesday, the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Pministry offi cial Tariq Traders said SBP, run by an on a “miscommunication” be- when it traded as high as 108.50. “Graduating from secondary Bajwa as the new governor of interim governor since May, tween the SBP and other bank- Bajwa, a former career bu- school (high school) is bittersweet its central bank in a move likely this week eff ectively devalued ing institutions. reaucrat, previously served as for me,” she tweeted, adding: “I to raise concerns that the inde- the rupee by not propping it up Analysts say the appointment the chairman of the Federal know that millions of girls around pendence of the State Bank of as it normally does. Though the of a civil servant governor, rath- Bureau of Revenue (FBR), one the world are out of school and Pakistan is being eroded. currency is meant to be freely er than an economist, is likely of the toughest jobs in Paki- Tariq Bajwa recently retired as the top bureaucrat at the fi nance ministry. may never get the opportunity to His appointment comes days traded, in practice SBP controls to add to doubts about the state stan government due to an en- complete their education”. after Finance Minister Ishaq the thinly traded rupee market bank’s autonomy. trenched culture of tax evasion. nent chief’s appointment would tacks and vast Chinese infra- But she said she was “excited” Dar sparred with the central that works as a managed fl oat. Saad Hashmey, research di- He has a masters degree in be brought forward after the structure investment spurring about her future and promised to bank over the rupee’s unex- After the apparent devalua- rector at brokerage Topline Se- Public Administration from rupee plunge. growth to above 5% for the fi rst continue “fi ghting for girls”. pected 3.1% plunge against the tion, the bank put out a state- curities, said with Bajwa’s ap- Harvard University and previ- Riazuddin is expected to re- time in a decade. Yousafzai has excelled at dollar on Wednesday. ment backing a weaker cur- pointment “independence of ously served as a director at the vert to his post as the deputy But the IMF last month school and is awaiting the results Bajwa recently retired as the rency, saying it would help ease the State Bank does come into SBP, media reports said. governor, according to an SBP warned that some of the macr- of her A-level exams next month. top bureaucrat at the ministry balance of payments pressures question” but it also off ers extra Deputy Governor Riaz Ria- source. oeconomic gains made since the She has been off ered a place to and has worked closely with Dar in Pakistan’s $300bn economy. policy security for Pakistan. zuddin was in May appointed Pakistan’s economy has 2013 balance of payments crisis study at Oxford University. in the past. But Dar, an advocate of a “(The SBP and fi nance as acting governor for three picked up speed in recent years, were beginning to erode, posing She has chosen to study Phi- “The President of Pakistan is strong rupee, was furious and ministry) have to be on the months. But Dar said a perma- with a reduction in militant at- a risk to economic outlook. losophy, Politics and Economics. Facebook offi cial 465 executed since lifting of death penalty ban meets govt after IANS The analysis said the use of The analysis said murder rate ment was mostly hanging ter- Political Rights (ICCPR) on July Lahore death penalty has failed to curb in Pakistan was already on the rorists through military courts 11 that obligated it to uphold and crime, including terrorism. The decline before the moratorium in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and respect the right to life for all death penalty is exceedingly was lifted, casting even more through ATCs in Sindh. citizens. blasphemy death t least 465 persons have being used as a political tool, doubt on the already dubious The research claimed that It said Pakistan’s return to an been executed in Pakistan sometimes even as a jail over- relationship between the death people are executed in Pa- executing state has been taken Asince the country lifted crowding solution. penalty and crime reduction. kistan to make room in the up in the list of issues framed the ban on death penalty in De- Punjab province, which ac- Yearly trends of executions overcrowded prisons. by the Human Rights Council sentence cember 2014, said a non-gov- counts for 83% of the execu- showed that anti-terrorism Currently, 25 of the 27 prisons committee. ernment organisation working tions and 89% death sentences courts (ATCs) accounted for only in the province are signifi cantly JPP Executive Director Sarah for prisoners’ rights. in Pakistan, has witnessed only 16 per cent of the executions. over-capacity and the high- Belal said Pakistan’s troubling Reuters Meet and demand Such a high number of execu- a 9.7% drop in murder rate The JPP said the government est number of executions, take and continued use of the death Islamabad tions has made Pakistan the “fi fth between 2015 and 2016. sought to justify lifting of the place in the most overcrowded penalty had continuously fallen z Facebook policy chief most prolifi c executioner” in the Sindh province has, however, moratorium for all 27 death-el- prisons. short of meeting its interna- meets interior minister world, following China, Iran, Saudi registered a drop of nearly 25% in igible crimes by claiming that it The JPP in a statement said tional human rights commit- senior Facebook of- z Pakistan is demanding Arabia and Iraq, Dawn online cited the same time period. The prov- was necessary to deter terrorist that Pakistan was heading for its ments and fair trial standards, fi cial met with Paki- action against blasphemy a data analysis by Justice Project ince carried out only 18 execu- threat to Pakistan. fi rst UN review under the Inter- as well as the country’s own Astan’s interior min- Pakistan (JPP) as showing. tions compared to 382 in Punjab. But the data said the govern- national Covenant on Civil and domestic laws. ister yesterday to discuss a demand the company prevent legal process to any govern- blasphemous content or be ment request for data or Girls’ schools to blocked. content restrictions.” The meeting comes after a Pakistan’s social media Water shortage get computer labs Pakistani counter-terrorism crackdown is offi cially aimed Minister for Information court sentenced a 30-year- at weeding out blasphemy Technology and old man to death for mak- and shutting down accounts Telecommunication (MoITT) ing blasphemous comments promoting terrorism, but civil Anusha Rehman yesterday said on Facebook, part of a wider rights activists say it has also that information communication crackdown. swept up writers and bloggers technology was the lever of Joel Kaplan, Facebook’s vice who criticise the government economic progress and that the president of public policy, met or military. government was using the lever Interior Minister Nisar Ali One of fi ve prominent writ- to empower the girls hailing from Khan, who off ered to approve ers and activists who disap- marginalised sections of society. a Facebook offi ce in Pakistan, peared for nearly three weeks She said this while addressing a which has 33mn users of the this year later told a UN hu- ceremony where a memorandum network. man rights event in March that of understanding (MoU) Khan said Pakistan believes Pakistan’s intelligence agen- was signed between the in freedom of expression, but cies had kidnapped him and Universal Service Fund (USF) that does not include insult- tortured him in custody. of the MoITT and the Federal ing Islam or stoking religious Others’ families said right- Directorate of Education of tensions. wing and Islamist parties had the Capital Administration and “We cannot allow anyone fi led blasphemy accusations Development Division (CADD). to misuse social media for against them to punish them USF Chief Executive Off icer Haaris hurting religious sentiments,” for critical writings. Chaudhary signed the agreement Khan said. Anything deemed insulting with FDE director general. Facebook called the to Islam carries a death penal- Yesterday’s agreement marks meeting “constructive”. ty in Pakistan, and sometimes the second phase of the project. “Facebook met with Paki- a mere allegation can lead to Earlier in March, the USF and stan offi cials to express the mob violence and lynchings. FDE and Microsoft had signed company’s deep commitment Right groups say the law is an agreement to set up labs at to protecting the rights of the frequently abused to settle 107 schools located in the rural people who use its service, personal scores. areas of the capital while over and to enabling people to ex- In April, a Pakistani uni- 90 teachers would be trained to press themselves freely and versity student, Mashal Khan, teach children at these labs. safely,” the company said in was beaten to death by a mob Under the second phase of the an e-mail. after being accused of blas- project, computer labs would be “It was an important and phemous content on Face- set up at the 119 government girls’ constructive meeting in which book. Police arrested 57 people schools within the Islamabad we raised our concerns over accused in the attack and said A man rides on motorbike with attached water bottles, filled from a nearby tap for household usage, while heading home in Capital Territory. Moreover, 119 the recent court cases and they had found no evidence Karachi yesterday. teachers will be hired to train made it clear we apply a strict Khan committed blasphemy. 85,581 students in the capital. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, July 8, 2017 PHILIPPINES President’s satisfaction rating ‘at record high’

DPA rest a local leader of the Islamic Manila State group. At least 479 people have been killed in the fighting, includ- hilippine President Rod- ing 87 members of government rigo Duterte’s satisfaction forces and 39 civilians, while Prating has hit a personal more than 300,000 residents best one year after he took of- have been displaced in Marawi fi ce despite persistent criticisms City and nearby towns. over his autocratic style of lead- Yesterday, Duterte said he ership, a survey showed yester- was supposed to go to Marawi day. City to visit the government Duterte has been widely forces and show that he was chastised by human rights “one in the desire to protect Handout photo released yesterday shows President Rodrigo Duterte wearing a military uniform while walking inside a military camp in Iligan City, Mindanao. groups and several foreign the republic” but bad weather governments for his campaign prompted them to cancel the against illegal drugs, which has trip. left thousands dead in police operations and alleged vigilan- Despite the rough year, te killings in the past year. 78% of 1,200 Filipinos Despite the rough year, 78% surveyed nationwide on of 1,200 Filipinos surveyed June 23-26 expressed nationwide on June 23-26 ex- satisfaction with Duterte’s pressed satisfaction with Du- performance, according to Duterte in surprise terte’s performance, accord- opinion pollsters ing to opinion pollsters Social Social Weather Stations Weather Stations. The rating was up from 75% “I have to be with the men, in March, the polling agency the fighting forces of the gov- said. ernment,” he said in nearby Twelve per cent were dissat- Iligan City, where he instead isfied, while 10% were unde- visited troops at an army visit near war zone cided, it added. camp. “I should show my face Presidential spokesman Er- there. It cannot be that I will AFP camp about 25 kilometres military said yesterday. nesto Abella said the continued only go there during peace Manila from Marawi, saying bad The fighting has left 353 upward trend was “a clear in- time.” weather stopped him flying militants, 87 soldiers and po- dication of the growing confi- The survey showed that into the battlefield. lice, and 39 civilians dead, dence in the chief executive and satisfaction with Duterte’s gun-toting Philippine But he said he could not according to government of- his performance as the coun- performance went down by President Rodrigo Du- wait until the fighting was ficials, while nearly 400,000 try’s leader.” Abella noted that six percentage points to 83% Aterte made a surprise over to visit the war-torn residents of Marawi and near- the survey was conducted one in Mindanao, his home region visit yesterday to a military area, adding his trip was de- by areas have fled the fighting. month after Duterte declared and political stronghold. camp close to a city where Is- signed to show solidarity. Duterte declared martial law martial law over the southern While Mindanao gave the lamic State group-inspired “Placing yourself in jeopardy over Mindanao within hours of region of Mindanao to quash a president a higher rating than militants are battling security is one thing, but somehow the start of the Marawi fight- siege by hundreds of militants any other region, it was the forces. you need to show yourself... ing on May 23 to stop what he on Marawi City. only one where satisfaction Photos and video footage in our desire to protect the said was an IS bid to carve out “It shows tacit public sup- dropped, compared to gains released by his office showed republic,” Duterte said. territory in the Mindanao re- port to the president’s action in the two other main regions the 72-year-old wearing cam- More than six weeks after gion. following the rebellion in Ma- in the country, as well as the ouflage fatigues with a sub- hundreds of IS-styled gunmen “If the armed forces and the rawi,” he added. capital. machine gun slung over his attacked Marawi, the militants police tell me the situation is The conflict in Marawi City More people from Mindan- shoulder. are still holding out in about no longer critical, then that began on May 23 when the mil- ao also expressed dissatisfac- Duterte walked with sol- 1,000 buildings, and up to 300 is the time I will lift (martial Hassan, 41, poses in front of a bed sheet used as a divider separating itants went on a rampage after tion at 8% in June, up from 3% diers and aides at an army civilians remain trapped, the law),” he said yesterday. diff erent families, at an evacuation centre outside Marawi City. government forces tried to ar- in March, the survey added. Police arrest rare Panic, damage after deadly sea turtle poachers quake hits central Philippines

AFP town on Palawan island, po- the hawksbills and other rare AFP Manila lice chief Arnel Bagona said. Palawan-based species from Manila “We suspect that these locals. two are dealing with Chinese Hawksbills retailed for at hilippine police said yes- poachers,” Bagona said by tel- least 3,500 pesos ($69) each esidents fled their hous- terday they had seized 70 ephone. in the black market, he added. es in panic overnight Pdead hawksbill marine The marine turtles, who He said police asked prose- Ryesterday as aftershocks turtles, a critically endangered roam the tropical and sub- cutors yesterday to file charg- hit the central Philippines a day species illegally traffi cked for tropical waters of the Atlan- es against the suspects for after a 6.5-magnitude earth- its prized shell, and arrested tic, Pacific and Indian oceans, taking endangered species, quake killed two people and two suspects. are typically found around punishable by up to 20 years injured at least 72 others, au- Hawksbills face an ex- coastal reefs, estuaries and in prison and fines of up to thorities said. tremely high risk of extinction lagoons. Philippine conserva- 5mn pesos (about $99,000). Rescuers pulled out 13 according to Swiss-based In- tion law prohibits their col- The suspects told police trapped people from a col- ternational Union for Conser- lection and trade. they planned to deliver the lapsed commercial building vation of Nature as their shell Palawan, an archipelago of dead sea turtles to the island late Thursday in the town of is used for making jewellery more than 1,700 islands in the of Balabac, about 400 kilo- Kananga on Leyte island, near and hair ornaments. South China Sea, is famous metres south of Dumaran, he the epicentre of the quake, lo- Two local men were arrest- for its abundant marine life said. cal officials said. ed Thursday while transport- that are targeted by poachers. Bagona said the remote is- Three provinces in the region ing the dead hawksbills by Chief Inspector Bagona land is infamous as a trading remain without power while all boat off the coast of Dumaran said poachers usually bought place for wildlife poachers. schools are closed in Leyte as au- thorities assess the damage. “Some residents ran out of their homes when they felt af- tershocks. Some had panicked but many stayed calm because we just had an earthquake drill A resident rests at his collapsed house a day after a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit the town of Tongonan, and they know what to do in Leyte province, central Philippines. times of disaster,” Offi ce of Civil Defence regional spokesperson disaster-monitoring agency, Pebbles Lluz said. said. The quake hit at a depth The two fatalities were an of around six kilometres, the US 18-year-old woman who was hit Geological Survey said. by falling debris in Ormoc City In February, a 6.5-magni- in Leyte, while one body was re- tude quake killed eight people trieved from the collapsed build- and left more than 250 injured ing in Kananga. outside the southern city of The earthquake also damaged Surigao. houses and schools, left cracks in The following month a highways and caused landslides, 5.9-magnitude tremor killed one authorities said. person there in March. Geothermal plants in Leyte, Before the Surigao quakes, the its main source of power, were last fatal earthquake to hit the also hit according to the provin- Southeast Asian nation was a cial government. 7.1-magnitude tremor that left Local airlines have meanwhile more than 220 people dead and cancelled fl ights to Ormoc City destroyed historic churches in on Leyte island. the central islands in October “The centre of the earthquake 2013. was in mountainous villages so The Philippines lies on the so- we will only get a clearer pic- called Ring of Fire, a vast Pacifi c This undated handout photo released yesterday by Dumaran Municipal Police Station (MPS) shows ture of the impact once we reach Ocean region where many earth- People stand next to cracks in the ground at a park, a day after an policemen and volunteers arranging seized dead hawksbill marine turtles in Dumaran town, Palawan these areas,” Mina Marasigan, quakes and volcanic eruptions earthquake hit the town of Tongonan, Leyte province, central province, southwest of Manila. spokeswoman for the Philippine occur. Philippines yesterday. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Bangladeshi Bangladesh holding hundreds remittances touch $13bn

IANS Dhaka in secret prisons: rights group illions of Bangladeshis in the July 2016-June AFP “Bangladesh security 2014 general election which the Asaduzzaman Khan, however, M2017 fi scal year remit- Dhaka forces appear to have a free BNP boycotted. rejected the allegations, say- ted home nearly $13bn, a central hand in detaining people, “Some 20 construction ing the detentions were lawful, bank offi cial said yesterday. deciding on their guilt or workers who were on the site and accused HRW of spreading “The fl ow of inward remit- angladesh has secretly innocence, and determining told us RAB offi cers picked them “propaganda”. tances in the 2016-17 fi nan- detained hundreds of their punishment, including up and led them away on a RAB “Since Bangladesh’s incep- cial year fell by about 14.47% Bpeople including scores whether they have the right van. They were never returned,” tion they are trying to spread a to $12,769.45mn,” Xinhua news of opposition activists, many of to be alive” Islam said. negative propaganda which has agency quoted the Bangladesh whom have later been killed, a “For the last three years and no similarity with the reality,” Bank (BB) offi cial as saying. rights group has said. including whether they have eight months we’ve knocked on he told reporters. The offi cial said the decrease The Human Rights Watch the right to be alive,” Brad Ad- doors, gone to every agency’s The mothers of 22 of the in total infl ow of remittance was report, released days after the ams, HRW’s Asia director said. offi ce and met the home minis- missing activists have set up a mainly due to sluggish overseas em- alleged abduction of a high- “The disappearances are ter to know my brother’s where- group, Mayer’s Daak (Mother’s ployment in some Middle Eastern profi le government critic, said well-documented and report- abouts,” she said. Call), to seek government an- countries and devaluation of their security agencies were remov- ed, yet the government persists Islam said the family was swers on the cases. currencies against the US dollar. ing people with “no regard” for in this abhorrent practice with hopeful her brother, a father Meanwhile, police have fi led a According to the offi cial, mil- the rule of law. no regard for the rule of law,” he of two, would be found. kidnapping case over the disap- lions of non-resident Bangla- Hundreds of people have said. Political tensions are rising in pearance of government critic deshis remitted home in June a been detained and held in secret The New York-based group Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan: “ Detentions were lawful, and Bangladesh ahead of a national Farhad Mazhar, who was found total of $1.21bn. locations since 2013, including said in 2016 alone it docu- HRW spreading propaganda.” election due next year. on a coach earlier this week after In June last year Bangladeshis at least 90 last year, it said. mented 21 cases of detainees The BNP and its Islamist ally his wife reported him missing. sent home $1.47bn, he said. “Bangladesh security forces who were killed, and nine oth- ka neighbourhood chief of the elite Rapid Action Battalion Jamaat-e-Islami have said tens Abdul Baten, joint commis- The infl ow remittances from appear to have a free hand in ers whose whereabouts are un- main opposition Bangladesh (RAB) detained her brother and of thousands of their activists sioner of detective police, quot- nearly 10mn Bangladeshis, living detaining people, deciding on known. Nationalist Party (BNP). fi ve other BNP activists on De- and supporters have been ar- ed Mazhar as saying he had been and working in over 100 countries, their guilt or innocence, and Among those missing is Sumon’s sister Sanjida Islam cember 4, 2013. This was one rested in recent years. blindfolded and taken away in a in the last 2015-16 fi nancial year determining their punishment, Sajedul Islam Sumon, 37, a Dha- said offi cers from the country’s month before a controversial Bangladesh Home Minister vehicle. fell by about 2.55% to $14.93bn. Diplomats Sirisena to consult Buddhist barred from leaders over new charter

Reuters to the long civil war that ended during the civil war. on Tuesday unanimously de- Colombo in 2009 and to strengthen de- But the island nation’s Bud- clared that there was no need hiring helps mocracy, promote reconcili- dhist leaders are opposed to in- for a new constitution or for ation and establish a political troducing a new constitution, any constitutional amendments ri Lankan President culture that respects the rule for fear it may reduce their in- now, local media reported. Maithripala Sirisena has of law. fl uence among the population Some opposition members Spledged to consult the The 1977 constitution, which of 21mn, about 70% of whom are have alleged that the new con- from home country’s Buddhist leaders over experts say has given more pow- Buddhist. stitution has been drafted to his plans for constitutional re- er to the federal government, is “The president said respected please some Western nations form, which he promised in his blamed for the civil war which (Buddhist) clergies will be edu- and to dilute the infl uence of By Mizan Rahman was indicted in June on charg- 2015 election campaign to bring killed more than 100,000 peo- cated, and their opinions and Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The gov- Dhaka es of labour traffi cking, assault about reconciliation among all ple. suggestions also will be consid- ernment has rejected such accu- President Maithripala Sirisena ... and failure to pay the mini- ethnic groups. The Sirisena administration’s ered in the event of drafting a sations. paving way for charter reform mum wage to his house-help. Sri Lanka in January last move has been welcomed by the new constitution,” president’s Rajitha Senaratne, the angladesh has barred its The foreign ministry has, year proposed plans for a new international community, who media offi ce said in a statement government spokesman, on January 2015 presidential poll. diplomats from hiring however, transferred him to constitution aimed at devolv- have softened their demands for after a meeting with the highest Wednesday said President “The monks are totally misin- Bhouse-helps from home Bangladesh permanent mis- ing power and preventing the a tough United Nations-led war Buddhist offi cials. Sirisena was given a mandate formed,” he told a weekly cabinet during their posting abroad. sion to the UN in the same city kind of ethnic tensions that led crime probe over alleged abuses More than 75 leading monks for a new constitution at the press conference. Offi cials said that the for- so that he could get immunity eign ministry recently rejected from criminal charges. formal requests from several A UN economist, Hamidur diplomats to allow them to Rashid, was arrested in June take house-help from Bang- on charges that he brought a ladesh after allegations were house-help from Bangladesh raised against several Bang- to New York, where he under- Nepal feels heat of India’s tax regime ladesh diplomats abroad for paid a female worker and took labour traffi cking and under- steps to cover up his scheme. payment. Rashid, a Bangladesh for- Agencies is largely dependent on India Under the new regime, Nepal’s commerce ministry provisions of the treaties, not by The ministry initiated a eign service offi cer, was on lien Kathmandu for imports and also uses In- prices of goods has already written to its Indian changes in the tax regime,” said process to issue formal in- for the UN job. dian ports such as Kolkata for imported from India counterpart to waive taxes on one offi cial. struction to all Bangladesh The foreign ministry had exports. will “shoot up” and Nepal-bound goods and items As a landlocked country, Ne- missions and mission chiefs to transfer at least two diplo- epal is sending a high- Under the new regime, prices goods imported from exported via India. The fi nance pal should get a waiver, offi cials abroad to outsource services mats, one male and another level team to India to of goods imported from India third countries via and commerce ministries have said. of house-helps on the basis female, from the US to other Nconvey its concerns over will “shoot up” and goods im- India will become more also constituted two panels to Deputy Prime Minister Kris- of need, instead of appointing countries in recent past as the impact of the Goods and ported from third countries via expensive study the impact of GST on Ne- han Bahadur Mahara raised full-time support staff at their they were about to face almost Services Tax (GST) amid fears India will become more expen- pal’s economy. Nepal’s concern with external residences, offi cials said. similar charges of labour traf- in offi cial circles in Kathmandu sive, offi cials said. Authorities dian authorities expressed their “Our concern is that In- aff airs minister Sushma Swaraj Foreign Secretary Shahidul fi cking and underpayment to that New Delhi’s new tax regime at Kolkata port, through which readiness to sort out issues, said dia should not impose taxes on during a visit to India this week Haque yesterday confi rmed their house-helps. could increase the prices of im- Nepal exclusively imports goods commerce secretary Naiendra goods that Nepal imports from and urged her to intervene. the decision to stop allowing Bangladesh ambassador to ported goods, a media report from third countries, have start- Uphadhyay. India as well as goods we im- Reports in the Nepalese media diplomats to take house-help a European country somehow said. ed imposing additional service Indian offi cials are organising port via Indian ports. Nepal has suggested imports and exports from Bangladesh. managed to hush up allega- The GST regime, imple- charges and cargo-handling a briefi ng with relevant stake- trade and transit treaties with have slowed down due to the Bangladesh deputy consul tions of torture and underpay- mented by New Delhi on July 1, charges. holders in New Delhi, where the India and our demands are all GST and confusion on the Indian general in New York Shahedul ment brought by his house- has already started impacting The Nepalese team will visit two sides will fi nd ways to lessen trade and transit-related mat- side about the tax to be levied on Islam, a political appointee, help two years ago. the economy of Nepal, which New Delhi next week, after In- the tax burden, offi cials said. ters should be governed by the export and import goods. Back from holidays Lanka tops 1mn tourist arrivals

IANS year and preparations had dians to experience the coun- provals is without any delay,” Colombo been put in place to welcome try’s seductive beaches, water he said. an infl ux of tourists from sports, mountains among other According to SriLankan Air- September. spots. lines area manager, Kolkata, ore than 1mn tour- Tourism has become the Lalith Peiris, the carrier oper- ists arrived in Sri second highest earner of for- “We are promoting Sri ates more than 100 fl ights a MLanka in the fi rst six eign exchange. Last year, Lanka as a wedding week from India. months of 2017, with China over 2mn tourists arrived in tourism spot, for “We are having daytime op- and India being the leading Sri Lanka. Ramayana trail and erations here because we want markets, statistics from the Sri Lanka is expecting a have identifi ed fi lm people from eastern region to Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau growth of over 26% in tour- tourism as well. come to Kolkata and take the showed yesterday. ism footfall from India and We are looking at direct fl ight to Sri Lanka for This June recorded a 4.5% aims for about 450,000 trav- 450,000 Indian passenger convenience. We growth with the arrival of ellers from the country this tourists for 2017. want to put more fl ights in the 123,351 tourists compared to year, its offi cials said in India’s We expect a growth future. We are growing in In- the same period last year while Kolkata city. of over 26% in the dia. We are the largest Asian 1,010,444 tourists arrived from In its maiden roadshow, the footfall this year” carrier coming into India,” January to June, statistics re- Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion he said. vealed, reported Xinhua news Bureau (SLTPB) stressed on Last year saw 356,729 Indian The carrier is also launching agency. wedding tourism, the Ramay- tourists visit Sri Lanka com- its operations from Hyderabad, India recorded the highest ana trail and fi lm tourism as pared to 316,247 in 2015. Coimbatore and Vishakhapat- number of tourist arrivals with top promotional picks for the “In 2016, Sri Lanka saw a nam. 27,836 followed by China with island nation. growth of 12.8% in Indian ar- “With this addition, the air- 17,205. “We are promoting Sri Lanka rivals over the previous year,” lines will provide direct con- Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minis- as a wedding tourism spot, for said Bandara. nectivity from 14 Indian cities ter John Amaratunga said last Ramayana trail and have iden- As for fi lm tourism, he said with over 100 fl ights including week that Sri Lanka was de- tifi ed fi lm tourism as well. We they are working on a single Kolkata,” Peiris said. pending on the Chinese market are looking at 450,000 Indian window clearance system. Highlighting how the country to boost its tourist arrivals and tourists for 2017. We expect a “We are looking at more has come on the radar as a pop- the country was encouraging growth of over 26% in the foot- Indian fi lms to be shot in our ular Meetings, Incentives, Con- more Chinese to visit the island fall this year,” SLTPB assistant country. We will be facilitat- ferences, and Events (MICE), country. director, India, Viranga Bandara ing logistical arrangements leisure holiday and honeymoon A man carries a cage with rabbits as he arrives at a ferry terminal in Dhaka yesterday. People from village Amaratunga added the said. and approvals. We are work- destination, he said: “Our USP have started returning to the capital Dhaka after celebrating more than 10 days of Eid vacations. industry was confi dent to SLTPB is investing in digital ing on a single window clear- is we are a family destination. achieve 2.5mn tourists this marketing campaign to lure In- ance and our process of ap- It’s safe to travel.” Gulf Times 14 Saturday, July 8, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Why build fi nancially

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] inclusive economies? Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) The world is getting better work or running a small business risk. When online payment services, only a few markets today. Government Fax 44350474 of their own. Moreover, additional like Alibaba’s Alipay, fi rst emerged, action to address this would help at understanding the earnings and savings boost poor regulators were faced with an entirely increase customer convenience and mechanics of fi nancial people’s resilience against fi nancial new category of fi nancial provider. lower operating costs for providers. shocks resulting from, say, an Rather than impose a battery of rules Users with little or no experience inclusion, and the ways unexpected medical expense or a up front, they watched and learned navigating online payment systems that digital technology can seasonal crop failure. to see what types of regulations were would also benefi t from the adoption There is no shortage of evidence needed. This gave providers a chance of policies that improve fi nancial GULF TIMES accelerate it for the transformative eff ect of to fi nd their footing and evolve. That literacy. digital fi nancial inclusion on approach helped Alipay to become Overall, the G20 reports make clear By Mark Suzman economies. In Kenya, for example, the world’s largest online payment that digital fi nancial inclusion is a Seattle “mobile money,” which allows users platform. powerful tool for tackling poverty. to transfer funds by text message, Regulatory innovations elsewhere But wealthier countries can benefi t N Korean missile has helped an estimated 194,000 are solving another key challenge: the as well, because digital fi nancial he theme of this week’s households escape extreme poverty. lack of personal identifi cation for new inclusion, when rolled out well, G20 summit in Hamburg, The breakthrough there was driven account holders. This is a common increases consumer activity and trade. Germany, is “shaping an by changes in savings behaviour problem in many developing countries, The G20, under China’s presidency crisis: America Tinterconnected world,” and and greater occupational choice, and has prevented hundreds of millions last year, made improving access when leaders get down to business, especially for women. of people from signing up for fi nancial to digital fi nancial services a global many of the highest-profi le topics – As more countries experience services. To overcome this hurdle, priority, and it will remain so under climate change, counter-terrorism, gains like these, the prospects for Tanzania and Mexico implemented Germany’s tenure. This focus will help can’t go it alone trade – will take centre stage. But the lasting economic growth improve systems that require nothing more improve access to the global economy attention received by a less well- dramatically. One recent study than a phone number to sign up for the for the billions who need it most – Barack Obama drew criticism for the perception that known agenda item will be no less projected that broadening access to most basic accounts. Programmes in especially the poor, the elderly, and while he was president, the US in some ways abandoned critical to ensuring global prosperity: digital fi nance tools could increase both countries have been successful; in women in developing countries. digital fi nancial inclusion. developing countries’ GDP by an Mexico, for example, more than 9mn The world is getting better at its traditional role of global leadership in favour of an Today, some 2bn adults still lack estimated $3.7tn by 2025. new accounts were opened in the fi rst understanding the mechanics of approach that an Obama aide memorably described as access to even the most basic fi nancial But, in order to capitalise on the two years. fi nancial inclusion, and the ways that “leading from behind.” But even as the US stayed mostly services. Digital fi nancial inclusion promise of greater fi nancial inclusion, India, meanwhile, is launching digital technology can accelerate it. is about broadening access to the eff ective policies are needed at the a massive digital identifi cation This is great news for the unbanked. away from the fray as the Syrian civil war turned into formal economy by making electronic national level. Last year, the G20 programme that collects fi ngerprints But placing the topic on a summit a massive humanitarian crisis, America maintained fi nancial tools – like debit accounts published “High-Level Principles and other biometric data. More than agenda is not enough. To keep the that people can access on their mobile for Digital Financial Inclusion,” 1bn digital profi les have been created innovation going, global challenges its leading position by pushing for a global response phones – aff ordable and available on a which focuses on eight of the most since the programme began six years need localised solutions. As leaders in to climate change, supporting longstanding mutual large scale. successful strategies adopted by ago; today, more than one-third China, Kenya, Mexico, and many other defence pacts and championing free-trade deals. When the poor start using these national governments around the of those profi les are linked to bank countries have already discovered, services, two things happen. First, world. A new G20 report published accounts. an economy that includes everyone As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump was all they manage money more eff ectively this spring probes those strategies Yet the most recent G20 report benefi ts all. – Project Syndicate over the place on foreign policy, alternately sounding – with new ways to save, make further, and shows how to turn also highlights some challenges. For hawkish and isolationist. But he also said the US should payments, access credit, or obtain principles into action. example, “interoperability” – the zMark Suzman is Chief Strategy insurance. Second, they spend less China has been a leader in this ability of customers to transact with Offi cer and President of Global Policy stop being the world’s patsy – both in off ering costly time taking care of simple fi nancial regard, demonstrating how to strike one another even if they are using and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda military protection to nations that didn’t do enough transactions and more on productive a balance between innovation and diff erent platforms – is the norm in Gates Foundation. to strengthen their own armed forces and in accepting trade agreements that in his view harmed US workers and the US economy. There are elements of truth in his critique. But then and now, Trump has never appreciated that having strong bilateral relations with many nations is a two- way street, benefi ting American interests by promoting stability and co-operation. He has never grasped that all global issues are interrelated – that the world’s richest and most powerful nation can’t be alternately hostile and friendly to other nations on an a la carte basis and expect a warm response to new US overtures. After abandoning the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership trade deal and pulling the US out of the Paris climate accord, Trump may well get a stony reception to his Beijing is actively call for a concerted upset with the US global response over what it sees to North Korea’s latest successful as heavy-handed missile launch. tactics Fear of such an unstable dictatorship – especially if unpredictable young leader Kim Jong-un is a year or two from having nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking anywhere within 1,500 miles – would seem like a cause In Kenya, “mobile money,” which allows users to transfer funds by text message, has helped an estimated 194,000 households escape extreme poverty. the world could rally around. But with the exception of South Korea and Japan – which have the most at stake – Trump’s call to action has so far won only muted or pro forma responses. Meanwhile, Russia and China, the nation with the most ability to infl uence North Korea because of its fi nancial ties, are refusing to increase The G20 and the inequality crisis pressure on Pyongyang to stop its sabre-rattling, and Beijing is actively upset with the US over what it sees as By Helle Thorning-Schmidt stabilised, and the G20 then helped address the crisis of inequality, but to quality education by 2030. This is heavy-handed tactics – leading to a Trump vow to take London launch, and sustain, a global economic three are most important. the real game changer when it comes on North Korea on his own if necessary. stimulus, led by China, which reversed First, the G20 needs to get serious to addressing inequality. For example, the downward spiral. about accelerating work on the UN’s teaching all students in poor countries For the 25mn residents of the Seoul metropolitan lmost a decade ago, facing a Today, the G20, now meeting in Sustainable Development Goals. The to read could help pull more than area – within easy reach of 8,000 North Korean big near-collapse of the fi nancial Hamburg for its annual summit, must SDGs set a bold but achievable agenda 170mn people out of poverty, equal to guns loaded with artillery shells from Pyongyang’s huge system and the risk of a confront the challenge of inequality. for addressing poverty, reducing a 12% decline in the number of poor depression, the world needed With the world’s richest 1% now inequality, improving education and people worldwide. stockpile of biological and chemical weapons – this sort A a new form of leadership to navigate owning 40% of its assets, the benefi ts health, and protecting the planet. But But this would require a dramatic of belligerent talk shouldn’t just be scary. It should be and restore confi dence in the global of growth are not being shared in almost two years after their launch, a increase in education spending, economy. That’s why, in 2009, at his a way that is either economically business-as-usual approach prevails including more funding for existing terrifying. fi rst global summit as US president, effi cient or politically sustainable. in most countries, and accountability programmes, like Education Cannot The stakes could scarcely be higher. What the world Barack Obama joined then-British This crisis had been building for has been reduced to exercises in Wait, which supports the continuation needs is a calm, American-led eff ort to improve prime minister Gordon Brown to many decades, but it accelerated collecting data. The G20 countries, of schooling for children in disaster spearhead the G20’s upgrade, making sharply after the global fi nancial which collectively account for areas, and the Global Partnership for relationships with Kim Jong-un and North Korea’s it the world’s pre-eminent economic meltdown that the G20 helped most of the world’s population and Education, which provides grants to military to address the nation’s fear that it is surrounded forum. What they created helped solve stem. As a result, disillusioned resources, should lead by translating support education in countries with one immediate problem, but it let and disaff ected voters in advanced the SDGs into national policies, and the most need. It must also include by enemies. What it doesn’t need is a unilateral linger another global challenge. economies are challenging established by harnessing government budgets investment in proposed initiatives, American eff ort that is built on a diplomatic amateur’s With the Obama-Brown upgrade, political parties to fi nd solutions or and their private sectors to drive like the International Finance Facility bluster and denial. the G20 – comprising 19 of the cede power, while millions of people implementation. for Education, which aims to bring world’s largest advanced and emerging from poor countries, unable to Second, the G20 must crack down public and private donors together to economies, plus the European Union envision a future at home, are risking on economic abuses that weaken increase global education fi nancing by – took over the role played by the their lives by crossing deserts and seas states and markets, and erode more than $10bn dollars a year. To Advertise G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, in search of economic opportunity. public trust. Tax avoidance by big The G20 is still the world’s leading Japan, the United Kingdom, and the It is up to the G20 to deal with corporations and wealthy individuals, forum when it comes to the global [email protected] US). Obama and Brown knew that the global inequality crisis with the which by some estimates cost poor economy. It helped us through the Display a group that did not include rising same urgency it showed during the countries $200bn a year, is a case global fi nancial crisis. Now is the time Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 economic powers, like China and Great Recession of 2008-2009. Just in point. Many business leaders for the G20 to step up again, and to India, could not propose eff ective as Obama and Brown led the way do understand that the future of act with genuine resolve, to address Classified solutions to the global economy’s then, German Chancellor Angela the world economy, and their own the global inequality crisis. – Project Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 biggest problems. Merkel must respond purposefully companies, depends on reducing Syndicate Whatever one thinks of the G20 – and powerfully to the widening divide poverty, and that this is becomes Subscription and it is by no means perfect – this between rich and poor, which has harder to achieve as inequality widens. zHelle Thorning-Schmidt, a former [email protected] more inclusive grouping helped to become an acute danger to the world But to tackle a crisis of this scale, the Prime Minister of Denmark, is overcome the consequences of the economy, and to social cohesion and entire business community must be Chief Executive of Save the Children 2008 global fi nancial crisis. With an political stability. on board. and a member of the International 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved expanded coterie of world leaders The G20, which Germany now Finally, the G20 should lead the Commission on Financing Global taking charge, jittery fi nancial markets leads, could take many steps to way toward giving every child access Education Opportunity. Gulf Times Saturday, July 8, 2017 15 COMMENT Unlocking girls’ potential

Governments, persistence of child marriage. area – often weakening their Every year, 15mn girls are married eff ectiveness. development before they reach the age of 18 – That’s why the Population Council organisations, and private one every two seconds – with early created the Girl Innovation, Research, or forced child marriage aff ecting and Learning (GIRL) Center, a kind of institutions are eager to about a quarter of girls worldwide. global knowledge hub for girl-centred help girls translate their Beyond increasing the probability research and programming. The GIRL that a girl will suff er violence, early Center, which I direct, aims to make youthful potential into marriage boosts girls’ chances of the most of the world’s investments an engine of creativity, early pregnancy by 90%. The likely in girls, both by supporting evidence- result is a larger family that demands based policies and by aligning economic growth, and more unpaid childcare, thereby the goals and priorities of various undermining educational attainment stakeholders. social progress and reinforcing the gender pay gap. To that end, we are building the Girls who are married before age world’s largest open data repository on By Thoai Ngo 18 also face a severe reduction in adolescents, curating the Population New York mobility, though they are not alone. Council’s records on more than A study in South Africa showed that, 120,000 individuals of adolescent age, overall, girls face a drastic reduction as well as data from other organisations recently visited a “girls club” – a in access to the public sphere – with working on girl-centred research safe space where adolescent spatial access falling from an area of and programmes. The repository girls come together with trained 6.3 square miles to just 2.6 – when will enable rigorous analyses that Imentors to build their social they reach puberty. Spatial access for provide policymakers with a deeper networks and learn life skills – in the boys, by contrast, more than doubles, understanding of how girls’ lives and Tonk District of Rajasthan, India. As from 3.8 square miles to 7.8, when they needs evolve during adolescence I arrived, I was greeted by a group of are seen as becoming men. Reduced and which interventions are most teenage girls bouncing along the road, mobility for girls puts them at risk eff ective for which groups (and under so full of energy and laughter that of social isolation and limits their which conditions). It will also connect I couldn’t help but smile, too. Just opportunities to build social capital. people from diff erent disciplines and imagine, I thought, the potential of As a result of these and other sectors united by the goal of promoting 600mn such girls. factors, only 47% of women in low- systemic changes that give adolescents, History’s largest generation of girls and middle-income countries are now especially girls, the opportunity to fulfi l aged 10-19 is here, ready to make its in the labour force, compared to 79% their potential. mark on the world. Governments, of men. My research team estimates A growing number of governments, foundations, companies, and communities are now investing in girls’ education. Empowering girls to use their development organisations, and that if we cut the labour-force energies and talents to transform their private institutions are eager to help participation gap by just half – from and for girls and women themselves. So how can we best expand governments, non-governmental societies will not be easy. The key is to them translate that youthful potential 32 percentage points to 16% – GDP in A growing number of governments, opportunities for girls? We know, for organisations, and development and pursue a comprehensive approach – into an engine of creativity, economic the aff ected countries would increase foundations, companies, and example, that educating girls may be funding agencies – struggle daily with one that recognises the fundamental growth, and social progress. But, by 15% in the fi rst year alone, adding communities recognise this, and the most cost-eff ective investment for meeting these needs. And, despite linkages among programmes and on the path to such a future, girls $4tn to global GDP. are now investing in girls’ health, promoting economic development. recognising the multifaceted and objectives, takes advantage of proven continue to face major obstacles. Giving girls the skills and knowledge education, and well-being. But We also know that girls, including interconnected nature of girls’ needs, solutions, and adopts a long-term Some 170mn girls – almost one they need to become productive considerable resources are being those with children of their own, we often struggle in silos, working perspective. – Project Syndicate third of girls worldwide – are not individuals who can participate in channelled toward ineff ective benefi t considerably from access to on the same problems without enrolled in school. This is a major the 21st-century economy empowers approaches or – worse – programmes sexual and reproductive information communicating with one another. zThoai Ngo, the director of the missed opportunity: for every year of them in all aspects of their lives, that have been proved not to work. And and services, which enable them to This lack of eff ective co-ordination, Poverty, Gender, and Youth (PGY) forgone schooling, a girl’s potential enabling them to contribute to their too many well-meaning development choose the size and structure of their collaboration, or knowledge sharing Program at the Population Council, income drops 10-20%. Yet there are families, communities, and economies actors regard girls as victims to be families and ensure their own health carries through to investments, which also directs the Council’s new Girl major barriers to boosting school in ways they choose. It is the right saved, rather than as the innovative, and well-being. often end up narrowly focused on a Innovation, Research and Learning enrolment – beginning with the thing to do for global development – energetic game changers they are. But girls’ advocates – in single project, sector, or geographic (GIRL) Centre.

LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 41 C Altering scope of works in a construction contract Low : 31 C Inshore: Hazy to misty at places at first becomes hot daytime with some clouds and humid by night. By Dr Nizar Kochery court shall transfer the deposited wishes to change the employment without obtaining our permission. Doha amount to the State’s public fund on before fi ve years of service in case Is it legal to do so? What is the expiry of three years from the date of of indefi nite contract, he or she is remedy available in case of non- SUNDAY deposit if the person entitled to the required to seek permission from their acceptance of rent? Please advise. High: 41 C uestion: In a amount is not known. existing employer. TY, Doha Low: 33 C construction contract, The new law abolishes ban on Sunny we have agreed for expatriates who want to come back to A: The landlord has no right to evict execution of the Changing jobs the country on a new visa. In case of the tenant from the premises before Q MONDAY projects. In the meantime, the under new law cancellation of residency permit, the the contract expires as long as the employer has issued a notifi cation person will be able to return to Qatar tenant is paying the due rent amount. High: 43 C stating that our total scope is Q: I have completed three years in to take up employment immediately If the landlord refuses to accept the Low: 33 C reduced and accordingly the the same company and my contract after being granted a new visa. An rent, the tenant can pay the money Sunny project value has reduced by is indefi nite. Now another company expatriate who has got a new contract to the Rental Dispute Settlement 30%. Is it legal to do so? Does has off ered me a better position. But to work in Qatar can come back even Committee and inform the landlord of the employer have right to issue the current employer is not ready the next day. such payment by registered post. The Fishermen’s forecast such variation orders in any to issue no objection certifi cate for landlord or his representatives have OFFSHORE DOHA circumstances? Can he assign the change. I came to know that as per no right to interfere in the tenant’s use Wind: NE-SE 08-18/24 KT same scope to another contractor? law, I can change the sponsorship Landlord refuses of premises. According to Article 597 Waves: 03-06/8 Feet Please advise. without any consent of the of the Civil Law, the landlord may not INSHORE DOHA to accept rent Wind: SE-NE 05-15/18 KT KO, Doha employer. How can I change the interfere with the tenant’s use of the Waves: 2-4 Feet employer? Is there any ban to accept Q: Our lease contract will expire leased property throughout the term Answer: A variation is an alteration the new off er? Please advise. in November 2017 and there is no of the lease, or make any change in Around the region to the scope of works in a construction HS, Doha provision for early termination the leased property or its annexes in a Weather Weather contract in the form of an addition, unless agreed by both parties. way that aff ects or prevents the tenant today Max/min tomorrow Max/min substitution or omission from the A: As per the new entry exit law (Law But now landlord is directing us from its utilisation. Any interference Abu Dhabi Sunny 44/35 M Sunny 43/34 Baghdad original scope of works. The employer No. 21 of 2015), the employee can to vacate the premises because by any of the representatives of M Sunny 49/33 M Sunny 49/33 Dubai Sunny 44/33 Sunny 43/33 is entitled to vary the scope of works change the job with the approval of the he is going to sell the property. the landlord shall be deemed as Kuwait City Sunny 42/30 Sunny 40/30 as per the terms of the contract. The government, either after the expiry When I approached him to pay interference by the landlord himself. Manama Sunny 43/32 Sunny 43/32 right to order variation is not implied, of their contract or after fi ve years the rent, he refused to accept it. Muscat Sunny 33/31 Sunny 34/31 and so there must be express terms in of service with the employer if the Moreover, he is sending workers zPlease send your questions by Riyadh M Sunny 46/31 Sunny 46/31 the contract which gives the power to contract is indefi nite. If the employee to carry out some maintenance e-mail to: [email protected] Tehran Sunny 40/27 M Sunny 39/28 instruct variations. The right of the employer to instruct variations may be limited by the contractual provisions. LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR In the absence of such express terms, the contractor may reject instructions Whoever becomes aware of an or hazards, or of a crime knowing for variations without any legal off ence or the existence of a plan to that it has not been committed, shall consequences. In accordance with the commit an off ence and abstains from be punished with imprisonment for terms and conditions of the contract, informing the concerned authorities a term not exceeding fi ve years and the employer may omit the work from without any valid excuse shall be in such cases, the court may decide the contract and may execute the punished with imprisonment of to compel the perpetrator to pay the works by himself or by any third party. either description for a term not expenses, which result from such exceeding three years, or with fi ne not false statements. exceeding QR10,000, or with both. According to Article 192, whoever Settling dues of The penalty shall not apply to the intentionally removes, opens or deceased worker spouse of the off ender, his ascendants destroys any of the seals affi xed or descendants. to papers, places or other things Q: What are the benefi ts due to According to Article 187, any by virtue of a judgment, judicial an employee who died during the person who abstains intentionally or administrative order shall be course of employment. If there from providing assistance to a person punished with imprisonment for a are entitlements due to him, how who is threatened by a serious term not exceeding two years, or with should the company settle it? Do danger to his person or assets if the fi ne not exceeding QR10,000, or with we need to co-ordinate with the said danger results from a general both. Around the world concerned embassy or is there any catastrophe when the abstainer is able who is not assigned to investigate the Whoever unlawfully removes, Weather Weather provision in the prevailing law? to provide such assistance without case, and who neglects or delays to destroys or unjustifi ably takes today Max/min tomorrow Max/min RCD, Doha fear of any danger shall be punished notify the concerned authorities of a possession of papers, deeds or offi cial Athens Sunny 34/23 Sunny 36/25 with imprisonment for a term not crime which becomes known to him, records deposited in government Beirut Sunny 28/26 Sunny 29/26 Bangkok S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 33/26 A: According to Article 55 of the exceeding three years and/or a fi ne in the course of or in respect of his job places and intended for storing, Berlin M Cloudy 23/13 P Cloudy 24/16 Labour Law, if the worker dies during not exceeding QR10,000. performance. or delivered to the public offi cer Cairo Sunny 38/24 Sunny 38/25 the employment for whatsoever Anyone who, during practice of As per Article 190, whoever, in assigned to take custody of the Cape Town M Cloudy 16/09 Rain 11/06 causes, the employer shall within a his medical or health profession, bad faith, gives written or oral false said items shall be punished with Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 Dhaka S T Storms T Storms 30/26 period not exceeding 15 days from the examines a corpse or gives fi rst aid report alleging a criminal off ence, imprisonment for a term not 31/26 Hong Kong T Storms 30/28 T Storms 30/28 date of death deposit with the court to a seriously injured person, and the which entails a penalty, to a public exceeding three years or with fi ne not Istanbul M Sunny 28/19 Sunny 29/20 any wages or entitlements due to the body carries marks indicating that offi cer empowered to act upon the exceeding QR10,000 or both. Jakarta S T Storm 32/24 S T Storm 32/24 worker in addition to the gratuity. A his death or injury was caused by information shall be punished with Whoever takes possession of or Karachi S T Storms 32/28 P Cloudy 32/28 detailed report indicating the method a crime, or if it appears from other imprisonment of either description conceals from the postal offi cers or London Cloudy 24/17 S Showers 24/16 Manila T Storms 32/26 T Storms 33/26 of calculating the sums referred to and circumstances that the cause of death for a term not exceeding three years, the offi cers of telecommunications, a Moscow Showers 13/11 Showers 16/11 a copy of the same shall be delivered to or injury is suspicious and he fails to or with fi ne not exceeding QR10,000, letter, a cable, a package or a box, or New Delhi P Cloudy 36/29 P Cloudy 37/28 the Labour Department. inform the authorities thereof, shall or with both. The same penalty shall opens any of them or discloses their New York P Cloudy 31/20 Sunny 29/19 The court shall distribute the be punished with imprisonment for a apply if the offi cer who receives the contents of data or information or Paris M Sunny 31/20 T Storms 29/17 Sao Paulo P Cloudy M Sunny 23/11 facilitates to others shall be punished 22/11 deposited amount amongst the heirs term not exceeding three years and/or information is not empowered to act Seoul T Storms 27/23 T Storms 30/24 of the deceased worker in accordance a fi ne not exceeding QR10,000. on the information. with imprisonment for a term not Singapore S T Storms 31/26 T Storms 30/25 with the provisions of the Islamic A fi ne not exceeding QR10,000 Whoever notifi es any public exceeding three years or with fi ne not Sydney Sunny 17/07 Sunny 17/07 Shariah or the personal law applicable shall be imposed upon any offi cial authorities of non-existent accidents exceeding QR10,000 or both. Tokyo Clear 33/23 Clear 31/23 in the country of the deceased. The Gulf Times 16 Saturday, July 8, 2017 QATAR

Motorists stop to write messages of solidarity and love for Qatar on a giant image of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar Messages of loyalty, solidarity portray Qatari resilience

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

ataris and expatriates People use ladders to write their messages. PICTURE: Nasar T K pour into various places Qto express their love for the country and its wise lead- ership, writing messages of solidarity, loyalty and patriot- ism on giant billboards that feature a portrait of His High- ness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. The portrait, widely rec- ognised by its title ‘Tamim al majd’ or ‘Tamim the glorious’, has become the face of Qatari resilience during the ongoing blockade. Residents have installed gi- ant billboards at Gharafa, along D Ring Road, and various other locations in Doha. Watching people pen their messages of support on one such billboard, Qatari national Turky al-Mousawi said “words are not enough to express how much they love Qatar, its wise leadership and the people”. “I just thank God that I am from this country and I live in this country. Life is getting bet- Youngsters writing their messages on a billboard near the Mamoura Complex in Doha. PICTURE: Jayan Orma ter and better and actually we have never have had any trou- in (a) time of crisis,” he added. gratitude by writing a short and majd’ portrait on a billboard. ble,” he said, stressing the en- “It is also our pleasure and we simple message, “We Love Qa- While doing his artwork, he thusiasm shown by people of feel proud when you have peo- tar, Long Live Qatar and Love the said such a simple drawing can various nationalities who live ple from other countries loving His Highness the Emir Sheikh send a positive message to every- and work in Qatar while ex- Qatar as well.” Tamim”, on the billboard. one who sees it. pressing their solidarity, sym- Besides al-Mousawi, a number “We actually don’t feel that “You put up such a master- pathy and love for the country. of motorists passing by the area we are out of our country while piece and we see people coming According to al-Mousawi, are stopping there to write a mes- working here. We feel it is our out of their houses from dif- many residents have been sage on the billboard, which is own country,” he said. “His ferent locations just to express putting stickers on their cars, located along D-Ring Road, at a Highness the Emir is taking good their feelings and emotions,” installing ‘Tamim al majd’- corner of the Al Tadamon signal. care of the people and expatriates he stressed. “It only means one themed billboards, displaying Long-time Sri Lankan expa- who come to work here, regard- thing - love for the country and the Qatari fl ag at home and oth- triate Rusaike said he is thankful less of religion and race.” we are always here to support er buildings and posting words that he has been given the op- While most people are ex- Qatar and its wise leadership.” of praise and support for Qatar portunity to live in Qatar for the pressing their love for the country The ‘Tamim al majd’ portrait and His Highness the Emir on past 16 years, a country that has through written messages, Indian of His Highness the Emir has social media. taken care of his family and com- expatriate Shihab Yousef, an artist been created by contemporary “It is so obvious we love this patriots. from the Kerala state, has drawn Qatari artist Ahmed bin Majed country and we stay united even Rusaike wanted to express his an image similar to the ‘Tamim al al-Maadheed. Indian national Shihab Yousef draws an image of His Highness the Emir on the billboard. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar Statement lacks reason and balance: Advisory Council

embers of the Ad- rassment. “Qatar has lost noth- many countries have expressed visory Council have ing due to the blockade and, support for Qatar’s stance on the Msaid the statement of rather, the experience has helped crisis. He called for open dia- the blockading countries lacks enhance solidarity among peo- logue among all stakeholders to reason and balance, and is ple in the country. In addition, resolve the issue in line with the just an attempt to spare them the situation has shown the im- principle of sovereignty. embarrassment. portance of resolving the GCC A number of lawyers and legal Speaking to local Arabic daily crisis through dialogue based experts have also stressed that Arrayah, the members stressed on respect for the principle of Qatar has adopted wise strategies the sovereignty of Qatar and sovereignty.” and sound decisions in dealing called for dialogue based on in- Advisory Council member with the situation from day one. ternational laws and conven- Khalid al-Libda Ibrahim al-Nasr Nasser al-Kaabi Dr Ahmed al-Ubaidan Nasser al-Kaabi said Qatar’s wise Lawyer Hamad al-Yafai said tions in order to resolve the leadership is determined to pro- Qatar’s diplomacy has proven its crisis. way for them to achieve their On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia break Qatar’s steely resolve was anti-Qatar sentiment in the West”. tect the country’s sovereignty and success in dealing with the cri- Advisory Council mem- pre-planned objective,” he said. and its allies refrained from im- evident from the joint state- The four countries will next will not accept any external inter- sis, highlighting the high moral ber Khalid al-Libda said the Al-Libda hoped for the “GCC posing fresh sanctions on Qatar ment issued at the end of their meet in Manama though they ference in its decision-making. stance of its diplomats and poli- response of the blockading brothers to adopt reason and deal but voiced disappointment at the meeting. have given no date. He also expressed hope that the ticians who have dealt with the countries to Qatar’s stance did with the issue in a wise manner in response to their demands and Earlier that day, Qatar ac- Ibrahim al-Nasr, another Ad- upcoming meeting in Bahrain will situation in accordance with not include a clear and frank the best interest of the people of said their boycott of the country cused the four nations of “clear visory Council member, said the come up with a decision that will international laws. statement based on evidence the region”. He stressed that Qa- will continue. aggression” and said the al- statement of the four blockad- help bridge the diff erences and Abdullah al-Mansuri, another and reason. “Their decisions tar has always expressed its will- The failure of the blockad- legations cited when they sev- ing countries does not show any maintain the relations between lawyer, said the blockade vio- were only meant to prolong the ingness to have an open dialogue ing countries – Saudi Arabia, ered ties a month ago “were new, solid outcome and is just an countries of the region. lates all international laws and situation in order to pave the and a desire for reconciliation. the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt – to clearly designed to create attempt to avoid further embar- Dr Ahmed al-Ubaidan said conventions.